NOVEL NEXT Chapter 24: Headache
Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction based on multiple existing anime/manga series. The characters and settings used in this story belong to their respective owners and creators, and no copyright infringement is intended. This story is purely for entertainment purposes and is not intended to infringe upon any existing intellectual property. I do not own any of the original works that inspired this fanfiction, and I fully support the original creators and their works.
-Story Start-
-Third Person POV-
Once again, the scent of wood and smoke filled the air as our would-be group of misfits - Team 7, gathered in the Hokage's Office after their intense weeklong training regimen.
The afternoon sun painted the Hokage's Office in warm hues, its rays streaming through the large windows and casting long, stretching shadows that danced across the polished wooden floor.
Team 7's purpose of attendance?
Finally, they're going on their much-promised C - Rank mission.
Handpicked by none other than the Hokage himself.
As Hiruzen handed in the mission parameters to Kakashi, the masked man couldn't help but let loose a pained sigh.
Kakashi's lone eye scanned the parameters, his brow furrowing in concentration.
His nonchalant posture got more tensed up the further he read.
Adding to the tense silence that had formed amongst his allegedly cute Genin who were anticipating this mission with varying degrees of excitement.
-Akira POV-
Why is my Jonin Sensei losing his composure from reading mission parameters?
Why is Lord Hokage's face barely holding back a grin?
Fine questions that will be answered relatively soon.
I could do without the unnecessary suspense though...
Naruto complained with a mixture of cluelessness and excitement, "What's the holdup? Kakashi-sensei?! Where are we going?! To save a princess?! To fight some bad Shinobi?! To-"
Kakashi having finished reading, put an end to Naruto's inquiry as he with a more deadpan tone than he usually has, handing over the mission parameters to me, stated, "We're transporting the scrolls." He pointed at a set of sealed scrolls on the Hokage's table
"NO PRINCESS?!" Naruto yelled in indignation and fell to his knees.
I tried curbing his expectations throughout this week of training, yet his fantasies proved stronger.
It went - "No Naruto," I asserted dramatically, my words accompanied by the rustling of grass from the wind in Training Ground Three.
"We're probably going to be guarding some random guy or eliminating some bandits. Stop diving into your hormone-fueled fantasies of saving a princess, please."
My eyes flickered toward the bright blue sky, where the distant sound of a crow's caw added a touch of reality to my words.
He retorted, "Shut up! Akira-teme! I'll be saving the princess! Not you! Don't be jealous!" with a tone that wavered between determination and fiery rivalry.
The anticipation of the assigned mission proved to only strengthen his delusional fantasies.
"Shut up dobe and huddle over," Sasuke's voice broke me out of my flashback as he snarked at Naruto.
Naruto voiced out weakly as he got up, his expression was as if his soul got sucked out of him, "P-Princess..."
The shuffle of footsteps accompanied Naruto's recovery from the shock of disappointment.
"Let's see..." I ignored my delusional teammate's loss of purpose and mumbled as I took the paper, Naruto and Sasuke overlooking my shoulder as they were reading along with me.
-Mission Assignment-
[Delivery of documents to the Land Of Woods]
Hand deliver the Scrolls to the Minister Of Foreign Affairs Of The Conservative Group.
Do not look into the Scrolls.
Do not engage in combat unless outwardly necessary.
[Mission Classification - C Rank]
Scroll delivery at C Rank...
Seems about right, as long as the territory isn't hostile or the scrolls are too important.
Land Of Woods... Where is that again?
I turn to look at my teammates and see Naruto having an equally confused expression.
Sasuke on the other hand, looks like he swallowed an especially sour lemon.
...This doesn't bode well.
I inquired, turning to Sasuke, "You know where this is? I can't remember honestly," as I sought his input.
Curse you! Memory that only functions when inconvenient!
No! The pretty lady from yesterday was most definitely not something I had to memorize down to the most minute detail!
...The symptoms are getting worse.
Before Sasuke could respond, Hiruzen coughed and did the honors as he pulled out a literal World Map from under his desk.
His expression was a good-natured smile, with a hint of mischievousness directed at Kakashi probably, "You four will be going to the Land Of Woods to deliver Scrolls to an important ally of Konoha. As you can probably tell... Not you Naruto." He pointed at Naruto, "OI! JIJI!" Naruto cried out, only for Hiruzen to continue undeterred, "This isn't a mission commissioned by a client, but by the Village itself and in its interests. In short, it is a mission directly from me."
So, instead of handpicking some fitting C Rank, he just outright found a chore that had to be done, checked if it was fitting in difficulty, and decided to throw it at us.
Shrewd?
Yes.
Degrading?
Most definitely.
Because let's be honest... This is most likely some chore that had to be done.
"Now, let me provide some context on the Land Of Woods mission..." Hiruzen added, gesturing for us to get closer to his desk.
As we did so, he pointed at a far-off territory, "There."
I took a close look and estimated the distance.
Taking into account that we'll have to take a detour from Land Of Rivers and Wind Country to avoid Stone Country, then another detour through Land of Birds...
...Sasuke's expression makes complete and utter sense.
This is more or less a month's worth of travel at a leisurely pace.
Considering that a week's worth of travel could get you to the Hidden Sand Village if you want.
Shinobi travel speed, of course.
Also taking into account that the Chunin Exams are in more or less three months we'll make it back home with time to spare.
...Unless we face complications.
Our expressions darkened at the realization - For differing reasons.
Except for Naruto's, that is, as he seemed even more excited.
Probably the prospect of a "Long" adventure.
...Is he really expecting a princess?
Seeing our darkening expression, Hiruzen concluded his lecture, "You are to set off tomorrow, this will be a long mission - Simple in its nature but you must travel much. Remember to follow Kakashi's orders. Good luck boys, and dismissed." Hiruzen nodded in our direction and at Kakashi who reciprocated the gesture with a nod of his own as he took the sealed scrolls that were on the desk and pocketed them in his jacket.
"You betcha! We'll get those scrolls delivered in no time! Believe it!" Naruto pumped his fist in the air, proclaiming his resolve.
Hiruzen's smile only got broader, "I'll eagerly await your return, Naruto."
At that, we began making our way out of the office.
I turned to look at Naruto as we walked out, "You sure recovered quickly..."
Naruto gained a smug expression, "We're going out on a long adventure! I can tell! We're gonna pass through lots of places and there's bound to be a princess in need of rescue somewhere!"
Kakashi commented his tone serious, "Naruto. No kidnapping girls just because you think they're in danger."
Naruto narrowed his eyes at Kakashi, "Bakakashi! I know that! I'm not dum-" Naruto retorted only to be cut off by Sasuke's snort of amusement.
A smirk on his face as he stated, "The dobe would think the girl is under a Genjutsu when she asks him to let her down."
At Sasuke's comment, I let out a snort of my own, "Pfft... I can totally see that happening."
"OI BASTARDS!" Naruto roared out, shaking the entire building.
Our collective making fun of Naruto continued until we stepped outside the building.
Greeted by the evening sun, Kakashi stopped us and was about to give us the Kakashi Classic Pep Talk - Name change most certainly pending.
He scratched his chin through his mask he started with a stark lack of enthusiasm, "Well... Arrive at 7 AM Sharp at The West Gate. Make sure you bring your Shinobi supplies and other things you think you can carry unhindered, I would recommend only what's necessary. On that note..."
Kakashi approached me with a serious tone, a maniacal edge present in his demeanor, his lone eye disturbingly fixated on my visage, "Would you mind storing a few... Fine pieces of literature in your shadow for me?"
Sasuke and Naruto gained a creeped-out expression, looking at Kakashi with a look of utter disdain.
Naruto's eyes flashed momentarily as if he had an idea.
Hmm...
"What's in it for me?" I asked simply.
Seems like that was the wrong answer, as his gaze intensified and became outright suffocating.
Ah, so that wasn't a question, but an order.
I see, I see...
Elite Shinobi and their odd quirks I guess?
Not gonna open that can of worms nor agitate the Cyclops any further as I relented, "Err... Sure, just don't make me carry an entire library, I'd get crushed."
Kakashi released the odd pressure on me as he eye smiled, "Thank you!" He patted my spiky hair, much to my dismay.
Gonna have to learn how to make it Truly spiky and poke some holes in that guy's hand.
...Evil much?
Well, he deserves it.
And here I thought Makoto was horrible.
My training constituted of him traumatizing me and my Shikigami.
Especially Jeff.
Using Jeff's tongue as a Yoyo string and then proceeding to smash his Toad face continuously was animal cruelty at its worst.
...Shikigami Therapy services aren't something that has been invented yet.
Nevertheless, Kakashi isn't sadistic like Makoto - But his methods in contrast induce much more pain and are much less effective than Makoto's.
To give Kakashi a Sensei rating among the four teachers I had, Uncle included.
I'd give him a solid 4.5/10.
Would've given him a 5.5 were I not forced to pay everyone's bill at Ichiraku's when he clearly stated he'd pay it up.
Deciding that eating his bowl of Tonkotsu Ramen and vanishing from plain sight would've been the more "Mature" decision.
"Rich Clan Prodigy, you've got deep pockets." He said with a shrug.
Not wrong, but fuck you!
Betting my incredibly small fortune that he's got enough Ryo to buy a few mountains!
Humming, Kakashi finished his pep talk his lone eye narrowed and glaring at the sky as if it had offended him, "Well, as Lord Third had stated, this is a long journey, by my estimation, at best - It will take at least two months for us to get back here and complete the mission. At worst, two and a half or even three months..." He trailed off, an unreadable yet serious expression on his face, at least what was visible of it.
He then shrugged, much to our perplexion by his odd pause, "Mah, cya tomorrow ducklings!" He disappeared in a swirl of leaves.
This left the three of us scratching our heads.
Although it'd be easily attributable to him trying to scare us, with his enjoyment for the odd tomfoolery.
I can't help but get a bad feeling... Especially when he read the parameters back in the Hokage's office.
Was he simply concerned because of the length of the mission and having to travel that long with the three of us?
Or is the reason much more concerning?
"Guys, why do I sense there's more to this mission than meets the eye?" I voiced my concern.
Sasuke nodded, grunting, "Hn. He knows something."
Naruto hummed, a hand on his face as he contemplated vocally.
"It's just delivering a buncha of scrolls. What's so complicated about that?" He asked, his expression genuinely curious.
Sasuke, his tone measured and more patient than his usual one when handling Naruto, answered his question, "Land Of Woods is a very distant country. Also, Kakashi-sensei's expression could mean it is not very safe, even with Lord Hokage's guarantee of a C Rank Mission."
I nodded at Sasuke's words, casting a skeptical gaze towards Naruto.
Mhm, he got it in one.
Logically, it makes no sense for a bunch of Genin to be handed a Mission related directly to its upper-echelon interests or whatever, especially when it is dangerous and somehow ranked bloody C Rank.
Trickery from the client's side is impossible - As Lord Hokage had issued the mission himself.
There are really three possibilities I can come up with.
Either Kakashi's trying to get into our head and scare us, the mission being correctly ranked and Kakashi's reluctance and complicated expression amounted to the fact he'd be spending so long with us on a mission - Not surprising.
Or Lord Hokage is testing us - Not unlikely given our unique team status. Accelerated Curriculum and whatnot.
And finally, worst case scenario - Lord Hokage has gone senile and mismatched our mission and Kakashi knows it full well.
Naruto wrapped his hand around our shoulders, breaking me out of my thoughts, "Don't be such scaredy cats! Kakashi-sensei is just trying to scare us! Can't you see? He's super cool anyway! We'll be fine if anything happens!" He reassured, his tone confident and good-natured.
Ah... Ever the optimist.
Well, I can't say the optimism is ineffective, it does calm the nerves somewhat when he says that so confidently.
Sometimes, his words and tone become so therapeutic and convincing that it's scary.
...Although It would've been more effective if he were a little bit more reliable, it's a work in progress.
Then again, he does have a fair point.
We do have Hatake Kakashi Of The Sharingan as our Sensei.
In either case, I just hope it was just me and Sasuke overthinking it.
I sighed, a feeble smile forming on my face. "Yeah, I suppose you have a point."
Sasuke reluctantly concurred, deftly slipping out of Naruto's arm, which was draped around his shoulder, with a snakelike fluid wiggle.
"Ah!" Naruto let out as he remembered something.
"Akira, could you please-" He began with a goofy expression, but I interrupted before he had the chance to ask, I already had an inkling as to what he wanted.
I released myself from his arm so he didn't attempt to choke me for my refusal, wouldn't be the first time, I refused mercilessly, "No. I won't be storing multiple pounds of Cup Ramen in my shadows."
Naruto's shoulders slumped at my refusal, "No good, teammate." He grumbled like an old man.
Hah! Called it.
I huffed, "Anywho, I'm off to prepare even more stuff for tomorrow. You guys are welcome to join me at Dinner if you want... After you prepare your things." I gestured to both my teammates as we left the Academy's gates.
Sasuke considered it with a hum, his tone expectant "Is your Aunt making that Tomato Soup?"
...Of course, that would be his question.
I tilted my head, "You'll have to find out... Don't you have to prepare stuff for tomorrow?"
Sasuke shook his head, his tone neutral as he replied, "I've prepared enough. We knew were going on a C-Rank outside of the Village anyways."
Naruto nodded eagerly as he raised his hand, his tone enthusiastic and loud, scaring the passing people as we walked, "I second that! Let's go eat at Auntie Yoshino's!"
My face was a clear deadpan, "Shouldn't have asked... Bunch of moochers."
Naruto broke out into a burst of laughter at that, "HAHAHAHAHAHHA!"
-Scene Change-
"Another Bowl Please!" The slam of an empty plate on the wooden table rang aloud throughout the large kitchen.
Who was the source of this rather uncouth, barbaric, outburst and subsequent demand?
Why, it's the Blonde Stamina Demon that has managed to singlehandedly exponentially grow the grocery bill by more than twice with but three visits.
No, I don't care that he added a "Please" in his request.
I sighed, doing my best to reeducate the Whiskered Mooch, I pointed my rather sharp chopsticks in his direction, "How many times do I have to tell you? Don't slam the plate on the table and keep the tones down when you are in-house. Trust me everyone can hear you loud and clear."
Only the banshee has the exclusive privilege of roaring demands loudly in this household, unfortunately.
As I chastised the blonde, the melody of sipping could be heard between every word.
Sasuke enjoying his Tomato Soup in peace, completely silent and content.
An amused glint in his eye as he saw me trying to deal with Naruto, whilst he was enjoying his soup in harmony.
Auntie's voice interjected my chastising, her tone good-natured, "Akira! Don't lecture the boy. Let him eat in peace~" She brought out another plate of steamed rice and seared salmon for Naruto, placing it on the table.
Naruto's cheerful and broad smile never wavered in my chastising, hell it only widened when Auntie brought him another plate, as he exclaimed, "Thanks, Auntie! You're the best! Dattebayo!" Giving her a thumbs-up as he grabbed his chopsticks to begin another inhalation of sustenance.
...Not before he turned to me, sticking out his tongue, "Blegh!"
Not to clue anyone in on the situation, but it seems Auntie has gained a liking to Naruto.
She really does have an affinity with menaces.
First Whiskers.
Now Naruto, the literal Warden of a Demon?
Of course, being the petty man that I am, I relented with a nod at the Overlord's orders.
Not before throwing a comment of my own, I looked at Naruto as he was once again inhaling his food, my tone innocent and genuinely curious, emotions sparked with practiced ease, "You know, Naruto. For a malnourished midget, you sure do eat a lot~!"
Sasuke snorted at my statement, sipping his soup undettered.
Auntie glared at me, I'm washing the dishes later I guess...
Low blow?
Indeed.
But Naruto was good with those, apparently.
Ask Sasuke, he'll tell you all about it.
And seriously... Where did all that food go?
He's eating enough to make Choji sweat.
No offense to my boy.
Naruto glared at me mid-bite, "A man is good with some meat on his bones!" He retorted.
...
What kind of ambiguous nonsense is this guy spouting?
Ah, I give up.
Where's Shikamaru when you need him?
"Auntie, is Shikamaru coming down for dinner?" I turned to Auntie and asked.
Auntie gave an amused smile as she shook her head, "No. He expended too much energy in chasing Tora. He decided to skip dinner."
Tora the damned cat is a renowned escape artist that would give my previous life's Houdini a run for his money.
Honestly though... Can you blame him?
Who knows what horrors he is subjected to back in the Fire Manor in the Capital under the hands of Madam Shinji?
I nodded, deciding to continue eating my food before it got cold.
-Time Skip-
After eating dinner and sending off the leeches - I mean teammates I was washing the dishes.
"Say, Auntie, is there a chance we have a world map somewhere?" I asked as I was about done with the dishes.
She paused in her wiping of the floor, broom rather threateningly held in her hand, "Not one that has the Land Of Woods drawn on it." She shook her head and then suggested, "You could ask Shikaku, he likely has one in his office. Or go buy one from the cartographer, he should be working for another two hours if I recall?"
Ah... Should have checked sooner.
When the prospect of "World Map" hit my head, I knew I had one in my Shadow Storage.
What my memory failed to provide me when I pulled it out after Dinner with the boys, was the fact that it only reached up to the Land Of Birds, the Land Of Woods a few more countries to the west of that.
So, a new map gotta be bought.
Before washing the last plate, I paused in my washing as I made the hand sign of a Dog head, "Divine Dogs."
Liquid shadows quickly moved to form their Level 1 Visage.
Taking out a notebook, a backpack, and a pen from my shadows, I quickly tore off a page and wrote what I required.
It's Mir's turn for an odd job, so... "Mir, take the backpack to the cartographer, he'll know what to do." I placed the paper in a visible pouch on the backpack, so Mir's mucus wouldn't mess it up.
I then pulled out a few Ryo papers from my wallet and threw them into the backpack, "Use those papers in the backpack to pay for the map he'll place in it. Ping me if you face any complications."
Mir nodded without hesitation as he gently bit the backpack to grab it and dashed towards the door, opening it with his paw.
Smart dog.
Now, about Noc...
I walked to the fridge and saw a pig's foot that was good for broth.
Eh, good enough.
I threw it at Noc who caught it without trouble, "Chew on this and be cute or something." I shrugged.
Auntie, seeing another usage of my amazing Shikigami labor force, exclaimed tiredly, "Ah, something like that would be great for housecleaning."
I raised an eyebrow as I returned to wash the last plate, "You know I wouldn't mind lending you Whiskers to handle some of the less delicate housework."
...Last time, he and his clones broke plates that he attempted to wash.
Bunny paws aren't meant to hold plates, apparently.
He could throw hands, though.
She shook her head. "Not after what happened last time."
Yup, Whiskers has lost all her trust in my Shikigami workforce.
Quite paradoxical for her to want such a workforce, and yet at the same time complain about being offered it.
Meh... Women, am I right?
Placing the clean plate in its rightful place, I crack my neck and nod towards Auntie, "We'll I'll be off to my room to prepare for tomorrow."
She smiled apologetically, "Sorry Akira, but I can't prepare enough food to last you two months on such short notice. So you'll have to rely on your Sensei, Ryo, and skills from there."
I wouldn't be carrying two months of food in my storage even if I had it.
Again, some people just can't get the fact that I'm not some food wagon.
I've taken out the bricks to be in my top shape for this mission.
A few tens of pounds of food on top of the dozens of pounds of equipment already stored in my shadow would just be annoying.
Sure, I could handle and move well with the weight, but I'd rather be in top condition.
"Yeah, yeah. Thanks, Auntie, I know. We'll be fine." I rolled my eyes at her words and headed back to my room.
Entering through the door with a creak, I arrive at my squeaky clean, and organized room that would otherwise be in a chaotic state.
Oh, the powers of Auntie's nagging could shake the very heavens!
Anywho.
Onto the more serious matters.
I sat down on my chair and pulled out my notebook as I contemplated my plan of action and the near future.
Since the mission will take at least two months and we'll arrive at best a month before the Chunin Exams, some things have to happen during the mission by order of importance.
I began writing.
(1) Round Deer Taming - No experimenting, no nonsense. I'll test its capabilities once it's mine.
Judging by the capabilities that have been shown, except healing, it can also be capable of counteracting the opponent's Cursed Energy.
In Chakra Terms... This doesn't give me much.
I have speculated and theorized on Chakra Theory what this could mean.
Nothing came up, initially.
That was until I dug a little deeper.
The closest that came up with an effect similar to Round Deer's nullification of the opponent's Cursed Energy was a scroll on the forms of Chakra and Chakra Natures.
Authored and written by none other than Orochimaru of all people.
There, it is theorized that the fabled "Yin-Yang Release" is capable of such an effect.
In the scroll, Orochimaru theorizes that Jutsu and Chakra natures are ultimately stemmed from Yin and Yang Chakra - And they themselves are rooted in their singularity.
The union of both, Yin-Yang Chakra/Release.
Again, not even Orochimaru, when he wrote this more than ten years ago knows much about this fabled Chakra Release allegedly used by The Sage Of Six Paths.
So, this is really just a far-off stretch, and assuming this is true - Would it mean that Positive Energy is directly translated into Yin - Yang Release?
Or is it simply just Round Deer's unique usage of it that allows for such a result?
Uncertain, but I'll keep that possibility in mind.
Nevertheless, I need to take into account the possibility of its ability to nullify all Ninjutsu used on it and even the farfetched possibility of it eradicating Shikigami if that counts as well.
Physical capabilities are also unknown at large.
...Whiskers clones to gauge the farfetched possibility of Shikigami eradication into Shadow Possession.
Should it eradicate the Whisker's clones, and nullify the shadow possession I'll have to dismiss Beeflejuice and slay it with pure Taijutsu.
Otherwise, it's Beeflejuice ramming through Round Deer for the win.
In either case, I'll be with a gas mask, poisoned weapons, pre-made Explosive tags, and other equipment to annul the ritual should I face difficulties and, hopefully, overwhelm the healing to allow me to slay it and invalidate the ritual before it gets dicey.
Again, I see no capability for it to injure me, but Megumi had some sort of reason to not attempt taming it back in Jujutsu Kaisen, so it's better to err on the side of caution.
...The problem also lies in the fact that I'll have to find an opportunity to separate from my team and quickly set this all up.
Since we'll be constantly travelling this'll be rather difficult.
I'll just have to hope for an opportunity and a stay in a city or town for a day or two at least.
That'll give me some wiggle room with this mess.
Onto the next topic.
(2) Land Of Waves Mission Contemplations - Truthfully, this has been officially confirmed to not be my problem.
Considering my team is guaranteed to not be involved since by the time that debacle happens, we're still on this mission or making our way back home from it.
But the solution is so elementary that I'd have to be completely insensitive and indifferent to not do it.
It really isn't difficult with my current skill level to sneak some information about Tazuna's situation and the fact he's faked the mission parameters.
I am sure Hiruzen could negotiate with Tazuna for him and Wave Country to take on debt to Konoha and get a proper "A" Rank listing.
Truthfully, this would be more than advantageous for Konoha than in the show's case.
Here Hiruzen is in power and can squeeze a favorable alliance or whatever he cooks up out of Wave Country.
Konoha is in a sensitive and weak situation and Wave isn't so different, he could use this close association and similar troubles to rely on the Unity principle of psychology, which emphasizes the power of shared identity and common challenges, as one of the key factors to persuade Tazuna - On top of emphasizing the mutual benefits of such an arrangement, relying on the principle of Reciproci-
Okay, I've gone too deep.
Persuading Tazuna is Hiruzen's problem.
From here, I'll sneak a letter into the Hokage Secretary's Office, as the security is significantly laxer and hopefully, the magic happens.
If not... Oh well, I did what I could I guess.
(3) The Chunin Exams and Subsequent Konoha Invasion by Sand and Sound - Relay of information. Yes Or No?
Now this one's a much more complicated issue - Although I have time to figure this one out during my mission.
Although the obvious choice would be to reveal as much information as I can to minimize casualties, damage, and a literal warlike situation.
I have to think deeper and look at this pragmatically, from all angles.
Should I reveal this information - It is likely, that Konoha will bolster its defenses and prepare a devastating counter-attack during the start of the invasion expecting it and relying on my information.
This is the ideal outcome.
It would be a more effective outcome of the Show's result, allowing for a more favorable negotiating of a True Alliance and subsequent temporary peace with the Hidden Sand and the survival of many great Shinobi, Hiruzen included or so I estimate.
But, this doesn't take into account the leaders of the invading party.
Orochimaru's cunning is well known.
Outing Kabuto could be a possible solution to blinding his information network.
But I don't doubt Orochimaru has his claws on some key information in the Village and has numerous spies.
Not even mentioning Sand's capabilities.
More than likely, should they gain even the slightest whiff Hidden Leaf's high alertness and a hint of their invasion being seen through or even revealed.
They'd scrap that plan, Sand's economic struggle or not, a complete wipeout wouldn't be worth it.
Or Orochimaru would simply send them all to their doom, I still can't figure that one out.
What happens after that?
Too many factors to even count.
The other outcome would be Hiruzen simply canceling the Chunin Exams.
Although a possibility, that one simply delays the inevitable I doubt that'd be his move.
Essentially, revealing information promises a possibility of a better future or an unknown one which could also possibly be better or much much worse.
Then we have the other more... Indifferent option.
Simply... Reveal nothing.
Just play my role and minimize casualties, Eliminate as many enemies as I can, and let the known outcome play out.
Should the result be the same as in the show, even with my presence - Hiruzen would die and the Village Power would see a great change in the election of Senju Tsunade as the 5th Hokage.
...I am not entering that barrier to fight Orochimaru along with Hiruzen, I like being alive thank you very much.
I'd probably only get in his way if I'm being honest.
...Although when he is held in place by that Reaper Seal thing, I can ram him with Beeflejuice.
Just like that, the big bad Sasuke kidnapper would be gone.
Hmm...
Food for thought.
Anyway...
Senju Tsunade as the Hokage would be more favorable for the Leaf, Hiruzen's time had long passed, and a majority of the Village admits this in closed doors.
Much more favorable for me, as she is a big scary monster for all the conservatives.
Not to hate on Makoto and Eiichi, but the stiff laws getting loosened would play to my advantage greatly.
Then again... All this speculation is not taking into account the changes my presence has caused.
Would Orochimaru run at Sasuke for the Sharingan?
Would he be curious about my "Eight" Shadows as well?
...I'm getting the shivers just thinking about it.
Ah... I'll think about it during the mission, I'll also have to prepare the letter and what information to reveal to the Village should I decide to do it.
The sound of the door opening and Mir with a backpack held in his mouth entered the room, his steps echoed loudly on the wooden floor.
He let down the backpack gently onto the floor.
I got up and went to pet him, a smile on my face as I grabbed the backpack, "Thanks, Mir. Good job. Go grab a pig's foot or whatever you can find in the fridge, I'll dismiss you guys in fifteen minutes."
He nodded gratefully and went down towards the kitchen.
Convenient timing as per usual from Mir.
I opened the backpack and grabbed the large furled map, unfurling it on my desk as I placed my notebook back into my shadow.
I gave it a look and scanned our possible routes - The need to not pass through hostile territory and take many detours is a great contributor to the length of our upcoming journey.
I mumbled as I narrowed my eyes at the possible spot where we could pause for a good amount of time, "Hmm... Judging by where the designated meeting spot is in the Land Of Woods, it's almost guaranteed we'll resupply at the Capital City of the Land Of Demons."
I scribbled a rough outline of a possible path we could take to reach our destination, an almost straight line passing through many large towns, as the minor ones weren't even drawn.
There... At the Capital City of the Land Of Demons - Onimiyako is where I'll tame Round Deer.
Hmm... That's about it.
...Oh, and there's my engagement with Makoto's granddaughter right when I'm back from my mission.
Yes, I've made my choice.
Currently, I'm feeling what I term dubious anticipation.
Maybe, just maybe, she wouldn't be bad.
Then again, if she is, I can just pick one of the other choices.
But for Makoto, I'll give that "association" a try.
Allegedly, she's pretty and three years older than me so she's barely at the edge of my age group.
That'd make her 15, almost 16.
How had I never known or seen her ever?
Well, maybe I did.
But when the only hint you have is - "She exists" and the fact her surname is also "Nara", I can't really do a thorough investigation or proper identification.
Not that I care enough to actually do a thorough investigation, I'll deal with her when I meet her.
...Would she even take me seriously?
Because I wouldn't, it's pretty degrading, being engaged with a 12-year-old whilst you're 15.
Mhm, I can sympathize.
...I think.
If anything she should blame her nagging grandfather!
The least he could do was introduce her to me.
The psychological trick of building anticipation won't work on me!
...I presume.
-Scene Change-
6:00 AM.
The sun, in its perpetual indifference, half-heartedly illuminates a world still shackled to the monotony of existence. Unintentionally, its rays intruded upon the slumbering masses, forcibly dragging them from the fleeting refuge of sleep.
Yet another day dawned, each reluctant awakening serving as a bitter reminder of life's relentless and unforgiving routine. What a drag.
...Or so Shikamaru likes to grumble when he wakes up really, really early in the morning.
He sure likes to get cynically poetic when his slumber is disturbed.
So, having said my heartfelt goodbyes and taken my stuff, in my shadows, of course, I left the house and departed towards the West Gate - Team 7's designated meeting place.
My family was already used to my prolonged adventures outside the Village, so our farewell was short and sweet as always.
Although this adventure is going to take a considerable amount of time longer than usual.
As I leisurely strolled through the streets, they weren't exactly empty, but not exactly jam-packed either.
"Good morning, Akira-sama! You're up early!" A Nara craftsman waves at me.
"Mornin." I wave back with a tired smile.
Not early enough for it to be devoid of any living soul besides the street cats. Nor was it late enough for it to be packed to the brim with hustle and bustle.
I took this stroll at a slow pace to shake myself awake as I took note of the cruel reality.
The morning Tea was not effective.
"Akira-sama! Would you like some Taiyaki?" An older Nara Lady running a Taiyaki Stand called out to me as well.
I smiled once again, shaking my head as I replied tiredly, "Ah, sorry. I'm not hungry, thanks for the offer Peko-san!"
As you can see, I'm something of a celebrity myself.
Anywho.
I had lost a good bit of crucial sleep staying up late plotting and, most importantly, sneaking that one letter into the Hokage Secretary's Office.
Honestly, it wasn't really difficult - I really overestimated the task.
Or underestimated myself.
All I had to do was simply summon Noc and Mir a fair distance away, and let them inform me of the status of whether the office was empty.
Once that was done, and the office was empty, I dove into the shadows, hiding inside the shadow under the desk - Jumped out, quickly placed the letter on the desk in a blatantly obvious spot, and just got out of there by diving back into the shadows.
Well, this was actually pretty simple, considering the Secretary's office doesn't have at least 1 ANBU level Shinobi 24/7 on guard like the Hokage's Office.
She just has a few seals inside the office - Guarding important scrolls and seals outside.
I wasn't there to take anything so it was a piece of cake - Else my hand would have been blown up.
Were I to attempt the same thing in the Hokage's office would result in me getting jumped by an ANBU.
Breaking out of my absentminded state, I eventually arrived at the West Gate.
Noting that there were already people out doing their jobs, shops, merchants, and Shinobi.
Speaking of Shinobi, my team isn't here. Which is fine, it's still like 6:50 by my estimation.
For once, I decided to be punctual, as we were stepping out of the Village for an official midterm mission.
Long-term is for missions above six months in estimated complete time - As a fun fact.
We gotta be on schedule, and I don't mind sleeping on that rather comfortable-looking tree over there as I wait for them.
...I am a little tired; catching a few z's won't hurt.
I approached and lay down on the tree, my back unbothered by the rough bark.
Mhm... Not bad.
Not a luxury, but doable. But just in case...
"Divine Dogs." I make the dog head Shadowgraphic hand sign and liquid shadows move at blinding speed to form Level 1 Noc and Mir
"I'll be sleeping, stand guard and wake me up if someone especially brave tries something or if Naruto, Sasuke, or Kakashi are here. Thanks, boys," I commanded as I closed my eyes.
...Effective Shikigami usage if you ask me.
...
'Wake Up.' A ping woke me up from my slumber.
My eyes fluttered awake as I went from a lying position to a sitting position, "Hmm... How long did I sleep for?"
'20 Minutes.' Noc replied.
I muttered, rubbing my eyes, "And who's here?"
'Sasuke. Naruto.' Mir responded
Hmm... Must have crossed paths on their way here.
So much for being punctual; I take back my decision.
Yesterday's Akira, you are an idiot.
I saw them from afar, as they approached my direction I dismissed Noc and Mir with a vocal, "Thanks for the help, I'll treat you later"
Naruto's expression was an excited grin as always as he waved at me enthusiastically, yelling out and waking up poor souls still asleep in the homes beside him running towards me, "Akira! Good morning!"
He ran up to me, Sasuke following slowly behind, I began stretching my body as he finally reached me.
I commented my observation, as I stretched my back from the bark bed I had indulged in, "Mornin, someone's excited."
Naruto responded with pure determination and a level of enthusiasm that could infect even that grump Shikamaru, "Of course I'm excited! We're going out on our first big mission Dattebayo! Evil Ninja! Princesses! Wackie Jutsu Lessons with Kakashi-sensei! Saving a doomed Country! We'll be amazing! Believe it!"
It would be infectious were it not to contain a decent dose of, hopefully, unfulfilled delusions and expectations.
Sasuke having arrived beside Naruto raised an eyebrow, his tone amused and smug, "Aren't you as well? You look like you had a good sleep waiting for us this early."
I waved him off, "I wouldn't consider 20 minutes as good sleep, but you do you... But it looks like among the four of us, only I'm taking this seriously."
Sasuke snorted in response, "Whatever you say." His tone expressed that he didn't believe a word out of my mouth.
I turned to look at the sky, a cloud above us casting a large shadow as a nice breeze passed us by.
"So, how long do you think Kakashi will take to get here? Losers have to buy the Winner lunch at the next town." I stated, my eyes still gazing at the cloud.
"1 Hour." Sasuke offered.
"25 Minutes," I suggested.
"...5 Minutes!" Naruto carefully considered before he threw his educated guess.
And so... Once again.
Slowly, as each minute ticked by.
The anticipation for the Mission was easily quelled and replaced by irritation towards our lovely sensei.
To Be Continued!
-Omake Start-
Title - What Is Your Type Of Woman? (Sort Of Canon)
-Akira POV-
Sipping the pristine quality broth, I turned my gaze toward the stoic Uchiha who was eating his meal with a practiced elegance.
"Sasuke, I've got an important question for you. Naruto you listen in as well. I'd like an answer as well. It's of the utmost importance." A tense and suffocating atmosphere enveloped us and the otherwise empty bar of Ichiraku's.
Teuchi narrowed his eyes at me as he silently continued making his ramen, he seemed to have a keen interest in the question as well.
Naruto was in mid-Ramen inhalation as he responded, completely unbothered by the atmosphere, "MGHM" He nodded as his words came out garbled with his mouth full.
Sasuke stopped his meal, lowering his chopsticks as he locked eyes with me, "Ask." He stated simply.
I nodded, my tone completely serious, "What is your type of woman? Mine is a curvy woman, with a strong and suggestive character. The best part is the thighs."
Sasuke blinked once and turned back to eating his soup.
Naruto nearly choked on his ramen at the sudden question.
Teuchi chuckled, letting out a, "Ah, to be young."
I see... No answer, dear duckie.
"If you like men that's fine too..." I whispered.
His eyes widened nearly instantaneously as he turned in my direction to correct my words, "A woman with a strong character, persistence, and conviction. One who wouldn't stray away from her purpose and won't be against helping me revive my Clan." He responded seriously and genuinely.
Hmm...
Aren't those his fangirls, though?
...Of course, I didn't say that.
"I see... How disappointing." Tears began falling from my eyes, much to the bewilderment of those around me.
Just then, my eyes turned completely bloodshot with maniacal craze and bloodthirst, "WITH THIS TREASURE I SUMMON-"
-Omake End-
-Author Note Start-
Yo, my wonderful people and patient readers!
I honestly didn't have a fitting title for this chapter - Except the fact that it lived up to it when I wrote it lmao.
Never had it been this hard to write a chappie, not gonna lie - Having scrapped a whole half chapter when I wrote this because it was unnecessary.
Though this chapter can also be thrown into the "Unnecessary" Folder, but meh.
Master of Pacing everyone!
Anyways.
I appreciate your patience in waiting for this chapter and I hope it came out hope to snuff in quality and all the other goodies!
Before I get into a tangent, here's a little reward for being so patient!
A hint to the Tiger's Ability.
Bleach.
So! A couple of things:
As you may have noticed, Wave Arc will not be happening for Team 7. (A tragedy!)
Akira's got plans and contemplations regarding his next moves.
Round Deer?
Mhm, Round Deer.
OC Wife?
Don't worry you wont expect this one, let me cook. I know what I'm doing - 100%. (I don't but yeah)
He and the boys are setting out on a new Mission! Huzzah!
Custom Story Arc?! Will BurgerNoTomatoes Cook something spicy?!
Well, I hope I do lmao - It's planned out and I just hope it comes out as planned lol.
This chapter has been mostly goofy stuff, I apologize but I can't help myself.
Next chapter when they finally leave for their mission - the goofy stuff takes a complete backseat.
So expect some more deep and ominous shiet later on.
And action of course - Their weeklong training has obvious results.
Naruto's case especially.
What did he learn? You'll have to see the next chapter.
"B-But it's only a week! Naruto didn't learn jackshit in the Shippuden time skip with Jiraya!"
Shut up! Kishimoto didn't think shit through probably or something lol.
As for Danzo.
Again, as you may notice he's taking a backseat, and the issue with Kotoamatsukami has been dealt with.
I won't be revealing this outright, but he hasn't been spamming it.
"B-But why would he use it on Eiichi specifically out of all people if he isn't spamming it?!"
Shut up! You'll see when I showcase Danzo later on. (Who knows when lol)
As always people, thank you for reading, and hope you enjoyed and found this logical and make sense and other stuff lol.
-Down here is the copy paste stuff-
As always people! If you see any inconsistencies, wrong information, Illogical statements, etc... Notify me, please! I'll fix it ASAP! And or explain it later on in case I had planned to make it vague in the first place.
Also, all comments, reviews, constructive criticism and so on Are much appreciated! I especially love Constructive criticism because it allows me to improve the story in real time! I try my best to follow your advice!
I enjoy responding to you all! So do send them comments! Also, ideas are also welcome! I'm not that creative so assistance from you guys is always nice! Yup!
I hope you lovely people have a fantastic rest of the day/week. And I'll see you in a week's time or so :P
A group of flamingos is called a "flamboyance." Here's this week's random fact.
-Author Note End-