At a young age Naruto grew up with little to no friends. Because of this he grew up with a love of video games. One day somehow he woke up with the ability to view life as a video game. Naruto has no idea what to make of this, but decided to make the most of it. Watch out world! The Gamer has arrived. Naruto/The Gamer Crossover. RPG and Naruto Game of the Year elements.
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Uzumaki Naruto: Dawn of the Gamer Remastered
- Thread starter Legend of the Kyuubi
- Start date
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Legend of the Kyuubi
Making the rounds.
- Joined
- Sep 14, 2026
- Messages
- 35
Uzumaki Naruto yawned as he rose up from his bed and shook the cobwebs from his head. The blond proceeded to wipe the crud from his eyes, waddled his way to the bathroom to take a shower and brush his teeth like clockwork. Soon after finishing, Naruto picked up his clothes that consisted of a small white t-shirt, underwear, and a pair of orange shorts. The young boy put them on and began making a simple breakfast before wondering what he should do today.
Today was Saturday and therefore meant that he didn't have school. It also meant he got to sleep in, which was always welcomed. Having just turned thirteen today, Naruto realized it would be a day he knew that many would avoid him like the plague more so than usual. Being thirteen also meant that Naruto was in his final year in the ninja academy. When Naruto first thought of joining the academy and becoming a ninja, like most others, he thought he'd be learning awesome jutsu and going on missions to save damsels in distress or save a country from an evil ninja.
Such thoughts and hopes went flying out the window after the first week and it only got worse from there as the years rolled by. Naruto, like most orphans before him, had been taught to read and write along with other basic needs to properly integrate into society. However, thanks to his hyperactive nature it took the academy student longer to learn and perform such tasks and skills properly than most orphans. Because of said hyperactivity – among a few other things, really – Naruto hated standing still and often skipped class to do some physical activity.
Because of this he was considered by most as a shoo-in for the title of Dead Last when it was time to graduate. Both his peers and the teaching faculty itself thought this. However, some doubted he would be able to graduate or become a ninja at all. But if one were to ask Naruto, he'd say he was the best ninja in the academy in a heartbeat.
"Ramen, I love you but why must you take three minutes to make?" the young boy whined as he impatiently stood in front of the microwave, sipping on his milk carton as he did even though it tasted a little sour. Ramen had always been Naruto's favorite food for a few reasons.
It tasted good, it was cheap and affordable, it was easy to make, he could eat it in several flavours, and it could be eaten for breakfast, lunch, and diner. The only thing he hated about it was the three minutes it took to make it.
Regardless of this – and if he was honest with himself, one might add – Naruto did wonder what it would be like to try new dishes once in while. He loved ramen, no doubt about it, but variety was nice too… unless it involved veggies then forget about it.
"Stupid merchants," Naruto grumbled.
Truthfully one of the only reasons Naruto ate mostly ramen, other than his love for it, was the fact that many of the merchants in Konoha either wouldn't sell anything to him or try sell to him at a higher price. Ramen was cheap and affordable and was often sold in large bulk compared to other healthier foods.
Luckily for Naruto some stores had friendly employees that sold him what he needed at a fair price. The only problem was that in most cases some would end up being fired and the cycle would start all over again. It was from one of these stores that Naruto found one of the only few pleasures in life that he could afford: video games.
Video games were still relatively new in this day and age, having only really started getting attention for the last decade and a half, but they were fun to play nonetheless. The most awesome of which, in Naruto's mind, were RPGs as it allowed the player to become anyone. Currently Naruto only had four of them, mostly older editions as they were cheaper, all from two guys called Akira Toriyama and Yujii Horii.
Video games were popular mostly to civilians and some of the younger ninja in the Elemental Countries. Reasons being that civilians had it much easier than ninja and could afford such leisurely pastimes. Ninja not as much as once an Academy Student graduated and became a Genin they had little time to relax. Even then during those brief times of rests they were often used for training or socializing with friends and family they might not see again.
Naruto, sad as it was to say, had little to no friends. Sure he hung out with a few of his classmates such as Shikamaru, Chouji by proxy of the former, and Kiba when they skipped class but other than that video games were the only things he could call friends at the moment.
Ding!
"Finally!" Naruto whopped as he took out his cup of ramen and began to devour the food like a ravenous wolf once it cooled down a bit, taking sips from his milk in between. However, just he was finished did Naruto's stomach start to growl and protest.
"Uh? What the-" Naruto had little time to think before he felt a gut punching feeling in his stomach. Looking at the milk carton still in his hand Naruto's eyes bulged as he found the culprit of his dilemma.
"Expiration date September 30th… That's almost two weeks ago!" Naruto shouted/groaned before he shuffled as fast as he could to the bathroom, hoping to make it to the toilet seat in time.
"Stupid asshole merchants!" Naruto groaned uncomfortably, it wasn't the first time that someone sold him expired food. Though in hindsight Naruto knew he should have read the expiration date first.
A couple of hours passed as Naruto's body purged itself from the expired milk before he felt capable of leaving the toilet. "Oh, god that was hell." Naruto gasped as he poured water into the sink to wipe his face with. Finishing Naruto grabbed a towel and wiped his face dry before he saw an unusual sight in the mirror.
"… Eh?" Naruto blinked in confusion. In the mirror above his head in blue letters was the oddest thing in the world.
"Uzumaki Naruto - Academy Student – Lv 5"
"Oooookkkkk," Naruto drawled, "Now the milk is screwing with my mind," he nodded thinking it was just a combination of his mind screwing with him and the expired milk.
"Next thing you know I'll have my own Status Window," he chuckled though it didn't last long.
Status Window
Name: Uzumaki Naruto
Job: Academy Student
Level: 5 Next Level: 350/2800
HP: 1925
CP: 3275
STR: 9?
VIT: 57?
END: 81?
DEX: 16?
INT: 11
WIS: 8
CHA: 6
LUK: ?
DEF: 15
Specialization: N/A
Special Perks:
Gamer: Allows you to view and live your life as though it were a video game.
?: Additional +5 VIT & +7.5 END per Lv, +250 CP per Lv, +25% additional EXP towards [Power Type Fighting Styles], +50% Increase towards [HP Regen] & [CP Regen], +50% Tolerance towards [Poison Debuff], -25% EXP and Effectiveness towards [Chakra Control Skills], -25% Reputation gain towards [Konoha Populace] whose relationship with you is Abhorred, Hostile or Disliked
Unknown Blessing: Your luck is immeasurable. Don't be fooled as it can go either at random.
Perks/Buffs:
?: Additional +5 VIT & +7.5 END per Lv, +100 HP per Lv, +25% additional EXP and Effectiveness towards [Fuinjutsu Skill], -15% EXP and Effectiveness towards [Chakra Control Skills] , ?
Titles:
Prank King: Additional +1 DEX per Lv, +25% additional EXP and Effectiveness towards [Stealth Skill] & [Traps Skill], -25% Reputation gain towards pranked for 24 Hours
Academy Ninja: +10% additional EXP gains towards quests and enemies slain (only for character level up)
Flaws/Debuffs:
Malnourished: Hampered physical growth rate, -25% to VIT, DEX, END, and STR stat base, -25% Tolerance towards [Poison Debuff] (Can be removed)
Description: Uzumaki Naruto's background is shrouded in mystery. Currently an academy student with inspirations to become Hokage, Naruto has a long and difficult journey ahead of him before he can attain his dream. At the moment many consider Naruto as a shoo-in for the title of Dead Last.
Money: 6500 Ryo ~ (650$)
Attribute Points: 17
Naruto's mouth was agape in disbelief as he saw the status window. Before he could begin to freak out Naruto suddenly found himself calming down and thinking logically.
"Ok, that just happened. What's the hell's going on? And why the hell are my stats so low?!"
"Do you wish to view the Help Guide?"
(YES/NO)
"Ok, I've had enough of this crap! It was funny at first now it's just plain creepy. Kai (Release)!"
"Ok, now time to… oh you're freaking kidding me, Kai!"
The concept of trying to get out of Genjutsu was still fairly new to him, to the whole class
really except those from clans, having only just learned about it nine days ago. So when the illusion hadn't gone away on the first time Naruto had simply attempted it once more with more power than before.
"The hell! Kai!" Naruto grunted out.
"Do you wish to view the Help Guide?"
(YES/NO)
Naruto cocked an eyebrow as a blue box suddenly appeared before him once more. Naruto was seriously starting to doubt this was a Genjutsu. Sure Iruka-sensei had said something about some being very elaborate and difficult to get out of but even this was pushing it. Who the hell would make a video game Genjutsu?
"Now that I think about it. Iruka-sensei did say that Genjutsu were meant to harm or psyc…psy… argh, attack your brain and make you feel bad or whatever," it was about one of the only things he really learned in that class as he along with a few others had fallen asleep during the lecture.
As far as he could tell the Genjutsu wasn't hurting him or make him relive bad memories like they were supposed to. Looking back up at the message that still floated in the air Naruto cocked an eyebrow.
"What is this anyway, an RPG?" he wondered out loud before he answered, "…Yes?" Naruto said after a moment's hesitation, thinking it might trigger something bad, before the screen shined and flickered out of existence only to be replaced with another that revealed more information.
"Hmm… ok not a Genjutsu. Alright, says here everything is activated by voice and touch command. That's convenient," Naruto mused as he continued browsing the Help Guide; his hesitation and caution slowly going away.
"Okay, let's take her for a test spin," he grinned, "Skill List Window open!"
Skill List Window
Passive Skills
|Gamer's Mind: Lv Max Allows the user to calmly and logically think things through. Allows peaceful state of mind. Grants holder an immunity to psychological status. Strong and powerful Genjutsu being the exception depending on the caster and the Gamer's level and skill.
|Gamer's Body: Lv Max Grants a body that allows for the user to live the real world like a game. HP & CP are fully recovered after sleeping.
Passive/Active Skills
|Basic Academy Taijutsu – D-Rank: Lv 7. 63% to next Lv Mastering Speed: B| A basic form of martial arts that teaches one how to kick, block, and punch properly.
• Increases Strength by 5% during combat
Active Skills
|Naisho (Stealth): Lv 18. 89% to next Lv| Mastering Speed: D| An essential but basic skill for all shinobi that allows the user the ability to move around undetected. Hint: Combine this with other techniques to greatly improve your stealth. In addition, those with greater levels, senses or possess certain skills than you will be unaffected by your efforts.
• Increases un-detectability effectiveness by an additional 18% when active.
• Increases critical hits damage and chance by 18% when active.
• Increases pick pocketing effectiveness by an additional 18% when active.
• Increases infiltration/lock-picking effectiveness by an additional 18% when active.
** You have a 68% percent chance of being undetected by those of your level (percentage will generally increase when used near lower level foes and decrease near higher level foes. Other factors come into play)
|Henge (Transformation) D-Rank: Lv MAX| A basic technique that allows one to transform themselves into other objects, people, or creatures. Uses 20 CP per minute.
• Increases Stealth Skill effectiveness by 20% when active.
• Increases Bluffing Skill effectiveness by 20% when active.
** You have a 75% percent chance of being undetected by those of your level (percentage will generally increase when used near lower level foes and decrease near higher level foes. Other factors come into play)
|Kawarimi (Replacement) E-Rank: MAX Lv| A basic but useful technique nonetheless that allows the user to avoid harm by replacing themselves with other objects. CP usage depends on substitute object size, range, and chakra.
• Increases evasion by 20% for 10 seconds when activated.
• Increases movement speed by 10% for 10 seconds when activated.
|Basic Shurikenjutsu and Kunaijutsu (Basic Shuriken Techniques and Kunai Techniques) D-Rank: Lv 9. 53% to next Lv| Mastering Speed: A| A basic and essential skill that all ninja should know if they wish to call themselves true ninja. This skill allows the user to properly wield and throw both shuriken and kunai during and outside of combat. While most ninja master only the basic forms of these aspects some clans or ninja are known to utilize more advanced forms.
• Increases power of shuriken and kunai by 9% during combat
• Increases accuracy when thrown during combat by 29%
• Increases accuracy when thrown outside of combat by 59%
|Basic Cooking: Lv 4. 47% to next Lv| Mastering Speed: A| The ability on how to cook meals and how good it turns out. Current level only allows you to make simple meals such as instant ramen, boiled rice or eggs. Hint: Some meals can only be made when using a recipe or having watched someone teach you how to cook it.
• Increases cooking speed by 4% (instant meals aren't affected)
• Increases success of creating a new non-recipe dish by 54%
"Cool," Naruto couldn't help but admire it all.
"Gamer's Mind and Gamer's Body huh? Guess that explains why I started thinking straight instead of having a meltdown… still weird as hell though that I'm able to view the world like it's a video game. Wonder if it's a Bloodline Limit or something?"
That last comment made him think. Part of him wondered if he should go and see Hokage-jiji to see if he could help with this. However, the other part wanted him to keep it a secret. It wasn't as if he could prove it and knowing the Old Man he would have someone keep an eye on him to make sure he was alright.
As much as the Old Man liked him telling him he had a video game based Bloodline Limit would force the Sandaime to potentially have to take drastic measures. We wouldn't want to but what choice would he have if he said something this crazy. Without proof to show it was best he kept it a secret till he found a way. Sure pranks were one thing but claiming you had a video Bloodline Limit was very different.
"Guess I should keep this on the down low till I figure this out," Naruto had no intention of potentially spending his life in a nuthouse.
For thinking things through in a rational manner your WIS and INT have gone up by 1!
"… I can increase my stats by doing stuff like that? Sweet!" Naruto whooped. "Ok, let's see what else I can do to bring my stats up."
Chakra Enhancement Training:
A training method that increases your chakra, control, and potency of chakra based techniques.
Physical Enhancement Training:
A training method that increases your physical capabilities and physical based techniques.
Mental Enhancement Training:
A training method that increases your mental faculties.
"Ok, makes sense," Naruto nodded it was pretty straightforward, as far as explanations went, unlike Iruka-sensei's lectures. "Ok, so what do attributes do for me? Attributes open!" he had an idea already but wanted to be certain.
Attributes
Your attributes determine your strengths and weaknesses. Currently there are seven attributes. The most common way for your stats to increase is by levelling up. Doing this increases them by a small margin, but each level decreases the rate of stat gain. Another way to increase your attributes is by training or performing certain tasks. An example would be physical training, which depending on what is being done will increase your Vitality, Dexterity, and Strength.
|Important Special Note!|
Furthermore, when you've increased an attribute by 150 points you gain a perk that as time passes will increase even further for every 150 points. This perk can also be temporarily increased even more through certain skills that enhance a specific attribute. Be forewarned, if a single attribute exceeds the VIT attribute by more than two and a half times its amount, it will begin to have a negative effect on the body. This can usually be rectified or at least be managed by increasing your VIT attributes, not always though depending on circumstances.
Strength (STR):
The Strength attribute determines the person's overall physical power. This attribute affects the amount of damage a person can inflict on another with martial arts, bladed, or blunt objects. It also affects a person's ability to reduce damage when blocking and affects the amount of weight they can lift, or throw. It's very important when one's fighting style focuses on using heavy weapons or brute force.
20 END & 20 STR & 20 VIT = 1 Defense
Vitality (VIT):
The Vitality, also known as the Vigor attribute, determines the person's overall health. This attribute also affects a person's ability to regain health in and outside of combat and resist specials types of damage from things such as poison, bleeding, paralysis, burns, etc.
1 VIT = 25 HP
1 VIT = .5 HP REGEN Per Minute (Outside of Combat)
1 VIT = .25 HP REGEN Per Minute (During Combat)
20 END & 20 STR & 20 VIT = 1 Defense
Endurance (END):
The Endurance attribute determines a person's overall stamina/chakra, which affects how long they can fight or perform some form of activity and the potency of most chakra based skills. Similar to Vitality and Strength this attribute also plays a role in the person's health by increasing their natural defense when not armoured and when blocking an attack by assuring the blocker's poise doesn't break.
1 END = 25 CP
1 END = .5 CP REGEN Per Minute (Outside of Combat)
1 END = .25 CP REGEN Per Minute (During Combat)
20 END & 20 STR & 20 VIT = 1 Defense
Dexterity (DEX)
The Dexterity attribute determines the person's overall movement. This attribute affects a person's accuracy, evasion, speed, and ability to land critical strikes on an opponent in close, mid, and long-range combat. Dexterity also plays a major role in pick pocking, stealth, use of weaponry and the ability to dual wielding weaponry properly.
Intelligence (INT):
The Intelligence attribute determines the person's overall ability to think quickly, to learn, memorize, retain information, and determines how smart they are. This attribute affects one's ability to properly control and mould their chakra. It also enables one to perform a technique the smallest amount of chakra necessary while still achieving the desired results. Much like Wisdom, Intelligence also affects ones ability to learn and develop certain skills such as Genjutsu and Medical Ninjutsu along with successfully enabling new variations of certain techniques to be created as well as defending from mental attacks.
Wisdom (WIS):
The wisdom attribute determines the person's common sense, innovation, and perception. Wisdom, along with Intelligence, also plays an important role in learning certain skills such as trap making and fuinjutsu along with successfully enabling new variations of certain techniques to be created. More importantly, it affects how resistant they are to damage from mental based techniques.
Charisma(CHA):
The Charisma attribute determines a character's force of personality, persuasiveness, personal magnetism, ability to lead, and their attractiveness. The Charisma attributes plays a role in certain skills and techniques such as those involving mind control, intimidation, bargaining, and even plain old lying. In addition, Charisma, much like Wisdom, also plays a role in allowing you to detect skills that affect you mentally, and allow you an easier time to detect when someone is lying or telling the truth.
Luck (LUK):
The Luck attribute determines the person's overall chance. Luck is unique compared to all the other attributes as it is capable of influencing anything from finding or looting random items of various rarity, winning money while gambling, to encounters, and even playing a role in landing critical hits.
"Huh? A little different than what I expected. Yosh! Let's take this for a test drive," Naruto nodded before heading out the door. Carefully and silently leaving the building so as to not disturb the old man who ran the place. He was a decent guy, if somewhat cranky, but hated it when people made loud noises. More than once he kicked out a few people for that fact alone.
Naruto had almost gotten himself kicked out too but guessed that the fact that he was an orphan and was close to the Sandaime had left him off with a warning instead. Even then the man kept a watchful eye on him.
"Senile old fart," Naruto muttered.
"I heard that, brat!" the old man shouted from his room causing Naruto to flee like a bat out of hell.
"How the freaking hell does he bloody do that, dattebayo?" the old man's hearing never ceased to amaze and scare him. Naruto guessed the man either had wires all over the place or he was an ex-ninja. He wouldn't doubt it if it was both.
"Ok, let's see if anything interesting happens," Naruto muttered to himself before spotting a couple of familiar individuals. "What the?"
Nara Shikamaru – Nara Heir - Lv 7
Akimichi Chouji – Akimichi Heir – Lv 7
"Come on, Shikamaru. They're serving at half price for today only!" Chouji spoke in between the chips he ate about his favorite eating spot.
"Troublesome," Shikamaru sighed, "You do know they open at 11:30 right? It's still only 10:56."
"Yeah, but I heard some of my family are going to be there and I wanna be first in line before they do," Chouji countered and began to drag Shikamaru, who barely or didn't bother to resist being pulled, to the restaurant. When it came to Akimichi and their love of food nothing stood in their way, unless they wanted to be missing a limb or too.
"Okay, so it's not just me who has a floating textbox above their head. Guess it's not a Genjutsu," Naruto told himself. Even if it was it wasn't doing anything to warm him so why bother fighting it.
Walking around the village Naruto continued to observe the villagers. From what he saw most of the civilians had levels ranging from 5 to 15 at best, while ninja, with the exception of academy students, were a heck of a lot higher. From what he saw most of the Chunin had levels of 25 and higher. Unfortunately, as his level was still in the lowest tier, he couldn't see anything that was twenty-five levels higher than his own. People he knew that were Tokubetsu Jonin had question marks while Jonin also had a question mark. Some Jonin he saw had a golden leaf background on their names and others had skulls.
"I guess the question mark means my level's too low and their level's too high to see. Golden leaf means they're elites, I think," Naruto pondered. He had seen this before during his video games and guessed the same concept applied here.
Question marks instead of a number meant the level was out of his league, while a background or symbols around the name meant they were not only high level individuals – not always – but much, much stronger than those with the same level. Those with skulls or X's meant they were at least fifty or sixty levels higher than his own. In short it meant don't screw with those guys until you were at least close to their level or had a large and skilled enough group to help you.
|Congratulations! A special skill has been created through a special act!|
|Through continuous observation of others in order to find out more about them the passive/active ability
|Observe| has been created!|
"Really? Yatta, dattebayo!" Naruto cheered suddenly, much to the confusion of some onlookers and much to his embarrassment when he realized he made a fool of himself in front of a crowd.
"Note to self, be more discreet," Naruto thought as he left for a more secluded area of Konoha. "Ok, let's see what we got here. Open Skill List… ah here we go."
|Observe: Lv1. 79% to Next Lv| Mastering Speed: B| This skill allows the user to see the target's max HP, max CP.
"Hmm, basic, simple, and useful," Naruto noted. Looking around to see if there was anything he could use this ability on the young blond spotted a small creature.
"Here goes nothing. Observe."
Brown Rabbit – Forest Creature – Lv 1. NC
"NC? What's that?" Naruto had never heard of the term or seen it video games before. Though he didn't have to wait long before his answer popped up.
NC "Non-Combatant"
NCs are creatures or individuals with no fighting skill or little worth. As such they will not offer you any experience points and serve little purpose other than dropping useful items such as meat or fur that can be used or sold. Doing this to NC civilians, however, will have serious consequences.
"Well, there goes that grinding idea," Naruto grumbled at the loss of easily levelling up. Sure the meat and fur sounded good, it would give him something else to eat and potentially bring in extra cash if he managed to find someone to buy them off him. But what was the point if you weren't going to get any experience points out of it.
"Crap, I also have to learn how to cook rabbit meat," Naruto wasn't the sharpest kunai in the pouch, but even he knew that meat from different animals was not supposed to be cooked the same way. He recalled Ayame and Teuchi saying one technically could but it wouldn't taste anywhere as good or you'd get very sick.
"Ah, forget it. I don't have time to waste learning how to cook that stuff," he had a hard time learning about what was going on in the academy. He didn't need the extra hassle.
"Ok, let's what else I can do this on," Naruto thought just as he spotted the perfect candidate.
"Observe."
Umino Iruka – Ninja Academy Teacher – Lv 29
HP: 2200 CP: 1525
|Observe skill has levelled up! You can now see more information and can use this on inanimate objects!|
"So it levels up the more I use it. Let's see it now," he spoke softly as he opened his skill list once more.
|Observe: Lv2. 53% to next Lv Mastering Speed: B| This skill allows the user to see the target's max HP, max CP, and some information. Can now also be used on items such as weapons and armor. The more you level up the more information you can see. Individuals with huge levels gaps will have a question mark instead of a number; this will only go away when you have gained a decent amount of level or have increased this skill. Some powerful skills, however, can fool the technique.
"So it lets me see more info now. That's useful. Observe," Naruto whispered as he looked at Iruka once more.
Umino Iruka – Ninja Academy Teacher – Lv 29
HP: 2200 CP: 1525
Description: Umino Iruka is a dedicated Ninja Academy Instructor who hopes of passing on his wisdom to the next generation of ninja. He is also known as one of the only Chunin in Konoha who can catch Uzumaki Naruto through as of yet unknown means.
Naruto's eye began to twitch as he read that last part of the description. Though he didn't like to admit it, it was true really. Most of the time when he pulled a prank the ninja who were sent to retrieve him were Chunin, which he more often then not managed to escape from. Sometimes the occasional Jonin would be sent, which he learned early on meant he was screwed. He could trick or evade the odd one but it was always brief. But whenever Iruka was sent his tactics didn't really work that well.
"How the hell does he do it?" Naruto wondered.
[QUEST ALERT!]
How Does He Bloody Do It?
Main Quest: Learn how Umino Iruka manages to catch you every time you've pulled a prank.
Side Quest: Don't let Iruka figure out what you're doing.
Main Quest Completion: 250 Exp.
Side Quest Completion: 100 Exp.
Failure: 50 Exp
Accept? (Yes/No)
"Hmm, sounds good but I'd better look more into this. Help Guide," Naruto called out before locating what he was looking for. Just because it was similar to how video game quests did it didn't mean it followed the same rules.
For not rushing to complete a quest and thinking things through your WIS has increased by 1.
"Sweet!"
Quests
Quests, sometimes called missions, are tasks given to players by others or appear spontaneously. Completing a quest or mission will result in rewards such as experience points, items and money. Most quests can be accepted or declined while others are mandatory and must be completed in order to proceed.
Sometimes a side quest will be giving alongside the main one, these are purely optional but completing them gives a boost of rewards such as experience, money, items, etc. Some quests will allow you an unlimited amount of time to complete it while others need to be completed before a specific time and/or day or risk quest failure. A variation of a side quest known as hidden objectives will sometimes be posted, what these objectives are you needed to figure out on your own but the rewards are generally greater that side quests in the long run.
Completion of quests also boosts one's reputation with the affiliated village, person or faction by a certain amount though sometimes it can decrease the reputation of something else such as an enemy village. Depending on the quest failure to complete it can result in penalties such as no rewards, negative reputation gain, lower experience points gained, the crippling injury status, or even death.
Thinking nothing of it Naruto pressed on the "yes" button to accept the quest. The quests were pretty much the same as the video games he had. Though the hidden quest was somewhat new, still the extra rewards and exp were fine in his books.
Naruto also considered himself lucky really. This wasn't the first time he had spied on Iruka-sensei before. Iruka himself had fallen victim to a few of his pranks in the past with the only times he ever did get caught by the man was when he was actively looking for him after a prank, otherwise he was almost invisible to him.
Seeing him leave the store he was currently in, Naruto began following the academy instructor from a good distance. Not too close that it would arouse suspicion but not too far that he would loose him sight of in the crowd, or if he made a turn somewhere he could not see him.
Seeing him enter another store, one where he wasn't exactly welcomed, Naruto decided to wait for him outside before he continued his quest. "Might as well see what else this Guide Book has in it."
Finding a an empty bench Naruto whispered the voice command and proceeded to look through the Guide Book for anything interesting, "Ok, let's see what else we got here. Ah, Inventory!"
Inventory Box:
The inventory box, a personal space-time technique, is where the items you are currently holding go to when not in use. This allows you to store a near infinite amount of items without having to carry them on your person and hamper your movement with the excess weight. To place an item inside just press it on the screen and vice versa when you want to pull it out. Any items placed inside the Inventory Box will go into a state of stasis, so weapons and armour won't rust and food will never go bad even if it remains there for years.
Special Note:
Certain things cannot be placed in the inventory box such as a campfire or living beings. Corpses, however, can be.
"That makes things easy," Naruto thought before moving on.
The idea of not having to carry everything on him yet have everything he needed when he wanted it was a great thing to have. The never going bad aspect was a big bonus, too. Though part of him thought it was a bit of overkill and unfair to others Naruto immediately squashed that thought. He was a ninja in training damn it! Their whole lifestyle was about being unfair, fighting dirty and not caring if they cheated. They weren't training to be samurai.
Shaking that thought from his mind, Naruto looked at what else there was before he called, "Item Quality."
Item Quality
Simply put, item quality is a relative indicator of how good an item is compared to another. The quality indicator is most often seen with a rank beside the name of the item. There are seven types of item qualities in the world, which are ranked from Poor to Legendary.
Note: The higher the quality the greater the requirements needed to use it properly before being able to master it, not in all cases, however.
Poor Quality:
Items that are considered the worst of the worst and barely even worth using, seen as junk by many. Such items are made of shady materials, poor craftsmanship, has rusted over, or been worn down so badly that it can no longer be used properly. Items of this quality be recycled for parts to make better items but don't expect much.
Common Quality:
These are common items of decent quality that many use every day. Most items that fit into this category are basic kunai, shuriken, and some other forms of weaponry and armor.
Uncommon Quality:
These are the uncommon items, not everyone has them but have frequent enough usage. Most items that fit into this category are sealing scrolls, weaponry and items that can be used for making other things such as clothing, medicine or weapons.
Rare Quality:
Items of this quality are either somewhat difficult or expensive to come by. Most usually grant an ability or a great attribute booster for the user, or are made from materials that are difficult to acquire or buy, or require a great level of skill to create.
Very Rare Quality:
These items are considered the rarest of the rare. Items of this quality are incredibly difficult to come by and create, though not considered one of a kind they are generally very limited in supply. Such items contain higher forms of enchantments that few to none can replicate or capabilities only the highly gifted can accomplish.
Epic Quality:
Items that are a second to none except when compared to legendary quality items. Items of this quality are few and in between as the methods of creating them are either a closely guarded secret or their ingredients are held under lock and key, come from very dangerous or incredibly rare and elusive creatures, or the materials are situated in extremely dangerous locations few dare to tread.
Legendary Quality:
These unique items are considered legendary in terms of power and one of a kind ability they possess or are capable of granting individuals or other items, many of these being one of a kind. Chances of coming across items of this quality are one million to one and only those with incredible levels of luck are said to be able to find these. If you own one many will call you a lucky bastard, while others will try to kill you for it. Items that are considered to fall under this category are masterpieces or items used by legendary and ancient craftsmen or figures such as the Rikudo Sennin, Gorō Nyūdō Masamune, Uchiha Madara, Senju Hashirama, Senju Tobirama, Sarutobi Sasuke, etc. Some, but not all, of these items possess sentience and will only allow specific individuals to wield or summon them.
"Huh, let's see," Naruto thought as he took out a spare kunai from his pocket he had taken from the academy. "Observe!"
Academy Kunai – Poor Quality
A poor excuse for a kunai. The weight and sharpness of the kunai leaves much to be desired. The blade is so dull that piercing or cutting something with it will be very difficult, while the uneven weight of it lowers your chances of hitting your target.
Attack Power: 2-4
Flaw/Debuff: -20% accuracy when thrown
"THE HELL!" Naruto shouted and cursed himself as he did before vacating his spot and jumped onto the roof of the store to hide. No sooner did he leave did Iruka come out of the store, and from the way his head was moving in every direction did Naruto guess he was looking for him.
"Strange? I could have sworn I heard Naruto," he heard his teacher mutter to himself. Shrugging his shoulders Iruka left the store and continued on his way.
"That was close," Naruto thanked whatever deity was looking out for him at the moment.
"Whatcha doing, gaki?" a voice suddenly spoke from behind him.
"Bhwwammmmmm," Naruto tried to scream only to have his mouth covered by someone's hand.
"Rule number one about stealth, gaki: no screaming when following someone. Kinda defeats the purpose of the whole thing," the purple haired and scantily clad woman informed him.
Muttering "Observe" on her as low as he could Naruto was shocked by the result.
Mitarashi Anko – T&I Specialist – Lv ?
"Shit!" Naruto cursed his luck at the moment; it really did go either way. It was easy to see that she was strong, easily way out of his league, and the fact that snuck up on him without him noticing only scared him even more.
"So again, whatcha doing following Umino, gaki?" Anko repeated.
"Um, trying to find out how he keeps finding me?" Naruto hesitated. He knew from experience that lying to Jonin wasn't a good idea; most knew when he was lying and often called him out on his bullshit.
For her part Anko only blinked before she grinned and laughed a bit, "That's it? Oh that's a good one."
Seeing him glare at her Anko realized he wasn't kidding, "Uh… really? Wow, you're serious aren't you? Yeah, not to bust your balls or anything, kid, but how the hell is following him around gonna get you the answer? You think he's just gonna talk about it willy nilly?"
"Uhhhhh," Naruto just realized he hadn't thought of that. "… Crap."
For not thinking things through your WIS and INT have decreased by 1
"Oh, son of a bitch!"
"Yeah… No offense, gaki, but you suck at information gathering. There are other ways of getting information on someone other than following them. The fact that you weren't exactly being discreet allowed a few of us to see what you were doing from a mile away," she pointed out. "Hell some of us know when you're gonna do a prank."
"Bullshit! If that's true why don't your stop me?" he called her bluff.
"It gives us a good laugh watching those Chunin struggle to catch you, especially when they run into a few of your traps along the way," she grinned. "Besides it's fun to see them being brought down a notch. Quite a few of them think they're tough shit just because they made Chunin."
Naruto couldn't believe, and was having a hard time believing it, that some people actually liked his pranks. Seriously, most people hated him for his pranks, especially the victims.
"Just a heads up though, prank us and you'll be wishing for death, if not begging for it. Got that?" her sadistic grin returned with a vengeance. One that made Naruto sweat and nod furiously. "Ok, we're good then, gaki," she patted and ruffled his head.
For agreeing with Anko on not pranking her or her friends your reputation with her has increased by 100.
"That's convenient," Naruto thought. "Um, I don't suppose you'll help me then?"
Anko merely cocked an eyebrow before placing her hands on her hips, "And why would I wanna help you? What's in it for me?"
"Um, what do you want?" Naruto asked.
"What can you offer me?"
"Uhh, want me to prank someone for you?" even as he said it Naruto was thinking along the lines of, "Nice move genius. Real smooth."
"Hmm, alright. But in exchange you owe me three pranks. No ifs or buts and no fuss. This here's a take it or leave it deal, gaki. What do you say?" Anko offered.
Knowing that it was probably as good as it was gonna get, Naruto agreed, "Deal."
A special skill has been created through a special act!
Through the art careful and successful exchange of services with another the active ability |Bargaining| has been created.
Naruto forced himself not to drop his jaw at the sudden gain of an ability before focusing once more on Anko, "But can I add one thing? I don't want Iruka-sensei to know what I'm up to."
Anko merely shrugged, "Meh, I'm cool with that. You got yourself a deal, gaki. Wait right here while the Incredibly Sexy Anko Mitarashi does her thing."
With that Anko jumped off the building and began her pursuit of Iruka. Naruto thinking he had time to kill decided to look at his newly acquired skill.
|Bargaining Lv 1. 39% to next Lv Mastering Speed: C| This skill allows the user to successfully barter with others in order to acquire certain services or information. Such things include the buying and selling of items, the exchange of information, or others, the higher the level of this skill the greater the success and rewards.
Note: Your wisdom and reputation with individuals, and their level, will play a big role in the success of bargaining.
"Uh, gaki," Naruto say Anko poking her head up the side of the building a sheepish look adorned on her face, "You wouldn't by chance know which way he went … would ya?"
Naruto gave her a deadpan look before pointing in the direction Iruka was last seen.
"Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all," he thought before going back to his Guide Book.
Challenges
Challenges are a set of specific tasks that are accomplished by the user. However, unlike quests, which give EXP and rewards, challenges only award experience points. Most challenges involve killing many of the same type of enemy, creating variations of a technique, mastering a set of techniques from a specific rank, etc. Other challenges are based around discovering hidden areas, hidden caches, looting enemies, traveling, increasing your reputation levels, and your own profession.
Note: A list of challenges becomes available once you've reached level 15, and more will be revealed as you level up and and accomplish certain tasks. However, some challenges can still be accomplished as you perform certain tasks. Be forewarned, depending on your actions, some challenges can be permanently forfeited unintentionally.
"Ah, crap," Naruto hated when stuff like this happened. With him currently being at level five, which was a load of crap in his mind, it would take him quite a while before he reached level fifteen. As Anko still had yet to come back, Naruto decided to look at any else that was useful for him to learn.
Maximum/Mastered Level
Mastering a technique to its utmost level takes time and dedication. For skills at the basic level it isn't so bad but each upgrade takes greater time and dedication, but it's very beneficial for the user. Not only will it allow one to not only spend less time preparing a technique but it also allows you to create your own variants of the technique, too. Mastering certain techniques can even add a bonus stat, unlock a hidden function, drastically reduce the cost of chakra needed, increase the strength, or the duration of it. It should be noted that not all techniques have this. Additionally, some techniques can be mastered but variations can't be created or will be more difficult to master due to higher power and requirements needed.
Keep in mind that the higher the rank of the technique the harder and longer it is to master. However, certain variables come into play. Depending on a number of variables, the length of mastering techniques that have no rank can go either way.
Mastering Speed Index
E–Rank(Very Slow)
D–Rank (Slow)
C–Rank (Average)
B–Rank (Fast)
A–Rank (Very Fast)
S–Rank (Extremely Fast)
Titles
Titles are benefits given to individuals either through the deeds they have accomplished such as swordsmanship, due to their lineage such as being the descendant of a powerful or famous clan member, or for slaying a particular type of foe such as undead, insects, or humans. Titles, unlike perks, can be removed and replaced by the bearer at will (except in dungeons or in the middle of a fight, some titles cannot be removed unless certain actions are performed). Initially a person is only capable of holding three titles but the amount increases by one every twenty-fifth level.
Attribute/Stat Points
Attribute Points, or AP for short, also known as Stat Points, are essential to any adventurer as it allows them to increase their Attributes (except for DEF). Attribute Points are generally earned whenever a person levels up, however, there are items and quests that grant Attribute Points as well. Once applied, Attribute Points cannot be readjusted, so be cautious and think before applying them.
Ordinary Perks and Ordinary Perk Points
To begin, Ordinary Perks are benefits the holder of them has that increase their overall capabilities. Most perks are something that the person is born with such as being naturally flexible, intelligent or talented; a person's lineage is generally considered a perk. Ordinary Perks are capable to change over time, but can change for the better or for worse. Perks, despite their boons, can also be lost depending on circumstances.
Similar to Attribute Points, Ordinary Perk Points, or OPP for short, are used to gain ordinary perks once a certain amount of OPP has been gained. However, unlike ordinary AP, only one OPP is gained every fifteenth level up – where the OPP list becomes available – and sometimes when completing certain high level quests (the higher the quest rank the greater chance of gaining OPP). In addition, OPP can also be used to enhance existing Ordinary Perks, too, the maximum level being five.
Special Perks and Special Perk Points
Special Perks are perks that are usually unique to the user such as bloodline limits like the Sharingan, Byakugan, or powerful passive abilities like the Gamer, Sun Pyromancer, Stormborn, or Water Master. Special Perks allow users to use blood related techniques or use common techniques in ways no one else but them can. Much like Ordinary Perks, Special Perks can change overtime and be lost depending on circumstances
Similar to Attribute Points, Special Perk Points, or SPP for short, are used to gain special perks – certain bloodline limits excluded – once a certain amount of SPP has been gained. However, unlike ordinary AP, only one SPP is gained every thirtieth level up – where the SPP list becomes available – and sometimes when completing certain high level quests (the higher the quest rank the greater chance of gaining SPP). In addition, SPP can also be used to enhance certain Special Perks, too, the maximum level being five.
Naruto was interrupted from his thoughts as a series of shuriken came sailing at him. Though he managed to dodge a few of them several still managed to cut his clothes and gave him a few cuts. It didn't stop there, however, as Naruto soon felt the unforgiving feel of cold iron pressed against his neck; its presence threatening to slice and spill his blood all over him and the roof he was on.
"Lesson number two about stealth, gaki: always be aware of your surroundings. You never know when someone else is sneaking up on you while you do the same," the familiar voice of Anko rang in his ears before he felt the kunai being removed.
Naruto had realized then and there that it was twice that Anko could have killed him if she so wished.
Twice she could have killed him without him realizing it. Naruto wasn't as dumb as many thought him to be. He knew that Jonin were skilled, as evidence when they managed to catch him in the past, but if this was the skill of a Jonin it made him realize that as he was in need of some serious grinding.
"Oh, and the reason why Umino was able to find you is because he's one of the few sensors we have," Anko informed him.
[QUEST COMPLETED!]
How Does He Bloody Do It?
Main Quest: Learn how Umino Iruka manages to catch you every time you've pulled a prank. (Accomplished)
Side Quest: Don't let Iruka figure out what you're doing. (Accomplished)
Total Rewards Earned
350 Exp + (350*10%) = 385 Exp
Naruto had to stop himself from jumping up and down at the completion of a quest, sure he hadn't gained a level yet but he was half way there.
"…You really need to stop spacing out like that, gaki. It's creepy, even for me," Naruto heard Anko say and before he could ask her what a sensor ninja was the kunoichi disappeared in a whirl of leaves. Never knowing that Anko knew his class mentor was a sensor the entire time. As he prepared to leave, Naruto noticed where Anko once stood was a kunai with a message penned to him.
"Don't forget, gaki, you owe me three pranks. If you try to weasel your way out, well, you'll see," Naruto gulped before noticing another line, "Ps. This message will self-destruct in twenty seconds … WHAT!" Naruto screamed but was too late to evade the explosion of smoke that enveloped him.
When the clouded finally cleared, Naruto found himself covered head to toe in girly pink paint. When he finally managed to get home, after passing by a still laughing landlord; Naruto began washing the substance off him. Upon finishing, the young ninja in training's red hot temper took hold the moment he spotted the characters for "Anko's little bitch" marked on his face.
"This means war! Nobody pranks the Prank King and gets away with it damn it!" Naruto vowed, all the while not knowing that Anko heard every word.
"Challenge accepted, gaki," she smirked.
Name: Uzumaki Naruto
Job: Academy Student
Level: 5 Next Level: 350/2800
HP: 1925
CP: 3275
STR: 9?
VIT: 57?
END: 81?
DEX: 16?
INT: 11
WIS: 8
CHA: 6
LUK: ?
DEF: 15
Attribute Points: 17
Today was Saturday and therefore meant that he didn't have school. It also meant he got to sleep in, which was always welcomed. Having just turned thirteen today, Naruto realized it would be a day he knew that many would avoid him like the plague more so than usual. Being thirteen also meant that Naruto was in his final year in the ninja academy. When Naruto first thought of joining the academy and becoming a ninja, like most others, he thought he'd be learning awesome jutsu and going on missions to save damsels in distress or save a country from an evil ninja.
Such thoughts and hopes went flying out the window after the first week and it only got worse from there as the years rolled by. Naruto, like most orphans before him, had been taught to read and write along with other basic needs to properly integrate into society. However, thanks to his hyperactive nature it took the academy student longer to learn and perform such tasks and skills properly than most orphans. Because of said hyperactivity – among a few other things, really – Naruto hated standing still and often skipped class to do some physical activity.
Because of this he was considered by most as a shoo-in for the title of Dead Last when it was time to graduate. Both his peers and the teaching faculty itself thought this. However, some doubted he would be able to graduate or become a ninja at all. But if one were to ask Naruto, he'd say he was the best ninja in the academy in a heartbeat.
"Ramen, I love you but why must you take three minutes to make?" the young boy whined as he impatiently stood in front of the microwave, sipping on his milk carton as he did even though it tasted a little sour. Ramen had always been Naruto's favorite food for a few reasons.
It tasted good, it was cheap and affordable, it was easy to make, he could eat it in several flavours, and it could be eaten for breakfast, lunch, and diner. The only thing he hated about it was the three minutes it took to make it.
Regardless of this – and if he was honest with himself, one might add – Naruto did wonder what it would be like to try new dishes once in while. He loved ramen, no doubt about it, but variety was nice too… unless it involved veggies then forget about it.
"Stupid merchants," Naruto grumbled.
Truthfully one of the only reasons Naruto ate mostly ramen, other than his love for it, was the fact that many of the merchants in Konoha either wouldn't sell anything to him or try sell to him at a higher price. Ramen was cheap and affordable and was often sold in large bulk compared to other healthier foods.
Luckily for Naruto some stores had friendly employees that sold him what he needed at a fair price. The only problem was that in most cases some would end up being fired and the cycle would start all over again. It was from one of these stores that Naruto found one of the only few pleasures in life that he could afford: video games.
Video games were still relatively new in this day and age, having only really started getting attention for the last decade and a half, but they were fun to play nonetheless. The most awesome of which, in Naruto's mind, were RPGs as it allowed the player to become anyone. Currently Naruto only had four of them, mostly older editions as they were cheaper, all from two guys called Akira Toriyama and Yujii Horii.
Video games were popular mostly to civilians and some of the younger ninja in the Elemental Countries. Reasons being that civilians had it much easier than ninja and could afford such leisurely pastimes. Ninja not as much as once an Academy Student graduated and became a Genin they had little time to relax. Even then during those brief times of rests they were often used for training or socializing with friends and family they might not see again.
Naruto, sad as it was to say, had little to no friends. Sure he hung out with a few of his classmates such as Shikamaru, Chouji by proxy of the former, and Kiba when they skipped class but other than that video games were the only things he could call friends at the moment.
Ding!
"Finally!" Naruto whopped as he took out his cup of ramen and began to devour the food like a ravenous wolf once it cooled down a bit, taking sips from his milk in between. However, just he was finished did Naruto's stomach start to growl and protest.
"Uh? What the-" Naruto had little time to think before he felt a gut punching feeling in his stomach. Looking at the milk carton still in his hand Naruto's eyes bulged as he found the culprit of his dilemma.
"Expiration date September 30th… That's almost two weeks ago!" Naruto shouted/groaned before he shuffled as fast as he could to the bathroom, hoping to make it to the toilet seat in time.
"Stupid asshole merchants!" Naruto groaned uncomfortably, it wasn't the first time that someone sold him expired food. Though in hindsight Naruto knew he should have read the expiration date first.
A couple of hours passed as Naruto's body purged itself from the expired milk before he felt capable of leaving the toilet. "Oh, god that was hell." Naruto gasped as he poured water into the sink to wipe his face with. Finishing Naruto grabbed a towel and wiped his face dry before he saw an unusual sight in the mirror.
"… Eh?" Naruto blinked in confusion. In the mirror above his head in blue letters was the oddest thing in the world.
"Uzumaki Naruto - Academy Student – Lv 5"
"Oooookkkkk," Naruto drawled, "Now the milk is screwing with my mind," he nodded thinking it was just a combination of his mind screwing with him and the expired milk.
"Next thing you know I'll have my own Status Window," he chuckled though it didn't last long.
Status Window
Name: Uzumaki Naruto
Job: Academy Student
Level: 5 Next Level: 350/2800
HP: 1925
CP: 3275
STR: 9?
VIT: 57?
END: 81?
DEX: 16?
INT: 11
WIS: 8
CHA: 6
LUK: ?
DEF: 15
Specialization: N/A
Special Perks:
Gamer: Allows you to view and live your life as though it were a video game.
?: Additional +5 VIT & +7.5 END per Lv, +250 CP per Lv, +25% additional EXP towards [Power Type Fighting Styles], +50% Increase towards [HP Regen] & [CP Regen], +50% Tolerance towards [Poison Debuff], -25% EXP and Effectiveness towards [Chakra Control Skills], -25% Reputation gain towards [Konoha Populace] whose relationship with you is Abhorred, Hostile or Disliked
Unknown Blessing: Your luck is immeasurable. Don't be fooled as it can go either at random.
Perks/Buffs:
?: Additional +5 VIT & +7.5 END per Lv, +100 HP per Lv, +25% additional EXP and Effectiveness towards [Fuinjutsu Skill], -15% EXP and Effectiveness towards [Chakra Control Skills] , ?
Titles:
Prank King: Additional +1 DEX per Lv, +25% additional EXP and Effectiveness towards [Stealth Skill] & [Traps Skill], -25% Reputation gain towards pranked for 24 Hours
Academy Ninja: +10% additional EXP gains towards quests and enemies slain (only for character level up)
Flaws/Debuffs:
Malnourished: Hampered physical growth rate, -25% to VIT, DEX, END, and STR stat base, -25% Tolerance towards [Poison Debuff] (Can be removed)
Description: Uzumaki Naruto's background is shrouded in mystery. Currently an academy student with inspirations to become Hokage, Naruto has a long and difficult journey ahead of him before he can attain his dream. At the moment many consider Naruto as a shoo-in for the title of Dead Last.
Money: 6500 Ryo ~ (650$)
Attribute Points: 17
Naruto's mouth was agape in disbelief as he saw the status window. Before he could begin to freak out Naruto suddenly found himself calming down and thinking logically.
"Ok, that just happened. What's the hell's going on? And why the hell are my stats so low?!"
"Do you wish to view the Help Guide?"
(YES/NO)
"Ok, I've had enough of this crap! It was funny at first now it's just plain creepy. Kai (Release)!"
"Ok, now time to… oh you're freaking kidding me, Kai!"
The concept of trying to get out of Genjutsu was still fairly new to him, to the whole class
really except those from clans, having only just learned about it nine days ago. So when the illusion hadn't gone away on the first time Naruto had simply attempted it once more with more power than before.
"The hell! Kai!" Naruto grunted out.
"Do you wish to view the Help Guide?"
(YES/NO)
Naruto cocked an eyebrow as a blue box suddenly appeared before him once more. Naruto was seriously starting to doubt this was a Genjutsu. Sure Iruka-sensei had said something about some being very elaborate and difficult to get out of but even this was pushing it. Who the hell would make a video game Genjutsu?
"Now that I think about it. Iruka-sensei did say that Genjutsu were meant to harm or psyc…psy… argh, attack your brain and make you feel bad or whatever," it was about one of the only things he really learned in that class as he along with a few others had fallen asleep during the lecture.
As far as he could tell the Genjutsu wasn't hurting him or make him relive bad memories like they were supposed to. Looking back up at the message that still floated in the air Naruto cocked an eyebrow.
"What is this anyway, an RPG?" he wondered out loud before he answered, "…Yes?" Naruto said after a moment's hesitation, thinking it might trigger something bad, before the screen shined and flickered out of existence only to be replaced with another that revealed more information.
"Hmm… ok not a Genjutsu. Alright, says here everything is activated by voice and touch command. That's convenient," Naruto mused as he continued browsing the Help Guide; his hesitation and caution slowly going away.
"Okay, let's take her for a test spin," he grinned, "Skill List Window open!"
Skill List Window
Passive Skills
|Gamer's Mind: Lv Max Allows the user to calmly and logically think things through. Allows peaceful state of mind. Grants holder an immunity to psychological status. Strong and powerful Genjutsu being the exception depending on the caster and the Gamer's level and skill.
|Gamer's Body: Lv Max Grants a body that allows for the user to live the real world like a game. HP & CP are fully recovered after sleeping.
Passive/Active Skills
|Basic Academy Taijutsu – D-Rank: Lv 7. 63% to next Lv Mastering Speed: B| A basic form of martial arts that teaches one how to kick, block, and punch properly.
• Increases Strength by 5% during combat
Active Skills
|Naisho (Stealth): Lv 18. 89% to next Lv| Mastering Speed: D| An essential but basic skill for all shinobi that allows the user the ability to move around undetected. Hint: Combine this with other techniques to greatly improve your stealth. In addition, those with greater levels, senses or possess certain skills than you will be unaffected by your efforts.
• Increases un-detectability effectiveness by an additional 18% when active.
• Increases critical hits damage and chance by 18% when active.
• Increases pick pocketing effectiveness by an additional 18% when active.
• Increases infiltration/lock-picking effectiveness by an additional 18% when active.
** You have a 68% percent chance of being undetected by those of your level (percentage will generally increase when used near lower level foes and decrease near higher level foes. Other factors come into play)
|Henge (Transformation) D-Rank: Lv MAX| A basic technique that allows one to transform themselves into other objects, people, or creatures. Uses 20 CP per minute.
• Increases Stealth Skill effectiveness by 20% when active.
• Increases Bluffing Skill effectiveness by 20% when active.
** You have a 75% percent chance of being undetected by those of your level (percentage will generally increase when used near lower level foes and decrease near higher level foes. Other factors come into play)
|Kawarimi (Replacement) E-Rank: MAX Lv| A basic but useful technique nonetheless that allows the user to avoid harm by replacing themselves with other objects. CP usage depends on substitute object size, range, and chakra.
• Increases evasion by 20% for 10 seconds when activated.
• Increases movement speed by 10% for 10 seconds when activated.
|Basic Shurikenjutsu and Kunaijutsu (Basic Shuriken Techniques and Kunai Techniques) D-Rank: Lv 9. 53% to next Lv| Mastering Speed: A| A basic and essential skill that all ninja should know if they wish to call themselves true ninja. This skill allows the user to properly wield and throw both shuriken and kunai during and outside of combat. While most ninja master only the basic forms of these aspects some clans or ninja are known to utilize more advanced forms.
• Increases power of shuriken and kunai by 9% during combat
• Increases accuracy when thrown during combat by 29%
• Increases accuracy when thrown outside of combat by 59%
|Basic Cooking: Lv 4. 47% to next Lv| Mastering Speed: A| The ability on how to cook meals and how good it turns out. Current level only allows you to make simple meals such as instant ramen, boiled rice or eggs. Hint: Some meals can only be made when using a recipe or having watched someone teach you how to cook it.
• Increases cooking speed by 4% (instant meals aren't affected)
• Increases success of creating a new non-recipe dish by 54%
"Cool," Naruto couldn't help but admire it all.
"Gamer's Mind and Gamer's Body huh? Guess that explains why I started thinking straight instead of having a meltdown… still weird as hell though that I'm able to view the world like it's a video game. Wonder if it's a Bloodline Limit or something?"
That last comment made him think. Part of him wondered if he should go and see Hokage-jiji to see if he could help with this. However, the other part wanted him to keep it a secret. It wasn't as if he could prove it and knowing the Old Man he would have someone keep an eye on him to make sure he was alright.
As much as the Old Man liked him telling him he had a video game based Bloodline Limit would force the Sandaime to potentially have to take drastic measures. We wouldn't want to but what choice would he have if he said something this crazy. Without proof to show it was best he kept it a secret till he found a way. Sure pranks were one thing but claiming you had a video Bloodline Limit was very different.
"Guess I should keep this on the down low till I figure this out," Naruto had no intention of potentially spending his life in a nuthouse.
For thinking things through in a rational manner your WIS and INT have gone up by 1!
"… I can increase my stats by doing stuff like that? Sweet!" Naruto whooped. "Ok, let's see what else I can do to bring my stats up."
Chakra Enhancement Training:
A training method that increases your chakra, control, and potency of chakra based techniques.
Physical Enhancement Training:
A training method that increases your physical capabilities and physical based techniques.
Mental Enhancement Training:
A training method that increases your mental faculties.
"Ok, makes sense," Naruto nodded it was pretty straightforward, as far as explanations went, unlike Iruka-sensei's lectures. "Ok, so what do attributes do for me? Attributes open!" he had an idea already but wanted to be certain.
Attributes
Your attributes determine your strengths and weaknesses. Currently there are seven attributes. The most common way for your stats to increase is by levelling up. Doing this increases them by a small margin, but each level decreases the rate of stat gain. Another way to increase your attributes is by training or performing certain tasks. An example would be physical training, which depending on what is being done will increase your Vitality, Dexterity, and Strength.
|Important Special Note!|
Furthermore, when you've increased an attribute by 150 points you gain a perk that as time passes will increase even further for every 150 points. This perk can also be temporarily increased even more through certain skills that enhance a specific attribute. Be forewarned, if a single attribute exceeds the VIT attribute by more than two and a half times its amount, it will begin to have a negative effect on the body. This can usually be rectified or at least be managed by increasing your VIT attributes, not always though depending on circumstances.
Strength (STR):
The Strength attribute determines the person's overall physical power. This attribute affects the amount of damage a person can inflict on another with martial arts, bladed, or blunt objects. It also affects a person's ability to reduce damage when blocking and affects the amount of weight they can lift, or throw. It's very important when one's fighting style focuses on using heavy weapons or brute force.
20 END & 20 STR & 20 VIT = 1 Defense
Vitality (VIT):
The Vitality, also known as the Vigor attribute, determines the person's overall health. This attribute also affects a person's ability to regain health in and outside of combat and resist specials types of damage from things such as poison, bleeding, paralysis, burns, etc.
1 VIT = 25 HP
1 VIT = .5 HP REGEN Per Minute (Outside of Combat)
1 VIT = .25 HP REGEN Per Minute (During Combat)
20 END & 20 STR & 20 VIT = 1 Defense
Endurance (END):
The Endurance attribute determines a person's overall stamina/chakra, which affects how long they can fight or perform some form of activity and the potency of most chakra based skills. Similar to Vitality and Strength this attribute also plays a role in the person's health by increasing their natural defense when not armoured and when blocking an attack by assuring the blocker's poise doesn't break.
1 END = 25 CP
1 END = .5 CP REGEN Per Minute (Outside of Combat)
1 END = .25 CP REGEN Per Minute (During Combat)
20 END & 20 STR & 20 VIT = 1 Defense
Dexterity (DEX)
The Dexterity attribute determines the person's overall movement. This attribute affects a person's accuracy, evasion, speed, and ability to land critical strikes on an opponent in close, mid, and long-range combat. Dexterity also plays a major role in pick pocking, stealth, use of weaponry and the ability to dual wielding weaponry properly.
Intelligence (INT):
The Intelligence attribute determines the person's overall ability to think quickly, to learn, memorize, retain information, and determines how smart they are. This attribute affects one's ability to properly control and mould their chakra. It also enables one to perform a technique the smallest amount of chakra necessary while still achieving the desired results. Much like Wisdom, Intelligence also affects ones ability to learn and develop certain skills such as Genjutsu and Medical Ninjutsu along with successfully enabling new variations of certain techniques to be created as well as defending from mental attacks.
Wisdom (WIS):
The wisdom attribute determines the person's common sense, innovation, and perception. Wisdom, along with Intelligence, also plays an important role in learning certain skills such as trap making and fuinjutsu along with successfully enabling new variations of certain techniques to be created. More importantly, it affects how resistant they are to damage from mental based techniques.
Charisma(CHA):
The Charisma attribute determines a character's force of personality, persuasiveness, personal magnetism, ability to lead, and their attractiveness. The Charisma attributes plays a role in certain skills and techniques such as those involving mind control, intimidation, bargaining, and even plain old lying. In addition, Charisma, much like Wisdom, also plays a role in allowing you to detect skills that affect you mentally, and allow you an easier time to detect when someone is lying or telling the truth.
Luck (LUK):
The Luck attribute determines the person's overall chance. Luck is unique compared to all the other attributes as it is capable of influencing anything from finding or looting random items of various rarity, winning money while gambling, to encounters, and even playing a role in landing critical hits.
"Huh? A little different than what I expected. Yosh! Let's take this for a test drive," Naruto nodded before heading out the door. Carefully and silently leaving the building so as to not disturb the old man who ran the place. He was a decent guy, if somewhat cranky, but hated it when people made loud noises. More than once he kicked out a few people for that fact alone.
Naruto had almost gotten himself kicked out too but guessed that the fact that he was an orphan and was close to the Sandaime had left him off with a warning instead. Even then the man kept a watchful eye on him.
"Senile old fart," Naruto muttered.
"I heard that, brat!" the old man shouted from his room causing Naruto to flee like a bat out of hell.
"How the freaking hell does he bloody do that, dattebayo?" the old man's hearing never ceased to amaze and scare him. Naruto guessed the man either had wires all over the place or he was an ex-ninja. He wouldn't doubt it if it was both.
"Ok, let's see if anything interesting happens," Naruto muttered to himself before spotting a couple of familiar individuals. "What the?"
Nara Shikamaru – Nara Heir - Lv 7
Akimichi Chouji – Akimichi Heir – Lv 7
"Come on, Shikamaru. They're serving at half price for today only!" Chouji spoke in between the chips he ate about his favorite eating spot.
"Troublesome," Shikamaru sighed, "You do know they open at 11:30 right? It's still only 10:56."
"Yeah, but I heard some of my family are going to be there and I wanna be first in line before they do," Chouji countered and began to drag Shikamaru, who barely or didn't bother to resist being pulled, to the restaurant. When it came to Akimichi and their love of food nothing stood in their way, unless they wanted to be missing a limb or too.
"Okay, so it's not just me who has a floating textbox above their head. Guess it's not a Genjutsu," Naruto told himself. Even if it was it wasn't doing anything to warm him so why bother fighting it.
Walking around the village Naruto continued to observe the villagers. From what he saw most of the civilians had levels ranging from 5 to 15 at best, while ninja, with the exception of academy students, were a heck of a lot higher. From what he saw most of the Chunin had levels of 25 and higher. Unfortunately, as his level was still in the lowest tier, he couldn't see anything that was twenty-five levels higher than his own. People he knew that were Tokubetsu Jonin had question marks while Jonin also had a question mark. Some Jonin he saw had a golden leaf background on their names and others had skulls.
"I guess the question mark means my level's too low and their level's too high to see. Golden leaf means they're elites, I think," Naruto pondered. He had seen this before during his video games and guessed the same concept applied here.
Question marks instead of a number meant the level was out of his league, while a background or symbols around the name meant they were not only high level individuals – not always – but much, much stronger than those with the same level. Those with skulls or X's meant they were at least fifty or sixty levels higher than his own. In short it meant don't screw with those guys until you were at least close to their level or had a large and skilled enough group to help you.
|Congratulations! A special skill has been created through a special act!|
|Through continuous observation of others in order to find out more about them the passive/active ability
|Observe| has been created!|
"Really? Yatta, dattebayo!" Naruto cheered suddenly, much to the confusion of some onlookers and much to his embarrassment when he realized he made a fool of himself in front of a crowd.
"Note to self, be more discreet," Naruto thought as he left for a more secluded area of Konoha. "Ok, let's see what we got here. Open Skill List… ah here we go."
|Observe: Lv1. 79% to Next Lv| Mastering Speed: B| This skill allows the user to see the target's max HP, max CP.
"Hmm, basic, simple, and useful," Naruto noted. Looking around to see if there was anything he could use this ability on the young blond spotted a small creature.
"Here goes nothing. Observe."
Brown Rabbit – Forest Creature – Lv 1. NC
"NC? What's that?" Naruto had never heard of the term or seen it video games before. Though he didn't have to wait long before his answer popped up.
NC "Non-Combatant"
NCs are creatures or individuals with no fighting skill or little worth. As such they will not offer you any experience points and serve little purpose other than dropping useful items such as meat or fur that can be used or sold. Doing this to NC civilians, however, will have serious consequences.
"Well, there goes that grinding idea," Naruto grumbled at the loss of easily levelling up. Sure the meat and fur sounded good, it would give him something else to eat and potentially bring in extra cash if he managed to find someone to buy them off him. But what was the point if you weren't going to get any experience points out of it.
"Crap, I also have to learn how to cook rabbit meat," Naruto wasn't the sharpest kunai in the pouch, but even he knew that meat from different animals was not supposed to be cooked the same way. He recalled Ayame and Teuchi saying one technically could but it wouldn't taste anywhere as good or you'd get very sick.
"Ah, forget it. I don't have time to waste learning how to cook that stuff," he had a hard time learning about what was going on in the academy. He didn't need the extra hassle.
"Ok, let's what else I can do this on," Naruto thought just as he spotted the perfect candidate.
"Observe."
Umino Iruka – Ninja Academy Teacher – Lv 29
HP: 2200 CP: 1525
|Observe skill has levelled up! You can now see more information and can use this on inanimate objects!|
"So it levels up the more I use it. Let's see it now," he spoke softly as he opened his skill list once more.
|Observe: Lv2. 53% to next Lv Mastering Speed: B| This skill allows the user to see the target's max HP, max CP, and some information. Can now also be used on items such as weapons and armor. The more you level up the more information you can see. Individuals with huge levels gaps will have a question mark instead of a number; this will only go away when you have gained a decent amount of level or have increased this skill. Some powerful skills, however, can fool the technique.
"So it lets me see more info now. That's useful. Observe," Naruto whispered as he looked at Iruka once more.
Umino Iruka – Ninja Academy Teacher – Lv 29
HP: 2200 CP: 1525
Description: Umino Iruka is a dedicated Ninja Academy Instructor who hopes of passing on his wisdom to the next generation of ninja. He is also known as one of the only Chunin in Konoha who can catch Uzumaki Naruto through as of yet unknown means.
Naruto's eye began to twitch as he read that last part of the description. Though he didn't like to admit it, it was true really. Most of the time when he pulled a prank the ninja who were sent to retrieve him were Chunin, which he more often then not managed to escape from. Sometimes the occasional Jonin would be sent, which he learned early on meant he was screwed. He could trick or evade the odd one but it was always brief. But whenever Iruka was sent his tactics didn't really work that well.
"How the hell does he do it?" Naruto wondered.
[QUEST ALERT!]
How Does He Bloody Do It?
Main Quest: Learn how Umino Iruka manages to catch you every time you've pulled a prank.
Side Quest: Don't let Iruka figure out what you're doing.
Main Quest Completion: 250 Exp.
Side Quest Completion: 100 Exp.
Failure: 50 Exp
Accept? (Yes/No)
"Hmm, sounds good but I'd better look more into this. Help Guide," Naruto called out before locating what he was looking for. Just because it was similar to how video game quests did it didn't mean it followed the same rules.
For not rushing to complete a quest and thinking things through your WIS has increased by 1.
"Sweet!"
Quests
Quests, sometimes called missions, are tasks given to players by others or appear spontaneously. Completing a quest or mission will result in rewards such as experience points, items and money. Most quests can be accepted or declined while others are mandatory and must be completed in order to proceed.
Sometimes a side quest will be giving alongside the main one, these are purely optional but completing them gives a boost of rewards such as experience, money, items, etc. Some quests will allow you an unlimited amount of time to complete it while others need to be completed before a specific time and/or day or risk quest failure. A variation of a side quest known as hidden objectives will sometimes be posted, what these objectives are you needed to figure out on your own but the rewards are generally greater that side quests in the long run.
Completion of quests also boosts one's reputation with the affiliated village, person or faction by a certain amount though sometimes it can decrease the reputation of something else such as an enemy village. Depending on the quest failure to complete it can result in penalties such as no rewards, negative reputation gain, lower experience points gained, the crippling injury status, or even death.
Thinking nothing of it Naruto pressed on the "yes" button to accept the quest. The quests were pretty much the same as the video games he had. Though the hidden quest was somewhat new, still the extra rewards and exp were fine in his books.
Naruto also considered himself lucky really. This wasn't the first time he had spied on Iruka-sensei before. Iruka himself had fallen victim to a few of his pranks in the past with the only times he ever did get caught by the man was when he was actively looking for him after a prank, otherwise he was almost invisible to him.
Seeing him leave the store he was currently in, Naruto began following the academy instructor from a good distance. Not too close that it would arouse suspicion but not too far that he would loose him sight of in the crowd, or if he made a turn somewhere he could not see him.
Seeing him enter another store, one where he wasn't exactly welcomed, Naruto decided to wait for him outside before he continued his quest. "Might as well see what else this Guide Book has in it."
Finding a an empty bench Naruto whispered the voice command and proceeded to look through the Guide Book for anything interesting, "Ok, let's see what else we got here. Ah, Inventory!"
Inventory Box:
The inventory box, a personal space-time technique, is where the items you are currently holding go to when not in use. This allows you to store a near infinite amount of items without having to carry them on your person and hamper your movement with the excess weight. To place an item inside just press it on the screen and vice versa when you want to pull it out. Any items placed inside the Inventory Box will go into a state of stasis, so weapons and armour won't rust and food will never go bad even if it remains there for years.
Special Note:
Certain things cannot be placed in the inventory box such as a campfire or living beings. Corpses, however, can be.
"That makes things easy," Naruto thought before moving on.
The idea of not having to carry everything on him yet have everything he needed when he wanted it was a great thing to have. The never going bad aspect was a big bonus, too. Though part of him thought it was a bit of overkill and unfair to others Naruto immediately squashed that thought. He was a ninja in training damn it! Their whole lifestyle was about being unfair, fighting dirty and not caring if they cheated. They weren't training to be samurai.
Shaking that thought from his mind, Naruto looked at what else there was before he called, "Item Quality."
Item Quality
Simply put, item quality is a relative indicator of how good an item is compared to another. The quality indicator is most often seen with a rank beside the name of the item. There are seven types of item qualities in the world, which are ranked from Poor to Legendary.
Note: The higher the quality the greater the requirements needed to use it properly before being able to master it, not in all cases, however.
Poor Quality:
Items that are considered the worst of the worst and barely even worth using, seen as junk by many. Such items are made of shady materials, poor craftsmanship, has rusted over, or been worn down so badly that it can no longer be used properly. Items of this quality be recycled for parts to make better items but don't expect much.
Common Quality:
These are common items of decent quality that many use every day. Most items that fit into this category are basic kunai, shuriken, and some other forms of weaponry and armor.
Uncommon Quality:
These are the uncommon items, not everyone has them but have frequent enough usage. Most items that fit into this category are sealing scrolls, weaponry and items that can be used for making other things such as clothing, medicine or weapons.
Rare Quality:
Items of this quality are either somewhat difficult or expensive to come by. Most usually grant an ability or a great attribute booster for the user, or are made from materials that are difficult to acquire or buy, or require a great level of skill to create.
Very Rare Quality:
These items are considered the rarest of the rare. Items of this quality are incredibly difficult to come by and create, though not considered one of a kind they are generally very limited in supply. Such items contain higher forms of enchantments that few to none can replicate or capabilities only the highly gifted can accomplish.
Epic Quality:
Items that are a second to none except when compared to legendary quality items. Items of this quality are few and in between as the methods of creating them are either a closely guarded secret or their ingredients are held under lock and key, come from very dangerous or incredibly rare and elusive creatures, or the materials are situated in extremely dangerous locations few dare to tread.
Legendary Quality:
These unique items are considered legendary in terms of power and one of a kind ability they possess or are capable of granting individuals or other items, many of these being one of a kind. Chances of coming across items of this quality are one million to one and only those with incredible levels of luck are said to be able to find these. If you own one many will call you a lucky bastard, while others will try to kill you for it. Items that are considered to fall under this category are masterpieces or items used by legendary and ancient craftsmen or figures such as the Rikudo Sennin, Gorō Nyūdō Masamune, Uchiha Madara, Senju Hashirama, Senju Tobirama, Sarutobi Sasuke, etc. Some, but not all, of these items possess sentience and will only allow specific individuals to wield or summon them.
"Huh, let's see," Naruto thought as he took out a spare kunai from his pocket he had taken from the academy. "Observe!"
Academy Kunai – Poor Quality
A poor excuse for a kunai. The weight and sharpness of the kunai leaves much to be desired. The blade is so dull that piercing or cutting something with it will be very difficult, while the uneven weight of it lowers your chances of hitting your target.
Attack Power: 2-4
Flaw/Debuff: -20% accuracy when thrown
"THE HELL!" Naruto shouted and cursed himself as he did before vacating his spot and jumped onto the roof of the store to hide. No sooner did he leave did Iruka come out of the store, and from the way his head was moving in every direction did Naruto guess he was looking for him.
"Strange? I could have sworn I heard Naruto," he heard his teacher mutter to himself. Shrugging his shoulders Iruka left the store and continued on his way.
"That was close," Naruto thanked whatever deity was looking out for him at the moment.
"Whatcha doing, gaki?" a voice suddenly spoke from behind him.
"Bhwwammmmmm," Naruto tried to scream only to have his mouth covered by someone's hand.
"Rule number one about stealth, gaki: no screaming when following someone. Kinda defeats the purpose of the whole thing," the purple haired and scantily clad woman informed him.
Muttering "Observe" on her as low as he could Naruto was shocked by the result.
Mitarashi Anko – T&I Specialist – Lv ?
"Shit!" Naruto cursed his luck at the moment; it really did go either way. It was easy to see that she was strong, easily way out of his league, and the fact that snuck up on him without him noticing only scared him even more.
"So again, whatcha doing following Umino, gaki?" Anko repeated.
"Um, trying to find out how he keeps finding me?" Naruto hesitated. He knew from experience that lying to Jonin wasn't a good idea; most knew when he was lying and often called him out on his bullshit.
For her part Anko only blinked before she grinned and laughed a bit, "That's it? Oh that's a good one."
Seeing him glare at her Anko realized he wasn't kidding, "Uh… really? Wow, you're serious aren't you? Yeah, not to bust your balls or anything, kid, but how the hell is following him around gonna get you the answer? You think he's just gonna talk about it willy nilly?"
"Uhhhhh," Naruto just realized he hadn't thought of that. "… Crap."
For not thinking things through your WIS and INT have decreased by 1
"Oh, son of a bitch!"
"Yeah… No offense, gaki, but you suck at information gathering. There are other ways of getting information on someone other than following them. The fact that you weren't exactly being discreet allowed a few of us to see what you were doing from a mile away," she pointed out. "Hell some of us know when you're gonna do a prank."
"Bullshit! If that's true why don't your stop me?" he called her bluff.
"It gives us a good laugh watching those Chunin struggle to catch you, especially when they run into a few of your traps along the way," she grinned. "Besides it's fun to see them being brought down a notch. Quite a few of them think they're tough shit just because they made Chunin."
Naruto couldn't believe, and was having a hard time believing it, that some people actually liked his pranks. Seriously, most people hated him for his pranks, especially the victims.
"Just a heads up though, prank us and you'll be wishing for death, if not begging for it. Got that?" her sadistic grin returned with a vengeance. One that made Naruto sweat and nod furiously. "Ok, we're good then, gaki," she patted and ruffled his head.
For agreeing with Anko on not pranking her or her friends your reputation with her has increased by 100.
"That's convenient," Naruto thought. "Um, I don't suppose you'll help me then?"
Anko merely cocked an eyebrow before placing her hands on her hips, "And why would I wanna help you? What's in it for me?"
"Um, what do you want?" Naruto asked.
"What can you offer me?"
"Uhh, want me to prank someone for you?" even as he said it Naruto was thinking along the lines of, "Nice move genius. Real smooth."
"Hmm, alright. But in exchange you owe me three pranks. No ifs or buts and no fuss. This here's a take it or leave it deal, gaki. What do you say?" Anko offered.
Knowing that it was probably as good as it was gonna get, Naruto agreed, "Deal."
A special skill has been created through a special act!
Through the art careful and successful exchange of services with another the active ability |Bargaining| has been created.
Naruto forced himself not to drop his jaw at the sudden gain of an ability before focusing once more on Anko, "But can I add one thing? I don't want Iruka-sensei to know what I'm up to."
Anko merely shrugged, "Meh, I'm cool with that. You got yourself a deal, gaki. Wait right here while the Incredibly Sexy Anko Mitarashi does her thing."
With that Anko jumped off the building and began her pursuit of Iruka. Naruto thinking he had time to kill decided to look at his newly acquired skill.
|Bargaining Lv 1. 39% to next Lv Mastering Speed: C| This skill allows the user to successfully barter with others in order to acquire certain services or information. Such things include the buying and selling of items, the exchange of information, or others, the higher the level of this skill the greater the success and rewards.
Note: Your wisdom and reputation with individuals, and their level, will play a big role in the success of bargaining.
"Uh, gaki," Naruto say Anko poking her head up the side of the building a sheepish look adorned on her face, "You wouldn't by chance know which way he went … would ya?"
Naruto gave her a deadpan look before pointing in the direction Iruka was last seen.
"Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all," he thought before going back to his Guide Book.
Challenges
Challenges are a set of specific tasks that are accomplished by the user. However, unlike quests, which give EXP and rewards, challenges only award experience points. Most challenges involve killing many of the same type of enemy, creating variations of a technique, mastering a set of techniques from a specific rank, etc. Other challenges are based around discovering hidden areas, hidden caches, looting enemies, traveling, increasing your reputation levels, and your own profession.
Note: A list of challenges becomes available once you've reached level 15, and more will be revealed as you level up and and accomplish certain tasks. However, some challenges can still be accomplished as you perform certain tasks. Be forewarned, depending on your actions, some challenges can be permanently forfeited unintentionally.
"Ah, crap," Naruto hated when stuff like this happened. With him currently being at level five, which was a load of crap in his mind, it would take him quite a while before he reached level fifteen. As Anko still had yet to come back, Naruto decided to look at any else that was useful for him to learn.
Maximum/Mastered Level
Mastering a technique to its utmost level takes time and dedication. For skills at the basic level it isn't so bad but each upgrade takes greater time and dedication, but it's very beneficial for the user. Not only will it allow one to not only spend less time preparing a technique but it also allows you to create your own variants of the technique, too. Mastering certain techniques can even add a bonus stat, unlock a hidden function, drastically reduce the cost of chakra needed, increase the strength, or the duration of it. It should be noted that not all techniques have this. Additionally, some techniques can be mastered but variations can't be created or will be more difficult to master due to higher power and requirements needed.
Keep in mind that the higher the rank of the technique the harder and longer it is to master. However, certain variables come into play. Depending on a number of variables, the length of mastering techniques that have no rank can go either way.
Mastering Speed Index
E–Rank(Very Slow)
D–Rank (Slow)
C–Rank (Average)
B–Rank (Fast)
A–Rank (Very Fast)
S–Rank (Extremely Fast)
Titles
Titles are benefits given to individuals either through the deeds they have accomplished such as swordsmanship, due to their lineage such as being the descendant of a powerful or famous clan member, or for slaying a particular type of foe such as undead, insects, or humans. Titles, unlike perks, can be removed and replaced by the bearer at will (except in dungeons or in the middle of a fight, some titles cannot be removed unless certain actions are performed). Initially a person is only capable of holding three titles but the amount increases by one every twenty-fifth level.
Attribute/Stat Points
Attribute Points, or AP for short, also known as Stat Points, are essential to any adventurer as it allows them to increase their Attributes (except for DEF). Attribute Points are generally earned whenever a person levels up, however, there are items and quests that grant Attribute Points as well. Once applied, Attribute Points cannot be readjusted, so be cautious and think before applying them.
Ordinary Perks and Ordinary Perk Points
To begin, Ordinary Perks are benefits the holder of them has that increase their overall capabilities. Most perks are something that the person is born with such as being naturally flexible, intelligent or talented; a person's lineage is generally considered a perk. Ordinary Perks are capable to change over time, but can change for the better or for worse. Perks, despite their boons, can also be lost depending on circumstances.
Similar to Attribute Points, Ordinary Perk Points, or OPP for short, are used to gain ordinary perks once a certain amount of OPP has been gained. However, unlike ordinary AP, only one OPP is gained every fifteenth level up – where the OPP list becomes available – and sometimes when completing certain high level quests (the higher the quest rank the greater chance of gaining OPP). In addition, OPP can also be used to enhance existing Ordinary Perks, too, the maximum level being five.
Special Perks and Special Perk Points
Special Perks are perks that are usually unique to the user such as bloodline limits like the Sharingan, Byakugan, or powerful passive abilities like the Gamer, Sun Pyromancer, Stormborn, or Water Master. Special Perks allow users to use blood related techniques or use common techniques in ways no one else but them can. Much like Ordinary Perks, Special Perks can change overtime and be lost depending on circumstances
Similar to Attribute Points, Special Perk Points, or SPP for short, are used to gain special perks – certain bloodline limits excluded – once a certain amount of SPP has been gained. However, unlike ordinary AP, only one SPP is gained every thirtieth level up – where the SPP list becomes available – and sometimes when completing certain high level quests (the higher the quest rank the greater chance of gaining SPP). In addition, SPP can also be used to enhance certain Special Perks, too, the maximum level being five.
Naruto was interrupted from his thoughts as a series of shuriken came sailing at him. Though he managed to dodge a few of them several still managed to cut his clothes and gave him a few cuts. It didn't stop there, however, as Naruto soon felt the unforgiving feel of cold iron pressed against his neck; its presence threatening to slice and spill his blood all over him and the roof he was on.
"Lesson number two about stealth, gaki: always be aware of your surroundings. You never know when someone else is sneaking up on you while you do the same," the familiar voice of Anko rang in his ears before he felt the kunai being removed.
Naruto had realized then and there that it was twice that Anko could have killed him if she so wished.
Twice she could have killed him without him realizing it. Naruto wasn't as dumb as many thought him to be. He knew that Jonin were skilled, as evidence when they managed to catch him in the past, but if this was the skill of a Jonin it made him realize that as he was in need of some serious grinding.
"Oh, and the reason why Umino was able to find you is because he's one of the few sensors we have," Anko informed him.
[QUEST COMPLETED!]
How Does He Bloody Do It?
Main Quest: Learn how Umino Iruka manages to catch you every time you've pulled a prank. (Accomplished)
Side Quest: Don't let Iruka figure out what you're doing. (Accomplished)
Total Rewards Earned
350 Exp + (350*10%) = 385 Exp
Naruto had to stop himself from jumping up and down at the completion of a quest, sure he hadn't gained a level yet but he was half way there.
"…You really need to stop spacing out like that, gaki. It's creepy, even for me," Naruto heard Anko say and before he could ask her what a sensor ninja was the kunoichi disappeared in a whirl of leaves. Never knowing that Anko knew his class mentor was a sensor the entire time. As he prepared to leave, Naruto noticed where Anko once stood was a kunai with a message penned to him.
"Don't forget, gaki, you owe me three pranks. If you try to weasel your way out, well, you'll see," Naruto gulped before noticing another line, "Ps. This message will self-destruct in twenty seconds … WHAT!" Naruto screamed but was too late to evade the explosion of smoke that enveloped him.
When the clouded finally cleared, Naruto found himself covered head to toe in girly pink paint. When he finally managed to get home, after passing by a still laughing landlord; Naruto began washing the substance off him. Upon finishing, the young ninja in training's red hot temper took hold the moment he spotted the characters for "Anko's little bitch" marked on his face.
"This means war! Nobody pranks the Prank King and gets away with it damn it!" Naruto vowed, all the while not knowing that Anko heard every word.
"Challenge accepted, gaki," she smirked.
Status Window
Name: Uzumaki Naruto
Job: Academy Student
Level: 5 Next Level: 350/2800
HP: 1925
CP: 3275
STR: 9?
VIT: 57?
END: 81?
DEX: 16?
INT: 11
WIS: 8
CHA: 6
LUK: ?
DEF: 15
Attribute Points: 17
Legend of the Kyuubi
Making the rounds.
- Joined
- Sep 14, 2026
- Messages
- 35
Chapter 2: Let's Level Up
"Soooo, bored," Naruto sighed as Iruka droned one of his infamously lengthy lectures. Naruto was certain they could cure a severe case of insomnia. Compared to what happened during the weekend – which was something Naruto was slowly coming to accept – this looked even more boring than usual.
Six days had passed since Naruto had met both Anko and discovered his new – if not weird as hell – ability. During that timeframe Naruto had decided to grind much of the skills he currently had as quickly as possible. Which, unfortunately, was easier said than done.
Despite their mastering speed rank, combat skills such as Taijutsu and Kunaijutsu levelled up more quickly in actual combat. Other skills such as the Observe ability, which was now at level four, levelled up just as quickly in any given situation. Naruto's Basic Academy Taijutsu and Basic Shurikenjutsu and Kunaijutsu, despite it taking him six days, had finally been mastered. The only problem was finding the scrolls to increase them further.
It was a school week and while he could ditch class to find the advanced scroll set, Iruka was starting to become much less lenient for tardiness and those who dozed off in class. Naruto guessed it was because this was their last year. By the time school ended, the shinobi in training spent much of his time preparing himself for his first dungeon. His browsing of the Gamer functions showed that his was high enough for him to enter dungeons. However, tempted as he was to go into a dungeon at the time, his current equipment and stats left much to be desired. Naruto needed to increase his stats and he needed money for better equipment.
Thanks to a few daily quests – low experience and imperceptible pay, but it stacked up in the end – and one of the pranks he owed Anko, his cash reserve and a few of those stats had gone up. Apparently a Chunin had bragged about how he had 'tamed' the Snake Charmer of Konoha. Naruto didn't know why the Tokubetsu Jonin decided to PG-13 it; he knew what sex was.
And while Anko did in fact sleep with him – the easy admittance took Naruto by surprise – the man had done such a bad job that she had thrown him out of her apartment with barely anything to cover his dignity. Anko soon regretted not being harsher. The Chunin had a silver tongue and was very convincing when it came to – in Anko's own words – spouting horrible bullshit.
Needless to say the Snake Mistress decided he deserved his due diligence and ordered Naruto to prank him and prank him hard. If the prank was good – and it had been in her humble opinion – Anko would give him a decent pittance.
For days Naruto followed the man like shadow until he managed to find out that the Chunin was going on a date with an attractive woman at a civilian hotspot. The stroke of luck made it all the easier. Unless a ninja was present, rarely did anyone in a non-shinobi restaurant notice him in a Henge. Through careful planning and ingenuity on his part, Naruto had managed to make the man look like a fool.
Instead of drinking water the man drank diluted vinegar, tasteless laxatives, and ghost pepper hot sauce. Naruto counted himself lucky that the cups they served were dark coloured. Not that he would notice since he was too focused on his date. The man ended up burning his whole mouth, spitting the contents onto his date – a good portion hitting her eyes and blinding her in the process – and shitting himself for everyone to see.
By the end of the night the man not only ruined his reputation and pants, but Naruto was pretty sure he wouldn't be going on dates for a long while. Heck, Anko told him that the man wasn't allowed back at the restaurant again. The only downside was that the restaurant was one of her friend's favourite places and it would be closed for cleaning for the next few days or so to get rid of the smell.
On the plus side doing what he did he during that week managed to increase stats. His Strength and Dexterity had gone up by a decent amount, while his Intelligence and Wisdom only went up by two each. It wasn't much but it was better than nothing. END and VIT stayed the same, as they were already pretty high.
"Okay, what should I increase?" Naruto pondered, barely listening to Iruka. "END and VIT are already pretty high and the perks will take care of em. LUK can be left alone cuz of that perk. Guess that leaves DEX, STR, INT, CHA and WIS."
Luckily for him DEX and STR could be increased through physical training, something Naruto enjoyed doing, and pretty quickly due to the amount of stamina he had. CHA was his lowest attribute but not all that crucial in his opinion. If anything he could probably increase it by coming up with better lies and practicing intimidation. WIS and INT were the opposite, regrettably. The latter was increased by performing smart decisions and by studying books, while the former, while similar, put greater emphasis on smart decisions and wise actions.
"INT it is then," Naruto nodded and placed all his AP into his INT. The action resulted in the meager number thirteen to increase to a decent thirty, "Status Window."
Status Window
Name: Uzumaki Naruto
Job: Academy Student
Level: 5 Next Level: 2375/2800
HP: 1925
CP: 3275
STR: 14?
VIT: 57?
END: 81?
DEX: 22?
INT: 30
WIS: 10
CHA: 6
LUK: ?
DEF: 15
Attribute Points: 0
Naruto smirked at the improved numbers. With them he felt more comfortable entering a dungeon now. However, so focused was he on the screen that he was caught off guard by what came next.
"NARUTO!" Iruka shouted so loudly and suddenly at the blond that he fell out of his seat.
"Kuso!" Naruto cursed as his got back up. Sending a small glare at Iruka in the process. "What the hell was that for, Iruka-sensei?!"
"Language! And that was for daydreaming instead of paying attention in class," the academy instructor said.
"Was not!" he lied.
"Oh, really? Then you wouldn't mind telling me what I was talking about?" Iruka called him out.
Cut off guard, Naruto tried to recalling what today's lesson was about and hoped he was right when he answered, "Uh… we were talking about the Shodai?"
Iruka still frowned, "… Right, but what exactly about the Shodai was I talking about?"
"Uh…" to that Naruto had no answer.
"That's what I thought. I'll let it go this time but pay better attention," Iruka told him and then proceeded to go back to his lesson.
Your luck managed to hold out to help you avoid detention!
"Phew," Naruto was relieved at avoiding that mess. The last thing he needed was detention on a Friday or during the weekend. Those sucked. Naruto seriously had no idea why they were learning history. Sure, it was sometimes cool learning about who did what in the past, but each time Naruto though, "How the hell is this gonna help me become a better ninja and win a fight?"
Looking at the clock, Naruto saw that they only had five more minutes to go in history before their last class of the day, Dummy Training, began. To kill the boredom he began looking around the classroom.
"Observe," he muttered.
Status Window
Name: Haruno Sakura
Job: Academy Student
Level: 8 Next Level: 2865/5400
HP: 200
CP: 250
STR: 5
VIT: 8
END: 10
DEX: 15
INT: 56
WIS: 31
CHA: 15
LUK: 15
DEF: 10
Description: Haruno Sakura comes from a civilian family but is a very smart and talented academy student due to her near photographic memory and dedication. However, despite her intelligence, her physical conditioning is considered below average and her mindset is ill suited for a kunoichi in training. In addition, she possesses a short temper and can be easily riled up depending on the situation. She, like many of the girls in her class, has a crush on Uchiha Sasuke. Currently has the affections of one Uzumaki Naruto but has no intention of reciprocating them and finds him annoying.
"Ahh, man," Naruto whined at that last part. The blond really had no idea why Sakura and the rest of the girls found Sasuke so appealing. Sure he was a decent looking guy – something that he would ever admit it out loud though – but Naruto still didn't get why he got so much attention. Looking at him with his [Observe], Naruto was left shocked at what he saw.
Status Window
Name: Uchiha Sasuke
Job: Academy Student
Level: 11 Next Level: 2939/8800
HP: 650
CP: 725
STR: 19
VIT: 26
END: 29
DEX: 29
INT: 32
WIS: 23
CHA: 21
LUK: 10
DEF: 20
Description: Uchiha Sasuke comes from the famous Uchiha Clan, one of Konoha's founding clans and formerly one of the most powerful clans in the world. After the massacre of his family in one night, Sasuke became Konoha's last Uchiha. From that day on Sasuke's personality changed drastically, throwing himself into his training, and began closing himself off from others, becoming a lone wolf. Considered a prodigy by many like his brother before, Sasuke earning the title of Rookie of the Year is pretty much a given.
"Damn," Naruto felt sorry for Sasuke. Having a loving family and then having it taken away from you; Naruto didn't what was worse: growing up without a family, no memories of them, not knowing you were loved, or growing up with one only to lose all of them, going back home expecting to see them only to realize that they were gone and never coming back. It's still didn't give Sasuke the right to be a jerk, but Naruto understood him a little better.
"Ok, fine Sakura-chan and Sasuke-teme were always at the top of the class. Maybe it's just a coincidence," Naruto thought before looking at his other classmates.
Status Window
Name: Inuzuka Kiba
Job: Academy Student
Level: 8 Next Level: 4776/5400
HP: 550
CP: 575
STR: 20
VIT: 22
END: 23
DEX: 33
INT: 14
WIS: 9
CHA: 12
LUK: 17
DEF: 16
Description: Inuzuka Kiba comes from a clan that is renown for their use of ninken and unique fighting style in combat. Though young and hot-headed, and not the sharpest tool in the shed at times, Kiba is one of the best in Taijutsu, outmatched only by Sasuke, but is still one of the lower ranking students in academics.
Status Window
Name: Akamaru
Job: Ninken (Ninja Dog)
Level: 4 Next Level: 249/2100
HP: 175
CP: 150
STR: 3
VIT: 7
END: 6
DEX: 16
INT: 5
WIS: 5
CHA: 3
LUK: 14
DEF: 0
Description: A two year old ninja dog and Kiba's partner. Though young and appearing like a normal puppy Akamaru is quite intelligent for his age.
Status Window
Name: Yamanaka Ino
Job: Academy Student
Level: 8 Next Level: 3657/5400
HP: 275
CP: 400
STR: 6
VIT: 11
END: 16
DEX: 25
INT: 39
WIS: 27
CHA: 26
LUK: 13
DEF: 10
Description: Though not as intelligent as her rival, Sakura, Ino is still one of the top students at the academy. Ino is talented in her clan's teachings but due to her attitude and infatuation with Sasuke she isn't as far or as proficient as she should be. Ino is notorious for her gossip and fashion sense, very little happens in the academy that she doesn't know about.
Status Window
Name: Hyuga Hinata
Job: Academy Student
Level: 7 Next Level: 1490/4500
HP: 350
CP: 450
STR: 7
VIT: 14
END: 18
DEX: 25
INT: 37
WIS: 30
CHA: 11
LUK: 9
DEF: 10
Description: Hinata is a very kind but equally shy young girl who comes from not only one of Konoha's four noble clans but also one of the most powerful clans in the world. Despite being trained in the art of the Gentle Fist at a young age, a renown and deadly taijutsu, Hinata's skill is lacking for reasons currently unknown. While not one of the best students in terms of skill, Hinata is one of the more intelligent and hard working ones. While most of the girls in her class are infatuated with Sasuke, Hinata is attracted to someone else. Her love for cinnamon rolls is said to rival Uzumaki Naruto's love for ramen.
"You gotta be kidding me," Naruto – ignoring the pop up saying his Observe increased to level five – wanted to weep at the unfairness of it all. It was like someone slapping him in the face. As he continued to look, Naruto realized that virtually everyone in his entire class – excluding Kiba's pet – were three or four levels ahead of him. He was the lowest level student.
"Alright, that concludes today's history lesson. Head on out to the practice field and do your warm ups," Iruka announced much to everyone's excitement. Practice field training was easily one of the more popular of lessons at the academy.
Following a decent ten-minute warm up, Iruka told everyone to line up. "Alright, now before we begin physical training, I've decided to teach you a neat little trick. Today, I'm going to teach you all how to balance a leaf on your forehead."
The silence that soon followed was enough for many to hear a pin dropping two blocks over. Most of the students were left flabbergasted, many of their faces reflecting their emotions.
"You're kidding, right? What the hell kinda training is that?" Kiba asked with Akamaru agreeing with his master.
"Language!" Iruka chastised before taking a leaf, placing it on his forehead and to the surprise of everyone it didn't fall off. "Did I forget to mention that you'll be keeping it there with only your chakra?"
At the awe of the display, Iruka smirked. The act of doing this has been a long-standing tradition at the academy when the method was first introduced. Tell the students about a training exercise they thought was lame and then make it look cool and leave them dumbfounded. Jonin did it to their new team all the time.
"Now the concept is simple. What you do is focus your chakra to your forehead and onto the leaf to make it stick. Too little and the leaf will fall off, too much and the leaf will be blown away," Iruka explained as he began giving each of the students a leaf. "Now don't be surprised if some of you don't get this right away. It takes a while to get the hang of it. Begin."
One by one the students began the exercise while Iruka inwardly smirked at the cleverness of it all. It was true that this exercise was a way to teach students how to control their chakra more effectively. However, the true purpose of the exercise was actually to hone the individual's concentration and to keep their mind from becoming distracted. Many of the teachers told students that those who worked hard on this ability to concentrate can become excellent shinobi.
The last part was more or less a white lie really and more so of a motivator for students to give them confidence and strive for excellence. Though it sometimes backfired as some students had higher levels of chakra and couldn't accomplish it as fast as others.
Looking around Iruka wasn't surprised to see Ino, Sakura, and Hinata having little to no trouble with the technique. Both Ino and Hinata came from clans where chakra control was crucial, more so from the Hyuga Clan while Sakura had a natural talent for chakra control based off of her demonstrations of the basic academy three. Though Iruka suspected that her low levels of chakra also played a factor. They were still slightly higher than a regular civilian due to her father being a former Genin, but still low nonetheless.
Looking past them, Iruka saw that Shino and Sasuke, while not as good as the girls, were making some good progress. Sasuke was a prodigy so it came as no surprise. Shino he heard took to his clan's techniques like a fish took to water so like Sasuke the boy could be considered a prodigy in his own right. He was a less known one but a prodigy nonetheless.
When Iruka saw Kiba, Shikamaru, Chouji, and Naruto attempting it he was not surprised that they weren't faring that well compared to the others. Shikamaru he saw wasn't really trying and looked like he wanted to quit, Chouji he saw try for a bit before he adopted his friend's method, while Kiba looked constipated. Naruto, surprisingly, looked as though he was having the easiest time of the four. It wasn't great and crystal clear it would take him a while to master, but he was still better than the others, if only by a little. Iruka merely sighed at those four.
The four of them were easily the lower end tier students for good reasons. Shikamaru barely put any effort into anything except napping and cloud watching. Chouji was like Shikamaru only with more emphasis on food, while Naruto and Kiba were just dense. It was harsh but true. In terms of academics they were the lowest students and were only slightly above average in practical; Kiba more so due to his clan training. Between them most of the other students fared either well or not so well.
While Iruka continued to observe his students a certain blond prankster was snickering at the choice he made earlier, "Good thing I put those AP in my INT," Naruto wanted to cackle out loud.
While Naruto didn't take into account that they'd be learning a chakra control exercise today he was glad with his choice. His current perks made it so chakra control skills would be forty percent slower to learn than others. Even with his boost in INT Naruto knew that this still wasn't going to go as smoothly as he wanted. Skills like Chakra Control, Genjutsu and Medical Ninjutsu were all about finesse than brute force, which was something he lacked. To properly use and learn those types of skills he learned that his INT should be at least eighty percent equal of his current END. And Naruto's current INT was barely even sixty percent equal, which meant he would be struggling.
"Damn it!" Naruto cursed as the leaf fell off his head once more. Great as his perks were for END and VIT, they didn't do him any favors for this exercise. His chakra control sucked, as the leaf would either slip or be blown off his head.
|A special skill has been created through a special act!|
|By training to control your chakra you have learn the active ability [Leaf Concentration Practice Method] has been created!|
|Leaf Concentration Practice Method E-Rank: Lv 1. 14% to next Lv| Mastering Speed: D| The most basic form of chakra control methods, this skill allows the user to better control their chakra. Unlike other skills, chakra control skills only offer perks and boons upon completion. Uses 20 CP per minute.
|QUEST ALERT!|
Better Control
Main Quest: Level up the [Leaf Concentration Practice Method] by two by the end of the day.
Side Quest: Bring the Leaf Concentration Practice Method all the way up to level five or more by midnight.
Main Quest Completion: 350 EXP
Side Quest Completion: 150 EXP, +1 INT
Failure: 100 EXP
Accept? (Yes/No)
"Not gonna be easy but it's one step closer to levelling up," Naruto accepted the quest. The additional 500 EXP was a great welcome in his mind since it would be more than enough for him to level up. And it would help with his chakra control, which was another plus.
Naruto continued to complete the exercise for an hour long before Iruka told them to stop what they were doing. Naruto groaned as he only managed to bring it up to level two, it was definitely harder than it looked.
"Alright, everyone grab a kunai and shuriken set. You have twenty minutes to practice before the accuracy test starts," he announced while some of the students groaned.
"Crap!" Naruto realized that with all the grinding he had been doing during the weekend he completely forgot about the test. "Ok, come down. I levelled up my [Basic Shuriken and Kunai Techniques] to the max," he recalled.
God he loved Gamers Mind.
Opening up his Skill List Window, Naruto took a gander at the technique.
|Basic Shurikenjutsu and Kunaijutsu (Basic Shuriken Techniques and Kunai Techniques) D-Rank: Lv MAX| Skill Modifier: STR [E], DEX [D] A basic and essential skill that all ninja should know if they wish to call themselves true ninja. This skill allows the user to properly wield and throw both shuriken and kunai during and outside of combat. While most ninja master only the basic forms of these aspects some clans or ninja are known to utilize more advanced forms.
• Increases power of shuriken and kunai by 15% + (STR * .25) during combat
• Increases accuracy when thrown during combat by 35% + (DEX * .5)
• Increases accuracy when thrown outside of combat by 65% + (DEX * .5)
"Skill Modifier? What's that?" Naruto didn't recall seeing that tidbit of information on that skill before. He didn't have to wait long as his answer popped up seconds later.
Skills
Skills are crucial to any adventure, as without them life wouldn't be quite as easy. Skills can vary in terms of power and intended use; some are quite obvious while others you must rely on your imagination.
Skill/Item Modifier
Much like [Attributes], Skill/Item Modifiers play a critical role when it comes to helping an adventurer, this is especially so when it comes to the effectiveness and power of a skill or item used. However, not all skills or items, usually the lowest tier ones, have modifiers. In most cases, the higher the rank the likelier a modifier will be present. Some modifiers increase over time when said skill or item is upgraded or if another item upgrades it instead. And, in addition, some have more than one modifier. Modifiers are based on both a person's attributes and the ranking of the modifier. There are six skill modifier ranks in total: E to S.
S – Rank Modifier: Attribute * 3
A – Rank Modifier: Attribute * 2
B – Rank Modifier: Attribute * 1.5
C – Rank Modifier: Attribute * 1
D – Rank Modifier: Attribute * .50
E – Rank Modifier: Attribute * .25
"Talk about convenient," it certainly simplified things for him. Using the calculator of his ability, Naruto crunched the numbers and realized that with his current DEX amount, and the skill being at maximum, and the bonus that granted, it allowed him to hit targets with seventy-six percent accuracy. Not the greatest but not bad.
|QUEST ALERT!|
Ready, Aim, Fire!
Main Quest: Score at least 70% on the accuracy test.
Side Quest: Score 80% or higher on the accuracy test.
Second Side Quest: Score 90% or higher on the accuracy test.
Hidden Quest: ?
Main Quest Completion: 250 EXP
Side Quest Completion: 150 EXP, +100 Reputation [Iruka]
Second Side Quest Completion: 100 EXP, Acquire [Intermediate Shurikenjutsu and Kunaijutsu Skill Book]
Hidden Quest: ?, ?, ?
Failure: 100 EXP, -25 Reputation [Iruka]
(Quest is Mandatory)
"Naruto! Quite daydreaming and grab your set!" Iruka shouted at him.
Embarrassed Naruto quickly ran over to grab a set before a thought popped into his mind, "Observe."
Looking at the kunai and shuriken sets Naruto's suspicion was right when he saw quite a few with the [Poor Quality] rank. "Hey, Iruka-sensei, what's with these shuriken and kunai? They look off."
"Hmm? That can't be right," Iruka stated before testing them out himself. "You're right the balance and sharpness on some of these are off. The other group should have thrown them out. I'll have to inform the other students to be more careful when they organize them next time. Thanks, Naruto. In the meantime you can use my set."
|Hidden Quest Accomplished!|
For notifying Iruka about the poor kunai and shuriken, you gain an additional 75 Exp, 1 AP, and [?] upon completing the Main Quest!
"Hell yeah!" Naruto couldn't believe his luck that he managed accomplish the hidden objective without trying. Using Observe on his teacher's kunai set Naruto was pleasantly happy.
Chunin Issue Kunai and Shuriken Set – Uncommon Quality
Young or old, kunai and shuriken are a ninja's best friend. These kunai and shuriken are slightly a cut above in terms of weight and sharpness. So balanced are they that they allow one greater piercing, slashing and accuracy when used.
Attack Power: 17-22
Bonus Stats: + 15% Accuracy
Grinning like a fox at his incredible luck, Naruto set out to practice as much as he could before the test began. Already as he launched the kunai and shuriken did Naruto feel a difference. Instead of bouncing off like they usually would the kunai and shuriken stuck to the dummy and flew smoothly towards the target.
Adding his increased STR to the equation the tools were wedged in there pretty decently; his increased DEX also allowed him to hit the bull's-eye, or at least close to it, more frequently. As the blond continued to practice he didn't notice a set of narrowed eyes fixated on his form.
"How'd that demon notice the switch?" Mizuki made certain that the poor quality sets would be mixed amongst the ordinary ones and virtually indistinguishable to the untrained eye. It meant others wouldn't do as well either but so what if it meant it failing. Now the demon would most likely be getting a better grade in accuracy. The academy instructor would have to find some other way to hamper him.
"Hmm, what's that?" Naruto felt as though there . Looking around Naruto realized that could be anyone in particular.
|A special skill has been created through a special act!|
|Through the act of detecting hostile intentions towards you, you've gained the passive [Detect Bloodlust] skill!|
|Detect Bloodlust: Lv 1. 36% to Next Lv| Skill Modifier: WIS [D]. Mastering Speed: D| A skill that allows you to detect negative intent in the area around you. Current level does not allow you to pinpoint the exact location or who is causing it.
• Allows you to detect negative intent within 5 metres + (WIS * .5)
While Naruto appreciated the new skill the lack of accuracy it had ended up downplaying the whole thing. In the end, Naruto ignored it and focused on his practice. By the time the twenty minutes were up, Naruto was feeling very confident. As he watched the students go by one by one, Naruto wasn't surprised that Sasuke had once more gotten perfect with both portions of the test. Ever since the start of the academy Sasuke had been able of doing it. "Lucky teme," Naruto frowned.
"Uzumaki Naruto! You're up," Iruka announced. "First is the Kunai Accuracy Test, you have five shots. Make them count."
Looking at the targets Naruto smirked before taking aim and then shooting the kunai at them one by one. To the surprise of others, Naruto struck home on all five.
"A perfect five. Well done, Naruto. You've been practicing, I see," Iruka congratulated. "Now for the Shuriken Accuracy Test. This time you have ten shots."
At this Naruto began to worry a bit. The shuriken test was harder due to the fact it was not only had a smaller hit zone but also because the shuriken curved unlike the kunai which could only travel linearly. Shaking it off Naruto took his place, breathed in and out, took aim, and fired the metal stars one by one. The first four hit home, the fifth unfortunately missed and the eighth nearly did the same thing, but luckily the others struck home once more.
"Well, congratulations, Naruto, you passed with ninety-three percent accuracy," Naruto jumped for joy, screaming at the top of his lungs while many looked on perplexed.
While it wasn't uncommon to see anyone other than Sasuke get a perfect on the kunai portion, it was the easiest one, but the fact that Naruto, the bottom student, managed to do nearly the same surprised them. If one included the fact that Naruto just managed to pass the Accuracy Test with a ninety-three percent the whole thing was baffling. Some wanted to say he cheated, some did, but others realized how was it possible to cheat at this. Eventually the majority of them thought the incident as nothing more than a stroke of random luck.
|QUEST COMPLETED!|
Ready, Aim, Fire!
Main Quest: Score at least 70% on the accuracy test. (Accomplished)
Side Quest: Score 80% or higher on the accuracy test. (Accomplished)
Second Side Quest: Score 90% or higher on the accuracy test. (Accomplished)
Hidden Quest: Discover the poor grade kunai and shuriken. (Accomplished)
Total Rewards Earned:
+575 Exp (575*10%) = 632.5 Exp, +100 Reputation [Iruka], [Intermediate Shurikenjutsu and Kunaijutsu Skill Book], Chunin Issue Kunai and Shuriken Set, +1 AP
|Congratulations! Your level has increased by one!|
Status Window
Name: Uzumaki Naruto
Job: Academy Student
Level: 6 Next Level: 207.5/3600
HP: 1925 ~ 2275
CP: 3275 ~ 3900
STR: 14? ~ 14
VIT: 57? ~ 67
END: 81? ~ 96
DEX: 22? ~ 23
INT: 30 ~ 30
WIS: 10 ~ 10
CHA: 6
LUK: ? ~ ?
DEF: 15 ~ 15
Attribute Points: 4
|Congratulations!|
|You have now learned the [Instant Dungeon Creation] and [Instant Dungeon Escape] skills!|
|Instant Dungeon Creation: Lv 1. 0% to Next Lv| Mastering Speed: E| Allows you to create and enter and add effects to illusion barrier based dungeons as well as affect other dungeons. At your current level you're limited to only entering and exiting an Instant Dungeon at any time but can do so almost anywhere.
If possible Naruto's grin got even wider. It was one thing being able to enter a dungeon – his prior level was already high enough – but creating one was another matter altogether. Nothing was gonna bring him down from this high.
"Ok, everyone now it's time for the written portion of the test. Remember this is worth fifty percent, while the physical portion is the remaining percentage," Iruka announced.
Well, that would do it. And it got many to thunderously shout, "WHAT!" at the man.
"Just kidding," Iruka laughed as he saw the look on their faces. That one never got old in his mind.
"Not funny, Iruka-sensei!" Naruto fumed and vowed to get him back later. Though when a quest alert popped up and informed him such a quest would lower his reputation with the instructor Naruto decided not to do it and declined.
"All right, everyone that's it for this week have a nice weekend," many of them cheered and whooped as they left the academy.
"Here's your set back, Iruka-sensei," Naruto held the pouch.
Iruka however merely smiled, "Keep it. Consider it a reward for your hard work. It looks like you've been working hard. I have spares anyway. Just try to be careful with them alright."
Naruto merely grinned before equipping the set. As he was about to head towards his favourite ramen stand Naruto remembered that his Observe ability had gone up and decided to test it out. He instantly regretted the action moments later. From there the Status Window of Iruka stretched on and on to the point it began to show the man's best skills and other information that Naruto didn't wish to know.
"Ok, that a lot of info. Let's see if I can compress it somehow. Ah, here we go," Naruto said as he looked at the box before. While he liked his "Observe" ability the amount of information shown was too much for him. Luckily there was a check box for each category that was shown. "Ok, only show equipment and skills when asked," he checked off before looking it over again. "Much better."
Status Window
Name: Umino Iruka
Job: Chunin Ninja
Level: 29 Next Level: 14347/36,300
HP: 2200
CP: 1525
STR: 55
VIT: 83
END: 61
DEX: 66
INT: 104
WIS: 99
CHA: 79
LUK: 30
Defence: 55
Specialization:
Sensor
Special Perks:
None
Perks:
None
Titles:
Academy Chunin Teacher: +1 INT, CHA & WIS Per Lv, +20% EXP & Effectiveness towards Mentoring Skill, +20% EXP gains towards quests and enemies slain (only for character level up), Gain 20 AP a year you hold this title
Journeyman Ninja Sensor: +3 WIS & +2 INT per Lv, +65% EXP & Effectiveness towards Detect Presence Skill, Detect Bloodlust Skill, and Tracking Skill
Naruto had to admit that Iruka-sensei was stronger than he originally thought and the Sensor specialization he had explained a lot, especially from what Anko told him. Shrugging it off for now, Naruto focused his attention elsewhere and decided to take the opportunity to go to Ichiraku Ramen to see Teuchi-oyaji and Ayame. It had been a while since he managed to get some ramen from the stand and today was a special occasion.
"Oi, Teuchi-ossan! One extra large bowl of pork ramen!" Naruto announced upon arrival.
"Extra large, huh? What's the special occasion?" the man asked as he and Ayame began preparing the dish.
"It's not a prank is?" Ayame eyed him and Naruto started becoming nervous. Few people scared him and an angry Ayame was one of them. And even then he'd rather face her while angry than when she was disappointed.
"What? No! I passed my accuracy test today with a ninety. Here look, Iruka-sensei gave this as a gift."
"Wow, a ninety… Alright who are you and what have you done with the real, Uzumaki Naruto?" Teuchi asked.
"Oi!"
"Just kidding, kiddo," Teuchi chuckled as he and Ayame continued making the dish, "Here you go. This one's on the house."
"Yatta!" Naruto couldn't believe his luck today. Muttering a quick prayer, Naruto began devouring the ramen bowl with gusto.
"Yep. That's Naruto," if there was any doubt of him being their best customer it was gone now.
Looking at his ramen, and savouring the amazing taste, too, Naruto decided to test out a theory, "Ohbsvre."
"No talking with your mouth full," Ayame threatened him with a ladle.
"Swowy."
"What did I just say?!" she conked him.
"Ow!" he groaned before focusing on the ramen.
Extra Large Ichiraku Ramen – Pork
Restores 550 HP and 100CP.
Status Effects: Well-Fed, Unhealthy
Description: Famous Ichiraku ramen made by ramen chef Teuchi. Though a delicious meal and healthier than most ramen it's still not healthy due to the high amount of sodium, carbohydrates, and a great lack of other essential nutrients, not recommended to eat multiple portions.
Using Observe on the Unhealthy status effect Naruto wished he hadn't afterwards.
|Unhealthy|
Gained from foods that lack the essential nutrients needed in order to live properly and support a healthy growth. Occasionally acceptable to eat but when eaten repeatedly and in great quantities over a long period of time without eaten other essential foods, it has a chance of giving the [Malnourished] debuff.
"And like that my good mood is gone," Naruto solemnly thought; it explained the Malnourished debuff he had. Ignorance was bliss many had said and right now Naruto wished he hadn't done what he did. It didn't ruin ramen for him. Hell would freeze over before that ever happened. However, it did make him realize that if he was ever going to get rid of that status effect he'd have to start eating better.
"Great. Now I have to start eating veggies," he grimaced. Vegetables were easily his most disliked food group. It was basically like eating hay, "But if I wanna get stronger, I have to eat less ramen. Well, this freakin sucks!"
However, this presented him with another challenge, "Who can I get to teach me?"
As it was his Cooking skill was basic and only allowed him to make simple stuff. Cooking an egg and boiling rice were no problem because that was like the basic of the basics. Other stuff he would need help to make. He also didn't have that much money and only got a biweekly stipend of two thousand ryo for groceries and sometimes clothes and gear. Luckily Konoha's Orphan Support Act paid for his rent until he became a Genin.
Looking at both Teuchi and Ayame, Naruto used Observe on them to see if either one could teach him.
Status Window
Name: Ichiraku Ayame
Job: Cook
Level: 14 Next Level: 2489/12,300
HP: 425
CP: 200
STR: 8
VIT: 17
END: 8
DEX: 10
INT: 42
WIS: 29
CHA: 38
LUK: 10
Defense: 5
Specialization:
None
Special Perks:
None
Perks:
None
Titles:
Sous Chef: +50% EXP, Speed & Effectiveness towards Cooking Skill
"Ok, Ayame-neechan is a maybe. Now let's see… what the!"
Status Window
Name: Ichiraku Teuchi
Job: Head Cook
Level: ?
HP: ?
CP: ?
STR: ?
VIT: ?
END: ?
DEX: ?
INT: ?
WIS: ?
CHA: ?
LUK: ?
Defense: ?
Specialization:
None
Special Perks:
None
Perks:
None
Titles:
?:?
"Naruto-kun, you ok?" Ayame asked as she saw his dazed looked.
"Huh? Oh, fine, Ayame-neechan," Naruto smiled.
"Naruto, I know you long enough to know when you're lying," Ayame said knowingly.
"…Crap," Naruto knew he was busted. It was something Ayame instinctively knew about him.
"Spill," she commanded.
"I … I wanna know how to make things," it wasn't a total lie really but Naruto wasn't ready to tell anyone about his ability yet. The fact that he couldn't see Teuchi's stats and perks meant there was more to him than just being a ramen chef.
"… That's it? Why didn't you say so before?" she asked.
"Embarrassed," he mumbled. "Will you teach me?"
Sadly Ayame shook her head, "Sorry, Naruto-kun. Dad and I have our hands full managing the shop. We don't have the time. Sorry," she sincerely apologized. Naruto was disappointed. Understanding and nodded all the same, but disappointed still.
"Looks like I gotta find someone else," much easier said than done.
"However… wait right here," Ayame left momentarily before coming back three minutes later with a book, a bag, and a rolled up bag. "Here. It's not much but it'll help you get started. This cooking book is what dad gave me when I began learning how to cook some of the more advance of the basic dishes. I've even stuffed the bag with a few ingredients and my old knife set to help you get started. The knives are old but well kept and I added a whetstone and book on how to maintain em."
"Really! Thanks, neechan!" Naruto hugged the adolescent brunette.
After a few more bowls, he could have eaten more but Ayame cut him off, and 890 ryo less; Naruto left his favorite ramen stand and headed on home. He did have a quest to accomplish before the day was over.
(Naruto's Apartment Next Day: 8:47AM)
|You have slept in a bed. Your HP and CP have full recovered.|
"Ugh," a half awake Naruto groaned as he stirred in his bed. Naruto would honestly say he was shocked that it had only taken him a night's rest for him to regain all his HP and CP. In fact Naruto realized that he usually still felt slightly sore or tired the very next day but now he didn't feel it, especially after what he managed to accomplish last night.
It had taken him quite some time, difficulty, and mental strain, but he finally managed to get his Leaf Concentration Practice Method all the way to level 5. He almost didn't during the last hour and needed to eat almost all his ramen stash to restore his CP. In the end it was worth it too as he gained an additional three INT for practicing chakra control.
Muttered something unintelligible, Naruto proceeded to go to the bathroom and take a shower. Ten minutes later he came out and put on some clothes before he proceeded to the kitchen to make breakfast. "Oh, right. My ramen's almost gone."
Spotting the book Ayame had left him Naruto decided that now was as good a time as any to start learning. As he picked up the book something occurred that he didn't expect.
|Would you like to learn the [Basic Breakfast Cooking Recipes]?|
(YES/NO)
Thinking nothing of it, even if it was slightly weird, Naruto pressed on the "YES" and watched as the book flashed and disintegrated into a multitude of light particles. Suddenly, Naruto felt a rush flow through his head before several windows popped up in front of him. While he ignored most of them, one came up that intrigued him the most.
Skill Books and Scrolls
Much like some skills can be learned by being taught by instructors and teachers, other skills can also be learned through scrolls or books such as recipes, or forgotten techniques. Whenever you learn from a book or scroll the item in question is destroyed in the process. Make certain that you make a copy of its contents first if possible as it may be irreplaceable.
Note: Scrolls and books based on theory cannot be learned. Some contents from scrolls or books can only be learned when you meet the proper requirements such as stats, lineage, gender, etc.
"Huh, guess that means I'll have to be careful on what I learn," Naruto didn't need to worry or focus too much on it at the moment though as he was still on the Basic Academy Taijutsu.
As Naruto was about to get start on his latest quest he recalled the other book Ayame had left him and like before the book evaporated into particles of light.
You learned the [Equipment/Gear Handling] skill!|
|Equipment/Gear Handling: Lv 1. 0% to Next Lv| Mastering Speed: C| Allows you to properly maintain and repair your gear and equipment. The effectiveness of the skill is enhanced through the use of certain items such as whetstones. Current level does not allow you to repair [Broken] or [Damaged] equipment and gear. Current level only allows you to maintain and repair [Poor] and [Common] rank equipment.
• Restores 3 points of durability to equipment and gear.
• Each repair increases durability depreciation rate by 10% [Cannot be changed for most equipment and gear]
• Each repair decreases maximum durability by 10% of its original value [Cannot be changed for most equipment and gear]
Naruto had to admit it wasn't the greatest skill in his repertoire at the moment. As overpowered as this skill was appearing to be it was clear some elements still operated within the bounds of reality.
But the ninja in training cast that aside for now and finished his breakfast, which while not as tasty as ramen wasn't half bad really. Looking at his newfound skills Naruto took some time to go over them.
|Dungeons|
Dungeons are places filled with foes, treasure and other resources needed to improve the life of any adventurer. By defeating enemies one gains experience that allows them to level up and acquire items that can potentially make life easier for them down the line. Conquering a dungeon, which is done by defeating every foe in it, is the ultimate goal due to its benefits. Currently there are three types of dungeons: [Natural], [Event] and [Instant Creation]. Dungeons can only be accessed after reaching level five
Natural Dungeons
Natural dungeons are dungeons that have naturally occurred in nature due to powerful chakra lingering and affecting the area. They can only be accessed by physically going to them and some can only be accessed at a certain level and/or if you possess a specific skill or group. Once entered a person cannot leave until it is conquered without facing varying consequences. Conquering them allows you to re-enter them at a higher difficulty to earn more EXP and increases the chance of encountering [Rare Spawns], but item and money drops along with penalties for exiting without defeating the boss generally stay the same. Conquering a Natural dungeon requires one to wait a full twenty-four hours before re-entering said dungeon regardless of IDC Skill level. After being conquered several times a Natural dungeon can have its time-flow manipulated. The time flow of Natural Dungeons, however, can be manipulated even if it was never conquered if one's IDC Skill is high enough.
Event Dungeons
Event dungeons are created due to situational circumstances that occur outside your control and are usually accompanied by a mandatory quest. Unlike its Natural and Creation counterparts, Event dungeons cannot have their time flow manipulated no matter how high your IDC level, are only active for a select amount of time, and can have a myriad of different types of foes and items instead of a single kind. As they are generally a one-time occurrence, upon completion of an Event dungeon's quest said dungeon will disappear forever.
Creation Dungeons
Creation dungeons are the most flexible and largest of all the three dungeon types, as they can be used and accessed practically anytime and anywhere by the creator. However, once conquered one for the first time, and after increasing the [Instant Dungeon Creation Skill] to a certain level, the dungeon can be manipulated to add more foes, stronger ones, combine existing dungeons, and affect its time flow. Unlike Event and Natural dungeons, adventurers can enter and exit a Creation dungeon at anytime without fear of consequences. However, due to its extremely large size and the amount of foes, conquering them is a slow process, especially for first timers. While there is no time limit for entering and exiting a creation, regardless of IDC Skill level, once a foe has been defeated, it will take approximately a full day for them to respawn.
"Better get my stuff ready," Naruto muttered and gathered up what he'd need.
The whole process of getting all of the things he needed took Naruto a little over an hour before he was ready. During that timeframe Naruto had equipped his new Chunin Issue Kunai and Shuriken Set and sharpened them, and also prepared a few more dishes to restore his HP and CP whenever he got the chance. Nodding, Naruto knew it was now or never. Getting out of his apartment, the blonde went into an alley and called out, "Instant Dungeon Creation!"
The experience was one Naruto would never forget as the world around him flashed a bright white color and the next he saw red. Scarlet red.
Thinking about it, Naruto had to say it was the most accurate description he could come up with. Gone was the blue sky with wisps of white clouds and gone were the clean and well kept buildings. In their place was a dark and dreary place with a black and red sky, cracked buildings that looked like they were falling apart, some of which were ablaze. It was as if Konoha had gone at war and lost and was badly damaged as a result
"Ok, was not expecting this," Naruto had to admit this was a little unsettling. The whole place reminded him of a few of the undead levels he played in video games; the one with ghost and zombies. At that he shuddered.
Zombies Naruto could deal with no problem, ghosts on the other hand Naruto would freely admit he was scared shitless about them. Not only were they incorporeal, which meant trying to harm them was almost impossible, but they followed you everywhere.
"Please don't let there be ghosts," Naruto hoped his luck would hold out as he carefully made his way through the alley.
"Mweooaoarr!" was all Naruto managed to hear as he rounded a corner, the sudden sound of a trashcan being knocked over by the black cat that ran off who knows where scared the living daylights out him. "Stupid cat! You better hope I don't find and learn a recipe with you as an ingredient!"
As he was about to continue on, Naruto spotted something of potential use, "Observe!"
Discarded Pipe – Common Quality
Blunt Weapon
Item Modifier Rank: STR [E]
Durability 34/40
A discarded pipe commonly used for plumbing or other forms of waterworks. Though there's nothing extraordinary about this item it's surprisingly durable and can be used a weapon. Has decent length and is fairly balanced.
Attack Power: 13–17 + (14STR * .25) = 16.5 –20.5
Usage Requirement: 10 STR
"Well, it's not a sword but it's better than nothing. Welcome to the team… I'm so glad nobody saw me talking to a pipe," he muttered and grabbed the unorthodox weapon. Then again, Naruto had never been a conservative of fighters. If it worked it was good enough for him.
"Ughhhhhh."
"…Eh?"
"Ughhharrggh," the voice continued to groan.
Turning on the spot, Naruto saw the dungeon's first enemy, "Oh, thank you, Kami, for giving me a zombie dungeon," better them than ghosts.
Getting a better look at it the animated corpse with his Observe he had to admit he wasn't all that impressed.
Civilian Zombie – Lv 3
HP: 125
CP: 0
STR: 21
VIT: 5
DEX: 3
END: 14
INT: 0
WIS: 0
CHA: 3
LUK: 0 (You're dead. Your luck sucks.)
Defense: 7
Specialization:
None
Special Perks:
None
Perks:
Undead Being: [Ignore Pain], Immune to poisons, mental attacks, and negative psychological afflictions, +30% tolerance towards bladed weapons and Taijutsu
Flaws:
Walking Corpse: LUK, INT, WIS are non-existent, CP is always zero regardless of END, -30% tolerance towards blunt weapons, fire weapons, and fire skills
? : ?
Description: A regular zombie with nothing extraordinary about it but it can be troublesome if you encounter them in large groups. Some say that they are restless spirits inhabitant corpses; others say they are the bi-product of an experiment gone wrong.
Exp Earned: 55 + [10%] = 60.5 EXP
Drops: ?, ?, ?
"Good thing I found this little beauty then," Naruto held his 'weapon' more confidently now. Jumping at the zombie with the pipe held high, Naruto swung it down with all his might onto the creature's head and managed knocked it down.
|CRITICAL HIT LANDED!|
|For performing an intelligent action your INT has increased by 1!|
"Well, duh," it didn't take a genius to know the head was an obvious weak point. But he didn't focus on that and continued to strike at the undead creature with all he had. It only took him two more hits before it finally evaporated into a series of blue particles.
|A special skill has been created through a special act!|
|By relentless beating enemy with a blunt object you've gained the passive [Basic Blunt Weapon Mastery] skill!|
|Basic Blunt Weapons Mastery. Lv 1. 48% to Next Lv| Skill Modifier: STR [D] Mastering Speed: B| A skill that allows you to use and learn basic bludgeon related techniques and fighting style as well as use certain bludgeon weapons. Upgrading the skill's rank will allow you to learn more advanced techniques and fighting styles.
• Passively increases the power of blunt weapons by 11%
• Passively increases the striking speed of blunt weapons by 1%
• Passively increases the critical hit rate of blunt weapons by 1%
"Oh, this just got easier," Naruto commented before he saw another zombie making its way towards him. Striking at it with his pipe once it got close, Naruto had to duck
a strike that would have taken a decent amount of health off him. The young blond soon followed up with a strike at its knees, making a resounded crunch that made it fall down like a sack of potatoes. From there Naruto bashed its head in before it finally disappeared.
"Alright, who's … next?" Naruto was left agape at the sight before him. For where the zombie once stood was now a small wad of cash, 130 ryo to be exact.
"This can't be real… can it?" he wondered before taking out a small bill from Gama-chan and compared to two bill notes. To his amazement they were the same with the exception of the zombie dropped one looking newer, almost as if it was recently printed.
"Guess that takes cares of my cash problem. Wonder what else I'll get from these guys?" he grinned at the prospect.
Naruto proceeded to kill five more zombies, gaining more money in the process – as well as an item called [Zombie Rib] for some reason – as he made his way out of the alley before he spotted an ignorant undead. Deciding to take advantage of its lack of noticing him, Naruto stayed to the shadows and brought himself up to a vantage point. Taking a small piece of broken brick, Naruto tossed it a few feet away from the zombie in the opposite direction.
Fortunately the tactic worked and the undead being headed in the direction of the sound. Leaping at it Naruto struck it on the head much like he did the last one knocking it down and sending it sprawling away. Before he could finish it off the zombie disintegrated into nothing.
|A special skill has been created through a special act!|
|By taking advantage of an unsuspecting enemy and striking while they are off-guard, you've gained the active Kagekoku (Shadow Strike) skill!|
Kagekoku (Shadow Strike) D-Rank: Lv 1. 22% to Next Lv| Skill Modifier: DEX [D], STR [D]. A skill where the user strikes at an unsuspecting enemy with no time for them to defend. Must be hidden to use.
• Increases the power of weapons by 51% * + (STR * .50)
• Increases critical hit rate of weapons by 11% + (DEX * .50)
• Using blunt weapons increases chance of causing the [Concussion] status effect by 11% + (STR * .50)
• Using bladed weapons increases chance of causing the [Bleeding] status by 11% + (DEX * .50)
"I love this Gamer ability," Naruto grinned before he felt himself being hit in the back and sent tumbling down the street. "Ow," Naruto groaned as he got up. "Alright, whose the dead undead asshole!?"
Spotting a few zombies in front of him, Naruto charged at them and swung his pipe at the closest one, knocking it aside, before using his momentum to strike at the other one and sending it sprawling into another other zombie. As he moved in to cave in their skulls, Naruto felt pain in his leg and saw a downed zombie had bitten him, "Oww! Let go!" Naruto struck its back before he felt pain in his arm, "You've gotta be shitting me!" he cursed as another zombie bit into him.
Striking at the one biting his leg Naruto was happy to see it evaporated before he focused his attention on the one biting him. Using his pipe, Naruto swung at its leg, hoping the strike would force it to let go.
It didn't.
"God damn!" Naruto was beginning to worry as he had already lost almost 200 HP. The sneak attack from both zombies, their surprising strength, and his lack of proper armor didn't help him either. He needed to get out of his current situation and quick as he saw the other two zombies getting up and making their way towards him.
Smashing his pipe into the creature's head, Naruto managed to wriggle free from its teeth before it grabbed him by the arm. The suddenness of it all making him drop his weapon. Already he could feel the undead being's greater strength drag him back and Naruto knew that without his weapon he'd be toast. Grabbing on a wooden frame Naruto cursed as the rotten wood splintered off from the burning building. Thinking it was better than nothing, he jabbed the burning piece of wood into the zombie's eye and watched as it became wreathed with flames and flayed in agony.
|Congratulations! Through a special act you've discovered and unlocked the hidden weakness of zombies! [Burning Agony]!|
"What the?" Naruto could only watch as the zombie began wildly flailing and barrelling into the other zombies in the process; its actions setting them alight as well.
|Burning Agony|
Regardless of victim's perks all fire skills/weapons have a 75% chance of causing [Hysteria] status effect unto holder when suffering from [Burning] status effect, [Burning] status effect last 15 seconds longer and gains additional 3% HP loss per 3 seconds, Chances of landing Critical Hits increased by 30%, DEF decreases by 15
"Wow. Sucks being these guys," Naruto would have pitied them had they not tried eating him. Looking at the the still burning corpses Naruto watched as two of them disintegrate into nothingness, while another one's head went flying from its shoulders as he swung his pipe.
"Oh, damn. That was too fucking close," Naruto cursed. Collecting a little over 600 ryo from the zombies, Naruto suddenly heard a groaning sound from behind. Swiftly turning around, he spotted a not so welcoming sight.
Staring in front of him was a horde of undead, some of which were a level higher and carried weapons such as pipes, wooden clubs, even axes. "Oh, shit balls."
Omake: Alternate Accuracy Test Ending
"Well congratulations, Naruto, you passed with over 90% accuracy," Naruto jumped for joy, screaming at the top of his lungs while many looked on perplexed.
"Ok, everyone, now it's time for the written portion of the test. Remember, this is worth 50% while the accuracy portion is the remaining percentage."
"…WHAT!"
Needless to say Naruto got a big fat zero on his test, falling the whole test with a 40%. His reputation with Iruka went down by a hundred as a result.
"GOD DAMNIT!"
On the plus side it was still the highest mark he had in his school year… actually in all his school years at the academy.
"OH, SHUT UP!"
Make me you little… Hey! Quit throwing those kunai at me. Don't make me get Anko on your ass!
"She doesn't scare me," Naruto boasted.
(Author writes something in the story) Oh, good she's right behind you, and she heard everything. Enjoy.
"Eh?" was Naruto's only intelligent response before he felt a hand tighten around his shoulder.
"So… you're not scared of me, huh? We'll have to fix that, gaki," Anko grinned sadistically.
"Eep!" Naruto squealed as he was being dragged away, much to the confusion of the students while getting the sympathy of those who knew Anko.
(One torture session later)
So you were saying.
"… I'll be good," a shaken up Naruto spoke.
Damn straight. Bitch.
"Soooo, bored," Naruto sighed as Iruka droned one of his infamously lengthy lectures. Naruto was certain they could cure a severe case of insomnia. Compared to what happened during the weekend – which was something Naruto was slowly coming to accept – this looked even more boring than usual.
Six days had passed since Naruto had met both Anko and discovered his new – if not weird as hell – ability. During that timeframe Naruto had decided to grind much of the skills he currently had as quickly as possible. Which, unfortunately, was easier said than done.
Despite their mastering speed rank, combat skills such as Taijutsu and Kunaijutsu levelled up more quickly in actual combat. Other skills such as the Observe ability, which was now at level four, levelled up just as quickly in any given situation. Naruto's Basic Academy Taijutsu and Basic Shurikenjutsu and Kunaijutsu, despite it taking him six days, had finally been mastered. The only problem was finding the scrolls to increase them further.
It was a school week and while he could ditch class to find the advanced scroll set, Iruka was starting to become much less lenient for tardiness and those who dozed off in class. Naruto guessed it was because this was their last year. By the time school ended, the shinobi in training spent much of his time preparing himself for his first dungeon. His browsing of the Gamer functions showed that his was high enough for him to enter dungeons. However, tempted as he was to go into a dungeon at the time, his current equipment and stats left much to be desired. Naruto needed to increase his stats and he needed money for better equipment.
Thanks to a few daily quests – low experience and imperceptible pay, but it stacked up in the end – and one of the pranks he owed Anko, his cash reserve and a few of those stats had gone up. Apparently a Chunin had bragged about how he had 'tamed' the Snake Charmer of Konoha. Naruto didn't know why the Tokubetsu Jonin decided to PG-13 it; he knew what sex was.
And while Anko did in fact sleep with him – the easy admittance took Naruto by surprise – the man had done such a bad job that she had thrown him out of her apartment with barely anything to cover his dignity. Anko soon regretted not being harsher. The Chunin had a silver tongue and was very convincing when it came to – in Anko's own words – spouting horrible bullshit.
Needless to say the Snake Mistress decided he deserved his due diligence and ordered Naruto to prank him and prank him hard. If the prank was good – and it had been in her humble opinion – Anko would give him a decent pittance.
For days Naruto followed the man like shadow until he managed to find out that the Chunin was going on a date with an attractive woman at a civilian hotspot. The stroke of luck made it all the easier. Unless a ninja was present, rarely did anyone in a non-shinobi restaurant notice him in a Henge. Through careful planning and ingenuity on his part, Naruto had managed to make the man look like a fool.
Instead of drinking water the man drank diluted vinegar, tasteless laxatives, and ghost pepper hot sauce. Naruto counted himself lucky that the cups they served were dark coloured. Not that he would notice since he was too focused on his date. The man ended up burning his whole mouth, spitting the contents onto his date – a good portion hitting her eyes and blinding her in the process – and shitting himself for everyone to see.
By the end of the night the man not only ruined his reputation and pants, but Naruto was pretty sure he wouldn't be going on dates for a long while. Heck, Anko told him that the man wasn't allowed back at the restaurant again. The only downside was that the restaurant was one of her friend's favourite places and it would be closed for cleaning for the next few days or so to get rid of the smell.
On the plus side doing what he did he during that week managed to increase stats. His Strength and Dexterity had gone up by a decent amount, while his Intelligence and Wisdom only went up by two each. It wasn't much but it was better than nothing. END and VIT stayed the same, as they were already pretty high.
"Okay, what should I increase?" Naruto pondered, barely listening to Iruka. "END and VIT are already pretty high and the perks will take care of em. LUK can be left alone cuz of that perk. Guess that leaves DEX, STR, INT, CHA and WIS."
Luckily for him DEX and STR could be increased through physical training, something Naruto enjoyed doing, and pretty quickly due to the amount of stamina he had. CHA was his lowest attribute but not all that crucial in his opinion. If anything he could probably increase it by coming up with better lies and practicing intimidation. WIS and INT were the opposite, regrettably. The latter was increased by performing smart decisions and by studying books, while the former, while similar, put greater emphasis on smart decisions and wise actions.
"INT it is then," Naruto nodded and placed all his AP into his INT. The action resulted in the meager number thirteen to increase to a decent thirty, "Status Window."
Status Window
Name: Uzumaki Naruto
Job: Academy Student
Level: 5 Next Level: 2375/2800
HP: 1925
CP: 3275
STR: 14?
VIT: 57?
END: 81?
DEX: 22?
INT: 30
WIS: 10
CHA: 6
LUK: ?
DEF: 15
Attribute Points: 0
Naruto smirked at the improved numbers. With them he felt more comfortable entering a dungeon now. However, so focused was he on the screen that he was caught off guard by what came next.
"NARUTO!" Iruka shouted so loudly and suddenly at the blond that he fell out of his seat.
"Kuso!" Naruto cursed as his got back up. Sending a small glare at Iruka in the process. "What the hell was that for, Iruka-sensei?!"
"Language! And that was for daydreaming instead of paying attention in class," the academy instructor said.
"Was not!" he lied.
"Oh, really? Then you wouldn't mind telling me what I was talking about?" Iruka called him out.
Cut off guard, Naruto tried to recalling what today's lesson was about and hoped he was right when he answered, "Uh… we were talking about the Shodai?"
Iruka still frowned, "… Right, but what exactly about the Shodai was I talking about?"
"Uh…" to that Naruto had no answer.
"That's what I thought. I'll let it go this time but pay better attention," Iruka told him and then proceeded to go back to his lesson.
Your luck managed to hold out to help you avoid detention!
"Phew," Naruto was relieved at avoiding that mess. The last thing he needed was detention on a Friday or during the weekend. Those sucked. Naruto seriously had no idea why they were learning history. Sure, it was sometimes cool learning about who did what in the past, but each time Naruto though, "How the hell is this gonna help me become a better ninja and win a fight?"
Looking at the clock, Naruto saw that they only had five more minutes to go in history before their last class of the day, Dummy Training, began. To kill the boredom he began looking around the classroom.
"Observe," he muttered.
Status Window
Name: Haruno Sakura
Job: Academy Student
Level: 8 Next Level: 2865/5400
HP: 200
CP: 250
STR: 5
VIT: 8
END: 10
DEX: 15
INT: 56
WIS: 31
CHA: 15
LUK: 15
DEF: 10
Description: Haruno Sakura comes from a civilian family but is a very smart and talented academy student due to her near photographic memory and dedication. However, despite her intelligence, her physical conditioning is considered below average and her mindset is ill suited for a kunoichi in training. In addition, she possesses a short temper and can be easily riled up depending on the situation. She, like many of the girls in her class, has a crush on Uchiha Sasuke. Currently has the affections of one Uzumaki Naruto but has no intention of reciprocating them and finds him annoying.
"Ahh, man," Naruto whined at that last part. The blond really had no idea why Sakura and the rest of the girls found Sasuke so appealing. Sure he was a decent looking guy – something that he would ever admit it out loud though – but Naruto still didn't get why he got so much attention. Looking at him with his [Observe], Naruto was left shocked at what he saw.
Status Window
Name: Uchiha Sasuke
Job: Academy Student
Level: 11 Next Level: 2939/8800
HP: 650
CP: 725
STR: 19
VIT: 26
END: 29
DEX: 29
INT: 32
WIS: 23
CHA: 21
LUK: 10
DEF: 20
Description: Uchiha Sasuke comes from the famous Uchiha Clan, one of Konoha's founding clans and formerly one of the most powerful clans in the world. After the massacre of his family in one night, Sasuke became Konoha's last Uchiha. From that day on Sasuke's personality changed drastically, throwing himself into his training, and began closing himself off from others, becoming a lone wolf. Considered a prodigy by many like his brother before, Sasuke earning the title of Rookie of the Year is pretty much a given.
"Damn," Naruto felt sorry for Sasuke. Having a loving family and then having it taken away from you; Naruto didn't what was worse: growing up without a family, no memories of them, not knowing you were loved, or growing up with one only to lose all of them, going back home expecting to see them only to realize that they were gone and never coming back. It's still didn't give Sasuke the right to be a jerk, but Naruto understood him a little better.
"Ok, fine Sakura-chan and Sasuke-teme were always at the top of the class. Maybe it's just a coincidence," Naruto thought before looking at his other classmates.
Status Window
Name: Inuzuka Kiba
Job: Academy Student
Level: 8 Next Level: 4776/5400
HP: 550
CP: 575
STR: 20
VIT: 22
END: 23
DEX: 33
INT: 14
WIS: 9
CHA: 12
LUK: 17
DEF: 16
Description: Inuzuka Kiba comes from a clan that is renown for their use of ninken and unique fighting style in combat. Though young and hot-headed, and not the sharpest tool in the shed at times, Kiba is one of the best in Taijutsu, outmatched only by Sasuke, but is still one of the lower ranking students in academics.
Status Window
Name: Akamaru
Job: Ninken (Ninja Dog)
Level: 4 Next Level: 249/2100
HP: 175
CP: 150
STR: 3
VIT: 7
END: 6
DEX: 16
INT: 5
WIS: 5
CHA: 3
LUK: 14
DEF: 0
Description: A two year old ninja dog and Kiba's partner. Though young and appearing like a normal puppy Akamaru is quite intelligent for his age.
Status Window
Name: Yamanaka Ino
Job: Academy Student
Level: 8 Next Level: 3657/5400
HP: 275
CP: 400
STR: 6
VIT: 11
END: 16
DEX: 25
INT: 39
WIS: 27
CHA: 26
LUK: 13
DEF: 10
Description: Though not as intelligent as her rival, Sakura, Ino is still one of the top students at the academy. Ino is talented in her clan's teachings but due to her attitude and infatuation with Sasuke she isn't as far or as proficient as she should be. Ino is notorious for her gossip and fashion sense, very little happens in the academy that she doesn't know about.
Status Window
Name: Hyuga Hinata
Job: Academy Student
Level: 7 Next Level: 1490/4500
HP: 350
CP: 450
STR: 7
VIT: 14
END: 18
DEX: 25
INT: 37
WIS: 30
CHA: 11
LUK: 9
DEF: 10
Description: Hinata is a very kind but equally shy young girl who comes from not only one of Konoha's four noble clans but also one of the most powerful clans in the world. Despite being trained in the art of the Gentle Fist at a young age, a renown and deadly taijutsu, Hinata's skill is lacking for reasons currently unknown. While not one of the best students in terms of skill, Hinata is one of the more intelligent and hard working ones. While most of the girls in her class are infatuated with Sasuke, Hinata is attracted to someone else. Her love for cinnamon rolls is said to rival Uzumaki Naruto's love for ramen.
"You gotta be kidding me," Naruto – ignoring the pop up saying his Observe increased to level five – wanted to weep at the unfairness of it all. It was like someone slapping him in the face. As he continued to look, Naruto realized that virtually everyone in his entire class – excluding Kiba's pet – were three or four levels ahead of him. He was the lowest level student.
"Alright, that concludes today's history lesson. Head on out to the practice field and do your warm ups," Iruka announced much to everyone's excitement. Practice field training was easily one of the more popular of lessons at the academy.
Following a decent ten-minute warm up, Iruka told everyone to line up. "Alright, now before we begin physical training, I've decided to teach you a neat little trick. Today, I'm going to teach you all how to balance a leaf on your forehead."
The silence that soon followed was enough for many to hear a pin dropping two blocks over. Most of the students were left flabbergasted, many of their faces reflecting their emotions.
"You're kidding, right? What the hell kinda training is that?" Kiba asked with Akamaru agreeing with his master.
"Language!" Iruka chastised before taking a leaf, placing it on his forehead and to the surprise of everyone it didn't fall off. "Did I forget to mention that you'll be keeping it there with only your chakra?"
At the awe of the display, Iruka smirked. The act of doing this has been a long-standing tradition at the academy when the method was first introduced. Tell the students about a training exercise they thought was lame and then make it look cool and leave them dumbfounded. Jonin did it to their new team all the time.
"Now the concept is simple. What you do is focus your chakra to your forehead and onto the leaf to make it stick. Too little and the leaf will fall off, too much and the leaf will be blown away," Iruka explained as he began giving each of the students a leaf. "Now don't be surprised if some of you don't get this right away. It takes a while to get the hang of it. Begin."
One by one the students began the exercise while Iruka inwardly smirked at the cleverness of it all. It was true that this exercise was a way to teach students how to control their chakra more effectively. However, the true purpose of the exercise was actually to hone the individual's concentration and to keep their mind from becoming distracted. Many of the teachers told students that those who worked hard on this ability to concentrate can become excellent shinobi.
The last part was more or less a white lie really and more so of a motivator for students to give them confidence and strive for excellence. Though it sometimes backfired as some students had higher levels of chakra and couldn't accomplish it as fast as others.
Looking around Iruka wasn't surprised to see Ino, Sakura, and Hinata having little to no trouble with the technique. Both Ino and Hinata came from clans where chakra control was crucial, more so from the Hyuga Clan while Sakura had a natural talent for chakra control based off of her demonstrations of the basic academy three. Though Iruka suspected that her low levels of chakra also played a factor. They were still slightly higher than a regular civilian due to her father being a former Genin, but still low nonetheless.
Looking past them, Iruka saw that Shino and Sasuke, while not as good as the girls, were making some good progress. Sasuke was a prodigy so it came as no surprise. Shino he heard took to his clan's techniques like a fish took to water so like Sasuke the boy could be considered a prodigy in his own right. He was a less known one but a prodigy nonetheless.
When Iruka saw Kiba, Shikamaru, Chouji, and Naruto attempting it he was not surprised that they weren't faring that well compared to the others. Shikamaru he saw wasn't really trying and looked like he wanted to quit, Chouji he saw try for a bit before he adopted his friend's method, while Kiba looked constipated. Naruto, surprisingly, looked as though he was having the easiest time of the four. It wasn't great and crystal clear it would take him a while to master, but he was still better than the others, if only by a little. Iruka merely sighed at those four.
The four of them were easily the lower end tier students for good reasons. Shikamaru barely put any effort into anything except napping and cloud watching. Chouji was like Shikamaru only with more emphasis on food, while Naruto and Kiba were just dense. It was harsh but true. In terms of academics they were the lowest students and were only slightly above average in practical; Kiba more so due to his clan training. Between them most of the other students fared either well or not so well.
While Iruka continued to observe his students a certain blond prankster was snickering at the choice he made earlier, "Good thing I put those AP in my INT," Naruto wanted to cackle out loud.
While Naruto didn't take into account that they'd be learning a chakra control exercise today he was glad with his choice. His current perks made it so chakra control skills would be forty percent slower to learn than others. Even with his boost in INT Naruto knew that this still wasn't going to go as smoothly as he wanted. Skills like Chakra Control, Genjutsu and Medical Ninjutsu were all about finesse than brute force, which was something he lacked. To properly use and learn those types of skills he learned that his INT should be at least eighty percent equal of his current END. And Naruto's current INT was barely even sixty percent equal, which meant he would be struggling.
"Damn it!" Naruto cursed as the leaf fell off his head once more. Great as his perks were for END and VIT, they didn't do him any favors for this exercise. His chakra control sucked, as the leaf would either slip or be blown off his head.
|A special skill has been created through a special act!|
|By training to control your chakra you have learn the active ability [Leaf Concentration Practice Method] has been created!|
|Leaf Concentration Practice Method E-Rank: Lv 1. 14% to next Lv| Mastering Speed: D| The most basic form of chakra control methods, this skill allows the user to better control their chakra. Unlike other skills, chakra control skills only offer perks and boons upon completion. Uses 20 CP per minute.
|QUEST ALERT!|
Better Control
Main Quest: Level up the [Leaf Concentration Practice Method] by two by the end of the day.
Side Quest: Bring the Leaf Concentration Practice Method all the way up to level five or more by midnight.
Main Quest Completion: 350 EXP
Side Quest Completion: 150 EXP, +1 INT
Failure: 100 EXP
Accept? (Yes/No)
"Not gonna be easy but it's one step closer to levelling up," Naruto accepted the quest. The additional 500 EXP was a great welcome in his mind since it would be more than enough for him to level up. And it would help with his chakra control, which was another plus.
Naruto continued to complete the exercise for an hour long before Iruka told them to stop what they were doing. Naruto groaned as he only managed to bring it up to level two, it was definitely harder than it looked.
"Alright, everyone grab a kunai and shuriken set. You have twenty minutes to practice before the accuracy test starts," he announced while some of the students groaned.
"Crap!" Naruto realized that with all the grinding he had been doing during the weekend he completely forgot about the test. "Ok, come down. I levelled up my [Basic Shuriken and Kunai Techniques] to the max," he recalled.
God he loved Gamers Mind.
Opening up his Skill List Window, Naruto took a gander at the technique.
|Basic Shurikenjutsu and Kunaijutsu (Basic Shuriken Techniques and Kunai Techniques) D-Rank: Lv MAX| Skill Modifier: STR [E], DEX [D] A basic and essential skill that all ninja should know if they wish to call themselves true ninja. This skill allows the user to properly wield and throw both shuriken and kunai during and outside of combat. While most ninja master only the basic forms of these aspects some clans or ninja are known to utilize more advanced forms.
• Increases power of shuriken and kunai by 15% + (STR * .25) during combat
• Increases accuracy when thrown during combat by 35% + (DEX * .5)
• Increases accuracy when thrown outside of combat by 65% + (DEX * .5)
"Skill Modifier? What's that?" Naruto didn't recall seeing that tidbit of information on that skill before. He didn't have to wait long as his answer popped up seconds later.
Skills
Skills are crucial to any adventure, as without them life wouldn't be quite as easy. Skills can vary in terms of power and intended use; some are quite obvious while others you must rely on your imagination.
Skill/Item Modifier
Much like [Attributes], Skill/Item Modifiers play a critical role when it comes to helping an adventurer, this is especially so when it comes to the effectiveness and power of a skill or item used. However, not all skills or items, usually the lowest tier ones, have modifiers. In most cases, the higher the rank the likelier a modifier will be present. Some modifiers increase over time when said skill or item is upgraded or if another item upgrades it instead. And, in addition, some have more than one modifier. Modifiers are based on both a person's attributes and the ranking of the modifier. There are six skill modifier ranks in total: E to S.
S – Rank Modifier: Attribute * 3
A – Rank Modifier: Attribute * 2
B – Rank Modifier: Attribute * 1.5
C – Rank Modifier: Attribute * 1
D – Rank Modifier: Attribute * .50
E – Rank Modifier: Attribute * .25
"Talk about convenient," it certainly simplified things for him. Using the calculator of his ability, Naruto crunched the numbers and realized that with his current DEX amount, and the skill being at maximum, and the bonus that granted, it allowed him to hit targets with seventy-six percent accuracy. Not the greatest but not bad.
|QUEST ALERT!|
Ready, Aim, Fire!
Main Quest: Score at least 70% on the accuracy test.
Side Quest: Score 80% or higher on the accuracy test.
Second Side Quest: Score 90% or higher on the accuracy test.
Hidden Quest: ?
Main Quest Completion: 250 EXP
Side Quest Completion: 150 EXP, +100 Reputation [Iruka]
Second Side Quest Completion: 100 EXP, Acquire [Intermediate Shurikenjutsu and Kunaijutsu Skill Book]
Hidden Quest: ?, ?, ?
Failure: 100 EXP, -25 Reputation [Iruka]
(Quest is Mandatory)
"Naruto! Quite daydreaming and grab your set!" Iruka shouted at him.
Embarrassed Naruto quickly ran over to grab a set before a thought popped into his mind, "Observe."
Looking at the kunai and shuriken sets Naruto's suspicion was right when he saw quite a few with the [Poor Quality] rank. "Hey, Iruka-sensei, what's with these shuriken and kunai? They look off."
"Hmm? That can't be right," Iruka stated before testing them out himself. "You're right the balance and sharpness on some of these are off. The other group should have thrown them out. I'll have to inform the other students to be more careful when they organize them next time. Thanks, Naruto. In the meantime you can use my set."
|Hidden Quest Accomplished!|
For notifying Iruka about the poor kunai and shuriken, you gain an additional 75 Exp, 1 AP, and [?] upon completing the Main Quest!
"Hell yeah!" Naruto couldn't believe his luck that he managed accomplish the hidden objective without trying. Using Observe on his teacher's kunai set Naruto was pleasantly happy.
Chunin Issue Kunai and Shuriken Set – Uncommon Quality
Young or old, kunai and shuriken are a ninja's best friend. These kunai and shuriken are slightly a cut above in terms of weight and sharpness. So balanced are they that they allow one greater piercing, slashing and accuracy when used.
Attack Power: 17-22
Bonus Stats: + 15% Accuracy
Grinning like a fox at his incredible luck, Naruto set out to practice as much as he could before the test began. Already as he launched the kunai and shuriken did Naruto feel a difference. Instead of bouncing off like they usually would the kunai and shuriken stuck to the dummy and flew smoothly towards the target.
Adding his increased STR to the equation the tools were wedged in there pretty decently; his increased DEX also allowed him to hit the bull's-eye, or at least close to it, more frequently. As the blond continued to practice he didn't notice a set of narrowed eyes fixated on his form.
"How'd that demon notice the switch?" Mizuki made certain that the poor quality sets would be mixed amongst the ordinary ones and virtually indistinguishable to the untrained eye. It meant others wouldn't do as well either but so what if it meant it failing. Now the demon would most likely be getting a better grade in accuracy. The academy instructor would have to find some other way to hamper him.
"Hmm, what's that?" Naruto felt as though there . Looking around Naruto realized that could be anyone in particular.
|A special skill has been created through a special act!|
|Through the act of detecting hostile intentions towards you, you've gained the passive [Detect Bloodlust] skill!|
|Detect Bloodlust: Lv 1. 36% to Next Lv| Skill Modifier: WIS [D]. Mastering Speed: D| A skill that allows you to detect negative intent in the area around you. Current level does not allow you to pinpoint the exact location or who is causing it.
• Allows you to detect negative intent within 5 metres + (WIS * .5)
While Naruto appreciated the new skill the lack of accuracy it had ended up downplaying the whole thing. In the end, Naruto ignored it and focused on his practice. By the time the twenty minutes were up, Naruto was feeling very confident. As he watched the students go by one by one, Naruto wasn't surprised that Sasuke had once more gotten perfect with both portions of the test. Ever since the start of the academy Sasuke had been able of doing it. "Lucky teme," Naruto frowned.
"Uzumaki Naruto! You're up," Iruka announced. "First is the Kunai Accuracy Test, you have five shots. Make them count."
Looking at the targets Naruto smirked before taking aim and then shooting the kunai at them one by one. To the surprise of others, Naruto struck home on all five.
"A perfect five. Well done, Naruto. You've been practicing, I see," Iruka congratulated. "Now for the Shuriken Accuracy Test. This time you have ten shots."
At this Naruto began to worry a bit. The shuriken test was harder due to the fact it was not only had a smaller hit zone but also because the shuriken curved unlike the kunai which could only travel linearly. Shaking it off Naruto took his place, breathed in and out, took aim, and fired the metal stars one by one. The first four hit home, the fifth unfortunately missed and the eighth nearly did the same thing, but luckily the others struck home once more.
"Well, congratulations, Naruto, you passed with ninety-three percent accuracy," Naruto jumped for joy, screaming at the top of his lungs while many looked on perplexed.
While it wasn't uncommon to see anyone other than Sasuke get a perfect on the kunai portion, it was the easiest one, but the fact that Naruto, the bottom student, managed to do nearly the same surprised them. If one included the fact that Naruto just managed to pass the Accuracy Test with a ninety-three percent the whole thing was baffling. Some wanted to say he cheated, some did, but others realized how was it possible to cheat at this. Eventually the majority of them thought the incident as nothing more than a stroke of random luck.
|QUEST COMPLETED!|
Ready, Aim, Fire!
Main Quest: Score at least 70% on the accuracy test. (Accomplished)
Side Quest: Score 80% or higher on the accuracy test. (Accomplished)
Second Side Quest: Score 90% or higher on the accuracy test. (Accomplished)
Hidden Quest: Discover the poor grade kunai and shuriken. (Accomplished)
Total Rewards Earned:
+575 Exp (575*10%) = 632.5 Exp, +100 Reputation [Iruka], [Intermediate Shurikenjutsu and Kunaijutsu Skill Book], Chunin Issue Kunai and Shuriken Set, +1 AP
|Congratulations! Your level has increased by one!|
Status Window
Name: Uzumaki Naruto
Job: Academy Student
Level: 6 Next Level: 207.5/3600
HP: 1925 ~ 2275
CP: 3275 ~ 3900
STR: 14? ~ 14
VIT: 57? ~ 67
END: 81? ~ 96
DEX: 22? ~ 23
INT: 30 ~ 30
WIS: 10 ~ 10
CHA: 6
LUK: ? ~ ?
DEF: 15 ~ 15
Attribute Points: 4
|Congratulations!|
|You have now learned the [Instant Dungeon Creation] and [Instant Dungeon Escape] skills!|
|Instant Dungeon Creation: Lv 1. 0% to Next Lv| Mastering Speed: E| Allows you to create and enter and add effects to illusion barrier based dungeons as well as affect other dungeons. At your current level you're limited to only entering and exiting an Instant Dungeon at any time but can do so almost anywhere.
If possible Naruto's grin got even wider. It was one thing being able to enter a dungeon – his prior level was already high enough – but creating one was another matter altogether. Nothing was gonna bring him down from this high.
"Ok, everyone now it's time for the written portion of the test. Remember this is worth fifty percent, while the physical portion is the remaining percentage," Iruka announced.
Well, that would do it. And it got many to thunderously shout, "WHAT!" at the man.
"Just kidding," Iruka laughed as he saw the look on their faces. That one never got old in his mind.
"Not funny, Iruka-sensei!" Naruto fumed and vowed to get him back later. Though when a quest alert popped up and informed him such a quest would lower his reputation with the instructor Naruto decided not to do it and declined.
"All right, everyone that's it for this week have a nice weekend," many of them cheered and whooped as they left the academy.
"Here's your set back, Iruka-sensei," Naruto held the pouch.
Iruka however merely smiled, "Keep it. Consider it a reward for your hard work. It looks like you've been working hard. I have spares anyway. Just try to be careful with them alright."
Naruto merely grinned before equipping the set. As he was about to head towards his favourite ramen stand Naruto remembered that his Observe ability had gone up and decided to test it out. He instantly regretted the action moments later. From there the Status Window of Iruka stretched on and on to the point it began to show the man's best skills and other information that Naruto didn't wish to know.
"Ok, that a lot of info. Let's see if I can compress it somehow. Ah, here we go," Naruto said as he looked at the box before. While he liked his "Observe" ability the amount of information shown was too much for him. Luckily there was a check box for each category that was shown. "Ok, only show equipment and skills when asked," he checked off before looking it over again. "Much better."
Status Window
Name: Umino Iruka
Job: Chunin Ninja
Level: 29 Next Level: 14347/36,300
HP: 2200
CP: 1525
STR: 55
VIT: 83
END: 61
DEX: 66
INT: 104
WIS: 99
CHA: 79
LUK: 30
Defence: 55
Specialization:
Sensor
Special Perks:
None
Perks:
None
Titles:
Academy Chunin Teacher: +1 INT, CHA & WIS Per Lv, +20% EXP & Effectiveness towards Mentoring Skill, +20% EXP gains towards quests and enemies slain (only for character level up), Gain 20 AP a year you hold this title
Journeyman Ninja Sensor: +3 WIS & +2 INT per Lv, +65% EXP & Effectiveness towards Detect Presence Skill, Detect Bloodlust Skill, and Tracking Skill
Naruto had to admit that Iruka-sensei was stronger than he originally thought and the Sensor specialization he had explained a lot, especially from what Anko told him. Shrugging it off for now, Naruto focused his attention elsewhere and decided to take the opportunity to go to Ichiraku Ramen to see Teuchi-oyaji and Ayame. It had been a while since he managed to get some ramen from the stand and today was a special occasion.
"Oi, Teuchi-ossan! One extra large bowl of pork ramen!" Naruto announced upon arrival.
"Extra large, huh? What's the special occasion?" the man asked as he and Ayame began preparing the dish.
"It's not a prank is?" Ayame eyed him and Naruto started becoming nervous. Few people scared him and an angry Ayame was one of them. And even then he'd rather face her while angry than when she was disappointed.
"What? No! I passed my accuracy test today with a ninety. Here look, Iruka-sensei gave this as a gift."
"Wow, a ninety… Alright who are you and what have you done with the real, Uzumaki Naruto?" Teuchi asked.
"Oi!"
"Just kidding, kiddo," Teuchi chuckled as he and Ayame continued making the dish, "Here you go. This one's on the house."
"Yatta!" Naruto couldn't believe his luck today. Muttering a quick prayer, Naruto began devouring the ramen bowl with gusto.
"Yep. That's Naruto," if there was any doubt of him being their best customer it was gone now.
Looking at his ramen, and savouring the amazing taste, too, Naruto decided to test out a theory, "Ohbsvre."
"No talking with your mouth full," Ayame threatened him with a ladle.
"Swowy."
"What did I just say?!" she conked him.
"Ow!" he groaned before focusing on the ramen.
Extra Large Ichiraku Ramen – Pork
Restores 550 HP and 100CP.
Status Effects: Well-Fed, Unhealthy
Description: Famous Ichiraku ramen made by ramen chef Teuchi. Though a delicious meal and healthier than most ramen it's still not healthy due to the high amount of sodium, carbohydrates, and a great lack of other essential nutrients, not recommended to eat multiple portions.
Using Observe on the Unhealthy status effect Naruto wished he hadn't afterwards.
|Unhealthy|
Gained from foods that lack the essential nutrients needed in order to live properly and support a healthy growth. Occasionally acceptable to eat but when eaten repeatedly and in great quantities over a long period of time without eaten other essential foods, it has a chance of giving the [Malnourished] debuff.
"And like that my good mood is gone," Naruto solemnly thought; it explained the Malnourished debuff he had. Ignorance was bliss many had said and right now Naruto wished he hadn't done what he did. It didn't ruin ramen for him. Hell would freeze over before that ever happened. However, it did make him realize that if he was ever going to get rid of that status effect he'd have to start eating better.
"Great. Now I have to start eating veggies," he grimaced. Vegetables were easily his most disliked food group. It was basically like eating hay, "But if I wanna get stronger, I have to eat less ramen. Well, this freakin sucks!"
However, this presented him with another challenge, "Who can I get to teach me?"
As it was his Cooking skill was basic and only allowed him to make simple stuff. Cooking an egg and boiling rice were no problem because that was like the basic of the basics. Other stuff he would need help to make. He also didn't have that much money and only got a biweekly stipend of two thousand ryo for groceries and sometimes clothes and gear. Luckily Konoha's Orphan Support Act paid for his rent until he became a Genin.
Looking at both Teuchi and Ayame, Naruto used Observe on them to see if either one could teach him.
Status Window
Name: Ichiraku Ayame
Job: Cook
Level: 14 Next Level: 2489/12,300
HP: 425
CP: 200
STR: 8
VIT: 17
END: 8
DEX: 10
INT: 42
WIS: 29
CHA: 38
LUK: 10
Defense: 5
Specialization:
None
Special Perks:
None
Perks:
None
Titles:
Sous Chef: +50% EXP, Speed & Effectiveness towards Cooking Skill
"Ok, Ayame-neechan is a maybe. Now let's see… what the!"
Status Window
Name: Ichiraku Teuchi
Job: Head Cook
Level: ?
HP: ?
CP: ?
STR: ?
VIT: ?
END: ?
DEX: ?
INT: ?
WIS: ?
CHA: ?
LUK: ?
Defense: ?
Specialization:
None
Special Perks:
None
Perks:
None
Titles:
?:?
"Naruto-kun, you ok?" Ayame asked as she saw his dazed looked.
"Huh? Oh, fine, Ayame-neechan," Naruto smiled.
"Naruto, I know you long enough to know when you're lying," Ayame said knowingly.
"…Crap," Naruto knew he was busted. It was something Ayame instinctively knew about him.
"Spill," she commanded.
"I … I wanna know how to make things," it wasn't a total lie really but Naruto wasn't ready to tell anyone about his ability yet. The fact that he couldn't see Teuchi's stats and perks meant there was more to him than just being a ramen chef.
"… That's it? Why didn't you say so before?" she asked.
"Embarrassed," he mumbled. "Will you teach me?"
Sadly Ayame shook her head, "Sorry, Naruto-kun. Dad and I have our hands full managing the shop. We don't have the time. Sorry," she sincerely apologized. Naruto was disappointed. Understanding and nodded all the same, but disappointed still.
"Looks like I gotta find someone else," much easier said than done.
"However… wait right here," Ayame left momentarily before coming back three minutes later with a book, a bag, and a rolled up bag. "Here. It's not much but it'll help you get started. This cooking book is what dad gave me when I began learning how to cook some of the more advance of the basic dishes. I've even stuffed the bag with a few ingredients and my old knife set to help you get started. The knives are old but well kept and I added a whetstone and book on how to maintain em."
"Really! Thanks, neechan!" Naruto hugged the adolescent brunette.
After a few more bowls, he could have eaten more but Ayame cut him off, and 890 ryo less; Naruto left his favorite ramen stand and headed on home. He did have a quest to accomplish before the day was over.
(Naruto's Apartment Next Day: 8:47AM)
|You have slept in a bed. Your HP and CP have full recovered.|
"Ugh," a half awake Naruto groaned as he stirred in his bed. Naruto would honestly say he was shocked that it had only taken him a night's rest for him to regain all his HP and CP. In fact Naruto realized that he usually still felt slightly sore or tired the very next day but now he didn't feel it, especially after what he managed to accomplish last night.
It had taken him quite some time, difficulty, and mental strain, but he finally managed to get his Leaf Concentration Practice Method all the way to level 5. He almost didn't during the last hour and needed to eat almost all his ramen stash to restore his CP. In the end it was worth it too as he gained an additional three INT for practicing chakra control.
Muttered something unintelligible, Naruto proceeded to go to the bathroom and take a shower. Ten minutes later he came out and put on some clothes before he proceeded to the kitchen to make breakfast. "Oh, right. My ramen's almost gone."
Spotting the book Ayame had left him Naruto decided that now was as good a time as any to start learning. As he picked up the book something occurred that he didn't expect.
|Would you like to learn the [Basic Breakfast Cooking Recipes]?|
(YES/NO)
Thinking nothing of it, even if it was slightly weird, Naruto pressed on the "YES" and watched as the book flashed and disintegrated into a multitude of light particles. Suddenly, Naruto felt a rush flow through his head before several windows popped up in front of him. While he ignored most of them, one came up that intrigued him the most.
Skill Books and Scrolls
Much like some skills can be learned by being taught by instructors and teachers, other skills can also be learned through scrolls or books such as recipes, or forgotten techniques. Whenever you learn from a book or scroll the item in question is destroyed in the process. Make certain that you make a copy of its contents first if possible as it may be irreplaceable.
Note: Scrolls and books based on theory cannot be learned. Some contents from scrolls or books can only be learned when you meet the proper requirements such as stats, lineage, gender, etc.
"Huh, guess that means I'll have to be careful on what I learn," Naruto didn't need to worry or focus too much on it at the moment though as he was still on the Basic Academy Taijutsu.
As Naruto was about to get start on his latest quest he recalled the other book Ayame had left him and like before the book evaporated into particles of light.
You learned the [Equipment/Gear Handling] skill!|
|Equipment/Gear Handling: Lv 1. 0% to Next Lv| Mastering Speed: C| Allows you to properly maintain and repair your gear and equipment. The effectiveness of the skill is enhanced through the use of certain items such as whetstones. Current level does not allow you to repair [Broken] or [Damaged] equipment and gear. Current level only allows you to maintain and repair [Poor] and [Common] rank equipment.
• Restores 3 points of durability to equipment and gear.
• Each repair increases durability depreciation rate by 10% [Cannot be changed for most equipment and gear]
• Each repair decreases maximum durability by 10% of its original value [Cannot be changed for most equipment and gear]
Naruto had to admit it wasn't the greatest skill in his repertoire at the moment. As overpowered as this skill was appearing to be it was clear some elements still operated within the bounds of reality.
But the ninja in training cast that aside for now and finished his breakfast, which while not as tasty as ramen wasn't half bad really. Looking at his newfound skills Naruto took some time to go over them.
|Dungeons|
Dungeons are places filled with foes, treasure and other resources needed to improve the life of any adventurer. By defeating enemies one gains experience that allows them to level up and acquire items that can potentially make life easier for them down the line. Conquering a dungeon, which is done by defeating every foe in it, is the ultimate goal due to its benefits. Currently there are three types of dungeons: [Natural], [Event] and [Instant Creation]. Dungeons can only be accessed after reaching level five
Natural Dungeons
Natural dungeons are dungeons that have naturally occurred in nature due to powerful chakra lingering and affecting the area. They can only be accessed by physically going to them and some can only be accessed at a certain level and/or if you possess a specific skill or group. Once entered a person cannot leave until it is conquered without facing varying consequences. Conquering them allows you to re-enter them at a higher difficulty to earn more EXP and increases the chance of encountering [Rare Spawns], but item and money drops along with penalties for exiting without defeating the boss generally stay the same. Conquering a Natural dungeon requires one to wait a full twenty-four hours before re-entering said dungeon regardless of IDC Skill level. After being conquered several times a Natural dungeon can have its time-flow manipulated. The time flow of Natural Dungeons, however, can be manipulated even if it was never conquered if one's IDC Skill is high enough.
Event Dungeons
Event dungeons are created due to situational circumstances that occur outside your control and are usually accompanied by a mandatory quest. Unlike its Natural and Creation counterparts, Event dungeons cannot have their time flow manipulated no matter how high your IDC level, are only active for a select amount of time, and can have a myriad of different types of foes and items instead of a single kind. As they are generally a one-time occurrence, upon completion of an Event dungeon's quest said dungeon will disappear forever.
Creation Dungeons
Creation dungeons are the most flexible and largest of all the three dungeon types, as they can be used and accessed practically anytime and anywhere by the creator. However, once conquered one for the first time, and after increasing the [Instant Dungeon Creation Skill] to a certain level, the dungeon can be manipulated to add more foes, stronger ones, combine existing dungeons, and affect its time flow. Unlike Event and Natural dungeons, adventurers can enter and exit a Creation dungeon at anytime without fear of consequences. However, due to its extremely large size and the amount of foes, conquering them is a slow process, especially for first timers. While there is no time limit for entering and exiting a creation, regardless of IDC Skill level, once a foe has been defeated, it will take approximately a full day for them to respawn.
"Better get my stuff ready," Naruto muttered and gathered up what he'd need.
The whole process of getting all of the things he needed took Naruto a little over an hour before he was ready. During that timeframe Naruto had equipped his new Chunin Issue Kunai and Shuriken Set and sharpened them, and also prepared a few more dishes to restore his HP and CP whenever he got the chance. Nodding, Naruto knew it was now or never. Getting out of his apartment, the blonde went into an alley and called out, "Instant Dungeon Creation!"
The experience was one Naruto would never forget as the world around him flashed a bright white color and the next he saw red. Scarlet red.
Thinking about it, Naruto had to say it was the most accurate description he could come up with. Gone was the blue sky with wisps of white clouds and gone were the clean and well kept buildings. In their place was a dark and dreary place with a black and red sky, cracked buildings that looked like they were falling apart, some of which were ablaze. It was as if Konoha had gone at war and lost and was badly damaged as a result
"Ok, was not expecting this," Naruto had to admit this was a little unsettling. The whole place reminded him of a few of the undead levels he played in video games; the one with ghost and zombies. At that he shuddered.
Zombies Naruto could deal with no problem, ghosts on the other hand Naruto would freely admit he was scared shitless about them. Not only were they incorporeal, which meant trying to harm them was almost impossible, but they followed you everywhere.
"Please don't let there be ghosts," Naruto hoped his luck would hold out as he carefully made his way through the alley.
"Mweooaoarr!" was all Naruto managed to hear as he rounded a corner, the sudden sound of a trashcan being knocked over by the black cat that ran off who knows where scared the living daylights out him. "Stupid cat! You better hope I don't find and learn a recipe with you as an ingredient!"
As he was about to continue on, Naruto spotted something of potential use, "Observe!"
Discarded Pipe – Common Quality
Blunt Weapon
Item Modifier Rank: STR [E]
Durability 34/40
A discarded pipe commonly used for plumbing or other forms of waterworks. Though there's nothing extraordinary about this item it's surprisingly durable and can be used a weapon. Has decent length and is fairly balanced.
Attack Power: 13–17 + (14STR * .25) = 16.5 –20.5
Usage Requirement: 10 STR
"Well, it's not a sword but it's better than nothing. Welcome to the team… I'm so glad nobody saw me talking to a pipe," he muttered and grabbed the unorthodox weapon. Then again, Naruto had never been a conservative of fighters. If it worked it was good enough for him.
"Ughhhhhh."
"…Eh?"
"Ughhharrggh," the voice continued to groan.
Turning on the spot, Naruto saw the dungeon's first enemy, "Oh, thank you, Kami, for giving me a zombie dungeon," better them than ghosts.
Getting a better look at it the animated corpse with his Observe he had to admit he wasn't all that impressed.
Civilian Zombie – Lv 3
HP: 125
CP: 0
STR: 21
VIT: 5
DEX: 3
END: 14
INT: 0
WIS: 0
CHA: 3
LUK: 0 (You're dead. Your luck sucks.)
Defense: 7
Specialization:
None
Special Perks:
None
Perks:
Undead Being: [Ignore Pain], Immune to poisons, mental attacks, and negative psychological afflictions, +30% tolerance towards bladed weapons and Taijutsu
Flaws:
Walking Corpse: LUK, INT, WIS are non-existent, CP is always zero regardless of END, -30% tolerance towards blunt weapons, fire weapons, and fire skills
? : ?
Description: A regular zombie with nothing extraordinary about it but it can be troublesome if you encounter them in large groups. Some say that they are restless spirits inhabitant corpses; others say they are the bi-product of an experiment gone wrong.
Exp Earned: 55 + [10%] = 60.5 EXP
Drops: ?, ?, ?
"Good thing I found this little beauty then," Naruto held his 'weapon' more confidently now. Jumping at the zombie with the pipe held high, Naruto swung it down with all his might onto the creature's head and managed knocked it down.
|CRITICAL HIT LANDED!|
|For performing an intelligent action your INT has increased by 1!|
"Well, duh," it didn't take a genius to know the head was an obvious weak point. But he didn't focus on that and continued to strike at the undead creature with all he had. It only took him two more hits before it finally evaporated into a series of blue particles.
|A special skill has been created through a special act!|
|By relentless beating enemy with a blunt object you've gained the passive [Basic Blunt Weapon Mastery] skill!|
|Basic Blunt Weapons Mastery. Lv 1. 48% to Next Lv| Skill Modifier: STR [D] Mastering Speed: B| A skill that allows you to use and learn basic bludgeon related techniques and fighting style as well as use certain bludgeon weapons. Upgrading the skill's rank will allow you to learn more advanced techniques and fighting styles.
• Passively increases the power of blunt weapons by 11%
• Passively increases the striking speed of blunt weapons by 1%
• Passively increases the critical hit rate of blunt weapons by 1%
"Oh, this just got easier," Naruto commented before he saw another zombie making its way towards him. Striking at it with his pipe once it got close, Naruto had to duck
a strike that would have taken a decent amount of health off him. The young blond soon followed up with a strike at its knees, making a resounded crunch that made it fall down like a sack of potatoes. From there Naruto bashed its head in before it finally disappeared.
"Alright, who's … next?" Naruto was left agape at the sight before him. For where the zombie once stood was now a small wad of cash, 130 ryo to be exact.
"This can't be real… can it?" he wondered before taking out a small bill from Gama-chan and compared to two bill notes. To his amazement they were the same with the exception of the zombie dropped one looking newer, almost as if it was recently printed.
"Guess that takes cares of my cash problem. Wonder what else I'll get from these guys?" he grinned at the prospect.
Naruto proceeded to kill five more zombies, gaining more money in the process – as well as an item called [Zombie Rib] for some reason – as he made his way out of the alley before he spotted an ignorant undead. Deciding to take advantage of its lack of noticing him, Naruto stayed to the shadows and brought himself up to a vantage point. Taking a small piece of broken brick, Naruto tossed it a few feet away from the zombie in the opposite direction.
Fortunately the tactic worked and the undead being headed in the direction of the sound. Leaping at it Naruto struck it on the head much like he did the last one knocking it down and sending it sprawling away. Before he could finish it off the zombie disintegrated into nothing.
|A special skill has been created through a special act!|
|By taking advantage of an unsuspecting enemy and striking while they are off-guard, you've gained the active Kagekoku (Shadow Strike) skill!|
Kagekoku (Shadow Strike) D-Rank: Lv 1. 22% to Next Lv| Skill Modifier: DEX [D], STR [D]. A skill where the user strikes at an unsuspecting enemy with no time for them to defend. Must be hidden to use.
• Increases the power of weapons by 51% * + (STR * .50)
• Increases critical hit rate of weapons by 11% + (DEX * .50)
• Using blunt weapons increases chance of causing the [Concussion] status effect by 11% + (STR * .50)
• Using bladed weapons increases chance of causing the [Bleeding] status by 11% + (DEX * .50)
"I love this Gamer ability," Naruto grinned before he felt himself being hit in the back and sent tumbling down the street. "Ow," Naruto groaned as he got up. "Alright, whose the dead undead asshole!?"
Spotting a few zombies in front of him, Naruto charged at them and swung his pipe at the closest one, knocking it aside, before using his momentum to strike at the other one and sending it sprawling into another other zombie. As he moved in to cave in their skulls, Naruto felt pain in his leg and saw a downed zombie had bitten him, "Oww! Let go!" Naruto struck its back before he felt pain in his arm, "You've gotta be shitting me!" he cursed as another zombie bit into him.
Striking at the one biting his leg Naruto was happy to see it evaporated before he focused his attention on the one biting him. Using his pipe, Naruto swung at its leg, hoping the strike would force it to let go.
It didn't.
"God damn!" Naruto was beginning to worry as he had already lost almost 200 HP. The sneak attack from both zombies, their surprising strength, and his lack of proper armor didn't help him either. He needed to get out of his current situation and quick as he saw the other two zombies getting up and making their way towards him.
Smashing his pipe into the creature's head, Naruto managed to wriggle free from its teeth before it grabbed him by the arm. The suddenness of it all making him drop his weapon. Already he could feel the undead being's greater strength drag him back and Naruto knew that without his weapon he'd be toast. Grabbing on a wooden frame Naruto cursed as the rotten wood splintered off from the burning building. Thinking it was better than nothing, he jabbed the burning piece of wood into the zombie's eye and watched as it became wreathed with flames and flayed in agony.
|Congratulations! Through a special act you've discovered and unlocked the hidden weakness of zombies! [Burning Agony]!|
"What the?" Naruto could only watch as the zombie began wildly flailing and barrelling into the other zombies in the process; its actions setting them alight as well.
|Burning Agony|
Regardless of victim's perks all fire skills/weapons have a 75% chance of causing [Hysteria] status effect unto holder when suffering from [Burning] status effect, [Burning] status effect last 15 seconds longer and gains additional 3% HP loss per 3 seconds, Chances of landing Critical Hits increased by 30%, DEF decreases by 15
"Wow. Sucks being these guys," Naruto would have pitied them had they not tried eating him. Looking at the the still burning corpses Naruto watched as two of them disintegrate into nothingness, while another one's head went flying from its shoulders as he swung his pipe.
"Oh, damn. That was too fucking close," Naruto cursed. Collecting a little over 600 ryo from the zombies, Naruto suddenly heard a groaning sound from behind. Swiftly turning around, he spotted a not so welcoming sight.
Staring in front of him was a horde of undead, some of which were a level higher and carried weapons such as pipes, wooden clubs, even axes. "Oh, shit balls."
Omake: Alternate Accuracy Test Ending
"Well congratulations, Naruto, you passed with over 90% accuracy," Naruto jumped for joy, screaming at the top of his lungs while many looked on perplexed.
"Ok, everyone, now it's time for the written portion of the test. Remember, this is worth 50% while the accuracy portion is the remaining percentage."
"…WHAT!"
Needless to say Naruto got a big fat zero on his test, falling the whole test with a 40%. His reputation with Iruka went down by a hundred as a result.
"GOD DAMNIT!"
On the plus side it was still the highest mark he had in his school year… actually in all his school years at the academy.
"OH, SHUT UP!"
Make me you little… Hey! Quit throwing those kunai at me. Don't make me get Anko on your ass!
"She doesn't scare me," Naruto boasted.
(Author writes something in the story) Oh, good she's right behind you, and she heard everything. Enjoy.
"Eh?" was Naruto's only intelligent response before he felt a hand tighten around his shoulder.
"So… you're not scared of me, huh? We'll have to fix that, gaki," Anko grinned sadistically.
"Eep!" Naruto squealed as he was being dragged away, much to the confusion of the students while getting the sympathy of those who knew Anko.
(One torture session later)
So you were saying.
"… I'll be good," a shaken up Naruto spoke.
Damn straight. Bitch.
Legend of the Kyuubi
Making the rounds.
- Joined
- Sep 14, 2026
- Messages
- 35
Chapter 3: Everything Unfolding
As the horde of undead in front of him began walking towards him, Naruto was starting to wish he knew a few crowd control techniques, or at least an exploding seal tag. His thought on the matter was cut short, as a couple of axes were sent flying at him. One fell short, while the other went for his head that he only managed to bat away at the last second with his pipe.
"Ok, you can't hit what you can't see," Naruto tossed down a smoke bomb that screened the area white before making a strategic retreat to a better and more secluded vantage point. Naruto considered himself lucky that the zombies still needed to rely on their eyes to find him instead of smell. Or, at least, he so hoped. As he reached a decent vantage point, Naruto stuck to the shadows as best he could as he looked down upon the street.
"Ok, let's see here … seven. Nope. Nine zombies," Naruto counted and spotted two new enemies amongst them, "Observe."
Mob Zombie – Lv 4
HP: 175
CP: 0
STR: 23
VIT: 7
END: 15
DEX: 5
INT: 0
WIS: 0
CHA: 4
LUK: 0 (You're dead. Your luck sucks.)
Defense: 8
Specialization:
None
Special Perks:
None
Perks:
Undead Being: [Ignore Pain], Immune to poisons, mental attacks, and negative psychological afflictions, +30% tolerance towards bladed weapons and Taijutsu
Flaws:
Walking Corpse: LUK, INT, WIS are non-existent, CP is always zero regardless of END, -30% tolerance towards blunt weapons, fire weapons, and fire skills
Burning Agony: Regardless of victim's perks all fire skills/weapons have a 75% chance of causing [Hysteria] status effect unto holder when suffering from [Burning] status effect, [Burning] status effect last 15 seconds longer and gains additional 3% HP loss per 3 seconds, Chances of landing Critical Hits increased by 30%, DEF decreases by 15
Description: A hate filled zombie who wields a dangerous weapon. While only slightly stronger and a greater threat than their civilian counterparts, encountering them in groups is dangerous for beginners who lack the necessary techniques and tools.
EXP Earned: 75 + [10%] = 82.5 EXP
Drops: Zombie Rib, Ryo [90-170], ?
Ninja Zombie – Lv 5
HP: 250
CP: 0
STR: 28
VIT: 10
END: 20
DEX: 11
INT: 0
WIS: 0
CHA: 8
LUK: 0 (You're dead. Your luck sucks.)
Defense: 14
Specialization:
None
Special Perks:
None
Perks:
Undead Ninja: [Ignore Pain], Immune to poisons, mental attacks, and negative psychological afflictions, +45% tolerance towards bladed weapons and Taijutsu, +10% increase towards movement speed, +5 DEF
Flaws:
Walking Ninja Corpse: LUK, INT, WIS are non-existent, CP is always zero regardless of END, -20% tolerance towards blunt weapons, fire weapons, and fire skills
Burning Agony: Regardless of victim's perks all fire skills/weapons have a 75% chance of causing [Hysteria] status effect unto holder when suffering from [Burning] status effect, [Burning] status effect last 15 seconds longer and gains additional 3% HP loss per 3 seconds, Chances of landing Critical Hits increased by 30%, DEF decreases by 15
Description: A former ninja turned zombie. Due to having a more conditioned body in its passed life it is much more agile and stronger than a regular zombie. While not an intelligent being its greater instincts make it more dangerous than other zombies. Be mindful of its hands, as they have transformed into sharp claws that can not only seriously harm you but also potentially cause an infection. Encountering them in groups is dangerous for ill prepared beginners
EXP Earned: 115 + [10%] = 126.5 EXP
Drops: Zombie Rib, Ryo [115-220], ?
"Oh, man that ain't good," he muttered.
The Ninja Zombie in question had reddish decomposing skin compared to the other zombies gray, green, and blue skin tones and like the description said it had wicked claws for hands; a nasty, yellowish, syrupy ooze like substance trailing off of them like rain from a rooftop. What made it even more horrifying was seeing it eat another undead by ripping its head off and then munching on the brain. The others didn't seem all that bothered by the act or maybe they just didn't really understand what was going on.
[Cannibalism]
A skill used by stronger level zombies, which allow them to regain up to thirty-five percent of their total health over a period of ten seconds and grant them the temporary buff [Ghoul].
[Ghoul]
A unique buff for the undead that temporarily boost their END, STR and VIT by five and increases their movement speed by an additional ten percent for half an hour.
"Thank god video games and graphic have desensitized me," even then he still felt a little queasy; video games and pictures were one thing, this was semi-real life.
"Too many to hit head on. Time to split em up," sure they were slow but the Ninja Zombie was quicker and physically stronger compared to the rest; it could probably give him trouble.
Naruto counted himself lucky that there was only one of them at the moment. As none knew his current whereabouts, Naruto decided to take this moment to recover some HP as quickly as possible. No sooner had he recovered what was lost, Naruto noticed that some of the zombies were beginning to head in his direction.
"Okay, best get rid of the small fry first," he decided; experience and his increase in INT coming into play on the decision. The group was still too large and to close to the Ninja Zombie so for now his method would essentially be hit and run tactics.
While he'd usually go in guns blazing and hope for the best and ask questions later, with little to no techniques or proper equipment the stealth tactic was all he could do at the moment. And after what just happened to him moments ago, Naruto wasn't tempted to experience that ordeal again. He wanted to leave this place alive. Naruto didn't know if his Gamer ability allowed him to come back to life or restart from a certain point but he wasn't too keen on finding out.
"Wait a minute," Naruto stopped at that and quickly began scanning through his [Help Guide] as quickly as possible.
|Zero HP|
One of the worst things that can happen to an individual is zero health, as most of the time this results in their death, unless saved by certain techniques and items. However, there are circumstances where death does not occur or can be averted. The following is list of those circumstances:
· Friendly spars that reduce your HP to zero will only render one unconscious until they are healed.
· Zero HP in Creation Dungeons will only result in you re-spawning with penalties in a safe zone.
· Zero HP in Natural Dungeons only allow for one respawn with penalties each time you enter them.
However, penalties regarding total loss of HP – unless saved by an item or skill – will occur. Penalties include EXP earned in dungeon before death being completely lost (EXP that resulted in level up will not), twenty-five percent total money loss, twenty-five percent decrease in equipment durability, and temporary debuff [Resurrection Sickness]. Increasing IDC Skill level can reduce penalties and improve respawn ability.
Special Note: Unless saved, Zero HP in Event Dungeons and non-friendly bouts outside of Creation and Natural dungeons will result in death.
|Resurrection Sickness|
A temporary debuff one suffers upon being re-spawned that decreases their attributes by seventy-five percent and all damage caused by them by seventy-five percent for ten minutes.
Naruto was floored, "I can die in dungeons and come back from it!" even if it was limited in some areas this skill was really OP. And boy did he love it.
"Graarghhh!"
"Huh? Oh, right, zombies," Naruto remembered. Grabbing some nearby broken stones, Naruto began to strategically throw them in certain directions to separate them into smaller more manageable groups.
Luckily their lack of intelligence made it easy to get their attention and split them off from each other. As he prepared to make his way downwards to the nearest zombie Naruto noticed the black cat from earlier was now in front of him. For whatever reason Naruto felt himself become unease with the feline and his use of Observe only furthered the feeling.
Wailing Black Cat – Lv 5
HP: 100
CP: 50
STR: 5
VIT: 4
END: 2
DEX: 60
INT: 3
WIS: 7
CHA: 5
LUK: 15
Defense: 4
Specialization:
None
Special Perks:
None
Perks:
Feline Grace: Movement Speed Increased by 35%, Evasion Increased by 35% in and out of combat
Jinxer: Debuffs chance on foes Increased by 75%, Debuff duration on foes Increased by 50%, Chance of double Debuff effects Increased by 35%, Debuff [Cursed Luck] always lands
Stalker: Movement Speed for [Stealth] Increased by 35%, [Stealth] Effectiveness Increased by 35%, Power and Chances for Critical Hits Increased by 35%
Description: An innocent looking and nothing out of the ordinary black cat … is what most people would think. Whenever these felines come across adventurers they immediately begin to wail as loudly as they can, discombobulating and stunning them temporarily. They do this so they can get the attention of nearby enemies before making a quick escape with their incredible speed. Should their victim live these creatures will continue trailing them until the cats themselves are killed or vice versa. Due to their speed, killing them is no easy feat.
Exp Earned: 85 EXP * 10% = 93.5EXP
"… Oh, shit," Naruto cursed his bipolar luck.
"Mweoooaaaarr!" as the cat began wailing Naruto immediately found himself dazed and unable to move. By the time he was able to come to his senses and regain control of his body he could see the feline jumping from rooftop to rooftop before disappearing somewhere in the alleys.
|WARNING! WARNING! YOU'RE SUFFERING FROM TEMPORARY DEBUFFS!|
Black Cat Curse: -15% Accuracy, Tracking, Sensing, Awareness, -5 DEF, Critical Hits damage increased by 35% (Temp. 7:30 Min Remaining)
Cursed Luck: Your LUK is cursed and will only bring you misfortune; the higher the stat the greater chance of misfortune. (Temp. 7:30 Min Remaining)
"Oh, mother-fu… Ok, new plan. Deal with zombies, find cat, then kill cat… slowly," it went without saying that Naruto was not a cat person at the moment. As it was the zombies were now making their way towards him and from the looks of it he could see that the cat's wailing had attracted more of them.
Naruto cursed the fact that he would now have to deal with the zombies directly till he found another hiding spot. Dealing with the first two zombies he encountered as quickly as he could, Naruto was forced to leave the drops behind as more and more appeared, the entire situation reminding him of a classic horror movie scene. Not wanting to become overwhelmed by the sheer number, Naruto retreated to the rooftops, but didn't get far as he found himself face to face with a Zombie Ninja.
"I'm gonna murder that cat," Naruto growled and dodged the zombie swipe directed at him. The swiftness was one would not normally see on a corpse. Lashing out with his pipe, Naruto grunted as one of the undead ninja's swipe knocked it aside like childs play. The force behind it was incredible and much greater than his and the unexpectedness of it cost him. Swipe after swipe landed home before one had enough force to send him off edge and crashing into next building window.
|WARNING! CHEST ARMOR IS NOW BELOW 25% DURABILITY!|
Naruto groaned as he righted himself. Looking down he saw multiple rips and tears in his shirt, but he wasn't all that surprised considering his shirt wasn't meant for combat.
Crash!
Naruto refocused his attention in front of him as his previous opponent showed up for round two. Naruto dodged just in time as the ninja zombie jumped towards him, arms up high and then brought down and breaking the rotting floor board beneath him in the process. The large hole left Naruto wide eyed, "If that hit me my health would have taken a serious blow."
Grabbing a handful of shuriken, Naruto quickly threw them at the zombies head. Two missed, one struck home but did minimal damage, and another just nicked it. Cursing, Naruto went to deploy a smoke pellet but the small ball slipped from his fingers and fell into zombie-made hole.
"Oh, I'm tossing that cat through a wood chipper," Naruto promised himself and cursing his debuffs.
However, the pellet still went off and smoke began to rise up from the hole like a geyser. Naruto took advantage the situation and managed to land a hard blow on the back of the distracted zombie's head. The strength behind the blow wasn't enough to send the stronger zombie flying like the others but it did make it stagger and fall to the ground. Blow after blow was rained on the walking dead ninja before it finally dissipated into nothingness.
"Okay. That takes care of that guy," Naruto wiped the sweat from his brow and checked to see if there were any other zombies. To his relief there were none and this allowed Naruto to collect his reward: a sole [Zombie's Rib].
"Ok, seriously, what the hell I'm I gonna do with a rib bone? Sell it?" using [Observe] on the item, Naruto discovered that it could be used as an ingredient for various recipes; none of which he knew of yet.
Deciding he'd look into recipes later, the young blond soon found himself starring at two Ninja Zombies that came crashing through the broken window. Both of them buffed up with [Ghoul], "Oh, shit. Not good!"
His luck truly wasn't with him at the moment as he barely managed to block a thrown hand-axe that came out of the lingering smokescreen. Grabbing the new weapon, the blond ninja in training hurled the repurposed wood chopping tool at his nearest enemy. The action would have caused his classmates to laugh to their hearts content: Naruto missed his target by a sizeable margin. Even the ninja zombies – for reasons unknown – had a deadpan look.
Naruto could only stare with an embarrassed look before he shouted out in a flustered manner, "Oh, screw you guys! I was never taught to throw axes!"
Whipping his pipe at their legs, Naruto successfully managed to knock down one zombie, while the other, despite losing health, managed to remain stationary. The upright undead retaliated with a swift swipe that Naruto blocked with his pipe but buckled underneath the superior strength.
"Unholy shit," Naruto didn't know if he'd be able to handle another blow even if it was blocked. Ducking in between the zombie's legs, Naruto managed to evade another blow. But the blond was pushed back and pummelled through the floorboard by the second zombie.
"Oww," he groaned. Fortune finally smiled on him, however, as the smokescreen below had yet to evaporate. Hiding himself in the shadows nearby, Naruto waited for the first zombie to appear before he struck with Shadow Strike to the head and kept on swinging until it died.
|Congratulations! Your [Basic Blunt Weapons Mastery Skill] has levelled up!|
|Basic Blunt Weapons Mastery. Lv 2. 17% to Next Lv| Skill Modifier: STR [D] Mastering Speed: B| A skill that allows you to use and learn basic bludgeon related techniques and fighting style as well as use certain bludgeon weapons. Upgrading the skill's rank will allow you to learn more advanced techniques and fighting styles.
• Passively increases the power of blunt weapons by 12% + (STR *.5) = 19%
• Passively increases the striking speed of blunt weapons by 2% + (STR *.5) = 9%
• Passively increases the critical hit rate of blunt weapons by 2% + (STR *.5) = 9%
|Congratulation! You've learned the [Ryoku Boku (Power Strike)] skill!|
|Ryoku Boku (Power Strike). Lv 1. 0% to Next Lv| Skill Modifier: STR [D], END [E] Mastering Speed: C|. A basic but useful skill that coats a weapon with a small amount of chakra and allows the user to strike the target with greater force. CP Usage: 50|
• Increases power of weapons by 31% + (STR *.5) + (END *.25) = 62%
• Increases critical hit rate of weapons by 11% + (STR *.5) + (END *.25) = 42%
"Payback time!" Naruto cackled and used his new technique on the remaining zombie. The blond had a satisfied look on his face as it fell flat on its ass and saw several rotten teeth fly off.
"Ryoku Boku (Power Strike)!" he shouted once more. He harshly brought down the pipe on the zombie's head over and over until it joined its offed comrade. Looking around and seeing no other zombies present, Naruto allowed himself the opportunity to relax and grabbed the small wad of cash before him.
Hearing some groaning, Naruto ducked into a nearby room and was fortunate to see that no zombies were present. Grabbing a nearby dresser, Naruto pushed it up against the door as quickly and quietly as possible.
"Hopefully they're mindless enough not to bother opening doors," Naruto hoped – though then again, he realised, they could just as easily smash right through – and took the time to heal himself with the food he brought. Eating as quietly as possible and waiting out the time for his debuffs to go away, Naruto tensed every so often whenever he heard a nearby groan or the irregular shuffle of feet.
Fortune smiled on him when the timer finally reached zero and he saw his body flash. The curses were gone, "Okay, now to see if there's anything here to help me," if video games taught him anything it was that furniture were a gold mine for potential goods.
Except for some [Tattered Rags], the drawers on the dresser came out empty. Underneath the bed was bubkes. The closet, however, did provide him with two things of use: [Duct Tape Roll] and [Basic First-Aid Kit].
Basic First-Aid Kit – Common Quality
Item Type: Recovery
Durability: One-Time Use
Description: A basic healing kit that is used in treating wounds and preventing blood loss.
Buffs/Perks: Gain the Temporary Buff [Bandaged: Lv 1]
[Bandaged: Lv 1]
+25% HP Recovery, Cures and increases Tolerance for [Bleeding], and [Poisoned] by 25% for 1 Hour, HP Regen increased by +10% for 1 Hour
[Duct Tape Roll] Common Quality
Item Type: Enhancement
Durability: 10 Uses
Description: An adhesive roll used to combine items together for multiple purposes.
Buffs/Perks: +10% Accuracy (when used on weapon handle), +1 DEF (when used on armour), Can combine certain items together.
"Okay, so first aid, tape and old rags. Not exactly the kind of loot I was hoping for but whatever," Naruto shrugged and then got to work.
Grabbing the necessary items, Naruto put some tape at one end of his pipe for better grip and then combined the rags and tape – which took some effort with how easily the rags came apart – at the other. Once done he was done, Naruto gazed at his creation with a smile – even if it was far from being the best weapon in the world.
Enhanced Discarded Pipe – Common Quality
Item Type: Blunt Weapon
Item Modifier Rank: STR [E]
Durability 33/40
A discarded pipe commonly used for plumbing or other forms of waterworks. Though there's nothing extraordinary about this item it's surprisingly durable and has since been enhanced as a combat tool. Has decent length and is fairly balanced. The bundle of rags at the end can be set aflame to add additional damage.
Attack Power: 13–17 + (Modifier) = 16.5–20.5
Bonus Stats: +10% Accuracy, [Conditional Firebrand: Basic Rank]
Usage Requirement: 10 STR
|Congratulation! A special skill has been created due to a special act! Due to your item combination you've learned the [Crafting] skill!|
|Crafting. Lv 1. 17% to Next Lv| Skill Modifier: WIS [D], INT [D] Mastering Speed: D|. A skill that allows you to create new items if you have the right materials, creativity, knowhow, and a bit of luck. Once your skill level is high enough you can substitute materials required in recipes with chakra, though this decreases the overall success rate depending on the item's rank. Any items used/lost in the success/failure of a created item will be lost unless a special skill or item is used. Note: Your current level doesn't allow you to substitute lacking materials with chakra and even the most basic of creations will have a low success rate.
• Success rate for original creations 1% + (WIS *.5) + (INT *.5) +/- (Resulting Item Quality Rank %) +/– (Item Quality Max/Min Skill Level Requirement met/not met)
• Success rate for recipe creations 31% + (WIS *.5) + (INT *.5) +/- (Resulting Item Quality Rank %) +/– (Item Quality Max/Min Skill Level Requirement met/not met)
Poor Quality: +30% [Skill Level 1–25]
Common Quality: 15% [Skill Level 26–40]
Uncommon Quality: 0% [Skill Level 41–50]
Rare Quality: -15% [Skill Level 51–60]
Very Rare Quality: -30 [Skill Level 61–75]
Epic Quality: -45% [Skill Level 76–90]
Legendary: -65% Quality: [100–Max]
Note: Success rate increases by 1% every five levels when a skill level requirement is high enough
Note: Success rate decreases by 1% every five levels when skill level requirement is not high enough
"Sweet," Naruto couldn't help himself. The [Conditional Firebrand: Basic] perk on his weapon was a plus considering it gave it a twenty-five percent chance of putting [Burning] on them. And with zombies having a nasty as hell flaw for fire it made it all the sweeter. The only downside being it only lasted an hour and needed to be lit on fire.
"Ah, well. Beggars can't be choosers," it was better than nothing all things considered. Glancing up at his HP, Naruto was happy to see he had recovered more than enough to be comfortable and slowly peeked out the door. Seeing the all clear, Naruto left the room and tried to reduce the amount of noise as much as possible.
Upon seeing a broken window that was wide enough for him to through, Naruto once more looked around for any foes and was fortunate enough that no zombies were near.
That was the good news.
The bad news: the cat was back.
Too far away for him to reach it in time, Naruto summed up his situation in two words, "Ah, shit."
The Black Cat on the other hand had an unsettling smirk and a glint in its eye that was equally unsettling. Naruto knew he was screwed and knew what was coming next; he prepared for the worst.
""Mweooarggghhhhkkkkkk!"
"… What. The. Hell?" of all the things Naruto expected to happen, seeing the cat's head being enveloped by a series of curved fangs and its body being crushed by the coils of a green-skinned, brown spotted, yellow-eyed constrictor was the nowhere on the list. With a sudden jerk the cat's neck was snapped and it evaporated into a series of lights.
Trying to make a dash for it out the window, Naruto barely touched the ground before he was swiftly dragged back inside and felt himself bound so tightly he believed his eyes would pop.
Before he could wonder what was going on, Naruto heard the sound of shoes creaking across the wooden floor. Thinking it was a zombie, Naruto struggled as best he could but his efforts were for naught.
"I wouldn't bother, gaki. Once Midori's got you in his coils you're fucked," maybe it was the slow lack of oxygen flowing to his brain, but Naruto swore that sounded very familiar. As he looked up, Naruto was very surprised by the familiar sight.
Fortunately for him the snake eased up on its constricting, which allowed him to shout, "Anko! What the hell are you doing–"
"Oh, shu-shu-shush," the woman silenced him with a finger. But Naruto wasn't put at ease by the action.
"Actually, I'd like to tell you a little story first before we go there," her voice sounded sweet but experience taught him otherwise. Somehow and for whatever reason, she was mad at him.
"To start, I got up and went to work and found out a rookie interrogator-in-training decided to play in the big leagues and surprise, surprise, fucked up badly. Probing at a guy I'd been trying to crack for weeks and set my work back for who knows how long. Later on I had a huge craving for dango and decided to go to my favourite spot. And you know what I learned when I got there? It was closed for the week. Next, I stepped in dog shit, and got pissed on by some Inuzuka brat's ninken, which ruined my favourite coat!"
Naruto winced at the last one. He himself had been the victim of such an occurrence, "Well, at least Kiba's gonna die after me."
"– and then when I go looking for ya to prank the little shit, I see you go into some alley, stood behind you to see how long it would take for you to notice me. Just as I was about to scare the living hell atta ya, and here's the part I love, I SOMEHOW GET TRANSPORTED INTO A POST APACOLYPTIC WORLD WITH ZOMBIES BY SOME WET BEHIND THE EARS ACADEMY STUDENT WHO I'VE BEEN TRYING TO FIND FOR THE LAST HALF HOUR! WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON! "
"Uh… well… it's …uh, kinda complicated," Naruto said, which ended up being the wrong thing to say, "AHHHHH!"
No sooner had his words left his lips was he suddenly pulled up by the scruff if his torn shirt towards the mad – and that was in both sense of the word – purple haired kunoichi.
"Don't test me, gaki." Anko almost snarled. "I'm stuck here, been attacked by zombies, stalked by some fucking cat that calls more of them, haven't had strange in the last couple of months, and worst of all I haven't had my dango in the last week! MOMMA NEEDS HER FIX!"
Naruto whimpered at the woman's crazed expression. If looks could kill Naruto knew he'd be dead countless times already and in many unique ways.
"So this can go down two ways, gaki. Either you spill your guts, or I spill them for you cover them in hot sauce and spices, make you eat them, before feeding you to Midori over here," she patted the constrictor lovingly. If snakes could purr, Naruto knew it would be doing it right now judging by the look of content on its face.
Not wanting his guts spilled, as well as the other frighteningly detailed acts, Naruto was about to tell her the whole story before he came to his senses, "Hey, wait a minute! You can't kill me," he grinned.
"Kid, I work in Konoha's Torture and Interrogation Division. The ways I come up with to kill ya would make the worst movie killers look like saints," she explained.
Naruto understood the analogy instantaneously and his smirk was gone. But the still managed to look Anko in the eye and say, "Look, I don't know how you got here but I'm pretty sure that's cuz of me. You're stuck here with no way out, I'm you're only hope of getting out of here," he bluffed.
"…Shit. Fine, I won't kill you," Naruto smirked, "I'll just break one bone every minute we're here instead. And to make sure you're not going anywhere. Midori!"
Once more the blond found himself tightly wrapped an inescapable hold, "The moment I touched you I ended up here and I'm guessing if you try to leave I'm going along for the ride. You sure you don't wanna start talking, gaki?" she smiled oh so innocently.
Left with no other choice, Naruto told her every last detail about his ability and what it gave him, "And that's the whole story," he finished.
"…" Anko and Midori for their parts remained impassive and Naruto didn't know if that was good or bad.
"…"
"… Gaki, are you high or something? I mean I know you're a ninja in training and legally you become an adult when you get the headband but right now you shouldn't …"
"I'm not on drugs!" they had been taught the significance of drugs and alcohol in the academy, along with a few other embarrassing and gross things, but idea of touching the stuff never occurred to Naruto.
"He's telling the truth, Anko-san," the green constrictor hissed.
"Really?" Midori merely nodded at her summoner.
Naruto was left agape at the action, "…The snake can talk!"
"Seriously? What the hell kind of academy student doesn't know about summons? The fuck's the academy teaching these brats nowadays?"Anko hopefully thought it was just Naruto because if this was Konoha's future soldiers they were royally fucked with a rusty kunai.
"Yes, the snake can talk," Anko sighed before straightening herself out, "A video game bloodline. That's… Okay even with the weird shit I've seen all my life that's just nuts."
"Welcome to my life," Naruto told her. "I find it's easier just to go along with it. Less of a headache that way."
"Well, that's one way to look at it," she muttered, absently throwing a kunai that exploded into a group of nearby zombies that neared the window, "This may just be my opinion but this ability makes me think this may be a unique – very, very, unique by the way – Space-Time Bloodline Limit," even then it was a weak theory.
Space-Time Ninjutsu as far as she knew didn't have reality warping capabilities, but then again she wasn't an expert on the matter, "That or I'm drunk or this is just one very messed up dream," it wouldn't make sense since she didn't drink last night, as far as she could remember, but it still made more sense than this.
Naruto had to wonder if all seasoned ninja had this kind of mentality or if Anko was the exception. Either way it sure made things easier for him. Who was he to fight good fortune when it came his way?
"Gotta admit this is certainly one for the books," part of her was still thinking she was dreaming or had drunk too much but everything was way too vivid, "Soooo… what do we do now?"
Anko wouldn't freely admit it but she was out of her comfort zone at the moment. Give her tools and a warm body and she'd fuck it up without batting an eyelash; Anko had no idea what to do in this scenario. The foes she met were weak and slow as hell, a single punch or two from her was enough to turn them into particles of light and her Katon ninjutsu was basically a one hit kill.
"Well, I came here to level up," Naruto told her as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"You mean you're not scared or hesitant about killing them?" Anko was surprised really at the ease of which he spoke of it. Even prodigies, most of them, had difficulties killing other beings for the first time, especially humans.
"Nope. I mean sure it's weird but they're not really alive," Naruto tried to explain as best he could. "Also that cat pissed me off and I killed a few rats before this."
"Gotta love desensitization," Anko nodded, "Then again, the Academy Rite also helps."
"…The academy what now?" Naruto had no idea what she was talking about.
The woman blinked once, twice, thrice before she finally spoke, "… You didn't undergo the Rite!?" Anko nearly shouted before a horrid thought occurred, "Didn't any of you go through it!?"
"Uh…no?" was his hesitant response.
Anko was left doing the best impression of a fish Naruto had ever seen. "It seems the academy standards have greatly gone down, Anko-san," Midori hissed.
"Under-fucking-statement of the year, Midori," Anko groused at her summon. "Note to self: talk to Hokage-sama about this."
"Long story short, the Rite's a twofold test that's used to weed out those who couldn't stomach what it took to be a ninja. The first half you gotta take the life of an animal at the academy. It wouldn't do Konoha any good if we had ninja who couldn't kill."
"And the other half?"
Anko merely looked at him in a manner that said 'use your brain'. It then quickly dawned on him, "A human! We gotta kill a human!"
"Duh! We're ninja. We kill people for a living, gaki. If you can't handle that then ya might as well stop what you're doing," Anko didn't bother to mention that those they killed in the second half were criminals or bandits. Nor did she mention the fact that a select number of those who didn't pass had an opportunity to still be useful in Konoha in one of the non-combatant divisions such as the medics, sensory, barrier, or cryptologists divisions. Problem was one needed a certain amount of talent and intelligence and pass a series of tests to be accepted.
"Technically speaking, you shouldn't be in your last year, gaki," Anko informed him, "though it may be a case that the Academy standards and curriculum changed for the worst. What exactly are the requirements to graduate?"
"Uh…Oh, the written test for one. Then there's the accuracy and physical exam, and finally the basic academy three exam," he finished.
"Okay, so the basic stuff, I get it. And," she motioned him to continue.
"… And what?" Naruto flinched, as Anko howled a stream of curses he never heard of.
"What the actual bloody fuck!" Anko could understand the written test; a ninja needed brains, not just brawn like the Legendary Stupid Brothers. The accuracy and physical exam were equally important as one didn't want a ninja who was physically weak and accidentally struck their own comrades or innocent bystanders, especially the client.
Having the academy three were a no brainer, but just knowing the basic academy ninjutsu wasn't enough for one to become a ninja. When she had graduated years ago, and she graduated much earlier, Anko had to demonstrate proficient use of three C-rank techniques with at least one of them being lethal when used against another.
Sure, it was up to the Jonin instructor to mentor their wards but they weren't there to babysit them either. The academy graduates were basically blades that had yet to be refined and tempered, it was the job of the Jounin to make sure this happened to them before they got into real life situations. If this was the current standards things really weren't looking good for Konoha.
Many had heard how Kiri had changed the standards that made them be known as the Bloody Mist but even then the standards were still high and demanding. Heck in Kumo it was a prerequisite that all Genin be proficient in the use of kenjutsu before graduation and the chakra flow technique.
"Note to self: Kick Umino's ass," the academy instructor had some serious explaining to do in her mind. Even if it wasn't his fault she still needed someone to vent on and she couldn't very well kick the Hokage's ass. "The man can kill me before I have time to blink."
Speaking of which.
"Duck," Anko called out before sending Midori towards a zombie behind Naruto, the constrictor quickly wrapping around the undead and crushing it's head with her jaw.
"That tasssted vile," the serpent gagged. Though she had nothing in her mouth she could still taste the rotten flesh on her ultrasensitive tongue. "Never make me do that again!" the summon hissed at the purple haired kunoichi.
"Didn't tell you to bite it, Midori … " Anko blinked before she walked over and picked up a bill of ryo.
"Whaa–You know what, I'm not gonna bother. Zombies dropping money isn't the weirdest thing I should expect from what I've been seeing… Plus I have more spending money for dango!" Ankor grinned and Naruto could honestly say he was a little disturbed by it.
"You mean you didn't notice it before?" Naruto asked.
"Too busy looking for you to really notice. So, you mentioned something about levelling up? What's that about?" she asked after a pause.
"Grinding mostly," at her confused look, he elaborated, "It means killing a bunch of enemies to level up quickly. Every zombie I kill gives me experience points; I get enough of em and I level up, which increases my stats and gives me AP," Naruto explained.
Anko nodded at the explanation; having no experience with video games or the lingo of it all, "So by levelling up you get stronger. I killed a bunch of em so will that do anything to me?" she wondered.
"Don't know if the same rules apply to you as they do to me. But if it's like video games I played I doubt it. Your level is very high compared to them; you may just be getting loot or the amount of EXP is very low. Like, you'd have to kill over a thousand of em to get close enough to level up," Naruto explained.
"Make sense", Anko thought… sorta, "So how do we find out?" Naruto was about to shrug, as he didn't have an answer, but a pop up appeared before him.
|Party Formation|
Party forming is a great way for adventurers to level up and acquire loot without fearing for their safety. Having a group has many benefits such as being able to defeat more enemies and allowing you to defeat much stronger foes you otherwise couldn't face. However, forming a party is not without its downsides. As a result of you no longer being in as much danger you will not be pushing yourself the experience you gain will be reduced. Groups of four will allow you to fight without any penalties on the experience you gain from enemies. Groups of five and upwards will reduce the total experience gained by five percent per additional member for a total of seventy-five percent. In addition, while having higher-level members offers greater security, any experience made by said members whose level is twenty levels higher than others, despite the contribution of lower level individuals, will be reduced by seventy-five percent.
To form a party you must either think or say the words 'Invite [insert person's last and first name]' and have the recipient accept.
"So all I have to do is think or say Invite Mitarashi Anko?" Naruto thought.
"Whoa! What the hell!" Naruto looked up and saw a floating text box in front of Anko. "What is this? What's going on?"
Well, that was easy, he thought, "It's an invite box. All you gotta do is accept and we're in a party. "
"Okay, yes! ... Nothing happened?" Anko frowned at the floating text box.
"I think you have to press it for it to work," Naruto guessed. His assumption was proven true; as no sooner had Anko pressed [YES] did the box disappear. Furthermore, Naruto noticed he could now view her Status Window despite her level.
Status Window
Name: Mitarashi Anko
Job: Tokubetsu Jonin
Relationship: Neutral
Level: 50? Next Level: 8876/120,900?
HP: 3075?
CP: 2525?
STR: 66?
VIT: 123?
END: 101?
DEX: 118?
INT: 115?
WIS: 99?
CHA: 101?
LUK: 54
Defense: 50
Specialization:
Torture and Interrogation Ninja
Special Perks:
Gamer's Companion: You can view and live your life like a video game. You can now acquire AP and SPP (Must be in party with the Gamer)
Perks:
Gifted Ninja: +10% Effectiveness, Power and EXP towards all skills, +10% EXP earned on missions and defeated foes, +1 Additional Attribute Point per Lv
Serpentine Grace: +2 DEX per Lv, +25% Speed increase towards [Taijutsu Skill], [Evasion Skill], [Counter Skill], +25% Power towards Critical Hits
Heightened Tolerance [Poison]: Immune to Basic, Intermediate and Expert Lv Poisons, Tolerance towards Master Lv Poisons increased by 75%, Tolerance towards Grand Master Lv Poisons increased by 50%, Tolerance towards Legendary Lv Poisons increased by 25%
Titles:
T&I Expert: +2 CHA per Lv,+85% Effectiveness and EXP towards [T&I Skill], +85% Effectiveness and EXP towards [Intimidation Skill]
Toxicology Expert: +60% Effectiveness, Power, and EXP towards [Poisons], +60% EXP towards [Toxicology Skill]
Snake Mistress of Konoha: -25% Reputation gain towards [Konoha Populace] below Neutral, -25% Effectiveness, Power, and EXP towards [Combination Techniques Skill] with [Konoha Populace] below Neutral
Tokubetsu Jonin: +25% EXP towards quests and enemies slain (only for character level up), Gain 25 AP a year you hold this title
Flaws/Debuffs:
Sealed Cursed Seal of Heaven: -30% Effectiveness, Power, and EXP towards skills, -30% towards base attributes, -30% EXP towards quests and enemies slain, Reduces bonuses from Perks, Titles and Special Perks by 30%, ?, (Can be removed)
Description: Not much is known about Mitarashi Anko's past, as she tends to keep to herself and only opens up to those she truly trusts. Hailed as a skilled ninja at a very young age, Anko later went on to become one of Konoha's top torture and interrogation specialists and an accomplished tracker, accomplishing tasks where others, other than the Inuzuka, failed. Due to her tutelage, Anko is one of Konoha's best toxicologists, having used and created many unique poisons both in the field and during interrogations. Her love of dango is quite well known and feared in certain circles, some say surpassing even Uzumaki Naruto's love for ramen.
Attribute Points: 0
Special Perk Points: 0
"I think I saw things I probably shouldn't have," fortunately for Naruto the woman in question was distracted long enough not to notice it.
"Okay, this is really weird," the T&I specialist mused and began to fiddle with a few things, "What's this AP and SPP?"
"Attribute Points and Special Perk Points," Naruto informed her and explained their function.
"Damn. With an ability like this your skill as a ninja would shoot through the roof and then some in no time," Anko surmised. "So if I kill enough of these undead bastards, I can level up?"
"Yep! But your level's pretty high already so trying to level here won't be quick for you compared to me," here he showed her the experience bar and how much she needed to level up. Furthermore, Naruto added, "And once all of them are gone, we're gonna have to wait twenty-four hours before they come back."
"Well, that blows. I already killed a bunch of em before I found you. Screw it. The ryo you earn will have to do."
"Come again," Naruto deadpanned.
"You heard me, gaki. You brought me here against my will so you owe me. Half of what you earn is mine as recompense… that means as punishment," she elaborated.
"Half! Are you kidding me?!" the amount of ryo he could earn here could be close to ten thousand, "You can earn more than enough if you kill em yourself. You one-off them like they're nothing."
"True," Anko wouldn't deny that, "But out of both of us, you have the most to gain by killing em. I kill em and I barely put a dent in the experience I get."
Naruto frowned at the woman's logic. However, there was no way Naruto was giving away half that, "How about I owe you a ten pranks?" Naruto bargained; he failed instantaneously.
"Nope," Anko shot down his offer barely a second later.
"Twenty pranks?" was he counter offer; Anko didn't even bat an eyelash this time. Thinking on the spot, Naruto offered once more, "Five pranks and two thousand ryo?" he hoped.
Anko said nothing for nearly thirty seconds before she gave her own counter offer, "Seven pranks and three-thousand ryo."
Naruto countered once again, "Seven pranks, two-thousand ryo."
Anko frowned, "Don't insult me, gaki. Five pranks and thirty-five hundred ryo."
Naruto wanted to curse. Bartering was something he was relatively new at, while Anko clearly knew what she was doing. Not wanting to tempt fate and have the price to go up once more, Naruto finally relented and accepted Anko's latest offer.
"Deal," Anko merely grinned like a cat at her win; Naruto ignored the pop-up regarding his [Bargaining Skill] increasing to level two.
"Pleasure doing business with ya, gaki," Naruto glared; Anko stuck her tongue out like a child. Midori shook her head at the childish antics of humans.
Deciding to he focus on the task at hand, Anko said, "Well, now that that's settled, go kill some zombies. Midori, stay close and watch the kid," though he didn't say anything Naruto was actually touched that Anko was thinking of his well-being.
"Don't coddle him but make sure his ass stays out of the fire," Anko told her familiar, "We're screwed if he dies on us."
Naruto realized he'd have to downsize his comment on the caring part. And he decided not to bother telling her about the fact he could die but still come back from it.
(Sometime Later)
Smashing his pipe into the back of another Ninja Zombie's head, Naruto was satisfied to see its head catch fire and watch it flail around like a headless chicken. The action only served is purposes when it barrelled into a group of undead, knocking them down and causing them to catch fire, too.
Grabbing a poor quality shuriken he got from a previous Ninja Zombie, Naruto attached a [Poor-Grade Exploding Tags], a rare drop from the same zombie, and threw it at the group. Poor Grades Exploding Tags were the weakest of the exploding tags, as while they were still functional the formulas used to make them were horrible. At the bare minimum, they only dealt one-hundred and fifteen damage. The tag was used more for controlled demolition work, and was a threat only when used in large numbers and only on the weakest of foes.
Case and point: the group exploded and was scattered pretty much everywhere. Those that managed to survive either lost limbs or died when they crashed into a surface. A good and decisive blow to the head ended them quickly and Naruto proceeded to collect the dropped loot.
Off to the side, Naruto saw Anko's summon watching from the shadows. Any zombie or cat dumb enough to try and attack the deadly serpent more or less ended up dead almost instantaneously. Naruto couldn't help but shudder, the summon used every part of its body as a weapon: from its maw filled with sharp venomous teeth to its tail that asphyxiated or skewered her foes as if it was a spear.
"Thank kami she's on my side," Naruto knew that if she were his enemy he'd be dead, or worse eaten alive.
"Ok, that makes seventy-two zombies and two cats," Naruto huffed a bit before whipping the sweat off his face. The blond had to admit he was getting a decent workout going through actual combat instead of what he usually did. He had little time to rest as another horde of undead waddled and limped their way towards him.
Off to the shadows and out of Naruto's sight, Anko spoke to her familiar, "How's the brat doing?" she asked.
"The boy has good instincts. His tactical thinking is unorthodox but I can't deny its effectiveness at times. But his need to mind his surroundings requires improvement," more than once did Midori see Naruto stumble or fail to notice an enemy before they got a decent blow.
"He also has a bad habit of letting his emotions get the better of him and I noticed that it gets him into trouble when he could have easily beaten dealt with his foes. His fighting style is instinctive but poorly structured. All in all, he has potential but needs a tune up, desperately," was Midori's assessment.
Anko sighed but nodded in agreement. Naruto did have potential but he was a shaping up to be a piss poor ninja in the making if things continued as they were. The woman could only wonder how the other students at the academy fared, too.
Her thoughts on the matter didn't linger that long as an unholy and soulless scream resonated from everywhere. Anko winced but didn't need to block the sound as it quickly ended.
"What the hell was that?" Anko wondered and had a gut feeling. It was a gut feeling that was developed after years of experience.
"The undead… they're amassing two blocks away from here," Midori informed. As a snake summon the serpent could sense and see in ways ordinary snakes couldn't. The zombies lacked chakra but had something else that allowed her to track them. And right now she could see that they were also joining in at the same location. But that wasn't the oddest thing.
"They're… fusing?" Midori sounded confused while Anko looked confused.
That confusion turned into worry as an incredibly large bellow rang and caused the walls and nearby structures to vibrate.
|WARNING! WARNING! DUNGEON BOSS REQUIREMENTS MET! DUNGEON BOSS HAS NOW APPEARED!|
"Oh, that can't be good," Anko's suspicions were proven right moments later when a dark grayish being that towered over the buildings appeared.
Boss: Legion Zombie– Lv. 34
HP: ?
CP: ?
STR: ?
VIT: ?
END: ?
DEX: ?
INT: ?
WIS: ?
CHA: ?
LUK: ?
Defense: ?
Special Perks:
? : ?
Perks:
? : ?
Titles:
? : ?
Flaws/Debuffs:
? : ?
Description: Whenever zombies of the dungeon feel threatened due to mass hunting they met at a nearby location in large numbers and merge into this unholy twenty-five foot tall creature. The result is creating a conglomerate of hundreds of zombies hence the name "Legion". Unlike regular zombies this abomination has slight intelligence thanks to the collective minds of those used to "birth" it, but even then it's not that impressive. Its huge body grants it an enormous amount of strength and health, allowing it to smash buildings with relative ease, and crush its foes with minimum blows. However, its large intimating size is also its greatest weakness as it makes it an easy target to strike and it cannot move very fast.
Exp Earn: ?
Drops: ?, ?, ?
As the horde of undead in front of him began walking towards him, Naruto was starting to wish he knew a few crowd control techniques, or at least an exploding seal tag. His thought on the matter was cut short, as a couple of axes were sent flying at him. One fell short, while the other went for his head that he only managed to bat away at the last second with his pipe.
"Ok, you can't hit what you can't see," Naruto tossed down a smoke bomb that screened the area white before making a strategic retreat to a better and more secluded vantage point. Naruto considered himself lucky that the zombies still needed to rely on their eyes to find him instead of smell. Or, at least, he so hoped. As he reached a decent vantage point, Naruto stuck to the shadows as best he could as he looked down upon the street.
"Ok, let's see here … seven. Nope. Nine zombies," Naruto counted and spotted two new enemies amongst them, "Observe."
Mob Zombie – Lv 4
HP: 175
CP: 0
STR: 23
VIT: 7
END: 15
DEX: 5
INT: 0
WIS: 0
CHA: 4
LUK: 0 (You're dead. Your luck sucks.)
Defense: 8
Specialization:
None
Special Perks:
None
Perks:
Undead Being: [Ignore Pain], Immune to poisons, mental attacks, and negative psychological afflictions, +30% tolerance towards bladed weapons and Taijutsu
Flaws:
Walking Corpse: LUK, INT, WIS are non-existent, CP is always zero regardless of END, -30% tolerance towards blunt weapons, fire weapons, and fire skills
Burning Agony: Regardless of victim's perks all fire skills/weapons have a 75% chance of causing [Hysteria] status effect unto holder when suffering from [Burning] status effect, [Burning] status effect last 15 seconds longer and gains additional 3% HP loss per 3 seconds, Chances of landing Critical Hits increased by 30%, DEF decreases by 15
Description: A hate filled zombie who wields a dangerous weapon. While only slightly stronger and a greater threat than their civilian counterparts, encountering them in groups is dangerous for beginners who lack the necessary techniques and tools.
EXP Earned: 75 + [10%] = 82.5 EXP
Drops: Zombie Rib, Ryo [90-170], ?
Ninja Zombie – Lv 5
HP: 250
CP: 0
STR: 28
VIT: 10
END: 20
DEX: 11
INT: 0
WIS: 0
CHA: 8
LUK: 0 (You're dead. Your luck sucks.)
Defense: 14
Specialization:
None
Special Perks:
None
Perks:
Undead Ninja: [Ignore Pain], Immune to poisons, mental attacks, and negative psychological afflictions, +45% tolerance towards bladed weapons and Taijutsu, +10% increase towards movement speed, +5 DEF
Flaws:
Walking Ninja Corpse: LUK, INT, WIS are non-existent, CP is always zero regardless of END, -20% tolerance towards blunt weapons, fire weapons, and fire skills
Burning Agony: Regardless of victim's perks all fire skills/weapons have a 75% chance of causing [Hysteria] status effect unto holder when suffering from [Burning] status effect, [Burning] status effect last 15 seconds longer and gains additional 3% HP loss per 3 seconds, Chances of landing Critical Hits increased by 30%, DEF decreases by 15
Description: A former ninja turned zombie. Due to having a more conditioned body in its passed life it is much more agile and stronger than a regular zombie. While not an intelligent being its greater instincts make it more dangerous than other zombies. Be mindful of its hands, as they have transformed into sharp claws that can not only seriously harm you but also potentially cause an infection. Encountering them in groups is dangerous for ill prepared beginners
EXP Earned: 115 + [10%] = 126.5 EXP
Drops: Zombie Rib, Ryo [115-220], ?
"Oh, man that ain't good," he muttered.
The Ninja Zombie in question had reddish decomposing skin compared to the other zombies gray, green, and blue skin tones and like the description said it had wicked claws for hands; a nasty, yellowish, syrupy ooze like substance trailing off of them like rain from a rooftop. What made it even more horrifying was seeing it eat another undead by ripping its head off and then munching on the brain. The others didn't seem all that bothered by the act or maybe they just didn't really understand what was going on.
[Cannibalism]
A skill used by stronger level zombies, which allow them to regain up to thirty-five percent of their total health over a period of ten seconds and grant them the temporary buff [Ghoul].
[Ghoul]
A unique buff for the undead that temporarily boost their END, STR and VIT by five and increases their movement speed by an additional ten percent for half an hour.
"Thank god video games and graphic have desensitized me," even then he still felt a little queasy; video games and pictures were one thing, this was semi-real life.
"Too many to hit head on. Time to split em up," sure they were slow but the Ninja Zombie was quicker and physically stronger compared to the rest; it could probably give him trouble.
Naruto counted himself lucky that there was only one of them at the moment. As none knew his current whereabouts, Naruto decided to take this moment to recover some HP as quickly as possible. No sooner had he recovered what was lost, Naruto noticed that some of the zombies were beginning to head in his direction.
"Okay, best get rid of the small fry first," he decided; experience and his increase in INT coming into play on the decision. The group was still too large and to close to the Ninja Zombie so for now his method would essentially be hit and run tactics.
While he'd usually go in guns blazing and hope for the best and ask questions later, with little to no techniques or proper equipment the stealth tactic was all he could do at the moment. And after what just happened to him moments ago, Naruto wasn't tempted to experience that ordeal again. He wanted to leave this place alive. Naruto didn't know if his Gamer ability allowed him to come back to life or restart from a certain point but he wasn't too keen on finding out.
"Wait a minute," Naruto stopped at that and quickly began scanning through his [Help Guide] as quickly as possible.
|Zero HP|
One of the worst things that can happen to an individual is zero health, as most of the time this results in their death, unless saved by certain techniques and items. However, there are circumstances where death does not occur or can be averted. The following is list of those circumstances:
· Friendly spars that reduce your HP to zero will only render one unconscious until they are healed.
· Zero HP in Creation Dungeons will only result in you re-spawning with penalties in a safe zone.
· Zero HP in Natural Dungeons only allow for one respawn with penalties each time you enter them.
However, penalties regarding total loss of HP – unless saved by an item or skill – will occur. Penalties include EXP earned in dungeon before death being completely lost (EXP that resulted in level up will not), twenty-five percent total money loss, twenty-five percent decrease in equipment durability, and temporary debuff [Resurrection Sickness]. Increasing IDC Skill level can reduce penalties and improve respawn ability.
Special Note: Unless saved, Zero HP in Event Dungeons and non-friendly bouts outside of Creation and Natural dungeons will result in death.
|Resurrection Sickness|
A temporary debuff one suffers upon being re-spawned that decreases their attributes by seventy-five percent and all damage caused by them by seventy-five percent for ten minutes.
Naruto was floored, "I can die in dungeons and come back from it!" even if it was limited in some areas this skill was really OP. And boy did he love it.
"Graarghhh!"
"Huh? Oh, right, zombies," Naruto remembered. Grabbing some nearby broken stones, Naruto began to strategically throw them in certain directions to separate them into smaller more manageable groups.
Luckily their lack of intelligence made it easy to get their attention and split them off from each other. As he prepared to make his way downwards to the nearest zombie Naruto noticed the black cat from earlier was now in front of him. For whatever reason Naruto felt himself become unease with the feline and his use of Observe only furthered the feeling.
Wailing Black Cat – Lv 5
HP: 100
CP: 50
STR: 5
VIT: 4
END: 2
DEX: 60
INT: 3
WIS: 7
CHA: 5
LUK: 15
Defense: 4
Specialization:
None
Special Perks:
None
Perks:
Feline Grace: Movement Speed Increased by 35%, Evasion Increased by 35% in and out of combat
Jinxer: Debuffs chance on foes Increased by 75%, Debuff duration on foes Increased by 50%, Chance of double Debuff effects Increased by 35%, Debuff [Cursed Luck] always lands
Stalker: Movement Speed for [Stealth] Increased by 35%, [Stealth] Effectiveness Increased by 35%, Power and Chances for Critical Hits Increased by 35%
Description: An innocent looking and nothing out of the ordinary black cat … is what most people would think. Whenever these felines come across adventurers they immediately begin to wail as loudly as they can, discombobulating and stunning them temporarily. They do this so they can get the attention of nearby enemies before making a quick escape with their incredible speed. Should their victim live these creatures will continue trailing them until the cats themselves are killed or vice versa. Due to their speed, killing them is no easy feat.
Exp Earned: 85 EXP * 10% = 93.5EXP
"… Oh, shit," Naruto cursed his bipolar luck.
"Mweoooaaaarr!" as the cat began wailing Naruto immediately found himself dazed and unable to move. By the time he was able to come to his senses and regain control of his body he could see the feline jumping from rooftop to rooftop before disappearing somewhere in the alleys.
|WARNING! WARNING! YOU'RE SUFFERING FROM TEMPORARY DEBUFFS!|
Black Cat Curse: -15% Accuracy, Tracking, Sensing, Awareness, -5 DEF, Critical Hits damage increased by 35% (Temp. 7:30 Min Remaining)
Cursed Luck: Your LUK is cursed and will only bring you misfortune; the higher the stat the greater chance of misfortune. (Temp. 7:30 Min Remaining)
"Oh, mother-fu… Ok, new plan. Deal with zombies, find cat, then kill cat… slowly," it went without saying that Naruto was not a cat person at the moment. As it was the zombies were now making their way towards him and from the looks of it he could see that the cat's wailing had attracted more of them.
Naruto cursed the fact that he would now have to deal with the zombies directly till he found another hiding spot. Dealing with the first two zombies he encountered as quickly as he could, Naruto was forced to leave the drops behind as more and more appeared, the entire situation reminding him of a classic horror movie scene. Not wanting to become overwhelmed by the sheer number, Naruto retreated to the rooftops, but didn't get far as he found himself face to face with a Zombie Ninja.
"I'm gonna murder that cat," Naruto growled and dodged the zombie swipe directed at him. The swiftness was one would not normally see on a corpse. Lashing out with his pipe, Naruto grunted as one of the undead ninja's swipe knocked it aside like childs play. The force behind it was incredible and much greater than his and the unexpectedness of it cost him. Swipe after swipe landed home before one had enough force to send him off edge and crashing into next building window.
|WARNING! CHEST ARMOR IS NOW BELOW 25% DURABILITY!|
Naruto groaned as he righted himself. Looking down he saw multiple rips and tears in his shirt, but he wasn't all that surprised considering his shirt wasn't meant for combat.
Crash!
Naruto refocused his attention in front of him as his previous opponent showed up for round two. Naruto dodged just in time as the ninja zombie jumped towards him, arms up high and then brought down and breaking the rotting floor board beneath him in the process. The large hole left Naruto wide eyed, "If that hit me my health would have taken a serious blow."
Grabbing a handful of shuriken, Naruto quickly threw them at the zombies head. Two missed, one struck home but did minimal damage, and another just nicked it. Cursing, Naruto went to deploy a smoke pellet but the small ball slipped from his fingers and fell into zombie-made hole.
"Oh, I'm tossing that cat through a wood chipper," Naruto promised himself and cursing his debuffs.
However, the pellet still went off and smoke began to rise up from the hole like a geyser. Naruto took advantage the situation and managed to land a hard blow on the back of the distracted zombie's head. The strength behind the blow wasn't enough to send the stronger zombie flying like the others but it did make it stagger and fall to the ground. Blow after blow was rained on the walking dead ninja before it finally dissipated into nothingness.
"Okay. That takes care of that guy," Naruto wiped the sweat from his brow and checked to see if there were any other zombies. To his relief there were none and this allowed Naruto to collect his reward: a sole [Zombie's Rib].
"Ok, seriously, what the hell I'm I gonna do with a rib bone? Sell it?" using [Observe] on the item, Naruto discovered that it could be used as an ingredient for various recipes; none of which he knew of yet.
Deciding he'd look into recipes later, the young blond soon found himself starring at two Ninja Zombies that came crashing through the broken window. Both of them buffed up with [Ghoul], "Oh, shit. Not good!"
His luck truly wasn't with him at the moment as he barely managed to block a thrown hand-axe that came out of the lingering smokescreen. Grabbing the new weapon, the blond ninja in training hurled the repurposed wood chopping tool at his nearest enemy. The action would have caused his classmates to laugh to their hearts content: Naruto missed his target by a sizeable margin. Even the ninja zombies – for reasons unknown – had a deadpan look.
Naruto could only stare with an embarrassed look before he shouted out in a flustered manner, "Oh, screw you guys! I was never taught to throw axes!"
Whipping his pipe at their legs, Naruto successfully managed to knock down one zombie, while the other, despite losing health, managed to remain stationary. The upright undead retaliated with a swift swipe that Naruto blocked with his pipe but buckled underneath the superior strength.
"Unholy shit," Naruto didn't know if he'd be able to handle another blow even if it was blocked. Ducking in between the zombie's legs, Naruto managed to evade another blow. But the blond was pushed back and pummelled through the floorboard by the second zombie.
"Oww," he groaned. Fortune finally smiled on him, however, as the smokescreen below had yet to evaporate. Hiding himself in the shadows nearby, Naruto waited for the first zombie to appear before he struck with Shadow Strike to the head and kept on swinging until it died.
|Congratulations! Your [Basic Blunt Weapons Mastery Skill] has levelled up!|
|Basic Blunt Weapons Mastery. Lv 2. 17% to Next Lv| Skill Modifier: STR [D] Mastering Speed: B| A skill that allows you to use and learn basic bludgeon related techniques and fighting style as well as use certain bludgeon weapons. Upgrading the skill's rank will allow you to learn more advanced techniques and fighting styles.
• Passively increases the power of blunt weapons by 12% + (STR *.5) = 19%
• Passively increases the striking speed of blunt weapons by 2% + (STR *.5) = 9%
• Passively increases the critical hit rate of blunt weapons by 2% + (STR *.5) = 9%
|Congratulation! You've learned the [Ryoku Boku (Power Strike)] skill!|
|Ryoku Boku (Power Strike). Lv 1. 0% to Next Lv| Skill Modifier: STR [D], END [E] Mastering Speed: C|. A basic but useful skill that coats a weapon with a small amount of chakra and allows the user to strike the target with greater force. CP Usage: 50|
• Increases power of weapons by 31% + (STR *.5) + (END *.25) = 62%
• Increases critical hit rate of weapons by 11% + (STR *.5) + (END *.25) = 42%
"Payback time!" Naruto cackled and used his new technique on the remaining zombie. The blond had a satisfied look on his face as it fell flat on its ass and saw several rotten teeth fly off.
"Ryoku Boku (Power Strike)!" he shouted once more. He harshly brought down the pipe on the zombie's head over and over until it joined its offed comrade. Looking around and seeing no other zombies present, Naruto allowed himself the opportunity to relax and grabbed the small wad of cash before him.
Hearing some groaning, Naruto ducked into a nearby room and was fortunate to see that no zombies were present. Grabbing a nearby dresser, Naruto pushed it up against the door as quickly and quietly as possible.
"Hopefully they're mindless enough not to bother opening doors," Naruto hoped – though then again, he realised, they could just as easily smash right through – and took the time to heal himself with the food he brought. Eating as quietly as possible and waiting out the time for his debuffs to go away, Naruto tensed every so often whenever he heard a nearby groan or the irregular shuffle of feet.
Fortune smiled on him when the timer finally reached zero and he saw his body flash. The curses were gone, "Okay, now to see if there's anything here to help me," if video games taught him anything it was that furniture were a gold mine for potential goods.
Except for some [Tattered Rags], the drawers on the dresser came out empty. Underneath the bed was bubkes. The closet, however, did provide him with two things of use: [Duct Tape Roll] and [Basic First-Aid Kit].
Basic First-Aid Kit – Common Quality
Item Type: Recovery
Durability: One-Time Use
Description: A basic healing kit that is used in treating wounds and preventing blood loss.
Buffs/Perks: Gain the Temporary Buff [Bandaged: Lv 1]
[Bandaged: Lv 1]
+25% HP Recovery, Cures and increases Tolerance for [Bleeding], and [Poisoned] by 25% for 1 Hour, HP Regen increased by +10% for 1 Hour
[Duct Tape Roll] Common Quality
Item Type: Enhancement
Durability: 10 Uses
Description: An adhesive roll used to combine items together for multiple purposes.
Buffs/Perks: +10% Accuracy (when used on weapon handle), +1 DEF (when used on armour), Can combine certain items together.
"Okay, so first aid, tape and old rags. Not exactly the kind of loot I was hoping for but whatever," Naruto shrugged and then got to work.
Grabbing the necessary items, Naruto put some tape at one end of his pipe for better grip and then combined the rags and tape – which took some effort with how easily the rags came apart – at the other. Once done he was done, Naruto gazed at his creation with a smile – even if it was far from being the best weapon in the world.
Enhanced Discarded Pipe – Common Quality
Item Type: Blunt Weapon
Item Modifier Rank: STR [E]
Durability 33/40
A discarded pipe commonly used for plumbing or other forms of waterworks. Though there's nothing extraordinary about this item it's surprisingly durable and has since been enhanced as a combat tool. Has decent length and is fairly balanced. The bundle of rags at the end can be set aflame to add additional damage.
Attack Power: 13–17 + (Modifier) = 16.5–20.5
Bonus Stats: +10% Accuracy, [Conditional Firebrand: Basic Rank]
Usage Requirement: 10 STR
|Congratulation! A special skill has been created due to a special act! Due to your item combination you've learned the [Crafting] skill!|
|Crafting. Lv 1. 17% to Next Lv| Skill Modifier: WIS [D], INT [D] Mastering Speed: D|. A skill that allows you to create new items if you have the right materials, creativity, knowhow, and a bit of luck. Once your skill level is high enough you can substitute materials required in recipes with chakra, though this decreases the overall success rate depending on the item's rank. Any items used/lost in the success/failure of a created item will be lost unless a special skill or item is used. Note: Your current level doesn't allow you to substitute lacking materials with chakra and even the most basic of creations will have a low success rate.
• Success rate for original creations 1% + (WIS *.5) + (INT *.5) +/- (Resulting Item Quality Rank %) +/– (Item Quality Max/Min Skill Level Requirement met/not met)
• Success rate for recipe creations 31% + (WIS *.5) + (INT *.5) +/- (Resulting Item Quality Rank %) +/– (Item Quality Max/Min Skill Level Requirement met/not met)
Poor Quality: +30% [Skill Level 1–25]
Common Quality: 15% [Skill Level 26–40]
Uncommon Quality: 0% [Skill Level 41–50]
Rare Quality: -15% [Skill Level 51–60]
Very Rare Quality: -30 [Skill Level 61–75]
Epic Quality: -45% [Skill Level 76–90]
Legendary: -65% Quality: [100–Max]
Note: Success rate increases by 1% every five levels when a skill level requirement is high enough
Note: Success rate decreases by 1% every five levels when skill level requirement is not high enough
"Sweet," Naruto couldn't help himself. The [Conditional Firebrand: Basic] perk on his weapon was a plus considering it gave it a twenty-five percent chance of putting [Burning] on them. And with zombies having a nasty as hell flaw for fire it made it all the sweeter. The only downside being it only lasted an hour and needed to be lit on fire.
"Ah, well. Beggars can't be choosers," it was better than nothing all things considered. Glancing up at his HP, Naruto was happy to see he had recovered more than enough to be comfortable and slowly peeked out the door. Seeing the all clear, Naruto left the room and tried to reduce the amount of noise as much as possible.
Upon seeing a broken window that was wide enough for him to through, Naruto once more looked around for any foes and was fortunate enough that no zombies were near.
That was the good news.
The bad news: the cat was back.
Too far away for him to reach it in time, Naruto summed up his situation in two words, "Ah, shit."
The Black Cat on the other hand had an unsettling smirk and a glint in its eye that was equally unsettling. Naruto knew he was screwed and knew what was coming next; he prepared for the worst.
""Mweooarggghhhhkkkkkk!"
"… What. The. Hell?" of all the things Naruto expected to happen, seeing the cat's head being enveloped by a series of curved fangs and its body being crushed by the coils of a green-skinned, brown spotted, yellow-eyed constrictor was the nowhere on the list. With a sudden jerk the cat's neck was snapped and it evaporated into a series of lights.
Trying to make a dash for it out the window, Naruto barely touched the ground before he was swiftly dragged back inside and felt himself bound so tightly he believed his eyes would pop.
Before he could wonder what was going on, Naruto heard the sound of shoes creaking across the wooden floor. Thinking it was a zombie, Naruto struggled as best he could but his efforts were for naught.
"I wouldn't bother, gaki. Once Midori's got you in his coils you're fucked," maybe it was the slow lack of oxygen flowing to his brain, but Naruto swore that sounded very familiar. As he looked up, Naruto was very surprised by the familiar sight.
Fortunately for him the snake eased up on its constricting, which allowed him to shout, "Anko! What the hell are you doing–"
"Oh, shu-shu-shush," the woman silenced him with a finger. But Naruto wasn't put at ease by the action.
"Actually, I'd like to tell you a little story first before we go there," her voice sounded sweet but experience taught him otherwise. Somehow and for whatever reason, she was mad at him.
"To start, I got up and went to work and found out a rookie interrogator-in-training decided to play in the big leagues and surprise, surprise, fucked up badly. Probing at a guy I'd been trying to crack for weeks and set my work back for who knows how long. Later on I had a huge craving for dango and decided to go to my favourite spot. And you know what I learned when I got there? It was closed for the week. Next, I stepped in dog shit, and got pissed on by some Inuzuka brat's ninken, which ruined my favourite coat!"
Naruto winced at the last one. He himself had been the victim of such an occurrence, "Well, at least Kiba's gonna die after me."
"– and then when I go looking for ya to prank the little shit, I see you go into some alley, stood behind you to see how long it would take for you to notice me. Just as I was about to scare the living hell atta ya, and here's the part I love, I SOMEHOW GET TRANSPORTED INTO A POST APACOLYPTIC WORLD WITH ZOMBIES BY SOME WET BEHIND THE EARS ACADEMY STUDENT WHO I'VE BEEN TRYING TO FIND FOR THE LAST HALF HOUR! WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON! "
"Uh… well… it's …uh, kinda complicated," Naruto said, which ended up being the wrong thing to say, "AHHHHH!"
No sooner had his words left his lips was he suddenly pulled up by the scruff if his torn shirt towards the mad – and that was in both sense of the word – purple haired kunoichi.
"Don't test me, gaki." Anko almost snarled. "I'm stuck here, been attacked by zombies, stalked by some fucking cat that calls more of them, haven't had strange in the last couple of months, and worst of all I haven't had my dango in the last week! MOMMA NEEDS HER FIX!"
Naruto whimpered at the woman's crazed expression. If looks could kill Naruto knew he'd be dead countless times already and in many unique ways.
"So this can go down two ways, gaki. Either you spill your guts, or I spill them for you cover them in hot sauce and spices, make you eat them, before feeding you to Midori over here," she patted the constrictor lovingly. If snakes could purr, Naruto knew it would be doing it right now judging by the look of content on its face.
Not wanting his guts spilled, as well as the other frighteningly detailed acts, Naruto was about to tell her the whole story before he came to his senses, "Hey, wait a minute! You can't kill me," he grinned.
"Kid, I work in Konoha's Torture and Interrogation Division. The ways I come up with to kill ya would make the worst movie killers look like saints," she explained.
Naruto understood the analogy instantaneously and his smirk was gone. But the still managed to look Anko in the eye and say, "Look, I don't know how you got here but I'm pretty sure that's cuz of me. You're stuck here with no way out, I'm you're only hope of getting out of here," he bluffed.
"…Shit. Fine, I won't kill you," Naruto smirked, "I'll just break one bone every minute we're here instead. And to make sure you're not going anywhere. Midori!"
Once more the blond found himself tightly wrapped an inescapable hold, "The moment I touched you I ended up here and I'm guessing if you try to leave I'm going along for the ride. You sure you don't wanna start talking, gaki?" she smiled oh so innocently.
Left with no other choice, Naruto told her every last detail about his ability and what it gave him, "And that's the whole story," he finished.
"…" Anko and Midori for their parts remained impassive and Naruto didn't know if that was good or bad.
"…"
"… Gaki, are you high or something? I mean I know you're a ninja in training and legally you become an adult when you get the headband but right now you shouldn't …"
"I'm not on drugs!" they had been taught the significance of drugs and alcohol in the academy, along with a few other embarrassing and gross things, but idea of touching the stuff never occurred to Naruto.
"He's telling the truth, Anko-san," the green constrictor hissed.
"Really?" Midori merely nodded at her summoner.
Naruto was left agape at the action, "…The snake can talk!"
"Seriously? What the hell kind of academy student doesn't know about summons? The fuck's the academy teaching these brats nowadays?"Anko hopefully thought it was just Naruto because if this was Konoha's future soldiers they were royally fucked with a rusty kunai.
"Yes, the snake can talk," Anko sighed before straightening herself out, "A video game bloodline. That's… Okay even with the weird shit I've seen all my life that's just nuts."
"Welcome to my life," Naruto told her. "I find it's easier just to go along with it. Less of a headache that way."
"Well, that's one way to look at it," she muttered, absently throwing a kunai that exploded into a group of nearby zombies that neared the window, "This may just be my opinion but this ability makes me think this may be a unique – very, very, unique by the way – Space-Time Bloodline Limit," even then it was a weak theory.
Space-Time Ninjutsu as far as she knew didn't have reality warping capabilities, but then again she wasn't an expert on the matter, "That or I'm drunk or this is just one very messed up dream," it wouldn't make sense since she didn't drink last night, as far as she could remember, but it still made more sense than this.
Naruto had to wonder if all seasoned ninja had this kind of mentality or if Anko was the exception. Either way it sure made things easier for him. Who was he to fight good fortune when it came his way?
"Gotta admit this is certainly one for the books," part of her was still thinking she was dreaming or had drunk too much but everything was way too vivid, "Soooo… what do we do now?"
Anko wouldn't freely admit it but she was out of her comfort zone at the moment. Give her tools and a warm body and she'd fuck it up without batting an eyelash; Anko had no idea what to do in this scenario. The foes she met were weak and slow as hell, a single punch or two from her was enough to turn them into particles of light and her Katon ninjutsu was basically a one hit kill.
"Well, I came here to level up," Naruto told her as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"You mean you're not scared or hesitant about killing them?" Anko was surprised really at the ease of which he spoke of it. Even prodigies, most of them, had difficulties killing other beings for the first time, especially humans.
"Nope. I mean sure it's weird but they're not really alive," Naruto tried to explain as best he could. "Also that cat pissed me off and I killed a few rats before this."
"Gotta love desensitization," Anko nodded, "Then again, the Academy Rite also helps."
"…The academy what now?" Naruto had no idea what she was talking about.
The woman blinked once, twice, thrice before she finally spoke, "… You didn't undergo the Rite!?" Anko nearly shouted before a horrid thought occurred, "Didn't any of you go through it!?"
"Uh…no?" was his hesitant response.
Anko was left doing the best impression of a fish Naruto had ever seen. "It seems the academy standards have greatly gone down, Anko-san," Midori hissed.
"Under-fucking-statement of the year, Midori," Anko groused at her summon. "Note to self: talk to Hokage-sama about this."
"Long story short, the Rite's a twofold test that's used to weed out those who couldn't stomach what it took to be a ninja. The first half you gotta take the life of an animal at the academy. It wouldn't do Konoha any good if we had ninja who couldn't kill."
"And the other half?"
Anko merely looked at him in a manner that said 'use your brain'. It then quickly dawned on him, "A human! We gotta kill a human!"
"Duh! We're ninja. We kill people for a living, gaki. If you can't handle that then ya might as well stop what you're doing," Anko didn't bother to mention that those they killed in the second half were criminals or bandits. Nor did she mention the fact that a select number of those who didn't pass had an opportunity to still be useful in Konoha in one of the non-combatant divisions such as the medics, sensory, barrier, or cryptologists divisions. Problem was one needed a certain amount of talent and intelligence and pass a series of tests to be accepted.
"Technically speaking, you shouldn't be in your last year, gaki," Anko informed him, "though it may be a case that the Academy standards and curriculum changed for the worst. What exactly are the requirements to graduate?"
"Uh…Oh, the written test for one. Then there's the accuracy and physical exam, and finally the basic academy three exam," he finished.
"Okay, so the basic stuff, I get it. And," she motioned him to continue.
"… And what?" Naruto flinched, as Anko howled a stream of curses he never heard of.
"What the actual bloody fuck!" Anko could understand the written test; a ninja needed brains, not just brawn like the Legendary Stupid Brothers. The accuracy and physical exam were equally important as one didn't want a ninja who was physically weak and accidentally struck their own comrades or innocent bystanders, especially the client.
Having the academy three were a no brainer, but just knowing the basic academy ninjutsu wasn't enough for one to become a ninja. When she had graduated years ago, and she graduated much earlier, Anko had to demonstrate proficient use of three C-rank techniques with at least one of them being lethal when used against another.
Sure, it was up to the Jonin instructor to mentor their wards but they weren't there to babysit them either. The academy graduates were basically blades that had yet to be refined and tempered, it was the job of the Jounin to make sure this happened to them before they got into real life situations. If this was the current standards things really weren't looking good for Konoha.
Many had heard how Kiri had changed the standards that made them be known as the Bloody Mist but even then the standards were still high and demanding. Heck in Kumo it was a prerequisite that all Genin be proficient in the use of kenjutsu before graduation and the chakra flow technique.
"Note to self: Kick Umino's ass," the academy instructor had some serious explaining to do in her mind. Even if it wasn't his fault she still needed someone to vent on and she couldn't very well kick the Hokage's ass. "The man can kill me before I have time to blink."
Speaking of which.
"Duck," Anko called out before sending Midori towards a zombie behind Naruto, the constrictor quickly wrapping around the undead and crushing it's head with her jaw.
"That tasssted vile," the serpent gagged. Though she had nothing in her mouth she could still taste the rotten flesh on her ultrasensitive tongue. "Never make me do that again!" the summon hissed at the purple haired kunoichi.
"Didn't tell you to bite it, Midori … " Anko blinked before she walked over and picked up a bill of ryo.
"Whaa–You know what, I'm not gonna bother. Zombies dropping money isn't the weirdest thing I should expect from what I've been seeing… Plus I have more spending money for dango!" Ankor grinned and Naruto could honestly say he was a little disturbed by it.
"You mean you didn't notice it before?" Naruto asked.
"Too busy looking for you to really notice. So, you mentioned something about levelling up? What's that about?" she asked after a pause.
"Grinding mostly," at her confused look, he elaborated, "It means killing a bunch of enemies to level up quickly. Every zombie I kill gives me experience points; I get enough of em and I level up, which increases my stats and gives me AP," Naruto explained.
Anko nodded at the explanation; having no experience with video games or the lingo of it all, "So by levelling up you get stronger. I killed a bunch of em so will that do anything to me?" she wondered.
"Don't know if the same rules apply to you as they do to me. But if it's like video games I played I doubt it. Your level is very high compared to them; you may just be getting loot or the amount of EXP is very low. Like, you'd have to kill over a thousand of em to get close enough to level up," Naruto explained.
"Make sense", Anko thought… sorta, "So how do we find out?" Naruto was about to shrug, as he didn't have an answer, but a pop up appeared before him.
|Party Formation|
Party forming is a great way for adventurers to level up and acquire loot without fearing for their safety. Having a group has many benefits such as being able to defeat more enemies and allowing you to defeat much stronger foes you otherwise couldn't face. However, forming a party is not without its downsides. As a result of you no longer being in as much danger you will not be pushing yourself the experience you gain will be reduced. Groups of four will allow you to fight without any penalties on the experience you gain from enemies. Groups of five and upwards will reduce the total experience gained by five percent per additional member for a total of seventy-five percent. In addition, while having higher-level members offers greater security, any experience made by said members whose level is twenty levels higher than others, despite the contribution of lower level individuals, will be reduced by seventy-five percent.
To form a party you must either think or say the words 'Invite [insert person's last and first name]' and have the recipient accept.
"So all I have to do is think or say Invite Mitarashi Anko?" Naruto thought.
"Whoa! What the hell!" Naruto looked up and saw a floating text box in front of Anko. "What is this? What's going on?"
Well, that was easy, he thought, "It's an invite box. All you gotta do is accept and we're in a party. "
"Okay, yes! ... Nothing happened?" Anko frowned at the floating text box.
"I think you have to press it for it to work," Naruto guessed. His assumption was proven true; as no sooner had Anko pressed [YES] did the box disappear. Furthermore, Naruto noticed he could now view her Status Window despite her level.
Status Window
Name: Mitarashi Anko
Job: Tokubetsu Jonin
Relationship: Neutral
Level: 50? Next Level: 8876/120,900?
HP: 3075?
CP: 2525?
STR: 66?
VIT: 123?
END: 101?
DEX: 118?
INT: 115?
WIS: 99?
CHA: 101?
LUK: 54
Defense: 50
Specialization:
Torture and Interrogation Ninja
Special Perks:
Gamer's Companion: You can view and live your life like a video game. You can now acquire AP and SPP (Must be in party with the Gamer)
Perks:
Gifted Ninja: +10% Effectiveness, Power and EXP towards all skills, +10% EXP earned on missions and defeated foes, +1 Additional Attribute Point per Lv
Serpentine Grace: +2 DEX per Lv, +25% Speed increase towards [Taijutsu Skill], [Evasion Skill], [Counter Skill], +25% Power towards Critical Hits
Heightened Tolerance [Poison]: Immune to Basic, Intermediate and Expert Lv Poisons, Tolerance towards Master Lv Poisons increased by 75%, Tolerance towards Grand Master Lv Poisons increased by 50%, Tolerance towards Legendary Lv Poisons increased by 25%
Titles:
T&I Expert: +2 CHA per Lv,+85% Effectiveness and EXP towards [T&I Skill], +85% Effectiveness and EXP towards [Intimidation Skill]
Toxicology Expert: +60% Effectiveness, Power, and EXP towards [Poisons], +60% EXP towards [Toxicology Skill]
Snake Mistress of Konoha: -25% Reputation gain towards [Konoha Populace] below Neutral, -25% Effectiveness, Power, and EXP towards [Combination Techniques Skill] with [Konoha Populace] below Neutral
Tokubetsu Jonin: +25% EXP towards quests and enemies slain (only for character level up), Gain 25 AP a year you hold this title
Flaws/Debuffs:
Sealed Cursed Seal of Heaven: -30% Effectiveness, Power, and EXP towards skills, -30% towards base attributes, -30% EXP towards quests and enemies slain, Reduces bonuses from Perks, Titles and Special Perks by 30%, ?, (Can be removed)
Description: Not much is known about Mitarashi Anko's past, as she tends to keep to herself and only opens up to those she truly trusts. Hailed as a skilled ninja at a very young age, Anko later went on to become one of Konoha's top torture and interrogation specialists and an accomplished tracker, accomplishing tasks where others, other than the Inuzuka, failed. Due to her tutelage, Anko is one of Konoha's best toxicologists, having used and created many unique poisons both in the field and during interrogations. Her love of dango is quite well known and feared in certain circles, some say surpassing even Uzumaki Naruto's love for ramen.
Attribute Points: 0
Special Perk Points: 0
"I think I saw things I probably shouldn't have," fortunately for Naruto the woman in question was distracted long enough not to notice it.
"Okay, this is really weird," the T&I specialist mused and began to fiddle with a few things, "What's this AP and SPP?"
"Attribute Points and Special Perk Points," Naruto informed her and explained their function.
"Damn. With an ability like this your skill as a ninja would shoot through the roof and then some in no time," Anko surmised. "So if I kill enough of these undead bastards, I can level up?"
"Yep! But your level's pretty high already so trying to level here won't be quick for you compared to me," here he showed her the experience bar and how much she needed to level up. Furthermore, Naruto added, "And once all of them are gone, we're gonna have to wait twenty-four hours before they come back."
"Well, that blows. I already killed a bunch of em before I found you. Screw it. The ryo you earn will have to do."
"Come again," Naruto deadpanned.
"You heard me, gaki. You brought me here against my will so you owe me. Half of what you earn is mine as recompense… that means as punishment," she elaborated.
"Half! Are you kidding me?!" the amount of ryo he could earn here could be close to ten thousand, "You can earn more than enough if you kill em yourself. You one-off them like they're nothing."
"True," Anko wouldn't deny that, "But out of both of us, you have the most to gain by killing em. I kill em and I barely put a dent in the experience I get."
Naruto frowned at the woman's logic. However, there was no way Naruto was giving away half that, "How about I owe you a ten pranks?" Naruto bargained; he failed instantaneously.
"Nope," Anko shot down his offer barely a second later.
"Twenty pranks?" was he counter offer; Anko didn't even bat an eyelash this time. Thinking on the spot, Naruto offered once more, "Five pranks and two thousand ryo?" he hoped.
Anko said nothing for nearly thirty seconds before she gave her own counter offer, "Seven pranks and three-thousand ryo."
Naruto countered once again, "Seven pranks, two-thousand ryo."
Anko frowned, "Don't insult me, gaki. Five pranks and thirty-five hundred ryo."
Naruto wanted to curse. Bartering was something he was relatively new at, while Anko clearly knew what she was doing. Not wanting to tempt fate and have the price to go up once more, Naruto finally relented and accepted Anko's latest offer.
"Deal," Anko merely grinned like a cat at her win; Naruto ignored the pop-up regarding his [Bargaining Skill] increasing to level two.
"Pleasure doing business with ya, gaki," Naruto glared; Anko stuck her tongue out like a child. Midori shook her head at the childish antics of humans.
Deciding to he focus on the task at hand, Anko said, "Well, now that that's settled, go kill some zombies. Midori, stay close and watch the kid," though he didn't say anything Naruto was actually touched that Anko was thinking of his well-being.
"Don't coddle him but make sure his ass stays out of the fire," Anko told her familiar, "We're screwed if he dies on us."
Naruto realized he'd have to downsize his comment on the caring part. And he decided not to bother telling her about the fact he could die but still come back from it.
(Sometime Later)
Smashing his pipe into the back of another Ninja Zombie's head, Naruto was satisfied to see its head catch fire and watch it flail around like a headless chicken. The action only served is purposes when it barrelled into a group of undead, knocking them down and causing them to catch fire, too.
Grabbing a poor quality shuriken he got from a previous Ninja Zombie, Naruto attached a [Poor-Grade Exploding Tags], a rare drop from the same zombie, and threw it at the group. Poor Grades Exploding Tags were the weakest of the exploding tags, as while they were still functional the formulas used to make them were horrible. At the bare minimum, they only dealt one-hundred and fifteen damage. The tag was used more for controlled demolition work, and was a threat only when used in large numbers and only on the weakest of foes.
Case and point: the group exploded and was scattered pretty much everywhere. Those that managed to survive either lost limbs or died when they crashed into a surface. A good and decisive blow to the head ended them quickly and Naruto proceeded to collect the dropped loot.
Off to the side, Naruto saw Anko's summon watching from the shadows. Any zombie or cat dumb enough to try and attack the deadly serpent more or less ended up dead almost instantaneously. Naruto couldn't help but shudder, the summon used every part of its body as a weapon: from its maw filled with sharp venomous teeth to its tail that asphyxiated or skewered her foes as if it was a spear.
"Thank kami she's on my side," Naruto knew that if she were his enemy he'd be dead, or worse eaten alive.
"Ok, that makes seventy-two zombies and two cats," Naruto huffed a bit before whipping the sweat off his face. The blond had to admit he was getting a decent workout going through actual combat instead of what he usually did. He had little time to rest as another horde of undead waddled and limped their way towards him.
Off to the shadows and out of Naruto's sight, Anko spoke to her familiar, "How's the brat doing?" she asked.
"The boy has good instincts. His tactical thinking is unorthodox but I can't deny its effectiveness at times. But his need to mind his surroundings requires improvement," more than once did Midori see Naruto stumble or fail to notice an enemy before they got a decent blow.
"He also has a bad habit of letting his emotions get the better of him and I noticed that it gets him into trouble when he could have easily beaten dealt with his foes. His fighting style is instinctive but poorly structured. All in all, he has potential but needs a tune up, desperately," was Midori's assessment.
Anko sighed but nodded in agreement. Naruto did have potential but he was a shaping up to be a piss poor ninja in the making if things continued as they were. The woman could only wonder how the other students at the academy fared, too.
Her thoughts on the matter didn't linger that long as an unholy and soulless scream resonated from everywhere. Anko winced but didn't need to block the sound as it quickly ended.
"What the hell was that?" Anko wondered and had a gut feeling. It was a gut feeling that was developed after years of experience.
"The undead… they're amassing two blocks away from here," Midori informed. As a snake summon the serpent could sense and see in ways ordinary snakes couldn't. The zombies lacked chakra but had something else that allowed her to track them. And right now she could see that they were also joining in at the same location. But that wasn't the oddest thing.
"They're… fusing?" Midori sounded confused while Anko looked confused.
That confusion turned into worry as an incredibly large bellow rang and caused the walls and nearby structures to vibrate.
|WARNING! WARNING! DUNGEON BOSS REQUIREMENTS MET! DUNGEON BOSS HAS NOW APPEARED!|
"Oh, that can't be good," Anko's suspicions were proven right moments later when a dark grayish being that towered over the buildings appeared.
Boss: Legion Zombie– Lv. 34
HP: ?
CP: ?
STR: ?
VIT: ?
END: ?
DEX: ?
INT: ?
WIS: ?
CHA: ?
LUK: ?
Defense: ?
Special Perks:
? : ?
Perks:
? : ?
Titles:
? : ?
Flaws/Debuffs:
? : ?
Description: Whenever zombies of the dungeon feel threatened due to mass hunting they met at a nearby location in large numbers and merge into this unholy twenty-five foot tall creature. The result is creating a conglomerate of hundreds of zombies hence the name "Legion". Unlike regular zombies this abomination has slight intelligence thanks to the collective minds of those used to "birth" it, but even then it's not that impressive. Its huge body grants it an enormous amount of strength and health, allowing it to smash buildings with relative ease, and crush its foes with minimum blows. However, its large intimating size is also its greatest weakness as it makes it an easy target to strike and it cannot move very fast.
Exp Earn: ?
Drops: ?, ?, ?
Legend of the Kyuubi
Making the rounds.
- Joined
- Sep 14, 2026
- Messages
- 35
Chapter 4: To Go Up, You Go Down
Naruto could only think of three things to say the moment he saw the incredibly tall behemoth of merged undead, "Oh, come on!"
Naruto was not one to back down from a challenge. The ninja in training constantly pushed himself to surpass his limits – physically and ninjutsu wise that is – to prove he wasn't what many proclaimed him to be: a failure. Coming to this dungeon, Naruto was eager for action and the opportunity that it represented. But there was opportunity and a chance to prove one's self-worth, and then there was suicide and overkill.
Towering in front of him was the latter two. If he counted his video games, this zombie was easily the largest he had ever encountered. Naruto had levelled up and improved in the last week but the gap between his current level and a level thirty-four boss with unknown attributes was huge. Even then it didn't take a genius to know this thing's physical strength was crazy high. He'd wager it was more than enough to crush him like one would a bug: without much effort.
Large things such as these tended to be slow, so Naruto guessed he had speed on his side. However, it wasn't always the case. Naruto was stubborn and pigheaded and performed stunts that had many questioning his intelligence on more than one occasion, but even he wasn't asinine enough to face an opponent he likely had no chance of winning against. Certainly, he wouldn't 'die' per say, but Naruto didn't want to lose all his hard-earned experience points.
"I'd risk it if it were only ten levels higher," opponents than were ten levels higher than his own level were difficult but doable, if he planned it right, and very rewarding. Being twenty-seven levels higher was another story.
Even in large groups of the same level at best it would be doable but difficult. But Naruto was currently doing a solo-act and his skills and personal resources were extremely limited. He had plenty of tricks and ingenuity on his side, but – and his lack of decent skills came into play once more – he doubted they would help much against something that lacked any semblance of intelligence.
"Hey! What the hell is that thing!" Anko asked as she landed behind him.
"The dungeon boss," was Naruto's reply.
"Dungeon boss?"
"Basically the strongest baddy you'll encounter in the dungeon, big rewards but big trouble to deal with," unless one's level and attributes matched it.
"Okay… Have fun!"
"What!" the recently turned teen exclaimed.
"Just busting yer chops, Gaki," Anko grinned, "I'm gonna throw ya a bone here, mostly cuz I don't wanna be stuck here if you die. I'll deal with it but any money it drops is mine."
"Nice to see you care," Naruto grumbled but had little choice on the matter. He had few skills or decent equipment to do much against a foe this strong. He had his creativity but once more that would only get him so far, "Stupid academy and them not teaching anything but the basic crap."
"GRAAOOOOGHHHH!" the large undead being bellowed. Naruto had to plug his ears from the loud sound while Anko merely blinked.
"Ummm, what the hell is it doing? Ain't it supposed to, I dunno, try and smash us?" And true to her word, Naruto watched as the large undead being lumbered away, crushing buildings as it walked through them without a care in the world. No assault came their way.
"Huh? Guess the Legion Zombie's description was generous with the whole intelligence thing," in essence the being was ridiculously big but just as stupid.
"Lame," Anko wanted to have a decent challenge at least but it appeared that wasn't going to be the case. "Hey, Gaki, you up for a challenge?"
"Challenge?" Naruto was curious but narrowed his eyes, "What kind?"
"Nothing too bad. Just bring his health down a notch. Brainless here is nothing compared to some of the beasties and summons you'll see down the road so it shouldn't be too bad. Midori will stick with ya just in case. Think you can handle it?"
[QUEST ALERT!]
Cutting it Down to Size!
Main Quest: Reduce the Legion's Zombie's health to 75% without Anko's help.
Side Quest 1: Reduce the Legion's Zombie's health to 50% without Anko's help.
Side Quest 2: Reduce the Legion's Zombie's health to 25% without Anko's help.
Side Quest 3: Kill the Legion Zombie without Anko's help!
Main Quest Completion: 1000 Exp, +100 Reputation [Anko], ?
Side Quests 1 Completion: 1250 Exp, +150 Reputation [Anko], +1 Attribute Point
Side Quests 2 Completion: 1500 Exp, +150 Reputation [Anko], +2 Attribute Point
Side Quest 3 Completion: 2000 EXP, +300 Reputation [Anko], +3 Attribute Points
Failure: 100 Exp, Potential Loss of Currently Earned EXP
Accept? (Yes/No)
Special Note: Upon completing the Main Quest you will have the option of ending [Cutting Him Down to Size].
Naruto was facing a conundrum. If he accepted the quest the rewards were pretty good, which they should be due to the large level gap and high probability of failing. But on the other hand, he ran the risk of losing his experience points when he was just about to level up. Naruto being Naruto chose the former.
"Nothing ventured, nothing gained," were his thoughts, accepting the quest and getting to work.
In his present circumstances, a head on assault was suicidal. Naruto had none of the preferred prerequisites to accomplish such a feat. Hiding in a nearby alley, Naruto checked his inventory to see what could be used against the towering boss, which wasn't much unfortunately.
"More than a dozen [Zombie Ribs], and two [Poor-Grade Exploding Tags]," the only other item of worth was the [First-Aid Kit], "Status Window."
Status Window
Name: Uzumaki Naruto
Job: Academy Student
Level: 7 Next Level: 3785.5/4500
HP: 2625
CP: 4525
STR: 14?
VIT: 77?
END: 102?
DEX: 24?
INT: 34
WIS: 10
CHA: 6
LUK: ?
DEF: 15
Attribute Points: 7
Naruto frowned as he saw his attributes. Initially he wanted to save up his points for an emergency but right now he couldn't afford to be picky. STR was of little use to him right now along with INT, CHA, and WIS, while END and VIT were comfortably high enough at the moment.
"DEX it is," he nodded and put all seven points into DEX, hoping the boost in speed and evasion he'd gain would be of help for what he had planned: using his cunning and stealth to search the building.
Entering a nearby building, while Midori followed him from behind, Naruto scanned the area and saw no zombies, "Guess making the big guy took the lot of em," either way it was a boon for him. Naruto searched the house for anything that could be of use to him.
"Junk … Useless. … Don't wanna know … Really don't wanna know… Ah! Moving!" Naruto quickly slammed the drawer shut and cursed his bipolar luck. Searching the other nearby buildings, Naruto only managed to find semi-useful things such as more rags and tape but nothing that could aid him against the giant walking corpse outside.
"Come on. There's gotta be something around here," Naruto refused to accept there was nothing here to assist him.
Clank!
Looking below him at the noise's origin, Naruto felt a hard surface shift beneath his sandaled foot: a manhole cover, "The sewers?"
While there was no guarantee that anything was down there, Naruto had checked pretty much every else and every available nook and cranny and came up short. The sewers were the only place he hadn't checked yet. In the distance the Legion Zombie was slowly making its way back towards his general location.
"Sewers it is," pulling off the cover, Naruto jumped down into the sewers in the hopes of finding something that would help him defeat the Legion Zombie.
|Congratulations! You've located the secret dungeon [Sewers]!
|For discovering the secret dungeon your EXP and money earned has been increased by an additional 10%! Your [Novice Zombie Slayer] title has been temporarily increased to [Journeyman Zombie Slayer]! These boost will expire upon leaving the dungeon.|
Secret Dungeons
Secret dungeons are dungeons within dungeons that allow one to acquire additional loot and gear to aid them in defeating the initial dungeon. Secret dungeons differ from normal dungeons as they are not always present and sometimes circumstances need to be accomplished before they can be found. Furthermore, these dungeons will sometimes lack a boss of their own, generally having a mini-boss instead, and may even lack enemies and be merely a treasure cove of valuable resources.
After he finished reading the pop up, and doing the math, Naruto realized that with his current [Academy Ninja] and [Journeyman Zombie Slayer] titles, it would lead to an additional forty percent increase in experience points from undead enemies. Not to mention the additional damage and drops it granted him as well.
"Sweet!" Naruto loved his weird luck. It almost made up for the horrible stench the sewers emitted, the kami-knows-what liquid he was standing in, and the near pitch black that covered his vision. Grabbing his pipe, Naruto was glad to see that it was still lit, allowing him to illuminate the area, but not that well. Unfortunately, it had the consequence of attracting the nearby locales.
Sewer Zombie – Lv 7
HP: 350
CP: 0
STR: 23
VIT: 14
END: 24
DEX: 16
INT: 0
WIS: 0
CHA: 9
LUK: 0 (You're dead. Your luck sucks.)
Defense: 17
Specialization:
None
Special Perks:
None
Perks:
Undead Being: [Ignore Pain], Immune to poisons, mental attacks, and negative psychological afflictions, +30% tolerance towards bladed weapons and Taijutsu
Undead Stalker: Movement Speed for [Stealth] Increased by 25%, [Stealth] Effectiveness Increased by 25%, Power and Chances for Critical Hits Increased by 25%
Flaws:
Walking Corpse: LUK, INT, WIS are non-existent, CP is always zero regardless of END, -30% tolerance towards blunt weapons, fire weapons, and fire skills
? : ?
Description: A zombie that adapted to living in the sewers. While physically weaker than a ninja zombie, it has been hardened by its harsher environment, which allowed it become a better hunter and ambusher. In addition, living and eating in such an environment has resulted in the loss of [Burning Agony] and added a few new features other zombies normally wouldn't possess. However, such features also come at a cost.
EXP Earned: 135 + [40%] = 189 EXP
Drops: ?, ?, ?
Rare Drops: ?
Naruto merely grinned as he prepared himself, but was caught off guard as a zombie suddenly emerged from the imperceptible waters bellow. The zombie grabbed him in a bear hug and both it and the young academy student fell into the waters below. The zombie gnawed and spewed a dark, vile viscous-like substance on its victim that started to burn and melt the worn clothing.
Naruto, however, merely ignored this as he smashed the back of the zombie's head with an unforgiving blow from his lit pipe. Kawarimi and Henge were simple but effective techniques, especially when used in tangent with one another.
"So you bastards spite acid, or whatever the hell that is," Naruto ducked as another zombie shot a glob of the stuff at him, watching it bubble and sizzle on the nearby wall of the sewers.
"Ryoku Boku (Power Strike)!" Naruto struck the downed zombie's head once more and looked on in satisfaction as it caught fire. It was soon replaced by confusion and then followed up with worry as the zombie began to bloat like a malformed balloon with glowing red cracks littering its form. Naruto had seen enough video games to know that an explosion was about to occur.
"Crap!" Naruto ran as quick as he could to distance himself from the undead turned bomb but the zombie was quicker. The force of the explosion was enough that water/smudge was sent everywhere, burning anything it touched, and Naruto was flung harshly into the air before he came barrelling down onto a horde of undead.
"… Owwww," he groaned, noticing he had lost a good chunk of HP from the suicide move and hazardous substance that hit him.
|WARNING! CHEST ARMOR DESTROYED! DEFENCE REDUCED!|
|WARNING! PANTS ARMOR IS NOW BELOW 50% DURABILITY!|
"Oh, come on! That's a load of bullsh– OWWWW!" Naruto shouted as pain shot from his arm. Realizing he lost his pipe in the explosion, Naruto retaliated by grabbing a kunai and began stabbing at the zombie's head until death forced it to finally let go. Naruto counted himself fortunate that the other zombies he was sprawled on were face down in the muck.
Getting up, Naruto's [Detect Bloodlust] came into effect. Unfortunately, its current level didn't allow Naruto to know where it was coming from. Beings such as zombies, who lacked emotions, didn't trigger the ability. So far the only enemies that caused it to flare up were the [Wailing Cats], and that was only after they successfully snuck up on him and deliberately allowed their presence to be known.
Looking around, Naruto saw only zombies and no cats. Some of the former had cheeks that began to swell. Knowing they were about to shoot blobs of nasty gunk at him, Naruto leaped away to a safer distance, his foot striking a piece of metal that turned out to be his pipe.
His actions unknowingly saved him. From up above his previous position, a dark shadow fell upon the rising zombies and flattened them back down onto the ground like pancakes. The mass actually seemed to stretch and contort like a piece of dough before it slowly regained an asymmetric sphere resembling shape. To his surprise, Naruto observed the wreathing shape of zombies struggle as they tried to escape its clutches.
"Oookaaayyy," that was creepy to see as that old lady in a bikini photo he found in the Old Man's drawer. Okay, that was a tad excessive… this was nowhere as creepy.
Ooze – Lv 7
HP: 400
CP: 400
STR: 20
VIT: 16
END: 20
DEX: 33
INT: 3
WIS: 4
CHA: 3
LUK: 2
Defense: 15
Specialization:
None
Special Perks:
[Basic] Assimilator: Whenever an [Ooze] successfully assimilates another creature into itself, it gains a 15% increase to its Attributes along with other benefits
Perks:
Divider: 30% chance of [Dividing] into two [Oozes] when health is below 30% and if struck by a bladed weapon
Ambusher: Effectiveness of [Stealth] Increased by 50% in darkened area, Power and Chances for Critical Hits Increased by 25% when using [Stealth]
Gelatinous: [Blunt Weapons Resistance] Increased by 85%, [Taijutsu Resistance] Increased by 85%, [Bladed Weapons Resistance] Decreased by 85%
Flaws:
Slow as Molasses: Movement Speed, and Evasion Speed decreased by 85%
Flaw Assimilation: Whenever an [Ooze] successfully assimilates another creature into itself, it also gains the weaknesses and flaws of said creature
? : ?
Description: A gelatinous amorphous-like monster form from the muck and unstable elements and runoff chemicals of its environment. Slow as hell, this creature shouldn't be underestimated, especially by beginners. Stealthy and capable of masking its presence, it can swiftly end another's existence in mere seconds. However, its biggest strength comes from its ability to assimilate other creatures not only to heal itself but to also grant itself greater strength.
EXP Earned: 125 + [20%] = 150 EXP
Drops: ?, ?
Rare Drops: ?, ?
"Ah, crap," if there was one thing Naruto despised just as much as he did ghosts it was ooze monsters. Not the cute cuddly ones with the smiley face, but the black tarry ones that spat out equipment destroying acid, hard as hell projectiles, flammable oils, or toxic sludge like no tomorrow. It also didn't help that Naruto's current weapon wasn't going to work too well on such monsters.
"This just gets better and be– woah!" Naruto ducked as a ball of something shot at him. To his surprise, that something turned out to be a zombie, its HP lingering on the precipice of death.
Assimilation
Assimilation is a technique used by certain monsters to recover health and strengthen themselves. However, the process does not have a one hundred percent success rate. Should the process fail the monsters will regurgitate its victims, and in some cases launching their bodies with incredibly accuracy to injure prey or enemies.
"That explains that," with that tidbit of information, Naruto took advantage of the situation, "Later zombie," said zombie's existence came to an end when the pipe struck its head. Focusing once more on the Ooze, Naruto watched in jiggle and contort in an odd manner.
Once more, he was forced to duck as another zombie came flying at him. The undead striking head first against the wall of the sewers but Naruto ended its life once more.
|Congratulations! Your level has increased by one!|
Name: Uzumaki Naruto
Job: Academy Student
Level: 8 Next Level: 41.5/5400
HP: 2625 + [350] ~ 2975?
CP: 4525 + [625] ~ 5150?
STR: 14 ~ 14?
VIT: 77 + [10] ~ 87?
END: 102 [15]~ 117?
DEX: 31 [1] ~ 32?
INT: 34 ~ 34
WIS: 10 ~ 10
CHA: 6 ~ 6
LUK: ? ~ ?
DEF: 10 ~ 10
Attribute Points: 0 ~3
"Finally. Some good news," Naruto grinned. While it was OP, Naruto didn't care. Quite frankly he enjoyed the other perks of a level up: full restoration of his CP and HP and his fatigue levels were reset, too.
Waiting for the next zombie to be launched, Naruto observed as the Ooze began to change from its normally black color to unhealthy, putrid greyish one, "Guess that means the assimilation as worked."
Sure enough, a quick use of [Observe] proved his guess to be correct: the creature had enhanced attributes. The Ooze's higher than his DEX would have been unsettling if its movement speed wasn't impeded. Furthermore, while its attributes were now higher, the creature had now gained the zombie's weakness for fire and blunt objects. Its tolerance remained, but at least now it was at a lower level. Furthermore, the assimilation now had it classified as an [Undead] enemy, which meant greater power to his weapon and skills.
Naruto cackled before putting away his pipe and dashed forward with two kunai racing behind him. While they lacked the raw power of his makeshift weapon, the kunai were both quicker and more than enough for what he had in mind.
But the Ooze struck first by flattening its body, causing various protrusions to come out of virtually every angle. Naruto slipped on the sludgy floor as he tried to stop himself from impalement. His reward was twofold: lack of becoming skewered and getting a horrendous mouthful of god knows what.
"GAAAHHH!" Naruto spat and retched his heart out; the taste was excruciatingly nasty, "FUCKING DAMN IT! OH, GOD!" Naruto's stomach emptied once more, the contents mixing into the sludge.
|Your lack of proper action has cost you 450 HP|
"YOU'RE FUCKING DEAD!" the young ninja harshly bellowed at the Ooze, causing the creature stiffen and become immobile.
|Congratulation! A special skill has been created due to a special act! Due your intense desire to harm another, you have learned the [Killing Intent] skill!|
|Killing Intent. Lv 1. 7% to Next Lv| Skill Modifier: CHA [C], END [E] Mastering Speed: E|. A skill that allows you to project negative intent upon another to the point it negatively affects them in various ways depending on the circumstances. While often confused as a genjutsu, Killing Intent is actually one's will manifested through their chakra, though only a select few have a gift for the skill and fewer can actually master it. Full mastery of the skill and enough desire can result in victims committing suicide or suffer from full mental breakdowns. CP Cost: 500 CP per Use.
· Success rate to cause [Stunned] status effect 31% + (CHA *1) + (END *.25) +/- (Caster Level – Victim Level) + Victim's (CHA *1) + (END *.25)
· Success rate to cause [Unconscious] status effect 1% + (CHA *1) + (END *.25) +/- (Caster Level – Victim Level) + Victim's (CHA *1) + (END *.25)
· Success rate to cause [Hysteria] status effect –31% + (CHA *1) + (END *.25) +/- (Caster Level – Victim Level) + Victim's (CHA *1) + (END *.25)
"Okay, awesome," were Naruto's thoughts before he dashed once more with the intent of ending the creature once and for all. In its currently impaired state, the Ooze was unable to fight back as Naruto hacked, slashed and stabbed with wild abandoned. While the kunai weren't the most damaging of weapons, each rapid blow landed resulted in a critical hit that quickly depleted its HP levels. By the time it was able to retaliate more than four-fifths of HP were gone.
Weakened as it was in its current state, the Ooze only managed to land a grazing blow; one Naruto almost completely dodged it at the last minute. Almost. Finally, after a few more successfully landed blows, Naruto managed to end the creature once more before it vanished into a series of lights. With the area cleared of foes, Naruto began collecting the drops that were left behind. Aside from the ryo, much of what was found was useless to use until he found the last drop.
Basic Grade Armour Acid – Common Quality
Item Type: Offensive
Damage: - 75HP
Durability: One-Time Use
Description: A basic vial of acid used that can be used for a number of different purposes. This one in particular, if used against an enemy, has the ability to reduce the unfortunate victim's defense and as well as cause damage over a period of time.
Debuffs/Flaws: Victim is impaired with temporary debuffs [Armor Break: Lv 1], [Minor Acid Burns: Lv 1]
Buff: [Stackable]
"Finally. Something good," Naruto was relieved his trip down in the muck wasn't a waste. Each debuff lasted a good ten minutes and the stackable buff spoke for itself. Alone he very much doubted it would be enough to take down the Legion Zombie, but with enough of them and some well placed traps, Naruto was certain he'd be able to bring down a good deal of health.
With that in mind, Naruto sent off to find more items that would be of use to him against the boss. Stealthily following behind him was an unhappy serpent.
(Sometime Later: Above the Sewer Dungeon)
"Dear kami above. What the hell is taking that kid so long?" Anko asked no one. "If I knew it was gonna take forever ... Ah, shit."
Anko was bored. And a bored Anko was someone others didn't want to be around of. Even those she liked weren't always spared. Personally, she was tempted to off giant and brainless in the distance with a well-placed fire release technique. But Anko was a kunoichi of her word, most of the time. And unless Naruto asked her she would not interfere in whatever he had planned.
It didn't mean she didn't like the wait. She couldn't exactly kill the boredom either, as much of the zombies were gone by either the hands of the ninja in training, herself, or they assimilated into the tall and ugly streaker that lacked genitalia.
Honestly, Anko doubted she'd have offered the deal to any other wet behind the ears academy student. One of the main ones why she did was most likely because Naruto reminded the kunoichi of herself at that age: a hotheaded ninja who wanted to prove herself to everyone around her. This was even more so when she was betrayed and labelled a pariah by more than half the village for something they truly didn't understand, or bother to understand, really.
The kunoichi noted that Naruto had guts, determination, creativity and a lot of piss and vinegar, too. Anko thought that all good ninja needed that. But the problem was the fact that, that was all Naruto really had going for him. His fighting style was unorthodox but flawed and wasteful, and his ninjutsu repertoire for combat would make the founding fathers of Konoha question if he was even a ninja.
Had it not been for his reputation, Anko certainly would have.
All in all, even for a self-taught individual, Naruto sucked. Naruto was no genius, not by a long shot. He was a hard worker but that wasn't enough. His only noteworthy feature was the incredible stamina he possessed that was many times larger than any one in his age group. Naruto needed help, and he needed it big time. The ninja world wasn't anywhere as cruel as it used to be during the nearly two millennia long age known as the Era of Warring States, but it was a still a cruel world for the weak and ill-prepared nonetheless.
Left to his own devices, Anko was certain the world would eat him whole. He'd be lucky if it spat him back out without any permanent damage.
"Great. Now I'm going soft," Anko huffed at the irony of it all, badass kunoichi as she liked to call herself, and yet here she was fretting over an annoying kid.
"I really need to get outta here," she muttered and once more began to wonder what the hell was taking Naruto so long. She'd give him a little while longer but if nothing was done within the next half hour, Anko would deal with the boss herself.
(Sewer Dungeons)
|Warning! You have half an hour to take action against the Legion Zombie or the quest [Cutting it Down to Size!] will end in failure|
"So not the time!" Naruto barked and ducked under a launched zombie. The boy glared at the opponent before him.
Giant Ooze – Lv 10
HP: 800
CP: 650
STR: 31
VIT: 32
END: 26
DEX: 23
INT: 6
WIS: 7
CHA: 6
LUK: 5
Defense: 29
Specialization:
[Intermediate] Assimilator: Whenever a [Giant Ooze] successfully assimilates another creature into itself, it gains a 30% increase to its Attributes along with other benefits
Special Perks:
None
Perks:
Giant Divider: 30% chance of [Dividing] into three [Oozes] when health is below 30% and if struck by a bladed weapon
Ambusher: Effectiveness of [Stealth] Increased by 50% in darkened area, Power and Chances for Critical Hits Increased by 25% when using [Stealth]
Gelatinous: [Blunt Weapons Resistance] Increased by 85%, [Taijutsu Resistance] Increased by 85%, [Bladed Weapons Resistance] Decreased by 85%
Flaws:
Slow as Molasses: Movement Speed, and Evasion Speed decreased by 85%
Weakness Assimilation: Whenever a [Giant Ooze] successfully assimilates another creature into itself, it also gains the weaknesses of said creature
? : ?
Description: A large gelatinous being formed from multiple [Oozes] that merge into one or when a single [Ooze] manages to assimilate three other foes. As a result, it is stronger and slightly more intelligent, though that isn't saying much. Due to its greater size, it is more resilient to attacks and can shoot objects with greater force and at a greater distance.
EXP Earned: 145
Drops: ?, ?
Rare Drops: ?, ?
Naruto frowned and really regretted not ending the three Oozes he encountered quickly enough. But then again, the amount of zombies in the area distracting hum didn't help.
"Piss off!" spinning around, Naruto harshly smashed in zombie's chest when it tried taking a swipe at him. With the pipe regaining the [Conditional Firebrand: Basic Rank] more damage was dealt and the zombie caught fire.
Having the unfortunate first-hand experience of knowing what was to come next, Naruto propelled himself from the wall and lashed out with a double stomp kick to the aflame and bulging being's face. The force was enough to send it towards the Giant Ooze, who began to try and assimilate the undead morsel. The act ended up being a huge mistake as the zombie exploded in a spectacular fashion.
Naruto watched as the Giant Ooze's form suddenly and violently swelled up like a balloon with too much water or air. Red cracks began to form on its body and Naruto cursed loudly.
"Shit!" and ducked behind a pillar. But the act was for not and Naruto felt himself shoved into the muck as a huge wave of concussive force crashed into him, flames briefly licking his back before they were extinguished by the wet and horrid substance he found himself submerged in. Rising out of the sewer water, Naruto idly wondered how many showers or baths it would take to get himself thoroughly clean.
|Congratulations! Through a special act you've discovered and unlocked the hidden weakness of the [Oozes]! [Unstable Chemistry]!|
|Unstable Chemistry|
Unique to the [Ooze] family due to them being composed of various elements not meant to be together.
Being struck by fire, lightning, or explosion type attacks have a 55% chance of causing [Self-Destruction], and 30% of causing [Great Self-Destruction]. However, being directly caught in the explosion will cause the victim – those who survive – to suffer from random flaws/debuffs for the next half hour.
"Damn. Talk about a crappy flaw," Naruto whistled as he inspected the damage. The wall where the Giant Ooze was situated had a huge hole in it was more than twice Naruto's size. All around him were scattered loot floating on the sewer water, the explosion having taken out a large number of nearby monsters, too.
Checking his [Status Window], Naruto's eyes nearly bulged out when he realized his experience had shot up to by a large amount. Right now he was more than six-tenths of the way to levelling up once more.
However, it quickly dawned on Naruto that he was now on a time crunch, "Gotta make this quick," he muttered and began looking around for the loot. Unlike last time, Naruto found more useful items such as two vials of [Basic Grade Armour Acid], for a total of five now, and a new item that would definitely come in handy.
Unstable Cocktail – Uncommon Quality
Item Type: Offensive
Damage: - 500HP
Durability: One-Time Use
Description: A vial containing the concentrated essence of [Ooze] monsters and will allow for incredible damage along with other nasty surprises on unprepared victims.
Debuffs/Flaws: Victim is impaired with temporary debuffs [Random Debuff: Lv 1], [Burning]
"Dattebayo! Hitting his ugly mug with this will seriously mess him up," Naruto wished there was more of the item but time was of the essence, and he needed to move.
As he made to move to the exit, Naruto blinked as he spotted something unbelievable from the hole in the wall, "A chest… A chest! Yes! Thank you, kami!" Naruto whooped. If his ability mimicked that of games, Naruto knew that said chest in question would have decent loot. This was doubly so since it was a hidden chest.
And it was a large one at that.
Eagerly did Naruto open the large strong box; stars replaced his eyes as he beheld its contents: five thousand ryo bills, potion vials, a scroll, and a weapon. While the former was welcomed, Naruto was more interested in the latter three and promptly used [Observe].
Basic Grade Health Potion - Rare Quality
Item Type: Recovery Item
Durability: One-Time Use
Description: An item that instantly heals one's HP. Though it is called a potion, in truth is actually liquid medical chakra mixed with various herbs. The purpose of its creation was to instantly heal the wounds of an individual but it cannot cure illnesses, fatigue, or energy levels. The creation of this potion and its improvements were thought to be a mere myth or fabrication as few of them were ever created or seen and the methods on creating them were never found. Has a bitter taste.
Buffs/Perks: User instantly recovers 30% of their total HP
Katon Hidama (Fireball) Scroll
|Katon: Hidama (Fire Release: Fireball) D-Rank: Lv 1. 0% to Next Lv| Skill Modifier: N/A| Mastering Speed: B| A basic fire release technique that creates a small fireball that deals minor injuries and burns, and can even be used to conceal thrown weapons if done properly. While more or less used to make campfires this technique is a great stepping-stone for learning more complicated Katon Ninjutsu. CP usage: 55 CP|
· Launches one fireball per use
· Damage: 19-25 per fireball
· Range: 3 Meters
Seishoyo (Holy Brand) – Epic Quality
Item Type: Blunt Weapon
Item Modifier Rank: STR [C]
Durability 80/80
While it resembles a red-hot torch, its metal studs on the end show that it is very much designed for combat. Useful in not only providing light, the small cudgel is also designed to set foes alight much more easily and allows it to inflict additional damage. In addition, it possesses a holy element to it that makes it an effective weapon against those classified as [undead].
Attack Power: 25–33 + (Modifier) + (Bonus) = 50.7 - 61.1
Bonus Perks: [Illuminator: Lv 1], [Firebrand: Intermediate Rank], [Zombie-Hater]
Unique Weapon Skill: [Hikaru (Brilliance)]
Fuinjutsu Slots Available: [One Major Slot], [Two Minor Slots]
Usage Requirement: 15 STR, Basic Blunt Weapon Mastery
[Illuminator: Lv 1]
By saying the command words "Light On" it clearly illuminates the surrounding area within a radius of thirty feet. By uttering the command words "Light Off" the illumination ceases. Using the ability grants in darkened areas gives the bearer the flaw [Moth to a Flame].
|Firebrand: Intermediate Rank|
Base weapon attack power increased by 30%, 40% Chance of causing [Burning] debuff
|Zombie-Hater|
Gives the wielder the benefits of the [Zombie-Slayer] Title and allows one to locate [undead] within twenty-five meters and see them clearly in darkened areas. If wielder already has title equipped then it is increased to the next title level available (cannot increase beyond maximum title level)
|Hikaru (Brilliance)|
Hikaru is a unique weapon skill that activates when its name is said by the wielder. When used in darkened areas, it has a 65% chance of causing the [Stunned], and has a 35% chance of causing the debuff [Visually Impaired]. Can be used when lit or unlit. CP Cost: 150 CP per use.
"JACKPOT!" next to the discovery of the beautiful wonder that was known as ramen, this was easily one of Naruto's happiest moments. Eagerly storing away the loot, Naruto brandished his weapon before red flashed before him.
|ERROR! ERROR! YOU CURRENTLY DON'T MEET THE REQUIREMENTS TO WIELD THIS EQUIPMENT! A PENALTY TO WEAPON DAMAGE AND SPEED AND ABILITIES HAS OCCURRED!"
Sure enough, Naruto saw his weapon become the exact opposite in a blink of an eye, "What! Why the hell … Oh, right," Naruto slapped himself for forgetting. Putting only one of the recently acquired AP into his STR, Naruto watched as the penalty vanished and breathed a sigh of relief as Seishoyo returned to normal.
Naruto considered himself very fortunate given his circumstances. In games, the chances of low-level characters getting an epic rank weapon such as this in their first dungeon were very low. And yet, while it was only a low level epic weapon, Naruto had managed to acquire one nonetheless. Already it was a strong weapon with the modifier and bonus stat. Adding in the boosts from his titles and skills meant this was the best possible weapon for this dungeon.
Now equipped with the weapon, Naruto used the command phrase and blinked as he saw the environment light up, which allowed him to see everything with greater clarity. Though, in hindsight, it wasn't all that pretty given it was a sewer. The flaw [Moth to a Flame] wasn't something he liked either, since it decreased the effectiveness of his [Stealth] skill by giving away his position in dark areas – it was a torch after all – and had an aggro effect, too. On the upside, it was still a very good weapon and would allow him to get out of the dank environment more quickly now that he knew where to go.
Naruto, however, quickly realized an important problem, "Where the hell did I come from?" he wondered and looking at the many possible entrances he could have come through.
Crap.
From the shadows, Midori face planted the moment she heard the young ninja in training's words, "This is going to take some work," she realized. She also realized seconds that her head, which she had worked very hard on not getting dirty, was now covered in vile sewer sludge. Naruto was going to pay for that later.
"Ah, screw it," Naruto decided to wing it. Sewers had more than one manhole cover; he'd come across one sooner or later. Running towards the closest exit, Naruto quickly entered an open area filled to the brim with zombies. While initially worried, Naruto recalled his new weapon and its skill; his worried look quickly shifting into a fox-like grin instead.
"Hikaru (Brilliance)!" Naruto declared and raised Seishoyo into the air above him. A brilliant flash encompassed the enclosed area and Naruto watched as the zombies recoiled, some even falling into the water, and remained virtually motionless. Two of them were unaffected, but Hikaru at least evened the odds in his favour and gave him time to deal with those that couldn't fight back.
"Ryoku Boku (Power Strike)!" Naruto slammed his weapon into the back of the nearest zombie's head. The zombie fell forward; Naruto followed up with a heel strike on the downed animate corpse, and began stomping the life out of it.
When it dissipated, Naruto moved on to the next immobile zombie and struck it with another [Ryoku Boku] to the head. This time his victim caught fire and Naruto kicked it towards the zombies that were closing in.
"Fire in the hole!" Naruto couldn't help himself, and watched as the exploding zombie expanded outwards with incredible force. The action sent the others along with sludge flying across the sewer. One struck another undead, while the other struck the sewer wall with an audible crunch. When another tried getting up, Naruto used his first elemental technique.
"Katon: Hidama no Jutsu (Fire Release: Fireball Technique)!" a small fire shot from his mouth towards its target. However, being Naruto's first time using such a technique, the aim was off and merely struck the sewer water.
"Well, that sucked," while embarrassed by the poor execution of it all, Naruto was glad no one but mindless undead were present. "… And the snake!" he realized.
Damn it!
"Definitely going to take some work," Midori laughed while Naruto attempted another fireball. It also missed.
(Nearly Half an Hour Later; Above the Sewers)
"…Awight. Times almost up," Anko jumped to her feet and stretched out the kinks in her body. She had given Naruto an ample amount of time to deal with the rotting giant and nothing happened; she was bored and over this crap. Jumping from roof to roof until she arrived directly behind the ignorant undead, Anko set out with her plan.
"Okay. One Katon: Karyudan (Fire Release: Fire Dragon Bullet) to yer ugly mug coming up," she muttered and began the sequence for the necessary hand signs. Just as she was about to unleash hell, Anko spotted Naruto one roof over from her. While he was cutting it close, Naruto still had time left so Anko halted her actions and decided to see where this went.
"Gaki better not disappoint me," she frowned and became wide eyed when Naruto bolted from his cover and threw something at the back of the Legion Zombie. Whatever it was, Anko noticed it got a negative reaction from the creature. The kunoichi saw vapours and even from here she could hear sizzling.
"Acid? Where the hell did he get that?" she put that aside as the undead behemoth bellowed loudly and raised its arms high into the air. Anko looked on with worry as the raised appendages came crashing down with the force of an explosion and demolished nearly half the building from top to bottom. Though much smaller and nowhere as strong than an Akimichi when using their clan's body manipulation techniques, the undead giant's strength was still superhuman and just deadly.
The kunoichi breathed a sigh of relief when she spotted him running on the streets, "If that kid makes one wrong move it's game over," Anko hoped the boy knew what he was doing as the dungeon boss gave chase.
"Anko-san," the kunoichi heard Midori hissed from behind.
"Midori," she quickly greeted, "What took so long?"
"The boy found another layer to this place underground. It wasn't pleasant," Anko knew Midori well enough to recognize the irritation in her tone of voice.
"You're telling me. Kami, you smell rank," Anko cringed at the odour that assaulted her nose. She could only wonder how bad Naruto was. Thinking of the boy, Anko looked at her familiar and friend, "How'd he do?"
"Like I said before: the boy has potential, but he's a fixer upper, for certain," the summon repeated, noting how long it took him to get out of the secret dungeon.
"Kinda knew that already, Midori. Anything new, I mean?" Anko clarified.
"Frankly, his ability is powerful, extremely so. Each time an enemy falls I've seen items take its place. I even saw him blow up an enemy and that action snowballed in him getting a series of items that made the rest of the sewers a walk in the park. I've never seen nor heard anything quite like this before. I can't make any sense of how this is all possible," Midori knew few who could but she doubted even the White Snake Sage was capable of making sense of it all.
"So what are his chances against tall and ugly over there?" Anko was curious about what Naruto got if it allowed him to breeze through it.
"If he plays it smart, he'll end causing it a lot of damage before you have to take over. With a lot of luck and creativity on his part, he may even come close to ending it," the constrictor added.
"Not that I doubt you or anything, but I'd rather not stay here for the rest of my life. Too many things to do, people to traumatize, dango to eat, all that good stuff," Anko rebutted; Midori deadpanned, "So stay close to the little twerp."
Midori merely nodded and slithered away from Anko before she disappeared into the shadows like a wraith. It went unsaid that the moment Midori interfered was it Anko's cue to take the boss down for the count with a well-placed fire technique.
(With Naruto)
"Come on, ugly. Come get some!" Naruto shouted and took off when the creature bellowed an ear splitting roar once more. The prankster was fortunate that despite its towering form and immense strength, Naruto's speed boost was just enough to evade its attacks. Even then it was only barely.
Case and point, Naruto was thrown in the air as he evaded the latest attack that kicked up a cloud of dust, earth, and broken rocks. The act caused him to crash shoulder first into a wall. HP was lost but it was minimal and Naruto couldn't afford to be idle.
Running around a corner, Naruto watched as the Legion Zombie ploughed through the nearest building as though it wasn't there. However, its movement was slowed as it did but it seemed unbothered nonetheless by the crumbling structure.
Spotting him, the behemoth gave chase once more. Only for it to unexpectedly step into a decently deep hole filled with makeshift bones spikes. The action caused it some damage and also caused it to fall face forward onto the ground. The ground buckled and the area shook everything around him as though an earthquake took place.
Naruto lost his footing but regained it quickly enough and rushed at the being. Quickly grabbing his [Unstable Cocktail], Naruto got in close and broke it on the zombie's head. His actions were instantaneous: the being lost five hundred HP, and its whole head caught on fire. Much like the other zombies, this caused the boss's [Burning Agony] flaw to activate and send it into a frenzy. But that wasn't all.
|MASSIVE CRITICAL HIT LANDED!|
|LEGION ZOMBIE AFFECTED BY [BURNING AGONY] DEBUFF!|
|LEGION ZOMBIE AFFECTED BY [OILED]!|
"Yes!" years of video meant Naruto didn't need to read the description to know what [Oiled] meant. Damage from fire-based techniques and chances of causing negative status effects against the boss had now shot up. It was a simple but effective technique Naruto had exploited time and time again.
|LEGION ZOMBIE HEALTH BELOW 75%|
"Yes!" Naruto mentally cheered. However, so focused was he that he was nearly crushed but the rampaging zombie's giant arm. Instead Naruto was sent flying by the impact into a nearby building. Pain racked his form as a wall stopped him once more.
"Ouchhh," Naruto groaned, "That had hurt like hell."
As he removed himself from the wall, Naruto was thankful for small mercies, as the zombie was still stuck in the hole he made instead of being mobile. The boy could only wonder how much hot water he'd be in then.
Nonetheless, Naruto realized that it wouldn't' be long before it managed to free itself and the blow had taken away a huge chunk of HP. While he had hoped to save it for a different occasion, the ninja in training quickly chugged his newly acquired [Basic Grade Health Potion] and watched as thirty percent of his health returned to him in a flash.
Getting up, Naruto approached the hole he had come through and saw that the zombie was still suffering from its hissy fit and destroying the area it was stuck in. Deciding on a safer long ranged approach, Naruto got in within a safe distance and raised Seishoyo into the air.
"Hikaru (Brilliance)!" Naruto declared. However, the action didn't affect the boss as easily as its lower rank kin. Furrowing his brow, Naruto had to attempt it two more times before it finally worked and the boss stilled. By now [Burning Agony] had finally subsided, but Naruto was quick to rectify that. Tossing another vial of [Basic Grade Armour Acid] at its face, Naruto followed with another Ryoku Boku (Power Strike).
With his weapon in hand, Naruto struck the boss's sizzling head and watched it lit up once more like a raging bonfire. The zombie couldn't have the worst of luck. With his perks, title and weapon, Naruto was currently the worst opponent it could be facing right now. Distancing himself, Naruto shot several Hidama (Fireball) from a nearby rooftop that was still within striking distance but outside of arms reach. Naruto repeated the actions a couple of more times before it finely managed to break free from its confinement.
|LEGION ZOMBIE HEALTH BELOW 50%!|
|THE LEGION ZOMBIE'S RAGING UNDEAD SKILL HAS BEEN ACTIVATED|
"Come again?" Naruto questioned the pop up.
"GRAAOOOOGHHHH!"
Naruto was unable to block his ears as the roar made him buckle from the sheer intensity of it all. Gazing up, Naruto saw the zombie's eyes bulge and darken to a blood red, whiles its body bulged and wreathed under the skin as though thousands of worms were beneath the surface of it. Its massive hands exploded as they transformed into claws the length of spears, its lanky form transforming into that of a body builder, thighs thickening into tree trunks, and bony protrusions coming out at various locations.
"…Uh-oh," despite looking way cooler, Naruto knew that even with his new weapon his situation went from doable to likely no chance in hell. His current predicament only worsened as he saw the dungeon boss grab a huge chunk of building; Naruto quickly put two and two together and did the only thing he could think of.
"Hikaru (Brilliance)!" he declared and hoped his gamble worked. Lady Luck smiled upon him as the giant zombie recoiled from the sudden flash of light.
The piece of building it picked up ended up falling on its head and causing it to lose its balance. While damage was done, the zombie continued raging and pretty much destroyed its surrounding environment. The wild and destructive flailing and length of its arms made it too hazardous for Naruto to approach without risking incredible damage.
Using [Hikaru] was an option, but the technique was less effective out in the open than in an enclosed and darkened one. The fact the last two worked at all were very fortunate. [Hidama] while ranged and fire related was limited in range and too weak to cause any serious damage even with his damage enhancing boons. [Oiled] was now gone since it disappeared after the first fire related technique struck the victim.
Naruto was not one to call it quits, it went against his beliefs, and there was a fine line between being determined and stubbornness. But even though he wouldn't stay dead, Naruto had no intention of losing the EXP he managed to find. With that in mind, Naruto decided to attempt one last gamble. Shooting out a small fireball at the undead berserker, Naruto managed to get its attention. He had little time to act as the being lunged at him; its giant body punching through the building like a drill through bedrock.
"Fuck!" Anko cringed along with Midori; both hoped Naruto was fine. The two soon paled the moment they saw the undead rise up and spotted the sleeve from Naruto's well-recognized orange jumpsuit hanging from its massive mouth. They paled even further when the crunching began and Anko could only wonder how the hell she was going to explain this to the Hokage. And that was assuming she'd ever get out of this place.
"Hey! Asshole!"
From atop another building, Anko and Midori both breathed a sigh of relief when they saw Naruto's very much uneaten form. His clothes were pretty much useless now, but other than looking dirtier Naruto appeared virtually unharmed.
"That was my favourite jumpsuit!" Naruto shouted; his tone pissed. The act of using [Kawarimi] to get away at the last minute had paid off but Naruto had overshot the distance, which cost him a good amount of chakra and resulted in the loss of his jumpsuit top. The zombie merely raised its arm while Naruto quickly put his hands in the tiger seal and uttered one word.
"Boom!"
Both humans and the summon watched as an explosion came from the mouth of the boss and caused it to shake and crumble backwards onto the ground. Its fall was incredible and destruction followed it as the earth buckled and shuddered vigorously.
|MASSIVE CRITICAL HIT LANDED!|
|LEGION ZOMBIE HEALTH BELOW 25%!|
Naruto jumped into the air with joy as he realized he neared his goal. But his luck ran out when he landed back down and lost his balance, courtesy of the roof collapsing due to previous damage from the dungeon boss. Finding himself suddenly freefalling, the blond couldn't recover quickly enough when he landed with a painful thud and shouted obscenities as several large pieces of stone and wood rendered his leg and arms immobile.
Now incapable of moving and having lost a good chunk of health for his cockiness, Naruto struggled to move and unpin himself from the rubble he was trapped under, "Oh, come on. Get…Ugh! Off! Damn it!" Naruto cursed and squirmed like a toddler from a stranger's arms. As it required free mobility and hand signs, the Body Replacement Technique was a no go to use at the moment.
Thud.
The struggle momentarily stopped as Naruto felt the vibrations and knew what they meant. Continuing his efforts to free himself from his current predicament, Naruto cursed his lack of physical strength.
Thud.
"Crap," Naruto continued struggling in vain. And while he wouldn't admit it out loud, he was worried. Had [Gamer's Mind] not kicked in, he was absolutely certain he would be having a panic attack. Even though he wouldn't stay dead, Naruto had no intention of experiencing death any time soon, or any time for that matter.
Thud!
But the current situation didn't seem to take his feelings into consideration at the moment. Looming over him was the building tall undead dungeon boss, his head still badly battered up from the combined exploding tags trap he pulled off. As it raised its hand up high into the air, Naruto closed his eyes and mentally prayed that death and rebirth here would be like flipping a light switch: quick and easy.
As the large arm and hand came down upon him like a hammer to strike hot metal on an anvil, Lady Luck flipped a coin and Naruto's fortunes took a turn for the better. The act was swift and harsh and the zombie had no time to react once its head found itself clamped down upon by a massive jaw of backwards curving teeth. From there it was game over, as the Legion Zombie found itself flung several dozens of meters into air before being savagely yanked back down by the feet and into the ground.
|The Dungeon Boss has been Defeated!|
|CONGRATULATIONS! THE DUNGEON HAS BEEN CLEARED! AS A RESULT, YOU'VE COMPLETED THE ACHIEVEMENT [NOVICE ADVENTURER]. YOU'VE EARNED 1500 EXP AND 2500 RYO!|
[QUEST COMPLETED!]
Cutting it Down to Size!
Main Quest: Reduce the Legion's Zombie's health to 75% without Anko's help (Accomplished).
Side Quest 1: Reduce the Legion's Zombie's health to 50% without Anko's help (Accomplished).
Side Quest 2: Reduce the Legion's Zombie's health to 25% without Anko's help (Accomplished).
Side Quest 3: Kill the Legion Zombie without Anko's help! (Not Accomplished)
Total Rewards Earned:
(3750 EXP + 20%) = 4500 EXP, +400 Reputation [Anko], +3 Attribute Points, [Trust Earned Quest: Anko] Path Available
|Congratulations! Your level has increased by three!|
Status Window
Name: Uzumaki Naruto
Job: Academy Student
Level: 11 Next Level: 2565/8700
HP: 2975 + [1050] ~ 4025?
CP: 5150 + [1875] ~ 7025?
STR: 15 ~ 15?
VIT: 87 + [30] ~ 117?
END: 117 + [45]~ 162?
DEX: 32 + [3] ~ 35?
INT: 34 ~ 34
WIS: 10 ~ 10
CHA: 6 ~ 6
LUK: ? ~ ?
DEF: 5 ~ 5
Attribute Points: 5 + [7] ~ 12
|Congratulations! Due to passing the 150 point mark on END, you've gained the perk [Chakra Affinity: Basic Rank]!
Chakra Affinity: Basic Rank
[CP Regen] Increased by 5%
Total CP Increased by 5%
[Elemental Nature Damage] Taken Decreased by 5%
CP Usage towards [Ninjutsu Skills] Decreased by 5%
Speed, Power and Effectiveness towards [Ninjutsu Skills] Increased by 5%
"Oh, kami, thank you," Naruto breathed a sigh of relief, ignoring the sweet triple level up and new perk for the time being. "That was too close."
"Yeah, it was, you little idiot," Anko's voice sang from behind. "Ya did good up until ya got cocky and look what happened. Never get cocky, Gaki, or you can end up worse than this."
"You mean dead?" Naruto questioned her.
"Oh, I can think of a lot of things worse than death," while a bastard and a traitor, her former teacher hadn't sugarcoated the dangers that young ninja and kunoichi faced. That was especially so for kunoichi, "Sen'ei Jashu (Hidden Shadow Snake Hands)."
From her sleeves appeared five large snakes that Anko directed towards the fallen debris. Naruto watched as three coiled and wrapped tightly around the stone and wood pinning his arms before lifting them up while the remaining two took care of the lower half of his body. With their tasks done, the serpents retreated back into Anko's sleeve to who knows where, allowing Naruto to stand up and work the kink out of his muscles.
"Thanks," Naruto said before heading towards the area of the giant zombie's demise; Anko followed closely behind him. The two of them made short work at covering the distance between them and Naruto's eyes bulged out of his eyes.
"Holy shit!" Naruto exclaimed. "Midori!"
"Yesss?" the green serpent was now of immense stature. Compared to her the towering Legion Zombie was a puppy standing next to a human child. It was no wonder the surrounding area now had a huge crater with meters worth of spider web-like cracks spread around and nearby buildings had collapsed from the sheer force.
"Anko was right," Naruto recalled the kunoichi saying how the Legion Zombie was nothing compared to summons or summon-like creatures. The evidence before him spoke for itself. If this was but a taste of the creatures he'd potentially be facing down the line, Naruto had some serious shaping up to do.
Before he could ask any further questions, Midori began shrinking back down to her previous size, "You ok, Midori?" he heard Anko ask while the serpent coiled and wrapped herself around the woman.
"I'm fine," Midori huffed; Naruto thought she looked tired, "It still takes a lot of chakra to maintain my previous form. I just need rest," she said and with that she started to sleep.
Guessing he wouldn't get his question answered right now, Naruto drew his attention back to the ground to see what was spread before him: three vials of [Basic Grade Health Potion], a little over 20,000 Ryo, a pair of gloves, and a scroll.
"I'll take that," Anko swiped the ryo bills in the blink of an eye.
"Hey!"
"Oh, quit yer bitchin. Here," Anko threw him a stack that amounted to three thousand ryo, "Be grateful I'm giving you even that much, Gaki."
The blond chose to ignore that for now. If anything he'd be able to come back later and make up for his losses and then some thanks to the titles and equipment he now held. Looking back down, Naruto grabbed the gloves and the scroll and used [Observe].
Novice Zombie Slayer Gloves – Uncommon Quality
Item Type: Hand Armor
Durability 50/50
A pair of gloves that are imbued with the power to defend against foes classified as [Undead], which makes it easier to combat and hunt them down. While the lowest class of the Zombie Slayer Equipment set, they are still good for beginners and offer decent protection.
Buffs/Perks: Damage: +8 DEF, -3% Damage from [Undead]
Set Completion (First Bonus): [1/3: Locked]
Set Completion (Second Bonus): [1/5: Locked]
Ninpo: Goriki Scroll
Ninpo: Goriki (Ninja Art: Hard Strength) B-Rank. Lv 1. 0% to Next Lv|. Skill Modifier: INT [D] Mastering Speed: E| A technique that strengthens the user's muscles for a period of time, which allows them to hit harder, jump higher, lift heavier objects, and throw objects even further and with deadlier force. While a very useful skill, it is very difficult to master because of the skill's required finesse. CP Usage: 600 per Use
• Increases STR by 75%
• Duration: 3 Minutes + (34 INT * .5) x (5 Seconds) = 4:25 Minutes
Usage Requirements: 30 INT, 100 END
As she saw Naruto grinning from ear to ear, Anko surmised the academy student had acquired some pretty decent loot. However, Anko had little interest in that and made her opinion known, "Okay, Gaki. We cleared this place, now can we go home before anything else happen? I'd rather not make it a habit to save yer ass at the last minute again," Anko liked living on the edge but that had been too close a call for her liking.
"Yeah, sure. Just a sec," Naruto said and began to look at the [Guide] to find out how he was supposed to get out of this place.
"All right. [Instant Dungeon Creation Escape]!" Naruto declared and both blinked as the world turned white and they suddenly reappeared in the alley.
"Ughh, headache," Anko groaned as little bits of light danced in front of her eyes. "Little warning next time, gaki."
"Sorry," Naruto groaned as well he'd have to get used to that, "So what now?"
Before Anko could come up with an answer, the two of them were suddenly confronted by an Anbu with long purple hair and wearing a porcelain mask that resembled a cat, "Uzumaki Naruto, Mitarashi Anko, the both of you are to report to Hokage-sama immediately."
Anko could only blink and summed up the situation in two words, "Ah, shit."
Naruto could only think of three things to say the moment he saw the incredibly tall behemoth of merged undead, "Oh, come on!"
Naruto was not one to back down from a challenge. The ninja in training constantly pushed himself to surpass his limits – physically and ninjutsu wise that is – to prove he wasn't what many proclaimed him to be: a failure. Coming to this dungeon, Naruto was eager for action and the opportunity that it represented. But there was opportunity and a chance to prove one's self-worth, and then there was suicide and overkill.
Towering in front of him was the latter two. If he counted his video games, this zombie was easily the largest he had ever encountered. Naruto had levelled up and improved in the last week but the gap between his current level and a level thirty-four boss with unknown attributes was huge. Even then it didn't take a genius to know this thing's physical strength was crazy high. He'd wager it was more than enough to crush him like one would a bug: without much effort.
Large things such as these tended to be slow, so Naruto guessed he had speed on his side. However, it wasn't always the case. Naruto was stubborn and pigheaded and performed stunts that had many questioning his intelligence on more than one occasion, but even he wasn't asinine enough to face an opponent he likely had no chance of winning against. Certainly, he wouldn't 'die' per say, but Naruto didn't want to lose all his hard-earned experience points.
"I'd risk it if it were only ten levels higher," opponents than were ten levels higher than his own level were difficult but doable, if he planned it right, and very rewarding. Being twenty-seven levels higher was another story.
Even in large groups of the same level at best it would be doable but difficult. But Naruto was currently doing a solo-act and his skills and personal resources were extremely limited. He had plenty of tricks and ingenuity on his side, but – and his lack of decent skills came into play once more – he doubted they would help much against something that lacked any semblance of intelligence.
"Hey! What the hell is that thing!" Anko asked as she landed behind him.
"The dungeon boss," was Naruto's reply.
"Dungeon boss?"
"Basically the strongest baddy you'll encounter in the dungeon, big rewards but big trouble to deal with," unless one's level and attributes matched it.
"Okay… Have fun!"
"What!" the recently turned teen exclaimed.
"Just busting yer chops, Gaki," Anko grinned, "I'm gonna throw ya a bone here, mostly cuz I don't wanna be stuck here if you die. I'll deal with it but any money it drops is mine."
"Nice to see you care," Naruto grumbled but had little choice on the matter. He had few skills or decent equipment to do much against a foe this strong. He had his creativity but once more that would only get him so far, "Stupid academy and them not teaching anything but the basic crap."
"GRAAOOOOGHHHH!" the large undead being bellowed. Naruto had to plug his ears from the loud sound while Anko merely blinked.
"Ummm, what the hell is it doing? Ain't it supposed to, I dunno, try and smash us?" And true to her word, Naruto watched as the large undead being lumbered away, crushing buildings as it walked through them without a care in the world. No assault came their way.
"Huh? Guess the Legion Zombie's description was generous with the whole intelligence thing," in essence the being was ridiculously big but just as stupid.
"Lame," Anko wanted to have a decent challenge at least but it appeared that wasn't going to be the case. "Hey, Gaki, you up for a challenge?"
"Challenge?" Naruto was curious but narrowed his eyes, "What kind?"
"Nothing too bad. Just bring his health down a notch. Brainless here is nothing compared to some of the beasties and summons you'll see down the road so it shouldn't be too bad. Midori will stick with ya just in case. Think you can handle it?"
[QUEST ALERT!]
Cutting it Down to Size!
Main Quest: Reduce the Legion's Zombie's health to 75% without Anko's help.
Side Quest 1: Reduce the Legion's Zombie's health to 50% without Anko's help.
Side Quest 2: Reduce the Legion's Zombie's health to 25% without Anko's help.
Side Quest 3: Kill the Legion Zombie without Anko's help!
Main Quest Completion: 1000 Exp, +100 Reputation [Anko], ?
Side Quests 1 Completion: 1250 Exp, +150 Reputation [Anko], +1 Attribute Point
Side Quests 2 Completion: 1500 Exp, +150 Reputation [Anko], +2 Attribute Point
Side Quest 3 Completion: 2000 EXP, +300 Reputation [Anko], +3 Attribute Points
Failure: 100 Exp, Potential Loss of Currently Earned EXP
Accept? (Yes/No)
Special Note: Upon completing the Main Quest you will have the option of ending [Cutting Him Down to Size].
Naruto was facing a conundrum. If he accepted the quest the rewards were pretty good, which they should be due to the large level gap and high probability of failing. But on the other hand, he ran the risk of losing his experience points when he was just about to level up. Naruto being Naruto chose the former.
"Nothing ventured, nothing gained," were his thoughts, accepting the quest and getting to work.
In his present circumstances, a head on assault was suicidal. Naruto had none of the preferred prerequisites to accomplish such a feat. Hiding in a nearby alley, Naruto checked his inventory to see what could be used against the towering boss, which wasn't much unfortunately.
"More than a dozen [Zombie Ribs], and two [Poor-Grade Exploding Tags]," the only other item of worth was the [First-Aid Kit], "Status Window."
Status Window
Name: Uzumaki Naruto
Job: Academy Student
Level: 7 Next Level: 3785.5/4500
HP: 2625
CP: 4525
STR: 14?
VIT: 77?
END: 102?
DEX: 24?
INT: 34
WIS: 10
CHA: 6
LUK: ?
DEF: 15
Attribute Points: 7
Naruto frowned as he saw his attributes. Initially he wanted to save up his points for an emergency but right now he couldn't afford to be picky. STR was of little use to him right now along with INT, CHA, and WIS, while END and VIT were comfortably high enough at the moment.
"DEX it is," he nodded and put all seven points into DEX, hoping the boost in speed and evasion he'd gain would be of help for what he had planned: using his cunning and stealth to search the building.
Entering a nearby building, while Midori followed him from behind, Naruto scanned the area and saw no zombies, "Guess making the big guy took the lot of em," either way it was a boon for him. Naruto searched the house for anything that could be of use to him.
"Junk … Useless. … Don't wanna know … Really don't wanna know… Ah! Moving!" Naruto quickly slammed the drawer shut and cursed his bipolar luck. Searching the other nearby buildings, Naruto only managed to find semi-useful things such as more rags and tape but nothing that could aid him against the giant walking corpse outside.
"Come on. There's gotta be something around here," Naruto refused to accept there was nothing here to assist him.
Clank!
Looking below him at the noise's origin, Naruto felt a hard surface shift beneath his sandaled foot: a manhole cover, "The sewers?"
While there was no guarantee that anything was down there, Naruto had checked pretty much every else and every available nook and cranny and came up short. The sewers were the only place he hadn't checked yet. In the distance the Legion Zombie was slowly making its way back towards his general location.
"Sewers it is," pulling off the cover, Naruto jumped down into the sewers in the hopes of finding something that would help him defeat the Legion Zombie.
|Congratulations! You've located the secret dungeon [Sewers]!
|For discovering the secret dungeon your EXP and money earned has been increased by an additional 10%! Your [Novice Zombie Slayer] title has been temporarily increased to [Journeyman Zombie Slayer]! These boost will expire upon leaving the dungeon.|
Secret Dungeons
Secret dungeons are dungeons within dungeons that allow one to acquire additional loot and gear to aid them in defeating the initial dungeon. Secret dungeons differ from normal dungeons as they are not always present and sometimes circumstances need to be accomplished before they can be found. Furthermore, these dungeons will sometimes lack a boss of their own, generally having a mini-boss instead, and may even lack enemies and be merely a treasure cove of valuable resources.
After he finished reading the pop up, and doing the math, Naruto realized that with his current [Academy Ninja] and [Journeyman Zombie Slayer] titles, it would lead to an additional forty percent increase in experience points from undead enemies. Not to mention the additional damage and drops it granted him as well.
"Sweet!" Naruto loved his weird luck. It almost made up for the horrible stench the sewers emitted, the kami-knows-what liquid he was standing in, and the near pitch black that covered his vision. Grabbing his pipe, Naruto was glad to see that it was still lit, allowing him to illuminate the area, but not that well. Unfortunately, it had the consequence of attracting the nearby locales.
Sewer Zombie – Lv 7
HP: 350
CP: 0
STR: 23
VIT: 14
END: 24
DEX: 16
INT: 0
WIS: 0
CHA: 9
LUK: 0 (You're dead. Your luck sucks.)
Defense: 17
Specialization:
None
Special Perks:
None
Perks:
Undead Being: [Ignore Pain], Immune to poisons, mental attacks, and negative psychological afflictions, +30% tolerance towards bladed weapons and Taijutsu
Undead Stalker: Movement Speed for [Stealth] Increased by 25%, [Stealth] Effectiveness Increased by 25%, Power and Chances for Critical Hits Increased by 25%
Flaws:
Walking Corpse: LUK, INT, WIS are non-existent, CP is always zero regardless of END, -30% tolerance towards blunt weapons, fire weapons, and fire skills
? : ?
Description: A zombie that adapted to living in the sewers. While physically weaker than a ninja zombie, it has been hardened by its harsher environment, which allowed it become a better hunter and ambusher. In addition, living and eating in such an environment has resulted in the loss of [Burning Agony] and added a few new features other zombies normally wouldn't possess. However, such features also come at a cost.
EXP Earned: 135 + [40%] = 189 EXP
Drops: ?, ?, ?
Rare Drops: ?
Naruto merely grinned as he prepared himself, but was caught off guard as a zombie suddenly emerged from the imperceptible waters bellow. The zombie grabbed him in a bear hug and both it and the young academy student fell into the waters below. The zombie gnawed and spewed a dark, vile viscous-like substance on its victim that started to burn and melt the worn clothing.
Naruto, however, merely ignored this as he smashed the back of the zombie's head with an unforgiving blow from his lit pipe. Kawarimi and Henge were simple but effective techniques, especially when used in tangent with one another.
"So you bastards spite acid, or whatever the hell that is," Naruto ducked as another zombie shot a glob of the stuff at him, watching it bubble and sizzle on the nearby wall of the sewers.
"Ryoku Boku (Power Strike)!" Naruto struck the downed zombie's head once more and looked on in satisfaction as it caught fire. It was soon replaced by confusion and then followed up with worry as the zombie began to bloat like a malformed balloon with glowing red cracks littering its form. Naruto had seen enough video games to know that an explosion was about to occur.
"Crap!" Naruto ran as quick as he could to distance himself from the undead turned bomb but the zombie was quicker. The force of the explosion was enough that water/smudge was sent everywhere, burning anything it touched, and Naruto was flung harshly into the air before he came barrelling down onto a horde of undead.
"… Owwww," he groaned, noticing he had lost a good chunk of HP from the suicide move and hazardous substance that hit him.
|WARNING! CHEST ARMOR DESTROYED! DEFENCE REDUCED!|
|WARNING! PANTS ARMOR IS NOW BELOW 50% DURABILITY!|
"Oh, come on! That's a load of bullsh– OWWWW!" Naruto shouted as pain shot from his arm. Realizing he lost his pipe in the explosion, Naruto retaliated by grabbing a kunai and began stabbing at the zombie's head until death forced it to finally let go. Naruto counted himself fortunate that the other zombies he was sprawled on were face down in the muck.
Getting up, Naruto's [Detect Bloodlust] came into effect. Unfortunately, its current level didn't allow Naruto to know where it was coming from. Beings such as zombies, who lacked emotions, didn't trigger the ability. So far the only enemies that caused it to flare up were the [Wailing Cats], and that was only after they successfully snuck up on him and deliberately allowed their presence to be known.
Looking around, Naruto saw only zombies and no cats. Some of the former had cheeks that began to swell. Knowing they were about to shoot blobs of nasty gunk at him, Naruto leaped away to a safer distance, his foot striking a piece of metal that turned out to be his pipe.
His actions unknowingly saved him. From up above his previous position, a dark shadow fell upon the rising zombies and flattened them back down onto the ground like pancakes. The mass actually seemed to stretch and contort like a piece of dough before it slowly regained an asymmetric sphere resembling shape. To his surprise, Naruto observed the wreathing shape of zombies struggle as they tried to escape its clutches.
"Oookaaayyy," that was creepy to see as that old lady in a bikini photo he found in the Old Man's drawer. Okay, that was a tad excessive… this was nowhere as creepy.
Ooze – Lv 7
HP: 400
CP: 400
STR: 20
VIT: 16
END: 20
DEX: 33
INT: 3
WIS: 4
CHA: 3
LUK: 2
Defense: 15
Specialization:
None
Special Perks:
[Basic] Assimilator: Whenever an [Ooze] successfully assimilates another creature into itself, it gains a 15% increase to its Attributes along with other benefits
Perks:
Divider: 30% chance of [Dividing] into two [Oozes] when health is below 30% and if struck by a bladed weapon
Ambusher: Effectiveness of [Stealth] Increased by 50% in darkened area, Power and Chances for Critical Hits Increased by 25% when using [Stealth]
Gelatinous: [Blunt Weapons Resistance] Increased by 85%, [Taijutsu Resistance] Increased by 85%, [Bladed Weapons Resistance] Decreased by 85%
Flaws:
Slow as Molasses: Movement Speed, and Evasion Speed decreased by 85%
Flaw Assimilation: Whenever an [Ooze] successfully assimilates another creature into itself, it also gains the weaknesses and flaws of said creature
? : ?
Description: A gelatinous amorphous-like monster form from the muck and unstable elements and runoff chemicals of its environment. Slow as hell, this creature shouldn't be underestimated, especially by beginners. Stealthy and capable of masking its presence, it can swiftly end another's existence in mere seconds. However, its biggest strength comes from its ability to assimilate other creatures not only to heal itself but to also grant itself greater strength.
EXP Earned: 125 + [20%] = 150 EXP
Drops: ?, ?
Rare Drops: ?, ?
"Ah, crap," if there was one thing Naruto despised just as much as he did ghosts it was ooze monsters. Not the cute cuddly ones with the smiley face, but the black tarry ones that spat out equipment destroying acid, hard as hell projectiles, flammable oils, or toxic sludge like no tomorrow. It also didn't help that Naruto's current weapon wasn't going to work too well on such monsters.
"This just gets better and be– woah!" Naruto ducked as a ball of something shot at him. To his surprise, that something turned out to be a zombie, its HP lingering on the precipice of death.
Assimilation
Assimilation is a technique used by certain monsters to recover health and strengthen themselves. However, the process does not have a one hundred percent success rate. Should the process fail the monsters will regurgitate its victims, and in some cases launching their bodies with incredibly accuracy to injure prey or enemies.
"That explains that," with that tidbit of information, Naruto took advantage of the situation, "Later zombie," said zombie's existence came to an end when the pipe struck its head. Focusing once more on the Ooze, Naruto watched in jiggle and contort in an odd manner.
Once more, he was forced to duck as another zombie came flying at him. The undead striking head first against the wall of the sewers but Naruto ended its life once more.
|Congratulations! Your level has increased by one!|
Name: Uzumaki Naruto
Job: Academy Student
Level: 8 Next Level: 41.5/5400
HP: 2625 + [350] ~ 2975?
CP: 4525 + [625] ~ 5150?
STR: 14 ~ 14?
VIT: 77 + [10] ~ 87?
END: 102 [15]~ 117?
DEX: 31 [1] ~ 32?
INT: 34 ~ 34
WIS: 10 ~ 10
CHA: 6 ~ 6
LUK: ? ~ ?
DEF: 10 ~ 10
Attribute Points: 0 ~3
"Finally. Some good news," Naruto grinned. While it was OP, Naruto didn't care. Quite frankly he enjoyed the other perks of a level up: full restoration of his CP and HP and his fatigue levels were reset, too.
Waiting for the next zombie to be launched, Naruto observed as the Ooze began to change from its normally black color to unhealthy, putrid greyish one, "Guess that means the assimilation as worked."
Sure enough, a quick use of [Observe] proved his guess to be correct: the creature had enhanced attributes. The Ooze's higher than his DEX would have been unsettling if its movement speed wasn't impeded. Furthermore, while its attributes were now higher, the creature had now gained the zombie's weakness for fire and blunt objects. Its tolerance remained, but at least now it was at a lower level. Furthermore, the assimilation now had it classified as an [Undead] enemy, which meant greater power to his weapon and skills.
Naruto cackled before putting away his pipe and dashed forward with two kunai racing behind him. While they lacked the raw power of his makeshift weapon, the kunai were both quicker and more than enough for what he had in mind.
But the Ooze struck first by flattening its body, causing various protrusions to come out of virtually every angle. Naruto slipped on the sludgy floor as he tried to stop himself from impalement. His reward was twofold: lack of becoming skewered and getting a horrendous mouthful of god knows what.
"GAAAHHH!" Naruto spat and retched his heart out; the taste was excruciatingly nasty, "FUCKING DAMN IT! OH, GOD!" Naruto's stomach emptied once more, the contents mixing into the sludge.
|Your lack of proper action has cost you 450 HP|
"YOU'RE FUCKING DEAD!" the young ninja harshly bellowed at the Ooze, causing the creature stiffen and become immobile.
|Congratulation! A special skill has been created due to a special act! Due your intense desire to harm another, you have learned the [Killing Intent] skill!|
|Killing Intent. Lv 1. 7% to Next Lv| Skill Modifier: CHA [C], END [E] Mastering Speed: E|. A skill that allows you to project negative intent upon another to the point it negatively affects them in various ways depending on the circumstances. While often confused as a genjutsu, Killing Intent is actually one's will manifested through their chakra, though only a select few have a gift for the skill and fewer can actually master it. Full mastery of the skill and enough desire can result in victims committing suicide or suffer from full mental breakdowns. CP Cost: 500 CP per Use.
· Success rate to cause [Stunned] status effect 31% + (CHA *1) + (END *.25) +/- (Caster Level – Victim Level) + Victim's (CHA *1) + (END *.25)
· Success rate to cause [Unconscious] status effect 1% + (CHA *1) + (END *.25) +/- (Caster Level – Victim Level) + Victim's (CHA *1) + (END *.25)
· Success rate to cause [Hysteria] status effect –31% + (CHA *1) + (END *.25) +/- (Caster Level – Victim Level) + Victim's (CHA *1) + (END *.25)
"Okay, awesome," were Naruto's thoughts before he dashed once more with the intent of ending the creature once and for all. In its currently impaired state, the Ooze was unable to fight back as Naruto hacked, slashed and stabbed with wild abandoned. While the kunai weren't the most damaging of weapons, each rapid blow landed resulted in a critical hit that quickly depleted its HP levels. By the time it was able to retaliate more than four-fifths of HP were gone.
Weakened as it was in its current state, the Ooze only managed to land a grazing blow; one Naruto almost completely dodged it at the last minute. Almost. Finally, after a few more successfully landed blows, Naruto managed to end the creature once more before it vanished into a series of lights. With the area cleared of foes, Naruto began collecting the drops that were left behind. Aside from the ryo, much of what was found was useless to use until he found the last drop.
Basic Grade Armour Acid – Common Quality
Item Type: Offensive
Damage: - 75HP
Durability: One-Time Use
Description: A basic vial of acid used that can be used for a number of different purposes. This one in particular, if used against an enemy, has the ability to reduce the unfortunate victim's defense and as well as cause damage over a period of time.
Debuffs/Flaws: Victim is impaired with temporary debuffs [Armor Break: Lv 1], [Minor Acid Burns: Lv 1]
Buff: [Stackable]
"Finally. Something good," Naruto was relieved his trip down in the muck wasn't a waste. Each debuff lasted a good ten minutes and the stackable buff spoke for itself. Alone he very much doubted it would be enough to take down the Legion Zombie, but with enough of them and some well placed traps, Naruto was certain he'd be able to bring down a good deal of health.
With that in mind, Naruto sent off to find more items that would be of use to him against the boss. Stealthily following behind him was an unhappy serpent.
(Sometime Later: Above the Sewer Dungeon)
"Dear kami above. What the hell is taking that kid so long?" Anko asked no one. "If I knew it was gonna take forever ... Ah, shit."
Anko was bored. And a bored Anko was someone others didn't want to be around of. Even those she liked weren't always spared. Personally, she was tempted to off giant and brainless in the distance with a well-placed fire release technique. But Anko was a kunoichi of her word, most of the time. And unless Naruto asked her she would not interfere in whatever he had planned.
It didn't mean she didn't like the wait. She couldn't exactly kill the boredom either, as much of the zombies were gone by either the hands of the ninja in training, herself, or they assimilated into the tall and ugly streaker that lacked genitalia.
Honestly, Anko doubted she'd have offered the deal to any other wet behind the ears academy student. One of the main ones why she did was most likely because Naruto reminded the kunoichi of herself at that age: a hotheaded ninja who wanted to prove herself to everyone around her. This was even more so when she was betrayed and labelled a pariah by more than half the village for something they truly didn't understand, or bother to understand, really.
The kunoichi noted that Naruto had guts, determination, creativity and a lot of piss and vinegar, too. Anko thought that all good ninja needed that. But the problem was the fact that, that was all Naruto really had going for him. His fighting style was unorthodox but flawed and wasteful, and his ninjutsu repertoire for combat would make the founding fathers of Konoha question if he was even a ninja.
Had it not been for his reputation, Anko certainly would have.
All in all, even for a self-taught individual, Naruto sucked. Naruto was no genius, not by a long shot. He was a hard worker but that wasn't enough. His only noteworthy feature was the incredible stamina he possessed that was many times larger than any one in his age group. Naruto needed help, and he needed it big time. The ninja world wasn't anywhere as cruel as it used to be during the nearly two millennia long age known as the Era of Warring States, but it was a still a cruel world for the weak and ill-prepared nonetheless.
Left to his own devices, Anko was certain the world would eat him whole. He'd be lucky if it spat him back out without any permanent damage.
"Great. Now I'm going soft," Anko huffed at the irony of it all, badass kunoichi as she liked to call herself, and yet here she was fretting over an annoying kid.
"I really need to get outta here," she muttered and once more began to wonder what the hell was taking Naruto so long. She'd give him a little while longer but if nothing was done within the next half hour, Anko would deal with the boss herself.
(Sewer Dungeons)
|Warning! You have half an hour to take action against the Legion Zombie or the quest [Cutting it Down to Size!] will end in failure|
"So not the time!" Naruto barked and ducked under a launched zombie. The boy glared at the opponent before him.
Giant Ooze – Lv 10
HP: 800
CP: 650
STR: 31
VIT: 32
END: 26
DEX: 23
INT: 6
WIS: 7
CHA: 6
LUK: 5
Defense: 29
Specialization:
[Intermediate] Assimilator: Whenever a [Giant Ooze] successfully assimilates another creature into itself, it gains a 30% increase to its Attributes along with other benefits
Special Perks:
None
Perks:
Giant Divider: 30% chance of [Dividing] into three [Oozes] when health is below 30% and if struck by a bladed weapon
Ambusher: Effectiveness of [Stealth] Increased by 50% in darkened area, Power and Chances for Critical Hits Increased by 25% when using [Stealth]
Gelatinous: [Blunt Weapons Resistance] Increased by 85%, [Taijutsu Resistance] Increased by 85%, [Bladed Weapons Resistance] Decreased by 85%
Flaws:
Slow as Molasses: Movement Speed, and Evasion Speed decreased by 85%
Weakness Assimilation: Whenever a [Giant Ooze] successfully assimilates another creature into itself, it also gains the weaknesses of said creature
? : ?
Description: A large gelatinous being formed from multiple [Oozes] that merge into one or when a single [Ooze] manages to assimilate three other foes. As a result, it is stronger and slightly more intelligent, though that isn't saying much. Due to its greater size, it is more resilient to attacks and can shoot objects with greater force and at a greater distance.
EXP Earned: 145
Drops: ?, ?
Rare Drops: ?, ?
Naruto frowned and really regretted not ending the three Oozes he encountered quickly enough. But then again, the amount of zombies in the area distracting hum didn't help.
"Piss off!" spinning around, Naruto harshly smashed in zombie's chest when it tried taking a swipe at him. With the pipe regaining the [Conditional Firebrand: Basic Rank] more damage was dealt and the zombie caught fire.
Having the unfortunate first-hand experience of knowing what was to come next, Naruto propelled himself from the wall and lashed out with a double stomp kick to the aflame and bulging being's face. The force was enough to send it towards the Giant Ooze, who began to try and assimilate the undead morsel. The act ended up being a huge mistake as the zombie exploded in a spectacular fashion.
Naruto watched as the Giant Ooze's form suddenly and violently swelled up like a balloon with too much water or air. Red cracks began to form on its body and Naruto cursed loudly.
"Shit!" and ducked behind a pillar. But the act was for not and Naruto felt himself shoved into the muck as a huge wave of concussive force crashed into him, flames briefly licking his back before they were extinguished by the wet and horrid substance he found himself submerged in. Rising out of the sewer water, Naruto idly wondered how many showers or baths it would take to get himself thoroughly clean.
|Congratulations! Through a special act you've discovered and unlocked the hidden weakness of the [Oozes]! [Unstable Chemistry]!|
|Unstable Chemistry|
Unique to the [Ooze] family due to them being composed of various elements not meant to be together.
Being struck by fire, lightning, or explosion type attacks have a 55% chance of causing [Self-Destruction], and 30% of causing [Great Self-Destruction]. However, being directly caught in the explosion will cause the victim – those who survive – to suffer from random flaws/debuffs for the next half hour.
"Damn. Talk about a crappy flaw," Naruto whistled as he inspected the damage. The wall where the Giant Ooze was situated had a huge hole in it was more than twice Naruto's size. All around him were scattered loot floating on the sewer water, the explosion having taken out a large number of nearby monsters, too.
Checking his [Status Window], Naruto's eyes nearly bulged out when he realized his experience had shot up to by a large amount. Right now he was more than six-tenths of the way to levelling up once more.
However, it quickly dawned on Naruto that he was now on a time crunch, "Gotta make this quick," he muttered and began looking around for the loot. Unlike last time, Naruto found more useful items such as two vials of [Basic Grade Armour Acid], for a total of five now, and a new item that would definitely come in handy.
Unstable Cocktail – Uncommon Quality
Item Type: Offensive
Damage: - 500HP
Durability: One-Time Use
Description: A vial containing the concentrated essence of [Ooze] monsters and will allow for incredible damage along with other nasty surprises on unprepared victims.
Debuffs/Flaws: Victim is impaired with temporary debuffs [Random Debuff: Lv 1], [Burning]
"Dattebayo! Hitting his ugly mug with this will seriously mess him up," Naruto wished there was more of the item but time was of the essence, and he needed to move.
As he made to move to the exit, Naruto blinked as he spotted something unbelievable from the hole in the wall, "A chest… A chest! Yes! Thank you, kami!" Naruto whooped. If his ability mimicked that of games, Naruto knew that said chest in question would have decent loot. This was doubly so since it was a hidden chest.
And it was a large one at that.
Eagerly did Naruto open the large strong box; stars replaced his eyes as he beheld its contents: five thousand ryo bills, potion vials, a scroll, and a weapon. While the former was welcomed, Naruto was more interested in the latter three and promptly used [Observe].
Basic Grade Health Potion - Rare Quality
Item Type: Recovery Item
Durability: One-Time Use
Description: An item that instantly heals one's HP. Though it is called a potion, in truth is actually liquid medical chakra mixed with various herbs. The purpose of its creation was to instantly heal the wounds of an individual but it cannot cure illnesses, fatigue, or energy levels. The creation of this potion and its improvements were thought to be a mere myth or fabrication as few of them were ever created or seen and the methods on creating them were never found. Has a bitter taste.
Buffs/Perks: User instantly recovers 30% of their total HP
Katon Hidama (Fireball) Scroll
|Katon: Hidama (Fire Release: Fireball) D-Rank: Lv 1. 0% to Next Lv| Skill Modifier: N/A| Mastering Speed: B| A basic fire release technique that creates a small fireball that deals minor injuries and burns, and can even be used to conceal thrown weapons if done properly. While more or less used to make campfires this technique is a great stepping-stone for learning more complicated Katon Ninjutsu. CP usage: 55 CP|
· Launches one fireball per use
· Damage: 19-25 per fireball
· Range: 3 Meters
Seishoyo (Holy Brand) – Epic Quality
Item Type: Blunt Weapon
Item Modifier Rank: STR [C]
Durability 80/80
While it resembles a red-hot torch, its metal studs on the end show that it is very much designed for combat. Useful in not only providing light, the small cudgel is also designed to set foes alight much more easily and allows it to inflict additional damage. In addition, it possesses a holy element to it that makes it an effective weapon against those classified as [undead].
Attack Power: 25–33 + (Modifier) + (Bonus) = 50.7 - 61.1
Bonus Perks: [Illuminator: Lv 1], [Firebrand: Intermediate Rank], [Zombie-Hater]
Unique Weapon Skill: [Hikaru (Brilliance)]
Fuinjutsu Slots Available: [One Major Slot], [Two Minor Slots]
Usage Requirement: 15 STR, Basic Blunt Weapon Mastery
[Illuminator: Lv 1]
By saying the command words "Light On" it clearly illuminates the surrounding area within a radius of thirty feet. By uttering the command words "Light Off" the illumination ceases. Using the ability grants in darkened areas gives the bearer the flaw [Moth to a Flame].
|Firebrand: Intermediate Rank|
Base weapon attack power increased by 30%, 40% Chance of causing [Burning] debuff
|Zombie-Hater|
Gives the wielder the benefits of the [Zombie-Slayer] Title and allows one to locate [undead] within twenty-five meters and see them clearly in darkened areas. If wielder already has title equipped then it is increased to the next title level available (cannot increase beyond maximum title level)
|Hikaru (Brilliance)|
Hikaru is a unique weapon skill that activates when its name is said by the wielder. When used in darkened areas, it has a 65% chance of causing the [Stunned], and has a 35% chance of causing the debuff [Visually Impaired]. Can be used when lit or unlit. CP Cost: 150 CP per use.
"JACKPOT!" next to the discovery of the beautiful wonder that was known as ramen, this was easily one of Naruto's happiest moments. Eagerly storing away the loot, Naruto brandished his weapon before red flashed before him.
|ERROR! ERROR! YOU CURRENTLY DON'T MEET THE REQUIREMENTS TO WIELD THIS EQUIPMENT! A PENALTY TO WEAPON DAMAGE AND SPEED AND ABILITIES HAS OCCURRED!"
Sure enough, Naruto saw his weapon become the exact opposite in a blink of an eye, "What! Why the hell … Oh, right," Naruto slapped himself for forgetting. Putting only one of the recently acquired AP into his STR, Naruto watched as the penalty vanished and breathed a sigh of relief as Seishoyo returned to normal.
Naruto considered himself very fortunate given his circumstances. In games, the chances of low-level characters getting an epic rank weapon such as this in their first dungeon were very low. And yet, while it was only a low level epic weapon, Naruto had managed to acquire one nonetheless. Already it was a strong weapon with the modifier and bonus stat. Adding in the boosts from his titles and skills meant this was the best possible weapon for this dungeon.
Now equipped with the weapon, Naruto used the command phrase and blinked as he saw the environment light up, which allowed him to see everything with greater clarity. Though, in hindsight, it wasn't all that pretty given it was a sewer. The flaw [Moth to a Flame] wasn't something he liked either, since it decreased the effectiveness of his [Stealth] skill by giving away his position in dark areas – it was a torch after all – and had an aggro effect, too. On the upside, it was still a very good weapon and would allow him to get out of the dank environment more quickly now that he knew where to go.
Naruto, however, quickly realized an important problem, "Where the hell did I come from?" he wondered and looking at the many possible entrances he could have come through.
Crap.
From the shadows, Midori face planted the moment she heard the young ninja in training's words, "This is going to take some work," she realized. She also realized seconds that her head, which she had worked very hard on not getting dirty, was now covered in vile sewer sludge. Naruto was going to pay for that later.
"Ah, screw it," Naruto decided to wing it. Sewers had more than one manhole cover; he'd come across one sooner or later. Running towards the closest exit, Naruto quickly entered an open area filled to the brim with zombies. While initially worried, Naruto recalled his new weapon and its skill; his worried look quickly shifting into a fox-like grin instead.
"Hikaru (Brilliance)!" Naruto declared and raised Seishoyo into the air above him. A brilliant flash encompassed the enclosed area and Naruto watched as the zombies recoiled, some even falling into the water, and remained virtually motionless. Two of them were unaffected, but Hikaru at least evened the odds in his favour and gave him time to deal with those that couldn't fight back.
"Ryoku Boku (Power Strike)!" Naruto slammed his weapon into the back of the nearest zombie's head. The zombie fell forward; Naruto followed up with a heel strike on the downed animate corpse, and began stomping the life out of it.
When it dissipated, Naruto moved on to the next immobile zombie and struck it with another [Ryoku Boku] to the head. This time his victim caught fire and Naruto kicked it towards the zombies that were closing in.
"Fire in the hole!" Naruto couldn't help himself, and watched as the exploding zombie expanded outwards with incredible force. The action sent the others along with sludge flying across the sewer. One struck another undead, while the other struck the sewer wall with an audible crunch. When another tried getting up, Naruto used his first elemental technique.
"Katon: Hidama no Jutsu (Fire Release: Fireball Technique)!" a small fire shot from his mouth towards its target. However, being Naruto's first time using such a technique, the aim was off and merely struck the sewer water.
"Well, that sucked," while embarrassed by the poor execution of it all, Naruto was glad no one but mindless undead were present. "… And the snake!" he realized.
Damn it!
"Definitely going to take some work," Midori laughed while Naruto attempted another fireball. It also missed.
(Nearly Half an Hour Later; Above the Sewers)
"…Awight. Times almost up," Anko jumped to her feet and stretched out the kinks in her body. She had given Naruto an ample amount of time to deal with the rotting giant and nothing happened; she was bored and over this crap. Jumping from roof to roof until she arrived directly behind the ignorant undead, Anko set out with her plan.
"Okay. One Katon: Karyudan (Fire Release: Fire Dragon Bullet) to yer ugly mug coming up," she muttered and began the sequence for the necessary hand signs. Just as she was about to unleash hell, Anko spotted Naruto one roof over from her. While he was cutting it close, Naruto still had time left so Anko halted her actions and decided to see where this went.
"Gaki better not disappoint me," she frowned and became wide eyed when Naruto bolted from his cover and threw something at the back of the Legion Zombie. Whatever it was, Anko noticed it got a negative reaction from the creature. The kunoichi saw vapours and even from here she could hear sizzling.
"Acid? Where the hell did he get that?" she put that aside as the undead behemoth bellowed loudly and raised its arms high into the air. Anko looked on with worry as the raised appendages came crashing down with the force of an explosion and demolished nearly half the building from top to bottom. Though much smaller and nowhere as strong than an Akimichi when using their clan's body manipulation techniques, the undead giant's strength was still superhuman and just deadly.
The kunoichi breathed a sigh of relief when she spotted him running on the streets, "If that kid makes one wrong move it's game over," Anko hoped the boy knew what he was doing as the dungeon boss gave chase.
"Anko-san," the kunoichi heard Midori hissed from behind.
"Midori," she quickly greeted, "What took so long?"
"The boy found another layer to this place underground. It wasn't pleasant," Anko knew Midori well enough to recognize the irritation in her tone of voice.
"You're telling me. Kami, you smell rank," Anko cringed at the odour that assaulted her nose. She could only wonder how bad Naruto was. Thinking of the boy, Anko looked at her familiar and friend, "How'd he do?"
"Like I said before: the boy has potential, but he's a fixer upper, for certain," the summon repeated, noting how long it took him to get out of the secret dungeon.
"Kinda knew that already, Midori. Anything new, I mean?" Anko clarified.
"Frankly, his ability is powerful, extremely so. Each time an enemy falls I've seen items take its place. I even saw him blow up an enemy and that action snowballed in him getting a series of items that made the rest of the sewers a walk in the park. I've never seen nor heard anything quite like this before. I can't make any sense of how this is all possible," Midori knew few who could but she doubted even the White Snake Sage was capable of making sense of it all.
"So what are his chances against tall and ugly over there?" Anko was curious about what Naruto got if it allowed him to breeze through it.
"If he plays it smart, he'll end causing it a lot of damage before you have to take over. With a lot of luck and creativity on his part, he may even come close to ending it," the constrictor added.
"Not that I doubt you or anything, but I'd rather not stay here for the rest of my life. Too many things to do, people to traumatize, dango to eat, all that good stuff," Anko rebutted; Midori deadpanned, "So stay close to the little twerp."
Midori merely nodded and slithered away from Anko before she disappeared into the shadows like a wraith. It went unsaid that the moment Midori interfered was it Anko's cue to take the boss down for the count with a well-placed fire technique.
(With Naruto)
"Come on, ugly. Come get some!" Naruto shouted and took off when the creature bellowed an ear splitting roar once more. The prankster was fortunate that despite its towering form and immense strength, Naruto's speed boost was just enough to evade its attacks. Even then it was only barely.
Case and point, Naruto was thrown in the air as he evaded the latest attack that kicked up a cloud of dust, earth, and broken rocks. The act caused him to crash shoulder first into a wall. HP was lost but it was minimal and Naruto couldn't afford to be idle.
Running around a corner, Naruto watched as the Legion Zombie ploughed through the nearest building as though it wasn't there. However, its movement was slowed as it did but it seemed unbothered nonetheless by the crumbling structure.
Spotting him, the behemoth gave chase once more. Only for it to unexpectedly step into a decently deep hole filled with makeshift bones spikes. The action caused it some damage and also caused it to fall face forward onto the ground. The ground buckled and the area shook everything around him as though an earthquake took place.
Naruto lost his footing but regained it quickly enough and rushed at the being. Quickly grabbing his [Unstable Cocktail], Naruto got in close and broke it on the zombie's head. His actions were instantaneous: the being lost five hundred HP, and its whole head caught on fire. Much like the other zombies, this caused the boss's [Burning Agony] flaw to activate and send it into a frenzy. But that wasn't all.
|MASSIVE CRITICAL HIT LANDED!|
|LEGION ZOMBIE AFFECTED BY [BURNING AGONY] DEBUFF!|
|LEGION ZOMBIE AFFECTED BY [OILED]!|
"Yes!" years of video meant Naruto didn't need to read the description to know what [Oiled] meant. Damage from fire-based techniques and chances of causing negative status effects against the boss had now shot up. It was a simple but effective technique Naruto had exploited time and time again.
|LEGION ZOMBIE HEALTH BELOW 75%|
"Yes!" Naruto mentally cheered. However, so focused was he that he was nearly crushed but the rampaging zombie's giant arm. Instead Naruto was sent flying by the impact into a nearby building. Pain racked his form as a wall stopped him once more.
"Ouchhh," Naruto groaned, "That had hurt like hell."
As he removed himself from the wall, Naruto was thankful for small mercies, as the zombie was still stuck in the hole he made instead of being mobile. The boy could only wonder how much hot water he'd be in then.
Nonetheless, Naruto realized that it wouldn't' be long before it managed to free itself and the blow had taken away a huge chunk of HP. While he had hoped to save it for a different occasion, the ninja in training quickly chugged his newly acquired [Basic Grade Health Potion] and watched as thirty percent of his health returned to him in a flash.
Getting up, Naruto approached the hole he had come through and saw that the zombie was still suffering from its hissy fit and destroying the area it was stuck in. Deciding on a safer long ranged approach, Naruto got in within a safe distance and raised Seishoyo into the air.
"Hikaru (Brilliance)!" Naruto declared. However, the action didn't affect the boss as easily as its lower rank kin. Furrowing his brow, Naruto had to attempt it two more times before it finally worked and the boss stilled. By now [Burning Agony] had finally subsided, but Naruto was quick to rectify that. Tossing another vial of [Basic Grade Armour Acid] at its face, Naruto followed with another Ryoku Boku (Power Strike).
With his weapon in hand, Naruto struck the boss's sizzling head and watched it lit up once more like a raging bonfire. The zombie couldn't have the worst of luck. With his perks, title and weapon, Naruto was currently the worst opponent it could be facing right now. Distancing himself, Naruto shot several Hidama (Fireball) from a nearby rooftop that was still within striking distance but outside of arms reach. Naruto repeated the actions a couple of more times before it finely managed to break free from its confinement.
|LEGION ZOMBIE HEALTH BELOW 50%!|
|THE LEGION ZOMBIE'S RAGING UNDEAD SKILL HAS BEEN ACTIVATED|
"Come again?" Naruto questioned the pop up.
"GRAAOOOOGHHHH!"
Naruto was unable to block his ears as the roar made him buckle from the sheer intensity of it all. Gazing up, Naruto saw the zombie's eyes bulge and darken to a blood red, whiles its body bulged and wreathed under the skin as though thousands of worms were beneath the surface of it. Its massive hands exploded as they transformed into claws the length of spears, its lanky form transforming into that of a body builder, thighs thickening into tree trunks, and bony protrusions coming out at various locations.
"…Uh-oh," despite looking way cooler, Naruto knew that even with his new weapon his situation went from doable to likely no chance in hell. His current predicament only worsened as he saw the dungeon boss grab a huge chunk of building; Naruto quickly put two and two together and did the only thing he could think of.
"Hikaru (Brilliance)!" he declared and hoped his gamble worked. Lady Luck smiled upon him as the giant zombie recoiled from the sudden flash of light.
The piece of building it picked up ended up falling on its head and causing it to lose its balance. While damage was done, the zombie continued raging and pretty much destroyed its surrounding environment. The wild and destructive flailing and length of its arms made it too hazardous for Naruto to approach without risking incredible damage.
Using [Hikaru] was an option, but the technique was less effective out in the open than in an enclosed and darkened one. The fact the last two worked at all were very fortunate. [Hidama] while ranged and fire related was limited in range and too weak to cause any serious damage even with his damage enhancing boons. [Oiled] was now gone since it disappeared after the first fire related technique struck the victim.
Naruto was not one to call it quits, it went against his beliefs, and there was a fine line between being determined and stubbornness. But even though he wouldn't stay dead, Naruto had no intention of losing the EXP he managed to find. With that in mind, Naruto decided to attempt one last gamble. Shooting out a small fireball at the undead berserker, Naruto managed to get its attention. He had little time to act as the being lunged at him; its giant body punching through the building like a drill through bedrock.
"Fuck!" Anko cringed along with Midori; both hoped Naruto was fine. The two soon paled the moment they saw the undead rise up and spotted the sleeve from Naruto's well-recognized orange jumpsuit hanging from its massive mouth. They paled even further when the crunching began and Anko could only wonder how the hell she was going to explain this to the Hokage. And that was assuming she'd ever get out of this place.
"Hey! Asshole!"
From atop another building, Anko and Midori both breathed a sigh of relief when they saw Naruto's very much uneaten form. His clothes were pretty much useless now, but other than looking dirtier Naruto appeared virtually unharmed.
"That was my favourite jumpsuit!" Naruto shouted; his tone pissed. The act of using [Kawarimi] to get away at the last minute had paid off but Naruto had overshot the distance, which cost him a good amount of chakra and resulted in the loss of his jumpsuit top. The zombie merely raised its arm while Naruto quickly put his hands in the tiger seal and uttered one word.
"Boom!"
Both humans and the summon watched as an explosion came from the mouth of the boss and caused it to shake and crumble backwards onto the ground. Its fall was incredible and destruction followed it as the earth buckled and shuddered vigorously.
|MASSIVE CRITICAL HIT LANDED!|
|LEGION ZOMBIE HEALTH BELOW 25%!|
Naruto jumped into the air with joy as he realized he neared his goal. But his luck ran out when he landed back down and lost his balance, courtesy of the roof collapsing due to previous damage from the dungeon boss. Finding himself suddenly freefalling, the blond couldn't recover quickly enough when he landed with a painful thud and shouted obscenities as several large pieces of stone and wood rendered his leg and arms immobile.
Now incapable of moving and having lost a good chunk of health for his cockiness, Naruto struggled to move and unpin himself from the rubble he was trapped under, "Oh, come on. Get…Ugh! Off! Damn it!" Naruto cursed and squirmed like a toddler from a stranger's arms. As it required free mobility and hand signs, the Body Replacement Technique was a no go to use at the moment.
Thud.
The struggle momentarily stopped as Naruto felt the vibrations and knew what they meant. Continuing his efforts to free himself from his current predicament, Naruto cursed his lack of physical strength.
Thud.
"Crap," Naruto continued struggling in vain. And while he wouldn't admit it out loud, he was worried. Had [Gamer's Mind] not kicked in, he was absolutely certain he would be having a panic attack. Even though he wouldn't stay dead, Naruto had no intention of experiencing death any time soon, or any time for that matter.
Thud!
But the current situation didn't seem to take his feelings into consideration at the moment. Looming over him was the building tall undead dungeon boss, his head still badly battered up from the combined exploding tags trap he pulled off. As it raised its hand up high into the air, Naruto closed his eyes and mentally prayed that death and rebirth here would be like flipping a light switch: quick and easy.
As the large arm and hand came down upon him like a hammer to strike hot metal on an anvil, Lady Luck flipped a coin and Naruto's fortunes took a turn for the better. The act was swift and harsh and the zombie had no time to react once its head found itself clamped down upon by a massive jaw of backwards curving teeth. From there it was game over, as the Legion Zombie found itself flung several dozens of meters into air before being savagely yanked back down by the feet and into the ground.
|The Dungeon Boss has been Defeated!|
|CONGRATULATIONS! THE DUNGEON HAS BEEN CLEARED! AS A RESULT, YOU'VE COMPLETED THE ACHIEVEMENT [NOVICE ADVENTURER]. YOU'VE EARNED 1500 EXP AND 2500 RYO!|
[QUEST COMPLETED!]
Cutting it Down to Size!
Main Quest: Reduce the Legion's Zombie's health to 75% without Anko's help (Accomplished).
Side Quest 1: Reduce the Legion's Zombie's health to 50% without Anko's help (Accomplished).
Side Quest 2: Reduce the Legion's Zombie's health to 25% without Anko's help (Accomplished).
Side Quest 3: Kill the Legion Zombie without Anko's help! (Not Accomplished)
Total Rewards Earned:
(3750 EXP + 20%) = 4500 EXP, +400 Reputation [Anko], +3 Attribute Points, [Trust Earned Quest: Anko] Path Available
|Congratulations! Your level has increased by three!|
Status Window
Name: Uzumaki Naruto
Job: Academy Student
Level: 11 Next Level: 2565/8700
HP: 2975 + [1050] ~ 4025?
CP: 5150 + [1875] ~ 7025?
STR: 15 ~ 15?
VIT: 87 + [30] ~ 117?
END: 117 + [45]~ 162?
DEX: 32 + [3] ~ 35?
INT: 34 ~ 34
WIS: 10 ~ 10
CHA: 6 ~ 6
LUK: ? ~ ?
DEF: 5 ~ 5
Attribute Points: 5 + [7] ~ 12
|Congratulations! Due to passing the 150 point mark on END, you've gained the perk [Chakra Affinity: Basic Rank]!
Chakra Affinity: Basic Rank
[CP Regen] Increased by 5%
Total CP Increased by 5%
[Elemental Nature Damage] Taken Decreased by 5%
CP Usage towards [Ninjutsu Skills] Decreased by 5%
Speed, Power and Effectiveness towards [Ninjutsu Skills] Increased by 5%
"Oh, kami, thank you," Naruto breathed a sigh of relief, ignoring the sweet triple level up and new perk for the time being. "That was too close."
"Yeah, it was, you little idiot," Anko's voice sang from behind. "Ya did good up until ya got cocky and look what happened. Never get cocky, Gaki, or you can end up worse than this."
"You mean dead?" Naruto questioned her.
"Oh, I can think of a lot of things worse than death," while a bastard and a traitor, her former teacher hadn't sugarcoated the dangers that young ninja and kunoichi faced. That was especially so for kunoichi, "Sen'ei Jashu (Hidden Shadow Snake Hands)."
From her sleeves appeared five large snakes that Anko directed towards the fallen debris. Naruto watched as three coiled and wrapped tightly around the stone and wood pinning his arms before lifting them up while the remaining two took care of the lower half of his body. With their tasks done, the serpents retreated back into Anko's sleeve to who knows where, allowing Naruto to stand up and work the kink out of his muscles.
"Thanks," Naruto said before heading towards the area of the giant zombie's demise; Anko followed closely behind him. The two of them made short work at covering the distance between them and Naruto's eyes bulged out of his eyes.
"Holy shit!" Naruto exclaimed. "Midori!"
"Yesss?" the green serpent was now of immense stature. Compared to her the towering Legion Zombie was a puppy standing next to a human child. It was no wonder the surrounding area now had a huge crater with meters worth of spider web-like cracks spread around and nearby buildings had collapsed from the sheer force.
"Anko was right," Naruto recalled the kunoichi saying how the Legion Zombie was nothing compared to summons or summon-like creatures. The evidence before him spoke for itself. If this was but a taste of the creatures he'd potentially be facing down the line, Naruto had some serious shaping up to do.
Before he could ask any further questions, Midori began shrinking back down to her previous size, "You ok, Midori?" he heard Anko ask while the serpent coiled and wrapped herself around the woman.
"I'm fine," Midori huffed; Naruto thought she looked tired, "It still takes a lot of chakra to maintain my previous form. I just need rest," she said and with that she started to sleep.
Guessing he wouldn't get his question answered right now, Naruto drew his attention back to the ground to see what was spread before him: three vials of [Basic Grade Health Potion], a little over 20,000 Ryo, a pair of gloves, and a scroll.
"I'll take that," Anko swiped the ryo bills in the blink of an eye.
"Hey!"
"Oh, quit yer bitchin. Here," Anko threw him a stack that amounted to three thousand ryo, "Be grateful I'm giving you even that much, Gaki."
The blond chose to ignore that for now. If anything he'd be able to come back later and make up for his losses and then some thanks to the titles and equipment he now held. Looking back down, Naruto grabbed the gloves and the scroll and used [Observe].
Novice Zombie Slayer Gloves – Uncommon Quality
Item Type: Hand Armor
Durability 50/50
A pair of gloves that are imbued with the power to defend against foes classified as [Undead], which makes it easier to combat and hunt them down. While the lowest class of the Zombie Slayer Equipment set, they are still good for beginners and offer decent protection.
Buffs/Perks: Damage: +8 DEF, -3% Damage from [Undead]
Set Completion (First Bonus): [1/3: Locked]
Set Completion (Second Bonus): [1/5: Locked]
Ninpo: Goriki Scroll
Ninpo: Goriki (Ninja Art: Hard Strength) B-Rank. Lv 1. 0% to Next Lv|. Skill Modifier: INT [D] Mastering Speed: E| A technique that strengthens the user's muscles for a period of time, which allows them to hit harder, jump higher, lift heavier objects, and throw objects even further and with deadlier force. While a very useful skill, it is very difficult to master because of the skill's required finesse. CP Usage: 600 per Use
• Increases STR by 75%
• Duration: 3 Minutes + (34 INT * .5) x (5 Seconds) = 4:25 Minutes
Usage Requirements: 30 INT, 100 END
As she saw Naruto grinning from ear to ear, Anko surmised the academy student had acquired some pretty decent loot. However, Anko had little interest in that and made her opinion known, "Okay, Gaki. We cleared this place, now can we go home before anything else happen? I'd rather not make it a habit to save yer ass at the last minute again," Anko liked living on the edge but that had been too close a call for her liking.
"Yeah, sure. Just a sec," Naruto said and began to look at the [Guide] to find out how he was supposed to get out of this place.
"All right. [Instant Dungeon Creation Escape]!" Naruto declared and both blinked as the world turned white and they suddenly reappeared in the alley.
"Ughh, headache," Anko groaned as little bits of light danced in front of her eyes. "Little warning next time, gaki."
"Sorry," Naruto groaned as well he'd have to get used to that, "So what now?"
Before Anko could come up with an answer, the two of them were suddenly confronted by an Anbu with long purple hair and wearing a porcelain mask that resembled a cat, "Uzumaki Naruto, Mitarashi Anko, the both of you are to report to Hokage-sama immediately."
Anko could only blink and summed up the situation in two words, "Ah, shit."
Legend of the Kyuubi
Making the rounds.
- Joined
- Sep 14, 2026
- Messages
- 35
Chapter 5: Babysitting with a Premium Rate
Naruto and Anko walked up the stairs leading to the Hokage's office at a relaxed yet quick pace. The cat masked Anbu following them from behind and ever watchful. Not that Anko and Naruto had any plans of making a run for it.
"Not that it would do me any good," Naruto's share of pranks had him often brought towards the Hokage whenever he was caught, though said pranks were mostly geared towards civilians, Genin, and Chunin. Only once in a blue moon did he ever go and target a Jonin level individual. Jonin and Anbu were more or less off limits unless he felt lucky since not only were they much harder to prank, given that the vast majority knew how to disable and avoid them, but nine times out of ten was he caught. At least this time he wasn't being dragged up the stairs, which hurt like hell and then some, like he normally was during a prank gone wrong.
"Anbu Neko present to see Hokage-sama about Mitarashi Anko and Uzumaki Naruto," the Anbu declared as they stood before the secretary.
"Proceed. Hokage-sama is expecting you," the woman informed the operative.
"Hi, Mariko-neechan," Naruto greeted the familiar secretary as the Anbu entered Hiruzen's office. Much like Ayame, Mariko was one of the few older females that Naruto had a decent relationship with. It had been rocky at first but after a certain amount of times the two had warmed up to one another.
"Naruto-kun," Mariko chuckled, "An Anbu escort. What did you do this time?"
"What makes you think I did anything?" Naruto merely got a deadpanned look from the young woman. His reputation preceded him after all.
"Call it a hunch," she smiled and Naruto became flushed.
"Honest! I didn't do squat this time!" he persisted.
"Right, sure, Naruto-kun. And Hokage-sama is a closet pervert," Anko and Mariko laughed at that.
"Uhh, well actually," Naruto began just as the door opened.
"I'll see you two now, Anko-chan, Naruto-kun," Hiruzen spoke from the doorway.
"No way in hell was that coincidental," Naruto swore the Old Man had been listening in on them before he walked into the room.
"Before we begin, I must ask if you two are alright?" to Naruto it sounded like a friendly request, Anko knew it was more or less a cleverly disguised order.
"We're fine, Hokage-sama," Anko informed her leader.
"What she said, Jiji," Naruto parroted.
"Good. Now would either of you care to explain where you were for the last couple of hours? No one from the Barrier Team or the Sensory Team could locate your whereabouts. Nor could I for that matter," here he gave them a pointed look.
"Damn it! Should've known Hokage-sama kept regular tabs on the kid," it made sense given the boy was both a surrogate grandson to the village leader and was the warden of the deadliest and most powerful of the nine tailed beasts.
"We were gone that long?" Naruto honestly hadn't bothered keeping track of time. However, Naruto almost winced at the look directed at him by his village leader.
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you, Jiji," Naruto replied. It was the honest truth, too. What could he say without sounding like a complete nut case in the eyes of many. It also didn't help that Naruto wanted to keep this secret a secret for as long as possible.
Hiruzen remained silent for the longest time, though in reality it could've been shorter, "You're certain you have nothing more to say, Naruto?" Hiruzen inquired, his eyes as Hokage telling him there was more to the matter than let on.
Though it pained him to lie to his surrogate grandfather, Naruto merely responded with, "No."
Hiruzen did nothing but look at Naruto for a moment or two before nodding, "Very well. Seeing as neither of you are injured I'll let it slide this time. Off you go then," he told the dismissed blond. Naruto was stunned but merely nodded and left the office.
"Anko," Hiruzen spoke with a firm and even tone, which immediately held the Tokubestu Jonin's attention, "I don't know what you two did, nor where you went, and somehow I'm getting the impression I probably don't want to know right now," years in office had given Hiruzen great political insight on when and when not to press an issue. Hiruzen had every intention of knowing what happened to the two decided to take a less straightforward approach to the situation.
"Trust me, Hokage-sama, you wouldn't believe me if I told you," Anko still had no idea how it was possible or how to even properly give it justice.
Hiruzen held up his hand to stop her from saying anymore, "Like I said, I probably don't want to know. For now keep an eye on him for me. I've known that boy since he first came into this world and Naruto-kun seldom puts his trust in others. I can basically count the number he does on my hands. It's clear to me you've earned that trust and I'd hate to take it away by forcing you to tell me what transpired," had either of them been severally injured it would have been another matter entirely.
"You want me to spy on the Gaki?" Anko asked half surprised and half insulted her leader would request such a thing.
"No. Not spy. Keep him out of trouble. I'm old but I haven't lasted this long as Hokage by being unobservant. I know Naruto well enough to know that he will tell me what's going when he feels ready. Until then, I need eyes on him to make certain he doesn't put himself in danger. Or, at the very least, he's prepared to deal with whatever dangers he might be facing," he clarified.
"No offense, Hokage-sama, but that still kinda sounds like spying," the kunoichi rebuked; Hiruzen laughed.
"Yes, I guess it does in a way," he conceded. To him there was a difference between spying and looking out for another. But even then the lines blurred at times, "I do this because I worry for that boy. He's endured hardship few can relate to. Unfortunately, he's ill prepared for what lies ahead and I worry what might happen to him."
Having seen him in action along with Midori's testimony, Anko knew her leader wasn't far from the truth. It also made her wonder if Hiruzen meant Naruto getting hurt in some shape or form, or others decided to put Naruto to use through other means that were less than stellar, "So how should I go about making sure he won't get his ass in the fire?" the kunoichi asked.
Hiruzen told her two words clearly and concisely. Two words that would change her life forever: "Mentor him."
(Sometime Later with Naruto)
Naruto wandered around Konoha with little thought to where he was going at the moment and ignoring the daily looks and whispers directed his way. Idly did he realize that Anko had been given the same treatment, too. Whether or not it was due to him being with her or something she herself had done was unknown.
"What to do, what to do," Naruto murmured. Training was an option but most training fields for academy students were restricted due to an incident he had been a part of. It was one of the few times where it hadn't been his fault, at least not entirely, but most still saw it that way. Either way that was a no go at the moment.
"Not like I got any decent gear anyway," his current attire left much to be desire despite him liking the look. The upper jump suit was pretty much useless now and his pants were pretty much on their way to being in the same state. He could use his [Equipment/Gear Maintenance Skill] to restore the pants but even then it wouldn't do much. The upper armor was now labelled as [Broken]; his skill wasn't high enough to deal with that kind of status effect.
"Getting new gear it is then," Naruto said.
"You thinking of getting some gear?"
"AHHH!" Naruto yelled, causing many witnesses to look at him with wide eyes, most being replaced by frowns or scowls for disrupting their peaceful day with his sudden and unwanted outburst, "Anko? Don't do that!"
"Not my fault you suck at detecting me," the kunoichi retorted. "But again, you thinking about getting some new duds?"
"Yeah," Naruto had every intention of going back into the dungeon when he had the chance. Having better gear would make things much easier though.
"You do know that as a minor you're limited on what you can get, right?"
"Minor! I'm thirteen years old!" he practically shouted.
"Aw, good for you. You've entered the awkward stage of your life," Anko patted and ruffled his head like a dog.
"Arghh. Quit it!" Naruto batted away her hands. "Why the hell can't I get what I want?"
"Never said that. I said you're limited. Until you graduate and become a fully fledge ninja, you need an adult or guardian to sign off on what you can buy. We're a village that makes ninja, but we're not stupid. Think of the bad rep we'd get if we allowed just anyone to buy a weapon. Not to mention the lawsuits," had this still been Konoha during its early years no one would have cared but laws had since been put into place for a reason.
"Great. I'm an orphan living on my own so I'm screwed," Naruto scowled.
"Not true, Gaki," from her fishnet mesh shirt top Anko produced a piece of paper, "By order of Hokage-sama, I'm now your guardian. At least until you graduate," she forwent saying she was being paid a low B-Rank mission wage a month by the man to look after him.
"… Did...Did you have to bring em– I mean. Did you have to bring it out like that," he corrected himself and hoped he'd been quick enough. However, Anko's smirk told him it was too late. Damn it.
"Aww, did I get a reaction outta you?" seeing him blush and try to hide it miserably only confirmed her suspicions, "Oh, who's a horny little bastard?" Anko teased, pressing his face into her generous chest and becoming the envy of several passers-by.
"Oh, kami, please kill me," Naruto had a deep appreciation of the female body – he had for quite some time now and wouldn't have created his Oiroke no Jutsu (Sexy Technique) – and he wouldn't have minded this had a bunch of other people not been around to witness this. Ironic considering he wasn't afraid to use his patented Sexy Technique in public.
"Maybe later. Bottom line is, Gaki, your ass is mine from now on 'till you graduate, or if you die from my methods. Whichever comes first," she shrugged.
"Oh, joy," Naruto could only imagine the horrors that awaited him. Finally getting out of her grasp, her releasing him would be a more accurate description, Naruto asked in a hushed tone, "Did you tell him?"
"About your reality binding-dimension hopping to a post apocalyptic world filled with undead that give you money and other goods if you kill em? No. But it doesn't mean he doesn't suspect something's up. Pretty sure you know that, too," Naruto nodded.
"I'll tell him. Just not now and when the time is right," he promised her; Anko merely nodded and already suspected as such from what her leader told her about Naruto, "So, guardian, where to next then?"
"Depends. How much do you have?" she asked half serious half curious.
"After your cut and what I saved up," Naruto quickly looked it up and then answered, "A little over thirty-two thousand ryo."
"Not bad," it wasn't great but the amount was enough to get Naruto some decent beginner gear, "Okay, next stop is Higurashi's Shinobi Arms."
"Higurashi's? Isn't that in the ritzy part of Konoha?" Naruto recalled.
"Good memory. And, yeah, it is. The place is high end but worth the dough. You don't want gear that crap out on ya when you're out in the field. It can mean a matter of life and death," she informed him before leaping away.
Following after her, Naruto landed in front of a building approximately five minutes later. The moment he entered did the sight of various weapons, ninja tools, and protective gear enter his vision. From katana to tantos, light to plated armor, and shuriken to custom made kunai. All in all, everything looked to be in prestigious order.
"Woah," Naruto was in awe at what he saw.
"Pretty much sums it," Anko had reacted the same way when she first came in here, "Place has been here since Konoha's founding. Like I said, it's pricy compared to the other places, but if you want top notch quality goods that won't quit on ya, this is the place to get em."
"Nice to hear you say that, Anko," Naruto turned towards the counter and spotted a tall six foot four man with an eye patch. "Who's the kid? Thought you said you'd give up dango before mentoring?"
"Did I? Don't remember saying that?"
"I believe your exact words were, and I quote, I'd rather give up dango than teach some snot nose brats who wouldn't know shit on how to use kunai or shuriken even if their lives depended on it. Remember now?" the man asked an embarrassed looking kunoichi, "To be fair, you were pretty drunk at the time. But you being you I thought you'd remember it anyways."
"I'll take your word for it. Anyway, I thought it was high time Konoha needed another me. So I'm just giving the gaki a few pointers on raising a little hell," Anko said.
"Another Anko. Should I be worried?" the man laughed and ducked under a hail of shuriken, his laughing never stopped.
"I have a feeling she's gonna be a bad influence," Naruto guessed but put that thought away as he was approach by the tall man. Now that he was closer, Naruto saw that the man was pretty darn muscular and had a variety of scars along his arms
"Tetsumaru, friends call me Tetsu. Owner of this fine establishment and retired ninja," the man introduced himself. If his appearance wasn't proof enough, Naruto didn't doubt that he was a former ninja the way he held himself.
Tetsu's arms were the size of Naruto's head, tan skin, dark brown hair and goatee with a wicked scar that went along his right eye with an eye-patch covering it up. He was pretty good looking and had a very good build and it was evident that he was all muscle and little to no fat. It made Naruto wonder why the man was no longer a ninja. He looked pretty strong in his books.
"Why aren't you a ninja anymore?" in typically Naruto manner the boy was blunt and to the point.
"Ughh," Anko mentally face palmed, "Note to self: teach him about subtlety and tact."
Tetsu merely smirked, "You don't beat around the bush do you, kid?"
|Your lack of thinking and tact has resulted in -50 Reputation with Anko!|
"Crap!" Naruto was mentally kicking himself. "Sorry."
"Bah, no harm done, kid," he said and slapped the boy on the back as a show of good faith, accidentally knocking Naruto over face into the ground in the process.
"Oww," Naruto groaned from the floor.
"Oops, scrawny little thing aren't ya?" he laughed as he helped a grumbling Naruto up. "Anyways to answer your question I'm a widower. My wife passed away several years back and I've been raising our daughter by myself. My girl's tough as nails but took to losing her mother kinda hard even if she didn't show it. Didn't want her growing up without a parent and being a shinobi is an occupational hazard so I retired from active duty and began training her when she said she wanted to become a kunoichi."
"Oh, yeah. Didn't little Ten-chan graduate this year?" Anko asked having gotten acquainted with the man's daughter through her visits.
"Yep, kunoichi of the year," he puffed out with pride, "being taught by Maito Gai of all people so it's mostly me here with a few workers now that she's a Genin."
"Gai's teaching students?" Anko was shocked and Naruto saw what he thought was a brief look of sympathy. "Oh, those poor brats. How's she holding up?"
"Well," here Tetsu dragged the word, "Let's just say she's happy one of her team-members is normal."
"That bad?"
"She's been with them for a few months and while she can tolerate him and his little mini-me she's still not used to it," was another way of putting it. "But make no mistake, Gai's one of Konoha's elite Jonin for a reason."
Anko wouldn't dispute that claim. Eccentric as Gai was, and that was putting it very lightly, like Kakashi the man was not only one of Konoha's strongest Jonin, but Hi no Kuni's as well.
"Anyways you two obviously didn't come here to talk," Tetsu got down to business, "What can I do for you?"
"Not much for me really but the gaki here is in need of equipment," Anko told him. "He's frugal so he's got about thirty-two thousand ryo on him."
"Decent amount. Though, to be frank, that kind of money won't get you some of our better equipment or weapons other than shuriken and kunai and a few stacks of yer common variety exploding tags but we do have some decent protective gear for beginners in that price range over there. Just holler if you need help, got an order that needs some attention at the moment."
"Thanks," Naruto proceeded to browse through the selection before spotting something in a box, "Hey, nice!"
"Found some… What the hell!" Anko couldn't believe what he was holding.
In his hands was another orange jumpsuit with blue on the upper shoulders area as well as around the waist, a white swirl with a tassel on the left side, a red swirl crest on the back, a large white collar, orange pants wrapped around from the hanger.
"What do you think? Looks cool huh?" Naruto grinned at the find.
Anko's eye however merely twitched, "Gaki, step away from that monstrosity and no one gets hurt."
"What? But it's cool, orange, and cheap… and orange!" Naruto whined and held the outfit protectively.
"Mmmm, good point," Anko lied.
"Really?"
"HELL NO!" she shouted.
"What's going on here?" Tetsu asked, "I leave not ten seconds and… what the hell is that," he pointed at the outfit.
"My new outfit I found?"
"Ok, rephrase. What the hell is that doing in my store? This is a premium shop. There's no way in hell I'd have something like that here," Tetsu stated before realization dawned on him, "Tenten."
"Huh?"
"Nothing," Tetsu waved him off. His daughter was a good kunoichi and had a great deal of interest and understanding with weapons but got very obsessive and narrow minded when new ninja tools came in. However, this wasn't the same case when it came to armor and clothing. It was obvious that it slipped her mind when she signed the forms.
"Where'd you find that anyway?"
"In that box over there, why?" Naruto pointed behind him.
Marching over Tetsu briefly opened the box, closed it just as quickly, took Naruto's outfit before he had time to react, disappeared into the back of his store, before coming back out seconds later, "Well that outta keep the fires going for a while," Tetsu dusted his hands.
"… But it was orange?" Naruto didn't understand the big deal.
"It was an eyesore, had no business in my store, and with all that bright kill on sight color, you might as well wear a target sign that said come and kill me world! Ninja are to appear like normal civilians but the moment you get in a fight you're the most likely to be targeted because of how much it makes you stand out," Tetsu finished.
"He's right, Gaki. You wear that and you'll likely be targeted more so than your teammates cuz it makes you stand out. It's too vibrant to make proper sneak attacks; you'd have to resort to luck. You wanna wear orange, do so outside of combat," Anko advised him. She doubted she'd get him to stop wearing the color all together so at least she'd minimize the amount.
"Alright, enough criticism on his fashion sense, arms up," Tetsu ordered and began taking some quick measurements of Naruto. After a few minutes passed the man began picking out a few ensembles for the boy, "Here you go. Have a gander."
Basic Ninja Training Tunic – Common Quality
Item Type: Upper Body Armor
Durability 45/45
Ordinary and basic protective upper armor used by ninja in training when they practice mock fighting or physical exercises. May not look like much but is decently durable.
Buffs/Perks: +5 DEF
Set Completion (First Bonus): [1/3: Locked]
Set Completion (Second Bonus): [1/5: Locked]
Basic Ninja Training Pants – Common Quality
Item Type: Pants Body Armor
Durability 45/45
Ordinary and basic protective pants armor used by ninja in training when they practice mock fighting or physical exercises. May not look like much but is decently durable.
Buffs/Perks: +5 DEF
Set Completion (First Bonus): [1/3: Locked]
Set Completion (Second Bonus): [1/5: Locked]
Basic Ninja Training Gloves - Common Quality
Item Type: Hand Armor
Durability: 30/30
Ordinary and basic protective hand armor used by ninja in training, the material used in these gloves offers a decent amount of protection and allows for one to strike harder.
Buffs/Perks: +4 DEF
Set Completion (First Bonus): [1/3: Locked]
Set Completion (Second Bonus): [1/5: Locked]
Basic Ninja Training Boots - Common Quality
Item Type: Foot Armor
Durability: 30/30
Ordinary and basic protective foot armour used by ninja in training. May not look like much but is decently durable and allows for swift footwork.
Buffs/Perks: +4 DEF
Set Completion (First Bonus): [1/3: Locked]
Set Completion (Second Bonus): [1/5: Locked]
Basic Ninja Training Utility Belt - Common Quality
Item Type: Waist Armor
Durability: 25/25
Ordinary and basic protective waist armour used by ninja in training that is also used to hold pouches of kunai or shuriken.
Buffs/Perks: +3 DEF
Set Completion (First Bonus): [1/3: Locked]
Set Completion (Second Bonus): [1/5: Locked]
Dark Orange Undershirt - Common Quality
Item Type: Undershirt Accessory
Durability: 20/20
An ordinary shirt that is mainly used for fashion instead of defense.
Buffs/Perks: +1 DEF
Naruto had to admit that it was a heck of a lot better than what he had before and it looked pretty decent too with the orange undershirt. "Hey, gaki hurry up. You posing in the mirror or something?"
Initially frowning at the words, said look was soon replaced by a smirk as an idea popped into his head, "Oiroke no Jutsu (Sexy Technique)!"
Hearing the opening of the door Tetsu and Anko looked his way. However, instead of seeing Naruto clad in his new training ensemble, they saw a nude smoke wisped covered Mitarashi Anko, "You called," was the doppelganger's sultry response. For Tetsu the effect was instantaneous as the man was launched into a wall thanks to the sudden nosebleed.
Your actions have resulted in +500 Reputation with Higurashi Tetsumaru!
"Don't know if I should be creeped out or happy about that?" Naruto thought as looked upon the unconscious Tetsu. Either way, he'd take the positive reputation gain.
"Ahem," was Anko's response, "First off, my breasts are bigger than that. If you're gonna transform into me get it right, Gaki."
To say he was stunned by her response was an enormous understatement, "Huh?"
"Secondly, you're a couple of inches shorter than I am, work on it. Thirdly… god damn, I look good," Anko looked at 'herself'. " I knew I was good looking but to see it like this, damn!" here she gave her 'own' breasts a squeeze. "Nice and firm at least."
"What the hell!" a back to normal Naruto wondered why his plan didn't work. The breasts touching thing had been weird as hell too.
"You're a hundred years too early to try and pull a fast one like that on me," she smirked. "If you think me seeing myself naked would get a rise out of me you're dead wrong. I sleep all natural for one. And Kunoichi and shinobi do missions that sometimes require us to use a little more physical interaction and sex appeal in order to get the job done," Naruto understood the meaning and blushed a bit.
"Better luck next time," she grinned before looking him over, "Gotta say though, not bad. Good look for you. Hell of a lot better than that jumpsuit you found. Any perks?" she asked. Recalling the set bonuses that came with them, Naruto took a quick look to see what he got.
Basic Ninja Training Set Complete (First Bonus) [5/3]
+10% Effectiveness and Power towards E-Rank and D-Rank Skills
Basic Ninja Training Set Complete (Second Bonus) [5/5]
+10% additional EXP towards E-Rank and D-Rank Skills
"Decent boost towards E and D level skills but that's pretty much it," it was an okay bonus but Naruto had expected such a thing considering it was basic level armour.
"Don't dis em. I'll admit, aside some techniques like Kawarimi and Henge, most E and D level techniques aren't of much use down the line, but they act as a basis for the more effective techniques you learn," Anko lectured him. The act almost had Naruto comparing her to Iruka were it not for her provocative attire and her unique demeanour.
"Uhh," both Anko and Naruto heard Tetsu groan as he woke up, "Damn, I just had the weirdest dream… Oh, wait."
"So, Tetsu, like what you saw?" Anko emphasized it by pressing her breasts together and not so subtly thrusting them forward, getting a rise out of him.
"Damn it! Should of known having two of you would be trouble," the man cursed and thanked his luck that Anko hadn't managed to influence Tenten the rare times he had her look after the girl. After dusting himself off and cleaning away the blood from his nostrils, Tetsumaru gave Naruto a good look over, "Not bad. Not bad at all. Better than that jumpsuit anyway."
"Thanks. How much?" Naruto asked.
"Like I said, my stuff isn't cheap. Even the basic stuff is pricy so that will be about eight thousand ryo per set. You get a discount if you buy three sets and I'll even throw in a book on intermediate shuriken and kunai techniques along with a book on intermediate academy level taijutsu," Naruto recalled how many usually tried to charge that much for just two sets despite the fact they weren't the greatest of protective gear. This gear, while much pricier, was made of material that was much stronger and durable than the ones used by civilian clothing stores.
"Thanks, but I already have a book on the intermediate shuriken and kunaijutsu," though even then it wasn't like he had been able to put the [Intermediate Shurikenjutsu and Kunaijutsu Skill] to much use recently, "Think you can throw in a book on the advanced stuff instead?"
"Only if you still buy the three sets," Tetsu liked Naruto but business was business.
"Deal!" Naruto agreed and handed over a total of twenty-two thousand ryo.
"Oh, Gaki, you've a thing or two to learn about bartering," Anko merely added that to the list of things to teach him. While seldom used, bartering was still a useful skill to have under one's belt, "You good now?"
"Umm, I was wondering if there was enough left for a decent weapon?" Naruto asked. While he liked Seishoyo and its abilities, it was more geared towards undead beings. As enemies got stronger, it would start to become a less effective weapon.
"If we're talking about something other than shuriken and kunai then no. My weapons go for sixty-thousand ryo or more," Tetsu informed a floored Naruto. Naruto realized he'd have to go into the zombie dungeon and defeat the Legion Zombie three times just to earn that much.
"Told you he was pricy," Anko reaffirmed.
"Pricy but you get what you pay for. However, before we even go there, I need to ask a few questions. Any weapon experience other than with kunai or shuriken?" more than once would newly graduates, or those who wanted a weapon, would buy something thinking it was cool when Tetsu was out and later came back to try and return their purchase because they had no idea how to use it or it felt off.
"Uh… I used a lead pipe a few times does that count?" Naruto asked and missed Anko face palming behind him.
"A lead pipe?" that was definitely a new one in his books, "Anko?"
"Gaki used one against a wooden post to strengthen himself when he could afford a real weapon," Anko covered for her new ward. She added another thing to list of things to brush up on: lying.
Tetsu thought nothing more of it and believed the kunoichi, "So experience with blunt weapons. Not much of a selection in that category given that most ninja go for bladed weapons, unless you're from Iwa. Take a look and see if anything catches your eye," Tetsu pointed at the wall.
As Naruto went through them all, he couldn't help but drool a bit at how awesome the weapons were. The kanabo and nunchuks he saw were at the moment beyond him due to his DEX and STR being too low. The Bo staff Naruto had to admit was pretty good but felt a bit off to him, Tetsu had said it was most likely the size was too long since they averaged at near six feet and gave him a smaller one.
Fairly long still but it felt more comfortable. As he tried the rest of them, Naruto had to say that he currently felt more comfortable with the hanbo and tanbo, more so with the hanbo as the feeling was similar to when he used his pipe or Seishoyo.
"Anything else?" he asked.
"Sorry, kid, but that's all the blunt weapons I have. Like I said, ninja use mostly bladed weapons. You can take a look at the bladed weapons over there if you like."
Giving it a shot, as there wasn't anything to lose, Naruto's eyes wandered over the multiple swords that ranged from small than his arm to being twice as long as his body. He had to admit while his current weapon was good, it would make more sense for him to have a proper weapon such as a tanto, wakizashi, ninjato, or some sort of bladed weapon. Then again conforming to the norm wasn't really his style. The only problem that kept coming up.
"They're too expensive," Naruto wanted to cry. All of Tetsu's weapons were all ranked as [Uncommon] and [Rare] and had incredible attack power but each one he saw were priced well over sixty thousand ryo. Hell. One kanabo he saw was priced at a whopping one hundred and ten thousand. If he busted his ass Naruto knew he could earn the amount of money needed for such weapons. However, him suddenly coming here with said required amount with his background would raise a lot of questions.
|For thinking things through, your INT has increased by 1!|
As he continued to look at the array of bladed weapons, Naruto's eyes were suddenly locked on to a very large sword red and black blade the size of a man that hung above the others like a trophy, "What's that?"
"Hmm?" casting a look at where Naruto was looking, Tetsu merely chuckled, "Good taste, but I'm proud to say that ain't for sale. That baby's mine."
"What is it?"
"That's a zanbato (Horse-Slaying Sword), and sorry kid but there's no way in hell you're gonna be able to lift Zanma (Decapitating Demon) as you are now. Took me years to get the physical strength and experience I needed to use it at its max. Hung her up there when I retired. If you want one you're gonna have to show me you have the required strength and only then will I make a special order and that isn't cheap, especially for a zanbato."
"Can't be that heavy," Naruto said.
"That sword there weighs a little over two hundred and fifty kilograms … that's a little over five hundred and fifty pounds, and that's with seals on it to make it lighter," he elaborated to a bug eyed Naruto.
"Yeah, mastering a Zanbato is an arduous and time consuming task, but very rewarding if you ask me. Few to none can stand up to their blows because of the sheer force behind them. Their bulk makes them act like a club just as well as a sword, too, so they make good anti-armour weapons. Think you got what it takes to get yourself that fit?"
[QUEST ALERT!]
Basic Mastery of the Horse Slaying Sword
Main Quest: Increase STR to 110 to be able to wield a [Zanbato] class sword.
Secondary Main Quest: Increase [Bladed Weapon Mastery] to Journeyman level.
Main Quest Completion: 8500 EXP, +3 Attribute Points, +1000 Reputation [Tetsumaru]
Secondary Main Quest Completion: 6500 EXP, +500 Reputation [Tetsumaru], [?]
Accept Quest? (Yes/No)
Quest is Optional and can be taken at any time.
"He wasn't kidding when he said it would be heavy," Naruto's current STR level was fifteen and he needed over seven times that much just to wield that class of sword. But before he accepted something that would take a lot of time and effort, Naruto asked the weapon shop owner for a demonstration.
The man merely grinned a deadly looking grin before he freed Zanma from its holding place and excused himself momentarily. When he was done doing what he needed to do, Tetsu called both Anko and Naruto to the back of the store and into the woods behind it where he directed them both to a training field with various wooden dummies, tree posts, and metal beams the size of an adult.
As Tetsu began stretching and rolling his neck, he gave Naruto a few words of advise, "Been a while since I've done this but try not to blink, kid."
"Blink?" Naruto had no time to think of anything else as Tetsu grabbed his sword and vanished in the blink of an eye. Wind and dust rushed towards him and two dummies were bifurcated at the waist and then from head to groin, the ground beneath them cleaving open like a ruptured wound.
Unbelievable to his eyes, Naruto saw the metal beams slowly fall to pieces when various cuts from different angles became more and more pronounced. Each piece landed with an audible thud that shook the ground he stood on. A few piece still suspended in mid air were batted away like balls from a bat as Tetsu appeared in between them.
The pieces pierced and embedded themselves in the nearby trees as though they weren't there in the first place. Naruto knew enough about Konoha's trees to know they were easily the largest, thickest, and strongest of trees on the continent. He remembered how the Old Man said that cutting them required using especially skilled and strong individuals.
It was a testament of how physically powerful the man before was, despite his claim at being retired. So distracted by the act was he that Naruto didn't realize that Zanma was sailing towards him with the intent of releasing his head from his shoulders. By the time he did, Naruto realized that he'd be dead had Tetsu not stopped the blade less than a hair length away from his neck.
"The hell!" Naruto finally reacted, fell on his ass, and could only look between the blade and the one wielding it.
"You were distracted. Never get distracted," the man advised. "But as you can plainly see, even with me out of touch I still got the moves."
"I dunno. I think you've slowed down with your old age," Anko teased.
"I'm thirty-seven, Anko," the man deadpanned.
"Yeah. Like I said, old age," she stood by what she said.
"I'm not old!" Tetsumaru shouted childishly before recomposing himself, "As you can see, worth the time and effort," the man grinned. Needless to say, by the time they got back to the shop, Naruto accepted the quest without question. "Any questions?"
Naruto actually didn't have any at that moment but he couldn't help but ask, "Why do you call your sword Zanma?" in response Tetsu merely rummaged through some things before tossing him a little black book.
"Bingo Book? What's that?"
Tetsu merely looked at Anko with a disbelieving look mouthing, "Really?" her way, which she merely sighed.
"Definitely needs an overhaul," Anko wondered if the pay was worth the headache she was likely to be facing down the line.
"Bottom line, when a ninja does certain things they sometimes get themselves put into that book. Usually a person's name is put in there for things they did in a war against the enemy, defected, stole, have critical knowledge, or they did horrible things."
Immediately a window popped up in front of Naruto when he finished.
Bounty Hunting
There are many ways for one to earn money in the world, one of the most lucrative ways is collecting bounties. Bounties are placed on individuals for a multitude of reasons such as actions done against enemy factions, attacking others and villages, or for being a Nuke-nin. The value of bounties vary in different countries for different reasons as some may pay more for the corpse while others will pay less, some bounties will even require the individual to be brought in alive. Bounties much like missions are separated into categories: D, C, B, A, S, and above.
Note: Depending on the individual a bounty can have either negative or positive outcomes such as the gratitude of a village or the wrath of a lover, clan or family.
Note: The rank of an individual in the Bingo Books doesn't always relate to their strength as some may simply have stolen valuable information or irreplaceable items from a village.
Average D-Rank Bounties: 30,000 – 49,999
Average C-Rank Bounties: +50,000 -149,999
Average B-Rank Bounties: +150,000 -999,999
Average A-Rank Bounties: +1,000,000 – 79,999,999
Average S-Rank Bounties: +80,000,000 – 149,999,999
Above S-Rank Bounties: +149,999,999
Browsing through it, Naruto came upon Tetsu's page did his eyes bulged out, "Twenty nine million ryo with Iwa and Kumo but sixty million ryo with Kiri!" he looked at the grinning man. Naruto had suspected from the display he put on, but if what he read was true it meant the man was an A-rank ninja. In other words, Tetsu was a former Jonin. "What the hell did you do?"
Tetsu merely gave him a blank look as he pointed to the book in his hands, "…Oh, right," Naruto realized that it was a dumb thing to say. "Wanted for killing Juzo Biwa of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of Kiri, aka the Kekkon no Kijin (Blood-Soaked Demon). Seven Ninja Swordsmen of Kiri? Who are they?"
Both senior ninja could only sigh heavily once more.
"Think of them as Kiri's best of the best and second only to their Kage in terms of strength. Don't get me wrong, Juzo Biwa was very strong but his encounter with one of our own, may he rest in peace, weakened him. Heard Kiri wanted to replace him with another potential swordsman and he set out to prove he was still fit for action. He started slaughtering civilian women, children, men and ninja in our borders without mercy. And some of them being my own family," Tetsumaru's face turned ugly as memories from the incident came flooding back. Killing Intent was briefly leaked and Naruto was glad for [Gamer's Mind] protecting him; Anko had merely frowned.
"Any way, I tracked that bastard down and fought him several days later and chopped off his head; he took my eye out in the process though. Didn't care in the slightest. That psychopath was too dangerous and insane to be left alive so it was worth the loss. That's how Zanma earned her name and I was called Zanmato no Tetsumaru (Tetsu of the Decapitating Demon Blade). I got a very nice nest egg from him too, " Tetsu finished with a grin. The man nearly fainted when he collected the bounty on the man's head. His wife, however, did faint.
"So that's why you're in the Bingo Books?"
"Well… partly," here the man was slightly embarrassed.
"Huh?"
"After finishing off Juzo, Tetsu here got it into his head to take the Kubikiribōchō (Decapitating Carving Knife), Juzo's weapon, back with him to Konoha," Anko jumped in.
"So? What's so important about this guy's sword?"
The comment once more got Anko to hang her head, "Seriously what the hell do they teach these brats nowadays?" she tempted to go back to the Hokage Tower after this. Not knowing who the Seven Swordsmen of Kiri were was a warning sign in her mind. Konoha's Genin would most likely be made a laughing stock if they didn't know this sort of thing, "Then again the gaki's not the sharpest tool in the pouch. Could have just skipped through that lesson."
"The Seven Swordsmen date back to when Kiri was founded, gaki. Like Tetsu said, they are Kiri's most elite, their strongest fighters, and their swords are wanted for their unique properties and abilities. To them the death of a Seven Swordsman is not as important as the whereabouts and safety of one of their swords. If one of them dies they can be replaced. The swords, on the other hand, can't because whoever made them aren't alive anymore. And with the materials used being unknown no one has any way of replicating them. In the Kubikiribōchō's case, the sword is the almost the same size as Zanma but not only is the metal one third of the weight but it's as strong as the densest of metals. Add that it regenerates itself by using the iron in the blood of those it cuts and you've got yourself a badass weapon," Anko had to admit it was her kind of weapon. Too bad it was too cumbersome for her to use and didn't support her fighting style.
"That's why I wanted it, kid. Think about it! You have a family sword, an heirloom that's been in your family for generations, and it gets damaged beyond normal means of repair. The Kubikiribōchō's ability allows it to go from a useless blade to fully restored in a matter of minutes and all it needs is blood. My wife was a genius when it came to weapons," here Anko snorted and muttered OCD weapon fanatic, "and her hands, she could probably have figured out a way to replicate its ability and find a way that didn't require the use of blood."
Here the man sighed, "Unfortunately, I lost the god damn thing in a skirmish a couple days later against Kiri's Hijō Konbi (Heartless Pair), Jinpachi Munashi and Kushimaru Kuriare. Both of which were members of Seven Swordsmen and bloodthirsty bastards. In their minds, if anyone other than a Swordsmen or the Kage touched the Seven Swordsmen blades, they should be killed. Alone I had a better chance of winning against one of them but against both of them I'd have better luck trying to get a rock to float in water. Adding to the fact I was leading a rescued Genin team back to the border with me meant I had no choice but to bolt. Luckily they were more interested in the sword so I threw it in a deep ravine with a strong current. They chased after it instead of us. Important as the sword, I wasn't about t risk the life of another. It wasn't worth it. But me trying to steal one of their fabled swords had me blacklisted with Kiri ever since. They take that kind of thing very seriously."
"Gotta say I don't care much about history but that was actually pretty good compared to Iruka-sensei's bedtime stories," Naruto had lost count to how many times he and a few others fell asleep to the man's history lessons. Shikamaru himself fell immediately asleep then moment the lesson began, usually Iruka needed to go on for a few minutes before it happened.
"Yeah. Umino's a good ninja but even my daughter admitted that he's a little to bland at times," the man smirked. "Sorry we couldn't find ya a weapon that suited you. However," rummaging through some things out back the man returned with a sheet of paper, "Here, to make it up to you."
"Wow, paper! Thanks," what the hell was he supposed to do with paper. Write Tetsu a thank you note?
"That's chakra paper, gaki. You put your chakra into it to see what your elemental affinity is," Anko informed him. "This way when you start to learn jutsu you'll know what to focus on."
"Can't I just learn as many elemental ninjutsu as I want?"
"First off, lose that mindset. Secondly, no can do. You could try but it takes years for people to learn and master just a single element, and that's with them having an affinity or some kind of natural talent for it. Even for prodigies it usually takes two or three non-consecutive years. Thirdly, people are usually born with a primary affinity, and sometimes if you're lucky a secondary one. Those primary and secondary affinities allow them to learn techniques for those elements much faster but their opposing natures will take longer. In other words, if you have an affinity for fire then learning Suiton Ninjutsu will go much more slowly, unless you have a bloodline limit or affinity related to it. It won't be impossible but you won't have as easy a time learning those kinds of techniques otherwise. By the way you do know what the elemental affinities are, right?"
"Duh. Fire, Water, uh… Earth, Wind, and … and… oh! Lighting!" Naruto recalled the lesson. It was one of the few boring ones he actually paid attention to.
"Good. When you push chakra into it the following will potentially happen. Fire will ignite it. Wind will split it in two. Lightning will crinkle it. Earth will turn it to dust. And Water will make it wet. Give it a shot," Anko said.
Focusing as well as he could, Naruto closed his eyes and concentrated on flowing his chakra into the paper. It wasn't a second later when the boy heard the paper ripping in two before the two halves ignited.
|Congratulations! You have discovered your elemental affinities!|
Wind Affinity (Primary) A rarity among the other affinities to those who live outside of Kaze no Kuni, techniques with this affinity are performed by making chakra as sharp and thin as possible. Wind Release is mainly short to mid-ranged offensive techniques that combine brute force and keen precision to cutting, concussive, and slashing damage. True masters of Futon are capable of performing feats that leave many in fear such as creating hurricane force winds to tear apart the opposition.
· Increases the power, speed and effectiveness of wind based skills by 20%
· Decreases chakra used for wind based skills skills by 20%
· Increases experience gain when learning and using wind based skills by 20%
Fire Affinity (Secondary) A fairly common affinity that is usually affiliated with the Tiger hand seal. Techniques with this affinity are mostly offensive and are mid to long-ranged techniques that cause combustive and explosive damage. Though weak against Suiton, experts of Katon ninjutsu are capable of evaporating water as well as melt rock, armor, and enhanced metal with little effort, while masters of the art are capable of leaving only ash behind and capable of making most water based techniques useless.
· Increases the power, speed, and effectiveness of fire based skills by 10%
· Decrease chakra used for fire based skills by 10%
· Increases experience gain when learning and using fire based skills by 10%
"Whoa! Don't see that every day," Tetsu remarked.
"So a primary wind affinity and a secondary fire one," Anko explained and had to admit this was a pretty uncommon phenomenon.
"Sweet! I have wind and fire!"
"Well, it's good and bad," Anko burst his bubble, "Good because you have two affinities that compliment each other and because they let you cover all ranges. However, both are pretty much offensive oriented with little to no defensive techniques. So you're screwed on that part unless you come up with your own, which won't be easy."
Tetsu decided to chime in as well, "Plus, unlike fire, which is common in Hi no Kuni, wind is considered rare unless you're from Kaze no Kuni and there aren't that many masters or practitioners in Konoha. One of the few I know off-hand would be the Sandaime's son, Sarutobi Asuma. Asked me to make him a pair of Chakra Blade Trench Knives to compliment his Futon techniques. Problem is-"
"Yeah," Anko nodded and knew where he was going.
"Uh, hello? I don't know what the problem is!" Nauto shouted to their embarrassment.
"Oh, right. Asuma's kinda laidback and doesn't do anything unless he really needs to. So unless he's your teacher or unless you hire him to teach you you're sol. There are only two other Futon masters in Konoha. One is Shimura Danzo, but trust me when I say you don't want him as a teacher," Anko's face turned into a snarl.
"And the other?" Naruto asked, slightly frightened by her expression and made a note not the meet the man.
"Mugurama Kensei," Tetsu cut in, "He was Asuma's Futon instructor. He and Danzo are easily the best Futon users in Konoha and our only Futon masters. Unfortunately, he passed away sometime after the Kyubi Incident from a crippling injury that only got worse. He had no kids but I think I heard someone say that anything he had was willed to Asuma So like Anko said, you're out of luck," Tetsu apologized.
"So my options are either a guy who sounds like he doesn't give a crap or someone I really don't wanna deal with?" Naruto summed it up. It wasn't like he could bring a dead man back to life.
"Pretty much," Anko nodded.
"You guys really love getting my hopes up, don't you?" Naruto deadpanned.
"Sorry," the two half-heartedly apologized.
Thanking him once more, Naruto left the store with Anko as Tetsu went back to finish his project.
"Alright, since that's done, come with me," Anko took a hold of him and soon after a few more flickers did they find themselves near a training field.
"Why are we here?" Naruto asked Anko.
"Well, in my time, the purpose of a training ground was for training," was her answer. "Like I said before, your ass is mine till you graduate. And kid, you need a serious tune-up. If I or Midori weren't in there with you you'd be dead."
"Way to sugar coat it," Naruto muttered and idly wondered if he should bother telling her about the fact he couldn't die in an Instant Dungeon.
"I was sugar coating it, gaki. If I wasn't I would have called you dumber than a ten pound bag of stupid," Anko stared at him impassively before sighing, "Look, normally I wouldn't give two shits about training some snot nose brat. Hell, I could be training myself and doing other things than this."
Naruto didn't care for the insult, she'd pay for that one, but he was confused by what followed, "Then why are you?"
Anko merely looked at him, "Honestly, maybe its cause you remind me of me. You're an orphan like me full of piss and vinegar and eager to prove yourself to a world that doesn't really care what happens to use. Also, part me of me feels responsible for you from the small amount of time I've spent with you after what just transpired. You said you're dream is to become Hokage, right?"
Naruto nodded vigorously, "Yeah! I'm gonna…"
"Ahbabbhubup!" she stopped, "Don't wanna hear it, gaki. It's a good goal and if you get it good for you. But realistically you're a very long way from getting the hat. I wouldn't be able to tell you how to go about it since becoming Hokage was never on my to do list. But one thing I do know is that what all the Hokage candidates had in common was this: leadership, power, willingness to give their lives for the village, and having the backing of the village. Things you're missing."
Naruto merely frowned as Anko listed the things he needed. It wasn't his fault many in the village didn't like him… Well, maybe doing pranks on others didn't help.
"At the moment you're gonna need to focus more on refinement than your offense," Anko suggested. "However, before we do that we're gonna play a little game I like to call, Snake and Mouse," she grinned.
"Uhhh, don't you mean Cat and Mouse?" Naruto asked.
"Not with my version," she said as Midori yawned and her sharp fangs glistened in the sun's rays. "Hey, Midori. Up for a little round of Snake and Mouse?"
Naruto paled considerably. He had seen what Midori could do first hand and wasn't all that interested in being her chew toy, or lunch for that matter, or becoming flatter than a pancake.
"Can't murder now, sleeping," Midori yawned and slithered off somewhere else where she could peacefully go back to sleep.
"Murder," Naruto paled even further. "What the hell kinda game is this!?'
"Hey! Get back here! Don't go back to sleep! Hey, wake up you lazy worm!" but it was no use, Anko knew that Midori would have camouflaged and hidden herself very well so trying to find her would be a waste of time.
Anko blushed and hung her head in embarrassment. "This is not how I envisioned this moment."
Naruto meanwhile looked like he was ready to bust a gut and failing hard to hold it in, "If you so much as utter one syllable, gaki, I'LL HUNT YOU DOWN AND GUT YOU LIKE A FISH!" she roared at him.
It did the trick.
"As always, works like a charm," she loved it when her plans came together.
"Alright, now seeing as how that lazy reptile is getting her beauty sleepy," she glared at the woods where the hidden serpent slept, "I guess I'll have you show me how fit you are and see what needs improving."
[QUEST ALERT!]
Remedial Training (Daily Quest)
Main Quest: Train for more than one hour.
Side Quest: Train for more than two hours.
Side Quest 2: Train for more than three hours.
Main Quest Completion: +650 EXP, +150 Reputation [Anko]
Side Quest 1 Completion: +200 EXP, +50 Reputation [Anko],
Side Quest 2 Completion: +250 EXP, +75 Reputation [Anko], +1 Attribute Point
Failure: 100 EXP, -50 Reputation [Anko]
Note: Quest can be retaken after twenty-four hours.
(Quest is Mandatory)
"To start, drop and give me as many push ups till I tell you to stop," she ordered. Naruto thought it didn't sound like much and immediately set out to do as commanded.
"Stop. All wrong," halfway into his first ten push-ups did Anko make her displeasure known. Naruto was confused as to what exactly was wrong about it, "First off, you need to go all the down, not just part way. Second, your arms and body aren't positioned correctly. The way you're doing it will still give you a workout but it won't be as intense."
"But I've always done it this way?"
"Still makes it wrong regardless. Hasn't anyone bothered correcting you?" by his look she got her answer. "Never mind. Let me show you how it's done."
Setting him in the correct stance, which felt very different and awkward than what he was usually used to, Naruto began his push-ups. By the time Naruto had been ordered to stop, his arms were very much sorer than how they'd normally be.
After the push-ups were done, Anko ordered Naruto to perform some sit-ups. His form in this exercise was better so Anko didn't bother correcting him. After a while, Anko ordered him to stop before she handed him a nearby stone and had him recommence his exercise.
This went on for quite some time before Anko felt she had a decent grasp on the situation, "Gotta say, Gaki, not bad," Anko was being honest, as most Genin would be sweating like crazy or on the ground panting.
"The amount of stamina he's got for his age is nuts," Anko wondered if that was all Naruto or if the Kyubi had a role in it, or both. Either way, whomever he took to bed would be damn happy.
"Alright, now let's start on your taijustu next."
Both Naruto and Anko would unfortunately learn that almost all of his forms were wrong. Anko swore to give the academy instructors a good old torture session when she had the chance. It would take Naruto quite some to get use to the new movements now since they all felt foreign to him.
Anko had merely stated that since his body was so used to doing it in a certain way it had developed muscle memory for that specific movement, making it easier to perform. Now that he was doing it differently his body was adjusting to the new forms. Luckily his stamina would help make the process easier.
"Give me ten more front kicks on that log, gaki, and put some muscle into it!" Anko barked as she did her own set of exercises while maintaining a watchful eye on him.
"Sadistic son of a … " Naruto grunted out before kicking the log.
"I heard that! Another twenty!"
Naruto merely grunted some more but did as he was told. Once he was done, Naruto had to take off his shirt that was heavily soaked in his sweat after only three hours of working out.
Beforehand he was able to do between four and five hours; sometimes if he really pushed himself, he could go for six. It made Naruto realize just how bad he had been doing it and had a while to go at correcting his movements, "Oh, well. At least I increased my STR by three and my taijutsu by one," the latter of which had been increase to the academy's intermediate level.
Naruto realized that much like having proper kunai and shuriken to throw, using the proper technique when working out increased his stats much more quickly.
"All right, gaki, you're done physical exercises for the day," Anko announced; Naruto ignored the pop up for quest completion, "Not bad. You still got a while to go but … Ughhh…. Oh, kami, Gaki, you reek! I can smell you from over here," the woman pinched her nose.
"Look who's talking, Anko-san," Midori now awoke from her nap said.
"Well, if it isn't sleeping beauty herself. Where were you when I wanted to torture my new ward?" the way she said it so casually made Naruto shiver and think this wasn't the first time this occurred.
"Getting some much needed rest," Midori yawned some more, "But in all seriousness, Anko-san, you need a shower," Midori's tongue forked out of her mouth, "though not as badly as him."
Sniffing himself Naruto didn't think he smelt that bad, "Hey, I-"
"She's got a point," Anko emphasized her point by pointing towards her pinched nose. "Well, no matter. Now let's move on to your ninjutsu… Oh, right. Never mind we'll skip that portion," the kunoichi remembering how his repertoire was non-existent.
"Hey! I'll have you know I recently learned the Hidama no Jutsu," Naruto informed her.
"Ooh, a D-Rank technique used for starting campfires. When I was an academy student the requirements were the academy three and demonstrating that we could properly use three C-rank techniques, with at least one of them being lethal," Anko retorted.
"You mean you guys got to learn awesome ninjutsu! What the hell!" the fairness of it all sucked in his mind.
"What the hell indeed, gaki," Anko sighed, "Okay, so other than that do you at least know the Ki Nobori no Shugyō (Tree Climbing Practice)?"
"What's that?"
"I'm gonna kill em," was Anko's mental note, "It's a chakra control exercise. You learn it after completing the leaf balancing one."
"We do? But we just started learning that," Naruto informed her.
Anko merely sighed and wanted to bash in some skulls once more, "They're just now learning it?" in the end Anko guessed it was better than nothing. Truthfully it was it was almost nothing in her books, "Ok, how far are you at it?" she hoped it was far.
"Five leaves," Naruto said and Anko nodded.
"Five leaves. Okay, that's a decent amount," she was being honest as most by now would still be level three at best, considering Naruto's condition of being the Kyubi's jinchuriki and his way above average chakra levels for even a Jonin it was a decent feat.
"Ok, so we can skip on learning the tree climbing exercise till you get up to ten leaves," here Anko adopted a thinking pose on what she could do next. "Hmm, ah! I got it! Snake and Mouse! And if you try to duck out on me again, I'll shish kabob you before you have time to turn into your former self, Midori," Anko glared at the unrepentant looking serpent.
"So feel like you're up for it, gaki?"
[QUEST ALERT!]
Snake and Mouse [Beginner Level]
Main Quest: Avoid being captured by Midori for three minutes.
Side Quest: Avoid being captured by Midori for four and half minutes.
Side Quest: Avoid being captured by Midori for six and half minutes.
Main Quest Completion: +750 EXP, +150 Reputation [Anko] and [Midori]
Side Quest 1 Completion: +350 EXP, +75 Reputation [Anko] and [Midori]
Side Quest 2 Completion: +425 EXP, +100 Reputation [Anko] and [Midori]
Failure: 250 EXP, - 50 Reputation [Anko] and [Midori]
Note: If you fail the quest you can retake it after twenty-four hours.
Accept? (YES/NO)
Naruto wholeheartedly pressed on the yes, "Bring it," was his reply.
"You got balls, gaki," Anko liked the kid's moxie. "Now because you wouldn't last a second against, Midori – myself either for that matter – I want to be fair. So here are the rules."
"Telling me the rules is being fair?" since when was that a thing? "How the hell does that work?"
"Simple, I never tell the rules when I play this game," Anko's sadistic grin appeared.
"Oh, that's fair then," Naruto nearly squeaked.
"Rule one, you're gonna have a thirty second head start, use it well… ok that's not really a rule and more of a generous offering than anything. Rule two, Midori's gonna come at you with the intent to kill and ya don't wanna get bitten so you gotta do the same, gaki. And rule three… READY, SET, GO!" she suddenly shouted.
"No fair! That's cheating!" Naruto ran into the woods as fast as his exhausted body could.
"We're ninja, gaki! Cheating's what we do and life's not fair! Get used to it!" Anko shouted back, "Try not to hurt him too much, Midori."
"No promises, Anko-chan," Midori's grin was similar to her summoner. By the end of it, Naruto would hate this game.
Naruto and Anko walked up the stairs leading to the Hokage's office at a relaxed yet quick pace. The cat masked Anbu following them from behind and ever watchful. Not that Anko and Naruto had any plans of making a run for it.
"Not that it would do me any good," Naruto's share of pranks had him often brought towards the Hokage whenever he was caught, though said pranks were mostly geared towards civilians, Genin, and Chunin. Only once in a blue moon did he ever go and target a Jonin level individual. Jonin and Anbu were more or less off limits unless he felt lucky since not only were they much harder to prank, given that the vast majority knew how to disable and avoid them, but nine times out of ten was he caught. At least this time he wasn't being dragged up the stairs, which hurt like hell and then some, like he normally was during a prank gone wrong.
"Anbu Neko present to see Hokage-sama about Mitarashi Anko and Uzumaki Naruto," the Anbu declared as they stood before the secretary.
"Proceed. Hokage-sama is expecting you," the woman informed the operative.
"Hi, Mariko-neechan," Naruto greeted the familiar secretary as the Anbu entered Hiruzen's office. Much like Ayame, Mariko was one of the few older females that Naruto had a decent relationship with. It had been rocky at first but after a certain amount of times the two had warmed up to one another.
"Naruto-kun," Mariko chuckled, "An Anbu escort. What did you do this time?"
"What makes you think I did anything?" Naruto merely got a deadpanned look from the young woman. His reputation preceded him after all.
"Call it a hunch," she smiled and Naruto became flushed.
"Honest! I didn't do squat this time!" he persisted.
"Right, sure, Naruto-kun. And Hokage-sama is a closet pervert," Anko and Mariko laughed at that.
"Uhh, well actually," Naruto began just as the door opened.
"I'll see you two now, Anko-chan, Naruto-kun," Hiruzen spoke from the doorway.
"No way in hell was that coincidental," Naruto swore the Old Man had been listening in on them before he walked into the room.
"Before we begin, I must ask if you two are alright?" to Naruto it sounded like a friendly request, Anko knew it was more or less a cleverly disguised order.
"We're fine, Hokage-sama," Anko informed her leader.
"What she said, Jiji," Naruto parroted.
"Good. Now would either of you care to explain where you were for the last couple of hours? No one from the Barrier Team or the Sensory Team could locate your whereabouts. Nor could I for that matter," here he gave them a pointed look.
"Damn it! Should've known Hokage-sama kept regular tabs on the kid," it made sense given the boy was both a surrogate grandson to the village leader and was the warden of the deadliest and most powerful of the nine tailed beasts.
"We were gone that long?" Naruto honestly hadn't bothered keeping track of time. However, Naruto almost winced at the look directed at him by his village leader.
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you, Jiji," Naruto replied. It was the honest truth, too. What could he say without sounding like a complete nut case in the eyes of many. It also didn't help that Naruto wanted to keep this secret a secret for as long as possible.
Hiruzen remained silent for the longest time, though in reality it could've been shorter, "You're certain you have nothing more to say, Naruto?" Hiruzen inquired, his eyes as Hokage telling him there was more to the matter than let on.
Though it pained him to lie to his surrogate grandfather, Naruto merely responded with, "No."
Hiruzen did nothing but look at Naruto for a moment or two before nodding, "Very well. Seeing as neither of you are injured I'll let it slide this time. Off you go then," he told the dismissed blond. Naruto was stunned but merely nodded and left the office.
"Anko," Hiruzen spoke with a firm and even tone, which immediately held the Tokubestu Jonin's attention, "I don't know what you two did, nor where you went, and somehow I'm getting the impression I probably don't want to know right now," years in office had given Hiruzen great political insight on when and when not to press an issue. Hiruzen had every intention of knowing what happened to the two decided to take a less straightforward approach to the situation.
"Trust me, Hokage-sama, you wouldn't believe me if I told you," Anko still had no idea how it was possible or how to even properly give it justice.
Hiruzen held up his hand to stop her from saying anymore, "Like I said, I probably don't want to know. For now keep an eye on him for me. I've known that boy since he first came into this world and Naruto-kun seldom puts his trust in others. I can basically count the number he does on my hands. It's clear to me you've earned that trust and I'd hate to take it away by forcing you to tell me what transpired," had either of them been severally injured it would have been another matter entirely.
"You want me to spy on the Gaki?" Anko asked half surprised and half insulted her leader would request such a thing.
"No. Not spy. Keep him out of trouble. I'm old but I haven't lasted this long as Hokage by being unobservant. I know Naruto well enough to know that he will tell me what's going when he feels ready. Until then, I need eyes on him to make certain he doesn't put himself in danger. Or, at the very least, he's prepared to deal with whatever dangers he might be facing," he clarified.
"No offense, Hokage-sama, but that still kinda sounds like spying," the kunoichi rebuked; Hiruzen laughed.
"Yes, I guess it does in a way," he conceded. To him there was a difference between spying and looking out for another. But even then the lines blurred at times, "I do this because I worry for that boy. He's endured hardship few can relate to. Unfortunately, he's ill prepared for what lies ahead and I worry what might happen to him."
Having seen him in action along with Midori's testimony, Anko knew her leader wasn't far from the truth. It also made her wonder if Hiruzen meant Naruto getting hurt in some shape or form, or others decided to put Naruto to use through other means that were less than stellar, "So how should I go about making sure he won't get his ass in the fire?" the kunoichi asked.
Hiruzen told her two words clearly and concisely. Two words that would change her life forever: "Mentor him."
(Sometime Later with Naruto)
Naruto wandered around Konoha with little thought to where he was going at the moment and ignoring the daily looks and whispers directed his way. Idly did he realize that Anko had been given the same treatment, too. Whether or not it was due to him being with her or something she herself had done was unknown.
"What to do, what to do," Naruto murmured. Training was an option but most training fields for academy students were restricted due to an incident he had been a part of. It was one of the few times where it hadn't been his fault, at least not entirely, but most still saw it that way. Either way that was a no go at the moment.
"Not like I got any decent gear anyway," his current attire left much to be desire despite him liking the look. The upper jump suit was pretty much useless now and his pants were pretty much on their way to being in the same state. He could use his [Equipment/Gear Maintenance Skill] to restore the pants but even then it wouldn't do much. The upper armor was now labelled as [Broken]; his skill wasn't high enough to deal with that kind of status effect.
"Getting new gear it is then," Naruto said.
"You thinking of getting some gear?"
"AHHH!" Naruto yelled, causing many witnesses to look at him with wide eyes, most being replaced by frowns or scowls for disrupting their peaceful day with his sudden and unwanted outburst, "Anko? Don't do that!"
"Not my fault you suck at detecting me," the kunoichi retorted. "But again, you thinking about getting some new duds?"
"Yeah," Naruto had every intention of going back into the dungeon when he had the chance. Having better gear would make things much easier though.
"You do know that as a minor you're limited on what you can get, right?"
"Minor! I'm thirteen years old!" he practically shouted.
"Aw, good for you. You've entered the awkward stage of your life," Anko patted and ruffled his head like a dog.
"Arghh. Quit it!" Naruto batted away her hands. "Why the hell can't I get what I want?"
"Never said that. I said you're limited. Until you graduate and become a fully fledge ninja, you need an adult or guardian to sign off on what you can buy. We're a village that makes ninja, but we're not stupid. Think of the bad rep we'd get if we allowed just anyone to buy a weapon. Not to mention the lawsuits," had this still been Konoha during its early years no one would have cared but laws had since been put into place for a reason.
"Great. I'm an orphan living on my own so I'm screwed," Naruto scowled.
"Not true, Gaki," from her fishnet mesh shirt top Anko produced a piece of paper, "By order of Hokage-sama, I'm now your guardian. At least until you graduate," she forwent saying she was being paid a low B-Rank mission wage a month by the man to look after him.
"… Did...Did you have to bring em– I mean. Did you have to bring it out like that," he corrected himself and hoped he'd been quick enough. However, Anko's smirk told him it was too late. Damn it.
"Aww, did I get a reaction outta you?" seeing him blush and try to hide it miserably only confirmed her suspicions, "Oh, who's a horny little bastard?" Anko teased, pressing his face into her generous chest and becoming the envy of several passers-by.
"Oh, kami, please kill me," Naruto had a deep appreciation of the female body – he had for quite some time now and wouldn't have created his Oiroke no Jutsu (Sexy Technique) – and he wouldn't have minded this had a bunch of other people not been around to witness this. Ironic considering he wasn't afraid to use his patented Sexy Technique in public.
"Maybe later. Bottom line is, Gaki, your ass is mine from now on 'till you graduate, or if you die from my methods. Whichever comes first," she shrugged.
"Oh, joy," Naruto could only imagine the horrors that awaited him. Finally getting out of her grasp, her releasing him would be a more accurate description, Naruto asked in a hushed tone, "Did you tell him?"
"About your reality binding-dimension hopping to a post apocalyptic world filled with undead that give you money and other goods if you kill em? No. But it doesn't mean he doesn't suspect something's up. Pretty sure you know that, too," Naruto nodded.
"I'll tell him. Just not now and when the time is right," he promised her; Anko merely nodded and already suspected as such from what her leader told her about Naruto, "So, guardian, where to next then?"
"Depends. How much do you have?" she asked half serious half curious.
"After your cut and what I saved up," Naruto quickly looked it up and then answered, "A little over thirty-two thousand ryo."
"Not bad," it wasn't great but the amount was enough to get Naruto some decent beginner gear, "Okay, next stop is Higurashi's Shinobi Arms."
"Higurashi's? Isn't that in the ritzy part of Konoha?" Naruto recalled.
"Good memory. And, yeah, it is. The place is high end but worth the dough. You don't want gear that crap out on ya when you're out in the field. It can mean a matter of life and death," she informed him before leaping away.
Following after her, Naruto landed in front of a building approximately five minutes later. The moment he entered did the sight of various weapons, ninja tools, and protective gear enter his vision. From katana to tantos, light to plated armor, and shuriken to custom made kunai. All in all, everything looked to be in prestigious order.
"Woah," Naruto was in awe at what he saw.
"Pretty much sums it," Anko had reacted the same way when she first came in here, "Place has been here since Konoha's founding. Like I said, it's pricy compared to the other places, but if you want top notch quality goods that won't quit on ya, this is the place to get em."
"Nice to hear you say that, Anko," Naruto turned towards the counter and spotted a tall six foot four man with an eye patch. "Who's the kid? Thought you said you'd give up dango before mentoring?"
"Did I? Don't remember saying that?"
"I believe your exact words were, and I quote, I'd rather give up dango than teach some snot nose brats who wouldn't know shit on how to use kunai or shuriken even if their lives depended on it. Remember now?" the man asked an embarrassed looking kunoichi, "To be fair, you were pretty drunk at the time. But you being you I thought you'd remember it anyways."
"I'll take your word for it. Anyway, I thought it was high time Konoha needed another me. So I'm just giving the gaki a few pointers on raising a little hell," Anko said.
"Another Anko. Should I be worried?" the man laughed and ducked under a hail of shuriken, his laughing never stopped.
"I have a feeling she's gonna be a bad influence," Naruto guessed but put that thought away as he was approach by the tall man. Now that he was closer, Naruto saw that the man was pretty darn muscular and had a variety of scars along his arms
"Tetsumaru, friends call me Tetsu. Owner of this fine establishment and retired ninja," the man introduced himself. If his appearance wasn't proof enough, Naruto didn't doubt that he was a former ninja the way he held himself.
Tetsu's arms were the size of Naruto's head, tan skin, dark brown hair and goatee with a wicked scar that went along his right eye with an eye-patch covering it up. He was pretty good looking and had a very good build and it was evident that he was all muscle and little to no fat. It made Naruto wonder why the man was no longer a ninja. He looked pretty strong in his books.
"Why aren't you a ninja anymore?" in typically Naruto manner the boy was blunt and to the point.
"Ughh," Anko mentally face palmed, "Note to self: teach him about subtlety and tact."
Tetsu merely smirked, "You don't beat around the bush do you, kid?"
|Your lack of thinking and tact has resulted in -50 Reputation with Anko!|
"Crap!" Naruto was mentally kicking himself. "Sorry."
"Bah, no harm done, kid," he said and slapped the boy on the back as a show of good faith, accidentally knocking Naruto over face into the ground in the process.
"Oww," Naruto groaned from the floor.
"Oops, scrawny little thing aren't ya?" he laughed as he helped a grumbling Naruto up. "Anyways to answer your question I'm a widower. My wife passed away several years back and I've been raising our daughter by myself. My girl's tough as nails but took to losing her mother kinda hard even if she didn't show it. Didn't want her growing up without a parent and being a shinobi is an occupational hazard so I retired from active duty and began training her when she said she wanted to become a kunoichi."
"Oh, yeah. Didn't little Ten-chan graduate this year?" Anko asked having gotten acquainted with the man's daughter through her visits.
"Yep, kunoichi of the year," he puffed out with pride, "being taught by Maito Gai of all people so it's mostly me here with a few workers now that she's a Genin."
"Gai's teaching students?" Anko was shocked and Naruto saw what he thought was a brief look of sympathy. "Oh, those poor brats. How's she holding up?"
"Well," here Tetsu dragged the word, "Let's just say she's happy one of her team-members is normal."
"That bad?"
"She's been with them for a few months and while she can tolerate him and his little mini-me she's still not used to it," was another way of putting it. "But make no mistake, Gai's one of Konoha's elite Jonin for a reason."
Anko wouldn't dispute that claim. Eccentric as Gai was, and that was putting it very lightly, like Kakashi the man was not only one of Konoha's strongest Jonin, but Hi no Kuni's as well.
"Anyways you two obviously didn't come here to talk," Tetsu got down to business, "What can I do for you?"
"Not much for me really but the gaki here is in need of equipment," Anko told him. "He's frugal so he's got about thirty-two thousand ryo on him."
"Decent amount. Though, to be frank, that kind of money won't get you some of our better equipment or weapons other than shuriken and kunai and a few stacks of yer common variety exploding tags but we do have some decent protective gear for beginners in that price range over there. Just holler if you need help, got an order that needs some attention at the moment."
"Thanks," Naruto proceeded to browse through the selection before spotting something in a box, "Hey, nice!"
"Found some… What the hell!" Anko couldn't believe what he was holding.
In his hands was another orange jumpsuit with blue on the upper shoulders area as well as around the waist, a white swirl with a tassel on the left side, a red swirl crest on the back, a large white collar, orange pants wrapped around from the hanger.
"What do you think? Looks cool huh?" Naruto grinned at the find.
Anko's eye however merely twitched, "Gaki, step away from that monstrosity and no one gets hurt."
"What? But it's cool, orange, and cheap… and orange!" Naruto whined and held the outfit protectively.
"Mmmm, good point," Anko lied.
"Really?"
"HELL NO!" she shouted.
"What's going on here?" Tetsu asked, "I leave not ten seconds and… what the hell is that," he pointed at the outfit.
"My new outfit I found?"
"Ok, rephrase. What the hell is that doing in my store? This is a premium shop. There's no way in hell I'd have something like that here," Tetsu stated before realization dawned on him, "Tenten."
"Huh?"
"Nothing," Tetsu waved him off. His daughter was a good kunoichi and had a great deal of interest and understanding with weapons but got very obsessive and narrow minded when new ninja tools came in. However, this wasn't the same case when it came to armor and clothing. It was obvious that it slipped her mind when she signed the forms.
"Where'd you find that anyway?"
"In that box over there, why?" Naruto pointed behind him.
Marching over Tetsu briefly opened the box, closed it just as quickly, took Naruto's outfit before he had time to react, disappeared into the back of his store, before coming back out seconds later, "Well that outta keep the fires going for a while," Tetsu dusted his hands.
"… But it was orange?" Naruto didn't understand the big deal.
"It was an eyesore, had no business in my store, and with all that bright kill on sight color, you might as well wear a target sign that said come and kill me world! Ninja are to appear like normal civilians but the moment you get in a fight you're the most likely to be targeted because of how much it makes you stand out," Tetsu finished.
"He's right, Gaki. You wear that and you'll likely be targeted more so than your teammates cuz it makes you stand out. It's too vibrant to make proper sneak attacks; you'd have to resort to luck. You wanna wear orange, do so outside of combat," Anko advised him. She doubted she'd get him to stop wearing the color all together so at least she'd minimize the amount.
"Alright, enough criticism on his fashion sense, arms up," Tetsu ordered and began taking some quick measurements of Naruto. After a few minutes passed the man began picking out a few ensembles for the boy, "Here you go. Have a gander."
Basic Ninja Training Tunic – Common Quality
Item Type: Upper Body Armor
Durability 45/45
Ordinary and basic protective upper armor used by ninja in training when they practice mock fighting or physical exercises. May not look like much but is decently durable.
Buffs/Perks: +5 DEF
Set Completion (First Bonus): [1/3: Locked]
Set Completion (Second Bonus): [1/5: Locked]
Basic Ninja Training Pants – Common Quality
Item Type: Pants Body Armor
Durability 45/45
Ordinary and basic protective pants armor used by ninja in training when they practice mock fighting or physical exercises. May not look like much but is decently durable.
Buffs/Perks: +5 DEF
Set Completion (First Bonus): [1/3: Locked]
Set Completion (Second Bonus): [1/5: Locked]
Basic Ninja Training Gloves - Common Quality
Item Type: Hand Armor
Durability: 30/30
Ordinary and basic protective hand armor used by ninja in training, the material used in these gloves offers a decent amount of protection and allows for one to strike harder.
Buffs/Perks: +4 DEF
Set Completion (First Bonus): [1/3: Locked]
Set Completion (Second Bonus): [1/5: Locked]
Basic Ninja Training Boots - Common Quality
Item Type: Foot Armor
Durability: 30/30
Ordinary and basic protective foot armour used by ninja in training. May not look like much but is decently durable and allows for swift footwork.
Buffs/Perks: +4 DEF
Set Completion (First Bonus): [1/3: Locked]
Set Completion (Second Bonus): [1/5: Locked]
Basic Ninja Training Utility Belt - Common Quality
Item Type: Waist Armor
Durability: 25/25
Ordinary and basic protective waist armour used by ninja in training that is also used to hold pouches of kunai or shuriken.
Buffs/Perks: +3 DEF
Set Completion (First Bonus): [1/3: Locked]
Set Completion (Second Bonus): [1/5: Locked]
Dark Orange Undershirt - Common Quality
Item Type: Undershirt Accessory
Durability: 20/20
An ordinary shirt that is mainly used for fashion instead of defense.
Buffs/Perks: +1 DEF
Naruto had to admit that it was a heck of a lot better than what he had before and it looked pretty decent too with the orange undershirt. "Hey, gaki hurry up. You posing in the mirror or something?"
Initially frowning at the words, said look was soon replaced by a smirk as an idea popped into his head, "Oiroke no Jutsu (Sexy Technique)!"
Hearing the opening of the door Tetsu and Anko looked his way. However, instead of seeing Naruto clad in his new training ensemble, they saw a nude smoke wisped covered Mitarashi Anko, "You called," was the doppelganger's sultry response. For Tetsu the effect was instantaneous as the man was launched into a wall thanks to the sudden nosebleed.
Your actions have resulted in +500 Reputation with Higurashi Tetsumaru!
"Don't know if I should be creeped out or happy about that?" Naruto thought as looked upon the unconscious Tetsu. Either way, he'd take the positive reputation gain.
"Ahem," was Anko's response, "First off, my breasts are bigger than that. If you're gonna transform into me get it right, Gaki."
To say he was stunned by her response was an enormous understatement, "Huh?"
"Secondly, you're a couple of inches shorter than I am, work on it. Thirdly… god damn, I look good," Anko looked at 'herself'. " I knew I was good looking but to see it like this, damn!" here she gave her 'own' breasts a squeeze. "Nice and firm at least."
"What the hell!" a back to normal Naruto wondered why his plan didn't work. The breasts touching thing had been weird as hell too.
"You're a hundred years too early to try and pull a fast one like that on me," she smirked. "If you think me seeing myself naked would get a rise out of me you're dead wrong. I sleep all natural for one. And Kunoichi and shinobi do missions that sometimes require us to use a little more physical interaction and sex appeal in order to get the job done," Naruto understood the meaning and blushed a bit.
"Better luck next time," she grinned before looking him over, "Gotta say though, not bad. Good look for you. Hell of a lot better than that jumpsuit you found. Any perks?" she asked. Recalling the set bonuses that came with them, Naruto took a quick look to see what he got.
Basic Ninja Training Set Complete (First Bonus) [5/3]
+10% Effectiveness and Power towards E-Rank and D-Rank Skills
Basic Ninja Training Set Complete (Second Bonus) [5/5]
+10% additional EXP towards E-Rank and D-Rank Skills
"Decent boost towards E and D level skills but that's pretty much it," it was an okay bonus but Naruto had expected such a thing considering it was basic level armour.
"Don't dis em. I'll admit, aside some techniques like Kawarimi and Henge, most E and D level techniques aren't of much use down the line, but they act as a basis for the more effective techniques you learn," Anko lectured him. The act almost had Naruto comparing her to Iruka were it not for her provocative attire and her unique demeanour.
"Uhh," both Anko and Naruto heard Tetsu groan as he woke up, "Damn, I just had the weirdest dream… Oh, wait."
"So, Tetsu, like what you saw?" Anko emphasized it by pressing her breasts together and not so subtly thrusting them forward, getting a rise out of him.
"Damn it! Should of known having two of you would be trouble," the man cursed and thanked his luck that Anko hadn't managed to influence Tenten the rare times he had her look after the girl. After dusting himself off and cleaning away the blood from his nostrils, Tetsumaru gave Naruto a good look over, "Not bad. Not bad at all. Better than that jumpsuit anyway."
"Thanks. How much?" Naruto asked.
"Like I said, my stuff isn't cheap. Even the basic stuff is pricy so that will be about eight thousand ryo per set. You get a discount if you buy three sets and I'll even throw in a book on intermediate shuriken and kunai techniques along with a book on intermediate academy level taijutsu," Naruto recalled how many usually tried to charge that much for just two sets despite the fact they weren't the greatest of protective gear. This gear, while much pricier, was made of material that was much stronger and durable than the ones used by civilian clothing stores.
"Thanks, but I already have a book on the intermediate shuriken and kunaijutsu," though even then it wasn't like he had been able to put the [Intermediate Shurikenjutsu and Kunaijutsu Skill] to much use recently, "Think you can throw in a book on the advanced stuff instead?"
"Only if you still buy the three sets," Tetsu liked Naruto but business was business.
"Deal!" Naruto agreed and handed over a total of twenty-two thousand ryo.
"Oh, Gaki, you've a thing or two to learn about bartering," Anko merely added that to the list of things to teach him. While seldom used, bartering was still a useful skill to have under one's belt, "You good now?"
"Umm, I was wondering if there was enough left for a decent weapon?" Naruto asked. While he liked Seishoyo and its abilities, it was more geared towards undead beings. As enemies got stronger, it would start to become a less effective weapon.
"If we're talking about something other than shuriken and kunai then no. My weapons go for sixty-thousand ryo or more," Tetsu informed a floored Naruto. Naruto realized he'd have to go into the zombie dungeon and defeat the Legion Zombie three times just to earn that much.
"Told you he was pricy," Anko reaffirmed.
"Pricy but you get what you pay for. However, before we even go there, I need to ask a few questions. Any weapon experience other than with kunai or shuriken?" more than once would newly graduates, or those who wanted a weapon, would buy something thinking it was cool when Tetsu was out and later came back to try and return their purchase because they had no idea how to use it or it felt off.
"Uh… I used a lead pipe a few times does that count?" Naruto asked and missed Anko face palming behind him.
"A lead pipe?" that was definitely a new one in his books, "Anko?"
"Gaki used one against a wooden post to strengthen himself when he could afford a real weapon," Anko covered for her new ward. She added another thing to list of things to brush up on: lying.
Tetsu thought nothing more of it and believed the kunoichi, "So experience with blunt weapons. Not much of a selection in that category given that most ninja go for bladed weapons, unless you're from Iwa. Take a look and see if anything catches your eye," Tetsu pointed at the wall.
As Naruto went through them all, he couldn't help but drool a bit at how awesome the weapons were. The kanabo and nunchuks he saw were at the moment beyond him due to his DEX and STR being too low. The Bo staff Naruto had to admit was pretty good but felt a bit off to him, Tetsu had said it was most likely the size was too long since they averaged at near six feet and gave him a smaller one.
Fairly long still but it felt more comfortable. As he tried the rest of them, Naruto had to say that he currently felt more comfortable with the hanbo and tanbo, more so with the hanbo as the feeling was similar to when he used his pipe or Seishoyo.
"Anything else?" he asked.
"Sorry, kid, but that's all the blunt weapons I have. Like I said, ninja use mostly bladed weapons. You can take a look at the bladed weapons over there if you like."
Giving it a shot, as there wasn't anything to lose, Naruto's eyes wandered over the multiple swords that ranged from small than his arm to being twice as long as his body. He had to admit while his current weapon was good, it would make more sense for him to have a proper weapon such as a tanto, wakizashi, ninjato, or some sort of bladed weapon. Then again conforming to the norm wasn't really his style. The only problem that kept coming up.
"They're too expensive," Naruto wanted to cry. All of Tetsu's weapons were all ranked as [Uncommon] and [Rare] and had incredible attack power but each one he saw were priced well over sixty thousand ryo. Hell. One kanabo he saw was priced at a whopping one hundred and ten thousand. If he busted his ass Naruto knew he could earn the amount of money needed for such weapons. However, him suddenly coming here with said required amount with his background would raise a lot of questions.
|For thinking things through, your INT has increased by 1!|
As he continued to look at the array of bladed weapons, Naruto's eyes were suddenly locked on to a very large sword red and black blade the size of a man that hung above the others like a trophy, "What's that?"
"Hmm?" casting a look at where Naruto was looking, Tetsu merely chuckled, "Good taste, but I'm proud to say that ain't for sale. That baby's mine."
"What is it?"
"That's a zanbato (Horse-Slaying Sword), and sorry kid but there's no way in hell you're gonna be able to lift Zanma (Decapitating Demon) as you are now. Took me years to get the physical strength and experience I needed to use it at its max. Hung her up there when I retired. If you want one you're gonna have to show me you have the required strength and only then will I make a special order and that isn't cheap, especially for a zanbato."
"Can't be that heavy," Naruto said.
"That sword there weighs a little over two hundred and fifty kilograms … that's a little over five hundred and fifty pounds, and that's with seals on it to make it lighter," he elaborated to a bug eyed Naruto.
"Yeah, mastering a Zanbato is an arduous and time consuming task, but very rewarding if you ask me. Few to none can stand up to their blows because of the sheer force behind them. Their bulk makes them act like a club just as well as a sword, too, so they make good anti-armour weapons. Think you got what it takes to get yourself that fit?"
[QUEST ALERT!]
Basic Mastery of the Horse Slaying Sword
Main Quest: Increase STR to 110 to be able to wield a [Zanbato] class sword.
Secondary Main Quest: Increase [Bladed Weapon Mastery] to Journeyman level.
Main Quest Completion: 8500 EXP, +3 Attribute Points, +1000 Reputation [Tetsumaru]
Secondary Main Quest Completion: 6500 EXP, +500 Reputation [Tetsumaru], [?]
Accept Quest? (Yes/No)
Quest is Optional and can be taken at any time.
"He wasn't kidding when he said it would be heavy," Naruto's current STR level was fifteen and he needed over seven times that much just to wield that class of sword. But before he accepted something that would take a lot of time and effort, Naruto asked the weapon shop owner for a demonstration.
The man merely grinned a deadly looking grin before he freed Zanma from its holding place and excused himself momentarily. When he was done doing what he needed to do, Tetsu called both Anko and Naruto to the back of the store and into the woods behind it where he directed them both to a training field with various wooden dummies, tree posts, and metal beams the size of an adult.
As Tetsu began stretching and rolling his neck, he gave Naruto a few words of advise, "Been a while since I've done this but try not to blink, kid."
"Blink?" Naruto had no time to think of anything else as Tetsu grabbed his sword and vanished in the blink of an eye. Wind and dust rushed towards him and two dummies were bifurcated at the waist and then from head to groin, the ground beneath them cleaving open like a ruptured wound.
Unbelievable to his eyes, Naruto saw the metal beams slowly fall to pieces when various cuts from different angles became more and more pronounced. Each piece landed with an audible thud that shook the ground he stood on. A few piece still suspended in mid air were batted away like balls from a bat as Tetsu appeared in between them.
The pieces pierced and embedded themselves in the nearby trees as though they weren't there in the first place. Naruto knew enough about Konoha's trees to know they were easily the largest, thickest, and strongest of trees on the continent. He remembered how the Old Man said that cutting them required using especially skilled and strong individuals.
It was a testament of how physically powerful the man before was, despite his claim at being retired. So distracted by the act was he that Naruto didn't realize that Zanma was sailing towards him with the intent of releasing his head from his shoulders. By the time he did, Naruto realized that he'd be dead had Tetsu not stopped the blade less than a hair length away from his neck.
"The hell!" Naruto finally reacted, fell on his ass, and could only look between the blade and the one wielding it.
"You were distracted. Never get distracted," the man advised. "But as you can plainly see, even with me out of touch I still got the moves."
"I dunno. I think you've slowed down with your old age," Anko teased.
"I'm thirty-seven, Anko," the man deadpanned.
"Yeah. Like I said, old age," she stood by what she said.
"I'm not old!" Tetsumaru shouted childishly before recomposing himself, "As you can see, worth the time and effort," the man grinned. Needless to say, by the time they got back to the shop, Naruto accepted the quest without question. "Any questions?"
Naruto actually didn't have any at that moment but he couldn't help but ask, "Why do you call your sword Zanma?" in response Tetsu merely rummaged through some things before tossing him a little black book.
"Bingo Book? What's that?"
Tetsu merely looked at Anko with a disbelieving look mouthing, "Really?" her way, which she merely sighed.
"Definitely needs an overhaul," Anko wondered if the pay was worth the headache she was likely to be facing down the line.
"Bottom line, when a ninja does certain things they sometimes get themselves put into that book. Usually a person's name is put in there for things they did in a war against the enemy, defected, stole, have critical knowledge, or they did horrible things."
Immediately a window popped up in front of Naruto when he finished.
Bounty Hunting
There are many ways for one to earn money in the world, one of the most lucrative ways is collecting bounties. Bounties are placed on individuals for a multitude of reasons such as actions done against enemy factions, attacking others and villages, or for being a Nuke-nin. The value of bounties vary in different countries for different reasons as some may pay more for the corpse while others will pay less, some bounties will even require the individual to be brought in alive. Bounties much like missions are separated into categories: D, C, B, A, S, and above.
Note: Depending on the individual a bounty can have either negative or positive outcomes such as the gratitude of a village or the wrath of a lover, clan or family.
Note: The rank of an individual in the Bingo Books doesn't always relate to their strength as some may simply have stolen valuable information or irreplaceable items from a village.
Average D-Rank Bounties: 30,000 – 49,999
Average C-Rank Bounties: +50,000 -149,999
Average B-Rank Bounties: +150,000 -999,999
Average A-Rank Bounties: +1,000,000 – 79,999,999
Average S-Rank Bounties: +80,000,000 – 149,999,999
Above S-Rank Bounties: +149,999,999
Browsing through it, Naruto came upon Tetsu's page did his eyes bulged out, "Twenty nine million ryo with Iwa and Kumo but sixty million ryo with Kiri!" he looked at the grinning man. Naruto had suspected from the display he put on, but if what he read was true it meant the man was an A-rank ninja. In other words, Tetsu was a former Jonin. "What the hell did you do?"
Tetsu merely gave him a blank look as he pointed to the book in his hands, "…Oh, right," Naruto realized that it was a dumb thing to say. "Wanted for killing Juzo Biwa of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of Kiri, aka the Kekkon no Kijin (Blood-Soaked Demon). Seven Ninja Swordsmen of Kiri? Who are they?"
Both senior ninja could only sigh heavily once more.
"Think of them as Kiri's best of the best and second only to their Kage in terms of strength. Don't get me wrong, Juzo Biwa was very strong but his encounter with one of our own, may he rest in peace, weakened him. Heard Kiri wanted to replace him with another potential swordsman and he set out to prove he was still fit for action. He started slaughtering civilian women, children, men and ninja in our borders without mercy. And some of them being my own family," Tetsumaru's face turned ugly as memories from the incident came flooding back. Killing Intent was briefly leaked and Naruto was glad for [Gamer's Mind] protecting him; Anko had merely frowned.
"Any way, I tracked that bastard down and fought him several days later and chopped off his head; he took my eye out in the process though. Didn't care in the slightest. That psychopath was too dangerous and insane to be left alive so it was worth the loss. That's how Zanma earned her name and I was called Zanmato no Tetsumaru (Tetsu of the Decapitating Demon Blade). I got a very nice nest egg from him too, " Tetsu finished with a grin. The man nearly fainted when he collected the bounty on the man's head. His wife, however, did faint.
"So that's why you're in the Bingo Books?"
"Well… partly," here the man was slightly embarrassed.
"Huh?"
"After finishing off Juzo, Tetsu here got it into his head to take the Kubikiribōchō (Decapitating Carving Knife), Juzo's weapon, back with him to Konoha," Anko jumped in.
"So? What's so important about this guy's sword?"
The comment once more got Anko to hang her head, "Seriously what the hell do they teach these brats nowadays?" she tempted to go back to the Hokage Tower after this. Not knowing who the Seven Swordsmen of Kiri were was a warning sign in her mind. Konoha's Genin would most likely be made a laughing stock if they didn't know this sort of thing, "Then again the gaki's not the sharpest tool in the pouch. Could have just skipped through that lesson."
"The Seven Swordsmen date back to when Kiri was founded, gaki. Like Tetsu said, they are Kiri's most elite, their strongest fighters, and their swords are wanted for their unique properties and abilities. To them the death of a Seven Swordsman is not as important as the whereabouts and safety of one of their swords. If one of them dies they can be replaced. The swords, on the other hand, can't because whoever made them aren't alive anymore. And with the materials used being unknown no one has any way of replicating them. In the Kubikiribōchō's case, the sword is the almost the same size as Zanma but not only is the metal one third of the weight but it's as strong as the densest of metals. Add that it regenerates itself by using the iron in the blood of those it cuts and you've got yourself a badass weapon," Anko had to admit it was her kind of weapon. Too bad it was too cumbersome for her to use and didn't support her fighting style.
"That's why I wanted it, kid. Think about it! You have a family sword, an heirloom that's been in your family for generations, and it gets damaged beyond normal means of repair. The Kubikiribōchō's ability allows it to go from a useless blade to fully restored in a matter of minutes and all it needs is blood. My wife was a genius when it came to weapons," here Anko snorted and muttered OCD weapon fanatic, "and her hands, she could probably have figured out a way to replicate its ability and find a way that didn't require the use of blood."
Here the man sighed, "Unfortunately, I lost the god damn thing in a skirmish a couple days later against Kiri's Hijō Konbi (Heartless Pair), Jinpachi Munashi and Kushimaru Kuriare. Both of which were members of Seven Swordsmen and bloodthirsty bastards. In their minds, if anyone other than a Swordsmen or the Kage touched the Seven Swordsmen blades, they should be killed. Alone I had a better chance of winning against one of them but against both of them I'd have better luck trying to get a rock to float in water. Adding to the fact I was leading a rescued Genin team back to the border with me meant I had no choice but to bolt. Luckily they were more interested in the sword so I threw it in a deep ravine with a strong current. They chased after it instead of us. Important as the sword, I wasn't about t risk the life of another. It wasn't worth it. But me trying to steal one of their fabled swords had me blacklisted with Kiri ever since. They take that kind of thing very seriously."
"Gotta say I don't care much about history but that was actually pretty good compared to Iruka-sensei's bedtime stories," Naruto had lost count to how many times he and a few others fell asleep to the man's history lessons. Shikamaru himself fell immediately asleep then moment the lesson began, usually Iruka needed to go on for a few minutes before it happened.
"Yeah. Umino's a good ninja but even my daughter admitted that he's a little to bland at times," the man smirked. "Sorry we couldn't find ya a weapon that suited you. However," rummaging through some things out back the man returned with a sheet of paper, "Here, to make it up to you."
"Wow, paper! Thanks," what the hell was he supposed to do with paper. Write Tetsu a thank you note?
"That's chakra paper, gaki. You put your chakra into it to see what your elemental affinity is," Anko informed him. "This way when you start to learn jutsu you'll know what to focus on."
"Can't I just learn as many elemental ninjutsu as I want?"
"First off, lose that mindset. Secondly, no can do. You could try but it takes years for people to learn and master just a single element, and that's with them having an affinity or some kind of natural talent for it. Even for prodigies it usually takes two or three non-consecutive years. Thirdly, people are usually born with a primary affinity, and sometimes if you're lucky a secondary one. Those primary and secondary affinities allow them to learn techniques for those elements much faster but their opposing natures will take longer. In other words, if you have an affinity for fire then learning Suiton Ninjutsu will go much more slowly, unless you have a bloodline limit or affinity related to it. It won't be impossible but you won't have as easy a time learning those kinds of techniques otherwise. By the way you do know what the elemental affinities are, right?"
"Duh. Fire, Water, uh… Earth, Wind, and … and… oh! Lighting!" Naruto recalled the lesson. It was one of the few boring ones he actually paid attention to.
"Good. When you push chakra into it the following will potentially happen. Fire will ignite it. Wind will split it in two. Lightning will crinkle it. Earth will turn it to dust. And Water will make it wet. Give it a shot," Anko said.
Focusing as well as he could, Naruto closed his eyes and concentrated on flowing his chakra into the paper. It wasn't a second later when the boy heard the paper ripping in two before the two halves ignited.
|Congratulations! You have discovered your elemental affinities!|
Wind Affinity (Primary) A rarity among the other affinities to those who live outside of Kaze no Kuni, techniques with this affinity are performed by making chakra as sharp and thin as possible. Wind Release is mainly short to mid-ranged offensive techniques that combine brute force and keen precision to cutting, concussive, and slashing damage. True masters of Futon are capable of performing feats that leave many in fear such as creating hurricane force winds to tear apart the opposition.
· Increases the power, speed and effectiveness of wind based skills by 20%
· Decreases chakra used for wind based skills skills by 20%
· Increases experience gain when learning and using wind based skills by 20%
Fire Affinity (Secondary) A fairly common affinity that is usually affiliated with the Tiger hand seal. Techniques with this affinity are mostly offensive and are mid to long-ranged techniques that cause combustive and explosive damage. Though weak against Suiton, experts of Katon ninjutsu are capable of evaporating water as well as melt rock, armor, and enhanced metal with little effort, while masters of the art are capable of leaving only ash behind and capable of making most water based techniques useless.
· Increases the power, speed, and effectiveness of fire based skills by 10%
· Decrease chakra used for fire based skills by 10%
· Increases experience gain when learning and using fire based skills by 10%
"Whoa! Don't see that every day," Tetsu remarked.
"So a primary wind affinity and a secondary fire one," Anko explained and had to admit this was a pretty uncommon phenomenon.
"Sweet! I have wind and fire!"
"Well, it's good and bad," Anko burst his bubble, "Good because you have two affinities that compliment each other and because they let you cover all ranges. However, both are pretty much offensive oriented with little to no defensive techniques. So you're screwed on that part unless you come up with your own, which won't be easy."
Tetsu decided to chime in as well, "Plus, unlike fire, which is common in Hi no Kuni, wind is considered rare unless you're from Kaze no Kuni and there aren't that many masters or practitioners in Konoha. One of the few I know off-hand would be the Sandaime's son, Sarutobi Asuma. Asked me to make him a pair of Chakra Blade Trench Knives to compliment his Futon techniques. Problem is-"
"Yeah," Anko nodded and knew where he was going.
"Uh, hello? I don't know what the problem is!" Nauto shouted to their embarrassment.
"Oh, right. Asuma's kinda laidback and doesn't do anything unless he really needs to. So unless he's your teacher or unless you hire him to teach you you're sol. There are only two other Futon masters in Konoha. One is Shimura Danzo, but trust me when I say you don't want him as a teacher," Anko's face turned into a snarl.
"And the other?" Naruto asked, slightly frightened by her expression and made a note not the meet the man.
"Mugurama Kensei," Tetsu cut in, "He was Asuma's Futon instructor. He and Danzo are easily the best Futon users in Konoha and our only Futon masters. Unfortunately, he passed away sometime after the Kyubi Incident from a crippling injury that only got worse. He had no kids but I think I heard someone say that anything he had was willed to Asuma So like Anko said, you're out of luck," Tetsu apologized.
"So my options are either a guy who sounds like he doesn't give a crap or someone I really don't wanna deal with?" Naruto summed it up. It wasn't like he could bring a dead man back to life.
"Pretty much," Anko nodded.
"You guys really love getting my hopes up, don't you?" Naruto deadpanned.
"Sorry," the two half-heartedly apologized.
Thanking him once more, Naruto left the store with Anko as Tetsu went back to finish his project.
"Alright, since that's done, come with me," Anko took a hold of him and soon after a few more flickers did they find themselves near a training field.
"Why are we here?" Naruto asked Anko.
"Well, in my time, the purpose of a training ground was for training," was her answer. "Like I said before, your ass is mine till you graduate. And kid, you need a serious tune-up. If I or Midori weren't in there with you you'd be dead."
"Way to sugar coat it," Naruto muttered and idly wondered if he should bother telling her about the fact he couldn't die in an Instant Dungeon.
"I was sugar coating it, gaki. If I wasn't I would have called you dumber than a ten pound bag of stupid," Anko stared at him impassively before sighing, "Look, normally I wouldn't give two shits about training some snot nose brat. Hell, I could be training myself and doing other things than this."
Naruto didn't care for the insult, she'd pay for that one, but he was confused by what followed, "Then why are you?"
Anko merely looked at him, "Honestly, maybe its cause you remind me of me. You're an orphan like me full of piss and vinegar and eager to prove yourself to a world that doesn't really care what happens to use. Also, part me of me feels responsible for you from the small amount of time I've spent with you after what just transpired. You said you're dream is to become Hokage, right?"
Naruto nodded vigorously, "Yeah! I'm gonna…"
"Ahbabbhubup!" she stopped, "Don't wanna hear it, gaki. It's a good goal and if you get it good for you. But realistically you're a very long way from getting the hat. I wouldn't be able to tell you how to go about it since becoming Hokage was never on my to do list. But one thing I do know is that what all the Hokage candidates had in common was this: leadership, power, willingness to give their lives for the village, and having the backing of the village. Things you're missing."
Naruto merely frowned as Anko listed the things he needed. It wasn't his fault many in the village didn't like him… Well, maybe doing pranks on others didn't help.
"At the moment you're gonna need to focus more on refinement than your offense," Anko suggested. "However, before we do that we're gonna play a little game I like to call, Snake and Mouse," she grinned.
"Uhhh, don't you mean Cat and Mouse?" Naruto asked.
"Not with my version," she said as Midori yawned and her sharp fangs glistened in the sun's rays. "Hey, Midori. Up for a little round of Snake and Mouse?"
Naruto paled considerably. He had seen what Midori could do first hand and wasn't all that interested in being her chew toy, or lunch for that matter, or becoming flatter than a pancake.
"Can't murder now, sleeping," Midori yawned and slithered off somewhere else where she could peacefully go back to sleep.
"Murder," Naruto paled even further. "What the hell kinda game is this!?'
"Hey! Get back here! Don't go back to sleep! Hey, wake up you lazy worm!" but it was no use, Anko knew that Midori would have camouflaged and hidden herself very well so trying to find her would be a waste of time.
Anko blushed and hung her head in embarrassment. "This is not how I envisioned this moment."
Naruto meanwhile looked like he was ready to bust a gut and failing hard to hold it in, "If you so much as utter one syllable, gaki, I'LL HUNT YOU DOWN AND GUT YOU LIKE A FISH!" she roared at him.
It did the trick.
"As always, works like a charm," she loved it when her plans came together.
"Alright, now seeing as how that lazy reptile is getting her beauty sleepy," she glared at the woods where the hidden serpent slept, "I guess I'll have you show me how fit you are and see what needs improving."
[QUEST ALERT!]
Remedial Training (Daily Quest)
Main Quest: Train for more than one hour.
Side Quest: Train for more than two hours.
Side Quest 2: Train for more than three hours.
Main Quest Completion: +650 EXP, +150 Reputation [Anko]
Side Quest 1 Completion: +200 EXP, +50 Reputation [Anko],
Side Quest 2 Completion: +250 EXP, +75 Reputation [Anko], +1 Attribute Point
Failure: 100 EXP, -50 Reputation [Anko]
Note: Quest can be retaken after twenty-four hours.
(Quest is Mandatory)
"To start, drop and give me as many push ups till I tell you to stop," she ordered. Naruto thought it didn't sound like much and immediately set out to do as commanded.
"Stop. All wrong," halfway into his first ten push-ups did Anko make her displeasure known. Naruto was confused as to what exactly was wrong about it, "First off, you need to go all the down, not just part way. Second, your arms and body aren't positioned correctly. The way you're doing it will still give you a workout but it won't be as intense."
"But I've always done it this way?"
"Still makes it wrong regardless. Hasn't anyone bothered correcting you?" by his look she got her answer. "Never mind. Let me show you how it's done."
Setting him in the correct stance, which felt very different and awkward than what he was usually used to, Naruto began his push-ups. By the time Naruto had been ordered to stop, his arms were very much sorer than how they'd normally be.
After the push-ups were done, Anko ordered Naruto to perform some sit-ups. His form in this exercise was better so Anko didn't bother correcting him. After a while, Anko ordered him to stop before she handed him a nearby stone and had him recommence his exercise.
This went on for quite some time before Anko felt she had a decent grasp on the situation, "Gotta say, Gaki, not bad," Anko was being honest, as most Genin would be sweating like crazy or on the ground panting.
"The amount of stamina he's got for his age is nuts," Anko wondered if that was all Naruto or if the Kyubi had a role in it, or both. Either way, whomever he took to bed would be damn happy.
"Alright, now let's start on your taijustu next."
Both Naruto and Anko would unfortunately learn that almost all of his forms were wrong. Anko swore to give the academy instructors a good old torture session when she had the chance. It would take Naruto quite some to get use to the new movements now since they all felt foreign to him.
Anko had merely stated that since his body was so used to doing it in a certain way it had developed muscle memory for that specific movement, making it easier to perform. Now that he was doing it differently his body was adjusting to the new forms. Luckily his stamina would help make the process easier.
"Give me ten more front kicks on that log, gaki, and put some muscle into it!" Anko barked as she did her own set of exercises while maintaining a watchful eye on him.
"Sadistic son of a … " Naruto grunted out before kicking the log.
"I heard that! Another twenty!"
Naruto merely grunted some more but did as he was told. Once he was done, Naruto had to take off his shirt that was heavily soaked in his sweat after only three hours of working out.
Beforehand he was able to do between four and five hours; sometimes if he really pushed himself, he could go for six. It made Naruto realize just how bad he had been doing it and had a while to go at correcting his movements, "Oh, well. At least I increased my STR by three and my taijutsu by one," the latter of which had been increase to the academy's intermediate level.
Naruto realized that much like having proper kunai and shuriken to throw, using the proper technique when working out increased his stats much more quickly.
"All right, gaki, you're done physical exercises for the day," Anko announced; Naruto ignored the pop up for quest completion, "Not bad. You still got a while to go but … Ughhh…. Oh, kami, Gaki, you reek! I can smell you from over here," the woman pinched her nose.
"Look who's talking, Anko-san," Midori now awoke from her nap said.
"Well, if it isn't sleeping beauty herself. Where were you when I wanted to torture my new ward?" the way she said it so casually made Naruto shiver and think this wasn't the first time this occurred.
"Getting some much needed rest," Midori yawned some more, "But in all seriousness, Anko-san, you need a shower," Midori's tongue forked out of her mouth, "though not as badly as him."
Sniffing himself Naruto didn't think he smelt that bad, "Hey, I-"
"She's got a point," Anko emphasized her point by pointing towards her pinched nose. "Well, no matter. Now let's move on to your ninjutsu… Oh, right. Never mind we'll skip that portion," the kunoichi remembering how his repertoire was non-existent.
"Hey! I'll have you know I recently learned the Hidama no Jutsu," Naruto informed her.
"Ooh, a D-Rank technique used for starting campfires. When I was an academy student the requirements were the academy three and demonstrating that we could properly use three C-rank techniques, with at least one of them being lethal," Anko retorted.
"You mean you guys got to learn awesome ninjutsu! What the hell!" the fairness of it all sucked in his mind.
"What the hell indeed, gaki," Anko sighed, "Okay, so other than that do you at least know the Ki Nobori no Shugyō (Tree Climbing Practice)?"
"What's that?"
"I'm gonna kill em," was Anko's mental note, "It's a chakra control exercise. You learn it after completing the leaf balancing one."
"We do? But we just started learning that," Naruto informed her.
Anko merely sighed and wanted to bash in some skulls once more, "They're just now learning it?" in the end Anko guessed it was better than nothing. Truthfully it was it was almost nothing in her books, "Ok, how far are you at it?" she hoped it was far.
"Five leaves," Naruto said and Anko nodded.
"Five leaves. Okay, that's a decent amount," she was being honest as most by now would still be level three at best, considering Naruto's condition of being the Kyubi's jinchuriki and his way above average chakra levels for even a Jonin it was a decent feat.
"Ok, so we can skip on learning the tree climbing exercise till you get up to ten leaves," here Anko adopted a thinking pose on what she could do next. "Hmm, ah! I got it! Snake and Mouse! And if you try to duck out on me again, I'll shish kabob you before you have time to turn into your former self, Midori," Anko glared at the unrepentant looking serpent.
"So feel like you're up for it, gaki?"
[QUEST ALERT!]
Snake and Mouse [Beginner Level]
Main Quest: Avoid being captured by Midori for three minutes.
Side Quest: Avoid being captured by Midori for four and half minutes.
Side Quest: Avoid being captured by Midori for six and half minutes.
Main Quest Completion: +750 EXP, +150 Reputation [Anko] and [Midori]
Side Quest 1 Completion: +350 EXP, +75 Reputation [Anko] and [Midori]
Side Quest 2 Completion: +425 EXP, +100 Reputation [Anko] and [Midori]
Failure: 250 EXP, - 50 Reputation [Anko] and [Midori]
Note: If you fail the quest you can retake it after twenty-four hours.
Accept? (YES/NO)
Naruto wholeheartedly pressed on the yes, "Bring it," was his reply.
"You got balls, gaki," Anko liked the kid's moxie. "Now because you wouldn't last a second against, Midori – myself either for that matter – I want to be fair. So here are the rules."
"Telling me the rules is being fair?" since when was that a thing? "How the hell does that work?"
"Simple, I never tell the rules when I play this game," Anko's sadistic grin appeared.
"Oh, that's fair then," Naruto nearly squeaked.
"Rule one, you're gonna have a thirty second head start, use it well… ok that's not really a rule and more of a generous offering than anything. Rule two, Midori's gonna come at you with the intent to kill and ya don't wanna get bitten so you gotta do the same, gaki. And rule three… READY, SET, GO!" she suddenly shouted.
"No fair! That's cheating!" Naruto ran into the woods as fast as his exhausted body could.
"We're ninja, gaki! Cheating's what we do and life's not fair! Get used to it!" Anko shouted back, "Try not to hurt him too much, Midori."
"No promises, Anko-chan," Midori's grin was similar to her summoner. By the end of it, Naruto would hate this game.
Legend of the Kyuubi
Making the rounds.
- Joined
- Sep 14, 2026
- Messages
- 35
Chapter 6: Anko Plus Training Equals Pain
(Konoha: Three Weeks Later)
Naruto huffed and puffed as he tried to inhale the sweet taste of air. While air lacked taste in general, the overall training – the definition of it was still a topic of debate in his personal opinion – was unlike any he had ever experienced.
"Not bad, Gaki. Not bad at all" Anko told him. "Only two seconds short of passing the six-and-a-half-minute point that time."
"You are getting better, Naruto-san," Midori hissed. "You didn't even have to resort to the chilli pepper bombs this time."
Naruto shivered at the snake's shift in tone. The chilly pepper incident had occurred the first time he faced Midori.
(Flashback: Three Weeks Previous)
As Midori used her sensitive tongue to try and locate her prey, part of her couldn't help but think that this was a tad unfair. Midori had twenty-three years of experience under her belt. Even when she was little she was a deadly predator. Granted her poison back then wasn't as potent, for summons at least.
For her to be hunting down an academy student like this was embarrassing in her books. True, Naruto had potential and his unique ability would allow him to grow stronger at an accelerated rate, but even with his current improvements the boy didn't stand a chance against her. He had even less chance if she shifted to her larger form, and that form is currently only a fourth of her original size.
Little to no ninjutsu, his taijutsu had many flaws, the list went on and on. Forking her tongue out once more Midori managed to pinpoint Naruto's location within a tree, "Poor boy must still be exhausted from Anko's training."
She would admit that Naruto's stamina far surpassed that of any academy student and most Jonin, but she supposed that even he had his limits, especially when it came to performing exercises his body wasn't accustomed to.
Either way, the serpent sighed. The game, as Anko so affectionately called it, was over before it began, "For him to have lasted fifty-six seconds is not bad for a start ... granted, I'm going easy on him."
Had she taken this seriously it would have been over much sooner. As soon as she came upon the tree where Naruto's scent was at its strongest, Midori sped up in the blink of an eye and found herself quickly wrapping around a log instead of her prey, "What? How… Ah, the boy's more clever than he looks."
The log in questions was about Naruto's height and covered in his scent thanks to the torn clothing he wore in the dungeon, "He cleaned himself off with them to use my senses again–"
BOOM!
Midori's thoughts were cut short as she found herself enveloped in an explosion. Being a summon her skin and bones were much denser and tougher than a regular snake. Furthermore, the exploding tag was of the lowest caliber, it wouldn't be enough to kill or hamper her. Sting and give her light burns, yes, but not much else.
However, Midori soon realized that the explosion lacked the tell-tale sting of fire and concussive force associated with an effective exploding tag, a cloud that had a slightly red hue to it began to form around her, "WhaaaAHHHHHHH!"
Midori soon began writhing and hissing in pain. Her senses, tongue, and eyes felt like they were on fire from whatever was used in that explosion. Midori could only curse her careless behaviour for allowing herself to believe this would be simple and quick. She had forgotten how Anko had informed her of the boy's pranking habits and now she was suffering for it.
"Not as much as he'll suffer after I catch him!" the angry serpent thought as she got as far away from the cloud of red as best as she could, her senses still impaired and her eyesight and tongue still burning. Forking her tongue out, it took several tries before Midori managed to catch the scent of water from a nearby river. Making her way towards it, and bumping into many things along the way that hampered and only served to enhance her anger, Midori dove headfirst into the water to cleanse her body of the powder that hurt her.
As a minute passed, Midori realized that the boy had managed to evade her for a little under three minutes thanks to the stunt he pulled, the serpent pulled her head out of the water and forked her tongue to try and catch his scent once more.
"That damn cloud is making this difficult," currently the trees were the only areas where Naruto's scent was at its strongest. "Where could he have-"
Whipping her head around Midori realized what Naruto had done, "He dove into the water to mask himself."
Midori had to admit that despite wanting to rip him to shreds for what she suffered, she was beginning to become more and more impressed with Naruto. From her observation, he boy wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed, but she greatly underestimated his ability to formulate plans on the fly. Such a skill was of great importance for shinobi.
"But now this ends," she was done taken fooling around and hissed as she dove back into the water and swam with the current, her natural speed and the swiftness of the river made her seem like a blur and invisible to the eye.
Gasping for air as he came out of the river Naruto dragged himself to shore, the action taking some effort due to him still being a bit winded from the previous exercise.
|Three Minutes Have Passed!|
Naruto allowed himself to smirk as saw the words, "Looks like my plan wo-AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!" screamed as he flew through the air like a bird and smacked into a tree with all the grace of a boulder rolling down the mountainside.
"Owww," he groaned and saw that the stunt had cost him a good amount of HP.
Getting to his feet as quickly as he could, the blond's actions were for not, as he found himself bound tightly to the tree. Using [Kawarimi] was now out of the question, as it was meant to be used before being captured or before a technique struck them, with only those who mastered the advanced version being capable of replacing themselves out of certain confinements.
Hearing a particularly vicious hiss Naruto came face to face with a very angry looking snake, "Heh, heh … I surrender?"
Midori merely smirked before opening her mouth, showing off a series of very sharp teeth. "...Oh, shit. Can we talk this over?"
Her vicious grin was her answer, "Uh-oh," was all he managed to utter before she lunged, "AHHHH!"
(Flashback Ended)
What followed had not been pretty and Naruto still shivered at the memory of it all. While there were no rules to the game, unofficially that is, Naruto knew that chilli powder bombs were off limits unless he desired a good thrashing like no other.
[QUEST COMPLETED!]
Snake and Mouse [Beginner Level]
Main Quest: Avoid being captured by Midori for three minutes. (Accomplished).
Side Quest: Avoid being captured by Midori for four and half minutes (Accomplished).
Side Quest: Avoid being captured by Midori for six and half minutes. (Failed).
Main Quest Completion: +750 EXP, +150 Reputation [Anko] and [Midori]
Side Quest 1 Completion: +350 EXP, +75 Reputation [Anko] and [Midori]
Total Rewards Earned
(1100 + 10%) = 1210 EXP, +225 Reputation [Anko] and [Midori]
"So what does that bring your level up to now?" Anko asked.
"Nothing. Still at fourteen," Naruto informed her. Three weeks and in that time, Naruto had only levelled up three times. However, lacking only approximately fifteen-hundred experience points, Naruto was well on his way to levelling up once more. But getting the required experience points was becoming harder and harder.
As it was the final year, which was only five months compared to the usual ten; Iruka was cracking down on slackers during classes, which meant Naruto couldn't skip any of them. Anko herself didn't mind if he skipped, but that was so long as he didn't get caught or he'd be punished by both senior ninjas.
Furthermore, much of his time after class was spent training with Anko for hours. And unless she was busy – but even then, she'd have Midori keep an eye on him – weekends were full day training and testing. Sadistic and crazy as she was, Anko was a dedicated teacher – though her methods would likely break lesser academy students.
And any of the spare time he had was in the dungeon grinding and farming, though now he did so solo. However, with his current level, the enemies now gave almost no experience until he levelled up his [IDC Skill]. Even then the amount of time he spent in them was minimal, as by the time Anko was done with him, Naruto could only spend an hour or two in the dungeon before he was forced to call it quits for the night, which meant he hadn't had the opportunity to fight the Legion Zombie once again. The only benefit was him increasing his skills to greater levels but that didn't last long as most of them were mastered or close to it. Either way, it would be a while before he earned enough to level up once more.
"And when that happens I can finally access the natural dungeons. Who the hell came up with that stupid level restriction rule?" he put that thought aside as it wasn't that big a priority to ponder on.
Two weeks ago, Naruto had made it his goal to see if Konoha had any natural dungeons and the fruits of his labour were met with mixed results. The good news: the search hadn't taken him that long. The natural dungeons were all abandoned training grounds, places that had either become too damaged and permeated by a large amount of residue chakra over the decades that went unchecked or were affected by powerful pockets of chakra, such as the Kyubi's. Overtime these places were deemed unsafe and not accessible to anyone below the level of an experienced Genin or above.
Which led to the bad news: the lowest level requirement was fifteen and each dungeon was somehow connected to one another. Meaning to get to the next one he had to clear and conquer the previous dungeon and then move upwards.
"Alright, enough daydreaming. Get up and clean yourself off," Anko ordered and extended her arm so Midori could slither inside her trench coat sleeve.
"Where are we going?"
"Well, you said you wanted to learn kenjutsu, right? Took a while and a lot of nagging and whining on my part but I managed to get a couple of people who are willing to teach you the basics. They're some of the best in Konoha. You're welcome," she informed him.
"Uh-huh. What's the catch?" while their time together was brief; Naruto had since learned that with Anko there was a catch to almost everything.
Anko cursed as she hoped he wouldn't find out till after she dropped him off, "Damn it. Okay, I may or may not have acquired their services in exchange for you offering your own at a significantly reduced if not imperceptible sum."
"Huh?"
"They agreed to train you and in you in turn perform chores for them," Midori translated.
"That's what I just said."
"Great," Naruto drawled. "More free time taken away from me."
"Better get used to it. Unless it's wartime, the only missions Genin are regaled to the moment they graduate are D-Rank ones. You poor saps are basically hired help for those too busy or incapable of performing everyday chores," seeing his aghast look, Anko began to laugh, "What? You honestly didn't think you'd be saving damsels in distress and beating up evil ninja on your first day on the job, did you?"
Naruto's face never changed for the better, "Oh, Kami, you did, didn't you? Oh, man, that's just priceless. Sorry, Gaki, but you gotta earn that right by waddling through the mud and crap like the rest of us first," Anko wished she had a camera to immortalize Naruto's look of horror.
Midori herself laughed, both at Naruto's face and Anko's deviousness for excluding the tidbit of information regarding the odd C-Rank mission for Genin. It wasn't Naruto's fault for not knowing, most academy students were never told as it was a running gag that had been going on from one generation of ninja to the next ever since Senju Tobirama founded the academy.
"Anyway, dust yourself off. We leave in two minutes," Anko ordered.
"Shouldn't I go shower?" Naruto asked, not needing to take a whiff to know that he stank.
"Not unless you want to take another shower soon after," was Anko's reply. "Trust me when I say that even with your stamina, from what I heard, you're gonna be sweating buckets."
Intrigued by the prospects, Naruto began to clean himself off as quickly as he could. Whilst he was doing this, Midori silently whispered into her friend's ear, "I don't recall any begging involved, Anko."
"Hush you! He doesn't know that," Anko told her familiar but could deny her words either. The entire exchange between Anko and the sword users was much different than how she described it to Naruto.
(Flashback: One Day Ago)
"Hmm, dango and sweet bean soup. A perfect combination," Anko purred as she noshed on her meal. At her left protruded a series of miniature skewers that formed the Konoha symbol.
"You keep eating those in excise amounts and you're gonna lose that figure of yours, Anko," Yugao spoke as she and Hayate sat down beside her.
"Yeah, like that will ever happen," Anko seriously doubted she'd lose her perfect figure, "What do you two lovebirds want?"
"Actually, this is Hayate's doing," Yugao informed her fellow purple haired kunoichi.
"Really? Mr. Ballerina here?" Yugao chuckled lightly.
"You're never going to stop calling me that are you?" Hayate deadpanned.
"Hey, you were the one dancing in the forest," Anko smirked.
"I wasn't dancing, I was – Ah, forget it," the man wasn't about to get drawn into this argument again. The incident had been him practicing his swordsmanship and the particular techniques he was honing had made it look like he was doing a series of feminine dance moves.
"Anko, be nice," Yugao told her friend. The woman knew it was merely Anko being herself; she and Hayate were good acquaintances despite always teasing him like this.
"Aw, you're no fun," she huffed childishly for a second before quickly changing the next moment, "So what's up?"
Knowing she was now taking this seriously, or as seriously as Anko was known to, Hayate began, "I want to know if the rumours regarding Naruto are true."
"Which ones?" there were several rumours revolving around Naruto so knowing which one he was referring to was sort of difficult to ascertain.
"Him no longer being a shoe in for Dead Last?" he elaborated. "Heard he also has a dual affinity for fire and wind. That true too?"
Anko cocked an eyebrow at why he was asking this. Under her discipline, Naruto had showed decent progress that was reflective at school. He wasn't in the top rank, or even the middle rank, but he wasn't a shoo-in like before.
As she wondered about the man's sudden interest, it took the woman a few seconds before she realized where this was going. Yugao was an intelligent woman, too, having joined Anbu when she was just a child, and easily put two and two together alongside her fellow kunoichi.
"You're thinking about teaching him some kenjutsu, aren't you?" it wasn't uncommon to see Futon and Katon techniques being used alongside kenjutsu. Futon could be used to increase the cutting power of swords and create vacuum blades that extended their range, while Katon made the blade hot enough to cut through armour or weapons as if they were warm butter.
Hayate nodded. The man was one of the very few practitioners of the Konoha-Ryu Kenjutsu (Konoha Style Sword Techniques), and likely the only one whose level was advanced enough to teach others. This made things difficult since except for the basics, kenjutsu techniques, much like other unique or significant ninja skills, in a ninja village were rarely passed down in a written format for security purposes. Doing it orally had its faults but there was less of a chance of another village learning them or developing counters that way.
The Konoha-Ryu Kenjustu was unique to Konoha and not to be looked down upon given its origin and when mixed with Hayate's own flair and prodigious skills in kenjutsu, the style had even more effective techniques added to it. Hayate had been looking to pass down what he knew to someone who could use the techniques to their fullest potential. Yugao knew some, but her duties as an Anbu, and him as a Special Jonin, made it challenging.
Passing them down was easier said given the requirements needed to use some of the techniques and most would be ninja in Konoha weren't disciplined enough or preferred using and learning ninjutsu or taijutsu than learn the art of the sword.
"The amount of Konoha-Ryu Kenjutsu practitioners in the village are becoming fewer and fewer in number, Anko," Hayate muttered, "if this goes on it'll only be a matter of time before only the basics remain and everything else becomes a forgotten art."
Anko didn't need to ask since she knew some of the Konoha-Ryu techniques. Unless they had their own sword style or knew some bukijutsu, it had been made mandatory in Konoha that once a ninja was promoted to Chunin or Anbu they were required to learn the basics and be proficient at an acceptable level but no more than that.
Yugao understood why he was so passionate about the matter. The woman herself was a practitioner but she and others had to learn from Hayate instead from another Anbu superior; it was one of the reasons why they fell in love with one another. That and their love of kenjutsu and the amount of time they spent together.
Both were prodigies in kenjutsu and while Hayate was currently the better of the two in terms of skill, Yugao was ultimately the stronger of the two, a fact that Hayate wasn't ashamed to freely admit.
"I know, Hayate, I know," the small amount of practitioners was a combination of some dying, either of old age or in the field, or having no students or any interested in learning the art.
"You know nothing is set in stone, right? I can ask him but, ultimately, it's up to the gaki," Anko told him, "He's gotten better but what makes you think he has the discipline to learn kenjutsu? It ain't for everyone, you know."
"I know. But for some reason I have a feeling about this kid. He survived three weeks of training from Anko Mitarashi herself, the Queen Sadist of Konoha's Torture and Interrogation Division," Yugao chuckled at that and Anko puffed her chest out with pride.
The sadistic woman had taken a liking to that particular title, even saying they should bow in her presence as a joke sometimes. "If he can handle that then maybe he has what it takes to learn this kenjutsu and make it great again," it was a gamble, there was a chance it wouldn't work, or Naruto not be interested, but at this point it he was willing to risk it. If Konoha academy students saw the Dead Last use the Konoha-Ryu Kenjutsu to great effect and how strong he was it would drive many to start learning it themselves. It wasn't perfect, and he knew some wouldn't go far in it, but it was a step in getting a once renowned art back in the spotlight.
Yugao merely sighed. She knew that once Hayate got like this he was determined to see it through, "Besides, if that kid gets better at it he can teach other generations too," there was a hint of remorse in his voice as he said this and Anko winced, as she knew what he was talking about.
As the years passed by for the couple, the prospect of having children had often made its way into the conversation. Anko herself hadn't cared for the whole becoming a mother lifestyle like some of her female friends but that was their decision. During the Era of Warring States, shinobi often married in secret with few knowing, even the truly powerful, and had children at a young age, a practice that was still used to this day because a ninja's hazardous lifestyle often led to a reduced lifespan. It was much higher than what it used to be in the Era of Warring States, but still low compared to ordinary civilians.
It was only until recently that both discovered having a child would be difficult. Both were young, still in their early twenties, but each suffered from medical conditions. Yugao had a condition that while carrying a child would not be a problem, getting pregnant due to not being very fertile was. She was still capable of becoming a mother, but the chances were low compared to most women.
In Hayate's case it was similar. His chronic cough and somewhat sickly appearance compared to when he was younger were the result of a poisonous gas, one that Anko had found impressive, during an ambush some years back. Of the ninja that went on that mission, Hayate was one of the lucky few that managed to live to tell the tale. Being one of Konoha's best when it came to poisons, having been trained by the best, Anko and other medics managed to make an antidote in case it was ever used again and those that managed to escape recovered. Unlike the others who made full recoveries, Hayate, unfortunately, had been left with some ill side effects that were beyond the medics or Anko's ability to remedy. By the time a cure was found, the illness had progressed too far to do anything more than stop it from spreading any further instead of reversing the symptoms.
Though lucky to be alive, the man was left with a chronic cough from a damaged lung. Thankfully he had no fear of it turning malignant and it was doable to live with; the man having developed a way to stop the coughing when he needed to. It was minor really. The other effects hadn't been discovered until later. One being the poison greatly reduced his stamina, muscle strength and speed to the point he needed to compensate by augmenting them with chakra whereas before it was pure muscle work. It also impaired his ability to properly develop muscles and increase his chakra reserves. And lastly, it had greatly reduced the virility of his sperm.
All in all, and while Hayate and Yugao hadn't lost hope, the chances of either of them conceiving a child with one another in the future was extremely low. The doctor stating that the chances of them getting pregnant being less than thirteen percent. With medication and procedures, the chances were higher but still well below the norm.
Hayate had no intention of seeing another woman, Yugao was the only one for him, and the fact that he may not have children to pass on his art made him feel empty. There was no doubt in his mind that both he and Yugao had every intention of teaching their children kenjutsu. But at the moment it wasn't happening any time soon. "At least with this kid I can potentially pass it on, maybe even have him teach my kids when I end up having some."
While he could live to a ripe old age, few ninjas managed to live past their forties and Hayate was pretty much plateauing now in terms of strength, at least with Naruto and Yugao he'd have two who could teach his children should he die.
"I'll talk to him and see if he's interested. You know there's the chance of him not wanting to learn kenjutsu, Hayate," Anko informed him once again and the man chuckled, it was a possibility but a low one.
"I know, but you and I both know how that kid goes on about wanting to be Hokage and becoming an awesome ninja. If I offered to teach him kenjutsu I doubt he'd *cough* hesitate to learn."
The woman had to concede with that point. It was common knowledge around the village how adamant Naruto was about being Hokage. "Plus, it also gets Yugao and I free labour to take care of the house," he smirked and Anko laughed. At times she often forgot how cunning Hayate could be.
"All right, I'll talk it over with him tomorrow morning before I leave for my mission. Just don't get your hopes up in case the gaki doesn't wanna learn," she informed him.
"That's fine," Hayate would be disappointed if it was the case but could live with it. Now all they needed to do was see if Naruto would agree and plan accordingly.
(Flashback End)
Soon after he was done did Naruto begin trailing behind Anko, as the both of them made their way towards who knows where. The distance between the training area and the new location only took them about seven minutes using the shinobi way. Upon landing, Naruto was greeted by the sight of two individuals.
One was a man with short brown hair, a pale-ish complexion and prominently dark shadows under his eyes. In Naruto's opinion, the man appeared ready to keel over at any point in time and released a dry cough, as though dust was caught in his throat, every now and then. Beside the man was beautiful woman with long purple hair that looked very familiar.
While Naruto pondered, Anko began giving the introductions, "Yugao, Hayate, this is Naruto. Gaki, these ar–"
"Neko-chan!" Naruto declared as it finally dawned on him.
Before Yugao had the opportunity to deny it, Anko interrupted her, "You know her?"
"Yeah. She's the only one I know with that hair color… And I might have pranked her place thinking she was a Chunin… We're still cool on that, right?"
"That was you!" Anko looked bug eyed, "Oh, man! That was freakin hilarious. It took her months to grow her hair back to that length."
Eye twitching like mad, Yugao looked at Anko and said, "Remind me to drill into that concrete skull of yours the discretion of secret identities."
"Ah, come off it, Yugi-chan. If a Genin, and the former dead last at that, can figure it out so easily, what makes you think others haven't? Told ya you should have done something about your hair," once again Yugao's eye began twitching.
As a principle, Anbu identities were kept secret, as they performed covert operations that could implicate a village's reputation. Those that didn't bother were the ones that were powerful enough to be marked as either F.O.S. (Flee On Sight) like her former captain, Kakashi, or R.E.D. (Retired Extremely Dangerous) for those who no longer partook in active duty but were still formidable nonetheless.
"Anyway, back to the intro. Gaki, you've already met Yugi-chan, aka, Neko-chan," the purple haired kunoichi teased the Anbu operative, who looked ready to strangle the life out of Anko, "Beside her is Hayate, aka, Mister Ballet Dancer."
Now it was Hayate's turn to become annoyed, "How many times do I have to ask you to stop calling me that?"
"And how many times do I have to remind you that I will never stop calling you that?" Anko countered with a cheeky grin.
Sighing at her antics, Hayate came forward before he stood in front of Naruto. Despite appearing sick, Hayate's gaze was sharp and calculating like a hawk's, and Naruto felt almost naked in front of the man that looked him over from head to toe.
Having finished his observations, Hayate commented, "A bit on the small side, isn't he?"
"Oi!" of all the things he expected the man to say, Naruto hadn't expected the man to talk about his height. Being the smallest academy student in his class, mentioning Naruto's small stature, while not a touchy subject, was something that irked him nonetheless.
"Yeah, he's a shorty. I mean, whatever's thrown at him has a better chance of missing but that's only if he's up against a greenhorn or some unskilled individual. His diet and eating habits haven't been all that great so I've been forcing him to cut down on the bad stuff."
"This coming from the woman who eats almost nothing but dango!" Naruto declared.
Anko shrugged, unbothered by the comment, "So? My physical growth peaked a long time ago and I'm pretty damn active. You're at that age where what you do and eat will have an impact on how tall you get. So, what if it means no ramen. You'll thank me later, Gaki."
Naruto did nothing but grumble at that last bit; he had heard it many times before but him being forced to give up his daily ramen was like a drug addict going cold turkey. Anko only let him have one large bowl a week. Worst yet, Anko had befriended Ayame enough to side with her on the matter. There were other ramen places and instant noodles, but they paled by comparison and for Naruto it was Ichiraku or nothing.
"You know that's not necessarily true, right?" Yugao whispered in Anko's ear.
"I know. But he doesn't," Anko grinned and Yugao smiled. Perhaps training the little troublemaker would be more fun than she initially assumed.
"Riveting as this is, I'd like to ask you few questions before we begin," Hayate told Naruto.
"Umm. Okay. Shoot."
"Have you had any weapons training before?"
"I used a pipe as a makeshift club. Does that count?"
"Did you have any proper training on how to use it or did you merely swing it around without any thought on the matter?" Naruto's silence was all the information Hayate needed before he moved onto the next question.
"What's your dominant arm?"
"My right arm, I guess?" truthfully Naruto could use weapons in both hands well enough, but he had a preference for the right.
"You guess? I don't want guesses, I want certainty," Hayate asked him the same question once more. Frowning, Naruto said he handled a weapon well in both but favoured the right.
"You're somewhat ambidextrous. Good," Hayate made a note. For the next twenty minutes this continued, and Naruto was seriously starting to become more and more confused and even annoyed by the whole thing.
"And finally, why do you wish to learn swordsmanship?"
"Cuz I can learn how to wield a zanbato," Naruto's answer caught Yugao off guard and Hayate cocked an eye.
"A zanbato? Why that particular sword?"
"Nunya business, pal. Look, I came here to learn swordsmanship, so I can defend myself, not to waste my time answering stupid questions. You want someone that will bust their ass off till they're dead and tired and still say I'm good and ready to go, I'm your ninja. I don't believe in the whole answering questions thing; actions speak louder than words in my books. You give me a sword or whatever and I guarantee you that I'll be kicking your ass sooner or later. You just watch," Naruto finished.
Hayate for his part remained silent for a good minute before he looked at Anko, "You're right. He does have a lot of piss and vinegar in him."
"Told ya he'd do that. Pay up," Yugao groused as she handed over several bills in Anko's hand.
"What just happened?" Naruto was confused.
Rather than say anything, Hayate threw something at Naruto. The blond was caught off guard and fumbled a bit with the object before he managed to catch it, "What's this?"
"A bokken," Hayate answered. "You prove you have the bark for swordsmanship. Discipline is another matter but that can be learned and beaten into even the thickest skulls. And trust me, I will beat it into your head, make no mistake of that."
From the sidelines, the man's lover lowly muttered, "He's not lying," Yugao still had phantom pains that liked to flair up on various parts of her body, mostly the back of her head.
The kunoichi remembered that even after they began to develop a mutual attraction to each other during her tutelage under Hayate, Yugao hadn't been spared the pain that came with it. Hayate was a harsh teacher when it came to kenjutsu but his methods got excellent results from those who not only put in the time but also put up with the pain associated with it.
Muttering a quick [Observe] onto the bokken, Naruto was pleasantly surprised by what he saw.
Hayate's Training Bokken – Uncommon Quality
Item Type: Blunt Weapon
Item Modifier Rank: STR [D]
Durability 40/40
The bokken is an edgeless sword made of durable wood that is used by many when training to become swordsmen. While lacking the ability to properly cut, and used primarily as a tool for training and performing exercises, the sword is still quite dangerous in hands of those who know how to use it. The quality of this bokken surpasses ordinary ones due to Hayate's dedication in becoming a sword master.
Attack Power: 19–26 + (Modifier) = 30-37
Bonus Perks: [Aspiring Swordsman]
"Now then, the sword style I am about to teach you is called the Jinbuyo (Blade of the Dancing Leaf), more commonly known as the Konoha Kenjutsu-Ryu. It was developed by Senju Tobirama and emphasizes speed, feints, and confusing your targets so you can expose and strike important areas of the body with incredible precision. These cuts can be used to swiftly kill an opponent or hamper them to the point that death will be imminent," Hayate informed him.
Hayate quickly demonstrated this by instantly appearing in front of Naruto with his sword drawn, poised to sever the boy's jugular.
"Gahh!" Naruto shouted as his mind finally registered the danger he was in.
"Dead," Hayate informed the ninja in training. "Your lessons from here on until I deem you ready will revolve around conditioning your body, so it can move and react at incredible speeds."
"When will that be?"
"Until you can block two consecutive strikes with me going at full speed," here Naruto shouted out in pain as he felt his right leg begin to throb unpleasantly. "What the hell!"
"Pain is a good motivator, Naruto-san. And for the record, I just landed three blows on you. Check you arm and left leg," Hayate informed him.
Though still ticked off at the action, Naruto did as Hayate asked and sure enough did he see two cuts on his clothing, "Never even felt a thing. And he's not even using a real sword!"
"So, after experiencing a taste of it, are you still interested?" Hayate asked him.
|The fighting style known as the Konoha Kenjutsu-Ryu (Novice) has become available!|
|Do you wish to learn it?|
(Yes/No)
Naruto didn't even think twice before he wholeheartedly accepted the fighting style that presented itself.
Congratulations! You've learned the fighting style [Konoha Kenjutsu-Ryu (Novice)]!|
|Konoha Kenjutsu-Ryu (Novice). Lv 1. 0% to Next Lv| A sword style that allows the user to learn the novice level sword techniques exclusive to the Konoha-Kenjutsu Ryu. Once used and created by Senju Tobirama, this sword style places a high emphasis on speed and deceit in order to properly utilize its techniques in order to land critical or life ending blows. The current level of the sword style mainly focuses on honing one's speed and reflexes.
* Passively increases Movement Speed and Evasion by 1%
* Passively increases the striking speed of bladed weapons by 1%
* Passively increases the critical hit rate of bladed weapons by 1%
"Be grateful Hayate's not the Nidaime, Gaki. During his time, Senju Tobirama was not only recorded as the fastest ninja in Konoha but the world, too. The Nidaime was said to be capable of landing nine strikes simultaneously when he went all out, few have come close to performing that. The only ninja that's said to surpass him in terms of speed was Yondaime-sama, and even that's a topic for debate," comparing one Kage's feat to another usually was, especially when one side favoured the other and said Kages' feats were either exaggerated upon or not fully understood.
"Its true. Nidaime-sama based this sword style on a forgotten fighting style that was categorized in The Black Ships of the Land," Hayate told him.
"The Black Ships of the Land? What's that?" Naruto wondered what that meant.
"Part legend, myth and truth. During the Era of Warring States the Black Ships of the Land are what many called fighting styles that offered such tremendous power to its user that a master of them could secure near absolute victory for whichever side possessed one in a conflict. The only ones I know of are the sword styles that were held by the samurai back when they were a dominant superpower. The Hiten Mitsurugi-Ryu (Flying Heaven Honorable Sword Style), the Tengu no Oroshi-Ryu (Heavenly Dog's Katabanic Wind Style), Niten no Ichi-Ryu (Two Heavens as One Style) and the Santoryu (Three Sword Style)."
"Santoryu? How did that work?"
"No idea. However, if the tales about it are anything to go by, I'm pretty sure that last one is more fiction than fact to be honest. But enough talk. Shall we begin?" Naruto was smart enough to know it was a rhetorical question.
(Hours Later)
"Ow. Ow. Ow. Owowowo!" Naruto grimaced whilst Anko grinned. "You're pure evil. You know that, right?" the blond winced once again as he took another step.
"I try," Anko continued smirking. "If it makes you feel any better, Yugao said you showed promise."
"She did? Didn't really feel like it," Naruto groused and winced once more.
"Hayate wouldn't have continued training you if you didn't. Don't get me wrong, Gaki, you suck balls at kenjutsu. You suck elephant sized testies, for sure, but Konoha wasn't built in a …" given how powerful Hashirama was she wouldn't doubt it if his Wood Release did manage to build Konoha in a day, "… Okay, bad analogy. But you get where I'm going with this, right?"
"Yeah, I suck according to you," his eye twitched as a spasm shot through his spine.
"For now, yeah. Yer no prodigy, Naruto, accept it and get used to it," Anko decided to throw the boy a bone, "Life's not fair. Trust me, I should know. But it doesn't mean you can't do something about it. Train your heart out. Break through walls like no tomorrow but accept the fact that there are just some things you can't control or change no matter how hard you sweat, bleed or break yer bones over. Maito Gai sucked at Taijutsu when he was your age almost as bad you are now with kenjutsu. And now he's Konoha's number one go to guy when it comes to Taijutsu."
"Why are you telling me this?" Naruto couldn't help asking, "Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful."
"Really? Pretty sure it doesn't sound like it," Anko countered but snorted to stop Naruto's parry, "I'm kidding, Gaki. I get it. Truth is, I like you. That's why I'm telling you. You've earned my trust but don't push it."
|Congratulations! Your reputation level with Mitarashi Anko has increased to [Liked]! You have unlocked the necessary requirements to activate the quest [Trust Earned Quest: Anko]!|
Trust Earned Quest: Anko
Main Quest: Earn Anko's trust even further by increasing your reputation level to [Friendly] with her.
Main Quest Completion: 10,500 EXP, +2 Attribute Points, Character [Anko] History Revealed, "?"
Failure: 350 EXP, Character [Anko] History Not Revealed, ?
Accept? (Yes/No)
|Congratulations! You've completed the challenge [I Like You]! You have unlocked the challenges [I Really Like You] and [Well Liked]!|
|I Like You|
Challenge: Increase your reputation level with one person to [Liked] (Accomplished).
Challenge Reward: 1000 EXP
|I Really Like You|
Challenge: Increase your reputation level with one person to [Friendly].
Challenge Reward: 2500 EXP
|Well Liked|
Challenge: Increase your reputation level with five individuals to [Liked].
Challenge Reward: 6500 EXP
|Congratulations! Your level has increased by one!|
Name: Uzumaki Naruto
Job: Academy Student
Level: 15 Next Level: 27/10,800
HP: 5075 + [350] ~ 5425
CP: 8900? + [625] + [Chakra Affinity: Basic Rank] ~ 10,001.25?
STR: 23 ~ 23?
VIT: 147 + [10] ~ 157?
END: 207 + [15] ~ 222?
DEX: 43 + [1] ~ 44?
INT: 39 ~ 39
WIS: 16 ~ 16
CHA: 10 ~ 10
LUK: ? ~ ?
DEF: 23 ~ 23
Attribute Points: 21
Ordinary Perk Points: 1
|Congratulations! Due to passing the 150 point mark on VIT, you've gained the perk [Vigor Affinity: Basic Rank]!
Adamant Vigor: Basic Rank
[HP Regen] Increased by 5%
Total HP Increased by 5%
[Physical Damage] Taken Decreased by 5%
Fatigue Levels gains Decreased 5%
Tolerances Increased by 5%
|Congratulations! You are now level 15! New boons and options have become available to you! You have received the [Bronze Abyss Auction House Membership Card] & [Abyss Auction House's Bronze Coupon]!|
Bronze Abyss Auction House Membership Card
A special card that allows you to use the [Abyss Auction House Window Skill], where you can buy, sell, or even acquire services so long as the price is right. Your current membership is at the basic level, as such the guild's full cut of the profits earned and services rendered will not be discounted and you only have access to the most basic of services and information. The more you use the guild, the closer you get to upgrade your membership and the greater the boons you will receive.
Special Note: Items of higher quality that sell well will enable you to upgrade to a higher form of membership much more quickly. Any items authenticated as fake or junk by the guild will result in penalties such as loss of points and even a reduced membership level.
Abyss Auction House's Bronze Coupon
Item Type: Special Merchant Item
Durability: One-Time Use
Description: An item that is used to buy two C-Rank item at a discount price of thirty-five percent or three D-Rank items at sixty percent. Item is only useable with the Abyss Auction House.
|Abyss Auction House Window Skill: LV MAX| A unique skill available only to the holder of the [Gamer] perk that enables them to use the services of the Abyss Auction House anywhere in the world rather than through a medium such as a computer. The skill functions in a manner similar to the Status Window, where it pops up upon being called and items from the Inventory Box can be transferred. Money will then be transferred, minus the guild's cut, after the items are verified by the guild.
·17.5% interest on items sold
·No discount on services and information
"Guess that means I can spare the bokken," while the zombies didn't give much experience now a days the money drops had improved a tiny bit due to the bonus granted by his weapon and his recently acquired [Expert Zombie Slayer] title, "But what the hell is reputation anyway?" like before, his question was answered via pop up.
Reputation
Reputation plays an important factor in the world. The more well liked you are with a faction the more benefits and easier time you will likely have with them such as discounts, missions, etc. In contrast, being hated with said faction will have the opposite effect. Reputation also plays a major role in future events that can and may not occur, so make your choices carefully. However, the world is an imperfect place, so any good you perform with one group can still result in a negative reputation with another.
Negative Reputation
There are three levels of negative reputation: Abhorred, Hostile, and Disliked. In this category your chances of working well with others are very low and the likelihood of being betrayed or attacked increases the lower your reputation score is with them. Be cautious around these types of individuals as you may find yourself with a weapon in your back or worse.
Neutral Reputation
Not everyone hates you but that doesn't necessarily mean they like you either. This faction doesn't know you or could care less about you, so your chances of becoming friends or enemies can go either way depending on what you do.
Positive Reputation
There are three levels of positive reputation: Liked, Friendly, and Cherished. In this category your chances of working well with others are very high and the likelihood of being betrayed or attacked decreases the higher your reputation score is with them. Working with them is like having someone who is willing to risk their life for yours and can be trusted to have your back through thick and thin.
Note: While it doesn't happen for all of them, depending on the individual, this form of reputation can evolve even further as a result in finding a special someone.
"Thank you pop up," Naruto thought.
"GAKI!"
"Gah! The hell was that for!"
"Other than me enjoying screwing with you, I've been trying to get your attention for the last two minutes," Anko responded.
"Oh, sorry. Was distracted," were the wrong words to say in Anko's books.
"You know the rules, Gaki," Naruto groaned. He did know them. He had no choice, really. One of the many rules of being a ninja: never become distracted. A distracted shinobi was an ill-prepared or dead shinobi. The only exception was when one was pretending to be distracted. But Naruto hadn't done the latter and Anko had stressed many times that if she caught him distracted that he was going to pay for it.
"Luckily for you, while you were off kami knows where, I was told something came up and I've been asked to come in. You're off the hook, for now," she finished with a grin that made his spine tingle.
"See ya when I see ya," she said and then disappeared in a whirl of leaves and dust.
"Guess that means I have the rest of the day off," neither Hayate nor Yugao had any chores for him to do today so that was a plus. Plus with him levelling up, his fatigue, CP, and HP levels had reset to normal so it left him ready to go. Naruto might think it unfair for others but so what. Ninja didn't play fair and took advantage of whatever gifts they possessed.
"Guess I can go to the training field dungeons," but first Naruto decided to test out the [Abyss Auction House Window Skill]. After calling it up, Naruto began to browse through some weapons and items that might aid him. There was just one big problem he hadn't counted on.
"Holy crap!" the boy cursed that pretty much everything he wanted was expensive to the extreme.
Skill Scrolls|
| Ninjutsu | Genjutsu | Taijutsu | Bukijutsu | Profession | Miscellaneous |
| D-Rank |
10,000 Ryo ~ 29,999 Ryo
| C-Rank |
30,000 Ryo ~ 99,999 Ryo
| B-Rank |
100,000 Ryo ~ 999,999 Ryo
| A-Rank |
1,000,000 Ryo ~ 9,999,999 Ryo
| S-Rank |
10,000,000 Ryo +
The Abyss Auction House apparently dealt in quality goods only so everything being sold was ranked as [Common] or higher. But even then the lowest price for a technique was listed at ten thousand ryo. From grinding in the zombie dungeons, Naruto currently held close to 74,137 ryo. Even if he got the lower tier stuff ranked at [Uncommon] it would take more than two thirds of that away after buying one or two.
"I knew it was too good to be true," Naruto groused. Overpowered as it was, Naruto was starting to realize that even the [Gamer] ability operated on the grounds of reality at times, "'Kay. How much does this stuff go for," here he shifted the items he had acquired from the zombie dungeon into the Abyss Auction House screen.
|Following Items are being Appraised|
·Zombie Rib x 98
·Basic Grade Armor Acid x 21
·Rotten Flesh x 31
·Unstable Cocktail x 6
·Basic Grade Health Potion x 8
|Appraisal Commencing|
…
…
…
…
…
Appraisal Complete!
·Zombie Rib x 98 [54 Ryo]= 5292 Ryo
·Basic Grade Armor Acid x 21 [560 Ryo] = 11,760 Ryo
·Rotten Flesh x 31 [0 Ryo} = 0 Ryo
·Unstable Cocktail x 6 [1500 Ryo] = 9000 Ryo
·Basic Grade Health Potion x 7 [110,000 Ryo] = 770,000 Ryo
Total Potential Worth
796,052 Ryo – (17.5% Interest) = 656,742.90 Ryo
Special Note
While the [Appraisal] function of the [Abyss Auction House Window] gives you an idea of what the items are worth, the rules of supply and demand play a factor as well. Ultimately, the price of the items that you put up for sale is up to you and you alone.
"Supply and demand?" the concept was foreign to Naruto as none of the video games he played ever really dealt with that. However, the concept of an auction house in video games was something he was familiar to. Rare or unique items generally went for a lot of money that many charged well over the listing price since they couldn't be found quite easily.
"The potions' price is nuts," Naruto muttered with excitement. He had expected them to be worth something but well over one hundred thousand ryo was insane.
"Then again, it does restore thirty percent of my health in an instant," having been to the hospital, Naruto knew that medical ninjutsu was not a quick process, nor was it a skill just anyone could learn because of how finely tuned one's chakra control had to be without posing a risk.
The potion more or less made the need to learn medical ninjutsu obsolete. Naruto actually had money signs in his eyes as he realized that future dungeons would likely have stronger versions of the stuff, too.
"I'm rich!" his grin threatened to split his face in two. While he had no intention of selling all of them – four or five at most given he had only been able to find three more despite entering the zombie dungeon over a dozen times – the money he'd earn from the potions would enable him to afford some of the more expensive of items.
Putting that plan into action, Naruto placed the other items he had gathered, keeping a few on hand to be safe, and five of his potions into the auction window with increased prices.
|Following items are being Auctioned|
·Zombie Rib x 98 [Enter Price per Unit]
·Basic Grade Armor Acid x 16 [Enter Price per Unit]
·Unstable Cocktail x 2 [Enter Price per Unit]
·Basic Grade Health Potion x 5 [Enter Price per Unit]
|Auctioning Commencing|
…
…
…
…
…
|Auctioning Complete|
·Zombie Rib x 98 [59 Ryo] = 5782 Ryo
·Basic Grade Armor Acid x 16 [729 Ryo] = 11,664 Ryo
·Unstable Cocktail x 2 [2100 Ryo] = 4200 Ryo
·Basic Grade Health Potion x 5 [145,000 Ryo] = 725,000 Ryo
|Total Potential Worth|
746,646 Ryo – (17.5% Interest) = 615,982.95 Ryo
|You have successfully created an auction. Items and payment of items will be held in trust for a period of forty-eight hours for authentication.|
"Of course they will," Naruto muttered. Naruto wanted money now but soon realized that couldn't take the items back either without suffering a penalty, "Ah, perfect."
Putting the thought aside for now, Naruto browsed through the Ninjutsu's C-Rank section to find anything of value. Naturally the C-Rank techniques cost more than a pretty ryo bill but some of them were very appealing nonetheless.
"Ninpo: Chakura Nagashi (Ninja Art: Chakra Flow), Suiton: Teppodama (Water Release: Gunshot), Futon: Reppusho (Wind Release: Violent Gale Palm), Ninpo: Satsuriku Ran-jin (Ninja Art: Hail of Carnage), Doton: Doran (Earth Release: Earth Riot), Raiton: Senko Retsu no Jutsu (Lightning Release: Light Spear Rendering Technique), Katon: Inka no Jutsu (Fire Release: Shadow Fire Technique)," so far Naruto was mostly interested in these techniques but each one were priced at well over thirty-five or forty thousand ryo.
While he could afford them, Naruto had no intention of spending money on techniques that would become accessible to him in the Konoha Archives once he graduated. At the same time, he didn't want to forgo techniques that could prove essential early on, nor their upgraded versions down the line.
"[Chakra Nagashi] is a weapon booster," Hayate or Anko would probably teach him the skill if asked, so he put that in the no pile along with [Teppodama] and [Hail of Carnage]. Naruto meant no offense to the former technique's creator, despite its potential for crushing bones when mastered – but the whole concept sounded like him hocking one big giant loogey. The latter one sounded cool as hell for its destructive properties, especially for mere shuriken. Unluckily for him, it required knowing a prerequisite skill that Naruto currently lacked.
[Reppusho] was a maybe given it was a wind technique, and the fact that wind-based techniques were scarce outside of Kaze no Kuni was a bonus. But as it was mainly a weapon buffer that accelerated the speed and force of thrown weapons like shuriken, it, too, was currently placed in the maybe pile. On its own it merely stopped and stunned its targets, but that was at the maximum level. It was a decent beginner technique nonetheless in Naruto's opinion as he already thought of a few creative uses for it.
[Earth Riot] was a sneak based attack that caused thrown up rocks to become enlarged and dagger-like or caused small stalagmite spears to suddenly sprout out from the ground. The downside was that it was only really effective at short range, but Naruto had no problem getting in close and personal.
[Shadow Fire] was a unique fire technique that shot watermelon sized fireballs that would suddenly take the shape of a nightmarish yokai when it got close to the intended target. This had a chance to cause fear-based status effects, even more on those they hit, and had a chance to light them on fire and the distraction making the target more susceptible to critical hits. The only downside was that it was not easy to master, required a decent amount of control, and at sixty-eight thousand ryo it was the most expensive of the six skills.
"Thank kami for coupons," Naruto grinned and made his choice. Selecting both [Shadow Fire] and [Earth Riot], and applying the coupon he had just received, Naruto paid a total of 73,450 Ryo, effectively wiping out all but six-hundred and eighty-seven ryo.
|Thank you for your patronage! Your current upgrade progress has increased to 7.9%/100%! Please allow for your payment to be processed.|
|Payment Processing|
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|Payment Processing Complete|
|Your payment has been approved. Please wait for your items to appear.|
Naruto didn't have to wait very long, as a box suddenly materialized in front of him. The container looked like a present with the box being gift wrapped and tied up with a bow ribbon. The blond didn't have to rip into it, however, as the lid slid off quite easily. Neatly organized within its contents were two scrolls: one blue, one red.
"Colour coded. Neat," taking both of them, Naruto agreed to learning the two techniques and watched as both dematerialized into nothingness.
|Congratulation! You've learned the [Katon: Inka no Jutsu (Fire Release: Shadow Fire Technique)] and the [Doton: Doran (Earth Release: Earth Riot)] skills!|
| Katon: Inka no Jutsu (Fire Release: Shadow Fire Technique) Lv 1. 0% to Next Lv| Skill Modifier: END [E] CHA [C] Mastering Speed: D|. A fire based skill that launches large balls of fire that has the chance to not only set its targets on fire but also put them into a state of fear that makes them more susceptible to attacks. |CP Usage: 355 – (Affinity Bonus) - (Perks) = 301.75 CP|
· Launches one fireball per use
· Damage: 88–101 + (Modifier) + (Affinity Bonus) + (Perks) = 165.74 – 180.75 per fireball
· Success rate to cause [Burning] status effect [11% + (END *.25) + Affinity Bonus + Perks] +/- [(Caster Level – Victim Level) + Victim's (VIT)]
· Success rate to cause [Stunned] status effect [31% + (CHA *1) + (END *.25) + Affinity Bonus + Perks] +/- [(Caster Level – Victim Level) + Victim's (WIS *1)]
· Success rate to cause [Unconscious] status effect [1% + (CHA *1) + (END *.25) + Affinity Bonus + Perks] +/- [(Caster Level – Victim Level) + Victim's (WIS *1)]
· Success rate to cause [Hysteria] status effect [–31% + (CHA *1) + (END *.25) + Affinity Bonus + Perks] +/- [(Caster Level – Victim Level) + Victim's (WIS *1)]
· Range: 10 Meters
| Doton: Doran (Earth Release: Earth Riot) Lv 1. 0% to Next Lv| Skill Modifier: END [D] Mastering Speed: D|. A close range earth based technique that can work in two ways: transform kicked up rocks into dagger sized stone knives that can cause bleeding or sprout stalagmites from the ground that have the potential to impair its victim's ability to walk or run or skewer charging foes unexpectedly. |CP Usage: 245 - (Perks) = 232.75 CP|
· Launches one stone dagger per use
· Dagger Form Damage: 44–55 + (Modifier) + (Perks) = 162.75 – 174.3 per dagger
· Stalagmite Form Damage: 121–137 + (Modifier) + (Perks) = 243.6 – 260.4
· Success rate to cause [Bleeding] status effect [11% + (END *.5) + Perks] +/- [(Caster Level – Victim Level) + Victim's (VIT)]
· Success rate to cause [Slow] status effect [11% + (END *.5)+ Perks] +/- [(Caster Level – Victim Level) + Victim's (VIT)]
· Success rate to cause [Immobile] status effect [-31% + (END *.5)+ Perks] +/- [(Caster Level – Victim Level) + Victim's (VIT)]
· Range: 1 Meter
Finally having some decent techniques in his arsenal, despite his wallet being many times lighter now, Naruto proceeded to speed from rooftop to rooftop until he arrived at the first natural dungeon. Walking up to it with purpose, Naruto watched as a message popped up in front of him.
|Would you like to enter the natural dungeon [Training Area One]?|
(Yes/No)
No hesitation was displayed the moment Naruto's finger pressed on the (Yes) option. A flash of light soon blinded his vision and Naruto found himself eagerly awaiting the challenge that would present itself.
(Konoha: Three Weeks Later)
Naruto huffed and puffed as he tried to inhale the sweet taste of air. While air lacked taste in general, the overall training – the definition of it was still a topic of debate in his personal opinion – was unlike any he had ever experienced.
"Not bad, Gaki. Not bad at all" Anko told him. "Only two seconds short of passing the six-and-a-half-minute point that time."
"You are getting better, Naruto-san," Midori hissed. "You didn't even have to resort to the chilli pepper bombs this time."
Naruto shivered at the snake's shift in tone. The chilly pepper incident had occurred the first time he faced Midori.
(Flashback: Three Weeks Previous)
As Midori used her sensitive tongue to try and locate her prey, part of her couldn't help but think that this was a tad unfair. Midori had twenty-three years of experience under her belt. Even when she was little she was a deadly predator. Granted her poison back then wasn't as potent, for summons at least.
For her to be hunting down an academy student like this was embarrassing in her books. True, Naruto had potential and his unique ability would allow him to grow stronger at an accelerated rate, but even with his current improvements the boy didn't stand a chance against her. He had even less chance if she shifted to her larger form, and that form is currently only a fourth of her original size.
Little to no ninjutsu, his taijutsu had many flaws, the list went on and on. Forking her tongue out once more Midori managed to pinpoint Naruto's location within a tree, "Poor boy must still be exhausted from Anko's training."
She would admit that Naruto's stamina far surpassed that of any academy student and most Jonin, but she supposed that even he had his limits, especially when it came to performing exercises his body wasn't accustomed to.
Either way, the serpent sighed. The game, as Anko so affectionately called it, was over before it began, "For him to have lasted fifty-six seconds is not bad for a start ... granted, I'm going easy on him."
Had she taken this seriously it would have been over much sooner. As soon as she came upon the tree where Naruto's scent was at its strongest, Midori sped up in the blink of an eye and found herself quickly wrapping around a log instead of her prey, "What? How… Ah, the boy's more clever than he looks."
The log in questions was about Naruto's height and covered in his scent thanks to the torn clothing he wore in the dungeon, "He cleaned himself off with them to use my senses again–"
BOOM!
Midori's thoughts were cut short as she found herself enveloped in an explosion. Being a summon her skin and bones were much denser and tougher than a regular snake. Furthermore, the exploding tag was of the lowest caliber, it wouldn't be enough to kill or hamper her. Sting and give her light burns, yes, but not much else.
However, Midori soon realized that the explosion lacked the tell-tale sting of fire and concussive force associated with an effective exploding tag, a cloud that had a slightly red hue to it began to form around her, "WhaaaAHHHHHHH!"
Midori soon began writhing and hissing in pain. Her senses, tongue, and eyes felt like they were on fire from whatever was used in that explosion. Midori could only curse her careless behaviour for allowing herself to believe this would be simple and quick. She had forgotten how Anko had informed her of the boy's pranking habits and now she was suffering for it.
"Not as much as he'll suffer after I catch him!" the angry serpent thought as she got as far away from the cloud of red as best as she could, her senses still impaired and her eyesight and tongue still burning. Forking her tongue out, it took several tries before Midori managed to catch the scent of water from a nearby river. Making her way towards it, and bumping into many things along the way that hampered and only served to enhance her anger, Midori dove headfirst into the water to cleanse her body of the powder that hurt her.
As a minute passed, Midori realized that the boy had managed to evade her for a little under three minutes thanks to the stunt he pulled, the serpent pulled her head out of the water and forked her tongue to try and catch his scent once more.
"That damn cloud is making this difficult," currently the trees were the only areas where Naruto's scent was at its strongest. "Where could he have-"
Whipping her head around Midori realized what Naruto had done, "He dove into the water to mask himself."
Midori had to admit that despite wanting to rip him to shreds for what she suffered, she was beginning to become more and more impressed with Naruto. From her observation, he boy wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed, but she greatly underestimated his ability to formulate plans on the fly. Such a skill was of great importance for shinobi.
"But now this ends," she was done taken fooling around and hissed as she dove back into the water and swam with the current, her natural speed and the swiftness of the river made her seem like a blur and invisible to the eye.
Gasping for air as he came out of the river Naruto dragged himself to shore, the action taking some effort due to him still being a bit winded from the previous exercise.
|Three Minutes Have Passed!|
Naruto allowed himself to smirk as saw the words, "Looks like my plan wo-AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!" screamed as he flew through the air like a bird and smacked into a tree with all the grace of a boulder rolling down the mountainside.
"Owww," he groaned and saw that the stunt had cost him a good amount of HP.
Getting to his feet as quickly as he could, the blond's actions were for not, as he found himself bound tightly to the tree. Using [Kawarimi] was now out of the question, as it was meant to be used before being captured or before a technique struck them, with only those who mastered the advanced version being capable of replacing themselves out of certain confinements.
Hearing a particularly vicious hiss Naruto came face to face with a very angry looking snake, "Heh, heh … I surrender?"
Midori merely smirked before opening her mouth, showing off a series of very sharp teeth. "...Oh, shit. Can we talk this over?"
Her vicious grin was her answer, "Uh-oh," was all he managed to utter before she lunged, "AHHHH!"
(Flashback Ended)
What followed had not been pretty and Naruto still shivered at the memory of it all. While there were no rules to the game, unofficially that is, Naruto knew that chilli powder bombs were off limits unless he desired a good thrashing like no other.
[QUEST COMPLETED!]
Snake and Mouse [Beginner Level]
Main Quest: Avoid being captured by Midori for three minutes. (Accomplished).
Side Quest: Avoid being captured by Midori for four and half minutes (Accomplished).
Side Quest: Avoid being captured by Midori for six and half minutes. (Failed).
Main Quest Completion: +750 EXP, +150 Reputation [Anko] and [Midori]
Side Quest 1 Completion: +350 EXP, +75 Reputation [Anko] and [Midori]
Total Rewards Earned
(1100 + 10%) = 1210 EXP, +225 Reputation [Anko] and [Midori]
"So what does that bring your level up to now?" Anko asked.
"Nothing. Still at fourteen," Naruto informed her. Three weeks and in that time, Naruto had only levelled up three times. However, lacking only approximately fifteen-hundred experience points, Naruto was well on his way to levelling up once more. But getting the required experience points was becoming harder and harder.
As it was the final year, which was only five months compared to the usual ten; Iruka was cracking down on slackers during classes, which meant Naruto couldn't skip any of them. Anko herself didn't mind if he skipped, but that was so long as he didn't get caught or he'd be punished by both senior ninjas.
Furthermore, much of his time after class was spent training with Anko for hours. And unless she was busy – but even then, she'd have Midori keep an eye on him – weekends were full day training and testing. Sadistic and crazy as she was, Anko was a dedicated teacher – though her methods would likely break lesser academy students.
And any of the spare time he had was in the dungeon grinding and farming, though now he did so solo. However, with his current level, the enemies now gave almost no experience until he levelled up his [IDC Skill]. Even then the amount of time he spent in them was minimal, as by the time Anko was done with him, Naruto could only spend an hour or two in the dungeon before he was forced to call it quits for the night, which meant he hadn't had the opportunity to fight the Legion Zombie once again. The only benefit was him increasing his skills to greater levels but that didn't last long as most of them were mastered or close to it. Either way, it would be a while before he earned enough to level up once more.
"And when that happens I can finally access the natural dungeons. Who the hell came up with that stupid level restriction rule?" he put that thought aside as it wasn't that big a priority to ponder on.
Two weeks ago, Naruto had made it his goal to see if Konoha had any natural dungeons and the fruits of his labour were met with mixed results. The good news: the search hadn't taken him that long. The natural dungeons were all abandoned training grounds, places that had either become too damaged and permeated by a large amount of residue chakra over the decades that went unchecked or were affected by powerful pockets of chakra, such as the Kyubi's. Overtime these places were deemed unsafe and not accessible to anyone below the level of an experienced Genin or above.
Which led to the bad news: the lowest level requirement was fifteen and each dungeon was somehow connected to one another. Meaning to get to the next one he had to clear and conquer the previous dungeon and then move upwards.
"Alright, enough daydreaming. Get up and clean yourself off," Anko ordered and extended her arm so Midori could slither inside her trench coat sleeve.
"Where are we going?"
"Well, you said you wanted to learn kenjutsu, right? Took a while and a lot of nagging and whining on my part but I managed to get a couple of people who are willing to teach you the basics. They're some of the best in Konoha. You're welcome," she informed him.
"Uh-huh. What's the catch?" while their time together was brief; Naruto had since learned that with Anko there was a catch to almost everything.
Anko cursed as she hoped he wouldn't find out till after she dropped him off, "Damn it. Okay, I may or may not have acquired their services in exchange for you offering your own at a significantly reduced if not imperceptible sum."
"Huh?"
"They agreed to train you and in you in turn perform chores for them," Midori translated.
"That's what I just said."
"Great," Naruto drawled. "More free time taken away from me."
"Better get used to it. Unless it's wartime, the only missions Genin are regaled to the moment they graduate are D-Rank ones. You poor saps are basically hired help for those too busy or incapable of performing everyday chores," seeing his aghast look, Anko began to laugh, "What? You honestly didn't think you'd be saving damsels in distress and beating up evil ninja on your first day on the job, did you?"
Naruto's face never changed for the better, "Oh, Kami, you did, didn't you? Oh, man, that's just priceless. Sorry, Gaki, but you gotta earn that right by waddling through the mud and crap like the rest of us first," Anko wished she had a camera to immortalize Naruto's look of horror.
Midori herself laughed, both at Naruto's face and Anko's deviousness for excluding the tidbit of information regarding the odd C-Rank mission for Genin. It wasn't Naruto's fault for not knowing, most academy students were never told as it was a running gag that had been going on from one generation of ninja to the next ever since Senju Tobirama founded the academy.
"Anyway, dust yourself off. We leave in two minutes," Anko ordered.
"Shouldn't I go shower?" Naruto asked, not needing to take a whiff to know that he stank.
"Not unless you want to take another shower soon after," was Anko's reply. "Trust me when I say that even with your stamina, from what I heard, you're gonna be sweating buckets."
Intrigued by the prospects, Naruto began to clean himself off as quickly as he could. Whilst he was doing this, Midori silently whispered into her friend's ear, "I don't recall any begging involved, Anko."
"Hush you! He doesn't know that," Anko told her familiar but could deny her words either. The entire exchange between Anko and the sword users was much different than how she described it to Naruto.
(Flashback: One Day Ago)
"Hmm, dango and sweet bean soup. A perfect combination," Anko purred as she noshed on her meal. At her left protruded a series of miniature skewers that formed the Konoha symbol.
"You keep eating those in excise amounts and you're gonna lose that figure of yours, Anko," Yugao spoke as she and Hayate sat down beside her.
"Yeah, like that will ever happen," Anko seriously doubted she'd lose her perfect figure, "What do you two lovebirds want?"
"Actually, this is Hayate's doing," Yugao informed her fellow purple haired kunoichi.
"Really? Mr. Ballerina here?" Yugao chuckled lightly.
"You're never going to stop calling me that are you?" Hayate deadpanned.
"Hey, you were the one dancing in the forest," Anko smirked.
"I wasn't dancing, I was – Ah, forget it," the man wasn't about to get drawn into this argument again. The incident had been him practicing his swordsmanship and the particular techniques he was honing had made it look like he was doing a series of feminine dance moves.
"Anko, be nice," Yugao told her friend. The woman knew it was merely Anko being herself; she and Hayate were good acquaintances despite always teasing him like this.
"Aw, you're no fun," she huffed childishly for a second before quickly changing the next moment, "So what's up?"
Knowing she was now taking this seriously, or as seriously as Anko was known to, Hayate began, "I want to know if the rumours regarding Naruto are true."
"Which ones?" there were several rumours revolving around Naruto so knowing which one he was referring to was sort of difficult to ascertain.
"Him no longer being a shoe in for Dead Last?" he elaborated. "Heard he also has a dual affinity for fire and wind. That true too?"
Anko cocked an eyebrow at why he was asking this. Under her discipline, Naruto had showed decent progress that was reflective at school. He wasn't in the top rank, or even the middle rank, but he wasn't a shoo-in like before.
As she wondered about the man's sudden interest, it took the woman a few seconds before she realized where this was going. Yugao was an intelligent woman, too, having joined Anbu when she was just a child, and easily put two and two together alongside her fellow kunoichi.
"You're thinking about teaching him some kenjutsu, aren't you?" it wasn't uncommon to see Futon and Katon techniques being used alongside kenjutsu. Futon could be used to increase the cutting power of swords and create vacuum blades that extended their range, while Katon made the blade hot enough to cut through armour or weapons as if they were warm butter.
Hayate nodded. The man was one of the very few practitioners of the Konoha-Ryu Kenjutsu (Konoha Style Sword Techniques), and likely the only one whose level was advanced enough to teach others. This made things difficult since except for the basics, kenjutsu techniques, much like other unique or significant ninja skills, in a ninja village were rarely passed down in a written format for security purposes. Doing it orally had its faults but there was less of a chance of another village learning them or developing counters that way.
The Konoha-Ryu Kenjustu was unique to Konoha and not to be looked down upon given its origin and when mixed with Hayate's own flair and prodigious skills in kenjutsu, the style had even more effective techniques added to it. Hayate had been looking to pass down what he knew to someone who could use the techniques to their fullest potential. Yugao knew some, but her duties as an Anbu, and him as a Special Jonin, made it challenging.
Passing them down was easier said given the requirements needed to use some of the techniques and most would be ninja in Konoha weren't disciplined enough or preferred using and learning ninjutsu or taijutsu than learn the art of the sword.
"The amount of Konoha-Ryu Kenjutsu practitioners in the village are becoming fewer and fewer in number, Anko," Hayate muttered, "if this goes on it'll only be a matter of time before only the basics remain and everything else becomes a forgotten art."
Anko didn't need to ask since she knew some of the Konoha-Ryu techniques. Unless they had their own sword style or knew some bukijutsu, it had been made mandatory in Konoha that once a ninja was promoted to Chunin or Anbu they were required to learn the basics and be proficient at an acceptable level but no more than that.
Yugao understood why he was so passionate about the matter. The woman herself was a practitioner but she and others had to learn from Hayate instead from another Anbu superior; it was one of the reasons why they fell in love with one another. That and their love of kenjutsu and the amount of time they spent together.
Both were prodigies in kenjutsu and while Hayate was currently the better of the two in terms of skill, Yugao was ultimately the stronger of the two, a fact that Hayate wasn't ashamed to freely admit.
"I know, Hayate, I know," the small amount of practitioners was a combination of some dying, either of old age or in the field, or having no students or any interested in learning the art.
"You know nothing is set in stone, right? I can ask him but, ultimately, it's up to the gaki," Anko told him, "He's gotten better but what makes you think he has the discipline to learn kenjutsu? It ain't for everyone, you know."
"I know. But for some reason I have a feeling about this kid. He survived three weeks of training from Anko Mitarashi herself, the Queen Sadist of Konoha's Torture and Interrogation Division," Yugao chuckled at that and Anko puffed her chest out with pride.
The sadistic woman had taken a liking to that particular title, even saying they should bow in her presence as a joke sometimes. "If he can handle that then maybe he has what it takes to learn this kenjutsu and make it great again," it was a gamble, there was a chance it wouldn't work, or Naruto not be interested, but at this point it he was willing to risk it. If Konoha academy students saw the Dead Last use the Konoha-Ryu Kenjutsu to great effect and how strong he was it would drive many to start learning it themselves. It wasn't perfect, and he knew some wouldn't go far in it, but it was a step in getting a once renowned art back in the spotlight.
Yugao merely sighed. She knew that once Hayate got like this he was determined to see it through, "Besides, if that kid gets better at it he can teach other generations too," there was a hint of remorse in his voice as he said this and Anko winced, as she knew what he was talking about.
As the years passed by for the couple, the prospect of having children had often made its way into the conversation. Anko herself hadn't cared for the whole becoming a mother lifestyle like some of her female friends but that was their decision. During the Era of Warring States, shinobi often married in secret with few knowing, even the truly powerful, and had children at a young age, a practice that was still used to this day because a ninja's hazardous lifestyle often led to a reduced lifespan. It was much higher than what it used to be in the Era of Warring States, but still low compared to ordinary civilians.
It was only until recently that both discovered having a child would be difficult. Both were young, still in their early twenties, but each suffered from medical conditions. Yugao had a condition that while carrying a child would not be a problem, getting pregnant due to not being very fertile was. She was still capable of becoming a mother, but the chances were low compared to most women.
In Hayate's case it was similar. His chronic cough and somewhat sickly appearance compared to when he was younger were the result of a poisonous gas, one that Anko had found impressive, during an ambush some years back. Of the ninja that went on that mission, Hayate was one of the lucky few that managed to live to tell the tale. Being one of Konoha's best when it came to poisons, having been trained by the best, Anko and other medics managed to make an antidote in case it was ever used again and those that managed to escape recovered. Unlike the others who made full recoveries, Hayate, unfortunately, had been left with some ill side effects that were beyond the medics or Anko's ability to remedy. By the time a cure was found, the illness had progressed too far to do anything more than stop it from spreading any further instead of reversing the symptoms.
Though lucky to be alive, the man was left with a chronic cough from a damaged lung. Thankfully he had no fear of it turning malignant and it was doable to live with; the man having developed a way to stop the coughing when he needed to. It was minor really. The other effects hadn't been discovered until later. One being the poison greatly reduced his stamina, muscle strength and speed to the point he needed to compensate by augmenting them with chakra whereas before it was pure muscle work. It also impaired his ability to properly develop muscles and increase his chakra reserves. And lastly, it had greatly reduced the virility of his sperm.
All in all, and while Hayate and Yugao hadn't lost hope, the chances of either of them conceiving a child with one another in the future was extremely low. The doctor stating that the chances of them getting pregnant being less than thirteen percent. With medication and procedures, the chances were higher but still well below the norm.
Hayate had no intention of seeing another woman, Yugao was the only one for him, and the fact that he may not have children to pass on his art made him feel empty. There was no doubt in his mind that both he and Yugao had every intention of teaching their children kenjutsu. But at the moment it wasn't happening any time soon. "At least with this kid I can potentially pass it on, maybe even have him teach my kids when I end up having some."
While he could live to a ripe old age, few ninjas managed to live past their forties and Hayate was pretty much plateauing now in terms of strength, at least with Naruto and Yugao he'd have two who could teach his children should he die.
"I'll talk to him and see if he's interested. You know there's the chance of him not wanting to learn kenjutsu, Hayate," Anko informed him once again and the man chuckled, it was a possibility but a low one.
"I know, but you and I both know how that kid goes on about wanting to be Hokage and becoming an awesome ninja. If I offered to teach him kenjutsu I doubt he'd *cough* hesitate to learn."
The woman had to concede with that point. It was common knowledge around the village how adamant Naruto was about being Hokage. "Plus, it also gets Yugao and I free labour to take care of the house," he smirked and Anko laughed. At times she often forgot how cunning Hayate could be.
"All right, I'll talk it over with him tomorrow morning before I leave for my mission. Just don't get your hopes up in case the gaki doesn't wanna learn," she informed him.
"That's fine," Hayate would be disappointed if it was the case but could live with it. Now all they needed to do was see if Naruto would agree and plan accordingly.
(Flashback End)
Soon after he was done did Naruto begin trailing behind Anko, as the both of them made their way towards who knows where. The distance between the training area and the new location only took them about seven minutes using the shinobi way. Upon landing, Naruto was greeted by the sight of two individuals.
One was a man with short brown hair, a pale-ish complexion and prominently dark shadows under his eyes. In Naruto's opinion, the man appeared ready to keel over at any point in time and released a dry cough, as though dust was caught in his throat, every now and then. Beside the man was beautiful woman with long purple hair that looked very familiar.
While Naruto pondered, Anko began giving the introductions, "Yugao, Hayate, this is Naruto. Gaki, these ar–"
"Neko-chan!" Naruto declared as it finally dawned on him.
Before Yugao had the opportunity to deny it, Anko interrupted her, "You know her?"
"Yeah. She's the only one I know with that hair color… And I might have pranked her place thinking she was a Chunin… We're still cool on that, right?"
"That was you!" Anko looked bug eyed, "Oh, man! That was freakin hilarious. It took her months to grow her hair back to that length."
Eye twitching like mad, Yugao looked at Anko and said, "Remind me to drill into that concrete skull of yours the discretion of secret identities."
"Ah, come off it, Yugi-chan. If a Genin, and the former dead last at that, can figure it out so easily, what makes you think others haven't? Told ya you should have done something about your hair," once again Yugao's eye began twitching.
As a principle, Anbu identities were kept secret, as they performed covert operations that could implicate a village's reputation. Those that didn't bother were the ones that were powerful enough to be marked as either F.O.S. (Flee On Sight) like her former captain, Kakashi, or R.E.D. (Retired Extremely Dangerous) for those who no longer partook in active duty but were still formidable nonetheless.
"Anyway, back to the intro. Gaki, you've already met Yugi-chan, aka, Neko-chan," the purple haired kunoichi teased the Anbu operative, who looked ready to strangle the life out of Anko, "Beside her is Hayate, aka, Mister Ballet Dancer."
Now it was Hayate's turn to become annoyed, "How many times do I have to ask you to stop calling me that?"
"And how many times do I have to remind you that I will never stop calling you that?" Anko countered with a cheeky grin.
Sighing at her antics, Hayate came forward before he stood in front of Naruto. Despite appearing sick, Hayate's gaze was sharp and calculating like a hawk's, and Naruto felt almost naked in front of the man that looked him over from head to toe.
Having finished his observations, Hayate commented, "A bit on the small side, isn't he?"
"Oi!" of all the things he expected the man to say, Naruto hadn't expected the man to talk about his height. Being the smallest academy student in his class, mentioning Naruto's small stature, while not a touchy subject, was something that irked him nonetheless.
"Yeah, he's a shorty. I mean, whatever's thrown at him has a better chance of missing but that's only if he's up against a greenhorn or some unskilled individual. His diet and eating habits haven't been all that great so I've been forcing him to cut down on the bad stuff."
"This coming from the woman who eats almost nothing but dango!" Naruto declared.
Anko shrugged, unbothered by the comment, "So? My physical growth peaked a long time ago and I'm pretty damn active. You're at that age where what you do and eat will have an impact on how tall you get. So, what if it means no ramen. You'll thank me later, Gaki."
Naruto did nothing but grumble at that last bit; he had heard it many times before but him being forced to give up his daily ramen was like a drug addict going cold turkey. Anko only let him have one large bowl a week. Worst yet, Anko had befriended Ayame enough to side with her on the matter. There were other ramen places and instant noodles, but they paled by comparison and for Naruto it was Ichiraku or nothing.
"You know that's not necessarily true, right?" Yugao whispered in Anko's ear.
"I know. But he doesn't," Anko grinned and Yugao smiled. Perhaps training the little troublemaker would be more fun than she initially assumed.
"Riveting as this is, I'd like to ask you few questions before we begin," Hayate told Naruto.
"Umm. Okay. Shoot."
"Have you had any weapons training before?"
"I used a pipe as a makeshift club. Does that count?"
"Did you have any proper training on how to use it or did you merely swing it around without any thought on the matter?" Naruto's silence was all the information Hayate needed before he moved onto the next question.
"What's your dominant arm?"
"My right arm, I guess?" truthfully Naruto could use weapons in both hands well enough, but he had a preference for the right.
"You guess? I don't want guesses, I want certainty," Hayate asked him the same question once more. Frowning, Naruto said he handled a weapon well in both but favoured the right.
"You're somewhat ambidextrous. Good," Hayate made a note. For the next twenty minutes this continued, and Naruto was seriously starting to become more and more confused and even annoyed by the whole thing.
"And finally, why do you wish to learn swordsmanship?"
"Cuz I can learn how to wield a zanbato," Naruto's answer caught Yugao off guard and Hayate cocked an eye.
"A zanbato? Why that particular sword?"
"Nunya business, pal. Look, I came here to learn swordsmanship, so I can defend myself, not to waste my time answering stupid questions. You want someone that will bust their ass off till they're dead and tired and still say I'm good and ready to go, I'm your ninja. I don't believe in the whole answering questions thing; actions speak louder than words in my books. You give me a sword or whatever and I guarantee you that I'll be kicking your ass sooner or later. You just watch," Naruto finished.
Hayate for his part remained silent for a good minute before he looked at Anko, "You're right. He does have a lot of piss and vinegar in him."
"Told ya he'd do that. Pay up," Yugao groused as she handed over several bills in Anko's hand.
"What just happened?" Naruto was confused.
Rather than say anything, Hayate threw something at Naruto. The blond was caught off guard and fumbled a bit with the object before he managed to catch it, "What's this?"
"A bokken," Hayate answered. "You prove you have the bark for swordsmanship. Discipline is another matter but that can be learned and beaten into even the thickest skulls. And trust me, I will beat it into your head, make no mistake of that."
From the sidelines, the man's lover lowly muttered, "He's not lying," Yugao still had phantom pains that liked to flair up on various parts of her body, mostly the back of her head.
The kunoichi remembered that even after they began to develop a mutual attraction to each other during her tutelage under Hayate, Yugao hadn't been spared the pain that came with it. Hayate was a harsh teacher when it came to kenjutsu but his methods got excellent results from those who not only put in the time but also put up with the pain associated with it.
Muttering a quick [Observe] onto the bokken, Naruto was pleasantly surprised by what he saw.
Hayate's Training Bokken – Uncommon Quality
Item Type: Blunt Weapon
Item Modifier Rank: STR [D]
Durability 40/40
The bokken is an edgeless sword made of durable wood that is used by many when training to become swordsmen. While lacking the ability to properly cut, and used primarily as a tool for training and performing exercises, the sword is still quite dangerous in hands of those who know how to use it. The quality of this bokken surpasses ordinary ones due to Hayate's dedication in becoming a sword master.
Attack Power: 19–26 + (Modifier) = 30-37
Bonus Perks: [Aspiring Swordsman]
"Now then, the sword style I am about to teach you is called the Jinbuyo (Blade of the Dancing Leaf), more commonly known as the Konoha Kenjutsu-Ryu. It was developed by Senju Tobirama and emphasizes speed, feints, and confusing your targets so you can expose and strike important areas of the body with incredible precision. These cuts can be used to swiftly kill an opponent or hamper them to the point that death will be imminent," Hayate informed him.
Hayate quickly demonstrated this by instantly appearing in front of Naruto with his sword drawn, poised to sever the boy's jugular.
"Gahh!" Naruto shouted as his mind finally registered the danger he was in.
"Dead," Hayate informed the ninja in training. "Your lessons from here on until I deem you ready will revolve around conditioning your body, so it can move and react at incredible speeds."
"When will that be?"
"Until you can block two consecutive strikes with me going at full speed," here Naruto shouted out in pain as he felt his right leg begin to throb unpleasantly. "What the hell!"
"Pain is a good motivator, Naruto-san. And for the record, I just landed three blows on you. Check you arm and left leg," Hayate informed him.
Though still ticked off at the action, Naruto did as Hayate asked and sure enough did he see two cuts on his clothing, "Never even felt a thing. And he's not even using a real sword!"
"So, after experiencing a taste of it, are you still interested?" Hayate asked him.
|The fighting style known as the Konoha Kenjutsu-Ryu (Novice) has become available!|
|Do you wish to learn it?|
(Yes/No)
Naruto didn't even think twice before he wholeheartedly accepted the fighting style that presented itself.
Congratulations! You've learned the fighting style [Konoha Kenjutsu-Ryu (Novice)]!|
|Konoha Kenjutsu-Ryu (Novice). Lv 1. 0% to Next Lv| A sword style that allows the user to learn the novice level sword techniques exclusive to the Konoha-Kenjutsu Ryu. Once used and created by Senju Tobirama, this sword style places a high emphasis on speed and deceit in order to properly utilize its techniques in order to land critical or life ending blows. The current level of the sword style mainly focuses on honing one's speed and reflexes.
* Passively increases Movement Speed and Evasion by 1%
* Passively increases the striking speed of bladed weapons by 1%
* Passively increases the critical hit rate of bladed weapons by 1%
"Be grateful Hayate's not the Nidaime, Gaki. During his time, Senju Tobirama was not only recorded as the fastest ninja in Konoha but the world, too. The Nidaime was said to be capable of landing nine strikes simultaneously when he went all out, few have come close to performing that. The only ninja that's said to surpass him in terms of speed was Yondaime-sama, and even that's a topic for debate," comparing one Kage's feat to another usually was, especially when one side favoured the other and said Kages' feats were either exaggerated upon or not fully understood.
"Its true. Nidaime-sama based this sword style on a forgotten fighting style that was categorized in The Black Ships of the Land," Hayate told him.
"The Black Ships of the Land? What's that?" Naruto wondered what that meant.
"Part legend, myth and truth. During the Era of Warring States the Black Ships of the Land are what many called fighting styles that offered such tremendous power to its user that a master of them could secure near absolute victory for whichever side possessed one in a conflict. The only ones I know of are the sword styles that were held by the samurai back when they were a dominant superpower. The Hiten Mitsurugi-Ryu (Flying Heaven Honorable Sword Style), the Tengu no Oroshi-Ryu (Heavenly Dog's Katabanic Wind Style), Niten no Ichi-Ryu (Two Heavens as One Style) and the Santoryu (Three Sword Style)."
"Santoryu? How did that work?"
"No idea. However, if the tales about it are anything to go by, I'm pretty sure that last one is more fiction than fact to be honest. But enough talk. Shall we begin?" Naruto was smart enough to know it was a rhetorical question.
(Hours Later)
"Ow. Ow. Ow. Owowowo!" Naruto grimaced whilst Anko grinned. "You're pure evil. You know that, right?" the blond winced once again as he took another step.
"I try," Anko continued smirking. "If it makes you feel any better, Yugao said you showed promise."
"She did? Didn't really feel like it," Naruto groused and winced once more.
"Hayate wouldn't have continued training you if you didn't. Don't get me wrong, Gaki, you suck balls at kenjutsu. You suck elephant sized testies, for sure, but Konoha wasn't built in a …" given how powerful Hashirama was she wouldn't doubt it if his Wood Release did manage to build Konoha in a day, "… Okay, bad analogy. But you get where I'm going with this, right?"
"Yeah, I suck according to you," his eye twitched as a spasm shot through his spine.
"For now, yeah. Yer no prodigy, Naruto, accept it and get used to it," Anko decided to throw the boy a bone, "Life's not fair. Trust me, I should know. But it doesn't mean you can't do something about it. Train your heart out. Break through walls like no tomorrow but accept the fact that there are just some things you can't control or change no matter how hard you sweat, bleed or break yer bones over. Maito Gai sucked at Taijutsu when he was your age almost as bad you are now with kenjutsu. And now he's Konoha's number one go to guy when it comes to Taijutsu."
"Why are you telling me this?" Naruto couldn't help asking, "Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful."
"Really? Pretty sure it doesn't sound like it," Anko countered but snorted to stop Naruto's parry, "I'm kidding, Gaki. I get it. Truth is, I like you. That's why I'm telling you. You've earned my trust but don't push it."
|Congratulations! Your reputation level with Mitarashi Anko has increased to [Liked]! You have unlocked the necessary requirements to activate the quest [Trust Earned Quest: Anko]!|
Trust Earned Quest: Anko
Main Quest: Earn Anko's trust even further by increasing your reputation level to [Friendly] with her.
Main Quest Completion: 10,500 EXP, +2 Attribute Points, Character [Anko] History Revealed, "?"
Failure: 350 EXP, Character [Anko] History Not Revealed, ?
Accept? (Yes/No)
|Congratulations! You've completed the challenge [I Like You]! You have unlocked the challenges [I Really Like You] and [Well Liked]!|
|I Like You|
Challenge: Increase your reputation level with one person to [Liked] (Accomplished).
Challenge Reward: 1000 EXP
|I Really Like You|
Challenge: Increase your reputation level with one person to [Friendly].
Challenge Reward: 2500 EXP
|Well Liked|
Challenge: Increase your reputation level with five individuals to [Liked].
Challenge Reward: 6500 EXP
|Congratulations! Your level has increased by one!|
Name: Uzumaki Naruto
Job: Academy Student
Level: 15 Next Level: 27/10,800
HP: 5075 + [350] ~ 5425
CP: 8900? + [625] + [Chakra Affinity: Basic Rank] ~ 10,001.25?
STR: 23 ~ 23?
VIT: 147 + [10] ~ 157?
END: 207 + [15] ~ 222?
DEX: 43 + [1] ~ 44?
INT: 39 ~ 39
WIS: 16 ~ 16
CHA: 10 ~ 10
LUK: ? ~ ?
DEF: 23 ~ 23
Attribute Points: 21
Ordinary Perk Points: 1
|Congratulations! Due to passing the 150 point mark on VIT, you've gained the perk [Vigor Affinity: Basic Rank]!
Adamant Vigor: Basic Rank
[HP Regen] Increased by 5%
Total HP Increased by 5%
[Physical Damage] Taken Decreased by 5%
Fatigue Levels gains Decreased 5%
Tolerances Increased by 5%
|Congratulations! You are now level 15! New boons and options have become available to you! You have received the [Bronze Abyss Auction House Membership Card] & [Abyss Auction House's Bronze Coupon]!|
Bronze Abyss Auction House Membership Card
A special card that allows you to use the [Abyss Auction House Window Skill], where you can buy, sell, or even acquire services so long as the price is right. Your current membership is at the basic level, as such the guild's full cut of the profits earned and services rendered will not be discounted and you only have access to the most basic of services and information. The more you use the guild, the closer you get to upgrade your membership and the greater the boons you will receive.
Special Note: Items of higher quality that sell well will enable you to upgrade to a higher form of membership much more quickly. Any items authenticated as fake or junk by the guild will result in penalties such as loss of points and even a reduced membership level.
Abyss Auction House's Bronze Coupon
Item Type: Special Merchant Item
Durability: One-Time Use
Description: An item that is used to buy two C-Rank item at a discount price of thirty-five percent or three D-Rank items at sixty percent. Item is only useable with the Abyss Auction House.
|Abyss Auction House Window Skill: LV MAX| A unique skill available only to the holder of the [Gamer] perk that enables them to use the services of the Abyss Auction House anywhere in the world rather than through a medium such as a computer. The skill functions in a manner similar to the Status Window, where it pops up upon being called and items from the Inventory Box can be transferred. Money will then be transferred, minus the guild's cut, after the items are verified by the guild.
·17.5% interest on items sold
·No discount on services and information
"Guess that means I can spare the bokken," while the zombies didn't give much experience now a days the money drops had improved a tiny bit due to the bonus granted by his weapon and his recently acquired [Expert Zombie Slayer] title, "But what the hell is reputation anyway?" like before, his question was answered via pop up.
Reputation
Reputation plays an important factor in the world. The more well liked you are with a faction the more benefits and easier time you will likely have with them such as discounts, missions, etc. In contrast, being hated with said faction will have the opposite effect. Reputation also plays a major role in future events that can and may not occur, so make your choices carefully. However, the world is an imperfect place, so any good you perform with one group can still result in a negative reputation with another.
Negative Reputation
There are three levels of negative reputation: Abhorred, Hostile, and Disliked. In this category your chances of working well with others are very low and the likelihood of being betrayed or attacked increases the lower your reputation score is with them. Be cautious around these types of individuals as you may find yourself with a weapon in your back or worse.
Neutral Reputation
Not everyone hates you but that doesn't necessarily mean they like you either. This faction doesn't know you or could care less about you, so your chances of becoming friends or enemies can go either way depending on what you do.
Positive Reputation
There are three levels of positive reputation: Liked, Friendly, and Cherished. In this category your chances of working well with others are very high and the likelihood of being betrayed or attacked decreases the higher your reputation score is with them. Working with them is like having someone who is willing to risk their life for yours and can be trusted to have your back through thick and thin.
Note: While it doesn't happen for all of them, depending on the individual, this form of reputation can evolve even further as a result in finding a special someone.
"Thank you pop up," Naruto thought.
"GAKI!"
"Gah! The hell was that for!"
"Other than me enjoying screwing with you, I've been trying to get your attention for the last two minutes," Anko responded.
"Oh, sorry. Was distracted," were the wrong words to say in Anko's books.
"You know the rules, Gaki," Naruto groaned. He did know them. He had no choice, really. One of the many rules of being a ninja: never become distracted. A distracted shinobi was an ill-prepared or dead shinobi. The only exception was when one was pretending to be distracted. But Naruto hadn't done the latter and Anko had stressed many times that if she caught him distracted that he was going to pay for it.
"Luckily for you, while you were off kami knows where, I was told something came up and I've been asked to come in. You're off the hook, for now," she finished with a grin that made his spine tingle.
"See ya when I see ya," she said and then disappeared in a whirl of leaves and dust.
"Guess that means I have the rest of the day off," neither Hayate nor Yugao had any chores for him to do today so that was a plus. Plus with him levelling up, his fatigue, CP, and HP levels had reset to normal so it left him ready to go. Naruto might think it unfair for others but so what. Ninja didn't play fair and took advantage of whatever gifts they possessed.
"Guess I can go to the training field dungeons," but first Naruto decided to test out the [Abyss Auction House Window Skill]. After calling it up, Naruto began to browse through some weapons and items that might aid him. There was just one big problem he hadn't counted on.
"Holy crap!" the boy cursed that pretty much everything he wanted was expensive to the extreme.
Skill Scrolls|
| Ninjutsu | Genjutsu | Taijutsu | Bukijutsu | Profession | Miscellaneous |
| D-Rank |
10,000 Ryo ~ 29,999 Ryo
| C-Rank |
30,000 Ryo ~ 99,999 Ryo
| B-Rank |
100,000 Ryo ~ 999,999 Ryo
| A-Rank |
1,000,000 Ryo ~ 9,999,999 Ryo
| S-Rank |
10,000,000 Ryo +
The Abyss Auction House apparently dealt in quality goods only so everything being sold was ranked as [Common] or higher. But even then the lowest price for a technique was listed at ten thousand ryo. From grinding in the zombie dungeons, Naruto currently held close to 74,137 ryo. Even if he got the lower tier stuff ranked at [Uncommon] it would take more than two thirds of that away after buying one or two.
"I knew it was too good to be true," Naruto groused. Overpowered as it was, Naruto was starting to realize that even the [Gamer] ability operated on the grounds of reality at times, "'Kay. How much does this stuff go for," here he shifted the items he had acquired from the zombie dungeon into the Abyss Auction House screen.
|Following Items are being Appraised|
·Zombie Rib x 98
·Basic Grade Armor Acid x 21
·Rotten Flesh x 31
·Unstable Cocktail x 6
·Basic Grade Health Potion x 8
|Appraisal Commencing|
…
…
…
…
…
Appraisal Complete!
·Zombie Rib x 98 [54 Ryo]= 5292 Ryo
·Basic Grade Armor Acid x 21 [560 Ryo] = 11,760 Ryo
·Rotten Flesh x 31 [0 Ryo} = 0 Ryo
·Unstable Cocktail x 6 [1500 Ryo] = 9000 Ryo
·Basic Grade Health Potion x 7 [110,000 Ryo] = 770,000 Ryo
Total Potential Worth
796,052 Ryo – (17.5% Interest) = 656,742.90 Ryo
Special Note
While the [Appraisal] function of the [Abyss Auction House Window] gives you an idea of what the items are worth, the rules of supply and demand play a factor as well. Ultimately, the price of the items that you put up for sale is up to you and you alone.
"Supply and demand?" the concept was foreign to Naruto as none of the video games he played ever really dealt with that. However, the concept of an auction house in video games was something he was familiar to. Rare or unique items generally went for a lot of money that many charged well over the listing price since they couldn't be found quite easily.
"The potions' price is nuts," Naruto muttered with excitement. He had expected them to be worth something but well over one hundred thousand ryo was insane.
"Then again, it does restore thirty percent of my health in an instant," having been to the hospital, Naruto knew that medical ninjutsu was not a quick process, nor was it a skill just anyone could learn because of how finely tuned one's chakra control had to be without posing a risk.
The potion more or less made the need to learn medical ninjutsu obsolete. Naruto actually had money signs in his eyes as he realized that future dungeons would likely have stronger versions of the stuff, too.
"I'm rich!" his grin threatened to split his face in two. While he had no intention of selling all of them – four or five at most given he had only been able to find three more despite entering the zombie dungeon over a dozen times – the money he'd earn from the potions would enable him to afford some of the more expensive of items.
Putting that plan into action, Naruto placed the other items he had gathered, keeping a few on hand to be safe, and five of his potions into the auction window with increased prices.
|Following items are being Auctioned|
·Zombie Rib x 98 [Enter Price per Unit]
·Basic Grade Armor Acid x 16 [Enter Price per Unit]
·Unstable Cocktail x 2 [Enter Price per Unit]
·Basic Grade Health Potion x 5 [Enter Price per Unit]
|Auctioning Commencing|
…
…
…
…
…
|Auctioning Complete|
·Zombie Rib x 98 [59 Ryo] = 5782 Ryo
·Basic Grade Armor Acid x 16 [729 Ryo] = 11,664 Ryo
·Unstable Cocktail x 2 [2100 Ryo] = 4200 Ryo
·Basic Grade Health Potion x 5 [145,000 Ryo] = 725,000 Ryo
|Total Potential Worth|
746,646 Ryo – (17.5% Interest) = 615,982.95 Ryo
|You have successfully created an auction. Items and payment of items will be held in trust for a period of forty-eight hours for authentication.|
"Of course they will," Naruto muttered. Naruto wanted money now but soon realized that couldn't take the items back either without suffering a penalty, "Ah, perfect."
Putting the thought aside for now, Naruto browsed through the Ninjutsu's C-Rank section to find anything of value. Naturally the C-Rank techniques cost more than a pretty ryo bill but some of them were very appealing nonetheless.
"Ninpo: Chakura Nagashi (Ninja Art: Chakra Flow), Suiton: Teppodama (Water Release: Gunshot), Futon: Reppusho (Wind Release: Violent Gale Palm), Ninpo: Satsuriku Ran-jin (Ninja Art: Hail of Carnage), Doton: Doran (Earth Release: Earth Riot), Raiton: Senko Retsu no Jutsu (Lightning Release: Light Spear Rendering Technique), Katon: Inka no Jutsu (Fire Release: Shadow Fire Technique)," so far Naruto was mostly interested in these techniques but each one were priced at well over thirty-five or forty thousand ryo.
While he could afford them, Naruto had no intention of spending money on techniques that would become accessible to him in the Konoha Archives once he graduated. At the same time, he didn't want to forgo techniques that could prove essential early on, nor their upgraded versions down the line.
"[Chakra Nagashi] is a weapon booster," Hayate or Anko would probably teach him the skill if asked, so he put that in the no pile along with [Teppodama] and [Hail of Carnage]. Naruto meant no offense to the former technique's creator, despite its potential for crushing bones when mastered – but the whole concept sounded like him hocking one big giant loogey. The latter one sounded cool as hell for its destructive properties, especially for mere shuriken. Unluckily for him, it required knowing a prerequisite skill that Naruto currently lacked.
[Reppusho] was a maybe given it was a wind technique, and the fact that wind-based techniques were scarce outside of Kaze no Kuni was a bonus. But as it was mainly a weapon buffer that accelerated the speed and force of thrown weapons like shuriken, it, too, was currently placed in the maybe pile. On its own it merely stopped and stunned its targets, but that was at the maximum level. It was a decent beginner technique nonetheless in Naruto's opinion as he already thought of a few creative uses for it.
[Earth Riot] was a sneak based attack that caused thrown up rocks to become enlarged and dagger-like or caused small stalagmite spears to suddenly sprout out from the ground. The downside was that it was only really effective at short range, but Naruto had no problem getting in close and personal.
[Shadow Fire] was a unique fire technique that shot watermelon sized fireballs that would suddenly take the shape of a nightmarish yokai when it got close to the intended target. This had a chance to cause fear-based status effects, even more on those they hit, and had a chance to light them on fire and the distraction making the target more susceptible to critical hits. The only downside was that it was not easy to master, required a decent amount of control, and at sixty-eight thousand ryo it was the most expensive of the six skills.
"Thank kami for coupons," Naruto grinned and made his choice. Selecting both [Shadow Fire] and [Earth Riot], and applying the coupon he had just received, Naruto paid a total of 73,450 Ryo, effectively wiping out all but six-hundred and eighty-seven ryo.
|Thank you for your patronage! Your current upgrade progress has increased to 7.9%/100%! Please allow for your payment to be processed.|
|Payment Processing|
…
…
…
…
…
|Payment Processing Complete|
|Your payment has been approved. Please wait for your items to appear.|
Naruto didn't have to wait very long, as a box suddenly materialized in front of him. The container looked like a present with the box being gift wrapped and tied up with a bow ribbon. The blond didn't have to rip into it, however, as the lid slid off quite easily. Neatly organized within its contents were two scrolls: one blue, one red.
"Colour coded. Neat," taking both of them, Naruto agreed to learning the two techniques and watched as both dematerialized into nothingness.
|Congratulation! You've learned the [Katon: Inka no Jutsu (Fire Release: Shadow Fire Technique)] and the [Doton: Doran (Earth Release: Earth Riot)] skills!|
| Katon: Inka no Jutsu (Fire Release: Shadow Fire Technique) Lv 1. 0% to Next Lv| Skill Modifier: END [E] CHA [C] Mastering Speed: D|. A fire based skill that launches large balls of fire that has the chance to not only set its targets on fire but also put them into a state of fear that makes them more susceptible to attacks. |CP Usage: 355 – (Affinity Bonus) - (Perks) = 301.75 CP|
· Launches one fireball per use
· Damage: 88–101 + (Modifier) + (Affinity Bonus) + (Perks) = 165.74 – 180.75 per fireball
· Success rate to cause [Burning] status effect [11% + (END *.25) + Affinity Bonus + Perks] +/- [(Caster Level – Victim Level) + Victim's (VIT)]
· Success rate to cause [Stunned] status effect [31% + (CHA *1) + (END *.25) + Affinity Bonus + Perks] +/- [(Caster Level – Victim Level) + Victim's (WIS *1)]
· Success rate to cause [Unconscious] status effect [1% + (CHA *1) + (END *.25) + Affinity Bonus + Perks] +/- [(Caster Level – Victim Level) + Victim's (WIS *1)]
· Success rate to cause [Hysteria] status effect [–31% + (CHA *1) + (END *.25) + Affinity Bonus + Perks] +/- [(Caster Level – Victim Level) + Victim's (WIS *1)]
· Range: 10 Meters
| Doton: Doran (Earth Release: Earth Riot) Lv 1. 0% to Next Lv| Skill Modifier: END [D] Mastering Speed: D|. A close range earth based technique that can work in two ways: transform kicked up rocks into dagger sized stone knives that can cause bleeding or sprout stalagmites from the ground that have the potential to impair its victim's ability to walk or run or skewer charging foes unexpectedly. |CP Usage: 245 - (Perks) = 232.75 CP|
· Launches one stone dagger per use
· Dagger Form Damage: 44–55 + (Modifier) + (Perks) = 162.75 – 174.3 per dagger
· Stalagmite Form Damage: 121–137 + (Modifier) + (Perks) = 243.6 – 260.4
· Success rate to cause [Bleeding] status effect [11% + (END *.5) + Perks] +/- [(Caster Level – Victim Level) + Victim's (VIT)]
· Success rate to cause [Slow] status effect [11% + (END *.5)+ Perks] +/- [(Caster Level – Victim Level) + Victim's (VIT)]
· Success rate to cause [Immobile] status effect [-31% + (END *.5)+ Perks] +/- [(Caster Level – Victim Level) + Victim's (VIT)]
· Range: 1 Meter
Finally having some decent techniques in his arsenal, despite his wallet being many times lighter now, Naruto proceeded to speed from rooftop to rooftop until he arrived at the first natural dungeon. Walking up to it with purpose, Naruto watched as a message popped up in front of him.
|Would you like to enter the natural dungeon [Training Area One]?|
(Yes/No)
No hesitation was displayed the moment Naruto's finger pressed on the (Yes) option. A flash of light soon blinded his vision and Naruto found himself eagerly awaiting the challenge that would present itself.
Legend of the Kyuubi
Making the rounds.
- Joined
- Sep 14, 2026
- Messages
- 35
Chapter 7: A Pain in the Tuchus
As the light died down, Naruto noted that the area was more forest than anything else compared to the original imagine outside the dungeon. While this gave him ample areas to use for ambushes and to observe his foes from a safe distance, it also worked both ways, "Ok, so what kind of enemies do we have here?"
If Naruto had been hoping saying those words would reveal said enemy, he was sorely disappointed when nothing made itself known. Sighing, the young ninja in training took it as a cue to start exploring the area and began to use [Observe] on whatever potential resource the dungeon would provide him with.
"Nothing. Nothing. More nothing," there was the odd item such as [Honey Bee Honey], [Minor-Grade Green Herbs] and [Minor-Grade Wild Mushroom] but those were used more as ingredients for cooking or creating medicine. Naruto collected them all the same, if anything he could some to improve his [Cooking Skill] and [Trapping Skills] or sell them.
Hearing some rustling nearby, Naruto quickly jumped onto the nearest branch and took cover in the trees. From his vantage point, the blond watched as a boar came snorting out from the bushes. The hog was huge. Naruto had seen their carcasses hung up in the market from time to time and this pig was easily a foot taller and almost two feet longer.
Wild Boar - Lv 12
HP: 1050
CP: 300
STR: 26
VIT: 36
END: 12
DEX: 27
INT: 3
WIS: 3
CHA: 5
LUK: 4
Defense: 25
Specialization:
None
Special Perks:
None
Perks
Hard-Headed [Lv 1]: +25% Resistance towards [Daze] related status effects, +25% Effectiveness and Power towards [Head-based Skills]
Tenacious: Ignores negative psychological related status effects such as [Hysteria] or [Frightened] when health drops below 30%, +30% towards Movement Speed and Power when below 30% health
Tough Hide [Lv 1]: +150 HP, +15 Defense, +15% towards [Taijutsu Resistance], [Bladed Weapons Resistance], and [Blunt Weapons Resistance], +15% towards [Earth Resistance] and [Water Resistance], and [Bleeding Resistance]
Keen-Senses [Lv 3]: +65% Effectiveness towards [Detection Skill], -45% Effectiveness towards enemy [Henge Skill]
Flaws:
? : ?
Description: Just a very large boar is what many adventurers would think right before they find themselves gored or trampled on. These boars will charge at anything except its own kind and are tenacious combatants that will continue to fight even when on the brink of death and will even ignore serious wounds. Despite its size and build, they can close in on ill-prepared prey with a remarkable burst of speed.
EXP Earned: 155 + [10%] = 170.5
Drops: ?, ?
"Snort. Snort. BUHI!"
"Ah, crap!" Naruto cursed as the boar shot towards his location with remarkable speeds and smashed right into the base of the tree. The tree wasn't uprooted but it sure as hell shook and swayed back in forth. Naruto held firm though despite the severe imbalance in his legs.
"That's gonna hurt," was his mental note. The boar butted its head against the tree once more but lacked the same force as before. Jumping to another nearby tree whilst it was distracted with this one, Naruto put one of his newest techniques to the test.
"Katon: Inka no Jutsu (Fire Release: Shadow Fire Technique)!" from his lips came a fireball almost twice as big as Naruto's head that shifted into a gnarling demonic head and, for a brief moment, Naruto swore the fireball had become foxlike.
The boar, however, remained steadfast in bashing its current tree and didn't know what hit it before it was too late. While the psychological effects didn't take hold, as a result of its distraction, the damage it took was even more formidable given it was caught off guard. Naruto watched as the boar suddenly became frozen before it fell to the ground like a boned fish.
"Huh?"
|Hysteria Status Effect: Failed!|
|Unconscious Status Effect: Succeeded!|
Naruto merely grinned, happy he had chosen such a technique. While the CP cost was high even with his [Affinity Bonus], his perks allowed him a large pool of chakra compared to others; he had tons to spam the hell out of the technique. With the beast immobile and a prime target, Naruto summoned forth the other newest technique from his arsenal.
"Doton: Doran (Earth Release: Earth Riot)!" spears of earth shot from the ground and skewered the downed beast with relative ease. As a result of the [Unconscious] status effect, the technique resulted in a critical hit that rendered much of its health well below the half way mark, even with the perk giving it a higher tolerance to earth-based skills.
|Bleeding Status Effect: Succeeded!|
|Slow Status Effect: Failed!|
Happy that the beast's life was coming to an end, Naruto forgot to consider that the technique also roused the large boar from its unwanted beauty nap. For such a large animal, it rose pretty quickly, and Naruto was grazed and unprepared by its sudden and unexpected charge.
"Damn!" Naruto dodged once more as the wild pig came snorting, squealing, and charging at him with a vengeance. He had expected an increase in speed but not to this extent. Even with his DEX being higher than the boar's by twenty points, Naruto found himself just barely dodging the creature. Suddenly and unexpectedly did Naruto sense a feeling of foreboding course through his head, and the ninja in training watched as a pop appeared before him.
|Negative Intent Detected! Distance: Four Meters!|
Naruto didn't think about; he just acted on instinct. He jumped and used the charging boar's back as a springboard and grabbed onto the branch of a nearby tree. Naruto was forced to hold on for dear life as he felt not one, not two, or even three, but four jarring blows impact the perennial plant that shook as though it were made of rubber.
"Great. Backup," another blow struck, and Naruto reinforced his grip on the branch by locking his legs in place. The branch was too high up for him to be reached by the boars, but at the same time none of the ornery bastards gave up their pursuit so he couldn't pull himself up without losing his balance. Their lack of intelligence prevented them from coming up with any truly effective strategy, so they continued their efforts in bashing the tree with all they had.
Summoning his weapon Seishoyo (Holy Brand), Naruto released his hold on the branch but kept a firm grip on it with his legs to remain out of harm's way. The Gamer shouted out the weapon's innate skill [Hikaru (Brilliance)]and timed it just as the boars charged once more.
Naruto cursed when none of the boars were affected by the [Stunned] status effect as he had hoped. Then again, the chances of success were higher in darkened and enclosed areas compared to sun-filled open ones. While Naruto tried figuring out another approach, he watched as several black dots fall to ground and remained motionless.
Looking up, Naruto spotted an object dangle above him, and after straining his ears he began to hear an odd buzzing sound. Straining his eyes, the upside-down blond saw that it was a very large beehive at least a dozen feet above him.
"That'll work," he smirked, took aim – not easy with his current position and the tree shaking – and then threw a handful of shuriken at the hive. As predicted most veered off course, thanks to the boars, and became imbedded into the wood or flew kami knows where. But one struck true and caused the dome shaped nest to fall, hitting a branch once before it fell to the ground near the boars.
The wild pigs halted their assault and began to snort and squeal as the angry insects swarmed their bodies with deadly bites and stingers. Unfortunately, for Naruto, he was also put at the mercies of the angry honey makers.
"Ouch! Ack! Bee! Throat! Stings!" Naruto spat out the unforgiving little shit and swatted away the small swarm that tried covering him in a painful cloak. Their stingers did imperceptible damage, but their efforts annoyed and distracted him nonetheless. Having enough of them, Naruto pulled himself up as quickly as he could and jumped a safe distance away to another tree.
Naruto's quick thinking likely saved him from losing a large amount of health, as the tree he previously stood on came crashing down with a loud thud. Two of the boars were injured by the fallen tree, one was crushed and more or less flattened into shogayaki.
The remaining boars made a hasty retreat but one wasn't so fortunate the instant a meaty claw sent it soaring into the air and crashing into the ground a sizeable distance away.
"HURRGHHH!"
Honey Bear – Lv 18
HP: 1475
CP: 475
STR: 53
VIT: 47
END: 19
DEX: 37
INT: 5
WIS: 6
CHA: 7
LUK: 16
Defense: 30
Specialization:
None
Special Perks:
Hibernator: Recover 30% HP and negative status effects vanish when resting outside of combat after ten minutes
Perks
Honey Loving Berserker: +35% Effectiveness, Speed, and Power towards [Taijutsu Skill], +15% Chances towards Critical Hits, [Regen] status effect activated upon consuming [Honey] related items
Heavy Hitter [Lv 2]: +40% Effectiveness and Power towards [Taijutsu Skill], +20% Chance of causing [Dazed] status effect, +20% Chance of causing [Bleeding] status effect
Tough Hide [Lv 2]: +300 HP, +25 Defense, +20% towards [Taijutsu Resistance], [Bladed Weapons Resistance], and [Blunt Weapons Resistance], +20% towards [Earth Resistance] and [Water Resistance], and [Bleeding Resistance]
Keen-Senses [Lv 3]: +65% Effectiveness towards [Detect Presence Skill], -45% Effectiveness towards enemy [Henge Skill]
Flaws:
? : ?
Description: Honey bears are animals with a voracious appetite, especially when it comes to honey and will chase down anyone in possession of their favorite treat. Their strong forearms enable them to swat aside most creatures with barely any thought and their sharp claws can shred skin, muscle, and organs from another's body as though they weren't there to begin with.
EXP Earned: 297 + [10%] = 326.7
Drops: ?, ?
"RHHUURRGHHH!"
"…Uh-Oh," Naruto cursed and then shook his head, "Come on, Naruto. It's just a bear. It's slow and big and it's almost on me. AAAHHH!" and then screamed when the bear spotted and came charging towards him.
(T&I Room)
Walking out of the cell that she had been in, Anko closed the door behind her and left the quivering mess that was the newcomer alone, "Well, that was boring," the sadist muttered as she headed to Ibiki's office to hand in her report.
When Anko had been called in from work to break someone in, she had thought it to be because only she could do it. She was giddy at the prospect; Anko loved breaking in the new tenants, especially the tough ones, since it made her happy to meet someone like this and then turn them into sobbing cry babies who wanted to see their mommies.
This didn't turn out to be the case, however, as the man had been readily forthcoming with the intel he possessed and didn't even put up a challenge. Oh, sure the victim had looked impassive at first but Anko knew he was merely putting up a brave mask. The man barely lasted five minutes by the time she was done with him. Entering Ibiki's office, the woman slammed her hand down on his desk to get his attention.
"Anko," the head of the Torture and Interrogation Division greeted his subordinate without looking up from his paperwork. Ibiki was used to her antics by now.
"What the hell was that?" a pissed Anko growled.
"What was what?" Ibiki already knew; his words only served to add fuel to the fire.
"You damn well know what, Ibiki!" Anko nearly shouted, "I'm on my day off and you call me in for this? You know the rules: Anko don't do weak ass pansies! Leave it for the new recruits. Kami knows they need the experience."
"I would have if we weren't shorthanded at the moment, Anko," her Ibiki gave her a look. "And as for the trainees doing this sort of thing, you're partially to blame for that. A lot of them decided to quit when I asked you to show them the ropes. Long story short, over seventy percent of the new recruits switched to a different division because of that."
Shorthanded as they were at the time, Ibiki realized it had not been one of his smartest moves. The man acknowledged that when it came to teaching others, Anko's methods were unique but effective to say the least. However, not everyone had the stomach or mental fortitude to survive it. In hindsight, he knew he should have waited until another operative was available, even though so few were qualified to teach and many that were, were currently busy with other important duties such as in field interrogation in enemy territory. Adding to the fact that the woman was his most skilled interrogator, outdone only by himself and Yamanaka Inoichi, while not the most suited to teach in a standard format, she had a lot of experience and knowledge.
"Won't make that mistake twice," the master of torture and psychological warfare thought. Anko was his friend, one of the rare few she had, one of the rare few he had, too, given his grizzled looks and reputation, but even she was a bit much for him at times.
"Hey, if they can't handle or stomach the shit we do here then they got no right to be here in the first place. Take your bitching and moaning somewhere else is my motto," Anko retorted.
"I thought your motto was 'dango is heaven's gift upon mankind?'"
"I can have more than one motto!" there was no law against it.
Ibiki decided not to pry even or wish to know really and returned to the topic at hand, "You know there's a little thing called easing them into it, right?"
"Whatever," she muttered, "Trial by fire will get 'em there quicker. And anyhow, why didn't you have the asshole who messed up my interrogation do it?"
The answer to that was an easy one, "Fired him. And from what I heard, he got himself into one of the field position forces. That said, he's gotta do demeaning tasks such as cleaning the Inuzuka kennels for a whole month as punishment. As much as I don't care for your methods at times, I lack tolerance for insubordination even less. Especially from some greenhorn hotshot who thinks he knows more about interrogation than all our veterans combined. He fucked up and now we have to start from scratch all over again," Ibiki thought the man was lucky he was only demoted to Chunin considering he cost them very important intel, now he knew he was on thin ice. Back in Senju Tobirama's day as Hokage, the man would have either been stripped of his rank as a ninja or potentially executed because of how critical the information was.
"Explains why I didn't see him this morning. Lucky him," Anko swore she'd give the man a piece of her mind when she saw him again and it looks like she'd have to wait a while. She didn't envy him either as cleaning the Inuzuka kennels was not only Genin fodder missions but also one of the worst ones too. She only ever did it once as a Genin because she did something stupid and her former teacher saw fit to punish her. Even back then the man was sadistic bastard.
"Anyway, what have you got for me? Anything of value?"
"Nothing all that important. The guy's nothing more than a bandit from a small gang. Robbed and killed a few people here, terrorized a village or two there, but he and his buddies are no one important. Just some unnoteworthy pricks terrorizing merchants and whatnot. The usual stuff," a bored Anko explained. "Oh, and something about him accidentally overhearing when their next move was gonna be."
"You could have just said that part you know," Ibiki deadpanned.
"Still pissed, Ibiki," Anko dismissed it and then told him where the gang was going to attack next. "If you need me, I'll be getting some R&R, and by need me, I mean it better be worth my fucking time."
"Heard you the first time, Anko," Ibiki got the idea and waved her off, "Before you go, Hokage-sama said he wanted me to remind you that you're to meet him tomorrow morning at nine."
"Great," Anko drawled. As much as she respected and admired the Sandaime she was still pissed at what the academy was currently turned into. Sure, the man told her about his theory but he could have caught on much earlier in her mind. "Might as well go see what the gaki's up to."
(Back in the Dungeon)
"Katon: Inka no Jutsu (Fire Release: Shadow Fire Technique)!" Naruto exhaled the demonic flames once more and was happy to see creature finally fall.
"Okay, next one," Naruto muttered and prepared himself. Luck had not been kind to him after the initial encounter. When the bear chased him, Naruto had been unfortunate in bumping into another one. Anko had said one of the things he needed to work on was being more aware of his surroundings; he'd not have lost almost a little over eight hundred HP if he had.
"HURRGHHH!" the boar growled and rushed Naruto once more but this time the boy was prepared and used the Kawarimi to switch himself with a small fallen log that was ripped to shreds. However, the act also served to cover its body with the Unstable Cocktail, its body burning and licked by the flames.
God bless the log.
"Ryoku Boku (Power Strike)!" jumping from his hiding place, Naruto smashed his weapon on the bear's face that ended its existence, but not before he was caught by a wild swing that had the air rushing from his lungs.
"Ugh," Naruto groaned and was once again thankful that the Gamer's Body would allow him to heal from this and prevent his body from developing bruises. However, Naruto couldn't sleep now and was forced to use up supplies to ensure his HP didn't go too low.
"I. Hate. Bears." Naruto said as he bandaged up his form with one of his [First-Aid Kits].
The bears were gone but both had taken a decent amount of health away from him before they were defeated. Big as a bear was, the beasts were quicker than expected due to the [Shingeki (Charge)] ability. Naruto had not anticipated that but should have given his experience. In games, bears and boars were usually classified as a [Tank], creatures or beings that were capable of dishing out decent damage but their forte truly shined when they were taking blows that other creatures normally couldn't.
A downside was that they weren't overly quick, but some of them could learn a skill, such as [Shingeki (Charge)] or [Tosshin (Dash)], that granted them an incredible speed boost. In [Shingeki (Charge's)] case, this allowed them to not only close the gap between their target with little warning, though only within a certain distance, but had the chance to cause the status effect [Dazed], too. As such, the bear used that opportunity to land in some decent blows.
"Best I keep a distance from em," Naruto had every intention of facing the bears if encountered, but even then, he couldn't help but chide himself for such a newbie-like stunt. With his HP back to a reasonable amount, Naruto got up to collect his loot and continue his dungeon crawl, but stopped when [Detect Killing Intent] pinged up and warned him of a foe closing in from behind.
|Negative Intent Detected! Distance: Three Meters!|
"OH, GET LOST!" Naruto barked suddenly. To his surprise, the charging boar began to shiver in place. "What the?"
|Congratulation! A special skill has been created due to a special act! Due your intense desire to scare the living daylights of another being, you have learned the [Intimidation] skill!|
|Intimidation. Lv 1. 7% to Next Lv| Skill Modifier: CHA [C] Mastering Speed: D|. A skill similar to the more advanced [Killing Intent Skill] that allows you to utilize a form of intimidation upon another to the point it negatively affects them depending on the circumstances. Currently at its lowest level, upon being upgraded and fully mastered, the skill can result in several negative statuses. Effects wear off when struck. |CP Cost: None|
· Success rate to cause [Startled] status effect [31% + (CHA *1)] +/- [(Caster Level – Victim Level)] + [Victim's (WIS *1)]
· Success rate to cause [Scared] status effect [1% + (CHA *1)] +/- [(Caster Level – Victim Level)] + [Victim's (WIS *1)]
· Success rate to cause [Catatonic] status effect [-31% + (CHA * 1)] +/- [(Caster Level – Victim Level)] + [Victim's (WIS *1)]
· Victim affected for 1 second + [(.5 Seconds) x (CHA *.5)]
|SPECIAL NOTE! SKILL UPDATE!|
Due to you learning the [Intimidation Skill], for each level of your [Intimidation Skill] an additional 1% success rate will be added to your [Killing Intent Skill].
Further information on the [Killing Intent Skill] has been revealed!
"Nice!" Naruto grinned and brandished his weapon to end the swine's existence.
"Arf!"
"BUHI!"
"...Uh... What?" Naruto could only watch as a small, tiger-striped puppy jump into the boar's back and began biting the beast like no tomorrow. Not that it would do much given the little guy's low level.
Status Window
Name: Lost Ninken Pup
Job: Ninken (Ninja Dog)
Level: 3 Next Level: 89/1400
HP: 225
CP: 175
STR: 6
VIT: 9
DEX: 11
INT: 3
WIS: 6
CHA: 2
LUK: 15
Defense: 0
Specialization:
None
Special Perks:
Ninja Dog: Human Lifespan, Ability to Mold Chakra, Potential to speak human language (INT currently not high enough)
Perks
Komainu Lineage (Guard Dog) [Lv1]: +1 VIT per Lv, +20% Effectiveness, EXP & Power towards [Biting Skills], [Physical Damage] Reduced by 10%, -10% Effectiveness and EXP towards [Movement Speed], "?"
Akita Lineage (Tracking Dog) [Lv1]: +1 DEX per Lv, +20% Effectiveness and EXP towards [Tracking Skill], +20% Effectiveness and EXP towards [Stealth Skill], +10% towards [Movement Speed]
Keen-Senses [Lv 1]: +35% Effectiveness towards [Detection Skill], -45% Effectiveness towards enemy [Henge Skill]
Description: A two-year-old ninja dog with Komainu blood in his veins. While possessing great potential like his cousin Akamaru, this young pup, like most Komainu pups, require a good amount of discipline. Whilst difficult to train in the beginning, they are fiercely loyal and protective of their owners and partners.
"What's an Inuzuka pup doing in a dungeon of all places?" Naruto wondered; he got his answer moments later.
|QUEST ALERT!|
Keep Him Safe, Keep Him Alive
Main Quest: Ensure the safety of the Lost Ninken and return him to the Inuzuka Clan
Side Quest: Ensure the Lost Ninken doesn't suffer from the [Unconscious] status effect
Main Quest Completion: +2000 EXP, +500 Reputation towards [Inuzuka Clan] & [Lost Ninken], [?]
Side Quest Completion: +1000 EXP, +250 Reputation towards [Inuzuka Clan] & [Lost Ninken]
Failure: 200 EXP, Lost Ninken's potential death or suffering from [Crippled] Flaw, -500 Reputation towards [Inuzuka Clan] & [Lost Ninken]
Accept? (Yes/No)
Special Note: Quest is optional but may not be taken later if declined!
"Meh. EXP is EXP," plus the question marks were beneficial one way or another. Moving into action, Naruto appeared in front of the now thrashing boar and bashed its face with [Seishoyo] and [Power Strike]. Despite the boar's face suddenly crashing into the ground, the young ninken still held firm to its back. Naruto had to give it credit where credit was due; the little puppy was tenacious.
"Doton: Doran (Earth Release: Earth Riot)!" with its face still floored to the earth, the boar received the full brunt of the technique's unforgiving assault and found itself suffering from the [Bleeding] and [Slow] status effects.
However, despite its injuries, the boar was not out just yet and Naruto had to dodge to the left to avoid being gored. Unfortunately, the sudden action had him trip over a boulder and forced the air from his lungs from the impact to his back.
"Shit!"
The boar took this chance to charge in quickly and crashed head first into the downed blonde. Its actions proved fruitless when smoke impaired its vision and a log replaced Naruto's form.
"Sucker! Ryoku Boku (Power Strike)!" a studded and burning club crashed into the boar's face. The swine went on to suffer even more misfortune as fire cloaked its injured form, curtesy of the [Burning] debuff.
"Arf!" cried the little pup, unprepared for the sudden immolation, who was forced to let go of his prey. The boar squealed in pain and bucked like a wild stallion as it tried to rid itself of the flames. The action proved futile and allowed Naruto to finish it off with his next move.
"Katon: Inka (Fire Release: Shadow Fire)!"
A ball of fire expelled from Naruto's mouth before it twisted and shifted into a demonic visage. Once again Naruto swore the fire resembled that of a vicious, snarling fox with rows of wicked unforgiving teeth. The boar stood no chance and was soon nothing more than particles of light that symbolized its defeat.
With the boar defeated, Naruto looked to the small ninken to ensure it wasn't hurt too badly. The only problem with his action was that the small dog was now nowhere to be seen.
"Oh! Give me a big fat bre-OUCH!" had birds been present, Naruto's shout would have made them fly for safety. Looking back, the young boy discovered that the source of his pain came from a small little pup gnawing on his backside.
"You little shit! I save yer life and this is the thanks I get?" the pup only answered by biting even harder. "Ow! Let go, you ass!"
Grabbing the little dog proved difficult given where it was situated and trying to pull it off proved just as hard. Komainu, even as puppies, had formidable jaw strength; the strongest amongst dog breeds. Healthy, strong adults surging with adrenaline and chakra had a bite force that could match or exceed those of Numa no Kuni's giant crocodiles: beasts that could bite through thick reinforced steel under the right conditions. The blond was fortunate that the young puppy was nowhere near that level of strength just yet but even then, his current bite force was greater than the average dog.
"Let go, damn it! I just got these!" Naruto barked; the ninken held on firmly, "You asked for it!"
Frrrt!
|Congratulations! A specia-|
"Nope!" Naruto stopped the rest of the message; he had no intention of wanting to know what was gonna pop up. That was a line even he wouldn't cross.
Ignoring that for now, Naruto laughed as the foul odor assaulted the young ninken's nose, its eyes watering comically in the process, one that proved too much even for the stubborn canine to continue chewing his tender backside.
"Arf! Arf!" the young creature hacked and tried to scratch away the horrible smell that burned his nose to no avail. The puppy even tried rubbing his face into the dirt too, but even that failed to do anything.
Whilst it was distracted, Naruto grabbed the little troublemaker by the scruff of his neck, "Gotcha!" he declared triumphantly. His victory proved short-lived, as a warm, yellow, liquid-by-product hit his face dead center. By the time the stream stopped, a tick marked Naruto looked at the small dog with utter loathing.
"You're really starting to push my buttons there, mutt!" Naruto growled, and then spat out the lingering piss that dribbled down his face. The young pup had a smirk, but it didn't last long, and was quickly replaced by a tearful one the instant Naruto struck his head with a well-placed punch.
"Whine."
"Okay, some ground rules, you little bastard," Naruto began, "Rule number one: you wanna live and get outta here, you listen to me!"
"Arf!"
Naruto didn't speak ninken – or dog, really – but even he knew that he had just been insulted, "Rule number two: speaking out of term will get you neutered," two kunai, one in each hand, suddenly appeared and Naruto formed them into a make-shift scissor.
The young ninken was smart enough to know what neutered symbolized, as Naruto noticed the puppy began to shiver and it even looked as though it was crossing its legs, its tail in between them.
"Three: you need a name. Sure, as hell ain't gonna call you mutt all the time," Naruto got annoyed by Anko always referring to him as 'gaki', and had no intention of doing it himself, "Okay, what to call y– Hey!"
"Arf!" grabbed by the scruff once again, the dog barked once more after his failed escape attempt. Once more did the pooch try to urinate on his captor, but Naruto was prepared.
"You hot-headed little shit!" Naruto was sorely tempted to move forward with his neutering threat. Had the piss struck him again he'd have not given a damn of the consequences.
"Hotto," Naruto suddenly declared, "Till we get outta here, yer name's Hotto."
"Grr," the newly named Hotto growled.
"Don't like it? Well, tough shit," the little pain in his ass would have to deal with it. Ignoring him for now but still keeping an eye on him from the corner of it, Naruto began collecting the dropped loot.
"Arf!"
"What now?" Naruto asked out loud, loot still in hand, and noticed he somehow had Hotto's attention. The little dog was leaning forward as he sat on his hindquarters and eagerly sniffing in his direction.
"Huh?" it dawned on him a moment later and Narut began moving the piece of boar meat to one side; he watched as the pup followed its movement. Moving it in another direction, the Gamer watched Hotto lick his nose.
"Mhrmm," was the sound that escaped him.
"Did you just beg?!" Naruto couldn't help himself, "Hey, wait a minute."
Realizing this could work in his favor, Naruto tested out what was going through his mind, "Come!"
The pup easily complied.
"Sit!"
Once more it complied with the command.
"Lie down," this time not so much, only doing it part way before coming back up. Naruto repeated the order more forcefully this time and Hotto did in fact lie down.
"Fetch!" issuing another verbal command, Naruto watched as the little ninken ran after the tossed piece of wild pork meat. The canine pounced on it with gutso, and for something so small Hotto managed to eat it rather quickly.
|Your reputation with [Hotto] has gone up by 25!|
"Want another?" Naruto asked and got a bark in response. The boy was hopeful he could milk this newly discovered feature for all its worth, "Okay, pooch. Here's what we're gonna do."
(Sometime Later)
"Buu! Buu!" cried the small little creature that came running from the bush.
"Arf! Arf!" and right behind it was Hotto, who barked as he came running out of the underbrush like a flock of bats out of a cave.
"BUUUUU!" and hot on his heels was a large wild pig that ignored getting its face smacked and injured by the foliage as it charged after its target. The larger of the wild animals, however, didn't make it too far before it fell into a large hole filled with earthen spears.
|Bleeding Status Effect: Succeeded!|
|Slow Status Effect: Succeeded!|
"Ah, the good ole tried and true leaf covered trap pit. Gets 'em every time," a voice from above drew the trapped beast's attention. Now standing over the hole with the stuck pig, Naruto bore a nasty grin that had the boar shaking with fear.
""Whelp, time to fry piggy. Katon: Inka (Fire Release: Shadow Fire)!" demonic balls of fire soared through the air before they made contact with their target. With nowhere to run and the hole too deep for it to move, it was over for it within minutes of repetitive use of the fire ninjutsu.
"Buu! Buu!"
"Arf!"
Looking over his shoulder, Naruto snorted at the scene before him. Hotto was chasing the little piglet around a tree and his continuous efforts and barking were scaring the little thing to death. The boy decided to put it out of its misery with a well-placed Ryoku Boku.
Whack!
|Congratulation! You learned the [Saigeki (Crushing Strike) Skill]!|
|Saigeki (Crushing Strike). Lv 1. 0% to Next Lv|. Skill Modifier: STR [D] Mastering Speed: C| A skill that allows the user to land a crippling blow on the target's limbs that will not only harm but can momentarily impair the victim's movement. CP Usage: 80
· Increases blunt weapon damage by 21% + (STR *.5) = 32%
· Success rate to cause [Slow] status effect [31% + (STR *.5) +/- [(Caster Level – Victim Level) + Victim's (VIT)]
· Impairs movement for 2.5 seconds + [(.5 Seconds) x (STR *.5)] +/- [(Caster Level – Victim Level) + Victim's (VIT)]
But the loss of its 'playmate' didn't seem to bother Hotto who continued running around the tree and barking. Naruto stifled a laugh and wondered how long it would take for the ninken to realize what it was chasing was gone.
Sitting down and taking out some food to heal himself, Naruto had to admit the tactics he'd been using worked fairly well. Naruto would either make a trap, Hotto would aggro the creatures with his barks and then lead them to said traps, or Hotto would distract the creatures while Naruto struck while their attention was focused on the ninken.
It certainly had its risks; Hotto was at a much lower level compared to the dungeon creatures and there had been a couple of close calls due to the little shit going off script, but all and all the tactics had worked well for them both.
However, it was clear to Naruto that Hotto needed more than a few points added to his INT. It took him nearly two minutes before the tiger stripped ninken noticed the lack of prey.
"Hrm?" confused as to where his prey had disappeared to, Hotto began sniffing around to find out what happened, but such thoughts were ignored the moment a piece of boar meat landed in front of him.
"Okay, so that makes twelve Wild Boars, eight Mature Boars, a little over half a dozen Piglets and five Mama Boars,"Naruto recalled as he put away the loot.
"Arf!"
"Huh? Oh, right. And those Honey Bears and that Queen Bee," that last one had been tricky since it was a flyer and quick. Attack wise the Queen Bee didn't deal much but it was one of those creatures that had moves and minions that interrupted one from focusing and landing a proper blow. Its speed coupled with its ability to poison him had made it an annoying creature to deal with.
While Naruto had expected a decent drop from a monster like that, his hopes had been dashed when all he got was something called [Royal Jelly]instead. The ninja in training had been irked even more, facing that thing and getting a lousy drop had not been worth the trouble. It was like fighting a rarespawn but you all you got was something you couldn't really use nor was it something that anyone else wanted.
"Boss better give me something decent," the experience points were nice and all, but Naruto would hate going through all this and not get something of material value. Bringing up the requirements, Naruto was happy to see he more than met them.
|You must defeat the following enemies to face the Dungeon Boss|
Mandatory Enemies
Wild Boars (12/10)
Mature Boars (8/5)
Piglets (7/3)
Mama Boars (5/3)
Optional Enemies
Honey Bears (6/2)
Queen Bee (1/1)
You have exceeded the requirements needed to face the Dungeon Boss!
Additional loot will be rewarded pending Dungeon Boss' defeat!
Enemy defeat count, minimum or exceeded amount, will reset back to zero upon entering!
"Great. Now I just gotta find it," fortunately this wasn't like the Zombie Dungeon that had the boss appear out of nowhere and gave him little time to prepare or recuperate.
"Arf! Arf! Grrr!"
"Oh, what now," Naruto could only imagine the trouble Hotto managed to get himself into this time. The ninken was smart enough to remember the number of creatures they faced but not smart enough to known not to go off on his own. The stubborn ninken could handle himself against the Piglets since their levels were close to his own, but a good solid hit from another creature and goodbye doggy.
"Hotto! Where are you, ya little," Naruto grumbled. After this was over, he'd have to get Anko to teach him the [Detect Presence Skill].
"Wait a minute," Naruto put that thought on hold. Jumping up the nearest tree and looking over the wide expense of bush and trees, Naruto focused his attention and tried picturing himself in locating the small ninken.
Congratulation! A special skill has been created through a special act!|
|Through the act of trying to locate beings around you, you've gained the active [Detect Presence] skill!|
|Detect Presence: Lv 1. 14% to Next Lv| Skill Modifier: WIS [D]. Mastering Speed: D| A skill that allows you to detect certain presences in the area around you. Current level does not allow you to pinpoint the location of certain targets.
• Allows you to detect presences within 5 meters + (WIS * .5)
Naruto didn't need to be told twice and moved towards Hotto's location. Fortunately, no other creatures could be sensed in the area and Naruto grinned like mad as the pup's location just happened to be near the dungeon boss' den. A muddy hole in a small slope surrounded by large trees and underbrush. A bellow from the den was heard the moment he landed; Hotto Naruto saw was shaking like a leaf, his tail tucked between his legs. He was scared.
"Can't blame him," Naruto was a tad nervous, too. Not so much for himself, but dungeon bosses were a different breed of monster.
After ordering Hotto to go and hide, Naruto prepared himself as best he could as he waited for the arrival of the boss. He had no intention of losing this time like he did against the Legion Zombie.Bosses were tough and had skill sets differed from their minions. For some all it would take was a good blow and Naruto would be left in a very bad situation; Hotto would be toast.
But even then, Naruto could only imagine the loot he'd get from defeating it. The enemies of this dungeon didn't drop any money, which wasn't uncommon for non-humanoid like monsters, but bosses were usually the exception. He didn't know how much he'd get from his previous auction; it would take quite some time before he learned of anything, and much of the loot he got were mostly used to enhance non-combative skills or skills he lacked. His CP and HP were high, but didn't do him much good with the limited amount of skills he had. Naruto needed the money to branch out his low repertoire.
When Naruto noticed that several moments had passed, still keeping his guard up, Naruto moved in closer and on instincts brought up his weapon. What he saw made him faceplant; he felt like a real idiot then and there.
|Would you like to enter the Dungeon Boss Area?|
(Yes/No)
Grumbling to himself, Naruto pressed on [Yes] and then all hell broke loose from the burrow. The earth shook a bit, not enough to make him lose balance, but enough to know that whatever was coming was big and heavy. Dirt, mud and grass were thrown up in the air as indeed something large and dirty came charging out. Naruto's eyes widened considerably as the largest and by far the ugliest boar he had ever seen came running out and release a huge bellowing cry.
"Holy shit that bitch is big! This thing's almost as tall as a small house," he mentally called out [Observe] on the creature.
Status Window
Cantankerous Boss of the Forest "Onishishi" Lv 19
HP: 3250
CP: 1325
STR: 66
VIT: 53
DEX: 47
END: 33
INT: 9
WIS: 4
CHA: 4
LUK: 20
Defense: 46
Special Perks:
Dungeon Boss Blessing [Lv 1]: +1500 HP, +500 CP, +15% towards all Resistances, All Attributes Increased by 15, +10 Defense
Perks:
Hard-Headed [Lv 3]: +65% Resistance towards [Daze] related status effects, +65% Effectiveness and Power towards head-based skills
Tenacious: Ignores negative psychological related status effects such as [Hysteria] or [Frightened] when health drops below 30%, Movement Speed and Power increases by 30% when below 30% health
Thick Hide [Lv 1]: +500 HP, +35 Defense, +25% towards [Taijutsu Resistance], [Bladed Weapons Resistance], and [Blunt Weapons Resistance], +25% towards [Earth Resistance] and [Water Resistance]
Keen-Senses [Lv 5]: +95% Effectiveness towards [Detect Presence Skill], Immune to [Henge] Skill
Flaws:
Impaired [Vision]: -50% Accuracy and Effectiveness towards all skills that rely on vision
Sensitivity [Nose]: Highly sensitive to scent-based techniques
Description: The saying 'The Hunted has become the Hunter' greatly applies to this scarred and gigantic pig. With a thick hide covered with various stuck weapons, standing over ten feet tall and fourteen feet in length, strong muscles, and jagged tusks capable of skewering even trees, this boar will make even the most experienced hunters cower in fear. Many new and would be hunters have challenged this boar both as a rite of passage and to gain recognition only to meet their end at the hands of this magnificently large beast.
EXP Earned: ?
Drops: ?, ?, ?
"Uh-oh," Naruto didn't like what he was seeing at the moment and glad he ordered Hotto to stay behind. Sure, Naruto was excited at the prospect of facing the boss because it was good experience but even then, he still didn't expect a low-level boss to be like this.
"Look at that STR and DEX," while most creature's this size would normally have high STR and VIT and be relatively slow, in this case, however, Naruto knew that the creature wasn't going to be sluggish. Fear never took a hold of him as his [Gamer's Mind] kicked in and Naruto began to think clearly. Looking at the boss, Naruto noted the saving grace in all this was the boss's poor eyesight. One eye was closed shut, a wicked scar jutting down from its forehead to its right eye and snout and had pus surrounding it. Its other eye while open was a milky white color.
Seeing it sniff the air for him, and rather than wait for it to charge at him, the boy decided to take the initiative. Grabbing one of his [Unstable Cocktails], Naruto threw the bottle and was happy to see it striking right on the shnoz. It was a critical hit and the creature not only became covered in flames but was suffering from the [Poisoned] debuff, too.
"Well, that worked out nicely," the boy commented dryly. But despite his small victory, the boar charged at him with speeds that put his minions to shame.
Jumping into a nearby tree before it reached him, Naruto used Shadow Fire but overshot his target. Naruto cursed and followed up with another that struck home, but the beasts didn't seem bothered by it and smashed into the tree. It shook violently and while it remained rooted, Naruto made note not to get hit by that thing; the force behind it was likely enough to not only take away a good chunk of health even with him blocking it but send him well over a dozen meters away into something unpleasant.
"Good thing I didn't fall," that would not have been pleasant.
The boy's thoughts were cut short as the tree began to shudder violently once again. Looking down Naruto spotted the boss ramming its head against the tree and judging by the fact that the roots were being uprooted meant his current location was no longer safe.
Unfortunately, the nearest tree was too far away for him to jump and would require him sprinting for his life. Waiting until the boss charged once again, Naruto jumped just as the tree could no longer withstand the onslaught of the boar and dashed with all he had.
Naruto only made it half way there before Onishishi crashed into him with all the force of an exploding tag, but the boy's body was replaced with a log covered in [Poor-Grade Exploding Tags] that blew up in his face. Naruto's dungeon grinding in the Zombie Dungeon had paid off big time in that regard. They weren't the best of the Exploding Tags and they were still rare drops, but he had managed to get well over a baker's dozen of them. And at one hundred and fifteen points in damage per tag, five of them together took away a decent amount of health.
"Ninpo: Goriki (Ninja Art: Hard Strength)!" Naruto declared and then followed up with a Saigeki (Crushing Strike) that hit it with all he had on the leg, Naruto hoped that his plan worked.
|Slow Status Effect: Failed!|
It didn't.
Damage was done to the beast, but his plan didn't work nonetheless.
"Of course, it did," Naruto followed up with another strike, and then another, and another while avoiding the pig's wild spins and turns to smack or squish him into red jelly. Doran would have been more ideal, but Naruto's plan was to impair its speed. Its resistance to earth-based techniques not only made it less damaging but its status inducing effects less likely to take hold.
|Slow Status Effect: Failed!|
"Gah!"
As he made to strike once more, Naruto suddenly felt the air leaving his lungs as a strong force struck his stomach and sent him flying and landing hard against the ground, his face striking a large boulder as he rolled away. The action left the boy momentarily dazed before he was struck a second time and sent skidding away into the forest, "Gahhh!"
Finally coming to a stop Naruto got up as quickly as he could and was forced to jump out if the way as the boss came in charging at him at full speed. Naruto was glad he did as he bore witness to the tree behind him being skewered and uprooted and tossed at him.
"Yipes!"
Ducking as quickly as he could, the tree only barely missed him as he tried becoming one with the grass. But by then, Naruto had to get up and jump over charging boar that tried turning him into a shish kabob. And the hell he was gonna die and have to restart this dungeon all over again!
Watching it turn around, Naruto put his hands on the ground and called forth some earthen stalagmites. At its current speed and poor vision, Onishishi crashed into the unforgiving ninja made earth spears. Its resistance to earth techniques didn't do much but striking it as fast as it did and uneven earth formed by the technique had it skidding and tumbling away.
"Katon: Inka no Jutsu (Fire Release: Shadow Fire)!" the demonic looking fire struck true but other than that nothing much happened. Onishishi's high stats along with its perks prevented the status effects from his techniques from occurring.
Seeing it get ready to charge at him once more, Naruto prepared himself. Big, strong, and fast as it was, Onishishi he noticed had trouble with making last minute turns whenever it went at full speed and judging by what occurred moments ago, it had trouble keeping its balance if it tripped over something.
But while knowing this was good and all, Naruto had lost a decent amount of health from it in a short amount of time while Onishishi's health was still almost at two thousand. A quick use of one of his potions had him regain thirty percent of his lost health but Naruto couldn't continue going this route.
"Arf!"
There at the edge of the clearing Naruto saw Hotto barking up a storm; the Gamer paled when Onishishi spotted the little ninken and the aggro effects took hold.
"Arf! Arf!" Hotto barked a few more times and then took off.
"Oh, no," Naruto paled and moved as quickly as he could and lashed out with Saigeki to impede Onishishi's movements.
|Slow Status Effect: Failed!|
"No!" Naruto shouted and only just managed to grab onto the charging boar's back.
With one hand holding onto its back and the other wielding his weapon, Naruto smashed and bashed as much as he could to stop the boar from reaching the stupid ninja dog pup. But his actions didn't pan out like he had hoped.
In an effort to shake him off, Onishishi crashed into trees and boulders, just about anything to get him to stop. Naruto was smacked by branches, flying stone and dirt, and even a glob of mud but still did he not let go of his unwilling mount.
But it all came to an end when Naruto found himself flung from the boss' back and he felt his entire body rattle the instant he struck a very large tree and then fell unceremoniously to the ground with little to no grace.
Whatever HP he recovered was likely almost gone and much more were likely to be lost as Naruto was once again affected by the [Dazed] debuff. However, instead of getting his body smashed to onto a pulp, Naruto instead began hearing the boar boss squeal, snort, and grunt, and to his relief he also the annoying bark of Hotto.
"Oh, thank kami," happy that he was alright, but his little made Naruto vow he was going to get him for this as soon as he was out of the dungeon.
By the time the [Dazed] debuff stopped affecting him, Naruto looked around and smirked. Onishishi had skewered the wrong tree apparently, and he concluded that the beast was stuck and stuck good. The tree shook and groaned but it wasn't going anywhere.
"My turn," Naruto bore a grin that would make Anko proud as he began making a move on his good fortune. Naruto began by taking out his frustration on the stuck pig with his weapon and Ryoku Boku. By the end he had lost count of how many times he struck the dungeon boss and decided to follow up with his most powerful fire technique.
But while his Katon: Inka struck true; Naruto noticed a dark sheen coating the beast's back and hindlegs. Looking at Onishishi's status window, he also believed that his technique had done nothing to the creature.
|Warning! Your technique has been negated by Onishishi's [Doton: Gomogan Tetsuhari no Jutsu (Earth Release: Bristle Rock Iron Needle Technique)]!|
|Doton: Gomogan Tetsuhari no Jutsu(Earth Release: Bristle Rock Iron Needle Technique)!|
A B-Rank defensive earth technique that hardens the hairs of the user to act like tempered armor. While in use the individual is virtually impervious to damage except from the exceptionally strong attack that overpowers the technique or is negated by using a lightning release technique. While in use the user cannot move or the technique will be cancelled.
"What! It knowns ninjutsu?" that wasn't good. It changed everything.
Despite this newfound knowledge, Onishishi remained stuck and had since not moved. Naruto would have thought the boss dead had he not known better. So long as the technique was used, the boar wouldn't be going anywhere and Naruto bet that the moment backed off it would try and free itself and he'd lose his current advantage.
"Great. Just great," Naruto couldn't believe his luck. A perfect way to end a boss and it pulled this crap on him. "Bullshit."
"Arf! Arf!"
"Oh, for the love of... Hotto!" he really wasn't in the mood for any of the pup's stupid stunts.
"Great, so this is how Iruka-sensei feels," ironic karma sucked.
The little pup ignored Naruto, however, and instead lunged at Onishishi. His efforts to bite down on the creature proved fruitless. It was like biting into a chew toy that was anchored down to the floor.
"Hey! What did I say, you little shit," Naruto didn't have to grab the ninken as he released his hold on the boar voluntarily.
"Dummy must have realized he wasn't really doing anything to it," nor would he be able to do anything so long as the technique was in place.
"Arf! Grr!" Naruto lunged for the pup that in all his infinite wisdom decided to go underneath the beast that could flatten him like a noodle.
"Hotto! Get out from under-
"GrrArrff!"
Naruto blinked and could not believe what he saw, "...Oh, you poor bastard."
"BUUUUHWAAAA! BUUUUHWAAAA!"
|Onishishi's Doton: Gomogan Tetsuhari no Jutsu has been negated!|
|MASSIVE CRITICAL HIT HAS OCCURRED!|
"NO SHIT!" Naruto was certain if he had gotten bitten in the balls it would have done the same thing. Frankly, he was glad the pup hadn't done that on their first encounter.
That or he missed and bit his ass instead.
"Great," Naruto drawled. There was a thought he'd could have done without.
But regardless of that, Hotto had given him an opportunity he would not waste. Grabbing two bottles of [Unstable Cocktail], and both were smashed against the boar's side. The action easily took away a thousand HP and reduced its HP well below the thirty percent mark.
From there, Naruto continued to strike at the creature with everything he had and Onishishi was powerless to stop him. All the boar could do was thrash and squeal before finally it all came to an end when Naruto used on last Katon: Inka on the creature.
Disappearing into particles of light, Naruto laughed Hotto fall onto his back and whelp the moment its 'chew toys' disappeared. That was certainly one way to end a boss. Not the most dignified way to do it, nor the most dignified way to die either, but Naruto was a ninja.
"Who cares. So long as I win," were Naruto's thoughts.
"Arf!" looking at Hotto, Naruto could only shake his head.
"You, my pain in the ass, are gonna have a little talk to later," but for Naruto went to collect his well-earned loot. One of which confused him, "Okay, what?"
Onishishi's Head
Item Type: Quest Item
Durability: One-Time Use
Description: The head of the infamous boar Onishishi. The head of the strong and illusive boar that warranted the attention of Konoha and forced someone in the village to place a D-Rank bounty on the creature's head. Use this as proof of you putting an end to him.
[QUEST ALERT!]
Bounty: Onishishi
Main Quest: Collect Onishishi's bounty from whoever placed the bounty!
Main Quest Completion: 1100 EXP, 35,000 Ryo
Accept?
(Yes/No)
"Wait, what! This guy was only worth a low D-Rank bounty?" Naruto thought in disbelief. Either this meant that D-Rank bounties were stronger than he thought them to be, or Naruto was really lagging behind. For now, Naruto decided to accept the quest as while the experience points were low every little bit helped and the cash bounty was a good welcome too. Next, Naruto looked at the other loot that had been dropped.
Tusked Key
Item Type: Dungeon Key
Durability: One-Time Use
Description: A key made from one of Onishishi's tusks. Unlocks the dungeon's treasure chest.
"Sweet!" Naruto eagerly grabbed the key and stored it away and then made his way over the last drop.
Minor Grade Soulstone of the Boar
Item Type: Enhancement Item
Durability: One-Time Use
Description: The concentrated energies of a decently strong creature resides within this stone that are just begging to be released. Using this item will increase your attributes and give you a new skill.
Buffs/Perks: +5 VIT and [Detect Presence Skill [Lv 5]
Note: If the granted skill is already learned, it will instead increase by five levels. Skills cannot be increased beyond maximum level.
"Hells yeah!" Naruto couldn't believe his luck and immediately used the gem on himself. While [Detect Presence] wasn't the greatest skill in the world, Naruto at least wouldn't have to wander off aimlessly when he needed to find someone. The fact that he already had it meant it increased immediately to level six, another bonus.
With nothing else left, Naruto grabbed Hotto so he wouldn't wander off and made his way towards Onishishi's den. If games taught him anything, it was that treasure chests from conquering a dungeon were usually near the boss' lair. His reasoning proved to be correct, a fairly large chest was inside the muddy den. Using the key, which disappeared soon after, Naruto couldn't wait to see what goodies were inside.
And his hopes weren't dashed.
"Jackpot!"
Chichizouge (Bloody Ivory) – Rare Quality
Item Type: Bladed Weapon
Item Modifier Rank: STR
Durability: 90/90
Description: A very sturdy bone blade made from the tusk of Onishishi. As the years went by and Onishishi became strong so did the deadliness of his tusks. The blade is white and streaked with red as the tusks became permanently stained with the blood of its victims, to which the true power of this weapon comes from its ability to use the blood it has soaked up over the years. Though similar to a zanbato, the blade is too small and light to be categorized as one. Regardless, the weapon still requires a substantial amount of strength for it to be properly used.
Attack Power: 58-77
Bonus Perks: [Vampire: Lv 1], [Sundering: Lv 1]
Unique Weapon Skills: [Kettozan (Blade of Blood)]
Fuinjutsu Slots Available: [One Major Slot], [Two Minor Slots]
Usage Requirement: 65 STR, Basic Bladed Weapon Mastery
Tsuchi no Kagi (Earth Key) - Very Rare Quality
Item Type: Quest Item
Durability: One-Time Use
Description: A special key found in the dungeon chest of Training Ground One. What its current use is for is currently unknown.
Fuinjutsu: Bakuchiku Scroll
Fuinjutsu: Bakuchiku (Sealing Technique: Firecracker) D-Rank. Lv MAX.| Skill Modifier: END [D] Mastering Speed: D| Originally developed as a prank, this basic fuinjutsu when applied to a weapon or piece of armor can be used to convert chakra and recreate the effects of a loud explosive firework. While the technique doesn't really do any harm, it was discovered that it served well to interrupt or stun its target long enough for the user to perform whatever action they require. This technique is especially effective when used against beasts and has a high chance of putting them into a state of fear. CP Usage: 85|
· Success rate to cause [Stunned] status effect [41% + (END *.50) + Affinity Bonus + Perks] +/- [(Caster Level – Victim Level) + Victim's (WIS *1)]
· Success rate to cause [Scared] status effect [41% + (END *.50) + Affinity Bonus + Perks] +/- [(Caster Level – Victim Level) + Victim's (WIS *1)]
· Success rate to cause [Frightened] status effect [11% + (END *.50) + Affinity Bonus + Perks] +/- [(Caster Level – Victim Level) + Victim's (WIS *1)
Special Note: The [Scared]and [Frightened] status effects only apply to certain targets!
Usage Requirements: Basic Fuinjutsu Mastery
"Aw, man," awesome as the weapon was, Naruto's STR didn't met the requirements for him to use it. Even with Goriki he was still twenty-five points short. And the boy had yet to learn Fuinjutsu, he'd have to get someone to do it for him.
The only saving grace of it all was the ten-thousand ryo he collected from the treasure chest and the [Earth Key]. All in all, an okay haul but nothing Naruto could use at the moment. As soon as he done putting the items away, the Gamer was greeted by a multitude of pop-up messages.
Skills Level Up List
Observe [Lv 6 ~ Lv 7]
Intimidation [Lv 1]
Basic Blunt Weapons Mastery [Lv 4 ~ Lv 6]
Basic Blade Weapons Mastery [Lv 3]
Saigeki [Lv 1 ~ Lv 3]
Ryoku Boku [Lv 3 ~ Lv 4]
Kagekoku [Lv 1]
Hidama [Lv 4]
Inka [Lv 1~ Lv 4]
Doran [Lv 1~ Lv 3]
|QUEST ALERT!|
Training Grounds Conqueror!
Main Quest: Conquer Training Grounds One to Five!
Side Quest: Collect dungeon keys from Training Grounds One to Five!
Hidden Quest: ?
Main Quest Completion: +1500 EXP and 1 AP Per Dungeon Conquered (1/5)
Side Quest Completion: +750 EXP Per Key Collected (1/5)
Hidden Quest Completion: ?
(Yes/No)
Special Note: Quest is optional but may not be taken later if declined!
Quest must be completed before Genin Exam!
Naruto easily accepted the quest and then contemplated the next pop up when asked if he wanted to continue to Training Ground Two. Tempted as it was, Hotto needed to be brought home and he couldn't afford anything happening to the little goof.
Naruto knew he needed to leave now, restock, and train some more before going to the next level. He had defeated the boss sure but it hadn't been easy as he thought it would be, nor was he really able to put the training he had gained from Hayate to good use seeing as he lacked a sword and the proper speed. The next level he had no doubt would be that more difficult, they usually were. Hell, he didn't even get to level up!
So, no. Naruto wasn't going into another dungeon just yet. Even if it meant he'd have to wait before being allowed to go back in again. Pressing on [No], Naruto and Hotto were greeted by a brilliant flash and left the dungeon and found themselves outside Training Ground One. Only now, the training ground had a timer on it that only he could see.
"Might as well go and wash up," before someone made herself known.
"There you are, Naruto-san. Anko-chan has been looking for you for the last hour," Midori told him.
"Hour?" it hadn't felt that long to him really but then again time flew by rather quickly whenever he played video games. The boy had lost count of the many occasions where he lost track of time whenever he was playing his games.
"Hey, gaki, where the hell were you?" Anko said behind him.
"Gahh! Will you stop doing that?!" Naruto shouted and wondered why his detection ability hadn't sensed her. Naruto guessed it probably had to do with how high her levels were amongst other things.
"I'm the one asking the questions here, gaki," Anko ignored his shouting and gave him a look over, "What happened to you? Get in tussle with a boar or something," she joked.
"How'd you know?" he was genuinely surprised.
The woman merely gave him a look, "I didn't … you know what never mind. So, how'd it go?" she had an inkling the boy went into one of those dungeons things like last time.
"Pretty well," he said.
"I haven't known you that long, Gaki, but I can tell you're bluffing so spill," being an interrogator, and one of Konoha's bests, Anko knew how to pick up lies and while Naruto could fool some it wouldn't work on her.
"Damn it," he groaned, "I won, but it wasn't easy, ya happy?"
"Yep," the woman smirked, "Find anything... What's with the mutt?"
"Arf!"
"Long story," Naruto told her.
"And I got time to kill, so spill," she more or less ordered.
Naruto could only groan. Right now, all he wanted to do was turn in the mutt and take a shower. Was that so hard to ask?
As the light died down, Naruto noted that the area was more forest than anything else compared to the original imagine outside the dungeon. While this gave him ample areas to use for ambushes and to observe his foes from a safe distance, it also worked both ways, "Ok, so what kind of enemies do we have here?"
If Naruto had been hoping saying those words would reveal said enemy, he was sorely disappointed when nothing made itself known. Sighing, the young ninja in training took it as a cue to start exploring the area and began to use [Observe] on whatever potential resource the dungeon would provide him with.
"Nothing. Nothing. More nothing," there was the odd item such as [Honey Bee Honey], [Minor-Grade Green Herbs] and [Minor-Grade Wild Mushroom] but those were used more as ingredients for cooking or creating medicine. Naruto collected them all the same, if anything he could some to improve his [Cooking Skill] and [Trapping Skills] or sell them.
Hearing some rustling nearby, Naruto quickly jumped onto the nearest branch and took cover in the trees. From his vantage point, the blond watched as a boar came snorting out from the bushes. The hog was huge. Naruto had seen their carcasses hung up in the market from time to time and this pig was easily a foot taller and almost two feet longer.
Wild Boar - Lv 12
HP: 1050
CP: 300
STR: 26
VIT: 36
END: 12
DEX: 27
INT: 3
WIS: 3
CHA: 5
LUK: 4
Defense: 25
Specialization:
None
Special Perks:
None
Perks
Hard-Headed [Lv 1]: +25% Resistance towards [Daze] related status effects, +25% Effectiveness and Power towards [Head-based Skills]
Tenacious: Ignores negative psychological related status effects such as [Hysteria] or [Frightened] when health drops below 30%, +30% towards Movement Speed and Power when below 30% health
Tough Hide [Lv 1]: +150 HP, +15 Defense, +15% towards [Taijutsu Resistance], [Bladed Weapons Resistance], and [Blunt Weapons Resistance], +15% towards [Earth Resistance] and [Water Resistance], and [Bleeding Resistance]
Keen-Senses [Lv 3]: +65% Effectiveness towards [Detection Skill], -45% Effectiveness towards enemy [Henge Skill]
Flaws:
? : ?
Description: Just a very large boar is what many adventurers would think right before they find themselves gored or trampled on. These boars will charge at anything except its own kind and are tenacious combatants that will continue to fight even when on the brink of death and will even ignore serious wounds. Despite its size and build, they can close in on ill-prepared prey with a remarkable burst of speed.
EXP Earned: 155 + [10%] = 170.5
Drops: ?, ?
"Snort. Snort. BUHI!"
"Ah, crap!" Naruto cursed as the boar shot towards his location with remarkable speeds and smashed right into the base of the tree. The tree wasn't uprooted but it sure as hell shook and swayed back in forth. Naruto held firm though despite the severe imbalance in his legs.
"That's gonna hurt," was his mental note. The boar butted its head against the tree once more but lacked the same force as before. Jumping to another nearby tree whilst it was distracted with this one, Naruto put one of his newest techniques to the test.
"Katon: Inka no Jutsu (Fire Release: Shadow Fire Technique)!" from his lips came a fireball almost twice as big as Naruto's head that shifted into a gnarling demonic head and, for a brief moment, Naruto swore the fireball had become foxlike.
The boar, however, remained steadfast in bashing its current tree and didn't know what hit it before it was too late. While the psychological effects didn't take hold, as a result of its distraction, the damage it took was even more formidable given it was caught off guard. Naruto watched as the boar suddenly became frozen before it fell to the ground like a boned fish.
"Huh?"
|Hysteria Status Effect: Failed!|
|Unconscious Status Effect: Succeeded!|
Naruto merely grinned, happy he had chosen such a technique. While the CP cost was high even with his [Affinity Bonus], his perks allowed him a large pool of chakra compared to others; he had tons to spam the hell out of the technique. With the beast immobile and a prime target, Naruto summoned forth the other newest technique from his arsenal.
"Doton: Doran (Earth Release: Earth Riot)!" spears of earth shot from the ground and skewered the downed beast with relative ease. As a result of the [Unconscious] status effect, the technique resulted in a critical hit that rendered much of its health well below the half way mark, even with the perk giving it a higher tolerance to earth-based skills.
|Bleeding Status Effect: Succeeded!|
|Slow Status Effect: Failed!|
Happy that the beast's life was coming to an end, Naruto forgot to consider that the technique also roused the large boar from its unwanted beauty nap. For such a large animal, it rose pretty quickly, and Naruto was grazed and unprepared by its sudden and unexpected charge.
"Damn!" Naruto dodged once more as the wild pig came snorting, squealing, and charging at him with a vengeance. He had expected an increase in speed but not to this extent. Even with his DEX being higher than the boar's by twenty points, Naruto found himself just barely dodging the creature. Suddenly and unexpectedly did Naruto sense a feeling of foreboding course through his head, and the ninja in training watched as a pop appeared before him.
|Negative Intent Detected! Distance: Four Meters!|
Naruto didn't think about; he just acted on instinct. He jumped and used the charging boar's back as a springboard and grabbed onto the branch of a nearby tree. Naruto was forced to hold on for dear life as he felt not one, not two, or even three, but four jarring blows impact the perennial plant that shook as though it were made of rubber.
"Great. Backup," another blow struck, and Naruto reinforced his grip on the branch by locking his legs in place. The branch was too high up for him to be reached by the boars, but at the same time none of the ornery bastards gave up their pursuit so he couldn't pull himself up without losing his balance. Their lack of intelligence prevented them from coming up with any truly effective strategy, so they continued their efforts in bashing the tree with all they had.
Summoning his weapon Seishoyo (Holy Brand), Naruto released his hold on the branch but kept a firm grip on it with his legs to remain out of harm's way. The Gamer shouted out the weapon's innate skill [Hikaru (Brilliance)]and timed it just as the boars charged once more.
Naruto cursed when none of the boars were affected by the [Stunned] status effect as he had hoped. Then again, the chances of success were higher in darkened and enclosed areas compared to sun-filled open ones. While Naruto tried figuring out another approach, he watched as several black dots fall to ground and remained motionless.
Looking up, Naruto spotted an object dangle above him, and after straining his ears he began to hear an odd buzzing sound. Straining his eyes, the upside-down blond saw that it was a very large beehive at least a dozen feet above him.
"That'll work," he smirked, took aim – not easy with his current position and the tree shaking – and then threw a handful of shuriken at the hive. As predicted most veered off course, thanks to the boars, and became imbedded into the wood or flew kami knows where. But one struck true and caused the dome shaped nest to fall, hitting a branch once before it fell to the ground near the boars.
The wild pigs halted their assault and began to snort and squeal as the angry insects swarmed their bodies with deadly bites and stingers. Unfortunately, for Naruto, he was also put at the mercies of the angry honey makers.
"Ouch! Ack! Bee! Throat! Stings!" Naruto spat out the unforgiving little shit and swatted away the small swarm that tried covering him in a painful cloak. Their stingers did imperceptible damage, but their efforts annoyed and distracted him nonetheless. Having enough of them, Naruto pulled himself up as quickly as he could and jumped a safe distance away to another tree.
Naruto's quick thinking likely saved him from losing a large amount of health, as the tree he previously stood on came crashing down with a loud thud. Two of the boars were injured by the fallen tree, one was crushed and more or less flattened into shogayaki.
The remaining boars made a hasty retreat but one wasn't so fortunate the instant a meaty claw sent it soaring into the air and crashing into the ground a sizeable distance away.
"HURRGHHH!"
Honey Bear – Lv 18
HP: 1475
CP: 475
STR: 53
VIT: 47
END: 19
DEX: 37
INT: 5
WIS: 6
CHA: 7
LUK: 16
Defense: 30
Specialization:
None
Special Perks:
Hibernator: Recover 30% HP and negative status effects vanish when resting outside of combat after ten minutes
Perks
Honey Loving Berserker: +35% Effectiveness, Speed, and Power towards [Taijutsu Skill], +15% Chances towards Critical Hits, [Regen] status effect activated upon consuming [Honey] related items
Heavy Hitter [Lv 2]: +40% Effectiveness and Power towards [Taijutsu Skill], +20% Chance of causing [Dazed] status effect, +20% Chance of causing [Bleeding] status effect
Tough Hide [Lv 2]: +300 HP, +25 Defense, +20% towards [Taijutsu Resistance], [Bladed Weapons Resistance], and [Blunt Weapons Resistance], +20% towards [Earth Resistance] and [Water Resistance], and [Bleeding Resistance]
Keen-Senses [Lv 3]: +65% Effectiveness towards [Detect Presence Skill], -45% Effectiveness towards enemy [Henge Skill]
Flaws:
? : ?
Description: Honey bears are animals with a voracious appetite, especially when it comes to honey and will chase down anyone in possession of their favorite treat. Their strong forearms enable them to swat aside most creatures with barely any thought and their sharp claws can shred skin, muscle, and organs from another's body as though they weren't there to begin with.
EXP Earned: 297 + [10%] = 326.7
Drops: ?, ?
"RHHUURRGHHH!"
"…Uh-Oh," Naruto cursed and then shook his head, "Come on, Naruto. It's just a bear. It's slow and big and it's almost on me. AAAHHH!" and then screamed when the bear spotted and came charging towards him.
(T&I Room)
Walking out of the cell that she had been in, Anko closed the door behind her and left the quivering mess that was the newcomer alone, "Well, that was boring," the sadist muttered as she headed to Ibiki's office to hand in her report.
When Anko had been called in from work to break someone in, she had thought it to be because only she could do it. She was giddy at the prospect; Anko loved breaking in the new tenants, especially the tough ones, since it made her happy to meet someone like this and then turn them into sobbing cry babies who wanted to see their mommies.
This didn't turn out to be the case, however, as the man had been readily forthcoming with the intel he possessed and didn't even put up a challenge. Oh, sure the victim had looked impassive at first but Anko knew he was merely putting up a brave mask. The man barely lasted five minutes by the time she was done with him. Entering Ibiki's office, the woman slammed her hand down on his desk to get his attention.
"Anko," the head of the Torture and Interrogation Division greeted his subordinate without looking up from his paperwork. Ibiki was used to her antics by now.
"What the hell was that?" a pissed Anko growled.
"What was what?" Ibiki already knew; his words only served to add fuel to the fire.
"You damn well know what, Ibiki!" Anko nearly shouted, "I'm on my day off and you call me in for this? You know the rules: Anko don't do weak ass pansies! Leave it for the new recruits. Kami knows they need the experience."
"I would have if we weren't shorthanded at the moment, Anko," her Ibiki gave her a look. "And as for the trainees doing this sort of thing, you're partially to blame for that. A lot of them decided to quit when I asked you to show them the ropes. Long story short, over seventy percent of the new recruits switched to a different division because of that."
Shorthanded as they were at the time, Ibiki realized it had not been one of his smartest moves. The man acknowledged that when it came to teaching others, Anko's methods were unique but effective to say the least. However, not everyone had the stomach or mental fortitude to survive it. In hindsight, he knew he should have waited until another operative was available, even though so few were qualified to teach and many that were, were currently busy with other important duties such as in field interrogation in enemy territory. Adding to the fact that the woman was his most skilled interrogator, outdone only by himself and Yamanaka Inoichi, while not the most suited to teach in a standard format, she had a lot of experience and knowledge.
"Won't make that mistake twice," the master of torture and psychological warfare thought. Anko was his friend, one of the rare few she had, one of the rare few he had, too, given his grizzled looks and reputation, but even she was a bit much for him at times.
"Hey, if they can't handle or stomach the shit we do here then they got no right to be here in the first place. Take your bitching and moaning somewhere else is my motto," Anko retorted.
"I thought your motto was 'dango is heaven's gift upon mankind?'"
"I can have more than one motto!" there was no law against it.
Ibiki decided not to pry even or wish to know really and returned to the topic at hand, "You know there's a little thing called easing them into it, right?"
"Whatever," she muttered, "Trial by fire will get 'em there quicker. And anyhow, why didn't you have the asshole who messed up my interrogation do it?"
The answer to that was an easy one, "Fired him. And from what I heard, he got himself into one of the field position forces. That said, he's gotta do demeaning tasks such as cleaning the Inuzuka kennels for a whole month as punishment. As much as I don't care for your methods at times, I lack tolerance for insubordination even less. Especially from some greenhorn hotshot who thinks he knows more about interrogation than all our veterans combined. He fucked up and now we have to start from scratch all over again," Ibiki thought the man was lucky he was only demoted to Chunin considering he cost them very important intel, now he knew he was on thin ice. Back in Senju Tobirama's day as Hokage, the man would have either been stripped of his rank as a ninja or potentially executed because of how critical the information was.
"Explains why I didn't see him this morning. Lucky him," Anko swore she'd give the man a piece of her mind when she saw him again and it looks like she'd have to wait a while. She didn't envy him either as cleaning the Inuzuka kennels was not only Genin fodder missions but also one of the worst ones too. She only ever did it once as a Genin because she did something stupid and her former teacher saw fit to punish her. Even back then the man was sadistic bastard.
"Anyway, what have you got for me? Anything of value?"
"Nothing all that important. The guy's nothing more than a bandit from a small gang. Robbed and killed a few people here, terrorized a village or two there, but he and his buddies are no one important. Just some unnoteworthy pricks terrorizing merchants and whatnot. The usual stuff," a bored Anko explained. "Oh, and something about him accidentally overhearing when their next move was gonna be."
"You could have just said that part you know," Ibiki deadpanned.
"Still pissed, Ibiki," Anko dismissed it and then told him where the gang was going to attack next. "If you need me, I'll be getting some R&R, and by need me, I mean it better be worth my fucking time."
"Heard you the first time, Anko," Ibiki got the idea and waved her off, "Before you go, Hokage-sama said he wanted me to remind you that you're to meet him tomorrow morning at nine."
"Great," Anko drawled. As much as she respected and admired the Sandaime she was still pissed at what the academy was currently turned into. Sure, the man told her about his theory but he could have caught on much earlier in her mind. "Might as well go see what the gaki's up to."
(Back in the Dungeon)
"Katon: Inka no Jutsu (Fire Release: Shadow Fire Technique)!" Naruto exhaled the demonic flames once more and was happy to see creature finally fall.
"Okay, next one," Naruto muttered and prepared himself. Luck had not been kind to him after the initial encounter. When the bear chased him, Naruto had been unfortunate in bumping into another one. Anko had said one of the things he needed to work on was being more aware of his surroundings; he'd not have lost almost a little over eight hundred HP if he had.
"HURRGHHH!" the boar growled and rushed Naruto once more but this time the boy was prepared and used the Kawarimi to switch himself with a small fallen log that was ripped to shreds. However, the act also served to cover its body with the Unstable Cocktail, its body burning and licked by the flames.
God bless the log.
"Ryoku Boku (Power Strike)!" jumping from his hiding place, Naruto smashed his weapon on the bear's face that ended its existence, but not before he was caught by a wild swing that had the air rushing from his lungs.
"Ugh," Naruto groaned and was once again thankful that the Gamer's Body would allow him to heal from this and prevent his body from developing bruises. However, Naruto couldn't sleep now and was forced to use up supplies to ensure his HP didn't go too low.
"I. Hate. Bears." Naruto said as he bandaged up his form with one of his [First-Aid Kits].
The bears were gone but both had taken a decent amount of health away from him before they were defeated. Big as a bear was, the beasts were quicker than expected due to the [Shingeki (Charge)] ability. Naruto had not anticipated that but should have given his experience. In games, bears and boars were usually classified as a [Tank], creatures or beings that were capable of dishing out decent damage but their forte truly shined when they were taking blows that other creatures normally couldn't.
A downside was that they weren't overly quick, but some of them could learn a skill, such as [Shingeki (Charge)] or [Tosshin (Dash)], that granted them an incredible speed boost. In [Shingeki (Charge's)] case, this allowed them to not only close the gap between their target with little warning, though only within a certain distance, but had the chance to cause the status effect [Dazed], too. As such, the bear used that opportunity to land in some decent blows.
"Best I keep a distance from em," Naruto had every intention of facing the bears if encountered, but even then, he couldn't help but chide himself for such a newbie-like stunt. With his HP back to a reasonable amount, Naruto got up to collect his loot and continue his dungeon crawl, but stopped when [Detect Killing Intent] pinged up and warned him of a foe closing in from behind.
|Negative Intent Detected! Distance: Three Meters!|
"OH, GET LOST!" Naruto barked suddenly. To his surprise, the charging boar began to shiver in place. "What the?"
|Congratulation! A special skill has been created due to a special act! Due your intense desire to scare the living daylights of another being, you have learned the [Intimidation] skill!|
|Intimidation. Lv 1. 7% to Next Lv| Skill Modifier: CHA [C] Mastering Speed: D|. A skill similar to the more advanced [Killing Intent Skill] that allows you to utilize a form of intimidation upon another to the point it negatively affects them depending on the circumstances. Currently at its lowest level, upon being upgraded and fully mastered, the skill can result in several negative statuses. Effects wear off when struck. |CP Cost: None|
· Success rate to cause [Startled] status effect [31% + (CHA *1)] +/- [(Caster Level – Victim Level)] + [Victim's (WIS *1)]
· Success rate to cause [Scared] status effect [1% + (CHA *1)] +/- [(Caster Level – Victim Level)] + [Victim's (WIS *1)]
· Success rate to cause [Catatonic] status effect [-31% + (CHA * 1)] +/- [(Caster Level – Victim Level)] + [Victim's (WIS *1)]
· Victim affected for 1 second + [(.5 Seconds) x (CHA *.5)]
|SPECIAL NOTE! SKILL UPDATE!|
Due to you learning the [Intimidation Skill], for each level of your [Intimidation Skill] an additional 1% success rate will be added to your [Killing Intent Skill].
Further information on the [Killing Intent Skill] has been revealed!
"Nice!" Naruto grinned and brandished his weapon to end the swine's existence.
"Arf!"
"BUHI!"
"...Uh... What?" Naruto could only watch as a small, tiger-striped puppy jump into the boar's back and began biting the beast like no tomorrow. Not that it would do much given the little guy's low level.
Status Window
Name: Lost Ninken Pup
Job: Ninken (Ninja Dog)
Level: 3 Next Level: 89/1400
HP: 225
CP: 175
STR: 6
VIT: 9
DEX: 11
INT: 3
WIS: 6
CHA: 2
LUK: 15
Defense: 0
Specialization:
None
Special Perks:
Ninja Dog: Human Lifespan, Ability to Mold Chakra, Potential to speak human language (INT currently not high enough)
Perks
Komainu Lineage (Guard Dog) [Lv1]: +1 VIT per Lv, +20% Effectiveness, EXP & Power towards [Biting Skills], [Physical Damage] Reduced by 10%, -10% Effectiveness and EXP towards [Movement Speed], "?"
Akita Lineage (Tracking Dog) [Lv1]: +1 DEX per Lv, +20% Effectiveness and EXP towards [Tracking Skill], +20% Effectiveness and EXP towards [Stealth Skill], +10% towards [Movement Speed]
Keen-Senses [Lv 1]: +35% Effectiveness towards [Detection Skill], -45% Effectiveness towards enemy [Henge Skill]
Description: A two-year-old ninja dog with Komainu blood in his veins. While possessing great potential like his cousin Akamaru, this young pup, like most Komainu pups, require a good amount of discipline. Whilst difficult to train in the beginning, they are fiercely loyal and protective of their owners and partners.
"What's an Inuzuka pup doing in a dungeon of all places?" Naruto wondered; he got his answer moments later.
|QUEST ALERT!|
Keep Him Safe, Keep Him Alive
Main Quest: Ensure the safety of the Lost Ninken and return him to the Inuzuka Clan
Side Quest: Ensure the Lost Ninken doesn't suffer from the [Unconscious] status effect
Main Quest Completion: +2000 EXP, +500 Reputation towards [Inuzuka Clan] & [Lost Ninken], [?]
Side Quest Completion: +1000 EXP, +250 Reputation towards [Inuzuka Clan] & [Lost Ninken]
Failure: 200 EXP, Lost Ninken's potential death or suffering from [Crippled] Flaw, -500 Reputation towards [Inuzuka Clan] & [Lost Ninken]
Accept? (Yes/No)
Special Note: Quest is optional but may not be taken later if declined!
"Meh. EXP is EXP," plus the question marks were beneficial one way or another. Moving into action, Naruto appeared in front of the now thrashing boar and bashed its face with [Seishoyo] and [Power Strike]. Despite the boar's face suddenly crashing into the ground, the young ninken still held firm to its back. Naruto had to give it credit where credit was due; the little puppy was tenacious.
"Doton: Doran (Earth Release: Earth Riot)!" with its face still floored to the earth, the boar received the full brunt of the technique's unforgiving assault and found itself suffering from the [Bleeding] and [Slow] status effects.
However, despite its injuries, the boar was not out just yet and Naruto had to dodge to the left to avoid being gored. Unfortunately, the sudden action had him trip over a boulder and forced the air from his lungs from the impact to his back.
"Shit!"
The boar took this chance to charge in quickly and crashed head first into the downed blonde. Its actions proved fruitless when smoke impaired its vision and a log replaced Naruto's form.
"Sucker! Ryoku Boku (Power Strike)!" a studded and burning club crashed into the boar's face. The swine went on to suffer even more misfortune as fire cloaked its injured form, curtesy of the [Burning] debuff.
"Arf!" cried the little pup, unprepared for the sudden immolation, who was forced to let go of his prey. The boar squealed in pain and bucked like a wild stallion as it tried to rid itself of the flames. The action proved futile and allowed Naruto to finish it off with his next move.
"Katon: Inka (Fire Release: Shadow Fire)!"
A ball of fire expelled from Naruto's mouth before it twisted and shifted into a demonic visage. Once again Naruto swore the fire resembled that of a vicious, snarling fox with rows of wicked unforgiving teeth. The boar stood no chance and was soon nothing more than particles of light that symbolized its defeat.
With the boar defeated, Naruto looked to the small ninken to ensure it wasn't hurt too badly. The only problem with his action was that the small dog was now nowhere to be seen.
"Oh! Give me a big fat bre-OUCH!" had birds been present, Naruto's shout would have made them fly for safety. Looking back, the young boy discovered that the source of his pain came from a small little pup gnawing on his backside.
"You little shit! I save yer life and this is the thanks I get?" the pup only answered by biting even harder. "Ow! Let go, you ass!"
Grabbing the little dog proved difficult given where it was situated and trying to pull it off proved just as hard. Komainu, even as puppies, had formidable jaw strength; the strongest amongst dog breeds. Healthy, strong adults surging with adrenaline and chakra had a bite force that could match or exceed those of Numa no Kuni's giant crocodiles: beasts that could bite through thick reinforced steel under the right conditions. The blond was fortunate that the young puppy was nowhere near that level of strength just yet but even then, his current bite force was greater than the average dog.
"Let go, damn it! I just got these!" Naruto barked; the ninken held on firmly, "You asked for it!"
Frrrt!
|Congratulations! A specia-|
"Nope!" Naruto stopped the rest of the message; he had no intention of wanting to know what was gonna pop up. That was a line even he wouldn't cross.
Ignoring that for now, Naruto laughed as the foul odor assaulted the young ninken's nose, its eyes watering comically in the process, one that proved too much even for the stubborn canine to continue chewing his tender backside.
"Arf! Arf!" the young creature hacked and tried to scratch away the horrible smell that burned his nose to no avail. The puppy even tried rubbing his face into the dirt too, but even that failed to do anything.
Whilst it was distracted, Naruto grabbed the little troublemaker by the scruff of his neck, "Gotcha!" he declared triumphantly. His victory proved short-lived, as a warm, yellow, liquid-by-product hit his face dead center. By the time the stream stopped, a tick marked Naruto looked at the small dog with utter loathing.
"You're really starting to push my buttons there, mutt!" Naruto growled, and then spat out the lingering piss that dribbled down his face. The young pup had a smirk, but it didn't last long, and was quickly replaced by a tearful one the instant Naruto struck his head with a well-placed punch.
"Whine."
"Okay, some ground rules, you little bastard," Naruto began, "Rule number one: you wanna live and get outta here, you listen to me!"
"Arf!"
Naruto didn't speak ninken – or dog, really – but even he knew that he had just been insulted, "Rule number two: speaking out of term will get you neutered," two kunai, one in each hand, suddenly appeared and Naruto formed them into a make-shift scissor.
The young ninken was smart enough to know what neutered symbolized, as Naruto noticed the puppy began to shiver and it even looked as though it was crossing its legs, its tail in between them.
"Three: you need a name. Sure, as hell ain't gonna call you mutt all the time," Naruto got annoyed by Anko always referring to him as 'gaki', and had no intention of doing it himself, "Okay, what to call y– Hey!"
"Arf!" grabbed by the scruff once again, the dog barked once more after his failed escape attempt. Once more did the pooch try to urinate on his captor, but Naruto was prepared.
"You hot-headed little shit!" Naruto was sorely tempted to move forward with his neutering threat. Had the piss struck him again he'd have not given a damn of the consequences.
"Hotto," Naruto suddenly declared, "Till we get outta here, yer name's Hotto."
"Grr," the newly named Hotto growled.
"Don't like it? Well, tough shit," the little pain in his ass would have to deal with it. Ignoring him for now but still keeping an eye on him from the corner of it, Naruto began collecting the dropped loot.
"Arf!"
"What now?" Naruto asked out loud, loot still in hand, and noticed he somehow had Hotto's attention. The little dog was leaning forward as he sat on his hindquarters and eagerly sniffing in his direction.
"Huh?" it dawned on him a moment later and Narut began moving the piece of boar meat to one side; he watched as the pup followed its movement. Moving it in another direction, the Gamer watched Hotto lick his nose.
"Mhrmm," was the sound that escaped him.
"Did you just beg?!" Naruto couldn't help himself, "Hey, wait a minute."
Realizing this could work in his favor, Naruto tested out what was going through his mind, "Come!"
The pup easily complied.
"Sit!"
Once more it complied with the command.
"Lie down," this time not so much, only doing it part way before coming back up. Naruto repeated the order more forcefully this time and Hotto did in fact lie down.
"Fetch!" issuing another verbal command, Naruto watched as the little ninken ran after the tossed piece of wild pork meat. The canine pounced on it with gutso, and for something so small Hotto managed to eat it rather quickly.
|Your reputation with [Hotto] has gone up by 25!|
"Want another?" Naruto asked and got a bark in response. The boy was hopeful he could milk this newly discovered feature for all its worth, "Okay, pooch. Here's what we're gonna do."
(Sometime Later)
"Buu! Buu!" cried the small little creature that came running from the bush.
"Arf! Arf!" and right behind it was Hotto, who barked as he came running out of the underbrush like a flock of bats out of a cave.
"BUUUUU!" and hot on his heels was a large wild pig that ignored getting its face smacked and injured by the foliage as it charged after its target. The larger of the wild animals, however, didn't make it too far before it fell into a large hole filled with earthen spears.
|Bleeding Status Effect: Succeeded!|
|Slow Status Effect: Succeeded!|
"Ah, the good ole tried and true leaf covered trap pit. Gets 'em every time," a voice from above drew the trapped beast's attention. Now standing over the hole with the stuck pig, Naruto bore a nasty grin that had the boar shaking with fear.
""Whelp, time to fry piggy. Katon: Inka (Fire Release: Shadow Fire)!" demonic balls of fire soared through the air before they made contact with their target. With nowhere to run and the hole too deep for it to move, it was over for it within minutes of repetitive use of the fire ninjutsu.
"Buu! Buu!"
"Arf!"
Looking over his shoulder, Naruto snorted at the scene before him. Hotto was chasing the little piglet around a tree and his continuous efforts and barking were scaring the little thing to death. The boy decided to put it out of its misery with a well-placed Ryoku Boku.
Whack!
|Congratulation! You learned the [Saigeki (Crushing Strike) Skill]!|
|Saigeki (Crushing Strike). Lv 1. 0% to Next Lv|. Skill Modifier: STR [D] Mastering Speed: C| A skill that allows the user to land a crippling blow on the target's limbs that will not only harm but can momentarily impair the victim's movement. CP Usage: 80
· Increases blunt weapon damage by 21% + (STR *.5) = 32%
· Success rate to cause [Slow] status effect [31% + (STR *.5) +/- [(Caster Level – Victim Level) + Victim's (VIT)]
· Impairs movement for 2.5 seconds + [(.5 Seconds) x (STR *.5)] +/- [(Caster Level – Victim Level) + Victim's (VIT)]
But the loss of its 'playmate' didn't seem to bother Hotto who continued running around the tree and barking. Naruto stifled a laugh and wondered how long it would take for the ninken to realize what it was chasing was gone.
Sitting down and taking out some food to heal himself, Naruto had to admit the tactics he'd been using worked fairly well. Naruto would either make a trap, Hotto would aggro the creatures with his barks and then lead them to said traps, or Hotto would distract the creatures while Naruto struck while their attention was focused on the ninken.
It certainly had its risks; Hotto was at a much lower level compared to the dungeon creatures and there had been a couple of close calls due to the little shit going off script, but all and all the tactics had worked well for them both.
However, it was clear to Naruto that Hotto needed more than a few points added to his INT. It took him nearly two minutes before the tiger stripped ninken noticed the lack of prey.
"Hrm?" confused as to where his prey had disappeared to, Hotto began sniffing around to find out what happened, but such thoughts were ignored the moment a piece of boar meat landed in front of him.
"Okay, so that makes twelve Wild Boars, eight Mature Boars, a little over half a dozen Piglets and five Mama Boars,"Naruto recalled as he put away the loot.
"Arf!"
"Huh? Oh, right. And those Honey Bears and that Queen Bee," that last one had been tricky since it was a flyer and quick. Attack wise the Queen Bee didn't deal much but it was one of those creatures that had moves and minions that interrupted one from focusing and landing a proper blow. Its speed coupled with its ability to poison him had made it an annoying creature to deal with.
While Naruto had expected a decent drop from a monster like that, his hopes had been dashed when all he got was something called [Royal Jelly]instead. The ninja in training had been irked even more, facing that thing and getting a lousy drop had not been worth the trouble. It was like fighting a rarespawn but you all you got was something you couldn't really use nor was it something that anyone else wanted.
"Boss better give me something decent," the experience points were nice and all, but Naruto would hate going through all this and not get something of material value. Bringing up the requirements, Naruto was happy to see he more than met them.
|You must defeat the following enemies to face the Dungeon Boss|
Mandatory Enemies
Wild Boars (12/10)
Mature Boars (8/5)
Piglets (7/3)
Mama Boars (5/3)
Optional Enemies
Honey Bears (6/2)
Queen Bee (1/1)
You have exceeded the requirements needed to face the Dungeon Boss!
Additional loot will be rewarded pending Dungeon Boss' defeat!
Enemy defeat count, minimum or exceeded amount, will reset back to zero upon entering!
"Great. Now I just gotta find it," fortunately this wasn't like the Zombie Dungeon that had the boss appear out of nowhere and gave him little time to prepare or recuperate.
"Arf! Arf! Grrr!"
"Oh, what now," Naruto could only imagine the trouble Hotto managed to get himself into this time. The ninken was smart enough to remember the number of creatures they faced but not smart enough to known not to go off on his own. The stubborn ninken could handle himself against the Piglets since their levels were close to his own, but a good solid hit from another creature and goodbye doggy.
"Hotto! Where are you, ya little," Naruto grumbled. After this was over, he'd have to get Anko to teach him the [Detect Presence Skill].
"Wait a minute," Naruto put that thought on hold. Jumping up the nearest tree and looking over the wide expense of bush and trees, Naruto focused his attention and tried picturing himself in locating the small ninken.
Congratulation! A special skill has been created through a special act!|
|Through the act of trying to locate beings around you, you've gained the active [Detect Presence] skill!|
|Detect Presence: Lv 1. 14% to Next Lv| Skill Modifier: WIS [D]. Mastering Speed: D| A skill that allows you to detect certain presences in the area around you. Current level does not allow you to pinpoint the location of certain targets.
• Allows you to detect presences within 5 meters + (WIS * .5)
Naruto didn't need to be told twice and moved towards Hotto's location. Fortunately, no other creatures could be sensed in the area and Naruto grinned like mad as the pup's location just happened to be near the dungeon boss' den. A muddy hole in a small slope surrounded by large trees and underbrush. A bellow from the den was heard the moment he landed; Hotto Naruto saw was shaking like a leaf, his tail tucked between his legs. He was scared.
"Can't blame him," Naruto was a tad nervous, too. Not so much for himself, but dungeon bosses were a different breed of monster.
After ordering Hotto to go and hide, Naruto prepared himself as best he could as he waited for the arrival of the boss. He had no intention of losing this time like he did against the Legion Zombie.Bosses were tough and had skill sets differed from their minions. For some all it would take was a good blow and Naruto would be left in a very bad situation; Hotto would be toast.
But even then, Naruto could only imagine the loot he'd get from defeating it. The enemies of this dungeon didn't drop any money, which wasn't uncommon for non-humanoid like monsters, but bosses were usually the exception. He didn't know how much he'd get from his previous auction; it would take quite some time before he learned of anything, and much of the loot he got were mostly used to enhance non-combative skills or skills he lacked. His CP and HP were high, but didn't do him much good with the limited amount of skills he had. Naruto needed the money to branch out his low repertoire.
When Naruto noticed that several moments had passed, still keeping his guard up, Naruto moved in closer and on instincts brought up his weapon. What he saw made him faceplant; he felt like a real idiot then and there.
|Would you like to enter the Dungeon Boss Area?|
(Yes/No)
Grumbling to himself, Naruto pressed on [Yes] and then all hell broke loose from the burrow. The earth shook a bit, not enough to make him lose balance, but enough to know that whatever was coming was big and heavy. Dirt, mud and grass were thrown up in the air as indeed something large and dirty came charging out. Naruto's eyes widened considerably as the largest and by far the ugliest boar he had ever seen came running out and release a huge bellowing cry.
"Holy shit that bitch is big! This thing's almost as tall as a small house," he mentally called out [Observe] on the creature.
Status Window
Cantankerous Boss of the Forest "Onishishi" Lv 19
HP: 3250
CP: 1325
STR: 66
VIT: 53
DEX: 47
END: 33
INT: 9
WIS: 4
CHA: 4
LUK: 20
Defense: 46
Special Perks:
Dungeon Boss Blessing [Lv 1]: +1500 HP, +500 CP, +15% towards all Resistances, All Attributes Increased by 15, +10 Defense
Perks:
Hard-Headed [Lv 3]: +65% Resistance towards [Daze] related status effects, +65% Effectiveness and Power towards head-based skills
Tenacious: Ignores negative psychological related status effects such as [Hysteria] or [Frightened] when health drops below 30%, Movement Speed and Power increases by 30% when below 30% health
Thick Hide [Lv 1]: +500 HP, +35 Defense, +25% towards [Taijutsu Resistance], [Bladed Weapons Resistance], and [Blunt Weapons Resistance], +25% towards [Earth Resistance] and [Water Resistance]
Keen-Senses [Lv 5]: +95% Effectiveness towards [Detect Presence Skill], Immune to [Henge] Skill
Flaws:
Impaired [Vision]: -50% Accuracy and Effectiveness towards all skills that rely on vision
Sensitivity [Nose]: Highly sensitive to scent-based techniques
Description: The saying 'The Hunted has become the Hunter' greatly applies to this scarred and gigantic pig. With a thick hide covered with various stuck weapons, standing over ten feet tall and fourteen feet in length, strong muscles, and jagged tusks capable of skewering even trees, this boar will make even the most experienced hunters cower in fear. Many new and would be hunters have challenged this boar both as a rite of passage and to gain recognition only to meet their end at the hands of this magnificently large beast.
EXP Earned: ?
Drops: ?, ?, ?
"Uh-oh," Naruto didn't like what he was seeing at the moment and glad he ordered Hotto to stay behind. Sure, Naruto was excited at the prospect of facing the boss because it was good experience but even then, he still didn't expect a low-level boss to be like this.
"Look at that STR and DEX," while most creature's this size would normally have high STR and VIT and be relatively slow, in this case, however, Naruto knew that the creature wasn't going to be sluggish. Fear never took a hold of him as his [Gamer's Mind] kicked in and Naruto began to think clearly. Looking at the boss, Naruto noted the saving grace in all this was the boss's poor eyesight. One eye was closed shut, a wicked scar jutting down from its forehead to its right eye and snout and had pus surrounding it. Its other eye while open was a milky white color.
Seeing it sniff the air for him, and rather than wait for it to charge at him, the boy decided to take the initiative. Grabbing one of his [Unstable Cocktails], Naruto threw the bottle and was happy to see it striking right on the shnoz. It was a critical hit and the creature not only became covered in flames but was suffering from the [Poisoned] debuff, too.
"Well, that worked out nicely," the boy commented dryly. But despite his small victory, the boar charged at him with speeds that put his minions to shame.
Jumping into a nearby tree before it reached him, Naruto used Shadow Fire but overshot his target. Naruto cursed and followed up with another that struck home, but the beasts didn't seem bothered by it and smashed into the tree. It shook violently and while it remained rooted, Naruto made note not to get hit by that thing; the force behind it was likely enough to not only take away a good chunk of health even with him blocking it but send him well over a dozen meters away into something unpleasant.
"Good thing I didn't fall," that would not have been pleasant.
The boy's thoughts were cut short as the tree began to shudder violently once again. Looking down Naruto spotted the boss ramming its head against the tree and judging by the fact that the roots were being uprooted meant his current location was no longer safe.
Unfortunately, the nearest tree was too far away for him to jump and would require him sprinting for his life. Waiting until the boss charged once again, Naruto jumped just as the tree could no longer withstand the onslaught of the boar and dashed with all he had.
Naruto only made it half way there before Onishishi crashed into him with all the force of an exploding tag, but the boy's body was replaced with a log covered in [Poor-Grade Exploding Tags] that blew up in his face. Naruto's dungeon grinding in the Zombie Dungeon had paid off big time in that regard. They weren't the best of the Exploding Tags and they were still rare drops, but he had managed to get well over a baker's dozen of them. And at one hundred and fifteen points in damage per tag, five of them together took away a decent amount of health.
"Ninpo: Goriki (Ninja Art: Hard Strength)!" Naruto declared and then followed up with a Saigeki (Crushing Strike) that hit it with all he had on the leg, Naruto hoped that his plan worked.
|Slow Status Effect: Failed!|
It didn't.
Damage was done to the beast, but his plan didn't work nonetheless.
"Of course, it did," Naruto followed up with another strike, and then another, and another while avoiding the pig's wild spins and turns to smack or squish him into red jelly. Doran would have been more ideal, but Naruto's plan was to impair its speed. Its resistance to earth-based techniques not only made it less damaging but its status inducing effects less likely to take hold.
|Slow Status Effect: Failed!|
"Gah!"
As he made to strike once more, Naruto suddenly felt the air leaving his lungs as a strong force struck his stomach and sent him flying and landing hard against the ground, his face striking a large boulder as he rolled away. The action left the boy momentarily dazed before he was struck a second time and sent skidding away into the forest, "Gahhh!"
Finally coming to a stop Naruto got up as quickly as he could and was forced to jump out if the way as the boss came in charging at him at full speed. Naruto was glad he did as he bore witness to the tree behind him being skewered and uprooted and tossed at him.
"Yipes!"
Ducking as quickly as he could, the tree only barely missed him as he tried becoming one with the grass. But by then, Naruto had to get up and jump over charging boar that tried turning him into a shish kabob. And the hell he was gonna die and have to restart this dungeon all over again!
Watching it turn around, Naruto put his hands on the ground and called forth some earthen stalagmites. At its current speed and poor vision, Onishishi crashed into the unforgiving ninja made earth spears. Its resistance to earth techniques didn't do much but striking it as fast as it did and uneven earth formed by the technique had it skidding and tumbling away.
"Katon: Inka no Jutsu (Fire Release: Shadow Fire)!" the demonic looking fire struck true but other than that nothing much happened. Onishishi's high stats along with its perks prevented the status effects from his techniques from occurring.
Seeing it get ready to charge at him once more, Naruto prepared himself. Big, strong, and fast as it was, Onishishi he noticed had trouble with making last minute turns whenever it went at full speed and judging by what occurred moments ago, it had trouble keeping its balance if it tripped over something.
But while knowing this was good and all, Naruto had lost a decent amount of health from it in a short amount of time while Onishishi's health was still almost at two thousand. A quick use of one of his potions had him regain thirty percent of his lost health but Naruto couldn't continue going this route.
"Arf!"
There at the edge of the clearing Naruto saw Hotto barking up a storm; the Gamer paled when Onishishi spotted the little ninken and the aggro effects took hold.
"Arf! Arf!" Hotto barked a few more times and then took off.
"Oh, no," Naruto paled and moved as quickly as he could and lashed out with Saigeki to impede Onishishi's movements.
|Slow Status Effect: Failed!|
"No!" Naruto shouted and only just managed to grab onto the charging boar's back.
With one hand holding onto its back and the other wielding his weapon, Naruto smashed and bashed as much as he could to stop the boar from reaching the stupid ninja dog pup. But his actions didn't pan out like he had hoped.
In an effort to shake him off, Onishishi crashed into trees and boulders, just about anything to get him to stop. Naruto was smacked by branches, flying stone and dirt, and even a glob of mud but still did he not let go of his unwilling mount.
But it all came to an end when Naruto found himself flung from the boss' back and he felt his entire body rattle the instant he struck a very large tree and then fell unceremoniously to the ground with little to no grace.
Whatever HP he recovered was likely almost gone and much more were likely to be lost as Naruto was once again affected by the [Dazed] debuff. However, instead of getting his body smashed to onto a pulp, Naruto instead began hearing the boar boss squeal, snort, and grunt, and to his relief he also the annoying bark of Hotto.
"Oh, thank kami," happy that he was alright, but his little made Naruto vow he was going to get him for this as soon as he was out of the dungeon.
By the time the [Dazed] debuff stopped affecting him, Naruto looked around and smirked. Onishishi had skewered the wrong tree apparently, and he concluded that the beast was stuck and stuck good. The tree shook and groaned but it wasn't going anywhere.
"My turn," Naruto bore a grin that would make Anko proud as he began making a move on his good fortune. Naruto began by taking out his frustration on the stuck pig with his weapon and Ryoku Boku. By the end he had lost count of how many times he struck the dungeon boss and decided to follow up with his most powerful fire technique.
But while his Katon: Inka struck true; Naruto noticed a dark sheen coating the beast's back and hindlegs. Looking at Onishishi's status window, he also believed that his technique had done nothing to the creature.
|Warning! Your technique has been negated by Onishishi's [Doton: Gomogan Tetsuhari no Jutsu (Earth Release: Bristle Rock Iron Needle Technique)]!|
|Doton: Gomogan Tetsuhari no Jutsu(Earth Release: Bristle Rock Iron Needle Technique)!|
A B-Rank defensive earth technique that hardens the hairs of the user to act like tempered armor. While in use the individual is virtually impervious to damage except from the exceptionally strong attack that overpowers the technique or is negated by using a lightning release technique. While in use the user cannot move or the technique will be cancelled.
"What! It knowns ninjutsu?" that wasn't good. It changed everything.
Despite this newfound knowledge, Onishishi remained stuck and had since not moved. Naruto would have thought the boss dead had he not known better. So long as the technique was used, the boar wouldn't be going anywhere and Naruto bet that the moment backed off it would try and free itself and he'd lose his current advantage.
"Great. Just great," Naruto couldn't believe his luck. A perfect way to end a boss and it pulled this crap on him. "Bullshit."
"Arf! Arf!"
"Oh, for the love of... Hotto!" he really wasn't in the mood for any of the pup's stupid stunts.
"Great, so this is how Iruka-sensei feels," ironic karma sucked.
The little pup ignored Naruto, however, and instead lunged at Onishishi. His efforts to bite down on the creature proved fruitless. It was like biting into a chew toy that was anchored down to the floor.
"Hey! What did I say, you little shit," Naruto didn't have to grab the ninken as he released his hold on the boar voluntarily.
"Dummy must have realized he wasn't really doing anything to it," nor would he be able to do anything so long as the technique was in place.
"Arf! Grr!" Naruto lunged for the pup that in all his infinite wisdom decided to go underneath the beast that could flatten him like a noodle.
"Hotto! Get out from under-
"GrrArrff!"
Naruto blinked and could not believe what he saw, "...Oh, you poor bastard."
"BUUUUHWAAAA! BUUUUHWAAAA!"
|Onishishi's Doton: Gomogan Tetsuhari no Jutsu has been negated!|
|MASSIVE CRITICAL HIT HAS OCCURRED!|
"NO SHIT!" Naruto was certain if he had gotten bitten in the balls it would have done the same thing. Frankly, he was glad the pup hadn't done that on their first encounter.
That or he missed and bit his ass instead.
"Great," Naruto drawled. There was a thought he'd could have done without.
But regardless of that, Hotto had given him an opportunity he would not waste. Grabbing two bottles of [Unstable Cocktail], and both were smashed against the boar's side. The action easily took away a thousand HP and reduced its HP well below the thirty percent mark.
From there, Naruto continued to strike at the creature with everything he had and Onishishi was powerless to stop him. All the boar could do was thrash and squeal before finally it all came to an end when Naruto used on last Katon: Inka on the creature.
Disappearing into particles of light, Naruto laughed Hotto fall onto his back and whelp the moment its 'chew toys' disappeared. That was certainly one way to end a boss. Not the most dignified way to do it, nor the most dignified way to die either, but Naruto was a ninja.
"Who cares. So long as I win," were Naruto's thoughts.
"Arf!" looking at Hotto, Naruto could only shake his head.
"You, my pain in the ass, are gonna have a little talk to later," but for Naruto went to collect his well-earned loot. One of which confused him, "Okay, what?"
Onishishi's Head
Item Type: Quest Item
Durability: One-Time Use
Description: The head of the infamous boar Onishishi. The head of the strong and illusive boar that warranted the attention of Konoha and forced someone in the village to place a D-Rank bounty on the creature's head. Use this as proof of you putting an end to him.
[QUEST ALERT!]
Bounty: Onishishi
Main Quest: Collect Onishishi's bounty from whoever placed the bounty!
Main Quest Completion: 1100 EXP, 35,000 Ryo
Accept?
(Yes/No)
"Wait, what! This guy was only worth a low D-Rank bounty?" Naruto thought in disbelief. Either this meant that D-Rank bounties were stronger than he thought them to be, or Naruto was really lagging behind. For now, Naruto decided to accept the quest as while the experience points were low every little bit helped and the cash bounty was a good welcome too. Next, Naruto looked at the other loot that had been dropped.
Tusked Key
Item Type: Dungeon Key
Durability: One-Time Use
Description: A key made from one of Onishishi's tusks. Unlocks the dungeon's treasure chest.
"Sweet!" Naruto eagerly grabbed the key and stored it away and then made his way over the last drop.
Minor Grade Soulstone of the Boar
Item Type: Enhancement Item
Durability: One-Time Use
Description: The concentrated energies of a decently strong creature resides within this stone that are just begging to be released. Using this item will increase your attributes and give you a new skill.
Buffs/Perks: +5 VIT and [Detect Presence Skill [Lv 5]
Note: If the granted skill is already learned, it will instead increase by five levels. Skills cannot be increased beyond maximum level.
"Hells yeah!" Naruto couldn't believe his luck and immediately used the gem on himself. While [Detect Presence] wasn't the greatest skill in the world, Naruto at least wouldn't have to wander off aimlessly when he needed to find someone. The fact that he already had it meant it increased immediately to level six, another bonus.
With nothing else left, Naruto grabbed Hotto so he wouldn't wander off and made his way towards Onishishi's den. If games taught him anything, it was that treasure chests from conquering a dungeon were usually near the boss' lair. His reasoning proved to be correct, a fairly large chest was inside the muddy den. Using the key, which disappeared soon after, Naruto couldn't wait to see what goodies were inside.
And his hopes weren't dashed.
"Jackpot!"
Chichizouge (Bloody Ivory) – Rare Quality
Item Type: Bladed Weapon
Item Modifier Rank: STR
Durability: 90/90
Description: A very sturdy bone blade made from the tusk of Onishishi. As the years went by and Onishishi became strong so did the deadliness of his tusks. The blade is white and streaked with red as the tusks became permanently stained with the blood of its victims, to which the true power of this weapon comes from its ability to use the blood it has soaked up over the years. Though similar to a zanbato, the blade is too small and light to be categorized as one. Regardless, the weapon still requires a substantial amount of strength for it to be properly used.
Attack Power: 58-77
Bonus Perks: [Vampire: Lv 1], [Sundering: Lv 1]
Unique Weapon Skills: [Kettozan (Blade of Blood)]
Fuinjutsu Slots Available: [One Major Slot], [Two Minor Slots]
Usage Requirement: 65 STR, Basic Bladed Weapon Mastery
Tsuchi no Kagi (Earth Key) - Very Rare Quality
Item Type: Quest Item
Durability: One-Time Use
Description: A special key found in the dungeon chest of Training Ground One. What its current use is for is currently unknown.
Fuinjutsu: Bakuchiku Scroll
Fuinjutsu: Bakuchiku (Sealing Technique: Firecracker) D-Rank. Lv MAX.| Skill Modifier: END [D] Mastering Speed: D| Originally developed as a prank, this basic fuinjutsu when applied to a weapon or piece of armor can be used to convert chakra and recreate the effects of a loud explosive firework. While the technique doesn't really do any harm, it was discovered that it served well to interrupt or stun its target long enough for the user to perform whatever action they require. This technique is especially effective when used against beasts and has a high chance of putting them into a state of fear. CP Usage: 85|
· Success rate to cause [Stunned] status effect [41% + (END *.50) + Affinity Bonus + Perks] +/- [(Caster Level – Victim Level) + Victim's (WIS *1)]
· Success rate to cause [Scared] status effect [41% + (END *.50) + Affinity Bonus + Perks] +/- [(Caster Level – Victim Level) + Victim's (WIS *1)]
· Success rate to cause [Frightened] status effect [11% + (END *.50) + Affinity Bonus + Perks] +/- [(Caster Level – Victim Level) + Victim's (WIS *1)
Special Note: The [Scared]and [Frightened] status effects only apply to certain targets!
Usage Requirements: Basic Fuinjutsu Mastery
"Aw, man," awesome as the weapon was, Naruto's STR didn't met the requirements for him to use it. Even with Goriki he was still twenty-five points short. And the boy had yet to learn Fuinjutsu, he'd have to get someone to do it for him.
The only saving grace of it all was the ten-thousand ryo he collected from the treasure chest and the [Earth Key]. All in all, an okay haul but nothing Naruto could use at the moment. As soon as he done putting the items away, the Gamer was greeted by a multitude of pop-up messages.
Skills Level Up List
Observe [Lv 6 ~ Lv 7]
Intimidation [Lv 1]
Basic Blunt Weapons Mastery [Lv 4 ~ Lv 6]
Basic Blade Weapons Mastery [Lv 3]
Saigeki [Lv 1 ~ Lv 3]
Ryoku Boku [Lv 3 ~ Lv 4]
Kagekoku [Lv 1]
Hidama [Lv 4]
Inka [Lv 1~ Lv 4]
Doran [Lv 1~ Lv 3]
|QUEST ALERT!|
Training Grounds Conqueror!
Main Quest: Conquer Training Grounds One to Five!
Side Quest: Collect dungeon keys from Training Grounds One to Five!
Hidden Quest: ?
Main Quest Completion: +1500 EXP and 1 AP Per Dungeon Conquered (1/5)
Side Quest Completion: +750 EXP Per Key Collected (1/5)
Hidden Quest Completion: ?
(Yes/No)
Special Note: Quest is optional but may not be taken later if declined!
Quest must be completed before Genin Exam!
Naruto easily accepted the quest and then contemplated the next pop up when asked if he wanted to continue to Training Ground Two. Tempted as it was, Hotto needed to be brought home and he couldn't afford anything happening to the little goof.
Naruto knew he needed to leave now, restock, and train some more before going to the next level. He had defeated the boss sure but it hadn't been easy as he thought it would be, nor was he really able to put the training he had gained from Hayate to good use seeing as he lacked a sword and the proper speed. The next level he had no doubt would be that more difficult, they usually were. Hell, he didn't even get to level up!
So, no. Naruto wasn't going into another dungeon just yet. Even if it meant he'd have to wait before being allowed to go back in again. Pressing on [No], Naruto and Hotto were greeted by a brilliant flash and left the dungeon and found themselves outside Training Ground One. Only now, the training ground had a timer on it that only he could see.
"Might as well go and wash up," before someone made herself known.
"There you are, Naruto-san. Anko-chan has been looking for you for the last hour," Midori told him.
"Hour?" it hadn't felt that long to him really but then again time flew by rather quickly whenever he played video games. The boy had lost count of the many occasions where he lost track of time whenever he was playing his games.
"Hey, gaki, where the hell were you?" Anko said behind him.
"Gahh! Will you stop doing that?!" Naruto shouted and wondered why his detection ability hadn't sensed her. Naruto guessed it probably had to do with how high her levels were amongst other things.
"I'm the one asking the questions here, gaki," Anko ignored his shouting and gave him a look over, "What happened to you? Get in tussle with a boar or something," she joked.
"How'd you know?" he was genuinely surprised.
The woman merely gave him a look, "I didn't … you know what never mind. So, how'd it go?" she had an inkling the boy went into one of those dungeons things like last time.
"Pretty well," he said.
"I haven't known you that long, Gaki, but I can tell you're bluffing so spill," being an interrogator, and one of Konoha's bests, Anko knew how to pick up lies and while Naruto could fool some it wouldn't work on her.
"Damn it," he groaned, "I won, but it wasn't easy, ya happy?"
"Yep," the woman smirked, "Find anything... What's with the mutt?"
"Arf!"
"Long story," Naruto told her.
"And I got time to kill, so spill," she more or less ordered.
Naruto could only groan. Right now, all he wanted to do was turn in the mutt and take a shower. Was that so hard to ask?
Legend of the Kyuubi
Making the rounds.
- Joined
- Sep 14, 2026
- Messages
- 35
Chapter 8: Just a Boring Day
Naruto rarely got tired, a boon that the boy would come to realize was a result of his perks, as such the exercises that came from the academy and dealing with enemies in low level dungeons barely gave him a sweat unless he went all out along with doing so non-stop.
But after only little over three hours of doing the unaccustomed exercises Hayate had him go through, Naruto was starting to sweat. A three-hour workout was nothing for Naruto, by now he would barely have any perspiration on his form. Quickly did Hayate conclude that Naruto wasn't any ordinary academy student and decided to modify and ramp up the level of intensity. And the punishment that came with it.
"Overswung!" Hayate barked and unleashed a flurry of swings too fast for the academy student to block.
"Crap!" was Naruto's cry, his back impacting the grass once more; he had given up counting the amount of times he found himself in this position.
"Again!"
From the sidelines with her Anbu friend, Anko watched the scene unfold before her, "Sadistic bastard."
"Tell me about it," Yugao nodded, "But it gets result. Besides, I thought you wanted him to go-"
"No, I mean, the ballerina's being a tough as nails mentor who gives no mercy," Anko cut her friend off.
"... Yeah, so?"
"That's my schtick!" Anko whined; the rest of the group sweat dropped.
"Timing was off!"
"No fair! I was distracted!... Oh, crap," Naruto couldn't stop his words on time.
"Oh, boy."
"Oh, goodie!"
Naruto didn't hesitate to run for his life. Being distracted was a huge negative in the ninja way of life. Pretending to be distracted was one thing, but to actually be distracted was another. At best, bad injuries or you lucked out of any serious harm. At worst, it meant crippling injuries or death. Anko and Hayate were trying their hardest to beat that sense into Naruto's already dense skull.
Literally.
"I love this part," Anko laughed, ignoring the fact that her ward was being beaten into cake mix.
"There is something seriously wrong with you, Anko," Yugao stated for what she felt was the millionth time.
Anko merely shrugged, "Proud of it and I've heard worse."
"AAAAAHHHHH!"
Half an hour later, Naruto was on one knee and panting but he had managed to get the exercise done. Gulping down the water he was given, Naruto sighed in relief when Hayate announced that they were done for the day.
"Oh, hell ain't over yet, Gaki," was Anko's soul crushing announcement, "Next is your session with Hana," Naruto honestly believed the woman's smirk should be made illegal.
"You're enjoying this way too much, dattebayo," was all Naruto could say.
"Meh. We all find our pleasures somewhere."
"Try masturbating," said Naruto, hoping to throw the woman off. Judging by their expressions, it certainly worked on both Hayate and Yugao.
"Not pleasurable enough. Even with t–"
"Okay! You win!" Naruto cried defeat; his plan failed.
"Yeeeaaahhh...We're just gonna go," a red faced Yugao announced and vanished alongside her lover.
Anko merely laughed at her friend's expense before refocusing on her ward, "You're a long way away before you're in my league, kiddo. Good try though. Haven't seen Neko-chan that red in a while. Well, at any rate, up and at 'em."
Naruto merely sighed as both he and Anko made their way to the Inuzuka compound. Living with a ninken was different to say the least. Not bad, but different. Naruto had plants he watered and took care of but this was a completely different scenario for him.
Unlike regular dogs, ninken not only needed food that offered a lot more sustenance but also required a lot more daily exercise or one ran the risk of them becoming rowdy and discontent. Not doing so made controlling them, a chore on itself, even more difficult. It couldn't be just regular exercises that normal dogs did either, which was why Tsume had picked her daughter Hana to show him the ropes as thanks for returning Hotto.
As a result of his new responsibilities, coupled with the new training from multiple parties and the academy buckling down on their soon to be graduates, Naruto found himself with even less free time than before. Thinking back on it, all this occurred .
(Flashback; Three Weeks Ago)
"Ahahahahaha!"
"Yeah, yeah. Laugh it up," Naruto grumbled. While his fight against Onishishi hadn't been the most efficient or smoothest of wins, it had been a win nonetheless. And to a ninja, that's all that really counted.
"I...I...Bwahahaha!" unable to make a clear sentence, Anko continued laughing. The woman's laughter went on for nearly five minutes before she managed to gain some semblance of control. However, even then Anko release small chortles here and there.
"Ha...Ha...Okay," Anko cleared her throat but the smile never left her face.
"You good?" Naruto asked the older ninja.
"Oh, more than good," while it looked like she was about to start another laughing fit, Anko managed to control herself, "So … Find anything good?"
Despite knowing it was a deflection, Naruto took it regardless, "Yeah, this sword."
"Overcompensating much?" she said upon seeing the overly large blade, "Can you even use it?"
Naruto's frown was all she needed to know her answer but the boy replied regardless, "Not yet. But I did get this," here he showed her Onishishi's head.
"Holy crap! Talk about fugly!" Anko shouted at the sight of the enormous boar's head that appeared. "Should I be worried by the fact you're carrying around a dead boar's head?"
"It's the head of Onishishi. It's needed to complete a quest. A D-Rank Bounty," Naruto explained.
"A Bounty? Huh? Never would have thought. Well, seeing as how it's a boar we should head on over to the Inuzuka Clan compound. Most of the time it's them that deal with animal bounties cuz they're experts on them and chakra mutations. Gotta return that mutt of theirs, too," Anko told him.
"Shouldn't I take a shower first?" Naruto felt like he could use one.
"Am I hot and sexy?" she asked.
"Yes," Naruto blurted out without thinking.
|Your reputation with Anko has increased by 150!|
"Awww, aren't you sweet," Anko hugged him to her chest, "too bad your too young and I'm too sexy for prison."
"Chnt bhethke! (Can't breathe)!" Naruto mumbled from her ample bosom.
"Trust me, Gaki, you couldn't ask for a better death," here she dropped the gasping preteen and smirked as he started glaring. But even then, there was no stopping the blushing that masked his face, "Oh, don't tell me you didn't like it?"
Naruto merely blushed at the provocative statement, "They were nice and soft," he thought before mentally slapping himself as the image popped into his head.
"Whatcha thinking?" the woman's smirk gave the impression she already knew but Anko loved teasing the boy.
"Nonya business!" a flushed Naruto shouted but it only served to make Anko smirk even wider.
"Was it about these," she pushed her breasts together and took a deep breath.
"Gahhhhhh!" an embarrassed Naruto hightailed it out of the area as quickly as he could.
"There is something seriously wrong with you Anko-chan," Midori noted.
"Yeah, so? You'd think you'd be used to it by now, Midori," rebutted the kunoichi.
"One would think so but no," the green constrictor was used to it but had doubts she'd ever get fully used to it. Anko was very creative, especially when it came to sex appeal and torture.
(Sometime Later)
Walking towards the Inuzuka Clan compound with Anko beside him, Naruto wondered how he was going to play it out. Anko was with him because she was bored for one, that much was evident, and the other was because of the bounty. The woman reasoning her being there for that part was because the Inuzuka Clan wouldn't take him seriously since he wasn't one of their own and an academy student to boot. It also wasn't that big a secret to know that Naruto was considered the weakest academy student. Him showing up with Onishishi's head would raise some questions, and the Inuzuka were a clan that only tolerated weak individuals if they were very young or very old. In most clans, being old enough and capable of fighting but not doing anything or not contributing in some way was a very big negative. Even more so with the Inuzuka Clan's pack and animalistic mentality. Fortunately, Anko would help him out because of Naruto's ignorance to the various rules.
"A few things you need to know about the Inuzuka Clan, gaki. They are very pack oriented. Their mindset is a combination a human's with some canine or wolf tendencies. An Inuzuka never forgives and forgets if you cross them and can be very territorial when they want to be. Also don't be surprised if some of them challenges you, if it happens don't back out without a reason because you'll lose their respect. And if you see an older Inuzuka hitting one younger than them don't worry about it, Inuzuka discipline is pretty much tough love. Any abuse on a child here I heard is dealt with harshly. The difference in the two is in the intent behind it," tough love was more getting a point across such as a very important lesson but still showing them you care while abuse was basically hurting another for no reason at all. Whenever the latter happened she had heard that the person was sometimes put to death as the Inuzuka greatly treasure family and their young ones.
"Ok," Naruto thought it was simple enough… sort of.
"Oh, yeah. This next bit is very important. If one of their female clansmen takes an interest in you don't be surprised if wake up naked with them the next morning," she added. "Though if it does happen according to Inuzuka law you're now married."
"WHAT!" married at his age! What the bloody fuck!
"Hahahaha," Anko laughed at the boy's horrified look, "Oh, man. You're too easy, gaki," she laughed. The boy was so much fun to mess with. In truth however the practice died out before the clan joined Konoha.
"Not funny!" glared at the woman. "How do you deal with it, Midori?"
"One agonizing day at a time, Naruto-san, one agonizing day at a time," Midori told him. "That or the alternative is taking your life."
"Hey!"
"Yeah, pass," he liked living and he couldn't very well become Hokage if he was a corpse… at least he didn't think so. "Hmm, Uzumaki Naruto the world's first zombie Hokage ... Nah!" The whole decomposing flesh look wasn't his thing. Pretty sure no sane girl would want a relationship with an undead, too.
Arriving at the compound that had a dominant dog smell, luckily it was more on the pleasant side than the usually smelly or wet dog smell, Naruto could hear several barks ranging from high to low pitch tones. The boy spotted a few of them too running around with some being the size of his head while others he saw could easily tower over him.
Nearby Naruto spotted some clansmen approaching them with their ninken.
"Don't worry, let me handle this," Anko had previous dealing with the Inuzuka whenever she went on certain tracking missions. Taking a deep breath and exhaling, Anko took in an even deeper breath and then, "Oi, Tsume! Get your ass out here you bitch!"
"What the hell!" Naruto was seriously wondering if Anko was trying to get them killed. "I knew she was crazy but this is nuts!" Naruto had heard of Tsume through Kiba, she was his mother after all, and the one thing Kiba feared and respected the most was his mother. Naruto guessed the woman's form of tough love left an impression on him.
"Snake bitch!" a voice from the compound called and a woman with short brown hair, feral eyes and with a wolf familiar wearing an eye-patch appeared. As the woman walked towards them, Naruto couldn't help but feel like he was being stalked by a strong and deadly predator that was ready to pounce on them at any given time.
As the woman suddenly appeared before Anko in a frightening burst of speed, Naruto blinked when he realized he could not keep up with it. However, the purple haired woman beside him didn't even blink and stood tall and impassive as she locked eyes with the feral looking woman. Naruto had no idea what was happening but after several seconds or so Tsume grinned and so did Anko before the older woman grabbed her in a shoulder hug.
"Good to see you again, Anko-chan, Midori," Tsume acknowledged the snake but affectionately greeted the girl in a way Naruto could compare to be almost motherly, "So, what's the occasion?"
"Me nothing, just here to help the Gaki out," Anko motioned towards Naruto, "Mind if we speak in private."
Nodding Tsume then barked at her clansmen to get back to their duties and while it may have sounded harsh to Naruto the boy remembered that what seemed harsh to him was a normal and everyday thing to the Inuzuka.
As they entered the compound house, which held a lot of pillow cushions and was very tidy for a place that held a large number of dogs, Naruto couldn't help but admire some of the décor. The walls had old and rusted antic weapons stacked on them, mostly claw or fist-based ones for some reason, drawings of an enormous white dog creature howling at the moon on a cliff, and other dog related objects.
As they arrived at a room, Tsume made a hand sign that caused the door and windows to shut close and shimmer temporarily in a purplish hue. "Now no one will think about snooping around," as much as she trusted her clan members Tsume knew first hand that not everyone was loyal to the clan, or the village, "So, what's this all about?"
"Well, the Gaki's got something for you," she nudged the boy forward.
"Don't worry pup I don't bite … well, as much as I used to at least," her fanged grin made Naruto wonder if she was joking or not. For some strange reason he was leaning more so towards the latter one, "Sometime today, pup."
If Tsume was anything like her son then Naruto knew she was the impatient sort. Reaching into his inner pocket Naruto pulled out a scroll that held Onishishi's head, having switched it from his Inventory Box to the scroll at Anko's behest. The last thing they needed was someone asking how the Deadlast of all people was capable of using a space-time technique that could hold an infinite amount of items when he couldn't even perform a basic Bushin no Jutsu. Pumping some chakra into the scroll the room filled with a puff of white and Tsume was greeted with the head of Onishishi.
"Damn," the lounging woman muttered, "I've seen my share of ugly boars but this one looks like it got hit with the ugly tree over and over again by Senju Tsunade herself."
"Onishishi," Naruto informed her.
"Really, well imagine that. Never saw it personally but I heard some of the locals talk about this thing. Most of us didn't bother doing anything seeing as how I wanted to see if some of the pups around here would bring it down," if Tsume was impressed she didn't show it, honestly Naruto thought she looked bored.
"And this guy. I found him there. too," Naruto then presented her with Hottomaru.
Tsume blinked before her eyes lit up and had no time to react before she wrapped in a bone crushing hug, "Can't…breathe!" Naruto seriously had no idea what was with these women trying to kill him with their bodies.
[Quest Completed]
Keep Him Safe, Keep Him Alive
Main Quest: Ensure the safety of the Lost Ninken and return him to the Inuzuka Clan. (Accomplished)
Side Quest: Ensure the Lost Ninken doesn't suffer from the [Unconscious] status effect. (Accomplished)
Total Rewards Earned:
(3000 + 10%) = 3300 EXP, +750 Reputation towards [Inuzuka Clan] & [Hottomaru], [Ninken Familiar]
|Congratulations! Your reputation with Inuzuka Clan & Hottomaru has increased to [Liked]!|
[Quest Completed]
Bounty: Onishishi
Main Quest: Collect Onishishi's bounty from whoever placed the bounty! (Accomplished)
Total Rewards Earned:
(1100 +10%) = 1210 EXP, 35,000 Ryo
|Congratulations! Your level has increased by one!|
Status Window
Name: Uzumaki Naruto
Job: Academy Student
Level: 16 Next Level: 2786/12,000
HP: 5425 + [350] + Vigor Affinity: Basic Rank ~ 6063.75?
CP: 9525 + [625] + [Chakra Affinity: Basic Rank] ~ 10657.5?
STR: 23 ~ 23?
VIT: 157 + [10] ~ 167?
END: 222 + [15] ~ 237?
DEX: 44 + [1] ~ 45?
INT: 39 ~ 39
WIS: 16 ~ 16
CHA: 10 ~ 10
LUK: ? ~ ?
DEF: 23 ~ 23
Attribute Points: 24
Ordinary Perk Points: 1
"Pup, you have no idea how grateful I am," Tsume dropped him, "Where was he?"
"In Training Area One pissing off boars," he told the clan matriarch, "Why?"
"That's weird. Why the hell would he be in that area?" Tsume wondered before she shrugged, "Well, at any rate, you have my thanks. My Genin searched everywhere in the compound and still couldn't find the mutt. Honestly, I thought they were just incompetent."
"Why's Hotto so important?" Naruto asked.
"Hotto?" Tsume asked in turn and then look between both Naruto, "Ah, shit. You two bonded, haven't you?"
"Uh... yes?" was Naruto's hesitant response.
"Damn. That inconveniences things a bit but it's livable. We'll have to work out something later on but anyway," she waved that off and got to the point, "Hotto is half Komainu, a breed of ninken that's pretty much extinct."
"Komainu?" Anko asked.
"A strong breed of ninken that we managed to get breeding rights before the clan perished. Pissed off the wrong people and you can use your imagination to fill in the rest. Komainu are head strong as pups but very protective and loyal for life once you earn their trust. Even at a very young age their bite force is pretty strong and when they get older Komainu bites are considered one of the strongest and deadliest among ninken and can take more punishment than any ninken breed as well. I'm surprised he's not bitting your ass."
"He did when we first met. Wacked his head pretty good and taught him who's YEEEOOOWWOUCH!" Naruto yelled, and glared behind him, "Really! I thought we were over this?!"
"Grrr," was Hotto's reply.
"Like I said, headstrong, even if you two are friends," Tsume laughed before an idea dawned on her, "Alright, kid, cuz I like you I'm gonna offer you some help. Hopefully it'll get you two in synch."
Naruto said nothing to the offer as he was too distracted in is attempts to remove Hottomaru from his backside, "Huh? Sorry, what?"
"With a lot of luck, too," Tsume added.
"I'm sorry but what are we talking about?" Naruto was confused.
Tsume had a blank look when her eyes met Anko's, "Kid's not exactly the sharpest kunai in the pouch, is he?"
"Heh, heh," Anko chuckled embarrassingly, "Yeah, Gaki's duller than a spoon at times but I'm working on it."
"Hey!"
"Hey, yourself! Be grateful I didn't say you were duller than a grapefruit!" Anko retorted.
"Wha... Grapefruit aren't even ...Oh! You're mean!" he accused.
"And you're a halfwit half the time," Anko told her ward, "You see what I'm dealing with here, right?"
"Best of luck to you," having her own halfwit male to deal with, Tsume offered the younger kunoichi her sympathy, "But down to business. What do you think of dogs, Pup?"
"Huh?" was Naruto's intelligent response to Tsume's questions. "Dogs are cool, I guess. Thought I'd get one when I was older but being a ninja and all means I'd have to go away a lot so. Then there's the whole they don't live that long. I mean Ayame-neechan and Teuchi-jisan, maybe even Ojisan could probably look after it when I'm gone-"
"Woah, Pup, I just want a simple yes or no answer, not your life story," Tsume interrupted the boy. While Naruto wasn't the smartest of people, nor was he oozing tact, the Inuzuka matriarch could tell the ninja in training had given the matter some form of thought. Even if it was a little all over the place.
"Oh," Naruto blushed a bit, "Uh, yes?"
"…What the hell kind of answer was that?" Tsume asked him.
"Excuse us for a moment, thanks," Anko grabbed hold of the boy and dragged him outside before anything could be said by either party. "Gaki, do you have any idea what this means?"
"I get a dog?" Naruto's response got him a smack on the head, "Ow! What the hell!"
"This is an Inuzuka Ninja Dog, Gaki. Just calling them a dog is like calling a ninja a mere mercenary for hire. It doesn't do it justice and it's insulting. Do you have any idea – scratch that, you don't know shit about what's happening at the moment, do you?" his lack of response was her answer.
"Okay. Simply put, the amount of times I know the Inuzuka give someone outside the clan one of their ninken, I can count on my hands," without a very large payment of course.
"That rare?"
"You have no idea. A clan that deals with ninja dogs have them specially bred for specific purposes. Though some breeds are stronger in some of them than others, and as they get older, and depending on how well trained they are, they make even some Jounin hesitate to face them," Anko finished.
When she put it like that Naruto had to admit it sounded way cooler than he originally thought they would. With regular dogs Naruto knew he'd have to train them, which would take time, and even then, they'd only be good for companionship, which was good, but helping him as a ninja not so much. If what Anko was saying was true, and he hopefully understood her properly, a ninja dog could help him out and be a companion at the same time. Before Naruto could say accept, the group was interrupted by a familiar face.
"Mom, the idiot they sent stepped on one of the dogs' tails again," Kiba entered the scene with Akamaru. "They have him-"
"You!" Anko lunged at Kiba and hosted the hooded academy student by the collar of his hoodie.
"What the hell you crazy bitch!?" Kiba shouted with Akamaru barking at her.
"You're gonna pay for that stunt you pulled a while back, ya runt! And your little mutt too!" Anko glared at Akamaru and the small dog began backing away with his tail between his legs.
"So, that was you? Nice knowing you man," even if wanted to do something, Anko scared the hell out of him.
"Chicken shit!"
"Midori!" Anko called out.
"Not now, Anko-chan, I'm trying to sleep," the tired serpent stated.
"The brat and the ninken who pissed on us is right in front of me," the declaration had great effect.
"I'll kill 'em!" Midori considered herself to be very level headed and slow to anger but even she had her trigger. Getting pissed on by someone was one of them, especially when that someone could be easily turned into a meal.
"Mind telling me what the hell's happening?" Tsume returned while Midori began to chase a yelping Akamaru out of the room.
"Akamaru, or maybe Kiba, pissed on Anko a while back," Naruto informed her and the boy swore Hottomaru was laughing a bit. "If I didn't know about talking animals this would seem weird," it still was but not as much. But seeing what Kiba was currently going through, Naruto couldn't help but laugh alongside his future partner.
(The Next Day)
Naruto didn't bother with a leash, as Tsume told him young ninken hated them even when used for undercover missions and trying pass off as regular dogs, and soon after he began making his way towards the Hokage Tower. Being asked by a masked ninja to head to village leader bright an early in the morning on a Sunday was not something Naruto expected.
On the plus side, Naruto wasn't being escorted or bound like he usually was. But even then, Naruto wasn't eager to lose a weekend and hoped it wouldn't last long. Entering the building, Naruto and Hottomaru made their way up the stairs and arrived at the waiting room in short order, "Hey, Mariko-neechan!"
"Naruto-kun," Mariko greeted the boy before she became surprised by Hottomaru's unexpected jump on her desk.
"No! Bad dog!" Naruto chided.
"Oh, he's so cute," Mariko gushed and began scratching the puppy all over. The dog was loving everything second of it; his hind leg kicking in the air as she gave him a belly rub, "Lousy no for good little-"
"Lost your pet already, huh? Tough break, Gaki," Anko said.
"Gah! Will you stop that!" Naruto was getting pretty sick of this game.
"Nope," she grinned and spotted Hottomaru, "Wow, your dog left you for a woman with magic fingers," Hottomaru began doing yelps of pleasure and his leg was shaking like crazy, "Can't say I don't blame him."
"Hey!"
"Send them in, Mariko-chan," Hiruzen's voice carried over the intercom.
"Hai, Hokage-sama," Mariko motioned them to the door and Naruto grabbed Hottomaru by the scruff of his neck inside the office.
"Lousy, betraying mutt," Naruto thought.
"Take a seat you two," Hiruzen motioned to the seat but saw that one of them was already occupied, "Heh heh, I guess one of you will have to share a seat. Congratulations on acquiring a ninken, Naruto."
"How'd you know Hottomaru's my ninken, Jiji?" Naruto's efforts to get the pup to sit on the floor was proving fruitless and, in the end, he merely had the pup lay down on his lap.
"I'm not the Hokage for nothing, Naruto-kun," Hiruzen stated as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "This wouldn't have any relation to a certain D-rank bounty I was notified about, would it?"
"I thought you said you weren't Hokage for nothing, Jiji," Naruto grinned. Slow as he was at times, the boy was quick when he wanted to be.
"Point taken," the man chuckled and as he watched both him and the ninken interact, Hiruzen couldn't help but remember when he first summoned a very young Enma when the summon was the Prince of the Monkeys. The arrogant and hot-headed princeling at the time didn't want to cooperate with him when they first met but over time the two had become the closest of friends and Hiruzen could always rely on the King of the Monkeys.
But the happy memories were soon replaced by a sigh, "To be honest, I don't know whether to scold you or congratulate you on completing your first C-Rank mission without being on the active roster, Naruto-kun."
"Come again? A C-Rank mission?" Naruto was confused but that soon morphed in absolute joy, "Yes! In your face, Sasuke-teme! I completed a mission before you did!" sure, it was a C-Rank one but it still counted.
"Naruto, settle down," aware of the rivalry between his surrogate grandson and the last Uchiha, Hiruzen could understand the boy's enthusiasm, "Now, normally this would warrant disciplinary action as you are not authorized to undertake a mission without special permission and the accompaniment one of Genin rank or higher. But, as you were unaware and this occurred by accident, we can forgo such actions."
"Hey, wait a sec! Why's it a C-Rank mission but the bounty was D-Rank?" Naruto asked and both Hiruzen and Anko sweatdropped.
"Never even heard a word," was the shared thought.
"Well, to answer your question, Naruto-kun, the value and rank of bounties and missions fall under a different system. Eradication or capture of wildlife such as Onibuta is considered a C-Rank mission," truthfully the boy should have learned more about this at the academy but the man didn't know if he was to blame it on Naruto skipping out on too many lessons or what he believed to be an academy spy sabotaging the new crop of potential Genin. Or a combination of both. Either way, one was bad, the other was worse.
"At any rate congratulations, Naruto. Now on to business," here Hiruzen took out a piece of paper and passed to the academy student.
"What's this?"
"Standard paperwork for missions and bounties. Normally your Jonin instructor would be the one filling it out until you achieved the rank of Chunin but since this is a special circumstance, you'll be the done to do so," the man smiled upon finishing.
"Great," Naruto drawled as he got to it. The form was pretty standard but Naruto had to stop a couple of times and be guided through the process by Hiruzen. By the time Naruto was done, and since he had to do the whole thing three times; all three going to different locations, the boy had developed a dislike for paperwork.
"Thank you," taking his copy, Naruto watched as Hiruzen sealed the document into a scroll and marveled at how the paperwork pretty much merged with the rolled parchment.
Fascinated by the display, and due to the fact that he had a scroll that he couldn't use unless he had a basic understand of Fuinjutsu, alongside one of his perks giving him a boon in that area for whatever reason, Naruto didn't think twice before asking, "Hey, Jiji, can you teach me how to do seals?"
"Oh, Kami-sama," for the longest time was Hiruzen hoping this didn't come to pass until the appropriate time. But, much like his mother did at his age, Naruto left him with no other choice but adapt to a situation they caused.
In all honesty, Hiruzen believed that Naruto wouldn't have taken an interest in seals, and for the longest time his assumptions had been true due to the boy's preference for learning ninjutsu like most others. Being an orphan – even if the remaining members of his clan were hidden and scattered across the countries – meant Naruto didn't grow up with the skillset most children in clans did or was usually expected to possess. Skilled and gifted as they were, being an Uzumaki didn't automatically mean being good at Fuinjutsu or knowing how to draw seals by the time they were born. Unlike their red hair, it wasn't a hereditary trait, nor was it a bloodline limit like the Byakugan or the Sharingan.
While it was true that the Uzumaki Clan were feared far and wide because of their mastery in fuinjutsu that little to no one could match, that came from centuries upon centuries of practice and failures that were passed down to the next generation. Granted, even at a young age the average Uzumaki had an above average grasp and understanding of seals than most others, and when it came to Uzumaki prodigies in the art it was a whole other ball game.
And that last part made Hiruzen uneasy, "Poor to average ninja in training or not, if Naruto inherited even a drop of talent for that field from either one of his parents many could start to ask questions. Iwa and Kumo certain wouldn't hesitate to end him after what Minato did in the last war," while it was more so the former Hiruzen was worried about given the enormous losses they suffered by Minato's hand garnered feelings of revenge that remained to this day; Kumo had a few pocket areas that wouldn't hesitate to end Minato's line, if only to deny Konoha from potentially gaining a formidable advantage in the future, especially if it turned out Naruto somehow inherited Kushina's unique chakra.
Even though Minato was much more powerful than his wife and a prodigy that excelled at everything he did, Kushina had been a very strong kunoichi still and was the only one that ever outranked her husband in terms of fuinjutsu.
The late Uzumaki wasn't like her distant Senju cousin in terms of power and prowess but had been one of the few kunoichi of her lifetime that had many believe she had the potential to rival and perhaps be on par with Tsunade someday. With her untimely death the answer to that question would forever remain unanswered.
"Naruto's getting stronger but not quickly enough to last against the more powerful ninja. Even after all these years some still try to find what remains of the Uzumaki Clan," Hiruzen had gotten reports from Jiraiya and his Anbu that were sent on special missions to locate any of the remaining Uzumaki Clan members and bring them back to Konoha for sanctuary.
It was easier said than done, and at times some clan members they had a lead on were either too elusive to find, their seals he didn't doubt helped them in this, or they were too late and their bodies were found mutilated by enemy factions to find out their secrets. As it was, Tsunade and Naruto were currently the only ones with Uzumaki blood left in them that was affiliated with Konoha. After nearly thirty years, Hiruzen doubted there were many full-blooded Uzumaki left now.
But as much as he wanted to protect the boy short of binding and locking him up, Naruto wouldn't give up on learning something or become a ninja, "The boy inherited his mother's bull-headed stubbornness and his father's never give up attitude."
It was a dangerous combination in his mind.
Fortunately, Hiruzen was a smart individual and knew how to handle such situations as easily as breathing, "While I admire your enthusiasm to learn a skill very few take advantage of, I'm afraid I'll have to say no at the moment. Before you interrupt," Hiruzen stopped the blond as soon as he saw signs of protest, "you must know that learning and using seals isn't as simple as it sounds, Naruto-kun," Hiruzen stated and then passed the document Naruto had completed to Anko before he continued.
"Fuinjutsu is as a powerful, complicated and deadly art. It requires a great amount of skill, concentration, dedication, imagination, and absolute precision. There can be no margin for errors even for simplest of of them," he explained.
"Precision? Isn't it just writing down symbols and stuff?" the boy got a smack upside the head by Anko, "Ow!"
"Fuinjutsu is more than just writing symbols and stuff, Gaki-baka!" Anko shook her head as she looked at his writing, "Where the hell did you learn to write? This is worse than awful."
"Blunt and crude as ever, Anko," were Hiruzen's thoughts, but while she exaggerated the kunoichi was not technically wrong either. The boy's calligraphy left much to be desired. Konohamaru was younger but had much better calligraphy.
"Anko-chan is right, Naruto-kun. Fuinjutsu is much more than merely writing a symbol or a series of characters on a blank piece of paper. While I've seen much worse, the way you filled in the documents is still very sloppy. As of now, I'm afraid of what would happen should you try even the basics. Fuinjutsu is a delicate art, a single mistake from an out of place character, the wrong stroke of the ink, or incompatible symbols or functions will have disastrous results. I've seen what happens to inexperienced individuals who meddle in the field only for it to greatly backfire on them. The most occurring theme is them being killed or crippled, or this happening to those around them. I once saw a young man try to seal a weapon within his arm, his lack of knowledge and inexperience in fuinjutsu did not end well," the man still cringed at the memory.
"What happened?"
"His entire arm was turned into a pin cushion from within and the amount of shrapnel and distortion caused by the backlash forced him to give up being a ninja and nearly ruined his life," Hiruzen wasn't going to sugar coat it. Any aspect of the ninja lifestyle was dangerous, but fuinjutsu could be considered the most dangerous field for a reason and he didn't want Naruto going into it without knowing the risks.
And judging by Naruto's slightly paling at the prospect, Hiruzen guessed his words struck home.
"As it now, Naruto, I can't allow you to learn fuinjutsu. Once your calligraphy is at a very acceptable level, and you are able focus and not merely rush and get it over and done with, I will consider it. Until then, you're forbidden from learning it," Naruto knew whenever Jiji used his absolute authority voice there was no going around it.
[QUEST ALERT!]
Calligraphy 101!
Main Quest: Learn and master the skill [Calligraphy] up to level 20!
Main Quest Completion: +250 REP with Sarutobi Hiruzen, +1500 EXP, Unlock [Fuinjutsu Skill], ?
Accept? (Yes/No)
"Ok, Jiji," Naruto knew better to argue at this point with the old man and accepted the quest.
"Very good," Hiruzen released a sigh of relief. He hadn't wanted to do this but it was for Naruto's own good. He wouldn't deny Naruto using fuinjutsu – he remained worried nonetheless – but he needed the boy to be stronger and in a better mindset before he allowed him to take a shot at it. Naruto wasn't like his father where he could learn, master, and sometimes even improve a skill and make it look like child's play. Nor did he have Kushina's skill in calligraphy, a fact that shocked many who knew the tomboy. Naruto had to start at the bottom and work his way up. There was still a chance he'd take to fuinjutsu better than he expected, but Hiruzen would cross that bridge if it came to that.
"On another note, how is the training coming along? I realize Anko's methods are likely unorthodox and unique to say the least," the man deadpanned when she said 'Damn proud of it' and Naruto mirrored the Hokage with his own deadpanned look.
"Slow, but the brat's getting there. Besides, when it comes to the Gaki, I think unorthodox and kinesthetic learning methods actually seem to get better results."
"Kinaesthwaht?" Naruto was unfamiliar with the word.
"It means you learn better by doing things than by reading them, Gaki," Anko told him. "In other words: you have a hell of lot easier time physically practicing a technique when it's showed to you than by learning the theory of it and not being showed."
"Oh, gotcha," Naruto nodded in understanding.
Hiruzen smiled as he watched the two. A bond, a very unique one to say the least, had been formed between the two despite the short amount of time they knew each other. Despite her hesitance at the time, Anko was a decent teacher despite her past and unique personality.
"I mean, let's face it, if I didn't do anything the Gaki would most likely get his ass handed to him on a silver platter when he goes up against other ninja. No offense," Anko said that but the look on her face told them differently.
"None taken," Naruto groused but mentally thought, "Up yours!"
Hiruzen could only offer an awkward laugh. The two before them were so alike it was a tad frightening at times. Hiruzen could only hope it didn't lead to the creation of another Anko. Not to say Anko wasn't a delight – in small doses that is – but having Naruto being molded into a miniature version of her would likely cause a riot in certain circles.
"Well, hopefully the results will speak for themselves before the graduation ceremony begins in January," said Hiruzen.
Naruto blinked only once before a bad feeling began to develop within him, "The graduation ceremony is in January, Jiji?"
"Yes? Unlike the previous five years where the term lasted ten months, the final year was only five as there wasn't much left for our instructors to teach students in terms of schooling. The final two years are mostly used to up the academy students' physical and weapon capabilities. While a great emphasis on in class studies such as previous strategies used, what to expect to happen when in another country, is still required to learn," Hiruzen explained as though it were common knowledge.
But it wasn't in Naruto's case, "But that means–" Naruto stopped cold as a hand landed on his shoulder and he felt a great chill go up his spine.
"It means, Gaki, that you and I are gonna have three months of non-stop fun time together," her oh-so familiar sadistic and pain inducing grin appeared. Even Hiruzen had to admit he was slightly unnerved by the look. It reminded him too much of his old student.
"Is it too late to ask for another mentor," Naruto squeaked out as he felt himself being dragged by the cuff of his clothes.
"That ship sailed, caught fire, and sank into the inky black abyss, Gaki. From this day forth, welcome to Anko's Training from Hell," she cackled as she left the office.
"Arf," Hottomaru released a sigh of relief.
"Oops, almost forgot," Anko popped back in and Hottomaru found himself wrapped around Midori's coils. "Thought you were exempt from this didn't you, Poochy."
The grinning sadist merely got a whimper from the small creature, an action that was mimicked and shared by his owner.
"Maybe this wasn't such a good idea," at worst the woman would break the boy and he'd be left a complete mess, at best he'd become a much more competent ninja. As he began going back to work to distract himself from such unwanted thoughts, another one flickered in his head, "What if she actually does turn him into a miniature version of herself?" the man couldn't help but think on the potential Hell he may have opened.
(Flashback End)
"What's so funny?" Anko asked.
"What?"
"You laughed. What's up?" the kunoichi clarified.
"Oh. Just thinking about the meeting with Jiji and what you did to Kiba a while back," Naruto elaborated and continued to laugh.
"Oh, yeah. That was fun," Anko joined in. Though Naruto had a different opinion on the matter, he stayed silent for fear of ending up like Kiba.
Changing the subject, "By the way, with the way he described her, I used to think Kiba's sister was sweet and kind."
"Oh, I don't blame you. Compared to the rest of her clan, Hana's pretty ordinary," the younger kunoichi's only flaw was that she sucked at sewing but even then, that was nothing, "But, and let this be another lesson, never judge a book by its cover. Especially when that person is a ninja."
"I know. I know," being a ninja meant that one was to be an expert of deception. Whether that be portraying yourself as weak and incompetent, average and unassuming, or charming and kind, a ninja did what they had to in order to get one to lower their guard and make them regret doing so.
"Arrrrffff," from behind, Naruto could hear Hotto whine pathetically. The blond couldn't help think back on Hana's words.
"Komainu are strong and tough, Naruto-san. Don't think just because Hotto's a puppy that he can't take care of himself. Of course, until he gets older there are limits you should be mindful of, and it's your responsibility to reign him in. Ninja beasts are smarter and stronger but you can't forget that they are still animals and even more limited in what they can do. Their instincts can also get the best of them just as any human's emotions can," Hana told him.
"Check," Naruto nodded.
"Now, seeing as how you're not an Inuzuka, unfortunately we can't teach you our clan techniques. Hotto will instinctively know some as he gets more combat experience but that won't be for a while. Until then, I'm going to get you two in sync. Fighting with a partner – especially a ninken – is different than fighting solo. Without practice or having a feel for your partner's methods that comes from hours of practice, you risk hurting yourself and him. Kaa-san won't be pleased if she finds out he's been badly hurt, believe me," Hana warned him.
"Double check," Naruto quickly added.
"So, for the time being, we are going to have you two perform repetitive exercises," Hana's smile was kind but what followed was anything but.
The exercises had been essentially geared towards boosting the ninken's stamina and speed along with getting both ninja and ninken familiar with their fighting style. Hotto had incredible stamina for a puppy his age, but his speed, while still allowing him to be slippery and fast, wasn't as good when compared to other ninken such as Akamaru. Komainu also tended to possess naturally occurring protective instincts and wouldn't hesitate to put themselves in harm's way, a dangerous trait for a vulnerable wet behind the ears puppy to have.
"So, what now?" Naruto asked.
"Now, you're on your own for the next bit. Ward you might be, I'm still a Tokubetsu-Jonin that needs to do field work from time to time. It's my turn to do border patrol and I'll be gone a little over a week. Hayate and Yugao will look after your training when they can but for now, you're essentially on your own," the kunoichi informed him.
The don't slack off comment went unsaid, but would have been unnecessary. Naruto was too afraid of Anko to risk it.
"What should I do then?"
"I dunno. Get the pooch combat experience?" Anko just haphazardly threw it out there, "Later."
When he thought about, the idea had merit. Naruto, and Anko, personally believed that there was no better way to learn something than by it through trial by fire. Three weeks had passed, and Hotto had gone up a few levels since then.
Status Window
Name: Hottomaru
Job: Ninken (Ninja Dog)
Level: 6 Next Level: 1358/3600
HP: 475
CP: 375
STR: 10
VIT: 19
DEX: 17
END: 15
INT: 5
WIS: 7
CHA: 3
LUK: 16
Defense: 0
AP: 7
"Thank you, special perk," by that, Naruto referred to the [Gamer's Combat Pet] that Hotto had been blessed with the moment he agreed to keep him. Not only would Naruto not need to constantly invite Hottomaru, it also gave him virtually the same perks as the Gamer. The only downside was Naruto having to be the one to allocate the ninken's attribute points. The dog not being intelligent enough to understand the concept.
"Speaking of which," he wondered where he should allocate Hottomaru's AP. In the end, Naruto decided to allocate them to his DEX. Just because Hotto would grow up to be able to take hits and shrug 'em off didn't mean the boy wanted him to rely on it. Why suffer from a blow when you can dodge it and not get hit at all?
"Hrmm?" the puppy merely tilted his head at the strange technique he had and whatever he was talking about.
"Oh, right you don't know what I'm talking about. Well, you'll find out later," Naruto contemplated if the ninken should be taken to the next Natural Dungeon or if he should go on the side of caution and revisit the zombies. Tempting as he was to get the next key, Hotto's level and attributes weren't good enough to risk it. Sure, Naruto could leave the ninken behind, but the ninken wasn't disciplined enough yet and the dog needed the experience.
The problem with the Zombie Dungeon wasn't just having to deal with a boss that had a level twice greater than Hotto and Naruto's combined. Naruto was now at a level where killing foes with such a difference between them brought minimal EXP return even with the bonuses from his equipment and perks. Loot would be decent, but in reality, only Hotto would benefit from the dungeon until his [Instant Dungeon Creation Skill] leveled up so he could manipulate it.
But, on the upside, even if they somehow ended up killed, they wouldn't stay that way. Not unlike the natural dungeons that only gave them a single pass per run. Plus, it would give Hottomaru some decent targets for his [Tsuga (Passing Fang) Skill] he managed to pull off about a week ago. Hana had been impressed, but even then, she mentioned that the pup had a while before it was effective.
As of now, Hottomaru was only able to pull off the move four times before he tired himself out. Which, was still very good as most inexperienced ninken pups could only do half that much. Naruto had been given a pouch full of special [Inuzuka Clan Military Rations Pill] to restore and reduce the rate in which Hotto's chakra was lost, and give them a boost of chakra at the same time.
Naruto would have loved to have used them but the pills were specially designed to only work on clan members and ninken. Anyone else would be emptying their bodies from both ends until the effects wore off. The worse hangover and barely able to crawl like side effects that came afterwards was only the cherry on top.
"Okay, before we go, let's you some armor. Hopefully Tetsu's has some and then it's off to Ichiraku's before we head home," Hottomaru merely whined. The blasphemous little dog didn't care for ramen all that much and preferred meat. Naruto had cut back on ramen quite a bit and the times he did visit the Ichiraku stand he ate less than usual. Teuchi jokingly saying that he was going to run him out of business for not eating as much as he used to. If he had his way, Naruto would eat nothing but that heavenly food. But Anko and Ayame-neechan were in cahoots and Naruto did want to get rid of the [Malnourished] flaw.
"Ah, fine we'll go to Yakiniku Q instead," the grill it yourself restaurant was Hottomaru's favourite place to eat. His love for it only outdone by Chouji. It wasn't that bad in his mind but he still preferred Ichiraku Ramen.
"But next time we're going to Ichiraku!"
|Your reputation with Hottomaru has increased by 50!|
Hottomaru merely yipped happily and headed off towards Tetsu's as fast as he could. Though much quicker than what he used to be, the ninken wasn't as fast as Naruto and the Gamer was able to keep up with his companion.
Naruto rarely got tired, a boon that the boy would come to realize was a result of his perks, as such the exercises that came from the academy and dealing with enemies in low level dungeons barely gave him a sweat unless he went all out along with doing so non-stop.
But after only little over three hours of doing the unaccustomed exercises Hayate had him go through, Naruto was starting to sweat. A three-hour workout was nothing for Naruto, by now he would barely have any perspiration on his form. Quickly did Hayate conclude that Naruto wasn't any ordinary academy student and decided to modify and ramp up the level of intensity. And the punishment that came with it.
"Overswung!" Hayate barked and unleashed a flurry of swings too fast for the academy student to block.
"Crap!" was Naruto's cry, his back impacting the grass once more; he had given up counting the amount of times he found himself in this position.
"Again!"
From the sidelines with her Anbu friend, Anko watched the scene unfold before her, "Sadistic bastard."
"Tell me about it," Yugao nodded, "But it gets result. Besides, I thought you wanted him to go-"
"No, I mean, the ballerina's being a tough as nails mentor who gives no mercy," Anko cut her friend off.
"... Yeah, so?"
"That's my schtick!" Anko whined; the rest of the group sweat dropped.
"Timing was off!"
"No fair! I was distracted!... Oh, crap," Naruto couldn't stop his words on time.
"Oh, boy."
"Oh, goodie!"
Naruto didn't hesitate to run for his life. Being distracted was a huge negative in the ninja way of life. Pretending to be distracted was one thing, but to actually be distracted was another. At best, bad injuries or you lucked out of any serious harm. At worst, it meant crippling injuries or death. Anko and Hayate were trying their hardest to beat that sense into Naruto's already dense skull.
Literally.
"I love this part," Anko laughed, ignoring the fact that her ward was being beaten into cake mix.
"There is something seriously wrong with you, Anko," Yugao stated for what she felt was the millionth time.
Anko merely shrugged, "Proud of it and I've heard worse."
"AAAAAHHHHH!"
Half an hour later, Naruto was on one knee and panting but he had managed to get the exercise done. Gulping down the water he was given, Naruto sighed in relief when Hayate announced that they were done for the day.
"Oh, hell ain't over yet, Gaki," was Anko's soul crushing announcement, "Next is your session with Hana," Naruto honestly believed the woman's smirk should be made illegal.
"You're enjoying this way too much, dattebayo," was all Naruto could say.
"Meh. We all find our pleasures somewhere."
"Try masturbating," said Naruto, hoping to throw the woman off. Judging by their expressions, it certainly worked on both Hayate and Yugao.
"Not pleasurable enough. Even with t–"
"Okay! You win!" Naruto cried defeat; his plan failed.
"Yeeeaaahhh...We're just gonna go," a red faced Yugao announced and vanished alongside her lover.
Anko merely laughed at her friend's expense before refocusing on her ward, "You're a long way away before you're in my league, kiddo. Good try though. Haven't seen Neko-chan that red in a while. Well, at any rate, up and at 'em."
Naruto merely sighed as both he and Anko made their way to the Inuzuka compound. Living with a ninken was different to say the least. Not bad, but different. Naruto had plants he watered and took care of but this was a completely different scenario for him.
Unlike regular dogs, ninken not only needed food that offered a lot more sustenance but also required a lot more daily exercise or one ran the risk of them becoming rowdy and discontent. Not doing so made controlling them, a chore on itself, even more difficult. It couldn't be just regular exercises that normal dogs did either, which was why Tsume had picked her daughter Hana to show him the ropes as thanks for returning Hotto.
As a result of his new responsibilities, coupled with the new training from multiple parties and the academy buckling down on their soon to be graduates, Naruto found himself with even less free time than before. Thinking back on it, all this occurred .
(Flashback; Three Weeks Ago)
"Ahahahahaha!"
"Yeah, yeah. Laugh it up," Naruto grumbled. While his fight against Onishishi hadn't been the most efficient or smoothest of wins, it had been a win nonetheless. And to a ninja, that's all that really counted.
"I...I...Bwahahaha!" unable to make a clear sentence, Anko continued laughing. The woman's laughter went on for nearly five minutes before she managed to gain some semblance of control. However, even then Anko release small chortles here and there.
"Ha...Ha...Okay," Anko cleared her throat but the smile never left her face.
"You good?" Naruto asked the older ninja.
"Oh, more than good," while it looked like she was about to start another laughing fit, Anko managed to control herself, "So … Find anything good?"
Despite knowing it was a deflection, Naruto took it regardless, "Yeah, this sword."
"Overcompensating much?" she said upon seeing the overly large blade, "Can you even use it?"
Naruto's frown was all she needed to know her answer but the boy replied regardless, "Not yet. But I did get this," here he showed her Onishishi's head.
"Holy crap! Talk about fugly!" Anko shouted at the sight of the enormous boar's head that appeared. "Should I be worried by the fact you're carrying around a dead boar's head?"
"It's the head of Onishishi. It's needed to complete a quest. A D-Rank Bounty," Naruto explained.
"A Bounty? Huh? Never would have thought. Well, seeing as how it's a boar we should head on over to the Inuzuka Clan compound. Most of the time it's them that deal with animal bounties cuz they're experts on them and chakra mutations. Gotta return that mutt of theirs, too," Anko told him.
"Shouldn't I take a shower first?" Naruto felt like he could use one.
"Am I hot and sexy?" she asked.
"Yes," Naruto blurted out without thinking.
|Your reputation with Anko has increased by 150!|
"Awww, aren't you sweet," Anko hugged him to her chest, "too bad your too young and I'm too sexy for prison."
"Chnt bhethke! (Can't breathe)!" Naruto mumbled from her ample bosom.
"Trust me, Gaki, you couldn't ask for a better death," here she dropped the gasping preteen and smirked as he started glaring. But even then, there was no stopping the blushing that masked his face, "Oh, don't tell me you didn't like it?"
Naruto merely blushed at the provocative statement, "They were nice and soft," he thought before mentally slapping himself as the image popped into his head.
"Whatcha thinking?" the woman's smirk gave the impression she already knew but Anko loved teasing the boy.
"Nonya business!" a flushed Naruto shouted but it only served to make Anko smirk even wider.
"Was it about these," she pushed her breasts together and took a deep breath.
"Gahhhhhh!" an embarrassed Naruto hightailed it out of the area as quickly as he could.
"There is something seriously wrong with you Anko-chan," Midori noted.
"Yeah, so? You'd think you'd be used to it by now, Midori," rebutted the kunoichi.
"One would think so but no," the green constrictor was used to it but had doubts she'd ever get fully used to it. Anko was very creative, especially when it came to sex appeal and torture.
(Sometime Later)
Walking towards the Inuzuka Clan compound with Anko beside him, Naruto wondered how he was going to play it out. Anko was with him because she was bored for one, that much was evident, and the other was because of the bounty. The woman reasoning her being there for that part was because the Inuzuka Clan wouldn't take him seriously since he wasn't one of their own and an academy student to boot. It also wasn't that big a secret to know that Naruto was considered the weakest academy student. Him showing up with Onishishi's head would raise some questions, and the Inuzuka were a clan that only tolerated weak individuals if they were very young or very old. In most clans, being old enough and capable of fighting but not doing anything or not contributing in some way was a very big negative. Even more so with the Inuzuka Clan's pack and animalistic mentality. Fortunately, Anko would help him out because of Naruto's ignorance to the various rules.
"A few things you need to know about the Inuzuka Clan, gaki. They are very pack oriented. Their mindset is a combination a human's with some canine or wolf tendencies. An Inuzuka never forgives and forgets if you cross them and can be very territorial when they want to be. Also don't be surprised if some of them challenges you, if it happens don't back out without a reason because you'll lose their respect. And if you see an older Inuzuka hitting one younger than them don't worry about it, Inuzuka discipline is pretty much tough love. Any abuse on a child here I heard is dealt with harshly. The difference in the two is in the intent behind it," tough love was more getting a point across such as a very important lesson but still showing them you care while abuse was basically hurting another for no reason at all. Whenever the latter happened she had heard that the person was sometimes put to death as the Inuzuka greatly treasure family and their young ones.
"Ok," Naruto thought it was simple enough… sort of.
"Oh, yeah. This next bit is very important. If one of their female clansmen takes an interest in you don't be surprised if wake up naked with them the next morning," she added. "Though if it does happen according to Inuzuka law you're now married."
"WHAT!" married at his age! What the bloody fuck!
"Hahahaha," Anko laughed at the boy's horrified look, "Oh, man. You're too easy, gaki," she laughed. The boy was so much fun to mess with. In truth however the practice died out before the clan joined Konoha.
"Not funny!" glared at the woman. "How do you deal with it, Midori?"
"One agonizing day at a time, Naruto-san, one agonizing day at a time," Midori told him. "That or the alternative is taking your life."
"Hey!"
"Yeah, pass," he liked living and he couldn't very well become Hokage if he was a corpse… at least he didn't think so. "Hmm, Uzumaki Naruto the world's first zombie Hokage ... Nah!" The whole decomposing flesh look wasn't his thing. Pretty sure no sane girl would want a relationship with an undead, too.
Arriving at the compound that had a dominant dog smell, luckily it was more on the pleasant side than the usually smelly or wet dog smell, Naruto could hear several barks ranging from high to low pitch tones. The boy spotted a few of them too running around with some being the size of his head while others he saw could easily tower over him.
Nearby Naruto spotted some clansmen approaching them with their ninken.
"Don't worry, let me handle this," Anko had previous dealing with the Inuzuka whenever she went on certain tracking missions. Taking a deep breath and exhaling, Anko took in an even deeper breath and then, "Oi, Tsume! Get your ass out here you bitch!"
"What the hell!" Naruto was seriously wondering if Anko was trying to get them killed. "I knew she was crazy but this is nuts!" Naruto had heard of Tsume through Kiba, she was his mother after all, and the one thing Kiba feared and respected the most was his mother. Naruto guessed the woman's form of tough love left an impression on him.
"Snake bitch!" a voice from the compound called and a woman with short brown hair, feral eyes and with a wolf familiar wearing an eye-patch appeared. As the woman walked towards them, Naruto couldn't help but feel like he was being stalked by a strong and deadly predator that was ready to pounce on them at any given time.
As the woman suddenly appeared before Anko in a frightening burst of speed, Naruto blinked when he realized he could not keep up with it. However, the purple haired woman beside him didn't even blink and stood tall and impassive as she locked eyes with the feral looking woman. Naruto had no idea what was happening but after several seconds or so Tsume grinned and so did Anko before the older woman grabbed her in a shoulder hug.
"Good to see you again, Anko-chan, Midori," Tsume acknowledged the snake but affectionately greeted the girl in a way Naruto could compare to be almost motherly, "So, what's the occasion?"
"Me nothing, just here to help the Gaki out," Anko motioned towards Naruto, "Mind if we speak in private."
Nodding Tsume then barked at her clansmen to get back to their duties and while it may have sounded harsh to Naruto the boy remembered that what seemed harsh to him was a normal and everyday thing to the Inuzuka.
As they entered the compound house, which held a lot of pillow cushions and was very tidy for a place that held a large number of dogs, Naruto couldn't help but admire some of the décor. The walls had old and rusted antic weapons stacked on them, mostly claw or fist-based ones for some reason, drawings of an enormous white dog creature howling at the moon on a cliff, and other dog related objects.
As they arrived at a room, Tsume made a hand sign that caused the door and windows to shut close and shimmer temporarily in a purplish hue. "Now no one will think about snooping around," as much as she trusted her clan members Tsume knew first hand that not everyone was loyal to the clan, or the village, "So, what's this all about?"
"Well, the Gaki's got something for you," she nudged the boy forward.
"Don't worry pup I don't bite … well, as much as I used to at least," her fanged grin made Naruto wonder if she was joking or not. For some strange reason he was leaning more so towards the latter one, "Sometime today, pup."
If Tsume was anything like her son then Naruto knew she was the impatient sort. Reaching into his inner pocket Naruto pulled out a scroll that held Onishishi's head, having switched it from his Inventory Box to the scroll at Anko's behest. The last thing they needed was someone asking how the Deadlast of all people was capable of using a space-time technique that could hold an infinite amount of items when he couldn't even perform a basic Bushin no Jutsu. Pumping some chakra into the scroll the room filled with a puff of white and Tsume was greeted with the head of Onishishi.
"Damn," the lounging woman muttered, "I've seen my share of ugly boars but this one looks like it got hit with the ugly tree over and over again by Senju Tsunade herself."
"Onishishi," Naruto informed her.
"Really, well imagine that. Never saw it personally but I heard some of the locals talk about this thing. Most of us didn't bother doing anything seeing as how I wanted to see if some of the pups around here would bring it down," if Tsume was impressed she didn't show it, honestly Naruto thought she looked bored.
"And this guy. I found him there. too," Naruto then presented her with Hottomaru.
Tsume blinked before her eyes lit up and had no time to react before she wrapped in a bone crushing hug, "Can't…breathe!" Naruto seriously had no idea what was with these women trying to kill him with their bodies.
[Quest Completed]
Keep Him Safe, Keep Him Alive
Main Quest: Ensure the safety of the Lost Ninken and return him to the Inuzuka Clan. (Accomplished)
Side Quest: Ensure the Lost Ninken doesn't suffer from the [Unconscious] status effect. (Accomplished)
Total Rewards Earned:
(3000 + 10%) = 3300 EXP, +750 Reputation towards [Inuzuka Clan] & [Hottomaru], [Ninken Familiar]
|Congratulations! Your reputation with Inuzuka Clan & Hottomaru has increased to [Liked]!|
[Quest Completed]
Bounty: Onishishi
Main Quest: Collect Onishishi's bounty from whoever placed the bounty! (Accomplished)
Total Rewards Earned:
(1100 +10%) = 1210 EXP, 35,000 Ryo
|Congratulations! Your level has increased by one!|
Status Window
Name: Uzumaki Naruto
Job: Academy Student
Level: 16 Next Level: 2786/12,000
HP: 5425 + [350] + Vigor Affinity: Basic Rank ~ 6063.75?
CP: 9525 + [625] + [Chakra Affinity: Basic Rank] ~ 10657.5?
STR: 23 ~ 23?
VIT: 157 + [10] ~ 167?
END: 222 + [15] ~ 237?
DEX: 44 + [1] ~ 45?
INT: 39 ~ 39
WIS: 16 ~ 16
CHA: 10 ~ 10
LUK: ? ~ ?
DEF: 23 ~ 23
Attribute Points: 24
Ordinary Perk Points: 1
"Pup, you have no idea how grateful I am," Tsume dropped him, "Where was he?"
"In Training Area One pissing off boars," he told the clan matriarch, "Why?"
"That's weird. Why the hell would he be in that area?" Tsume wondered before she shrugged, "Well, at any rate, you have my thanks. My Genin searched everywhere in the compound and still couldn't find the mutt. Honestly, I thought they were just incompetent."
"Why's Hotto so important?" Naruto asked.
"Hotto?" Tsume asked in turn and then look between both Naruto, "Ah, shit. You two bonded, haven't you?"
"Uh... yes?" was Naruto's hesitant response.
"Damn. That inconveniences things a bit but it's livable. We'll have to work out something later on but anyway," she waved that off and got to the point, "Hotto is half Komainu, a breed of ninken that's pretty much extinct."
"Komainu?" Anko asked.
"A strong breed of ninken that we managed to get breeding rights before the clan perished. Pissed off the wrong people and you can use your imagination to fill in the rest. Komainu are head strong as pups but very protective and loyal for life once you earn their trust. Even at a very young age their bite force is pretty strong and when they get older Komainu bites are considered one of the strongest and deadliest among ninken and can take more punishment than any ninken breed as well. I'm surprised he's not bitting your ass."
"He did when we first met. Wacked his head pretty good and taught him who's YEEEOOOWWOUCH!" Naruto yelled, and glared behind him, "Really! I thought we were over this?!"
"Grrr," was Hotto's reply.
"Like I said, headstrong, even if you two are friends," Tsume laughed before an idea dawned on her, "Alright, kid, cuz I like you I'm gonna offer you some help. Hopefully it'll get you two in synch."
Naruto said nothing to the offer as he was too distracted in is attempts to remove Hottomaru from his backside, "Huh? Sorry, what?"
"With a lot of luck, too," Tsume added.
"I'm sorry but what are we talking about?" Naruto was confused.
Tsume had a blank look when her eyes met Anko's, "Kid's not exactly the sharpest kunai in the pouch, is he?"
"Heh, heh," Anko chuckled embarrassingly, "Yeah, Gaki's duller than a spoon at times but I'm working on it."
"Hey!"
"Hey, yourself! Be grateful I didn't say you were duller than a grapefruit!" Anko retorted.
"Wha... Grapefruit aren't even ...Oh! You're mean!" he accused.
"And you're a halfwit half the time," Anko told her ward, "You see what I'm dealing with here, right?"
"Best of luck to you," having her own halfwit male to deal with, Tsume offered the younger kunoichi her sympathy, "But down to business. What do you think of dogs, Pup?"
"Huh?" was Naruto's intelligent response to Tsume's questions. "Dogs are cool, I guess. Thought I'd get one when I was older but being a ninja and all means I'd have to go away a lot so. Then there's the whole they don't live that long. I mean Ayame-neechan and Teuchi-jisan, maybe even Ojisan could probably look after it when I'm gone-"
"Woah, Pup, I just want a simple yes or no answer, not your life story," Tsume interrupted the boy. While Naruto wasn't the smartest of people, nor was he oozing tact, the Inuzuka matriarch could tell the ninja in training had given the matter some form of thought. Even if it was a little all over the place.
"Oh," Naruto blushed a bit, "Uh, yes?"
"…What the hell kind of answer was that?" Tsume asked him.
"Excuse us for a moment, thanks," Anko grabbed hold of the boy and dragged him outside before anything could be said by either party. "Gaki, do you have any idea what this means?"
"I get a dog?" Naruto's response got him a smack on the head, "Ow! What the hell!"
"This is an Inuzuka Ninja Dog, Gaki. Just calling them a dog is like calling a ninja a mere mercenary for hire. It doesn't do it justice and it's insulting. Do you have any idea – scratch that, you don't know shit about what's happening at the moment, do you?" his lack of response was her answer.
"Okay. Simply put, the amount of times I know the Inuzuka give someone outside the clan one of their ninken, I can count on my hands," without a very large payment of course.
"That rare?"
"You have no idea. A clan that deals with ninja dogs have them specially bred for specific purposes. Though some breeds are stronger in some of them than others, and as they get older, and depending on how well trained they are, they make even some Jounin hesitate to face them," Anko finished.
When she put it like that Naruto had to admit it sounded way cooler than he originally thought they would. With regular dogs Naruto knew he'd have to train them, which would take time, and even then, they'd only be good for companionship, which was good, but helping him as a ninja not so much. If what Anko was saying was true, and he hopefully understood her properly, a ninja dog could help him out and be a companion at the same time. Before Naruto could say accept, the group was interrupted by a familiar face.
"Mom, the idiot they sent stepped on one of the dogs' tails again," Kiba entered the scene with Akamaru. "They have him-"
"You!" Anko lunged at Kiba and hosted the hooded academy student by the collar of his hoodie.
"What the hell you crazy bitch!?" Kiba shouted with Akamaru barking at her.
"You're gonna pay for that stunt you pulled a while back, ya runt! And your little mutt too!" Anko glared at Akamaru and the small dog began backing away with his tail between his legs.
"So, that was you? Nice knowing you man," even if wanted to do something, Anko scared the hell out of him.
"Chicken shit!"
"Midori!" Anko called out.
"Not now, Anko-chan, I'm trying to sleep," the tired serpent stated.
"The brat and the ninken who pissed on us is right in front of me," the declaration had great effect.
"I'll kill 'em!" Midori considered herself to be very level headed and slow to anger but even she had her trigger. Getting pissed on by someone was one of them, especially when that someone could be easily turned into a meal.
"Mind telling me what the hell's happening?" Tsume returned while Midori began to chase a yelping Akamaru out of the room.
"Akamaru, or maybe Kiba, pissed on Anko a while back," Naruto informed her and the boy swore Hottomaru was laughing a bit. "If I didn't know about talking animals this would seem weird," it still was but not as much. But seeing what Kiba was currently going through, Naruto couldn't help but laugh alongside his future partner.
(The Next Day)
Naruto didn't bother with a leash, as Tsume told him young ninken hated them even when used for undercover missions and trying pass off as regular dogs, and soon after he began making his way towards the Hokage Tower. Being asked by a masked ninja to head to village leader bright an early in the morning on a Sunday was not something Naruto expected.
On the plus side, Naruto wasn't being escorted or bound like he usually was. But even then, Naruto wasn't eager to lose a weekend and hoped it wouldn't last long. Entering the building, Naruto and Hottomaru made their way up the stairs and arrived at the waiting room in short order, "Hey, Mariko-neechan!"
"Naruto-kun," Mariko greeted the boy before she became surprised by Hottomaru's unexpected jump on her desk.
"No! Bad dog!" Naruto chided.
"Oh, he's so cute," Mariko gushed and began scratching the puppy all over. The dog was loving everything second of it; his hind leg kicking in the air as she gave him a belly rub, "Lousy no for good little-"
"Lost your pet already, huh? Tough break, Gaki," Anko said.
"Gah! Will you stop that!" Naruto was getting pretty sick of this game.
"Nope," she grinned and spotted Hottomaru, "Wow, your dog left you for a woman with magic fingers," Hottomaru began doing yelps of pleasure and his leg was shaking like crazy, "Can't say I don't blame him."
"Hey!"
"Send them in, Mariko-chan," Hiruzen's voice carried over the intercom.
"Hai, Hokage-sama," Mariko motioned them to the door and Naruto grabbed Hottomaru by the scruff of his neck inside the office.
"Lousy, betraying mutt," Naruto thought.
"Take a seat you two," Hiruzen motioned to the seat but saw that one of them was already occupied, "Heh heh, I guess one of you will have to share a seat. Congratulations on acquiring a ninken, Naruto."
"How'd you know Hottomaru's my ninken, Jiji?" Naruto's efforts to get the pup to sit on the floor was proving fruitless and, in the end, he merely had the pup lay down on his lap.
"I'm not the Hokage for nothing, Naruto-kun," Hiruzen stated as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "This wouldn't have any relation to a certain D-rank bounty I was notified about, would it?"
"I thought you said you weren't Hokage for nothing, Jiji," Naruto grinned. Slow as he was at times, the boy was quick when he wanted to be.
"Point taken," the man chuckled and as he watched both him and the ninken interact, Hiruzen couldn't help but remember when he first summoned a very young Enma when the summon was the Prince of the Monkeys. The arrogant and hot-headed princeling at the time didn't want to cooperate with him when they first met but over time the two had become the closest of friends and Hiruzen could always rely on the King of the Monkeys.
But the happy memories were soon replaced by a sigh, "To be honest, I don't know whether to scold you or congratulate you on completing your first C-Rank mission without being on the active roster, Naruto-kun."
"Come again? A C-Rank mission?" Naruto was confused but that soon morphed in absolute joy, "Yes! In your face, Sasuke-teme! I completed a mission before you did!" sure, it was a C-Rank one but it still counted.
"Naruto, settle down," aware of the rivalry between his surrogate grandson and the last Uchiha, Hiruzen could understand the boy's enthusiasm, "Now, normally this would warrant disciplinary action as you are not authorized to undertake a mission without special permission and the accompaniment one of Genin rank or higher. But, as you were unaware and this occurred by accident, we can forgo such actions."
"Hey, wait a sec! Why's it a C-Rank mission but the bounty was D-Rank?" Naruto asked and both Hiruzen and Anko sweatdropped.
"Never even heard a word," was the shared thought.
"Well, to answer your question, Naruto-kun, the value and rank of bounties and missions fall under a different system. Eradication or capture of wildlife such as Onibuta is considered a C-Rank mission," truthfully the boy should have learned more about this at the academy but the man didn't know if he was to blame it on Naruto skipping out on too many lessons or what he believed to be an academy spy sabotaging the new crop of potential Genin. Or a combination of both. Either way, one was bad, the other was worse.
"At any rate congratulations, Naruto. Now on to business," here Hiruzen took out a piece of paper and passed to the academy student.
"What's this?"
"Standard paperwork for missions and bounties. Normally your Jonin instructor would be the one filling it out until you achieved the rank of Chunin but since this is a special circumstance, you'll be the done to do so," the man smiled upon finishing.
"Great," Naruto drawled as he got to it. The form was pretty standard but Naruto had to stop a couple of times and be guided through the process by Hiruzen. By the time Naruto was done, and since he had to do the whole thing three times; all three going to different locations, the boy had developed a dislike for paperwork.
"Thank you," taking his copy, Naruto watched as Hiruzen sealed the document into a scroll and marveled at how the paperwork pretty much merged with the rolled parchment.
Fascinated by the display, and due to the fact that he had a scroll that he couldn't use unless he had a basic understand of Fuinjutsu, alongside one of his perks giving him a boon in that area for whatever reason, Naruto didn't think twice before asking, "Hey, Jiji, can you teach me how to do seals?"
"Oh, Kami-sama," for the longest time was Hiruzen hoping this didn't come to pass until the appropriate time. But, much like his mother did at his age, Naruto left him with no other choice but adapt to a situation they caused.
In all honesty, Hiruzen believed that Naruto wouldn't have taken an interest in seals, and for the longest time his assumptions had been true due to the boy's preference for learning ninjutsu like most others. Being an orphan – even if the remaining members of his clan were hidden and scattered across the countries – meant Naruto didn't grow up with the skillset most children in clans did or was usually expected to possess. Skilled and gifted as they were, being an Uzumaki didn't automatically mean being good at Fuinjutsu or knowing how to draw seals by the time they were born. Unlike their red hair, it wasn't a hereditary trait, nor was it a bloodline limit like the Byakugan or the Sharingan.
While it was true that the Uzumaki Clan were feared far and wide because of their mastery in fuinjutsu that little to no one could match, that came from centuries upon centuries of practice and failures that were passed down to the next generation. Granted, even at a young age the average Uzumaki had an above average grasp and understanding of seals than most others, and when it came to Uzumaki prodigies in the art it was a whole other ball game.
And that last part made Hiruzen uneasy, "Poor to average ninja in training or not, if Naruto inherited even a drop of talent for that field from either one of his parents many could start to ask questions. Iwa and Kumo certain wouldn't hesitate to end him after what Minato did in the last war," while it was more so the former Hiruzen was worried about given the enormous losses they suffered by Minato's hand garnered feelings of revenge that remained to this day; Kumo had a few pocket areas that wouldn't hesitate to end Minato's line, if only to deny Konoha from potentially gaining a formidable advantage in the future, especially if it turned out Naruto somehow inherited Kushina's unique chakra.
Even though Minato was much more powerful than his wife and a prodigy that excelled at everything he did, Kushina had been a very strong kunoichi still and was the only one that ever outranked her husband in terms of fuinjutsu.
The late Uzumaki wasn't like her distant Senju cousin in terms of power and prowess but had been one of the few kunoichi of her lifetime that had many believe she had the potential to rival and perhaps be on par with Tsunade someday. With her untimely death the answer to that question would forever remain unanswered.
"Naruto's getting stronger but not quickly enough to last against the more powerful ninja. Even after all these years some still try to find what remains of the Uzumaki Clan," Hiruzen had gotten reports from Jiraiya and his Anbu that were sent on special missions to locate any of the remaining Uzumaki Clan members and bring them back to Konoha for sanctuary.
It was easier said than done, and at times some clan members they had a lead on were either too elusive to find, their seals he didn't doubt helped them in this, or they were too late and their bodies were found mutilated by enemy factions to find out their secrets. As it was, Tsunade and Naruto were currently the only ones with Uzumaki blood left in them that was affiliated with Konoha. After nearly thirty years, Hiruzen doubted there were many full-blooded Uzumaki left now.
But as much as he wanted to protect the boy short of binding and locking him up, Naruto wouldn't give up on learning something or become a ninja, "The boy inherited his mother's bull-headed stubbornness and his father's never give up attitude."
It was a dangerous combination in his mind.
Fortunately, Hiruzen was a smart individual and knew how to handle such situations as easily as breathing, "While I admire your enthusiasm to learn a skill very few take advantage of, I'm afraid I'll have to say no at the moment. Before you interrupt," Hiruzen stopped the blond as soon as he saw signs of protest, "you must know that learning and using seals isn't as simple as it sounds, Naruto-kun," Hiruzen stated and then passed the document Naruto had completed to Anko before he continued.
"Fuinjutsu is as a powerful, complicated and deadly art. It requires a great amount of skill, concentration, dedication, imagination, and absolute precision. There can be no margin for errors even for simplest of of them," he explained.
"Precision? Isn't it just writing down symbols and stuff?" the boy got a smack upside the head by Anko, "Ow!"
"Fuinjutsu is more than just writing symbols and stuff, Gaki-baka!" Anko shook her head as she looked at his writing, "Where the hell did you learn to write? This is worse than awful."
"Blunt and crude as ever, Anko," were Hiruzen's thoughts, but while she exaggerated the kunoichi was not technically wrong either. The boy's calligraphy left much to be desired. Konohamaru was younger but had much better calligraphy.
"Anko-chan is right, Naruto-kun. Fuinjutsu is much more than merely writing a symbol or a series of characters on a blank piece of paper. While I've seen much worse, the way you filled in the documents is still very sloppy. As of now, I'm afraid of what would happen should you try even the basics. Fuinjutsu is a delicate art, a single mistake from an out of place character, the wrong stroke of the ink, or incompatible symbols or functions will have disastrous results. I've seen what happens to inexperienced individuals who meddle in the field only for it to greatly backfire on them. The most occurring theme is them being killed or crippled, or this happening to those around them. I once saw a young man try to seal a weapon within his arm, his lack of knowledge and inexperience in fuinjutsu did not end well," the man still cringed at the memory.
"What happened?"
"His entire arm was turned into a pin cushion from within and the amount of shrapnel and distortion caused by the backlash forced him to give up being a ninja and nearly ruined his life," Hiruzen wasn't going to sugar coat it. Any aspect of the ninja lifestyle was dangerous, but fuinjutsu could be considered the most dangerous field for a reason and he didn't want Naruto going into it without knowing the risks.
And judging by Naruto's slightly paling at the prospect, Hiruzen guessed his words struck home.
"As it now, Naruto, I can't allow you to learn fuinjutsu. Once your calligraphy is at a very acceptable level, and you are able focus and not merely rush and get it over and done with, I will consider it. Until then, you're forbidden from learning it," Naruto knew whenever Jiji used his absolute authority voice there was no going around it.
[QUEST ALERT!]
Calligraphy 101!
Main Quest: Learn and master the skill [Calligraphy] up to level 20!
Main Quest Completion: +250 REP with Sarutobi Hiruzen, +1500 EXP, Unlock [Fuinjutsu Skill], ?
Accept? (Yes/No)
"Ok, Jiji," Naruto knew better to argue at this point with the old man and accepted the quest.
"Very good," Hiruzen released a sigh of relief. He hadn't wanted to do this but it was for Naruto's own good. He wouldn't deny Naruto using fuinjutsu – he remained worried nonetheless – but he needed the boy to be stronger and in a better mindset before he allowed him to take a shot at it. Naruto wasn't like his father where he could learn, master, and sometimes even improve a skill and make it look like child's play. Nor did he have Kushina's skill in calligraphy, a fact that shocked many who knew the tomboy. Naruto had to start at the bottom and work his way up. There was still a chance he'd take to fuinjutsu better than he expected, but Hiruzen would cross that bridge if it came to that.
"On another note, how is the training coming along? I realize Anko's methods are likely unorthodox and unique to say the least," the man deadpanned when she said 'Damn proud of it' and Naruto mirrored the Hokage with his own deadpanned look.
"Slow, but the brat's getting there. Besides, when it comes to the Gaki, I think unorthodox and kinesthetic learning methods actually seem to get better results."
"Kinaesthwaht?" Naruto was unfamiliar with the word.
"It means you learn better by doing things than by reading them, Gaki," Anko told him. "In other words: you have a hell of lot easier time physically practicing a technique when it's showed to you than by learning the theory of it and not being showed."
"Oh, gotcha," Naruto nodded in understanding.
Hiruzen smiled as he watched the two. A bond, a very unique one to say the least, had been formed between the two despite the short amount of time they knew each other. Despite her hesitance at the time, Anko was a decent teacher despite her past and unique personality.
"I mean, let's face it, if I didn't do anything the Gaki would most likely get his ass handed to him on a silver platter when he goes up against other ninja. No offense," Anko said that but the look on her face told them differently.
"None taken," Naruto groused but mentally thought, "Up yours!"
Hiruzen could only offer an awkward laugh. The two before them were so alike it was a tad frightening at times. Hiruzen could only hope it didn't lead to the creation of another Anko. Not to say Anko wasn't a delight – in small doses that is – but having Naruto being molded into a miniature version of her would likely cause a riot in certain circles.
"Well, hopefully the results will speak for themselves before the graduation ceremony begins in January," said Hiruzen.
Naruto blinked only once before a bad feeling began to develop within him, "The graduation ceremony is in January, Jiji?"
"Yes? Unlike the previous five years where the term lasted ten months, the final year was only five as there wasn't much left for our instructors to teach students in terms of schooling. The final two years are mostly used to up the academy students' physical and weapon capabilities. While a great emphasis on in class studies such as previous strategies used, what to expect to happen when in another country, is still required to learn," Hiruzen explained as though it were common knowledge.
But it wasn't in Naruto's case, "But that means–" Naruto stopped cold as a hand landed on his shoulder and he felt a great chill go up his spine.
"It means, Gaki, that you and I are gonna have three months of non-stop fun time together," her oh-so familiar sadistic and pain inducing grin appeared. Even Hiruzen had to admit he was slightly unnerved by the look. It reminded him too much of his old student.
"Is it too late to ask for another mentor," Naruto squeaked out as he felt himself being dragged by the cuff of his clothes.
"That ship sailed, caught fire, and sank into the inky black abyss, Gaki. From this day forth, welcome to Anko's Training from Hell," she cackled as she left the office.
"Arf," Hottomaru released a sigh of relief.
"Oops, almost forgot," Anko popped back in and Hottomaru found himself wrapped around Midori's coils. "Thought you were exempt from this didn't you, Poochy."
The grinning sadist merely got a whimper from the small creature, an action that was mimicked and shared by his owner.
"Maybe this wasn't such a good idea," at worst the woman would break the boy and he'd be left a complete mess, at best he'd become a much more competent ninja. As he began going back to work to distract himself from such unwanted thoughts, another one flickered in his head, "What if she actually does turn him into a miniature version of herself?" the man couldn't help but think on the potential Hell he may have opened.
(Flashback End)
"What's so funny?" Anko asked.
"What?"
"You laughed. What's up?" the kunoichi clarified.
"Oh. Just thinking about the meeting with Jiji and what you did to Kiba a while back," Naruto elaborated and continued to laugh.
"Oh, yeah. That was fun," Anko joined in. Though Naruto had a different opinion on the matter, he stayed silent for fear of ending up like Kiba.
Changing the subject, "By the way, with the way he described her, I used to think Kiba's sister was sweet and kind."
"Oh, I don't blame you. Compared to the rest of her clan, Hana's pretty ordinary," the younger kunoichi's only flaw was that she sucked at sewing but even then, that was nothing, "But, and let this be another lesson, never judge a book by its cover. Especially when that person is a ninja."
"I know. I know," being a ninja meant that one was to be an expert of deception. Whether that be portraying yourself as weak and incompetent, average and unassuming, or charming and kind, a ninja did what they had to in order to get one to lower their guard and make them regret doing so.
"Arrrrffff," from behind, Naruto could hear Hotto whine pathetically. The blond couldn't help think back on Hana's words.
"Komainu are strong and tough, Naruto-san. Don't think just because Hotto's a puppy that he can't take care of himself. Of course, until he gets older there are limits you should be mindful of, and it's your responsibility to reign him in. Ninja beasts are smarter and stronger but you can't forget that they are still animals and even more limited in what they can do. Their instincts can also get the best of them just as any human's emotions can," Hana told him.
"Check," Naruto nodded.
"Now, seeing as how you're not an Inuzuka, unfortunately we can't teach you our clan techniques. Hotto will instinctively know some as he gets more combat experience but that won't be for a while. Until then, I'm going to get you two in sync. Fighting with a partner – especially a ninken – is different than fighting solo. Without practice or having a feel for your partner's methods that comes from hours of practice, you risk hurting yourself and him. Kaa-san won't be pleased if she finds out he's been badly hurt, believe me," Hana warned him.
"Double check," Naruto quickly added.
"So, for the time being, we are going to have you two perform repetitive exercises," Hana's smile was kind but what followed was anything but.
The exercises had been essentially geared towards boosting the ninken's stamina and speed along with getting both ninja and ninken familiar with their fighting style. Hotto had incredible stamina for a puppy his age, but his speed, while still allowing him to be slippery and fast, wasn't as good when compared to other ninken such as Akamaru. Komainu also tended to possess naturally occurring protective instincts and wouldn't hesitate to put themselves in harm's way, a dangerous trait for a vulnerable wet behind the ears puppy to have.
"So, what now?" Naruto asked.
"Now, you're on your own for the next bit. Ward you might be, I'm still a Tokubetsu-Jonin that needs to do field work from time to time. It's my turn to do border patrol and I'll be gone a little over a week. Hayate and Yugao will look after your training when they can but for now, you're essentially on your own," the kunoichi informed him.
The don't slack off comment went unsaid, but would have been unnecessary. Naruto was too afraid of Anko to risk it.
"What should I do then?"
"I dunno. Get the pooch combat experience?" Anko just haphazardly threw it out there, "Later."
When he thought about, the idea had merit. Naruto, and Anko, personally believed that there was no better way to learn something than by it through trial by fire. Three weeks had passed, and Hotto had gone up a few levels since then.
Status Window
Name: Hottomaru
Job: Ninken (Ninja Dog)
Level: 6 Next Level: 1358/3600
HP: 475
CP: 375
STR: 10
VIT: 19
DEX: 17
END: 15
INT: 5
WIS: 7
CHA: 3
LUK: 16
Defense: 0
AP: 7
"Thank you, special perk," by that, Naruto referred to the [Gamer's Combat Pet] that Hotto had been blessed with the moment he agreed to keep him. Not only would Naruto not need to constantly invite Hottomaru, it also gave him virtually the same perks as the Gamer. The only downside was Naruto having to be the one to allocate the ninken's attribute points. The dog not being intelligent enough to understand the concept.
"Speaking of which," he wondered where he should allocate Hottomaru's AP. In the end, Naruto decided to allocate them to his DEX. Just because Hotto would grow up to be able to take hits and shrug 'em off didn't mean the boy wanted him to rely on it. Why suffer from a blow when you can dodge it and not get hit at all?
"Hrmm?" the puppy merely tilted his head at the strange technique he had and whatever he was talking about.
"Oh, right you don't know what I'm talking about. Well, you'll find out later," Naruto contemplated if the ninken should be taken to the next Natural Dungeon or if he should go on the side of caution and revisit the zombies. Tempting as he was to get the next key, Hotto's level and attributes weren't good enough to risk it. Sure, Naruto could leave the ninken behind, but the ninken wasn't disciplined enough yet and the dog needed the experience.
The problem with the Zombie Dungeon wasn't just having to deal with a boss that had a level twice greater than Hotto and Naruto's combined. Naruto was now at a level where killing foes with such a difference between them brought minimal EXP return even with the bonuses from his equipment and perks. Loot would be decent, but in reality, only Hotto would benefit from the dungeon until his [Instant Dungeon Creation Skill] leveled up so he could manipulate it.
But, on the upside, even if they somehow ended up killed, they wouldn't stay that way. Not unlike the natural dungeons that only gave them a single pass per run. Plus, it would give Hottomaru some decent targets for his [Tsuga (Passing Fang) Skill] he managed to pull off about a week ago. Hana had been impressed, but even then, she mentioned that the pup had a while before it was effective.
As of now, Hottomaru was only able to pull off the move four times before he tired himself out. Which, was still very good as most inexperienced ninken pups could only do half that much. Naruto had been given a pouch full of special [Inuzuka Clan Military Rations Pill] to restore and reduce the rate in which Hotto's chakra was lost, and give them a boost of chakra at the same time.
Naruto would have loved to have used them but the pills were specially designed to only work on clan members and ninken. Anyone else would be emptying their bodies from both ends until the effects wore off. The worse hangover and barely able to crawl like side effects that came afterwards was only the cherry on top.
"Okay, before we go, let's you some armor. Hopefully Tetsu's has some and then it's off to Ichiraku's before we head home," Hottomaru merely whined. The blasphemous little dog didn't care for ramen all that much and preferred meat. Naruto had cut back on ramen quite a bit and the times he did visit the Ichiraku stand he ate less than usual. Teuchi jokingly saying that he was going to run him out of business for not eating as much as he used to. If he had his way, Naruto would eat nothing but that heavenly food. But Anko and Ayame-neechan were in cahoots and Naruto did want to get rid of the [Malnourished] flaw.
"Ah, fine we'll go to Yakiniku Q instead," the grill it yourself restaurant was Hottomaru's favourite place to eat. His love for it only outdone by Chouji. It wasn't that bad in his mind but he still preferred Ichiraku Ramen.
"But next time we're going to Ichiraku!"
|Your reputation with Hottomaru has increased by 50!|
Hottomaru merely yipped happily and headed off towards Tetsu's as fast as he could. Though much quicker than what he used to be, the ninken wasn't as fast as Naruto and the Gamer was able to keep up with his companion.
Legend of the Kyuubi
Making the rounds.
- Joined
- Sep 14, 2026
- Messages
- 35
Chapter 9: Ready, Fight!
"Arf! Arf!"
"Mwwaarrrghhh," was the zombie's moan, and its last the moment Seishoyo struck the decaying torso and stopped the walking corpse in its track. The doubled over undead's head was liberated from its shoulders not a moment later when Naruto plunged a kunai at the back of its skull. The combo was something Anko had taught him until he increased his strength enough to use his newest weapon.
"Oh, thank Kami, they can't talk," if they did, Naruto guessed it would probably be in the stereotypical manner, too, "Who came up with that anyway? Why would zombies want to eat brains?" the blond never understood that logic.
From his ambush spot, Naruto watched as the other zombies moved towards him, only for the horde of undead to trip over the shinobi wire he had placed earlier. The action caused a domino effect as it triggered a nearby exploding tag he put down.
"Well, you're up," Naruto watched as Hotto ran to the downed enemies and went to work. The small ninken bit and scratched as hard as he could. Normally dogs would attempt to go for the throat but not only did zombies leave a bad after taste in ones' mouth, but the damn things didn't need to breathe.
As a ninken, Hotto would normally use the techniques he knew of instinctively but right now they were too taxing to be used repeatedly. A good well-placed Tsuga would likely end the prone foes but even with the combat experience he had gained over the last five days and the levels he had gone through the ninken could only use it eight times. Ten if he pushed it and more than double that if under the effects of the [Inuzuka Clan Military Ration Pills]. Apparently, while the growth rate of skills and level ups for those affected by his perk were much greater than the normal/traditional way, it was still slower than that of the originator.
"Katon: Inka (Fire Release: Shadow Fire)!" were Naruto's thoughts as a series of demonic fireballs reduced another incoming horde to ash.
"God, I love that trick," discovering that he could use his skills just by voicing them mentally was a very welcoming surprise. The fact he didn't have to be vocal when using his technique added the element of surprise that Anko would be pleased with. Sure, it took some getting used to and the boy lapsed at times, but that was a given. Grabbing the loot but still keeping an eye out on Hotto, Naruto used his [Detection Skill] and released a sighed when he learned that every enemy within the radius of a few blocks were gone.
"Time," Naruto called out and chided himself for the slip, "Gotta work on that."
Nearing midnight, and with tomorrow being a busy day, Naruto decided it was time to call it a night, "Hotto! We're leaving."
"Arf!"
"Put the bone down, Hotto," how the ninken could stomach having what came from rotten limb in his mouth had to be due to his Komainu lineage. Leaving the drops behind – having collected enough and they weren't much anyway – Naruto and his ninken left the dungeon world in a brilliant flash.
(The Next Day)
"And so, during the Second Shinobi World War the battle between Ame and Konoha had begun to escalade to its peaking point. While Amegakure had a great advantage over Konoha in the beginning, partial thanks to the village leader, Hanzo-"
"Gotta hit those training ground dungeons fast," were Naruto thoughts while Iruka continued retelling the class about the Second Shinobi World War. The boy would have liked Hotto to be a little more experienced, and have a better level, but time was slowly running out and the zombie dungeon right now wasn't doing much for him. With the amount of training they did and the experienced gained from the zombie dungeon, Hotto was just about to cross the half way point of level nine. Hopefully the protective gear he ordered for the ninken, as ninken armor was a custom specialty job, would help tip the odds.
"Naruto! Pay attention!" Iruka suddenly declared, getting a rise out of the class and waking about Shikamaru from his nap. Likely the other reason why he yelled.
"Sorry," he replied half-heartedly. Naruto never thought it would be possible, but classes at the academy had become stagnant and boring... well, even more so than usual. What with him being taught by Anko, and Hayate and Yugao during Anko's absence, coupled with him actually getting combat experience in dungeons, Naruto felt that the academy had little to offer him now. Even if he wanted to do anything, it was already nearing the graduation ceremony.
Thinking back on it, Naruto realized how naïve his younger self was to think he was prepared to graduate early. Technically speaking an academy student could apply for early graduation if they felt ready and had the approval of the Head Teacher of the academy and one of the Konoha Elders. Why Sasuke hadn't done this Naruto didn't know, but guessed even the so-called prodigy didn't meet the requirements for some reason. The blond had decided to attempt it over the course of his time here. The result was him failing the graduation exam twice now. The upcoming one would be his third. Which worried him slightly.
"Even with my better chakra control I still can't use the Bunshin no Jutsu," Naruto mentally groaned, even with him being part-way through the Tree Climbing Practice after he mastered the leaf balancing one. Regrettably, even then all his attempts at using the Bunshin continued to end in failure. Yugao had made a comment that he'd might fare better after learning the mastering the next chakra control exercise. But with his chakra levels continuously going up and the noticeably uneven ratio between that and his control, Naruto wasn't getting his hopes up.
Even attempting to learn the technique through a scroll hadn't worked, "At the least the scroll gave me a damn explanation. This whole time it was because of my chakra levels," initially he thought it was because his control over his chakra was terrible. In essence, it did play a factor but at least now he knew it wasn't merely just that.
However, while knowing part of the problem was good and all, it still wasn't enough to fix it. For him to graduate, Naruto needed to show that he could make a proper Bunshin. If not, no headband. And no headband meant he remained in school.
"Not gonna happen!"
The blond had no intention in repeating another half year. And what was really unfair was the fact that had it been the old curriculum that Anko mentioned, he most likely would have graduated already, having been made an exception, or been a shoo-in for graduation. He knew four elemental techniques. Sure, two were fairly recent but all of them were C-Rank! And he had a B-Rank technique that strengthened his blows and a non-elemental C-Rank that he learned from Hayate that made his weapons deadlier.
"And that concludes history for today," Iruka finished, to the joy of almost everyone, "Now, as you all know graduation is less than three months away," the man was cut off by the sound of happy and excited students.
"Freedom!"
"No more lessons!"
"No more boring lectures!"
Iruka's right eye twitched at that last comment but he remained professional nonetheless, "Oh, I hope you all enjoy D-Rank missions," except for that last thought.
After getting them to calm down, the academy teacher continued, "Yes, yes, I know. So, to better prepare you all we are going to be doing more of the physical aspects from now on. That doesn't mean you're to slack on your studies!" here he looked at Shikamaru, Chouji, and Kiba.
Usually he'd look at Naruto too but the boy's marks in the last month were improving. He went off on a daze at times but at least he didn't fall asleep like Shikamaru. Hopefully it wasn't a phase and Naruto didn't disappoint him in the end.
"That being said, from now until the second last week of the school year we are going to hold a sparring session every Monday and Friday for the next few weeks to see where everyone stands and what can be improved. If we see you're at an adequate level you'll get these," here he showed a series of scrolls.
"These scrolls demonstrate and have information on how to use the Advanced Academy Taijutsu. Now for those of you who have a clan based Taijutsu this may not seem like much," once more his words were directed at Chouji and Kiba with the addition of Hinata and Sasuke, "However, mastering this will help you better understand and learn other Taijutsu styles Konoha has to offer. Who knows, some of you may even attempt to create your own Taijutsu style. Now head outside and begin stretching for ten minutes while Mizuki and I set everything up."
"Yahoo! Let's go, Akamaru!" Kiba practically blurred out of the classroom with his ninken, followed quickly by the other eager students.
"…I'm starting to think my lectures aren't being appreciated, Mizuki," Iruka speculated.
"You're just figuring it out now?" Mizuki sweatdropped upon seeing Iruka become despondent. Mizuki thought the man a fool before they left to set up the training area.
While the academy teachers prepared for the sparing session, Naruto and the other students took this time to stretch and prepare. After excusing himself briefly, Naruto now sported his combat gear foradded defense. Nowhere did Iruka say that they weren't allowed to wear armor.
Eyeing the competition, Naruto decided to see what he was up against. With his Observe now at a much higher level the Gamer would be able to see more and what they offered in terms of a challenge.
"Observe," he muttered and started with the kunoichi of the class.
Status Window
Name: Haruno Sakura
Job: Academy Student
Level: 10 Next Level: 139/6080
HP: 250
CP: 300
STR: 7
VIT: 10
END: 12
DEX: 17
INT: 63
WIS: 36
CHA: 15
LUK: 15
DEF: 10
Status Window
Name: Yamanaka Ino
Job: Academy Student
Level: 10 Next Level: 1257/6080
HP: 325
CP: 450
STR: 7
VIT: 13
END: 18
DEX: 27
INT: 41
WIS: 28
CHA: 32
LUK: 14
DEF: 10
Status Window
Name: Hyuga Hinata
Job: Academy Student
Level: 9 Next Level: 4165/5400
HP: 375
CP: 500
STR: 8
VIT: 15
END: 20
DEX: 27
INT: 39
WIS: 31
CHA: 11
LUK: 9
DEF: 10
Naruto wasn't surprised that his classmates had managed to level up by a couple of levels. It had been almost seven weeks since he first saw them after awaking his Gamer ability after all.
However, when he looked up the more detailed version of their Status Window that explained the perks and the flaws, it did explain some things. One of them had a perk that allowed her to level up more quickly while the other two were from clans that likely had them do training after school on a daily basis.
For Sakura it also explained why she had the kata for the academy Taijutsu down but was pretty tired afterwards. He was surprised Ino wasn't the same but guessed that coming from a ninja clan meant she knew better. He was very surprised with his reputation level with Hinata and wondered what he could have done for it to be so high. Aside from a few others, Naruto actually realized that Hinata was actually the only female in his class who didn't make fun of him. Why was that?
"Eh, I'll figure it out later," he shrugged and decided to focus on the task at hand. "Ok, next," he decided to scan the Taijutsu oriented male students.
Status Window
Name: Akimichi Chouji
Job: Academy Student
Level: 9 Next Level: 2178/5400
HP: 1000
CP: 650
STR: 30
VIT: 28
END: 26
DEX: 11
INT: 12
WIS: 11
LUK: 4
DEF: 15
Status Window
Name: Inuzuka Kiba
Job: Academy Student
Level: 10 Next Level: 4117/6080
HP: 600
CP: 650
STR: 23
VIT: 24
END: 26
DEX: 37
INT: 15
WIS: 11
LUK: 21
DEF: 16
Status Window
Name: Akamaru
Job: Ninken (Ninja Dog)
Level: 6 Next Level: 234/3600
HP: 275
CP: 250
STR: 5
VIT: 11
END: 10
DEX: 20
INT: 7
WIS: 6
LUK: 15
Defense: 0
Status Window
Name: Uchiha Sasuke
Job: Academy Student
Level: 13 Next Level: 5987/8800
HP: 750
CP: 850
STR: 21
VIT: 30
END: 34
DEX: 33
INT: 34
WIS: 25
LUK: 23
DEF: 20
"What the hell! Why's his level requirement the same as last time?" looking into the more detailed version of the Last Uchiha's Status Window only served to piss him off even more, "Oh, bullshit! A perk that gives him a twenty-five percent chance of keeping his previous level requirement!" sure, that would be awesome to have, but for the teme of all people to have it? Uh-uh! Pure bull!
"Some people have all the luck. Oh, well, at least my level's way higher than his," indeed, impressive as Sasuke's level and stats were compared to the other academy students, they weren't as high as his stats. Sasuke was level thirteen, and Naruto was now only a few hundred points shy of reaching level eighteen. And he had yet to use his Attribute Points.
"Hey, Dobe, what's with the outfit?" Naruto turned around and spotted Kiba and a few others giving him strange looks.
"Added protection," he merely responded. "Iruka-sensei didn't say anything about us not being allowed to wear armor."
"Tch, you'll need all the help you can get, Naruto," Kiba smirked.
"Last I heard I wasn't Dead Last anymore, Dog-breath," Naruto's comment caused Kiba to lose his smirk and others to start laughing. With his better grades the position of Dead Last had gone to Kiba. While the Inuzuka Clan heir was one of the top students in Taijutsu his grades were much poorer in the other subjects. Naruto's grades weren't much better but they were just good enough to beat Kiba's.
"Arf!" Hottomaru laughed at the boy, earning a low growl and bark from his cousin. Hottomaru though promptly ignored it and scratched himself behind the ear.
"Alright everyone, gather around," Iruka called them. "Because of how many students are here, we're going to be splitting this into two blocks. When only three students from each block is left, both blocks' contestants will fight each other. The process of selecting who will be facing who is simple. The box you see before you has all your names written down in it and each one of your names will be chosen at random. We are doing this for a crucial reason. When you all become ninja, you need to expect the unexpected. Some you may face can either be weak or very strong, meaning a fight can be easy or difficult. It may seem unfair, and it is, but that's how the real-world works. Consider this a wakeup call. Better for you to realize it now than when it's too late. Now Block A who will be looked after Mizuki will have-"
[QUEST ALERT!]
Ready, Fight!
Main Quest: Become one of the Top 3 Fighters
Side Quest: Become the Top Fighter
Hidden Objective: ?
Main Quest Completion: 1000 EXP, +250 Reputation [Iruka], [Advanced Academy Taijutsu Scroll]
Side Quest Completion: 650 EXP, +1 STR, +100 Reputation [Iruka]
Hidden Objective Completion: 300 EXP, +1 Attribute Point
Failure: 100 EXP
Quest is Mandatory
Naruto merely grinned at the quest. This was going to be a piece of cake he thought. With his boost in skills and higher than average academy student stats this competition was in the bag. While the experience points were so, so, at least it would be enough to level up.
"Block B will have Yamanaka Ino, Hikari Kasumi, Hokino Ami, Inuzuka Kiba, Uzumaki Naruto, Akimichi Chouji, Hyokan Fuki, Uchiha Sasuke, Oshiro Hibachi-"
Naruto merely drowned out the rest of the calls, but when he heard the name Oshiro Hibachi the boy couldn't help but scowl. Years ago, Naruto had wanted to partake in a contest with some of the academy students, Hibachi however had made sure he didn't get the chance. Needless to say, Naruto got back at the boy and Hibachi wanted payback and pulled a fast one on him by giving him a task that seemed simple at the time. All he needed to do was collect something from what he later discovered to be a hot zone.
Naruto came out relatively fine thanks to Iruka and a Jounin but his dislike for Hibachi had grown because of the stunt. Initially Hibachi and his friends were meant to be expelled from the academy because the prank did put a student's life at risk, but their parents had managed to convince the Head Teacher otherwise. They had still gotten severally punished from what he heard, but to Naruto it felt like it was a merely slap on the wrists.
"Time for payback, asshole," Naruto cracked his knuckles in anticipation of facing the prick.
"Now then, with that settled, some ground rules. One, this is strictly a friendly Taijutsu spar, so that means no Ninjutsu, Genjutsu, or Bukijutsu. If I catch anyone using any you're disqualified, and will be serving detention with me pending what I see. Two, my decisions are absolute and when I say a ruling such as a fight is over, it's over. Failure to comply will result in consequences," here he developed a very stern look that many had rarely seen on Iruka's face.
"Three, unlike the previous spars we've had before we're mixing it up a bit. To win a match you must land three successful blows against your opponent. Sweeping them off their feet and throws do not count as a hit, blocking a strike doesn't count as a hit either. Knocking them out, while not necessary, will result in you winning the match by default. Once a blow has been landed you will separate and get back into fighting position. Each blow represents a level of injury you may face in the battlefield: Minor, Severe and Fatal. In the real world all it takes are a few blows, even a single well-placed blow, to end it all. Yet even someone with a fatal injury can make a comeback and end up as the victor," here the man spoke from experience.
"Four, the white line you see over there is a marked boundary area you cannot cross. Crossing it will result in a point for your opponent. Remember, a shinobi must be aware of their surroundings at all times and use it to their advantage. Finally, before every bout you are to perform the Seal of Confrontation, and at the end you are to perform the Seal of Reconciliation. With that settled let's begin. Block B follow me, the rest of you follow Mizuki-sensei."
Both blocks of students split, with fifteen students in each block. "Hey, Iruka-sensei if the blocks are an odd number doesn't that mean one of us gets a free pass?" Naruto asked.
The man smiled, "Correct, Naruto. Because each block has fifteen students one of you will not need to fight in the first round. While it's unfair, like I said this is to help simulate a real-life scenario. A ninja can be coming back from a mission and won a fight, only to then face someone else at one hundred percent strength. How you deal with it will result in the success or failure of a mission," he told the students as they arrived at their designated area.
"Now then, the first fight will be … Yamanaka Ino vs Hokino Ami. Inuzuka Kiba vs Hyokan Fuki. Hikari Kasumi vs Akimichi Chouji. Uzumaki Naruto vs Oshiro Hibachi-"
Naruto had to restrain himself from shouting out with glee, "Thank you, Lady Luck!"
Hibachi for his part merely smirked. While some believed Naruto had gotten better, Hibachi was from a group of students who thought his success was nothing more than a fluke on the blond's part. Hibachi had been wanted to pay Naruto back too. While his father had managed to prevent him from getting expelled, saying the man had been furious didn't do it justice.
"Alright now, Ino and Ami, enter the ring!" Iruka ordered. Both kunoichi offered the Seal of Confrontation, albeit reluctantly because neither one were exactly friends to begin with. Mostly due to Ino having tricked Ami into thinking she'd been poisoned, and both fought for Sasuke's admiration.
"Ready, begin!" Iruka shouted.
"Bring it, Blon-" Ami's taunt was cut short as she felt a punch to the face and fell back on her posterior.
"Point, Ino!" Iruka announced.
"You were saying," the Yamanaka smirked.
The fight, if one could call it that was one-sided. Ami, like many kunoichi candidates, focused more time on her looks and book skills than her physical education. It didn't help that Ami came from a civilian background with no ninja relatives whatsoever while Ino came from a well-established ninja clan and was also one of the higher students, too. Coupled with her greater flexibility and speed, the civilian born academy student stood no chance. Ami was promptly beaten by the Yamanaka heiress in less than a minute.
"Shōsha, Yamanaka Ino!" Iruka announced. Both academy students exchanged the Seal of Reconciliation, though Ami had a scowl on her bruised face. Ino merely smiled at the purple haired bully. When it was over, Ami was forced to go see the academy nurse while Iruka crossed out her name and started the next match.
Much like the previous match with Ino and Ami, Kiba and Chouji's match against their opponents were relatively one sided. Unlike Kiba whose speed was just too great for his opponent, Chouji had gotten hit once because of his rotund figure and kind-hearted nature. And then knocked out his opponent by using his posterior to send her crashing into a wall.
While others laughed, Naruto twitched at the sight as his mind took a trip down memory lane. The exact same thing occurred to him during his early academy days. It was easily one of the most embarrassing ways to lose. When both Chouji and Kasumi finished performing the Seal of Reconciliation, Iruka announced the next bout.
"Naruto, Hibachi, you two are up," Iruka announced and Hibachi's friends cheered him on.
"Kick his ass, Hibachi!" Hibachi's best friend, Unagi shouted.
"Language!" the academy teacher reprimanded.
"No sweat. This loser's going down," Hibachi grinned.
"Oh, I'm so gonna enjoy beating that ugly mug of yours," the boy could only lament not being able to use Goriki considering it was a ninjutsu, and Naruto didn't want to risk punch with that amount of strength behind it potentially sending Hibachi to the hospital.
"Make the seal," Iruka told them.
"Do we have to?"
"Do it or you're disqualified," was the man's stern response and both males begrudgingly performed it.
"Great, now I gotta disinfect my hand," Hibachi muttered loud enough for everyone to hear.
"Grr," Hottomaru looked ready to teach the academy student a lesson.
"Enough," Iruka frowned as some of the students laughed, "Ready, fight!"
The moment he said fight, Naruto appeared in front of Hibachi before the boy could react. Faster than most could see, Naruto delivered a devastating roundhouse kick on the bandana wearing boy's face, striking the chin first. The last thing Hibachi saw before his vision dimmed and his consciousness left him was the angry look in Naruto's eyes.
Soon his unconscious body was sent flying a good twelve feet away, twirling through the air like a spinning top before finally coming down and tumble limb over limb an additional four or five feet on the ground. The students were left stunned by the act and left in disbelief. Naruto, the Dead Last that many still thought him to be, had sent a student flying with a single kick. Granted, kicks were way stronger than punches but it still counted.
"Hi…Hibachi?" a concerned and shocked Unagi wondered if his friend was alright.
"Wh…What happened!" another student asked.
Checking up on the academy student, Iruka placed his fingers on his neck and sighed a breath of relief, "He's fine, merely unconscious," Iruka's announcement only proceeded to shock them ever further. "Winner by knockout, Uzumaki Naruto!"
Naruto merely smirked and made his way out of the fighting ring, the eyes of the students following him as he did. One in particular was curious. Sasuke knew that Hibachi was one of the weaker students but being knocked out by a single kick was no small feat for an academy student. Sasuke knew that it took a considerable amount of physical strength to perform.
"Guess the Dobe really has improved," the Uchiha muttered and was curious by his sudden increase in strength. That curiosity however was soon replaced by a frown upon seeing the blond's attire. In the end, he didn't let it bother him. At the very least, Sasuke was happy his eyes didn't hurt from seeing the orange eyesore the Dobe usually wore.
The following fight of Shino vs Unagi proved to be one sided once more. Still shocked by his best friend's easy defeat, Unagi was unable to concentrate properly. Despite Taijutsu not being an Aburame's forte, Unagi's lack of focus allowed Shino an easy win. The match that followed, which consisted of two civilian students, Hari and Uzo was sadder that anything. Many that watched the match knew that their blows were very sloppy and not up to par. Instead of continuing the match, Iruka decided to disqualify both academy students and had them go practice the academy kata. The man did it because he knew neither one would be able to defeat whoever they faced. If he were anyone else, Iruka would have taken a page out of Anko's book by mentally calling their performance piss poor.
"Ayane, Sasuke, enter the ring," Iruka announced.
"I forfeit!" Ayame declared.
"…What?" Iruka asked.
"I can't hit Sasuke-kun!" the girl gushed, and Sasuke scowled in disgust.
"Oh, for fucks sakes! I've had enough of this shit!" a voice called out, much to everyone's confusion.
"Oh, no," Naruto and Kiba paled and both of their ninken partners hid behind them. The two boys knew very well whose voice it belonged to and both knew it was angry.
The students and Iruka had no time to react when the body of Mitarashi Anko suddenly appeared in front of them, and the woman's look would make an erupting volcano appear tame by comparison.
"Anko?" Iruka, "What are you doing here?"
"Got relieved from border patrol earlier than expected and wanted to see how the Gaki was doing. Nice win by the way. Wouldn't exactly call it a fight, but the knockout was beautiful," she congratulated her ward before looking at the poor excuse of a kunoichi, "You, girly, have three seconds to get to hell out of my sight before I sick Midori on you."
Normally Naruto and Kiba would feel sorry for the girl, but considering what just happened, not so much. Sasuke was intrigued, however, at what she was doing. With many female followers and him ignoring them several of the boys began to assume that Sasuke batted for the other team.
Sasuke didn't bother to correct them, as he thought they were idiots for spreading rumors that were unbecoming of a future ninja. Truthfully, it was because of girls such as Ayane, who in Sasuke's mind were nothing more than a mockery of true kunoichi. This woman before him he knew was a true kunoichi, despite being eccentric and blunt as she is.
"One."
"Who are you?" Ayane's dumb question cost her.
"Three!" the woman announced and Midori's body slithered out of her trench-coat. The large serpent hissed loudly, frightening the students and caused Ayane to scream her heart out and start running until she was out of the academy yard.
"She's not worth the chase," Midori glared, "Naruto-san. Dinner," she nodded at the boy and his cowering ninken before slithering back towards Anko, who looked at the academy instructor.
"Seriously, what the fuck are you guys teaching these brats?" she asked despite already knowing. "You know what, don't fucking answer, I don't wanna know."
"Anko, langua-"
"Oh, stuff if you pussy!" Anko interrupted the man and glared at the losing academy students. "That had the be the most piss poor display I've ever seen!"
"Called it," three guesses who that was.
"Had that been real life you'd be dead before you could blink. As of now, I'm taking over. To start off, new rule, kiddos. If you lose badly, you answer to me. Otherwise, you're fine. Got it!"
"Anko you can't just-"
"Who's the Jonin here, Chunin," Anko asked him and Iruka stopped the moment she pulled rank, "I thought so. Blondie, Mutt, you two are up!" she ordered the two students to enter the ring.
Much like the previous fights with the civilian born academy students, Ino and Kiba's fight had been one sided in favour of Kiba. Ino had natural grace and speed that allowed her dodge a few of his swipes and blows, but it wasn't enough. Many saw that Kiba was the stronger and faster fighter. His greater reflexes allowing him to dodge Ino's strikes easily or bat them aside and land a blow.
With the match at two to none, Kiba was one more hit away from winning the fight. Thinking fast on her feet, Ino decided to use a different, in this case by showing more skin. "Oh, this heat," she fanned herself and proceeded to take off her top.
"Gah!" Kiba, along with some of the males, was left speechless. Eyes bulging, nose bleeding, and face blushing at the act. Using it to her advantage, Ino threw her purple top at Kiba. The boy instinctively caught the piece of clothing only to receive a harsh kick in return that made every male cringe and cover themselves up. Kiba was left gasping for air by the move and fell to the ground clutching his injured body part.
"Nice!" Anko approved of the move. Ino had no advantage in terms of speed and strength, something the Inuzuka were known for, what she did have were her looks, natural grace, and apparently wit to help create an advantage. Seeing what just happened, Anko knew the girl could use it to deadly effect.
"Ughh," Kiba continued to groan.
"Mutt, if you don't get up in the next ten seconds you're disqualified," Anko threatened. Though it had taken some effort, Kiba managed to get to his feet and glared angrily at his opponent.
"You'll pay for that," the feral boy growled and Ino was now worried. Ino had read how some Inuzuka could lose control of their more feral side when angry, making their blows much more deadly. Her father once commented he had been teamed up with one that fell under a genjutsu user's influence and went nuts.
"Good thing he said it also made them sloppy," Ino thought.
"Fight!"
With a growl Kiba charged towards Ino. The blonde kunoichi in training back-pedaled and ducked under his wild swings. Each strike being closer and faster than the previous one.
"Rhaaaaa!" Kiba's next swipe missed but managed to take a few hairs off Ino's head in the process.
"Ha!" the crouched blonde swept the brown haired Inuzuka's feet from under him. Making him fall and even more angry.
"Point, Blondie!" Anko announced.
"What!? Trips don't count as hits," Kiba argued.
"I know, but look where you landed, Mutt," she pointed downwards and both Kiba and the rest saw that his upper body had crossed the boundary.
"Damn it!" Kiba growled and punched the ground in anger.
"Two-two!" Anko announced, "Last round, kiddos. Ready, fight!"
Instead of charging in this time, Kiba opted another tactic and began to circle Ino like a wild wolf would to their prey. Ino for her part merely kept up her guard, it was anyone's game now and the blonde wanted to come up on top.
Leaping forward in an attempt to rush her, Kiba suddenly sidestepped to Ino's right. A feint, Ino realized and made an effort to keep her guard up and position herself accordingly. Kiba then moved in quickly and swiped at Ino once more, only for her to lash out with a kick at his face to drive him back. Unfortunately, the move proved to be her downfall as Kiba grabbed a hold of her foot, twisted around and threw Ino out of the ring, ending he match.
"Winner, Mutt!" Anko's announcement made Kiba whoop joyfully.
"Damn," Ino cursed but was given help from Anko.
"Not bad, kiddo," Anko was sincere. While Ino still needed some improvement, her wit and ingenuity in the mock fight showed Anko that the girl had what it took to be a kunoichi. Only time would tell if she'd make it.
"Next fight!"
Chouji and Naruto made their way into the ring, though Naruto was annoyed with the constant grumbling that came from the Akimichi's stomach, "Oh, man, I'm hungry."
"Fight first, eat later, brat," Anko shook her head. "Fight!"
Like before, Naruto moved in too quickly for Chouji to react and was struck in the gut. Unlike with Hibachi though Chouji not only was better prepared and didn't underestimate the blond, but the boy was much heavier too and was only pushed back by a few feet instead of flying.
"Ugh," the Akimichi groaned as he got back up.
"Sorry, man, but I ain't going easy on ya," Naruto apologized to his friend.
"No need, I'm done," Chouji announced, much to Naruto's disappointment. The boy then left the ring and proceeded to eat some chips. Chouji knew that without his clan's techniques his fighting style was greatly hampered. Winning against his previous opponent was one thing, fighting an improved Naruto was different. Coupled with Naruto's strength and speed the Akimichi wasn't going to bother fighting a battle he knew he'd lose. An Akimichi was known for their strength, not speed.
"… Well, that sucked," Anko muttered lowly but didn't bother reprimanding Chouji… yet anyways. Anko had an inkling the boy knew he wouldn't stand a chance without using his clan's ninjutsu, which was used to complement their taijutsu fighting style. Akimichi weren't exactly the fastest shinobi around. She didn't like the fact he gave up so easily but brought her attention elsewhere.
"Seeing as how we're at an uneven number you get a free pass, Bug Boy," Anko informed the Aburame heir who merely nodded. "Uchiha, you and the civi are next."
Though he managed to fight someone this time, Sasuke and many would hardly call it one considering how one sided it was once again. Being a prodigy and a shoo-in for the title of Rookie of the Year "Toshi, was it?"
"Hai?"
"Hmm, go join those two pathetic excuses and work on your form and don't bother coming back until you get it down!" Iruka frowned but couldn't really say anything. Her words were harsh but true. It was a pattern really where most civilian born academy students had a disadvantage when learning to be a ninja compared to clan born students. Not all of them were like it but generally the majority of the time these students lagged behind in one area or another. This was especially true for the kunoichi in training when it came to Taijutsu. Not all of them did, exceptions arose every now and then. But statistically they were still in the majority.
"It's a good thing I organized this then," Iruka thought. Better for them to learn about their faults and correct them now before it became too late. Graduation was soon but they still had an ample amount of time to improve.
"Alright, Top four fighters are Bug Boy, Uchiha, Mutt and Gaki," Anko announced.
"We have names, you know," Kiba spoke.
"Don't care, Mutt," was her rebuttal. "Now, seeing as how we need three contestants to go against the other block, two of you will need to duke it out. So, write your names and place 'em in the box."
All four students did so and Anko began to shake it before handing the box to Iruka, "First fighter … Uzumaki Naruto…Second fighter… Inuzuka Kiba."
"Shit," the Inuzuka heir cursed. Had he not seen what the former Dead Last did to Hibachi he'd had thought the match to be an easy one. Before Naruto's sudden boost in strength, which still baffled him, Kiba was easily the fastest Genin in the academy, followed right behind by Sasuke.
One of the main reasons why the Uchiha won every match when they fought was because Sasuke had incredible speed of his own and his fighting style revolved around speed, reflexes and counters. His mother had told that even without their bloodline limit being active an Uchiha was taught to look and gain a sense of what their opponent was going to do based on body language alone. It wasn't as effective without the Sharingan but it was effective still.
Naruto had no such fighting style. The boy's fighting style was basically that of a street brawler, all power and no technique or finesse. But where it was sloppy and unrefined before was now greatly improved. The boy's swings were more precise and balanced and less energy was wasted in them. It wasn't perfect, and it would not help against stronger and more experienced Taijutsu oriented foes, but Kiba knew Naruto's Taijutsu was a hell of a lot better than what it used to be. Factoring in with his speed that was now greater than his own, Kiba wasn't feeling that confident or boastful as he normally was.
"Mutt, quit spacing!" Anko's shout made him jump in the air and fall on his ass. Getting up and glaring at the woman, who merely glared back, Kiba entered the ring.
"Ready, fight!" Iruka announced.
Like before Naruto came in quick and struck out at Kiba with a kick. The Inuzuka heir barely had enough time to block the strike and the boy regretted doing so when he felt his arms tingle.
"Ughh," Kiba groaned, it wasn't painful, but it was discomforting. The kick had enough power in it to force him back half a foot. The action allowing Naruto to sneak in another blow to his upper chest that had Kiba wincing upon impact; the Inuzuka knew he was going to get a nasty bruise.
"Point, Naruto!" Iruka announced and both males went back to their starting positions. "Ready, fight!"
Instead of waiting for Naruto to come to him, Kiba rushed at the blond with the intention to create a feint and make the blond stumble on himself. Rearing his arm behind him and the other upfront with the intention to intimidate his opponent, Kiba smirked when he saw Naruto backpedal. Sidestepping quickly, Kiba then leaped forward slashed out at the blond. Only for Naruto to fall to the ground on his back and lash out with another kick when Kiba appeared above him. The suddenness of the kick along with having no way to defend himself caused the air to come rushing out of his lungs. It was only made worse when gravity took its toll and he landed on the ground with a relatively loud thud, forcing more air out of him.
"Ouch," Naruto winced and felt sympathetic. The boy knew exactly how he felt right now. Today wasn't Kiba's day when it came to nasty blows it would seem.
"Gahh!" Kiba gasped and breathed in as much air as he possible could. The boy felt nauseous and if he was being honest, ready to hurl up the contents of his stomach and then some.
"Mutt, you have five seconds to get off the ground and back to your position or you lose," Anko was doing this because unless your opponent was stupid or cruel, or both, in the real world no ninja would allow another the chance to recover if they had the opportunity. It was either kill or be killed.
Kiba, either through sheer will or stubbornness, or perhaps both, managed to rise to his feet and get to his side. Anko looked impassive as he got ready but the kunoichi acknowledged the fact that he been allowed to use his clan's famed Gijū Ninpō: Shikyaku no Jutsu (Imitation Beast Ninja Art: Four Legs Technique) his physical attributes would be greatly enhanced and the outcome would be much different. She knew Naruto would still have a chance of winning, but the match wouldn't be quite as easy. While clans had many advantages over clan-less ninja, what they were seeing before them was a disadvantage most clan of them had. Take away their ability to use signature techniques, techniques that made up the bulk of their fighting style as most never deviated from it, and they were much easier to deal with.
"Ready, fight!"
Naruto rushed in once more and threw a punch at Kiba's face, rather than blocking it though Kiba grabbed the outstretched limb by the wrist instead and held on tight. Thrusting his other arm out, Kiba grabbed it as well and smirked and prepared to throw his captive.
But Naruto merely grinned and that unsettled him. Twisting his caught hands enough for him to grab a hold Kiba's own wrists, Naruto jerked forward and delivered a vicious head-butt to his opponent's face. Kiba remained momentarily stunned before he felt himself falling to the ground.
"Winner, Naruto!" a stunned Iruka announced, it was a unique way to win to say the least.
"Ughhh," Naruto groaned and swayed a bit. Thick headed as many made him out to be the action still hurt and gave him a headache. "Note to Self: Wear better protective headgear when doing that move," he groaned and watched as Iruka take Kiba to the school nurse.
"Umino, make a note to have the Gaki's headband cushioned. Something tells me this is gonna become a regular thing, unfortunately," the snake mistress informed.
"Noted," was all he said and yet to ensure Kiba was alright.
"You know, when they say use your head, they don't mean it literally, Gaki," Anko chuckled.
"I won didn't I... I did win right? That wasn't just my head playing tricks on me?" his head throbbed so he wasn't certain.
"Yeah, you won. Now, buck up. There are a few more fights before it's all over," she ordered and both proceeded to walk over to the other block of students just in time to hear the next winner.
"Winner, Hyuga Hinata!" they heard Mizuki announce. As she made her way out of the ring, Mizuki spotted the group and cocked an eyebrow upon seeing Anko. "What the?" he muttered before seeing Iruka flicker in.
Looking between the two, Mizuki asked his fellow teacher, "Do I want to know?" to which the man merely shook his head.
"I'm in charge of this little tourney at the moment," Mizuki was familiar enough with Anko's reputation to know she wasn't asking; she was telling him, "Who are the winners?"
"Haruno Sakura, Hyuga Hinata, and Shikamaru Nara. There would have been an additional fight but two couldn't continue and needed to see the nurse while another one was disqualified for attempting to use Ninjutsu," Mizuki informed her.
"Didn't need to know the life story, Mizuki," Anko said and gave the winners a look over, "Alright, we have a Nara, a Hyuga and the Bubblegum my Gaki has a crush on," Anko was surprised seeing a Nara in the final round considering they were legendary sloths.
The Hyuga was not very surprising considering the clan specialized in Taijutsu, "Though if what Nai-chan says is true this kid's got issues," Anko had never met Hiashi before but she had met other main family Hyuga members. Her honest opinion on most of them was that they had a ten-foot pole up their ass. Sakure she believed was either lucky to make it this far or be one of the more competent ones.
Either way it mattered little to her, "Okay, then. Put your names in the box and let's draw," quickly jotting their names down and then mixing up the box they were then put in, Iruka began taking out names.
"Aburame Shino!" he announced as the first contestant before taking out a second, "Shikamaru Nara!"
"How troublesome," Shikamaru muttered. "I forfeit," Shikamaru announced and left to stand by his best friend.
"Huaaah, Naras. Smart as hell but just as fucking lazy," Anko groaned. She should have seen this coming. Whatever she'd let the kid's mother deal with it. Inoichi never let up how Yoshino ruled the Nara household with an iron fist, and cast-iron pan. Speaking of which, "Oi, Midori!"
"Yes?" the talking snake surprised many and frightened a few. Whispering something too low for anyone to hear, Midori nodded and slithered away.
"Right…" Iruka sighed and took another name, "Uchiha Sasuke and…Oh, boy, Uzumaki Naruto!"
"Arf! Arf!"
"Mwwaarrrghhh," was the zombie's moan, and its last the moment Seishoyo struck the decaying torso and stopped the walking corpse in its track. The doubled over undead's head was liberated from its shoulders not a moment later when Naruto plunged a kunai at the back of its skull. The combo was something Anko had taught him until he increased his strength enough to use his newest weapon.
"Oh, thank Kami, they can't talk," if they did, Naruto guessed it would probably be in the stereotypical manner, too, "Who came up with that anyway? Why would zombies want to eat brains?" the blond never understood that logic.
From his ambush spot, Naruto watched as the other zombies moved towards him, only for the horde of undead to trip over the shinobi wire he had placed earlier. The action caused a domino effect as it triggered a nearby exploding tag he put down.
"Well, you're up," Naruto watched as Hotto ran to the downed enemies and went to work. The small ninken bit and scratched as hard as he could. Normally dogs would attempt to go for the throat but not only did zombies leave a bad after taste in ones' mouth, but the damn things didn't need to breathe.
As a ninken, Hotto would normally use the techniques he knew of instinctively but right now they were too taxing to be used repeatedly. A good well-placed Tsuga would likely end the prone foes but even with the combat experience he had gained over the last five days and the levels he had gone through the ninken could only use it eight times. Ten if he pushed it and more than double that if under the effects of the [Inuzuka Clan Military Ration Pills]. Apparently, while the growth rate of skills and level ups for those affected by his perk were much greater than the normal/traditional way, it was still slower than that of the originator.
"Katon: Inka (Fire Release: Shadow Fire)!" were Naruto's thoughts as a series of demonic fireballs reduced another incoming horde to ash.
"God, I love that trick," discovering that he could use his skills just by voicing them mentally was a very welcoming surprise. The fact he didn't have to be vocal when using his technique added the element of surprise that Anko would be pleased with. Sure, it took some getting used to and the boy lapsed at times, but that was a given. Grabbing the loot but still keeping an eye out on Hotto, Naruto used his [Detection Skill] and released a sighed when he learned that every enemy within the radius of a few blocks were gone.
"Time," Naruto called out and chided himself for the slip, "Gotta work on that."
Nearing midnight, and with tomorrow being a busy day, Naruto decided it was time to call it a night, "Hotto! We're leaving."
"Arf!"
"Put the bone down, Hotto," how the ninken could stomach having what came from rotten limb in his mouth had to be due to his Komainu lineage. Leaving the drops behind – having collected enough and they weren't much anyway – Naruto and his ninken left the dungeon world in a brilliant flash.
(The Next Day)
"And so, during the Second Shinobi World War the battle between Ame and Konoha had begun to escalade to its peaking point. While Amegakure had a great advantage over Konoha in the beginning, partial thanks to the village leader, Hanzo-"
"Gotta hit those training ground dungeons fast," were Naruto thoughts while Iruka continued retelling the class about the Second Shinobi World War. The boy would have liked Hotto to be a little more experienced, and have a better level, but time was slowly running out and the zombie dungeon right now wasn't doing much for him. With the amount of training they did and the experienced gained from the zombie dungeon, Hotto was just about to cross the half way point of level nine. Hopefully the protective gear he ordered for the ninken, as ninken armor was a custom specialty job, would help tip the odds.
"Naruto! Pay attention!" Iruka suddenly declared, getting a rise out of the class and waking about Shikamaru from his nap. Likely the other reason why he yelled.
"Sorry," he replied half-heartedly. Naruto never thought it would be possible, but classes at the academy had become stagnant and boring... well, even more so than usual. What with him being taught by Anko, and Hayate and Yugao during Anko's absence, coupled with him actually getting combat experience in dungeons, Naruto felt that the academy had little to offer him now. Even if he wanted to do anything, it was already nearing the graduation ceremony.
Thinking back on it, Naruto realized how naïve his younger self was to think he was prepared to graduate early. Technically speaking an academy student could apply for early graduation if they felt ready and had the approval of the Head Teacher of the academy and one of the Konoha Elders. Why Sasuke hadn't done this Naruto didn't know, but guessed even the so-called prodigy didn't meet the requirements for some reason. The blond had decided to attempt it over the course of his time here. The result was him failing the graduation exam twice now. The upcoming one would be his third. Which worried him slightly.
"Even with my better chakra control I still can't use the Bunshin no Jutsu," Naruto mentally groaned, even with him being part-way through the Tree Climbing Practice after he mastered the leaf balancing one. Regrettably, even then all his attempts at using the Bunshin continued to end in failure. Yugao had made a comment that he'd might fare better after learning the mastering the next chakra control exercise. But with his chakra levels continuously going up and the noticeably uneven ratio between that and his control, Naruto wasn't getting his hopes up.
Even attempting to learn the technique through a scroll hadn't worked, "At the least the scroll gave me a damn explanation. This whole time it was because of my chakra levels," initially he thought it was because his control over his chakra was terrible. In essence, it did play a factor but at least now he knew it wasn't merely just that.
However, while knowing part of the problem was good and all, it still wasn't enough to fix it. For him to graduate, Naruto needed to show that he could make a proper Bunshin. If not, no headband. And no headband meant he remained in school.
"Not gonna happen!"
The blond had no intention in repeating another half year. And what was really unfair was the fact that had it been the old curriculum that Anko mentioned, he most likely would have graduated already, having been made an exception, or been a shoo-in for graduation. He knew four elemental techniques. Sure, two were fairly recent but all of them were C-Rank! And he had a B-Rank technique that strengthened his blows and a non-elemental C-Rank that he learned from Hayate that made his weapons deadlier.
"And that concludes history for today," Iruka finished, to the joy of almost everyone, "Now, as you all know graduation is less than three months away," the man was cut off by the sound of happy and excited students.
"Freedom!"
"No more lessons!"
"No more boring lectures!"
Iruka's right eye twitched at that last comment but he remained professional nonetheless, "Oh, I hope you all enjoy D-Rank missions," except for that last thought.
After getting them to calm down, the academy teacher continued, "Yes, yes, I know. So, to better prepare you all we are going to be doing more of the physical aspects from now on. That doesn't mean you're to slack on your studies!" here he looked at Shikamaru, Chouji, and Kiba.
Usually he'd look at Naruto too but the boy's marks in the last month were improving. He went off on a daze at times but at least he didn't fall asleep like Shikamaru. Hopefully it wasn't a phase and Naruto didn't disappoint him in the end.
"That being said, from now until the second last week of the school year we are going to hold a sparring session every Monday and Friday for the next few weeks to see where everyone stands and what can be improved. If we see you're at an adequate level you'll get these," here he showed a series of scrolls.
"These scrolls demonstrate and have information on how to use the Advanced Academy Taijutsu. Now for those of you who have a clan based Taijutsu this may not seem like much," once more his words were directed at Chouji and Kiba with the addition of Hinata and Sasuke, "However, mastering this will help you better understand and learn other Taijutsu styles Konoha has to offer. Who knows, some of you may even attempt to create your own Taijutsu style. Now head outside and begin stretching for ten minutes while Mizuki and I set everything up."
"Yahoo! Let's go, Akamaru!" Kiba practically blurred out of the classroom with his ninken, followed quickly by the other eager students.
"…I'm starting to think my lectures aren't being appreciated, Mizuki," Iruka speculated.
"You're just figuring it out now?" Mizuki sweatdropped upon seeing Iruka become despondent. Mizuki thought the man a fool before they left to set up the training area.
While the academy teachers prepared for the sparing session, Naruto and the other students took this time to stretch and prepare. After excusing himself briefly, Naruto now sported his combat gear foradded defense. Nowhere did Iruka say that they weren't allowed to wear armor.
Eyeing the competition, Naruto decided to see what he was up against. With his Observe now at a much higher level the Gamer would be able to see more and what they offered in terms of a challenge.
"Observe," he muttered and started with the kunoichi of the class.
Status Window
Name: Haruno Sakura
Job: Academy Student
Level: 10 Next Level: 139/6080
HP: 250
CP: 300
STR: 7
VIT: 10
END: 12
DEX: 17
INT: 63
WIS: 36
CHA: 15
LUK: 15
DEF: 10
Status Window
Name: Yamanaka Ino
Job: Academy Student
Level: 10 Next Level: 1257/6080
HP: 325
CP: 450
STR: 7
VIT: 13
END: 18
DEX: 27
INT: 41
WIS: 28
CHA: 32
LUK: 14
DEF: 10
Status Window
Name: Hyuga Hinata
Job: Academy Student
Level: 9 Next Level: 4165/5400
HP: 375
CP: 500
STR: 8
VIT: 15
END: 20
DEX: 27
INT: 39
WIS: 31
CHA: 11
LUK: 9
DEF: 10
Naruto wasn't surprised that his classmates had managed to level up by a couple of levels. It had been almost seven weeks since he first saw them after awaking his Gamer ability after all.
However, when he looked up the more detailed version of their Status Window that explained the perks and the flaws, it did explain some things. One of them had a perk that allowed her to level up more quickly while the other two were from clans that likely had them do training after school on a daily basis.
For Sakura it also explained why she had the kata for the academy Taijutsu down but was pretty tired afterwards. He was surprised Ino wasn't the same but guessed that coming from a ninja clan meant she knew better. He was very surprised with his reputation level with Hinata and wondered what he could have done for it to be so high. Aside from a few others, Naruto actually realized that Hinata was actually the only female in his class who didn't make fun of him. Why was that?
"Eh, I'll figure it out later," he shrugged and decided to focus on the task at hand. "Ok, next," he decided to scan the Taijutsu oriented male students.
Status Window
Name: Akimichi Chouji
Job: Academy Student
Level: 9 Next Level: 2178/5400
HP: 1000
CP: 650
STR: 30
VIT: 28
END: 26
DEX: 11
INT: 12
WIS: 11
LUK: 4
DEF: 15
Status Window
Name: Inuzuka Kiba
Job: Academy Student
Level: 10 Next Level: 4117/6080
HP: 600
CP: 650
STR: 23
VIT: 24
END: 26
DEX: 37
INT: 15
WIS: 11
LUK: 21
DEF: 16
Status Window
Name: Akamaru
Job: Ninken (Ninja Dog)
Level: 6 Next Level: 234/3600
HP: 275
CP: 250
STR: 5
VIT: 11
END: 10
DEX: 20
INT: 7
WIS: 6
LUK: 15
Defense: 0
Status Window
Name: Uchiha Sasuke
Job: Academy Student
Level: 13 Next Level: 5987/8800
HP: 750
CP: 850
STR: 21
VIT: 30
END: 34
DEX: 33
INT: 34
WIS: 25
LUK: 23
DEF: 20
"What the hell! Why's his level requirement the same as last time?" looking into the more detailed version of the Last Uchiha's Status Window only served to piss him off even more, "Oh, bullshit! A perk that gives him a twenty-five percent chance of keeping his previous level requirement!" sure, that would be awesome to have, but for the teme of all people to have it? Uh-uh! Pure bull!
"Some people have all the luck. Oh, well, at least my level's way higher than his," indeed, impressive as Sasuke's level and stats were compared to the other academy students, they weren't as high as his stats. Sasuke was level thirteen, and Naruto was now only a few hundred points shy of reaching level eighteen. And he had yet to use his Attribute Points.
"Hey, Dobe, what's with the outfit?" Naruto turned around and spotted Kiba and a few others giving him strange looks.
"Added protection," he merely responded. "Iruka-sensei didn't say anything about us not being allowed to wear armor."
"Tch, you'll need all the help you can get, Naruto," Kiba smirked.
"Last I heard I wasn't Dead Last anymore, Dog-breath," Naruto's comment caused Kiba to lose his smirk and others to start laughing. With his better grades the position of Dead Last had gone to Kiba. While the Inuzuka Clan heir was one of the top students in Taijutsu his grades were much poorer in the other subjects. Naruto's grades weren't much better but they were just good enough to beat Kiba's.
"Arf!" Hottomaru laughed at the boy, earning a low growl and bark from his cousin. Hottomaru though promptly ignored it and scratched himself behind the ear.
"Alright everyone, gather around," Iruka called them. "Because of how many students are here, we're going to be splitting this into two blocks. When only three students from each block is left, both blocks' contestants will fight each other. The process of selecting who will be facing who is simple. The box you see before you has all your names written down in it and each one of your names will be chosen at random. We are doing this for a crucial reason. When you all become ninja, you need to expect the unexpected. Some you may face can either be weak or very strong, meaning a fight can be easy or difficult. It may seem unfair, and it is, but that's how the real-world works. Consider this a wakeup call. Better for you to realize it now than when it's too late. Now Block A who will be looked after Mizuki will have-"
[QUEST ALERT!]
Ready, Fight!
Main Quest: Become one of the Top 3 Fighters
Side Quest: Become the Top Fighter
Hidden Objective: ?
Main Quest Completion: 1000 EXP, +250 Reputation [Iruka], [Advanced Academy Taijutsu Scroll]
Side Quest Completion: 650 EXP, +1 STR, +100 Reputation [Iruka]
Hidden Objective Completion: 300 EXP, +1 Attribute Point
Failure: 100 EXP
Quest is Mandatory
Naruto merely grinned at the quest. This was going to be a piece of cake he thought. With his boost in skills and higher than average academy student stats this competition was in the bag. While the experience points were so, so, at least it would be enough to level up.
"Block B will have Yamanaka Ino, Hikari Kasumi, Hokino Ami, Inuzuka Kiba, Uzumaki Naruto, Akimichi Chouji, Hyokan Fuki, Uchiha Sasuke, Oshiro Hibachi-"
Naruto merely drowned out the rest of the calls, but when he heard the name Oshiro Hibachi the boy couldn't help but scowl. Years ago, Naruto had wanted to partake in a contest with some of the academy students, Hibachi however had made sure he didn't get the chance. Needless to say, Naruto got back at the boy and Hibachi wanted payback and pulled a fast one on him by giving him a task that seemed simple at the time. All he needed to do was collect something from what he later discovered to be a hot zone.
Naruto came out relatively fine thanks to Iruka and a Jounin but his dislike for Hibachi had grown because of the stunt. Initially Hibachi and his friends were meant to be expelled from the academy because the prank did put a student's life at risk, but their parents had managed to convince the Head Teacher otherwise. They had still gotten severally punished from what he heard, but to Naruto it felt like it was a merely slap on the wrists.
"Time for payback, asshole," Naruto cracked his knuckles in anticipation of facing the prick.
"Now then, with that settled, some ground rules. One, this is strictly a friendly Taijutsu spar, so that means no Ninjutsu, Genjutsu, or Bukijutsu. If I catch anyone using any you're disqualified, and will be serving detention with me pending what I see. Two, my decisions are absolute and when I say a ruling such as a fight is over, it's over. Failure to comply will result in consequences," here he developed a very stern look that many had rarely seen on Iruka's face.
"Three, unlike the previous spars we've had before we're mixing it up a bit. To win a match you must land three successful blows against your opponent. Sweeping them off their feet and throws do not count as a hit, blocking a strike doesn't count as a hit either. Knocking them out, while not necessary, will result in you winning the match by default. Once a blow has been landed you will separate and get back into fighting position. Each blow represents a level of injury you may face in the battlefield: Minor, Severe and Fatal. In the real world all it takes are a few blows, even a single well-placed blow, to end it all. Yet even someone with a fatal injury can make a comeback and end up as the victor," here the man spoke from experience.
"Four, the white line you see over there is a marked boundary area you cannot cross. Crossing it will result in a point for your opponent. Remember, a shinobi must be aware of their surroundings at all times and use it to their advantage. Finally, before every bout you are to perform the Seal of Confrontation, and at the end you are to perform the Seal of Reconciliation. With that settled let's begin. Block B follow me, the rest of you follow Mizuki-sensei."
Both blocks of students split, with fifteen students in each block. "Hey, Iruka-sensei if the blocks are an odd number doesn't that mean one of us gets a free pass?" Naruto asked.
The man smiled, "Correct, Naruto. Because each block has fifteen students one of you will not need to fight in the first round. While it's unfair, like I said this is to help simulate a real-life scenario. A ninja can be coming back from a mission and won a fight, only to then face someone else at one hundred percent strength. How you deal with it will result in the success or failure of a mission," he told the students as they arrived at their designated area.
"Now then, the first fight will be … Yamanaka Ino vs Hokino Ami. Inuzuka Kiba vs Hyokan Fuki. Hikari Kasumi vs Akimichi Chouji. Uzumaki Naruto vs Oshiro Hibachi-"
Naruto had to restrain himself from shouting out with glee, "Thank you, Lady Luck!"
Hibachi for his part merely smirked. While some believed Naruto had gotten better, Hibachi was from a group of students who thought his success was nothing more than a fluke on the blond's part. Hibachi had been wanted to pay Naruto back too. While his father had managed to prevent him from getting expelled, saying the man had been furious didn't do it justice.
"Alright now, Ino and Ami, enter the ring!" Iruka ordered. Both kunoichi offered the Seal of Confrontation, albeit reluctantly because neither one were exactly friends to begin with. Mostly due to Ino having tricked Ami into thinking she'd been poisoned, and both fought for Sasuke's admiration.
"Ready, begin!" Iruka shouted.
"Bring it, Blon-" Ami's taunt was cut short as she felt a punch to the face and fell back on her posterior.
"Point, Ino!" Iruka announced.
"You were saying," the Yamanaka smirked.
The fight, if one could call it that was one-sided. Ami, like many kunoichi candidates, focused more time on her looks and book skills than her physical education. It didn't help that Ami came from a civilian background with no ninja relatives whatsoever while Ino came from a well-established ninja clan and was also one of the higher students, too. Coupled with her greater flexibility and speed, the civilian born academy student stood no chance. Ami was promptly beaten by the Yamanaka heiress in less than a minute.
"Shōsha, Yamanaka Ino!" Iruka announced. Both academy students exchanged the Seal of Reconciliation, though Ami had a scowl on her bruised face. Ino merely smiled at the purple haired bully. When it was over, Ami was forced to go see the academy nurse while Iruka crossed out her name and started the next match.
Much like the previous match with Ino and Ami, Kiba and Chouji's match against their opponents were relatively one sided. Unlike Kiba whose speed was just too great for his opponent, Chouji had gotten hit once because of his rotund figure and kind-hearted nature. And then knocked out his opponent by using his posterior to send her crashing into a wall.
While others laughed, Naruto twitched at the sight as his mind took a trip down memory lane. The exact same thing occurred to him during his early academy days. It was easily one of the most embarrassing ways to lose. When both Chouji and Kasumi finished performing the Seal of Reconciliation, Iruka announced the next bout.
"Naruto, Hibachi, you two are up," Iruka announced and Hibachi's friends cheered him on.
"Kick his ass, Hibachi!" Hibachi's best friend, Unagi shouted.
"Language!" the academy teacher reprimanded.
"No sweat. This loser's going down," Hibachi grinned.
"Oh, I'm so gonna enjoy beating that ugly mug of yours," the boy could only lament not being able to use Goriki considering it was a ninjutsu, and Naruto didn't want to risk punch with that amount of strength behind it potentially sending Hibachi to the hospital.
"Make the seal," Iruka told them.
"Do we have to?"
"Do it or you're disqualified," was the man's stern response and both males begrudgingly performed it.
"Great, now I gotta disinfect my hand," Hibachi muttered loud enough for everyone to hear.
"Grr," Hottomaru looked ready to teach the academy student a lesson.
"Enough," Iruka frowned as some of the students laughed, "Ready, fight!"
The moment he said fight, Naruto appeared in front of Hibachi before the boy could react. Faster than most could see, Naruto delivered a devastating roundhouse kick on the bandana wearing boy's face, striking the chin first. The last thing Hibachi saw before his vision dimmed and his consciousness left him was the angry look in Naruto's eyes.
Soon his unconscious body was sent flying a good twelve feet away, twirling through the air like a spinning top before finally coming down and tumble limb over limb an additional four or five feet on the ground. The students were left stunned by the act and left in disbelief. Naruto, the Dead Last that many still thought him to be, had sent a student flying with a single kick. Granted, kicks were way stronger than punches but it still counted.
"Hi…Hibachi?" a concerned and shocked Unagi wondered if his friend was alright.
"Wh…What happened!" another student asked.
Checking up on the academy student, Iruka placed his fingers on his neck and sighed a breath of relief, "He's fine, merely unconscious," Iruka's announcement only proceeded to shock them ever further. "Winner by knockout, Uzumaki Naruto!"
Naruto merely smirked and made his way out of the fighting ring, the eyes of the students following him as he did. One in particular was curious. Sasuke knew that Hibachi was one of the weaker students but being knocked out by a single kick was no small feat for an academy student. Sasuke knew that it took a considerable amount of physical strength to perform.
"Guess the Dobe really has improved," the Uchiha muttered and was curious by his sudden increase in strength. That curiosity however was soon replaced by a frown upon seeing the blond's attire. In the end, he didn't let it bother him. At the very least, Sasuke was happy his eyes didn't hurt from seeing the orange eyesore the Dobe usually wore.
The following fight of Shino vs Unagi proved to be one sided once more. Still shocked by his best friend's easy defeat, Unagi was unable to concentrate properly. Despite Taijutsu not being an Aburame's forte, Unagi's lack of focus allowed Shino an easy win. The match that followed, which consisted of two civilian students, Hari and Uzo was sadder that anything. Many that watched the match knew that their blows were very sloppy and not up to par. Instead of continuing the match, Iruka decided to disqualify both academy students and had them go practice the academy kata. The man did it because he knew neither one would be able to defeat whoever they faced. If he were anyone else, Iruka would have taken a page out of Anko's book by mentally calling their performance piss poor.
"Ayane, Sasuke, enter the ring," Iruka announced.
"I forfeit!" Ayame declared.
"…What?" Iruka asked.
"I can't hit Sasuke-kun!" the girl gushed, and Sasuke scowled in disgust.
"Oh, for fucks sakes! I've had enough of this shit!" a voice called out, much to everyone's confusion.
"Oh, no," Naruto and Kiba paled and both of their ninken partners hid behind them. The two boys knew very well whose voice it belonged to and both knew it was angry.
The students and Iruka had no time to react when the body of Mitarashi Anko suddenly appeared in front of them, and the woman's look would make an erupting volcano appear tame by comparison.
"Anko?" Iruka, "What are you doing here?"
"Got relieved from border patrol earlier than expected and wanted to see how the Gaki was doing. Nice win by the way. Wouldn't exactly call it a fight, but the knockout was beautiful," she congratulated her ward before looking at the poor excuse of a kunoichi, "You, girly, have three seconds to get to hell out of my sight before I sick Midori on you."
Normally Naruto and Kiba would feel sorry for the girl, but considering what just happened, not so much. Sasuke was intrigued, however, at what she was doing. With many female followers and him ignoring them several of the boys began to assume that Sasuke batted for the other team.
Sasuke didn't bother to correct them, as he thought they were idiots for spreading rumors that were unbecoming of a future ninja. Truthfully, it was because of girls such as Ayane, who in Sasuke's mind were nothing more than a mockery of true kunoichi. This woman before him he knew was a true kunoichi, despite being eccentric and blunt as she is.
"One."
"Who are you?" Ayane's dumb question cost her.
"Three!" the woman announced and Midori's body slithered out of her trench-coat. The large serpent hissed loudly, frightening the students and caused Ayane to scream her heart out and start running until she was out of the academy yard.
"She's not worth the chase," Midori glared, "Naruto-san. Dinner," she nodded at the boy and his cowering ninken before slithering back towards Anko, who looked at the academy instructor.
"Seriously, what the fuck are you guys teaching these brats?" she asked despite already knowing. "You know what, don't fucking answer, I don't wanna know."
"Anko, langua-"
"Oh, stuff if you pussy!" Anko interrupted the man and glared at the losing academy students. "That had the be the most piss poor display I've ever seen!"
"Called it," three guesses who that was.
"Had that been real life you'd be dead before you could blink. As of now, I'm taking over. To start off, new rule, kiddos. If you lose badly, you answer to me. Otherwise, you're fine. Got it!"
"Anko you can't just-"
"Who's the Jonin here, Chunin," Anko asked him and Iruka stopped the moment she pulled rank, "I thought so. Blondie, Mutt, you two are up!" she ordered the two students to enter the ring.
Much like the previous fights with the civilian born academy students, Ino and Kiba's fight had been one sided in favour of Kiba. Ino had natural grace and speed that allowed her dodge a few of his swipes and blows, but it wasn't enough. Many saw that Kiba was the stronger and faster fighter. His greater reflexes allowing him to dodge Ino's strikes easily or bat them aside and land a blow.
With the match at two to none, Kiba was one more hit away from winning the fight. Thinking fast on her feet, Ino decided to use a different, in this case by showing more skin. "Oh, this heat," she fanned herself and proceeded to take off her top.
"Gah!" Kiba, along with some of the males, was left speechless. Eyes bulging, nose bleeding, and face blushing at the act. Using it to her advantage, Ino threw her purple top at Kiba. The boy instinctively caught the piece of clothing only to receive a harsh kick in return that made every male cringe and cover themselves up. Kiba was left gasping for air by the move and fell to the ground clutching his injured body part.
"Nice!" Anko approved of the move. Ino had no advantage in terms of speed and strength, something the Inuzuka were known for, what she did have were her looks, natural grace, and apparently wit to help create an advantage. Seeing what just happened, Anko knew the girl could use it to deadly effect.
"Ughh," Kiba continued to groan.
"Mutt, if you don't get up in the next ten seconds you're disqualified," Anko threatened. Though it had taken some effort, Kiba managed to get to his feet and glared angrily at his opponent.
"You'll pay for that," the feral boy growled and Ino was now worried. Ino had read how some Inuzuka could lose control of their more feral side when angry, making their blows much more deadly. Her father once commented he had been teamed up with one that fell under a genjutsu user's influence and went nuts.
"Good thing he said it also made them sloppy," Ino thought.
"Fight!"
With a growl Kiba charged towards Ino. The blonde kunoichi in training back-pedaled and ducked under his wild swings. Each strike being closer and faster than the previous one.
"Rhaaaaa!" Kiba's next swipe missed but managed to take a few hairs off Ino's head in the process.
"Ha!" the crouched blonde swept the brown haired Inuzuka's feet from under him. Making him fall and even more angry.
"Point, Blondie!" Anko announced.
"What!? Trips don't count as hits," Kiba argued.
"I know, but look where you landed, Mutt," she pointed downwards and both Kiba and the rest saw that his upper body had crossed the boundary.
"Damn it!" Kiba growled and punched the ground in anger.
"Two-two!" Anko announced, "Last round, kiddos. Ready, fight!"
Instead of charging in this time, Kiba opted another tactic and began to circle Ino like a wild wolf would to their prey. Ino for her part merely kept up her guard, it was anyone's game now and the blonde wanted to come up on top.
Leaping forward in an attempt to rush her, Kiba suddenly sidestepped to Ino's right. A feint, Ino realized and made an effort to keep her guard up and position herself accordingly. Kiba then moved in quickly and swiped at Ino once more, only for her to lash out with a kick at his face to drive him back. Unfortunately, the move proved to be her downfall as Kiba grabbed a hold of her foot, twisted around and threw Ino out of the ring, ending he match.
"Winner, Mutt!" Anko's announcement made Kiba whoop joyfully.
"Damn," Ino cursed but was given help from Anko.
"Not bad, kiddo," Anko was sincere. While Ino still needed some improvement, her wit and ingenuity in the mock fight showed Anko that the girl had what it took to be a kunoichi. Only time would tell if she'd make it.
"Next fight!"
Chouji and Naruto made their way into the ring, though Naruto was annoyed with the constant grumbling that came from the Akimichi's stomach, "Oh, man, I'm hungry."
"Fight first, eat later, brat," Anko shook her head. "Fight!"
Like before, Naruto moved in too quickly for Chouji to react and was struck in the gut. Unlike with Hibachi though Chouji not only was better prepared and didn't underestimate the blond, but the boy was much heavier too and was only pushed back by a few feet instead of flying.
"Ugh," the Akimichi groaned as he got back up.
"Sorry, man, but I ain't going easy on ya," Naruto apologized to his friend.
"No need, I'm done," Chouji announced, much to Naruto's disappointment. The boy then left the ring and proceeded to eat some chips. Chouji knew that without his clan's techniques his fighting style was greatly hampered. Winning against his previous opponent was one thing, fighting an improved Naruto was different. Coupled with Naruto's strength and speed the Akimichi wasn't going to bother fighting a battle he knew he'd lose. An Akimichi was known for their strength, not speed.
"… Well, that sucked," Anko muttered lowly but didn't bother reprimanding Chouji… yet anyways. Anko had an inkling the boy knew he wouldn't stand a chance without using his clan's ninjutsu, which was used to complement their taijutsu fighting style. Akimichi weren't exactly the fastest shinobi around. She didn't like the fact he gave up so easily but brought her attention elsewhere.
"Seeing as how we're at an uneven number you get a free pass, Bug Boy," Anko informed the Aburame heir who merely nodded. "Uchiha, you and the civi are next."
Though he managed to fight someone this time, Sasuke and many would hardly call it one considering how one sided it was once again. Being a prodigy and a shoo-in for the title of Rookie of the Year "Toshi, was it?"
"Hai?"
"Hmm, go join those two pathetic excuses and work on your form and don't bother coming back until you get it down!" Iruka frowned but couldn't really say anything. Her words were harsh but true. It was a pattern really where most civilian born academy students had a disadvantage when learning to be a ninja compared to clan born students. Not all of them were like it but generally the majority of the time these students lagged behind in one area or another. This was especially true for the kunoichi in training when it came to Taijutsu. Not all of them did, exceptions arose every now and then. But statistically they were still in the majority.
"It's a good thing I organized this then," Iruka thought. Better for them to learn about their faults and correct them now before it became too late. Graduation was soon but they still had an ample amount of time to improve.
"Alright, Top four fighters are Bug Boy, Uchiha, Mutt and Gaki," Anko announced.
"We have names, you know," Kiba spoke.
"Don't care, Mutt," was her rebuttal. "Now, seeing as how we need three contestants to go against the other block, two of you will need to duke it out. So, write your names and place 'em in the box."
All four students did so and Anko began to shake it before handing the box to Iruka, "First fighter … Uzumaki Naruto…Second fighter… Inuzuka Kiba."
"Shit," the Inuzuka heir cursed. Had he not seen what the former Dead Last did to Hibachi he'd had thought the match to be an easy one. Before Naruto's sudden boost in strength, which still baffled him, Kiba was easily the fastest Genin in the academy, followed right behind by Sasuke.
One of the main reasons why the Uchiha won every match when they fought was because Sasuke had incredible speed of his own and his fighting style revolved around speed, reflexes and counters. His mother had told that even without their bloodline limit being active an Uchiha was taught to look and gain a sense of what their opponent was going to do based on body language alone. It wasn't as effective without the Sharingan but it was effective still.
Naruto had no such fighting style. The boy's fighting style was basically that of a street brawler, all power and no technique or finesse. But where it was sloppy and unrefined before was now greatly improved. The boy's swings were more precise and balanced and less energy was wasted in them. It wasn't perfect, and it would not help against stronger and more experienced Taijutsu oriented foes, but Kiba knew Naruto's Taijutsu was a hell of a lot better than what it used to be. Factoring in with his speed that was now greater than his own, Kiba wasn't feeling that confident or boastful as he normally was.
"Mutt, quit spacing!" Anko's shout made him jump in the air and fall on his ass. Getting up and glaring at the woman, who merely glared back, Kiba entered the ring.
"Ready, fight!" Iruka announced.
Like before Naruto came in quick and struck out at Kiba with a kick. The Inuzuka heir barely had enough time to block the strike and the boy regretted doing so when he felt his arms tingle.
"Ughh," Kiba groaned, it wasn't painful, but it was discomforting. The kick had enough power in it to force him back half a foot. The action allowing Naruto to sneak in another blow to his upper chest that had Kiba wincing upon impact; the Inuzuka knew he was going to get a nasty bruise.
"Point, Naruto!" Iruka announced and both males went back to their starting positions. "Ready, fight!"
Instead of waiting for Naruto to come to him, Kiba rushed at the blond with the intention to create a feint and make the blond stumble on himself. Rearing his arm behind him and the other upfront with the intention to intimidate his opponent, Kiba smirked when he saw Naruto backpedal. Sidestepping quickly, Kiba then leaped forward slashed out at the blond. Only for Naruto to fall to the ground on his back and lash out with another kick when Kiba appeared above him. The suddenness of the kick along with having no way to defend himself caused the air to come rushing out of his lungs. It was only made worse when gravity took its toll and he landed on the ground with a relatively loud thud, forcing more air out of him.
"Ouch," Naruto winced and felt sympathetic. The boy knew exactly how he felt right now. Today wasn't Kiba's day when it came to nasty blows it would seem.
"Gahh!" Kiba gasped and breathed in as much air as he possible could. The boy felt nauseous and if he was being honest, ready to hurl up the contents of his stomach and then some.
"Mutt, you have five seconds to get off the ground and back to your position or you lose," Anko was doing this because unless your opponent was stupid or cruel, or both, in the real world no ninja would allow another the chance to recover if they had the opportunity. It was either kill or be killed.
Kiba, either through sheer will or stubbornness, or perhaps both, managed to rise to his feet and get to his side. Anko looked impassive as he got ready but the kunoichi acknowledged the fact that he been allowed to use his clan's famed Gijū Ninpō: Shikyaku no Jutsu (Imitation Beast Ninja Art: Four Legs Technique) his physical attributes would be greatly enhanced and the outcome would be much different. She knew Naruto would still have a chance of winning, but the match wouldn't be quite as easy. While clans had many advantages over clan-less ninja, what they were seeing before them was a disadvantage most clan of them had. Take away their ability to use signature techniques, techniques that made up the bulk of their fighting style as most never deviated from it, and they were much easier to deal with.
"Ready, fight!"
Naruto rushed in once more and threw a punch at Kiba's face, rather than blocking it though Kiba grabbed the outstretched limb by the wrist instead and held on tight. Thrusting his other arm out, Kiba grabbed it as well and smirked and prepared to throw his captive.
But Naruto merely grinned and that unsettled him. Twisting his caught hands enough for him to grab a hold Kiba's own wrists, Naruto jerked forward and delivered a vicious head-butt to his opponent's face. Kiba remained momentarily stunned before he felt himself falling to the ground.
"Winner, Naruto!" a stunned Iruka announced, it was a unique way to win to say the least.
"Ughhh," Naruto groaned and swayed a bit. Thick headed as many made him out to be the action still hurt and gave him a headache. "Note to Self: Wear better protective headgear when doing that move," he groaned and watched as Iruka take Kiba to the school nurse.
"Umino, make a note to have the Gaki's headband cushioned. Something tells me this is gonna become a regular thing, unfortunately," the snake mistress informed.
"Noted," was all he said and yet to ensure Kiba was alright.
"You know, when they say use your head, they don't mean it literally, Gaki," Anko chuckled.
"I won didn't I... I did win right? That wasn't just my head playing tricks on me?" his head throbbed so he wasn't certain.
"Yeah, you won. Now, buck up. There are a few more fights before it's all over," she ordered and both proceeded to walk over to the other block of students just in time to hear the next winner.
"Winner, Hyuga Hinata!" they heard Mizuki announce. As she made her way out of the ring, Mizuki spotted the group and cocked an eyebrow upon seeing Anko. "What the?" he muttered before seeing Iruka flicker in.
Looking between the two, Mizuki asked his fellow teacher, "Do I want to know?" to which the man merely shook his head.
"I'm in charge of this little tourney at the moment," Mizuki was familiar enough with Anko's reputation to know she wasn't asking; she was telling him, "Who are the winners?"
"Haruno Sakura, Hyuga Hinata, and Shikamaru Nara. There would have been an additional fight but two couldn't continue and needed to see the nurse while another one was disqualified for attempting to use Ninjutsu," Mizuki informed her.
"Didn't need to know the life story, Mizuki," Anko said and gave the winners a look over, "Alright, we have a Nara, a Hyuga and the Bubblegum my Gaki has a crush on," Anko was surprised seeing a Nara in the final round considering they were legendary sloths.
The Hyuga was not very surprising considering the clan specialized in Taijutsu, "Though if what Nai-chan says is true this kid's got issues," Anko had never met Hiashi before but she had met other main family Hyuga members. Her honest opinion on most of them was that they had a ten-foot pole up their ass. Sakure she believed was either lucky to make it this far or be one of the more competent ones.
Either way it mattered little to her, "Okay, then. Put your names in the box and let's draw," quickly jotting their names down and then mixing up the box they were then put in, Iruka began taking out names.
"Aburame Shino!" he announced as the first contestant before taking out a second, "Shikamaru Nara!"
"How troublesome," Shikamaru muttered. "I forfeit," Shikamaru announced and left to stand by his best friend.
"Huaaah, Naras. Smart as hell but just as fucking lazy," Anko groaned. She should have seen this coming. Whatever she'd let the kid's mother deal with it. Inoichi never let up how Yoshino ruled the Nara household with an iron fist, and cast-iron pan. Speaking of which, "Oi, Midori!"
"Yes?" the talking snake surprised many and frightened a few. Whispering something too low for anyone to hear, Midori nodded and slithered away.
"Right…" Iruka sighed and took another name, "Uchiha Sasuke and…Oh, boy, Uzumaki Naruto!"
Legend of the Kyuubi
Making the rounds.
- Joined
- Sep 14, 2026
- Messages
- 35
Chapter 10: Unexpected
Many didn't know how to react the moment they heard both Naruto, the former Dead Last, and Sasuke, the top of the class and shoo-in for Rookie of the Year, were to face off against one another.
On one hand, Naruto had shown incredible improvement, evidence by him defeating Hibachi with a single blow to the head and then defeating Kiba, who was number two in Taijutsu in their year. On the other hand, Sasuke was a prodigy and never lost a single Taijutsu fight in his entire time at the academy. Coupled with his speed and ability to counter virtually any strike thrown at him, Sasuke's fighting style was no laughing matter. And Naruto knew this.
"Gaki, Uchiha, front and center," Anko ordered the two boys.
Both Naruto and Sasuke entered the fighting ring and stared at one another. The moment their eyes made contact the world outside the ring ceased to exist. They were in their own world now, and it was one where only two fighters, and ultimately one winner, resided. Making the Seal of Confrontation, both fighters then backed away and got into their respective stances.
"Ready, fight!" Anko shouted.
"Go, Sasuke-kun!" the boy's fangirls cheered.
Deciding to make the first move, Naruto launched himself at Sasuke and appeared at the Uchiha's side. Lashing out at the dark-haired academy student with a kick, Sasuke managed to duck and roll just in time. Within a second the Uchiha then performed a spinning jump kick towards Naruto, only for the blond to block the attack by crossing his arms.
When the tactic failed, Sasuke backed away only to become surprised as Naruto appeared in front of him and threw a punch at the Uchiha's face. Sasuke managed to bat away the fist that had been a breath away from striking him, an action Sasuke normally would have no trouble dealing with, and threw a punch of his own. The significant difference in speed allowed Naruto to move his head out of the way and he quickly countered with another punch. The fist came in faster this time and Sasuke's block fell short. Unable to block the second one from striking him, the impact to his chest had enough force in it to send the air out of his lungs. Grunting, Sasuke clenched his teeth together and clutched his chest with one arm while the other kept him from falling face first to the ground.
"Point, Naruto!"
"Fast," Sasuke groaned as he got back up and winced. The stinging sensation from the blow had begun but Sasuke forced himself to ignore the pain and focus on the fight. The boy knew that Naruto had improved and gotten faster in the last month and a half, but the Uchiha honestly hadn't expected this. Sasuke had better reflexes and knew how to read body language to an extent, but the problem with such a fighting style was being able to know what was going to happen but not having the necessary reaction speed to do anything about it.
Getting back into position, Sasuke decided to make the first move this time the moment Anko shouted 'Fight!' and Sasuke took off like a thrown kunai! But Naruto merely met the boy head on and then ducked low. The Uchiha realized that the boy was performing a swipe in the hopes to trip him up and send him tumbling.
Sasuke leaped forward, Naruto's extended leg meeting the air below his body, and went into a roll. The Uchiha then planted his hands firmly on the ground and in a display of incredible gymnastics the boy pivoted and righted himself. With Naruto's back turned to him Sasuke took the advantage, pounced on the blond, and lashed out with a punch at the back of his head.
But what the Uchiha didn't expect was the sudden donkey kick from the blond that struck Sasuke squarely in the face. The force behind the kick along with the Uchiha's speed made the impact much more painful than what was originally expected and a painful crack was heard amongst the crowd.
"Ghaaaaa!" Sasuke yelled in pain. His nose felt horrible and bloody from the blow and many who couldn't stand the sight of it looked away or winced upon seeing the broken appendage. It wasn't a pretty sight.
"Point, Naruto!" Anko said before moving into to check up on Sasuke, "Normally, I'd leave you like this cuz in the battlefield there are gonna be moments where you'll be forced to fight in this sort of condition. That being said, if your nose is broken, we're gonna need to stop. Can't risk it getting worse or you may need surgery."
"I'm not quitting!" the boy grunted but winced despite trying to ignore the pain he felt, having done something worse at a young age during a failed training session. Anko had to admit the kid had balls. Looking it over for a moment, the kunoichi finally came up with a diagnosis. Despite the fact that she wasn't a medic, Anko had a good deal of understanding and knowledge on the human anatomy.
"You'll still need to see the school medic after this but luckily for you this is fixable. It's gonna hurt though," she told him and placed her thumbs on the side of his nose.
"I don't care just fix ARRRGHHHHH!" the agony he felt had Sasuke howling like a wounded wolf at the sudden jerk Anko performed. The woman was physically realigning the boy's nose. Many cringed even more and several of Sasuke's fangirls were distraught or fainted upon hearing and seeing what was happening to the object of their affections. The process was quick, relatively speaking of course, as Anko had done this sort of thing countless times in the field to herself and friends. However, the procedure was by no means painless, especially for first timers
"There you go, Duckbutt. Good as new," Anko slapped the groaning Uchiha on the back, nearly making him fall over. "You good to go?"
Breathing in as best he could to try and dull the pain, Sasuke gave a curt nod and got back into position, "You'll pay for that, Dobe," the boy scowled as he saw the blond.
"You're the one that ran into my foot, Duckbutt," Naruto countered.
"Ready and fight!" Anko shouted.
Both combatants met each other in the middle of the ring and began throwing blows at one another. None made contact except with the occasional block or being batted away. At the moment, Sasuke's anger, both at the pain and the fact he was losing, was fueling his strikes. However, unlike Kiba's sloppy ones, Sasuke's strikes were faster and slightly more focused. Both boys threw punches, kicks, elbows, even knee strikes at the other in the hopes of landing a hit.
Finally, Sasuke caught a break when Naruto made a mistake when he overreached on a punch. The Uchiha was quick to take the opportunity to grab hold, drag the blond across his leg and effectively tripped him. With no balance holding him up, Sasuke countered with a vicious front kick on Naruto's side and sent his opponent outside the ring face first into the dirt.
"Go, Sasuke-kun!" the fangirls cheered along with several of the students who didn't care for Naruto.
"Point, Sasuke!" Anko shouted once again. "Come on, Gaki. Show them you can go all the way."
"You can do it, Naruto-kun," Hinata mentally cheered the boy on. Seeing him get this far astounded the pale-eyed girl. Naruto certainly came a long way from being Dead Last, but seeing him fight Sasuke and actually beating him was inspiring. If Naruto could do this, what's to say she couldn't do the same?
Naruto merely scowled as he got off the ground, his fists, clenched in anger for making such a mistake, "Ready, fight!"
Once more did the two decide to get in close. The two throwing a flurry of blows at one another with Sasuke performing counters that proved almost futile thanks to Naruto's superior speed or the blond blocking just in time.
"It's over!" Naruto declared as he threw in punch only for it to be caught by Sasuke, much to his embarrassment.
"Well, that was lame," were the shared thoughts of many, Anko included.
Throwing in another punch, Sasuke caught Naruto's wrist and smirked. Kicking out at his locked and immobile opponent to get in a point, Sasuke and many others were caught off guard when Naruto jumped and wrapped his legs around Sasuke's torso. The sudden move sent both boys to the ground.
Anko saw both boys struggled and grappled in the hopes of getting on top to try and get into a better position. With his greater strength Naruto managed to get on top but the boy's hands were still locked in front of Sasuke. But Anko knew that the boy wasn't bugging either and with his arms in front of his face the woman also knew that Naruto wouldn't be able to perform a head-butt like he did with Kiba.
"What are you gonna do now, gaki?" she wondered how Naruto was going to get out of this. When she saw Naruto smirk the woman guessed the boy was about to do something. And Anko guessed it was going to be something sneaky and underhanded, too.
When Naruto opened his hands, Sasuke felt a sudden, unexpected, and painful sensation in his eyes. On reflex the boy released Naruto and brought his hands up to his face to wipe it away. By the time his mind realized what he had done it was too late and the boy felt a punch on his chest. A moment later her processed something even worse: he had lost.
"Point, and winner of the match, Uzumaki Naruto!" a shocked Iruka announced at the unexpected outcome.
"That's my Gaki!" Anko whopped at her ward's victory.
"Win!? He cheated!"
"Yeah! We all saw it! He threw dirt in Sasuke-kun's eyes!" another student shouted.
"Dirt? It was dirt?" Sasuke had been defeated because dirt had gotten into his eyes? The boy continued to try and rub said dirt out of them in the hopes of seeing his opponent and pay him back for the underhanded move.
"He only won because he fought dirty and-"
"SHUT THE FUCK UP YOU BRATS!" Anko bellowed and many were now shaking. Iruka had often yelled during class whenever it got too loud but this was on a whole different level. This woman was radiating anger upon them like a cloak.
"You think this is a game? You think an enemy you face is gonna play fair? Hell no!" Anko shouted. Her announcement made them stop their ranting and pay attention. Sasuke stopped his internal one too and listened to the woman.
"Anko," Iruka was quickly silenced by the look the woman gave him.
"Shut it, Umino, these little shits need to hear this," she rounded back on the academy students who flinched at the woman's gaze. "To start, I was here at the beginning of this whole thing along with a few others and saying we weren't impressed by some of you is sugar coating it," most future Jounin sensei's candidates did the same when looking for potential students, "Umino said you couldn't use Ninjutsu, Genjutsu, or Bukijutsu. Last I recalled, throwing dirt into someone's eyes had nothing to do with chakra."
"It's still cheating!" someone said and Naruto thought whoever did that was either very brave or very dumb to defy Anko. He was leaning more towards the latter.
"Who the fuck cares. So, what if the Gaki cheated. We're ninja! Cheating and playing dirty are what we do. We do everything and anything to win. We're not training you to be samurai here if you're wanting a fair fight. And besides, Umino never said anything about not playing dirty now, did he?"
The students all blinked at that and looked at their teacher who merely nodded, "It's true. All I said was no Ninjutsu, Genjutsu, or Bukijutsu. I never said you weren't allowed to play dirty," truthfully it was a hidden test the academy had that many never accomplished. Most had forgotten about the test actually because of it rarely being figured out. For Naruto, the former Dead Last, to figure it out meant something about his skills.
Sasuke scowled. Both at the fact that he had lost and having not realized that bit of information and the fact that Naruto did. What Naruto did was legal and despite wanting to dispute it, Anko's words were true. A ninja was meant to fight dirty, many of his family members such as his mother having said so he recalled. While pissed at the fact he lost in such a way, Sasuke begrudgingly acknowledged that what Naruto had just done was to be expected in the future.
"You win this round. But the next time we fight your tricks won't work on me twice, Dobe," loathed as he wanted to admit it though, Sasuke had to give it to Naruto for his quick thinking. But the Uchiha vowed not to lose next time.
"Hell, out of all the students here only a few of you have what it takes to be ninja, the Gaki here included. You think that the enemy you'll face will fight fairly? You think they'll give you time to recover? Hell no! You're either a dumbass or gonna be pushing up daisies if you think so otherwise. An enemy that surrenders can easily stab you in the back the moment you let your guard down. A person will do almost anything to survive or win. For example," here she appeared behind Iruka with two serpents poised to strike at his jugular, and tossed Naruto a kunai.
"Gaki, take that kunai and slice the Uchiha's throat or else Umino dies," she threatened and using its fang one of her serpents drew a slight amount of blood from Iruka's throat. Much to the horror of students for how callously she said it and the sight of precious life fluid slithering down his neck.
"I can't," Naruto said.
"Why not?"
"Because even if I had the intention of killing the Teme," here Sasuke's fan girls scowled at him, "What's stopping you from killing, Iruka-sensei? As much I don't want Iruka-sensei to die, you have all the leverage. On the upside at least this way we don't get to hear his history lessons anymore," Anko smiled for the reasons given and the comment.
The academy instructor, however, didn't share the same sentiment, "Naruto!" Iruka shouted at the little shit.
"Other than the history bit, good answer," Anko released Iruka. "Naruto's right. Even if he killed the Uchiha there's nothing that prevents me from killing Umino anyway. Were this in the battlefield, instead of facing three Genin and a Jounin, I'd now have two Genin at my mercy because two members of their team are now dead. With three members left you have a better chance at survival, slightly better but it's better than nothing. That was one thing he did right, can anyone tell me what was the other?"
The academy students were left stunned by the question and when it looked like no one was about to answer Anko took matters into her own hands, "Oh, for the love of," she sounded off a string of colorful swears, "Bubblegum! What did he do right?"
"Um, not kill Sasuke-kun?" she answered.
"Besides that," Anko asked once more.
"Uh, he didn't charge in?"
"Good answer, still wrong. Big Bone!" Anko shouted at Chouji, "Same question."
"Um…" Chouji honestly didn't know, "He thought his actions through?"
"Yes, but wrong! Pale Eyes!" she called Hinata out, earning an 'Eep!' from the girl, "What did he do right?"
"A … ano," Hinata stuttered from being put on the spotlight but answered still, "He stalled for time?"
"Bingo! Someone gets it. Thank you," Anko was happy to see at least one of them get it and the praise caused Hinata to blush, even more so when Naruto grinned at her.
"Stalling for time. Believe it or not a single second in the ninja world can make a world of different such as if someone lives or dies. By stalling for time as much as he could, the Gaki could have given another shinobi the opportunity to arrive, and either distract or sneak up and stop me from being a threat. Letting Umino go free and allowing the whoever is available to come in and land a blow that could either kill me or knock me out."
Many actually began to contemplate her words, and some even began glancing at Naruto. It wasn't in awe though, more curious and confusing really. For so long many had thought Naruto to be a talentless loser who got bad grades at everything he did. Some still did even when his grades started getting better. Now though some began to think that maybe it wasn't the case.
"All right, enough about that. Put his name back and let's get on with it," Anko announced.
"Wait, you're putting his name back in?" a student asked.
"Damn straight," Anko nodded, "When you're in the field anything can happen. You may have won the first fight but you can just as easily find yourself facing off against someone else," the woman parroting the words of their instructor.
While Iruka wouldn't have gone about it in this manner, the man couldn't fault Anko's reasoning. In less than three months the students would graduate – should they pass that is – and it was his job to make sure they were prepared as best as he could. From what he observed, it was apparent many had a lot to make up for because they weren't ready at the moment.
"Next we'll have … … Haruno Sakura and … … Uzumaki Naruto!" several students cringed upon hearing that. It was no secret Naruto was infatuated with the pink haired academy student. Too bad for him it was completely one-sided seeing as how she was one of Sasuke's fangirls.
"… Shit! It just had to be Sakura-chan," Naruto thought. Fighting against Sasuke was one thing as Naruto had been wanting to fight him for a long time since he lost against him years ago. Fighting Sakura on the other hand was a different matter all together.
"Gaki, if you throw a match or go easy on her because of a fucking one-sided crush you're gonna regret it," Anko's harsh words made him cringe.
The woman had taken to know as much as she could about her war and found out about his crush on the pink haired girl. The woman wasn't impressed with the boy's choice. Not only was his affections one-sided, to which the pink haired civilian had made her intentions clearer than crystal, but the boy had no tact and could not take a hint. Persistence was good and all, but at some point, one needed to take a hint or back off rather than fan the flames.
Anko would freely admit that the girl was very intelligent for someone her age, smarter than even some Chunin. Her chakra control was phenomenal as well, even if part of the reason was because of how small her reserves were. However, Anko knew that intelligence alone meant nothing on the battlefield, especially when hampered by emotions. Physically the girl was lacking. Her stamina and chakra levels were noted to be below average, even with her father being a former career Genin, and her speed wasn't all that impressive either compared to the Yamanaka and Hyuga. They were still much better than the rest of the civilian academy students, but low still. Unfortunately, the academy now placed a higher emphasis on academics than the practical aspect.
"If I ever find out who's responsible," she mentally snarled. Needless to say, Anko's fury would make them wish they hadn't been born should she catch them. Shaking her head of such thought, Anko said, "To your positions!"
[QUEST ALERT!]
Tough Decisions!
Main Quest 1: Win the Fight!
Main Quest 2: Take a Dive!
Main Quest 1: Completion: +1000 Reputation [Anko], -1000 Reputation [Sakura], ?
Main Quest 2: Completion: +1000 Reputation [Sakura], -1000 Reputation [Anko], -500 Reputation [Sasuke], [Iruka], [Hiruzen], [Yugao], [Extend List], ?
Quest is mandatory
Naruto honestly never felt more conflicted than he did right now. If he lost the fight Sakura would be happy and he'd get reputation points with her but would lose some major ones with Anko and others for whatever reason, and vice versa if he won. There was also factoring in the "?". Naruto didn't know what it was and was almost afraid to find out.
Breathing in Naruto thought about this logically, most likely it was his [Gamer's Mind] and the increased INT and WIS kicking in. If he won, Naruto would merely lose reputation points that he could get back with Sakura. If he lost purposely not only would he be unable to continue the other quest that would increase his Taijutsu, but there was a good chance he'd be unable to continue the quest associated with Anko. With his current performance and stats, it wasn't possible for Naruto to lose without looking like he took a dive, and it wouldn't look good on his part for doing so. What respect he earned today would be shot back down to hell.
When he weighed the pros and cons, much as he didn't want to admit it, Naruto realized he'd essentially get even more if he won the fight. Naruto hoped the girl would forgive him and got into fighting position, "Sorry, Sakura-chan."
"You'll pay for what you did to Sasuke-kun, Naruto!" Sakura's scowl only served to make the boy feel worse.
Anko and the two academy teachers could clearly see that the girl's anger was getting the best of her and clouding her common sense and judgement. Anko could only look on in disbelief, "I was right. The girl's smart but she's letting her emotions get the better of her in a critical moment."
"Begin!" Anko shouted.
Sakura's charge at Naruto was, in one word, terrible. While she was one of the better academy students and her speed was much greater than a civilian, it was evident that Sakura was physically lacking among ninja standards. Her form was flawless, of that there could be no dispute. But that was it. Nothing in her movements proved to be threatening to her opponent, and when she was but a few steps away from him, Naruto dodged her punches with ease.
Had this been nearly a couple of months ago the outcome would be different. His hesitance to go against Sakura and his poor combat style despite the better stats playing against him. Now, however; Naruto saw her punches as if they were coming at him in slow motion. Rather than hit her, Naruto grabbed Sakura's extended leg and pushed the girl out of the ring with it.
"Point, Naruto!" Iruka said and Anko smiled whilst he saw Sakura scowl.
"Darn it," the scowl she directed was one of pure anger. But despite pang of guilt he felt, Naruto had made his decision. He couldn't let up or let Sakura win.
"Begin!"
Sakura didn't charge in again like she did before. Instead, she opted a defensive stance. Anko had to admit that it was a pretty good one, "The girl's certainly got the academy kata down," but it wasn't enough against a physically superior opponent, nor did it actually impress the older kunoichi.
Her point was proven when Naruto suddenly appeared on Sakura's left and pushed the girl out of the ring once again before she could react to his presence. The match was clearly one sided. That much was evident. Unlike, Ino who would use her feminine charms in a fight to help her win, Iruka knew well enough that Sakura was only flirty outside of combat. The man had seen enough.
"Winner, Naruto!" Iruka announced, and both students were shocked that the next round wasn't declared.
"Iruka-sensei? But we still have one more round!?" Sakura stated.
"Girly if this were a real fight, I'd have killed you in several ways before you had time to blink," Anko answered before Iruka could respond.
"Sakura-chan-" Naruto went to help his crush only to get an angry and sad look from the girl. Naruto felt the words die in his throat as he saw her get up and move as far away from him as possible. While he wanted to go after her, the boy knew better.
Sakura was angry and emotional. When that happened, she stopped thinking rationally and got physical. Both he and Kiba were often on the receiving end of her fist when they pissed her off.
[QUEST COMPLETED!]
Tough Decisions!
Main Quest: Win the Fight! (Accomplished)
Main Quest: Take a Dive! (Failed)
Rewards: +1000 Reputation with Anko, -1000 Reputation with Sakura.
For not taking a dive, any Anko centered quests remain unaffected and your relationship remains strong. However, actions have consequences, and your reputation with Sakura has decreased. Your reputation with Sakura will not go beyond [Neutral] for the foreseeable future. As a result of your reputation level, you will be unable to undertake any quests associated with [Sakura] and any current quests centered on this character has been deemed [Failed]!
|Warning! Warning!|
|Due to your actions, your reputation level with Sakura is now [Disliked]!|
"Are you fucking kidding me!" Naruto couldn't believe it getting any worse, yet was proven wrong. A simple fight such as this wrecked any chance he'd have at a relationship with Sakura-chan. It was bullshit really.
"Fan-fucking-tastic!" Naruto was glad his relationship with Anko was still intact, but the blond was still angry about what just happened regardless. Actually, now that he thought about it, Naruto realized something.
"I was right. Taking a dive would have been bad," if his relationship with Sakura was currently in the toilet, how badly would his relationship with Anko have suffered? The mere thought of it actually gave him pause.
Out of all the people in Konoha, Anko was one of the few who had actually taken the time to teach him and do things properly. The woman had actually helped him. Instead of casting him aside or think him to be nothing more than a loser like the vast majority of Konoha.
"Though she did say some of my skills sucked," he recalled, but even then, she helped improved them. "Ah, damn it! This it too freakin confusing," Naruto was conflicted.
"Oi, Umino, take over. Looks like the Gaki needs a pep talk," Anko took a hold of her pupil by the shoulder and both went away for some privacy. Iruka nodded once his gaze locked on Naruto's form. The man knew the boy had a crush on the pink haired girl. Fighting and defeating her probably wasn't an easy decision despite the fight clearly being one-sided.
"How are you feeling, kid," Anko finally asked him when they were a good distance away.
"Like crap," Naruto told her.
"Crushes come and go, Gaki. Believe me."
"It's not a crush! It's love," Naruto said but Anko released a large snark.
"Love? That's a laugh! Kid, you're twelve," Naruto would have corrected her but she continued, "And as harsh as it sounds, your background doesn't exactly make you an expert on what love is," it was harsh and blunt, but it was the reality of it all. Naruto's understanding of love was flawed, very flawed. The boy knew kindness, yes, but love was completely different and the boy was confusing the two.
Naruto scowled at the woman for that, "It's love… and it's not just that."
Anko rolled her eyes at his stubbornness but listened anyway, "Go on."
"My ability said that because I didn't take a dive my relationship with Sakura wouldn't go past a certain point," to Naruto it felt like something was being taken from him without the ability to fight back or do something about it.
"Ah, I see," Anko now understood, "Gaki, let me ask you this. What did you see in her in the first place?"
"Huh?"
"I mean what made you attracted to her? From what I've seen it was pretty clear she had no intention of dating you, or have any association with you, really," Naruto scowled when he heard that.
"You can give me the evil eye all you want, Gaki, but it won't change the fact that she has her eyes all over the Uchiha like the rest of those fangirls of his. And, no offence to you, but you can do a hell of a lot better than her," Anko said.
"What!" Naruto was now angry that she said such a thing. "Sakura's the best!"
"Academically, yes. As a kunoichi to be she wouldn't be my first choice, nor my second, third or fourth. She's piss poor and needs to shape up before I even consider calling her one," seeing him flare up Anko decided to go with another tactic, "But you still haven't answered my question. Why are you attracted to her?"
As he went to respond, Naruto couldn't find the words to say how felt, and Anko took a shot, "Did she do anything to make you crush on her?"
"Ah...well... She..." he tried to answer but for the life of him, Naruto couldn't think of anything good.
"Has she ever said anything nice to you before?"
Now that he thought about it, "Not really. I mean during our first year she was nicer but then she– "
"Ok, now I get it," Anko understood, "Gaki, hate to break this to ya, but what you feel isn't love or really a crush. It's a desire for something you lack. Let me guess. During your first year when you all started you wanted to prove you were all hot shit, right?"
"…Yeah," Naruto nodded.
"But it didn't really work out and before you gained a rep as the class clown and loser, she probably said something nice to you, right?" again Naruto nodded.
"But then you gained the rep and as Sakura got older, she stopped being nice and her attention was more focused on the Uchiha, right?" another nod on his part.
"Don't you fucking see?!," Anko nearly exclaimed, "The girl was one of the few to give you positive attention and you didn't want it to go away! Just like with Konoha you resorted to pranks to get attention, you went and got her attention by starting to annoy her to try and make her like you to get it back. But you kept fucking up. In your mind, you thought maybe it was okay so long as she spoke or paid attention to you, but it doesn't work that way, kiddo."
"…"
"Gaki, I'm gonna be honest. Your affections for her are pathetic and non-existent," Anko ignored his hurt look, "It is. You're trying to get negative attention from a girl who doesn't want it and you're just making it worse! You don't care anymore if the attention you get from her is good or bad. The only attention you should be getting is good and it ain't happening. Love doesn't work that way."
"Stop," he thought.
"Do you know what she likes?"
"Stop."
"What's her favourite color? What she likes to eat?" Anko continued.
"Please stop."
"What are her favourite activities? Her pastimes? What does she want to do in the future?"
"Stop it!" this time Naruto was vocal.
"Does she even believe you can become Hokage?" the last one was the final nail on the coffin and Naruto fell to his knees, tears stung his eyes and threatened to fall. The boy's head felt heavy for a moment before his [Gamer's Mind] kicked in and took a load off. He didn't want to admit it, but it was true. He knew none of those things, and Sakura didn't believe he could become Hokage.
"I know you don't like hearing this, Naruto, but it has to be said. If you can't accept the reality of it it's not going to end well. It's obvious that deep down you know it won't work out," the woman said.
"Why…why the hell do you think that?" Naruto wondered where she got that from.
"Because you wouldn't have chosen me over her if you thought otherwise," Anko finished. "If it truly was love or infatuation, I can tell you from personal experience that you would have chosen the girl. Honestly, I'm touched. Hardly anyone's ever picked me over someone else. Usually it's the opposite."
"…Does it get any easier?" Naruto asked. "What I'm feeling."
Anko looked at him and gave him an honest no-nonsense answer, "At times it does, and at times it doesn't, Gaki. Crushes come and go, and opportunities to love and fall in love are the same. But sometimes realizing the reality that your love may or may not happen or even work out is something that may never go away. I know it hurts, I've been there, and it'll take a while, but in time you'll realize that you and Sakura weren't meant to be," Anko also thought the boy could do a hell of a lot better than Sakura. Anko knew that the girl could potentially come around, but that remained to be seen at the moment.
"Besides, just because you're not together doesn't mean you can't be friends, ya know," here she smiled, "Some people just ain't meant to be together and are better off that way. You want to be in a relationship, go ahead. Baby steps first though. Become friends and get to know em. And I mean truly know em. Besides, you may be a Genin in a couple of months but lay off the boyfriend/girlfriend crap till you get older and focus on the here and now. Who knows what the future has for you? Anything can happen."
As she finished, Naruto wiped away his tears. The pain was still there, and while the speech helped, it would take a while to truly get over it, "Thanks, Anko-sensei."
"Bah! Enough of this mushy feely touchy crap! It's gonna ruin my reputation!" the woman proceeded to give him a noogie, and Anko could honestly say she was just pulling some of this stuff out of her ass. The woman had never really comforted someone like this before.
"Tch," Naruto lightly chuckled and returned to the ring in time to see Hinata being declared the winner lose against Shino. The match had been close, as while Hinata had the upper hand in Taijutsu the Aburame had more confidence and precise strikes.
When both Naruto and Hinata faced off against each other, Hinata's performance became sloppy. The boy had managed to land a blow on the girl, even if it was a light one. It was obvious the girl had difficulties concentrating and while she managed to block, and evade his strikes as best she could and shoot in some of her own, none made contact with him.
"Begin!" Iruka declared on the potential final round. Naruto was the superior fighter but Hinata could surprise them. Her strikes and shots were much more precise and fluid that Sakura's and she had done much better in her other matches according to Mizuki. It was only because of her crush on Naruto that prevented her from fighting properly.
"At least the girl's actually fighting who she's attracted to instead of given up," Anko knew about the crush through Kurenai and while Anko didn't care much for them at least the girl was willing to fight. It was a plus in her books.
Iruka watched as Naruto appeared at Hinata's side and made to strike. However, the Hyuga stumbled on her foot and bumped into the blond. Both Naruto and Hinata fell over on top of one another and the next thing he knew the man heard Anko laughing at their predicament. Both academy students' lips were pressed against one another.
"Ahh! Sorry," Naruto apologized, got off her and hoped the girl didn't hit him for the accident. To his surprise though Hinata remained still, "Uh… Hinata?"
Appearing in the ring and still laughing, Anko clicked her fingers in front of the girl's eyes. When that didn't work, Anko poked the girl and was shocked to discover she not only had gone stiff as a marble countertop and realized the Hyuga had fainted with her eyes open, "She's out, Gaki. Gotta say this win's one for the books."
"She's out? Did she hit her head?" Anko and many others shook their heads or groaned. While he improved, Naruto was still Naruto it would seem.
"Lovely, that's one more thing I have to teach him," there was no way in hell she was going to have Naruto remain a clueless idiot. But before she could tell him, an Anbu appeared on the field and called her out.
"Mitarashi-san, the Hokage request your attendance immediately," the bird masked Anbu informed her.
"Yeah, I'll get right on it," the moment she finished did the Anbu flicker and disappear. "Well, that's a wrap, kiddos. See ya, Gaki. Oh, and congratz on the win," Anko smirked before she flickered away like the Anbu.
[QUEST COMPLETED!]
Ready, Fight!
Main Quest: Become one of the Top 3 Fighters (Accomplished)
Side Quest: Become the Top Fighter (Accomplished)
Hidden Objective: Pass Hidden Test! (Accomplished)
Total Rewards Earned:
(1950 +10%) = 2145 EXP, +350 Reputation [Iruka], [Advanced Academy Taijutsu Scroll], + 1 STR, +1 Attribute Point
|Congratulations! Your level has increased by one!|
Status Window
Name: Uzumaki Naruto
Job: Academy Student
Level: 18 Next Level: 897.5/14,240
HP: 6125 + [350] + Vigor Affinity: Basic Rank ~ 6798.75?
CP: 10775 + [625] + [Chakra Affinity: Basic Rank] ~ 11970?
STR: 28 ~ 28?
VIT: 177 + [10] ~ 187?
END: 252 + [15] ~ 267?
DEX: 49 + [1] ~ 50?
INT: 40 ~ 41
WIS: 18 ~ 18
CHA: 10 ~ 10
LUK: ? ~ ?
DEF: 23 ~ 23
Attribute Points: 30
Ordinary Perk Points: 1
"Anko's right, Naruto. You won the tourney," Iruka smiled and handed the boy a scroll, "You've earned this."
It took a second before Naruto realized he had done it. He had won the fights. "Yeah!"
"Arf!" Hottomaru barked at his partner's happiness.
Many in the training area still couldn't believe it though. The Dead Last had been the one to win the fighting tourney and made it look almost like child's play.
"Can this day get any better," the blond wondered. Apparently, it could as Iruka announced that was the end of it for the day a few moments later. Grabbing Hotto, Naruto and his ninken left the academy without looking back, and unaware of the eyes that followed him.
"How is this happening?" were Mizuki's thoughts. If the demon could improve in such a short amount of time what's to say the other lagging students wouldn't? Worse yet, his meeting with the informant was coming up soon. "They're not going to like this."
(A Few Minutes Later)
"Welcome to Higurashi's Shinobi Arms. How can I help?" a voice Naruto didn't recognize asked him.
"Huh? Who are you?" he asked the twin bun haired girl.
"Ah, here for your order, kid. Good timing, we were almost ready to close up shop for the day. See you've met my Ten-chan," the voice of Tetsu boomed through the shop and the appearing man had to duck as steel whizzed by his head.
"Damn it, missed," she cursed.
"You're his daughter?" Naruto had no idea how someone like Tetsu, a mountain of a man could have such a small offspring.
"I get that a lot," Tenten muttered and gave him a look over, "Academy student, right?"
"How'd you know?"
"No headband," she pointed to his lack of metal headpiece, "And your outfit is covered in cuts from shuriken and kunai and rips from grapples. Only a ninja in training or a ninja would have that on them… unless you like being someone's punching bag," she smirked.
"Funny," he deadpanned. "How long you've been a Genin?"
"A few months," Tenten shrugged. "Pretty boring at the moment, nothing but D-Rank missions and training. Oh, God, so much training," her head hit the countertop with a resounding thud. Training was good and all but the insane man that was her sensei more or less took it too far most of the time and then there was the D-Rank missions. "I don't envy you newbies when you start doing D-Rank. And when it happens, you'll know," her tone of voice left much to be desired.
"I already do know," Naruto very well knew the pain of D-Rank missions. Stupid exploited loopholes.
"Ah, cheer up, Ten-chan," Tetsu dodged two kunai this time, "At least Gai deemed your team ready to take on your first C-Rank mission."
"Yeah, escorting civilians from here to somewhere else, real fun," sure there was the prospect of encountering bandits but with a powerful Taijutsu virtuoso, his up and coming mini-me, a Hyuga prodigy and her ranged proficiency, it wasn't going to be that exciting.
Escorting civilians was one of the worst C-Rank there was due to being forced to go at a slow pace. When he was younger, Gai told them he once carried a client and ran off at top speed to get it finished earlier. He succeeded but the client had connections with some of the influential nobles of Hi no Kuni's capital city and almost cost Konoha quite a bit of clientele had the Sandaime not managed to placate them.
"Eh… right," Tetsu didn't have fond memories of such missions either, "Well, here's your order, kid."
"Thanks," Naruto grinned as he saw the piece of armour.
Custom Ninken Armor - Uncommon Quality
Item Type: Armor
Durability: 45/45
Description: Body armor made from leather derived from boar hides specially made to be used by a ninken. Offers protection from fists and basic weaponry such as kunai and shuriken.
Defense: 10
The order of this had cost a pretty ryo, close to five thousand really, but Naruto hadn't cared all that much for the price considering his auction items sold for a huge bundle. The boy cared more about making sure Hottomaru didn't get badly injured due to lack of defense. Hana had mentioned that ninken preferred going without body armour as it impeded their movement but it wasn't uncommon to see some wearing it.
"Ok, boy, here you go," Naruto strapped the brown leather armour to Hottomaru, "Hey, not bad."
Hottomaru, however merely sniffed at the armour he wore with intrigue. While it might be a tad heavy, once the ninken levelled up a few more times and got a decent boost in STR the weight likely wouldn't bother him any longer, "You'll thank me later."
Saying their goodbyes to Tetsu and Tenten both Naruto and Hottomaru made their way out of the closing store and headed towards the next dungeon: Training Ground 2. Upon arriving, Naruto glanced around before he took out the [Advanced Academy Taijutsu Style Skill Scroll] and absorbed the power it granted him. It wasn't much, but at least his STR would increase by ten percent during combat. However, before he could enter the field, Naruto was greeted to a different pop up.
|Warning! Nighttime Effect in Play!|
Nighttime Effect
Many dungeons can be entered during both cycles of the day. However, during the night the enemies encountered during the night are not only different than their diurnal counterparts, but come in greater numbers, and are stronger as well. A bonus to this, however, is that the monsters encountered also give an additional 15% of EXP upon defeat. A downside is their attributes being given a boost of the same amount and unless certain circumstances are met, will cause a decrease in effectiveness for certain skills and your accuracy.
"Ah, crud," Naruto had seen this before in his old games, specifically Dragon Warrior. At times, stronger or certain types of monsters only came out at night in the game. It was likely based off of real life as some of the deadlier creatures slept during the day and came out at night.
Though seeing as how his level increased to level eighteen, Naruto doubted it would be too bad a challenge, "Ah, who cares if it is. Enter Training Ground Two!"
Like before with the first training area dungeon he entered, Naruto found himself enveloped in a flash of bright light. When it faded away Naruto was left momentarily stunned upon finding where he was.
"I'm underground?" it made sense really when he recalled the black tunnel from the Boar Dungeon.
"At least there's light down here," Naruto noted the bright green glowing moss that provided him with a good amount of illumination. Their glow would be enhanced even further when Naruto took out Seishoyo, "Light On!"
The command did its purpose and Naruto was granted even greater vision than before and could now see well beyond a dozen meters down the dark caverns. True to form, Naruto's [Detection Skill] kicked in and Hotto began growling. The weapon's [Moth to a Flame] flaw attracting nearby enemies.
Sensing four enemies coming his way, Naruto got into a defensive stance and from the sound of it they were coming in quick. While they were too far out at the moment Naruto could see their forms and knew they were small compared to the other enemies he faced.
As the sound got louder and the enemy neared, Naruto finally got a better look at what he was about to face, "Rats?"
Mutant Rat - Level 11
HP: 350
CP: 300
STR: 15
VIT: 14
END: 12
DEX: 40
INT: 4
WIS: 14
LUK: 30
Defense: 5
Specialization:
None
Special Perks:
Nighttime Effect: +15% towards Attributes, +15% Power, Speed, and Effectiveness towards Skills, +15% Increase towards movement speed in and out of combat, [Perks] and [Specialization] enhanced by additional 15%
Perks:
Nimble [Lv 4]: +60% Increase to movement speed in and out of combat, and +60% Increased Effectiveness towards [Evasion]
Keen-Senses [Lv 2]: +50% Effectiveness towards [Detection Skill], -30% Effectiveness towards enemy [Henge Skill]
Disease-Ridden: +25% chance of causing [Poison] and [Disease] status effect if struck
Flaws:
Minor Light Sensitivity: -15% Power, Accuracy and Effectiveness towards Skills when [Light] based items or skills are used against it, 15% increased chance of being affected by [Dazed] Status Effect
Description: Rats are often seen as pests by many, these rats more so because of their larger size and greater number. Past attempts at eradicating them to contain these plague and disease ridden pests have all met with failure due to their astonishing and frightening ability to adapt and reproduce. Their sense of smell allows them to find food even deep underground and the ability to detect invaders who come too close to their nest. Though weak and small individually they make up for it in large numbers and they are very quick and difficult to deal with, especially when they run for reinforcements.
EXP Earned: ?
Drops: ?, ?, ?
"Great," Naruto muttered. The little vermin weren't going to pose much of threat in terms of power but speed wise and their large numbers. Naruto was quick but with their higher DEX and their [Nimble] Perk they were quicker than him and Hotto.
"But damn if I don't like a challenge," he grinned and allowed the two rats to get in closer. When they were close enough, Naruto told his ninken to close his eyes and called out 'Hikaru!'
"Keee Keee!" were the rats' response to the blinding light.
Then the fight began!
Many didn't know how to react the moment they heard both Naruto, the former Dead Last, and Sasuke, the top of the class and shoo-in for Rookie of the Year, were to face off against one another.
On one hand, Naruto had shown incredible improvement, evidence by him defeating Hibachi with a single blow to the head and then defeating Kiba, who was number two in Taijutsu in their year. On the other hand, Sasuke was a prodigy and never lost a single Taijutsu fight in his entire time at the academy. Coupled with his speed and ability to counter virtually any strike thrown at him, Sasuke's fighting style was no laughing matter. And Naruto knew this.
"Gaki, Uchiha, front and center," Anko ordered the two boys.
Both Naruto and Sasuke entered the fighting ring and stared at one another. The moment their eyes made contact the world outside the ring ceased to exist. They were in their own world now, and it was one where only two fighters, and ultimately one winner, resided. Making the Seal of Confrontation, both fighters then backed away and got into their respective stances.
"Ready, fight!" Anko shouted.
"Go, Sasuke-kun!" the boy's fangirls cheered.
Deciding to make the first move, Naruto launched himself at Sasuke and appeared at the Uchiha's side. Lashing out at the dark-haired academy student with a kick, Sasuke managed to duck and roll just in time. Within a second the Uchiha then performed a spinning jump kick towards Naruto, only for the blond to block the attack by crossing his arms.
When the tactic failed, Sasuke backed away only to become surprised as Naruto appeared in front of him and threw a punch at the Uchiha's face. Sasuke managed to bat away the fist that had been a breath away from striking him, an action Sasuke normally would have no trouble dealing with, and threw a punch of his own. The significant difference in speed allowed Naruto to move his head out of the way and he quickly countered with another punch. The fist came in faster this time and Sasuke's block fell short. Unable to block the second one from striking him, the impact to his chest had enough force in it to send the air out of his lungs. Grunting, Sasuke clenched his teeth together and clutched his chest with one arm while the other kept him from falling face first to the ground.
"Point, Naruto!"
"Fast," Sasuke groaned as he got back up and winced. The stinging sensation from the blow had begun but Sasuke forced himself to ignore the pain and focus on the fight. The boy knew that Naruto had improved and gotten faster in the last month and a half, but the Uchiha honestly hadn't expected this. Sasuke had better reflexes and knew how to read body language to an extent, but the problem with such a fighting style was being able to know what was going to happen but not having the necessary reaction speed to do anything about it.
Getting back into position, Sasuke decided to make the first move this time the moment Anko shouted 'Fight!' and Sasuke took off like a thrown kunai! But Naruto merely met the boy head on and then ducked low. The Uchiha realized that the boy was performing a swipe in the hopes to trip him up and send him tumbling.
Sasuke leaped forward, Naruto's extended leg meeting the air below his body, and went into a roll. The Uchiha then planted his hands firmly on the ground and in a display of incredible gymnastics the boy pivoted and righted himself. With Naruto's back turned to him Sasuke took the advantage, pounced on the blond, and lashed out with a punch at the back of his head.
But what the Uchiha didn't expect was the sudden donkey kick from the blond that struck Sasuke squarely in the face. The force behind the kick along with the Uchiha's speed made the impact much more painful than what was originally expected and a painful crack was heard amongst the crowd.
"Ghaaaaa!" Sasuke yelled in pain. His nose felt horrible and bloody from the blow and many who couldn't stand the sight of it looked away or winced upon seeing the broken appendage. It wasn't a pretty sight.
"Point, Naruto!" Anko said before moving into to check up on Sasuke, "Normally, I'd leave you like this cuz in the battlefield there are gonna be moments where you'll be forced to fight in this sort of condition. That being said, if your nose is broken, we're gonna need to stop. Can't risk it getting worse or you may need surgery."
"I'm not quitting!" the boy grunted but winced despite trying to ignore the pain he felt, having done something worse at a young age during a failed training session. Anko had to admit the kid had balls. Looking it over for a moment, the kunoichi finally came up with a diagnosis. Despite the fact that she wasn't a medic, Anko had a good deal of understanding and knowledge on the human anatomy.
"You'll still need to see the school medic after this but luckily for you this is fixable. It's gonna hurt though," she told him and placed her thumbs on the side of his nose.
"I don't care just fix ARRRGHHHHH!" the agony he felt had Sasuke howling like a wounded wolf at the sudden jerk Anko performed. The woman was physically realigning the boy's nose. Many cringed even more and several of Sasuke's fangirls were distraught or fainted upon hearing and seeing what was happening to the object of their affections. The process was quick, relatively speaking of course, as Anko had done this sort of thing countless times in the field to herself and friends. However, the procedure was by no means painless, especially for first timers
"There you go, Duckbutt. Good as new," Anko slapped the groaning Uchiha on the back, nearly making him fall over. "You good to go?"
Breathing in as best he could to try and dull the pain, Sasuke gave a curt nod and got back into position, "You'll pay for that, Dobe," the boy scowled as he saw the blond.
"You're the one that ran into my foot, Duckbutt," Naruto countered.
"Ready and fight!" Anko shouted.
Both combatants met each other in the middle of the ring and began throwing blows at one another. None made contact except with the occasional block or being batted away. At the moment, Sasuke's anger, both at the pain and the fact he was losing, was fueling his strikes. However, unlike Kiba's sloppy ones, Sasuke's strikes were faster and slightly more focused. Both boys threw punches, kicks, elbows, even knee strikes at the other in the hopes of landing a hit.
Finally, Sasuke caught a break when Naruto made a mistake when he overreached on a punch. The Uchiha was quick to take the opportunity to grab hold, drag the blond across his leg and effectively tripped him. With no balance holding him up, Sasuke countered with a vicious front kick on Naruto's side and sent his opponent outside the ring face first into the dirt.
"Go, Sasuke-kun!" the fangirls cheered along with several of the students who didn't care for Naruto.
"Point, Sasuke!" Anko shouted once again. "Come on, Gaki. Show them you can go all the way."
"You can do it, Naruto-kun," Hinata mentally cheered the boy on. Seeing him get this far astounded the pale-eyed girl. Naruto certainly came a long way from being Dead Last, but seeing him fight Sasuke and actually beating him was inspiring. If Naruto could do this, what's to say she couldn't do the same?
Naruto merely scowled as he got off the ground, his fists, clenched in anger for making such a mistake, "Ready, fight!"
Once more did the two decide to get in close. The two throwing a flurry of blows at one another with Sasuke performing counters that proved almost futile thanks to Naruto's superior speed or the blond blocking just in time.
"It's over!" Naruto declared as he threw in punch only for it to be caught by Sasuke, much to his embarrassment.
"Well, that was lame," were the shared thoughts of many, Anko included.
Throwing in another punch, Sasuke caught Naruto's wrist and smirked. Kicking out at his locked and immobile opponent to get in a point, Sasuke and many others were caught off guard when Naruto jumped and wrapped his legs around Sasuke's torso. The sudden move sent both boys to the ground.
Anko saw both boys struggled and grappled in the hopes of getting on top to try and get into a better position. With his greater strength Naruto managed to get on top but the boy's hands were still locked in front of Sasuke. But Anko knew that the boy wasn't bugging either and with his arms in front of his face the woman also knew that Naruto wouldn't be able to perform a head-butt like he did with Kiba.
"What are you gonna do now, gaki?" she wondered how Naruto was going to get out of this. When she saw Naruto smirk the woman guessed the boy was about to do something. And Anko guessed it was going to be something sneaky and underhanded, too.
When Naruto opened his hands, Sasuke felt a sudden, unexpected, and painful sensation in his eyes. On reflex the boy released Naruto and brought his hands up to his face to wipe it away. By the time his mind realized what he had done it was too late and the boy felt a punch on his chest. A moment later her processed something even worse: he had lost.
"Point, and winner of the match, Uzumaki Naruto!" a shocked Iruka announced at the unexpected outcome.
"That's my Gaki!" Anko whopped at her ward's victory.
"Win!? He cheated!"
"Yeah! We all saw it! He threw dirt in Sasuke-kun's eyes!" another student shouted.
"Dirt? It was dirt?" Sasuke had been defeated because dirt had gotten into his eyes? The boy continued to try and rub said dirt out of them in the hopes of seeing his opponent and pay him back for the underhanded move.
"He only won because he fought dirty and-"
"SHUT THE FUCK UP YOU BRATS!" Anko bellowed and many were now shaking. Iruka had often yelled during class whenever it got too loud but this was on a whole different level. This woman was radiating anger upon them like a cloak.
"You think this is a game? You think an enemy you face is gonna play fair? Hell no!" Anko shouted. Her announcement made them stop their ranting and pay attention. Sasuke stopped his internal one too and listened to the woman.
"Anko," Iruka was quickly silenced by the look the woman gave him.
"Shut it, Umino, these little shits need to hear this," she rounded back on the academy students who flinched at the woman's gaze. "To start, I was here at the beginning of this whole thing along with a few others and saying we weren't impressed by some of you is sugar coating it," most future Jounin sensei's candidates did the same when looking for potential students, "Umino said you couldn't use Ninjutsu, Genjutsu, or Bukijutsu. Last I recalled, throwing dirt into someone's eyes had nothing to do with chakra."
"It's still cheating!" someone said and Naruto thought whoever did that was either very brave or very dumb to defy Anko. He was leaning more towards the latter.
"Who the fuck cares. So, what if the Gaki cheated. We're ninja! Cheating and playing dirty are what we do. We do everything and anything to win. We're not training you to be samurai here if you're wanting a fair fight. And besides, Umino never said anything about not playing dirty now, did he?"
The students all blinked at that and looked at their teacher who merely nodded, "It's true. All I said was no Ninjutsu, Genjutsu, or Bukijutsu. I never said you weren't allowed to play dirty," truthfully it was a hidden test the academy had that many never accomplished. Most had forgotten about the test actually because of it rarely being figured out. For Naruto, the former Dead Last, to figure it out meant something about his skills.
Sasuke scowled. Both at the fact that he had lost and having not realized that bit of information and the fact that Naruto did. What Naruto did was legal and despite wanting to dispute it, Anko's words were true. A ninja was meant to fight dirty, many of his family members such as his mother having said so he recalled. While pissed at the fact he lost in such a way, Sasuke begrudgingly acknowledged that what Naruto had just done was to be expected in the future.
"You win this round. But the next time we fight your tricks won't work on me twice, Dobe," loathed as he wanted to admit it though, Sasuke had to give it to Naruto for his quick thinking. But the Uchiha vowed not to lose next time.
"Hell, out of all the students here only a few of you have what it takes to be ninja, the Gaki here included. You think that the enemy you'll face will fight fairly? You think they'll give you time to recover? Hell no! You're either a dumbass or gonna be pushing up daisies if you think so otherwise. An enemy that surrenders can easily stab you in the back the moment you let your guard down. A person will do almost anything to survive or win. For example," here she appeared behind Iruka with two serpents poised to strike at his jugular, and tossed Naruto a kunai.
"Gaki, take that kunai and slice the Uchiha's throat or else Umino dies," she threatened and using its fang one of her serpents drew a slight amount of blood from Iruka's throat. Much to the horror of students for how callously she said it and the sight of precious life fluid slithering down his neck.
"I can't," Naruto said.
"Why not?"
"Because even if I had the intention of killing the Teme," here Sasuke's fan girls scowled at him, "What's stopping you from killing, Iruka-sensei? As much I don't want Iruka-sensei to die, you have all the leverage. On the upside at least this way we don't get to hear his history lessons anymore," Anko smiled for the reasons given and the comment.
The academy instructor, however, didn't share the same sentiment, "Naruto!" Iruka shouted at the little shit.
"Other than the history bit, good answer," Anko released Iruka. "Naruto's right. Even if he killed the Uchiha there's nothing that prevents me from killing Umino anyway. Were this in the battlefield, instead of facing three Genin and a Jounin, I'd now have two Genin at my mercy because two members of their team are now dead. With three members left you have a better chance at survival, slightly better but it's better than nothing. That was one thing he did right, can anyone tell me what was the other?"
The academy students were left stunned by the question and when it looked like no one was about to answer Anko took matters into her own hands, "Oh, for the love of," she sounded off a string of colorful swears, "Bubblegum! What did he do right?"
"Um, not kill Sasuke-kun?" she answered.
"Besides that," Anko asked once more.
"Uh, he didn't charge in?"
"Good answer, still wrong. Big Bone!" Anko shouted at Chouji, "Same question."
"Um…" Chouji honestly didn't know, "He thought his actions through?"
"Yes, but wrong! Pale Eyes!" she called Hinata out, earning an 'Eep!' from the girl, "What did he do right?"
"A … ano," Hinata stuttered from being put on the spotlight but answered still, "He stalled for time?"
"Bingo! Someone gets it. Thank you," Anko was happy to see at least one of them get it and the praise caused Hinata to blush, even more so when Naruto grinned at her.
"Stalling for time. Believe it or not a single second in the ninja world can make a world of different such as if someone lives or dies. By stalling for time as much as he could, the Gaki could have given another shinobi the opportunity to arrive, and either distract or sneak up and stop me from being a threat. Letting Umino go free and allowing the whoever is available to come in and land a blow that could either kill me or knock me out."
Many actually began to contemplate her words, and some even began glancing at Naruto. It wasn't in awe though, more curious and confusing really. For so long many had thought Naruto to be a talentless loser who got bad grades at everything he did. Some still did even when his grades started getting better. Now though some began to think that maybe it wasn't the case.
"All right, enough about that. Put his name back and let's get on with it," Anko announced.
"Wait, you're putting his name back in?" a student asked.
"Damn straight," Anko nodded, "When you're in the field anything can happen. You may have won the first fight but you can just as easily find yourself facing off against someone else," the woman parroting the words of their instructor.
While Iruka wouldn't have gone about it in this manner, the man couldn't fault Anko's reasoning. In less than three months the students would graduate – should they pass that is – and it was his job to make sure they were prepared as best as he could. From what he observed, it was apparent many had a lot to make up for because they weren't ready at the moment.
"Next we'll have … … Haruno Sakura and … … Uzumaki Naruto!" several students cringed upon hearing that. It was no secret Naruto was infatuated with the pink haired academy student. Too bad for him it was completely one-sided seeing as how she was one of Sasuke's fangirls.
"… Shit! It just had to be Sakura-chan," Naruto thought. Fighting against Sasuke was one thing as Naruto had been wanting to fight him for a long time since he lost against him years ago. Fighting Sakura on the other hand was a different matter all together.
"Gaki, if you throw a match or go easy on her because of a fucking one-sided crush you're gonna regret it," Anko's harsh words made him cringe.
The woman had taken to know as much as she could about her war and found out about his crush on the pink haired girl. The woman wasn't impressed with the boy's choice. Not only was his affections one-sided, to which the pink haired civilian had made her intentions clearer than crystal, but the boy had no tact and could not take a hint. Persistence was good and all, but at some point, one needed to take a hint or back off rather than fan the flames.
Anko would freely admit that the girl was very intelligent for someone her age, smarter than even some Chunin. Her chakra control was phenomenal as well, even if part of the reason was because of how small her reserves were. However, Anko knew that intelligence alone meant nothing on the battlefield, especially when hampered by emotions. Physically the girl was lacking. Her stamina and chakra levels were noted to be below average, even with her father being a former career Genin, and her speed wasn't all that impressive either compared to the Yamanaka and Hyuga. They were still much better than the rest of the civilian academy students, but low still. Unfortunately, the academy now placed a higher emphasis on academics than the practical aspect.
"If I ever find out who's responsible," she mentally snarled. Needless to say, Anko's fury would make them wish they hadn't been born should she catch them. Shaking her head of such thought, Anko said, "To your positions!"
[QUEST ALERT!]
Tough Decisions!
Main Quest 1: Win the Fight!
Main Quest 2: Take a Dive!
Main Quest 1: Completion: +1000 Reputation [Anko], -1000 Reputation [Sakura], ?
Main Quest 2: Completion: +1000 Reputation [Sakura], -1000 Reputation [Anko], -500 Reputation [Sasuke], [Iruka], [Hiruzen], [Yugao], [Extend List], ?
Quest is mandatory
Naruto honestly never felt more conflicted than he did right now. If he lost the fight Sakura would be happy and he'd get reputation points with her but would lose some major ones with Anko and others for whatever reason, and vice versa if he won. There was also factoring in the "?". Naruto didn't know what it was and was almost afraid to find out.
Breathing in Naruto thought about this logically, most likely it was his [Gamer's Mind] and the increased INT and WIS kicking in. If he won, Naruto would merely lose reputation points that he could get back with Sakura. If he lost purposely not only would he be unable to continue the other quest that would increase his Taijutsu, but there was a good chance he'd be unable to continue the quest associated with Anko. With his current performance and stats, it wasn't possible for Naruto to lose without looking like he took a dive, and it wouldn't look good on his part for doing so. What respect he earned today would be shot back down to hell.
When he weighed the pros and cons, much as he didn't want to admit it, Naruto realized he'd essentially get even more if he won the fight. Naruto hoped the girl would forgive him and got into fighting position, "Sorry, Sakura-chan."
"You'll pay for what you did to Sasuke-kun, Naruto!" Sakura's scowl only served to make the boy feel worse.
Anko and the two academy teachers could clearly see that the girl's anger was getting the best of her and clouding her common sense and judgement. Anko could only look on in disbelief, "I was right. The girl's smart but she's letting her emotions get the better of her in a critical moment."
"Begin!" Anko shouted.
Sakura's charge at Naruto was, in one word, terrible. While she was one of the better academy students and her speed was much greater than a civilian, it was evident that Sakura was physically lacking among ninja standards. Her form was flawless, of that there could be no dispute. But that was it. Nothing in her movements proved to be threatening to her opponent, and when she was but a few steps away from him, Naruto dodged her punches with ease.
Had this been nearly a couple of months ago the outcome would be different. His hesitance to go against Sakura and his poor combat style despite the better stats playing against him. Now, however; Naruto saw her punches as if they were coming at him in slow motion. Rather than hit her, Naruto grabbed Sakura's extended leg and pushed the girl out of the ring with it.
"Point, Naruto!" Iruka said and Anko smiled whilst he saw Sakura scowl.
"Darn it," the scowl she directed was one of pure anger. But despite pang of guilt he felt, Naruto had made his decision. He couldn't let up or let Sakura win.
"Begin!"
Sakura didn't charge in again like she did before. Instead, she opted a defensive stance. Anko had to admit that it was a pretty good one, "The girl's certainly got the academy kata down," but it wasn't enough against a physically superior opponent, nor did it actually impress the older kunoichi.
Her point was proven when Naruto suddenly appeared on Sakura's left and pushed the girl out of the ring once again before she could react to his presence. The match was clearly one sided. That much was evident. Unlike, Ino who would use her feminine charms in a fight to help her win, Iruka knew well enough that Sakura was only flirty outside of combat. The man had seen enough.
"Winner, Naruto!" Iruka announced, and both students were shocked that the next round wasn't declared.
"Iruka-sensei? But we still have one more round!?" Sakura stated.
"Girly if this were a real fight, I'd have killed you in several ways before you had time to blink," Anko answered before Iruka could respond.
"Sakura-chan-" Naruto went to help his crush only to get an angry and sad look from the girl. Naruto felt the words die in his throat as he saw her get up and move as far away from him as possible. While he wanted to go after her, the boy knew better.
Sakura was angry and emotional. When that happened, she stopped thinking rationally and got physical. Both he and Kiba were often on the receiving end of her fist when they pissed her off.
[QUEST COMPLETED!]
Tough Decisions!
Main Quest: Win the Fight! (Accomplished)
Main Quest: Take a Dive! (Failed)
Rewards: +1000 Reputation with Anko, -1000 Reputation with Sakura.
For not taking a dive, any Anko centered quests remain unaffected and your relationship remains strong. However, actions have consequences, and your reputation with Sakura has decreased. Your reputation with Sakura will not go beyond [Neutral] for the foreseeable future. As a result of your reputation level, you will be unable to undertake any quests associated with [Sakura] and any current quests centered on this character has been deemed [Failed]!
|Warning! Warning!|
|Due to your actions, your reputation level with Sakura is now [Disliked]!|
"Are you fucking kidding me!" Naruto couldn't believe it getting any worse, yet was proven wrong. A simple fight such as this wrecked any chance he'd have at a relationship with Sakura-chan. It was bullshit really.
"Fan-fucking-tastic!" Naruto was glad his relationship with Anko was still intact, but the blond was still angry about what just happened regardless. Actually, now that he thought about it, Naruto realized something.
"I was right. Taking a dive would have been bad," if his relationship with Sakura was currently in the toilet, how badly would his relationship with Anko have suffered? The mere thought of it actually gave him pause.
Out of all the people in Konoha, Anko was one of the few who had actually taken the time to teach him and do things properly. The woman had actually helped him. Instead of casting him aside or think him to be nothing more than a loser like the vast majority of Konoha.
"Though she did say some of my skills sucked," he recalled, but even then, she helped improved them. "Ah, damn it! This it too freakin confusing," Naruto was conflicted.
"Oi, Umino, take over. Looks like the Gaki needs a pep talk," Anko took a hold of her pupil by the shoulder and both went away for some privacy. Iruka nodded once his gaze locked on Naruto's form. The man knew the boy had a crush on the pink haired girl. Fighting and defeating her probably wasn't an easy decision despite the fight clearly being one-sided.
"How are you feeling, kid," Anko finally asked him when they were a good distance away.
"Like crap," Naruto told her.
"Crushes come and go, Gaki. Believe me."
"It's not a crush! It's love," Naruto said but Anko released a large snark.
"Love? That's a laugh! Kid, you're twelve," Naruto would have corrected her but she continued, "And as harsh as it sounds, your background doesn't exactly make you an expert on what love is," it was harsh and blunt, but it was the reality of it all. Naruto's understanding of love was flawed, very flawed. The boy knew kindness, yes, but love was completely different and the boy was confusing the two.
Naruto scowled at the woman for that, "It's love… and it's not just that."
Anko rolled her eyes at his stubbornness but listened anyway, "Go on."
"My ability said that because I didn't take a dive my relationship with Sakura wouldn't go past a certain point," to Naruto it felt like something was being taken from him without the ability to fight back or do something about it.
"Ah, I see," Anko now understood, "Gaki, let me ask you this. What did you see in her in the first place?"
"Huh?"
"I mean what made you attracted to her? From what I've seen it was pretty clear she had no intention of dating you, or have any association with you, really," Naruto scowled when he heard that.
"You can give me the evil eye all you want, Gaki, but it won't change the fact that she has her eyes all over the Uchiha like the rest of those fangirls of his. And, no offence to you, but you can do a hell of a lot better than her," Anko said.
"What!" Naruto was now angry that she said such a thing. "Sakura's the best!"
"Academically, yes. As a kunoichi to be she wouldn't be my first choice, nor my second, third or fourth. She's piss poor and needs to shape up before I even consider calling her one," seeing him flare up Anko decided to go with another tactic, "But you still haven't answered my question. Why are you attracted to her?"
As he went to respond, Naruto couldn't find the words to say how felt, and Anko took a shot, "Did she do anything to make you crush on her?"
"Ah...well... She..." he tried to answer but for the life of him, Naruto couldn't think of anything good.
"Has she ever said anything nice to you before?"
Now that he thought about it, "Not really. I mean during our first year she was nicer but then she– "
"Ok, now I get it," Anko understood, "Gaki, hate to break this to ya, but what you feel isn't love or really a crush. It's a desire for something you lack. Let me guess. During your first year when you all started you wanted to prove you were all hot shit, right?"
"…Yeah," Naruto nodded.
"But it didn't really work out and before you gained a rep as the class clown and loser, she probably said something nice to you, right?" again Naruto nodded.
"But then you gained the rep and as Sakura got older, she stopped being nice and her attention was more focused on the Uchiha, right?" another nod on his part.
"Don't you fucking see?!," Anko nearly exclaimed, "The girl was one of the few to give you positive attention and you didn't want it to go away! Just like with Konoha you resorted to pranks to get attention, you went and got her attention by starting to annoy her to try and make her like you to get it back. But you kept fucking up. In your mind, you thought maybe it was okay so long as she spoke or paid attention to you, but it doesn't work that way, kiddo."
"…"
"Gaki, I'm gonna be honest. Your affections for her are pathetic and non-existent," Anko ignored his hurt look, "It is. You're trying to get negative attention from a girl who doesn't want it and you're just making it worse! You don't care anymore if the attention you get from her is good or bad. The only attention you should be getting is good and it ain't happening. Love doesn't work that way."
"Stop," he thought.
"Do you know what she likes?"
"Stop."
"What's her favourite color? What she likes to eat?" Anko continued.
"Please stop."
"What are her favourite activities? Her pastimes? What does she want to do in the future?"
"Stop it!" this time Naruto was vocal.
"Does she even believe you can become Hokage?" the last one was the final nail on the coffin and Naruto fell to his knees, tears stung his eyes and threatened to fall. The boy's head felt heavy for a moment before his [Gamer's Mind] kicked in and took a load off. He didn't want to admit it, but it was true. He knew none of those things, and Sakura didn't believe he could become Hokage.
"I know you don't like hearing this, Naruto, but it has to be said. If you can't accept the reality of it it's not going to end well. It's obvious that deep down you know it won't work out," the woman said.
"Why…why the hell do you think that?" Naruto wondered where she got that from.
"Because you wouldn't have chosen me over her if you thought otherwise," Anko finished. "If it truly was love or infatuation, I can tell you from personal experience that you would have chosen the girl. Honestly, I'm touched. Hardly anyone's ever picked me over someone else. Usually it's the opposite."
"…Does it get any easier?" Naruto asked. "What I'm feeling."
Anko looked at him and gave him an honest no-nonsense answer, "At times it does, and at times it doesn't, Gaki. Crushes come and go, and opportunities to love and fall in love are the same. But sometimes realizing the reality that your love may or may not happen or even work out is something that may never go away. I know it hurts, I've been there, and it'll take a while, but in time you'll realize that you and Sakura weren't meant to be," Anko also thought the boy could do a hell of a lot better than Sakura. Anko knew that the girl could potentially come around, but that remained to be seen at the moment.
"Besides, just because you're not together doesn't mean you can't be friends, ya know," here she smiled, "Some people just ain't meant to be together and are better off that way. You want to be in a relationship, go ahead. Baby steps first though. Become friends and get to know em. And I mean truly know em. Besides, you may be a Genin in a couple of months but lay off the boyfriend/girlfriend crap till you get older and focus on the here and now. Who knows what the future has for you? Anything can happen."
As she finished, Naruto wiped away his tears. The pain was still there, and while the speech helped, it would take a while to truly get over it, "Thanks, Anko-sensei."
"Bah! Enough of this mushy feely touchy crap! It's gonna ruin my reputation!" the woman proceeded to give him a noogie, and Anko could honestly say she was just pulling some of this stuff out of her ass. The woman had never really comforted someone like this before.
"Tch," Naruto lightly chuckled and returned to the ring in time to see Hinata being declared the winner lose against Shino. The match had been close, as while Hinata had the upper hand in Taijutsu the Aburame had more confidence and precise strikes.
When both Naruto and Hinata faced off against each other, Hinata's performance became sloppy. The boy had managed to land a blow on the girl, even if it was a light one. It was obvious the girl had difficulties concentrating and while she managed to block, and evade his strikes as best she could and shoot in some of her own, none made contact with him.
"Begin!" Iruka declared on the potential final round. Naruto was the superior fighter but Hinata could surprise them. Her strikes and shots were much more precise and fluid that Sakura's and she had done much better in her other matches according to Mizuki. It was only because of her crush on Naruto that prevented her from fighting properly.
"At least the girl's actually fighting who she's attracted to instead of given up," Anko knew about the crush through Kurenai and while Anko didn't care much for them at least the girl was willing to fight. It was a plus in her books.
Iruka watched as Naruto appeared at Hinata's side and made to strike. However, the Hyuga stumbled on her foot and bumped into the blond. Both Naruto and Hinata fell over on top of one another and the next thing he knew the man heard Anko laughing at their predicament. Both academy students' lips were pressed against one another.
"Ahh! Sorry," Naruto apologized, got off her and hoped the girl didn't hit him for the accident. To his surprise though Hinata remained still, "Uh… Hinata?"
Appearing in the ring and still laughing, Anko clicked her fingers in front of the girl's eyes. When that didn't work, Anko poked the girl and was shocked to discover she not only had gone stiff as a marble countertop and realized the Hyuga had fainted with her eyes open, "She's out, Gaki. Gotta say this win's one for the books."
"She's out? Did she hit her head?" Anko and many others shook their heads or groaned. While he improved, Naruto was still Naruto it would seem.
"Lovely, that's one more thing I have to teach him," there was no way in hell she was going to have Naruto remain a clueless idiot. But before she could tell him, an Anbu appeared on the field and called her out.
"Mitarashi-san, the Hokage request your attendance immediately," the bird masked Anbu informed her.
"Yeah, I'll get right on it," the moment she finished did the Anbu flicker and disappear. "Well, that's a wrap, kiddos. See ya, Gaki. Oh, and congratz on the win," Anko smirked before she flickered away like the Anbu.
[QUEST COMPLETED!]
Ready, Fight!
Main Quest: Become one of the Top 3 Fighters (Accomplished)
Side Quest: Become the Top Fighter (Accomplished)
Hidden Objective: Pass Hidden Test! (Accomplished)
Total Rewards Earned:
(1950 +10%) = 2145 EXP, +350 Reputation [Iruka], [Advanced Academy Taijutsu Scroll], + 1 STR, +1 Attribute Point
|Congratulations! Your level has increased by one!|
Status Window
Name: Uzumaki Naruto
Job: Academy Student
Level: 18 Next Level: 897.5/14,240
HP: 6125 + [350] + Vigor Affinity: Basic Rank ~ 6798.75?
CP: 10775 + [625] + [Chakra Affinity: Basic Rank] ~ 11970?
STR: 28 ~ 28?
VIT: 177 + [10] ~ 187?
END: 252 + [15] ~ 267?
DEX: 49 + [1] ~ 50?
INT: 40 ~ 41
WIS: 18 ~ 18
CHA: 10 ~ 10
LUK: ? ~ ?
DEF: 23 ~ 23
Attribute Points: 30
Ordinary Perk Points: 1
"Anko's right, Naruto. You won the tourney," Iruka smiled and handed the boy a scroll, "You've earned this."
It took a second before Naruto realized he had done it. He had won the fights. "Yeah!"
"Arf!" Hottomaru barked at his partner's happiness.
Many in the training area still couldn't believe it though. The Dead Last had been the one to win the fighting tourney and made it look almost like child's play.
"Can this day get any better," the blond wondered. Apparently, it could as Iruka announced that was the end of it for the day a few moments later. Grabbing Hotto, Naruto and his ninken left the academy without looking back, and unaware of the eyes that followed him.
"How is this happening?" were Mizuki's thoughts. If the demon could improve in such a short amount of time what's to say the other lagging students wouldn't? Worse yet, his meeting with the informant was coming up soon. "They're not going to like this."
(A Few Minutes Later)
"Welcome to Higurashi's Shinobi Arms. How can I help?" a voice Naruto didn't recognize asked him.
"Huh? Who are you?" he asked the twin bun haired girl.
"Ah, here for your order, kid. Good timing, we were almost ready to close up shop for the day. See you've met my Ten-chan," the voice of Tetsu boomed through the shop and the appearing man had to duck as steel whizzed by his head.
"Damn it, missed," she cursed.
"You're his daughter?" Naruto had no idea how someone like Tetsu, a mountain of a man could have such a small offspring.
"I get that a lot," Tenten muttered and gave him a look over, "Academy student, right?"
"How'd you know?"
"No headband," she pointed to his lack of metal headpiece, "And your outfit is covered in cuts from shuriken and kunai and rips from grapples. Only a ninja in training or a ninja would have that on them… unless you like being someone's punching bag," she smirked.
"Funny," he deadpanned. "How long you've been a Genin?"
"A few months," Tenten shrugged. "Pretty boring at the moment, nothing but D-Rank missions and training. Oh, God, so much training," her head hit the countertop with a resounding thud. Training was good and all but the insane man that was her sensei more or less took it too far most of the time and then there was the D-Rank missions. "I don't envy you newbies when you start doing D-Rank. And when it happens, you'll know," her tone of voice left much to be desired.
"I already do know," Naruto very well knew the pain of D-Rank missions. Stupid exploited loopholes.
"Ah, cheer up, Ten-chan," Tetsu dodged two kunai this time, "At least Gai deemed your team ready to take on your first C-Rank mission."
"Yeah, escorting civilians from here to somewhere else, real fun," sure there was the prospect of encountering bandits but with a powerful Taijutsu virtuoso, his up and coming mini-me, a Hyuga prodigy and her ranged proficiency, it wasn't going to be that exciting.
Escorting civilians was one of the worst C-Rank there was due to being forced to go at a slow pace. When he was younger, Gai told them he once carried a client and ran off at top speed to get it finished earlier. He succeeded but the client had connections with some of the influential nobles of Hi no Kuni's capital city and almost cost Konoha quite a bit of clientele had the Sandaime not managed to placate them.
"Eh… right," Tetsu didn't have fond memories of such missions either, "Well, here's your order, kid."
"Thanks," Naruto grinned as he saw the piece of armour.
Custom Ninken Armor - Uncommon Quality
Item Type: Armor
Durability: 45/45
Description: Body armor made from leather derived from boar hides specially made to be used by a ninken. Offers protection from fists and basic weaponry such as kunai and shuriken.
Defense: 10
The order of this had cost a pretty ryo, close to five thousand really, but Naruto hadn't cared all that much for the price considering his auction items sold for a huge bundle. The boy cared more about making sure Hottomaru didn't get badly injured due to lack of defense. Hana had mentioned that ninken preferred going without body armour as it impeded their movement but it wasn't uncommon to see some wearing it.
"Ok, boy, here you go," Naruto strapped the brown leather armour to Hottomaru, "Hey, not bad."
Hottomaru, however merely sniffed at the armour he wore with intrigue. While it might be a tad heavy, once the ninken levelled up a few more times and got a decent boost in STR the weight likely wouldn't bother him any longer, "You'll thank me later."
Saying their goodbyes to Tetsu and Tenten both Naruto and Hottomaru made their way out of the closing store and headed towards the next dungeon: Training Ground 2. Upon arriving, Naruto glanced around before he took out the [Advanced Academy Taijutsu Style Skill Scroll] and absorbed the power it granted him. It wasn't much, but at least his STR would increase by ten percent during combat. However, before he could enter the field, Naruto was greeted to a different pop up.
|Warning! Nighttime Effect in Play!|
Nighttime Effect
Many dungeons can be entered during both cycles of the day. However, during the night the enemies encountered during the night are not only different than their diurnal counterparts, but come in greater numbers, and are stronger as well. A bonus to this, however, is that the monsters encountered also give an additional 15% of EXP upon defeat. A downside is their attributes being given a boost of the same amount and unless certain circumstances are met, will cause a decrease in effectiveness for certain skills and your accuracy.
"Ah, crud," Naruto had seen this before in his old games, specifically Dragon Warrior. At times, stronger or certain types of monsters only came out at night in the game. It was likely based off of real life as some of the deadlier creatures slept during the day and came out at night.
Though seeing as how his level increased to level eighteen, Naruto doubted it would be too bad a challenge, "Ah, who cares if it is. Enter Training Ground Two!"
Like before with the first training area dungeon he entered, Naruto found himself enveloped in a flash of bright light. When it faded away Naruto was left momentarily stunned upon finding where he was.
"I'm underground?" it made sense really when he recalled the black tunnel from the Boar Dungeon.
"At least there's light down here," Naruto noted the bright green glowing moss that provided him with a good amount of illumination. Their glow would be enhanced even further when Naruto took out Seishoyo, "Light On!"
The command did its purpose and Naruto was granted even greater vision than before and could now see well beyond a dozen meters down the dark caverns. True to form, Naruto's [Detection Skill] kicked in and Hotto began growling. The weapon's [Moth to a Flame] flaw attracting nearby enemies.
Sensing four enemies coming his way, Naruto got into a defensive stance and from the sound of it they were coming in quick. While they were too far out at the moment Naruto could see their forms and knew they were small compared to the other enemies he faced.
As the sound got louder and the enemy neared, Naruto finally got a better look at what he was about to face, "Rats?"
Mutant Rat - Level 11
HP: 350
CP: 300
STR: 15
VIT: 14
END: 12
DEX: 40
INT: 4
WIS: 14
LUK: 30
Defense: 5
Specialization:
None
Special Perks:
Nighttime Effect: +15% towards Attributes, +15% Power, Speed, and Effectiveness towards Skills, +15% Increase towards movement speed in and out of combat, [Perks] and [Specialization] enhanced by additional 15%
Perks:
Nimble [Lv 4]: +60% Increase to movement speed in and out of combat, and +60% Increased Effectiveness towards [Evasion]
Keen-Senses [Lv 2]: +50% Effectiveness towards [Detection Skill], -30% Effectiveness towards enemy [Henge Skill]
Disease-Ridden: +25% chance of causing [Poison] and [Disease] status effect if struck
Flaws:
Minor Light Sensitivity: -15% Power, Accuracy and Effectiveness towards Skills when [Light] based items or skills are used against it, 15% increased chance of being affected by [Dazed] Status Effect
Description: Rats are often seen as pests by many, these rats more so because of their larger size and greater number. Past attempts at eradicating them to contain these plague and disease ridden pests have all met with failure due to their astonishing and frightening ability to adapt and reproduce. Their sense of smell allows them to find food even deep underground and the ability to detect invaders who come too close to their nest. Though weak and small individually they make up for it in large numbers and they are very quick and difficult to deal with, especially when they run for reinforcements.
EXP Earned: ?
Drops: ?, ?, ?
"Great," Naruto muttered. The little vermin weren't going to pose much of threat in terms of power but speed wise and their large numbers. Naruto was quick but with their higher DEX and their [Nimble] Perk they were quicker than him and Hotto.
"But damn if I don't like a challenge," he grinned and allowed the two rats to get in closer. When they were close enough, Naruto told his ninken to close his eyes and called out 'Hikaru!'
"Keee Keee!" were the rats' response to the blinding light.
Then the fight began!
Legend of the Kyuubi
Making the rounds.
- Joined
- Sep 14, 2026
- Messages
- 35
Chapter 11: Of Mice and Men
Naruto hated being jinxed. Especially when he was the one that caused it. Damn karma.
The rats for all their low health and lack of strengths had incredible DEX and the perks they benefited from made hitting them more difficult than he anticipated. The creatures were very agile and they could dodge a strike from his weapons quickly enough even when visually impaired that he just barely missed them. And their blows, while not lethal in the traditional sense, were annoying as hell. Their large numbers only adding to the frustration that came with dealing with the vermin.
The damage from them was low but it didn't matter as they were numerous and he became affected by the debuffs they caused. If being [Poisoned] was bad enough, suffering from [Diseased] was worse, as the latter caused a seven percent decrease in his stats, defense included, and enhanced the effects of negative debuffs by that same amount.
Even worse was the fact that both debuffs could be stacked upon. Naruto only counted his blessings that the mystery special perk he had made him more tolerable to poisons by twenty-five percent; if he was not in possession of the [Malnourished] flaw it would have been fifty percent instead.
"Gotta get rid of that and soon. Katon: Inka (Fire Release: Shadow Fire)!" the snarling fireballs did their job in freezing the rats in place and suffered the consequences of their forced inactions. Lit on fire and suffering from the fear related debuffs the flames caused, Naruto made quick work of the oversized vermin with his blunt weapon while Hotto had one by the throat and shook it like any dog would to their toys.
As he looked around, not that it would do him much good as the monsters of this dungeon were sneakier than the Wailing Cats, Naruto called Hotto and both began to continue on their way down the dark tunnel. Naruto barely made it seven steps before misfortune befell him once again; Hotto, however, was fortunate.
"Gahh! Freaking traps!" the only thing that stopped him from becoming food to a pit filled with countless rats clawing at the walls and gnashing their teeth was the [Tree Climbing Practice Skill] that allowed him to cling to the nearby surface like a spider.
Climbing out, Naruto was greeted by a thankful Hottomaru, but the vindictive Gamer took out a couple of [Unstable Cocktails] and [Poor-Grade Exploding Tags] and combined to the two.
|Item Crafting Commencing!|
…
…
…
…
…
|Item Crafting Completed!|
You have successfully created the following items:
[Explosive Unstable Cocktail x 2]
Explosive Unstable Cocktail – Uncommon Quality
Item Type: Offensive
Damage: -665 HP
Durability: One-Time Use
Description: An item created by combining [Unstable Cocktail] and [Poor-Grade Exploding Tags]. The act significantly enhancing the damage caused by both items and giving it a slight chance of causing higher level debuffs.
Guaranteed Debuffs: [Random Debuff: Lv 1], [Burning: Lv 1]
Potential Debuffs: +15% of causing [Random Debuff: Lv 2], +15% of causing [Burning: Lv 2]
Naruto said nothing but grinned so evilly that it had Hotto backing away from him. And with a look that would have made Anko proud, he took one of the cocktails and dropped it into the pit trap filled with ravenous worm-tailed rodents and backed away. The squeaks of fear lasted only a few seconds before a large 'bang!' rocked the area that was soon followed by an intense flash and heat that rose from the pit that would have otherwise introduced Naruto to a world of hurt.
Calling up his Status Window, Naruto saw his act being rewarded judging by the very large number of EXP he received, while Hotto finally managed to achieve level nine.
|Congratulations!|
|Hottomaru's level has increased by one!|
Name: Hottomaru
Job: Ninken (Ninja Dog)
Level: 9 Next Level: 238/6500
HP: 575 + [25] = 600
CP: 475 + [0] = 475
STR: 13 + [0] = 13
VIT: 23 + [1] = 24
DEX: 28 + [1] = 29
END: 19 + [0] = 19
INT: 7 + [0] = 7
WIS: 8 + [0] = 8
CHA: 5 + [0] = 5
LUK: 19 + [0] = 19
Defense: 10
AP: 6 + [2] = 8
"Well, that takes care of his health," a boon really as Naruto knew no healing techniques and healing items were both random and hard to come by. The few he had were to be used sparingly but his already high HP meant he didn't have to worry too much on himself compared to Hotto's much lower HP levels. For now, Naruto paid no attention to the level up his ninken had received, but made a mental note to invest a good portion of them into the ninken's VIT down the line. At least until his perks improved to the point that it wasn't as necessary anymore.
"Smell anything, Hotto?" nothing was sensed with either detection skill he had but Hotto had way better senses than him and even at his lowest level the ninja dog's detection related skills had already been much higher than his own despite their difference in levels.
"Arf!" a quick sniff in the air followed by a shake of the head was his answer.
"Good," but at the same time, not so good. Looking around, Naruto used [Observe] and scanned the area and true to form several traps came up in his field of vision. Due to his prankish background, Naruto had developed a keen sense on how to make good and impressionable traps. But being good at making your own traps and disabling them was one thing, detecting and disabling another's traps was much different.
"Great. A ceiling trap," Naruto frowned as he read the description, "If I fail this tunnel caves in and we have to take another route.
In Naruto's experience traps were put in place either because the current path would either lead to something good, or it was because the current path was the shortest route. But the pathway before him was long; the triggers were numerous; and his chances of successfully disabling the biggest one only twenty-seven percent according to [Observe]. Even with Seishoyo lighting up the cave by a good amount, Naruto didn't see the end of the tunnel before him and didn't know if he would be quick enough to get to the other end in time.
"Stay!" Naruto ordered and jump down the path in different spots. As he travelled further into the tunnel did the amount of triggers multiply and their placements making movement more awkward than the last. Triggers were in place on the floor, the ceiling, and the walls and they became closer until Naruto was unable to go any further and forced to backtrack. Barely even fifty feet in and he still couldn't see an exit.
And who knows what would happen after the trap triggered. Would it simply be a faster way or a treasure now denied to him? Or would it also result in a swarm of enemies to come flooding towards them as well? Naruto would risk it if it was just him, "But Tsume, and Anko, and Hana would rip my heart from my throat if something somehow happened to Hotto on my watch," not to mention the guilt of being responsible for it.
"Arf! Arf!"
His neck was nearly broken by how quickly Naruto turned his head in disbelief, "HOTTO! YOU IDIOT!"
The loud and sudden admonishment stopped the ninken in his tracks, but in an act of instinct Naruto had already taken a step forward and looked down to see his foot on a trigger. He summed up his predicament in two words, "Oh, fuck."
The walls shook and rumbled like thunder and Naruto didn't need to have high INT to know what was happening or what he had to do. But the boy hoped he was quick enough to accomplish it. Having to start over from the very beginning and losing the acquired EXP was an experience he could live without.
Grabbing Hotto with one arm, Naruto's intent to dash forward was thwarted by a large onslaught of rocks that almost turned him into Naruto jelly. Too sudden and too slow to react, Naruto slammed into the large rock but used the bounce to run as quickly as he could in the opposite direction. His steps and his haste ignoring the fact that he triggered more traps; his mind focused solely on getting to the other side and hoping that it wasn't a dead end. Or something worse.
But beggars couldn't be choosers right now. Whatever was going to happen would happen but Naruto would be damned if he was going to meet his end under a pile of rocks and dirt. Batting away a rock that nearly struck his head, Naruto grunted as he felt his arm protest the action. The rocks were heavy, large and falling fast and batting them away while one arm was being used elsewhere made the task much more difficult. Calling upon [Goriki] to strengthen his blows, and improve his blocks, Naruto struggled less but grunted in pain all the same as he tried diverting a rock that proved too great even for the enhancement to handle.
"Shit!" a curse escaped his lips. Fortunately, it struck his shoulder instead of his head but the momentary distraction caused him and Hotto to be pelted by other fallen stones.
"Yipe!" was the ninken's expressed alarm.
Naruto grunted some more and smacked and blocked the fallen earth and rocks; dodged the weaponry that were shot at him from triggered traps; and jumped or hauled himself up as quickly as he could when a hole suddenly appeared at his feet. The blond cared not and merely continued pushing and running faster than he ever could to get to the other side.
|Congratulation!|
|A special skill has been created due to a special act!|
|Due to forcing yourself to run faster than you normally would and subconsciously channeling chakra into your legs, you've created the [Hayagake (Rapid Run)] Skill!|
Hayagake (Rapid Run) E-Rank. Lv 1. 0% to Next Lv| Skill Modifier: N/A| Mastering Speed: B| A low rank technique that allows one to move much more quickly by empowering the strength in the user's legs with their chakra. While similar to the Shunshin in terms of concept, the Hayagake skill is inferior in terms of speed and functionality as it only allows the legs to move quickly rather than the entire body. Many believe the technique was created as stepping stone for the Shunshin while others believe it is a failed attempt to outperform it. |CP Usage: 35CP per Minute|
• Increases [Movement Speed] by 25% when activated.
Usage Requirements: 25 INT, 15 DEX, 20 END
"I'll take it. Hayagake (Rapid Run)!" Naruto announced and ran more swiftly than he ever had. Only thirty seconds had passed and while he still got struck by the odd fallen stone or triggered the odd trap that sent him skidding at times, Naruto was already was he able to see a difference. The amount of fallen rocks, while still numerous, was slowly becoming less of a problem. Like a person walking into a rain storm and then managing to find themselves on the outskirts of the worst of it.
And, finally and fortunately, both ninken and ninja to be saw light at the end of the tunnel. As he neared it, Naruto briefly so a flash in the corner of his vision and began rushing forward even more quickly than before. Just as the end was near did Naruto dive and tuck and roll; his arms protectively wrapped around Hotto. No sooner had he dove did a series of even louder thuds and crashes vibrate and rock the cave like a ship in turbulent waters.
When it finally ended, Naruto risked looking up and was greeted to a collapsed cavern, and something even more upsetting not that far from the exit.
"Oh, come on," luck was not with him right now.
Rarespawn: Kohu, The Forgotten Rapacious King – Lv 14
HP: 2350
CP: 1200
STR: 49
VIT: 54
DEX: 29
END: 38
INT: 4
WIS: 8
LUK: 27
Defense: 35
Special Perks:
Rarespawn Blessing [Lv 1]: +1000 HP, +250 CP, +10% towards all Resistances; All Attributes Increased by 10; +5 Defense
Nighttime Effect: +15% towards Attributes and Power, Speed, and Effectiveness towards Skills; +15% Increase towards Movement Speed in and out of combat; [Perks] and [Specialization] enhanced by additional 15%
Perks:
*Cannibal [Lv 2]: +40% Effectiveness towards [Cannibalism Skill] and 20% Effectiveness towards [Enhanced Cannibalism Skill]; +40% Effectiveness towards [Fear-Related Skills]
*Keen-Senses [Lv 4]: +80% Effectiveness towards [Detect Presence Skill], Immune to [Henge Skill]
*Toxic-Touch [Lv 2]: +40% Effectiveness and Power towards [Poison-Related Skills] and [Debuff Skills] performed physically
?:?
Titles:
Worse than Trash [Lv Max]: Any skill and perks that involves allies are reduced to their lowest level, reputation with inhabitants of [Training Ground Two] is forever Abhorred
Flaws:
Impaired [Movement]: -50% towards Movement Speed and Evasion
Blind: Incapable of using [Detection Skills] based on sight, -75% towards Accuracy
Description: Formerly the king of the rats, this creature allowed his gluttony to get the best of him and began feeding on members of his own mischief despite their abundance of food. Eventually the other rats had enough and they banded together under another's authority. Kohu was defeated in combat and severally injured and left to die in the tunnels where he tiptoed on the edge of life and death due to his injuries. Eventually, however, by some miracle or luck, or some dark curse fueled by revenge, the former rat king managed to recover enough to survive by himself. However, his wounds have long since festered, taking away his sight and leaving him looking more like a hideous wretch than a former monarch, the pain slowly turning him mad and forcing him to rely on sneak attacks and his other senses in order to survive.
EXP Earned: ?
Drops: ?, ?, ?, ?
"What's the star next to the perks for?" that hadn't been there previously but Naruto guessed it marked a recent mastery of the [Observe Skill]. The sudden appearance from a new screen gave him his answer but it was one Naruto could have done without.
Apparently, the star symbol next to the perks meant they were enhanced and what was currently being showcased wasn't true value. Naruto didn't what was worse. The foe he was about to face, or the bit of information he just learned. Either way, there was no argument from the Gamer regarding the creature's horrible description.
The giant rat that was eating its own kind was little more than a ghoul. Its fur blackened or missing in several areas as though it had the misfortune of being caught in a fire. Its left eye a milky white surrounded by sickly yellow pus that had crusted over countless times while the other was nothing more than trails of dug out flesh that led to horrible looking black hole which radiated pure madness. It was unlike anything Naruto had ever witnessed. Half an ear was missing and the other wasn't any better off and its worm-like tail appeared to have been bitten in half and melted to the point that bone was clearly visible. Naruto would have said its left hind-leg shared the same fate if not for the fact it had nothing from the knee down. Its claws and teeth a horribly mixture of green, brown, and yellow that reminded Naruto of something better left unsaid.
Film and saliva fell to the ground and angrily devoured whatever it made contact with without remorse. The fumes they caused wafted through the air and nearly made Naruto and Hotto gag. The combination of rotten sewage, expired eggs and many months old expired milk would have been more pleasant.
"Grr!"
Naruto hushed the small ninken by muzzling his mouth with his hand but the rat stilled and then slowly looked towards him nonetheless in an eerie and frightening matter. Their cover was blown.
"Screw VIT. I'm investing every AP into Hotto's INT next time," were Naruto's thoughts as he prepared himself for battle.
Suddenly an unholy cloak began rising from its form like steam would from a body in winter. The rat's form shifted and bubbled unpleasantly. Naruto honestly believed a series of giant zits were forming and ready to blow and cover everything in sight in an explosion of nasty as hell goo. But it never came to that, fortunately.
But the former rat king did look a hell of a lot meaner and as unhinged as a mad supervillain from his old manga books. To describe it all in one word, Naruto believed the word 'sharp' would best describe the creature.
And not the good kind of sharp. Sharp as in its fur stood on edge and looked as though they belonged on the back of a porcupine. Eyes narrower and focused like an unforgiving laser, the mad look more intensified than before that Naruto once more thanked his fortune for the [Gamer's Mind]. Its claws and teeth were acid dripping kunai that went through the rock as easily as dry wicker would catch fire. The tail now more reminiscent of a spear than a useless lump of bone and melted flesh.
|Warning! Warning!|
|Kohu has undergone a transformation and is now affected by the [Enhanced Ghoul] Skill!|
"Ah, crude," nothing else was said or thought as the creature belched forth a horrid puke green cloud in his direction that sizzled and eroded the very surfaces it skimmed over.
Quickly jumping, Naruto performed a quick roundhouse kick at the deadly corrosive cloud, "Futon: Fuhajin no Jutsu (Wind Release: Wind Wave Blade)!"
A wide gust of wind trailed behind the kick. Each technique made contact with the other and the green cloud was briefly pushed back before the wind release technique overpowered it and forced it to disperse into something less than harmless.
"...Okay, where's the rat?" Naruto had expected the former rat leader to have remained where he was but apparently it was much smarter than that. A quick look around revealed that the cave he was in was littered with crevices and tunnels; any one of which could have been used by Kohu to make his escape.
From his right, Naruto wasted no time and lashed out with his weapon as quickly as he could when Kohu suddenly exploded from the ground like a shark from the sea. The weapon smashed into the creature's face and diverted its trajectory but it landed a blow nonetheless.
|Warning! Warning!|
|You are suffering from the debuff [Diseased: Lv 2]!|
Naruto scowled and moved to attack the former king but could only watch as Kohu's body suddenly sank into the floor of earth and stone and disappeared from sight.
"Great, one of those," a hit and run type enemy and one that knew assassination or stealth-related Doton techniques Anko had showed him. A good tactic to use, but Naruto hated facing those kinds of enemies. Doubly so when those enemies dealt debuffs as easily as breathing. They were annoying as hell.
This fight was going to be annoying as well.
(Elsewhere)
"The plan's not going to work, Mizuki," the shadowed figure shook their head at the arrogant man's idiocy. How he was promoted to Chunin and why their master had him be a part of his plans was beyond the informant.
"It will work," Mizuki scowled at the informant. The traitor of Konoha knew little about the individual before him as the informant was very secretive. Mizuki didn't even know if the informant was male or female, just that he or she would appear randomly for an update or to inform him on what needed to be done.
"The demon won't graduate. His skills may have gotten better–"
"May implies a stroke of luck on his part. Outright winning a mock tourney and beating the top two students in Taijutsu isn't a stroke of luck! The boy has gotten better!" the informant corrected the man, authority washing over the traitorous Konoha ninja like a strong gale in a valley. Unlike the Chunin before him the informant didn't let their emotions cloud their judgement.
"Blame the snake bitch and her friends for that," the man snarled at the thought of Anko. Nowhere in a millions years did he think the cold hearted or uncaring woman would take a liking to the demon and start training it, "Hell, blame the fucking Hokage, too."
The cloaked figure had to concede – but not by much, really – to Mizuki's point. Anko was as much of an outcast as much as Naruto. Not nearly as bad but the spy guessed it was enough to sympathize with the boy despite how distant she usually was. Having Mizuki interfere in the training would cause some suspicions but the man was no fool to mess with the Hokage's orders or Anko herself. That or he feared risking getting on their bad side and falling under their radar.
"At any rate, your job was to weaken and impede the growth of the academy graduates as much as you could without getting caught. You've done a decent job so far with the others but now the boy's steadily making his way to the middle ranking! Jinchuriki are game changers, especially the nurtured ones! From what I've heard, the Hokage suspects a traitor within the academy."
"My cover's blown!?" a look of fear appeared on the man's face and the informant believed he was ready to run.
"I said suspect, you idiot! The Hokage doesn't know who yet but is carefully getting the matter looked into. It may take months but it's only a matter of time before you're found out. Orochimaru-sama is not pleased, Mizuki," the Konoha traitor didn't run but paled and for a brief second, he felt his heart stopped as he heard those words.
The informant knew about it. Years ago, Mizuki had met the rogue ninja Orochimaru on a mission. More accurately, Orochimaru had witnessed Mizuki killing his teammates from impeding a mission's success and for suspecting Mizuki of performing underhand deals with Konoha enemies.
Rather than kill him, Orochimaru made the man an offer to work for him instead and become one of his eyes and ears at the academy along with a few other things. As Mizuki had grown distant from the village and sought to make himself powerful, the offer seemed pretty good at the time. Orochimaru had promised the man incredible power few possessed and Mizuki wholeheartedly agreed. Not that he was in any position anyway to refute the powerful ninja. The informant doubted that Mizuki wouldn't be standing in front of them had the man declined the offer. Orochimaru didn't like leaving any loose ends.
"Then what do you suggest I do?" Mizuki asked, "The plan can still go off without a hitch. Even with his improvements the demon still can't make a proper Bunshin and without that his chances of becoming a ninja remain the same," Mizuki smirked.
"And what are your plans on the off chance he does pass?" the informant asked him, "And if you say he won't, I'll cut out your tongue."
Mizuki frowned and held back the remark before he gave an answer, "Then I'll get some other scapegoat. Not everyone passes and you have no idea what some fuckups are willing to do to become a ninja. I'll even frame the demon and make Konoha focus their attention on him while I make a break for it. Just make sure you take care of the ANBU when the time comes," as much as he liked it to be the demon, Mizuki had to bitterly acknowledge the fact he'd be forced to improvise should it occur. But such thoughts became secondary when the man suddenly felt a cold tight grip around his throat. Air became very
"Don't assume that a pathetic excuse of a ninja like you can order me about!" the informant practically snarled at the man and tightened their grip on his throat, "I give the orders around here. Not you! Do so again and you'll breathe your last," and with that the individual harshly tossed the man to the ground with a resounding thud. The strength and force behind the throw as his body crashed on the hard soil wracked his body with pain. The informant would have released a cruel laugh when they saw Mizuki gasped for air whilst he tried to right himself. But he wasn't worth the effort.
"Do not fail us, Mizuki. You wouldn't like to see what Orochimaru-sama does to traitors or those who fail him. The man is truly an artist at prolonging the suffering of others, and that's if they're lucky," the giddiness in the informant's voice gave the man the distinct impression they wanted to see him fail just so it they could witness him suffer.
"I… won't fail," the traitor's voice was hoarse to the person's actions. "I'll get it done."
"See that you do," they said and tossed him a vial, "A gift from Orochimaru-sama, not that you deserve it. Drink that vial should you find yourself in bind, and only when you find yourself in a bind!"
"What is it? Poison?" most ninja committed suicide to being captured and interrogated. But Mizuki lacked the mental fortitude to do so.
"I said it was a gift from our master and you think it's poison? You truly are a fool, aren't you?" taken aback by the comment, Mizuki would have retorted but was too slow, "Think of it as a form of liquid courage. And remember, drink it only when you find yourself in a bind and only then. I'll see you two months' time."
The man blinked and the informant was no longer before him. Mizuki could not hold back a scowl from etching itself onto his visage as it finally set in that his plans were slowly falling apart. It had been so simple when he planned it all. The demon fails, he shows some sympathy and earns his trust, and gives the demon a chance to become a ninja by stealing the Scroll of Seals. And when it was to try and learn a technique to occupy it long enough, Mizuki would sneak up on the demon and end its life before getting rid of the body and then be on his merry way. If the demon continued to improve and grow stronger then all that planning would be shot to hell. Now he needed to make a backup plan in case the demon did pass.
Deciding to deal with it later, Mizuki swiftly pocketed the vial and left to go about his daily life. The man had a few loose ends of his own he needed to take care of as well,
"Might as well get a few fucks out of Tsubaki before I leave," the man smirked at the thought of his beloved fiancé. Tsubaki was the only other person who knew about his affiliation with Orochimaru. Not everything but enough to have him locked up in the Konoha Strict Correctional Facility for the remainder of his life. But her love for him and her own dislike of the demon after the loss of her family at its hands stopped her from reporting him to the village.
The only upside of the demon getting stronger was that it allowed Mizuki to convince the woman that it was manipulating the Hokage to return to its former self. Showing her the result of his scores and embellishing a few things about the tourney only added fuel to the fire. As it was, the woman was more or less firmly on his side.
"Maybe I can convince her to come with me," he mused as despite his lust for power and hate for the demon outweighing his love for Tsubaki, Mizuki still had a lingering soft spot for the woman. If nothing else he'd find some way to use her as a scapegoat for everything that was about to happen should it go sideways. If everything went well, he'd get more power and have a beautiful lover by his side.
|Meanwhile|
"I. Hate. Rats!" and not just because they were disease infested little thieves that brought down real-estate values. They were annoying and numerous as hell!
Naruto's battle with Kohu had been, as predicted, annoying as hell. It couldn't even be called a proper battle to be honest. The rat would appear and then disappear at random.
It was especially annoying when he was either engaged with other rats, or trying to navigate around trap filled areas. Its stealth skill and the Doton skills it used to hide its presence didn't help given they were much higher than either of his detection skills. It had made Naruto and Hotto very jittery. Even the slightest of sounds weren't ignored. Doing so was a mistake that had almost cost them a couple of times.
But they had prevailed in the end. Kohu had met a very untimely but very well-deserved demise. And Hotto almost joined him, "Really am gonna invest those points into his INT."
But despite that near setback, Hotto's unexpected [Tsuga] had both him and Kohu setting off a pit trap. A deep one filled with rats. Naruto remembered the former rat leader's painful screeches as it was swarmed by its former subjects. The rat was bigger than Naruto but the swarm and countless teeth and claws, and the use of a deadly cocktail for good measure, ended up proving too much.
However, in the end, all Naruto got for it was a skill scroll known as Ninpo: Dokkasō (Ninja Art: Toxic Luster Claw) and the [Minor Soulstone of the Rat]. The skill scroll was a C-Rank technique, a rare and unique one according to its description, but useless to Naruto as it required him to know [Basic Medical Ninjutsu] and [Basic Toxicology] and his INT was nowhere near the necessary level needed.
The soulstone was welcoming. It granted or improved the [Stealth Skill] and ones DEX by five. With his DEX and stealth already high as it was, Naruto ended up using it on Hotto. The ninken needed to be stealthier and quicker. Even then, stealth did little to help them as they went in deeper into the dungeon.
"Futon: Shisenko (Wind Release: Lion's Battle Roar)!" from his mouth did Naruto unleash a loud and powerful gale that struck the nearby rats.
The power of the technique coupled with his perks pretty much made the technique a one hit kill for the rats due to their low HP. It was currently his most powerful technique and wide and far reaching enough. However, it costly in terms of CP and its current level required him to be stationary and also took him three seconds 'casting time' to use. Luckily it was nothing he couldn't handle. The downsides would likely go away once the technique was mastered.
The only other downside was that the rats that were now appearing were smaller, quicker, smarter and had taken on Kohu's hit and run fighting style. Once they were underground or sank into the stone the effectiveness of the technique was lowered considerably. Naruto didn't want to test out if it was strong enough to blast a hole in the wall and risk a cave in.
"Nearly an hour in. No way in hell am I starting over," a quick flick of his wrist had a kunai digging into a rat's head. The weapon didn't kill it but it did distract it that it forgot about Hottomaru. The little ninken took advantage of the opening and went for the rat's throat and began vigorously shaking the unfortunate creature.
Its treatment stopped when two rats made a beeline for the ninken. However, it was a temporary reprieve and seconds later it was nothing more that floating bits of light when the Komainu pup used [Tsuga] on its approaching allies. The technique was not strong enough to end them, but they were left in a vulnerable state. Naruto quickly finished the deed with a couple of well-placed techniques.
"Alright, that's the last of them... I think?" Naruto hoped but didn't trust his luck right now. The blond watched as Hotto sniffed the air around him for any signs of trouble but even that meant nothing. Even with his [Detection] skills higher than his own the rats' [Stealth] skill was almost just as high.
Both Naruto and his ninken continued to have their guard up as they walked down the dark tunnels, much darker than before and likely would have appeared incredibly foreboding if not for his [Gamer's Mind] and Seishoyo's ability to give them a decent amount of light.
Both walked not even two minutes before the came into contact with solid rock, "Crap! A dead end?" Naruto was happy to be proven wrong.
|You must complete the following to face the Dungeon Boss|
Mandatory Tasks (75% of Tasks Require Completion)
Slay Mutant Rats (21/15)
Slay Big Mutant Rats (14/10)
Slay Black Mutant Rats (7/6)
Avoid Traps (17/10)
Set Off Traps Safely (11/8)
Disarm Traps (0/5)
Use traps to injure enemies (3/3)
Optional Enemies
Pit Rats (49/30)
You have met exceeded the requirements needed to face the Dungeon Boss!
For slaying the rarespawn, Kohu, The Forgotten Rapacious King you are granted automatic entry!
Additional loot will be rewarded pending Dungeon Boss' defeat!
Enemy defeat count, minimum or exceeded amount, will reset back to zero upon entering!
Except for breathing a sigh of relief, Naruto said nothing as the large slab of wall before him went upwards to who knows where and revealed a poorly lit chamber filled with tunnels and holes and a ton of bones. The sound of water was clear to hear and a small watering hole surrounded by glowing moss was spotted in the corner.
"Well, that's a pretty sight," he deadpanned but didn't have a choice in the matter if he wanted to proceed to the next dungeon.
The first thing to greet his ears was the sound of countless little bones being crushed beneath his feet. The skeletons of creatures were everywhere and Naruto didn't see anywhere in the large cave that was free of them. Any chance of trying to go at it with stealth was crossed off the list.
"Grr."
"And here we go," Naruto muttered and prepared himself. But nothing prepared him for his detection skills going haywire. Pop ups appeared everywhere in his line of vision. So numerous was the amount that Naruto almost saw nothing else but pop ups.
Having enough, Naruto barked, "Go away!" thankfully the act worked.
However, "Oh, shit," in hindsight, Naruto would have preferred the pop ups instead of the countless eyes that shined in the dark. He could honestly say he could use Midori right about now. The large serpent would likely consider the large swarm that circled him a decent feast.
"Grr! Arf! Arf!"
Hotto being Hotto merely barked at the large swarm. Whether it was false bravado or his Komainu blood kicking in Naruto didn't know. He did know this: there were a lot of rats and Naruto knew a decently long-distance technique with decent AoE range that could end a lot of them if they moved at him in a huddled formation.
But none of them made to move towards him.
Naruto frowned but then noticed that the cave was starting to get brighter. Daylight was his initial thought but Naruto immediately threw that thought away. He had only been here for an hour and not an entire day and he was underground. A fire then? Was someone else in here?
"Anko?"
"KI KI KI!"
"Definitely not Anko," he noted while the loud screech echoed in the cavern and Naruto was greeted by the form of a large, pure white but the almost pink and mysteriously flamed covered rat. The hell? This was a definitely a first if he ever saw one. The boy guessed this was the dungeon boss and a closer look proved it.
Boss: Kaso, The Last of the Legendary Fire Rats – Lv 16
HP: 2650
CP: 1225
STR: 42
VIT: 45
DEX: 90
END: 29
INT: 22
WIS: 34
LUK: 53
Defense: 25
Special Perks:
Dungeon Boss Blessing [Lv 1]: +1500 HP, +500 CP, +15% towards all Resistances; All Attributes Increased by 15, +10 Defense
Legendary Creature [Lv 1]: +25% increase towards all Attributes; +25% Increased Power, Speed, and EXP towards all Skills; -25% CP required towards Skills; Possess one unique perk; Possess one unique Skill
Nighttime Effect: +15% towards Attributes; +15% Power, Speed, and Effectiveness towards Skills; +15% Increase towards movement speed in and out of combat; [Perks] and [Specialization] enhanced by additional 15%
Perks:
*Fire-Master [Lv 1]: +25% Increased Power, EXP, and Speed towards [Fire-Based Skills]; -25% CP required towards [Fire-Based Skills]
*Fire-Eater [Lv 1]: +25% of CP from [Fire-Based Skills] is absorbed; +15% HP from [Fire-Based Skills] is absorbed
*Flame-Fur: Grants the Perk [Fire-Eater] Negates damage from all forms of [Fire-Based Skills] by 100%, Effectiveness of enemy [Wind-Based Skills] and [Taijutsu Skills] reduced by 25%, Physical contact by enemies will result in damage
*Nimble [Level Max]: +100% Movement Speed in and out of combat; +100% towards [Evasion]
*Keen-Senses [Lv 4]: +80% Effectiveness towards [Detect Presence Skill]; Immune to [Henge] Skill
*Aura of the Leader [Lv 1]: Allies gain +15% increase towards Attributes, Movement Speed, and Effectiveness, Power, and Speed towards Skills when in same area
Flaws:
?:?
Description: One of the few legendary fire rats of myth that still remain. Though small compared to its lesser kin, this large rat is incredibly quick and its fire-coated skin makes it a formidable opponent. However, unlike its ancestors of old that once had a decent relationship with humans this flamed covered creature has cast aside the old ways. Now it cares only for its own well-being and its clan.
EXP Earned: ?
Drops: ?, ?, ?, ?
As Naruto read the description the boy was conflicted. On one hand the creature was going to give him a good amount of EXP but on the other hand the stats and perks it had was not going to make this fight easy. Naruto wouldn't be able to use any of his elemental ninjutsu as fire would only be absorbed. Futon and Doton were his only options but the damage from Futon would be reduced by quite a bit and that was assuming he could land a hit. And because Seishoyo had the [Firebrand] perk it would be useless to use as a weapon.
"Great. [Hayate's Training Bokken] it is," Chichizouge would have been better, but the requirements to wield the pseudo-zanbato had yet to be met. The bokken was far from the ideal weapon, at least in comparison to Seishoyo, Hayate had mentioned the bokken was not to be underestimated, especially in the hands of a gifted user or a master. Hayate had told him the story about a legendary master samurai swordsman who used bokken and won against those who used steel instead, the outcome usually being their deaths.
But Naruto wasn't a gifted user – or anywhere near the level of a master to be honest – Hayate and Anko had made that very clear. At the very least it would offer some distance and Naruto had another trick up his sleeve, "Ninpo: Chakura Nagashi (Ninja Art: Chakra Flow)."
Blue energy swirled around his hands before moving up to the tip of the wooden practice sword like a snake on a branch. Upon reaching its destination, the sword gained a little over an extra foot in length. It wasn't perfect like Hayate's. The man had not only been able to extend the length of his blade by a little over five feet if he wanted to but the shroud had appeared even more compact and smooth when compared to Naruto's.
His mussing was cut short, unfortunately; and the boy was forced to dodge when the rat charged at him with blazing speed. Hotto chased afterwards but yelped in pain when a small trail of flames ignited on the path it just created.
"Great," Naruto muttered, "Hotto! Stay back!" he ordered.
"Ninpo: Goriki (Ninja Art: Hard Strength)!" a surge of power flowed through him as he used the technique. The increased STR would serve not only to improve his weapon's attack power but also allow him to reduce the damage when he blocked any incoming blow. And with speed as high is this, this would be a battle where blocking was more important than striking.
As the rat charged at him once more, its speed still baffled him, Naruto struck the ground where he believed it was going to be. The blow was nowhere close and the rat was swift to assault him with scratches and fire and bites. Each strike made him wince, and he was losing health very quickly. It wasn't a lot, but the amount lost was still greater when compared to the other rats.
"Doton: Doran (Earth Release: Earth Riot)!" earthen spikes rose around him but the leader of the rats was quick to evade injury. Brielfly unhappy and frowning the look of discontent soon turned into a grin as he eyed the rat. Though he was slower, his ninjutsu practically useless and Hotto could do nothing right now, Naruto knew this was going to be an interesting fight to say the least.
"Ki ki," Kaso squeaked at him and the flames on its fur grew larger, brighter, and from the change in temperature he felt, hotter too.
"Bring it on, you garbage eating piece of shit," Naruto taunted the creature. Naruto didn't know if it could understand him but the fire rat charged at him even faster than before and a bright flash momentarily blinded the boy. Somehow, Naruto was success in blocking its attack.
"Ow," he grunted as the hot flames licked at him and forced Naruto to retreat, but the rat didn't let up and followed him and continued its assault. "Damn it!" he grunted once more. The damage wasn't high but if it continued like this the damage would start to stack up.
"Awwroo!"
|You're currently benefiting from the ally skill [Mune no Unari (How of the Pack)]!|
"This better not be a skill you've been holding out on, Hotto!" Naruto would seriously be pissed if it was the case. Energy coursed through Naruto and the envigored blond watched as Kaso and the nearby rats stiffened momentarily. The fire rat was quicker to recover than his lesser kin but Naruto's use of Hayagake and his energized allowed him to just barely land a decent blow, "Konoha Gōka (Tree Leaf Hard Fall)!"
Wooden weapon coming on a downward stroke, Naruto caught the rat on the leg and his time around Anko made the sweet song of pain become music to his ears. Nearly two hundred points were shaved off the rat's HP. The sword technique was a basic one but the perks, his weapon and his skills really enhanced the blow. Unfortunately, it was currently the only one Naruto knew from the Konoha Kenjutsu-Ryu; Hayate being a perfectionist believed that one only earned the privilege of learning stronger skills when the basics were mastered to an appropriate level.
The other technique decent he knew came from the [Bladed Weaponry Mastery Skill], and that was also a basic skill. One arm cocked back and the other stretched out in front of him, palm flat and facing his target, Naruto thought, "Shō (Thrust)!" and the sword became a spear. But the technique missed and struck the earth inside, leaving a hole over a foot deep.
They continued this dance for several minutes, to which Naruto had managed to dodge and evade its attacks better this time. Once more the rat rushed at him, but Naruto was better prepared now and struck when it pounced. The rat gave a loud squeak and was sent flying, a very good chunk of its HP being taken in the process thanks to the Konoha Gōka skill. But the creature managed to right itself as it landed and put some distance between itself and Naruto when he tried to land another blow.
Hotto helped where he could, but the ninken was busy fighting any rat that tried to enter the fray. With his howl's ability to stun the enemy, not always he noticed, the ninken would take advantage of their immobile state and do what he did best. Naruto would send a shuriken or a well-placed ninjutsu that helped keep the rats at bay or finish off what Hotto started. Multitasking against fast and evasive enemies like this wasn't easy, but it wasn't like there any real option at the moment.
"Katon: Inka (Fire Release: Shadow Fire)!" the fire took care of two rats that Hotto was too busy to take notice of but Kaso came in whilst he was distracted. The rat pounced on him again but Naruto was able to use Fuhajin at the last second. What it lacked in power in made up in AoE and great pushback. Kaso was quick but too close to Naruto to pull off a proper evasive maneuver and was sent flying into the air some distance away tail over head and into the nearby pool of water.
"Ki! Ki!" squealed and writhed in pain and looked as though he couldn't get out of water fast enough. His flaming fur no longer alight and his movements sluggish.
|Congratulations!|
|A Critical Blow has been dealt to Kaso!|
|Through a special act you've discovered and unlocked the hidden weakness of Kaso! [Hydrophobia]!|
|Kaso's Flame-Fur Perk has been temporarily neutralized [3 Minutes]|
"Yes!" this was exactly what Naruto needed. But even with one of his perks down the rat was still pretty damn quick. Worse, the rats from the horde were coming in more frequently now and in greater number. Like any game he played, this was the moment where the underlings came to defend their currently in a bind leader.
"Hotto! Close your eyes!" he ordered and quickly equipped his other weapon in his free hand, "Hikaru (Brilliance)!"
"Ki! Ki!"
Blinded by the light from the weapon, Naruto was glad to see that Kaso had also fallen under its spell and quickly rushed towards the dungeon boss. Rats were kicked, smacked or sliced away with little regard as ninja in training and ninken speared their way towards their destination. Only a dozen feet away, Naruto launched a Shisenko that bone-crushingly slammed into the dungeon boss right as it began getting over the debuff.
Kaso smashed into other rats when it came down for a hard landing but lived up to the reputation expected of bosses by quickly getting up and entered one of the nearest dark holes.
"Damn he's quick," Naruto scowled.
The blow had pretty much caused the boss' health to go below the half way mark, but now it was going somewhere to lay low until his perk came back on. And now Naruto and Hotto were left with a large amount of rats to deal with.
(Meanwhile)
"Are… are you serious," Anko managed to force out.
"One hundred percent, Anko," Hiruzen smiled.
There were very few times was Anko ever rendered speechless in her entire life. Up until now, the most memorable of which had been when Orochimaru of the Sannin had chosen her to be his apprentice – a decision she'd later come to regret mind you – another being when she and learned that the famed Yondaime Hokage – a man who pulled Konoha's ass out of the fire when all seemed lost – died during the Kyubi no Yoko Incident. Naruto's ability to live his life as a video game – something that if she was being honest was still taking her some getting used to – being one of the more recent and currently the most recent one was her being wide-eyed and staring in disbelief at the new vest she was now holding.
"Hokage-sama... I don't... Thank you," she could only say.
Hiruzen merely continued to smile, knowing emotions with Anko were never easy. But after seeing everything she did through his crystal ball and how far Naruto had come under such a short amount of time, the Sandaime believed he knew he was making the right choice, "While some are against it, I am Hokage and you've earned your promotion to Jōnin."
Jōnin. Even hearing it and replaying it in her mind over and over again, this had been the very last thing she expected when she had been summoned to his office. Honestly, Anko thought the man merely wanted her report on the border patrol. Getting promoted to Jōnin was the farthest thing she believed would occur, "Hokage-sama… Thank you."
The man chuckled at bit at the repeat, "Like I said, you've earned it, Anko," the man smiled even more when he saw her try to discreetly wipe away a tear, "Now then, I know it's early but have you considered what we discussed before we left?"
The discussion he referred to had been Anko becoming a Jōnin sensei. While full fledge Jōnin were often in that position, generally the more experienced ones, it wasn't uncommon for a recently promoted Jōnin or Tokubestu Jōnin to have a Genin team of his or her own.
"Yeah, I did… What the hell, I'll give it a shot," she grinned. The woman knew she was going to have to teach a group sometime in the future, most Jōnin did, might as well do it now with Naruto and two others she had her eye on.
"Excellent. As soon as the others joins us, we can begin," Hiruzen informed her.
And not five minutes later did the office of the Hokage start filling up with other potential Genin team leaders. Upon spotting Anko with a Jōnin vest those closest to her congratulated the woman on her promotion. Others were shocked that the woman got the promotion and the fact she was also being considered as a potential instructor candidate so soon.
"Congratulations, Anko," Kakashi was the last one to enter and praise the woman for her achievement. Never once looking away from his newest piece of literature, or as Kurenai liked to call it, pornographic trash.
"Now that you've all gathered, I believe we can begin," Hiruzen starred at the many would be Jōnin instructors.
"I'm surprised Hatake's on time for once," Anko, wearing her new Jōnin vest with pride, earned a few laughs from the very truthful comment. Though Anko would most likely forgo wearing it around Konoha and stick to her regular attire. The woman still couldn't get over her promotion. Relatively speaking Anko had now replaced Kurenai as the rookie of the group. In all honesty, if one were to ask Anko if she was to become a Jōnin sensei some months back she would have laughed in their face. That mindset had changed since she met and began training Naruto.
"Hmm, did you say something, Anko?" many snickered or sighed at the man's antics.
"I ain't Gai, Kakashi. That's not gonna work on me. Oh, and by the way, Saiki ends up with Noriko," she finished and gave a devilish smirk to the man reading the newest edition of Icha Icha. Several men groaned or began weeping, much to the disgust of some kunoichi.
"Why am I not surprised," Kurenai sighed at her friend's attics. Anko had always been sexually promiscuous, using her sex appeal to her advantage on several occasions and reading such books to help give her ideas. The woman didn't whore around like many thought her to be, but the woman didn't exactly do herself any favors at times.
"Wait, isn't Saiki a woman's name?"
Anko and Kakashi merely gave Kurenai a blank look before the two of them gave her the same answer, "What's your point?"
"Oh, lovely," the Genjutsu Mistress of Konoha scrunched up her face in disgust. The woman didn't bother hiding it from the perverts in the room. Part of her wasn't surprised that there would be such a theme in these types of books.
"It was lovely. That build up was going on for months. What you did was just plain mean, Anko," Kakashi sulked for finding out an important piece of plot. He'd still read it but it wouldn't be as thrilling.
"Man, that's just sad," Asuma chuckled.
"I wouldn't talk if I were you, Asuma," Anko shot back and the man stiffened, even more so when he saw Kurenai subtlety shifting her gaze towards him out of the corner of her judging crimson eyes, "As I recall, don't you also-"
"Ahahddahahh," the man covered Anko's face before she could finish. Though it didn't stop Kurenai from scowling at the man, "Now, I don't know what you're talking about… You can lick my hand all you want I'm not gonna OOUCCH!" the man took his hand away, a bite mark firmly visible on the palm.
"Tasty, but – Plah!– I could do without the ashy after taste," even then Anko licked her lips and made several Jōnin in the room shudder.
While looking impassive at the events happening before him, Hiruzen mentally wept at the unfairness of it all. The man not only had just gotten the book from his student but also only just recently started reading it, "Damn it, Anko."
Getting the room back under order, Hiruzen began the meeting once more, "Settle down, everyone. Now then. As you all know the academy graduation ceremony is less than a few months away. All of you were given a report of the potential future Genin the academy has to offer. Do any of you have suggestions on who you want?"
"I do, I do!" Anko jumped up and down, her arm waving in the air like a child.
"Yes, Anko," the man was surprised how eager she was.
"Uzumaki Naruto, Yamanaka Ino, and Hyuga Hinata!" Anko announced.
"I can understand Naruto but why the other two, Anko?" Hiruzen asked. Truthfully the man knew his son wanted to continue the tradition of forming the InoShikaCho team with the newest generation and Kurenai had a vested interest in Hiashi's daughter.
"Simple, I know the Gaki in and out and still have tons to teach him for one. Two, Inoichi's brat surprised me the last time I saw her and she's got guts. Her natural flexibility and her clan's techniques and background make her the perfect candidate to learn about interrogation."
"You plan to teach a child interrogation?" Iruka asked in disbelief.
"The moment they put on the headband is the moment they stop being kids, Umino," Anko scowled and the man flinched. "Besides, in the past the Yamanaka begin teaching kids the basics of interrogation should they ever meet someone capable of resisting their mind techniques."
"And the Hyuga?" Hiruzen asked.
"Easy. Her eyes allow for long range scouting and her Taijutsu allows her to disable her opponents when she gets in close, making 'em easier for capture," Anko reasoned. "Of course, she's gonna need some work done. But having her around her oblivious crush could help."
Kurenai frowned at the words but couldn't help but agree with her friend's assessment. Hinata had confidence issues, partially in fault to her father and her traumatic childhood. Having lost her mother who had been pregnant with what would have been her third sibling along with believing she had been the cause of her uncle's death due to her failed kidnapping from the Kumo ambassador years ago.
"So, you're trying to create a Tracking, Capture and Interrogation Team?" Kakashi assessed.
"In a manner of speaking," Anko acknowledged. "Naruto has incredible levels of chakra, a lot of piss and vinegar in him and enormous endurance. The kid's gonna be the muscle of the three if and when things get hairy. When you include the tactics he'll be able to employ with that mutt of his they can basically beat the hell out of their opponents and wear them down. Hotto's a ninken so he's got keen senses. He's young but he'll be able to detect things we may miss and shouldn't be underestimated. With her eyes Hinata's the scout and the one who immobilizes them with her love taps," Kurenai smirked lightly.
The woman would have loved to see the Hyuga Clan's reaction to Anko calling their famed taijutsu the Gentle Fist as 'love taps'.
"Academy records says she's also in the top three when it comes to chakra control and she's demonstrated a very good competence for basic medical skills. With a little nudging and extra training in that area the girl could also be classified as the team medic. Kami knows how banged up the Gaki gets when we train. Then again, that thick skull of his does more damage to what he makes contact with. Poor trees," several Jōnin just deadpanned at that tidbit of information. Anko rarely did things half assed and her methods, while unorthodox and intense were effective.
"And Ino?"
"The Yamanaka's role is simple: the infiltrator, the interrogator, the deadly femme fatale," that last bitthrew many off.
"Femme fatale?" Asuma had to admit that was a first during one of these.
"The girl's young but she'll easily grow up into a beauty and start turning heads. Already is actually. She used her sex appeal to fight a superior opponent and almost won. The girl's got brains, wit, charms and looks as a weapon. Combine that with some poison and a bit of refinement and you've got yourself a deadly kunoichi. Aka: me!" Anko couldn't help her boasting.
And while Hinata and Ino wouldn't really be powerhouses like Naruto – but then again not all of them had reality altering powers and a mountain of chakra within them – they had other strengths going for them that Naruto wouldn't be able to possess. Either because of lack of interest or talent or because of how far on a spectrum he already was.
"Hmm, interesting," Hiruzen mused. While it was uncommon for a team to have two kunoichi, three if one counted the Jōnin, and one male shinobi it happened nonetheless. Both Naruto's mother and Hinata's mother had been part of a three kunoichi team along with Uchiha Mikoto. One that was led by his late wife, Biwako. Having a team with only one male Genin and the rest being female wasn't that bad or disconcerting.
"Do I hear any counters?"
"I actually wanted Ino to form the InoShikaCho batch. We all know how effective the trio have been when together," Asuma said.
"And I actually wanted Hinata under my care seeing as how I've known her the longest and know what she needs to improve on. With a little training and being teamed up with Shino and Kiba they'd make an excellent tracking team," Kurenai explained.
"I'm good really. It would have been interesting to teach Naruto some ninjutsu but his fighting style and what he has is too different from my own. It would clash more so than anything," Kakashi said. While he would have liked to have taught his sensei's son, the man wasn't to make a big fuss about it. Naruto had improved under Anko, best let the boy finish with her and see what he could do for him done the line.
"Hmm," Hiruzen stroked his beard, contemplating what he was going to do but seeing Anko's look, Hiruzen asked, "Problem, Anko?"
"Permission to speak freely, Hokages-sama?" she asked.
The elderly man knew he might regret it but honestly wished to hear what she had to say, "Granted."
"Both Nai-chan and Asuma's suggestions are flawed," Anko honestly said. "And that's sugar coating it."
"Explain," Hiruzen asked her, all the while applauding the woman for toning down the usual profanity.
"Ok, I'll admit with the smokestack that the InoShikaCho team has been used and done for generations and to deadly effect," Anko admitted and Asuma didn't look insulted by the nickname.
"That being said, Hokage-sama, it's been done time and time again. New chapter, same old content. Much as I hate my bastard of a teacher," many tensed as they knew whom she referred to, "The asshole did have some good points that stuck with me: we're ninja and to win fights we need to be unpredictable."
"Yeah, what's your point?" Asuma asked.
"The InoShikaCho isn't unpredictable anymore. Sure, back in the day and now, their teamwork is recorded as being one of the best in ninja history. But here's the thing. They've been doing the same song and dance routine since the time they were founded centuries ago that the shock and awe of it isn't what it used to be. You know what that means? The way they fight, the way they think, basically everything about the InoShikaCho teams have been recorded throughout history. Which means that during that time-span our enemies have come up with ways to counter their moves. Yeah, they make an awesome and fearsome team but put them against someone who knows how to fight them or prevents them from pulling off their trademark moves and they are almost sitting ducks because that's basically all they're trained on. The other problem is that not all InoShikaCho members work well together despite their clan ties so the effectiveness of it isn't something to fear. Their strengths are also their biggest weakness. Their techniques are still deadly and useful, but after doing it for so long, unless they're exceptionally gifted or lucky, they're only truly effective when used in tandem with each other. But if you teach one of them something they don't know, something the enemy won't expect–"
"You catch them off guard, throw the enemy off and whatever plans they had will be forced to change or be left at their mercy," Kurenai finished.
"Exactly. Unfortunately, I know that smokestack here isn't going to do that based on his past reputation," Asuma didn't bother denying it. The man was laid back and didn't bother doing things unless they were necessary. "You can have the Nara and the Akimichi for all I care. I got no time or desire to teach lazy bums."
"And the Hyuga girl?" Kakashi asked her.
"Quite frankly, and I don't say this to be mean, Nai-chan, her growth and skill as a kunoichi at the moment will be hampered under Kurenai," was Anko's blunt answer.
Many near them backed away with the exception of Asuma and Kakashi, the latter of whom looked ready to snap his book shut and the other cast a wayward glance. While it was unlikely, both knew they may have to restrain them if it came to that. Kurenai and Anko were polar opposites as kunoichi, and good friends, but both had one thing in common: their anger got the best of them at times.
"Excuse me!" not only was Kurenai insulted by the comment made by her friend, she looked the part, too. "I've known Hinata for a long time and I know what she needs. You've been Jōnin for less than a day now, Anko. What makes you the expert all of a sudden?" she asked hotly, her Ice Queen of Konoha persona coming into play.
"Two months, Nai-chan," Anko's response confused not only Kurenai but several of the other Jōnin, too.
"In almost two months time since I was assigned as the Gaki's mentor, I managed get him to do better at the academy. Not only that but many thought the brat was gonna be the Dead Last, too. And, guess what, thanks to me the Gaki's on his way to being in the middle ranking," Anko acknowledged that part of it was also thanks to his unique Gamer ability. However, none here needed to know that and the kunoichi still played a major role in it too despite said ability.
"A lot of people thought it was impossible for the Gaki to show improvement, Nai-chan. Not only did he thrash those wannabe ninja during the Taijutsu bout half an hour ago, but he also beat the top of the class in taijutsu."
"What?" Kurenai was left in disbelief, and she wasn't the only one.
"That's right. The Gaki beat the Inuzuka and the Uchiha," she smirked. "Ask Umino, he organized the whole thing till I took over."
Anko's words had many Jōnin looking at the academy instructor for confirmation. Iruka for his part merely nodded with a smile, "It's true. Naruto defeated both Kiba and Sasuke."
"Damn," Asuma was pretty impressed. The man had heard about Sasuke being a prodigy like his older brother and with the Uchiha Clan's Sekkendo Taijutsu style it wouldn't be an easy fight. It was an impressive fighting style that was only enhanced by the Sharingan, but even it was very effective and formidable. Likewise, the Inuzuka were known for their Ranken (Wild Fist) Taijutsu as well and their speed and feints were pretty well known.
"You need to face facts, Nai-chan. You're coddling the kid. You're too emotionally attached to push her beyond her limits. I'm attached to the Gaki but I don't let it impede me from pushing him. I've done in two months what you have yet to do in two years. I'm not saying you didn't do anything, the girl's better than what she used to be. And I know that they're both different, the Gaki's got more piss and vinegar in him, but two years and with little improvement-"
"Stop," Kurenai's eyes were shadowed and her fists were trembling. "Please stop, Anko."
"I've heard enough as well," Hiruzen butted in before it escalated further. "I've made a decision. Anko, pending their results at the academy and should they pass, I'm assigning Yamanaka Ino, Uzumaki Naruto and Hyuga Hinata under your tutelage as Team Eight," he smirked; it was payback time, "but you get to tell Inoichi, Shikaku, and Chouza why their children for the next formation of the InoShikaCho is being skipped a generation."
"… This is because I ruined the ending for you isn't?" were he smoking his pipe, Hiruzen would have choked on the smoke. While some looked away, others tried to hold in their laughs. His former's student's student was too quick for her own good at times.
Afterwards, one by one did the Jōnin inform Hiruzen on who they wanted to be a part of their team. With Kakashi his primary choice was Uchiha Sasuke, Haruno Sakura and Inuzuka Kiba. With Asuma it was Nara Shikamaru, Akimichi Chouji, and Aburame Shino. When the last one was done, Hiruzen dismissed all of the Jōnin except for Kurenai.
"I'm afraid you won't be getting a team this year, Kurenai," the man sadly informed the woman.
"Hokage-sama - " Kurenai began but stopped when Hiruzen raised his hand.
"Kurenai, I have faith in your abilities to teach and lead others. I wouldn't have had you promoted otherwise," Kurenai smiled at the man's words.
"However, Anko is right. Assigning Hyuga Hinata to you could be detrimental to her growth; I cannot risk angering Konoha's most prominent clan if their heiress doesn't show improvement under her chosen Jōnin's guidance. And those who know the truth about the incident with your last student have begun questioning your ability. Because of how recent it was, I think it may be wise if I postponed you from taking the position of instructor at the moment," Kurenai winced and was glad that the office had only her and the Hokage at the moment.
The incident with Kurenai's last student, Kurama Yakumo, whom she had tutored part-time a year previous, had been a disaster. While the girl was born with a permanent illness that prevented her from performing the physical tasks of being a shinobi, she had incredible intelligence and creativity. She was also prodigious in the art of Genjutsu and in time Kurenai knew Yakumo could easily surpass her. Kurenai wouldn't be surprised if the girl had Yin Release either.
Then came the day she discovered Yakumo's secret when she overheard some Kurama Clan members. What she heard had been vague but Kurenai summed up that her powers had resulted in the creation of a second entity inside her. One that was supposedly of dark origin and the clan members feared she'd turn on them once she became powerful enough.
In the end, Kurenai did what she thought was best and sealed up the girl's powers to prevent them from getting out of control. A few members of the Kurama Clan hadn't been pleased with that little stunt. Kurenai ended up not only destroying a young girl's dream along with her faith and trust in her but ruined a clan's chance at returning to their former glory.
During the Era of Warring States, the Kurama Clan was highly feared as the Weavers of Reality, as their Genjutsu were so powerful and felt so real that it caused many to become mentally shattered, comatose, or become frightfully catatonic and left at their mercy. They weren't as powerful or on the same class such as the Uchiha and Senju, but were one of the few clans that had come very damn close. However, the clan had suffered a series of misfortunate at the end of the bloody period and lost many prominent members to the World Wars and soon fell out of the limelight. Yakumo's skill was the clan's chance at a comeback, and Kurenai, who had learned some of their Genjutsu as payment, had taken it away from them.
To prevent the clan from taking action against her, Hiruzen informed them that he had given the order and subdued the rowdier and vindictive members. Being Hokage and the most powerful ninja in the Elemental Countries at the moment made the few that wanted retribution suddenly have a sudden change of heart. The clan was angry, but not stupid. Hiruzen was old and no longer in his prime, but he was a still a powerful force to be reckoned with despite his advanced age.
"However, as I said, I would not have promoted you if you didn't have the right skill set. Therefore, I'm assigning you as an assistant Jōnin instructor. Whenever one of the instructors needs help or is required to take a mission outside Konoha beyond the capabilities of his or her Genin, you will take charge," Hiruzen stated.
Truthfully Kurenai didn't know whether to be thankful or insulted by the opportunity. While she'd be allowed to teach, she'd basically be a second choice and second fiddle really. Though Kurenai knew it was her fault. She failed not only one student but also barely improved her current ward of two years. Anko, a person who didn't care for teaching others, had managed to improve the former Dead Last in almost two months. It was an eye opener really, and as much as she didn't want to admit it, Kurenai had to agree with her friend's statement. She was too close to Hinata and without knowing it had begun coddling and holding Hinata back from unlocking her true potential. Whether it was because she feared losing Hinata once she was promoted or because she felt the need to protect the girl from any further hardship was unknown even to her.
"Thank you, Hokage-sama," Kurenai bowed to her leader and then left.
The man sighed as Kurenai left. The elderly Hokage disliked moments like this. Kurenai was a relatively new Jōnin compared to the others but her skill in Genjutsu was unmatched in Konoha. She was no Senju Toka or Hozuki Gengetsu in the art but given time the woman could potential rival the Senju and Nidaime Mizukage's skills in the art of illusions. Her skill in illusions along with her performance record was one of the main reasons why Kurenai had been promoted to Joinin almost three years ago. But, like everyone, the woman wasn't perfect. While he originally thought that Kurenai was ready to take on a team of her own, Anko had made some valid points and the reminder of her failures had only contributed. Were they not so recent, it may have been a different matter.
The Hyuga Clan was a prestigious clan in Konoha, one of the original Four Noble Clans, and with the downfall of the Senju Clan during the Second Shinobi World War, and Uchiha Clan some years ago, the Hyuga were the strongest clan in Konoha. The man couldn't afford another incident with a clan if Kurenai coddled and hampered the growth of the clan head's daughter. Hiruzen knew that Hiashi loved his eldest daughter, but Hiruzen also knew that the Hyuga were strict trainers and demanded a lot from their children, especially their heirs. It had been the same case with Hiruzen and his father, Sarutobi Sasuke.
"One can only hope Anko can help the girl," the woman had done wonders with Naruto but Hinata was a slightly different case.
(Elsewhere)
"Damn it!" Naruto cursed when his block failed and resulted in him losing over two hundred of his HP and becoming inflicting with the [Burning] debuff as a penalty. Naruto wished he had used Saigeki (Crushing Strike) on the rat when he had the chance. Kaso being affected by [Slow] would have been great and rendered the rat at his mercy. As it was, Naruto and the rat merely looked at one another, neither attacked. Hotto was on the sidelines licking his wounds and the rest of the horde was now almost non-existent. Flinging powerful ninjutsu and great AoE range that killed them in one blow would do that.
While the rat had the advantage in speed and its unique defense – which was unfortunately back in the game - Naruto had the upper hand in strength and cunning.
Quickly glancing around the cavern, Naruto kept his guard up but slowly moved and never took his eyes off of the speedy fire rat. Going back to the back to the tunnel that he was closest to, Naruto did something unexpected: he went and bolted inside the tunnel. Though confused by the act, Kaso following after him. A decision the rat would soon regret. Knives of earth came at him in the dark like bats in flight and when he moved to dodge the rat slammed into sharp earthen spears that suddenly rose to intercept him.
"Futon: Shisenko (Wind Release: Lion's Battel Roar)!" Kaso's momentary daze and the width of the tunnel played in Naruto favour. Harsh winds with the force of a stampede of rampaging bulls slammed into the dungeon boss and sent him flying back out where he entered.
"KI!" though the attack wasn't as bad it should have been, the force from the technique combined with how narrow the tunnel was made it so the gale force was centered all on the rat the moment it entered the tunnel.
""Awwroo!"
"Thanks, Hotto!" Naruto took off like a shot at the temporarily dazed creature and struck it with Saigeki (Crushing Strike). While the bokken was classified as a sword, its weapon type was a blunt weapon so the technique was still useable.
Not wasting anytime, Naruto proceeded to rain as many [Goriki] and [Chakura Nagashi] enhanced Ryoku Boku (Power Strikes) on the rat as he could and just before its health complete disappeared was it surrounded by a brilliant flash that was followed by a large and intense blaze.
"Damn it," Naruto cursed. A few more blows and the rat would have been dead. He had little time to think, however; as he felt the rat charge at him and the boy hardly had time to dodge or block this time. It was now much quicker and stronger. And for the next few minutes, the rat would charge in and attempt to strike him, and Naruto only just barely managed to keep up, block, or evade it.
When it rushed in once again, Naruto waited even long and struck out with [Doran] but even then the rat managed to avoid. But its attention was so focused on him that the rat was glanced by Hotto's [Tsuga]. The unexpected maneuver caught him in the leg and Kaso tripped over, the creature squeaking as it went skidding.
Naruto took this opportunity to end this fight with a [Shisenko], but the rat recovered too quickly and the boy felt its head ram into his gut. His shirt now ablaze once more, Naruto was sent tumbling to the ground instead of finishing off the boss.
It didn't end there though as the rat jumped on him and attempted to bite his face. Naruto managed to stop it from doing so by horizontally sticking his bokken in its mouth and held in at bay. With his greater strength the rat's attempts at biting him were proving fruitless. It only worked momentarily, Kaso was smart and quickly changed tactics and began to rake at him with its flame covered claws. Naruto was fortunate that unlike the other rats, Kaso couldn't inflict with the [Poisoned] or [Diseased] debuffs.
"Grr," Naruto grunted as he felt the pain inflicted on him by the appendages. The rat squeaked when Hotto latched onto his tail and distracted him long enough for Naruto to tuck in his legs and thrust outwards with a double kick.
Though flung well away from him, the rat recovered and righted its body, even then his HP was now at the deep end of the red zone. Rising as quickly as he could, Naruto tried to put out the flames from his armor but cursed even more when he saw Kaso retreat towards the tunnels. The Gamer wasn't going to let the boss escape to recover what remaining health that easily and set off after the fire rat. When the retreating creature was just about to enter the tunnels, Naruto quickly formed a hand sign and saw the rat's only means of escape blow up.
*BOOM* the suddenness of the explosion almost knocked him off balance and rocked the cavern. The boy could only watch as the tunnel entrance collapsed and filled with rocks.
"Damn it," Naruto cursed as his vision was momentarily clouded by dust and flying rocks. When the dust cloud cleared, Naruto breathed a sigh of relief when saw loot outside the tunnel entrance and the other rats gone.
|Hottomaru's level has increased by one!|
Name: Hottomaru
Job: Ninken (Ninja Dog)
Level: 10 Next Level: 1378/7000
HP: 600 + [25] = 625
CP: 475 + [0] = 475
STR: 13 + [0] = 13
VIT: 24 + [1] = 25
DEX: 34 + [1] = 35
END: 19 + [0] = 19
INT: 7 + [0] = 7
WIS: 8 + [0] = 8
CHA: 5 + [0] = 5
LUK: 19 + [0] = 19
Defense: 10
AP: 8 + [3] = 11
"Lucky dog," Naruto thought.
He himself had not levelled up be he was close. What happened just now had been close. But, in the end, the evasive rat hadn't escaped in time. Kaso the fire rat was dead. The strategy had been something Naruto thought of when Kaso had recuperated and when the rats had been culled to a considerable amount. Many tunnels and crevices had been laced with a series of [Lowest Ranking Exploding Tags] and while not all the tunnels had them, and it the strategy was a gamble, Kaso had made the mistake of going to one that did. Let's see how the boss liked dealing with a trap.
"Dumb rat," Naruto smirked. The boy knew that there was a chance of the rat trying to make a break for it if it got the chance. Naruto was just glad he managed to place them in the right tunnel.
"Now, let's see what we got here," he smirked. The first item was a scroll, much like with the zombie and the boar the boy didn't bother wondering why it had it and just rolled with it.
Senka no Jutsu (Flashfire Technique) D-Rank. Lv 1. 0% to Next Lv| Mastering Speed: C| A technique similar to the Shushin no Jutsu that allows one to move at incredible speed while it simultaneously flares their chakra brilliantly, blinding them and potentially impeding their vision. As a result, this makes it an excellent technique to use when wanting to land a While initially superior to the Shunshin in terms of speed, unlike the Body Flicker, the Flash Fire Skill only allows one to travel in a linear fashion. |CP usage varies on distance, time, and actions used.|
• Increases [Movement Speed] by 150% when activated.
• Increases Critical Hit chance 30% when activated.
• 30% chance of causing [Visually Impaired] debuff when activated (foes must be within a two meter radius)
• Become [Undetectable] for 10 seconds when deactivated (foes must be within five level your own or lower and user must be out of sight)
Requirements:
65 DEX, Mastery of One Speed Based Skill, Mastery of two Fire Based Skills
Hinezumi no Kōgaito (Crimson Cloak of the Fire Rat) - (Epic Quality)
Item Type: Cloak
Durability: 200/200
Defense: 25
Description: An extremely rare and ancient object made from the hide of a powerful fire rat. Few of these cloaks were ever made and all of them were thought to be lost or destroyed. The hide from the fire rat is composed of naturally occurring chakra absorbing fibers, allowing the cloak to both negate fire and absorb it, but has a terrible reaction towards water. Unlike most cloaks the material used in making this is not only very durable but extremely light.
Bonus Perks: Fire Immunity [Max LV], Fire Eater [Lv 1], Fire Master [Lv 1]
Unique Item Skill: Hari Hi no Nezumi (Shroud of the Fire Rat), Kaiyoken (Fist of the Sun)
Fuinjutsu Slots Available: [One Major Slot], [Two Minor Slots]
Flaws: Hydrophobia [Max LV]
Usage Requirements: Fire Affinity
"HOT DAMN!" Naruto cheered at the find. While [Senka] was awesome technique to learn, at the moment it was going to take a while before Naruto could even learn it. Any disappointment he had instantly evaporated after seeing his next loot.
"In your face, teme! I got an awesome fire cloak and you don't!" it was practically Christmas for the boy and Naruto couldn't be any happier. "Totally worth it!" he grinned and decided to put it on. Not bad, he thought. The hood that came with it was a nice touch too and he had to admit that deep crimson was a very good color on him. Even if it did sort of clash with his current attire's colors.
"Note to self: Future armor must not clash with cloak's color," Naruto wisely decided.
"Hrmmr?" Hotto was confused but his partner's behavior.
Either way the cloak would still offer him better defense. Picking up the last bits of loot, Naruto, though disappointed there wasn't a soulstone this time, found a near replica of what he found in the last dungeon. Only this time it was red in color.
Hi no Kagi (Fire Key) - Very Rare Quality
Item Type: Quest Item
Durability: One-Time Use
Description: A special key found in the dungeon chest of Training Ground Two. What its current use is for is currently unknown.
"Another one?" thinking back on it, Naruto did get a quest saying to locate them, "Might as well get the other three," if it was anything like his games he likely would get very good loot. Naruto smiled as a pop-up appeared, but his face threatened to split in two when he saw the last one.
Skills Level Up List
Observe [Lv 9 ~ Lv Max]
Intimidation [Lv 1 ~ Lv 3]
Basic Blunt Weapons Mastery [Lv 11 ~ Lv 14]
Basic Blade Weapons Mastery [Lv 14 ~ Lv 16]
Saigeki [Lv 7 ~ Lv 8]
Ryoku Boku [Lv 9 ~ Lv MAX]
Katon: Inka [Lv 6 ~ Lv 7]
Doton: Doran [Lv 5 ~ Lv 7]
Futon: Shisenkou [Lv 1 ~ Lv 4]
Futon: Fuhajin [Lv 1 ~ Lv 3]
Instant Dungeon Creation [Lv 1 ~ Lv 2]
Chakra Nagashi [Lv 5~ Lv 6]
Crafting [Lv 4 ~ Lv 5]
Hayagake [Lv 1 ~ Lv 4]
Detect Bloodlust [Lv 4 ~ Lv 9]
Detect Presence [Lv 11 ~ Lv 19]
Konoha Gōka [Lv 5 ~ Lv 7]
Shō [Lv 3 ~ Lv 4]
|Congratulations! Your [Instant Dungeon Creation Skill] has increased!|
You can now perform the following:
[Time Dilation for Creation Dungeons: 1:4 Ratio]
[Time Dilation for Natural Dungeons: 1:2 Ratio]
[Enter Zombie Dungeon V1.5]
[Enter Haunted Woods V1.0]
Naruto hated being jinxed. Especially when he was the one that caused it. Damn karma.
The rats for all their low health and lack of strengths had incredible DEX and the perks they benefited from made hitting them more difficult than he anticipated. The creatures were very agile and they could dodge a strike from his weapons quickly enough even when visually impaired that he just barely missed them. And their blows, while not lethal in the traditional sense, were annoying as hell. Their large numbers only adding to the frustration that came with dealing with the vermin.
The damage from them was low but it didn't matter as they were numerous and he became affected by the debuffs they caused. If being [Poisoned] was bad enough, suffering from [Diseased] was worse, as the latter caused a seven percent decrease in his stats, defense included, and enhanced the effects of negative debuffs by that same amount.
Even worse was the fact that both debuffs could be stacked upon. Naruto only counted his blessings that the mystery special perk he had made him more tolerable to poisons by twenty-five percent; if he was not in possession of the [Malnourished] flaw it would have been fifty percent instead.
"Gotta get rid of that and soon. Katon: Inka (Fire Release: Shadow Fire)!" the snarling fireballs did their job in freezing the rats in place and suffered the consequences of their forced inactions. Lit on fire and suffering from the fear related debuffs the flames caused, Naruto made quick work of the oversized vermin with his blunt weapon while Hotto had one by the throat and shook it like any dog would to their toys.
As he looked around, not that it would do him much good as the monsters of this dungeon were sneakier than the Wailing Cats, Naruto called Hotto and both began to continue on their way down the dark tunnel. Naruto barely made it seven steps before misfortune befell him once again; Hotto, however, was fortunate.
"Gahh! Freaking traps!" the only thing that stopped him from becoming food to a pit filled with countless rats clawing at the walls and gnashing their teeth was the [Tree Climbing Practice Skill] that allowed him to cling to the nearby surface like a spider.
Climbing out, Naruto was greeted by a thankful Hottomaru, but the vindictive Gamer took out a couple of [Unstable Cocktails] and [Poor-Grade Exploding Tags] and combined to the two.
|Item Crafting Commencing!|
…
…
…
…
…
|Item Crafting Completed!|
You have successfully created the following items:
[Explosive Unstable Cocktail x 2]
Explosive Unstable Cocktail – Uncommon Quality
Item Type: Offensive
Damage: -665 HP
Durability: One-Time Use
Description: An item created by combining [Unstable Cocktail] and [Poor-Grade Exploding Tags]. The act significantly enhancing the damage caused by both items and giving it a slight chance of causing higher level debuffs.
Guaranteed Debuffs: [Random Debuff: Lv 1], [Burning: Lv 1]
Potential Debuffs: +15% of causing [Random Debuff: Lv 2], +15% of causing [Burning: Lv 2]
Naruto said nothing but grinned so evilly that it had Hotto backing away from him. And with a look that would have made Anko proud, he took one of the cocktails and dropped it into the pit trap filled with ravenous worm-tailed rodents and backed away. The squeaks of fear lasted only a few seconds before a large 'bang!' rocked the area that was soon followed by an intense flash and heat that rose from the pit that would have otherwise introduced Naruto to a world of hurt.
Calling up his Status Window, Naruto saw his act being rewarded judging by the very large number of EXP he received, while Hotto finally managed to achieve level nine.
|Congratulations!|
|Hottomaru's level has increased by one!|
Name: Hottomaru
Job: Ninken (Ninja Dog)
Level: 9 Next Level: 238/6500
HP: 575 + [25] = 600
CP: 475 + [0] = 475
STR: 13 + [0] = 13
VIT: 23 + [1] = 24
DEX: 28 + [1] = 29
END: 19 + [0] = 19
INT: 7 + [0] = 7
WIS: 8 + [0] = 8
CHA: 5 + [0] = 5
LUK: 19 + [0] = 19
Defense: 10
AP: 6 + [2] = 8
"Well, that takes care of his health," a boon really as Naruto knew no healing techniques and healing items were both random and hard to come by. The few he had were to be used sparingly but his already high HP meant he didn't have to worry too much on himself compared to Hotto's much lower HP levels. For now, Naruto paid no attention to the level up his ninken had received, but made a mental note to invest a good portion of them into the ninken's VIT down the line. At least until his perks improved to the point that it wasn't as necessary anymore.
"Smell anything, Hotto?" nothing was sensed with either detection skill he had but Hotto had way better senses than him and even at his lowest level the ninja dog's detection related skills had already been much higher than his own despite their difference in levels.
"Arf!" a quick sniff in the air followed by a shake of the head was his answer.
"Good," but at the same time, not so good. Looking around, Naruto used [Observe] and scanned the area and true to form several traps came up in his field of vision. Due to his prankish background, Naruto had developed a keen sense on how to make good and impressionable traps. But being good at making your own traps and disabling them was one thing, detecting and disabling another's traps was much different.
"Great. A ceiling trap," Naruto frowned as he read the description, "If I fail this tunnel caves in and we have to take another route.
In Naruto's experience traps were put in place either because the current path would either lead to something good, or it was because the current path was the shortest route. But the pathway before him was long; the triggers were numerous; and his chances of successfully disabling the biggest one only twenty-seven percent according to [Observe]. Even with Seishoyo lighting up the cave by a good amount, Naruto didn't see the end of the tunnel before him and didn't know if he would be quick enough to get to the other end in time.
"Stay!" Naruto ordered and jump down the path in different spots. As he travelled further into the tunnel did the amount of triggers multiply and their placements making movement more awkward than the last. Triggers were in place on the floor, the ceiling, and the walls and they became closer until Naruto was unable to go any further and forced to backtrack. Barely even fifty feet in and he still couldn't see an exit.
And who knows what would happen after the trap triggered. Would it simply be a faster way or a treasure now denied to him? Or would it also result in a swarm of enemies to come flooding towards them as well? Naruto would risk it if it was just him, "But Tsume, and Anko, and Hana would rip my heart from my throat if something somehow happened to Hotto on my watch," not to mention the guilt of being responsible for it.
"Arf! Arf!"
His neck was nearly broken by how quickly Naruto turned his head in disbelief, "HOTTO! YOU IDIOT!"
The loud and sudden admonishment stopped the ninken in his tracks, but in an act of instinct Naruto had already taken a step forward and looked down to see his foot on a trigger. He summed up his predicament in two words, "Oh, fuck."
The walls shook and rumbled like thunder and Naruto didn't need to have high INT to know what was happening or what he had to do. But the boy hoped he was quick enough to accomplish it. Having to start over from the very beginning and losing the acquired EXP was an experience he could live without.
Grabbing Hotto with one arm, Naruto's intent to dash forward was thwarted by a large onslaught of rocks that almost turned him into Naruto jelly. Too sudden and too slow to react, Naruto slammed into the large rock but used the bounce to run as quickly as he could in the opposite direction. His steps and his haste ignoring the fact that he triggered more traps; his mind focused solely on getting to the other side and hoping that it wasn't a dead end. Or something worse.
But beggars couldn't be choosers right now. Whatever was going to happen would happen but Naruto would be damned if he was going to meet his end under a pile of rocks and dirt. Batting away a rock that nearly struck his head, Naruto grunted as he felt his arm protest the action. The rocks were heavy, large and falling fast and batting them away while one arm was being used elsewhere made the task much more difficult. Calling upon [Goriki] to strengthen his blows, and improve his blocks, Naruto struggled less but grunted in pain all the same as he tried diverting a rock that proved too great even for the enhancement to handle.
"Shit!" a curse escaped his lips. Fortunately, it struck his shoulder instead of his head but the momentary distraction caused him and Hotto to be pelted by other fallen stones.
"Yipe!" was the ninken's expressed alarm.
Naruto grunted some more and smacked and blocked the fallen earth and rocks; dodged the weaponry that were shot at him from triggered traps; and jumped or hauled himself up as quickly as he could when a hole suddenly appeared at his feet. The blond cared not and merely continued pushing and running faster than he ever could to get to the other side.
|Congratulation!|
|A special skill has been created due to a special act!|
|Due to forcing yourself to run faster than you normally would and subconsciously channeling chakra into your legs, you've created the [Hayagake (Rapid Run)] Skill!|
Hayagake (Rapid Run) E-Rank. Lv 1. 0% to Next Lv| Skill Modifier: N/A| Mastering Speed: B| A low rank technique that allows one to move much more quickly by empowering the strength in the user's legs with their chakra. While similar to the Shunshin in terms of concept, the Hayagake skill is inferior in terms of speed and functionality as it only allows the legs to move quickly rather than the entire body. Many believe the technique was created as stepping stone for the Shunshin while others believe it is a failed attempt to outperform it. |CP Usage: 35CP per Minute|
• Increases [Movement Speed] by 25% when activated.
Usage Requirements: 25 INT, 15 DEX, 20 END
"I'll take it. Hayagake (Rapid Run)!" Naruto announced and ran more swiftly than he ever had. Only thirty seconds had passed and while he still got struck by the odd fallen stone or triggered the odd trap that sent him skidding at times, Naruto was already was he able to see a difference. The amount of fallen rocks, while still numerous, was slowly becoming less of a problem. Like a person walking into a rain storm and then managing to find themselves on the outskirts of the worst of it.
And, finally and fortunately, both ninken and ninja to be saw light at the end of the tunnel. As he neared it, Naruto briefly so a flash in the corner of his vision and began rushing forward even more quickly than before. Just as the end was near did Naruto dive and tuck and roll; his arms protectively wrapped around Hotto. No sooner had he dove did a series of even louder thuds and crashes vibrate and rock the cave like a ship in turbulent waters.
When it finally ended, Naruto risked looking up and was greeted to a collapsed cavern, and something even more upsetting not that far from the exit.
"Oh, come on," luck was not with him right now.
Rarespawn: Kohu, The Forgotten Rapacious King – Lv 14
HP: 2350
CP: 1200
STR: 49
VIT: 54
DEX: 29
END: 38
INT: 4
WIS: 8
LUK: 27
Defense: 35
Special Perks:
Rarespawn Blessing [Lv 1]: +1000 HP, +250 CP, +10% towards all Resistances; All Attributes Increased by 10; +5 Defense
Nighttime Effect: +15% towards Attributes and Power, Speed, and Effectiveness towards Skills; +15% Increase towards Movement Speed in and out of combat; [Perks] and [Specialization] enhanced by additional 15%
Perks:
*Cannibal [Lv 2]: +40% Effectiveness towards [Cannibalism Skill] and 20% Effectiveness towards [Enhanced Cannibalism Skill]; +40% Effectiveness towards [Fear-Related Skills]
*Keen-Senses [Lv 4]: +80% Effectiveness towards [Detect Presence Skill], Immune to [Henge Skill]
*Toxic-Touch [Lv 2]: +40% Effectiveness and Power towards [Poison-Related Skills] and [Debuff Skills] performed physically
?:?
Titles:
Worse than Trash [Lv Max]: Any skill and perks that involves allies are reduced to their lowest level, reputation with inhabitants of [Training Ground Two] is forever Abhorred
Flaws:
Impaired [Movement]: -50% towards Movement Speed and Evasion
Blind: Incapable of using [Detection Skills] based on sight, -75% towards Accuracy
Description: Formerly the king of the rats, this creature allowed his gluttony to get the best of him and began feeding on members of his own mischief despite their abundance of food. Eventually the other rats had enough and they banded together under another's authority. Kohu was defeated in combat and severally injured and left to die in the tunnels where he tiptoed on the edge of life and death due to his injuries. Eventually, however, by some miracle or luck, or some dark curse fueled by revenge, the former rat king managed to recover enough to survive by himself. However, his wounds have long since festered, taking away his sight and leaving him looking more like a hideous wretch than a former monarch, the pain slowly turning him mad and forcing him to rely on sneak attacks and his other senses in order to survive.
EXP Earned: ?
Drops: ?, ?, ?, ?
"What's the star next to the perks for?" that hadn't been there previously but Naruto guessed it marked a recent mastery of the [Observe Skill]. The sudden appearance from a new screen gave him his answer but it was one Naruto could have done without.
Apparently, the star symbol next to the perks meant they were enhanced and what was currently being showcased wasn't true value. Naruto didn't what was worse. The foe he was about to face, or the bit of information he just learned. Either way, there was no argument from the Gamer regarding the creature's horrible description.
The giant rat that was eating its own kind was little more than a ghoul. Its fur blackened or missing in several areas as though it had the misfortune of being caught in a fire. Its left eye a milky white surrounded by sickly yellow pus that had crusted over countless times while the other was nothing more than trails of dug out flesh that led to horrible looking black hole which radiated pure madness. It was unlike anything Naruto had ever witnessed. Half an ear was missing and the other wasn't any better off and its worm-like tail appeared to have been bitten in half and melted to the point that bone was clearly visible. Naruto would have said its left hind-leg shared the same fate if not for the fact it had nothing from the knee down. Its claws and teeth a horribly mixture of green, brown, and yellow that reminded Naruto of something better left unsaid.
Film and saliva fell to the ground and angrily devoured whatever it made contact with without remorse. The fumes they caused wafted through the air and nearly made Naruto and Hotto gag. The combination of rotten sewage, expired eggs and many months old expired milk would have been more pleasant.
"Grr!"
Naruto hushed the small ninken by muzzling his mouth with his hand but the rat stilled and then slowly looked towards him nonetheless in an eerie and frightening matter. Their cover was blown.
"Screw VIT. I'm investing every AP into Hotto's INT next time," were Naruto's thoughts as he prepared himself for battle.
Suddenly an unholy cloak began rising from its form like steam would from a body in winter. The rat's form shifted and bubbled unpleasantly. Naruto honestly believed a series of giant zits were forming and ready to blow and cover everything in sight in an explosion of nasty as hell goo. But it never came to that, fortunately.
But the former rat king did look a hell of a lot meaner and as unhinged as a mad supervillain from his old manga books. To describe it all in one word, Naruto believed the word 'sharp' would best describe the creature.
And not the good kind of sharp. Sharp as in its fur stood on edge and looked as though they belonged on the back of a porcupine. Eyes narrower and focused like an unforgiving laser, the mad look more intensified than before that Naruto once more thanked his fortune for the [Gamer's Mind]. Its claws and teeth were acid dripping kunai that went through the rock as easily as dry wicker would catch fire. The tail now more reminiscent of a spear than a useless lump of bone and melted flesh.
|Warning! Warning!|
|Kohu has undergone a transformation and is now affected by the [Enhanced Ghoul] Skill!|
"Ah, crude," nothing else was said or thought as the creature belched forth a horrid puke green cloud in his direction that sizzled and eroded the very surfaces it skimmed over.
Quickly jumping, Naruto performed a quick roundhouse kick at the deadly corrosive cloud, "Futon: Fuhajin no Jutsu (Wind Release: Wind Wave Blade)!"
A wide gust of wind trailed behind the kick. Each technique made contact with the other and the green cloud was briefly pushed back before the wind release technique overpowered it and forced it to disperse into something less than harmless.
"...Okay, where's the rat?" Naruto had expected the former rat leader to have remained where he was but apparently it was much smarter than that. A quick look around revealed that the cave he was in was littered with crevices and tunnels; any one of which could have been used by Kohu to make his escape.
From his right, Naruto wasted no time and lashed out with his weapon as quickly as he could when Kohu suddenly exploded from the ground like a shark from the sea. The weapon smashed into the creature's face and diverted its trajectory but it landed a blow nonetheless.
|Warning! Warning!|
|You are suffering from the debuff [Diseased: Lv 2]!|
Naruto scowled and moved to attack the former king but could only watch as Kohu's body suddenly sank into the floor of earth and stone and disappeared from sight.
"Great, one of those," a hit and run type enemy and one that knew assassination or stealth-related Doton techniques Anko had showed him. A good tactic to use, but Naruto hated facing those kinds of enemies. Doubly so when those enemies dealt debuffs as easily as breathing. They were annoying as hell.
This fight was going to be annoying as well.
(Elsewhere)
"The plan's not going to work, Mizuki," the shadowed figure shook their head at the arrogant man's idiocy. How he was promoted to Chunin and why their master had him be a part of his plans was beyond the informant.
"It will work," Mizuki scowled at the informant. The traitor of Konoha knew little about the individual before him as the informant was very secretive. Mizuki didn't even know if the informant was male or female, just that he or she would appear randomly for an update or to inform him on what needed to be done.
"The demon won't graduate. His skills may have gotten better–"
"May implies a stroke of luck on his part. Outright winning a mock tourney and beating the top two students in Taijutsu isn't a stroke of luck! The boy has gotten better!" the informant corrected the man, authority washing over the traitorous Konoha ninja like a strong gale in a valley. Unlike the Chunin before him the informant didn't let their emotions cloud their judgement.
"Blame the snake bitch and her friends for that," the man snarled at the thought of Anko. Nowhere in a millions years did he think the cold hearted or uncaring woman would take a liking to the demon and start training it, "Hell, blame the fucking Hokage, too."
The cloaked figure had to concede – but not by much, really – to Mizuki's point. Anko was as much of an outcast as much as Naruto. Not nearly as bad but the spy guessed it was enough to sympathize with the boy despite how distant she usually was. Having Mizuki interfere in the training would cause some suspicions but the man was no fool to mess with the Hokage's orders or Anko herself. That or he feared risking getting on their bad side and falling under their radar.
"At any rate, your job was to weaken and impede the growth of the academy graduates as much as you could without getting caught. You've done a decent job so far with the others but now the boy's steadily making his way to the middle ranking! Jinchuriki are game changers, especially the nurtured ones! From what I've heard, the Hokage suspects a traitor within the academy."
"My cover's blown!?" a look of fear appeared on the man's face and the informant believed he was ready to run.
"I said suspect, you idiot! The Hokage doesn't know who yet but is carefully getting the matter looked into. It may take months but it's only a matter of time before you're found out. Orochimaru-sama is not pleased, Mizuki," the Konoha traitor didn't run but paled and for a brief second, he felt his heart stopped as he heard those words.
The informant knew about it. Years ago, Mizuki had met the rogue ninja Orochimaru on a mission. More accurately, Orochimaru had witnessed Mizuki killing his teammates from impeding a mission's success and for suspecting Mizuki of performing underhand deals with Konoha enemies.
Rather than kill him, Orochimaru made the man an offer to work for him instead and become one of his eyes and ears at the academy along with a few other things. As Mizuki had grown distant from the village and sought to make himself powerful, the offer seemed pretty good at the time. Orochimaru had promised the man incredible power few possessed and Mizuki wholeheartedly agreed. Not that he was in any position anyway to refute the powerful ninja. The informant doubted that Mizuki wouldn't be standing in front of them had the man declined the offer. Orochimaru didn't like leaving any loose ends.
"Then what do you suggest I do?" Mizuki asked, "The plan can still go off without a hitch. Even with his improvements the demon still can't make a proper Bunshin and without that his chances of becoming a ninja remain the same," Mizuki smirked.
"And what are your plans on the off chance he does pass?" the informant asked him, "And if you say he won't, I'll cut out your tongue."
Mizuki frowned and held back the remark before he gave an answer, "Then I'll get some other scapegoat. Not everyone passes and you have no idea what some fuckups are willing to do to become a ninja. I'll even frame the demon and make Konoha focus their attention on him while I make a break for it. Just make sure you take care of the ANBU when the time comes," as much as he liked it to be the demon, Mizuki had to bitterly acknowledge the fact he'd be forced to improvise should it occur. But such thoughts became secondary when the man suddenly felt a cold tight grip around his throat. Air became very
"Don't assume that a pathetic excuse of a ninja like you can order me about!" the informant practically snarled at the man and tightened their grip on his throat, "I give the orders around here. Not you! Do so again and you'll breathe your last," and with that the individual harshly tossed the man to the ground with a resounding thud. The strength and force behind the throw as his body crashed on the hard soil wracked his body with pain. The informant would have released a cruel laugh when they saw Mizuki gasped for air whilst he tried to right himself. But he wasn't worth the effort.
"Do not fail us, Mizuki. You wouldn't like to see what Orochimaru-sama does to traitors or those who fail him. The man is truly an artist at prolonging the suffering of others, and that's if they're lucky," the giddiness in the informant's voice gave the man the distinct impression they wanted to see him fail just so it they could witness him suffer.
"I… won't fail," the traitor's voice was hoarse to the person's actions. "I'll get it done."
"See that you do," they said and tossed him a vial, "A gift from Orochimaru-sama, not that you deserve it. Drink that vial should you find yourself in bind, and only when you find yourself in a bind!"
"What is it? Poison?" most ninja committed suicide to being captured and interrogated. But Mizuki lacked the mental fortitude to do so.
"I said it was a gift from our master and you think it's poison? You truly are a fool, aren't you?" taken aback by the comment, Mizuki would have retorted but was too slow, "Think of it as a form of liquid courage. And remember, drink it only when you find yourself in a bind and only then. I'll see you two months' time."
The man blinked and the informant was no longer before him. Mizuki could not hold back a scowl from etching itself onto his visage as it finally set in that his plans were slowly falling apart. It had been so simple when he planned it all. The demon fails, he shows some sympathy and earns his trust, and gives the demon a chance to become a ninja by stealing the Scroll of Seals. And when it was to try and learn a technique to occupy it long enough, Mizuki would sneak up on the demon and end its life before getting rid of the body and then be on his merry way. If the demon continued to improve and grow stronger then all that planning would be shot to hell. Now he needed to make a backup plan in case the demon did pass.
Deciding to deal with it later, Mizuki swiftly pocketed the vial and left to go about his daily life. The man had a few loose ends of his own he needed to take care of as well,
"Might as well get a few fucks out of Tsubaki before I leave," the man smirked at the thought of his beloved fiancé. Tsubaki was the only other person who knew about his affiliation with Orochimaru. Not everything but enough to have him locked up in the Konoha Strict Correctional Facility for the remainder of his life. But her love for him and her own dislike of the demon after the loss of her family at its hands stopped her from reporting him to the village.
The only upside of the demon getting stronger was that it allowed Mizuki to convince the woman that it was manipulating the Hokage to return to its former self. Showing her the result of his scores and embellishing a few things about the tourney only added fuel to the fire. As it was, the woman was more or less firmly on his side.
"Maybe I can convince her to come with me," he mused as despite his lust for power and hate for the demon outweighing his love for Tsubaki, Mizuki still had a lingering soft spot for the woman. If nothing else he'd find some way to use her as a scapegoat for everything that was about to happen should it go sideways. If everything went well, he'd get more power and have a beautiful lover by his side.
|Meanwhile|
"I. Hate. Rats!" and not just because they were disease infested little thieves that brought down real-estate values. They were annoying and numerous as hell!
Naruto's battle with Kohu had been, as predicted, annoying as hell. It couldn't even be called a proper battle to be honest. The rat would appear and then disappear at random.
It was especially annoying when he was either engaged with other rats, or trying to navigate around trap filled areas. Its stealth skill and the Doton skills it used to hide its presence didn't help given they were much higher than either of his detection skills. It had made Naruto and Hotto very jittery. Even the slightest of sounds weren't ignored. Doing so was a mistake that had almost cost them a couple of times.
But they had prevailed in the end. Kohu had met a very untimely but very well-deserved demise. And Hotto almost joined him, "Really am gonna invest those points into his INT."
But despite that near setback, Hotto's unexpected [Tsuga] had both him and Kohu setting off a pit trap. A deep one filled with rats. Naruto remembered the former rat leader's painful screeches as it was swarmed by its former subjects. The rat was bigger than Naruto but the swarm and countless teeth and claws, and the use of a deadly cocktail for good measure, ended up proving too much.
However, in the end, all Naruto got for it was a skill scroll known as Ninpo: Dokkasō (Ninja Art: Toxic Luster Claw) and the [Minor Soulstone of the Rat]. The skill scroll was a C-Rank technique, a rare and unique one according to its description, but useless to Naruto as it required him to know [Basic Medical Ninjutsu] and [Basic Toxicology] and his INT was nowhere near the necessary level needed.
The soulstone was welcoming. It granted or improved the [Stealth Skill] and ones DEX by five. With his DEX and stealth already high as it was, Naruto ended up using it on Hotto. The ninken needed to be stealthier and quicker. Even then, stealth did little to help them as they went in deeper into the dungeon.
"Futon: Shisenko (Wind Release: Lion's Battle Roar)!" from his mouth did Naruto unleash a loud and powerful gale that struck the nearby rats.
The power of the technique coupled with his perks pretty much made the technique a one hit kill for the rats due to their low HP. It was currently his most powerful technique and wide and far reaching enough. However, it costly in terms of CP and its current level required him to be stationary and also took him three seconds 'casting time' to use. Luckily it was nothing he couldn't handle. The downsides would likely go away once the technique was mastered.
The only other downside was that the rats that were now appearing were smaller, quicker, smarter and had taken on Kohu's hit and run fighting style. Once they were underground or sank into the stone the effectiveness of the technique was lowered considerably. Naruto didn't want to test out if it was strong enough to blast a hole in the wall and risk a cave in.
"Nearly an hour in. No way in hell am I starting over," a quick flick of his wrist had a kunai digging into a rat's head. The weapon didn't kill it but it did distract it that it forgot about Hottomaru. The little ninken took advantage of the opening and went for the rat's throat and began vigorously shaking the unfortunate creature.
Its treatment stopped when two rats made a beeline for the ninken. However, it was a temporary reprieve and seconds later it was nothing more that floating bits of light when the Komainu pup used [Tsuga] on its approaching allies. The technique was not strong enough to end them, but they were left in a vulnerable state. Naruto quickly finished the deed with a couple of well-placed techniques.
"Alright, that's the last of them... I think?" Naruto hoped but didn't trust his luck right now. The blond watched as Hotto sniffed the air around him for any signs of trouble but even that meant nothing. Even with his [Detection] skills higher than his own the rats' [Stealth] skill was almost just as high.
Both Naruto and his ninken continued to have their guard up as they walked down the dark tunnels, much darker than before and likely would have appeared incredibly foreboding if not for his [Gamer's Mind] and Seishoyo's ability to give them a decent amount of light.
Both walked not even two minutes before the came into contact with solid rock, "Crap! A dead end?" Naruto was happy to be proven wrong.
|You must complete the following to face the Dungeon Boss|
Mandatory Tasks (75% of Tasks Require Completion)
Slay Mutant Rats (21/15)
Slay Big Mutant Rats (14/10)
Slay Black Mutant Rats (7/6)
Avoid Traps (17/10)
Set Off Traps Safely (11/8)
Disarm Traps (0/5)
Use traps to injure enemies (3/3)
Optional Enemies
Pit Rats (49/30)
You have met exceeded the requirements needed to face the Dungeon Boss!
For slaying the rarespawn, Kohu, The Forgotten Rapacious King you are granted automatic entry!
Additional loot will be rewarded pending Dungeon Boss' defeat!
Enemy defeat count, minimum or exceeded amount, will reset back to zero upon entering!
Except for breathing a sigh of relief, Naruto said nothing as the large slab of wall before him went upwards to who knows where and revealed a poorly lit chamber filled with tunnels and holes and a ton of bones. The sound of water was clear to hear and a small watering hole surrounded by glowing moss was spotted in the corner.
"Well, that's a pretty sight," he deadpanned but didn't have a choice in the matter if he wanted to proceed to the next dungeon.
The first thing to greet his ears was the sound of countless little bones being crushed beneath his feet. The skeletons of creatures were everywhere and Naruto didn't see anywhere in the large cave that was free of them. Any chance of trying to go at it with stealth was crossed off the list.
"Grr."
"And here we go," Naruto muttered and prepared himself. But nothing prepared him for his detection skills going haywire. Pop ups appeared everywhere in his line of vision. So numerous was the amount that Naruto almost saw nothing else but pop ups.
Having enough, Naruto barked, "Go away!" thankfully the act worked.
However, "Oh, shit," in hindsight, Naruto would have preferred the pop ups instead of the countless eyes that shined in the dark. He could honestly say he could use Midori right about now. The large serpent would likely consider the large swarm that circled him a decent feast.
"Grr! Arf! Arf!"
Hotto being Hotto merely barked at the large swarm. Whether it was false bravado or his Komainu blood kicking in Naruto didn't know. He did know this: there were a lot of rats and Naruto knew a decently long-distance technique with decent AoE range that could end a lot of them if they moved at him in a huddled formation.
But none of them made to move towards him.
Naruto frowned but then noticed that the cave was starting to get brighter. Daylight was his initial thought but Naruto immediately threw that thought away. He had only been here for an hour and not an entire day and he was underground. A fire then? Was someone else in here?
"Anko?"
"KI KI KI!"
"Definitely not Anko," he noted while the loud screech echoed in the cavern and Naruto was greeted by the form of a large, pure white but the almost pink and mysteriously flamed covered rat. The hell? This was a definitely a first if he ever saw one. The boy guessed this was the dungeon boss and a closer look proved it.
Boss: Kaso, The Last of the Legendary Fire Rats – Lv 16
HP: 2650
CP: 1225
STR: 42
VIT: 45
DEX: 90
END: 29
INT: 22
WIS: 34
LUK: 53
Defense: 25
Special Perks:
Dungeon Boss Blessing [Lv 1]: +1500 HP, +500 CP, +15% towards all Resistances; All Attributes Increased by 15, +10 Defense
Legendary Creature [Lv 1]: +25% increase towards all Attributes; +25% Increased Power, Speed, and EXP towards all Skills; -25% CP required towards Skills; Possess one unique perk; Possess one unique Skill
Nighttime Effect: +15% towards Attributes; +15% Power, Speed, and Effectiveness towards Skills; +15% Increase towards movement speed in and out of combat; [Perks] and [Specialization] enhanced by additional 15%
Perks:
*Fire-Master [Lv 1]: +25% Increased Power, EXP, and Speed towards [Fire-Based Skills]; -25% CP required towards [Fire-Based Skills]
*Fire-Eater [Lv 1]: +25% of CP from [Fire-Based Skills] is absorbed; +15% HP from [Fire-Based Skills] is absorbed
*Flame-Fur: Grants the Perk [Fire-Eater] Negates damage from all forms of [Fire-Based Skills] by 100%, Effectiveness of enemy [Wind-Based Skills] and [Taijutsu Skills] reduced by 25%, Physical contact by enemies will result in damage
*Nimble [Level Max]: +100% Movement Speed in and out of combat; +100% towards [Evasion]
*Keen-Senses [Lv 4]: +80% Effectiveness towards [Detect Presence Skill]; Immune to [Henge] Skill
*Aura of the Leader [Lv 1]: Allies gain +15% increase towards Attributes, Movement Speed, and Effectiveness, Power, and Speed towards Skills when in same area
Flaws:
?:?
Description: One of the few legendary fire rats of myth that still remain. Though small compared to its lesser kin, this large rat is incredibly quick and its fire-coated skin makes it a formidable opponent. However, unlike its ancestors of old that once had a decent relationship with humans this flamed covered creature has cast aside the old ways. Now it cares only for its own well-being and its clan.
EXP Earned: ?
Drops: ?, ?, ?, ?
As Naruto read the description the boy was conflicted. On one hand the creature was going to give him a good amount of EXP but on the other hand the stats and perks it had was not going to make this fight easy. Naruto wouldn't be able to use any of his elemental ninjutsu as fire would only be absorbed. Futon and Doton were his only options but the damage from Futon would be reduced by quite a bit and that was assuming he could land a hit. And because Seishoyo had the [Firebrand] perk it would be useless to use as a weapon.
"Great. [Hayate's Training Bokken] it is," Chichizouge would have been better, but the requirements to wield the pseudo-zanbato had yet to be met. The bokken was far from the ideal weapon, at least in comparison to Seishoyo, Hayate had mentioned the bokken was not to be underestimated, especially in the hands of a gifted user or a master. Hayate had told him the story about a legendary master samurai swordsman who used bokken and won against those who used steel instead, the outcome usually being their deaths.
But Naruto wasn't a gifted user – or anywhere near the level of a master to be honest – Hayate and Anko had made that very clear. At the very least it would offer some distance and Naruto had another trick up his sleeve, "Ninpo: Chakura Nagashi (Ninja Art: Chakra Flow)."
Blue energy swirled around his hands before moving up to the tip of the wooden practice sword like a snake on a branch. Upon reaching its destination, the sword gained a little over an extra foot in length. It wasn't perfect like Hayate's. The man had not only been able to extend the length of his blade by a little over five feet if he wanted to but the shroud had appeared even more compact and smooth when compared to Naruto's.
His mussing was cut short, unfortunately; and the boy was forced to dodge when the rat charged at him with blazing speed. Hotto chased afterwards but yelped in pain when a small trail of flames ignited on the path it just created.
"Great," Naruto muttered, "Hotto! Stay back!" he ordered.
"Ninpo: Goriki (Ninja Art: Hard Strength)!" a surge of power flowed through him as he used the technique. The increased STR would serve not only to improve his weapon's attack power but also allow him to reduce the damage when he blocked any incoming blow. And with speed as high is this, this would be a battle where blocking was more important than striking.
As the rat charged at him once more, its speed still baffled him, Naruto struck the ground where he believed it was going to be. The blow was nowhere close and the rat was swift to assault him with scratches and fire and bites. Each strike made him wince, and he was losing health very quickly. It wasn't a lot, but the amount lost was still greater when compared to the other rats.
"Doton: Doran (Earth Release: Earth Riot)!" earthen spikes rose around him but the leader of the rats was quick to evade injury. Brielfly unhappy and frowning the look of discontent soon turned into a grin as he eyed the rat. Though he was slower, his ninjutsu practically useless and Hotto could do nothing right now, Naruto knew this was going to be an interesting fight to say the least.
"Ki ki," Kaso squeaked at him and the flames on its fur grew larger, brighter, and from the change in temperature he felt, hotter too.
"Bring it on, you garbage eating piece of shit," Naruto taunted the creature. Naruto didn't know if it could understand him but the fire rat charged at him even faster than before and a bright flash momentarily blinded the boy. Somehow, Naruto was success in blocking its attack.
"Ow," he grunted as the hot flames licked at him and forced Naruto to retreat, but the rat didn't let up and followed him and continued its assault. "Damn it!" he grunted once more. The damage wasn't high but if it continued like this the damage would start to stack up.
"Awwroo!"
|You're currently benefiting from the ally skill [Mune no Unari (How of the Pack)]!|
"This better not be a skill you've been holding out on, Hotto!" Naruto would seriously be pissed if it was the case. Energy coursed through Naruto and the envigored blond watched as Kaso and the nearby rats stiffened momentarily. The fire rat was quicker to recover than his lesser kin but Naruto's use of Hayagake and his energized allowed him to just barely land a decent blow, "Konoha Gōka (Tree Leaf Hard Fall)!"
Wooden weapon coming on a downward stroke, Naruto caught the rat on the leg and his time around Anko made the sweet song of pain become music to his ears. Nearly two hundred points were shaved off the rat's HP. The sword technique was a basic one but the perks, his weapon and his skills really enhanced the blow. Unfortunately, it was currently the only one Naruto knew from the Konoha Kenjutsu-Ryu; Hayate being a perfectionist believed that one only earned the privilege of learning stronger skills when the basics were mastered to an appropriate level.
The other technique decent he knew came from the [Bladed Weaponry Mastery Skill], and that was also a basic skill. One arm cocked back and the other stretched out in front of him, palm flat and facing his target, Naruto thought, "Shō (Thrust)!" and the sword became a spear. But the technique missed and struck the earth inside, leaving a hole over a foot deep.
They continued this dance for several minutes, to which Naruto had managed to dodge and evade its attacks better this time. Once more the rat rushed at him, but Naruto was better prepared now and struck when it pounced. The rat gave a loud squeak and was sent flying, a very good chunk of its HP being taken in the process thanks to the Konoha Gōka skill. But the creature managed to right itself as it landed and put some distance between itself and Naruto when he tried to land another blow.
Hotto helped where he could, but the ninken was busy fighting any rat that tried to enter the fray. With his howl's ability to stun the enemy, not always he noticed, the ninken would take advantage of their immobile state and do what he did best. Naruto would send a shuriken or a well-placed ninjutsu that helped keep the rats at bay or finish off what Hotto started. Multitasking against fast and evasive enemies like this wasn't easy, but it wasn't like there any real option at the moment.
"Katon: Inka (Fire Release: Shadow Fire)!" the fire took care of two rats that Hotto was too busy to take notice of but Kaso came in whilst he was distracted. The rat pounced on him again but Naruto was able to use Fuhajin at the last second. What it lacked in power in made up in AoE and great pushback. Kaso was quick but too close to Naruto to pull off a proper evasive maneuver and was sent flying into the air some distance away tail over head and into the nearby pool of water.
"Ki! Ki!" squealed and writhed in pain and looked as though he couldn't get out of water fast enough. His flaming fur no longer alight and his movements sluggish.
|Congratulations!|
|A Critical Blow has been dealt to Kaso!|
|Through a special act you've discovered and unlocked the hidden weakness of Kaso! [Hydrophobia]!|
|Kaso's Flame-Fur Perk has been temporarily neutralized [3 Minutes]|
"Yes!" this was exactly what Naruto needed. But even with one of his perks down the rat was still pretty damn quick. Worse, the rats from the horde were coming in more frequently now and in greater number. Like any game he played, this was the moment where the underlings came to defend their currently in a bind leader.
"Hotto! Close your eyes!" he ordered and quickly equipped his other weapon in his free hand, "Hikaru (Brilliance)!"
"Ki! Ki!"
Blinded by the light from the weapon, Naruto was glad to see that Kaso had also fallen under its spell and quickly rushed towards the dungeon boss. Rats were kicked, smacked or sliced away with little regard as ninja in training and ninken speared their way towards their destination. Only a dozen feet away, Naruto launched a Shisenko that bone-crushingly slammed into the dungeon boss right as it began getting over the debuff.
Kaso smashed into other rats when it came down for a hard landing but lived up to the reputation expected of bosses by quickly getting up and entered one of the nearest dark holes.
"Damn he's quick," Naruto scowled.
The blow had pretty much caused the boss' health to go below the half way mark, but now it was going somewhere to lay low until his perk came back on. And now Naruto and Hotto were left with a large amount of rats to deal with.
(Meanwhile)
"Are… are you serious," Anko managed to force out.
"One hundred percent, Anko," Hiruzen smiled.
There were very few times was Anko ever rendered speechless in her entire life. Up until now, the most memorable of which had been when Orochimaru of the Sannin had chosen her to be his apprentice – a decision she'd later come to regret mind you – another being when she and learned that the famed Yondaime Hokage – a man who pulled Konoha's ass out of the fire when all seemed lost – died during the Kyubi no Yoko Incident. Naruto's ability to live his life as a video game – something that if she was being honest was still taking her some getting used to – being one of the more recent and currently the most recent one was her being wide-eyed and staring in disbelief at the new vest she was now holding.
"Hokage-sama... I don't... Thank you," she could only say.
Hiruzen merely continued to smile, knowing emotions with Anko were never easy. But after seeing everything she did through his crystal ball and how far Naruto had come under such a short amount of time, the Sandaime believed he knew he was making the right choice, "While some are against it, I am Hokage and you've earned your promotion to Jōnin."
Jōnin. Even hearing it and replaying it in her mind over and over again, this had been the very last thing she expected when she had been summoned to his office. Honestly, Anko thought the man merely wanted her report on the border patrol. Getting promoted to Jōnin was the farthest thing she believed would occur, "Hokage-sama… Thank you."
The man chuckled at bit at the repeat, "Like I said, you've earned it, Anko," the man smiled even more when he saw her try to discreetly wipe away a tear, "Now then, I know it's early but have you considered what we discussed before we left?"
The discussion he referred to had been Anko becoming a Jōnin sensei. While full fledge Jōnin were often in that position, generally the more experienced ones, it wasn't uncommon for a recently promoted Jōnin or Tokubestu Jōnin to have a Genin team of his or her own.
"Yeah, I did… What the hell, I'll give it a shot," she grinned. The woman knew she was going to have to teach a group sometime in the future, most Jōnin did, might as well do it now with Naruto and two others she had her eye on.
"Excellent. As soon as the others joins us, we can begin," Hiruzen informed her.
And not five minutes later did the office of the Hokage start filling up with other potential Genin team leaders. Upon spotting Anko with a Jōnin vest those closest to her congratulated the woman on her promotion. Others were shocked that the woman got the promotion and the fact she was also being considered as a potential instructor candidate so soon.
"Congratulations, Anko," Kakashi was the last one to enter and praise the woman for her achievement. Never once looking away from his newest piece of literature, or as Kurenai liked to call it, pornographic trash.
"Now that you've all gathered, I believe we can begin," Hiruzen starred at the many would be Jōnin instructors.
"I'm surprised Hatake's on time for once," Anko, wearing her new Jōnin vest with pride, earned a few laughs from the very truthful comment. Though Anko would most likely forgo wearing it around Konoha and stick to her regular attire. The woman still couldn't get over her promotion. Relatively speaking Anko had now replaced Kurenai as the rookie of the group. In all honesty, if one were to ask Anko if she was to become a Jōnin sensei some months back she would have laughed in their face. That mindset had changed since she met and began training Naruto.
"Hmm, did you say something, Anko?" many snickered or sighed at the man's antics.
"I ain't Gai, Kakashi. That's not gonna work on me. Oh, and by the way, Saiki ends up with Noriko," she finished and gave a devilish smirk to the man reading the newest edition of Icha Icha. Several men groaned or began weeping, much to the disgust of some kunoichi.
"Why am I not surprised," Kurenai sighed at her friend's attics. Anko had always been sexually promiscuous, using her sex appeal to her advantage on several occasions and reading such books to help give her ideas. The woman didn't whore around like many thought her to be, but the woman didn't exactly do herself any favors at times.
"Wait, isn't Saiki a woman's name?"
Anko and Kakashi merely gave Kurenai a blank look before the two of them gave her the same answer, "What's your point?"
"Oh, lovely," the Genjutsu Mistress of Konoha scrunched up her face in disgust. The woman didn't bother hiding it from the perverts in the room. Part of her wasn't surprised that there would be such a theme in these types of books.
"It was lovely. That build up was going on for months. What you did was just plain mean, Anko," Kakashi sulked for finding out an important piece of plot. He'd still read it but it wouldn't be as thrilling.
"Man, that's just sad," Asuma chuckled.
"I wouldn't talk if I were you, Asuma," Anko shot back and the man stiffened, even more so when he saw Kurenai subtlety shifting her gaze towards him out of the corner of her judging crimson eyes, "As I recall, don't you also-"
"Ahahddahahh," the man covered Anko's face before she could finish. Though it didn't stop Kurenai from scowling at the man, "Now, I don't know what you're talking about… You can lick my hand all you want I'm not gonna OOUCCH!" the man took his hand away, a bite mark firmly visible on the palm.
"Tasty, but – Plah!– I could do without the ashy after taste," even then Anko licked her lips and made several Jōnin in the room shudder.
While looking impassive at the events happening before him, Hiruzen mentally wept at the unfairness of it all. The man not only had just gotten the book from his student but also only just recently started reading it, "Damn it, Anko."
Getting the room back under order, Hiruzen began the meeting once more, "Settle down, everyone. Now then. As you all know the academy graduation ceremony is less than a few months away. All of you were given a report of the potential future Genin the academy has to offer. Do any of you have suggestions on who you want?"
"I do, I do!" Anko jumped up and down, her arm waving in the air like a child.
"Yes, Anko," the man was surprised how eager she was.
"Uzumaki Naruto, Yamanaka Ino, and Hyuga Hinata!" Anko announced.
"I can understand Naruto but why the other two, Anko?" Hiruzen asked. Truthfully the man knew his son wanted to continue the tradition of forming the InoShikaCho team with the newest generation and Kurenai had a vested interest in Hiashi's daughter.
"Simple, I know the Gaki in and out and still have tons to teach him for one. Two, Inoichi's brat surprised me the last time I saw her and she's got guts. Her natural flexibility and her clan's techniques and background make her the perfect candidate to learn about interrogation."
"You plan to teach a child interrogation?" Iruka asked in disbelief.
"The moment they put on the headband is the moment they stop being kids, Umino," Anko scowled and the man flinched. "Besides, in the past the Yamanaka begin teaching kids the basics of interrogation should they ever meet someone capable of resisting their mind techniques."
"And the Hyuga?" Hiruzen asked.
"Easy. Her eyes allow for long range scouting and her Taijutsu allows her to disable her opponents when she gets in close, making 'em easier for capture," Anko reasoned. "Of course, she's gonna need some work done. But having her around her oblivious crush could help."
Kurenai frowned at the words but couldn't help but agree with her friend's assessment. Hinata had confidence issues, partially in fault to her father and her traumatic childhood. Having lost her mother who had been pregnant with what would have been her third sibling along with believing she had been the cause of her uncle's death due to her failed kidnapping from the Kumo ambassador years ago.
"So, you're trying to create a Tracking, Capture and Interrogation Team?" Kakashi assessed.
"In a manner of speaking," Anko acknowledged. "Naruto has incredible levels of chakra, a lot of piss and vinegar in him and enormous endurance. The kid's gonna be the muscle of the three if and when things get hairy. When you include the tactics he'll be able to employ with that mutt of his they can basically beat the hell out of their opponents and wear them down. Hotto's a ninken so he's got keen senses. He's young but he'll be able to detect things we may miss and shouldn't be underestimated. With her eyes Hinata's the scout and the one who immobilizes them with her love taps," Kurenai smirked lightly.
The woman would have loved to see the Hyuga Clan's reaction to Anko calling their famed taijutsu the Gentle Fist as 'love taps'.
"Academy records says she's also in the top three when it comes to chakra control and she's demonstrated a very good competence for basic medical skills. With a little nudging and extra training in that area the girl could also be classified as the team medic. Kami knows how banged up the Gaki gets when we train. Then again, that thick skull of his does more damage to what he makes contact with. Poor trees," several Jōnin just deadpanned at that tidbit of information. Anko rarely did things half assed and her methods, while unorthodox and intense were effective.
"And Ino?"
"The Yamanaka's role is simple: the infiltrator, the interrogator, the deadly femme fatale," that last bitthrew many off.
"Femme fatale?" Asuma had to admit that was a first during one of these.
"The girl's young but she'll easily grow up into a beauty and start turning heads. Already is actually. She used her sex appeal to fight a superior opponent and almost won. The girl's got brains, wit, charms and looks as a weapon. Combine that with some poison and a bit of refinement and you've got yourself a deadly kunoichi. Aka: me!" Anko couldn't help her boasting.
And while Hinata and Ino wouldn't really be powerhouses like Naruto – but then again not all of them had reality altering powers and a mountain of chakra within them – they had other strengths going for them that Naruto wouldn't be able to possess. Either because of lack of interest or talent or because of how far on a spectrum he already was.
"Hmm, interesting," Hiruzen mused. While it was uncommon for a team to have two kunoichi, three if one counted the Jōnin, and one male shinobi it happened nonetheless. Both Naruto's mother and Hinata's mother had been part of a three kunoichi team along with Uchiha Mikoto. One that was led by his late wife, Biwako. Having a team with only one male Genin and the rest being female wasn't that bad or disconcerting.
"Do I hear any counters?"
"I actually wanted Ino to form the InoShikaCho batch. We all know how effective the trio have been when together," Asuma said.
"And I actually wanted Hinata under my care seeing as how I've known her the longest and know what she needs to improve on. With a little training and being teamed up with Shino and Kiba they'd make an excellent tracking team," Kurenai explained.
"I'm good really. It would have been interesting to teach Naruto some ninjutsu but his fighting style and what he has is too different from my own. It would clash more so than anything," Kakashi said. While he would have liked to have taught his sensei's son, the man wasn't to make a big fuss about it. Naruto had improved under Anko, best let the boy finish with her and see what he could do for him done the line.
"Hmm," Hiruzen stroked his beard, contemplating what he was going to do but seeing Anko's look, Hiruzen asked, "Problem, Anko?"
"Permission to speak freely, Hokages-sama?" she asked.
The elderly man knew he might regret it but honestly wished to hear what she had to say, "Granted."
"Both Nai-chan and Asuma's suggestions are flawed," Anko honestly said. "And that's sugar coating it."
"Explain," Hiruzen asked her, all the while applauding the woman for toning down the usual profanity.
"Ok, I'll admit with the smokestack that the InoShikaCho team has been used and done for generations and to deadly effect," Anko admitted and Asuma didn't look insulted by the nickname.
"That being said, Hokage-sama, it's been done time and time again. New chapter, same old content. Much as I hate my bastard of a teacher," many tensed as they knew whom she referred to, "The asshole did have some good points that stuck with me: we're ninja and to win fights we need to be unpredictable."
"Yeah, what's your point?" Asuma asked.
"The InoShikaCho isn't unpredictable anymore. Sure, back in the day and now, their teamwork is recorded as being one of the best in ninja history. But here's the thing. They've been doing the same song and dance routine since the time they were founded centuries ago that the shock and awe of it isn't what it used to be. You know what that means? The way they fight, the way they think, basically everything about the InoShikaCho teams have been recorded throughout history. Which means that during that time-span our enemies have come up with ways to counter their moves. Yeah, they make an awesome and fearsome team but put them against someone who knows how to fight them or prevents them from pulling off their trademark moves and they are almost sitting ducks because that's basically all they're trained on. The other problem is that not all InoShikaCho members work well together despite their clan ties so the effectiveness of it isn't something to fear. Their strengths are also their biggest weakness. Their techniques are still deadly and useful, but after doing it for so long, unless they're exceptionally gifted or lucky, they're only truly effective when used in tandem with each other. But if you teach one of them something they don't know, something the enemy won't expect–"
"You catch them off guard, throw the enemy off and whatever plans they had will be forced to change or be left at their mercy," Kurenai finished.
"Exactly. Unfortunately, I know that smokestack here isn't going to do that based on his past reputation," Asuma didn't bother denying it. The man was laid back and didn't bother doing things unless they were necessary. "You can have the Nara and the Akimichi for all I care. I got no time or desire to teach lazy bums."
"And the Hyuga girl?" Kakashi asked her.
"Quite frankly, and I don't say this to be mean, Nai-chan, her growth and skill as a kunoichi at the moment will be hampered under Kurenai," was Anko's blunt answer.
Many near them backed away with the exception of Asuma and Kakashi, the latter of whom looked ready to snap his book shut and the other cast a wayward glance. While it was unlikely, both knew they may have to restrain them if it came to that. Kurenai and Anko were polar opposites as kunoichi, and good friends, but both had one thing in common: their anger got the best of them at times.
"Excuse me!" not only was Kurenai insulted by the comment made by her friend, she looked the part, too. "I've known Hinata for a long time and I know what she needs. You've been Jōnin for less than a day now, Anko. What makes you the expert all of a sudden?" she asked hotly, her Ice Queen of Konoha persona coming into play.
"Two months, Nai-chan," Anko's response confused not only Kurenai but several of the other Jōnin, too.
"In almost two months time since I was assigned as the Gaki's mentor, I managed get him to do better at the academy. Not only that but many thought the brat was gonna be the Dead Last, too. And, guess what, thanks to me the Gaki's on his way to being in the middle ranking," Anko acknowledged that part of it was also thanks to his unique Gamer ability. However, none here needed to know that and the kunoichi still played a major role in it too despite said ability.
"A lot of people thought it was impossible for the Gaki to show improvement, Nai-chan. Not only did he thrash those wannabe ninja during the Taijutsu bout half an hour ago, but he also beat the top of the class in taijutsu."
"What?" Kurenai was left in disbelief, and she wasn't the only one.
"That's right. The Gaki beat the Inuzuka and the Uchiha," she smirked. "Ask Umino, he organized the whole thing till I took over."
Anko's words had many Jōnin looking at the academy instructor for confirmation. Iruka for his part merely nodded with a smile, "It's true. Naruto defeated both Kiba and Sasuke."
"Damn," Asuma was pretty impressed. The man had heard about Sasuke being a prodigy like his older brother and with the Uchiha Clan's Sekkendo Taijutsu style it wouldn't be an easy fight. It was an impressive fighting style that was only enhanced by the Sharingan, but even it was very effective and formidable. Likewise, the Inuzuka were known for their Ranken (Wild Fist) Taijutsu as well and their speed and feints were pretty well known.
"You need to face facts, Nai-chan. You're coddling the kid. You're too emotionally attached to push her beyond her limits. I'm attached to the Gaki but I don't let it impede me from pushing him. I've done in two months what you have yet to do in two years. I'm not saying you didn't do anything, the girl's better than what she used to be. And I know that they're both different, the Gaki's got more piss and vinegar in him, but two years and with little improvement-"
"Stop," Kurenai's eyes were shadowed and her fists were trembling. "Please stop, Anko."
"I've heard enough as well," Hiruzen butted in before it escalated further. "I've made a decision. Anko, pending their results at the academy and should they pass, I'm assigning Yamanaka Ino, Uzumaki Naruto and Hyuga Hinata under your tutelage as Team Eight," he smirked; it was payback time, "but you get to tell Inoichi, Shikaku, and Chouza why their children for the next formation of the InoShikaCho is being skipped a generation."
"… This is because I ruined the ending for you isn't?" were he smoking his pipe, Hiruzen would have choked on the smoke. While some looked away, others tried to hold in their laughs. His former's student's student was too quick for her own good at times.
Afterwards, one by one did the Jōnin inform Hiruzen on who they wanted to be a part of their team. With Kakashi his primary choice was Uchiha Sasuke, Haruno Sakura and Inuzuka Kiba. With Asuma it was Nara Shikamaru, Akimichi Chouji, and Aburame Shino. When the last one was done, Hiruzen dismissed all of the Jōnin except for Kurenai.
"I'm afraid you won't be getting a team this year, Kurenai," the man sadly informed the woman.
"Hokage-sama - " Kurenai began but stopped when Hiruzen raised his hand.
"Kurenai, I have faith in your abilities to teach and lead others. I wouldn't have had you promoted otherwise," Kurenai smiled at the man's words.
"However, Anko is right. Assigning Hyuga Hinata to you could be detrimental to her growth; I cannot risk angering Konoha's most prominent clan if their heiress doesn't show improvement under her chosen Jōnin's guidance. And those who know the truth about the incident with your last student have begun questioning your ability. Because of how recent it was, I think it may be wise if I postponed you from taking the position of instructor at the moment," Kurenai winced and was glad that the office had only her and the Hokage at the moment.
The incident with Kurenai's last student, Kurama Yakumo, whom she had tutored part-time a year previous, had been a disaster. While the girl was born with a permanent illness that prevented her from performing the physical tasks of being a shinobi, she had incredible intelligence and creativity. She was also prodigious in the art of Genjutsu and in time Kurenai knew Yakumo could easily surpass her. Kurenai wouldn't be surprised if the girl had Yin Release either.
Then came the day she discovered Yakumo's secret when she overheard some Kurama Clan members. What she heard had been vague but Kurenai summed up that her powers had resulted in the creation of a second entity inside her. One that was supposedly of dark origin and the clan members feared she'd turn on them once she became powerful enough.
In the end, Kurenai did what she thought was best and sealed up the girl's powers to prevent them from getting out of control. A few members of the Kurama Clan hadn't been pleased with that little stunt. Kurenai ended up not only destroying a young girl's dream along with her faith and trust in her but ruined a clan's chance at returning to their former glory.
During the Era of Warring States, the Kurama Clan was highly feared as the Weavers of Reality, as their Genjutsu were so powerful and felt so real that it caused many to become mentally shattered, comatose, or become frightfully catatonic and left at their mercy. They weren't as powerful or on the same class such as the Uchiha and Senju, but were one of the few clans that had come very damn close. However, the clan had suffered a series of misfortunate at the end of the bloody period and lost many prominent members to the World Wars and soon fell out of the limelight. Yakumo's skill was the clan's chance at a comeback, and Kurenai, who had learned some of their Genjutsu as payment, had taken it away from them.
To prevent the clan from taking action against her, Hiruzen informed them that he had given the order and subdued the rowdier and vindictive members. Being Hokage and the most powerful ninja in the Elemental Countries at the moment made the few that wanted retribution suddenly have a sudden change of heart. The clan was angry, but not stupid. Hiruzen was old and no longer in his prime, but he was a still a powerful force to be reckoned with despite his advanced age.
"However, as I said, I would not have promoted you if you didn't have the right skill set. Therefore, I'm assigning you as an assistant Jōnin instructor. Whenever one of the instructors needs help or is required to take a mission outside Konoha beyond the capabilities of his or her Genin, you will take charge," Hiruzen stated.
Truthfully Kurenai didn't know whether to be thankful or insulted by the opportunity. While she'd be allowed to teach, she'd basically be a second choice and second fiddle really. Though Kurenai knew it was her fault. She failed not only one student but also barely improved her current ward of two years. Anko, a person who didn't care for teaching others, had managed to improve the former Dead Last in almost two months. It was an eye opener really, and as much as she didn't want to admit it, Kurenai had to agree with her friend's statement. She was too close to Hinata and without knowing it had begun coddling and holding Hinata back from unlocking her true potential. Whether it was because she feared losing Hinata once she was promoted or because she felt the need to protect the girl from any further hardship was unknown even to her.
"Thank you, Hokage-sama," Kurenai bowed to her leader and then left.
The man sighed as Kurenai left. The elderly Hokage disliked moments like this. Kurenai was a relatively new Jōnin compared to the others but her skill in Genjutsu was unmatched in Konoha. She was no Senju Toka or Hozuki Gengetsu in the art but given time the woman could potential rival the Senju and Nidaime Mizukage's skills in the art of illusions. Her skill in illusions along with her performance record was one of the main reasons why Kurenai had been promoted to Joinin almost three years ago. But, like everyone, the woman wasn't perfect. While he originally thought that Kurenai was ready to take on a team of her own, Anko had made some valid points and the reminder of her failures had only contributed. Were they not so recent, it may have been a different matter.
The Hyuga Clan was a prestigious clan in Konoha, one of the original Four Noble Clans, and with the downfall of the Senju Clan during the Second Shinobi World War, and Uchiha Clan some years ago, the Hyuga were the strongest clan in Konoha. The man couldn't afford another incident with a clan if Kurenai coddled and hampered the growth of the clan head's daughter. Hiruzen knew that Hiashi loved his eldest daughter, but Hiruzen also knew that the Hyuga were strict trainers and demanded a lot from their children, especially their heirs. It had been the same case with Hiruzen and his father, Sarutobi Sasuke.
"One can only hope Anko can help the girl," the woman had done wonders with Naruto but Hinata was a slightly different case.
(Elsewhere)
"Damn it!" Naruto cursed when his block failed and resulted in him losing over two hundred of his HP and becoming inflicting with the [Burning] debuff as a penalty. Naruto wished he had used Saigeki (Crushing Strike) on the rat when he had the chance. Kaso being affected by [Slow] would have been great and rendered the rat at his mercy. As it was, Naruto and the rat merely looked at one another, neither attacked. Hotto was on the sidelines licking his wounds and the rest of the horde was now almost non-existent. Flinging powerful ninjutsu and great AoE range that killed them in one blow would do that.
While the rat had the advantage in speed and its unique defense – which was unfortunately back in the game - Naruto had the upper hand in strength and cunning.
Quickly glancing around the cavern, Naruto kept his guard up but slowly moved and never took his eyes off of the speedy fire rat. Going back to the back to the tunnel that he was closest to, Naruto did something unexpected: he went and bolted inside the tunnel. Though confused by the act, Kaso following after him. A decision the rat would soon regret. Knives of earth came at him in the dark like bats in flight and when he moved to dodge the rat slammed into sharp earthen spears that suddenly rose to intercept him.
"Futon: Shisenko (Wind Release: Lion's Battel Roar)!" Kaso's momentary daze and the width of the tunnel played in Naruto favour. Harsh winds with the force of a stampede of rampaging bulls slammed into the dungeon boss and sent him flying back out where he entered.
"KI!" though the attack wasn't as bad it should have been, the force from the technique combined with how narrow the tunnel was made it so the gale force was centered all on the rat the moment it entered the tunnel.
""Awwroo!"
"Thanks, Hotto!" Naruto took off like a shot at the temporarily dazed creature and struck it with Saigeki (Crushing Strike). While the bokken was classified as a sword, its weapon type was a blunt weapon so the technique was still useable.
Not wasting anytime, Naruto proceeded to rain as many [Goriki] and [Chakura Nagashi] enhanced Ryoku Boku (Power Strikes) on the rat as he could and just before its health complete disappeared was it surrounded by a brilliant flash that was followed by a large and intense blaze.
"Damn it," Naruto cursed. A few more blows and the rat would have been dead. He had little time to think, however; as he felt the rat charge at him and the boy hardly had time to dodge or block this time. It was now much quicker and stronger. And for the next few minutes, the rat would charge in and attempt to strike him, and Naruto only just barely managed to keep up, block, or evade it.
When it rushed in once again, Naruto waited even long and struck out with [Doran] but even then the rat managed to avoid. But its attention was so focused on him that the rat was glanced by Hotto's [Tsuga]. The unexpected maneuver caught him in the leg and Kaso tripped over, the creature squeaking as it went skidding.
Naruto took this opportunity to end this fight with a [Shisenko], but the rat recovered too quickly and the boy felt its head ram into his gut. His shirt now ablaze once more, Naruto was sent tumbling to the ground instead of finishing off the boss.
It didn't end there though as the rat jumped on him and attempted to bite his face. Naruto managed to stop it from doing so by horizontally sticking his bokken in its mouth and held in at bay. With his greater strength the rat's attempts at biting him were proving fruitless. It only worked momentarily, Kaso was smart and quickly changed tactics and began to rake at him with its flame covered claws. Naruto was fortunate that unlike the other rats, Kaso couldn't inflict with the [Poisoned] or [Diseased] debuffs.
"Grr," Naruto grunted as he felt the pain inflicted on him by the appendages. The rat squeaked when Hotto latched onto his tail and distracted him long enough for Naruto to tuck in his legs and thrust outwards with a double kick.
Though flung well away from him, the rat recovered and righted its body, even then his HP was now at the deep end of the red zone. Rising as quickly as he could, Naruto tried to put out the flames from his armor but cursed even more when he saw Kaso retreat towards the tunnels. The Gamer wasn't going to let the boss escape to recover what remaining health that easily and set off after the fire rat. When the retreating creature was just about to enter the tunnels, Naruto quickly formed a hand sign and saw the rat's only means of escape blow up.
*BOOM* the suddenness of the explosion almost knocked him off balance and rocked the cavern. The boy could only watch as the tunnel entrance collapsed and filled with rocks.
"Damn it," Naruto cursed as his vision was momentarily clouded by dust and flying rocks. When the dust cloud cleared, Naruto breathed a sigh of relief when saw loot outside the tunnel entrance and the other rats gone.
|Hottomaru's level has increased by one!|
Name: Hottomaru
Job: Ninken (Ninja Dog)
Level: 10 Next Level: 1378/7000
HP: 600 + [25] = 625
CP: 475 + [0] = 475
STR: 13 + [0] = 13
VIT: 24 + [1] = 25
DEX: 34 + [1] = 35
END: 19 + [0] = 19
INT: 7 + [0] = 7
WIS: 8 + [0] = 8
CHA: 5 + [0] = 5
LUK: 19 + [0] = 19
Defense: 10
AP: 8 + [3] = 11
"Lucky dog," Naruto thought.
He himself had not levelled up be he was close. What happened just now had been close. But, in the end, the evasive rat hadn't escaped in time. Kaso the fire rat was dead. The strategy had been something Naruto thought of when Kaso had recuperated and when the rats had been culled to a considerable amount. Many tunnels and crevices had been laced with a series of [Lowest Ranking Exploding Tags] and while not all the tunnels had them, and it the strategy was a gamble, Kaso had made the mistake of going to one that did. Let's see how the boss liked dealing with a trap.
"Dumb rat," Naruto smirked. The boy knew that there was a chance of the rat trying to make a break for it if it got the chance. Naruto was just glad he managed to place them in the right tunnel.
"Now, let's see what we got here," he smirked. The first item was a scroll, much like with the zombie and the boar the boy didn't bother wondering why it had it and just rolled with it.
Senka no Jutsu (Flashfire Technique) D-Rank. Lv 1. 0% to Next Lv| Mastering Speed: C| A technique similar to the Shushin no Jutsu that allows one to move at incredible speed while it simultaneously flares their chakra brilliantly, blinding them and potentially impeding their vision. As a result, this makes it an excellent technique to use when wanting to land a While initially superior to the Shunshin in terms of speed, unlike the Body Flicker, the Flash Fire Skill only allows one to travel in a linear fashion. |CP usage varies on distance, time, and actions used.|
• Increases [Movement Speed] by 150% when activated.
• Increases Critical Hit chance 30% when activated.
• 30% chance of causing [Visually Impaired] debuff when activated (foes must be within a two meter radius)
• Become [Undetectable] for 10 seconds when deactivated (foes must be within five level your own or lower and user must be out of sight)
Requirements:
65 DEX, Mastery of One Speed Based Skill, Mastery of two Fire Based Skills
Hinezumi no Kōgaito (Crimson Cloak of the Fire Rat) - (Epic Quality)
Item Type: Cloak
Durability: 200/200
Defense: 25
Description: An extremely rare and ancient object made from the hide of a powerful fire rat. Few of these cloaks were ever made and all of them were thought to be lost or destroyed. The hide from the fire rat is composed of naturally occurring chakra absorbing fibers, allowing the cloak to both negate fire and absorb it, but has a terrible reaction towards water. Unlike most cloaks the material used in making this is not only very durable but extremely light.
Bonus Perks: Fire Immunity [Max LV], Fire Eater [Lv 1], Fire Master [Lv 1]
Unique Item Skill: Hari Hi no Nezumi (Shroud of the Fire Rat), Kaiyoken (Fist of the Sun)
Fuinjutsu Slots Available: [One Major Slot], [Two Minor Slots]
Flaws: Hydrophobia [Max LV]
Usage Requirements: Fire Affinity
"HOT DAMN!" Naruto cheered at the find. While [Senka] was awesome technique to learn, at the moment it was going to take a while before Naruto could even learn it. Any disappointment he had instantly evaporated after seeing his next loot.
"In your face, teme! I got an awesome fire cloak and you don't!" it was practically Christmas for the boy and Naruto couldn't be any happier. "Totally worth it!" he grinned and decided to put it on. Not bad, he thought. The hood that came with it was a nice touch too and he had to admit that deep crimson was a very good color on him. Even if it did sort of clash with his current attire's colors.
"Note to self: Future armor must not clash with cloak's color," Naruto wisely decided.
"Hrmmr?" Hotto was confused but his partner's behavior.
Either way the cloak would still offer him better defense. Picking up the last bits of loot, Naruto, though disappointed there wasn't a soulstone this time, found a near replica of what he found in the last dungeon. Only this time it was red in color.
Hi no Kagi (Fire Key) - Very Rare Quality
Item Type: Quest Item
Durability: One-Time Use
Description: A special key found in the dungeon chest of Training Ground Two. What its current use is for is currently unknown.
"Another one?" thinking back on it, Naruto did get a quest saying to locate them, "Might as well get the other three," if it was anything like his games he likely would get very good loot. Naruto smiled as a pop-up appeared, but his face threatened to split in two when he saw the last one.
Skills Level Up List
Observe [Lv 9 ~ Lv Max]
Intimidation [Lv 1 ~ Lv 3]
Basic Blunt Weapons Mastery [Lv 11 ~ Lv 14]
Basic Blade Weapons Mastery [Lv 14 ~ Lv 16]
Saigeki [Lv 7 ~ Lv 8]
Ryoku Boku [Lv 9 ~ Lv MAX]
Katon: Inka [Lv 6 ~ Lv 7]
Doton: Doran [Lv 5 ~ Lv 7]
Futon: Shisenkou [Lv 1 ~ Lv 4]
Futon: Fuhajin [Lv 1 ~ Lv 3]
Instant Dungeon Creation [Lv 1 ~ Lv 2]
Chakra Nagashi [Lv 5~ Lv 6]
Crafting [Lv 4 ~ Lv 5]
Hayagake [Lv 1 ~ Lv 4]
Detect Bloodlust [Lv 4 ~ Lv 9]
Detect Presence [Lv 11 ~ Lv 19]
Konoha Gōka [Lv 5 ~ Lv 7]
Shō [Lv 3 ~ Lv 4]
|Congratulations! Your [Instant Dungeon Creation Skill] has increased!|
You can now perform the following:
[Time Dilation for Creation Dungeons: 1:4 Ratio]
[Time Dilation for Natural Dungeons: 1:2 Ratio]
[Enter Zombie Dungeon V1.5]
[Enter Haunted Woods V1.0]
Legend of the Kyuubi
Making the rounds.
- Joined
- Sep 14, 2026
- Messages
- 35
Chapter 12: A Long Awaited Day
|Over Two Months Later|
"Finally," Hiruzen sighed as he finished the last of today's paperwork. With this year's block of academy students graduating but a mere couple of days away the amount had been increasing. The man took the opportunity to look over Konoha. The rooftops were covered in decent coat of glittering white. While the country of Hi no Kuni didn't get as much snow compared to Kumo, Mizu, or some of the other lesser countries, they still had the occasional winter where they received a decent blanket of snow.
Hiruzen treasured rare moments such as these. The man recalled his first snowfall in Konoha as a young boy. A moment that he shared with his teammates and teachers. The group had been training almost all day when the weather had gradually shifted from cool to cold followed by the falling of snowflakes from above. The group had later spent the rest of the day merely playing and enjoying the change in scenery. The man chuckled as he recalled how both Tobirama and Hashirama managed to take a friendly snowball fight and somehow transformed it into an epic battle. The man remembered how the two most powerful men in Konoha received a scolding from Mito and cowered before the intimidating woman as though they were mere children. Hiruzen only regretted not having a camera to picture the event.
"To relive such a moment such as that one last time," even if it was only once the God of Shinobi wished to spend one last moment with his departed teachers and loved ones. But the man shook such thoughts from his mind. It wouldn't do well to dwell on the past and cloud one's thoughts with such things. While it was good to dream, sometimes they could become a burden and hamper a person from doing what was required of them in the present.
There were few times where Hiruzen felt his age since becoming Hokage. However, in the most recent years since retaking the mantle after the Kyubi Incident, those times came more often than he'd like to admit. Training when he had the time was often one of them. It was abundantly clear to those who bore witness to his skill as a ninja in his youth that he was no longer at the top of his game, as the saying went. While no spring chicken any longer, he was still a force to be reckoned with and still the most powerful of the Five Kage.
In a few years' time that would very well likely change. Whereas ten years ago he could train for a little over six hours before breaking into a decent sweat, Hiruzen could barely do three hours without his wizened body looking like a watered plant and feel the ache in his bones and tired muscles well into the next day and beyond without seeing his personal medic. Powerful as he was, Hiruzen was no Senju or Uzumaki whose bodies brimmed with life well beyond that of others. While his mind hadn't dulled and only grown sharper with age, it was clear that his body was on the opposite track.
However, the former could be contested as well when it came to dealing with the politics of running a ninja village, and one of the Great Five no less. As Hokage he was the head of the village and had the ultimate say. It was more easily said than executed. A leader not listening to the concerns of his people and doing merely what he wished could be seen as a tyrant, while one who did everything to appease everyone could be viewed as a weak figurehead.
Every village had their own way of ruling just as did every leader that came into office. Hiruzen had long since learned that he would never be able to appease everyone with his decisions and when making one he'd have to live and deal with the consequences that arose from them. Was he perfect as many viewed him to be? Flattered as he was by the compliment, Hiruzen acknowledged his faults. And they were many. But then, Hiruzen was more of an idealist like Hashirama than a cynical realist like Tobirama.
Which brought him to the most recent thing that made him feel old: they had a spy in their midst. Oh, Hiruzen wasn't naïve nor foolish not to suspect that every village had one or two spies within them. Konoha itself had spies in other villages. But this was different. This was espionage on an entirely different scale than what he was used to. And Hiruzen took the wise words of his deceased mentor, Tobirama, to heart, "When suspecting one, always suspect more."
It was clear someone was sabotaging the education of his future forces. Certainly, the curriculum had since toned down since Tobirama first founded the academy – different times meant different methods, and they had only just come out of the Era of Warring States – nor was it as accelerated or intense as it was during times of war, but the current requirements to graduate would have boiled Tobirama's blood. And he was the more level headed Senju brother. Removing the Trial from the curriculum he learned had been a way to appease those with non-shinobi backgrounds. Hiruzen could understand that on some level, but even he couldn't agree with its dismissal. A person who couldn't take a life – even those deemed better fit for non-combatants roles – wasn't a ninja.
How such things had gone so long without him knowing was not only blow against his pride but added credit to the fact that he was needing to step down. Many called him the greatest Hokage but for allowing such a thing to happen, Hiruzen believed otherwise. Hiruzen liked to see the good in people, or perhaps he hoped he did, and sometime after the Uchiha Clan Massacre he realized he had to acknowledge that others had begun taking advantage of that weakness and now it was coming back haunt him. Tasks and positions delegated to others because of trusts and how numerous they were likely played a role in the current situation they faced.
Going after them was far from easy. A from Kumo would have bulldozed ahead into the matter. The man had a short fuse when it came to severe insults either to himself, those he cared about, or his village. But Hiruzen wasn't the Fourth Raikage, eager and quick to action. At least, not anymore, he wasn't. Nor was he Onoki, the only Kage older than himself, who would go too far in rectifying the situation.
All it took was one wrong move, one person missed for whichever reason – personal bias, clouded judgment, not having all the facts, etc. – and who knows how they'd retaliate? This wasn't the first time Konoha had been infiltrated but it was certainly a different modus operandi. The goal was the same: Konoha's destruction. Unlike before where the results were designed to be instantaneous, this was more akin to a slow acting poison: much more subtle and long-lasting consequences in the long run.
Hiruzen had narrowed down the list of potential suspects but with so few information and so few he could trust on the matter, or believed he could trust, it was a slow process. By the time he was ready to take action they may very well have already shown their hand or flown the coop.
"And with this year's batch graduating in a few days there's little that can be done for them," Hiruzen could only hope they'd resolve the matter before the next students graduated.
A knock on the door broke the man away from his heavy thoughts, "Yes?"
"Hokage-sama," Mariko's voice rang from the other side, "Uzuki Yugao and Gekko Hayate are here to see you," the mention of Naruto's sword instructors wanting to see him peeked the man's interest.
"Send them in and then you can go home, Mariko-chan," the man instructed.
"Thank you, Hokage-sama," Mariko replied before the door opened and he was greeted by both swordsmen.
After paying their respect to their village leader, Hiruzen asked, "Yugao, Hayate, what can I do for you?" the man had an inkling that this was going to be about Naruto.
"Sorry to keep you, Hokage-sama," both bowed at their village leader once more, "But it's a little urgent."
At the word 'urgent' the elderly but powerful man's composure shifted from relaxed to rigid and then to worried, "Has something happened? Is Naruto alright?"
Seeing the look of worry and hearing it in his voice, Hayate reassured his leader, "Naruto's fine, Hokage-sama. *Cough* The kid's coming along quite well actually. Damn kid's a sponge ... When it comes to the physical portion at least," he added and Yugao released a chuckle while Hiruzen released a sigh of relief. "It's actually about his … special condition and what it impedes him to do."
"The Kyubi, or are you referring to his large chakra pools?" the man asked. No word had reached him of Naruto taping into the chakra of the most powerful of the Nine or the seal acting up, but one couldn't be too careful when it came to the Biju.
"The latter and that's putting it lightly," Yugao clarified.
The Anbu member was a talented sensor and could tell that Naruto easily had the largest pool of chakra out of all the Genin in the academy. Indeed, the woman knew off-hand that the boy had even more chakra reserves than most Jounin as well. Certainly not as strong such as Kakashi's average but dense reserves or powerful like the Hokage's but the blond jinchuriki had tons of chakra to spare nonetheless.
"The amount of chakra that has kid will allow him to do things most Jonin can't do, let alone what an academy student or Genin can do," Hiruzen mentally snorted. Neither shinobi before him had any idea of the boy's true potential could be given his heritage and condition as a jinchuriki.
"But it's also taking away his ability to make a proper clone. Naruto mastered the water surface exercise but the kid simply has too much chakra to adequately make one. Graduation is but a couple of days away-"
"And Naruto will fail despite everything he has accomplished," Hiruzen concluded with a frown. The man couldn't exactly exempt Naruto for such a thing, it wouldn't be fair to the other students who couldn't do it either. The man had gotten a ton of complaints from others for giving the boy a private tutor and while he had paid for it out of his own pocket it still didn't placate many. Short of Naruto having a physical impairment, such as Rock Lee who was exempted from the Ninjutsu portion of the exam, or it being wartime where it could sometimes be overlooked, there was little he could do right now.
Hiruzen was the Hokage and had absolute power in Konoha. His words were law. But it wasn't as easy as it sounded. Tobirama had placed laws that had long ago been put in place to prevent a Hokage from abusing their authority over the village. An example was a Hokage candidate needing the support and backing of the Village Council, Head Jounin, Anbu Commander and Fire Daimyo Council should a former Hokage die before appointing a successor. Another was using his authority to give someone such as family or family friends an advantage over others. While it wasn't the intent and had never happened in Konoha, it could easily be seen as such by others. Hiruzen recalled certain Daimyos and village leaders from the minor countries giving family and friends benefits such as more authority or leeway in certain matters. In some cases it led to a civil war or almost escalade into one. Hiruzen seriously doubted it would go that far but knew that many who were clouded by hate would do almost anything.
"Unfortunately, there is little I can do at the moment. While many weren't thrilled about Naruto being given a tutor the boy was still Dead Last and many more saw my actions as simply helping a struggling student. But now that Naruto has improved to a decent level any more help I give him will simply be seen as preferential treatment," he revealed.
Yugao frowned at the man's words. Despite being a ninja the woman had a particular dislike of politics and the endless web of deceit therein. Many had often said that the pen was mightier than the sword, and it was true. With a single signature a country decree, law or regulation could impede one, make others suffer for little to no reason, or start a rebellion. "So, if Naruto can't be exempt from the Bunshin portion of the exam, what can we do?"
Hiruzen sighed. The woman had just asked the million ryo question.
(Meanwhile)
"Alright everyone! Settle down," was Iruka's shout.
But one bored blond ignored it and only half-listened. The day was pretty much over so there was much to do anyway besides listen to Iruka's end of the day spiel. Naruto sighed and Hotto yawned from his spot on the ground. Bored didn't seem appropriate a word to describe how he felt. But with the graduation exam a mere couple days away he wouldn't be able to take it early. Even then, Naruto still hadn't been able to solve his current problem: clones.
Give him monsters to fight and he wouldn't hesitate. Have him go against Sasuke with one arm tied behind his back and he'd do it. He had actually proposed it… and then Iruka-sensei had given him detention for aggravated arrogance. Hell! Give him an angry Anko and he'd...
"Alright, bad example," he'd freely admit he'd run away. An angry Anko scared the hell out of everyone. Him getting detention for something so stupid had not bore well for the academy student. The woman knew he would have succeeded, but had to pound into his head to never show off one's true strength unless it really mattered. A tourney didn't matter.
But that was neither here nor there.
Two Months, nearly three. Over two bloody f-ing months had passed and even then, Naruto still hadn't been able to find a solution to his clone problem. To be honest, he was actually starting to worry. Everything else had been improved upon, of which many in his class had remarked upon, and no longer was he in the lower ranking. Now he was in the low-middle ranking. Though that was mainly because they also calculated his past performance into his grade before his Gamer ability came into play. Even then, Naruto still struggled until Anko took him under her wing and then began boosting his INT.
"And yet, all that improvement means nothing unless I can make a stupid clone," and what was the point, really? Anko had told him that the basic Bunshin was virtually useless against ninja unless you were facing someone really stupid or unobservant. But regardless of this fact, it remained a mandatory prerequisite to becoming a Genin. Iruka had been sympathetic and had mentioned that exceptions such as birth defects that prevented one from properly molding chakra were taken into consideration, but they were rare and even then, other factors such as previous performances over the years came into consideration. Naruto had no such defect and while he had certainly improved, his former performance worked against him.
Trying to learn other variants of the clone technique proved fruitless, too. Much like the Bunshin, elemental clones required a great amount of control to form; Naruto simply had too much chakra. While the ratio required to properly form such clones was more reasonable compared to the ordinary Bunshin, they were still too great. Even if Naruto were to put all the leftover Attribute Points to increase his already improved INT it wouldn't make a difference. The difference between his INT and END was astronomical, especially after ridding himself of the Malnourished flaw.
Suffice to say, Naruto had never been more pissed. Well, maybe when Ichiraku closed down when Teuchi and Ayame went on vacation, but that was a memory best forgotten and locked away behind countless steel doors and traps.
It hadn't been the only set back he had faced in the last couple of months. A series of events had begun with a pop up after the Earth Dungeon was conquered. First, his Gamer perk had announced that it was undergoing an upgrade in its system as a result of his achievements. Whatever, the hell that meant, he had no idea. What he did know was that during that time he wouldn't be able to enter any dungeon for the next bit and he received fewer quests as well.
Second, Anko becoming a Jonin had also changed things. Her newly acquired rank also came with more duties and responsibilities. A downside of which meant that their training sessions were no longer as regular as they once were, though the intensity has been amped up. Naruto hadn't been idle during such times – Anko wouldn't let him and neither would Hayate or Yugao or Iruka after what he accomplished during the tourney.
Extra homework … Greaaat.
But that wasn't it. Oh, no, a week later when the upgrade was done and he now had Gamer 2.0, Naruto believed his itch for dungeon crawling was at an end. It was in a matter of speaking. While his Instant Dungeon Creations were still accessible alongside the dungeons he conquered, the newer dungeons based around the five elements – for while Naruto had very well established that he was slow at times, he was perceptive – required more than just conquering the previous dungeons.
The third dungeon that centered on the wind element required him to increase his [Stealth Skill] and [Detection Skills] by ten levels as well as master two [Stealth-Based Skills], two [Speed-Based Skills] or a combination of the two. Neither of which he had yet to accomplish but by the time he did it was three weeks later. Naruto seriously hated the low visibility the Wind Dungeon caused. Still, the boss loot had been worth it in his opinion.
The last two dungeons had been an even greater pain in the ass. The Water Dungeon required him knowing the Suimen Hokō no Gyō (Water Surface Walking Method), a chakra control exercise. But that brought its own share of problems. The leaf exercise had to be mastered and then he needed to learn and master the Ki Nobori no Shugyo (Tree Climbing Practice). And with chakra control exercises being his bane even with the Gamer on his side, it had not been quickly accomplished tasks, nor painless ones given Anko's patented methods. Naruto still couldn't look at a hot spring without his body flaring up.
The Lightning Dungeon, the final dungeon, and its requirements were better left unsaid. Even with his primary affinity being wind and lightning's superior, it had been the most difficult dungeon to conquer. Lightning, which was regarding by many as the most powerful of the five primary elements – and Naruto was tempted to agree with them – was an exceptionally dangerous element to deal with. It was swift, destructive, and had a large AoE radius; the enemies of that dungeon, the boss especially, reflected the first two characteristics very much. Lightning technique users, much like wind, were also very uncommon in Hi no Kuni. And so, having never faced or ever had the opportunity to practice against one who knew such techniques, had forced him to learn and adapt on the fly. It was either that, or feel his entire body spasm and twitch and burn on the inside.
Despite coming out as the victor, and that had not been an easy feat, Naruto still wondered if it was worth it, "I get all the keys and I can't even use them until after that stupid timer reaches zero!" and that had only been the kick in the teeth.
The kick in the balls was Naruto needing to be at a certain level – level thirty in this case – in order to unlock whatever rewards the damn things granted. The long string of colorful cursing might have made Hayate and Yugao blush. Anko would have simply said she heard better. Naruto guessed she meant by her.
Almost three months later and Naruto was only at level twenty-three, almost twenty-four. Another kick in the pants was Naruto realizing that levelling up was becoming slower and harder to accomplish the moment he reached level twenty. Even with his titles and perks, the EXP he was gaining from enemies was either too low or non-existent because of their level difference. While harder, the Zombie Dungeon V1.5 only offered a greater challenge and loot drops than a real boost in experience points. The Lightning Dungeon was the only one with foes that offered decent EXP, but Naruto was good for the next bit given his recent experience.
On the upside, he had mastered many of his skills since then and levelled up but all those accomplishments, much like his conquering of the dungeons, would amount to nothing if he didn't graduate.
"No way in hell am I repeating again," and to make matters worse, Naruto recalled something about the Academy having a rule of three strikes and you're out when it came to graduating attempts. He didn't know if it was true. And if he didn't become a Genin, short of him leaving the village and going off on his own, Naruto was sure he'd plateau at some point. Becoming a Genin would allow him access to missions and challenges necessary to becoming stronger.
He'd need to consult with with Yugao or Hayate.
XxX
"Unfortunately, it is true," Naruto grunted in displeasure and effort at holding his opponent's blade back. Of all the rotten luck, "Count yourself lucky. Back when Tobirama-sama was around the rule was you only had two chances to prove yourself. And that was after changing it from only having one chance when the Academy first opened."
Naruto mentally gulped and guess he should count himself lucky he wasn't born so many decades ago. But his momentary lapse was quickly taken advantage of and he found himself on his back with a wooden sword at his throat.
"Dead," Yugao declared.
While his mind had been elsewhere at the time, Naruto couldn't use it as an excuse. Neither Anko nor Hayate or Yugao would accept it. A distracted shinobi was a dead shinobi.
"My turn, love," moving to the side, Yugao watched as Hayate took out his steel katana and ordered Naruto to grab his own sword. With the threat of live steel, Naruto's senses heightened and his mind laser-focused.
Grabbing a scroll, Naruto took out Chichizouge (Bloody Ivory) and used Goriki to heighten his STR so he could use the oversized weapon without penalties. With his STR now in the triple digits, the blade felt much less cumbersome in his arms.
Both Hayate and Yugao had been surprised when they first saw it, but after explaining his desire to use a Zanbato down the line they understood his reasoning. While the Jinbuyo-Ryu (Blade of the Dancing Leaf Style) was designed more around using much lighter swords given its emphasis on speed, feints and disorientation, different variations of the style based on the user's weapon of choice wasn't unheard of.
Although, Hayate and Yugao confessed that Naruto would likely be the first to create a variation that utilized a weapon categorized as a great sword. But then, that also meant that no one knew how to deal with it.
"Hajime!"
Naruto didn't make the first move. Time and pain had taught him that even with a much lighter sword he was too slow to rush Hayate's precise counters. Naruto had greater strength because of Hayate's condition but the man's DEX was much greater than his own, even if he couldn't see the exact number.
That said, Hayate had a pattern whenever he started his bouts, "You heard about the prank I pulled?" Naruto asked as he ducked. The practice of making idle conversation or banter while they spared was something Hayate encouraged him to master. Not only could it allow him to throw off his opponent, but the best of swordsmen and ninja were meant to multitask while they fought. Keeping one eye on their opponent, the other on their surroundings and their senses acute for anything their eyes couldn't see.
"Pretty sure half the village force knows," Hayate acknowledged before deflecting the bigger weapon's swing with ease, "Still can't believe you did that."
"Hey! If someone pranks you then you have every right to try and prank 'em back," it was common sense in Naruto's opinion.
"Not when that person is Anko," Hayate rebuked and then performed a fast slash that was smoothly followed by a leg sweep.
While caught by the maneuver, Naruto managed to right himself with a back flip as he'd been taught, "So, what if it was Anko. She started it."
"You're lucky not to be maimed," he heard Yugao tell him.
"Or worse," Hayate added before he moved faster than before.
"I heal quickly," neither Jonin could dispute that fact. Naruto healed very quickly. One of the few perks from his tenant, "Besides, I'd rather have that than what she did in retaliation."
"It was just ramen, Naruto!" Hayate honestly didn't know how he managed to befriend two individuals obsessed with a particular dish.
"It was my ramen!"
"Some of which was expired!" which in itself was hard to digest.
"Expiration dates mean nothing to ramen!" the gods willed it so.
"If I didn't know any better, I'd swear Anko gave birth to you herself," the woman said that exact same thing about dango.
As if reading his thoughts, Naruto said, "Not possible. Dango sucks," too sweet and too chewy for his taste.
"Blasphemy!"
"AHHH!" the unexpected event had Naruto wildly swinging his sword, only for it to act like a shuriken when he lost his grip on the weapon thanks to the snakes that swarmed him like an ant colony.
"Hey! Watch it!" Hayate barked. While the large sword wasn't on a direct course with anyone, losing his grip on it was a foolish mistake and dangerous to boot, "That stunt just earned you another hour."
That wasn't really a punishment in Naruto's opinion until the man added, "Sparring with Anko going all out."
"Jerk!" the back talk only served to earn himself an additional hour. Hayate and Yugao he could do. Two hours of him against Anko going all out was nightmare inducing. Especially with her new favourite toy the Dokkaso no Jutsu (Toxic Luster Claw Technique).
"Talk about instead regret," the trade hadn't not been one of his smarter moves.
Naruto liked to think he was a nice guy. If someone was his friend, he'd be there in a flash or help them in any way possible. But, in all honestly, he couldn't help but wonder what the hell was he thinking by giving Anko the skill scroll he acquired from the Rat Dungeon. Sure, the skill was useless to him given its requirements, and he could have made decent cash selling it through the [Abyss Auction] instead.
But no! Naruto had to be the nice guy and give it to Anko instead – for a significantly reduced price, of course. The boost in relationship points was nice, but the skill was a literal pain in the ass given it formed a corrosive whip. It had been love at first sizzle for the mad T&I specialist.
"The pain can wait a bit. The Sexy Mitarashi Anko has the answer to all your prayers!"
"You know how to cook ramen in an instant?" a hopeful Naruto asked.
While the comment threw Yugao and Hayate off, Anko was not, "Why would I have that answer when I'd want instant dango instead? Besides, even if I knew that, I wouldn't tell you for free," that last bit was true.
"They're both mad," Hayate whispered so only his lover could hear.
"No comment," was the Anbu's reply.
"I'm talking about your clone problem. Graduation is only a few short days away. I talked to Hokage-sama a few minutes ago. Heard you guys had the same idea," Anko asked, to which they nodded.
"You did! What's the verdict?" Naruto asked and hoped for good news.
"Want the good news or the bad news first, kid?" Hayate asked him. The boy asked for the bad news first. "The bad news is that after we talked with Hokage-sama we couldn't get you exempt from the Bunshin portion of the exam. If he did then it would be seen as favouritism and others who also can't do it would want to be exempt from it as well."
"Crap," there went that option. "And the good news?"
Here Anko smirked, "The good news is that as long as you can show your ability to create a flawless clone during the exam you'll pass. However, you're incapable of using the regular clone technique or an elemental one given your chakra to chakra control ratio. So, instead the Hokage has allowed me to teach you a different clone technique that I believes you can use."
"Ok, what's that?" Naruto asked.
"It's called the Kage Bunshin no Jutsu (Shadow Clone Technique)," Anko informed him.
The elderly Sandaime had barely taken half a puff of his pipe before finding himself choking on what was meant to be a soothing burn and once again felt just how old he was when Anko asked permission to teach an academy student one of the most difficult B-Rank techniques developed by the Nidaime Hokage.
"Are you cra… What am I saying? Of course you are," Hayate couldn't help himself.
Yugao herself couldn't help but add commentary, "Anko, you've done some pretty questionable things before but teaching an Academy student the Kage Bunshin of all techniques!"
"We've already established I'm not all there," and while many would say that was her mentor's influence on her, Anko had always been wild even before Orochimaru had sunk his fangs into her.
Naruto was skeptical, "Okay, what's the difference between this and the other clones techniques I can't use?"
"Normally it's only used by Jonin and above because of the large amount of chakra level requirements. It took some convincing, but I managed to get permission from Hokage-sama to make an exception."
"Thank you, Jiji," Naruto smiled. Both because of what his surrogate grandfather did for him and because he'd now be able to pass the exam.
"This is serious, Naruto!" Hayate barked out authoritatively, "The Kage Bunshin is a borderline kinjutsu technique."
"He's right. This isn't going to be easy, Naruto," Yugao's voice held a strict tone. "It took me and Hayate close to a month to properly learn the Kage Bunshin, and years more to acquire the necessary chakra before we were deemed ready to use it without posing a danger to either of us. This technique requires not only a lot of chakra but a great deal of concentration to form and create the amount of clones you want. People have died because of how demanding the technique is. They either made too many clones and they went into shock from the severe amount of chakra they wasted or lost and the body couldn't handle it and gave out. We have less than two days for you to learn how to properly use this technique. So, the moment we begin we don't stop until you get it done."
[QUEST ALERT!]
Art of the Shadow Clone
Main Quest: Learn the skills [Kage Bunshin no Jutsu (Shadow Clone Technique)] and [Taiju Kage Bunshin no Jutsu (Multiple Shadow Clone Technique)] before the Academy Graduation Exam
Side Quest: Master the skills [Kage Bunshin no Jutsu (Shadow Clone Technique)] and [Taiju Kage Bunshin no Jutsu (Multiple Shadow Clone Technique)] before the Academy Graduation Exam
Main Quest Completion: Acquire the skills [Kage Bunshin no Jutsu (Shadow Clone Technique)] and [Taiju Kage Bunshin no Jutsu (Multiple Shadow Clone Technique)] Exam
Side Quest Completion: 1250 EXP per skill mastered
Failure: Chances of failing the Academy Graduation Exam increases
Accept Quest? (Yes/No)
Special Note: Decline this quest may affect future outcomes in a negative manner.
Naruto merely smirked. The boy wasn't afraid of a challenge and to become a ninja he'd get the technique down in time. It was his ninja way.
"But first, that torture session," Anko cackled with glee, her hand becoming claw-like and oozing with hungry yellow green energy.
Shit!
(Two Days Later)
More than once was Naruto thankful that his ability allowed him to wake up refreshed and sore and ache free from the labours of the previous day. Neither Jonin had held back and while he hadn't been able to master either technique in such a short amount of time, he had been able to learn both of them and get them to a decent level in a short amount of time, to their complete bafflement. And Naruto couldn't help but be excited.
Today was the day that he and many at the academy dreamed about. Today was the day of the graduation ceremony. Today was the final day at the academy, and the last day of boring lectures and other non-thrilling or non-stimulating activities.
"Next up, missions…Oh, right," Naruto's good mood went south when he realized that all he'd be doing were D-Rank ones inside the village for the next little while. In other words, the same thing he'd been doing for the last few couple of months. Naruto could have counted his blessings that he'd get paid this time, but the amount wasn't all that much when split between three ways. And that was after the village got its cut. Jonin generally didn't take a cut on D-Rank missions.
"Meh, at least I'll pass," Naruto would take what he could get. He still got a kick out of Yugao and Hayate's looks. What had taken them close to a month to learn and many more to properly use and master had taken him less than a couple of days to get the hang of it; Naruto simply had a natural affinity for the technique.
But Hayate had warned Naruto of the flaws and risks he would encounter, "The Shadow Clone Technique splits the user's chakra equally among the number of clones you create. If you make too many you'll barely have any chakra for yourself," he remembered the man's warning. While Naruto was capable of creating well over nine clones with the Kage Bunshin no Jutsu, with its more advanced kinjutsu variant he knew he could make almost six hundred and fifty clones thanks to his large chakra reserves, but even that was risking it.
The boy had done the math. Six hundred and fifty Narutos meant that every single one of them would only have slightly over 25 CP in them. His Gamer ability stated that a person's CP suddenly going below 25 CP would be at great risk of going into shock, perhaps even dying, for having so little chakra. Anko elaborated by saying that it was the major risk of the technique and why only those with certain types of chakra or very large amounts of chakra should use the skill even when practicing; it was akin to having a full body of blood to having almost none. The little amount would not affect the Shadow Clones compared to the regular Bunshin but would still have drawbacks.
Everyone was born with enough chakra to survive when they were born, some with more or less than others because of one reason or another. There was a difference however in having chakra and being able to actually use it. Almost anyone could use chakra but the process had much greater success at a very young age.
Naruto found that it was why the academy tried to increase a student's chakra reserves and control before they started teaching them techniques. With animals and creatures from dungeons the rules were an exception due to their different body structures and makeup from humans. Similar to how a human's body allowed them to do things such as eating foods an animal couldn't and vice versa.
Hayate said that since the bodies had little chakra in them they weren't as durable either if he made fewer clones. The boy wasn't dumb. Aside from the risk of him suddenly blacking out for splitting up too much of his chakra, a copy of him split almost seven hundred ways wouldn't be able use a Ninjutsu skill more than once before it ran out and disappeared, and even then that was the basic stuff. Which meant that such a large amount of clones would more or less be better suited as an intimidation tactic against weaker foes or as a distraction when he wanted to overwhelm a single individual much stronger than himself.
At the moment the perfect amount of clones to make was between ten and twenty. This way they either had between close to 2000 CP or close to 1000 CP each. Having that number would allow them to use some of the more powerful techniques and their durability was much higher. The only problem was that since Naruto was still relatively new to the technique, his control over the amount of clones he wanted to make wasn't the greatest - the lowest he could make was eight - and while he regained any chakra they had after they dispelled, he only got about 80% of said CP.
"WAKE UP, GAKI!"
"Gahhhh!" Naruto jumped up in fright. The now four foot eleven and still growing Genin drew Chichizouge on reflex.
"Oh, that never gets old," Anko laughed as she entered the room. "By the way, your security needs some improvement," the blond's eyes bulged when he saw a bound and gagged Hotto curtesy of several large serpents. The ninken was glaring bloody daggers at the woman as he struggled to free himself.
"That's never gonna stop is it?" he sighed upon seeing her smile. It was all the answer he needed, "What do you want, Anko-sensei?" he asked as he took his clothes into the bathroom and began dressing himself. Not bothering to free Hotto since the snakes would bite him.
Snakes bites hurt!
"I'm hurt, Gaki," she heard him snort, "Well, whatever. Just came to see how you were doing. Feeling pumped for the big day?"
"On one hand, hell yeah!" the woman laughed a bit at his enthusiasm. "On the other hand, I'm not caring so much about the whole D-Rank mission I have to do."
"Ugh, don't remind me," Anko groaned lowly. It was one of the few downsides of teaching she realized. Personally speaking Anko didn't see D-Rank missions as actual missions. They were nothing but chores that lazy or elderly individuals paid for to get done. Many went about saying how it helped promote teamwork and the woman often called them on the bullshit. Certainly there were some D-Rank missions that required them to work together, such as the infamous capture mission that involved the next generation of Tora, but that was only one-third of the time. The rest they did specific chores by themselves under the watchful guidance and view of their teachers.
"You nervous?" she asked him.
"Nah," Naruto replied from the bathroom, "This is gonna be easy," he smirked.
"Cocky much?" she asked him and Naruto froze, "On this I can let that slide. I'd be too with the amount of skills you have now," Anko mentally pouted. She had graduated at age ten, compared to the usual graduating twelve or thirteen ratio, and had been required to show the academy three, pass the written and Taijutsu portion of the exam, and show that she could proficiently use three C-Rank techniques be they Ninjutsu, bukijutsu or Genjutsu.
"Any thoughts on who you want to be teamed up with?" she asked.
Naruto hadn't really thought about it much to be honest. But quickly came up with an answer, "Not really. I mean, Shikamaru and Chouji are kinda lazy and as much as I like those guys I don't know if I'd want to team up with 'em. Maybe Sasuke-teme or Dog-breath since they're pretty skilled but they're always trying to be top dog."
"Got it," the image was crystal clear to Anko.
Chouji and Shikamaru were decent individuals and easy to work with but were easily controlled by their vices and if given the option they'd rather do that than train or go the extra mile. It wasn't an attitude Anko would put up with. Kiba and Sasuke, more so Sasuke, were skilled and serious about the ninja lifestyle but Anko had seen from experience that while rivalry was good there was a chance that could end badly. Especially when it was evident that one was starting to get better than the other or be promoted while the other wasn't. And Sasuke had issues even if he wouldn't admit them out loud. Anyone with a clan slaughtered by their own kin would have them.
"Anyone else?"
"Shino and Hinata are quiet but I guess I could work with them," Naruto didn't know either of them personally but neither one made fun of him, "Ino's a loudmouth but she's one of the better students… Sakura-chan, maybe."
Anko wasn't surprised. Despite what happened months ago, emotions and feelings for another didn't go away quite as easily as some made it out to be. It could have been worse. Anko had seen talented shinobi let their skills go to waste because of heartbreak. Naruto still had lingering feelings for the pinkette but at least he didn't let them impede his growth as a ninja.
Truthfully, she did this merely because she wanted to see what his reaction would be when he was part of the team she wanted. With Ino he was hesitant but willing to work with, which was fine in her books, and with Hinata he was indifferent but okay with as she didn't make fun or demean him like some of the others. Ino's father along with his former teammates hadn't exactly been thrilled at the idea of their children not following in this shoes. But Anko had come prepared.
"Strong as they are individually, and as powerful as they are together, those men are whipped by their wives," Anko cackled just as Naruto got out of the bathroom. The woman gave Naruto a look over and creased her eyebrows.
"You're gonna need to replace your outfit soon, gaki," the woman wasn't lying as she eyed the cuts and rips on the worn out ninja wear. Then again it was basic training armor and not really meant for combat situations like the practice he was getting in the dungeons.
"Yeah, I know," the boy knew already his gear needed replacing. His armor had seen better days even with him having the [Gear Maintenance Skill]. The skill lengthened the lifespan but it wasn't infinite and the maximum durability went down each time it was fixed. What he wore was the last one he had on had thanks to an unfortunate encounter with a Rarespawn gear-destroying slime that had completely destroyed his second set and Seishoyo when it pulled a kamikaze move upon defeat. Being naked, angry, covered in God knows what, and losing a damn good weapon in that sewer was one of his worst experiences.
"But the stuff I want is too damn pricy," he had a ton of money now but was saving it for something else.
"You gotta spend money to make money, gaki," Anko informed the soon to be graduate. "Anyway, just dropped by to say good luck, Gaki. Not that you'll need it though."
"Thanks," he smiled at the woman before grabbing Hottomaru, "See you later, Anko-sensei," the boy said, opened a window and along with Hotto set off towards the academy.
(Konoha Academy Sometime Later)
Naruto and his classmates waited patiently for the teachers to come in and begin the exam. The students were in a bigger classroom as the other potential graduates from the other blocks joined theirs. The two blocks only ever met one another during lunchtime because of different schedules. Each block only had thirty students or less because some were either held back, failed, or skipped ahead and because the number allowed the teachers to effectively regulate and look after the students.
The reason why they were joined today was because they were all undergoing the same test at the same time compared to before. The first part was the written portion that lasted a good two hours, followed by a forty-five minute break as they marked down the results, and then the physical portion of the exam began which lasted an hour and a half. Afterwards they had lunch for thirty minutes and began the final portion, which lasted half an hour, which consisted of the academy three Ninjutsu. It was flawed really when one thought about it.
"Even if a person fails the other portions they can pass so long as they do well on the last one," it made no sense really why the Ninjutsu portion had a greater weighing average than the other two portions.
"Arf," Hottomaru agreed with his partner.
The moment the door opened everyone directed their attention towards the six academy instructors that walked in, "Glad to see you're all paying attention to me for once," a few laughed at Iruka's joke, even some of the teachers. "Now before we begin I'd like to say how proud I am to see you all here. Your journey was long-"
"Sensei, can we forgo the sentimental crap and get on with it already?" Kiba's remark was joined by the agreement of many academy students.
Iruka was downtrodden, "I worked all night on that speech," he sulked before doing exactly what the students wanted.
"Alright, since some if not all of you are eager," he sent a glare at the students, "I guess I'll start with the rules: no cheating, no peaking, and you have two hours to finish the written test. Once you're done, raise your hand and I or another teacher will pick it up for you."
One by one the students were each given a sheet of stapled paper that was rested on its back. When the last student was given the test, Iruka declared they were to begin and then began writing. As time passed by, Naruto wasn't surprised to see that Sakura ended up finishing the test first and in record time with less than an hour. Followed soon by Sasuke, Ino, Shino, Hinata and Shikamaru several minutes later. Naruto himself managed to finish the test with eleven minutes to spare.
"Guess I won't be setting a record for this portion," Naruto had his doubts. Written tests had never been his forte, even after a great deal of studying and improvement, the highest mark he had ever gotten in them was seventy-one percent. Some questions were obvious such as naming the five primary elemental releases and their weakness and who was the founder of the academy.
Others such as past battles during the Era of Warring states, Shinobi World Wars, and the answer to an algebraic formula weren't as easy. Some questions actually didn't make any sense or made him wonder what it had to do with the ninja way of life and how it was going to help him become a ninja in the first place. Either way he couldn't complain about it now and the boy could only wait for the results. Having some time to kill Naruto took a page of out Shikamaru's book and took a brief nap.
Eleven minutes later the boy was woken up from his rest by the sound of Iruka shouting, "Time!" effectively bringing the blond out of the land of dreams. And wasn't the least bit surprised by the message that greeted him.
|Set Exam Record (Failed)|
|Set Academy Record (Failed)|
"The two hours are up! Place your pencils down and stop writing on your test. The results will be posted later and then we will move on to the next portion of the examination. Please follow Mizuki-sensei and Suzume-sensei to the designated area where the physical portion will take place."
One by one the students left the classroom and waited in the area that they were brought to. Deciding to continue his nap, Naruto laid down on the grass and was joined by Hottomaru.
When forty odd minutes had passed the boy got up and as he began looking around, Naruto saw that many had a look of worry on their face. The boy ignored them and focused his attention on the training area they had. It was basic really. Several targets were set up, a combat ring was in place, and something that looked like an obstacle course.
"If this is all that's needed to pass the physical portion then this will be a piece of cake," Naruto grinned.
"What's with the grin, dobe?" Naruto heard Kiba ask him.
"Just thinking how easy this is gonna be, Dog-breath," Naruto said.
Kiba frowned but remained silent. The Inuzuka heir was boastful, arrogant, and not the sharpest tool in the shed but he wasn't the dumbest of individuals.
The boy knew that Naruto was stronger, faster, and smarter than what he used to be if the thrashing Kiba got from him during the fight several weeks ago. Since then Kiba had been improving but even then the feral boy still couldn't match Naruto in terms of skill Taijutsu anymore. Naruto always came out on top now, having only come to close to losing to Sasuke once but won in the end.
"How the hell did he get so strong?" Kiba wondered. Had it been Sasuke he wouldn't have thought much of it as the Uchiha had always been hailed as a prodigy. The same couldn't be said for Naruto.
"Alright, everyone, gather 'round," Iruka began, "By now some of you will have already figured out what the next portion of the exam will consist of. This portion of the exam will consist of three parts Here we will test your accuracy, your speed and dexterity, as well as your physical strength and endurance."
Soon the students were split into three groups of twenty students each and two teachers. Each group was being tested on a certain course and when the groups were done some twenty minutes later they would switch to another course.
"Uzumaki Naruto," Suzume announced as she presented the boy with a set of kunai, shuriken, and a piece of paper. "Your score during the written test was sixty-nine percent," some who knew Naruto or heard of him laughed at that remark. Others however not as much as they knew that the old Naruto would have either passed by the skin of his nose or failed brilliantly. It wasn't the greatest mark but it was a hell of a lot better than what it could have been.
Picking up the kunai lazily Naruto glanced at the targets. The test was similar to the one from before with the only difference being that they were much further and had a smaller target painted on them. For some it would make them worry. For Naruto and his experience in dungeons it was nothing.
Twirling the kunai in his hands, the metal weapons soon became a blur as he launched them at the stationary wooden posts. Each bladed weapon either pierced right through them at the center of the bull's-eye or was buried up to the hilt. The same followed when he used the shuriken.
Suzume was surprised but the woman composed herself as she gave him a perfect mark for the accuracy portion. The woman had only taught Naruto during his first two years and hadn't been impressed by the boy. Unlike others the woman didn't care about the Kyubi inside him, but still didn't like the boy's attitude and mannerisms. She thought him to be a slacker and a mockery of what shinobi should be and thought he had little hopes of passing or becoming a ninja. To see him do what he just did, and from the looks of it he wasn't even trying, shocked the woman.
|Set Exam Record (Failed)|
|Set Academy Record (Failed)|
Naruto frowned but then remembered that the special note from the quest saying it would be deemed an automatic fail if someone else already achieved the highest result before him or if they accomplished it more quickly. It wasn't that big of a loss anyway.
"Bored," Naruto honestly thought there would be more to it than this. Even if it involved a moving target it would have been more interesting or challenging. Not by much really as it would still be easy but a slight challenge was better than no challenge.
When his group moved on to the obstacle course Naruto yawned. When he was younger he had attempted this very course and had gotten hurt in the process. The incident involved a busted lip and bloody nose. But the worse of it all was meeting the dreaded Witch Doctor of the Konoha Hospital: Dr. Kureha. Naruto was fairly certain she was the cause of his fear of hospitals. Naruto was certain others would have the misfortune of meeting the witch after this course.
Naruto wasn't one of them. Having experienced the mountains and cliffs that Lightning Dungeon and their precarious positions, what he saw didn't impress him. Even Anko and Midori had made him run through much more dangerous obstacles, mainly them and some very inventive traps, compared to this puny little thing.
"Alright, everyone, you each have exactly one minute and thirty-seconds to reach the end of the obstacle course. If you get hit by some of the obstacles that are meant to slow you down it will result in a second being added to your time. If the amount of time gone by is over the allotted period, you fail and receive a zero for this portion of the exam," many gulped and began to worry. Naruto saw it for what it was, another test. Anko had told him that ninja were often tested to see how well they could do under pressure and the stress it brought on.
The students and teachers watched as one student went after the other. Some of which passed well or by the skin of their nose, while others failed or were struck and/or knocked out by the obstacles they were meant to dodge.
Once it was his turn, Naruto took his position, breathed and when the teacher shouted 'Go!' he took off like a shot. The boy ran across the field where blunt shuriken and kunai were being thrown, catching a blunt kunai and using it to deflect the other wooden object that came his way. Next, he crawled underneath barbed wire and was forced to crawl a good twenty odd feet without getting his uniform snagged. Once that was done, Naruto had to run along the length of a tight rope while bobbing and weaving from large swinging stumps of wood that wanted to knock him on his ass.
Once that was done and over with the blond then had to climb up a rock wall, climb down and then sprint to the finish line. However, thanks to the adrenaline that was currently pumping through him, Naruto subconsciously began to run up the rock face using only his feet much to the astonishment of the academy students and teachers.
"What the hell!" was the collective thought of many as they saw Naruto run up the obstacle, his momentum not slowing down as he did.
The blond then kicked himself off the top of the obstacle, hit the ground and continued to run towards the finish line before he finally crossed it. The moment he crossed over did Iruka become even more surprised as he saw the time on the stop watch.
|Set Exam Record (Achieved)|
|Set Academy Record (Failed)|
"43.69 seconds!" Iruka could only marvel. Naruto's time was currently the best of his year at the moment, beating even Sasuke's 56.12. It wasn't the best in the academy history though. The school record being 32.87 seconds that had been set by the Yondaime Hokage when he was a student, and the only ones that came close to breaking the record had been Uchiha Itachi and Hatake Kakashi.
Once more many were left speechless at the fact that the former Dead Last had improved so well. Some had come to acknowledge that Naruto had indeed improved while others still clung to the notion that he was a loser who was merely going through a lucky streak. As the last of the students finished up, Naruto's group moved to their final physical examination.
"Alright, everyone, the goal with this exam is simple. You are going to be facing off against one of the teachers and you are meant to last at least one minute and try to land a punch if possible. If you get pushed out of the circle or don't last a before a minute passes you fail," Iruka explained.
Excusing himself to go use the washroom, Naruto took a classic page out of the shinobi handbook and cheated by powering himself up with Ninpo: Goriki (Ninja Art: Hard Strength) as it gave off no signature or flare of energy. And, as far as others were concerned, his newfound strength was nothing more than pure muscle power. Technically it was true as the technique basically made the muscles in his body stronger.
When the students were about to begin with their testing, Naruto willingly volunteered to go first as he faced off against Daikoku Funeno. Naruto recalled the man when he first entered the academy. He was kind and fair but expected effort from his students in everything they did. Daikoku was relatively slimmer during Naruto's first year at the academy but now the man was bigger, nowhere as big as an Akimichi, but it was evident he had put on some weight since the last time he saw the brown haired Chunin.
"Ready, begin!"
Daikoku began to circle Naruto and performed a few mock lunges to throw the boy off and lose his balance. Having been taught by three mentors who literally pounded into is head to recognize body language, even if it wasn't perfect, Naruto saw through the act quickly. When Daikoku realized that Naruto wasn't going to fall for his tricks the man came in and threw a few punches that while fast would still allow a potential graduate level ninja to dodge and evade.
What the man didn't count on was Naruto grabbing the outstretched appendage and pull with all his might. Daikoku was caught off guard by the move and the man soon found himself launched out of the ring and a great deal away from the group. The act was unexpected but not dangerous or life threatening as the man flipped and righted himself in the air before he landed in a crouch.
|Exam Record (Achieved)|
|Academy Record (Failed)|
"What just happened?" Daikoku asked but was met with silence. The man had been pulling back true to give the students a fighting chance but even then he had not expected an academy student to demonstrate such physical strength. Aside from Itachi years back when Daikoku was younger no one else ever did. Part of him wondered if the Kyubi played a factor in improving Naruto's physical prowess.
"Uh…" was all Iruka could say as his mind tried to process what had happened.
"I think that's my win, Iruka-sensei," Naruto said before he left the ring and a group of flabbergasted individuals. It went without saying that Naruto had easily dominated this portion of the exam.
The boy was truly bored and disappointed with the exam really. When he had done these tests before they were a challenge, now not so much thanks to his powered up skills and stats. Though Naruto also knew that had Daikoku been serious from the start and not underestimated Naruto's strength the match wouldn't have been quite as easy. His chances of winning would have been lower but Naruto liked to think that he most likely would have still won the match despite the added difficulty.
As the last student finished the groups took lunch. Not wanting to be bothered by some of the students that would most likely ask him some questions the blond jinchuriki grabbed his ninken and moved to a more secluded location. Taking out a couple pieces of [Roasted Boar Meat], one for himself and the other for his partner, both males began eating in peace.
"Did you hear?" Naruto stopped munching on his lunch as he overheard the chatter below him. The boy spotted what appeared to be a couple of Chunin instructors based on their attire. From their appearance Naruto speculated that they were new ones too.
"Hear what?" the man asked in a bored tone.
"Heard the Uzumaki brat dominated the physical part of the exam, and get this; he beat Daikoku," the man's words made his companion choke.
"Bullshit! You serious?" he asked, "Uzumaki Naruto, the dDead Last and overall terror of the village defeated a Chunin?" granted Daikoku was an academy instructor so he wasn't the strongest of Chunin Konoha had to offer but to lose to an academy student.
"Very same," his companion added with a grin. "Kid just went and grabbed Daikoku and tossed away like yesterday's garbage."
"How the hell did that happen? The kid's the Dead Last, the bottom of the barrel, a loser," Naruto scowled and made a mental note to prank the man's ass when he got the chance.
"You sure it was Uzumaki?"
"Course I'm sure. What other kid in Konoha has whisker marks on their face twenty-four seven?" his companion conceded to that fair point. The boy is the only one who had who had them. "After that happened Daikoku didn't go as easy on the rest of them. Over a third of them failed to last a minute and more of them left with a few bruises. Poor brats."
"You think this has anything to do with-" the man never finished the sentence as his companion covered his mouth.
"You idiot! You wanna get us both in trouble!" the man's reprimand was harsh. "You know the law. We can't speak about it in public! Last person who did wasn't seen again!"
The man paled and glanced around to see if anyone was nearby. When he spotted no one he breathed a sigh of relief. Unknown to both idiots, the person in question had heard every single word but couldn't make sense of it.
"What law are they talking about?" Naruto wondered why a law involved him. The boy cursed as he was drawn away from his thought when he heard the school bell announcing the end of their lunch break. Finishing up his meal, Naruto grabbed his ninken and used Hayagake to make his way towards the academy entrance.
Entering the classroom, which was now just starting to fill up with various students, Naruto took his seat and waited for the teachers to come in and begin the final portion of the exam. The wait wasn't long as both Mizuki and Iruka entered with a table full of Konoha Forehead Protectors.
"This is it, the final portion of the graduation ceremony. Many of you have done very well and you've all worked very hard to get here. I couldn't be more proud," the man's comment made many smile, "Now, before you become Genin all of you need to show us that you're capable of performing the Academy Three Ninjutsu. Do so and you pass. Fail and you will need to wait until the next graduation ceremony for your chance at becoming a Genin."
"Who the fuck came up with this?" it was bogus and flawed as hell in Naruto's mind and Anko would agree. Even if a person did well in the other portions it would be for nothing if they were unable to perform one of the necessary Ninjutsu required to pass. It didn't make any sense.
One by one the students were called up to perform the basic academy three. Much like the other portions some did very well, others not so much but it was decent enough to pass, while others he saw would be forced to stay another year.
Naruto rolled his eyes and groaned as he saw Sasuke's fangirls go crazy as the Uchiha performed the required techniques flawlessly. When the raven haired boy received his forehead protector he smirked. An act that made his fangirls swoon.
"Uzumaki Naruto!"
"Now or never," Naruto muttered as he stood in front of the two academy teachers. The boy felt the eyes of almost everyone being focused on him.
"Perform the Henge," Iruka ordered.
Naruto smirked as his body was covered head to toe in a white cloud. Both Chunin blinked as the smoke cleared and the men's eyes, along with many males, nearly popped out of their skulls as they saw the voluptuous and nude form of one Mitarashi Anko.
"Do. I. Pass?" 'Anko' asked with a wink and as 'she' pressed her breasts together. The effect from the maneuver was instantaneous. Virtually every male in the classroom, except a napping Shikamaru, were propelled backwards by a flood of blood expelling from his nose. Cancelling the Henge, Naruto cackled at the reaction, while many of the females in the classroom looked ready to tear him a new one.
"NARUTO!" Iruka bellowed at his student. "WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT!?" the man asked.
"Huh… Anko?" he said as though it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Took me some time to get it down, too. Couldn't really get the breasts right till I saw them," he added.
"That's not what I was…" the man blinked as he processed what was said, "Wait… what was that last bit?"
"Her breasts?" was the casual response, with many of females in the class cracking their knuckles and given the blonde looks that would have killed him ten times over. "Well, technically she showed them when she got tired of me getting the size wrong."
The answer caused Iruka's jaw, along with several others, to fall to the floor with a resounding thud. Kiba was banging his head on the desk ranting on how unfair it was, while many females of the class were in disbelief. Hinata was passed out on the floor. Her face flushed a deep crimson. Iruka didn't know whether to reprimand or congratulate his student on seeing two things few men saw or only dreamed of seeing and willingly, too. Then again it was Anko they were talking about after all. "Ugh…right. Moving on, perform the Kiwarimi with that chair and back again."
The boy groaned, as he would have loved to mess with Iruka's head some more, but performed the technique as requested with no trouble. When he was done Iruka made a few notes on a piece of paper, "Very nice. Now perform the Bunshin and make at least two perfect copies of yourself."
Crossing his fingers, Naruto focused as much as possible before he performed the Shadow Clone Technique. In a second there were nine other Naruto in front of both stunned academy instructors. "You only needed to make two, Naruto," Iruka chuckled as he inspected the clones for any faults. When he found none Iruka told his student to cancel technique. Just as he was about to congratulate his student on passing, the man thought he spotted something on the floor as the clones disappeared. In this case, a shadow.
"Bunshins don't have shadows," the brow on Iruka's head furrowed for a second before he shook his head and passed it off as his mind playing tricks on him. It had been a long day so it was very possible.
"Congratulations, Naruto. You pass."
[QUEST COMPLETED!]
Academy Graduation
Main Quest: Graduate from the Academy and don't become Dead Last (Accomplished)
Side Quest: Graduate as Mid-Ranking Student (Accomplished)
Secondary Side Quest: Set Record in Exam Portions (2/7) (Accomplished)
Third Side Quest: Set Academy Record in Exam Portions (2/7) (Accomplished)
Total Rewards Earned:
(7750 + 10%) = 8525 EXP, +450 Reputations towards [Various Individuals], [Genin] Rank Acquired, +2 AP
|Congratulations!|
|You've gained the Job [Genin]! As a result, you can now undertake even more missions in Konoha and also gain the title [Beginner Ninja]!|
Beginner Ninja Title|
Replaces [Academy Student] title.
+15% additional EXP towards completed quests and enemies slain
Gain 10 AP per year as a Genin.
Warning: Being demoted or stripped of your rank will result in you losing your title.
|Academy Graduate|
Challenge: Pass the Academy Exams (Achieved)
Reward: 1000 EXP
Konoha Hitai-ate – Common Quality
Item Type: Head-Armor
Durability: 40/40
A metal headband engraved with the kanji for 'fire' symbolizing the wearer's status as a Konoha shinobi. Forehead protectors are worn by shinobi and are engraved with the symbol of their hidden village to demonstrate their allegiance. Be forewarned, wearing this makes you stand out against enemies of Konoha.
Bonus Perks: + 5 DEF, +10% additional REP per successful mission with Konoha (must be loyal)
Flaws: Will cause [Aggro] effect if spotted by enemies of Konoha
|Congratulations! Your level has increased by one!|
Status Window
Name: Uzumaki Naruto
Job: Academy Student
Level: 24 Next Level: 0.7%/100%
HP: 8533 + [350] + [Perks] = 9327.15
CP: 14850 + [625] + [Perks] = 17022.5
STR: 64
VIT: 271 + [10] = 281
END: 364 + [15] = 379
DEX: 71 + [1] = 72
INT: 49
WIS: 27
CHA: 16
LUK: ?
DEF: 25
Attribute Points: 16 + [2] = 18
Ordinary Perk Points: 1
Special Perk Points: 1
"Yatta!" Naruto cheered, "Best. Day. Ever!"
Iruka just smiled as he handed over the boy's forehead protector.
Opposite to the Chunin, Mizuki himself congratulated the boy but inwardly the man was livid, and worried, that the demon had indeed passed. Excusing himself momentarily, to which Iruka said he'd manage on his own, Mizuki left for the hallway and fumed.
"God fucking damn it!" the man realized that the informant was right. Loathed as he wanted to acknowledge it the demon had gotten better. And now it had passed. Who knows how they'd react, "Now I have no choice but to go with plan B," while not his first choice or how he wanted it the man was left with no other option. However, Mizuki hadn't really planned out for a contingency.
"I'm sorry, Hibachi," Mizuki heard Iruka from the hallway. "While your Kawarimi and Bunshin are … decent, your Henge is not up to par. I'm afraid you will have to stay another year."
The boy shook with rage and defiance, tears threatened to spill from the side of his eyes and quite a few knew the boy wanted to lash out. However, a stern look from Iruka put a stop to the idea and Hibachi ran out of the classroom and bumped into Mizuki. The boy didn't bother to excuse himself and kept on going. In his anger the boy didn't see the malicious look in the traitor's face. The man just found his patsy.
(Sometime Later; Late at Night)
"Tough break, Gaki," Naruto heard Anko's voice from behind him. "You gave it your best-"
"What the hell are you talking about? I passed," Naruto told her.
"…You did?" she shifted her eyes to his head that had no forehead protector, "You sure about that?"
Naruto saw her gaze and immediately understood her skepticism, "Oh, right. I don't have it on me at the moment. Ask Iruka-sensei if you-"
"That's my Gaki!" Anko never let him finish his sentence. The woman cheered as she gave her ward a bone-crushing hug; tearing the boy away from his beloved Ichiraku ramen.
Naruto knew that if the hug wasn't going to kill him then having his lungs being deprived of oxygen thanks to her ample assets firmly pressed up against his face would. It would have been a hell of a way to go were his thoughts on the matter; his face still buried in soft breasts. Personally, he would have preferred going out on the battlefield doing something kickass or awesome but this was good, too.
"Lucky kid," Teuchi envied his favorite customer at the moment.
"So, how'd it go? Boring as hell," just by seeing the look on Naruto's face the woman got her answer. "Uh… never mind. Sorry I wasn't there to congratulate ya, gaki. Had to do some last minute work that only my sexy ass self could do."
"Torture?"
"Squealed like a stuck piggy… was kinda boring actually," Anko made a mental note to get Naruto to prank Ibiki's ass for that, "Where's your headband anyway?"
"Bumped into Tetsu and when he saw it he offered to turn my hitaite into a happuri style one as a graduation present," Naruto originally didn't think much about it but through the use of Observe he discovered that a happuri forehead protector would increase its defence by an additional five.
"Speaking of graduation presents," here Anko presented the boy with a gift box, "Meant to give it you earlier but … ya know."
Pleasantly surprised, Naruto tore into the wrapping like wolves did into their meal. Taking the lid off Naruto's eyes deadpanned as he saw a scroll, "This is gonna be one of those types of gifts, huh," the boy asked but already knew the answer. Well, it certainly befitted Anko's personality.
Taking the scroll, Naruto unfurled it and channeled some chakra into the sealing matrix. A poof of cloud later and the boy saw a new set of armor, "Technically it's a gift from me, Hayate, and Yugao but those two are off on duty so they asked me to send you their best."
Combat Ninja Tunic – Uncommon Quality
Item Type: Upper Body Armor
Durability: 70/70
Protective upper body armour made from specially treated leather and used by ninja during combat, or when performing physical exercises. Despite its common base appearance, it is deceptively durable.
Buffs/Perks: +10 DEF,
Fuinjutsu Slot: One Major Slot
Set Completion (First Bonus): [1/3: Locked]
Set Completion (Second Bonus): [1/5: Locked]
Combat Ninja Pants – Uncommon Quality
Item Type: Lower Body Armor
Durability 70/70
Protective lower body armour made from specially treated leather and used by ninja during combat, or when performing physical exercises. Despite its common base appearance, it is deceptively durable.
Buffs/Perks: +10 DEF
Fuinjutsu Slot: One Minor Slot
Set Completion (First Bonus): [1/3: Locked]
Set Completion (Second Bonus): [1/5: Locked]
Combat Ninja Gloves - Uncommon Quality
Item Type: Hand Armor
Durability: 55/55
Protective hand armour made from specially treated leather and used by ninja during combat. The material used in these gloves offers a decent amount of protection and allows for one to strike harder.
Buffs/Perks: +7 DEF, +3% Power Increase towards [Taijutsu]
Set Completion (First Bonus): [1/3: Locked]
Set Completion (Second Bonus): [1/5: Locked]
Combat Ninja Boots - Uncommon Quality
Item Type: Foot Armor
Durability: 55/55
Protective foot armour made from specially treated leather and used by ninja during combat. The small amount of metal added to it not only increases its overall defence but also slightly increases the strength behind one's kicks.
Buffs/Perks: + 9 DEF, +3% Power Increase towards [Taijutsu]
Set Completion (First Bonus): [1/3: Locked]
Set Completion (Second Bonus): [1/5: Locked]
Combat Ninja Utility Belt - Uncommon Quality
Item Type: Waist Armor
Durability: 40/40
Protective waist armour made from specially treated leather and used by ninja during combat. Can also used to hold pouches of kunai or shuriken.
Buffs/Perks: +5 DEF, +3% Power and Speed Increase towards [Ninja Tools]
Set Completion (First Bonus): [1/3: Locked]
Set Completion (Second Bonus): [1/5: Locked]
Combat Ninja Set Complete (First Bonus) [5/3]
+15% Increase in Effectiveness, Power and EXP towards C-Rank Skills and Lower
Combat Ninja Set Complete (Second Bonus) [5/5]
+5% Increase towards all [Resistances] and [Tolerances], +5% Increase towards HP and CP Regen when in allied territory
"I love you guys," Naruto whispered but was heard by Anko, Midori, Teuchi and Ayame. All four individuals smiled at the heartfelt compliment. Few had ever given him such gifts. The only real gifts he ever got had been Gamachan from an anonymous individual.
"Aw, love you too, Gaki," Naruto found himself pulled into the woman's bosom once again. The boy heard Teuchi snicker lecherously before his daughter whacked him over the head with a ladle. After finishing his ramen, Naruto decided to leave to go and try out his new outfit. Having been offered free ramen, not that she cared all that much for the stuff, Anko stayed for a while as she made idle chat with the sous chef of the ramen stand. She was pretty enough.
"So, the kid really did eat here almost twenty-four seven?" Anko thought it had been an exaggeration but to actually hear it.
"Unfortunately," Ayame nodded, "I love Naruto-kun, he's like the little brother I never had, but his diet was terrible. But because many treated or turned him away he usually only came here to eat or bought instant ramen," Ayame had made sure the boy ate his vegetables whenever she could but boys will be boys as the saying went.
"Yeesh!" Anko winced. Even if a shinobi burned more calories and fat faster than others they still needed the nutrients to properly fuel their bodies. Ramen afforded a lot of carbs needed for energy but it was ridiculously high in other substances that went way above the recommended daily intake. Fruits, veggies, and meat not swimming in sauces or seasoned to hell was especially important for children when their bodies needed those nutrients for a healthy growth. Eating mostly ramen wasn't going to that and would be detrimental.
"No wonder Naruto was small at the time," even for his age such as small stature was highly uncommon. Sure it meant he'd be harder to hit due to his small stature but that meant squat against seasoned and experienced ninja who could hit targets the size of pea from very far away. Luckily, Naruto's new diet helped him grow a few inches in the last four months. He wasn't the tallest Genin but wasn't the smallest anymore either.
Just as she was about to call it a night, Anko spotted several Chunin jumping and running around like mad. Spotting Iruka amongst them, Anko grabbed his attention, "Hey, Umino! What's going on?"
His words would leave her speechless, "Naruto's stolen the Scroll of Seals!"
"WHAT!"
|Over Two Months Later|
"Finally," Hiruzen sighed as he finished the last of today's paperwork. With this year's block of academy students graduating but a mere couple of days away the amount had been increasing. The man took the opportunity to look over Konoha. The rooftops were covered in decent coat of glittering white. While the country of Hi no Kuni didn't get as much snow compared to Kumo, Mizu, or some of the other lesser countries, they still had the occasional winter where they received a decent blanket of snow.
Hiruzen treasured rare moments such as these. The man recalled his first snowfall in Konoha as a young boy. A moment that he shared with his teammates and teachers. The group had been training almost all day when the weather had gradually shifted from cool to cold followed by the falling of snowflakes from above. The group had later spent the rest of the day merely playing and enjoying the change in scenery. The man chuckled as he recalled how both Tobirama and Hashirama managed to take a friendly snowball fight and somehow transformed it into an epic battle. The man remembered how the two most powerful men in Konoha received a scolding from Mito and cowered before the intimidating woman as though they were mere children. Hiruzen only regretted not having a camera to picture the event.
"To relive such a moment such as that one last time," even if it was only once the God of Shinobi wished to spend one last moment with his departed teachers and loved ones. But the man shook such thoughts from his mind. It wouldn't do well to dwell on the past and cloud one's thoughts with such things. While it was good to dream, sometimes they could become a burden and hamper a person from doing what was required of them in the present.
There were few times where Hiruzen felt his age since becoming Hokage. However, in the most recent years since retaking the mantle after the Kyubi Incident, those times came more often than he'd like to admit. Training when he had the time was often one of them. It was abundantly clear to those who bore witness to his skill as a ninja in his youth that he was no longer at the top of his game, as the saying went. While no spring chicken any longer, he was still a force to be reckoned with and still the most powerful of the Five Kage.
In a few years' time that would very well likely change. Whereas ten years ago he could train for a little over six hours before breaking into a decent sweat, Hiruzen could barely do three hours without his wizened body looking like a watered plant and feel the ache in his bones and tired muscles well into the next day and beyond without seeing his personal medic. Powerful as he was, Hiruzen was no Senju or Uzumaki whose bodies brimmed with life well beyond that of others. While his mind hadn't dulled and only grown sharper with age, it was clear that his body was on the opposite track.
However, the former could be contested as well when it came to dealing with the politics of running a ninja village, and one of the Great Five no less. As Hokage he was the head of the village and had the ultimate say. It was more easily said than executed. A leader not listening to the concerns of his people and doing merely what he wished could be seen as a tyrant, while one who did everything to appease everyone could be viewed as a weak figurehead.
Every village had their own way of ruling just as did every leader that came into office. Hiruzen had long since learned that he would never be able to appease everyone with his decisions and when making one he'd have to live and deal with the consequences that arose from them. Was he perfect as many viewed him to be? Flattered as he was by the compliment, Hiruzen acknowledged his faults. And they were many. But then, Hiruzen was more of an idealist like Hashirama than a cynical realist like Tobirama.
Which brought him to the most recent thing that made him feel old: they had a spy in their midst. Oh, Hiruzen wasn't naïve nor foolish not to suspect that every village had one or two spies within them. Konoha itself had spies in other villages. But this was different. This was espionage on an entirely different scale than what he was used to. And Hiruzen took the wise words of his deceased mentor, Tobirama, to heart, "When suspecting one, always suspect more."
It was clear someone was sabotaging the education of his future forces. Certainly, the curriculum had since toned down since Tobirama first founded the academy – different times meant different methods, and they had only just come out of the Era of Warring States – nor was it as accelerated or intense as it was during times of war, but the current requirements to graduate would have boiled Tobirama's blood. And he was the more level headed Senju brother. Removing the Trial from the curriculum he learned had been a way to appease those with non-shinobi backgrounds. Hiruzen could understand that on some level, but even he couldn't agree with its dismissal. A person who couldn't take a life – even those deemed better fit for non-combatants roles – wasn't a ninja.
How such things had gone so long without him knowing was not only blow against his pride but added credit to the fact that he was needing to step down. Many called him the greatest Hokage but for allowing such a thing to happen, Hiruzen believed otherwise. Hiruzen liked to see the good in people, or perhaps he hoped he did, and sometime after the Uchiha Clan Massacre he realized he had to acknowledge that others had begun taking advantage of that weakness and now it was coming back haunt him. Tasks and positions delegated to others because of trusts and how numerous they were likely played a role in the current situation they faced.
Going after them was far from easy. A from Kumo would have bulldozed ahead into the matter. The man had a short fuse when it came to severe insults either to himself, those he cared about, or his village. But Hiruzen wasn't the Fourth Raikage, eager and quick to action. At least, not anymore, he wasn't. Nor was he Onoki, the only Kage older than himself, who would go too far in rectifying the situation.
All it took was one wrong move, one person missed for whichever reason – personal bias, clouded judgment, not having all the facts, etc. – and who knows how they'd retaliate? This wasn't the first time Konoha had been infiltrated but it was certainly a different modus operandi. The goal was the same: Konoha's destruction. Unlike before where the results were designed to be instantaneous, this was more akin to a slow acting poison: much more subtle and long-lasting consequences in the long run.
Hiruzen had narrowed down the list of potential suspects but with so few information and so few he could trust on the matter, or believed he could trust, it was a slow process. By the time he was ready to take action they may very well have already shown their hand or flown the coop.
"And with this year's batch graduating in a few days there's little that can be done for them," Hiruzen could only hope they'd resolve the matter before the next students graduated.
A knock on the door broke the man away from his heavy thoughts, "Yes?"
"Hokage-sama," Mariko's voice rang from the other side, "Uzuki Yugao and Gekko Hayate are here to see you," the mention of Naruto's sword instructors wanting to see him peeked the man's interest.
"Send them in and then you can go home, Mariko-chan," the man instructed.
"Thank you, Hokage-sama," Mariko replied before the door opened and he was greeted by both swordsmen.
After paying their respect to their village leader, Hiruzen asked, "Yugao, Hayate, what can I do for you?" the man had an inkling that this was going to be about Naruto.
"Sorry to keep you, Hokage-sama," both bowed at their village leader once more, "But it's a little urgent."
At the word 'urgent' the elderly but powerful man's composure shifted from relaxed to rigid and then to worried, "Has something happened? Is Naruto alright?"
Seeing the look of worry and hearing it in his voice, Hayate reassured his leader, "Naruto's fine, Hokage-sama. *Cough* The kid's coming along quite well actually. Damn kid's a sponge ... When it comes to the physical portion at least," he added and Yugao released a chuckle while Hiruzen released a sigh of relief. "It's actually about his … special condition and what it impedes him to do."
"The Kyubi, or are you referring to his large chakra pools?" the man asked. No word had reached him of Naruto taping into the chakra of the most powerful of the Nine or the seal acting up, but one couldn't be too careful when it came to the Biju.
"The latter and that's putting it lightly," Yugao clarified.
The Anbu member was a talented sensor and could tell that Naruto easily had the largest pool of chakra out of all the Genin in the academy. Indeed, the woman knew off-hand that the boy had even more chakra reserves than most Jounin as well. Certainly not as strong such as Kakashi's average but dense reserves or powerful like the Hokage's but the blond jinchuriki had tons of chakra to spare nonetheless.
"The amount of chakra that has kid will allow him to do things most Jonin can't do, let alone what an academy student or Genin can do," Hiruzen mentally snorted. Neither shinobi before him had any idea of the boy's true potential could be given his heritage and condition as a jinchuriki.
"But it's also taking away his ability to make a proper clone. Naruto mastered the water surface exercise but the kid simply has too much chakra to adequately make one. Graduation is but a couple of days away-"
"And Naruto will fail despite everything he has accomplished," Hiruzen concluded with a frown. The man couldn't exactly exempt Naruto for such a thing, it wouldn't be fair to the other students who couldn't do it either. The man had gotten a ton of complaints from others for giving the boy a private tutor and while he had paid for it out of his own pocket it still didn't placate many. Short of Naruto having a physical impairment, such as Rock Lee who was exempted from the Ninjutsu portion of the exam, or it being wartime where it could sometimes be overlooked, there was little he could do right now.
Hiruzen was the Hokage and had absolute power in Konoha. His words were law. But it wasn't as easy as it sounded. Tobirama had placed laws that had long ago been put in place to prevent a Hokage from abusing their authority over the village. An example was a Hokage candidate needing the support and backing of the Village Council, Head Jounin, Anbu Commander and Fire Daimyo Council should a former Hokage die before appointing a successor. Another was using his authority to give someone such as family or family friends an advantage over others. While it wasn't the intent and had never happened in Konoha, it could easily be seen as such by others. Hiruzen recalled certain Daimyos and village leaders from the minor countries giving family and friends benefits such as more authority or leeway in certain matters. In some cases it led to a civil war or almost escalade into one. Hiruzen seriously doubted it would go that far but knew that many who were clouded by hate would do almost anything.
"Unfortunately, there is little I can do at the moment. While many weren't thrilled about Naruto being given a tutor the boy was still Dead Last and many more saw my actions as simply helping a struggling student. But now that Naruto has improved to a decent level any more help I give him will simply be seen as preferential treatment," he revealed.
Yugao frowned at the man's words. Despite being a ninja the woman had a particular dislike of politics and the endless web of deceit therein. Many had often said that the pen was mightier than the sword, and it was true. With a single signature a country decree, law or regulation could impede one, make others suffer for little to no reason, or start a rebellion. "So, if Naruto can't be exempt from the Bunshin portion of the exam, what can we do?"
Hiruzen sighed. The woman had just asked the million ryo question.
(Meanwhile)
"Alright everyone! Settle down," was Iruka's shout.
But one bored blond ignored it and only half-listened. The day was pretty much over so there was much to do anyway besides listen to Iruka's end of the day spiel. Naruto sighed and Hotto yawned from his spot on the ground. Bored didn't seem appropriate a word to describe how he felt. But with the graduation exam a mere couple days away he wouldn't be able to take it early. Even then, Naruto still hadn't been able to solve his current problem: clones.
Give him monsters to fight and he wouldn't hesitate. Have him go against Sasuke with one arm tied behind his back and he'd do it. He had actually proposed it… and then Iruka-sensei had given him detention for aggravated arrogance. Hell! Give him an angry Anko and he'd...
"Alright, bad example," he'd freely admit he'd run away. An angry Anko scared the hell out of everyone. Him getting detention for something so stupid had not bore well for the academy student. The woman knew he would have succeeded, but had to pound into his head to never show off one's true strength unless it really mattered. A tourney didn't matter.
But that was neither here nor there.
Two Months, nearly three. Over two bloody f-ing months had passed and even then, Naruto still hadn't been able to find a solution to his clone problem. To be honest, he was actually starting to worry. Everything else had been improved upon, of which many in his class had remarked upon, and no longer was he in the lower ranking. Now he was in the low-middle ranking. Though that was mainly because they also calculated his past performance into his grade before his Gamer ability came into play. Even then, Naruto still struggled until Anko took him under her wing and then began boosting his INT.
"And yet, all that improvement means nothing unless I can make a stupid clone," and what was the point, really? Anko had told him that the basic Bunshin was virtually useless against ninja unless you were facing someone really stupid or unobservant. But regardless of this fact, it remained a mandatory prerequisite to becoming a Genin. Iruka had been sympathetic and had mentioned that exceptions such as birth defects that prevented one from properly molding chakra were taken into consideration, but they were rare and even then, other factors such as previous performances over the years came into consideration. Naruto had no such defect and while he had certainly improved, his former performance worked against him.
Trying to learn other variants of the clone technique proved fruitless, too. Much like the Bunshin, elemental clones required a great amount of control to form; Naruto simply had too much chakra. While the ratio required to properly form such clones was more reasonable compared to the ordinary Bunshin, they were still too great. Even if Naruto were to put all the leftover Attribute Points to increase his already improved INT it wouldn't make a difference. The difference between his INT and END was astronomical, especially after ridding himself of the Malnourished flaw.
Suffice to say, Naruto had never been more pissed. Well, maybe when Ichiraku closed down when Teuchi and Ayame went on vacation, but that was a memory best forgotten and locked away behind countless steel doors and traps.
It hadn't been the only set back he had faced in the last couple of months. A series of events had begun with a pop up after the Earth Dungeon was conquered. First, his Gamer perk had announced that it was undergoing an upgrade in its system as a result of his achievements. Whatever, the hell that meant, he had no idea. What he did know was that during that time he wouldn't be able to enter any dungeon for the next bit and he received fewer quests as well.
Second, Anko becoming a Jonin had also changed things. Her newly acquired rank also came with more duties and responsibilities. A downside of which meant that their training sessions were no longer as regular as they once were, though the intensity has been amped up. Naruto hadn't been idle during such times – Anko wouldn't let him and neither would Hayate or Yugao or Iruka after what he accomplished during the tourney.
Extra homework … Greaaat.
But that wasn't it. Oh, no, a week later when the upgrade was done and he now had Gamer 2.0, Naruto believed his itch for dungeon crawling was at an end. It was in a matter of speaking. While his Instant Dungeon Creations were still accessible alongside the dungeons he conquered, the newer dungeons based around the five elements – for while Naruto had very well established that he was slow at times, he was perceptive – required more than just conquering the previous dungeons.
The third dungeon that centered on the wind element required him to increase his [Stealth Skill] and [Detection Skills] by ten levels as well as master two [Stealth-Based Skills], two [Speed-Based Skills] or a combination of the two. Neither of which he had yet to accomplish but by the time he did it was three weeks later. Naruto seriously hated the low visibility the Wind Dungeon caused. Still, the boss loot had been worth it in his opinion.
The last two dungeons had been an even greater pain in the ass. The Water Dungeon required him knowing the Suimen Hokō no Gyō (Water Surface Walking Method), a chakra control exercise. But that brought its own share of problems. The leaf exercise had to be mastered and then he needed to learn and master the Ki Nobori no Shugyo (Tree Climbing Practice). And with chakra control exercises being his bane even with the Gamer on his side, it had not been quickly accomplished tasks, nor painless ones given Anko's patented methods. Naruto still couldn't look at a hot spring without his body flaring up.
The Lightning Dungeon, the final dungeon, and its requirements were better left unsaid. Even with his primary affinity being wind and lightning's superior, it had been the most difficult dungeon to conquer. Lightning, which was regarding by many as the most powerful of the five primary elements – and Naruto was tempted to agree with them – was an exceptionally dangerous element to deal with. It was swift, destructive, and had a large AoE radius; the enemies of that dungeon, the boss especially, reflected the first two characteristics very much. Lightning technique users, much like wind, were also very uncommon in Hi no Kuni. And so, having never faced or ever had the opportunity to practice against one who knew such techniques, had forced him to learn and adapt on the fly. It was either that, or feel his entire body spasm and twitch and burn on the inside.
Despite coming out as the victor, and that had not been an easy feat, Naruto still wondered if it was worth it, "I get all the keys and I can't even use them until after that stupid timer reaches zero!" and that had only been the kick in the teeth.
The kick in the balls was Naruto needing to be at a certain level – level thirty in this case – in order to unlock whatever rewards the damn things granted. The long string of colorful cursing might have made Hayate and Yugao blush. Anko would have simply said she heard better. Naruto guessed she meant by her.
Almost three months later and Naruto was only at level twenty-three, almost twenty-four. Another kick in the pants was Naruto realizing that levelling up was becoming slower and harder to accomplish the moment he reached level twenty. Even with his titles and perks, the EXP he was gaining from enemies was either too low or non-existent because of their level difference. While harder, the Zombie Dungeon V1.5 only offered a greater challenge and loot drops than a real boost in experience points. The Lightning Dungeon was the only one with foes that offered decent EXP, but Naruto was good for the next bit given his recent experience.
On the upside, he had mastered many of his skills since then and levelled up but all those accomplishments, much like his conquering of the dungeons, would amount to nothing if he didn't graduate.
"No way in hell am I repeating again," and to make matters worse, Naruto recalled something about the Academy having a rule of three strikes and you're out when it came to graduating attempts. He didn't know if it was true. And if he didn't become a Genin, short of him leaving the village and going off on his own, Naruto was sure he'd plateau at some point. Becoming a Genin would allow him access to missions and challenges necessary to becoming stronger.
He'd need to consult with with Yugao or Hayate.
XxX
"Unfortunately, it is true," Naruto grunted in displeasure and effort at holding his opponent's blade back. Of all the rotten luck, "Count yourself lucky. Back when Tobirama-sama was around the rule was you only had two chances to prove yourself. And that was after changing it from only having one chance when the Academy first opened."
Naruto mentally gulped and guess he should count himself lucky he wasn't born so many decades ago. But his momentary lapse was quickly taken advantage of and he found himself on his back with a wooden sword at his throat.
"Dead," Yugao declared.
While his mind had been elsewhere at the time, Naruto couldn't use it as an excuse. Neither Anko nor Hayate or Yugao would accept it. A distracted shinobi was a dead shinobi.
"My turn, love," moving to the side, Yugao watched as Hayate took out his steel katana and ordered Naruto to grab his own sword. With the threat of live steel, Naruto's senses heightened and his mind laser-focused.
Grabbing a scroll, Naruto took out Chichizouge (Bloody Ivory) and used Goriki to heighten his STR so he could use the oversized weapon without penalties. With his STR now in the triple digits, the blade felt much less cumbersome in his arms.
Both Hayate and Yugao had been surprised when they first saw it, but after explaining his desire to use a Zanbato down the line they understood his reasoning. While the Jinbuyo-Ryu (Blade of the Dancing Leaf Style) was designed more around using much lighter swords given its emphasis on speed, feints and disorientation, different variations of the style based on the user's weapon of choice wasn't unheard of.
Although, Hayate and Yugao confessed that Naruto would likely be the first to create a variation that utilized a weapon categorized as a great sword. But then, that also meant that no one knew how to deal with it.
"Hajime!"
Naruto didn't make the first move. Time and pain had taught him that even with a much lighter sword he was too slow to rush Hayate's precise counters. Naruto had greater strength because of Hayate's condition but the man's DEX was much greater than his own, even if he couldn't see the exact number.
That said, Hayate had a pattern whenever he started his bouts, "You heard about the prank I pulled?" Naruto asked as he ducked. The practice of making idle conversation or banter while they spared was something Hayate encouraged him to master. Not only could it allow him to throw off his opponent, but the best of swordsmen and ninja were meant to multitask while they fought. Keeping one eye on their opponent, the other on their surroundings and their senses acute for anything their eyes couldn't see.
"Pretty sure half the village force knows," Hayate acknowledged before deflecting the bigger weapon's swing with ease, "Still can't believe you did that."
"Hey! If someone pranks you then you have every right to try and prank 'em back," it was common sense in Naruto's opinion.
"Not when that person is Anko," Hayate rebuked and then performed a fast slash that was smoothly followed by a leg sweep.
While caught by the maneuver, Naruto managed to right himself with a back flip as he'd been taught, "So, what if it was Anko. She started it."
"You're lucky not to be maimed," he heard Yugao tell him.
"Or worse," Hayate added before he moved faster than before.
"I heal quickly," neither Jonin could dispute that fact. Naruto healed very quickly. One of the few perks from his tenant, "Besides, I'd rather have that than what she did in retaliation."
"It was just ramen, Naruto!" Hayate honestly didn't know how he managed to befriend two individuals obsessed with a particular dish.
"It was my ramen!"
"Some of which was expired!" which in itself was hard to digest.
"Expiration dates mean nothing to ramen!" the gods willed it so.
"If I didn't know any better, I'd swear Anko gave birth to you herself," the woman said that exact same thing about dango.
As if reading his thoughts, Naruto said, "Not possible. Dango sucks," too sweet and too chewy for his taste.
"Blasphemy!"
"AHHH!" the unexpected event had Naruto wildly swinging his sword, only for it to act like a shuriken when he lost his grip on the weapon thanks to the snakes that swarmed him like an ant colony.
"Hey! Watch it!" Hayate barked. While the large sword wasn't on a direct course with anyone, losing his grip on it was a foolish mistake and dangerous to boot, "That stunt just earned you another hour."
That wasn't really a punishment in Naruto's opinion until the man added, "Sparring with Anko going all out."
"Jerk!" the back talk only served to earn himself an additional hour. Hayate and Yugao he could do. Two hours of him against Anko going all out was nightmare inducing. Especially with her new favourite toy the Dokkaso no Jutsu (Toxic Luster Claw Technique).
"Talk about instead regret," the trade hadn't not been one of his smarter moves.
Naruto liked to think he was a nice guy. If someone was his friend, he'd be there in a flash or help them in any way possible. But, in all honestly, he couldn't help but wonder what the hell was he thinking by giving Anko the skill scroll he acquired from the Rat Dungeon. Sure, the skill was useless to him given its requirements, and he could have made decent cash selling it through the [Abyss Auction] instead.
But no! Naruto had to be the nice guy and give it to Anko instead – for a significantly reduced price, of course. The boost in relationship points was nice, but the skill was a literal pain in the ass given it formed a corrosive whip. It had been love at first sizzle for the mad T&I specialist.
"The pain can wait a bit. The Sexy Mitarashi Anko has the answer to all your prayers!"
"You know how to cook ramen in an instant?" a hopeful Naruto asked.
While the comment threw Yugao and Hayate off, Anko was not, "Why would I have that answer when I'd want instant dango instead? Besides, even if I knew that, I wouldn't tell you for free," that last bit was true.
"They're both mad," Hayate whispered so only his lover could hear.
"No comment," was the Anbu's reply.
"I'm talking about your clone problem. Graduation is only a few short days away. I talked to Hokage-sama a few minutes ago. Heard you guys had the same idea," Anko asked, to which they nodded.
"You did! What's the verdict?" Naruto asked and hoped for good news.
"Want the good news or the bad news first, kid?" Hayate asked him. The boy asked for the bad news first. "The bad news is that after we talked with Hokage-sama we couldn't get you exempt from the Bunshin portion of the exam. If he did then it would be seen as favouritism and others who also can't do it would want to be exempt from it as well."
"Crap," there went that option. "And the good news?"
Here Anko smirked, "The good news is that as long as you can show your ability to create a flawless clone during the exam you'll pass. However, you're incapable of using the regular clone technique or an elemental one given your chakra to chakra control ratio. So, instead the Hokage has allowed me to teach you a different clone technique that I believes you can use."
"Ok, what's that?" Naruto asked.
"It's called the Kage Bunshin no Jutsu (Shadow Clone Technique)," Anko informed him.
The elderly Sandaime had barely taken half a puff of his pipe before finding himself choking on what was meant to be a soothing burn and once again felt just how old he was when Anko asked permission to teach an academy student one of the most difficult B-Rank techniques developed by the Nidaime Hokage.
"Are you cra… What am I saying? Of course you are," Hayate couldn't help himself.
Yugao herself couldn't help but add commentary, "Anko, you've done some pretty questionable things before but teaching an Academy student the Kage Bunshin of all techniques!"
"We've already established I'm not all there," and while many would say that was her mentor's influence on her, Anko had always been wild even before Orochimaru had sunk his fangs into her.
Naruto was skeptical, "Okay, what's the difference between this and the other clones techniques I can't use?"
"Normally it's only used by Jonin and above because of the large amount of chakra level requirements. It took some convincing, but I managed to get permission from Hokage-sama to make an exception."
"Thank you, Jiji," Naruto smiled. Both because of what his surrogate grandfather did for him and because he'd now be able to pass the exam.
"This is serious, Naruto!" Hayate barked out authoritatively, "The Kage Bunshin is a borderline kinjutsu technique."
"He's right. This isn't going to be easy, Naruto," Yugao's voice held a strict tone. "It took me and Hayate close to a month to properly learn the Kage Bunshin, and years more to acquire the necessary chakra before we were deemed ready to use it without posing a danger to either of us. This technique requires not only a lot of chakra but a great deal of concentration to form and create the amount of clones you want. People have died because of how demanding the technique is. They either made too many clones and they went into shock from the severe amount of chakra they wasted or lost and the body couldn't handle it and gave out. We have less than two days for you to learn how to properly use this technique. So, the moment we begin we don't stop until you get it done."
[QUEST ALERT!]
Art of the Shadow Clone
Main Quest: Learn the skills [Kage Bunshin no Jutsu (Shadow Clone Technique)] and [Taiju Kage Bunshin no Jutsu (Multiple Shadow Clone Technique)] before the Academy Graduation Exam
Side Quest: Master the skills [Kage Bunshin no Jutsu (Shadow Clone Technique)] and [Taiju Kage Bunshin no Jutsu (Multiple Shadow Clone Technique)] before the Academy Graduation Exam
Main Quest Completion: Acquire the skills [Kage Bunshin no Jutsu (Shadow Clone Technique)] and [Taiju Kage Bunshin no Jutsu (Multiple Shadow Clone Technique)] Exam
Side Quest Completion: 1250 EXP per skill mastered
Failure: Chances of failing the Academy Graduation Exam increases
Accept Quest? (Yes/No)
Special Note: Decline this quest may affect future outcomes in a negative manner.
Naruto merely smirked. The boy wasn't afraid of a challenge and to become a ninja he'd get the technique down in time. It was his ninja way.
"But first, that torture session," Anko cackled with glee, her hand becoming claw-like and oozing with hungry yellow green energy.
Shit!
(Two Days Later)
More than once was Naruto thankful that his ability allowed him to wake up refreshed and sore and ache free from the labours of the previous day. Neither Jonin had held back and while he hadn't been able to master either technique in such a short amount of time, he had been able to learn both of them and get them to a decent level in a short amount of time, to their complete bafflement. And Naruto couldn't help but be excited.
Today was the day that he and many at the academy dreamed about. Today was the day of the graduation ceremony. Today was the final day at the academy, and the last day of boring lectures and other non-thrilling or non-stimulating activities.
"Next up, missions…Oh, right," Naruto's good mood went south when he realized that all he'd be doing were D-Rank ones inside the village for the next little while. In other words, the same thing he'd been doing for the last few couple of months. Naruto could have counted his blessings that he'd get paid this time, but the amount wasn't all that much when split between three ways. And that was after the village got its cut. Jonin generally didn't take a cut on D-Rank missions.
"Meh, at least I'll pass," Naruto would take what he could get. He still got a kick out of Yugao and Hayate's looks. What had taken them close to a month to learn and many more to properly use and master had taken him less than a couple of days to get the hang of it; Naruto simply had a natural affinity for the technique.
But Hayate had warned Naruto of the flaws and risks he would encounter, "The Shadow Clone Technique splits the user's chakra equally among the number of clones you create. If you make too many you'll barely have any chakra for yourself," he remembered the man's warning. While Naruto was capable of creating well over nine clones with the Kage Bunshin no Jutsu, with its more advanced kinjutsu variant he knew he could make almost six hundred and fifty clones thanks to his large chakra reserves, but even that was risking it.
The boy had done the math. Six hundred and fifty Narutos meant that every single one of them would only have slightly over 25 CP in them. His Gamer ability stated that a person's CP suddenly going below 25 CP would be at great risk of going into shock, perhaps even dying, for having so little chakra. Anko elaborated by saying that it was the major risk of the technique and why only those with certain types of chakra or very large amounts of chakra should use the skill even when practicing; it was akin to having a full body of blood to having almost none. The little amount would not affect the Shadow Clones compared to the regular Bunshin but would still have drawbacks.
Everyone was born with enough chakra to survive when they were born, some with more or less than others because of one reason or another. There was a difference however in having chakra and being able to actually use it. Almost anyone could use chakra but the process had much greater success at a very young age.
Naruto found that it was why the academy tried to increase a student's chakra reserves and control before they started teaching them techniques. With animals and creatures from dungeons the rules were an exception due to their different body structures and makeup from humans. Similar to how a human's body allowed them to do things such as eating foods an animal couldn't and vice versa.
Hayate said that since the bodies had little chakra in them they weren't as durable either if he made fewer clones. The boy wasn't dumb. Aside from the risk of him suddenly blacking out for splitting up too much of his chakra, a copy of him split almost seven hundred ways wouldn't be able use a Ninjutsu skill more than once before it ran out and disappeared, and even then that was the basic stuff. Which meant that such a large amount of clones would more or less be better suited as an intimidation tactic against weaker foes or as a distraction when he wanted to overwhelm a single individual much stronger than himself.
At the moment the perfect amount of clones to make was between ten and twenty. This way they either had between close to 2000 CP or close to 1000 CP each. Having that number would allow them to use some of the more powerful techniques and their durability was much higher. The only problem was that since Naruto was still relatively new to the technique, his control over the amount of clones he wanted to make wasn't the greatest - the lowest he could make was eight - and while he regained any chakra they had after they dispelled, he only got about 80% of said CP.
"WAKE UP, GAKI!"
"Gahhhh!" Naruto jumped up in fright. The now four foot eleven and still growing Genin drew Chichizouge on reflex.
"Oh, that never gets old," Anko laughed as she entered the room. "By the way, your security needs some improvement," the blond's eyes bulged when he saw a bound and gagged Hotto curtesy of several large serpents. The ninken was glaring bloody daggers at the woman as he struggled to free himself.
"That's never gonna stop is it?" he sighed upon seeing her smile. It was all the answer he needed, "What do you want, Anko-sensei?" he asked as he took his clothes into the bathroom and began dressing himself. Not bothering to free Hotto since the snakes would bite him.
Snakes bites hurt!
"I'm hurt, Gaki," she heard him snort, "Well, whatever. Just came to see how you were doing. Feeling pumped for the big day?"
"On one hand, hell yeah!" the woman laughed a bit at his enthusiasm. "On the other hand, I'm not caring so much about the whole D-Rank mission I have to do."
"Ugh, don't remind me," Anko groaned lowly. It was one of the few downsides of teaching she realized. Personally speaking Anko didn't see D-Rank missions as actual missions. They were nothing but chores that lazy or elderly individuals paid for to get done. Many went about saying how it helped promote teamwork and the woman often called them on the bullshit. Certainly there were some D-Rank missions that required them to work together, such as the infamous capture mission that involved the next generation of Tora, but that was only one-third of the time. The rest they did specific chores by themselves under the watchful guidance and view of their teachers.
"You nervous?" she asked him.
"Nah," Naruto replied from the bathroom, "This is gonna be easy," he smirked.
"Cocky much?" she asked him and Naruto froze, "On this I can let that slide. I'd be too with the amount of skills you have now," Anko mentally pouted. She had graduated at age ten, compared to the usual graduating twelve or thirteen ratio, and had been required to show the academy three, pass the written and Taijutsu portion of the exam, and show that she could proficiently use three C-Rank techniques be they Ninjutsu, bukijutsu or Genjutsu.
"Any thoughts on who you want to be teamed up with?" she asked.
Naruto hadn't really thought about it much to be honest. But quickly came up with an answer, "Not really. I mean, Shikamaru and Chouji are kinda lazy and as much as I like those guys I don't know if I'd want to team up with 'em. Maybe Sasuke-teme or Dog-breath since they're pretty skilled but they're always trying to be top dog."
"Got it," the image was crystal clear to Anko.
Chouji and Shikamaru were decent individuals and easy to work with but were easily controlled by their vices and if given the option they'd rather do that than train or go the extra mile. It wasn't an attitude Anko would put up with. Kiba and Sasuke, more so Sasuke, were skilled and serious about the ninja lifestyle but Anko had seen from experience that while rivalry was good there was a chance that could end badly. Especially when it was evident that one was starting to get better than the other or be promoted while the other wasn't. And Sasuke had issues even if he wouldn't admit them out loud. Anyone with a clan slaughtered by their own kin would have them.
"Anyone else?"
"Shino and Hinata are quiet but I guess I could work with them," Naruto didn't know either of them personally but neither one made fun of him, "Ino's a loudmouth but she's one of the better students… Sakura-chan, maybe."
Anko wasn't surprised. Despite what happened months ago, emotions and feelings for another didn't go away quite as easily as some made it out to be. It could have been worse. Anko had seen talented shinobi let their skills go to waste because of heartbreak. Naruto still had lingering feelings for the pinkette but at least he didn't let them impede his growth as a ninja.
Truthfully, she did this merely because she wanted to see what his reaction would be when he was part of the team she wanted. With Ino he was hesitant but willing to work with, which was fine in her books, and with Hinata he was indifferent but okay with as she didn't make fun or demean him like some of the others. Ino's father along with his former teammates hadn't exactly been thrilled at the idea of their children not following in this shoes. But Anko had come prepared.
"Strong as they are individually, and as powerful as they are together, those men are whipped by their wives," Anko cackled just as Naruto got out of the bathroom. The woman gave Naruto a look over and creased her eyebrows.
"You're gonna need to replace your outfit soon, gaki," the woman wasn't lying as she eyed the cuts and rips on the worn out ninja wear. Then again it was basic training armor and not really meant for combat situations like the practice he was getting in the dungeons.
"Yeah, I know," the boy knew already his gear needed replacing. His armor had seen better days even with him having the [Gear Maintenance Skill]. The skill lengthened the lifespan but it wasn't infinite and the maximum durability went down each time it was fixed. What he wore was the last one he had on had thanks to an unfortunate encounter with a Rarespawn gear-destroying slime that had completely destroyed his second set and Seishoyo when it pulled a kamikaze move upon defeat. Being naked, angry, covered in God knows what, and losing a damn good weapon in that sewer was one of his worst experiences.
"But the stuff I want is too damn pricy," he had a ton of money now but was saving it for something else.
"You gotta spend money to make money, gaki," Anko informed the soon to be graduate. "Anyway, just dropped by to say good luck, Gaki. Not that you'll need it though."
"Thanks," he smiled at the woman before grabbing Hottomaru, "See you later, Anko-sensei," the boy said, opened a window and along with Hotto set off towards the academy.
(Konoha Academy Sometime Later)
Naruto and his classmates waited patiently for the teachers to come in and begin the exam. The students were in a bigger classroom as the other potential graduates from the other blocks joined theirs. The two blocks only ever met one another during lunchtime because of different schedules. Each block only had thirty students or less because some were either held back, failed, or skipped ahead and because the number allowed the teachers to effectively regulate and look after the students.
The reason why they were joined today was because they were all undergoing the same test at the same time compared to before. The first part was the written portion that lasted a good two hours, followed by a forty-five minute break as they marked down the results, and then the physical portion of the exam began which lasted an hour and a half. Afterwards they had lunch for thirty minutes and began the final portion, which lasted half an hour, which consisted of the academy three Ninjutsu. It was flawed really when one thought about it.
"Even if a person fails the other portions they can pass so long as they do well on the last one," it made no sense really why the Ninjutsu portion had a greater weighing average than the other two portions.
"Arf," Hottomaru agreed with his partner.
The moment the door opened everyone directed their attention towards the six academy instructors that walked in, "Glad to see you're all paying attention to me for once," a few laughed at Iruka's joke, even some of the teachers. "Now before we begin I'd like to say how proud I am to see you all here. Your journey was long-"
"Sensei, can we forgo the sentimental crap and get on with it already?" Kiba's remark was joined by the agreement of many academy students.
Iruka was downtrodden, "I worked all night on that speech," he sulked before doing exactly what the students wanted.
"Alright, since some if not all of you are eager," he sent a glare at the students, "I guess I'll start with the rules: no cheating, no peaking, and you have two hours to finish the written test. Once you're done, raise your hand and I or another teacher will pick it up for you."
One by one the students were each given a sheet of stapled paper that was rested on its back. When the last student was given the test, Iruka declared they were to begin and then began writing. As time passed by, Naruto wasn't surprised to see that Sakura ended up finishing the test first and in record time with less than an hour. Followed soon by Sasuke, Ino, Shino, Hinata and Shikamaru several minutes later. Naruto himself managed to finish the test with eleven minutes to spare.
"Guess I won't be setting a record for this portion," Naruto had his doubts. Written tests had never been his forte, even after a great deal of studying and improvement, the highest mark he had ever gotten in them was seventy-one percent. Some questions were obvious such as naming the five primary elemental releases and their weakness and who was the founder of the academy.
Others such as past battles during the Era of Warring states, Shinobi World Wars, and the answer to an algebraic formula weren't as easy. Some questions actually didn't make any sense or made him wonder what it had to do with the ninja way of life and how it was going to help him become a ninja in the first place. Either way he couldn't complain about it now and the boy could only wait for the results. Having some time to kill Naruto took a page of out Shikamaru's book and took a brief nap.
Eleven minutes later the boy was woken up from his rest by the sound of Iruka shouting, "Time!" effectively bringing the blond out of the land of dreams. And wasn't the least bit surprised by the message that greeted him.
|Set Exam Record (Failed)|
|Set Academy Record (Failed)|
"The two hours are up! Place your pencils down and stop writing on your test. The results will be posted later and then we will move on to the next portion of the examination. Please follow Mizuki-sensei and Suzume-sensei to the designated area where the physical portion will take place."
One by one the students left the classroom and waited in the area that they were brought to. Deciding to continue his nap, Naruto laid down on the grass and was joined by Hottomaru.
When forty odd minutes had passed the boy got up and as he began looking around, Naruto saw that many had a look of worry on their face. The boy ignored them and focused his attention on the training area they had. It was basic really. Several targets were set up, a combat ring was in place, and something that looked like an obstacle course.
"If this is all that's needed to pass the physical portion then this will be a piece of cake," Naruto grinned.
"What's with the grin, dobe?" Naruto heard Kiba ask him.
"Just thinking how easy this is gonna be, Dog-breath," Naruto said.
Kiba frowned but remained silent. The Inuzuka heir was boastful, arrogant, and not the sharpest tool in the shed but he wasn't the dumbest of individuals.
The boy knew that Naruto was stronger, faster, and smarter than what he used to be if the thrashing Kiba got from him during the fight several weeks ago. Since then Kiba had been improving but even then the feral boy still couldn't match Naruto in terms of skill Taijutsu anymore. Naruto always came out on top now, having only come to close to losing to Sasuke once but won in the end.
"How the hell did he get so strong?" Kiba wondered. Had it been Sasuke he wouldn't have thought much of it as the Uchiha had always been hailed as a prodigy. The same couldn't be said for Naruto.
"Alright, everyone, gather 'round," Iruka began, "By now some of you will have already figured out what the next portion of the exam will consist of. This portion of the exam will consist of three parts Here we will test your accuracy, your speed and dexterity, as well as your physical strength and endurance."
Soon the students were split into three groups of twenty students each and two teachers. Each group was being tested on a certain course and when the groups were done some twenty minutes later they would switch to another course.
"Uzumaki Naruto," Suzume announced as she presented the boy with a set of kunai, shuriken, and a piece of paper. "Your score during the written test was sixty-nine percent," some who knew Naruto or heard of him laughed at that remark. Others however not as much as they knew that the old Naruto would have either passed by the skin of his nose or failed brilliantly. It wasn't the greatest mark but it was a hell of a lot better than what it could have been.
Picking up the kunai lazily Naruto glanced at the targets. The test was similar to the one from before with the only difference being that they were much further and had a smaller target painted on them. For some it would make them worry. For Naruto and his experience in dungeons it was nothing.
Twirling the kunai in his hands, the metal weapons soon became a blur as he launched them at the stationary wooden posts. Each bladed weapon either pierced right through them at the center of the bull's-eye or was buried up to the hilt. The same followed when he used the shuriken.
Suzume was surprised but the woman composed herself as she gave him a perfect mark for the accuracy portion. The woman had only taught Naruto during his first two years and hadn't been impressed by the boy. Unlike others the woman didn't care about the Kyubi inside him, but still didn't like the boy's attitude and mannerisms. She thought him to be a slacker and a mockery of what shinobi should be and thought he had little hopes of passing or becoming a ninja. To see him do what he just did, and from the looks of it he wasn't even trying, shocked the woman.
|Set Exam Record (Failed)|
|Set Academy Record (Failed)|
Naruto frowned but then remembered that the special note from the quest saying it would be deemed an automatic fail if someone else already achieved the highest result before him or if they accomplished it more quickly. It wasn't that big of a loss anyway.
"Bored," Naruto honestly thought there would be more to it than this. Even if it involved a moving target it would have been more interesting or challenging. Not by much really as it would still be easy but a slight challenge was better than no challenge.
When his group moved on to the obstacle course Naruto yawned. When he was younger he had attempted this very course and had gotten hurt in the process. The incident involved a busted lip and bloody nose. But the worse of it all was meeting the dreaded Witch Doctor of the Konoha Hospital: Dr. Kureha. Naruto was fairly certain she was the cause of his fear of hospitals. Naruto was certain others would have the misfortune of meeting the witch after this course.
Naruto wasn't one of them. Having experienced the mountains and cliffs that Lightning Dungeon and their precarious positions, what he saw didn't impress him. Even Anko and Midori had made him run through much more dangerous obstacles, mainly them and some very inventive traps, compared to this puny little thing.
"Alright, everyone, you each have exactly one minute and thirty-seconds to reach the end of the obstacle course. If you get hit by some of the obstacles that are meant to slow you down it will result in a second being added to your time. If the amount of time gone by is over the allotted period, you fail and receive a zero for this portion of the exam," many gulped and began to worry. Naruto saw it for what it was, another test. Anko had told him that ninja were often tested to see how well they could do under pressure and the stress it brought on.
The students and teachers watched as one student went after the other. Some of which passed well or by the skin of their nose, while others failed or were struck and/or knocked out by the obstacles they were meant to dodge.
Once it was his turn, Naruto took his position, breathed and when the teacher shouted 'Go!' he took off like a shot. The boy ran across the field where blunt shuriken and kunai were being thrown, catching a blunt kunai and using it to deflect the other wooden object that came his way. Next, he crawled underneath barbed wire and was forced to crawl a good twenty odd feet without getting his uniform snagged. Once that was done, Naruto had to run along the length of a tight rope while bobbing and weaving from large swinging stumps of wood that wanted to knock him on his ass.
Once that was done and over with the blond then had to climb up a rock wall, climb down and then sprint to the finish line. However, thanks to the adrenaline that was currently pumping through him, Naruto subconsciously began to run up the rock face using only his feet much to the astonishment of the academy students and teachers.
"What the hell!" was the collective thought of many as they saw Naruto run up the obstacle, his momentum not slowing down as he did.
The blond then kicked himself off the top of the obstacle, hit the ground and continued to run towards the finish line before he finally crossed it. The moment he crossed over did Iruka become even more surprised as he saw the time on the stop watch.
|Set Exam Record (Achieved)|
|Set Academy Record (Failed)|
"43.69 seconds!" Iruka could only marvel. Naruto's time was currently the best of his year at the moment, beating even Sasuke's 56.12. It wasn't the best in the academy history though. The school record being 32.87 seconds that had been set by the Yondaime Hokage when he was a student, and the only ones that came close to breaking the record had been Uchiha Itachi and Hatake Kakashi.
Once more many were left speechless at the fact that the former Dead Last had improved so well. Some had come to acknowledge that Naruto had indeed improved while others still clung to the notion that he was a loser who was merely going through a lucky streak. As the last of the students finished up, Naruto's group moved to their final physical examination.
"Alright, everyone, the goal with this exam is simple. You are going to be facing off against one of the teachers and you are meant to last at least one minute and try to land a punch if possible. If you get pushed out of the circle or don't last a before a minute passes you fail," Iruka explained.
Excusing himself to go use the washroom, Naruto took a classic page out of the shinobi handbook and cheated by powering himself up with Ninpo: Goriki (Ninja Art: Hard Strength) as it gave off no signature or flare of energy. And, as far as others were concerned, his newfound strength was nothing more than pure muscle power. Technically it was true as the technique basically made the muscles in his body stronger.
When the students were about to begin with their testing, Naruto willingly volunteered to go first as he faced off against Daikoku Funeno. Naruto recalled the man when he first entered the academy. He was kind and fair but expected effort from his students in everything they did. Daikoku was relatively slimmer during Naruto's first year at the academy but now the man was bigger, nowhere as big as an Akimichi, but it was evident he had put on some weight since the last time he saw the brown haired Chunin.
"Ready, begin!"
Daikoku began to circle Naruto and performed a few mock lunges to throw the boy off and lose his balance. Having been taught by three mentors who literally pounded into is head to recognize body language, even if it wasn't perfect, Naruto saw through the act quickly. When Daikoku realized that Naruto wasn't going to fall for his tricks the man came in and threw a few punches that while fast would still allow a potential graduate level ninja to dodge and evade.
What the man didn't count on was Naruto grabbing the outstretched appendage and pull with all his might. Daikoku was caught off guard by the move and the man soon found himself launched out of the ring and a great deal away from the group. The act was unexpected but not dangerous or life threatening as the man flipped and righted himself in the air before he landed in a crouch.
|Exam Record (Achieved)|
|Academy Record (Failed)|
"What just happened?" Daikoku asked but was met with silence. The man had been pulling back true to give the students a fighting chance but even then he had not expected an academy student to demonstrate such physical strength. Aside from Itachi years back when Daikoku was younger no one else ever did. Part of him wondered if the Kyubi played a factor in improving Naruto's physical prowess.
"Uh…" was all Iruka could say as his mind tried to process what had happened.
"I think that's my win, Iruka-sensei," Naruto said before he left the ring and a group of flabbergasted individuals. It went without saying that Naruto had easily dominated this portion of the exam.
The boy was truly bored and disappointed with the exam really. When he had done these tests before they were a challenge, now not so much thanks to his powered up skills and stats. Though Naruto also knew that had Daikoku been serious from the start and not underestimated Naruto's strength the match wouldn't have been quite as easy. His chances of winning would have been lower but Naruto liked to think that he most likely would have still won the match despite the added difficulty.
As the last student finished the groups took lunch. Not wanting to be bothered by some of the students that would most likely ask him some questions the blond jinchuriki grabbed his ninken and moved to a more secluded location. Taking out a couple pieces of [Roasted Boar Meat], one for himself and the other for his partner, both males began eating in peace.
"Did you hear?" Naruto stopped munching on his lunch as he overheard the chatter below him. The boy spotted what appeared to be a couple of Chunin instructors based on their attire. From their appearance Naruto speculated that they were new ones too.
"Hear what?" the man asked in a bored tone.
"Heard the Uzumaki brat dominated the physical part of the exam, and get this; he beat Daikoku," the man's words made his companion choke.
"Bullshit! You serious?" he asked, "Uzumaki Naruto, the dDead Last and overall terror of the village defeated a Chunin?" granted Daikoku was an academy instructor so he wasn't the strongest of Chunin Konoha had to offer but to lose to an academy student.
"Very same," his companion added with a grin. "Kid just went and grabbed Daikoku and tossed away like yesterday's garbage."
"How the hell did that happen? The kid's the Dead Last, the bottom of the barrel, a loser," Naruto scowled and made a mental note to prank the man's ass when he got the chance.
"You sure it was Uzumaki?"
"Course I'm sure. What other kid in Konoha has whisker marks on their face twenty-four seven?" his companion conceded to that fair point. The boy is the only one who had who had them. "After that happened Daikoku didn't go as easy on the rest of them. Over a third of them failed to last a minute and more of them left with a few bruises. Poor brats."
"You think this has anything to do with-" the man never finished the sentence as his companion covered his mouth.
"You idiot! You wanna get us both in trouble!" the man's reprimand was harsh. "You know the law. We can't speak about it in public! Last person who did wasn't seen again!"
The man paled and glanced around to see if anyone was nearby. When he spotted no one he breathed a sigh of relief. Unknown to both idiots, the person in question had heard every single word but couldn't make sense of it.
"What law are they talking about?" Naruto wondered why a law involved him. The boy cursed as he was drawn away from his thought when he heard the school bell announcing the end of their lunch break. Finishing up his meal, Naruto grabbed his ninken and used Hayagake to make his way towards the academy entrance.
Entering the classroom, which was now just starting to fill up with various students, Naruto took his seat and waited for the teachers to come in and begin the final portion of the exam. The wait wasn't long as both Mizuki and Iruka entered with a table full of Konoha Forehead Protectors.
"This is it, the final portion of the graduation ceremony. Many of you have done very well and you've all worked very hard to get here. I couldn't be more proud," the man's comment made many smile, "Now, before you become Genin all of you need to show us that you're capable of performing the Academy Three Ninjutsu. Do so and you pass. Fail and you will need to wait until the next graduation ceremony for your chance at becoming a Genin."
"Who the fuck came up with this?" it was bogus and flawed as hell in Naruto's mind and Anko would agree. Even if a person did well in the other portions it would be for nothing if they were unable to perform one of the necessary Ninjutsu required to pass. It didn't make any sense.
One by one the students were called up to perform the basic academy three. Much like the other portions some did very well, others not so much but it was decent enough to pass, while others he saw would be forced to stay another year.
Naruto rolled his eyes and groaned as he saw Sasuke's fangirls go crazy as the Uchiha performed the required techniques flawlessly. When the raven haired boy received his forehead protector he smirked. An act that made his fangirls swoon.
"Uzumaki Naruto!"
"Now or never," Naruto muttered as he stood in front of the two academy teachers. The boy felt the eyes of almost everyone being focused on him.
"Perform the Henge," Iruka ordered.
Naruto smirked as his body was covered head to toe in a white cloud. Both Chunin blinked as the smoke cleared and the men's eyes, along with many males, nearly popped out of their skulls as they saw the voluptuous and nude form of one Mitarashi Anko.
"Do. I. Pass?" 'Anko' asked with a wink and as 'she' pressed her breasts together. The effect from the maneuver was instantaneous. Virtually every male in the classroom, except a napping Shikamaru, were propelled backwards by a flood of blood expelling from his nose. Cancelling the Henge, Naruto cackled at the reaction, while many of the females in the classroom looked ready to tear him a new one.
"NARUTO!" Iruka bellowed at his student. "WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT!?" the man asked.
"Huh… Anko?" he said as though it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Took me some time to get it down, too. Couldn't really get the breasts right till I saw them," he added.
"That's not what I was…" the man blinked as he processed what was said, "Wait… what was that last bit?"
"Her breasts?" was the casual response, with many of females in the class cracking their knuckles and given the blonde looks that would have killed him ten times over. "Well, technically she showed them when she got tired of me getting the size wrong."
The answer caused Iruka's jaw, along with several others, to fall to the floor with a resounding thud. Kiba was banging his head on the desk ranting on how unfair it was, while many females of the class were in disbelief. Hinata was passed out on the floor. Her face flushed a deep crimson. Iruka didn't know whether to reprimand or congratulate his student on seeing two things few men saw or only dreamed of seeing and willingly, too. Then again it was Anko they were talking about after all. "Ugh…right. Moving on, perform the Kiwarimi with that chair and back again."
The boy groaned, as he would have loved to mess with Iruka's head some more, but performed the technique as requested with no trouble. When he was done Iruka made a few notes on a piece of paper, "Very nice. Now perform the Bunshin and make at least two perfect copies of yourself."
Crossing his fingers, Naruto focused as much as possible before he performed the Shadow Clone Technique. In a second there were nine other Naruto in front of both stunned academy instructors. "You only needed to make two, Naruto," Iruka chuckled as he inspected the clones for any faults. When he found none Iruka told his student to cancel technique. Just as he was about to congratulate his student on passing, the man thought he spotted something on the floor as the clones disappeared. In this case, a shadow.
"Bunshins don't have shadows," the brow on Iruka's head furrowed for a second before he shook his head and passed it off as his mind playing tricks on him. It had been a long day so it was very possible.
"Congratulations, Naruto. You pass."
[QUEST COMPLETED!]
Academy Graduation
Main Quest: Graduate from the Academy and don't become Dead Last (Accomplished)
Side Quest: Graduate as Mid-Ranking Student (Accomplished)
Secondary Side Quest: Set Record in Exam Portions (2/7) (Accomplished)
Third Side Quest: Set Academy Record in Exam Portions (2/7) (Accomplished)
Total Rewards Earned:
(7750 + 10%) = 8525 EXP, +450 Reputations towards [Various Individuals], [Genin] Rank Acquired, +2 AP
|Congratulations!|
|You've gained the Job [Genin]! As a result, you can now undertake even more missions in Konoha and also gain the title [Beginner Ninja]!|
Beginner Ninja Title|
Replaces [Academy Student] title.
+15% additional EXP towards completed quests and enemies slain
Gain 10 AP per year as a Genin.
Warning: Being demoted or stripped of your rank will result in you losing your title.
|Academy Graduate|
Challenge: Pass the Academy Exams (Achieved)
Reward: 1000 EXP
Konoha Hitai-ate – Common Quality
Item Type: Head-Armor
Durability: 40/40
A metal headband engraved with the kanji for 'fire' symbolizing the wearer's status as a Konoha shinobi. Forehead protectors are worn by shinobi and are engraved with the symbol of their hidden village to demonstrate their allegiance. Be forewarned, wearing this makes you stand out against enemies of Konoha.
Bonus Perks: + 5 DEF, +10% additional REP per successful mission with Konoha (must be loyal)
Flaws: Will cause [Aggro] effect if spotted by enemies of Konoha
|Congratulations! Your level has increased by one!|
Status Window
Name: Uzumaki Naruto
Job: Academy Student
Level: 24 Next Level: 0.7%/100%
HP: 8533 + [350] + [Perks] = 9327.15
CP: 14850 + [625] + [Perks] = 17022.5
STR: 64
VIT: 271 + [10] = 281
END: 364 + [15] = 379
DEX: 71 + [1] = 72
INT: 49
WIS: 27
CHA: 16
LUK: ?
DEF: 25
Attribute Points: 16 + [2] = 18
Ordinary Perk Points: 1
Special Perk Points: 1
"Yatta!" Naruto cheered, "Best. Day. Ever!"
Iruka just smiled as he handed over the boy's forehead protector.
Opposite to the Chunin, Mizuki himself congratulated the boy but inwardly the man was livid, and worried, that the demon had indeed passed. Excusing himself momentarily, to which Iruka said he'd manage on his own, Mizuki left for the hallway and fumed.
"God fucking damn it!" the man realized that the informant was right. Loathed as he wanted to acknowledge it the demon had gotten better. And now it had passed. Who knows how they'd react, "Now I have no choice but to go with plan B," while not his first choice or how he wanted it the man was left with no other option. However, Mizuki hadn't really planned out for a contingency.
"I'm sorry, Hibachi," Mizuki heard Iruka from the hallway. "While your Kawarimi and Bunshin are … decent, your Henge is not up to par. I'm afraid you will have to stay another year."
The boy shook with rage and defiance, tears threatened to spill from the side of his eyes and quite a few knew the boy wanted to lash out. However, a stern look from Iruka put a stop to the idea and Hibachi ran out of the classroom and bumped into Mizuki. The boy didn't bother to excuse himself and kept on going. In his anger the boy didn't see the malicious look in the traitor's face. The man just found his patsy.
(Sometime Later; Late at Night)
"Tough break, Gaki," Naruto heard Anko's voice from behind him. "You gave it your best-"
"What the hell are you talking about? I passed," Naruto told her.
"…You did?" she shifted her eyes to his head that had no forehead protector, "You sure about that?"
Naruto saw her gaze and immediately understood her skepticism, "Oh, right. I don't have it on me at the moment. Ask Iruka-sensei if you-"
"That's my Gaki!" Anko never let him finish his sentence. The woman cheered as she gave her ward a bone-crushing hug; tearing the boy away from his beloved Ichiraku ramen.
Naruto knew that if the hug wasn't going to kill him then having his lungs being deprived of oxygen thanks to her ample assets firmly pressed up against his face would. It would have been a hell of a way to go were his thoughts on the matter; his face still buried in soft breasts. Personally, he would have preferred going out on the battlefield doing something kickass or awesome but this was good, too.
"Lucky kid," Teuchi envied his favorite customer at the moment.
"So, how'd it go? Boring as hell," just by seeing the look on Naruto's face the woman got her answer. "Uh… never mind. Sorry I wasn't there to congratulate ya, gaki. Had to do some last minute work that only my sexy ass self could do."
"Torture?"
"Squealed like a stuck piggy… was kinda boring actually," Anko made a mental note to get Naruto to prank Ibiki's ass for that, "Where's your headband anyway?"
"Bumped into Tetsu and when he saw it he offered to turn my hitaite into a happuri style one as a graduation present," Naruto originally didn't think much about it but through the use of Observe he discovered that a happuri forehead protector would increase its defence by an additional five.
"Speaking of graduation presents," here Anko presented the boy with a gift box, "Meant to give it you earlier but … ya know."
Pleasantly surprised, Naruto tore into the wrapping like wolves did into their meal. Taking the lid off Naruto's eyes deadpanned as he saw a scroll, "This is gonna be one of those types of gifts, huh," the boy asked but already knew the answer. Well, it certainly befitted Anko's personality.
Taking the scroll, Naruto unfurled it and channeled some chakra into the sealing matrix. A poof of cloud later and the boy saw a new set of armor, "Technically it's a gift from me, Hayate, and Yugao but those two are off on duty so they asked me to send you their best."
Combat Ninja Tunic – Uncommon Quality
Item Type: Upper Body Armor
Durability: 70/70
Protective upper body armour made from specially treated leather and used by ninja during combat, or when performing physical exercises. Despite its common base appearance, it is deceptively durable.
Buffs/Perks: +10 DEF,
Fuinjutsu Slot: One Major Slot
Set Completion (First Bonus): [1/3: Locked]
Set Completion (Second Bonus): [1/5: Locked]
Combat Ninja Pants – Uncommon Quality
Item Type: Lower Body Armor
Durability 70/70
Protective lower body armour made from specially treated leather and used by ninja during combat, or when performing physical exercises. Despite its common base appearance, it is deceptively durable.
Buffs/Perks: +10 DEF
Fuinjutsu Slot: One Minor Slot
Set Completion (First Bonus): [1/3: Locked]
Set Completion (Second Bonus): [1/5: Locked]
Combat Ninja Gloves - Uncommon Quality
Item Type: Hand Armor
Durability: 55/55
Protective hand armour made from specially treated leather and used by ninja during combat. The material used in these gloves offers a decent amount of protection and allows for one to strike harder.
Buffs/Perks: +7 DEF, +3% Power Increase towards [Taijutsu]
Set Completion (First Bonus): [1/3: Locked]
Set Completion (Second Bonus): [1/5: Locked]
Combat Ninja Boots - Uncommon Quality
Item Type: Foot Armor
Durability: 55/55
Protective foot armour made from specially treated leather and used by ninja during combat. The small amount of metal added to it not only increases its overall defence but also slightly increases the strength behind one's kicks.
Buffs/Perks: + 9 DEF, +3% Power Increase towards [Taijutsu]
Set Completion (First Bonus): [1/3: Locked]
Set Completion (Second Bonus): [1/5: Locked]
Combat Ninja Utility Belt - Uncommon Quality
Item Type: Waist Armor
Durability: 40/40
Protective waist armour made from specially treated leather and used by ninja during combat. Can also used to hold pouches of kunai or shuriken.
Buffs/Perks: +5 DEF, +3% Power and Speed Increase towards [Ninja Tools]
Set Completion (First Bonus): [1/3: Locked]
Set Completion (Second Bonus): [1/5: Locked]
Combat Ninja Set Complete (First Bonus) [5/3]
+15% Increase in Effectiveness, Power and EXP towards C-Rank Skills and Lower
Combat Ninja Set Complete (Second Bonus) [5/5]
+5% Increase towards all [Resistances] and [Tolerances], +5% Increase towards HP and CP Regen when in allied territory
"I love you guys," Naruto whispered but was heard by Anko, Midori, Teuchi and Ayame. All four individuals smiled at the heartfelt compliment. Few had ever given him such gifts. The only real gifts he ever got had been Gamachan from an anonymous individual.
"Aw, love you too, Gaki," Naruto found himself pulled into the woman's bosom once again. The boy heard Teuchi snicker lecherously before his daughter whacked him over the head with a ladle. After finishing his ramen, Naruto decided to leave to go and try out his new outfit. Having been offered free ramen, not that she cared all that much for the stuff, Anko stayed for a while as she made idle chat with the sous chef of the ramen stand. She was pretty enough.
"So, the kid really did eat here almost twenty-four seven?" Anko thought it had been an exaggeration but to actually hear it.
"Unfortunately," Ayame nodded, "I love Naruto-kun, he's like the little brother I never had, but his diet was terrible. But because many treated or turned him away he usually only came here to eat or bought instant ramen," Ayame had made sure the boy ate his vegetables whenever she could but boys will be boys as the saying went.
"Yeesh!" Anko winced. Even if a shinobi burned more calories and fat faster than others they still needed the nutrients to properly fuel their bodies. Ramen afforded a lot of carbs needed for energy but it was ridiculously high in other substances that went way above the recommended daily intake. Fruits, veggies, and meat not swimming in sauces or seasoned to hell was especially important for children when their bodies needed those nutrients for a healthy growth. Eating mostly ramen wasn't going to that and would be detrimental.
"No wonder Naruto was small at the time," even for his age such as small stature was highly uncommon. Sure it meant he'd be harder to hit due to his small stature but that meant squat against seasoned and experienced ninja who could hit targets the size of pea from very far away. Luckily, Naruto's new diet helped him grow a few inches in the last four months. He wasn't the tallest Genin but wasn't the smallest anymore either.
Just as she was about to call it a night, Anko spotted several Chunin jumping and running around like mad. Spotting Iruka amongst them, Anko grabbed his attention, "Hey, Umino! What's going on?"
His words would leave her speechless, "Naruto's stolen the Scroll of Seals!"
"WHAT!"
Legend of the Kyuubi
Making the rounds.
- Joined
- Sep 14, 2026
- Messages
- 35
Chapter 13: Never Simple
"Did you get it?" Mizuki asked.
"Yeah, I got it! Even got them to think it was Naruto," Hibachi said with pride.
Mizuki eyed the foolish boy and couldn't help himself from mentally scoffing. Hibachi was bad at the Henge in terms of the physical transformation's apperance but pretty good at voice mimicry and mannerism. But the Chunin had to hand it to him, the boy knew how to improvise. A wig, bright orange clothes, and some makeup had him looking almost like Naruto. Up close it would be clearly noticeable that it wasn't him, but from behind and at a distance one would believe it was Konoha's notorious prankster.
"So, do I pass now?" Hibachi asked.
"Yeah, you did good, Hibachi," Mizuki smiled. It wasn't friendly.
A shing and a shlunk later and the forest was soon greeted with the sound of a young boy gagging, followed by some gurgling, and a thud as his body hit the ground, "Stupid kid. Wish you were the demon but I had to work with what I got. Thanks for the scroll."
And with that Mizuki quickly set the body aflame and left the scene and Konoha.
xXx
Anko was silent as her mind processed what she had been told, and then just as quickly bellowed so loudly that Iruka believed she could be heard from Suna, "WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU MEAN HE STOLE THE SCROLL OF SEALS!"
Iruka winced but answered all the same, "Like I said, Naruto stole the Scroll of Seals. We have eye witnesses seeing Naruto jump from the rooftops carrying a large cylindrical object on his back. No one thought much of it at first because we thought he was pranking someone but then twenty minutes later the alarm goes off and many are being told to find him since he stole it," he informed the woman.
Anko frowned and gnashed her teeth as she processed the situation. None of this was making sense, "Umino, you and I know Naruto's a prankster, and slow at times, but why would he want to steal the Scroll of Seals? The kid just became a Genin. Can you honestly say he'd risk that over a prank?"
Iruka wanted to answer but stopped and collected his thoughts. Naruto certainly loved pranking others, and more than once he had been caught defacing the face on the Hokage Mountain. But much of that had simmered down in the last few months and his pranks were usually performed because of a desire for attention or when he was depressed. Or if someone wronged him.
Eyes wide as his mind finally pieced it all together, Iruka paled, "Oh, no. This is a diversion! Naruto's being used as a scapegoat while-"
"While the real culprit probably long gone by now? No shit!," Anko finished for him, "You honestly think a newly graduated academy student could pull a fast one on the Anbu?" Naruto couldn't even do that even before he graduated and this was one of Konoh's most important articles.
"Do you have any idea where he could be?" Iruka asked her. The Chunin considered himself a talented sensor, not the best but not the worse either, but even his sensing abilities had its limits. Luckily the amount of time he spent chasing and finding Naruto over the years during one of his pranks made it so he Iruka knew the feel of the boy's chakra signature instantly. But that was within a certain radius, and Naruto could be anywhere in village and its surrounding area.
"A few but not enough time to search 'em one at a time. Midori!" Sliding out from her trench coat, Anko gave her familiar the quick run down, "We need to find Naruto before anyone else does and fast!"
While some ninja would follow protocol and capture the boy, neither ninja were blind or dumb enough to know that some were clouded by their emotions. 'Accidents' could happen, as some would say.
"On it!" her senses many times greater than either human, Midori was quick to pick up Naruto's most recent trail in a matter of seconds before he managed to find a trace of Naruto's chakra, "Found it!"
Anko and Iruka ignored the terrified screams and shouts as they followed the swiftly moving green serpent making its way through the nightly crowd. Both shinobi and kunoichi made haste to try and find the blond Uzumaki. Hoping to get there before anything bad happened to the young boy, "Gaki, you'd better be okay."
XxX
"You're here," the adolescent was briefly surprised by the sight of the other two ninja. But he quickly brushed the unexpected event aside. Even a blind chicken could get a kernel every now and then, Kabuto noted.
"Was there any doubt?" Mizuki's smirk didn't last long.
"Much," was the spectacled ninja's reply, "Miracles aside, you succeeded. Any loose ends?"
"None. We're in this for the long haul. Eh, Tsubaki," Mizuki asked his lover.
The woman hesitated for a bit but nodded nonetheless, "Hai."
"Good. Go to the border between here and Oto no Kuni. You'll get further instructions then. Dismissed."
Both nodded and left nothing more than whirling leaves and dust as they disappeared from sight.
"I can't believe that disgrace of a ninja actually managed to pull it off," the informant told Orochimaru's right hand man and second in command.
"Luck was on his side, apparently," both knew it had nothing to do with skill, "Any loose ends?"
"None. Even if I do nothing it'll be a while before the village suspect's anything," Kabuto believed them. The informant was good at that.
"And the scroll?" here the informant scoffed.
"You and I both know this scroll is nothing more than a decoy. A few things here and there but no true noteworthy techniques. And a big surprise at the end," Kabuto shrugged, it was expected. Getting the real scroll had been a long shot anyway. He knew it, the informant knew it, and even Orochimaru knew it. Only Mizuki had been foolish enough to believe he actually acquired the real one.
"Konoha has become lax compared to years ago and thanks to our manipulations the newest generations are weaker and ill prepared for what's to come. But they are still one of the Great Five for a reason," the informant added.
"True," Kabuto would not dispute that fact.
As it was Konoha was currently ranked second in terms of military might among the Great Five. The village was outranked only by Kumo because they had not demilitarize like many of the other villages after the last Great Shinobi World War. An act that caused tension between the other villages. One of the reasons why Kumo was stronger in terms of strength was because while Kumo used to have quality and quantity, the quality of their ninja had risen significantly because of the new Raikage, partially as a result of his father's death in the last war.
But even then Konoha was the more popular of the Great Five. Having won more wars, battles, having four of the ten strongest clans from the Era of Warring States, and having a greater reputation than the others. Therefore, the Village Hidden in the Tree Leaves easily had much more high paying clients than Kumo did.
"But there remains a problem."
"The jinchuriki?" Kabuto guessed correctly.
"Mizuki wanted him for his scapegoat. When the boy passed he had to improvise. I saw his performance during the exams. If we're discounting academics, for all intended purposes the kid's the real Rookie of the Year" Kabuto frowned. That could potentially upset things down the line.
"Continue on with the plan. But lay low for the next little bit before continuing to gather as much information as you can. As it is, Konoha knows that an enemy informant was in the village thanks to the scroll," Kabuto saw the informant nod.
"And the jinchuriki?" seeing Kabuto eyeing the scroll in their hands, the informant got the idea and disappeared.
But even with the order, Kabuto knew all too well it wouldn't stick. It didn't mean it wouldn't make things easy for the boy for the next little while. Would it cause him to finally leave the village? Who knows? Either way, hampering his growth and straining his loyalties to the village had to be done. A few months ago the boy was a shoo-in for the title of Dead Last. Now he was a recent graduate and former low middle ranking student who somehow managed to defeat his master's target.
That kind of growth was both fascinating as it was worrying.
(Sometime Later)
"I didn't do it!" Naruto lost count of how many times he said it in the last twenty minutes. Were they honestly expecting him to change his answer? This was bullshit!
"Then where were you last night?" A blank faced Anbu asked him.
"With your momma!" Naruto didn't care if it was unbecoming or immature. He was pissed and tired.
In another room, Hiruzen frowned. The elderly Hokage honestly didn't want to do this but given the circumstances, his hands were tied. The scroll was found in Naruto's apartment, though the newly made Genin hadn't been there, and dozens of Anbu, and a body burned beyond recognition, were found dead. It would take some time to found out who Hiruzen knew Naruto was innocent and so did many of the more level headed of his forces, even the ones that were indifferent or not fond of the boy. It was obvious that this was a set up. But many more were letting their feelings cloud their judgment.
Being unable to locate Naruto for over two hours and him not telling them where he was played against him. A slap on the wrist or simply declaring him innocent wasn't going to cut it. Him being processed was more so for the boy's safety than anything else. The Jigyaku no Jutsu (Time Reversal Technique) not working was another set back and only added more questions.
"Is it the Kyubi's doing?" had been the unsaid question.
If that was the case, then Hiruzen made a mental note to call Jiraiya back to inspect the seal. If it was compromised or if Naruto had unknowingly made a deal with the Kyubi in exchange for power - Hiruzen of all individuals knew that even the most stalwart characters had their moments of weakness they'd come to regret - then perhaps it could explain a lot of things such as his astronomical growth in such a short amount of time. Trained by Jonin and intense dedication or not, Naruto's growth was too sudden and too quick to be natural.
"Out of the fucking way before I shove yer head up his ass!"
"Not helping, Anko!"
Speaking of which, "Let them in," Hiruzen commanded and the door opened with a resounding 'WHAM'.
"No offense, Hokage-sama, but what the fuck! We both know Naruto's innocent."
"Anko!" her friend chastised.
"Of stealing the Scroll of Seals, I know Naruto is innocent," the scroll that had been stolen was a fake, a decoy. But apparently the thief already knew that given its safety feature never went off and they decided to plant it in Naruto's apartment, "But with his disappearance during that time not going unnoticed, I've been left with little recourse, Anko. Until Naruto tells us where he was for the last hour, and can show me proof that I go with, I can't do anything. And unfortunately, Naruto isn't exactly helping himself."
"Have you talked to him?"
"I was just about to before you arrived," he informed her. The only reason he hadn't at first was because he didn't want any one to potentially use that against them.
Looking at him and then back to her future Genin, Anko said, "Let me talk to him."
Hiruzen fought the urge to rub his eyes, "Anko-"
"Just give me one minute with the kid. Please," the young woman pleaded.
Looking her in the eye, Hiruzen sighed, "One minute. One!"
Anko thanked him as the village leader called off the Anbu in the room and allowed her access to her ward. The Sandaime watched as she entered and told the other two ninja occupying the small space to piss off. What was said went unheard by the man but he hoped she could get through to him.
"You gotta tell him, Naruto," Anko's tone was serious and the lack of her affectionate nickname for him told him she wasn't playing games.
"What? You want me to show him what I can do, too?" he asked sarcastically.
"You'll likely have to do that as well," the look of disbelief pretty much stamped itself on the blond's face, "Kid, I don't see any other way around it. You were gone for an hour, pretty much all of Konoha was looking for you, and we found dead bodies. Now, you might not have taken the scroll but an argument can potentially be made that you were still involved in some way."
"Seriously! How the hell can they come up with that?" He asked.
"It wouldn't be the first time something similar to this happened in the history of hidden villages," she revealed, "Look, Naruto, it's up to you. But if you don't work with me here, I don't know what's gonna happen. I know you have an alibi but if you don't show it to Hokage-sama, you might force the old man to do something he doesn't want to do if it means keeping the peace."
Naruto frowned and gritted his teeth and in his anger he slammed his hands down on the table, "This isn't how I wanted him to know."
"I know, Gaki," Naruto had every intention of telling Hiruzen about it when he was ready. Not doing it on his own terms was very upsetting for the blond, "But you and I both know we sometimes don't always get we want."
Naruto nodded and Anko left the room to get her leader, "He'll talk but only to you, Hokage-sama."
Hiruzen nodded and with a look he dismissed his Anbu and entered the room. Taking a seat across from his surrogate grandson, Hiruzen looked him in the eye but Naruto spoke first.
"I'll tell you what you want to know. But I wanna know something first," Hiruzen frowned and Anko had to admit that Naruto had balls for pulling that stunt.
"And that is?" the Sandaime humoured him.
"Is it true what they said about me?"
Blinking in confusion, Hiruzen asked, "What did they call you?"
"A demon," Naruto elaborated.
"I'm gonna fucking kill 'em," countless ways of doing so and making it look like an accident played in Anko's mind.
"Naruto-"
"I'm not stupid!" Naruto shouted, "All my life I've been hated. People see me as something to be avoided. Some were even scared. Not once has anyone ever called me a demon before and tonight I lost count of how many times I was looked at with scorn and the amount of times I heard them call me that. And I wanna know why!"
Hiruzen sighed, "Naruto… it's not that simple."
"Then simplify it! Tell me and I'll sing like a canary. Don't and you'll get nothing from me. Even if it means I don't become a Genin. I'll find out one way or another. I'll become Hokage even if I don't become a ninja."
Hiruzen knew Naruto was speaking the truth. The look of utter resolution in his eyes reminding him of the same ones borne by the Hokages that came before and the one that succeeded him. Sighing, Hiruzen knew he had no choice. Naruto had regrettably inherited his mother's infamous Uzumaki stubbornness. Better the boy learn it from him instead of putting the pieces together and souring their relationship. He was too fond of Minato and Kushina's son to do so.
"I wanted to tell you when you were older… but you deserve to know. To begin, we have to go back thirteen years ago, whereas you already know the greatest of the Nine Tailed Beasts attacked Konoha without warning."
Naruto frowned, "Yeah, and then the Yondaime Hokage faced it himself and defeated it at the cost of his life, right?"
"Shush," Anko told him.
"That's the story your generations knows about. The truth is a little more complex. The Kyubi was the most powerful of the Nine Tailed Beasts. Its power earning it the Travelling Calamity epithet over the last two millennia. Countries fell before its might and natural disasters followed like a plague. We lost count of how many died that night and the nights that followed. Powerful as he was, the Yondaime was no match for the even more powerful demon. Killing a Biju is said to be close to impossible, and even then it's merely a temporary reprieve, and the more powerful the beast is the more impossible the task becomes. Minato had no alternative but to seal the beast inside a newborn infant. Regrettably, you were that infant, Naruto. And instead of seeing you as the savior of Konoha for holding the Biju inside you like the Yondaime wanted, you were seen as a monster instead."
Floored by the revelation, Naruto looked at Anko who looked straight back, "You… you knew?"
"I did," was all she said.
"Why didn't you tell me!"
"She wasn't allowed, Naruto," Hiruzen interjected, "Nobody in the village was allowed to talk about it and those who did were punished severely."
"Why?"
"Why what?"
"Why me! What wasn't anyone allowed to talk about it!" Naruto elaborated before he whispered, "Why was I hated."
"Honestly, I don't know, Naruto," Hiruzen hated to lie to the boy but thought it was best at the moment. He didn't want to overwhelm the boy with too much too soon, "As for why they hated you, I'm afraid I'm partially to blame. I foolishly believed in Minato's words and it resulted in the village despising you instead. The people were suffering, confused, and angry and unfortunately channeled all those wayward emotions unjustly onto you. Fuinjutsu as you know is an uncommon and very abstruse skill that few know about. To them the thought of sealing a being of such vast power is inconceivable. So, instead they began to think the Kyubi was changed and weakened into something else."
"Me," Naruto concluded and the boy's hand shook before he felt Anko's hand on his shoulder.
"They're ignorant idiots, Gaki," Anko began, "Believe me when I say I know how you feel."
"To protect you and to ensure, or at the very least prevent as much as possible, that the next generation wasn't influenced by those aware of what happened that night, I passed a law. It worked for the most part."
The boy merely nodded before a thought occurred, "Jiji, you said the Kyubi was the greatest of the Nine Tailed Beasts. Does that mean there are others?"
"Unfortunately, yes. Each of the Great Five Villages and Takigakure no Sato has a Biju or two of their own. All of which are either hidden or sealed inside another person called Jinchuriki. Konoha itself didn't have one as the Kyubi remained elusive and stayed away from other settlements. Why it suddenly attacked we still have no idea," Hiruzen lied once more. Only this time he did it to both ninja before him. "Is there anything else you'd like to ask?"
When Naruto said nothing, Hiruzen nodded, "Very well. Now, back to the topic at hand."
Naruto took a brief and by the time he was done explaining, Hiruzen was left speechless. The fact that Naruto, son of the Yondaime and the last Uzumaki, and jinchuriki of the most powerful of the Nine awakened such an ability was pretty difficult to process. Even more difficult was seeing the proof laid bare before him. The elderly Hokage would never forget the feel of the 'pop-up window', as it was called, nor him trying to dispel it with a Genjutsu Kai (Illusionary Technique Release) soon after. When Naruto offered to take him into a dungeon, the man declined. Hiruzen believed him but not only was there only so much he could handle at the moment. But the sudden disappearance of the Hokage wouldn't do either Naruto or Anko any favours.
In the end, Hiruzen had what he needed but advised caution to both of them. For all intended purposes, this was a bloodline of unimaginable potential and benefits. If word got out it wouldn't be pleasant. Wars were started for lesser reasons. Naruto and Anko reassured the veteran ninja and village leader they'd be discreet and both were dismissed soon after. But there remained another matter that needed to be addressed. Who tried to frame Uzumaki Naruto?
But while Hiruzen was contemplating that, "I'll become Hokage even if I don't become a ninja?" Naruto's cheeks burned with embarrassment; Anko merely grinned, "Kinda contradictory. Don't ya think?"
"It sounded good in my head, alright!" in all honestly, Naruto pulled that one out of his ass.
"Should have kept it in there," Anko's laugh only embarrassed him some more, "Come on. Let's go get Hotto. We'll wait a bit before leaving."
(Naruto's Apartment Sometime Later)
As the news had begun to circulate of Naruto's innocence, Anko did not need to look to know many had lingering doubts. Even with his name cleared from stealing the Scroll of Seals, others would potentially look for an excuse or feign ignorance to the order. It was an old tactic many ninja used today. The woman took it upon herself to see her ward and his ninken get home safely. He was strong for a newly promoted Genin, and she had not doubt he'd be capable of taking down certain Chunin if given the chance, maybe even catch the odd Jonin off guard, but Naruto wasn't all powerful and lacked real combat experience against other shinobi. Monsters were one thing, they were limited in what they could do, but people were another. Hayate, Anko, and Yugao didn't count as they were pulling back by a considerable amount.
The first thing both did upon entering the building and his place of residence was checking around for anything out of place. Fortunately, nothing was found out of the ordinary. At least, not with the actual apartment, "What is it, Gaki?" Anko did spot a fleeting look the boy's face.
"…" the boy remained silent.
"Alright," Anko shrugged and made for the door.
"You said you knew how I felt," he began and Anko closed her eyes, "What did you mean?"
"…" Now it was Anko's turn to stay silent. The woman contemplated whether or not she should tell him the truth.
"It's okay. Forget I asked," Naruto said but was stopped by his mentor.
"No, you've earned my trust, Gaki, and that ain't something I give lightly," the woman gave him a look and the message was crystal clear. Betray her trust and he'd live to regret it. "But I suppose you've earned the right to know."
"Arf!" Hottomaru barked.
"You too, Poochie-gaki," the little ninken puffed out.
|Congratulations! You've completed the quest [Trust Earned Quest: Anko] and the challenge [I Really Like You]! You have also unlocked the challenges [That's What Friends Are For] and [That Cherished Someone]|
Special Note: Individuals already at the required reputation level prior to this announcement do not count!
Total Rewards Earned
(13,000 + 15%) = 14,950 EXP, +2 Attribute Points, Character [Anko] History Revealed, Unique quests with [Anko] unlocked and reputation level can now go beyond [Friendly]
|That's What Friends Are For|
Challenge: Increase your reputation level with five individuals to [Friendly].
Challenge Reward: 12,000 EXP, + 1 AP
|That Cherished Someone|
Challenge: Increase your reputation level with one individual to [Cherished].
Challenge Reward: 9000 EXP, +3 AP
Anko leaned back on a wall before she began her tale, "Well, to start we have to go back years ago. Like you I'm an orphan. I never knew my parents and I doubt I ever will but I've made peace with it. Despite it all, I was talented compared to others three years older than me and was I taken under an apprenticeship by Orochimaru of the Sannin," here Anko adopted a look of fury and anger the likes of which neither Naruto or Hottomaru had ever seen. The woman was also subconsciously leaking a small but potent amount of Killing Intent as well.
Seeing their looks, Anko eased up a bit on the scowl and reined in her anger as best she could, "Anyway, as you can imagine being taken under the wing of one of the Legendary Three Ninja came as a surprise. Orochimaru of the Sannin was one of the most powerful ninja of his time and for him to take an orphan as an apprentice was like a dream come true for anyone. He taught me everything I knew. Hell, he even let me sign the summoning contract for one of the most powerful and famous summons known. I saw the man as a father I never had… and the bastard fucking used and threw me away like yesterday's trash!"
The moment she yelled did Anko's anger come back full force and the woman lashed out. The action left a sizeable hole in the wall as her fist made impact. Hottomaru and Naruto both ducked for cover as the woman vented her frustration. It was evident the woman felt strongly about her former master.
"But that's not the worst of it," she muttered. "The worst part is that I helped him despite the village suspecting him of doing horrible deeds. I thought they were idiots and jealous of him. I thought they betrayed him when they chose the Namikaze Minato as the Yondaime over him. I was devoted to the man and he exploited my loyalty," here the woman moved away her hair and neck to show Naruto her mark.
"See this. This is his mark. A cursed seal of incredible dark power, and out of the ten that got it I was the only one who survived. Even then he tossed me aside. When I got back to the village almost everyone saw me as a traitor and spy. Friends I had turned their backs on me and others saw me as nothing more than trash. When I got older several saw me as a whore or slut and made advances on me, willingly or not. Sure, I don't help my case dressing like this but I like the way I look so they can go fuck themselves," Anko stopped as she realized she was getting off key.
"Anyhow to make matters worse this curse seal I have somehow hampers my skills. A little safeguard the bastard put in for kicks or on the off chance I turned on him. I became a Chunin at age twelve, that's pretty young. I could learn and perform techniques a hell of a lot faster than most. All that went away, the moment this number was bitten on me. The only way I'd get access to my former power and then some is if I use the damn thing," she said chuckled darkly at the irony of it all.
"Ever thought of using it?" Naruto asked.
"That would be unwise, Naruto-san," Midori butted in, "Orochimaru of the Sannin has made many cursed seals and the Cursed Seal of Heaven was said to have been Orochimaru's most powerful one at the time. But back then it was incomplete, and by now it has most likely been improved upon knowing him. Anko-chan only ever used it once, unwillingly at that, and it gave her incredible power greater than most Jonin. But it comes at a price. The power is like a drug: addictive and unforgiving. It is in the seal's nature to promise power at the cost of the user's sanity and will until they become unrecognizable. She became a berserker during her fight and could not differentiate between friend or foe. It was the first and only time she used it. Through her willpower and the aid of another sealing technique, Anko suppressed the cursed seal's influence and over time it receded. The dark power is still there but Anko no longer hears the whispers and promises of power like she used to."
"I'm guessing removing it is a no?"
"Believe me, I've tried everything to get rid of this thing but Jiraiya of the Sannin, Orochimaru's former teammate and our only resident Fuinjutsu Master, said that getting rid of something as complex as this was beyond even him. The only person who probably had a chance to remove it was the man's student the Yondaime. But even he doubted Namikaze Minato could have succeeded. With little info on this seal the old perv concluded that there are only three potential ways to remove it. One being I die, and fuck that. The other is Orochimaru himself removing the damn thing, good luck getting that done. And finally, the prick dies since cursed seals are usually tied to their creator, but even that has no guarantee of success," even then, both latter methods were not easily accomplished. Orochimaru was not only a sadist but easily one of the most powerful Kage level nuke-nin in the lands.
"I myself tried to get the seal removed from her by threatening to cancel our contract with the monster. Being a descendent of Hakuja-sama and one of the more powerful summons of the clan I was one of the prime candidates to lead the clan when the previous clan leader passed away. Unfortunately, another and much stronger serpent by the name of Manda was also a prime candidate and had more favor in the clan. Part of his strength was thanks to his own skill but many suspected it had also been enhanced by Orochimaru as well. No one dared to voice it though as Manda could easily crush them," Midori told her part of the story. "In the end we fought and I lost. However, I was loyal to Anko and not Orochimaru and because of my refusal to follow Manda loyally I was banished and had my power sealed. I can only momentarily regain my full strength after I did some tinkering. To add insult to injury Anko has since lost the ability to summon the more powerful serpents of my clan and can only summon the smaller, common fodder variants," Midori scowled.
"And that's our story, gaki," Anko informed her future Genin. "Got anything to add or say?"
"Yeah… Orochimaru and Manda are assholes," Naruto's response made both Anko and Midori blink before they burst out laughing.
"Oh, man, I wasn't expecting that," Anko wiped away a tear. "You really do have balls of solid steel, Gaki. But make no mistake, assholes they are but those two are strong as hell. The man was a candidate for the position of Yondaime Hokage for a reason. Had Minato-sama not done the deeds he did during the war or Hatake Sakumo not taken his own life, Orochimaru would have been a shoo-in for the position," she gave the boy an all-knowing look.
Naruto paled slightly. She did mention that a little earlier. Truthfully the boy had intended to deliver some payback if he saw the man. A fact he didn't doubt crossed through Anko's mind. However, hearing that he was a former candidate for Hokage pushed those thoughts aside. The blond ninja wasn't the smartest individual in the world but even he knew that Hokage candidates were incredibly powerful ninja. Naruto was humble enough to know that despite his increase in strength he was nowhere near that level of prowess. Aside from the Sandaime, Naruto never encountered a Kage level individual, but the boy didn't doubt that people in that power range were possibly in the low hundreds, at worst, or even higher and it would take him some time before he reached that level.
"Listen, gaki, if we ever come across the bastard run as fast as you can and use every trick in the book you have to get away and pray that it works," if there was one weakness she knew about the man it's that he loved toying with those weaker than him. At times he'd let his victims go as a form of mental torture while other times he'd get bored and simply end the whole thing.
"Ditto," now it was Naruto's turn to give her a knowing look. Whether or not she chose to acknowledge it was unknown. Bidding him a good night, Anko left the apartment and Naruto and Hottomaru prepared themselves for bed.
(The Next Day)
The sound of a hammer striking metal was heard as Naruto and Hottomaru entered Tetsumaru's store. Both felt the increase in temperature reach them and assumed the forge was going very strong at the moment.
"Keep hammering! That order has got to be ready by tomorrow!" the boy heard Tetsu yell as he appeared at the counter. "Sorry 'bout that, kid. Backed up like crazy at the moment with orders. What can I do for ya?"
"Is my order ready?" Naruto asked the muscle bound man.
"It's done. Orders like that don't take very long, but your other order's gonna take a few extra days before they're finished. Would have been less but the sudden influx of work I got pushed the due date back. Sorry, kid," the man apologized as he handed the boy his happuri hitai-ate.
Happuri Style Konoha Hitai-ate – Common Quality
Item Type: Head-Armor
Durability: 55/55
A modified, metal, happuri-shaped headband engraved with the kanji for 'fire' symbolizing the wearer's status as a Konoha shinobi. Its modified look offers it greater defence and durability. Forehead protectors are worn by shinobi and are engraved with the symbol of their hidden village to demonstrate their allegiance. Be forewarned, wearing this makes you stand out against enemies of Konoha.
Bonus Perks: +3% Power Increase towards [Head-Based] Taijutsu Skills, +10 DEF, +10% additional REP per successful mission with Konoha (must be loyal)
Flaws: Will cause [Aggro] effect if spotted by enemies of Konoha
Naruto smiled as he put the happuri hitai-ate on his face. Though slightly disappointed that that he wouldn't be able to get his other order, the boy was happy he managed to get his forehead protector. The headband being mandatory for the registration photo he had to take, as otherwise he'd have to wear a spare one. With his task semi-complete, Naruto made his way towards the Hokage building to take his photo.
XxX
"Ughh, when is it gonna start already," Naruto whined as he and others waited for Iruka. The past few hours had been interesting to say the least. Having met and unwillingly gained a subordinate in Sarutobi Konohamaru, Jiji's biological grandson. But the kid was weird.
"What kind a person decides they wanna become your underling after you hit them on the head?" personally Naruto thought the old man's grandson had a few screws loose but either way he had gained an underling and managed to mess with that closet pervert of a teacher, Ebisu. The kid was a decent person he guessed and it could have been worse. Ebisu, however, had a ten foot stick up his ass.
That had been the most eventful part of the morning. Now he was stuck waiting in class as though he were an academy student. Again. Unfortunately, waiting had never been one of Naruto's fortes despite patience being pounded into his head by his teachers. The blond haired ninja considered what was currently happening, or lack thereof, a waste of time.
"Wonder who I'm being teamed up with?" he idly wondered. The boy's face took a sour turn as he didn't see Hibachi or his friends. Hibachi he knew had failed but some of the others had passed the Graduation Exam. Before he could begin looking around some more, the blond and the rest of the class saw the classroom door open.
"Greetings, everyone!" Iruka began quieting the room down, "As some of you might have noticed, we are missing a few students today. Normally I wouldn't be saying this on such a joyous occasion but it's best you know of it now. As you all known, last night someone tried to frame Uzumaki Naruto for stealing the Scroll of Seals, and likely the murder of several of our ninja forces. As you can see, Naruto was able to prove his innocence. Unfortunately, from a recent biopsy, we've just learned that one of the unidentified victims was Hibachi."
The reactions were various: some were stunned silent, others gasped, and some looked ready to cry. Naruto honestly didn't know how to react given his relationship with Hibachi. While he didn't wish the boy dead, Hibachi had done enough to him to justify some ill will. To learn of his death was something Naruto couldn't properly express into words.
"Vigilance!" Iruka announced and all eyes were on him, "Vigilance is what makes a shinobi. To be aware of the dangers and potential dangers that may occur. Without it a shinobi is nothing more than an ordinary individual or dead. I implore each and every one of you to be vigilant. I don't wish to hear that another one of my students is dead for lack of foresight. Now, before we begin I'd like us all to bow our heads in silence for Hibachi."
As the man began, Naruto silently gauged everyone in the room. The reactions had since shifted to many looking as pale as snow, frightened and ready to piss themselves, and others were more worried. Naruto saw that those from purely civilian backgrounds were taking it harder while those from a clan or with shinobi family members took it better. But from those he could see, the worry and unease was still there.
"Alright. Let's begin," Iruka ended the minute of silence as she began listing off the teams. A couple minutes had passed before the man finally announced a name he knew, "Team Seven will consist of Uchiha Sasuke, Inuzuka Kiba, and Haruno Sakura" Naruto heard Kiba groan and the thud as his head made contact with the desk. Sakura as expected cheered and announced, 'True love conquers all!' much to the displeasure of Ino and the other fangirls, "All three of you will be taught by Hatake Kakashi."
Naruto's face furrowed slightly as he recalled the name 'Hatake', "Can he be related to that Sakumo guy Anko mentioned?"
"Team Eight will consist of Yamanka Ino, Hyuga Hinata, and Uzumaki Naruto. Your sensei will be Mitarashi Anko," Iruka wished the former two good luck while Ino groaned upon hearing the names of her teammates.
The blond girl had nothing against Hinata as she wasn't interested in Sasuke but the Yamanaka heiress was hoping to be on a team with Sasuke. Sure, Naruto had gotten better, and he developed an adequate sense of fashion, and he wasn't Dead Last but he could still be an idiot at times. Part of her was also surprised she hadn't been placed with Chouji and Shikamaru considering their family history and how much their fathers pushed them to socialize. Well, childhood friends or not, at least she'd not have to constantly deal with the laziness.
Hinata on the other hand had a different reaction, "I'm on Naruto-kun's team!" the thought of it made her face go supernova as she finally processing those words. The indigo haired Hyuga nearly fainted had she not willed herself not to. Even then it was pretty close.
"Hotto," Naruto began, "I don't know if I should be happy or scared."
On one hand he had Anko as a teacher and two teammates he could get along fine with over time, which was awesome. The only problem was if he excluded Hotto then it meant he was outnumbered three to one on the female to male ration. "This is either really good or really bad," to some being a part of a team of one male and three females was a dream come true. Naruto knew it for what it was. His opinion wouldn't matter if all three girls banded together.
"Hey, what the hell, Iruka-sensei!" Kiba shouted and ignored the man's chastising, "Why's the Dobe on a team with chicks and I'm not!?"
Naruto made a mental note to prank the Inuzuka's ass at an appropriate time for that comment; Ino scowled at him for being referred as a chick.
"The teams are assigned based on balancing of strength and critical thinking, Kiba. For instance it is common practice for the Dead Last and the Rookie of the Year to be placed on the same team," the man sent the boy a look and the majority of the class laughed as they realized what he was implying.
"Moving on, Team Nine is still in circulation from last year so Team Ten will consist of Shikamaru Nara, Akimichi Chouji, and Aburame Shino under Sarutobi Asuma," and with that the man finished announcing the teams, "I wish you all luck with your future teams and as ninja. Your instructors will be here after lun—"
CRASH!
Iruka and the class had little time to react as a window suddenly shattered in a shower of broken glass and wooden frame bits. The Chunin suddenly appeared battle ready, drawing out a kunai and prepared for what was to come. However, the instructor nearly face faulted as a banner began to unfold, and out popped the vivacious Mitarashi Anko.
"Hello, everybody! The Incredibly Hot and Sexy Mitarashi Anko has arrived," Anko cheered as she took a bow in front of the stunned class.
"Of course," Naruto and Hottomaru groaned at Anko's antics. However, the blond shinobi silently admitted that the entrance was kinda badass and made a note to ask for some pointers.
"Team Eight, you guys have ten minutes to get your cute little asses to Training Area Nine! Team Seven … you guys take an extra long lunch. Trust me, you're gonna be here a while. Laters!" the woman announced and then disappeared into a puff of white as she left behind a flabbergasted classroom.
"Okay, I thought she was nuts when I saw her crash the tourney a few months ago but she's like a female version of Naruto!" Ino voiced her opinion and many couldn't help but agree.
"Hey, I'm not that bad!" all the boy got was silence and blank stares, "Besides you'd better get use to it since we're on the same team," Ino groaned as she felt a headache coming on. "Oh, and FYI what happened is pretty tame compared to what she usually does," Naruto shuddered as he and his partner made their way out of the classroom. Hinata followed after her crush and teammate. Ino, however; simply groaned even more.
"Forget the headache, I'm gonna be having a fucking migraine during this ordeal," the blond Yamanaka weeped and had no idea how much her world was about to be flipped upside down. Neither did her other female teammate.
XxX
Naruto, Hottomaru, Ino and Hinata, recently dubbed members of Team Eight, made their way towards the training grounds at varying speeds. Naruto and his ninken partner were making record time and would easily be the first two there. Hinata wasn't too far behind the two males and moved at a decent pace. Ino was last as despite her decent speed she didn't was lacking in stamina compared to her teammates.
All four of them arrived at the training ground with a decent amount of time to spare. But none of them spotted their new Jonin instructor, "She said to get here in ten minutes and she's not even here," Ino frowned at the hypocrisy of it. "Some sensei she is."
"Ano, Ino-chan, you shouldn't talk about Anko-sensei like that," the young girl stuttered.
"Hinata's right," Naruto's agreement made Hinata blush, "Anko may be nuttier than a bat out of hell, but being lazy is something she ain't. Hell, I was honestly-" Naruto stopped as his senses flared thanks to his Detection skills, "Oh, shit! Duck and cover!" the boy suddenly yelled, taking cover behind a tree alongside his ninken.
Ino and Hinata were still surprised by the sudden outburst and had little time to react before a hail of kunai and shuriken made their way towards them. Both newly graduated female Genin dodged and swerved out of the deadly projectiles incoming path as best as they could. Hinata with her clan's training and greater perception managed to dodge most of the air born weapons with relative ease, though the Hyuga felt her clothes being cut in a few places as well.
Ino, while not coming from a taijutsu oriented clan, had natural grace and reflexes that most girls in the academy sorely lacked. The Yamanaka heiress bopped, weaved, and even back flipped under the kunai and shuriken thrown at her. The way she moved made it look almost like a dance. Despite this advantage, the brief breather was not enough, and as such her reaction time was off a few times. Ino felt her clothes and hair being cut as a result.
The flurry of weapons continued for a little over a minute before it finally ended. When it did, both Ino and Hinata stood battle ready with a few cuts but no worse for wear, "Not bad, not great but not bad."
Anko suddenly appeared between the two female Genin and both visibly relaxed…which proved to be a big mistake. Ino and Hinata immediately found themselves wrapped and bound by serpents of various sizes and colors. The two struggled and wiggled as best they could to escape from the confines of the coiling serpents but had no such luck. Each struggling movement they performed actually only resulted in their bindings being tightened by Anko's minor familiars.
"Rule number one, girls; ninja play dirty. Remember what I said how ninja can easily stab you in the back if you let your guard down?" Anko chastised before looking for her senior student. "Gaki! Poochie-Gaki! You pussies! Get out here!" she ordered.
"Hell no!" was the reply, "I'm not falling for that trick!" again went unsaid.
"Arf!" agreed wholeheartedly.
"Damn! I scared those two too well," Anko cursed.
"Don't you mean taught?" Ino asked
"I know what I said, Blondie," Ino's eye twitched at the nickname. Oh, Anko was gonna have fun breaking and remolding her.
However, the Jonin realized she wouldn't be able to have more fun at the moment and sighed before she released Ino and Hinata. Upon seeing this, Naruto and Hottomaru finally made themselves known but it was evident by their body language that they were keeping their guard up. It was a wise and scare-fuelled decision really.
"Anyway, not bad kiddos… however, you three still have a way to go. You two especially," her last comment directed at the two kunoichi, "Now, normally we start off by introducing ourselfs, saying what we like, blah, blah, blah. Well, we're not gonna be doing that so I'll cut right down to the chase. Name's Anko, and I'm gonna push ya. I'm gonna break ya. And I'm gonna make ya puke your guts out and frap your body till your bones hurt. When you squeal, I'm just gonna go faster and harder, till finally you're moulded into proper kick ass ninja. The kid gloves are off, and I'm gonna bitch slap you with 'em," her grin sent shivers down each and every one of their backs.
Because of their time with the woman both Naruto and Hotto were used to it but even then the act made them cringe and flinch back with fear. Ino and Hinata, however; paled considerably to an unknown degree. The two had seen a side of the woman months ago and thought she was strict. Both just now realized that it was only a part of her personality.
"Well... assuming you pass the test, of course," she shrugged much to their confusion.
"Huh?" all three Genin wondered what she was talking about.
"Oh, didn't I say," her tone resonating with sweet and fake innocence, "The academy exam was only to help determine who had the potential to become Genin and weed out the rest. In order for you to become true Genin you all need to pass your teacher's test. And FYI out of all the academy graduates, only thirty-three percent of them have a chance of passing that test."
"What happens if we fail?" Ino asked.
"Pretty short answer: you lose your headband and go back to the academy," technically it was untrue, but Anko wanted them to be fearful. She needed them to give more than one hundred percent effort to accomplish their task.
Telling them the truth would have done the opposite. Technically there were several options that could happen if they failed. The most common occurrence being they went back to the academy as was mentioned. The other was if a Genin's skills were good enough they might get taken on as someone's apprentice, but that was rare and only if they were lucky enough. And lastly, the team was split up but if some had enough of the right skill and mindset they were put in the reserves until a spot became available. At which time all they'd be able to do is supervised D-Rank missions for the next several months or so.
"Oh, fuck me," Naruto cursed at the unfairness of it all. All that hard work and there was a chance that he'd have to wait a while longer. Naruto wasn't stupid to not believe Anko held back from time to time, "Guess this is the reason why. Why train an academy student on everything they knew and then get their hopes when there was such a large chance of them failing in the end?"
"Are you kidding me!" Ino yelled, "That's bull!"
"Tough shit, Blondie. That's the world we live in," Anko didn't care if wasn't fair. Ninja didn't really do fair and the sooner they acknowledged that the better. "Now, I suppose you all want to rest before taking the test?" she asked but Naruto knew better than to fall for that.
"Would be nice," Ino said and Hinata agreed with a nod.
"Too bad! The test starts now, kiddies," Anko cackled.
[QUEST ALERT!]
The True Genin Exam
Main Quest: Pass Anko's Test to earn your right as a Genin
Main Quest Completion: Keep your rank as a Genin, ?, ?
Failure: Lose rank of Genin, ?
Quest is Mandatory
"Now the test is simple, we're gonna play hide and seek," Anko said and though neither Hinata nor Ino thought it sounded that bad, Naruto and Hotto became stiff.
"Oh, no," both female teammates looked at Naruto, "I've played hide and seek with her before. It's only ever been fun for Anko and Midori."
"Midori?" both girls asked before they saw the head of a snake popping out from Anko's clothes. Ino idly wondered where Anko was keeping that thing.
"Someone call me?" the green serpent asked as she slithered out from Anko's trench coat.
"It… it talks," a surprised Hinata stammered, an act that was mimicked by Ino.
"Did you guys already forget?" But then Anko recalled how the academy students had not been taught about summons, "Yes, the snake can talk and her name is Midori. Midori, Ino and Hinata. Ino and Hinata, Midori," she introduced the three to one another.
"Greetings, Ino-san, Hinata-san," Midori bowed to the two-stunned Genin, "Naruto-san, nice to see you again."
"Arf!" was Hotto's balsy reply.
"And you too, dinner," Midori smirked when Hottomaru cowered behind Naruto. Whereas Naruto had a healthy fear of Anko, Hottomaru had a healthy fear of Midori. Especially since Midori could easily swallow the young ninken under a second if she chose to. And she had. Getting the smell of snake juice off a dog was not fun.
"Alrighty! Since that's done, here's what we're gonna do. I'm gonna hide and you three will seek me out. You have about two hours to do so. If the time passes and I've yet to be found, you fail," the woman produced an alarm clock and set it to go off in two hours.
"Wait, two hours?" Ino cocked an eyebrow at the absurdity of it all. "No sweat," sure Anko was a Jonin but half that time was plenty enough to locate her in the blonde's mind.
"Oh, that's not all, Blondie. There's a catch," Anko's grin came back full force.
"Nice going, Ino," Naruto knew the torture was about to begin.
"To make things a little fair, I won't be moving from my spot," the announcement only served to make the Yamanaka a little cockier.
"Wait for it," were the male blond's thoughts.
"However, I will defend myself and Midori will also be there to defend me. Know what that means?" the woman looked at Hinata for the answer.
"Ano, it ... it that means that not only do we need to find you but use all strength to tag you as well?" Hinata slowly answered.
"Her clan really did a number on her," much like Naruto, Anko knew she'd have her work cut out for her with Hinata, "Girl's smarter than she looks. Probably has brains on things she doesn't even realize."
"Correct, good job," she smiled and the girl blushed at the praise, "If you wanna tag me you're gonna need to come at me with the intent to kill. Trust me, you won't get anywhere near me without doing this."
"Won't you get hurt, sensei?" Hinata asked.
Though sweet of her to say that, it was kind of insulting, too, in Anko's opinion, "I may have just gotten promoted to Jonin but the power and skill difference between my rank and yours is pretty damn big. When I say come at me with the intent to kill, I mean go all out and use everything you've got to try and tag me. If you don't you might as well go back to the academy," Anko informed them.
"Oh, and one last thing. Only the first two of you who tag me get to become Genin and stay on my team. The other one is sent back and gets to listen to Umino's lectures for another year."
"Not it!" Naruto yelled.
"What!" Ino yelled while Hinata became as stiff as a tree.
"Ready, set, go!" Anko laughed before she and Midori subsequently disappeared. All that was left in their wake was a white cloud of smoke and kicked up dust. All three Genin were left momentarily stunned by Anko's sudden proclamation before they split up and began to track their teacher.
"Wonder how they'll do?" Anko smirked before she began to relax and wait for her students to find her. It would be quite some time before they did. And much like she predicted, all three were using different methods to try and locate her.
(Twenty-Three Minutes Later)
"Damn it. Where the hell is she?" Ino cursed before she moved on to another location. Ino came from a clan that was quite adept in the use of sensory ninjutsu and was using it to her best ability to locate Anko. The only problem was that Ino had not concentrated as much on her clan techniques as she should have and was now paying for her lack of skill in sensing others.
Hinata wasn't fairing any better either. While the Byakugan was known and feared throughout the Elemental Countries for its ability to see at far off distances, the vital chakra points, and see through virtually everything, the eye was only as good as the one who used it. Compared to the other clan members of the Main Family at her age, Hinata was only capable of seeing forty meters all around her compared to the usually hundred. Her only saving grace was her ability to see even further than most in a singular direction.
"I can't fail," Hinata frantically searched for the location of her teacher. She had come so far, having been teamed up with the one she admired the most even, and Hinata did not to have it all end prematurely or in disappointment.
While the two kunoichi of his team searched for Anko, Naruto opted a more practical approach, "You find her scent yet, Hotto?" Naruto asked his partner. The two had been looking for the woman for a good amount of minutes now and neither one had any luck finding a trace, clue or scent of where Anko could be.
"Arf," Hottomaru whined in response. Naruto frowned as he saw his partner become dejected at the fact that he couldn't get a scent on the woman.
"No prob, buddy. She's probably covering up her scent somehow," the boy frowned as he recalled the humiliation both he and Hottomaru faced some months back thanks to that. "Never did get the chance to give her some payback. Maybe- Gah! No, focus!" Naruto chastised himself as his mind wondered off. Right now he needed to concentrate on locating Anko. He'd be damned as hell if he went back to the academy after everything he did and accomplished so far.
Use of his Detection Skill: Tracking to highlight any clues nearby proved no good. While the skill worked well in dungeons, Anko was a Jonin and knew how to cover her tracks too well for his skill's current level to be of real use.
"Hmm, maybe I can try and find … I know you're there, Ino," Naruto announced, his Detection Skill: Detect Presence coming into play.
"The hell? How'd he know?" certainly Naruto had gotten better in the last four-five months but to be able to know she was there had not crossed the Yamanaka heiress' mind, "Fine, Plan B."
"Guess I underestimated you," Ino revealed herself and began walking towards him in an attractive manner. "So, Naruto-kun what say you and I-"
"Yeah, that little routine worked on Kiba because he's a horn dog but when you're tutored by Anko for a few months you get used to that crap," a barely pink Naruto deadpanned, his words making Ino miss a step and become despondent that her seduction attempt failed. Ino had the looks but her technique was pretty green, which might have worked, if only briefly, had he not been exposed such things thanks to Anko.
"Ugh" Ino groaned and decided to cut the crap. Naruto wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed but he wasn't a total idiot like he used to be either, "Alright, fine. I'll level with you, Naruto. We both know that only two of us will be a part of a team. The way I see it, you and I team up and try to find Anko-sensei before this ends. You win, I win, it's a win-win situation where everyone goes home happy."
"How's it a win-win for all if Hinata fails?" Naruto's glared at Ino for the hole in her logic. Smart and skilled as she was, Naruto had long since noticed that Ino sometimes let her ego get the best of her.
"Hey, I got nothing against Hinata," Naruto could tell that Ino was being honest when she said that. "But like it or not, Anko-sensei said she'd only take on two of us and I for one am not going back to academy! Ninja are supposed to take advantage of whatever opportunities present themselves."
Naruto frowned once more. Only this time it was in regards to the current situation. Naruto remembered Hayate telling him about circumstances where teams sometimes consisting of only Jonin and a Genin but that was due to apprenticeships, and that was pretty uncommon. Hayate had expressed interest in taking Naruto on as one, but in Konoha the only ones allowed to take on apprentices were those who attained the rank of Jonin as well as having a certain amount of years teaching Genin teams on a satisfactory level.
As he began putting the pieces together, the lack of response annoyed Ino and caused her to leave, "Fine, whatever. I'll do this by myself."
Realizing what had happened, Naruto called out to her but the girl was already long gone and a good distance away, "Damn it. Hotto, can you find Hinata?"
"Arf!" the playful bark confirmed that he could and both of them made their direction towards their Hyuga teammate.
"Freakin waste of time," already past the half-hour mark and with no luck in finding her teacher, Ino opted for a different tactic. Glancing up at the trees, Ino found what she was looking for and put her plan into motion. With her mind taking over the body of a hawk, Ino soared high into the sky to get a better view of the landscape. Ino scoured the land as best as she could, still getting used to the whole eye sight feature the raptor had, before she finally hit pay dirt.
"Found you," triumphant, Ino willed her mind to return to her body. But just as she was about to head out, Ino found herself immobile and bound to a tree.
"What the hell?" she struggled before she heard a laugh and snicker being held back, "Oh, you bastard," Ino growled as she spotted them. Ino knew that Hinata was too sweet to do something like this so she directed her attention towards a grinning Naruto.
"When I get out of this I'm gonna-"
"Moisturize your skin to deal with the blemishes?" Naruto taunted. Although true, Ino wouldn't give the smug Genin the satisfaction of knowing that.
Before she could retort, Naruto covered her mouth, "Yeah, I'm gonna need you to listen," and then unfurled some duct tape.
"Don't you even –" Ino didn't get the chance to finish and found her mouth taped and her anger flaring. The Yamanaka heiress glared at the boy and if looks could kill he'd be dead ten times over.
"Be happy it wasn't one of my socks," the boy smiled when she turned green but the look of hostility remained, "Okay, first off, lose the glare. Anko's look is ten times worse than yours so all you're doing is giving yourself future wrinkles, grandma," Ino stopped but he'd pay for that last comment.
"Now then, there are two options before you. One, Hinata and I leave you here, bound, gagged, pissed off as hell and very vengeful," he had that last bit right, "While Hinata and me try and land a blow on Anko-sensei and pass. Or two, you can listen to what I have to say and we all pass. Choice is yours, but if you have any plans of escaping I'm letting you know now that wire is designed to mess with your chakra, so the Nawanuke no Jutsu (Rope Escape Technique) won't work."
Ino slumped and there went that idea. Not having any other choice, Ino was forced to go with number two and listened.
(Sometime Later)
"Fifty-nine minutes and counting," Anko frowned. Maybe she overestimated the three of them. Oh, sure Naruto had potential and if push came to shove she'd take him as an apprentice. Wouldn't be easy but an exception could be made. Someone with such gifts and dedication such as his shouldn't be wasted in her mind just because the other two didn't want to work as a team or knew how to find her. As the village jinchuriki, the last thing the heads of the village wanted was a weak ace in the hole. Not that she thought of him as such.
"Then again there's still time left so…Ah, here we go," rising up from her position, Anko spotted Naruto, Hottomaru and Hinata. But Anko frowned when she noticed the lack of Ino.
"At least two of them are willing to work alongside each other," unfortunately all three needed to work together to pass. As it was, Anko would likely be taking on an apprentice while she'd recommend Hinata be put into the reserve. Ino would be going back to the academy it seemed.
"Shame, really. Inoichi's kid had potential, too," but then, so had many others in the past only for them to end up failing, "You guys sure took your sweet ass time. If it takes you this long to find me then how long do you think it will take to touch me?"
Naruto's only response was to make some Shadow Clones and as one they threw several shuriken towards her, "Shuriken Kage Bunshin no Jutsu (Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique)!" an apology gift from the Sandaime Hokage after what happened last night. With the technique just learned and with no real time to practice it was nowhere as deadly as it should be. Right now it would serve more as an inconvenience, but that was good enough at the moment.
Soon the shuriken multiplied from nine to a little over thirty, all of which sailed through the air towards the intended victim. It didn't stop there and the original followed up with another technique he learned from the Wind Dungeon, "Futon: Ibuki no Jutsu (Wind Release: Powerful Breath Technique)!"
"Whoa!" Anko's eyes widened as while some were flown off course by the powerful technique, many more of the flying stars gained a considerable boost in speed. But good as he was, Anko was better and got out of the way, only to go where Naruto hoped she would.
"Katon: Inka Hyakki no Jutsu (Fire Release: Shadow Fire of One Hundred Demons Technique)!" while the name was a misnomer, the upgraded version of Katon: Inka did release a considerable number of demonic flaming fox heads per clone. The air became hot. Grass and plants shrivelled, some even caught fire and some spots blackened as they raced towards their target. The intense heat temporarily blinded Anko and she had to admit she was impressed. Naruto kept a few techniques closed to the chest. Smart.
"Dakomaki no Heki (Steel Snake Coiling Wall)!"
The woman soon found herself protected by a coiling and enlarged Midori. And while the technique proved to be very unbearably hot, Midori's enhanced scales were more than up to withstand the technique. It did sting a little though, a fact that irritated the uncoiling summon.
"Damn it, Gaki! When I said come at me with the intent to kill, I didn't mean you should actually kill me!" But she had to admit, she was impressed.
"Oh, bitch, bitch, bitch. Make up your mind!" Anko's eye twitched at that.
"Alright, you wanna play rough? Let's play rough," Anko originally wanted to give them a sporting chance but the kiddy gloves were really coming off now.
Anko blurred through some hand seals before she finally unleashed her technique, "Sen'ei Tajashu (Many Hidden Shadow Snake Hands)!" a large myriad of serpents of various sizes and colour burst forth from the woman's sleeves as they made their way towards Naruto and Hinata.
"…Oops."
The lesser serpents all bared their fangs at the two Genin in intimidation and Anko smirked as she saw them falter a bit. While the technique was a bit overkill, the woman willed the snakes to merely bind them instead of sinking their fangs into their vulnerable bodies. Naruto and his clones and Hinata made a valiant effort to block the snakes but they were too great in number and both found themselves bound by the familiars.
Right before they all went up in smoke.
"A diversion? Or did they switch out when we were blinded?" knowing her ward, Anko half expected such a tactic. Not that it would do them much good with Midori's senses.
"Find them!" Anko ordered the great serpent.
As Midori was about to comply, the summon found herself pelted with countless insignificant weaponry. From the trees the great snake spotted Naruto and Hinata accurately throwing several kunai and shuriken. With her Byakugan, Hinata was able to land the more accurate throws that were aimed at the more sensitive areas of her giant form. Both were wise not to get in close and personal but Midori was starting to get irritated at their continued efforts.
Having enough of this, Midori moved towards them at record speed and just as she was within striking distance did Naruto make his move, "Bakufuin: Akai Kutsuu (Exploding Seal: Red-Hot Hardship)!"
Naruto and Hinata disappear in a puff of white, another distraction, and from multiple spots did the ground explode. Midori quickly found herself enveloped in an oh so familiar red cloud before her senses were set aflame.
"NARUTO!" Midori wailed as she once again found herself the victim of the boy's patented Chilly Pepper Bomb and became incapacitated from the incredibly harmful effects, "YOU'LL PAY DEARLY FOR THIS!"
"Midori!" Anko shouted with worry but focused her attention on a swiftly sprinting sword drawn Naruto. To others the sudden appearance would have left them at his mercy, but owing to her superior reflexes and speed, the boy might as well have been moving at a jogger's pace in Anko's opinion.
With Naruto's superior physical strength, Anko knew better than to block the sword strike with a kunai and merely side stepped out of the boy's way. But Naruto flowed from one strike to another as he was taught and never relented.
But good as his form was, Anko had tricks of her own. Near his feet came two snakes that served to trip him up. It was only for a second but it gave Anko more than enough time to slug the blond hard in the face. Naruto grunted from the blow and was sent tumbling.
Anko then prepared to dish out a little more payback before she was forced to dodge the sudden charge of Hottomaru. While his use of the Senka no Jutsu (Flashfire Technique) gave him quite the boost in speed, she proved too quick and it was a waste of a technique given its chakra flare was meant to blind its target.
"Can't exactly do that when you're not being looked at," Anko made a casual note to get Midori to shape him up for pulling such a stupid move. For now, she merely sent some serpents at him before the Jonin turned around to deal with Naruto.
"Ninpo: Kaiyoken (Ninja Art: Fist of the Sun King)!" the ability from his Crimson Cloak of the Fire Rat caused a bright flash that illuminated the area and served Naruto well in blinding his opponent.
"GAAHH!" Anko recoiled from the bright light, her hands going to her eyes in an attempt to dull the pain. But as he moved in for a strike, the boy was unprepared when she suddenly lashed out and caught him in the chest.
"Psych!" Anko cackled at her downed student being quickly wrapped up in a coat of snakes, the pressure threatening to pop his head off like an unwanted zit.
"Hebi no Me (Snake Eye)," Anko revealed her snake like eyes, "Does nothing for intense heat but does a good job protecting the eyes from very bright lights," having seen Naruto's technique some time ago, Anko knew the pseudo-doujutsu skill would come in handy if he decided to use that against her. With one student down, Anko believed it was time she hunted down the other two. But Anko froze before she could follow through with her intentions.
"Shintenshin no Jutsu (Mind Body Switch Technique) success!" Anko suddenly heard in her mind. Off to the side, Anko saw Naruto smirk and watched as the snakes binding him began to combust. Curtesy of his cloak's other ability, the Hari Hi no Nezumi (Shroud of the Fire Rat), while Hinata suddenly appeared and began dealing with the snakes that bothered Naruto's ninken.
"Oh, you're fucking kidding me! This whole thing was a distraction!" Anko quickly put together what happened. Naruto and Hotto kept her attention with a clone disguised as Hinata so she wouldn't think the other Genin was anywhere else but in front of her. In reality, Hinata, much like Ino, was never a part of the actual fighting.
"She must have let herself be taken over so the Yamanka could maximize her range," Anko would have thought it pretty clever of them if it weren't for the fact that no one would ever let her live it down if they found out about this. Anko cursed herself for underestimating them, "No way am I going down that easily!"
"Argh… Guys! She's fighting back," Ino-Anko grunted as her hold on the body began to wane quickly, "Get a move on!"
Thrashing like a wild caged animal, Anko did her best to free herself but couldn't prevent her Yamanaka possessed body from slapping herself before being struck by Hinata and Naruto. Anko felt herself regain control as her will forced the Yamanaka to retreat back into her body.
(Sometime Before)
"And that's the plan," Naruto said.
"Okay, not as good as the ones Shikamaru would come up with, but not bad, Naruto. But you're forgetting a couple of things. I'm vulnerable when my mind's gone and if I miss it takes a while for me to regain control of my body. And I can't take control over what I can't get a good look at," Ino added her piece.
"Can't you just take over Hinata's body and using her eyes to zoom in on Anko-sensei?" Naruto asked as though it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"That…Okay, actually, that might work. I'm game if you are Hinata. Going to need your help on this," taking over a person's body, supplanting their mind, and using their bloodline limit was very tricky. Taking over the body and working in conjunction with the other consciousness was a much easier task.
"Ano, there is a potential hiccup," Hinata added, "S-snakes see via thermal radiation. Our body heat will give away our position. I-I can only focus my bloodline to a certain distance."
"She's right. How the hell are we gonna hide from that?" Ino would soon regret asking.
Naruto's only answer was to grin as he pointed towards a mud pit.
"Oh, no! There's no way in hell I'm going in there," Ino was against the idea. But with her body still bound and with Hinata to help him the Gossip Queen soon found herself covered in wet dirt and other substances. While Hinata was reluctant to becoming mud covered, at least she didn't put up a fight like Ino.
(Present)
"Well, shit," Anko cocked a smile. Truthfully she would have passed them even if they didn't manage to land a blow on her. The whole concept had been to see if they were willing to thinking clearing and work together as a team should. She certainly had not expected that combo of theirs. As she was about to congratulate them, Anko realized both kunoichi were still caked in mud and began to laugh.
"So, do we pass?" Naruto asked their instructor, a cocky grin plastered on his smug face.
"Yeah, you pass kiddies," Anko was still a bit miffed but couldn't help but admit she was impressed. "But wipe that smirk off your face, Gaki. We both know if I'd been serious from the get go you three would be in a whole world of hurt and had gotten nowhere near to hitting me."
"Yeah, sure. Keep telling yourself that," Naruto's response got both of his teammates to chuckle and giggle.
[QUEST COMPLETED!]
The True Genin Exam
Main Quest: Pass Anko's Test to earn your right as a Genin (Accomplished)
Total Rewards
Keep your rank as a Genin, Access to new missions, Access to new Natural Dungeons
"Little shit," Anko humphed half-heartedly.
"NARUTO!" the rage filled voice scattered all nearby animals in the area and stiffened the most experienced Genin of the group.
"At least I don't get to deal with Midori when she gets back from the river," Anko grinned as the Genin paled. Revenge was so very sweet it seemed. But thoughts of revenge aside, the woman glanced upwards at the sky and from the sun's position, Anko determined they had a decent amount of daylight left for her plans.
"Well, we've got some time to kill. The day's already half gone so we won't start missions 'till tomorrow," Anko and Naruto mentally groaned. Both knew that was gonna suck. Ignorant as they were now, Ino and Hinata would soon join the club, "So, instead we're gonna be doing a little training to see where your weaknesses and strengths are at. You got ten minutes to catch your breath before the fun begins. Naruto, you sit this one out."
"Why am I getting that feeling again," a still mud covered Ino wondered why she suddenly felt uneasy. Her gut was telling her to run away as fast as she could. But Ino's mind knew that it wouldn't be so simple or successful. Anko and her familiar were fast. She would be lucky to make it a few meters away before she was caught.
"Oh, well, at least we start missions tomorrow," the blonde smiled and idly wondered what her first mission as a Genin would be like. She knew it wouldn't be something dangerous as they were first starting out but the Yamanaka hoped it would at least be something dignified and worthy of the rank of Genin.
"Did you get it?" Mizuki asked.
"Yeah, I got it! Even got them to think it was Naruto," Hibachi said with pride.
Mizuki eyed the foolish boy and couldn't help himself from mentally scoffing. Hibachi was bad at the Henge in terms of the physical transformation's apperance but pretty good at voice mimicry and mannerism. But the Chunin had to hand it to him, the boy knew how to improvise. A wig, bright orange clothes, and some makeup had him looking almost like Naruto. Up close it would be clearly noticeable that it wasn't him, but from behind and at a distance one would believe it was Konoha's notorious prankster.
"So, do I pass now?" Hibachi asked.
"Yeah, you did good, Hibachi," Mizuki smiled. It wasn't friendly.
A shing and a shlunk later and the forest was soon greeted with the sound of a young boy gagging, followed by some gurgling, and a thud as his body hit the ground, "Stupid kid. Wish you were the demon but I had to work with what I got. Thanks for the scroll."
And with that Mizuki quickly set the body aflame and left the scene and Konoha.
xXx
Anko was silent as her mind processed what she had been told, and then just as quickly bellowed so loudly that Iruka believed she could be heard from Suna, "WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU MEAN HE STOLE THE SCROLL OF SEALS!"
Iruka winced but answered all the same, "Like I said, Naruto stole the Scroll of Seals. We have eye witnesses seeing Naruto jump from the rooftops carrying a large cylindrical object on his back. No one thought much of it at first because we thought he was pranking someone but then twenty minutes later the alarm goes off and many are being told to find him since he stole it," he informed the woman.
Anko frowned and gnashed her teeth as she processed the situation. None of this was making sense, "Umino, you and I know Naruto's a prankster, and slow at times, but why would he want to steal the Scroll of Seals? The kid just became a Genin. Can you honestly say he'd risk that over a prank?"
Iruka wanted to answer but stopped and collected his thoughts. Naruto certainly loved pranking others, and more than once he had been caught defacing the face on the Hokage Mountain. But much of that had simmered down in the last few months and his pranks were usually performed because of a desire for attention or when he was depressed. Or if someone wronged him.
Eyes wide as his mind finally pieced it all together, Iruka paled, "Oh, no. This is a diversion! Naruto's being used as a scapegoat while-"
"While the real culprit probably long gone by now? No shit!," Anko finished for him, "You honestly think a newly graduated academy student could pull a fast one on the Anbu?" Naruto couldn't even do that even before he graduated and this was one of Konoh's most important articles.
"Do you have any idea where he could be?" Iruka asked her. The Chunin considered himself a talented sensor, not the best but not the worse either, but even his sensing abilities had its limits. Luckily the amount of time he spent chasing and finding Naruto over the years during one of his pranks made it so he Iruka knew the feel of the boy's chakra signature instantly. But that was within a certain radius, and Naruto could be anywhere in village and its surrounding area.
"A few but not enough time to search 'em one at a time. Midori!" Sliding out from her trench coat, Anko gave her familiar the quick run down, "We need to find Naruto before anyone else does and fast!"
While some ninja would follow protocol and capture the boy, neither ninja were blind or dumb enough to know that some were clouded by their emotions. 'Accidents' could happen, as some would say.
"On it!" her senses many times greater than either human, Midori was quick to pick up Naruto's most recent trail in a matter of seconds before he managed to find a trace of Naruto's chakra, "Found it!"
Anko and Iruka ignored the terrified screams and shouts as they followed the swiftly moving green serpent making its way through the nightly crowd. Both shinobi and kunoichi made haste to try and find the blond Uzumaki. Hoping to get there before anything bad happened to the young boy, "Gaki, you'd better be okay."
XxX
"You're here," the adolescent was briefly surprised by the sight of the other two ninja. But he quickly brushed the unexpected event aside. Even a blind chicken could get a kernel every now and then, Kabuto noted.
"Was there any doubt?" Mizuki's smirk didn't last long.
"Much," was the spectacled ninja's reply, "Miracles aside, you succeeded. Any loose ends?"
"None. We're in this for the long haul. Eh, Tsubaki," Mizuki asked his lover.
The woman hesitated for a bit but nodded nonetheless, "Hai."
"Good. Go to the border between here and Oto no Kuni. You'll get further instructions then. Dismissed."
Both nodded and left nothing more than whirling leaves and dust as they disappeared from sight.
"I can't believe that disgrace of a ninja actually managed to pull it off," the informant told Orochimaru's right hand man and second in command.
"Luck was on his side, apparently," both knew it had nothing to do with skill, "Any loose ends?"
"None. Even if I do nothing it'll be a while before the village suspect's anything," Kabuto believed them. The informant was good at that.
"And the scroll?" here the informant scoffed.
"You and I both know this scroll is nothing more than a decoy. A few things here and there but no true noteworthy techniques. And a big surprise at the end," Kabuto shrugged, it was expected. Getting the real scroll had been a long shot anyway. He knew it, the informant knew it, and even Orochimaru knew it. Only Mizuki had been foolish enough to believe he actually acquired the real one.
"Konoha has become lax compared to years ago and thanks to our manipulations the newest generations are weaker and ill prepared for what's to come. But they are still one of the Great Five for a reason," the informant added.
"True," Kabuto would not dispute that fact.
As it was Konoha was currently ranked second in terms of military might among the Great Five. The village was outranked only by Kumo because they had not demilitarize like many of the other villages after the last Great Shinobi World War. An act that caused tension between the other villages. One of the reasons why Kumo was stronger in terms of strength was because while Kumo used to have quality and quantity, the quality of their ninja had risen significantly because of the new Raikage, partially as a result of his father's death in the last war.
But even then Konoha was the more popular of the Great Five. Having won more wars, battles, having four of the ten strongest clans from the Era of Warring States, and having a greater reputation than the others. Therefore, the Village Hidden in the Tree Leaves easily had much more high paying clients than Kumo did.
"But there remains a problem."
"The jinchuriki?" Kabuto guessed correctly.
"Mizuki wanted him for his scapegoat. When the boy passed he had to improvise. I saw his performance during the exams. If we're discounting academics, for all intended purposes the kid's the real Rookie of the Year" Kabuto frowned. That could potentially upset things down the line.
"Continue on with the plan. But lay low for the next little bit before continuing to gather as much information as you can. As it is, Konoha knows that an enemy informant was in the village thanks to the scroll," Kabuto saw the informant nod.
"And the jinchuriki?" seeing Kabuto eyeing the scroll in their hands, the informant got the idea and disappeared.
But even with the order, Kabuto knew all too well it wouldn't stick. It didn't mean it wouldn't make things easy for the boy for the next little while. Would it cause him to finally leave the village? Who knows? Either way, hampering his growth and straining his loyalties to the village had to be done. A few months ago the boy was a shoo-in for the title of Dead Last. Now he was a recent graduate and former low middle ranking student who somehow managed to defeat his master's target.
That kind of growth was both fascinating as it was worrying.
(Sometime Later)
"I didn't do it!" Naruto lost count of how many times he said it in the last twenty minutes. Were they honestly expecting him to change his answer? This was bullshit!
"Then where were you last night?" A blank faced Anbu asked him.
"With your momma!" Naruto didn't care if it was unbecoming or immature. He was pissed and tired.
In another room, Hiruzen frowned. The elderly Hokage honestly didn't want to do this but given the circumstances, his hands were tied. The scroll was found in Naruto's apartment, though the newly made Genin hadn't been there, and dozens of Anbu, and a body burned beyond recognition, were found dead. It would take some time to found out who Hiruzen knew Naruto was innocent and so did many of the more level headed of his forces, even the ones that were indifferent or not fond of the boy. It was obvious that this was a set up. But many more were letting their feelings cloud their judgment.
Being unable to locate Naruto for over two hours and him not telling them where he was played against him. A slap on the wrist or simply declaring him innocent wasn't going to cut it. Him being processed was more so for the boy's safety than anything else. The Jigyaku no Jutsu (Time Reversal Technique) not working was another set back and only added more questions.
"Is it the Kyubi's doing?" had been the unsaid question.
If that was the case, then Hiruzen made a mental note to call Jiraiya back to inspect the seal. If it was compromised or if Naruto had unknowingly made a deal with the Kyubi in exchange for power - Hiruzen of all individuals knew that even the most stalwart characters had their moments of weakness they'd come to regret - then perhaps it could explain a lot of things such as his astronomical growth in such a short amount of time. Trained by Jonin and intense dedication or not, Naruto's growth was too sudden and too quick to be natural.
"Out of the fucking way before I shove yer head up his ass!"
"Not helping, Anko!"
Speaking of which, "Let them in," Hiruzen commanded and the door opened with a resounding 'WHAM'.
"No offense, Hokage-sama, but what the fuck! We both know Naruto's innocent."
"Anko!" her friend chastised.
"Of stealing the Scroll of Seals, I know Naruto is innocent," the scroll that had been stolen was a fake, a decoy. But apparently the thief already knew that given its safety feature never went off and they decided to plant it in Naruto's apartment, "But with his disappearance during that time not going unnoticed, I've been left with little recourse, Anko. Until Naruto tells us where he was for the last hour, and can show me proof that I go with, I can't do anything. And unfortunately, Naruto isn't exactly helping himself."
"Have you talked to him?"
"I was just about to before you arrived," he informed her. The only reason he hadn't at first was because he didn't want any one to potentially use that against them.
Looking at him and then back to her future Genin, Anko said, "Let me talk to him."
Hiruzen fought the urge to rub his eyes, "Anko-"
"Just give me one minute with the kid. Please," the young woman pleaded.
Looking her in the eye, Hiruzen sighed, "One minute. One!"
Anko thanked him as the village leader called off the Anbu in the room and allowed her access to her ward. The Sandaime watched as she entered and told the other two ninja occupying the small space to piss off. What was said went unheard by the man but he hoped she could get through to him.
"You gotta tell him, Naruto," Anko's tone was serious and the lack of her affectionate nickname for him told him she wasn't playing games.
"What? You want me to show him what I can do, too?" he asked sarcastically.
"You'll likely have to do that as well," the look of disbelief pretty much stamped itself on the blond's face, "Kid, I don't see any other way around it. You were gone for an hour, pretty much all of Konoha was looking for you, and we found dead bodies. Now, you might not have taken the scroll but an argument can potentially be made that you were still involved in some way."
"Seriously! How the hell can they come up with that?" He asked.
"It wouldn't be the first time something similar to this happened in the history of hidden villages," she revealed, "Look, Naruto, it's up to you. But if you don't work with me here, I don't know what's gonna happen. I know you have an alibi but if you don't show it to Hokage-sama, you might force the old man to do something he doesn't want to do if it means keeping the peace."
Naruto frowned and gritted his teeth and in his anger he slammed his hands down on the table, "This isn't how I wanted him to know."
"I know, Gaki," Naruto had every intention of telling Hiruzen about it when he was ready. Not doing it on his own terms was very upsetting for the blond, "But you and I both know we sometimes don't always get we want."
Naruto nodded and Anko left the room to get her leader, "He'll talk but only to you, Hokage-sama."
Hiruzen nodded and with a look he dismissed his Anbu and entered the room. Taking a seat across from his surrogate grandson, Hiruzen looked him in the eye but Naruto spoke first.
"I'll tell you what you want to know. But I wanna know something first," Hiruzen frowned and Anko had to admit that Naruto had balls for pulling that stunt.
"And that is?" the Sandaime humoured him.
"Is it true what they said about me?"
Blinking in confusion, Hiruzen asked, "What did they call you?"
"A demon," Naruto elaborated.
"I'm gonna fucking kill 'em," countless ways of doing so and making it look like an accident played in Anko's mind.
"Naruto-"
"I'm not stupid!" Naruto shouted, "All my life I've been hated. People see me as something to be avoided. Some were even scared. Not once has anyone ever called me a demon before and tonight I lost count of how many times I was looked at with scorn and the amount of times I heard them call me that. And I wanna know why!"
Hiruzen sighed, "Naruto… it's not that simple."
"Then simplify it! Tell me and I'll sing like a canary. Don't and you'll get nothing from me. Even if it means I don't become a Genin. I'll find out one way or another. I'll become Hokage even if I don't become a ninja."
Hiruzen knew Naruto was speaking the truth. The look of utter resolution in his eyes reminding him of the same ones borne by the Hokages that came before and the one that succeeded him. Sighing, Hiruzen knew he had no choice. Naruto had regrettably inherited his mother's infamous Uzumaki stubbornness. Better the boy learn it from him instead of putting the pieces together and souring their relationship. He was too fond of Minato and Kushina's son to do so.
"I wanted to tell you when you were older… but you deserve to know. To begin, we have to go back thirteen years ago, whereas you already know the greatest of the Nine Tailed Beasts attacked Konoha without warning."
Naruto frowned, "Yeah, and then the Yondaime Hokage faced it himself and defeated it at the cost of his life, right?"
"Shush," Anko told him.
"That's the story your generations knows about. The truth is a little more complex. The Kyubi was the most powerful of the Nine Tailed Beasts. Its power earning it the Travelling Calamity epithet over the last two millennia. Countries fell before its might and natural disasters followed like a plague. We lost count of how many died that night and the nights that followed. Powerful as he was, the Yondaime was no match for the even more powerful demon. Killing a Biju is said to be close to impossible, and even then it's merely a temporary reprieve, and the more powerful the beast is the more impossible the task becomes. Minato had no alternative but to seal the beast inside a newborn infant. Regrettably, you were that infant, Naruto. And instead of seeing you as the savior of Konoha for holding the Biju inside you like the Yondaime wanted, you were seen as a monster instead."
Floored by the revelation, Naruto looked at Anko who looked straight back, "You… you knew?"
"I did," was all she said.
"Why didn't you tell me!"
"She wasn't allowed, Naruto," Hiruzen interjected, "Nobody in the village was allowed to talk about it and those who did were punished severely."
"Why?"
"Why what?"
"Why me! What wasn't anyone allowed to talk about it!" Naruto elaborated before he whispered, "Why was I hated."
"Honestly, I don't know, Naruto," Hiruzen hated to lie to the boy but thought it was best at the moment. He didn't want to overwhelm the boy with too much too soon, "As for why they hated you, I'm afraid I'm partially to blame. I foolishly believed in Minato's words and it resulted in the village despising you instead. The people were suffering, confused, and angry and unfortunately channeled all those wayward emotions unjustly onto you. Fuinjutsu as you know is an uncommon and very abstruse skill that few know about. To them the thought of sealing a being of such vast power is inconceivable. So, instead they began to think the Kyubi was changed and weakened into something else."
"Me," Naruto concluded and the boy's hand shook before he felt Anko's hand on his shoulder.
"They're ignorant idiots, Gaki," Anko began, "Believe me when I say I know how you feel."
"To protect you and to ensure, or at the very least prevent as much as possible, that the next generation wasn't influenced by those aware of what happened that night, I passed a law. It worked for the most part."
The boy merely nodded before a thought occurred, "Jiji, you said the Kyubi was the greatest of the Nine Tailed Beasts. Does that mean there are others?"
"Unfortunately, yes. Each of the Great Five Villages and Takigakure no Sato has a Biju or two of their own. All of which are either hidden or sealed inside another person called Jinchuriki. Konoha itself didn't have one as the Kyubi remained elusive and stayed away from other settlements. Why it suddenly attacked we still have no idea," Hiruzen lied once more. Only this time he did it to both ninja before him. "Is there anything else you'd like to ask?"
When Naruto said nothing, Hiruzen nodded, "Very well. Now, back to the topic at hand."
Naruto took a brief and by the time he was done explaining, Hiruzen was left speechless. The fact that Naruto, son of the Yondaime and the last Uzumaki, and jinchuriki of the most powerful of the Nine awakened such an ability was pretty difficult to process. Even more difficult was seeing the proof laid bare before him. The elderly Hokage would never forget the feel of the 'pop-up window', as it was called, nor him trying to dispel it with a Genjutsu Kai (Illusionary Technique Release) soon after. When Naruto offered to take him into a dungeon, the man declined. Hiruzen believed him but not only was there only so much he could handle at the moment. But the sudden disappearance of the Hokage wouldn't do either Naruto or Anko any favours.
In the end, Hiruzen had what he needed but advised caution to both of them. For all intended purposes, this was a bloodline of unimaginable potential and benefits. If word got out it wouldn't be pleasant. Wars were started for lesser reasons. Naruto and Anko reassured the veteran ninja and village leader they'd be discreet and both were dismissed soon after. But there remained another matter that needed to be addressed. Who tried to frame Uzumaki Naruto?
But while Hiruzen was contemplating that, "I'll become Hokage even if I don't become a ninja?" Naruto's cheeks burned with embarrassment; Anko merely grinned, "Kinda contradictory. Don't ya think?"
"It sounded good in my head, alright!" in all honestly, Naruto pulled that one out of his ass.
"Should have kept it in there," Anko's laugh only embarrassed him some more, "Come on. Let's go get Hotto. We'll wait a bit before leaving."
(Naruto's Apartment Sometime Later)
As the news had begun to circulate of Naruto's innocence, Anko did not need to look to know many had lingering doubts. Even with his name cleared from stealing the Scroll of Seals, others would potentially look for an excuse or feign ignorance to the order. It was an old tactic many ninja used today. The woman took it upon herself to see her ward and his ninken get home safely. He was strong for a newly promoted Genin, and she had not doubt he'd be capable of taking down certain Chunin if given the chance, maybe even catch the odd Jonin off guard, but Naruto wasn't all powerful and lacked real combat experience against other shinobi. Monsters were one thing, they were limited in what they could do, but people were another. Hayate, Anko, and Yugao didn't count as they were pulling back by a considerable amount.
The first thing both did upon entering the building and his place of residence was checking around for anything out of place. Fortunately, nothing was found out of the ordinary. At least, not with the actual apartment, "What is it, Gaki?" Anko did spot a fleeting look the boy's face.
"…" the boy remained silent.
"Alright," Anko shrugged and made for the door.
"You said you knew how I felt," he began and Anko closed her eyes, "What did you mean?"
"…" Now it was Anko's turn to stay silent. The woman contemplated whether or not she should tell him the truth.
"It's okay. Forget I asked," Naruto said but was stopped by his mentor.
"No, you've earned my trust, Gaki, and that ain't something I give lightly," the woman gave him a look and the message was crystal clear. Betray her trust and he'd live to regret it. "But I suppose you've earned the right to know."
"Arf!" Hottomaru barked.
"You too, Poochie-gaki," the little ninken puffed out.
|Congratulations! You've completed the quest [Trust Earned Quest: Anko] and the challenge [I Really Like You]! You have also unlocked the challenges [That's What Friends Are For] and [That Cherished Someone]|
Special Note: Individuals already at the required reputation level prior to this announcement do not count!
Total Rewards Earned
(13,000 + 15%) = 14,950 EXP, +2 Attribute Points, Character [Anko] History Revealed, Unique quests with [Anko] unlocked and reputation level can now go beyond [Friendly]
|That's What Friends Are For|
Challenge: Increase your reputation level with five individuals to [Friendly].
Challenge Reward: 12,000 EXP, + 1 AP
|That Cherished Someone|
Challenge: Increase your reputation level with one individual to [Cherished].
Challenge Reward: 9000 EXP, +3 AP
Anko leaned back on a wall before she began her tale, "Well, to start we have to go back years ago. Like you I'm an orphan. I never knew my parents and I doubt I ever will but I've made peace with it. Despite it all, I was talented compared to others three years older than me and was I taken under an apprenticeship by Orochimaru of the Sannin," here Anko adopted a look of fury and anger the likes of which neither Naruto or Hottomaru had ever seen. The woman was also subconsciously leaking a small but potent amount of Killing Intent as well.
Seeing their looks, Anko eased up a bit on the scowl and reined in her anger as best she could, "Anyway, as you can imagine being taken under the wing of one of the Legendary Three Ninja came as a surprise. Orochimaru of the Sannin was one of the most powerful ninja of his time and for him to take an orphan as an apprentice was like a dream come true for anyone. He taught me everything I knew. Hell, he even let me sign the summoning contract for one of the most powerful and famous summons known. I saw the man as a father I never had… and the bastard fucking used and threw me away like yesterday's trash!"
The moment she yelled did Anko's anger come back full force and the woman lashed out. The action left a sizeable hole in the wall as her fist made impact. Hottomaru and Naruto both ducked for cover as the woman vented her frustration. It was evident the woman felt strongly about her former master.
"But that's not the worst of it," she muttered. "The worst part is that I helped him despite the village suspecting him of doing horrible deeds. I thought they were idiots and jealous of him. I thought they betrayed him when they chose the Namikaze Minato as the Yondaime over him. I was devoted to the man and he exploited my loyalty," here the woman moved away her hair and neck to show Naruto her mark.
"See this. This is his mark. A cursed seal of incredible dark power, and out of the ten that got it I was the only one who survived. Even then he tossed me aside. When I got back to the village almost everyone saw me as a traitor and spy. Friends I had turned their backs on me and others saw me as nothing more than trash. When I got older several saw me as a whore or slut and made advances on me, willingly or not. Sure, I don't help my case dressing like this but I like the way I look so they can go fuck themselves," Anko stopped as she realized she was getting off key.
"Anyhow to make matters worse this curse seal I have somehow hampers my skills. A little safeguard the bastard put in for kicks or on the off chance I turned on him. I became a Chunin at age twelve, that's pretty young. I could learn and perform techniques a hell of a lot faster than most. All that went away, the moment this number was bitten on me. The only way I'd get access to my former power and then some is if I use the damn thing," she said chuckled darkly at the irony of it all.
"Ever thought of using it?" Naruto asked.
"That would be unwise, Naruto-san," Midori butted in, "Orochimaru of the Sannin has made many cursed seals and the Cursed Seal of Heaven was said to have been Orochimaru's most powerful one at the time. But back then it was incomplete, and by now it has most likely been improved upon knowing him. Anko-chan only ever used it once, unwillingly at that, and it gave her incredible power greater than most Jonin. But it comes at a price. The power is like a drug: addictive and unforgiving. It is in the seal's nature to promise power at the cost of the user's sanity and will until they become unrecognizable. She became a berserker during her fight and could not differentiate between friend or foe. It was the first and only time she used it. Through her willpower and the aid of another sealing technique, Anko suppressed the cursed seal's influence and over time it receded. The dark power is still there but Anko no longer hears the whispers and promises of power like she used to."
"I'm guessing removing it is a no?"
"Believe me, I've tried everything to get rid of this thing but Jiraiya of the Sannin, Orochimaru's former teammate and our only resident Fuinjutsu Master, said that getting rid of something as complex as this was beyond even him. The only person who probably had a chance to remove it was the man's student the Yondaime. But even he doubted Namikaze Minato could have succeeded. With little info on this seal the old perv concluded that there are only three potential ways to remove it. One being I die, and fuck that. The other is Orochimaru himself removing the damn thing, good luck getting that done. And finally, the prick dies since cursed seals are usually tied to their creator, but even that has no guarantee of success," even then, both latter methods were not easily accomplished. Orochimaru was not only a sadist but easily one of the most powerful Kage level nuke-nin in the lands.
"I myself tried to get the seal removed from her by threatening to cancel our contract with the monster. Being a descendent of Hakuja-sama and one of the more powerful summons of the clan I was one of the prime candidates to lead the clan when the previous clan leader passed away. Unfortunately, another and much stronger serpent by the name of Manda was also a prime candidate and had more favor in the clan. Part of his strength was thanks to his own skill but many suspected it had also been enhanced by Orochimaru as well. No one dared to voice it though as Manda could easily crush them," Midori told her part of the story. "In the end we fought and I lost. However, I was loyal to Anko and not Orochimaru and because of my refusal to follow Manda loyally I was banished and had my power sealed. I can only momentarily regain my full strength after I did some tinkering. To add insult to injury Anko has since lost the ability to summon the more powerful serpents of my clan and can only summon the smaller, common fodder variants," Midori scowled.
"And that's our story, gaki," Anko informed her future Genin. "Got anything to add or say?"
"Yeah… Orochimaru and Manda are assholes," Naruto's response made both Anko and Midori blink before they burst out laughing.
"Oh, man, I wasn't expecting that," Anko wiped away a tear. "You really do have balls of solid steel, Gaki. But make no mistake, assholes they are but those two are strong as hell. The man was a candidate for the position of Yondaime Hokage for a reason. Had Minato-sama not done the deeds he did during the war or Hatake Sakumo not taken his own life, Orochimaru would have been a shoo-in for the position," she gave the boy an all-knowing look.
Naruto paled slightly. She did mention that a little earlier. Truthfully the boy had intended to deliver some payback if he saw the man. A fact he didn't doubt crossed through Anko's mind. However, hearing that he was a former candidate for Hokage pushed those thoughts aside. The blond ninja wasn't the smartest individual in the world but even he knew that Hokage candidates were incredibly powerful ninja. Naruto was humble enough to know that despite his increase in strength he was nowhere near that level of prowess. Aside from the Sandaime, Naruto never encountered a Kage level individual, but the boy didn't doubt that people in that power range were possibly in the low hundreds, at worst, or even higher and it would take him some time before he reached that level.
"Listen, gaki, if we ever come across the bastard run as fast as you can and use every trick in the book you have to get away and pray that it works," if there was one weakness she knew about the man it's that he loved toying with those weaker than him. At times he'd let his victims go as a form of mental torture while other times he'd get bored and simply end the whole thing.
"Ditto," now it was Naruto's turn to give her a knowing look. Whether or not she chose to acknowledge it was unknown. Bidding him a good night, Anko left the apartment and Naruto and Hottomaru prepared themselves for bed.
(The Next Day)
The sound of a hammer striking metal was heard as Naruto and Hottomaru entered Tetsumaru's store. Both felt the increase in temperature reach them and assumed the forge was going very strong at the moment.
"Keep hammering! That order has got to be ready by tomorrow!" the boy heard Tetsu yell as he appeared at the counter. "Sorry 'bout that, kid. Backed up like crazy at the moment with orders. What can I do for ya?"
"Is my order ready?" Naruto asked the muscle bound man.
"It's done. Orders like that don't take very long, but your other order's gonna take a few extra days before they're finished. Would have been less but the sudden influx of work I got pushed the due date back. Sorry, kid," the man apologized as he handed the boy his happuri hitai-ate.
Happuri Style Konoha Hitai-ate – Common Quality
Item Type: Head-Armor
Durability: 55/55
A modified, metal, happuri-shaped headband engraved with the kanji for 'fire' symbolizing the wearer's status as a Konoha shinobi. Its modified look offers it greater defence and durability. Forehead protectors are worn by shinobi and are engraved with the symbol of their hidden village to demonstrate their allegiance. Be forewarned, wearing this makes you stand out against enemies of Konoha.
Bonus Perks: +3% Power Increase towards [Head-Based] Taijutsu Skills, +10 DEF, +10% additional REP per successful mission with Konoha (must be loyal)
Flaws: Will cause [Aggro] effect if spotted by enemies of Konoha
Naruto smiled as he put the happuri hitai-ate on his face. Though slightly disappointed that that he wouldn't be able to get his other order, the boy was happy he managed to get his forehead protector. The headband being mandatory for the registration photo he had to take, as otherwise he'd have to wear a spare one. With his task semi-complete, Naruto made his way towards the Hokage building to take his photo.
XxX
"Ughh, when is it gonna start already," Naruto whined as he and others waited for Iruka. The past few hours had been interesting to say the least. Having met and unwillingly gained a subordinate in Sarutobi Konohamaru, Jiji's biological grandson. But the kid was weird.
"What kind a person decides they wanna become your underling after you hit them on the head?" personally Naruto thought the old man's grandson had a few screws loose but either way he had gained an underling and managed to mess with that closet pervert of a teacher, Ebisu. The kid was a decent person he guessed and it could have been worse. Ebisu, however, had a ten foot stick up his ass.
That had been the most eventful part of the morning. Now he was stuck waiting in class as though he were an academy student. Again. Unfortunately, waiting had never been one of Naruto's fortes despite patience being pounded into his head by his teachers. The blond haired ninja considered what was currently happening, or lack thereof, a waste of time.
"Wonder who I'm being teamed up with?" he idly wondered. The boy's face took a sour turn as he didn't see Hibachi or his friends. Hibachi he knew had failed but some of the others had passed the Graduation Exam. Before he could begin looking around some more, the blond and the rest of the class saw the classroom door open.
"Greetings, everyone!" Iruka began quieting the room down, "As some of you might have noticed, we are missing a few students today. Normally I wouldn't be saying this on such a joyous occasion but it's best you know of it now. As you all known, last night someone tried to frame Uzumaki Naruto for stealing the Scroll of Seals, and likely the murder of several of our ninja forces. As you can see, Naruto was able to prove his innocence. Unfortunately, from a recent biopsy, we've just learned that one of the unidentified victims was Hibachi."
The reactions were various: some were stunned silent, others gasped, and some looked ready to cry. Naruto honestly didn't know how to react given his relationship with Hibachi. While he didn't wish the boy dead, Hibachi had done enough to him to justify some ill will. To learn of his death was something Naruto couldn't properly express into words.
"Vigilance!" Iruka announced and all eyes were on him, "Vigilance is what makes a shinobi. To be aware of the dangers and potential dangers that may occur. Without it a shinobi is nothing more than an ordinary individual or dead. I implore each and every one of you to be vigilant. I don't wish to hear that another one of my students is dead for lack of foresight. Now, before we begin I'd like us all to bow our heads in silence for Hibachi."
As the man began, Naruto silently gauged everyone in the room. The reactions had since shifted to many looking as pale as snow, frightened and ready to piss themselves, and others were more worried. Naruto saw that those from purely civilian backgrounds were taking it harder while those from a clan or with shinobi family members took it better. But from those he could see, the worry and unease was still there.
"Alright. Let's begin," Iruka ended the minute of silence as she began listing off the teams. A couple minutes had passed before the man finally announced a name he knew, "Team Seven will consist of Uchiha Sasuke, Inuzuka Kiba, and Haruno Sakura" Naruto heard Kiba groan and the thud as his head made contact with the desk. Sakura as expected cheered and announced, 'True love conquers all!' much to the displeasure of Ino and the other fangirls, "All three of you will be taught by Hatake Kakashi."
Naruto's face furrowed slightly as he recalled the name 'Hatake', "Can he be related to that Sakumo guy Anko mentioned?"
"Team Eight will consist of Yamanka Ino, Hyuga Hinata, and Uzumaki Naruto. Your sensei will be Mitarashi Anko," Iruka wished the former two good luck while Ino groaned upon hearing the names of her teammates.
The blond girl had nothing against Hinata as she wasn't interested in Sasuke but the Yamanaka heiress was hoping to be on a team with Sasuke. Sure, Naruto had gotten better, and he developed an adequate sense of fashion, and he wasn't Dead Last but he could still be an idiot at times. Part of her was also surprised she hadn't been placed with Chouji and Shikamaru considering their family history and how much their fathers pushed them to socialize. Well, childhood friends or not, at least she'd not have to constantly deal with the laziness.
Hinata on the other hand had a different reaction, "I'm on Naruto-kun's team!" the thought of it made her face go supernova as she finally processing those words. The indigo haired Hyuga nearly fainted had she not willed herself not to. Even then it was pretty close.
"Hotto," Naruto began, "I don't know if I should be happy or scared."
On one hand he had Anko as a teacher and two teammates he could get along fine with over time, which was awesome. The only problem was if he excluded Hotto then it meant he was outnumbered three to one on the female to male ration. "This is either really good or really bad," to some being a part of a team of one male and three females was a dream come true. Naruto knew it for what it was. His opinion wouldn't matter if all three girls banded together.
"Hey, what the hell, Iruka-sensei!" Kiba shouted and ignored the man's chastising, "Why's the Dobe on a team with chicks and I'm not!?"
Naruto made a mental note to prank the Inuzuka's ass at an appropriate time for that comment; Ino scowled at him for being referred as a chick.
"The teams are assigned based on balancing of strength and critical thinking, Kiba. For instance it is common practice for the Dead Last and the Rookie of the Year to be placed on the same team," the man sent the boy a look and the majority of the class laughed as they realized what he was implying.
"Moving on, Team Nine is still in circulation from last year so Team Ten will consist of Shikamaru Nara, Akimichi Chouji, and Aburame Shino under Sarutobi Asuma," and with that the man finished announcing the teams, "I wish you all luck with your future teams and as ninja. Your instructors will be here after lun—"
CRASH!
Iruka and the class had little time to react as a window suddenly shattered in a shower of broken glass and wooden frame bits. The Chunin suddenly appeared battle ready, drawing out a kunai and prepared for what was to come. However, the instructor nearly face faulted as a banner began to unfold, and out popped the vivacious Mitarashi Anko.
"Hello, everybody! The Incredibly Hot and Sexy Mitarashi Anko has arrived," Anko cheered as she took a bow in front of the stunned class.
"Of course," Naruto and Hottomaru groaned at Anko's antics. However, the blond shinobi silently admitted that the entrance was kinda badass and made a note to ask for some pointers.
"Team Eight, you guys have ten minutes to get your cute little asses to Training Area Nine! Team Seven … you guys take an extra long lunch. Trust me, you're gonna be here a while. Laters!" the woman announced and then disappeared into a puff of white as she left behind a flabbergasted classroom.
"Okay, I thought she was nuts when I saw her crash the tourney a few months ago but she's like a female version of Naruto!" Ino voiced her opinion and many couldn't help but agree.
"Hey, I'm not that bad!" all the boy got was silence and blank stares, "Besides you'd better get use to it since we're on the same team," Ino groaned as she felt a headache coming on. "Oh, and FYI what happened is pretty tame compared to what she usually does," Naruto shuddered as he and his partner made their way out of the classroom. Hinata followed after her crush and teammate. Ino, however; simply groaned even more.
"Forget the headache, I'm gonna be having a fucking migraine during this ordeal," the blond Yamanaka weeped and had no idea how much her world was about to be flipped upside down. Neither did her other female teammate.
XxX
Naruto, Hottomaru, Ino and Hinata, recently dubbed members of Team Eight, made their way towards the training grounds at varying speeds. Naruto and his ninken partner were making record time and would easily be the first two there. Hinata wasn't too far behind the two males and moved at a decent pace. Ino was last as despite her decent speed she didn't was lacking in stamina compared to her teammates.
All four of them arrived at the training ground with a decent amount of time to spare. But none of them spotted their new Jonin instructor, "She said to get here in ten minutes and she's not even here," Ino frowned at the hypocrisy of it. "Some sensei she is."
"Ano, Ino-chan, you shouldn't talk about Anko-sensei like that," the young girl stuttered.
"Hinata's right," Naruto's agreement made Hinata blush, "Anko may be nuttier than a bat out of hell, but being lazy is something she ain't. Hell, I was honestly-" Naruto stopped as his senses flared thanks to his Detection skills, "Oh, shit! Duck and cover!" the boy suddenly yelled, taking cover behind a tree alongside his ninken.
Ino and Hinata were still surprised by the sudden outburst and had little time to react before a hail of kunai and shuriken made their way towards them. Both newly graduated female Genin dodged and swerved out of the deadly projectiles incoming path as best as they could. Hinata with her clan's training and greater perception managed to dodge most of the air born weapons with relative ease, though the Hyuga felt her clothes being cut in a few places as well.
Ino, while not coming from a taijutsu oriented clan, had natural grace and reflexes that most girls in the academy sorely lacked. The Yamanaka heiress bopped, weaved, and even back flipped under the kunai and shuriken thrown at her. The way she moved made it look almost like a dance. Despite this advantage, the brief breather was not enough, and as such her reaction time was off a few times. Ino felt her clothes and hair being cut as a result.
The flurry of weapons continued for a little over a minute before it finally ended. When it did, both Ino and Hinata stood battle ready with a few cuts but no worse for wear, "Not bad, not great but not bad."
Anko suddenly appeared between the two female Genin and both visibly relaxed…which proved to be a big mistake. Ino and Hinata immediately found themselves wrapped and bound by serpents of various sizes and colors. The two struggled and wiggled as best they could to escape from the confines of the coiling serpents but had no such luck. Each struggling movement they performed actually only resulted in their bindings being tightened by Anko's minor familiars.
"Rule number one, girls; ninja play dirty. Remember what I said how ninja can easily stab you in the back if you let your guard down?" Anko chastised before looking for her senior student. "Gaki! Poochie-Gaki! You pussies! Get out here!" she ordered.
"Hell no!" was the reply, "I'm not falling for that trick!" again went unsaid.
"Arf!" agreed wholeheartedly.
"Damn! I scared those two too well," Anko cursed.
"Don't you mean taught?" Ino asked
"I know what I said, Blondie," Ino's eye twitched at the nickname. Oh, Anko was gonna have fun breaking and remolding her.
However, the Jonin realized she wouldn't be able to have more fun at the moment and sighed before she released Ino and Hinata. Upon seeing this, Naruto and Hottomaru finally made themselves known but it was evident by their body language that they were keeping their guard up. It was a wise and scare-fuelled decision really.
"Anyway, not bad kiddos… however, you three still have a way to go. You two especially," her last comment directed at the two kunoichi, "Now, normally we start off by introducing ourselfs, saying what we like, blah, blah, blah. Well, we're not gonna be doing that so I'll cut right down to the chase. Name's Anko, and I'm gonna push ya. I'm gonna break ya. And I'm gonna make ya puke your guts out and frap your body till your bones hurt. When you squeal, I'm just gonna go faster and harder, till finally you're moulded into proper kick ass ninja. The kid gloves are off, and I'm gonna bitch slap you with 'em," her grin sent shivers down each and every one of their backs.
Because of their time with the woman both Naruto and Hotto were used to it but even then the act made them cringe and flinch back with fear. Ino and Hinata, however; paled considerably to an unknown degree. The two had seen a side of the woman months ago and thought she was strict. Both just now realized that it was only a part of her personality.
"Well... assuming you pass the test, of course," she shrugged much to their confusion.
"Huh?" all three Genin wondered what she was talking about.
"Oh, didn't I say," her tone resonating with sweet and fake innocence, "The academy exam was only to help determine who had the potential to become Genin and weed out the rest. In order for you to become true Genin you all need to pass your teacher's test. And FYI out of all the academy graduates, only thirty-three percent of them have a chance of passing that test."
"What happens if we fail?" Ino asked.
"Pretty short answer: you lose your headband and go back to the academy," technically it was untrue, but Anko wanted them to be fearful. She needed them to give more than one hundred percent effort to accomplish their task.
Telling them the truth would have done the opposite. Technically there were several options that could happen if they failed. The most common occurrence being they went back to the academy as was mentioned. The other was if a Genin's skills were good enough they might get taken on as someone's apprentice, but that was rare and only if they were lucky enough. And lastly, the team was split up but if some had enough of the right skill and mindset they were put in the reserves until a spot became available. At which time all they'd be able to do is supervised D-Rank missions for the next several months or so.
"Oh, fuck me," Naruto cursed at the unfairness of it all. All that hard work and there was a chance that he'd have to wait a while longer. Naruto wasn't stupid to not believe Anko held back from time to time, "Guess this is the reason why. Why train an academy student on everything they knew and then get their hopes when there was such a large chance of them failing in the end?"
"Are you kidding me!" Ino yelled, "That's bull!"
"Tough shit, Blondie. That's the world we live in," Anko didn't care if wasn't fair. Ninja didn't really do fair and the sooner they acknowledged that the better. "Now, I suppose you all want to rest before taking the test?" she asked but Naruto knew better than to fall for that.
"Would be nice," Ino said and Hinata agreed with a nod.
"Too bad! The test starts now, kiddies," Anko cackled.
[QUEST ALERT!]
The True Genin Exam
Main Quest: Pass Anko's Test to earn your right as a Genin
Main Quest Completion: Keep your rank as a Genin, ?, ?
Failure: Lose rank of Genin, ?
Quest is Mandatory
"Now the test is simple, we're gonna play hide and seek," Anko said and though neither Hinata nor Ino thought it sounded that bad, Naruto and Hotto became stiff.
"Oh, no," both female teammates looked at Naruto, "I've played hide and seek with her before. It's only ever been fun for Anko and Midori."
"Midori?" both girls asked before they saw the head of a snake popping out from Anko's clothes. Ino idly wondered where Anko was keeping that thing.
"Someone call me?" the green serpent asked as she slithered out from Anko's trench coat.
"It… it talks," a surprised Hinata stammered, an act that was mimicked by Ino.
"Did you guys already forget?" But then Anko recalled how the academy students had not been taught about summons, "Yes, the snake can talk and her name is Midori. Midori, Ino and Hinata. Ino and Hinata, Midori," she introduced the three to one another.
"Greetings, Ino-san, Hinata-san," Midori bowed to the two-stunned Genin, "Naruto-san, nice to see you again."
"Arf!" was Hotto's balsy reply.
"And you too, dinner," Midori smirked when Hottomaru cowered behind Naruto. Whereas Naruto had a healthy fear of Anko, Hottomaru had a healthy fear of Midori. Especially since Midori could easily swallow the young ninken under a second if she chose to. And she had. Getting the smell of snake juice off a dog was not fun.
"Alrighty! Since that's done, here's what we're gonna do. I'm gonna hide and you three will seek me out. You have about two hours to do so. If the time passes and I've yet to be found, you fail," the woman produced an alarm clock and set it to go off in two hours.
"Wait, two hours?" Ino cocked an eyebrow at the absurdity of it all. "No sweat," sure Anko was a Jonin but half that time was plenty enough to locate her in the blonde's mind.
"Oh, that's not all, Blondie. There's a catch," Anko's grin came back full force.
"Nice going, Ino," Naruto knew the torture was about to begin.
"To make things a little fair, I won't be moving from my spot," the announcement only served to make the Yamanaka a little cockier.
"Wait for it," were the male blond's thoughts.
"However, I will defend myself and Midori will also be there to defend me. Know what that means?" the woman looked at Hinata for the answer.
"Ano, it ... it that means that not only do we need to find you but use all strength to tag you as well?" Hinata slowly answered.
"Her clan really did a number on her," much like Naruto, Anko knew she'd have her work cut out for her with Hinata, "Girl's smarter than she looks. Probably has brains on things she doesn't even realize."
"Correct, good job," she smiled and the girl blushed at the praise, "If you wanna tag me you're gonna need to come at me with the intent to kill. Trust me, you won't get anywhere near me without doing this."
"Won't you get hurt, sensei?" Hinata asked.
Though sweet of her to say that, it was kind of insulting, too, in Anko's opinion, "I may have just gotten promoted to Jonin but the power and skill difference between my rank and yours is pretty damn big. When I say come at me with the intent to kill, I mean go all out and use everything you've got to try and tag me. If you don't you might as well go back to the academy," Anko informed them.
"Oh, and one last thing. Only the first two of you who tag me get to become Genin and stay on my team. The other one is sent back and gets to listen to Umino's lectures for another year."
"Not it!" Naruto yelled.
"What!" Ino yelled while Hinata became as stiff as a tree.
"Ready, set, go!" Anko laughed before she and Midori subsequently disappeared. All that was left in their wake was a white cloud of smoke and kicked up dust. All three Genin were left momentarily stunned by Anko's sudden proclamation before they split up and began to track their teacher.
"Wonder how they'll do?" Anko smirked before she began to relax and wait for her students to find her. It would be quite some time before they did. And much like she predicted, all three were using different methods to try and locate her.
(Twenty-Three Minutes Later)
"Damn it. Where the hell is she?" Ino cursed before she moved on to another location. Ino came from a clan that was quite adept in the use of sensory ninjutsu and was using it to her best ability to locate Anko. The only problem was that Ino had not concentrated as much on her clan techniques as she should have and was now paying for her lack of skill in sensing others.
Hinata wasn't fairing any better either. While the Byakugan was known and feared throughout the Elemental Countries for its ability to see at far off distances, the vital chakra points, and see through virtually everything, the eye was only as good as the one who used it. Compared to the other clan members of the Main Family at her age, Hinata was only capable of seeing forty meters all around her compared to the usually hundred. Her only saving grace was her ability to see even further than most in a singular direction.
"I can't fail," Hinata frantically searched for the location of her teacher. She had come so far, having been teamed up with the one she admired the most even, and Hinata did not to have it all end prematurely or in disappointment.
While the two kunoichi of his team searched for Anko, Naruto opted a more practical approach, "You find her scent yet, Hotto?" Naruto asked his partner. The two had been looking for the woman for a good amount of minutes now and neither one had any luck finding a trace, clue or scent of where Anko could be.
"Arf," Hottomaru whined in response. Naruto frowned as he saw his partner become dejected at the fact that he couldn't get a scent on the woman.
"No prob, buddy. She's probably covering up her scent somehow," the boy frowned as he recalled the humiliation both he and Hottomaru faced some months back thanks to that. "Never did get the chance to give her some payback. Maybe- Gah! No, focus!" Naruto chastised himself as his mind wondered off. Right now he needed to concentrate on locating Anko. He'd be damned as hell if he went back to the academy after everything he did and accomplished so far.
Use of his Detection Skill: Tracking to highlight any clues nearby proved no good. While the skill worked well in dungeons, Anko was a Jonin and knew how to cover her tracks too well for his skill's current level to be of real use.
"Hmm, maybe I can try and find … I know you're there, Ino," Naruto announced, his Detection Skill: Detect Presence coming into play.
"The hell? How'd he know?" certainly Naruto had gotten better in the last four-five months but to be able to know she was there had not crossed the Yamanaka heiress' mind, "Fine, Plan B."
"Guess I underestimated you," Ino revealed herself and began walking towards him in an attractive manner. "So, Naruto-kun what say you and I-"
"Yeah, that little routine worked on Kiba because he's a horn dog but when you're tutored by Anko for a few months you get used to that crap," a barely pink Naruto deadpanned, his words making Ino miss a step and become despondent that her seduction attempt failed. Ino had the looks but her technique was pretty green, which might have worked, if only briefly, had he not been exposed such things thanks to Anko.
"Ugh" Ino groaned and decided to cut the crap. Naruto wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed but he wasn't a total idiot like he used to be either, "Alright, fine. I'll level with you, Naruto. We both know that only two of us will be a part of a team. The way I see it, you and I team up and try to find Anko-sensei before this ends. You win, I win, it's a win-win situation where everyone goes home happy."
"How's it a win-win for all if Hinata fails?" Naruto's glared at Ino for the hole in her logic. Smart and skilled as she was, Naruto had long since noticed that Ino sometimes let her ego get the best of her.
"Hey, I got nothing against Hinata," Naruto could tell that Ino was being honest when she said that. "But like it or not, Anko-sensei said she'd only take on two of us and I for one am not going back to academy! Ninja are supposed to take advantage of whatever opportunities present themselves."
Naruto frowned once more. Only this time it was in regards to the current situation. Naruto remembered Hayate telling him about circumstances where teams sometimes consisting of only Jonin and a Genin but that was due to apprenticeships, and that was pretty uncommon. Hayate had expressed interest in taking Naruto on as one, but in Konoha the only ones allowed to take on apprentices were those who attained the rank of Jonin as well as having a certain amount of years teaching Genin teams on a satisfactory level.
As he began putting the pieces together, the lack of response annoyed Ino and caused her to leave, "Fine, whatever. I'll do this by myself."
Realizing what had happened, Naruto called out to her but the girl was already long gone and a good distance away, "Damn it. Hotto, can you find Hinata?"
"Arf!" the playful bark confirmed that he could and both of them made their direction towards their Hyuga teammate.
"Freakin waste of time," already past the half-hour mark and with no luck in finding her teacher, Ino opted for a different tactic. Glancing up at the trees, Ino found what she was looking for and put her plan into motion. With her mind taking over the body of a hawk, Ino soared high into the sky to get a better view of the landscape. Ino scoured the land as best as she could, still getting used to the whole eye sight feature the raptor had, before she finally hit pay dirt.
"Found you," triumphant, Ino willed her mind to return to her body. But just as she was about to head out, Ino found herself immobile and bound to a tree.
"What the hell?" she struggled before she heard a laugh and snicker being held back, "Oh, you bastard," Ino growled as she spotted them. Ino knew that Hinata was too sweet to do something like this so she directed her attention towards a grinning Naruto.
"When I get out of this I'm gonna-"
"Moisturize your skin to deal with the blemishes?" Naruto taunted. Although true, Ino wouldn't give the smug Genin the satisfaction of knowing that.
Before she could retort, Naruto covered her mouth, "Yeah, I'm gonna need you to listen," and then unfurled some duct tape.
"Don't you even –" Ino didn't get the chance to finish and found her mouth taped and her anger flaring. The Yamanaka heiress glared at the boy and if looks could kill he'd be dead ten times over.
"Be happy it wasn't one of my socks," the boy smiled when she turned green but the look of hostility remained, "Okay, first off, lose the glare. Anko's look is ten times worse than yours so all you're doing is giving yourself future wrinkles, grandma," Ino stopped but he'd pay for that last comment.
"Now then, there are two options before you. One, Hinata and I leave you here, bound, gagged, pissed off as hell and very vengeful," he had that last bit right, "While Hinata and me try and land a blow on Anko-sensei and pass. Or two, you can listen to what I have to say and we all pass. Choice is yours, but if you have any plans of escaping I'm letting you know now that wire is designed to mess with your chakra, so the Nawanuke no Jutsu (Rope Escape Technique) won't work."
Ino slumped and there went that idea. Not having any other choice, Ino was forced to go with number two and listened.
(Sometime Later)
"Fifty-nine minutes and counting," Anko frowned. Maybe she overestimated the three of them. Oh, sure Naruto had potential and if push came to shove she'd take him as an apprentice. Wouldn't be easy but an exception could be made. Someone with such gifts and dedication such as his shouldn't be wasted in her mind just because the other two didn't want to work as a team or knew how to find her. As the village jinchuriki, the last thing the heads of the village wanted was a weak ace in the hole. Not that she thought of him as such.
"Then again there's still time left so…Ah, here we go," rising up from her position, Anko spotted Naruto, Hottomaru and Hinata. But Anko frowned when she noticed the lack of Ino.
"At least two of them are willing to work alongside each other," unfortunately all three needed to work together to pass. As it was, Anko would likely be taking on an apprentice while she'd recommend Hinata be put into the reserve. Ino would be going back to the academy it seemed.
"Shame, really. Inoichi's kid had potential, too," but then, so had many others in the past only for them to end up failing, "You guys sure took your sweet ass time. If it takes you this long to find me then how long do you think it will take to touch me?"
Naruto's only response was to make some Shadow Clones and as one they threw several shuriken towards her, "Shuriken Kage Bunshin no Jutsu (Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique)!" an apology gift from the Sandaime Hokage after what happened last night. With the technique just learned and with no real time to practice it was nowhere as deadly as it should be. Right now it would serve more as an inconvenience, but that was good enough at the moment.
Soon the shuriken multiplied from nine to a little over thirty, all of which sailed through the air towards the intended victim. It didn't stop there and the original followed up with another technique he learned from the Wind Dungeon, "Futon: Ibuki no Jutsu (Wind Release: Powerful Breath Technique)!"
"Whoa!" Anko's eyes widened as while some were flown off course by the powerful technique, many more of the flying stars gained a considerable boost in speed. But good as he was, Anko was better and got out of the way, only to go where Naruto hoped she would.
"Katon: Inka Hyakki no Jutsu (Fire Release: Shadow Fire of One Hundred Demons Technique)!" while the name was a misnomer, the upgraded version of Katon: Inka did release a considerable number of demonic flaming fox heads per clone. The air became hot. Grass and plants shrivelled, some even caught fire and some spots blackened as they raced towards their target. The intense heat temporarily blinded Anko and she had to admit she was impressed. Naruto kept a few techniques closed to the chest. Smart.
"Dakomaki no Heki (Steel Snake Coiling Wall)!"
The woman soon found herself protected by a coiling and enlarged Midori. And while the technique proved to be very unbearably hot, Midori's enhanced scales were more than up to withstand the technique. It did sting a little though, a fact that irritated the uncoiling summon.
"Damn it, Gaki! When I said come at me with the intent to kill, I didn't mean you should actually kill me!" But she had to admit, she was impressed.
"Oh, bitch, bitch, bitch. Make up your mind!" Anko's eye twitched at that.
"Alright, you wanna play rough? Let's play rough," Anko originally wanted to give them a sporting chance but the kiddy gloves were really coming off now.
Anko blurred through some hand seals before she finally unleashed her technique, "Sen'ei Tajashu (Many Hidden Shadow Snake Hands)!" a large myriad of serpents of various sizes and colour burst forth from the woman's sleeves as they made their way towards Naruto and Hinata.
"…Oops."
The lesser serpents all bared their fangs at the two Genin in intimidation and Anko smirked as she saw them falter a bit. While the technique was a bit overkill, the woman willed the snakes to merely bind them instead of sinking their fangs into their vulnerable bodies. Naruto and his clones and Hinata made a valiant effort to block the snakes but they were too great in number and both found themselves bound by the familiars.
Right before they all went up in smoke.
"A diversion? Or did they switch out when we were blinded?" knowing her ward, Anko half expected such a tactic. Not that it would do them much good with Midori's senses.
"Find them!" Anko ordered the great serpent.
As Midori was about to comply, the summon found herself pelted with countless insignificant weaponry. From the trees the great snake spotted Naruto and Hinata accurately throwing several kunai and shuriken. With her Byakugan, Hinata was able to land the more accurate throws that were aimed at the more sensitive areas of her giant form. Both were wise not to get in close and personal but Midori was starting to get irritated at their continued efforts.
Having enough of this, Midori moved towards them at record speed and just as she was within striking distance did Naruto make his move, "Bakufuin: Akai Kutsuu (Exploding Seal: Red-Hot Hardship)!"
Naruto and Hinata disappear in a puff of white, another distraction, and from multiple spots did the ground explode. Midori quickly found herself enveloped in an oh so familiar red cloud before her senses were set aflame.
"NARUTO!" Midori wailed as she once again found herself the victim of the boy's patented Chilly Pepper Bomb and became incapacitated from the incredibly harmful effects, "YOU'LL PAY DEARLY FOR THIS!"
"Midori!" Anko shouted with worry but focused her attention on a swiftly sprinting sword drawn Naruto. To others the sudden appearance would have left them at his mercy, but owing to her superior reflexes and speed, the boy might as well have been moving at a jogger's pace in Anko's opinion.
With Naruto's superior physical strength, Anko knew better than to block the sword strike with a kunai and merely side stepped out of the boy's way. But Naruto flowed from one strike to another as he was taught and never relented.
But good as his form was, Anko had tricks of her own. Near his feet came two snakes that served to trip him up. It was only for a second but it gave Anko more than enough time to slug the blond hard in the face. Naruto grunted from the blow and was sent tumbling.
Anko then prepared to dish out a little more payback before she was forced to dodge the sudden charge of Hottomaru. While his use of the Senka no Jutsu (Flashfire Technique) gave him quite the boost in speed, she proved too quick and it was a waste of a technique given its chakra flare was meant to blind its target.
"Can't exactly do that when you're not being looked at," Anko made a casual note to get Midori to shape him up for pulling such a stupid move. For now, she merely sent some serpents at him before the Jonin turned around to deal with Naruto.
"Ninpo: Kaiyoken (Ninja Art: Fist of the Sun King)!" the ability from his Crimson Cloak of the Fire Rat caused a bright flash that illuminated the area and served Naruto well in blinding his opponent.
"GAAHH!" Anko recoiled from the bright light, her hands going to her eyes in an attempt to dull the pain. But as he moved in for a strike, the boy was unprepared when she suddenly lashed out and caught him in the chest.
"Psych!" Anko cackled at her downed student being quickly wrapped up in a coat of snakes, the pressure threatening to pop his head off like an unwanted zit.
"Hebi no Me (Snake Eye)," Anko revealed her snake like eyes, "Does nothing for intense heat but does a good job protecting the eyes from very bright lights," having seen Naruto's technique some time ago, Anko knew the pseudo-doujutsu skill would come in handy if he decided to use that against her. With one student down, Anko believed it was time she hunted down the other two. But Anko froze before she could follow through with her intentions.
"Shintenshin no Jutsu (Mind Body Switch Technique) success!" Anko suddenly heard in her mind. Off to the side, Anko saw Naruto smirk and watched as the snakes binding him began to combust. Curtesy of his cloak's other ability, the Hari Hi no Nezumi (Shroud of the Fire Rat), while Hinata suddenly appeared and began dealing with the snakes that bothered Naruto's ninken.
"Oh, you're fucking kidding me! This whole thing was a distraction!" Anko quickly put together what happened. Naruto and Hotto kept her attention with a clone disguised as Hinata so she wouldn't think the other Genin was anywhere else but in front of her. In reality, Hinata, much like Ino, was never a part of the actual fighting.
"She must have let herself be taken over so the Yamanka could maximize her range," Anko would have thought it pretty clever of them if it weren't for the fact that no one would ever let her live it down if they found out about this. Anko cursed herself for underestimating them, "No way am I going down that easily!"
"Argh… Guys! She's fighting back," Ino-Anko grunted as her hold on the body began to wane quickly, "Get a move on!"
Thrashing like a wild caged animal, Anko did her best to free herself but couldn't prevent her Yamanaka possessed body from slapping herself before being struck by Hinata and Naruto. Anko felt herself regain control as her will forced the Yamanaka to retreat back into her body.
(Sometime Before)
"And that's the plan," Naruto said.
"Okay, not as good as the ones Shikamaru would come up with, but not bad, Naruto. But you're forgetting a couple of things. I'm vulnerable when my mind's gone and if I miss it takes a while for me to regain control of my body. And I can't take control over what I can't get a good look at," Ino added her piece.
"Can't you just take over Hinata's body and using her eyes to zoom in on Anko-sensei?" Naruto asked as though it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"That…Okay, actually, that might work. I'm game if you are Hinata. Going to need your help on this," taking over a person's body, supplanting their mind, and using their bloodline limit was very tricky. Taking over the body and working in conjunction with the other consciousness was a much easier task.
"Ano, there is a potential hiccup," Hinata added, "S-snakes see via thermal radiation. Our body heat will give away our position. I-I can only focus my bloodline to a certain distance."
"She's right. How the hell are we gonna hide from that?" Ino would soon regret asking.
Naruto's only answer was to grin as he pointed towards a mud pit.
"Oh, no! There's no way in hell I'm going in there," Ino was against the idea. But with her body still bound and with Hinata to help him the Gossip Queen soon found herself covered in wet dirt and other substances. While Hinata was reluctant to becoming mud covered, at least she didn't put up a fight like Ino.
(Present)
"Well, shit," Anko cocked a smile. Truthfully she would have passed them even if they didn't manage to land a blow on her. The whole concept had been to see if they were willing to thinking clearing and work together as a team should. She certainly had not expected that combo of theirs. As she was about to congratulate them, Anko realized both kunoichi were still caked in mud and began to laugh.
"So, do we pass?" Naruto asked their instructor, a cocky grin plastered on his smug face.
"Yeah, you pass kiddies," Anko was still a bit miffed but couldn't help but admit she was impressed. "But wipe that smirk off your face, Gaki. We both know if I'd been serious from the get go you three would be in a whole world of hurt and had gotten nowhere near to hitting me."
"Yeah, sure. Keep telling yourself that," Naruto's response got both of his teammates to chuckle and giggle.
[QUEST COMPLETED!]
The True Genin Exam
Main Quest: Pass Anko's Test to earn your right as a Genin (Accomplished)
Total Rewards
Keep your rank as a Genin, Access to new missions, Access to new Natural Dungeons
"Little shit," Anko humphed half-heartedly.
"NARUTO!" the rage filled voice scattered all nearby animals in the area and stiffened the most experienced Genin of the group.
"At least I don't get to deal with Midori when she gets back from the river," Anko grinned as the Genin paled. Revenge was so very sweet it seemed. But thoughts of revenge aside, the woman glanced upwards at the sky and from the sun's position, Anko determined they had a decent amount of daylight left for her plans.
"Well, we've got some time to kill. The day's already half gone so we won't start missions 'till tomorrow," Anko and Naruto mentally groaned. Both knew that was gonna suck. Ignorant as they were now, Ino and Hinata would soon join the club, "So, instead we're gonna be doing a little training to see where your weaknesses and strengths are at. You got ten minutes to catch your breath before the fun begins. Naruto, you sit this one out."
"Why am I getting that feeling again," a still mud covered Ino wondered why she suddenly felt uneasy. Her gut was telling her to run away as fast as she could. But Ino's mind knew that it wouldn't be so simple or successful. Anko and her familiar were fast. She would be lucky to make it a few meters away before she was caught.
"Oh, well, at least we start missions tomorrow," the blonde smiled and idly wondered what her first mission as a Genin would be like. She knew it wouldn't be something dangerous as they were first starting out but the Yamanaka hoped it would at least be something dignified and worthy of the rank of Genin.
Legend of the Kyuubi
Making the rounds.
- Joined
- Sep 14, 2026
- Messages
- 35
Chapter 14: No Pain no Gain
Her arms hurt. Her back felt broken. Her legs burned like no tomorrow. And the pain radiating from her stomach forced her to stay curled up in a ball least its contents feed the nearby birds. All in all, Ino never felt more miserable in her life. The Yamanaka didn't bother looking for her fellow Genin kunoichi, or care how she was right now. Moving proved too painful. And it had barely been over an hour.
"Ohhh, boy, I've got my work cut out for me," Anko was disappointed, "You two barely lasted a little over half an hour."
Ino had to bite back a remark least she find herself going through that hell again. That it was only half an hour they completed only held her tongue back further. It felt way longer.
"Alright. Both of you get up. I've seen enough," and Anko thought it wasn't much, "Rest up for tomorrow cuz when we're not doing any missions, we'll be doing this pretty much everyday 'till you learn to love it."
"Naruto, too?" Ino hoped.
"Believe it or not, the Gaki's got a crazy amount of stamina. He can do this in his sleep," which was why she'd have him do different exercises compared to his teammates. While Ino and Hinata's stats were much more rounded compared to Naruto's, which went so far at one end of the spectrum, the gap between her newest trainees and her ward was nevertheless big.
Status Window
Name: Hyuga Hinata
Job: Genin
Level: 11 Next Level: 76%/100%
HP: 525
CP: 675
STR: 11
VIT: 21
END: 27
DEX: 32
INT: 47
WIS: 39
CHA: 13
LUK: 13
DEF: 10
Description: Hinata is a very kind but very shy young girl who comes from one of Konoha's four noble clans. Despite being trained in the art of the Gentle Fist at a young age, a renown and deadly taijutsu, Hinata's skill is lacking for reasons currently unknown. While not one of the best students in the academy Hinata is still one of the more intelligent students. While most of the girls in her class are infatuated with Sasuke, Hinata is attracted to someone else. Her love for cinnamon rolls is said to rival Uzumaki Naruto's love for ramen.
Attribute Points: 0
Common Perk Points: 0
Special Perk Points: 0
Status Window
Name: Yamanaka Ino
Job: Genin
Level: 12 Next Level: 43%/100%
HP: 425
CP: 525
STR: 10
VIT: 17
END: 21
DEX: 36
INT: 46
WIS: 35
CHA: 43
LUK: 18
DEF: 10
Description: Though not as intelligent as her rival, Sakura, Ino is still one of the top students at the academy. Ino is talented in her clan's teachings but due to her attitude and infatuation with Uchiha Sasuke, she isn't as far or as proficient as she should be. Ino is notorious for her gossip and fashion sense and love of shopping, very little happens in the academy that she doesn't know about.
Attribute Points: 0
Common Perk Points: 0
Special Perk Points: 0
"I really do have my work cut out for me," the woman fought back a sigh.
"So, can we go home?" all Ino wanted was to take a herb soaked bath until the aches went away.
"Nope," Anko dashed those hopes, "We've still got one more thing to do."
XxX
"Kanpai!" Anko cheered loudly before taking a swig.
"Kanpai!" imitated the bar's many patrons in return.
"This can't be happening," a saucer of alcohol in her hand was the last thing Ino thought would happen by the end of the day.
"Ano, A-Anko-sensei," to Ino's left, Hinata looked nervous, "A-are we allowed to do this?"
Finishing her drink, Anko gave released a loud satisfying sigh as she felt the nice burn going doing her throat, "The moment you earned your headband and the moment you passed my test was the moment you three kiddies became adults in the eyes of the village. So drink up! Kanpai!"
Eyeing their respective drink, all three chugged back with varying results. Naruto went first and sputtered like crazy, Ino followed suite and had the misfortune of having some go up her nostrils. The burn was unpleasant. Hinata being the most conservative of the Genin was the last one to drink the cup's contents and while she felt her eyes watering, she ultimately proved to be the most graceful drinker.
"Just don't go having babies," Anko added as they finished, "This isn't the Warring States Period after all. Save that 'till you're older," seventeen or older preferably. The last thing she wanted was a black mark on record because of a pregnant thirteen year old Genin.
"Eep!"
Thud.
"…Too far?" Anko asked and Ino nodded, "Ah, hell. Gaki pick her up… Gaki?"
"Blech!"
Looking at her ward, Anko saw him spitting out whatever it was he was eating like no tomorrow. Rookie mistake on his part, "This ramen is horrible! It's like used murky dish water you let sit over night," he wasn't even going to begin describing the meat.
"You've just learned a very important lesson, Gaki. When you go to a bar, you go for the booze not the food. Eight times outta ten it's shit" was Anko's imparted wisdom.
"Hey!" Was the insulted bartender's reply
"Prove me wrong!" Anko shot back and pointed at the bowl of rejected ramen. The bar employee did nothing but grab the rejected ramen - not that Naruto would call it that - and Anko looked smug.
After propping Hinata on a stool and waking her up with some smelling salts, of which Naruto told Ino it was better she didn't know why she carried them, Anko looked at all three of her Genin before speaking, "Now, you're probably asking yourselves, why is this sexy cool bitch doing this?"
"Take away sexy and cool and you're spot on," were Ino's private thoughts.
"I heard that!" Anko looked at the Yamanaka.
"I didn't say anything?" Was her nervous reply.
"You were thinking it," the woman said assuredly.
"Is she always like this?" Ino asked her fellow blond and wondered if it was too late to request being assigned to another team or go back to the academy for another year.
"This is a first for me," and it was true. Naruto had experienced many sides of Anko but he honestly never experienced a drinking Anko. Well, the woman wasn't drunk, so it could be a lot worse.
"Anyway, where was I?" Anko paused before she nodded, "Oh, yeah. I do this because it's tradition. When a Jonin passes a Genin team they take 'em out for their first cup of sake. Not many do it now-a-days. Pussies. And it goes all the way back since the Shodai Hokage's time. 'Course, he got drunk and started a bar fight."
"Hashirama-sama started a bar fight?" Hinata couldn't wrap her mind around the idea.
"The old farts from that time, at least the ones that can actually remember it, said it was a thing of beauty. He drank 'em all under the table with one hand and beat them with the other. I mean, he accidentally ended up destroying the place, but when you're Hokage and the strongest ninja of your era ya can get away with that sort of thing," the woman rambled a bit, "Anyways, you guys are too young for that. So don't bother trying it."
"Does this have a point?" Ino was honestly lost. Why were they doing this?
"Yes," Anko took a swig, "Drinking with your team is a way to unwind and relax and get close to them. Nothing gets your lips looser than by drinking. And that brings me to the other point: introductions."
"Introductions?" Was the collective though of the Genin.
"You know, my name is Uzumaki Naruto and I like dressing up in drag?" Anko said as an example and smirked at the stiffening Genin.
"You'll pay for that, Anko-sensei," there was a memory best left forgotten.
"Seriously?" Ino knew there was something juicy about that story.
"I can neither deny nor confirm… though I lean more towards the former," had it been possible, Anko would have combusted by now, "But that kind of intro. Who you are, what you wanna be, dreams, hobbies all that touchy personal feely crap."
"Tradition?" Hinata asked.
"Yep. I'll start," Anko said, "Name's Mitarashi Anko. Recently promoted Jonin and current torture and interrogation specialist. What I wanna be? To be remembered as Konoha's best torture and interrogation specialist. Dreams? To find a certain someone," ignorant of her past, Ino and Hinata thought the woman meant 'that special someone'. Naruto said nothing as it wasn't his story to share, "Hobbies. Eating dango, trying new dango flavours, coming up with new torture methods, and performing tea ceremonies."
That last remark threw all three off. Naruto especially given he felt it was too girly of an activity for Anko to enjoy, "Tea ceremonies!"
"What? It's relaxing," the looks they gave her never shifted, "Oh, whatever. Gaki! You're up."
"Pretty sure we already know," Ino interrupted, "He never shuts up about it."
"Oi!"
"Name: Uzumaki Naruto. Likes: ramen and fighting. Hobbies: pranks and learning ninjutsu. Dreams: becoming Hokage. Dislikes: Sasuke-kun and the amount of time it takes to make ramen," Ino finished, "Tell me I'm wrong?"
"…You gotta admit, she's pretty spot on, Gaki," Anko had no choice to admit that Ino's comments said it all, "Got anything else to add?"
Naruto merely humphed and pouted but said nothing.
"Blondie! You're next, and no interruptions," Anko added.
"Darn it," there went that idea, Naruto thought.
"I'm Yamanaka Ino. My likes are gardening and Sasuke-kun," Anko groaned when she heard that. Sure, if the kid was like his older brother he'd turn into a heartthrob when he got older, but the whole lone wolf thing Anko didn't really get.
"My hobbies are shopping and hanging out with my friends. My dreams… Hehehe," the girl giggled and Anko's eye began to twitch; she didn't need to read minds to know what the Yamanaka was thinking.
"Note to self: beat those thoughts out of her head," said the Jonin.
"Anko-sensei. Y-you said that out loud," Hinata revealed.
"So? I wasn't going for a soliloquy," was Anko's response. Ino shuddered and could only imagine what was in store for her.
"Pale Eyes! You're last."
"H-Hai!" Hinata bowed, "My name is Hyuga Hinata. I like cinnamon buns and- " here she glanced at Naruto but said nothing.
"Oh, I'm gonna have fun with you two," because unlike Naruto's superficial crush on Sakura and Ino's on the Uchiha, Anko had long since learned that Hinata's affections were much more genuine. But confidence issues or not, it wouldn't stop the purple haired kunoichi from pushing the girl. Anko didn't raise no half assed kunoichi.
"My hobbies are making healing salves and flower pressing. My dream is … my dream is to unite my clan," that bore a look of confusion from Naruto but Anko's look stopped him from interrupting, "My dislikes are shellfish," she finished.
"Okay, now that, that's out of the way. Let's drink!"
"A-ano, do we have to?" Hinata asked.
"It's either that or we go back to the field and train some more. And trust me, alcohol soaked grass doesn't look pretty the next day." Anko laughed when the contents of Ino's cup was instantaneously downed.
"So, before I call it a day, I'm gonna assign you all roles," stated the woman.
"Roles?" all three Genin chorused.
"Roles," Anko nodded, "Blondie! Given your clan's history for interrogation, sensory and plant growing, not to mention pot growing, and, yes, I know all about that dirty little secret," Ino's eyes couldn't get any bigger even if she wanted to, "You'll be learning under me very closely."
"Oh, crap!" Ino mentally weeped.
"Pale Eyes! Since you know how to make healing salves, you're now team medic. Trust me, this team's gonna need one unless you wanna go home sore everyday," Anko told her.
"What about me?"
"Team punching bag?" Anko laughed at Naruto's look, "Oh, I'm just busting your balls! Team muscle! When we're good and ready, your job will be to act as the vanguard. Clear out the worst of it and get the target's attention on you while these two strike 'em at the most opportune time."
"So, I'm team tank?" Naruto only received odd looks.
"…I'll take your word for it," Anko knew it was a video game term but not all that bothered not remembering what the exact definition was, "Well, that's about it."
"Arf!"
"Sorry, Poochie-Gaki. We've already got a team mascot," hissing was heard from the woman's clothing, in response to that, "Ow! I'm kidding! Fine you can be our nose in the field….and the emergency food."
"Hey!"
"Arf! Grr!"
"Sheesh! Tough crowd," Anko remarked.
"Terrible jokes," both blonds said in tandem, earning themselves the bird.
After finishing up for the night, while Ino and Hinata limped off home from the bar, Anko paid the tab and then both she and Naruto made their way towards his home. Once they were inside, Anko wasted no time saying what was on her mind, "You're gonna need to use your Gamer ability with those two."
"Come again?"
"Look, I know you're hesitant," she ignored his snorting, "but it's either that or we do nothing but D-Rank missions for the next four months, if we're lucky. Even with my training there's no way they'll be ready for a C-Rank one until then. You put in the time and effort but you can't deny that your ability accelerated your growth and had a part in all of this. You saw their stats."
Naruto couldn't and wouldn't deny it. It was true. And the only reason why he wasn't Rookie of the Year was due to his past performances and because it manifested partway into the new semester. There was also no disputing that their stats were also very much lower compared to his own, and while they were much more even, yes, the stats were still those of a recent graduate. And that was after months went by.
"But if you use your Gamer powers and bring 'em up to a decent level, get a bit of combat experience, we'll likely be able to do our first C-Rank mission in two, maybe one and a half months. Look it's up-"
"I'll do it," the boy said.
"-To you…Really?" the Jonin honestly expected a lot more hesitance.
"I'm seriously over D-Rank missions," both Naruto and Hotto nodded. They barely offered any experience and at this current rate it would take him forever to level up.
"Okay, sweet. So, first thing's first, aside from their stats, what are their perks like?"
"You couldn't see them?" Naruto asked. Didn't she know Observe?
"Don't think Gamer's Mentor works the same way Gamer does with you. That, or either my skill level's too low, or its tied to your preferences," was all Anko could say.
Naruto shrugged, "Maybe. Since your Gamer's Mentor ability is tied to myself it may be the case," the full description was too much at times unless he willed the full details, "Alright, let's see… oh, shit!"
"…Oh, fuck me," was all Anko could add.
|Gamer's Teammate|
Special circumstances have enabled to you to view your life as a video game (within certain boundaries)! Be forewarned, much like Gamer's Companion, and Gamer's Mentor, this special perk's ultimate authority falls under the jurisdiction of the Gamer himself, and his or her say in the preferences or how abilities work and viewed unless otherwise said so.
"Well, at least it says it won't become active until tomorrow!" months later and the damn thing still surprised him with the way it worked.
"Ever heard of easing someone into something?" that comment earned her a blank look, "Intense and unorthodox training and reality-space-time bending are two different things! When they wake up tomorrow fresh as a daisy instead of aching like crazy and the same thing happens the next day and the next, they're gonna know something's going on. They might even see a pop-up."
Okay, Naruto had to give her that, "Fine, I get it. I don't know exactly how it differs from my perk, but I do know that Ino's a gossip and likes to stick her nose into things," the only reason why she didn't for him as he began showing improvement was because she was too interested in Sasuke-teme. One of the few times he was glad the stuck up Uchiha had attention upon him.
"I read her profile, Gaki," Anko was fine with the snooping and information gathering, it was a good skill to have, but she was gonna have to teach Ino when and when not to blab. And while not how she would have liked them to learn this, life sometimes threw things at them outside their control, "Well, better to get it over and done with. But, first off, can you do something about that wake up pop up?" the woman hoped the answer was the one she wanted.
"Tried that a while back and no," Naruto dashed such hopes. Damn it!
"Alright, can you do anything about your Jinchuriki perk?" as a result of the reveal the special perk previously marked as [?] had changed to Jinchuriki: Kyubi. Best not to overwhelm either of them with more than one secret at a time.
Fortune was kind to her as Naruto nodded, "Okay, good, one problem solved. Now then, tomorrow morning we collect both of 'em bright and early and hopefully before they notice. Pray that if they do they pass it off as their minds playing tricks on em. Now, with Hinata we don't have to worry too much So, we collect Miss Loudmouth first and foremost!"
(Early Next Morning)
The morning was much colder compared to yesterday. Winter in Hi no Kuni - pretty much all across the Elemental Countries - was unpredictable temperature wise and very erratic when it came to the weather, too. The previous day could be cold and snowy and the following day it could become warm and wet with slush.
"Ff-freaknin co-old," even with her cloak, Ino's teeth clacked loudly around her, "Ca-an't we w-w-ear something warm-mer?"
"Get used to it, Blondie," Anko told her charge, her warm breath visible in the air, "This is a good learning opportunity. There will come a time when you have no choice of when or where your fights will be. Ninja have to adapt and endure the shit that's thrown at them or face the consequences. You don't hear Hinata complaining."
"That's because she too nice to say anything," comparing herself to the kind bluenette wasn't fair. Stifling back a yawn, Ino looked up and groaned. The sky was dark and the sun had hardly risen and a few stars could still be seen.
"Alright, here's good," Anko ordered them to halt.
Confused as to what they were doing exactly, Hinata asked her instructor, "For wha-at, Ank-ko-sensei?"
Anko merely gave a cryptic reply, "I'll let the Gaki handle it from here. Trust me, you'll never forget this."
"I'll be-elieve it w-when I se-ee it," Ino grumbled.
"Yeah, well, seeing is believing," Naruto began and knew it was now or never. Best to get it over with quickly as the saying went, "Instant Dungeon: Zombie Dungeon V1.5!" he called out and prayed neither thought bad of him after this.
"Instant-" a bright flash blinded both her and Hinata and stopped whatever Ino was going to say, "What the hell!" a wide-eyed Ino blinked once, twice, thrice before she shook her head at the landscape that greeted her. A burning decrepit village similar to Konoha with echoed moans being heard nearby. Below the building she was on, Ino saw walking corpses walking aimlessly, dead birds cawing, and sinister looking cats darting from rooftop to rooftop, "Okay, decent horror movie illusion with a bad name but kind of useless really."
"Umm, Ino-chan," Hinata was about to speak up before her teammate held her hands up and performed the Genjutsu Kai (Illusionary Technique Disruption) to rid herself of the harmless technique.
"Okay, then… Oh, what the hell?" Ino frowned as the sight from before remained firmly in place.
"Really smooth, Naruto," Ino glared at him but the boy just stood there with his arms crossed. Hinata was about to talk to her teammate once more but she felt her teacher's arm rest on her shoulder. Anko merely shook her head and the Hyuga remained silent as Ino continued her doomed attempts. With each failure at dispelling the technique, Ino added more and more effort and power into ridding herself of the illusion, but each failure only further added to her frustration before it became too much for her.
"Okay, what the hell is going on!" Ino yelled, having had enough of this and wanting it to end. "How do you get rid of the damn thing?"
"You can't," Anko told her, "It's real."
"Bullshit!" Ino couldn't believe that, "How can any of this be real?"
"Bloodline limit," Naruto revealed, "Don't ask, I'm still trying to figure out how it all works. Short version, I have to live my life like a video game."
"Come again?" Ino thought she heard wrong.
"The answer's not gonna change, Ino. I have the ability to warp time, space, and reality to get stronger more quickly," said the Gamer.
"That's…Do you have any idea how powerful a bloodline limit that is?" Ino asked.
"Almost half a year ago, I was at level five and now I'm level twenty-four," he mentioned.
"Yeah, so?"
"You guys only went up a few levels," was the reveal.
Curious, Ino asked, "What's few?"
"You went from level eight or nine to eleven, give or take," he elaborated.
"…I'm dreaming, aren't I?" the Yamanaka simply stated.
"Huh?"
"Oh, fer fucks sakes," Anko groaned. Of course Ino wouldn't make this easy.
"Yep, this a dream. I'm still in bed with a sore body, and having a very weird Sasuke-less dream," Ino nodded sagely. It was the only explanation.
"Time to wake up," Ino pinched herself and flinched but her eyes greeted her with the same scenery, "Okay, a very weird and lucid dream."
Anko said nothing as she approached her charge and Naruto knew what was about to happen next and felt sorry for her, "This is gonna hurt," Naruto commented.
"Why?" Hinata asked.
SMACK!
Naruto winced, "That's why," and Hinata could only agree. Even she felt that.
"OWW! The fuck!" Ino felt her eyes beginning to water. The young girl winced and her vision blurred a bit as the stinging sensation began to be felt across her face.
"Can it, Ino!" Anko had enough and the other three members of the team knew the woman was being serious when she forwent the use of her nickname. "Shit like this will happen again in the future and you damn well better come to terms with it if you wanna make it as a kunoichi!"
"Like hell! Where the hell are we?!" Ino was seriously starting to freak out. Being from a ninja clan that went back generations, nearing five hundred years, Ino knew that as a ninja she'd have to expect for the unexpected like Anko said. But even this was pushing it to a whole other level.
"Relax-" Naruto began before was cut off by the Yamanaka.
"Don't tell me to relax, blondie!" was the girl's response. "Where the fuck are we and what did you do!? And don't think I won't pick apart that peanut sized brain of yours."
"Say what you want, but damn if this girl's got spunk," Anko was seriously going to have fun teaching some of her more 'fun and squeal like a pig' techniques to the Yamanaka.
"In a dungeon," Naruto told her.
"Dungeon?… What the hell are you talking about?" was her heated reply.
"Look, like I said before, I don't know how or actually care how I got it but I have the ability to live my life like a video game," he repeated.
"Right," Ino drawled, "… and Hinata here is secretly a sadist with a tight leather fetish who gives out spankings," Hinata blushed bright red at that.
"Hmm, didn't know you were kinky, Pale Eyes," Anko smirked and Hinata blushed even further and Anko could tell she was on the verge of fainting, "But the Gaki's telling the truth. It's a tight lip secret."
"If it's so tight lip, why are we being told?" Ino decided to humour them.
"Because as my teammates it's also affecting you guys," Naruto's reply brought any rebuttal Ino would have up short.
"Affect us?" Hinata asked.
"What do you mean?" Ino gave him a look.
"Apparently, as my teammates, you guys are being affected by my bloodline, too. You'll be able to live your lives like a video game within certain limits," he told them.
"Ano, how?"
"Did you guys realize you woke up without being sore?" Hinata nodded hesitantly but she honestly believed she was still too tired for her mind to properly register the pain.
"Well, yeah," Ino responded, "So, this is not me dreaming?"
"No!" Naruto shouted.
"This… this is a lot to take in," Ino didn't know what else to say. Honestly, she didn't know why she wasn't freaking out even more, "What are the other benefits?"
"Chakra and Health Point restoration," Naruto began, "You can be running on empty the previous day and the day after they'll be fully restored. Works for mental and physical fatigue, too."
"That's insane," Ino couldn't help but gawk. Unless one had a unique ability or bloodline limit, or family hidden method, and even then it wasn't perfect, a person's fatigue and chakra didn't recover that quickly.
"It's also incredibly useful," Ino couldn't help but mentally agree with Anko's statement.
"Um, is thi-s why you were accused, Naruto-kun?" Hinata asked.
"Spot on," Anko acknowledged the girl's insight, "The Gaki's ability lets him enter dungeons, alternate realities he uses to train and become stronger. Unfortunately, when the incident with the Scroll happened, he was in one for about two hours so it didn't exactly help his case when they went looking for him."
Ino would have asked why he simply didn't say anything to the Hokage beforehand. It was no village secret that the Sandaime and Naruto were close. But given that she was still having a hard time believing - and she was seeing it, too - she could guess why nothing was ever said despite their relationship. Revealing something as big as this likely wasn't easy. It was a lot to take in.
"Okay, fine. I don't like this," Anko scoffed, there was a shocker, "But why are we here?"
"I thought you were more than just a pretty blonde?" Anko's remark earned her a scathing look that she ignored, "To get you two up to speed. And, if you can't handle this, then how the hell do you expect me to think you can take on more challenging missions?"
Anko watched as Ino closed her eyes and watched as her newest ward took in deep breaths and massaged her forehead. Anko was curious to see her hand glow a very light blue before she realized it was chakra, "Must be that Yamanaka technique Inoichi uses."
Anko had only worked with the man on the very odd occasion compared to Ibiki but noted that during extremely stressful or traumatic situations he would perform the same thing. Anko surmised the technique helped the two calm down and start thinking rationally. No other clan she knew of had a deeper understanding of the mind than the Yamanaka Clan. However, despite their mental fortitude and resilience, they themselves were not immune to the psychological trauma that affected them. They had a greater tolerance for that sort of thing compared to others, but were not immune.
Releasing a breath, Ino looked up at her Jonin instructor and asked, "So, we're here to get better?"
"Yep. From now until I deem you two ready, we'll be spending most of our time doing this," Anko hoped the Yamanaka finally understood.
"But…but won't we have to do D-Rank missions?" Hinata asked, "Are we not supposed to do a certain amount before we qualify for our first C-Rank one?"
"Unfortunately," Anko hated that prerequisite, "Which is why we're fortunate that the Gaki's ability enables time dilation."
"Time dilation? You mean as in we age more quickly?"
"About an hour more, right?" Anko asked.
Naruto however, shook his head, "In instant dungeons it's one hour outside equals four hours in here and in natural dungeons it equals two hours,"
Both eyes of the newly made kunoichi couldn't get any larger, "Holy... Just how old are you?"
Naruto shrugged, "Dunno. Fourteen? Give or take a month. Lost track to be honest."
"How can you lose track of something so important!" Ino knew that the benefits were evident: Eight hours of training done in only two. Turning into a teenage heartthrob much earlier…Actually, those were the main two she could really think of when she really thought about it, "Uh, so, what else can we do here?"
"Well, you can die," Ino paled and Hinata looked alarmed, "But you get resurrected if you do. Unfortunately, you lose any EXP you earned that didn't result in a level up. You learn combat skills more quickly in dungeons compared to merely training outside of 'em. You get loot: items, skills, money-"
"Hold up! You earn money!"
"You get it from defeating a monster or by searching here and there. But, yeah, you earn monster loot. Though that's mostly from humanoid ones and if you beat the dungeon boss," Naruto finished.
"Dungeon boss?" Hinata asked, Ino however had ryo signs in her eyes, "Is that the leader of the dungeon?"
"They're pretty much the toughest and baddest monster here. You'll know 'em when you see 'em. Most times it's just one but some dungeons have two or they fight with subordinates. They're not easy to deal with unless you're at a decent level, and with your levels and stats this one's not gonna be easy for either of you," the sight of either of them getting stepped on despite not actually dying wasn't something either Naruto or Anko wanted to see any time soon…Well, not Naruto at least. Anko was give or take.
"Okay, got it. How do we do this?" contrast to her previous behaviour, Ino was now eager to go.
"Ooh, I'm getting a mini-me!" Anko's mental cackled sent a shiver down the spines of many unseen individuals, "It's pretty simple. You see an enemy, you kill the enemy, you grab the loot, and then rinse and repeat."
Ino blinked and gave her a blank stare, "I mean aren't you gonna give us any pointers?"
"Nope!" Anko smiled, "This is trial by fire. You two are gonna fight on your own while I assess from the roof tops. This is a learning opportunity for both of us. I'll learn how you two fight and determine what needs to be improved on and what I think you'll benefit from on the outside."
"And Naruto?"
"My level's too high for this place. I get loot but any EXP I'd get almost amounts to zero unless it's the boss," Naruto revealed.
"Hop to it! You both have one hour. Oh, and I'll be keeping tally of your progress. And just an FYI, if one of you dies, I'll make yesterday's torture session look like a freakin picnic when you get back."
"Well, that answer's that question," Naruto noted and watched as both Hinata and Ino took off. Off the side, Anko created a single Kage Bunshin that took off after Hinata while the original head off towards Ino. Naruto, on the other hand, merely sighed.
"Looks like it's just you and me Ho… Thanks, buddy," noticing his ninken was gone, Naruto sat down onto the building filled with walking dead.
(Three Weeks Later)
"This freakin blows!" Ino mentally shouted as she continued on with the mission of the day. Not only were her arms still sore and tender from the dungeon and the torture session Anko-sensei liked to call training that followed soon after, but she and her team were currently painting the house of another. And they were using a paint that Ino immediately knew clashed with the house's appearance. She was fairly certain the owner would ask another team to repaint in another D-Rank mission.
While Ino had never been the most physically gifted student in the academy, she liked to believe she was better than most. But Anko-sensei had since ripped that notion apart. Three weeks had passed, although thanks to the time dilation it was almost five, since the woman stated she had a while to go before she deemed her stamina and Taijutsu as acceptable. And Anko's standards and definition on what was deemed acceptable were much different than those of a Chunin instructor. And perhaps even normal Jonin.
Ino recalled how three weeks ago when she limped on home the moment she was done for the day. Just as soon as she entered her clan home was the young blonde Yamanaka greeted by her father, Inoichi. Ino loved Inoichi as any child would their parent but found the man a tad overbearing at times as he constantly fawned over her well being and made a point to let him know.
"Guess that's why he laughed when I talked about missions," she recalled how her father tried, and failed, to stifle a laugh when it came to her mission expectations. Her mother on the other hand merely smiled and didn't say a word but knew the woman was laughing inwardly.
Being from a ninja clan that had been a part of Konoha since its founding Ino knew that Genin would do D-Rank missions for the first little while before their teachers felt they were ready to take on more demanding tasks. Anko had even said so herself.
But even she didn't think it was going to be this bad. At the moment they had completed around thirteen D-Rank missions together, counting this one, and all of them sucked in Ino's mind. Some like weeding gardens and picking up groceries and supplies for the elderly she could tolerate as she did similar tasks for her family's floristry and apothecary.
Others such as babysitting whiny children, cleaning in and out of houses, or cleaning the Inuzuka kennels were not the kind of missions the girl tolerated. The Yamanaka knew both her teammates were just as peeved as she was when it came to these kind of missions. Naruto being the more vocal of them and while Hinata remained silent Ino could read the girl's facial expressions and knew she did not find these sort of missions thrilling either.
The only saving grace was that Naruto knew some solid clone technique so the process was taking less time than it would have normally taken them. But that only meant more torture sessions. Anko said they'd continue this routine until either of their stats increased to respectable levels and until their basic academy skills reached the [Mastered]. If all went well they'd accomplish one of those by the end of the day given how quickly they were able to complete this task than originally anticipated.
"Oh, God," Ino wanted to cry as the thought popped into her head.
"Stop crying, Blondie," Anko called out. Ino knew the woman knew why she was saddened. Much as she disliked the hell she want through, the Yamanaka couldn't deny that Anko had gotten an effective schedule for them.
It varied to shaken things up, but the most re-occurring one was they'd get up early in the morning before most were awake - Ino and Hinata had since learned to go to sleep much earlier if they could - and do some combat sessions with the undead and then followed up with some training to get their blood pumping. On average that lasted almost eight hours, in the morning, then they'd do another four or five in the afternoon after completing a daily mission and lunch to refuel. It was repetitive and at times boring but Anko said they'd have to get used to it since that was expected of the ninja lifestyle.
Training as Anko liked to call it was hell for all of them, less so for Naruto and his ninken as they were familiar and used to them, "Anko-sensei wasn't kidding when she called him a stamina beast," compared to him…well, Ino had to begrudgingly admit that neither she nor Hinata came close. Nor did Anko-sensei, for that matter.
Which was why Ino and Hinata's training focused on the physical. The woman also taught both of them a few other little tricks she thought would be well suited for them as well. Anko did this because while their clan techniques were good and all, a shinobi needed to branch if they were to survive. Ino could attest to that. It wasn't widely known, but not all members in the Yamanaka, Akimichi and Nara clans got along with each despite popular belief.
"Okay, and that's that," Ino heard Naruto say and the Yamanaka inspected his work.
"Not the greatest job in the world but it could be worse," Ino scrutinized but it was not her problem. If the client wanted professional work done then they should have hired professionals instead of Genin.
After Anko was done inspecting the work of her Genin with the client the woman took out a scroll and received the person's signature as proof that the work was done to their satisfaction. "Hmm, still a little too early for lunch," Anko said as she looked at the sun's position in the sky. At the moment it was only ten after one.
"Change of venue, kiddoes. We're taking another mission today," Anko grinned as all three groaned.
"Just kill me now," Naruto moaned and wanted the torture to end. "If there's a merciful god out there please strike me down."
"Oh, no you don't! If Hinata and I have to endure this hell then so do you. Right, Hinata?" Ino looked at her fellow teammate and hoped the girl's crush on the blond idiot didn't win out.
"Hai, … it wouldn't be fair to us …Naruto-kun," Hinata blushed as she agreed with Ino. Like anyone Hinata did not care much for D-Rank mission and having one less person on the team meant more work for Ino and herself. Anko didn't participate in the actual grunt work of the mission, merely collecting payment and supervising them. Though even Ino realized that Hinata noticed their instructor's lack of desire to be there. The again, who wouldn't?
"Oi, Hinata! You coming!" Ino watched as Naruto's sudden call broke Hinata from whatever musings she was having and the Hyuga realized she had been lagging behind.
"H…Hai!" Hinata responded to her crush and jogged over till she was behind their sensei. The young Hyuga hiding her blushing face from her crush.
"Hey, Pale Eyes, quick question," the group heard Anko ask. Nearly five weeks together had Ino accept the unoriginal nicknames they were given was part of the woman's unique charm. Naruto was Gaki, Hottomaru was Poochie or Poochie-Gaki, Hinata was Pales Eyes, and Ino was Blondie. In hindsight, it could have been a whole lot worse as nicknames went. Unoriginal, they remained, but still could have been worse.
"Hai, Anko-sensei?" the young Genin wondered what she was going to ask.
"The Byakugan can see through anything, right?" Anko began and Hinata nodded, "Does that include clothes?"
All three stopped as they processed the meaning of it, "Huh?"
"Oh, don't act all innocent. We all know you have your eyes on a certain someone," Anko grinned as Hinata became embarrassed.
"Who?" Naruto asked much to Ino, Anko and even Hottomaru's embarrassment.
"How the hell did he improve so much but still be this clueless…Oh, right, low WIS," Ino had half a mind to just say it was him that Hinata was crushing on but for the Hyuga's sake she decided against it. Ino knew if she did the relationship between her and Hinata would be strained if she denied Hinata the right to say it herself.
"You wouldn't know him, gaki. He's a bit of an idiot," Anko along with Ino chuckled at the boy's cluelessness.
"That's not true," Hinata mumbled lowly, too low in fact to be heard by anyone.
"But you haven't answered my question. Ever get tempted to see what's beneath another's wardrobe?" she wiggled her eyes suggestively and Hinata began to fluster and blush like mad.
"Ah… Ano, I'd never… that's but," Hinata's stammered.
"Oh, come on. There's no shame in admiring another's body. Use Naruto as a guinea pig if you want," Anko grinned.
"What! Leave me out of this!" Naruto yelled.
Thud.
"Huh?" Naruto looked to his side and noticed Hinata had passed out cold on the ground. Anko's suggestion had proven too much for the girl and her mind had gone into overload from the suggestive thoughts that flowed through it. "Oi! Now look what you did!" Naruto accused his teacher and tried to wake up his unconscious teammate.
"Hmm, too far," Anko surmised she had gone a wee bit overboard again, "Meh! Still funny," she chuckled as Naruto tried to wake up Hinata. "Well, seeing as how you're the closest to her I guess you wont mind carrying her to the Hokage Tower," Ino had to give Anko points when it was do.
"She's crazy, but she's good," Ino realized and watched as Naruto hosted Hinata up with ease and started giving the girl a piggy back ride.
"Alright! Let's go!" both Anko and Ino watched with snickers on their faces as Naruto marched onward with their unconscious teammate.
"Man, I wish I had a camera," Anko cursed her luck. Having a photo of this would make for some great memories to look back on with fond nostalgia. The woman decided to invest in one when she had the time before her team headed towards the Hokage Tower for their next mission.
Minutes later, and one funny as hell way to wake up for Hinata, who fainted once more, and Team Eight arrived inside the Hokage Tower to great Hiruzen, "Back already Team Eight?" Hiruzen was surprised by how quick they finished the mission, more so as he saw Naruto and Hinata.
"Didn't know you two were this close, Naruto-kun," the man chuckled at the boy's embarrassed look.
"Jiji!" The boy's whine only served to make Ino, Anko, Iruka and Hiruzen laugh.
"Hmm," was all Hinata said as she snuggled more closely and comfortably on Naruto's back. The young male blushed lightly at the action.
"Oh, how I wish I had a camera right now," the man smirked and idly wondered how Hiashi would react. The Hyuga clan head had nothing against Naruto in terms of being the jinchuriki and was more cautious than anything but knew he'd be wanting answers if he saw his daughter's current predicament.
"Mission didn't take long thanks to the Shadow Clone Technique the Gaki pulled," the woman was kicking herself for not thinking of it sooner. Using this method they be able to do more D-Rank missions faster, leaving them more time to train and increase their skills. Ino would curse up a storm but she'd deal with it.
Hiruzen sighed as he heard that though, "Anko, the purpose of the D-Rank missions-"
"Are to promote teamwork among newly graduate Genin," she finished. "In all honesty, Hokage-sama that logic isn't very sound considering most D-Rank missions so far have involved my brats doing individual manual labour. Do you have anything more exciting and challenging?"
"Anko you're seriously suggesting they take a C-Rank mission?" Iruka asked her, "Certainly they've done slightly more than the other teams but they've only been out of the academy for only three weeks now. They're nowhere near ready."
"First of all, thanks for the redundant input, Umino, but last I recalled they're my students now, not yours," she sent the man a glare that stopped the man's next words. "Secondly, if you count the twenty odd D-Rank missions the Gaki did before he became a ninja then we technically have well over thirty accomplished missions."
"Pardon?" that was news to Iruka. "When did Naruto do D-Rank missions? He hasn't been a Genin for more than two weeks. So how-"
"A few months or so ago in exchange for kenjutsu lessons," Naruto answered as he shifted Hinata's weight a bit, "Jiji, said it was fine because D-Rank missions didn't really pose any healthy risks or anything."
A stunned Chunin instructor looked at his village leader and became shocked as he saw him nod. "Besides D-Rank missions are boring. So what if I used Kage Bunshin. It gets the job done faster and we do some more training."
Truthfully Naruto wished he had been able to use the training grounds for his dungeon abilities. But with him being the only one who truly understood how it all worked, the boy had only managed to do so once during his only day off. Anko had focused more of her attention on Ino and Hinata in order to get their levels and stats up so they could tackle the harder dungeons and had Naruto show them the ropes and give them the lowdown on the enemies they'd face in the future. Coupled with his continued kenjutsu lessons and Yugao, Naruto hardly had any free time at the moment. Anko had warned him that this would happen, though.
"Hokage-sama stated the reasons already, Naruto," Iruka sighed. The more things changed the more they stayed the same it seemed.
"But we're ninja. We do anything and everything to get the job done. I mean Jiji probably uses Shadow Clones to get his paperwork done quicker… right?" Naruto asked his surrogate grandfather.
"Naruto, as a village official I can't go about using such a technique to make my life easier. Would it cut my workload considerably, yes, but it's also about being professional and enduring the things one doesn't like," Hiruzen's words sounded sagely and Iruka couldn't help but agree with his leader's wisdom.
"… The clones didn't want to do the work did they, Jiji?" Naruto wasn't buying the bullshit speech one little bit.
"… Unfortunately, no," Hiruzen cracked a bit and both Ino and Iruka's jaws hit the floor as the man blatantly agreed with Naruto's deduction. "The damn things knew that paperwork never ends. I thought I found the solution long ago with the Shadow Clones but they ended up being a bust."
As the man known as the God of Shinobi look like he was ready to weep in front of them, Anko looked towards her senior student, "Still want to be Hokage, Gaki? I mean look at him. Sure, you get the prestige of being the strongest in the village and leader, but you're pretty much stuck behind a desk all day doing paperwork for Kami knows how well into the night. Kinda sad when you think about it."
"I'm starting to wonder that, too. Though if I find a way to beat paperwork I'll let you know," Naruto informed them.
"Trust me, Naruto-kun," Hiruzen butted in, "Wise and powerful men have said the exact same thing and failed. One of them was the very founder of Konoha's administrative offices and the creator of the Kage Bunshin."
"Okay, what the hell is going here? I thought we came to get another mission, not get into some weird debate," Ino honestly preferred doing a mission then having to endure one of Anko's torture sessions. It was the lesser of two evils.
"A-ano, Hok-kage-sama. Our mission request?" Hinata asked and got the conversation back on track. Her face still red from realizing she had been carried on Naruto's back.
"Right, pardon," Hiruzen became composed and mentally berated himself for losing it. Going over some scroll mission scrolls, Hiruzen came across one that he thought would be well suited for the team. "Well, though it may be early I think I've found a suitable mission for your team Granted it's a D-Rank one," Naruto groaned at that, "However, I believe it will demonstrate how well your Genin work as a team."
Upon seeing both their knowing looks, Anko did a near perfect imitation of her former mentor, "…Oh, no… Oh, God, no! Oh, please! Anything but that mission!" now was Anko's turn to weep.
"You did say you wanted a more challenging mission, Anko," Iruka gave the woman a smug look and the woman would have meet it with a look of her own had she not been dejected by the new mission. "On the plus side it pays much more."
"Fuck you, Umino!" Anko wanted to tell the man off and flip him the bird as well had Hiruzen not been present. The woman forcefully took the scroll from the man's hand, the action didn't bother the man in the least. After all, Anko's newest mission was the most infamous amongst Konoha D-Rank missions.
[QUEST ALERT!]
Capture Tora the Hell Cat
Main Quest: Capture Madam Shijimi's pet cat, Tora
Side Quest: Capture Tora under One, Two, or Three hours.
Second Side Quest: Capture Tora under half an hour
Potential Rewards
Main Quest Completion: 1500 EXP, 8000 Ryo, +100 Reputation [Madam Shijimi], [Konoha] -100 Reputation [Tora]
Side Quest Completion: Each hour leftover will result in an additional +250 EXP
Second Side Quest: Earn an 2000 Ryo, +500 EXP and +100 additional Reputation [Madam Shijimi]
Failure: 250 Exp, -100 Reputation with [Madam Shijimi], [Konoha], +100 Reputation [Tora]
"Okay, now I'm getting a bad feeling," Naruto muttered. Sure the pay was better than what they were used to but Naruto could not shake the bad vibe he was getting.
XxX
"This is Sexy Serpent to Blondie. Come in Blondie, over," Anko spoke softly into her radio transmitter.
"This is Blondie. I read you loud and clear… Sexy Serpent, over," Ino groaned. The young Yamanaka really wished her teacher had come up with better codenames, "Seriously, Sexy Serpent? Real original, Anko-sensei."
"Do you have eyes on the target? Over," Anko asked.
"Nothing on my end, Sexy Serpent, best ask Gaki and Pale Eyes. Over," Ino recommended.
"Will do, Blondie. Pale Eyes! Gaki! You two see anything yet? Over," she asked her other students.
"Nothing yet on my end… Sexy Serpent," Hinata bashfully said and continued to scout the area with her Bloodline Limit. A tiny part of her, one she did not know she had, continued to say she should take a peek on her crush who was no more than 100 yards away from her.
"Come on. You know you wanna," a tiny voice from the darkest recesses of her mind faintly echoed in her mind but Hinata shook her head in order to focus on the mission.
"Copy that, Pale Eyes. Gaki, what about you? Over," Anko asked her only male student.
"Nadda, Sexy Serpent. Permission to stop saying the codenames or chose our own, over," Naruto asked before he continued to use his Detection Skills to try and locate their target. From the quick look of his Observe did Naruto learn that the damn thing had ridiculous evasion and stealth enhancing perks and titles that explained why it had been able to avoid and give teams a heard time over the years.
"That's a negative, Gaki. Permission denied. Quit being a pussy and start looking for one. Over," Anko grinned as she heard the groans from both Naruto and Ino. Truthfully the mission would have been over much sooner if they used Midori and some Shadow Clones. However, unlike the previous D-Rank missions they took this one was designed to see how well the three Genin worked as a team. As such, Anko forwent the use of her familiar and the use of Shadow Clones to get a better idea. Their dungeon crawling and her training had them do some exercises as a team despite her focus being primarily being on the two kunoichi for the time being. And while they weren't the most well oiled machine, they were fairly decent for a newly formed team.
The group had been at it for over an hour, nearly two, and had spotted Tora at the odd time and given chase. But like the previous generations the damn creature was very fast and managed to escape. Part of Anko wondered if the damned thing had nekomata or ninneko blood in it for it to be so fast and elusive. The purpled haired Jonin knew both Ino and Naruto were becoming frustrated and while it was funny at first Anko was starting to get annoyed.
"Now I know why the other teams kept bitching about it… Hold on," hearing some rustling in the bushes a dozen yards on her left, Anko frowned and informed her team as quietly as she could, "Hold on. We got movement. Blondie, fourteen meters to your back left."
Pressing herself to the three nearest to her as best as she could, Ino suppressed her presence. The Yamanaka had learned that she had a knack for such skills and stealth. Chancing a peek in the direction indicated, sure enough she spotted their target and informed her team, "This is Blondie. I've got a visual on the target. Proceed as planned. Over."
"Finally," Naruto smirked as an opportunity presented itself. The damn feline wasn't getting away this time. Signalling his ninken over, both males quickly and as stealthily made their way towards their respective locations. "This is Gaki. Hotto and I are almost in position. Over."
"Good, keep low. Pale Eyes can you confirm that's our target? Over," Anko asked Hinata.
"Hai, I have a visual," Hinata responded and focused her attention on the cat. "Red ribbon in her ear, brown fur. It's Tora. Over."
"Good, whenever you're ready kiddoes," Anko would let them deal with the matter. She wouldn't always be there to babysit them after all and needing to development their own way.
"Blondie, Pales Eyes, are you two ready?" Naruto asked and got confirmation from both of them. "On my mark… now!"
Naruto suddenly burst forth from his hidden location and made a mad dash to the target. The blond haired ninja was determined not to let the annoying feline escape from them this time. However, Tora was just as determined not to be captured again and ran like the wind in the opposite direction at frightening speed that outmatched Naruto's.
"Not this time," Naruto snarled as he saw the cat speed up, "Hotto, now!"
"BAARRKKK," an enlarged Hottomaru pounced out from his location. A special technique he had learned a while back from Midori. The suddenness and incredible size of the potential predator before her deeply frightened Tora and forced her to run elsewhere. Hottomaru, however, gave chase and snapped at the annoying and frightened creature.
"Hotto, don't eat her!" Naruto's exclamation frightened the cat. Certainly he didn't care for the little pest and 'accidents' happened but with him only being a hundred points short of reaching level twenty-five, after five weeks of getting virtually no EXP, Naruto had no intention of failing this missing. No matter how satisfying it would be to get rid of the pain in the ass cat.
Tora continued to run away from her potential captors and adopted another tactic as she began to run up a tree. The cat thought the idea cleaver but didn't get far as she was soon blocked but a pale eyed and indigo haired girl.
Tora cursed herself as she remembered that ninja could easily climb trees as well as any cat. Once more she changed direction as the girl lunged at her. The cat narrowly evaded capture as she felt the girl's hand brush against her tail before she fell to the ground and into the blond boy's awaiting arms.
"BAAARRKKK!" the deep sound of the dog forced Tora to pump her legs even faster as she ran even faster. The ribbon wearing cat fled downwards onto the ground as the muscle bound brute sailed over her. With the Genin otherwise preoccupied or far behind her, Tora felt a sense of relief as she ran away to freedom.
"Shintenshin no Jutsu (Mind Body Switch Technique)!" Ino declared before her body slumped forward. The girl's mind subsequently entered that of the rebellious feline and overpowered the cat's will with her own as she took control. Ino-Tora remained still as her team surrounded the possessed cat. Naruto bound the cat's limbs as tightly as he could. As Ino left the body, Hinata delivered a minor Juken strike for added measure that would temporarily knock the feline out and give them enough time to bring her back to the Hokage Tower and to their client.
"Not bad, decent strategy if a tad flawed but not bad kiddies," Anko congratulated, "Is it bad for me to kinda wish Hotto ate her, though?"
"Arf!" the small ninken made a gagging motion. Chasing cats were one thing but eating them was not on his to do list. Way to moo much fur.
"I still can't believe this little guy can do that," Ino was still marvelled by how effective the ninken was despite Naruto not knowing any Inuzuku techniques. Seeing the small and cute little guy transform into a deadly and strong beast of a dog was something to see. But then, the ninken had saved her ass during her first dungeon crawl. Anko hadn't been happy by the interference of a valuable life lesson but the Ninken's instincts to protect overruled it.
"Good boy, Hottomaru-kun," Hinata smiled as she petted the dog. The little ninken all the while was loving the affection and praise.
"All right, enough touchy feely shit. Let's head back to the tower and get this over with," Anko's idea sounded good to them.
(Hokage Tower Sometime Later)
"Well done, Team Eight. And while one hour and fifty-six minutes isn't the fastest record, not many fresh out of the academy graduates can boast such an accomplishment when it comes to this mission," Hiruzen congratulated the three Genin, Jonin and ninken. All the while the pain of the mission was being smothered to death by it over affectionate owner. Its struggles proving fruitless.
"No wonder Tora runs away," all three Genin, one ninken, and a Jonin instructor thought as they observed the way the women 'handled' her pet.
"Oh, Tora-chan," Madam Shijimi gushed as she rubbed her check against her beloved squirming cat. "Thank you once again, Hiruzen," the woman graciously expressed her gratitude towards her long time friend as well as paying him. "Once again, Hibaku-kun invites you to the capital for tea when you get the chance."
"I'll visit when I can, Madam Shijimi," Hiruzen answered with a smile.
The Fire Daimyo's wife however had a sour look on her face, "Sarutobi Hiruzen, how many times have I told you to simply call me Shijimi?" she gave a mock glare before sighing, "Honestly, you never change."
"Apologies, Madam Shijimi," apologized with a bow towards the regal woman. Madam Shijimi merely shook her head at the man before she was on her way once more.
[QUEST COMPLETED!]
Capture Tora the Hell Cat
Main Quest: Capture Madam Shijimi's pet cat, Tora (Accomplished)
Side Quest: Capture Tora under One, Two, or Three hours. (Accomplished)
Second Side Quest: Capture Tora under half an hour (Failed)
Total Rewards
(2000 + 15% = 2300 EXP), 8000 Ryo, +200 Reputation [Madam Shijimi], +100. Reputation [Konoha], -100 Reputation [Tora]
|Congratulations!|
|As a result of reaching level 25, you can know choose a [Specialization]!|
|Congratulations! Your level has increased by one!|
Status Window
Name: Uzumaki Naruto
Job: Genin
Level: 25 Next Level: 2.3%/100%
HP: 9327.15 + [350] + [Perks] = 9694.65
CP: 17022.5 + [625] + [Perks] = 17710
STR: 67
VIT: 281 + [10] = 291
END: 379 + [15] = 394
DEX: 74 + [1] = 75
INT: 50
WIS: 31
CHA: 16
LUK: ?
DEF: 25
Attribute Points: 20 + [3] = 23
Ordinary Perk Points: 1
Special Perk Points: 1 + [1] = 2
Naruto was ecstatic on multiple fronts and it took all his willpower to not make a scene that would embarrass himself and the team, and Anko's ire in the process, and keep cool.
"Now then Team Eight, if you wish we have a few missions left for you to choose. Tsukiwa-san needs someone to look after her children for a few hours, Itsuki needs someone for manual labour around the house-"
"Tora-chan, come back!"
"… Madam Shijimi needs a team to recapture Tora," he chuckled.
"No…No, no, no, no, no, and hell no!" Naruto had enough of this. "I'm done. No more of this crap, Jiji! We're trained to be ninja yet all we've been doing are chores, chores, chores! How the hell are we gonna improve if we don't do anything challenging? I've done thirty D-Rank missions so technically speaking I'm allowed to take on a C-Rank mission now."
"Naruto, watch your tongue," Iruka admonished his student.
"Can't, sensei. It's in my mouth," he smirked and stopped the man from saying anything further.
"Lame," was what both Ino and Anko thought. It was quick and but it wasn't very good.
"Regardless of your accomplishments, Naruto, you're not ready. C-Rank missions-", Iruka began.
"Yeah, the Gaki's done that too, Umino. Took care of Onibuta a couple of months back," Anko revealed.
"What the hell? When did this happen?" Ino was known for her gossip and being up to date with rumours and whatever captured her fancy. For her not to know that Naruto accomplished such a task had her wonder if she was slacking up on her gossip gathering.
"But Umino's right. We ain't quite there yet," in a couple of weeks perhaps, but not right now, "Besides, there's a few things I wanna teach you three before we tackle a C-Rank mission."
All three could only gulp at her look and wondered what contest in hell did they unfortunately win.
Omake: TMI Madam Shimji
The Fire Daimyo's wife however had a sour look on her face, "Sarutobi Hiruzen, how many times have I told you to simply call me Shijimi?" she gave a mock glare before sighing, "Honestly, you never change."
"Apologies, Madam Shijimi," apologized with a bow towards the regal woman. Madam Shijimi merely shook her head at the man before she made to leave once more.
"Jiji!"
Hiruzen sighed, "Konohamaru, how many times do I..."
The occupants of the room were curious by the man stopping and a quick look at the Hokage's grandson answered why.
"Jiji, what's with this book I found at home? It's weird," said the Honourable Grandson of Konoha.
"Young man, you put that down right now!" poor choice of words on his part as Madam Shimji was the closest to Konohamaru and picked it up.
"Ooh! I know this edition! Hibaku-kun and I actually tried page sixty-nine," the woman had a blushing and gushing look as she recalled the memory.
Anko had the exact opposite look and the moment the Daimyo's wife left the room, she couldn't hold it in any longer, "Well, I'm off me fuckin dinner for the next bit."
"Why?" a confused Naruto asked.
"...Eh, what the hell," feeling particular evil, Anko snatched the book from Hiruzen's desk and flipped through the pages before she found the chapter Shimji mentioned, "Read here."
"Anko!"
"Shush you!" Anko barked at Iruka.
Naruto ignored both of them and from over his shoulders both Hinata and Ino read along with him. But as they finished the passage, Naruto instantly regretted not listening to his gut.
"Seriously! People do that!?" Ino's face was scarlet as her mind tried to comprehend what she just read.
"Ah..ah...eh," Hinata however could not articulate a proper thought. That she had not fainted was a miracle.
Naruto, however, had a much more vocal opinion, "That's just sick and wrong!" who the hell would defile ramen like that?! Why the hell would someone want to eat food that way?!
Anko merely snorted, "Say that again when you're older. And this is nothing. Trust me. You don't wanna know what they do to the cinnamon buns in the next page."
Hinata somehow managed to turn multiple shades of green, white, and red at the comment before her whole world went dark.
"I really should have expanded the selection process for new Jonin," Hiruzen could only lament the complaints he'd get from the Yamanaka and Hyuga Clans.
Status Window
Name: Hyuga Hinata
Job: Genin
Level: 11 Next Level: 76%/100%
HP: 525?
CP: 675?
STR: 11?
VIT: 21?
END: 27?
DEX: 32?
INT: 47?
WIS: 39?
CHA: 13?
LUK: 13?
DEF: 10
Special Perks:
Gamer's Teammate: So long as you are on the same team as the Gamer, you gain many of the same benefits. (This perk can be taken away if the Gamer wills it!)
Byakugan: +1 WIS per Lv, +20% EXP & Effectiveness towards [Medical Ninjutsu], [Detection Skills], +20% Increase towards [Critical Hit Chance], Allows the use of the [Byakugan Skill]
Perks:
Main Family Lineage: +1 INT & +1 END per Lv, +15% Effectiveness towards [Hyuga Clan Skills], +15% Reputation gain with Konoha and Konoha Allies, +15% EXP and Effectiveness towards [Bartering] with Konoha and Allies, +15% EXP, Power, Speed and Effectiveness towards [Taijutsu Skills]
Titles:
Novice Juken Practitioner: +1 END per Lv, +20% EXP & Effectiveness towards [Taijutsu Skills], and [Chakra Control Skills]
Novice Medical Practitioner: +1 WIS & +1 INT per level, +20% EXP, Power, and Effectiveness towards [Medical-Based Skills and Items] and [Herbalism Skills]
Flaws/Debuffs:
Diffidence [Lv 2]: -20% towards Attributes, -20% EXP, Power, Speed and Effectiveness towards Skills, Benefits of Titles and Perks reduced, Flaw may become permanent if progressed too far
Description: Hinata is a very kind but very shy young girl who comes from one of Konoha's four noble clans. Despite being trained in the art of the Gentle Fist at a young age, a renown and deadly taijutsu, Hinata's skill is lacking for reasons currently unknown. While not one of the best students in the academy Hinata is still one of the more intelligent students. While most of the girls in her class are infatuated with Sasuke, Hinata is attracted to someone else. Her love for cinnamon rolls is said to rival Uzumaki Naruto's love for ramen.
Attribute Points: 0
Common Perk Points: 0
Special Perk Points: 0
Status Window
Name: Yamanaka Ino
Job: Genin
Level: 12 Next Level: 63%/100%
HP: 425
CP: 525
STR: 10
VIT: 17
END: 21
DEX: 36
INT: 46
WIS: 35
CHA: 43
LUK: 18
DEF: 10
Special Perk:
Gamer's Teammate: So long as you are on the same team as the Gamer, you gain many of the same benefits. (This perk can be taken away if the Gamer wills it!)
Yamanaka Lineage (Heiress): +2 CHA per Lv, +25% Effectiveness towards [Yamanaka Clan Skills], +25% Reputation gain with Konoha and Konoha Allies, +25% EXP and Effectiveness towards [Bartering] with Konoha and Allies, +15% EXP, Power, Speed and Effectiveness towards [Lightning-Based Skills and Items], +25% towards [Mental-Based Tolerance], +5% EXP increase from quests
Perks:
Natural Grace: Lv 1: +1 DEX per Lv, +15% Effectiveness towards [Movement Speed] and [Evasion], +15% Effectiveness towards [Speed-Based Skills], +15% Effectiveness towards [Acrobatic Fighting Style]
Titles:
Journeyman Botanist: +1 WIS, 40% EXP & Effectiveness towards [Detection Skill: Locate Flora], +40% EXP & Effectiveness towards [Herbalism Skill], +20% Power and Effectiveness towards Skills when fighting [Flora-Based Monsters], +20% chance of [Double Loot Occurrence] when picking [Flora-Based] items
Future Femme Fatale: +1 CHA, +20% EXP and Effectiveness towards [Seduction Skills] and [Bartering Skills], +10% Power & Chance towards [Critical Hits]
Description: Though not as intelligent as her rival, Sakura, Ino is still one of the top students at the academy. Ino is talented in her clan's teachings but due to her attitude and infatuation with Sasuke she isn't as far or as proficient as she should be. Ino is notorious for her gossip and fashion sense, very little happens in the academy that she doesn't know about.
Attribute Points: 0
Common Perk Points: 0
Special Perk Points: 0
Her arms hurt. Her back felt broken. Her legs burned like no tomorrow. And the pain radiating from her stomach forced her to stay curled up in a ball least its contents feed the nearby birds. All in all, Ino never felt more miserable in her life. The Yamanaka didn't bother looking for her fellow Genin kunoichi, or care how she was right now. Moving proved too painful. And it had barely been over an hour.
"Ohhh, boy, I've got my work cut out for me," Anko was disappointed, "You two barely lasted a little over half an hour."
Ino had to bite back a remark least she find herself going through that hell again. That it was only half an hour they completed only held her tongue back further. It felt way longer.
"Alright. Both of you get up. I've seen enough," and Anko thought it wasn't much, "Rest up for tomorrow cuz when we're not doing any missions, we'll be doing this pretty much everyday 'till you learn to love it."
"Naruto, too?" Ino hoped.
"Believe it or not, the Gaki's got a crazy amount of stamina. He can do this in his sleep," which was why she'd have him do different exercises compared to his teammates. While Ino and Hinata's stats were much more rounded compared to Naruto's, which went so far at one end of the spectrum, the gap between her newest trainees and her ward was nevertheless big.
Status Window
Name: Hyuga Hinata
Job: Genin
Level: 11 Next Level: 76%/100%
HP: 525
CP: 675
STR: 11
VIT: 21
END: 27
DEX: 32
INT: 47
WIS: 39
CHA: 13
LUK: 13
DEF: 10
Description: Hinata is a very kind but very shy young girl who comes from one of Konoha's four noble clans. Despite being trained in the art of the Gentle Fist at a young age, a renown and deadly taijutsu, Hinata's skill is lacking for reasons currently unknown. While not one of the best students in the academy Hinata is still one of the more intelligent students. While most of the girls in her class are infatuated with Sasuke, Hinata is attracted to someone else. Her love for cinnamon rolls is said to rival Uzumaki Naruto's love for ramen.
Attribute Points: 0
Common Perk Points: 0
Special Perk Points: 0
Status Window
Name: Yamanaka Ino
Job: Genin
Level: 12 Next Level: 43%/100%
HP: 425
CP: 525
STR: 10
VIT: 17
END: 21
DEX: 36
INT: 46
WIS: 35
CHA: 43
LUK: 18
DEF: 10
Description: Though not as intelligent as her rival, Sakura, Ino is still one of the top students at the academy. Ino is talented in her clan's teachings but due to her attitude and infatuation with Uchiha Sasuke, she isn't as far or as proficient as she should be. Ino is notorious for her gossip and fashion sense and love of shopping, very little happens in the academy that she doesn't know about.
Attribute Points: 0
Common Perk Points: 0
Special Perk Points: 0
"I really do have my work cut out for me," the woman fought back a sigh.
"So, can we go home?" all Ino wanted was to take a herb soaked bath until the aches went away.
"Nope," Anko dashed those hopes, "We've still got one more thing to do."
XxX
"Kanpai!" Anko cheered loudly before taking a swig.
"Kanpai!" imitated the bar's many patrons in return.
"This can't be happening," a saucer of alcohol in her hand was the last thing Ino thought would happen by the end of the day.
"Ano, A-Anko-sensei," to Ino's left, Hinata looked nervous, "A-are we allowed to do this?"
Finishing her drink, Anko gave released a loud satisfying sigh as she felt the nice burn going doing her throat, "The moment you earned your headband and the moment you passed my test was the moment you three kiddies became adults in the eyes of the village. So drink up! Kanpai!"
Eyeing their respective drink, all three chugged back with varying results. Naruto went first and sputtered like crazy, Ino followed suite and had the misfortune of having some go up her nostrils. The burn was unpleasant. Hinata being the most conservative of the Genin was the last one to drink the cup's contents and while she felt her eyes watering, she ultimately proved to be the most graceful drinker.
"Just don't go having babies," Anko added as they finished, "This isn't the Warring States Period after all. Save that 'till you're older," seventeen or older preferably. The last thing she wanted was a black mark on record because of a pregnant thirteen year old Genin.
"Eep!"
Thud.
"…Too far?" Anko asked and Ino nodded, "Ah, hell. Gaki pick her up… Gaki?"
"Blech!"
Looking at her ward, Anko saw him spitting out whatever it was he was eating like no tomorrow. Rookie mistake on his part, "This ramen is horrible! It's like used murky dish water you let sit over night," he wasn't even going to begin describing the meat.
"You've just learned a very important lesson, Gaki. When you go to a bar, you go for the booze not the food. Eight times outta ten it's shit" was Anko's imparted wisdom.
"Hey!" Was the insulted bartender's reply
"Prove me wrong!" Anko shot back and pointed at the bowl of rejected ramen. The bar employee did nothing but grab the rejected ramen - not that Naruto would call it that - and Anko looked smug.
After propping Hinata on a stool and waking her up with some smelling salts, of which Naruto told Ino it was better she didn't know why she carried them, Anko looked at all three of her Genin before speaking, "Now, you're probably asking yourselves, why is this sexy cool bitch doing this?"
"Take away sexy and cool and you're spot on," were Ino's private thoughts.
"I heard that!" Anko looked at the Yamanaka.
"I didn't say anything?" Was her nervous reply.
"You were thinking it," the woman said assuredly.
"Is she always like this?" Ino asked her fellow blond and wondered if it was too late to request being assigned to another team or go back to the academy for another year.
"This is a first for me," and it was true. Naruto had experienced many sides of Anko but he honestly never experienced a drinking Anko. Well, the woman wasn't drunk, so it could be a lot worse.
"Anyway, where was I?" Anko paused before she nodded, "Oh, yeah. I do this because it's tradition. When a Jonin passes a Genin team they take 'em out for their first cup of sake. Not many do it now-a-days. Pussies. And it goes all the way back since the Shodai Hokage's time. 'Course, he got drunk and started a bar fight."
"Hashirama-sama started a bar fight?" Hinata couldn't wrap her mind around the idea.
"The old farts from that time, at least the ones that can actually remember it, said it was a thing of beauty. He drank 'em all under the table with one hand and beat them with the other. I mean, he accidentally ended up destroying the place, but when you're Hokage and the strongest ninja of your era ya can get away with that sort of thing," the woman rambled a bit, "Anyways, you guys are too young for that. So don't bother trying it."
"Does this have a point?" Ino was honestly lost. Why were they doing this?
"Yes," Anko took a swig, "Drinking with your team is a way to unwind and relax and get close to them. Nothing gets your lips looser than by drinking. And that brings me to the other point: introductions."
"Introductions?" Was the collective though of the Genin.
"You know, my name is Uzumaki Naruto and I like dressing up in drag?" Anko said as an example and smirked at the stiffening Genin.
"You'll pay for that, Anko-sensei," there was a memory best left forgotten.
"Seriously?" Ino knew there was something juicy about that story.
"I can neither deny nor confirm… though I lean more towards the former," had it been possible, Anko would have combusted by now, "But that kind of intro. Who you are, what you wanna be, dreams, hobbies all that touchy personal feely crap."
"Tradition?" Hinata asked.
"Yep. I'll start," Anko said, "Name's Mitarashi Anko. Recently promoted Jonin and current torture and interrogation specialist. What I wanna be? To be remembered as Konoha's best torture and interrogation specialist. Dreams? To find a certain someone," ignorant of her past, Ino and Hinata thought the woman meant 'that special someone'. Naruto said nothing as it wasn't his story to share, "Hobbies. Eating dango, trying new dango flavours, coming up with new torture methods, and performing tea ceremonies."
That last remark threw all three off. Naruto especially given he felt it was too girly of an activity for Anko to enjoy, "Tea ceremonies!"
"What? It's relaxing," the looks they gave her never shifted, "Oh, whatever. Gaki! You're up."
"Pretty sure we already know," Ino interrupted, "He never shuts up about it."
"Oi!"
"Name: Uzumaki Naruto. Likes: ramen and fighting. Hobbies: pranks and learning ninjutsu. Dreams: becoming Hokage. Dislikes: Sasuke-kun and the amount of time it takes to make ramen," Ino finished, "Tell me I'm wrong?"
"…You gotta admit, she's pretty spot on, Gaki," Anko had no choice to admit that Ino's comments said it all, "Got anything else to add?"
Naruto merely humphed and pouted but said nothing.
"Blondie! You're next, and no interruptions," Anko added.
"Darn it," there went that idea, Naruto thought.
"I'm Yamanaka Ino. My likes are gardening and Sasuke-kun," Anko groaned when she heard that. Sure, if the kid was like his older brother he'd turn into a heartthrob when he got older, but the whole lone wolf thing Anko didn't really get.
"My hobbies are shopping and hanging out with my friends. My dreams… Hehehe," the girl giggled and Anko's eye began to twitch; she didn't need to read minds to know what the Yamanaka was thinking.
"Note to self: beat those thoughts out of her head," said the Jonin.
"Anko-sensei. Y-you said that out loud," Hinata revealed.
"So? I wasn't going for a soliloquy," was Anko's response. Ino shuddered and could only imagine what was in store for her.
"Pale Eyes! You're last."
"H-Hai!" Hinata bowed, "My name is Hyuga Hinata. I like cinnamon buns and- " here she glanced at Naruto but said nothing.
"Oh, I'm gonna have fun with you two," because unlike Naruto's superficial crush on Sakura and Ino's on the Uchiha, Anko had long since learned that Hinata's affections were much more genuine. But confidence issues or not, it wouldn't stop the purple haired kunoichi from pushing the girl. Anko didn't raise no half assed kunoichi.
"My hobbies are making healing salves and flower pressing. My dream is … my dream is to unite my clan," that bore a look of confusion from Naruto but Anko's look stopped him from interrupting, "My dislikes are shellfish," she finished.
"Okay, now that, that's out of the way. Let's drink!"
"A-ano, do we have to?" Hinata asked.
"It's either that or we go back to the field and train some more. And trust me, alcohol soaked grass doesn't look pretty the next day." Anko laughed when the contents of Ino's cup was instantaneously downed.
"So, before I call it a day, I'm gonna assign you all roles," stated the woman.
"Roles?" all three Genin chorused.
"Roles," Anko nodded, "Blondie! Given your clan's history for interrogation, sensory and plant growing, not to mention pot growing, and, yes, I know all about that dirty little secret," Ino's eyes couldn't get any bigger even if she wanted to, "You'll be learning under me very closely."
"Oh, crap!" Ino mentally weeped.
"Pale Eyes! Since you know how to make healing salves, you're now team medic. Trust me, this team's gonna need one unless you wanna go home sore everyday," Anko told her.
"What about me?"
"Team punching bag?" Anko laughed at Naruto's look, "Oh, I'm just busting your balls! Team muscle! When we're good and ready, your job will be to act as the vanguard. Clear out the worst of it and get the target's attention on you while these two strike 'em at the most opportune time."
"So, I'm team tank?" Naruto only received odd looks.
"…I'll take your word for it," Anko knew it was a video game term but not all that bothered not remembering what the exact definition was, "Well, that's about it."
"Arf!"
"Sorry, Poochie-Gaki. We've already got a team mascot," hissing was heard from the woman's clothing, in response to that, "Ow! I'm kidding! Fine you can be our nose in the field….and the emergency food."
"Hey!"
"Arf! Grr!"
"Sheesh! Tough crowd," Anko remarked.
"Terrible jokes," both blonds said in tandem, earning themselves the bird.
After finishing up for the night, while Ino and Hinata limped off home from the bar, Anko paid the tab and then both she and Naruto made their way towards his home. Once they were inside, Anko wasted no time saying what was on her mind, "You're gonna need to use your Gamer ability with those two."
"Come again?"
"Look, I know you're hesitant," she ignored his snorting, "but it's either that or we do nothing but D-Rank missions for the next four months, if we're lucky. Even with my training there's no way they'll be ready for a C-Rank one until then. You put in the time and effort but you can't deny that your ability accelerated your growth and had a part in all of this. You saw their stats."
Naruto couldn't and wouldn't deny it. It was true. And the only reason why he wasn't Rookie of the Year was due to his past performances and because it manifested partway into the new semester. There was also no disputing that their stats were also very much lower compared to his own, and while they were much more even, yes, the stats were still those of a recent graduate. And that was after months went by.
"But if you use your Gamer powers and bring 'em up to a decent level, get a bit of combat experience, we'll likely be able to do our first C-Rank mission in two, maybe one and a half months. Look it's up-"
"I'll do it," the boy said.
"-To you…Really?" the Jonin honestly expected a lot more hesitance.
"I'm seriously over D-Rank missions," both Naruto and Hotto nodded. They barely offered any experience and at this current rate it would take him forever to level up.
"Okay, sweet. So, first thing's first, aside from their stats, what are their perks like?"
"You couldn't see them?" Naruto asked. Didn't she know Observe?
"Don't think Gamer's Mentor works the same way Gamer does with you. That, or either my skill level's too low, or its tied to your preferences," was all Anko could say.
Naruto shrugged, "Maybe. Since your Gamer's Mentor ability is tied to myself it may be the case," the full description was too much at times unless he willed the full details, "Alright, let's see… oh, shit!"
"…Oh, fuck me," was all Anko could add.
|Gamer's Teammate|
Special circumstances have enabled to you to view your life as a video game (within certain boundaries)! Be forewarned, much like Gamer's Companion, and Gamer's Mentor, this special perk's ultimate authority falls under the jurisdiction of the Gamer himself, and his or her say in the preferences or how abilities work and viewed unless otherwise said so.
"Well, at least it says it won't become active until tomorrow!" months later and the damn thing still surprised him with the way it worked.
"Ever heard of easing someone into something?" that comment earned her a blank look, "Intense and unorthodox training and reality-space-time bending are two different things! When they wake up tomorrow fresh as a daisy instead of aching like crazy and the same thing happens the next day and the next, they're gonna know something's going on. They might even see a pop-up."
Okay, Naruto had to give her that, "Fine, I get it. I don't know exactly how it differs from my perk, but I do know that Ino's a gossip and likes to stick her nose into things," the only reason why she didn't for him as he began showing improvement was because she was too interested in Sasuke-teme. One of the few times he was glad the stuck up Uchiha had attention upon him.
"I read her profile, Gaki," Anko was fine with the snooping and information gathering, it was a good skill to have, but she was gonna have to teach Ino when and when not to blab. And while not how she would have liked them to learn this, life sometimes threw things at them outside their control, "Well, better to get it over and done with. But, first off, can you do something about that wake up pop up?" the woman hoped the answer was the one she wanted.
"Tried that a while back and no," Naruto dashed such hopes. Damn it!
"Alright, can you do anything about your Jinchuriki perk?" as a result of the reveal the special perk previously marked as [?] had changed to Jinchuriki: Kyubi. Best not to overwhelm either of them with more than one secret at a time.
Fortune was kind to her as Naruto nodded, "Okay, good, one problem solved. Now then, tomorrow morning we collect both of 'em bright and early and hopefully before they notice. Pray that if they do they pass it off as their minds playing tricks on em. Now, with Hinata we don't have to worry too much So, we collect Miss Loudmouth first and foremost!"
(Early Next Morning)
The morning was much colder compared to yesterday. Winter in Hi no Kuni - pretty much all across the Elemental Countries - was unpredictable temperature wise and very erratic when it came to the weather, too. The previous day could be cold and snowy and the following day it could become warm and wet with slush.
"Ff-freaknin co-old," even with her cloak, Ino's teeth clacked loudly around her, "Ca-an't we w-w-ear something warm-mer?"
"Get used to it, Blondie," Anko told her charge, her warm breath visible in the air, "This is a good learning opportunity. There will come a time when you have no choice of when or where your fights will be. Ninja have to adapt and endure the shit that's thrown at them or face the consequences. You don't hear Hinata complaining."
"That's because she too nice to say anything," comparing herself to the kind bluenette wasn't fair. Stifling back a yawn, Ino looked up and groaned. The sky was dark and the sun had hardly risen and a few stars could still be seen.
"Alright, here's good," Anko ordered them to halt.
Confused as to what they were doing exactly, Hinata asked her instructor, "For wha-at, Ank-ko-sensei?"
Anko merely gave a cryptic reply, "I'll let the Gaki handle it from here. Trust me, you'll never forget this."
"I'll be-elieve it w-when I se-ee it," Ino grumbled.
"Yeah, well, seeing is believing," Naruto began and knew it was now or never. Best to get it over with quickly as the saying went, "Instant Dungeon: Zombie Dungeon V1.5!" he called out and prayed neither thought bad of him after this.
"Instant-" a bright flash blinded both her and Hinata and stopped whatever Ino was going to say, "What the hell!" a wide-eyed Ino blinked once, twice, thrice before she shook her head at the landscape that greeted her. A burning decrepit village similar to Konoha with echoed moans being heard nearby. Below the building she was on, Ino saw walking corpses walking aimlessly, dead birds cawing, and sinister looking cats darting from rooftop to rooftop, "Okay, decent horror movie illusion with a bad name but kind of useless really."
"Umm, Ino-chan," Hinata was about to speak up before her teammate held her hands up and performed the Genjutsu Kai (Illusionary Technique Disruption) to rid herself of the harmless technique.
"Okay, then… Oh, what the hell?" Ino frowned as the sight from before remained firmly in place.
"Really smooth, Naruto," Ino glared at him but the boy just stood there with his arms crossed. Hinata was about to talk to her teammate once more but she felt her teacher's arm rest on her shoulder. Anko merely shook her head and the Hyuga remained silent as Ino continued her doomed attempts. With each failure at dispelling the technique, Ino added more and more effort and power into ridding herself of the illusion, but each failure only further added to her frustration before it became too much for her.
"Okay, what the hell is going on!" Ino yelled, having had enough of this and wanting it to end. "How do you get rid of the damn thing?"
"You can't," Anko told her, "It's real."
"Bullshit!" Ino couldn't believe that, "How can any of this be real?"
"Bloodline limit," Naruto revealed, "Don't ask, I'm still trying to figure out how it all works. Short version, I have to live my life like a video game."
"Come again?" Ino thought she heard wrong.
"The answer's not gonna change, Ino. I have the ability to warp time, space, and reality to get stronger more quickly," said the Gamer.
"That's…Do you have any idea how powerful a bloodline limit that is?" Ino asked.
"Almost half a year ago, I was at level five and now I'm level twenty-four," he mentioned.
"Yeah, so?"
"You guys only went up a few levels," was the reveal.
Curious, Ino asked, "What's few?"
"You went from level eight or nine to eleven, give or take," he elaborated.
"…I'm dreaming, aren't I?" the Yamanaka simply stated.
"Huh?"
"Oh, fer fucks sakes," Anko groaned. Of course Ino wouldn't make this easy.
"Yep, this a dream. I'm still in bed with a sore body, and having a very weird Sasuke-less dream," Ino nodded sagely. It was the only explanation.
"Time to wake up," Ino pinched herself and flinched but her eyes greeted her with the same scenery, "Okay, a very weird and lucid dream."
Anko said nothing as she approached her charge and Naruto knew what was about to happen next and felt sorry for her, "This is gonna hurt," Naruto commented.
"Why?" Hinata asked.
SMACK!
Naruto winced, "That's why," and Hinata could only agree. Even she felt that.
"OWW! The fuck!" Ino felt her eyes beginning to water. The young girl winced and her vision blurred a bit as the stinging sensation began to be felt across her face.
"Can it, Ino!" Anko had enough and the other three members of the team knew the woman was being serious when she forwent the use of her nickname. "Shit like this will happen again in the future and you damn well better come to terms with it if you wanna make it as a kunoichi!"
"Like hell! Where the hell are we?!" Ino was seriously starting to freak out. Being from a ninja clan that went back generations, nearing five hundred years, Ino knew that as a ninja she'd have to expect for the unexpected like Anko said. But even this was pushing it to a whole other level.
"Relax-" Naruto began before was cut off by the Yamanaka.
"Don't tell me to relax, blondie!" was the girl's response. "Where the fuck are we and what did you do!? And don't think I won't pick apart that peanut sized brain of yours."
"Say what you want, but damn if this girl's got spunk," Anko was seriously going to have fun teaching some of her more 'fun and squeal like a pig' techniques to the Yamanaka.
"In a dungeon," Naruto told her.
"Dungeon?… What the hell are you talking about?" was her heated reply.
"Look, like I said before, I don't know how or actually care how I got it but I have the ability to live my life like a video game," he repeated.
"Right," Ino drawled, "… and Hinata here is secretly a sadist with a tight leather fetish who gives out spankings," Hinata blushed bright red at that.
"Hmm, didn't know you were kinky, Pale Eyes," Anko smirked and Hinata blushed even further and Anko could tell she was on the verge of fainting, "But the Gaki's telling the truth. It's a tight lip secret."
"If it's so tight lip, why are we being told?" Ino decided to humour them.
"Because as my teammates it's also affecting you guys," Naruto's reply brought any rebuttal Ino would have up short.
"Affect us?" Hinata asked.
"What do you mean?" Ino gave him a look.
"Apparently, as my teammates, you guys are being affected by my bloodline, too. You'll be able to live your lives like a video game within certain limits," he told them.
"Ano, how?"
"Did you guys realize you woke up without being sore?" Hinata nodded hesitantly but she honestly believed she was still too tired for her mind to properly register the pain.
"Well, yeah," Ino responded, "So, this is not me dreaming?"
"No!" Naruto shouted.
"This… this is a lot to take in," Ino didn't know what else to say. Honestly, she didn't know why she wasn't freaking out even more, "What are the other benefits?"
"Chakra and Health Point restoration," Naruto began, "You can be running on empty the previous day and the day after they'll be fully restored. Works for mental and physical fatigue, too."
"That's insane," Ino couldn't help but gawk. Unless one had a unique ability or bloodline limit, or family hidden method, and even then it wasn't perfect, a person's fatigue and chakra didn't recover that quickly.
"It's also incredibly useful," Ino couldn't help but mentally agree with Anko's statement.
"Um, is thi-s why you were accused, Naruto-kun?" Hinata asked.
"Spot on," Anko acknowledged the girl's insight, "The Gaki's ability lets him enter dungeons, alternate realities he uses to train and become stronger. Unfortunately, when the incident with the Scroll happened, he was in one for about two hours so it didn't exactly help his case when they went looking for him."
Ino would have asked why he simply didn't say anything to the Hokage beforehand. It was no village secret that the Sandaime and Naruto were close. But given that she was still having a hard time believing - and she was seeing it, too - she could guess why nothing was ever said despite their relationship. Revealing something as big as this likely wasn't easy. It was a lot to take in.
"Okay, fine. I don't like this," Anko scoffed, there was a shocker, "But why are we here?"
"I thought you were more than just a pretty blonde?" Anko's remark earned her a scathing look that she ignored, "To get you two up to speed. And, if you can't handle this, then how the hell do you expect me to think you can take on more challenging missions?"
Anko watched as Ino closed her eyes and watched as her newest ward took in deep breaths and massaged her forehead. Anko was curious to see her hand glow a very light blue before she realized it was chakra, "Must be that Yamanaka technique Inoichi uses."
Anko had only worked with the man on the very odd occasion compared to Ibiki but noted that during extremely stressful or traumatic situations he would perform the same thing. Anko surmised the technique helped the two calm down and start thinking rationally. No other clan she knew of had a deeper understanding of the mind than the Yamanaka Clan. However, despite their mental fortitude and resilience, they themselves were not immune to the psychological trauma that affected them. They had a greater tolerance for that sort of thing compared to others, but were not immune.
Releasing a breath, Ino looked up at her Jonin instructor and asked, "So, we're here to get better?"
"Yep. From now until I deem you two ready, we'll be spending most of our time doing this," Anko hoped the Yamanaka finally understood.
"But…but won't we have to do D-Rank missions?" Hinata asked, "Are we not supposed to do a certain amount before we qualify for our first C-Rank one?"
"Unfortunately," Anko hated that prerequisite, "Which is why we're fortunate that the Gaki's ability enables time dilation."
"Time dilation? You mean as in we age more quickly?"
"About an hour more, right?" Anko asked.
Naruto however, shook his head, "In instant dungeons it's one hour outside equals four hours in here and in natural dungeons it equals two hours,"
Both eyes of the newly made kunoichi couldn't get any larger, "Holy... Just how old are you?"
Naruto shrugged, "Dunno. Fourteen? Give or take a month. Lost track to be honest."
"How can you lose track of something so important!" Ino knew that the benefits were evident: Eight hours of training done in only two. Turning into a teenage heartthrob much earlier…Actually, those were the main two she could really think of when she really thought about it, "Uh, so, what else can we do here?"
"Well, you can die," Ino paled and Hinata looked alarmed, "But you get resurrected if you do. Unfortunately, you lose any EXP you earned that didn't result in a level up. You learn combat skills more quickly in dungeons compared to merely training outside of 'em. You get loot: items, skills, money-"
"Hold up! You earn money!"
"You get it from defeating a monster or by searching here and there. But, yeah, you earn monster loot. Though that's mostly from humanoid ones and if you beat the dungeon boss," Naruto finished.
"Dungeon boss?" Hinata asked, Ino however had ryo signs in her eyes, "Is that the leader of the dungeon?"
"They're pretty much the toughest and baddest monster here. You'll know 'em when you see 'em. Most times it's just one but some dungeons have two or they fight with subordinates. They're not easy to deal with unless you're at a decent level, and with your levels and stats this one's not gonna be easy for either of you," the sight of either of them getting stepped on despite not actually dying wasn't something either Naruto or Anko wanted to see any time soon…Well, not Naruto at least. Anko was give or take.
"Okay, got it. How do we do this?" contrast to her previous behaviour, Ino was now eager to go.
"Ooh, I'm getting a mini-me!" Anko's mental cackled sent a shiver down the spines of many unseen individuals, "It's pretty simple. You see an enemy, you kill the enemy, you grab the loot, and then rinse and repeat."
Ino blinked and gave her a blank stare, "I mean aren't you gonna give us any pointers?"
"Nope!" Anko smiled, "This is trial by fire. You two are gonna fight on your own while I assess from the roof tops. This is a learning opportunity for both of us. I'll learn how you two fight and determine what needs to be improved on and what I think you'll benefit from on the outside."
"And Naruto?"
"My level's too high for this place. I get loot but any EXP I'd get almost amounts to zero unless it's the boss," Naruto revealed.
"Hop to it! You both have one hour. Oh, and I'll be keeping tally of your progress. And just an FYI, if one of you dies, I'll make yesterday's torture session look like a freakin picnic when you get back."
"Well, that answer's that question," Naruto noted and watched as both Hinata and Ino took off. Off the side, Anko created a single Kage Bunshin that took off after Hinata while the original head off towards Ino. Naruto, on the other hand, merely sighed.
"Looks like it's just you and me Ho… Thanks, buddy," noticing his ninken was gone, Naruto sat down onto the building filled with walking dead.
(Three Weeks Later)
"This freakin blows!" Ino mentally shouted as she continued on with the mission of the day. Not only were her arms still sore and tender from the dungeon and the torture session Anko-sensei liked to call training that followed soon after, but she and her team were currently painting the house of another. And they were using a paint that Ino immediately knew clashed with the house's appearance. She was fairly certain the owner would ask another team to repaint in another D-Rank mission.
While Ino had never been the most physically gifted student in the academy, she liked to believe she was better than most. But Anko-sensei had since ripped that notion apart. Three weeks had passed, although thanks to the time dilation it was almost five, since the woman stated she had a while to go before she deemed her stamina and Taijutsu as acceptable. And Anko's standards and definition on what was deemed acceptable were much different than those of a Chunin instructor. And perhaps even normal Jonin.
Ino recalled how three weeks ago when she limped on home the moment she was done for the day. Just as soon as she entered her clan home was the young blonde Yamanaka greeted by her father, Inoichi. Ino loved Inoichi as any child would their parent but found the man a tad overbearing at times as he constantly fawned over her well being and made a point to let him know.
"Guess that's why he laughed when I talked about missions," she recalled how her father tried, and failed, to stifle a laugh when it came to her mission expectations. Her mother on the other hand merely smiled and didn't say a word but knew the woman was laughing inwardly.
Being from a ninja clan that had been a part of Konoha since its founding Ino knew that Genin would do D-Rank missions for the first little while before their teachers felt they were ready to take on more demanding tasks. Anko had even said so herself.
But even she didn't think it was going to be this bad. At the moment they had completed around thirteen D-Rank missions together, counting this one, and all of them sucked in Ino's mind. Some like weeding gardens and picking up groceries and supplies for the elderly she could tolerate as she did similar tasks for her family's floristry and apothecary.
Others such as babysitting whiny children, cleaning in and out of houses, or cleaning the Inuzuka kennels were not the kind of missions the girl tolerated. The Yamanaka knew both her teammates were just as peeved as she was when it came to these kind of missions. Naruto being the more vocal of them and while Hinata remained silent Ino could read the girl's facial expressions and knew she did not find these sort of missions thrilling either.
The only saving grace was that Naruto knew some solid clone technique so the process was taking less time than it would have normally taken them. But that only meant more torture sessions. Anko said they'd continue this routine until either of their stats increased to respectable levels and until their basic academy skills reached the [Mastered]. If all went well they'd accomplish one of those by the end of the day given how quickly they were able to complete this task than originally anticipated.
"Oh, God," Ino wanted to cry as the thought popped into her head.
"Stop crying, Blondie," Anko called out. Ino knew the woman knew why she was saddened. Much as she disliked the hell she want through, the Yamanaka couldn't deny that Anko had gotten an effective schedule for them.
It varied to shaken things up, but the most re-occurring one was they'd get up early in the morning before most were awake - Ino and Hinata had since learned to go to sleep much earlier if they could - and do some combat sessions with the undead and then followed up with some training to get their blood pumping. On average that lasted almost eight hours, in the morning, then they'd do another four or five in the afternoon after completing a daily mission and lunch to refuel. It was repetitive and at times boring but Anko said they'd have to get used to it since that was expected of the ninja lifestyle.
Training as Anko liked to call it was hell for all of them, less so for Naruto and his ninken as they were familiar and used to them, "Anko-sensei wasn't kidding when she called him a stamina beast," compared to him…well, Ino had to begrudgingly admit that neither she nor Hinata came close. Nor did Anko-sensei, for that matter.
Which was why Ino and Hinata's training focused on the physical. The woman also taught both of them a few other little tricks she thought would be well suited for them as well. Anko did this because while their clan techniques were good and all, a shinobi needed to branch if they were to survive. Ino could attest to that. It wasn't widely known, but not all members in the Yamanaka, Akimichi and Nara clans got along with each despite popular belief.
"Okay, and that's that," Ino heard Naruto say and the Yamanaka inspected his work.
"Not the greatest job in the world but it could be worse," Ino scrutinized but it was not her problem. If the client wanted professional work done then they should have hired professionals instead of Genin.
After Anko was done inspecting the work of her Genin with the client the woman took out a scroll and received the person's signature as proof that the work was done to their satisfaction. "Hmm, still a little too early for lunch," Anko said as she looked at the sun's position in the sky. At the moment it was only ten after one.
"Change of venue, kiddoes. We're taking another mission today," Anko grinned as all three groaned.
"Just kill me now," Naruto moaned and wanted the torture to end. "If there's a merciful god out there please strike me down."
"Oh, no you don't! If Hinata and I have to endure this hell then so do you. Right, Hinata?" Ino looked at her fellow teammate and hoped the girl's crush on the blond idiot didn't win out.
"Hai, … it wouldn't be fair to us …Naruto-kun," Hinata blushed as she agreed with Ino. Like anyone Hinata did not care much for D-Rank mission and having one less person on the team meant more work for Ino and herself. Anko didn't participate in the actual grunt work of the mission, merely collecting payment and supervising them. Though even Ino realized that Hinata noticed their instructor's lack of desire to be there. The again, who wouldn't?
"Oi, Hinata! You coming!" Ino watched as Naruto's sudden call broke Hinata from whatever musings she was having and the Hyuga realized she had been lagging behind.
"H…Hai!" Hinata responded to her crush and jogged over till she was behind their sensei. The young Hyuga hiding her blushing face from her crush.
"Hey, Pale Eyes, quick question," the group heard Anko ask. Nearly five weeks together had Ino accept the unoriginal nicknames they were given was part of the woman's unique charm. Naruto was Gaki, Hottomaru was Poochie or Poochie-Gaki, Hinata was Pales Eyes, and Ino was Blondie. In hindsight, it could have been a whole lot worse as nicknames went. Unoriginal, they remained, but still could have been worse.
"Hai, Anko-sensei?" the young Genin wondered what she was going to ask.
"The Byakugan can see through anything, right?" Anko began and Hinata nodded, "Does that include clothes?"
All three stopped as they processed the meaning of it, "Huh?"
"Oh, don't act all innocent. We all know you have your eyes on a certain someone," Anko grinned as Hinata became embarrassed.
"Who?" Naruto asked much to Ino, Anko and even Hottomaru's embarrassment.
"How the hell did he improve so much but still be this clueless…Oh, right, low WIS," Ino had half a mind to just say it was him that Hinata was crushing on but for the Hyuga's sake she decided against it. Ino knew if she did the relationship between her and Hinata would be strained if she denied Hinata the right to say it herself.
"You wouldn't know him, gaki. He's a bit of an idiot," Anko along with Ino chuckled at the boy's cluelessness.
"That's not true," Hinata mumbled lowly, too low in fact to be heard by anyone.
"But you haven't answered my question. Ever get tempted to see what's beneath another's wardrobe?" she wiggled her eyes suggestively and Hinata began to fluster and blush like mad.
"Ah… Ano, I'd never… that's but," Hinata's stammered.
"Oh, come on. There's no shame in admiring another's body. Use Naruto as a guinea pig if you want," Anko grinned.
"What! Leave me out of this!" Naruto yelled.
Thud.
"Huh?" Naruto looked to his side and noticed Hinata had passed out cold on the ground. Anko's suggestion had proven too much for the girl and her mind had gone into overload from the suggestive thoughts that flowed through it. "Oi! Now look what you did!" Naruto accused his teacher and tried to wake up his unconscious teammate.
"Hmm, too far," Anko surmised she had gone a wee bit overboard again, "Meh! Still funny," she chuckled as Naruto tried to wake up Hinata. "Well, seeing as how you're the closest to her I guess you wont mind carrying her to the Hokage Tower," Ino had to give Anko points when it was do.
"She's crazy, but she's good," Ino realized and watched as Naruto hosted Hinata up with ease and started giving the girl a piggy back ride.
"Alright! Let's go!" both Anko and Ino watched with snickers on their faces as Naruto marched onward with their unconscious teammate.
"Man, I wish I had a camera," Anko cursed her luck. Having a photo of this would make for some great memories to look back on with fond nostalgia. The woman decided to invest in one when she had the time before her team headed towards the Hokage Tower for their next mission.
Minutes later, and one funny as hell way to wake up for Hinata, who fainted once more, and Team Eight arrived inside the Hokage Tower to great Hiruzen, "Back already Team Eight?" Hiruzen was surprised by how quick they finished the mission, more so as he saw Naruto and Hinata.
"Didn't know you two were this close, Naruto-kun," the man chuckled at the boy's embarrassed look.
"Jiji!" The boy's whine only served to make Ino, Anko, Iruka and Hiruzen laugh.
"Hmm," was all Hinata said as she snuggled more closely and comfortably on Naruto's back. The young male blushed lightly at the action.
"Oh, how I wish I had a camera right now," the man smirked and idly wondered how Hiashi would react. The Hyuga clan head had nothing against Naruto in terms of being the jinchuriki and was more cautious than anything but knew he'd be wanting answers if he saw his daughter's current predicament.
"Mission didn't take long thanks to the Shadow Clone Technique the Gaki pulled," the woman was kicking herself for not thinking of it sooner. Using this method they be able to do more D-Rank missions faster, leaving them more time to train and increase their skills. Ino would curse up a storm but she'd deal with it.
Hiruzen sighed as he heard that though, "Anko, the purpose of the D-Rank missions-"
"Are to promote teamwork among newly graduate Genin," she finished. "In all honesty, Hokage-sama that logic isn't very sound considering most D-Rank missions so far have involved my brats doing individual manual labour. Do you have anything more exciting and challenging?"
"Anko you're seriously suggesting they take a C-Rank mission?" Iruka asked her, "Certainly they've done slightly more than the other teams but they've only been out of the academy for only three weeks now. They're nowhere near ready."
"First of all, thanks for the redundant input, Umino, but last I recalled they're my students now, not yours," she sent the man a glare that stopped the man's next words. "Secondly, if you count the twenty odd D-Rank missions the Gaki did before he became a ninja then we technically have well over thirty accomplished missions."
"Pardon?" that was news to Iruka. "When did Naruto do D-Rank missions? He hasn't been a Genin for more than two weeks. So how-"
"A few months or so ago in exchange for kenjutsu lessons," Naruto answered as he shifted Hinata's weight a bit, "Jiji, said it was fine because D-Rank missions didn't really pose any healthy risks or anything."
A stunned Chunin instructor looked at his village leader and became shocked as he saw him nod. "Besides D-Rank missions are boring. So what if I used Kage Bunshin. It gets the job done faster and we do some more training."
Truthfully Naruto wished he had been able to use the training grounds for his dungeon abilities. But with him being the only one who truly understood how it all worked, the boy had only managed to do so once during his only day off. Anko had focused more of her attention on Ino and Hinata in order to get their levels and stats up so they could tackle the harder dungeons and had Naruto show them the ropes and give them the lowdown on the enemies they'd face in the future. Coupled with his continued kenjutsu lessons and Yugao, Naruto hardly had any free time at the moment. Anko had warned him that this would happen, though.
"Hokage-sama stated the reasons already, Naruto," Iruka sighed. The more things changed the more they stayed the same it seemed.
"But we're ninja. We do anything and everything to get the job done. I mean Jiji probably uses Shadow Clones to get his paperwork done quicker… right?" Naruto asked his surrogate grandfather.
"Naruto, as a village official I can't go about using such a technique to make my life easier. Would it cut my workload considerably, yes, but it's also about being professional and enduring the things one doesn't like," Hiruzen's words sounded sagely and Iruka couldn't help but agree with his leader's wisdom.
"… The clones didn't want to do the work did they, Jiji?" Naruto wasn't buying the bullshit speech one little bit.
"… Unfortunately, no," Hiruzen cracked a bit and both Ino and Iruka's jaws hit the floor as the man blatantly agreed with Naruto's deduction. "The damn things knew that paperwork never ends. I thought I found the solution long ago with the Shadow Clones but they ended up being a bust."
As the man known as the God of Shinobi look like he was ready to weep in front of them, Anko looked towards her senior student, "Still want to be Hokage, Gaki? I mean look at him. Sure, you get the prestige of being the strongest in the village and leader, but you're pretty much stuck behind a desk all day doing paperwork for Kami knows how well into the night. Kinda sad when you think about it."
"I'm starting to wonder that, too. Though if I find a way to beat paperwork I'll let you know," Naruto informed them.
"Trust me, Naruto-kun," Hiruzen butted in, "Wise and powerful men have said the exact same thing and failed. One of them was the very founder of Konoha's administrative offices and the creator of the Kage Bunshin."
"Okay, what the hell is going here? I thought we came to get another mission, not get into some weird debate," Ino honestly preferred doing a mission then having to endure one of Anko's torture sessions. It was the lesser of two evils.
"A-ano, Hok-kage-sama. Our mission request?" Hinata asked and got the conversation back on track. Her face still red from realizing she had been carried on Naruto's back.
"Right, pardon," Hiruzen became composed and mentally berated himself for losing it. Going over some scroll mission scrolls, Hiruzen came across one that he thought would be well suited for the team. "Well, though it may be early I think I've found a suitable mission for your team Granted it's a D-Rank one," Naruto groaned at that, "However, I believe it will demonstrate how well your Genin work as a team."
Upon seeing both their knowing looks, Anko did a near perfect imitation of her former mentor, "…Oh, no… Oh, God, no! Oh, please! Anything but that mission!" now was Anko's turn to weep.
"You did say you wanted a more challenging mission, Anko," Iruka gave the woman a smug look and the woman would have meet it with a look of her own had she not been dejected by the new mission. "On the plus side it pays much more."
"Fuck you, Umino!" Anko wanted to tell the man off and flip him the bird as well had Hiruzen not been present. The woman forcefully took the scroll from the man's hand, the action didn't bother the man in the least. After all, Anko's newest mission was the most infamous amongst Konoha D-Rank missions.
[QUEST ALERT!]
Capture Tora the Hell Cat
Main Quest: Capture Madam Shijimi's pet cat, Tora
Side Quest: Capture Tora under One, Two, or Three hours.
Second Side Quest: Capture Tora under half an hour
Potential Rewards
Main Quest Completion: 1500 EXP, 8000 Ryo, +100 Reputation [Madam Shijimi], [Konoha] -100 Reputation [Tora]
Side Quest Completion: Each hour leftover will result in an additional +250 EXP
Second Side Quest: Earn an 2000 Ryo, +500 EXP and +100 additional Reputation [Madam Shijimi]
Failure: 250 Exp, -100 Reputation with [Madam Shijimi], [Konoha], +100 Reputation [Tora]
"Okay, now I'm getting a bad feeling," Naruto muttered. Sure the pay was better than what they were used to but Naruto could not shake the bad vibe he was getting.
XxX
"This is Sexy Serpent to Blondie. Come in Blondie, over," Anko spoke softly into her radio transmitter.
"This is Blondie. I read you loud and clear… Sexy Serpent, over," Ino groaned. The young Yamanaka really wished her teacher had come up with better codenames, "Seriously, Sexy Serpent? Real original, Anko-sensei."
"Do you have eyes on the target? Over," Anko asked.
"Nothing on my end, Sexy Serpent, best ask Gaki and Pale Eyes. Over," Ino recommended.
"Will do, Blondie. Pale Eyes! Gaki! You two see anything yet? Over," she asked her other students.
"Nothing yet on my end… Sexy Serpent," Hinata bashfully said and continued to scout the area with her Bloodline Limit. A tiny part of her, one she did not know she had, continued to say she should take a peek on her crush who was no more than 100 yards away from her.
"Come on. You know you wanna," a tiny voice from the darkest recesses of her mind faintly echoed in her mind but Hinata shook her head in order to focus on the mission.
"Copy that, Pale Eyes. Gaki, what about you? Over," Anko asked her only male student.
"Nadda, Sexy Serpent. Permission to stop saying the codenames or chose our own, over," Naruto asked before he continued to use his Detection Skills to try and locate their target. From the quick look of his Observe did Naruto learn that the damn thing had ridiculous evasion and stealth enhancing perks and titles that explained why it had been able to avoid and give teams a heard time over the years.
"That's a negative, Gaki. Permission denied. Quit being a pussy and start looking for one. Over," Anko grinned as she heard the groans from both Naruto and Ino. Truthfully the mission would have been over much sooner if they used Midori and some Shadow Clones. However, unlike the previous D-Rank missions they took this one was designed to see how well the three Genin worked as a team. As such, Anko forwent the use of her familiar and the use of Shadow Clones to get a better idea. Their dungeon crawling and her training had them do some exercises as a team despite her focus being primarily being on the two kunoichi for the time being. And while they weren't the most well oiled machine, they were fairly decent for a newly formed team.
The group had been at it for over an hour, nearly two, and had spotted Tora at the odd time and given chase. But like the previous generations the damn creature was very fast and managed to escape. Part of Anko wondered if the damned thing had nekomata or ninneko blood in it for it to be so fast and elusive. The purpled haired Jonin knew both Ino and Naruto were becoming frustrated and while it was funny at first Anko was starting to get annoyed.
"Now I know why the other teams kept bitching about it… Hold on," hearing some rustling in the bushes a dozen yards on her left, Anko frowned and informed her team as quietly as she could, "Hold on. We got movement. Blondie, fourteen meters to your back left."
Pressing herself to the three nearest to her as best as she could, Ino suppressed her presence. The Yamanaka had learned that she had a knack for such skills and stealth. Chancing a peek in the direction indicated, sure enough she spotted their target and informed her team, "This is Blondie. I've got a visual on the target. Proceed as planned. Over."
"Finally," Naruto smirked as an opportunity presented itself. The damn feline wasn't getting away this time. Signalling his ninken over, both males quickly and as stealthily made their way towards their respective locations. "This is Gaki. Hotto and I are almost in position. Over."
"Good, keep low. Pale Eyes can you confirm that's our target? Over," Anko asked Hinata.
"Hai, I have a visual," Hinata responded and focused her attention on the cat. "Red ribbon in her ear, brown fur. It's Tora. Over."
"Good, whenever you're ready kiddoes," Anko would let them deal with the matter. She wouldn't always be there to babysit them after all and needing to development their own way.
"Blondie, Pales Eyes, are you two ready?" Naruto asked and got confirmation from both of them. "On my mark… now!"
Naruto suddenly burst forth from his hidden location and made a mad dash to the target. The blond haired ninja was determined not to let the annoying feline escape from them this time. However, Tora was just as determined not to be captured again and ran like the wind in the opposite direction at frightening speed that outmatched Naruto's.
"Not this time," Naruto snarled as he saw the cat speed up, "Hotto, now!"
"BAARRKKK," an enlarged Hottomaru pounced out from his location. A special technique he had learned a while back from Midori. The suddenness and incredible size of the potential predator before her deeply frightened Tora and forced her to run elsewhere. Hottomaru, however, gave chase and snapped at the annoying and frightened creature.
"Hotto, don't eat her!" Naruto's exclamation frightened the cat. Certainly he didn't care for the little pest and 'accidents' happened but with him only being a hundred points short of reaching level twenty-five, after five weeks of getting virtually no EXP, Naruto had no intention of failing this missing. No matter how satisfying it would be to get rid of the pain in the ass cat.
Tora continued to run away from her potential captors and adopted another tactic as she began to run up a tree. The cat thought the idea cleaver but didn't get far as she was soon blocked but a pale eyed and indigo haired girl.
Tora cursed herself as she remembered that ninja could easily climb trees as well as any cat. Once more she changed direction as the girl lunged at her. The cat narrowly evaded capture as she felt the girl's hand brush against her tail before she fell to the ground and into the blond boy's awaiting arms.
"BAAARRKKK!" the deep sound of the dog forced Tora to pump her legs even faster as she ran even faster. The ribbon wearing cat fled downwards onto the ground as the muscle bound brute sailed over her. With the Genin otherwise preoccupied or far behind her, Tora felt a sense of relief as she ran away to freedom.
"Shintenshin no Jutsu (Mind Body Switch Technique)!" Ino declared before her body slumped forward. The girl's mind subsequently entered that of the rebellious feline and overpowered the cat's will with her own as she took control. Ino-Tora remained still as her team surrounded the possessed cat. Naruto bound the cat's limbs as tightly as he could. As Ino left the body, Hinata delivered a minor Juken strike for added measure that would temporarily knock the feline out and give them enough time to bring her back to the Hokage Tower and to their client.
"Not bad, decent strategy if a tad flawed but not bad kiddies," Anko congratulated, "Is it bad for me to kinda wish Hotto ate her, though?"
"Arf!" the small ninken made a gagging motion. Chasing cats were one thing but eating them was not on his to do list. Way to moo much fur.
"I still can't believe this little guy can do that," Ino was still marvelled by how effective the ninken was despite Naruto not knowing any Inuzuku techniques. Seeing the small and cute little guy transform into a deadly and strong beast of a dog was something to see. But then, the ninken had saved her ass during her first dungeon crawl. Anko hadn't been happy by the interference of a valuable life lesson but the Ninken's instincts to protect overruled it.
"Good boy, Hottomaru-kun," Hinata smiled as she petted the dog. The little ninken all the while was loving the affection and praise.
"All right, enough touchy feely shit. Let's head back to the tower and get this over with," Anko's idea sounded good to them.
(Hokage Tower Sometime Later)
"Well done, Team Eight. And while one hour and fifty-six minutes isn't the fastest record, not many fresh out of the academy graduates can boast such an accomplishment when it comes to this mission," Hiruzen congratulated the three Genin, Jonin and ninken. All the while the pain of the mission was being smothered to death by it over affectionate owner. Its struggles proving fruitless.
"No wonder Tora runs away," all three Genin, one ninken, and a Jonin instructor thought as they observed the way the women 'handled' her pet.
"Oh, Tora-chan," Madam Shijimi gushed as she rubbed her check against her beloved squirming cat. "Thank you once again, Hiruzen," the woman graciously expressed her gratitude towards her long time friend as well as paying him. "Once again, Hibaku-kun invites you to the capital for tea when you get the chance."
"I'll visit when I can, Madam Shijimi," Hiruzen answered with a smile.
The Fire Daimyo's wife however had a sour look on her face, "Sarutobi Hiruzen, how many times have I told you to simply call me Shijimi?" she gave a mock glare before sighing, "Honestly, you never change."
"Apologies, Madam Shijimi," apologized with a bow towards the regal woman. Madam Shijimi merely shook her head at the man before she was on her way once more.
[QUEST COMPLETED!]
Capture Tora the Hell Cat
Main Quest: Capture Madam Shijimi's pet cat, Tora (Accomplished)
Side Quest: Capture Tora under One, Two, or Three hours. (Accomplished)
Second Side Quest: Capture Tora under half an hour (Failed)
Total Rewards
(2000 + 15% = 2300 EXP), 8000 Ryo, +200 Reputation [Madam Shijimi], +100. Reputation [Konoha], -100 Reputation [Tora]
|Congratulations!|
|As a result of reaching level 25, you can know choose a [Specialization]!|
|Congratulations! Your level has increased by one!|
Status Window
Name: Uzumaki Naruto
Job: Genin
Level: 25 Next Level: 2.3%/100%
HP: 9327.15 + [350] + [Perks] = 9694.65
CP: 17022.5 + [625] + [Perks] = 17710
STR: 67
VIT: 281 + [10] = 291
END: 379 + [15] = 394
DEX: 74 + [1] = 75
INT: 50
WIS: 31
CHA: 16
LUK: ?
DEF: 25
Attribute Points: 20 + [3] = 23
Ordinary Perk Points: 1
Special Perk Points: 1 + [1] = 2
Naruto was ecstatic on multiple fronts and it took all his willpower to not make a scene that would embarrass himself and the team, and Anko's ire in the process, and keep cool.
"Now then Team Eight, if you wish we have a few missions left for you to choose. Tsukiwa-san needs someone to look after her children for a few hours, Itsuki needs someone for manual labour around the house-"
"Tora-chan, come back!"
"… Madam Shijimi needs a team to recapture Tora," he chuckled.
"No…No, no, no, no, no, and hell no!" Naruto had enough of this. "I'm done. No more of this crap, Jiji! We're trained to be ninja yet all we've been doing are chores, chores, chores! How the hell are we gonna improve if we don't do anything challenging? I've done thirty D-Rank missions so technically speaking I'm allowed to take on a C-Rank mission now."
"Naruto, watch your tongue," Iruka admonished his student.
"Can't, sensei. It's in my mouth," he smirked and stopped the man from saying anything further.
"Lame," was what both Ino and Anko thought. It was quick and but it wasn't very good.
"Regardless of your accomplishments, Naruto, you're not ready. C-Rank missions-", Iruka began.
"Yeah, the Gaki's done that too, Umino. Took care of Onibuta a couple of months back," Anko revealed.
"What the hell? When did this happen?" Ino was known for her gossip and being up to date with rumours and whatever captured her fancy. For her not to know that Naruto accomplished such a task had her wonder if she was slacking up on her gossip gathering.
"But Umino's right. We ain't quite there yet," in a couple of weeks perhaps, but not right now, "Besides, there's a few things I wanna teach you three before we tackle a C-Rank mission."
All three could only gulp at her look and wondered what contest in hell did they unfortunately win.
Omake: TMI Madam Shimji
The Fire Daimyo's wife however had a sour look on her face, "Sarutobi Hiruzen, how many times have I told you to simply call me Shijimi?" she gave a mock glare before sighing, "Honestly, you never change."
"Apologies, Madam Shijimi," apologized with a bow towards the regal woman. Madam Shijimi merely shook her head at the man before she made to leave once more.
"Jiji!"
Hiruzen sighed, "Konohamaru, how many times do I..."
The occupants of the room were curious by the man stopping and a quick look at the Hokage's grandson answered why.
"Jiji, what's with this book I found at home? It's weird," said the Honourable Grandson of Konoha.
"Young man, you put that down right now!" poor choice of words on his part as Madam Shimji was the closest to Konohamaru and picked it up.
"Ooh! I know this edition! Hibaku-kun and I actually tried page sixty-nine," the woman had a blushing and gushing look as she recalled the memory.
Anko had the exact opposite look and the moment the Daimyo's wife left the room, she couldn't hold it in any longer, "Well, I'm off me fuckin dinner for the next bit."
"Why?" a confused Naruto asked.
"...Eh, what the hell," feeling particular evil, Anko snatched the book from Hiruzen's desk and flipped through the pages before she found the chapter Shimji mentioned, "Read here."
"Anko!"
"Shush you!" Anko barked at Iruka.
Naruto ignored both of them and from over his shoulders both Hinata and Ino read along with him. But as they finished the passage, Naruto instantly regretted not listening to his gut.
"Seriously! People do that!?" Ino's face was scarlet as her mind tried to comprehend what she just read.
"Ah..ah...eh," Hinata however could not articulate a proper thought. That she had not fainted was a miracle.
Naruto, however, had a much more vocal opinion, "That's just sick and wrong!" who the hell would defile ramen like that?! Why the hell would someone want to eat food that way?!
Anko merely snorted, "Say that again when you're older. And this is nothing. Trust me. You don't wanna know what they do to the cinnamon buns in the next page."
Hinata somehow managed to turn multiple shades of green, white, and red at the comment before her whole world went dark.
"I really should have expanded the selection process for new Jonin," Hiruzen could only lament the complaints he'd get from the Yamanaka and Hyuga Clans.
Status Window
Name: Hyuga Hinata
Job: Genin
Level: 11 Next Level: 76%/100%
HP: 525?
CP: 675?
STR: 11?
VIT: 21?
END: 27?
DEX: 32?
INT: 47?
WIS: 39?
CHA: 13?
LUK: 13?
DEF: 10
Special Perks:
Gamer's Teammate: So long as you are on the same team as the Gamer, you gain many of the same benefits. (This perk can be taken away if the Gamer wills it!)
Byakugan: +1 WIS per Lv, +20% EXP & Effectiveness towards [Medical Ninjutsu], [Detection Skills], +20% Increase towards [Critical Hit Chance], Allows the use of the [Byakugan Skill]
Perks:
Main Family Lineage: +1 INT & +1 END per Lv, +15% Effectiveness towards [Hyuga Clan Skills], +15% Reputation gain with Konoha and Konoha Allies, +15% EXP and Effectiveness towards [Bartering] with Konoha and Allies, +15% EXP, Power, Speed and Effectiveness towards [Taijutsu Skills]
Titles:
Novice Juken Practitioner: +1 END per Lv, +20% EXP & Effectiveness towards [Taijutsu Skills], and [Chakra Control Skills]
Novice Medical Practitioner: +1 WIS & +1 INT per level, +20% EXP, Power, and Effectiveness towards [Medical-Based Skills and Items] and [Herbalism Skills]
Flaws/Debuffs:
Diffidence [Lv 2]: -20% towards Attributes, -20% EXP, Power, Speed and Effectiveness towards Skills, Benefits of Titles and Perks reduced, Flaw may become permanent if progressed too far
Description: Hinata is a very kind but very shy young girl who comes from one of Konoha's four noble clans. Despite being trained in the art of the Gentle Fist at a young age, a renown and deadly taijutsu, Hinata's skill is lacking for reasons currently unknown. While not one of the best students in the academy Hinata is still one of the more intelligent students. While most of the girls in her class are infatuated with Sasuke, Hinata is attracted to someone else. Her love for cinnamon rolls is said to rival Uzumaki Naruto's love for ramen.
Attribute Points: 0
Common Perk Points: 0
Special Perk Points: 0
Status Window
Name: Yamanaka Ino
Job: Genin
Level: 12 Next Level: 63%/100%
HP: 425
CP: 525
STR: 10
VIT: 17
END: 21
DEX: 36
INT: 46
WIS: 35
CHA: 43
LUK: 18
DEF: 10
Special Perk:
Gamer's Teammate: So long as you are on the same team as the Gamer, you gain many of the same benefits. (This perk can be taken away if the Gamer wills it!)
Yamanaka Lineage (Heiress): +2 CHA per Lv, +25% Effectiveness towards [Yamanaka Clan Skills], +25% Reputation gain with Konoha and Konoha Allies, +25% EXP and Effectiveness towards [Bartering] with Konoha and Allies, +15% EXP, Power, Speed and Effectiveness towards [Lightning-Based Skills and Items], +25% towards [Mental-Based Tolerance], +5% EXP increase from quests
Perks:
Natural Grace: Lv 1: +1 DEX per Lv, +15% Effectiveness towards [Movement Speed] and [Evasion], +15% Effectiveness towards [Speed-Based Skills], +15% Effectiveness towards [Acrobatic Fighting Style]
Titles:
Journeyman Botanist: +1 WIS, 40% EXP & Effectiveness towards [Detection Skill: Locate Flora], +40% EXP & Effectiveness towards [Herbalism Skill], +20% Power and Effectiveness towards Skills when fighting [Flora-Based Monsters], +20% chance of [Double Loot Occurrence] when picking [Flora-Based] items
Future Femme Fatale: +1 CHA, +20% EXP and Effectiveness towards [Seduction Skills] and [Bartering Skills], +10% Power & Chance towards [Critical Hits]
Description: Though not as intelligent as her rival, Sakura, Ino is still one of the top students at the academy. Ino is talented in her clan's teachings but due to her attitude and infatuation with Sasuke she isn't as far or as proficient as she should be. Ino is notorious for her gossip and fashion sense, very little happens in the academy that she doesn't know about.
Attribute Points: 0
Common Perk Points: 0
Special Perk Points: 0
Legend of the Kyuubi
Making the rounds.
- Joined
- Sep 14, 2026
- Messages
- 35
Chapter 15: Moving Forward
|You do not have enough Perk Points to purchase this perk|
"What the hell!" Ino complained, "What's the point of having access to a perk list when I can't get any of them?"
"Welcome to my life," Naruto laughed since he had felt the exact same way upon reaching level fifteen. The Gamer's ability was as much of a boon as it was a tease at times. One needed a minimum of two or three to buy or enhance a pre-existing perk, while special perks required three or four. Already did he have an idea of what he wanted but until he received another Ordinary Perk Point that was best left to the wayside for the time being. He needed to focus on more recent development: Specialization.
Months ago had someone asked him what he'd like to specialize in as a ninja he'd have flat out shouted 'Ninjutsu!' without a second thought. While he wouldn't do so on the same level, Naruto was still inclined to go the ninjutsu route. It made sense when he thought about it.
"My high END boost ninjutsu power and I already have one perk geared towards ninjutsu boosting," and that's what a person's specialization did, it enhanced any title or perk that person had that was related to their specialization beyond their base. Choosing a specialization in Ninjutsu increased perks by increments of five percent and ten percent for titles, at the lowest level, and as the perk and title increased so did the offered boost. But was it worth it? Would it make that much of a difference? Naruto only had one perk that made his ninjutsu more powerful than one his age and level. Doing so now would give him a twenty percent boost, but would it be worth it?
"Hey, Naruto, I gotta ask," of course the Gossip Queen would be the one to cut him off from his thinking.
"Shoot."
"Much as I enjoy your ability and its weird rules, you ever wonder how or why you got it in the first place?" The question brought pause to them all, "I mean, I've never heard of a bloodline limit like this before, and I'm pretty sure something this powerful would have come into play at some point in history."
"Not unless it's a tight lip secret, Blondie, or the previous bearer died before they reached their full potential and hasn't manifested in anyone since," Anko chimed in, "However, she does have a point, Gaki. You ever wonder where this came from? Pretty sure this ain't no normal Kekkei Genkai, or even a Kekkei Tota for that matter."
Unfamiliar with the word, all three Genin asked, "Kekkei Tota?"
"Higher form of Kekkei Genkai. Immensely rare to have," Anko replied. Orochimaru himself had a theory that Senju Hashirama's Mokuton fell more into that category contrast to the popular opinion of it being a unique Kekkei Genkai that never manifested in his descendants.
"So, you're saying this is something beyond that?" Naruto played along.
"Maybe?" Anko shrugged, "Not an expert in the field so I can't give an honest answer. But it is something to think on."
[QUEST ALERT!]
The Origin of the Gamer's Power
Main Quest: Discover where your ability came from.
Side Quest: ?
Potential Rewards
Main Quest Completion: ?
Side Quest Completion: ?
Accept?
(Y/N)
Special Note: If you accept this quest you will set off a chain of events outside your control. Accepting this quest can lead to untold rewards and consequences depending on your actions. Upon accepting this quest it cannot be abandoned. This quest and its rewards are unique to you only.
Recommended Level: Minimum of 50
Recommended Party Level: Minimum of 35
"Yipes," Naruto thanked whatever or whoever was keeping an eye on him. Outside of video games, minimum level for a quest was a new experience, "And minimum doesn't mean I'll succeed."
Past experience had him remembering that just because he met the requirements didn't mean he'd succeed or have an easy time accomplishing this quest. From what Naruto noticed thanks to his improved Observe, most ninja that were level fifty were Tokubetsu Jonin, with the very odd Jonin since most Jonin were above level sixty, Anko was one of the few cases of being a Jonin and not meeting the average level.
"But then her flaw comes into play," Naruto could only wonder what kind of boost she'd get if that was somehow removed.
"What were you looking at getting anyway?" Anko asked.
"Something to boost my endurance," Ino answered.
"A boost in your END would be helpful," Anko agreed with her student. Unlike Hinata and Naruto, or even Hotto, Ino didn't have any perks or titles that increased her END, "Pretty sure no member of the Yamanaka has ever been a powerhouse or known for high amounts of chakra."
Ino frowned but couldn't dispute her instructor's claim. Even with her intense training and increasing it the old fashion way - despite the accelerated growth rate - increasing her END was still slow for her since her clan wasn't known for powerful or large chakra reserves.
In all honesty, despite wanting to defend her clan, Ino herself couldn't recall any Yamanaka in her clan's history that ever had such large or powerful reserves, nor a member that really stood out individually. But then, Ino recalled how the Yamanaka Clan had never been famous compared to most other clans during the Warring States era until they partnered up with the Nara and Akimichi.
But, unlike the Yamanaka, the Akimichi Clan had been quite famous even before their union - which went without saying when quite a few cooked for countless nobles over the centuries, usually as the head chef, and could turn into giants - and it was one of reasons why they were one of the Four Noble Clans of Konoha. The Nara being who they were did their best to stay out of the limelight with their above average intelligence and strategic minds, and for centuries they did so successful until the odd duck that lead them agreed to the partnership.
Suffice to say that in the beginning, many at the time hadn't been too keen on the alliance despite never coming into conflict with each other, which was a rare but not unheard of instance. But it hadn't been a popular notion since it resulted in other clans gunning for them, and breaking off would only serve in having two other clans targeting them in addition. Smart and innovative as they were, and deadly as their techniques could be when called for, the Nara Clan's members weren't powerhouses and were chronic layabouts.
"At least he was remembered, even if it wasn't all that fondly," she remembered Shika telling her.
"But forget that for now and bring up your Status Windows. Blondie, I believe you and Hinata just levelled up?"
"Yep!" Ino's ego rose. It took her five gruelling weeks of back breaking labour but she was now at level fifteen!
"Wouldn't exactly celebrate. Your growth rate is better than before but not as fast as the Gaki's," the comment had Ino ego's deflate like a leaky balloon.
"You realize that as a team any EXP we get is reduced, and we've been sticking to the Zombie Dungeon, too?" Naruto's comments only served make Anko blush with embarrassment and earn her ire. She did forget that bit.
"You know what happens when you ruin my fun," the evil glint in her eye had Naruto mentally kicking himself, "Besides, phase one of my plan was to bring up their endurance and get 'em combat experience so they can be ready for phase two. But bring up your Status Windows anyway and tell me what you see."
"You mean aside from Naruto's VIT and END being ridiculously higher than all of ours combined?" Ino snarked, and still felt that was bullshit.
"Okay, we've already established him as a stamina monster, so let's move on. What else do you see?" Anko asked seriously.
"All power and little finesse," was Ino's earnest response.
"Bingo! His physical stats are high or crazy high but not so much the ones that focus on brains. While you two are the opposite and have lower stats that are much more well balanced. Now, windows up!" Anko ordered once more.
Status Window
Name: Hyuga Hinata
Job: Genin
Level: 15 Next Level: 3%/100%
HP: 825
CP: 1050
STR: 15
VIT: 33
END: 42
DEX: 43
INT: 58
WIS: 52
CHA: 16
LUK: 15
DEF: 10
Attribute Points: 8
Common Perk Points: 1
Special Perk Points: 0
Status Window
Name: Yamanaka Ino
Job: Genin
Level: 15 Next Level: 11%/100%
HP: 750
CP: 875
STR: 13
VIT: 30
END: 35
DEX: 46
INT: 49
WIS: 44
CHA: 61
LUK: 22
DEF: 10
Attribute Points: 9
Common Perk Points: 1
Special Perk Points: 0
"Hmm, was hoping your END would be higher after all that. Guess it'll have to do," beggars couldn't be choosers, "For now, I want the both of you to put all the AP you have into END. You're gonna need the stamina boost. Gaki, it's up to you but I'd suggest putting some of that AP of yours into your WIS and INT. Missions aren't always gonna be about fighting and the mark of a good shinobi is how well informed and adaptable they are in and outside of combat."
Both kunoichi complied and felt some of the fatigue they accumulated over the course of the day wash away, while Naruto contemplated on which Attribute he should place his own, "What's next?"
"What's next is simple: take these," as the Jonin instructor began passing Hinata and Ino sheets of paper, Naruto instantly recognized them for what they were.
"Chakra papers?"
"Good eye. Like he said this is chakra paper and it'll help determine what your nature affinity is," Anko explained and gave both kunoichi the rundown on the fundamentals behind the results and how to achieve it.
"…Anyone else think that was kinda anti-climactic?" Naruto asked his teammates.
"I'm afraid to answer that," not that Ino was complaining for the change of pace, "So, all we do is channel our chakra into it?" the task was simple enough in her mind and Ino wasn't going to complain.
Both kunoichi concentrated and channelled their chakra into the pieces of paper and with their chakra control being much better than Naruto's when he first attempted the same thing the results were much quicker. For Ino Anko was surprised to see her paper become wet.
Due to her interaction with several Yamanaka, Anko knew that many in Ino's clan had a history when it came to having a lightning affinity. As they were mind manipulators, and the mind itself was powered and control via electrical signals. So, it came as a surprise that she would have the water affinity instead. But then, it wasn't unheard of either for a normally hereditary affinity to skip a generation. However, this was good as water release techniques were excellent when it came to assassination techniques, especially silent ones. When it came to lightning not so much.
For Hinata she was genuinely surprised to see it crinkle up. Compared to the Yamanaka Anko had little knowledge on the Hyuga except for the basics. The woman had been informed by Kurenai that the most common element was actually Earth and Fire. However, lightning release techniques required very precise amounts of control and Hinata had the best control out of the entire group.
"Alright, we got a water user and a lightning user," Anko mused and frowned lightly, "Unfortunately, I'm an Earth and Fire Release user so I can't help you all that much with your affinities. But on the plus side you two have affinities that are great for very versatile and powerful combination attacks."
"Versatile?" Ino asked.
"Lightning is considered by many as one of the most, if not the most powerful primary element because of its destructive capabilities," it was a debate that many still had to this day, "The only problem is that lightning attacks are pretty much linear and hard to control which direction you want it to go in. With a large amount of practice you'll be able to make it change direction but even the experts of Raiton have trouble doing this. That's where water comes into play. Suiton is the most fluid of the elements and can change its direction on whim. Water's also a good electrical conductor which means that combining lightning with it will make it stronger and more versatile."
"But isn't that good?" Hinata asked.
Here Anko sheepishly scratched her head as she explained the problem, "Yeah… but next to wind, lightning is kinda uncommon in Hi no Kuni," Anko knew that were this Kaminari no Kuni it would be different. However, Konoha and Kumo still weren't on the best terms ever since the Hyuga Incident. Relations were slowly on the mend but many in Konoha were slow to forgive and forget. She didn't blame them.
"So, how do we fix this?" Ino asked. She didn't doubt that some in her clan knew the odd elemental ninjutsu but it was uncommon stuff. Her clan specialized in mind manipulation, making poisons, and infiltration. Elemental ninjutsu much like Taijutsu had never been one of her clan's fortes or more commonly practiced skills.
"Ano, my clan doesn't really approve of using anything other than our fighting style," Hinata held her head low and caused Anko to groan. It was no secret had much the Hyuga Clan prided themselves on their famous Gentle Fist fighting style. Which was understandable as it was a powerful and deadly fighting style. Learning medical ninjutsu was one thing but learning another fighting style was something completely different.
Despite its name Anko heard that the Gentle Fist had several mid and long ranged techniques. Techniques that were both offensive and defensive and all revolved around incredible forms of chakra manipulation and control. The only problem was that Hinata's skill was nowhere near the level needed to use those kinds of techniques as they were likely in the upper echelon of the Juken.
"We'll cross that bridge when it comes to it," Anko didn't really want to deal with political bullshit but she was tasked with keeping her students alive and that's what she was setting out to do, "For now let's head to the Konoha Library."
"The what?" Naruto asked.
"You seriously don't know what that is?" Ino practically shouted in disbelief, "The library is where Konoha keeps most of its information. From basic culinary and repairs to information on certain ninja techniques and tools."
"Wait, they have ninjutsu?!" Naruto suddenly asked; a glint in his eyes.
Ino rolled her eyes as Naruto began fantasizing, "If you paid attention in class you'd also know that Academy Students and Genin are limited in what they can learn from the library and the stuff available here is pretty limited. Anything that's classified as Chunin and above requires us to go to the Archive Library at the Hokage Tower. We need to be Chunin or have special permission to enter there," Naruto visibly slumped at that.
"Ah, man," Naruto whined. The prospect of learning a bunch of potential techniques had gone up in smoke.
"Yeah, that reminds me. Before you try to learn anything let me see it first so I know if they have a copy or if I need to make one," Anko said. "Last thing I want is for you to learn something and it's all the information we have on it."
Ino huffed at that. Another useful ability she would have called Naruto out on had she not learned that she, too, as his teammate benefited from this ability. What took such a long time for others took seconds for them. Was it unfair? Hell yes!
"But who cares and sucks to be them!" Ino could only imagine herself standing and gloating over a defeated Sakura.
Seeing her look, Naruto could only shake his head as the group made their way to the building, "She's spending way too much time with Anko."
XxX
"Okay, let's see what we got here," Anko browsed through the scrolls that her team would be allowed to look at. A little over twenty minutes had passed since they arrived and fortunately for them the library was practically deserted. Some of them were basic and not that great but it would help them get a better idea when they started learning the more complex stuff.
For Ino and Hinata, Anko was looking for basic information on their nature affinity and how to better teach them. Keitai Henka (Shape Transformation) and Seishitsu Henka (Nature Transformation) wouldn't be made available for them until after they got a decent grasp of the basics. Converting one's chakra into an element was easy compared to mastering Nature Transformation as the latter was a much more complex art form. It was general learned when one wished to create their own personal technique or change the properties of an existing one.
Such a thing was out of their league at the moment, but both would need to learn some elemental ninjutsu if they were to survive. She counted her blessings that Naruto's ability allowed them to learn techniques instantly and it would greatly speed things up. However, Anko knew that Naruto had both a natural knack for elemental ninjutsu and had more chakra compared to Ino and Hinata.
"I wouldn't be surprised if that ability lets him or us bypass the need for Shape Transformation and Nature Transformation in the first place," or at the very least accelerate it.
As she continued to look, Anko spotted a scroll that she knew would benefit Hinata: Novice Medical Ninjutsu. She took the scroll and gave it a once over. Anko herself knew a bit about medicine and some minor medical ninjutsu but it was more so on less than serious injuries such as burns, cuts, bruises, and fatigue. The more advanced stuff she knew was on how to extract certain poisons and making antidotes than anything else. While the scroll held basic information on medical ninjutsu Anko knew that even the basics of the art were very complex and one needed a certain knack for it to go beyond the basics.
As Anko continued her search for scrolls for Ino and Hinata, Naruto was looking through a series of scrolls himself. In this cases the scrolls he was looking at were Taijutsu ones. True his fighting style focused on Ninjutsu, Fuinjutsu and Kenjutsu, but Anko said he was he really needed find a more advanced fighting Taijutsu than the academy one just in case. The only problem was that his choice was limited and many of the Taijutsu had requirements that he didn't fulfill or conflicted with his fighting styles.
"Novice Tekken (Iron Fist) a hard type fighting style that revolves mostly on ones' fists and using it in various ways such as knifehanded chops, spearhanded thrusts, and various fist-like techniques. The style requires one to break, calcify and strengthen the bones in their arms and fists to increase the effectiveness and power. Alternatively, a person with an Earth affinity could channel Doton chakra to strengthen their arms instead. As a result the moves would be more powerful, but they'd also be slower and slightly more predictable and sluggish until they reached a certain level. Nope!" Again, and just like Hayate constantly repeated, unless the tactic was meant to fool the opponent, a ninja and a swordsman must constantly be moving. A slow fighter was a dead one. Honestly, Naruto was starting to get annoyed. That had been his sixth scroll.
None of the scrolls he found felt right to him or he felt would complement his fighting style. The last ones were known as Judo (Gentle Way) and Hikaken (Chop Hanging Fists). The latter one being based somewhat off the Hyuga's Clans Juken (Gentle Fist).
The other problem with the one he just read was that while Naruto knew some Earth Release techniques, he didn't have an Earth affinity that was also required, and he wasn't too keen on breaking his bones even if would allow Hinata some practice.
The fact that it relied heavily on punches and had little use of his legs was a no go too. Fists were fine and all but Hayate and Yugao had told him that a ninja used every part of their body as a weapon.
"Knowing Ino she'd have me owe her a favour every time I'd need healing," the girl had been asked to be the backup healer just in case but Naruto didn't believe someone who was starting to develop their own sadistic streak should be in the business of healing others. It was nowhere as bad as Anko but he had the impression she'd get there eventually the way they got along. Naruto didn't need another Witch Doctor on his ass.
Taking out another scroll Naruto began to read it, "Novice Shishi Kumite (Eight Limbs Kata). The teachings of this Taijutsu style revolves on how to deliver and perform devastating and swift blows with their fists, elbows, knees, and kicks. Grappling also plays an important role as to not only prevent one's opponent from breaking free while strikes are being landed on them but for using certain techniques at their fullest," so far Naruto was intrigued by the Taijutsu, more so than the others anyway.
"Sorry, boss. The only decent ninjutsu we could find that are accessible were the Futon: Daitoppa no Jutsu (Wind Release: Great Breakthrough Technique) and Ninpo: Chakra Nagashi no Jutsu (Ninja Art: Chakra Flow Technique)," the latter of which he already knew and the first was unnecessary since he already knew similar techniques.
Naruto told them to put them back and then had the clones disappear in a poof of smoke. Finding at least one scroll wasn't a total loss but Naruto would be lying if he said he wasn't disappointed at the moment. Nowhere near the greatest of finds but at least he didn't leave with nothing.
Naruto continued to search for a while longer before Hinata informed him that that Anko was looking for them. Unlike him the two kunoichi were carrying a small amount of scrolls. Naruto was really starting to hate the limitations that Genin had when it came to learning new techniques. Then again it made sense as well as some Genin tended to do too much too soon.
"Okay, give 'em here and let's see what you have for me," Anko ordered and then proceeded to go over the scrolls they had. For the scrolls she accepted, Anko placed them on the left, and vice versa in the opposite direction with those she thought otherwise.
"So six scrolls in total," Anko wished it had been more but wasn't a bad number, "Guess we'll have to make the most of it. Sorry you couldn't find more, Gaki. No luck on my end either. At least you know more than the Academy Taijutsu. Good choice on the Raiton: Jibashi (Lighting Release: Electromagnetic Murder), Pale Eyes. It's basic but as you get better it can get pretty nasty," Anko said and handed her two other scrolls.
"What's this?" Hinata asked.
"A scroll on basic medical ninjutsu, and a scroll on the Raiso no Jutsu (Lightning Claw)," Anko answered, "Like I said before, you're gonna be team medic so its time you learned some more advanced healing skills. Not that the healing from your meals isn't something to gawk at."
On that both Ino and Naruto could agree. Hinata had shown up one day with boxes of bentos and while simple in appearance good God had that been one of best eats they ever had. They soon learned that Hinata's [Cooking Skill] was at a level well above someone her age and as a result her dishes gave them decent temporary buffs alongside their healing properties. But fighting wasn't turned based where they could eat a meal and then force the enemy to wait their turn.
"The latter technique you have is a D-Rank technique. It's similar to the Chakra Flow technique but for your arms and hands instead of a weapon. It's not deadly but it can delivery a nasty shock that can cause your opponent's muscles to spasms and can even cause temporary paralysis and even incapacitate them once you get the hang of it. It requires a good amount of control so be sure you're up to it unless you wanna fry up your arms."
"And what about me?" Ino asked.
"For you I got you a Taijutsu style called Rankyaku (Violent Legs). Short and sweet version is that it has a high emphasize on speed, flexibility and using your legs to attack while using your upper body to help perform some moves. With your natural grace I thought it suited you," Anko said. The woman also had the intent to teach her a bit of contortionism as well as some grappling moves to complement the fighting style, too, for defensive purposes.
Much like her former master, Anko's fighting style was based around speed, deception and precision compared to Naruto's power-based fighting style despite learning and knowing the basics of the Konoha Kenjutsu-Ryu.
"Of course, we're gonna have to increase your DEX and STR to make it more effective, but that means nothing if your body can't keep up with the strain so make sure you continue to push yourself. Your perk will give you an easier time learning it but we're still gonna have to work on your flexibility and speed," she grinned and Ino began to worry. From the way the fighting style sounded Ino had the impression her legs were going to reach untold heights of pain.
"Aside from that I think you'll benefit from the Shisui (Dead Water) and Suiben (Water Whip). The first is a technique that envelopes the victim's head with foul water but it requires a fair amount of control and physical contact with their head. Break it and the technique will fall apart. Overtime you might be able to turn it into poisoned water. The second's a mid to long range technique meant to ensnare your opponent but it works better when used alongside lightning techniques or with a group. There are a couple of others but focus on mastering those first," Anko finished her explanation.
"Wouldn't it make more sense to learn them now alongside the other ones?" Ino asked.
"I've honestly never seen the point in learning a technique you're not gonna really use nor will it compliment your fighting style or be of use down the line," Anko told her student, "Better to know a few techniques, master them, and then go about improving them into something else when you have a clear understanding then learning a dozen techniques that go to waste because you don't end up using them."
"Arf!"
"Sorry Poochie. Not much on the subject of how to train/raise your ninken," Anko told the deflating ninja dog.
Soon after the woman grabbed copies from one of the workers, and made one copy of the Shishi Kumite. The woman then lead her team towards one of the previous training grounds Naruto used over the last few months. After they each absorbed the scrolls and learned the skill they held, Anko revealed the next phase of her plan.
"Now, while your stamina isn't quite what I'd like it to be even with the recent boost, we'll have to make do for the time being," once more she directed this towards Hinata and Ino, "So, for now we're gonna be working on both stamina and speed."
"Why didn't we do this before?"
"We did, just not as intensely since you two weren't ready. Naruto introduced me to this place a while back and I can honestly say you wouldn't have lasted five minutes. You two going in there five weeks ago would have done nothing more than piss you off," and had Naruto not conquered the dungeon then there's a good chance they'd have died on a permanent basis, "But enough chatter. Gaki, you mind sitting this one out? Hayate's free at the moment and asked if you'd have time to go spar with him?"
"Fine by me," it had been a while since he trained with the man anyway.
"See you in a bit. Let's go you two! We'll be doing this for the next two weeks or more until I feel you're ready for your first C-Rank," which would likely be closer to four or five depending on how long they trained in the dungeon.
Much like they were used to the world flashed a brilliant white before they arrived at their destination. But Ino was far from pleased by where they arrived and easily and loudly voiced her displeasure.
"Dear, God! How the hell are we in a desert!" High above them the sun shinned brighter and hotter than any day in Hi no Kuni and the haze coming from the shifting sands didn't help things either.
"Training Ground One to Five simulates the primary elements. This is Training Ground Three and not only does it simulate the wind element but also the harsh and unforgiving environment of Kaze no Kuni, too. Now, the goal for you two is simple. Keep moving until you can't move anymore, and then keep moving some more until I say you can stop," Anko finished by throwing two balls that covered the two kunoichi with a syrupy and unpleasant smelling fluid.
"Eww, Kami! What the hell is this?" Ino winced when she accidentally pulled out a strand of her hair.
"Monster bait," Anko answered, "Naruto whipped this up so dungeon enemies would attack each other if covered in it. Now, you two are covered in it."
Seeing both of them looking around, Anko stopped that train of thought, "As you can see, this place has a few decent spots to hide but that's not the goal here. These monsters are gonna come at you and fast and your goal is to try and match 'em and take 'em out quickly. Oh, here they come."
"Are those…Kamaitachi?" Hinata asked. They looked cute.
"Trust me, they may look cute but those little deceiving little bastards are quick and nasty, but that's not all," Anko didn't need to finish her sentence as the small creatures took to the air and began performing aerial maneuvers one simply couldn't with an ordinary jump.
"They can fly," Ino deadpanned, "Great. Just great."
"They can fly. They can throw blades of wind. They can evade quickly and hide in the sand. They can do a lot of stuff that will piss you off. And, since you need to move quickly in this blazing hot environement, you'll run out of steam much more quickly than usual. So, be quick, be smart, be ready," Anko cackled as the first Kamaitachi made its first move and kicked up a large amount of sand that clouded their vision.
This was neither going to be easy nor pleasant.
XxX
"Mikazuki no Mai (Dance of the Crescent Moon)!" swinging his sword alongside his clones, Naruto once more came up short. The trio of blonds were pushed back by the considerable force behind Hayate's counter.
"Not fast enough and timing was off. Again!" Hayate ordered.
Naruto frowned but complied. The Mikazuki no Mai was one of the better techniques of the Konoha Kenjutsu-Ryu, but it was also one of the hardest to pull off correctly. Speed and ensuring you were attacking the enemy's blind spot and having the right timing were especially crucial. The original and the clones had to be in sync or it would give the target a chance to escape or evade.
Naruto had seen first hand how devastating the technique could be if pulled off properly. A single hit from Hayate to a dummy was enough to send it flying with a nasty gash. Hayate and his two clones striking the target either guaranteed an instant kill or left them devastated. Even if the target somehow survived being cut by the blade, the force behind it was incredible.
|Warning!|
|This is your final attempt!|
"No wonder it's marked as an A-Rank technique," the degree of difficulty in learning the move was unlike anything he learned before. Focusing once more, Naruto and his clones rushed Hayate at full speed. But even with the use of Hayagake (Rapid Run) and him pushing himself to his absolute limit he once more ended up back to where they began.
"Your timing was *cough* better that time but still off. Your speed also isn't fast enough despite that technique of yours. Even with a lighter sword it still wouldn't be enough," Hayate informed the boy.
Naruto sighed and ignored the failed message quest pop up floating invisibly in front of Hayate's face. The message was a rare occurrence but still not one he'd like to see. Not bothering to move from his spot, Naruto pulled out a whetstone and began to sharpen his sword like Hayate taught him.
"Don't get discouraged, Naruto. It took me years to get the technique down," Hayate told him.
But Naruto gave the man a look, "You're humouring me, aren't you?"
"Yes."
"Well, you suck at it," Naruto told him and went back to sharpening his sword.
"Not everyone is a prodigy. Just like not every style or weapon is meant for one particular person. How else would have other schools been founded?"
"I guess," it made sense, "Hayate-sensei, what made you want to specialize in kenjutsu anyway?"
"Why the *cough* sudden interest?" Hayate asked in return.
"No real reason. I mean, a lot of ninja begin to specialize in something at some point. I was just wondering what I should specialize in," Naruto answered.
The swordsman couldn't help but cock an eyebrow at what he believed was obvious, "Weren't you interested in ninjutsu?"
"Yeah… but, isn't that too predictable? I mean, I'm good at it but what if I begin to focus too much on that and neglect my other skills over time?" it happened.
"First of all, Anko and I would never allow that," Naruto already feel the phantom pains from the future, "Plus… you could try and specialize in Ninkenjustu (Ninja Sword Techniques)."
"Ninkenjutsu?"
"It's when a shinobi specializes in a fighting style that blends both ninjutsu and swordsmanship into one," Hayate elaborated, "Konoha doesn't really have anyone who uses it compared to Kumo's shinobi," who specialized in both Nintaijutsu and Ninkenjutsu, though more so the former than the latter.
"But, don't we use ninjutsu while doing sword techniques?" what was the point then?
Hayate shook his head, "Not exactly. Ninkenjutsu isn't a true school of fighting so much as it is an enhancer. Think of it as condiments you put on ramen like hot sauce, *cough* tamarin, or chillies. You're basically just adding something that you feel will make it better and will ultimately suit you better," Hayate elaborated.
"*cough* Another way of looking at Ninkenjutsu is, short and sweet, you're combining your elemental nature on a very deep level with your swordsmanship skills in order to create new techniques or enhancing the effects of current techniques. And while the basis of its teachings aren't hard to find so much as finding a teacher, Ninkenjutsu requires incredible amounts of chakra in order to make it truly effective. Problem is the amount required is so *cough* high that even Jonin that are considered a cut above don't have. It's not easy to use as you're condensing your chakra, converting it to your elemental affinity at the highest possible level, and covering your weapon and yourself in it, though more so the weapon. It takes a good amount of concentration and multitasking," Hayate revealed.
If Naruto's hunch was right then some of those inconveniences could be bypassed by his Gamer's Body or Gamer's Mind.
"Furthermore, by condensing your cha-*cough*-kra it enhances your body, strengthens your technique and makes it much less likely for you to fall victim to Genjutsu," Naruto knew that since Genjutsu was all about tricking the victim's senses by affecting the chakra in the victim's brain through a variety of ways, it made sense that if the victim's chakra was too powerful or dense to be manipulated, or if the illusion wasn't strong enough to affect said chakra, then it was all for naught.
"But by condensing your chakra so much onto your weapon it begins to weigh you down and your body also become stiffer. Your body's stronger but what you gain in power and durability you lose in speed and reaction. Condensing your chakra is also much easier to do while immobile but as I've taught…"
"A swordsman must always be moving and constantly aware of their surroundings," Naruto recited. In other words, him being immobile went against what he'd been taught and he'd make for an easy target.
"Make no mistake that while the Kōka no Kohō (Hardening Breathing Method) as it's called, is a useful skill, this doesn't make you invulnerable and it's not easy to learn. Think of it like this. For most people their chakra is comparable to water: fluid and easy to work with. While for others it's more like sand, a bit denser but still workable if you have the proper control. The Kōka no Kohō on the other hand makes your chakra more comparable to mud and or cement that you have to try and squeeze out through a series of small holes very quickly. It'll become easier for you the more you practice and use it in real combat situations to the point its weakness is eliminated like any other technique but unfortunately the more chakra you have means the more difficult that will be to achieve. Even with those with excellent chakra control it's not something that goes away overnight, which is why practitioners are imperceptibly non-existent. I wouldn't know where to look for one," the man revealed. Kumo was more famed for their Nintaijutsu as they managed to find a way to eliminate much of the drawbacks.
"So there's no actual fighting style and there's no actual teacher I can learn this from?" well, that sucked.
"Kumo would debate that theirs is an actual school, but that's neither here nor there… Actually, there's one. Not a teacher mind you but there is a one fighting style that's revolves around Ninkenjutsu. Remember our talk about the Blackships of the Land?"
"You mean the swordsmanship styles that were part truth and part fairy tale?" was Naruto's vague recollection of that conversation.
"Precisely. *cough* Now, while some of those fighting styles had techniques that could be categorized as Ninkenjutsu, the one that focused purely on that concept and is likely the very first Ninkenjutsu style that came into existence was the Tengu Oroshi-Ryu (Heavenly Dog's Katabanic Wind Style). Supposedly it was a *cough* style that combined powerful and mercurial move-sets and high intensity winds. Some versions even claimed the users could fly or at least appeared to be flying."
Naruto was liking it so far.
"But, of course, it is just a legend. And tales claim that not only did you need to be talented or very attuned in the wind element but only the best of swords comparable to the Tenka Juken (Ten Greatest Swords under Heaven) could withstand the strain it put them under," Hayate elaborated.
"Tenka Juken?"
"The best swords that were around in the era of Warring States. Very powerful and unique special swords," Hayate informed the ignorant Genin.
"Okay… What made them so special?" even a blind man would notice Hayate's look at the mention of the swords.
"Aside *cough* from being used by famed ninja and sworsdmen they were made by equally famous blacksmiths. The swords are said to have unique abilities not unlike those belonging to the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist but much more varied and potent. But aside from a few exception I wouldn't really call what they have swords," a roll of exploding paper, a blue grater taller than a man, and a hammer and axe weren't swords in not only Hayate's opinion, "Anyway, much like the weap-*cough*-ons belonging to the Seven Swordsmen, few have ever been able to make swords that rival the Tenka Juken. Not surprising as some stories say that they that they were all made from unique chakra metals and from master smiths that you can't find in this day and age. Some were believed to have been made from Hihi'irokane (Brilliant Scarlet Metal), the rarest and most sought *cough* after of them all."
"And what's so special about that?"
"There are three top chakra metal ores in this world: Hihi'irokane, Yosokane (Elemental Metal) or Elementium *cough* as some call it, and Kongokane (Adamant Metal). This sword I'm carrying has been in my family for generations. The sword's worth because of its history and who *cough* made it make brings it close to 500,000 ryo, and that's from a mixture of tamahagane and basic chakra metal," Naruto blinked at the reveal. Talk about a pricy sword despite its unassuming appearance and average length.
"A sword made from Elementium or Adamant will never dull, will never break, will never rust, and at a minimum is worth almost fifty times more than my family blade. Longer and thicker blades are even more expensive. Swords like that are enough to set you up for four or five generations of luxury. Hihi'irokane is the best one of the three and a weapon made from that metal and shaped into a weapon of the same size as the other two is easily two or three times more expensive. Finding Hihi'irokane is a task onto itself. And even if you have the astronomical luck of finding some, it can only be forged into weapons using special methods. The art of doing is pretty much a dead one and those who know it are either very tight lip or no longer with us. What I would give to at least hold one in my hands. Hashirama-sama and Madara-sama had such swords but both of them became lost."
"Who?"
The comment earned him a smack on the head, "The founders of Konoha!"
"I meant the second one!" Hashirama he knew about but at the mention of Madara Naruto drew a blank.
"Hashirama-sama's greatest rival, and Konoha's first *cough* missing ninja and a former Head of the Uchiha Clan. Hashirama-sama was said to have used Yawarakai-Te (Tender Hands) despite his skill as a swordsman being second to his younger brother. The blade was said that it would only cut when asked by the wielder," Hayate practically gushed at the mere mention of it.
"What's so great about that?"
"Imagine a hostage and captor situation with the captor holding a kunai to the hostage's neck. You could use the sword to stab the heart of both of them at the same time but only the captor would be injured," that last bit was actually pretty useful, Naruto had to admit.
"Now Madara-sama on the other hand wielded his family blade Juchi-Yosamu (Ten Thousand Cold Nights), rumoured to be a powerful but cursed blade that cut anything indiscriminately, and with the outmost ease," although the man was known more for his use of the Gunbai it was mostly because he only ever used the sword against those he felt worthy, of which there were very few, "It was said that unless you had a very strong will even the smallest of cuts from it made you feel depressed or as though you'd just been standing outside in the cold with nothing on. Regrettably, Tobirama-sama is said *cough* to have hid Hashirama's sword when the Shodai died during the First Shinobi World War and its whereabouts are believed to have become lost when he himself died years later. Juchi-Yosamu was deemed lost during the battle that resulted in the Valley of the End when Madara rebelled."
"I can vouch for that," a voice behind Naruto announced.
"AHHH! Will you stop that!" Naruto shouted at the grinning kunoichi that was Anko. Whirling around, Naruto saw the bemused face of his sword instructor, "Why didn't you say anything?"
"I wanted to see if you'd notice," Hayate shrugged, "By the way, Anko, are they okay?"
Looking past his mentor, Naruto winced at the sight and could only say, "So, should I ask?"
"No…com…ment," Ino managed to huff out a finish. She had been right. Her body was now feeling those untold levels of pain. God she hated being right.
Naruto would have said something along the lines of 'Now you know how I felt' to the breathless blonde. But that would have been a lie. The dungeon had pushed him in terms of speed and many a times he had to focus on finding the hidden flying rodents, but he had only been a bit winded due being unused to the heat than the actual physical exertion.
"Ev…very… thing… hu-urts…" Naruto heard Hinata whimper and the Hyuga didn't look any better than her fellow kunoichi.
Looking at the time, Naruto realized they had been in the dungeon for almost four hours, "How'd they do?"
"Didn't reach the end goal but give me a week or two and they'll be decent," was all Anko could say in present company.
"You sound confident," Hayate believed it was a lofty goal to achieve in such a short amount of time.
"I have faith my girls can do it," Anko smiled and Naruto could only feel sorry for his teammates, "If you have the energy to flip me off then we can continue, Blondie."
"Ughh…" Ino knew that without a doubt that these next couple of weeks were gonna suck and suck big time.
"Rest up and start healing, Pale Eyes. We're going back at it in a couple of hours," Ino and Hinata could only look at their instructor in pure horror.
"Can't you… just… put us … out of our… misery?" Anko, Naruto, Hayate, Hotto, and even Hinata merely gave Ino a look that had the Yamanaka realize just how dumb of a question that was.
"Right, sadist," and Ino whined when it sunk in.
"So, backtracking a bit, how do you know?" Naruto asked.
"Hmm?" It took a second for Anko to remember the initial conversation, "Oh, right. My asshole of a sensei was a borderline sword master and at one point in his life he was keen on finding the Uchiha sword before he became more interested in another. It wasn't ranked amoung the top ten but he said that didn't mean it shouldn't be discounted either. Pretty secretive about so I never did learn the name of the blade and I don't know if he ever found it. But I did hear he managed to find the Kusanagi no Tsurugi (Grass-mowing Longsword) instead."
"And that's bad, right?"
"It's sword that many have dubbed the Musudoku no Ken (Sword of Countless Poisons) a very deadly blade with the ability to replicate any poison in existence and extend its blade's range. But it could be a lot worse," Hayate interjected, "The Kusanagi no Tsurugi isn't in the top ten but at one point it used to be when it and Murakumo (Gathering Clouds) were once a single sword known as Amenomurakumo no Tsurugi (Heavenly Sword of the Gathering Clouds). It was a powerful blade believed to have been ranked as the number one sword in existence but it was more akin to a natural disaster, which is why it was split into two lesser but still deadly swords… or so they say."
"No one knows if that bit of the story is true though."
"The story's been around for almost a thousand years, Anko," embellishment and mixed up truth was not unheard for such a lengthy period of time.
"True," Anko nodded and would not dispute that, "Anyway, I've got a favour to ask you and Yugao.
"Train Naruto?"
"If you could for the next couple of weeks. It would only be for a couple hours a day while I get these two up to speed," Anko asked.
"It can't be that bad?"
"They don't teach students tree walking or how to walk on water," Anko revealed.
"…You're being serious aren't you?"
"I really wish I wasn't," Anko looked both depressed and ready to throttle someone. Naruto was glad Iruka-sensei wasn't with them at the moment.
Hayate sighed and shook his head but looked at his friend, "Just a couple of hours?"
"That's it, and it wouldn't even be every day either. Gotta teach him and the pooch a few things," she reassured.
"And what makes you so certain you can accomplish what you need done in two weeks?"
Anko merely laughed, "Please! Give me a week or two and I'll have 'em accomplishing what normally takes five weeks to do."
"…That didn't really answer my question, Anko," that was more boastful than it was insightful.
"Wanna make a bet?" Her smile could turn fire into water.
"No!" Hayate learned his lesson from last time. Even a sure-fire bet wasn't safe with Anko. The woman cheated, "We're good."
"Aww, you're no fun," Anko pouted.
"And you're crazy," Hayate and a few others thought. Looking back towards Naruto, Hayate spotted him playing with his ninken and a thought came to him.
"Naruto, how well in tune are you with Hotto?" the Jonin got confused looks from ninja and ninken alike as his answer.
(Two Weeks Later)
"I DON'T WANNA DIE!" Naruto screamed at the top of his lungs.
Under branch and over stone did the boy try to run as far away from the predator behind him that was hot on his heels and it was coming in fast. Alpha Raptor was its name, a creature from a new dungeon he recently gained access enemy was slightly taller than himself but also vicious, fast, stealthy and had a powerful sense of smell. Worst of all, they were highly intelligent, too, compared to most dungeon monsters he faced. Naruto was fast, faster still with Hayagake but these things had had five levels on him and their perks and powerful legs enabled them to run at frightening speeds.
Fortunately, Naruto was able to deal with the grunts of the group with some well place ninjutsu. But then the last dying member triggered a move that summoned the local alpha. The enemy was larger, faster, stronger. Worse yet, it could call its own reinforcements, too.
"Gshaaaaa!" the leader of the pack hissed/screeched at him. Behind it were two smaller members. Their fangs were bloody from a recent kill.
"Nice raptors! Good raptors!" Naruto was only met with more hissing and was forced to dive when the alpha pounced on him. Right where he wanted them.
"SUCKER!" Naruto grinned as his the large creature was barrelled into by an even bigger Hottomaru. Both beasts grappled with the other but Hotto's build gave the enlarged ninken a great advantage compared to the ancient bipedal lizard.
Distracted by the sudden appearance of the large fur clad creature, the Alpha Raptor's much smaller minions couldn't react quickly enough to Naruto's move, "Bakuchikuha (Firecracker Wave)!"
While the Fuinjutsu skill he earned from the Earth Dungeon didn't cause any damage to its intended targets, it remained very useful as a weapon's attachment that served to scare as well as make [Animal-Type] enemies flinch. And it allowed him set up his next moves.
"Kagero (Heat Haze)!" The new sword skill he learned from Hayate had Naruto appear above the duo of immobilized raptors in a frightening burst of speed. The move was very short ranged, only five feet, but made for a decent sneak/counter-attack.
"Banrai (Heavy Thunder)!" The vertical slash, though it was horizontal from Naruto's point of view, sent one of the raptor's crashing to the ground while the other went skidding a considerable distance away thanks to the technique being enhanced by a couple other skills. Unlike Kagero, Banrai was nothing more a basic D-Rank technique utilized by heavy blade wielders. It wasn't fancy but the technique caused a decent amount of damage and had an increased likelihood of knocking the target down or pushback depending on circumstances.
With both ancient reptiles down and even more vulnerable than before, Naruto's intent to finish them off was cut short by a sudden and very much unwanted arrival. The battling group froze as a loud roar unlike any other - at best Naruto believed part of it sounded like a high pitched grinding machine - thunderously rocked the area. The beasts - Hotto included - remained immobile.
The beast that can crashing through the dense forest with all the grace of a raging bull was incredibly large. Its size was almost comparable to Midori's own, though the summon of Anko was much longer. But even then Midori lacked the fierce and savage appearance of this primordial creature.
Its hind legs looked powerful and muscular, while its arms were the exact opposite: small and useless compared to those used by the raptors. The face and jaws were covered in sturdy plating strong enough that Naruto had the impression his sword would simply bounce off even if he used all his strength.
Dark red scales covered the rest of its body while two rows of blue, bony plates that resembled countless twisting horns ran along its back, from the eyes to the tail. The creature was certainly unique in appearance but none more so than the eye catching sword-like tail that made Tetsu's Zanma look like a toothpick by comparison. The sun bounced off the tail that shined as though it were newly polished and cleaned of all grime and whatever else once littered its deadly edge.
Status Window
Name: The Heavy Cutting Monster of the Primordial World, Glavenus (Elite Rare Spawn)
Level: ?
HP: ?
CP: ?
STR: ?
VIT: ?
END: ?
DEX: ?
INT: ?
WIS: ?
CHA: ?
LUK: ?
DEF: ?
Description: ?
"Fuck me," was a very accurate way, perhaps the only way, that Naruto could describe his current predicament.
"HrrraaAAWWWGGHHH!"
Despite its enormous size and heavyset built, the creature was able to jump into the air at a considerable height and position its body to bring down its massive sword like tail with all the force of a falling meteor. The impact had Naruto fall flat on his ass and the sheer force behind it kicked up a great deal of dust that served to blind Naruto to his foe's location, which was never a good thing for anyone while in fight.
Hayate and Anko had stressed that a ninja not only needed to keep an eye out on their surroundings but most importantly ensured that they kept track of their foe, too. The moment you lost sight of them spelled danger and possibly death if you weren't quick enough. Fortunately, the large dinosaur-like creature wasn't built for stealth if the thundering sound of its heavy steps were anything to go by.
"Hotto! Get out of here!" Naruto ordered. The fear of his ninken dying was abated since this was an [Instant Dungeon] so even if either was killed neither ninja nor ninken would stay dead but even then it was an experience they to could go without. Plus this was the best dungeon to earn EXP at the moment. Dying would only serve to reduce everything they earned back to zero and then they'd be forced to wait for the penalty to subside.
"Doton: Gantetsu Doran no Jutsu (Earth Release: Iron Rock Earth Riot Technique)!"
Around him in a three meter radius were deadly spears of iron tough rock ready and willing to skewer any foolish enough to come near him the moment they made a move. The more logical decision would be to run away, but with their current level difference Naruto would likely die in a single slash of its tail if he made one wrong move. The creature needed to be slowed down to give him and Hotto enough time to escape a considerable distance that it wouldn't be worth chasing.
But the creature was smarter than Naruto gave it credit, "Oh, come on!"
Abandoning his position, Naruto watched as a great big glob of molten fire struck his previous location and was forced to cover his eyes when the fiery loogie violently exploded and showered the area with sticky, stinging bits.
"Ow!" Brushing off the cause of his discomfort, Naruto just barely managed to pull off a Kagero to appear above the creature that tried to slice him in two. But the suddenness of it didn't allow Naruto time to properly maneuver himself for a decent counter-attack. Instead, the blond found himself holding onto dear life as the bellowing beast became a bucking bronco.
The wild thrashing was highly disorienting and more than once Naruto found various sections of his head making contact with the hard rows that lined the creature's back whenever it jumped and suddenly spun around. So focused and so intent was it on getting Naruto off its back did it fail to notice the charge of an angry three horned quadruped with a large bony frill on its head. The apparently fearless creature barrelled into the large predator's leg and both it and Naruto fell down to earth with a loud and resounding thud, Naruto being thrown from its back from the beast.
"BARK!"
Raising his head from the dirt, Naruto saw the welcoming face of Hotto greeting him and Naruto quickly put two and two together, "Thanks, boy. With the big brute distracted we might be able to-"
"Buhwaaaahh!"
Both ninja and ninken looked to the origin of frightened cry and were speechless and could only look on in disbelief as the large tri-horned creature was lifted into the air by its head, its tail raised to the sky, and by Glavenus using only its mouth. Higher and higher it raised the frightened creature until its fear came to a horrible end when its captor brutally slammed it into the ground with such intense ferocity that the earth gave into the incredible force it was subjected to and the prone form of the triceratops became deeply embedded into the broken ground.
Neither Naruto nor Hotto were anywhere in sight when the dust settled to reveal the elite creature feasting on its attacker. Sometime later both Konoha inhabitants were now safely hidden in an unoccupied cavern a considerable distance away. Even if the creature found them the entrance to their current hiding place was too small and narrow for it to fit through and the rocks likely too thick and too deep even for one with considerable strength such as it.
Taking it as a sign for a break, Naruto and Hottomaru enjoyed each others company as they munched on some food. A sense of déjà vu overcame him and this reminded Naruto of the time he and Hotto had dealt with the Legion Zombie some couple of months ago… or was it a few months?
"Man that time control difference still confuses me," Naruto honestly couldn't remember the exact date of the event. What Naruto did remember of that time was that he had no intention of staying in the academy for one more year if he somehow failed after all he accomplished. Fortunately, it had never come to pass thanks to Anko.
On the off chance it had, Naruto knew there were dungeons hidden around the world in other places that offered a better challenge. If he couldn't become a ninja, or become Hokage, well, Naruto had always been an adventurist and had often wanted what the world had to offer.
He might not be able to be remembered as a bad ass Hokage, but Naruto would be damned if he didn't make a name for himself and be remembered as a bad ass ninja. There was no rule that said that to be a ninja you had to be affiliate with a village. Problem was that non-village affiliated ninja had their work cut out for them and people were often weary of hiring them as many believed them to be nuke-nin.
Not only that but there were stronger, more powerful and twisted individuals outside Konoha who would easily take advantage of him. Under the tutelage of three gifted teachers he had become stronger, smarter, and better prepared. But even with his gift Naruto lacked the experience such individuals wouldn't.
"What do you think, Hotto," the ninken looked at him, "wanna see the world and travel a bit in the future?"
"Arf!" the ninken was down with that.
"Good boy," the blond grinned at the young pup. When a solid twenty minutes passed and a decent amount of HP and CP recovered, Naruto decided it was high time that they get back to it.
The dungeon was pretty damn big, vast even, and they had only seen a tiny part of it before it was one thing after another until they encountered Glavenus. Naruto hoped the thing dropped a decent sword weapon when he was strong enough to face it. Sure, he could borrow Midori, but that thing was huge, tough and would most likely give her an intense fight. Plus, it wouldn't give him that sense of accomplishment if he did. Hotto was one thing, Midori was another.
"Alright, let's be smart about this. We got about an hour or so before we need to… Hotto? Hey, where'd you go, buddy?"
"Arf! Arf!" Naruto turned around and spotted the ninken deeper in the cave, scratching at something on the wall.
"What is it, bud?" he asked and spotted a slight glimmer coming from the rock face. Unable to make it out, and it was times like this Naruto wished Seishoyo hadn't been destroyed, Naruto quickly went outside and then returned with bundle of branches. Put them all together, Naruto lit them with [Hidama] to make a fire and the glimmer became even greater. What was once a small and sparkling crack in the wall was now a series of shinning rainbow coloured veins in the cavern.
"Ore?" he guessed and used his [Observe]to see if he was right.
Yosokane (Elementium Metal) (Epic Quality - Tier 3)
Item Type: Crafting Material
Durability: One-Time Use
Description: Yosokane, or Elementium as it more commonly called, is one of the rarest forms of natural chakra metal known in existence and the most superconductive when using elemental chakra. The metal is often used to make the deadliest of weapons as it allows one to flow their chakra with no difficulties compared to regular chakra metal along with allowing one to perform other unique feats. However, despite its immense rarity and usefulness, being incredibly lightweight and durable, removing impurities and tempering the metal into a desired form is extremely difficult. Few master weaponsmiths in existence are capable of accomplishing such a task as so few who know the secrets of forging the metal remain, or are willing to share such knowledge.
As Naruto processed the information, his mind temporarily shut down as he realized what he had just found thanks to a stroke of luck. When his brain rebooted the boy couldn't hold in his joy and literally began bouncing off the walls like mad.
"FUCK YEAH!" Naruto couldn't believe his luck at the incredible find.
"New awesome weapon you will soon be….CRAP!" The happiness he felt quickly left him when his mind process something just as important: how to get it out?
The excited blond didn't care that it might be a while before he found someone who could properly forge the rare metal ore into a weapon of his choice. The fact that he found something so valuable, and most likely worth a millions if regular chakra ore was anything to go by, was more than enough for him.
None of that would matter though if he couldn't extract it from its current location.
"…Shit on a stick."
XxX
Two weeks had gone by - though for Anko, Ino and Hinata it was perhaps closer to five - and as Anko had predicted both her kunoichi were up to the standards she felt comfortable with to take on a C-Rank mission. Levelling had slowed down significantly due to their recent levels ups but the point of it all was accomplished and right on time. Now here she was in the Hokage Tower patiently awaiting for her village leader to finish up with whichever group was currently in his office, while her kunoichi were being put through the wringer by a clone of hers in one of the training fields.
Seeing the office door open, Mariko barely opened her mouth and the team was hardly out the door before Anko entered the office. Hiruzen merely blinked at the eccentric kunoichi's sudden appearance, "Anko, good timing, I was just about to send for you."
"Can it wait?" Please say no were her thoughts.
"I'm afraid it can't," he told her.
Damn! Luck was not on her side at the moment.
"It concerns Naruto, Anko," Hiruzen revealed and all childish thoughts and excitement were gone.
"Hokage-sama?"
"What I'm about to reveal can't be repeated unless I give you permission. We believe that Mizuki and his lover and possibly other accomplices we don't know about were involved in framing Naruto," Hiruzen informed her.
"What makes you say that?" Anko had doubts given that on that night several Anbu that were either close and actually guarding the Hokage Tower were later found dead, and the autopsy revealed their bodies had been tampered with to make it look like they'd been alive for much longer.
Granted most of those Anbu were still new recruits but even then it was a very selective group of talented individuals. Only someone, or someones of greater talent and skill could get the best of them, and Mizuki and Tsubaki didn't strike Anko as those kinds of individuals.
"Records indicate they were sent on a mission outside Konoha but ever since the academy sabotaging came to light, I've been keeping an eye out on anything suspicious and this caught my eye," and by this Hiruzen meant a mission scroll he presented to the kunoichi, "The mission they went one was your basic patrol duty and a relatively short one that shouldn't have taken more than a week or two to complete. Five weeks have since past and no contact attempts have been made."
"And I'm guessing no one's seen 'em since the Scroll Incident, either?" Anko asked and Hiruzen nodded at her correct assessment, "Could it just be taken them longer than usual?" it wasn't unheard of and while couples going on a mission together had its risks it wasn't a taboo or uncommon either.
"I initially thought so myself but the lack of communication coupled with the timeline had me do some further digging. I discovered that the mission was fake. A very good one but fake nonetheless, and I've recently received word from the patrol group they were meant to join up with and neither one was seen. Their records are another factor to warrant suspicion. For Mizuki there was some initial controversy during a mission he undertook that ended with the death of a fellow ninja and he was put on temporary probation while the investigation took place. Nothing was ever found and with no proof he was pardoned and as an apology he was given the instructor position. Despite his time as an Academy Instructor Mizuki is well-versed in assassination techniques and shurikenjutsu and those who knew him say he has a silver tongue. Tsubaki on the other hand has a notable talent in small range but multi-layered Genjutsu. She's no Kurenai but she was skilled enough that she was selected as a candidate for the Anbu. However, psychological profiling didn't deem her a good fit and after learning why she failed she didn't take it well," well, that explained several questions.
"Where are they?"
"That, unfortunately, remains unknown to us. And with the head start they have they could be almost everywhere," regrettable as that sounded, "I suspect Mizuki also had a role in sabotaging the academy, too. I'm letting you know because Naruto was a target of theirs. They may or may try something down the line when you and your team leave for missions outside of Konoha. Should they make themselves known, I want them captured and brought back if possible for interrogation."
Anko nodded as nothing else needed to be said, "Wait, missions outside Konoha?" the man smiled at the woman.
"You are here to request a C-Rank mission for your team aren't you?" Hiruzen was almost worried Anko would give herself whiplash by how quickly she nodded, "We have a few but none for outside the village at the moment. We do have a few inside that I was saving for our more experienced teams but given the unique circumstances of yours I believe they're ready."
"Wouldn't be here if they weren't," Anko boasted. Even if it wasn't outside the village a C-Rank mission was still a C-Rank mission, "So, what kind is it?"
"A chakra mutation subjugation mission," Hiruzen informed her.
Anko barely even blinked as she accepted the quest and then made her way towards her team. What her village leader said about Mizuki hadn't unsettled her but the fact that he might try and target Naruto at some point gave her slight pause. Not much as it was unlikely they'd met the man and his lover anytime soon, or ever, and even if they did both would be in for a rude awakening.
"And they'd have to go through me first," Naruto could handle himself but no one targeted her wards and got away with it. The boy had long since grown on her. All of them had grown on her if she was being honest.
Even if Anko showed her affection in her own and unique way, "Lift those legs, Blondie!" Anko arrived and watched as her clone cackled at the sweat drenched kunoichi. Death, pain and other forms of torture were likely going through the Yamanaka's head and Anko was at the center of it. The woman couldn't be more proud.
Anko watched as Ino stood on one leg on an elevated wooden post while the other was raised in a striking position before she switched. Around the blond's legs were two metal rings that weighed five pounds a piece while two were around her arms. In other words, ten pounds were added per limb for a total of fourty pounds. It was a trick she learned about from Tenten that Might Gai tried getting Tetsu's daughter into.
The girl had passed on the training method, not that Anko could blame her, but weird as he was Gai knew his stuff when it came to Taijutsu and physical conditioning. The weights weren't much and Ino wasn't that weak but having to repeatedly kick with such weights beginning to weigh her down coupled with them sliding up and down served multiple purposes: balance, control, strength and endurance.
It was a fairly new form of training and so far Ino wasn't doing as bad as initially Anko feared. Sure, it was bad but then a mould needed to be broken before it could be turned into something great.
"Again!" On the opposite side of the clearing, Anko watched as Hinata was concentrating on dodging the numerous series of metal projectiles being tossed at her with frightening accuracy and speed. Those she didn't manage to dodge she didn't block with her arms and instead watched as the metal sparked and get tossed away by an arc of lightning.
Hinata continued to run and duck and try to get as close as possible to Anko's clone and more and more electrical arcs appeared as she reduced the distance between herself and her assailant. But Hinata didn't get more than a dozen feet and the shroud of protective energy failed to flare up when a kunai struck the Hyuga in the leg and had her falling to the ground.
"Again!" The doppelgänger ordered but Anko intervened.
"Belay that!" dismissing her clones, Anko ordered Ino and Hinata to huddle up, "We got a C-Rank mission, ladies."
"Yes!" Ino whopped, "About time."
"Hey, it's yer fault for taking so long to improve," Anko snarked, "Don't get too excited though. It's a subjugation quest within Konoha so we won't be going anywhere special. But before that, where's Naruto?"
"Hayate-san and Yugao-san were busy so he and Hottomaru went to tr-y out that n-new dungeon he just got," Hinata stammered a bit in her response but not as badly as when she first started.
"No problem. [Party Chat]!" Anko had sorely wished Naruto had learned of the feature month ago give its very useful applications, "[Gaki, meet us at Training Ground Eight in ten minutes. We got a C-Rank mission. Move it!]"
Bing!
"That's annoying," Ino said and brushed away the pop up that appeared. It was very useful but the sound when a message arrived remained annoying still. Regardless of that, all three kunoichi made their way towards the designated area that wasn't that far from their location. Arriving in less than a few minutes, Hinata and Ino used the opportunity to rest up and heal and reduce as much fatigue as they could before they began.
Fortunately, for them at least, Naruto didn't arrive until twelve minutes later with his trademark smile on his face. Anko had her patented grin of doom instead, "Better have a good reason for being late, Gaki."
"You bet your sweet ass I do!" All three kunoichi blinked at the comment.
"Alright, thanks for telling me how great my ass is," Anko accepted the compliment; she had an amazing ass in her opinion and not many gave it the praise it was meant to get, "But don't think that sweet talking tactic will stop me from asking again."
"Trust me, I'll tell you when we're somewhere secure," Anko frowned but decided to give her longest ward the benefit of the doubt. The blond male knew better than to mess with her and trying to pull a fast one, too.
"So, what's the mission?" Naruto asked; he was eager and ready to go. Ino and Hinata were the same but much more subdued by comparison.
"This," with a wave of her hand Anko brought up the details.
[QUEST ALERT!]
Stingers, Pincers and Venom… Oh, Shit!
Main Quest: Clear Training Area Eight of 100 points worth of scorpions
Side Quest: Defeat Training Area Eight's Boss
Potential Rewards
Main Quest Completion: 4000 EXP, 25000 Ryo, +450 Reputation [Konoha Populace] Allowed to undertake more C-Rank Missions
Side Quest Completion: 2500 EXP, Allowed to undertake more C-Rank Missions
Failure: 550 EXP, -50 Reputation [Konoha Populace], Temporarily unable to undertake C-Rank Missions
|You do not have enough Perk Points to purchase this perk|
"What the hell!" Ino complained, "What's the point of having access to a perk list when I can't get any of them?"
"Welcome to my life," Naruto laughed since he had felt the exact same way upon reaching level fifteen. The Gamer's ability was as much of a boon as it was a tease at times. One needed a minimum of two or three to buy or enhance a pre-existing perk, while special perks required three or four. Already did he have an idea of what he wanted but until he received another Ordinary Perk Point that was best left to the wayside for the time being. He needed to focus on more recent development: Specialization.
Months ago had someone asked him what he'd like to specialize in as a ninja he'd have flat out shouted 'Ninjutsu!' without a second thought. While he wouldn't do so on the same level, Naruto was still inclined to go the ninjutsu route. It made sense when he thought about it.
"My high END boost ninjutsu power and I already have one perk geared towards ninjutsu boosting," and that's what a person's specialization did, it enhanced any title or perk that person had that was related to their specialization beyond their base. Choosing a specialization in Ninjutsu increased perks by increments of five percent and ten percent for titles, at the lowest level, and as the perk and title increased so did the offered boost. But was it worth it? Would it make that much of a difference? Naruto only had one perk that made his ninjutsu more powerful than one his age and level. Doing so now would give him a twenty percent boost, but would it be worth it?
"Hey, Naruto, I gotta ask," of course the Gossip Queen would be the one to cut him off from his thinking.
"Shoot."
"Much as I enjoy your ability and its weird rules, you ever wonder how or why you got it in the first place?" The question brought pause to them all, "I mean, I've never heard of a bloodline limit like this before, and I'm pretty sure something this powerful would have come into play at some point in history."
"Not unless it's a tight lip secret, Blondie, or the previous bearer died before they reached their full potential and hasn't manifested in anyone since," Anko chimed in, "However, she does have a point, Gaki. You ever wonder where this came from? Pretty sure this ain't no normal Kekkei Genkai, or even a Kekkei Tota for that matter."
Unfamiliar with the word, all three Genin asked, "Kekkei Tota?"
"Higher form of Kekkei Genkai. Immensely rare to have," Anko replied. Orochimaru himself had a theory that Senju Hashirama's Mokuton fell more into that category contrast to the popular opinion of it being a unique Kekkei Genkai that never manifested in his descendants.
"So, you're saying this is something beyond that?" Naruto played along.
"Maybe?" Anko shrugged, "Not an expert in the field so I can't give an honest answer. But it is something to think on."
[QUEST ALERT!]
The Origin of the Gamer's Power
Main Quest: Discover where your ability came from.
Side Quest: ?
Potential Rewards
Main Quest Completion: ?
Side Quest Completion: ?
Accept?
(Y/N)
Special Note: If you accept this quest you will set off a chain of events outside your control. Accepting this quest can lead to untold rewards and consequences depending on your actions. Upon accepting this quest it cannot be abandoned. This quest and its rewards are unique to you only.
Recommended Level: Minimum of 50
Recommended Party Level: Minimum of 35
"Yipes," Naruto thanked whatever or whoever was keeping an eye on him. Outside of video games, minimum level for a quest was a new experience, "And minimum doesn't mean I'll succeed."
Past experience had him remembering that just because he met the requirements didn't mean he'd succeed or have an easy time accomplishing this quest. From what Naruto noticed thanks to his improved Observe, most ninja that were level fifty were Tokubetsu Jonin, with the very odd Jonin since most Jonin were above level sixty, Anko was one of the few cases of being a Jonin and not meeting the average level.
"But then her flaw comes into play," Naruto could only wonder what kind of boost she'd get if that was somehow removed.
"What were you looking at getting anyway?" Anko asked.
"Something to boost my endurance," Ino answered.
"A boost in your END would be helpful," Anko agreed with her student. Unlike Hinata and Naruto, or even Hotto, Ino didn't have any perks or titles that increased her END, "Pretty sure no member of the Yamanaka has ever been a powerhouse or known for high amounts of chakra."
Ino frowned but couldn't dispute her instructor's claim. Even with her intense training and increasing it the old fashion way - despite the accelerated growth rate - increasing her END was still slow for her since her clan wasn't known for powerful or large chakra reserves.
In all honesty, despite wanting to defend her clan, Ino herself couldn't recall any Yamanaka in her clan's history that ever had such large or powerful reserves, nor a member that really stood out individually. But then, Ino recalled how the Yamanaka Clan had never been famous compared to most other clans during the Warring States era until they partnered up with the Nara and Akimichi.
But, unlike the Yamanaka, the Akimichi Clan had been quite famous even before their union - which went without saying when quite a few cooked for countless nobles over the centuries, usually as the head chef, and could turn into giants - and it was one of reasons why they were one of the Four Noble Clans of Konoha. The Nara being who they were did their best to stay out of the limelight with their above average intelligence and strategic minds, and for centuries they did so successful until the odd duck that lead them agreed to the partnership.
Suffice to say that in the beginning, many at the time hadn't been too keen on the alliance despite never coming into conflict with each other, which was a rare but not unheard of instance. But it hadn't been a popular notion since it resulted in other clans gunning for them, and breaking off would only serve in having two other clans targeting them in addition. Smart and innovative as they were, and deadly as their techniques could be when called for, the Nara Clan's members weren't powerhouses and were chronic layabouts.
"At least he was remembered, even if it wasn't all that fondly," she remembered Shika telling her.
"But forget that for now and bring up your Status Windows. Blondie, I believe you and Hinata just levelled up?"
"Yep!" Ino's ego rose. It took her five gruelling weeks of back breaking labour but she was now at level fifteen!
"Wouldn't exactly celebrate. Your growth rate is better than before but not as fast as the Gaki's," the comment had Ino ego's deflate like a leaky balloon.
"You realize that as a team any EXP we get is reduced, and we've been sticking to the Zombie Dungeon, too?" Naruto's comments only served make Anko blush with embarrassment and earn her ire. She did forget that bit.
"You know what happens when you ruin my fun," the evil glint in her eye had Naruto mentally kicking himself, "Besides, phase one of my plan was to bring up their endurance and get 'em combat experience so they can be ready for phase two. But bring up your Status Windows anyway and tell me what you see."
"You mean aside from Naruto's VIT and END being ridiculously higher than all of ours combined?" Ino snarked, and still felt that was bullshit.
"Okay, we've already established him as a stamina monster, so let's move on. What else do you see?" Anko asked seriously.
"All power and little finesse," was Ino's earnest response.
"Bingo! His physical stats are high or crazy high but not so much the ones that focus on brains. While you two are the opposite and have lower stats that are much more well balanced. Now, windows up!" Anko ordered once more.
Status Window
Name: Hyuga Hinata
Job: Genin
Level: 15 Next Level: 3%/100%
HP: 825
CP: 1050
STR: 15
VIT: 33
END: 42
DEX: 43
INT: 58
WIS: 52
CHA: 16
LUK: 15
DEF: 10
Attribute Points: 8
Common Perk Points: 1
Special Perk Points: 0
Status Window
Name: Yamanaka Ino
Job: Genin
Level: 15 Next Level: 11%/100%
HP: 750
CP: 875
STR: 13
VIT: 30
END: 35
DEX: 46
INT: 49
WIS: 44
CHA: 61
LUK: 22
DEF: 10
Attribute Points: 9
Common Perk Points: 1
Special Perk Points: 0
"Hmm, was hoping your END would be higher after all that. Guess it'll have to do," beggars couldn't be choosers, "For now, I want the both of you to put all the AP you have into END. You're gonna need the stamina boost. Gaki, it's up to you but I'd suggest putting some of that AP of yours into your WIS and INT. Missions aren't always gonna be about fighting and the mark of a good shinobi is how well informed and adaptable they are in and outside of combat."
Both kunoichi complied and felt some of the fatigue they accumulated over the course of the day wash away, while Naruto contemplated on which Attribute he should place his own, "What's next?"
"What's next is simple: take these," as the Jonin instructor began passing Hinata and Ino sheets of paper, Naruto instantly recognized them for what they were.
"Chakra papers?"
"Good eye. Like he said this is chakra paper and it'll help determine what your nature affinity is," Anko explained and gave both kunoichi the rundown on the fundamentals behind the results and how to achieve it.
"…Anyone else think that was kinda anti-climactic?" Naruto asked his teammates.
"I'm afraid to answer that," not that Ino was complaining for the change of pace, "So, all we do is channel our chakra into it?" the task was simple enough in her mind and Ino wasn't going to complain.
Both kunoichi concentrated and channelled their chakra into the pieces of paper and with their chakra control being much better than Naruto's when he first attempted the same thing the results were much quicker. For Ino Anko was surprised to see her paper become wet.
Due to her interaction with several Yamanaka, Anko knew that many in Ino's clan had a history when it came to having a lightning affinity. As they were mind manipulators, and the mind itself was powered and control via electrical signals. So, it came as a surprise that she would have the water affinity instead. But then, it wasn't unheard of either for a normally hereditary affinity to skip a generation. However, this was good as water release techniques were excellent when it came to assassination techniques, especially silent ones. When it came to lightning not so much.
For Hinata she was genuinely surprised to see it crinkle up. Compared to the Yamanaka Anko had little knowledge on the Hyuga except for the basics. The woman had been informed by Kurenai that the most common element was actually Earth and Fire. However, lightning release techniques required very precise amounts of control and Hinata had the best control out of the entire group.
"Alright, we got a water user and a lightning user," Anko mused and frowned lightly, "Unfortunately, I'm an Earth and Fire Release user so I can't help you all that much with your affinities. But on the plus side you two have affinities that are great for very versatile and powerful combination attacks."
"Versatile?" Ino asked.
"Lightning is considered by many as one of the most, if not the most powerful primary element because of its destructive capabilities," it was a debate that many still had to this day, "The only problem is that lightning attacks are pretty much linear and hard to control which direction you want it to go in. With a large amount of practice you'll be able to make it change direction but even the experts of Raiton have trouble doing this. That's where water comes into play. Suiton is the most fluid of the elements and can change its direction on whim. Water's also a good electrical conductor which means that combining lightning with it will make it stronger and more versatile."
"But isn't that good?" Hinata asked.
Here Anko sheepishly scratched her head as she explained the problem, "Yeah… but next to wind, lightning is kinda uncommon in Hi no Kuni," Anko knew that were this Kaminari no Kuni it would be different. However, Konoha and Kumo still weren't on the best terms ever since the Hyuga Incident. Relations were slowly on the mend but many in Konoha were slow to forgive and forget. She didn't blame them.
"So, how do we fix this?" Ino asked. She didn't doubt that some in her clan knew the odd elemental ninjutsu but it was uncommon stuff. Her clan specialized in mind manipulation, making poisons, and infiltration. Elemental ninjutsu much like Taijutsu had never been one of her clan's fortes or more commonly practiced skills.
"Ano, my clan doesn't really approve of using anything other than our fighting style," Hinata held her head low and caused Anko to groan. It was no secret had much the Hyuga Clan prided themselves on their famous Gentle Fist fighting style. Which was understandable as it was a powerful and deadly fighting style. Learning medical ninjutsu was one thing but learning another fighting style was something completely different.
Despite its name Anko heard that the Gentle Fist had several mid and long ranged techniques. Techniques that were both offensive and defensive and all revolved around incredible forms of chakra manipulation and control. The only problem was that Hinata's skill was nowhere near the level needed to use those kinds of techniques as they were likely in the upper echelon of the Juken.
"We'll cross that bridge when it comes to it," Anko didn't really want to deal with political bullshit but she was tasked with keeping her students alive and that's what she was setting out to do, "For now let's head to the Konoha Library."
"The what?" Naruto asked.
"You seriously don't know what that is?" Ino practically shouted in disbelief, "The library is where Konoha keeps most of its information. From basic culinary and repairs to information on certain ninja techniques and tools."
"Wait, they have ninjutsu?!" Naruto suddenly asked; a glint in his eyes.
Ino rolled her eyes as Naruto began fantasizing, "If you paid attention in class you'd also know that Academy Students and Genin are limited in what they can learn from the library and the stuff available here is pretty limited. Anything that's classified as Chunin and above requires us to go to the Archive Library at the Hokage Tower. We need to be Chunin or have special permission to enter there," Naruto visibly slumped at that.
"Ah, man," Naruto whined. The prospect of learning a bunch of potential techniques had gone up in smoke.
"Yeah, that reminds me. Before you try to learn anything let me see it first so I know if they have a copy or if I need to make one," Anko said. "Last thing I want is for you to learn something and it's all the information we have on it."
Ino huffed at that. Another useful ability she would have called Naruto out on had she not learned that she, too, as his teammate benefited from this ability. What took such a long time for others took seconds for them. Was it unfair? Hell yes!
"But who cares and sucks to be them!" Ino could only imagine herself standing and gloating over a defeated Sakura.
Seeing her look, Naruto could only shake his head as the group made their way to the building, "She's spending way too much time with Anko."
XxX
"Okay, let's see what we got here," Anko browsed through the scrolls that her team would be allowed to look at. A little over twenty minutes had passed since they arrived and fortunately for them the library was practically deserted. Some of them were basic and not that great but it would help them get a better idea when they started learning the more complex stuff.
For Ino and Hinata, Anko was looking for basic information on their nature affinity and how to better teach them. Keitai Henka (Shape Transformation) and Seishitsu Henka (Nature Transformation) wouldn't be made available for them until after they got a decent grasp of the basics. Converting one's chakra into an element was easy compared to mastering Nature Transformation as the latter was a much more complex art form. It was general learned when one wished to create their own personal technique or change the properties of an existing one.
Such a thing was out of their league at the moment, but both would need to learn some elemental ninjutsu if they were to survive. She counted her blessings that Naruto's ability allowed them to learn techniques instantly and it would greatly speed things up. However, Anko knew that Naruto had both a natural knack for elemental ninjutsu and had more chakra compared to Ino and Hinata.
"I wouldn't be surprised if that ability lets him or us bypass the need for Shape Transformation and Nature Transformation in the first place," or at the very least accelerate it.
As she continued to look, Anko spotted a scroll that she knew would benefit Hinata: Novice Medical Ninjutsu. She took the scroll and gave it a once over. Anko herself knew a bit about medicine and some minor medical ninjutsu but it was more so on less than serious injuries such as burns, cuts, bruises, and fatigue. The more advanced stuff she knew was on how to extract certain poisons and making antidotes than anything else. While the scroll held basic information on medical ninjutsu Anko knew that even the basics of the art were very complex and one needed a certain knack for it to go beyond the basics.
As Anko continued her search for scrolls for Ino and Hinata, Naruto was looking through a series of scrolls himself. In this cases the scrolls he was looking at were Taijutsu ones. True his fighting style focused on Ninjutsu, Fuinjutsu and Kenjutsu, but Anko said he was he really needed find a more advanced fighting Taijutsu than the academy one just in case. The only problem was that his choice was limited and many of the Taijutsu had requirements that he didn't fulfill or conflicted with his fighting styles.
"Novice Tekken (Iron Fist) a hard type fighting style that revolves mostly on ones' fists and using it in various ways such as knifehanded chops, spearhanded thrusts, and various fist-like techniques. The style requires one to break, calcify and strengthen the bones in their arms and fists to increase the effectiveness and power. Alternatively, a person with an Earth affinity could channel Doton chakra to strengthen their arms instead. As a result the moves would be more powerful, but they'd also be slower and slightly more predictable and sluggish until they reached a certain level. Nope!" Again, and just like Hayate constantly repeated, unless the tactic was meant to fool the opponent, a ninja and a swordsman must constantly be moving. A slow fighter was a dead one. Honestly, Naruto was starting to get annoyed. That had been his sixth scroll.
None of the scrolls he found felt right to him or he felt would complement his fighting style. The last ones were known as Judo (Gentle Way) and Hikaken (Chop Hanging Fists). The latter one being based somewhat off the Hyuga's Clans Juken (Gentle Fist).
The other problem with the one he just read was that while Naruto knew some Earth Release techniques, he didn't have an Earth affinity that was also required, and he wasn't too keen on breaking his bones even if would allow Hinata some practice.
The fact that it relied heavily on punches and had little use of his legs was a no go too. Fists were fine and all but Hayate and Yugao had told him that a ninja used every part of their body as a weapon.
"Knowing Ino she'd have me owe her a favour every time I'd need healing," the girl had been asked to be the backup healer just in case but Naruto didn't believe someone who was starting to develop their own sadistic streak should be in the business of healing others. It was nowhere as bad as Anko but he had the impression she'd get there eventually the way they got along. Naruto didn't need another Witch Doctor on his ass.
Taking out another scroll Naruto began to read it, "Novice Shishi Kumite (Eight Limbs Kata). The teachings of this Taijutsu style revolves on how to deliver and perform devastating and swift blows with their fists, elbows, knees, and kicks. Grappling also plays an important role as to not only prevent one's opponent from breaking free while strikes are being landed on them but for using certain techniques at their fullest," so far Naruto was intrigued by the Taijutsu, more so than the others anyway.
"Sorry, boss. The only decent ninjutsu we could find that are accessible were the Futon: Daitoppa no Jutsu (Wind Release: Great Breakthrough Technique) and Ninpo: Chakra Nagashi no Jutsu (Ninja Art: Chakra Flow Technique)," the latter of which he already knew and the first was unnecessary since he already knew similar techniques.
Naruto told them to put them back and then had the clones disappear in a poof of smoke. Finding at least one scroll wasn't a total loss but Naruto would be lying if he said he wasn't disappointed at the moment. Nowhere near the greatest of finds but at least he didn't leave with nothing.
Naruto continued to search for a while longer before Hinata informed him that that Anko was looking for them. Unlike him the two kunoichi were carrying a small amount of scrolls. Naruto was really starting to hate the limitations that Genin had when it came to learning new techniques. Then again it made sense as well as some Genin tended to do too much too soon.
"Okay, give 'em here and let's see what you have for me," Anko ordered and then proceeded to go over the scrolls they had. For the scrolls she accepted, Anko placed them on the left, and vice versa in the opposite direction with those she thought otherwise.
"So six scrolls in total," Anko wished it had been more but wasn't a bad number, "Guess we'll have to make the most of it. Sorry you couldn't find more, Gaki. No luck on my end either. At least you know more than the Academy Taijutsu. Good choice on the Raiton: Jibashi (Lighting Release: Electromagnetic Murder), Pale Eyes. It's basic but as you get better it can get pretty nasty," Anko said and handed her two other scrolls.
"What's this?" Hinata asked.
"A scroll on basic medical ninjutsu, and a scroll on the Raiso no Jutsu (Lightning Claw)," Anko answered, "Like I said before, you're gonna be team medic so its time you learned some more advanced healing skills. Not that the healing from your meals isn't something to gawk at."
On that both Ino and Naruto could agree. Hinata had shown up one day with boxes of bentos and while simple in appearance good God had that been one of best eats they ever had. They soon learned that Hinata's [Cooking Skill] was at a level well above someone her age and as a result her dishes gave them decent temporary buffs alongside their healing properties. But fighting wasn't turned based where they could eat a meal and then force the enemy to wait their turn.
"The latter technique you have is a D-Rank technique. It's similar to the Chakra Flow technique but for your arms and hands instead of a weapon. It's not deadly but it can delivery a nasty shock that can cause your opponent's muscles to spasms and can even cause temporary paralysis and even incapacitate them once you get the hang of it. It requires a good amount of control so be sure you're up to it unless you wanna fry up your arms."
"And what about me?" Ino asked.
"For you I got you a Taijutsu style called Rankyaku (Violent Legs). Short and sweet version is that it has a high emphasize on speed, flexibility and using your legs to attack while using your upper body to help perform some moves. With your natural grace I thought it suited you," Anko said. The woman also had the intent to teach her a bit of contortionism as well as some grappling moves to complement the fighting style, too, for defensive purposes.
Much like her former master, Anko's fighting style was based around speed, deception and precision compared to Naruto's power-based fighting style despite learning and knowing the basics of the Konoha Kenjutsu-Ryu.
"Of course, we're gonna have to increase your DEX and STR to make it more effective, but that means nothing if your body can't keep up with the strain so make sure you continue to push yourself. Your perk will give you an easier time learning it but we're still gonna have to work on your flexibility and speed," she grinned and Ino began to worry. From the way the fighting style sounded Ino had the impression her legs were going to reach untold heights of pain.
"Aside from that I think you'll benefit from the Shisui (Dead Water) and Suiben (Water Whip). The first is a technique that envelopes the victim's head with foul water but it requires a fair amount of control and physical contact with their head. Break it and the technique will fall apart. Overtime you might be able to turn it into poisoned water. The second's a mid to long range technique meant to ensnare your opponent but it works better when used alongside lightning techniques or with a group. There are a couple of others but focus on mastering those first," Anko finished her explanation.
"Wouldn't it make more sense to learn them now alongside the other ones?" Ino asked.
"I've honestly never seen the point in learning a technique you're not gonna really use nor will it compliment your fighting style or be of use down the line," Anko told her student, "Better to know a few techniques, master them, and then go about improving them into something else when you have a clear understanding then learning a dozen techniques that go to waste because you don't end up using them."
"Arf!"
"Sorry Poochie. Not much on the subject of how to train/raise your ninken," Anko told the deflating ninja dog.
Soon after the woman grabbed copies from one of the workers, and made one copy of the Shishi Kumite. The woman then lead her team towards one of the previous training grounds Naruto used over the last few months. After they each absorbed the scrolls and learned the skill they held, Anko revealed the next phase of her plan.
"Now, while your stamina isn't quite what I'd like it to be even with the recent boost, we'll have to make do for the time being," once more she directed this towards Hinata and Ino, "So, for now we're gonna be working on both stamina and speed."
"Why didn't we do this before?"
"We did, just not as intensely since you two weren't ready. Naruto introduced me to this place a while back and I can honestly say you wouldn't have lasted five minutes. You two going in there five weeks ago would have done nothing more than piss you off," and had Naruto not conquered the dungeon then there's a good chance they'd have died on a permanent basis, "But enough chatter. Gaki, you mind sitting this one out? Hayate's free at the moment and asked if you'd have time to go spar with him?"
"Fine by me," it had been a while since he trained with the man anyway.
"See you in a bit. Let's go you two! We'll be doing this for the next two weeks or more until I feel you're ready for your first C-Rank," which would likely be closer to four or five depending on how long they trained in the dungeon.
Much like they were used to the world flashed a brilliant white before they arrived at their destination. But Ino was far from pleased by where they arrived and easily and loudly voiced her displeasure.
"Dear, God! How the hell are we in a desert!" High above them the sun shinned brighter and hotter than any day in Hi no Kuni and the haze coming from the shifting sands didn't help things either.
"Training Ground One to Five simulates the primary elements. This is Training Ground Three and not only does it simulate the wind element but also the harsh and unforgiving environment of Kaze no Kuni, too. Now, the goal for you two is simple. Keep moving until you can't move anymore, and then keep moving some more until I say you can stop," Anko finished by throwing two balls that covered the two kunoichi with a syrupy and unpleasant smelling fluid.
"Eww, Kami! What the hell is this?" Ino winced when she accidentally pulled out a strand of her hair.
"Monster bait," Anko answered, "Naruto whipped this up so dungeon enemies would attack each other if covered in it. Now, you two are covered in it."
Seeing both of them looking around, Anko stopped that train of thought, "As you can see, this place has a few decent spots to hide but that's not the goal here. These monsters are gonna come at you and fast and your goal is to try and match 'em and take 'em out quickly. Oh, here they come."
"Are those…Kamaitachi?" Hinata asked. They looked cute.
"Trust me, they may look cute but those little deceiving little bastards are quick and nasty, but that's not all," Anko didn't need to finish her sentence as the small creatures took to the air and began performing aerial maneuvers one simply couldn't with an ordinary jump.
"They can fly," Ino deadpanned, "Great. Just great."
"They can fly. They can throw blades of wind. They can evade quickly and hide in the sand. They can do a lot of stuff that will piss you off. And, since you need to move quickly in this blazing hot environement, you'll run out of steam much more quickly than usual. So, be quick, be smart, be ready," Anko cackled as the first Kamaitachi made its first move and kicked up a large amount of sand that clouded their vision.
This was neither going to be easy nor pleasant.
XxX
"Mikazuki no Mai (Dance of the Crescent Moon)!" swinging his sword alongside his clones, Naruto once more came up short. The trio of blonds were pushed back by the considerable force behind Hayate's counter.
"Not fast enough and timing was off. Again!" Hayate ordered.
Naruto frowned but complied. The Mikazuki no Mai was one of the better techniques of the Konoha Kenjutsu-Ryu, but it was also one of the hardest to pull off correctly. Speed and ensuring you were attacking the enemy's blind spot and having the right timing were especially crucial. The original and the clones had to be in sync or it would give the target a chance to escape or evade.
Naruto had seen first hand how devastating the technique could be if pulled off properly. A single hit from Hayate to a dummy was enough to send it flying with a nasty gash. Hayate and his two clones striking the target either guaranteed an instant kill or left them devastated. Even if the target somehow survived being cut by the blade, the force behind it was incredible.
|Warning!|
|This is your final attempt!|
"No wonder it's marked as an A-Rank technique," the degree of difficulty in learning the move was unlike anything he learned before. Focusing once more, Naruto and his clones rushed Hayate at full speed. But even with the use of Hayagake (Rapid Run) and him pushing himself to his absolute limit he once more ended up back to where they began.
"Your timing was *cough* better that time but still off. Your speed also isn't fast enough despite that technique of yours. Even with a lighter sword it still wouldn't be enough," Hayate informed the boy.
Naruto sighed and ignored the failed message quest pop up floating invisibly in front of Hayate's face. The message was a rare occurrence but still not one he'd like to see. Not bothering to move from his spot, Naruto pulled out a whetstone and began to sharpen his sword like Hayate taught him.
"Don't get discouraged, Naruto. It took me years to get the technique down," Hayate told him.
But Naruto gave the man a look, "You're humouring me, aren't you?"
"Yes."
"Well, you suck at it," Naruto told him and went back to sharpening his sword.
"Not everyone is a prodigy. Just like not every style or weapon is meant for one particular person. How else would have other schools been founded?"
"I guess," it made sense, "Hayate-sensei, what made you want to specialize in kenjutsu anyway?"
"Why the *cough* sudden interest?" Hayate asked in return.
"No real reason. I mean, a lot of ninja begin to specialize in something at some point. I was just wondering what I should specialize in," Naruto answered.
The swordsman couldn't help but cock an eyebrow at what he believed was obvious, "Weren't you interested in ninjutsu?"
"Yeah… but, isn't that too predictable? I mean, I'm good at it but what if I begin to focus too much on that and neglect my other skills over time?" it happened.
"First of all, Anko and I would never allow that," Naruto already feel the phantom pains from the future, "Plus… you could try and specialize in Ninkenjustu (Ninja Sword Techniques)."
"Ninkenjutsu?"
"It's when a shinobi specializes in a fighting style that blends both ninjutsu and swordsmanship into one," Hayate elaborated, "Konoha doesn't really have anyone who uses it compared to Kumo's shinobi," who specialized in both Nintaijutsu and Ninkenjutsu, though more so the former than the latter.
"But, don't we use ninjutsu while doing sword techniques?" what was the point then?
Hayate shook his head, "Not exactly. Ninkenjutsu isn't a true school of fighting so much as it is an enhancer. Think of it as condiments you put on ramen like hot sauce, *cough* tamarin, or chillies. You're basically just adding something that you feel will make it better and will ultimately suit you better," Hayate elaborated.
"*cough* Another way of looking at Ninkenjutsu is, short and sweet, you're combining your elemental nature on a very deep level with your swordsmanship skills in order to create new techniques or enhancing the effects of current techniques. And while the basis of its teachings aren't hard to find so much as finding a teacher, Ninkenjutsu requires incredible amounts of chakra in order to make it truly effective. Problem is the amount required is so *cough* high that even Jonin that are considered a cut above don't have. It's not easy to use as you're condensing your chakra, converting it to your elemental affinity at the highest possible level, and covering your weapon and yourself in it, though more so the weapon. It takes a good amount of concentration and multitasking," Hayate revealed.
If Naruto's hunch was right then some of those inconveniences could be bypassed by his Gamer's Body or Gamer's Mind.
"Furthermore, by condensing your cha-*cough*-kra it enhances your body, strengthens your technique and makes it much less likely for you to fall victim to Genjutsu," Naruto knew that since Genjutsu was all about tricking the victim's senses by affecting the chakra in the victim's brain through a variety of ways, it made sense that if the victim's chakra was too powerful or dense to be manipulated, or if the illusion wasn't strong enough to affect said chakra, then it was all for naught.
"But by condensing your chakra so much onto your weapon it begins to weigh you down and your body also become stiffer. Your body's stronger but what you gain in power and durability you lose in speed and reaction. Condensing your chakra is also much easier to do while immobile but as I've taught…"
"A swordsman must always be moving and constantly aware of their surroundings," Naruto recited. In other words, him being immobile went against what he'd been taught and he'd make for an easy target.
"Make no mistake that while the Kōka no Kohō (Hardening Breathing Method) as it's called, is a useful skill, this doesn't make you invulnerable and it's not easy to learn. Think of it like this. For most people their chakra is comparable to water: fluid and easy to work with. While for others it's more like sand, a bit denser but still workable if you have the proper control. The Kōka no Kohō on the other hand makes your chakra more comparable to mud and or cement that you have to try and squeeze out through a series of small holes very quickly. It'll become easier for you the more you practice and use it in real combat situations to the point its weakness is eliminated like any other technique but unfortunately the more chakra you have means the more difficult that will be to achieve. Even with those with excellent chakra control it's not something that goes away overnight, which is why practitioners are imperceptibly non-existent. I wouldn't know where to look for one," the man revealed. Kumo was more famed for their Nintaijutsu as they managed to find a way to eliminate much of the drawbacks.
"So there's no actual fighting style and there's no actual teacher I can learn this from?" well, that sucked.
"Kumo would debate that theirs is an actual school, but that's neither here nor there… Actually, there's one. Not a teacher mind you but there is a one fighting style that's revolves around Ninkenjutsu. Remember our talk about the Blackships of the Land?"
"You mean the swordsmanship styles that were part truth and part fairy tale?" was Naruto's vague recollection of that conversation.
"Precisely. *cough* Now, while some of those fighting styles had techniques that could be categorized as Ninkenjutsu, the one that focused purely on that concept and is likely the very first Ninkenjutsu style that came into existence was the Tengu Oroshi-Ryu (Heavenly Dog's Katabanic Wind Style). Supposedly it was a *cough* style that combined powerful and mercurial move-sets and high intensity winds. Some versions even claimed the users could fly or at least appeared to be flying."
Naruto was liking it so far.
"But, of course, it is just a legend. And tales claim that not only did you need to be talented or very attuned in the wind element but only the best of swords comparable to the Tenka Juken (Ten Greatest Swords under Heaven) could withstand the strain it put them under," Hayate elaborated.
"Tenka Juken?"
"The best swords that were around in the era of Warring States. Very powerful and unique special swords," Hayate informed the ignorant Genin.
"Okay… What made them so special?" even a blind man would notice Hayate's look at the mention of the swords.
"Aside *cough* from being used by famed ninja and sworsdmen they were made by equally famous blacksmiths. The swords are said to have unique abilities not unlike those belonging to the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist but much more varied and potent. But aside from a few exception I wouldn't really call what they have swords," a roll of exploding paper, a blue grater taller than a man, and a hammer and axe weren't swords in not only Hayate's opinion, "Anyway, much like the weap-*cough*-ons belonging to the Seven Swordsmen, few have ever been able to make swords that rival the Tenka Juken. Not surprising as some stories say that they that they were all made from unique chakra metals and from master smiths that you can't find in this day and age. Some were believed to have been made from Hihi'irokane (Brilliant Scarlet Metal), the rarest and most sought *cough* after of them all."
"And what's so special about that?"
"There are three top chakra metal ores in this world: Hihi'irokane, Yosokane (Elemental Metal) or Elementium *cough* as some call it, and Kongokane (Adamant Metal). This sword I'm carrying has been in my family for generations. The sword's worth because of its history and who *cough* made it make brings it close to 500,000 ryo, and that's from a mixture of tamahagane and basic chakra metal," Naruto blinked at the reveal. Talk about a pricy sword despite its unassuming appearance and average length.
"A sword made from Elementium or Adamant will never dull, will never break, will never rust, and at a minimum is worth almost fifty times more than my family blade. Longer and thicker blades are even more expensive. Swords like that are enough to set you up for four or five generations of luxury. Hihi'irokane is the best one of the three and a weapon made from that metal and shaped into a weapon of the same size as the other two is easily two or three times more expensive. Finding Hihi'irokane is a task onto itself. And even if you have the astronomical luck of finding some, it can only be forged into weapons using special methods. The art of doing is pretty much a dead one and those who know it are either very tight lip or no longer with us. What I would give to at least hold one in my hands. Hashirama-sama and Madara-sama had such swords but both of them became lost."
"Who?"
The comment earned him a smack on the head, "The founders of Konoha!"
"I meant the second one!" Hashirama he knew about but at the mention of Madara Naruto drew a blank.
"Hashirama-sama's greatest rival, and Konoha's first *cough* missing ninja and a former Head of the Uchiha Clan. Hashirama-sama was said to have used Yawarakai-Te (Tender Hands) despite his skill as a swordsman being second to his younger brother. The blade was said that it would only cut when asked by the wielder," Hayate practically gushed at the mere mention of it.
"What's so great about that?"
"Imagine a hostage and captor situation with the captor holding a kunai to the hostage's neck. You could use the sword to stab the heart of both of them at the same time but only the captor would be injured," that last bit was actually pretty useful, Naruto had to admit.
"Now Madara-sama on the other hand wielded his family blade Juchi-Yosamu (Ten Thousand Cold Nights), rumoured to be a powerful but cursed blade that cut anything indiscriminately, and with the outmost ease," although the man was known more for his use of the Gunbai it was mostly because he only ever used the sword against those he felt worthy, of which there were very few, "It was said that unless you had a very strong will even the smallest of cuts from it made you feel depressed or as though you'd just been standing outside in the cold with nothing on. Regrettably, Tobirama-sama is said *cough* to have hid Hashirama's sword when the Shodai died during the First Shinobi World War and its whereabouts are believed to have become lost when he himself died years later. Juchi-Yosamu was deemed lost during the battle that resulted in the Valley of the End when Madara rebelled."
"I can vouch for that," a voice behind Naruto announced.
"AHHH! Will you stop that!" Naruto shouted at the grinning kunoichi that was Anko. Whirling around, Naruto saw the bemused face of his sword instructor, "Why didn't you say anything?"
"I wanted to see if you'd notice," Hayate shrugged, "By the way, Anko, are they okay?"
Looking past his mentor, Naruto winced at the sight and could only say, "So, should I ask?"
"No…com…ment," Ino managed to huff out a finish. She had been right. Her body was now feeling those untold levels of pain. God she hated being right.
Naruto would have said something along the lines of 'Now you know how I felt' to the breathless blonde. But that would have been a lie. The dungeon had pushed him in terms of speed and many a times he had to focus on finding the hidden flying rodents, but he had only been a bit winded due being unused to the heat than the actual physical exertion.
"Ev…very… thing… hu-urts…" Naruto heard Hinata whimper and the Hyuga didn't look any better than her fellow kunoichi.
Looking at the time, Naruto realized they had been in the dungeon for almost four hours, "How'd they do?"
"Didn't reach the end goal but give me a week or two and they'll be decent," was all Anko could say in present company.
"You sound confident," Hayate believed it was a lofty goal to achieve in such a short amount of time.
"I have faith my girls can do it," Anko smiled and Naruto could only feel sorry for his teammates, "If you have the energy to flip me off then we can continue, Blondie."
"Ughh…" Ino knew that without a doubt that these next couple of weeks were gonna suck and suck big time.
"Rest up and start healing, Pale Eyes. We're going back at it in a couple of hours," Ino and Hinata could only look at their instructor in pure horror.
"Can't you… just… put us … out of our… misery?" Anko, Naruto, Hayate, Hotto, and even Hinata merely gave Ino a look that had the Yamanaka realize just how dumb of a question that was.
"Right, sadist," and Ino whined when it sunk in.
"So, backtracking a bit, how do you know?" Naruto asked.
"Hmm?" It took a second for Anko to remember the initial conversation, "Oh, right. My asshole of a sensei was a borderline sword master and at one point in his life he was keen on finding the Uchiha sword before he became more interested in another. It wasn't ranked amoung the top ten but he said that didn't mean it shouldn't be discounted either. Pretty secretive about so I never did learn the name of the blade and I don't know if he ever found it. But I did hear he managed to find the Kusanagi no Tsurugi (Grass-mowing Longsword) instead."
"And that's bad, right?"
"It's sword that many have dubbed the Musudoku no Ken (Sword of Countless Poisons) a very deadly blade with the ability to replicate any poison in existence and extend its blade's range. But it could be a lot worse," Hayate interjected, "The Kusanagi no Tsurugi isn't in the top ten but at one point it used to be when it and Murakumo (Gathering Clouds) were once a single sword known as Amenomurakumo no Tsurugi (Heavenly Sword of the Gathering Clouds). It was a powerful blade believed to have been ranked as the number one sword in existence but it was more akin to a natural disaster, which is why it was split into two lesser but still deadly swords… or so they say."
"No one knows if that bit of the story is true though."
"The story's been around for almost a thousand years, Anko," embellishment and mixed up truth was not unheard for such a lengthy period of time.
"True," Anko nodded and would not dispute that, "Anyway, I've got a favour to ask you and Yugao.
"Train Naruto?"
"If you could for the next couple of weeks. It would only be for a couple hours a day while I get these two up to speed," Anko asked.
"It can't be that bad?"
"They don't teach students tree walking or how to walk on water," Anko revealed.
"…You're being serious aren't you?"
"I really wish I wasn't," Anko looked both depressed and ready to throttle someone. Naruto was glad Iruka-sensei wasn't with them at the moment.
Hayate sighed and shook his head but looked at his friend, "Just a couple of hours?"
"That's it, and it wouldn't even be every day either. Gotta teach him and the pooch a few things," she reassured.
"And what makes you so certain you can accomplish what you need done in two weeks?"
Anko merely laughed, "Please! Give me a week or two and I'll have 'em accomplishing what normally takes five weeks to do."
"…That didn't really answer my question, Anko," that was more boastful than it was insightful.
"Wanna make a bet?" Her smile could turn fire into water.
"No!" Hayate learned his lesson from last time. Even a sure-fire bet wasn't safe with Anko. The woman cheated, "We're good."
"Aww, you're no fun," Anko pouted.
"And you're crazy," Hayate and a few others thought. Looking back towards Naruto, Hayate spotted him playing with his ninken and a thought came to him.
"Naruto, how well in tune are you with Hotto?" the Jonin got confused looks from ninja and ninken alike as his answer.
(Two Weeks Later)
"I DON'T WANNA DIE!" Naruto screamed at the top of his lungs.
Under branch and over stone did the boy try to run as far away from the predator behind him that was hot on his heels and it was coming in fast. Alpha Raptor was its name, a creature from a new dungeon he recently gained access enemy was slightly taller than himself but also vicious, fast, stealthy and had a powerful sense of smell. Worst of all, they were highly intelligent, too, compared to most dungeon monsters he faced. Naruto was fast, faster still with Hayagake but these things had had five levels on him and their perks and powerful legs enabled them to run at frightening speeds.
Fortunately, Naruto was able to deal with the grunts of the group with some well place ninjutsu. But then the last dying member triggered a move that summoned the local alpha. The enemy was larger, faster, stronger. Worse yet, it could call its own reinforcements, too.
"Gshaaaaa!" the leader of the pack hissed/screeched at him. Behind it were two smaller members. Their fangs were bloody from a recent kill.
"Nice raptors! Good raptors!" Naruto was only met with more hissing and was forced to dive when the alpha pounced on him. Right where he wanted them.
"SUCKER!" Naruto grinned as his the large creature was barrelled into by an even bigger Hottomaru. Both beasts grappled with the other but Hotto's build gave the enlarged ninken a great advantage compared to the ancient bipedal lizard.
Distracted by the sudden appearance of the large fur clad creature, the Alpha Raptor's much smaller minions couldn't react quickly enough to Naruto's move, "Bakuchikuha (Firecracker Wave)!"
While the Fuinjutsu skill he earned from the Earth Dungeon didn't cause any damage to its intended targets, it remained very useful as a weapon's attachment that served to scare as well as make [Animal-Type] enemies flinch. And it allowed him set up his next moves.
"Kagero (Heat Haze)!" The new sword skill he learned from Hayate had Naruto appear above the duo of immobilized raptors in a frightening burst of speed. The move was very short ranged, only five feet, but made for a decent sneak/counter-attack.
"Banrai (Heavy Thunder)!" The vertical slash, though it was horizontal from Naruto's point of view, sent one of the raptor's crashing to the ground while the other went skidding a considerable distance away thanks to the technique being enhanced by a couple other skills. Unlike Kagero, Banrai was nothing more a basic D-Rank technique utilized by heavy blade wielders. It wasn't fancy but the technique caused a decent amount of damage and had an increased likelihood of knocking the target down or pushback depending on circumstances.
With both ancient reptiles down and even more vulnerable than before, Naruto's intent to finish them off was cut short by a sudden and very much unwanted arrival. The battling group froze as a loud roar unlike any other - at best Naruto believed part of it sounded like a high pitched grinding machine - thunderously rocked the area. The beasts - Hotto included - remained immobile.
The beast that can crashing through the dense forest with all the grace of a raging bull was incredibly large. Its size was almost comparable to Midori's own, though the summon of Anko was much longer. But even then Midori lacked the fierce and savage appearance of this primordial creature.
Its hind legs looked powerful and muscular, while its arms were the exact opposite: small and useless compared to those used by the raptors. The face and jaws were covered in sturdy plating strong enough that Naruto had the impression his sword would simply bounce off even if he used all his strength.
Dark red scales covered the rest of its body while two rows of blue, bony plates that resembled countless twisting horns ran along its back, from the eyes to the tail. The creature was certainly unique in appearance but none more so than the eye catching sword-like tail that made Tetsu's Zanma look like a toothpick by comparison. The sun bounced off the tail that shined as though it were newly polished and cleaned of all grime and whatever else once littered its deadly edge.
Status Window
Name: The Heavy Cutting Monster of the Primordial World, Glavenus (Elite Rare Spawn)
Level: ?
HP: ?
CP: ?
STR: ?
VIT: ?
END: ?
DEX: ?
INT: ?
WIS: ?
CHA: ?
LUK: ?
DEF: ?
Description: ?
"Fuck me," was a very accurate way, perhaps the only way, that Naruto could describe his current predicament.
"HrrraaAAWWWGGHHH!"
Despite its enormous size and heavyset built, the creature was able to jump into the air at a considerable height and position its body to bring down its massive sword like tail with all the force of a falling meteor. The impact had Naruto fall flat on his ass and the sheer force behind it kicked up a great deal of dust that served to blind Naruto to his foe's location, which was never a good thing for anyone while in fight.
Hayate and Anko had stressed that a ninja not only needed to keep an eye out on their surroundings but most importantly ensured that they kept track of their foe, too. The moment you lost sight of them spelled danger and possibly death if you weren't quick enough. Fortunately, the large dinosaur-like creature wasn't built for stealth if the thundering sound of its heavy steps were anything to go by.
"Hotto! Get out of here!" Naruto ordered. The fear of his ninken dying was abated since this was an [Instant Dungeon] so even if either was killed neither ninja nor ninken would stay dead but even then it was an experience they to could go without. Plus this was the best dungeon to earn EXP at the moment. Dying would only serve to reduce everything they earned back to zero and then they'd be forced to wait for the penalty to subside.
"Doton: Gantetsu Doran no Jutsu (Earth Release: Iron Rock Earth Riot Technique)!"
Around him in a three meter radius were deadly spears of iron tough rock ready and willing to skewer any foolish enough to come near him the moment they made a move. The more logical decision would be to run away, but with their current level difference Naruto would likely die in a single slash of its tail if he made one wrong move. The creature needed to be slowed down to give him and Hotto enough time to escape a considerable distance that it wouldn't be worth chasing.
But the creature was smarter than Naruto gave it credit, "Oh, come on!"
Abandoning his position, Naruto watched as a great big glob of molten fire struck his previous location and was forced to cover his eyes when the fiery loogie violently exploded and showered the area with sticky, stinging bits.
"Ow!" Brushing off the cause of his discomfort, Naruto just barely managed to pull off a Kagero to appear above the creature that tried to slice him in two. But the suddenness of it didn't allow Naruto time to properly maneuver himself for a decent counter-attack. Instead, the blond found himself holding onto dear life as the bellowing beast became a bucking bronco.
The wild thrashing was highly disorienting and more than once Naruto found various sections of his head making contact with the hard rows that lined the creature's back whenever it jumped and suddenly spun around. So focused and so intent was it on getting Naruto off its back did it fail to notice the charge of an angry three horned quadruped with a large bony frill on its head. The apparently fearless creature barrelled into the large predator's leg and both it and Naruto fell down to earth with a loud and resounding thud, Naruto being thrown from its back from the beast.
"BARK!"
Raising his head from the dirt, Naruto saw the welcoming face of Hotto greeting him and Naruto quickly put two and two together, "Thanks, boy. With the big brute distracted we might be able to-"
"Buhwaaaahh!"
Both ninja and ninken looked to the origin of frightened cry and were speechless and could only look on in disbelief as the large tri-horned creature was lifted into the air by its head, its tail raised to the sky, and by Glavenus using only its mouth. Higher and higher it raised the frightened creature until its fear came to a horrible end when its captor brutally slammed it into the ground with such intense ferocity that the earth gave into the incredible force it was subjected to and the prone form of the triceratops became deeply embedded into the broken ground.
Neither Naruto nor Hotto were anywhere in sight when the dust settled to reveal the elite creature feasting on its attacker. Sometime later both Konoha inhabitants were now safely hidden in an unoccupied cavern a considerable distance away. Even if the creature found them the entrance to their current hiding place was too small and narrow for it to fit through and the rocks likely too thick and too deep even for one with considerable strength such as it.
Taking it as a sign for a break, Naruto and Hottomaru enjoyed each others company as they munched on some food. A sense of déjà vu overcame him and this reminded Naruto of the time he and Hotto had dealt with the Legion Zombie some couple of months ago… or was it a few months?
"Man that time control difference still confuses me," Naruto honestly couldn't remember the exact date of the event. What Naruto did remember of that time was that he had no intention of staying in the academy for one more year if he somehow failed after all he accomplished. Fortunately, it had never come to pass thanks to Anko.
On the off chance it had, Naruto knew there were dungeons hidden around the world in other places that offered a better challenge. If he couldn't become a ninja, or become Hokage, well, Naruto had always been an adventurist and had often wanted what the world had to offer.
He might not be able to be remembered as a bad ass Hokage, but Naruto would be damned if he didn't make a name for himself and be remembered as a bad ass ninja. There was no rule that said that to be a ninja you had to be affiliate with a village. Problem was that non-village affiliated ninja had their work cut out for them and people were often weary of hiring them as many believed them to be nuke-nin.
Not only that but there were stronger, more powerful and twisted individuals outside Konoha who would easily take advantage of him. Under the tutelage of three gifted teachers he had become stronger, smarter, and better prepared. But even with his gift Naruto lacked the experience such individuals wouldn't.
"What do you think, Hotto," the ninken looked at him, "wanna see the world and travel a bit in the future?"
"Arf!" the ninken was down with that.
"Good boy," the blond grinned at the young pup. When a solid twenty minutes passed and a decent amount of HP and CP recovered, Naruto decided it was high time that they get back to it.
The dungeon was pretty damn big, vast even, and they had only seen a tiny part of it before it was one thing after another until they encountered Glavenus. Naruto hoped the thing dropped a decent sword weapon when he was strong enough to face it. Sure, he could borrow Midori, but that thing was huge, tough and would most likely give her an intense fight. Plus, it wouldn't give him that sense of accomplishment if he did. Hotto was one thing, Midori was another.
"Alright, let's be smart about this. We got about an hour or so before we need to… Hotto? Hey, where'd you go, buddy?"
"Arf! Arf!" Naruto turned around and spotted the ninken deeper in the cave, scratching at something on the wall.
"What is it, bud?" he asked and spotted a slight glimmer coming from the rock face. Unable to make it out, and it was times like this Naruto wished Seishoyo hadn't been destroyed, Naruto quickly went outside and then returned with bundle of branches. Put them all together, Naruto lit them with [Hidama] to make a fire and the glimmer became even greater. What was once a small and sparkling crack in the wall was now a series of shinning rainbow coloured veins in the cavern.
"Ore?" he guessed and used his [Observe]to see if he was right.
Yosokane (Elementium Metal) (Epic Quality - Tier 3)
Item Type: Crafting Material
Durability: One-Time Use
Description: Yosokane, or Elementium as it more commonly called, is one of the rarest forms of natural chakra metal known in existence and the most superconductive when using elemental chakra. The metal is often used to make the deadliest of weapons as it allows one to flow their chakra with no difficulties compared to regular chakra metal along with allowing one to perform other unique feats. However, despite its immense rarity and usefulness, being incredibly lightweight and durable, removing impurities and tempering the metal into a desired form is extremely difficult. Few master weaponsmiths in existence are capable of accomplishing such a task as so few who know the secrets of forging the metal remain, or are willing to share such knowledge.
As Naruto processed the information, his mind temporarily shut down as he realized what he had just found thanks to a stroke of luck. When his brain rebooted the boy couldn't hold in his joy and literally began bouncing off the walls like mad.
"FUCK YEAH!" Naruto couldn't believe his luck at the incredible find.
"New awesome weapon you will soon be….CRAP!" The happiness he felt quickly left him when his mind process something just as important: how to get it out?
The excited blond didn't care that it might be a while before he found someone who could properly forge the rare metal ore into a weapon of his choice. The fact that he found something so valuable, and most likely worth a millions if regular chakra ore was anything to go by, was more than enough for him.
None of that would matter though if he couldn't extract it from its current location.
"…Shit on a stick."
XxX
Two weeks had gone by - though for Anko, Ino and Hinata it was perhaps closer to five - and as Anko had predicted both her kunoichi were up to the standards she felt comfortable with to take on a C-Rank mission. Levelling had slowed down significantly due to their recent levels ups but the point of it all was accomplished and right on time. Now here she was in the Hokage Tower patiently awaiting for her village leader to finish up with whichever group was currently in his office, while her kunoichi were being put through the wringer by a clone of hers in one of the training fields.
Seeing the office door open, Mariko barely opened her mouth and the team was hardly out the door before Anko entered the office. Hiruzen merely blinked at the eccentric kunoichi's sudden appearance, "Anko, good timing, I was just about to send for you."
"Can it wait?" Please say no were her thoughts.
"I'm afraid it can't," he told her.
Damn! Luck was not on her side at the moment.
"It concerns Naruto, Anko," Hiruzen revealed and all childish thoughts and excitement were gone.
"Hokage-sama?"
"What I'm about to reveal can't be repeated unless I give you permission. We believe that Mizuki and his lover and possibly other accomplices we don't know about were involved in framing Naruto," Hiruzen informed her.
"What makes you say that?" Anko had doubts given that on that night several Anbu that were either close and actually guarding the Hokage Tower were later found dead, and the autopsy revealed their bodies had been tampered with to make it look like they'd been alive for much longer.
Granted most of those Anbu were still new recruits but even then it was a very selective group of talented individuals. Only someone, or someones of greater talent and skill could get the best of them, and Mizuki and Tsubaki didn't strike Anko as those kinds of individuals.
"Records indicate they were sent on a mission outside Konoha but ever since the academy sabotaging came to light, I've been keeping an eye out on anything suspicious and this caught my eye," and by this Hiruzen meant a mission scroll he presented to the kunoichi, "The mission they went one was your basic patrol duty and a relatively short one that shouldn't have taken more than a week or two to complete. Five weeks have since past and no contact attempts have been made."
"And I'm guessing no one's seen 'em since the Scroll Incident, either?" Anko asked and Hiruzen nodded at her correct assessment, "Could it just be taken them longer than usual?" it wasn't unheard of and while couples going on a mission together had its risks it wasn't a taboo or uncommon either.
"I initially thought so myself but the lack of communication coupled with the timeline had me do some further digging. I discovered that the mission was fake. A very good one but fake nonetheless, and I've recently received word from the patrol group they were meant to join up with and neither one was seen. Their records are another factor to warrant suspicion. For Mizuki there was some initial controversy during a mission he undertook that ended with the death of a fellow ninja and he was put on temporary probation while the investigation took place. Nothing was ever found and with no proof he was pardoned and as an apology he was given the instructor position. Despite his time as an Academy Instructor Mizuki is well-versed in assassination techniques and shurikenjutsu and those who knew him say he has a silver tongue. Tsubaki on the other hand has a notable talent in small range but multi-layered Genjutsu. She's no Kurenai but she was skilled enough that she was selected as a candidate for the Anbu. However, psychological profiling didn't deem her a good fit and after learning why she failed she didn't take it well," well, that explained several questions.
"Where are they?"
"That, unfortunately, remains unknown to us. And with the head start they have they could be almost everywhere," regrettable as that sounded, "I suspect Mizuki also had a role in sabotaging the academy, too. I'm letting you know because Naruto was a target of theirs. They may or may try something down the line when you and your team leave for missions outside of Konoha. Should they make themselves known, I want them captured and brought back if possible for interrogation."
Anko nodded as nothing else needed to be said, "Wait, missions outside Konoha?" the man smiled at the woman.
"You are here to request a C-Rank mission for your team aren't you?" Hiruzen was almost worried Anko would give herself whiplash by how quickly she nodded, "We have a few but none for outside the village at the moment. We do have a few inside that I was saving for our more experienced teams but given the unique circumstances of yours I believe they're ready."
"Wouldn't be here if they weren't," Anko boasted. Even if it wasn't outside the village a C-Rank mission was still a C-Rank mission, "So, what kind is it?"
"A chakra mutation subjugation mission," Hiruzen informed her.
Anko barely even blinked as she accepted the quest and then made her way towards her team. What her village leader said about Mizuki hadn't unsettled her but the fact that he might try and target Naruto at some point gave her slight pause. Not much as it was unlikely they'd met the man and his lover anytime soon, or ever, and even if they did both would be in for a rude awakening.
"And they'd have to go through me first," Naruto could handle himself but no one targeted her wards and got away with it. The boy had long since grown on her. All of them had grown on her if she was being honest.
Even if Anko showed her affection in her own and unique way, "Lift those legs, Blondie!" Anko arrived and watched as her clone cackled at the sweat drenched kunoichi. Death, pain and other forms of torture were likely going through the Yamanaka's head and Anko was at the center of it. The woman couldn't be more proud.
Anko watched as Ino stood on one leg on an elevated wooden post while the other was raised in a striking position before she switched. Around the blond's legs were two metal rings that weighed five pounds a piece while two were around her arms. In other words, ten pounds were added per limb for a total of fourty pounds. It was a trick she learned about from Tenten that Might Gai tried getting Tetsu's daughter into.
The girl had passed on the training method, not that Anko could blame her, but weird as he was Gai knew his stuff when it came to Taijutsu and physical conditioning. The weights weren't much and Ino wasn't that weak but having to repeatedly kick with such weights beginning to weigh her down coupled with them sliding up and down served multiple purposes: balance, control, strength and endurance.
It was a fairly new form of training and so far Ino wasn't doing as bad as initially Anko feared. Sure, it was bad but then a mould needed to be broken before it could be turned into something great.
"Again!" On the opposite side of the clearing, Anko watched as Hinata was concentrating on dodging the numerous series of metal projectiles being tossed at her with frightening accuracy and speed. Those she didn't manage to dodge she didn't block with her arms and instead watched as the metal sparked and get tossed away by an arc of lightning.
Hinata continued to run and duck and try to get as close as possible to Anko's clone and more and more electrical arcs appeared as she reduced the distance between herself and her assailant. But Hinata didn't get more than a dozen feet and the shroud of protective energy failed to flare up when a kunai struck the Hyuga in the leg and had her falling to the ground.
"Again!" The doppelgänger ordered but Anko intervened.
"Belay that!" dismissing her clones, Anko ordered Ino and Hinata to huddle up, "We got a C-Rank mission, ladies."
"Yes!" Ino whopped, "About time."
"Hey, it's yer fault for taking so long to improve," Anko snarked, "Don't get too excited though. It's a subjugation quest within Konoha so we won't be going anywhere special. But before that, where's Naruto?"
"Hayate-san and Yugao-san were busy so he and Hottomaru went to tr-y out that n-new dungeon he just got," Hinata stammered a bit in her response but not as badly as when she first started.
"No problem. [Party Chat]!" Anko had sorely wished Naruto had learned of the feature month ago give its very useful applications, "[Gaki, meet us at Training Ground Eight in ten minutes. We got a C-Rank mission. Move it!]"
Bing!
"That's annoying," Ino said and brushed away the pop up that appeared. It was very useful but the sound when a message arrived remained annoying still. Regardless of that, all three kunoichi made their way towards the designated area that wasn't that far from their location. Arriving in less than a few minutes, Hinata and Ino used the opportunity to rest up and heal and reduce as much fatigue as they could before they began.
Fortunately, for them at least, Naruto didn't arrive until twelve minutes later with his trademark smile on his face. Anko had her patented grin of doom instead, "Better have a good reason for being late, Gaki."
"You bet your sweet ass I do!" All three kunoichi blinked at the comment.
"Alright, thanks for telling me how great my ass is," Anko accepted the compliment; she had an amazing ass in her opinion and not many gave it the praise it was meant to get, "But don't think that sweet talking tactic will stop me from asking again."
"Trust me, I'll tell you when we're somewhere secure," Anko frowned but decided to give her longest ward the benefit of the doubt. The blond male knew better than to mess with her and trying to pull a fast one, too.
"So, what's the mission?" Naruto asked; he was eager and ready to go. Ino and Hinata were the same but much more subdued by comparison.
"This," with a wave of her hand Anko brought up the details.
[QUEST ALERT!]
Stingers, Pincers and Venom… Oh, Shit!
Main Quest: Clear Training Area Eight of 100 points worth of scorpions
Side Quest: Defeat Training Area Eight's Boss
Potential Rewards
Main Quest Completion: 4000 EXP, 25000 Ryo, +450 Reputation [Konoha Populace] Allowed to undertake more C-Rank Missions
Side Quest Completion: 2500 EXP, Allowed to undertake more C-Rank Missions
Failure: 550 EXP, -50 Reputation [Konoha Populace], Temporarily unable to undertake C-Rank Missions
Legend of the Kyuubi
Making the rounds.
- Joined
- Sep 14, 2026
- Messages
- 35
Chapter 16: Oh, for the love of C-Rank
"Are you shitting me!?"
If the group had any attempts of being stealthy whilst in the dungeon then their attempts utterly failed by the clearing sized declaration. But Naruto should have guessed or suspected the outcome.
"Nope!" Despite their desire to wipe that smug look off his face, neither Anko nor Ino could deny that they'd have the exact same look had the situation been reversed. Having several chunks of metal ore worth millions, hopefully more than enough to make a great sword, was nothing to sneeze at.
"Congratulations, Naruto-kun," Hinata being the kind and warm individual that she was expressed a much nobler display.
"Gonna have to do something about that," Anko thought.
"See, why can't you two be like Hinata?" Naruto's comment had Hinata blushing.
"Judging by her development, I'm pretty sure Pales Eyes is gonna outdo me in a few years time," Hinata blushed even harder at Anko's comment and Ino had to admit she was slightly jealous.
"Arf?" Titling his head, Hottomaru wasn't entirely sure what the comment meant.
"Okay, suddenly rich blond who will be paying for my drinks and dango 'till the end of time aside," Naruto blinked but suspected she was being serious, "What's the deal with this mission?"
"It's a points game," Naruto revealed to a blank audience. Sighing, the boy elaborated, "Each enemy is worth a set value. Usually one point is given by defeating the weakest enemy and five with the strongest; rarespawns, mini-bosses, and bosses fall outside this rule by giving us an even greater amount of points."
"So, in other words, we don't have to beat the boss to complete the mission or clear this dungeon, right?" Ino surmised.
"To clear the dungeon and have access to the next one we'll need to beat the boss. It's just that in this case there aren't any requirements to get them to appear and we can leave without penalties so long as we accomplish the requirements of the mission," Naruto explained.
The concept was simple enough to understand and Anko confidently believed her team could handle it, "Alright, Midori and I are gonna sit this one out unless I see any true danger. You thre - four! - show me what you've got."
With their Detection Skill as high as it was the trio of Genin and one ninken knew where it was coming from before Anko said anything. All three looked at the exact location of exploding earth the scorpion came from.
Naruto had never really seen a scorpion before except in video games. Even then he knew their appearance had been somewhat romanticized by the artists. The creature before him was large, not quite as large as Hottomaru was in his adult form but large enough still. It had wicked pincers that looked like they could chop off a limb if enough pressure was added and its barbed tail was oozing with a green viscous liquid that it didn't take a genius to know was venom.
"Observe!" he announced.
Status Window
Scorpion Drone - Level 22
HP: 2100
CP: 1750
STR: 43
VIT: 64
END: 69
DEX: 59
INT: 15
WIS: 10
LUK: 27
DEF: 75
Perks:
Harsh Desert Resistance [Lv 1]: +30% Resistance towards [Wind-Based Skills] and [Fire-Based Skills], Ignores debuffs brought on by desert environments
Scorpid Tenacity [Lv 1]: Immune to [Poison-Related Debuffs], [Burning-Related Debuffs] or [Bleeding Related Debuffs] when HP drops below 20%, DEF increase by 30% of total VIT amount when HP drops below 20%
Hard Carapace [Lv 1]: +500 HP, +30 Defense, +30% Resistance towards [Bladed Weapons] and [Piercing Weapons], +30% Resistance towards [Critical Strikes], and -30% Resistance towards [Blunt Weapons] and [Taijutsu]
Flaws:
Bulky [Lv 2]: When above ground Movement Speed reduced by 50%, -50% Effectiveness towards [Evasion]
? : ?
Description: Drones are at the very bottom of the hierarchy but one shouldn't be fooled despite their large size. Though the weakest they have an incredible ability to strike their prey with their poison filled stinger. Unlike their more mature counterparts that are known to blend in with their environment and striking at an opportune time, these ones are known for rapidly digging through the earth and popping up whenever a creature enters their colonies territory. When they have suffered a significant amount of injuries, it is not uncommon for them to flee and recover from their wounds before giving chase once more on the unsuspecting prey. However, despite their
EXP Earned: ?
Drops: ?, ?
"Great," Naruto grumbled. Kenjutsu was out it would seemed. And while most would have assumed Naruto was kicking himself for not buying a new blunt weapon when he had the chance it wasn't the case.
Drawing out his large sword, Naruto mentally called out his new technique, "Doton: Gekisaiga no Jutsu (Earth Release: Raging Demon's Crushing Fang Technique)!"
While his new Taijustu was good, Naruto had the impression it wouldn't be enough, especially since he didn't really focus too much on it compared to everything else he knew.
The Gekisaiga was a C-Rank borderline B-Rank technique Naruto had come across on the Abyss Auction that he felt would greatly come in handy. The main purposes of the technique was wrapping a weapon in a great amount of earth and rock, thus transforming it into a large studded cudgel of sorts. This not only served to reclassify Naruto's bladed weapon into a blunt one but also boosted its attack power, too.
Unfortunately, because of his weapon's already considerable size and weight, the 'new' weapon was now considerably heavier and difficult to maneuver, his speed took a nose dive, too, unless his STR was at a certain level. Which was easily taken care of, too.
"Ninpo: Kongoriki (Ninja Art: Adamant Strength)!" Naruto shuddered and gave off a grin that made an off to the side Anko proud. He felt his strength swell to incredibly envious levels for someone his age. The technique was an improved version of Goriki - and it had upgraded to an A-Rank one to boot! - and while its chakra cost per duration was even costlier, Naruto had tons to spare and perks to take the edge off.
Naruto felt himself fortunate that the former B-Rank technique had finally maxed out and was an upgradable technique. The old version had not been able to make the wielding of this oversized weapon quite as easy.
Lifting the oversized club that was nearly twice his size and a half above his body, Naruto couldn't have helped himself if he could when the look of satisfaction threatened to split his face open. The scorpion's black eyes bulged out comically from its body and threatened to pop the moment the oversized club flattened it like a pancake; the once pristine armor cracked and splintered to reveal its soft vulnerable body. One hit and already was half of the creature's HP practically gone.
|Congratulations! Through a special act you've discovered and unlocked the hidden weakness of scorpions! [Broken Carapace]!|
Broken Carapace
A scorpion's carapace is hard and durable but it's not indestructible and can be broken by the right weapon and with incredible strength. If this happens the creature loses much of its defence and formidable strength. However, as a result of losing its heavy armour, the creature's speed is considerably improved.
- Loses benefits of [Hard Carapace] and [Harsh Resistance] perks
- Loses [Bulky] flaw
- STR and VIT reduced by 50%
- Movement Speed increased by 75%
"Naruto-kun!" Hinata warned him. The Hyuga noticed the scorpion's tailed twitched and no sooner had she shouted out did something shoot from the barbed appendage. Naruto managed to dodge the projectile but was surprised to see a nasty green fume rising from the impact area and the group could hear the sound of sizzling from it.
"He's lucky. That's corrosive poison," Ino commented, her eyes not once leaving the slowly developing hole. Being from a clan that had knowledge on plant life and poisons since its founding centuries ago allowed her to identify such things.
Corrosive poisons were nasty pieces of work. Simplified they liquefied or ate away at one's insides. A person was both lucky and unlucky if they got hit by a slow acting one. Chances of saving a limb affected by them were high but recovery was slow and the pain was dreadful from what she heard. Fortunately, they were affected by the Gamer's ability so the effects wouldn't be as bad.
"I hope," Ino really didn't want to test that theory out.
"Hey! Are you two just gonna stand there and gawk or actually help your teammate?" Both knew better that Anko wasn't asking but ordering.
"Hotto! Stinger!" Naruto's bark was followed by Hotto's own. The enlarged ninken's maw bit down hard on the naked creature's poison delivery limb and pinning it down to impede its movement. Hotto shook his head and the action dragged the scorpion's body away from the group of Genin.
"Sazanka (Three Scattering Flowers)!"
Naruto blinked when Ino took to the offensive and landed a series of three quick successive strikes on the creature's defenceless pincer. The limb couldn't take the assault without its protective shell and became limp and useless on the ground.
Hinata on the other hand merely struck the creature with a chakra covered palm thrust to its unprotected head that finally ended the creature. While Hinata lacked the same strength as himself the Juken fighting style had techniques that ignored most defenses and had both high critical chance and critical chance multipliers.
"Okay, first off, nice to see you guys actually have improved in the last little bit," Anko from behind them suddenly announced, "However, I saw a number of ways I could have ended that fight more quickly. Gaki! You struck the body instead of the head. You probably could have killed it instantly if that happened or at least brought its health down even lower. Good call on the stinger but you should have anticipated that sooner. Blondie! What the hell was with targeting the pincers? They were useless and it did nothing but prolong the fight. Pale Eyes… you were slow to act but good job."
"A-Arigato," Hinata thanked their mentor.
Anko waved it off, "We're ninja, guys. We get in, we get out as quickly and efficiently as we can and we try not to show off unless it's to scare the target's very soul out of their bodies. You do that by finding and then targeting the opponent's weakness. From now on, I wanna see you guys try and end an enemy with as few hits as possible."
[QUEST ALERT!]
Less is Better
Main Quest: Defeat opponents with as few hits as possible
Potential Rewards (Not stackable):
Main Quest Completion First Outcome: 2300 EXP (Average of 1-3 Hits per defeated opponent), +250 Reputation [Anko], +1 AP
Main Quest Completion Second Outcome: 1400 EXP (Average of 4-6 Hits per opponent), +100 Reputation [Anko]
Main Quest Completion Third Outcome: 500 EXP (Average of 7-10 Hits per opponent)
Failure: 50 EXP, -50 Reputation [Anko]
Quest is Mandatory
"Ok, then. Back to work, kiddoes, we got scorpions to get rid of…Of course, by we I mean you."
Of course she did were their collective thoughts.
For the next two hours or so, as apparently many of them liked to hide in different locations far and wide that required a good amount of tracking, that's what the Genin and ninken of Team Eight did. All four continued to search and then proceeded to defeat scorpion after scorpion and racked up point after point while Anko watched. The senior kunoichi only ever getting involved when a scorpion set their sights on her but a good burst of her [Killing Intent] quickly deterred them. Unfortunately, once underground the creatures were pretty quick and they travelled deep and far when escaping.
At first the group struck mostly with the lower levelled creatures to ensure they got a feel for their prey and because their lower health amount allowed them to have an increased chance in felling them with as few hits as possible. It was something Naruto quickly had the rest of the group exploit.
Rather than be irked about it, Anko merely smiled that her wards figured out a way to take advantage of such an opportunity that presented itself. Anko never said anything against and it showed her that they were using their brains.
As the powerhouse of the group, Naruto was the one who dealt the most damage with as few hits as possible. But the result of their intense training under Anko enabled Ino and Hinata to perform decently against the lower tier enemies as well.
Hinata's fighting style naturally ignored most defences and had an incredible critical hit chance and boost and it was only enhanced by the [Lightning Claw Technique]. The lighting element having the greatest piercing power and critical chance out of all the primary elements enabled her to end a scorpion in one or two blows to the head after Naruto did his part.
Ino, despite her speed, regrettably lacked Naruto's raw power and Hinata's advantageous element and fighting style. Had she been Naruto that bit for not contributing as much would have irked her. As a result, Ino's role was to render a scorpion immobile by a poison from the Yamanaka Clan. Having a flower shop and dealing with plants all their lives, the Yamanaka had developed more than their fair share of effective arachnid and bug poisons. And whenever they encountered a larger and stronger specimen, Ino would take over their body and then Hinata and Naruto would cover it with exploding seal tags the Uzumaki had learned to fabricate. Finding a nest or attracting a decent amount of scorpions to a single location was the next step and then sending the mind controlled creature in their midst on a kamikaze mission was the final one.
It was a simple but effective pattern the group fell into. Not perfect and a few hiccups happened here and there that Anko would most likely criticize them for later, but it remained effective regardless. So far they had yet to encounter the boss or a rarespawn, unfortunate as that was but there would be other times.
"Spoke too soon," Naruto realized and the group prepared themselves when they felt the earth shake and rumble.
Anko grinned, "Alright, the fun's about to begin," and no sooner had she finished saying that did the boss of the area reveal itself.
"…Okay, gross," Ino had seen weird creatures since the Gamer reveal but this took the cake so far. Compared to its weaker but normal looking minions the boss had a more atypical body structure one would not associate with a scorpion.
To start, its body color was black and yellow, similar to a wasp or hornet. The back of the carapace looked jagged thanks to the spikes that lined from head to tail, the tail itself looking more like a spiked club with an oversized head with a beak like spike the size of their forearm. The creature lacked the eight limbs its lesser kin possessed and instead had six legs that ended in a set of lizard-like claws with another pair of pincers replacing the front legs to give it a total of four.
What was even stranger was the pincers moving back and forth as though they had a will of their own and the pattern they had gave the group the impression of eyeless heads with black jagged teeth. The scorpion's head itself looked like it belonged on the body of a crocodile than that of an arachnid.
"Oh, boy," Naruto was a little concerned at the moment.
Status Window
Boss: Dakatsu, Misplaced Mutant Arachnid of the Desert – Lv 29
HP: 5275
CP: 3075
STR: 87
VIT: 91
END: 93
DEX: 74
INT: 39
WIS: 34
LUK: 49
DEF: 110
Special Perks:
Dungeon Boss Blessing [Lv 2]: +2000 HP, +750 CP, +17.5% towards all [Resistances] and [Tolerances] All Attributes Increased by 20, +15 Defense
Perks:
Harsh Desert Resistance [MAX]: +50% Resistance towards [Wind-Based Skills] and [Fire-Based Skills], Ignores debuffs brought on by desert environments
Movement Speed increases by 70% when below 30% health
Spiked Shell: +45 Defense, Chance of causing damage to opponent when struck by certain Taijutsu skills, +15% Resistance towards [Bladed Weapons] and [Piercing Weapons], +15% Chances towards [Critical Hits]
Scorpid Tenacity [Lv 3]: Immune to [Poison-Related Debuffs] [Burning-Related Debuffs] or [Bleeding Related Debuffs] when HP drops below 30%, DEF increase by 30% of total VIT amount when HP drops below 30%
Hard Carapace [MAX]: +1000 HP, +50 Defense, +50% Resistance towards [Bladed Weapons] and [Piercing Weapons], +50% Tolerance towards [Critical Strikes], and -10% Resistance towards [Blunt Weapons] and [Taijutsu]
Aura of the Leader [Lv 1]: Allies gain +15% increase towards Attributes, Movement Speed, and Effectiveness, Power, and Speed towards Skills when in same area
Flaws:
Bulky [Lv 3]: When above ground Movement Speed reduced by 75%, -75% Effectiveness towards [Evasion]
Description: A very large mutant and deadly creature with an even deadlier poison. This creature's origin began like many of its kind in the desert. However, it somehow managed to mutate a few steps further, physically changing it more so than its brothers and sisters. As a result it has gained an even greater defense and has a spiked shell that deters others from attacking it with certain forms of hand to hand techniques least they wish to harm themselves. Though slower compared to its minions it's capable of digging very quickly and performing sudden unexpected attacks. Be careful not to be caught in its (?) skill as it has a high chance of instantly felling the target or taking away a huge chunk of the victim's HP.
EXP Earned: ?
Drops: ?, ?, ?, ?
Chancing a look behind him, all the while not taking his eyes off the boss, Naruto frowned. While neither Ino nor Hinata were on the verge of exhaustion, both were very tired regardless despite hiding it well. But Naruto knew better and saw the sweat that had long since begun to coat their bodies. Starting a mission like this after coming off from an intense training session with almost no time to properly recover would do that.
Ino and Hinata had certainly improved their stamina and endurance since they first began, but both still had a while to go. Watching as the creature grabbed a boulder the size of his body, the pincers shined brightly as the large piece of stone was crushed and ripped in half, Naruto belived his decision to be the right one. Better they sit this out for now and let him finish the job. Neither had the same amount of HP and END as him so he'd likely survive the instant death technique. It was highly doubtful Ino and Hinata would be so lucky. If anything they could give him cover fire. First, however, he was forced to block as the boss attacked him with pieces of the crushed boulder. The force behind it made him grunt and he was pushed back a few inches.
"Hotto, keep Ino, Hinata safe!" Naruto ordered and got a bark as a response. If either one were caught in its grip they'd be done for.
"What the hell, Naruto!" Ino began to shout but was stopped midway.
"Don't argue, Ino!" the sternness behind his voice surprised her. "Both of you are exhausted. If you slip up you die. I'm not going to let that happen!"
"But… but Naruto!" Hinata did not like this one bit.
"No buts! Don't go anywhere near it. If you wanna help then cover me!" he ordered.
"The Gaki's right. You did good but you ain't gonna be able to do anything other than cover fire at the moment," Anko was proud of the two. Both had looked like they wanted to throw in the towel quite a while ago but had pushed themselves. Anko knew they knew her previous advice rang true. Naruto wouldn't always be there to help them, it was one of the reasons why she spent most of her time with them so they didn't become dependent on him. They need to push past their boundaries and grow or fall. However, admiral as it was, both couldn't be foolish either.
"You wanna help then do what the Gaki said," Anko beamed as she saw them nod and watched as they took out a series of kunai and shuriken attached with tags. It wouldn't be much, but it was better than doing nothing at the moment.
Naruto spun away from large serpentine pincers from the right before he launched a counterstrike with his oversized weapon at the appendages that threatened to sever him in half. The action rewarded him with the beast smacking itself in the face and dazing it momentarily.
Naruto took advantage of this by performing a neat little number Hayate had taught him in conjunction with a Shadow Clone, the only one he had gotten down so far. Creating a clone, his control over the technique was better but his minimum was five, Naruto went one way while the doppelgänger went the other way, "Shouha Jumonji (Impact Cross)!"
Clone and original swiftly crossed the creature in an 'x' pattern, the sound of the stone maces impacting its target was music to their ears. The technique was intended to be used with a sword and was meant to be a much speedier execution but in this case it would have accomplished little to nothing.
Naruto half expected to see its shell fall apart or at the very least see it faltering. Instead it was squatted and locked in place, its form unmoving but the increase in energy could be felt. All of them were speechless, though Anko and Naruto inwardly believed it was cool despite the intent behind it, as chakra reached the tipping point and a funnel of concentrated orange-pinkish fire shot at him from all four of them.
Naruto switched with the clone and was spared its fate but even then the air around him instantly became uncomfortable and the surrounding greenery wilted and dried up. The area near where those beams struck were no better: trees became brittle and feel apart, flowers became dust in the wind, and the nearby scorpions were no more than mummified cadavers.
"Watch out! That's a Shakuton (Scorch Release) technique!" Anko warned her students.
"A dual natured element?" Ino recalled and called bull on it, too.
Naruto dodged as a beam was once again launched at him and the boy barely had time to block the next with his weapon. Instead of an explosion the mace became superheated and a sweat drenched Naruto couldn't hold onto the red hot weapon that burned his hands.
That was the odd thing about Shakuton. On living things it had a violent reaction, most commonly was evaporating, turning them into husks or reducing them to ash. On non-living things such as stone and metal the reaction was much less subdued.
Once more, Naruto used Kawarimi to replace himself with a clone and seeing it evaporate wasn't a pretty sight. Fortunately, for him at least, the creature was struck by one of Ino's kunai and a white cloud coated the creature and caused its next shot to miss him by a wide margin.
"Ino-chan, look at it!" Hinata pointed out and Ino noticed almost instantly what her fellow kunoichi was referring to. The creature was having trouble standing, its pincers shaking and its tail almost to the ground.
"Naruto! That technique takes a lot out of it!"
"Gotcha!" the old hit it while it's down classic it was. Clones were summoned and as one they charged the dungeon boss, a battle cry on their lips as they did. Not exactly subtle or ninja like but it felt appropriate. Numerous shuriken and kunai were launched by the army of blonde ninja and kunoichi on the sidelines. Exploding tags were set off upon reaching their destination causing, peppering it with concussive force and poison that even its perk could not ignore, while rocks and dirt were kicked up in the process but it served to prevent it from locating their exact whereabouts.
But as one the group of Naruto's fell when a green cloud from hell was unleashed from Dakatsu's reptilian-like mouth. The clones felt their bodies spasm and twitch uncontrollably and one by one did they fall unceremoniously, their forms easy pickings for the creature's barbed tail.
"Shiei-sō: Juren Hakai (Four Shadows Burial: Heavy Consecutive Annihilation)!"
But the creature didn't count on Naruto using the clones as distraction. From above four blond ninja fell, and with them their heavy stone clubs. Dakatsu's body shined its metallic sheen once more but it wasn't enough, the might and weight of the combined assault proved too much for the creature to defend against.
Weakened by its earlier stunts played a role and ended with the creature's carapace becoming cracked and splintering like a struck mirror. It wasn't enough to end Dakatsu but it was enough to bring its health down well past the half way point.
A volley of balls of Shakuton based flames had Naruto and the clones jump back least he end up dried up, or at least, gain a nasty debuff that would leave him severally drained. And all of them watched as the ruler of the dungeon rose, its eyes flashing red and a roar in its maw that was cut short.
"Suiton: Suiben no Jutsu (Water Release: Water Whip Technique)!" Lash of water wrapped around the creature's body like a serpent would an unfortunate mouse. Ino grunted and sweated buckets, her body at its absolute limit.
"Ino!" Naruto could tell the technique had no effect on the creature besides annoying it.
"Its shell may not be off, but it is cracked and splintered," Ino grinned evilly, "Light 'im up, Hinata!"
Nothing was said by the kunoichi, and Naruto looked on as Hinata's electrically charged hand made contact with the water trail. The creature screeched in agony as the lightning did its job and began to painfully bypass its outer shell and fry up its soft and vulnerable insides.
Paralyzed by the effects of the technique, Naruto used the remaining clones and had them launch a unforgiving series of Katon: Inka Hyakki no Jutsu (Fire Release: Shadow Fire of One Hundred Demons Technique) at the creature. The effectiveness of the flames was severally reduced despite the amount of demonic flaming heads striking its paralyzed form.
|Dakatsu has been afflicted with the [Hysteria] debuff!|
His gamble paying off, Naruto rushed at the creature that was too frightened to mount a proper defense. Dakatsu shot balls of fire blindly and without abandon in all directions, its hysterical state making it strike itself as well.
By chance one of them struck Naruto weapon on the down, Naruto gritted his teeth and endured the pain as he continued the maneuver with all his might. Naruto couldn't help himself from shouting out, "Zugaisai (Skull Crush)!" And looked on as the red hot weapon struck home on the dungeon boss's face.
Dakatsu's skull cracked and then shattered into countless pieces, its protection fully gone, Naruto watched as the creature thrashed as its head began to shrivel up. The thrashing didn't last long before its movements became stiff as a dried up tree. The collective thoughts of the group proved true seconds later when the shrivelled up dungeon boss disappeared into a series of collective lights.
It was over, they had won.
[QUEST COMPLETED!]
Stingers, Pincers and Venom… Oh, Shit!
Main Quest: Clear Training Area Eight of 100 points worth of scorpions (Accomplished)
Side Quest: Defeat Training Area Eight's Boss (Accomplished)
Total Rewards (Including Perks):
Main Quest Completion: 7475 EXP, 25000 Ryo, +495 Reputation [Konoha Populace] Allowed to undertake even more C-Rank Missions
[QUEST COMPLETED!]
Less is Better
Main Quest: Defeat opponents with as few hits as possible
Main Quest Completion Outcome 1: Average of 1-3 Hits per defeated opponent (Failed)
Main Quest Completion 2: Average of 4-6 Hits per defeated opponent (Accomplished)
Total Rewards (Including Perks)
+1610 EXP, +110 Reputation [Anko]
Naruto sighed at his luck. Having already levelled up in the dungeon approximately forty odd minutes ago, even then the large amount of EXP from the enemies wasn't enough to earn him another level up boost.
"Sweet! I levelled up!" Ino shouted.
"So did I," Hinata smiled.
"Arf!"
"You too!" Now Naruto was depressed.
From the side Anko said nothing as she looked at her students and the ninken. All three and Hottomaru had cuts and the kunoichi had shaky legs and sweat covering their faces in several areas but they were happy nonetheless. The scorpion monstrosity was dead, thought it could have been done a bit better - they would have to do better down the line - Ino and Hinata looked ready to call it a day or two, but it had been worth it in the end.
"Not bad for their first C-Rank," Anko thought.
"Sweet!" the three kunoichi heard Naruto whooped and hazarded a guess that he found an item that was a good one, "It dropped a key and a weapon!"
Though the former presented less of a problem, splitting money was easy enough, but who was going to get what? That went doubly so for the weapon.
"What are these?" Ino asked as she held up a pair of gauntlet looking items.
Dakatsu no Kamu (Dakatsu's Bite) Very Rare Quality - Tier 1
Item Type: Fist Weapon/Armor
Item Modifier Rank: DEX [C]
Durability: 110/110
Description: At first glance it is a seemingly unassuming gauntlet with no extraordinary features or abilities other than its decent protection. However, it takes after its namesake for a reason as the clawed weapon allows for exceptional and painful grappling. Additionally, hidden in the gauntlets are two pair of blades that can suddenly pop out and strike out at a foe. The action is sudden and leaves the opponent with little to no time to react. The blades are not the only things to worry about as they can release a corrosive poison that eats away at armor and flesh alike.
Attack Power: 41-54 + Modifier + Perks
Special Perk: Upgradeable (Three Levels)
Bonus Stats/Perks: +20 DEF, +15% Effectiveness towards [Grappling Skills], [Scorpid Tenacity: Lv 1], ? (Upgrade Level 1 Required)
Weapon Skills: Midorigasumi (Green Mist), Dokuai (Toxic Love), ? (Upgrade Level 2 Required), ? (Upgrade Level 3 Required)
Fuinjutsu Slots Available: [Two Major Slots], [Two Minor Slots]
Anko released a sharp whistle as she and her team read the description. It certainly was impressive to say the least.
"Nice, and an upgradeable weapon, too," Naruto couldn't help himself.
"Upgradable?"
"Means it can be improved even further. Better attack power, defense, everything. See, it even unlocks new perks and skills when it's upgraded," Naruto pointed out. That was useful.
"Okay, I gotta admit that does sound awesome. Sorry to say, but you're passing on this one, Gaki," Anko informed him and Naruto just shrugged. He wasn't all that bummed at not getting it since there be better weapons in the future and since Naruto already had a weapon it really was no skin off his nose. Which left herself, Ino and Hinata, and Naruto knew Anko personally didn't care for using weapons except for kunai and poisons. She knew tanto and some sword related techniques but wasn't an avid practitioner.
"So, which one of you gets it?" the most logical choice was Hinata of course as her clan specialized in Taijutsu and such a weapon could serve to compliment her fighting style.
But at the same time Anko was trying to prevent them from specializing too much into a particular field. Hinata's Gentle Fist was already deadly as it was and would only get stronger as she got better. Adding the weapon to it would make it more effective but at the same time it was kind of predictable too. She was trying to get them to branch out for a reason after all. Plus, considering what it offered in terms of skills made the choice even more obvious.
"Congratz, Blondie, they're yours," Ino was stunned as she honestly thought Anko would have given them to Hinata. But the girl likely followed along the same train of thought as Anko
Still a bit stunned Ino put on the gauntlet like weapons nonetheless and found to her surprise that they were pretty light, "Wish they came in another colour though," Ino muttered.
"Details, details. What's next?" Anko asked.
"A recipe for Intermediate-Grade Scorpion Poison and two Intermediate-Grade Scorpion Poison Vials," Naruto knew a bit about poisons from Anko but wasn't really all that interested in learning anything about them, "Probably best if you or Ino got them," Naruto said.
"I'll take that," Anko declared. While Ino was already learning poisons from the older kunoichi the woman wouldn't be letting her learn such an advanced one until much later.
Finding the chest had not been all that difficult. Much like the other times he had to find the chests this one was located near the dungeon exit. Of course they had to fight off a few scorpions on the way. Most of them had been taken care of by Anko or Naruto because of how tired and weak Ino and Hinata were, the woman felt she could cut 'em a bit of slack.
When they opened the treasure chest, inside had been a heaping 80,000 ryo that was split four ways. As a result, each member of Team Eight, minus Hottomaru of course, received a decent 20,000 ryo in the process.
Aside from that the only noteworthy articles inside the chest were a few health potions, always welcoming in Naruto's opinion, and a skill scroll that none of them could us.
"Tough luck getting that," Anko told them, "You'd be better off selling it. Shakuton is a rare ability to have and the only place that breeds those that can are back in Kaze no Kuni," and even then it was rare.
"So, more money?" Ino asked the other two.
"I'll see what it goes for and go from there. Sorry, Hinata," Naruto felt bad that Hinata hadn't gotten anything other than the money. And from what Naruto had learned about them he doubted the girl needed it because her father was the leader of a very wealthy clan and she most likely had a decent amount of money to her name already.
"It's alright, Naruto-kun," Hinata told him with a smile but Naruto knew that face she gave him meant she was a little disappointed for not getting anything.
"Ah, it's not like it's a big deal anyway, Hinata," the slightly downed Hyuga looked at her crush for saying that, "There's tons of dungeons out there and I'll betcha that there's bound to be something that will suit you."
"The Gaki's right, Pale Eyes. Sooner or later you'll get something," Anko smiled and pulled the girl into a one armed hug. "Don't worry about it. Good things come to those who wait as they say."
"H…Hai!" Hinata nodded and her mood, even if it was lightly, perked up at the words of comfort.
"First though we need to get outta a here. Gaki, take us home!" the boy didn't need to be told twice and subsequently shouted out a command before each and everyone of them found themselves back into the mundane version of the training ground. Anko felt they deserved a decent break before the were to report their success to the Sandaime.
Once they were ready, Anko ordered her team that they were heading to the Hokage Tower and then decided that they'd call it a day. The group arrived in minimal time despite the fatigue of two of their members and as they ascended the stairs to the Hokage's office, Team Eight passed by several Jonin and their respective teams of their own. All of them were older teams that had been around for more than a year or so and many looked perplexed at the state they were in.
"Yosh! Anko-san!"
"Oh, shit! Of all the rotten timing!" Anko groused and cursed her rotten luck. Nice as he was - too nice in Anko's opinion - the Taijutsu virtuoso of Konoha was good in small doses. "Hey, what's up, Gai?"
"Nothing much, my youthful friend!" the eccentric Taijutsu master of Konoha grinned at the woman before directing his attention to the Genin, "Oho! So these are you students!" he beamed.
"Yep, they're still wet behind the ears and still need a little tuning up but they'll get there eventually. Team Eight, this is Maito Gai. He's Konoha's foremost Taijutsu expert and master. Hell, probably in all of Hi no Kuni, and beyond," she added, "Gai, this is Team Eight. That's Gaki, Blondie, and Pales Eyes."
"Arf!" Hottomaru barked at being left out.
"Oh, yeah, and that's Poochie-gaki," she said half heartedly.
"Grrr!"
"We have names, you know," Ino and Naruto deadpanned as the woman shrugged.
Leave it to Anko to introduce them by their nicknames.
"I'm Yamanaka Ino, that's Hyuga Hinata, that's Hottomaru, and you likely already know the resident prankmaster of Konoha," she smirked as her teammate.
Naruto merely shrugged, "Hey, I'm good at what I do."
"Ah, yes," Gai nodded. The man had seen a few of the boy's pranks on occasion and thought them to have been creative to say the least.
"Got a problem with my pranks, Gekimayu-sensei (Intense Eyebrows Master)?" Naruto was a little defensive. While Gai blinked at the name he was given.
"Baka!" Ino knew Naruto was slow at times but this was taking then cake. No matter how truthfully the name fit. However, before she could apologize and reprimand him both Anko and Gai burst out laughing instead.
"Gekimayu? That's a new one," the man chuckled much to Naruto's surprise.
"The hell?" Ino half-guessed the man to get angry, not laugh it off. The ninja world was full of weirdoes it seemed.
"Say, Gai, where's your team?" Anko asked. "They didn't die from overkill did they? I really liked Tenten."
"No, my glorious students are off today. Lee's running laps around Konoha last I heard. He started an hour ago so he should be on lap fifty-four by now," he mused while Ino and Naruto's eyes threatened to bulge out.
"Fifty laps around Konoha in an hour!" the idea of a Genin capable of doing that was nuts in their minds. Naruto considered himself strong and had immense stamina compared to other Genin but even he doubted he'd be capable of doing what this Lee character was doing.
"I need to up my training," he thought. If there were people close to his age that were capable of doing such a thing then Naruto knew others would reach the Hokage title before him.
"Tenten's running her family shop and Neji I think is at the Hyuga compound," he said and neither he nor Anko missed the way Hinata flinch at the mention of his name. "So this is the clan's former heiress and Neji's cousin," Gai wasn't the most astute individual in the world but he was quite perceptive and attentive.
The man had heard about his student's cousin, having seen her the odd time and everything else. The man frowned internally as the girl before him didn't have the arrogance or haughty demeanour that most Main Family members had. It was evident by the way she moved and stood that she was lacking in confidence and had some emotional baggage, but nowhere as bad as it was made out to be. It was nothing like Neji had mentioned before, "Even now his anger still clouds his judgment," the man thought before putting the thoughts away.
"Well, I'm off to see how Lee's doing, Anko-san. Enjoy teaching!" he said and gave the woman his well known 'nice guy pose". To the astonishment of Naruto and Ino, the pose included a thumbs up, winking, and smiling with teeth so white they give off a proverbial 'ping'.
As he left in a blur, Naruto and Ino were left stunned and motionless, "Does that always happen?"
"Trust me, I've seen something far worse," Anko shuddered at the horrible memory.
"Make no mistake, Gai's an odd duck," and that was putting it extremely lightly, "but the man's easily one of Konoha's most powerful ninja. His taijutsu is frightening and second to none in Hi no Kuni," Anko didn't know the true extend of the man's power but Anko guessed it would be devastating if the man went all out.
Continuing on their original trek to the Hokage's office, Anko informed the secretary and only needed to wait less than ten seconds before they were permitted to enter.
"Team Eight is back from their mission, Hokage-sama," Hiruzen looked up and despite a few cuts and bruises the team wasn't in a bad state.
"Are they all gone?"
"Not quite," Anko chuckled but explained the situation to the village leader.
Hiruzen held an impassive look but nodded all the same, "Well, at the very least their numbers have been significantly reduced and they won't be venturing to other training areas. If anything, I'll have some posted to monitor the area from time to time. At any rate, well done. It seems you've proven yourselves ready for C-Rank missions," Hiruzen congratulated the team.
"Yes!"
Hiruzen laughed at the boy's exuberant shout, "You'll still be required to take D-Rank missions, Naruto-kun."
"Why do you gotta bust balls, Jiji?" Naruto whined.
"Yeah, that's my job," Anko commented; she ignored her student's look.
"I lead a Genin team once myself, Naruto-kun. I know all too well how to bust balls," Naruto blinked and the kunoichi of the group were left agape. None of them ever believed they'd ever hear the esteemed Professor utter such words.
"Respect, Sandaime-sama," what else could Anko say to her senior.
"Thank you," the man tipped his hat at the first time mentor, "Now, while this certainly proves you're all capable of undertaking C-Rank missions, you won't be handed them all left and right. However, of the new graduates, I will keep your team in mind. But I expect you to keep it up," the subtle warning was heard loud and clear by all of them. Hiruzen would throw them a bone but they had to do their share and continue to improve.
"Don't worry, for the rest of today we rest up but tomorrow I'll be reminding them I'm not gonna go easy on 'em," all three Genin and the ninken felt cold as ice at those foreboding words.
As they left the office, Hiruzen didn't doubt Anko's proclamation. Out of all the newly formed teams, Anko's was the only one doing noticeable progress. The other teams weren't doing quite as well even with Kurenai helping them at the odd occasion. Each had their own set of problems.
Without Ino Asuma was having a bit of troubling finding a way to get all three of them to work effectively during combat. It wasn't a case of them not getting along but more of a case of their fighting styles and personalities being quite different then what he had anticipated.
Kakashi was struggling with the personalities of his students clashing with one another that made them butt heads and prevented a cohesive unit. Sasuke's lone wolf mentality, Kiba's alpha complex, and Sakura's naivety and fangirl-ism despite her remarkable intelligence. There were moments of them working remarkably and surprisingly well but such moments were quite fleeting from what he observed.
Only time would tell if the latter two teams would be ready for the upcoming Chunin Exams only four months away.
(Over a Month Later)
Unknown Chakra Mutation - Lv ?
HP: ?
CP: ?
STR: ?
VIT: ?
END: ?
DEX: ?
INT: ?
WIS: ?
LUK: ?
Defense: ?
Special Perk:
? : ?
Perks:
? : ?
Status Effect:
? : ?
Description: A very large lizard-like chakra mutation with white fur on its back and a bushy tail. Not much is known about this strange creature other than it not to be dealt with lightly. Its rough skin offers it protection from many forms of attack, however; its skin is much softer on its stomach and therefore more vulnerable. Despite its incredible size this creature is quite fast, and nimble to the point it's capable of performing evasive manoeuvres and sneak attacks in seconds. For some reason or another though there is something odder about this chakra mutation than others. Why is that?
"Oh, shit," Naruto didn't like this at all. Especially since the damn thing had a multitude of question marks on its stats and in its perks.
As he eyed the beast, Naruto wondered if they should retreat. The mission had been a relatively simple one, or it was much simpler than before when they first took it over a month ago. The scorpions' number had developed a recent surge and Team Eight was charged with dealing with them again. That they'd encounter this powerful foe of unknown levels threw them off.
As he looked at Anko, the look she had had him assume she was contemplating if they should stay or not, "Gaki-"
|REPEL THE POWERFUL FOE TO CLEAR THE DUNGEON!|
"…Well, that's convenient," he heard her mutter. "Gaki, what do we have to do to repel it?" she asked.
"If it's anything like the games I've played then we need to bring its health down below fifty percent or more," Naruto informed her. That was all well and good but exactly what that number posed another question.
The Jonin instructor of Team Eight nodded before she looked at her other students, "Ino, Hinata, you two give us cover fire!" Anko silently cursed that Midori wasn't with them at the moment. While the serpent was faithful to Anko she wasn't with her twenty-four seven like many believed and occasionally left to do her own thing. "Talk about fucking luck," had Midori been here the fight would have been over quickly and easily.
"Hotto, with me!" he ordered and got a bark as a reply.
"Alright, let's do this, Gaki!" Anko declared before she strategically charged the creature at speeds Naruto could not match.
However, that didn't stop the only male of the team and he soon followed right behind her. The creature itself releasing a loud and vicious hiss that closely resembled the rattle of a snake. Its razor sharp claws, easily the size of his hands if not larger, were digging into the ground and leaving wicked grooves in its wake as it made its way towards them.
Anko ducked under a tail swipe with ease and then jumped as it made to bite at her, a hint of electricity following it. The woman soared over its back and launched a volley of shuriken laced with her personal poisons with as much strength as she could muster. Unfortunately, while some of the shuriken struck home the rest had little to no effect as most bounced off its hide.
Anko landed on a nearby rock formation and was forced to dodge as the lizard used its tail to send several feather like spines her way. The woman didn't doubt it was done as retaliation for the stunt she pulled.
Granted Anko wasn't the most physically endowed individual compared to others such as Gai, Asuma, and Kakashi but she at least thought it would be enough to cut the creature, "Guess, I need some training of my own."
Part of her also knew that if the seal wasn't on her or if she accessed it her strength would increase to the point that cutting the creature up would be child's play. Even if she had any desire to use the dark power of the seal - which she didn't! - because of how long it had been since she used it accessing that power would be very difficult.
"Guess I gotta make do," she thought before she quickly prepared for her next move.
While the creature was very fast, Anko knew she was faster.
As Anko prepared, Naruto created several clones and charged at creature with his sword out of its sheath. The lizard, however; met the rushing clones before it suddenly performed a spin that sent itself airborne. Several of the clones were destroyed in the process while others managed to dodge in time.
But even then a few were quickly destroyed or forced to continue dodging as it continued its assault.
"BARK!"
Naruto watched as Hotto spinning and fire covered form barrelled into the creature with little finesses and watched as the two crashed the ground. Hotto's fire covered maw biting into the beasts neck but the nape was too wide for Hotto to fully take advantage of the situation. Instead, the ninken used its claws to rake and dig in and held on tightly while his fangs tried to find a decent hold.
Their foe rectified this by bellowing and everyone looked on as electricity sparked around it and struck all those unfortunately too close to its form. Hotto was forced to let go despite his resilience and was launched a considerable distance from the enraged lighting clad oddity.
"Of course it wasn't going to be easy," Anko groaned and then readied a whip of sickly yellow energy before she charged.
XxX
Hiruzen merely batted his eyes, once and then twice before he took in a deep breath and then proceeded to rub his temples. Hiruzen tried to stifle the migraine he knew was about to show itself as best he could. "Anko, would you mind telling me why your team looks as though they went into a battlefield?" the man exaggerated but the scene before spoke for itself.
Naruto and Hottomaru were ragged and looked as though they had taken the worse of it judging by the cuts and bruises Hiruzen spotted. He also observed that despite the former being known for his stamina the boy had quite a large amount of sweat and his breathing looked rapid. Ino and Hinata both looked relatively fine by comparison and lacked the same amount of cuts and bruises. From Team Eight's appearance Hiruzen thought they had gone through a meat grinder.
"Well…" she drawled, "it may have gotten a little rough," Anko laughed a bit and had a sheepish look adorning her face. "But on the bright side we came out stronger than ever!"
"Speak for yourself, Anko-sensei!" all three Genin thought.
"Are they alright?" Hiruzen asked.
"Meh, they'll get over it," Anko smiled but winced lightly and held her side a little more tightly. Hiruzen guessed the woman sported either a fractured or broken rib at the moment. She was definitely doing a lousy job hiding it but an excellent one at suppressing the pain.
"I see… At any rate, should another incident occur once more can I count your team again?"
"You damn well know it," Anko grinned but winced once more, "No pain, no gain is my motto."
"How many freaking mottos does she have?" Ino and Naruto simultaneously thought. Though the Genin couldn't help but agree that Anko certainly lived up to the pain aspect of the saying.
"I am curious, Anko. What happened?" Team Eight had since accomplished four C-Rank mission, including this one and his occasional observation demonstrated that they had since improved. He recalled the last time the group had faced these creatures and they hadn't come back as ragged as they did now. "Have the scorpions become stronger?"
"Nah. This was a freaking lighting lizard," Anko informed him.
But it only had Hiruzen asking, "Lightning lizard?"
"Yeah, we ran into a little snag at the end of the mission. Damn thing came out of nowhere. No big deal," Anko waved off his concern.
The Sandaime wasn't having any of it, however, "Explain."
Anko recognized Hiruzen's tone as one that left little for argument. For the
next little while Anko explained what occurred during the mission with vivid details. Hiruzen for his part remained impassive as he listened to the Jonin and never said a word as the woman told the story.
As Anko ended the mission brief, Hiruzen released a deep sigh and Anko could not tell if such a thing was good or bad.
"You said that creature you faced began to pulse and radiate with an unnatural chakra towards the end?" He asked for clarification.
"Yeah, it was weird, Jiji. One moment the damn thing looked like it wanted to rip us to shreds and the next it looked like it was in pain and made a run for it. Why? Something wrong?" Naruto asked Anko had a hunch that the man knew something.
He wouldn't have asked otherwise.
"Hopefully it's nothing and I'll have some ninja keep an eye and ear out for that thing if it shows up once more. But knowing your luck and Naruto's ability, I'd hazard a guess you will encounter that creature again. Unfortunately, that creature will be stronger and more deadlier than ever once it undergoes its metamorphosis," Hiruzen sighed.
"You mean this has happened before, Hokage-sama?" Ino spoke.
"It's rare for such a thing to occur but not unheard of. It was more common in the era of Warring States. From what you've described the chances of it happening to this creature are unfortunately quite high. Most chakra mutations merely change in size, gain unique abilities not unlike those from summons and the odd one gains chimeric-like features. Others are sometimes known to mutate even a few steps further and can become quite dangerous. Luckily your description indicates that it's only in the beginning stages. My guess is it went to the training grounds to feed as when this occurs these creatures become quite vulnerable and it requires a lot of energy undergoing a metamorphosis isn't an instantaneous process. At the moment, I'd wager it's seeking shelter someplace hidden until the process is complete."
"How long till this thing's done with its change?" Anko needed to know. She had to prepare her team as much as she could if or when the damn reptile came back for some payback.
"Such a process is hard to determine as it varies from creature to creature. It could be days, weeks or months. It depends on the creature really. One thing they all have in common is that they'll seek out those that previously injured them."
"Why?" Hinata asked.
"To become stronger," Hiruzen continued despite the Hyuga's look, "Chakra mutations feed on just about anything but instinctively they want to devour anything with chakra. And beings with a lot of chakra or unique chakra are their preferred meal as it increases their chances of getting stronger. Fortunately they still have their animal instincts so they steer clear of anything too strong for them to take on unless they feel their territory is threatened. It's why most of them are found in the wilds."
"I see," Hinata had wondered why such creatures were never seen in Konoha but its outskirts instead where the training grounds usually were.
"You'd better prepare your Genin for what may come, Anko. I've dealt with a few of these creatures before I was even the Sandaime of Konoha, and heed my advice when I say this: Don't let anything up to chance. If you do, you'll come to regret it."
From the way Hiruzen spoke and his posture and the subtle shifts in tone, Anko knew that the man had faced off against an exceptionally powerful creature that may have taken the lives of those closest to him. And even before he became Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen had been a force to be reckoned with.
Anko wasn't about to let that happen to her team. Anko was many things: promiscuous, insatiable, outspoken, etcetera, but Anko would sooner die or let herself be dragged to hell than be the cause of her team's death.
"Even if it means making a deal with the King of Hell himself," Anko resolutely declared.
"Very good, Anko," Hiruzen had no doubt she'd do it. Anko only had a few people she cared for and didn't let many in but when she did they had a unique but loyal friend, "Now, before you leave, I have another C-Rank mission for you."
"What creatures do we have to deal with this time?" as it was the team had earned the nickname the Exterminators.
But Hiruzen chuckled, "Actually, this is a mission outside Konoha."
"Don't mess with me, Jiji! You're serious!?" finally something different.
"Very serious, Naruto. You'll be required to go to Yuzukamura," the man revealed.
"That's the village that deals with agriculture and supplies Konoha with fourteen percent of its food supply, correct?"
"Top marks, Hinata," Hiruzen applauded but given her clan he had a feeling she'd know that bit, "You want to give them the run down of the area, Anko?"
The woman shrugged but obliged, "Might as well. As your teammate mentioned Yuzukamura is an agricultural village near the border of Kawa no Kuni and half a day north of the Mikazuki Gulf. The area is very fertile and allows for various natural produce you otherwise can't grow in Hi no Kuni but it's a hellishly isolated place packed with marshes, rivers, and very uneven terrain that make getting to it a chore. They have no ninja of their own but have a decent number of militia trained individuals, for what that's worth. It's a very unaccommodating place so setting up a patrol and a proper supply line is too much of a hassle given its geography. Without a guide and even with us going at ninja speed it'll likely take us a week to get from here to there. Four with a guide."
"No border patrol, Anko-sensei?" Ino asked.
The woman shook her head, "The terrain on the border between Kawa and Hi no Kuni in that part of the map is too dangerous to have one. It host numerous rivers both lengthy and wide and very hazardous even for ninja as the landscape is very unstable. The largest is nearly a mile in width so conventional crossings are impossible. All hopes of building a bridge there were abandoned a long time ago. Because of that it's not until you go north and get closer to Tanzaku Gai where the crossings are considerably shorter and safer and you only have a couple of rivers to deal with but we already have patrols in place. To get to either side in that area requires an expert guide, too."
"Okay, so what't the problem then, Jiji?"
"As Anko mentioned they have their own militia and none trained as ninja but they have certain skills that make it easy for them to navigate in those areas. However, they've recently run into trouble with bandits and have encountered a rising number of casualties. Some of which have gone missing alongside several shipments. Trade has suffered for it and Konoha's shipment is next to be delivered. We need these bandits dealt with and if possible rescue any hostage," he informed the group.
"Let me guess, ninja led bandits?" Anko surmised.
"Unknown, as all they find are bodies and looted caravans, but it's very likely. Yuzukamura's militia has dealt with bandits before but incidents from past encounters have never caused this much trouble or this number of casualties. So far they've been unable to locate their whereabouts and those that set out to find them aren't seen again or worse. Be vigilant and if possible, capture the ones responsible. Inform your clans and prepare to leave tomorrow bright and early. Dismissed!"
[QUEST ALERT!]
Clear the Bandits from Yuzukamura
Main Quest Primary Objective: Find and eliminate the bandits.
Main Quest Secondary Objective: Find and capture the bandits' leader or leaders.
Side Quest: If possible save any hostages.
Hidden Quest: ?
Potential Rewards:
Main Quest Primary Objective: 300 EXP per bandit eliminated, 450 EXP per bandit captured, ?
Main Quest Secondary Objective: ? EXP per bandit leader captured and +250 Reputation [Konoha] & [Yuzukamura] (half if killed), ?
Side Quest: 550 EXP per hostage saved
Hidden Quest: ?
Failure: - 500 Reputation [Konoha] & -1000 Reputation [Yuzukamura], ?
Quest is Mandatory
Status Window
Name: Uzumaki Naruto
Job: Genin
Level: 29 Next Level: 44%/100%
HP: 11165
CP: 20210
STR: 71
VIT: 331
END: 454
DEX: 91
INT: 53
WIS: 59
CHA: 16
LUK: ?
DEF: 25
Attribute Points: 11
Ordinary Perk Points: 1
Special Perk Points: 2
Status Window
Name: Hottomaru
Job: Ninken
Level: 23 Next Level: 21%/100%
HP: 1650
CP: 1100
STR: 39
VIT: 66
END: 44
DEX: 46
INT: 20
WIS: 29
CHA: 33
LUK: 28
DEF: 26
Attribute Points: 10
Common Perk Points: 1
Special Perk Points: 0
Status Window
Name: Hyuga Hinata
Job: Genin
Level: 20 Next Level: 7%/100%
HP: 1225
CP: 1775
STR: 31
VIT: 49
END: 71
DEX: 59
INT: 71
WIS: 66
CHA: 20
LUK: 16
DEF: 10
Attribute Points: 13
Common Perk Points: 1
Special Perk Points: 0
Status Window
Name: Yamanaka Ino
Job: Genin
Level: 18 Next Level: 28%/100%
HP: 1150
CP: 1575
STR: 36
VIT: 46
END: 63
DEX: 63
INT: 61
WIS: 57
CHA: 81
LUK: 25
DEF: 10
Attribute Points: 16
Common Perk Points: 1
Special Perk Points: 0
"Are you shitting me!?"
If the group had any attempts of being stealthy whilst in the dungeon then their attempts utterly failed by the clearing sized declaration. But Naruto should have guessed or suspected the outcome.
"Nope!" Despite their desire to wipe that smug look off his face, neither Anko nor Ino could deny that they'd have the exact same look had the situation been reversed. Having several chunks of metal ore worth millions, hopefully more than enough to make a great sword, was nothing to sneeze at.
"Congratulations, Naruto-kun," Hinata being the kind and warm individual that she was expressed a much nobler display.
"Gonna have to do something about that," Anko thought.
"See, why can't you two be like Hinata?" Naruto's comment had Hinata blushing.
"Judging by her development, I'm pretty sure Pales Eyes is gonna outdo me in a few years time," Hinata blushed even harder at Anko's comment and Ino had to admit she was slightly jealous.
"Arf?" Titling his head, Hottomaru wasn't entirely sure what the comment meant.
"Okay, suddenly rich blond who will be paying for my drinks and dango 'till the end of time aside," Naruto blinked but suspected she was being serious, "What's the deal with this mission?"
"It's a points game," Naruto revealed to a blank audience. Sighing, the boy elaborated, "Each enemy is worth a set value. Usually one point is given by defeating the weakest enemy and five with the strongest; rarespawns, mini-bosses, and bosses fall outside this rule by giving us an even greater amount of points."
"So, in other words, we don't have to beat the boss to complete the mission or clear this dungeon, right?" Ino surmised.
"To clear the dungeon and have access to the next one we'll need to beat the boss. It's just that in this case there aren't any requirements to get them to appear and we can leave without penalties so long as we accomplish the requirements of the mission," Naruto explained.
The concept was simple enough to understand and Anko confidently believed her team could handle it, "Alright, Midori and I are gonna sit this one out unless I see any true danger. You thre - four! - show me what you've got."
With their Detection Skill as high as it was the trio of Genin and one ninken knew where it was coming from before Anko said anything. All three looked at the exact location of exploding earth the scorpion came from.
Naruto had never really seen a scorpion before except in video games. Even then he knew their appearance had been somewhat romanticized by the artists. The creature before him was large, not quite as large as Hottomaru was in his adult form but large enough still. It had wicked pincers that looked like they could chop off a limb if enough pressure was added and its barbed tail was oozing with a green viscous liquid that it didn't take a genius to know was venom.
"Observe!" he announced.
Status Window
Scorpion Drone - Level 22
HP: 2100
CP: 1750
STR: 43
VIT: 64
END: 69
DEX: 59
INT: 15
WIS: 10
LUK: 27
DEF: 75
Perks:
Harsh Desert Resistance [Lv 1]: +30% Resistance towards [Wind-Based Skills] and [Fire-Based Skills], Ignores debuffs brought on by desert environments
Scorpid Tenacity [Lv 1]: Immune to [Poison-Related Debuffs], [Burning-Related Debuffs] or [Bleeding Related Debuffs] when HP drops below 20%, DEF increase by 30% of total VIT amount when HP drops below 20%
Hard Carapace [Lv 1]: +500 HP, +30 Defense, +30% Resistance towards [Bladed Weapons] and [Piercing Weapons], +30% Resistance towards [Critical Strikes], and -30% Resistance towards [Blunt Weapons] and [Taijutsu]
Flaws:
Bulky [Lv 2]: When above ground Movement Speed reduced by 50%, -50% Effectiveness towards [Evasion]
? : ?
Description: Drones are at the very bottom of the hierarchy but one shouldn't be fooled despite their large size. Though the weakest they have an incredible ability to strike their prey with their poison filled stinger. Unlike their more mature counterparts that are known to blend in with their environment and striking at an opportune time, these ones are known for rapidly digging through the earth and popping up whenever a creature enters their colonies territory. When they have suffered a significant amount of injuries, it is not uncommon for them to flee and recover from their wounds before giving chase once more on the unsuspecting prey. However, despite their
EXP Earned: ?
Drops: ?, ?
"Great," Naruto grumbled. Kenjutsu was out it would seemed. And while most would have assumed Naruto was kicking himself for not buying a new blunt weapon when he had the chance it wasn't the case.
Drawing out his large sword, Naruto mentally called out his new technique, "Doton: Gekisaiga no Jutsu (Earth Release: Raging Demon's Crushing Fang Technique)!"
While his new Taijustu was good, Naruto had the impression it wouldn't be enough, especially since he didn't really focus too much on it compared to everything else he knew.
The Gekisaiga was a C-Rank borderline B-Rank technique Naruto had come across on the Abyss Auction that he felt would greatly come in handy. The main purposes of the technique was wrapping a weapon in a great amount of earth and rock, thus transforming it into a large studded cudgel of sorts. This not only served to reclassify Naruto's bladed weapon into a blunt one but also boosted its attack power, too.
Unfortunately, because of his weapon's already considerable size and weight, the 'new' weapon was now considerably heavier and difficult to maneuver, his speed took a nose dive, too, unless his STR was at a certain level. Which was easily taken care of, too.
"Ninpo: Kongoriki (Ninja Art: Adamant Strength)!" Naruto shuddered and gave off a grin that made an off to the side Anko proud. He felt his strength swell to incredibly envious levels for someone his age. The technique was an improved version of Goriki - and it had upgraded to an A-Rank one to boot! - and while its chakra cost per duration was even costlier, Naruto had tons to spare and perks to take the edge off.
Naruto felt himself fortunate that the former B-Rank technique had finally maxed out and was an upgradable technique. The old version had not been able to make the wielding of this oversized weapon quite as easy.
Lifting the oversized club that was nearly twice his size and a half above his body, Naruto couldn't have helped himself if he could when the look of satisfaction threatened to split his face open. The scorpion's black eyes bulged out comically from its body and threatened to pop the moment the oversized club flattened it like a pancake; the once pristine armor cracked and splintered to reveal its soft vulnerable body. One hit and already was half of the creature's HP practically gone.
|Congratulations! Through a special act you've discovered and unlocked the hidden weakness of scorpions! [Broken Carapace]!|
Broken Carapace
A scorpion's carapace is hard and durable but it's not indestructible and can be broken by the right weapon and with incredible strength. If this happens the creature loses much of its defence and formidable strength. However, as a result of losing its heavy armour, the creature's speed is considerably improved.
- Loses benefits of [Hard Carapace] and [Harsh Resistance] perks
- Loses [Bulky] flaw
- STR and VIT reduced by 50%
- Movement Speed increased by 75%
"Naruto-kun!" Hinata warned him. The Hyuga noticed the scorpion's tailed twitched and no sooner had she shouted out did something shoot from the barbed appendage. Naruto managed to dodge the projectile but was surprised to see a nasty green fume rising from the impact area and the group could hear the sound of sizzling from it.
"He's lucky. That's corrosive poison," Ino commented, her eyes not once leaving the slowly developing hole. Being from a clan that had knowledge on plant life and poisons since its founding centuries ago allowed her to identify such things.
Corrosive poisons were nasty pieces of work. Simplified they liquefied or ate away at one's insides. A person was both lucky and unlucky if they got hit by a slow acting one. Chances of saving a limb affected by them were high but recovery was slow and the pain was dreadful from what she heard. Fortunately, they were affected by the Gamer's ability so the effects wouldn't be as bad.
"I hope," Ino really didn't want to test that theory out.
"Hey! Are you two just gonna stand there and gawk or actually help your teammate?" Both knew better that Anko wasn't asking but ordering.
"Hotto! Stinger!" Naruto's bark was followed by Hotto's own. The enlarged ninken's maw bit down hard on the naked creature's poison delivery limb and pinning it down to impede its movement. Hotto shook his head and the action dragged the scorpion's body away from the group of Genin.
"Sazanka (Three Scattering Flowers)!"
Naruto blinked when Ino took to the offensive and landed a series of three quick successive strikes on the creature's defenceless pincer. The limb couldn't take the assault without its protective shell and became limp and useless on the ground.
Hinata on the other hand merely struck the creature with a chakra covered palm thrust to its unprotected head that finally ended the creature. While Hinata lacked the same strength as himself the Juken fighting style had techniques that ignored most defenses and had both high critical chance and critical chance multipliers.
"Okay, first off, nice to see you guys actually have improved in the last little bit," Anko from behind them suddenly announced, "However, I saw a number of ways I could have ended that fight more quickly. Gaki! You struck the body instead of the head. You probably could have killed it instantly if that happened or at least brought its health down even lower. Good call on the stinger but you should have anticipated that sooner. Blondie! What the hell was with targeting the pincers? They were useless and it did nothing but prolong the fight. Pale Eyes… you were slow to act but good job."
"A-Arigato," Hinata thanked their mentor.
Anko waved it off, "We're ninja, guys. We get in, we get out as quickly and efficiently as we can and we try not to show off unless it's to scare the target's very soul out of their bodies. You do that by finding and then targeting the opponent's weakness. From now on, I wanna see you guys try and end an enemy with as few hits as possible."
[QUEST ALERT!]
Less is Better
Main Quest: Defeat opponents with as few hits as possible
Potential Rewards (Not stackable):
Main Quest Completion First Outcome: 2300 EXP (Average of 1-3 Hits per defeated opponent), +250 Reputation [Anko], +1 AP
Main Quest Completion Second Outcome: 1400 EXP (Average of 4-6 Hits per opponent), +100 Reputation [Anko]
Main Quest Completion Third Outcome: 500 EXP (Average of 7-10 Hits per opponent)
Failure: 50 EXP, -50 Reputation [Anko]
Quest is Mandatory
"Ok, then. Back to work, kiddoes, we got scorpions to get rid of…Of course, by we I mean you."
Of course she did were their collective thoughts.
For the next two hours or so, as apparently many of them liked to hide in different locations far and wide that required a good amount of tracking, that's what the Genin and ninken of Team Eight did. All four continued to search and then proceeded to defeat scorpion after scorpion and racked up point after point while Anko watched. The senior kunoichi only ever getting involved when a scorpion set their sights on her but a good burst of her [Killing Intent] quickly deterred them. Unfortunately, once underground the creatures were pretty quick and they travelled deep and far when escaping.
At first the group struck mostly with the lower levelled creatures to ensure they got a feel for their prey and because their lower health amount allowed them to have an increased chance in felling them with as few hits as possible. It was something Naruto quickly had the rest of the group exploit.
Rather than be irked about it, Anko merely smiled that her wards figured out a way to take advantage of such an opportunity that presented itself. Anko never said anything against and it showed her that they were using their brains.
As the powerhouse of the group, Naruto was the one who dealt the most damage with as few hits as possible. But the result of their intense training under Anko enabled Ino and Hinata to perform decently against the lower tier enemies as well.
Hinata's fighting style naturally ignored most defences and had an incredible critical hit chance and boost and it was only enhanced by the [Lightning Claw Technique]. The lighting element having the greatest piercing power and critical chance out of all the primary elements enabled her to end a scorpion in one or two blows to the head after Naruto did his part.
Ino, despite her speed, regrettably lacked Naruto's raw power and Hinata's advantageous element and fighting style. Had she been Naruto that bit for not contributing as much would have irked her. As a result, Ino's role was to render a scorpion immobile by a poison from the Yamanaka Clan. Having a flower shop and dealing with plants all their lives, the Yamanaka had developed more than their fair share of effective arachnid and bug poisons. And whenever they encountered a larger and stronger specimen, Ino would take over their body and then Hinata and Naruto would cover it with exploding seal tags the Uzumaki had learned to fabricate. Finding a nest or attracting a decent amount of scorpions to a single location was the next step and then sending the mind controlled creature in their midst on a kamikaze mission was the final one.
It was a simple but effective pattern the group fell into. Not perfect and a few hiccups happened here and there that Anko would most likely criticize them for later, but it remained effective regardless. So far they had yet to encounter the boss or a rarespawn, unfortunate as that was but there would be other times.
"Spoke too soon," Naruto realized and the group prepared themselves when they felt the earth shake and rumble.
Anko grinned, "Alright, the fun's about to begin," and no sooner had she finished saying that did the boss of the area reveal itself.
"…Okay, gross," Ino had seen weird creatures since the Gamer reveal but this took the cake so far. Compared to its weaker but normal looking minions the boss had a more atypical body structure one would not associate with a scorpion.
To start, its body color was black and yellow, similar to a wasp or hornet. The back of the carapace looked jagged thanks to the spikes that lined from head to tail, the tail itself looking more like a spiked club with an oversized head with a beak like spike the size of their forearm. The creature lacked the eight limbs its lesser kin possessed and instead had six legs that ended in a set of lizard-like claws with another pair of pincers replacing the front legs to give it a total of four.
What was even stranger was the pincers moving back and forth as though they had a will of their own and the pattern they had gave the group the impression of eyeless heads with black jagged teeth. The scorpion's head itself looked like it belonged on the body of a crocodile than that of an arachnid.
"Oh, boy," Naruto was a little concerned at the moment.
Status Window
Boss: Dakatsu, Misplaced Mutant Arachnid of the Desert – Lv 29
HP: 5275
CP: 3075
STR: 87
VIT: 91
END: 93
DEX: 74
INT: 39
WIS: 34
LUK: 49
DEF: 110
Special Perks:
Dungeon Boss Blessing [Lv 2]: +2000 HP, +750 CP, +17.5% towards all [Resistances] and [Tolerances] All Attributes Increased by 20, +15 Defense
Perks:
Harsh Desert Resistance [MAX]: +50% Resistance towards [Wind-Based Skills] and [Fire-Based Skills], Ignores debuffs brought on by desert environments
Movement Speed increases by 70% when below 30% health
Spiked Shell: +45 Defense, Chance of causing damage to opponent when struck by certain Taijutsu skills, +15% Resistance towards [Bladed Weapons] and [Piercing Weapons], +15% Chances towards [Critical Hits]
Scorpid Tenacity [Lv 3]: Immune to [Poison-Related Debuffs] [Burning-Related Debuffs] or [Bleeding Related Debuffs] when HP drops below 30%, DEF increase by 30% of total VIT amount when HP drops below 30%
Hard Carapace [MAX]: +1000 HP, +50 Defense, +50% Resistance towards [Bladed Weapons] and [Piercing Weapons], +50% Tolerance towards [Critical Strikes], and -10% Resistance towards [Blunt Weapons] and [Taijutsu]
Aura of the Leader [Lv 1]: Allies gain +15% increase towards Attributes, Movement Speed, and Effectiveness, Power, and Speed towards Skills when in same area
Flaws:
Bulky [Lv 3]: When above ground Movement Speed reduced by 75%, -75% Effectiveness towards [Evasion]
Description: A very large mutant and deadly creature with an even deadlier poison. This creature's origin began like many of its kind in the desert. However, it somehow managed to mutate a few steps further, physically changing it more so than its brothers and sisters. As a result it has gained an even greater defense and has a spiked shell that deters others from attacking it with certain forms of hand to hand techniques least they wish to harm themselves. Though slower compared to its minions it's capable of digging very quickly and performing sudden unexpected attacks. Be careful not to be caught in its (?) skill as it has a high chance of instantly felling the target or taking away a huge chunk of the victim's HP.
EXP Earned: ?
Drops: ?, ?, ?, ?
Chancing a look behind him, all the while not taking his eyes off the boss, Naruto frowned. While neither Ino nor Hinata were on the verge of exhaustion, both were very tired regardless despite hiding it well. But Naruto knew better and saw the sweat that had long since begun to coat their bodies. Starting a mission like this after coming off from an intense training session with almost no time to properly recover would do that.
Ino and Hinata had certainly improved their stamina and endurance since they first began, but both still had a while to go. Watching as the creature grabbed a boulder the size of his body, the pincers shined brightly as the large piece of stone was crushed and ripped in half, Naruto belived his decision to be the right one. Better they sit this out for now and let him finish the job. Neither had the same amount of HP and END as him so he'd likely survive the instant death technique. It was highly doubtful Ino and Hinata would be so lucky. If anything they could give him cover fire. First, however, he was forced to block as the boss attacked him with pieces of the crushed boulder. The force behind it made him grunt and he was pushed back a few inches.
"Hotto, keep Ino, Hinata safe!" Naruto ordered and got a bark as a response. If either one were caught in its grip they'd be done for.
"What the hell, Naruto!" Ino began to shout but was stopped midway.
"Don't argue, Ino!" the sternness behind his voice surprised her. "Both of you are exhausted. If you slip up you die. I'm not going to let that happen!"
"But… but Naruto!" Hinata did not like this one bit.
"No buts! Don't go anywhere near it. If you wanna help then cover me!" he ordered.
"The Gaki's right. You did good but you ain't gonna be able to do anything other than cover fire at the moment," Anko was proud of the two. Both had looked like they wanted to throw in the towel quite a while ago but had pushed themselves. Anko knew they knew her previous advice rang true. Naruto wouldn't always be there to help them, it was one of the reasons why she spent most of her time with them so they didn't become dependent on him. They need to push past their boundaries and grow or fall. However, admiral as it was, both couldn't be foolish either.
"You wanna help then do what the Gaki said," Anko beamed as she saw them nod and watched as they took out a series of kunai and shuriken attached with tags. It wouldn't be much, but it was better than doing nothing at the moment.
Naruto spun away from large serpentine pincers from the right before he launched a counterstrike with his oversized weapon at the appendages that threatened to sever him in half. The action rewarded him with the beast smacking itself in the face and dazing it momentarily.
Naruto took advantage of this by performing a neat little number Hayate had taught him in conjunction with a Shadow Clone, the only one he had gotten down so far. Creating a clone, his control over the technique was better but his minimum was five, Naruto went one way while the doppelgänger went the other way, "Shouha Jumonji (Impact Cross)!"
Clone and original swiftly crossed the creature in an 'x' pattern, the sound of the stone maces impacting its target was music to their ears. The technique was intended to be used with a sword and was meant to be a much speedier execution but in this case it would have accomplished little to nothing.
Naruto half expected to see its shell fall apart or at the very least see it faltering. Instead it was squatted and locked in place, its form unmoving but the increase in energy could be felt. All of them were speechless, though Anko and Naruto inwardly believed it was cool despite the intent behind it, as chakra reached the tipping point and a funnel of concentrated orange-pinkish fire shot at him from all four of them.
Naruto switched with the clone and was spared its fate but even then the air around him instantly became uncomfortable and the surrounding greenery wilted and dried up. The area near where those beams struck were no better: trees became brittle and feel apart, flowers became dust in the wind, and the nearby scorpions were no more than mummified cadavers.
"Watch out! That's a Shakuton (Scorch Release) technique!" Anko warned her students.
"A dual natured element?" Ino recalled and called bull on it, too.
Naruto dodged as a beam was once again launched at him and the boy barely had time to block the next with his weapon. Instead of an explosion the mace became superheated and a sweat drenched Naruto couldn't hold onto the red hot weapon that burned his hands.
That was the odd thing about Shakuton. On living things it had a violent reaction, most commonly was evaporating, turning them into husks or reducing them to ash. On non-living things such as stone and metal the reaction was much less subdued.
Once more, Naruto used Kawarimi to replace himself with a clone and seeing it evaporate wasn't a pretty sight. Fortunately, for him at least, the creature was struck by one of Ino's kunai and a white cloud coated the creature and caused its next shot to miss him by a wide margin.
"Ino-chan, look at it!" Hinata pointed out and Ino noticed almost instantly what her fellow kunoichi was referring to. The creature was having trouble standing, its pincers shaking and its tail almost to the ground.
"Naruto! That technique takes a lot out of it!"
"Gotcha!" the old hit it while it's down classic it was. Clones were summoned and as one they charged the dungeon boss, a battle cry on their lips as they did. Not exactly subtle or ninja like but it felt appropriate. Numerous shuriken and kunai were launched by the army of blonde ninja and kunoichi on the sidelines. Exploding tags were set off upon reaching their destination causing, peppering it with concussive force and poison that even its perk could not ignore, while rocks and dirt were kicked up in the process but it served to prevent it from locating their exact whereabouts.
But as one the group of Naruto's fell when a green cloud from hell was unleashed from Dakatsu's reptilian-like mouth. The clones felt their bodies spasm and twitch uncontrollably and one by one did they fall unceremoniously, their forms easy pickings for the creature's barbed tail.
"Shiei-sō: Juren Hakai (Four Shadows Burial: Heavy Consecutive Annihilation)!"
But the creature didn't count on Naruto using the clones as distraction. From above four blond ninja fell, and with them their heavy stone clubs. Dakatsu's body shined its metallic sheen once more but it wasn't enough, the might and weight of the combined assault proved too much for the creature to defend against.
Weakened by its earlier stunts played a role and ended with the creature's carapace becoming cracked and splintering like a struck mirror. It wasn't enough to end Dakatsu but it was enough to bring its health down well past the half way point.
A volley of balls of Shakuton based flames had Naruto and the clones jump back least he end up dried up, or at least, gain a nasty debuff that would leave him severally drained. And all of them watched as the ruler of the dungeon rose, its eyes flashing red and a roar in its maw that was cut short.
"Suiton: Suiben no Jutsu (Water Release: Water Whip Technique)!" Lash of water wrapped around the creature's body like a serpent would an unfortunate mouse. Ino grunted and sweated buckets, her body at its absolute limit.
"Ino!" Naruto could tell the technique had no effect on the creature besides annoying it.
"Its shell may not be off, but it is cracked and splintered," Ino grinned evilly, "Light 'im up, Hinata!"
Nothing was said by the kunoichi, and Naruto looked on as Hinata's electrically charged hand made contact with the water trail. The creature screeched in agony as the lightning did its job and began to painfully bypass its outer shell and fry up its soft and vulnerable insides.
Paralyzed by the effects of the technique, Naruto used the remaining clones and had them launch a unforgiving series of Katon: Inka Hyakki no Jutsu (Fire Release: Shadow Fire of One Hundred Demons Technique) at the creature. The effectiveness of the flames was severally reduced despite the amount of demonic flaming heads striking its paralyzed form.
|Dakatsu has been afflicted with the [Hysteria] debuff!|
His gamble paying off, Naruto rushed at the creature that was too frightened to mount a proper defense. Dakatsu shot balls of fire blindly and without abandon in all directions, its hysterical state making it strike itself as well.
By chance one of them struck Naruto weapon on the down, Naruto gritted his teeth and endured the pain as he continued the maneuver with all his might. Naruto couldn't help himself from shouting out, "Zugaisai (Skull Crush)!" And looked on as the red hot weapon struck home on the dungeon boss's face.
Dakatsu's skull cracked and then shattered into countless pieces, its protection fully gone, Naruto watched as the creature thrashed as its head began to shrivel up. The thrashing didn't last long before its movements became stiff as a dried up tree. The collective thoughts of the group proved true seconds later when the shrivelled up dungeon boss disappeared into a series of collective lights.
It was over, they had won.
[QUEST COMPLETED!]
Stingers, Pincers and Venom… Oh, Shit!
Main Quest: Clear Training Area Eight of 100 points worth of scorpions (Accomplished)
Side Quest: Defeat Training Area Eight's Boss (Accomplished)
Total Rewards (Including Perks):
Main Quest Completion: 7475 EXP, 25000 Ryo, +495 Reputation [Konoha Populace] Allowed to undertake even more C-Rank Missions
[QUEST COMPLETED!]
Less is Better
Main Quest: Defeat opponents with as few hits as possible
Main Quest Completion Outcome 1: Average of 1-3 Hits per defeated opponent (Failed)
Main Quest Completion 2: Average of 4-6 Hits per defeated opponent (Accomplished)
Total Rewards (Including Perks)
+1610 EXP, +110 Reputation [Anko]
Naruto sighed at his luck. Having already levelled up in the dungeon approximately forty odd minutes ago, even then the large amount of EXP from the enemies wasn't enough to earn him another level up boost.
"Sweet! I levelled up!" Ino shouted.
"So did I," Hinata smiled.
"Arf!"
"You too!" Now Naruto was depressed.
From the side Anko said nothing as she looked at her students and the ninken. All three and Hottomaru had cuts and the kunoichi had shaky legs and sweat covering their faces in several areas but they were happy nonetheless. The scorpion monstrosity was dead, thought it could have been done a bit better - they would have to do better down the line - Ino and Hinata looked ready to call it a day or two, but it had been worth it in the end.
"Not bad for their first C-Rank," Anko thought.
"Sweet!" the three kunoichi heard Naruto whooped and hazarded a guess that he found an item that was a good one, "It dropped a key and a weapon!"
Though the former presented less of a problem, splitting money was easy enough, but who was going to get what? That went doubly so for the weapon.
"What are these?" Ino asked as she held up a pair of gauntlet looking items.
Dakatsu no Kamu (Dakatsu's Bite) Very Rare Quality - Tier 1
Item Type: Fist Weapon/Armor
Item Modifier Rank: DEX [C]
Durability: 110/110
Description: At first glance it is a seemingly unassuming gauntlet with no extraordinary features or abilities other than its decent protection. However, it takes after its namesake for a reason as the clawed weapon allows for exceptional and painful grappling. Additionally, hidden in the gauntlets are two pair of blades that can suddenly pop out and strike out at a foe. The action is sudden and leaves the opponent with little to no time to react. The blades are not the only things to worry about as they can release a corrosive poison that eats away at armor and flesh alike.
Attack Power: 41-54 + Modifier + Perks
Special Perk: Upgradeable (Three Levels)
Bonus Stats/Perks: +20 DEF, +15% Effectiveness towards [Grappling Skills], [Scorpid Tenacity: Lv 1], ? (Upgrade Level 1 Required)
Weapon Skills: Midorigasumi (Green Mist), Dokuai (Toxic Love), ? (Upgrade Level 2 Required), ? (Upgrade Level 3 Required)
Fuinjutsu Slots Available: [Two Major Slots], [Two Minor Slots]
Anko released a sharp whistle as she and her team read the description. It certainly was impressive to say the least.
"Nice, and an upgradeable weapon, too," Naruto couldn't help himself.
"Upgradable?"
"Means it can be improved even further. Better attack power, defense, everything. See, it even unlocks new perks and skills when it's upgraded," Naruto pointed out. That was useful.
"Okay, I gotta admit that does sound awesome. Sorry to say, but you're passing on this one, Gaki," Anko informed him and Naruto just shrugged. He wasn't all that bummed at not getting it since there be better weapons in the future and since Naruto already had a weapon it really was no skin off his nose. Which left herself, Ino and Hinata, and Naruto knew Anko personally didn't care for using weapons except for kunai and poisons. She knew tanto and some sword related techniques but wasn't an avid practitioner.
"So, which one of you gets it?" the most logical choice was Hinata of course as her clan specialized in Taijutsu and such a weapon could serve to compliment her fighting style.
But at the same time Anko was trying to prevent them from specializing too much into a particular field. Hinata's Gentle Fist was already deadly as it was and would only get stronger as she got better. Adding the weapon to it would make it more effective but at the same time it was kind of predictable too. She was trying to get them to branch out for a reason after all. Plus, considering what it offered in terms of skills made the choice even more obvious.
"Congratz, Blondie, they're yours," Ino was stunned as she honestly thought Anko would have given them to Hinata. But the girl likely followed along the same train of thought as Anko
Still a bit stunned Ino put on the gauntlet like weapons nonetheless and found to her surprise that they were pretty light, "Wish they came in another colour though," Ino muttered.
"Details, details. What's next?" Anko asked.
"A recipe for Intermediate-Grade Scorpion Poison and two Intermediate-Grade Scorpion Poison Vials," Naruto knew a bit about poisons from Anko but wasn't really all that interested in learning anything about them, "Probably best if you or Ino got them," Naruto said.
"I'll take that," Anko declared. While Ino was already learning poisons from the older kunoichi the woman wouldn't be letting her learn such an advanced one until much later.
Finding the chest had not been all that difficult. Much like the other times he had to find the chests this one was located near the dungeon exit. Of course they had to fight off a few scorpions on the way. Most of them had been taken care of by Anko or Naruto because of how tired and weak Ino and Hinata were, the woman felt she could cut 'em a bit of slack.
When they opened the treasure chest, inside had been a heaping 80,000 ryo that was split four ways. As a result, each member of Team Eight, minus Hottomaru of course, received a decent 20,000 ryo in the process.
Aside from that the only noteworthy articles inside the chest were a few health potions, always welcoming in Naruto's opinion, and a skill scroll that none of them could us.
"Tough luck getting that," Anko told them, "You'd be better off selling it. Shakuton is a rare ability to have and the only place that breeds those that can are back in Kaze no Kuni," and even then it was rare.
"So, more money?" Ino asked the other two.
"I'll see what it goes for and go from there. Sorry, Hinata," Naruto felt bad that Hinata hadn't gotten anything other than the money. And from what Naruto had learned about them he doubted the girl needed it because her father was the leader of a very wealthy clan and she most likely had a decent amount of money to her name already.
"It's alright, Naruto-kun," Hinata told him with a smile but Naruto knew that face she gave him meant she was a little disappointed for not getting anything.
"Ah, it's not like it's a big deal anyway, Hinata," the slightly downed Hyuga looked at her crush for saying that, "There's tons of dungeons out there and I'll betcha that there's bound to be something that will suit you."
"The Gaki's right, Pale Eyes. Sooner or later you'll get something," Anko smiled and pulled the girl into a one armed hug. "Don't worry about it. Good things come to those who wait as they say."
"H…Hai!" Hinata nodded and her mood, even if it was lightly, perked up at the words of comfort.
"First though we need to get outta a here. Gaki, take us home!" the boy didn't need to be told twice and subsequently shouted out a command before each and everyone of them found themselves back into the mundane version of the training ground. Anko felt they deserved a decent break before the were to report their success to the Sandaime.
Once they were ready, Anko ordered her team that they were heading to the Hokage Tower and then decided that they'd call it a day. The group arrived in minimal time despite the fatigue of two of their members and as they ascended the stairs to the Hokage's office, Team Eight passed by several Jonin and their respective teams of their own. All of them were older teams that had been around for more than a year or so and many looked perplexed at the state they were in.
"Yosh! Anko-san!"
"Oh, shit! Of all the rotten timing!" Anko groused and cursed her rotten luck. Nice as he was - too nice in Anko's opinion - the Taijutsu virtuoso of Konoha was good in small doses. "Hey, what's up, Gai?"
"Nothing much, my youthful friend!" the eccentric Taijutsu master of Konoha grinned at the woman before directing his attention to the Genin, "Oho! So these are you students!" he beamed.
"Yep, they're still wet behind the ears and still need a little tuning up but they'll get there eventually. Team Eight, this is Maito Gai. He's Konoha's foremost Taijutsu expert and master. Hell, probably in all of Hi no Kuni, and beyond," she added, "Gai, this is Team Eight. That's Gaki, Blondie, and Pales Eyes."
"Arf!" Hottomaru barked at being left out.
"Oh, yeah, and that's Poochie-gaki," she said half heartedly.
"Grrr!"
"We have names, you know," Ino and Naruto deadpanned as the woman shrugged.
Leave it to Anko to introduce them by their nicknames.
"I'm Yamanaka Ino, that's Hyuga Hinata, that's Hottomaru, and you likely already know the resident prankmaster of Konoha," she smirked as her teammate.
Naruto merely shrugged, "Hey, I'm good at what I do."
"Ah, yes," Gai nodded. The man had seen a few of the boy's pranks on occasion and thought them to have been creative to say the least.
"Got a problem with my pranks, Gekimayu-sensei (Intense Eyebrows Master)?" Naruto was a little defensive. While Gai blinked at the name he was given.
"Baka!" Ino knew Naruto was slow at times but this was taking then cake. No matter how truthfully the name fit. However, before she could apologize and reprimand him both Anko and Gai burst out laughing instead.
"Gekimayu? That's a new one," the man chuckled much to Naruto's surprise.
"The hell?" Ino half-guessed the man to get angry, not laugh it off. The ninja world was full of weirdoes it seemed.
"Say, Gai, where's your team?" Anko asked. "They didn't die from overkill did they? I really liked Tenten."
"No, my glorious students are off today. Lee's running laps around Konoha last I heard. He started an hour ago so he should be on lap fifty-four by now," he mused while Ino and Naruto's eyes threatened to bulge out.
"Fifty laps around Konoha in an hour!" the idea of a Genin capable of doing that was nuts in their minds. Naruto considered himself strong and had immense stamina compared to other Genin but even he doubted he'd be capable of doing what this Lee character was doing.
"I need to up my training," he thought. If there were people close to his age that were capable of doing such a thing then Naruto knew others would reach the Hokage title before him.
"Tenten's running her family shop and Neji I think is at the Hyuga compound," he said and neither he nor Anko missed the way Hinata flinch at the mention of his name. "So this is the clan's former heiress and Neji's cousin," Gai wasn't the most astute individual in the world but he was quite perceptive and attentive.
The man had heard about his student's cousin, having seen her the odd time and everything else. The man frowned internally as the girl before him didn't have the arrogance or haughty demeanour that most Main Family members had. It was evident by the way she moved and stood that she was lacking in confidence and had some emotional baggage, but nowhere as bad as it was made out to be. It was nothing like Neji had mentioned before, "Even now his anger still clouds his judgment," the man thought before putting the thoughts away.
"Well, I'm off to see how Lee's doing, Anko-san. Enjoy teaching!" he said and gave the woman his well known 'nice guy pose". To the astonishment of Naruto and Ino, the pose included a thumbs up, winking, and smiling with teeth so white they give off a proverbial 'ping'.
As he left in a blur, Naruto and Ino were left stunned and motionless, "Does that always happen?"
"Trust me, I've seen something far worse," Anko shuddered at the horrible memory.
"Make no mistake, Gai's an odd duck," and that was putting it extremely lightly, "but the man's easily one of Konoha's most powerful ninja. His taijutsu is frightening and second to none in Hi no Kuni," Anko didn't know the true extend of the man's power but Anko guessed it would be devastating if the man went all out.
Continuing on their original trek to the Hokage's office, Anko informed the secretary and only needed to wait less than ten seconds before they were permitted to enter.
"Team Eight is back from their mission, Hokage-sama," Hiruzen looked up and despite a few cuts and bruises the team wasn't in a bad state.
"Are they all gone?"
"Not quite," Anko chuckled but explained the situation to the village leader.
Hiruzen held an impassive look but nodded all the same, "Well, at the very least their numbers have been significantly reduced and they won't be venturing to other training areas. If anything, I'll have some posted to monitor the area from time to time. At any rate, well done. It seems you've proven yourselves ready for C-Rank missions," Hiruzen congratulated the team.
"Yes!"
Hiruzen laughed at the boy's exuberant shout, "You'll still be required to take D-Rank missions, Naruto-kun."
"Why do you gotta bust balls, Jiji?" Naruto whined.
"Yeah, that's my job," Anko commented; she ignored her student's look.
"I lead a Genin team once myself, Naruto-kun. I know all too well how to bust balls," Naruto blinked and the kunoichi of the group were left agape. None of them ever believed they'd ever hear the esteemed Professor utter such words.
"Respect, Sandaime-sama," what else could Anko say to her senior.
"Thank you," the man tipped his hat at the first time mentor, "Now, while this certainly proves you're all capable of undertaking C-Rank missions, you won't be handed them all left and right. However, of the new graduates, I will keep your team in mind. But I expect you to keep it up," the subtle warning was heard loud and clear by all of them. Hiruzen would throw them a bone but they had to do their share and continue to improve.
"Don't worry, for the rest of today we rest up but tomorrow I'll be reminding them I'm not gonna go easy on 'em," all three Genin and the ninken felt cold as ice at those foreboding words.
As they left the office, Hiruzen didn't doubt Anko's proclamation. Out of all the newly formed teams, Anko's was the only one doing noticeable progress. The other teams weren't doing quite as well even with Kurenai helping them at the odd occasion. Each had their own set of problems.
Without Ino Asuma was having a bit of troubling finding a way to get all three of them to work effectively during combat. It wasn't a case of them not getting along but more of a case of their fighting styles and personalities being quite different then what he had anticipated.
Kakashi was struggling with the personalities of his students clashing with one another that made them butt heads and prevented a cohesive unit. Sasuke's lone wolf mentality, Kiba's alpha complex, and Sakura's naivety and fangirl-ism despite her remarkable intelligence. There were moments of them working remarkably and surprisingly well but such moments were quite fleeting from what he observed.
Only time would tell if the latter two teams would be ready for the upcoming Chunin Exams only four months away.
(Over a Month Later)
Unknown Chakra Mutation - Lv ?
HP: ?
CP: ?
STR: ?
VIT: ?
END: ?
DEX: ?
INT: ?
WIS: ?
LUK: ?
Defense: ?
Special Perk:
? : ?
Perks:
? : ?
Status Effect:
? : ?
Description: A very large lizard-like chakra mutation with white fur on its back and a bushy tail. Not much is known about this strange creature other than it not to be dealt with lightly. Its rough skin offers it protection from many forms of attack, however; its skin is much softer on its stomach and therefore more vulnerable. Despite its incredible size this creature is quite fast, and nimble to the point it's capable of performing evasive manoeuvres and sneak attacks in seconds. For some reason or another though there is something odder about this chakra mutation than others. Why is that?
"Oh, shit," Naruto didn't like this at all. Especially since the damn thing had a multitude of question marks on its stats and in its perks.
As he eyed the beast, Naruto wondered if they should retreat. The mission had been a relatively simple one, or it was much simpler than before when they first took it over a month ago. The scorpions' number had developed a recent surge and Team Eight was charged with dealing with them again. That they'd encounter this powerful foe of unknown levels threw them off.
As he looked at Anko, the look she had had him assume she was contemplating if they should stay or not, "Gaki-"
|REPEL THE POWERFUL FOE TO CLEAR THE DUNGEON!|
"…Well, that's convenient," he heard her mutter. "Gaki, what do we have to do to repel it?" she asked.
"If it's anything like the games I've played then we need to bring its health down below fifty percent or more," Naruto informed her. That was all well and good but exactly what that number posed another question.
The Jonin instructor of Team Eight nodded before she looked at her other students, "Ino, Hinata, you two give us cover fire!" Anko silently cursed that Midori wasn't with them at the moment. While the serpent was faithful to Anko she wasn't with her twenty-four seven like many believed and occasionally left to do her own thing. "Talk about fucking luck," had Midori been here the fight would have been over quickly and easily.
"Hotto, with me!" he ordered and got a bark as a reply.
"Alright, let's do this, Gaki!" Anko declared before she strategically charged the creature at speeds Naruto could not match.
However, that didn't stop the only male of the team and he soon followed right behind her. The creature itself releasing a loud and vicious hiss that closely resembled the rattle of a snake. Its razor sharp claws, easily the size of his hands if not larger, were digging into the ground and leaving wicked grooves in its wake as it made its way towards them.
Anko ducked under a tail swipe with ease and then jumped as it made to bite at her, a hint of electricity following it. The woman soared over its back and launched a volley of shuriken laced with her personal poisons with as much strength as she could muster. Unfortunately, while some of the shuriken struck home the rest had little to no effect as most bounced off its hide.
Anko landed on a nearby rock formation and was forced to dodge as the lizard used its tail to send several feather like spines her way. The woman didn't doubt it was done as retaliation for the stunt she pulled.
Granted Anko wasn't the most physically endowed individual compared to others such as Gai, Asuma, and Kakashi but she at least thought it would be enough to cut the creature, "Guess, I need some training of my own."
Part of her also knew that if the seal wasn't on her or if she accessed it her strength would increase to the point that cutting the creature up would be child's play. Even if she had any desire to use the dark power of the seal - which she didn't! - because of how long it had been since she used it accessing that power would be very difficult.
"Guess I gotta make do," she thought before she quickly prepared for her next move.
While the creature was very fast, Anko knew she was faster.
As Anko prepared, Naruto created several clones and charged at creature with his sword out of its sheath. The lizard, however; met the rushing clones before it suddenly performed a spin that sent itself airborne. Several of the clones were destroyed in the process while others managed to dodge in time.
But even then a few were quickly destroyed or forced to continue dodging as it continued its assault.
"BARK!"
Naruto watched as Hotto spinning and fire covered form barrelled into the creature with little finesses and watched as the two crashed the ground. Hotto's fire covered maw biting into the beasts neck but the nape was too wide for Hotto to fully take advantage of the situation. Instead, the ninken used its claws to rake and dig in and held on tightly while his fangs tried to find a decent hold.
Their foe rectified this by bellowing and everyone looked on as electricity sparked around it and struck all those unfortunately too close to its form. Hotto was forced to let go despite his resilience and was launched a considerable distance from the enraged lighting clad oddity.
"Of course it wasn't going to be easy," Anko groaned and then readied a whip of sickly yellow energy before she charged.
XxX
Hiruzen merely batted his eyes, once and then twice before he took in a deep breath and then proceeded to rub his temples. Hiruzen tried to stifle the migraine he knew was about to show itself as best he could. "Anko, would you mind telling me why your team looks as though they went into a battlefield?" the man exaggerated but the scene before spoke for itself.
Naruto and Hottomaru were ragged and looked as though they had taken the worse of it judging by the cuts and bruises Hiruzen spotted. He also observed that despite the former being known for his stamina the boy had quite a large amount of sweat and his breathing looked rapid. Ino and Hinata both looked relatively fine by comparison and lacked the same amount of cuts and bruises. From Team Eight's appearance Hiruzen thought they had gone through a meat grinder.
"Well…" she drawled, "it may have gotten a little rough," Anko laughed a bit and had a sheepish look adorning her face. "But on the bright side we came out stronger than ever!"
"Speak for yourself, Anko-sensei!" all three Genin thought.
"Are they alright?" Hiruzen asked.
"Meh, they'll get over it," Anko smiled but winced lightly and held her side a little more tightly. Hiruzen guessed the woman sported either a fractured or broken rib at the moment. She was definitely doing a lousy job hiding it but an excellent one at suppressing the pain.
"I see… At any rate, should another incident occur once more can I count your team again?"
"You damn well know it," Anko grinned but winced once more, "No pain, no gain is my motto."
"How many freaking mottos does she have?" Ino and Naruto simultaneously thought. Though the Genin couldn't help but agree that Anko certainly lived up to the pain aspect of the saying.
"I am curious, Anko. What happened?" Team Eight had since accomplished four C-Rank mission, including this one and his occasional observation demonstrated that they had since improved. He recalled the last time the group had faced these creatures and they hadn't come back as ragged as they did now. "Have the scorpions become stronger?"
"Nah. This was a freaking lighting lizard," Anko informed him.
But it only had Hiruzen asking, "Lightning lizard?"
"Yeah, we ran into a little snag at the end of the mission. Damn thing came out of nowhere. No big deal," Anko waved off his concern.
The Sandaime wasn't having any of it, however, "Explain."
Anko recognized Hiruzen's tone as one that left little for argument. For the
next little while Anko explained what occurred during the mission with vivid details. Hiruzen for his part remained impassive as he listened to the Jonin and never said a word as the woman told the story.
As Anko ended the mission brief, Hiruzen released a deep sigh and Anko could not tell if such a thing was good or bad.
"You said that creature you faced began to pulse and radiate with an unnatural chakra towards the end?" He asked for clarification.
"Yeah, it was weird, Jiji. One moment the damn thing looked like it wanted to rip us to shreds and the next it looked like it was in pain and made a run for it. Why? Something wrong?" Naruto asked Anko had a hunch that the man knew something.
He wouldn't have asked otherwise.
"Hopefully it's nothing and I'll have some ninja keep an eye and ear out for that thing if it shows up once more. But knowing your luck and Naruto's ability, I'd hazard a guess you will encounter that creature again. Unfortunately, that creature will be stronger and more deadlier than ever once it undergoes its metamorphosis," Hiruzen sighed.
"You mean this has happened before, Hokage-sama?" Ino spoke.
"It's rare for such a thing to occur but not unheard of. It was more common in the era of Warring States. From what you've described the chances of it happening to this creature are unfortunately quite high. Most chakra mutations merely change in size, gain unique abilities not unlike those from summons and the odd one gains chimeric-like features. Others are sometimes known to mutate even a few steps further and can become quite dangerous. Luckily your description indicates that it's only in the beginning stages. My guess is it went to the training grounds to feed as when this occurs these creatures become quite vulnerable and it requires a lot of energy undergoing a metamorphosis isn't an instantaneous process. At the moment, I'd wager it's seeking shelter someplace hidden until the process is complete."
"How long till this thing's done with its change?" Anko needed to know. She had to prepare her team as much as she could if or when the damn reptile came back for some payback.
"Such a process is hard to determine as it varies from creature to creature. It could be days, weeks or months. It depends on the creature really. One thing they all have in common is that they'll seek out those that previously injured them."
"Why?" Hinata asked.
"To become stronger," Hiruzen continued despite the Hyuga's look, "Chakra mutations feed on just about anything but instinctively they want to devour anything with chakra. And beings with a lot of chakra or unique chakra are their preferred meal as it increases their chances of getting stronger. Fortunately they still have their animal instincts so they steer clear of anything too strong for them to take on unless they feel their territory is threatened. It's why most of them are found in the wilds."
"I see," Hinata had wondered why such creatures were never seen in Konoha but its outskirts instead where the training grounds usually were.
"You'd better prepare your Genin for what may come, Anko. I've dealt with a few of these creatures before I was even the Sandaime of Konoha, and heed my advice when I say this: Don't let anything up to chance. If you do, you'll come to regret it."
From the way Hiruzen spoke and his posture and the subtle shifts in tone, Anko knew that the man had faced off against an exceptionally powerful creature that may have taken the lives of those closest to him. And even before he became Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen had been a force to be reckoned with.
Anko wasn't about to let that happen to her team. Anko was many things: promiscuous, insatiable, outspoken, etcetera, but Anko would sooner die or let herself be dragged to hell than be the cause of her team's death.
"Even if it means making a deal with the King of Hell himself," Anko resolutely declared.
"Very good, Anko," Hiruzen had no doubt she'd do it. Anko only had a few people she cared for and didn't let many in but when she did they had a unique but loyal friend, "Now, before you leave, I have another C-Rank mission for you."
"What creatures do we have to deal with this time?" as it was the team had earned the nickname the Exterminators.
But Hiruzen chuckled, "Actually, this is a mission outside Konoha."
"Don't mess with me, Jiji! You're serious!?" finally something different.
"Very serious, Naruto. You'll be required to go to Yuzukamura," the man revealed.
"That's the village that deals with agriculture and supplies Konoha with fourteen percent of its food supply, correct?"
"Top marks, Hinata," Hiruzen applauded but given her clan he had a feeling she'd know that bit, "You want to give them the run down of the area, Anko?"
The woman shrugged but obliged, "Might as well. As your teammate mentioned Yuzukamura is an agricultural village near the border of Kawa no Kuni and half a day north of the Mikazuki Gulf. The area is very fertile and allows for various natural produce you otherwise can't grow in Hi no Kuni but it's a hellishly isolated place packed with marshes, rivers, and very uneven terrain that make getting to it a chore. They have no ninja of their own but have a decent number of militia trained individuals, for what that's worth. It's a very unaccommodating place so setting up a patrol and a proper supply line is too much of a hassle given its geography. Without a guide and even with us going at ninja speed it'll likely take us a week to get from here to there. Four with a guide."
"No border patrol, Anko-sensei?" Ino asked.
The woman shook her head, "The terrain on the border between Kawa and Hi no Kuni in that part of the map is too dangerous to have one. It host numerous rivers both lengthy and wide and very hazardous even for ninja as the landscape is very unstable. The largest is nearly a mile in width so conventional crossings are impossible. All hopes of building a bridge there were abandoned a long time ago. Because of that it's not until you go north and get closer to Tanzaku Gai where the crossings are considerably shorter and safer and you only have a couple of rivers to deal with but we already have patrols in place. To get to either side in that area requires an expert guide, too."
"Okay, so what't the problem then, Jiji?"
"As Anko mentioned they have their own militia and none trained as ninja but they have certain skills that make it easy for them to navigate in those areas. However, they've recently run into trouble with bandits and have encountered a rising number of casualties. Some of which have gone missing alongside several shipments. Trade has suffered for it and Konoha's shipment is next to be delivered. We need these bandits dealt with and if possible rescue any hostage," he informed the group.
"Let me guess, ninja led bandits?" Anko surmised.
"Unknown, as all they find are bodies and looted caravans, but it's very likely. Yuzukamura's militia has dealt with bandits before but incidents from past encounters have never caused this much trouble or this number of casualties. So far they've been unable to locate their whereabouts and those that set out to find them aren't seen again or worse. Be vigilant and if possible, capture the ones responsible. Inform your clans and prepare to leave tomorrow bright and early. Dismissed!"
[QUEST ALERT!]
Clear the Bandits from Yuzukamura
Main Quest Primary Objective: Find and eliminate the bandits.
Main Quest Secondary Objective: Find and capture the bandits' leader or leaders.
Side Quest: If possible save any hostages.
Hidden Quest: ?
Potential Rewards:
Main Quest Primary Objective: 300 EXP per bandit eliminated, 450 EXP per bandit captured, ?
Main Quest Secondary Objective: ? EXP per bandit leader captured and +250 Reputation [Konoha] & [Yuzukamura] (half if killed), ?
Side Quest: 550 EXP per hostage saved
Hidden Quest: ?
Failure: - 500 Reputation [Konoha] & -1000 Reputation [Yuzukamura], ?
Quest is Mandatory
Status Window
Name: Uzumaki Naruto
Job: Genin
Level: 29 Next Level: 44%/100%
HP: 11165
CP: 20210
STR: 71
VIT: 331
END: 454
DEX: 91
INT: 53
WIS: 59
CHA: 16
LUK: ?
DEF: 25
Attribute Points: 11
Ordinary Perk Points: 1
Special Perk Points: 2
Status Window
Name: Hottomaru
Job: Ninken
Level: 23 Next Level: 21%/100%
HP: 1650
CP: 1100
STR: 39
VIT: 66
END: 44
DEX: 46
INT: 20
WIS: 29
CHA: 33
LUK: 28
DEF: 26
Attribute Points: 10
Common Perk Points: 1
Special Perk Points: 0
Status Window
Name: Hyuga Hinata
Job: Genin
Level: 20 Next Level: 7%/100%
HP: 1225
CP: 1775
STR: 31
VIT: 49
END: 71
DEX: 59
INT: 71
WIS: 66
CHA: 20
LUK: 16
DEF: 10
Attribute Points: 13
Common Perk Points: 1
Special Perk Points: 0
Status Window
Name: Yamanaka Ino
Job: Genin
Level: 18 Next Level: 28%/100%
HP: 1150
CP: 1575
STR: 36
VIT: 46
END: 63
DEX: 63
INT: 61
WIS: 57
CHA: 81
LUK: 25
DEF: 10
Attribute Points: 16
Common Perk Points: 1
Special Perk Points: 0
Legend of the Kyuubi
Making the rounds.
- Joined
- Sep 14, 2026
- Messages
- 35
Chapter 17: Rogue Gallery
As ordered by their village leader, Team Eight had risen bright and early the next day and made their way towards the Great Gate. Packing was virtually unnecessary given that storage scrolls had long since become redundant because of the Inventory Box, and little needed to be added to the storage space thanks to previous overnight training sessions in and outside of dungeons. However, Anko had ordered scrolls and backpacks to be carried by her Genin nonetheless to avoid unwanted questions.
Naruto, ever eager and willing to go outside Konoha for the first time in his life had arrived at the gate before any other member of Team Eight, not including his ninken. Where Naruto went, Hotto went.
"Hey, kid!"
Looking behind him, Naruto noticed the well-known Gate Pair of Konoha: Hagane Kotetsu and Kamizuki Izumo. Two Chunin Naruto knew all too well. Outside of Iruka, both men were two of the few Chunin that Naruto avoided when it came to his pranks, at least when together, and even then there was hesitance. While not individually successful as Iruka was when it came to capturing him, six times out of ten were Kotetsu and Izumo successful in capturing him and avoiding his traps despite their laid-back and nonchalant demeanour. Their chances of success were higher when working together, which was almost all the time.
"Yo!" Was the simple greeting.
"Heard your team is being sent out for an outside mission," remarked Kotetsu, the Chunin with dark hair and a bandage across the bridge of his nose to the back of his head.
"Yep!" Naruto saw no point in denying it.
"Congratz. Now we don't have to stop ya from trying to sneak out," laughed Izumo, the one with a bandana-like forehead protector and a brown-haired bang covering his right eye.
The Genin frowned at the comment but couldn't fault the Chunin for it. Naruto being an adventurer at heart wanted to see what was outside Konoha more than once when he was younger but hadn't been allowed by the Sandaime unless someone was with him. Being who he was the young boy had tried and failed in numerous attempts to go outside Konoha's walls by himself, usually being stopped by the two Chunin before him. It had taken the threat of him never having ramen ever again to stop, and thus the top of the Hokage Mountain became one of his favourite spots because it allowed him to see not only all that Konoha had to offer but well beyond the Great Wall, too.
"Morning, lightweights!"
"Anko," the Chunin duo greeted the Jonin.
"Lightweights?"
"Drinking buddies. But they can't hold their drink worth shit," she elaborated. Both Chunin were decent individuals but sucked as drinking partners in Anko's personal opinion.
"Hey! We do all right!"
"Yeah, we're not the one with a fifty-year-old liver!"
A kunai in her hand and a serpent coming out of her sleeve had them stiffen and instantly regretting their foolish words, "What was that?"
"Nothing!"
"It was Kotetsu!"
"You backstabbing asshole!"
"You and I agreed it was every man for himself when Anko gets pissed!"
"Doesn't make you any less of an asshole!"
"Are they always like this?" Asked the Yamanaka that arrived alongside her Hyuga teammate, both could only look on at the bickering duo.
"Meh," Anko shrugged, "You get used to it. Pretty much all ninjas have the odd quirk, or three."
The group of Genin and Chunin interpreted the message for what she actually meant: all ninjas were crazy in some way. Anko was no exception, but the woman didn't bother to hide her craziness. Regardless, seeing her putting away the serpent and the kunai had both Chunin breathe a sigh of relief that didn't last more than a nanosecond, "I'll deal with you two when I get back."
"We'll bring the dango and booze," both declared and wept. The peace offering was by no means going to be cheap for either of them but it was better than the alternative.
"Apology accepted. Now, then, here's what's happening," spinning around, Anko's gaze fell upon her team, "We travel south from Konoha for a day and a half or two before we meet up with a guide the client village assigned for us. Once we do it'll take us another two, maybe more, to reach Yuzukamura. Be on guard as once we enter the area, we may encounter bandits or some local wildlife."
"Crocodiles?"
"Maybe a few, and it's actually alligators, and even then they're not that big of a deal with," it would have been another story if they were going to the Land of Swamps, where the smallest of them was easily over two times the length of an ordinary alligator, "but I was referring to leeches and mosquitoes."
Seeing the woman shudder, Naruto asked, "What's so bad about that? Pretty sure Ino can whip something up, right?" And the only male ninja of the group earned a nod from the Yamanaka.
"'Fraid we're gonna have to do without," Anko informed him and almost whined herself, "Helpful as they are, and the Yamanaka Clan make the best, their repellants have an odor to 'em. And before you ask the Aburame Clan don't make any because they like bugs. We have no idea who we're dealing with and a person's scent can give their location away. I received some last-minute intel from Hokage-sama and apparently, no matter what route or how well hidden the caravan was or whenever they tried setting up an ambush they were still found. The Inuzuka Clan isn't the only one with an enhanced olfactory system. So, no repellants, I'm sorry to say."
And she was being honest. Leech and mosquito bites sucked. The former more so in this case because these weren't your toothpick-sized bloodsuckers but close relatives to the palm-sized ones found in Konoha's infamous Forest of Death. Severe blood loss happened in seconds if a decent number of them managed to latch on.
"Ah, crap," so far this mission was off to a good start in Naruto's opinion.
XxX
"This bites," Inuzuka Kiba groaned as he pulled another weed from the garden of some lazy old fart. The lawn and garden had definitely seen better days upon first sight over three hours ago and he could only wonder how long it had been since proper maintenance had been performed.
"Quit complaining," despite Sakura telling this to her wild teammate the pinkette couldn't help but mentally agree.
Sasuke for his part said nothing and did nothing but pull out another weed. But the last Uchiha had the same mindset as his teammates. The only one on their team who was having any sort of enjoyment was Kiba's ninken and perhaps Kakashi if the odd giggling he released was an indicator. Off to the side, their Jonin instructor was nose-deep in a book and while Hatake Kakashi had impressed him during their test the man left much to be desired since then.
He was constantly late, no techniques except for the odd survival skills were taught to them, and the majority of the time all they did were drills and mock combat scenarios and sparring. It made Sasuke re-evaluate how high Konoha's standards were if this is what passed as a Jonin. At this rate, Sasuke wouldn't be able to avenge his clan anytime soon.
"Yosh! My eternal rival Kakashi!"
All three Genin blinked and turned to see a sight that they'd never forget but sorely liked to. Kakashi did nothing but turn to the next page in his book and greeted his 'rival' with a passive demeanor.
"Gai," was Kakashi's simple reply.
"Kakashi and members of Team Seven! How fare you this afternoon?" Asked the energetic man.
"We're all seeing this, right?" Kiba couldn't believe his eyes, dearly hoping his mind was playing tricks on him.
"God, I hope not," Sakura said back, her incredible memory working against her as she memorized every detail of the man and his unbelievable attire.
"Hmm," Sasuke agreed.
"Fine," responded Kakashi, who continued to read his book, "Where's your team?"
"They are preparing for a mission outside Konoha. We leave in an hour so I thought I'd do a few quick exercises before we left when I spotted you and your youthful students," Kakashi could only imagine what Gai meant when he said 'few' and 'quick exercises' despite the number of years knowing the odd ninja.
"No fair! His team goes outside Konoha and we're stuck doing this crap!" Kiba complained.
Kakashi was undeterred by the hotheaded boy's outburst and began placating him in short order, "Settle down, Kiba. Fresh Genin teams don't usually take on C-Rank missions in their first few months. Gai's team has been in circulation for over half a year now. They have more experience than any of you three."
"Arf!"
"Sorry, four," the man apologized to the team ninken.
"I guess," the boy groaned, but he didn't like the answer.
Blinking in confusion, Gai asked, "You mean you haven't heard?"
"Heard what?" Kiba asked.
"Anko and her team were tasked with a C-Rank mission four days ago," Gai revealed before Kakashi could stop him.
"WHAT!" All three Genin exclaimed.
Sighing, as this was what he was hoping to avoid, Kakashi snapped his book shut - and just when it was getting to the good part - after putting in a bookmark, "I had heard of that, yes. Good for them."
"Wait, you knew and didn't tell us?!" Kiba asked once more.
"I didn't believe it was important," and it wasn't. How Anko managed her team and how Asuma and Gai or any other Jonin instructor managed their team wasn't any of his business. Who went on what mission and what kind of mission it was also wasn't his business. And his team wasn't ready as he'd like them to be for a C-Rank mission.
"Not important! The Dead Last managed to go on a C-Rank mission before us!" Kiba declared.
"Last I remember, Kiba, you were the Dead Last of your graduating class instead of Naruto," he corrected. Kakashi had initially believed his teacher's son didn't take after either of his parents - skill-wise that is as he was certainly Kushina's son if his grades and personality were an indicator - but his turnaround during his last year had the makings of a late bloomer finally coming around.
Kiba turned red with embarrassment and anger as Sakura stifled a laugh and Sasuke sported a light smirk. Seeing this only served to anger Kiba up even more, "That's it! I'm over this shit! We're going to the Hokage Tower to get a C-Rank mission right now!"
Watching him leave, Gai couldn't help but ask, "Doesn't he know you're already done?" And indeed the garden and lawn were done and all that remained was collecting payment and putting away the bags of weeds.
"It'll only get him even more riled up if we told him," Sakura informed the man; Kiba could get really annoying whenever he wanted to prove himself or one-up another.
"Go after him and wait for me. I'll be there in a sec," Kakashi ordered both remaining Genin. Sakura and Sasuke did as they were bid while their team leader collected the payment for the mission and then headed off to the Hokage Tower himself. His team might not be ready as he'd like them to be, but perhaps a good kick in the pants by reality would be the necessary push they needed.
But first, if it was available, he'd have them chase Tora if the feline blur he just spotted a block over was anything to go by.
(Days Later)
"Finally," Ino breathed a sigh of relief as she and her team and their guide set their sights upon their destination. The latter half of their trip had not been a pleasant one. Neither Hinata nor Ino were on the same level as Anko and Naruto when it came to endurance but she'd like to think they did well for their first time. Anko would probably have a different opinion, the Yamanaka thought.
Meeting with the guide had been when the 'fun' part had started. Despite it being the winter season it wasn't uncommon for Hi no Kuni to get rain and warm weather. Apparently, the southern part of Hi no Kuni didn't receive the same memo and they were heavily cloaked to keep the winter's unforgiving winds at bay. Given their role in the group, Ino and Anko had more exposed skin than either of their teammates and were less than comfortable at the moment. Fortunately, they were but a leisurely ten minutes away from warming up if they went full tilt. Ino didn't care if she'd have to carry their guide to do so.
Yuzukamura was a large hamlet with many different-sized homes and roads situated on hills that had a decent-sized plateau. Each hill had rows of trees, stands and poles with plants attached or growing up along them, others had edible grasses such as rice growing as far as the eye could see in well kept paddies. In the distance was the largest elevated plateau with the largest building surrounded by a tall wall of wooden pikes exceeding sixty odd feet that were nearly ten feet thick, and that was only the shorter portions. The defensive bulwark was apparently made by the Shodai in exchange for a trade agreement between the two villages and had since been added upon over time such as the man-made moat.
The protected building in question was likely the storehouse and distillery the group had learned about from their guide. The man was a chatterbox and a wealth of boring and useless information no one cared about. Sure, knowing about the village in question and where and what was what and who was who might be useful. But about nine out of ten of what he droned on about was pointless drivel.
"That's the village's pride and joy, the Yuzukamura Distillery. Fun fact about it," Anko felt her eye twitching and saw Naruto and Ino were just about ready to pounce on the soon-to-be pancake. Anko had never killed a client before, but she had certainly come close and had on occasion gotten back at the more annoying ones in a discreet manner that left them oh-so satisfyingly humiliated. This guy here was microseconds away from being her latest victim before a group of armed men came up the hill to greet them.
"Identify yourselves!" A voice suddenly announced and spared them from hearing the useless trivia.
"Yuzuka-sama!" Hearing the honorific, Team Eight looked at the aforementioned woman that came up to them with a small group of armed individuals. A quick glance at how tense many of them held their weapons and the way they looked everywhere told Anko that they were either greenhorns or nervous as hell, or likely both.
"Team Eight from Konoha?" The woman asked.
"You expecting anyone else?" was Anko's reply, "You the head honcho of this village?"
To their surprise the woman shook her head, "No, that would be my mother. However, she isn't available at the moment, so I'm here in her stead."
"Lucky them," Team Eight heard one of the guards mutter.
"Hold your tongue!" Apparently, the comment wasn't low enough as Yuzuka's bark had the guard become ramrod stiff. The woman earned some points for that stunt alone in Anko's books.
"Shall we?" Yuzuka motioned for them to follow her lead.
The trip was short and soon the group enjoyed the comforts of the indoors, a small spread of drinks and food, mostly fruits and vegetables with some rice dishes, was soon brought for their leisure.
"I'll keep this short as I want you to start as soon as possible," Yuzuka began, "We need these bandits dealt with and dealt with quickly. They have my mother."
"How'd that happen?" Anko asked, taking a sip of the alcoholic beverage she was given. It was pretty good.
"My mother is … a headstrong woman and quick to anger when wronged and strict to a fault," Anko decoded the veiled wording for what she actually was: a hard-ass bitch, "She takes the welfare of Yuzukamura very seriously. These bandits have been a thorn in our side for months and my mother finally had enough and left with a group of guards with the most recent caravan to try and ambush them."
"That was two weeks ago, right?"
"It was," Yuzuka nodded. "My mother is skilled with a naginata and knows a few basic ninja techniques, but evidently that wasn't enough. A warning flare was seen maybe half an hour after they left and when we found the caravan it was hopelessly annihilated and bodies littered the grounds, some of them in pieces. The only saving grace is that several of them were missing from the site."
"Hostages?"
"We hope. The area around there usually doesn't have its share of predators, especially during winter, but it is a swamp and it's not uncommon for the odd creature to show up where they usually don't," Anko and Ino detected a hint of hope that such an occurrence didn't come to pass.
"All right, what about the site? What did it look like?" Anko asked.
"Almost like every other," was the unhelpful comment, "Broken wagons, cut up bodies, smashed in heads, decent-sized crater holes and broken trees. But no signs of ninja techniques were used. No burn marks, scorch marks or anything else that would serve as an indicator."
That last bit of information had Anko's attention, "So, physically strong individuals," the average bandits were usually much stronger than a well-trained civilian but not as strong as a well-trained ninja. But even then ordinary ninjas weren't physically strong enough to do what was described. In other words, these were Chunin or near-Jonin level individuals.
"We believe so, yes. All we found at the scene was this," the woman brought a box from her side and opened it to reveal a piece of clothing, "It belonged to my mother."
Grabbing it, Anko and her Genin felt their eyes watering as the scent assaulted their senses, "Ho, boy!"
"Kwahh!"
"Mhmm!"
"Oh, God. Close it!" Naruto pleaded.
"I'm sorry?" Yuzuka didn't understand their reactions.
"You can't smell that?"
"Smell?" Yuzuka held a look of ignorance.
"You're pulling our leg, right?"
Frowning, Yuzuka said, "I'm not pulling anything."
"Yuzuka-sama, the perfume Yuka-sama uses is a local one. Outsiders such as our guests are likely unaccustomed to such odours," said one of Yuzuka's attendants.
"No shit!" were the collective thoughts of the group. Well, at least they had a way of finding their target. Now it was merely a matter of convincing Hotto to smell it.
The ninken's retreating form told them all they needed to know.
(XxX)
Mizuki scowled and more than once in the months since he left Konoha did he have a nagging doubt in the back of his mind. Did he make the right choice? Was this all worth it? Oh, sure, Orochimaru had given him access - limited though it was - to power few could lay claim to, and tools that complemented his fighting style, but at times Mizuki felt he had traded one cage for another one.
"A larger cage for sure, but a cage is a cage nonetheless," the man contemplated. Fortunately, cages couldn't hold ninja for long. It might take some time but he'd find a way out eventually. But as difficult a task as that would be to accomplish, making sure he wasn't caught afterwards would be an entirely different level of difficult.
Orochimaru wasn't one to tolerate failure or subpar performances; warnings were seldom given, and fortunate were those who did. Those who didn't were dead - and lucky were they! - or worse. Mizuki had seen first hand what happened to the latter. Death was the better alternative.
Tsubaki was a prime example.
Following him from behind was his lover, or at the least the shell of Tsubaki. Mizuki had no idea exactly what had been done to her, as he had been sent on a mission, but Tsubaki wasn't the same kunoichi she used to be when he returned.
She killed without hesitation, she did as he ordered, she did things she never would have done. Unlike him, Tsubaki hadn't adjusted to their new way of life as easily and struggled despite her skill in genjutsu. Now she didn't struggle but at the same time the life in her eyes were pretty much gone.
Mizuki could only wonder what hell she had been through to get her into such a state of mind. Actually, he didn't want to know. Some parts of the human imagination were best left alone, and this was one of them.
But despite the bad, there was also good. Mizuki's body had undergone a rapid transformation, but body more muscular compared to the more lithe one he possessed before. He could throw farther, harder, faster and last much longer, too.
And he had also recently been blessed with a gift from his master, too. Apparently he and a few others had been chosen to test out its potency on the current mission. And given who he was dealing with it might need it despite his improvements. Garbed as a Konoha ninja, Mizuki's headband lacked the slash that marked him as a nuke-nin. This meant that even if he was spotted people would think his actions were on behalf of Konoha, ruining their reputation.
The smarter individuals wouldn't believe it, though some may try and take advantage nonetheless, but the ignorant ones would likely be too stupid to think otherwise.
"Mizuki-san," Mizuki heard Tsubaki's monotone voice, "I sense two targets with large amounts of chakra just up ahead. I believe it's them."
"Good," was his reply. Finding their targets was easy with Orochimaru's network of spies. Getting them to cooperate might be a challenge depending on circumstances. Why Orochimaru wanted these two working for him he didn't know. But Mizuki knew better than to ask questions at this point.
People usually weren't seen again if they asked too many questions.
(Sometime Later)
Getting Hottomaru to cooperate had been a challenge, and had not exactly endeared them to their clients. But none of the Konoha shinobi could really fault the poor ninken either. The perfume smelled horrible. How the people of Yuzukamura considered this pleasant was unknown. Naruto honestly believed there had to be something wrong with their sense of smell.
Once they were outside the village Ino commented that the Shodai likely built the wall that surrounded the village so high and thick in order to keep the smell from escaping. The group laughed at the comment but the laughing became short lived once they reached the site of the ambush.
And not for the reason they expected.
"God damn it!" Naruto enjoyed the perks blessed upon by the Gamer but damn if random shit like this didn't annoy him.
Gamer 2.0 has now been updated to Gamer 2.1
Please read the following for details on what this entails.
"Oh, lovely," Anko snarked.
"What does this mean?" Hinata asked.
"Doubt it's anything good," Ino remarked, basing her judgment on Naruto's reaction.
"I'll tell ya in a minute," Naruto began reading the details that followed and frowned and at times he looked ready to curse, but other times he looked content, "Well, ya want the good news or the bad news first?"
"Bad news," Ino had been taught it was better to deal with the bad news first this way morale was improved upon hearing the good news last.
"Good news, unlike last time this took place this won't require a waiting period or shut down," Anko breathed a sigh of relief along with Naruto. Neither Hinata nor Ino had been his teammates at the time so neither of them knew what he was referring to.
"This next bit affects me more than you guys, but my affinities have been nerfed so I don't gain extra health or chakra from 'em anymore," meaning his CP and HP were lower than before. They were still quite high, just nowhere as high as they used to be."
"Tough break," Anko told him, her tone didn't reflect it.
"Which means when you guess earn similar perks you won't get them either," Naruto added but Anko merely shrugged. It could have been a lot worse in her opinion.
"Uh, completing missions with rankings lower than your Skill Ranking won't give us AP points anymore," the two youngest kunoichi of the group were confused by that.
"Skill Ranking?"
"It's a term used by shinobi to more accurately reflect the threat level an individual poses based on their aptitude. Village ranks don't accurately reflect the skills you possess. Just because you're a Genin doesn't mean you have the power of one. It can go either way. Uchiha Itachi, Hatake Kakashi, Namikaze Minato, and my bastard of a mentor when they were Genin were more skilled than most low-ranking Jonin before they got promoted. Another example is people having S-Rank bounties but that was due to the information they stole or possessed rather than their skill level, due to past actions or because people want revenge," Anko revealed, "I'm guessing that's what it means?"
"Yep! Let's see. Anko-sensei's Skill Ranking is -B. Ino's is D+ along with Hinata's and Hotto. Mine's a C," Naruto revealed.
"That's it! I call bull!" Ino declared. Weeks and countless hours of hellish training and busting her ass off and she was only a D+?
"Blondie, indoor voice, we're still tracking remember," Ino had the decency to blush but her anger remained, "Don't forget you've only been at this for a couple of months. So, Gaki, what affects this rank anyway?"
"Uh… how many skills you possess, the skills' rank, perks, your stats, bloodlines, titles, how many skills you've mastered, your equipment…other stuff," Anko didn't need to be a genius to know he was referring to the Kyubi inside of him. Being a jinchuriki likely played a huge factor and the better control you had over that power the greater the threat she wagered.
"Well, sucks that lower-rank missions don't give out AP no more. Any other bad news?"
"Yeah, defense is gone," Naruto revealed.
"What!" now that was an issue.
"Well, I guess changed is more appropriate. The damage we take now is calculated by us blocking, parrying, and our resistances instead, and other variables. That's another thing, Tolerances and Resistances are now one and the same: Resistances. Wearing armor will improve those alongside any skill that's defence-related."
"What else?"
"Any technique or skill we learn will only have one level now instead of multiple levels as we try and master them, and their CP usage, power, speed, and effectiveness will apparently be a all over the place and based on our attributes, and equipment if they're weapon-based, but once mastered they will a hell of a lot better. Learning an improved version of the technique isn't automatic anymore as we need to meet the requirements, which are based on our attributes."
The more she heard about it, the more Anko believed that this current update was trying to make seem like it was based on reality.
"Titles reflecting swordsmanship and taijutsu will now all be the same instead of different," a quick glance at her Status Window showed Hinata that her Novice Juken Practitioner had changed to Novice Taijutsu Practitioner, and the +20% EXP & Effectiveness towards [Taijutsu Skills] had changed to +20% EXP, Power, and Effectiveness towards [Taijutsu Skills] while everything else was gone. But she noticed something else too.
"My Status Window shows a new category: Fighting Styles!" Hinata revealed and breathed a sigh of relief when the previous benefits her title had were allocated there instead.
"Yep!" Naruto honestly believed it could have been a lot worse, "Also, it states that those kinds of titles will only be earned if you master a fighting style, increase them in rank like Novice to Apprentice, and if you've defeated foes using skills related to them. Fighting styles will also only improve in rank once you master a certain number of skills associated with them, too, and you can only learn certain skills if you've mastered certain techniques, too."
"In other words, you can't just jump ahead to learn the more powerful skills, right?" Anko surmised.
"Basically," which sucked, "But any skill that was previously learned regardless of the new requirements will be grandfathered in," the group sighed in relief for the small mercy.
"Okay, enough bad news. Give us the good stuff," Anko ordered.
"Uh, ninja ranks will no longer be titles but their benefits remain. Successfully completing missions meeting or exceeding our Skill Rank and leveling up now grants us Improvement Points, IP for short."
"Improvement Points?"
"Yeah, apparently they replace AP now. We can use 'em to not only improve our attributes, but we can use to master a technique or fighting style we have, too. Provided we have enough to do so."
"Wait! So we don't have to train our asses off as much anymore to master them?" Ino asked.
"I guess," it was safe to say where Ino was gonna be focusing on applying her hard-earned IP, but to each their own, "Common Perk Points and Special Perk Points have also been replaced with Perk Points, and we can't earn 'em by leveling up anymore. Any previous SPP we have will be converted into the appropriate amount of Perk Points, but we can still use them to buy or improve any special perk or perk we have on hand," Anko frowned. The reveal was a mix of good news and bad news but the good it seemed outweighed the bad.
"Here's a good one. If we complete a mission that exceeds our Skill Rank, we can choose between learning a new skill from any foe we faced, what that skill we can learn depends on the mission rank, and/or choose to increase our attributes instead. Skills will have a wide gap between attack and effect duration until mastered, and the true modifiers ranks will now only apply to mastered skills."
"Don't know if it's good news or not, but Buffs and Debuffs have also been simplified. Instead of seeing Burning: Level 2 they now only have three levels now: Burning, Severe Burning, and Intense Burning but their strength and duration can be improved by techniques and items. Also, Tiers are now gone, which I guess means that we won't be seeing the better gear drops as much as before."
"The latter's a bit disappointing but not the end of the world."
"The limit for the amount of titles we can have equipped is gone. There's also a new feature available known as Deathblow. Apparently if certain conditions like catching enemies off-guard or bringing their stamina down to almost nothing or knock 'em out we can either instantly kill a foe, or take out a massive chunk of their HP."
"How massive are we talking about?"
"Anywhere ranging from 30% to 70% apparently, mostly against foes with levels much higher than us," Naruto elaborated, "Lower-ranking foes have a higher chance of being instantly killed, and foes killed by Deathblow now give double EXP, triple if they're Rarespawn, Elites or Bosses."
"Love it," critical hits were nice in Anko's opinion, but this was way better.
"People who gain from the Gamer's perk, teammates, pets, and mentors, now have the same benefits so long as the Gamer allows it, with the exception of summons and any pets either of you may have that won't work. Basically, you guys are now immune to genjutsu I guess instead of resistant."
"Sweet!" Ino was down with that.
"Don't get cocky Blondie. The more powerful ones can still mess you up," Anko chastised.
"And … yeah, that's it," Naruto finished. It was a lot to take in.
"Okay, good. Lot to take in but glad it's not gonna impact our mission," Anko had been worried it would be the case but Lady Luck smiled on them. Minor inconveniences had occurred but they were liveable but when she learned of the update Anko didn't want to take chances. Ninja adapted to their circumstances but Anko didn't want anything happening to her charges that might result in their deaths if that could be avoided. Any good Jonin instructor would do so.
With that out of the way, all five members of Team Eight continued their search and trusted Hotto's nose to guide them there. The swampy and uneven terrain made travel uneasy and more than once was Naruto forced to carry Hotto as despite his small form the bogs around them ended with him sinking. When that happened they were forced to use Anko's snakes. While their tracking ability wasn't as good as Hotto's their smaller, lighter forms enabled them to navigate through the wet terrain more easily than the young ninja of the group were lucky that they knew the water walking method but even then it was difficult as it technically wasn't water nor was it solid either. It was basically them trying to do both tree and water walking at the same time.
To say nothing of the bugs and leeches. Ino would have complained, not that anyone could blame her, but this was a stealth mission right now. However, their suffering come to an end when Hottomaru's ears perked up and he tensed up.
"Grrr."
"Hold up!" Naruto told them, "Hinata?"
"Hai!" At once her eyes flared and her clan's bloodline limit manifested.
"Well over a dozen enemies… about two dozen…two have very high chakra levels…and there are two others that have higher chakra level that the rest but less than the other two…One of them is …dark."
"Dark?"
"Dark. It's giving off a sense of unease, worry," Hinata elaborated.
Anko frowned, "Okay, be on guard. People with that kind of chakra could be bloodline related but it could be something else. Where are the hostages?"
Hinata quickly found them to be in the same area and they were…unbound?
"They're held in a makeshift cage but otherwise they're not bound or anything," Hinata revealed. Anko deduced this to mean two possibilities. The leaders were either very stupid, or they were so feared that they didn't bother to bind their captives.
As they all made their way towards the camp quickly but quietly, Anko learned it was the former of the two when she got a good look at who they were dealing with. But even then she was worried.
"Are you two kidding me!?" A familiar voice rang, "Why aren't they bound? Do you want them to escape?"
"They haven't run away before?"
"That's because you got lucky!"
"Wait is that… No way! Mizuki-sensei?!" Ino gaped at her former academy instructor. It was only a couple of months since they last saw him but she and the rest of the group hardly recognized the man. What was he doing here?
"Looks like Hokage-sama was right. Mizuki went nuke-nin," no point keeping it a secret now that they'd be facing him, "Guess that woman's Tsubaki."
"Anko-sensei, Mizuki-sen- I mean Mizuki-san's the one with the dark chakra in him," Hinata revealed, "It's strange though."
"What do you mean?"
"Ano, what I mean is his chakra, it's similar to the chakra coming from your neck," Hinata elaborated.
Anko frowned damn observant Hyuga eyes. But if Hinata was implying what she believed she was, "That's not good."
"Of cour-"
"Shut it, Ino!" Anko's hiss had Ino puckering her lips unlike ever before, "That chakra is bad news. This," she pointed at the faded mark on her neck, "is bad news. It's a cursed seal. It gives you incredible power but at a cost. Orochimaru of the Sannin gave it to me."
The implication wasn't lost on either one of the Genin.
"Shit," Naruto voiced what they all thought.
"Yeah, and to make it worse, we have those two to deal with as well," Anko frowned.
"Who are they, Anko-sensei," Hinata's family eyes flared to life; her sight never left the two men with incredible chakra levels. Not greater than Naruto's own but at least almost one-third the amount each.
"Raijin and Fujin. C-Rank Nuke-nin better known as the Densetsu no Bakakyodai (Legendary Stupid Brothers)," Anko informed her team.
"Their skill rank marks them as C+ Rank, Anko-sensei," Naruto revealed and Anko wasn't surprised. Their rank was lower than hers but likely due to their incredibly low intelligence and lack of ninja skills, too. Their endurance and strength offset it though and made her wonder how much more of a threat they'd be if they had something between their heads.
"Legendary Stupid Brothers?" Hinata wondered how they earned such a moniker.
"They're as thick as bricks and can't remember who's who half the time and they're also too dumb to properly use ninja techniques, too. Make no mistake their strength and endurance more than makes up for it. They can crush rocks and snap trees like twigs," explaining to her Genin that their incredibly low intellect was the main reason why they weren't ranked as B-Rank Nukenin despite their impressive superhuman strength, and most of the time they could be placated by food, which was often used against them or distract them from their main goal, and much of their crimes involved around it.
"We need to get these hostages outta here and fast," Anko hated being the bearer of bad news to clients.
"Why?" Ino almost dreaded the answer.
"These guys have a short fuse and can be pretty sporadic. It's never been proven but rumours about them say they won't hesitate to resort to cannibalism either," Ino and Hinata looked rather uncomfortable.
"What do you suggest?" Ino asked.
"Anko-chan," Midori slithered up to Anko's ear and whispered something that only the two could hear.
"…Yeah, that might work," she'd be incredibly sore and tired but it might work, "But we'll only have time to deal with one 'em if we do."
"What's the plan?"
"First, we gotta separate Mizuki, Tsubaki, and the Stupid Bros from one another. You three deal with Mizuki and Tsubaki, while I deal with the brothers and the bandits. Take 'em alive if you can. Hokage-sama wants them for questioning.
"How can we do that?"
"I'm gonna provide you a distraction. I'm not gonna lie, once it's over I'm pretty sure Midori and I are gonna be out for the count. So you deal with them as quickly as possible, you free the hostages, and you come save my ass," Anko informed.
"Can't you just use Midori to scare them?" Ino asked.
"Trust me, a single Stupid Brothers has more than enough strength to deal with Midori, they're that strong. This is gonna take something else. Now, here's the plan."
All four lower-ranking members of Team Eight did as they were instructed and got into position as quickly and quietly as possible. Naruto would deal with Mizuki while Hinata and Ino dealt with Tsubaki. Hottomaru would stay behind with Anko and come to her aid if/when required.
"We're going to be utterly exhausted after this," Midori told her partner.
Anko snorted, "Not like we've got a better plan," even when she transformed Midori lacked the full might of her previously non-cursed form, despite her claims otherwise. Midori knew it, Anko knew it, but that was a secret they kept between themselves.
Seeing her team in position, Anko decided it was time to enact her plan, and hoped she could endure it long enough to deal with the two highly unintelligent but just as strong gluttonous ninja that could rival an Akimichi clan member.
"Ready?" Anko saw Midori nod, both became enveloped in a white smoke, and then Anko enacted her blame.
"IDIOT BROTHERS!"
Every criminal in the looked in her direction, the large criminals blinked stupidly as they did and then froze after theirs minds finally processed the sound they heard. Raijin, Fujin, and Mizuki felt fear to the point that it escalated with them beginning to shake like a leaf in a hurricane after they spotted the form of the only individual the Legendary Stupid Brothers ever encountered that not only scared the living hell out of them but outclassed them in terms of raw physical strength.
Blond hair split into pigtails and a bust that made many gawk and leer and women envious, her angry look made the criminals want to piss themselves. Instead, Raijin and Fujin prostrated their forms so quickly that the semi-solid ground not only shook but had a deep indent from where their heads crashing into it, "T-tsu-Tsunade-sama! W-We!"
"SHUT UP!" the woman's bellow knocked out many of the bandits while the rest were scared shitless, "What the hell do you think you're doing?"
"I-I-I" so frozen and scared was neither idiot couldn't properly explain himself.
"No! No talking! It's time for a beating'!" The woman punched her palm and began to aggressively make her way towards the much taller individuals. Craters formed in the wake of her steps. Three bandits proved to be as witless as their leaders and tried charging at her regardless. A mistake only one would never forget.
One was backhanded halfway across the swamp, another was planted so deeply into the earth he'd never be recovered once it reformed on top of him and the other was finger flicked into unconsciousness; her body crashing into her comrades well over a hundred feet away from the legendary kunoichi.
Raijin and Fujin attacked as one, not out of bravado, but fear and hope they could at least push her back so they could escape. It wasn't a very well thought out plan as much like one of the lowly bandits, Fujin was backhanded into the nearby swamp and Raijin was kicked into the air.
It was a hell of a signal for Team Eight.
"Deathblow!" Naruto mentally declared, appear behind Mizuki and slashing him right in the back.
Deathblow failed to cause [Instant Death]!
Deathblow succeeded in reducing target's health by 63%!
Damn. So much for going for an instant kill, but the damage was immense all the same and Mizuki suffered a heavy loss nonetheless with his health being reduced well below the half way mark.
"Demon!" Mizuki snarled, seeing Naruto, his eyes bloodshot.
"Yeah, yeah," Naruto brushed off the insult, not at all fazed.
"I'm gonna enjoy this!"
"Right back at ya. Kage Bunshin no Jutsu (Shadow Clone Technique)!" A mass of clones appeared all around Mizuki and the once cocky look he bore wasn't as confident now. There was no stare down between the clones and their target, no waiting for something to signal when to attack, the clones simply rushed the man with their weapons.
But despite their numbers, Mizuki met them head on and took out more than a few of them with his shurikenjutsu and when the army of blonds tried slicing him apart, Mizuki dove into the ground to escape injury.
"Hatenshū (Point Breaking Kick)!" Ino struck nothing but air once more as Tsubaki took off into the air. The older kunoichi's speed greater than her own, but then again the woman's Status Window revealed she had been a Chunin and -C-Rank threat.
Ino was forced to dodge the flurry of stars that wanted to turn her into a pin cushion but the throw was nothing compared to Anko's and the dangerous metal easily missed her. Ino herself countered with her own shuriken, hoping at least one would nick the woman.
The sound of metal striking metal rang as each one were deflected by a kunai that appeared in Tsubaki's hand.
"Damn it," Ino watched as the kunoichi landed, chastising herself for not using the Water Whip Technique instead. Anko would likely chew her out afterwards.
Tsubaki rushed towards Ino, and while her speed was greater than the younger kunoichi, Ino's training and perks allowed her to keep out of harms way. Up, down, twisting and bobbing, and parrying, Ino wasn't cut once and when Tsubaki overreached, Ino grabbed the woman's arm.
And a certain movement from her hand caused the blades from Dakatsu no Kamu (Dakatsu's Bite) to pop out of the gauntlet and stab deep into woman's arm, the wound developing a green sheen and making the nearby veins become incredibly visible.
But Tsubaki remained emotionless and had almost no reaction from the blow.
A sudden kick from the older the kunoichi to the distracted Ino sent the Yamanaka rolling head over heel before she righted herself. Anko was very likely gonna reprimand her for that, too.
"Magen: Kokoni Arazu no Jutsu (Demonic Illusion: False Surroundings Technique)!" Tsubaki suddenly declared just as Ino entered a defensive stance.
Fortunately for Ino, despite Tsubaki being Orochimaru's guinea pig, this had mainly affected Tsubaki's mental state to the point she was no different than a Root Ninja. Physical and chakra augmentation had yet to take place. As a result, Tsubaki's Ninjutsu or Taijutsu remained the same, not that they had been her forte, and therefore her ability to use some of the more powerful and destructive techniques was out of reach. To compensate for this the woman had turned to the more subtle arts such as Tantojutsu, Genjutsu, and other skills that required more fineness than power and found her calling.
The only problem: Ino was now immune to Genjutsu, "Thank you update."
Ino watched as the area around her contort briefly before Gamer's Teammate came into play and canceled out the illusion for her. The Yamanaka watched as Tsubaki jumped onto a tree where she began healing her injured arm. The poison was nothing major, a minor poison taught to her by Anko that render that limb useless but if left untreated it would begin affecting the other parts of her body. Even if Tsubaki removed the poison its effects would remain for a few hours or until she took the antidote. Removing the poison would only serve to prevent her other limbs from being affected.
Ino looked on, cautiously and realized that Tsubaki was eying her but making no moves, "She thinks I'm caught in her technique," the girl mentally smirked as she decided to play along.
Ino adopted a look of confusion and began to wander around aimlessly in the swamp. All the while the girl kept an eye out on Tsubaki as she got out of the tree. Making her way towards, Hinata who was freeing and protecting the hostages. The woman's movements akin to a cat stalking a helpless mouse.
Tsubaki now had a tanto in her hand, and Ino knew she would only get one shot at this. They weren't in a dungeon. If they died here, it was game over. Period! Seeing Tsubaki ready her tanto and making a dash for her teammate, Ino waited until the last second before she sprang her counter attack on the unsuspecting nuke-nin.
"Shintenshin no Jutsu (Mind Body Switch Technique)!"
Mind Body Switch Technique was successful!
Under normal circumstances, the technique could be overpowered by those with a superior mental fortitude. In some instances this was instantaneous, and in others, it was gradual and took time, while others were unable to do anything, but even then the latter left the user aware of a nagging at the back of their minds.
Tsubaki, whose mind had been broken by Orochimaru couldn't overpower Ino, nor did Ino feel the usual sensation of one futilely trying to regain control of their body. All in all, this was without a doubt the easiest takeover Ino had ever performed.
And that worried her.
"What the hell did she go through?" Aside from those who willingly allowed control over their body, what kind of enemy wouldn't fight back in some way to regain control?
A thought for a time when her life wasn't at risk. Hinata was handling bandits by herself and Ino would make good use of the advantage this body gave her on the unsuspecting morons.
While Ino and Hinata dealt with the hostages and the remaining bandits, and with Anko preoccupied with the Legendary Stupid Brothers, Mizuki and Naruto continued their bought. Not that it could really be called one.
Mizuki panted as he threw shuriken after shuriken after shuriken against the demon that was Uzumaki Naruto. Normally he wouldn't be panting this hard, especially after the training and augmentations given to him by Orochimaru, but neither he nor Tsubaki had a chance to rest the moment they found their targets, and both of them had been traveling almost non-stop, and a trip from Oto no Kuni to the southern part of Hi no Kuni took days to reach even at ninja speed. Orochimaru had given him a strict timeline to recruit the Legendary Idiot Brothers, failure to meet that timeline was best left to the imagination.
Mizuki regretted not resting and not having any soldier pills. The former ninja of Konoha was running on fumes now. Using ninjutsu was out of the question, he barely had enough chakra for even a simple Moguragakure no Jutsu (Hiding like a Mole Technique). Loath as he'd want to admit, the demon had superior stamina by comparison.
"Shiei-sō: Juren Hakai (Four Shadows Burial: Heavy Consecutive Annihilation)!"
Mizuki was quick to replace himself with a wooden log that was utterly destroyed by the four clones that fell upon his previous location. Learning that it knew how to use the Shadow Clone Technique was less than comforting. And the demon could create a lot of them.
Mizuki was fortunate if could even make two before he left Konoha, at least based on what he was told, it was a Jonin technique after all, and even after everything he went through he could only make three.
"And now I have almost nothing left in me," Mizuki didn't want to use this so soon, having been warned that his current constitution likely wouldn't be able to handle the stress, but what choice did he have?
Pulling a bottle from a pouch, Mizuki prepared to pull the stopper but found himself neck deep into the earth, the bottle dropping from his hand by the sudden maneuver. The hate-filled ninja watched as Tsubaki rose from the earth with a grin. And he instantly knew something was wrong.
"Nice to see ya again, Mizuki-sensei," he heard his lover say. But it wasn't her.
"Ino," Mizuki scowled recalling that Tsubaki fought against a young pigtailed blonde. Yamanaka could take over their opponent's body by overpowering their target's consciousness with their own.
"Just stay put while I take this," Ino grabbed the bottle as Mizuki struggled vainly. Were he not tired and were it a softer part of the swamp he might have escaped but that was not the case.
"Say goodnight, Mizuki-sensei!" Mizuki's eyes widened comically as a large club crashed on top of his head and he became affected by the [Unconscious] debuff.
"Hey! I had him!"
"I had him first!" Naruto barked back, "You don't steal someone else's target. Bad sport Ino!"
Ino merely responded by sticking her tongue out at her fellow blond. To which Naruto grabbed.
"Ha!" Naruto felt pretty good at the moment until he felt something pointy and sharp poking his groin area, "Really?"
Ino mumbled something he couldn't quite understand but accurately assumed it was to let go of her tongue and she'd leave his boys alone. Both blonds relented and freed one another from each other's grasp.
"Gotta say, I thought this would be-" Ino found her mouth covered by Naruto.
"Don't jinx it!" Naruto ordered. Never question good fortune. When it was clear she understood, Naruto took his hand off.
"How are the hostages?"
"Safe with Hinata. But I can understand why the guards weren't tripping over themselves to save their village head," Ino informed him.
"Bitch?"
"Ha! Being a bitch would be an improvement," what kind of person looked pissed and reprimanded you for taking so long to save them? The woman even mentioned she'd be writing to the Daimyo to complain about Konoha not sending experienced ninja, and a bunch of teens instead of an adult, made Ino wish she could just leave her there.
Boom!
"Looks like Anko-sensei's still having fun," Naruto remarked, a fact Ino could attest to.
"Tsunade-sama! Please, mercy!" Raijin had snot and tears covering the better part of his face, his face swollen and purple. Great as his endurance was, Tsunade's strength could bypass it.
"Okay," Tsunade chirped.
Raijin smiled, tears and snot rolling down his face even more as he looked up gratefully, "Ari-"
BAKRAM!
Many of the scared-to-death bandits threw down their weapons as one and surrendered while those furthest away from them tried to run into the marches with the hopes of escaping the powerful woman's wrath. Loyalty to Raijin and Fujin for most of them was out of fear of their legendary strength and resilience and anger. The woman in front of them easily proved their better if the immovable and earth-embedded form of Raijin was to go by. A crater about twenty feet in diameter and who knew how deep wasn't done by your average individual.
"Fujin-niichan!"
"You're Fujin you idiot!" the disguised Anko barked.
"…I am?…Oh, yeah!"
Anko dashed at Fujin before he could react and landed a blow that should have sent rendered him unconscious but the technique finally ended just as the blow landed. Enough to send the last Stupid Brother soaring and hopefully out of the fight.
"Oh… fuck," Anko gasped. Her entire being sore and tired unlike ever before.
"Anko-sensei?" Hinata appeared beside her, the hostages with the Hyuga along with the tied up bandits that surrendered.
"What was that?" Ino asked her team leader while Hinata's hands began glowing on the tired kunoichi.
"A very sp…ecial combination Henge Midori… and I pulled …off…hah," huffed a clearly tired Anko, "Combination Hen… henges with summo…ns ain't… easy to… pull off though. Snake summons can use a … unique Henge that turns 'em into hum…ans but they keep the strength and durability o…of their size. Midori and I used a combination Henge … to look like Tsunade-sama…hah. Heard the Stupid …Bros are scared …of her. Big gamble though…. To be honest… this was the first time we ever did something like that…in years. Oh, fuck, I'm beat…" because of Midori's condition, the unique transformation technique of her clan was short-lived, more so than when she used the variant that allowed her to use the near strength of her original form. Using it alongside a combination Henge with Anko caused the stunt to burn through an enormous amount of energy within an even shorter period of time.
They managed but both were utterly exhausted. Hinata saw the leader of Team Eight and Midori were suffering from [Minor Chakra Exhaustion], and very much doubted they'd be able to do any technique for the next little bit without putting their health at even greater risk. Hinata was no expert, but even at hundred percent pulling off such a move came with great risks.
"Here," Anko tossed Ino a few scrolls, "Imprisonment Sealing Scrolls…Use 'em…hurry…" Ino nodded and went to work. The kunoichi started with Raijin and watched as he was sucked into the scroll, repeating the process with Mizuki and Tsubaki before she went to find Fujin.
"Gah!" Ino tried to duck but found her male teammate slamming into her midriff and both went tumbling into the muck.
Not good! Fujin was still conscious.
"Bark!" Ino listened as Hotto and Fujin fought, the ninken ablaze and raking the large criminal's body, and biting his neck. But strong as Hotto was in this form, thanks to Fujin's perks they might as well be love bites.
"Bad doggy!" Fujin jumped and landed on his back.
"Yipe!" The force ended Hotto's transformation, and the smaller ninken found himself being grabbed by the scruff of his neck.
"This doggy looks tasty!" Fujin licked his lips before he opened his mouth as wide as he could.
|Conditions met! Initial Jinchūriki Form Chakra Cloak Activated!|
The remaining Stupid Brother only saw a flash of red before the world blurred and it was only in part of Fujin's incredible resilience and fortitude that prevented his skull from being caved in by the club of condensed stone and earth. But the sheer force behind it sent him through a large mangrove tree before he ricocheted off another and then landed in a shallow area of brackish water.
The brother didn't even have time rise up before his head was subjected to an unrelenting berserker-driven onslaught that ultimately sent him off to the land of dreams. But even then it did little to quell Naruto's red hot rage, the boy continuing his pummelling assault despite the target no longer being conscious.
"Naruto!"
The blond lashed out at the voice but so enraged he was that he didn't realize that they were nowhere near enough for him to strike them. A fact Ino was thankful for as the sheer pressure from the swing alone was enough to push her back by a step. She could only imagine what would have happened had the blow struck.
"Grrr."
"Naruto?" Ino looked worried. Was this a skill she didn't know of? One that offered power but rendered one feral?
"Grrr."
"Naruto it's me!" Ino told him. But it wasn't enough. Lucky smiled upon her when Hotto barked a weak bark that seemed to knock some sense into the blood. The red aura surrounding him dissipated but Ino was worried regardless.
And judging by the looks of the onlookers behind her, she wasn't the only one.
[QUEST COMPLETED!]
Clear the Bandits from Yuzukamura - Quest Difficulty upgraded from C-Rank to B-Rank
Main Quest Primary Objective: Find and eliminate the bandits (accomplished)
Main Quest Secondary Objective: Find and capture the bandits' leader or leaders (accomplished)
Side Quest: If possible save any hostages (accomplished)
Hidden Quest: Stop Mizuki and Tsubaki (accomplished)
Potential Rewards:
Main Quest Primary Objective: 300 EXP per bandit eliminated, 450 EXP per bandit captured (Bandits killed: 7) (Bandits captured: 18)
Main Quest Secondary Objective: 10500 EXP per bandit leader captured (half if killed) and +250 Reputation [Konoha] & [Yuzukamura]
Side Quest: 550 EXP per hostage saved (9/10 hostages saved)
Hidden Quest: 3500 EXP per individual captured (Half if killed) "Unknown Potion"
Total Rewards (Including Perks)
+49622.5 EXP +, 1 Perk Point, +250 Reputation [Konoha and Yuzukamura], 3 Improvement Points
Additional Reward Due to Completing Quest Above Skill Level
Choice of Improving One attribute by [amount depends on Individual's Skill Rank and Quest's Rank], or Choice of Skill Equivalent or lesser than Quest Rank
The Next Day
The team now leveled up by a considerable amount Hinata and Ino by three, Hotto by two, and Naruto by one but he was pretty much on the tipping point of leveling up to level 31. At least, in terms of setting out what they intended to accomplish. Overall Anko liked to believe the mission wasn't a disaster. How it was accomplished could have been better. That Naruto would call upon the Demon Fox's power in the end was not an anticipated scenario. Her ignorance on the seal that kept it locked up aside, Anko should have. Anko knew it was hypocritical of her to give such a lesson but not practice what she preached.
Saying, 'Do as I say and not as I do' wouldn't have earned her any points as a teacher. Though perhaps she also believed too much in the Yondaime Hokage and his skill. The man was a prodigy and outranked even his legendary/infamous mentor in the field of seals. It was evident the seal wasn't as good as she believed it was. She'd have to have a word with the Hokage when they got back.
Hinata, Kami bless her, liked Naruto too much to push or ask questions he wasn't ready to answer. Ino, unfortunately, having a front-row seat to the incident still had that habit to snoop and get answers to questions she wanted answered. The blonde was quite good at it. The purple-haired serpent summoner would give the Yamanaka the benefit of the doubt to let the matter drop until Naruto was ready to talk about it but would intervene if necessary. She couldn't have the team dynamics thrown up in the air. Fortunately, the blond believed it was a technique Naruto learned that came at a cost.
For now, Anko just enjoyed her beverage and couldn't blame the villagers for the celebration. The bandits were caught or eliminated and their leaders the Legendary Stupid Brothers along with Mizuki were safely sealed away in an Imprisonment Sealing Scroll, not an easy feat given their reputation as near B-Rank missing ninja. The both of them would remain sealed away until they arrived in Konoha until a qualified ninja came to cart them off to the nearest prison. Mizuki and Tsubaki were also to be dealt with despite the former being dead and the latter being catatonic as a result. When Anko wanted to interrogate Mizuki about the seal he had, a fail-safe had unfortunately gone off, killing the former Konoha instructor. Anko should have anticipated such a thing the moment she saw the seal, Orochimaru rarely if ever left any loose ends.
For it was clear to her that this was her master's work. And despite it being different from the dormant brand on her person, there was no denying it reeked of Orochimaru. Even dead Mizuki's seal still had echoes of dark and potent chakra she was all too familiar with. Fortunately, the former Chunin of Konoha was a cocky individual whose sense of superiority and dislike of Naruto got the best of him. Anko wasn't certain if Mizuki hated Naruto for who he was, for being a former victim of his pranks, or if he just hated those he had taught altogether and had gotten off by being vindictive or cruel.
The bottle in Anko's hands was also very concerning, Ino managing to nab it off him before it could be used had been smart on her part. Speaking of her future apprentice.
"What's the verdict, Ino?" Anko already had an idea but wanted her future apprentice's opinion nonetheless. The Yamanaka Clan could uncover things about a person's mind that would prove difficult even for the most skilled of interrogators, even if said person was dead or catatonic.
"In a couple of words: messed up," Ino was blunt but accurate in her summation, "I don't know exactly what was done to her but there are tons of traps, broken windows, and false trails planted in her mind. Her mind is beyond fractured. It's fractured to the third power! Without knowing her personally, I can't tell which is which. This is beyond my skill," it also explained why she was able to easily take control of the woman.
"That's his work all right," Anko educated her student, "The bastard is a sick twisted genius of the highest caliber. If Mizuki were alive it might have helped you discern what memories are real but Orochimaru might have taken that into account and that poses an even greater danger for you. Your old man might be able to glean a few things here and there but for all intended purposes she's gone. Even if we had Tsunade-sama's help I doubt we'd be able to heal her mind completely, if at all," if not for the potentially salvageable information her mind held, Anko would have ended the rogue kunoichi's life then and there.
Poor woman would have to suffer a few more weeks of it before she was finally at peace. Even the Sandaime wouldn't allow her to live out her remaining days in prison, or a secure mental ward - regardless of her actions and being a rogue ninja.
Naruto's ability might heal her, but there was no guarantee and too great a risk. The fewer who had knowledge of it the better.
"What are you to do with her now? Take her back with you?" Asked the village leader, the woman wanting to be present for this. her mood better than before but she was still a bitch in Anko's opinion. You don't piss off someone who saved you!
"She's a Konoha nukenin so she'll be coming back with us," Anko.
Vegetable or near vegetable that Tsubaki was, the Yamanaka heiress knew protocol. Nukenin were to be brought back dead or alive, or at least their head or something that proved whom it was claimed to be without a shred of doubt. Dead was preferable in certain circumstances, but sometimes the village wanted them back alive to learn what they did or if they spilled any village secrets.
"A simple yes woul-"
"Yuzuka-sama!"
"What is it?!" Yuzuka barked, annoyed by the interruption.
"Urgent message for Anko-san and her team!"
"Enter!" the villager didn't have to be told twice as she entered the room and handed a scroll to Anko. As she began reading, Anko ordered Ino to summon Hinata and Naruto. A quick use of the Chat function had both genin arriving within a few minutes.
"What is it, Anko-sensei?" Naruto asked, Hinata and Hotto right behind him.
"Emergency mission, kiddoes! We've been asked to assist Team Seven. Pack your shit up and get ready to leave in ten! We're heading to Nami no Kuni!"
Status Window
Name: Uzumaki Naruto
Job: Genin (15% EXP Gain and +15 IP per year)
Skill Rank: C
Level: 30 Next Level: 97%/100%
HP: 11525
CP: 19225
STR: 71
VIT: 341
END: 469
DEX: 93
INT: 53
WIS: 59
CHA: 16
LUK: ?
Improvement Points: 18
Perk Points: 12
Specialization
None
Fighting Styles
Konoha Kenjutsu-Ryu [Novice]: +1 towards DEX per level (active as of level 30)
Special Perks:
Gamer: Allows you to view and live your life as though it were a video game.
Kyubi no Yoko Jinchuriki: Additional +5 VIT & +7.5 END per Lv, +250 CP per Lv, +25% Power towards all skills, +50% Increase towards [HP Regen] & [CP Regen] outside of combat, Immune to Basic and Journeyman Poisons -25% EXP and Effectiveness towards [Chakra Control Skills], -25% Reputation gain towards [Konoha Populace] whose relationship with you is below Neutral
Unknown Blessing: Your luck is immeasurable. Don't be fooled as it can go either way at random.
Perks/Buffs:
?: Additional +5 VIT & +7.5 END per Lv, +100 HP per Lv, +25% additional EXP and Effectiveness towards [Fuinjutsu Skill], -15% EXP and Effectiveness towards [Chakra Control Skills], ?
Chakra Affinity (Expert Rank): [CP Regen] and [Elemental Resistances] Increased by 15%, Speed, Power and Effectiveness towards [Ninjutsu Skills] Increased by 15%, CP Usage towards [Ninjutsu Skills] decreased by 15%
Vigor Affinity (Journeyman Rank): [HP Regen] and [Physical Resistance] Increased by 10%, Fatigue levels decreased 10%
Titles:
Prank King: Additional +1 DEX per Lv, +25% additional EXP and Effectiveness towards [Stealth Skill] & [Trap-Based Skills], -25% Reputation gain towards pranked for 24 Hours
Expert Zombie Slayer: +60% Power, EXP, Money against [Undead-Based Monster], +30% Increase towards Attributes against [Undead-Based Monster], +30% chance of [Double Loot Occurrence] against [Undead-Based Monster], +10% Increase towards Resistances against [Undead-Based Monster]
Description: Uzumaki Naruto's background is shrouded in mystery. Currently an academy student with inspirations to become Hokage, Naruto has a long and difficult journey ahead of him before he can attain his dream. At the moment many consider Naruto as a shoo-in for the title of Dead Last.
Status Window
Name: Hottomaru
Job: Ninken
Skill Rank: D+
Level: 24 Next Level: 21%/100%
HP: 1700
CP: 1100
STR: 39
VIT: 67
END: 45
DEX: 48
INT: 20
WIS: 29
CHA: 33
LUK: 28
Improvement Points: 17
Perk Points: 2
Specialization
N/A
Fighting Style
N/A
Perks
Ninja Dog: Human Lifespan, Ability to Mold Chakra, Potential to speak human language
Komainu Lineage (Guard Dog): +1 VIT, Lv, +15% Effectiveness & EXP towards [Biting-based Skills] & [Detection-based Skills], +20% Effectiveness, Power, and EXP towards [Fire-Based Skills]
Akita Lineage (Tracking Dog): +1 DEX per Lv, +15% Effectiveness and EXP towards [Tracking Skills] +15% Effectiveness and EXP towards [Stealth-Based Skills], +10% towards Movement Speed during and outside combat
Keen-Senses: +15% Effectiveness & EXP towards [Detection Skill], Ignores Henge, Strong and pungent odours can result in debuffs
Titles
Journeyman Zombie Slayer: +40% Power, EXP, Money against [Undead-Based Monster], +20% Increase towards Attributes against [Undead-Based Monster], +20% chance of [Double Loot Occurrence] against [Undead-Based Monster]
Description: A two old ninja dog with Komainu blood in his veins. While possessing great potential like his cousin Akamaru, Hottomaru like most Komainu pups require a good amount of discipline and can be difficult to train but are fiercely loyal and protective of their owners and partners.
Status Window
Name: Hyuga Hinata
Job: Genin (15% EXP Gain and +15 IP per year)
Skill Rank: D+
Level: 23 Next Level: 11%/100%
HP: 1225
CP: 1925
STR: 31
VIT: 49
END: 77
DEX: 59
INT: 77
WIS: 72
CHA: 20
LUK: 16
Improvement Points: 23
Perk Points: 1
Specialization
None
Fighting Styles
Juken [Novice]: +1 Towards END per Level (active as of level 20)
Special Perks:
Gamer's Teammate: So long as you are on the same team as the Gamer, you gain the same benefits. (This perk can be taken away if the Gamer wills it!)
Byakugan: +1 WIS per Lv, +20% EXP & Effectiveness towards [Medical Ninjutsu], [Detection Skills], +20% increase towards [Critical Hit Chance], Allows the use of the [Byakugan Skill]
Perks:
Main Family Lineage: +1 INT & +1 END per Lv, +15% Effectiveness towards [Hyuga Clan Skills], +15% Reputation gain with Konoha and Konoha Allies, +15% EXP and Effectiveness towards [Bartering] with Konoha and Allies, +15% EXP, Power, Speed and Effectiveness towards [Taijutsu Skills]
Titles:
Novice Taijutsu Practitioner: +20% EXP, Power & Effectiveness towards [Taijutsu Skills]
Novice Medical Practitioner: +1 WIS & +1 INT per level, +20% EXP, Power, and Effectiveness towards [Medical-Based Skills and Items] and [Herbalism Skills]
Novice Zombie Slayer: +20% Power, EXP, Money against [Undead-Based Monster], +10% Increase towards Attributes against [Undead-Based Monster], +10% chance of [Double Loot Occurrence] against [Undead-Based Monster]
Flaws/Debuffs:
Diffidence [Lv 1]: -10% towards Attributes, -10% EXP, Power, Speed and Effectiveness towards Skills, Benefits of Titles and Perks reduced, Flaw will become permanent upon reaching MAX level
Description: Hinata is a very kind but very shy young girl who comes from one of Konoha's four noble clans. Despite being trained in the art of the Gentle Fist at a young age, a renown and deadly taijutsu, Hinata's skill is lacking for reasons currently unknown. While not one of the best students in the academy Hinata is still one of the more intelligent students. While most of the girls in her class are infatuated with Sasuke, Hinata is attracted to someone else. Her love for cinnamon rolls is said to rival Uzumaki Naruto's love for ramen.
Status Window
Name: Yamanaka Ino
Job: Genin (15% EXP Gain and +15 IP per year)
Skill Rank: D+
Level: 21 Next Level: 88%/100%
HP: 1150
CP: 1575
STR: 36
VIT: 46
END: 63
DEX: 69
INT: 61
WIS: 60
CHA: 90
LUK: 25
Improvement Points: 27
Perk Points: 2
Specialization
None
Fighting Styles
Rankyaku [Novice]: +1 Towards DEX per Level (active as of level 18)
Special Perk:
Gamer's Teammate: So long as you are on the same team as the Gamer, you gain the same benefits. (This perk can be taken away if the Gamer wills it!)
Yamanaka Lineage (Heiress): +2 CHA per Lv, +25% Effectiveness towards [Yamanaka Clan Skills], +25% Reputation gain with Konoha and Konoha Allies, +25% EXP and Effectiveness towards [Bartering] with Konoha and Allies, +15% EXP, Power, Speed and Effectiveness towards [Lightning-Based Skills and Items], +25% towards [Mental-Based Tolerance], +5% EXP increase from quests
Perks:
Natural Grace: Lv 1: +1 DEX per Lv, +15% Effectiveness towards [Movement Speed] and [Evasion], +15% Effectiveness towards [Speed-Based Skills], +15% Effectiveness towards [Acrobatic Fighting Style]
Titles:
Journeyman Botanist: +1 WIS, 40% EXP & Effectiveness towards [Detection Skill: Locate Flora], +40% EXP & Effectiveness towards [Herbalism Skill], +20% Power and Effectiveness towards Skills when fighting [Flora-Based Monsters], +20% chance of [Double Loot Occurrence] when picking [Flora-Based] items
Future Femme Fatale: +1 CHA, +20% EXP and Effectiveness towards [Seduction Skills] and [Bartering Skills], +10% Power & Chance towards [Critical Hits]
Novice Zombie Slayer: +20% Power, EXP, Money against [Undead-Based Monster], +10% Increase towards Attributes against [Undead-Based Monster], +10% chance of [Double Loot Occurrence] against [Undead-Based Monster]
Description: Though not as intelligent as her rival, Sakura, Ino is still one of the top students at the academy. Ino is talented in her clan's teachings but due to her attitude and infatuation with Sasuke she isn't as far or as proficient as she should be. Ino is notorious for her gossip and fashion sense, very little happens in the academy that she doesn't know about.
Status Window
Name: Mitarashi Anko
Job: Jonin (30% EXP Gain and +30 IP per year)
Level: 53? Next Level: 61%/100%
HP: 3150?
CP: 2600?
STR: 69?
VIT: 126?
END: 104?
DEX: 127?
INT: 118?
WIS: 102?
CHA: 108?
LUK: 54
Improvement Points: 11
Specialization
Torture and Interrogation Ninja (increases associated titles and perks by an additional 25%) and increases associated attributes by 1
Special Perks:
Gamer's Mentor: So long as you are on the same team as the Gamer, you gain the same benefits. (This perk can be taken away if the Gamer wills it!)
Perks:
Gifted Ninja: +10% Effectiveness, Power and EXP towards all skills, +10% EXP earned on missions and defeated foes, +1 Additional Attribute Point per Lv
Serpentine Grace: +2 DEX per Lv, +25% Speed increase towards [Taijutsu Skill], [Evasion Skill], [Counter Skill], +25% Power towards [Critical Hits]
Heightened Tolerance [Poison] Lv 3: Immune to Novice, Journeyman and Expert Lv Poisons, Resistance towards Master Lv Poisons increased by 75%, Resistance towards Grand Master Lv Poisons increased by 50%, Resistance towards Legendary Grand Master Lv Poisons increased by 25%
Titles:
T&I Expert [Enhanced]: +2 CHA per Lv,+85% Effectiveness and EXP towards [T&I Skill], +85% Effectiveness and EXP towards [Intimidation Skill]
Toxicology Expert: +60% Effectiveness, Power, and EXP towards [Poisons], +60% EXP towards [Toxicology Skill]
Snake Mistress of Konoha: -25% Reputation gain towards [Konoha Populace] below Neutral, -25% Effectiveness, Power, and EXP towards [Combination Techniques Skill] with [Konoha Populace] below Neutral
Journeyman Zombie Slayer: +40% Power, EXP, Money against [Undead-Based Monster], +20% Increase towards Attributes against [Undead-Based Monster], +20% chance of [Double Loot Occurrence] against [Undead-Based Monster]
Flaws/Debuffs:
Sealed Cursed Seal of Heaven: -30% Effectiveness, Power, and EXP towards skills, -30% towards base attributes, -30% EXP towards quests and enemies slain, Reduces bonuses from Perks, Titles and Special Perks by 30%, ?, (Can be removed)
Description: Not much is known about Mitarashi Anko's past, as she tends to keep to herself and only opens up to those she truly trusts. Hailed as a skilled ninja at a very young age, Anko later went on to become one of Konoha's top torture and interrogation specialists and an accomplished tracker, accomplishing tasks where others, other than the Inuzuka, failed. Due to her tutelage, Anko is one of Konoha's best toxicologists, having used and created many unique poisons both in the field and during interrogations. Her love of dango is quite well known and feared in certain circles, some say surpassing even Uzumaki Naruto's love for ramen.
As ordered by their village leader, Team Eight had risen bright and early the next day and made their way towards the Great Gate. Packing was virtually unnecessary given that storage scrolls had long since become redundant because of the Inventory Box, and little needed to be added to the storage space thanks to previous overnight training sessions in and outside of dungeons. However, Anko had ordered scrolls and backpacks to be carried by her Genin nonetheless to avoid unwanted questions.
Naruto, ever eager and willing to go outside Konoha for the first time in his life had arrived at the gate before any other member of Team Eight, not including his ninken. Where Naruto went, Hotto went.
"Hey, kid!"
Looking behind him, Naruto noticed the well-known Gate Pair of Konoha: Hagane Kotetsu and Kamizuki Izumo. Two Chunin Naruto knew all too well. Outside of Iruka, both men were two of the few Chunin that Naruto avoided when it came to his pranks, at least when together, and even then there was hesitance. While not individually successful as Iruka was when it came to capturing him, six times out of ten were Kotetsu and Izumo successful in capturing him and avoiding his traps despite their laid-back and nonchalant demeanour. Their chances of success were higher when working together, which was almost all the time.
"Yo!" Was the simple greeting.
"Heard your team is being sent out for an outside mission," remarked Kotetsu, the Chunin with dark hair and a bandage across the bridge of his nose to the back of his head.
"Yep!" Naruto saw no point in denying it.
"Congratz. Now we don't have to stop ya from trying to sneak out," laughed Izumo, the one with a bandana-like forehead protector and a brown-haired bang covering his right eye.
The Genin frowned at the comment but couldn't fault the Chunin for it. Naruto being an adventurer at heart wanted to see what was outside Konoha more than once when he was younger but hadn't been allowed by the Sandaime unless someone was with him. Being who he was the young boy had tried and failed in numerous attempts to go outside Konoha's walls by himself, usually being stopped by the two Chunin before him. It had taken the threat of him never having ramen ever again to stop, and thus the top of the Hokage Mountain became one of his favourite spots because it allowed him to see not only all that Konoha had to offer but well beyond the Great Wall, too.
"Morning, lightweights!"
"Anko," the Chunin duo greeted the Jonin.
"Lightweights?"
"Drinking buddies. But they can't hold their drink worth shit," she elaborated. Both Chunin were decent individuals but sucked as drinking partners in Anko's personal opinion.
"Hey! We do all right!"
"Yeah, we're not the one with a fifty-year-old liver!"
A kunai in her hand and a serpent coming out of her sleeve had them stiffen and instantly regretting their foolish words, "What was that?"
"Nothing!"
"It was Kotetsu!"
"You backstabbing asshole!"
"You and I agreed it was every man for himself when Anko gets pissed!"
"Doesn't make you any less of an asshole!"
"Are they always like this?" Asked the Yamanaka that arrived alongside her Hyuga teammate, both could only look on at the bickering duo.
"Meh," Anko shrugged, "You get used to it. Pretty much all ninjas have the odd quirk, or three."
The group of Genin and Chunin interpreted the message for what she actually meant: all ninjas were crazy in some way. Anko was no exception, but the woman didn't bother to hide her craziness. Regardless, seeing her putting away the serpent and the kunai had both Chunin breathe a sigh of relief that didn't last more than a nanosecond, "I'll deal with you two when I get back."
"We'll bring the dango and booze," both declared and wept. The peace offering was by no means going to be cheap for either of them but it was better than the alternative.
"Apology accepted. Now, then, here's what's happening," spinning around, Anko's gaze fell upon her team, "We travel south from Konoha for a day and a half or two before we meet up with a guide the client village assigned for us. Once we do it'll take us another two, maybe more, to reach Yuzukamura. Be on guard as once we enter the area, we may encounter bandits or some local wildlife."
"Crocodiles?"
"Maybe a few, and it's actually alligators, and even then they're not that big of a deal with," it would have been another story if they were going to the Land of Swamps, where the smallest of them was easily over two times the length of an ordinary alligator, "but I was referring to leeches and mosquitoes."
Seeing the woman shudder, Naruto asked, "What's so bad about that? Pretty sure Ino can whip something up, right?" And the only male ninja of the group earned a nod from the Yamanaka.
"'Fraid we're gonna have to do without," Anko informed him and almost whined herself, "Helpful as they are, and the Yamanaka Clan make the best, their repellants have an odor to 'em. And before you ask the Aburame Clan don't make any because they like bugs. We have no idea who we're dealing with and a person's scent can give their location away. I received some last-minute intel from Hokage-sama and apparently, no matter what route or how well hidden the caravan was or whenever they tried setting up an ambush they were still found. The Inuzuka Clan isn't the only one with an enhanced olfactory system. So, no repellants, I'm sorry to say."
And she was being honest. Leech and mosquito bites sucked. The former more so in this case because these weren't your toothpick-sized bloodsuckers but close relatives to the palm-sized ones found in Konoha's infamous Forest of Death. Severe blood loss happened in seconds if a decent number of them managed to latch on.
"Ah, crap," so far this mission was off to a good start in Naruto's opinion.
XxX
"This bites," Inuzuka Kiba groaned as he pulled another weed from the garden of some lazy old fart. The lawn and garden had definitely seen better days upon first sight over three hours ago and he could only wonder how long it had been since proper maintenance had been performed.
"Quit complaining," despite Sakura telling this to her wild teammate the pinkette couldn't help but mentally agree.
Sasuke for his part said nothing and did nothing but pull out another weed. But the last Uchiha had the same mindset as his teammates. The only one on their team who was having any sort of enjoyment was Kiba's ninken and perhaps Kakashi if the odd giggling he released was an indicator. Off to the side, their Jonin instructor was nose-deep in a book and while Hatake Kakashi had impressed him during their test the man left much to be desired since then.
He was constantly late, no techniques except for the odd survival skills were taught to them, and the majority of the time all they did were drills and mock combat scenarios and sparring. It made Sasuke re-evaluate how high Konoha's standards were if this is what passed as a Jonin. At this rate, Sasuke wouldn't be able to avenge his clan anytime soon.
"Yosh! My eternal rival Kakashi!"
All three Genin blinked and turned to see a sight that they'd never forget but sorely liked to. Kakashi did nothing but turn to the next page in his book and greeted his 'rival' with a passive demeanor.
"Gai," was Kakashi's simple reply.
"Kakashi and members of Team Seven! How fare you this afternoon?" Asked the energetic man.
"We're all seeing this, right?" Kiba couldn't believe his eyes, dearly hoping his mind was playing tricks on him.
"God, I hope not," Sakura said back, her incredible memory working against her as she memorized every detail of the man and his unbelievable attire.
"Hmm," Sasuke agreed.
"Fine," responded Kakashi, who continued to read his book, "Where's your team?"
"They are preparing for a mission outside Konoha. We leave in an hour so I thought I'd do a few quick exercises before we left when I spotted you and your youthful students," Kakashi could only imagine what Gai meant when he said 'few' and 'quick exercises' despite the number of years knowing the odd ninja.
"No fair! His team goes outside Konoha and we're stuck doing this crap!" Kiba complained.
Kakashi was undeterred by the hotheaded boy's outburst and began placating him in short order, "Settle down, Kiba. Fresh Genin teams don't usually take on C-Rank missions in their first few months. Gai's team has been in circulation for over half a year now. They have more experience than any of you three."
"Arf!"
"Sorry, four," the man apologized to the team ninken.
"I guess," the boy groaned, but he didn't like the answer.
Blinking in confusion, Gai asked, "You mean you haven't heard?"
"Heard what?" Kiba asked.
"Anko and her team were tasked with a C-Rank mission four days ago," Gai revealed before Kakashi could stop him.
"WHAT!" All three Genin exclaimed.
Sighing, as this was what he was hoping to avoid, Kakashi snapped his book shut - and just when it was getting to the good part - after putting in a bookmark, "I had heard of that, yes. Good for them."
"Wait, you knew and didn't tell us?!" Kiba asked once more.
"I didn't believe it was important," and it wasn't. How Anko managed her team and how Asuma and Gai or any other Jonin instructor managed their team wasn't any of his business. Who went on what mission and what kind of mission it was also wasn't his business. And his team wasn't ready as he'd like them to be for a C-Rank mission.
"Not important! The Dead Last managed to go on a C-Rank mission before us!" Kiba declared.
"Last I remember, Kiba, you were the Dead Last of your graduating class instead of Naruto," he corrected. Kakashi had initially believed his teacher's son didn't take after either of his parents - skill-wise that is as he was certainly Kushina's son if his grades and personality were an indicator - but his turnaround during his last year had the makings of a late bloomer finally coming around.
Kiba turned red with embarrassment and anger as Sakura stifled a laugh and Sasuke sported a light smirk. Seeing this only served to anger Kiba up even more, "That's it! I'm over this shit! We're going to the Hokage Tower to get a C-Rank mission right now!"
Watching him leave, Gai couldn't help but ask, "Doesn't he know you're already done?" And indeed the garden and lawn were done and all that remained was collecting payment and putting away the bags of weeds.
"It'll only get him even more riled up if we told him," Sakura informed the man; Kiba could get really annoying whenever he wanted to prove himself or one-up another.
"Go after him and wait for me. I'll be there in a sec," Kakashi ordered both remaining Genin. Sakura and Sasuke did as they were bid while their team leader collected the payment for the mission and then headed off to the Hokage Tower himself. His team might not be ready as he'd like them to be, but perhaps a good kick in the pants by reality would be the necessary push they needed.
But first, if it was available, he'd have them chase Tora if the feline blur he just spotted a block over was anything to go by.
(Days Later)
"Finally," Ino breathed a sigh of relief as she and her team and their guide set their sights upon their destination. The latter half of their trip had not been a pleasant one. Neither Hinata nor Ino were on the same level as Anko and Naruto when it came to endurance but she'd like to think they did well for their first time. Anko would probably have a different opinion, the Yamanaka thought.
Meeting with the guide had been when the 'fun' part had started. Despite it being the winter season it wasn't uncommon for Hi no Kuni to get rain and warm weather. Apparently, the southern part of Hi no Kuni didn't receive the same memo and they were heavily cloaked to keep the winter's unforgiving winds at bay. Given their role in the group, Ino and Anko had more exposed skin than either of their teammates and were less than comfortable at the moment. Fortunately, they were but a leisurely ten minutes away from warming up if they went full tilt. Ino didn't care if she'd have to carry their guide to do so.
Yuzukamura was a large hamlet with many different-sized homes and roads situated on hills that had a decent-sized plateau. Each hill had rows of trees, stands and poles with plants attached or growing up along them, others had edible grasses such as rice growing as far as the eye could see in well kept paddies. In the distance was the largest elevated plateau with the largest building surrounded by a tall wall of wooden pikes exceeding sixty odd feet that were nearly ten feet thick, and that was only the shorter portions. The defensive bulwark was apparently made by the Shodai in exchange for a trade agreement between the two villages and had since been added upon over time such as the man-made moat.
The protected building in question was likely the storehouse and distillery the group had learned about from their guide. The man was a chatterbox and a wealth of boring and useless information no one cared about. Sure, knowing about the village in question and where and what was what and who was who might be useful. But about nine out of ten of what he droned on about was pointless drivel.
"That's the village's pride and joy, the Yuzukamura Distillery. Fun fact about it," Anko felt her eye twitching and saw Naruto and Ino were just about ready to pounce on the soon-to-be pancake. Anko had never killed a client before, but she had certainly come close and had on occasion gotten back at the more annoying ones in a discreet manner that left them oh-so satisfyingly humiliated. This guy here was microseconds away from being her latest victim before a group of armed men came up the hill to greet them.
"Identify yourselves!" A voice suddenly announced and spared them from hearing the useless trivia.
"Yuzuka-sama!" Hearing the honorific, Team Eight looked at the aforementioned woman that came up to them with a small group of armed individuals. A quick glance at how tense many of them held their weapons and the way they looked everywhere told Anko that they were either greenhorns or nervous as hell, or likely both.
"Team Eight from Konoha?" The woman asked.
"You expecting anyone else?" was Anko's reply, "You the head honcho of this village?"
To their surprise the woman shook her head, "No, that would be my mother. However, she isn't available at the moment, so I'm here in her stead."
"Lucky them," Team Eight heard one of the guards mutter.
"Hold your tongue!" Apparently, the comment wasn't low enough as Yuzuka's bark had the guard become ramrod stiff. The woman earned some points for that stunt alone in Anko's books.
"Shall we?" Yuzuka motioned for them to follow her lead.
The trip was short and soon the group enjoyed the comforts of the indoors, a small spread of drinks and food, mostly fruits and vegetables with some rice dishes, was soon brought for their leisure.
"I'll keep this short as I want you to start as soon as possible," Yuzuka began, "We need these bandits dealt with and dealt with quickly. They have my mother."
"How'd that happen?" Anko asked, taking a sip of the alcoholic beverage she was given. It was pretty good.
"My mother is … a headstrong woman and quick to anger when wronged and strict to a fault," Anko decoded the veiled wording for what she actually was: a hard-ass bitch, "She takes the welfare of Yuzukamura very seriously. These bandits have been a thorn in our side for months and my mother finally had enough and left with a group of guards with the most recent caravan to try and ambush them."
"That was two weeks ago, right?"
"It was," Yuzuka nodded. "My mother is skilled with a naginata and knows a few basic ninja techniques, but evidently that wasn't enough. A warning flare was seen maybe half an hour after they left and when we found the caravan it was hopelessly annihilated and bodies littered the grounds, some of them in pieces. The only saving grace is that several of them were missing from the site."
"Hostages?"
"We hope. The area around there usually doesn't have its share of predators, especially during winter, but it is a swamp and it's not uncommon for the odd creature to show up where they usually don't," Anko and Ino detected a hint of hope that such an occurrence didn't come to pass.
"All right, what about the site? What did it look like?" Anko asked.
"Almost like every other," was the unhelpful comment, "Broken wagons, cut up bodies, smashed in heads, decent-sized crater holes and broken trees. But no signs of ninja techniques were used. No burn marks, scorch marks or anything else that would serve as an indicator."
That last bit of information had Anko's attention, "So, physically strong individuals," the average bandits were usually much stronger than a well-trained civilian but not as strong as a well-trained ninja. But even then ordinary ninjas weren't physically strong enough to do what was described. In other words, these were Chunin or near-Jonin level individuals.
"We believe so, yes. All we found at the scene was this," the woman brought a box from her side and opened it to reveal a piece of clothing, "It belonged to my mother."
Grabbing it, Anko and her Genin felt their eyes watering as the scent assaulted their senses, "Ho, boy!"
"Kwahh!"
"Mhmm!"
"Oh, God. Close it!" Naruto pleaded.
"I'm sorry?" Yuzuka didn't understand their reactions.
"You can't smell that?"
"Smell?" Yuzuka held a look of ignorance.
"You're pulling our leg, right?"
Frowning, Yuzuka said, "I'm not pulling anything."
"Yuzuka-sama, the perfume Yuka-sama uses is a local one. Outsiders such as our guests are likely unaccustomed to such odours," said one of Yuzuka's attendants.
"No shit!" were the collective thoughts of the group. Well, at least they had a way of finding their target. Now it was merely a matter of convincing Hotto to smell it.
The ninken's retreating form told them all they needed to know.
(XxX)
Mizuki scowled and more than once in the months since he left Konoha did he have a nagging doubt in the back of his mind. Did he make the right choice? Was this all worth it? Oh, sure, Orochimaru had given him access - limited though it was - to power few could lay claim to, and tools that complemented his fighting style, but at times Mizuki felt he had traded one cage for another one.
"A larger cage for sure, but a cage is a cage nonetheless," the man contemplated. Fortunately, cages couldn't hold ninja for long. It might take some time but he'd find a way out eventually. But as difficult a task as that would be to accomplish, making sure he wasn't caught afterwards would be an entirely different level of difficult.
Orochimaru wasn't one to tolerate failure or subpar performances; warnings were seldom given, and fortunate were those who did. Those who didn't were dead - and lucky were they! - or worse. Mizuki had seen first hand what happened to the latter. Death was the better alternative.
Tsubaki was a prime example.
Following him from behind was his lover, or at the least the shell of Tsubaki. Mizuki had no idea exactly what had been done to her, as he had been sent on a mission, but Tsubaki wasn't the same kunoichi she used to be when he returned.
She killed without hesitation, she did as he ordered, she did things she never would have done. Unlike him, Tsubaki hadn't adjusted to their new way of life as easily and struggled despite her skill in genjutsu. Now she didn't struggle but at the same time the life in her eyes were pretty much gone.
Mizuki could only wonder what hell she had been through to get her into such a state of mind. Actually, he didn't want to know. Some parts of the human imagination were best left alone, and this was one of them.
But despite the bad, there was also good. Mizuki's body had undergone a rapid transformation, but body more muscular compared to the more lithe one he possessed before. He could throw farther, harder, faster and last much longer, too.
And he had also recently been blessed with a gift from his master, too. Apparently he and a few others had been chosen to test out its potency on the current mission. And given who he was dealing with it might need it despite his improvements. Garbed as a Konoha ninja, Mizuki's headband lacked the slash that marked him as a nuke-nin. This meant that even if he was spotted people would think his actions were on behalf of Konoha, ruining their reputation.
The smarter individuals wouldn't believe it, though some may try and take advantage nonetheless, but the ignorant ones would likely be too stupid to think otherwise.
"Mizuki-san," Mizuki heard Tsubaki's monotone voice, "I sense two targets with large amounts of chakra just up ahead. I believe it's them."
"Good," was his reply. Finding their targets was easy with Orochimaru's network of spies. Getting them to cooperate might be a challenge depending on circumstances. Why Orochimaru wanted these two working for him he didn't know. But Mizuki knew better than to ask questions at this point.
People usually weren't seen again if they asked too many questions.
(Sometime Later)
Getting Hottomaru to cooperate had been a challenge, and had not exactly endeared them to their clients. But none of the Konoha shinobi could really fault the poor ninken either. The perfume smelled horrible. How the people of Yuzukamura considered this pleasant was unknown. Naruto honestly believed there had to be something wrong with their sense of smell.
Once they were outside the village Ino commented that the Shodai likely built the wall that surrounded the village so high and thick in order to keep the smell from escaping. The group laughed at the comment but the laughing became short lived once they reached the site of the ambush.
And not for the reason they expected.
"God damn it!" Naruto enjoyed the perks blessed upon by the Gamer but damn if random shit like this didn't annoy him.
Gamer 2.0 has now been updated to Gamer 2.1
Please read the following for details on what this entails.
"Oh, lovely," Anko snarked.
"What does this mean?" Hinata asked.
"Doubt it's anything good," Ino remarked, basing her judgment on Naruto's reaction.
"I'll tell ya in a minute," Naruto began reading the details that followed and frowned and at times he looked ready to curse, but other times he looked content, "Well, ya want the good news or the bad news first?"
"Bad news," Ino had been taught it was better to deal with the bad news first this way morale was improved upon hearing the good news last.
"Good news, unlike last time this took place this won't require a waiting period or shut down," Anko breathed a sigh of relief along with Naruto. Neither Hinata nor Ino had been his teammates at the time so neither of them knew what he was referring to.
"This next bit affects me more than you guys, but my affinities have been nerfed so I don't gain extra health or chakra from 'em anymore," meaning his CP and HP were lower than before. They were still quite high, just nowhere as high as they used to be."
"Tough break," Anko told him, her tone didn't reflect it.
"Which means when you guess earn similar perks you won't get them either," Naruto added but Anko merely shrugged. It could have been a lot worse in her opinion.
"Uh, completing missions with rankings lower than your Skill Ranking won't give us AP points anymore," the two youngest kunoichi of the group were confused by that.
"Skill Ranking?"
"It's a term used by shinobi to more accurately reflect the threat level an individual poses based on their aptitude. Village ranks don't accurately reflect the skills you possess. Just because you're a Genin doesn't mean you have the power of one. It can go either way. Uchiha Itachi, Hatake Kakashi, Namikaze Minato, and my bastard of a mentor when they were Genin were more skilled than most low-ranking Jonin before they got promoted. Another example is people having S-Rank bounties but that was due to the information they stole or possessed rather than their skill level, due to past actions or because people want revenge," Anko revealed, "I'm guessing that's what it means?"
"Yep! Let's see. Anko-sensei's Skill Ranking is -B. Ino's is D+ along with Hinata's and Hotto. Mine's a C," Naruto revealed.
"That's it! I call bull!" Ino declared. Weeks and countless hours of hellish training and busting her ass off and she was only a D+?
"Blondie, indoor voice, we're still tracking remember," Ino had the decency to blush but her anger remained, "Don't forget you've only been at this for a couple of months. So, Gaki, what affects this rank anyway?"
"Uh… how many skills you possess, the skills' rank, perks, your stats, bloodlines, titles, how many skills you've mastered, your equipment…other stuff," Anko didn't need to be a genius to know he was referring to the Kyubi inside of him. Being a jinchuriki likely played a huge factor and the better control you had over that power the greater the threat she wagered.
"Well, sucks that lower-rank missions don't give out AP no more. Any other bad news?"
"Yeah, defense is gone," Naruto revealed.
"What!" now that was an issue.
"Well, I guess changed is more appropriate. The damage we take now is calculated by us blocking, parrying, and our resistances instead, and other variables. That's another thing, Tolerances and Resistances are now one and the same: Resistances. Wearing armor will improve those alongside any skill that's defence-related."
"What else?"
"Any technique or skill we learn will only have one level now instead of multiple levels as we try and master them, and their CP usage, power, speed, and effectiveness will apparently be a all over the place and based on our attributes, and equipment if they're weapon-based, but once mastered they will a hell of a lot better. Learning an improved version of the technique isn't automatic anymore as we need to meet the requirements, which are based on our attributes."
The more she heard about it, the more Anko believed that this current update was trying to make seem like it was based on reality.
"Titles reflecting swordsmanship and taijutsu will now all be the same instead of different," a quick glance at her Status Window showed Hinata that her Novice Juken Practitioner had changed to Novice Taijutsu Practitioner, and the +20% EXP & Effectiveness towards [Taijutsu Skills] had changed to +20% EXP, Power, and Effectiveness towards [Taijutsu Skills] while everything else was gone. But she noticed something else too.
"My Status Window shows a new category: Fighting Styles!" Hinata revealed and breathed a sigh of relief when the previous benefits her title had were allocated there instead.
"Yep!" Naruto honestly believed it could have been a lot worse, "Also, it states that those kinds of titles will only be earned if you master a fighting style, increase them in rank like Novice to Apprentice, and if you've defeated foes using skills related to them. Fighting styles will also only improve in rank once you master a certain number of skills associated with them, too, and you can only learn certain skills if you've mastered certain techniques, too."
"In other words, you can't just jump ahead to learn the more powerful skills, right?" Anko surmised.
"Basically," which sucked, "But any skill that was previously learned regardless of the new requirements will be grandfathered in," the group sighed in relief for the small mercy.
"Okay, enough bad news. Give us the good stuff," Anko ordered.
"Uh, ninja ranks will no longer be titles but their benefits remain. Successfully completing missions meeting or exceeding our Skill Rank and leveling up now grants us Improvement Points, IP for short."
"Improvement Points?"
"Yeah, apparently they replace AP now. We can use 'em to not only improve our attributes, but we can use to master a technique or fighting style we have, too. Provided we have enough to do so."
"Wait! So we don't have to train our asses off as much anymore to master them?" Ino asked.
"I guess," it was safe to say where Ino was gonna be focusing on applying her hard-earned IP, but to each their own, "Common Perk Points and Special Perk Points have also been replaced with Perk Points, and we can't earn 'em by leveling up anymore. Any previous SPP we have will be converted into the appropriate amount of Perk Points, but we can still use them to buy or improve any special perk or perk we have on hand," Anko frowned. The reveal was a mix of good news and bad news but the good it seemed outweighed the bad.
"Here's a good one. If we complete a mission that exceeds our Skill Rank, we can choose between learning a new skill from any foe we faced, what that skill we can learn depends on the mission rank, and/or choose to increase our attributes instead. Skills will have a wide gap between attack and effect duration until mastered, and the true modifiers ranks will now only apply to mastered skills."
"Don't know if it's good news or not, but Buffs and Debuffs have also been simplified. Instead of seeing Burning: Level 2 they now only have three levels now: Burning, Severe Burning, and Intense Burning but their strength and duration can be improved by techniques and items. Also, Tiers are now gone, which I guess means that we won't be seeing the better gear drops as much as before."
"The latter's a bit disappointing but not the end of the world."
"The limit for the amount of titles we can have equipped is gone. There's also a new feature available known as Deathblow. Apparently if certain conditions like catching enemies off-guard or bringing their stamina down to almost nothing or knock 'em out we can either instantly kill a foe, or take out a massive chunk of their HP."
"How massive are we talking about?"
"Anywhere ranging from 30% to 70% apparently, mostly against foes with levels much higher than us," Naruto elaborated, "Lower-ranking foes have a higher chance of being instantly killed, and foes killed by Deathblow now give double EXP, triple if they're Rarespawn, Elites or Bosses."
"Love it," critical hits were nice in Anko's opinion, but this was way better.
"People who gain from the Gamer's perk, teammates, pets, and mentors, now have the same benefits so long as the Gamer allows it, with the exception of summons and any pets either of you may have that won't work. Basically, you guys are now immune to genjutsu I guess instead of resistant."
"Sweet!" Ino was down with that.
"Don't get cocky Blondie. The more powerful ones can still mess you up," Anko chastised.
"And … yeah, that's it," Naruto finished. It was a lot to take in.
"Okay, good. Lot to take in but glad it's not gonna impact our mission," Anko had been worried it would be the case but Lady Luck smiled on them. Minor inconveniences had occurred but they were liveable but when she learned of the update Anko didn't want to take chances. Ninja adapted to their circumstances but Anko didn't want anything happening to her charges that might result in their deaths if that could be avoided. Any good Jonin instructor would do so.
With that out of the way, all five members of Team Eight continued their search and trusted Hotto's nose to guide them there. The swampy and uneven terrain made travel uneasy and more than once was Naruto forced to carry Hotto as despite his small form the bogs around them ended with him sinking. When that happened they were forced to use Anko's snakes. While their tracking ability wasn't as good as Hotto's their smaller, lighter forms enabled them to navigate through the wet terrain more easily than the young ninja of the group were lucky that they knew the water walking method but even then it was difficult as it technically wasn't water nor was it solid either. It was basically them trying to do both tree and water walking at the same time.
To say nothing of the bugs and leeches. Ino would have complained, not that anyone could blame her, but this was a stealth mission right now. However, their suffering come to an end when Hottomaru's ears perked up and he tensed up.
"Grrr."
"Hold up!" Naruto told them, "Hinata?"
"Hai!" At once her eyes flared and her clan's bloodline limit manifested.
"Well over a dozen enemies… about two dozen…two have very high chakra levels…and there are two others that have higher chakra level that the rest but less than the other two…One of them is …dark."
"Dark?"
"Dark. It's giving off a sense of unease, worry," Hinata elaborated.
Anko frowned, "Okay, be on guard. People with that kind of chakra could be bloodline related but it could be something else. Where are the hostages?"
Hinata quickly found them to be in the same area and they were…unbound?
"They're held in a makeshift cage but otherwise they're not bound or anything," Hinata revealed. Anko deduced this to mean two possibilities. The leaders were either very stupid, or they were so feared that they didn't bother to bind their captives.
As they all made their way towards the camp quickly but quietly, Anko learned it was the former of the two when she got a good look at who they were dealing with. But even then she was worried.
"Are you two kidding me!?" A familiar voice rang, "Why aren't they bound? Do you want them to escape?"
"They haven't run away before?"
"That's because you got lucky!"
"Wait is that… No way! Mizuki-sensei?!" Ino gaped at her former academy instructor. It was only a couple of months since they last saw him but she and the rest of the group hardly recognized the man. What was he doing here?
"Looks like Hokage-sama was right. Mizuki went nuke-nin," no point keeping it a secret now that they'd be facing him, "Guess that woman's Tsubaki."
"Anko-sensei, Mizuki-sen- I mean Mizuki-san's the one with the dark chakra in him," Hinata revealed, "It's strange though."
"What do you mean?"
"Ano, what I mean is his chakra, it's similar to the chakra coming from your neck," Hinata elaborated.
Anko frowned damn observant Hyuga eyes. But if Hinata was implying what she believed she was, "That's not good."
"Of cour-"
"Shut it, Ino!" Anko's hiss had Ino puckering her lips unlike ever before, "That chakra is bad news. This," she pointed at the faded mark on her neck, "is bad news. It's a cursed seal. It gives you incredible power but at a cost. Orochimaru of the Sannin gave it to me."
The implication wasn't lost on either one of the Genin.
"Shit," Naruto voiced what they all thought.
"Yeah, and to make it worse, we have those two to deal with as well," Anko frowned.
"Who are they, Anko-sensei," Hinata's family eyes flared to life; her sight never left the two men with incredible chakra levels. Not greater than Naruto's own but at least almost one-third the amount each.
"Raijin and Fujin. C-Rank Nuke-nin better known as the Densetsu no Bakakyodai (Legendary Stupid Brothers)," Anko informed her team.
"Their skill rank marks them as C+ Rank, Anko-sensei," Naruto revealed and Anko wasn't surprised. Their rank was lower than hers but likely due to their incredibly low intelligence and lack of ninja skills, too. Their endurance and strength offset it though and made her wonder how much more of a threat they'd be if they had something between their heads.
"Legendary Stupid Brothers?" Hinata wondered how they earned such a moniker.
"They're as thick as bricks and can't remember who's who half the time and they're also too dumb to properly use ninja techniques, too. Make no mistake their strength and endurance more than makes up for it. They can crush rocks and snap trees like twigs," explaining to her Genin that their incredibly low intellect was the main reason why they weren't ranked as B-Rank Nukenin despite their impressive superhuman strength, and most of the time they could be placated by food, which was often used against them or distract them from their main goal, and much of their crimes involved around it.
"We need to get these hostages outta here and fast," Anko hated being the bearer of bad news to clients.
"Why?" Ino almost dreaded the answer.
"These guys have a short fuse and can be pretty sporadic. It's never been proven but rumours about them say they won't hesitate to resort to cannibalism either," Ino and Hinata looked rather uncomfortable.
"What do you suggest?" Ino asked.
"Anko-chan," Midori slithered up to Anko's ear and whispered something that only the two could hear.
"…Yeah, that might work," she'd be incredibly sore and tired but it might work, "But we'll only have time to deal with one 'em if we do."
"What's the plan?"
"First, we gotta separate Mizuki, Tsubaki, and the Stupid Bros from one another. You three deal with Mizuki and Tsubaki, while I deal with the brothers and the bandits. Take 'em alive if you can. Hokage-sama wants them for questioning.
"How can we do that?"
"I'm gonna provide you a distraction. I'm not gonna lie, once it's over I'm pretty sure Midori and I are gonna be out for the count. So you deal with them as quickly as possible, you free the hostages, and you come save my ass," Anko informed.
"Can't you just use Midori to scare them?" Ino asked.
"Trust me, a single Stupid Brothers has more than enough strength to deal with Midori, they're that strong. This is gonna take something else. Now, here's the plan."
All four lower-ranking members of Team Eight did as they were instructed and got into position as quickly and quietly as possible. Naruto would deal with Mizuki while Hinata and Ino dealt with Tsubaki. Hottomaru would stay behind with Anko and come to her aid if/when required.
"We're going to be utterly exhausted after this," Midori told her partner.
Anko snorted, "Not like we've got a better plan," even when she transformed Midori lacked the full might of her previously non-cursed form, despite her claims otherwise. Midori knew it, Anko knew it, but that was a secret they kept between themselves.
Seeing her team in position, Anko decided it was time to enact her plan, and hoped she could endure it long enough to deal with the two highly unintelligent but just as strong gluttonous ninja that could rival an Akimichi clan member.
"Ready?" Anko saw Midori nod, both became enveloped in a white smoke, and then Anko enacted her blame.
"IDIOT BROTHERS!"
Every criminal in the looked in her direction, the large criminals blinked stupidly as they did and then froze after theirs minds finally processed the sound they heard. Raijin, Fujin, and Mizuki felt fear to the point that it escalated with them beginning to shake like a leaf in a hurricane after they spotted the form of the only individual the Legendary Stupid Brothers ever encountered that not only scared the living hell out of them but outclassed them in terms of raw physical strength.
Blond hair split into pigtails and a bust that made many gawk and leer and women envious, her angry look made the criminals want to piss themselves. Instead, Raijin and Fujin prostrated their forms so quickly that the semi-solid ground not only shook but had a deep indent from where their heads crashing into it, "T-tsu-Tsunade-sama! W-We!"
"SHUT UP!" the woman's bellow knocked out many of the bandits while the rest were scared shitless, "What the hell do you think you're doing?"
"I-I-I" so frozen and scared was neither idiot couldn't properly explain himself.
"No! No talking! It's time for a beating'!" The woman punched her palm and began to aggressively make her way towards the much taller individuals. Craters formed in the wake of her steps. Three bandits proved to be as witless as their leaders and tried charging at her regardless. A mistake only one would never forget.
One was backhanded halfway across the swamp, another was planted so deeply into the earth he'd never be recovered once it reformed on top of him and the other was finger flicked into unconsciousness; her body crashing into her comrades well over a hundred feet away from the legendary kunoichi.
Raijin and Fujin attacked as one, not out of bravado, but fear and hope they could at least push her back so they could escape. It wasn't a very well thought out plan as much like one of the lowly bandits, Fujin was backhanded into the nearby swamp and Raijin was kicked into the air.
It was a hell of a signal for Team Eight.
"Deathblow!" Naruto mentally declared, appear behind Mizuki and slashing him right in the back.
Deathblow failed to cause [Instant Death]!
Deathblow succeeded in reducing target's health by 63%!
Damn. So much for going for an instant kill, but the damage was immense all the same and Mizuki suffered a heavy loss nonetheless with his health being reduced well below the half way mark.
"Demon!" Mizuki snarled, seeing Naruto, his eyes bloodshot.
"Yeah, yeah," Naruto brushed off the insult, not at all fazed.
"I'm gonna enjoy this!"
"Right back at ya. Kage Bunshin no Jutsu (Shadow Clone Technique)!" A mass of clones appeared all around Mizuki and the once cocky look he bore wasn't as confident now. There was no stare down between the clones and their target, no waiting for something to signal when to attack, the clones simply rushed the man with their weapons.
But despite their numbers, Mizuki met them head on and took out more than a few of them with his shurikenjutsu and when the army of blonds tried slicing him apart, Mizuki dove into the ground to escape injury.
"Hatenshū (Point Breaking Kick)!" Ino struck nothing but air once more as Tsubaki took off into the air. The older kunoichi's speed greater than her own, but then again the woman's Status Window revealed she had been a Chunin and -C-Rank threat.
Ino was forced to dodge the flurry of stars that wanted to turn her into a pin cushion but the throw was nothing compared to Anko's and the dangerous metal easily missed her. Ino herself countered with her own shuriken, hoping at least one would nick the woman.
The sound of metal striking metal rang as each one were deflected by a kunai that appeared in Tsubaki's hand.
"Damn it," Ino watched as the kunoichi landed, chastising herself for not using the Water Whip Technique instead. Anko would likely chew her out afterwards.
Tsubaki rushed towards Ino, and while her speed was greater than the younger kunoichi, Ino's training and perks allowed her to keep out of harms way. Up, down, twisting and bobbing, and parrying, Ino wasn't cut once and when Tsubaki overreached, Ino grabbed the woman's arm.
And a certain movement from her hand caused the blades from Dakatsu no Kamu (Dakatsu's Bite) to pop out of the gauntlet and stab deep into woman's arm, the wound developing a green sheen and making the nearby veins become incredibly visible.
But Tsubaki remained emotionless and had almost no reaction from the blow.
A sudden kick from the older the kunoichi to the distracted Ino sent the Yamanaka rolling head over heel before she righted herself. Anko was very likely gonna reprimand her for that, too.
"Magen: Kokoni Arazu no Jutsu (Demonic Illusion: False Surroundings Technique)!" Tsubaki suddenly declared just as Ino entered a defensive stance.
Fortunately for Ino, despite Tsubaki being Orochimaru's guinea pig, this had mainly affected Tsubaki's mental state to the point she was no different than a Root Ninja. Physical and chakra augmentation had yet to take place. As a result, Tsubaki's Ninjutsu or Taijutsu remained the same, not that they had been her forte, and therefore her ability to use some of the more powerful and destructive techniques was out of reach. To compensate for this the woman had turned to the more subtle arts such as Tantojutsu, Genjutsu, and other skills that required more fineness than power and found her calling.
The only problem: Ino was now immune to Genjutsu, "Thank you update."
Ino watched as the area around her contort briefly before Gamer's Teammate came into play and canceled out the illusion for her. The Yamanaka watched as Tsubaki jumped onto a tree where she began healing her injured arm. The poison was nothing major, a minor poison taught to her by Anko that render that limb useless but if left untreated it would begin affecting the other parts of her body. Even if Tsubaki removed the poison its effects would remain for a few hours or until she took the antidote. Removing the poison would only serve to prevent her other limbs from being affected.
Ino looked on, cautiously and realized that Tsubaki was eying her but making no moves, "She thinks I'm caught in her technique," the girl mentally smirked as she decided to play along.
Ino adopted a look of confusion and began to wander around aimlessly in the swamp. All the while the girl kept an eye out on Tsubaki as she got out of the tree. Making her way towards, Hinata who was freeing and protecting the hostages. The woman's movements akin to a cat stalking a helpless mouse.
Tsubaki now had a tanto in her hand, and Ino knew she would only get one shot at this. They weren't in a dungeon. If they died here, it was game over. Period! Seeing Tsubaki ready her tanto and making a dash for her teammate, Ino waited until the last second before she sprang her counter attack on the unsuspecting nuke-nin.
"Shintenshin no Jutsu (Mind Body Switch Technique)!"
Mind Body Switch Technique was successful!
Under normal circumstances, the technique could be overpowered by those with a superior mental fortitude. In some instances this was instantaneous, and in others, it was gradual and took time, while others were unable to do anything, but even then the latter left the user aware of a nagging at the back of their minds.
Tsubaki, whose mind had been broken by Orochimaru couldn't overpower Ino, nor did Ino feel the usual sensation of one futilely trying to regain control of their body. All in all, this was without a doubt the easiest takeover Ino had ever performed.
And that worried her.
"What the hell did she go through?" Aside from those who willingly allowed control over their body, what kind of enemy wouldn't fight back in some way to regain control?
A thought for a time when her life wasn't at risk. Hinata was handling bandits by herself and Ino would make good use of the advantage this body gave her on the unsuspecting morons.
While Ino and Hinata dealt with the hostages and the remaining bandits, and with Anko preoccupied with the Legendary Stupid Brothers, Mizuki and Naruto continued their bought. Not that it could really be called one.
Mizuki panted as he threw shuriken after shuriken after shuriken against the demon that was Uzumaki Naruto. Normally he wouldn't be panting this hard, especially after the training and augmentations given to him by Orochimaru, but neither he nor Tsubaki had a chance to rest the moment they found their targets, and both of them had been traveling almost non-stop, and a trip from Oto no Kuni to the southern part of Hi no Kuni took days to reach even at ninja speed. Orochimaru had given him a strict timeline to recruit the Legendary Idiot Brothers, failure to meet that timeline was best left to the imagination.
Mizuki regretted not resting and not having any soldier pills. The former ninja of Konoha was running on fumes now. Using ninjutsu was out of the question, he barely had enough chakra for even a simple Moguragakure no Jutsu (Hiding like a Mole Technique). Loath as he'd want to admit, the demon had superior stamina by comparison.
"Shiei-sō: Juren Hakai (Four Shadows Burial: Heavy Consecutive Annihilation)!"
Mizuki was quick to replace himself with a wooden log that was utterly destroyed by the four clones that fell upon his previous location. Learning that it knew how to use the Shadow Clone Technique was less than comforting. And the demon could create a lot of them.
Mizuki was fortunate if could even make two before he left Konoha, at least based on what he was told, it was a Jonin technique after all, and even after everything he went through he could only make three.
"And now I have almost nothing left in me," Mizuki didn't want to use this so soon, having been warned that his current constitution likely wouldn't be able to handle the stress, but what choice did he have?
Pulling a bottle from a pouch, Mizuki prepared to pull the stopper but found himself neck deep into the earth, the bottle dropping from his hand by the sudden maneuver. The hate-filled ninja watched as Tsubaki rose from the earth with a grin. And he instantly knew something was wrong.
"Nice to see ya again, Mizuki-sensei," he heard his lover say. But it wasn't her.
"Ino," Mizuki scowled recalling that Tsubaki fought against a young pigtailed blonde. Yamanaka could take over their opponent's body by overpowering their target's consciousness with their own.
"Just stay put while I take this," Ino grabbed the bottle as Mizuki struggled vainly. Were he not tired and were it a softer part of the swamp he might have escaped but that was not the case.
"Say goodnight, Mizuki-sensei!" Mizuki's eyes widened comically as a large club crashed on top of his head and he became affected by the [Unconscious] debuff.
"Hey! I had him!"
"I had him first!" Naruto barked back, "You don't steal someone else's target. Bad sport Ino!"
Ino merely responded by sticking her tongue out at her fellow blond. To which Naruto grabbed.
"Ha!" Naruto felt pretty good at the moment until he felt something pointy and sharp poking his groin area, "Really?"
Ino mumbled something he couldn't quite understand but accurately assumed it was to let go of her tongue and she'd leave his boys alone. Both blonds relented and freed one another from each other's grasp.
"Gotta say, I thought this would be-" Ino found her mouth covered by Naruto.
"Don't jinx it!" Naruto ordered. Never question good fortune. When it was clear she understood, Naruto took his hand off.
"How are the hostages?"
"Safe with Hinata. But I can understand why the guards weren't tripping over themselves to save their village head," Ino informed him.
"Bitch?"
"Ha! Being a bitch would be an improvement," what kind of person looked pissed and reprimanded you for taking so long to save them? The woman even mentioned she'd be writing to the Daimyo to complain about Konoha not sending experienced ninja, and a bunch of teens instead of an adult, made Ino wish she could just leave her there.
Boom!
"Looks like Anko-sensei's still having fun," Naruto remarked, a fact Ino could attest to.
"Tsunade-sama! Please, mercy!" Raijin had snot and tears covering the better part of his face, his face swollen and purple. Great as his endurance was, Tsunade's strength could bypass it.
"Okay," Tsunade chirped.
Raijin smiled, tears and snot rolling down his face even more as he looked up gratefully, "Ari-"
BAKRAM!
Many of the scared-to-death bandits threw down their weapons as one and surrendered while those furthest away from them tried to run into the marches with the hopes of escaping the powerful woman's wrath. Loyalty to Raijin and Fujin for most of them was out of fear of their legendary strength and resilience and anger. The woman in front of them easily proved their better if the immovable and earth-embedded form of Raijin was to go by. A crater about twenty feet in diameter and who knew how deep wasn't done by your average individual.
"Fujin-niichan!"
"You're Fujin you idiot!" the disguised Anko barked.
"…I am?…Oh, yeah!"
Anko dashed at Fujin before he could react and landed a blow that should have sent rendered him unconscious but the technique finally ended just as the blow landed. Enough to send the last Stupid Brother soaring and hopefully out of the fight.
"Oh… fuck," Anko gasped. Her entire being sore and tired unlike ever before.
"Anko-sensei?" Hinata appeared beside her, the hostages with the Hyuga along with the tied up bandits that surrendered.
"What was that?" Ino asked her team leader while Hinata's hands began glowing on the tired kunoichi.
"A very sp…ecial combination Henge Midori… and I pulled …off…hah," huffed a clearly tired Anko, "Combination Hen… henges with summo…ns ain't… easy to… pull off though. Snake summons can use a … unique Henge that turns 'em into hum…ans but they keep the strength and durability o…of their size. Midori and I used a combination Henge … to look like Tsunade-sama…hah. Heard the Stupid …Bros are scared …of her. Big gamble though…. To be honest… this was the first time we ever did something like that…in years. Oh, fuck, I'm beat…" because of Midori's condition, the unique transformation technique of her clan was short-lived, more so than when she used the variant that allowed her to use the near strength of her original form. Using it alongside a combination Henge with Anko caused the stunt to burn through an enormous amount of energy within an even shorter period of time.
They managed but both were utterly exhausted. Hinata saw the leader of Team Eight and Midori were suffering from [Minor Chakra Exhaustion], and very much doubted they'd be able to do any technique for the next little bit without putting their health at even greater risk. Hinata was no expert, but even at hundred percent pulling off such a move came with great risks.
"Here," Anko tossed Ino a few scrolls, "Imprisonment Sealing Scrolls…Use 'em…hurry…" Ino nodded and went to work. The kunoichi started with Raijin and watched as he was sucked into the scroll, repeating the process with Mizuki and Tsubaki before she went to find Fujin.
"Gah!" Ino tried to duck but found her male teammate slamming into her midriff and both went tumbling into the muck.
Not good! Fujin was still conscious.
"Bark!" Ino listened as Hotto and Fujin fought, the ninken ablaze and raking the large criminal's body, and biting his neck. But strong as Hotto was in this form, thanks to Fujin's perks they might as well be love bites.
"Bad doggy!" Fujin jumped and landed on his back.
"Yipe!" The force ended Hotto's transformation, and the smaller ninken found himself being grabbed by the scruff of his neck.
"This doggy looks tasty!" Fujin licked his lips before he opened his mouth as wide as he could.
|Conditions met! Initial Jinchūriki Form Chakra Cloak Activated!|
The remaining Stupid Brother only saw a flash of red before the world blurred and it was only in part of Fujin's incredible resilience and fortitude that prevented his skull from being caved in by the club of condensed stone and earth. But the sheer force behind it sent him through a large mangrove tree before he ricocheted off another and then landed in a shallow area of brackish water.
The brother didn't even have time rise up before his head was subjected to an unrelenting berserker-driven onslaught that ultimately sent him off to the land of dreams. But even then it did little to quell Naruto's red hot rage, the boy continuing his pummelling assault despite the target no longer being conscious.
"Naruto!"
The blond lashed out at the voice but so enraged he was that he didn't realize that they were nowhere near enough for him to strike them. A fact Ino was thankful for as the sheer pressure from the swing alone was enough to push her back by a step. She could only imagine what would have happened had the blow struck.
"Grrr."
"Naruto?" Ino looked worried. Was this a skill she didn't know of? One that offered power but rendered one feral?
"Grrr."
"Naruto it's me!" Ino told him. But it wasn't enough. Lucky smiled upon her when Hotto barked a weak bark that seemed to knock some sense into the blood. The red aura surrounding him dissipated but Ino was worried regardless.
And judging by the looks of the onlookers behind her, she wasn't the only one.
[QUEST COMPLETED!]
Clear the Bandits from Yuzukamura - Quest Difficulty upgraded from C-Rank to B-Rank
Main Quest Primary Objective: Find and eliminate the bandits (accomplished)
Main Quest Secondary Objective: Find and capture the bandits' leader or leaders (accomplished)
Side Quest: If possible save any hostages (accomplished)
Hidden Quest: Stop Mizuki and Tsubaki (accomplished)
Potential Rewards:
Main Quest Primary Objective: 300 EXP per bandit eliminated, 450 EXP per bandit captured (Bandits killed: 7) (Bandits captured: 18)
Main Quest Secondary Objective: 10500 EXP per bandit leader captured (half if killed) and +250 Reputation [Konoha] & [Yuzukamura]
Side Quest: 550 EXP per hostage saved (9/10 hostages saved)
Hidden Quest: 3500 EXP per individual captured (Half if killed) "Unknown Potion"
Total Rewards (Including Perks)
+49622.5 EXP +, 1 Perk Point, +250 Reputation [Konoha and Yuzukamura], 3 Improvement Points
Additional Reward Due to Completing Quest Above Skill Level
Choice of Improving One attribute by [amount depends on Individual's Skill Rank and Quest's Rank], or Choice of Skill Equivalent or lesser than Quest Rank
The Next Day
The team now leveled up by a considerable amount Hinata and Ino by three, Hotto by two, and Naruto by one but he was pretty much on the tipping point of leveling up to level 31. At least, in terms of setting out what they intended to accomplish. Overall Anko liked to believe the mission wasn't a disaster. How it was accomplished could have been better. That Naruto would call upon the Demon Fox's power in the end was not an anticipated scenario. Her ignorance on the seal that kept it locked up aside, Anko should have. Anko knew it was hypocritical of her to give such a lesson but not practice what she preached.
Saying, 'Do as I say and not as I do' wouldn't have earned her any points as a teacher. Though perhaps she also believed too much in the Yondaime Hokage and his skill. The man was a prodigy and outranked even his legendary/infamous mentor in the field of seals. It was evident the seal wasn't as good as she believed it was. She'd have to have a word with the Hokage when they got back.
Hinata, Kami bless her, liked Naruto too much to push or ask questions he wasn't ready to answer. Ino, unfortunately, having a front-row seat to the incident still had that habit to snoop and get answers to questions she wanted answered. The blonde was quite good at it. The purple-haired serpent summoner would give the Yamanaka the benefit of the doubt to let the matter drop until Naruto was ready to talk about it but would intervene if necessary. She couldn't have the team dynamics thrown up in the air. Fortunately, the blond believed it was a technique Naruto learned that came at a cost.
For now, Anko just enjoyed her beverage and couldn't blame the villagers for the celebration. The bandits were caught or eliminated and their leaders the Legendary Stupid Brothers along with Mizuki were safely sealed away in an Imprisonment Sealing Scroll, not an easy feat given their reputation as near B-Rank missing ninja. The both of them would remain sealed away until they arrived in Konoha until a qualified ninja came to cart them off to the nearest prison. Mizuki and Tsubaki were also to be dealt with despite the former being dead and the latter being catatonic as a result. When Anko wanted to interrogate Mizuki about the seal he had, a fail-safe had unfortunately gone off, killing the former Konoha instructor. Anko should have anticipated such a thing the moment she saw the seal, Orochimaru rarely if ever left any loose ends.
For it was clear to her that this was her master's work. And despite it being different from the dormant brand on her person, there was no denying it reeked of Orochimaru. Even dead Mizuki's seal still had echoes of dark and potent chakra she was all too familiar with. Fortunately, the former Chunin of Konoha was a cocky individual whose sense of superiority and dislike of Naruto got the best of him. Anko wasn't certain if Mizuki hated Naruto for who he was, for being a former victim of his pranks, or if he just hated those he had taught altogether and had gotten off by being vindictive or cruel.
The bottle in Anko's hands was also very concerning, Ino managing to nab it off him before it could be used had been smart on her part. Speaking of her future apprentice.
"What's the verdict, Ino?" Anko already had an idea but wanted her future apprentice's opinion nonetheless. The Yamanaka Clan could uncover things about a person's mind that would prove difficult even for the most skilled of interrogators, even if said person was dead or catatonic.
"In a couple of words: messed up," Ino was blunt but accurate in her summation, "I don't know exactly what was done to her but there are tons of traps, broken windows, and false trails planted in her mind. Her mind is beyond fractured. It's fractured to the third power! Without knowing her personally, I can't tell which is which. This is beyond my skill," it also explained why she was able to easily take control of the woman.
"That's his work all right," Anko educated her student, "The bastard is a sick twisted genius of the highest caliber. If Mizuki were alive it might have helped you discern what memories are real but Orochimaru might have taken that into account and that poses an even greater danger for you. Your old man might be able to glean a few things here and there but for all intended purposes she's gone. Even if we had Tsunade-sama's help I doubt we'd be able to heal her mind completely, if at all," if not for the potentially salvageable information her mind held, Anko would have ended the rogue kunoichi's life then and there.
Poor woman would have to suffer a few more weeks of it before she was finally at peace. Even the Sandaime wouldn't allow her to live out her remaining days in prison, or a secure mental ward - regardless of her actions and being a rogue ninja.
Naruto's ability might heal her, but there was no guarantee and too great a risk. The fewer who had knowledge of it the better.
"What are you to do with her now? Take her back with you?" Asked the village leader, the woman wanting to be present for this. her mood better than before but she was still a bitch in Anko's opinion. You don't piss off someone who saved you!
"She's a Konoha nukenin so she'll be coming back with us," Anko.
Vegetable or near vegetable that Tsubaki was, the Yamanaka heiress knew protocol. Nukenin were to be brought back dead or alive, or at least their head or something that proved whom it was claimed to be without a shred of doubt. Dead was preferable in certain circumstances, but sometimes the village wanted them back alive to learn what they did or if they spilled any village secrets.
"A simple yes woul-"
"Yuzuka-sama!"
"What is it?!" Yuzuka barked, annoyed by the interruption.
"Urgent message for Anko-san and her team!"
"Enter!" the villager didn't have to be told twice as she entered the room and handed a scroll to Anko. As she began reading, Anko ordered Ino to summon Hinata and Naruto. A quick use of the Chat function had both genin arriving within a few minutes.
"What is it, Anko-sensei?" Naruto asked, Hinata and Hotto right behind him.
"Emergency mission, kiddoes! We've been asked to assist Team Seven. Pack your shit up and get ready to leave in ten! We're heading to Nami no Kuni!"
Status Window
Name: Uzumaki Naruto
Job: Genin (15% EXP Gain and +15 IP per year)
Skill Rank: C
Level: 30 Next Level: 97%/100%
HP: 11525
CP: 19225
STR: 71
VIT: 341
END: 469
DEX: 93
INT: 53
WIS: 59
CHA: 16
LUK: ?
Improvement Points: 18
Perk Points: 12
Specialization
None
Fighting Styles
Konoha Kenjutsu-Ryu [Novice]: +1 towards DEX per level (active as of level 30)
Special Perks:
Gamer: Allows you to view and live your life as though it were a video game.
Kyubi no Yoko Jinchuriki: Additional +5 VIT & +7.5 END per Lv, +250 CP per Lv, +25% Power towards all skills, +50% Increase towards [HP Regen] & [CP Regen] outside of combat, Immune to Basic and Journeyman Poisons -25% EXP and Effectiveness towards [Chakra Control Skills], -25% Reputation gain towards [Konoha Populace] whose relationship with you is below Neutral
Unknown Blessing: Your luck is immeasurable. Don't be fooled as it can go either way at random.
Perks/Buffs:
?: Additional +5 VIT & +7.5 END per Lv, +100 HP per Lv, +25% additional EXP and Effectiveness towards [Fuinjutsu Skill], -15% EXP and Effectiveness towards [Chakra Control Skills], ?
Chakra Affinity (Expert Rank): [CP Regen] and [Elemental Resistances] Increased by 15%, Speed, Power and Effectiveness towards [Ninjutsu Skills] Increased by 15%, CP Usage towards [Ninjutsu Skills] decreased by 15%
Vigor Affinity (Journeyman Rank): [HP Regen] and [Physical Resistance] Increased by 10%, Fatigue levels decreased 10%
Titles:
Prank King: Additional +1 DEX per Lv, +25% additional EXP and Effectiveness towards [Stealth Skill] & [Trap-Based Skills], -25% Reputation gain towards pranked for 24 Hours
Expert Zombie Slayer: +60% Power, EXP, Money against [Undead-Based Monster], +30% Increase towards Attributes against [Undead-Based Monster], +30% chance of [Double Loot Occurrence] against [Undead-Based Monster], +10% Increase towards Resistances against [Undead-Based Monster]
Description: Uzumaki Naruto's background is shrouded in mystery. Currently an academy student with inspirations to become Hokage, Naruto has a long and difficult journey ahead of him before he can attain his dream. At the moment many consider Naruto as a shoo-in for the title of Dead Last.
Status Window
Name: Hottomaru
Job: Ninken
Skill Rank: D+
Level: 24 Next Level: 21%/100%
HP: 1700
CP: 1100
STR: 39
VIT: 67
END: 45
DEX: 48
INT: 20
WIS: 29
CHA: 33
LUK: 28
Improvement Points: 17
Perk Points: 2
Specialization
N/A
Fighting Style
N/A
Perks
Ninja Dog: Human Lifespan, Ability to Mold Chakra, Potential to speak human language
Komainu Lineage (Guard Dog): +1 VIT, Lv, +15% Effectiveness & EXP towards [Biting-based Skills] & [Detection-based Skills], +20% Effectiveness, Power, and EXP towards [Fire-Based Skills]
Akita Lineage (Tracking Dog): +1 DEX per Lv, +15% Effectiveness and EXP towards [Tracking Skills] +15% Effectiveness and EXP towards [Stealth-Based Skills], +10% towards Movement Speed during and outside combat
Keen-Senses: +15% Effectiveness & EXP towards [Detection Skill], Ignores Henge, Strong and pungent odours can result in debuffs
Titles
Journeyman Zombie Slayer: +40% Power, EXP, Money against [Undead-Based Monster], +20% Increase towards Attributes against [Undead-Based Monster], +20% chance of [Double Loot Occurrence] against [Undead-Based Monster]
Description: A two old ninja dog with Komainu blood in his veins. While possessing great potential like his cousin Akamaru, Hottomaru like most Komainu pups require a good amount of discipline and can be difficult to train but are fiercely loyal and protective of their owners and partners.
Status Window
Name: Hyuga Hinata
Job: Genin (15% EXP Gain and +15 IP per year)
Skill Rank: D+
Level: 23 Next Level: 11%/100%
HP: 1225
CP: 1925
STR: 31
VIT: 49
END: 77
DEX: 59
INT: 77
WIS: 72
CHA: 20
LUK: 16
Improvement Points: 23
Perk Points: 1
Specialization
None
Fighting Styles
Juken [Novice]: +1 Towards END per Level (active as of level 20)
Special Perks:
Gamer's Teammate: So long as you are on the same team as the Gamer, you gain the same benefits. (This perk can be taken away if the Gamer wills it!)
Byakugan: +1 WIS per Lv, +20% EXP & Effectiveness towards [Medical Ninjutsu], [Detection Skills], +20% increase towards [Critical Hit Chance], Allows the use of the [Byakugan Skill]
Perks:
Main Family Lineage: +1 INT & +1 END per Lv, +15% Effectiveness towards [Hyuga Clan Skills], +15% Reputation gain with Konoha and Konoha Allies, +15% EXP and Effectiveness towards [Bartering] with Konoha and Allies, +15% EXP, Power, Speed and Effectiveness towards [Taijutsu Skills]
Titles:
Novice Taijutsu Practitioner: +20% EXP, Power & Effectiveness towards [Taijutsu Skills]
Novice Medical Practitioner: +1 WIS & +1 INT per level, +20% EXP, Power, and Effectiveness towards [Medical-Based Skills and Items] and [Herbalism Skills]
Novice Zombie Slayer: +20% Power, EXP, Money against [Undead-Based Monster], +10% Increase towards Attributes against [Undead-Based Monster], +10% chance of [Double Loot Occurrence] against [Undead-Based Monster]
Flaws/Debuffs:
Diffidence [Lv 1]: -10% towards Attributes, -10% EXP, Power, Speed and Effectiveness towards Skills, Benefits of Titles and Perks reduced, Flaw will become permanent upon reaching MAX level
Description: Hinata is a very kind but very shy young girl who comes from one of Konoha's four noble clans. Despite being trained in the art of the Gentle Fist at a young age, a renown and deadly taijutsu, Hinata's skill is lacking for reasons currently unknown. While not one of the best students in the academy Hinata is still one of the more intelligent students. While most of the girls in her class are infatuated with Sasuke, Hinata is attracted to someone else. Her love for cinnamon rolls is said to rival Uzumaki Naruto's love for ramen.
Status Window
Name: Yamanaka Ino
Job: Genin (15% EXP Gain and +15 IP per year)
Skill Rank: D+
Level: 21 Next Level: 88%/100%
HP: 1150
CP: 1575
STR: 36
VIT: 46
END: 63
DEX: 69
INT: 61
WIS: 60
CHA: 90
LUK: 25
Improvement Points: 27
Perk Points: 2
Specialization
None
Fighting Styles
Rankyaku [Novice]: +1 Towards DEX per Level (active as of level 18)
Special Perk:
Gamer's Teammate: So long as you are on the same team as the Gamer, you gain the same benefits. (This perk can be taken away if the Gamer wills it!)
Yamanaka Lineage (Heiress): +2 CHA per Lv, +25% Effectiveness towards [Yamanaka Clan Skills], +25% Reputation gain with Konoha and Konoha Allies, +25% EXP and Effectiveness towards [Bartering] with Konoha and Allies, +15% EXP, Power, Speed and Effectiveness towards [Lightning-Based Skills and Items], +25% towards [Mental-Based Tolerance], +5% EXP increase from quests
Perks:
Natural Grace: Lv 1: +1 DEX per Lv, +15% Effectiveness towards [Movement Speed] and [Evasion], +15% Effectiveness towards [Speed-Based Skills], +15% Effectiveness towards [Acrobatic Fighting Style]
Titles:
Journeyman Botanist: +1 WIS, 40% EXP & Effectiveness towards [Detection Skill: Locate Flora], +40% EXP & Effectiveness towards [Herbalism Skill], +20% Power and Effectiveness towards Skills when fighting [Flora-Based Monsters], +20% chance of [Double Loot Occurrence] when picking [Flora-Based] items
Future Femme Fatale: +1 CHA, +20% EXP and Effectiveness towards [Seduction Skills] and [Bartering Skills], +10% Power & Chance towards [Critical Hits]
Novice Zombie Slayer: +20% Power, EXP, Money against [Undead-Based Monster], +10% Increase towards Attributes against [Undead-Based Monster], +10% chance of [Double Loot Occurrence] against [Undead-Based Monster]
Description: Though not as intelligent as her rival, Sakura, Ino is still one of the top students at the academy. Ino is talented in her clan's teachings but due to her attitude and infatuation with Sasuke she isn't as far or as proficient as she should be. Ino is notorious for her gossip and fashion sense, very little happens in the academy that she doesn't know about.
Status Window
Name: Mitarashi Anko
Job: Jonin (30% EXP Gain and +30 IP per year)
Level: 53? Next Level: 61%/100%
HP: 3150?
CP: 2600?
STR: 69?
VIT: 126?
END: 104?
DEX: 127?
INT: 118?
WIS: 102?
CHA: 108?
LUK: 54
Improvement Points: 11
Specialization
Torture and Interrogation Ninja (increases associated titles and perks by an additional 25%) and increases associated attributes by 1
Special Perks:
Gamer's Mentor: So long as you are on the same team as the Gamer, you gain the same benefits. (This perk can be taken away if the Gamer wills it!)
Perks:
Gifted Ninja: +10% Effectiveness, Power and EXP towards all skills, +10% EXP earned on missions and defeated foes, +1 Additional Attribute Point per Lv
Serpentine Grace: +2 DEX per Lv, +25% Speed increase towards [Taijutsu Skill], [Evasion Skill], [Counter Skill], +25% Power towards [Critical Hits]
Heightened Tolerance [Poison] Lv 3: Immune to Novice, Journeyman and Expert Lv Poisons, Resistance towards Master Lv Poisons increased by 75%, Resistance towards Grand Master Lv Poisons increased by 50%, Resistance towards Legendary Grand Master Lv Poisons increased by 25%
Titles:
T&I Expert [Enhanced]: +2 CHA per Lv,+85% Effectiveness and EXP towards [T&I Skill], +85% Effectiveness and EXP towards [Intimidation Skill]
Toxicology Expert: +60% Effectiveness, Power, and EXP towards [Poisons], +60% EXP towards [Toxicology Skill]
Snake Mistress of Konoha: -25% Reputation gain towards [Konoha Populace] below Neutral, -25% Effectiveness, Power, and EXP towards [Combination Techniques Skill] with [Konoha Populace] below Neutral
Journeyman Zombie Slayer: +40% Power, EXP, Money against [Undead-Based Monster], +20% Increase towards Attributes against [Undead-Based Monster], +20% chance of [Double Loot Occurrence] against [Undead-Based Monster]
Flaws/Debuffs:
Sealed Cursed Seal of Heaven: -30% Effectiveness, Power, and EXP towards skills, -30% towards base attributes, -30% EXP towards quests and enemies slain, Reduces bonuses from Perks, Titles and Special Perks by 30%, ?, (Can be removed)
Description: Not much is known about Mitarashi Anko's past, as she tends to keep to herself and only opens up to those she truly trusts. Hailed as a skilled ninja at a very young age, Anko later went on to become one of Konoha's top torture and interrogation specialists and an accomplished tracker, accomplishing tasks where others, other than the Inuzuka, failed. Due to her tutelage, Anko is one of Konoha's best toxicologists, having used and created many unique poisons both in the field and during interrogations. Her love of dango is quite well known and feared in certain circles, some say surpassing even Uzumaki Naruto's love for ramen.
Legend of the Kyuubi
Making the rounds.
- Joined
- Sep 14, 2026
- Messages
- 35
Chapter 18: To Nami no Kuni We Go!
[QUEST ALERT!]
A or B but definitely not C! (B-Rank)
Main Quest: Assist Team Seven in protecting Tazuna!
Side Quest: Gather as much information and evidence on Gato to have him brought to justice (Must acquire a minimum of four forms of evidence to succeed)
Side Quest 2: Assist the inhabitants of Nami no Kuni!
Hidden Objectives (4): ?
Potential Rewards
Main Quest: 65,000 EXP, 250,000 Ryo, +5 Improvement Points, Reputation with Nami becomes Exalted! (Rewards will be increased if quest rank increases)
Side Quest 1: 6500 EXP, 10,000 Ryo, and 1 Improvement Point per evidence found (must find a minimum of four to succeed), ?, ?
Side Quest 2: 3000 EXP, ?
Hidden Objectives: ?
Failure: Reputation level with Nami becomes Abhorred, Potential Death of group members or worse, Potential chance of Permanent Crippling Injury Status Effect, Potential Loss of Genin Rank
Potential Additional Rewards (Quest Above Skill Level)
Choice of Improving One attribute by [amount depends on Individual's Skill Rank and Quest's Rank], or Choice of Skill Equivalent or lesser than Quest Rank
Quest is Mandatory!
Despite it being last minute, fortunately for Team Eight, Yuzukamura's residents were more than willing to help them since accomplishing their mission. Less than half a day south of the village, by non-ninja standards, was a harbour used by Yuzukamura and several other nearby villages. After handing off the four detained ninja kept inside scrolls, which would be kept under lock and key, Team Eight made a mad dash towards the harbour. Though Anko had informed the village heads on how to placate the Idiot Brothers on the off but very unlikely chance they escaped their scrolls - Mizuki being dead and Tsubaki being comatose made it so they weren't threats.
After showing the harbour master the village leader's scroll they were off within half an hour on their fastest boat and aided by one of their best captains. The voyage up the gulf would take them nearly a day but luck was on their side and they would be dropped off as close as possible to the area where the border of Hi no Kuni and Nami no Kuni met.
Normally travelling by boat would have been slower and where they needed to cross was still about a day's journey away as the area still wasn't the greatest for about fifty miles or so even at their speed, but it was still faster than trying to cut across unaccommodating terrain on foot, which would have taken them over five days, if they were lucky, before they reached a decent road. This way they saved several days and hopefully could meet up with Team Seven.
Naruto for his part looked elated for finally had that damned timer for his keys finally reached zero. In the end, all he got was a new but weather-beaten key for an item and a new title.
Kakojidai no Kagi (Key of a Bygone Era) - Epic Quality
Item Type: Quest Item
Durability: One-Time Use
Description: A special key that opens a special but difficult dungeon. Upon use, the key will disappear and the dungeon will become available.
Minimum Requirements: Level 30, Skill Rank C
Novice Dungeon Master: +15% increase towards Attributes, EXP, Skills, and Item Drop Rate while in a dungeon; CP Cost for all skills reduced by 15% while in a dungeon; 15% chance of not suffering death penalty while in a dungeon; Conquering a dungeon for the first time results in an additional 25% increase in rewards
Were they not about to undergo a mission Naruto would use it to see what this new dungeon was like, especially with the new title. He made a mental note to do so once they were back in Konoha. And made a mental note to try and acquire the Yosokane (Elemental Metal) from the Primordial Dungeon when he had the chance.
"Alright, gather round, I know you've got questions," Anko told her group, the five of them were in a decent-sized cabin given to them by the crew. A luxury they would cherish for who knew what they would have to endure in the future.
"What happened exactly?" Ino asked, knowing only the bare bones.
"Close to five days ago, Hokage-sama allowed Team Seven to take their first C-Rank mission. Nothing special. Just your standard escort mission from Konoha to Nami no Kuni. Kakashi apparently has had slow success in getting his team to work together despite passing his test. He must have thought that a potential encounter with some bandits would get them to start acting like a proper unit," the woman told the group.
Given that Kiba was always looking to be alpha dog and Sasuke wasn't one that liked being one-upped, Naruto could see it.
"However, turns out their client lied," Anko revealed to a surprised group of Genin, "Yeah, it happens. Not often as you'd think because every village, especially the Great Five, have penalties whenever it happens. The higher the mission rank is the bigger the penalty. Team Seven's mission has potentially jumped from C-Rank to B-Rank, maybe higher, and Hokage-sama doesn't believe they're cut out for it at the moment. They encountered the Onikyodai (Demon Brothers) Gozu and Meizu, about four days in, and if their Bingo Book history is anything to go by they don't work alone."
"Leaders or followers?" Naruto wondered what their roles were.
"No idea. The Bingo Books tells have limited info on them. That said, if the grapevine is anything to go by, it's believed to be the latter. But since they're just small fry ninja much of that info is based on rumours so we don't know for sure. Those two are only C-Rank nuke-nin but that's if they work together. What worries me is that they were former associates of one of the Seven Swordsmen of Kirigakure. Can't remember which one. Hopefully one of the dead ones. Most of 'em were killed during their failed coup but one or two were said to have survived."
"Seven Swordsmen? You mean Kiri's strongest fighters?!" Naruto gawked.
"Bingo."
"Okay, so, no offence to us or Hokage-sama, but why the hell is a Genin team, two if you count Team Seven, been tasked with dealing with a mission that's clearly meant for a more experienced group?" Ino asked.
Naruto would have argued but given the mission parameters the Yamanaka heir had a good point. This might be better handled by a group of experienced Chunin or another Jonin, or at the very least one of the more experienced Genin teams.
"This may come as a surprise but while Konoha has a large force of ninja of varying rank, twenty-odd percent of them are Genin rank, thirty to forty percent are Chunin to Jonin rank, fifteen odd percent are Anbu rank, and the rest are non-combative such as medics, cryptologists, and retired ninja. As of now, those ranks are stretched pretty damn thin, and for that you can blame the Chunin exams that's being held in a few months," Anko revealed.
"Chunin exams, Anko-sensei?" Hinata wondered what that was.
Anko blinked, and realized she blundered, "Oh, right. That's meant to be a secret for new teams...Meh, whatever. It's a series of tests used to determine if Genin have what it takes to be promoted to Chunin. It's being held in almost three months' time. Konoha is hosting it this year so it takes a lot of manpower to make it run smoothly, but it ain't just that. Borders have to be tightened up, guests and dignitaries dealt with and accommodations need to be made. When all is said and done, it's a real shit show. The scroll said we were the only team close enough to Nami no Kuni to be called upon. My guess, the more qualified people are likely too far away, too busy on another mission, or both, and chances are they won't make it in time compared to us if it goes up shits creek. But that's not all."
"What a surprise," Ino guessed there had be more to the story, "Alright, what else?"
"President Gato of the Gato Company is apparently involved," Anko revealed, getting a blank look from Ino and Naruto.
Fortunately, Hinata did know, "Gato? As in the billionaire shipping magnet of the Gato Company?" the Hyuga got a nod from Anko, "How's a wealthy individual like him involved?"
"Apparently Gato's more than he would appear," Anko elaborated by reiterating the details that Kakashi had provided to Konoha. By the end of the brief, none of them were pleased by the turn of events. The fact that Gato was responsible for bringing a small country to near ruin, Tazuna lying and putting a team of Konoha shinobi lives at risk, and the fact that Kakashi and his team continued on despite the potential danger they'd face. Though for the last part it was more complicated as Tazuna basically blackmailed them with his sob story. The last thing Konoha needed was a bad reputation of jumping ship when things got a little rocky. Especially when they were nearing the Chunin exams in a few months.
"So, as of right now we've been tasked with undertaking an emergency C-Rank mission. Given the quest that popped up it's likely a B-Rank one with the chance of it potentially becoming an A-Rank mission. We're to assist Team Seven as much as possible but Hokage-sama wants us to find out as much as you can about Gato and if possible to bring him in for questioning. Not gonna lie, outside of war time this isn't something a bunch of greenhorns should be tackling," Anko explained.
"Hey! We're way more experienced than the other teams," thank you time dilation.
"Fair enough. But beating up corpses and animals, and a small group of bandits is different. This is more than kicking ass, it's about info gathering, assassination, and doing others things that none of you have truly experienced before. The stuff you'll be doing are things normally assigned to Chunin, and Tokubtesu Jonin. Blondie, I'm gonna need to teach you a few things before we land, things you might be uncomfortable with," Ino knew that it wasn't like she had much choice.
"Also, you guys acquired a good deal of A- sorry, IP, right? Use 'em and if there's any good perk you can get with your current perk points I want ya to use 'em. Now's not the time to be frugal. We need every advantage we can get to increase your chances of surviving," Anko chastised herself for not having them do so before they faced the Densetsu Bakakyodai but she wasn't going to make that mistake again.
"Sorry, Anko-sensei, but the minimum requirement to buy at the perk point shop is three, fifteen if you wanna buy a special perk. At best Ino and Hinata could improve one of their existing perks," Naruto revealed, and Anko cursed.
"All right, fine. See which one of your the perks is worth enhancing for now or save it for later. But I want you guys to allocate your IP and see if the Auction House has any decent gear that might benefit you. Once you're done get some rest. We're going full sprint the moment we land," the Jonin ordered.
Each member of Team Eight had done as they were instructed when it came to allocating their points and seeing if there was any decent gear they could get from the Auction House.
Ino had bought and now wore what was known as the Taoyameno no Koromo (Robe of the Sylph), a Rare rank piece clothing that enhanced her speed, and left her virtually broke. The robe being a form of combat attire that was essentially reminiscent of a revealing purple kimono. The attire didn't leave much to the imagination, and would likely turn more than a few heads when people saw it.
It wasn't exactly the most defence related armour either, meant more so for enhancing speed, evasion, and allure of the individual who wore it, which essentially complemented her fighting style and the approach Anko was teaching her to take on.
Hinata, unlike Naruto and Ino, didn't have a set of weapons of her own, though Naruto knew that Anko had recommended the Hyuga to learn how to use a tonfa or sai and incorporate them into her fighting style based on what she learned from Gai. Something the eccentric Taijutsu master of Konoha had apparently brought up to Hinata's cousin Neji but the Hyuga prodigy stuck to the traditional form of his clan's Taijutsu. But given she had trouble with her current fighting style, Anko decided it was best she at least get it up to the Journeyman level before doing so.
So, Hinata instead bought the Arumiko no Nenju (Rosary of the Wandering Miko). It was a simple looking necklace that consisted of prayer beads and white magatama. To many it would be seen as worthless and nothing more than cheap jewellery. Though plain in appearance it offered a good deal of perks such as enhancing the effects of medical ninjutsu, resistance to poisons, and enhancing chakra control. But the most useful perk were the ability to erect ninjutsu barriers and erase her presence. If only for a short period of time before she had to wait to use the abilities again. Much like Ino's purchase, the item was a pricey little thing that ate up most of her ryo, but Hinata felt it was worth it.
Naruto had looked at some of the gear and ninjutsu the store possessed, but given the Auction House was still ranked as Bronze he couldn't buy anything that was ranked above Rare, and most of the skills offered were ones he could use, learn elsewhere or didn't fit his combat style. There was one particular item that caught his eye and while pricey to the point it took about two-thirds of his money, Naruto felt it was well worth the investment. But for gear and skills there was nothing really worth getting so now he saved his remaining money and focused on their task at hand.
True to their Jonin instructor's word, the moment Team Eight made landfall did they start going full sprint, and truer still was the fact that it took them nearly a day before they reached decent terrain that didn't impede their full movement.
But by then it had been late in the evening, so the group set up tents in a secured location. When they were done, they lightly ate and then rested for the night. The use of a couple hidden Shadow Clones and minor snake summons as a night watch helped them immensely. Anko originally wanted them to take shifts but knew all of them needed a full night's rest if they were to make it to Nami at a decent time the next day.
Anko also didn't want Ino and Hinata to rely on Naruto's Shadow Clone Technique for this sort of thing as they needed the experience. The jinchuriki wouldn't always be there for them and both kunoichi would have to do this on their own in the future.
The following morning the group woke up bright and early, much to Ino's consternation. The Yamanaka wasn't vocal, having learned by now what Anko did to whiners, but her facial expression said it all. It was almost noon before they came across a large stretch of open water that separated them from their goal. But Team Seven were nowhere in sight.
Just before they began crossing the other side, Team Eight saw a boat coming their way and after making certain he was a civilian did they make themselves known the man. The ferryman jumped as they approached him but calmed down pretty quickly.
"You with those other ninja?" the ferryman asked after noticing the symbols on their forehead protectors.
"Describe 'em," Anko ordered, not taking chances.
"Two boys, one had a dog and the other had dark hair, a girl with pink hair and a tall man with a silver hair with one of his eyes covered," the man described the group to a T.
"Shit! We just missed them. Move it!" Anko ordered.
"Wait! There are patrols!" the group heard him call out but they continued running.
"Hinata!" Anko didn't have to tell her twice.
"Kekkai: Arukibitoō (Barrier: Wandering Spirit Veil)," from her neck did Hinata's unassuming necklace shine and then shimmer before the five members of Team Eight became one with the mist that surrounded them. No sounds were heard except the splashing of water that surrounded them, and any sound they did make as they crossed on the water was blocked off by the technique that covered them.
The skill from the accessory proved useful to the group as they made it to the other side with little trouble. Any patrol they encountered could be looking right at them but all they'd see was the surrounding environment and the fog. Anko assessed that while Gato had the money for it, the man appeared to have a preference for hiring those with brawn over brains.
Any further musings Anko might have had blinked out of existence much like the barrier that once hid them.
"The hell?" Ino looked at her fellow kunoichi.
"The barrier just stopped working," Hinata tried bringing it up once more but each attempt failed. Activating her Byakugan, Hinata found out why, "Anko-sensei. This mist has chakra in it."
It certainly explained why Hinata's necklace conked out. The technique only worked to cloak them to the world when used in a natural environment. At its core, the Hiding in Mist wasn't a natural weather-based occurrence.
"Shit! The Kirigakure no Jutsu (Hiding in the Mist Technique)," Anko had a feeling the mist was unnatural.
"Eyes open, stay sharp, and suppress your chakra as much as possible. There's no telling who or what we're gonna encounter," the woman spoke in a hushed tone and her team didn't need to be told twice. With Ino and Hinata the act was easy, especially given Hinata's necklace, another neat feature it possessed.
Even Hottomaru knew instinctively how to erase or minimize his chakra and presence. For Naruto not as much given the large amount the blond easily outmatched all of theirs, combined. Even when suppressed the boy still gave off a decent amount of chakra. Though in this case the chakra he gave off was more like a flashlight in the dark than a roaring bonfire. Anko just hoped luck was on their side and whoever was using this was distracted enough.
As they moved further into the mist, they noticed it had become even thicker. However, through the use of her Byakugan, with some strain from the stinging her eyes felt, Hinata managed to locate an area where it was less prominent. As luck would have it the area not only offered more visibility but also better coverage with the trees. The large oaks, assuming that's what they were, offered them a better vantage point to survey the area. But it begged the question.
"Where's it coming from?" Ino wondered.
The answer to her question made itself known as the group heard the sound of steel clashing against steel. The sound was close and within half a minute was Team Eight able to pinpoint the location.
There was just one major problem and it presented itself when the mist cleared, "Oh, fan-fucking-tastic," Anko cursed as she spotted a trapped Kakashi and the one beside him.
Naruto himself chanced a look at the man with his Observe and didn't like what he and his team saw.
Status Window
Name: Momochi Zabuza - Elite
Job: Nuke-Nin
Skill Rank: A
Level: ?
HP: ?
CP: ?
STR: ?
VIT: ?
END: ?
DEX: ?
INT: ?
WIS: ?
CHA: ?
LUK: ?
Description: Momochi Zabuza, aka the Demon of the Bloody Mist, is an infamous A-Rank Nuke-nin of Kirigakure no Sato with a bloody history and reputation. At the tender age of nine, he was said to have slaughtered well over one hundred academy students for reasons yet unknown. From then on he would go to prove his worth as a Kiri shinobi by becoming the wielder of the Kubikiribōchō (Decapitating Carving Knife) and become one of the elite Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist before a failed coup forced him to abandon his village.
"As if the description ain't bad enough this guy's got the fucking Elite tag on him," Naruto was worried for good reason.
Elite tags were a special kind mark that symbolized the target many times more powerful than those with the same level, some even more power than bosses. In video games where as a normal creature of a certain breed might fall easily to a lone player, to defeat an elite creature of the same type required careful planning, a group of heroes, excellent tactics, or all three. So far they had been lucky for not running into one. Luck decided to take a vacation it seemed.
This wasn't going to be easy. A head on fight wasn't the answer, unless the wanted a thrashing and a not so pretty death. Each Genin knew all but Anko would be toast if they attempted such a stunt without the element of surprise, and even then it was clear that this guy was stronger than Anko. They'd have to do this strategically and quickly if the series of clones that the man created were an indicator..
"So what do we do?" Naruto asked Anko.
"That's simple, improvise and think on the spot!" Anko informed them as she made her move. Her Genin were stunned but not surprised by the act. It was very Anko like and they didn't really have time to come up with a plan while Team Seven was moments away from being killed.
"Well, you heard her!" Naruto informed his team and along with Hottomaru he followed after his teacher.
"Oh, we're all gonna die," Ino slumped before she and Hinata followed in pursuit. At least they'd go out fighting.
As the Mizu Bunshin rushed at the Genin of Team Seven, Zabuza blinked as his creations were soon reduced to mere useless puddles of water, "The hell!" the man exclaimed and was forced to block a pair of kunai coming from a woman. The former Kiri ninja made to swipe at her but the woman leaped over the blade and managed to land a kick on his chest. It wasn't enough to send the man flying but it had enough force in it to release his hold on his Suiro (Water Prison).
"Shit," the man growled and held his sword in a more aggressive manner. Anko knew she'd have to be extra careful now. Even with Kakashi freed a single slip up would end her. "I thought I felt some rats skulking about," the man had originally thought it to be his imagination and now he was regretting it.
The missing ninja watched as the woman covered Kakashi as he got out of the water. Zabuza needed to end at least one of them quickly and rushed at the woman. However, Zabuza was stunned as a myriad of serpents were unleashed from her sleeves and bared their fangs at him. Creating some more clones, Zabuza substituted himself with one of them and watched as the serpent bit at their necks and thighs. The original Zabuza swung his blade and ended the serpents' lives in the process. Using his momentum, the swordsman struck Anko with the flat of the blade and launched her at high speeds, and with Kakashi behind her the man was sent along for the ride back to shore.
Zabuza made to move towards the old man but was stunned as two more Genin appeared beside the other three. From their appearance Zabuza guessed one of them was a Hyuga if the eyes were to go by. The other he couldn't tell but knew it was a kunoichi. However, it was then that Zabuza's problems began. Just as they joined them did a fold barrier erect itself around the group of Genin, ninken, and the old man.
"Barrier ninjutsu!" the man was snarling at the moment. He doubted the barrier was strong enough to stop him but had an inkling it was meant to buy themselves time. Barrier ninjutsu were only as strong as the user, and these were mere Genin.
"Deathblow!" Naruto mentally announced as he swiftly brought down Chichizouge on the man's exposed back.
Deathblow was successful!
Naruto grinned at the announcement but his victory was short lived when the target turned out to be a mere water doppelganger, leaving him with no time to do anything before the real Zabuza rose up from behind him and grabbed hold.
"Not bad, kid, you got balls. But you're a hundred years too early to be messing with one of the Seven Swordsmen," the man released a chuckled and then placed his weapon at the boy's throat. The man had sensed Naruto from a mile away and had decided to use a different strategy when reinforcements showed up. With the young swordsman subdued, Zabuza looked at the two Jonin in front of him, more so the woman in this case.
"Arms where I can see em, Snake Bitch!" Zabuza ordered Anko. The woman scowling at the name but obliged to the demand, "Gotta say, I didn't expect to see the Snake Mistress of Konoha. To think you of all people would take a bunch of brats as pupils. Funny how stuff like that turns out," he chuckled.
"Yeah, real freakin hilarious," Anko deadpanned.
"But play time's over. As much as I'd like to continue fighting I got important business to take care of. So, tell your kiddies to drop the barrier, hand over the old man and the kid goes free. Try anything funny and you'll see first hand why 'decapitating' is a part of Kubikiribōchō's name," the man proved his point by bringing the blade closer to Naruto's neck.
Though frightened, Tazuna looked ready to step in. The man knew these were ninja but the thought of a child dying for him didn't sit right. However, Tazuna was stopped in his tracks by Anko before he could surrender himself, "Sorry, but I can't do that. The Gaki knew what he was getting into when he became a ninja."
Though momentarily stunned, for he wasn't expecting something like this from a Konoha shinobi, Zabuzza smirked nonetheless, "Ruthless. But given who trained you and I should have seen it coming. Sorry, kid, but looks like you're gonna lose your head. Business is business," Zabuza grinned before looking at Anko, "Any last words?"
"Just one - MIDORI!" Anko suddenly shouted at the top of her lungs.
BOOM!
Just as soon as the word left her mouth did the captive Naruto disappear into a wisp of smoke, "What! A clone!"
That was the least of his problems as an enormous, hissing, and angry Midori burst forth from the ground below the missing nin. Zabuza barely had time to react as the giant reptile made to swallow him or rip him to shreds with its razor sharp and dagger filled maw. Zabuza swung his giant sword hoping to hit a weak point but Midori's reflexes allowed her to dodge quickly. Though her snout was nicked in the process, a summon creature's hide was much stronger than a regular serpent. Though if he used his full might Midori knew the man could pierce her tough skin with only slight difficulties given the properties of the blade. Zabuza wasn't as physically strong as the Idiot Brothers, but he was strong enough to wield the famous blade to pose a threat to a summon of Midori's size.
"Play nice with your new chew toy," Anko laughed as Zabuzza snarled behind his bandaged face. Behind Anko, Zabuza watched as the barrier dropped and the man scowled as saw the original sword wielding Genin.
"Little shit must have hidden himself with a Henge!" was the conclusion he came up with.
As the Genin flipped him the bird, the man made to move before Midori lunged at him. Zabuza's plans were put on hold and he was forced to dodge from the deadly serpent's strikes. Even then the man didn't escape unharmed as he was nicked by one of the creature's fangs. The man realized he had been played like a chump. At the moment there were only two options available for him: Fight and get killed or flee and fight another day. With the added protection of another team, plus a large summon, Zabuza didn't have to be a genius to know his chances of completing the mission were very low.
"For now anyway," while his mastery over the Kirigakure no Justu would mask his chakra signature his scent and body heat weren't.
"Fuck," Zabuza cursed and used a Kiri Shunshin (Mist Body Flicker) to escape the area. As he appeared at a location far away the man scowled and kept on running until he knew he was at a safe distance. The man never liked retreating from a fight but he knew Mei would kill him if he died. After finding a way to bring him back to life of course. Strong as he was Terumi Mei was a hell of a lot stronger than he was despite not being a swordsman.
Zabuza disliked working for guys like Gato but business was business. If he had to kill someone then so be it. The Resistance of Kiri desperately needed the funds for their goal and Zabuza was a part of it. Being from the generation of swordsmen that many considered to be the strongest generation, the man had arrogantly thought himself capable of leading a small group to overthrow Yagura before the man brought Kiri to ruin. The Resistance had tried to convince him to work with him, but Zabuza and his group believed they'd be enough.
They weren't.
Yagura had faced the group by himself and utterly crushed them with ease. The coup's defeat had been an eye opener and Zabuza took it as a lesson. Strong and fearsome as he was the man realized there would always be someone much stronger than him. Zabuza had never faced a jinchuriki before but the man knew that having a Biju sealed within oneself granted them a large amount of chakra and power most didn't possess. Even after hearing stories about such battles the man hadn't thought much of it. Believing them to be exaggerations from weaklings and poor excuses of ninja. All that soon changed.
After facing off against someone who not only had that kind of power but also had total control over it made him realize just how immense the power gap between him and Yagura was. Even after so long and various missions he took from others and fighting for the Resistance the man knew his strength still wasn't enough to face Yagura head on. The only person who had a chance was Mei herself. Even then she admitted would need some help doing it.
"Zabuza-sama!" the man didn't bother to turn his head, having sensed his ward's presence, a mile away, "Zabuza-sama, what do we do now?"
"We lay low for now, Haku," loathed as he wanted to admit it but at the moment they were outmatched and outgunned,"Where's Meizu and Gozu?"
"At the hideout. They're tending to their injuries and making sure that Gato doesn't start snooping around while we're gone," the dragon masked ninja said. According to the two brothers, Hatake Kakashi had 'roughen' them up enough so when he bound them to a tree they wouldn't have the strength to escape.
Had Haku not tailed them to oversee the proceedings they'd be in the hands of Konoha Anbu. Haku liked Gozu and Meizu but the ninja sometimes wondered if those two were missing a few brain cells. If they weren't shinobi or had minimum to no encounter with ninja their stunt would have been somewhat justifiable. But this was Hatake Kakashi of all people. Haku had never met the ninja but had heard rumours and stories of those who survived encounters with him.
The man was easily one of the most well-known and recognizable ninja in the Elemental Countries. Certainly, the Demon Brothers loved picking a fight but for them to think they'd have a chance against Sharingan no Kakashi was mind-boggling. It was dumb stunts like that made Haku wonder what exactly did those two actually contribute to all of this. If anything they were loyal, and worked very well together, but that was pretty much it, "It shouldn't take them more than a few days before they are back to full strength, Zabuza-sama."
"Good. We'll wait till nightfall before heading back," Zabuza wasn't going to risk the hideout's location. The man would have to eliminate his scent before they headed back. Having worked with the Hunter-Nin Squad when he was a part of Kiri the man knew of several ways to do so. He was beating himself up for not doing so now as it might have gone differently. Though as snakes could see via heat signatures, something his technique couldn't hide, and with a Hyuga on their side it was easier said than done. As he began to formulate plans, Zabuza's body began to spasm and he buckled under his own weight. The man fell off the branch of the tree and would have hit the ground with a resounding thud had Haku not caught him.
"Zabuza-sama, what's wrong!?" a frantic Haku asked. By now Zabuza's body began to shake and shiver and his breathing was beginning to become rapid. Working quickly, Haku gave the man a look over before the cause of the problem was found. On the man's arm was a cut and said wound had a purple and putrid look along with small bubbles of yellowish pus-like liquid. The odour that it was giving off was foul.
"Poison," Haku deduced that it came from the large serpent. The nick Haku had seen was most likely the cause, "To think such a small amount would do all this."
It had to be very powerful for such a small amount to cause all this. Taking out a set of tools, Haku went to work as quickly and as carefully as possible. Getting a needle, Haku began by injecting the man with some antibodies to slow the poison down. Already the man's shake went down some but Haku recognized they weren't out of the woods yet. The next thing that needed to be done was getting Zabuza's heartbeat down as low as possible.
Taking out two senbon needles, Haku then accurately placed them on the side of Zabuza's neck. Within seconds Zabuza's body went limp as a fish. Though Haku wished to avoid putting him in a death like state it was the only way to help impede the poison. Most poisons were known to spread throughout the body at a faster rate the higher one's heart rate was. This method would allow the ninja time to come up with a cure. Though Haku had experience in concocting antidotes for various poisonous creatures, coming up with one for a summon wasn't. This wasn't going to be easy and would take all the skill Haku had to come up with an antidote.
While Haku was knowledgeable on a large amount of herbs and knew a bit on medicine the ninja couldn't be classified as a medic. Did the ninja have the reserves and chakra control required, yes. The young ninja had the intelligence also to do well in the field. The only thing that was lacking was knowledge and know-how. Though part of the Resistance both Zabuza and the feminine looking ninja only ever met with messengers that Terumi Mei sent. As such, Haku's medical skills were mostly self-taught.
Never once did the ninja have the opportunity to learn medical ninjutsu from someone else. As they were always on the move and doing a job, Haku didn't exactly have a chance to learn some of the more complex techniques. Every time Haku needed to heal either the Demon Brothers or Zabuza it was done the old fashion way. This event was going to put all those skills to the test.
(Sometime Later)
"Father!" a woman, easily in her early thirties, shouted at as the group of ten neared a house near the riverside. Tazuna eagerly greeted his daughter with a hug before introducing her to his escort.
"Tsunami, these are the super ninja that helped me reach Nami! Everyone, this is my daughter, Tsunami!" he introduced.
"Seriously, what's with this guy and the word 'super'?" Ino lost track of how many times he used the damn word and wondered if the man didn't have an extended vocabulary.
"Thank you, all of you," Tsunami bowed but her look turned into one of confusion as she eyed the group, "There's so many of you. I thought we only had enough for a C-Rank mission?"
"You did but Hokage-sama sent us as backup," Anko spoke up.
"Speaking of which, why were you and your team sent, Anko?" Kakashi asked. He wasn't ungrateful but the man had hoped for more than a rookie Jonin and a team of Genin. If anything having more Genin meant even more worry.
"We were the closest team available and with the Chunin Exams coming up and all Konoha is stretched thin at the moment. Hokage-sama had no choice but to send us so we weren't exactly in a position to say no," the woman informed him before a sheepish look crossed her face, "Not to be rude but you mind if we take this someplace a little warmer. My legs are starting to go numb."
Ino herself silently agreed with her team leader. As part of her seduction lessons Ino knew that showing more skin helped enhance ones approach. The only problem was that it also didn't offer much protection against the elements such as cold weather. Plus with the water splashing on them as the crossed over open watert didn't help.
"Of course," Tsunami ushered them inside her house and one by one did they enter her humble abode, "I'm afraid we have limited sleeping arrangements. We have two guest rooms that can be shared. Though it may end up being a little snug in the process. Some of you will have to sleep on the couch or floor I'm afraid," she apologized. Had it only been one team it wouldn't have been bad. Tsunami also wondered what they were going to do for food as well.
"Meh, it's no big deal," Anko waved the woman's worry off, "Ninja are meant to endure this kind of stuff. This is nothing compared to where we usually have to sleep. Just ask Kakashi, he used to be in the Anbu."
"Anbu?" Tsunami was unfamiliar with the term.
"Basically the elite of the elite ninja of a ninja village. They do stuff even reputed and strong ninja just can't handle and Hatake here was a captain at one point," the woman elaborated. Not like it was a secret. Kakashi didn't exactly use his Anbu mask half the time so his time as an Anbu member was quite known.
"Oh," Tsunami was still confused but the explanation made sense.
"Speaking of which, you've gotten sloppy, Hatake," Anko noted the tired man's form.
"Mah, I'll be fine," the man smiled behind his facemask but Anko wasn't fooled. Kakashi was more experienced than her and he kept a straight face but the paleness in his face along with the beads of sweat told her otherwise.
"Hinata, Byakugan on Kakashi," the woman ordered her student. The young kunoichi complied with her teachers command and was unnerved by what she saw.
"Kakashi-sensei, your chakra reserves are nearly empty. You're suffering from Severe Chakra Exhaustion," her statement caused Anko to curse. Kakashi wasn't Team Eight benefiting off Naruto's Gamer perk so this wasn't a simple case of him sleeping it off and getting better after a single night. Chakra exhaustion came in three stages: Minor, Severe, and Intense. Minor cases usually took two to three days to get over. Severe cases were four to six days of recovering, sometimes extra as it wasn't good for ones health. Intense cases could take over a week or so before they were ready for action. Even then it took a person a few extra days before they could even move properly.
"Seriously, I'm fine-" the man couldn't finish his sentence as he fell to one knee. Anko instantly appeared beside him and swung his arm over her shoulder.
"You're dead tired, Hatake. You're lucky we got there when we did. Hinata, you're with me. Old man, where are the spare rooms!?" Anko barked out at Tazuna. The bridge builder was momentarily stunned by the shout before he directed all three up the stairs. The two teams had to wait for a solid five minutes before Anko made her way back down.
"Is Kakashi-sensei going to be okay?" a worried Sakura asked.
"He'll be fine, Hinata's looking after him. A bit of bed rest, some occasional healing, and taking it easy and he'll be right as rain in five days or so," Anko reassured the pinkette, "Kinda sad though really. A few years ago, when he was in the Anbu, I doubt this sorta thing would have even fazed him. Hatake's gotten out of shape ever since he left."
"Is he really that strong?" Sasuke asked, more so out of curiosity. The Uchiha's opinion of the man wasn't all that great considering he barely taught them anything. But the way the man fought against Zabuza made him realize that he was more than he originally assessed.
"The guy made Chunin at age six, Jonin at age twelve, and then at thirteen he was inducted into the Anbu. A few of years later he was promoted to Anbu Captain and his repertoire of techniques was only outmatched by the Sandaime Hokage himself. There's only one other person I know that has that kind of performance record if not greater."
"Who's that?" Naruto asked.
"Uchiha Itachi. Sasuke's older brother and easily one of the best ninja Konoha had before he stabbed Konoha in the back," Anko said not noticing the dark look that crossed Sasuke's face as she said it.
"Stabbed in the…Oh."
"Yeah, oh," Anko agreed. "Anyway, the point is that it's sad when someone like Kakashi lets their skills go to waste. Heard that he's easily a candidate for Fifth Hokage," all the Genin, including Sasuke, Sakura, and Kiba were stunned.
"Are we still talking about our sensei?" Sakura hesitantly asked.
"Uh, unless there's another Hatake Kakashi with an implanted Sharingan in his eye socket then, yeah, I'm pretty sure," Anko didn't like where this was going.
"Seriously, that lazy ass? Mister 'I got lost on the road of life'? That guy?" an incredulous Kiba asked. "I call bullshit!"
"Arf!" Akamaru agreed with his partner and while Kiba's teammates were less vocal both couldn't help but agree with the feral looking boy.
"Yeah, but he still taught ya...right?" as she gauged their looks, Anko hesitantly asked, "Every fibber in my body is saying don't ask …. but what has he taught you guys?"
As Hinata's hands glowed a light green color, the Hyuga watched as the paleness from Kakashi's face begin to recede little by little.
"I'LL KILL HIM!" Anko's thunderous voice rocked the house and Hinata watched in fascination and worry as Kakashi's face began to revert back to its former paleness.
"Well, I'm feeling better, goodbye!" Kakashi quickly said, and proceeded to jump through the window and then made a mad dash for the woods. Not out the window, through the window.
"PUSSY! TAKE YOUR BEATING LIKE A MAN!" It wasn't a moment later that Hinata spotted her teacher chasing after the man, a string of curses and kunai being thrown at him as she gave chase. The Hyuga watched as trees fell to the ground and a series of lights light up the wood as a result of explosions. As the forest began to turn into a warzone, Hinata slowly drew the curtains and left the room.
Better Hatake Kakashi than any member of Team Eight.
(The Next Morning)
When Anko had finally managed to get a hold of Kakashi, the man lasting longer than they thought he would given his state, Anko had let the man have it. What the words were exactly the Genin didn't know but guessed it hadn't been pleasant. The amount of slapping she gave him hadn't been pleasant either. When the man was taken back to bed, despite her wanting to leave his tired ass in the woods, Anko had set up the sleeping arrangements. As this was officially Team Seven's mission they would be the ones sleeping in the house. Team Eight had their own mission coinciding with theirs and would be roughing it outside in sleeping bags and a tent. Ino would have complained as they had a comfortable house available to sleep in but her time with Anko made her know better. Anko hated when someone began to bitch and moan over something she would consider trivial.
"So, how'd everyone sleep?" a perky Anko asked the two teams. The woman had half-expected moans or groans from her team considering this was only their second time sleeping outdoors. Anko was used to it and didn't notice the discomfort anymore. Her Genin wasn't but guessed the Gamer's ability took away such discomfort.
"So much for making fun," Anko slumped a bit but perked right back up.
"Was fine, but Ino snores," Naruto informed the group. The blond took a piece of toast as well as what little rice there was to munch on.
"I do not!" the kunoichi glared at her fellow blond.
"We slept in the same tent, Ino, and I know snoring when I hear it," Naruto countered.
"Arf!" Hottomaru agreed with his partner. The young ninken had been in the same tent and had not cared for the blonde's snoring either.
"I don't snore!" the girl stated more forcefully, "And you're one to talk! You speak in your sleep!"
"What?"
"You heard me! For an entire hour all I could hear was you mumbling about ramen and your ramen girls!" by now Ino was flushed red. Whether it was because of how embarrassing it had been or because she was angry no one knew.
"Wait, you two slept in the same tent?!" Kiba asked. A look of utter disbelief on his face while his kunoichi teammate was just as shocked. Though he looked indifferent, even Sasuke was mildly surprised by the revelation.
"Is that normal?" Tazuna asked the leader of Team Seven. As this was his first time actually dealing with ninja the man didn't how they worked exactly. What was odd for him could be common for someone in their line of work.
"For Genin not so much. But it's not uncommon either. It's basically to get them used to this kind of thing when they get older. Ninja sometimes have to get physically close to a target at times and this helps ease them into it," Kakashi explained to the client.
"Oh, that reminds me. You're sleeping with Pale Eyes tonight, Gaki," Anko smirked at the blond. The reactions varied from each individual. Hinata, Sakura, and Tsunami blushed, the Hyuga nearing supernova, while Kiba and Tazuna, and Naruto to a small extent, had a perverted look on their faces. The only ones who looked indifferent were Sasuke and Kakashi, though the latter was more focused on his book than anything. Even then a small smirk was hidden behind the book cover.
"So what do we do now?" Kiba asked. "We brought the old man to Nami that's mission accomplished … right?"
"Wrong," Anko and Kakashi answered simultaneously. "Your mission is to stay here and bodyguard Tazuna until the bridge is complete. I'm no expert but from what I saw it's gonna take a while. Plus Zabuza's still out there and if the info the Bingo Book has on him is accurate then I doubt you'll be seeing the last of him."
Tazuna paled considerably as he heard this. The team had barely managed to escape from the man with their lives. Had it not been for Team Seven's timely arrival then Tazuna hated to think what could have happened.
"It's a good thing we have another team then, huh?" Tazuna chuckled, "In the end, this whole thing worked out better."
WHAM!
The bridge builder had no time to react as he felt the fist impact with his face and send him sprawling across the room. Before he could even right himself the man was lifted into the air by an angry kunoichi, "Let's get one thing straight, old man, you lied to Konoha and as a result, you nearly got a team killed in the process. Technically speaking the contract between Nami and Konoha is null and void because of that stunt. Believe it or not we actually have the right to hull your ass back and have you imprisoned. Or did you not know that when you signed the paperwork!" she snarled at the paling man. A worried Tsunami looked ready to step in and defend her father but was stopped by Kakashi. Even while weakened the man's look was enough to stop her from interfering.
Truthfully Tazuna hadn't really gone over the contract or the fine print of it all. All the man had cared about was getting a team to Nami and help them as quickly as possible. Though he hadn't expected getting a bunch of kids the man took what he could get. The sooner they got back and the sooner the bridge was completed the better.
"You don't understand-" the elderly man began but a look from Anko told him to wisely keep his mouth shut.
"No, I understand, old man," Anko snarled and was about to continue but a hand on her shoulder stopped her.
"That's enough, Anko. I think he gets it," the man gave her a look. Though still angry, both at Kakashi and Tazuna, Anko unceremoniously dropped the bridge builder. Sighing at the act, but making no move to pick him up, Kakashi give Tazuna a pointed look, "Anko's right, though, Tazuna. Despite the fact we decided to continue with this mission you still lied to us and put my Genin in danger. We got lucky that none of them were killed when Zabuza showed up. Chances are it probably would have happened had Team Eight not showed up. Had I even the slightest idea that Zabuza was going to be involved there's no way I would have continued. A friend of mine once said those who those break the rules are trash, but those who betray others are worst than trash. In this case, you'd be considered worse than trash, Tazuna," Kakashi told the elderly man.
The members of Team Seven stayed silent as this was occurring. What Kakashi had said was a paraphrased version of the original. But Tazuna didn't need to know that, "Anyway, I know why you did it but don't assume this ended up for the better."
"W… What do you mean?" Tazuna asked.
"We'll start with number one. This is clearly an A-Rank mission and ninja don't work for charity. A C-Rank pay barely covers what it's gonna cost you in the end. You're gonna have to come up with what you owe use when it's over," the look she gave him left no room to argue. "Though seeing as how Gato's basically taken everything you get we're willing to work something out," she added and Tazuna was grateful.
"Next is that we have six Genin here and any one of them can be killed or taken hostage before they even realize it. That's Zabuza's speciality and the bastard can easily use it as leverage against us. The only upside is that Midori managed to poison him. Her poison is nasty as hell. He didn't get a full dose but chances of him dying are still great. But on the off chance he survives it'll take him a while to recover. At most we have six to eight days before he's back on his feet.
"Why didn't the snake finish him off? Could have saved us the trouble," Kiba grumbled before he was bonked on the head, "Ow!"
"Because, Mutt, she can't stay in that form for too long and it takes a lot out of her. There's also the fact that we didn't know who else was out there so we needed her close by. We heard about the Demon Brothers and I doubt they're the only ones working for him," Anko explained and the declaration made Sakura, Tsunami and Tazuna pale while Ino and Hinata were worried. Though none of them showed it, all three male Genin were just as concerned too.
"Well, we don't have to worry about Gozu and Meizu at least," Kakashi's informed the group. Anko however was the only one who knew that it was meant to put them at ease. With the information she told the veteran ninja suspected that perhaps it wasn't the case. However, Kakashi thought it was best to lie than for them to worry for the time being. "In the meantime we're going to have to train you all so you're prepared."
"Speak for yourself, Hatake. My team's already been on a few C-Rank missions dealing with chakra mutations so they have combat experience. Our mission to Yuzukamura was our first C-Rank mission outside Konoha," she informed the now surprised man and stunned Team Seven.
"They've been on C-Rank missions already?" Sasuke fumed at the knowledge. His team had only been on one, this one, and technically he knew it was now a B or A-Rank mission. It would test his skills but Team Eight's as well. At this rate, he wasn't going to be anywhere near to achieving his goals.
"Bullshit!" Kiba shouted, "No way you guys have done more than one C-Rank mission already!" he would have believed one or two but six was too much, "What makes you guys more special?"
"Well, the fact we actually accomplished the required amount of D-Rank missions needed to qualify for a C-Rank for one. Plus one of our first C-Rank missions more or less turned into a B-Rank one and Hokage-sama was impressed with how we handled it. Ever since he would give us the odd C-Rank mission that required dealing with chakra mutations," Ino explained.
"Chakra mutations?" Tsunami asked, having heard the name more than once.
"Creatures that have been changed in some way or another," surprisingly it was Kiba who answered, "What? My clan's had a history dealing with em since the Warring States," he elaborated.
From her relationship with Kiba's mother, Anko knew he spoke truthfully on the matter. "That aside, we qualified and did a good job on our first C-Rank. So we got the green light to do more. How many missions have you guys done?"
Three of the members of Team Seven looked abashed, while the other merely frowned and looked away. The other was engrossed in his book, "Well? How many?"
"…" Sakura mumbled.
"Speak up, Billboard-Brow," Ino told her rival. The pinkette glared at the blonde before she answered, "Fifteen."
"…. Are you fucking kidding me," Anko's face shadowed over and her Genin knew to take cover. "Fifteen missions is all you guys took in almost two and a half months?!" by now the woman's temper was showing and Sakura looked frightened. Kiba and Akamaru were both hiding behind a chair while Sasuke felt like doing the same thing.
"Hatake a word, now!" the woman wasn't asking and she proceeded to drag the man up the stairs, entered a room, and closed the door with a resounding slam.
"… You guys are probably not gonna see him again," Naruto informed them. "Anko hates slacking," all four members of the veteran kunoichi's team shuddered lightly.
(Sometime Later)
"Okay, this seems like a good a spot as any," Anko halted the group. Surrounding them were many tall trees that were needed for what she had planned. The area wasn't too far away from Tazuna's home or the bridge either on the off chance they needed to rush to his aid. As a precaution, the woman had left Hinata, Ino, and Hottomaru with the man. It wasn't their mission to look after the bridge builder but circumstances being what they were required it.
"Alright, seeing as how Kakashi's out of commission for the time being, I guess I'll be in charge of you brats," the look she gave them made the members of Team Seven worry. Kiba and Akamaru more so due to their firsthand experience with the eccentric Jonin, "And seeing as how you weren't taught all that much we've got no choice but to begin with the basics. To start, I'm gonna be having you three climb trees."
"Climb trees?" Sakura deadpanned and her inner-self thought, "How the hell is climbing trees gonna help us, Sha!"
"Yes, climb trees … using only your feet," she finished and proceeded to demonstrate the act by casually walking up a large erect trunk of wood. The woman did this for less than a minute before she finally stopped near the very top, "And that's how it's done. You gotta concentrate just the right amount of chakra on the soles of your feet to make yourself stick. Too much and you're blown off, too little and you'll fall on your ass. Use these to mark your progress," the woman concluded by throwing each of them a kunai.
"Well, hop to it! I wanna see you at least make it twenty feet before the day's over."
One by one the Genin of Team Seven grabbed a kunai and picked their respective tree. Naruto watched as Kiba, ever eager, proceeded by running towards his target. Naruto had half expected the boy to make it one step before he was pushed off but was slightly surprised that the Inuzuka managed to make it seven steps before he was forced down. Naruto guessed that since he came from a ninja clan he would be more knowledgeable on such things. Sasuke himself had made a decent eight steps before he was forced off his tree.
"This is easy!" a voice from high up called out and all three males looked up to see Sakura at the outmost top branch of the tree. Kiba groaned, as he knew she'd hold this over him and Sakura merely frowned.
Anko however merely assessed the situation, "Gaki, what's their status?"
Naruto merely used Observe, and neither were impressed by the results.
Status Window
Name: Haruno Sakura
Job: Genin (15% EXP Gain and +15 IP per year)
Skill Rank: D
Level: 14 [59%/100% to Next Level]
HP: 400
CP: 425
STR: 14
VIT: 16
END: 17
DEX: 24
INT: 83
WIS: 44
CHA: 15
LUK: 17
Status Window
Name: Inuzuka Kiba
Job: Genin (15% EXP Gain and +15 IP per year)
Skill Rank: D
Level: 16 [77%/100% to Next Level]
HP: 850
CP: 975
STR: 36
VIT: 34
END: 39
DEX: 49
INT: 22
WIS: 18
LUK: 31
Status Window
Name: Uchiha Sasuke Kiba
Job: Genin (15% EXP Gain and +15 IP per year)
Skill Rank: D
Level: 20 [3%/100% to Next Level]
HP: 950
CP: 1150
STR: 33
VIT: 38
END: 46
DEX: 44
INT: 39
WIS: 29
LUK: 25
Sasuke's level was decent if Anko wanted to be kind but even then it had only been a recent level up, and likely due to the Gamer perk most of his attributes were significantly lower than Ino and Hinata's, though his END was higher than either of his Team Seven teammates. Anko analyzed each Genin of Team Seven, they had a particular attribute that was higher than the rest.
For Kiba it was his DEX and to a certain extent his STR as well. Which made sense given his clan's lineage. For Sasuke, it was his DEX and END. Given the Uchiha clan's history of being placed second in the top ten strongest clans in the world and the way he pushed himself, it was no surprise.
For Sakura, her most outstanding attribute was her INT, which was more or less equal to Hinata's at the moment despite the level gap, a perk or title most likely. If Sakura were at Sasuke's level Anko guessed Sakura's INT would be much greater than Hinata's by a minimum of 30 points. Unfortunately, it was all she had going for her at the moment.
"Don't celebrate just yet, Pinky," Sakura scowled at the nickname but otherwise stayed silent, "So, you think just because you got up there first means you're better than those two?" she asked.
"Uh… Ah," Sakura was not expecting the question and stumbled on her words.
"Alright, then. That tree's more or less sixty feet high. I want you to run up and down that thing fifty times in both directions," she smirked.
"Uh, alright," Sakura honestly thought it would have been a lot worse given how Ino spoke about her the other day. The kunoichi believed it to be a simple and easy task and proceeded to do exactly what Anko told her while her teammates got back to work.
But not even thirty minutes later, and only being on her twenty-ninth climb up, an exhausted Sakura was now drenched in sweat. The girl wasn't even halfway up the tree and every time she moved her legs she felt them burn and ache in protest. The girl only managed to make it up another seven feet before she was forced to rest on a nearby branch. Kiba and Sasuke however were still going strong as they continued to make progress little by little.
"So you get it now?" a voice behind her startled her from the unexpectedness of it all, "Your chakra control is very impressive for someone your age. You'd make a damn good medic or genjutsu mistress," Sakura blushed at the praise.
"But you suck at everything else," the comment immediately made the blush disappear, "Chakra control will only get you so far. What you did was only a little over half a kilometer. You're not much help to your team if you don't have any stamina, speed, or any other defining skill to back you up. Truthfully, you're lucky not to be dead at the moment, Sakura. As you are, you're nothing more than dead weight," Anko's chastising was harsh but truthful. The frown she had forced a near tear-stricken Sakura to look away. The look she received was almost like those she had sometimes received from her parents. It was a look of pure, unadulterated, utter disappointment.
"Catch your breath and then get back to work. Every time you fail to accomplish the task you're to start over from square one. By the end of the week I'd better see it done," was the woman's simple but sharp order. Sakura wanted to protest but could only nod. However, by then Anko was long gone and far away from the girl.
Sakura had potential with her chakra control but at the moment Anko was disgusted. The girl had no right to call herself a kunoichi. Part of it was Kakashi's fault as well but Sakura could have done her own form of training. Her conversation with the man revealed why he was late, sorta. Ninja needed to be independent and learn how to teach themselves rather than rely solely on a master. Something Kakashi was trying to teach them but none were getting it. If Sakura didn't show any decent improvement before Anko's team left the woman would have no choice but to confront the Hokage about this. The most likely scenario would be having her replaced with another ninja from the reserves. Should that happen Sakura would be temporarily stripped of her Genin rank until she shaped up. A girl like her was more of a liability than an asset for her team. At best, she'd be killed or crippled. At worst others would kidnap her and use her for self-pleasure. It happened to others in the past, both dedicated and lacking kunoichi. It was the same thing she told her two kunoichi if they didn't shape up or take it seriously. Kunoichi had it much worse than male ninja merely because they were born with different sexes.
"This is bullshit," she heard Kiba curse. The hooded Genin was covered in dirt and Anko knew he had fallen. Judging from the marks he was making progress but not as good compared to Sasuke. Anko knew young Inuzuka males weren't known for their patience or level-headedness, especially when they viewed others as competition, "Hey! How the hell's this gonna help us anyway?"
"Dumbass move, Kiba," though the Inuzuka knew better than to mouth off at Anko, the boy's frustration had unfortunately gotten the best of him. And Naruto had no doubt was he was about to pay for it.
"First off," the woman suddenly appeared before him and slammed the Inuzuka into a tree. The action forced the air from his lungs, making his teammates look towards him, and causing Akamaru to be torn between wanting to help his partner and cowering before the obviously superior ninja.
"Don't think for one second you have the right to talk to me that way, Genin," she harshly hissed, making Kiba feel fear. Soon a foreign and highly unpleasant feeling was washing over him as she held him. It was as if he was currently facing the Shinigami itself and Kiba had nowhere to run or hide. The feeling soon left just as quickly and Kiba realized that it had been the same feeling he felt when they were confronted with Zabuza. He wasn't the only one affected as the Inuzuka noticed that Sasuke was shaking slightly. The fact he held his kunai a lot more tightly, his hands now white, was even more proof.
"Secondly, this exercise is to help you better control your chakra. Do that and you'll not only need to use less chakra in your techniques but you'll struggle less when drawing out your chakra for techniques as well," she explained before looking to Sasuke, "You got anything to ask?"
The Uchiha looked like he wanted to say something but merely shook his head, "Spill it, Uchiha, I don't have all day."
Not wanting to anger the woman like his idiot teammate, Sasuke complied, "How come the Dobe's not doing this?"
"Oi!" Naruto took offense to the insult. "I ain't the Dead Last anymore! He is!" Naruto scowled.
"You'll always be a dobe in my books, Dobe," Sasuke smirked at the blond ninja.
As Naruto took a step forward, Anko interviewed, "The Dobe as you call him already mastered an even more complicated form of chakra control along with the rest of my team," Anko said, causing Sasuke's smirk to leave his face, "Besides, making fun of him is my job."
"Love you too, sensei. Love you to," Naruto merely chalked it up as another reason to prank her ass hard. The boy had been formulating one for months since the geisha one and slowly things were coming together. But the prank formulating in his head was the last thing on his mind when the woman whirled around, hunched over, and whispered something into Naruto's ear. When she righted herself the blond's face began to form into a broad grin that threatened to split his head in two. "Ok, maybe I'll bring it down a notch or two … Maybe."
The blond proceeded towards a nearby tree and decided to show his stuff, "Ninpo: Kongoriki (Ninja Art: Adamantine Strength)," he whispered and felt a surge of powerful strength course through him. When he was in position the boy then proceeded to take out Chishizouge and covered with earth and stone, turning it into an oversized kanabo. It was a weapon that Sasuke scoffed at because of its barbaric nature. Naruto merely ignored him before he readied himself. The kanabo being positioned behind his head while an aura of blue covering it as a result of the Chakra Flow being used.
"Saigasho (Crushing Fang Impact)!" Naruto mentally used the upgraded version of Saigeki (Crushing Strike) and then unleashed his technique with all his might.
What happened would forever be ingrained in the minds of Team Seven's Genin and ninken. The moment the earthen club struck home did the wood crack and buckle under the incredible pressure of the blow. Nami no Kuni's trees, while decent in size, were nothing compared to the mighty oaks that surrounded Konoha's. Had he tried this stunt on such trees it would not have worked on the first, second, or even fifty-ith go. Even then however the act of bringing them down was slightly challenging for an experienced arborist or carpenter seeking wood for their craft.
Naruto managed to fell this one with a single blow of his weapon. The large tree groaned and swayed before it finally came crashing down with a thunderous thud. The fall briefly shook the earth and sent nearby wildlife running. To a seasoned ninja like Anko the act was only mildly impressive. Being able to take down trees wasn't that grand a feat in her mind, especially if requiring techniques to make it happen - though she'd keep that little tidbit secret from Team Seven. Being able to do it with pure muscle strength and in one blow while you were still only thirteen was another matter all-together.
The blond ninja let off a whistle as he watched his handy work and then turned to the members of Team Seven. Every single one of them was floored. Sakura looked as if she was about to fall out of the tree because of how shocked she was; Kiba's jaw was on the ground; Sasuke was visibly shaking and looked like he wanted to say something but couldn't get himself to complete a coherent sentence.
"Still think he's a dobe now, Uchiha?" Anko asked but didn't get an answer. "And FYI this is nothing compared to what others can do," the information only served to further shock the Genin of Team Seven.
"Now back to work, maggots!" she barked out and all three of them continued with their exercise as best they could.
But one thought simultaneously echoed in each of their minds: How the hell did he do that? It also made them wonder just how strong the other members of Team Eight were. Were they just as strong or did they know something else? Either way, they had a lot of catching up to do.
(Elsewhere)
Hidden within the many woods of Nami no Kuni, four ninja shared a large room that had been given by their employer. Scattered throughout the room were various scrolls, herbs, and other personal items that belonged to the four ninja. However, some of them had seen better days.
Gozu and Meizu, better known as the Demon Brothers in the Bingo Books, had various bandages wrapped around them. To say the beating Kakashi had given was unpleasant wouldn't do it justice. Even now the act of moving still made them wince. Both Chunin level nuke nins' injuries paled in comparison to their leader's.
Zabuza, the Demon of the Bloody Mist, was resting soundly on a bed. By his side was his ward and ever-faithful companion and tool, Haku. Both Meizu and Gozu weren't the smartest of ninja; if they were then they would not have sustained their current injuries. But both ninja knew that despite Zabuza otherwise claiming not to feel much for his ward, viewing the gifted ninja of the once famed Yuki Clan as merely a stepping-stone, the man did in fact care. However, life had not been kind to Zabuza, and expressing anything other than negative emotions wasn't easy for the man.
The Demon didn't take betrayal too kindly either. Having it occurred to him too many times in his life, Zabuza rarely gave his trust to others or opened up to others. Seeing Haku as merely a tool that would never stab him in the back than a person with questionable loyalties was most likely the man's way of coping.
"Well, isn't this a fine mess," a voice called out and all conscious ninja scowled as a short professional-looking man with dark spectacles walked into the room. By his right and left sides were two swordsmen. One was shirtless and sporting an eyepatch while the other was wearing a tuque and had markings under his eyes.
"I send you to deal with one simple old bridge builder and you have the nerve to come back here empty-handed. Some demon," the man chuckled while Meizu, Gozu, and Haku scowled. Though far from fully healed Gozu and Meizu were still plenty strong enough to deal with Gato and his guards with minor difficulties. Haku they knew could end all three before they had time to even blink.
As their movements became transparently hostile, Gozu and Meizu prepared themselves to make a pre-emptive strike but a look from Haku told them to stand down. Though reluctant, as the two were itching to cut the man and his bodyguards down, they obliged to the silent command.
As Gato moved to grab at their leader, Haku's hand suddenly grasped the man's own and squeezed. The feminine ninja put enough pressure to cause pain, and mostly likely severe bruising and discomfort, but not enough to break or crack the bones. Seeing their employer in trouble, Zori and Waraji moved to defend him but found themselves defenseless, their own swords were poised at their throats. Behind them, the Demon Brothers looked ready to skewer the two ronin with their wicked clawed gauntlets.
"Monsters," the two ronin were caught off guard by the sheer speed of all three. Beads of sweat began to form on all of their heads as they eyed the individuals who could easily end their lives with little to no effort.
"I wouldn't get any ideas, Gato," said the man's eyes landed on Zabuza's form. The man's previously closed eyes were now wide awake and Gato gulped as he eyed the ninja, "It could end up being hazardous to your health."
The man proved his point as a kunai suddenly appeared beneath Gato's throat. It took the businessman two full seconds for his mind to process what just happened. By then Gato was sweating even more and was also visibly shaking as he realized an inescapable truth.
The man before him was weak, but even then he still had enough strength to kill him before it was too late. Gato was an arrogant man and not very well-versed when it came to ninja but the man was intelligent. One didn't become a billionaire of an international company and have various connections and dealing in the underworld without it.
"Now that I've got your attention; let's talk about our deal," the bedridden man's tone left no room for argument.
Gato scowled but knew how to play the game. It was the reason why his actions in Nami managed to elude the eyes and ears of the rest of the world. But things were starting to change against him. For now, he had to play it smart. One false move and no amount of money in the world would save him. Begrudgingly the man asked, "What do you want?"
Zabuza smirked and it only served to further anger the small man, "This mission just got more complicated. We were asked to deal with only one team. Now we have two to deal with and one of them can summon a giant fucking snake," he explained and the man noticed Gato's face began to pale.
While Gato wasn't well versed in the ninja world he often heard about stories about them from his contacts in the criminal underworld. Gato didn't know what a summon was exactly but the words giant snake rang a bell in his mind and gave the man pause. The billionaire had heard tales of a powerful and twisted ninja who was infamously known for his use of serpents. In the criminal underworld, information was power. But any further information he wished to know about the individual, no matter the amount of money, had been all for naught.
This meant two possible things: the contacts didn't know enough about the individual to tell him, which was highly doubtful, or this person was so powerful and feared that no amount of greasing one's palms would get them to talk. The exact words by one of his best had been, "I'd rather die by your hands than by his." Needless to say, Gato had wisely backed off. It was obvious the man was very powerful if he could instill such a large amount of fear into the hearts of others.
"So here's the deal; you're gonna double the amount you owe us. It's either that or we walk and talk," Zabuza smirked and Gato was torn between fear and anger. Fear for his operations reaching others, thus ruining his empire, and anger for being blackmailed.
"Fine, double it is. But no more failures! I want this done and over with quickly. The last thing I need is word getting out," he agreed much to his bodyguards' shock, and proceeded to leave the room.
"Gato-sama, are you sure about this? Zabuza and the Demon Brothers failed once against a single team. With two teams-" Zori began but was stopped by the man's raised hand.
"I know," Gato growled in frustration. The only reason he agreed to double Zabuza's pay was because he was at the man's mercy. If he said no the man would have either killed him or gone blabbing to others about his dealings. There were plenty of individuals more powerful than Gato who would be very interested in using the information for their benefit. Individuals Gato wished to keep his distance from.
"So what now then?" it was now Waraji's turn to ask. Much like Gato, Waraji was arrogant but even he had to begrudgingly acknowledge Zabuza's superiority. Like many from a samurai upbringing, the man cared little for ninja and thought many of their swordsmen to be poor excuses; especially the Seven Swordsmen of Kiri. The man attributed this as he viewed their fighting as having little to do with actual swordsmanship. Some of the so-called 'swords' they possessed weren't even swords.
"For now we play smart," was all Gato said. The man couldn't afford another failure and would have to get in contact with others to see how to deal with this mess and Zabuza himself. This meant that Gato would have to look into finding someone even more powerful than the swordsman himself. Which wasn't going to be easy, or cheap.
While Gato was figuring out how to deal with this, Zabuza's group was having their own little discussion, "You should have let us deal with it, Zabuza-sama," Haku said.
"I actually thought you should have killed the fat pig," Gozu added while Meizu snorted.
"Pig? Yeah, right. I've seen pigs smaller than that ass. He's more like a small cow," the man retorted.
"Shut up," their leader stopped the debate from escalating any further. The last thing he needed was hearing another one of the Demon Brothers' stupid ramblings over something just as equally stupid, "How long before I'm up and running?"
"A week at best, Zabuza-sama. The poison was from a summon after all and it took all my medical knowledge to heal you. It was touch and go and you nearly died as a result," the ninja admitted then added a smile, "It's a good thing you didn't. Otherwise, I'd be stuck telling Mei-sama."
The other three ninja shivered at the thought of having to deal with an angry Mei. It was no secret the attractive woman had a slight and flirtatious attraction with the man but even then he wasn't exempted from her wrath. Zabuza had seen it firsthand when Gozu and Meizu made the mistake of asking why she was single. The action had started out as the cheesiest pickup lines and ended with the Demon Brothers going into intensive care.
"You've got a sick sense of humor, Haku," the man deadpanned.
Haku merely continued to smile, "I learned from the best, Zabuza-sama."
"Smartass," the man realized he might have taught his protégé a bit too much and too well.
"Not to beat around the bush but how are we gonna deal with this? Twice the pay is good and all but we're dealing with six Genin, two ninken, and two Jonin. One of them can fucking summon too. How the hell are we gonna deal with that?" Gozu pointed out the elephant in the room.
Zabuza had to admit it was one of Gozu's more intelligent questions, a rarity. But the man had a point. Kidnapping was an option but at the moment neither he nor the Demon Brothers were in any shape to do it and Haku was ironically a pacifist. The ninja still fought but the fighting style was basically by paralyzing others and bringing them down with minimum harm as possible. Zabuza knew that the Jounin would most likely keep a closer watch on the Genin too.
They did have one slight advantage on their side. The opposing group knew about Zabuza, Gozu and Meizu, but not about Haku.
(Sometime Later)
While Team Seven was practicing under the watchful gaze of Midori, and a clone of hers, Anko and her team were strategizing on the next step to take. "Alright, the more we know about this place, the better. However, Hatake's team isn't really ready for this sort of thing just yet so I'm stuck babysitting them for the next little while. Midori's good but if Zabuza's got other goons working for him they won't last long."
"So what do we do?"
"For the moment you guys will take turns guarding the old man. One of you will stay here while the others are out patrolling Nami for any clue as to where Gato's hiding out. From what I got from Tazuna the little shit's been spotted in several locations but he's never in the same place twice in a row. We need to find out where he's hiding and where he plans to go next. Only two of you will do this until Kiba, Sasuke or Sakura finish what I assigned for them. Afterward, I want all three of you to start looking around," Anko said.
"Arf!"
"Sorry, poochy, but you're sticking this one out. I doubt a healthy-looking mutt's gonna be able to blend in with this place," she pointed out and Hottomaru whined. Naruto found it ironic really. Hottomaru knew how to transform himself into a more powerful and adult-like version of himself but couldn't transform into anything else really. Then again he probably could if he put the time and effort into it.
"Which brings up another point, you three will have to be in disguise. Other than Zabuza and his posse, Gato's hired thugs are nothing more than common mercenaries. Large in number but other than that they won't be able to distinguish a ninja using the Henge. But in that ensemble you guys will stick out like cheap hookers in a temple," the three ninja were not expecting such a crude description or being compared in such a way, "However, Nami's pretty big and with only you three I doubt this will go quickly. Which is why your Shadow Clones are gonna come in handy, Gaki."
"Huh? How's that?"
"Hello, did you forget that Shadow Clones send any information they have back to you once they pop? The whole purpose of the Shadow Clone was meant for infiltration and information gathering while the original stayed safe. The only reason why it's not really used is because it takes up too much chakra and forms too many clones. It basically leaves the user too drained of chakra and leave too little chakra in the clones to work properly. Some can do it but the amount is too few so the method was deemed inefficient and risky to use," Anko explained.
"Wait, so I can learn anything the Shadow Clones learn!" Naruto was wide-eyed at the prospect.
Congratulations! You've unlocked a hidden function of the Shadow Clone Technique!
Please note that until the Shadow Clone Technique is mastered the effectiveness of this function will be limited.
"Sweet!" Naruto mentally drawled and made a note to grind the skill as much as possible.
"Hold it! Before you go off half-cocked, you should know that while any information they learn isn't as simple as it sounds," of course it wasn't, "One Shadow Clone popping with a bit of info being sent to you is nothing. A shit ton of them popping and sending that amount of info can be hazardous to your health. I heard stories about others doing this and how the brain couldn't handle the influx of information and the results weren't pretty. This isn't like learning stuff from scrolls or book skills where your ability comes into play, Gaki."
"She's right, Naruto. I heard dad talk about these kinds of cases. The brain basically had its own version of a stroke or heart attack only a lot worse. At best you'll suffer from a massive migraine, blackout, temporary memory loss, go into a minor coma, or you die immediately," Ino said.
"Dying is one of the best ones? What's worse than that?" Naruto was a little unnerved.
"At worst you become a vegetable - brain dead, permanent memory loss, enter a coma you can't wake up from, or can't process new memories and relive each day over and over again without even realizing it," Ino was being dead serious at the moment.
When it came to matters of the mind and illnesses of the mind such as this the young Yamanaka had been taught not to joke around. No Yamanaka joked around about something this serious. If Naruto were a Yamanaka it would be slightly different as a Yamanaka had the ability to categorize a great deal of information influx in their brain like an archive. Young Yamanaka like Ino couldn't do it nearly as well compared to the adults of the clan. Even then learning too much could still have very bad side effects. Some cases could be healed to an extent but medics needed to very skilled and quick. Hinata was getting better but she lacked the experience and wasn't anywhere close to that level. Ino also doubted Nami had anyone with that kind of skill as well.
Naruto for his part gulped, "Okay, that's definitely a lot worse."
"Normally it wouldn't be a problem if your clones were gathering information on a single subject, say you're all reading theoretical information from the same book, the mind can handle that," with his Gamer ability it was sorta redundant on skill books but with theory books, it was another matter, "But in this case you're gonna be gathering a bunch of different information that'll put too much strain on that brain of yours. I doubt it'll be the case but just to be on the safe side I only want you to make a small amount of clones."
As the Shadow Clone Technique equally split up his chakra, Naruto made a rough calculation. The blond determined that twelve clones, plus himself, would result in each of them having almost 1500 CP. While it was more than enough to deal with common thugs, it would most likely be another story if they came across another ninja like Zabuza.
"Okay, now that that's settled, Ino I want you and Naruto to see what you can find. Don't be afraid to use some of those skills I taught ya," she smirked and Naruto was slightly interested. However, the interest was gone just as quickly when Ino developed a very Anko-like grin of her own. It became clear to him that Ino took to Anko's lessons even better than anticipated.
"Don't wanna know, just gonna pretend I didn't see it."
With their duties assigned, Ino and Naruto set out to do what was asked of them. When they neared a series of buildings that spanned quite some distance and spotted various individuals walking about they went to work. For the next half hour, the two familiarized themselves with the overall appearance of the people. As Nami wasn't exactly prosperous at the moment clothing ranged from decent-looking to ragged, worn, and ripped.
Sticking out wasn't the intent, they needed to blend in with the crowd. Naruto took on the appearance of a young man in his late teens with short messy brown hair, his clothing being similar to what Tazuna wore. Naruto's clones took on various appearances ranging from children to older individuals before they set off. Ino, to his surprise, took on the guise of someone a person would normally see in a red-light district. Though somewhat uncomfortable, remembering the training she had with Anko helped. Both Ino and Naruto then proceeded to go their separate ways and agreed to meet back at the designated spot in a few hours. However, the task of finding out information was easier said than done. Well over two hours had passed since he and Ino parted and he still had nothing to show for it. Ino was currently in the red light district so he left it to her, but Naruto had no idea where to begin finding the information he wanted.
"Ah, fuck," Naruto wondered where exactly he should go from here at this point. Were it Konoha he'd have better luck, as he knew virtually almost all the ins and outs. Here not so much. At that moment he realized his wandering somehow led him to a more secluded part of Nami. The disguised blond doubted he'd find anything here and decided to head out.
"Hey there, handsome."
"Huh?" Naruto wanted how spoke and became rigid as soon as he spotted where it came from. The voice came from a young woman, easily in her twenties, with a voluptuous figure and wearing a dress that left little to the imagination. Compared to some of the other women he saw she looked a hell of a lot better than most. Her skin was unblemished, she wore a purple shade of lipstick and the end of her dark brown hair was in a braid.
The woman sauntered over, unafraid, "You're new here aren't you? I've been here quite a while, seen all kinds of faces. Yours is different, you're not from around her," she said.
"Huh," Naruto honestly had no idea what to do at the moment. Give him someone to fight and he'd kick their asses a hundred ways to Sunday. Ask him to flirt or deal with something like this and one would have better luck getting a rock to float on water.
"Who're you?" he asked and mentally kicked himself, "Smooth, Naruto. Smooth."
"Asagao," she introduced and somehow Naruto doubted it was her real. "So what's a good-looking guy like you doing in a dump like Nami?"
"I can ask you the same thing," was his rebuttal.
"Witty, I like that in a man," she said and grazed her hand across his shoulder. The act making him shudder for whatever reason, "But if you must know I'm saving up till I can finally leave this place. Girls like me don't last too long, especially with Gato's men around. We're seen as entertainment for his men and himself, and that's if we're lucky. Some actually get sold off and shipped far away. On the off chance his rule here ends, I doubt they'll ever be seen again," here Naruto noticed her eyes subtlety shifting at various angles. As if she was scouting the area for potential danger and ready to make a dash for it if forced to. The boy realized she was being very cautious at the moment.
"You're awfully trusting. How do you know I'm not one of Gato's men?" he asked and saw her smirk.
"Please, I can spot one of Gato's men from a mile away even if they try and downplay their Neanderthal-like tendencies. You don't last as long as I do without being smart and observant. You don't have the same look they do. But it still begs the question: why are you here?" Asagao asked.
Naruto knew he had no choice but to bullshit as best he could. He was good at it, sorta, but this woman despite not being a ninja was good. He'd have to go all out, "Honestly, I can't remember exactly. All I remember is waking up on the shore and with pieces of wood around me. Maybe I'm a fisherman? I honestly can't remember," he said. As he knew little about Nami the old 'I'm suffering from amnesia' story was the best way to go at it.
"Hmm," Asagao hummed and looked at him inquisitively before she sighed, "Sounds like you're one of those brave or stupid enough to try and make a run for the mainland. Gato's got these waters constantly patrolled and it's near impossible to get out of here without luck and careful planning on your side. I heard a couple of days ago a boat tried to make a break for it. Gato's men got to them before they got halfway across. No one survived. Guess you lucked out… sorta," she said.
"Maybe, can't exactly deny or confirm it," Naruto said and pretended to wince as if a sudden pain struck his head. Luckily he had given his Henge a fresh scar on his head so it would help lend some validity to the story. "What's there to do around here?"
"You mean besides being smart, and keeping your head down? Nothing much really. Nami used to be prosperous because we have skilled craftsmen you won't find anywhere else. Tons of different species of fish live and migrate here so we made a living off that too but Gato's got an ironclad grip on this place and he limits who is allowed to do what. Put one foot out of line and you'll be wishing for death. Gato's sucking this place dry for all it's worth till nothing's left and the people are too damn scared to fight back after what he did to Kaiza."
"Kaiza?" Naruto was now actually getting some potentially useful information.
"Former local hero of Nami," she began before a startled look entered her eyes as though she suddenly heard something, "Sorry, handsome, gotta go. Hope to see you again."
Naruto cursed, as he didn't get what he needed but knew she had a good reason for bolting. The woman had very good hearing, Naruto only knew about them the moment his Detect Presence Skill came into play when they entered his range. "Hey, you!" an uncouth call was heard.
"Me?" Naruto asked, playing the ignorant fool, to the nearest of the three men.
"No one else is here, retard," one of them laughed before approaching him, "Who was that you were talking to?"
"Who?"
"Don't play dumb, kid. Word has it there's a beautiful and totally fuckable hotty that's been spotted around here from time to time. So unless you were talking to yourself, I'm wagering you were speaking with her," he grinned and Naruto forced himself not to gag. The man's breath reeked of poor dental hygiene and strong alcohol. A stereotypical thug. Good, this made things easier.
"Seriously, I don't know what you're talking about. I was just taking a walk," apparently it was the wrong thing to say to these men as their faces contorted into angry snarls. Whether or not it was the alcohol that was influencing their judgment or merely because they were quick to anger mattered little now.
"So it's gonna be like that eh?" the men went for their weapons and that was all Naruto needed to see before he made his move. The fight, if one could call it that, was over before they had time to draw their weapons. Naruto proceeded by grabbing the two furthest men and slammed their heads into the middle one. The amount of force in the move had their eyes popping out comically before sweet unconsciousness took hold of them. The fact that they were only level nine with low attributes, basically low academy level strong, also helped in making it one-sided. But it also left him with a current dilemma.
"What the hell should I do with these guys?" bringing them back to Anko was an option but it meant having to carry them there. As a result of his training being focused elsewhere, Naruto had yet to learn Fuinjutsu so he didn't know how to seal people inside scrolls. Plus Anko was looking after Team Seven at the moment. Creating some shadow clones and then disguising themselves as fellow thugs were another option but there'd be a chance of encountering others and being found out. Blowing his cover as a result, which defeated the whole purpose.
"Hey, wait a minute. Kage Bunshin (Shadow Clone Technique). If anyone of you are near the red light district, get Ino and tell her to come here!" he finished and proceeded to dispel the clone he just created once it served its purpose. Naruto hoped the trick worked before he began to bind and gag the unconscious thugs. Luckily there was a ton of nearby discarded junk and garbage that could be used to hide the bodies on the off chance someone walked by.
Fifteen minutes later Naruto felt a rush of information flow through his head and realized one of his clones had managed to find and inform Ino, "Wish he found out more useful information though," apparently the clone was having as much luck as he was at the moment. Hopefully, it wasn't a recurring theme.
Naruto waited an additional fifteen minutes, passing the time by knocking out the three stooges once they began rousing from their beauty sleep before Ino finally showed up, "Took your sweet time," Naruto said.
"Can't exactly run and draw attention to myself," the Yamanka didn't mention that many had asked to see her along the way and she needed to shake them off somehow. "So where are these clowns?"
The disguised ninja moved his head behind him and Ino immediately understood. Once free from the garbage, Ino got to work on their minds and tried to locate anything useful. The process took her five to nine minutes per thug before she was done. By the end, the girl looked like she wanted to end their lives.
"Anything?"
All he got was a disappointed shake and Naruto cursed, "Nothing, too low in the payroll. The only useful thing I found out was that Gato apparently informs certain thugs of his plans but these assholes don't know who they are. The only two who possibly know are his personal bodyguards but from what I saw they rarely leave his side."
"Shit," all this time and they basically had nothing to show for it, "Did you find anything useful?"
"Nadda, the girls I'm with spend some nights with some of Gato's men but they don't know much. Managed to persuade some thugs when they asked for me but it was useless shit."
Upon seeing Naruto's worried look Ino chuckled, "Don't worry, they didn't touch me. They only think they did," she smirked and Naruto had to admit that what a Yamanaka could do to another's mind was frightening. Against a weak-minded individual, it wasn't all that difficult for Ino. Especially with the training she received from Anko and her father. Against others of greater mental fortitude, it would have taken someone as skilled and experienced as Inoichi to accomplish such a task.
"So what do we do with these guys?" Ino was going to suggest having them killed for all the sick things she saw in their heads but refrained from it. If any of Gato's men started disappearing it would raise suspicion, "I'll alter their memories. Make it so they think they got plastered and knocked each other by accident. Keep an eye out. This will take a while and I'm vulnerable while doing this," as Ino got to work Naruto didn't fail to notice the bite in her voice as she said this.
Whatever it was she saw must have been really bad if Ino wanted them dead. While Ino was wishing for their deaths now, she could be singing a different tune altogether after the deed was done.
Sometime later after Ino was finished with her task, both got back to work to try and find anything else that would prove useful could. It was well into the afternoon before both ninja and kunoichi decided to call it a day. As he ordered the clones to dispel, Naruto felt a great flood of information.
"You're supposed to cancel them one at a time, Naruto," Ino chided and shook her head upon seeing his dumb grin. As he processed the new information, Naruto was even more disappointed. While only the first day, much of what they found proved to be a dead end. Oh, knowing things such as how Nami was suffering from a short food supply among other things proved enlightening. Much of the other information in some way or another could be traced back to Gato as the main cause, but it served little in finding out where he was.
"Hey, Ino, you go on ahead. I'll catch up," Naruto informed his teammate. Ino wasn't even able to ask where he was going before he used the Shunshin to go who knows where.
"Just be careful you idiot," while he wasn't the same Dead Last Naruto from the academy, he was still Naruto. He was smarter but old habits died hard. Ino just hoped he didn't do anything to get himself in trouble.
It was nearing sundown when Ino finally arrived back at the home of Tazuna. Knocking in a series of sequences, to notify it was indeed her, the door opened and the blonde cocked an eye at the sight before her. Kiba was spread out on the couch, looking dead to the world, Sasuke himself was fairing better but Ino could tell he was exhausted. Sakura, and here Ino had to stop herself from laughing, was doing an impression of a mummy or one of the zombies from the dungeons. Hinata was back from her guard duty and the girl had a green glow surrounding her hands as she reduced the fatigue in Akamaru.
"So… how's everyone doing?" Ino asked Team Seven.
"…. ahhzzughehh," Sakura mumbled incoherently, the mere act appeared to take quite some effort it seemed.
"... Translation, please," Ino looked to Kiba and Sasuke.
"I'm spitballing here…" Kiba began before trying to catch his breath, "but I think she asked … how are you still sane? She's f- freaking nuts," he said and Sasuke couldn't help but agree with him.
"You get used to it… sorta," she mumbled the last part.
"Ah, quit your bitchin, Mutt. Pale Eyes and Blondie still have a while to go stamina-wise," Anko informed the exhausted Inuzuka.
"What about the do- Naruto," Sasuke caught himself as the woman gave the Uchiha a look.
"Oh, the Gaki's a stamina beast on super 'roids. He's gonna make women real happy when he gets older," she smirked as Tazuna sputtered on his sake.
Ino had seen the comment coming a mile away, "Typical Anko-sensei. Hey, where's Hotto?" she asked upon noticing the lack of one of two ninken.
"One of the Gaki's clones came here a while ago to grab him and head out. Told the little shit he shouldn't be out there by himself with who knows who's in Gato's pockets, so I sent Midori to keep an eye out," Anko muttered and the way she spoke made Team Seven's Genin flinch.
"That's Naruto-kun for you," Hinata commented and the girl received some incredulous looks from the Genin and her teacher. "D…Did I say something wrong?"
"Just that we weren't expecting that to come from you," Ino stated as a matter of fact. The Yamanaka heiress knew that Hinata was slowly but surely coming out of her shell. She was still timid but it wasn't as bad as when they first began.
"Hmph," Ino heard before she spotted a young boy heading up the stairs.
As it was the first time she saw the boy, Ino asked Tazuna, "Who's that?"
"That's Inari, my grandson," Ino noticed Tazuna had a tired look in his eye. "Sorry about him he's been like ever since … ever since Gato came to Nami," being trained by Anko the blonde kunoichi knew she was being given a half lie. However, what it was about also turned the mood sombre judging by the looks in Tazuna and Tsunami's faces. Ino wisely decided not to push.
"Dinner will be ready soon everyone," Tsunami announced the woman now sporting a mask of cheerfulness. "However, we're a bit short so we'll have to-"
Knock!
Knock, knock!
Knock, knock, knock, knock!
Knock!
"That's the Gaki," Anko stated the obvious as the knocking sequence was heard.
"Hard to believe he'd remember it," Kiba grumbled but winced as his body ached once more. The young heir knew that the old Naruto wouldn't have remembered it and knew that it would have been an imposter.
"I'll get it," being the gracious hostess, Tsunami made her way to the door, Ino having sat down beside Hinata. However, the woman was left stunned and let loose a very loud cry, "AAAAAAHHHHHHH!"
The action made Tazuna stumble out of his chair and onto the ground, his sake bottle rolling out of his hand and spilling its contents on the floor. Kiba and Sasuke took a battle stance, though it was shaky at best given their current weariness. Sakura too armed herself but the lack of feeling in her legs prevented the girl from getting up properly and she needed to have one arm firmly placed on the sofa to keep her balance.
"What?! What the hell is it?" Kiba asked and prepared himself as best he could.
The answer to his question however merely walked in through the door. A large hairy beast the size of a horse entered the house and in its maw was a dead boar of medium size. The sight of the beast unnerved the Genin of Team Seven, while Tsunami and Tazuna looked frightful.
"Hmm?" Kakashi wondered what all the noise was about and as saw the reason for it as he came down the stairs, "Oh, hello, Hotto," he greeted the large ninken.
"Hotto!?" the Genin of Team Seven were floored by the revelation.
"Oh, come one! Even his ninken's stronger than mine? What the fuck!" Kiba whined pathetically, an act that was mimicked by his own ninken. Ninja dogs that were given outside the clan tended to be much weaker as they could not learn their techniques anymore. Some they'd know instinctively but even then they weren't that strong. Being with the former Dead Last made Hottomaru an exception to the rule.
"Seriously, this fucking blows," while he could maybe come to terms with Naruto being stronger than him it was a matter of clan pride when a clanless ninken became stronger than his own. Kiba knew he and Akamaru had some serious catching up to do. His mom wouldn't let him hear the end of if once she learned.
"BAARKK!" the enlarged ninken greeted, placed the boar down, and then turned back into his miniature self, "Arf, arf!" the small ninken panted and nudged the pig towards Tsunami.
"Sorry about that," Naruto sheepishly grinned, "My hands were full and Hotto sorta knocked me aside. Bad dog!" Naruto chastised his partner.
"Arf! Grrrr," the tiger stripped ninken growled.
"Don't you flare your nostrils at me you little shit," Naruto glared back before he entered. Over his left shoulder was a deer and in his right hands were a pair of hares. Looking at the group he announced, "Got dinner?"
Needless to say, the group had plenty of food for the night thanks to his little escapade. And as they ate and filled their hungry stomachs, the group slowly forgot about their troubles and enjoyed each other's company. While they still had a while to go before they accomplished their mission for now they were content and happy.
However, in the coming days, many would be in for rude awakenings. Ultimately, it would be a deciding factor in their lives. Would they continue on as ninja? Or would they be forced to quit?
Status Window
Name: Uzumaki Naruto
Job: Genin (15% EXP Gain and +15 IP per year)
Skill Rank: C
Level: 30 Next Level: 97%/100%
HP: 11525
CP: 19225
STR: 80
VIT: 341
END: 469
DEX: 93
INT: 62
WIS: 59
CHA: 16
LUK: ?
Improvement Points: 0
Perk Points: 12
Specialization
Ninkenjutsu Specialist (increases associated titles, fighting styles, perks by an additional 25%) and increases associated attributes by 1
Fighting Styles
Konoha Kenjutsu-Ryu [Novice] (enhanced): +2 towards DEX per level (active as of level 30)
Special Perks:
Gamer: Allows you to view and live your life as though it were a video game.
Kyubi no Yoko Jinchuriki: Additional +5 VIT & +7.5 END per Lv, +250 CP per Lv, +25% Power towards all skills, +50% Increase towards [HP Regen] & [CP Regen] outside of combat, Immune to Basic and Journeyman Poisons -25% EXP and Effectiveness towards [Chakra Control Skills], -25% Reputation gain towards [Konoha Populace] whose relationship with you is below Neutral
Unknown Blessing: Your luck is immeasurable. Don't be fooled as it can go either way at random.
Perks/Buffs:
?: Additional +5 VIT & +7.5 END per Lv, +100 HP per Lv, +25% additional EXP and Effectiveness towards [Fuinjutsu Skill], -15% EXP and Effectiveness towards [Chakra Control Skills], ?
Chakra Affinity (Expert Rank) (Enhanced): [CP Regen] and [Elemental Resistances] Increased by 40%, Speed, Power and Effectiveness towards [Ninjutsu Skills] Increased by 40%, CP Usage towards [Ninjutsu Skills] decreased by 40%
Vigor Affinity (Journeyman Rank): [HP Regen] and [Physical Resistance] Increased by 10%, Fatigue levels decreased 10%
Titles:
Prank King: Additional +1 DEX per Lv, +25% additional EXP and Effectiveness towards [Stealth Skill] & [Trap-Based Skills], -25% Reputation gain towards pranked for 24 Hours
Expert Zombie Slayer: +60% Power, EXP, Money against [Undead-Based Monster], +30% Increase towards Attributes against [Undead-Based Monster], +30% chance of [Double Loot Occurrence] against [Undead-Based Monster], +10% Increase towards Resistances against [Undead-Based Monster]
Ninkenjutsu Novice (enhanced): +35% additional Power, Effectiveness, and EXP towards [Ninjutsu and Kenjutsu Skills] (active as of level 30)
Novice Dungeon Master: +15% increase towards Attributes, EXP, Skills, and Item Drop Rate while in a dungeon; CP Cost for all skills reduced by 15% while in a dungeon; 15% chance of not suffering death penalty while in a dungeon; Conquering a dungeon for the first time results in an additional 25% increase in rewards (active as of level 30)
Description: Uzumaki Naruto's background is shrouded in mystery. A young ninja with inspirations of becoming Hokage, Naruto has a long and difficult journey ahead of him before he can attain his dream. While believed to be a shoo-in for the title of Dead Last, Naruto's come around in his last year placed him in the lower-middle ranking.
Status Window
Name: Hottomaru
Job: Ninken
Skill Rank: D+
Level: 24 Next Level: 21%/100%
HP: 1775
CP: 1225
STR: 48
VIT: 70
END: 50
DEX: 48
INT: 20
WIS: 29
CHA: 33
LUK: 28
Improvement Points: 0
Perk Points: 2
Specialization
N/A
Fighting Style
N/A
Perks
Ninja Dog: Human Lifespan, Ability to Mold Chakra, Potential to speak human language
Komainu Lineage (Guard Dog): +1 VIT, Lv, +15% Effectiveness & EXP towards [Biting-based Skills] & [Detection-based Skills], +20% Effectiveness, Power, and EXP towards [Fire-Based Skills]
Akita Lineage (Tracking Dog): +1 DEX per Lv, +15% Effectiveness and EXP towards [Tracking Skills] +15% Effectiveness and EXP towards [Stealth-Based Skills], +10% towards Movement Speed during and outside combat
Keen-Senses: +15% Effectiveness & EXP towards [Detection Skill], Ignores Henge, Strong and pungent odours can result in debuffs
Titles
Journeyman Zombie Slayer: +40% Power, EXP, Money against [Undead-Based Monster], +20% Increase towards Attributes against [Undead-Based Monster], +20% chance of [Double Loot Occurrence] against [Undead-Based Monster]
Description: A two old ninja dog with Komainu blood in his veins. While possessing great potential like his cousin Akamaru, Hottomaru like most Komainu pups require a good amount of discipline and can be difficult to train but are fiercely loyal and protective of their owners and partners.
Name: Hyuga Hinata
Job: Genin (15% EXP Gain and +15 IP per year)
Skill Rank: D+
Level: 23 Next Level: 11%/100%
HP: 1800
CP: 1925
STR: 31
VIT: 72
END: 77
DEX: 59
INT: 77
WIS: 72
CHA: 20
LUK: 16
Improvement Points: 0
Perk Points: 2
Specialization
None
Fighting Styles
Juken [Novice]: +1 Towards END per Level (active as of level 20)
Special Perks:
Gamer's Teammate: So long as you are on the same team as the Gamer, you gain the same benefits. (This perk can be taken away if the Gamer wills it!)
Byakugan: +1 WIS per Lv, +20% EXP & Effectiveness towards [Medical Ninjutsu], [Detection Skills], +20% increase towards [Critical Hit Chance], Allows the use of the [Byakugan Skill]
Perks:
Main Family Lineage: +1 INT & +1 END per Lv, +15% Effectiveness towards [Hyuga Clan Skills], +15% Reputation gain with Konoha and Konoha Allies, +15% EXP and Effectiveness towards [Bartering] with Konoha and Allies, +15% EXP, Power, Speed and Effectiveness towards [Taijutsu Skills]
Titles:
Novice Taijutsu Practitioner: +20% EXP, Power & Effectiveness towards [Taijutsu Skills]
Novice Medical Practitioner: +1 WIS & +1 INT per level, +20% EXP, Power, and Effectiveness towards [Medical-Based Skills and Items] and [Herbalism Skills]
Novice Zombie Slayer: +20% Power, EXP, Money against [Undead-Based Monster], +10% Increase towards Attributes against [Undead-Based Monster], +10% chance of [Double Loot Occurrence] against [Undead-Based Monster]
Flaws/Debuffs:
Diffidence [Lv 1]: -10% towards Attributes, -10% EXP, Power, Speed and Effectiveness towards Skills, Benefits of Titles and Perks reduced, Flaw will become permanent upon reaching MAX level
Description: Hinata is a very kind but very shy young girl who comes from one of Konoha's four noble clans. Despite being trained in the art of the Gentle Fist at a young age, a renown and deadly taijutsu, Hinata's skill is lacking for reasons currently unknown. While not one of the best students in the academy Hinata was still one of the more intelligent students. While most of the girls in her class are infatuated with Sasuke, Hinata is attracted to someone else. Her love for cinnamon rolls is said to rival Uzumaki Naruto's love for ramen. As a result of being on Team Eight, Hinata has slowly but surely become more confident.
Name: Yamanaka Ino
Job: Genin (15% EXP Gain and +15 IP per year)
Skill Rank: D+
Level: 21 Next Level: 88%/100%
HP: 1450
CP: 1575
STR: 36
VIT: 58
END: 63
DEX: 80
INT: 61
WIS: 60
CHA: 90
LUK: 25
Improvement Points: 0
Perk Points: 0
Specialization
None
Fighting Styles
Rankyaku [Journeyman]: +2 Towards DEX per Level (active as of level 21)
Special Perk:
Gamer's Teammate: So long as you are on the same team as the Gamer, you gain the same benefits. (This perk can be taken away if the Gamer wills it!)
Yamanaka Lineage (Heiress): +2 CHA per Lv, +25% Effectiveness towards [Yamanaka Clan Skills], +25% Reputation gain with Konoha and Konoha Allies, +25% EXP and Effectiveness towards [Bartering] with Konoha and Allies, +15% EXP, Power, Speed and Effectiveness towards [Lightning-Based Skills and Items], +25% towards [Mental-Based Tolerance], +5% EXP increase from quests
Perks:
Natural Grace: Lv 2: +1 DEX per Lv, +30% Effectiveness towards [Movement Speed] and [Evasion], +30% Effectiveness towards [Speed-Based Skills], +30% Effectiveness towards [Acrobatic Fighting Styles]
Titles:
Journeyman Botanist: +1 WIS, 40% EXP & Effectiveness towards [Detection Skill: Locate Flora], +40% EXP & Effectiveness towards [Herbalism Skill], +20% Power and Effectiveness towards Skills when fighting [Flora-Based Monsters], +20% chance of [Double Loot Occurrence] when picking [Flora-Based] items
Future Femme Fatale: +1 CHA, +20% EXP and Effectiveness towards [Seduction Skills] and [Bartering Skills], +10% Power & Chance towards [Critical Hits]
Novice Zombie Slayer: +20% Power, EXP, Money against [Undead-Based Monster], +10% Increase towards Attributes against [Undead-Based Monster], +10% chance of [Double Loot Occurrence] against [Undead-Based Monster]
Description: Though not as intelligent as her rival, Sakura, Ino was still one of the top students at the academy. Ino is talented in her clan's teachings but due to her attitude and infatuation with Sasuke she isn't as far or as proficient as she should be. Ino is notorious for her gossip and fashion sense, very little happened in the academy that she doesn't know about. As a result of being on Team Eight, and Anko literally beating the fangirl out of her, Ino's priorities have improved, though several old habits remain.
[QUEST ALERT!]
A or B but definitely not C! (B-Rank)
Main Quest: Assist Team Seven in protecting Tazuna!
Side Quest: Gather as much information and evidence on Gato to have him brought to justice (Must acquire a minimum of four forms of evidence to succeed)
Side Quest 2: Assist the inhabitants of Nami no Kuni!
Hidden Objectives (4): ?
Potential Rewards
Main Quest: 65,000 EXP, 250,000 Ryo, +5 Improvement Points, Reputation with Nami becomes Exalted! (Rewards will be increased if quest rank increases)
Side Quest 1: 6500 EXP, 10,000 Ryo, and 1 Improvement Point per evidence found (must find a minimum of four to succeed), ?, ?
Side Quest 2: 3000 EXP, ?
Hidden Objectives: ?
Failure: Reputation level with Nami becomes Abhorred, Potential Death of group members or worse, Potential chance of Permanent Crippling Injury Status Effect, Potential Loss of Genin Rank
Potential Additional Rewards (Quest Above Skill Level)
Choice of Improving One attribute by [amount depends on Individual's Skill Rank and Quest's Rank], or Choice of Skill Equivalent or lesser than Quest Rank
Quest is Mandatory!
Despite it being last minute, fortunately for Team Eight, Yuzukamura's residents were more than willing to help them since accomplishing their mission. Less than half a day south of the village, by non-ninja standards, was a harbour used by Yuzukamura and several other nearby villages. After handing off the four detained ninja kept inside scrolls, which would be kept under lock and key, Team Eight made a mad dash towards the harbour. Though Anko had informed the village heads on how to placate the Idiot Brothers on the off but very unlikely chance they escaped their scrolls - Mizuki being dead and Tsubaki being comatose made it so they weren't threats.
After showing the harbour master the village leader's scroll they were off within half an hour on their fastest boat and aided by one of their best captains. The voyage up the gulf would take them nearly a day but luck was on their side and they would be dropped off as close as possible to the area where the border of Hi no Kuni and Nami no Kuni met.
Normally travelling by boat would have been slower and where they needed to cross was still about a day's journey away as the area still wasn't the greatest for about fifty miles or so even at their speed, but it was still faster than trying to cut across unaccommodating terrain on foot, which would have taken them over five days, if they were lucky, before they reached a decent road. This way they saved several days and hopefully could meet up with Team Seven.
Naruto for his part looked elated for finally had that damned timer for his keys finally reached zero. In the end, all he got was a new but weather-beaten key for an item and a new title.
Kakojidai no Kagi (Key of a Bygone Era) - Epic Quality
Item Type: Quest Item
Durability: One-Time Use
Description: A special key that opens a special but difficult dungeon. Upon use, the key will disappear and the dungeon will become available.
Minimum Requirements: Level 30, Skill Rank C
Novice Dungeon Master: +15% increase towards Attributes, EXP, Skills, and Item Drop Rate while in a dungeon; CP Cost for all skills reduced by 15% while in a dungeon; 15% chance of not suffering death penalty while in a dungeon; Conquering a dungeon for the first time results in an additional 25% increase in rewards
Were they not about to undergo a mission Naruto would use it to see what this new dungeon was like, especially with the new title. He made a mental note to do so once they were back in Konoha. And made a mental note to try and acquire the Yosokane (Elemental Metal) from the Primordial Dungeon when he had the chance.
"Alright, gather round, I know you've got questions," Anko told her group, the five of them were in a decent-sized cabin given to them by the crew. A luxury they would cherish for who knew what they would have to endure in the future.
"What happened exactly?" Ino asked, knowing only the bare bones.
"Close to five days ago, Hokage-sama allowed Team Seven to take their first C-Rank mission. Nothing special. Just your standard escort mission from Konoha to Nami no Kuni. Kakashi apparently has had slow success in getting his team to work together despite passing his test. He must have thought that a potential encounter with some bandits would get them to start acting like a proper unit," the woman told the group.
Given that Kiba was always looking to be alpha dog and Sasuke wasn't one that liked being one-upped, Naruto could see it.
"However, turns out their client lied," Anko revealed to a surprised group of Genin, "Yeah, it happens. Not often as you'd think because every village, especially the Great Five, have penalties whenever it happens. The higher the mission rank is the bigger the penalty. Team Seven's mission has potentially jumped from C-Rank to B-Rank, maybe higher, and Hokage-sama doesn't believe they're cut out for it at the moment. They encountered the Onikyodai (Demon Brothers) Gozu and Meizu, about four days in, and if their Bingo Book history is anything to go by they don't work alone."
"Leaders or followers?" Naruto wondered what their roles were.
"No idea. The Bingo Books tells have limited info on them. That said, if the grapevine is anything to go by, it's believed to be the latter. But since they're just small fry ninja much of that info is based on rumours so we don't know for sure. Those two are only C-Rank nuke-nin but that's if they work together. What worries me is that they were former associates of one of the Seven Swordsmen of Kirigakure. Can't remember which one. Hopefully one of the dead ones. Most of 'em were killed during their failed coup but one or two were said to have survived."
"Seven Swordsmen? You mean Kiri's strongest fighters?!" Naruto gawked.
"Bingo."
"Okay, so, no offence to us or Hokage-sama, but why the hell is a Genin team, two if you count Team Seven, been tasked with dealing with a mission that's clearly meant for a more experienced group?" Ino asked.
Naruto would have argued but given the mission parameters the Yamanaka heir had a good point. This might be better handled by a group of experienced Chunin or another Jonin, or at the very least one of the more experienced Genin teams.
"This may come as a surprise but while Konoha has a large force of ninja of varying rank, twenty-odd percent of them are Genin rank, thirty to forty percent are Chunin to Jonin rank, fifteen odd percent are Anbu rank, and the rest are non-combative such as medics, cryptologists, and retired ninja. As of now, those ranks are stretched pretty damn thin, and for that you can blame the Chunin exams that's being held in a few months," Anko revealed.
"Chunin exams, Anko-sensei?" Hinata wondered what that was.
Anko blinked, and realized she blundered, "Oh, right. That's meant to be a secret for new teams...Meh, whatever. It's a series of tests used to determine if Genin have what it takes to be promoted to Chunin. It's being held in almost three months' time. Konoha is hosting it this year so it takes a lot of manpower to make it run smoothly, but it ain't just that. Borders have to be tightened up, guests and dignitaries dealt with and accommodations need to be made. When all is said and done, it's a real shit show. The scroll said we were the only team close enough to Nami no Kuni to be called upon. My guess, the more qualified people are likely too far away, too busy on another mission, or both, and chances are they won't make it in time compared to us if it goes up shits creek. But that's not all."
"What a surprise," Ino guessed there had be more to the story, "Alright, what else?"
"President Gato of the Gato Company is apparently involved," Anko revealed, getting a blank look from Ino and Naruto.
Fortunately, Hinata did know, "Gato? As in the billionaire shipping magnet of the Gato Company?" the Hyuga got a nod from Anko, "How's a wealthy individual like him involved?"
"Apparently Gato's more than he would appear," Anko elaborated by reiterating the details that Kakashi had provided to Konoha. By the end of the brief, none of them were pleased by the turn of events. The fact that Gato was responsible for bringing a small country to near ruin, Tazuna lying and putting a team of Konoha shinobi lives at risk, and the fact that Kakashi and his team continued on despite the potential danger they'd face. Though for the last part it was more complicated as Tazuna basically blackmailed them with his sob story. The last thing Konoha needed was a bad reputation of jumping ship when things got a little rocky. Especially when they were nearing the Chunin exams in a few months.
"So, as of right now we've been tasked with undertaking an emergency C-Rank mission. Given the quest that popped up it's likely a B-Rank one with the chance of it potentially becoming an A-Rank mission. We're to assist Team Seven as much as possible but Hokage-sama wants us to find out as much as you can about Gato and if possible to bring him in for questioning. Not gonna lie, outside of war time this isn't something a bunch of greenhorns should be tackling," Anko explained.
"Hey! We're way more experienced than the other teams," thank you time dilation.
"Fair enough. But beating up corpses and animals, and a small group of bandits is different. This is more than kicking ass, it's about info gathering, assassination, and doing others things that none of you have truly experienced before. The stuff you'll be doing are things normally assigned to Chunin, and Tokubtesu Jonin. Blondie, I'm gonna need to teach you a few things before we land, things you might be uncomfortable with," Ino knew that it wasn't like she had much choice.
"Also, you guys acquired a good deal of A- sorry, IP, right? Use 'em and if there's any good perk you can get with your current perk points I want ya to use 'em. Now's not the time to be frugal. We need every advantage we can get to increase your chances of surviving," Anko chastised herself for not having them do so before they faced the Densetsu Bakakyodai but she wasn't going to make that mistake again.
"Sorry, Anko-sensei, but the minimum requirement to buy at the perk point shop is three, fifteen if you wanna buy a special perk. At best Ino and Hinata could improve one of their existing perks," Naruto revealed, and Anko cursed.
"All right, fine. See which one of your the perks is worth enhancing for now or save it for later. But I want you guys to allocate your IP and see if the Auction House has any decent gear that might benefit you. Once you're done get some rest. We're going full sprint the moment we land," the Jonin ordered.
Each member of Team Eight had done as they were instructed when it came to allocating their points and seeing if there was any decent gear they could get from the Auction House.
Ino had bought and now wore what was known as the Taoyameno no Koromo (Robe of the Sylph), a Rare rank piece clothing that enhanced her speed, and left her virtually broke. The robe being a form of combat attire that was essentially reminiscent of a revealing purple kimono. The attire didn't leave much to the imagination, and would likely turn more than a few heads when people saw it.
It wasn't exactly the most defence related armour either, meant more so for enhancing speed, evasion, and allure of the individual who wore it, which essentially complemented her fighting style and the approach Anko was teaching her to take on.
Hinata, unlike Naruto and Ino, didn't have a set of weapons of her own, though Naruto knew that Anko had recommended the Hyuga to learn how to use a tonfa or sai and incorporate them into her fighting style based on what she learned from Gai. Something the eccentric Taijutsu master of Konoha had apparently brought up to Hinata's cousin Neji but the Hyuga prodigy stuck to the traditional form of his clan's Taijutsu. But given she had trouble with her current fighting style, Anko decided it was best she at least get it up to the Journeyman level before doing so.
So, Hinata instead bought the Arumiko no Nenju (Rosary of the Wandering Miko). It was a simple looking necklace that consisted of prayer beads and white magatama. To many it would be seen as worthless and nothing more than cheap jewellery. Though plain in appearance it offered a good deal of perks such as enhancing the effects of medical ninjutsu, resistance to poisons, and enhancing chakra control. But the most useful perk were the ability to erect ninjutsu barriers and erase her presence. If only for a short period of time before she had to wait to use the abilities again. Much like Ino's purchase, the item was a pricey little thing that ate up most of her ryo, but Hinata felt it was worth it.
Naruto had looked at some of the gear and ninjutsu the store possessed, but given the Auction House was still ranked as Bronze he couldn't buy anything that was ranked above Rare, and most of the skills offered were ones he could use, learn elsewhere or didn't fit his combat style. There was one particular item that caught his eye and while pricey to the point it took about two-thirds of his money, Naruto felt it was well worth the investment. But for gear and skills there was nothing really worth getting so now he saved his remaining money and focused on their task at hand.
True to their Jonin instructor's word, the moment Team Eight made landfall did they start going full sprint, and truer still was the fact that it took them nearly a day before they reached decent terrain that didn't impede their full movement.
But by then it had been late in the evening, so the group set up tents in a secured location. When they were done, they lightly ate and then rested for the night. The use of a couple hidden Shadow Clones and minor snake summons as a night watch helped them immensely. Anko originally wanted them to take shifts but knew all of them needed a full night's rest if they were to make it to Nami at a decent time the next day.
Anko also didn't want Ino and Hinata to rely on Naruto's Shadow Clone Technique for this sort of thing as they needed the experience. The jinchuriki wouldn't always be there for them and both kunoichi would have to do this on their own in the future.
The following morning the group woke up bright and early, much to Ino's consternation. The Yamanaka wasn't vocal, having learned by now what Anko did to whiners, but her facial expression said it all. It was almost noon before they came across a large stretch of open water that separated them from their goal. But Team Seven were nowhere in sight.
Just before they began crossing the other side, Team Eight saw a boat coming their way and after making certain he was a civilian did they make themselves known the man. The ferryman jumped as they approached him but calmed down pretty quickly.
"You with those other ninja?" the ferryman asked after noticing the symbols on their forehead protectors.
"Describe 'em," Anko ordered, not taking chances.
"Two boys, one had a dog and the other had dark hair, a girl with pink hair and a tall man with a silver hair with one of his eyes covered," the man described the group to a T.
"Shit! We just missed them. Move it!" Anko ordered.
"Wait! There are patrols!" the group heard him call out but they continued running.
"Hinata!" Anko didn't have to tell her twice.
"Kekkai: Arukibitoō (Barrier: Wandering Spirit Veil)," from her neck did Hinata's unassuming necklace shine and then shimmer before the five members of Team Eight became one with the mist that surrounded them. No sounds were heard except the splashing of water that surrounded them, and any sound they did make as they crossed on the water was blocked off by the technique that covered them.
The skill from the accessory proved useful to the group as they made it to the other side with little trouble. Any patrol they encountered could be looking right at them but all they'd see was the surrounding environment and the fog. Anko assessed that while Gato had the money for it, the man appeared to have a preference for hiring those with brawn over brains.
Any further musings Anko might have had blinked out of existence much like the barrier that once hid them.
"The hell?" Ino looked at her fellow kunoichi.
"The barrier just stopped working," Hinata tried bringing it up once more but each attempt failed. Activating her Byakugan, Hinata found out why, "Anko-sensei. This mist has chakra in it."
It certainly explained why Hinata's necklace conked out. The technique only worked to cloak them to the world when used in a natural environment. At its core, the Hiding in Mist wasn't a natural weather-based occurrence.
"Shit! The Kirigakure no Jutsu (Hiding in the Mist Technique)," Anko had a feeling the mist was unnatural.
"Eyes open, stay sharp, and suppress your chakra as much as possible. There's no telling who or what we're gonna encounter," the woman spoke in a hushed tone and her team didn't need to be told twice. With Ino and Hinata the act was easy, especially given Hinata's necklace, another neat feature it possessed.
Even Hottomaru knew instinctively how to erase or minimize his chakra and presence. For Naruto not as much given the large amount the blond easily outmatched all of theirs, combined. Even when suppressed the boy still gave off a decent amount of chakra. Though in this case the chakra he gave off was more like a flashlight in the dark than a roaring bonfire. Anko just hoped luck was on their side and whoever was using this was distracted enough.
As they moved further into the mist, they noticed it had become even thicker. However, through the use of her Byakugan, with some strain from the stinging her eyes felt, Hinata managed to locate an area where it was less prominent. As luck would have it the area not only offered more visibility but also better coverage with the trees. The large oaks, assuming that's what they were, offered them a better vantage point to survey the area. But it begged the question.
"Where's it coming from?" Ino wondered.
The answer to her question made itself known as the group heard the sound of steel clashing against steel. The sound was close and within half a minute was Team Eight able to pinpoint the location.
There was just one major problem and it presented itself when the mist cleared, "Oh, fan-fucking-tastic," Anko cursed as she spotted a trapped Kakashi and the one beside him.
Naruto himself chanced a look at the man with his Observe and didn't like what he and his team saw.
Status Window
Name: Momochi Zabuza - Elite
Job: Nuke-Nin
Skill Rank: A
Level: ?
HP: ?
CP: ?
STR: ?
VIT: ?
END: ?
DEX: ?
INT: ?
WIS: ?
CHA: ?
LUK: ?
Description: Momochi Zabuza, aka the Demon of the Bloody Mist, is an infamous A-Rank Nuke-nin of Kirigakure no Sato with a bloody history and reputation. At the tender age of nine, he was said to have slaughtered well over one hundred academy students for reasons yet unknown. From then on he would go to prove his worth as a Kiri shinobi by becoming the wielder of the Kubikiribōchō (Decapitating Carving Knife) and become one of the elite Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist before a failed coup forced him to abandon his village.
"As if the description ain't bad enough this guy's got the fucking Elite tag on him," Naruto was worried for good reason.
Elite tags were a special kind mark that symbolized the target many times more powerful than those with the same level, some even more power than bosses. In video games where as a normal creature of a certain breed might fall easily to a lone player, to defeat an elite creature of the same type required careful planning, a group of heroes, excellent tactics, or all three. So far they had been lucky for not running into one. Luck decided to take a vacation it seemed.
This wasn't going to be easy. A head on fight wasn't the answer, unless the wanted a thrashing and a not so pretty death. Each Genin knew all but Anko would be toast if they attempted such a stunt without the element of surprise, and even then it was clear that this guy was stronger than Anko. They'd have to do this strategically and quickly if the series of clones that the man created were an indicator..
"So what do we do?" Naruto asked Anko.
"That's simple, improvise and think on the spot!" Anko informed them as she made her move. Her Genin were stunned but not surprised by the act. It was very Anko like and they didn't really have time to come up with a plan while Team Seven was moments away from being killed.
"Well, you heard her!" Naruto informed his team and along with Hottomaru he followed after his teacher.
"Oh, we're all gonna die," Ino slumped before she and Hinata followed in pursuit. At least they'd go out fighting.
As the Mizu Bunshin rushed at the Genin of Team Seven, Zabuza blinked as his creations were soon reduced to mere useless puddles of water, "The hell!" the man exclaimed and was forced to block a pair of kunai coming from a woman. The former Kiri ninja made to swipe at her but the woman leaped over the blade and managed to land a kick on his chest. It wasn't enough to send the man flying but it had enough force in it to release his hold on his Suiro (Water Prison).
"Shit," the man growled and held his sword in a more aggressive manner. Anko knew she'd have to be extra careful now. Even with Kakashi freed a single slip up would end her. "I thought I felt some rats skulking about," the man had originally thought it to be his imagination and now he was regretting it.
The missing ninja watched as the woman covered Kakashi as he got out of the water. Zabuza needed to end at least one of them quickly and rushed at the woman. However, Zabuza was stunned as a myriad of serpents were unleashed from her sleeves and bared their fangs at him. Creating some more clones, Zabuza substituted himself with one of them and watched as the serpent bit at their necks and thighs. The original Zabuza swung his blade and ended the serpents' lives in the process. Using his momentum, the swordsman struck Anko with the flat of the blade and launched her at high speeds, and with Kakashi behind her the man was sent along for the ride back to shore.
Zabuza made to move towards the old man but was stunned as two more Genin appeared beside the other three. From their appearance Zabuza guessed one of them was a Hyuga if the eyes were to go by. The other he couldn't tell but knew it was a kunoichi. However, it was then that Zabuza's problems began. Just as they joined them did a fold barrier erect itself around the group of Genin, ninken, and the old man.
"Barrier ninjutsu!" the man was snarling at the moment. He doubted the barrier was strong enough to stop him but had an inkling it was meant to buy themselves time. Barrier ninjutsu were only as strong as the user, and these were mere Genin.
"Deathblow!" Naruto mentally announced as he swiftly brought down Chichizouge on the man's exposed back.
Deathblow was successful!
Naruto grinned at the announcement but his victory was short lived when the target turned out to be a mere water doppelganger, leaving him with no time to do anything before the real Zabuza rose up from behind him and grabbed hold.
"Not bad, kid, you got balls. But you're a hundred years too early to be messing with one of the Seven Swordsmen," the man released a chuckled and then placed his weapon at the boy's throat. The man had sensed Naruto from a mile away and had decided to use a different strategy when reinforcements showed up. With the young swordsman subdued, Zabuza looked at the two Jonin in front of him, more so the woman in this case.
"Arms where I can see em, Snake Bitch!" Zabuza ordered Anko. The woman scowling at the name but obliged to the demand, "Gotta say, I didn't expect to see the Snake Mistress of Konoha. To think you of all people would take a bunch of brats as pupils. Funny how stuff like that turns out," he chuckled.
"Yeah, real freakin hilarious," Anko deadpanned.
"But play time's over. As much as I'd like to continue fighting I got important business to take care of. So, tell your kiddies to drop the barrier, hand over the old man and the kid goes free. Try anything funny and you'll see first hand why 'decapitating' is a part of Kubikiribōchō's name," the man proved his point by bringing the blade closer to Naruto's neck.
Though frightened, Tazuna looked ready to step in. The man knew these were ninja but the thought of a child dying for him didn't sit right. However, Tazuna was stopped in his tracks by Anko before he could surrender himself, "Sorry, but I can't do that. The Gaki knew what he was getting into when he became a ninja."
Though momentarily stunned, for he wasn't expecting something like this from a Konoha shinobi, Zabuzza smirked nonetheless, "Ruthless. But given who trained you and I should have seen it coming. Sorry, kid, but looks like you're gonna lose your head. Business is business," Zabuza grinned before looking at Anko, "Any last words?"
"Just one - MIDORI!" Anko suddenly shouted at the top of her lungs.
BOOM!
Just as soon as the word left her mouth did the captive Naruto disappear into a wisp of smoke, "What! A clone!"
That was the least of his problems as an enormous, hissing, and angry Midori burst forth from the ground below the missing nin. Zabuza barely had time to react as the giant reptile made to swallow him or rip him to shreds with its razor sharp and dagger filled maw. Zabuza swung his giant sword hoping to hit a weak point but Midori's reflexes allowed her to dodge quickly. Though her snout was nicked in the process, a summon creature's hide was much stronger than a regular serpent. Though if he used his full might Midori knew the man could pierce her tough skin with only slight difficulties given the properties of the blade. Zabuza wasn't as physically strong as the Idiot Brothers, but he was strong enough to wield the famous blade to pose a threat to a summon of Midori's size.
"Play nice with your new chew toy," Anko laughed as Zabuzza snarled behind his bandaged face. Behind Anko, Zabuza watched as the barrier dropped and the man scowled as saw the original sword wielding Genin.
"Little shit must have hidden himself with a Henge!" was the conclusion he came up with.
As the Genin flipped him the bird, the man made to move before Midori lunged at him. Zabuza's plans were put on hold and he was forced to dodge from the deadly serpent's strikes. Even then the man didn't escape unharmed as he was nicked by one of the creature's fangs. The man realized he had been played like a chump. At the moment there were only two options available for him: Fight and get killed or flee and fight another day. With the added protection of another team, plus a large summon, Zabuza didn't have to be a genius to know his chances of completing the mission were very low.
"For now anyway," while his mastery over the Kirigakure no Justu would mask his chakra signature his scent and body heat weren't.
"Fuck," Zabuza cursed and used a Kiri Shunshin (Mist Body Flicker) to escape the area. As he appeared at a location far away the man scowled and kept on running until he knew he was at a safe distance. The man never liked retreating from a fight but he knew Mei would kill him if he died. After finding a way to bring him back to life of course. Strong as he was Terumi Mei was a hell of a lot stronger than he was despite not being a swordsman.
Zabuza disliked working for guys like Gato but business was business. If he had to kill someone then so be it. The Resistance of Kiri desperately needed the funds for their goal and Zabuza was a part of it. Being from the generation of swordsmen that many considered to be the strongest generation, the man had arrogantly thought himself capable of leading a small group to overthrow Yagura before the man brought Kiri to ruin. The Resistance had tried to convince him to work with him, but Zabuza and his group believed they'd be enough.
They weren't.
Yagura had faced the group by himself and utterly crushed them with ease. The coup's defeat had been an eye opener and Zabuza took it as a lesson. Strong and fearsome as he was the man realized there would always be someone much stronger than him. Zabuza had never faced a jinchuriki before but the man knew that having a Biju sealed within oneself granted them a large amount of chakra and power most didn't possess. Even after hearing stories about such battles the man hadn't thought much of it. Believing them to be exaggerations from weaklings and poor excuses of ninja. All that soon changed.
After facing off against someone who not only had that kind of power but also had total control over it made him realize just how immense the power gap between him and Yagura was. Even after so long and various missions he took from others and fighting for the Resistance the man knew his strength still wasn't enough to face Yagura head on. The only person who had a chance was Mei herself. Even then she admitted would need some help doing it.
"Zabuza-sama!" the man didn't bother to turn his head, having sensed his ward's presence, a mile away, "Zabuza-sama, what do we do now?"
"We lay low for now, Haku," loathed as he wanted to admit it but at the moment they were outmatched and outgunned,"Where's Meizu and Gozu?"
"At the hideout. They're tending to their injuries and making sure that Gato doesn't start snooping around while we're gone," the dragon masked ninja said. According to the two brothers, Hatake Kakashi had 'roughen' them up enough so when he bound them to a tree they wouldn't have the strength to escape.
Had Haku not tailed them to oversee the proceedings they'd be in the hands of Konoha Anbu. Haku liked Gozu and Meizu but the ninja sometimes wondered if those two were missing a few brain cells. If they weren't shinobi or had minimum to no encounter with ninja their stunt would have been somewhat justifiable. But this was Hatake Kakashi of all people. Haku had never met the ninja but had heard rumours and stories of those who survived encounters with him.
The man was easily one of the most well-known and recognizable ninja in the Elemental Countries. Certainly, the Demon Brothers loved picking a fight but for them to think they'd have a chance against Sharingan no Kakashi was mind-boggling. It was dumb stunts like that made Haku wonder what exactly did those two actually contribute to all of this. If anything they were loyal, and worked very well together, but that was pretty much it, "It shouldn't take them more than a few days before they are back to full strength, Zabuza-sama."
"Good. We'll wait till nightfall before heading back," Zabuza wasn't going to risk the hideout's location. The man would have to eliminate his scent before they headed back. Having worked with the Hunter-Nin Squad when he was a part of Kiri the man knew of several ways to do so. He was beating himself up for not doing so now as it might have gone differently. Though as snakes could see via heat signatures, something his technique couldn't hide, and with a Hyuga on their side it was easier said than done. As he began to formulate plans, Zabuza's body began to spasm and he buckled under his own weight. The man fell off the branch of the tree and would have hit the ground with a resounding thud had Haku not caught him.
"Zabuza-sama, what's wrong!?" a frantic Haku asked. By now Zabuza's body began to shake and shiver and his breathing was beginning to become rapid. Working quickly, Haku gave the man a look over before the cause of the problem was found. On the man's arm was a cut and said wound had a purple and putrid look along with small bubbles of yellowish pus-like liquid. The odour that it was giving off was foul.
"Poison," Haku deduced that it came from the large serpent. The nick Haku had seen was most likely the cause, "To think such a small amount would do all this."
It had to be very powerful for such a small amount to cause all this. Taking out a set of tools, Haku went to work as quickly and as carefully as possible. Getting a needle, Haku began by injecting the man with some antibodies to slow the poison down. Already the man's shake went down some but Haku recognized they weren't out of the woods yet. The next thing that needed to be done was getting Zabuza's heartbeat down as low as possible.
Taking out two senbon needles, Haku then accurately placed them on the side of Zabuza's neck. Within seconds Zabuza's body went limp as a fish. Though Haku wished to avoid putting him in a death like state it was the only way to help impede the poison. Most poisons were known to spread throughout the body at a faster rate the higher one's heart rate was. This method would allow the ninja time to come up with a cure. Though Haku had experience in concocting antidotes for various poisonous creatures, coming up with one for a summon wasn't. This wasn't going to be easy and would take all the skill Haku had to come up with an antidote.
While Haku was knowledgeable on a large amount of herbs and knew a bit on medicine the ninja couldn't be classified as a medic. Did the ninja have the reserves and chakra control required, yes. The young ninja had the intelligence also to do well in the field. The only thing that was lacking was knowledge and know-how. Though part of the Resistance both Zabuza and the feminine looking ninja only ever met with messengers that Terumi Mei sent. As such, Haku's medical skills were mostly self-taught.
Never once did the ninja have the opportunity to learn medical ninjutsu from someone else. As they were always on the move and doing a job, Haku didn't exactly have a chance to learn some of the more complex techniques. Every time Haku needed to heal either the Demon Brothers or Zabuza it was done the old fashion way. This event was going to put all those skills to the test.
(Sometime Later)
"Father!" a woman, easily in her early thirties, shouted at as the group of ten neared a house near the riverside. Tazuna eagerly greeted his daughter with a hug before introducing her to his escort.
"Tsunami, these are the super ninja that helped me reach Nami! Everyone, this is my daughter, Tsunami!" he introduced.
"Seriously, what's with this guy and the word 'super'?" Ino lost track of how many times he used the damn word and wondered if the man didn't have an extended vocabulary.
"Thank you, all of you," Tsunami bowed but her look turned into one of confusion as she eyed the group, "There's so many of you. I thought we only had enough for a C-Rank mission?"
"You did but Hokage-sama sent us as backup," Anko spoke up.
"Speaking of which, why were you and your team sent, Anko?" Kakashi asked. He wasn't ungrateful but the man had hoped for more than a rookie Jonin and a team of Genin. If anything having more Genin meant even more worry.
"We were the closest team available and with the Chunin Exams coming up and all Konoha is stretched thin at the moment. Hokage-sama had no choice but to send us so we weren't exactly in a position to say no," the woman informed him before a sheepish look crossed her face, "Not to be rude but you mind if we take this someplace a little warmer. My legs are starting to go numb."
Ino herself silently agreed with her team leader. As part of her seduction lessons Ino knew that showing more skin helped enhance ones approach. The only problem was that it also didn't offer much protection against the elements such as cold weather. Plus with the water splashing on them as the crossed over open watert didn't help.
"Of course," Tsunami ushered them inside her house and one by one did they enter her humble abode, "I'm afraid we have limited sleeping arrangements. We have two guest rooms that can be shared. Though it may end up being a little snug in the process. Some of you will have to sleep on the couch or floor I'm afraid," she apologized. Had it only been one team it wouldn't have been bad. Tsunami also wondered what they were going to do for food as well.
"Meh, it's no big deal," Anko waved the woman's worry off, "Ninja are meant to endure this kind of stuff. This is nothing compared to where we usually have to sleep. Just ask Kakashi, he used to be in the Anbu."
"Anbu?" Tsunami was unfamiliar with the term.
"Basically the elite of the elite ninja of a ninja village. They do stuff even reputed and strong ninja just can't handle and Hatake here was a captain at one point," the woman elaborated. Not like it was a secret. Kakashi didn't exactly use his Anbu mask half the time so his time as an Anbu member was quite known.
"Oh," Tsunami was still confused but the explanation made sense.
"Speaking of which, you've gotten sloppy, Hatake," Anko noted the tired man's form.
"Mah, I'll be fine," the man smiled behind his facemask but Anko wasn't fooled. Kakashi was more experienced than her and he kept a straight face but the paleness in his face along with the beads of sweat told her otherwise.
"Hinata, Byakugan on Kakashi," the woman ordered her student. The young kunoichi complied with her teachers command and was unnerved by what she saw.
"Kakashi-sensei, your chakra reserves are nearly empty. You're suffering from Severe Chakra Exhaustion," her statement caused Anko to curse. Kakashi wasn't Team Eight benefiting off Naruto's Gamer perk so this wasn't a simple case of him sleeping it off and getting better after a single night. Chakra exhaustion came in three stages: Minor, Severe, and Intense. Minor cases usually took two to three days to get over. Severe cases were four to six days of recovering, sometimes extra as it wasn't good for ones health. Intense cases could take over a week or so before they were ready for action. Even then it took a person a few extra days before they could even move properly.
"Seriously, I'm fine-" the man couldn't finish his sentence as he fell to one knee. Anko instantly appeared beside him and swung his arm over her shoulder.
"You're dead tired, Hatake. You're lucky we got there when we did. Hinata, you're with me. Old man, where are the spare rooms!?" Anko barked out at Tazuna. The bridge builder was momentarily stunned by the shout before he directed all three up the stairs. The two teams had to wait for a solid five minutes before Anko made her way back down.
"Is Kakashi-sensei going to be okay?" a worried Sakura asked.
"He'll be fine, Hinata's looking after him. A bit of bed rest, some occasional healing, and taking it easy and he'll be right as rain in five days or so," Anko reassured the pinkette, "Kinda sad though really. A few years ago, when he was in the Anbu, I doubt this sorta thing would have even fazed him. Hatake's gotten out of shape ever since he left."
"Is he really that strong?" Sasuke asked, more so out of curiosity. The Uchiha's opinion of the man wasn't all that great considering he barely taught them anything. But the way the man fought against Zabuza made him realize that he was more than he originally assessed.
"The guy made Chunin at age six, Jonin at age twelve, and then at thirteen he was inducted into the Anbu. A few of years later he was promoted to Anbu Captain and his repertoire of techniques was only outmatched by the Sandaime Hokage himself. There's only one other person I know that has that kind of performance record if not greater."
"Who's that?" Naruto asked.
"Uchiha Itachi. Sasuke's older brother and easily one of the best ninja Konoha had before he stabbed Konoha in the back," Anko said not noticing the dark look that crossed Sasuke's face as she said it.
"Stabbed in the…Oh."
"Yeah, oh," Anko agreed. "Anyway, the point is that it's sad when someone like Kakashi lets their skills go to waste. Heard that he's easily a candidate for Fifth Hokage," all the Genin, including Sasuke, Sakura, and Kiba were stunned.
"Are we still talking about our sensei?" Sakura hesitantly asked.
"Uh, unless there's another Hatake Kakashi with an implanted Sharingan in his eye socket then, yeah, I'm pretty sure," Anko didn't like where this was going.
"Seriously, that lazy ass? Mister 'I got lost on the road of life'? That guy?" an incredulous Kiba asked. "I call bullshit!"
"Arf!" Akamaru agreed with his partner and while Kiba's teammates were less vocal both couldn't help but agree with the feral looking boy.
"Yeah, but he still taught ya...right?" as she gauged their looks, Anko hesitantly asked, "Every fibber in my body is saying don't ask …. but what has he taught you guys?"
As Hinata's hands glowed a light green color, the Hyuga watched as the paleness from Kakashi's face begin to recede little by little.
"I'LL KILL HIM!" Anko's thunderous voice rocked the house and Hinata watched in fascination and worry as Kakashi's face began to revert back to its former paleness.
"Well, I'm feeling better, goodbye!" Kakashi quickly said, and proceeded to jump through the window and then made a mad dash for the woods. Not out the window, through the window.
"PUSSY! TAKE YOUR BEATING LIKE A MAN!" It wasn't a moment later that Hinata spotted her teacher chasing after the man, a string of curses and kunai being thrown at him as she gave chase. The Hyuga watched as trees fell to the ground and a series of lights light up the wood as a result of explosions. As the forest began to turn into a warzone, Hinata slowly drew the curtains and left the room.
Better Hatake Kakashi than any member of Team Eight.
(The Next Morning)
When Anko had finally managed to get a hold of Kakashi, the man lasting longer than they thought he would given his state, Anko had let the man have it. What the words were exactly the Genin didn't know but guessed it hadn't been pleasant. The amount of slapping she gave him hadn't been pleasant either. When the man was taken back to bed, despite her wanting to leave his tired ass in the woods, Anko had set up the sleeping arrangements. As this was officially Team Seven's mission they would be the ones sleeping in the house. Team Eight had their own mission coinciding with theirs and would be roughing it outside in sleeping bags and a tent. Ino would have complained as they had a comfortable house available to sleep in but her time with Anko made her know better. Anko hated when someone began to bitch and moan over something she would consider trivial.
"So, how'd everyone sleep?" a perky Anko asked the two teams. The woman had half-expected moans or groans from her team considering this was only their second time sleeping outdoors. Anko was used to it and didn't notice the discomfort anymore. Her Genin wasn't but guessed the Gamer's ability took away such discomfort.
"So much for making fun," Anko slumped a bit but perked right back up.
"Was fine, but Ino snores," Naruto informed the group. The blond took a piece of toast as well as what little rice there was to munch on.
"I do not!" the kunoichi glared at her fellow blond.
"We slept in the same tent, Ino, and I know snoring when I hear it," Naruto countered.
"Arf!" Hottomaru agreed with his partner. The young ninken had been in the same tent and had not cared for the blonde's snoring either.
"I don't snore!" the girl stated more forcefully, "And you're one to talk! You speak in your sleep!"
"What?"
"You heard me! For an entire hour all I could hear was you mumbling about ramen and your ramen girls!" by now Ino was flushed red. Whether it was because of how embarrassing it had been or because she was angry no one knew.
"Wait, you two slept in the same tent?!" Kiba asked. A look of utter disbelief on his face while his kunoichi teammate was just as shocked. Though he looked indifferent, even Sasuke was mildly surprised by the revelation.
"Is that normal?" Tazuna asked the leader of Team Seven. As this was his first time actually dealing with ninja the man didn't how they worked exactly. What was odd for him could be common for someone in their line of work.
"For Genin not so much. But it's not uncommon either. It's basically to get them used to this kind of thing when they get older. Ninja sometimes have to get physically close to a target at times and this helps ease them into it," Kakashi explained to the client.
"Oh, that reminds me. You're sleeping with Pale Eyes tonight, Gaki," Anko smirked at the blond. The reactions varied from each individual. Hinata, Sakura, and Tsunami blushed, the Hyuga nearing supernova, while Kiba and Tazuna, and Naruto to a small extent, had a perverted look on their faces. The only ones who looked indifferent were Sasuke and Kakashi, though the latter was more focused on his book than anything. Even then a small smirk was hidden behind the book cover.
"So what do we do now?" Kiba asked. "We brought the old man to Nami that's mission accomplished … right?"
"Wrong," Anko and Kakashi answered simultaneously. "Your mission is to stay here and bodyguard Tazuna until the bridge is complete. I'm no expert but from what I saw it's gonna take a while. Plus Zabuza's still out there and if the info the Bingo Book has on him is accurate then I doubt you'll be seeing the last of him."
Tazuna paled considerably as he heard this. The team had barely managed to escape from the man with their lives. Had it not been for Team Seven's timely arrival then Tazuna hated to think what could have happened.
"It's a good thing we have another team then, huh?" Tazuna chuckled, "In the end, this whole thing worked out better."
WHAM!
The bridge builder had no time to react as he felt the fist impact with his face and send him sprawling across the room. Before he could even right himself the man was lifted into the air by an angry kunoichi, "Let's get one thing straight, old man, you lied to Konoha and as a result, you nearly got a team killed in the process. Technically speaking the contract between Nami and Konoha is null and void because of that stunt. Believe it or not we actually have the right to hull your ass back and have you imprisoned. Or did you not know that when you signed the paperwork!" she snarled at the paling man. A worried Tsunami looked ready to step in and defend her father but was stopped by Kakashi. Even while weakened the man's look was enough to stop her from interfering.
Truthfully Tazuna hadn't really gone over the contract or the fine print of it all. All the man had cared about was getting a team to Nami and help them as quickly as possible. Though he hadn't expected getting a bunch of kids the man took what he could get. The sooner they got back and the sooner the bridge was completed the better.
"You don't understand-" the elderly man began but a look from Anko told him to wisely keep his mouth shut.
"No, I understand, old man," Anko snarled and was about to continue but a hand on her shoulder stopped her.
"That's enough, Anko. I think he gets it," the man gave her a look. Though still angry, both at Kakashi and Tazuna, Anko unceremoniously dropped the bridge builder. Sighing at the act, but making no move to pick him up, Kakashi give Tazuna a pointed look, "Anko's right, though, Tazuna. Despite the fact we decided to continue with this mission you still lied to us and put my Genin in danger. We got lucky that none of them were killed when Zabuza showed up. Chances are it probably would have happened had Team Eight not showed up. Had I even the slightest idea that Zabuza was going to be involved there's no way I would have continued. A friend of mine once said those who those break the rules are trash, but those who betray others are worst than trash. In this case, you'd be considered worse than trash, Tazuna," Kakashi told the elderly man.
The members of Team Seven stayed silent as this was occurring. What Kakashi had said was a paraphrased version of the original. But Tazuna didn't need to know that, "Anyway, I know why you did it but don't assume this ended up for the better."
"W… What do you mean?" Tazuna asked.
"We'll start with number one. This is clearly an A-Rank mission and ninja don't work for charity. A C-Rank pay barely covers what it's gonna cost you in the end. You're gonna have to come up with what you owe use when it's over," the look she gave him left no room to argue. "Though seeing as how Gato's basically taken everything you get we're willing to work something out," she added and Tazuna was grateful.
"Next is that we have six Genin here and any one of them can be killed or taken hostage before they even realize it. That's Zabuza's speciality and the bastard can easily use it as leverage against us. The only upside is that Midori managed to poison him. Her poison is nasty as hell. He didn't get a full dose but chances of him dying are still great. But on the off chance he survives it'll take him a while to recover. At most we have six to eight days before he's back on his feet.
"Why didn't the snake finish him off? Could have saved us the trouble," Kiba grumbled before he was bonked on the head, "Ow!"
"Because, Mutt, she can't stay in that form for too long and it takes a lot out of her. There's also the fact that we didn't know who else was out there so we needed her close by. We heard about the Demon Brothers and I doubt they're the only ones working for him," Anko explained and the declaration made Sakura, Tsunami and Tazuna pale while Ino and Hinata were worried. Though none of them showed it, all three male Genin were just as concerned too.
"Well, we don't have to worry about Gozu and Meizu at least," Kakashi's informed the group. Anko however was the only one who knew that it was meant to put them at ease. With the information she told the veteran ninja suspected that perhaps it wasn't the case. However, Kakashi thought it was best to lie than for them to worry for the time being. "In the meantime we're going to have to train you all so you're prepared."
"Speak for yourself, Hatake. My team's already been on a few C-Rank missions dealing with chakra mutations so they have combat experience. Our mission to Yuzukamura was our first C-Rank mission outside Konoha," she informed the now surprised man and stunned Team Seven.
"They've been on C-Rank missions already?" Sasuke fumed at the knowledge. His team had only been on one, this one, and technically he knew it was now a B or A-Rank mission. It would test his skills but Team Eight's as well. At this rate, he wasn't going to be anywhere near to achieving his goals.
"Bullshit!" Kiba shouted, "No way you guys have done more than one C-Rank mission already!" he would have believed one or two but six was too much, "What makes you guys more special?"
"Well, the fact we actually accomplished the required amount of D-Rank missions needed to qualify for a C-Rank for one. Plus one of our first C-Rank missions more or less turned into a B-Rank one and Hokage-sama was impressed with how we handled it. Ever since he would give us the odd C-Rank mission that required dealing with chakra mutations," Ino explained.
"Chakra mutations?" Tsunami asked, having heard the name more than once.
"Creatures that have been changed in some way or another," surprisingly it was Kiba who answered, "What? My clan's had a history dealing with em since the Warring States," he elaborated.
From her relationship with Kiba's mother, Anko knew he spoke truthfully on the matter. "That aside, we qualified and did a good job on our first C-Rank. So we got the green light to do more. How many missions have you guys done?"
Three of the members of Team Seven looked abashed, while the other merely frowned and looked away. The other was engrossed in his book, "Well? How many?"
"…" Sakura mumbled.
"Speak up, Billboard-Brow," Ino told her rival. The pinkette glared at the blonde before she answered, "Fifteen."
"…. Are you fucking kidding me," Anko's face shadowed over and her Genin knew to take cover. "Fifteen missions is all you guys took in almost two and a half months?!" by now the woman's temper was showing and Sakura looked frightened. Kiba and Akamaru were both hiding behind a chair while Sasuke felt like doing the same thing.
"Hatake a word, now!" the woman wasn't asking and she proceeded to drag the man up the stairs, entered a room, and closed the door with a resounding slam.
"… You guys are probably not gonna see him again," Naruto informed them. "Anko hates slacking," all four members of the veteran kunoichi's team shuddered lightly.
(Sometime Later)
"Okay, this seems like a good a spot as any," Anko halted the group. Surrounding them were many tall trees that were needed for what she had planned. The area wasn't too far away from Tazuna's home or the bridge either on the off chance they needed to rush to his aid. As a precaution, the woman had left Hinata, Ino, and Hottomaru with the man. It wasn't their mission to look after the bridge builder but circumstances being what they were required it.
"Alright, seeing as how Kakashi's out of commission for the time being, I guess I'll be in charge of you brats," the look she gave them made the members of Team Seven worry. Kiba and Akamaru more so due to their firsthand experience with the eccentric Jonin, "And seeing as how you weren't taught all that much we've got no choice but to begin with the basics. To start, I'm gonna be having you three climb trees."
"Climb trees?" Sakura deadpanned and her inner-self thought, "How the hell is climbing trees gonna help us, Sha!"
"Yes, climb trees … using only your feet," she finished and proceeded to demonstrate the act by casually walking up a large erect trunk of wood. The woman did this for less than a minute before she finally stopped near the very top, "And that's how it's done. You gotta concentrate just the right amount of chakra on the soles of your feet to make yourself stick. Too much and you're blown off, too little and you'll fall on your ass. Use these to mark your progress," the woman concluded by throwing each of them a kunai.
"Well, hop to it! I wanna see you at least make it twenty feet before the day's over."
One by one the Genin of Team Seven grabbed a kunai and picked their respective tree. Naruto watched as Kiba, ever eager, proceeded by running towards his target. Naruto had half expected the boy to make it one step before he was pushed off but was slightly surprised that the Inuzuka managed to make it seven steps before he was forced down. Naruto guessed that since he came from a ninja clan he would be more knowledgeable on such things. Sasuke himself had made a decent eight steps before he was forced off his tree.
"This is easy!" a voice from high up called out and all three males looked up to see Sakura at the outmost top branch of the tree. Kiba groaned, as he knew she'd hold this over him and Sakura merely frowned.
Anko however merely assessed the situation, "Gaki, what's their status?"
Naruto merely used Observe, and neither were impressed by the results.
Status Window
Name: Haruno Sakura
Job: Genin (15% EXP Gain and +15 IP per year)
Skill Rank: D
Level: 14 [59%/100% to Next Level]
HP: 400
CP: 425
STR: 14
VIT: 16
END: 17
DEX: 24
INT: 83
WIS: 44
CHA: 15
LUK: 17
Status Window
Name: Inuzuka Kiba
Job: Genin (15% EXP Gain and +15 IP per year)
Skill Rank: D
Level: 16 [77%/100% to Next Level]
HP: 850
CP: 975
STR: 36
VIT: 34
END: 39
DEX: 49
INT: 22
WIS: 18
LUK: 31
Status Window
Name: Uchiha Sasuke Kiba
Job: Genin (15% EXP Gain and +15 IP per year)
Skill Rank: D
Level: 20 [3%/100% to Next Level]
HP: 950
CP: 1150
STR: 33
VIT: 38
END: 46
DEX: 44
INT: 39
WIS: 29
LUK: 25
Sasuke's level was decent if Anko wanted to be kind but even then it had only been a recent level up, and likely due to the Gamer perk most of his attributes were significantly lower than Ino and Hinata's, though his END was higher than either of his Team Seven teammates. Anko analyzed each Genin of Team Seven, they had a particular attribute that was higher than the rest.
For Kiba it was his DEX and to a certain extent his STR as well. Which made sense given his clan's lineage. For Sasuke, it was his DEX and END. Given the Uchiha clan's history of being placed second in the top ten strongest clans in the world and the way he pushed himself, it was no surprise.
For Sakura, her most outstanding attribute was her INT, which was more or less equal to Hinata's at the moment despite the level gap, a perk or title most likely. If Sakura were at Sasuke's level Anko guessed Sakura's INT would be much greater than Hinata's by a minimum of 30 points. Unfortunately, it was all she had going for her at the moment.
"Don't celebrate just yet, Pinky," Sakura scowled at the nickname but otherwise stayed silent, "So, you think just because you got up there first means you're better than those two?" she asked.
"Uh… Ah," Sakura was not expecting the question and stumbled on her words.
"Alright, then. That tree's more or less sixty feet high. I want you to run up and down that thing fifty times in both directions," she smirked.
"Uh, alright," Sakura honestly thought it would have been a lot worse given how Ino spoke about her the other day. The kunoichi believed it to be a simple and easy task and proceeded to do exactly what Anko told her while her teammates got back to work.
But not even thirty minutes later, and only being on her twenty-ninth climb up, an exhausted Sakura was now drenched in sweat. The girl wasn't even halfway up the tree and every time she moved her legs she felt them burn and ache in protest. The girl only managed to make it up another seven feet before she was forced to rest on a nearby branch. Kiba and Sasuke however were still going strong as they continued to make progress little by little.
"So you get it now?" a voice behind her startled her from the unexpectedness of it all, "Your chakra control is very impressive for someone your age. You'd make a damn good medic or genjutsu mistress," Sakura blushed at the praise.
"But you suck at everything else," the comment immediately made the blush disappear, "Chakra control will only get you so far. What you did was only a little over half a kilometer. You're not much help to your team if you don't have any stamina, speed, or any other defining skill to back you up. Truthfully, you're lucky not to be dead at the moment, Sakura. As you are, you're nothing more than dead weight," Anko's chastising was harsh but truthful. The frown she had forced a near tear-stricken Sakura to look away. The look she received was almost like those she had sometimes received from her parents. It was a look of pure, unadulterated, utter disappointment.
"Catch your breath and then get back to work. Every time you fail to accomplish the task you're to start over from square one. By the end of the week I'd better see it done," was the woman's simple but sharp order. Sakura wanted to protest but could only nod. However, by then Anko was long gone and far away from the girl.
Sakura had potential with her chakra control but at the moment Anko was disgusted. The girl had no right to call herself a kunoichi. Part of it was Kakashi's fault as well but Sakura could have done her own form of training. Her conversation with the man revealed why he was late, sorta. Ninja needed to be independent and learn how to teach themselves rather than rely solely on a master. Something Kakashi was trying to teach them but none were getting it. If Sakura didn't show any decent improvement before Anko's team left the woman would have no choice but to confront the Hokage about this. The most likely scenario would be having her replaced with another ninja from the reserves. Should that happen Sakura would be temporarily stripped of her Genin rank until she shaped up. A girl like her was more of a liability than an asset for her team. At best, she'd be killed or crippled. At worst others would kidnap her and use her for self-pleasure. It happened to others in the past, both dedicated and lacking kunoichi. It was the same thing she told her two kunoichi if they didn't shape up or take it seriously. Kunoichi had it much worse than male ninja merely because they were born with different sexes.
"This is bullshit," she heard Kiba curse. The hooded Genin was covered in dirt and Anko knew he had fallen. Judging from the marks he was making progress but not as good compared to Sasuke. Anko knew young Inuzuka males weren't known for their patience or level-headedness, especially when they viewed others as competition, "Hey! How the hell's this gonna help us anyway?"
"Dumbass move, Kiba," though the Inuzuka knew better than to mouth off at Anko, the boy's frustration had unfortunately gotten the best of him. And Naruto had no doubt was he was about to pay for it.
"First off," the woman suddenly appeared before him and slammed the Inuzuka into a tree. The action forced the air from his lungs, making his teammates look towards him, and causing Akamaru to be torn between wanting to help his partner and cowering before the obviously superior ninja.
"Don't think for one second you have the right to talk to me that way, Genin," she harshly hissed, making Kiba feel fear. Soon a foreign and highly unpleasant feeling was washing over him as she held him. It was as if he was currently facing the Shinigami itself and Kiba had nowhere to run or hide. The feeling soon left just as quickly and Kiba realized that it had been the same feeling he felt when they were confronted with Zabuza. He wasn't the only one affected as the Inuzuka noticed that Sasuke was shaking slightly. The fact he held his kunai a lot more tightly, his hands now white, was even more proof.
"Secondly, this exercise is to help you better control your chakra. Do that and you'll not only need to use less chakra in your techniques but you'll struggle less when drawing out your chakra for techniques as well," she explained before looking to Sasuke, "You got anything to ask?"
The Uchiha looked like he wanted to say something but merely shook his head, "Spill it, Uchiha, I don't have all day."
Not wanting to anger the woman like his idiot teammate, Sasuke complied, "How come the Dobe's not doing this?"
"Oi!" Naruto took offense to the insult. "I ain't the Dead Last anymore! He is!" Naruto scowled.
"You'll always be a dobe in my books, Dobe," Sasuke smirked at the blond ninja.
As Naruto took a step forward, Anko interviewed, "The Dobe as you call him already mastered an even more complicated form of chakra control along with the rest of my team," Anko said, causing Sasuke's smirk to leave his face, "Besides, making fun of him is my job."
"Love you too, sensei. Love you to," Naruto merely chalked it up as another reason to prank her ass hard. The boy had been formulating one for months since the geisha one and slowly things were coming together. But the prank formulating in his head was the last thing on his mind when the woman whirled around, hunched over, and whispered something into Naruto's ear. When she righted herself the blond's face began to form into a broad grin that threatened to split his head in two. "Ok, maybe I'll bring it down a notch or two … Maybe."
The blond proceeded towards a nearby tree and decided to show his stuff, "Ninpo: Kongoriki (Ninja Art: Adamantine Strength)," he whispered and felt a surge of powerful strength course through him. When he was in position the boy then proceeded to take out Chishizouge and covered with earth and stone, turning it into an oversized kanabo. It was a weapon that Sasuke scoffed at because of its barbaric nature. Naruto merely ignored him before he readied himself. The kanabo being positioned behind his head while an aura of blue covering it as a result of the Chakra Flow being used.
"Saigasho (Crushing Fang Impact)!" Naruto mentally used the upgraded version of Saigeki (Crushing Strike) and then unleashed his technique with all his might.
What happened would forever be ingrained in the minds of Team Seven's Genin and ninken. The moment the earthen club struck home did the wood crack and buckle under the incredible pressure of the blow. Nami no Kuni's trees, while decent in size, were nothing compared to the mighty oaks that surrounded Konoha's. Had he tried this stunt on such trees it would not have worked on the first, second, or even fifty-ith go. Even then however the act of bringing them down was slightly challenging for an experienced arborist or carpenter seeking wood for their craft.
Naruto managed to fell this one with a single blow of his weapon. The large tree groaned and swayed before it finally came crashing down with a thunderous thud. The fall briefly shook the earth and sent nearby wildlife running. To a seasoned ninja like Anko the act was only mildly impressive. Being able to take down trees wasn't that grand a feat in her mind, especially if requiring techniques to make it happen - though she'd keep that little tidbit secret from Team Seven. Being able to do it with pure muscle strength and in one blow while you were still only thirteen was another matter all-together.
The blond ninja let off a whistle as he watched his handy work and then turned to the members of Team Seven. Every single one of them was floored. Sakura looked as if she was about to fall out of the tree because of how shocked she was; Kiba's jaw was on the ground; Sasuke was visibly shaking and looked like he wanted to say something but couldn't get himself to complete a coherent sentence.
"Still think he's a dobe now, Uchiha?" Anko asked but didn't get an answer. "And FYI this is nothing compared to what others can do," the information only served to further shock the Genin of Team Seven.
"Now back to work, maggots!" she barked out and all three of them continued with their exercise as best they could.
But one thought simultaneously echoed in each of their minds: How the hell did he do that? It also made them wonder just how strong the other members of Team Eight were. Were they just as strong or did they know something else? Either way, they had a lot of catching up to do.
(Elsewhere)
Hidden within the many woods of Nami no Kuni, four ninja shared a large room that had been given by their employer. Scattered throughout the room were various scrolls, herbs, and other personal items that belonged to the four ninja. However, some of them had seen better days.
Gozu and Meizu, better known as the Demon Brothers in the Bingo Books, had various bandages wrapped around them. To say the beating Kakashi had given was unpleasant wouldn't do it justice. Even now the act of moving still made them wince. Both Chunin level nuke nins' injuries paled in comparison to their leader's.
Zabuza, the Demon of the Bloody Mist, was resting soundly on a bed. By his side was his ward and ever-faithful companion and tool, Haku. Both Meizu and Gozu weren't the smartest of ninja; if they were then they would not have sustained their current injuries. But both ninja knew that despite Zabuza otherwise claiming not to feel much for his ward, viewing the gifted ninja of the once famed Yuki Clan as merely a stepping-stone, the man did in fact care. However, life had not been kind to Zabuza, and expressing anything other than negative emotions wasn't easy for the man.
The Demon didn't take betrayal too kindly either. Having it occurred to him too many times in his life, Zabuza rarely gave his trust to others or opened up to others. Seeing Haku as merely a tool that would never stab him in the back than a person with questionable loyalties was most likely the man's way of coping.
"Well, isn't this a fine mess," a voice called out and all conscious ninja scowled as a short professional-looking man with dark spectacles walked into the room. By his right and left sides were two swordsmen. One was shirtless and sporting an eyepatch while the other was wearing a tuque and had markings under his eyes.
"I send you to deal with one simple old bridge builder and you have the nerve to come back here empty-handed. Some demon," the man chuckled while Meizu, Gozu, and Haku scowled. Though far from fully healed Gozu and Meizu were still plenty strong enough to deal with Gato and his guards with minor difficulties. Haku they knew could end all three before they had time to even blink.
As their movements became transparently hostile, Gozu and Meizu prepared themselves to make a pre-emptive strike but a look from Haku told them to stand down. Though reluctant, as the two were itching to cut the man and his bodyguards down, they obliged to the silent command.
As Gato moved to grab at their leader, Haku's hand suddenly grasped the man's own and squeezed. The feminine ninja put enough pressure to cause pain, and mostly likely severe bruising and discomfort, but not enough to break or crack the bones. Seeing their employer in trouble, Zori and Waraji moved to defend him but found themselves defenseless, their own swords were poised at their throats. Behind them, the Demon Brothers looked ready to skewer the two ronin with their wicked clawed gauntlets.
"Monsters," the two ronin were caught off guard by the sheer speed of all three. Beads of sweat began to form on all of their heads as they eyed the individuals who could easily end their lives with little to no effort.
"I wouldn't get any ideas, Gato," said the man's eyes landed on Zabuza's form. The man's previously closed eyes were now wide awake and Gato gulped as he eyed the ninja, "It could end up being hazardous to your health."
The man proved his point as a kunai suddenly appeared beneath Gato's throat. It took the businessman two full seconds for his mind to process what just happened. By then Gato was sweating even more and was also visibly shaking as he realized an inescapable truth.
The man before him was weak, but even then he still had enough strength to kill him before it was too late. Gato was an arrogant man and not very well-versed when it came to ninja but the man was intelligent. One didn't become a billionaire of an international company and have various connections and dealing in the underworld without it.
"Now that I've got your attention; let's talk about our deal," the bedridden man's tone left no room for argument.
Gato scowled but knew how to play the game. It was the reason why his actions in Nami managed to elude the eyes and ears of the rest of the world. But things were starting to change against him. For now, he had to play it smart. One false move and no amount of money in the world would save him. Begrudgingly the man asked, "What do you want?"
Zabuza smirked and it only served to further anger the small man, "This mission just got more complicated. We were asked to deal with only one team. Now we have two to deal with and one of them can summon a giant fucking snake," he explained and the man noticed Gato's face began to pale.
While Gato wasn't well versed in the ninja world he often heard about stories about them from his contacts in the criminal underworld. Gato didn't know what a summon was exactly but the words giant snake rang a bell in his mind and gave the man pause. The billionaire had heard tales of a powerful and twisted ninja who was infamously known for his use of serpents. In the criminal underworld, information was power. But any further information he wished to know about the individual, no matter the amount of money, had been all for naught.
This meant two possible things: the contacts didn't know enough about the individual to tell him, which was highly doubtful, or this person was so powerful and feared that no amount of greasing one's palms would get them to talk. The exact words by one of his best had been, "I'd rather die by your hands than by his." Needless to say, Gato had wisely backed off. It was obvious the man was very powerful if he could instill such a large amount of fear into the hearts of others.
"So here's the deal; you're gonna double the amount you owe us. It's either that or we walk and talk," Zabuza smirked and Gato was torn between fear and anger. Fear for his operations reaching others, thus ruining his empire, and anger for being blackmailed.
"Fine, double it is. But no more failures! I want this done and over with quickly. The last thing I need is word getting out," he agreed much to his bodyguards' shock, and proceeded to leave the room.
"Gato-sama, are you sure about this? Zabuza and the Demon Brothers failed once against a single team. With two teams-" Zori began but was stopped by the man's raised hand.
"I know," Gato growled in frustration. The only reason he agreed to double Zabuza's pay was because he was at the man's mercy. If he said no the man would have either killed him or gone blabbing to others about his dealings. There were plenty of individuals more powerful than Gato who would be very interested in using the information for their benefit. Individuals Gato wished to keep his distance from.
"So what now then?" it was now Waraji's turn to ask. Much like Gato, Waraji was arrogant but even he had to begrudgingly acknowledge Zabuza's superiority. Like many from a samurai upbringing, the man cared little for ninja and thought many of their swordsmen to be poor excuses; especially the Seven Swordsmen of Kiri. The man attributed this as he viewed their fighting as having little to do with actual swordsmanship. Some of the so-called 'swords' they possessed weren't even swords.
"For now we play smart," was all Gato said. The man couldn't afford another failure and would have to get in contact with others to see how to deal with this mess and Zabuza himself. This meant that Gato would have to look into finding someone even more powerful than the swordsman himself. Which wasn't going to be easy, or cheap.
While Gato was figuring out how to deal with this, Zabuza's group was having their own little discussion, "You should have let us deal with it, Zabuza-sama," Haku said.
"I actually thought you should have killed the fat pig," Gozu added while Meizu snorted.
"Pig? Yeah, right. I've seen pigs smaller than that ass. He's more like a small cow," the man retorted.
"Shut up," their leader stopped the debate from escalating any further. The last thing he needed was hearing another one of the Demon Brothers' stupid ramblings over something just as equally stupid, "How long before I'm up and running?"
"A week at best, Zabuza-sama. The poison was from a summon after all and it took all my medical knowledge to heal you. It was touch and go and you nearly died as a result," the ninja admitted then added a smile, "It's a good thing you didn't. Otherwise, I'd be stuck telling Mei-sama."
The other three ninja shivered at the thought of having to deal with an angry Mei. It was no secret the attractive woman had a slight and flirtatious attraction with the man but even then he wasn't exempted from her wrath. Zabuza had seen it firsthand when Gozu and Meizu made the mistake of asking why she was single. The action had started out as the cheesiest pickup lines and ended with the Demon Brothers going into intensive care.
"You've got a sick sense of humor, Haku," the man deadpanned.
Haku merely continued to smile, "I learned from the best, Zabuza-sama."
"Smartass," the man realized he might have taught his protégé a bit too much and too well.
"Not to beat around the bush but how are we gonna deal with this? Twice the pay is good and all but we're dealing with six Genin, two ninken, and two Jonin. One of them can fucking summon too. How the hell are we gonna deal with that?" Gozu pointed out the elephant in the room.
Zabuza had to admit it was one of Gozu's more intelligent questions, a rarity. But the man had a point. Kidnapping was an option but at the moment neither he nor the Demon Brothers were in any shape to do it and Haku was ironically a pacifist. The ninja still fought but the fighting style was basically by paralyzing others and bringing them down with minimum harm as possible. Zabuza knew that the Jounin would most likely keep a closer watch on the Genin too.
They did have one slight advantage on their side. The opposing group knew about Zabuza, Gozu and Meizu, but not about Haku.
(Sometime Later)
While Team Seven was practicing under the watchful gaze of Midori, and a clone of hers, Anko and her team were strategizing on the next step to take. "Alright, the more we know about this place, the better. However, Hatake's team isn't really ready for this sort of thing just yet so I'm stuck babysitting them for the next little while. Midori's good but if Zabuza's got other goons working for him they won't last long."
"So what do we do?"
"For the moment you guys will take turns guarding the old man. One of you will stay here while the others are out patrolling Nami for any clue as to where Gato's hiding out. From what I got from Tazuna the little shit's been spotted in several locations but he's never in the same place twice in a row. We need to find out where he's hiding and where he plans to go next. Only two of you will do this until Kiba, Sasuke or Sakura finish what I assigned for them. Afterward, I want all three of you to start looking around," Anko said.
"Arf!"
"Sorry, poochy, but you're sticking this one out. I doubt a healthy-looking mutt's gonna be able to blend in with this place," she pointed out and Hottomaru whined. Naruto found it ironic really. Hottomaru knew how to transform himself into a more powerful and adult-like version of himself but couldn't transform into anything else really. Then again he probably could if he put the time and effort into it.
"Which brings up another point, you three will have to be in disguise. Other than Zabuza and his posse, Gato's hired thugs are nothing more than common mercenaries. Large in number but other than that they won't be able to distinguish a ninja using the Henge. But in that ensemble you guys will stick out like cheap hookers in a temple," the three ninja were not expecting such a crude description or being compared in such a way, "However, Nami's pretty big and with only you three I doubt this will go quickly. Which is why your Shadow Clones are gonna come in handy, Gaki."
"Huh? How's that?"
"Hello, did you forget that Shadow Clones send any information they have back to you once they pop? The whole purpose of the Shadow Clone was meant for infiltration and information gathering while the original stayed safe. The only reason why it's not really used is because it takes up too much chakra and forms too many clones. It basically leaves the user too drained of chakra and leave too little chakra in the clones to work properly. Some can do it but the amount is too few so the method was deemed inefficient and risky to use," Anko explained.
"Wait, so I can learn anything the Shadow Clones learn!" Naruto was wide-eyed at the prospect.
Congratulations! You've unlocked a hidden function of the Shadow Clone Technique!
Please note that until the Shadow Clone Technique is mastered the effectiveness of this function will be limited.
"Sweet!" Naruto mentally drawled and made a note to grind the skill as much as possible.
"Hold it! Before you go off half-cocked, you should know that while any information they learn isn't as simple as it sounds," of course it wasn't, "One Shadow Clone popping with a bit of info being sent to you is nothing. A shit ton of them popping and sending that amount of info can be hazardous to your health. I heard stories about others doing this and how the brain couldn't handle the influx of information and the results weren't pretty. This isn't like learning stuff from scrolls or book skills where your ability comes into play, Gaki."
"She's right, Naruto. I heard dad talk about these kinds of cases. The brain basically had its own version of a stroke or heart attack only a lot worse. At best you'll suffer from a massive migraine, blackout, temporary memory loss, go into a minor coma, or you die immediately," Ino said.
"Dying is one of the best ones? What's worse than that?" Naruto was a little unnerved.
"At worst you become a vegetable - brain dead, permanent memory loss, enter a coma you can't wake up from, or can't process new memories and relive each day over and over again without even realizing it," Ino was being dead serious at the moment.
When it came to matters of the mind and illnesses of the mind such as this the young Yamanaka had been taught not to joke around. No Yamanaka joked around about something this serious. If Naruto were a Yamanaka it would be slightly different as a Yamanaka had the ability to categorize a great deal of information influx in their brain like an archive. Young Yamanaka like Ino couldn't do it nearly as well compared to the adults of the clan. Even then learning too much could still have very bad side effects. Some cases could be healed to an extent but medics needed to very skilled and quick. Hinata was getting better but she lacked the experience and wasn't anywhere close to that level. Ino also doubted Nami had anyone with that kind of skill as well.
Naruto for his part gulped, "Okay, that's definitely a lot worse."
"Normally it wouldn't be a problem if your clones were gathering information on a single subject, say you're all reading theoretical information from the same book, the mind can handle that," with his Gamer ability it was sorta redundant on skill books but with theory books, it was another matter, "But in this case you're gonna be gathering a bunch of different information that'll put too much strain on that brain of yours. I doubt it'll be the case but just to be on the safe side I only want you to make a small amount of clones."
As the Shadow Clone Technique equally split up his chakra, Naruto made a rough calculation. The blond determined that twelve clones, plus himself, would result in each of them having almost 1500 CP. While it was more than enough to deal with common thugs, it would most likely be another story if they came across another ninja like Zabuza.
"Okay, now that that's settled, Ino I want you and Naruto to see what you can find. Don't be afraid to use some of those skills I taught ya," she smirked and Naruto was slightly interested. However, the interest was gone just as quickly when Ino developed a very Anko-like grin of her own. It became clear to him that Ino took to Anko's lessons even better than anticipated.
"Don't wanna know, just gonna pretend I didn't see it."
With their duties assigned, Ino and Naruto set out to do what was asked of them. When they neared a series of buildings that spanned quite some distance and spotted various individuals walking about they went to work. For the next half hour, the two familiarized themselves with the overall appearance of the people. As Nami wasn't exactly prosperous at the moment clothing ranged from decent-looking to ragged, worn, and ripped.
Sticking out wasn't the intent, they needed to blend in with the crowd. Naruto took on the appearance of a young man in his late teens with short messy brown hair, his clothing being similar to what Tazuna wore. Naruto's clones took on various appearances ranging from children to older individuals before they set off. Ino, to his surprise, took on the guise of someone a person would normally see in a red-light district. Though somewhat uncomfortable, remembering the training she had with Anko helped. Both Ino and Naruto then proceeded to go their separate ways and agreed to meet back at the designated spot in a few hours. However, the task of finding out information was easier said than done. Well over two hours had passed since he and Ino parted and he still had nothing to show for it. Ino was currently in the red light district so he left it to her, but Naruto had no idea where to begin finding the information he wanted.
"Ah, fuck," Naruto wondered where exactly he should go from here at this point. Were it Konoha he'd have better luck, as he knew virtually almost all the ins and outs. Here not so much. At that moment he realized his wandering somehow led him to a more secluded part of Nami. The disguised blond doubted he'd find anything here and decided to head out.
"Hey there, handsome."
"Huh?" Naruto wanted how spoke and became rigid as soon as he spotted where it came from. The voice came from a young woman, easily in her twenties, with a voluptuous figure and wearing a dress that left little to the imagination. Compared to some of the other women he saw she looked a hell of a lot better than most. Her skin was unblemished, she wore a purple shade of lipstick and the end of her dark brown hair was in a braid.
The woman sauntered over, unafraid, "You're new here aren't you? I've been here quite a while, seen all kinds of faces. Yours is different, you're not from around her," she said.
"Huh," Naruto honestly had no idea what to do at the moment. Give him someone to fight and he'd kick their asses a hundred ways to Sunday. Ask him to flirt or deal with something like this and one would have better luck getting a rock to float on water.
"Who're you?" he asked and mentally kicked himself, "Smooth, Naruto. Smooth."
"Asagao," she introduced and somehow Naruto doubted it was her real. "So what's a good-looking guy like you doing in a dump like Nami?"
"I can ask you the same thing," was his rebuttal.
"Witty, I like that in a man," she said and grazed her hand across his shoulder. The act making him shudder for whatever reason, "But if you must know I'm saving up till I can finally leave this place. Girls like me don't last too long, especially with Gato's men around. We're seen as entertainment for his men and himself, and that's if we're lucky. Some actually get sold off and shipped far away. On the off chance his rule here ends, I doubt they'll ever be seen again," here Naruto noticed her eyes subtlety shifting at various angles. As if she was scouting the area for potential danger and ready to make a dash for it if forced to. The boy realized she was being very cautious at the moment.
"You're awfully trusting. How do you know I'm not one of Gato's men?" he asked and saw her smirk.
"Please, I can spot one of Gato's men from a mile away even if they try and downplay their Neanderthal-like tendencies. You don't last as long as I do without being smart and observant. You don't have the same look they do. But it still begs the question: why are you here?" Asagao asked.
Naruto knew he had no choice but to bullshit as best he could. He was good at it, sorta, but this woman despite not being a ninja was good. He'd have to go all out, "Honestly, I can't remember exactly. All I remember is waking up on the shore and with pieces of wood around me. Maybe I'm a fisherman? I honestly can't remember," he said. As he knew little about Nami the old 'I'm suffering from amnesia' story was the best way to go at it.
"Hmm," Asagao hummed and looked at him inquisitively before she sighed, "Sounds like you're one of those brave or stupid enough to try and make a run for the mainland. Gato's got these waters constantly patrolled and it's near impossible to get out of here without luck and careful planning on your side. I heard a couple of days ago a boat tried to make a break for it. Gato's men got to them before they got halfway across. No one survived. Guess you lucked out… sorta," she said.
"Maybe, can't exactly deny or confirm it," Naruto said and pretended to wince as if a sudden pain struck his head. Luckily he had given his Henge a fresh scar on his head so it would help lend some validity to the story. "What's there to do around here?"
"You mean besides being smart, and keeping your head down? Nothing much really. Nami used to be prosperous because we have skilled craftsmen you won't find anywhere else. Tons of different species of fish live and migrate here so we made a living off that too but Gato's got an ironclad grip on this place and he limits who is allowed to do what. Put one foot out of line and you'll be wishing for death. Gato's sucking this place dry for all it's worth till nothing's left and the people are too damn scared to fight back after what he did to Kaiza."
"Kaiza?" Naruto was now actually getting some potentially useful information.
"Former local hero of Nami," she began before a startled look entered her eyes as though she suddenly heard something, "Sorry, handsome, gotta go. Hope to see you again."
Naruto cursed, as he didn't get what he needed but knew she had a good reason for bolting. The woman had very good hearing, Naruto only knew about them the moment his Detect Presence Skill came into play when they entered his range. "Hey, you!" an uncouth call was heard.
"Me?" Naruto asked, playing the ignorant fool, to the nearest of the three men.
"No one else is here, retard," one of them laughed before approaching him, "Who was that you were talking to?"
"Who?"
"Don't play dumb, kid. Word has it there's a beautiful and totally fuckable hotty that's been spotted around here from time to time. So unless you were talking to yourself, I'm wagering you were speaking with her," he grinned and Naruto forced himself not to gag. The man's breath reeked of poor dental hygiene and strong alcohol. A stereotypical thug. Good, this made things easier.
"Seriously, I don't know what you're talking about. I was just taking a walk," apparently it was the wrong thing to say to these men as their faces contorted into angry snarls. Whether or not it was the alcohol that was influencing their judgment or merely because they were quick to anger mattered little now.
"So it's gonna be like that eh?" the men went for their weapons and that was all Naruto needed to see before he made his move. The fight, if one could call it that, was over before they had time to draw their weapons. Naruto proceeded by grabbing the two furthest men and slammed their heads into the middle one. The amount of force in the move had their eyes popping out comically before sweet unconsciousness took hold of them. The fact that they were only level nine with low attributes, basically low academy level strong, also helped in making it one-sided. But it also left him with a current dilemma.
"What the hell should I do with these guys?" bringing them back to Anko was an option but it meant having to carry them there. As a result of his training being focused elsewhere, Naruto had yet to learn Fuinjutsu so he didn't know how to seal people inside scrolls. Plus Anko was looking after Team Seven at the moment. Creating some shadow clones and then disguising themselves as fellow thugs were another option but there'd be a chance of encountering others and being found out. Blowing his cover as a result, which defeated the whole purpose.
"Hey, wait a minute. Kage Bunshin (Shadow Clone Technique). If anyone of you are near the red light district, get Ino and tell her to come here!" he finished and proceeded to dispel the clone he just created once it served its purpose. Naruto hoped the trick worked before he began to bind and gag the unconscious thugs. Luckily there was a ton of nearby discarded junk and garbage that could be used to hide the bodies on the off chance someone walked by.
Fifteen minutes later Naruto felt a rush of information flow through his head and realized one of his clones had managed to find and inform Ino, "Wish he found out more useful information though," apparently the clone was having as much luck as he was at the moment. Hopefully, it wasn't a recurring theme.
Naruto waited an additional fifteen minutes, passing the time by knocking out the three stooges once they began rousing from their beauty sleep before Ino finally showed up, "Took your sweet time," Naruto said.
"Can't exactly run and draw attention to myself," the Yamanka didn't mention that many had asked to see her along the way and she needed to shake them off somehow. "So where are these clowns?"
The disguised ninja moved his head behind him and Ino immediately understood. Once free from the garbage, Ino got to work on their minds and tried to locate anything useful. The process took her five to nine minutes per thug before she was done. By the end, the girl looked like she wanted to end their lives.
"Anything?"
All he got was a disappointed shake and Naruto cursed, "Nothing, too low in the payroll. The only useful thing I found out was that Gato apparently informs certain thugs of his plans but these assholes don't know who they are. The only two who possibly know are his personal bodyguards but from what I saw they rarely leave his side."
"Shit," all this time and they basically had nothing to show for it, "Did you find anything useful?"
"Nadda, the girls I'm with spend some nights with some of Gato's men but they don't know much. Managed to persuade some thugs when they asked for me but it was useless shit."
Upon seeing Naruto's worried look Ino chuckled, "Don't worry, they didn't touch me. They only think they did," she smirked and Naruto had to admit that what a Yamanaka could do to another's mind was frightening. Against a weak-minded individual, it wasn't all that difficult for Ino. Especially with the training she received from Anko and her father. Against others of greater mental fortitude, it would have taken someone as skilled and experienced as Inoichi to accomplish such a task.
"So what do we do with these guys?" Ino was going to suggest having them killed for all the sick things she saw in their heads but refrained from it. If any of Gato's men started disappearing it would raise suspicion, "I'll alter their memories. Make it so they think they got plastered and knocked each other by accident. Keep an eye out. This will take a while and I'm vulnerable while doing this," as Ino got to work Naruto didn't fail to notice the bite in her voice as she said this.
Whatever it was she saw must have been really bad if Ino wanted them dead. While Ino was wishing for their deaths now, she could be singing a different tune altogether after the deed was done.
Sometime later after Ino was finished with her task, both got back to work to try and find anything else that would prove useful could. It was well into the afternoon before both ninja and kunoichi decided to call it a day. As he ordered the clones to dispel, Naruto felt a great flood of information.
"You're supposed to cancel them one at a time, Naruto," Ino chided and shook her head upon seeing his dumb grin. As he processed the new information, Naruto was even more disappointed. While only the first day, much of what they found proved to be a dead end. Oh, knowing things such as how Nami was suffering from a short food supply among other things proved enlightening. Much of the other information in some way or another could be traced back to Gato as the main cause, but it served little in finding out where he was.
"Hey, Ino, you go on ahead. I'll catch up," Naruto informed his teammate. Ino wasn't even able to ask where he was going before he used the Shunshin to go who knows where.
"Just be careful you idiot," while he wasn't the same Dead Last Naruto from the academy, he was still Naruto. He was smarter but old habits died hard. Ino just hoped he didn't do anything to get himself in trouble.
It was nearing sundown when Ino finally arrived back at the home of Tazuna. Knocking in a series of sequences, to notify it was indeed her, the door opened and the blonde cocked an eye at the sight before her. Kiba was spread out on the couch, looking dead to the world, Sasuke himself was fairing better but Ino could tell he was exhausted. Sakura, and here Ino had to stop herself from laughing, was doing an impression of a mummy or one of the zombies from the dungeons. Hinata was back from her guard duty and the girl had a green glow surrounding her hands as she reduced the fatigue in Akamaru.
"So… how's everyone doing?" Ino asked Team Seven.
"…. ahhzzughehh," Sakura mumbled incoherently, the mere act appeared to take quite some effort it seemed.
"... Translation, please," Ino looked to Kiba and Sasuke.
"I'm spitballing here…" Kiba began before trying to catch his breath, "but I think she asked … how are you still sane? She's f- freaking nuts," he said and Sasuke couldn't help but agree with him.
"You get used to it… sorta," she mumbled the last part.
"Ah, quit your bitchin, Mutt. Pale Eyes and Blondie still have a while to go stamina-wise," Anko informed the exhausted Inuzuka.
"What about the do- Naruto," Sasuke caught himself as the woman gave the Uchiha a look.
"Oh, the Gaki's a stamina beast on super 'roids. He's gonna make women real happy when he gets older," she smirked as Tazuna sputtered on his sake.
Ino had seen the comment coming a mile away, "Typical Anko-sensei. Hey, where's Hotto?" she asked upon noticing the lack of one of two ninken.
"One of the Gaki's clones came here a while ago to grab him and head out. Told the little shit he shouldn't be out there by himself with who knows who's in Gato's pockets, so I sent Midori to keep an eye out," Anko muttered and the way she spoke made Team Seven's Genin flinch.
"That's Naruto-kun for you," Hinata commented and the girl received some incredulous looks from the Genin and her teacher. "D…Did I say something wrong?"
"Just that we weren't expecting that to come from you," Ino stated as a matter of fact. The Yamanaka heiress knew that Hinata was slowly but surely coming out of her shell. She was still timid but it wasn't as bad as when they first began.
"Hmph," Ino heard before she spotted a young boy heading up the stairs.
As it was the first time she saw the boy, Ino asked Tazuna, "Who's that?"
"That's Inari, my grandson," Ino noticed Tazuna had a tired look in his eye. "Sorry about him he's been like ever since … ever since Gato came to Nami," being trained by Anko the blonde kunoichi knew she was being given a half lie. However, what it was about also turned the mood sombre judging by the looks in Tazuna and Tsunami's faces. Ino wisely decided not to push.
"Dinner will be ready soon everyone," Tsunami announced the woman now sporting a mask of cheerfulness. "However, we're a bit short so we'll have to-"
Knock!
Knock, knock!
Knock, knock, knock, knock!
Knock!
"That's the Gaki," Anko stated the obvious as the knocking sequence was heard.
"Hard to believe he'd remember it," Kiba grumbled but winced as his body ached once more. The young heir knew that the old Naruto wouldn't have remembered it and knew that it would have been an imposter.
"I'll get it," being the gracious hostess, Tsunami made her way to the door, Ino having sat down beside Hinata. However, the woman was left stunned and let loose a very loud cry, "AAAAAAHHHHHHH!"
The action made Tazuna stumble out of his chair and onto the ground, his sake bottle rolling out of his hand and spilling its contents on the floor. Kiba and Sasuke took a battle stance, though it was shaky at best given their current weariness. Sakura too armed herself but the lack of feeling in her legs prevented the girl from getting up properly and she needed to have one arm firmly placed on the sofa to keep her balance.
"What?! What the hell is it?" Kiba asked and prepared himself as best he could.
The answer to his question however merely walked in through the door. A large hairy beast the size of a horse entered the house and in its maw was a dead boar of medium size. The sight of the beast unnerved the Genin of Team Seven, while Tsunami and Tazuna looked frightful.
"Hmm?" Kakashi wondered what all the noise was about and as saw the reason for it as he came down the stairs, "Oh, hello, Hotto," he greeted the large ninken.
"Hotto!?" the Genin of Team Seven were floored by the revelation.
"Oh, come one! Even his ninken's stronger than mine? What the fuck!" Kiba whined pathetically, an act that was mimicked by his own ninken. Ninja dogs that were given outside the clan tended to be much weaker as they could not learn their techniques anymore. Some they'd know instinctively but even then they weren't that strong. Being with the former Dead Last made Hottomaru an exception to the rule.
"Seriously, this fucking blows," while he could maybe come to terms with Naruto being stronger than him it was a matter of clan pride when a clanless ninken became stronger than his own. Kiba knew he and Akamaru had some serious catching up to do. His mom wouldn't let him hear the end of if once she learned.
"BAARKK!" the enlarged ninken greeted, placed the boar down, and then turned back into his miniature self, "Arf, arf!" the small ninken panted and nudged the pig towards Tsunami.
"Sorry about that," Naruto sheepishly grinned, "My hands were full and Hotto sorta knocked me aside. Bad dog!" Naruto chastised his partner.
"Arf! Grrrr," the tiger stripped ninken growled.
"Don't you flare your nostrils at me you little shit," Naruto glared back before he entered. Over his left shoulder was a deer and in his right hands were a pair of hares. Looking at the group he announced, "Got dinner?"
Needless to say, the group had plenty of food for the night thanks to his little escapade. And as they ate and filled their hungry stomachs, the group slowly forgot about their troubles and enjoyed each other's company. While they still had a while to go before they accomplished their mission for now they were content and happy.
However, in the coming days, many would be in for rude awakenings. Ultimately, it would be a deciding factor in their lives. Would they continue on as ninja? Or would they be forced to quit?
Status Window
Name: Uzumaki Naruto
Job: Genin (15% EXP Gain and +15 IP per year)
Skill Rank: C
Level: 30 Next Level: 97%/100%
HP: 11525
CP: 19225
STR: 80
VIT: 341
END: 469
DEX: 93
INT: 62
WIS: 59
CHA: 16
LUK: ?
Improvement Points: 0
Perk Points: 12
Specialization
Ninkenjutsu Specialist (increases associated titles, fighting styles, perks by an additional 25%) and increases associated attributes by 1
Fighting Styles
Konoha Kenjutsu-Ryu [Novice] (enhanced): +2 towards DEX per level (active as of level 30)
Special Perks:
Gamer: Allows you to view and live your life as though it were a video game.
Kyubi no Yoko Jinchuriki: Additional +5 VIT & +7.5 END per Lv, +250 CP per Lv, +25% Power towards all skills, +50% Increase towards [HP Regen] & [CP Regen] outside of combat, Immune to Basic and Journeyman Poisons -25% EXP and Effectiveness towards [Chakra Control Skills], -25% Reputation gain towards [Konoha Populace] whose relationship with you is below Neutral
Unknown Blessing: Your luck is immeasurable. Don't be fooled as it can go either way at random.
Perks/Buffs:
?: Additional +5 VIT & +7.5 END per Lv, +100 HP per Lv, +25% additional EXP and Effectiveness towards [Fuinjutsu Skill], -15% EXP and Effectiveness towards [Chakra Control Skills], ?
Chakra Affinity (Expert Rank) (Enhanced): [CP Regen] and [Elemental Resistances] Increased by 40%, Speed, Power and Effectiveness towards [Ninjutsu Skills] Increased by 40%, CP Usage towards [Ninjutsu Skills] decreased by 40%
Vigor Affinity (Journeyman Rank): [HP Regen] and [Physical Resistance] Increased by 10%, Fatigue levels decreased 10%
Titles:
Prank King: Additional +1 DEX per Lv, +25% additional EXP and Effectiveness towards [Stealth Skill] & [Trap-Based Skills], -25% Reputation gain towards pranked for 24 Hours
Expert Zombie Slayer: +60% Power, EXP, Money against [Undead-Based Monster], +30% Increase towards Attributes against [Undead-Based Monster], +30% chance of [Double Loot Occurrence] against [Undead-Based Monster], +10% Increase towards Resistances against [Undead-Based Monster]
Ninkenjutsu Novice (enhanced): +35% additional Power, Effectiveness, and EXP towards [Ninjutsu and Kenjutsu Skills] (active as of level 30)
Novice Dungeon Master: +15% increase towards Attributes, EXP, Skills, and Item Drop Rate while in a dungeon; CP Cost for all skills reduced by 15% while in a dungeon; 15% chance of not suffering death penalty while in a dungeon; Conquering a dungeon for the first time results in an additional 25% increase in rewards (active as of level 30)
Description: Uzumaki Naruto's background is shrouded in mystery. A young ninja with inspirations of becoming Hokage, Naruto has a long and difficult journey ahead of him before he can attain his dream. While believed to be a shoo-in for the title of Dead Last, Naruto's come around in his last year placed him in the lower-middle ranking.
Status Window
Name: Hottomaru
Job: Ninken
Skill Rank: D+
Level: 24 Next Level: 21%/100%
HP: 1775
CP: 1225
STR: 48
VIT: 70
END: 50
DEX: 48
INT: 20
WIS: 29
CHA: 33
LUK: 28
Improvement Points: 0
Perk Points: 2
Specialization
N/A
Fighting Style
N/A
Perks
Ninja Dog: Human Lifespan, Ability to Mold Chakra, Potential to speak human language
Komainu Lineage (Guard Dog): +1 VIT, Lv, +15% Effectiveness & EXP towards [Biting-based Skills] & [Detection-based Skills], +20% Effectiveness, Power, and EXP towards [Fire-Based Skills]
Akita Lineage (Tracking Dog): +1 DEX per Lv, +15% Effectiveness and EXP towards [Tracking Skills] +15% Effectiveness and EXP towards [Stealth-Based Skills], +10% towards Movement Speed during and outside combat
Keen-Senses: +15% Effectiveness & EXP towards [Detection Skill], Ignores Henge, Strong and pungent odours can result in debuffs
Titles
Journeyman Zombie Slayer: +40% Power, EXP, Money against [Undead-Based Monster], +20% Increase towards Attributes against [Undead-Based Monster], +20% chance of [Double Loot Occurrence] against [Undead-Based Monster]
Description: A two old ninja dog with Komainu blood in his veins. While possessing great potential like his cousin Akamaru, Hottomaru like most Komainu pups require a good amount of discipline and can be difficult to train but are fiercely loyal and protective of their owners and partners.
Name: Hyuga Hinata
Job: Genin (15% EXP Gain and +15 IP per year)
Skill Rank: D+
Level: 23 Next Level: 11%/100%
HP: 1800
CP: 1925
STR: 31
VIT: 72
END: 77
DEX: 59
INT: 77
WIS: 72
CHA: 20
LUK: 16
Improvement Points: 0
Perk Points: 2
Specialization
None
Fighting Styles
Juken [Novice]: +1 Towards END per Level (active as of level 20)
Special Perks:
Gamer's Teammate: So long as you are on the same team as the Gamer, you gain the same benefits. (This perk can be taken away if the Gamer wills it!)
Byakugan: +1 WIS per Lv, +20% EXP & Effectiveness towards [Medical Ninjutsu], [Detection Skills], +20% increase towards [Critical Hit Chance], Allows the use of the [Byakugan Skill]
Perks:
Main Family Lineage: +1 INT & +1 END per Lv, +15% Effectiveness towards [Hyuga Clan Skills], +15% Reputation gain with Konoha and Konoha Allies, +15% EXP and Effectiveness towards [Bartering] with Konoha and Allies, +15% EXP, Power, Speed and Effectiveness towards [Taijutsu Skills]
Titles:
Novice Taijutsu Practitioner: +20% EXP, Power & Effectiveness towards [Taijutsu Skills]
Novice Medical Practitioner: +1 WIS & +1 INT per level, +20% EXP, Power, and Effectiveness towards [Medical-Based Skills and Items] and [Herbalism Skills]
Novice Zombie Slayer: +20% Power, EXP, Money against [Undead-Based Monster], +10% Increase towards Attributes against [Undead-Based Monster], +10% chance of [Double Loot Occurrence] against [Undead-Based Monster]
Flaws/Debuffs:
Diffidence [Lv 1]: -10% towards Attributes, -10% EXP, Power, Speed and Effectiveness towards Skills, Benefits of Titles and Perks reduced, Flaw will become permanent upon reaching MAX level
Description: Hinata is a very kind but very shy young girl who comes from one of Konoha's four noble clans. Despite being trained in the art of the Gentle Fist at a young age, a renown and deadly taijutsu, Hinata's skill is lacking for reasons currently unknown. While not one of the best students in the academy Hinata was still one of the more intelligent students. While most of the girls in her class are infatuated with Sasuke, Hinata is attracted to someone else. Her love for cinnamon rolls is said to rival Uzumaki Naruto's love for ramen. As a result of being on Team Eight, Hinata has slowly but surely become more confident.
Name: Yamanaka Ino
Job: Genin (15% EXP Gain and +15 IP per year)
Skill Rank: D+
Level: 21 Next Level: 88%/100%
HP: 1450
CP: 1575
STR: 36
VIT: 58
END: 63
DEX: 80
INT: 61
WIS: 60
CHA: 90
LUK: 25
Improvement Points: 0
Perk Points: 0
Specialization
None
Fighting Styles
Rankyaku [Journeyman]: +2 Towards DEX per Level (active as of level 21)
Special Perk:
Gamer's Teammate: So long as you are on the same team as the Gamer, you gain the same benefits. (This perk can be taken away if the Gamer wills it!)
Yamanaka Lineage (Heiress): +2 CHA per Lv, +25% Effectiveness towards [Yamanaka Clan Skills], +25% Reputation gain with Konoha and Konoha Allies, +25% EXP and Effectiveness towards [Bartering] with Konoha and Allies, +15% EXP, Power, Speed and Effectiveness towards [Lightning-Based Skills and Items], +25% towards [Mental-Based Tolerance], +5% EXP increase from quests
Perks:
Natural Grace: Lv 2: +1 DEX per Lv, +30% Effectiveness towards [Movement Speed] and [Evasion], +30% Effectiveness towards [Speed-Based Skills], +30% Effectiveness towards [Acrobatic Fighting Styles]
Titles:
Journeyman Botanist: +1 WIS, 40% EXP & Effectiveness towards [Detection Skill: Locate Flora], +40% EXP & Effectiveness towards [Herbalism Skill], +20% Power and Effectiveness towards Skills when fighting [Flora-Based Monsters], +20% chance of [Double Loot Occurrence] when picking [Flora-Based] items
Future Femme Fatale: +1 CHA, +20% EXP and Effectiveness towards [Seduction Skills] and [Bartering Skills], +10% Power & Chance towards [Critical Hits]
Novice Zombie Slayer: +20% Power, EXP, Money against [Undead-Based Monster], +10% Increase towards Attributes against [Undead-Based Monster], +10% chance of [Double Loot Occurrence] against [Undead-Based Monster]
Description: Though not as intelligent as her rival, Sakura, Ino was still one of the top students at the academy. Ino is talented in her clan's teachings but due to her attitude and infatuation with Sasuke she isn't as far or as proficient as she should be. Ino is notorious for her gossip and fashion sense, very little happened in the academy that she doesn't know about. As a result of being on Team Eight, and Anko literally beating the fangirl out of her, Ino's priorities have improved, though several old habits remain.
Legend of the Kyuubi
Making the rounds.
- Joined
- Sep 14, 2026
- Messages
- 35
Chapter 19: Anko Hates Boring
(Four Days Later)
"Keep moving, Pinky!" Anko barked out and earned herself a groan of protest from Sakura. The girl's progress was slow but steady. Not as great as her two teammates as the girl didn't exactly have the years of endurance and muscle memory they possessed. It would take some time but if she pushed herself and kept it up she'd most likely get some decent results by the time Team Eight left. Maybe not what Anko had wanted but the girl could still surprise her. Maybe.
Many often said that dedication and hard work would beat prodigious talent whenever performing a task. And it was a load of bullshit in Anko's mind. Hard work and dedication played an important factor in getting stronger, sure, but that didn't always mean you'd become stronger than a prodigy or stronger than others. The only times it did occur were when prodigies got bored and stopped pushing themselves to their limit. That was one of the many problems when you were standing at the very zenith of the ninja hierarchy of power and skill. One gained the mentality that there were no more challenges or boundaries that could be crossed any longer. They no longer had anyone to challenge them or push themselves further. They stopped training and let their otherwise impeccable skills become dull.
Thud!
"Owww!" a sweaty Sakura nursed her soon-to-be bruised backside. Luckily the fall hadn't been too high, but the ground was by no means soft.
"You know the drill," Anko earned another groan of protest, but Sakura got back up nonetheless and started from square one once again. The pinkette had since learned that vocal complaints didn't fly with Anko and only made things worse.
Anko sighed as she overlooked Team Seven's training. It was evident that little by little they were making some progress each day. Though said progress was slow compared to her team.
"Then again, they don't have a teammate with an ability that speeds up the learning curve. But this is bullshit! I shouldn't be babysitting someone else's Genin," Anko was less than pleased with Hatake.
The man had explained that he had been trying to teach them team exercises and to get them to start thinking for themselves, as well as trying to curb their current mentality so they could work well together. The man had little progress in that regard and when asked about their lack of techniques he stated 'what good is learning techniques when they were prone to accidentally use them on each other?' Communication and trust were just as important for a ninja as combat skills. Anko had begrudgingly admitted the man had a decent point.
"Still didn't exempt the lazy ass for not teaching 'em anything else," other than team exercises the man had made his team do basic drills such as jogs, Taijutsu refinement, and a few other things. Not branching off from there was where everything went to shit. Learning the tree climbing exercise should have been taught during the first few weeks in Anko's mind. Regardless of their lack of cooperation, they should have been taught at least a single D or C-Rank technique and it would have been somewhat acceptable in her books.
The woman mentally put a large emphasis on 'somewhat'. Anko mostly had them do the chakra control exercise and then decided to relieve her boredom by throwing kunai at them. Many would explain their reasons for such actions, but not Anko. Though it was mostly to increase their ability to dodge and up their speed. While Sasuke and Kiba were much faster and had better reflexes than Sakura even they weren't exempt from the cuts and scraps.
The T&I specialist was seriously wondering if Kakashi lived up to his reputation in the Bingo Books. It also made her wonder what changed in the man. Years ago, she didn't hear the end of Yugao's bitching and moaning on how hard Kakashi pushed her, and the new Anbu recruits to the point many had quit or transferred. Anko didn't know why Kakashi's ethic as a trainer and instructor turned to shit. Maybe it was because he had trouble teaching Genin compared to Anbu but either way, she didn't like it. Anko wondered if it was emotional baggage that he carried over from his own Genin team days. She was no psychologist like Inoichi but she was decent at understanding certain individuals, Naruto was an example for one.
Shinobi had different ways to cope, some better than others. Asuma took up smoking, Kurenai developed a cold persona, Kakashi read smut and took on his dead teammate's traits, and Gai trained till he dropped. Kurenai and Gai's methods were some of the better ones, though Gai sometimes took it too far. Despite his surreal stamina and endurance, more than once she heard how he had to be rushed to the hospital for treatment. Though he usually recovered in record time and sometimes he was re-admitted just as quickly.
But regardless of this, Kakashi needed to get his ass in gear. Anko wasn't one to squeal, tattle, or rat to authority like a schoolyard pussy, but he had lives depending on him.
"Just like I have I do with my brats," the woman hadn't had the chance to really train or teach her team anything new now with their current situation. They were better prepared than the others, but Anko felt she needed to prepare them even more.
Progress for her team was slow at the moment. Anko had to hand it to the corrupt son of a bitch; Gato was smart in covering his ass. Then again, the man had lasted this long without others knowing. While Naruto, Ino, and Hinata found some bits and pieces here and there on the man, it wasn't enough. And she was worried for them.
"Great, I'm turning into a softy," her, Anko Mitarashi, the Snake Bitch of Konoha's T&I Unit was going soft! She'd have to see if hell froze over.
"BARRK!"
"Huh?" Anko was mildly surprised when she saw Kiba's prone form in the large ninken's mouth. Beside Hottomaru was Akamaru and the small white-furred pup could only look on helplessly, "What's going on?"
"BARK! BARK, GGGRRRR, BARRK!"
"… Yeah, I got none of that," Anko had a good relationship with Tsume but that didn't equate to her knowing how to speak canine. Some she understood but it wasn't that much.
"He said that Kiba-san tried to follow Naruto-san and participate in the mission rather than do, and I quote, 'Boring as hell chakra control shit', end quote," Midori translated. The snake summoner merely groaned, ordered the boy to be dropped, and then told Hotto go guard Tazuna on the bridge.
"What part of come back here after you're done helping Naruto didn't you understand?" she snarled and Kiba merely looked away. The action didn't sit well with the woman and Kiba was promptly backhanded by the purple-haired kunoichi.
Anko continued to glare at Kiba before commanding him to start his exercise. The kunoichi didn't have time for this crap and made a note to deal with his insubordination later. While her actions seemed harsh it was basically how the Inuzuka dealt with disobedient younglings. It helped them assert authority and showed them their place. It was a practice Anko had been taught by the boy's mother.
"Just for that stunt you can forget hunting for game anytime soon," Anko shouted and heard Kiba curse. But the woman didn't care. It was the boy's own fault for not listening really. Actions had consequences and Anko could not afford a Genin to endanger the whole team just because he was bored. She thought the problem was fixed when she sent him with Naruto, but now knew better.
Due to a food shortage in Nami, Anko had ordered Naruto and Kiba to hunt game and use them as leverage. It sounded cruel given the situation of the country's people, but it was lesser evil if they were to get rid of Gato. Plus, it was done to loosen some of the peoples' tongues and to gather more information. Nami was known for its natural resources, craftsmen, and fishermen. However, while hunting in the sea was one thing for them, hunting inland was another story..
Some could do it, but they only did it for themselves and their families. It was one of the reasons why Gato was able to take over so easily. The man had persuaded the people that his company and resources would assist Nami in becoming a much more profitable country. Being ignorant to his ways and hidden agenda the populace had fallen for it hook, line, and sinker. With the waters being monitored and few being allowed to fish many were forced to hunt in the woods with little success.
Naruto and Hottomaru were decent trackers, the latter more so due to natural instincts, so it was helping them gather more info. However, despite learning what was known as the Tracking Skill because he hunted game and followed Gato's men, Kiba was the better tracker. But better tracker or not the boy had much to learn it seemed, such as discipline. Kakashi wasn't lying when he told her his team had problems. Once again, she surmised the man was used to training Anbu level and personality type individuals instead of Genin.
"Those guys better be having better luck than I am," Anko hoped and prayed her team found something soon.
Despite how she acted off duty, Anko took missions seriously, with D-Rank being the obvious exception. But even then, she wanted this crap fest to end soon. Mostly it was because of the potential danger. Anko wasn't arrogant – okay, that was a lie, most of the time she wasn't arrogant would be better - and knew that the only reason why she got the upper hand on Zabuza was because he was caught off guard. The main reason Kakashi was so drained was because of his overuse of the Sharingan and being caught in the Suiro no Jutsu (Water Prison Technique). According to Naruto's Gamer ability, it allowed masters of the technique to drain a person's chakra and add it to their own.
In a straight fight, she'd probably last five, maybe ten minutes against the Zabuza if she didn't include Midori. With Midori, she'd have a greater chance but her large size made her an easier target and the sword he wielded was capable of cutting her. Despite the serpent's tough hide, she wasn't impenetrable. A summon's large and intimidating size was just as much a weakness as it was a strength. Though even the smaller and less powerful ones had their uses. One of them she had used to deliver a message to Konoha and inform the Hokage. Though not as quick as Midori the serpent would most likely get there within a day or two depending on the situation. Though it was a long shot the woman hoped they'd get back up. Anko had no doubt that the mission could take a turn for the worse.
(Elsewhere)
"Thank you. By Kami-sama, thank you," a woman who was now nearing on the verge of tears expressed her gratitude to the young man before her. The meat from the boar would be enough to feed the stomachs of herself and her children for quite a few days. "I don't know how to repay you."
"I don't need money, but information will do," he told her.
"Information?" it was evident by the look on her face that she was honestly not expecting that, "What kind of information?"
"Information on Gato," he elaborated and the woman froze somewhat. Naruto wasn't beating around the bush at the moment. Getting the info they needed was slow as hell. Unfortunately, many were very reluctant to share any information on Gato for fear of retaliation should it be led back to whoever talked about him.
"I'm sorry but-"
"Please… anything you can tell me to help make this country better again," he said.
The woman merely chuckled mirthlessly. Tears that held back were now freely falling from her face, "You sound like my… like my husband did."
"Ah, shit," it didn't take a genius to realize her husband was obviously dead, "Look I'm sorry I'll just - "
"No, it's fine…. You're one of the ninjas helping Tazuna, right?" the question wasn't an accusation but Naruto prepared himself should he be forced to take drastic measures. Loathed, as he wanted to it.
"My husband was helping Tazuna build his bridge but Gato's men," here the tears threatened to pour once more before she willed herself to stop crying as best she could, "Nami's been my home all my life. I don't know if my family and I can make it anywhere else, so anything to help us get rid of Gato I'll help."
"Final-fucking-ly!" Naruto mentally cheered as she went back inside.
Naruto had been getting nowhere in the last few days. Gato literally had the country's populace by the proverbial balls, and no one was willing to talk about him. When the door opened up several minutes later, she ushered him a little closer, the woman grabbed his hand and then shouted, "I don't have anything to spare! Leave!" and slammed the door in his face.
"… Son of a bitch!" Naruto shouted and noticed the action drew the attention of nearby pedestrians, "What the hell are you staring at!?"
The sudden shout made the onlookers walk away from him even faster, even more so when Naruto began to walk down the streets. Anger was evident on his disguised face. In Nami an angry individual was the last person someone wanted to mess around with. It didn't end well if they did.
For a good five minutes, Naruto wandered around before he found himself in a more secluded area of Nami. Ducking into one of the alleyways, Naruto took out the piece of paper he was given, "Gotta give her props, she's a damn good actress."
Shinobi-san,
Before Gato came to Nami my husband was a fisherman by trade. When Gato took over he was out of a job and helped Tazuna as best he could. He and a few fishermen continued to secretly gather food from the ocean as best they could to support the workers. However, one day he simply disappeared and in these times it's never a good sign.
Ever since he arrived Gato's been limiting the amount of people allowed to fish in the ocean to support Nami. In the center of Nami there's a cave that goes deep underground to a large lake that connects several ocean currents and various fish and sea life. Every few times a year a massive amount of various species of fish gathers here for a month or so before returning to the ocean. Unfortunately, Gato has since then blown up the entrance to the cave and has it guarded by his men to prevent us from digging it out.
"Oh, for the love of Kami please tell me this has a point," Naruto felt like crap however when noticed a few stains on the paper. The woman had been crying while she was writing this. Judging from what the letter implied, he'd bet his last ryo that Gato or one of his cronies had a hand in the husband's demise. But sad as that was, and while Naruto didn't want to sound ungrateful, he did have a job to do.
My husband spoke of another entrance, one long since abandoned. The founders of Nami blocked it off centuries ago. I never found out why or where the entrance was. Few did apparently. But if anyone would know it would be the one calling herself Asagao. I don't know if that's her name but she's very well informed and possibly your best hope at finding where the entrance is.
Good luck.
Here the letter ended, and Naruto silently cursed, "Great. Now I have to find someone who only shows up when they want to."
Even with his Detection Skill: Detect Presence Asagao somehow managed to pop up without him knowing at times. One time he sensed her coming around a corner and the next he found her popping up behind him. This meant that she was either a shinobi or someone with shinobi training and extremely skilled at stealth and suppressing her presence. Naruto had previously used Observe on the woman, but all he got was a message saying a skill was preventing him from gleaming any information he'd normally acquire. The skill would have to be quite powerful if Observe was unusable on her. But it confirmed she was more than she appeared to be.
"Hey, handsome," a voice behind him called out and Naruto had to force himself from yelling out.
"Speak of the Devil and she will appear," Naruto thought but it also confirmed his suspicions. The woman before him was obviously no ordinary civilian, "But is she an ally or the opposite?"
Anko had been strict when it came to trusting unknowns. With third parties one never knew if they were actually on your side, merely looking for an opportunity to stab you in the back, or merely looking out for themselves and setting obstacles against other obstacles.
"You alright?" Asagao asked him.
"Huh? Oh, I'm fine," Naruto told her and became surprised when she put her hand to his head, "Uh, huh?"
"No fever, that's good," Asagao nodded in relief. "So, what can I do for you?"
"What makes you think I was looking for you?" he asked calmly but his heart was beating a mile a minute.
"Well, this is the same spot we met the first time. Remember?" she indicated, making Naruto blink as he looked around.
"Oh," the woman spoke truthfully; Naruto recognized certain qualities from the last time he was here. The Gamer honestly wondered how he managed to come back here in the first place.
"You space out a lot, don't you?" her question made Naruto sputter and caused her to chuckle, "It's fine. We've all got our weird quirks, handsome."
"Right, quirks," he spoke before he got to business, "I was told you could help me with something."
"It's two thousand ryo every half hour," she said, and Naruto imitated his teammate by becoming bright scarlet at what she was implying, "For an additional thousand can you do my ass. If you wanna blow inside it's-"
"NO! No, no, no, no! Not I wanted to ask!" he yelled and tried to get the image out of his mind. He failed.
"Ha ha ha ha," Asagao laughed at his flustered look, "Oh, that was too easy. Relax, handsome, I know you're not the type for that sort of thing," she smirked.
"Then why-"
"I needed a good laugh. It hasn't been that great these last few days and I needed a picker-upper," she laughed at his comical and disbelieving look, "But seriously, what can I do for you? You looking for information?"
Focusing, despite the befuddlement that still lingered in his thoughts, Naruto asked her, "What can you tell about this cave the fishermen used?"
The woman cocked an eyebrow, clearly not expecting such a request, "That's a first. Not that I don't know what you're talking about but why do you wanna know about it?"
"Personal reasons," he said.
"Sorry, Handsome, but that's not gonna cut it for me," she frowned, and her eyebrows creased, "No talk, I walk."
"Shit," the disguised blond cursed and tried to come up with another tactic, but as the woman looked ready to make herself scarce, he blurted out, "I wanna help the people of Nami."
So much for keeping a low profile. Anko was gonna kill him. Slowly.
"See, now was that so hard?" she quipped, "Ok, I'll tell you, but I want something in return. Nothing too bad or difficult," she quickly added.
She said, 'nothing too bad or difficult', which meant it was still bad and may not be as easy to accomplish, "Not like I have a choice. What is it?"
Here she smiled but unlike before Naruto briefly had the impression he was gazing into the eyes of a predator before the look in her eye vanished just as quickly. Any small doubt that she was no more than ordinary completely vanished by now. Whether she was a ninja or just happened to know a very useful skill like his own was yet to be determined. But it was evident she was powerful or influential, or both. Naruto simply couldn't just take her in for questioning. For one it would draw too much attention to himself and if she was in fact a ninja there was also no guarantee he could beat her.
"Simple, I want you to make sure Nami's food shortage comes to an end," she smiled.
"…Huh?" of all the requests she'd ask Naruto did not see that one coming, "Eh, ok, no problem. But why do you care about Nami?"
"I don't care much for Nami, really. But I have a soft spot for kids, and I can't stand seeing starving children. Call it a weakness. Plus, a well-fed populace makes better soldiers if you're trying to get them to reveal information on Gato," she smiled knowingly at Naruto's stunned look, "Yeah, you're not that subtle, and you're lucky most of Gato's grunts are idiots. And unlike you, I know how to make the people of Nami talk, Handsome."
"How long have you known?" Naruto knew there was no point in hiding who he was any longer.
"The moment I saw you I knew you were more than what you posed to be, shinobi-san. Unlike your ordinary dimwitted call girl, I've dealt with enough of your kind to recognize you from a mile away. But most importantly, while you might be able to fool those where you're from, your acting skills sucks on someone who's played the game longer than you have. But I digress. My offer still stands; you help feed the masses and I tell you which base Gato's hiding in."
"And how the hell do you know where he is? It's obvious you're more than who you appear to be. Why don't you do something about Gato?" Naruto wondered.
"You're making the assumption I can. I can do many things but fighting an army of ruthless thugs by myself isn't one of them. You need me to gather information or seduce someone then I'm your woman. Fighting one or two of Gato's thugs I may be able to handle. Ask me to fight his army and the ninja he hired and you might as well ask a rock not to sink to the bottom of the ocean. I came here to live a peaceful life, but that plan was shot to hell when Gato set his eyes on Nami. That bastard is greedy too and once he's sucked this place dry, he'll move on and set his sight somewhere else. I've been around his types before and it's not that hard to figure out. Even if Nami is freed there are too many bad memories here for me. So, you need to get rid of him for me and make the people grow a backbone. Do that and I'll tell you where he's hiding, deal?"
Though apprehensive to trust this woman, Naruto knew he had no choice. They couldn't allow the mission to drag on for long. Zabuza had most likely recovered more than half of his strength. Though he didn't want to face the man he'd rather do it when he was weakened. It would be a tough fight for sure but at least his chance at survival was greater than if he was at full health.
"Fine," Naruto shook her hand but brought her in close, "But if you stab me in the back you'll regret it," was the harsh promise. If there was anything Naruto hated more it was traitors or backstabbers. He was a forgiving person but was reluctant and slow to forgive when it came to those types of individuals. Especially if they hurt his friends.
Asagao merely shook her head and looked shaken but otherwise, she gave the information he needed. With the information in hand, Naruto promptly left the alley he was in to get Ino. Not once noticing the once shaken-up woman now sporting a grin, her shaking gone, and she left the alley with a confident walk. Her plan was slowly coming to fruition.
(Sometime Later)
"Yo, Anko-sensei!" Naruto shouted out as he entered the clearing with his teammate, and Ino suppressed a groan.
"We're trying to keep a low profile you idiot!" the more things changed the more they stayed the same it would seem. Part of her wondered when Naruto would know when to use his inside voice. Then again, the same could be said about Anko at times.
Quick as a flash, Anko flickered before them with a pleading look in her eyes, "For the love of Kami-sama please tell me you found something good?"
"Hmmm, maybe," Naruto thought it the perfect chance for payback. The idea was just as quickly destroyed as Anko's face had an even more pleading look. "Sensei, you alright?"
"I'm so boooooreeeed," she bawled into his shirt and Naruto seriously had no idea what to do at the moment. She wailed some more, tears were now freely flowing from her eyes, "Please tell me you got something! Please!"
"Alright, alright, we found out something that can potentially help with the food shortage," Naruto caved into her pleading. The boy couldn't stand crying women and comforted his crying teacher.
More like ex-crying teacher when he saw her grinning face.
"And that's another way to get a man a spill his guts. If seduction doesn't work pour on them tears. Men are suckers for that crap and it works seven times out of ten," the woman told the nodding Ino. The two kunoichi ignored the gapping male near them.
"… Ah, shit! No fair!" an angry Naruto shouted. The realization that he had just been had finally settled in. Naruto considered himself a good liar, he had pulled the same crap with his Oroike no Jutsu but didn't expect himself to have fallen to Anko's charade so quickly.
Anko merely scoffed, "What did I say about fair?"
Naruto was about to retort but was torn between wanting to curse and admitting that she had a point. In the end, all he did was huff and smack away Anko's hand as she ruffled his head.
"Ha! Can't believe you fell for that! Oldest trick in the book!" Naruto frowned as he heard Kiba laugh at his misfortune.
"Yeah, well I can't believe you haven't gotten this down yet! Took me six days to reach the top," it was true but even then the tree climbing exercise had not been mastered. Reaching the top was only part of it.
"Six days? Dude, it's only been five days and I'm already over three-quarters up! What does that tell ya?"
"That these trees are small compared to Konoha's," Naruto's response immediately got Kiba to shut up. Even then he could hear light grumbling coming from the feral boy. Everyone in the clearing had to admit that Konoha's mighty trees dwarfed Nami's. The size comparison between the two was like that of a tree to a flower. No contest.
"So, you plan on getting in and using the fish to get her to talk?" while Naruto's and Kiba's hunting exploits were good and all, Nami didn't have that many land fauna compared to the other countries.
Hunting them down was easy but hunting too much wouldn't be good for Nami's ecosystem. Nami was small but still had a very large populace and relied mostly on the bounties the ocean brought them to feed themselves. The fauna in the woods wasn't that large apparently and if they hunted too many of the creatures they'd be almost defenseless against the predators that hunted their usual prey. Wolves and bears stayed away from humans mostly but when food became scarce they wouldn't think twice about attacking a human. With Nami having only civilian militia, and an ill prepared or practically non-existent one at the moment, they'd stand little chance.
"Our plan's to find the place and seal as many of the little suckers as possible. Asagao said that if we help feed Nami she'll in turn tell us where Gato is."
Anko looked impassive as she heard the woman's name and when asked to elaborate what they knew about her it served to add more questions. Whoever she was Anko didn't doubt she was much more than she appeared if her team's information was anything to go by. During the war, some of the worst enemies were civilians with some training in the shinobi arts. Unlike civilians, a shinobi could be recognized in many ways, such as by looking at their faces or hands. Even in a Henge one could sometimes be recognized simply by the way they moved.
People who had the bare minimum training as ninja, especially natural-born actors, could appear and act like as regular civilians. Around such individuals, some shinobi let their guard down. Only for them to be struck down or wounded before it was too late to act.
This Asagao character gave Anko the same impression and she was weary. The fact that Naruto's Observe didn't work on her only increased her worry. Was the woman a civilian trained in the shinobi way? Was she someone under Gato's employ? Or was she part of a third party? There were too many questions and no answers to any of them for Anko's liking.
So far she hadn't shown any negative or hostile intentions but even then that meant nothing. History showed time and time again how others were forced to prove their worth to gain another's trust. Even when they succeeded in proving themselves some still ended up stabbed in the back both literally and figuratively. An ally today could be an enemy tomorrow.
Luckily through bed rest and healing sessions from Hinata and the poultices from Ino's Clan, Kakashi would be well enough to watch over his team alone by tomorrow. Technically speaking he could do it now but Anko was willing to grin and bear it for one last day if it meant him healing more quickly. Part of her wished they could have had the man benefit from Naruto's ability but the fewer people who knew about the ability, the better.
"So where is this place?" she asked.
"Near the west-most part of Nami, near the ocean, I think," Naruto informed her. "Asagao says it used to be the original entrance until pirates began to use it as a base. Long story short, the pirates tried to take over Nami but the entrance and exit were caved in by Nami no Kuni's ancestors and they were trapped inside."
"Cut off? Then how the hell do you expect to get in and out?"
"Yeah, that's the problem. The entrance on land is too caved in to use and would draw too much attention if it were suddenly fixed. Apparently, there's a series of tunnels and waterways beneath the entrance. But it's more or less a one-way trip with the current."
"So getting in isn't the problem, it's getting out," Anko wasn't liking this but they didn't really have a choice in the matter.
"Bingo. Though Naruto thinks it might not be so bad," Ino added her two cents.
"Huh?"
"I've got a hunch that this cave is gonna end up being the natural dungeon of Nami. If it's the case then making our way out probably won't be a problem. The only problem though is the time it will take us to conquer the dungeon. Asagao said the other reason why the loss of the original entrance wasn't that big a deal was because it took them a day and a half to get to the underground lake cave. Takes 'em even longer to get out when they had to haul the spoils. That's why the other entrance was made. Cuts the time to get there by half a day."
"That deep huh?"
"Yeah, lucky us. Even with my ability to manipulate the time in dungeons, it's probably gonna take us a while," and with the skill's current level, even with the recent update, Naruto could only cut the time that passed in natural dungeons by half, "Apparently there are a shit ton of tunnels down there. I've got Shadow Clones but it'll take us some time to find the place. It's your call but this is a step getting the mission over more quickly."
Even as he said this Naruto was hoping she'd let them go. The boy had been bored these last few days. Hunting was good and all but Naruto was itching for some dungeon crawling.
Anko couldn't argue with that. As time went on, the stronger Zabuza would become and possible reinforcements would arrive. They got lucky the last time they dealt with him. Now the man would be better prepared and know what to expect from them. On the plus side, the dungeon may get them to level up a bit and give her team a slightly better advantage.
"Alright, once guard duties are over you two and Hinata are to rest up before leaving tonight to find this place. Midori will help. In her large form ocean currents aren't that much of a deal for her. She'll get you there but afterwards, you guys are on your own. Hotto's gonna stay behind. I'm gonna be looking after the old man and with you gone I'm gonna need Hotto and Midori to watch over the old man's daughter and grandkid," though it was Kakashi's duty to do so the man was also in charge of watching over his team. She didn't doubt he knew Shadow Clones but as he was still on the mend she didn't wanna risk a relapse in his recovery.
"Wait, how's Midori gonna help us get there?" Ino immediately regretted asking the question the moment she saw her teacher's shit-eating grin. "Oh, crap."
The blonde would later regret asking those words.
(Sometime Later)
"We … are never, ever! … doing that again!" a fuming and slime-covered Ino shouted and huffed for air. The blonde girl spat out some of the slippery substance that entered her mouth. A look of pure disgust on her face as she attempted to rid herself of the filth.
"Yeah, I like to consider myself open-minded but that was bullshit! All I wanna do is take a bath and drink shots till I forget this ever happened," the blond had only tried alcohol once at the bar with Anko months ago but despite the burn that was better than whatever was currently in his mouth.
Naruto was seriously gonna get back at the woman for this. Promise to not prank her be damned. There was a fine line and Anko had crossed it too many damn times. Being swallowed whole by a snake and then barfed out was an experience all three could have done without. "You all right, Hinata?"
"…"
"Hinata? Hello?" Ino asked.
"Please don't say anything, Ino-san," the Hyuga said and Ino slowly backed away.
"I think she's pissed. Is she pissed?" Naruto asked his fellow blonde.
"I'm guessing. So that's what an angry Hinata looks like," Ino whispered and shuddered lightly as the usually meek and amicable girl sent her an impassive but angry look.
"Oh, yeah, she's definitely pissed," even though her face didn't look angry Ino could tell the Hyuga was not pleased at the moment.
Before they entered the dungeon both ninja and kunoichi washed themselves off to rid themselves of the smell and sticky substance that covered their bodies. Though none of them spoke, all three mentally agreed that what transpired was never going to be told to anyone.
Ever.
Once they were ready and well prepared, checking their inventory and making sure everything was in tip-top shape, the three ninja made their way towards the dungeon entrance.
|Congratulations! You are the first to discover the Lost Underground Lake Dungeon of Nami no Kuni in 500 years! |
|As a result, your Perks and Titles will be increased by one level for the duration of the dungeon, or until you die!|
|Recommended Level: 20-30|
|Upon entering you will be given the perk, [Blessings of the Water God]!|
|Warning! Nighttime Effect in Play!|
"Oh, thank Kami for small mercies," Naruto had his suspicions but the text box pretty much proved it for him. They were most likely gonna need to swim and fight submerged at times. Anko had never taught them the basics as she was herself had no such experience and wouldn't know where to begin. It rarely occurred in the first place as ninja more or less fought on land or on top of water, not in it. She had informed them that Kiri and Ame ninja were known for water-based combat and Suiton techniques. Some of them were used to drown or submerge their opponents to hamper their techniques and prowess.
Anko explained that while Tobirama Senju of Konoha had no rival in Suiton ninjutsu, Hattori Hanzo of Ame came pretty damn close, and he was unrivalled in underwater combat with the Senju being long dead. Teaching the ninja of his village to have that same advantage was a no-brainer if faced against others. Though even with them being slightly prepared and having the skills it was not going to be easy.
"What's up with the Nighttime thing?" a curious Ino asked.
"Basically the monsters are gonna be stronger. In video games, only certain monsters are out at night. They also offer a better challenge since you can't exactly see as well either. But as a result their attributes and perks are enhanced, too. Shouldn't be too bad though," Naruto explained. Except for Naruto, none of them had ever done missions or dungeon training at night before.
"So, it's kinda like how certain predators only do their hunting at night," Ino assessed. Much of the dungeons mechanics she noticed revolved or were somewhat based on real-life occurrences and happenstances. This Nighttime Effect reminded Ino of such a thing.
"Good thing we have Hinata then. Her Byakugan will make seeing in the dark easier, right?"
"Um, well, just by a bit," the stuttering began, "The Byakugan offers better visibility in darkened areas but in caves, I'm afraid my range is limited. I can see through certain things, but…"
"But if it's too damn thick you can't," Ino groaned when Hinata nodded.
"Meh, Anko-sensei keeps telling us not to put all our eggs in one basket anyway," Naruto shrugged and Ino couldn't dispute that. It didn't mean she liked it but Ino knew it could be worse.
"Ano, Naruto-kun, what are we expecting in there?" Hinata asked her teammate. Ino also appeared just as curious as her kunoichi in arms.
"No idea. But if have to guess this is a cave and near the ocean, it's probably gonna be some water monsters or something water-related. Maybe some undead too if the pirates were trapped in here. Good thing you guys know some lightning techniques," neither kunoichi had to ask. It was common sense - and it didn't take a genius - that water creatures were weak to electricity. However, it also meant that Naruto's Katon ninjutsu and Ino's Suiton ninjutsu wouldn't be as effective. Though it was more so the former of the two.
"Alright, let's get this show on the road," Naruto declared before their vision was blinded by a flash of bright light. As the brilliance that momentarily stole their vision disappeared, Team Eight was immediately greeted with a sight few could ever claim to have seen.
The cave was lit up with a green and ocean-blue glow. The cave had a series of tunnels and ponds of bright or darkened water. On the walls was a multitude of glowing coral and bioluminescent lichen or moss, most likely the source of the light in the cave. All in all, it was a scene that took their breath away and none of them doubted they'd see ever see anything quite like it again.
"Whoa," was all an awed Ino could say.
"Yeah, whoa," Naruto had to agree while Hinata remained speechless. "Not that this isn't great and all but time's a wasting."
Though Ino and Hinata would have liked to have stayed longer both knew that Naruto was right. While his ability to slow down time was great, Ino knew it would take them quite some time to get to their destination. None of them knew which tunnel led to their goal.
But first, Naruto used the Rare item he acquired from the Auction House.
|You have used the [XP Multiplier - Bronze Rank] item!|
|For the next 24 hours any EXP you earn will be increased by an additional 50%!|
Naruto grinned. It was hardcore grinding time!
(Meanwhile)
Gato released a content smile as he went over the ledgers, both official and off-record. His legitimate business was making him a great sum of money. If he read it correctly, and he was pretty certain he did, he'd have a thirteen to nineteen percent increase in revenue from the last quarter if business continued as it was.
His other business, while not making as much, was making him a great deal of profit. The only difference between them was the lack of tax being taken off and reducing the amount he should be earning. Well, that and the illegality of human and drug trafficking of it all. It was one of the reasons why he got into this business. Growing up on the streets, Gato had nothing to his name except his wit and intelligence.
Many, ninja and civilian alike, didn't even bother to give him a sideways glance or even attempt to help him. It had been by pure chance that someone had seen worth in him. Took him in, taught him the trade, and how to put his smarts to profitable use. From him Gato had managed to go from a street urchin to a decent businessman, and later on a rich successful businessman. However, it hadn't been without consequences.
Gato had made many enemies over the years, powerful ones. The man had seen firsthand how if he stepped on the wrong toes it could be the end of him and all that he had worked hard to build. That was the last thing he needed. And from that point, Gato could only trust those who were in his complete control. Zabuza and his band of merry men weren't in his control. They were a liability in his mind, and he needed to get rid of them quickly.
The only problem was who to find to get rid of them? Zabuza was weak, now, but once he recovered he'd be difficult to deal with. Contrary to how easy it looked in the minds of others, finding powerful missing ninja to take on contracts wasn't all that easy actually. A and S-Rank ones especially, and they weren't cheap either.
"He'd better come through or else-"
"Gato-sama!?" he heard a voice over the intercom.
"What is it? I'm in the middle of something," the message while unspoken was clear as crystal: It had better be important.
"Y-you know those n-new recruits you as…asked for?" Gato was confused by messy stuttering, "th-the-they're dead, sir. One of th-them kill… killed them all," the man managed to finish.
"WHAT!" Gato roared in anger and made his way towards the door of his office. Whoever was responsible was going to pay for this. The short man would assure to that. But Gato never got the chance to do so as the doors to his office were suddenly and unexpectedly flung open with a large wham. Gato barely had time to drop to the ground as a lifeless body was sent flying over him and smacked against his desk. The desk didn't withstand the impact.
The corrupt business owner paled as he saw blood pouring out of the various wounds the man had. Or, at least, he was certain it was a man. The person could have been a woman for all he knew under all those bruises and swollen body parts.
"Hey, short stack, you Gato?" a voice called out.
His fear momentarily replaced with anger, Gato rounded one the individual but realized he only just met the man's waist. The man was a giant from his point of view. Though Gato wasn't exactly the tallest of men either. As he looked upon the man's face, Gato's fear returned greater than before. The grin the giant had before hid had Gato becoming even more unsettled.
"I heard you're offering a job that pays pretty well," here he bent over and looked the man straight in the eye, "Let's talk business."
(Minutes Later)
"Zabuza-sama, are you sure you're-"
"I'm good enough, Haku. If I stay in bed any longer I'm gonna lose it. Besides, I'd rather not give those tree huggers any more time to prepare," Zabuza would have preferred being at one hundred percent health but he couldn't risk the Konoha ninja finding out where they were. Both Gozu and Meizu were fully healed and would take care of the Genin while he and Haku separated them from their Jonin. The two had been told to fight smart and not fool around this time. They didn't so much as need to win the fight so much as they needed a couple of hostages to get the old man to hand himself over. Part of him believed it would work. The last time was to catch him off guard and the brat wasn't actually in harm's way.
"But you're not in fighting shape!"
"Relax, all we're doing is grabbing one of their brats. You said it yourself you haven't seen Hatake. I'd wager he's still resting too. All we need is one of them and the Snake Bitch ain't all that tou-"
"Ah, Zabuza, finally ready to do what I paid you for?" the short man's scowl was met by Zabuza's own.
"Don't get your panties in a knot, Gato. Give us a couple of days and the old man will be ours," Zabuza assured him, "Just make sure you have our money ready when it's done."
"Ah, yes, about that. Pardon me if I don't take your word to heart given your previous performance," the man's words made Zabuza scowl even further, "I don't need any more slip-ups. Which is why I took the liberty of hiring another to help you make sure the job gets done. This isn't up for debate."
"You little shit. That wasn't part of the deal!" Zabuza wasn't going to allow some other ninja to get in on the action. The last thing he needed was splitting the fee in half. The Resistance needed all the money they could get sooner than later, "Besides, I work better with those I know and trust."
"Good thing you know me then, Zabu," a voice called out.
All four shinobi looked to the door before a figure made himself become known from behind the small man. Zabuza, Meizu, and Gozu, for their parts, remained motionless as they saw the individual. Complete disbelief washed over them like a wave before it was replaced with utter worry. For a moment the three nuke nin believed their minds were playing tricks on them, part of them praying it was the case. But as a chuckle escaped the person's lips they knew it was futile.
"Still the carrying around that oversized meat cleaver, eh, Zabuza? Then again you always did need to overcompensate," the man's smirk revealed a set of nasty and pointy-looking teeth.
"Zabuza-sama, who's that?" Haku asked the stunned swordsman. The recovered swordsman couldn't properly make a phrase to answer his ward.
"Oh, Zabu, you didn't talk about me, I'm hurt," the man really wasn't and directed his attention to Haku, "Nice to meet ya, kid. Seeing as we're about to raise a little hell together it's only natural I introduce myself," here he released a dark and ominous chuckle that sent shivers down to the souls of everyone present.
And why wouldn't it?
"The name's Kisame. I'm the Monster of the Bloody Mist," also known as the Strongest of the Seven Swordsmen and an S-Rank missing ninja.
(Four Days Later)
"Keep moving, Pinky!" Anko barked out and earned herself a groan of protest from Sakura. The girl's progress was slow but steady. Not as great as her two teammates as the girl didn't exactly have the years of endurance and muscle memory they possessed. It would take some time but if she pushed herself and kept it up she'd most likely get some decent results by the time Team Eight left. Maybe not what Anko had wanted but the girl could still surprise her. Maybe.
Many often said that dedication and hard work would beat prodigious talent whenever performing a task. And it was a load of bullshit in Anko's mind. Hard work and dedication played an important factor in getting stronger, sure, but that didn't always mean you'd become stronger than a prodigy or stronger than others. The only times it did occur were when prodigies got bored and stopped pushing themselves to their limit. That was one of the many problems when you were standing at the very zenith of the ninja hierarchy of power and skill. One gained the mentality that there were no more challenges or boundaries that could be crossed any longer. They no longer had anyone to challenge them or push themselves further. They stopped training and let their otherwise impeccable skills become dull.
Thud!
"Owww!" a sweaty Sakura nursed her soon-to-be bruised backside. Luckily the fall hadn't been too high, but the ground was by no means soft.
"You know the drill," Anko earned another groan of protest, but Sakura got back up nonetheless and started from square one once again. The pinkette had since learned that vocal complaints didn't fly with Anko and only made things worse.
Anko sighed as she overlooked Team Seven's training. It was evident that little by little they were making some progress each day. Though said progress was slow compared to her team.
"Then again, they don't have a teammate with an ability that speeds up the learning curve. But this is bullshit! I shouldn't be babysitting someone else's Genin," Anko was less than pleased with Hatake.
The man had explained that he had been trying to teach them team exercises and to get them to start thinking for themselves, as well as trying to curb their current mentality so they could work well together. The man had little progress in that regard and when asked about their lack of techniques he stated 'what good is learning techniques when they were prone to accidentally use them on each other?' Communication and trust were just as important for a ninja as combat skills. Anko had begrudgingly admitted the man had a decent point.
"Still didn't exempt the lazy ass for not teaching 'em anything else," other than team exercises the man had made his team do basic drills such as jogs, Taijutsu refinement, and a few other things. Not branching off from there was where everything went to shit. Learning the tree climbing exercise should have been taught during the first few weeks in Anko's mind. Regardless of their lack of cooperation, they should have been taught at least a single D or C-Rank technique and it would have been somewhat acceptable in her books.
The woman mentally put a large emphasis on 'somewhat'. Anko mostly had them do the chakra control exercise and then decided to relieve her boredom by throwing kunai at them. Many would explain their reasons for such actions, but not Anko. Though it was mostly to increase their ability to dodge and up their speed. While Sasuke and Kiba were much faster and had better reflexes than Sakura even they weren't exempt from the cuts and scraps.
The T&I specialist was seriously wondering if Kakashi lived up to his reputation in the Bingo Books. It also made her wonder what changed in the man. Years ago, she didn't hear the end of Yugao's bitching and moaning on how hard Kakashi pushed her, and the new Anbu recruits to the point many had quit or transferred. Anko didn't know why Kakashi's ethic as a trainer and instructor turned to shit. Maybe it was because he had trouble teaching Genin compared to Anbu but either way, she didn't like it. Anko wondered if it was emotional baggage that he carried over from his own Genin team days. She was no psychologist like Inoichi but she was decent at understanding certain individuals, Naruto was an example for one.
Shinobi had different ways to cope, some better than others. Asuma took up smoking, Kurenai developed a cold persona, Kakashi read smut and took on his dead teammate's traits, and Gai trained till he dropped. Kurenai and Gai's methods were some of the better ones, though Gai sometimes took it too far. Despite his surreal stamina and endurance, more than once she heard how he had to be rushed to the hospital for treatment. Though he usually recovered in record time and sometimes he was re-admitted just as quickly.
But regardless of this, Kakashi needed to get his ass in gear. Anko wasn't one to squeal, tattle, or rat to authority like a schoolyard pussy, but he had lives depending on him.
"Just like I have I do with my brats," the woman hadn't had the chance to really train or teach her team anything new now with their current situation. They were better prepared than the others, but Anko felt she needed to prepare them even more.
Progress for her team was slow at the moment. Anko had to hand it to the corrupt son of a bitch; Gato was smart in covering his ass. Then again, the man had lasted this long without others knowing. While Naruto, Ino, and Hinata found some bits and pieces here and there on the man, it wasn't enough. And she was worried for them.
"Great, I'm turning into a softy," her, Anko Mitarashi, the Snake Bitch of Konoha's T&I Unit was going soft! She'd have to see if hell froze over.
"BARRK!"
"Huh?" Anko was mildly surprised when she saw Kiba's prone form in the large ninken's mouth. Beside Hottomaru was Akamaru and the small white-furred pup could only look on helplessly, "What's going on?"
"BARK! BARK, GGGRRRR, BARRK!"
"… Yeah, I got none of that," Anko had a good relationship with Tsume but that didn't equate to her knowing how to speak canine. Some she understood but it wasn't that much.
"He said that Kiba-san tried to follow Naruto-san and participate in the mission rather than do, and I quote, 'Boring as hell chakra control shit', end quote," Midori translated. The snake summoner merely groaned, ordered the boy to be dropped, and then told Hotto go guard Tazuna on the bridge.
"What part of come back here after you're done helping Naruto didn't you understand?" she snarled and Kiba merely looked away. The action didn't sit well with the woman and Kiba was promptly backhanded by the purple-haired kunoichi.
Anko continued to glare at Kiba before commanding him to start his exercise. The kunoichi didn't have time for this crap and made a note to deal with his insubordination later. While her actions seemed harsh it was basically how the Inuzuka dealt with disobedient younglings. It helped them assert authority and showed them their place. It was a practice Anko had been taught by the boy's mother.
"Just for that stunt you can forget hunting for game anytime soon," Anko shouted and heard Kiba curse. But the woman didn't care. It was the boy's own fault for not listening really. Actions had consequences and Anko could not afford a Genin to endanger the whole team just because he was bored. She thought the problem was fixed when she sent him with Naruto, but now knew better.
Due to a food shortage in Nami, Anko had ordered Naruto and Kiba to hunt game and use them as leverage. It sounded cruel given the situation of the country's people, but it was lesser evil if they were to get rid of Gato. Plus, it was done to loosen some of the peoples' tongues and to gather more information. Nami was known for its natural resources, craftsmen, and fishermen. However, while hunting in the sea was one thing for them, hunting inland was another story..
Some could do it, but they only did it for themselves and their families. It was one of the reasons why Gato was able to take over so easily. The man had persuaded the people that his company and resources would assist Nami in becoming a much more profitable country. Being ignorant to his ways and hidden agenda the populace had fallen for it hook, line, and sinker. With the waters being monitored and few being allowed to fish many were forced to hunt in the woods with little success.
Naruto and Hottomaru were decent trackers, the latter more so due to natural instincts, so it was helping them gather more info. However, despite learning what was known as the Tracking Skill because he hunted game and followed Gato's men, Kiba was the better tracker. But better tracker or not the boy had much to learn it seemed, such as discipline. Kakashi wasn't lying when he told her his team had problems. Once again, she surmised the man was used to training Anbu level and personality type individuals instead of Genin.
"Those guys better be having better luck than I am," Anko hoped and prayed her team found something soon.
Despite how she acted off duty, Anko took missions seriously, with D-Rank being the obvious exception. But even then, she wanted this crap fest to end soon. Mostly it was because of the potential danger. Anko wasn't arrogant – okay, that was a lie, most of the time she wasn't arrogant would be better - and knew that the only reason why she got the upper hand on Zabuza was because he was caught off guard. The main reason Kakashi was so drained was because of his overuse of the Sharingan and being caught in the Suiro no Jutsu (Water Prison Technique). According to Naruto's Gamer ability, it allowed masters of the technique to drain a person's chakra and add it to their own.
In a straight fight, she'd probably last five, maybe ten minutes against the Zabuza if she didn't include Midori. With Midori, she'd have a greater chance but her large size made her an easier target and the sword he wielded was capable of cutting her. Despite the serpent's tough hide, she wasn't impenetrable. A summon's large and intimidating size was just as much a weakness as it was a strength. Though even the smaller and less powerful ones had their uses. One of them she had used to deliver a message to Konoha and inform the Hokage. Though not as quick as Midori the serpent would most likely get there within a day or two depending on the situation. Though it was a long shot the woman hoped they'd get back up. Anko had no doubt that the mission could take a turn for the worse.
(Elsewhere)
"Thank you. By Kami-sama, thank you," a woman who was now nearing on the verge of tears expressed her gratitude to the young man before her. The meat from the boar would be enough to feed the stomachs of herself and her children for quite a few days. "I don't know how to repay you."
"I don't need money, but information will do," he told her.
"Information?" it was evident by the look on her face that she was honestly not expecting that, "What kind of information?"
"Information on Gato," he elaborated and the woman froze somewhat. Naruto wasn't beating around the bush at the moment. Getting the info they needed was slow as hell. Unfortunately, many were very reluctant to share any information on Gato for fear of retaliation should it be led back to whoever talked about him.
"I'm sorry but-"
"Please… anything you can tell me to help make this country better again," he said.
The woman merely chuckled mirthlessly. Tears that held back were now freely falling from her face, "You sound like my… like my husband did."
"Ah, shit," it didn't take a genius to realize her husband was obviously dead, "Look I'm sorry I'll just - "
"No, it's fine…. You're one of the ninjas helping Tazuna, right?" the question wasn't an accusation but Naruto prepared himself should he be forced to take drastic measures. Loathed, as he wanted to it.
"My husband was helping Tazuna build his bridge but Gato's men," here the tears threatened to pour once more before she willed herself to stop crying as best she could, "Nami's been my home all my life. I don't know if my family and I can make it anywhere else, so anything to help us get rid of Gato I'll help."
"Final-fucking-ly!" Naruto mentally cheered as she went back inside.
Naruto had been getting nowhere in the last few days. Gato literally had the country's populace by the proverbial balls, and no one was willing to talk about him. When the door opened up several minutes later, she ushered him a little closer, the woman grabbed his hand and then shouted, "I don't have anything to spare! Leave!" and slammed the door in his face.
"… Son of a bitch!" Naruto shouted and noticed the action drew the attention of nearby pedestrians, "What the hell are you staring at!?"
The sudden shout made the onlookers walk away from him even faster, even more so when Naruto began to walk down the streets. Anger was evident on his disguised face. In Nami an angry individual was the last person someone wanted to mess around with. It didn't end well if they did.
For a good five minutes, Naruto wandered around before he found himself in a more secluded area of Nami. Ducking into one of the alleyways, Naruto took out the piece of paper he was given, "Gotta give her props, she's a damn good actress."
Shinobi-san,
Before Gato came to Nami my husband was a fisherman by trade. When Gato took over he was out of a job and helped Tazuna as best he could. He and a few fishermen continued to secretly gather food from the ocean as best they could to support the workers. However, one day he simply disappeared and in these times it's never a good sign.
Ever since he arrived Gato's been limiting the amount of people allowed to fish in the ocean to support Nami. In the center of Nami there's a cave that goes deep underground to a large lake that connects several ocean currents and various fish and sea life. Every few times a year a massive amount of various species of fish gathers here for a month or so before returning to the ocean. Unfortunately, Gato has since then blown up the entrance to the cave and has it guarded by his men to prevent us from digging it out.
"Oh, for the love of Kami please tell me this has a point," Naruto felt like crap however when noticed a few stains on the paper. The woman had been crying while she was writing this. Judging from what the letter implied, he'd bet his last ryo that Gato or one of his cronies had a hand in the husband's demise. But sad as that was, and while Naruto didn't want to sound ungrateful, he did have a job to do.
My husband spoke of another entrance, one long since abandoned. The founders of Nami blocked it off centuries ago. I never found out why or where the entrance was. Few did apparently. But if anyone would know it would be the one calling herself Asagao. I don't know if that's her name but she's very well informed and possibly your best hope at finding where the entrance is.
Good luck.
Here the letter ended, and Naruto silently cursed, "Great. Now I have to find someone who only shows up when they want to."
Even with his Detection Skill: Detect Presence Asagao somehow managed to pop up without him knowing at times. One time he sensed her coming around a corner and the next he found her popping up behind him. This meant that she was either a shinobi or someone with shinobi training and extremely skilled at stealth and suppressing her presence. Naruto had previously used Observe on the woman, but all he got was a message saying a skill was preventing him from gleaming any information he'd normally acquire. The skill would have to be quite powerful if Observe was unusable on her. But it confirmed she was more than she appeared to be.
"Hey, handsome," a voice behind him called out and Naruto had to force himself from yelling out.
"Speak of the Devil and she will appear," Naruto thought but it also confirmed his suspicions. The woman before him was obviously no ordinary civilian, "But is she an ally or the opposite?"
Anko had been strict when it came to trusting unknowns. With third parties one never knew if they were actually on your side, merely looking for an opportunity to stab you in the back, or merely looking out for themselves and setting obstacles against other obstacles.
"You alright?" Asagao asked him.
"Huh? Oh, I'm fine," Naruto told her and became surprised when she put her hand to his head, "Uh, huh?"
"No fever, that's good," Asagao nodded in relief. "So, what can I do for you?"
"What makes you think I was looking for you?" he asked calmly but his heart was beating a mile a minute.
"Well, this is the same spot we met the first time. Remember?" she indicated, making Naruto blink as he looked around.
"Oh," the woman spoke truthfully; Naruto recognized certain qualities from the last time he was here. The Gamer honestly wondered how he managed to come back here in the first place.
"You space out a lot, don't you?" her question made Naruto sputter and caused her to chuckle, "It's fine. We've all got our weird quirks, handsome."
"Right, quirks," he spoke before he got to business, "I was told you could help me with something."
"It's two thousand ryo every half hour," she said, and Naruto imitated his teammate by becoming bright scarlet at what she was implying, "For an additional thousand can you do my ass. If you wanna blow inside it's-"
"NO! No, no, no, no! Not I wanted to ask!" he yelled and tried to get the image out of his mind. He failed.
"Ha ha ha ha," Asagao laughed at his flustered look, "Oh, that was too easy. Relax, handsome, I know you're not the type for that sort of thing," she smirked.
"Then why-"
"I needed a good laugh. It hasn't been that great these last few days and I needed a picker-upper," she laughed at his comical and disbelieving look, "But seriously, what can I do for you? You looking for information?"
Focusing, despite the befuddlement that still lingered in his thoughts, Naruto asked her, "What can you tell about this cave the fishermen used?"
The woman cocked an eyebrow, clearly not expecting such a request, "That's a first. Not that I don't know what you're talking about but why do you wanna know about it?"
"Personal reasons," he said.
"Sorry, Handsome, but that's not gonna cut it for me," she frowned, and her eyebrows creased, "No talk, I walk."
"Shit," the disguised blond cursed and tried to come up with another tactic, but as the woman looked ready to make herself scarce, he blurted out, "I wanna help the people of Nami."
So much for keeping a low profile. Anko was gonna kill him. Slowly.
"See, now was that so hard?" she quipped, "Ok, I'll tell you, but I want something in return. Nothing too bad or difficult," she quickly added.
She said, 'nothing too bad or difficult', which meant it was still bad and may not be as easy to accomplish, "Not like I have a choice. What is it?"
Here she smiled but unlike before Naruto briefly had the impression he was gazing into the eyes of a predator before the look in her eye vanished just as quickly. Any small doubt that she was no more than ordinary completely vanished by now. Whether she was a ninja or just happened to know a very useful skill like his own was yet to be determined. But it was evident she was powerful or influential, or both. Naruto simply couldn't just take her in for questioning. For one it would draw too much attention to himself and if she was in fact a ninja there was also no guarantee he could beat her.
"Simple, I want you to make sure Nami's food shortage comes to an end," she smiled.
"…Huh?" of all the requests she'd ask Naruto did not see that one coming, "Eh, ok, no problem. But why do you care about Nami?"
"I don't care much for Nami, really. But I have a soft spot for kids, and I can't stand seeing starving children. Call it a weakness. Plus, a well-fed populace makes better soldiers if you're trying to get them to reveal information on Gato," she smiled knowingly at Naruto's stunned look, "Yeah, you're not that subtle, and you're lucky most of Gato's grunts are idiots. And unlike you, I know how to make the people of Nami talk, Handsome."
"How long have you known?" Naruto knew there was no point in hiding who he was any longer.
"The moment I saw you I knew you were more than what you posed to be, shinobi-san. Unlike your ordinary dimwitted call girl, I've dealt with enough of your kind to recognize you from a mile away. But most importantly, while you might be able to fool those where you're from, your acting skills sucks on someone who's played the game longer than you have. But I digress. My offer still stands; you help feed the masses and I tell you which base Gato's hiding in."
"And how the hell do you know where he is? It's obvious you're more than who you appear to be. Why don't you do something about Gato?" Naruto wondered.
"You're making the assumption I can. I can do many things but fighting an army of ruthless thugs by myself isn't one of them. You need me to gather information or seduce someone then I'm your woman. Fighting one or two of Gato's thugs I may be able to handle. Ask me to fight his army and the ninja he hired and you might as well ask a rock not to sink to the bottom of the ocean. I came here to live a peaceful life, but that plan was shot to hell when Gato set his eyes on Nami. That bastard is greedy too and once he's sucked this place dry, he'll move on and set his sight somewhere else. I've been around his types before and it's not that hard to figure out. Even if Nami is freed there are too many bad memories here for me. So, you need to get rid of him for me and make the people grow a backbone. Do that and I'll tell you where he's hiding, deal?"
Though apprehensive to trust this woman, Naruto knew he had no choice. They couldn't allow the mission to drag on for long. Zabuza had most likely recovered more than half of his strength. Though he didn't want to face the man he'd rather do it when he was weakened. It would be a tough fight for sure but at least his chance at survival was greater than if he was at full health.
"Fine," Naruto shook her hand but brought her in close, "But if you stab me in the back you'll regret it," was the harsh promise. If there was anything Naruto hated more it was traitors or backstabbers. He was a forgiving person but was reluctant and slow to forgive when it came to those types of individuals. Especially if they hurt his friends.
Asagao merely shook her head and looked shaken but otherwise, she gave the information he needed. With the information in hand, Naruto promptly left the alley he was in to get Ino. Not once noticing the once shaken-up woman now sporting a grin, her shaking gone, and she left the alley with a confident walk. Her plan was slowly coming to fruition.
(Sometime Later)
"Yo, Anko-sensei!" Naruto shouted out as he entered the clearing with his teammate, and Ino suppressed a groan.
"We're trying to keep a low profile you idiot!" the more things changed the more they stayed the same it would seem. Part of her wondered when Naruto would know when to use his inside voice. Then again, the same could be said about Anko at times.
Quick as a flash, Anko flickered before them with a pleading look in her eyes, "For the love of Kami-sama please tell me you found something good?"
"Hmmm, maybe," Naruto thought it the perfect chance for payback. The idea was just as quickly destroyed as Anko's face had an even more pleading look. "Sensei, you alright?"
"I'm so boooooreeeed," she bawled into his shirt and Naruto seriously had no idea what to do at the moment. She wailed some more, tears were now freely flowing from her eyes, "Please tell me you got something! Please!"
"Alright, alright, we found out something that can potentially help with the food shortage," Naruto caved into her pleading. The boy couldn't stand crying women and comforted his crying teacher.
More like ex-crying teacher when he saw her grinning face.
"And that's another way to get a man a spill his guts. If seduction doesn't work pour on them tears. Men are suckers for that crap and it works seven times out of ten," the woman told the nodding Ino. The two kunoichi ignored the gapping male near them.
"… Ah, shit! No fair!" an angry Naruto shouted. The realization that he had just been had finally settled in. Naruto considered himself a good liar, he had pulled the same crap with his Oroike no Jutsu but didn't expect himself to have fallen to Anko's charade so quickly.
Anko merely scoffed, "What did I say about fair?"
Naruto was about to retort but was torn between wanting to curse and admitting that she had a point. In the end, all he did was huff and smack away Anko's hand as she ruffled his head.
"Ha! Can't believe you fell for that! Oldest trick in the book!" Naruto frowned as he heard Kiba laugh at his misfortune.
"Yeah, well I can't believe you haven't gotten this down yet! Took me six days to reach the top," it was true but even then the tree climbing exercise had not been mastered. Reaching the top was only part of it.
"Six days? Dude, it's only been five days and I'm already over three-quarters up! What does that tell ya?"
"That these trees are small compared to Konoha's," Naruto's response immediately got Kiba to shut up. Even then he could hear light grumbling coming from the feral boy. Everyone in the clearing had to admit that Konoha's mighty trees dwarfed Nami's. The size comparison between the two was like that of a tree to a flower. No contest.
"So, you plan on getting in and using the fish to get her to talk?" while Naruto's and Kiba's hunting exploits were good and all, Nami didn't have that many land fauna compared to the other countries.
Hunting them down was easy but hunting too much wouldn't be good for Nami's ecosystem. Nami was small but still had a very large populace and relied mostly on the bounties the ocean brought them to feed themselves. The fauna in the woods wasn't that large apparently and if they hunted too many of the creatures they'd be almost defenseless against the predators that hunted their usual prey. Wolves and bears stayed away from humans mostly but when food became scarce they wouldn't think twice about attacking a human. With Nami having only civilian militia, and an ill prepared or practically non-existent one at the moment, they'd stand little chance.
"Our plan's to find the place and seal as many of the little suckers as possible. Asagao said that if we help feed Nami she'll in turn tell us where Gato is."
Anko looked impassive as she heard the woman's name and when asked to elaborate what they knew about her it served to add more questions. Whoever she was Anko didn't doubt she was much more than she appeared if her team's information was anything to go by. During the war, some of the worst enemies were civilians with some training in the shinobi arts. Unlike civilians, a shinobi could be recognized in many ways, such as by looking at their faces or hands. Even in a Henge one could sometimes be recognized simply by the way they moved.
People who had the bare minimum training as ninja, especially natural-born actors, could appear and act like as regular civilians. Around such individuals, some shinobi let their guard down. Only for them to be struck down or wounded before it was too late to act.
This Asagao character gave Anko the same impression and she was weary. The fact that Naruto's Observe didn't work on her only increased her worry. Was the woman a civilian trained in the shinobi way? Was she someone under Gato's employ? Or was she part of a third party? There were too many questions and no answers to any of them for Anko's liking.
So far she hadn't shown any negative or hostile intentions but even then that meant nothing. History showed time and time again how others were forced to prove their worth to gain another's trust. Even when they succeeded in proving themselves some still ended up stabbed in the back both literally and figuratively. An ally today could be an enemy tomorrow.
Luckily through bed rest and healing sessions from Hinata and the poultices from Ino's Clan, Kakashi would be well enough to watch over his team alone by tomorrow. Technically speaking he could do it now but Anko was willing to grin and bear it for one last day if it meant him healing more quickly. Part of her wished they could have had the man benefit from Naruto's ability but the fewer people who knew about the ability, the better.
"So where is this place?" she asked.
"Near the west-most part of Nami, near the ocean, I think," Naruto informed her. "Asagao says it used to be the original entrance until pirates began to use it as a base. Long story short, the pirates tried to take over Nami but the entrance and exit were caved in by Nami no Kuni's ancestors and they were trapped inside."
"Cut off? Then how the hell do you expect to get in and out?"
"Yeah, that's the problem. The entrance on land is too caved in to use and would draw too much attention if it were suddenly fixed. Apparently, there's a series of tunnels and waterways beneath the entrance. But it's more or less a one-way trip with the current."
"So getting in isn't the problem, it's getting out," Anko wasn't liking this but they didn't really have a choice in the matter.
"Bingo. Though Naruto thinks it might not be so bad," Ino added her two cents.
"Huh?"
"I've got a hunch that this cave is gonna end up being the natural dungeon of Nami. If it's the case then making our way out probably won't be a problem. The only problem though is the time it will take us to conquer the dungeon. Asagao said the other reason why the loss of the original entrance wasn't that big a deal was because it took them a day and a half to get to the underground lake cave. Takes 'em even longer to get out when they had to haul the spoils. That's why the other entrance was made. Cuts the time to get there by half a day."
"That deep huh?"
"Yeah, lucky us. Even with my ability to manipulate the time in dungeons, it's probably gonna take us a while," and with the skill's current level, even with the recent update, Naruto could only cut the time that passed in natural dungeons by half, "Apparently there are a shit ton of tunnels down there. I've got Shadow Clones but it'll take us some time to find the place. It's your call but this is a step getting the mission over more quickly."
Even as he said this Naruto was hoping she'd let them go. The boy had been bored these last few days. Hunting was good and all but Naruto was itching for some dungeon crawling.
Anko couldn't argue with that. As time went on, the stronger Zabuza would become and possible reinforcements would arrive. They got lucky the last time they dealt with him. Now the man would be better prepared and know what to expect from them. On the plus side, the dungeon may get them to level up a bit and give her team a slightly better advantage.
"Alright, once guard duties are over you two and Hinata are to rest up before leaving tonight to find this place. Midori will help. In her large form ocean currents aren't that much of a deal for her. She'll get you there but afterwards, you guys are on your own. Hotto's gonna stay behind. I'm gonna be looking after the old man and with you gone I'm gonna need Hotto and Midori to watch over the old man's daughter and grandkid," though it was Kakashi's duty to do so the man was also in charge of watching over his team. She didn't doubt he knew Shadow Clones but as he was still on the mend she didn't wanna risk a relapse in his recovery.
"Wait, how's Midori gonna help us get there?" Ino immediately regretted asking the question the moment she saw her teacher's shit-eating grin. "Oh, crap."
The blonde would later regret asking those words.
(Sometime Later)
"We … are never, ever! … doing that again!" a fuming and slime-covered Ino shouted and huffed for air. The blonde girl spat out some of the slippery substance that entered her mouth. A look of pure disgust on her face as she attempted to rid herself of the filth.
"Yeah, I like to consider myself open-minded but that was bullshit! All I wanna do is take a bath and drink shots till I forget this ever happened," the blond had only tried alcohol once at the bar with Anko months ago but despite the burn that was better than whatever was currently in his mouth.
Naruto was seriously gonna get back at the woman for this. Promise to not prank her be damned. There was a fine line and Anko had crossed it too many damn times. Being swallowed whole by a snake and then barfed out was an experience all three could have done without. "You all right, Hinata?"
"…"
"Hinata? Hello?" Ino asked.
"Please don't say anything, Ino-san," the Hyuga said and Ino slowly backed away.
"I think she's pissed. Is she pissed?" Naruto asked his fellow blonde.
"I'm guessing. So that's what an angry Hinata looks like," Ino whispered and shuddered lightly as the usually meek and amicable girl sent her an impassive but angry look.
"Oh, yeah, she's definitely pissed," even though her face didn't look angry Ino could tell the Hyuga was not pleased at the moment.
Before they entered the dungeon both ninja and kunoichi washed themselves off to rid themselves of the smell and sticky substance that covered their bodies. Though none of them spoke, all three mentally agreed that what transpired was never going to be told to anyone.
Ever.
Once they were ready and well prepared, checking their inventory and making sure everything was in tip-top shape, the three ninja made their way towards the dungeon entrance.
|Congratulations! You are the first to discover the Lost Underground Lake Dungeon of Nami no Kuni in 500 years! |
|As a result, your Perks and Titles will be increased by one level for the duration of the dungeon, or until you die!|
|Recommended Level: 20-30|
|Upon entering you will be given the perk, [Blessings of the Water God]!|
|Warning! Nighttime Effect in Play!|
"Oh, thank Kami for small mercies," Naruto had his suspicions but the text box pretty much proved it for him. They were most likely gonna need to swim and fight submerged at times. Anko had never taught them the basics as she was herself had no such experience and wouldn't know where to begin. It rarely occurred in the first place as ninja more or less fought on land or on top of water, not in it. She had informed them that Kiri and Ame ninja were known for water-based combat and Suiton techniques. Some of them were used to drown or submerge their opponents to hamper their techniques and prowess.
Anko explained that while Tobirama Senju of Konoha had no rival in Suiton ninjutsu, Hattori Hanzo of Ame came pretty damn close, and he was unrivalled in underwater combat with the Senju being long dead. Teaching the ninja of his village to have that same advantage was a no-brainer if faced against others. Though even with them being slightly prepared and having the skills it was not going to be easy.
"What's up with the Nighttime thing?" a curious Ino asked.
"Basically the monsters are gonna be stronger. In video games, only certain monsters are out at night. They also offer a better challenge since you can't exactly see as well either. But as a result their attributes and perks are enhanced, too. Shouldn't be too bad though," Naruto explained. Except for Naruto, none of them had ever done missions or dungeon training at night before.
"So, it's kinda like how certain predators only do their hunting at night," Ino assessed. Much of the dungeons mechanics she noticed revolved or were somewhat based on real-life occurrences and happenstances. This Nighttime Effect reminded Ino of such a thing.
"Good thing we have Hinata then. Her Byakugan will make seeing in the dark easier, right?"
"Um, well, just by a bit," the stuttering began, "The Byakugan offers better visibility in darkened areas but in caves, I'm afraid my range is limited. I can see through certain things, but…"
"But if it's too damn thick you can't," Ino groaned when Hinata nodded.
"Meh, Anko-sensei keeps telling us not to put all our eggs in one basket anyway," Naruto shrugged and Ino couldn't dispute that. It didn't mean she liked it but Ino knew it could be worse.
"Ano, Naruto-kun, what are we expecting in there?" Hinata asked her teammate. Ino also appeared just as curious as her kunoichi in arms.
"No idea. But if have to guess this is a cave and near the ocean, it's probably gonna be some water monsters or something water-related. Maybe some undead too if the pirates were trapped in here. Good thing you guys know some lightning techniques," neither kunoichi had to ask. It was common sense - and it didn't take a genius - that water creatures were weak to electricity. However, it also meant that Naruto's Katon ninjutsu and Ino's Suiton ninjutsu wouldn't be as effective. Though it was more so the former of the two.
"Alright, let's get this show on the road," Naruto declared before their vision was blinded by a flash of bright light. As the brilliance that momentarily stole their vision disappeared, Team Eight was immediately greeted with a sight few could ever claim to have seen.
The cave was lit up with a green and ocean-blue glow. The cave had a series of tunnels and ponds of bright or darkened water. On the walls was a multitude of glowing coral and bioluminescent lichen or moss, most likely the source of the light in the cave. All in all, it was a scene that took their breath away and none of them doubted they'd see ever see anything quite like it again.
"Whoa," was all an awed Ino could say.
"Yeah, whoa," Naruto had to agree while Hinata remained speechless. "Not that this isn't great and all but time's a wasting."
Though Ino and Hinata would have liked to have stayed longer both knew that Naruto was right. While his ability to slow down time was great, Ino knew it would take them quite some time to get to their destination. None of them knew which tunnel led to their goal.
But first, Naruto used the Rare item he acquired from the Auction House.
|You have used the [XP Multiplier - Bronze Rank] item!|
|For the next 24 hours any EXP you earn will be increased by an additional 50%!|
Naruto grinned. It was hardcore grinding time!
(Meanwhile)
Gato released a content smile as he went over the ledgers, both official and off-record. His legitimate business was making him a great sum of money. If he read it correctly, and he was pretty certain he did, he'd have a thirteen to nineteen percent increase in revenue from the last quarter if business continued as it was.
His other business, while not making as much, was making him a great deal of profit. The only difference between them was the lack of tax being taken off and reducing the amount he should be earning. Well, that and the illegality of human and drug trafficking of it all. It was one of the reasons why he got into this business. Growing up on the streets, Gato had nothing to his name except his wit and intelligence.
Many, ninja and civilian alike, didn't even bother to give him a sideways glance or even attempt to help him. It had been by pure chance that someone had seen worth in him. Took him in, taught him the trade, and how to put his smarts to profitable use. From him Gato had managed to go from a street urchin to a decent businessman, and later on a rich successful businessman. However, it hadn't been without consequences.
Gato had made many enemies over the years, powerful ones. The man had seen firsthand how if he stepped on the wrong toes it could be the end of him and all that he had worked hard to build. That was the last thing he needed. And from that point, Gato could only trust those who were in his complete control. Zabuza and his band of merry men weren't in his control. They were a liability in his mind, and he needed to get rid of them quickly.
The only problem was who to find to get rid of them? Zabuza was weak, now, but once he recovered he'd be difficult to deal with. Contrary to how easy it looked in the minds of others, finding powerful missing ninja to take on contracts wasn't all that easy actually. A and S-Rank ones especially, and they weren't cheap either.
"He'd better come through or else-"
"Gato-sama!?" he heard a voice over the intercom.
"What is it? I'm in the middle of something," the message while unspoken was clear as crystal: It had better be important.
"Y-you know those n-new recruits you as…asked for?" Gato was confused by messy stuttering, "th-the-they're dead, sir. One of th-them kill… killed them all," the man managed to finish.
"WHAT!" Gato roared in anger and made his way towards the door of his office. Whoever was responsible was going to pay for this. The short man would assure to that. But Gato never got the chance to do so as the doors to his office were suddenly and unexpectedly flung open with a large wham. Gato barely had time to drop to the ground as a lifeless body was sent flying over him and smacked against his desk. The desk didn't withstand the impact.
The corrupt business owner paled as he saw blood pouring out of the various wounds the man had. Or, at least, he was certain it was a man. The person could have been a woman for all he knew under all those bruises and swollen body parts.
"Hey, short stack, you Gato?" a voice called out.
His fear momentarily replaced with anger, Gato rounded one the individual but realized he only just met the man's waist. The man was a giant from his point of view. Though Gato wasn't exactly the tallest of men either. As he looked upon the man's face, Gato's fear returned greater than before. The grin the giant had before hid had Gato becoming even more unsettled.
"I heard you're offering a job that pays pretty well," here he bent over and looked the man straight in the eye, "Let's talk business."
(Minutes Later)
"Zabuza-sama, are you sure you're-"
"I'm good enough, Haku. If I stay in bed any longer I'm gonna lose it. Besides, I'd rather not give those tree huggers any more time to prepare," Zabuza would have preferred being at one hundred percent health but he couldn't risk the Konoha ninja finding out where they were. Both Gozu and Meizu were fully healed and would take care of the Genin while he and Haku separated them from their Jonin. The two had been told to fight smart and not fool around this time. They didn't so much as need to win the fight so much as they needed a couple of hostages to get the old man to hand himself over. Part of him believed it would work. The last time was to catch him off guard and the brat wasn't actually in harm's way.
"But you're not in fighting shape!"
"Relax, all we're doing is grabbing one of their brats. You said it yourself you haven't seen Hatake. I'd wager he's still resting too. All we need is one of them and the Snake Bitch ain't all that tou-"
"Ah, Zabuza, finally ready to do what I paid you for?" the short man's scowl was met by Zabuza's own.
"Don't get your panties in a knot, Gato. Give us a couple of days and the old man will be ours," Zabuza assured him, "Just make sure you have our money ready when it's done."
"Ah, yes, about that. Pardon me if I don't take your word to heart given your previous performance," the man's words made Zabuza scowl even further, "I don't need any more slip-ups. Which is why I took the liberty of hiring another to help you make sure the job gets done. This isn't up for debate."
"You little shit. That wasn't part of the deal!" Zabuza wasn't going to allow some other ninja to get in on the action. The last thing he needed was splitting the fee in half. The Resistance needed all the money they could get sooner than later, "Besides, I work better with those I know and trust."
"Good thing you know me then, Zabu," a voice called out.
All four shinobi looked to the door before a figure made himself become known from behind the small man. Zabuza, Meizu, and Gozu, for their parts, remained motionless as they saw the individual. Complete disbelief washed over them like a wave before it was replaced with utter worry. For a moment the three nuke nin believed their minds were playing tricks on them, part of them praying it was the case. But as a chuckle escaped the person's lips they knew it was futile.
"Still the carrying around that oversized meat cleaver, eh, Zabuza? Then again you always did need to overcompensate," the man's smirk revealed a set of nasty and pointy-looking teeth.
"Zabuza-sama, who's that?" Haku asked the stunned swordsman. The recovered swordsman couldn't properly make a phrase to answer his ward.
"Oh, Zabu, you didn't talk about me, I'm hurt," the man really wasn't and directed his attention to Haku, "Nice to meet ya, kid. Seeing as we're about to raise a little hell together it's only natural I introduce myself," here he released a dark and ominous chuckle that sent shivers down to the souls of everyone present.
And why wouldn't it?
"The name's Kisame. I'm the Monster of the Bloody Mist," also known as the Strongest of the Seven Swordsmen and an S-Rank missing ninja.
Legend of the Kyuubi
Making the rounds.
- Joined
- Sep 14, 2026
- Messages
- 35
Chapter 20: Anarchy
Naruto grinned and Ino felt her eyes twitching.
"Don't say it."
"I levelled up. Again."
"Grrr!" cheeky lucky shit.
Ino wanted nothing more than to get rid of her fellow blond's smug grin. How many times was that now? Fourth? Fifth? Sixth, maybe? She didn't want to look at his status window, it would only serve to annoy her, especially since she and Hinata had only levelled up three times even with their enhanced perks and titles along with their lower level up thresholds. Thanks to Naruto's titles and perks and the benefits of the dungeon - and that damn XP Multiplier item he used! - he had levelled up like crazy in the first day by comparison.
The first layer had been crawling with pirate skeletons - to no ones surprise given what they knew about it - and thanks to his abuse of the Shadow Clone Technique, he made certain every nook and cranny on the first layer had been wiped clean of undead. It was no wonder why his level ups were significantly more frequent. Sadly, the loot had been rather mediocre but Naruto had claimed that the rapid level ups had been worth the trade off.
Ino sighed as the group rested. Well, she and Hinata were resting. Naruto was using his Shadow Clones and keeping a look out. Damn stamina freak! That said, it was convenient. Using his Shadow Clones allowed them to rest and fight at the same time. Though Naruto knew better now than to abuse the technique. Aside from the warning he'd been told before, apparently any fatigue that a Shadow Clone experienced got transferred to him. It was minimal but with the amount of clones Naruto could make the fatigue he'd accumulate would easily multiply like crazy if he wasn't careful.
It was one of the reasons why the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique variant was considered a forbidden technique. If not careful, too much chakra was used and the user was left with too little to survive and if that didn't finish them off, the mental and fatigue backlash might. And though she didn't say it out loud, Ino was worried that the group's knuckle-headed idiot would end up pushing himself too far one day. Naruto admitted he didn't know the full extent of the Gamer ability, so it was unknown whether it would protect him or not from the mental backlash.
Not wanting to think on the matter any longer, Ino brought up the clock function she gained from the Gamer's Teammate ability. The clock showed her that they had been in this dungeon for three days now. Which, thanks to the recent upgrade to Naruto's dungeon manipulation ability, one hour outside was now four hours in a natural dungeon and eight in a instant dungeon. The clock showed what real time was outside the dungeon and not even a day outside had passed. Which was good as this dungeon was huge, easily the biggest she and Hinata had been experienced to date. And it was crawling with enemies.
Each layer had different ones. The first had undead. The second had great fat kappas who disguised themselves as moss covered rocks and stood very still or hid in bodies of water and liked to perform sneak attacks where they tried to crush them with their large bellies or attempted to swallow them whole. Ino shuddered at that last unpleasant memory. One had gotten Naruto but a quick use of Shadow Clones caused it to burst open like an overstuffed water balloon.
It didn't help that from time to time they had been forced to travel and fight underwater to move forward. Thankfully the Blessings of the Water God the dungeon blessed them with made breathing and swimming easier, and made Ino's Suiton better, too. But those damned duck-billed yokai still had the advantage underwater despite their rotund figures and Suiton techniques were weak against them compared to Hinata's Raiton and ironically Naruto's Katon techniques. Apparently they were amphibious and needed to keep their skin moist or become severally lethargic and vulnerable.
The last dungeon floor they fought in they had to deal with what Naruto called mimics, crustacean-like creatures that could camouflage or take on the appearance of the environment: rocks, stalactite, stalagmites and in one instance a treasure chest. The latter hadn't been a pleasant experience for Ino.
(Nearly Five Hours Ago)
An audible sigh escaped Naruto's lips as the rocks that covered Chichizouge fell and went from a large solid club to a large bone white sword. Mimics were tricky little shits. Their resistances to physical attacks were quite high, less so for blunt weapons, and while they lacked high attack power and speed they attacked in groups the moment one had prey in their grasp.
But that wasn't the problem. Their damn Perfect Mimicry perk allowed them to blend in with their environment and sensory techniques and even the Byakugan couldn't tell them apart from the actual environment while they were stationnary. Hottomaru with his sense of smell might have been able to discern them but he was with Anko-sensei and the rest so they couldn't taste that theory. Either way, being caught off guard and constantly being on guard was starting to take a toll on them mentally. Anko stressed being on guard all time on a mission, sure, but this particular dungeon really sent the message home.
"Naruto-kun. Are, are you alright?" Hinata asked.
"Will be once we're done with this floor," Naruto admitted to her.
As much as he liked levelling up, the mental stress of dealing with near constant and unexpected attacks for hours on end was starting to get very old and tiresome. If the loot mimics dropped were decent it could have potentially been tolerable. Emphasis on potentially, but the damn things dropped useless random crap instead of fixed items like most enemies. It didn't help that most drops from enemies so far wasn't the best either.
The skeletons from the first floor dropped some cash but whenever they dropped equipment it wasn't worth taking and pretty much junk. The kappas at least dropped fronds that when distilled could be used as potions that increased resistance to water ninjutsu and the moss they dropped helped eliminate the Burning debuff. But only Hinata had the skillset and specialization to do that.
All in all, the haul was quite unimpressive, to say the least.
"Treasure!"
"Treasure?" sure, this was ancient pirate's den but why would treasure be...Oh, crap! Naruto was instantly alert, "Ino! Wait-"
"Kraahhhh!"
"GET THIS FUCKING THING OFF ME!"
"Called it," Naruto deadpanned. Mimics disguised as treasure chests was one of the biggest fantasy tropes.
"Kraahhhh!" the chest monster snarled some more as it used its large pincer like arms to bring her closer towards the chest. Ino struggled but the creature was tougher than the rest of its kind and with her legs firmly in its grasp she couldn't retaliate properly. Ino's feet were almost inside the chest it used as its shell before a harsh 'thud' forced it closed.
"Krrarargggh!" the creature buckled and shook to free itself. The tip of its pincers had been at the edge of the chest when it was closed so Ino was now free and- Oh, boy! Angry blond female! Run away!
"Die!"
The mimic was subjected to a barrage of furious kicks that caused the space they occupied to echo from the loud thud, thud, thud of her quick blows. Unfortunately, while swift with her legs, Ino wasn't physically strong and with the mimic's inherit hardness the blow were basically love taps.
But not once did it let go of Ino. Mimics rarely ever did let go of their prey once they grabbed a hold on them. There were few times they ever did, two of them were when their captive was dead or the Mimic was itself was dead. Even when unconscious it would take monstrous strength to get a Mimic to relinquish their grip.
"Observe!"
Pirate Chest Mimic– Lv. 27
HP: 3000
CP: 1100
STR: 86
VIT: 100
END: 44
DEX: 39
INT: 6
WIS: 5
LUK: 31
Physical Resistances: Blunt (-25%), Piercing (83%), Slashing (81%)
Elemental Resistances: Water (50%), Lightning (-50%), Wind (31%), Fire (37%), Earth (0%)
Condition Resistances: ?
Perks:
Master of Disguise: Undetectable via common sensory or detection techniques, can imitate virtually any object of its size, +50% Effectiveness and Efficiency towards [Sneak Attacks], +25% increase towards [Critical Strikes] (while hidden), +30% towards [Grappling Techniques]
Ravenous: Capable of recovering health by consuming bodies of beasts, living, or undead, +30% increase towards STR, VIT, +25% increase towards when HP is below 40%
Natural Reinforcement: +500 HP, +80% Tolerance towards [Bukijutsu] (piercing and slashing), -25% tolerance towards Blunt Weapons,
Environment Adaptability: Whichever environment the mimic is in it gains 75% towards certain elemental resistances and -75% towards its opposing nature
Description: Mimics are easily one of the most dangerous of monsters due to its ability to blend in and disguise itself into virtually any object of its size. Usually, it takes on the appearance of an object that creatures or people will approach without thought or gain their interest. The mimic can lay dormant for months at a time in a hibernation-like state, even in the oddest of places, and is virtually harmless. Once touched, however; mimics will enter into a ravenous frenzy and seek to feed and consume whoever grabbed it and those nearby. Its body secretes an invisible but powerful adhesive film that it uses to piece objects to it in order to disguise itself, which can also be used to help keep hold of its prey.
EXP Earned: ? EXP
Drops: ?, ?, ?
"Ino," Naruto tried to get the Yamanaka to stop but the angry blond girl wasn't having it.
"Die, die, die, die, die!"
"..." Naruto wisely backed up to stand beside Hinata as they watched their teammate unleash her anger. Ineffective as it was.
The Yamanaka did this for a good two minutes before her kicks began to slow and their fury lessened. To the withdrawn mimic, the blow were probably akin to a gentle rap on a door. Not wanting to give it the chance to grab the tired kunoichi, Naruto created eight clones. All of them then proceeded to encircle the creature and began to lift up their respective oversized swords, each one glowing with chakra as hard stone began to wrap them into giant clubs. By the time the chest opened, the creature's eyes comically widened as if it realized what was about to occur.
"Kreee?!" the creature swiftly retreated into its chest and a shell of energy shimmered around it as it prepared for the worst.
"Happo Rengeki (Eight Directions Furious Strikes)!" they shouted and proceeded to land blow after blow on the chest. The first blow did nothing to the Mimic, the second either, the third stung lightly, the fourth even more, the fifth one caused discomfort, the six caused greater discomfort, on the seventh it felt pain and on the eighth it could stand the blows no more.
The Mimic was a resilient creature but even then there was only so much damage it could endure before its survival instincts kicked in. Though they weren't the smartest of creatures, mostly driven by instincts, they were smarter than most wild animals. Though rarely did they release their meals they would not hesitate to do so if it meant living to fight another day. The Mimic jumped and suddenly spun, grabbing a hold of two of its attackers.
Upon landing back down, the drooling creature put their legs in its maw and bite down hard! Normally such an act would have dismembered others. Too bad for the Mimic the only thing it tasted was smoke as the action merely caused the clones to disappear. As mentioned before, they were smarter than most animals, but they were still animals.
"Fore!" the remaining clones and original shouted before the Mimic was greeted with a barrage of blows. This time, however; it was unable to prepare a proper defence and crossing its arms to lessen the harm that was to come did very little. Cracks formed on its shell, which began to fall bit by bit to reveal the soft vulnerable flesh beneath.
"Out of the way!"
"Huh?"
"Geki Rekkō (Raging Light Fangs)!"
"WOAH!" Naruto ducked out of the way as the Mimic was being pelted by a hailstorm of electric powered water needles. Each one that landed on the Mimic caused discomfort, with the ones striking its vulnerable fleshing being the worse. While initially pissed for the last minute warning, Naruto was pleased to see the Mimic finally go down for good as it disintegrated into lights.
"Finally," Naruto heard Ino huff and puff, the kunoichi bending over to catch her breath. Hinata by contrast wasn't anywhere near as exhausted but being the group healer she was expected to be out of harms way and conserve her energy unless absolutely necessary.
"Okay, when did you learn that?!"
Naruto wanted to chastise Ino but he wasn't Anko and at the end of the day, the mimic was dead so he let it slide. But he was curious to know when the two came up with a collaboration technique.
"Anko-sensei had me and Ino train our affinities together. It just happened recently," Hinata stammered a reveal.
"Takes...hah...A lot of cha-chakra, though," Ino huffed out.
"Might wanna invest some IPs in your chakra pool if you're gonna use it more often," Naruto advised them and earned a snort from Ino.
"Can't all be... stamina demons," though Ino agreed that a boost in stamina would do her some good.
"Okay, rest up then let's grab the loot, and maybe leave any chests alone for the time being," Naruto rolled his eyes as Ino flipped him off, before she decided to check on the downed mimic's loot. Anko's attitude was really rubbing off on the girl.
"HOLY SHIT!"
Battle ready, Naruto appeared beside Ino but spotted no enemy. "What's wrong?"
"Wrong? Nothing," Ino chuckled as she pointed at the loot the Pirate Chest Mimic had dropped: a scroll, a neat stack of ryo bills, at least fifty-thousand worth - more than what a common enemy dropped! - and a neat ingot of dark silver metal. But it wasn't just any metal; it was chakra metal.
That in itself was worth a pretty ryo. Any metal that was in its purest form was worth a ton of money. Naruto didn't know how much chakra metal was in its most desirable state but guessed it was enough if Ino's ryo filled eyes were anything to go by.
"Dibs!" Ino shouted and greedily grabbed the block of refined metal.
Only to nearly drop it as the weight almost overwhelmed her. Though physically stronger than she used to be, Ino still had a while to go. Chakra metal was very dense and therefore heavy to carry despite its small size. Most ninja that used them were physically strong so wielding them for the most part was akin to holding an ordinary knife and fork.
"You can't just call dibs!" Naruto declared, especially since she caused the encounter in the first, "Besides what about Hinata and me?"
"First off, it's Hinata and I," Ino corrected, her comment made his eye twitch, "Secondly, you already got your super rare chakra metal that will set you up for life. And finally, this is just like shopping. If you call it, you grab it, you get it!"
"Hardly seems fair," Naruto thought. Anko's words about fairness suddenly left the blonde's lips, making him sigh before he divided up the loot, five thousand ryo each. "What are you gonna do with chakra metal anyway? You have a weapon."
"None of your business. You have your secrets, Hinata and I are entitled to our own," was all she was going to say.
"Whatever," he'd be lying if he said he wasn't curious but Ino was a lockbox when it came to secrets. They went in but rarely, if ever, did they come out unless it was for gossip.
"Mina, is it alright if I take the scroll?" Hinata stammered lightly.
"Yeah, go ahead," Naruto didn't bother fighting with her. At least Hinata had the decency to ask first rather than being greedy like Ino.
(Present Time)
"You guys about ready to go?" Naruto inquired.
"I hate how restless you are."
"It's called stamina, baby!" Naruto gloated.
Ino made a mental note to invest in her stamina or a decent stamina improving perk when she could, "Whatever, what's this floor like anyway?"
"It involves a lot of diving and swimming to get from one area to the next," Ino groaned at the reveal. Unless it involved relaxing in a hot spring or cooling off in one of Konoha's lakes, she was not a fan of swimming, "Oh, and there's a bunch of snail like monsters that spit acid, too, so our gears gonna take a beatin' if we're not careful."
Kami damn it all. Could this get worse?
"And there's ravenous fish in the water that travel in groups," Naruto added.
Evidently it could and Ino had only one thing to say to that.
"I hate you."
(Sometime Later Outside the Dungeon)
"Morning, brats, Hatake," Anko greeted the group. The only acknowledgment she received were moans from the Genin and silence from the Jonin.
A whine was Hotto's reply. The small ninken looked depressed for not being able to participate in the dungeon like his partner and pack. While watching over the bridge builder and his family were in the Komainu blood the ninken was used to action too and he was getting antsy for some.
"Stop your whining, Poochie-Gaki. I get enough from these babies," the woman ignored the tired glares she got from Team Seven.
"Speaking of which, where's your team, Anko?" Kakashi asked, gaining the interest of Sasuke and Kiba.
"Out scouting. If all goes well we may be outta here in a few days or so if the intel turns out well," Anko prayed that their luck held out. As it was her team had spent thirty-six hours in the dungeon already with the time difference. The woman silently called up the status of the group and despite their chakra levels levels being down, along with their health points, they were doing all right.
"So, what's the plan for today?" she asked mostly to help get her mind off her team.
"We'll since you've been doing a good job training these three," Kakashi began and his team's eyes widened.
"Hell no!" Anko practically shouted, "Your team, you teach em! For once," she mentally added the last bit.
"But you're so good at it," the man smiled despite the glare she sent him. "Mah, mah, it's fine. I'm up for it," Kakashi chuckled.
Team Seven didn't know how to react to it; all four were torn between relief and worry. Worry because they had no idea what was in store for them, and relief because Anko wouldn't be teaching them anymore. Though they learned a decent amount from her, the woman was bat shit insane. Kakashi's laziness was the lesser of two evils.
"Then I guess me and the pooch we'll be watching the Old Man work," Anko released a dejected sigh at the boredom that was to come. And since the workers weren't really eye candy, or close to her definition of good looking, the woman couldn't even ogle them either.
This was gonna suck.
The only decent thing that had occurred was the tongue lashing Naruto had given the Old Man's grandson, Inari, before he and his teammates left for the dungeon. Anko felt sorry for the kid, she honestly did, but his bitching and moaning and the comment he made had made even her want to lash out at him. The boy's father died in believing what he thought was right and Inari was basically shitting on his legacy for doing nothing but wait around, cry and do nothing to change anything.
The boy had it rough, but Anko knew that others had it much worse. The boy still had his mother and grandfather, some of the Genin, and both Jonin here didn't have anything of those. Naruto had basically set the kid straight by, for lack of better words, to man up or shut up. The kid hadn't been seen since but with the amount of time she spent here, Anko thought it had been long overdue in her mind.
(With Zabuza and Kisame)
"So, that's the bridge, huh?" Kisame commented and could help but admit it looked nice. The man wasn't really one for admiring such structures, the fishman preferred to smash or bring such things down in a manner similar to his colleague Deidara. Though without the lack of being a pansy, explosions, and doing it at a distance and out of harms way. Kisame much preferred getting in close and personal with his trusty sword.
"Yeah," was Zabuza's only reply. The man didn't like the situation he and his group were currently in. He was weary, and with good reason, Kisame hadn't been a part of the Seven Swordsman Strongest generation but only a fool would doubt his power. The man had killed the former wielder of Samehada with a sneak attack but even that was no small feat to achieve when one considered the fact that aach of he Seven Swordsmen were just as equally masters of stealth as they were master swordsmen.
When the other members of the group found out they sought to prove Kisame didn't belong in their group, that he wasn't a real swordsman. Oh, he had the blood-thirst for it, but even then they hadn't accepted the newcomer. It was more or less tradition to do so with the newcomers to see if they had the backbone and balls to be a member of the Seven. Too bad for them the man had simply grinned and proceeded to beat the living shit out of them. The Heartless Pair had been brought to their knees while Zabuza, Mangetsu and Ameyuri had been rendered unconscious.
Jinin, being the oldest member, along with being the stubborn and aggressive idiot he had been, didn't let up even when the outcome was painfully obvious. Kisame had gotten bored and then annoyed and when it had become evident the man wasn't going to stop did an irritated Kisame decide to go wild brutally beat him into a state of near death. The man hadn't wanted to kill a fellow swordsman, at least that's what he claimed, but the man wasn't going to let up and let Jinin try to take his life either and needed to send a clear message. The small man's heroic nature at avenging his fellow swordsman had been his downfall. Their jest had gotten out of hand, their adrenaline pumping, and their blood rushing akin to a river after a storm.
Even though Kisame didn't outright kill Jinin, the injuries the older man suffered from ultimately lead to his death when the Mizukage turned on them. Jinin had been the first to go, his injuries had never healed properly and made him easy pickings. Mangetsu was next, though he had killed a ton of Kiri ninja before getting himself trapped and electrocuted alive by a dozen hunter-nin; his clan's greatest strength being used against him. Ameyuri, last he heard, was MIA but Zabuza had a gut feeling that she too had perished. Zabuza mentally chuckled as he recalled the hellcat kunoichi.
While she wasn't the first female swordsman, she was the first to have taken the title without the death of the former wielder of Kiba. Raiga was strong but couldn't hold a candle to Ameyuri, not one bit. While he hadn't seen it himself, Yagura himself had obliterated the Heartless Pair, the battle barely lasted a minute when the Kage went full Biju on their asses when he liberated them of their weapons. A Bijudama was on a different scale of overkill, if the rumors were anything to go by, and few could escape from its destruction. A well-placed one could effectively annihilate one of the Great Five without effort. Why none had done this before Zabuza didn't know. Part of him also didn't want to know either.
Had he been forced to work with one of his former colleagues he'd be fine. Oh, he'd still be pissed as hell, but fine. Kisame, however; rubbed him the wrong way. The man always seemed to have this look that made him feel like there was some ulterior motive going on. And the worst part was that he'd be unable to do anything about it. Kisame was easily the strongest of the remaining swordsmen, no question about it. His mastery over Samehada was noted as the very best out of all those who wielded it. Mangetsu could use all the swords, even the picky blade that was to his right, but even he didn't have the same level of mastery as Kisame did over the sentient blade.
"So what's the plan, Zabu?" he heard Kisame asked him, if he was honestly asking for his opinion for that matter.
"We assess and look for an opportunity," Zabuza stated. "They've got six Genin and two ninken, plus the two Jonin, plus a summon with em," the man had underestimated the situation last time and nearly died. He wasn't about to make the same mistake twice.
"Really?" Kisame was intrigued, it had been a while since he fought a summon. "What kind?"
"Snakes," Zabuza said and noticed the look in Kisame's eyes shifted.
"Oh, Orochimaru's apprentice, eh? Interesting," the man grinned and unnerved Zabuza even more. The blue swordsman wasn't taking this all that seriously. And why would he? But a summon was still a big deal and nothing to take lightly. His comment also implied that the man knew, or did know, the infamous rogue ninja of Konoha.
"I take it you met?"
Kisame shrugged and answered nonchalantly, "You could say we've crossed paths. Never got the chance to fight him though and test my mettle against his. Shame, really."
Zabuza didn't doubt the man would have lost at worst, and tie at best. Orochimaru was no master swordsman, at least from what he know, but he was said to be close. Regardless of whether it was true or not, it couldn't be disputed that the infamous rogue ninja of Konoha was an experienced Kage level shinobi. The man had been one of the few ninja still alive that had ended the lives of two previous Seven Swordsmen before the current generation came into being. This being before he went against the legendary Hanzo the Salamander. Orochimaru, any of the Sannin really, was not to be taken lightly. His mastery over the legendary Kusanagi no Tsurugi, a sword even the Seven admired for its legendary capabilities, only served enhance his reputation.
The sword wasn't called the Dokusen no Tsurugi (Blade of a Thousand Poisons) or, most infamously if the legend surrounding the sword was true, the Kamishini no Tsurugi (God-Killing Sword), for being an ordinary blade. It was a legendary weapon countless generations of swordsmen, ninja and samurai alike, over thousands of year desired to wield. How Orochimaru managed to get his hands on it remained unknown to many.
"Zabuza-sama," Haku bowed, along with Mezu and Gozu, as the ninja presented themselves, cutting Zabuza from his musing.
"What's the word?" the man asked his group.
"We've looked around and it appears that Hatake-san is training his Genin while Mitarashi-san is watching over the bridge builder with a ninken," the masked ninja reported.
"Where are the other Genin?" he asked upon noticing they were left out.
"No idea, boss. We looked around and found nothing," Gozu shook his head. The man was baffled at where three measly Genin could have disappeared.
"You got some qualified talent here, Zabu," Kisame snorted and watched as the Demon Brothers rose to the bait. Both knew they were outmatched but they were easily ruled by their emotions. Luckily they were also ruled by fear and a quick look from Zabuza made the two stand down.
"Now what?" Kisame asked once more.
"We look for those three Genin, is what," was Zabuza's answer. "We capture them, and the rest will be easy pickings."
"And attacking now when there's only one of them ain't?" Kisame cocked an eyebrow at the flawed logic.
It would be easier and simpler to dispose of the lone ninja and old man while they were alone. Then it was only a matter of waiting for the other ninja to come to them. The swordsman's partner had explained how Konoha shinobi placed a great deal of emphasis on camaraderie, and, at times, their logic became overruled by their emotions. When that happened he'd enact his plan.
"Would you rather have em learn what happen, escape and then have us chased down like dogs when they report back to their village?" it wasn't as though he could stick around if they went into hiding in Nami either.
Zabuza was sick and tired of having to deal with hunter-nin and bounty hunters looking for a score. Most he could handle but too often it had resulted in a failed mission due to their interference. The last thing he wanted was more shinobi going after them. Kisame was an S-Rank ninja and others would think twice about facing him. Zabuza was an A-Rank ninja and there were a few decent ninja out there that could match, even defeat him if they banded together.
"Whatever, this is your show, not mine. The short stack hired me to make sure you get the job done, I'm just the backup plan in case you fuck up again," Kisame stated with a bored tone.
Zabuza, however; doubted it was as simple as the man made it sound. He trusted Kisame as much as he trusted Yagura. Zabuza and his group would have to keep their guard up if they wanted to leave the country alive, "Then we split up and look for em. If we can't find the brats by noon we'll regroup here and attack the bridge then."
The group nodded but Kisame grinned at Zabuza's big mistake. With the group separated his mission just became easier for him.
(With Naruto's Group)
"Pull me up!" Ino shouted as she rose from the water and avoided the snapping jaws of the large fish. Naruto immediately hoisted the girl up from the water with one hand and attacked with the other. The blow struck home and it was killed but the rest of them made a swift retreat before he could do anything else.
"Damn!" he muttered and knew the Adult Voracious Fish would regroup and would attack them as soon as they went back in the water. The group had finally made it to the home stretch but it wasn't exactly easy. On land it was fine even if they had to deal with acid spitting snails. In the water, however, even with their speed being augmented by the Blessings of the Water God, it was still tricky due to lack of experience.
The upside was the Adult Voracious Fish were easy pickings for Ino and Hinata's techniques. Even though her affinity was Lightning, Hinata's control over chakra allowed her to manipulate the water to spear or skewer the underwater fish they faced. Ino on the other hand merely used Suiton techniques to keep the little shits from moving or by manipulating the water to make them crash into the cavern wall.
That was the upside, the downside was the fact that they were often forced to fight whole schools of them and while their individual damage was rather weak, doing so in groups as large as theirs did start to add up after a while and left the three ninja with numerous injuries.
"How much further," Ino huffed and was really pissed with the floor they were on.
"Don't know," Naruto's answer earned himself a loud and frustrated groan from Ino. The blonde Yamanaka really hated their current predicament, "Hey, I know we're in the home stretch but I the map only lets me see areas we've got to. Bitching and moaning isn't help us, Ino."
"We've been at this for nearly a day, now you idiot! How the hell do we know this route won't lead to another dead end like last half dozen times?" Ino shouted.
"We don't!" Naruto scowled at his teammate, getting annoyed by her constant complaining.
He too was pissed and frustrated. Unlike in the beginning of this floor where the Shadow Clones gave them an advantage, this section of it made it difficult for them. The schools of fish they previously faced had been small - both in size and in group - and now they were facing much larger ones and getting popped much more quickly and adding to Naruto's exhaustion levels thanks to their hit and run tactics. Their swimming was superior to the ninja, too, which didn't help. Even a powerful character could be taken down by small hits if it kept adding up.
"Look, I'm just as pissed as you," he ignored her humph, "but like it or not we got no choice but to keep going, Ino."
Said girl did nothing but continue to scowl. She didn't like it; not one little bit, but understood. The girl was just sick and tired of their current floor dungeon. But she was also worried about everyone outside the dungeon. They had been on this floor for almost a day compared to the other floors. Ino didn't know what was happening outside the dungeon but she was worried. The girl had the impression something was gonna happen soon and it wasn't going to be pretty.
"Hinata, how far do we have to go?" Ino asked her fellow kunoichi.
"I don't know, I'd have to talk a look, Ino-chan," Hinata said as she healed herself of her injuries. The girl wasn't all that thrilled in jumping back in but knew they didn't really have that much of a choice. Even then her focus would be broken if she was attacked and they'd be back to square one. "Plan B?"
"Plan B," Naruto nodded to her, making Ino sigh. Naruto jumped in ahead, followed by Hinata, while Ino stayed behind. As soon as they did were they attacked by a school of carnivorous fish. Luckily the Adult Voracious Fish weren't too big, only the size of a piglet, but size mattered little when it came to their numbers.
Already was Naruto bitten and swarmed by the annoying shits. The ninja used two kunai rather than his sword and coated them in his chakra. The boy slashed, stabbed, and kicked as best he could. His kunai were the better choice for underwater combat even with the dungeon's perk but even then hitting them was not that simple, or easy for that matter. Fish in general, were swift little buggers, and grabbing them wasn't that easy as their fins were pretty damn sharp and their scales were slick. But Naruto was persistent and with Hinata's chakra control it wasn't impossible, merely a matter of patience..
Left and right, up and down, Naruto slashed and blocked rows of teeth that threatened to bite him. Hinata using her clan's Gentle Fish, turned her arms into makeshift spears as they lunged and struck at her foes.
For three whole minutes did this continue until their plan worked and they swam upwards to the air-pocket cove above. Naruto, despite wincing, tossed the one in his grasp on land before it could slip free. As it flopped around like a bucking horse, Naruto and Hinata quickly got out of the water and held down the flopping fish while Ino used her clan's technique to take over its body. As Ino's body slumped over, they quickly threw the fish back into the water and watched it swim away. The feeling of taking over the fish's body was easily the oddest sensation Ino had ever known. Unlike the other creatures in the past, this one had no maneuverable limbs such as legs or arms. Breathing underwater was also foreign to her. Even when taking over a body the new senses and instincts still took some getting used to depending on what was taken over.
The possessed dungeon creature swam as far as the Yamanaka could manage. Her chakra wasn't full at the moment and she would need as much of it as possible when they encountered the boss. One of the technique's downsides was that the further she went from her body meant the more chakra she spent maintaining her technique. It was one of the reasons why Yamanaka traveled in pairs as their moving partners allowed them to lengthen the use of the technique. As she swam further down, Ino spotted an opening and swam through. The area was large, wide, and had an opening above that led to the surface.
It was also guarded by an enormous amorphous blob that swam in the water. Its face, it what passed as one was a serious of bright circles that pulsed with light. The pulsing felt so soothing and comforting that before she realized it, Ino had gotten too close to the creature that swallowed the possessed fish whole. The act was swift and stinging sensation she felt as she was being squeezed down the creature's throat, the Yamanaka barely had time to release her hold before she was soon in the belly of the beast.
"Whoa fuck!" Ino jerked and her breathing became erratic and frightening, as though she was being deprived of oxygen before being allowed to breathe. It was easy to see the girl was scared out of her wits end. While they could view the world like a video game so long as they were a part of the team Naruto was the only one that really benefited from the Gamer's Mind Skill.
"What happened?" Naruto asked but Ino continued to shake and the boy cursed. Whatever happened was obviously not something Ino wasn't going to be talking about soon. Whatever she encountered was obviously dangerous.
(Meanwhile)
"Anko, how're things?" Kakashi, followed by his team, asked the woman but received a dramatic groan that resonated with utter boredom. "Nice to see you having fun."
"Go fuck yourself, Hatake!" the woman flipped him off ever so eloquently. The Genin really wondering how such a woman held the rank of Jonin. Then again they also wondered the same about their own mentor, "How are the brats?"
"Doing fine," he smiled and she resisted the urge to hit him. What was it about that eye smile of his that made others swoon, but made her want to sock him one? At least the man was now teaching his own students, not like she gave him a choice.
"I'll bet," she muttered by their slightly ragged appearance that they had gotten a decent workout. "Anyway, the old farts here are almost done for the morning so we can-"
Both Jonin immediately halted their banter and got into battle ready position as a mist began to form on the bridge. Both knew that a natural occurring mist did not form this quickly.
"Everyone off the bridge now!" Kakashi ordered.
"You heard the man! Move your asses!" Anko barked out and the men made a run for it but snagged Tazuna as he tried to run, "Not you, old man! You're the one these assholes are after. Brats, guard him! You too, mutts!"
Tazuna was soon surrounding by three Genin and two ninken. The five guarding the man in a basic but improvised Manji formation with the addition of the ninken. The man could not help but release a cold bead of sweat as the mist grew denser and his visibility diminish considerably.
"Well, well. Here we are again," a voice from the mist drew their attention, and Zabuza chuckled as he appeared from his village's famed cover, "I'll give you tree huggers one last chance only. Hand over the old man and no one has to die. Besides, it looks like one of your brats is shaking with fear."
"I'm shaking, but with excitement," Sasuke countered even if it was a half-truth. He was excited to see how he would fair this time, but even he could not deny the fact either he or his teammates would be capable of fighting at one hundred percent. They had just come off training after all and did not have time to eat anything to replenish their strength.
"You'll be shaking with fear in a moment, kid," another voice called out and to the two Jonins looked out in horror and deep concern they spotted someone they were not expecting. "Surprised?"
"Ah, what the fuck! There's two of you now?" a pissed and worried as hell Anko shouted.
"Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura asked, ignorant as her teammates were to the woman's outburst. The man didn't answer though and choice to bring up his forehead protector to release the Sharingan. Kakashi knew their chances of survival were very low at the moment.
"He's strong," a shaken up Kiba stuttered. His ninken Akamaru along with Hottomaru were both shaking like leaves in the wind. The two ninken could use their sense of smell to determine the strength of their opponents or prey and since both were scared and looked ready to piss themselves it meant this man was powerful and someone they couldn't mess with.
"As soon as you get the chance, I want all six of you to get out of here and hide!" the man ordered them. Against Zabuza they stood a chance, and got lucky last time, against both of these two it was another story. Even with them fleeing there was no guarantee they'd live either. Even then the chances were higher than if they stayed on the bridge.
"Who is that?" Sasuke asked. His shaking now turned into fear rather than excitement. Whoever the man was greatly unnerved the Uchiha. It was similar to when they first encountered Zabuza, but it was much worse in this case.
"Hoshigaki Kisame, formely of the Seven Swordsmen, and S-Rank nuke-nin at your service," the man bowed and the Genin all paled considerably as their minds processed the information. They all knew about the ninja ranking system, one would have to be pretty dumb or ignorant not to. And they all knew that a S-Rank was borderline Kage or an actual Kage level individual.
"Oh, we're so boned," Kiba voiced his opinion, serving to only demoralize the group further. Anko wanted to slap the kid silly but it was the truth really. They were boned.
"So how do you wanna play this out," Anko asked her fellow Jonin.
"I'll handle Kisame. Think you can handle Zabuza?" he asked back.
"Probably not," were her thoughts, but, instead she said, "Bring him on."
Her voice filled with false bravado. Anko would have to bring out all the stops if she was to survive this. She was easily in for the fight of her life. If this was the Kakashi the Anbu captain she'd be less worried. It wouldn't be easy but she been more confident in him watching her back. Life threw a curveball there and so now she was stuck with still very damn skilled but weakened team lead version. But the current set up made sense still. Against Zabuza her chances of winning were low, not impossible but low. Surviving against him was a higher probability. Against Kisame she knew she was fucked. Even weakened, Kakashi was the better ninja to face him.
"Enough talk already!" Kisame shouted and appeared before the two Jonin with his fabled blade held high. Both scattered just as the sword struck the bridge and caused it to buckle underneath the powerful blow. Wanting a challenge, Kisame chased after Kakashi and left Anko to his colleague.
"You and that worm of yours are gonna pay for what you did," the man growled and Anko was slightly unnerved by the threat. Midori; however, made herself known and hissed angrily at the man for being called a lowly worm. Anko scowled at the insult, too. But otherwise, the woman merely took out two kunai and had Midori coat them in her venom. The man soon disappeared into the mist and the only sound she heard was that of Kakashi and Kisame's own fight.
"Eight spots. Larynx, spine, lungs, liver, jugular, subclavian artery, kidneys, heart. Now, which will be my attack points?" he called out from the mist, potent killing intent being released all the while. Anko; however, shook and began to breathe heavily as the seconds rolled by.
"How about heart!" Zabuza suddenly appeared behind her and stabbed his sword through her back and heart. The man's chuckle soon seized as Anko was replaced with a decent slab of stone.
Zabuza; however, sensed a distortion in the mist before a streak of sickly yellow struck out at him. The man jumped away and blocked with his sword as the yellow whip continued to smack against his blade but his eyes widened as he saw the bridge areas begin to sizzle and melt.
"Acid?" he wondered before he realized his own sword had been used to block the technique and promptly made a hasty retreat. The Decapitating Carving Knife was a sturdy weapon but even then it was not indestructible, the acidic technique leaving decent sized gashes down the middle and dulling parts of the edges. Its ability to regenerate and restore its edge and form was highly coveted due to the instantaneous repairs but it required a decent amount of blood needed to fix it if more than half of it was gone. Even with the Jonin and Genin here it would barely be enough if it kept on getting this badly injured.
As he looked at his blade and the damages done to it, Zabuza's mind became clouded with dark thoughts that would make others tremble with fear, "Your gonna pay for that Snake Whore!" he bellowed in anger, the man gaining the faint outline of an oni behind his form.
But all he got in return was a series of kunai laced with exploding tags. Zabuza jumped backwards and blocked the shrapnel with his blade, his anger never once going down but his oppressive aura vanished.
"Please, if you think your little parlor trick will scare me think again, dumbass. I was taught by a sick, twisted motherfucker whose chakra was on a different scale of scary. Your killing intent and chakra don't even come close to his," Anko mocked and served to only make Zabuza angrier. Though the tactic was known for making others lose their focus and become uncoordinated in their attacks the savageness of all also made their blows stronger.
A special skill has been created by a spec-
"Lousy timing!" the snake charmer mentally shouted at the pop-up screen. The woman needed to concentrate at the moment and could not afford any distractions. "Come on, short stuff! Bring it!"
"Short stuff?" the comment only befuddled the swordsman rather than make him angry.
"Well, you have a big ass sword that I assume you're using to compensate… big time," she elaborated.
"Hey! That's my line!" Kisame shouted from the mist.
"I'm gonna fucking kill both of you," the man fumed and rushed with his sword skyward. The large, heavy weapon crashing on the woman's location, who dodged and sent a myriad of snakes towards the man. Zabuza, though, was quick and sliced the head off the snakes with a kunai. The man had no intention of being poisoned by a serpent anytime soon.
"Ninpo: Dokugiri (Ninja Art: Poison Mist)!" Anko spewed forth a cloud of purple that rushed towards the man. The man getting caught in the deadly mist of poisonous air born chemicals and making him caught and gasp desperately. When he could no longer take it Zabuza fell to the floor where his body made a resounding splash.
"Shit! A clone!" she cursed and began to look for any signs of the man.
"Look out!" Midori shouted as a large spinning blade threatened to bifurcate the woman in two suddenly appeared. The Snake Mistress barely had time to duck and roll down as the blade embedded itself on the stone floor. So distracted was she that she did not sense the man's presence as he held a kunai at her throat.
Before he sliced it open, though, did the man feel tell-tale sign of a kunai point on his stomach; A trail of purple appearing on him as he eyed the small but deadly weapon. Zabuza knew there were only two options available: slice her throat quickly enough to avoid being stabbed, or slice her throat and be stabbed and killed by the poison. Oddly enough, the man chose the latter option.
Both shinobi gasped and gurgled before falling to the ground and falling apart; Anko in a puddle of earth, Zabuza into a puddle of water. Both clones had served their purpose, and the fight between the two of them continued.
While Zabuza and Anko fought their battle, Kakashi and Kisame waged their own. The Sharingan wielding man kept his guard up against the superior opponent. The former Anbu captain had faced a few S-Rank ninja during his tenure in the shadows, but most of them had been S-Rank merely due to the crimes they commented or the information they possessed or stole rather than skill. Kisame was all three wrapped in one; he was powerful, possessed a treasured tool of Kiri, and was a criminal.
The man could not afford any mistakes here and risk leaving everyone at the man's mercy. The problem was that Kakashi was severely out of practice at the moment. The lack of seriously dangerous missions over the years when he left the Anbu had dulled his skills and reduced his stamina. His laid back attitude had come to bite him in the ass.
"Gotta say, I'm kinda disappointed, really. When I thought about going face to face against the infamous Sharingan no Kakashi I expected… more. A challenge. An actual challenge for once," Kisame admitted out loud but in his mind the fight was pathetic and sad. Kisame was barely breaking a sweat, though the mist might have been a reason for it, too.
Kakashi didn't rise to the bait like the anger-prone Zabuza. The man knew a trick when he saw one. He had used the same methods countless times before on others in the past, and with Kiba to get the hair triggered Genin to not fall for it, "All right, I'm bored."
All Kakashi heard was a loud sloshing sound before missiles of water in the form of sharks sped towards him. The ferocious looking water animations tore into the ground where he once stood before he was forced to dodge once more as another projectile made its way towards him. And then another, and another, and another.
The parade of sharks did not seem to stop and Kakashi knew the man was toying with him. Like a predator playing with its food. Knowing he couldn't not keep dodge forever, Kakashi blurred through some hand seals and called forth a wall of earth on all sides of him. The water sharks striking home, making it buckle and a few nice dents, but did nothing more than that.
Kisame though took the opportunity to get in close and smashed down the walls of earth with Samehada; the man making the act like a mundane task. The earth fell apart around them as Kisame hacked and slashed at the wall, and the ground near it. But in the midst of it all, Kisame noticed the lack of blood and stopped.
Kisame also noticed the sizzling of paper and jumped away just as the fallen earth exploded. The concussive force was impressive and the improvised shrapnel from the destroyed walls forced Kisame to block with his trusty weapon. "Heh, guess he'll give me a challenge after all."
If anything, Kisame loved a challenge.
(With Team Seven)
"Damn it," Kiba growled as they left the hot zone. Fleeing was not the way of the Inuzuka but even he had to acknowledge they were outmatched and outgunned. The feral boy saw the look on Sasuke's face and could tell even he was upset with their retreat.
Upon the battle commencing, Team Seven followed the Jonin's orders and hightailed it out of the bridge. All of them knew that they would not last long and would only serve to be a hindrance if they faced off against an A-Rank and S-Rank ninja. Though Kiba and Sasuke wished to fight, both knew only a fool or an ignorant moron would face against superior opponents.
The fact that they had just finished training, and weren't exactly at one hundred percent, played a defining factor as well. They'd be lucky to last even a minute against the missing ninja. During their brief time with Anko the woman told them that being a ninja meant playing it smart and choosing one's battles, even if their heart said otherwise.
At the very least they would assure that Tazuna was out of harms way. The man was the target and they would make sure no harm came to him or his family. But they still felt like their contribution wasn't as great as it should be. Kiba and Sasuke wanted to fight.
Their wish was granted, however, as a flurry of ice needles crashed upon the ground in front of them. With their retreat halted, all five members of Konoha got into a battle ready stance. "You won't be going any further," a masked ninja stated before them. "None of you need to die. Zabuza-sama only wishes to have the bridge builder. Hand him over, and you have my word you will leave here alive."
"Hmm, let me think about it. Fuck that!" Kiba had no intention of giving up so easily before a fight even began. Sasuke neither and both males looked itching to prove themselves. Kiba tossed Akamaru a pill that caused the young ninken's fur to be as red as his name before he transformed into an exact duplicate of his human partner. Both transformed ninken and ninja soon gained a more feral looking appearance, hunched over like a predator stalking its prey and their hands becoming more claw-like and wicked.
"Sakura, we'll leave Tazuna to you!" Sasuke was all he said as he and his Inuzuka teammate charged in. Both males weren't at one hundred percent, but there was three of them and only one of him or her.
"Gatsuga (Fang Passing Fang)!" Kiba and Akamaru dual-teamed the ninja with twin drill in order to skewer the ninja. Remarkably the individual managed to avoid the technique with perfect timing and evasive maneuvers.
Sakura was worried. Kiba was one of the fastest Genin in the class, even more so when he used his clan's Four Legs Technique combined with the Passing Fang. For the ninja before them to dodge them so easily meant they were experienced and even faster than the Inuzuka.
"Stand still, damn it!" the frustrated Kiba's shout was reminiscent of a loud growl.
"Suiton: Teppodama (Water Release: Gunshot)!" Haku suddenly declared and used the water below them to compress and shoot off a large glob of water. Normally it was compressed inwardly in the body but experimentation had allowed Haku to do so otherwise. The condensed liquid impacted with the two feral ninja and sent them rolling. Both weren't out for the count, but they were momentarily dazed.
"Hijutsu: Sensatsu Suisho (Secret Technique: Thousand Flying Water Needles of Death)!" Haku suddenly declared, Sakura noting the ninja using only one-handed hand seals. An enormous amount of water took on the form of thin needles before shooting towards Kiba and Akamaru. The Inuzuka Clan heir and his ninken both performed the Gatsuga upwards where the mass of needles wasn't as numerous.
While they evaded what was assuredly a painful death, both had received a few decent cuts in the process. Nothing life threating or anything that take them out of the fight, but Kiba knew they needed to be careful. This was no ordinary ninja. Their fighting style was reminiscent of those of Kiri's Hunter Ninja, who in term was based off of his clan's Alpha Division. An elite task force that was known for having precise attacks and techniques focusedon killing or incapacitating others with as few moves and wasted energy as possible both quickly and quietly. While similar, and impressive, it was evident it wasn't the real deal, otherwise Kiba knew they'd be out for the count already.
"Katon: Gokakyu no Justu (Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique)!" a voice from the mist shouted and a large fireball crashed unto the location of the Kiri ninja. But the masked ninja was very nimble and quick to evade. The technique was fast and lethal, but Haku was quicker. Though even Haku knew it was only a matter of time before the two Konoha ninja found an opening to exploit.
"Gozu, Meizu, where are you two?" Haku could really use the help of the Demon Brothers right about now. The masked ward of the Demon of the Mist could handle the fight, but it was three against one and Haku didn't wish to resort to that move unless given no other option. Zabuza had been furious when the two didn't show up when they were supposed to regroup. Most likely they got into some trouble that was holding them up but even then they couldn't fiddle around waiting for the two brothers.
The masked ninja was going to have to fight solo for the next little while.
(Meanwhile)
"Gaaahhh!"
Thud!
"Ow," that hurt, a lot.
"Duck!"
"Wha-Woah!"
Naruto ducked and then covered his form as rock fell upon him.
Acid covered rocks.
"Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow!"
"Quit your griping and move!" Ino ordered.
"Easy for you to say! You don't have its agro!"
"Just endure!"
"Oh, I'm sorry, next time I'll know better when fighting a freakin' legendary monster!" Ino had no retort. Their foe was indeed a legendary creature of legend said to have gone extinct or vanished in the Era of Warring States.
Densetsu no Genju - Umibōzu (Legendary Phantom Beast - Umibozu) - Level 36
HP: 7,750
CP: 2,400
STR: 240
VIT: 310
END: 96
DEX: 45
INT: 7
WIS: 46
LUK: 15
Physical Resistances: Blunt (85%), Piercing (19%) Slashing: (-27%)
Elemental Resistances: Lightning (-71%), Wind (43%), Fire (35%), Earth (50%)
Condition Resistances: Poisoned, ?
Immunities: Acid, Water
Weaknesses: ?
Perks
Misty Mirage: So long as its shell is intact, the Umibōzu can release a unique genjutsu-based mist across the water's surface, manifesting a colossal, shadowy humanoid silhouette with glowing eyes. Individuals who fall victim to this illusion can become affected by the Umibozu Fear and Umibozu Confusion debuff that results in a 30% decrease in stats and skills until they are snapped out of it.
Spongy Shell: The creature's shell is actually a protective growth that is coated in a thick slimy film that greatly reduces the effects of physical attacks due to its rubber-like and soft to the touch consistency. Physical attacks from blunted sources are greatly reduced and have a 40% chance of bouncing back to the attacker.
Tidal Regeneration: While fully submerged in deep ocean water, the Umibōzu recovers 2% of its maximum HP every 10 seconds. This effect is neutralized if it's struck by a lightning based attack or if the ocean water is hazardous.
Master of the Seas: Due to spending a lifetime in water, attacks made from water-based techniques are rended null against it. The power of water based techniques used by the creature are increased by 69% so long as it's in water.
Acid-Fanged: Physical attacks performed by the creature cause not only blunt forced trauma but also causes an additional Acid damage equal to 30% of the total damage caused. Acid damage caused by the creature also reduces the durability of any equipment that strikes it or is struck by it at an accelerate rated unless protected by certain means.
Description
Umibozu are legendary creatures of incredible size from a bygone age viewed as both deities and harbingers of death for any sailor or costal dwelling individual from ancient humans. Frequently mistaken for a giant, humanoid ghost or water-like creature, in reality, it is an ancient, colossal slug-like summon monster but without any real intelligence. Thought to have been extinct sometime during the Era of Warring States when the ancestors of shinobi first discovered chakra as a means of conquering the seas, this one managed to survive. Umibozi utilize their massive, bioluminescent shell on their back to project terrifying, shadowy optical illusions into the heavy ocean mist, often appearing as a massive giant-like creature known for scaring sailors into abandoning ship or freezing in fear. Fortunately, this one has yet to reach its legendary titanic size as they age incredibly slowly compared to most creatures.
EXP Earned: ?
Drops: ?
The Umibōzu's colossal, amorphous body surged from the water, its shell pulsing with that eerie, hypnotic light. Naruto's skin not covered by his armor was still sizzling from the acidic rocks, gritted his teeth. A flash appeared before him showing his resistance and defences had lowered, "Oh, lovely."
Chakra infused mist thickening around them. A shadowy silhouette of a towering humanoid with burning eyes began to coalesce in the fog, a phantom dredged from sailor's nightmares. But nothing happened. On the plus side, despite its incredible size and strong acid, it was stupid.
"That's the third time it's tried that," Naruto snorted. Thanks to Gamer's Mind, Naruto was immune to the illusionary effects and with Ino and Hinata having Gamer's Teammate they too were protected from it. As a result, it gave them a serious advantage.
"Naruto-kun! Its chakra network is… strange. There's a very dense core in its shell!"
"A weakness?" Ino asked, dodging a spray of aside by running up the walls. It looked easy but said walls were inconsistent as they went from dry to slick in some places.
"I-I believe so?"
"Believe or not, not like we got much going right now anyway. We need something to pierce it...Like those!" Naruto pointed upwards and his teammates looked up to the cave ceiling and saw them: stalactites.
"Great. But whose going...oh, no!"
"You're the most acrobatic!" Naruto said and prepared himself with Kongoriki (Adamant Strength) and angled Chichizouge so it could be used as a launch board.
"I want a second opinion! Eek!" Ino yelped as acid splashed near her.
"Just do it before it melts us!" Ino groaned at the order but did as she was commanded.
"I hate this. And if this ends up with you killing me-"
"Have a nice flight!"
"YOU ASSSAAAAAHHHHH!"
Thud!
Ino clung to the slick, dripping stalactite, her fingers digging into the slippering rock as her heart hammered against her ribs. The impact had rattled her teeth and sent a sharp jolt of pain through her shoulder, "I'm gonna kill him when this is over," Ino promised.
Shaking off the dizziness, Ino began to pull a wad of explosive tags from her pouch, her fingers moving with practiced speed despite their trembling. The tags were standard issue, more than strong enough to shattering rock without turning the cavern into an avalanche of stone that threatened to crush and skewer them all into paste or pincushions. Or so she hoped.
Below, Naruto was putting his next plan into action, "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" a dozen clones erupted around him in puffs of smoke, circling the massive slug-like being as best they could. More than a few were crushed or melted - and Naruto was thankful they just puffed instead of exposing flesh and bone like a horror manga. The creature, annoyed, let out a deep, gurgling roar that vibrated through the very stone. Its shell pulsed brighter, and it thrashed, sending great waves of water crashing against the cavern walls.
"Katon: Inka Hyakki no Jutsu! (Fire Release: Shadow Fire of One Hundred Demons Technique)!" Naruto and his clones roared in unison.
A searing hail of demonic-looking flames streaked towards the Umibōzu. They impacted its spongy, wet hide with furious sizzles, boiling off water and scorching the slimy surface, filling the air with the stench of burnt skin. The beast flinched, a shudder running through its colossal form, but the attacks were superficial. The water surrounding it stole most of the heat, and its natural resistances shrugged off the rest. It was like trying to melt a glacier with a match. It wasn't hurt, or at the very least it was barely hurt.
But it was pissed if its body pulsing an angry red was any indication.
"Damn it," Naruto cursed, leaping back as it shot a jet of acid and spun around, the liquid biting into the rock wall and clones alike in a deadly pirouette.
Naruto had hoped that the heat from so many fireballs would have made the water too uncomfortable for it to point it was pretty much sitting a giant boiling pot, but it wasn't enough, apparently. He certainly had the power necessary, but there was only so much certain techniques could do.
Hinata, meanwhile, with her Byakugan active tracked the monster's dense chakra core: a brilliant, compact knot of energy buried deep within the pulsating shell. She rushed across the water's surface when a smaller, probing tendril of water the slug shot towards her, she didn't dodge. Instead, she pivoted, her hands arcing with lightning as she struck the watery limb with a series of precise, chakra-disrupting jabs.
The tendril collapsed and Hinata concentrated as much as she could to empower her lightning enhanced strikes to the best of capabilities. The blows she landed sent shivers and in certain areas a well precise strike made it twitch as though it were having a muscle spasm.
Unfortunately, nothing she did came close to reaching the core buried under layers of resilient, regenerative flesh and that maddeningly rubbery shell. What was worse was that Hinata knew she had the control and precision necessary to target the blasted thing, but lacked the necessary power and a technique strong enough to get the job done.
"Hinata! Any luck!" Naruto yelled, ducking under a spray of acid that struck the cavern wall, the stone sizzled angrily
"The core is stationary, Naruto-kun! But I can't breach its defences!" Hinata reported, her voice strained but clear.
"Crap!"
High above, Ino slapped the last of the explosive tags in a ring around the thickest part of the stalactite cluster. An Anko like smile touching her lips and dark chuckle that bounced off the walls and made everyone below shudder. She poured her chakra into the tags, and then pushed off from the ceiling.
"Fire in the hole!" she screamed, not out of tactics, but pure, vindictive glee.
The explosion was deep and powerful that under normal circumstances would have left them temporarily deaf. But none cared about that as the massive stone spears shattered at their base and countless razor-sharp rocks broke free and plunged downward in a deadly rain onto the Umibōzu's pulsating, bioluminescent back. The slug sensed the danger at the last second. It tried to submerge, but it was too slow to react as the rocks pierced its form with a sickening wet ripping sound that left little to the imagination. The largest, central stalactite, a spear as thick as a man, stubbornly refused to fall.
Even then, the countless amounts of stone that pierced it was enough to cause the creature to let out a deafening, watery shriek of agony that made the water itself vibrate.
Umibōzu's 'Spongy Shell' perk has been critically damaged!
Effectiveness reduced by 60%! Physical Resistance: Blunt lowered to 25%!
"YES!" Naruto whooped. But their victory was short-lived. Enraged and wounded, the Umibōzu's body began to convulse. Its massive body rippled, and with a sickening, wet tearing sound, its form split. From the main mass, seven smaller, large bear-sized slugs plopped into the water and cavern walls, each one identical to its 'parent', "Oh, come on!"
Naruto hated phase two bosses. Especially when they began spitting a barrage of rapid-fire globs of concentrated acid, the size of kunai. Worse yet, they were faster than it's large form and Naruto's clones began to pop in rapid succession, vanishing in clouds of smoke as they were struck, each pop sending a feedback jolt of disorientation to the original.
"Scatter!" Naruto commanded, his mind racing.
The smaller ones were weaker, but they were creating a devastating area denial effect. He and Hinata were forced into constant, frantic evasion, leaping from rock to rock as the stone itself was eaten away beneath them.
Naruto was cursing himself for not learning that technique that let him travel in rock or earth like a fish. Low ranking, sure, but it would have enabled him to get in close and land a few good blows and rinse and repeat the process until this annoying shits were dead.
"Little help!" Ino asked from the pool of water she fell in.
Her comment caught the attention of the slugs that were now intently staring at her.
"Uh-oh."
(On the Bridge)
"Not so cocky now are ya, Snake Bitch!" Zabuza laughed and Anko scowled. The woman was covered in sweat, tired, and had a few bad scrapes and cuts on her person. Zabuza had a few as well but nowhere as badly, he venom on the blades not affecting him thanks to Haku's antitode. Midori was out for the count at the moment when the man had suddenly changed tactics and went after the Genin and Tazuna. Midori had gone after him and though quicker than the man her size had been used against her. A trap had been set up and both Midori and Anko fell for it.
The man had tossed the Kubikiribocho like an oversized fuma shuriken and had given the serpent a few nasty wounds as a result. To make matters worse she soon received the full brunt from a Great Waterfall Technique to the head. It was evident the man had prepared and with the condition she was in, Midori was out for the count. From then on, it all went to shit. Zabuza had more experience and was part of an elite squad since he was a teenager, which meant more techniques, more strategies, more of everything that Anko currently lacked. As of now it was evident the man was toying with her as an act of revenge for last time.
Her thoughts on what to do next were pushed aside as she felt the air grow colder than any mist could bring forth. Anko's breath was visible in the air and the woman could see a few snowflakes of all things falling down from the sky.
"Hmm, looks like Haku's using one of Yuki Clan's aces in the hole," the man didn't say it but he was impressed they pushed his ward this far to use the Yuki Clan's Makyo Hyoso(Demonic Ice Crystal Mirrors) of all things. "Now it's only a matter of minutes before they die. No one's ever escaped that technique. No one," it was a lie really but the woman before him didn't need to know that.
Anko bit back a retort, no matter how much she wanted to let her anger loose, "God damn it, Anko, you're not going out like a chump. You were taught by one of the most gifted assholes Konoha ever had for kami's sake!"
The last thought made her fall short and Anko had a horrible idea that might just work. Calling up her inventory screen, Anko grabbed something, uncorked it and downed the vile contents of the liquid and then tossed the empty vial into off the side of the bridge.
Zabuza frowned as the act of pulling something out from seemingly nowhere. It was then that he felt it. A surge of power that was bubbling to the surface and growing viler and stronger as time passed by, "The hell?" Zabuza thought.
His eyes widened as he saw dark, pulsing marks spread across her body in a flame-like pattern. The woman's eyes took on a serpentine shade of yellow and developed slits in them. Her hands became claw-like in a manner similar to an Inuzuka's, her muscles pulsed, her canines slightly more pronounced and her tongue developed a fork in it. His immediate thought was that she was becoming a humanoid serpent but more accurately she was a human with serpent-like characteristics. "What's going on?"
Anko didn't bother to answer the man. Instead, she appeared before Zabuza in a burst of speed and slashed at the man with her claws. Zabuza was unprepared for the newfound speed and cried out as he felt the deep marks rip into him. The man was also unprepared when he felt the blow to his face that temporarily blackened his vision and send him tumbling away. "What the fuck's going on?! Where's she getting this power from?!"
The look of confusion and daze Anko saw made her grin as she felt the intoxicating power flow freely through her veins. It was as though shackles that held her down had been lifted after a very long time. All of it being thanks to the concoction Naruto had stolen from Mizuki and given to her for private observation. And now, thanks to it all, her strength was increased.
No. Not back, the potential and strength she should have had before the seal was placed on her was back. Even then she knew the seal was playing its role and enhancing her skills even more so. She swore she'd never us it, to never rely on the curse given to her master. But plans and times changed.
A special skill has been created by a special act!
Sealed Cursed Seal of Heaven has been unlocked!
Cursed Seal of Heaven Level One Skill has been created!
Ignoring the pop-up, Anko looked at Zabuza and said, "Remind me, what was it the little demon called me?" the woman mocked, her serpentine tongue licking at the blood in her hands, and for the second time this week since he met Kisame, Zabuza felt fear. The man was about to learn a very important lesson.
Don't fuck with Mitarashi Anko!
Ever!
Naruto grinned and Ino felt her eyes twitching.
"Don't say it."
"I levelled up. Again."
"Grrr!" cheeky lucky shit.
Ino wanted nothing more than to get rid of her fellow blond's smug grin. How many times was that now? Fourth? Fifth? Sixth, maybe? She didn't want to look at his status window, it would only serve to annoy her, especially since she and Hinata had only levelled up three times even with their enhanced perks and titles along with their lower level up thresholds. Thanks to Naruto's titles and perks and the benefits of the dungeon - and that damn XP Multiplier item he used! - he had levelled up like crazy in the first day by comparison.
The first layer had been crawling with pirate skeletons - to no ones surprise given what they knew about it - and thanks to his abuse of the Shadow Clone Technique, he made certain every nook and cranny on the first layer had been wiped clean of undead. It was no wonder why his level ups were significantly more frequent. Sadly, the loot had been rather mediocre but Naruto had claimed that the rapid level ups had been worth the trade off.
Ino sighed as the group rested. Well, she and Hinata were resting. Naruto was using his Shadow Clones and keeping a look out. Damn stamina freak! That said, it was convenient. Using his Shadow Clones allowed them to rest and fight at the same time. Though Naruto knew better now than to abuse the technique. Aside from the warning he'd been told before, apparently any fatigue that a Shadow Clone experienced got transferred to him. It was minimal but with the amount of clones Naruto could make the fatigue he'd accumulate would easily multiply like crazy if he wasn't careful.
It was one of the reasons why the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique variant was considered a forbidden technique. If not careful, too much chakra was used and the user was left with too little to survive and if that didn't finish them off, the mental and fatigue backlash might. And though she didn't say it out loud, Ino was worried that the group's knuckle-headed idiot would end up pushing himself too far one day. Naruto admitted he didn't know the full extent of the Gamer ability, so it was unknown whether it would protect him or not from the mental backlash.
Not wanting to think on the matter any longer, Ino brought up the clock function she gained from the Gamer's Teammate ability. The clock showed her that they had been in this dungeon for three days now. Which, thanks to the recent upgrade to Naruto's dungeon manipulation ability, one hour outside was now four hours in a natural dungeon and eight in a instant dungeon. The clock showed what real time was outside the dungeon and not even a day outside had passed. Which was good as this dungeon was huge, easily the biggest she and Hinata had been experienced to date. And it was crawling with enemies.
Each layer had different ones. The first had undead. The second had great fat kappas who disguised themselves as moss covered rocks and stood very still or hid in bodies of water and liked to perform sneak attacks where they tried to crush them with their large bellies or attempted to swallow them whole. Ino shuddered at that last unpleasant memory. One had gotten Naruto but a quick use of Shadow Clones caused it to burst open like an overstuffed water balloon.
It didn't help that from time to time they had been forced to travel and fight underwater to move forward. Thankfully the Blessings of the Water God the dungeon blessed them with made breathing and swimming easier, and made Ino's Suiton better, too. But those damned duck-billed yokai still had the advantage underwater despite their rotund figures and Suiton techniques were weak against them compared to Hinata's Raiton and ironically Naruto's Katon techniques. Apparently they were amphibious and needed to keep their skin moist or become severally lethargic and vulnerable.
The last dungeon floor they fought in they had to deal with what Naruto called mimics, crustacean-like creatures that could camouflage or take on the appearance of the environment: rocks, stalactite, stalagmites and in one instance a treasure chest. The latter hadn't been a pleasant experience for Ino.
(Nearly Five Hours Ago)
An audible sigh escaped Naruto's lips as the rocks that covered Chichizouge fell and went from a large solid club to a large bone white sword. Mimics were tricky little shits. Their resistances to physical attacks were quite high, less so for blunt weapons, and while they lacked high attack power and speed they attacked in groups the moment one had prey in their grasp.
But that wasn't the problem. Their damn Perfect Mimicry perk allowed them to blend in with their environment and sensory techniques and even the Byakugan couldn't tell them apart from the actual environment while they were stationnary. Hottomaru with his sense of smell might have been able to discern them but he was with Anko-sensei and the rest so they couldn't taste that theory. Either way, being caught off guard and constantly being on guard was starting to take a toll on them mentally. Anko stressed being on guard all time on a mission, sure, but this particular dungeon really sent the message home.
"Naruto-kun. Are, are you alright?" Hinata asked.
"Will be once we're done with this floor," Naruto admitted to her.
As much as he liked levelling up, the mental stress of dealing with near constant and unexpected attacks for hours on end was starting to get very old and tiresome. If the loot mimics dropped were decent it could have potentially been tolerable. Emphasis on potentially, but the damn things dropped useless random crap instead of fixed items like most enemies. It didn't help that most drops from enemies so far wasn't the best either.
The skeletons from the first floor dropped some cash but whenever they dropped equipment it wasn't worth taking and pretty much junk. The kappas at least dropped fronds that when distilled could be used as potions that increased resistance to water ninjutsu and the moss they dropped helped eliminate the Burning debuff. But only Hinata had the skillset and specialization to do that.
All in all, the haul was quite unimpressive, to say the least.
"Treasure!"
"Treasure?" sure, this was ancient pirate's den but why would treasure be...Oh, crap! Naruto was instantly alert, "Ino! Wait-"
"Kraahhhh!"
"GET THIS FUCKING THING OFF ME!"
"Called it," Naruto deadpanned. Mimics disguised as treasure chests was one of the biggest fantasy tropes.
"Kraahhhh!" the chest monster snarled some more as it used its large pincer like arms to bring her closer towards the chest. Ino struggled but the creature was tougher than the rest of its kind and with her legs firmly in its grasp she couldn't retaliate properly. Ino's feet were almost inside the chest it used as its shell before a harsh 'thud' forced it closed.
"Krrarargggh!" the creature buckled and shook to free itself. The tip of its pincers had been at the edge of the chest when it was closed so Ino was now free and- Oh, boy! Angry blond female! Run away!
"Die!"
The mimic was subjected to a barrage of furious kicks that caused the space they occupied to echo from the loud thud, thud, thud of her quick blows. Unfortunately, while swift with her legs, Ino wasn't physically strong and with the mimic's inherit hardness the blow were basically love taps.
But not once did it let go of Ino. Mimics rarely ever did let go of their prey once they grabbed a hold on them. There were few times they ever did, two of them were when their captive was dead or the Mimic was itself was dead. Even when unconscious it would take monstrous strength to get a Mimic to relinquish their grip.
"Observe!"
Pirate Chest Mimic– Lv. 27
HP: 3000
CP: 1100
STR: 86
VIT: 100
END: 44
DEX: 39
INT: 6
WIS: 5
LUK: 31
Physical Resistances: Blunt (-25%), Piercing (83%), Slashing (81%)
Elemental Resistances: Water (50%), Lightning (-50%), Wind (31%), Fire (37%), Earth (0%)
Condition Resistances: ?
Perks:
Master of Disguise: Undetectable via common sensory or detection techniques, can imitate virtually any object of its size, +50% Effectiveness and Efficiency towards [Sneak Attacks], +25% increase towards [Critical Strikes] (while hidden), +30% towards [Grappling Techniques]
Ravenous: Capable of recovering health by consuming bodies of beasts, living, or undead, +30% increase towards STR, VIT, +25% increase towards when HP is below 40%
Natural Reinforcement: +500 HP, +80% Tolerance towards [Bukijutsu] (piercing and slashing), -25% tolerance towards Blunt Weapons,
Environment Adaptability: Whichever environment the mimic is in it gains 75% towards certain elemental resistances and -75% towards its opposing nature
Description: Mimics are easily one of the most dangerous of monsters due to its ability to blend in and disguise itself into virtually any object of its size. Usually, it takes on the appearance of an object that creatures or people will approach without thought or gain their interest. The mimic can lay dormant for months at a time in a hibernation-like state, even in the oddest of places, and is virtually harmless. Once touched, however; mimics will enter into a ravenous frenzy and seek to feed and consume whoever grabbed it and those nearby. Its body secretes an invisible but powerful adhesive film that it uses to piece objects to it in order to disguise itself, which can also be used to help keep hold of its prey.
EXP Earned: ? EXP
Drops: ?, ?, ?
"Ino," Naruto tried to get the Yamanaka to stop but the angry blond girl wasn't having it.
"Die, die, die, die, die!"
"..." Naruto wisely backed up to stand beside Hinata as they watched their teammate unleash her anger. Ineffective as it was.
The Yamanaka did this for a good two minutes before her kicks began to slow and their fury lessened. To the withdrawn mimic, the blow were probably akin to a gentle rap on a door. Not wanting to give it the chance to grab the tired kunoichi, Naruto created eight clones. All of them then proceeded to encircle the creature and began to lift up their respective oversized swords, each one glowing with chakra as hard stone began to wrap them into giant clubs. By the time the chest opened, the creature's eyes comically widened as if it realized what was about to occur.
"Kreee?!" the creature swiftly retreated into its chest and a shell of energy shimmered around it as it prepared for the worst.
"Happo Rengeki (Eight Directions Furious Strikes)!" they shouted and proceeded to land blow after blow on the chest. The first blow did nothing to the Mimic, the second either, the third stung lightly, the fourth even more, the fifth one caused discomfort, the six caused greater discomfort, on the seventh it felt pain and on the eighth it could stand the blows no more.
The Mimic was a resilient creature but even then there was only so much damage it could endure before its survival instincts kicked in. Though they weren't the smartest of creatures, mostly driven by instincts, they were smarter than most wild animals. Though rarely did they release their meals they would not hesitate to do so if it meant living to fight another day. The Mimic jumped and suddenly spun, grabbing a hold of two of its attackers.
Upon landing back down, the drooling creature put their legs in its maw and bite down hard! Normally such an act would have dismembered others. Too bad for the Mimic the only thing it tasted was smoke as the action merely caused the clones to disappear. As mentioned before, they were smarter than most animals, but they were still animals.
"Fore!" the remaining clones and original shouted before the Mimic was greeted with a barrage of blows. This time, however; it was unable to prepare a proper defence and crossing its arms to lessen the harm that was to come did very little. Cracks formed on its shell, which began to fall bit by bit to reveal the soft vulnerable flesh beneath.
"Out of the way!"
"Huh?"
"Geki Rekkō (Raging Light Fangs)!"
"WOAH!" Naruto ducked out of the way as the Mimic was being pelted by a hailstorm of electric powered water needles. Each one that landed on the Mimic caused discomfort, with the ones striking its vulnerable fleshing being the worse. While initially pissed for the last minute warning, Naruto was pleased to see the Mimic finally go down for good as it disintegrated into lights.
"Finally," Naruto heard Ino huff and puff, the kunoichi bending over to catch her breath. Hinata by contrast wasn't anywhere near as exhausted but being the group healer she was expected to be out of harms way and conserve her energy unless absolutely necessary.
"Okay, when did you learn that?!"
Naruto wanted to chastise Ino but he wasn't Anko and at the end of the day, the mimic was dead so he let it slide. But he was curious to know when the two came up with a collaboration technique.
"Anko-sensei had me and Ino train our affinities together. It just happened recently," Hinata stammered a reveal.
"Takes...hah...A lot of cha-chakra, though," Ino huffed out.
"Might wanna invest some IPs in your chakra pool if you're gonna use it more often," Naruto advised them and earned a snort from Ino.
"Can't all be... stamina demons," though Ino agreed that a boost in stamina would do her some good.
"Okay, rest up then let's grab the loot, and maybe leave any chests alone for the time being," Naruto rolled his eyes as Ino flipped him off, before she decided to check on the downed mimic's loot. Anko's attitude was really rubbing off on the girl.
"HOLY SHIT!"
Battle ready, Naruto appeared beside Ino but spotted no enemy. "What's wrong?"
"Wrong? Nothing," Ino chuckled as she pointed at the loot the Pirate Chest Mimic had dropped: a scroll, a neat stack of ryo bills, at least fifty-thousand worth - more than what a common enemy dropped! - and a neat ingot of dark silver metal. But it wasn't just any metal; it was chakra metal.
That in itself was worth a pretty ryo. Any metal that was in its purest form was worth a ton of money. Naruto didn't know how much chakra metal was in its most desirable state but guessed it was enough if Ino's ryo filled eyes were anything to go by.
"Dibs!" Ino shouted and greedily grabbed the block of refined metal.
Only to nearly drop it as the weight almost overwhelmed her. Though physically stronger than she used to be, Ino still had a while to go. Chakra metal was very dense and therefore heavy to carry despite its small size. Most ninja that used them were physically strong so wielding them for the most part was akin to holding an ordinary knife and fork.
"You can't just call dibs!" Naruto declared, especially since she caused the encounter in the first, "Besides what about Hinata and me?"
"First off, it's Hinata and I," Ino corrected, her comment made his eye twitch, "Secondly, you already got your super rare chakra metal that will set you up for life. And finally, this is just like shopping. If you call it, you grab it, you get it!"
"Hardly seems fair," Naruto thought. Anko's words about fairness suddenly left the blonde's lips, making him sigh before he divided up the loot, five thousand ryo each. "What are you gonna do with chakra metal anyway? You have a weapon."
"None of your business. You have your secrets, Hinata and I are entitled to our own," was all she was going to say.
"Whatever," he'd be lying if he said he wasn't curious but Ino was a lockbox when it came to secrets. They went in but rarely, if ever, did they come out unless it was for gossip.
"Mina, is it alright if I take the scroll?" Hinata stammered lightly.
"Yeah, go ahead," Naruto didn't bother fighting with her. At least Hinata had the decency to ask first rather than being greedy like Ino.
(Present Time)
"You guys about ready to go?" Naruto inquired.
"I hate how restless you are."
"It's called stamina, baby!" Naruto gloated.
Ino made a mental note to invest in her stamina or a decent stamina improving perk when she could, "Whatever, what's this floor like anyway?"
"It involves a lot of diving and swimming to get from one area to the next," Ino groaned at the reveal. Unless it involved relaxing in a hot spring or cooling off in one of Konoha's lakes, she was not a fan of swimming, "Oh, and there's a bunch of snail like monsters that spit acid, too, so our gears gonna take a beatin' if we're not careful."
Kami damn it all. Could this get worse?
"And there's ravenous fish in the water that travel in groups," Naruto added.
Evidently it could and Ino had only one thing to say to that.
"I hate you."
(Sometime Later Outside the Dungeon)
"Morning, brats, Hatake," Anko greeted the group. The only acknowledgment she received were moans from the Genin and silence from the Jonin.
A whine was Hotto's reply. The small ninken looked depressed for not being able to participate in the dungeon like his partner and pack. While watching over the bridge builder and his family were in the Komainu blood the ninken was used to action too and he was getting antsy for some.
"Stop your whining, Poochie-Gaki. I get enough from these babies," the woman ignored the tired glares she got from Team Seven.
"Speaking of which, where's your team, Anko?" Kakashi asked, gaining the interest of Sasuke and Kiba.
"Out scouting. If all goes well we may be outta here in a few days or so if the intel turns out well," Anko prayed that their luck held out. As it was her team had spent thirty-six hours in the dungeon already with the time difference. The woman silently called up the status of the group and despite their chakra levels levels being down, along with their health points, they were doing all right.
"So, what's the plan for today?" she asked mostly to help get her mind off her team.
"We'll since you've been doing a good job training these three," Kakashi began and his team's eyes widened.
"Hell no!" Anko practically shouted, "Your team, you teach em! For once," she mentally added the last bit.
"But you're so good at it," the man smiled despite the glare she sent him. "Mah, mah, it's fine. I'm up for it," Kakashi chuckled.
Team Seven didn't know how to react to it; all four were torn between relief and worry. Worry because they had no idea what was in store for them, and relief because Anko wouldn't be teaching them anymore. Though they learned a decent amount from her, the woman was bat shit insane. Kakashi's laziness was the lesser of two evils.
"Then I guess me and the pooch we'll be watching the Old Man work," Anko released a dejected sigh at the boredom that was to come. And since the workers weren't really eye candy, or close to her definition of good looking, the woman couldn't even ogle them either.
This was gonna suck.
The only decent thing that had occurred was the tongue lashing Naruto had given the Old Man's grandson, Inari, before he and his teammates left for the dungeon. Anko felt sorry for the kid, she honestly did, but his bitching and moaning and the comment he made had made even her want to lash out at him. The boy's father died in believing what he thought was right and Inari was basically shitting on his legacy for doing nothing but wait around, cry and do nothing to change anything.
The boy had it rough, but Anko knew that others had it much worse. The boy still had his mother and grandfather, some of the Genin, and both Jonin here didn't have anything of those. Naruto had basically set the kid straight by, for lack of better words, to man up or shut up. The kid hadn't been seen since but with the amount of time she spent here, Anko thought it had been long overdue in her mind.
(With Zabuza and Kisame)
"So, that's the bridge, huh?" Kisame commented and could help but admit it looked nice. The man wasn't really one for admiring such structures, the fishman preferred to smash or bring such things down in a manner similar to his colleague Deidara. Though without the lack of being a pansy, explosions, and doing it at a distance and out of harms way. Kisame much preferred getting in close and personal with his trusty sword.
"Yeah," was Zabuza's only reply. The man didn't like the situation he and his group were currently in. He was weary, and with good reason, Kisame hadn't been a part of the Seven Swordsman Strongest generation but only a fool would doubt his power. The man had killed the former wielder of Samehada with a sneak attack but even that was no small feat to achieve when one considered the fact that aach of he Seven Swordsmen were just as equally masters of stealth as they were master swordsmen.
When the other members of the group found out they sought to prove Kisame didn't belong in their group, that he wasn't a real swordsman. Oh, he had the blood-thirst for it, but even then they hadn't accepted the newcomer. It was more or less tradition to do so with the newcomers to see if they had the backbone and balls to be a member of the Seven. Too bad for them the man had simply grinned and proceeded to beat the living shit out of them. The Heartless Pair had been brought to their knees while Zabuza, Mangetsu and Ameyuri had been rendered unconscious.
Jinin, being the oldest member, along with being the stubborn and aggressive idiot he had been, didn't let up even when the outcome was painfully obvious. Kisame had gotten bored and then annoyed and when it had become evident the man wasn't going to stop did an irritated Kisame decide to go wild brutally beat him into a state of near death. The man hadn't wanted to kill a fellow swordsman, at least that's what he claimed, but the man wasn't going to let up and let Jinin try to take his life either and needed to send a clear message. The small man's heroic nature at avenging his fellow swordsman had been his downfall. Their jest had gotten out of hand, their adrenaline pumping, and their blood rushing akin to a river after a storm.
Even though Kisame didn't outright kill Jinin, the injuries the older man suffered from ultimately lead to his death when the Mizukage turned on them. Jinin had been the first to go, his injuries had never healed properly and made him easy pickings. Mangetsu was next, though he had killed a ton of Kiri ninja before getting himself trapped and electrocuted alive by a dozen hunter-nin; his clan's greatest strength being used against him. Ameyuri, last he heard, was MIA but Zabuza had a gut feeling that she too had perished. Zabuza mentally chuckled as he recalled the hellcat kunoichi.
While she wasn't the first female swordsman, she was the first to have taken the title without the death of the former wielder of Kiba. Raiga was strong but couldn't hold a candle to Ameyuri, not one bit. While he hadn't seen it himself, Yagura himself had obliterated the Heartless Pair, the battle barely lasted a minute when the Kage went full Biju on their asses when he liberated them of their weapons. A Bijudama was on a different scale of overkill, if the rumors were anything to go by, and few could escape from its destruction. A well-placed one could effectively annihilate one of the Great Five without effort. Why none had done this before Zabuza didn't know. Part of him also didn't want to know either.
Had he been forced to work with one of his former colleagues he'd be fine. Oh, he'd still be pissed as hell, but fine. Kisame, however; rubbed him the wrong way. The man always seemed to have this look that made him feel like there was some ulterior motive going on. And the worst part was that he'd be unable to do anything about it. Kisame was easily the strongest of the remaining swordsmen, no question about it. His mastery over Samehada was noted as the very best out of all those who wielded it. Mangetsu could use all the swords, even the picky blade that was to his right, but even he didn't have the same level of mastery as Kisame did over the sentient blade.
"So what's the plan, Zabu?" he heard Kisame asked him, if he was honestly asking for his opinion for that matter.
"We assess and look for an opportunity," Zabuza stated. "They've got six Genin and two ninken, plus the two Jonin, plus a summon with em," the man had underestimated the situation last time and nearly died. He wasn't about to make the same mistake twice.
"Really?" Kisame was intrigued, it had been a while since he fought a summon. "What kind?"
"Snakes," Zabuza said and noticed the look in Kisame's eyes shifted.
"Oh, Orochimaru's apprentice, eh? Interesting," the man grinned and unnerved Zabuza even more. The blue swordsman wasn't taking this all that seriously. And why would he? But a summon was still a big deal and nothing to take lightly. His comment also implied that the man knew, or did know, the infamous rogue ninja of Konoha.
"I take it you met?"
Kisame shrugged and answered nonchalantly, "You could say we've crossed paths. Never got the chance to fight him though and test my mettle against his. Shame, really."
Zabuza didn't doubt the man would have lost at worst, and tie at best. Orochimaru was no master swordsman, at least from what he know, but he was said to be close. Regardless of whether it was true or not, it couldn't be disputed that the infamous rogue ninja of Konoha was an experienced Kage level shinobi. The man had been one of the few ninja still alive that had ended the lives of two previous Seven Swordsmen before the current generation came into being. This being before he went against the legendary Hanzo the Salamander. Orochimaru, any of the Sannin really, was not to be taken lightly. His mastery over the legendary Kusanagi no Tsurugi, a sword even the Seven admired for its legendary capabilities, only served enhance his reputation.
The sword wasn't called the Dokusen no Tsurugi (Blade of a Thousand Poisons) or, most infamously if the legend surrounding the sword was true, the Kamishini no Tsurugi (God-Killing Sword), for being an ordinary blade. It was a legendary weapon countless generations of swordsmen, ninja and samurai alike, over thousands of year desired to wield. How Orochimaru managed to get his hands on it remained unknown to many.
"Zabuza-sama," Haku bowed, along with Mezu and Gozu, as the ninja presented themselves, cutting Zabuza from his musing.
"What's the word?" the man asked his group.
"We've looked around and it appears that Hatake-san is training his Genin while Mitarashi-san is watching over the bridge builder with a ninken," the masked ninja reported.
"Where are the other Genin?" he asked upon noticing they were left out.
"No idea, boss. We looked around and found nothing," Gozu shook his head. The man was baffled at where three measly Genin could have disappeared.
"You got some qualified talent here, Zabu," Kisame snorted and watched as the Demon Brothers rose to the bait. Both knew they were outmatched but they were easily ruled by their emotions. Luckily they were also ruled by fear and a quick look from Zabuza made the two stand down.
"Now what?" Kisame asked once more.
"We look for those three Genin, is what," was Zabuza's answer. "We capture them, and the rest will be easy pickings."
"And attacking now when there's only one of them ain't?" Kisame cocked an eyebrow at the flawed logic.
It would be easier and simpler to dispose of the lone ninja and old man while they were alone. Then it was only a matter of waiting for the other ninja to come to them. The swordsman's partner had explained how Konoha shinobi placed a great deal of emphasis on camaraderie, and, at times, their logic became overruled by their emotions. When that happened he'd enact his plan.
"Would you rather have em learn what happen, escape and then have us chased down like dogs when they report back to their village?" it wasn't as though he could stick around if they went into hiding in Nami either.
Zabuza was sick and tired of having to deal with hunter-nin and bounty hunters looking for a score. Most he could handle but too often it had resulted in a failed mission due to their interference. The last thing he wanted was more shinobi going after them. Kisame was an S-Rank ninja and others would think twice about facing him. Zabuza was an A-Rank ninja and there were a few decent ninja out there that could match, even defeat him if they banded together.
"Whatever, this is your show, not mine. The short stack hired me to make sure you get the job done, I'm just the backup plan in case you fuck up again," Kisame stated with a bored tone.
Zabuza, however; doubted it was as simple as the man made it sound. He trusted Kisame as much as he trusted Yagura. Zabuza and his group would have to keep their guard up if they wanted to leave the country alive, "Then we split up and look for em. If we can't find the brats by noon we'll regroup here and attack the bridge then."
The group nodded but Kisame grinned at Zabuza's big mistake. With the group separated his mission just became easier for him.
(With Naruto's Group)
"Pull me up!" Ino shouted as she rose from the water and avoided the snapping jaws of the large fish. Naruto immediately hoisted the girl up from the water with one hand and attacked with the other. The blow struck home and it was killed but the rest of them made a swift retreat before he could do anything else.
"Damn!" he muttered and knew the Adult Voracious Fish would regroup and would attack them as soon as they went back in the water. The group had finally made it to the home stretch but it wasn't exactly easy. On land it was fine even if they had to deal with acid spitting snails. In the water, however, even with their speed being augmented by the Blessings of the Water God, it was still tricky due to lack of experience.
The upside was the Adult Voracious Fish were easy pickings for Ino and Hinata's techniques. Even though her affinity was Lightning, Hinata's control over chakra allowed her to manipulate the water to spear or skewer the underwater fish they faced. Ino on the other hand merely used Suiton techniques to keep the little shits from moving or by manipulating the water to make them crash into the cavern wall.
That was the upside, the downside was the fact that they were often forced to fight whole schools of them and while their individual damage was rather weak, doing so in groups as large as theirs did start to add up after a while and left the three ninja with numerous injuries.
"How much further," Ino huffed and was really pissed with the floor they were on.
"Don't know," Naruto's answer earned himself a loud and frustrated groan from Ino. The blonde Yamanaka really hated their current predicament, "Hey, I know we're in the home stretch but I the map only lets me see areas we've got to. Bitching and moaning isn't help us, Ino."
"We've been at this for nearly a day, now you idiot! How the hell do we know this route won't lead to another dead end like last half dozen times?" Ino shouted.
"We don't!" Naruto scowled at his teammate, getting annoyed by her constant complaining.
He too was pissed and frustrated. Unlike in the beginning of this floor where the Shadow Clones gave them an advantage, this section of it made it difficult for them. The schools of fish they previously faced had been small - both in size and in group - and now they were facing much larger ones and getting popped much more quickly and adding to Naruto's exhaustion levels thanks to their hit and run tactics. Their swimming was superior to the ninja, too, which didn't help. Even a powerful character could be taken down by small hits if it kept adding up.
"Look, I'm just as pissed as you," he ignored her humph, "but like it or not we got no choice but to keep going, Ino."
Said girl did nothing but continue to scowl. She didn't like it; not one little bit, but understood. The girl was just sick and tired of their current floor dungeon. But she was also worried about everyone outside the dungeon. They had been on this floor for almost a day compared to the other floors. Ino didn't know what was happening outside the dungeon but she was worried. The girl had the impression something was gonna happen soon and it wasn't going to be pretty.
"Hinata, how far do we have to go?" Ino asked her fellow kunoichi.
"I don't know, I'd have to talk a look, Ino-chan," Hinata said as she healed herself of her injuries. The girl wasn't all that thrilled in jumping back in but knew they didn't really have that much of a choice. Even then her focus would be broken if she was attacked and they'd be back to square one. "Plan B?"
"Plan B," Naruto nodded to her, making Ino sigh. Naruto jumped in ahead, followed by Hinata, while Ino stayed behind. As soon as they did were they attacked by a school of carnivorous fish. Luckily the Adult Voracious Fish weren't too big, only the size of a piglet, but size mattered little when it came to their numbers.
Already was Naruto bitten and swarmed by the annoying shits. The ninja used two kunai rather than his sword and coated them in his chakra. The boy slashed, stabbed, and kicked as best he could. His kunai were the better choice for underwater combat even with the dungeon's perk but even then hitting them was not that simple, or easy for that matter. Fish in general, were swift little buggers, and grabbing them wasn't that easy as their fins were pretty damn sharp and their scales were slick. But Naruto was persistent and with Hinata's chakra control it wasn't impossible, merely a matter of patience..
Left and right, up and down, Naruto slashed and blocked rows of teeth that threatened to bite him. Hinata using her clan's Gentle Fish, turned her arms into makeshift spears as they lunged and struck at her foes.
For three whole minutes did this continue until their plan worked and they swam upwards to the air-pocket cove above. Naruto, despite wincing, tossed the one in his grasp on land before it could slip free. As it flopped around like a bucking horse, Naruto and Hinata quickly got out of the water and held down the flopping fish while Ino used her clan's technique to take over its body. As Ino's body slumped over, they quickly threw the fish back into the water and watched it swim away. The feeling of taking over the fish's body was easily the oddest sensation Ino had ever known. Unlike the other creatures in the past, this one had no maneuverable limbs such as legs or arms. Breathing underwater was also foreign to her. Even when taking over a body the new senses and instincts still took some getting used to depending on what was taken over.
The possessed dungeon creature swam as far as the Yamanaka could manage. Her chakra wasn't full at the moment and she would need as much of it as possible when they encountered the boss. One of the technique's downsides was that the further she went from her body meant the more chakra she spent maintaining her technique. It was one of the reasons why Yamanaka traveled in pairs as their moving partners allowed them to lengthen the use of the technique. As she swam further down, Ino spotted an opening and swam through. The area was large, wide, and had an opening above that led to the surface.
It was also guarded by an enormous amorphous blob that swam in the water. Its face, it what passed as one was a serious of bright circles that pulsed with light. The pulsing felt so soothing and comforting that before she realized it, Ino had gotten too close to the creature that swallowed the possessed fish whole. The act was swift and stinging sensation she felt as she was being squeezed down the creature's throat, the Yamanaka barely had time to release her hold before she was soon in the belly of the beast.
"Whoa fuck!" Ino jerked and her breathing became erratic and frightening, as though she was being deprived of oxygen before being allowed to breathe. It was easy to see the girl was scared out of her wits end. While they could view the world like a video game so long as they were a part of the team Naruto was the only one that really benefited from the Gamer's Mind Skill.
"What happened?" Naruto asked but Ino continued to shake and the boy cursed. Whatever happened was obviously not something Ino wasn't going to be talking about soon. Whatever she encountered was obviously dangerous.
(Meanwhile)
"Anko, how're things?" Kakashi, followed by his team, asked the woman but received a dramatic groan that resonated with utter boredom. "Nice to see you having fun."
"Go fuck yourself, Hatake!" the woman flipped him off ever so eloquently. The Genin really wondering how such a woman held the rank of Jonin. Then again they also wondered the same about their own mentor, "How are the brats?"
"Doing fine," he smiled and she resisted the urge to hit him. What was it about that eye smile of his that made others swoon, but made her want to sock him one? At least the man was now teaching his own students, not like she gave him a choice.
"I'll bet," she muttered by their slightly ragged appearance that they had gotten a decent workout. "Anyway, the old farts here are almost done for the morning so we can-"
Both Jonin immediately halted their banter and got into battle ready position as a mist began to form on the bridge. Both knew that a natural occurring mist did not form this quickly.
"Everyone off the bridge now!" Kakashi ordered.
"You heard the man! Move your asses!" Anko barked out and the men made a run for it but snagged Tazuna as he tried to run, "Not you, old man! You're the one these assholes are after. Brats, guard him! You too, mutts!"
Tazuna was soon surrounding by three Genin and two ninken. The five guarding the man in a basic but improvised Manji formation with the addition of the ninken. The man could not help but release a cold bead of sweat as the mist grew denser and his visibility diminish considerably.
"Well, well. Here we are again," a voice from the mist drew their attention, and Zabuza chuckled as he appeared from his village's famed cover, "I'll give you tree huggers one last chance only. Hand over the old man and no one has to die. Besides, it looks like one of your brats is shaking with fear."
"I'm shaking, but with excitement," Sasuke countered even if it was a half-truth. He was excited to see how he would fair this time, but even he could not deny the fact either he or his teammates would be capable of fighting at one hundred percent. They had just come off training after all and did not have time to eat anything to replenish their strength.
"You'll be shaking with fear in a moment, kid," another voice called out and to the two Jonins looked out in horror and deep concern they spotted someone they were not expecting. "Surprised?"
"Ah, what the fuck! There's two of you now?" a pissed and worried as hell Anko shouted.
"Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura asked, ignorant as her teammates were to the woman's outburst. The man didn't answer though and choice to bring up his forehead protector to release the Sharingan. Kakashi knew their chances of survival were very low at the moment.
"He's strong," a shaken up Kiba stuttered. His ninken Akamaru along with Hottomaru were both shaking like leaves in the wind. The two ninken could use their sense of smell to determine the strength of their opponents or prey and since both were scared and looked ready to piss themselves it meant this man was powerful and someone they couldn't mess with.
"As soon as you get the chance, I want all six of you to get out of here and hide!" the man ordered them. Against Zabuza they stood a chance, and got lucky last time, against both of these two it was another story. Even with them fleeing there was no guarantee they'd live either. Even then the chances were higher than if they stayed on the bridge.
"Who is that?" Sasuke asked. His shaking now turned into fear rather than excitement. Whoever the man was greatly unnerved the Uchiha. It was similar to when they first encountered Zabuza, but it was much worse in this case.
"Hoshigaki Kisame, formely of the Seven Swordsmen, and S-Rank nuke-nin at your service," the man bowed and the Genin all paled considerably as their minds processed the information. They all knew about the ninja ranking system, one would have to be pretty dumb or ignorant not to. And they all knew that a S-Rank was borderline Kage or an actual Kage level individual.
"Oh, we're so boned," Kiba voiced his opinion, serving to only demoralize the group further. Anko wanted to slap the kid silly but it was the truth really. They were boned.
"So how do you wanna play this out," Anko asked her fellow Jonin.
"I'll handle Kisame. Think you can handle Zabuza?" he asked back.
"Probably not," were her thoughts, but, instead she said, "Bring him on."
Her voice filled with false bravado. Anko would have to bring out all the stops if she was to survive this. She was easily in for the fight of her life. If this was the Kakashi the Anbu captain she'd be less worried. It wouldn't be easy but she been more confident in him watching her back. Life threw a curveball there and so now she was stuck with still very damn skilled but weakened team lead version. But the current set up made sense still. Against Zabuza her chances of winning were low, not impossible but low. Surviving against him was a higher probability. Against Kisame she knew she was fucked. Even weakened, Kakashi was the better ninja to face him.
"Enough talk already!" Kisame shouted and appeared before the two Jonin with his fabled blade held high. Both scattered just as the sword struck the bridge and caused it to buckle underneath the powerful blow. Wanting a challenge, Kisame chased after Kakashi and left Anko to his colleague.
"You and that worm of yours are gonna pay for what you did," the man growled and Anko was slightly unnerved by the threat. Midori; however, made herself known and hissed angrily at the man for being called a lowly worm. Anko scowled at the insult, too. But otherwise, the woman merely took out two kunai and had Midori coat them in her venom. The man soon disappeared into the mist and the only sound she heard was that of Kakashi and Kisame's own fight.
"Eight spots. Larynx, spine, lungs, liver, jugular, subclavian artery, kidneys, heart. Now, which will be my attack points?" he called out from the mist, potent killing intent being released all the while. Anko; however, shook and began to breathe heavily as the seconds rolled by.
"How about heart!" Zabuza suddenly appeared behind her and stabbed his sword through her back and heart. The man's chuckle soon seized as Anko was replaced with a decent slab of stone.
Zabuza; however, sensed a distortion in the mist before a streak of sickly yellow struck out at him. The man jumped away and blocked with his sword as the yellow whip continued to smack against his blade but his eyes widened as he saw the bridge areas begin to sizzle and melt.
"Acid?" he wondered before he realized his own sword had been used to block the technique and promptly made a hasty retreat. The Decapitating Carving Knife was a sturdy weapon but even then it was not indestructible, the acidic technique leaving decent sized gashes down the middle and dulling parts of the edges. Its ability to regenerate and restore its edge and form was highly coveted due to the instantaneous repairs but it required a decent amount of blood needed to fix it if more than half of it was gone. Even with the Jonin and Genin here it would barely be enough if it kept on getting this badly injured.
As he looked at his blade and the damages done to it, Zabuza's mind became clouded with dark thoughts that would make others tremble with fear, "Your gonna pay for that Snake Whore!" he bellowed in anger, the man gaining the faint outline of an oni behind his form.
But all he got in return was a series of kunai laced with exploding tags. Zabuza jumped backwards and blocked the shrapnel with his blade, his anger never once going down but his oppressive aura vanished.
"Please, if you think your little parlor trick will scare me think again, dumbass. I was taught by a sick, twisted motherfucker whose chakra was on a different scale of scary. Your killing intent and chakra don't even come close to his," Anko mocked and served to only make Zabuza angrier. Though the tactic was known for making others lose their focus and become uncoordinated in their attacks the savageness of all also made their blows stronger.
A special skill has been created by a spec-
"Lousy timing!" the snake charmer mentally shouted at the pop-up screen. The woman needed to concentrate at the moment and could not afford any distractions. "Come on, short stuff! Bring it!"
"Short stuff?" the comment only befuddled the swordsman rather than make him angry.
"Well, you have a big ass sword that I assume you're using to compensate… big time," she elaborated.
"Hey! That's my line!" Kisame shouted from the mist.
"I'm gonna fucking kill both of you," the man fumed and rushed with his sword skyward. The large, heavy weapon crashing on the woman's location, who dodged and sent a myriad of snakes towards the man. Zabuza, though, was quick and sliced the head off the snakes with a kunai. The man had no intention of being poisoned by a serpent anytime soon.
"Ninpo: Dokugiri (Ninja Art: Poison Mist)!" Anko spewed forth a cloud of purple that rushed towards the man. The man getting caught in the deadly mist of poisonous air born chemicals and making him caught and gasp desperately. When he could no longer take it Zabuza fell to the floor where his body made a resounding splash.
"Shit! A clone!" she cursed and began to look for any signs of the man.
"Look out!" Midori shouted as a large spinning blade threatened to bifurcate the woman in two suddenly appeared. The Snake Mistress barely had time to duck and roll down as the blade embedded itself on the stone floor. So distracted was she that she did not sense the man's presence as he held a kunai at her throat.
Before he sliced it open, though, did the man feel tell-tale sign of a kunai point on his stomach; A trail of purple appearing on him as he eyed the small but deadly weapon. Zabuza knew there were only two options available: slice her throat quickly enough to avoid being stabbed, or slice her throat and be stabbed and killed by the poison. Oddly enough, the man chose the latter option.
Both shinobi gasped and gurgled before falling to the ground and falling apart; Anko in a puddle of earth, Zabuza into a puddle of water. Both clones had served their purpose, and the fight between the two of them continued.
While Zabuza and Anko fought their battle, Kakashi and Kisame waged their own. The Sharingan wielding man kept his guard up against the superior opponent. The former Anbu captain had faced a few S-Rank ninja during his tenure in the shadows, but most of them had been S-Rank merely due to the crimes they commented or the information they possessed or stole rather than skill. Kisame was all three wrapped in one; he was powerful, possessed a treasured tool of Kiri, and was a criminal.
The man could not afford any mistakes here and risk leaving everyone at the man's mercy. The problem was that Kakashi was severely out of practice at the moment. The lack of seriously dangerous missions over the years when he left the Anbu had dulled his skills and reduced his stamina. His laid back attitude had come to bite him in the ass.
"Gotta say, I'm kinda disappointed, really. When I thought about going face to face against the infamous Sharingan no Kakashi I expected… more. A challenge. An actual challenge for once," Kisame admitted out loud but in his mind the fight was pathetic and sad. Kisame was barely breaking a sweat, though the mist might have been a reason for it, too.
Kakashi didn't rise to the bait like the anger-prone Zabuza. The man knew a trick when he saw one. He had used the same methods countless times before on others in the past, and with Kiba to get the hair triggered Genin to not fall for it, "All right, I'm bored."
All Kakashi heard was a loud sloshing sound before missiles of water in the form of sharks sped towards him. The ferocious looking water animations tore into the ground where he once stood before he was forced to dodge once more as another projectile made its way towards him. And then another, and another, and another.
The parade of sharks did not seem to stop and Kakashi knew the man was toying with him. Like a predator playing with its food. Knowing he couldn't not keep dodge forever, Kakashi blurred through some hand seals and called forth a wall of earth on all sides of him. The water sharks striking home, making it buckle and a few nice dents, but did nothing more than that.
Kisame though took the opportunity to get in close and smashed down the walls of earth with Samehada; the man making the act like a mundane task. The earth fell apart around them as Kisame hacked and slashed at the wall, and the ground near it. But in the midst of it all, Kisame noticed the lack of blood and stopped.
Kisame also noticed the sizzling of paper and jumped away just as the fallen earth exploded. The concussive force was impressive and the improvised shrapnel from the destroyed walls forced Kisame to block with his trusty weapon. "Heh, guess he'll give me a challenge after all."
If anything, Kisame loved a challenge.
(With Team Seven)
"Damn it," Kiba growled as they left the hot zone. Fleeing was not the way of the Inuzuka but even he had to acknowledge they were outmatched and outgunned. The feral boy saw the look on Sasuke's face and could tell even he was upset with their retreat.
Upon the battle commencing, Team Seven followed the Jonin's orders and hightailed it out of the bridge. All of them knew that they would not last long and would only serve to be a hindrance if they faced off against an A-Rank and S-Rank ninja. Though Kiba and Sasuke wished to fight, both knew only a fool or an ignorant moron would face against superior opponents.
The fact that they had just finished training, and weren't exactly at one hundred percent, played a defining factor as well. They'd be lucky to last even a minute against the missing ninja. During their brief time with Anko the woman told them that being a ninja meant playing it smart and choosing one's battles, even if their heart said otherwise.
At the very least they would assure that Tazuna was out of harms way. The man was the target and they would make sure no harm came to him or his family. But they still felt like their contribution wasn't as great as it should be. Kiba and Sasuke wanted to fight.
Their wish was granted, however, as a flurry of ice needles crashed upon the ground in front of them. With their retreat halted, all five members of Konoha got into a battle ready stance. "You won't be going any further," a masked ninja stated before them. "None of you need to die. Zabuza-sama only wishes to have the bridge builder. Hand him over, and you have my word you will leave here alive."
"Hmm, let me think about it. Fuck that!" Kiba had no intention of giving up so easily before a fight even began. Sasuke neither and both males looked itching to prove themselves. Kiba tossed Akamaru a pill that caused the young ninken's fur to be as red as his name before he transformed into an exact duplicate of his human partner. Both transformed ninken and ninja soon gained a more feral looking appearance, hunched over like a predator stalking its prey and their hands becoming more claw-like and wicked.
"Sakura, we'll leave Tazuna to you!" Sasuke was all he said as he and his Inuzuka teammate charged in. Both males weren't at one hundred percent, but there was three of them and only one of him or her.
"Gatsuga (Fang Passing Fang)!" Kiba and Akamaru dual-teamed the ninja with twin drill in order to skewer the ninja. Remarkably the individual managed to avoid the technique with perfect timing and evasive maneuvers.
Sakura was worried. Kiba was one of the fastest Genin in the class, even more so when he used his clan's Four Legs Technique combined with the Passing Fang. For the ninja before them to dodge them so easily meant they were experienced and even faster than the Inuzuka.
"Stand still, damn it!" the frustrated Kiba's shout was reminiscent of a loud growl.
"Suiton: Teppodama (Water Release: Gunshot)!" Haku suddenly declared and used the water below them to compress and shoot off a large glob of water. Normally it was compressed inwardly in the body but experimentation had allowed Haku to do so otherwise. The condensed liquid impacted with the two feral ninja and sent them rolling. Both weren't out for the count, but they were momentarily dazed.
"Hijutsu: Sensatsu Suisho (Secret Technique: Thousand Flying Water Needles of Death)!" Haku suddenly declared, Sakura noting the ninja using only one-handed hand seals. An enormous amount of water took on the form of thin needles before shooting towards Kiba and Akamaru. The Inuzuka Clan heir and his ninken both performed the Gatsuga upwards where the mass of needles wasn't as numerous.
While they evaded what was assuredly a painful death, both had received a few decent cuts in the process. Nothing life threating or anything that take them out of the fight, but Kiba knew they needed to be careful. This was no ordinary ninja. Their fighting style was reminiscent of those of Kiri's Hunter Ninja, who in term was based off of his clan's Alpha Division. An elite task force that was known for having precise attacks and techniques focusedon killing or incapacitating others with as few moves and wasted energy as possible both quickly and quietly. While similar, and impressive, it was evident it wasn't the real deal, otherwise Kiba knew they'd be out for the count already.
"Katon: Gokakyu no Justu (Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique)!" a voice from the mist shouted and a large fireball crashed unto the location of the Kiri ninja. But the masked ninja was very nimble and quick to evade. The technique was fast and lethal, but Haku was quicker. Though even Haku knew it was only a matter of time before the two Konoha ninja found an opening to exploit.
"Gozu, Meizu, where are you two?" Haku could really use the help of the Demon Brothers right about now. The masked ward of the Demon of the Mist could handle the fight, but it was three against one and Haku didn't wish to resort to that move unless given no other option. Zabuza had been furious when the two didn't show up when they were supposed to regroup. Most likely they got into some trouble that was holding them up but even then they couldn't fiddle around waiting for the two brothers.
The masked ninja was going to have to fight solo for the next little while.
(Meanwhile)
"Gaaahhh!"
Thud!
"Ow," that hurt, a lot.
"Duck!"
"Wha-Woah!"
Naruto ducked and then covered his form as rock fell upon him.
Acid covered rocks.
"Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow!"
"Quit your griping and move!" Ino ordered.
"Easy for you to say! You don't have its agro!"
"Just endure!"
"Oh, I'm sorry, next time I'll know better when fighting a freakin' legendary monster!" Ino had no retort. Their foe was indeed a legendary creature of legend said to have gone extinct or vanished in the Era of Warring States.
Densetsu no Genju - Umibōzu (Legendary Phantom Beast - Umibozu) - Level 36
HP: 7,750
CP: 2,400
STR: 240
VIT: 310
END: 96
DEX: 45
INT: 7
WIS: 46
LUK: 15
Physical Resistances: Blunt (85%), Piercing (19%) Slashing: (-27%)
Elemental Resistances: Lightning (-71%), Wind (43%), Fire (35%), Earth (50%)
Condition Resistances: Poisoned, ?
Immunities: Acid, Water
Weaknesses: ?
Perks
Misty Mirage: So long as its shell is intact, the Umibōzu can release a unique genjutsu-based mist across the water's surface, manifesting a colossal, shadowy humanoid silhouette with glowing eyes. Individuals who fall victim to this illusion can become affected by the Umibozu Fear and Umibozu Confusion debuff that results in a 30% decrease in stats and skills until they are snapped out of it.
Spongy Shell: The creature's shell is actually a protective growth that is coated in a thick slimy film that greatly reduces the effects of physical attacks due to its rubber-like and soft to the touch consistency. Physical attacks from blunted sources are greatly reduced and have a 40% chance of bouncing back to the attacker.
Tidal Regeneration: While fully submerged in deep ocean water, the Umibōzu recovers 2% of its maximum HP every 10 seconds. This effect is neutralized if it's struck by a lightning based attack or if the ocean water is hazardous.
Master of the Seas: Due to spending a lifetime in water, attacks made from water-based techniques are rended null against it. The power of water based techniques used by the creature are increased by 69% so long as it's in water.
Acid-Fanged: Physical attacks performed by the creature cause not only blunt forced trauma but also causes an additional Acid damage equal to 30% of the total damage caused. Acid damage caused by the creature also reduces the durability of any equipment that strikes it or is struck by it at an accelerate rated unless protected by certain means.
Description
Umibozu are legendary creatures of incredible size from a bygone age viewed as both deities and harbingers of death for any sailor or costal dwelling individual from ancient humans. Frequently mistaken for a giant, humanoid ghost or water-like creature, in reality, it is an ancient, colossal slug-like summon monster but without any real intelligence. Thought to have been extinct sometime during the Era of Warring States when the ancestors of shinobi first discovered chakra as a means of conquering the seas, this one managed to survive. Umibozi utilize their massive, bioluminescent shell on their back to project terrifying, shadowy optical illusions into the heavy ocean mist, often appearing as a massive giant-like creature known for scaring sailors into abandoning ship or freezing in fear. Fortunately, this one has yet to reach its legendary titanic size as they age incredibly slowly compared to most creatures.
EXP Earned: ?
Drops: ?
The Umibōzu's colossal, amorphous body surged from the water, its shell pulsing with that eerie, hypnotic light. Naruto's skin not covered by his armor was still sizzling from the acidic rocks, gritted his teeth. A flash appeared before him showing his resistance and defences had lowered, "Oh, lovely."
Chakra infused mist thickening around them. A shadowy silhouette of a towering humanoid with burning eyes began to coalesce in the fog, a phantom dredged from sailor's nightmares. But nothing happened. On the plus side, despite its incredible size and strong acid, it was stupid.
"That's the third time it's tried that," Naruto snorted. Thanks to Gamer's Mind, Naruto was immune to the illusionary effects and with Ino and Hinata having Gamer's Teammate they too were protected from it. As a result, it gave them a serious advantage.
"Naruto-kun! Its chakra network is… strange. There's a very dense core in its shell!"
"A weakness?" Ino asked, dodging a spray of aside by running up the walls. It looked easy but said walls were inconsistent as they went from dry to slick in some places.
"I-I believe so?"
"Believe or not, not like we got much going right now anyway. We need something to pierce it...Like those!" Naruto pointed upwards and his teammates looked up to the cave ceiling and saw them: stalactites.
"Great. But whose going...oh, no!"
"You're the most acrobatic!" Naruto said and prepared himself with Kongoriki (Adamant Strength) and angled Chichizouge so it could be used as a launch board.
"I want a second opinion! Eek!" Ino yelped as acid splashed near her.
"Just do it before it melts us!" Ino groaned at the order but did as she was commanded.
"I hate this. And if this ends up with you killing me-"
"Have a nice flight!"
"YOU ASSSAAAAAHHHHH!"
Thud!
Ino clung to the slick, dripping stalactite, her fingers digging into the slippering rock as her heart hammered against her ribs. The impact had rattled her teeth and sent a sharp jolt of pain through her shoulder, "I'm gonna kill him when this is over," Ino promised.
Shaking off the dizziness, Ino began to pull a wad of explosive tags from her pouch, her fingers moving with practiced speed despite their trembling. The tags were standard issue, more than strong enough to shattering rock without turning the cavern into an avalanche of stone that threatened to crush and skewer them all into paste or pincushions. Or so she hoped.
Below, Naruto was putting his next plan into action, "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" a dozen clones erupted around him in puffs of smoke, circling the massive slug-like being as best they could. More than a few were crushed or melted - and Naruto was thankful they just puffed instead of exposing flesh and bone like a horror manga. The creature, annoyed, let out a deep, gurgling roar that vibrated through the very stone. Its shell pulsed brighter, and it thrashed, sending great waves of water crashing against the cavern walls.
"Katon: Inka Hyakki no Jutsu! (Fire Release: Shadow Fire of One Hundred Demons Technique)!" Naruto and his clones roared in unison.
A searing hail of demonic-looking flames streaked towards the Umibōzu. They impacted its spongy, wet hide with furious sizzles, boiling off water and scorching the slimy surface, filling the air with the stench of burnt skin. The beast flinched, a shudder running through its colossal form, but the attacks were superficial. The water surrounding it stole most of the heat, and its natural resistances shrugged off the rest. It was like trying to melt a glacier with a match. It wasn't hurt, or at the very least it was barely hurt.
But it was pissed if its body pulsing an angry red was any indication.
"Damn it," Naruto cursed, leaping back as it shot a jet of acid and spun around, the liquid biting into the rock wall and clones alike in a deadly pirouette.
Naruto had hoped that the heat from so many fireballs would have made the water too uncomfortable for it to point it was pretty much sitting a giant boiling pot, but it wasn't enough, apparently. He certainly had the power necessary, but there was only so much certain techniques could do.
Hinata, meanwhile, with her Byakugan active tracked the monster's dense chakra core: a brilliant, compact knot of energy buried deep within the pulsating shell. She rushed across the water's surface when a smaller, probing tendril of water the slug shot towards her, she didn't dodge. Instead, she pivoted, her hands arcing with lightning as she struck the watery limb with a series of precise, chakra-disrupting jabs.
The tendril collapsed and Hinata concentrated as much as she could to empower her lightning enhanced strikes to the best of capabilities. The blows she landed sent shivers and in certain areas a well precise strike made it twitch as though it were having a muscle spasm.
Unfortunately, nothing she did came close to reaching the core buried under layers of resilient, regenerative flesh and that maddeningly rubbery shell. What was worse was that Hinata knew she had the control and precision necessary to target the blasted thing, but lacked the necessary power and a technique strong enough to get the job done.
"Hinata! Any luck!" Naruto yelled, ducking under a spray of acid that struck the cavern wall, the stone sizzled angrily
"The core is stationary, Naruto-kun! But I can't breach its defences!" Hinata reported, her voice strained but clear.
"Crap!"
High above, Ino slapped the last of the explosive tags in a ring around the thickest part of the stalactite cluster. An Anko like smile touching her lips and dark chuckle that bounced off the walls and made everyone below shudder. She poured her chakra into the tags, and then pushed off from the ceiling.
"Fire in the hole!" she screamed, not out of tactics, but pure, vindictive glee.
The explosion was deep and powerful that under normal circumstances would have left them temporarily deaf. But none cared about that as the massive stone spears shattered at their base and countless razor-sharp rocks broke free and plunged downward in a deadly rain onto the Umibōzu's pulsating, bioluminescent back. The slug sensed the danger at the last second. It tried to submerge, but it was too slow to react as the rocks pierced its form with a sickening wet ripping sound that left little to the imagination. The largest, central stalactite, a spear as thick as a man, stubbornly refused to fall.
Even then, the countless amounts of stone that pierced it was enough to cause the creature to let out a deafening, watery shriek of agony that made the water itself vibrate.
Umibōzu's 'Spongy Shell' perk has been critically damaged!
Effectiveness reduced by 60%! Physical Resistance: Blunt lowered to 25%!
"YES!" Naruto whooped. But their victory was short-lived. Enraged and wounded, the Umibōzu's body began to convulse. Its massive body rippled, and with a sickening, wet tearing sound, its form split. From the main mass, seven smaller, large bear-sized slugs plopped into the water and cavern walls, each one identical to its 'parent', "Oh, come on!"
Naruto hated phase two bosses. Especially when they began spitting a barrage of rapid-fire globs of concentrated acid, the size of kunai. Worse yet, they were faster than it's large form and Naruto's clones began to pop in rapid succession, vanishing in clouds of smoke as they were struck, each pop sending a feedback jolt of disorientation to the original.
"Scatter!" Naruto commanded, his mind racing.
The smaller ones were weaker, but they were creating a devastating area denial effect. He and Hinata were forced into constant, frantic evasion, leaping from rock to rock as the stone itself was eaten away beneath them.
Naruto was cursing himself for not learning that technique that let him travel in rock or earth like a fish. Low ranking, sure, but it would have enabled him to get in close and land a few good blows and rinse and repeat the process until this annoying shits were dead.
"Little help!" Ino asked from the pool of water she fell in.
Her comment caught the attention of the slugs that were now intently staring at her.
"Uh-oh."
(On the Bridge)
"Not so cocky now are ya, Snake Bitch!" Zabuza laughed and Anko scowled. The woman was covered in sweat, tired, and had a few bad scrapes and cuts on her person. Zabuza had a few as well but nowhere as badly, he venom on the blades not affecting him thanks to Haku's antitode. Midori was out for the count at the moment when the man had suddenly changed tactics and went after the Genin and Tazuna. Midori had gone after him and though quicker than the man her size had been used against her. A trap had been set up and both Midori and Anko fell for it.
The man had tossed the Kubikiribocho like an oversized fuma shuriken and had given the serpent a few nasty wounds as a result. To make matters worse she soon received the full brunt from a Great Waterfall Technique to the head. It was evident the man had prepared and with the condition she was in, Midori was out for the count. From then on, it all went to shit. Zabuza had more experience and was part of an elite squad since he was a teenager, which meant more techniques, more strategies, more of everything that Anko currently lacked. As of now it was evident the man was toying with her as an act of revenge for last time.
Her thoughts on what to do next were pushed aside as she felt the air grow colder than any mist could bring forth. Anko's breath was visible in the air and the woman could see a few snowflakes of all things falling down from the sky.
"Hmm, looks like Haku's using one of Yuki Clan's aces in the hole," the man didn't say it but he was impressed they pushed his ward this far to use the Yuki Clan's Makyo Hyoso(Demonic Ice Crystal Mirrors) of all things. "Now it's only a matter of minutes before they die. No one's ever escaped that technique. No one," it was a lie really but the woman before him didn't need to know that.
Anko bit back a retort, no matter how much she wanted to let her anger loose, "God damn it, Anko, you're not going out like a chump. You were taught by one of the most gifted assholes Konoha ever had for kami's sake!"
The last thought made her fall short and Anko had a horrible idea that might just work. Calling up her inventory screen, Anko grabbed something, uncorked it and downed the vile contents of the liquid and then tossed the empty vial into off the side of the bridge.
Zabuza frowned as the act of pulling something out from seemingly nowhere. It was then that he felt it. A surge of power that was bubbling to the surface and growing viler and stronger as time passed by, "The hell?" Zabuza thought.
His eyes widened as he saw dark, pulsing marks spread across her body in a flame-like pattern. The woman's eyes took on a serpentine shade of yellow and developed slits in them. Her hands became claw-like in a manner similar to an Inuzuka's, her muscles pulsed, her canines slightly more pronounced and her tongue developed a fork in it. His immediate thought was that she was becoming a humanoid serpent but more accurately she was a human with serpent-like characteristics. "What's going on?"
Anko didn't bother to answer the man. Instead, she appeared before Zabuza in a burst of speed and slashed at the man with her claws. Zabuza was unprepared for the newfound speed and cried out as he felt the deep marks rip into him. The man was also unprepared when he felt the blow to his face that temporarily blackened his vision and send him tumbling away. "What the fuck's going on?! Where's she getting this power from?!"
The look of confusion and daze Anko saw made her grin as she felt the intoxicating power flow freely through her veins. It was as though shackles that held her down had been lifted after a very long time. All of it being thanks to the concoction Naruto had stolen from Mizuki and given to her for private observation. And now, thanks to it all, her strength was increased.
No. Not back, the potential and strength she should have had before the seal was placed on her was back. Even then she knew the seal was playing its role and enhancing her skills even more so. She swore she'd never us it, to never rely on the curse given to her master. But plans and times changed.
A special skill has been created by a special act!
Sealed Cursed Seal of Heaven has been unlocked!
Cursed Seal of Heaven Level One Skill has been created!
Ignoring the pop-up, Anko looked at Zabuza and said, "Remind me, what was it the little demon called me?" the woman mocked, her serpentine tongue licking at the blood in her hands, and for the second time this week since he met Kisame, Zabuza felt fear. The man was about to learn a very important lesson.
Don't fuck with Mitarashi Anko!
Ever!
Legend of the Kyuubi
Making the rounds.
- Joined
- Sep 14, 2026
- Messages
- 35
Chapter Twenty-One: Power House Rules!
|Congratulations! You've conquered the Lost Underground Lake Dungeon!|
|Additional rewards will be provided for clearing the in record time!|
|Additional rewards will be provided to the one who contributed the most!|
"I call bull," Ino would have said more but said screw it and finally let her exhaustion take over.
The blond comically swung her arms to right herself before she fell into the pool that once held the final dungeon boss. The boss was gone, but Ino didn't want to leave it to chance for more surprises to pop up. She was quite finished with that thank you very much. Hinata soon followed the blonde and both wanted nothing more than to rest their hearts out. Both had earned it in their minds. Swimming to shore, Naruto came onto into dry land next to his teammates, covered in mucus.
"Next time I get the brilliant idea of doing that stupid again, stop me."
"Won't hear me complain," Ino muttered, but had to admit the move saved her ass.
It had been stupid. Effective? Oh, hell, yes. But mostly stupid. Having enough of the barrage of acid, Naruto went nuts and spammed clone after clone until there was too many for the four smaller umibozu to acid bomb until they all launched a series of shuriken laced with exploding tags on the damn things. Naruto dubbed the technique the Shihohappo Bakuhatsu Shuriken no Jutsu (Four Directions Eight Directions Exploding Shuriken Technique).
Individually they weren't as effective, but the damage caused by the countless shuriken and their exploding tags caused many of the overhead rock formations to come falling down on them. The slug-like monsters were faster than their huge singular self, but not that fast. Unfortunately, it also forced Ino and Hinata to run, duck and dodge, too as the explosions caused certain sections to fall near them.
When all was said and done, only mini-bozu - as Ino called them! - was left and boy did Ino vent our her frustrations on the slimy gastropod. The poor thing barely had time to register the danger it was to face before Ino descended on it like a woman possessed. Hinata winced at the first kick, Naruto at the second, and by the tenth even the most sadistic of individuals - aka, Anko - might have pitied the poor thing.
Might being the keyword.
"So, you ready to go?"
"Ugh," Ino groaned loudly; Hinata merely sighed.
"What's with you guys?"
"Sometimes I forget you're a stamina freak," Ino huffed and was envious of the boy's endurance during combat, "We're bushed."
"Didn't you level up?" Naruto inquired.
"I wish," Ino huffed. Levelling up would have done away with the exhaustion they felt, "Give us a minute."
"Or ten, please," Hinata added. If she had the stamina she'd heal her aches and mitigate her exhausted form but life was currently unkind.
"And if you levelled up, keep it to yourself,"
"...Okay," Naruto looked away and that told Ino everything she needed to know.
"I hate you."
"So you've told me," responded the male.
Though they needed to continue on, Naruto supposed a quick break wasn't that tall an order given everything and decided to inspect the loot they received, "Ok, what do we got here."
Manju Mimikazari (Tide Flowing Jewel Earning ) – Very Rare Quality
Item Type: Accessory
Description: Legends speak of ancient times where deities gave selective humans the power to control the oceans themselves. With such items humans were able to fish more successful and calm raging storms that threatened to destroy their village. All this in the form of simple ocean blue jewels known as the Manju (Tide Flowing Jewel) and the Kanju (Tide Ebbing Jewel). Though used in pairs even separately they hold a great deal of power.
Special Perks
* Divine Water God's Blessing (Minor)
* Tide Set Bonus (Information locked until equipped with Kanju)
Bonus Stats/Perks:
* Decreases chakra required for Suiton and Water related skills by 15%.
* Power and effectiveness of Suiton and water related skills increased by 15%
* There is a 15% that when using C-Rank Suiton skills or lower that you do so without expending the required chakra
* Resistance against Suiton and Water related skills is increased by 20%
Requirements
* Must have water affinity (primary or secondary)
Water God's Tear - Epic Quality
Type: Consumable
Description: A condensed droplet of very pure water chakra left behind by an entity who once blessed the Lost Underground Lake. When consumed, the consumer's chakra is modified, granting them an affinity or deepening their existing connection to water.
Effects
* Grants the consumer the elemental affinity for water if they lack it, as though it were their primary elemental affinity.
* If the Water Affinity is already possessed, the affinity is marked as 'Improved', increasing the affinity by an additional 15% (ie 20% becomes 35%)
Futton: Doku Bakuhatsu Rendan (Boil Release: Acid Bomb Barrage)
Item Type: Skill Scroll
Description: A devastating technique developed by a forgotten clan who by superheating water into corrosive vapor and compressing it into volatile spheres, the user launches multiple acidic bombs that explode on impact. Each bomb releases a burst of boiling corrosive mist capable of melting armor, weakening defenses, and inflicting severe damage. Unfortunately, only shinobi with the Boil Release bloodline limit can learn the scroll.
Requirements: Must possess Boil Release Kekkei Genkai.
Lost Underground Lake Dungeon's Very Rare Gacha Chest - Very Rare
Type: Consumable
Description: A Gacha chest that, when opened, allows you to acquire an item associated with the dungeon it came from. What lies inside is a mystery as only.
Effects: Once open, you can acquire one to three items of random rarity (Maximum item rarity matches the chest's)
Naruto couldn't help but release a sharp whistle, "Dang."
"Good dang, or bad dang?" Ino was thankful Anko-sensei wasn't here as she was too tired to be aware of her surroundings.
"Good dang, especially if you have the water affinity," the comment had Ino immediately sitting up fully now as though her exhaustion had passed
"Okay, breaks over. Gimme, gimme, gimme!" Naruto deadpanned. Anko was doing too good a job at corrupting the Yamanaka into a clone of herself.
"You don't even know what-"
"Don't care just give," Ino cut him off.
"Sheesh! Greedy blonde."
"I heard that!"
"You were meant to!"
"Mina, too tired to mitigate," Hinata's tired voice asked of them.
"Sorry, Hinata," both apologized.
"...Ano...what is there, though?" Hinata asked, face a tad pink, curious herself.
"We got a gacha chest that gives out random goods," Naruto walked over to Hinata and gave it to her, "And an orb that gives you the water affinity or boosts it."
"Dibs on that last one!" Ino called.
"Of course do," Naruto muttered and tossed it to her along with the Manju Mimikaziri. Out of the three, only Ino would really benefit from the the latter.
"What about the scroll?" Ino inquired, putting the earing in place.
"Useless. We need the Boil Release bloodline limit."
Ino snorted, "Good luck. Pretty sure no one in Konoha has that."
"Which means I'm gonna have to sell it," Naruto sighed. He wasn't afraid to admit he was disappointed with the final loot. More so because there really wasn't anything for him. Once a dozen or so minutes passed by, Ino and Hinata rose up on aching legs. Naruto had offered to carry them but Ino looked like she'd been insulted while Hinata turned crimson.
Girls were weird.
Fortune, however, smiled upon as they entered the next cave. The trio was happy to note that there were no monsters, and were greeted with the sight of a large vibrant lake brimming with a multitude of fish of different species and sizes. Many of them jumped and splashed out of the water and Naruto thought a few looked quite tasty.
"What do you think, guys. Should we take a few for ourselves?" it was clear there was more than enough for Nami. Taking a few dozen fish they'd otherwise be unable to get elsewhere didn't sound so bad. Though first they'd need to catch them. "Anyone bring a net?"
The boy was greeted with silence and he knew the answer. "Alright, then. The old fashion way it is," and he knew it would take a while.
"Uh, Naruto?"
"Hmm? What is it."
Ino and Hinata answered by pointing at a small spring that shinned even more brightly than the much larger lake and Naruto's eyes widened at the details Observer gave him
|Blessed Spring of the Divine Water God|
|You've discovered a sacred spring composed from highly condensed and potent natural chakra. Resting in the spring restores HP, CP, stamina, and removes exhaustion at an extremely accelerated rate.|
|The spring's effects can affect ten people a day! Once used, it will go dormant until the following day!|
|Effects: Rapid HP and Chakra Regeneration, Exhaustion Purge, Status Cleanse, Protection of the Divine Water God (Temporary)!|
"Wait. Wait. WAIT. You're telling me that thing—" Ino pointed at the glowing spring "—is basically the mother of all rejuvenating hot springs?"
Hinata's eyes sparkled, "It does seem that way, Ino-chan."
"Pretty much."
Ino didn't hesitate. She dove headfirst into the spring with a splash, resurfacing a moment later with her hair floating around her. Her form glowing. Litterally!
"Woah! Ino?"
"Oh. My. Kami," Ino sank deeper, sighing in bliss, "I never wanna leave. Tell my parents I moved to Nami no Kuni and I'm never coming back."
"Seriously?" it was that good, Naruto wondered, "Limited shopping options."
"Don't care," Ino sighed.
"Wow! That good, huh?" Naruto never thought he'd hear Ino of all people say that.
Hinata giggled softly before stepping into the spring herself. The moment the water touched her skin, she shivered, her eyes widened, and then practically turned into goo by how completely relaxed she became, "It's so warm. So soothing."
Naruto dipped a hand in. The water tingled, sending a wave of energy up his arm. He wasn't tired compared to the two kunoichi but, in all honesty, when was he gonna be here again? So, he took advantage at the rare opportunity and stepped in next and instantly the remaining mucus, exhaustion, and what small aches he had evaporated like mist as his muscles loosened, his chakra surged, and his mind cleared,
"Oh, wow," Naruto breathed at the otherworldly sensation, "This is... this is better than ramen."
The instant those words left him, Ino and Hinata's heads snapped up to look at him in utter shock. Even Naruto looked shocked by what the blasphemous words. Blasphemous for him, at least.
"Did I just say that?" Ino and Hinata could only nod. Neither one of them ever expected him to say that, "Okay, this is spooky."
"Can say that again," Ino was practically ready to call him an imposter but couldn't exactly through stones, "If this spring can make Naruto say ramen isn't number one, then it really is made by a god."
"Especially you and shopping?" Ino merely waved him off.
Hinata giggled, her voice soft and airy from how relaxed she was, "Naruto-kun, you might want to avoid saying that outside this cave. Who knows how Anko-sensei will react."
"I do. She'll say, 'What the fuck did you do to my Gaki?!' and beat him black and blue. Or just beat him black and blue and then ask," Ino chimed it. Hinata would have disagreed if the Yamanaka's words weren't so apt.
Naruto sank deeper until the water reached his chin, his face red from embarrassment, "Forgive me ramen gods. This spring has made made me into a heathen by messing with my brain."
Ino snorted, "Messing with your brain implies you had one to begin with."
"Hey!" Naruto splashed her in retaliation.
"Oh, yeah!" she splashed him back.
Hinata, caught in the crossfire, squeaked and, to their surprise, splashed both of them back. For a moment, the cavern echoed with laughter and water slapping against stone — the first real moment of peace they'd had in days. Eventually, the three of them settled again, floating quietly as the divine chakra worked its magic. And for the first time in hours, everything was still. Peaceful.
They decided to savour it because once it was over, it was back to the life of a ninja and the hardships that came with it.
(On the Bridge)
"Here, Zabu, zabu, zabu. Where are you?" the dark sing song voice of Anko filled the air, the intoxicating power continued to flow through her veins as she tried to find her prey. The woman's tongue flicked out and tasting the air molecules in a manner similar to her familiar, Midori, every so often. Normally the Cursed Seal of Heaven only enhanced a person's chakra and physical attributes such as their speed, reflexes, strength, and endurance to pain and fatigue. However, given the nature on how she reactivated her seal through the dark concoction Mizuki once held it was different for Anko.
Her senses such as smell and visual acuity were greatly enhanced by the liquid and power of the seal. The images around her were sharper and more define, allowing her to making out details she otherwise didn't notice. Her sense of smell was strengthened to the point she could literally taste the ocean in the air.
It was fresh, and salty.
But Anko ignored all that and tried to focus on finding her prey. Zabuza had gotten several nasty cuts along his chest and arms. Blood was flowing freely now and Anko merely needed to focus on the scent. The mist was Zabuza's domain, but with his injuries the element of surprise wasn't as strong anymore.
"Where are you, you pus-Oh, found ya!" Anko declared and launched a whip of yellow, corrosive energy that smacked hard on the ground. Anko wasted no time as she appeared before the injured and on guard swordsman. The man scowled and winced but fought otherwise, swinging his sword in the hopes of slicing the annoying woman in two.
Anko merely cackled, jumped up and disappeared. Zabuza tried looking for the woman but didn't need to go far as he felt an unexpected weight on his blade. The man looked murderous as his opponent was sitting on the infamous sword's broadside with her legs crossed, a taunting and snickering look on her face.
"Hiya!" was all she said before she suddenly lashed out with a vicious kick to the face. Ignoring the pain and blood flowing from his now broken nose, Zabuza glared hatefully at the woman, only to see she was no longer there
"What the fuck is with this bitch?" if Zabuza had to described it, the woman's entire demeanour and fighting style was chaotic.
One moment the woman was playful and barely putting the effort in killing him, like a child playing with its food, the next she was focused, precise and forced Zabuza to be extra vigilant in his defense. It was not just her fighting style, but her personality as well. Zabuza didn't know much about cursed seals, he barely knew much about seals, period, but could tell that it was affecting her mind just as much as it was her techniques.
"Tag! You're it!"
Eyes wide, Zabuza jumped away as the deadly whip of yellow energy appeared once more. The man was a second too slow to fully dodge the technique brought up his sword to bare the full brunt of it. The man coated the blade with his chakra, but even then he heard a large sizzling sound that was soon followed by the sound of metal falling to the ground.
"GODDAMN IT!" Zabuza roared in utter fury. Not only was the woman messing with him, a member of the strongest generation of swordsmen, but she also managed to reduce his blade to half the length it normal was. It was still deadly, sort of, but now he was forced to change his approach and would be forced to repair the blade at a later date. That was going to take time, and by then he'd be handicapped.
"Sen'ei Tajashu (Many Hidden Shadow Snake Hands)!" he heard the alarming sound of snakes making their way towards him. Assuming, of course, he'd make it out of this fight alive.
Such thoughts were shared with Kakashi as he faced his own opponent.
"Smashy, smashy!" Kisame chuckled as he flailed his weapon around and tried to smash Kakakshi to the ground. The fight he was getting was pretty decent, not great but it wasn't as boring as it started. The man watched as Kakashi dodged the strike that made the bridge area crumble upon impact.
Kakashi though was starting to breathe pretty heavily and sweat covered his form. The man wanted nothing more than to Raikiri Kisame but the technique took too long to stabilize and Kisame never gave him enough time to complete it. His other techniques were countered as well with Kisame's own. The man with shark-like features knew a lot of techniques and many of them had greater power in them than Kakashi currently had.
Had this been three or so years ago during his time in Anbu the two could have been evenly matched. Anbu generally had their faces covered to hide their identities; some such as Kakashi at times forwent their mask because their power and reputation had been more than enough to send others packing or think twice before facing them. Add that he had no significant other meant showing his identity wasn't going to have those sorts of consequences. It was how Kakashi's reputation had quickly made headway in the ninja world despite his young age.
But since the man's time outside of the Anbu forces his skills had dulled, his stamina had dropped along with his speed and strength. His chakra wasn't as potent either. Assuming they survived, of course, Kakashi made a mental note to start getting back into shape once the mission was ever.
"GAAHHHH!" a shout from behind where his Genin were fighting was heard.
A cold sweat crept up his spine as he heard the shout, one that momentarily distracted the man long enough for Kisame to land a hard blow on his chest and shred part of his arm in a shower of blood. Kakashi was sent rolling into the mist in pain, a few ribs were most likely broken or cracked, and blood flowed freely from his arm.
Kisame was toying with him at the moment and it was evident who the superior fighter was. But toying with the masked ninja rather than kill him outright would be the man's downfall. Despite knowing he hadn't fully recovered and that the following move would leave him severally drained and possibly on the verge of collapse, Kakashi took out a scroll and marked it with his blood.
"Kuchiyose: Doton: Tsuiga no Jutsu (Summoning: Earth Release: Track Fang Technique)!" the man watched as markings webbed themselves along the stone before they disappeared.
The next moment he heard the sound of Kisame shouting in pain as the technique worked its magic. Keeping his guard up as best he could, Kakashi walked into the mist and came upon the form of a dog-piled and immobile Kisame. Eight ninken were upon the man, all bearing him down with their weight and incredible jaws.
"Well… this is new," Kisame had to say this was one for the books. "Being held down by a bunch of mutts. Didn't see that coming."
The dogs merely bit down harder on the slightly wincing man and Kisame cocked an eyebrow as Kakashi began to blur through another set of techniques. The trapped man sensed the power and concentration build up and knew a powerful technique was about to be used.
"Alright, I'm bored. Time to get this over with," he announced before a surge of strength filled Kisame's being and he flexed himself with a large guttural shout. The unexpected move and physical feat caught the dogs off guard and many were sent flying, yelping, or de-summoned as the missing ninja freed himself from the jaws of the beasts. Kakashi looked on in disbelief as the man grabbed his largest and physically strongest ninken, Bull, and smacked him with his sword. The ninken disappeared in a cloud of smoke and one by one many of them were suddenly defeated by the man's ferocious attacks.
So much for that.
While Team Seven and Anko were fighting on the bridge, Team Eight had finally left the dungeon and set out to do what was needed of them. Tracking down the woman that called herself Asagao proved easy compared to the other times they tried locating her. All three were on opposite side of the village near the forest when they came across her. All of them thought it to be too much of a coincidence but knew time was short to start investigating.
"So, you managed to do it? Color me impressed, Handsome," Hinata inwardly frowned at the compliment given to her crush but otherwise didn't show it.
Asagao for her part would be lying if she said she wasn't surprised by the turn of events. Part of her honestly thought they would have failed in their endeavours.
"You ask us to deliver, we deliver," Naruto simply stated before he followed up with, "Now are you gonna tell us where Gato is?"
"A deal's a deal, Handsome," the woman's statement had the Genin of Team Eight blink at how easily she agreed. All three were convinced she would backstab them or make a power play of some sort to get out of the deal. Usually it was how these sorts of things went. It was cliché, sure, but Asagao didn't smirk, didn't posture, didn't even try to twist the knife.
"Sweethearts, if I wanted to backstab you, I wouldn't have bothered making a deal in the first place."
"We didn't say anything."
"Oh, please, I can read you like an open book. You're all thinking, 'That's it? She's not gonna try and take us out?' aren't you?" the silence and blush they gave her was all she needed to know, "Kids these days watch too many cliché movies."
"That aside," inwardly Ino agreed on the cliché movie spiel, "where's Gato?"
The woman merely pointed behind them and into the woods, "Follow the river deep in the forest and you'll come across his hideout. You can't really see it from here due to the trees and cover on top but Gato can see almost everything from the top floor."
"Good to know. Let's move! Thanks for the help."
"Could have helped more by just telling us," Ino groused, giving the woman the stink eye. Even if they asked her, Ino had an inkling the woman wasn't going to bother explaining how she knew all this.
"Glad to be of help. But you better hurry, too. I heard he's getting restless and readying his thugs. Me and the girls will make sure the villagers get this," the woman waved the scroll filled with fish.
All three they had little choice but to trust the woman at the moment - though Ino didn't trust her at all. While it was painfully obvious she had ulterior motives, none of them in any way had caused them harm and they had more important things to worry about so all three headed towards Gato's hideout in order to finally deal with the little shit.
Once out of earshot, the woman chuckled and smirked, "Looks like I can finally leave this shit hole."
(With Gato)
Gato sneered as he watched the scene of the bridge. Though he could not make out anything other than the occasional flash of light. The short man was making his final preparations to deal with the ninja and the villagers. Too much he realized had happened and Gato believed he couldn't afford others to know he was involved. Luckily, the man had a contingency plan or two in case of such an eventuality. He'd rather not use them as even then his reputation could still end up damaged, not as badly, but bad enough that he'd probably lose a few clients in the process. But at this point the man saw little choice.
Had Zabuza done his job properly the first time around he would have dealt with his group with his own men. Tired ninja were weak ninja. Deadly still, perhaps, but not that much. That all changed when he hired Kisame and Gato knew he'd be signing his own death warrant if he messed with the tall shark faced man. Most of his men weren't the brightest of individuals; it was how he managed to keep costs down, but some were more experienced, better informed and had connections in the underworld. Those men had made it pretty clear they had no intention of facing a man who had the power that rivaled one of the Great Five's leaders. Such a plan wouldn't work against him despite their large numbers.
So instead the man decided to change tactics and decided he'd send his men off to the village and get rid of any evidence that might bite him in the ass. Luckily no paperwork or trails were linked back to him about his elicit dealings but if enough people testified against him he knew his goose was cooked. His money could only do so much for him.
Looking away from the window, Gato approached his desk and pressed on the intercom button, "Zori, Waraji, send the men out and proceed with your mission."
"…"
"… Zori, Waraji!" he asked once more and cursed as the silence continued, "Where the hell are those two?"
The man couldn't afford any more slip-ups and needed everything to be in working order, "Bah! Must be faulty wiring."
It wasn't the first time such an occurrence happened. And with his secretary dead thanks to Kisame's rowdiness, the man had no choice but to meet his goons and hired help himself.
BOOOOOOM!
Gato was caught off guard as the doors to his office were unexpectedly blown off. The man ducked for cover as one of them bounced his way before it crashed into his desk with a resounding thud while the other crashed through the window and fell down below. The wooden structure shuddered and gained a sizable indent from the impact but otherwise remained intact.
Before he could even ponder on what was happening, Gato saw a form flicker in the dust before he was harshly grabbed and thrown to the ground. The man groaned at the pain and soon felt himself being hosted up and staring into blue eyes filled with anger. For a brief second the man believed he saw a flicker of crimson but chalked it up as his imagination.
"Don't bother yelling for help, Gato. You won't be getting any," the whiskered boy said and Gato knew what it meant.
His thugs, all of his men, were either dead or incapacitated. Naruto hadn't wanted to do it but upon hearing what they were ordered to do via a conversation his group overhead, he knew they had little choice in the matter.
Ino, being the one who was receiving training in interrogation from Anko, took over and put on her best Anko face, "We're only gonna ask you once, and only once. Call off the hit on Tazuna and you'll live."
The Yamanaka forwent saying his chances of dying were still a possibility. His chances of going to prison for life, however, was pretty much guaranteed. But Gato merely chuckled at the irony of it all.
"You're too late. Zabuza and his team are already on the bridge," he said before one more ninja appeared.
"Hinata?"
"The area is secure."
"Check the bridge," Naruto, worried by what Gato had just said. As Hinata used her Byakugan and began focusing on the task at hand, Ino had picked up something else from the man.
"Who else did you send?" Ino demanded. The blond was rendered utterly furious to the point it made her see red as she wiped Gato's spit from her hair.
"Dumb move," Naruto would have felt sorry for the short man but given everything he did to Nami no Kuni, he wasn't. And, because Ino didn't get the proper response she wanted, she made the decision of no longer playing nice and decided to really take out a page out from Anko's book.
"Fine," was all the warning Gatoreceived as Ino quickly took out a kunai and stabbed the man in his injured arm, twisting it all the while. Blood gushed from the wound and Gato's face contorted into one of pure agony.
"Gaghhh! Alright, I'll talk!" he shouted, the pain becoming too much for the tyrant to handle. He was many things, a businessman, a survivor, but a fighter and someone who could deal with pain wasn't one of them.
"Speak!" Ino threatened the man with more pain as she gripped the knife more tightly and showed him Dakatsu's Bite. Whether it was from fear of more pain or the sudden appearance of a wicked and deadly weapon, or both, Gato spilled his guts before Ino did it for him.
"Zabuza w-was talking too long to recover. I needed to job done soon. So I hired some more men to take care of it," Ino didn't have to be an expert like Anko to know it wasn't everything and pushed the knife in deeper.
"AHHHHHH, NOOOOOO!" he begged but Ino continued to push the blade in further.
"What else!"
"Hah… I…. I al-also wanted them t-to take care of Zabuza's group after they weakened ea-each other."
"So you were gonna backstab them?" Naruto was pissed. Zabuza was trying to kill them but Naruto had no love for backstabbers. Had they not had orders to bring him in alive, preferably, Gato's head would be ground meat at the moment.
"You don't get it do you," here Gato laughed mirthlessly despite the pain, "Zabuza wanted double his payment in exchange for getting rid of you. He blackmailed me, I had no-"
Naruto promptly backhanded the man as he knew where it was headed. Naruto was a good bullshitter and he knew Gato was lying to them. Taking over, Naruto hoisted him up and slammed him on the desk, "WHO DID YOU HIRE?!"
Naruto didn't have any subtlety when it came to interrogation or talent in the field compared to Anko and Ino. But the act he just pulled scared Gato to the point he blurted out, "HOSHIGAKI KISAME!" before wetting himself in the process.
Approaching him, Ino yanked out the knife, making the man cry even further, looked him in the eye and said, "Thank you," before she knocked him out cold with her kunai. With the man unconscious for the moment, Naruto browsed through the Bingo Book screen and brought up Kisame's profile.
Hinata's eyes finally reached the bridge in the distance. What the two saw wasn't good. For Hinata it was due to the bridge being covered in a thick blanket of impenetrable mist, and for Naruto it was due to what he read about Kisame.
"Oh, shit," Naruto paled lightly and both Ino and Hinata heard the worry and, to their concern, fear in his voice. Two things that they knew from experience that Naruto only showed if it was very bad news.
"How bad is it?" Ino asked, as she continued to tie up the man while Hinata healed him.
Though Hinata was kind by nature she believed the man didn't deserve it after all the suffering he brought to Nami. But they still had more questions that only he could answer. Bleeding to death would be counterproductive and the man was no use to them dead.
Well, at least, for the moment of course.
"You know how it was said Zabuza was from the strongest generation of the Seven Swordsmen," at her nod, hesitant as it was, Naruto continued, "Well, this guy killed one of 'em and came out of it with no injuries. And all of the swordsmen at that time were A-Rank threats."
Both of his teammates looked worried. A-Rank ninja were one of the strongest ninja in the world; some were close to being crossing the threshold into Kage level. For Kisame to have done this meant only one thing.
"Please don't say he's an S-Rank ninja," Ino's fears were unfortunately confirmed by Naruto's nod.
Ino knew that there was most likely a chance they weren't going to make out of this alive. Against Zabuza they had a chance, slight as it was, but an S-Rank missing ninja was another story. S-Rank meant Kage level individuals and the power gap between an A and S-Rank ninja was huge. Kakashi was an A-Rank ninja and Anko was a B-Rank, but that meant squat against an S-Rank threat, more so when you had wards to look after.
"What do we do?"
Naruto's initial reaction was to say he had no idea. The old cocky Naruto probably would have gone in, act all chivalrous and hoped everything worked out for the best in the end. But this Naruto knew better. This Naruto was more informed and realistic. The chances of them defeating Kisame was slim to none. The only way they'd make it out of this alive was if they played it smart and prayed to Kami above that they got lucky. Even then Naruto knew it wasn't that simple. Kakashi was still weak and while Anko had Midori it wouldn't be enough.
"You guys stay here and watch over him, I'll see what I can do," Naruto informed them.
"Are you out of your bloody mind? Naruto you've gotten better but that ability of yours doesn't make you invincible. This guy's an S-Rank missing ninja. Only the toughest of the tough are labeled that and you're just a Genin. This isn't a dungeon! If you die, you're not coming back. You're basically committing suicide!" Ino pleaded with him to reconsider.
"Ino-chan's right, Naruto-kun," Hinata believed in Naruto and his ability to overcome any obstacles that came his way but this was different. This was a man who had well over two decades of experience as ninja compared to their three months. Ino had described it perfectly when she said it was suicide.
"I know, but what choice do we have?" he asked them and neither one could come up with an answer, "We don't have time to come up with something guys. The longer I stay could mean life or death for the others. I'm going and that's that. If you two think something went wrong-"
"Don't' say that!" the shout surprisingly came from Hinata.
"Hinata?"
"Don't. Uzumaki Naruto has never doubted himself and you're not going to start now. You're going help our friends and then you're going to come back to us, because you always find a way, one way or another," even if the chances of him winning were slim Hinata had confidence that Naruto could somehow come up with a way to foil their plans. Or at the very least catch them off guard and buy them some time.
"Whoa! Where'd the wallflower go?" Ino was not expecting such a speech out of the blue, especially from Hinata. Anko's training really did work wonders.
"Promise me you'll come back. Please," Hinata looked at him pleadingly and Naruto couldn't help but nod at the girl's plight.
"Alright, I'll come back," Naruto informed the girl. Hinata breathed out and got back to work on Gato before dragging Ino away to speak with her.
"The bridge isn't that far from here so keep a look out," the next bit he whispered, "If anything happens, grab Hinata and run like hell. Do everything you guys can to get out of here."
"And go where exactly?" Konoha was a day and a half away by ninja speed and that was with them being on a full tank of energy. Ino appreciated the concern but the chances of them escaping alive was less likely than them being captured. "Look, I'm not as vocal as Hinata when it comes to this sort of thing but if she believes you can pull a miracle out of your ass then I'll take it. Just keep your promise, okay."
"Count on it," the way the two believed in him was moving, to say the least. Naruto never felt so touched by the faith both had in him. With his resolve strengthened, Naruto set out to help his comrades. The boy also made sure he'd be back; because Uzumaki Naruto never went back on his word and nindo.
Never.
(At the Bridge)
"Fucking hate this!" Kiba snarled, looking like a pincushion. To his left, Akamaru wasn't looking any better and forced back into his natural form.
Sasuke was only better thanks to his newly awakened Sharingan. Even then, that didn't offer much help. The Uchiha's breathing was ragged. Small cuts littered his arms and face. His inexperience in using the ocular Kekkei Genkai had since started putting a strain on his stamina. Oh, he could see Haku's attacks now. That didn't equate to him being able to stop them or being able to keep up with them. In the beginning, sure, but just because the mind saw it didn't mean the body could react as he desired.
"Damn it!" Sasuke twisted sideways as another senbon narrowly missed but the moment his foot touched the ground, three more needles buried themselves in his shoulder, the limb going numb.
"We need to break this thing already!" Kiba barked.
"Easier said than done!" Sasuke countered. He agreed with the statement but the mirror were tough. Even a head on Gokakyu no Jutsu (Great Fireball Technique) only made one melt by the smallest amount before it was reshaped. And unfortunately, around them stretched more than one of the Hunter Ninja's Demonic Ice Mirrors. Dozens of reflective surfaces surrounded the trio from every angle and Haku's image flickered between them so quickly that he seemed to be everywhere at once. It was practically impossible to know when and where he'd pop out and by then they only had the barest window of opportunity to defend themselves.
The hunter-nin sighed softly.
"I truly do not wish to harm you further."
"Funny way of showing it!" Kiba snapped, frustration clearly marked on his injured face.
"I am showing restraint," Haku said, expression turning apologetic, not that they'd know it.
Nobody liked hearing that. Least of all Sasuke. Because he realized the masked shinobi wasn't lying. He could have easily aimed for throats or other vital organs such as their eyes and major arteries. He certainly had the aim and speed and advantage to do so. Instead, every wound inflicted upon them had been either painful or meant to cripple their movement. But lethal? Not in the slightest, Sasuke realized. And, in his mind, that somehow made it worse.
The Uchiha hated feeling outclassed. Bad enough that the Dobe had shown significant improvement and knew skills Sasuke lacked. And right now, Sasuke was getting an eye opening reminder that the world was far bigger than Konoha. And if he had any hope of avenging his clan, he really needed to push himself that much further. Acquiring his clan's fabled eyes was a start, but what good was it when he was dead?
Outside the mirror prison, Sakura clenched her fists as she watched her teammates being used as target practice. She wanted nothing more than to help, but that would leave Tazuna exposed. The old bridge builder looked terrified, but to his credit he hadn't run. But even with Hottomaru with her she didn't feel all that confident. That had become doubly so when the S-Rank Ninja had unexpectedly entered the fray.
"Damn it," Sakura felt useless. And like most, she hated the feeling.
Anko was right, she had control and smart, and the old saying 'it's not the strongest that wins but the smartest' had always struck with her, but against a superior opponent and almost no significant skills to provide support they amounted to nothing. What bothered Sakura even more were the sounds coming from within the mist that Kakashi-sensei and Anko-sensei were in.
The sounds of explosions, crashing stones - and was that mad cackling, she heard? - were getting worse and every now and then she felt bursts of chakra so strong they made her skin break out into goosebumps and made here seize up. And one didn't have to be as smart as she was to to know it came from the S-Rank ninja.
One such bursts was especially violent that the bridge began to shake and everyone in the mirror trap froze as a wave of incredibly powerful chakra rolled across the bridge. Sakura began to shake and worry in earnest. Even Hottomaru wasn't fairing any better. Possibly even worse as ninken could sense and gage the power of another by scent alone more acutely that she. The Genin, ninken and hunter could tell something big within the fog was about to happen.
The question remained: what?
Elsewhere on the Bridge
Kakashi stumbled and rolled but managed to right himself, if only just. Blood dripped from his arm and his vision blurred as his reserves were nearly empty. Even then he was able to make out the form of Hoshigaki Kisame and the annoyed look he had on his face.
"You know," Kisame said casually, resting Samehada on his shoulder as though it were weightless, "I've heard a lot about you, and honestly, I thought Kopī Ninja Kakashi would be stronger. Bad start, I'll admit but then it looked like this fight was about to get interesting. My bad for getting my hopes up."
Unfortunately, Kakashi couldn't argue with that assessment. His arm throbbed and several ribs felt broken. The Sharingan was covered once more by his headband as it had become harder and harder to maintain the more the fight went on. Kisame, on the other hand, didn't look the least bit winded. And it wasn't just because of the bizarre blade he welded that devoured chakra and left Kakashi a little weaker and Kisame a little stronger. Kisame had a monstrous amount of chakra reserve. The Sharingan couldn't see charka pathways like the Byakugan, but the sheer amount of chakra the man had made it visible for the eye to see why the Monster of the Bloody Mist was also known by his other epithet: O o Motanai Bijū (The Tailed Beast without a Tail).
Kakashi regretted not taking the title seriously. The amount of people who had that amount of chakra in today's day and age were astronomically low, and it wasn't like it was the first time people exaggerated the abilities of other ninja to make them look more impressive than they actually were. Unfortunately, after spending several this whole time trading blows with the missing-nin, Kakashi had come to a sobering realization that Kisame's reputation had been understated.
"An S-Rank opponent who counters ninjutsu and steals chakra against an out of shape Jonin with an ocular Kekkei Genkai that burns through chakra like a forest fire," it was the worst possible matchup in Kakashi's opinion, and if there was a silver lining to the situation, he certainly wasn't seeing it.
"Alright, I'm over this. Time to kill the lot of you. I'd say it's been nice fighting you, but I'll say this instead. Suiton: Bakusui Shoha (Water Release: Exploding Water Colliding Wave)!"
Kakashi's eyes nearly popped out of his head as the missing ninja spat out a great volume of water from his mouth. Kakashi had heard about Kisame's prowess in water ninjutsu but seeing and believing were two separate things. The amount of water that surged was simply immense and with the amount of chakra available to him it was likely just the tip of the iceberg. The waves that smashed into the ill-prepared and weakened Kakashi made him grunt in pain as he felt the water threaten to crush him and force the air out of his lungs and his vision darkened.
Nearby, both Anko and Zabuza's own fight were halted as they too were struck by the large amount of water. Both lost their concentration and the technique sent them tumbling over the bridge, smacking into stone and wood and other material as they were trapped in the swirling liquid mass. Zabuza felt his leg strike something harshly at a very bad angle and shouted in the water. If he had to guess by the pain he felt it meant the limb was broken.
Anko for her part tried to grab a hold of something to stop the spinning. The woman felt nauseous by the violent waves that tossed her around like ragdoll to who knows where. Her concentration became too focused on surviving the technique by holding on whatever she could to stop the spinning that she suddenly felt drained, tired even. The woman the realized as she held of for dear life that the Cursed Seal's power had receded and cursed at the lousy timing.
The Genin of Team Seven and Haku looked on in confusion as the waves reached them and Kakashi's Team had to root themselves into the ground with chakra so they weren't swept away, an act that took a lot of effort on Sasuke and Kiba's part given their state. Had they been closer to the center of it all, the act would have dislocated their legs and knees, Haku was safe in the Yuki Clan's mirrors.
When it was all over, all the tired ninja ironically found themselves all gathered together in one spot. Kakashi drew the correct assumption that it wasn't a mere coincidence. Whatever the man was planning it involved finishing them all off, including his allies, in one go. His hunch was correct as Kisame stood in front of them with a knowing smirk.
"Well, folks, hate to sound like a broken record...Ah, screw it, I'm just gonna kill you all. Suiton: Daibak-"
The man was momentarily surprised as many ninja, clones and the original most likely suddenly appeared between him and the Konoha ninja. The amount was, to say the least, ridiculously large. Half appeared to be carried and had a look of deep concentration on them, while the others blurred through their own hand seals. It was then that his mind finally registered the warning his sword gave off and Kisame could only say five words.
"Oh, for the love of-"
"Katon: Inka Hyakki no Jutsu (Fire Release: Shadow Fire of One Hundred Demons Technique)!" the half the clones declared as dozens of demonic flaming heads of snarling foxes burst into life from each of them. Each one snarled and snapped as it raced forward, the bridge bathed in orange light by the sheer amount of fireballs
"Futon: Shisenko (Wind Release: Lion's Battle Roar)!" the remaining clones unleashed a concentrated blast of wind and the fox heads swelled to nearly twice their original size as the wind fed the technique. Heat rolled across the battlefield and clashed against the water still coating much of the bridge until the heat proved too much and the water vaporized. Kisame's sighed as he saw the torrent of death coming his way.
"Seriously?"
BOOOOOOM!
Both the wind and fire techniques crashed onto the other half of the unfinished bridge. The combined technique was a veritable hell as the intense heat and flames licked at the stone, making some even melt as well due to how hot it was. Here was a mere Genin, the lowest rank of ninja - not counting academy student, of course – who was using a technique that was easily A-Rank in terms of power on an infamous missing ninja. The boy made it look so easy that it made some wonder if he wasn't actually a higher rank ninja in disguise. The bridge shook violently from the assault, and repairs would obviously be needed and unfortunately some areas most likely have to be redone from scratch.
But using several high powered techniques in one go to pull off a stunt like this - a stunt he had never done before - and the mental backlash from so many clones popping from lack of chakra nearly caused Naruto to drop to one knee. He wasn't breathing heavily but his head swam and his pulse was racing. The move didn't use all his chakra, but damn near two-thirds of it was gone. But Naruto thought it was the best course of action in one offing, or at the very least, heavily injure Kisame enough to make him flee. It seemed like the quickest way to deal with the man, and while Konoha might - oh, who was Naruto kidding with his luck? - likely be stuck with the bill, but at least it got the job done.
For several long seconds, nobody moved. The inferno raged across the shattered span of the bridge as waves of heat distorted the air and forced everyone to shield their eyes. Chunks of scorched stone cracked and tumbled into the water below with loud splashes. To the Genin and Tazuna it seemed impossible in their minds that someone could survive such a technique. Even Haku had their doubts.
Anko, Kakashi, and Zabuza, though impressed by the stunt, knew better. S-Rank titles weren't given out like candy. They were given to individuals who could survive and perform feats few alive could. And, unfortunately, Kisame was considered to be one of the most dangerous of missing-nin to be wary of, too.
"Phew, gotta admit I wasn't expecting that from a Genin," they all heard a voice call out from the fire. Konoha ninja, and even the ninja from Kiri, had horrified looks as Kisame emerged from the flaming wreck with barely any harm done to him. His cloak was singed and all in a few places but other than that the shark man looked relatively unscathed by what was thought to have been a sure kill move.
"Wh—wha?" Naruto couldn't believe his eyes. Nearly a hundred clones, each of them using his strongest techniques and it had been all for naught. Over two-thirds of his chakra was gone because of that stunt and he had nothing to show for it. S-Rank missing ninja or not it should have at least done some harm.
"Wha-what the hell's that?!" Tazuna shouted and the Konoha ninja were rendered even more stunned as they spotted the reason for his befuddlement and terror.
"Shit!" Zabuza instantly recognized it, having seen it countless times before, and could tell this wasn't going to be pretty.
The object was long, easily greater in size than Kisame himself. It possessed downward facing scales running along the entirety of its length, the scales were so long that they resembled the fins of a shark. It even possessed a mouth with a row of sharp teeth also reminiscent of a shark's.
"Is that the sword?" Sasuke wondered and couldn't keep his eyes off the object/creature that the man wielded.
"You guessed it," Kisame grinned and with barely any effort he lifted the enormous blade, looking at it fondly, "Samehade's known as the most terrifying blade of the Seven Swordsmen for a reason. If you strike him he'll shred ya to pieces. If you use ninjutsu, you'll only make 'im stronger and stronger. This guy's got quite the appetite."
As he was speaking, the sword began to shudder and shake, making the opposing ninja weary at what was going to happen next. Kakashi knew sword render most ninjutsu and taijutsu useless but seeing it like this showed the famed Jonin just how easily Kisame had been toying with him. If the previous form was simply the base and deadly as it was, just how much deadlier was its current state?
"Oof! That's not good. I forgot to mention, he's also a picky eater, and fire ninjustu tends gives him an upset stomach."
Kakashi's eyes widened to the point they'd threaten to pop out of their sockets as he immediately understood what the deadly swordsman was refereeing to, " RUN!"
"UNLEASH HELL!" Kisame shouted with glee and a blazing firestorm literally burst forth from the mouth of the beast. An epic amount of hellfire was spewed from Samehada in a manner similar to an overpowered flamethrower. The flames engulfed everything in its path as it made a beeline towards the ninja, both ally and enemy alike.
Team Seven and Anko could only look on as Naruto was engulfed by the flames before they had time to react. Kakashi felt his heart shatter as the last remaining legacy of his mentor and wife die by the missing ninja's hands.
"Kisame, you backstabbing son of a bitch!" Zabuza shouted as he surrounded himself and his word with a dome of dense water, one that was soon covered with a thick sheet of ice and dropping the temperature of the water at a frightening rate. But with his injured leg he knew he'd be unable to outrun it. Diving off the bridge would only make it much worse, and potentially kill him with the other injuries he possessed.
Zabuza was no fool and knew his that even his most powerful Suiton technique would at best slow it down before it was overwhelmed. The raw power in Kisame's physical strength was outmatched only by the man's unfathomable strength in ninjustu and ability to use Samehada in ways its previous wielders could not.
But part of him also wasn't surprised that Kisame turned on him. The man had a history of betrayal and had been the first to betray the Seven Swordsmen. The result of which had caused a chain reaction that, in Zabuza's mind, ultimately lead to the once famous group's downfall. After Kisame's stunt and following actions to come, many began to distrust the Seven Swordsmen. Most of them had been open about their ire despite their prowess.
However, powerful as he was, Kisame's forte was in water ninjutsu, not fire. So with his Suiro (Water Prison) combined with Haku's Hyogan Domu (Ice Rock Dome of Magnificent Nothingness) the pair had a chance at surviving so long as they continued to strengthen their technique.
"Midori!" Anko shouted as she, Hotto and Kakashi's group were enveloped around the coils of the great but injured serpent. The large familiar would be sore for the next little while and wouldn't be able to fight either due to the risky stunt. For added protection the senior Jonin slammed his hands to the ground and summoned up a large slab of stone made from the bridge from what little chakra he could muster. The wall that bore bulldog sculptures wasn't as large as he had wanted it to be due to the sudden and further increase in exhaustion. The man prayed it would be enough, but his mind wandered as he thought of Minato's son.
Kisame continued to unleash the red-hot flames with greater intensity than Naruto did with his combination technique. The attack making the ninja sweat from the heat and strain as they were pushed to reinforce their techniques even more.
Luckily for them, it was over in a minute before Kisame canceled the flow of chakra, but even then they felt drained. The man spoke truthfully when he said Samehada was a picky eater. Fire chakra, especially those from intense techniques, weren't exactly Samehada's favorite meal. The sword didn't mind a little bit but too much and it became moody and difficult to deal with. Making the sword 'barf' out the meal was the only way to get it back under Kisame's control. Even then the man had not expected such a technique from a Genin. He'd have made a decent challenge when he got older, but Kisame had a job to do.
"Ah, well. There'll be other fights," he thought and got back to business. It came as no surprise as Kisame saw the burnt corpse of the Genin he just snuffed the life out of. The man ignored the blacked and smoking body as he made his way towards the exhausted ninja.
However, Kisame immediately felt pain as something heavy crashing into his back. Kisame wasn't launched but he was forced to right himself as he was forced several steps forward.
|Deathblow Unsuccessful!|
Naruto ignored it, already suspecting the chances were too low but had hoped to at least throw the man off the bridge and buy everyone time to flee and regroup. Another strike was directed at Kisame's leg to cripple or impede his movement, but the swordsman was quicker to react this time and he sent Naruto. Blood was drawn but it wasn't fatal. Bone was shattered but it was easily repairable. Years of combat had hardened his willpower and ability to endure pain. Plus with Samehada the man's injuries would heal pretty quickly.
But it didn't mean the Monster of the Bloody Mist wasn't pissed.
And a pissed off Kisame was someone that no ninja or civilian alike wanted to face in their entire lives. Kisame glared as the attacker, which was replaced by confusing as he saw the form of the Konoha Genin alive and well.
"No way in hell could a Genin survive that," Kisame doubted his opponent was a Genin level shinobi. Bukijutsu wise it was the case, ninjutsu wise, however was another story. The kid was most likely an Anbu or one of Konoha's secret aces in the hole that despite his young age. But even then it still didn't explain how he managed to avoid being burnt alive.
The S-Rank missing ninja wasn't the only one amazed by what transpired. The Genin of Team Seven had grudgingly come to terms with the fact that Naruto had become much stronger than when he was an Academy Student. But even though he was stronger the sight before them was pushing it. Despite being glad he was alive, Naruto should not have been able to survive from the flames.
Much like his Genin, Hatake Kakashi couldn't believe what he witnessed. Part of him thought it to be a trick being played on him, that his mind was unable to cope with the fact that Minato's son had survived. But to his utter relief, the man's mind wasn't being tricked as he saw the looks of his own team and heavily panting but smirking Anko. Naruto was alive, but it begged the question.
"How did he survive?" the Konoha Jonin wondered.
"Phew, that was close," Naruto muttered but groaned/whined as he saw the wounds on Kisame's back healing up from the blow, "Ah, man. Are you shitting me?! You can heal?"
"Tough luck for you, pint size," Kisame gave him a predatory smirk and subconsciously Naruto gulped. His quick equip of the Crimson Cloak of the Fire Rat had saved his ass, and restored much of his lost energy, his use of the Henge disguising his uninjured form, but that wouldn't mean squat against the man's sword. Naruto kept up his guard but Kisame was upon him quickly with Samehada raised up high.
"Now you're gonna-"
The missing's ninja's words were caught in his throat as his strike was ultimately blocked. Naruto had half expected to be sent flying from the strike and instead the dark-garbed boy was saved from injury in the form of a large … frog? Said creature was incredibly large in size, possessing orange skin that was covered in blue markings, and bandages wrapped around its body and left foreleg. Around the head was a necklace with seven large beads with the kanji for 'loyalty' on the central, largest one. The amphibian was wearing samurai armor, composed of a plate cuirass and arm-guards paired with traditional samurai pauldrons. Its arms were crossed over its head and holding the deadly blue blade at bay with what looked like complete ease.
"What the hell?" a bewildered Kisame thought out loud just before Samehada sent out warning vibes. Years of using the deadly weapon had taught Kisame not to doubt its judgment and the shark-man's decisive action saved his life.
Out from the mist and hundreds if not thousands of white needles flew through the air and made contact with the spot the missing ninja once stood. The seemingly harmless looking projectiles, easily piercing the hard materials as if they were nothing more than paper, obliterated wood, stone and metal alike.
Kisame growled as he landed away what could have been a nasty hit. The swordsman readied himself and Samehada for what was to come next. But what he didn't take into account was who made themselves known from the sound of wooden sandals clacking on the hard surface. Next, he saw spiky white hair tied into a ponytail, with two shoulder-length bangs framing his face. Red lines were seen under his eyes which extended further down his face, and his overall attire bore a striking resemblance of a kabuki player.
"Well, shit," Kisame frowned as he looked upon a legendary and well-known ninja.
"Who's that?" Sakura asked out loud, getting a look of disbelief from Anko and the other two Kiri ninja.
"Seriously? Who the fuck doesn't know about their village's own legends?" a tired Zabuza wondered but groaned weakly. The combination technique had saved his ass but the intensity of it had pushed him and Haku to their limits. Both were virtually spent. Standing itself required focused effort and teamwork on their parts.
"Me?" here he chuckled and made Anko, and to an extent Kakashi, groan as she knew what was about to happen next, "I'm the man who makes women's heart soar, the one who makes children look up in awe and make men wept with jealously. I'm the one, the only, legendary toad sage, Jiraiya!"
"…"
"…?"
"Who invited the nut-job?" Naruto broke the silence.
|Congratulations! You've conquered the Lost Underground Lake Dungeon!|
|Additional rewards will be provided for clearing the in record time!|
|Additional rewards will be provided to the one who contributed the most!|
"I call bull," Ino would have said more but said screw it and finally let her exhaustion take over.
The blond comically swung her arms to right herself before she fell into the pool that once held the final dungeon boss. The boss was gone, but Ino didn't want to leave it to chance for more surprises to pop up. She was quite finished with that thank you very much. Hinata soon followed the blonde and both wanted nothing more than to rest their hearts out. Both had earned it in their minds. Swimming to shore, Naruto came onto into dry land next to his teammates, covered in mucus.
"Next time I get the brilliant idea of doing that stupid again, stop me."
"Won't hear me complain," Ino muttered, but had to admit the move saved her ass.
It had been stupid. Effective? Oh, hell, yes. But mostly stupid. Having enough of the barrage of acid, Naruto went nuts and spammed clone after clone until there was too many for the four smaller umibozu to acid bomb until they all launched a series of shuriken laced with exploding tags on the damn things. Naruto dubbed the technique the Shihohappo Bakuhatsu Shuriken no Jutsu (Four Directions Eight Directions Exploding Shuriken Technique).
Individually they weren't as effective, but the damage caused by the countless shuriken and their exploding tags caused many of the overhead rock formations to come falling down on them. The slug-like monsters were faster than their huge singular self, but not that fast. Unfortunately, it also forced Ino and Hinata to run, duck and dodge, too as the explosions caused certain sections to fall near them.
When all was said and done, only mini-bozu - as Ino called them! - was left and boy did Ino vent our her frustrations on the slimy gastropod. The poor thing barely had time to register the danger it was to face before Ino descended on it like a woman possessed. Hinata winced at the first kick, Naruto at the second, and by the tenth even the most sadistic of individuals - aka, Anko - might have pitied the poor thing.
Might being the keyword.
"So, you ready to go?"
"Ugh," Ino groaned loudly; Hinata merely sighed.
"What's with you guys?"
"Sometimes I forget you're a stamina freak," Ino huffed and was envious of the boy's endurance during combat, "We're bushed."
"Didn't you level up?" Naruto inquired.
"I wish," Ino huffed. Levelling up would have done away with the exhaustion they felt, "Give us a minute."
"Or ten, please," Hinata added. If she had the stamina she'd heal her aches and mitigate her exhausted form but life was currently unkind.
"And if you levelled up, keep it to yourself,"
"...Okay," Naruto looked away and that told Ino everything she needed to know.
"I hate you."
"So you've told me," responded the male.
Though they needed to continue on, Naruto supposed a quick break wasn't that tall an order given everything and decided to inspect the loot they received, "Ok, what do we got here."
Manju Mimikazari (Tide Flowing Jewel Earning ) – Very Rare Quality
Item Type: Accessory
Description: Legends speak of ancient times where deities gave selective humans the power to control the oceans themselves. With such items humans were able to fish more successful and calm raging storms that threatened to destroy their village. All this in the form of simple ocean blue jewels known as the Manju (Tide Flowing Jewel) and the Kanju (Tide Ebbing Jewel). Though used in pairs even separately they hold a great deal of power.
Special Perks
* Divine Water God's Blessing (Minor)
* Tide Set Bonus (Information locked until equipped with Kanju)
Bonus Stats/Perks:
* Decreases chakra required for Suiton and Water related skills by 15%.
* Power and effectiveness of Suiton and water related skills increased by 15%
* There is a 15% that when using C-Rank Suiton skills or lower that you do so without expending the required chakra
* Resistance against Suiton and Water related skills is increased by 20%
Requirements
* Must have water affinity (primary or secondary)
Water God's Tear - Epic Quality
Type: Consumable
Description: A condensed droplet of very pure water chakra left behind by an entity who once blessed the Lost Underground Lake. When consumed, the consumer's chakra is modified, granting them an affinity or deepening their existing connection to water.
Effects
* Grants the consumer the elemental affinity for water if they lack it, as though it were their primary elemental affinity.
* If the Water Affinity is already possessed, the affinity is marked as 'Improved', increasing the affinity by an additional 15% (ie 20% becomes 35%)
Futton: Doku Bakuhatsu Rendan (Boil Release: Acid Bomb Barrage)
Item Type: Skill Scroll
Description: A devastating technique developed by a forgotten clan who by superheating water into corrosive vapor and compressing it into volatile spheres, the user launches multiple acidic bombs that explode on impact. Each bomb releases a burst of boiling corrosive mist capable of melting armor, weakening defenses, and inflicting severe damage. Unfortunately, only shinobi with the Boil Release bloodline limit can learn the scroll.
Requirements: Must possess Boil Release Kekkei Genkai.
Lost Underground Lake Dungeon's Very Rare Gacha Chest - Very Rare
Type: Consumable
Description: A Gacha chest that, when opened, allows you to acquire an item associated with the dungeon it came from. What lies inside is a mystery as only.
Effects: Once open, you can acquire one to three items of random rarity (Maximum item rarity matches the chest's)
Naruto couldn't help but release a sharp whistle, "Dang."
"Good dang, or bad dang?" Ino was thankful Anko-sensei wasn't here as she was too tired to be aware of her surroundings.
"Good dang, especially if you have the water affinity," the comment had Ino immediately sitting up fully now as though her exhaustion had passed
"Okay, breaks over. Gimme, gimme, gimme!" Naruto deadpanned. Anko was doing too good a job at corrupting the Yamanaka into a clone of herself.
"You don't even know what-"
"Don't care just give," Ino cut him off.
"Sheesh! Greedy blonde."
"I heard that!"
"You were meant to!"
"Mina, too tired to mitigate," Hinata's tired voice asked of them.
"Sorry, Hinata," both apologized.
"...Ano...what is there, though?" Hinata asked, face a tad pink, curious herself.
"We got a gacha chest that gives out random goods," Naruto walked over to Hinata and gave it to her, "And an orb that gives you the water affinity or boosts it."
"Dibs on that last one!" Ino called.
"Of course do," Naruto muttered and tossed it to her along with the Manju Mimikaziri. Out of the three, only Ino would really benefit from the the latter.
"What about the scroll?" Ino inquired, putting the earing in place.
"Useless. We need the Boil Release bloodline limit."
Ino snorted, "Good luck. Pretty sure no one in Konoha has that."
"Which means I'm gonna have to sell it," Naruto sighed. He wasn't afraid to admit he was disappointed with the final loot. More so because there really wasn't anything for him. Once a dozen or so minutes passed by, Ino and Hinata rose up on aching legs. Naruto had offered to carry them but Ino looked like she'd been insulted while Hinata turned crimson.
Girls were weird.
Fortune, however, smiled upon as they entered the next cave. The trio was happy to note that there were no monsters, and were greeted with the sight of a large vibrant lake brimming with a multitude of fish of different species and sizes. Many of them jumped and splashed out of the water and Naruto thought a few looked quite tasty.
"What do you think, guys. Should we take a few for ourselves?" it was clear there was more than enough for Nami. Taking a few dozen fish they'd otherwise be unable to get elsewhere didn't sound so bad. Though first they'd need to catch them. "Anyone bring a net?"
The boy was greeted with silence and he knew the answer. "Alright, then. The old fashion way it is," and he knew it would take a while.
"Uh, Naruto?"
"Hmm? What is it."
Ino and Hinata answered by pointing at a small spring that shinned even more brightly than the much larger lake and Naruto's eyes widened at the details Observer gave him
|Blessed Spring of the Divine Water God|
|You've discovered a sacred spring composed from highly condensed and potent natural chakra. Resting in the spring restores HP, CP, stamina, and removes exhaustion at an extremely accelerated rate.|
|The spring's effects can affect ten people a day! Once used, it will go dormant until the following day!|
|Effects: Rapid HP and Chakra Regeneration, Exhaustion Purge, Status Cleanse, Protection of the Divine Water God (Temporary)!|
"Wait. Wait. WAIT. You're telling me that thing—" Ino pointed at the glowing spring "—is basically the mother of all rejuvenating hot springs?"
Hinata's eyes sparkled, "It does seem that way, Ino-chan."
"Pretty much."
Ino didn't hesitate. She dove headfirst into the spring with a splash, resurfacing a moment later with her hair floating around her. Her form glowing. Litterally!
"Woah! Ino?"
"Oh. My. Kami," Ino sank deeper, sighing in bliss, "I never wanna leave. Tell my parents I moved to Nami no Kuni and I'm never coming back."
"Seriously?" it was that good, Naruto wondered, "Limited shopping options."
"Don't care," Ino sighed.
"Wow! That good, huh?" Naruto never thought he'd hear Ino of all people say that.
Hinata giggled softly before stepping into the spring herself. The moment the water touched her skin, she shivered, her eyes widened, and then practically turned into goo by how completely relaxed she became, "It's so warm. So soothing."
Naruto dipped a hand in. The water tingled, sending a wave of energy up his arm. He wasn't tired compared to the two kunoichi but, in all honesty, when was he gonna be here again? So, he took advantage at the rare opportunity and stepped in next and instantly the remaining mucus, exhaustion, and what small aches he had evaporated like mist as his muscles loosened, his chakra surged, and his mind cleared,
"Oh, wow," Naruto breathed at the otherworldly sensation, "This is... this is better than ramen."
The instant those words left him, Ino and Hinata's heads snapped up to look at him in utter shock. Even Naruto looked shocked by what the blasphemous words. Blasphemous for him, at least.
"Did I just say that?" Ino and Hinata could only nod. Neither one of them ever expected him to say that, "Okay, this is spooky."
"Can say that again," Ino was practically ready to call him an imposter but couldn't exactly through stones, "If this spring can make Naruto say ramen isn't number one, then it really is made by a god."
"Especially you and shopping?" Ino merely waved him off.
Hinata giggled, her voice soft and airy from how relaxed she was, "Naruto-kun, you might want to avoid saying that outside this cave. Who knows how Anko-sensei will react."
"I do. She'll say, 'What the fuck did you do to my Gaki?!' and beat him black and blue. Or just beat him black and blue and then ask," Ino chimed it. Hinata would have disagreed if the Yamanaka's words weren't so apt.
Naruto sank deeper until the water reached his chin, his face red from embarrassment, "Forgive me ramen gods. This spring has made made me into a heathen by messing with my brain."
Ino snorted, "Messing with your brain implies you had one to begin with."
"Hey!" Naruto splashed her in retaliation.
"Oh, yeah!" she splashed him back.
Hinata, caught in the crossfire, squeaked and, to their surprise, splashed both of them back. For a moment, the cavern echoed with laughter and water slapping against stone — the first real moment of peace they'd had in days. Eventually, the three of them settled again, floating quietly as the divine chakra worked its magic. And for the first time in hours, everything was still. Peaceful.
They decided to savour it because once it was over, it was back to the life of a ninja and the hardships that came with it.
(On the Bridge)
"Here, Zabu, zabu, zabu. Where are you?" the dark sing song voice of Anko filled the air, the intoxicating power continued to flow through her veins as she tried to find her prey. The woman's tongue flicked out and tasting the air molecules in a manner similar to her familiar, Midori, every so often. Normally the Cursed Seal of Heaven only enhanced a person's chakra and physical attributes such as their speed, reflexes, strength, and endurance to pain and fatigue. However, given the nature on how she reactivated her seal through the dark concoction Mizuki once held it was different for Anko.
Her senses such as smell and visual acuity were greatly enhanced by the liquid and power of the seal. The images around her were sharper and more define, allowing her to making out details she otherwise didn't notice. Her sense of smell was strengthened to the point she could literally taste the ocean in the air.
It was fresh, and salty.
But Anko ignored all that and tried to focus on finding her prey. Zabuza had gotten several nasty cuts along his chest and arms. Blood was flowing freely now and Anko merely needed to focus on the scent. The mist was Zabuza's domain, but with his injuries the element of surprise wasn't as strong anymore.
"Where are you, you pus-Oh, found ya!" Anko declared and launched a whip of yellow, corrosive energy that smacked hard on the ground. Anko wasted no time as she appeared before the injured and on guard swordsman. The man scowled and winced but fought otherwise, swinging his sword in the hopes of slicing the annoying woman in two.
Anko merely cackled, jumped up and disappeared. Zabuza tried looking for the woman but didn't need to go far as he felt an unexpected weight on his blade. The man looked murderous as his opponent was sitting on the infamous sword's broadside with her legs crossed, a taunting and snickering look on her face.
"Hiya!" was all she said before she suddenly lashed out with a vicious kick to the face. Ignoring the pain and blood flowing from his now broken nose, Zabuza glared hatefully at the woman, only to see she was no longer there
"What the fuck is with this bitch?" if Zabuza had to described it, the woman's entire demeanour and fighting style was chaotic.
One moment the woman was playful and barely putting the effort in killing him, like a child playing with its food, the next she was focused, precise and forced Zabuza to be extra vigilant in his defense. It was not just her fighting style, but her personality as well. Zabuza didn't know much about cursed seals, he barely knew much about seals, period, but could tell that it was affecting her mind just as much as it was her techniques.
"Tag! You're it!"
Eyes wide, Zabuza jumped away as the deadly whip of yellow energy appeared once more. The man was a second too slow to fully dodge the technique brought up his sword to bare the full brunt of it. The man coated the blade with his chakra, but even then he heard a large sizzling sound that was soon followed by the sound of metal falling to the ground.
"GODDAMN IT!" Zabuza roared in utter fury. Not only was the woman messing with him, a member of the strongest generation of swordsmen, but she also managed to reduce his blade to half the length it normal was. It was still deadly, sort of, but now he was forced to change his approach and would be forced to repair the blade at a later date. That was going to take time, and by then he'd be handicapped.
"Sen'ei Tajashu (Many Hidden Shadow Snake Hands)!" he heard the alarming sound of snakes making their way towards him. Assuming, of course, he'd make it out of this fight alive.
Such thoughts were shared with Kakashi as he faced his own opponent.
"Smashy, smashy!" Kisame chuckled as he flailed his weapon around and tried to smash Kakakshi to the ground. The fight he was getting was pretty decent, not great but it wasn't as boring as it started. The man watched as Kakashi dodged the strike that made the bridge area crumble upon impact.
Kakashi though was starting to breathe pretty heavily and sweat covered his form. The man wanted nothing more than to Raikiri Kisame but the technique took too long to stabilize and Kisame never gave him enough time to complete it. His other techniques were countered as well with Kisame's own. The man with shark-like features knew a lot of techniques and many of them had greater power in them than Kakashi currently had.
Had this been three or so years ago during his time in Anbu the two could have been evenly matched. Anbu generally had their faces covered to hide their identities; some such as Kakashi at times forwent their mask because their power and reputation had been more than enough to send others packing or think twice before facing them. Add that he had no significant other meant showing his identity wasn't going to have those sorts of consequences. It was how Kakashi's reputation had quickly made headway in the ninja world despite his young age.
But since the man's time outside of the Anbu forces his skills had dulled, his stamina had dropped along with his speed and strength. His chakra wasn't as potent either. Assuming they survived, of course, Kakashi made a mental note to start getting back into shape once the mission was ever.
"GAAHHHH!" a shout from behind where his Genin were fighting was heard.
A cold sweat crept up his spine as he heard the shout, one that momentarily distracted the man long enough for Kisame to land a hard blow on his chest and shred part of his arm in a shower of blood. Kakashi was sent rolling into the mist in pain, a few ribs were most likely broken or cracked, and blood flowed freely from his arm.
Kisame was toying with him at the moment and it was evident who the superior fighter was. But toying with the masked ninja rather than kill him outright would be the man's downfall. Despite knowing he hadn't fully recovered and that the following move would leave him severally drained and possibly on the verge of collapse, Kakashi took out a scroll and marked it with his blood.
"Kuchiyose: Doton: Tsuiga no Jutsu (Summoning: Earth Release: Track Fang Technique)!" the man watched as markings webbed themselves along the stone before they disappeared.
The next moment he heard the sound of Kisame shouting in pain as the technique worked its magic. Keeping his guard up as best he could, Kakashi walked into the mist and came upon the form of a dog-piled and immobile Kisame. Eight ninken were upon the man, all bearing him down with their weight and incredible jaws.
"Well… this is new," Kisame had to say this was one for the books. "Being held down by a bunch of mutts. Didn't see that coming."
The dogs merely bit down harder on the slightly wincing man and Kisame cocked an eyebrow as Kakashi began to blur through another set of techniques. The trapped man sensed the power and concentration build up and knew a powerful technique was about to be used.
"Alright, I'm bored. Time to get this over with," he announced before a surge of strength filled Kisame's being and he flexed himself with a large guttural shout. The unexpected move and physical feat caught the dogs off guard and many were sent flying, yelping, or de-summoned as the missing ninja freed himself from the jaws of the beasts. Kakashi looked on in disbelief as the man grabbed his largest and physically strongest ninken, Bull, and smacked him with his sword. The ninken disappeared in a cloud of smoke and one by one many of them were suddenly defeated by the man's ferocious attacks.
So much for that.
While Team Seven and Anko were fighting on the bridge, Team Eight had finally left the dungeon and set out to do what was needed of them. Tracking down the woman that called herself Asagao proved easy compared to the other times they tried locating her. All three were on opposite side of the village near the forest when they came across her. All of them thought it to be too much of a coincidence but knew time was short to start investigating.
"So, you managed to do it? Color me impressed, Handsome," Hinata inwardly frowned at the compliment given to her crush but otherwise didn't show it.
Asagao for her part would be lying if she said she wasn't surprised by the turn of events. Part of her honestly thought they would have failed in their endeavours.
"You ask us to deliver, we deliver," Naruto simply stated before he followed up with, "Now are you gonna tell us where Gato is?"
"A deal's a deal, Handsome," the woman's statement had the Genin of Team Eight blink at how easily she agreed. All three were convinced she would backstab them or make a power play of some sort to get out of the deal. Usually it was how these sorts of things went. It was cliché, sure, but Asagao didn't smirk, didn't posture, didn't even try to twist the knife.
"Sweethearts, if I wanted to backstab you, I wouldn't have bothered making a deal in the first place."
"We didn't say anything."
"Oh, please, I can read you like an open book. You're all thinking, 'That's it? She's not gonna try and take us out?' aren't you?" the silence and blush they gave her was all she needed to know, "Kids these days watch too many cliché movies."
"That aside," inwardly Ino agreed on the cliché movie spiel, "where's Gato?"
The woman merely pointed behind them and into the woods, "Follow the river deep in the forest and you'll come across his hideout. You can't really see it from here due to the trees and cover on top but Gato can see almost everything from the top floor."
"Good to know. Let's move! Thanks for the help."
"Could have helped more by just telling us," Ino groused, giving the woman the stink eye. Even if they asked her, Ino had an inkling the woman wasn't going to bother explaining how she knew all this.
"Glad to be of help. But you better hurry, too. I heard he's getting restless and readying his thugs. Me and the girls will make sure the villagers get this," the woman waved the scroll filled with fish.
All three they had little choice but to trust the woman at the moment - though Ino didn't trust her at all. While it was painfully obvious she had ulterior motives, none of them in any way had caused them harm and they had more important things to worry about so all three headed towards Gato's hideout in order to finally deal with the little shit.
Once out of earshot, the woman chuckled and smirked, "Looks like I can finally leave this shit hole."
(With Gato)
Gato sneered as he watched the scene of the bridge. Though he could not make out anything other than the occasional flash of light. The short man was making his final preparations to deal with the ninja and the villagers. Too much he realized had happened and Gato believed he couldn't afford others to know he was involved. Luckily, the man had a contingency plan or two in case of such an eventuality. He'd rather not use them as even then his reputation could still end up damaged, not as badly, but bad enough that he'd probably lose a few clients in the process. But at this point the man saw little choice.
Had Zabuza done his job properly the first time around he would have dealt with his group with his own men. Tired ninja were weak ninja. Deadly still, perhaps, but not that much. That all changed when he hired Kisame and Gato knew he'd be signing his own death warrant if he messed with the tall shark faced man. Most of his men weren't the brightest of individuals; it was how he managed to keep costs down, but some were more experienced, better informed and had connections in the underworld. Those men had made it pretty clear they had no intention of facing a man who had the power that rivaled one of the Great Five's leaders. Such a plan wouldn't work against him despite their large numbers.
So instead the man decided to change tactics and decided he'd send his men off to the village and get rid of any evidence that might bite him in the ass. Luckily no paperwork or trails were linked back to him about his elicit dealings but if enough people testified against him he knew his goose was cooked. His money could only do so much for him.
Looking away from the window, Gato approached his desk and pressed on the intercom button, "Zori, Waraji, send the men out and proceed with your mission."
"…"
"… Zori, Waraji!" he asked once more and cursed as the silence continued, "Where the hell are those two?"
The man couldn't afford any more slip-ups and needed everything to be in working order, "Bah! Must be faulty wiring."
It wasn't the first time such an occurrence happened. And with his secretary dead thanks to Kisame's rowdiness, the man had no choice but to meet his goons and hired help himself.
BOOOOOOM!
Gato was caught off guard as the doors to his office were unexpectedly blown off. The man ducked for cover as one of them bounced his way before it crashed into his desk with a resounding thud while the other crashed through the window and fell down below. The wooden structure shuddered and gained a sizable indent from the impact but otherwise remained intact.
Before he could even ponder on what was happening, Gato saw a form flicker in the dust before he was harshly grabbed and thrown to the ground. The man groaned at the pain and soon felt himself being hosted up and staring into blue eyes filled with anger. For a brief second the man believed he saw a flicker of crimson but chalked it up as his imagination.
"Don't bother yelling for help, Gato. You won't be getting any," the whiskered boy said and Gato knew what it meant.
His thugs, all of his men, were either dead or incapacitated. Naruto hadn't wanted to do it but upon hearing what they were ordered to do via a conversation his group overhead, he knew they had little choice in the matter.
Ino, being the one who was receiving training in interrogation from Anko, took over and put on her best Anko face, "We're only gonna ask you once, and only once. Call off the hit on Tazuna and you'll live."
The Yamanaka forwent saying his chances of dying were still a possibility. His chances of going to prison for life, however, was pretty much guaranteed. But Gato merely chuckled at the irony of it all.
"You're too late. Zabuza and his team are already on the bridge," he said before one more ninja appeared.
"Hinata?"
"The area is secure."
"Check the bridge," Naruto, worried by what Gato had just said. As Hinata used her Byakugan and began focusing on the task at hand, Ino had picked up something else from the man.
"Who else did you send?" Ino demanded. The blond was rendered utterly furious to the point it made her see red as she wiped Gato's spit from her hair.
"Dumb move," Naruto would have felt sorry for the short man but given everything he did to Nami no Kuni, he wasn't. And, because Ino didn't get the proper response she wanted, she made the decision of no longer playing nice and decided to really take out a page out from Anko's book.
"Fine," was all the warning Gatoreceived as Ino quickly took out a kunai and stabbed the man in his injured arm, twisting it all the while. Blood gushed from the wound and Gato's face contorted into one of pure agony.
"Gaghhh! Alright, I'll talk!" he shouted, the pain becoming too much for the tyrant to handle. He was many things, a businessman, a survivor, but a fighter and someone who could deal with pain wasn't one of them.
"Speak!" Ino threatened the man with more pain as she gripped the knife more tightly and showed him Dakatsu's Bite. Whether it was from fear of more pain or the sudden appearance of a wicked and deadly weapon, or both, Gato spilled his guts before Ino did it for him.
"Zabuza w-was talking too long to recover. I needed to job done soon. So I hired some more men to take care of it," Ino didn't have to be an expert like Anko to know it wasn't everything and pushed the knife in deeper.
"AHHHHHH, NOOOOOO!" he begged but Ino continued to push the blade in further.
"What else!"
"Hah… I…. I al-also wanted them t-to take care of Zabuza's group after they weakened ea-each other."
"So you were gonna backstab them?" Naruto was pissed. Zabuza was trying to kill them but Naruto had no love for backstabbers. Had they not had orders to bring him in alive, preferably, Gato's head would be ground meat at the moment.
"You don't get it do you," here Gato laughed mirthlessly despite the pain, "Zabuza wanted double his payment in exchange for getting rid of you. He blackmailed me, I had no-"
Naruto promptly backhanded the man as he knew where it was headed. Naruto was a good bullshitter and he knew Gato was lying to them. Taking over, Naruto hoisted him up and slammed him on the desk, "WHO DID YOU HIRE?!"
Naruto didn't have any subtlety when it came to interrogation or talent in the field compared to Anko and Ino. But the act he just pulled scared Gato to the point he blurted out, "HOSHIGAKI KISAME!" before wetting himself in the process.
Approaching him, Ino yanked out the knife, making the man cry even further, looked him in the eye and said, "Thank you," before she knocked him out cold with her kunai. With the man unconscious for the moment, Naruto browsed through the Bingo Book screen and brought up Kisame's profile.
Hinata's eyes finally reached the bridge in the distance. What the two saw wasn't good. For Hinata it was due to the bridge being covered in a thick blanket of impenetrable mist, and for Naruto it was due to what he read about Kisame.
"Oh, shit," Naruto paled lightly and both Ino and Hinata heard the worry and, to their concern, fear in his voice. Two things that they knew from experience that Naruto only showed if it was very bad news.
"How bad is it?" Ino asked, as she continued to tie up the man while Hinata healed him.
Though Hinata was kind by nature she believed the man didn't deserve it after all the suffering he brought to Nami. But they still had more questions that only he could answer. Bleeding to death would be counterproductive and the man was no use to them dead.
Well, at least, for the moment of course.
"You know how it was said Zabuza was from the strongest generation of the Seven Swordsmen," at her nod, hesitant as it was, Naruto continued, "Well, this guy killed one of 'em and came out of it with no injuries. And all of the swordsmen at that time were A-Rank threats."
Both of his teammates looked worried. A-Rank ninja were one of the strongest ninja in the world; some were close to being crossing the threshold into Kage level. For Kisame to have done this meant only one thing.
"Please don't say he's an S-Rank ninja," Ino's fears were unfortunately confirmed by Naruto's nod.
Ino knew that there was most likely a chance they weren't going to make out of this alive. Against Zabuza they had a chance, slight as it was, but an S-Rank missing ninja was another story. S-Rank meant Kage level individuals and the power gap between an A and S-Rank ninja was huge. Kakashi was an A-Rank ninja and Anko was a B-Rank, but that meant squat against an S-Rank threat, more so when you had wards to look after.
"What do we do?"
Naruto's initial reaction was to say he had no idea. The old cocky Naruto probably would have gone in, act all chivalrous and hoped everything worked out for the best in the end. But this Naruto knew better. This Naruto was more informed and realistic. The chances of them defeating Kisame was slim to none. The only way they'd make it out of this alive was if they played it smart and prayed to Kami above that they got lucky. Even then Naruto knew it wasn't that simple. Kakashi was still weak and while Anko had Midori it wouldn't be enough.
"You guys stay here and watch over him, I'll see what I can do," Naruto informed them.
"Are you out of your bloody mind? Naruto you've gotten better but that ability of yours doesn't make you invincible. This guy's an S-Rank missing ninja. Only the toughest of the tough are labeled that and you're just a Genin. This isn't a dungeon! If you die, you're not coming back. You're basically committing suicide!" Ino pleaded with him to reconsider.
"Ino-chan's right, Naruto-kun," Hinata believed in Naruto and his ability to overcome any obstacles that came his way but this was different. This was a man who had well over two decades of experience as ninja compared to their three months. Ino had described it perfectly when she said it was suicide.
"I know, but what choice do we have?" he asked them and neither one could come up with an answer, "We don't have time to come up with something guys. The longer I stay could mean life or death for the others. I'm going and that's that. If you two think something went wrong-"
"Don't' say that!" the shout surprisingly came from Hinata.
"Hinata?"
"Don't. Uzumaki Naruto has never doubted himself and you're not going to start now. You're going help our friends and then you're going to come back to us, because you always find a way, one way or another," even if the chances of him winning were slim Hinata had confidence that Naruto could somehow come up with a way to foil their plans. Or at the very least catch them off guard and buy them some time.
"Whoa! Where'd the wallflower go?" Ino was not expecting such a speech out of the blue, especially from Hinata. Anko's training really did work wonders.
"Promise me you'll come back. Please," Hinata looked at him pleadingly and Naruto couldn't help but nod at the girl's plight.
"Alright, I'll come back," Naruto informed the girl. Hinata breathed out and got back to work on Gato before dragging Ino away to speak with her.
"The bridge isn't that far from here so keep a look out," the next bit he whispered, "If anything happens, grab Hinata and run like hell. Do everything you guys can to get out of here."
"And go where exactly?" Konoha was a day and a half away by ninja speed and that was with them being on a full tank of energy. Ino appreciated the concern but the chances of them escaping alive was less likely than them being captured. "Look, I'm not as vocal as Hinata when it comes to this sort of thing but if she believes you can pull a miracle out of your ass then I'll take it. Just keep your promise, okay."
"Count on it," the way the two believed in him was moving, to say the least. Naruto never felt so touched by the faith both had in him. With his resolve strengthened, Naruto set out to help his comrades. The boy also made sure he'd be back; because Uzumaki Naruto never went back on his word and nindo.
Never.
(At the Bridge)
"Fucking hate this!" Kiba snarled, looking like a pincushion. To his left, Akamaru wasn't looking any better and forced back into his natural form.
Sasuke was only better thanks to his newly awakened Sharingan. Even then, that didn't offer much help. The Uchiha's breathing was ragged. Small cuts littered his arms and face. His inexperience in using the ocular Kekkei Genkai had since started putting a strain on his stamina. Oh, he could see Haku's attacks now. That didn't equate to him being able to stop them or being able to keep up with them. In the beginning, sure, but just because the mind saw it didn't mean the body could react as he desired.
"Damn it!" Sasuke twisted sideways as another senbon narrowly missed but the moment his foot touched the ground, three more needles buried themselves in his shoulder, the limb going numb.
"We need to break this thing already!" Kiba barked.
"Easier said than done!" Sasuke countered. He agreed with the statement but the mirror were tough. Even a head on Gokakyu no Jutsu (Great Fireball Technique) only made one melt by the smallest amount before it was reshaped. And unfortunately, around them stretched more than one of the Hunter Ninja's Demonic Ice Mirrors. Dozens of reflective surfaces surrounded the trio from every angle and Haku's image flickered between them so quickly that he seemed to be everywhere at once. It was practically impossible to know when and where he'd pop out and by then they only had the barest window of opportunity to defend themselves.
The hunter-nin sighed softly.
"I truly do not wish to harm you further."
"Funny way of showing it!" Kiba snapped, frustration clearly marked on his injured face.
"I am showing restraint," Haku said, expression turning apologetic, not that they'd know it.
Nobody liked hearing that. Least of all Sasuke. Because he realized the masked shinobi wasn't lying. He could have easily aimed for throats or other vital organs such as their eyes and major arteries. He certainly had the aim and speed and advantage to do so. Instead, every wound inflicted upon them had been either painful or meant to cripple their movement. But lethal? Not in the slightest, Sasuke realized. And, in his mind, that somehow made it worse.
The Uchiha hated feeling outclassed. Bad enough that the Dobe had shown significant improvement and knew skills Sasuke lacked. And right now, Sasuke was getting an eye opening reminder that the world was far bigger than Konoha. And if he had any hope of avenging his clan, he really needed to push himself that much further. Acquiring his clan's fabled eyes was a start, but what good was it when he was dead?
Outside the mirror prison, Sakura clenched her fists as she watched her teammates being used as target practice. She wanted nothing more than to help, but that would leave Tazuna exposed. The old bridge builder looked terrified, but to his credit he hadn't run. But even with Hottomaru with her she didn't feel all that confident. That had become doubly so when the S-Rank Ninja had unexpectedly entered the fray.
"Damn it," Sakura felt useless. And like most, she hated the feeling.
Anko was right, she had control and smart, and the old saying 'it's not the strongest that wins but the smartest' had always struck with her, but against a superior opponent and almost no significant skills to provide support they amounted to nothing. What bothered Sakura even more were the sounds coming from within the mist that Kakashi-sensei and Anko-sensei were in.
The sounds of explosions, crashing stones - and was that mad cackling, she heard? - were getting worse and every now and then she felt bursts of chakra so strong they made her skin break out into goosebumps and made here seize up. And one didn't have to be as smart as she was to to know it came from the S-Rank ninja.
One such bursts was especially violent that the bridge began to shake and everyone in the mirror trap froze as a wave of incredibly powerful chakra rolled across the bridge. Sakura began to shake and worry in earnest. Even Hottomaru wasn't fairing any better. Possibly even worse as ninken could sense and gage the power of another by scent alone more acutely that she. The Genin, ninken and hunter could tell something big within the fog was about to happen.
The question remained: what?
Elsewhere on the Bridge
Kakashi stumbled and rolled but managed to right himself, if only just. Blood dripped from his arm and his vision blurred as his reserves were nearly empty. Even then he was able to make out the form of Hoshigaki Kisame and the annoyed look he had on his face.
"You know," Kisame said casually, resting Samehada on his shoulder as though it were weightless, "I've heard a lot about you, and honestly, I thought Kopī Ninja Kakashi would be stronger. Bad start, I'll admit but then it looked like this fight was about to get interesting. My bad for getting my hopes up."
Unfortunately, Kakashi couldn't argue with that assessment. His arm throbbed and several ribs felt broken. The Sharingan was covered once more by his headband as it had become harder and harder to maintain the more the fight went on. Kisame, on the other hand, didn't look the least bit winded. And it wasn't just because of the bizarre blade he welded that devoured chakra and left Kakashi a little weaker and Kisame a little stronger. Kisame had a monstrous amount of chakra reserve. The Sharingan couldn't see charka pathways like the Byakugan, but the sheer amount of chakra the man had made it visible for the eye to see why the Monster of the Bloody Mist was also known by his other epithet: O o Motanai Bijū (The Tailed Beast without a Tail).
Kakashi regretted not taking the title seriously. The amount of people who had that amount of chakra in today's day and age were astronomically low, and it wasn't like it was the first time people exaggerated the abilities of other ninja to make them look more impressive than they actually were. Unfortunately, after spending several this whole time trading blows with the missing-nin, Kakashi had come to a sobering realization that Kisame's reputation had been understated.
"An S-Rank opponent who counters ninjutsu and steals chakra against an out of shape Jonin with an ocular Kekkei Genkai that burns through chakra like a forest fire," it was the worst possible matchup in Kakashi's opinion, and if there was a silver lining to the situation, he certainly wasn't seeing it.
"Alright, I'm over this. Time to kill the lot of you. I'd say it's been nice fighting you, but I'll say this instead. Suiton: Bakusui Shoha (Water Release: Exploding Water Colliding Wave)!"
Kakashi's eyes nearly popped out of his head as the missing ninja spat out a great volume of water from his mouth. Kakashi had heard about Kisame's prowess in water ninjutsu but seeing and believing were two separate things. The amount of water that surged was simply immense and with the amount of chakra available to him it was likely just the tip of the iceberg. The waves that smashed into the ill-prepared and weakened Kakashi made him grunt in pain as he felt the water threaten to crush him and force the air out of his lungs and his vision darkened.
Nearby, both Anko and Zabuza's own fight were halted as they too were struck by the large amount of water. Both lost their concentration and the technique sent them tumbling over the bridge, smacking into stone and wood and other material as they were trapped in the swirling liquid mass. Zabuza felt his leg strike something harshly at a very bad angle and shouted in the water. If he had to guess by the pain he felt it meant the limb was broken.
Anko for her part tried to grab a hold of something to stop the spinning. The woman felt nauseous by the violent waves that tossed her around like ragdoll to who knows where. Her concentration became too focused on surviving the technique by holding on whatever she could to stop the spinning that she suddenly felt drained, tired even. The woman the realized as she held of for dear life that the Cursed Seal's power had receded and cursed at the lousy timing.
The Genin of Team Seven and Haku looked on in confusion as the waves reached them and Kakashi's Team had to root themselves into the ground with chakra so they weren't swept away, an act that took a lot of effort on Sasuke and Kiba's part given their state. Had they been closer to the center of it all, the act would have dislocated their legs and knees, Haku was safe in the Yuki Clan's mirrors.
When it was all over, all the tired ninja ironically found themselves all gathered together in one spot. Kakashi drew the correct assumption that it wasn't a mere coincidence. Whatever the man was planning it involved finishing them all off, including his allies, in one go. His hunch was correct as Kisame stood in front of them with a knowing smirk.
"Well, folks, hate to sound like a broken record...Ah, screw it, I'm just gonna kill you all. Suiton: Daibak-"
The man was momentarily surprised as many ninja, clones and the original most likely suddenly appeared between him and the Konoha ninja. The amount was, to say the least, ridiculously large. Half appeared to be carried and had a look of deep concentration on them, while the others blurred through their own hand seals. It was then that his mind finally registered the warning his sword gave off and Kisame could only say five words.
"Oh, for the love of-"
"Katon: Inka Hyakki no Jutsu (Fire Release: Shadow Fire of One Hundred Demons Technique)!" the half the clones declared as dozens of demonic flaming heads of snarling foxes burst into life from each of them. Each one snarled and snapped as it raced forward, the bridge bathed in orange light by the sheer amount of fireballs
"Futon: Shisenko (Wind Release: Lion's Battle Roar)!" the remaining clones unleashed a concentrated blast of wind and the fox heads swelled to nearly twice their original size as the wind fed the technique. Heat rolled across the battlefield and clashed against the water still coating much of the bridge until the heat proved too much and the water vaporized. Kisame's sighed as he saw the torrent of death coming his way.
"Seriously?"
BOOOOOOM!
Both the wind and fire techniques crashed onto the other half of the unfinished bridge. The combined technique was a veritable hell as the intense heat and flames licked at the stone, making some even melt as well due to how hot it was. Here was a mere Genin, the lowest rank of ninja - not counting academy student, of course – who was using a technique that was easily A-Rank in terms of power on an infamous missing ninja. The boy made it look so easy that it made some wonder if he wasn't actually a higher rank ninja in disguise. The bridge shook violently from the assault, and repairs would obviously be needed and unfortunately some areas most likely have to be redone from scratch.
But using several high powered techniques in one go to pull off a stunt like this - a stunt he had never done before - and the mental backlash from so many clones popping from lack of chakra nearly caused Naruto to drop to one knee. He wasn't breathing heavily but his head swam and his pulse was racing. The move didn't use all his chakra, but damn near two-thirds of it was gone. But Naruto thought it was the best course of action in one offing, or at the very least, heavily injure Kisame enough to make him flee. It seemed like the quickest way to deal with the man, and while Konoha might - oh, who was Naruto kidding with his luck? - likely be stuck with the bill, but at least it got the job done.
For several long seconds, nobody moved. The inferno raged across the shattered span of the bridge as waves of heat distorted the air and forced everyone to shield their eyes. Chunks of scorched stone cracked and tumbled into the water below with loud splashes. To the Genin and Tazuna it seemed impossible in their minds that someone could survive such a technique. Even Haku had their doubts.
Anko, Kakashi, and Zabuza, though impressed by the stunt, knew better. S-Rank titles weren't given out like candy. They were given to individuals who could survive and perform feats few alive could. And, unfortunately, Kisame was considered to be one of the most dangerous of missing-nin to be wary of, too.
"Phew, gotta admit I wasn't expecting that from a Genin," they all heard a voice call out from the fire. Konoha ninja, and even the ninja from Kiri, had horrified looks as Kisame emerged from the flaming wreck with barely any harm done to him. His cloak was singed and all in a few places but other than that the shark man looked relatively unscathed by what was thought to have been a sure kill move.
"Wh—wha?" Naruto couldn't believe his eyes. Nearly a hundred clones, each of them using his strongest techniques and it had been all for naught. Over two-thirds of his chakra was gone because of that stunt and he had nothing to show for it. S-Rank missing ninja or not it should have at least done some harm.
"Wha-what the hell's that?!" Tazuna shouted and the Konoha ninja were rendered even more stunned as they spotted the reason for his befuddlement and terror.
"Shit!" Zabuza instantly recognized it, having seen it countless times before, and could tell this wasn't going to be pretty.
The object was long, easily greater in size than Kisame himself. It possessed downward facing scales running along the entirety of its length, the scales were so long that they resembled the fins of a shark. It even possessed a mouth with a row of sharp teeth also reminiscent of a shark's.
"Is that the sword?" Sasuke wondered and couldn't keep his eyes off the object/creature that the man wielded.
"You guessed it," Kisame grinned and with barely any effort he lifted the enormous blade, looking at it fondly, "Samehade's known as the most terrifying blade of the Seven Swordsmen for a reason. If you strike him he'll shred ya to pieces. If you use ninjutsu, you'll only make 'im stronger and stronger. This guy's got quite the appetite."
As he was speaking, the sword began to shudder and shake, making the opposing ninja weary at what was going to happen next. Kakashi knew sword render most ninjutsu and taijutsu useless but seeing it like this showed the famed Jonin just how easily Kisame had been toying with him. If the previous form was simply the base and deadly as it was, just how much deadlier was its current state?
"Oof! That's not good. I forgot to mention, he's also a picky eater, and fire ninjustu tends gives him an upset stomach."
Kakashi's eyes widened to the point they'd threaten to pop out of their sockets as he immediately understood what the deadly swordsman was refereeing to, " RUN!"
"UNLEASH HELL!" Kisame shouted with glee and a blazing firestorm literally burst forth from the mouth of the beast. An epic amount of hellfire was spewed from Samehada in a manner similar to an overpowered flamethrower. The flames engulfed everything in its path as it made a beeline towards the ninja, both ally and enemy alike.
Team Seven and Anko could only look on as Naruto was engulfed by the flames before they had time to react. Kakashi felt his heart shatter as the last remaining legacy of his mentor and wife die by the missing ninja's hands.
"Kisame, you backstabbing son of a bitch!" Zabuza shouted as he surrounded himself and his word with a dome of dense water, one that was soon covered with a thick sheet of ice and dropping the temperature of the water at a frightening rate. But with his injured leg he knew he'd be unable to outrun it. Diving off the bridge would only make it much worse, and potentially kill him with the other injuries he possessed.
Zabuza was no fool and knew his that even his most powerful Suiton technique would at best slow it down before it was overwhelmed. The raw power in Kisame's physical strength was outmatched only by the man's unfathomable strength in ninjustu and ability to use Samehada in ways its previous wielders could not.
But part of him also wasn't surprised that Kisame turned on him. The man had a history of betrayal and had been the first to betray the Seven Swordsmen. The result of which had caused a chain reaction that, in Zabuza's mind, ultimately lead to the once famous group's downfall. After Kisame's stunt and following actions to come, many began to distrust the Seven Swordsmen. Most of them had been open about their ire despite their prowess.
However, powerful as he was, Kisame's forte was in water ninjutsu, not fire. So with his Suiro (Water Prison) combined with Haku's Hyogan Domu (Ice Rock Dome of Magnificent Nothingness) the pair had a chance at surviving so long as they continued to strengthen their technique.
"Midori!" Anko shouted as she, Hotto and Kakashi's group were enveloped around the coils of the great but injured serpent. The large familiar would be sore for the next little while and wouldn't be able to fight either due to the risky stunt. For added protection the senior Jonin slammed his hands to the ground and summoned up a large slab of stone made from the bridge from what little chakra he could muster. The wall that bore bulldog sculptures wasn't as large as he had wanted it to be due to the sudden and further increase in exhaustion. The man prayed it would be enough, but his mind wandered as he thought of Minato's son.
Kisame continued to unleash the red-hot flames with greater intensity than Naruto did with his combination technique. The attack making the ninja sweat from the heat and strain as they were pushed to reinforce their techniques even more.
Luckily for them, it was over in a minute before Kisame canceled the flow of chakra, but even then they felt drained. The man spoke truthfully when he said Samehada was a picky eater. Fire chakra, especially those from intense techniques, weren't exactly Samehada's favorite meal. The sword didn't mind a little bit but too much and it became moody and difficult to deal with. Making the sword 'barf' out the meal was the only way to get it back under Kisame's control. Even then the man had not expected such a technique from a Genin. He'd have made a decent challenge when he got older, but Kisame had a job to do.
"Ah, well. There'll be other fights," he thought and got back to business. It came as no surprise as Kisame saw the burnt corpse of the Genin he just snuffed the life out of. The man ignored the blacked and smoking body as he made his way towards the exhausted ninja.
However, Kisame immediately felt pain as something heavy crashing into his back. Kisame wasn't launched but he was forced to right himself as he was forced several steps forward.
|Deathblow Unsuccessful!|
Naruto ignored it, already suspecting the chances were too low but had hoped to at least throw the man off the bridge and buy everyone time to flee and regroup. Another strike was directed at Kisame's leg to cripple or impede his movement, but the swordsman was quicker to react this time and he sent Naruto. Blood was drawn but it wasn't fatal. Bone was shattered but it was easily repairable. Years of combat had hardened his willpower and ability to endure pain. Plus with Samehada the man's injuries would heal pretty quickly.
But it didn't mean the Monster of the Bloody Mist wasn't pissed.
And a pissed off Kisame was someone that no ninja or civilian alike wanted to face in their entire lives. Kisame glared as the attacker, which was replaced by confusing as he saw the form of the Konoha Genin alive and well.
"No way in hell could a Genin survive that," Kisame doubted his opponent was a Genin level shinobi. Bukijutsu wise it was the case, ninjutsu wise, however was another story. The kid was most likely an Anbu or one of Konoha's secret aces in the hole that despite his young age. But even then it still didn't explain how he managed to avoid being burnt alive.
The S-Rank missing ninja wasn't the only one amazed by what transpired. The Genin of Team Seven had grudgingly come to terms with the fact that Naruto had become much stronger than when he was an Academy Student. But even though he was stronger the sight before them was pushing it. Despite being glad he was alive, Naruto should not have been able to survive from the flames.
Much like his Genin, Hatake Kakashi couldn't believe what he witnessed. Part of him thought it to be a trick being played on him, that his mind was unable to cope with the fact that Minato's son had survived. But to his utter relief, the man's mind wasn't being tricked as he saw the looks of his own team and heavily panting but smirking Anko. Naruto was alive, but it begged the question.
"How did he survive?" the Konoha Jonin wondered.
"Phew, that was close," Naruto muttered but groaned/whined as he saw the wounds on Kisame's back healing up from the blow, "Ah, man. Are you shitting me?! You can heal?"
"Tough luck for you, pint size," Kisame gave him a predatory smirk and subconsciously Naruto gulped. His quick equip of the Crimson Cloak of the Fire Rat had saved his ass, and restored much of his lost energy, his use of the Henge disguising his uninjured form, but that wouldn't mean squat against the man's sword. Naruto kept up his guard but Kisame was upon him quickly with Samehada raised up high.
"Now you're gonna-"
The missing's ninja's words were caught in his throat as his strike was ultimately blocked. Naruto had half expected to be sent flying from the strike and instead the dark-garbed boy was saved from injury in the form of a large … frog? Said creature was incredibly large in size, possessing orange skin that was covered in blue markings, and bandages wrapped around its body and left foreleg. Around the head was a necklace with seven large beads with the kanji for 'loyalty' on the central, largest one. The amphibian was wearing samurai armor, composed of a plate cuirass and arm-guards paired with traditional samurai pauldrons. Its arms were crossed over its head and holding the deadly blue blade at bay with what looked like complete ease.
"What the hell?" a bewildered Kisame thought out loud just before Samehada sent out warning vibes. Years of using the deadly weapon had taught Kisame not to doubt its judgment and the shark-man's decisive action saved his life.
Out from the mist and hundreds if not thousands of white needles flew through the air and made contact with the spot the missing ninja once stood. The seemingly harmless looking projectiles, easily piercing the hard materials as if they were nothing more than paper, obliterated wood, stone and metal alike.
Kisame growled as he landed away what could have been a nasty hit. The swordsman readied himself and Samehada for what was to come next. But what he didn't take into account was who made themselves known from the sound of wooden sandals clacking on the hard surface. Next, he saw spiky white hair tied into a ponytail, with two shoulder-length bangs framing his face. Red lines were seen under his eyes which extended further down his face, and his overall attire bore a striking resemblance of a kabuki player.
"Well, shit," Kisame frowned as he looked upon a legendary and well-known ninja.
"Who's that?" Sakura asked out loud, getting a look of disbelief from Anko and the other two Kiri ninja.
"Seriously? Who the fuck doesn't know about their village's own legends?" a tired Zabuza wondered but groaned weakly. The combination technique had saved his ass but the intensity of it had pushed him and Haku to their limits. Both were virtually spent. Standing itself required focused effort and teamwork on their parts.
"Me?" here he chuckled and made Anko, and to an extent Kakashi, groan as she knew what was about to happen next, "I'm the man who makes women's heart soar, the one who makes children look up in awe and make men wept with jealously. I'm the one, the only, legendary toad sage, Jiraiya!"
"…"
"…?"
"Who invited the nut-job?" Naruto broke the silence.
Legend of the Kyuubi
Making the rounds.
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Please be aware that I have created a Patron page which I am doing because unfortunately times are tough and I need to make ends meet and help a family member who recently lost their job and has not been able to find anything in the last four months. My original stories, former stories, one shots and story ideas are all there as well.
Chapter Twenty-Two: Homeward Bound
"… Uhhh, who invited the nut-job?" Naruto broke the silence.
"Gah!" Jiraiya faulted forward off his summon by the indignant response, "God damn it! Punks these days have no respect for their elders and the classics."
"We didn't have any respect for it back then either," Kakashi and Anko mentally deadpanned at the man's whining. All the while the ninja from Kiri couldn't wrap their minds around what was happening. One of the supposed legendary ninja and member of the Densetsu no Sannin (Legendary Three Ninja) was this eccentric whack job before them?
"Either the rumors were sugar coated or this guy's gone nuts," Kisame briefly thought before blurring through some seals and summoned a large missile of water in the form of shark's head. The technique was launched at the group, but Jiraiya calmly brought out and unfurled a scroll.
"Fūka Suiin (Water Sealing Method)!" the words escaped his lips with ease and to amazement of almost everyone, the technique was being effortlessly sealed inside the scroll. If there was any doubt about his partner's words on the man's strength, Kisame didn't doubt them now. Despite specializing in water ninjutsu and swordsmanship the Kiri shinobi was proficient in other elemental techniques as well. Nowhere as good, but enough to make lesser fighters scamper.
But Kisame had an inkling the white haired man could very well do the same with other elements, too. Despite wanting to go on fighting - much like his former crew the man was a fighter, not a quitter - Kisame begrudgingly knew when to cut his losses. Kisame was only ever afraid of two people despite having a great deal of respect for them, the first was his partner, Itachi, and the second was his group's leader, Pain. The man didn't even want to think of the hell those two would put him through if they found out he was captured. Escaping was the lesser of two evils at the moment. Though weakened from the fight, barely though it was, Kisame summoned forth a dense mist that briefly overpowered the sight of everyone nearby. But much like the water shark he had originally called forth the mist was absorbed into the scroll and their vision was restored in seconds.
But it mattered not as the Kiri ninja was nowhere to be seen. All the ninja had their guard up and Jiraiya knew that the man was no longer sticking around with the Toad Sage around. And with his expertise with water, Jiraiya would be at a disadvantage in tracking him down. The toads hated salt water so summoning them to hunt down the man wouldn't be an option. Still, despite wanting to question the man based on some rumours he heard, Jiraiya took this as a win nonetheless, "You're a hundred years too early if you think you can match me with that level of ninjutsu!"
The moment the words left Jiraiya's mouth, his expression sharpened. The goofy grin faded, replaced by a focused stare that reminded the Konoha Jonin why the man was counted among the Legendary Sannin.
"He's gone," Kakashi said after a moment, "At least for now."
"Feh," Anko rolled her shoulders, "Can't say I'm surprised. Fishface's tough, but not stupid."
"We're just letting him go?!" Naruto voiced in disbelief.
"Not exactly like we've got a choice, brat," Jiraiya replied. "A shinobi at that level doesn't leave tracks unless he wants you to find them. Chasing him blindly would just waste time. Sorry I'm late for the party, by the way."
Before Jiraiya could say anything more the group heard sobbing from behind them, "Hey, old man, you okay?" Naruto smiled, thinking Tazuna was shedding tears of joy.
"I'm - i- it's just- my bridge!" he openly wept as he saw the state of his beloved super bridge. While he was happy that Gato's thug was taken care of, the old man couldn't help become saddened at the sight of what he and many other poured their heart and soul into making.
"Oh! Uhhhh," Naruto, as well as the other ninja, was at a loss of words as he gazed upon the bridge, "It's not that bad. All it needs is a little makeover-"
"Gaki," Anko interrupted flatly, staring at the massive section of shattered bridge missing from the center span, "if someone ripped your arm off, would you call that a makeover too?"
Naruto opened his mouth then paused.
"Well?"
"...Maybe a major makeover? Maybe some duct tape, and it will be good as-"
CRASH!
"-new...Heh, heh, whoops?" an embarrassed Naruto chuckled nervously as a large section fell into the water below. The sight making Tazuna become wide-eyed before he began to bawl even louder in Kakashi's shoulder.
"That's the problem with you kids these days. No self-restraint, it's all about the collateral damage," Jiraiya shook his head, "But you got the job done so that's good."
"My super bridge!" the client of Team Seven continued to wail some more. An uncomfortable and tired Kakashi attempted to console the man while Anko and Gama kept a close eye on Haku and Zabuza. While the two had surrendered, begrudgingly, of course, there was not telling what they would pull and Anko wasn't going to take any chances.
"The bridge aside, what are you doing here, Pervert?" Anko asked the now groaning man. While she respected Jiraiya for his prowess a ninja, his personality and perverted nature had been another thing. It didn't bother her as much compared to other women as she enjoyed the books he made. They gave her good ideas. What she hadn't cared about was the way he portrayed someone Anko knew was based off of her.
Anko was not a size 32C and loved getting spanked with a paddle, "That's my job."
"First of all-"
"Yeah, yeah. You're not a Pervert; you're a Super Pervert. I know!" she cut him off.
"Damn straight," he spoke much to the Genin's confusing and slight disbelief, "But I was on my way to see Old Man Sarutobi and came across one of your snakes. Thought it belonged to my old teammate so I decided to investigate. When I got it to tell me everything, I rushed over here as fast as I could. And here we are."
"So, what now?" Kiba asked, "We did our job and got Zabuza and the masked dude, so all that's left is getting Gato."
"Already taken care of, Ino and Hinata are watching over him now. We got some stuff outta him and Ino said she'd try and get whatever else she could while I came here," Naruto shuddered lightly as he remembered the look she had as she said that. Both his teammates were being too influenced by the woman, "So, all in all, it's mission accomplished."
"Wait… are you saying we're free?" a voice from the growing crowd behind them called out hopefully.
"Uh… I guess?" Naruto's answer left the crowd tear-filled and joyful as it finally became evident that the tyrannical businessman no longer ruled them. The ninja cracked a small smile.
|Warning! Warning!|
|Yamanaka Ino has sent out an alert!|
|Teammates Hyuga Hinata, and Yamanaka Ino have just entered into a state of unconsciousness!|
Until the warning flash alerted him that something was wrong.
"Fuck! Ino and Hinata are trouble!" was all Naruto declared before he rushed off towards Gato's hideout with Hayagake. Anko was worried and wanted to follow her student regardless of her current condition. However, her body's exhaustion from her previous stunt caught up with her and the woman nearly fell face first but managed to right herself just enough to land on a knee.
"Brat, wait! Shit! Gama, look after em!" Jiraiya ordered the toad before chasing after his godson. It was evident that despite his looks he took after his mother if his act first and think later attitude was anything to go by.
To civilians and animals alike, Naruto was nothing more than a barely visible blur as he passed by them. All that mattered at the moment was getting to his teammates before anything else happened to them. Luckily the hideout wasn't that far from the bridge and Naruto would arrive there under five minutes. But as fast as he was, the blond's speed was no match for that of an experienced and powerful ninja like Jiraiya. The man appeared by Naruto's side just as the hideout came into view, and before he had time to react, Jiraiya grabbed a hold of him.
Even then though the man would admit the boy's speed was impressive for someone his age. Not as good as himself and his former teammates own when they were younger, or close to Minato's, but impressive still, "The kid may act like Kushina but he certainly inherited Minato's talent."
The fact that he sensed his teammates were in trouble was a testament of such talent. The Toad Sage didn't know if it was a good thing or a bad thing. Or even both, actually.
"Let me go!" Naruto all but ordered the man as he tried and failed to wiggle out of Jiraiya's hold. His teammates were in trouble and Naruto needed to help them.
"Brat, calm down already! Going in there without a plan's only gonna end up with you dead and that ain't gonna help your team. Now shut up and follow my lead!" Jiraiya spoke lowly but with authority, releasing him and then made his way up the side of the building. Unlike his traitorous teammate Orochimaru, or his late student Minato, Jiraiya was no sensor. The man knew the basics of it, but no more than that. Even then it allowed him to sense the presence of two shinobi up above, faint but still there.
Both Naruto and Jiraiya made their way up the wall of the building as quickly and quietly as they could. Upon arriving they noticed a broken window and spotted two downed and bound kunoichi. Jiraiya had to hold Naruto back from rushing in and giving away the element of surprise. Using hands signs that told the boy they were okay, Naruto glanced at them both and Jiraiya saw him become visibly calmer. Both were still breathing and the fact that he still sensed them meant they were alive, merely unconscious.
Sensing no one, though he wasn't the greatest at it, both of them entered the room and heard shuffling coming from behind a very large bookcase. Evidently the corrupt tyrant of Nami had a safe made.
"I wouldn't bother you two. I knew you were coming from a mile away," a familiar voice called out before Asagao came out of the safe.
"You?"
"Hey, Handsome," she chirped upon seeing Naruto and casually went about her business as though nothing was wrong.
"You know her, kid?" Jiraiya asked. Whoever this woman was, a real beauty in his mind, she was more than she appeared to be.
"She helped us out. Gato would still be in control of Nami if she hadn't helped," Naruto summarized it. "What are you doing here?"
"What's it look like, I'm taking my cut," here she waved a large wad of ryo before it vanished with a puff from her hand, "Gotta thank you for your help, Handsome. You made all this much easier for me. Sorry about your teammates, though they didn't give me much choice. Don't worry, they'll be fine in the next little while. Besides, by the time they come to, I'll be long gone," she assured him when he looked ready to go on the offensive.
"Sorry to disappoint you, but that's not going to happen," Jiraiya didn't know who she was but despite her assistance in the mission the man wasn't about to let her go off scot-free.
"Ah, yes, Jiraiya of the Sannin. Shouldn't you be looking for research material in a hot spring somewhere," Jiraiya didn't bite into the bait and the woman looked oddly calm as she stared down at the legendary ninja. It was as though she wasn't taking the matter seriously. Something that few could actually do before breaking down into a nervous sweat based on the man's past experience.
"Either she's cocky or she's confident she can actually escape from here," Kisame had hightailed it out and that man was an S-Rank nukenin. So the woman not surrendering or showing any form of nervousness made the Sannin immediately suspicious.
"You knocked out two Konoha shinobi and robbed a dead man's vault," Jiraiya stated casually, "That doesn't exactly scream innocent."
Asagao shrugged, "And?"
"And?" Naruto echoed incredulously.
"Oh, come on, Handsome. Don't look at me like that. I could've killed them if I'd wanted to," she pointed a thumb toward Hinata and Ino, "All I did was give them a well deserved nap."
"That's supposed to make me feel better?"
"A little."
Feeling confident and that she was distracted enough by the conversation, Jiraiya moved in quickly to intercept her. Just when he was within less than an arm's length of her did the man suddenly buckle under his own weight. Jiraiya was forced to a knee as his world felt as though the gravity had suddenly been increased to incredulous levels. Being an expert on seals, Jiraiya had been taught how to detect seals and knew various ways to neutralize them. The amount of people in the world who could catch him off guard with them was few in number and could easily be counted on one hand.
"Impressive," Asagao commented as she easily moved passed him, "Normally an ordinary man would have been sprawled and left immobile. Looks like there's credit to your reputation after all."
"Shuriken Kage Bunshin no Jutsu (Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique)!"
Asagao looked at the large volley of metal stars flying towards her with utter boredom. The woman countered the move by unleashing a gale of wind. The woman, however, was mildly surprised when five doppelgangers of Naruto suddenly appeared with their weapons held high. The woman's smirk never left her features.
Just as Jiraiya was about to break free from the gravitational hold that pinned him down did the man hear two words he'd never thought he'd hear again, "Kongō Fūsa (Adamantine Sealing Chains)!" Chains made of dark red metal suddenly sprang forth from the woman's body.
Each found their mark and wrapped themselves tightly around a clone and the original like a constrictor. Naruto suddenly felt weakened as such as the chain touched him. The sensation he felt wasn't like when he was having his chakra drained, rather it felt like his chakra was being cut off from him.
"Well, boys it's been fun but I have places to go and people to see," the woman announced before she made her way to the window, "Hey, Handsome, it's nice to see that other members of the Uzumaki Clan are alive and well."
Naruto had no idea what the woman was talking about as she said those words. But as he gazed on the woman's form did he see it ripple lightly. Gone was the dark brown hair fashioned into a ponytail, it was now replaced by shorts locks of dark crimson. Her skin remained fair, unblemished, but became paler, which only enhanced the look of the deep red lipstick she wore. She wore a unique kimono with one side not covering up her chest. But even then a fishnet shirt underneath covered up her modesty. Had it not been in the midst of battle Jiraiya would have taken notes for future material.
"See ya," she winked before her body flickered out of existence just as Jiraiya finally broke free of the seal. No dust, clouds or leaves were visible as she disappeared. The woman was simply gone.
"If I hadn't known any better I'd swear she used the Hiraishin no Jutsu (Flying Thunder God Technique)," the thought wasn't that comforting.
The man was one of the few alive who knew Minato wasn't the creator of the technique like rumors made it out to be. While Minato had made the technique famou thanks to his custom kunai during the Third Shinobi World War, Senju Tobirama on the other hand had rarely left others alive compared to Jiraiya's student. If knowledge got out that an Uzumaki of all people, and a woman at that, knew such a skill it would not end well. The man recalled Hiruzen saying that it had been rumored that the Uzumaki Clan had assisted the man in the technique's development. There had never been any proof to back such claims, and with the clan's demise and Uzu in ruins, there was no way to know if such claims had truth to them.
Jiraiya didn't doubt she wasn't an Uzumaki like she claimed to be, her use of fuinjutsu and the chakra chains were enough to confirm otherwise. They were similar to Kushina's own, albeit in a different color compared to the gold ones the late kunoichi had. But that didn't mean a thing. The old saying blood was thicker than water didn't mean the woman was on their side. Jiraiya had seen family members kill one another for the most trivial of reasons. But the man had bigger problems to deal with now.
"Hey, what did she mean by Uzumaki Clan?" Jiraiya cursed as one of the problems just presented itself. "I saw how you reacted. You know what she meant, didn't you."
"As much as I'd like to explain kid-"
"No, you're not gonna fucking weasel your way outta this like he does," Naruto heatedly interrupted.
"Kid-"
"You know something and I know Sarutobi-jiji knows something, too. You know who my family was so you might as well come clean and stop making bullshit excuses!" the boy scowled. Despite ninja being meant to keep secrets, this was one secret Naruto had always wanted to know the truth about. There was no way in hell he was going to be denied knowing the truth.
"I wasn't gonna, kid," Jiraiya began, knowing lying wasn't going to help him and would only alienate his godson from him. The man could only imagine how he'd react to that tidbit of information, "All I was gonna say is now's not the time nor the place. When we get back to Konoha we'll speak with the old man. Some skeletons are kept locked away for a reason, even if only temporarily. Sound good?"
Naruto's scowl lessened but it never left his face as he gave a curt nod. The Genin got to work and began unbinding his teammates while Jiraiya took a look inside the safe. Using his superior strength, Naruto propped them up against the wall and took out some smelling salts; the same ones that were once normally used whenever Hinata had one of her fainting spells.
"Ughh, what the hell?" Ino's groaning was followed up by a wince when the headache finally kicked in, "Naruto? Where's-"
"Asageo, or whoever she claimed to be?" the woman hadn't been all that forthcoming with her name but they'd have to use it for now, "She took off when we confronted her. She used us."
"There's a shocker," Ino wasn't all that surprised really. But she was surprised she was still alive. The woman had taken them out with no problems and Ino had barely enough time to send the warning. She could have easily killed them. Which begged the question.
"Why didn't she off us?" Ino wasn't complaining, she loved living. But the Yamanaka was curious by the event.
"My guess is because she didn't see you two as a threat and because she wasn't looking to kill either," Jiraiya said as he entered the scene.
"Who's that, Naruto-kun?" Hinata asked as her surroundings became clearer to her.
"Believe it or not, that guy's Jiraiya of the Sannin," if both weren't cognizant of what was currently happening they were now. Both kunoichi looked at the man in disbelief, and Ino with slight disappointment, it wasn't every day one could claim they met a famous ninja.
"I thought he'd be better looking," Ino's comment elicited a whine from the man, "And younger."
The last comment caused storm clouds to form above the kneeling man, "I may not have the goods like I used to but I'm still better looking than most my age damn it! You don't see me using jutsu to look younger!" the man felt a tingle up his spine the moment he said that and made a note to avoid Tsunade for the next little bit.
"Ino-chan, that's not nice to say," Hinata's comment perked the man right up.
"At least one of you greenhorns knows a little about respect," neither Ino nor her fellow blond cared for the comment, "So, a Yamanaka and a Hyuga are your teammates, huh? That's a different than the usually set up. Next you'll tell me Anko's your teacher."
"…" All three Genin stayed silent and looked away.
"ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! YOU LUCKY LITTLE BASTARD! YOU'RE THE ONLY GUY IN YOUR TEAM?" the man couldn't believe what he was hearing. Even Minato didn't have this much luck. Were these kids older he'd be using this sorta thing as future book material. Then again they were teenagers and ninja, but even then Jiraiya had his morals and knew when to draw the line. That said, it also made him realize something, "...Oh, Kami. YOU'RE THE ONLY ONLY GUY ON YOUR TEAM?"
"No… Hotto's part of the team, too," Naruto rebutted uncomfortably while Hinata giggled lightly and Ino chuckled.
"Who?"
"His ninken."
"You have a ninken?" Jiraiya blinked. "Huh. That's different. But ninken having balls or not, you're still one lucky bastard."
"You just called him lucky and unlucky in the same sentence," Ino pointed out.
"Because he is!" Jiraiya exclaimed, "Do you have any idea how ridiculous your team sounds?"
"What's so ridiculous about it?" Naruto couldn't help but ask.
Jiraiya pointed a finger at him.
"You're a genin."
"Yeah?"
"A male genin who somehow ended up on a team with three women. Do you know how many shinobi would kill for those odds?" Jiraiya demanded.
"Knowing some ninja, probably quite a few," Ino admitted.
"Exactly! A beautiful teacher, a pretty Hyuga, and a pretty Yamanaka."
Hinata immediately turned scarlet while Ino looked smug.
Naruto looked confused, "Why does everyone keep acting like that's some big thing? You know I'm outnumbered, right?"
"EXACTLY! And you're being trained by Anko. Do you understand what that means?"
Oh, Naruto indeed knew the implications. But while he wasn't the smartest person in the room, he wasn't that stupid. He knew better than to open that particular can of worms, especially if Ino decided to repeat any of it to Anko later. Deciding self-preservation was the better part of valor, he quickly changed the subject.
"What did you find?" Naruto asked, motioning to the vault.
"Okay, so, you've got a brain between that head of yours. Good to know," the statement made Naruto realize that Jiraiya had been testing him. Or, at least, he hoped that was the case, "But in a nutshell, a lot actually. Check it yourself, I made sure it was free of traps."
Even though the man reassured him, Naruto shot Jiraiya a questionable look; the man did fall for a trap not that long ago that had him at the woman's mercy. Naruto didn't know what it was but damn if it didn't look useful. Entering the vault, Naruto's eyes nearly popped out of his head as he saw the contents. The boy spotted safe deposit boxes, jewelry, and a ton of cash. There was even some miscellaneous items lying around such as weapons, armor and scrolls as well to name a few.
"Impressive, huh?" Jiraiya spoke behind him.
"Hell yes!" to Ino it was get everything for free shopping spree.
"But also sad. If my hunch is right and as much I wanna be wrong, this stuff here is a result of bloodshed. Everything you see here was most likely taken by force or earned illegally. And the worse part of it is that most of it can't be traced back to where it came from. No ledgers, no papers, nothing. The man knew what he was doing, which doesn't help us all that much really," Jiraiya informed them.
Okay, now Ino felt like crap.
What Jiriaya said wasn't impossible but even for a man of his capabilities it would be too time consuming and too difficult to look into it when he had other priorities to deal with.
"Ano, is it me or does it look like some of it's been taken recently?" Hinata asked.
"Sharp eye and the girl's right. That Asageo character took a large amount of stuff from here before she flew the coop," the man proved his point by showing the scattered ryo bills and open safe boxes. Jiraiya had dealt with enough man of Gato's type to know he'd keep all these things neat and organized. It also made him wonder if there had been papers in the safe but Asageo made off with them. "I'm surprised she didn't take all of it, though. Would have been really simple to do from what I saw."
"Well, she did say she wanted to help rid Nami of Gato. Even if she ended up using us this is proof she wasn't completely lying to us," Naruto put in his two-piece but Jiraiya wasn't completely sold despite how it turned out. "I mean she could have just killed you two otherwise and not leave anything for Nami."
Though Hinata paled lightly at the prospect, while Jiraiya and Ino wanted to smack the tactless jinchuriki, the boy did have point. The woman could have easily run off with everything but she didn't. There was more to Asageo's character than she appeared to be.
"So wait, as far as everyone knows this money doesn't exist, right?" Ino began and Naruto immediately saw where this was going.
"Ino," he began.
"The girl's got a point, kid. Hey, this here is a result of bloodshed and lost lives, but then again you could say the same thing about the missions we take already. But seeing as how this will be used to help Nami, here," Naruto was shocked that it came from Jiraiya of all people, and watched as the man took three large stacks of money and gave one each to the Genin, much to the surprise of two, and Ino's glee. "That's three hundred thousand ryo, each, and it barely puts in a dent to what's here."
"But, isn't this wrong, Jiraiya-sama?" Hinata felt off from taking the money, knowing where it came from felt wrong to the heiress of the Hyuga Clan.
"It's only wrong if you take it all, kid. Look, here's a lesson I learned long ago; ninja are supposed to steal and cheat others all the time. When it comes to stuff like this you gotta learn to take advantage of the opportunities that present themselves but at the same time make sure you put it to good use and don't get greedy," here all three gave Ino a look.
"Hey!" was Ino's indignant response when the Yamanaka realized she was being starred at.
"Anyway, look around and see if there's anything worthwhile but the money and jewels are off limits. Nami will need all the help it can get before it gets back on its feet. Chop, chop!" Jiraiya ordered the group.
"Umm, guys," Ino stopped them as something dawned on her, "Where's Gato?"
Sure enough the room behind them was empty and Gato was not visible in sight, "Shit, you think he came to?"
"No way," Ino shook her head and elaborated, "After you left I got him to talk some more and knocked him out with a poison Anko-sensei taught. Gato was out like a light and wouldn't be up for a good two hours unless given the antidote or a shot of adrenaline."
Ino didn't bother stating the obvious fact that Gato was also bound and injured enough that he wouldn't be walking properly for the next little while. Hinata stopped the bleeding but that was the extent of it.
"You'd also be dead, too. It couldn't have happened while you were unconscious, we would have sensed him and I doubt Asageo wouldn't have wanted him to scamper off. And if my hunch is right," Jiraiya eyed the room with a critical eye, knocking his hand on the wall a few times before he found what he was looking for, "Bingo, a hand print device. This thing scans your DNA and the pattern in your hands and despite a Henge fooling others it won't fool this thing. The chakra shell interferes with the read. This mean's our mystery woman made off with him."
"But why would she do that, Jiraiya-sama?" Hinata asked more out of curiosity than concern for the man. Retrieving him for Konoha had been part of the mission, but it hadn't been all that vital.
"That, my dear, is a good question. I can think of a few good reasons but without Gato here or any information we're not gonna be able to solve the matter any time soon," Jiraiya frowned before ordering while he pondered the new series of events.
The Genin meanwhile rummaged through the horde that was Gato's secret stash. Some of the safe boxes had lovely pieces of jewelry that Ino was fighting the impulse to take for herself. Others had other things in them such as alcoholic bottles, most likely expensive ones. Others had scrolls on techniques that while interesting at first were only common based ones. Most likely they were kept as trophy's or for whatever reason. Rummaging through some more, Naruto finally hit pay dirt as he came across a useful scroll.
Tengu no Oroshi-Ryu (Heavenly Dog's Katabatic Wind Style). A ancient and forgotten fighting style that was among those dubbed the Blackships of the Land. The fighting centered around the application of Wind Release chakra through bladed weapons whereby coating their weapons in tightly controlled currents of Fūton chakra, practitioners dramatically enhance cutting power while reducing resistance during movement and attack. The result is a fighting style characterized by swift, flowing strikes that seem to ride the wind itself. The beginner forms teach chakra flow, edge enhancement, and the fundamentals of synchronizing physical strikes with Wind Release, forming the basis for the devastating aerial slashes and vacuum-blade techniques found in the style's advanced teachings.
- Benefits: Passively increases the power, speed and effectiveness of Wind Release techniques used via Kenjutsu by 20%
- Conditional Benefit: 20% benefit is increased to 35% if the user has the Taiton (Typhon Release) kekkei genkai.
"HOT DAMN!" though his face was hidden behind his mask, Naruto was very pleased with the find. The swords and weapons he found, though somewhat decent, weren't quite as good as his own weapon. Most likely they were merely trophies taken from those who pissed Gato off. Naruto had half expected to fine a decent weapon within them but it wasn't to be apparently. Silently, Naruto put away the scroll in his [Inventory] and kept on looking for any other potential goods.
Rummaging through some more, Naruto believed he hit pay dirt once more as he came across a scroll that was unlike the others. Most of the what they found was cash and jewelry or other collectibles valuable enough for Gato to lock away. The scroll in Naruto's hand looked old. Old enough that he was certain it would grumble into dust if he didn't handle it right. Yet unlike scrolls made of parchment, this one was made from a pale wood that had somehow resisted age. Strange symbols had been carved into its surface, symbols he didn't recognize and the ink was very faded.
"Hey, I found something weird."
Ino snorted, "That narrows it down to half the room."
"No, like, really weird."
That got the attention of everyone. Jiraiya walked over first and accepted the scroll Naruto offered.
"Huh," was all Jiraiya could say.
"What is it?"
Jiraiya could have made a funny remark under different circumstances, but he turned it over a few times before answering, "Honestly, I've never seen markings like these before."
Jiraiya was many things, experienced and perverted were two of the most prominent. But then, Jiraiya wasn't a scholar so even he had gaps in knowledge so not recognizing something wasn't too big a stretch. But when legends and tales are taken out of proportions, many tended to view them as highly knowledgeable or all knowing individuals. Even the Sannin weren't immune to that effect. Jiraiya had seen some unique written characters when studying seals over the years, some of which had been hidden away, but for the life of him he could not recall any of these.
The seal from what he saw securing the scroll appeared partially worn away by time. Curiously enough, beneath the dust was a familiar symbol. One Hinata recognized, "Ano...I think... I think it resembles an older version of the Hyūga crest."
Everyone looked toward the Hyūga heiress as slowly stepped forward to inspect the item.
"You're sure?"
Hinata's eyes continued to look over the scroll before she nodded, "It isn't identical but there are similarities."
"What would something from the Hyūga Clan be doing in Gato's vault?" Naruto inquired.
Of all the things they'd expected to find, ancient Hyūga records had not been among them.
"It's not as strange as it sounds," Jiraiya explained, "The Hyūga are one of the oldest clans in existence. Depending on which records you believe, parts of their history stretch back nearly two thousand years."
That surprised all one of the genin, "That old?" Naruto asked.
"Older than Konoha by a ridiculous margin. Don't forget, none of the hidden villages are even a century old yet."
"True. But, I mean, I know the Hyūga were much older than most clans, but I didn't think they were that ancient. Hinata?" Ino inquired and the Hyūga heiress blinked at being put on the spot.
"I... don't know that much," she admitted. "Most clan members don't study history beyond the basics. The clan records say the Hyūga since the early years of the Era of Warrings States and there are references to different settlements and compounds throughout the Land of Fire, and other countries at one point but many records become incomplete the further back you go."
"Incomplete?
"Missing," Jiraiya answered simply, "Destroyed or lost. Some only survive as copies of copies and even then they aren't perfect as translations and meanings change and some times you have someone who doesn't bother putting everything in. Hardly are there any of the originals around from that long ago. Don't forget, the Era of Warring States lasted almost 2000 years and clans fought each other constantly and during that time clan compounds were burned, archives destroyed, and heirlooms stolen. Even Entire families disappeared. Sarutobi-sensei once said that most clan histories aren't one continuous record. It's more like surviving fragments pieced together over generations. The Hyuga, the Senju and Uchiha were one of of the luckier clans to have lasted that long. Plenty of others lost everything or became forgotten."
The Sannin lightly tapped the ancient scroll, a somber look on his face, "People hear 'clan heirloom' and imagine something safely stored in a vault for centuries. Reality's usually messier. One compound gets overrun. Someone loots the place. Their descendants sell it. It changes hands a dozen times over a thousand years. And, in some cases, such as this, it eventually ends up in the hands of some greedy merchant, collector, noble, or criminal who buys it because it looks expensive."
"So Gato could've gotten it without even knowing what it was?"
"Exactly."
"Or he knew exactly what it was and couldn't figure out how to use it," Ino suggested.
"That too. Honestly, if this thing really is close to two thousand years old, I'd be more surprised if the Hyūga still knew it existed than if they didn't." Jiraiya held the scroll out to her. "Well, it's yours. Think your clan will enjoy having a piece of their history back."
Hinata carefully accepted the scroll, the aged parchment felt strangely warm beneath her fingers and she was cut off guard by what appeared before her.
|Authorized Bearer Confirmed!|
|Byakugan and Hyuga Lineage Detected|
|Necessary requirements unfulfilled|
|Byakugan must have Mastered state|
|Minimum CP requirement: 12,500|
|Minimum HP requirement: 11,500|
|Minimum END and VIT requirement total: 450|
|Unique special perk must be unlocked|
|Dormant special perk available upon qualification|
Hinata nearly dropped the scroll at the absurd numbers she saw. The Hyuga heiress knew she wasn't even remotely close to meeting the requirements. Her eyes darted over the lines again, silently hoping she had misread something. She had not. A faint feeling of embarrassment washed over her as she realized just how far away she was from whatever this ancient inheritance was.
The scroll was essentially telling her she wasn't qualified. Not yet, at least.
"Hey, Hinata, you alright?" Naruto's voice nearly made her jump.
"W-What?"
Naruto tilted his head, "You kind of froze there."
"Did I?" Hinata laughed nervously.
"Yeah," Ino agreed. "You looked like someone just told your favorite cinnamon roll shop just burned down."
"Don't ever joke about that!" Hinata couldn't help herself, the words left her mouth before she realized what she'd said. The room went dead silent and Hinata's face immediately turned bright red and she wished the ground would open up and swallow her.
"I think that's the loudest I've ever heard you speak," Naruto admitted.
Ino, meanwhile, looked absolutely delighted, "You have a favorite cinnamon roll shop?"
"T-That's not important!" Hinata squeaked.
"Sounds important," Ino teased.
"I-It isn't!"
"Now I kinda want to know where this place is."
"Naruto-kun!"
"What? If they're good enough to make you yell, they must be amazing."
Jiraiya barked out a laugh, "Well, that's a first."
"What is?" Naruto asked.
"Never thought I'd ever see a Hyuga react like that over cinnamon buns," Hinata whined softly as Ino and Naruto began laughing alongside the Sannin. Fortunately, everyone's attention had shifted away from the scroll.
(Sometime Later)
"Oh, thank Kami you brats are alright," Anko pulled her female students into a tight embrace. The act scaring her Genin for one simple reason: Anko never hugged, ever.
"Is she on heavy pain killers?" Naruto asked what they were all thinking, unable to believe his eyes.
"Would make more sense than this," was Ino's opinion before she yelped out, "Ow!"
"That's for scaring the hell out of me, Blondie!" Anko frowned before doing the same to Hinata and making her yelp as well, "You too, Pale Eyes!"
"And she's back," the Genin thought as the woman they knew, loved and feared returned to them.
"What are they doing here?" Naruto nudged his head in the direction of the two surviving Kiri ninja. Both were bound with ninja wire and Zabuza was missing his sword. The man looked pissed too and Naruto didn't doubt his missing weapon was the reason why. That and he was being held prisoner.
"These two have some explaining to do. But first," Anko marched over and took off the dragon mask from the fake hunter ninja. The face of a young and beautiful girl wasn't what Anko had expected to see. "Better than a heavily scarred face or one that only a mother could love."
"Hey, I know you! You're Haku from the other day!" Sakura recalled the girl.
"You know her, Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked and blushed lightly as Haku smiled at him. He had to admit Haku was very pretty. Unbeknownst to him his teammate gained an impassive look and Naruto's Detect Killing Intent Skill flared up.
"Oh-ho, the Hyuga's got a crush on him, and a jealous streak, too," the Toad Sage couldn't help the smirk silently appear on his face. The boy really did take after his father.
"Yeah, I know her," the Sakura explained how she came across the pink kimono wearing individual, "She was collecting herbs and I thought I'd help. I didn't think much about helping her at the time."
"I'm a boy," Haku corrected the pink haired kunoichi, much to everyone's surprise, with Zabuza being excluded of course.
"WHAT!? But you're prettier than Sakura and Ino?" Naruto's proclamation got him looks of pity from Kakashi and Jiraiya. There was a sentence that was guaranteed to earn you an ass whopping.
"HEY!" both kunoichi looked murderous at the moment and Naruto felt like he was staring at two predators that were ready to rip him apart piece by piece. The blond was saved by the Inuzuka heir's laugh.
Kiba's smirk gained looks from the other ninja, "No, you're not. You can fool those guys but you can't fool my nose. Right, partner?" Kiba earned a bark of agreement from the white ninken.
"Soooo, she is a girl?" Tsunami slowly asked.
"No, I'm boy," Haku rebuked calmly.
"Nooooo, you're a chick. You can't lie to an Inuzuka's nose, babe," Kiba confirmed.
"I'm a boy," Haku countered back strongly.
"Girl."
"Boy."
"Girl."
"Boy!"
"Girl!"
"BOY!"
"GIRL!"
"Alright, enough of this shit!" Anko decided there was only one way to settle all this. Which in typical Anko fashion meant invasion of privacy and personal space. Anko appeared next to the ninja and to the astonishment of everyone present, proceeded to grope the ninja on the chest and nether regions.
Zabuza was left stunned by the act, along with Sakura and the civilians of the house. Kiba as well as Sasuke were wide-eyed, and to a lesser extent Hinata. Ino and Naruto however, were not all that affected by the act due to them being used to Anko's odd tendencies.
"Okay, analysis complete; two boobs and no measuring stick. You're a girl, case solved," Anko announced and removed her hands from the now identified female.
"… Is she always like this?" the missing ninja had heard rumors about the woman's reputation but seeing it was completely different.
"You don't want to know," Kakashi, Jiraiya, and Anko's Genin informed the man.
"Alright, so spill. What's with the whole denying you're a chick crap?" Anko asked red-faced kunoichi.
"Be-ccause I'm not?" a still blushing and highly embarrassed Haku informed her. Never before had someone ever touched the ninja in such a way.
Anko blinked once and twice before she looked at Zabuza, "What the hell do you do to her?"
"Me? I did fuck all!" the man ignored the look Tsunami gave him as she covered her son's ears. "I raised Haku to be who he was."
"She," Anko corrected the man before a thought suddenly crossed her mind, "Wait? Have you been calling her a 'he' the whole time you raised her?"
"Yeah, so?" the man received incredulous looks from everyone, "Hey, ask me to raise a boy, no problem. I don't know how the hell to raise girls. Don't bother asking what I did when puberty came along."
The women in the house could only imagine and sent the man dirty looks, especially at the nonchalance of his response
"So rather than learning how to deal with it you pussied out and thought it would be ok to raise your gender confused tool as a boy. Well, good going, dumbass. Your excellent parenting skills have made Haku into a involuntary transgender."
"A trans-what?" the man had no idea what the woman was talking about.
"Transgender. Someone who's born genetically as a male or female but identifies themselves as the opposite gender. Basically, while she lacks the tool downstairs she doesn't see herself as a girl but a boy," the woman stopped as she gave Haku a look over, "a very feminine and attractive bishounen type boy you'd love to have your way with day and night, but a boy nonetheless."
The last comment earned the woman a variety of looks ranging from shock to slightly perversion. Jiraiya was taking notes and was pretty damn happy he had come across Anko's summon.
"Anyway, difference here is the coward raised her as a boy so who knows if it's how she actually identifies herself or it's because of her upbringing and mental conditioning," Anko added.
Zabuza merely looked annoyed, and slightly befuddled, "And this is bad why?" the man didn't really see a problem with all this really. If Haku was okay with acting and identifying himself as a boy it was no skin off his nose. Plus it allowed him to dodge the whole feminine crap despite the monthly visitor. No way was Haku going to see any boys soon. Not on his watch.
"Wait, I'm confused, so if Haku's a girl, but sees himself as a dude, what does that mean if he's attracted to guys? Does that mean she's, he, gay or straight? Or-" Naruto stopped when Jiraiya decided to cut in.
"Kid, take it from me, the more you think about it the more it hurts the head. You're better off not thinking too deeply into it," the man advised and many in the room decided to agree with the man. It was too damn confusing.
"Speaking from experience, Pervert?" Anko smirked as she saw the man stiffen briefly.
"Let's change the subject and talk about the elephant in the room," the man gave the haughty looking woman the stink eye before he looked at the group once more, "As it stands, Nami is free from Gato's clutches. What happens now determines whether you two stay alive or not," Jiraiya looked at the two Kiri ninja.
"What?"
"No offense but you two did try and kill Tazuna here and only switched sides when Gato and Kisame backstabbed you. What's stopping you from killing him when someone else sets their eye on this place?"
Tazuna and his family paled at the notion. None of them had actually thought of that scenario. Gato and his thugs were taken care of but what was stopping another tyrant from doing the exact same thing as he did?
Zabuza merely scoffed, "This may shock you, old man, but unlike the walking fishstick I don't do betrayal," Jiraiya's eyes twitched at the age jab.
"Tell that to your Bingo Book profile," Anko shot back.
Zabuza didn't say anything but knew the woman had a point. The man wasn't about to say anything but knew that the Konoha ninja had all the cards at the moment, "Look, I'll admit I betrayed my Kage but that's only because that son of a bitch betrayed us first!"
The younger ninja were confused by the declaration, but the seasoned ninja were intrigued and allowed the man to explain, "I don't know all the details and reasons but ever since the first Shinobi World War a lot of people in Kiri developed a fear of ninja with bloodline limits. Somehow some morons started believing that those with bloodline limits were the ones causing the wars-"
"Yeah, yeah, we all know this story. It's not uncommon knowledge despite Mizu's state of lockdown," Anko interjected and prevented everyone from hearing the boring history lesson.
"Yeah, well did you also know the Fourth Mizukage only made it worse? At first, it wasn't that big a deal and nothing more than distrust. There were more people who didn't believe in that crap than those that did. Then that little shit Yagura was put into office and sometime later he went on to say that those with bloodline limits were the cause of the wars and when Kaguya Clan decided to attack Kiri and take down nearly a third of our ninja population before we stopped them, it only made it worse," the man himself had been a newly initiated member of the swordsmen during the twilight years of the Third Great War when the battle took place.
It had been a bloodbath that only served to break the camel's back. The Kaguya had not been an easy clan to deal with despite their savagery and lust of slaughter in battle. When it came to fighting they were also effective tacticians and strategists rather than the stereotypical dumb and battle prone bandits. This was a clan that had survived the Era of Warring States, a nearly millennia old bloody period in history that had seen the end of countless clans and bloodlines. And while the Kaguya didn't have the same number of members back when they first joined Kiri, or the same number with awakened bloodline limits, their fearsome battle prowess hadn't waned in the least. The fighting had lasted three days before the last of the Kaguya were brought down but by then the damage had been done and many in Kiri started to believe in Yagura's words.
"After all that everything went to hell," Zabuza growled, making the ninja except Jiraiya and Kakashi to tighten their stance. The chakra suppression seals and reinforced chakra wire the Sannin had placed on him assured that he was not going to go anywhere or do anything. But it was better to be safe than sorry, "People started fighting one another, clans with bloodlines were being persecuted and slaughtered into extinction or forced into hiding. Even those who helped them were cut down!"
Zabuza recalled how the the Yuki Clan, much like the Hozuki Clan and Kaguya Clan, had been a powerful clan of Kiri before the Bloodline Purge took place. The Hozuki and Yuki being two of the founding clan's of Kiri. The Purge had done a terrific job, in a horrible way, at reducing their numbers. Haku's mother had been one of the smart ones and went into hiding before it all happened. Even then it ended up for nothing. Sad as it was, Haku was most likely one of the few remaining members of the Yuki Clan, if not the very last.
"I'm all for a fight but when I fight I do it for a reason and for a cause. I'll fucking kill out of duty and personal vengeance but I will never kill if there's no grounds for it!" the man shouted, his breathing becoming rough and heavy as he looked at the group. Due to past exploits the Seven Swordsmen had that reputation, and members both old and new were labeled as merciless butchers the moment they became one.
"That's what the Bloodline Purge was all about. Nothing more than killing for the sake of killing, and the only purpose it had was to make us weak! Kiri was being destroyed, I had to do something!" Zabuza said.
"And you had the brilliant idea of thinking if you cut down the head honcho it would end it all?" Jiraiya thought the man a complete idiot if he thought he could go against a Kage and win. He could respect his dedication to his village, but stupid was still stupid. Especially if said Kage had been a jinchuriki with complete control over his Biju if the info he found was was accurate. Judging by the man's look Jiraiya surmised Zabuza knew it had been a stupid idea in the end, too. "Well, can't say I blame you for trying, even if you did fail spectacularly at your job."
Zabuza scowled at the man but otherwise he remained silent.
"But I believe you," the man added.
"Come again?" Ino didn't believe him to be serious, her teacher being just as skeptical as her student.
"When you've been around for as long as I have you pick up a few things and your judge of character becomes sharper than most," the man explained.
"Yeah, and the fact that I subtlety injected my own cocktail of truth serum swimming through his veins had nothing to do with it either," Anko shook her head. Such concoctions weren't all that effective on shinobi compared to torture and a Yamanaka's mind walk, especially healthy and strong ones such as Zabuza. But if weakened it worked well and they were more open to talk than they normally would be.
"But I've got my eye on you two, and the sword stays with me and the seals stay on until I say so. Unless you'd rather be left hogtied in the basement and until the hunter ninja arrive?" the man hit the nail on the head as the Kiri ninja let out a frustrated growl.
"We don't have a basement," Tazuna's comment caused the ninja face fault at his stupidity.
"Remind me to never take you gambling, old man. What I just did was called a bluff; it's what we ninja do. Secondly, making you a basement wouldn't be that hard to do really with a simple Doton technique," the man rolled his eyes in annoyance while Tsunami shook her head. Her father was going to be laying off the alcohol for the next little while. "Any questions?"
"Yeah, where's Gato? That little shit's got a lot to pay for," not only for the backstabbing but also because he knew Gozu and Meizu were probably dead because of him hiring Kisame.
The man had an inkling Kisame was the cause of their sudden disappearance. The thought of the traitorous swordsman only made him even angrier, both because of the second betrayal and loss of his men, and because Kisame hadn't lost his edge either since his defection. If anything the man only grew much stronger since they last met one another. Zabuza angrily knew that while he had not slouched around during his time with the Resistance he had not improved all that much ether.
"Sorry to say, but he's indisposed of at the moment. You won't be seeing him ever again," the comment earned Jiraiya a frustrated sigh from the man, "But if it will make you feel any less bitchy, here's the pay he owed you and a little extra."
The white haired ninja tossed Zabuza a scroll that was easily caught by the swordsman, "But if you ever target Konoha shinobi or Nami ever again, you'll wish you never crossed me. Got it?" the man emphasized his intent by releasing a potent burst of chakra and made the man go completely stiff as he saw his own death in various ways.
"Got it," Zabuza wasn't going to argue. The stunt Jiraiya pulled pushed away all doubt about the man not living up the reputation of a powerful ninja. Were they to fight each other Zabuza had the distinct impression he would have his ass handed to him on a silver platter. This was a man who had gone against the legendary Hattori Hanzo of Ame and lived. Few could boast such a thing. The only man stranger than Hanzo at the time had been the Sannin's teacher himself.
"Alright then," the man's demeanor did a complete one eighty, "Now that that's settled we can move on to making sure Nami's properly taken care of and better prepared so this doesn't happen again. You two are gonna help and make up for attacking these guys."
Jiraiya gave both Kiri ninja a look that left no room for argument.
"Yeah, you guys have fun doing that. My team and I are done our mission so after a few days we're outta here. Our job was to make sure Gato was taken care of and acting as your backup. Hatake and his grunts' job last I recall is to guard Tazuna until the bridge was done," she cackled as the other team realized what they meant, "Finally kicking in ain't it. You guys are gonna be here for a while. Enjoy! I'm gonna go sleep my ass off, momma's earned it."
"Kakashi-sensei, I don't ask for a whole lot but for the love of Kami, please tell me we're not staying that long!" Kiba practically begged the man.
"Unfortunately, we have no choice. Had we brought Tazuna back to Konoha before all this happened we could have left. Even though Tazuna lied, nearly got us killed, and essentially rendered the contract null and void," each word only served to make the elderly bridge builder feel worse, "since we didn't report back to the Hokage to work out another contract and decided to complete the mission anyway despite said lie we have no choice but to complete this one."
"So because we continued on despite being misled we're forced to complete the mission?" Sasuke asked in a disbelieving and angry tone. Kakashi shrugged and blamed politics for the fine print of it all. The boy only became angrier when his teacher more or less gave him the answer. Sasuke wasn't all that knowledgeable on bridges but it didn't take a genius to know they'd be stuck in Nami for quite some time.
"Are you kidding me? This is bullshit!" Kiba howled at the unfairness of it all. Fine print, bureaucracy, and politics were a pain in the ass. Kiba didn't want any part of it if all they did was cause unnecessary work. "Can't we just say we failed?"
"We could," Kakashi nodded and Kiba looked hopeful, "but purposely failing a mission just because we didn't want to do it anymore results in us being put on temporary suspension. In some cases, it also means being demoted to a lower rank, for you guys it would mean losing your headbands. And it ruins Konoha's reputation, too."
"So either way, we're fucked and stuck here until the old man bridge is done. Greeaaaat," the Inuzuka really hated his job at the moment and wished they had turned back when they had the opportunity. C-Rank turned A-Rank, maybe even S-Rank, boasting or not this sucked balls.
"Welcome to the life of a Genin, kid. I'd say it gets better but it doesn't," Jiraiya barked out a laugh as Kiba took a swing at him. The Inuzuka was quick but for a ninja of Jiraiya's caliber he was more or less moving in slow motion.
(A Few Days Later)
The time that passed by in Nami was much more easy going compared to the past week or so. The people of Nami no longer looked depressed or hostile towards one another. With their food supply from the Underground Lake feeding the masses and fishermen allowed back into the ocean the populace was slowly getting back to their feet.
But even then it was far from joyful as it seemed. While many celebrated the fact that they were finally free from Gato's tyranny, others were in no mood to partake in the festivities. Families were broken, homes were lost, and many wouldn't be seeing or regaining either one of them. Gato's rule ended, yes, but even then the man's actions would continue to plague and haunt others for the rest of their lives. Some would finally come to terms with it, others would struggle, and some would not. Several villagers had come asking them for help in finding their lost family members and Anko, Kakashi and Jiraiya had been forced deal with them. None made promises, as there was no information or leads telling them where they were in the first place.
"Is there anything we can do about it?" Naruto asked his teacher and merely shook her head.
"As much as I'd like to Naruto, there isn't," Anko replied sadly and rubbed the spot where Jiraiya applied the new seal around the curse mark.
Even with the new seal Anko still felt the itch in the back of her mind. It was like a soothing voice that made her feel at ease and promised protection and strength. Evidently the potion she had taken had not only strengthened and unlocked the seal but also changed the way it tried to make her give into its dark power. Anko remembered the rush of euphoria and power that pulsed through her as the kunoichi's skills and senses had been increased to their utmost peeks, the feeling of invincibility.
It had been a sensation she had long since forgotten, almost lost even. Jiraiya had informed her that the seal he applied hadn't been absolute. On the plus side even with it sealed away Anko felt stronger than she used to be. It was as if some of her old talent had been set loose. The bad news was that contrast to the imperfect version of the seal she originally had the stunt she had pulled resulted in the newer version being stronger than ever. And it wasn't going to go dormant any time soon. The seal expert had given her a few tag seals should she need them. Better safe than sorry he had said despite her willpower.
"Anko-sensei?" Hinata called out, "Are you alright?"
"Hmm, fine, it's nothing," the woman dismissed her student's worry. Anko was the one meant to worry, not the students. Then again Anko wasn't your blue collar Jonin teacher, or ninja really. "Anyway, brats, we need to keep looking. As good as everything is some of Gato's men might still be hiding somewhere. Not all of them were cowards and some could pose a threat if left alone."
That had been the reason why the group hadn't head out after the battle. That and they didn't want to arouse suspicion that they up and rearing to go while the others were still recovering. But Anko had made a good point. Better they stay a little while longer and make sure all the bad element was gone than regret it later.
The group continued to take a look around before Naruto spotted an odd statue at the edge of Nami, away from prying eyes. The moment he moved towards it and placed his hand on the large fish like monument did something wonderful happen.
|Congratulations! You've discovered a significant landmark!|
|As a result and due to your positive reputation with Nami no Kuni you've unlocked the Fast Travel Skill!|
[Fast Travel]
This unique and very useful ability allows one to instantly travel from one location to another no matter how far the distance in seconds. There are some exceptions; however. A downside is that one cannot fast travel to a hostile or neutral settlement, cannot do so during combat, cannot be done if it hasn't been discovered or visited!
"Fast Travel? What's that?" Anko asked.
"Something very useful, Anko-sensei," Naruto laughed and smiled at their luck. "Fast travel basically allows us to move one place to another, no matter how large the distance, instantly."
All three kunoichi were floored by the revelation. The applications of such an ability opened up a lot of possibilities, "Does this mean we don't have to walk all the way back to Konoha?"
"Nope," Naruto grinned.
"What do you mean, nope?" Ino thought he said they could.
"Huh? No, I meant nope as in we don't have to walk, not nope as in we do have to walk," Naruto explained.
"So we don't have to walk?" Hinata asked.
"Yes," Naruto answered.
"Yes as in no, or yes as in yes?" Anko questioned.
"WE DON'T HAVE TO WALK, OKAY!" Naruto wasn't going to repeat himself. "This ability will allow us to leave and be in Konoha within seconds."
"So does that mean it's like the Yondaime's Hiraishin no Jutsu, Naruto-kun," Hinata asked with a hint of worry. "Doesn't that mean others could do the same?"
"Kami, I hope not," Anko knew how deadly the Hiraishin was. The woman had seen it being used in the last Great War by the Yondaime. Entire platoons were downed in seconds before they knew what happened. A person could blink only to see the enemy fall down lifelessly. The last thing they needed was the enemy knowing the technique, and Anko was concerned this Asageo might somehow know it.
"Nah, I'm pretty sure it's due to my ability, Hinata. Besides it doesn't work that way," Naruto began to explain, "Fast travel's usually only possible if your relationship with another location is above Neutral and if you've found an important landmark. Otherwise it won't work."
"So there's no way it could be weaponized?" Anko was relieved when the boy shook his head. There was one less thing to worry about, "Oh, thank, Kami."
"So does this mean we can go home now? With Hotto's nose, Naruto's sensory skills and Hinata's Byakugan I'm pretty sure everything's solid at the moment. We haven't come across anyone since we began searching three days ago," was Ino's argument.
"You just wanna blow the money you earned in the malls," Naruto smirked all knowingly, ignoring Anko's comment of "what money?"
"Hey, what Ino does with Ino's money is none of your business, Whiskers," Ino gave the boy a face that was met with his own.
"Alright, lovebirds break it up. Look, we'll search for a couple more hours but if nothing shows up send Jiraiya and Kakashi a clone to inform em and we'll start heading out. Sound good?"
All three Genin merely smiled or grinned, and despite wanting to look serious Anko couldn't help let herself smirk. The bragging rights she'd get would be awesome, too. How many Genin actually got to go and accomplish an A-Rank mission turned S-Rank?
(Meanwhile in an Undisclosed Location)
The short man felt a twinge of fear, perhaps even more than a twinge, as he felt himself being harshly dragged to an unknown area. Whoever that short haired bitch was had messed up with the wrong man. And he'd make sure she'd suffer for it. All it would take was to find out who had him and with a bit of persuasion and bribery, he'd be on his way.
Feeling himself being forced to the ground, Gato soon felt the back that covered his face being taken off and glared at the men. His glare soon turned to confusion as he saw the suits they wore, elegant and high-end quality ones if he even saw them.
"Gato, Gato, Gato. What I'm I going to do with you?" a voice from the darkness chuckled.
Fear gripped his heart like a vice as he heard the voice. The short man saw a fancy suit wearing individual, a bald head with an intricate tattoo, and eating from a hot pot. To the man's left was a pipe with intricate designs, and in his hands were a series of rings with various characters on them. It didn't take a genius to know who the man was, and that Gato was most likely never living the place alive.
"Harukichi-sama!" a fearful Gato stuttered.
Why wouldn't he? Before him was the Supreme Godfather of the Yakuza. A man that had raised Gato from an insignificant nothing and into the man he was now. A man he looked up to. A man he inspired to ultimately inspired to become one day. A man he, in an act of sheer arrogance and greed, later betrayed. And now that he was caught and before one of the most powerful men in the underworld, Gato could only pray for swift death.
But deep inside, Gato knew that was very wishful thinking.
(Meanwhile in an Another Undisclosed Location)
"So… you got your ass handed to you by a bunch of wet behind the ears little Genin?" Kisame didn't have to be psychic to know the man was mocking him. If his partner didn't kill him like he was known to then the blue skinned ninja was going to do it himself. He was no torture expert but he definitely was going to make it a slow and agonizing experience.
If this was the idiocy that Kakuzu had to deal with on regular basis Kisame didn't blame the second oldest member of the group for one offing them, "You got shit in your ears, or are you missing a few brain cells? I said I was facing two teams! One of em was led by Orochimaru's former apprentice and the other by Hatake Kakashi. They had an unknown with em that clearly wasn't a Genin. He was probably a disguised Anbu member. Kid was skilled given the amount of power he put into those techniques of his. Nothing I couldn't really handle had a fucking Sannin not shown up. Had to choice but to bolt."
The man that mocked Kisame wisely kept his mouth shut. Even he knew the reputation and prowess of any of the Sannin was not to be taken lightly. Their leader frowned as he processed this, "Reports have come through and informed us Jiraiya the Toad Sage has been asking about us. How much he knows remains unknown and I wish for it to remain that way until we are ready," Pain knew that Akatsuki was a powerful group but they still lacked vital information and resources.
Some of their members had also yet to cross the boundaries between Jonin to Kage, or only just recently crossed it. Many possessed unique skills that were incredibly useful but they still needed experience when facing superior opponents. "This "Genin" you faced…. How powerful would you say he is?"
"Ninjutsu wise he's pretty damned skilled. His reserves are nothing to laugh at either. Give him a good teacher in ninjutsu and in a few years he'll be a force to be reckoned with. He's a power type fighter for sure. Though he lacks finesse and control over his techniques to make em truly devastating. The kid was wasting a good amount of chakra in his techniques despite how lethal they were. Decent and highly unorthodox strategist as well," the boy was the first Kisame encountered to let himself get hit by a technique just to set up a trap. "Probably knows some seals too."
"Did he have blond hair and whisker marks?" the man's partner solemnly asked.
"Couldn't tell. The kid wore armor that covered his face and head," though their meeting was brief Kisame had good observational skills despite his crash and bash approach to fighting. "Could have been him but don't quote me on it. Didn't see a charka shroud."
"It's probably not him then. Last I heard the Kyubi Jinchuriki was considered a shoe in for the title of Dead Last. Showed no talent at all in anything except for pranks," Itachi commented. Most likely it was a disguised Anbu like Kisame thought him to be. Itachi and others were pretty powerful at that age so it wasn't that big a stretch for another to have appeared. Itachi knew his partner looked forward to testing his mettle against him if they met again.
"A Dead Last jinchiruki? Man, I knew people tended to hate their guts but Konoha really fucked themselves over with that one," Kakuzu's partner laughed. Kumo was the exception when it involved jinchuriki but even then there were a minority who feared and hated them.
"Indeed. But their foolishness is our gain," Pain stated. The weaker the jinchuriki was, the easier it would be to capture them. And the easier it would be to achieve their goal.
Status Window
Name: Uzumaki Naruto
Job: Genin (15% EXP Gain and +15 IP per year)
Skill Rank: C
Level: 37 Next Level: 7%/100%
HP: 11525 + 1,750 + 700 - 13,975
CP: 19225 + 2,625 + 1,750 - 23,600
STR: 80
VIT: 341 + 70 - 441
END: 469 + 105 - 574
DEX: 93 + 21 - 114
INT: 62
WIS: 59
CHA: 16
LUK: ?
Improvement Points: 15
Perk Points: 12
Specialization
Ninkenjutsu Specialist (increases associated titles, fighting styles, perks by an additional 25%) and increases associated attributes by 1
Fighting Styles
Konoha Kenjutsu-Ryu [Novice] (enhanced): +2 towards DEX per level (active as of level 30)
Tengu no Oroshi-Ryu [Novice] (enhanced): Passively increases the power, speed and effectiveness of Wind Release techniques used via Kenjutsu by 45% (active as of level 37)
Special Perks:
Gamer: Allows you to view and live your life as though it were a video game.
Kyubi no Yoko Jinchuriki: Additional +5 VIT & +7.5 END per Lv, +250 CP per Lv, +25% Power towards all skills, +50% Increase towards [HP Regen] & [CP Regen] outside of combat, Immune to Basic and Journeyman Poisons -25% EXP and Effectiveness towards [Chakra Control Skills], -25% Reputation gain towards [Konoha Populace] whose relationship with you is below Neutral
Unknown Blessing: Your luck is immeasurable. Don't be fooled as it can go either way at random.
Perks/Buffs:
?: Additional +5 VIT & +7.5 END per Lv, +100 HP per Lv, +25% additional EXP and Effectiveness towards [Fuinjutsu Skill], -15% EXP and Effectiveness towards [Chakra Control Skills], ?
Chakra Affinity (Master Rank) (Enhanced): [CP Regen] and [Elemental Resistances] Increased by 55%, Speed, Power and Effectiveness towards [Ninjutsu Skills] Increased by 55%, CP Usage towards [Ninjutsu Skills] decreased by 55%
Vigor Affinity (Expert Rank): [HP Regen] and [Physical Resistance] Increased by 20%, Fatigue levels decreased 20%
Titles:
Prank King: Additional +1 DEX per Lv, +25% additional EXP and Effectiveness towards [Stealth Skill] & [Trap-Based Skills], -25% Reputation gain towards prank victims for 24 Hours
Expert Zombie Slayer: +60% Power, EXP, Money against [Undead-Based Monster], +30% Increase towards Attributes against [Undead-Based Monster], +30% chance of [Double Loot Occurrence] against [Undead-Based Monster], +10% Increase towards Resistances against [Undead-Based Monster]
Ninkenjutsu Novice (enhanced): +35% additional Power, Effectiveness, and EXP towards [Ninjutsu and Kenjutsu Skills] (active as of level 30)
Novice Dungeon Master: +15% increase towards Attributes, EXP, Skills, and Item Drop Rate while in a dungeon; CP Cost for all skills reduced by 15% while in a dungeon; 15% chance of not suffering death penalty while in a dungeon; Conquering a dungeon for the first time results in an additional 25% increase in rewards (active as of level 30)
Description: Uzumaki Naruto's background is shrouded in mystery. A young ninja with inspirations of becoming Hokage, Naruto has a long and difficult journey ahead of him before he can attain his dream. While believed to be a shoo-in for the title of Dead Last, Naruto's come around in his last year placed him in the lower-middle ranking.
Status Window
Name: Hottomaru
Job: Ninken
Skill Rank: D+
Level: 24 Next Level: 21%/100%
HP: 1775
CP: 1225
STR: 48
VIT: 70
END: 50
DEX: 48
INT: 20
WIS: 29
CHA: 33
LUK: 28
Improvement Points: 0
Perk Points: 2
Specialization
N/A
Fighting Style
N/A
Perks
Ninja Dog: Human Lifespan, Ability to Mold Chakra, Potential to speak human language
Komainu Lineage (Guard Dog): +1 VIT, Lv, +15% Effectiveness & EXP towards [Biting-based Skills] & [Detection-based Skills], +20% Effectiveness, Power, and EXP towards [Fire-Based Skills]
Akita Lineage (Tracking Dog): +1 DEX per Lv, +15% Effectiveness and EXP towards [Tracking Skills] +15% Effectiveness and EXP towards [Stealth-Based Skills], +10% towards Movement Speed during and outside combat
Keen-Senses: +15% Effectiveness & EXP towards [Detection Skill], Ignores Henge, Strong and pungent odours can result in debuffs
Titles
Journeyman Zombie Slayer: +40% Power, EXP, Money against [Undead-Based Monster], +20% Increase towards Attributes against [Undead-Based Monster], +20% chance of [Double Loot Occurrence] against [Undead-Based Monster]
Description: A two old ninja dog with Komainu blood in his veins. While possessing great potential like his cousin Akamaru, Hottomaru like most Komainu pups require a good amount of discipline and can be difficult to train but are fiercely loyal and protective of their owners and partners.
Name: Hyuga Hinata
Job: Genin (15% EXP Gain and +15 IP per year)
Skill Rank: D+
Level: 27 Next Level: 79%/100%
HP: 1800
CP: 1925 + 200 - 2125
STR: 31
VIT: 72
END: 77 + 8 - 85
DEX: 59
INT: 77 + 8 - 85
WIS: 72 + 8 - 80
CHA: 20
LUK: 16
Improvement Points: 9
Perk Points: 2
Specialization
None
Fighting Styles
Juken [Novice]: +1 Towards END per Level (active as of level 20)
Special Perks:
Gamer's Teammate: So long as you are on the same team as the Gamer, you gain the same benefits. (This perk can be taken away if the Gamer wills it!)
Byakugan: +1 WIS per Lv, +20% EXP & Effectiveness towards [Medical Ninjutsu], [Detection Skills], +20% increase towards [Critical Hit Chance], Allows the use of the [Byakugan Skill]
Perks:
Main Family Lineage: +1 INT & +1 END per Lv, +15% Effectiveness towards [Hyuga Clan Skills], +15% Reputation gain with Konoha and Konoha Allies, +15% EXP and Effectiveness towards [Bartering] with Konoha and Allies, +15% EXP, Power, Speed and Effectiveness towards [Taijutsu Skills]
Titles:
Novice Taijutsu Practitioner: +20% EXP, Power & Effectiveness towards [Taijutsu Skills]
Novice Medical Practitioner: +1 WIS & +1 INT per level, +20% EXP, Power, and Effectiveness towards [Medical-Based Skills and Items] and [Herbalism Skills]
Novice Zombie Slayer: +20% Power, EXP, Money against [Undead-Based Monster], +10% Increase towards Attributes against [Undead-Based Monster], +10% chance of [Double Loot Occurrence] against [Undead-Based Monster]
Flaws/Debuffs:
Diffidence [Lv 1]: -10% towards Attributes, -10% EXP, Power, Speed and Effectiveness towards Skills, Benefits of Titles and Perks reduced, Flaw will become permanent upon reaching MAX level
Description: Hinata is a very kind but very shy young girl who comes from one of Konoha's four noble clans. Despite being trained in the art of the Gentle Fist at a young age, a renown and deadly taijutsu, Hinata's skill is lacking for reasons currently unknown. While not one of the best students in the academy Hinata was still one of the more intelligent students. While most of the girls in her class are infatuated with Sasuke, Hinata is attracted to someone else. Her love for cinnamon rolls is said to rival Uzumaki Naruto's love for ramen. As a result of being on Team Eight, Hinata has slowly but surely become more confident.
Status Window
Name: Yamanaka Ino
Job: Genin (15% EXP Gain and +15 IP per year)
Skill Rank: D+
Level: 25 Next Level: 11%/100%
HP: 1450
CP: 1575
STR: 36
VIT: 58
END: 63
DEX: 80 + 12 - 92
INT: 61
WIS: 60 + 4 - 64
CHA: 90 + 12 - 102
LUK: 25
Improvement Points: 11
Specialization
None
Fighting Styles
Rankyaku [Journeyman]: +2 Towards DEX per Level (active as of level 21)
Special Perk:
Gamer's Teammate: So long as you are on the same team as the Gamer, you gain the same benefits. (This perk can be taken away if the Gamer wills it!)
Yamanaka Lineage (Heiress): +2 CHA per Lv, +25% Effectiveness towards [Yamanaka Clan Skills], +25% Reputation gain with Konoha and Konoha Allies, +25% EXP and Effectiveness towards [Bartering] with Konoha and Allies, +15% EXP, Power, Speed and Effectiveness towards [Lightning-Based Skills and Items], +25% towards [Mental-Based Tolerance], +5% EXP increase from quests
Perks:
Natural Grace: Lv 2: +1 DEX per Lv, +30% Effectiveness towards [Movement Speed] and [Evasion], +30% Effectiveness towards [Speed-Based Skills], +30% Effectiveness towards [Acrobatic Fighting Styles]
Titles:
Journeyman Botanist: +1 WIS, 40% EXP & Effectiveness towards [Detection Skill: Locate Flora], +40% EXP & Effectiveness towards [Herbalism Skill], +20% Power and Effectiveness towards Skills when fighting [Flora-Based Monsters], +20% chance of [Double Loot Occurrence] when picking [Flora-Based] items
Future Femme Fatale: +1 CHA, +20% EXP and Effectiveness towards [Seduction Skills] and [Bartering Skills], +10% Power & Chance towards [Critical Hits]
Novice Zombie Slayer: +20% Power, EXP, Money against [Undead-Based Monster], +10% Increase towards Attributes against [Undead-Based Monster], +10% chance of [Double Loot Occurrence] against [Undead-Based Monster]
Description: Though not as intelligent as her rival, Sakura, Ino was still one of the top students at the academy. Ino is talented in her clan's teachings but due to her attitude and infatuation with Sasuke she isn't as far or as proficient as she should be. Ino is notorious for her gossip and fashion sense, very little happened in the academy that she doesn't know about. As a result of being on Team Eight, and Anko literally beating the fangirl out of her, Ino's priorities have improved, though several old habits remain.
Status Window
Name: Mitarashi Anko
Job: Jonin (30% EXP Gain and +30 IP per year)
Skill Rank: -A
Level: ? Next Level: 61%/100%
HP: ?
CP: ?
STR: ?
VIT: ?
END: ?
DEX: ?
INT: ?
WIS: ?
CHA: ?
LUK: ?
Improvement Points: ?
Specialization
Torture and Interrogation Ninja (increases associated titles and perks by an additional 25%) and increases associated attributes by 1
Special Perks:
Gamer's Mentor: So long as you are on the same team as the Gamer, you gain the same benefits. (This perk can be taken away if the Gamer wills it!)
Perks:
Gifted Ninja: +10% Effectiveness, Power and EXP towards all skills, +10% EXP earned on missions and defeated foes, +1 Additional Attribute Point per Lv
Serpentine Grace: +2 DEX per Lv, +25% Speed increase towards [Taijutsu Skill], [Evasion Skill], [Counter Skill], +25% Power towards [Critical Hits]
Heightened Tolerance [Poison] Lv 3: Immune to Novice, Journeyman and Expert Lv Poisons, Resistance towards Master Lv Poisons increased by 75%, Resistance towards Grand Master Lv Poisons increased by 50%, Resistance towards Legendary Grand Master Lv Poisons increased by 25%
Modified Cursed Seal of Heaven:
Titles:
T&I Expert [Enhanced]: +2 CHA per Lv,+85% Effectiveness and EXP towards [T&I Skill], +85% Effectiveness and EXP towards [Intimidation Skill]
Toxicology Expert: +60% Effectiveness, Power, and EXP towards [Poisons], +60% EXP towards [Toxicology Skill]
Snake Mistress of Konoha: -25% Reputation gain towards [Konoha Populace] below Neutral, -25% Effectiveness, Power, and EXP towards [Combination Techniques Skill] with [Konoha Populace] below Neutral
Journeyman Zombie Slayer: +40% Power, EXP, Money against [Undead-Based Monster], +20% Increase towards Attributes against [Undead-Based Monster], +20% chance of [Double Loot Occurrence] against [Undead-Based Monster]
Description: Not much is known about Mitarashi Anko's past, as she tends to keep to herself and only opens up to those she truly trusts. Hailed as a skilled ninja at a very young age, Anko later went on to become one of Konoha's top torture and interrogation specialists and an accomplished tracker, accomplishing tasks where others, other than the Inuzuka, failed. Due to her tutelage, Anko is one of Konoha's best toxicologists, having used and created many unique poisons both in the field and during interrogations. Her love of dango is quite well known and feared in certain circles, some say surpassing even Uzumaki Naruto's love for ramen. As a result of using the unknown concoction held my Mizuki, Anko had reawakened her Cursed Seal of Heaven, which has become modified as a side effect and has unlocked much of her former potential and skill.
Please be aware that I have created a Patron page which I am doing because unfortunately times are tough and I need to make ends meet and help a family member who recently lost their job and has not been able to find anything in the last four months. My original stories, former stories, one shots and story ideas are all there as well.
I will be posting on Ao3, too, same author's name, but it may be slow as their set up's a bit clunky.
Currently my Patron page has the following:
Stay of Execution has 10 chapters (with another coming up in a day or two this week).
Moon Knight has 3 chapters
Harry Potter and the Power of the Gamer has 13 chapters
Legacy of the Nidaime has 6 chapters
Naruto Gamer has 23 chapters
One original story with two chapter (which is a dark isekai)
One one shot of Vox Machina/Game of Thrones.
Also, I have art there for my stories to provide a better idea of gear, people, and places for greater visual.
I will be posting a minimum 3-5 chapters a month there (some story chapters may take longer due to their length). For some reason, since doing that, I've been able to dish out chapters more quickly and I'm more motivated then I've ever been in years. Don't know if it's because of payment or because Fanfiction has been disappointing me for a very long time now and Archive is a jumbled mess that doesn't really allow me to see my stats but things are flowing much better now.
Also, be aware, prices are only 2.5$ and 3$ but by end of this year they go up as it's only for 2026 (won't go up again till 2029 or 2030).
Have a gander and see which one you feel benefits you best as patrons get chapters 1-2 months in advance.
Chapter Twenty-Two: Homeward Bound
"… Uhhh, who invited the nut-job?" Naruto broke the silence.
"Gah!" Jiraiya faulted forward off his summon by the indignant response, "God damn it! Punks these days have no respect for their elders and the classics."
"We didn't have any respect for it back then either," Kakashi and Anko mentally deadpanned at the man's whining. All the while the ninja from Kiri couldn't wrap their minds around what was happening. One of the supposed legendary ninja and member of the Densetsu no Sannin (Legendary Three Ninja) was this eccentric whack job before them?
"Either the rumors were sugar coated or this guy's gone nuts," Kisame briefly thought before blurring through some seals and summoned a large missile of water in the form of shark's head. The technique was launched at the group, but Jiraiya calmly brought out and unfurled a scroll.
"Fūka Suiin (Water Sealing Method)!" the words escaped his lips with ease and to amazement of almost everyone, the technique was being effortlessly sealed inside the scroll. If there was any doubt about his partner's words on the man's strength, Kisame didn't doubt them now. Despite specializing in water ninjutsu and swordsmanship the Kiri shinobi was proficient in other elemental techniques as well. Nowhere as good, but enough to make lesser fighters scamper.
But Kisame had an inkling the white haired man could very well do the same with other elements, too. Despite wanting to go on fighting - much like his former crew the man was a fighter, not a quitter - Kisame begrudgingly knew when to cut his losses. Kisame was only ever afraid of two people despite having a great deal of respect for them, the first was his partner, Itachi, and the second was his group's leader, Pain. The man didn't even want to think of the hell those two would put him through if they found out he was captured. Escaping was the lesser of two evils at the moment. Though weakened from the fight, barely though it was, Kisame summoned forth a dense mist that briefly overpowered the sight of everyone nearby. But much like the water shark he had originally called forth the mist was absorbed into the scroll and their vision was restored in seconds.
But it mattered not as the Kiri ninja was nowhere to be seen. All the ninja had their guard up and Jiraiya knew that the man was no longer sticking around with the Toad Sage around. And with his expertise with water, Jiraiya would be at a disadvantage in tracking him down. The toads hated salt water so summoning them to hunt down the man wouldn't be an option. Still, despite wanting to question the man based on some rumours he heard, Jiraiya took this as a win nonetheless, "You're a hundred years too early if you think you can match me with that level of ninjutsu!"
The moment the words left Jiraiya's mouth, his expression sharpened. The goofy grin faded, replaced by a focused stare that reminded the Konoha Jonin why the man was counted among the Legendary Sannin.
"He's gone," Kakashi said after a moment, "At least for now."
"Feh," Anko rolled her shoulders, "Can't say I'm surprised. Fishface's tough, but not stupid."
"We're just letting him go?!" Naruto voiced in disbelief.
"Not exactly like we've got a choice, brat," Jiraiya replied. "A shinobi at that level doesn't leave tracks unless he wants you to find them. Chasing him blindly would just waste time. Sorry I'm late for the party, by the way."
Before Jiraiya could say anything more the group heard sobbing from behind them, "Hey, old man, you okay?" Naruto smiled, thinking Tazuna was shedding tears of joy.
"I'm - i- it's just- my bridge!" he openly wept as he saw the state of his beloved super bridge. While he was happy that Gato's thug was taken care of, the old man couldn't help become saddened at the sight of what he and many other poured their heart and soul into making.
"Oh! Uhhhh," Naruto, as well as the other ninja, was at a loss of words as he gazed upon the bridge, "It's not that bad. All it needs is a little makeover-"
"Gaki," Anko interrupted flatly, staring at the massive section of shattered bridge missing from the center span, "if someone ripped your arm off, would you call that a makeover too?"
Naruto opened his mouth then paused.
"Well?"
"...Maybe a major makeover? Maybe some duct tape, and it will be good as-"
CRASH!
"-new...Heh, heh, whoops?" an embarrassed Naruto chuckled nervously as a large section fell into the water below. The sight making Tazuna become wide-eyed before he began to bawl even louder in Kakashi's shoulder.
"That's the problem with you kids these days. No self-restraint, it's all about the collateral damage," Jiraiya shook his head, "But you got the job done so that's good."
"My super bridge!" the client of Team Seven continued to wail some more. An uncomfortable and tired Kakashi attempted to console the man while Anko and Gama kept a close eye on Haku and Zabuza. While the two had surrendered, begrudgingly, of course, there was not telling what they would pull and Anko wasn't going to take any chances.
"The bridge aside, what are you doing here, Pervert?" Anko asked the now groaning man. While she respected Jiraiya for his prowess a ninja, his personality and perverted nature had been another thing. It didn't bother her as much compared to other women as she enjoyed the books he made. They gave her good ideas. What she hadn't cared about was the way he portrayed someone Anko knew was based off of her.
Anko was not a size 32C and loved getting spanked with a paddle, "That's my job."
"First of all-"
"Yeah, yeah. You're not a Pervert; you're a Super Pervert. I know!" she cut him off.
"Damn straight," he spoke much to the Genin's confusing and slight disbelief, "But I was on my way to see Old Man Sarutobi and came across one of your snakes. Thought it belonged to my old teammate so I decided to investigate. When I got it to tell me everything, I rushed over here as fast as I could. And here we are."
"So, what now?" Kiba asked, "We did our job and got Zabuza and the masked dude, so all that's left is getting Gato."
"Already taken care of, Ino and Hinata are watching over him now. We got some stuff outta him and Ino said she'd try and get whatever else she could while I came here," Naruto shuddered lightly as he remembered the look she had as she said that. Both his teammates were being too influenced by the woman, "So, all in all, it's mission accomplished."
"Wait… are you saying we're free?" a voice from the growing crowd behind them called out hopefully.
"Uh… I guess?" Naruto's answer left the crowd tear-filled and joyful as it finally became evident that the tyrannical businessman no longer ruled them. The ninja cracked a small smile.
|Warning! Warning!|
|Yamanaka Ino has sent out an alert!|
|Teammates Hyuga Hinata, and Yamanaka Ino have just entered into a state of unconsciousness!|
Until the warning flash alerted him that something was wrong.
"Fuck! Ino and Hinata are trouble!" was all Naruto declared before he rushed off towards Gato's hideout with Hayagake. Anko was worried and wanted to follow her student regardless of her current condition. However, her body's exhaustion from her previous stunt caught up with her and the woman nearly fell face first but managed to right herself just enough to land on a knee.
"Brat, wait! Shit! Gama, look after em!" Jiraiya ordered the toad before chasing after his godson. It was evident that despite his looks he took after his mother if his act first and think later attitude was anything to go by.
To civilians and animals alike, Naruto was nothing more than a barely visible blur as he passed by them. All that mattered at the moment was getting to his teammates before anything else happened to them. Luckily the hideout wasn't that far from the bridge and Naruto would arrive there under five minutes. But as fast as he was, the blond's speed was no match for that of an experienced and powerful ninja like Jiraiya. The man appeared by Naruto's side just as the hideout came into view, and before he had time to react, Jiraiya grabbed a hold of him.
Even then though the man would admit the boy's speed was impressive for someone his age. Not as good as himself and his former teammates own when they were younger, or close to Minato's, but impressive still, "The kid may act like Kushina but he certainly inherited Minato's talent."
The fact that he sensed his teammates were in trouble was a testament of such talent. The Toad Sage didn't know if it was a good thing or a bad thing. Or even both, actually.
"Let me go!" Naruto all but ordered the man as he tried and failed to wiggle out of Jiraiya's hold. His teammates were in trouble and Naruto needed to help them.
"Brat, calm down already! Going in there without a plan's only gonna end up with you dead and that ain't gonna help your team. Now shut up and follow my lead!" Jiraiya spoke lowly but with authority, releasing him and then made his way up the side of the building. Unlike his traitorous teammate Orochimaru, or his late student Minato, Jiraiya was no sensor. The man knew the basics of it, but no more than that. Even then it allowed him to sense the presence of two shinobi up above, faint but still there.
Both Naruto and Jiraiya made their way up the wall of the building as quickly and quietly as they could. Upon arriving they noticed a broken window and spotted two downed and bound kunoichi. Jiraiya had to hold Naruto back from rushing in and giving away the element of surprise. Using hands signs that told the boy they were okay, Naruto glanced at them both and Jiraiya saw him become visibly calmer. Both were still breathing and the fact that he still sensed them meant they were alive, merely unconscious.
Sensing no one, though he wasn't the greatest at it, both of them entered the room and heard shuffling coming from behind a very large bookcase. Evidently the corrupt tyrant of Nami had a safe made.
"I wouldn't bother you two. I knew you were coming from a mile away," a familiar voice called out before Asagao came out of the safe.
"You?"
"Hey, Handsome," she chirped upon seeing Naruto and casually went about her business as though nothing was wrong.
"You know her, kid?" Jiraiya asked. Whoever this woman was, a real beauty in his mind, she was more than she appeared to be.
"She helped us out. Gato would still be in control of Nami if she hadn't helped," Naruto summarized it. "What are you doing here?"
"What's it look like, I'm taking my cut," here she waved a large wad of ryo before it vanished with a puff from her hand, "Gotta thank you for your help, Handsome. You made all this much easier for me. Sorry about your teammates, though they didn't give me much choice. Don't worry, they'll be fine in the next little while. Besides, by the time they come to, I'll be long gone," she assured him when he looked ready to go on the offensive.
"Sorry to disappoint you, but that's not going to happen," Jiraiya didn't know who she was but despite her assistance in the mission the man wasn't about to let her go off scot-free.
"Ah, yes, Jiraiya of the Sannin. Shouldn't you be looking for research material in a hot spring somewhere," Jiraiya didn't bite into the bait and the woman looked oddly calm as she stared down at the legendary ninja. It was as though she wasn't taking the matter seriously. Something that few could actually do before breaking down into a nervous sweat based on the man's past experience.
"Either she's cocky or she's confident she can actually escape from here," Kisame had hightailed it out and that man was an S-Rank nukenin. So the woman not surrendering or showing any form of nervousness made the Sannin immediately suspicious.
"You knocked out two Konoha shinobi and robbed a dead man's vault," Jiraiya stated casually, "That doesn't exactly scream innocent."
Asagao shrugged, "And?"
"And?" Naruto echoed incredulously.
"Oh, come on, Handsome. Don't look at me like that. I could've killed them if I'd wanted to," she pointed a thumb toward Hinata and Ino, "All I did was give them a well deserved nap."
"That's supposed to make me feel better?"
"A little."
Feeling confident and that she was distracted enough by the conversation, Jiraiya moved in quickly to intercept her. Just when he was within less than an arm's length of her did the man suddenly buckle under his own weight. Jiraiya was forced to a knee as his world felt as though the gravity had suddenly been increased to incredulous levels. Being an expert on seals, Jiraiya had been taught how to detect seals and knew various ways to neutralize them. The amount of people in the world who could catch him off guard with them was few in number and could easily be counted on one hand.
"Impressive," Asagao commented as she easily moved passed him, "Normally an ordinary man would have been sprawled and left immobile. Looks like there's credit to your reputation after all."
"Shuriken Kage Bunshin no Jutsu (Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique)!"
Asagao looked at the large volley of metal stars flying towards her with utter boredom. The woman countered the move by unleashing a gale of wind. The woman, however, was mildly surprised when five doppelgangers of Naruto suddenly appeared with their weapons held high. The woman's smirk never left her features.
Just as Jiraiya was about to break free from the gravitational hold that pinned him down did the man hear two words he'd never thought he'd hear again, "Kongō Fūsa (Adamantine Sealing Chains)!" Chains made of dark red metal suddenly sprang forth from the woman's body.
Each found their mark and wrapped themselves tightly around a clone and the original like a constrictor. Naruto suddenly felt weakened as such as the chain touched him. The sensation he felt wasn't like when he was having his chakra drained, rather it felt like his chakra was being cut off from him.
"Well, boys it's been fun but I have places to go and people to see," the woman announced before she made her way to the window, "Hey, Handsome, it's nice to see that other members of the Uzumaki Clan are alive and well."
Naruto had no idea what the woman was talking about as she said those words. But as he gazed on the woman's form did he see it ripple lightly. Gone was the dark brown hair fashioned into a ponytail, it was now replaced by shorts locks of dark crimson. Her skin remained fair, unblemished, but became paler, which only enhanced the look of the deep red lipstick she wore. She wore a unique kimono with one side not covering up her chest. But even then a fishnet shirt underneath covered up her modesty. Had it not been in the midst of battle Jiraiya would have taken notes for future material.
"See ya," she winked before her body flickered out of existence just as Jiraiya finally broke free of the seal. No dust, clouds or leaves were visible as she disappeared. The woman was simply gone.
"If I hadn't known any better I'd swear she used the Hiraishin no Jutsu (Flying Thunder God Technique)," the thought wasn't that comforting.
The man was one of the few alive who knew Minato wasn't the creator of the technique like rumors made it out to be. While Minato had made the technique famou thanks to his custom kunai during the Third Shinobi World War, Senju Tobirama on the other hand had rarely left others alive compared to Jiraiya's student. If knowledge got out that an Uzumaki of all people, and a woman at that, knew such a skill it would not end well. The man recalled Hiruzen saying that it had been rumored that the Uzumaki Clan had assisted the man in the technique's development. There had never been any proof to back such claims, and with the clan's demise and Uzu in ruins, there was no way to know if such claims had truth to them.
Jiraiya didn't doubt she wasn't an Uzumaki like she claimed to be, her use of fuinjutsu and the chakra chains were enough to confirm otherwise. They were similar to Kushina's own, albeit in a different color compared to the gold ones the late kunoichi had. But that didn't mean a thing. The old saying blood was thicker than water didn't mean the woman was on their side. Jiraiya had seen family members kill one another for the most trivial of reasons. But the man had bigger problems to deal with now.
"Hey, what did she mean by Uzumaki Clan?" Jiraiya cursed as one of the problems just presented itself. "I saw how you reacted. You know what she meant, didn't you."
"As much as I'd like to explain kid-"
"No, you're not gonna fucking weasel your way outta this like he does," Naruto heatedly interrupted.
"Kid-"
"You know something and I know Sarutobi-jiji knows something, too. You know who my family was so you might as well come clean and stop making bullshit excuses!" the boy scowled. Despite ninja being meant to keep secrets, this was one secret Naruto had always wanted to know the truth about. There was no way in hell he was going to be denied knowing the truth.
"I wasn't gonna, kid," Jiraiya began, knowing lying wasn't going to help him and would only alienate his godson from him. The man could only imagine how he'd react to that tidbit of information, "All I was gonna say is now's not the time nor the place. When we get back to Konoha we'll speak with the old man. Some skeletons are kept locked away for a reason, even if only temporarily. Sound good?"
Naruto's scowl lessened but it never left his face as he gave a curt nod. The Genin got to work and began unbinding his teammates while Jiraiya took a look inside the safe. Using his superior strength, Naruto propped them up against the wall and took out some smelling salts; the same ones that were once normally used whenever Hinata had one of her fainting spells.
"Ughh, what the hell?" Ino's groaning was followed up by a wince when the headache finally kicked in, "Naruto? Where's-"
"Asageo, or whoever she claimed to be?" the woman hadn't been all that forthcoming with her name but they'd have to use it for now, "She took off when we confronted her. She used us."
"There's a shocker," Ino wasn't all that surprised really. But she was surprised she was still alive. The woman had taken them out with no problems and Ino had barely enough time to send the warning. She could have easily killed them. Which begged the question.
"Why didn't she off us?" Ino wasn't complaining, she loved living. But the Yamanaka was curious by the event.
"My guess is because she didn't see you two as a threat and because she wasn't looking to kill either," Jiraiya said as he entered the scene.
"Who's that, Naruto-kun?" Hinata asked as her surroundings became clearer to her.
"Believe it or not, that guy's Jiraiya of the Sannin," if both weren't cognizant of what was currently happening they were now. Both kunoichi looked at the man in disbelief, and Ino with slight disappointment, it wasn't every day one could claim they met a famous ninja.
"I thought he'd be better looking," Ino's comment elicited a whine from the man, "And younger."
The last comment caused storm clouds to form above the kneeling man, "I may not have the goods like I used to but I'm still better looking than most my age damn it! You don't see me using jutsu to look younger!" the man felt a tingle up his spine the moment he said that and made a note to avoid Tsunade for the next little bit.
"Ino-chan, that's not nice to say," Hinata's comment perked the man right up.
"At least one of you greenhorns knows a little about respect," neither Ino nor her fellow blond cared for the comment, "So, a Yamanaka and a Hyuga are your teammates, huh? That's a different than the usually set up. Next you'll tell me Anko's your teacher."
"…" All three Genin stayed silent and looked away.
"ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! YOU LUCKY LITTLE BASTARD! YOU'RE THE ONLY GUY IN YOUR TEAM?" the man couldn't believe what he was hearing. Even Minato didn't have this much luck. Were these kids older he'd be using this sorta thing as future book material. Then again they were teenagers and ninja, but even then Jiraiya had his morals and knew when to draw the line. That said, it also made him realize something, "...Oh, Kami. YOU'RE THE ONLY ONLY GUY ON YOUR TEAM?"
"No… Hotto's part of the team, too," Naruto rebutted uncomfortably while Hinata giggled lightly and Ino chuckled.
"Who?"
"His ninken."
"You have a ninken?" Jiraiya blinked. "Huh. That's different. But ninken having balls or not, you're still one lucky bastard."
"You just called him lucky and unlucky in the same sentence," Ino pointed out.
"Because he is!" Jiraiya exclaimed, "Do you have any idea how ridiculous your team sounds?"
"What's so ridiculous about it?" Naruto couldn't help but ask.
Jiraiya pointed a finger at him.
"You're a genin."
"Yeah?"
"A male genin who somehow ended up on a team with three women. Do you know how many shinobi would kill for those odds?" Jiraiya demanded.
"Knowing some ninja, probably quite a few," Ino admitted.
"Exactly! A beautiful teacher, a pretty Hyuga, and a pretty Yamanaka."
Hinata immediately turned scarlet while Ino looked smug.
Naruto looked confused, "Why does everyone keep acting like that's some big thing? You know I'm outnumbered, right?"
"EXACTLY! And you're being trained by Anko. Do you understand what that means?"
Oh, Naruto indeed knew the implications. But while he wasn't the smartest person in the room, he wasn't that stupid. He knew better than to open that particular can of worms, especially if Ino decided to repeat any of it to Anko later. Deciding self-preservation was the better part of valor, he quickly changed the subject.
"What did you find?" Naruto asked, motioning to the vault.
"Okay, so, you've got a brain between that head of yours. Good to know," the statement made Naruto realize that Jiraiya had been testing him. Or, at least, he hoped that was the case, "But in a nutshell, a lot actually. Check it yourself, I made sure it was free of traps."
Even though the man reassured him, Naruto shot Jiraiya a questionable look; the man did fall for a trap not that long ago that had him at the woman's mercy. Naruto didn't know what it was but damn if it didn't look useful. Entering the vault, Naruto's eyes nearly popped out of his head as he saw the contents. The boy spotted safe deposit boxes, jewelry, and a ton of cash. There was even some miscellaneous items lying around such as weapons, armor and scrolls as well to name a few.
"Impressive, huh?" Jiraiya spoke behind him.
"Hell yes!" to Ino it was get everything for free shopping spree.
"But also sad. If my hunch is right and as much I wanna be wrong, this stuff here is a result of bloodshed. Everything you see here was most likely taken by force or earned illegally. And the worse part of it is that most of it can't be traced back to where it came from. No ledgers, no papers, nothing. The man knew what he was doing, which doesn't help us all that much really," Jiraiya informed them.
Okay, now Ino felt like crap.
What Jiriaya said wasn't impossible but even for a man of his capabilities it would be too time consuming and too difficult to look into it when he had other priorities to deal with.
"Ano, is it me or does it look like some of it's been taken recently?" Hinata asked.
"Sharp eye and the girl's right. That Asageo character took a large amount of stuff from here before she flew the coop," the man proved his point by showing the scattered ryo bills and open safe boxes. Jiraiya had dealt with enough man of Gato's type to know he'd keep all these things neat and organized. It also made him wonder if there had been papers in the safe but Asageo made off with them. "I'm surprised she didn't take all of it, though. Would have been really simple to do from what I saw."
"Well, she did say she wanted to help rid Nami of Gato. Even if she ended up using us this is proof she wasn't completely lying to us," Naruto put in his two-piece but Jiraiya wasn't completely sold despite how it turned out. "I mean she could have just killed you two otherwise and not leave anything for Nami."
Though Hinata paled lightly at the prospect, while Jiraiya and Ino wanted to smack the tactless jinchuriki, the boy did have point. The woman could have easily run off with everything but she didn't. There was more to Asageo's character than she appeared to be.
"So wait, as far as everyone knows this money doesn't exist, right?" Ino began and Naruto immediately saw where this was going.
"Ino," he began.
"The girl's got a point, kid. Hey, this here is a result of bloodshed and lost lives, but then again you could say the same thing about the missions we take already. But seeing as how this will be used to help Nami, here," Naruto was shocked that it came from Jiraiya of all people, and watched as the man took three large stacks of money and gave one each to the Genin, much to the surprise of two, and Ino's glee. "That's three hundred thousand ryo, each, and it barely puts in a dent to what's here."
"But, isn't this wrong, Jiraiya-sama?" Hinata felt off from taking the money, knowing where it came from felt wrong to the heiress of the Hyuga Clan.
"It's only wrong if you take it all, kid. Look, here's a lesson I learned long ago; ninja are supposed to steal and cheat others all the time. When it comes to stuff like this you gotta learn to take advantage of the opportunities that present themselves but at the same time make sure you put it to good use and don't get greedy," here all three gave Ino a look.
"Hey!" was Ino's indignant response when the Yamanaka realized she was being starred at.
"Anyway, look around and see if there's anything worthwhile but the money and jewels are off limits. Nami will need all the help it can get before it gets back on its feet. Chop, chop!" Jiraiya ordered the group.
"Umm, guys," Ino stopped them as something dawned on her, "Where's Gato?"
Sure enough the room behind them was empty and Gato was not visible in sight, "Shit, you think he came to?"
"No way," Ino shook her head and elaborated, "After you left I got him to talk some more and knocked him out with a poison Anko-sensei taught. Gato was out like a light and wouldn't be up for a good two hours unless given the antidote or a shot of adrenaline."
Ino didn't bother stating the obvious fact that Gato was also bound and injured enough that he wouldn't be walking properly for the next little while. Hinata stopped the bleeding but that was the extent of it.
"You'd also be dead, too. It couldn't have happened while you were unconscious, we would have sensed him and I doubt Asageo wouldn't have wanted him to scamper off. And if my hunch is right," Jiraiya eyed the room with a critical eye, knocking his hand on the wall a few times before he found what he was looking for, "Bingo, a hand print device. This thing scans your DNA and the pattern in your hands and despite a Henge fooling others it won't fool this thing. The chakra shell interferes with the read. This mean's our mystery woman made off with him."
"But why would she do that, Jiraiya-sama?" Hinata asked more out of curiosity than concern for the man. Retrieving him for Konoha had been part of the mission, but it hadn't been all that vital.
"That, my dear, is a good question. I can think of a few good reasons but without Gato here or any information we're not gonna be able to solve the matter any time soon," Jiraiya frowned before ordering while he pondered the new series of events.
The Genin meanwhile rummaged through the horde that was Gato's secret stash. Some of the safe boxes had lovely pieces of jewelry that Ino was fighting the impulse to take for herself. Others had other things in them such as alcoholic bottles, most likely expensive ones. Others had scrolls on techniques that while interesting at first were only common based ones. Most likely they were kept as trophy's or for whatever reason. Rummaging through some more, Naruto finally hit pay dirt as he came across a useful scroll.
Tengu no Oroshi-Ryu (Heavenly Dog's Katabatic Wind Style). A ancient and forgotten fighting style that was among those dubbed the Blackships of the Land. The fighting centered around the application of Wind Release chakra through bladed weapons whereby coating their weapons in tightly controlled currents of Fūton chakra, practitioners dramatically enhance cutting power while reducing resistance during movement and attack. The result is a fighting style characterized by swift, flowing strikes that seem to ride the wind itself. The beginner forms teach chakra flow, edge enhancement, and the fundamentals of synchronizing physical strikes with Wind Release, forming the basis for the devastating aerial slashes and vacuum-blade techniques found in the style's advanced teachings.
- Benefits: Passively increases the power, speed and effectiveness of Wind Release techniques used via Kenjutsu by 20%
- Conditional Benefit: 20% benefit is increased to 35% if the user has the Taiton (Typhon Release) kekkei genkai.
"HOT DAMN!" though his face was hidden behind his mask, Naruto was very pleased with the find. The swords and weapons he found, though somewhat decent, weren't quite as good as his own weapon. Most likely they were merely trophies taken from those who pissed Gato off. Naruto had half expected to fine a decent weapon within them but it wasn't to be apparently. Silently, Naruto put away the scroll in his [Inventory] and kept on looking for any other potential goods.
Rummaging through some more, Naruto believed he hit pay dirt once more as he came across a scroll that was unlike the others. Most of the what they found was cash and jewelry or other collectibles valuable enough for Gato to lock away. The scroll in Naruto's hand looked old. Old enough that he was certain it would grumble into dust if he didn't handle it right. Yet unlike scrolls made of parchment, this one was made from a pale wood that had somehow resisted age. Strange symbols had been carved into its surface, symbols he didn't recognize and the ink was very faded.
"Hey, I found something weird."
Ino snorted, "That narrows it down to half the room."
"No, like, really weird."
That got the attention of everyone. Jiraiya walked over first and accepted the scroll Naruto offered.
"Huh," was all Jiraiya could say.
"What is it?"
Jiraiya could have made a funny remark under different circumstances, but he turned it over a few times before answering, "Honestly, I've never seen markings like these before."
Jiraiya was many things, experienced and perverted were two of the most prominent. But then, Jiraiya wasn't a scholar so even he had gaps in knowledge so not recognizing something wasn't too big a stretch. But when legends and tales are taken out of proportions, many tended to view them as highly knowledgeable or all knowing individuals. Even the Sannin weren't immune to that effect. Jiraiya had seen some unique written characters when studying seals over the years, some of which had been hidden away, but for the life of him he could not recall any of these.
The seal from what he saw securing the scroll appeared partially worn away by time. Curiously enough, beneath the dust was a familiar symbol. One Hinata recognized, "Ano...I think... I think it resembles an older version of the Hyūga crest."
Everyone looked toward the Hyūga heiress as slowly stepped forward to inspect the item.
"You're sure?"
Hinata's eyes continued to look over the scroll before she nodded, "It isn't identical but there are similarities."
"What would something from the Hyūga Clan be doing in Gato's vault?" Naruto inquired.
Of all the things they'd expected to find, ancient Hyūga records had not been among them.
"It's not as strange as it sounds," Jiraiya explained, "The Hyūga are one of the oldest clans in existence. Depending on which records you believe, parts of their history stretch back nearly two thousand years."
That surprised all one of the genin, "That old?" Naruto asked.
"Older than Konoha by a ridiculous margin. Don't forget, none of the hidden villages are even a century old yet."
"True. But, I mean, I know the Hyūga were much older than most clans, but I didn't think they were that ancient. Hinata?" Ino inquired and the Hyūga heiress blinked at being put on the spot.
"I... don't know that much," she admitted. "Most clan members don't study history beyond the basics. The clan records say the Hyūga since the early years of the Era of Warrings States and there are references to different settlements and compounds throughout the Land of Fire, and other countries at one point but many records become incomplete the further back you go."
"Incomplete?
"Missing," Jiraiya answered simply, "Destroyed or lost. Some only survive as copies of copies and even then they aren't perfect as translations and meanings change and some times you have someone who doesn't bother putting everything in. Hardly are there any of the originals around from that long ago. Don't forget, the Era of Warring States lasted almost 2000 years and clans fought each other constantly and during that time clan compounds were burned, archives destroyed, and heirlooms stolen. Even Entire families disappeared. Sarutobi-sensei once said that most clan histories aren't one continuous record. It's more like surviving fragments pieced together over generations. The Hyuga, the Senju and Uchiha were one of of the luckier clans to have lasted that long. Plenty of others lost everything or became forgotten."
The Sannin lightly tapped the ancient scroll, a somber look on his face, "People hear 'clan heirloom' and imagine something safely stored in a vault for centuries. Reality's usually messier. One compound gets overrun. Someone loots the place. Their descendants sell it. It changes hands a dozen times over a thousand years. And, in some cases, such as this, it eventually ends up in the hands of some greedy merchant, collector, noble, or criminal who buys it because it looks expensive."
"So Gato could've gotten it without even knowing what it was?"
"Exactly."
"Or he knew exactly what it was and couldn't figure out how to use it," Ino suggested.
"That too. Honestly, if this thing really is close to two thousand years old, I'd be more surprised if the Hyūga still knew it existed than if they didn't." Jiraiya held the scroll out to her. "Well, it's yours. Think your clan will enjoy having a piece of their history back."
Hinata carefully accepted the scroll, the aged parchment felt strangely warm beneath her fingers and she was cut off guard by what appeared before her.
|Authorized Bearer Confirmed!|
|Byakugan and Hyuga Lineage Detected|
|Necessary requirements unfulfilled|
|Byakugan must have Mastered state|
|Minimum CP requirement: 12,500|
|Minimum HP requirement: 11,500|
|Minimum END and VIT requirement total: 450|
|Unique special perk must be unlocked|
|Dormant special perk available upon qualification|
Hinata nearly dropped the scroll at the absurd numbers she saw. The Hyuga heiress knew she wasn't even remotely close to meeting the requirements. Her eyes darted over the lines again, silently hoping she had misread something. She had not. A faint feeling of embarrassment washed over her as she realized just how far away she was from whatever this ancient inheritance was.
The scroll was essentially telling her she wasn't qualified. Not yet, at least.
"Hey, Hinata, you alright?" Naruto's voice nearly made her jump.
"W-What?"
Naruto tilted his head, "You kind of froze there."
"Did I?" Hinata laughed nervously.
"Yeah," Ino agreed. "You looked like someone just told your favorite cinnamon roll shop just burned down."
"Don't ever joke about that!" Hinata couldn't help herself, the words left her mouth before she realized what she'd said. The room went dead silent and Hinata's face immediately turned bright red and she wished the ground would open up and swallow her.
"I think that's the loudest I've ever heard you speak," Naruto admitted.
Ino, meanwhile, looked absolutely delighted, "You have a favorite cinnamon roll shop?"
"T-That's not important!" Hinata squeaked.
"Sounds important," Ino teased.
"I-It isn't!"
"Now I kinda want to know where this place is."
"Naruto-kun!"
"What? If they're good enough to make you yell, they must be amazing."
Jiraiya barked out a laugh, "Well, that's a first."
"What is?" Naruto asked.
"Never thought I'd ever see a Hyuga react like that over cinnamon buns," Hinata whined softly as Ino and Naruto began laughing alongside the Sannin. Fortunately, everyone's attention had shifted away from the scroll.
(Sometime Later)
"Oh, thank Kami you brats are alright," Anko pulled her female students into a tight embrace. The act scaring her Genin for one simple reason: Anko never hugged, ever.
"Is she on heavy pain killers?" Naruto asked what they were all thinking, unable to believe his eyes.
"Would make more sense than this," was Ino's opinion before she yelped out, "Ow!"
"That's for scaring the hell out of me, Blondie!" Anko frowned before doing the same to Hinata and making her yelp as well, "You too, Pale Eyes!"
"And she's back," the Genin thought as the woman they knew, loved and feared returned to them.
"What are they doing here?" Naruto nudged his head in the direction of the two surviving Kiri ninja. Both were bound with ninja wire and Zabuza was missing his sword. The man looked pissed too and Naruto didn't doubt his missing weapon was the reason why. That and he was being held prisoner.
"These two have some explaining to do. But first," Anko marched over and took off the dragon mask from the fake hunter ninja. The face of a young and beautiful girl wasn't what Anko had expected to see. "Better than a heavily scarred face or one that only a mother could love."
"Hey, I know you! You're Haku from the other day!" Sakura recalled the girl.
"You know her, Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked and blushed lightly as Haku smiled at him. He had to admit Haku was very pretty. Unbeknownst to him his teammate gained an impassive look and Naruto's Detect Killing Intent Skill flared up.
"Oh-ho, the Hyuga's got a crush on him, and a jealous streak, too," the Toad Sage couldn't help the smirk silently appear on his face. The boy really did take after his father.
"Yeah, I know her," the Sakura explained how she came across the pink kimono wearing individual, "She was collecting herbs and I thought I'd help. I didn't think much about helping her at the time."
"I'm a boy," Haku corrected the pink haired kunoichi, much to everyone's surprise, with Zabuza being excluded of course.
"WHAT!? But you're prettier than Sakura and Ino?" Naruto's proclamation got him looks of pity from Kakashi and Jiraiya. There was a sentence that was guaranteed to earn you an ass whopping.
"HEY!" both kunoichi looked murderous at the moment and Naruto felt like he was staring at two predators that were ready to rip him apart piece by piece. The blond was saved by the Inuzuka heir's laugh.
Kiba's smirk gained looks from the other ninja, "No, you're not. You can fool those guys but you can't fool my nose. Right, partner?" Kiba earned a bark of agreement from the white ninken.
"Soooo, she is a girl?" Tsunami slowly asked.
"No, I'm boy," Haku rebuked calmly.
"Nooooo, you're a chick. You can't lie to an Inuzuka's nose, babe," Kiba confirmed.
"I'm a boy," Haku countered back strongly.
"Girl."
"Boy."
"Girl."
"Boy!"
"Girl!"
"BOY!"
"GIRL!"
"Alright, enough of this shit!" Anko decided there was only one way to settle all this. Which in typical Anko fashion meant invasion of privacy and personal space. Anko appeared next to the ninja and to the astonishment of everyone present, proceeded to grope the ninja on the chest and nether regions.
Zabuza was left stunned by the act, along with Sakura and the civilians of the house. Kiba as well as Sasuke were wide-eyed, and to a lesser extent Hinata. Ino and Naruto however, were not all that affected by the act due to them being used to Anko's odd tendencies.
"Okay, analysis complete; two boobs and no measuring stick. You're a girl, case solved," Anko announced and removed her hands from the now identified female.
"… Is she always like this?" the missing ninja had heard rumors about the woman's reputation but seeing it was completely different.
"You don't want to know," Kakashi, Jiraiya, and Anko's Genin informed the man.
"Alright, so spill. What's with the whole denying you're a chick crap?" Anko asked red-faced kunoichi.
"Be-ccause I'm not?" a still blushing and highly embarrassed Haku informed her. Never before had someone ever touched the ninja in such a way.
Anko blinked once and twice before she looked at Zabuza, "What the hell do you do to her?"
"Me? I did fuck all!" the man ignored the look Tsunami gave him as she covered her son's ears. "I raised Haku to be who he was."
"She," Anko corrected the man before a thought suddenly crossed her mind, "Wait? Have you been calling her a 'he' the whole time you raised her?"
"Yeah, so?" the man received incredulous looks from everyone, "Hey, ask me to raise a boy, no problem. I don't know how the hell to raise girls. Don't bother asking what I did when puberty came along."
The women in the house could only imagine and sent the man dirty looks, especially at the nonchalance of his response
"So rather than learning how to deal with it you pussied out and thought it would be ok to raise your gender confused tool as a boy. Well, good going, dumbass. Your excellent parenting skills have made Haku into a involuntary transgender."
"A trans-what?" the man had no idea what the woman was talking about.
"Transgender. Someone who's born genetically as a male or female but identifies themselves as the opposite gender. Basically, while she lacks the tool downstairs she doesn't see herself as a girl but a boy," the woman stopped as she gave Haku a look over, "a very feminine and attractive bishounen type boy you'd love to have your way with day and night, but a boy nonetheless."
The last comment earned the woman a variety of looks ranging from shock to slightly perversion. Jiraiya was taking notes and was pretty damn happy he had come across Anko's summon.
"Anyway, difference here is the coward raised her as a boy so who knows if it's how she actually identifies herself or it's because of her upbringing and mental conditioning," Anko added.
Zabuza merely looked annoyed, and slightly befuddled, "And this is bad why?" the man didn't really see a problem with all this really. If Haku was okay with acting and identifying himself as a boy it was no skin off his nose. Plus it allowed him to dodge the whole feminine crap despite the monthly visitor. No way was Haku going to see any boys soon. Not on his watch.
"Wait, I'm confused, so if Haku's a girl, but sees himself as a dude, what does that mean if he's attracted to guys? Does that mean she's, he, gay or straight? Or-" Naruto stopped when Jiraiya decided to cut in.
"Kid, take it from me, the more you think about it the more it hurts the head. You're better off not thinking too deeply into it," the man advised and many in the room decided to agree with the man. It was too damn confusing.
"Speaking from experience, Pervert?" Anko smirked as she saw the man stiffen briefly.
"Let's change the subject and talk about the elephant in the room," the man gave the haughty looking woman the stink eye before he looked at the group once more, "As it stands, Nami is free from Gato's clutches. What happens now determines whether you two stay alive or not," Jiraiya looked at the two Kiri ninja.
"What?"
"No offense but you two did try and kill Tazuna here and only switched sides when Gato and Kisame backstabbed you. What's stopping you from killing him when someone else sets their eye on this place?"
Tazuna and his family paled at the notion. None of them had actually thought of that scenario. Gato and his thugs were taken care of but what was stopping another tyrant from doing the exact same thing as he did?
Zabuza merely scoffed, "This may shock you, old man, but unlike the walking fishstick I don't do betrayal," Jiraiya's eyes twitched at the age jab.
"Tell that to your Bingo Book profile," Anko shot back.
Zabuza didn't say anything but knew the woman had a point. The man wasn't about to say anything but knew that the Konoha ninja had all the cards at the moment, "Look, I'll admit I betrayed my Kage but that's only because that son of a bitch betrayed us first!"
The younger ninja were confused by the declaration, but the seasoned ninja were intrigued and allowed the man to explain, "I don't know all the details and reasons but ever since the first Shinobi World War a lot of people in Kiri developed a fear of ninja with bloodline limits. Somehow some morons started believing that those with bloodline limits were the ones causing the wars-"
"Yeah, yeah, we all know this story. It's not uncommon knowledge despite Mizu's state of lockdown," Anko interjected and prevented everyone from hearing the boring history lesson.
"Yeah, well did you also know the Fourth Mizukage only made it worse? At first, it wasn't that big a deal and nothing more than distrust. There were more people who didn't believe in that crap than those that did. Then that little shit Yagura was put into office and sometime later he went on to say that those with bloodline limits were the cause of the wars and when Kaguya Clan decided to attack Kiri and take down nearly a third of our ninja population before we stopped them, it only made it worse," the man himself had been a newly initiated member of the swordsmen during the twilight years of the Third Great War when the battle took place.
It had been a bloodbath that only served to break the camel's back. The Kaguya had not been an easy clan to deal with despite their savagery and lust of slaughter in battle. When it came to fighting they were also effective tacticians and strategists rather than the stereotypical dumb and battle prone bandits. This was a clan that had survived the Era of Warring States, a nearly millennia old bloody period in history that had seen the end of countless clans and bloodlines. And while the Kaguya didn't have the same number of members back when they first joined Kiri, or the same number with awakened bloodline limits, their fearsome battle prowess hadn't waned in the least. The fighting had lasted three days before the last of the Kaguya were brought down but by then the damage had been done and many in Kiri started to believe in Yagura's words.
"After all that everything went to hell," Zabuza growled, making the ninja except Jiraiya and Kakashi to tighten their stance. The chakra suppression seals and reinforced chakra wire the Sannin had placed on him assured that he was not going to go anywhere or do anything. But it was better to be safe than sorry, "People started fighting one another, clans with bloodlines were being persecuted and slaughtered into extinction or forced into hiding. Even those who helped them were cut down!"
Zabuza recalled how the the Yuki Clan, much like the Hozuki Clan and Kaguya Clan, had been a powerful clan of Kiri before the Bloodline Purge took place. The Hozuki and Yuki being two of the founding clan's of Kiri. The Purge had done a terrific job, in a horrible way, at reducing their numbers. Haku's mother had been one of the smart ones and went into hiding before it all happened. Even then it ended up for nothing. Sad as it was, Haku was most likely one of the few remaining members of the Yuki Clan, if not the very last.
"I'm all for a fight but when I fight I do it for a reason and for a cause. I'll fucking kill out of duty and personal vengeance but I will never kill if there's no grounds for it!" the man shouted, his breathing becoming rough and heavy as he looked at the group. Due to past exploits the Seven Swordsmen had that reputation, and members both old and new were labeled as merciless butchers the moment they became one.
"That's what the Bloodline Purge was all about. Nothing more than killing for the sake of killing, and the only purpose it had was to make us weak! Kiri was being destroyed, I had to do something!" Zabuza said.
"And you had the brilliant idea of thinking if you cut down the head honcho it would end it all?" Jiraiya thought the man a complete idiot if he thought he could go against a Kage and win. He could respect his dedication to his village, but stupid was still stupid. Especially if said Kage had been a jinchuriki with complete control over his Biju if the info he found was was accurate. Judging by the man's look Jiraiya surmised Zabuza knew it had been a stupid idea in the end, too. "Well, can't say I blame you for trying, even if you did fail spectacularly at your job."
Zabuza scowled at the man but otherwise he remained silent.
"But I believe you," the man added.
"Come again?" Ino didn't believe him to be serious, her teacher being just as skeptical as her student.
"When you've been around for as long as I have you pick up a few things and your judge of character becomes sharper than most," the man explained.
"Yeah, and the fact that I subtlety injected my own cocktail of truth serum swimming through his veins had nothing to do with it either," Anko shook her head. Such concoctions weren't all that effective on shinobi compared to torture and a Yamanaka's mind walk, especially healthy and strong ones such as Zabuza. But if weakened it worked well and they were more open to talk than they normally would be.
"But I've got my eye on you two, and the sword stays with me and the seals stay on until I say so. Unless you'd rather be left hogtied in the basement and until the hunter ninja arrive?" the man hit the nail on the head as the Kiri ninja let out a frustrated growl.
"We don't have a basement," Tazuna's comment caused the ninja face fault at his stupidity.
"Remind me to never take you gambling, old man. What I just did was called a bluff; it's what we ninja do. Secondly, making you a basement wouldn't be that hard to do really with a simple Doton technique," the man rolled his eyes in annoyance while Tsunami shook her head. Her father was going to be laying off the alcohol for the next little while. "Any questions?"
"Yeah, where's Gato? That little shit's got a lot to pay for," not only for the backstabbing but also because he knew Gozu and Meizu were probably dead because of him hiring Kisame.
The man had an inkling Kisame was the cause of their sudden disappearance. The thought of the traitorous swordsman only made him even angrier, both because of the second betrayal and loss of his men, and because Kisame hadn't lost his edge either since his defection. If anything the man only grew much stronger since they last met one another. Zabuza angrily knew that while he had not slouched around during his time with the Resistance he had not improved all that much ether.
"Sorry to say, but he's indisposed of at the moment. You won't be seeing him ever again," the comment earned Jiraiya a frustrated sigh from the man, "But if it will make you feel any less bitchy, here's the pay he owed you and a little extra."
The white haired ninja tossed Zabuza a scroll that was easily caught by the swordsman, "But if you ever target Konoha shinobi or Nami ever again, you'll wish you never crossed me. Got it?" the man emphasized his intent by releasing a potent burst of chakra and made the man go completely stiff as he saw his own death in various ways.
"Got it," Zabuza wasn't going to argue. The stunt Jiraiya pulled pushed away all doubt about the man not living up the reputation of a powerful ninja. Were they to fight each other Zabuza had the distinct impression he would have his ass handed to him on a silver platter. This was a man who had gone against the legendary Hattori Hanzo of Ame and lived. Few could boast such a thing. The only man stranger than Hanzo at the time had been the Sannin's teacher himself.
"Alright then," the man's demeanor did a complete one eighty, "Now that that's settled we can move on to making sure Nami's properly taken care of and better prepared so this doesn't happen again. You two are gonna help and make up for attacking these guys."
Jiraiya gave both Kiri ninja a look that left no room for argument.
"Yeah, you guys have fun doing that. My team and I are done our mission so after a few days we're outta here. Our job was to make sure Gato was taken care of and acting as your backup. Hatake and his grunts' job last I recall is to guard Tazuna until the bridge was done," she cackled as the other team realized what they meant, "Finally kicking in ain't it. You guys are gonna be here for a while. Enjoy! I'm gonna go sleep my ass off, momma's earned it."
"Kakashi-sensei, I don't ask for a whole lot but for the love of Kami, please tell me we're not staying that long!" Kiba practically begged the man.
"Unfortunately, we have no choice. Had we brought Tazuna back to Konoha before all this happened we could have left. Even though Tazuna lied, nearly got us killed, and essentially rendered the contract null and void," each word only served to make the elderly bridge builder feel worse, "since we didn't report back to the Hokage to work out another contract and decided to complete the mission anyway despite said lie we have no choice but to complete this one."
"So because we continued on despite being misled we're forced to complete the mission?" Sasuke asked in a disbelieving and angry tone. Kakashi shrugged and blamed politics for the fine print of it all. The boy only became angrier when his teacher more or less gave him the answer. Sasuke wasn't all that knowledgeable on bridges but it didn't take a genius to know they'd be stuck in Nami for quite some time.
"Are you kidding me? This is bullshit!" Kiba howled at the unfairness of it all. Fine print, bureaucracy, and politics were a pain in the ass. Kiba didn't want any part of it if all they did was cause unnecessary work. "Can't we just say we failed?"
"We could," Kakashi nodded and Kiba looked hopeful, "but purposely failing a mission just because we didn't want to do it anymore results in us being put on temporary suspension. In some cases, it also means being demoted to a lower rank, for you guys it would mean losing your headbands. And it ruins Konoha's reputation, too."
"So either way, we're fucked and stuck here until the old man bridge is done. Greeaaaat," the Inuzuka really hated his job at the moment and wished they had turned back when they had the opportunity. C-Rank turned A-Rank, maybe even S-Rank, boasting or not this sucked balls.
"Welcome to the life of a Genin, kid. I'd say it gets better but it doesn't," Jiraiya barked out a laugh as Kiba took a swing at him. The Inuzuka was quick but for a ninja of Jiraiya's caliber he was more or less moving in slow motion.
(A Few Days Later)
The time that passed by in Nami was much more easy going compared to the past week or so. The people of Nami no longer looked depressed or hostile towards one another. With their food supply from the Underground Lake feeding the masses and fishermen allowed back into the ocean the populace was slowly getting back to their feet.
But even then it was far from joyful as it seemed. While many celebrated the fact that they were finally free from Gato's tyranny, others were in no mood to partake in the festivities. Families were broken, homes were lost, and many wouldn't be seeing or regaining either one of them. Gato's rule ended, yes, but even then the man's actions would continue to plague and haunt others for the rest of their lives. Some would finally come to terms with it, others would struggle, and some would not. Several villagers had come asking them for help in finding their lost family members and Anko, Kakashi and Jiraiya had been forced deal with them. None made promises, as there was no information or leads telling them where they were in the first place.
"Is there anything we can do about it?" Naruto asked his teacher and merely shook her head.
"As much as I'd like to Naruto, there isn't," Anko replied sadly and rubbed the spot where Jiraiya applied the new seal around the curse mark.
Even with the new seal Anko still felt the itch in the back of her mind. It was like a soothing voice that made her feel at ease and promised protection and strength. Evidently the potion she had taken had not only strengthened and unlocked the seal but also changed the way it tried to make her give into its dark power. Anko remembered the rush of euphoria and power that pulsed through her as the kunoichi's skills and senses had been increased to their utmost peeks, the feeling of invincibility.
It had been a sensation she had long since forgotten, almost lost even. Jiraiya had informed her that the seal he applied hadn't been absolute. On the plus side even with it sealed away Anko felt stronger than she used to be. It was as if some of her old talent had been set loose. The bad news was that contrast to the imperfect version of the seal she originally had the stunt she had pulled resulted in the newer version being stronger than ever. And it wasn't going to go dormant any time soon. The seal expert had given her a few tag seals should she need them. Better safe than sorry he had said despite her willpower.
"Anko-sensei?" Hinata called out, "Are you alright?"
"Hmm, fine, it's nothing," the woman dismissed her student's worry. Anko was the one meant to worry, not the students. Then again Anko wasn't your blue collar Jonin teacher, or ninja really. "Anyway, brats, we need to keep looking. As good as everything is some of Gato's men might still be hiding somewhere. Not all of them were cowards and some could pose a threat if left alone."
That had been the reason why the group hadn't head out after the battle. That and they didn't want to arouse suspicion that they up and rearing to go while the others were still recovering. But Anko had made a good point. Better they stay a little while longer and make sure all the bad element was gone than regret it later.
The group continued to take a look around before Naruto spotted an odd statue at the edge of Nami, away from prying eyes. The moment he moved towards it and placed his hand on the large fish like monument did something wonderful happen.
|Congratulations! You've discovered a significant landmark!|
|As a result and due to your positive reputation with Nami no Kuni you've unlocked the Fast Travel Skill!|
[Fast Travel]
This unique and very useful ability allows one to instantly travel from one location to another no matter how far the distance in seconds. There are some exceptions; however. A downside is that one cannot fast travel to a hostile or neutral settlement, cannot do so during combat, cannot be done if it hasn't been discovered or visited!
"Fast Travel? What's that?" Anko asked.
"Something very useful, Anko-sensei," Naruto laughed and smiled at their luck. "Fast travel basically allows us to move one place to another, no matter how large the distance, instantly."
All three kunoichi were floored by the revelation. The applications of such an ability opened up a lot of possibilities, "Does this mean we don't have to walk all the way back to Konoha?"
"Nope," Naruto grinned.
"What do you mean, nope?" Ino thought he said they could.
"Huh? No, I meant nope as in we don't have to walk, not nope as in we do have to walk," Naruto explained.
"So we don't have to walk?" Hinata asked.
"Yes," Naruto answered.
"Yes as in no, or yes as in yes?" Anko questioned.
"WE DON'T HAVE TO WALK, OKAY!" Naruto wasn't going to repeat himself. "This ability will allow us to leave and be in Konoha within seconds."
"So does that mean it's like the Yondaime's Hiraishin no Jutsu, Naruto-kun," Hinata asked with a hint of worry. "Doesn't that mean others could do the same?"
"Kami, I hope not," Anko knew how deadly the Hiraishin was. The woman had seen it being used in the last Great War by the Yondaime. Entire platoons were downed in seconds before they knew what happened. A person could blink only to see the enemy fall down lifelessly. The last thing they needed was the enemy knowing the technique, and Anko was concerned this Asageo might somehow know it.
"Nah, I'm pretty sure it's due to my ability, Hinata. Besides it doesn't work that way," Naruto began to explain, "Fast travel's usually only possible if your relationship with another location is above Neutral and if you've found an important landmark. Otherwise it won't work."
"So there's no way it could be weaponized?" Anko was relieved when the boy shook his head. There was one less thing to worry about, "Oh, thank, Kami."
"So does this mean we can go home now? With Hotto's nose, Naruto's sensory skills and Hinata's Byakugan I'm pretty sure everything's solid at the moment. We haven't come across anyone since we began searching three days ago," was Ino's argument.
"You just wanna blow the money you earned in the malls," Naruto smirked all knowingly, ignoring Anko's comment of "what money?"
"Hey, what Ino does with Ino's money is none of your business, Whiskers," Ino gave the boy a face that was met with his own.
"Alright, lovebirds break it up. Look, we'll search for a couple more hours but if nothing shows up send Jiraiya and Kakashi a clone to inform em and we'll start heading out. Sound good?"
All three Genin merely smiled or grinned, and despite wanting to look serious Anko couldn't help let herself smirk. The bragging rights she'd get would be awesome, too. How many Genin actually got to go and accomplish an A-Rank mission turned S-Rank?
(Meanwhile in an Undisclosed Location)
The short man felt a twinge of fear, perhaps even more than a twinge, as he felt himself being harshly dragged to an unknown area. Whoever that short haired bitch was had messed up with the wrong man. And he'd make sure she'd suffer for it. All it would take was to find out who had him and with a bit of persuasion and bribery, he'd be on his way.
Feeling himself being forced to the ground, Gato soon felt the back that covered his face being taken off and glared at the men. His glare soon turned to confusion as he saw the suits they wore, elegant and high-end quality ones if he even saw them.
"Gato, Gato, Gato. What I'm I going to do with you?" a voice from the darkness chuckled.
Fear gripped his heart like a vice as he heard the voice. The short man saw a fancy suit wearing individual, a bald head with an intricate tattoo, and eating from a hot pot. To the man's left was a pipe with intricate designs, and in his hands were a series of rings with various characters on them. It didn't take a genius to know who the man was, and that Gato was most likely never living the place alive.
"Harukichi-sama!" a fearful Gato stuttered.
Why wouldn't he? Before him was the Supreme Godfather of the Yakuza. A man that had raised Gato from an insignificant nothing and into the man he was now. A man he looked up to. A man he inspired to ultimately inspired to become one day. A man he, in an act of sheer arrogance and greed, later betrayed. And now that he was caught and before one of the most powerful men in the underworld, Gato could only pray for swift death.
But deep inside, Gato knew that was very wishful thinking.
(Meanwhile in an Another Undisclosed Location)
"So… you got your ass handed to you by a bunch of wet behind the ears little Genin?" Kisame didn't have to be psychic to know the man was mocking him. If his partner didn't kill him like he was known to then the blue skinned ninja was going to do it himself. He was no torture expert but he definitely was going to make it a slow and agonizing experience.
If this was the idiocy that Kakuzu had to deal with on regular basis Kisame didn't blame the second oldest member of the group for one offing them, "You got shit in your ears, or are you missing a few brain cells? I said I was facing two teams! One of em was led by Orochimaru's former apprentice and the other by Hatake Kakashi. They had an unknown with em that clearly wasn't a Genin. He was probably a disguised Anbu member. Kid was skilled given the amount of power he put into those techniques of his. Nothing I couldn't really handle had a fucking Sannin not shown up. Had to choice but to bolt."
The man that mocked Kisame wisely kept his mouth shut. Even he knew the reputation and prowess of any of the Sannin was not to be taken lightly. Their leader frowned as he processed this, "Reports have come through and informed us Jiraiya the Toad Sage has been asking about us. How much he knows remains unknown and I wish for it to remain that way until we are ready," Pain knew that Akatsuki was a powerful group but they still lacked vital information and resources.
Some of their members had also yet to cross the boundaries between Jonin to Kage, or only just recently crossed it. Many possessed unique skills that were incredibly useful but they still needed experience when facing superior opponents. "This "Genin" you faced…. How powerful would you say he is?"
"Ninjutsu wise he's pretty damned skilled. His reserves are nothing to laugh at either. Give him a good teacher in ninjutsu and in a few years he'll be a force to be reckoned with. He's a power type fighter for sure. Though he lacks finesse and control over his techniques to make em truly devastating. The kid was wasting a good amount of chakra in his techniques despite how lethal they were. Decent and highly unorthodox strategist as well," the boy was the first Kisame encountered to let himself get hit by a technique just to set up a trap. "Probably knows some seals too."
"Did he have blond hair and whisker marks?" the man's partner solemnly asked.
"Couldn't tell. The kid wore armor that covered his face and head," though their meeting was brief Kisame had good observational skills despite his crash and bash approach to fighting. "Could have been him but don't quote me on it. Didn't see a charka shroud."
"It's probably not him then. Last I heard the Kyubi Jinchuriki was considered a shoe in for the title of Dead Last. Showed no talent at all in anything except for pranks," Itachi commented. Most likely it was a disguised Anbu like Kisame thought him to be. Itachi and others were pretty powerful at that age so it wasn't that big a stretch for another to have appeared. Itachi knew his partner looked forward to testing his mettle against him if they met again.
"A Dead Last jinchiruki? Man, I knew people tended to hate their guts but Konoha really fucked themselves over with that one," Kakuzu's partner laughed. Kumo was the exception when it involved jinchuriki but even then there were a minority who feared and hated them.
"Indeed. But their foolishness is our gain," Pain stated. The weaker the jinchuriki was, the easier it would be to capture them. And the easier it would be to achieve their goal.
Status Window
Name: Uzumaki Naruto
Job: Genin (15% EXP Gain and +15 IP per year)
Skill Rank: C
Level: 37 Next Level: 7%/100%
HP: 11525 + 1,750 + 700 - 13,975
CP: 19225 + 2,625 + 1,750 - 23,600
STR: 80
VIT: 341 + 70 - 441
END: 469 + 105 - 574
DEX: 93 + 21 - 114
INT: 62
WIS: 59
CHA: 16
LUK: ?
Improvement Points: 15
Perk Points: 12
Specialization
Ninkenjutsu Specialist (increases associated titles, fighting styles, perks by an additional 25%) and increases associated attributes by 1
Fighting Styles
Konoha Kenjutsu-Ryu [Novice] (enhanced): +2 towards DEX per level (active as of level 30)
Tengu no Oroshi-Ryu [Novice] (enhanced): Passively increases the power, speed and effectiveness of Wind Release techniques used via Kenjutsu by 45% (active as of level 37)
Special Perks:
Gamer: Allows you to view and live your life as though it were a video game.
Kyubi no Yoko Jinchuriki: Additional +5 VIT & +7.5 END per Lv, +250 CP per Lv, +25% Power towards all skills, +50% Increase towards [HP Regen] & [CP Regen] outside of combat, Immune to Basic and Journeyman Poisons -25% EXP and Effectiveness towards [Chakra Control Skills], -25% Reputation gain towards [Konoha Populace] whose relationship with you is below Neutral
Unknown Blessing: Your luck is immeasurable. Don't be fooled as it can go either way at random.
Perks/Buffs:
?: Additional +5 VIT & +7.5 END per Lv, +100 HP per Lv, +25% additional EXP and Effectiveness towards [Fuinjutsu Skill], -15% EXP and Effectiveness towards [Chakra Control Skills], ?
Chakra Affinity (Master Rank) (Enhanced): [CP Regen] and [Elemental Resistances] Increased by 55%, Speed, Power and Effectiveness towards [Ninjutsu Skills] Increased by 55%, CP Usage towards [Ninjutsu Skills] decreased by 55%
Vigor Affinity (Expert Rank): [HP Regen] and [Physical Resistance] Increased by 20%, Fatigue levels decreased 20%
Titles:
Prank King: Additional +1 DEX per Lv, +25% additional EXP and Effectiveness towards [Stealth Skill] & [Trap-Based Skills], -25% Reputation gain towards prank victims for 24 Hours
Expert Zombie Slayer: +60% Power, EXP, Money against [Undead-Based Monster], +30% Increase towards Attributes against [Undead-Based Monster], +30% chance of [Double Loot Occurrence] against [Undead-Based Monster], +10% Increase towards Resistances against [Undead-Based Monster]
Ninkenjutsu Novice (enhanced): +35% additional Power, Effectiveness, and EXP towards [Ninjutsu and Kenjutsu Skills] (active as of level 30)
Novice Dungeon Master: +15% increase towards Attributes, EXP, Skills, and Item Drop Rate while in a dungeon; CP Cost for all skills reduced by 15% while in a dungeon; 15% chance of not suffering death penalty while in a dungeon; Conquering a dungeon for the first time results in an additional 25% increase in rewards (active as of level 30)
Description: Uzumaki Naruto's background is shrouded in mystery. A young ninja with inspirations of becoming Hokage, Naruto has a long and difficult journey ahead of him before he can attain his dream. While believed to be a shoo-in for the title of Dead Last, Naruto's come around in his last year placed him in the lower-middle ranking.
Status Window
Name: Hottomaru
Job: Ninken
Skill Rank: D+
Level: 24 Next Level: 21%/100%
HP: 1775
CP: 1225
STR: 48
VIT: 70
END: 50
DEX: 48
INT: 20
WIS: 29
CHA: 33
LUK: 28
Improvement Points: 0
Perk Points: 2
Specialization
N/A
Fighting Style
N/A
Perks
Ninja Dog: Human Lifespan, Ability to Mold Chakra, Potential to speak human language
Komainu Lineage (Guard Dog): +1 VIT, Lv, +15% Effectiveness & EXP towards [Biting-based Skills] & [Detection-based Skills], +20% Effectiveness, Power, and EXP towards [Fire-Based Skills]
Akita Lineage (Tracking Dog): +1 DEX per Lv, +15% Effectiveness and EXP towards [Tracking Skills] +15% Effectiveness and EXP towards [Stealth-Based Skills], +10% towards Movement Speed during and outside combat
Keen-Senses: +15% Effectiveness & EXP towards [Detection Skill], Ignores Henge, Strong and pungent odours can result in debuffs
Titles
Journeyman Zombie Slayer: +40% Power, EXP, Money against [Undead-Based Monster], +20% Increase towards Attributes against [Undead-Based Monster], +20% chance of [Double Loot Occurrence] against [Undead-Based Monster]
Description: A two old ninja dog with Komainu blood in his veins. While possessing great potential like his cousin Akamaru, Hottomaru like most Komainu pups require a good amount of discipline and can be difficult to train but are fiercely loyal and protective of their owners and partners.
Name: Hyuga Hinata
Job: Genin (15% EXP Gain and +15 IP per year)
Skill Rank: D+
Level: 27 Next Level: 79%/100%
HP: 1800
CP: 1925 + 200 - 2125
STR: 31
VIT: 72
END: 77 + 8 - 85
DEX: 59
INT: 77 + 8 - 85
WIS: 72 + 8 - 80
CHA: 20
LUK: 16
Improvement Points: 9
Perk Points: 2
Specialization
None
Fighting Styles
Juken [Novice]: +1 Towards END per Level (active as of level 20)
Special Perks:
Gamer's Teammate: So long as you are on the same team as the Gamer, you gain the same benefits. (This perk can be taken away if the Gamer wills it!)
Byakugan: +1 WIS per Lv, +20% EXP & Effectiveness towards [Medical Ninjutsu], [Detection Skills], +20% increase towards [Critical Hit Chance], Allows the use of the [Byakugan Skill]
Perks:
Main Family Lineage: +1 INT & +1 END per Lv, +15% Effectiveness towards [Hyuga Clan Skills], +15% Reputation gain with Konoha and Konoha Allies, +15% EXP and Effectiveness towards [Bartering] with Konoha and Allies, +15% EXP, Power, Speed and Effectiveness towards [Taijutsu Skills]
Titles:
Novice Taijutsu Practitioner: +20% EXP, Power & Effectiveness towards [Taijutsu Skills]
Novice Medical Practitioner: +1 WIS & +1 INT per level, +20% EXP, Power, and Effectiveness towards [Medical-Based Skills and Items] and [Herbalism Skills]
Novice Zombie Slayer: +20% Power, EXP, Money against [Undead-Based Monster], +10% Increase towards Attributes against [Undead-Based Monster], +10% chance of [Double Loot Occurrence] against [Undead-Based Monster]
Flaws/Debuffs:
Diffidence [Lv 1]: -10% towards Attributes, -10% EXP, Power, Speed and Effectiveness towards Skills, Benefits of Titles and Perks reduced, Flaw will become permanent upon reaching MAX level
Description: Hinata is a very kind but very shy young girl who comes from one of Konoha's four noble clans. Despite being trained in the art of the Gentle Fist at a young age, a renown and deadly taijutsu, Hinata's skill is lacking for reasons currently unknown. While not one of the best students in the academy Hinata was still one of the more intelligent students. While most of the girls in her class are infatuated with Sasuke, Hinata is attracted to someone else. Her love for cinnamon rolls is said to rival Uzumaki Naruto's love for ramen. As a result of being on Team Eight, Hinata has slowly but surely become more confident.
Status Window
Name: Yamanaka Ino
Job: Genin (15% EXP Gain and +15 IP per year)
Skill Rank: D+
Level: 25 Next Level: 11%/100%
HP: 1450
CP: 1575
STR: 36
VIT: 58
END: 63
DEX: 80 + 12 - 92
INT: 61
WIS: 60 + 4 - 64
CHA: 90 + 12 - 102
LUK: 25
Improvement Points: 11
Specialization
None
Fighting Styles
Rankyaku [Journeyman]: +2 Towards DEX per Level (active as of level 21)
Special Perk:
Gamer's Teammate: So long as you are on the same team as the Gamer, you gain the same benefits. (This perk can be taken away if the Gamer wills it!)
Yamanaka Lineage (Heiress): +2 CHA per Lv, +25% Effectiveness towards [Yamanaka Clan Skills], +25% Reputation gain with Konoha and Konoha Allies, +25% EXP and Effectiveness towards [Bartering] with Konoha and Allies, +15% EXP, Power, Speed and Effectiveness towards [Lightning-Based Skills and Items], +25% towards [Mental-Based Tolerance], +5% EXP increase from quests
Perks:
Natural Grace: Lv 2: +1 DEX per Lv, +30% Effectiveness towards [Movement Speed] and [Evasion], +30% Effectiveness towards [Speed-Based Skills], +30% Effectiveness towards [Acrobatic Fighting Styles]
Titles:
Journeyman Botanist: +1 WIS, 40% EXP & Effectiveness towards [Detection Skill: Locate Flora], +40% EXP & Effectiveness towards [Herbalism Skill], +20% Power and Effectiveness towards Skills when fighting [Flora-Based Monsters], +20% chance of [Double Loot Occurrence] when picking [Flora-Based] items
Future Femme Fatale: +1 CHA, +20% EXP and Effectiveness towards [Seduction Skills] and [Bartering Skills], +10% Power & Chance towards [Critical Hits]
Novice Zombie Slayer: +20% Power, EXP, Money against [Undead-Based Monster], +10% Increase towards Attributes against [Undead-Based Monster], +10% chance of [Double Loot Occurrence] against [Undead-Based Monster]
Description: Though not as intelligent as her rival, Sakura, Ino was still one of the top students at the academy. Ino is talented in her clan's teachings but due to her attitude and infatuation with Sasuke she isn't as far or as proficient as she should be. Ino is notorious for her gossip and fashion sense, very little happened in the academy that she doesn't know about. As a result of being on Team Eight, and Anko literally beating the fangirl out of her, Ino's priorities have improved, though several old habits remain.
Status Window
Name: Mitarashi Anko
Job: Jonin (30% EXP Gain and +30 IP per year)
Skill Rank: -A
Level: ? Next Level: 61%/100%
HP: ?
CP: ?
STR: ?
VIT: ?
END: ?
DEX: ?
INT: ?
WIS: ?
CHA: ?
LUK: ?
Improvement Points: ?
Specialization
Torture and Interrogation Ninja (increases associated titles and perks by an additional 25%) and increases associated attributes by 1
Special Perks:
Gamer's Mentor: So long as you are on the same team as the Gamer, you gain the same benefits. (This perk can be taken away if the Gamer wills it!)
Perks:
Gifted Ninja: +10% Effectiveness, Power and EXP towards all skills, +10% EXP earned on missions and defeated foes, +1 Additional Attribute Point per Lv
Serpentine Grace: +2 DEX per Lv, +25% Speed increase towards [Taijutsu Skill], [Evasion Skill], [Counter Skill], +25% Power towards [Critical Hits]
Heightened Tolerance [Poison] Lv 3: Immune to Novice, Journeyman and Expert Lv Poisons, Resistance towards Master Lv Poisons increased by 75%, Resistance towards Grand Master Lv Poisons increased by 50%, Resistance towards Legendary Grand Master Lv Poisons increased by 25%
Modified Cursed Seal of Heaven:
Titles:
T&I Expert [Enhanced]: +2 CHA per Lv,+85% Effectiveness and EXP towards [T&I Skill], +85% Effectiveness and EXP towards [Intimidation Skill]
Toxicology Expert: +60% Effectiveness, Power, and EXP towards [Poisons], +60% EXP towards [Toxicology Skill]
Snake Mistress of Konoha: -25% Reputation gain towards [Konoha Populace] below Neutral, -25% Effectiveness, Power, and EXP towards [Combination Techniques Skill] with [Konoha Populace] below Neutral
Journeyman Zombie Slayer: +40% Power, EXP, Money against [Undead-Based Monster], +20% Increase towards Attributes against [Undead-Based Monster], +20% chance of [Double Loot Occurrence] against [Undead-Based Monster]
Description: Not much is known about Mitarashi Anko's past, as she tends to keep to herself and only opens up to those she truly trusts. Hailed as a skilled ninja at a very young age, Anko later went on to become one of Konoha's top torture and interrogation specialists and an accomplished tracker, accomplishing tasks where others, other than the Inuzuka, failed. Due to her tutelage, Anko is one of Konoha's best toxicologists, having used and created many unique poisons both in the field and during interrogations. Her love of dango is quite well known and feared in certain circles, some say surpassing even Uzumaki Naruto's love for ramen. As a result of using the unknown concoction held my Mizuki, Anko had reawakened her Cursed Seal of Heaven, which has become modified as a side effect and has unlocked much of her former potential and skill.
Please be aware that I have created a Patron page which I am doing because unfortunately times are tough and I need to make ends meet and help a family member who recently lost their job and has not been able to find anything in the last four months. My original stories, former stories, one shots and story ideas are all there as well.
I will be posting on Ao3, too, same author's name, but it may be slow as their set up's a bit clunky.
Currently my Patron page has the following:
Stay of Execution has 10 chapters (with another coming up in a day or two this week).
Moon Knight has 3 chapters
Harry Potter and the Power of the Gamer has 13 chapters
Legacy of the Nidaime has 6 chapters
Naruto Gamer has 23 chapters
One original story with two chapter (which is a dark isekai)
One one shot of Vox Machina/Game of Thrones.
Also, I have art there for my stories to provide a better idea of gear, people, and places for greater visual.
I will be posting a minimum 3-5 chapters a month there (some story chapters may take longer due to their length). For some reason, since doing that, I've been able to dish out chapters more quickly and I'm more motivated then I've ever been in years. Don't know if it's because of payment or because Fanfiction has been disappointing me for a very long time now and Archive is a jumbled mess that doesn't really allow me to see my stats but things are flowing much better now.
Also, be aware, prices are only 2.5$ and 3$ but by end of this year they go up as it's only for 2026 (won't go up again till 2029 or 2030).
Have a gander and see which one you feel benefits you best as patrons get chapters 1-2 months in advance.
Durolord
Getting sticky.
- Joined
- Feb 21, 2021
- Messages
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