《The Adventurous Gamer Ninja - Daichi Hekima》


 Chapter 1: My Second Chance

    Chapter 1: My Second Chance

    Darkness All around me was nothing but darkness.

    I couldn''t see anything, hear anything or even feel anything. It was like I was floating in a dark void.

    ''How long has it been?

    How did I even get here??

    Oh! Right... Now I remember.''

    -----------------------------------------------------

    "Ring"

    The sound of a bell ringing throughout the school could be heard.

    "That will be all. ss dismissed."

    "Yes!" "Whoohoo!!" "Finally!"

    The sounds of a teacher eager to leave and reach home and students even more eager to enjoy their holidays came.

    Almost all the students chatted amongst each other in groups. Excitedly discussing their ns to spend their vacation. Amidst all the students enthusiastically chatting, almost no one paid attention to the lone student quietly gathering his things and leaving the ss.

    His name was Thomas Kane. He was the son of a wealthy industrialist. Shipped off to boarding school at a young age and with two older brothers who outshined in everything they did and deemed as prodigies by everyone, Thomas didn''t have the motivation to excel in anything.

    Even though he was above average in IQ and could easily attain top marks in all subjects, his scores in studies were average due to hisck of motivation.

    During the first few months of boarding school, he tried to make friends. He managed to make a few but after a short while he figured out they only became friends mostly due to the fact that he came from a wealthy family.

    He cut ties with them and then found the task of making friends tedious and tiresome. He was smart enough to not make himself a social outcast. He made neither friends nor enemies. He maintained an average score. He had an everyday ordinary life.

    But there were two things in life he loved. Chess andics. He was very good at chess. Predicting his opponents moves from the start and outsmarting them by a wide margin was one of his favourite ways to win the game. As he yed more and more he got really good at it.

    He also yed poker with his brothers whenever they woulde to visit. He couldn''t beat them but each time they yed he learned a couple of his tells that would give him away. So with each game he got a little bit better at trying to control his emotions from showing on his face. He wanted to learn to make the perfect poker face.

    The second thing in life he loved wasics, manga and anime. He loved them. The stories they tell. The characters they portray. It brought him endless joy reading and watching their adventures. He was a hardcore fan.

    He spent his days in his apartment alone reading all kinds ofics and mangas he could get his hands on. He fell in love with them from a young age. He enjoyed reading about the different adventures and he often imagined what it would be like if he were in that world.

    He left the school and reached his apartment building after about a 15 minutes walk. His apartment was situated on the third floor. The apartment was a modest one. Comfortable for a single person. He started climbing the stairs. And as he reached the second floor, he suddenly began to feel dizzy. His hands suddenly grabbed onto the side rails to steady himself. He felt like the world was spinning around him.

    "Wow. What the hell?" After a few moments, the vertigo he was feeling slowly disappeared. "Oh, man.! I must be more tired and hungry than I thought." He slowly started to walk and he reached his apartment doors.

    "Hey, Tommy." Thomas heard the voice of his neighbour. He turned around and saw an old man with a white beard wearing round sses and a deerstalker hat standing behind him.

    "Hey, Mr. Mark. How you doing?"

    "Fine kid. Was just gonna go out for groceries. Oh, and I got a package delivered with your name."

    Thomas''s eyes widened excitedly. It''s finally here. "Yeah. It''s something I ordered from overseas. It''s a newic book series that''s recently released. I can''t wait to read it." His eager anticipation could be heard in his voice.

    "You really love those books don''t you?" Old man Mark said with a good-humoured voice.

    "Hold on, I''ll get them for you." The old man turned around and walked back to his apartment and Thomas took out his keys and opened the doors to his home.

    The old man came back holding a brown package box. Thomas was about to grab the package box when the vertigo he was feeling earlier came back. The feeling was more intense this time. As Thomas was falling down and cking out, thest thing he heard was the scared shouts of old man Mark.

    When Thomas regained consciousness and opened his eyes, he realised he was in a hospital room. He saw the hospital gown he was wearing and he could smell the antiseptics lingering in the air. He tilted his head to the side and saw old man Mark sitting beside him in a chair slowly nodding off.

    "Mr. Mark."

    Thomas''s voice woke up the old man with a startle and he looked at the boy lying on the bed. "Oh my god! Tommy, you woke up. Hold on I''ll get the doctor." He rushed outside to find the doctor. He returned shortly afterward and behind him came a man in histe forties wearing a doctor''s coat.

    "Hello Thomas. I''m Doctor Phillips." The man introduced himself. Thomas nodded to him.

    "You were brought in unconscious and we did a workup of your blood and did an MRI and it isn''t good... Son, you have stage 3 brain cancer and it''s progressing quickly. We need to start treatment right away."

    Thomas couldn''t hear anything else. His whole body went numb. He felt as if his whole world was breaking apart.

    "How bad is it?" He asked with a low voice.

    "It''s really serious. Even with treatment, I am afraid you won''t have much time." The doctor replied with a serious tone.

    Seeing the distraught look on the boy, the doctor decided to give him some time to digest the news.

    "I''ll give you two some time. I''ll be in my office if you need me." Said the doctor and he left the room.

    "Tommy, I called your parents. They''re flying over. They''ll be here tomorrow. You''re gonna get through this." Old man Mark said holding Tommy''s hand.

    "I.I don''t"

    Thomas didn''t know what to say or even think. He felt like he was suffocating. All he could hear was the heart that was pounding in his chest.

    "I need some air." He said while slowly getting up.

    "Tommy. I"

    "Mr. Mark. I need a moment. I''d like some time alone now Please."

    Old man Mark looked at him with concern and then nodded. "I''ll wait outside." He slowly left the room.

    Thomas went to a window and looked outside. It was nighttime. And yet the outside was still buzzing with activity. Tears slowly fell down from his eyes. But he didn''t make a single sound.

    He spent the next few minutes just standing there and looking outside with tears running down his face. He then slowly looked at himself and then around the room. He saw his school uniform folded on a nearby table.

    "Screw this. I''m not staying here." He felt angry and ripped off the gown he was wearing. "I gotta get outta here."

    He quickly put on his school uniform and left the room. When Mark saw him leaving in his uniform he was bewildered.

    "Tommy where are you going?"

    He asked. "Out for a walk."

    That was the only reply he got. Mark got up from his chair "It''s too dangerous. You need to stay here."

    Thomas didn''t reply and took off running. He reached the entrance of the hospital and quickly left the ce.

    He didn''t know where he was running to. After a few minutes, he reached what looked like a park. He slowed down and came near a bench.

    Thomas sat down and felt his whole body quivering. Since it was nighttime there wasn''t anybody around. He started whimpering and cried again. This time small sobs starteding out. Thomas sat there crying for some time.

    He was in denial but it soon turned to anger. "Damn it, Damn it, DAMN IT." He clenched his fists and gritted his teeth.

    "Damn it Thomas! Get a grip! Don''t let this be your end." He shouted to himself.

    He quieted down soon after and slowly calmed himself. He was startled when he felt water drops slowly falling on his face. He realized it was starting to rain. Just as he was about to get up from his bench he saw a shadow moving in between the two trees in front of him. In any other circumstances he wouldn''t have cared but this time, curiosity got the better of him and he started walking slowly towards the two trees.

    He looked down and saw a fat ck cat with golden eyes. Thomas felt as if the eyes of the cat were shining in the dark night. Strong winds started blowing and the rain was getting heavier and heavier by the second. It was as if a giant storm had engulfed the city. Both the boy and cat were staring at each other as the rain continued to pour down on them.

    Thomas didn''t know why or for what reason but he decided to pick up the ck cat and go home. He didn''t know why but when he looked into its eyes he felt as if he was being judged by something far more intelligent than him.

    He went near the chubby ck cat and gently picked it up and slowly started walking and went to the nearest street to call a cab. As he was standing there by the side of the road, soaked in the heavy rain, he suddenly heard a small explosion. He looked and saw scraps of a tire flying everywhere and a car out of control speeding toward him.

    "Oh no!"

    His eyes widened and before he could even move to get out of the way, the car was right in front of him. The cat in his arms jumped away right before the car sent him flying.

    He flew back a good 10 ft in the air before touching the pavement. He tumbled a few times on the ground and came to a stop. He could feel the blood flowing out of him and his consciousness slowly fading away.

    Thest thing he saw was the ck cating towards him and touching his hand with its paw and its golden eyes peering into his own.

    -----------------------------

    Am I alive or dead?

    What is this ce?

    How long have I been here?

    Then I heard a voice in my head

    [You have obtained the right to be a yer. Do you ept?]

    Be a yer? ept?

    What''s happening to me? What does it matter I''ll be dead soon anyway.

    [Your time remaining is limited. Should you refuse, your heart will stop in 3 seconds. Do you ept?]

    Whether or not this was a hallucination, Thomas was certain of one thing. His impending death.

    [2 Seconds]

    At this point, Thomas gave himself up to resignation. He wanted to live. To have a second chance at the life that was taken from him.

    [1 Second]

    I WANNA LIVE. I ACCEPT.

    He couldn''t move his lips and utter those words but he screamed them in his mind. And then a voice answered.

    [Wee, yer]

    Suddenly something started to change. ''Wait a minute. What''s this feeling? It''s as if I''m in a dream and trying desperately to open my eyes. Come on wake up. Damn it WAKE UP.'' Suddenly my eyes opened in a snap.

    The first thing I saw was a blue box floating in front of me.

    You have slept in a bed. HP, CP and SP have been fully restored.

    What the F*ck? I looked around in a daze and found that I was lying on a bed in a room that was definitely not mine. When I saw a window at the end of the room, I stood up from my bed and went to look. The view that greeted me was something I couldn''t prepare for.

    Four majestic faces adorned a mountain with the sun slowly rising from behind. I quickly realised that what I was looking at, was in fact the Hokage Mountain. I did a double take and then...

    "WHAT THE F*CK?"

    That was my first reaction after realising that I was in the Naruto universe.

    ---------------------------------------

    Author''s Notes:

    Ok. A few things first. English is my secondnguage. So please forgive any minute grammatical mistakes you might see. Second: I n onpleting this story. I will see it to the end. Reading a good story and then seeing it not be updated is disheartening. The next thing is, I haven''t decided on a pairing for the main character. And even if I do decide, it won''t be for a long while. And before you ask, No. This story won''t have a harem.

    Your reviews, ideas, criticism and thoughts are wee. They will be a great motivator for me to keep going and improve my writing.

 Chapter 2: Waking up as Daichi Hekima

    Chapter 2: Waking up as Daichi Hekima

    Thomas POV.

    "This is This can''t be real. I have to be dreaming or something."

    As I looked at the Hokage mountain and then to the rest of the leaf vige, I could hear my breathing quicken. My heart started pounding in my chest. My hands trembling from the realisation that I had somehow been reborn into a fictional world. A world filled with dangers as well as opportunities.

    "What the hell? Why, how, who?"

    Taking a deep breath, I tried to calm myself. "Ok. Calm down, Thomas. No need to panic."

    And then I remembered all the threats that would gue the world. Orochimaru, Akatsuki, Madara, Zetsu, Kaguya and beyond.

    "Ok. Small reason to panic."

    As I was standing there near the window freaking out, a calmness suddenly washed over me. I felt as if everything would be alright.

    "Wow. What was that?."

    I brought my hand to my chest and felt my beating heart. The heart that was rapidly beating earlier, was now in a calm state.

    "OK man, pull yourself together. Think this through. What''s thest thing you remember?" I asked myself.

    I went through my memories searching for answers. "I remember now. Old man Mark. Hospital. My incurable disease. The park. The cat and then the car that rammed into me." As the memories of my death shed in my mind, I couldn''t help bing a little sad.

    "Ok, if I was in an ident shouldn''t I be in the hospital right now? Or am I hallucinating and I''m really in aa and this is my brain''s way of helping me cope? Ok think. What else happened?"

    Then the memories of the ck void rushed to the forefront of my mind. I sucked in a deep cold breath of air as I recalled the moments I spent in the darkness, and of the voice that spoke to me.

    "I remember someone saying I was selected and to ept. What was thest thing they said?" Then I suddenly recalled thest words spoken by that mysterious voice.

    "Wee yer"

    Those words quietly left my lips. I suddenly looked towards the bed and then remembered the blue box notification that was in front of me. It had disappeared but I could clearly recall what was written inside the box. "You have slept in a bed. HP, CP and SP have been fully restored." I quietly said to myself.

    ''That''s definitely what I saw. I''ve only seen that happen to one person. And that too in aic. The gamer. Wait a minute, if that notification appeared in front of me, does that make me a gamer?'' "That can''t be. It''s impossib..."

    I suddenly stopped and looked outside. I saw the vige that woke up and the increasingly bustling street. And then I looked to the Hokage mountain. My eyes carefully observing every inch of the four faces. I put my hands on the window sill and felt the texture of the worn-out wood against my skin. Then I pinched my cheeks with both hands.

    "OW"

    ''I definitely feel pain. Feels all too real.'' I recalled everything that happened to me a second time. After letting out a deep breath I came to a conclusion.

    "This is either a hallucination and I''m in aa or this is my second chance. All the evidence points me to thetter. and I want to believe it as such... Then the calmness that washed over me earlier must be the ability ''Gamers mind''. The skill to keep calm in all situations. Then is it possible that I have the gamer''s body as well? Need to confirmter."

    Aftering to the realisation that this was most probably my second chance, a smile slowly bloomed on my face.

    "In the Naruto world with a gamer ability, huh. This will definitely be interesting. But what should be my goal?"

    As I pondered on this question an image of Naruto and Sasuke fighting in the final Valley at their strongest appeared. It excited me to know that someone with the right tools could be that strong in this world. But at the same time I also remembered the dangers and threats hiding in the shadows. Both threats from inside the vige and outside.

    "My first and most important priority is to survive this kill or be killed world. If anyone finds out about my origin or memories or my gamer''s body then I''ll end up in prison, dead or worse On an experiment table. Definitely can''t let that happen."

    "Alright. I need information first. Then training and increasing my strength. When I''m ready I''ll stand at the top of this era. And make the whole world know my name. That''s gonna be another of my goals. And I definitely have the best tool with me. I''m gonna give it my all and reach the top. Sorry Naruto, Sasuke. But I''ll be taking the spot of the world''s strongest from you guys."

    I was excited and was going to open the gamer status page but before I could, I heard a voice and several knocks on the door to my room.

    "Daichi, are you awake in there?"

    Since I''m the only one in the room then that means Daichi must be my name in this world.

    "Yes, I''m awake." I quickly answered.

    The door opened and a brown-haired boy in histe teens came to a stop in front of me. He had a round face, slim build and light brown eyes and was wearing a smile on his face.

    "Have you only gotten up just now? You haven''t even changed. Don''t you know how special today is?" He asked me in a teasing voice.

    Suddenly without warning a blue box appeared in front of me.

    [A new skill is created with a specific action.]

    [Through continuous observation, a skill to find target''s information, ''Observe'' has been created.]

    I was taken aback and dumbly said. "What?." ''Is there something special about today?. Damn it. I have no idea what''s going on. I just got here.'' Although I was keeping a rtively calm face, I was slightly panicking on the inside.

    Having just gotten the observe skill, I decided the teen in front of me would be my first target. ''Observe''.

    [LV. 30][Jozu Kenta]

    [He helps at the orphanage from time to time to help out Miss Aiko. He is fond of you.]

    Putting a bewildered look on my face, which wasn''t that difficult considering the whole situation, I replied. "Umm Noo?"

    He could clearly see the confusion that was evident on my face. "Don''t tell me you forgot your own birthday. Or are you just ying with me?"

    He asked me with a mock suspicious look on his face. "Come on. You need to get ready. The head Matron wants to see you. I think she has a surprise for you." He said with a smirk.

    Quest Created - ''Report to the Head Matron.''

    The Matron of the orphanage wants to see you for something important. Freshen up and get to her office before time runs out. (10:00 mins.)

    Rewards:

    Rep increases with Matron Aiko

    150 Exp

    1st Quest Completion Bonus Exp

    New Title

    Failure:

    Rep decreases with Matron Aiko

    New Title

    ept (Y/N)

    I was startled by the quest box that appeared but quickly got a hold of myself and read through the contents. After reading it thoroughly I epted the quest immediately.

    Putting a smile on my face I replied. "Yeah. I''ll be ready in a few minutes. Tell her I''ll be down shortly."

    "Alright. Be quick." He turned around and started walking. "Oh, and by the way, Happy Birthday Daichi." That was thest thing he said before closing the door. The moment the door closed, the smile left my face.

    "Oh man! That was close. Who am I? Where am I? I need info on who I am and what year of the timeline I''m in."

    Just as I was fretting over these questions a system message appeared in a blue box.

    [SYSTEM MESSAGE]

    [ Memories of the previous life of your soul which were locked have now been unlocked. Memories of your current life and your unlocked ones are being merged. Mergingplete. Good luck, yer.

    System Administrator ]

    New memories came to the forefront of my mind. Hmm, these must be the memories of this body before I inhabited it. No, based on what I understand from the system message my soul is the same as that of my previous life and the memories of that life were just temporarily sealed. I''m the same person as before. Or at least my soul is.

    "Well it''s a good thing to know I''m not some soul parasite that just took over an innocent kids body."

    ''So my name''s Daichi Hekima. I am now 5 years old. My parents died in the nine tails attack. That''s a bummer. Currently living in an orphanage. And today is my birthday - March 28. And the kid who just came was called Jozu. A genin who helps out here. And the matron is a woman in herte fifties named Aiko.''

    "Hmm. Ok, guess that''s the when and where and I''ve already deduced the how. Guess that will have to do for now. Better get ready and get down there before the timer runs out. Having the gamers mind definitelyes in handy. Otherwise, I''d be freaking out right now."

    As I freshened up and was getting out of my sleepwear, my mind pondered on why the matron would call me so early in the morning today. ''Whatever it is, I have to be ready.'' I thought to myself. Putting on some fresh clothes I stepped out of the room and headed for the office.

    As I went to the office I experienced a sense of Deja Vu. I was walking down the hall for the first time but it felt as if I''ve walked them my whole life. A surreal experience. As I reached the door to the matron''s office, I prepared myself for what''s toe. Taking a deep breath and letting it out, I knocked on the door 3 times.

    "Come in." The old voice of the matron. My new memories told me. Opening the door I entered the room and saw Matron Aiko sitting behind a desk with a calm and gentle face.

    I saw an old man sitting opposite to her with an equally calm but serious face looking me over. I walked a few steps, stopped, and looked around the room. It was a modest one with a shelf half filled with books and some scrolls and a few trinkets. I saw several photos of the kids and staff that were here at the orphanage.

    I stopped looking around and looked directly at Aiko.

    "You wanted to see me miss Aiko?"

    "Yes, little Daichi. I''m d you came quickly. There is someone here I''d like you to meet. This is Kensei Yasaji. He''s interested in adopting you."

    Hearing those words I looked toward the man and scrutinised him. He had shaggy ck hair, a small scar on his left cheek and another running vertically across his right eye. He had a strong build for someone his age but I can see the cane he uses to walk. The most noticeable feature about him was his left leg. Orck thereof. He uses a pegleg as a prosthesis to walk around.

    ---------------------------------------

 Chapter 3: New Beginnings

    Chapter 3: New Beginnings

    Normal P.O.V

    Suddenly several notification boxes appeared, startling Daichi.

    Quest ''Report to the head Matron'' Completed.

    Rewards:

    Rep increases with Matron Aiko.

    150 Exp.

    1st Quest Completion Bonus. 500 Exp.

    New Title: Capable Child. (This title will boost Exp rewards by 15% )

    You have leveled up.

    You have leveled up.

    Skill Observe''s level has risen by one.

    For the second time that day, Daichi was taken aback and dumbly said. "What?".

    ''I knew he''d be surprised but I didn''t think he''d be this surprised.'' Aiko thought to herself looking at Daichi''s shocked face.

    The old man Kensei Yasaji was looking at the boy and a slight upward curl of his lips could be seen.

    Thanks to the gamer''s mind skill, Daichi regained his calm face quickly and looked at the old man and then at the matron. He used the ''observe'' skill on the old man but didn''t get any new information.

    [??] [Kensei Yasaji]

    ???

    He turned to look at the Matron and he saw the level and a small description about her.

    [LV. 47] [Aiko Hikara]

    [She is a chunin who served the leaf vige for 11 years and then served as a medic in the hospital for 7 more. After retiring she used her funds to build the orphanage where she currently resides as its head Matron. She loves kids and cares deeply for them. She thinks you''re a sweet kid and wants the best for you.]

    Daichi quickly read through the description and he felt he had a better understanding of the woman.

    "So Daichi, what do you say?"

    When he heard Miss Aiko''s question he looked back at the old man. ''I could see Miss Aiko''s level and some info on her but I don''t have anything on the old man.''

    ''That means he''s definitely above level 47 and definitely a shinobi. But what kind of a man is he?. Someoneidback or serious? Or is he someone ruthless and maniptive and with less than kind intentions? Thest one seemed less likely since Aiko''s allowing this guy to adopt me... Well, only one way to find out. What I''m about to do is stupid and has risks but at least it''ll give me an idea as to who I''m dealing with.''

    All of these thoughts shed through Daichi''s mind in a couple of seconds. Steeling his heart, he made a choice. "You know old man, with that pegleg, if you wear an eye patch you''d make a scary-looking pirate." He said with a smile on his face.

    ''Let''s see how this guy responds. Will he take my words as an insult orugh it off? Or maybe neither and stay expressionless.?''

    He noticed Aiko''s face sporting a shocked expression out of the corner of his eye. "Daichi! That was very rude. Apologize." She eximed.

    Daichi was still looking at the old man''s face with a small smile. Suddenly the old man''s face had arge grin and he burst outughing. "Ha! Boy, you''re not the first person to tell me that. Even I think I''d make a decent pirate with my face. In fact, thedies would definitely fall for my ruggedly handsome looks." He said in a merry tone.

    Aiko was taken aback and then slowly a small smile bloomed on her face. ''For a moment I thought Kensei would be offended but I''m happy to be proven wrong in this instance.''

    "So kid what do you say.? Wannae live with me.?" Kensei asked me with a wide grin. "Sure." Daichi replied with an equally wide grin on his face.

    "Well I am d you two are happy. Daichi, why don''t you go upstairs and grab your things. Kensei-san and I will be waiting here."

    "Ok." He nodded and left the room.

    "You were right. He''s smart." Kensei said after Daichi left the room.

    "Yes. He''s much more intelligent than the other kids here." Aiko agreed and added her thoughts. "Tell me something? This adoption... Is this just about Hotaru or is there something more?" She had a serious expression on her face as asked this question.

    Kensei looked at Aiko and had a smirk on his face. "Maybe I''m just a nice guy and want to give the kid a home.!?"

    The matron slightly narrowed her eyes. "A nice guy? You and I both know that''s not true. The only reason I agreed to this adoption is because we''ve known each other for over two decades. Now tell me. Why now? Why him?"

    The smile left Kensei''s face and he closed his eyes for a moment. The masked face of someone who rescued him during a mission long ago came to his mind.

    "Let''s just say that I''m here to honor a promise."

    --------------------------------

    Daichi''s P.O.V

    On my way up, a lot of thoughts crossed my mind. Even though Aiko posed the adoption choice as mine, I knew it really wasn''t. If every orphan had that choice I doubt many would get adopted. But the three main reasons why I decided to ept the offer so readily was because

    1. I want some privacy. And I wouldn''t have gotten it here in the orphanage.

    2. This old man reminded me of my old neighbor Mr.Mark. Kind and helpful. And I couldn''t feel any ill intenting from him. But I am just a child, and that guy is most likely an old shinobi veteran who probably has decades of experience hiding his emotions. So I wouldn''t be able to tell even if he was a bad guy. But my gut feeling says that guy cares about me. Although lord knows why.

    And the third and most important reason

    3. He''s a shinobi who''s definitely at least high chunin level or more. Myck of info when I used observe on him proved that much. If I could learn from him during the time I spent in the academy, it would definitely boost my growth rate exponentially. Something that wouldn''t happen if I stayed here.

    There are definitely cons to this as well. He could find out about my gamer body and its abnormalities and report it to the Hokage. He could be a retired root agent and looking to recruit new talents for Danzo''s army. Or something else entirely. All risks I will have to take. But the pros definitely outweigh the cons. So this was a decision that wasn''t hard to make.

    Due to making a logical and smart decision, you have obtained +1 WIS

    A new blue dialogue box appeared. Other than my hands and shoulders slightly twitching I made no outward reaction. I was starting to get used to the notifications popping up in front of me without warning.

    ''An unexpected but not unwee surprise. So this also means I can increase my stat points by not just leveling up huh.! Alright! I''ve waited long enough. Time to check out my status page.''

    "Status" I quietly muttered. A new window appeared containing my information.

    Name : Daichi Hekima (The Gamer)

    ss : Civilian

    Age : 5

    Title : Capable Child

    Level : 3 (0/1000)

    HP : 195

    CP : 155

    SP : 100

    Primary Stats

    Strength - 5

    Vitality - 4

    Dexterity - 3

    Agility - 4

    Intelligence - 10

    Chakra - 3

    Wisdom - 8

    Special Stats - Locked (To see the special stats at least one of them must be unlocked. Unlocking these stats requires certain actions or reaching specific conditions. Different stats are unlocked with different methods.)

    Stat Points - 25

    Ryo - 0

    ''Everything looks standard except for two stats. My intelligence is highest with wisdoming in second. Hmm It must be due to my previous life. 17 Years worth of maturity and intelligence and logical decision-making capabilities. I guess it''s only natural that my Intelligence and wisdom are higher than the rest. And what the heck are these locked special stats? No. Not right now. I''ll do a more thorough research on my gamer''s abilityter in my own room at the old man''s home.'' I thought to myself and closed the status page.

    I quickly reached my room and started packing the few belongings I had in a bag. It wasn''t much. Just a few pairs of dresses and a few books.

    As I put what little I owned into the bag my mind went to my previous life. ''Mom, Dad What are they feeling right now? What a stupid question. I''m sure they''re heartbroken right now. And my brothers Alex and Simon I won''t get to see any of them again.'' As the faces of my family came to my mind, tears welled up in my eyes and before I went into a hysteria the gamers mind activated and calmed me down. I rubbed my eyes and took a few deep breaths and got my emotions under control.

    ''I can''t wallow in sadness or self pity. I have to move on. Mom, Dad, Alex, Simon I won''t forget you. But I''m going to move on. I have to I''ll make sure to live a good and happy life. Please do the same. I hope you guys will be ok''

    I sighed and quickly finished packing and when I stepped outside the room I saw Jozu standing nearby. I used ''observe'' on him immediately for the second time that day.

    [LV. 30][Jozu Kenta]

    [He is a genin who doesn''t have much talent but has a good heart. He failed the chunin exams three times and decided to stay genin and do minimum risk missions. He helps out at the orphanage from time to time to help out Miss Aiko. He is fond of you.]

    ''Hmm. More information than the first time. Must be because my ''Observe'' has leveled up. Ok, the first thing I gotta do is level up ''Observe'' as much as I can as fast as I can.'' I mulled.

    "I heard the good news. Although I''m sad to see you leave, I am truly happy for you." He said with a sad smile.

    Jozu was the one I had memories of the most. He taught the ''previous Daichi'' to read and write and told him all kinds of stories that made himugh. He was like an older brother. Well at least to the ''previous Daichi'' anyway. Still, I couldn''t help but feel a small attachment to him.

    I went to him and gave him a tight hug. "Thank you. For everything." He hugged me back just as tightly. After a few seconds, he let go and quickly wiped the few tears he had at the corner of his eyes.

    "This is way too sappy. Real men don''t cry. This is supposed to be a happy asion. Go on. Better not keep Miss Aiko waiting." He said with a big smile patting my back. I smiled nodding at him and then made my way to the matron''s office.

    Both Kensei and Aiko were waiting for me at the door of the office. Aiko had a gentle smile on her face and asked. "Are you ready Daichi?." I nodded and then bowed.

    "Thank you for taking care of me all these years, Miss Aiko. I''ll never forget you."

    The gratitude in my voice was clear. This was a woman who spent her life serving this vige as a shinobi. And then healing others as a medic. And now she spends her days looking after, and genuinely caring for children who have no one. I may not know her personally, but this woman deserves my utmost respect.

    Aiko ced a hand on my shoulder. "Happy birthday Daichi. This is a new beginning for you. So make the most of it."

    I looked at her and nodded, then turned to the old man. We both nodded at each other and slowly made our way out of the orphanage.

    As I set foot outside, excitement, anxiety, giddiness and all kinds of other emotions welled up in my heart. Like Miss Aiko said. This is my new beginning and this is also my second chance. I am not going to waste it. I am gonna give it my all.

    Get ready world. Here Ie.

 Chapter 4: Shi Fangs Restaurant

    Chapter 4: Shi Fang''s Restaurant

    Daichi''s POV

    I felt the warm rays of the sun on my body. The cool morning breeze gently blowing around me. I was so excited I had a small skip in my step. As I looked around I saw trees of different shapes and sizes and various nts of all colors adorning the sides of the road. This vige was mesmerizing.

    There was no pollution in the air here or the screeching noises of the many vehicles that I was ustomed to back in my old world. With every breath of air, it felt like strength was flowing into my body.

    As I was walking forward I realized that the orphanage was situated at the outskirts of the leaf vige. I took a look back to take in the sight of the building. It was different from the one I remember watching in the story. So this must be another orphanage in the vige. I remember reading in the description that this orphanage was built by Aiko with her funds and she was the one running it.

    Quest Created - ''Scout out the vige.''

    Explore and find out more about the vige. Find the different buildings and ces in the vige (0/7). Time limit: 7 Days.

    Rewards:

    1000 Exp

    Rep increases with Leaf Vige citizens.

    Complete Quest in 3 days. (New Title) (Bonus)

    Failure:

    Rep decreases with Leaf Vige citizens.

    Rep decreases with Kensei Yasaji.

    ept (Y/N)

    I was slightly surprised by a new quest appearing so soon but quickly epted after reading the contents. I won''t say no to more exp and with my knowledge and the time limit of 7 days, it would be easy for me toplete it.

    I looked towards the old man who was walking beside me with a small smile.

    "So where to?" I asked.

    He had a grin when he answered. "Why don''t we get some breakfast. I know a ce that sells some of the most delicious foods in the vige." I gave him a nod and looked ahead.

    He had a serene expression as his left hand used the cane to help him take each step and his right hand folded behind his back. The old man walked slowly but had a measured gait. I walked beside him looking all around me. What the old man didn''t know was that I was using my ability ''Observe'' on everything that I set my eyes on.

    ''Observe''

    [Oak tree]

    A tall oak tree that was nted 33 years ago and is home to various species of birds and rodents. It is 72 feet in height and 8 feet in width. The branches reach up to 105 feet in length. It is a healthy tree and has strong and durable wood, excellent for furniture and carpentry work. The wood of this tree has a small resistance to water.

    ''Observe''

    [Small Stone]

    A hard earthen substance that came from arge rock. Mainly used in walls and foundational works.

    ''Observe''

    [Squirrel]

    HP: 18 CP: 8

    A flying squirrel from the species of squirrels. It is four years old. They are not capable of flight like birds but they can glide from one tree to another using their wing-like membrane that stretches from wrist to ankles.

    Skill Observe''s level has risen by one.

    Skill Observe''s level has risen by one.

    Skill Observe''s level has risen by one.

    As I was using ''observe'' on everything that crossed my path, the level of the skill increased several times. As I kept walking towards the center of the vige I noticed buildings of all shapes and sizes and various colors. The leaf vige was a mixture of nature and city. The trees and various nts intermingled with the different buildings gave this vige an elegant natural beauty.

    I saw more and more people walking down the streets. People opening their shops for business. I even saw a few ninjas jumping on rooftops and disappearing as quickly as I saw them. I saw some teenagers in chunin vests walking past me. I looked around and at everything in wonder. Like a country bumpkin who just entered the big city. I noticed out of the corner of my eye that a few women were looking at me and giggling at my expression. I felt a blush slowly starting to appear on my face.

    "It''s breathtaking isn''t it?" The old man asked me.

    "Very." I replied.

    The old man stopped in front of a small store and motioned me toe inside. I read the small sign hanging on top of the store.

    ''Shi Fang''s Restaurant.''

    As soon as I stepped in I could smell the fragrance of different foods lingering in the air. It was a small, simple restaurant. Only a few people were dining inside at the moment. Even though the restaurant was simple it was neat and tidy. With an area of, little over 17 square meters and around a dozen sets of tables and chairs, it was indeed a small restaurant.

    You have found a restaurant. Quest progression (1/7)

    I nced at the blue notification box and slightly smiled and dismissed it. Happy at the smallpletion of the quest, I followed Kensei to a seat. The old man went to a table at the corner and took a seat while I took the opposite chair. Suddenly a young man walked out of the kitchen and headed for us. He had a slim figure and fair skin. His long ck hair was tied back into a ponytail with a small wool rope.

    I quickly used ''observe'' on him.

    [ LV.19] [ Shi Fang]

    Age: 20

    HP: 2738. CP: 2023

    [Shi Fang is the owner of Shi Fang''s Restaurant. Even though he trained in the shinobi academy for a few years his dream was to be a chef like his father. He dropped out during the 3rd year of the academy to pursue his dream. 2 years ago he inherited the restaurant from his father after he proved himself as a capable chef and owner. He secretly trains his body and senses to improve his cooking speed and skills.]

    Third Person POV

    "Good morning Kensei-san. It''s been a while. How have you been my friend?" He asked in a jovial tone.

    "I''m Good little Shi. How''s business.?"

    "The usual. Things won''t get hectic until noon. So I''m free for a while. I''m currently looking for ideas on a new dish."

    "Oh? What kind of a dish?" The old man asked curiously. He knew that all the dishes here were made by Shi and they were all delicious.

    "That''s a surprise." That was the only reply he got. The young owner then turned his head and looked to Daichi and asked politely

    "And who might you be kid?"

    "I''m Daichi Hekima." The boy said with a smile.

    "I decided to adopt him. So now he''s my grandson." Kensei added.

    Rep increases with Shi Fang

    Shi was surprised and then smiled. "Good for you old man. Guess you won''t be so lonely in that house anymore. Now then, what will you two be having?"

    "We''ll have two tes of Rainbow dumplings."

    "Coming right up." Shi left and disappeared into the kitchen.

    "I could smell the fragrance of several foods when I entered this ce. So I''m guessing this ''Rainbow dumplings'' is gonna be delicious huh." Daichi asked, looking at Shi''s retreating figure.

    "It is. This ce may look small but I''ve eaten some of the most delicious foods in my life at this ce." Kensei had a small grin when he said those words. Hearing his reply Daichi got excited to try the dish and was waiting eagerly for it.

    "We have a few minutes before hees back. So let''s have a chat." Kensei''s smile disappeared as he said those words. He was calm and collected with no emotions showing on his face.

    Daichi was only slightly surprised at the sudden change in atmosphere. Even though he smiled and was putting on a cheerful face all this time, he was cautious and had never let his guard down. He knew this was a shinobi vige and he had to be extremely careful with every move he made.

    He knew from the start, the person adopting him could potentially be an enemy. Until he had the strength to protect himself from most threats, he would tread cautiously. This was something Daichi decided after his meeting with Kensei in the orphanage.

    Without even realizing it, Daichi''s body instinctively shifted into a defensive posture and the smile and cheerful expression disappeared. He maintained a neutral face just like the old man sitting opposite to him. About 30 seconds passed by, with neither of them making a sound or movement. Each of them looking at the other with expressionless faces.

    "That''s what I wanted to see." Kensei said, breaking the ufortable silence.

    Daichi was confused. ''What does he mean by that? What did he see?'' Daichi was only pondering these questions for a few seconds before the answer hit him. He suddenly looked at his clenched hands and the defensive posture his body was in.

    His eyes widened as he found the answer. He didn''t react in the way a normal 5 year old would. Daichi quickly realized that the old man figured out he was no ordinary child, with the way he schooled his face and his body''s fight or flight response.

    ''He realized I''m more than the average kid based on my reaction just now. But what triggered him to test me? I doubt he knows about my Gamer ability or its abnormalities. But if he thinks I''m some kind of a spy or a threat and decides to interrogate me or report me, I''m doomed.''

    ''I have to find out how much he knows and what he thinks I am. I can''t tell him who I really am but ying dumb won''t help me either. And if I lie it would only get me in trouble. It''s best to do this straight forward.''

    Daichi quickly looked back to the old man and asked in a serious voice. "How long have you known?"

    Kensei looked at the child in front of him and answered. "I see you''re choosing the direct approach. Good. That''s my style too. So how long have I known that you are much smarter and perceptive than a kid your age has any right to be? Isn''t that your question?" Kensei asked with a smirk. Daichi looked at him and slowly nodded.

    "Since our first meeting. When Aiko told you about the adoption, you had a certain look on your face and a glint in your eyes. Something I''ve seen on many shinobi who are deep in enemy territories. It was only for a split second so I doubt Aiko saw it. But I''ve been a shinobi for most of my life. So when I saw that calcting glint in your eyes, I instantly recognized it."

    "The eyes of someone finding himself in an unknown situation, and deciding to take a risk after weighing the pros and cons and to figure out the variables. Which in this case is me. And right now your body''s reaction to what you perceive as a possible potential threat. The way you reacted to my words. All of that tells me all I need to know."

    Daichi was freaking out inside his head. ''Holy crap. Holy crap. This guy is way too perceptive. I knew I might be caught one day but not on my first day here before lunch. Oh man, what do I do?''

    As Daichi was panicking a sudden calmness washed over him and he was able to quickly regain control of his emotions and thoughts.

    ''Thank you gamer''s mind''.

    ----------

 Chapter 5: Ambitions

    Chapter 5: Ambitions

    Kensei was watching young Daichi''s face intently. He saw the myriads of emotions and expressions shing across his face. Kensei sighed to himself.

    ''This kid is smart and intelligent, and perceptive far beyond his age, but he is a total newbie when ites to controlling his facial expression and emotions.''

    Kensei was a bit surprised at how quickly Daichi went from panicking to suddenly keeping a calm face. But he didn''t think much of it. He asked with a smug tone. "You wanted to see how I''d react, didn''t you? Isn''t that why you said I''d make a good pirate? Am I right?"

    Daichi was surprised even more. He didn''t think the old man would figure him out so quickly. He nodded his head.

    "Yes." That was the only answer he gave.

    "So what now?" Daichi asked cautiously.

    "When I woke up this morning I didn''t think I''d be adopting a genius." Kensei said.

    Confusion ran across Daichi''s face. "Genius? What are you talking about?"

    "Kid. Let''s not beat around the bush. We both know you''re much smarter than those your age. You''re keen and perceptive and have a maturity that''s not seen in a 5-year-old. Well, most 5-year-olds anyway." Kensei said as he recalled the faces of the handful of geniuses he had met over his lifetime. And the smile was back on his face.

    Daichi was listening to him with the same calm expression but he was relieved inside. ''Oh thank god. He thinks I''m a genius and not a spy. I can work with that. But I need to know why he adopted me. What he wants from me. Lets see if this old man is willing to give me the answers.''

    "I have two questions. Will you answer me honestly?" Daichi asked politely.

    "Go ahead." Kensei nodded.

    "Why did you adopt me?"

    Kensei''s face turned slightly solemn and had a sad smile on his face. He sighed and answered. "You remind me of my son. His name was Hotaru. He was killed in the nine tails attack 5 years ago. He and I had a... strained rtionship and over the years we drifted apart. When I saw you a week ago with Aiko buying groceries, it looked like I was looking at a young Hotaru. You have such a resemnce to him, I thought you might be his son."

    "But judging from your expression, I''m not, am I?" Daichi asked.

    "No. I had Aiko run a blood test. You''re not his son. Listen Daichi, you may not be his son but I''ve decided to adopt you nheless. I know we may not be rted by blood but from now on I am your grandpa. And I expect you to call me as such."

    "So your reason for taking me in is because I have a resemnce to your long-dead son!?" Daichi then smirked innocently and continued. "Are you sure it''s not because you''re getting old and you need someone to take care of you?"

    "Ha. I''m still in my 60''s brat. It''ll be a couple dozen more years before I would need anyone to take care of me." The tense atmosphere between the two instantly disappeared.

    Kensei said with augh. Then he said, "He was smart and cheeky just like you. While not a prodigy he was definitely above his peers. So you see it''s not just your looks that resembles him. Now you know why I chose you."

    Daichi nodded and smiled at him. "Thank you for giving me a home Now for my second question. Why did you decide to test me just now?"

    "I''ve seen orphaned children lead a difficult life. They are extremely cautious towards new people. They are also a bit smarter and more mature than the children of their age. But I doubt they''d be capable of assessing the advantages and disadvantages of an unknown situation and make hard, smart decisions. Especially when they only have a limited amount of information. And to do it all in the span of a few seconds while keeping a cool face? Very few kids can do that. So I wanted to see which one you were. A cautious slightly more mature child or a genuine genius."

    "Come on. What makes you think I''m a genius?"

    "A gut feeling. Besides you don''t talk like a regr kid, do you? For me it feels as if I''m talking to an adult." He said with a smirk stered on his face. Daichi didn''t answer the rhetorical question.

    Just then a tantalizing aroma filled their nostrils and they automatically looked towards the kitchen. They saw Shi Fang holding two bowls heading towards them. He reached their table and ced the food in front of them.

    Daichi quickly used ''Observe'' on his food.

    ''Observe''

    [Rainbow Dumplings]

    [A delicious breakfast dish made by Shi Fang. The inside of the dumpling has sevenyers of vegetables and meat. The ingredients used to make this dish are all of high quality. Shi Fang uses a special method to cook this dish to ensure that the ingredients retain some of their chakra and most of their vitality. 1 Dumpling Restores 15 HP and 9 CP.]

    Daichi was incredulous after reading that description. ''Holy shit. This thing can restore 15 HP and 9 CP. If that''s the case, in my current state just 14 of these things and I''ll be in full health. I definitely need to check out my inventory and find out if It can preserve food. If It can, I am definitely buying a couple hundred of these for a rainy day.''

    Two white ss bowls with 3 white dumplings each and some soup poured and chopped onions sprinkled over it.

    The white and glossy ''Rainbow Dumplings'' were not radiating rainbow colors despite its name. These dumplings were smooth and translucent, and the fillings inside could almost be seen.

    From the outside, there seemed to be a faint amount of fragrance enveloping the fillings and made the dumpling appear extremely tantalizing.

    "Enjoy." Shi said and then walked away.

    "Alright. Why don''t we table our discussion until after we''ve had our stomachs filled?! Let''s dig in. You''re going to love this ce after you''ve had a taste of these dumplings." Kensei said.

    Daichi didn''t need any more encouragement and he quickly took the chopsticks, picked up a dumpling, and ced it in his mouth. As soon as he bit into the dumpling he could feel a soft fragrant smell filling his mouth. He closed his eyes and enjoyed the blissful moment for a few seconds.

    "Mmmm. Delicious." He couldn''t help but say those words.

    Both Daichi and Kensei enjoyed the food and ate at afortable slow pace. They ate the 3 dumplings and finished the soup in about 10 minutes. Both of them werepletely satisfied with their breakfast.

    "Happy?" Kensei asked the boy.

    "Yes. I definitely have toe back here." Daichi replied.

    "Now then, shall we continue our chat.?" Daichi simply nodded to the old man''s question.

    "I want you to think long and hard before you answer this question... What do you want to be in the future?" Kensei asked in a serious tone.

    Daichi paused at the question and was about to immediately reply, ''a shinobi.'' But he stopped himself and thought about it a bit more.

    ''What I want huh. I want to be the strongest, so I''m definitely going to be a ninja but is that all I really want? I''m in a world full of possibilities and unknowns. And I bet there are a lot more interesting things out there that the story didn''t cover. I have the gamer''s ability. The best tool for any situation. So theoretically nothing should be impossible for me. I could learn about all sorts of things.''

    As Daichi was having these thoughts, he looked toward the empty ss bowl in front of him. After thinking for a few more seconds he made a decision and he had his answer.

    Daichi looked at the old man and had a resolute face and gave him his answer. "I am going to be a shinobi. Not just any shinobi, but the world''s strongest. But that''s not all I want. I want to visit all sorts of ces. Travel the world. Experience all sorts of things. Try new things. But what I want the most is to not have any regrets."

    Kensei heard Daichi''s answer and had an understandable expression. ''A free spirit.''

    "Daichi. I''ve been a shinobi for over four decades. The years and experiences have taught me that the world isn''t ck and white. There will be people who will oppose your goals, both outside the vige and within, and be your enemy simply because you might be a threat to them. To make your dreamse true and live the way you want, you have to be strong. Stronger than most. If not all. That journey will be extremely difficult. Do you really want that?" Kensei asked in a serious tone.

    "Yes. I''m prepared. I won''t back down from any challenge thates my way." Daichi replied without a second''s hesitation and with absolute resolve.

    Rep increases with Kensei Yasaji

    Seeing the look on Daichi''s face Kensei understood the boy was serious. And he knew the boy understood the challenges that would face him.

    ''A strong heart indeed''.

    He had arge grin broadening on his old face.

    The boy''s ambition reminded him of his own when he was a youth. At that moment Kensei decided he was going to help the boy achieve his dreams. But before he started training the boy, Kensei decided he was going to see just how strong-willed the boy was.

    "If you want to be the strongest then you''re gonna need some intense training. Right now you''re 5. I''ll let you join the academy next year. So that means we have a year to train and get you to the same level as the n kids.

    Now just because you said you wanted to be the strongest doesn''t mean you''ll be one. I want to see your resolve when your body feels like it''s on fire. Prove to me within the next month that you can do more than just talk big. If I''m convinced then I''ll start your training."

    Hearing the old man''s challenge lit a fire inside him. He wanted to prove to Kensei that he could do it. A new quest suddenly popped up.

    Quest Created - ''Get ahead of your peers''

    Prove to Kensei Yasaji that you have what it takes to stand at the top of this world. Convince him to start training you within the month. And then train hard and prepare for the academy. Time limit: 12 Months 3 days.

    Conditions:

    Increase your level to 13 by the time you join the academy

    Learn Beginner Taijutsu and increase it to LV.15

    Learn Basic Chakra Control Technique and increase it to LV.15

    Increase your Basic Body Conditioning to LV.15

    Learn Beginner Shuriken Jutsu and increase it to LV.15

    Learn 1 E-Rank Ninjutsu or more (0/1)

    Find out your Chakra Nature.

    Unlock any 2 special stats.

    Rewards:

    1500 Exp,

    +1 Level

    +3 To all awakened stat points

    +1 LV. to all Skills

    +12 Stat Points

    Rep increases with everyone.

    Rep massively increases with Kensei Yasaji.

    New Title

    Special Reward

    Failure:

    -2 Levels

    Rep decreases with The leaf vige citizens.

    Rep decreases with Kensei Yasaji.

    Rep decreases with Academy Teachers.

    Rep decrease with the ''Rookie 9''.

    New Title

    ept (Y/N)

    After reading through the quest Daichi became excited. He immediately epted it and was determined toplete it. Right after he epted the quest, a new one popped up. But the quest box only had a few lines with no reward or failure. Daichi was surprised and confused at the second new quest.

    Quest Created - ''Path to the strongest (LOCKED)''

    This quest can only be opened by sessfullypleting the quest ''Get ahead of your peers''. Failure to open this quest will significantly increase your chances of meeting death within the next 7 years and certain death within 9 years.

    ''Well, that''s not ominous at all.'' Daichi thought sarcastically.

    --------------------------------

 Chapter 6: New Home

    Chapter 6: New Home

    Daichi and Kensei stepped out of the restaurant after paying the bill and headed in a new direction. "Why don''t we get you some new clothes? I can tell those hand me downs are not really your type. Come on." Both the old man and young boy walked leisurely.

    Kensei had a serene smile as he watched young Daichi take in the different sights. Daichi was looking around everywhere in wonder and using his observe skill on everything. His ''Observe'' has leveled up even further and after checking out the level of several shinobi that passed by him, he came to a conclusion.

    ''Hmm So I can see the level of someone up to 45 levels above mine. And the higher the level the less information. I can''t read the level or stats of any of the shinobi wearing a chunin vest. Does that mean most chunin are above level 48? The highest levels I''ve read until now are Miss Aiko with level 47 and another teenager that just passed by with level 48.''

    ''But his description said he was someone who''s been a genin for 6 years. But Aiko''s description said she was a chunin... So that means there might be people with stats way beyond what their level shows.''

    ''Thinking about it, that makes sense. Rock Lee with his gates opened would have his physical stats boosted much further than someone of his same level. Ok I definitely shouldn''t underestimate anyone, even if they are the same level or even a few below me.''

    Due to making a logical and smart decision, you have obtained +1 WIS.

    ''Huh. So it agrees with me. Wait, is this system alive? Are you alive?'' Daichi shouted in his mind. After several seconds of silence and no reply, Daichi felt like a fool for thinking the system could talk back and answer his questions like a person could.

    "We''re here."

    Daichi was taken out of his thoughts when he heard Kensei speak. They were in front of a clothing store that was designed with several colors. One could see the different types of outfits in the store from the road through the ss window at the front. The name of the store was ''Hinshitsu.''

    Kensei opened the door of the shop and it rang a bell. He stepped inside followed by Daichi. As soon as he stepped inside a notification appeared.

    You have found a clothing outlet. Quest progression (2/7)

    ''Nice. Only 5 more to go for the next level.''

    As they went inside a girl in herte teens greeted them. She was wearing a dress that made her look elegant and beautiful. She had brte hair that was tied in a bun and was wearing pink lipstick. She had a slender figure and had a beautiful smile on her face.

    "Hello. Wee to Hinshitsu. My name is Ichika. How can I help you today?"

    ''Observe''

    [LV. 8][Ichika Kentaro]

    Age: 18

    HP: 812. CP:188

    [Ichika Kentaro is the daughter of Massimo Kentaro. She is currently an employee of the clothing store Hinshitsu. She is a single woman with aspirations of owning her own designer clothing line in the future. She is an average person with no other noticeable aspects.]

    Daichi used ''observe'' and the system showed no interesting facts about the girl. However that didn''t mean he would be impolite when talking to her.

    "Hello young one, we''re here to buy some clothes for my grandson." Kensei said with a smile.

    She looked at Kensei and then at Daichi. She had a cute smile.

    "Aww what an adorable grandson. Follow me."

    She turned around and led them to a section of the store that sold children''s clothes.

    "What color do you like?" She asked.

    "Green and maybe something in ck and red." Daichi replied.

    She had a tape and took Daichi''s measurements and went to get him a few options.

    Kensei sat in a nearby chair watching the boy. He still remembered the answer the boy gave him. His ambition resonated with Kensei. He closed his eyes and began to reminisce about his past. He didn''t know how much time had passed as the memories came and went, but was brought to the present when someone tapped his shoulder.

    He opened his eyes. He saw Daichi in a new outfit. The kid was wearing a light green shirt with ck trousers.

    "So how do I look?"

    Daichi wanted to know Kensei''s opinion. "Good. They suit you." He got up from his chair and paid the bill and both of them left.

    "Let''s go home." Kensei said as he started walking in the direction of his house. Daichi followed him.

    After about a 15 minute walk they reached arge gate. There was a 2 storey house beyond it, situated inside a modestpound surrounded by tall trees. There was a garden in the front with various flowers of all colors growing, but most of them were withered or dying. There was also weed growing amongst them.

    Kensei ced his right hand on the gate on a specific design and pushed a tiny amount of chakra. The gate opened on its own, neither too fast nor too slow. After they both walked past the gate, it slowly closed on its own.

    "Wow. That''s cool. How did it do that?" Daichi asked.

    The old man had a smirk when he heard the question. He replied "An elegant but simple sealing jutsu. If you n on bing the strongest then it''s a branch of jutsu you''re gonna have to study."

    When Daichi heard it, he was excited. He could imagine all the possibilities with sealing jutsus once he mastered it. Both of them went inside the house.

    Daichi noted that it was modeled after a traditional Japanese house. It had wooden verandas circling all around with sliding doors. The floor was covered in tatami mats. When he stepped into the room he noted that it had minimal furniture. Quite different from his apartment in his old life. Both of them stepped into the living room.

    "Wee to your new home." Kensei said happily. "Thanks Gramps." Daichi replied.

    "That''s the first time you''ve acknowledged me as your grandfather."

    "It is, isn''t it? I''m gonna stick with it."

    "Although I do prefer you call me grandpa."

    "Hmm" Daichi mulled for a few seconds and gave a reply. " Naw. I like ''Gramps'' much more."

    "Cheeky brat."

    Both of them had a smirk. "Come on. I''ll show you to your room." Kensei led Daichi upstairs to another room.

    He slid open the door. It was a simple room with a bed, a table and chair, a full length mirror and an empty shelf. A small closet and a bathroom attached to it. And a window that showed the back of the house. All in all, afortable room to live in for someone like Daichi.

    "Hmm. It''s almost noon. Get settled ande down in an hour. I''ll have something to eat by then. Oh and Happy Birthday kid." He said with a gentle smile and went downstairs leaving the boy alone.

    Daichi got inside and closed the door behind him as he contemted his situation. He realized the absurdity of the whole thing. Reborn into a fictional world and getting adopted on the same day. He realized that the gamers mind was keeping him from freaking out. He once again reminded himself that this was his second chance and a way forward.

    Closing his eyes he took a deep breath and let it out after a few seconds. When he opened his eyes he had a metaphorical fire lit in them. "Let''s begin."

    He quickly unpacked his belongings and arranged them. Everything was quickly done in a few minutes. He was ready to find out more about his gamer ability. "First things first. Let me check out my stats "

    ''Status''. He said in his mind.

    Name : Daichi Hekima (The Gamer)

    ss : Civilian

    Age : 5

    Title : Capable Child

    Level : 3 (0/1000)

    HP : 195

    CP : 155

    SP : 100

    Primary Stats

    Strength - 5

    Vitality - 4

    Dexterity - 3

    Agility - 4

    Intelligence - 10

    Chakra - 3

    Wisdom - 9

    Special Stats - Locked (To see the special stats at least one of them must be unlocked. Unlocking these stats require certain actions or reaching specific conditions. Different stats are unlocked with different methods.)

    Stat Points - 25

    Ryo - 0

    ''Alright. I only need to think of the options and it appears. Excellent.''

    ''Hmm. Wisdom increased by 2. Need to find a way to unlock the special stats quickly. I expected the health and chakra bars at the top. But what''s the third? SP. Does it stand for stamina points? Hmm. That must be it. I have 25 points. So I must have had 15 stat points at the beginning and 5 points with each level up. I think Need to check just how many points I get from each level up.''

    ''Since I can increase stat points by training, I won''t spend them now since they will be difficult to increase when they reach a high enough number and even if I do, it won''t be for the next few days. But before I spend any stat points I need to figure out what exactly my stats do to my body and what exactly they increase.''

    Daichi looked at the 7 different stats. ''Alright the strength stat is pretty obvious, it increases the strength of the body. I''m assuming vitality would increase my health points and stamina points.''

    ''I am pretty sure that agility stat is the one that increases speed so dexterity must help me with something else. Chakra stat increases the chakra points. So does increasing intelligence stat just gives me more intelligence or does it do more? Maybe a photographic memory?''

    ''Questions forter. And finally wisdom. I already know this is the stat that helps me with making better decisions. I remember that in the original gamer story, logical and smarter decisions gave stat points to intelligence.''

    ''But mine was allocated to wisdom stat. It seems my gamer ability is a bit different from the one Han had. So more wisdom equals smarter decisions. Hmm... This might help me in games like shogi or go or chess... Do they even have chess in this world?? Again, questions forter. Alright, next up Inventory.''

    ''Inventory''

    A box with empty slots appeared before Daichi. He had a lot of things to experiment on with the inventory skill. He wanted to know if he could store living creatures and if time was frozen inside the storage dimension. Right now the box showed nothing but empty slots.

    Daichi took an outfit and brought them on top of the window and watched it disappear. Knowing that it was going to happen and watching it happen were two different things.

    He took them out of his inventory to see what it felt like and put them back in again. He decided he needed to buy a few things to do more experiments and see the limitations of the inventory ability.

    ''Let''s see What''s next?''

    -----------------

 Chapter 7: Training 01

    Chapter 7: Training 01

    "All right. Next up ''skills''."

    ''Skills''

    Gamer''s Mind - Passive (LV.MAX) : Gamer''s Mind is one of the skills granted to the yer by the system. It allows the user to calmly and logically think things through. Allows a peaceful state of mind. This skill also provides Immunity to mental disorders. Gamer''s Mind is a skill that''s already obtained and maxed.

    Gamer''s Body - Passive (LV.MAX) : Gamer''s Body is one of the skills granted to the yer by the system. While this skill grants a body that allows the user to live the real world like a game, it has certain limitations. Cuts and bruises will be healed based on the physical stats of the user. User receives minimal physical damage from blunt force attacks, only pain for a few seconds and a loss of HP. But piercing and stabbing attacks have a limited effect on the gamer''s body. Sleeping in a bed restores HP, CP, SP. The Gamer''s Body is a passive skill that is already obtained and maxed.

    Gaia''s Blessing - Passive (LV.MAX) : The great God Gaia has blessed you and bestowed on you a special ability. Gaia''s blessing will ensure that you will always be strong and healthy in your lifetime.

    Temporary Effect: Gives the soul a new healthy body.

    Permanent Effect: All diseases, poisons and negative status effects are healed. Sleeping increases regeneration. Sleeping in a bed increases regeneration several fold.

    Observe - Active (LV.9 (53%)) : A skill to find the target''s information. Observe is obtained through continuous observation. Higher level of the skill reveals more information about the target.

    ''I expected the first two skills and ''Observe'', but what''s the 3rd one? Gaia''s blessing? Is that how I got a new body? Seems to be a one-time thing. But that permanent effect on the other hand, that''s definitely a great blessing. Guess I won''t have to worry about terminal illnesses or poison experts.''

    As Daichi was reading the skills he did a double take. His eyes stopped at the gamer''s body skill and he read every line carefully.

    ''Receives minimal damage from blunt force attacks but stabbing and piercing attacks have limited effects?? Does that mean if someone pierced my internal organs, they would be damaged?? Could those injuries be permanent?''

    ''No. No... Based on what I understand, Gaia''s permanent blessing would counteract all negative status effects and heal damaged organs. But that''s one question I''m not eager to confirm the answer to. Still This could be a blessing in disguise. If people saw me get stabbed and see no bleeding or any external injuries they would definitely get suspicious.''

    ''Thest thing I want is to end up as a test subject for dissection on an operating table under the scalpels of several doctors or worse, Orochimaru.''

    After going through everything one more time, Daichi closed all the notification boxes and went to the window in his room. He could see the back of the home. There was a koi pond along with several wooden training stumps. Some of the stumps had targets painted on them.

    ''Guess I''ll be able to practice my shuriken and kunai throwing skills here.''

    And in another corner there were rocks of various shapes and sizes. ''Maybe I can use those for weight training.'' Time flew by and after about an hour he went down to meet the old man.

    When he got down, he saw Kensei bringing the food. They ate in afortable silence and enjoyed the meal. When they finished, Daichi took the bowl from the old man and went to the kitchen to wash it. After washing the second dish he got a new skill.

    [A new skill is created with a specific action.]

    [Through continuous dishwashing, a skill to wash and clean dishes, ''Dish washing'' has been created.]

    Dishwashing - Passive (LV.1): A skill obtained through continuous dishwashing. With more mastery you can clean any dirty spots with more speed.

    Effects : +5% increase in speed.

    ''Just as I thought. I can obtain new skills with certain repetitive actions.''

    When he got done, he went back to find his grandpa. Kensei was waiting for him in the living room. He said, "Come, I''ll show you the rest of the house."

    The house had a room dedicated for training and sparring. It was a wide area with a tall stump in the corner. There was also a library filled with books and scrolls of all sizes. When Daichi saw it his eyes widened in excitement. ''All that knowledge.''

    "I see you like my library." Kensei said, understanding Daichi''s thirst for knowledge.

    "All the knowledge I have acquired throughout my career is recorded and stored here. For now I''ll let you take the basics but after you''ve proven yourself to me, I''ll let you have them all depending on your progress."

    "Thanks Gramps. I won''t let you down."

    They left and went outside. "This house has some basic defenses. It tells me if anyone unexpected arrives among other things. I''ve added your chakra to the seal as well."

    "I definitely gotta learn how to do that."

    "In time." Kensei then looked over to the garden. He had a mncholic expression on his face. "My wife nted those flowers. She built a beautiful garden in memory of my son. But now watching those flowers wither away and the whole ce in such disarray...." Kensei sighed to himself.

    Just then a new quest appeared.

    Quest Created - ''Take care of the Garden''

    The garden that was built by Kensei''s wife is in rough condition. Pull the weeds, fertilize the soil, water the nts and make the garden beautiful once again.

    Conditions:

    nt fresh seeds.

    Water the nts (4 times a week)

    Fertilize the soil (Once every 3 - 4 weeks)

    Weed the Garden (Once a week)

    Rewards:

    300 Exp (Weekly)

    Rep increases with Kensei Yasaji

    Failure:

    Rep decreases with Kensei Yasaji

    ept (Y/N)

    ''After reading the quest there is no way I''m rejecting it. By the end of the year that''s almost 15000 exp. This quest alone would definitely increase my level several times.'' Daichi epted the quest but didn''t tell the old man. He wanted to surprise him.

    "Come on. Let''s take a look around the back." Putting a small smile on, Kensei started walking.

    There was a medium-sized koi pond and several shuriken target stumps lined. "You can train your shurikenjutsu here and someday in the future, advanced chakra control techniques So what do you think?"

    "It''s perfect. Let''s get started. I wanna start training right now."

    Kensei smiled at the reply and sat down on the wooden veranda. "Do some light stretches. That way you don''t pull your muscles. Then start running around thepound. As I understand you''ve never had any training in your life, have you?"

    "No"

    "Then it''s important we find the current limits of your body. And then increase that limit day by day. Show me that determination and willpower."

    "Oh don''t you worry gramps. You''re not gonna be disappointed."

    Daichi started doing some light stretches to loosen up and get used to his new body. After about 20 minutes a new notification appeared.

    Due to sessful control of your body and senses, you have obtained +1 DEX

    ''So stretching exercises increase the dexterity points huh. Good to know. Control of body and senses Hmm I''ll have to look into that.''

    Daichi was feeling small amounts of pain all over his body. But he endured it. After about a minute the pain he was feeling disappeared.

    "Now that you''re all limbered up, take 10ps around thepound."

    Quest Created - ''Complete 10ps''

    Run 10ps around thepound before the time runs out. Time limit 20:00 minutes.

    Conditions:

    Complete the run in 20:00 minutes.

    Complete the run in 15:00 minutes. (Bonus)

    Complete the run in 10:00 minutes. (Bonus)

    Rewards:

    +200 Exp

    +400 Exp (Bonus)

    +800 Exp (Bonus)

    Rep increases with Kensei Yasaji.

    Failure:

    Rep decreases with Kensei Yasaji

    ept (Y/N)

    Daichi quickly epted the quest, opened up his status window and started running. But he kept his speed low. His speed was between jogging and sprinting.

    He wanted to see how long he could keep this up. He knew that with his current stats,pleting the bonus parts of the quest would be very difficult if not impossible. He didn''t want to run faster and exhaust himself quickly.

    So he kept a steady pace intent onpleting the quest and ignored its bonus parts. As he kept running, he saw his stamina points slowly decrease. He also saw several notification boxes popping up.

    Due to the continued physical training, you have obtained +1 VIT

    Due to the continued physical training, you have obtained +1 AGI

    Watching the notification boxes appear and inform him of his stat growth only made him more motivated. He kept running at a steady pace. As hepleted eachp he was getting more and more tired and his breathing became heavier.

    Due to the continued physical training, you have obtained +1 VIT

    Due to the continued physical training, you have obtained +1 AGI

    After about 17 minutes Daichipleted 10ps around the house. His heart was pounding in his chest and he was breathing heavily. His legs felt like jelly. He saw that his stamina points were in the single digit. Daichi took a walk around the house one more time to calm himself down.

    Quest ''Complete 10ps.'' Completed.

    Rewards:

    +230 Exp.

    Rep increases with Kensei Yasaji.

    ''Strange. I thought the reward was +200Exp.'' As Daichi was pondering on this question it suddenly hit him.

    ''The title ''capable child.'' It increases the exp reward by 15%.''

    "So how.. Did I do?" Even though he knew the answer he asked, still breathing through his mouth but not as heavily.

    "You just ran 2.5 km in 17 minutes and 15 seconds. Not bad for a 5 year old with no previous training. But we definitely have our work cut out for us. Now go sit under the tree beside the pond. Try and meditate. Meditation helps in focusing the mind and rejuvenating the body."

    Daichi went to the tree and sat under its shade. He sat cross legged and closed his eyes. He kept his eyes closed and concentrated on his breathing. After a couple of minutes his mind became distracted with several thoughts, but he once again concentrated on his breathing. With each breath he could feel his body rxing.

    This time he was able to concentrate for about 10 minutes before he became distracted again. He took a deep breath and let it out and once again focused on his breathing. This time he stayed that way as he felt his body once again in a rxed state. His heart was beating in a calm manner and the pains he had all disappeared. He didn''t even open his eyes when a new notification appeared. He just focused on his breathing and listened to the sounds of his heartbeat.

    -------------------------

 Chapter 8: Training 02: Unlocking a Special Stat

    Chapter 8: Training 02: Unlocking a Special Stat

    "Daichi. Wake up, it''s time." Those words from Kensei brought Daichi back from his meditative state. Daichi nodded at the old man and was about to get up but he saw several notification boxes in front of him.

    [A new skill is created with a specific action.]

    [Through continuously focusing on your breathing, and entering a calm state, a skill to enter the meditative state, ''Meditate'' has been created.]

    Meditate - Active(LV. 1): A skill obtained through continuously focusing on breathing and avoiding distractions. Helps the user enter a calm meditative state. Increases the regeneration of the body.

    Effects : +2% to base HP regeneration per minute.

    +2% to base CP regeneration per minute.

    +2% to base SP regeneration per minute.

    Skill ''Meditate''s level has risen by one.

    Meditate - Active(LV. 2(34%)): A skill obtained through continuously focusing on breathing and avoiding distractions. Helps the user enter a calm meditative state. Increases the regeneration of the body.

    Effects : +3% to base HP regeneration per minute.

    +3% to base CP regeneration per minute.

    +3% to base SP regeneration per minute.

    As Daichi read the notifications he couldn''t help but feel a little smile appear on his face.

    ''I''m definitely gonna abuse the hell out of this meditation skill.''

    He looked to his stamina points bar and found that it had regenerated to 73 points and was slowly but steadily increasing.

    "Alright. Now let''s test the strength of your body. Since we''re just starting how about we take things small. 50 push-ups, 50 sit-ups, and 50 squats should do."

    Quest Created - ''Complete the exercises''

    Complete 50 push-ups, 50 sit-ups, and 50 squats before the time runs out. Time limit 30:00 minutes.

    Conditions:

    Complete the exercise in 30:00 minutes.

    Complete the exercise in 20:00 minutes. (Bonus)

    Complete the exercise in 10:00 minutes. (Bonus)

    Rewards:

    Skill: Basic Body conditioning.

    +300 Exp

    +600 Exp (Bonus)

    +1000 Exp (Bonus)

    Rep increases with Kensei Yasaji.

    Failure:

    New Title.

    Rep decreases with Kensei Yasaji

    ept (Y/N)

    Daichi didn''t say a word as he heard his Gramps talk. He epted his next quest and got down and started doing push ups first. He had the status page opened in front of him. As hepleted the 8th push up the blue translucent notification box appeared.

    Due to the continued physical training, you have obtained +1 STR

    Daichi just looked at it and kept going.

    Due to the continued physical training, you have obtained +1 STR

    It appeared again when he was almost done with his 1st set of the 3 exercises. His stamina points have been reduced to 51.

    Taking a deep breath, Daichi got into position for the sit-ups. Laying on his back with his legs bent and feet firmly on the ground for stability and his hands locked behind his head, he started his next set. He curled up his upper body all the way to his knees. ''One, two, three'' Daichi started counting in his head as hepleted each round.

    Due to the continued physical training, you have obtained +1 STR

    Due to the continued physical training, you have obtained +1 STR

    By the time he was done two strength stat increase notification boxes were visible. He felt like every part of his body was torn. Especially his torso and arms. But after a minute the pain went away. Daichi saw that his stamina points decreased to 20. And that only a little over 12 minutes were remaining for him toplete thest exercise.

    He quickly got into position and started thest set. Standing with his feet wide apart, his chest up, he pushed his hips back into a sitting position. He started counting in his head as he went back up each time.

    Due to the continued physical training, you have obtained +1 AGI

    Daichi was slightly surprised when he saw that it was his agility and not strength that increased. But he quickly realized that this exercise strengthens the leg muscles and improves lower body mobility. As he keptpleting each round of squats he realized that different exercises increase different stats.

    ''It seems running increases vitality and agility and stretching exercises increase dexterity. And it looks like my upper body training improves my strength. Fascinating!''

    Due to the continued physical training, you have obtained +1 AGI

    By the time hepleted the set his stat went up one more time. Daichi noticed that his SP only had 2 more points left.

    Quest ''Complete the exercises.'' Completed.

    Rewards:

    Skill: Basic Body conditioning.

    +345 Exp.

    Rep increases with Kensei Yasaji.

    "Well done Daichi. Above average. eptable. But definitely needs work. How are you feeling?" Kensei asked, smiling.

    "My legs... feel like they''re on fire. Other than that...peachy." Daichi gave a cheeky reply as he took deep breaths.

    Kensei smirked when he heard the answer. He liked the kid''s spitfire attitude.

    Basic Body Conditioning - Passive (LV. 1): This skill gives the user''s body an increase in strength, speed, vitality and stamina through training.

    Effects: +1% to Damage inflicted.

    +1% to Movement speed.

    +1% to Physical stat growth.

    -1% to Damage taken.

    Daichi was happy he was able toplete the exercise within the time limit. Even though he couldn''tplete the bonus parts of the quest he received a new skill and some exp. He knew this new skill would increase his stat growth speed over time and every exp got him closer to the next level. As he looked at the remaining stamina points, he got curious. He wanted to know what would happen if all his stamina got depleted. So he decided to run ap around thepound to find out.

    Daichi started to slowly jog and then he picked up the pace. It was extremely difficult for him to run. His limbs felt like they were made of lead but he kept going. A few minutester his stamina points reached zero. Suddenly for the first time a red notification box appeared.

    Your SP has reached zero. You have reached a special condition. Special stat Stamina is opened.

    +1 STAMINA

    Since one of the special stats is unlocked you can view the special stat list.

    This stat increases the stamina points of the yer.

    You have unlocked a special stat.

    Reward: +500 Exp.

    +75 Exp.

    You have leveled up.

    Despite being out of breath and struggling to stand, Daichi couldn''t help but have a wide grin on his face. Suddenly most of the fatigue left his body and he felt rejuvenated. He had an idea as to what happened. But he needed to confirm it. With a broad smile he opened up his status page.

    ----------------------------------------------------

    Name : Daichi Hekima (The Gamer)

    ss : Civilian

    Age : 5

    Title : Capable Child

    Level : 4 (150/1325)

    HP : 315/315

    CP : 215/215

    SP : 85/170

    Primary Stats

    Strength - 9

    Vitality - 6

    Dexterity - 4

    Agility - 8

    Intelligence - 10

    Chakra - 3

    Wisdom - 9

    Special Stats - (Unlocking these stats requires certain actions or reaching specific conditions. Different stats are unlocked with different methods. Stat points cannot be allocated to these stats.)

    Sense (LOCKED)

    Stamina - 2

    Indomitable (LOCKED)

    Charisma (LOCKED)

    Persistence (LOCKED)

    Dignity (LOCKED)

    Luck (LOCKED)

    Stat Points - 30

    Ryo - 0

    Daichi chuckled. ''So every time I level up I get half my stamina points. It looks like my primary stats won''t go up with each level up but special stats do. And every level up rewards me with 5 stat points. I''ll need to think this through.''

    To see the physical representation of his efforts and to watch them grow was a great motivator for him. He didn''t want to stop. One could say he became slightly addicted to training and watching his stat and points increase. He started running at a much faster pace andpleted thep around the house quickly. He didn''t say anything to the old man and simply went under the tree to meditate.

    Kensei had a strange look on his face as he watched Daichi meditate. ''Is it just me or did his chakra increase?... Increasing one''s chakra is not something that can be done in a few minutes with an hour of training. And yet It feels like his chakra capacity has increased by a small margin''

    ''Or maybe old age is catching up to me. Guess I really am rusty if I can''t even assess the chakra capacity of a kid fresh into training.''

    Kensei sighed to himself. He was content with just sitting there watching his new adopted grandson train himself.

    Daichi meditated for about 2 hours. His SP bar was fully regenerated. His ''meditate'' skill went up another level. He stood up and did some stretching exercises. He remembered watching different types of them in his previous life. As he got his body limbered up again he got a notification informing him of his increased dexterity.

    Due to sessful control of your body and senses, you have obtained +1 DEX

    He ran 10ps around the house but this time he went at a faster pace than before. There was no quest this time but he was able toplete the run in 14 minutes and he was nowhere near as tired as the first time.

    Due to the continued physical training, you have obtained +1 AGI

    Due to the continued physical training, you have obtained +1 VIT

    During the run, he was able to increase his agility and vitality stat by 1 point each.

    He quickly got down toplete the next 50 rounds of push-ups, sit-ups and squats.

    Around the time ofpletion

    Due to the continued physical training, you have obtained +1 STR

    Due to the continued physical training, you have obtained +1 AGI

    He got another stat point in strength and agility. And his ''Basic Body conditioning'' skill also leveled up. As his SP got below five he got a notification showing a growth in stamina.

    +1 Stamina

    Daichi got under the tree and sat in the meditative pose for the third time that day. By the time he was done the sun had begun to set. He felt refreshed and happy at his progress on his first day. He got up and went to sit near Kensei.

    "You''ve certainly exceeded my expectations." Kensei said with a smile.

    Rep increased with Kensei Yasaji.

    "Thanks Gramps."

    Both of them sat infortable silence as they watched thest rays of the sun disappear. They got up after a few minutes and went inside. The old man had someone deliver their dinner by evening. They ate and Kensei shared some stories of his time as a shinobi. Both of them retired to their rooms shortly after.

    Daichi had a lot on his mind and there were a lot of things he had to confirm regarding his abilities. As he walked upstairs to his room he looked at his fists and slowly clenched them. He could feel the strength coursing through them.

    ''In one day I was able to increase my strength by this much. Even though it''s a small margin, this was still achieved within the span of a day. Moving forward I know increasing my stats will be difficult but if I keep with it I can definitely stand at top.''

    Daichi slid open the door and went inside his room.

    -----------

 Chapter 9: Exploring the village

    Chapter 9: Exploring the vige

    Daichi went to his room and freshened up. He changed into his sleepwear and got on the bed. He thought about the events of the day. He was still a bit confused on why Kensei thought he was a genius. As he pondered on this question for some more time, the answer came to him.

    ''From my perspective, I''m someone who got ced into an unfamiliar territory and is trying to stay undercover. So when someone uses me of hiding my intentions, I would think that they would think I was a spy or something equally dangerous. But from their perspective I''m just an orphan child who grew up in Leaf vige all his life.''

    ''They would attribute my suspicious behavior to paranoia or trust issues... Probably I think. Still, this puts me at ease a bit. There are a lot of things I wanna do tomorrow but first lemme check out how much my stats have improved.''

    ''Status''

    Name : Daichi Hekima (The Gamer)

    ss : Civilian

    Age : 5

    Title : Capable Child

    Level : 4 (150/1325)

    HP : 355

    CP : 230

    SP : 200

    .

    Primary Stats

    Strength - 10

    Vitality - 7

    Dexterity - 5

    Agility - 10

    Intelligence - 10

    Chakra - 3

    Wisdom - 9

    .

    Special Stats - (Unlocking these stats requires certain actions or reaching specific conditions. Different stats are unlocked with different methods. Stat points cannot be allocated to these stats.)

    Sense (LOCKED)

    Stamina - 3

    Indomitable (LOCKED)

    Charisma (LOCKED)

    Persistence (LOCKED)

    Dignity (LOCKED)

    Luck (LOCKED)

    .

    Stat Points - 30

    Ryo - 0

    .

    ''Wow. My HP went up by 160 points. So that means my HP points are definitely linked to strength, vitality and maybe stamina. Hmm Need more data to figure out how much each stat increases my HP, CP and SP. I got 3 stats that reached 10 and the lowest one is chakra.''

    ''Need to unlock chakra next. But I''ll have to read up on chakra theory books and how to safely awaken them. I''ll do that tomorrow. After I unlock my chakra I can increase its points with meditation and leaf concentration exercise. Hmm. Looks like I can''t increase the special stats with points. So that means they most probably can be increased through training or other methods. Need to figure out a way to unlock them as fast as I can. Alright Next ''Skills.''

    ''Skills''

    [1. Gamer''s Mind - Passive (LV.MAX): Gamer''s Mind is one of the skills granted to the user by the system. It allows the user to calmly and logically think things through. Allows a peaceful state of mind. And this skill provides Immunity to mental disorders. Gamer''s Mind is a skill that''s already obtained and maxed.]

    .

    [2. Gamer''s Body - Passive (LV.MAX): Gamer''s Body is one of the skills granted to the yer by the system. While this skill grants a body that allows the user to live the real world like a game, it has certain limitations. Cuts and bruises will be healed based on the physical stats of the user. The user receives minimal physical damage from blunt force attacks, only pain for a few seconds, and a loss of HP. But piercing and stabbing attacks will have a limited effect on the gamer''s body. Sleeping in a bed restores HP, CP SP. Gamer''s Body is a passive skill that is already obtained and maxed.]

    .

    [3. Gaia''s Blessing - Passive (LV.MAX): The great God Gaia has blessed you and bestowed on you a special ability. Gaia''s blessing will ensure that you will always be strong and healthy in your lifetime.

    Temporary Effect: Gives the soul a new healthy body.

    Permanent Effect: All diseases, poisons and negative status effects are healed. Sleeping increases regeneration. Sleeping in a bed increases regeneration severalfold.]

    .

    [4. Observe - Active (LV.9 (91%)): A skill to find the target''s information. Observe was obtained through continuous observation. Higher level of the skill reveals more information about the target.]

    .

    [5. Dishwashing - Passive (LV.1): A skill obtained through continuous dishwashing. With more mastery, you can clean any dirty spots with more speed.

    Effects: +5% increase in speed]

    .

    [6. Meditate - Active (LV. 3(66%)): A skill obtained through continuously focusing on breathing and avoiding distractions. Helps the user enter a calm meditative state. Increases the regeneration of the body.

    Effects : +4% to base HP regeneration per minute.

    +4% to base CP regeneration per minute.

    +4% to base SP regeneration per minute.]

    .

    [7. Basic Body Conditioning - Passive (LV. 2(55%)): This skill gives the user''s body an increase in strength, speed, vitality, and stamina through training.

    Effects: +2% Increase to Damage inflicted.

    +2% Increase to Movement speed.

    +2% Increase to Physical stat growth.

    -2% Decrease to Damage taken.]

    .

    ''Hmm. ''Observe'' is on the verge of reaching level 10. And meditate and Basic body conditioning have increased by 1. I still have a lot to do. Need to buy some things to experiment and find out the full potential of Inventory. And I need to start on the gardening quest tomorrow. Let''s see What else?... Of course! Basic Taijutsu and Shuriken jutsu too.''

    ''After that, once I increase my chakra control and capacity with the leaf concentration exercise, I''ll look into Genjutsu. I''ll save the E rank ninjutsu for after that. Since my gamer''s body is a bit different I''ll have to figure out its limitations.''

    ''I got 1 month to impress the old man and another 11 to get ahead of my ssmates. Lots of work ahead of me but if I work smart I can definitely push the advantages of having the gamers ability to the max.''

    For the first time in a long time Daichi was truly happy and looking forward to a new day. He slowly closed his eyes and went to sleep as he dreamed of what his future would be like.

    ---------------------------------

    Daichi woke up to the sounds of birds chirping and the rays of the morning sun shining through the window.

    [You have slept in a bed. HP, CP and SP have been fully restored.]

    Those words were the first thing that greeted him. He got up from his bed and went to the window. He took in the beautiful sights in front of him. After standing there for a couple of minutes and enjoying the beauties of nature, Daichi went to the bathroom and freshened up. After putting on a new set of clothes he went down to greet Kensei.

    As he got down he saw the old man eating a few dumplings and reading a book.

    "Good morning gramps."

    "Morning kid. I had someone deliver those Rainbow dumplings a few minutes ago. So eat them while they''re fresh and hot."

    Daichi nodded and went to eat his breakfast. He finished the dumplings in a couple of minutes and then went near his grandfather.

    "So what are your ns for today?" Kensei asked, his eyes still on the book.

    "I want to explore the vige more. And maybe buy a few things." Daichi replied. "What about you?" He asked.

    "I''ll be here reading my book. It''s a fascinating read. And there''s 2000 Ryo''s inside that box. It''s yours. Spend it wisely." Kensei said, pointing to a nearby red box on a table.

    "I will. Thanks gramps. I''m gonna head out to the library first and then check out a few other ces. So I''ll be a littlete."

    "Make sure to get home before night falls." Kensei said, looking up from his book.

    .

    [Quest Created - ''Don''t bete.''

    Explore the vige but return home by 6 pm.

    Rewards:

    +100 Exp

    Rep increases with Kensei Yasaji.

    Failure:

    -100 Exp.

    Rep decreases with Kensei Yasaji

    ept (Y/N)]

    .

    Daichi epted the quest without hesitation.

    "I''ll be back by evening. By the way, do you want me to bring you anything?"

    "No need. I''ve already bought everything we need for the week."

    Daichi nodded to his grandfather and went out. Daichi was excited for 2 reasons. One. He wanted to explore and see more of the leaf vige. And two, he wanted toplete his quest.

    ''Alright. What to do first?... Gonna need to buy a few things to test out my inventory. And I need to start on my gardening quest but I don''t know much about gardening, so a book on that would be nice. Hmm Now that I think about it, a book on cooking would be good too. If I can learn to cook dishes that restores my HP and CP, it would be a great boon. Need to unlock my chakra. So I definitely have to go to the library and read a few books on that.''

    ''No wait. The old man must have Chakra theory books in his personal library. What I need right now is information. I have to find out if there are any changes to the history and events. I need to confirm whether this is the canon timeline or if I''m living in some alternate universe.''

    Daichi made up his mind and decided to head towards the library. He walked around taking in the sights. A few minutester he saw a small book stall on the side of the road. It was a small store sandwiched between two apartment buildings. He decided to check it out. He saw an old man with gray hair sitting on a stool at the front.

    ''Observe''

    [LV. 22][Khan]

    Age: 55

    HP: 2947 CP: 1320

    [Khan is a former reserve genin. He spent most of his careerpleting menial missions. He was injured during a scouting mission in the 3rd world war which sent him to retirement. He now spends his time as the owner of Khan''s book store. He is also a secret informant of Jiraiya. He has 2 sons.]

    As Daichi read the description he did a double take. ''I didn''t think I woulde into contact with anyone rted to the Sannin so soon. Can''t make any mistakes. Gotta act my age and keep cool.''

    As he reached the store a new notification appeared.

    [You have found a book stall.]

    [Quest progression. (3/7)]

    "Hello sir. Good morning." Daichi said in a calm voice.

    "Morning. What can I get you boy?" Khan asked.

    "I''m looking for a good cookbook with lots of recipes. And a book on gardening. Do you have any of those?" Daichi asked politely.

    "Of course. Hold on."

    With those words Khan stood up and searched through the stacks of books piled up. Shortly after, he returned with two books.

    "Here. I think these two should help." Khan handed Daichi the two books.

    ''Observe''

    [Cooking for Beginners]

    [A leaf cookbook for beginners. Contains several modern and ssic recipes made easy. This cookbook includes aprehensive guide to kitchen essentials, prep and cooking techniques, 100+ tasty recipes. This cookbook simplifiesplex cooking techniques which makes it perfect for beginners.]

    ''Observe''

    [A Gardener''s Guide]

    [This guide will introduce you to the fundamentals of horticulture whether you are an amateur or a seasoned gardener. It covers every aspect of creating, managing and working in an organic garden. This book is excellent for beginners who are looking to build their own garden.]

    After looking over the description of the two books Daichi was satisfied. He flipped open a few pages and glossed over them.

    After a minute he closed the book and said "These will do. How much?"

    "350 Ryo" Came the reply.

    Daichi paid the amount and was about to leave but he saw a few bags and different types of sunsses hanging at the back of the store. One particr type of sunss caught his eye.

    It was round, with ck tinted shades and a green frame. That ss reminded Daichi of the steampunk type sses. He also decided to buy a ck backpack to keep his books. After having Khan bring him the two things he paid an additional 180 Ryo and left the store.

    ''Observe''

    [ck sunsses]

    [These sunsses are uniquely stylish and can enhance the wearer''s aesthetic appeal with ease. The craftsman who made these sses was said to have been inspired by a retro futuristic science fiction novel that depicts technology never-before-seen in this world. This is a medium size sunss with stylish green frames and round shades.]

    ''Observe''

    [ck backpack]

    [An item that ismonly used by travelers and students. A simple frameless backpack with above average aesthetic design. This is made of cotton fabric and coated with wax. Although this backpack has excellent waterproofing it cannot withstand all abrasions.]

    He put the books in the bag and put on his new sunsses. The main reason he bought sunsses was to make sure no one saw the movements of his eyes. Daichi didn''t want people to know that he was reading something that was invisible to them.

    If someone perceptive saw Daichi reading the notification boxes or the quest contents (which are invisible to them), they would either think he was crazy, attention seeking or had some kind of special ability. None of which could be good for him. This way he could reduce the risk of someone finding out about his powers. This was his thought.

    He continued his walk to the library. He asked for directions a couple of times and after 30 minutes he finally reached his destination.

 Chapter 10: Library And Ichiraku Ramen

    Chapter 10: Library And Ichiraku Ramen

    After about half an hour of walking and asking for directions Daichi finally reached his destination. A tall building stood in front of him. Beside it''s entrance doors stood the words ''Leaf Vige Library.''

    ''Based on the geography, the library is almost in the middle of this vige. A public library essible to all vigers. Just what I need right now. Alright. First thing to do is read up on history. Make sure there are no unexpected surprises. I''m not sure if there is a restricted section in this ce I''ll just check out what''s public.''

    Making up his mind, Daichi went into the library. The moment he went inside a notification appeared.

    [You have found Leaf vige Library.]

    [Quest progression. (4/7)]

    Dismissing the notification he observed the ce. The building had 3 floors with several shelves on each one. He could see several tables and chairs and saw a few people reading or taking notes. And at the front of the library there was an olddy sitting behind a desk reading a book giggling to herself.

    [??] [Fujiko Kaya]

    ???

    Daichi couldn''t get any information after using ''observe'' on the woman but he could make a few guesses.

    ''This woman looks like she''s over 50 years old. I don''t recognize her from the story so she must not be that important but judging from the fact that I can''t see her level or information, she must be high chunin or Jonin. In hindsight that should''ve been obvious. The vige wouldn''t keep someone weak in charge of their information. Although since this is public I doubt I''d find anything dangerous or ssified here. ''

    As the library had several sections dedicated to many subjects, Daichi decided to ask the librarian the location of the history books. She pointed to a shelf in the corner and resumed her reading.

    Daichi came upon a small shelf filled with books of various sizes. He looked at the titles of each book. After a minute he took several books, went to a nearby table and started reading. He found a book that depicted the founding of the vige and the different ns that joined shortly after. Although there was some information that Daichi knew from his past life that was not included in the book, there was some that he didn''t know. But they were mostlymon knowledge and unimportant.

    [Due to learning and understanding new information, you have obtained +1 INT]

    While reading the books he got a stat point in Intelligence. He read through several books as the hours passed by. From the first world war to the third world war and to the nine tails attack. He also read about the several ns that reside in the vige. After reading all the books he found interesting, he had an understanding of the time period he''s in and a solid knowledge about the leaf vige.

    ''Hmm. There doesn''t seem to be any major changes to the story. The history is the same as the one in the story. So everything is the same until now but since I''m a wrinkle in the time the changes should start to take ce from this point forward. But I don''t n on doing anything big so the timeline should stay rtively the same. Right now my biggest advantage is my future knowledge.''

    ''ording to these books the leaf vige was formed around 70 years ago. And the Nails attack was 5 years ago. Then based on my memories the Uchiha n gets annihted almost 3 years from now. And since I''m joining the academy next year there''s a chance I''m in Sasuke''s year group. Unless I''m mistaken Sasuke joined the academy 2 years before the massacre''

    ''The Uchiha massacre huh. Should I tell someone No. The events are already in motion. Nothing I do will change that. And if I do anything, it will only bring attention to me. Obito, Danzo, the Hokage, Itachi All of them are dangerous. But the most dangerous one is ck Zetsu. He keeps an eye on everything. Definitely can''t get on his radar. Not till I''m ready anyway.''

    ''And even in the 1 million possibility that I somehow prevent the n massacre, that will affect who Orochimaru will target. He most probably will go after Sasuke even if the n were alive since he''s Itachi''s brother and has a lot of potential but he will definitely switch targets if he can''t get to him. Not to mention the ripple effects of the Uchiha n being alive Just thinking about all this gives me a headache.''

    Daichi thought long and hard about the choices he''s going to make and came to a hard decision. ''My first and most important priority should be my life and my survival. I''m not going to jeopardize that It may seem selfish but I already had one life taken away from me before it could truly begin. I won''t let that happen again.''

    ''I''m truly sorry Sasuke. I''m not gonna do anything or say anything that puts me at risk... It seems the destruction of your n is truly inevitable. Maybe one day I''ll make this up to you.''

    ''Now I understand where the phrase ignorance is blisses from. Having knowledge of the future is a blessing but at the same time it''s also a curse. Even though I''m in no way responsible for the horror that''s going to happen I still feel like shit for not doing anything.''

    Daichi sighed to himself and shook his head slightly. ''I need to clear my head.''

    He took a look at the clock. ''It''s past noon. I''ve spent almost 5 hours here. Time to go.''

    As he started sorting the books back in their ces he thought about what he should do next.

    ''Need toplete the quest ''Explore the vige'' as soon as possible. And I need to start on that gardening quest too. I''m starting to feel a little hungry. Hmm I''ll head to Ichiraku Ramen first. Have some of that delicious ramen. Then I''ll head to the Hokage Rock and take in the view.''

    ''Myst stop will be the Yamanaka flower shop and I''ll buy the flower seeds and fertilizers. I can''t waste time by blindly going in any direction. And asking people for directions will take a little longer than I want. I need a map.''

    Daichi went to the librarian. She was reading a book and lightly giggling. Looking at the cover Daichi could make out the name of the book.

    Icha Icha... ''Of all the people I run intoStill''

    ''A woman of culture. Respect.'' Daichi mentally saluted.

    "Hello Miss."

    The olddy looked up from her book. She had a small blush on her face. "What is it?"

    "Do you have a map of the vige you could sell me?"

    "Why do you need a map?" She asked more out of boredom and a slight curiosity.

    "I wanna visit the ''Hokage Mountain'' and the Yamanaka flower shop. I also hear there''s a tasty ramen stand somewhere. But I''ll be wasting a lot of time trying to find the ces if I don''t have any idea of where I''m going." Daichi replied. "So I need a map. Got one?"

    She looked at Daichi for a few seconds and then nodded her head. She took out a map that showed the several important ces of the vige. There were several famousndmarks and buildings marked on the map.

    "That will be 100 Ryo."

    Handing out the money, Daichi took the map and left the library. There were several locations marked on the map. Location of npounds, famousndmarks, historical and important buildings, and famous shops. His first stop. Ichiraku Ramen.

    Looking at the map he had a good idea of where he was and following the directions marked in the map it didn''t take him too long to reach the ce. In front of him stood a small unassuming store but it''s one of the most iconic ces in this world. At least in his perspective.

    [You have found Ichiraku Ramen restaurant.]

    [Quest progression. (5/7)]

    ''Ichiraku Ramen. I can''t...believe it.''

    Daichi couldn''t help but chuckle to himself at that. ''This is so surreal. Well time to see just how tasty the ramen really is.''

    He stood there on the road for a few seconds taking in the view and then slowly went inside. He took a seat and waited. He saw a couple of people eating ramen on the other side. A few secondster a man who looked to be in his mid 40s came from the kitchen and looked towards Daichi with a smile.

    ''Observe''

    [ LV.12] [Teuchi]

    Age: 43

    HP: 1255. CP: 287

    [Teuchi is the owner of Ichiraku Ramen Restaurant and a ramen chef. He is a kind and jovial man who started making ramen in his early teenage years. He devoted his life to making great ramen and yearster opened the Ichiraku Ramen restaurant. He has a daughter named Ayame. He has a slightly good impression of you.]

    "Hello young man. Wee to Ichiraku Ramen. My name is Teuchi. What can I get you today?"

    "Hello sir. My name is Daichi. I heard your ramen tastes delicious. So I''m really eager to try it out." Daichi said politely.

    [Rep slightly increases with Teuchi.]

    Teuchi beamed at the praise. He was happy whenever someone praised his ramen shop. "I''ll make sure not to disappoint you young man. So what will you be having? Any preferences?"

    Daichi already had an answer to that question. The first ramen he was going to try would definitely be that one.

    "One bowl of Miso ramen with pork please."

    "One bowl of Miso ramen with porking up. Please wait." With that Teuchi went back to the kitchen to prepare the ramen. Daichi sat quietly thinking about his circumstances and got lost in his thoughts. Everything that was happening still felt almost impossible to him.

    After about 15 minutes Teuchi returned with a bowl of ramen in his hands. He ced it in front of the young boy. "Here''s your ramen. Enjoy." With that he left.

    ''Observe''

    [Miso Ramen with pork]

    [A delicious ramen dish made by Teuchi. Miso ramen seasoned with miso paste. It has a nutty, umami-rich vor that increases the taste of the soup base. The broth is made from pork bones, several vegetables and seasonings. This ramen has 6 slices of perfectly cooked pork belly, one boiled egg, noodles, and additional toppings like Green onions, Naruto(fish cake) and Menma(preserved bamboo shoots). One bowl of ramen restores 11 HP and 4 CP.]

    [Skill Observe''s level has risen by one.]

    Daichi dismissed the notification and was admiring the food.

    ''This looks absolutely delicious. Smells really great too.''

    "Thank you for the meal."

    Picking up the chopsticks, Daichi slowly started eating the ramen. ''I can understand why Naruto woulde here every chance he gets. This is really tasty.''

    "So how does it taste?" Teuchi asked with a knowing smile.

    Daichi swallowed and answered "Absolutely wonderful. The guy who said your ramen tastes good was underselling. This is really delicious." Daichi praised the old chef.

    [Rep increases with Teuchi.]

    "d you like it." With that Teuchi went back to the kitchen with a happy smile.

    And Daichi resumed his eating. He slowly ate the noodles and pork and savored the broth. He wanted to enjoy the first ramen he had at this ce. After about 20 minutes he was done. He chatted with Teuchi about the various Ramen dishes he served. Then paid the bill and left the ce with a promise toe back and try each one.

    ''I''m so happy right now.'' Daichi had a silly smile on his face as he slowly walked.

    "Alright. Now that I''m full, next stop, Hokage Mountain."

    Daichi took out the map from his bag and looked at the fastest route to the Hokage mountain. As he was carefully looking at the map a blue box appeared in front of him.

    [You have acquired a map and sessfully reached one of the destinations marked on the map. Conditions for activating ''Mini-map'' reached. Future maps and locations visited will automatically be added to Mini-map.]

    As Daichi looked over and dismissed the box, a holographic round map appeared on the right bottom side of his vision. He was marked as a green dot and based on his movements and change in directions, the map would adjust its position. Every other person on the map was marked white. Daichi had a small rush of informationing to his mind. He had now memorized every route and location on the map. After the information flow subsided a smile came to his face and a single thought ran through his mind.

    ''I really do love the gamer ability.''

 Chapter 11: Hokage Monument

    Chapter 11: Hokage Monument

    With the standard map of the Leaf vige memorized and Daichi''s location and directions showing in real-time as a holographic map, reaching the Hokage mountain was easy. As he reached the base of the mountain he could see the Academy building.

    It was the ce where Daichi would be learning about being a shinobi starting next year. As he neared the building several blue notification boxes appeared.

    [You have found The Academy. Quest progression (6/7)]

    [You have found The Hokage Monument. Quest progression (7/7)]

    [Quest ''Scout out the vige.'' Completed.]

    [Rewards:

    1150 Exp

    Rep increases with Leaf Vige citizens.

    New Title: Explorer. (This title gives the ability to locate hidden Dungeons and Dungeons keys. Increases chances of finding various hidden locations by 35%)]

    ''Yes. I thought I would have to go to the Yamanaka flower shop toplete the quest but I''m not going toin if my tasks get easier. Hmm, since the Academy is a special location just finding the ce must have been enough for the quest to progress.''

    Daichi could see the stairs that lead to the top of the Hokage monument. ''Since I''m here I might as well go to the top and take a look.''

    He slowly climbed the stairs. Since it was somewhat of a long trip, by the time he reached the top he got a small increase in one of his stats.

    [Due to the continued physical training, you have obtained +1 VIT]

    He stood on top of the first Hokage''s head, took off his exotic sunsses and looked at the vige. What he saw took his breath away. A giant magnificent vige perfectly blended with nature was staring back at him. Only now did he understand how truly big the vige was.

    ''Kishi-san created something truly beautiful. And it became a reality.''

    Daichi was mesmerized by the sight. He could see the giant wall surrounding the vige. Giving it a sense of security. He could see the different ninjas going about their way. The houses and shops of all shapes and sorts. The vige that holds the title of the strongest and most prosperous among the great 5. He suddenly realized he was standing atop where legends once stood.

    ''This is where the first hokage Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha made history. 2 children of opposite sides unexpectedly met and became friends. The loss of their loved ones forced them to break the chains of their n ideology.''

    ''They dreamed of a ce where people could be safe and enjoy peace. And they became strong enough to make that dream a reality. They set their differences aside and together founded the hidden leaf vige. For a short time they found the peace they so desperately searched for.''

    ''The first trained the third and the disciple of the third trained the fourth. Some mistakes were made along the way by all the four hokages But whatever they did, they did in the belief that it would protect their home.''

    ''Even Madara, for all his faults and arrogance, all he wanted was to protect his n. Even the current n he''s put in ce, no matter how foolish, misguided or cruel, is in the notion that it would bring peace to the world.''

    Daichi stood there looking over the vige in a daze. His mind shed through all the memories he had of this ce as Daichi and as Thomas. Of living in this vige and interacting with the people in it and reading about an amazing story and the sacrifices the characters in it made.

    He thought about the 11 n kids currently living a carefree life but would one day stand strong to defend the vige and the world against theing threats.

    And most of all the blue eyed protagonist who despite all the hate and suffering he endured became the protector of not only the vige but this entire world.

    Without even realizing it a few small tears dropped from the corner of his eyes. A small smile came to his face as he closed his eyes..

    ''I was arrogant. I''ve been given a second chance and an ability that would help me be strong. But that made me arrogant. I felt like I was the center of the universe but I have to remember that I''m not. Not only that, on some small level I still regarded the people here as characters from aic book. I didn''t take them as seriously as I should.''

    ''This ce, the people living in it. This entire world, they are real. Just as real as I am.''

    ''This is my story and I''ll do my best to stand at the top, but I should remind myself that I''m not the only one living in this world. This is their story too.''

    Once Daichi opened his eyes he slowly let out a breath. His mind became clear and refreshed. The arrogance that he didn''t even know existed inside him vanished. A new notification box appeared in front of him.

    [Due to having a brief enlightenment, you have obtained +1 WIS]

    "Are you alright young one?" At that moment Daichi heard someone behind him and he was slightly startled.

    When he turned around his eyes widened as he stared at the man. For in front of him stood one of the most important and influential person in the world.

    "Third Hokage." His voice barely above a whisper but was heard by the two.

    ---------------------------------------------

    A few minutes ago. The Hokage''s office.

    The third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, was looking over the reports of several Genin and Chunin teams currently active. In his hands held the file of one of his talented ninjas, Iruka Umino. He read the history of the young teenager, his capabilities, progress and his skills.

    It always filled his heart with pride to see the young stand on their own feet and prosper. He imagined the day when he too would hand over the hat to someone capable and strong once more. After reading over everything a second time, he ced the file down and took the next one.

    The next folder he took was a thick one. When he opened it his heart became heavy. The photo of a stoic boy who hasn''t even be a teenager was on it.

    ''It seems Fugaku is serious about pushing his son into bing a Chunin as soon as possible.'' He looked at the somewhat thick file of Itachi Uchiha. The request for entering Itachi into the Chunin exams was in front of him.

    ''The rtionship between the vige and the Uchiha n has not been good. Not since the attack. They have been one of the backbones of this vige since its founding and yet things have turned out like this. I have to mend the hate between the n and the people of the vige. Before it''s toote. Or I fear for what''s toe.''

    He stood from his chair and walked to the window of his office. Looking out he couldn''t help but sigh sadly. ''Minato why did you have to leave so soon.'' He thought about the missions the young Uchiha haspleted since bing a genin.

    ''He is a talented child. He had the abilities to graduate in less than a year. A genius beyond measure. But just because a child is capable and able to graduate early, does that mean they should?''

    ''All the violence, ugliness and cruelty of this world Itachi graduated in a single year and became a ninja from an early age. He had to watch his teammates die on the mission and he was forced to take lives. What does it do to someone like him. What would he turn into?''

    His thoughts brought to mind the face of another genius. One he personally nurtured and loved and became one of his greatest regrets. He sighed again.

    ''I''m getting too tired for this. I need to get some fresh air. I''ll take a walk. Maybe visit Naruto and see how he''s doing.''

    He slightly red his chakra in a particr pattern. A ninja wearing a mask with the pattern of a bull appeared kneeling. "I''ll be heading out for a while. Reschedule the remaining appointments I have today for tomorrow."

    "Yes lord Hokage." Came the reply.

    Hiruzen Sarutobi walked out the office and slowly walked out the building. The people who saw him greeted him with smiles. And the ninjas bowed in respect. He stood near the entrance of the ninja academy and looked ahead, lost in thought.

    ''A new batch of students is going to join the academy soon. I need to make a decision regarding the graduation age soon.''

    He mind raced about all the things he had to do. He looked up to the first two faces on the mountain. He looked at the second face.

    ''Tobirama sensei I have an idea as to what your response would be to the Uchiha situation. But Hashirama sensei...'' He looked at the face of the first. ''I wonder how would you solve this problem?''

    Without even realizing it his feet took him to the top of the mountain. As he stood there he saw a young boy no older than 5 or 6 years old in his estimate standing on top of the first Hokage''s head and looking a little mncholy. The Hokage could feel the agitation of his tiny chakra reserves.

    ''A civilian child who has yet to learn to consciously use his chakra.''

    He saw a few tears rolling down the cheek and the child closing his eyes. He was about to go over to console the young child but in just a few moments Hiruzen could feel the chakra that was agitated a few seconds ago be calm.

    He was astonished. ''A young child with this much control over his emotions. I have only seen a rare few.''

    When he saw the child open his eyes he was once again shocked. He could see the wisdom of someone beyond their age in those eyes. His curiosity got the best of him. He had to know who this child was. He went near the boy and asked.

    "Are you alright young one?"

    He was slightly amused to see the startled reaction of the child. The boy turned around and when the child saw him, his eyes widened in surprise and the Hokage could see recognition in those eyes.

    "Third Hokage." The boy spoke in a small voice.

 Chapter 12: Hiruzen and Daichi

    Chapter 12: Hiruzen and Daichi

    Daichi quickly calmed down. ''Thank you Gamer''s Mind.'' He immediately bowed and respectfully greeted the Hokage.

    "It is an honor to meet you, Lord Third Hokage." He straightened and looked at the old kage.

    ''Observe.''

    [??] [Hiruzen Sarutobi] (Hokage)

    ???

    Daichi wasn''t surprised his ''observe'' didn''t reveal anything. ''The third Hokage! Holds the title ''God of Shinobi'', ''The professor'', and more. A powerful kage even in his old age. Need to be careful with what I say.'' All of these thoughts shed by in an instant.

    Hiruzen chucked. "My What a polite child." He had a gentle expression on his face. "Are you alright young one? Why were you crying?"

    Daichi was surprised to hear the question. "Crying?" He brought his hands to his cheeks. He could feel the remnants of tears on his fingers.

    ''He didn''t even realize it.'' Hiruzen wanted to know what would make a young child feel such a strong emotion.

    "It''s nothing lord Hokage. I was just thinking about some things." Daichi replied not wanting to give away anything. ''I need to be cautious.''

    "That must have been some pretty deep thoughts." Hiruzen walked forward and stood next to him. Both of them looked at the vige.

    "What do you see?" He asked after a few seconds of silence.

    Although the question was simple, Daichi knew it was anything but. He was quiet for a few seconds and gathered his thoughts. He could give the normal answer. The one expected of a child his age.

    Suddenly an idea came to his mind. A crazy wild idea that if it worked would help him immensely.

    After a few seconds of contemtion he made a choice. He was going to take a giant gamble. If it seeded, it would help him through the years toe. If it didn''t he didn''t even want to think about that. With steely resolve in his choice, he replied in four words.

    "Peace, harmony and sacrifice."

    ''Definitely not an ordinary child.'' "Tell me more. What do those words mean to you?" The aging leader was curious about the mentality of the child near him.

    Hearing the question Daichi slowly took a breath and after a moment let it out. He wanted to be absolutely sure and careful of the words he was going to say.

    "I read about some of the history of the time before the founding of the vige. The warring era. A time when everyone fought each other with no mercy. Anyone who wasn''t one of them was considered an enemy and would be killed. Even children."

    Daichi paused for a moment and continued. "But all of that changed when the Senju n and the Uchiha n put aside their differences and joined together to form the vige. A safe ce where their descendants could grow up without fear of death. A ce where people could call home and their children could grow up happily. The world followed their example and peace was achieved."

    Taking a short pause, Daichi continued.

    "Then when several ns all over thend, who wanted to experience that peace joined the vige, and each n working together with the singr goal of protecting the vige, it brought harmony."

    The Hokage turned to look at the child. His face gave away nothing as he listened.

    "And finally... Sacrifice...The ninjas giving their lives in battle to preserve the peace and safety of the vige. Like the first, second and fourth kages did." Daichi turned to look at the kage. "That is what I see when I look at the vige".

    Hiruzen was expressionless as he listened to Daichi''s words. He was scrutinizing the boy''s chakra throughout the conversation. He couldn''t detect a single chakra fluctuation that indicated the child was lying. Otherwise he would''ve thought the boy was just saying these words to gain his favor or trying to manipte him using his ideology.

    But when Daichi looked him in the eyes, he was sure of it. ''This child. He''s not lying. And moreover he understands and embodies the philosophies of the first.''

    [Rep massively increased with Hiruzen Sarutobi. ]

    [Rep increased with Genma Shiranui.]

    [Rep increased with Raido Namiashi.]

    [Rep increased with Iwashi Tatami.]

    [Due to making a clever and calcted decision, you have obtained +1 WIS]

    Daichi didn''t even look at the notifications that appeared. He looked straight at the Hokage with a serene expression.

    When Hiruzen asked the question earlier he didn''t expect a childish reply but he also didn''t think he would get such a profound answer from the child. He was shocked. ''It feels like I''m looking at a young Itachi all over again.''

    "Hahahahaha..."

    For the first time in a long time Hiruzen let out a heartyugh. Daichi was a bit bbergasted as he looked at theughing old man. "Umm lord Hokage..?"

    He didn''t get an answer. Hiruzen had a grin on his face as he stoppedughing. "What is your name?"

    "Daichi Hekima."

    "What do you want to be in the future?"

    At this question Daichi grew a grin that matched the kage. "I''m gonna be a ninja."

    "Are you joining this year?" Hiruzen asked. "No. Next year." Was the reply.

    Both of them had a smile and turned to look towards the vige. Both of them standing infortable silence. Thinking about the conversation.

    "The first hokage was someone who thought the same. It was his philosophy. Peace through cooperation. It was a lesson he passed down to me, to his n and to the vige."

    Hiruzen didn''t say anything more. At that moment he made an important decision regarding the future of the vige.

    ''Itachi had a kind, innocent and gentle heart but this world took that from him before he could even reach puberty. I won''t let that happen again.''

    As Daichi looked on he suddenly remembered the things he had to do and buy. And the simple quest he had toplete.

    "Lord hokage, I promised my grandfather I would get home soon. May I be excused?"

    Hiruzen smiled. "Yes. Get home safely Daichi." He watched Daichi leave with a smile on his face.

    "Genma." He called out.

    A shinobi wearing the standard Jonin uniform appeared behind him. He was one of the hokage guards tasked with watching and protecting him all day.

    "What do you make of him?" The old man asked, wanting to know his shinobi''s impression of the boy.

    "He is unusual. Based on his chakra, he''s definitely a civilian. But his control over his emotions is better than the average adult who doesn''t have any training. But I couldn''t detect any deception in his words. And he doesn''t speak like a child his age. It''s the way he spoke about the topic. To me it felt as if I was listening to an adult." Genma took a pause and then continued.

    "And it seems he can understandplex concepts that would baffle even some. There is a great possibility he could be a genius. But it would depend on his performance in the academy to determine that."

    Hiruzen nodded to the assessment. "Find out everything you can about the boy. I want that information within 24 hours."

    "Yes sir." With those words Genma vanished.

    ''If the next generation is anything like him, then when the timees for me to depart this world I''ll be happy knowing that the vige will be in good hands Hmm I''ll go see Naruto and take him out for some ramen.''

    With that the Hokage started making his way to Naruto''s home.

    -----------------------------------------------------

    Daichi got down the steps and reached the base of the mountain. He took a look back at the mountain faces, put on his sunsses and then turned around and walked. His next destination was the Yamanaka flower store.

    His mind running a mile a minute. Going through every word and every instance of the conversation he just had with the most powerful person currently in the vige.

    Daichi only now dismissed the several notifications that were in front of him.

    ''I can''t believe it worked! I was able to gain his attention in a good way. Now when I join the academy I won''t have to hold back much. I won''t show everything but I''ll definitely take the top spot every year by a good margin. And if any unsavory characters like Danzoes after me, the Hokage would be more motivated than usual to shield me.''

    ''After all, in his eyes I just became a promising talent that holds the values and ideals of him and his teachers. He mistook my mental maturity for genius talent. The same mistake Kensei made. One of the many perks of having a child body I suppose. People rarely take you as a threat.''

    Daichi was cunning. Every move he made, every word he spoke, since the instant he recognised the kage was careful and calcted. The WIS stat increase proved it to him. Daichi knew the old kage had a kind heart and a soft spot for children so he used that information to his advantage.

    ''After that conversation he will be more than curious. He''ll definitely send someone to investigate me. Probably one of the guards following him. I wasn''t expecting the Hokage''s toon to be there but it''s alright. They''ll start with the orphanage and Aiko.''

    ''But I don''t think there will be a problem. Based on the memories I have of before my awakening, I was still smart. Maybe not genius level. But I definitely learned things at a much faster rate than the other children. And Aiko has a good opinion of me. And since I only got adopted yesterday I doubt they''d bother the old man.''

    ''There is also a chance they''ll trace my steps to the library. No They definitely will do it. And they''ll find the books I''ve read.''

    Daichi thought about the gamble he just took and the reasons for doing it.

    ''If I didn''t have the gamer''s mind to keep my emotions in check, I don''t think I could have pulled it off. And I wouldn''t even have tried it. He''s a sensor shinobi, from what I can remember. And a good one at that. So I needed a calm mind to make this work and I did tell him the truth.''

    ''I just didn''t tell him the whole truth. But nor did I lie to him.''

    He walked the road looking all around him. The people. Both ninjas and civilians. He saw the smiles on their faces as they chatted with their friends, families, neighbors, teammates. He looked at the team of Gennin that passed him by.

    ''Every word I said was what I truly believed about the vige. But thest part. Sacrifice. I know the ninjas of this vige are willing to give their lives to protect this ce. Well most of them anyway.''

    ''But that''s not the case for me. I''m not going to sacrifice my life for this vige. But I couldn''t tell him that. He just assumed it would be something I would definitely do based on my words.''

    ''This is my second chance. I want to be a little selfish. Is that so wrong? I want to live a long life. Enjoy everything this world has to offer. There is a good chance that when I''m strong enough and dealt with theing threats, I''ll leave this vige and travel the world. But until that dayes I''ll need as much protection as I can get. What I did it was necessary. But I hope this won''t have any negative consequences in the future.''

    There was one more reason he made this move. But he wasn''t sure if it would work.

    No longer thinking about the matter, Daichi kept walking. He wanted to see his progress and see how far he''de. He opened his Status and skill page.

    [Name : Daichi Hekima (The Gamer)]

    ss : Civilian

    Age : 5

    Title : Capable Child, Explorer

    Level : 4 (1300/1325)

    HP : 355

    CP : 230

    SP : 210

    Primary Stats

    Strength - 10

    Vitality - 8

    Dexterity - 5

    Agility - 10

    Intelligence - 11

    Chakra - 3

    Wisdom - 11

    Special Stats

    Sense (LOCKED)

    Stamina - 3

    Indomitable (LOCKED)

    Charisma (LOCKED)

    Persistence (LOCKED)

    Dignity (LOCKED)

    Luck (LOCKED)

    Note - (Unlocking Special stats requires certain actions or reaching specific conditions. Different stats are unlocked with different methods. Stat points cannot be allocated to these stats.)

    Stat Points - 30

    Ryo - 1300

    [Skills]

    [1. Gamer''s Mind - Passive (LV.MAX): Gamer''s Mind is one of the skills granted to the user by the system. It allows the user to calmly and logically think things through. Allows a peaceful state of mind. And this skill provides Immunity to mental disorders. Gamer''s Mind is a skill that''s already obtained and maxed.]

    [2. Gamer''s Body - Passive (LV.MAX): Gamer''s Body is one of the skills granted to the yer by the system. While this skill grants a body that allows the user to live the real world like a game, it has certain limitations. Cuts and bruises will be healed based on the physical stats of the user. The user receives minimal to no physical damage from blunt force attacks, only pain for a few seconds, and a loss of HP. But piercing and stabbing attacks will have a limited effect on the gamer''s body. Sleeping in a bed restores HP, CP SP. Gamer''s Body is a passive skill that is already obtained and maxed.]

    [3. Gaia''s Blessing - Passive (LV.MAX): The great God Gaia has blessed you and bestowed on you a special ability. Gaia''s blessing will ensure that you will always be strong and healthy in your lifetime.

    Temporary Effect: Gives the soul a new healthy body.

    Permanent Effect: All diseases, poisons and negative status effects are healed. Sleeping increases regeneration. Sleeping in a bed increases regeneration several fold.]

    [4. Observe - Active (LV.10 (21%)): A skill to find the target''s information. Observe was obtained through continuous observation. Higher level of the skill reveals more information about the target.]

    [5. Dishwashing - Passive (LV.1): A skill obtained through continuous dishwashing. With more mastery, you can clean any dirty spots with more speed.

    Effects: +5% increase in speed]

    [6. Meditate - Active (LV. 3(66%)): A skill obtained through continuously focusing on breathing and avoiding distractions. Helps the user enter a calm meditative state. Increases the regeneration of the body.

    Effects : +4% to HP regeneration per minute.

    +4% to CP regeneration per minute.

    +4% to SP regeneration per minute.]

    [7. Basic Body Conditioning - Passive (LV. 2(79%)): This skill gives the user''s body an increase in strength, speed, vitality, and stamina through training.

    Effects: +2% to Damage inflicted.

    +2% to Movement speed.

    +2% to Physical stat growth.

    -2% to Damage taken.]

    [8. Minimap - Shows your location at all times. Future maps and locations visited will be automatically added to Minimap.]

    [9. Inventory - The Inventory is a storage dimensional ability. Only you the yer has ess to it. The Inventory window shows all the items you have stored in it including the clothes and weapons you''ve equipped. You can directly equip armor, weapons or clothes from Inventory to your body. The change is instantaneous. ]

    After reading everything he closed the panels and kept on walking.

    -----------------------------------------------

    Daichi didn''t know it at the time, but one of the three guards took an interest in him. He was looking forward to seeing how Daichi would perform in the Academy. And he would one day be one of Daichi''s two Jonin instructors. But that is a story long into the future.

 Chapter 13: Yamanaka Flowers

    Chapter 13: Yamanaka Flowers

    Leaf Vige Streets.

    As Daichi was walking down the road he took out the horticulture guide book he bought earlier. He started going through the book. It not only had instructions on how to grow and maintain a healthy garden but also information on several kinds of flowers, how to grow them, their uses, and what they represent.

    Since this was his first personal project he wanted to make this memorable. He wanted to start from scratch. Daichi was nning on buying the seeds of a few nts and growing them and then expanding.

    Daichi remembers seeing the remnants of the flower Lilies in the garden. He decided that would be one of the flowers he would buy. As he looked through the different flora that are native to thisnd, two caught his attention.

    The first nt was Daffodil. The flower that symbolizes rebirth and new beginning. Daichi felt that this flower perfectly represented him. Someone who was reborn and was given a new beginning.

    The second one that caught his attention was Agrimony. The flowering nt that belongs in the family of Roses. This flower represents gratitude and thankfulness. A flower, the young boy decided, would be dedicated to the old man.

    By the time he was done skimming through the book he had reached the shop. He entered and looked around. There were a few women buying flower bouquets from the counter at the time. And a couple others who were admiring the disys and having a debate on which one to buy. Daichi took a moment to look around the store.

    On his right side there were potted nts of all shapes and sizes. Flowers of all decorative nature were disyed in an orderly fashion. To his left he saw a ss shelf and in it several flowers of various attractive colors were arranged.

    ''The ss shelf must be for temperature control.'' Daichi deduced.

    He then looked towards the front. He wasn''t all that surprised to see that the man in charge of the counter was Inoichi Yamanaka. Head of the Yamanaka n and father of Ino. After the women at the counter left, Daichi walked forward towards the man.

    [??][Inoichi Yamanaka]

    [???]

    ''Observe'' skill revealed nothing. ''This is starting to get irritating. I need to get to at least level 25 soon. Then I''ll be able to see the information on someone up to level 70.'' Daichi was a little frustrated with the constantck of information he was recently shown. But he didn''t show any of that expression on his face.

    "Hello little man. Wee to Yamanaka flowers. How can I help you?" Inoichi was a little surprised to see the kid, as young children often don''te to buy flowers alone. But regardless he was polite since he would be a customer and greeted the child.

    Daichi slightly bowed and then straightened. "Hello sir. I would like to buy seeds for 3 flowering nts and some fertilizers."

    "Oh. Have you decided on which ones you want.?"

    "Yes. Lilies, Daffodils and Agrimony."

    "Hmm. I think we have some seeds for those. Let me check. " With those words Inoichi went through the several boxes on the shelf and after a couple of minutes found what he was looking for. He also took a small bag of fertilizers and brought it to the counter.

    "Here they are. That will be 500 Ryo."

    Daichi paid the money and took the seed packets and ced them in his backpack. He took the fertilizer bag and thanked the n head and left the store.

    --------------------------------------------------

    At the same time in Aiko''s orphanage.

    "Hello Miss Aiko. It''s been a long time. How have you been?" Genma asked the orphanage matron.

    They were in Aiko''s office catching up. Aiko had, on a few asions, healed Genma when she was working as a medic for the vige. So they had some familiarity with each other.

    "I have been well, Genma. It''s been a long time. If memory serves me right, thest time I saw you was when you were just starting out as a chunin, wasn''t it. Now look at you. All grown up and a Jonin. How cute." Aiko smiled lightly, teasing him.

    Genma had a smile and a slight almost imperceptible blush on his face. When he was young he had a small crush on Aiko. So when she mentioned his chunin days he couldn''t help but be a little embarrassed. He scratched the back of his head and lightlyughed.

    "So Genma, not that I mind but what brings you here?"

    "Ahh Well... I''m actually looking for some information. On a child that was recently here."

    "Oh. And who might that be?" Aiko was curious.

    "His name is Daichi Hekima. Records at the archive show he was assigned to this orphanage. So if you could show me the file I''d really appreciate it." Genma had a polite tone and smile on his face the entire time.

    Aiko too had a smile on her face but she was cautious inside. Even though he phrased it as a request she knew it definitely wasn''t. She knew that if Genma was personally interested in Daichi, he wouldn''t ask for the boy''s file like this as there were some restrictions and procedures to follow before seeing them.

    But since he asked so directly, ''This must be for the Hokage. But why would he need Daichi''s files? He was only gone two days ago. What did he do that caught lord Hokage''s attention?'' she deduced.

    "Hold on, I''ll get them for you."

    She stood from her chair and walked to the filing cab. Opening and after looking through some folders, she found the one that was marked with Daichi''s name. She took it out and handed it to Genma.

    "Here it is. Can I ask?...Is he alright? Is there any trouble or something?" Aiko was concerned. Daichi was one of her favorite children.

    "No no. Nothing like that. I just wanted to check his background information and learn a bit about him. Nothing more than curiosity."

    The Jonin said nothing more as he started reading the file. He went through the few pages quickly. After about 5 minutes he asked. "Can I take this with me?"

    "Sure." Aiko nodded. "Do you need anything else?"

    "Yes. What can you tell me about him?" He asked.

    "What do you want to know?"

    Genma now had a slightly serious expression. "Everything."

    ----------------------------------------------------------

    After exiting the flower shop Daichi went to a pet store to get a mouse and then to a general shop to buy various misceneous items. He wanted to test the capabilities of his inventory ability. Once he got everything he wanted he headed straight to home.

    It was only 4 in the afternoon but Daichi didn''t want to dy any longer. He wanted to reach home and conduct his tests and start on his pending quests as soon as possible. He took out the horticulture guide book and started reading up on the proper ways to nt and germinate the seeds he bought.

    Within half an hour he reached home. He closed his book and put it in his bag. He saw his grandpa standing at the front feeding a few birds in a nearby tree.

    "Wee home Daichi. How was your day?" He asked while a little bird was pecking food off his hand.

    "It was interesting. I went to the library. Read up on a lot of stuff. Ate some delicious ramen. Bought a few things. Oh! And I also met the Hokage." Daichi said nonchntly.

    When Kensei heard that, he was surprised. He didn''t think the boy would meet the Hokage on his first trip alone through the vige. He was curious but he didn''t ask what they talked about.

    "What''s with the sunsses and fertilizers?"

    "The sunsses because I thought they look cool and fertilizers because I wanted to grow that garden you showed me."

    Rep increases with Kensei Yasaji.

    "Oh." Kensei said nothing else. When he was done feeding the birds both of them entered their home.

    [Quest ''Don''t bete''pleted.]

    [Rewards:]

    [+115 Exp]

    [Rep increases with Kensei Yasaji.]

    [You have leveled up.]

    ''Yes. Finally, Level 5. Lets see my status page. Status.''

    [Name : Daichi Hekima (The Gamer)]

    [ss : Civilian]

    [Age : 5]

    [Title : Capable Child, Explorer]

    [Level : 5 (90/1700)]

    HP : 375

    CP : 230

    SP : 225

    [Primary Stats]

    Strength - 10

    Vitality - 8

    Dexterity - 5

    Agility - 10

    Intelligence - 11

    Chakra - 3

    Wisdom - 11

    [Special Stats]

    Sense (LOCKED)

    Stamina - 4

    Indomitable (LOCKED)

    Charisma (LOCKED)

    Persistence (LOCKED)

    Dignity (LOCKED)

    Luck (LOCKED)

    [Note - (Unlocking Special stats requires certain actions or reaching specific conditions. Different stats are unlocked with different methods. Stat points cannot be allocated to these stats.)]

    [Stat Points - 35]

    [Ryo - 400]

    ''Hmm So my wisdom and intelligencees first with strength second and the weakest is chakra. I gotta get to work on that first thing tomorrow. ''

    ''Since level up increases special stats I need to unlock those quickly. The sooner the better. But the problem is I don''t have any concrete ideas on how to do that. Need toe up with some theories.''

    ''35 stat points huh. Yeah. I''m definitely not spending any of that any time soon. Unless I''m mistaken stat points get harder and harder to increase with training the bigger they are. So I''ll be saving my points for a rainy day. And considering the monsters that roam this world I should be prepared for a flood.''

    ''I''m getting low on cash. Hope quests or dungeon run rewards some cash. I''m gonna need some untraceable cash in case of an emergency.''

    ''Got a lot of things to do Well no one said it would be easy Alright Daichi. Just take it one step at a time. You can do this.''

    Daichi went to his room to put away his things. He put the mice he bought in a cage and ced it near the table. Then he took the seed packets and fertilizer bag and went outside.

    He reached the garden that was overrun with weeds and insects. He started cleaning the ce. After about 2 hours he got rid of everything. And since he spent the 2 hours doing physical tasks,

    [Due to the continued physicalbor, you have obtained +1 VIT]

    He got a stat increase in vitality. Daichi was quite happy with his progress.

    He then fertilized the soil and nted the seeds. After watering the ground he suddenly got a new notification.

    [Quest ''Take care of the Garden'' is now ongoing. Rewards would be distributed at the end of the week. This Quest will expire after 6 years.]

    Since he got a 1 point increase in his vitality stat Daichi wanted to see what it would do. ''Status'' He opened his status page.

    [Name : Daichi Hekima (The Gamer)]

    [ss : Civilian]

    [Age : 5]

    [Title : Capable Child, Explorer]

    [Level : 5 (90/1700)]

    HP : 390

    CP : 230

    SP : 235

    [Primary Stats]

    Strength - 10

    Vitality - 9

    Dexterity - 5

    Agility - 10

    Intelligence - 11

    Chakra - 3

    Wisdom - 11

    [Special Stats]

    Sense (LOCKED)

    Stamina - 4

    Indomitable (LOCKED)

    Charisma (LOCKED)

    Persistence (LOCKED)

    Dignity (LOCKED)

    Luck (LOCKED)

    [Stat Points - 35]

    [Ryo - 400]

    ''Hmm thest time I checked this, my HP was 375 and SP was 225. But now with one vitality point my HP and SP increased to 390 and 235. So each vitality point gives 15 health points and 10 stamina points. Not bad.I need to figure out just how much the rest of the stats give. And exactly how the HP, CP, SP are calcted.''

    By the time he was done with all the work the sun had set and night began. Daichi went to his room and got cleaned up and went downstairs. His grandfather had set the food on the table. Both of them ate and talked about various topics.

    When they were done Daichi took the dishes and cleaned them.

    [Skill Dishwashing''s level has risen by one.]

    Happy with another skill increase Daichi went to his grandpa.

    "Can I take a look at some of the books from your library tomorrow?" He asked.

    "What sort of books are you looking for?"

    "Books on chakra. I want to understand and unlock my chakra." Daichi said.

    "Come with me."

    With those words Kensei went to his library. There were numerous books and scrolls with various titles and markings. Kensei went to a particr shelf and took out a few books.

    "These are books on chakra theory and control, hand seals and the anatomy of the human body. These three will do for now. Study them thoroughly. Once you''re done with them, ce them back here. I will see your progress at the end of the month."

    With that Kensei gave Daichi 3 books.

    Since it was gettingte, they both retired to their rooms. Daichi set the newly bought rm clock to 6 am. He was excited about tomorrow.

 Chapter 14: Inventory Skill and Chakra Unlocking

    Chapter 14: Inventory Skill and Chakra Unlocking

    "Ring...."

    The sound of an rm clock rang throughout the room. Daichi opened his eyes. It was his 3rd day waking up in this world. He got up, turned off the rm and got ready for the day.

    He went downstairs to meet his grandpa. He had his breakfast and went back to his room. There were two main things he had to do today.

    Testing the abilities of his Inventory skill and chakra unlocking.

    He took out all the things he bought yesterday. There were several pens of the same shape and size and a couple others that were different. 2 stopwatch timers of the same built. The book on horticulture and cooking, along with the several pairs of dresses he bought with his grandfather the first day. Finally he took out the small cage with the white mouse in it.

    "Ok. Time to see just what my inventory can do Inventory." He called out lightly.

    A small window with dozens of empty boxes appeared. The first test. He wanted to see if time moved differently in the inventory space. So he set the 2 stopwatch timers and stored one in his inventory while he set the other in front of him. It will take some time to see the results so he proceeded with the next test.

    He put 5 pens of the same color and shape. All from the same maker into the inventory. He saw that only one box was taken and saw a multiplier of 5 marked underneath the box.

    He then stored the remaining pens but since they were different colors and built they took up another two boxes.

    ''Hmm. So even though they were the same items - pens, since they were different they took up different spaces. Probably the same for books and other stuff like scrolls or weapons.''

    ''I also should have several sets of clothes set and stored. For battle, camouge, stealth, training and more ''

    Daichi then stored the books on horticulture and cooking in his inventory. Just as he suspected, they took up two boxes. Daichi was thoroughly testing the inventory skill because he only had 35 slots.

    He needed to know if the slots would increase with each level up. He wanted to make sure he had some slots free in case he needed to store something unexpectedly while at the same time he had all the necessary items he would need.

    Now time for his final and most important test. To see if his skill can hold anything living. He took the small mouse from the cage and tried to ce it in his inventory slot.

    A red notification appeared.

    [Warning. Action Denied. Cannot store living creatures. Only exceptions are during special conditions.]

    He put the mouse back in the cage and read through the message again.

    ''So under special circumstances I can store living beings. Need to look into thatter.''

    For his final test he put two sets of clothes in two slots. ''Equip.''

    His current outfit changed to the one he imagined instantly. And then he thought about taking the pen and it appeared in his right hand. When he thought about his inventory he could see a subspace with all the stored items. It seems he could directly equip clothes and other items from his inventory.

    ''It seems I will be able to equip weapons and armor in an instant. A very useful ability indeed.''

    Daichi went through various tests he deemed necessary and was happy with the oues. Around 30 minutes had passed. It was time to find out the results of the first test. He wanted to see if there was a time difference between the real world and inventory.

    He took the stop watch out to see the time. He was shocked when he saw the time.

    "It''s the same time as when I stored it inside. Right down to the second. ording to this, no time had passed from when I put it in the slot till I took it out. So time in that subspace is frozen."

    Daichi was very excited. ''A very powerful ability. I can store foods all freshly prepared and they will stay like that as long as it''s inside. Looks like I won''t have to worry about going hungry or thirsty if I ever end up in an unknown terrain.''

    Daichi''s test with the Inventory came to an end.

    It was finally time for him to unlock his chakra and train in it.

    Kensei gave him 3 books yesterday. One on chakra control and theory, one that exins about hand seals and their purposes and thest one showing the details of the human body.

    The reason Kensei gave the book on human anatomy was so he could figure out just how smart Daichi was and if he could evenprehend a small portion of such a vast subject. If he seeded then Kensei would make sure Daichi would learn some basic medical techniques too. But Daichi didn''t know any of this.

    Daichi closed the door to his room. He had forgone exercise this morning because he wanted to be in the best shape when he unlocked his chakra.

    Daichi took the book on chakra theory and control. He already had an understanding of what chakra was but that understanding came from his previous life. So he couldn''t be sure what was doable and what wasn''t. He was going to read the entire book to make sure he understood everything so he wouldn''t mess up when he trained with his chakra.

    For the next several hours Daichi read through every sentence in the book,mitting them to memory. Only after reading the book did he understand that he only had the bare minimum knowledge about chakra. He had gained a far more understanding of the energy he was going to use when he was done with the first book.

    The book contained several theories on chakra. How to control them, increase the chakra pool, and efficiently use them. It describes several control exercises for beginners.

    By the time he was done reading the book he got several new notifications.

    [Due to learning and understanding new information, you have obtained +3 INT]

    [You have understood the basics of chakra and thus gained [Chakra Maniption ]. Would you like to learn this skill? (Y/N)]

    Not only did he get 3 INT stat points but also a new skill. He was very happy and epted without hesitation.

    [Chakra Maniption - (Active/Passive) (LV.1): This skill allows the user to manipte their own chakra depending on their chakra proficiency. ]

    Daichi now understood how to unlock and use his chakra. He sat in a meditative pose and concentrated. He meditated for some time and then brought his hands to form the Ram seal. He concentrated inwards for some time and suddenly he could feel it.

    In his belly he could feel a warm energy just waiting to be unleashed. Although it was a small amount. Daichi mentallymanded the chakra to move and he suddenly felt a rush of energy filling his entire body. He opened his eyes and looked at his hands as if seeing them for the first time.

    At that moment several new notification boxes appeared.

    [You have actively used chakra for the first time. You have gained the skills [Lesser chakra affinity] and [Lesser chakra regeneration]. ]

    [Note: Increasing both of the above skills passively increases the level of Chakra maniption skill. ]

    [Lesser chakra affinity - Passive (LV.1): This skill slightly increases the user''s talent and ability to use chakra more efficiently. ]

    [Effects: +5% growth rate of Chakra stat.

    +5% Strength increase to all chakra based skills.

    +5% Defense increase against chakra based attacks.

    +10% increase to maximum CP.

    -5% CP cost to all chakra based skills. ]

    [Lesser chakra regeneration - Passive/Active (LV.1): This skill gives the user the ability to regenerate chakra at a slightly faster pace.]

    [Effects: Regeneration Increased by 5% of base CP per minute.

    +5% growth rate of Chakra stat.

    Note: Meditation increases CP regeneration to 10%.]

    [Due to continued chakra training, you have obtained +1 CHK]

    Daichi started moving his chakra throughout his body. It was an arduous task given that he only just began, but he kept going. When his CP almost reached zero his CHK increased again.

    [Due to continued chakra training, you have obtained +1 CHK]

    He was going to wait for his chakra to regenerate at the normal rate so he could understand how long it took. He was going to read the other two books as he waited.

    He took the one on Hand seals and began reading

    As he read the book and understood new information,

    [Due to learning and understanding new information, you have obtained +1 INT.]

    His INT stat kept soaring. By the time hepletely read the book a new skill appeared.

    [You have understood the basics of hand seals and thus have gained [Minor Jutsu Creation] skill. Would you like to learn this skill? (Y/N)]

    "BOOYAH. I''m so happy right now. Of course I wanna learn it."

    [Minor Jutsu Creation - Active (LV.1): This skill increases the user''s understanding, talent and ability to create new Ninjutsu and Genjutsu. When creating new jutsu:]

    [Effects: +3% Sess rate to create new Ninjutsu.

    +3% Sess rate to create new Genjutsu.

    -3% Less CP requirements for new Jutsu created.]

    "Oh man. I''m gonna abuse the hell outta this skill."

    Daichi was excited about histest skill. He had seen many forms of powers and techniques in many stories in hisst life. He wanted to recreate some of them when the time came.

    ''My CP is fully restored. Time to exercise my chakra. I wanna feel it moving through every limb.''

    Daichi sat down and focused. He started moving his chakra from his belly to his arms and then to his legs and back. His chakra was small in quantity and since it was his first day of training it was slow to reach the various parts of his body. But as time passed his control over his chakra got better and better.

    [Due to continued chakra training, you have obtained +1 CHK.]

    [Skill Lesser chakra affinity''s level has risen by one.]

    [Skill Chakra Maniption''s level has risen by one.]

    As he kept training his skill and stats increased.

    Once his CP bar was below 20% he rested and decided to take and finish the final book. The book on Human anatomy. It wasplicated and even with his advantage he didn''t understand most of it at first.

    Daichi mainly focused on two things. 1. The chakra pathways system and ways that chakra interact with the organs. 2. The senses and how they function.

    He read the chapters again and again and sometimes even took the first two books to rify some doubts that formed. As he kept reading and understanding the anatomy his INT stat was rapidly rising.

    [Due to learning and understanding new information, you have obtained +3 INT.]

    [Skill Lesser chakra regeneration''s level has risen by one.]

    His INT stat had increased by 3 points by the time he stopped reading the book. And the regeneration skill level also increased. He wasn''t even finished with a 5th of the book and yet he was able to increase his intelligence by such a wide margin.

    "Learning new and advanced information is definitely the best way to improve INT stat. It will take me at least a couple weeks to truly understand and finish the entire book I can''t believe I''m looking forward to studying."

    He slightly chuckled to himself.

    ''Knock knock knock''. There were several knocks on the door.

    "Daichi, you in there?" It was the sound of his grandfather.

    "Coming." Daichi put the book on the table and opened the door.

    "It''s almost supper time kiddo. Come on. You don''t want to miss dinner like you did lunch." Kensei looked at him with a knowing smile.

    "What? I spent the whole day here?" Daichi was surprised. He didn''t even notice the time passing. It was only then he looked at the window and noticed the sun was setting.

    Kensei smiled. He knew the kid would be busy reading the books and might get lost in it. He suspected as much when he didn''t show up for lunch. Since Daichi was studying he didn''t want to disturb him as well.

    It was only then when taking a closer look at Daichi that Kensei noticed something peculiar. ''No way. His chakra level has increased. Definitely much greater than before.'' He had to know what happened.

    "Daichi, did you do any chakra training today?" Kensei asked in a neutral tone, not giving anything away.

    "Um." Daichi nodded. "I read the two books on chakra theory and hand seals. I was able to unlock my chakra and move it around my body. But not by much."

    When Kensei heard this he kept a neutral face and in a calm tone congratted him. "Well done. Nowe on. Dinner is getting cold."

    Both of them went down to eat their food. Both of them, thinking about different things.

 Chapter 15: Hiruzens Thoughts and Kenseis Suspicions.

    Chapter 15: Hiruzen''s Thoughts and Kensei''s Suspicions.

    Hokage office. That evening.

    Genma gave the Hokage a folder containing all the relevant information on Daichi Hekima. From his time of birth to now.

    Hiruzen opened the file and flipped through the pages. Quickly reading every line.

    ''Born on March 28 the same year as the attack. But it says here that''s not his real birthdate. It was assigned by Aiko Hikara when he was in the orphanage. Still, his 5th birthday was 2 days ago Same day he got adopted I see The one who adopted him is''

    The Hokage was shocked when he read the name.

    Kensei Yasaji.

    ''Kensei !? Why would he adopt a child now?''

    Looking at Daichi''s photo again another face came to his mind. ''I see. The boy''s resemnce to Kensei''ste son is amazing. No wonder he adopted him.''

    The Hokage read through the file. Then asked for Genma''s personal report. "Tell me what you''ve found out."

    "As you know, during the attack 5 years ago there were many children that became orphans."

    "A dark day." Hiruzen sadly sighed. It was also the day he lost his beloved wife, his sessor and many other shinobi and vigers.

    "Daichi was one of them. During the 2nd day of rescue operations after the attack, a chunin found a child buried beneath a lot of rubble and concrete. The child didn''t look like he was breathing but when the chunin took him in her arms he suddenly started crying. They called it a miracle that he survived." Genma said.

    "The chunin who rescued the boy, it was Aiko, wasn''t it." Hiruzen asked even though he knew.

    Genma nodded. He continued. "She retired shortly before the attack and after the incident she quickly got to building her orphanage. She''s the one who gave him his name."

    "And since some of the records sections were destroyed in the attack and he looked about 6 months old she gave him his name and marked March 28th as his birthday."

    ''Daichi. Meaning ''from the earth'' and ''wisdom''. A fitting name indeed.'' Hiruzen mused.

    "He has exceptional learning capabilities. Miss Aiko said he learned at a much faster rate than the other children. Based on what she said, his interestsy in books and knowledge."

    "A polite smart child who hasn''t caused any problems other than the asional small harmless pranks on his friends. That''s her impression of the boy. And during his stay in the orphanage the only times he left its premises was with Miss Aiko to buy groceries or other such items and that too on a handful of asions."

    Hiruzen nodded and motioned to continue.

    "Two days ago he was adopted by Kensei Yasaji. A retired Jonin. Miss Aiko said that Kensei thought Daichi might be his grandson so she ran a blood test. It turned out to be false. But he still decided to go through with the adoption."

    "That''s because Daichi has a strong resemnce to Kensei''ste son. During theirter years both him and his son became estranged. Perhaps he wanted to make up for that and felt adopting Daichi would aplish it. That''s probably why." Hiruzen added.

    Hiruzen then thought about the strained rtion he currently had with his son. ''Oh Biwako. I wish you were here. You would know how to solve this.''

    "Continue." The old kage motioned with his head.

    "Yesterday morning Daichi left his new home and went to several ces in the vige. I retraced his steps and found he went to a bookstore first. He bought books on gardening and cooking. Then he headed to the Leaf public library."

    Now Hiruzen got interested. He wanted to know what books Daichi read there.

    "I was able to find the books he took. He spent almost 5 hours reading through the founding of the vige, the various ns, and books on the warring era period." Genma stopped.

    ''So a child no older than 5 really didprehend the bloody history, the birth and significance of the vige and the importance of its existence on his own unbelievable.''

    The Hokage''s mind reyed the meeting with the small boy and his words still resounded in his ears. "Go on." He said.

    "He bought a map and then went straight to Ichiraku Ramen and then to the Hokage monument. After that he went to the Yamanaka flowers to buy some seeds and fertilizers. Most probably for his garden."

    "So that''s why he bought the gardening book. And since he bought a cookbook, he would most probably try to learn cooking as well."

    "Then he went to buy somemon everyday items from the nearby shops and went home." Genma concluded his report.

    Hiruzen nodded and dismissed Genma. ''Why am I thinking so much about one child who hasn''t even been to the academy?'' He sighed.

    Although Hiruzen asked himself this question he knew the answer. It was because this boy reminded him of Itachi, Minato and also Orochimaru. He didn''t want to see another child with great potential lead a life with heavy burdens or be taken before his time or worse. Go down the wrong path and be the enemy.

    The third Hokage made a decision. "Hawk. Assemble the council along with the n heads for a meeting. Immediately."

    The shadow of an anbu disappeared from Hiruzen''s periphery.

    Hiruzen made some important choices and chief among them was the change in the age of the academy graduation.

    ------------------------------------------------------

    Kensei''s House During Dinner.

    Both Kensei and Daichi were at the opposite ends of the table and slowly eating their food. Both thinking about various things.

    Although on the outside Kensei was calm on the inside he was astonished. Never in his life did he meet a kid that on his own, without any outside guidance learned to use his chakra. That too on his first day.

    ''He was able to understand the theory and how to apply it. His intelligence and growth rate is unprecedented. And not only that, it''s not just the fact that he learned to use chakra but that it has increased. A small marginal increase but still a noticeable one non the less.''

    ''Now that I think about it, this isn''t the first time something like this happened. During the first day of training I noticed a small increase in his reserves. But I thought it was my mind ying tricks on me. Now I''m sure. His body is somehow able to increase his reserves at a much faster rate than the normal person.''

    ''This kid''s body is definitely abnormal. But this could also be a great advantage And with his intelligence he could reach heights even beyond my expectations. And when Ites to talents, is it possible? Could this child be in the same league as the fourth Hokage?''

    Kensei closed his eyes and thought about the achievements of thete fourth Hokage. ''I suppose only time will tell.''

    Then a small smile came to his face. ''If this is his improvement in the first 3 days I can''t wait to see how much he will improve by the end of the month. I thought I hade up with an adequate training schedule for the next 11 months but it seems I''ll have to revise those ns''

    ''Impress me boy. Show me just how much potential you have.''

    Kensei ate calmly but mentally cheered Daichi on.

    At this time Daichi was thinking about making a training n for the month. He wanted to improve his skills and learn some chakra control exercises as well as increasing his chakra volume. Since he just got a skill that would help him with creating Justus, increasing his reserves would definitely be a priority.

    Suddenly.

    [Rep increases with Kensei Yasaji.]

    Daichi was a little surprised. He wasn''t sure what impressed the old man but he would take it.

    ''I need to learn the leaf concentration technique tomorrow and increase its level. I also have to focus on my body''s stats and improve my body conditioning skill.''

    ''And I need to figure out how to unlock the special stats. Hmm The clue to unlocking the stats are in their names. I''ve already unlocked one and put in motion the events that could unlock another. Or at least I hope it will work. If not, I''ll have to save it for another time. That particr special stat isn''t my priority right now.''

    ''Chakra is like a muscle. As long as I use up my chakra and exhaust it by the time I go to bed I''ll increase the chakra stat and lesser chakra affinity skill. An increase in this skill is an increase in chakra growth rate. It will also force the passive regeneration skill to increase in level.''

    Daichi quickly finished his meal and thought about how he would spend the next 4 weeks training. He took the dishes as usual and washed them. Increasing the dishwashing skill level.

    He bid his grandfather goodnight and went upstairs to his room. He put on some sleepwear and got on his bed, nning his training schedule for theing days.

    Out of nowhere a red notification box appeared.

    [You were able to sessfully convince someone of much greater strength to make an important choice or a life changing decision through your words or actions. You have reached the special condition needed to unlock Charisma stat. ]

    [+1 CHARISMA]

    [This stat improves the yer''s charm that can inspire devotion or loyalty in others and helps rally allies much easier.]

    [You have unlocked a special stat. ]

    [Reward: +500 Exp.]

    [+75 Exp. ]

    Reading the system message Daichi was shocked. ''It worked. I can''t believe it worked. I was just trying out my luck. I didn''t actually think it would work.''

    ''Charisma. The ability to influence others through words or actions. At first I thought I would have to be like Naruto and make some loyal friends or something like that to awaken this stat. But when the Hokage came to talk to me, the idea to impress and maybe even slightly influence him suddenly came. It was a big risk, but looking at this result. WORTH IT.''

    ''Now as for the remaining 5 locked stats I have some ideas on how to unlock them. Need to put those ideas to work soon. Persistence and Sense. Those are the next two I''m going to unlock.''

    Now lemme take a look at my stats.

    [Name : Daichi Hekima (The Gamer)]

    [ss : Civilian]

    Age : 5

    Title : Capable Child, Explorer

    Level : 5 (665/1700)

    HP : 405

    CP : 319

    SP : 250

    [Primary Stats]

    Strength - 10

    Vitality - 9

    Dexterity - 5

    Agility - 10

    Intelligence - 18

    Chakra - 6

    Wisdom - 11

    [Special Stats]

    Sense (LOCKED)

    Stamina - 4

    Indomitable (LOCKED)

    Charisma - 1

    Persistence (LOCKED)

    Dignity (LOCKED)

    Luck (LOCKED)

    [Stat Points - 35]

    [Ryo - 400]

    ''Not bad for a few days of work. But increasing stats will get more difficult the higher they go. So I''m not going to invest my points in any unless absolutely necessary. Training is the best way to improve them.

    Time to get some sleep. Gotta really push myself starting tomorrow.''

 Chapter 16: Chakra Control and Body Conditioning

    Chapter 16: Chakra Control and Body Conditioning

    Daichi got up just as the 6 am rm went off. His body was getting limated to the routine. Hepleted the morning rituals and got ready for an intense training day. He only had a month to impress Kensei and he had to show some massive improvements from his first day.

    He put on his ck sunsses and went downstairs and saw his grandfather sitting outside meditating.

    "Morning kid." Kensei greeted him.

    "Morning Gramps. When did you get up?"

    "Half an hour before you did. So what''s your n for today?"

    "I''m gonna be training the whole day. Chakra control exercises and some strength training." Daichi said.

    "Why are you wearing those sses now?" Kensei was a little curious.

    "That''s because I really like them. And I decided I''m not going anywhere without them. Plus it makes me look cool." Daichi gave a cheeky reply.

    Kensei sighed. ''Kids today'' He went back to meditating.

    Both of them were at the back of the house. Daichi went to a tree and picked a few leaves and then sat down.

    ''So he''s going to try the leaf concentration technique. Let''s see how long he can hold it.'' Kensei discreetly paid close attention to Daichi.

    Meanwhile Daichi sat down under the tree and calmed down. He concentrated and stopped thinking about unnecessary thoughts. Letting a few slow breaths in and out he looked at the leaf in his hand. And then he gently brought the leaf to his forehead.

    Daichi held the leaf against the center of his forehead and concentrated his chakra to that spot. He felt his chakra moving. Within moments the leaf stuck to his forehead and he let go of it. After a couple of seconds several notification boxes appeared.

    Their appearance distracted him and the leaf fell down but Daichi was happy.

    [A new skill is created with a specific action.]

    [Through continuously concentrating chakra to stick a leaf to your forehead, the skill ''Leaf concentration technique'' has been created.]

    [Leaf concentration technique - (Active/Passive)(LV. 1):A skill obtained through continuously focusing chakra to stick a leaf to a part of your body. A basic technique to help the user''s mind focus and Increase chakra control . ]

    [Effects : +5% increase in chakra control.

    CP cost : 10/sec.

    -2% CP cost to chakra techniques.]

    ''He managed to learn it quickly. But stillpared to the civilian kids this might be good. But this is still averagepared to the n kids. Now that he''s learned it, the question is how long will he be able to hold it and how far can he increase it.''

    Kensei was neither disappointed nor impressed. This result was normal whenpared to kids born of shinobi parents. The difference in talentes from how long he can keep this up and how quickly he can improve.

    Daichi was quickly calcting how long he could stick the leaf to him before his chakra ran out.

    ''Right now I have 319 CP. So with a 10 CP cost that gives me roughly 32 seconds till the leaf falls Half a minute Huh.''

    ''And this isn''t taking into ount my chakra regeneration. Right now my chakra is regenerating 5CP per minute. Not considering the buff of lesser chakra regeneration skill.''

    ''But if I take into ount my regen skill then I get roughly 20 CP per minute. And if I meditate, then that increases to roughly 36 per minute. So in my current state once I''mpletely out of chakra it''ll take 9 minutes to refill my chakra.''

    ''I need to decrease the cost of the technique and improve my chakra volume.''

    Daichi mentally closed the blue holographic boxes and returned to training. He took the leaf again and ced it on his forehead and concentrated.

    He continued for 30 seconds before his chakra ran out and the leaf fell.

    [Skill Leaf concentration technique''s level has risen by one.]

    [Due to continued chakra training, you have obtained +1 CHK]

    He then entered the meditative state. He calmed his mind and focused on his chakra. Ignoring the system messages that asionally popped up he continued to meditate. After about 10 minutes he opened his eyes.

    [Skill Lesser chakra regeneration''s level has risen by one.]

    [Skill Meditate''s level has risen by one.]

    Now that his CP bar was full he took the leaf and repeated the control exercise. This time he was able tost roughly 43 seconds.

    [Skill Leaf concentration technique''s level has risen by one.]

    Daichi decided it was time to switch training. He got up and started stretching.

    "So you''re starting your physical exercises huh That''s good." Kensei said to him.

    "Yeah. I want to concentrate on both my chakra and body. I read that physical training after one has exhausted their chakra yields more results."

    "That''s true. Physical training increases one''s stamina and strength but if you''re training while you have ess to your full reserves it won''t help you much. You''ll definitely get stronger but not by a great margin. One has to train everyday for a long while to see significant results with training like that."

    Daichi nodded, listening to his grandpa''s words.

    "But if you train after you''ve used up most of your chakra then the muscles will force your body to create more chakra. This in turn strengthens and expands your chakra coils. This type of training is more efficient but it will hurt. If you train using this method then by the end of the day, your body will feel like it''s on fire."

    Kensei stopped and looked at the boy. "Are you sure about this Daichi?" He was slightly concerned that the boy might be pushing too hard from the very beginning.

    "I''ll be fine gramps. I know the risks." Daichi''s confident voice stopped any protests from Kensei.

    Daichi had almost the same idea for his training and he had one secret advantage over everyone else. He was going topletely exhaust his chakra and stamina by doing control and physical training and then maximizing the meditative skill. ''With my Gamer''s Body I can heal and recover much faster than everybody else.''

    Once he was done with the stretches he got down to start his 50 set push ups.

    As he reached thest of set,

    [Due to the continued physical training, you have obtained +1 STR]

    His stat slightly increased. He changed positions and started a set of 50 squats. His agility stat also went up by 1 by the time hepleted it.

    [Due to the continued physical training, you have obtained +1 AGI]

    Daichi slowly started to jog around the house. His stamina points were at the low end now. He was going to push his body and increase as many stats and skills as he could.

    [+1 STAMINA]

    [Skill Basic Body conditioning''s level has risen by one.]

    Once both his CP and SP had fallen below 5 he went to the tree and sat down and meditated. By the time he was done almost an hour had passed since he started the morning training.

    "Come on Daichi. Let''s get something to eat." Kensei invited him to breakfast. He quickly ate the food and went back to training.

    There were many ideas in his head. How to improve on the leaf concentration technique and take it to the next level. It would be crucial to his growth. If his training ideas worked it would be a tremendous boost to his strength.

    He could even slightly increase the speed of his training. But he decided to take it one step at a time. He knew that without a strong foundation he wouldn''t be able to stand tall for long. So he made the choice to try those methods out once his stats got a little bit higher.

    He kept training non stop till 1 past noon. Alternating between chakra control and physical conditioning. He put himself through several variations of different exercises. And as a result, his different stats and skill have increased.

    [Due to the continued physical training, you have obtained +2 VIT]

    [Due to sessful control of your body and senses, you have obtained +3 DEX]

    [Due to continued chakra training, you have obtained +2 CHK]

    [Due to the continued physical training, you have obtained +1 STR]

    [Due to the continued physical training, you have obtained +1 AGI]

    [+3 STAMINA ]

    [Skill Basic Body conditioning''s level has risen by two.]

    [Skill Meditate''s level has risen by two.]

    [Skill Lesser chakra affinity''s level has risen by one.]

    [Skill Lesser chakra regeneration''s level has risen by three.]

    [Skill Chakra Maniption''s level has risen by one.]

    [Skill Leaf concentration technique''s level has risen by Two.]

    Daichi looked at all the different notifications he ignored before piled up. Looking through them he couldn''t help but be happy. An incredible stat growth in the span of half a day.

    But he knew it wouldn''t be like this for long. Once his stats crossed a certain threshold it would be difficult to raise them by training alone. He would need to rely on level ups and stat points.

    ''Status.''

    [Name : Daichi Hekima (The Gamer)]

    [ss : Civilian]

    [Age : 5]

    [Title : Capable Child, Explorer]

    [Level : 5 (665/1700)]

    .

    HP : 510

    CP : 437

    SP : 350

    .

    [Primary Stats]

    Strength - 12

    Vitality - 11

    Dexterity - 8

    Agility - 12

    Intelligence - 18

    Chakra - 9

    Wisdom - 14

    .

    [Special Stats]

    Sense (LOCKED)

    Stamina - 8

    Indomitable (LOCKED)

    Charisma - 1

    Persistence (LOCKED)

    Dignity (LOCKED)

    Luck (LOCKED)

    .

    Stat Points - 35

    Ryo - 400

    ''Excellent. Only two stats in my primary are below 10. But I''ll get them to double digits in a day or two. Now let''s see how far my skills have leveled.''

    ''Skill list.'' Daichi mentallymanded.

    [Meditate - Active (LV. 5(94%)): A skill obtained through continuously focusing on breathing and avoiding distractions. Helps the user enter a calm meditative state. Increases the regeneration of the body.]

    [Effects : +10% to base HP regeneration per minute.

    +10% to base CP regeneration per minute.

    +10% to base SP regeneration per minute.]

    --------------

    [Basic Body Conditioning - Passive (LV. 5(42%)): This skill gives the user''s body an increase in strength, speed, vitality, and stamina through training.]

    [Effects: +8% to Damage inflicted.

    +8% to Movement speed.

    +8% to Physical stat growth.

    -8% to Damage taken.]

    --------------

    [Lesser chakra affinity - (Passive/Active) (LV.3 (82%)): This skill increases the user''s talent and ability to use chakra more thoroughly. ]

    [Effects : +6.5% growth rate of Chakra stat.

    +6.5% Strength increase to all chakra based skills.

    +6.5% Defense increase against chakra based attacks.

    +15% increase to maximum CP.

    -6.5% CP cost to all chakra based skills.]

    -------------

    [Lesser chakra regeneration - Passive (LV.6 (33%)): This skill gives the user the ability to regenerate chakra at a slightly faster pace. ]

    [Effects : Regeneration Increased by 12% of base CP per minute.

    +9% growth rate of Chakra stat.]

    [Note: Meditation increases CP regeneration to 18%.]

    [Chakra Maniption - (Active/Passive) (LV.4 (67%)): This skill allows the user to manipte their own chakra depending on their chakra proficiency. ]

    ----------------

    [Leaf concentration technique - (Active/Passive)(LV. 5(20%)):A skill obtained through continuously focusing chakra to stick a leaf to a part of your body. A basic technique to help the user''s mind focus and Increase chakra control.]

    [Effects : +20% increase in chakra control.

    CP cost : 6/sec.

    -10% CP cost to chakra techniques.]

    ''Wow. Gamer''s ability is the ultimate cheat. But I have to keep grinding to bring out the max potential.''

    "Grrr...." Suddenly he heard the sound of his stomach growling.

    "Oh man. I''m so hungry right now. I didn''t even notice it when I was training."

    Daichi went to his room to get freshened up. After showering and putting on a new pair of clothes, he went downstairs. Kensei had already set the table for the two of them.

    The old man took a look at him and said "I see your training has been productive. You''ve certainly improved."

    "Yup. Gotta push myself and be ready. I n on getting the number one spot at the academy." Daichi said with a confident smile.

    Kensei smirked. "Oh? You think you can beat all the others? It''ll be difficult. From what I know many children of the current n heads will be enrolling next year. They will be an entirely different breed than the children of civilians and ordinary shinobis. You sure you''re up for the challenge?"

    "Yes." Daichi nodded. "I''m gonna work my butt off this year. I will definitely stand at the top."

    Kensei''s smirk slightly lessened and with a gentle smile he said. "Daichi. You know you don''t always have to train, right? There are other important things in life. You''re only 5. You can go y with kids your age. Enjoy life. You can train but if you overdo it, you''ll burn out."

    Daichi nodded. "I know Gramps. But the thing is I really like training. I like this feeling of getting stronger. Bit by bit, day by day. And the truth is kids my age kinda annoy me. I like this peaceful, quiet routine."

    Hearing this, Kensei couldn''t help but have a smallugh. Both of them sat down to eat.

    As Daichi was eating, he was making ns to open his special stats. He was going to try and unlock the sense stat next. He already had some ideas in mind.

 Chapter 17: Special stat - Sense

    Chapter 17: Special stat - Sense

    Daichi ate thinking about how to awaken his ''sense'' stat. Based on how the previous two special stats were awakened he hypothesized that the key to unlocking all of them lies in their names. Right now his focus was on the ''sense'' stat.

    ''Sense. A faculty by which the body perceives an external stimulus. The 5 main faculties of a living body are sight, smell, taste, touch and hearing. This would be the case if this was a normal world but I have to take chakra into ount.''

    ''I was able to awaken the stamina stat when my SP got 0. And my charisma stat by impressing the Hokage. So the key to unlocking this is in the name of the stat.''

    Daichi slowly ate his food thinking about this. Suddenly a thought came to his mind. He stopped eating and looked at his food.

    ''Sense of taste.'' He paused eating for a moment. He recalled the pieces of information he read in the human anatomy book he read yesterday.

    ''The tongue is a muscr organ in our mouth. With thousands of taste buds covering the surface. And taste buds contain taste receptor cells let''s see if I can stimte these cells and make them more efficient.''

    Daichi ced his chopsticks down and concentrated. While this was happening Kensei was watching him closely. He had an idea as to what Daichi was trying to aplish so he didn''t disturb him.

    Daichi concentrated and moved a very small portion of his chakra to his mouth. Contrary to popr belief different parts of the tongue are not assigned different tastes. The tongue, upper esophagus, cheeks all have taste receptors. Daichi moved the small portion of his chakra to cover the whole inside of his mouth.

    Slowly infusing them into the tissues and then the cells. Daichi was very careful and only slowlypleted the process. He didn''t want to make any mistakes.

    After a few minutes with chakra still coating his mouth, he took a bite of the food. The taste and texture he could feel certainty increased from before but not by much. Then Daichi slowly increased the chakra a bit more and tried again. This time when he took the food he could feel an explosion of taste.

    Daichi felt his eyes open wide. He had never tasted anything like this. It was as if a whole new world was opened to him.

    It felt like the food he ate before was masking it''s true vors. He could feel everyponent inside the single bite. The various vors that went into making it. All of it.

    A new notification came alerting him to the new skill he acquired.

    [A new skill is created with a specific action.]

    [By sessfully controlling and concentrating chakra to coat the inside of your mouth and improving your sense of taste , the skill ''Superior Tasting'' has been created.]

    [Superior Tasting - Active(LV. 1): A skill obtained through concentrating chakra through the taste receptor cells of your mouth. At a higher level this skill can detect hidden ''tasteless'' poisons as well as rare delicate vors.]

    [Effects: +10% increase in Taste

    CP cost : 7/sec.]

    "Incredible." ''I was a bit of a foodie in my previous life. Now with this skill I''ll be able to enjoy the delicious vors of this world on a much greater scale than I thought.''

    At this moment his grandfather''s voice woke him from his daydreaming.

    "I take it you''ve learned how to infuse chakra to increase your sense of taste?" Even though Kensei asked, he knew the answer.

    "Yeah. It''s amazing. I can taste all the ingredients that went into making this. The delicious texture of the meat and the perfectly cooked vegetables. All of it." Daichi eximed happily.

    "Yes it is. But it can also sometimes be a problem." Kensei said.

    Daichi was confused at that. "How?"

    "The foods I make here are from the ingredients I bought from ''Shi Fang''s'' store. And the ones I had brought here as takeout.. they are all from his restaurant as well. They make their own quality products that don''t have any added preservatives."

    "If I had bought food from another restaurant that was of a lower quality and you had used your chakra tasting then you would have tasted the oil and grease all the other small waste elements in the food and you wouldn''t have taken another bite."

    Daichi''s face turned a little green after hearing that. "Eww"

    "Yes. That''s why we shinobi are more particr about our food. We have much more delicate senses than that of ordinary people. That, and we only eat out at ces we trust and most of the time we don''t use chakra to enhance the taste." Kensei exined.

    "But we learn these types of techniques to survive the mission." The old man continued.

    "It''s the same for the other senses. Too much and it bes a hindrance. Too little and it won''t be much use. So you need the perfect amount and ample control."

    Daichi, listening to him, nodded in understanding. Since the food here and at Shi Fang''s restaurant is good he nned on increasing the level of this skill. He finished his food and took the dishes to clean.

    After he was done he went outside and took a look around. Several trees of all sizes filled his view. He gazed all around him. He could hear the sounds of leaves rustling in the wind and the birds chirping. That was it.

    But Daichi wanted more. Just as he did with his tongue. He was going to improve his hearing.

    Kensei came out and sat on a chair. "Daichi! Improving the senses requires a delicate use of chakra and needs a good amount of control. So I''ll be here monitoring your chakra. You should proceed carefully. A ruptured eardrum is not a pretty feeling."

    Daichi nodded with a serious face. He sat down in the shade and breathed. Letting out a deep breath he closed his eyes and concentrated.

    ''Hearing. The ability to perceive sounds through the ear by detecting the vibrations through the air or other medium.''

    ''These vibrations detected by the ear are then transduced to nerve impulses that are then perceived by the brain. The three main parts of the human ear are the outer ear, middle ear and inner ear.''

    Daichi recalled all the information he found in the book. Since the ear is even more of a delicate organ than the tongue, Daichi used even less chakra to start. His goal was to slowly increase the frequency of sounds he could perceive.

    He concentrated and delicately moved his chakra throughout the ear. Stimting his auditory canal and auditory receptors. He slightly increased the chakra amount little by little.

    Kensei paid close attention to the boy as he used his chakra and brought it to his ears. ''It seems his control over his chakra is better than I thought. In just a short time his control had increased so much. Is it because he has low reserves to begin with or does it have to do anything with his abnormal body?''

    Daichi started to pick up the sounds of his clothes moving in the wind. Even though he was still, the wind moved tiny parts of his clothes and they made small sounds that otherwise wouldn''t have been picked up.

    Daichi concentrated and slightly increased the chakra output again. This time he picked up new sounds while the ones he could hear became loud. He stilled and slightly decreased the level of chakra and stayed like that for some time to get used to it.

    He then started increasing the output and finally he seeded. He heard the pping of the wings of a bird several trees away. The sounds of water in the pond moving with the wind. The biggest sounds were the leaves.

    It was a bit difficult to control and get the perfect amount of chakra necessary to hear beyond normal but also not be too loud. But after several tries over a dozen minutes, he aplished it. And when it happened he got the usual blue box notifying him of another sessful new skill.

    [A new skill is created with a specific action.]

    [By sessfully controlling and concentrating chakra to the inside of your ear and improving your sense of hearing , the skill ''Superior Hearing'' has been created.]

    [Superior Hearing - Active(LV. 1): A skill obtained through concentrating chakra through the auditory receptors of your ear. At a much higher level this skill can hear heartbeats, muscle contractions and even sounds of blood coursing through the body.]

    [Effects: +10% increase in Hearing

    CP cost : 12/sec.]

    ''Wow. Sweet. I''ll be able to hear heartbeat, muscle movement and even blood cirction. That''s wicked.'' Daichi was impressed with the skill. But it would only happen as he increased his level.

    ''Hmm The CP cost of this skill is higher than taste''s. So each sense has a different CP cost when created. Interesting.

    "It seems you''ve seeded. That''s impressive. But you should remember. Using too much chakra can overwhelm or even injure your delicate organs." Kensei was amazed that he got the technique down so quickly.

    Daichi nodded and got ready for the next sense. ''Alright. Time for the next one. Sense of smell.''

    ''The human nose contains about 10 million smell receptors. These smell receptors are sensitive to odor molecules that travel through the air. There are hundreds of different receptors. Each for identifying different odors. So I have to use chakra to increase the efficiency of these receptors.''

    Daichi took out a piece of chocte candy from his pocket. He took it from the cab beforeing outside.

    ''So he''s going for the sense of smell next huh? I have no doubt that learning to increase the sense of smell would be of great use to him. It''s an underrated technique but has plenty of use.'' Kensei thought as he looked at the boy.

    Daichi set the small candy a couple of meters from him. His goal was to be able to smell it from a small distance as a start. Then increase it.

    Daichi concentrated and started focusing his chakra. Simr to the methods before he started with a small amount and slowly and carefully brought his energy to his nose. He coated the back of his nasal cavity and used the chakra to enhance his smell.

    After a few tries he seeded. He was able to get a whiff of the chocte. He proceeded. He carefully increased the amount and let it flow through his nose in a controlled manner.

    The results spoke for themselves.

    [A new skill is created with a specific action.]

    [By sessfully controlling and infusing chakra inside your nostrils and improving your sense of smell , the skill ''Superior Smell'' has been created.]

    [Superior Smell - Active(LV. 1): A skill obtained through infusing chakra through the receptors of your nose. At a much higher level this skill can smell metals and even pick up ''odorless'' poisons.]

    [Effects: +10% increase in Smell.

    CP cost : 6/sec.]

    After sessfullypleting enhancement of the third sense, Daichi started working on the 4th. The eyes. One of the most delicate organs in the body.

    "Daichi!" Just as he was about to start the old man called out.

    "The eyes are one of the most important aspects of a person. They are one of the most delicate and fragile organs in the human body. You need to be absolutely careful when kneading your chakra into them. If anything happens to them, then your goals and dreams would end before they even begin. Do you understand.?" Kensei was serious. He had seen several shinobi lose their eyes during the war and it would end their career and greatly affect their personal lives. He didn''t want Daichi to be overconfident and be careless.

    "I''ll be really careful and start slow." Daichi took his grandfather''s words to heart. Even though he had the skill Gaia''s Blessing, he didn''t want to take any chances. He recalled every information he read from the anatomy book.

    ''The eye. A sense organ that reacts to light. The cells in the retina are photoreceptor cells which are able to detect visible light and send information to the brain. The cone cells are the photoreceptor cells in the retina and they respond differently to different wavelengths of light. Thus responsible for color vision.''

    Daichi recalled the images of the eye and information he studied yesterday.

    ''I need to be absolutely careful when I do this. One mistake and I could go blind, blow up my eye or maybe something even worse. If I didn''t have the gamer''s ability and absolute confidence that I woulde out of thispletely healed if anything happens then I definitely wouldn''t attempt this now. Especially at such an early stage.''

    Daichi took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a few seconds to concentrate. Then opened them and looked around. He concentrated a very miniscule amount of chakra energy into both his eyes. He wanted to strengthen the photoreceptor and the eye as a whole.

    He could experience the change in vision in real time. As he focused his chakra to the optic nerves, Iris, lens, and slowly throughout the eye his vision dramatically changed. It strengthened and Daichi could see far beyond what he was able to before.

    The gamer''s ability worked in tandem with his intent and auto corrected any small mistakes that would have happened before they did. This took some more time than the others since Daichi took it slow.

    About half an hourter Daichi was standing looking around in wonder. Every detail he looked at was precise. From the smallest granules above the ground to the dustyer floating in the air, to the detailed feathers of the birds dozens of meters away.

    [A new skill is created with a specific action.]

    [By sessfully concentrating and infusing chakra inside your eyes and improving your sense of sight , the skill ''Superior Sight'' has been created.]

    [Superior Sight - Active(LV. 1): A skill obtained through infusing chakra through the receptors of your eyes. At a much higher level this skill can see minute particles and even pick up on the smallest air discements.

    Effects: +10% increase in Sight.]

    CP cost : 10/sec.

    Suddenly a new notification appeared. Daichi was surprised and happy. Surprised because he thought he would have to attempt the same with thest main sense which was touch. And happy because it was a red notification box. Indicating he seeded in unlocking another special stat.

 Chapter 18: Completing the First Month Training

    Chapter 18: Completing the First Month Training

    [You have got in tune with 5 of the 6 major senses of the human body. You have reached a special condition. Special stat Sense is opened.]

    [You have unlocked a special stat. ]

    [Reward: +500 Exp.]

    [+75 Exp.]

    [+1 SENSE.]

    ''5? I''ve only awakened 4. So what''s the 5th?.... Ohh. Right!! Chakra must be the 5th. Since I''m living in a world where chakra is an essential aspect of the human body it''s considered as another major sense.''

    ''Whatever. It makes things easier. I''ll have to look into thest one as well. Sense of touch. But I don''t have nearly enough knowledge on the human body toplete that. Guess I''ll wait.''

    Kensei was amazed as he looked at Daichi. ''To think he would learn those in a day His talent is incredible.'' He went back inside as Daichi started his physical training.

    Daichi looked at the sun. It was about 4 in the afternoon. He trained his body some more for another couple more hours and got an increase of 1 point in strength and vitality stats.

    He finished his training for the day and took a walk around the house. He was starting to enjoy the peaceful life here. He knew it wouldn''tst when he graduated but he was happy.

    He watched the fishes and the birds and enjoyed the view of nature. Daichi went to his garden and started watering the nts. The seeds showed signs of starting to sprout. He sat down near a tree and watched the sun set and its glorious orange rays slowly disappearing.

    Kensei was sitting at the back of the house as well. He was keenly watching Daichi. His mind had a whirlwind of thoughts. He knew that if Daichi kept training he would improve but not at such a rapid rate.

    ''The exercises that had him wheezing on his first day are now nothing. In just a few days his body limated to the stress and improved. His strength has definitely improved and so has his chakra. It''s more than double what he had when I met him.''

    ''And it''s not just that. His talent is also unbelievable. He read the books I gave him and not only did he unlock his chakra but he learned to control and use it to strengthen his senses.''

    Kenseipared the rate of progress Daichi had to himself at Daichi''s age.

    ''I''m strong and I was at the top amongst my peers butpared to this boy I might as well be ordinary. He must have some exceptional physical constitution for such a fast improvement. I''ve heard that the Senju''s had strong bodies and powerful chakra. Could this boy have Senju bloodline in his veins?''

    ''Should I have him tested? Find out if he is from someone who is a descendant of the n?'' Kensei immediately dismissed that idea.

    ''No. Whatever the case maybe, as far as the vige is concerned, he is another ordinary orphan without any special lineage who got lucky enough to be adopted. But if I start making enquiries it would bring unwanted attention. And when they see just how talented he is, it could be problematic. Especially if Danzo takes notice. He will definitely try and take Daichi into the root forces.''

    ''Daichi will be starting the academy next year. Should I tell him to hold back No. Let him decide what he wants to do. And if Danzo or anyone else starts to be a problem I''ll deal with them ... .After all, I still owe him for what he did to my leg.'' An unpleasant memory of a mission gone wrong came to his mind. Kensei slightly shook his head as if to get rid of the memory.

    He sighed. ''Daichi still has a year. And as long as I''m here Danzo won''t be able to get to him. And in the next 6 years I''ll train him and make him strong enough to escape even a Jonin if necessary.''

    As the old retired shinobi thought about his past a figure suddenly came to his mind. A figure covered in ck unidentifiable clothes and wearing a weird mask.

    ''By the time he graduates, I''ll have Daichi be ready to face the world and take on whatever it throws at him. With that you can consider my debt to you, paid''

    ''Still I wonder... How did that man know about Daichi? What was his goal when he asked me to adopt the child all those years ago?... Maybe one day I''ll find out''

    Kensei looked at Daichi who sat in the shade and watched thest rays of the sun disappear. He got up. "Daichi Come on. Let''s get inside." He went inside followed by his grandson.

    Daichi went to take a bath while Kensei made dinner. After sometime both of them ate their food and went to bed. Daichi looked at his clock as heid down on the bed. It was only a few minutes past nine. Even though he trained all day, Daichi wasn''t feeling tired at all. In fact he was more energetic than he had ever been.

    ''There are a lot of things I have to test. How long do I need to sleep for? I need to find the minimum time needed for full HP, CP, SP, restore. I also have to use chakra to enhance myst sense. But for that I need to learn more about the human body. So gottaplete thatst book... Ok. What else?''

    Daichi then pondered on his training methods. ''Need to increase training efficiency. Have to see if I can use meditate skill in tandem with leaf concentration exercise. Then try to do the leaf exercise while I''m training my body. That will improve its skill level and I''ll have more time. Time to get some reading done.''

    Daichi took the book on human anatomy and started reading it. As time went by he got a 2 point increase in intelligence. After about 4 hours he ced the book down and went to sleep.

    Daichi spent the month training and improving on the skills he currently had. Since he wasn''t sure how to open the other special stats he decided to forego them for the moment and concentrated on increasing the current unlocked ones.

    He trained everyday and read different books every night before sleep. He found out that he only needed 5 hours of sleep for optimum performance. And the longest he could go without sleep was 36 hours before negative buffs started appearing. His stat improved quite a bit but after 2 weeks the growth started slowing down.

    He had a level up at the end of the 2nd week. Daichi would get simple quests like errand runs and cleaning the house. But he neverined. They were EXP sources and thus the source of his growth.

    Kensei marveled at Daichi''s training ethics. He was impressed with the kids'' determination. He understood that Daichi would definitely work hard and keep improving as time passed.

    Daichi didn''t leave the house except for when he had toplete errands or grocery runs. He decided he would visit the vige and see the different ces after the months training.

    He trained most of his skills and leveled them up. He trained everyday till he dropped and exhausted his chakra reserves. He wanted to build up his chakra volume. The only skill he hadn''t given a try yet was the Jutsu creation one. He figured he needed more information on chakra and hand seals and a greater chakra volume to make sessful jutsus.

    Days went by in a blur. It was thest day of April and Daichipleted the training for the day. He opened his status page.

    [Name : Daichi Hekima (The Gamer)]

    [ss : Civilian]

    [Age : 5]

    [Title : Capable Child, Explorer]

    [Level : 6 (1670/2150)]

    .

    HP : 750

    CP : 714

    SP : 555

    .

    [Primary Stats]

    Strength - 17

    Vitality - 16

    Dexterity - 12

    Agility - 16

    Intelligence - 22

    Chakra - 16

    Wisdom - 16

    .

    [Special Stats]

    Sense - 6

    Stamina - 14

    Indomitable (LOCKED)

    Charisma - 2

    Persistence (LOCKED)

    Dignity (LOCKED)

    Luck (LOCKED)

    .

    [Stat Points - 40]

    [Ryo - 1500]

    ''Wow. In one month I was able to get so strong. None of my primary stats is less than 10. And I didn''t use a single stat point till now. I made a very good choice... 500 more exp and I''ll be able to get to level 7. My dexterity is the lowest. Got to find a way to improve that. With each increase in intelligence I can remember more details clearly. I can even remember some things I''ve forgotten about my past life.

    Hmm So increasing that does give perfect recall Wille in very handy when I have to learnplicated seals and medical treatments. Time to see my skill page.''

    [1. Gamer''s Mind - Passive (LV.MAX): Gamer''s Mind is one of the skills granted to the user by the system. It allows the user to calmly and logically think things through. Allows a peaceful state of mind. And this skill provides Immunity to mental disorders. Gamer''s Mind is a skill that''s already obtained and maxed.]

    .

    [2. Gamer''s Body - Passive (LV.MAX): Gamer''s Body is one of the skills granted to the yer by the system. While this skill grants a body that allows the user to live the real world like a game, it has certain limitations. Cuts and bruises will be healed based on the physical stats of the user. The user receives minimal to no physical damage from blunt force attacks, only pain for a few seconds, and a loss of HP. But piercing and stabbing attacks will have a limited effect on the gamer''s body. Sleeping in a bed restores HP, CP SP. Gamer''s Body is a passive skill that is already obtained and maxed.]

    .

    [3. Gaia''s Blessing - Passive (LV.MAX): The great God Gaia has blessed you and bestowed on you a special ability. Gaia''s blessing will ensure that you will always be strong and healthy in your lifetime.

    Temporary Effect: Gives the soul a new healthy body.

    Permanent Effect: All diseases, poisons and negative status effects are healed. Sleeping increases regeneration. Sleeping in a bed increases regeneration several fold.]

    .

    [4. Observe - Active (LV.11 (49%)): A skill to find the target''s information. Observe was obtained through continuous observation. Higher level of the skill reveals more information about the target.]

    .

    [5. Dishwashing - Passive (LV.8 (70%)): A skill obtained through continuous dishwashing. With more mastery you can clean any dirty spots with more speed.]

    Effects: +16% increase in speed

    .

    [6. Meditate - Active (LV. 8(81%)): A skill obtained through continuously focusing on breathing and avoiding distractions. Helps the user enter a calm meditative state. Increases the regeneration of the body.

    Effects : +17% to base HP regeneration per minute.

    +17% to base CP regeneration per minute.

    +17% to base SP regeneration per minute.]

    .

    [7. Basic Body Conditioning - Passive (LV. 9(12%)): This skill gives the user''s body an increase in strength, speed, vitality, and stamina through training.

    Effects: +16% to Damage inflicted.

    +16% to Movement speed.

    +11% to Physical stat growth.

    -16% to Damage taken.]

    .

    [8. Mini-map - Shows your location at all times. Future maps and locations visited will be automatically added to Mini-map.]

    .

    [9. Inventory - The Inventory is a storage dimensional ability. Only you the yer has ess to it. The Inventory window shows all the items you have stored in it including the clothes and weapons you''ve equipped. You can directly equip armor, weapons or clothes from Inventory to your body. The change is instantaneous. ]

    .

    [10. Lesser chakra affinity - (Passive/Active) (LV.10 (5.2%)): This skill increases the user''s talent and ability to use chakra more thoroughly. ]

    [Effects: +8.75% growth rate of Chakra stat.

    +12% Strength increase to all chakra based skills.

    +12% Defense increase against chakra based attacks.

    +20% increase to maximum CP.

    -8% CP cost to all chakra based skills. ]

    .

    [11. Lesser chakra regeneration - Passive (LV.10 (33%)): This skill gives the user the ability to regenerate chakra at a slightly faster pace. ]

    [Effects: Regeneration Increased by 16% of base CP per minute.

    +11% growth rate of Chakra stat.

    Note: Meditation increases CP regeneration to 22%.]

    .

    [12. Chakra Maniption - (Active/Passive) (LV.11 (67%)): This skill allows the user to manipte their own chakra depending on their chakra proficiency.]

    .

    [13. Minor Jutsu Creation - Active (LV.1): This skill increases the user''s understanding, talent and ability to create new Ninjutsu and Genjutsu. When creating new jutsu:]

    [Effects: +3% Sess rate to create new Ninjutsu.

    +3% Sess rate to create new Genjutsu.

    -3% Less CP requirements for new Jutsu created.]

    .

    [14. Leaf concentration technique - (Active/Passive)(LV. 8(29%)):A skill obtained through continuously focusing chakra to stick a leaf to a part of your body. A basic technique to help the user''s mind focus and Increase chakra control. ]

    [Effects: +25% increase in chakra control.

    CP cost : 4/sec.

    -16% CP cost to chakra techniques.]

    .

    [15. Superior Tasting - Active(LV. 4(3%)): A skill obtained through concentrating chakra through the taste receptor cells of your mouth. At a higher level this skill can detect hidden tasteless poisons as well as rare delicate vors.]

    [Effects: +15% increase in Taste

    CP cost : 5/sec. ]

    .

    [16. Superior Hearing - Active(LV. 5(44%)): A skill obtained through concentrating chakra through the auditory receptors of your ear. At a much higher level this skill can hear heartbeats, muscle contractions and even sounds of blood coursing through the body.

    Effects: +17% increase in Hearing

    CP cost : 9.8/sec.]

    .

    [17. Superior Smell - Active(LV. 4(11%)): A skill obtained through infusing chakra through the receptors of your nose. At a much higher level this skill can smell metals and even pick up ''odorless'' poisons.]

    [Effects: +14% increase in Smell.

    CP cost : 4.2/sec. ]

    .

    [18. Superior Sight - Active(LV. 5(67%): A skill obtained through infusing chakra through the receptors of your eyes. At a much higher level this skill can see particles and even pick up on minute air discements.]

    [Effects: +16% increase in Sight.

    CP cost : 8.5/sec. ]

    .

    ''Nice. All of them got a few more levels this month. Well... Except minor Jutsu creation. Need to start working on that soon. Other than that, great progress. Now time to find the old man and see what he has to say.''

    The one month came to an end. He was excited to show Kensei his progress.

 Chapter 19: Finding My First Dungeon

    Chapter 19: Finding My First Dungeon

    Kensei was feeding the fishes in the koi pond. Thisst month had truly surprised him. The surprise had more to do with his adopted grandson than anything else. He neverined, he never cked off and everyday he trained till he dropped.

    But the fascinating thing was that he would be ready to go again the next day. His recuperating ability was abnormal. Everyday he watched his grandson push himself. He trained his chakra and Kensei could feel it increase by a small margin everyday.

    He felt pride. He wanted to teach Daichi everything he knew. All the skills and techniques he learned throughout his career, he wanted to pass on to the boy. From the first time he met him till now he studied Daichi. And he understood one fact.

    Daichi was a free bird. Sooner orter he would leave to see the world. Over thest month Daichi would ask him about the world beyond the vige. The ces he went. The people he met.

    Kensei was an adventurer in his heart but his duty shackled him to the vige. He loved the vige but if he was given a chance to do it all again he would make several different decisions. When Daichi spoke to him he could sense his desire to explore and see the world.

    He was going to let the boy have that shot. The one he never had. He sensed Daichiing his way.

    "I see you''re done for the day." Kensei said smiling.

    "Yeah." After a few moments of silence Daichi spoke.

    "This is thest day of the month. So tell me Gramps. Are you impressed.?" He asked even though he knew his progress was being watched by his grandpa everyday.

    Kensei turned around. He looked at Daichi with a calm gaze. After a few moments of silence he answered.

    "Yes. I''ve been watching you every day for thest month and I''m convinced. You''ve far exceeded my expectations. You''re talent is beyond many. And only a few could match your drive to improve."

    Kensei had a wide grin on his face. "If you keep training at the current rate then by the time you join the academy next year I have no doubt you''ll be at the top amongst your peers. Starting the day after tomorrow we''ll start training for real. And I''ll teach you the standard academy Taijutsu and if you can then a couple of Ninjutsu as well."

    [Current Quest - ''Get ahead of your peers'' Updated.]

    Daichi ignored the notification box that appeared. "Wait. Why the day after tomorrow?" Daichi was a bit confused but he figured the old man might have some ns.

    "Because you need to learn to take a break every once in a while. I''ve told this before Daichi, you have to stop once in a while and rx. Training yourself every hour of every day won''t help you. In fact, if you keep going like this, soon it''ll hinder your growth rather than help. Take a moment to enjoy the simple things in life. Tomorrow we''re taking the whole day off and going sightseeing."

    When he heard this Daichi took a deep breath and exhaled a few secondster and recalled thest month. ''The old man''s right. I''ve been so caught up in training I didn''t even think about anything else. And if I keep this up for long I''ll burn out.'' Daichi thought about what to do to recharge and recover as it were.

    "It seems you got my point. Good. One of the best ways to keep ourselves sane and have a clear strong focus is to have a hobby. We all need one. Especially those in our profession. A hobby will help us rx, clear the mind and give us a new perspective when we need it." Kensei advised him.

    "Alright. I understand. I''ll think of something." Daichi replied.

    "It''s almost sundown. Let''s get inside." Kensei walked into the house. Daichi took one look at the setting sun and went inside. He got cleaned up and was at the table eating some food.

    He thought about what Kensei said. ''I already have a garden but that''s mostly because of the quest. What else do I really want to do? Something I could enjoy and not stress over...Hmm. I''ve always enjoyed cookingTrying out new recipes and tasting exotic dishes. It seems my love for that carried over to this life.''

    ''What else? I''ve always wanted to paint. The vibrant colors of all theics I''ve read in my past life enthralled me. I''ve always wanted to draw like that. But I couldn''t do it. Or to be more precise I never gave it a shot after I failed a couple times. Now that I have the gamer ability I could definitely use it for that as well. Alright. Guess that''s decided.''

    Putting the chopsticks down and swallowing thest bite of food, Daichi said. "I''ve decided to make cooking and painting as my hobby. I want to try out dishes I''ve never tasted and in time maybe create some great art work."

    Kensei nodded. "Those are excellent choices. You already have a cookbook don''t you. Then why don''t we get some painting equipment tomorrow." He said smiling.

    "Where are we going?" Daichi was curious about the little outing.

    "Wherever the road takes us. You''ve been cooped up here for a month, rarely leaving for anything else than to buy groceries, it''s about time you got some fresh air." The old man said.

    "Yeah. Guess you''re right." After they finished the food Daichi did the dishes and returned.

    "We leave at 8am. So get ready before then. Go get some sleep, kid."

    "Goodnight Gramps."

    "G''Night Kid."

    Both of them retired to their rooms and fell asleep soon after.

    The next morning Daichi woke up at 6 am sharp. Nowadays he doesn''t even need an rm clock. He stretched his muscles and meditated for sometime and then got ready. He went downstairs and saw his grandfather was dressed for the trip as well.

    Both of them walked outside. Their first destination was Shi Fang''s restaurant. They walked a bit slow,fortably enjoying the morning air and the warmth of the sun. They reached the restaurant and sat down. Kensei ordered the typical breakfast dishes. Some timeter Shi Fang arrived with their food. On arge tray there were several small dishes.

    ''Observe''.

    [Asa Gohan]

    [A traditional breakfast centered around a bowl of rice and apanied by several small dishes. The rice used in this dish is white rice, steamed and served in a decorative bowl. Surrounded by Miso soup, grilled fish, pickled vegetable sds, natto. It acts as a starchy, nutritious, counterbnce for the tang, richness, andplexity of the apanying dishes. Although there are several dishes, they are light,fortable for the pte and easy to digest. A delicious morning breakfast created by Shi Fang. Eating the entire food restores 53 HP and 36 CP.]

    ''Wow. This is impressive. The hp and cp restoration are over 3 times that of the rainbow dumplings. They look and smell so delicious Time to dig in.''

    "Thank you for the meal."

    Daichi and Kensei took the chopsticks and ate slowly, enjoying each dish and savoring their taste. After about 20 minutes they were done. They chatted for a while with owner Shi and then left the restaurant.

    "So where are we going next Gramps?"

    "Have you seen Kiky castle?" Kensei asked.

    "No."

    "Then that will be our next stop."

    Both of them walked through the increasingly crowded streets. They reached Kiky castle shortly. Kensei exined the history of the castle during their walk. A castle built during the first Hokage''s period.

    When they reached the ce Daichi was amazed. In front of him stood a giant castle with blue tiles and two fishes with light yellow green color adorning the rooftop. Daichi used the observe skill.

    ''Observe.''

    [Kiky Castle]

    [An old castle built during the first Hokage''s reign located in the eastern part of Konoha. It features tworge ornamental tiles(shibi) set on both ends of the roof. The shibi is shaped like shachihoko. A mythical animal with the head of a tiger and the body of a carp. This castle once used to host dignitaries that came to the vige. ]

    This was what Daichi''s ''observe'' showed him. Suddenly a new notification box appeared.

    [You have found a Key Dungeon. Retrieving the key to the dungeon Key to this dungeon has been ced in the inventory.]

    Daichi was surprised. He didn''t expect this at all He opened his inventory page. In there he saw a ck key with exotic patterns all over it. He wanted to take it out and observe it but he suppressed the urge and decided he would do it in the confines of his room. Kensei was reminiscing about the history of the castle and didn''t notice Daichi''s reactions.

    They left and went to different ces around Konoha. Kensei even took him to the park so Daichi can interact with other children his age. But Daichi wasn''t interested. Daichi was a bit envious at first, watching the kids y without a care in the world. But that emotion soon left him. He didn''t bother with the effort to make friends. He figured he would make some during his time in the academy.

    When it was noon Kensei took him to the Ichiraku Ramen store where they had their lunch. They spent the rest of the day visiting various ces. Kensei showed Daichi where some of the ns were located. Then on their way back they bought some beginners painting supplies. By evening both of them returned home.

    Daichi was in his room looking at the dungeon Key he took out from his inventory. They key was ck in color.

    ''Observe.''

    [Kiky Castle dungeon Key.]

    [With this key the yer can enter the dungeon in the Kiky castle. This key can transport the yer to its corresponding dungeon from anywhere.]

    There was no more information. Daichi knew there had to be something more. He had an idea. He was going to use ''observe'' on the castle one more time.

    The next day Daichi woke up and went to the castle. He stood near it and used ''observe'' again.

    [You have found a key dungeon.]

    [Key dungeon: Also called the Instant Dungeon. This is a one time use dungeon. The yer can only enter the dungeon if he has the corresponding key. It can be activated from anywhere. Once activated the yer cannot leave the dungeon without defeating the boss. There is no time limit to this dungeon. When the dungeon isplete it will return the yer within 10 seconds of when he entered the dungeon in real world time. Whatever happens in the dungeon will not affect the real world.]

    Daichi used ''observe'' on the key again.

    [Kiky Castle Dungeon Key.]

    [With this key the yer can enter the dungeon in the Kiky castle. This key can transport the yer to its corresponding dungeon from anywhere.]

    [The color of the key shows the difficulty of the dungeon. Keys are divided into 5 colors based on the difficulty.]

    [ck keys - Opponents will be at least 30 levels above the yer. Will meet certain death.]

    [Red keys - Opponents will be between 15 - 30 levels above the yer. Extremely difficult dungeon.]

    [Yellow keys - Opponents will be between 5 - 15 levels above the yer. Difficult dungeon.]

    [White keys - Opponents will have a Level gap of (+5 or -5) levels.]

    [Green keys - Opponents will be 5 levels less than the yer. Easy dungeon.]

    Daichi read through every word carefully. He felt like he now had an understanding of this dungeon.

    ''This is a ck key. So that means my enemies here will certainly be at least level 36 and higher. Since there doesn''t seem to be any time limit, I can use this key when I''m good and ready.

    He decided to use the key when he passed Level 30. ''I need to find other dungeons. I''m sure there are many hidden in various locations. Looks like I''ll have to explore the vige some more... But that will have to wait. Right now my priority should be to finish the quest for the academy. Once I''m done with that I''ll look into this.''

    Daichi made the decision and left. Starting today Kensei was personally going to train him. He was ready.

    ----------------------------------------

    Author''s Note

    My usual update days are Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. But when there is a chapter with excessive stats and skill info dump, I release another bonus chapter that week. This is such a chapter. I did itst week too. Posted 5 chapters in one week topensate for the stats info. I will keep doing this in the future when there are lots of stats and skills written in a single chapter.

    Now as usual, If you enjoy my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 26 additional chapters there.

 Chapter 20: One Year Training 01

    Chapter 20: One Year Training 01

    Kensei and Daichi stood inside Kensei''s library. The old man was going through several books and scrolls. After a few minutes he took out 2 scrolls and a box of shuriken and kunai and handed them to Daichi.

    "These are scrolls on Taijutsu and shurikenjutsu. They''re just the basics. And once you''vepletely understood them, we''ll move on with the next one. This is the Leaf academy Taijutsu taught to the students. The n children have their own styles and when students be genin their Sensei will teach them their own Taijutsu based on their aptitude."

    "For now I want you to spend the week learning and practicing the stances of the leaf academy style. Once your body is somewhat used to it we''ll spar. The next scroll is details on how to properly aim and throw your shuriken and kunai. Read it and practice. Let me see your progress after a week. We''ll take it from there."

    Kensei gave him the tools to improve himself and left.

    [Quest Created - ''Learn and Improve'']

    [Learn the Leaf Academy Taijutsu and the basics of Shurikenjutsu and improve their skill. Time Limit: 7 Days.]

    [Conditions:]

    Learn Leaf Academy Taijutsu and increase it to LV.3

    Learn Beginner Shuriken jutsu and increase it to LV.3

    [Rewards:]

    1500 EXP

    Rep increases with Kensei Yasaji.

    [Failure:]

    -1500 EXP

    [Rep decrease with Kensei Yasaji.]

    Daichi went outside and opened the Taijutsu scroll. He started reading and as time went by studied the different postures and body movements noted in the scroll.

    [Due to learning and understanding new information, you have obtained +1 INT]

    ''Hmm Based on what I understand so far, this Taijutsu style can be used as a base for a variety of other advanced fighting styles. And this style teaches the students to efficiently use the most strength in their body with the minimum effort. Each posture and stance maximizes one''s stability and puts the most amount of power possible when attacking. This is definitely an excellent Taijutsu style for beginners.''

    [You have understood the basics of Leaf Academy Taijutsu style and thus gained [Leaf Academy Taijutsu]. Would you like to learn this skill? ]

    Daichi wasted no time and epted. His mind was filled with knowledge on the taijutsu style as if he had been using it for years.

    [Leaf Academy Taijutsu - Active(LV.1): A basic taijutsu style taught in the leaf academy. Increases the attack power and defense power.]

    [Effects: +5% Increase in attack power.

    +5% Increase in defense.

    +4% Increase in speed

    -5% Decrease in damage taken.]

    He opened the 2nd scroll and started reading. After a while he gained the skill ''Shurikenjutsu''.

    [Due to learning and understanding new information, you have obtained +1 INT]

    ''This scroll details how to handle weapons, how to safely hold them and use them inbat. It even contains details on how to throw and what kind of wrist motions are involved for a good throw.''

    Daichi spent some time reading the scroll and understanding every facet of it.

    [You have understood the basics of Shurikenjutsu and thus gained [Shurikenjutsu]. Would you like to learn this skill?]

    [Shurikenjutsu - Active(LV.1): The skill to use shuriken or kunai usually as projectile weapons.]

    [Effects: +3.5% Increase in uracy.

    +4% Increase in damage dealt.]

    By the time he learned the two skills it was almost noon. He ate some food and went right back to training. He spent the days going through different stances of the taijutsu and improving his Shurikenjutsu skill. By the third day he was able to improve the two skills to level 3.

    [Quest ''Learn and Improve'' Completed.]

    [Rewards:]

    1725 EXP

    Rep increases with Kensei Yasaji.

    [You have leveled up.]

    Daichi continued to train his skills. He spent the remaining 4 days of the week improving his taijutsu skill and shuriken skills. By the end of the 7th day he was able to increase them by another 2 levels. He also improved some of his stats and he noticed that his uracy in Shurikenjutsu skill increases with increase in dexterity stat.

    [Leaf Academy Taijutsu - Active(LV.5(22%))]

    [Effects: +20% Increase in attack power.

    +20% Increase in defense.

    +15% Increase in speed

    -13.5% Decrease in damage taken.]

    [Shurikenjutsu - Active(LV.5(10.3%))]

    [Effects: +20% Increase in uracy.

    +20% Increase in damage dealt.]

    Daichi spent the week training but he didn''t neglect his other quest or the simple side quests like shopping and running errands that popped up. And because of those quests he was able to quickly advance another level.

    -----------------------------------

    Daichi and Kensei stood facing each other. They were in the training dojo. Daichi read up on the traditional ninja sparring method for the academy students. So he knew the protocol.

    "Since this is your first time fighting someone we''ll start with something simple. We''ll only use taijutsu. I''ll defend and you can attack for the first 5 minutes. Then I''ll start going on the offensive. But I''ll only use one hand. Let''s see how long you can survive." Kensei said.

    [Quest Created - ''Spar with Kensei Yasaji.'']

    [Survive your first spar.]

    [Conditions.]

    Survive for 10 minutes.

    Survive for 15 minutes.(Bonus)

    Land a clean strike. (Bonus)

    Force Kensei to use both hands.(Bonus)

    [Rewards:]

    500 Exp

    750 Exp. (Bonus)

    +2 Level to Leaf Academy Taijutsu. (Bonus)

    +5 Stat points. (Bonus)

    [Failure:]

    Rep decreases with Kensei Yasaji.

    -1 Level.

    .

    Mentally epting the quest, Daichi nodded at Kensei and both of them made the Seal of confrontation. Daichi got into the basicbat stance of the academy taijutsu. But Kensei simply stood watching him. Since this was the first time Daichi was fighting someone, especially a ninja, he was nervous. But in a few moments the gamers mind took effect and he calmed down.

    Kensei was internally surprised watching Daichi. ''He was nervous just a few seconds ago but he calmed down in an instant and now looks focused. Well then Let''s see how he does.''

    After a few moments Daichi made the first move. He rushed towards kensei and threw a basic straightforward punch. Kensei blocked it with ease with his left hand. Daichi took a step back and moved to Kensei''s right side and attacked again.

    He started attacking with punches and kicks. Since this was his first fight Daichi was slow and unsure. But as the minutes went by he got used to the feeling and was more confident and sure of his attacks.

    Daichi fully concentrated on the fight. ''The old man is blocking every attack with ease. And it looks like he''s almost bored doing it.''

    Kensei kept blocking all the attacks with his left hand while his right was folded behind him. He was expressionless as he blocked or deflected each and everyone of Daichi''s attacks. Since he was much faster than the boy he only needed one hand. He did so, to show the kid the gap and just how far he had to go.

    As Daichi became more focused he didn''t even think about the time or quest or anything else. There was only him and his opponent. Kensei noticed the gradual change in Daichi.

    ''He''s bing more focused and sure of his attacks. It seems he''s learning to block out distracting thoughts and slowly gaining confidence when fighting someone. Good.'' Kensei remained expressionless but he was happy. ''It''s almost time.''

    As Daichi was attacking Kensei, the old man deflected his punch and threw one of his own. It broke past Daichi''s guard and struck his torso pushing him back.

    [-29 HP]

    It was only then that Daichi realized that 5 minutes had passed.

    "I''m going to attack. Try and defend."

    Kensei said, rushing towards him. Adrenaline coursed through Daichi''s veins and he got into a defensive stance and concentrated on the old man''s movements.

    Kensei reached Daichi in mere moments and punched. Daichi blocked the attack but he felt his arm be slightly numb.

    [-44 HP]

    ''That had some serious strength. I can''t block many more attacks like that. Need to deflect them.'' Daichi thought.

    Kensei started attacking Daichi. The boy stood his ground and blocked or deflected the punches. Once he got used to the old man''s attacks Daichi pushed forward. He threw a kick that Kensei blocked with his leg. At that moment he aimed a punch to the old man''s torso but as he expected, it was blocked.

    At that moment Daichi grabbed hold of Kensei''s left arm, trapping it and threw a strong right punch to his chest. The speed of the fist was much faster than before. Kensei leaned to the left, easily dodging the punch.

    But at this moment there was a small smile on Daichi''s face. Still keeping the left arm trapped in his hold, Daichi slightly pivoted, jumped and threw a fast kick aiming at the old man''s chest.

    Kensei saw the kicking almost in slow motion. He thought of the several ways he could dodge or get free but he decided not to. Since this was Daichi''s first fight he wanted to give the boy a chance. So Kensei was forced to use his right hand to block the kick and tossed Daichi a few feet away.

    There was a smile on the old man''s face.

    "Not bad."

    Even though Daichi''s arms had bruises and he was covered in sweat and breathing heavily he had a wide grin on his face. Both of them got ready to attack and rushed at each other.

    Now that Kensei was using both hands it was considerably more difficult for Daichi even though the old man wasn''t fighting seriously. Daichi used his forearm to deflect a punch aimed at his forehead and threw one of his own which Kensei blocked.

    Daichi stood his ground, refusing to take a step back. There were several attacks that broke through his guard andnded on him but he didn''t care. He endured the pain and advanced. One step forward at a time. Daichi wanted tond at least one hit on Kensei.

    As the fight continued Daichi''s stamina was diminishing. But he saw an opportunity. As they were trading punches, Daichi suddenly grabbed and held on to both of Kensei''s arms. His fingers gripped hard and he swung himself upward to kick the old man in the upper body. Kensei raised his left leg to block one of the kicks but he couldn''t block the other whichnded squarely on the chest.

    The moment his attacknded Daichi let go and jumped backwards andnded on unsteady feet and stumbled slightly. Daichi was panting and was exhausted. After taking a few breaths he stood on shaky legs and looked at the old man.

    Kensei was slightly rubbing his chest. The kick didn''t hurt in the least but that attack did surprise him a little. He could have counter attacked or deflected it, but that would mean using a bit more effort than needed. To use even such a small amount of force and effort to deal with a kid not even in the academy, his pride wouldn''t allow it.

    "Well done for your first spar. You''ve certainly learned the academy taijutsu style. Let''s end today''s spar." Kensei smiled. Both of them made the Seal of Reconciliation and then went to get themselves cleaned up.

    It was then that Daichi looked at the notifications that were piled up on the corner.

    [Quest ''Spar with Kensei Yasai'' Completed.]

    [You have survived for 17 minutes and 23 seconds.]

    [Rewards:]

    575 Exp

    862.5 Exp. (Bonus)

    +2 Level to Leaf Academy Taijutsu. (Bonus)

    +5 Stat points. (Bonus)

    [Skill Leaf Academy Taijutsu''s level has risen by one.]

    [A new skill is created with a specific action.]

    [Through continuously taking damage and resisting, the skill ''Physical Endurance'' has been created.]

    [Physical Endurance - Passive(LV.2(33%)): The durability of the body increases and damage taken is reduced.]

    [Effects: 6% Decrease in damage taken. ]

    [A new skill is created with a specific action.]

    [Through continuously attacking with a strong force, the skill ''Strong Hit'' has been created.]

    [Strong Hit - Active(LV.1(58%)): An action to strike the target hard with a stronger force than usual.]

    [Effects: +10% Increase in critical rate.

    +10% Increase in damage inflicted to the enemy.

    +2.2% Increase in attack speed.

    SP Cost: 25per hit]

    Daichi was happy with his improvement. More than that he was thrilled. He got to experience fighting a ninja and he himself felt so strong, reying the fight in his mind. He realized it was the adrenaline coursing through his veins that had him so giddy.

    He looked at the numerous notification boxes and dismissed them after looking them over. He was happy with the new skills he acquired. He got to his room and got cleaned up. After a while both Daichi and his grandfather were sitting on the porch going through the spar.

    Kensei gave Daichi several pieces of advice and told him the different ways he could improve. Daichi understood that Kensei was holding back by a wide margin and this was only just the start. He didn''t let this victory get to his head. He reflected on the spar and found several ways he could have attacked better.

    "Train and think about it. We''ll have a spar every two weeks. This way you''ll have time toe up with new strategies and improve your strength."

    Daichi nodded to Kensei''s advice and looked at the setting sun. He checked his progress.

    ''Status''

    [Name : Daichi Hekima (The Gamer)]

    [ss : Civilian]

    [Age : 5]

    [Title : Capable Child, Explorer]

    [Level : 8 (2162.5/3000)]

    [HP : 810]

    [CP : 774]

    [SP : 615]

    .

    [Primary Stats]

    Strength - 19

    Vitality - 16

    Dexterity - 16

    Agility - 17

    Intelligence - 24

    Chakra - 17

    Wisdom - 16

    .

    [Special Stats]

    Sense - 8

    Stamina - 17

    Indomitable (LOCKED)

    Charisma - 4

    Persistence (LOCKED)

    Dignity (LOCKED)

    Luck (LOCKED)

    [Stat Points - 55]

    [Ryo - 1500]

    Looking at the increase in his stats made Daichi happy. He vowed to himself to work twice as hard and grow stronger with each day.

 Chapter 21: One Year Training 02

    Chapter 21: One Year Training 02

    Daichi thought about his fight with his grandfather. He noticed that throughout the fight Kensei maintained a cool expression and even when Daichinded the kick on him at the end, he wasn''t all that surprised. Daichi reflected back to that moment and he went through every action he took during the fight.

    ''I still can''t read his level. So he''s obviously strong. After all that, he wasn''t even sweating or even slightly out of breath. Looking back now he definitely could see my attacksing. And if he wanted to, he could have easily countered them. The old man was holding back a lot.''

    ''And his movements It was as if he knew to use the most energy and stamina conserving movements and still be able to deal the most damage. I have no doubt in my mind now That guy was definitely a Jonin. Maybe even Anbu. I''ll have to be careful.''

    Daichi pondered on the best way to increase his strength in secret. That''s when he remembered the dungeon key in his inventory.

    ''That dungeon key was ck so the opponents in the Kikyo castle dungeon are at least 30 levels above mine. But does it stay like that or do the mobs in the dungeon get stronger?? If they don''t then with time and enough level up that dungeon key could change from ck to red to yellow.''

    ''At least that''s what I think If that''s the case then I need to find other easier dungeons first. But that''s not important right now. I''ll save the exploration to find dungeons forter. Right now I need to get back to training.''

    Daichi spent the days training his body and improving his skills. But he also took his grandfather''s advice and took a day off every week to simply rest and rx. He took cooking as a hobby and tried it out. He learned the various ways to prepare the ingredients and learned several simple dishes.

    ''Mmm That smells delicious.'' Daichi was currently making a beef dish and after some time it was done. Daichi turned off the me and started ting the dish.

    [Skill Cooking''s level has risen by one.]

    After making a couple of dishes a few days ago, he acquired the cooking skill.

    [Cooking - Passive(LV.4(2%)): A skill that improves the taste and quality of your dish. The created dishes will restore your HP, CP, SP but it will vary depending on the dish created and the ingredients used. At a higher level you can create dishes that will greatly restore your HP, CP, SP and even improve your physical stats.]

    [Effects: +12% Increase in taste and aroma of dish.

    +7% Increase in ting technique.]

    Due to cooking, his ''sense'' stat had improved by 2 points. He learned that by creating dishes with more difficulty than thest and learning to control the me and time of cooking his ''sense'' stat would increase.

    Daichi also took the time to paint. Creating easy artworks from his previous life. As he created more artwork with variousplexities his dexterity stat improved. In one month his painting alone increased that particr stat by 3. He also got the skill ''painting'' after he sessfullypleted 2 works.

    [Painting - Passive(LV.3(44%): A skill that improves the aesthetic qualities and visual appeal of the artwork. At a higher level the user can create artwork painted or drawn in such a way that it creates an optical illusion that tricks the mind into believing that the 2d artwork they are viewing is in fact 3 dimensional. ]

    [Effects: +13% Increase in visual appeal.

    +10% Increase of uracy in painting.]

    Daichi realized that most tasks even if it was non shinobi rted would increase his stat points depending on the tasks he waspleting. 3 weeks had passed by since Daichi''s first spar with Kensei. He improved his skills, had another level up and he had a second spar with Kensei a week ago. He was getting used to fighting and using the taijutsu techniques.

    It was thest day of May. The end of Daichi''s second month in this world. Currently he was in his backyard training. Daichi was running with a leaf stuck to his forehead. His leaf concentration technique has passed level 10. Now he was trying tobine physical training and chakra control exercises to increase efficiency.

    ''If I can keep my focus and keep the leaf on my forehead even during the workouts then I''ll be able to improve my chakra skill quicker. I need to strengthen and increase my chakra reserves. That should be my priority.''

    Right now Daichi could only hold the leaf on his forehead while running for about 6 minutes. Daichi''s goal was to increase his concentration while performing several tasks. Once his chakra waspletely exhausted he started working on different exercises. After about 4 hours of alternating between these tasks his strength, agility and chakra stat increased by 1.

    Daichi sat down under the tree and thought about his training. He wanted to improve his chakra capacity some more quickly and start learning and creating jutsus. Once his chakra was restored he took 5 leaves with his right hand and ced them on the fingertips of his left hand.

    Daichi wanted to create the chakra threads that the sand vige''s puppeteers use. Or something simr to it.

    ''This is an underrated skill but it has its uses. Using chakra strings to use puppets is great and all but I feel like we could take it to a whole new level.'' Daichi mused thinking about the various ways he could use it.

    It is a simple jutsu but it could have wide applications if used in the correct manner. He concentrated the chakra to his fingertips and then coated the leaves with it.

    He turned his left hand upside down and saw that the leaves were stuck to his fingers. Daichi held like that for a few moments to get the feel of it. He could feel the slow but steady decrease in his reserves. He stopped sending chakra to every finger except his index. The 4 leaves floated down as no more chakra was holding them up.

    ''Alright. I''ll take it slow. One at a time.''

    Daichi concentrated and slowly pushed the leaf on his index finger down with his chakra still coated and connected to it. He saw the leaf detach from his fingertip and float a few centimeters below. Gently waving in the air. He slowly recalled his chakra back and watched the leaf float back to his finger. He tried the process again but this time he increased the distance by double.

    Suddenly, as expected, several notifications popped up.

    [A new skill is created with a specific action.]

    [Through continuously focusing chakra to an object on your fingertips and manipting them with your chakra, the skill ''Chakra Threads'' has been created.]

    [Chakra Threads - Active(LV.1): A support skill that is mainly used by puppet users allowing them to control several puppets in battle. This technique can also be used to push or pull objects towards the user. They act as strings and can be attached to moving objects allowing the user control of their motion. But this requires proficiency in the technique. At higher levels chakra can be transferred or absorbed via the threads and even the chakra nature of the threads can be changed.]

    [Note: Chakra coated weapons can cut the strings. ]

    [Effects: +5% Increase in thread control.

    +5% Increase in thread speed

    CP cost : 8/sec for single thread]

    ''Yes. A great skill with a variety of uses. I can use this to trip enemies or even deflect small projectile weaponsing my way. Or maybe even control the motion and path of my shuriken weapons. And ording to this at a higher level I can change the nature of the Chakra of the string. I can already imagine a fire and lightning string raining hell on my enemies.''

    ''I need to figure out what kind of a fighter I''m going to be. Am I someone who''s going to be like a Jack of all trades and master of none?... No thinking like that is limiting myself. Just because I will be proficient in many fields of ninja art one day doesn''t mean I can''t master several. But still What should be my strongest field?''

    Daichi pondered on this question for some time. He already decided he would learn and be capable of creating and dispelling Genjutsu. But he had no desire to be a master in the art.

    ''Genjutsu has wide applications and with my perfect chakra control, it would be easy to create various illusion techniques But fighting with Genjutsu just isn''t appealing to meOk what else?''

    The same went for sealing arts. He would one day learn sealing arts and would learn to create barriers and other such seals but dedicating his life and bing a master in such an art was of no interest to him. Daichi didn''t want to go with the medic route as well based on the same excuse.

    ''The sealing art and medical field doesn''t interest me. At least not enough to dedicate my entire time to it. But there are two techniques in those two fields that I definitely want to learn. The fourth Hokage''s teleportation jutsu - The Flying Thunder God and I need to know if I can recreate Tsunade''s Creation Rebirth technique. But that jutsu doesn''t heal. Only speed up the creation of new cells At least that''s what I remember I need to create a super healing medical jutsu with the least negative side effects.''

    He would certainly learn these different important fields but it would still only be till the point he was better than most. As Daichi thought it through he realized that his interestsy in Ninjutsu and then Taijutsu. But for him to fully go down this path he would have to increase his chakra reserves massively.

    ''I suppose it''s only natural. What kind of a person gets reincarnated into a world with superpowers and wouldn''t want to learn to shoot fireballs or create giant waves of water. Since I''m going to go down the Ninjutsu way, I might as well go all out. I need to master all five elements and then maybe learn to use yin and Yang chakra attacks. But for all that I need to increase my chakra volume.'' Daichi sighed thinking about the training ahead but he was happy.

    He was going to use every bit of his chakra everyday and stretch and strengthen his chakra coils. Daichi decided that when the time came to use his free stat points, a vast majority of it would go to his chakra and strength. He would save some for agility and dexterity. They would be the secondary stats he would prioritize after chakra and strength.

    ''The moment people figure out that my strength lies in Ninjutsu, they''ll try to counter me by using Taijutsu or Genjutsu. Since I have the Gamer''s Mind I''m not all that worried about Genjutsu. But I''ll have to train Taijutsu as well. They''ll be my secondary focus.''

    When he trained his body Daichi would try to keep the gap difference between strength, agility and dexterity to a minimum. He wanted to maintain a perfect ratio between power, speed and flexibility of his body. It would help his taijutsu skill tremendously. Switching between offense, defense and evasion.

    Daichi let go of the chakra thread that was holding the leaf. He meditated and restored his reserves. He stood up and lightly stretched. He started running around thepound and once he reached his top speed he kept at it and tried to push more energy to go faster. He sprinted the whole time till his stamina was in the low single digits. He got a new skill by the time he was done.

    [A new skill is created with a specific action.]

    [Through continuously running at top speed, the skill ''Sprint'' has been created.]

    [Sprint - Active(LV.1): A skill that gives the user a boost in speed, increasing the agility of the user. This boost in speed will run out when SP reaches less than 10.]

    [Effects: +5% Increase in running speed.

    SP cost : 120 SP per minute. ]

    Daichi cooled down after a few minutes and under the shade of the tree he opened his status page. Daichi looked at the stat and level increase.

    ''Just as I thought. The first two weeks, it was easy to increase my stat points through training but now it took almost 3 weeks to improve them. And not by much. Training for almost 3 weeks only made a difference of 2 or 3 points in each stat. Right now the lowest are vitality and wisdom. Wisdom would increase with games like shogi and go. But I''m not going to focus on that stat for the moment.''

    ''Right now my concern is SP. Stamina points haven''t even crossed the 750 mark. Need to increase the vitality stat. Should I use the free stat points?... No. Now is not the time. It''s getting difficult to increase them with training alone and if I add any more now it''ll be even more difficult. Need to think in terms of the long run.''

    ''Time to see my skills''

    Daichi opened the skill page and looked at the skills. Noting the rise in level and effects of the skills. It made him satisfied. ''Lets see What else remains toplete in my current quest?''

    ------------------------------------

    Daichi''s Status and Skills.

    ''Status''

    [Name : Daichi Hekima (The Gamer)]

    [ss : Civilian]

    [Age : 5]

    [Title : Capable Child, Explorer]

    [Level : 9 (543/3500)]

    .

    HP : 915

    CP : 896.7

    SP : 720

    .

    Primary Stats

    Strength - 21

    Vitality - 18

    Dexterity - 19

    Agility - 19

    Intelligence - 28

    Chakra - 20

    Wisdom - 17

    .

    Special Stats

    Sense - 11

    Stamina - 21

    Indomitable (LOCKED)

    Charisma - 5

    Persistence (LOCKED)

    Dignity (LOCKED)

    Luck (LOCKED)

    .

    Stat Points - 60

    Ryo - 1500

    -----------------

    ''Skill list''

    1.Gamer''s Mind - Passive (LV.MAX)

    2. Gamer''s Body - Passive (LV.MAX)

    3. Gaia''s Blessing - Passive (LV.MAX)

    4. Observe - Active (LV.12 (31%))

    5. Dishwashing - Passive (LV.14 (70%))

    Effects: +25% increase in speed

    6. Meditate - Active (LV. 13(23%))

    Effects : +23.5% to base HP regeneration per minute.

    +23.5% to base CP regeneration per minute.

    +23.5% to base SP regeneration per minute.

    .

    7. Basic Body Conditioning - Passive (LV.12(11%))

    Effects: +22.8% Increase in Damage inflicted.

    +22% Increase in Movement speed.

    +13% Increase in Physical stat growth.

    -25% Decrease in Damage taken.

    8. Mini-map

    9. Inventory

    10. Lesser chakra affinity - (Passive/Active) (LV.14 (52%))

    Effects: +11.3% Growth rate of Chakra stat.

    +15.4% Strength increase to all chakra-based skills.

    +15% Defense increase against chakra-based attacks.

    +22% Increase to maximum CP.

    -8.1% CP cost to all chakra based skills.

    .

    11. Lesser chakra regeneration - Passive (LV.13 (33%))

    Effects: Regeneration Increased by 18% of base CP per minute.

    +14% growth rate of Chakra stat.

    Note: Meditation increases CP regeneration to 25%.

    .

    12. Chakra Maniption - (Active/Passive) (LV.15 (91%))

    .

    13. Minor Jutsu Creation - Active (LV.1)

    Effects: +3% Sess rate to create new Ninjutsu.

    +3% Sess rate to create new Genjutsu.

    -3% Less CP requirements for new Jutsu created.

    .

    14. Leaf concentration technique - (Active/Passive)(LV.12(88%))

    Effects: +35% Increase in chakra control.

    CP cost : 3/sec.

    -20% CP cost to chakra techniques.

    .

    15. Superior Tasting - Active(LV. 10(32%))

    Effects: +25% Increase in taste

    CP cost : 3/sec.

    .

    16. Superior Hearing - Active(LV. 10(74%))

    Effects: +25% Increase in hearing

    CP cost : 6/sec.

    .

    17. Superior Smell - Active(LV. 9(41%))

    Effects: +21% Increase in smell.

    CP cost : 3/sec.

    .

    18. Superior Sight - Active(LV. 9(27%))

    Effects: +23% Increase in sight.

    CP cost : 6.5/sec.

    .

    19. Leaf Academy Taijutsu - Active(LV.11(21%))

    Effects: +31.8% Increase in attack power.

    +30.6% Increase in defense.

    +26% Increase in speed

    -19.7% Decrease in damage taken.

    .

    20. Shurikenjutsu - Active(LV.10(67.3%))

    Effects: +30% Increase in uracy.

    +30% Increase in damage dealt.

    .

    21. Physical Endurance - Passive(LV.5(72%))

    Effects: -12.5% Decrease in damage taken.

    .

    22. Strong Hit - Active(LV.3(55%))

    Effects: +15% Increase in critical rate.

    +17% Increase in damage inflicted to the enemy.

    +8% Increase in attack speed.

    SP Cost: 21.5 per hit.

    .

    23. Cooking - Active(LV.7(2%))

    Effects: +16% Increase in taste and aroma of dish.

    +10% Increase in ting technique.

    .

    24. Painting - Passive(LV.4(44%)

    Effects: +15% Increase in visual appeal.

    +12% Increase of uracy in painting.

    .

    25. Chakra Threads - Active(LV.1)

    Effects: +5% Increase in thread control.

    +5% Increase in thread speed

    CP cost : 8/sec for single thread.

    .

    26. Sprint - Active(LV.1)

    Effects: +5% Increase in running speed.

    SP cost : 120 SP per minute.

 Chapter 22: One Year Training 03

    Chapter 22: One Year Training 03

    Daichi opened his current training quest.

    [Current Quest - ''Get ahead of your peers'']

    [Train hard and prepare for the academy. Be stronger than everyone in your generation. The path to the strongest begins here. Time limit: 10 Months]

    [Conditions:]

    Increase your level to 13 by the time you join the academy

    Learn Beginner Taijutsu and increase it to LV.15

    Learn Basic Chakra Control Technique and increase it to LV.15

    Increase your Basic Body Conditioning to LV.15

    Learn Beginner Shuriken Jutsu and increase it to LV.15

    Learn 1 E-Rank Ninjutsu or more (0/1)

    Find out your Chakra Nature.

    Unlock any 2 special stats.

    .

    [Rewards:]

    1500 Exp,

    +1 Level

    +3 To all awakened stat points

    +1 LV. to all Skills

    +12 Stat Points

    Rep increases with everyone.

    Rep massively increases with Kensei Yasaji.

    New Title

    Special Reward

    .

    [Failure:]

    -2 Levels

    Rep decreases with the Leaf Vige citizens.

    Rep decreases with Kensei Yasaji.

    Rep decreases with Academy Teachers.

    Rep decrease with the ''The Leaf 12''.

    New Title

    .

    ''Looks like I''m about toplete most of this quest but based on the amount of exp I need for each level, getting to 13 will take at least 7 or 8 more months. Still I have 10 months remaining before joining the new semester. I''ll be ready by then. Hmmm what E rank Ninjutsu should I learn? The clone technique, substitution or transformation? I''ll ask the old manter. I''ll ask him for the chakra paper as well. Gotta find out my affinity. The sooner I get things done the easier it''ll be.''

    Daichi was able to quicklyplete most of his current quest because of his efficient and constant training. He kept a steady pace and only took the weekend off to rx. It also brought him new ideas to implement in his training. He went to find Kensei after closing the notification boxes. It was time to find out his chakra nature.

    -------------------------------------------------------

    Kensei''s library.

    Kensei was rummaging through some boxes on the shelf and after a few minutes he found what he was looking for. He took a special paper from the box and turned around to face his grandson. He held the paper in front of Daichi.

    "I take it you understand what this paper does?" He asked.

    "Yeah. It shows my natural chakra affinity. I focus my chakra on it and if it''s wind it tears, if it''s water it gets wet, earth it crumbles to dust, fire it burns to ash and if it''s lightning the paper wrinkles." Daichi replied.

    "Training in chakra nature is advanced stuff. Most shinobi start this after they be chunin. You realize that don''t you?" Kensei knew Daichi understood the difficulty of the task but he said it anyway.

    Daichi nodded but had a smirk. "I know but you and I both know I''m not going to be like most shinobi."

    "That remains to be seen. Here. No point in wasting anymore time." Kensei gave Daichi the chakra paper.

    Daichi held the paper between his index and middle finger. He took a breath and let it out. Closing his eyes he focused and concentrated some of his chakra through his fingers and onto the paper. When he opened his eyes the result was something he didn''t expect. The paper turned to dirt and crumbled to dust in seconds.

    "Earth nature. Interesting." Kensei rubbed his chin looking at Daichi. "You look surprised!"

    Daichi, hearing the old man, looked up at him and replied. "Yeah. I thought I''d be lightning or fire natured. Earth is a surprise." ''More like I wanted it to be those. But it isn''t so bad. Earth element in the right hands could be quite versatile''.

    "What do you think about Earth nature affinity?" Kensei asked, wanting to know the boy''s opinion on his natural affinity.

    Daichi thought about it for sometime before giving him the answer.

    "It''s a powerful nature. We''re surrounded by earth elements and it''s perfect for defense and offense. With enough chakra reserves one can reshape the entire terrain to suit their needs. And in a battlefield having control over the terrain means increasing the odds of victory. A true master can turn earth into as malleable as water or as hard as a mountain. At least that''s what I think."

    Kensei had a smile on his face after hearing his reasons. "Good. But for the moment, train and improve the skills you have. Those being your taijutsu and shurikenjutsu and then focus on increasing your chakra reserves and strength. When you''re ready in a couple years and depending on your progress we''ll start with nature chakra and its applications. A tower with a weak foundation won''tst long after all."

    Daichi agreed with him. Right now his main priority was increasing the level of all his current skills. As Daichi thought about it he got curious.

    "Hey gramps. What''s your chakra nature?" Daichi asked him.

    Kensei just smirked as he listened to the quest. "You''ll find out one day." As he said those words, Kensei handed him a small scroll.

    "Is that?" Daichi wondered.

    "This is an E rank jutsu taught in the academy. The rope escape jutsu."

    "Huh.?" Daichi didn''t think the first jutsu he would get from the old man was this basic supplementary technique.

    Kensei chucked watching the dumb expression on Daichi''s face. "You have to learn to crawl before you can walk. This is a basic straightforward and simple jutsu but it''s quite useful when you least expect it. Learn it. And a couple monthster based on your progress I''ll see if you''re ready for any other techniques" The old man was having fun watching Daichi''s expression.

    Hearing the cheery and somewhat smug voice of his grandpa, Daichi sighed to himself. "Yeah. I''m gonna learn it and I''ll be ready to learn clone jutsu and more by the time I''m ready for the academy." Daichi replied back with a grin and cheeky voice.

    "I look forward to it." Kensei walked out of the room having thest word.

    Daichi took the scroll and went outside. He read the scroll detailing the technique.

    When the user is bound, they find ways to escape by untying the knot or dislocating the joints to get free. Although it is the most basic of the escape-based jutsu, it is still fairlyplicated to perform.

    ''Let''s get to work.'' Daichi sat down and went through every inch of the scroll, determined to memorize and learn it by the end of the day.

    -------------------------------------------------------

    The sound of fist hitting flesh could be heard throughout the room. Both Daichi and Kensei were sparring in the dojo. Neither one intending to give the other victory.

    Daichi rained fast precise punches aiming at Kensei''s head. All of which were deflected or dodged. Because of the height difference Daichi was at a disadvantage. Kensei stepped forward, throwing a fast powerful punch towards Daichi''s face. The boy raised both hands and blocked the punch aimed at his face but the force from it pushed him backwards.

    [-66 HP]

    ''Damn the old man hits hard.''

    Daichi slid a few feet before taking a step back and stopping himself. Before he could even put his hands down Daichi saw movement from the corner of his eyes. Kensei threw a roundhouse kick aimed at the left side of his torso.

    Daichi nted his feet and gripped the floor. He braced himself and took the oing blow. "Arh" He couldn''t help grunting at the strength of the attack. But as soon as the kick struck he trapped the leg under his left arm and threw a fast jab aiming at the thighs of the trapped leg.

    But before it could even reach halfway Kensei threw several quick punches forcing Daichi to block and parry them. But they were mostly unsessful since he only had one arm to counter the old man''s assaults. Several strikesnded on his body forcing him to let go of the leg andpelling him to jump back and gain some distance.

    Daichi had a haggard breath. His chest expanding and contracting, gasping for some precious air. He''d been fighting with such intensity for over thirty minutes. Barely a couple of seconds passed and Kensei was already on him.

    "Your enemies won''t give you time to rest or catch your breath. Never show weakness. It would definitely be used against you."

    Those were the words he heard while desperately parrying the oing attacks. Daichi sharpened his senses to their absolute maximum to sense the speed and position of the attacks. He didn''t even have time for any useless thoughts.

    Both grandfather and grandson exchanged fists at a speed civilians could barely see let alone fend off. Daichi was carefully waiting for an opportunity to strike but his grandfather was careful.

    ''He''s blocking and parrying every one of my punches and jabs. Don''t know how much longer I can keep going like this. Got no choice. Need to use ''strong hit''. Even if it will drain almost half my remaining stamina.''

    Deciding to make his own opening, Daichi met one of Kensei''s punches with a punch of his own.

    Both fists colliding knuckle to knuckle. Daichi used the skill ''strong hit'' and put enough force in it to make even Kensei wince. Feeling the pain and his hand bing slightly numb, Kenseigged for a second. But that single moment presented an opportunity for Daichi to move past the old man''s defenses andnd a strike on his chest.

    A powerful strike that made even Kensei slightly grunt.

    But that was the only attack Daichi was able tond on his opponent. Kensei clenched his fists and resumed his vigorous attacks. Several strikesnded on Daichi''s body but he refused to take any more steps back.

    He gritted his teeth and stood his ground. Each time Kenseinded a sessful attack on his body Daichi could see his HP falling. Slowly but steadily.

    Just when it looked like it would stay like this there was a change in the flow of the battle.

    Kensei took a single step forward, and arched his punch changing the trajectory of the attack from a straightforward punch to an uppercut. He aplished this feat without losing any attack speed. Even though Daichi could see the punching he knew he wouldn''t be able to block it. And if itnded it would be over for him.

    Daichi quickly leaned back, avoiding the uppercut by centimeters. Just when he thought he had passed the danger he felt a strike on his right leg. A quick precise attack that took his bnce and footing.

    [-41 HP]

    Kensei knew the boy would dodge his attack. His uppercut was a distraction and his real goal was to make him lose his footing.

    Daichi fell backwards hitting the floor. "Ooh" He couldn''t help exim.

    Seeing his goal aplished the old man moved in for an axe stomp. Heunched a downward strike with the heel of his foot straight at Daichi''s chest. Daichi quickly rolled to the right dodging the attack and was about to get up when he felt a hand on the back of his neck and it froze him.

    Daichi was kneeling on all fours with Kensei standing beside him with a knifehand strike ced on the back of his neck. The old man didn''t strike him but simply ced the hand on the boy''s neck. But this was enough for Daichi to know that the fight was over.

    It was only after a few seconds had passed by that Daichi heard his own panting breath. He could hear his heart, beating in his chest like a giant drum. He felt the adrenaline and the blood coursing through his body. His aching and twitching muscles. He slowly stood up on shaky legs. And turned to face his grandfather.

    Kensei had a wide smile on his face. Even though he wasn''t as exhausted as Daichi he was still slightly out of breath. Sparring with someone like Daichi for so long at his age took its toll. But he never felt as good as he did at that moment in a long time.

    "It''s been almost 6 months since we''ve started our sparring sessions. And every time you impress me. Your speed of improvement is incredible. And you''re talent It''s unbelievable. I have no doubt you''ll be even greater than the 4th Hokage one day."

    Kensei didn''t hold back in his praise. Based on the speed of Daichi''s improvement and his inborn talent, he truly believed Daichi could reach great heights.

    Hearing his grandpa''s praise made Daichi blush a little. He scratched the back of his head lightlyughing

    "Aww you''re making me blush Gramps" Just then his stomach growled like a lion.

    "Hahaha" Kenseiughed heartily. "We''re both a mess. Let''s get ourselves cleaned up. We''ll be going out for dinner tonight. How are you feeling about BBQ?" He asked.

    "That sounds awesome. Let''s go to Yakiniku Q." Daichi replied in an instant. The best BBQ ce in the leaf vige was the Yakiniku Q. He had only been there once but that single visit was enough to make him captivated with the ce.

    Kensei chuckled looking at Daichi''s drooling hungry face. "Sure. Go get cleaned up and meet me downstairs in an hour. We''ll head out." Daichi nodded and went to his room. Kensei went to his own room to get himself ready.

 Chapter 23: Kenseis Motives and End of Training.

    Chapter 23: Kensei''s Motives and End of Training.

    Daichi felt the cool water cascading down his body. It helped him rx after the intense sparring session he had with his grandfather. He was looking over and closing the piled up notifications that appeared during and after the fight.

    Several skills and stat points have increased due to the intensity and length of the fight. The notification of the questpletion for surviving the spar was also dismissed after being looked over.

    Daichi got out of the shower, put on some new clothes and meditated. He felt the aches and pains throughout his body disappear. His stamina, chakra and health points slowly regenerated.

    When the time came he met his grandfather downstairs and both of them headed out. It was past 6 in the evening. Both of them slowly walked through the vige.

    Daichi noted the somber and almost quiet atmosphere when he walked through the vige. It took him only a few seconds to realize the truth of the matter. It was October 9th today. Tomorrow was the 5th anniversary of the nine tails attack.

    It didn''t take long for Kensei and Daichi to reach the BBQ restaurant. Arge restaurant with wide windows and multiple green seated booths. The menu was stered on the wall. Each table had a charcoal brazier built in the center and was equipped with tongs for cooking. A restaurant with a Gy-Kaku style form of dining in which the customers cook their own food after ordering it.

    Daichi and Kensei found an empty booth in the corner and sat down. They gave their order and waited for the food.

    After a few seconds of silence Kensei spoke. "You''ve gotten a lot stronger during thesest few months. In your current strength I''d say you''ll be able to handle a 2nd or 3rd year student of the academy."

    Daichi wasn''t surprised at the evaluation. He visited the academy a couple of times during thest few months. And he observed any kid he could find. Their levels showed that he was stronger than most of the first, second and some third year students. Daichi simply nodded.

    "I know you''re still holding back quite a lot. You didn''t use chakra to strengthen your body did you?" Daichi asked.

    Kensei shook his head. "No. If I had used that now, our spar wouldn''t mean anything to you since you won''t even be able to touch me. Although I''m surprised you knew about such a technique."

    "I read about it in the chakra theory book you gave me. It''s a skill that can only be learned after someone has had extensive chakra control training. Like mastering the water walking." Daichi replied.

    Kensei nodded. "Yes. That''s true. But you''re nowhere near ready for that."

    "I know gramps. I''ll take it slow. One step at a time." Daichi wanted topletely master the leaf concentration exercise before moving on to the next one.

    "Daichi. I want you to take the next few days off. No training for another three or four days."

    Daichi usually only took a single day to rest in a week. He already nned on taking a rest tomorrow but he didn''t understand why the old man extended the recuperating period to more than one day.

    "I was already nning on taking a break tomorrow but why more?"

    "All you''ve been doing is training. Even though you cook and paint sometimes during your break it''s still not enough. I know I''ve said this before but now is the time for you to enjoy being a kid. Go out, y, make some friends or simply enjoy the peaceful atmosphere of the vige. Whatever you wanna do except training. It will do you some good."

    "But I like training." Daichi said in a somewhat whiny tone.

    Hearing the childish whiny tone of his voice brought a smile to Kensei''s face. "Now you''re acting like a brat your age."

    At that moment their order came.

    Kensei ordered the premium buffet. He knew Daichi had a pretty big appetite. Especially after a fight. He watched the appetizers being ced on the table.

    Daichi looked at the various dishes and couldn''t help gulp his saliva. He was extremely hungry and the tantalizing smells of the food was only making it more difficult for him to hold back. He used ''observe'' as the waiter ced the various dishes on the table.

    [Minced beef Katsu]

    [A panko coated deep fried ground beef cutlet withyered cheese filling. It is served with tonkatsu sauce, shredded cabbage and a small portion of rice. A delicious dish made by chef Joren.]

    [Chicken Karaage]

    [A bite sized chicken thigh coated with flour and a special blend of spices and deep fried in hot oil. When done the chicken is coated in a crispy shell with the tender and juicy meat preserved inside. An exceptionally vorful, crispy and juicy fried chicken. 4 bite sized pieces served in a decorative bowl.]

    [Beef Okonomiyaki]

    [A popr pan fried dish that consists of batter and cabbage. Beef is the main ingredient with several vegetable toppings added. This is a dish that is grilled on an iron griddle and prepared by chef Hanshi.]

    [Chili Cheese Fries]

    [These chili and crispy potato fries topped with homemade beef chili and cheese and then baked to perfection. A tasty snack perfect for an appetizer. ]

    [Wakame Sd]

    [This simple yet tasty dish is made from an edible seaweed widely used around the world. This dish contains corn, tomato, dried seaweed, sesame seeds and thinly chopped carrots. It''s highly nutritious and rich in fiber, calories, calcium and protein.]

    Daichi didn''t waste anymore time and started eating. Kensei joined and after about a dozen minutes all that was left were empty tes.

    "Oh wow. That was delicious."

    "Indeed. This is one of the few ces in the vige that can match Shi''s restaurant taste quality." His grandfather said.

    Daichi took a moment and let himself rx. He took a moment and looked at his grandpa. "Hey gramps. Are you thinking about tomorrow?"

    Kensei sighed. "Yeah. Tomorrow marks the 5th anniversary of the nine tails attack." He had a somber expression. The images of his son, his daughter inw and his wife came to mind. All of them, taken before their time due to the tragic event.

    Looking at the old man''s face Daichi stayed quiet. He didn''t have any memories of his parents from this life. He didn''t have any particr attachments to anyone aside from his grandfather Kensei, Matron Aiko and Jozu at the orphanage. That too was a small bond courtesy of the respect he felt towards them for taking care of him.

    Right now his mind went towards another orphan. Someone burdened with a heavy duty and shunned for something that wasn''t his fault.

    ''I wonder how you''re doing Naruto?''

    ''Should I visit the yground? He would definitely be there No. He would definitely have guards. It would be suspicious if I went and decided to be friends with him out of nowhere when everyone else stays away. I would get on the radar of all the people I definitely don''t want to.''

    Daichi sighed. He didn''t think about it anymore.

    "We''ll go pay the cemetery a visit early in the morning tomorrow. By noon and till evening it will be somewhat crowded." Kensei said to Daichi.

    He just nodded and quietly sat. Both of them, thinking about various things. In a short while the main course came and was served. Several tes of various cuts of beef and chicken were ced. Daichi didn''t bother with using ''observe'' this time and just grilled and enjoyed the food.

    Both of them ate while discussing various topics and left the ce after about an hour and went back home.

    -----------------------------------------------------

    It was October 10th early in the morning. Daichi and Kensei were standing in the leaf vige cemetery. It was located at the outskirts of the vige. The cemetery had a sculpture resembling a fire at the front. It represented the will of fire of the vige and had the kanji for Hokage inscribed on its base.

    Both of them were in front of a gravestone. On the stone were the names of Kensei''ste family. They were buried together due to Kensei''s request. After a few minutes Kensei spoke. He had a slight angry tone in his voice.

    "Hotaru was talented. And the vige took advantage of that. They brainwashed him with propaganda and ideals of the vige so much that he and I became estranged. And his death was what caused my beloved Fumiyo''s untimely demise."

    Hearing the old man''s words, curiosity got the best of Daichi and he used ''observe'' on the headstone.

    [Headstone - Fumiyo Yasaji]

    The grave of Fumiyo Yasaji. Thete wife of Kensei Yasaji. She was a chunin when she met Kensei. He saved her during a dangerous mission and they formed a rtionship thereafter. She had a son named Hotaru who died during the nine tails attack. The loss of her son affected her mentally and physically. Slowly weakening her heart with each passing day. She died two years ago at the age of 58, in her sleep.

    [Headstone - Hotaru Yasaji]

    The grave of Hotaru Yasaji. Thete son of Kensei Yasaji and Fumiyo Yasaji. Hotaru was a talented shinobi during his time. He graduated from the academy at the age of 9 and had participated in the 3rd world war. Due to the number of missions hepleted and the merits he received during the war, he was quickly promoted to Jonin. Later at the end of the war he married his childhood sweetheart Eriko Hatsmi. During thest few years of his life he had an estranged rtionship with his father due to their contrasting philosophies regarding the vige. He was 26 when he died in the nine tails 5 years ago.

    [Headstone - Eriko Hatsmi]

    The grave of Eriko Hatsmi. Thete wife of Hotaru Yasaji. She was an average shinobi who worked in the administrative department after bing a chunin. During the end of the 3rd world war she married her childhood crush Hotaru Yasaji. She was 26 when she died during the nine tails attack 5 years ago.

    Daichi reading the details felt like he had a better understanding of Kensei. ''No wonder the old man doesn''t talk about his son all that much. He might probably still be ming his son for his wife''s death. That''s a whole can of worms I''m not gonna open any time soon. But stillisn''t being angry at a dead man still pointless?''

    It was sometime past seven in the morning when they reached the cemetery grounds. They prayed and stayed there for sometime before cing the bouquet of flowers Daichi made from his garden on the stone and left shortly after. They ate some breakfast from Shi Fang''s restaurant and went home.

    When they neared their house Daichi asked Kensei what was on his mind.

    "Hey gramps. Are you still angry with your son?"

    Kensei was slightly startled by the question but thenposed himself and answered.

    "After his death all I felt was regret for notmunicating with him. But when Fumiyo died I wanted to me someone. And he became a convenient scapegoat. It was his death that caused her to die after all. But after some time I came to the realization that I was mostly just angry So to answer your question, No. I''m not angry at my son."

    "Then who are you angry at?" Daichi asked this question because he wanted to know if the old man''s anger was misced onto Naruto like most of the vigers.

    Kensei answered his question with a question of his own.

    "Daichi. Do you know why I''m training you like this even though you''re only just 5 years old?"

    "To get me strong and make sure I''m at the top of my ss?" Daichi replied in a somewhat unsure voice.

    "I graduated from the academy just a year after the third graduated. I''ve participated in three wars. I''ve traveled all over the world. Met all sorts of people. And I learned one important fact."

    Daichi''s eyes slightly narrowed as he listened to Kensei. That''s when he heard something that surprised him.

    "The leaf vige isn''t the center of the world." Kensei said with a strong voice.

    "I was like most people at the beginning. I believed in the will of fire and philosophy of unity of the vige. But over the years I''ve seen the dark twisted side of the vige."

    "I saw teammates killing teammates to keep the secrets from spreading on the orders of the higher ups. There was even a time when I was attacked by ninjas of this vige because I was at the wrong ce at the wrong time. You can say that I''ve opened my eyes to the truth of the world. There is no right or wrong. Only those with strength can make their own path."

    "My philosophy regarding this ce changed. But my son was someone who believed in this ce. He would have given his life for this vige without hesitation. And that was what created our rift. I wanted him to put his life above all else. Even the vige. He disagreed. Our ideals shed and we drifted apart."

    Kensei sighed and looked at Daichi. He continued.

    "My father was a traveling merchant. When I was a child it was my dream to travel the world. But fate had other ns. I became a ninja and dedicated the prime of my life to this ce."

    "The reason why I''m training you and pushing you is because you are someone like me. I understood that from the first day we met. You want to be strong so that you can leave this vige without fear of death, don''t you?"

    Daichi was stunned when he was asked the question. For a split second he thought about lying but then decided against it.

    "Yeah. I want to travel the world. But if I leave the vige without bing a ninja I''ll probably be killed by someone on my journey because I was too weak to defend myself and if I be a ninja I''ll be dered a missing nin the moment I leave and be marked for life. The only way to avoid all that is to be stronger than everyone else."

    "Precisely. That''s why I''m training you. I want you to have the chance I never had. Daichi. Whatever path you choose whether it''s to stay in the vige or leave, I want you to be strong enough so that it''s your choice. And to answer your earlier question, no one. I''m angry at no one. Not anymore anyway."

    "You know, for a moment I thought you hated the vige because of what happened to your family." Daichi said to him.

    Kensei had a small sad smile when he heard this. "Hate is a strong word. I do hate some people within the vige. I hate some policies put in ce but...I don''t hate the leaf vige itself. Despite everything that''s happened this ce is still my home. And I would protect it if the need arises."

    Daichi nodded when he heard this. After a few seconds of silence Kensei spoke. "Daichi! Promise me something."

    "What is it?"

    "I know I told you that you can choose whatever path you want but promise me that when the timees it won''t be one that will harm the vige." Kensei had the face of another genius in mind as he asked this of Daichi. A powerful ninja he once worked with and now a traitor to the vige.

    "I won''t do anything to hurt the vige or its people. You have my word." Daichi said with as much seriousness as he could. He wanted to make sure Kensei knew he wasn''t a threat to this ce.

    Kensei was carefully looking over the boy''s chakra and he was satisfied with the answer. Both of them talked for a while and soon they were nearing their home.

    Daichi felt like he understood Kensei much better now. He simply nodded to his grandfather''s words. They soon reached home.

    Daichi did as his grandfather told him. He took a few days off from his training to enjoy himself. He created some beautiful artwork and made some dishes to cheer up the somewhat depressed old man.

    After a few days of rest and recuperation he resumed his training. The remaining 6 months passed by in a blur. Before long it was thest night of march. Tomorrow he would start the academy.

 Chapter 24: First day of the Academy

    Chapter 24: First day of the Academy

    It was the morning of April 1st. Daichi and Kensei were walking down the road. Their destination - The Academy. It didn''t take them long to reach the ce.

    Daichi was excited. He''d been waiting for this day for a long time. Both Daichi and his grandfather walked through the entrance gate of the academy building.

    They saw dozens of parents and their children roaming the grounds. Kensei brought Daichi to the academy a week ago to get him registered. He answered some questions andpleted some easy physical tests. After the teacher reviewed the results, Daichi was sessfully signed on as an academy student.

    Right now the entrance ceremony was about to take ce. As the time for the ceremony to begin was nearing, the academy teachers instructed the new students to stand in several lines. The parents stood back watching the children stand in order.

    Daichi was looking around the ce. He spotted some familiar faces among the children and parents. He was using ''observe'' and most of the kids were around 3-7 level. But they were mostly civilian children. Daichi spotted a couple of n kids and they were around 7 and 8 level.

    ''Looks like those from the n receive training even before joining this ce. But that''s to be expected. But even most of them only have a level of around 7 to 9. Looks like I''m the strongest in this batch. I guess all that intense training really paid off.''

    Daichi, who was lost in thought, regained his bearings when the Hokage made his presence. He was in his usual attire with the traditional white robes and the Hokage hat on his head. He walked to the front and stood on the makeshift podium.

    "Congrattions to all of you who were epted into the academy. From this day forth, do your best to reach your goals to be a shinobi. You have a lot of hard work ahead of you on this journey. I expect great things and I know you''ll do the leaf vige proud. May the will of fire burn brightly in each and everyone of you."

    Daichi was looking at the Hokage as he weed the students and for some reason he felt as if the Hokage was looking at him specifically during the end of his speech. He didn''t put much thought into it as the instructors brought everyone to their assigned ssroom.

    The Hokage watched as the teachers took the children to their assigned ssrooms. He was in deep thought as he looked at two particr students.

    Hiruzen looked at Naruto who was slowly disappearing among the crowds. ''Minato Kushina Your son is slowly growing up. I know you would be proud of him.''

    He then turned his attention towards Daichi. He was looking forward to Daichi''s growth throughout theing years. ''His chakra has increased by a wide margin. At least whenpared to when I first met him. Show me just how talented you are, young Daichi.''

    Hiruzen turned around and was about to leave but then he saw Kensei standing near the other parents. ''Should I go talk to him?'' Kensei noticed the Hokage''s gaze. A slight frown formed on Kensei''s face and he left. Hiruzen let out a sigh and left the academy as well. ''Another time and ce I suppose.''

    The moment Daichi stepped into the ssroom several notifications popped up. He took a seat in the back corner of the ss and looked over the blue boxes that popped up.

    [Quest - ''Get ahead of your peers'' Completed.]

    [Rewards: ]

    1500 Exp,

    +1 Level

    +3 To all awakened stat points

    +1 LV. to all Skills

    +12 Stat Points

    Rep increases with The Leaf vige citizens.

    Rep massively increases with Kensei Yasaji.

    [New Title - Prodigy (This title will increase the level of your skills faster by 20%.)]

    [Special Reward - New Skill (Mana Maniption.)]

    ''Wow. I can use Mana. Is it different from chakra? That''s a stupid question. I have no doubt it definitely is. That wille in handy. And the prodigy title will definitely help my speed of improvement.''

    Closing the questpletion box Daichi opened his status page. ''Status''.

    [Name : Daichi Hekima (The Gamer)]

    [ss : Student]

    [Age : 6]

    [Title : Capable Child, Explorer, Prodigy]

    [Level : 14 (5477/6700)]

    .

    HP : 1625

    CP : 1743.3

    SP : 1275

    .

    Primary Stats

    Strength - 36

    Vitality - 34

    Dexterity - 33

    Agility - 34

    Intelligence - 43

    Chakra - 39

    Wisdom - 27

    .

    Special Stats

    Sense - 32

    Stamina - 36

    Indomitable (LOCKED)

    Charisma - 14

    Persistence (LOCKED)

    Dignity (LOCKED)

    Luck (LOCKED)

    .

    Stat Points - 97

    Ryo - 5700

    .

    ''Wow. Except wisdom and charisma all my stats are above 30. And my stat points are nearing 100.''

    A frown formed on Daichi''s face as he looked at the special stats. ''I have no idea how to unlock Dignity. But as for Luck I''ve tried gambling with the old timer a couple times but it didn''t work. I even flipped a coin trying to predict the oue or anything really but That was a bust''

    ''And as for the other two I have an idea as to how to awaken Indomitable stat. But it''s not a solid theory and doing it would be dangerous so that''s out for now. And I have a few theories on how to awaken it but not sure which path to take. ''

    Daichi let out a small tired sigh. He decided he would tackle the locked stat problem at ater date.

    ''Time to see how far my skills have improved.''

    ''Skills''

    [Gamer''s Mind - Passive (LV.MAX)]

    .

    [Gamer''s Body - Passive (LV.MAX)]

    .

    [Gaia''s Blessing - Passive (LV.MAX)]

    .

    [Observe - Active (LV.18 (11%))]

    .

    [Dishwashing - Passive (LV.39 (41%))]

    Effects: +73% increase in speed in Dishwashing

    .

    [Meditate - Active (LV. 36(88%))]

    Effects : +75.2% to base HP regeneration per minute.

    +75.2% to base CP regeneration per minute.

    +75.2% to base SP regeneration per minute.

    .

    [Basic Body Conditioning - Passive (LV. 30(76.1%))]

    Effects: +46% Increase in Damage inflicted.

    +44.1% Increase in Movement speed.

    +19.3% Increase in Physical stat growth.

    -40% Decrease in Damage taken.

    .

    Daichi looked over his skills and assessed their improvements one by one.

    ''My Observe skill hasn''t made much progress. Makes sense since I was cooped up in that house most of the time. Need to work on that and raise its level. And Meditation skill is around where I expected it to be.''

    ''As for the Basic body conditioning, it''s slow but improving steadily. Thanks to the training and stat increase, the damage reduction buff has increased a lot. But my spars with Kensei showed that there are certain limitations. The effects of the damage reduction buff significantly decreases the higher level my opponents are. And attacks and wounds from sharp weapons can bypass the buff by a certain margin. Not sure by how much. So I need to figure that out as well. Let''s see What else?''

    .

    [Minimap ]

    .

    [Inventory]

    .

    [Lesser chakra affinity - (Passive/Active) (LV.32 (42%)) ]

    Effects: +17% growth rate of Chakra stat.

    +36.3% Strength increase to all chakra-based skills.

    +34.9% Defense increase against chakra-based attacks.

    +30.4% increase to maximum CP.

    -15% CP cost to all chakra based skills.

    .

    [Lesser chakra regeneration - Passive (LV.32 (10%))]

    Effects: Regeneration Increased by 40% of base CP per minute.

    +17% growth rate of Chakra stat.

    Note: Meditation increases CP regeneration to 70%.

    .

    [Chakra Maniption - (Active/Passive) (LV.43 (73%))]

    .

    [Minor Jutsu Creation - Active (LV.2(89%))]

    Effects: +6% Sess rate to create new Ninjutsu.

    +6% Sess rate to create new Genjutsu.

    -5% Less CP requirements for new Jutsu created.

    .

    [Leaf concentration technique - (Active/Passive)(LV.86(52%))]

    Effects: +179.2% Increase in chakra control.

    CP cost : 1.5/sec.

    -43.2% CP cost to chakra techniques.

    .

    [Superior Tasting - Active(LV. 19(36%))]

    Effects: +43% Increase in taste

    CP cost : 1/sec.

    .

    [Superior Hearing - Active(LV.23(91%))]

    Effects: +56% Increase in hearing

    CP cost : 2/sec.

    .

    [Superior Smell - Active(LV. 19(41%))]

    Effects: +37.7% Increase in smell.

    CP cost : 1/sec.

    .

    [Superior Sight - Active(LV. 24(27%))]

    Effects: +49.9% Increase in sight.

    CP cost : 2/sec.

    .

    [Leaf Academy Taijutsu - Active(LV.32(30%))]

    Effects: +55.9% Increase in attack power.

    +52% Increase in defense.

    +53% Increase in speed

    -37% Decrease in damage taken.

    .

    ''My chakra and taijutsu skills have gone way up. Much more than I expected.''

    .

    [Shurikenjutsu - Active(LV.34(87.8%))]

    Effects: +79.2% Increase in uracy.

    +65.4% Increase in damage dealt.

    .

    [Physical Endurance - Passive(LV.26(16%))]

    Effects: -30.6% Decrease in damage taken.

    Note: Damage decrease depends on enemy level and strength.

    .

    [Strong Hit - Active(LV.12(85%))]

    Effects: +40% Increase in critical rate.

    +41% Increase in damage inflicted to the enemy.

    +34% Increase in attack speed.

    SP Cost: 15.3 per hit.

    .

    [Cooking - Active(LV.15(24%)) ]

    Effects: +32.1% Increase in taste and aroma of dish.

    +29% Increase in ting technique.

    .

    [Painting - Passive(LV.12(74%))]

    Effects: +31% Increase in visual appeal.

    +34% Increase of uracy in painting.

    .

    [Chakra Threads - Active(LV.15)]

    Effects: +30% Increase in thread control.

    +30% Increase in thread speed

    CP cost : 4/sec for single thread.

    .

    [Sprint - Active(LV.13)]

    Effects: +41% Increase in running speed.

    SP cost : 85 SP per minute.

    .

    ''The sprint skill increases my agility but it uses stamina. I won''tst in a drawn out battle with this skill. I need to find a skill that uses chakra instead of stamina for speed increase.''

    .

    [Rope Escape Jutsu - Active(LV.8)]

    Effects: +18% Increase in sess when escaping bindings.

    .

    [Clone Jutsu - Active(LV.18)]

    Effects: +46% Increase when creating identical clones.

    CP cost : 52 CP per clone.

    .

    [Transformation Jutsu - Active(LV.14(50%))]

    Effects: +39% Increase in uracy and details when transforming.

    CP cost : 40 CP per transformation.

    .

    [Mana Maniption - Note: Cannot use this skill until Intelligence reaches 50 and Wisdom reaches 30.]

    ''It''s been a while since I checked all my skills. Everything''s gone up significantly

    ''The one with the highest level is the leaf concentration technique. As expected. I''ve been practicing that skill every chance I got during thest year. Even during physical training and meditation. Using leaves on my forehead and fingers and even going as far as spinning them in different directions. Right now chakra control is my strongest point.''

    ''Let''s see. What else...Hmm....So to use mana affinity I need 50 in INT and 30 in WIS huh. I''m not gonna spend points. At least not now. I''ll wait until the end of this year. If my stats haven''t reached 50 and 30 by that time, then I''ll consider adding points to them.''

    As Daichi closed the skill list page a new quest box appeared.

    [Quest Created - ''Path to the strongest.'']

    [The System will help the yer on his journey to be the world''s strongest. Complete a set of tasks to receive System rewards. Failure toplete any task will result in activation of Penalty Dungeon. Quest Time limit: 6 years. ]

    [Note: Failing toplete any two tasks for 3 consecutive days will mark this quest as a failure. ]

    .

    [Conditions:]

    Complete 100 Push ups (Daily)

    Complete 100 Squats (Daily)

    Complete 100 Punches(Daily)

    Run 10 Kilometers (Daily)

    Complete at least 1 Dungeon before the end of this year.

    Take the top spot in your ss every year.

    .

    [Rewards:]

    Status Recovery (Daily)

    Random Reward(Weekly)

    +3 Stat Points (Weekly)

    Special reward for clearing a dungeon.

    Additional rewards for each extra dungeon cleared.

    .

    [Failure:]

    -5 Stat points.

    Penalty Dungeon

    Death

    .

    [ept (Y/N)]

    ''So this is the quest ''path to the strongest''. The first part of this quest looks like a Saitama style workout. It''s a bit time consuming to do it everyday but it''s doable. Andpleting at least one dungeon a year. So during my time here in the academy I might need toplete at least 5 or 6 dungeons.''

    ''And based on this I need toplete one this year. Gotta search the vige for more dungeons. Maybe I''ll find an easy one. And taking the top spot in the ss I already nned on that. Still the rewards are generous. 3 stat points weekly for 6 years that''s a whole lot of points.''

    Daichi had a small grin on his face as he thought about how strong he''d be. As he kept reading his heart skipped a beat as he looked at the failure part of the quest. Taking a deep breath he calmed down and epted the quest.

    Daichi closed thest of the notification boxes and then started looking around.

    Most of the kids were chatting with one other. As he looked around he finally saw the kids who would one day be known as the rookie 9.

    He saw Hinata nervously twiddling her fingers and Sakura quietly looking around. Daichi then spotted Kiba but he didn''t have his dog Akamaru with him.

    ''Strange His partner Akamaru isn''t with him.'' That''s when he remembered something. ''Right! Kiba gets Akamaru during his time in the academy.''

    Daichi kept looking around and saw Shikamaru and Choji together at the back and Shino at the front bench of the room. Ino was hanging around with a bunch of other girls and they seemed to be having fun.

    Daichi was excited looking around but he didn''t show it on his face. And when he looked to the side of the room he finally saw him.

    ''Naruto Uzumaki. Wow. It''s him It''s really him But he seems so different. He''s quiet. So subdued. I expected him to have that stupid grin on his face shouting about bing number one or trying to prank someone or something but this kid is sitting obediently not making any trouble Strange Oh God! Please tell me I''m not in some alternate universe where he has Sasuke''s emo attitude.''

    Daichi quickly used ''observe'' on him.

    [LV.6] [Naruto Uzumaki]

    Age: 5

    HP: 2780. CP: 3803

    [Naruto Uzumaki is the son of thete fourth hokage Minato Namikaze and his wife Kushina Uzumaki. He is the current host of the nine tails. His status as a jinchuriki caused him to be shunned by most of the leaf-citizens. He is an orphan who longs for a family. He joined the academy to be a ninja and to make friends. He has a positive and friendly attitude despite his harsh circumstances.]

    ''Oh Thank God. He''s probably just trying to be on his best behavior to make friends Too bad it won''t help the poor kid. Looking at his stats, his level is below me but his health and chakra are way above mine. Must be because of the nine tails and the Uzumaki lineage.''

    Daichi looked around and his eyes found Sasuke sitting near the window.

    ''Observe''

    [LV.10] [Sasuke Uchiha]

    Age: 5

    HP: 1307 CP: 1189

    [Sasuke Uchiha is the son of the Uchiha n head Fugaku and his wife Mikoto. He is the youngest of two children. He is a happy child eager to please and be worthy of his n name. He adores his older brother Itachi. He ns on bing the first in the ss to impress his father. Sasuke Uchiha has a vast amount of hidden potential and talent. ]

    ''So right now I''m stronger than him. Gotta keep it that way. But that''s not going to be easy knowing his attitude.''

    At that moment the ssroom door opened and arge man with brown hair and goatee walked in. He walked to the center of the room and looked at everyone.

    ''For a moment I thought it would be Iruka.'' Daichi immediately used ''Observe''

    [??][Daikoku Funeno]

    ???

    ''Can''t see his level or other information. Seems he''s above level 59.''

    "Hello students. My name is Daikoku Funeno. I''m your homeroom teacher. From now on you are to address me as Daikoku sensei. Wee to the academy. Now I''m sure that at least some of you may have been taught how to use chakra and some Ninjutsu at home but here at the academy you''ll learn how to use chakra and its applications in depth."

    "You''ll also learn other basic subjects and train to coordinate and work together as a team. You''ll be given individual and group assignments. You''ll learn the fundamentals. They''re important so learn them well. The jutsus and techniques you will learn at the academy should not be used on others outside of supervised sparring. If any of you are caught breaking the rule you will face severe punishments."

    "And with that we''ll begin our first year. Why don''t you all introduce yourselves to the ss. Each of you will stand when it''s your turn and tell us your name and your dreams and hobbies. Let''s start from the back."

    Daichi realized he was first as his sensei was looking at him. Daichi took a deep breath and let it out. He stood up and spoke.

    "Hello everyone. My name is Daichi Hekima. I like training, painting and cooking. My goal is to be the strongest."

    Daichi sounded neither arrogant nor silly when he spoke. He was calm and had a serious face. Some of the students had a mocking expression when they heard his goal but didn''t say anything.

    The teacher just smiled. "Alright. Next." The introduction went on with each student introducing themselves and telling their hobbies and dreams. Daichi listened to all of them and noted the names and faces of everyone in his ss.

    He paid special attention to the future rookie 9. Sasuke, spurred on by hispetitive side, dered he would take the top spot of the ss and one day be the head of his n. Naruto exuberantly introduced himself and dered his goal to be Hokage.

    After everyone was done Daikoku spoke. "Now that the introductions are done I''ll hand out the curriculum for this year. The text books for the year will be provided in the next ss."

    Daichi looked over the curriculum that the instructor just handed out. It wasposed of reading and writing, mathematics, science, geography, history, chakra theory and physical training. A total of 7 subjects. Even though he learned quite a bit from Kensei''s library he was looking forward to what the academy could teach him.

    ''A Monday to Friday schedule with 5 different subjects taught a day. Hmm. Physical training is on everyday I see So they''re focusing on chakra theory now and building up physical energy of the body. A stronger body can produce more chakra. And with a better understanding of how to use chakra and jutsu it''ll be easier to teach Ninjutsu next year.''

    With that the ss began. The first ss was on reading and writing. Since the batch was made of civilian students and orphans along with n children it was easier to start with such a simple subject. The teachers could also assess thenguage and written capabilities of each student and individually help them.

    Daichi looked around and had a small smile on his face. ''I might actually enjoy being in school for once.''

 Chapter 25: Academy Dungeon, Race and Bullies

    Chapter 25: Academy Dungeon, Race and Bullies

    Half a day passed and recess came. Daichi went outside to eat the bento his grandpa made him. He sat under a tree in the corner and quietly ate. After a short while he finished eating. As he was sitting there Daichi looked at the academy building. Even after a year it was still unbelievable to him that he was here.

    ''Observe''

    [Academy]

    [Shortly after the founding of the vige the shinobi academy was created. During the second Hokage''s period due to a shortage of military manpower Tobirama Senju founded a ninja training camp at the base of the cliff. Although it was purely educational at first it quickly merged with military and domestic facilities and the existing shinobi academy and began to be called the academy. During the third Hokage''s reign he revised and perfected the education curriculum and training system which are now carried out under strict standards. The motto of the academy teachers is " Development to shinobi with respect to individuality."]

    A new notification box appeared after Daichi closed the ''observe'' page.

    [You have found a Location Dungeon. Do you wish to view the information on the dungeon?]

    ''Well isn''t that interesting.'' He became excited to check out the new dungeon.

    ''Yes. Show me the information.''

    [You have found a Location dungeon.]

    [Location dungeon: yer will have to go to the dungeon specific locations to ess them. These are long term dungeons with strong and weak opponents. Once the dungeon is activated it will remain active for 1 year before disappearing. yers can enter and exit the dungeon anytime during the active period.

    Exiting the dungeon is impossible when in enemy sight. yers can stay inside the dungeon for up to 24 hours(Dungeon time), at a time. Once exited, the dungeon will have a cooldown of 3 hours in real world time. Real world time and Dungeon time is - 01: 06 ratio. Whatever happens in the dungeon will not affect the real world.]

    [You have found the Academy dungeon. Would you like to activate this dungeon?]

    [Y/N]

    After reading through the details Daichi immediately pressed no. ''This dungeon would definitely have opponents from students to chunin teachers. I''d rather activate this after 3 or 4 years. That way I''ll be confident enough to clear it. Since they only stay open for a year, if I open it now I''ll only be wasting a precious opportunity. Need to find other locations with value. They most probably have a dungeon hidden in them.''

    Daichi got up and went back to the ssroom. Time passed by and thest ss was physical training. The instructor brought the students outside and showed them simple stretching exercises. Once everyone was limbered up the instructor called everyone''s attention.

    "Alright, now we''re going to see where you stand in terms of physical strength and speed. We''re going to have a race. I''ll be dividing you all into groups of 6. You''ll be running 8ps on this training course.

    Eachp is 250 meters. So that''s 2 kilometers total. Even though this is just a simple race, try to do your best. Boys and girls will be separate. When I call out the namese to the front.

    1st group. Kiba Inuzuka, Daichi Hekima, Choji Akimichi, Sasuke Uchiha, Naruto Uzumaki, Hibachi."

    [Quest Created - ''Win the race'']

    [Complete 8ps with the shortest time. Win the race.]

    .

    [Rewards: ]

    +100 Exp

    Rep increases with everyone but Sasuke and Hibachi.

    .

    [Failure:]

    Rep decreases with everyone.

    .

    [ept (Y/N)]

    Quickly Daichi got to the front and epted the quest. ''This group is full of kids who are physically fit in the ss. So that means the teachers must have used the data from when we were registering to select this group to make things even. So they''ll be doing it to the rest as well.''

    [Due to logically deducing new information from very little, you have obtained +1 WIS]

    Suddenly Daichi heard a boastful shout from his side. "I''m gonna blow you all away. I''ll be first." Kiba was looking at Daichi and Sasuke when he said this.

    "No way I''ll be first." Naruto joined in. "I''m gonna try my best and I''m gonna win." He shouted with a smile.

    "Keep dreaming. I got this in the bag." Hibachi said in a smug tone.

    Daichi looked at everyone in the group and smiled. "Good luck. You all are gonna need it." He then stepped up to the starting line as did everyone else.

    The instructor blew the whistle signaling the start of the race. The moment Daichi heard the whistle he took off like a bolt of lightning. He had been running around hispound almost everyday for thest year. As a result his stats were much higher than that of his peers.

    Daichi was keeping a steady but fast pace. Hepleted the firstp before the others were even half way. Sasuke and Kiba pushed themselves harder to catch up with Daichi but they couldn''t. Sasuke was behind Daichi followed by Kiba and then Hibachi and Choji and finally Naruto.

    Sasuke gritted his teeth and pushed harder. ''Can''t lose.''

    Daichi passed thempleting his secondp by the time theypleted their first. He wasn''t feeling winded at all. But unlike Daichi, everyone else was starting to feel the strain. They started too fast and were beginning to get tired.

    Daichi didn''t stop for anything and in 1 minute and 59 seconds hepleted the 2 km run and slowed down and jogged back to his teacher.

    [Quest ''Win the race'' Completed.]

    [Rewards: ]

    +115 Exp

    [Rep increases with everyone but Sasuke and Hibachi.]

    "Sensei. I''m done."

    "Yes. Well done." Daikoku was impressed. He rarely met children with such physique. Especially at the start of the academy. ''His speed is pure physical strength. If I couldn''t sense chakra I would have thought he was using chakra flow to increase his speed.''

    "Wow Daichi. That was so cool." Some of the girls eximed. Some of the boys surrounded him to know the secret of his win. Daichi just smiled and said nothing. After a short while everyone else finished the race with Sasukeing in second 5 minutes 13 seconds and Narutoingst in 8 minutes.

    Sasuke had a frown on his face as he looked at Daichi. ''I can''t believe I lost to someone in my ss.'' He lightly fumed thinking about his loss. ''Next time I''ll definitely beat you.'' He quietly kept walking and stood alone in a corner.

    Hibachi slightly red at Daichi but didn''t say anything as well and went back to his friends.

    Naruto, Kiba, Choji on the other hand approached him.

    "Oh man. That was awesome. Where did you learn to run like that?" Kiba asked with a panting breath.

    "Yeah. You were so fast." Naruto had a giant smile even though he lost.

    "Did you eat something special during lunch?" Choji also chimed.

    "I just trained you guys. Nothing all that special. I''ve been trainingst year. Just ran around my house and did a couple of exercises That''s all." Daichi said,ughing slightly.

    The instructor formed several groups and had themplete the exercise. A little over an hour had passed, and by that time everyone was done with the race. Daikoku after several minutes announced the 1st ce to Daichi, 2nd for Sasuke and 3rd to Kiba. Naruto was somewhere in the middle of the ss.

    Soon the sses for the day werepleted and everyone went home. Some kids invited Daichi to y with them but he politely declined. Daichi quickly reached home and found his grandfather waiting on the front porch smoking a pipe.

    "So how was your first day.?" Kensei asked.

    "It was interesting. Contrary to what I thought, I found the whole experience enjoyable. I look forward to it." Daichi replied. Since he had been training for a year and had some ess to Kensei''s library he thought he wouldn''t find anything useful in the academy and would be bored but he was wrong.

    When he was in the ssroom he wanted to make a handful of genuine friends and enjoy his time in the academy. Something he couldn''t do in his previous life.

    ---------

    The days passed by with Daichi excelling at every subject in the academy. Sasuke, refusing to be second, startedpeting with Daichi in everything. But not once did he speak a single word to Daichi.

    The first month focused mainly on exercises that increase one''s strength and cardio. The academy began teaching Taijutsu lessons and how to safely handle weapons like kunai and shuriken starting the second month. Daikoku sensei showed the proper ways to maintain, handle and use the different types of weapons.

    Each student was taught the various stances of Taijutsu style and the purpose behind them. The instructors exined how each stance could utilize the stability and strength and how to effectively put it into an attack.

    The children from the n and a couple of kids like Daichi who had a shinobi family were already ahead of the rest. Daichi scored first in all the tests and ss assignments and was ranked number 1 in ss. He was followed by Sasuke.

    By the end of the second month Daichi noticed something peculiar. His ssmates started to pick on Naruto. Daichi realized that they were slowly copying the behavior of the adults without even knowing the reason for it.

    Aside from Daichi, Choji and sometimes Kiba no one else interacted with him. Even the teachers. Although they taught him, they kept their interactions with Naruto to a minimum. This was starting to have an effect on Naruto.

    Contrary to what Daichi thought, Naruto didn''t start pranking anyone to get some attention. As the days passed Daichi saw Naruto get more sad and angry. Daichi sometimes caught Naruto looking at the Hokage mountain with a serious expression.

    Daichi noticed the change in behavior but he didn''t feel like trying to change Naruto. He knew getting involved would create trouble for him so he justified his inaction with this thought.

    ''Sooner orter he''ll be the prankster who''ll one day paint the Hokage mountain. And a Naruto who''s not a prankster is not a Naruto at all.''

    Daichi still helped Naruto when he asked for it but it wasn''t that much.

    One day during his third month a couple of upperssmen cornered Daichi in the back of the academy. They were the local bullies.

    "Look what we have here Zakro. A pipsqueak who thinks he''s the best." Bikan said. He was in the 4th year of the academy and asionally bullied his underssmen. He was apanied by his friend Zakro.

    Daichi was thinking about the hand seals and how they interacted and helped with the movement of chakra throughout the body. And when the 2 bullies cornered him he lost his train of thought and this irritated him.

    Daichi had an annoyed look on his face. "What do you want?" He didn''t even bother using the ''observe'' skill on them.

    "Did you hear that Zakro? This kid has an attitude. You freshmen think you''re so tough." Bikan squeezed his fists and popped his knuckles trying to look intimidating.

    "Bikan. Why don''t we properly wee him to the academy." Zakro copied his friend and tried to scare Daichi.

    "If you kneel down and apologize I''ll forgive you." Bikan said, smirking.

    [Quest Created - ''Beat the Bullies.'']

    [Defeat the bullies and scare them away.]

    .

    [Rewards:]

    +100 Exp

    Rep increases with Rookie 9.

    Rep decrease with Zakro and Bikan.

    .

    [Failure:]

    -100 Exp.

    Rep decreases with everyone.

    .

    [ept (Y/N).]

    Daichi''s patience was wearing thin. "Get lost." He said in a gruff voice epting the quest.

    Bikan, angry that a first year student was talking to him like that, attacked him. He threw a punch straight at Daichi''s face thinking he wouldn''t be able to dodge or block it. Daichi, watching the slow, pitifully telegraphed punching his way, sighed. Daichi stepped to the side and evaded the strike and used his right arm to grab and hold Bikan''s fist.

    Even though Daichi was small his strength far exceeded someone his age. Bikan tried to pull his right arm back but he couldn''t move it an inch. Zakro, wanting to help his friend, attacked Daichi. He kicked at him trying to get Daichi off bnce.

    Daichi deflected the kick with his leg and sent a front kick straight to Zakro''s abdomen. Daichi made sure to control his strength and not injure the kid. The kick didn''t do much damage but it sent him flying backwards several feet. Hended roughly on the floor and was coughing. That kick took away his breath.

    Daichi suddenly twisted his arm and shoulder flipped Bikan onto the ground. When Bikan tried to get up, Daichi twisted the shoulder till it became too painful for the older boy. He was face down on the ground and was crying in pain as Daichi stood above him and held his arm.

    Daichi put his left leg above Bikan''s shoulder joint and said. "Did you know that if I press here and pull, I could dislocate your shoulder?" Daichi slightly moved his feet into a new spot. "But if I press here and pull with a little twist it would definitely break your shoulder. That would be quite painful, wouldn''t you agree?"

    "Please, I''m sorry. Please. Lemme go."

    "Why should I let you go? You coulde back with a few more friends and try to ambush me again. So isn''t it best I just put you down now?" The steely tone of Daichi''s voice scared the upperssmen. But before he could say anything Daichi spoke.

    "Don''t try this again. Don''t evere in front of me. If you do" Daichi put some pressure on his foot and slightly pulled on the arm. Just enough to prove his point.

    "Ahhh. Please I won''t, I swear." Squealing in pain, Bikan answered.

    "And if I find out you went after any of my ssmates I''ll pay you a visit you won''t like. Do you understand?"

    "Yes. Yes. Please let me go." Frantically nodding, Bikan pleaded.

    Daichi released his arm and stepped back. "Get lost. And take your friend with you."

    Bikan, scared out of his wits, rushed to Zakro, picked him up and left.

    [Quest ''Beat the Bullies'' Completed.]

    [Rewards: ]

    +115 Exp

    [Rep increases with Rookie 9.]

    [Rep decrease with Zakro and Bikan.]

    Now Daichi was all alone in the backyard. Or so it would appear. Daichi left without realizing that there was someone else who witnessed everything.

    Someone who stumbled upon the whole thing when he was looking for a quiet ce to take a nap. Someone in his ss.

    ''That Daichi. What a troublesome guy.''

 Chapter 26: Taijutsu Spar with Sasuke

    Chapter 26: Taijutsu Spar with Sasuke

    It was a Saturday afternoon. Daichi was currently in his backyard meditating and training his chakra control. Several leaves stuck like glue to both his hands and he even had one spinning in the center of his forehead. His goal was toplete this exercise today and move onto the next one as soon as possible.

    The leaf concentration was the most basic of the chakra control exercises. On a nk white canvas where there was nothing, an ordinary person would not be able to concentrate on a single spot and his eyes would wander around the whole area. But if even a single dot is added his eyes would suddenly be drawn to that point and it would help focus the mind.

    This was the theory when creating the leaf concentration technique. A simple yet effective training method. It improved the focus and concentration power of the mind and would even help with the person''s chakra control.

    Daichi pushed this concept beyond the ordinary and was able to improve his control far beyond those his age. He sat there for hours and immersed himself in this exercise. His efforts paid off. Daichi awoke to the sound of new notification boxes popping up.

    [Skill ''Leaf concentration technique''s level has risen by one.]

    .

    [Leaf concentration technique - (Active/Passive)(LV.100(MAX)) ]

    [Effects: +200% Increase in chakra control.

    CP cost : 1/sec.

    -50% CP cost to chakra techniques.]

    .

    [Congrattions. You have sessfully trained a skill to its highest level.]

    .

    [+500 EXP]

    [+75 EXP]

    .

    [Skill ''Meditate''s level has risen by one.]

    .

    [Meditate - Active (LV. 54(2%))]

    [Effects : +108% to base HP regeneration per minute.

    +108% to base CP regeneration per minute.

    +108% to base SP regeneration per minute.]

    ''Finally. Now that I''m done with that, I can start the tree walking technique Hmm So every time I get a skill maxed out I get a 500 Exp huh. Not bad.''

    Daichi sat there feeling good with his progress. He thought about thest 6 months he spent in the academy. Although it wasn''t boring, it wasn''t as exciting as he thought it''d be.

    ''It''s thest day of September. The first semester of the academy will end by mid week next month. Then a 2 week break and then the second semester of the year will begin in November. I''ll try out the new dungeon during the break.''

    Daichi received random rewards weekly from the system due to the quest ''Path to the strongest''. Sometimes it would be ordinary items like a pen, a notepad or even an umbre. But sometimes he would get weapons like knives, shuriken, daggers and even a set of bow and arrows. But still these items were of normal quality.

    But two weeks ago he received a dungeon Key to training ground 43. Itpletely took him by surprise. It was a yellow key, indicating that the enemies inside the dungeon would be 5 - 15 levels above Daichi. A difficult but not an impossible dungeon.

    Due to memorizing the map of the vige, Daichi had an understanding of where the training ground would be. He visited training ground 43 and was surprised to find that it was abandoned. He used ''Observe'' and found out that it was due to the animals roaming the ce and due to the destruction done by the several previous shinobi using the ce.

    Training ground 43 was located near ground 44 or the forest of death. The animals that could not survive the predators in training ground 44 moved to 43 to make it their home.

    Since this training ground was used to test more destructive jutsus, it was wrecked beyond measure and when the animals moved in, the ninjas training there decided to abandon it. But since the animals were not special or rare like the ones in ground zero, ground 43 was still open to public training but people seldom came. It has been like this for over 20 years.

    Daichi decided toplete the dungeon after the end of his first semester. He was going to make a lot of preparations before entering the dungeon. It would be his first dungeon run and he wanted to be ready for anything.

    -------------------------------------------------------

    "Alright ss. Pencils down. Time to hand in your answer sheets. The score will be marked on your report cards." Daikoku sensei said in a stern voice. He collected the papers and gathered the students outside for sparring.

    "Now we will test your Taijutsu skills. We''ve carefully selected your opponents based on your performance thesest few months so your sparring partner will be of roughly the same strength and skill. This way no one will have an unfair advantage."

    He started exining the rules. "If you step out of the ring or get knocked out you lose. If I see that you can''t continue the fight, I''ll end the match and dere the winner. If your opponent forfeit then you win. Absolutely no use of weapons and jutsus. This is purely hand to handbat. And if I see anyone breaking the rules they will fail."

    Once the exnation was finished, Daikoku sensei started calling out a pair of names at a time. Each person called would enter the ring and make the Seal of confrontation as protocol and would start fighting. And once the sparing was over they would use the Seal of Reconciliation as a sign that they were stillrades.

    The ss started the traditional shinobi sparring 3 months ago. Daichi won in all his spars. The only person in the ss who came close to his taijutsu prowess was Sasuke. Time went by as Daichi watched the fights. He internally sighed watching the fights that would sometimes be almost childish. Except for those that came from ns, most others didn''t have the drive or skill.

    As he was standing there the next pair of opponents were called. "Daichi Hekima vs Sasuke Uchiha."

    Daikoku sensei called his name along with Sasuke''s. It was the first time Daichi would fight Sasuke.

    Daikoku was looking forward to this match. He had been paying more attention to these two since the start of the year. One was from a famous n and the little brother of a known genius and the other was a prodigy whose talent couldn''t be matched by others. The top two of his ss.

    ''Daichi and Sasuke. No one has their raw talent in this batch. Daichi''s improvement is astonishing. He picks up everything at a much faster pace than others and he''s consistently at the top. And this fueled a rivalry in Sasuke and made him train harder.''

    ''And Daichi, not wanting to lose the 1st spot, pushes himself even harder. I''ve never seen them even talking to each other but both of them are pushing the other to be better. They are far ahead of the others. I wonder how this fight goes.''

    Both Daichi and Sasuke walked to the center of the ring. Several girls cheered for Sasuke while some cheered for Daichi. Due to his talent and taking the top spot in almost everypetition, several students came to admire him.

    [Quest Created - ''Defeat your Opponent.'']

    [Defeat Sasuke Uchiha and ensure first ce in the taijutsu exam.]

    [Rewards:]

    +250 Exp

    Rep increases with some ssmates and Daikoku Funeno.

    Rep decreases with Sasuke Uchiha.

    [Failure:]

    -150 Exp.

    Rep decreases with everyone.

    [ept (Y/N) Sess.]

    Daichi epted the quest and stepped into the ring. ''Observe''.

    [LV.12] [Sasuke Uchiha]

    [Age: 6]

    [HP: 1506] [CP: 1300]

    [Sasuke Uchiha is the son of the Uchiha n head Fugaku and his wife Mikoto. He is the youngest of two children. He is a happy child eager to please and be worthy of his n name. He adores his older brother Itachi. He wants to defeat Daichi and prove that he is the best and is worthy of his n name and heritage. Sasuke Uchiha has a vast amount of hidden potential and talent.]

    Daichi and Sasuke didn''t say a word as they stepped into the ring.

    "I''m sure I don''t have to exin the rules again, do I? Now make the Seal of confrontation." Daikoku sensei eximed.

    Hearing their sensei''s words both of them raised their right hand into a half tiger seal. Neither one said a word.

    "Fight."

    Sasuke wasted no time and rushed towards Daichi who stood his ground and raised his guard. Within no time the Uchiha reached his target and started attacking. But every punch and kick he threw were blocked by Daichi.

    Both of them fought like that for a minute. Sasuke attacking and Daichi defending. Daichi was looking at and trying to understand Sasuke''s fighting style.

    ''It seems Sasuke is more of a speed type fighter. And what''s more is his fighting style. He''s attacking with seemingly powerful punches but subtly going for grabs and submission locks and trying to knock me off my feet. Sneaky guy.'' Daichi internally smirked as he understood Sasuke''s intentions.

    Both of them fought at rtively the same speed but to Daikoku Sensei it was clear that Daichi had the advantage. ''Looks like Daichi is blocking every attack Sasukeunches with ease. And the way he does it. It''s clear he can go much faster.''

    The students looked in awe as they witnessed the fight. They all knew these two were the best in ss even though some of them wouldn''t admit it out loud. Some like Shikamaru and Shino were paying close attention to the match.

    Shikamaru had an aloof expression on his face. But he was watching every move that Daichi and Sasuke made. ''That Daichi He''s definitely stronger. The fact that he took down those senior students easily is proof of that Looks like even Sasuke can''t match his strength. Even Daichi''s talent is better than anyone I''ve seen here.'' He sighed to himself.

    ''I''m sure I''ll have to spar with him in the future. It''s going to be such a pain to fight him. What a troublesome guy.'' Shikamaru and the rest watched as Sasuke tried his best to get through Daichi''s defenses. Suddenly Daichi stopped defending and started attacking.

    Daichi switched gears and suddenly went on the offense. The sudden shift in momentum of the fight caught Sasuke off guard and he wasn''t fast enough to defend against a punch to his gut. He jumped backwards to regain his bearings.

    It was now Daichi who ran to Sasuke and started their second round. Both of them fought with the intent to win. But Daichi''s speed didn''t allow Sasuke tond any attacks on him. Suddenly Daichi stepped forward and locked his right leg with Sasuke trapping him in ce and used a submission hold to effectively immobilize him.

    Sasuke grunted and tried to break free but it was for not. Daikoku sensei watched Sasuke struggle for a few more seconds and decided to call the match.

    "Sasuke Uchiha is unable to continue. Winner of the match. Daichi Hekima." As soon as Daikoku announced the end of the match, Daichi let go. Sasuke had a scowl on his face as he looked at him.

    "Now make the seal of reconciliation." Their sensei said in a somewhat serious tone. He knew that every first year student would be stubborn especially when they lose a sparring match.

    Daichi and Sasuke made the Seal of Reconciliation and left the ring.

    [Quest ''Defeat your Opponent'' Completed.]

    [Rewards:]

    [+250 Exp]

    [+37.5 Exp]

    [Rep increases with some ssmates and Daikoku Funeno.]

    [Rep decreases with Sasuke Uchiha.]

    Daichi looked over and dismissed the pop up box. He stood over with those whopleted the test and watched the rest of the matches.

    Sasuke was expressionless but he was sad and angry. And the pity looks some of his female ssmates gave him were not helping. When Daichi bested him in ss tests and shuriken jutsu he thought he would be able to prove himself in Taijutsu. But this defeat made him slightly depressed.

    ''Father won''t be happy when he hears I lost Big brother never lost a single fight when he was here. Am I not as good as him? How did I lose? Why am I so much weaker than Daichi?'' Sasuke clenched his fists as he looked at Daichi.

    The matches ended shortly after and within a few days the end of the first semester came.

    ----------------------------------------------------------------

    It was October 14th and every student got their report cards. Daichi looked at his card and had a slight smile.

    Report card

    Ninjutsu - A - 1/30

    Taijutsu - A - 1/30

    Genjutsu - A - 1/30

    Theory - A - 1/30

    Strategy - A - 1/30

    Positivity - B

    ssroom Attitude - B

    Cooperation Skill - B

    Teacher''sments.

    "Daichi has maintained top grades throughout the semester. He has incredible talent and skill for Taijutsu, Ninjutsu and Genjutsu. Has an excellent range of knowledge and control of chakra. Willing to cooperate in team exercises but only with some students."

    These were the contents of the card. Daichi went home and showed his report card to his grandfather. Kensei was proud and had a wide smile. They celebrated with a BBQ dinner.

    As Daichi was resting in his bed he went through a mental checklist. He made sure he ced all the things he would need to clear his first dungeon in his inventory.

    He put on a set of clothes he got as a random reward and got ready. When the small clock on his desk struck midnight Daichi took the dungeon Key out from his inventory and activated it. In an instant he was teleported from his bedroom.

 Chapter 27: First Dungeon Run - Training Ground 43

    Chapter 27: First Dungeon Run - Training Ground 43

    Daichi felt like he was falling from the sky. Even though it felt like minutes it was only a couple of seconds. Hended on the ground with a loud thud. Daichi looked around the ce. He was in a narrow hallway that was covered with moss and vines. A few feet in front of him stood a tall arched door decorated in green and brown color.

    ''Ok. No turning back now I guess. Status.''

    [Name : Daichi Hekima (The Gamer)]

    [ss : Student]

    [Age : 6]

    [Title : Capable Child, Explorer, Prodigy]

    [Level : 16 (7611.5/8900)]

    [HP : 1820]

    [CP : 2008.5]

    [SP : 1440]

    [Primary Stats]

    Strength - 39

    Vitality - 39

    Dexterity - 36

    Agility - 38

    Intelligence - 46

    Chakra - 47

    Wisdom - 30

    [Special Stats]

    Sense - 36

    Stamina - 40

    Indomitable (LOCKED)

    Charisma - 16

    Persistence (LOCKED)

    Dignity (LOCKED)

    Luck (LOCKED)

    [Stat Points - 206]

    [Ryo - 13650]

    ''206 Stat points huh. I''ll keep 195 and put 4 in intelligence and one point each in strength and vitality. Then 3 in chakra and 2 in agility. That should be enough. 50 points in intelligence should let me use mana. I''ll see what that''s about.''

    ''I have toplete this dungeon without using any more points but If I get into trouble they''ll be my backup.''

    Originally Daichi only wanted to increase the points after taking a look inside the dungeon but seeing the giant door in front of him made him slightly nervous. Daichi started distributing his points. When he increased his intelligence to 50, new notification boxes popped up.

    [You have reached the conditions required to use the energy Mana and thus gained [Mana Maniption] skill.]

    [Would you like to learn this skill? (Y/N)]

    ''Most definitely.''

    [Mana Maniption - (Active/Passive) (LV.01): Mana is an energy created by the power of an intelligent mind and is a separate energy from chakra. This energy is primarily used for mind enhancing techniques but a strong enough mind can create abilities that have physical effects simr to telekinesis or elemental attacks. This skill allows the user to manipte their own Mana depending on its proficiency. Practitioners of Mana are even less than Natural Energy users. In its raw form Mana cannot be seen or felt by any sensors or eye powers. The exception is the visual eye Rinne sharingan.]

    [Note: Since this energy is created by the mind it is limited and overusing this ability before intelligence passes 200 could cause damage to the psyche.]

    ''So Mana is different from chakra. And if I understand this right, Mana is mostly used for mental abilities. I might be able to create and use mind techniques like the ones used by the Yamanaka n with my mana Hmm. So over use of this skill can cause damage? But since I have Gia''s blessing skill wouldn''t I be alright?... Yeah I''m not gonna roll the dice and find that out any time soon.''

    Daichi continued distributing his points. When he was done he opened his status page once again. He saw his new primary stats and noted the increase in HP, CP, SP and the new info bar MP. His stat points were now reduced to 195.

    [HP : 1870]

    [CP : 2112.4]

    [SP : 1470]

    [MP: 920]

    [Primary Stats]

    Strength - 40

    Vitality - 40

    Dexterity - 36

    Agility - 40

    Intelligence - 50

    Chakra - 50

    Wisdom - 30

    Daichi looked at his status page once over and was satisfied. ''Multiples of 5 always look nice.'' He slowly approached the door and he could see a keyhole in its center. Daichi held the dungeon key in his hand.

    ''So this thing also acts as a literal key.''

    Daichi ced his dungeon key inside the keyhole. A new notification appeared.

    [You have reached the entrance to the dungeon - Training ground 43.]

    [Would you like to enter? [Y/N]]

    The moment Daichi clicked yes the key inside the door slowly rotated clockwise. The moment itpleted one rotation the door opened. He slowly walked through the door.

    All around him was wilderness. Trees taller than some huge buildings. Grass that reached his waist. Daichi could vaguely hear running water when he used the superior hearing skill. He looked around but couldn''t see any signs of life.

    ''Observe''

    [Dungeon - Training Ground 43]

    [Although this dungeon and its creatures are created based on the shinobi training ground 43 they are vastly different. This dungeon is muchrger andprises different terrains that are home to various species of animals. The creatures inside the dungeon are a stronger and more evolved version of their counterparts.]

    The moment Daichi finished reading the information on the dungeon a new quest was created.

    [Quest Created - ''Kill all 201 creatures inside the dungeon''.]

    [Time limit : None. ]

    [Rewards:]

    New Skill.

    New Title.

    Ryo 200,000.

    [Failure:]

    Death.

    [ept (Y/N)]

    ''There''s no time limit. So I don''t have to be in a rush. This is my first dungeon. Gotta be absolutely careful. I''ve stored enough food and water in my inventory tost me a couple of months.''

    ''And since this will return me to the real world just a few seconds after I activated the key, no one would know I was gone no matter how long I stay here. But I don''t n on prolonging my visit to more than a week. Two if I really need to push it... Let''s begin.''

    It was night time. The silver rays of the moon shone through the small gaps in the leaves. Daichi took out a short sword. It was one of the random rewards he received. Daichi kept his senses on high alert.

    As he was walking through the forest he suddenly stopped and within an instant jumped to the right. The next moment Daichi saw something ck with wings around his size standing where he previously stood.

    ''Observe''

    [LV.21] [Bloodthirsty bat]

    [HP: 1767] [CP: 1208]

    [One of the dozen vicious giant bats living in a nearby cave. These creatures are bloodthirsty and attack anything thates near their habitat. They are drawn to humans due to theirrge chakra reserves and amounts of blood. These bats hunt individually to avoid infighting]

    Daichi read the information quickly. This was the first time Daichi faced something that wanted to kill him. His hands slightly shook, heart beating wildly and beads of sweat rolled down his face.

    But thankfully the Gamer''s mind skill took effect and Daichi quickly calmed down. The bat turned in his direction. It spread its wings and shot off towards Daichi. Daichi dodged a second time as well. He took a breath and calmed himself.

    The bat took off into the air this time, folded its wings and dive bombed towards its prey.

    Daichi was ready this time. He gripped the short sword with both hands and cut through its chest as he dodged.

    [-328 HP]

    What Daichi saw amazed him. Instead of blood as he expected ck smoke came out of the wound.

    "Kreee." The bat screamed.

    Daichi didn''t give his enemy the chance to recuperate. He threw several shuriken and kunai at high speed towards the bat. Most of them targeted its legs and wings. All of them struck the wounded creature. Now with it immobilized Daichi attacked.

    He quickly got behind it and used his tanto to behead the giant bat. The head flew a few feet in the air and hit the ground. The body devoid of its head spasmed for a couple of seconds before it fell down and disappeared into ck smoke.

    Daichi could see the HP bar falling to zero before it turned to smoke.

    [Enemy killed.]

    +700 Exp.

    +105 Exp.

    [A new skill is created with a specific action.]

    [Through continuously attacking an enemy with your sword and killing it, the skill ''Sword Mastery'' has been created.]

    [Sword Mastery - Passive(LV.1): This skill allows the user to freely handle swords of any type. The effects of this skill are amplified if the user knows a sword style.]

    [Note: This skill requires a sword to activate. ]

    [Effects: +5% Additional damage when striking the target.

    Marks target with damage and negative debuffs.

    +5% Increase in attack speed.]

    Before he could celebrate he felt movement behind him. He turned and shed his tanto with ferocity. The edge of the sword struck the leg of another bat. It swiftly dodged upwards as Daichi attacked so it only took a minor damage.

    ''Observe''

    [LV.23] [Bloodthirsty bat]

    [HP: 2204] [CP: 1931]

    The information was about the same as the other bat with 2 key differences. It''s level, health points and chakra points. This one''s stats was a lot bigger than the previous creature''s.

    Daichi took several shuriken and threw them. The new bat evaded all and was about to attack Daichi but it sensed danger from behind. The shurikens it dodged earlier struck its back. Piercing through its wings and back.

    [-298 HP]

    ''I had a feeling you would dodge. So I used chakra threads like wires to control and even change the trajectory of the shuriken and it looks like I made the right move.''

    The wounds in its body only made it more angry.

    "Kreech." It screeched and shot at Daichi. Daichi quickly used the substitution jutsu with a nearby log. He took a few shuriken and tied some ninja wire to it. He threw them as fast as he could and used chakra threads to control their paths.

    The bat was sessfully ensnared in the trap. Daichi used the skill sprint to increase his speed and started cutting his enemy. Its health points fell with each strike. Daichi repeatedly targeted its head and torso. After receiving several strikes to the vital areas it quickly died. Vanishing in a ck smoke.

    [Enemy killed.]

    +950 Exp.

    +142.5 Exp

    [You have leveled up.]

    [Skill Shurikenjutsu''s level has risen by one.]

    [Skill Chakra Thread''s level has risen by one.]

    [A new skill is created with a specific action.]

    [Through continuously attacking the vital areas of the body, the skill ''Vital Strike'' has been created.]

    [Vital Strike - Active(LV.1): An action to strike the vital areas of a target causing critical damage. Causes additional damage when attacking an enemy during stealth.]

    [Note: This skill requires a weapon to activate.]

    [Effects: +5% Additional damage when hitting target.

    Marks target with damage and negative debuffs.

    +5% Increase in attack speed.]

    ''Not a bad start... I''ve learned quite a bit from these two fights. A fatal blow like beheading instantly kills the enemy. Good to know these things won''t regenerate like the reanimation jutsu zombies. Even though the body is made of smoke it''s properties are like real living beings. So the vital strike skill is gonna be very useful. And coupled with Sword mastery, It''ll be deadly.''

    Daichi collected the scattered shuriken and sat down under a nearby tree after making sure it was safe. He rested and thought about his next move.

    ''Because I have the inventory ability, food and water are no problem. But I shouldn''t rely on that. This is a great ce to not only increase my level but learn to survive in the wild. I need to find fresh drinking water sources and fresh food. See if that''s something avable in a dungeon. If not I''ll use the stock in inventory. I also need to find a safe ce to sleep.''

    Since he was in hostile territory Daichi didn''t meditate. But because he only used a small amount of chakra and stamina points they regenerated pretty quickly.

    ''199 opponents remaining huh. I''ll get it done.''

    After resting for a few minutes Daichi got up and walked. After a couple minutes of walking...

    ''Where the hell am I even going?... Wait a minute Mini-map. But will it show the dungeonyout? One way to find out.''

    Daichi quickly opened his Mini-map.

    He was indicated as a green dot on the map. There were several red dots scattered throughout the map. Some nearby while others far away. Some moved while others stayed still.

    The map indicated that the forest was about 5 km long in diameter. About half as big as the forest of death.

    The map was surrounded by a blue wall. Daichi figured that was the boundary of the dungeon and wouldn''t be able to pass it. But he would check it out anyway.

    As Daichi looked at the map he saw something peculiar. There were three red dots moving slowly and surrounding him. Daichi used superior hearing and heard the sounds of leaves rustling and tree branches slowly creaking. He looked up and saw his next opponents. Only one word went through his mind as he looked at those raging red eyes.

    ''Fuck!!''

 Chapter 28: Beasts of Dungeon Ground 43

    Chapter 28: Beasts of Dungeon Ground 43

    When Daichi looked up he saw three giant angry apes looking down at him. With eyes red and spit drooling between their teeth, the giant apes snarled at him. They were the size of an adult human.

    Daichi didn''t make any sudden moves and used ''observe''.

    [LV.24] [Long Armed Ape]

    HP: 3681 CP: 2430

    [A primate with particrly strong and long arms. These apes are savage and usually hunt in the evening or nights. They travel in packs of 3 or 4. They are very territorial creatures and would attack and kill anything that trespasses into their domain. They use their fists to smash their prey. This Ape came here due to the sounds of the bat it heard earlier. This Ape wants to kill you for entering its hunting area.]

    [LV.23] [Long Armed Ape]

    HP: 3247 CP: 1988

    [LV.23] [Long Armed Ape]

    HP: 3350 CP: 2020

    ''OH man! These things have double the health and chakra points I have. And their bodies look pretty strong. I need to go for the necks and joints. Cut their limbs and make them useless.''

    As Daichi was thinking about his next move the apes jumped down and quickly surrounded him. They were much faster than they looked. The ape with the level 24 went at Daichi.

    Before he could do anything, a fast powerful fist plowed into Daichi''s gut sending him flying back.

    [-203 HP]

    "Ghaa.." Spit and blood flew out of his mouth. He crashed into a tree and slumped down into the ground.

    ''AhhhDamn it that hurt!... If it were me in the old world I''d be a paste right now. That monkey just took out 200 hp with one punch. The speed and strength of these things are ridiculous. If I take much more like that... I''m a goner for sure.''

    Daichi slowly got up. Watching the prey it just smacked away get up, the level 24 ape got even more aggressive. It charged at Daichi while the other two stood on either side and shrieked.

    The ape sent a punch just as powerful as the one before but it missed its mark. Daichi dodged and tried to cut the ape with his tanto but he missed his target as well. Both ape and human attacked and dodged each other. The ape had the advantage of long arms and had arger reach. Meanwhile Daichi had a sharp short sword as his weapon.

    Seeing as he was getting nowhere Daichi decided to go a different route. He subtly took out a smoke bomb and threw it at the apes face. The moment it made contact and exploded, Daichi using sprint skill rushed the ape and shed.

    Daichi''s attack made contact but he felt that it didn''t do much damage. The ape jumped out of smoke and looked at the wound on its right arm. A shallow diagonal sh running down its elbow. The fact that something it viewed, as a prey, managed to wound it made it angry.

    "Rooaar" It roared into the night and pounded its chest. The 2 apanying apes roared and pounded their chests as well.

    ''An intimidation tactic. Well it isn''t not working. I''ll give them that''

    "Fine you want it your way you got it." Daichi shouted at the apes as he put his sword back in his inventory and equipped his fists with knuckle dusters.

    ''If I can''t cut you, then I''m gonna pound you into the ground.''

    This time both Daichi and the ape rushed and met halfway. Both fist colliding and sending a small wave of air around them. Daichi had used ''strong hit'' and boosted the strength and speed of his punch and still he came up slightly short. His arm was slightly numb but he pushed himself and kept attacking.

    As the fight progressed Daichi was assessing his situation. ''Rage and strength are its advantages. But it has no sense of strategy. The wild punches are getting easier to predict and evade. And that''s my advantage.''

    ''A prolonged fight isn''t to my benefit. Need to end him and deal with the other two as well. If they decide to attack me together I''ll have no choice but to use some of my points... Let''s see what happens.''

    Daichi evaded the punchesing his way and dodged all of them and got in close. He used the skills sprint and strong hit to increase his speed several fold. Daichi sent a fast, precise blow to its neck. Due to the sudden unexpected speed increase, the attack hit its mark. Itpletely crushed the ape''s throat and windpipe.

    [-842 HP]

    Not even wasting a fraction of a second Daichi took out a kunai and stabbed it deep into its skull through its eye.

    -2321 HP

    [Skill Vital Strike''s level has risen by one.]

    The giant ape fell backwards and hit the ground with a thud. A few secondster it''s remaining HP was down to zero and it dispersed into smoke.

    [Enemy killed.]

    [+1300 Exp.]

    [+195 Exp.]

    Watching their brethren get killed the two apes were in a frenzy. They rushed at Daichi and punched his head and chest. Both attacksnded but the next second the person they attacked turned into a log.

    Suddenly one of the apes had a sword pierced through its back.

    [-1025 HP]

    [Enemy Negative Status - Wounded buff in effect.]

    A blue box appeared showing the damage he dealt.

    Daichi stabbed the sword all the way to the hilt and let go. He jumped backwards andnded a few feet away. The ape tried to take the weapon out but failed each time and shrieked in pain. Thest one went for Daichi.

    Daichi created several clones while running towards the ape. The newly made clones distracted the simple minded animal and it attacked each one it saw. As it attacked and passed through several clones, suddenly it felt a punch striking the back of its head.

    Daichi kept randomly appearing around the creature and attacking it. Ducking and weaving through the wild swings of the frenzied ape, Daichi kept on the assault. A sh from a kunai on its joints. A fast powerful punch to the head and legs.

    It tried to jump away but Daichi didn''t let go. He reduced its health little by little and when the ape had less than 700 HP he saw his chance. He took his kunai, plunged it deep into its neck and kept shing it. He activated ''vital strike'' and within a few seconds killed it.

    [Enemy killed.]

    [+1200 Exp.]

    [+180 Exp.]

    Daichi looked at thest one stumbling around. Its health points, less than 1000. Daichi took the kunai and held it in a reverse grip. Rushed to the ape and shed it all over.

    After a few moments hisst enemy here was also dead.

    [Skill Vital Strike''s level has risen by one.]

    [Enemy killed.]

    [+1200 Exp.]

    [+180 Exp.

    [Due to the extreme physical training, you have obtained +1 STR]

    [Due to the extreme physical training, you have obtained +1 AGI]

    [Due to the extreme physical training, you have obtained +1 VIT]

    [Due to sessful control of your body and senses, you have obtained +1 DEX]

    ''So a battle is considered training huh whatever. My stat growth has been stagnant for thest couple of months with just training Good to know that high stakes fighting increases my stats.''

    Once the skill buffs ran out Daichi was wheezing and gasping for air. His limbs started to slightly tremble. He slowly walked through the trees and settled down in between two rocks. It was like a small cave barely able to hold one person. Daichi sat down and took some much needed air.

    ''The only reason I wasn''t seriously harmed and was able to kill those things was because of the skill buffs. That speed increase due to sprint skill and the strong punch skill are the only reasons I haven''t lost much health. But it drained my stamina.''

    ''But even then I was only able to barely dodge them and I couldn''t match their raw power head on. And something tells me there are animals much stronger here. If I could use chakra to increase my strength and speed it would help me but that technique requires at least water walking level chakra control.''

    Daichi took a deep breath and looked at the map. For the moment he didn''t see any red dots near the area. He started meditating to recuperate. He rested for almost 3 hours. He was once again at full strength when he resumed his exploration of the jungle.

    It was dawn. The morning dews dripped from leaves and the first appearance of light in the sky before sunrise. As Daichi was walking through the jungle he suddenly sensed an Ill feeling.

    [A new skill is created due to a particr action.]

    [Through continuously sensing the danger intent of your enemies, the skill ''Danger Sense'' has been created.]

    [Danger Sense - Passive(LV.1): A skill created from the natural survival instincts. The ability to sense the killing intent of your enemy in a certain range. The higher the skill the greater the range. Above level 60 this skill can detect even enemies who have masked their intent.]

    [Effects: Current range - 10 meters.]

    Before he could even look at the map something small jumped from the midst of the tall grass leaves. It swiped its w at his face. Daichi leaned to the side and used a kunai and shed at his new enemy.

    ''Observe''

    [LV.20] [Saber tooth cat]

    [HP: 1354] [CP: 1025]

    [The saber tooth cats inhabit areas with dense vegetation. They are carnivorous animals with long, curved saber shaped canine teeth. They hunt during the dawn and in packs. Once they set their sites on a prey they never let it go until it''s dead. It hunts by stalking its prey, followed by a sprint or a leap. They attack soft areas of the body such as the belly or throat where biting deep generates a killing blow.]

    Daichi quickly read through the information presented. He cursed in his mind for not paying more attention to the Minimap. He was already armed with a dagger and a kunai.

    Daichi could see several areas of the grass moving against the wind all around him. Indicating that he was surrounded. Daichi looked at the map from the corner of his eyes and he counted 12 red dots.

    He used ''observe'' and could see that all of them ranged from Level 20 to 23

    [You have sensed killing intent.]

    [You have sensed killing intent.]

    [You have sensed killing intent.]

    [Skill Danger Sense''s level has risen by one.]

    ''I get it!!! I''m in danger. Stop spamming me!!!'' Daichi was slightly annoyed as the notifications appeared.

    As if they were given an invisible signal, all the saber toothed cats started attacking together. Daichi quickly used substitution and disappeared. He threw several shuriken and controlled them with chakra threads.

    His speed and uracy had increased and all hit their marks killing their targets.

    [Enemy killed.]

    [+550 Exp.]

    [+83.5 Exp]

    [Enemy killed.]

    [+550 Exp.]

    [+83.5 Exp]

    The jungle cats scattered and hid. Their hunting method was to take their prey by surprise. Daichi reced the kunai with his short sword. Armed with a dagger and his tanto he waited for the enemies toe to him.

    His goal was to learn and train to face multiple opponents at the same time. He focused and his senses were heightened. He tried to sense their chakra and thus their location.

    As he was in the midst of trying to ascertain the enemy locations the attack began. The jungle cat in front went for his throat and the one behind him aimed at Daichi''s neck. A couple of others rushed to bite down on his legs.

    Daichi''s senses told him exactly where each one was. He swiftly shed all around him. He strengthened his legs and stomped on the ones that came from below. Daichi cut them down 2 at a time as both his hands almost became a blur.

    Due to there being about a dozen attacking him, several got through his guard and bit and scratched his body. But Daichi made sure they were non vital areas. Daichi kept up his relentless attack and the jungle cats were just as ruthless.

    [Enemy killed.]

    [+550 Exp.]

    [+83.5 Exp]

    [Enemy killed.]

    [+700 Exp.]

    [+105 Exp.]

    [+1 SENSE]

    [Skill Physical Endurance''s level has risen by one.]

    [Skill Danger Sense''s level has risen by one.]

    [Skill Danger Sense''s level has risen by one.]

    [Skill Vital Strike''s level has risen by one.]

    [Enemy killed.]

    [+700 Exp.]

    [+105 Exp.]

    Several notifications popped up but he ignored them all. Daichi shed and severed the neck of one while he plunged his dagger deep into the belly of another. He threw the ones trying to tear his legs off him and when they came back he stomped on their heads crushing their skulls.

    He kept shing and hacking away and after several minutes no enemy was left. Daichi kept looking around and when he didn''t see any, he looked at the map. No red dot appeared near him.

    He had killed all of them and didn''t even realize it.

    Daichi was cut up, bleeding and in pain but he had a mad grin on his face. He didn''t realize it at the time, but the thrill of this fight, the adrenaline coursing through his veins and the feeling of extreme danger all of it excited him.

    This dungeon It had awakened Daichi''s hunger for battle.

    [You have leveled up.]

    As he looked at thetest blue box his smile only widened.

 Chapter 29: Dungeon Boss Fight - 01

    Chapter 29: Dungeon Boss Fight - 01

    "Ow ow ow God that hurts..." Daichi was moaning in pain as he cleaned and bandaged his wounds. Once the adrenaline ran out and he came down from his battle high, Daichi felt the painful effects of the cuts all over his body.

    "Damn that hurts. If I see those little devil cats again, I''m gonna skin them"

    ''Then again I did make the dumb decision to fight them all at once. And I didn''t even try to get away...Yeah Maybe not my best strategy.''

    Daichi was hiding behind arge bush hidden from in view. He periodically kept checking his Minimap to make sure he wasn''t taken by surprise again. Several hours went by as he rested. Meditation helped his healing and recuperation. Once he was fully healed and rested he resumed his journey.

    The sun was high in the sky. The temperature rose far above that of normal as the sun reached its peak. ''Even the climate of this dungeon is weird. It was really coldst night but now it feels like I''m walking in the desert at noon with no clothes.''

    Daichi made his way to a smallke shown on the map. He took a look at the map and saw no enemies near him. Daichi rxed a bit and reached into theke. He took a handful of water.

    ''Observe''

    [WATER]

    [A tasteless, colorless, odorless liquid. Composed of chemical elements hydrogen and oxygen. No contamination particles detected. Safe for consumption.]

    ''Ok. Looks like I found myself a water source. Excellent.'' Daichi happily brought his hands to his lips and drank the water.

    "Ohh that feels good." He took another handful of water and when Daichi went on for the third time, his danger senses warned him.

    [You have sensed killing intent.]

    He jerked back as fast as he could and the next instant he saw a giant crocodile snapping its jaws close where his head was a second ago.

    "Fuck This thing almost took my head off. ''Observe'' "

    [LV.24] [Iron skinned crocodile]

    [HP: 2970] [CP: 2761]

    [Thisrge crocodile is native to the freshwater habitat in this dungeon. They prey on animalsing to or near theke. Their skin is dense and as tough as iron so sharp weapons will not be useful against them. They are a very aggressive species of crocodile and opportunistic Apex predators. They have enough bite force to tear through even metal.]

    Daichi quickly backed away as he read the information. He jumped and got up on a tall branch and observed the creature.

    It had green ckish scales and a long tail slowly wagging from one side to the other. Daichi watched as the crocodile slowly backed away and into the water. In just a few moments Daichi lost sight of it.

    "If you think I''m gonnae to you, then you''re gonna be waiting for a long time."

    Daichi turned around and left. He nned on killing it but only after he gained some more levels.

    Daichi jumped through the trees. He felt the wind on his face and had a smile. It was his dream ever since he came here to travel around like a real ninja. Hopping on trees and walking on water. As Daichi traveled some distance he encountered several creatures.

    Daichi spent over six days exploring the dungeon. He encountered various creatures living in the different terrains and sessfully killed them.

    The bloodthirsty bats that lived in a giant dark cave attacked him at night while wild saber tooth cats that made the grasnd their home attacked him at dawn.

    The strong savage apes that lived up in the trees assaulted him during the day and night. Daichi also fought with vicious wolves and strong Bisons. He also found ways to draw out the crocodiles living in the depths of theke. He would use some meat with a strong aroma he stored in his inventory and patiently wait near theke. Once the reptile came to eat he would fight and kill them.

    He got injured several times a day but he always persevered and kept at it. Daichi was extremely cautious. He would always wait for his body to healpletely and his chakra and stamina to be full before engaging in enemy contact.

    During the few times the animals rushed to him during his rest Daichi would find ways to escape. His shuriken jutsu, chakra threads, tree climbing skill and several others increased in level. His stats have also grown along with his level.

    [Name : Daichi Hekima (The Gamer)]

    [ss : Student]

    [Age : 6]

    [Title : Capable Child, Explorer, Prodigy.]

    [Level : 24 (15520/18000)]

    [HP : 2110]

    [CP : 2216.2]

    [SP : 1740]

    [MP : 920]

    [Primary Stats]

    Strength - 44

    Vitality - 45

    Dexterity - 42

    Agility - 44

    Intelligence - 50

    Chakra - 55

    Wisdom - 30

    .

    [Special Stats]

    Sense - 47

    Stamina - 52

    Indomitable (LOCKED)

    Charisma - 25

    Persistence (LOCKED)

    Dignity (LOCKED)

    Luck (LOCKED)

    .

    [Stat Points - 235]

    [Ryo - 13650]

    During thest 6 days Daichi killed over 190 beasts and it gained him 6 more levels getting him to level 24. He was just a few thousand exp away from another level up.

    An explosive growth that was attained through several life or death battles. Along with levels Daichi gained a couple of new skills to his ever growing list of abilities.

    It was night time and Daichi was currently battling against two giant bats. His new skill chakra sense aiding him in sessfully finding the creatures of the night.

    Daichi threw several shuriken at two bats and while one of them evaded the other wasn''t so lucky. The force with which Daichi threw the shuriken allowed it to pierce through its body. The other folded its wings and evaded the projectiles and then disappeared into the night.

    Daichi closed his eyes and concentrated. Several seconds passed by with silence and no movements. The next instant Daichi jumped up and twisted his body so that he was upside down to face the bat that was wing where he stood a second ago. With a single fast sh Daichi bisected the creature and smoothlynded on the ground.

    [Enemies killed.]

    +1300 Exp.

    +195 Exp

    [Skill Death blow''s level has risen by one.]

    [You have sessfully eliminated all the bloodthirsty bats in this dungeon.]

    [You have sensed killing intent.]

    "I know you''re there. Come out." Daichi said, looking at the top branches of a tall tree. Out of the shadows came a giant red ape. It was farrger than the ones before.

    [You have encountered one of the three bosses of this dungeon.]

    [LV.30] [Great Ape King - Ozark ]

    [HP: 5032] [CP: 6847]

    [The ruler of all apes and one of the three bosses of this dungeon. It has red fur with white streaks running down the middle giving it a ferocious yet regal look. It is far stronger than all the others of its kind. This Ape is capable of using chakra to enhance its limbs and thus makes it more dangerous. A ferocious and savage king. It wants to kill you.]

    ''Holy hell. This thing is 6 levels above mine. And it can even use chakra. If I make even a single mistake...I''ll die in this ce.''

    Daichi had sweat rolling down his face. The presence of the enemy boss was on apletely different level than the others.

    Daichi blinked for only a split second but when he opened his eyes he saw a fist headed straight for his head. The great king Ozark sted Daichi''s head into bits. The next second, Daichi''s body turned into a log.

    Daichi had a cold sweat running down his neck as he looked at the scene from a distant tree. ''If I had beente in using the substitution jutsu for even a fraction of a second, I''d be dead right now.''

    The ape lowered its fist and turned around. It looked at Daichi without showing the slightest bit of surprise at what happened.

    ''It found me even though I''m hiding behind these covers and no sound was made And it looks like this thing is much smarter than the rest. A direct confrontation isn''t to my advantage. Not likest time. And something tells me this thing won''t just let me leave If and when I make it out of this dungeon I''m gonna need to learn the shadow clone jutsu. ASAP.''

    Daichi dropped several smoke bombs and moved. ''Stealth and speed will be my greatest assets in this fight. Instead of a frontal assault I''ll use an encirclement attack strategy.''

    Daichi was suddenly taken out of his thoughts as the ape kingnded right in front of him. Daichi barely evaded the giant fist that came his way. Tightening the grip on his daggers he used ''sprint'' and started attacking from all directions.

    The ape king Ozark had a strong physique. The cuts Daichi inflicted on its body were shallow. It swung its long arms with enough force to blow apart a giant sturdy tree. Daichi evaded all the attacks aimed at him. Tired of not catching the enemy, it tried a different tactic.

    The ape king raised both its arms up high in the air and then mmed them into the ground. It added chakra to enhance its already fearsome power. The strength behind the attack cracked and ruptured the ground for several meters in all directions with the ape at its center.

    Daichi, who was in the middle of attacking it, was caught off guard by the destruction and the ruptured ground made him lose his bnce. The ape waiting for its chance jumped and attacked. A swift powerful fist was thrown at Daichi.

    It was only due to his increased senses and speed that Daichi was able to evade the attack. But even then he was notpletely sessful. The punch clipped his right shoulder and sent him spiraling several feet away. Even though Daichi evaded most of the damage it was still enough to dislocate his right arm.

    [-240 HP]

    [Negative Status - Right Shoulder dislocated.]

    The red notification status popped up showing the damage. Daichi crashed into the ground and rolled a few times before stopping himself. He didn''t even get the time to scream in pain as the ape was already on him. He rolled out of the way as the giant monkey stomped where he was a second ago.

    He got up and ran up the tree trunks and the ape followed. Daichi used ''sprint'' and focused solely on escaping for even a few seconds. With one arm useless he would die if he tried to fight it.

    After a minute of dashing through the treetops and using some of his smoke bombs, Daichi lost his enemy and he quickly assessed his arm.

    ''Damn that fucking monkey'' Daichi looked over his arm. ''There doesn''t seem to be any serious damage except for the dislocation. But it''s a good thing I know how to fix it.''

    Daichi bit down on the handle of his kunai and then held and adjusted his right arm in a certain way. He then rammed his arm into the trunk of a tree, snapping his shoulder joint back in its socket.

    "Ghnnn." He bit down hard and groaned into the kunai. After several seconds the pain faded and Daichi took several deep breaths. The negative buff notification disappeared. He gently started moving his arm. After a couple of minutes he was able to move it as normal.

    ''This isn''t working. I need to weaken its momentum. I''ll go for its legs first.''

    Daichi formed a n in mind. He could hear the roars of the dungeon boss not far from where the fight began. He made a few preparations for his second round.

    He started slowly making his way back. He grabbed and held two rocks about half as big as him in both hands and rushed the ape from behind.

    Daichi aimed one of the rocks at its head. Sensing the iing attack the ape turned around and blocked the big rock with both hands. The next second it felt a crushing blow to its left knee. Daichi mmed the second rock into its leg and broke it''s knee. He used the first attack to block the ape''s line of sight for the second attack.

    [-546 HP]

    [Enemy Negative Status - Wounded buff in effect.]

    Enraged, the great ape pounded Daichi into a nearby tree.

    [-402 HP]

    "Ghaa" Daichi spit out a wad of blood from his mouth. He coughed for a couple of seconds and took inrge gulps of air as the punch took his breath away. He got up and got out of the way as the apended near him.

    Daichi ran around his enemy attacking it from all sides. shing its joints and muscles. Daichi mainly focused on the legs to reduce its movement speed. The ape tried to jump away but with one leg crippled and Daichi''s continuous attacks it couldn''t escape.

    Minutes went by and his efforts seemed to be gaining fruit. After a couple more swipes from his sharp dagger the ape Ozark fell to its knees.

    [Enemy Negative Status - Crippled buff in effect.]

    Daichi put away one of the daggers back into his inventory. He could see the HP points slowly reducing. He clenched his fist and ran straight into his enemy. With the boss immobilized, Daichi was looking forward to exchanging blows to test his strength and limits.

    Both human and ape started fighting vigorously. Daichi deflected most of the blows because of their strength but somended on his body. He returned quite a few of his own as well. The strength buff skill along with his speed and physique was nothing to scoff at. Daichi was several times stronger than someone his age had any right to be.

    [Skill Strong Hit''s level has risen by one.]

    Each punch thatnded made the other only fight harder. They both knew that only one would leave this ce alive. Both their health and chakra were slowly but steadily declining.

    Daichi shed the apes'' chest and tried to inflict a deep wound. It mmed its fist into Daichi''s back bringing the boy to his knees. The ninja in training quickly stood back up and sent a swift powerful uppercut to the monkey king''s jaws.

    The sounds of powerful blows were heard throughout the jungle. Waves of wind blew everywhere from the collision of their fists.

    [Skill Physical Endurance''s level has risen by one.]

    Despite the dangerous ordeal Daichi was enjoying himself. His lips curled into a small smile as he traded blows with his enemy. Not even the punches thatnded and made him spit blood took that smile away. With the moon light shining down at him and his bloody and bruised appearance, that smile gave him a deranged yet glorious beauty.

    As the fight progressed Daichi was analyzing his opponent and looking for his chance to strike. The ape king favored its right arm to attack and left to defend. Daichi used this information to his advantage.

    As it raised its right arm to attack, Daichi quickly stabbed his dagger into its right shoulder joint. And then trapped its left arm in several ninja wire with shuriken at end. He used a nearby tree as an anchor to hold the shuriken in ce. With both its arms disabled, it had no way to defend against Daichi''s powerful attacks.

    Grabbing the dagger from his inventory he sliced the apes'' eyes. The ape roared and tried to break free from its binds but Daichi made it impossible. Daichi sent a fast double ear p strike to the ape intent on rupturing its eardrums. A somewhat cruel but effective tactic.

    [Skill Vital Strike''s level has risen by one.]

    Sessfully blinding and disorienting his enemy, Daichi kept attacking the vital spots of its body. The neck, joints, and other soft areas. Fast deep cuts and powerful blows rained down on its body. Daichi kept attacking relentlessly for several minutes.

    The ape king''s body was powerful. It weathered all of its enemy''s strikes for some time before sumbing to its wounds. And soon the battle came to an end.

    [Skill Vital Strike''s level has risen by one.]

    [Enemy killed.]

    +2500 Exp.

    +375 Exp.

    [You have leveled up.]

    [You have sessfully eliminated all the Long Armed Apes in this dungeon.]

    [You have defeated the boss Great Ape King Ozark.]

    [Reward: Skill ''Ozark''s Resilience''.]

 Chapter 30: Dungeon Boss Fight - 02

    Chapter 30: Dungeon Boss Fight - 02

    Daichi sat down and closed his eyes for several seconds. His mind reyed the battle he just went through.

    ''Finally I''m getting stronger and stronger each day... One day I''ll be powerful enough to walk the path I want without any fear.''

    He looked at the new skill he got as the reward for defeating the first boss of this dungeon.

    [Ozark''s Resilience - Active(LV.1): The power to resist and be resilient even during overwhelming odds. When the health points fall below a certain threshold, this skill increases certain stats for a limited period of time.]

    [Effects: +2% to Strength, Vitality and Agility stats for 20 seconds when HP falls below 20%.]

    [Cooldown time: 8 hours.]

    Happy with a new skill and the level up, Daichi went to sleep. Since he eliminated all the creatures that lived there, he wasn''t worried. He slept for over 6 hours and when he woke up he felt refreshed. His HP, CP, SP, MP have all been restored.

    He checked the status of his dungeon quest.

    [Enemies killed:] [195/201]

    ''6 more huh Looks like I''ll be done with this dungeon soon.''

    Daichi checked his map. He looked all over the ce and soon found the location of the remaining 6 opponents. There was an enemy near theke. And 5 others were grouped together some distance away.

    ''Should I go for the one that''s all by itself or the ones in packs. Based on the map theke is near. I''ll get the crocodile boss first then deal with the rest.''

    Daichi made his way to theke. Due to his map he had the exact location of the boss monster that resided there. He didn''t go into the water but instead nned on drawing the crocodile out.

    Theke was located near a cliff. Daichi got his hands on a handful of paper bombs before the dungeon run. He only used a few during the first few days when he was overwhelmed. He currently has 4 remaining.

    Daichi took out two paper bombs and ced them on two giant rocks. Once he set the timer for 30 seconds he dropped the rocks into theke. They would drop to the bottom of theke right where the next boss of the dungeon was.

    Daichi jumped back and gained some distance between him and the soon to be battlefield. Before long two loud explosions rang out from theke seconds apart. As Daichi looked on he could see the water beginning to churn and twist into a whirlpool.

    [You have sensed killing intent.]

    Suddenly, without warning a strong water st shot out from theke. Daichi quickly evaded to the side and looked at the destruction. The water st tore through rocks and trees leaving nothing but wrecks.

    "Maybe I should have saved this guy forst" Daichi looked back at theke. The water bulged for a second before sting apart. A giant crocodile emerged and made its way to the surface. It was several timesrger than Daichi.

    [You have encountered one of the two remaining bosses of this dungeon.]

    [You have sensed killing intent.]

    [''Observe'']

    [LV.31] [Water Tyrant - Krodos ]

    [HP: 5520] [CP: 7011]

    [The apex predator living beneath theke. This crocodile is thergest and most vicious of its species. It killed several other crocodiles and became the ruler of these waters. It can use chakra attacks and has a powerful water affinity. Despite itsrge stature it is quite agile. When disturbed it is known to be extremely violent, often flying into rage and killing everything in its path. The water beam it shoots from its mouth has the power to shred most targets. A ruthless tyrant and the strongest of the 3 bosses of this dungeon. It wants to kill you for disturbing it''s slumber.]

    [Note: Killing this boss rewards +1 Level.]

    The reptile boss Krodos set its eyes on Daichi once it set foot onnd. It wanted to kill the one that woke it from its sleep. Despite the giant body it had, it was extremely fast.

    Daichi jumped up and barely avoided getting eaten. When he was in the air Krodos''s tail came with surprising speed and struck Daichi across the torso.

    [-514 HP]

    The attack not only sent Daichi flying but also cut him up badly. Red warning boxes popped up.

    [Negative Status - Bleeding.]

    "Aaahhhhh... It''s scales are like des." Daichi gritted his teeth as he somehow bnced himself in midair and managed tond on a tree branch. Daichi held his bleeding belly. He quickly took out some bandages and wrapped them around his wounds.

    Daichi didn''t get the chance to do anything else as a fast jet stream of water shot the branch he was standing on. Daichi fell but before he hit the ground he threw a shuriken with a wire attached to another tree and swung himself to safety.

    The angry crocodile followed Daichi. It was determined to kill the little human. It smashed through trees and followed Daichi into the jungle leaving a path of wide destruction.

    Daichi was jumping from one branch to another. ''From the observation skill''s information, this thing has a good water affinity and fighting it near theke would be a bad call.'' Daichi''s n was to bring it into the middle of the forest where he would have more advantage.

    ''This thing just tramples on anything in its path. Even the giant trees and rocks are getting smashed. It''s scales may have a strong defense but it''s belly must be soft like the rest of them. But how exactly do I attack the belly of this thing?''

    Daichi thought of several strategies and discarded the most impractical ones. ''Whatever the case maybe, I''ll have to make him use up his chakra. Get him tired. Then things will go a lot smoother.''

    Daichi created several clones and used them to distract the water beast. It swiped its tail and tried to kill the afterimage clones. It shot several water sts trying to kill the real Daichi.

    Before long Daichi lured the beast far away from theke.

    "Grrrrrr.." The beast growled. It sucked in a breath of air and bellowed loudly.

    "GRRRAAAA" The jungle shook from the angry roar. It ran and swiped at the tree Daichi was standing on. With just one strike from its leg, the tree snapped. Daichi aimed several shuriken and kunai at its eyes. But Krodos evaded them all. They bounced off his hard iron like scales without even leaving a scratch.

    ''Sharp weapons won''t work. So my dagger is useless. Against an enemy like this it''s best to use blunt brute force But if I punch that thing, it''s scales will shred my hands. And I don''t know any powerful offensive jutsus''

    ''I could use my points''

    ''No. If I use points to increase my strength everytime I run into trouble, I won''t survive the real world for long. And I''ll be out of points when I really need them''

    ''Damn it...What should I do?''

    Daichi was evading the attacks of the crocodile boss and was in a bind. He couldn''t think of a way to attack his enemy. That is until he saw them.

    Two rocks a little over half of Daichi''s size. They were wrecks from arger stone Krodos destroyed earlier. Suddenly a new idea formed in his mind. It wasn''t a solid n but it was the best he could think of at the moment. For his n to work he would need a minute.

    Daichi lured the giant angry boss away from the area and once they were some distance away he used smoke bombs and ''sprint'' to escape as quickly as he could and return to where he saw the two rocks.

    ''I can use these to attack. But I just can''t grab and try to smash that monster with them. I won''t be able to inflict the maximum amount of damage that way''

    An idea formed in his mind. Daichi grimaced at what he was about to do. Or more specifically about the pain he was about to experience. He took a piece of cloth, rolled it up and put it between his teeth.

    He closed his eyes and took several deep breaths. He clenched his fists and focused. He concentrated his chakra on both hands. Specifically below the elbow. And after a few seconds he opened his eyes. They reflected a determination someone his age seldom showed.

    Without wasting anymore time Daichi punched both rocks. His intent wasn''t to break them but to wear them like gloves.

    BAM "Aaahhhnnnn.." Daichi groaned in pain as he managed to bury his hands, elbow deep in the two rocks.

    [-168 HP]

    [-161 HP]

    [Negative status - Broken fingers, Bleeding.]

    A couple of fingers on both hands were broken and the sharp edges of the rock tore into his skin on both his arms. Tears ran down his face as he gritted his teeth in pain. But he never made a single sound. A few secondster all the pain he was feeling turned into anger.

    Daichi turned around in the direction of the crocodile. He had a vengeful vicious look on his face.

    [A new skill is created with a specific action.]

    [Through continuously projecting your murderous intent, the skill ''Killing Intent'' has been created.]

    [Killing Intent - Active (LV.1): The ability to project your will and intent on your enemies. The user of this skill exudes pure killing intent and has it affect their opponent to the point of paralyzing them with fear. At higher levels this skill can give the victims visions of their own death. ]

    [Effects: Enemies with a 3 level gap between the user are paralyzed for 2 seconds.

    Enemies under 4 levels below the user are struck with terror and paralyzed for 4 seconds as well as 3% reduction of their physical stats.]

    He had blood running down his lips, his teeth grinding against each other. Along with bloodshot eyes and veins popping up on his skull, Daichi exuded a truly fearsome image.

    He didn''t even bother reading the description of the new skill. Daichi''s sights were set on killing his target. Without wasting time he ran to his enemy. He reached the boss monster in a few seconds. He jumped high and from behind attacked. He fell down and punched its head with both hands. A powerful double blow that had enough force to m its skull onto the ground.

    [-388 HP]

    "Take this you giant fucking lizard."

    Daichi subconsciously let his chakra flow into the rocks, coating them with it. So it didn''t break apart when he used it as a weapon. Daichi punched its head a few more times before he jumped away.

    Krodos shook its head and looked around. Once it spotted Daichi it roared and shot a water st from its mouth. Daichi evaded using sprint skill. His speed increased and he attacked the giant crocodile from all directions.

    "Think you''re so tough!!!? THINK AGAIN!!!."

    Daichi used as much force as he could when he punched the beast. He kept attacking and evading therge reptile. Dozens of strikesnded on itsrge body. Several notifications popped up as he fought the boss crocodile.

    [Due to the extreme physical training, you have obtained +1 STR.]

    [Due to the extreme physical training, you have obtained +1 AGI.]

    [Due to the extreme physical training, you have obtained +1 STR.]

    The crocodile used its tail to smash Daichi several times but he always sessfully evaded. Daichi''s stamina was slowly depleting due to the use of sprint skill but he was reducing the health of his enemy as well. The damage from the powerful bashes was taking its toll on therge beast. It tried to to kill its tiny enemy with all its might. Daichi after evading another strike from its tails and legs jumped and smashed one of its eyes.

    He used ''strong hit'' to boost his power. He destroyed its left eye.

    [Due to the extreme physical training, you have obtained +1 STR.]

    [Due to the extreme physical training, you have obtained +1 VIT.]

    "Grrraaaa." Dungeon boss Krodos roared in pain. It thrashed about and destroyed everything around it. Daichi, evading it''s raging frenzy, kept attacking. Even with chakra coating the rocks they started to show signs of cracking. After several more strikes Daichi used a powerful double uppercut on it''s jaws.

    That was more than the rocks could take. The force of the punches broke them apart around the boy''s hands. His fingers bloody and a mangled mess. Both his hands below the elbow were torn in several ces and bleeding.

    [+1 STAMINA]

    Daichi ignored his wounds and pain and with shaky hands took thest two paper bombs. He tied them to a shuriken and when the beast opened its mouth to roar, Daichi activated the bombs and threw them into its mouth.

    They reached their target and went deep inside the beast. After a couple of seconds the sounds of two powerful explosions rang throughout the jungle. The body of Krodos bulged several times due to the force of the explosion and then shrunk back down.

    The mighty tyrant Krodos fell down with a loud thud and in a few seconds it turned into smoke and disappeared.

    [Enemy killed.]

    +3000 Exp.

    +450 Exp.

    [You have leveled up.]

    [You have sessfully eliminated all the Iron skinned crocodiles in this dungeon.]

    [You have defeated the boss Water Tyrant Krodos.]

    [Reward: Skill ''Water Style - Hydro st Jutsu''.]

    Thanks to the level up, Daichi regained half his lost stamina and health points and healed small wounds. Even though his negative status of bleeding and broken fingers were removed due to the healing, he was still in no shape to face another opponent. Especially a boss one.

    Daichi nned on resting and healing himselfpletely before starting the next fight. But unfortunately fate had other ns.

    "Oh you gotta be kidding me." Daichi eximed looking ahead.

    For in front of him stood the remaining enemies of this dungeon. 4 wolves and their leader. A huge alpha wolf and thest boss of the dungeon.

 Chapter 31: Dungeon Boss Fight - 03 (Final)

    Chapter 31: Dungeon Boss Fight - 03 (Final)

    ''It must havee here listening to all themotion. This thing looks smart. Well Smart for an animal anyway. I bet it knew whoever was left alive would be wounded and in no shape to fight. What better opportunity than now to kill it''s enemy!!?''

    [LV.30] [The Alpha Wolf - Scourge ]

    [HP: 5003] [CP: 4756]

    [The Alpha of the pack. Savage and fearless, this wolf hunts anything it perceives as its enemy. It fought numerous other strong wolves and killed them to be the leader. Thest boss of this dungeon. It is able to use chakra to shoot wind projectiles. It''s ws are sharp enough to tear through steel. It wants to kill you. ]

    Daichi took a breath andposed himself.

    ''Just one more boss. Then I''m done.''

    He looked at the other four wolves. There were two ''level 25''s, a level 26 and 27. Even in his current state Daichi felt like he could deal with the lower level wolves at once. But fighting the leader would be more difficult than usual. Still he didn''t back down.

    After spending a week in the dungeon and fighting for his life and killing every enemy he came across, Daichi developed a dangerous aura.

    The presence of a predator.

    This intent leaked out. Daichi was looking at the wolves as a predator would a prey. To him, at first this dungeon was the habitat of several dangerous beasts, but now that perception changed. These beasts were nothing more than EXP points to him. Just waiting to be collected.

    [You have sensed killing intent.]

    Despite the unfavorable situation he found himself in, he smiled. He looked at the boss wolf and stared into its eyes. Two kunais ready in each hand. Man and beast stared down. Both of their murderous intent filling the air.

    [Skill Killing Intent''s level has risen by one.]

    That was the signal for Daichi to begin the battle. He headed not for the boss but for the two weakest wolves of the pack. He reached them as they were paralyzed in fear and without wasting time, shed through every inch of their bodies. In just a couple of seconds over two dozen strikesnded on their bodies and Daichi ended them by plunging his kunai deep into their heads.

    He jumped back as Scourge the alpha wolf jumped and tried to take him by surprise.

    [Enemies killed.]

    [+1200 Exp.]

    [+180 Exp.]

    After a couple of seconds the other wolves started moving as well. They circled and surrounded Daichi. The ninja in training was calm and on guard. He didn''t wait for long. Before his enemies pounced on him, Daichi moved. He swiftly jumped to a tree andnded on its branch. The remaining three animals of the dungeon gave chase with the alpha wolf in the lead. It shot several wind bullet attacks from its mouth. They grazed Daichi as he tried to avoid them. His HP was slowly plummeting.

    Daichi turned around and threw several shuriken aimed at the leading wolf. The moment it dodged the oing projectiles, Daichiunched another wave of shuriken at a much faster pace. But these were aimed at the flight path of previous shuriken Daichi threw. The new shurikens collided with the first wave and they changed the trajectory of all shuriken to target the two wolves trailing behind. All of them hit their marks. Through the battles he fought in this dungeon Daichi had improved his shuriken jutsu skills beyond the norm.

    The two wolves, unable to escape, were riddled with the sharp weapons and fell down from the trees. Daichi changed path and went for the downed creatures. The wolf scourge howled and followed at a faster pace but Daichi used clones to distract it and used ''sprint'' and increased his speed.

    He took out the short sword and severed the heads of the two enemies before they could retaliate.

    [Enemy killed.]

    [+600 Exp.]

    [+90 Exp.]

    [Enemy killed.]

    [+700 Exp.]

    [+105 Exp.]

    "Finally. Now it''s just you and me." Daichi turned and smirked looking at the enraged beast.

    [You have sensed killing intent.]

    The leader of the now dead pack was furious and howled.

    But Daichi wasn''t affected in the least. ''Strange... Even though I might get killed fighting this guy I don''t feel nervous or afraid why?...Well it doesn''t matter. I am going to make it out of this alive. Whatever it takes.''

    Therge wolf rushed to Daichi. It''s maw eager top down on Daichi''s neck. The boy avoided therge drooling teeth and the sharp ws that tried to cut him to pieces. He tried to sh therge body of his enemy with his sword only for his opponent to dodge as well.

    They slowly circled each other and made no rash moves. The alpha wolf was smarter than the others of its kind. Its instincts were sharper and more attuned to the dangers surrounding it. It knew the human would be just as ruthless as it when going for the kill.

    It jumped and closed the distance in an instant and shed its ws at Daichi. He defended with his sword and avoided getting his head bitten off. Just then Daichi sensed the attack of the wolf''s tail. Unable to avoid it, Daichi was mmed on the side by the tail that was enhanced with chakra. The force sent him skidding sideways.

    [-201 HP]

    "Ahhh.That definitely cracked a rib or two." Daichi looked up as the wolf pounced on him. He rolled to the side and created a few clones. The wolf looked at the clones but it wasn''t fooled this time. With its sense of smell and hearing it could pick out the real Daichi and went for him.

    ''Shit. This thing is smarter than I thought. My stamina is running low. I won''t be able to keep this up for much longer. I need to end this now.''

    Daichi took to the trees again with the wolf right behind him. He suddenly had an idea in mind. He deliberately slowed down just a bit to let the wolf get to him.

    As he predicted therge wolf jumped with the intent to tear through his body. Daichi quickly evaded the fatal strikes but let the wsnd on his body. The sharprge ws drew several deep gashes along Daichi''s chest.

    [-376 HP]

    [Negative Status - Bleeding.]

    "Aaahh." Daichi gritted his teeth and endured the pain. But it gave him the chance he was looking for.

    Health points have fallen below 20%. Skill ''Ozark''s Resilience'' is activated. +2% to Strength, Vitality and Agility stats for 20 seconds.

    With the speed increase, Daichi quickly got behind the wolf. He locked his arms around the neck of therge beast and squeezed with all his might.

    "Raaaahhh." He screamed as he used every ounce of his strength to kill the boss. The iling of the wolf caused Daichi to lose footing and fall from the tree but he didn''t loosen his grip for even an instant. Even as he hit the ground he was choking the wild beast. With one final yell, Daichi seeded in crushing its neck. Without wasting time Daichi took his dagger and plunged it into the beast''s head.

    The limbs of the beast stilled and fell. In a few seconds it turned to smoke and disappeared.

    [Enemy killed.]

    [+2700 Exp.]

    [+405 Exp.]

    [You have sessfully eliminated all the voracious wolves in this dungeon.]

    [You have defeated the boss The Alpha Wolf - Scourge.]

    [Reward: Skill ''Wind style - Wind bullet jutsu''.]

    A red notification box appeared among the blues.

    [You have fought the boss of a dungeon with less than  of your HP and SP and won. You have reached the special condition needed to unlock the persistence stat.]

    [+1 PERSISTENCE]

    [When health reaches below 25% this special stat will activate. Gives the user''s Stats 1% boost for 3 Minutes.]

    [You have unlocked a special stat.]

    [Reward: +500 Exp.]

    [+75 Exp.]

    [Enemies killed: 201/201]

    .

    [Quest ''Kill all 201 creatures inside the dungeon'' Completed.]

    [Rewards]

    [New Skill: Dual Wielding Mastery.]

    [New Title: Beast yer. (This title will increase all your stats by 10% when fighting non humans.)]

    [Ryo 200,000.]

    .

    [You have sessfully defeated every enemy in this dungeon. You have been granted ess to the return key.]

    A gold key suddenly materialized in front of him.

    Daichi didn''t have the energy to read through every pop up box that appeared. He focused on the box that told him he could leave the dungeon.

    He took the key with shaky hands and ced it in his inventory.

    ''It''s not telling me to leave right now. So I''ll take a good rest and then go home. I''m in too much pain to move anyway.''

    Daichi took out a small bed from his inventory for just such an asion. Heid on the bed and fell asleep just a few seconds after closing his eyes.

    --------------------------------------------------------

    [You have slept in a bed. HP, CP, SP and MP have been fully restored.]

    Daichi woke up refreshed and feeling better than ever. All his wounds healed and he was back to full strength.

    He sat up and looked at the system messages. There were a lot piled up. Daichi started going through each one. Due to being ambushed he didn''t even get the chance to check out the rewards he got after he beat the crocodile boss.

    "Oh man! There''s a lot of messages to go through I need to check my status page and skill list page. See how much they''ve improved. Hmm What about the return key...? Alright! I''ll have a look at that first."

    Daichi took out the gold key from his inventory and used ''observe''.

    [Dungeon exit Key.]

    [With this key the yer can open the exit door and can leave the dungeon. Key valid for only 24 hours in dungeon time. Once the key bes invalid, the door will be locked and the yer will be trapped inside the dungeon forever.] [Time remaining: 16:12:34]

    After reading the description Daichi''s eyes almost popped out of his skull. He jumped to his feet and yelled.

    "What the hell system? You couldn''t have said that I only had 24 hours to leave this ce in a pop up box or something." He shouted looking forward.

    A few seconds passed by and as he expected, no answer was given. Daichi let out a long sigh and sat down.

    ''Whatever Thank you brain, for making me use ''observe'' on the key.''

    ''You''re wee.''

    Daichi then looked up with a dumb expression on his face.

    "Oh man. Listen to me talking to myself. One week in this dungeon and I''m already going crazy." He shook his head and looked at the rest of the blue boxes.

    ''Beast yer title huh. So it increases all stats when fighting non humans. And it doesn''t say it has to be in a dungeon or anything. So that means this title could be applied when I''m fighting wild animals or summons or God forbid, tailed beasts in the real world Alright I''ll take it. And 200,000 Ryo. Not much but also not little. Let''s see What else?''

    ''Dual Wielding mastery? Let''s see what that''s about''

    [Dual Wielding Mastery - Passive (LV.1): This skill allows proper amounts of power to be disyed when dual wielding weapons. Wielding two weapons at once requires a high level of attention and dexterity as well as ambidextrous coordination. Train this skill to wield two weapons effectively and efficiently.]

    [Effects: Passively increases the yer''s minimum and maximum melee Damage, Critical rate and Bnce. ]

    [+2% Increase to Damage inflicted.]

    [+2% Increase in attack speed.]

    "Nice skill. Would definitelye in handy. I need to buy two sharp weapons. Preferably short swords. Or some daggers... Alright. What''s next?"

    As Daichi looked through the notifications, he saw the red pop up box. "Yes. Looks like another special stat awakened. Guess that wolf attack was a blessing in disguise". Daichi read the information on the new stat ''Persistence''.

    ''The benefit of this stat is incredible. And it''ll only get better with more points. Excellent. This dungeon run yielded more rewards than I thought. What else is there?''

    Daichi looked through the remaining notifications.

    [Wind style - Wind Bullet Jutsu - Active(LV.1): The user takes in a deep breath of air and kneads chakra into them, which they expel from their mouth as several miniature wind bullets.]

    [Rank: C]

    [Type: Ninjutsu]

    [Hand Seals: Bird - Horse - Dragon - Ram.]

    [CP Cost: 300/5 Bullets.]

    [Note: Strength and number of wind bullets can be increased with more chakra kneaded into the attack.]

    .

    [Water Style - Hydro st Jutsu - Active(LV.1): The user kneads chakra in their body and turns it into water, which they expel from their mouth in a fast spiral st.]

    [Rank: C.]

    [Type: Ninjutsu.]

    [Hand Seals: Dog - Ram - Hare - Monkey - Horse.]

    [CP Cost: 312 Per Shot.]

    [Note: Amount of water and speed of the jutsu can be increased with more chakra kneaded into the attack.]

    "Finally. Some jutsus to attack. So roughly 300 chakra points per attack huh. I''ll have to keep training and increasing my chakra reserves if I want to be a Ninjutsu specialist."

    Daichi got down checking out all the notification boxes. ''Time to see my status page.''

    ''Status.''

    [Name : Daichi Hekima (The Gamer)]

    [ss : Student]

    [Age : 6]

    [Title : Capable Child, Explorer, Prodigy, Beast yer.]

    [Level : 26 (10105/20550)]

    .

    [HP : 2200]

    [CP : 2379.8]

    [SP : 1860]

    [MP: 920]

    .

    [Primary Stats]

    Strength - 47

    Vitality - 46

    Dexterity - 42

    Agility - 45

    Intelligence - 50

    Chakra - 55

    Wisdom - 30

    .

    [Special Stats]

    Sense - 49

    Stamina - 55

    Indomitable (LOCKED)

    Charisma - 27

    Persistence - 1

    Dignity (LOCKED)

    Luck (LOCKED)

    .

    [Stat Points - 245]

    [Ryo - 213650]

    As he looked at his improvements a wide grin formed on his face. A momentter he closed his eyes and had a heartyugh.

 Chapter 32: Testing Jutsus and Leaving Dungeon

    Chapter 32: Testing Jutsus and Leaving Dungeon

    "Wow. My stats and points have gone way up. Time to check out the skill list."

    "Skills."

    A new page opened showing the list of Daichi''s skills. Daichi looked over each and every skill.

    [1. Gamer''s Mind - Passive (LV. MAX)]

    [2. Gamer''s Body - Passive (LV. MAX)]

    [3. Gaia''s Blessing - Passive (LV. MAX)]

    [4. Observe - Active (LV.29)]

    ''Even though Observe skill has leveled up I still haven''t been able to see the physical stats of my opponents. Even now I could only see their HP, CP and some info. But nothing more Maybe it''ll show me the physical stats once ''Observe crosses Level 50 or something''

    [5. Dishwashing - Passive (LV.39)]

    Effects: 73% Increase in speed when dishwashing.

    .

    [6. Meditate - Active (LV. 41(8%)) ]

    Effects : 82.2% to base HP regeneration per minute.

    82.2% to base CP regeneration per minute.

    82.2% to base SP regeneration per minute.

    .

    [7. Basic Body Conditioning - Passive (LV. 51)]

    Effects: 59% Increase in Damage inflicted.

    61% Increase in Movement speed.

    21% Increase in Physical stat growth.

    44% Decrease in Damage taken.

    ''Excellent. It seems my physical constitution is getting better at a much faster pace than I thought. But the damage reduction effect Based on my experience it reduces the damage depending on my enemies and their levels. Opponents of the same level won''t be able to deal much damage to me but it seems the higher the enemy''s Level, the lower the effect But still This is a great skill.''

    [8. Mini-map ]

    [9. Inventory ]

    [10. Chakra Maniption - (Active/Passive) (LV.49)]

    .

    [11. Lesser Chakra Affinity - (Passive/Active) (LV.40)]

    Effects: 20% Growth rate of Chakra stat.

    45.2% Strength increase to all chakra-based skills.

    45% Defense increase against chakra-based attacks.

    40% Increase to maximum CP.

    -20% CP cost to all chakra based skills.

    ''I''ve been able to increase the level of this skill much faster than most but something tells me that sooner orter it''s going to get difficult to level it up.''

    [12. Lesser chakra regeneration - Passive (LV.42)]

    Effects: Regeneration Increased by 74% of base CP per minute.

    20.1% Growth rate of Chakra stat.

    Note: Meditation increases CP regeneration to 99%.

    ''This chakra regeneration skill has helped immensely here. I was able to reduce my rest time and was able to gather chakra at a much faster pace''

    Daichi calcted the CP regen in his mind. ''My Chakra points regenerate at 10 points per minute. With a 74% increase that''s 17.4 CP per minute. And if I meditate then I can increase it to almost 20 points per minute.''

    ''And since I currently have a total of 2380 CP, I''ll be able topletely recover my chakra in about 120 minutes And I haven''t taken into ount the effects of the Meditate skill.''

    Daichi smiled at the implication. "Going from no chakra to full capacity in less than 2 hours is incredible. This gamer''s body is so damn OP"

    "Alright. What else do we have?" Daichi continued looking over the other skills.

    [13. Minor Jutsu Creation - Active (LV.2(89%))]

    Effects: 6% Sess rate to create new Ninjutsu.

    6% Sess rate to create new Genjutsu.

    5% Less CP requirements for new Jutsu created.

    .

    [14. Leaf concentration technique - (Active/Passive)(LV.100(MAX))]

    Effects: 200% Increase in chakra control.

    CP cost : 1/sec.

    -50% CP cost to chakra techniques.

    Daichi smiled looking at the first skill he maxed. ''Now I''ll be able to focus on the tree walking exercise.''

    [15. Superior Tasting - Active(LV. 22(36%))]

    Effects: 46.2% Increase in taste

    CP cost : 1/sec.

    .

    [16. Superior Hearing - Active(LV.29)

    Effects: 58% Increase in hearing

    CP cost : 2/sec.

    .

    [17. Superior Smell - Active(LV. 28)]

    Effects: 47.6% Increase in smell.

    CP cost : 1/sec.

    .

    [18. Superior Sight - Active(LV. 35(87%))]

    Effects: 65% Increase in sight.

    CP cost : 2/sec.

    "Looks like my sight, hearing and smell senses have gone up considerably. Not surprising. I had to fight in the night with low visibility and it pushed my senses to their limits"

    "My special stat sense is 49. I wonder if it''ll give any special skills or effects when it reaches 50? I suppose I''ll find out soon."

    [19. Leaf Academy Taijutsu - Active(LV.41)]

    Effects: 70.3% Increase in attack power.

    68.4% Increase in defense.

    70% Increase in speed

    69% Decrease in damage taken.

    .

    [20. Shurikenjutsu - Active(LV.89(95.7%))]

    Effects: 95% Increase in uracy.

    85% Increase in damage dealt.

    ''Just a bit more and it''ll be 90. It''s such an exhrating feeling. To throw them with pinpoint uracy and take enemies down from the shadows''

    ''That''s the dream Well one of them anyway.''

    [21. Physical Endurance - Passive(LV.48)]

    Effects: 41.5% Decrease in damage taken.

    "With the damage reduction buff from this skill, the leaf Taijutsu skill and the body conditioning skill, I doubt I''d take any damage from someone my age group."

    [22. Strong Hit - Active(LV.35)]

    Effects: 51% Increase in critical rate.

    69.3% Increase in damage inflicted to the enemy.

    51% Increase in attack speed.

    SP Cost: 7 per hit.

    "Hmm As useful as this skill is, it drains my stamina fast if I use it too much. I need to find an alternative to this skill that uses Chakra Points instead of Stamina Points."

    [23. Cooking - Active(LV.18(77%))]

    Effects: 39% Increase in taste and aroma of dish.

    36% Increase in ting technique.

    .

    [24. Painting - Passive(LV.12(74%))]

    Effects: 31% Increase in visual appeal.

    34% Increase of uracy in painting.

    .

    [25. Chakra Threads - Active(LV.60)]

    Effects: 120% Increase in thread control.

    120% Increase in thread speed

    CP cost : 2.7/sec for single thread.

    .

    [26. Sprint - Active(LV.40)

    Effects: 60% Increase in running speed.

    SP cost : 50 SP per minute.

    "This skill will also be a problem. Need ones that use CP. Maybe the Body flicker technique is an excellent recement. But for that my chakra control has to be well above average I''ll look into itter I suppose."

    [27. Rope Escape Jutsu - Active(LV.8)]

    Effects: 18% Increase in sess when escaping bindings.

    .

    [28. Clone Jutsu - Active(LV.68)]

    Effects: 76% uracy Increase when creating identical clones.

    CP cost : 52 CP per clone.

    .

    [29. Transformation Jutsu - Active(LV.20)]

    Effects: 50% Increase in uracy and details when transforming.

    CP cost : 16 CP per transformation.

    .

    [30. Mana Maniption - (Active/Passive) (LV.01)]

    [31. Sword Mastery - Passive (LV.13)]

    Note: This skill requires a sword to activate.

    Effects: 35.5% Additional damage when striking the target.

    Marks target with damage and negative de-buffs.

    23% Increase in attack speed.

    .

    [32. Vital Strike - Active(LV.34)]

    Effects: 51% Additional damage when hitting target.

    Marks target with damage and negative de-buffs.

    17% Increase in attack speed.

    .

    [33. Tree Walking technique - (Active/Passive)(LV.53(44%))]

    Effects: 106% Increase in chakra control.

    CP cost : 8/sec.

    -42% CP cost to chakra techniques.

    .

    [34. Danger Sense - Passive(LV.20)]

    Effects: Current range - 60 meters.

    .

    [35. Death Blow - Active(LV.14(77%))]

    Effects: 140% Additional attack Damage to the enemy.

    24% Increase in attack speed.

    24% Increase in critical rate.

    .

    "So at level 14, this skill deals 140% additional damage? Then unless I''m mistaken at level 100 it''ll be 1000%. That will be powerful enough to take out most guys But Will it really give that much?? 1000% additional damage sounds far too good to be true I''ll wait and see"

    [36. Water Walking technique - (Active/Passive)(LV.13)]

    Effects: 26% Increase in chakra control.

    CP cost : 12/sec.

    10.5% Decrease CP cost to chakra techniques.

    .

    [37. Chakra sense - Active(LV.10)]

    Effects: Current Range: 40 meters.

    CP Cost : 20/meter.

    .

    [38. Ozark''s Resilience - Active(LV.1(34%))]

    Effects: +2% to Strength, Vitality and Agility stats for 20 seconds when HP falls below 20%.

    Cooldown time: 8 hours.

    Daichi smiled as he looked at this skill. "The skill that saved my life. This has great potential once it levels up some more. I have a feeling you''re gonna be quite active during my future dungeon runs."

    [39. Killing intent - Active (LV.2 (22%))]

    Effects: Enemies with a (+ or -)3 level gap between the user are paralyzed for 6 seconds.

    Enemies less than 4 levels and below the user are struck with terror and paralyzed for 8 seconds as well as 6% reduction of their physical stats.

    .

    [40. Dual Wielding Mastery - Passive (LV.1)]

    Effects: Passively increases the yer''s minimum and maximum melee Damage, Critical rate and Bnce.

    2% Increase to Damage inflicted.

    2% Increase in attack speed.

    ''Incredible. Just 7 days and my skills had such a growth? It seems battle is the best way to improve my strength after all.''

    Daichi looked over every skill. He paid attention to two of his newest skills.

    [Death Blow - Active (LV.14(77%)): This skill allows the user to fatally wound an enemy. This usually urs when the enemy''s Strength or Vitality has been depleted. But this skill can be triggered when you take the enemy by surprise or other such conditions.]

    [Effects: 140% Additional attack Damage to the enemy.

    24% Increase in attack speed.

    24% Increase in critical rate.]

    [Chakra sense - Active(LV.10): This sensing skill allows the user to mold chakra and change it to the sensory type, enabling them to detect and track targets through their chakra signatures. This skill also enables the user to hide his chakra signature from those of the user''s level. Higher level shinobi can detect your chakra even if you''re hidden.]

    [Effects: Current Range - 40 meters.

    CP Cost : 20/meter.]

    As Daichi was looking over all the skills, he found something unusual. "Where''s the water and wind style jutsus I got??"

    As he looked at the top of the list a new option was added. It wasbeled Ninjutsu. Daichi clicked on it and a new page listing his current jutsus was shown.

    [Ninjutsu]

    [Water Style - Hydro st Jutsu - Active(LV.1): The user kneads chakra in their body and turns it into water, which they expel from their mouth in a fast spiral st.]

    [Rank: C.]

    [Type: Ninjutsu.]

    [Hand Seals: Dog - Ram - Hare - Monkey - Horse.]

    [CP Cost: 312 Per Shot.]

    [Note: Amount of water and speed of the jutsu can be increased with more chakra kneaded into the attack.]

    .

    [Wind style - Wind Bullet Jutsu - Active(LV.1): The user takes in a deep breath of air and kneads chakra into them, which they expel from their mouth as several miniature wind bullets.]

    [Rank: C]

    [Type: Ninjutsu]

    [Hand Seals: Bird - Horse - Dragon - Ram.]

    [CP Cost: 300/5 Bullets.]

    [Note: Strength and number of wind bullets can be increased with more chakra kneaded into the attack.]

    "Since I have about 16 hours left and a training ground no one can spy on, it''s best to test these jutsuOh man. My first actual attack - Ninjutsu."

    Daichi was giddy at the prospect of controlling and using the elements to his will. As soon as Daichi clicked on the water jutsu, its knowledge and functions appeared in his brain. With all the information about the Jutsu floating in his brain, Daichi felt like he had been studying it for days.

    After taking a deep breath to calm himself, Daichi went through the hand seals.

    "Water style - Hydro st Jutsu."

    A fast spiraling torrent of water shot out of his mouth. Daichi aimed it at a nearby tree. He was amazed to see his attack drilling through the trunk of the tree almost half way. Daichi cut off the chakra and stopped the attack. The tree had a drilled shaped hole the size of a small human head. And losing its stability the tree broke in half. At that time a new blue box appeared.

    [You have used your first water nature jutsu. ]

    [You have acquired the skill Water affinity.]

    [Water affinity - (Active/Passive)(LV.1): Water Release is one of the five basic nature transformations. It ismonly affiliated with Dog hand-seal. Once this skill crosses Level 85 the user can manipte even the molecr structure of water to create ice or steam. Once this skill crosses Level 90, the user canbine it with other nature affinities which have also crossed Level 90.]

    [Effects: +2% Increase in water attack jutsu.

    +2% Increase in water defense jutsu.

    +5% Increase in sess when creating water style jutsu.

    -1% Decrease in Chakra Cost when using water style jutsu.]

    Daichi was stunned when he read the information. ''So I can make ice and steam release jutsus in the future? Wow. Awesome.''

    ''Wait a minute. If that''s the case for water affinity, then wouldn''t it be the same for all the other nature elements as well? Yes. Most probably.''

    Daichi''s eyes widened in realization. "I can create jutsus that replicate certain Kekkei Genkai Oh man! I can''t wait to get started. Alright let''s see. So it seems I''ll get the wind affinity when I use the wind jutsu next. I''m eager to see what that skill says."

    Daichi clicked on the wind bullet jutsu box and its information flooded his brain. Daichi went through the seals for the wind style jutsu quickly.

    "Wind style - Wind Bullet jutsu."

    Daichi shot multiple wind bullets with intense speed. The bullets had enough power to go through the rock Daichi aimed at. The attack created 5 small holes all the way through the rock.

    [You have used your first wind nature jutsu.]

    [You have acquired the skill Wind affinity.]

    "Yes. Just like I thought."

    [Wind affinity - (Active/Passive)(LV.1): Wind release is one of the five basic nature transformations. It ismonly affiliated with bird hand-seal. This is the rarest of the five nature transformations. Once this skill crosses Level 90, the user canbine it with other nature affinities which have also crossed Level 90.]

    [Effects: +2% Increase in wind attack jutsu.

    +2% Increase in wind defense jutsu.

    +5% Increase in sess when creating wind style jutsu.

    -1% Decrease in Chakra Cost when using wind style jutsu.]

    "Excellent. I''ll have to ask the old man for some simple Jutsus for the other 3 natures first thing tomorrow. And also the shadow clone. Can''t forget that. I need to see if I can pull the Naruto shortcut training method Hmm what else is there?"

    As Daichi went through his skill list, his eyesnded on another new skill he hadn''t used yet.

    [Mana Maniption - (Active/Passive) (LV.01): Mana is an energy created by the power of an intelligent mind and is a separate energy from chakra. This energy is primarily used for mind enhancing techniques but a strong enough mind can create abilities that have physical effects simr to telekinesis or elemental attacks. This skill allows the user to manipte their own Mana depending on its proficiency. Practitioners of Mana are even less than Natural Energy users. In its raw form Mana cannot be seen or felt by any sensors or eye powers. The exception is the visual eye Rinne Sharingan. ]

    [Note: Since this energy is created by the mind it is limited and overusing this ability before intelligence passes 200 could cause damage to the psyche.]

    "Ok. Time to see what I''m dealing with"

    Daichi sat down and calmed his breathing. He easily entered the meditative state. He began to feel for any changes in his body and tried to identify the energy Mana. After finding nothing during the first half hour, Daichi got a bit frustrated. He could easily use his chakra abilities but it looked like his Mana abilities were being stubborn.

    He got up and walked around thinking about the various ways he could approach this problem. As he walked around he suddenly had a new idea. He picked up a small leaf and sat down. He concentrated on the leaf in front of him.

    Daichi felt the leaf for a few minutes in his fingers before cing it on the ground. He looked at it, burning the image of the leafying on the ground into his mind to the most minute details.

    He once again closed his eyes and concentrated. His goal was to feel the leaf with his mind and if he could maybe even move it. As he kept concentrating, time went by. No unnecessary thoughts came to him. Hours passed by as he concentrated. As he entered a deep concentration state a change began to happen.

    Suddenly Daichi felt a weight on his head. It felt as if someone ced something heavy on his head and it''s weighing down directly on his brain. And after a couple of seconds the weight increased. Unable to ignore the slight but increasingly painful sensation, Daichi opened his eyes. He saw the leaf he ced on the ground a few feet in the air, now slowly floating back down. New notification boxes appeared.

    [You have actively used Mana for the first time. You have gained the skill Lesser Mana affinity.]

    [Note: Increasing the above skill passively increases the level of Mana maniption skill.]

    [Lesser Mana Affinity - (Passive/Active) (LV.01): This skill increases the user''s talent and ability to use Mana more thoroughly.]

    [Note: Intelligence stat isn''t high enough to efficiently and effectively use Mana on physical objects and matter maniption. With the current intelligence and wisdom stats, creating skills to aid or boost mental abilities would be more beneficial. Once Mana is depleted, the only way to restore it is with sleep.]

    [Effects: +2% Strength increase to all Mana based skills.

    -2% MP cost to all Mana based skills. ]

    [A new skill is created with a specific action.]

    [By sessfully concentrating and controlling the Mana energy to move an object, the skill ''Telekinesis'' has been created.]

    [Telekinesis - Active(LV.1): This skill gives the user the ability to manipte or otherwise interact with matter or another aspect of a physical system with one''s mind. Once this skill crosses Level 90 the user can manipte matter or energy at a subatomic level or universal level. This influence can expand to affect facets of reality other than matter and energy, namely time and space.]

    [Note: Mana cost to use this skill depends on the distance, mass, precision, etc. of an object.]

    [Effects: 1% Increase in Mana attacks.

    1% Increase in Mana defenses.

    1% Decrease in Mana cost.]

    Daichi was gently massaging his forehead. "Oh man. That did not feel good."

    He opened his eyes and went through the notification boxes slowly. He read about the effects, abilities and limitations of Mana.

    "Well There goes my dreams of OP Mana powers. Well until my intelligence reaches 200 anyway. But I''m not gonna spend many points on it Not until I be a chunin at least It seems for the moment the best thing to do is create support mental skills. And I''ll have to make sure I don''t overdo it."

    Daichi let out a long tired sigh. ''I have been in this Dungeon long enough. Time to go home.''

    He checked the map and found the location of the entrance door. He made his way there within a couple of hours. When Daichi reached the door he took out the key and ced it inside the keyhole.

    [You have used the return key. Would you like to leave this dungeon?]

    [Y/N]

    "Yes."

    The door opened and the instant he set foot inside the familiar hallway, he was teleported back to his room. Daichi felt the same sensation he had when entering the dungeon. In a few moments he fell down onto his bed.

    He looked around. Everything was the same. Then he looked at the clock on the table.

    ''Just a few seconds after I left. I spent a week in that ce but time hardly moved here. I suppose the name instant dungeon fits that ce.''

    Even though he slept a few hours ago Daichi was still somewhat mentally tired. He freshened up and went quickly to sleep.

    ------------------

    Author''s Note:

    Vote with some power stone guys. Lets get this story up the ranks.

 Chapter 33: Interlude 01 - Kensei, Hiruzen, Sasuke

    Chapter 33: Interlude 01 - Kensei, Hiruzen, Sasuke

    Kensei Yasaji.

    Kensei was eating his morning breakfast when he noticed Daichiing down. "Good morning Gramps." Daichi greeted him. As he looked at Daichi, Kensei noticed something strange.

    ''His chakra reserve has increased and he seems to be on alert.''

    Even though it wouldn''t be obvious to someone normal, Kensei saw the signs. He watched Daichi take a look at the exits and take in every object in the room quickly and subtly. He sat down without saying anything and ate his breakfast.

    Kensei quickly sensed Daichi''s chakra signature to verify it''s his grandson. ''It''s Daichi alright.! So then what''s up with him?''

    "Did something happenst night?"

    The question startled the boy. He put a wide smile on his face and replied. "Nothing happened Why do you ask?"

    "You seem to be on guard. More vignt and wary of your surroundings." Kensei replied in a confused tone.

    "Oh? I''m trying to be more vignt of my surroundings. I read in a book about taking in every detail when in enemy territory. Trying to make this a habit" Daichi said with a straight face. He did read something simr in a book so he wasn''t lying.

    Hearing Daichi''s answer satisfied Kensei.

    "Anyway...Umm...Something else did happenst night." Daichi had a sheepish smile on his face as he said this.

    Seeing Daichi''s jovial expression, Kensei let go of his worries. "What is it?" He was curious as to what brought the change.

    "I learned two jutus. One for water and one for wind."

    "Have you tried them?" Kensei asked.

    "No." Daichi replied with a straight face. "I was thinking we could go over them after we had some breakfast."

    Kensei nodded in approval. They quickly finished their food and went outside. They reach the training area in their backyard. Kensei motioned for Daichi to begin.

    Daichi quickly went through the hand seals for the water style jutsu. A fast spiraling st of water shot from his mouth and destroyed the small stone he aimed at. Kensei was examining Daichi as he used the Jutsu. He noticed his grandson''s chakra reserves had increased by a wide margin. Noting that he had enough chakra to perform another jutsu, Kensei motioned Daichi to perform the next one. The wind style wind bullet jutsu was quickly demonstrated as well. Daichi turned around to look at his grandpa.

    "So what do you think?"

    Kensei examined the aftermath of the two Ninjutsus. He was more than impressed that a first year academy student had the reserves and control to pull off two techniques that looked like they were C Rank level.

    "Your chakra volume has grown far more than someone your age. And your chakra control is exceptional. To sessfully use two chakra nature jutsus that are not of your natural affinity That''s impressive." Kensei was impressed by Daichi''s improvement and dismissed Daichi''s strange behavior in the morning. "I take it you have something in mind for telling me this."

    Daichi nodded. "Can you give me 3 simple easy jutsus for the remaining chakra natures."

    "So you want a fire, lightning and earth nature jutsus. Why do you need them?" Kensei''s curiosity peaked.

    "I want to feel what it''s like to use all 5 elements. Understand the way my chakra changes to each element. Improve my control. All that stuff." Daichi gave his answer. He was hoping his grandfather would approve.

    After listening to Daichi''s reasons and thinking about it for some time he agreed. He took his grandson to his library and gave him 3 scrolls detailing C Rank jutsus for fire, earth and lightning nature. After informing his grandson that he was going out, Kensei left.

    He was walking down the road thinking about Daichi''s progress. It really baffled him. ''The speed of his growth is truly abnormal. And his chakra reserves had increased quite a bit since thest time I sensed them. And his talent He makes me look like chopped liver. His talent is far beyond what I initially thought ''

    ''Maybe Just maybe He can do it Stand at the top of this era Wouldn''t that be something? But this will also bring him attention. Sooner orter the eyes of everyone important is going to fall on him. He''ll need to prepare for that''

    Kensei thought about Daichi and his enormous talents and his thoughts drifted to histe son. He shook his head and sighed after a few moments clearing his thoughts. He looked up in front of him. He had reached his destination. The orphanage where he met Daichi.

    He went inside and met with Aiko.

    "Hello Aiko. It''s been a while." Kensei sat and smiled.

    "Yes it has. How have you been? Not bored I imagine." Aiko smiled at her old friend.

    "No. Not with Daichi around."

    "How is he by the way?" Aiko asked.

    "Good. Great actually. He got first ce in the academy this semester. A natural born genius. It''s interesting to have him around to say the least." Kensei smiled as he recalled his experiences with Daichi. They talked about the past for a while. While talking about Daichi''s training Aiko suddenly remembered something. The visit from the Special Jonin Genma.

    "Kensei. There''s something I think you should know. The Hokage enquired about Daichi." Aiko said in a somewhat serious tone.

    "What! When?" Kensei eximed.

    "A few days after you adopted him."

    "Did hee here personally?"

    "No. He sent one of his guards" Aiko was silent for a second before asking "What are you going to do? I know you and lord third have a history Is that going to affect Daichi?"

    Kensei sighed and replied. "No. What happened between me and Hiruzen won''t affect Daichi. He''s not that kind of a man But someone like Danzo on the other hand Has hee here recently?"

    Aiko shook her head. "No. He hasn''t, not since that day."

    "Probably due to Hiruzen. He always had a soft spot for you. Especially after all the things you did for the vige I am curious though Have you found out the source of the funds you received?" Kensei wanted to know if Aiko found her mysterious benefactor.

    The orphanage and Aiko received a veryrge sum of money shortly after the nine tails attack. When she received the money Aiko believed it was someone who wanted to help the orphans at such a terrible time. But with that money came 1 important instruction.

    Never let Danzo Shimura take any of the children at the orphanage.

    Aiko knew the kind of man Danzo was. She made sure to screen every person she hired at the orphanage. 2 years after the attack, Danzo came trying to recruit a couple of children for his organization but Aiko refused. When he started to make trouble for her, the Hokage intervened. Danzo never bothered her again.

    She would protect all the children under her care. But she was curious as to why that money came with that particr condition.

    Kensei and Aiko spent a couple of hours reminiscing about the past and talked about various topics. After some time Kensei left the ce.

    -----------------------

    Hokage''s Office.

    The Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi was looking over the mission reports of the Anbu Team Ro. He paid attention to the Rank and number of missionspleted by the team. Team Ro under Anbu captain Kakashi Hatake was a formidable squad.

    ''With Itachi''s addition to the team, their missionpletion rate has increased twofold. Today is thest day of their one week break.''

    The Hokage took another folder and reviewed it''s contents. After going through it he came to a decision. ''I''ll assign Kakashi''s team to this. They''re the most suitable.''

    Once he stamped thest of the top secret and critical documents with his official seal he took a break from his work. He went near the window and looked out.

    ''Things are getting progressively worse with the Uchiha n. Itachi and Shisui were the only ones who stood on our side from the n. But now that Shisui is dead things have gotten much worse. The Police force is investigating the matter. Even though it appears as a suicide to the world, the Uchiha won''t buy into that. Now Itachi is the only informant I have in the n. If something happens to him as well''

    Hiruzen sighed as he thought about the burdens he carried on his shoulders and the burdens he ced on the 11 year old genius of the Uchiha n.

    ''I''ll have to trust Itachi on this matter. I hope he''ll be able to convince Fugaku and the other Uchiha n members. Negotiation is the only way to solve this problem. And the sooner the better.''

    Soon he went back to work. He looked over the important reports first and after some time came to the documents regarding the academy tests. He looked over the results of the first year semester and what he saw was what he thought but it still somewhat surprised him.

    ''Just as I expected. Daichi took first ce in almost all the tests. He was even able to beat Sasuke Uchiha and score higher marks. It seems my intuition was right.''

    ''During the entrance ceremony I noticed his chakra volume. It had grown several times from when I first met and sensed him. And it felt like he had precise control over it as well. He had grown a lot stronger in just one year. And based on the reports Daikoku made from his observations, it seems Daichi is still holding back. Daikoku notes that Daichi is eligible for skipping a grade.''

    ''Should I do it?... No! It''s still too soon. Let him develop a healthy and strong mind first. I''ll have him graduate with his ss or if he''s really impressive then maybe a year early. That should be enough.''

    The Hokage went over the results of the whole ss and made mental notes of all the students who showed some talent. He paused when his eyes reached a certain name.

    Naruto Uzumaki.

    ''It would seem he has your looks, Minato. But he''s inherited his attitude from Kushina.''

    ''A troublemaker. Recently he started pulling pranks on teachers. Bad in studies but has a positive attitude I suppose that''s a fair assessment from the teacher But I know you''ll do great things one day, Naruto. You''re the one Minato entrusted with the Nine-tails after all.''

    He looked over the academy files and continued on with his works.

    ------------------------------------

    Uchiha n. - Sasuke''s Home.

    Sasuke was sitting in front of his father Fugaku Uchiha. Sasuke had a downcast expression as his father went through every line in his report card. Once he was done, he ced the card down and looked at his youngest son. His face showed no emotion. After staring at his son for over a minute he broke the silence.

    "This was unexpected, Sasuke. You got second ce I thought you''d be like your brother but it seems I''m wrong."

    Sasuke clenched his fists around his knees. He didn''t even have the strength to look at his father. He closed his eyes and gritted his teeth. He stayed like that, never speaking a word.

    "What do you have to say for yourself?" Fugaku asked in a stern voice.

    "I''m sorry father. I''ll do better next time." The young Uchiha replied.

    "Don''t forget. Your brother took first ce in the academy and graduated in less than six months. He is a genius like no other. Now that you''ve joined the academy you have to hold yourself up to his standards. You need to work harder. Much harder. Do you understand?" Fugaku asked.

    "Yes father. I''ll train more." It was the only reply the young Uchiha gave.

    Fugaku got up and was about to leave but abruptly stopped. "The child who defeated you. What is his name?" He enquired.

    Sasuke was quiet for a few seconds and then answered in a small voice. "Daichi Daichi Hekima."

    Fugaku nodded and left the room. He always held Sasuke to the same standards he did Itachi. But seeing his son not take the first spot in his ss disappointed him. But at the same time Fugaku became a bit interested in the boy that defeated his child.

    Sasuke was in a turmoil. Tears started rolling down his face. He stayed seated on the ground even after his father had left and cried, but he never made a single sound.

    ''Itachi Daichi I I hate you both.'' It was the only thought that went through his head as he silently shed tears in misery.

    ------------------

    Author''s Note:

    Hit me up with some power stone guys. Let''s get this story up the rankings.

 Chapter 34: Meeting Ren Uchiha

    Chapter 34: Meeting Ren Uchiha

    His grandfather had left after giving him the three scrolls. Daichi stored them in his inventory and left home as well. He had a special goal in mind.

    Daichi was walking through a forest near the outskirts of the vige. He had been visiting various ces within the vige to find more dungeons. His journey was somewhat sessful. He located another instant dungeon. He decided to save it for the next year.

    Daichi hadn''t gotten the reward for clearing the dungeon from the quest ''Path to the strongest''. He figured he would only get it at the end of the first academic year. He wanted to know what that reward would entail.

    Now he was looking for a ce to train. Somewhere quiet and away from people so he could test out his jutsus. As he kept walking he saw something unexpected.

    Several round target boards were hung on trees all around him. As he looked at it he felt a sense of Deja Vu. ''Where have I seen this ce before.'' As Daichi racked his memory for an answer, it hit him.

    ''I remember now. This ce. This is where Itachi practiced his shuriken jutsu. It''s where he showed Sasuke his shuriken throwing techniques before Sasuke entered the academy. Oh man That means I''m near the Uchiha npound. I better leave before I attract unwantedpanies.''

    Daichi turned around and was about to walk away but something stopped him. He opened his skill list and saw it.

    [Shurikenjutsu - Active(LV.89(95.7%))]

    [Effects: +95% Increase in uracy.

    +85% Increase in damage dealt.]

    ''This is the skill that increased the most during my dungeon fight. Makes sense. I wanted to keep those things at bay and I''ve been using shuriken and kunai at every fight against those beasts. I used chakra threads to control the speed and trajectory of the weapons. My increased dexterity helped me a lot in improving this particr skill.''

    Daichi took a moment and looked at all the targets hanging on the trees. He wondered.

    ''Is it possible Do I have Itachi''s level of shuriken skill? He is a master with this technique. He could even hit targets in his blindspot''

    Daichi looked around and he saw another hidden target behind a rock. He wanted to know if it was possible for him

    ''Can I do it? One way to find out, I suppose. Since I''m here I might as well give it a shot. If I want to be the best then I can''t shy away from any challenges thate my way.''

    Daichi took off his sses and walked forward. He stood in the center of the clearing with the targets all around him. There were nine targets all around him in in view and one hidden behind a rock. A total of 10 targets for him to hit.

    Daichi stood still looking at all the targets and memorizing their locations. He spent a few minutes looking and engraving the position of each target into his memory. He took 8 kunais from his back pouch and held each one between his fingers. He closed his eyes, calmed his breathing and concentrated.

    A familiar feeling came to him. The sensation of being in the dungeon surrounded by beasts that wanted to tear him apart. Daichi opened his eyes in an instant and jumped.

    He jumped high and flipped upside down. His eyesnded on all the 9 targets in his view in an instant. His hands moved in a precise yet smooth manner. His fingers loosened and he quickly let go of each kunai he held between his fingers one by one.

    All eight weapons left his hands within a couple of seconds. The first six of them were aimed at the targets while thest two were not. Without wasting an instant he took out two more from his back pouch and threw them in the direction of thest two kunais at a faster speed. Metals collided against metals and the force changed the trajectory of all four weapons.

    Daichi once again flipped in midair andnded perfectly on the ground. He looked around and wanted to see the results. What he saw surprised him.

    Even though the kunais all hit their targets, some of them weren''t in the dead center. He missed the center of five of the nine targets by a few centimeters. Daichi walked to where the 10th and the hidden targety. It too had a kunai stuck in it, but just like the ones that missed the center, it wasn''t a perfect shot as well.

    Suddenly several notifications popped up.

    [Due to sessful control of your body and senses, you have obtained +1 DEX]

    [+1 SENSE]

    [Skill Shurikenjutsu''s level has risen by one.]

    [Shurikenjutsu - Active(LV.90(23.1%))]

    [Effects: +95.8% Increase in uracy.

    +87% Increase in damage dealt.]

    Watching the results of his shurikenjutsu skills, Daichi felt a very strange emotion. He felt sad and happy at the same time.

    Sad because even with the gamer ability and the battles he went through in the dungeon, he still couldn''t make a perfect 10 out of 10 score with all the kunaisnding in the center.

    ''Even with the gamer abilities I could only achieve this much. And even then It took me a few minutes topletely concentrate and make the best shot I possibly could. If I was in the middle of a battle or a test I doubt I could aplish the same results''

    ''And yet That Itachi. He was able to make this look so easy. What a monster. Some teachers in the academy call me a genius but I was only able to be that because of my future knowledge and the gamer powers. Compared to someone like Itachi I''m''

    Daichi closed his eyes and took a breath. He exhaled and opened his eyes. He was calm again.

    ''No. I shouldn''t think like that. Itachi''s talent doesn''t affect me. It shouldn''t. There will be several people like him here in this world Their sess and strength isn''t my weakness. I have to remember that.''

    While he felt a little sad he also felt extremely happy. Happy because doing something like this was unimaginable to him in his previous life. And even here only exceptional ninjas like Itachi or thete fourth Hokage could make better shots than him. He had set his first foot into joining the ranks of shinobis who were hailed as legends.

    ''Still I wonder. If Itachi hadn''t gone down the path he had If he hadn''t caught that terminal lung disease How strong would he have be?... There''s no doubt in my mind... With his talent and prodigious skills, he would have be strong enough to be on the same level as Madara Uchiha one day Well. That is if things hadn''t ended up the way they did.''

    Daichi sighed. He decided that there was no point dwelling on things out of his control. As he prepared to leave he heard someone pping. He swiftly turned around and saw a young man walking towards him pping his hands and with a smile on his face.

    ''Damn it. I didn''t even try to see if there was anyone hidden. He probably saw my shuriken jutsu work. Ok Daichi. Calm down.''

    ''Observe.''

    [LV.61] [Ren Uchiha]

    [Age: 27]

    [HP: 6988 ] [CP: 6855]

    [Ren Uchiha is a member of the Uchiha n. Although he is a talented shinobi who made chunin at 14 and joined the Leaf military police force, he doesn''t have much ambition. A year ago he married his childhood friend Kimiko Uchiha. Along with a strong devotion to his n, he is also dedicated to protecting the Leaf vige. He is one of the few Uchiha that never fell victim to the n''s ''Curse of Hatred''. He has powerful chakra and has awakened the two tomoe Sharingan. He is a powerful sensor ninja with a long range. He is a smart and kind person, always willing to help others in need.]

    ''Wow. An Uchiha. And based on the information a pretty strong one. But it looks like I don''t have to worry much about him. He doesn''t look like he''s here to cause trouble.''

    "That''s really impressive shurikenjutsu. I only know of two other people who could do what you just did at your age." The new arrival said.

    He had shoulder length hair which framed his face and the rest of which he tied into a ponytail. He wore a high cored blue shirt which had the Uchiha crest in its back and dark pants with sandals. He had a small smile on his face as he looked at Daichi.

    Daichi put on a slight smile and replied. "Thank you."

    "I''m Ren Uchiha. What''s your name?"

    At this question Daichi paused for a second before answering. He figured it wouldn''t make much difference if this Uchiha knew his name or not.

    "Daichi Hekima."

    "Ohh. So you''re the one who got the top spot amongst the academy''s first years." Ren had a teasing smile as he said this.

    Daichi was confused as to how he would know this information. "How do you know that?"

    "It''s not everyday you hear that someone beat the n head''s son for first spot. You''re in Sasuke''s ss aren''t you?!" Red posed the question as a statement.

    Daichi simply nodded. He asked with some suspicion. "Are you following me? How did you get here?"

    Ren chucked and raised his hands in mock surrender. "Easy big guy. I wasn''t following you. I sometimes simply walk through these woods to enjoy the peace and quiet." As he said thest sentence his joyful expression was slightly saddened. A secondter it disappeared and he once again put on a jolly face.

    ''What was that about?'' Daichi wondered.

    "So like I said earlier. Excellent shuriken skills. Who taught you how to throw like that?" Ren asked, curious to know the identity of this boy''s teacher.

    "No one. I learnt it myself." Daichi gave a short reply.

    Ren''s eyes slightly widened. He knew the skills and talent required to perform such a feat. Trained shinobi with years of experience were capable of doing what Daichi did but not when they were in the academy. "That''s very impressive." He couldn''t help but say.

    "Do you oftene here to train?"

    "No." Daichi shook his head. "I just saw the targets and wanted to test my skills."

    Ren nodded in understanding. "Nobodyes here these days. So it''s a good ce to train without anyone disturbing you." At that moment an rm rang on Ren''s watch. He looked at it and realized it was almost time for his patrol shift. "It''s time for me to leave. It was nice meeting you Daichi. Get home safely." He turned around and left.

    Daichi waited for a minute and then used the ''chakra sense'' skill to see if he or anyone else was still nearby. He couldn''t sense anybody within a 40 meter range. Figuring that he really was alone he let out a breath.

    ''I never thought I''d meet an Uchiha other than Sasuke and maybe Itachiter down the line I''ll probably never see him again. It''s best to keep it that way. I better leave before anyone else shows up.''

    Daichi turned around and left for his home.

    ---------

    A few minutes ago.

    Ren was walking through the woods to calm his troubled mind. ''These secret n meetings had gotten more intense. There were even talks about a coup d''etat against the leaf.''

    Even though he loved his n he was someone who never agreed with the n''s views on the vige.

    ''Now with Shisui''s death things have only gotten worse. Is there anything I can do?''

    As he walked he sensed a chakra several meters ahead of him. He quietly went behind a tree and looked. He saw a small child intently looking at the kunai targets hanging on the tree. He saw the child closing his eyes and concentrating. Wanting to see what the kid was going to do, Ren didn''t make a sound and stayed motionless.

    He watched in amazement as the kid jumped andunched the sharp weapons between his fingers one by one. He saw the first 6 kunai perfectly hitting the targets. He was a bit confused when he saw thest two were aimed nowhere near thest targets.

    But that confusion soon turned into astonishment when he saw the child deflect them with another two kunais and all of them striking their mark. An amazing feat when considering that the child managed to hit the one even in his blind spot.

    ''What incredible talent. Who is this boy? He doesn''t wear the n crest so he''s not an Uchiha.''

    Ren walked forward and struck up a conversation with the child. He was surprised to find out that this is the boy who defeated Sasuke. It came as a surprise to everyone when Sasuke, the son of the n head, was in second ce. Now having seen his skill, he could understand why. It was even more impressive that he learned to do it himself.

    It was then that his rm went off and reminded him of his patrol shift. He walked away hoping to meet this talented kid again.

    --------------

    Both Ren and Daichi didn''t realize it at the time but this meeting would be the first of their many and would eventually change the destiny of another.

    -------------------------

    Author''s Note:

    Hit me up with some power stone guys. Let''s get this story up the rankings.

 Chapter 35: End of the First Academic Year.

    Chapter 35: End of the First Academic Year.

    October 17.

    It was two days ago that his grandfather gave him the scrolls and his meeting with Ren Uchiha. After meeting the Uchiha, Daichi decided that it would be safer to test his jutsus in his own home.

    Daichi was in his backyard training. Hepleted his daily tasks assigned by the quest and was now about to test out the three jutsus his grandfather had given him. He had spent thest day learning everything written down on the scroll and memorizing every detail about the techniques. He acquired the ninjutsu skills ''Great fireball jutsu'', ''Rock shelter jutsu'' and Lightning style ''Overdrive''.

    The first jutsus he was gonna try out was the Fireball Jutsu.

    [Fire Style - Great Fireball Jutsu - Active(LV.1): A jutsu where the chakra kneaded in the body is converted into fire and expelled from the mouth either as a massive orb of roaring me or as a continuous stream of mes. The released mes, if strong enough, will engulf and vaporize the target and leave a crater on the ground''s surface.]

    [Rank: C]

    [Type: Ninjutsu]

    [Hand Seals: Tiger - Ram - Monkey - Boar - Horse - Tiger]

    [CP Cost: 308 Per shot.]

    [Note: The range and power of the attack can be altered by controlling the chakra kneaded into the attack.]

    He stood near arge pond in the clearing behind his house. His hands rapidly formed the necessary seals. Daichi built up his chakra and focused it to a point in his chest. And then forced it up through the throat and out the mouth.

    "Fire style - Great Fireball Jutsu."

    A stream of red hot me came from his mouth and instantly formed into a ball. The red ming sphere was around twice Daichi''s size and flew forward for several meters. Daichi kept up the jutsu for about a dozen seconds before cutting off its chakra and letting it die out instantly.

    The pond had several trails of steam wafting from its surface. As he took several breaths of air, he saw blue system message boxes popping up.

    [You have used your first fire nature jutsu.]

    [You have acquired the skill Fire affinity. ]

    [Fire affinity - (Active/Passive)(LV.1): Fire Release is one of the five basic nature transformations. It ismonly affiliated with Tiger hand-seal. At higher levels the user can control the shape, size and intensity of the mes. Once this skill crosses Level 90, the user canbine it with other nature affinities which have also crossed Level 90.]

    [Effects: 2% Increase in fire attack jutsu.

    2% Increase in fire defense jutsu.

    5% Increase in sess when creating fire style jutsu.

    1% Decrease in Chakra cost when using fire style jutsu.]

    ''Not bad. This nature is excellent for creating offense techniques. A perfect element for attacks of any range. Ok! 3 chakra natures down. Two more to go.''

    Daichi thought about the next jutsu he was going to use. He walked towards the small barren terrain a few meters away. The next jutsu he was going to test out was of the Earth chakra nature. His primary affinity.

    [Earth Style - Rock Shelter Jutsu - With this jutsu the user surrounds themselves with earth taken from the immediate vicinity without leaving the terrain unaltered. The created rock formation is capable of protecting both the user and others in close proximity if needed.]

    [Rank: C.]

    [Type: Ninjutsu]

    [Hand Seals: Snake - Rabbit - Ram.]

    [CP Cost: 200 Per Use.]

    [Note: After this skill passes above Level 40 the user can manipte the defense formation to his desires.]

    "It seems due to earth being my primary affinity the chakra cost of this jutsu is much less than the others. Well time to test it out."

    He quickly went through the three hand seals and then mmed his palms into the ground.

    "Earth style - Rock Shelter Jutsu."

    Daichi could feel his chakra quickly spreading through the earth and he could sense the shift in the rocks beneath and around him. A rock wall burst out of the ground in front of him and took the form of a half dome.

    The use of the jutsu left the terrain unchanged even with the new rock formation. It was a sturdy defense wall strong enough to withstand a couple of attacks from an average level shinobi.

    As expected, once he sessfullypleted the jutsu, new notification boxes appeared.

    [You have used your first Earth nature jutsu.]

    [You have acquired the skill Earth affinity. ]

    [Earth affinity - (Active/Passive)(LV.1): Earth Release is one of the five basic nature transformations. It ismonly affiliated with Tiger hand-seal. At higher levels the user can control the several minerals saturating the earth. Once this skill crosses Level 90, the user canbine it with other nature affinities which have also crossed Level 90. Primary affinity of the ''yer''.]

    [Effects: 6% Increase in earth attack jutsu.

    6% Increase in earth defense jutsu.

    30% Increase in sess when creating earth style jutsu.

    6% Decrease in Chakra cost when using earth style jutsu.]

    Daichi looked at the new affinity skill he received. He went over the effects of the skill and saw that they were much higher than that of the other affinity skill. ''It must be because earth is my main element. So of course using it would be easier than the rest.''

    Daichi walked around the earthen structure and looked at it. It was time to test thest jutsu. And this dome was a perfect test dummy for Daichi. He went over the details of the jutsu in his mind.

    Unlike the other 4 jutsus, this particr jutsu does not shoot an attack or affect the surroundings but rather help the user. A simple speed and power enhancing lightning style technique.

    [Lightning Style - Overdrive - Active(LV.1): This jutsu allows the user to change his chakra to lightning nature and channel it throughout the body to speed up the signals that are sent from the brain to the muscles to increase the user''s striking speed. This jutsu also gives the user cutting capabilities from barehanded attacks. Increases the speed of the punches, kicks and the like by several times. ]

    [Rank: C.]

    [Type: Ninjutsu.]

    [Hand Seals: Snake - Bird - Dragon.]

    [CP Cost: 230 Per use.]

    [Note: Overuse of this skill before precise control over lightning nature affinity can cause muscle and nerve damage along with rupture of weak and small blood vessels.]

    Daichi took a breath and went through the hand seals. ''Snake - Bird - Dragon.''

    "Lightning style - Overdrive jutsu."

    The moment Daichipleted the hand seals his body was covered in several small thin streaks of lightning. When Daichi concentrated, most of the lightning started to concentrate around his arms.

    Daichi punched and kicked the air a few times to test the reaction speed and capabilities of the jutsu. He decided that it was time to test it out on something solid.

    He spread his legs to center himself and then prepared for a punch. He pulled his arm back and then shot it several times faster than what he was capable of. Hended a solid punch on the rock dome. The increased strength and speed allowed him to punch several inches into the rock and create spider web shaped cracks on the portion of the dome where his fistnded.

    The stone dome was about a dozen inches thick. Yet Daichi was able to punch halfway through the defense formation in his first try. The result of this test had Daichi scratching his head for a few moments.

    He didn''t know whether his lightning attack was too weak to gopletely through the defense wall or whether his earth dome wasn''t strong enough to stop an attack before it reached halfway into the rock shield.

    Daichi cut off the chakra flow to his jutsu. He was feeling a tingling sensation all over his body. And he felt like he could taste metal in his mouth.

    [You have used your first lightning nature jutsu.]

    [You have acquired the skill Lightning affinity. ]

    [Lightning affinity - (Active/Passive)(LV.1): Lightning Release is one of the five basic nature transformations. It ismonly affiliated with Snake hand-seal. Once this skill crosses Level 85 the user can manipte some form of electricity dwelling in all matter known as Charged Particles. This will boost the user''s lightning powers several times. Once this skill crosses Level 90, the user canbine it with other nature affinities which have also crossed Level 90.]

    [Effects: 2% Increase in Lightning attack jutsu.

    2% Increase in Lightning defense jutsu.

    5% Increase in sess when creating Lightning style jutsu.

    1% Decrease in Chakra cost when using Lightning style jutsu.]

    ''Hmm. This lightning jutsu will be good as a supplementary technique. But I''ll have to see to it that I don''t over do it''

    ''Finally. Now I have all the affinity skills. But if I try to master all 5 at the same time I won''t get the results I want anytime soon. I need to concentrate on two chakra natures. Maybe three Hmm what should they be?''

    Daichi sat down cross legged and thought about it logically. He weighed the strengths and weaknesses of each nature and came to a conclusion.

    ''My first choice would obviously be earth. It''s my primary affinity and it''s the element surrounding me most.''

    ''The second choice would be lightning. Earth chakra nature is weak against lightning. So when I use earth jutsu people will try to counter with lightning. I need absolute mastery over lightning to avoid getting into trouble and maybe even take them by surprise.''

    ''What should be my third choice? A powerful attack element. Fire seems like an excellent choice. Fire has the power to keep someone warm at night and at the same time to burn everything to ash. It creates and destroys. A truly unpredictable element.''

    Daichi decided that the main three chakra natures he would focus on would be the earth, lightning and fire. He decided to do research on these chakra natures.

    ''I''ll train the remaining two but I won''t put much focus on it. Not till Ipletely master these three anyway. I need to see if the old man has any books on these natures. If not I''ll have to head to the library.''

    --------------

    Time went by quickly. Daichi spent his days going to the academy and researching topics rted to chakra and jutsus. Daichi had made a bnce between Academic work, training and taking a couple days off to rest and rx every two weeks.

    But he wasn''t the only one training hard. Days passed in the blink of an eye for Daichi. It was soon February 15. He was currently in the middle of a sparring match in the academy grounds.

    Daichi avoided the swift kick to the head and tried to sweep his opponent off his feet. His enemy jumped dodging the attack and retaliated with several fast punches. Daichi blocked all of them but he was surprised at the speed and power behind them.

    ''It looks like I''m not the only one training to go beyond their limits. His strength and speed have increased a bit from thest time. Not enough to force me to go all out but definitely enough to keep me on my toesNot bad Sasuke. Guess now that he''s number two he has someone topare and measure his strength.''

    Daichi was concentrating on the fight even while he had these thoughts. He wouldn''t let his guard down against anyone or anything. A lesson he learned in the dungeon. Which was why he was able to sessfully evade a jab to the throat, and side step a fist to the face.

    ''He''s gotten a lot more focused and aggressive than thest time we fought. And the look on his face Yeah he wants to beat me badly. Time to end this.''

    Daichi evaded Sasuke''s several attacks and got in close. He threw a fast punch that took the wind out of the Uchiha and thennded a powerful open palm strike that had enough force to push Sasuke out of the ring. Sasuke fell to one knee coughing.

    "Match over. Winner Daichi. Now make the Seal of Reconciliation, you two."

    Sasuke red at Daichi. He was furious that he had lost another match. He slowly got up and went to the ring. Both Daichi and Sasuke slowly bought their hands to make the seal but halfway through Sasuke made a move to grab Daichi''s shirt. And Daichi held his hand stopping him midway. Both of them had a serious expression.

    Daikoku sensei stepped forward. "That''s enough you two! The fight is over. Let go and make the Seal."

    Both Daichi and Sasuke stared at each other and then rxed their hands. They made the seal but everyone could see that neither one was happy to do it. Daikoku sensei sighed as he looked at his two mostpetitive students.

    The next Taijutsu match started as Daichi looked on. ''Is it just me or did I somehow rece Naruto as his rival or something? That''s a problem I don''t want anything to do with.''

    Daichi used ''observe'' on Sasuke.

    [LV.14] [Sasuke Uchiha]

    [Age: 6]

    [HP: 1431] [CP: 1300]

    [Sasuke Uchiha is the son of the Uchiha n head Fugaku and his wife Mikoto. He is the youngest of two children. He is a happy child eager to please and be worthy of his n name. He wants to surpass his older brother Itachi Uchiha. Sasuke Uchiha has a vast amount of hidden potential and talent. He loathes you and trains hard everyday to be strong enough to defeat you and impress his father. He has a powerful chakra that is currently dormant.]

    Reading the information, Daichi felt like he wanted to m his head into a tree. ''Nooo I don''t want to deal with his problems. That''s what Naruto is here for God damn it.''

    Soon it was the middle of March. The final report cards were given and the students were given a two week break. Daichi maintained his top spot amongst his ssmates. sses for the second term ended and thus Daichipleted his first year in the academy.

    -------------------------------------------------------------

    Author''s Note:

    Hit me up with some power stone guys. Let''s get this story up the rankings.

 Chapter 36: Training and Relaxing

    Chapter 36: Training and Rxing

    Daichi was lying in bed staring at the ceiling of his room. Today was thest day of his first year at the ninja academy. While his time in the academy was not that useful, his year training was. He sessfully managed toplete all tasks assigned by the quest ''path to the strongest''. The year has ended but he still hasn''t gotten the special reward forpleting the dungeon.

    Time went by as Daichiid there thinking about various things. As the clock on the table struck midnight, new notification boxes came.

    [Ongoing Quest - ''Path to the strongest.'']

    [1st Year tasks sessfullypleted. Distributing the Special reward for clearing a dungeon. ]

    ''Finally. About time. Looks like the reward is given when thest day is over huh Ok. Time to see what I got.''

    [Special Reward:]

    [Title: Apprentice Dungeon Warrior. (This title will increase all your stats by 10% when fighting inside a dungeon.)]

    ''Huh I thought it would be some kind of a skill or maybe even an itemThis is kind of underwhelming but still Apprentice dungeon warrior. This title may not look like much but this will definitelye in handy.''

    Daichi opened his status page.

    [Name : Daichi Hekima (The Gamer)]

    [ss : Student]

    [Age : 6]

    [Title : Capable Child, Explorer, Prodigy, Beast yer, Apprentice Dungeon Warrior.]

    [Level : 27 (102/21875)]

    .

    [HP : 2300]

    [CP : 2523.2]

    [SP : 2180]

    [MP: 1045]

    .

    [Primary Stats]

    Strength - 49

    Vitality - 48

    Dexterity - 46

    Agility - 47

    Intelligence - 57

    Chakra - 59

    Wisdom - 34

    .

    [Special Stats]

    Sense - 53

    Stamina - 57

    Indomitable (LOCKED)

    Charisma - 28

    Persistence - 2

    Dignity (LOCKED)

    Luck (LOCKED)

    .

    [Stat Points - 313]

    [Ryo - 220028]

    ''All my stats have increased in thesest 4 months. And I''ve gone up a level. But I''m beginning to stagnate again. Guess the only way to really improve in the next 5 years ispleting Dungeons. But fighting and training everyday is starting to get a bit dull.''

    Daichi closed his eyes and thought about what to do to alleviate his boredom.

    ''I''m sure I''ll figure something out. That''s a ''future me'' problem. Time for the ''present me'' to get some sleep.''

    ----------------------------------------------

    Daichi finished the human anatomy book Kensei gave him a long time ago. So he had a great understanding of the human body. Now it was time to enhance his sense of touch.

    Daichi concentrated his chakra throughout his body. The 4 most basic senses of touch are hot, cold, pressure and pain. The sensory nervous system that is associated with the sense of touch includes parallel receptors and nerve pathways for temperature, body position, movements and pain. Thisplex system of sensory neurons responds to changes both on the outside and inside of the body.

    Daichi concentrated his chakra on the nerve receptors of the skin throughout his body. After about 15 minutes he got the results he desired.

    [A new skill is created with a specific action.]

    [By sessfully concentrating and infusing chakra throughout the skin nerve cells and connected pathways of your body and improving your sense of touch, the skill ''Superior Touch'' has been created.]

    [Superior Touch - Active(LV. 1): A skill obtained through infusing chakra through the receptors and pathways of your skin. At a much higher level this skill can sense even the minute flow of the air and feel the vibrations of the ground.]

    [Effects: +5% Increase in Skin sensitivity.

    CP cost : 25/sec. ]

    Daichi could feel the weight of his clothes, the temperature of his body and the atmosphere at a much higher degree. He let go of the new jutsu. This technique was a bit overwhelming to him at the moment. Not because of the chakra cost but because of what he could feel.

    His brain was being overloaded with information. He decided that he would practice it when he was a little bit stronger and more in tune with his body. Suddenly new blue boxes popped up.

    [You have sessfully connected with your body''s 6 senses. ]

    [Your special stat SENSE can now be utilized more efficiently. Improve the skills associated with your body senses to Level 50 to evolve them. ]

    "Wow. That''s new. If I''d known this would happen I would have done this a long time ago."

    Daichi looked at the description. He was curious to see what the effects of a skill evolution would be.

    Daichi meditated to bring himself to a calm and optimal state. There were two more skills he wanted to create.

    ''This technique has a variety of applications. But there is a prerequisite before attempting to learn this. When shinobi learn to use chakra they subconsciously channel a very small portion of their chakra to their bodies to make themselves faster and stronger. A chakra enhancement on the subconscious stage. Then the next level of it is consciously controlling their chakra and channeling it to their hands or feet or any other parts of their body. This will have a much more prominent effect and the person can control just how much chakra is needed for each action.''

    ''This technique deals with the internal chakra flow of the body. A shinobi should have precise control of their chakra before attempting this skill. If not there would be serious consequences. That''s why this is mainly taught to chunin or the few genin after they master the water walking technique. My chakra control is far better than a genin by now. Still... I need to be careful.''

    Daichi''s goal was to create the chakra enhancement skill. He stood and concentrated his chakra throughout his muscles in his four limbs. He already learned the water walking and tree walking skills in the dungeon and he improved them during thest 4 months. He was confident in creating this new skill.

    [A new skill is created with a specific action.]

    [Through sessfully controlling and supplying your chakra to the muscles, tissues and bones of your body, the skill ''Chakra Enhancement'' has been created.]

    [Chakra Enhancement - Active(LV.1): By controlling and supplying chakra throughout the body, a shinobi can surpass their limits. This technique helps the user enhance his body to go beyond ordinary limitations. ]

    [Note: The chakra cost of the skill and increase in abilities, depends on the chakra supplied.]

    [Effects: Increase the attack and defense power.

    Increase Strength, Stamina, Agility and Vitality.

    Decrease the damage taken.]

    "Yes. And it looks like the chakra cost of this depends on how much I use. That''s definitely a bonus. Now instead of using stamina to increase speed, I can use chakra. This will help mest a fight much longer."

    "Ok. One more jutsu. Then I''ll be done for the day."

    Daichi took out a kunai and concentrated. He let his chakra move to his arms, then to his palms and then he tried to let his chakra flow into the weapon. Daichi had done this once when he was fighting the crocodile boss but he had done it subconsciously and hadn''t realized it at the time. After several seconds of concentration he was sessful in his endeavor.

    [Chakra Flow - Active(LV.1): This skill allows the user to manipte their chakra and let it flow through an object. The user can also use this technique to increase the potency of their weapons. Some users can use several chakra natures to coat their weapons. Although this depends on their chakra proficiency. ]

    [Note: The chakra cost of the skill, depends on the chakra supplied.]

    Effects: +3% Strength increase to the object.

    +3% Increase in chakra flow.

    -1% Decrease in chakra cost.

    "It''s done. Now I have the skill and techniques needed to survive the next dungeon."

    Daichi took a look around. It was past evening. He had been training for several days without break and was starting to feel the mental strain.

    "I''m gonna take a break for the next few days Hmm I think I have an idea"

    -------------------------------

    The next morning.

    It was sunrise. Daichi was at the top of the Hokage monument. He was sitting near the edge of the monument''s cliff. Directly below him was the head of the first Hokage Hashirama Senju.

    In front of him was a white canvas and several bottles of paints and a few brushes.

    "Ahh. What a great morning. I''ve always wanted to do this."

    Daichi looked out at the vige. "Oh wow! It looks so beautiful." He was amazed by the sight in front of him. He didn''t waste any more time and got to work.

    Daichi began drawing the leaf vige. He took his time and looked at the vige. He saw the buildings, trees and people and wanted to draw them into the canvas. A detailed artwork perfectly capturing the ce.

    It was a peaceful atmosphere. Daichi didn''t think about his training or the troubles the future would bring him. He let go of all his worries and enjoyed himself. As the time passed his concentration was fully on the painting.

    He drew a rough sketch of the vige first and then slowly started to detail it. Daichi focused on a small portion of the image at a time. He took it slow so as to not make any mistakes. Daichi used his skill ''superior sight'' to catch even the farthest details.

    Once Daichi was done with the sketch he started to paint. It took him several hours toplete his painting.

    But once the artwork waspleted it looked magnanimous. Daichi''s paintingpletely captured the beauty of the vige. From the golden rays shining down to the smallest shop, from the Hokage tower all the way to the giant walls surrounding the vige. He captured everything in his view to perfection. To Daichi it looked as if he took the perfect photo of the vige with the best lighting.

    [Due to sessfullypleting a beautiful artwork, you have obtained +1 DEX.]

    ''Nice. I got a dexterity increase... It looks fantastic. Perfect to hang on my wall."

    He had a wide grin on his face. This was one of his best artworks yet.

    "Wow. It looks gorgeous!"

    Daichi suddenly heard the sound of a female behind him. He turned around and looked.

    He saw a girl around his age looking at the painting. She had long brown hair and slightly pale skin. She wore a pink kimono and red baggy pants.

    "Thanks." Daichi replied. And then he thought of something. "Were you watching me paint?"

    "Yeah." The girl shyly nodded. "You looked like you didn''t want to be disturbed so I kinda just watched."

    "Oh! Ok My name''s Daichi Hekima. What''s yours?"

    "I''m Yakumo Kurama. It''s nice to meet a fellow painter." The girl replied.

    "You paint?" Daichi didn''t know why but he became intrigued with this girl.

    "Yeah. Although it''s mostly for my Genjutsu." She replied.

    "You''re training in the academy?" Daichi asked.

    "Yeah It was nice meeting you Daichi. But I have to get home soon. I hope we see each other again."

    "You too."

    Yakumo left and Daichi started collecting his things. His mind was still on the girl.

    ''Why does she feel so familiar to me? I''ve definitely seen her before. But from where?''

    As he was racking his brain for answers it suddenly came. And it surprised him.

    ''Holy crap. Now I remember. In the show, she had a filler episode or two I think. Yakumo Kurama. The Genjutsu users who once studied under Jonin Kurenai. Wow. So that''s her.''

    Daichi was trying to recall the details of that episode. ''Damn it. It''s been so long. I only saw fillers like twice or something. And it''s been almost two years.''

    As Daichi was thinking about this another thought suddenly popped in his head.

    ''Wait a minute. Does that mean filler episodes are real? Oh man! That''s gonna be a headache Whatever. No point in thinking about it now.''

    Daichi stored the supplies in a storage scroll and waited till the paint on the canvas dried. He then sealed it in a separate storage scroll and slowly started to walk home.

    Three days ago was his 7th birthday. His grandfather took him to Shi''s restaurant and they celebrated. And it has also been two years since he awakened at the vige. Tomorrow his second year in the academy will begin. He was looking forward to it.

    -----------------------------------------------

    Author''s Note:

    Hit me up with some power stone guys. Let''s get this story up the rankings.

 Chapter 37: Beginning the 2nd Year

    Chapter 37: Beginning the 2nd Year

    You have slept in a bed. HP, CP, SP and MP have been fully restored.

    Daichi woke up to the usual greeting of the system. Today is the first day of April and his 2nd year in the academy. Daichipleted his morning rituals and was getting ready to start his daily quests.

    Suddenly new blue system boxes showed up.

    [Ongoing quest - ''Path to the strongest'' updated.]

    [Tasks toplete this year have been updated. New item is delivered to your inventory. Wear the new training clothes whenpleting the daily quests.]

    .

    [Conditions:]

    Complete 100 Push ups (Daily)

    Complete 100 Squats (Daily)

    Complete 100 Punches(Daily)

    Run 10 Kilometers (Daily)

    Complete at least 1 Dungeon before the end of this academic year.

    Take the top spot in your ss.

    Learn 5 jutsus of any Rank of all the basic natures.

    .

    [Rewards:]

    Status Recovery (Daily)

    Random Reward(Weekly)

    +3 Stat Points (Weekly)

    Special reward for clearing a dungeon.

    Additional rewards for each extra dungeon cleared.

    New Skill for sessfully learning new jutsus.

    .

    [Failure:]

    -5 Stat points.

    Penalty Dungeon.

    Death.

    .

    [ept (Y/N)]

    Daichi clicked yes and without wasting time opened his inventory.

    He saw a new set of clothes added in the boxes. He took them out and used ''observe''.

    [Weighted Training Clothes] [Rare Item: Rank C]

    [A training gear created by the system to help the ''yer''. Consists of clothing garments that can be worn under the dress. Made from some of the most durable materials for withstanding intense training and designed to providefort and aesthetic appeal to the wearer. The clothes are ck in color with several red intricate patterns on them.

    Consists of 2 leg warmers to be worn below the knee and 2 arm sleeves to be worn below the elbow. Each weighing exactly 1 KG.

    Consists of 1 undershirt and 1 trouser to be worn under the clothes. Each weighing exactly 3 KG.]

    Daichi calcted the weights in his mind. ''So a total of 10 kilos spread all across my body. Looks like the system wants me to start weight training. This is a lot sooner than I nned.''

    Daichi sighed at the new requirements forpleting the daily quests. He stripped and started putting them on. He had a bit of trouble wearing the inner garments but after a little bit of struggle he sessfully wore them.

    He then wore the arm sleeves and the leg warmers and finally put clothes on top. Daichi was having a little trouble walking and even standing. He slowly moved around the room and got used to the weights. Daichi then looked at the new task added to the quest.

    ''Learning 5 jutsus of any rank huh. Doable. I''ll focus on simple Ninjutsu and maybe learn one or two easy Genjutsu as well. But that''s forter. Time to start my daily tasks.''

    A few minutester he left the house and went for a walk. Daichi was slowly but steadily getting used to the new weights. Once he felt confident that he wouldn''t trip and fall down he started to jog. As time went by he slowly increased his speed and when hepleted his morning run, he started to work on the rest.

    ----------------------------------

    Academy ss.

    Daichi stepped into the ssroom. He saw the students that arrived before him, all chatting in groups. It briefly reminded him of his time in school in his previous life. Slightly shaking his head as if to get rid of the thoughts he walked and took his ce near the back. Very few people other than those from the n were willing to engage in simple conversations with him. One of the cons of being at the top.

    As time passed all the students arrived and took their seats. A few momentster the bell rang and Daikoku sensei came into the room.

    "Hello ss. Wee to your second year. This year you''ll learn much more about being a shinobi and using chakra. Along with the courses of the previous year you''ll be taught various Ninjutsu and how to use them in a fight. You''ll also be taught the shinobi rules and I expect all of you to memorize them. We''ll get into more details as the ss goes on. Let''s start."

    Daichi was curious about the strength of his teacher. He couldn''t see the information before. So he decided to use ''observe''. Since he was level 27 he could see the information of someone upto level 72.

    ''Observe''

    [LV.63] [Daikoku Funeno]

    [Age: 30]

    [HP: 7568] [CP: 7725]

    [Daikoku Funeno is a chunin of the Leaf vige. He spent several years in the field before he decided to join the academy where he serves as a teacher. He married his former teammate Reimi several years ago. He is a jovial individual who is fond of teaching. He has high expectations from talented students. He is adept at using water and earth nature jutsus.]

    ''Level 63 huh. Not bad. And he''s capable of using 2 chakra natures. If he hadn''t be a teacher he probably would have made Jonin.''

    Daikoku sensei handed out the curriculum for the year and sses began. As the days passed Daichi noticed that Naruto was starting to act out more and more. He was pranking the teachers and the students he didn''t like. But the teachers ignored him and that just made him act more juvenile.

    ''As long as I don''t annoy him I''ll be fine. I''m looking forward to the day he''ll paint the mountain.'' Daichi chuckled at the thought.

    Daichi spent his time going over various books avable for students in the library. He was mainly searching for books rted to earth and minerals. Daichi wanted to understand every facet of his primary affinity before he got started. He has a long year ahead of him.

    ---------------

    It was May 12. Daichi was currently in the woods where he met Ren Uchiha. He was training his shurikenjutsu and steadily improving his skills. Near him stood Ren watching and instructing Daichi on how to perfect his skills. After their first meeting Daichi and Ren met on several asions and since several days ago, Ren decided to teach Daichi some simple tricks and skills.

    Daichi was in the air as the kunai flew from his hands. 7 out of the 10 hit dead center and was a perfect shot. The others only missed by a couple of inches.

    "Perfect shot Daichi. You''re getting better." Ren encouraged him.

    [Due to sessful control of your body and senses, you have obtained +1 DEX]

    Daichi looked at the results. "Not perfect but I''m getting there."

    "That''s the spirit. But these are just training dummies. The ultimate pinnacle of Shurikenjutsu is to be able to throw on instincts and sessfully strike your enemy. Hitting a moving target while under pressure is different from training."

    "I know." Ren didn''t know that Daichi was speaking from experience. Daichi learnt that fact from his dungeon run.

    "Can I ask you something? Why are you helping me with my training?" Daichi wanted to know what Ren''s motivation was for helping him.

    At this question Ren went silent. He was quiet for a few seconds before looking at Daichi.

    "It''s practice."

    "Practice for what?" Daichi was confused with the reply.

    "For when I have to train my child when they be a student." Ren had a smile on his face as he said this. "Kimiko is pregnant."

    Daichi''s eyes widened. "Wow!!. Congrattions. How long?"

    "3 weeks. I just found out a few days ago. We''re so happy." Ren said excitedly.

    "So that''s why you''ve had that dopey smile on your face since you got here." Daichi said with a teasing smirk.

    Ren just smiled. "I''ve always wanted a daughter. Smart like me and beautiful like her mother." He was anxious but also happy to be starting a family.

    Daichi went on to collect his weapons. "Well, it''s gettingte. I gotta get home. Good luck with the parenting thing."

    "I''m so happy but also nervous." Ren said, also getting ready to leave.

    "I''m sure you''ll figure it out." Daichi turned around and only walked just a couple of feet.

    "Yeah. Who knows. Maybe you''ll be her sensei by the time she graduates from the academy." Ren walked away from Daichi not knowing the impact those words had on the boy.

    Daichi stopped in his tracks. Thosest words brought back knowledge of events Daichi tried not to think about. His face went pale as he thought about what was going to happen a year from now.

    ''Fuck, fuck, FUCK!!! The Uchiha massacre. I repressed it so much I almost forgot about it. The only Uchihas to survive are Itachi, Sasuke and that bastard Obito. Damn it. When does the massacre take ce? It''s been over two years and I''m slowly forgetting the details.''

    The gamer''s mind skill took effect as Daichi was starting to freak out. He calmed down and quickly left the ce. He thought about telling Ren to leave but he couldn''t bring himself to do it.

    ''If I tell him anything he''ll either report me to his n head or the Hokage. Neither is a good option for me. Damn it. What am I supposed to do?... Over thesest five, six months I''ve grown to like him. I''d even go so far as to say he''s a friend.''

    Daichi clenched his fists and slowly gritted his teeth as he walked home. When his emotions spiked the Gamer''s mind once again activated calming him down.

    ''Should I just turn a blind eye or should I do something? Even then what can I do? I''m just an academy student. I was soo arrogant to think I could just change an event as big and dangerous as the massacre by myself... Damn it! Damn it!... Ok Daichi. Calm down. Take a few breaths.''

    He took a few deep breaths of air and got his emotions under control.

    ''I have at least one year before the tragedy happens. I''ll decide what to do by then.''

    Daichi went home and trained a lot longer than usual. He wanted to distract himself from thinking about the situation with Ren and his family. He trainedte till night and only when he waspletely exhausted did he go to bed.

    ------------------

    Months passed with Daichi making progress in his chakra affinity training. Kensei had taught him the various ways earth and fire affinity could be used in battle. "Once your chakra control is up to par we''ll go into the more in depth training." Kensei said to him.

    September has begun. Daichi decided that he was going to start the next dungeon during the two week break in October.

    It was noon at the academy. Daichi was sitting outside eating his lunch. There were dozens of other students eating their food and talking about various things. As Daichi ate his food he noticed something strange.

    Ino, Shikamaru and Choji were sneaking around the ce. As Daichi looked closer he saw them sneakily steal food from the unsuspecting and distracted kids. Daichi looked around to see if anyone else had noticed them stealing the food. As he looked, his eyes fell on Sakura who was watching the three from behind a tree.

    Ino and the rest swiped a small portion of food from various students and then decided to leave. Daichi saw Sakura following them.

    "Now isn''t this an interesting development! What are they up to?" Daichi muttered to himself. His curiosity got the better of him. He packed up his things and followed.

    Daichi was following Sakura who was following Ino, Choji and Shikamaru. Ino and her friends went to the back of the academy and left the grounds. They traveled for quite a while unaware that Sakura and Daichi were on their trail.

    ''Sakura isn''t so bad at this. It looks like she can be stealthy when she wants to be.'' Daichi thought to himself. As he was following them, he also made sure no one was following him.

    They soon reached a forest and were going deeper inside. Sakura followed and behind was Daichi.

    ''Where the heck are they going?'' Daichi made sure to memorize the ce and route he took.

    Soon the future team 10 reached their destination. They were in front of a shabby looking tree house with a torn up weather for sale sign hanging near it. Sakura was near them hiding behind a bush and Daichi hid himself behind a tree a few meters behind her.

    Daichi sneaked a peek at the tree house. ''Time to find out what''s going on?''

    -------------------

    Author''s Note:

    Hit me up with some power stone guys. Let''s get this story up the rankings.

    If you enjoy the chapters then please take a moment to review and rate.

 Chapter 38: The Mysterious child and Chakra Training

    Chapter 38: The Mysterious child and Chakra Training

    Ino, Shikamaru and Choji reached the treehouse.

    "Yota Where are you?... It''s us. Come out to y?" The three called out to their mysterious friend.

    "Yota Are you asleep? Wake up! It''s us" Ino called out to the person.

    Suddenly a small skinny boy popped out of the tree leaves.

    "Ino! Shikamaru! Choji! You''re here." The boy was smiling looking at his new friends. He then jumped onto a smaller tree branch andughed.

    ''Now who is that kid? I don''t remember him from the original series.'' Daichi thought and tried to recall any information on the boy.

    At that moment the young boy named Yota saw Sakura hiding behind a tree looking at them. He looked at her for a few seconds and then called out loudly.

    "Forehead!"

    Sakura, startled by the shout, slipped and fell. Daichi chuckled looking at theic scene taking ce. Shikamaru and the other two turned around and saw Sakura.

    "Oh? You''re" Choji eximed.

    "Sakura!? What are you doing here?" Ino asked.

    "How troublesome." Shikamaru sighed, rubbing his head.

    "Ow Ow Ow" Sakura slowly stood up and looked at her ssmates. Just then the little kid ran to Sakura and called out. "Forehead!"

    Heughed and ran around her having fun. Daichi was watching the scene from several trees behind. As he looked on, he felt somethingnd on his head. He looked up and his eyes widened. It was snowing.

    ''Snowing? At this season? Something is strange with the weather.'' Daichi looked ahead to theughing child. ''I''m guessing he has something to do with this.''

    Daichi stepped out of his hiding spot and went to his ssmates. He saw them noticing his presence.

    Shikamaru heard footsteps and tilted his head. It was then he saw Daichi walking towards them. Choji and Ino also saw himing.

    "Daichi!? How did you get here?" Shikamaru asked defensively. He was aware of how serious Daichi could be. He was also aware of his strength. Shikamaru had an understanding as to what makes most of his ssmates tick. But he didn''t know what to make of this particr one.

    Daichi came near them and stopped. "I saw you guys stealing food from the students at the academy. I got curious and followed you guys here."

    Shikamaru almost facepalmed upon hearing this. ''Of course he''d notice. We should have been more careful.''

    "Grumpy face." The little kid named Yota said pointing at him. Daichi took a good look at the kid.

    He was a small skinny boy with tan skin. He had spiky brown hair that reached his waist and short bangs hanging over his eyes. He had a wide smile on his face and Daichi could see a sharp tooth sticking out of the right side of his mouth. He was wearing a full green robe with a brown cloak.

    It was at that moment Daichi noticed something strange with the kid''s eyes. ''Those eyes He has ck sclerae'' It only took a few seconds for Daichi to know where he remembered that from.

    ''Reanimation jutsu!!? Don''t tell me he''s a reanimated zombie.''

    Daichi had a serious look on his face. He instantly used ''observe'' on the boy.

    [LV.?] [Yota]

    [Age: 8]

    [HP: ?? CP: ??]

    [A reanimation created by Orochimaru. Yota was born into a traveling n who could manipte the weather and made their living. He is a naive, carefree and fun loving boy. He possesses an unusually powerful ability to manipte the weather. Even his emotions are capable of changing the weather. Due to being born with a frail body he died of natural causes not too long ago. Orochimaru left him as a test subject and is not actively controlling him.]

    "What''s with the look Daichi?"

    Just as Daichi finished reading the information, Shikamaru questioned him.

    Daichi let out a small sigh. ''Thank god this kid isn''t going to wreak havoc or anything I hope.''

    "It''s nothing He''s not from the vige is he?"

    "No. If they find out an outsider is within the vige, it''ll cause trouble for Yota" Shikamaru said.

    Daichi nodded in agreement. "Yeah. Especially with the current tensions between the viges. How did he even get here?"

    Choji had a sheepish look on his face at that question. Shikamaru sighed and answered. "Choji was practicing his kunai throwing skills and he identally pinned Yota to a tree That''s how we found him. Since he was just a kid looking for someone to y with, we figured it would be best if we kept this a secret."

    At this point Yota jumped and stood in front of Daichi. He pointed his finger andughed.

    "Grumpy! Grumpy! Grumpy!"

    He ran around Daichi as if he was ying around. Daichi chuckled looking at the antics of the little kid. ''For a second I thought this kid would have some malicious intent being a reanimation and all But it looks like I''m wrong. I guess there''s nothing to worry about.''

    "Forehead Forehead Forehead." Young Yota then ran around Sakuraughing at her. Sakura puffed her cheeks as she looked at the kid. "Hey don''t make fun of me."

    "What''s your name kid?" Daichi asked even though he knew.

    "I''m Yota."

    "Where are you from?"

    "Nowhere!" Yota keptughing and answered. "Kon Kon Kon it''s snowing! Kon!"

    "Looks like he took a liking to you guys." Shikamaru smiled.

    Daichi looked around and saw the falling snow. "Is it snowing because you''re happy?" He asked the boy.

    "Um!" Yota nodded.

    "That''s a pretty cool ability." Sakura chimed in.

    "Yeah!" Ino agreed as well.

    Daichi looked at Shikamaru and said, "I take it you three stole the food for him?"

    The young Nara sighed and simply nodded.

    "Here. You can have mine too." Daichi handed his food to Yota. The boy jumped with excitement. "Yay. Food for my tum tum!"

    "So you''ll keep this a secret? You won''t tell the adults about him?" Shikamaru asked Daichi.

    "No. He doesn''t look like he''s here to cause trouble. I''ll keep this between us."

    The young Nara simply nodded and smiled.

    Reputation increases with Shikamaru, Ino and Choji.

    All of them gathered near the treehouse and watched Yota eat the food he had. It was snowing and soon there was enough snow to y around with. Once he ate his food they started ying.

    Daichi build a snowman and thenid on the ground and made snow angels. They had snowball fights and rode sledges.

    For the first time since bing a part of this world, Daichi had fun ying with kids his age. He enjoyed spending time just goofing off. That day he made some true friends.

    ------------------------------

    Shikamaru and the others would go y with Yota everyday after the academy. Unfortunately Daichi couldn''t spend all his time ying around. But he''d give Shikamaru some food to bring to Yota.

    It was a Saturday morning. Daichi was currently at home trying to control his chakra and changing it to earth nature. He then took a stone and started his shape transformation training. He remembered what his grandfather had said when he inquired about the affinity training.

    ''The change in chakra nature is an advanced form of chakra control that entails molding and defining the nature of one''s chakra. Altering its characteristics and properties to use in jutsus. Then there''s the change in chakra form.'' He could remember what Kensei said all those months ago like it was yesterday.

    ----------------------------------------------

    shback:

    "Hey gramps How do I go about creating a jutsu?" Daichi asked Kensei one morning after breakfast.

    The old man thought for a few seconds before giving his answer. "Creating a jutsu is a veryplicated process. As you know, to use jutsu a person weaves several hand-seals which allows them to mold their chakra a certain way allowing them to use techniques of any nature. To create a new jutsu one must have sufficient knowledge about all the hand-seals and how they mold the chakra inside the body. And that''s just the very basics."

    Daichi listened attentively to every word Kensei said.

    "The two most important aspects of creating or modifying a technique are Nature transformations and Shape transformation. Now, Nature transformation helps us change the properties of chakra. We can turn our raw chakra to fire, water, earth, lightning and wind depending on our proficiency with the skill. Do you understand so far?"

    Daichi nodded. Kensei continued.

    "Now shape transformation or change in chakra form as some say, deals with the changes in actual form, movement and range of the technique. It helps us alter the abilities of a jutsu."

    "I understand. But what about Yin and Yang chakra? I read that they help in Genjutsu and medical Ninjutsu!" Daichi asked.

    "It''s true. There are several techniques that fall under the category of Yin and Yang release. The Nara n''s shadow jutsu''s are based on Yin nature chakra while the Akimichi n''s body jutsus fall under Yang release." Kensei said.

    "Yin is based on the spiritualposition of the chakra and Yang is based on the physical part, isn''t it?"

    "Yes Daichi. But using the jutsus that require yin and yang nature transformations are extremely difficult even for adults. The reason that ordinary people can''t use a n''s secret techniques is because members of a n are predisposed to their affinity when they are born. It''s why you don''t see an Akimichi using a shadow possession jutsu and vice-versa." Kensei wanted to make sure Daichi knew the difficulty of attempting such a task.

    "What about elements that fall outside of the basic 5? Like ice orve technique? Or wood style jutsu?" Daichi asked.

    "Reading up on the first Hokage and other viges, have we?" Kensei lightly chuckled.

    "Daichi! Do you think you''re the first one who had these thoughts?... There were countless people who mastered 2 affinity and tried tobine them to create a third new element. But they weren''t sessful. It''s why we call the shinobi who can use elements like that, ''Kekkei Genkai'' users. One must have a gic advantage when trying to use techniques like that."

    "But hypothetically, can it be done? If a person has absolute control over multiple affinities, can they create it?" Daichi was going to max out his skills and try tobine different affinities to create new elemental jutsus. Or at least that''s his n. He wanted to know his grandfather''s opinion in the matter.

    Kensei thought long and hard about this question. And after sometime gave him an answer. "For a person who doesn''t have a Kekkei Genkai I''m gonna have to say no. When you master multiple natures, using those individually is an easy task. But using them simultaneously is a different matter altogether. So that''s why even if you master all 5 chakra natures, unless you have a Kekkei Genkai you won''t be able tobine them Butanything is possible in this world. So who knows"

    Kensei then looked at Daichi. "I don''t want you to try and do too many things at once. You''ll only hinder yourself that way. Right now we know your natural affinity is earth. Start with earth nature chakra. Train in it. Then when you have reached advanced mastery, we''ll try the others. This is advanced stuff. I''m only starting you on it because your talent is far greater than others. But that doesn''t mean it''s going to be easy. Do you understand?"

    "I understand Gramps." Daichi replied in a serious tone indicating he understood the importance of the task.

    Kensei took Daichi outside and both of them sat down on the ground. "I want you to feel the earth. The ground, the small pebbles, the soil beneath you" Kensei then gave Daichi a small stone made of y. It was half the size of Daichi''s fist.

    "We''re going to start on the ''shape changing'' aspect of your chakra. This is a very simple and basic training method for earth affinity users. It''s just to get you to feel the way your chakra responds to you Now concentrate and pour some chakra into the stone." Kensei began his lesson on earth maniption.

    "Your chakra is an aspect of you. And since earth is your natural affinity you have a much greater connection to it than those who do not. Remember how your chakra would feel when you use an earth jutsu? Close your eyes and concentrate on that."

    Daichi closed his eyes as he held the stone. He would always try to feel what his chakra would be like when he performed the 5 basic jutsus he knew. Daichi focused and started flowing his chakra into the stone. Once the outeryer of the stone was coated in his chakra he slowly pushed his chakra to prate into its core. Coating itpletely after a few minutes.

    "Excellent. You''re progressing faster than I thought." Kenseiplimented.

    [Skill Chakra Flow''s level has risen by one.]

    "Now imagine a thick sheet of paper. Use the chakra and slowly reshape that round stone into a square ne."

    Daichi slowly moved his chakra. He could feel every part of the small stone with his energy. It took time but he moved his chakra in and around the stone. Trying to break it down and reshaping it. After about 20 minutes he was sessful. In his hand was a thin square sheet made from y.

    "Wonderful. To think you actually got it on your first day. That''s impressive." Kensei was amazed at Daichi''s talent.

    [Skill Earth affinity''s level has risen by one.]

    [A new skill is created with a specific action.]

    [By sessfully concentrating and infusing chakra throughout an object and changing its shape, the skill ''Creation'' has been created.]

    ''Huh.? Wasn''t expecting that.'' Daichi thought as he read the notification.

    ----------

    Author''s Note:

    Hit me up with some power stone guys. Let''s get this story up the rankings.

    If you enjoy the chapters then please take a moment to review and rate.

 Chapter 39: Gamers Mind and Brewing Trouble.

    Chapter 39: Gamer''s Mind and Brewing Trouble.

    Daichi thought back to the skill he got that day. If he could level up that skill he could create items that were truly legendary.

    [Creation - Active(LV.1): This skill is used for creating an item. As the skill increases, items with greater quality can be created. This skill can be used to even create legendary items. But blueprints are required for such creations. The items are divided into 5 grades. Common, Rare, Unique, Legendary and Mythical.]

    [Note: The chakra cost of the skill, depends on the chakra supplied.]

    [Effects: +10% Chance when creating Common grade items.

    +0.5% Chance when creating Rare grade items.

    0% Chance when creating Unique grade items.

    0% Chance when creating Legendary grade items.

    0% Chance when creating Mythical grade items.]

    "I''ll look into this Creation skill after I''ve improved earth affinity skill." Daichi trained his shape maniption for a few hours and improved his skills. ''I''ve been at this since morning. Time to take a break.'' Daichi stretched his arms and legs and got up.

    He walked around his house thinking about his second year so far. His mind was also on the massacre that''s going to happen less than a year from then. He thought about his Uchiha training partner/sensei.

    ''I''ve been meeting Ren less and less these days. But when he''s around he''s been training me in shurikenjutsu and stealth. I''m learning how to get around without anyone noticing and leaving very few trails behind. His proficiency with fire style jutsu is amazing and his sensory skills are top notch. If I didn''t have the Gamer''s Mind he''d have definitely noticed my freakout that day.''

    As Daichi thought about that a new train of thought entered his mind. ''Gamers Mind is definitely a powerful and useful ability but it has its drawbacks as well. I haven''t experienced any intense emotions since I got here. The only thing close to that was during my time fighting that crocodile boss Krodos. But I feel that even that anger was controlled.''

    Daichi thought about it for a while. He wanted to know if it was possible to turn the gamer''s mind off or something like that. He opened his skill page and clicked on Gamer''s Mind. But it just showed the details of that skill in a new box. Daichi suddenly had an idea. ''Is it possible?''

    "Options" He said with the intent to open an options page. Just as he suspected, a new page appeared titled ''Options''. The new page contained only a few things.

    [Options:]

    [Gamer''s Mind - ON/OFF]

    [Gamer''s Body - ON/OFF]

    [Gaia''s Blessing - ON/OFF]

    [Mini-Map - ON/OFF]

    [Status]

    [Skills]

    ''The on and off for the skills Gamer''s Body and Gia''s Blessing are grayed out. So that probably means I won''t be able to change that. But it seems that''s not the case with Gamer''s Mind and Mini-map. Ok. Time to see what it''s like with the Gamer''s Mind turned off.''

    Daichi tapped the ON/OFF button near the skill Gamer''s Mind. A red warning box appeared.

    [This skill is currently active. Deactivating this skill will make the user vulnerable to mental attacks and disorders. Emotions felt by the user will be amplified by various margins. Are you sure you want to turn this skill off?]

    [Y/N]

    Daichi thought about it for a few seconds. He came to a decision. He pressed Y without wasting any more time. A new blue box popped up.

    [Skill Gamer''s Mind is now turned off.]

    Suddenly Daichi felt something in his mind snap. He felt like seeing and experiencing the world for the first time. "Wow. This is a weird feeling." He started to slowly chuckle and then after a few seconds it turned into full blownughter.

    "Hahahaha..... Wow. This is amazing. This is soo amazing!. I should have done this long ago."

    Daichi started to jump around and tested his body to see how fast he could run and how high he could jump. He felt delighted at the prospect of having a superhuman body. The wind he felt on his face and the power he felt coursing through his muscles made him exhrated.

    Since this was the first time he had turned off his gamer''s mind, Daichi was experiencing his emotions to a much greater degree than he normally would be. For thest two years the Gamer''s Mind skill has been keeping his emotions muted. So after turning the skill off Daichi was feeling waves of several positive emotions all at once.

    After several minutes of running around and having fun, he finally calmed down.

    "Wow. What a rush! Felt like I was high on drugs. Ok Daichi, settle down." He told himself.

    Daichi took several deep breaths and calmed his rapidly beating heart. He sat down and started to meditate. After sometime he finally felt his emotions reach a calm normal state.

    "So this is what it''s like to have the gamer''s mind off huh. I think I''ll leave it this way for a couple days and see what happens. Then I''ll turn it on again."

    Daichi suddenly realized something. ''The day I woke up in this world Thinking about it now...I should have had a much bigger freak-out than the one I had. I was calm and just epted this insane and almost impossible situation like it was normal. It must have been the Gamer''s Mind that made me ept the situation so easily.''

    As Daichi realized this, his heart started beating faster again. Daichi''s hands shook as he thought about the enemies he would have to face. Sweat poured down his face and his hands trembled. ''This feeling. I haven''t felt it in a long time. I had almost forgotten what it felt like.'' The emotion Daichi was feeling was fear. Fear of the future that''s toe.

    ''Ok. Daichi, calm down. They don''t know about you. As far as the world is concerned you''re just a student in the leaf vige. A genius but just a kid who doesn''t know anything. You''re safe.'' Daichi tried to reassure himself that he was safe and the frightening monsters roaming the world won''te after him.

    He took several deep breaths to calm himself down. ''I need to be absolutely careful of this skill. Should I turn it back on? No. I''ll leave it like this for now.'' Daichi sat down and meditated for some time again. After a while he was able to calm down and regain hisposure. He then decided to leave the house.

    Daichi stood up and left the house. He walked around the vige taking in the sights. He had a jubnt smile on his face as he looked around.

    He went to Shi Fang''s restaurant. Daichi was in the mood for some tasty dumplings.

    "Hey owner Shi!"

    "Daichi? Come in. How have you been?" Shi Fang asked.

    "Good. Really good." Daichi replied with a smile.

    "I can see that. So what will you be having?"

    "I''m in the mood for some Rainbow dumplings. Oh and can you pack a few to go. I made a new friend who I think would love these." Daichi was thinking about the wandering child Yota. He knew the kid would definitely like these.

    "Coming right up." Shi went to prepare the dishes.

    Daichi spent some time eating and chatting with Shi at the restaurant. After he had a few dumplings and got a couple more as takeout and then he left the ce. With the food safely stored in his inventory Daichi made his way to the forest.

    It has been several days since hest saw Yota. Daichi was looking forward to rxing and ying around and just acting his age. As he reached the treehouse he noticed something strange.

    There was no sign of Yota.

    "Yota Where are you?" Daichi called out as loudly as he could.

    "It''s me.. Daichi. I brought some delicious food" After waiting for over a minute and getting no reply, Daichi started to get worried. ''Where the heck is he? I should find Shikamaru or Ino. They might know.''

    Daichi walked out of the forest and started looking for his ssmates. Half an hour went by before he found them. There was another addition to the group besides the future team 10 and Sakura. Daichi also saw Kiba and his partner Akamaru tagging along with them.

    "Hey guys" Daichi yelled, getting their attention.

    "Daichi?"

    Daichi ran to them and stopped. "I''ve been looking for you guys."

    "Yeah? What''s up?" Shikamaru asked.

    "Where''s Yota? I can''t find him anywhere. Did he leave or something?" As Shikamaru and the others heard Daichi''s question they lowered their heads in sadness.

    "What''s wrong?" Daichi had a bad feeling in his heart when he saw the downtrodden expression on his friends faces.

    "They took him." Ino suddenly said.

    "What?! Who?"

    "The Anbu? They came and took him away an hour ago." Sakura replied.

    Daichi was shocked. He didn''t think the Anbu would be interested in the small kid. ''Then again with tensions running high among the nations I suppose this was inevitable.''

    "Daichi, we''re headed to Naruto''s house. Are youing?" Shikamaru asked him.

    "Since when are you guys friends with Naruto?" Daichi was curious about this development.

    "It''s kind of a long story but I''ll make it short. Come on. I''ll fill you in on the way." Shikamaru said, leading the group.

    Daichi nodded "Yeah, Ok. Tell me everything that''s happened."

    The group headed towards the residence of the current nine tails host. Shikamaru started narrating everything that''s happened.

    "A couple days after you stopped showing up, Yota started to go near the vige. Or near the academy to be more specific." Shikamaru recalled.

    "That was dangerous. The Hokage building and Jonin stations are there. If anyone saw him then they would have reported him to the higher ups." Daichi gave his thoughts.

    "Yeah. But luckily the only person to see him was Naruto. And he didn''t say anything to anyone. A little whileter Yota disappeared and we kinda used Naruto of getting him into trouble." The young Nara had a sheepish look on his face as he said this.

    "That''s harsh." Daichi said, looking at the young boy.

    "Yeah. We could have handled that better But we apologized after we found him and we became friends. Anyway he found Yota and became friends with him and that''s when Kiba joined."

    "Man, that was something. Did you know, he can make lightning when he''s mad." Kiba said with augh.

    "I know he can control the weather and his emotions trigger changes in the atmosphere but not the specifics." Daichi thought back to the times he interacted with the boy.

    "Yeah. We almost got toasted. Right, Akamaru?" "Arf."

    "But everything worked out and we were having fun. We were ying hide and seek and that''s when it happened."

    Daichi narrowed his eyes.

    "Those Anbu came and just took him away. They said no outsiders were allowed in the vige." Sakura said gloomily.

    "I see. So that''s what happened." Daichi now had a clearer picture of what happened. As they walked a little further they saw Naruto''s apartment.

    "Come on. I bet he''s in his room sulking over the whole thing." Shikamaru and Choji jumped and headed for Naruto''s window. Daichi followed them.

    Naruto was at homeying on his bed. He thought about his time with his first real friend. He taught Yota how to whistle and had fun ying around with him. But now he couldn''t do anything with the Anbu shinobi of the vige involved.

    He remembered the words Yota spoke to him.

    "Hey Naruto. You''re my friend."

    Those words brought such joy to him. ''I have to save him. But how?''

    Naruto got up and looked around his room, all depressed. "Guess I''m alone again."

    "No you''re not." Just then the voice of Shikamaru came from his window. "There''s seven people and a dog."

    "Yeah. The whole gang''s here." Shikamaru and Choji climbed Naruto''s window and got into his apartment.

    "Yo Naruto!" Daichi saluted and followed behind them.

    "H-hey! You can''t just barge into someone''s home like that." Naruto pretended to be angry.

    "What''re you talking about? You were looking all lonely just now." Choji smiled as he replied.

    Daichi looked at Naruto as if he was seeing him for the first time. With his Gamer''s Mind turned off, Daichi was feeling his emotions at an elevated level. Daichi was excited and ted as he looked at Naruto. He walked closer and took a good look at the blue eyed boy and then pinched his cheeks.

    "Aww You''re so cute with those whiskers and big blue eyes." Daichi saidughing and pinching Naruto''s cheeks.

    "Ahh Cut that out Daichi! I''m not cute." The boy said with a blush.

    Shikamaru and Chojiughed while watching the scene. "Hahaha"

    "He looks like a cute angry kitten." The young Nara added, trying to tease Naruto.

    [Reputation increases with Naruto, Shikamaru and Choji.]

    Choji and Daichiughed while Naruto tried to hide his blush and pulled Daichi''s hands off his face.

    Shikamaru walked to the front door of the apartment. "The weather''s perfect today and you''re here, just hiding indoorsAt this rate no one''s gonna hang out with" He went quiet and stopped in his tracks as he opened the door and looked outside.

    "It''s raining" He said in a low voice. That brought everyone''s attention back to Shikamaru. He walked forward followed by Daichi and Naruto. They looked ahead and saw that it was raining on just the Hokage tower.

    "That rain It''s definitely Yota. He''s in trouble." Daichi said in a serious tone.

    "We have to save him." Naruto had a determined expression as he said those words.

    "Yeah. We''re getting him back." Shikamaru agreed. Choji, Daichi and Naruto nodded in agreement.

    At that moment a new quest box popped up in front of Daichi.

    [Quest Created - ''Rescue Yota''.]

    [Sessfully rescue Yota from Anbu custody and get him out of the vige borders before time runs out. Mission is considered a sess if Yota reaches the opposite side of the border river and is freed. Time limit : 4 Hours.]

    .

    [Rewards:]

    4000 Exp.

    Special Item Reward.

    Reputation increases with Hiruzen Sarutobi.

    Reputation increases with Kensei Yasaji.

    Reputation increases with 6 of the ''Rookie 9''.

    .

    [Failure:]

    Conscripted into the Root Anbu.

    Possible death of Kensei Yasaji.

    Reputation decreases with everyone.

    [Warning: Sessfullypleting this quest will create a ripple effect and will have unknown consequences in the future.]

    [ept (Y/N)]

    Unbeknownst to the three ssmates beside him, Daichi stood still as if he was petrified after reading the quest and its failure consequences.

    ''What the freaking hell!?''

    --------------

    Author''s Note:

    Hit me up with some power stone guys. Let''s get this story up the rankings.

 Chapter 40: Rescue Mission with Rookie...6?

    Chapter 40: Rescue Mission with Rookie...6?

    "Come on! Let''s go join the others."

    Shikamaru''s words brought Daichi out of his thoughts. Choji, Naruto and Shikamaru quickly jumped and headed to the others with Daichi slowly following them. His mind was still on the failure part of the quest.

    ''Why is the failure part of the quest so severe? And why the hell is there a warning for this quest? What kind of a ripple effect will this questpletion have? Isn''t that the case for all other quests? What''s so special about this one?''

    Daichi couldn''t understand why this quest was different and had a warning unlike the ones he had so far. ''I thought Yota wasn''t important but then why does rescuing him trigger such a warning?''

    ''Can I reallyplete this quest? Should I even ept this?'' Doubt filled Daichi''s mind as hended near the group.

    "Alright. Now that everyone''s here, let''s begin. If we''re going to save Yota we need a n." Shikamaru announced.

    "Yeah." The other agreed.

    "Ok. First we-..."

    "Wait." As Shikamaru was about to begin, Daichi interrupted him.

    "What is it, Daichi?" Kiba asked.

    Daichi looked at everyone gathered. He took a breath before saying what was on his mind.

    "Look. I want to save Yota too. But before we begin, are you sure about this? Have you guys thought this through?" Daichi asked them.

    "What do you mean?" Choji asked.

    "I mean we''re about to go up against Anbu ninjas from our own vige to save someone not from the Leaf. Once we do this, we''ll be in big trouble." Daichi exined to them. He could see the faces of some get slightly angry after hearing him.

    "Are you saying we should just let Yota be imprisoned? I thought you cared about him." Naruto exploded in anger.

    [Reputation slightly decreases with Naruto.]

    "I do care about him! I''m not saying we should just leave him to his fate and let the Anbu do whatever they want. But right now we need to consider things from their perspective too." Naruto got angrier as he listened and he was about to walk over and punch Daichi but Shikamaru held up his hand stopping him.

    "What exactly are you saying Daichi?" The young Nara asked.

    "The tensions between the Leaf and the Stone vige are high. And this in-turn has increased tensions between the 5 great nations. I''m sure you''ve heard that a spy was captured some time ago during an incident"

    "Yeah" Shikamaru slowly nodded.

    "My grandpa told me that small border skirmishes have been happening around the fire country for a while and things have gotten somewhat intense. The Jonin and Anbu are on high alert for any spies or intruders trying to infiltrate the vige. If we cause amotion during a time like this, we would be in serious trouble." Daichi exined his thoughts.

    "But Yota isn''t a spy or a threat to the vige. He''s just a poor lost kid looking for some friends to y with." Ino said to Daichi.

    "I know that! And you do too.! But the other people in the vige don''t If we do this, and we fail, Yota will still be captured and we could even lose our ce in the academy. We might never be ninjas. Or maybe even worse" Daichi paused for a moment and looked at everyone.

    "Look I''m just saying this so you guys know the risks of what we''re about to do." Daichi said his piece. For the first time, he wasn''t sure about taking a quest or not.

    They listened to Daichi and understood where he wasing from. But they still couldn''t ept it.

    "Daichi!" Shikamaru stepped forward. "Do you believe Yota is a spy or a threat to the vige?" He asked.

    Daichi looked at Shikamaru. After a couple seconds of silence he answered. "No. I don''t."

    "I''m going to save him. Those of you who don''t want toe with me can stay here." Shikamaru said in a resolute voice.

    "I''ming too! I don''t care what happens to me. I''m gonna save him." Naruto joined him.

    "Same. Yota is no spy."

    "And he was fun to hang around with." "Arf."

    Choji and the Kiba-Akamaru duo made their decision as well.

    "We''reing too." Ino and Sakura chimed in.

    "Well looks like the 6 of us are ready. What about you Daichi? Coming or staying?" Shikamaru asked.

    He didn''t know why, but as Daichi looked at everyone''s faces and saw their determination, a grin slowly widened on his face.

    "Reckless fools! Guess nothing I say will change your mind We''re gonna get in so much trouble for this." Daichi answered them with a wide grin.

    [Reputation slightly increases with everyone here.]

    "Yeah we probably are" Shikamaru smirked as well. "Alright. Here''s the n"

    As Shikamaru wasying out his strategy, Daichi looked at the quest box. He epted the quest hoping and praying that nothing would go wrong.

    ----------------

    Hokage Tower - Anbu Interrogation Room.

    Yota was tied to a chair in the middle of the room surrounded by three Anbu ninjas. Two of them were watching a monitor for variations in the chakra and effects Yota is having. The third one was interrogating the young boy.

    "Where did youe from? How did you get past the barrier?" An Anbu, wearing a mask with red stripes asked. "Which vige sent you?"

    "I dunno I don''t get it." Yota answered in a small voice. "Ask me something easier."

    "Where did youe from? Which vige sent you?" The ninja just repeated the question in a cold tone.

    Scared, young Yota started crying.

    "We''re not getting anywhere." The Anbu watching the monitor said.

    "Should we ask Lord Third toe down before we have to use force on him?" Questioned the other one. As they were discussing what to do with the boy, the Anbu interrogating Yota felt a malicious intent. He felt as if a dangerous predator was stalking him.

    ''Genjutsu?... No. That was something different.'' The masked shinobi concluded.

    ------------

    Elsewhere in the vige.

    Naruto was atop the Hokage monument. He was yelling loudly and throwing paint all over the carving of the Third Hokage''s face and making a mess. He had to make sure Shikamaru''s n worked.

    shback.

    "Alright. Here''s the n. I''ve visited the Hokage Tower over a dozen times with my dad. So I think I have an idea as to where they might be keeping Yota. But there will be a lot of people guarding the tower. So first, we need someone to create a distraction. Something big that will draw their attention so the rest of us can sneak in"

    "Ohh! I have an idea! I''ll do it." Naruto said excitedly.

    "Ok. The moment the guards are distracted we''ll sneak into the tower and get to the lower floors. That''s where the Interrogation rooms are. I know a few vents that we can crawl through to get inside the room. Once inside I''ll use my shadow jutsu to trap them and then we can save Yota." Shikamaruid out his n. He told Naruto where to go when he was done.

    shback - End.

    "Hahaha. Come and get me, you fools." Naruto yelled loudly andughed.

    "Oi! Stop it you brat! Get down here." A ninja standing atop the tower screamed.

    "You''re a moron. There''s no way I''m getting down. I''m Naruto Uzumaki, the ninja." Naruto mocked them.

    At this moment the Hokage was in his room listening to his Anbu''s report. "What?"

    "We found the child in question with several academy students."

    "Interesting." Hiruzen slightly smiled. At that moment they heard themotion outside and went to check it out.

    "Catch me if you can dumbass. Bring every ninja you got." Naruto threw another bucket of paint on the third''s head carving.

    "Get back here you troublesome brat!" The old Hokage heard the people shouting at Naruto. He then noticed the rain falling down on the tower. ''Strange. Sun Shower? It seems the report is urate. The boy is somehow able to affect the weather.''

    At this moment Daichi and the others were sneaking through the hallways and were heading towards their destination. There were a few close calls where they almost got spotted but luckily they managed to make it to the lower floors without any incident. They were in front of the vents and Daichi was opening them.

    "Ok. Let''s go get Yota." Kiba said excitedly.

    "Wait. Someone needs to stay here in case anything happens." Daichi told them. "Choji, Sakura! Stay here and keep a lookout. And wait for Naruto. He should be here soon. The rest of us will go get him."

    Everyone nodded their heads and agreed to Daichi''s n. Shikamaru took the lead in crawling through the small vents and behind him was Daichi followed by Kiba and Akamaru and finally Ino. After several minutes they found the room in which Yota was restrained.

    "Please let me go." They could hear Yota pleading.

    "Alright. Get ready. I''m going to trap them with my Shadow Imitation Jutsu." Shikamaru said in a low voice. Just as he was about to weave the signs, Daichi stopped him.

    Shikamaru gave Daichi a questioning look.

    "Always be aware of your surroundings." Daichi muttered to him.

    This was one of the many lessons Kensei taught Daichi and something he learned inside the dungeon the hard way. He took a look around the room.

    It was a circr chamber with high ceilings. It was then that Daichi noticed something. There were several bulbs hanging, situated above the room. ''His shadow possession jutsu will weaken if there is intense light. If Shikamaru captures them and the lights trigger, his jutsu could fail.''

    "Shikamaru!" Daichi spoke in a very low voice. "Take a look at the ceiling."

    The boy looked and saw what Daichi had and came to the same conclusion.

    "The moment you use your jutsu I''ll destroy those lights. That won''t be a problem will it?" Daichi asked him.

    "No!" The young Nara shook his head.

    "Then get ready."

    All of them got ready to make their move. Shikamaru weaved the hand seals and his shadow extended, swiftly connecting with the shadows of the three Anbu.

    "Shadow imitation jutsu sessful!" He smirked as he got out of the vents and stood looking at the ninjas.

    Daichi quickly stepped up behind him and several shuriken appeared in his hands. He aimed them at the light high above them and let them fly without wasting any time. All of them hit their marks and within seconds small ss debris was raining down on the ground.

    "Nicely done you guys!" Ino cheered for them.

    "Yota! Hey! We''re here!" They called out to their friend. Yota saw theming and became happy.

    "You guys! You''re here!" He smiled seeing his friends.

    The academy students ran towards Yota and quickly reached him.

    "You''re amazing Shikamaru." "Arf."

    "Yeah. You caught real ninjas with your technique."

    Kiba and Ino praised him for his sess.

    "Oi! Oi! Don''t go celebrating. We just got lucky. We caught these guys off guard."

    Daichi was the one who said it. Unlike his friends who were looking at Yota, Daichi had his eyes firmly fixed on the 3 Anbu in the room in case they made any moves. He used ''Observe''.

    [??] [Asashi Bokta]

    ???

    [??] [Jiro Itsuki]

    ???

    [??] [Riku Sota]

    ???

    ''Of course I can''t read them! Their levels must be too high. Why did I even bother?''

    "He''s right. You greenhorns just got lucky." The cold tone in which the Anbu ninja said it, sent shivers down the student''s spine. Even though he was a little scared, Shikamaru didn''t let go of his jutsu.

    "You''re interfering with vige security matters."

    "We won''t show mercy to anyone who acts against the interests of the vige. Even if they happen to be kids."

    "This boy could well be a spy sent here to infiltrate and learn about the vige."

    The three elite ninjas started releasing their killing intent. It was the first time Ino, Shikamaru and Kiba experienced killing intent. To them the presence of the three ninjas changed and they were terrified.

    [You have sensed killing intent.]

    [You have sensed killing intent.]

    [You have sensed killing intent.]

    [Skill Danger Sense''s level has risen by one.]

    Due to the Gamer''s Mind being turned off, Daichi was experiencing emotions at a much higher level. So the killing intent he was feeling now was much greater than what he had experienced before. The words the masked ninjas said also frightened him.

    ''Is this what it means to be a ninja? To do whatever it takes for our own, no matter how cruel or vicious we have to be to others?''

    At that moment a conversation he had with Kensei during their visit to his son''s grave came to Daichi''s mind. He remembered the words his grandfather had said.

    "The leaf vige isn''t the center of the world."

    "I saw teammates killing teammates to keep the secrets from spreading on the orders of the higher ups."

    "There is no right or wrong. Only those with strength can make their own path!"

    It was at that moment Daichi noticed his ssmate''s expression. They were terrified. Due to experiencing such killing intent Shikamaru couldn''t keep up his technique and released it.

    Even though Daichi knew he was living in a dangerous world where the people could be cruel and merciless, this was when he truly understood that fact. A new emotion bloomed in Daichi''s heart. And seeing the scared, helpless faces of his friend''s, that emotion only intensified.

    Overwhelming Rage.

    ------------

    Author''s Note:

    Hit me up with some power stone guys. Let''s get this story up the rankings.

 Chapter 41: The Friends We Make.

    Chapter 41: The Friends We Make.

    Before Daichi even realized it, his body moved. He swiftly stepped forward and stood in front of his ssmates. Killing intent burst forth from his body. Just as he felt heightened fear earlier, now he was feeling extreme rage. And this amplified his intent by several magnitudes.

    Daichi focused his intent on the 3 Anbu in front of him. He was furious after hearing them.

    [Skill Killing Intent''s level has risen by one.]

    Several other notifications popped up as well but Daichi ignored them all. His eyes never left their masked faces.

    The Anbu were shocked. They couldn''t understand how an academy student and a child around 7 years old no less, could produce such murderous intent.

    "How PATHETIC! Since when did the ninja of the Leaf vige be so pathetic and weak, they have to resort to threatening and interrogating little children." Those words came out of Daichi''s mouth before he even realized it. But he didn''t regret them once he said it.

    "You!" The masked ninjas were losing their temper. First they allowed themselves to be captured by a simple juvenile jutsu by academy students, which dealt a blow to their pride and now one of the children was trying to intimidate them.

    "If you stand in our way we won''t show mercy."

    Hearing that, a smirk came on Daichi''s face. He couldn''t help but repeat the words Madara Uchiha said to Onoki during his fight with the 5 Kage.

    "What kind of adult goes full force when fighting children?" The mocking and insulting tone in his voice wasn''t missed by anyone.

    Daichi continued. "Yota''s not some spy or a danger to the vige. He''s our friend. And we''re taking him with us. But since you''re looking for a fight why don''t you try me on!!"

    [+1 CHARISMA]

    Hearing Daichi''s fierce voice brought strength back to his friends. They shrugged off the fear and got ready to leave.

    One of the Anbu couldn''t take it anymore and made a move to incapacitate Daichi. In the blink of an eye he was behind Daichi and tried to knock him out with a knife handed chop. To Shikamaru and others the Anbu just disappeared and reappeared behind Daichi in an instant.

    But Daichi saw the movements. His senses, honed from fighting several types of beasts that attacked him when he least expected it, helped him. Daichi instinctively reacted. Chakra flowed through him and his hand moved as fast as it could. He barely caught and stopped the attack aimed at his neck.

    The Anbu was shocked. ''Even a genin would have had trouble following my speed let alone stopping my attack. But somehow this kid was able to do it? Unbelievable.''

    "You''re gonna need to be more serious if you wanna take me down." Daichi turned around and challenged the ninja.

    "It seems you have some bite with that bark afterall."

    "Hey guys! What''s going on?" It was Naruto. He crawled out of the vent and behind him came Sakura and Choji.

    "Naruto?" The unexpected entrance distracted Daichi for just a moment but it was all the Anbu ninja needed. He sent a punch to Daichi''s gut knocking him down.

    [-88 HP]

    "Gha!" The hit knocked Daichi to his knees.

    "Daichi!!" Shikamaru, Ino and Kiba shouted.

    Yota was shocked at what happened. He couldn''t believe someone attacked his friend. Seeing Daichi wheezing on the ground made him mad.

    "Don''t... you Hurt my FRIEND!!!"

    Lightning burst forth from his body and targeted the three ninjas. In seconds they were electrocuted unconscious. The attack put a strain on the boy and he was breathing hard.

    Shikamaru and Ino ran to Daichi and helped him up while the others went to Yota.

    Naruto took a kunai and cut the ropes. "Yota It''s going to be okay. We''re getting you out of here."

    "Are you alright Daichi?" Ino questioned.

    "I''m ok. What about" Daichi turned around and saw the tired boy. "We need to leave. Now!"

    "Yeah. Everyone, get a move on. We''ll have unwantedpany soon." Hearing Shikamaru and Daichi''s words, Naruto took Yota on his back and they made their escape.

    -------------------------

    Hokage Office. Some timeter.

    Hiruzen Sarutobi was looking over various documents and scrolls. As he was signing the documents one of his Anbu appeared.

    "Lord Hokage! Urgent news." He was the one who interrogated Yota.

    "What is it?"

    "The unknown child has escaped. I''ve sent my squad after them?"

    "How?" He was intrigued as to how a child could escape his trained elite ninjas.

    "Shikamaru Nara and several other academy students broke in and aided in his escape!"

    "Academy students?" Hiruzen thought about it for a moment. "Tell me everything that happened."

    The Anbu gave a detailed report of everything that transpired. After listening to the details Hiruzen had an idea. "Recall your squad. Let the children go."

    "Lord Hokage?" The masked nin was confused as to why their leader was ordering him to end the pursuit.

    "You weren''t able to get any information from the boy. But I believe there are those who can."

    "Sir?"

    "I have a feeling the children will have more luck in trying to get the information out of him. It seems that the child trusts the academy students, so he might reveal his origins to them. Call off your squad And summon Shikaku Nara here."

    Hiruzen sent his Anbu away. He then took out his crystal ball and sent a chakra pulse to it. The crystal ball was connected to the vige barrier and sensors. By peering into the ball, the Hokage could see current activities of anyone who''s chakra signature he knew. A perfect jutsu for monitoring the vigers and maintaining public order. But it had its limitations as well.

    ''Telescope Jutsu!'' Hiruzen activated the crystal ball and tried to locate Shikamaru. He had met the boy on several asions so knew his chakra signature. After several seconds images appeared on the crystal ball. He saw not only Shikamaru but Naruto and Daichi in the group as well. The two students he keeps a close eye on among the younger generation.

    ''Interesting. It seems they''ve formed quite the team. How far will they go I wonder?''

    At that moment the Joninmander of his forces appeared. "You called for me Lord Hokage."

    "Ahh yes, excellent timing Shikaku. Come." He called his Jonin over and showed him the images on the crystal ball.

    "Your son has been busy." Hiruzen said in a jovial tone. Seeing what was happening, the brilliant Nara had an idea as to why he was called.

    He sighed and closed his eyes. "How troublesome!"

    The aging Hokage merely chuckled at that. Both of them turned their attention to the kids running through the woods.

    ----------------------

    Daichi and the others were running as fast as they could with Naruto at the front. They crossed the vige walls and were nearing the border. After several minutes of running they reached the border river. They were unsure as to how they could cross it.

    Kiba looked at the raging water in front of them. "We need to cross the river."

    "Yeah but, this river''s too deep." Shikamaru replied.

    "But we have to get across!" Ino looked around trying to find anything that could help them get to the other side.

    "They''ve probably got people chasing us right now. We need to go." Sakura said.

    "If only we knew the water walking technique"

    "Yeah" Choji and Kiba sighed sadly.

    "I know it." Daichi said casually, looking ahead.

    It took a few seconds for that answer to sink in to the others.

    "You do!?" Everyone looked at Daichi in surprise.

    "Yeah I learned it a while ago." He went to Naruto. "Here. Give him to me. I''ll carry him across the border. You guys stay here!"

    "We''lle too." Naruto said.

    "Naruto, the river is too deep and the current is too strong. You''ll be swept away if you try to cross it. I''m the only one who can do this safely." Daichi was serious. The current would definitely wash them away if they tried to walk through.

    "But" Naruto wanted to argue.

    "Do you trust me?" Daichi asked him.

    Naruto looked at Daichi for a few moments before answering. "Yeah I do."

    "Then trust me when I say I''ll get Yota to safety. I promise."

    [+1 CHARISMA]

    Hearing Daichi''s words, Naruto backed down. He gave Yota to Daichi who picked him up on his back.

    "Yota. We''re leaving. Do you have anything you want to tell them?" Daichi gently asked the boy.

    The little boy looked at everyone. "I''m so happy. I''m happy that I met you guys. I had so much fun. I won''t forget you all."

    "We''re sorry you couldn''t stay with us." Shikamaru apologized to his friend.

    "There''s nothing to worry about." Yota said with a smile.

    "We''re going to miss you Yota." Naruto had a small tear as he said those words.

    "I''ll miss you too, Naruto. I won''t forget what you taught me." He whistled just like Naruto taught him.

    "Before I came here, my life was really hard. I was always lonely. I had no one friends or anyone to y with. But then I found you guys. I wasn''t so lonely anymore. I had lots of fun after I met all of you." As he spoke those words everyone could see the snow slowly falling.

    "Naruto, Shikamaru, everyone Thank you. I''m going to go while it''s still fun. Don''t forget the great times we''ve had." He lightly tapped Daichi''s shoulder indicating to leave.

    "We won''t ever forget you Yota!" Naruto and the others were in tears as they said their goodbyes.

    Daichi slowly turned around and took his first step atop the river. He carefully walked on the river holding Yota on his back. Once he crossed the river he turned to look at his friends on the other side. Shikamaru gave a small nod to him and Daichi took off into the trees. Soon Shikamaru and the others lost sight of them.

    Back at the Hokage''s office, Hiruzen and Shikaku were watching everything. They saw Shikamaru and the others bid farewell to the boy and Daichi carrying him on his back. The moment Daichi stepped on water they were surprised.

    "It seems Daichi is capable of water walking. I knew he had ample control over his chakra but I didn''t think it would be to such a degree." Hiruzen muttered.

    "And the current of the river is pretty strong at this time of the year. So to sessfully cross it while holding someone else is no small feat. Especially for a second year Academy student." Shikaku added his thoughts.

    "It looks like Shikamaru and the others are heading back. Why don''t you go meet them and bring them here. After everything that''s happened, If I send one of my Anbu to retrieve them, they''ll get defensive. Bring those children here first. I''ll talk to them before I speak with Daichi." The Hokage told him.

    "Yes sir!" Shikaku left using the Body Flicker technique.

    The Hokage went back to watching the children. He focused his attention on Daichi and the young boy. He saw them traveling through the trees and Daichi taking out a few dumplings and giving them to the kid. He listened to their conversation and was shocked at what he learned.

    He heard a name he never expected to hear at that moment. As he kept listening to the conversation he learned several pieces of information that he otherwise would never have known. This was one of the many ripple effects that urred when Daichi sessfully helped Yota cross the river.

    The group near the river was anxious. Ino was worried. "What do we do now?"

    "We better head back. They''ll be looking for us. If we stay here and they find us, they''ll know Yota''s gone across the border and they might follow him." Shikamaru said to them. They took onest look at the forest on the other side and then slowly left.

    "Do you think Yota will be okay?" Sakura asked them.

    "He''ll be fine. Daichi''s with him. He''ll be safe." Hearing the sure tone in which Shikamaru said it brought some happiness to the group. They walked for a few minutes before they saw someone leaning on a tree seemingly waiting for them.

    Naruto, Sakura and Kiba were cautious but Shikamaru, Ino and Choji had a small smile. They came near the person and stopped.

    -----------

    Author''s Note:

    To everyoneining about the gamers mind being turned off, two things.

    1. Daichi wanted to experience what it was like to live for a couple days with it being turned off and feeling emotions to a greater degree. When he turned the gamer''s mind off, he didn''t think he''d be participating in an important quest. And when the quest appeared he kinda forgot to turn it back on with everything going on. HE is only human after all. He makes mistakes.

    .

    2. I as the author have a n in ce. There is a reason why I had the Gamer''s mind turned off. It''s not a mistake or plot hole or such. You''ll understand in theing chapters.

    .And as always,

    Hit me up with some power stone guys. Let''s get this story up the rankings.

 Chapter 42: Indomitable Stat and Atamagai Cloak

    Chapter 42: Indomitable Stat and Atamagai'' Cloak

    "Hey dad." Shikamaru said sheepishly.

    "I never would have expected you to be the one to cause me a headache. How troublesome!" Even though Shikaku said those words he had a small smile.

    "So how much trouble are we in?" Shikamaru asked.

    "You''ll find out once you meet the Hokage." Shikaku answered. He then looked at the children of his former teammates. And then to the other three apanying them.

    "Ino! Choji!"

    "Hi uncle Shikaku" Ino and Choji greeted him with a small smile.

    "It looks like all of you had an exciting day. Come on. Let''s head to the office." He said.

    The group looked at each other and silently nodded. They decided to keep their mouths shut about Daichi and Yota. They started following the Jonin to the Hokage tower.

    "By the way, don''t worry about Daichi. I''ll wait for him here till he gets back." Shikaku said wanting to see their reactions. And they didn''t disappoint him. He internally chuckled watching their surprised faces.

    "I should have known you''d know." Shikamaru sighed knowing his father probably figured out everything that''s happened.

    "Wait, you know about that?" Naruto was the first to speak.

    "I do. As does the Hokage. Nowe along. We don''t want to keep him waiting." He said, leading the group back to the vige.

    ---------------------

    A few minutes ago.

    Daichi left after giving Shikamaru a nod. Since he was traveling without the group he was able to quickly put a great distance between him and the border.

    ''We crossed the river. So why hasn''t the quest been markedpleted?... Maybe we haven''t gotten far enough yet?'' Daichi picked up the pace and kept going.

    As Daichi was jumping across the trees he heard Yota''s belly growl. He put his hand in his pocket and took out a couple rainbow dumplings from his inventory.

    He didn''t want anyone to know his inventory ability so this was how he took small things from his dimensional space whenever he was in public. A habit he made since his very beginning here. A habit which coincidentally saved him from the prying eyes of the hokage.

    Daichi jumped andnded on the ground. He let the boy down from his back. "Here. Eat these. They''re delicious. You''ll need your strength." Yota ate the dumplings and had a smile on his face. Daichi could see that the snow around them had thickened.

    Looking at the small boy, Daichi couldn''t help but ask. "Where will you go?"

    "I''ll be free when I leave here."

    "What do you mean?"

    "You see, the truth is I was already dead when I met you all. I was brought back to life by Orochimaru before I came here." Yota began telling him his origin.

    "What?!" Daichi was shocked for a few seconds and then he calmed down. ''Oh! Right! This kid''s a reanimation. Ipletely forgot about that detail in all this mess. He behaved like a normal kid so much that I didn''t even think about it. I can''t let him go back to Orochimaru.''

    "Yota. Listen to me. Orochimaru is a very bad person. You can''t go back to him." Daichi waspletely serious.

    Yota was smiling at Daichi as he heard him. "Don''t worry. I won''t."

    "Good." Daichi sighed in relief.

    Yota looked at Daichi and began telling him his story. "You see, I was born into a n with the ability to control the weather. We made a living traveling from vige to vige selling weather."

    "That exins the weather for sale sign." Daichi thought back to the sign he saw when he first met the boy.

    Yota nodded. "Even among my n I was very good at controlling the weather. But I was born with a weak body. During my travels I caught a disease and I died."

    Daichi lowered his head as he listened to his story.

    "But then someone brought me back. Snakey and Four eyes said they were testing the reanimation jutsu and left me outside your vige." Yota said.

    Daichi was startled as he heard it. ''Four eyes?? Does that mean Kabuto was with Orochimaru?''

    "Yota. Are you telling me there was someone else with Orochimaru?"

    "Hm." Yota nodded.

    ''So Kabuto already betrayed the vige huh. That means he killed that orphanage matron. Damn it, I don''t remember the details clearly. Wait I have to make sure it''s Kabuto.'' All of these thoughts went through Daichi''s head in mere moments.

    "Can you describe the person who was with Orochimaru?" He gently asked.

    "Um! He had gray hair and wore round sses. He was also wearing a purple shirt. I don''t remember anything else."

    "No. It''s alright Yota. You did good." ''It''s definitely Kabuto. I''m sure of it.''

    "Mmm these dumplings are delicious." Yota said happily.

    "I''m d you like them. Come on, it''s time to go. We need to get a bit further." Daichi wanted to move further and get Yota to safety and thusplete the quest. But young Yota had other ns.

    "I''m d I met you Daichi. You and the others. I''m really happy. It''s time for me to leave." The snow started falling harder and started to cover the young boy from head to toe.

    "What are you talking about Yota? What''s happening?" Daichi was unsure of what was going on. He tried to get closer to the boy but the strong winds kept pushing him away.

    "Daichi! Thank you. I''m going to be free now. I have no regrets now."

    "Hey wait a minute. What are you doing Yota?" Daichi screamed as he tried to get closer.

    "Daichi. When I first met you, I could tell that you were like me. You were feeling lonely too weren''t you?"

    At this question Daichi stopped struggling and looked at him. It was true. Even though he told himself and Kensei that he didn''t want to waste time on making friends, he did want to make a few. To y around andugh with. But his loner personality coupled with the title of genius at the academy didn''t get him any.

    "Daichi. Remember the bonds you made that day. And the friends you''ve made... Look after them Tomorrow, let it be another sunny day." Snowpletely covered Yota. The next instant a lightning struck it,pletely destroying the snow and the boy inside.

    Daichi stood there shocked at what happened. "Yota!"

    At that moment the sessful Questpletion notifications popped up adding to the already piled up system messages. But Daichi ignored them all.

    Tears fell down his face as he looked to where Yota stood seconds ago. He waited for the reanimation debris toe back and make the boy whole again, but it didn''t happen. After waiting for several minutes he understood that Yota was gone forever. So with a heavy heart he turned around and started making his way back to the vige.

    Daichi, not wanting to feel the pain of losing his friend anymore, opened the options tab and turned on the Gamer''s Mind skill. The emotions running wild inside him calmed down. With an impassive face, he jumped to a tree branch and took off back to his home.

    Hiruzen, watching Daichi''s expressionless face through his jutsu, was saddened. ''I wonder how this experience will affect him? I suppose I''ll find out after I speak with him.'' He stopped using the ''Telescope Jutsu'' and waited for their arrival.

    Now that his Gamer''s Mind has been reactivated, his emotions clearly felt muted. Daichi could feel the difference as if it was a tangible thing. He felt like he could think clearly and more rationally.

    ''Yota I hope you''re happy and having fun wherever you are Goodbye my friend.''

    As Daichi was hopping through the trees he finally saw the piled up notifications on the side. He sighed and decided to look at them.

    [Quest ''Rescue Yota'' Completed. ]

    [Rewards:]

    [4000 Exp.]

    [600 Exp.]

    [Special Item Reward - Atamagai'' Cloak.]

    [Reputation increases with Hiruzen Sarutobi.]

    [Reputation increases with Kensei Yasaji.]

    [Reputation increases with 6 of the ''Rookie 9''. ]

    [You have leveled up.]

    [Skill Water walking technique''s level has risen by one.]

    [You have faced the killing intent of an enemy far stronger than you with your Gamer''s Mind switched off, and stood tall without fear and challenged him. You have reached a special condition. Special Stat Indomitable is opened.]

    [+1 INDOMITABLE]

    [You have unlocked a special stat. ]

    [Reward: +500 Exp.]

    [+75 Exp.]

    [Indomitable is a unique stat even amongst the special stats, as it is the only one that gives the yer a skill when it reaches 50 points. This stat awakened due to the yer disying an Iron Will and Tenacity against superior enemies. ]

    [This stat provides the Passive Skill: Unyielding Spirit.]

    [Unyielding Spirit - Passive (LV. MAX) - Provides the yer resistance to Mind Maniption, Emotional Maniption, Fear Maniption and other foreign mental attacks at all times.]

    ''Another special stat is opened. I never could have predicted that the gamer''s mind being turned off at such a moment would be a boon. A level up, the special reward and a special stat awakening. Looks like this venture was unexpectedly fruitful''

    ''Unyielding Spirit skill looks a lot like Gamer''s Mind but it seems there are differences. Based on this it only shields me from external attacks and doesn''t say about ones caused by me I''ll stick with Gamer''s Mind for now but this is still a good alternative.''

    ''Now it''s time to see just what kind of a special item I got''

    The special item rewarded for the quest was ced in his inventory. Daichi was a bit impatient and wanted to see what he got. He stopped on a branch and used ''Chakra Sense'' to see if there was anyone around. Finding no one Daichi took out the reward from his inventory.

    It was a dull silver cloak with the insignia of the Uzumaki n on its back and two chameleons in red and blue colors on its right and left sleeves. It was bigger than Daichi and looked like it was made for adults. He used ''observe'' on it and he was shocked as he read the description.

    [Atamagai'' Cloak] [Special Item: Rank A]

    [An invisibility cloak created by the legendary seal master and tailor, Atamagai Uzumaki. This is a special item that shields the wearer and everything he/she directly touches from all prying jutsus and senses. This cloak was created from some of the most durable clothing materials avable at the time and imbued with over five dozen intricate seals. The moment the cloak is worn the seals will activate and render the wearer and everything in contact with the wearer invisible to the world. No one will be able to sense the user unless he/she wants them to. This cloak has a limited ability to respond ordingly to the wearer''s thoughts. Although this cloak is a perfect tool for stealth, it does have its limitations.

    Only those who can use Mana energy can activate this cloak.

    It absorbs and stores nature chakra and when activated, uses nature energy in conjunction with a small amount of mana energy from the wearer.]

    [Note: Sages who are proficient in utilizing nature chakra can detect the cloak even when it is active.

    Once activated the cloak will be able to shield the wearer for 3 hours continuously or at most 10 hours from the time it was activated if used sparingly.

    Once the cloak is used it will take 29 days for it to be reactivated.]

    Daichi''s jaw dropped as he read the description.

    As Daichi kept reading the long description his mind boggled and his eyes almost popped out of his skull as he reached the end. He was dumbstruck as he read the details.

    ''Holy smokes! This is like the ultimate tier stealth tool. And it''s perfect for me.''

    Daichi quickly came to his senses and put the cloak back into his inventory and resumed his journey. But his mind was on the item he just received.

    ''I can travel anywhere in the vige with this and the only person who could find me is Jiraiya. And that too if he used Sage mode. And the elder toads too but I doubt they pay the vige a visit regrly. I can definitely get into all sorts of ces and if I want to, escape from dangerous situations. This is just what I''ve wanted.''

    In a better mood than before, he resumed his journey back to the vige.

    ---------------------------------------------------------------

    Author''s Note:

    Hit me up with some power stone guys. Let''s get this story up the rankings.

 Chapter 43: The First Ripple.

    Chapter 43: The First Ripple.

    Daichi became somewhat cheered up after the depressing event that happened several minutes ago. But he kept his emotions in check and made his way back to the vige. Before long he reached the river and within no time he crossed it.

    Daichi looked around and didn''t see anyone. ''They must have left or the Anbu got to them and they''re in the Hokage tower right now. Either way, no point in staying here.''

    Daichi slowly walked forward trying to decide his next destination. Home, his friends or report to the Hokage what he had learned.

    ''Now I have an excuse to tell him about that bastard Kabuto. If the Hokage does a thorough investigation on him, he''ll be in trouble and Orochimaru would lose his spy.'' Daichi stopped that train of thought immediately.

    ''Wait. If I rat him out now, Orochimaru will just have another one take his ce here. And my future knowledge will be useless and I''ll lose my edge.''

    Daichi was screaming in his mind. ''Damn it! Looks like I''ll have to let him go for now. And it''s not like the Hokage could know what Yota said before he was gone.''

    Just then an image of Hiruzen watching Naruto through the crystal ball came to his mind. Daichi stopped in his tracks and his eyes widened in realization.

    "Oh no!"

    Daichi thought back to everything that''s happened today. ''Anbu would have woken up soon after we had left and informed the Hokage of our situation and he definitely would have used the Telescope jutsu to find us.''

    ''And since I made an impression on him, I''m pretty sure he would have been watching me. So he definitely would have heard my conversation with Yota. Fuck! I can''t lie or omit this information now. Wait, is he still watching me? Did he see me take out my cloak?... Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!''

    Just as Daichi was having a mental freakout the Gamer''s Mind activated and calmed him down. ''Maybe he''s seen my inventory skills, maybe not. Can''t take any risks. I''ll tell him the info on Orochimaru and Kabuto but I''ll keep quiet about the cloak and inventory skill. But if he asks about my ability, I''ll show him and give limited info on that. And if he demands a look at the cloak I''ll hand it to him. Since he''s not a Mana user he won''t be able to activate it anyway, so he''ll think it''s an ordinary item I hope.''

    [Due to making a logical and smart decision, you have obtained +1 WIS]

    Looking at the notification Daichi calmed down a bit.

    ''d the system agrees''.

    As he walked for a few more minutes, he saw the shadow of someone behind a tree. Daichi slowed down and was on alert. He walked a few more steps and finally saw who it was.

    "You sure took your time." The Joninmander Shikaku Nara said to the boy.

    "I had a lot on my mind." Daichi cautiously replied.

    Shikaku just grunted and turned to walk. "Keep up." Saying those words he took off.

    Daichi knew it would be unwise to disobey, so he quietly followed the older man.

    -----------------------

    Hokage Office

    Hiruzen sat in his chair contemting the events that just took ce. ''Orochimaru To think you would use such a forbidden and perverse jutsu It seems you might be more dangerous to the vige than I thought.''

    His mind went to the day histe sensei showed him the reanimation jutsu. Hiruzen let out a sigh. ''Tobirama sensei. You never should have created that jutsuOrochimaru is a perfectionist and a scientist. He would definitely study and try to perfect the jutsu. If No! When Orochimarues for me there''s a possibility that he''ll use the reanimation jutsu. And it''ll be more powerful.''

    ''It seems I''ll have to take countermeasures against it and anything else he might have up his sleeve.'' Hiruzen looked towards the location of the forbidden scroll in the room. ''Looks like I''ll have to conduct a few researches of my own.''

    As he thought about what he should do he heard a few knocks on the door. "Come in."

    Shikaku entered with the students following him.

    "That will be all. I''ll have a word with the kids." Hiruzen said to Shikaku.

    The Joninmander heard the polite dismissal and quickly disappeared. Everyone was nervous. Even Naruto, who never hesitated to speak his mind to the person he considered his family, was silent.

    Hiruzen''s face showed no emotion as he stared at them. He looked at each one of them and after a few seconds of silence he spoke.

    "You realize that you interfered with a serious vige matter and have caused somemotion don''t you?" The Hokage asked them in a neutral tone.

    Hearing his words the kids lowered their heads. Naruto gathered his courage, took a step forward and spoke up. "We''re sorry that we caused problems But We''re not sorry we saved Yota."

    Hearing Naruto''s words to the Hokage surprised his ssmates. They gathered their strength and looked at the Hokage.

    "Naruto is right. We regret the troubles we created for the Anbu but we don''t regret saving our friend." Shikamaru spoke in agreement with his friend and took a step forward standing by Naruto''s side.

    Hiruzen was internally surprised at the determination Shikamaru showed. He remembered the observations made by Daikoku on the files of each student.

    ''The heir of the Nara n with good potential and high intelligence. But he has no ambition and energy. He onlypletes enough questions on the tests to get a passing score. This along with his behavior in ss corroborates my observation. He won''t even go out of his way to verify his results. He would rather be considered wrong than go to the trouble of proving himself right. Lazy unless properly motivated.'' This was the observation made by Daikoku sensei in Shikamaru''s file.

    ''Instead of beingzy and letting the situation y out, he took action. It seems his friendship with the boy Yota and this experience has somewhat changed him. And it seems for the better. Time to see how the rest of them fare.'' Hiruzen wanted to see just what the kids in front of him were made of. He was going to test them.

    "Is that how the rest of you feel? There will be consequences for your actions but if anyone wants to step forward and disagree with Naruto and Shikamaru now is the time." He said in a somewhat stern tone.

    Sakura, Choji, Ino and Kiba looked at each other and then took a step forward.

    "We agree with Naruto and Shikamaru."

    "Yeah. We''re sorry we caused trouble but Yota isn''t a bad person. We couldn''t just let anything happen to him." "Arf".

    Sakura and Kiba said. Ino and Choji nodded agreeing with them.

    Watching the students standing up for themselves and not turning on their friends brought a small smile to the Hokage''s face.

    "It''s not a sin to fight for the right cause. Sometimes one would be stuck between their loyalty to their family or vige and doing the right thing. It can be a very difficult decision to make." The friendly tone in which Hiruzen said it brought some relief to the students.

    But the Hokage wasn''t done. Regaining his serious attitude he spoke. "Still This vige is going through a troubled time. The security of everyone in it is the utmost concern of myself and the ninjas of this vige."

    "You kids have caused some difficulties with your stunt. But nothing too major. So you''ll receive a ck mark on your files and nothing more. But someone has to be punished for this. And since Daichi was the one who antagonized the Anbu and helped the young boy escape across the border he will face severe punishment. He will be expelled from the academy." The Hokage said in a stern tone, making them believe his words.

    "What!? You can''t do that.!" Naruto shouted in dismay.

    "Oh can''t I? I''m the Hokage of this vige. Daichimitted a crime by interfering with the people who do their jobs and letting the boy escape. He will face the punishment." Hiruzen spoke with a serious tone to Naruto for the first time and it surprised the boy.

    Hearing the Hokage''s reasoning, Shikamaru spoke immediately. "Please reconsider this Lord Hokage. Daichi is thest person amongst us who should be punished for this. He tried to convince us to not go through with this."

    Naruto, Choji, Sakura, Kiba and Ino agreed and nodded their heads. "Yeah. Daichi told us that there''s tension between the viges and if we do something like this it would cause trouble for the people here. He warned us not to do it. So please don''t punish him." Ino said pleadingly to the Hokage.

    "Is that so?..." Hiruzen appeared to mull over the information. ''It seems Daichi knew the risks of doing something like this and still went ahead anyway. He''s got guts.''

    "Regardless he still went through with it. He helped an unknown person escape the vige with valuable information. He will be expelled but considering the circumstances, that''s as far as I will go."

    The Hokage really wasn''t going to expel Daichi. He just wanted to see how they would react. ''Would they ept this result or would they challenge it?''

    Naruto had his head down hearing the Hokage''s words. He thought about his recent dream to be Hokage of the vige and then to his interactions with Daichi. He remembered what Daichi said on his first day at the academy.

    "My goal is to be the strongest." It was Daichi''s ambition and dream.

    Daichi was one of the few friends he made. Naruto thought back to the conversation they had at theke.

    "Do you trust me?"

    "Yeah. I do."

    "Then trust me when I say I''ll get Yota to safety. I promise."

    Naruto made his decision. He looked up at the Hokage and spoke in a resolute tone. "If you''re going to expel Daichi then you might as well expel me too."

    Hiruzen looked surprised hearing that response. "Are you sure about this Naruto? You''ll never be Hokage if you don''t be a Ninja."

    "Yes." Naruto lightly red at the old man as he responded.

    "If Daichi''s expelled then I''m quitting too. Besides, the academy is way too much work anyway." Shikamaru said in a nonchnt tone.

    Ino and Sakura also agreed with the two. "Well if you guys aren''t going, then I''m not going too." Ino said in a somewhat childish tone.

    "My mom''s soo not gonna be happy when she hears I quit the academy." "Arf, Arf"

    "Yeah. Same here."

    Both Kiba and Choji shivered when they thought about their mother''s reaction to the news.

    Looking at his ssmates, Shikamaru couldn''t help but chuckle. "Guess Daichi was right. We really are a bunch of reckless fools."

    Hiruzen was surprised at their resolve. ''Even most genins wouldn''t have their stones. This ordeal has definitely brought them closer. And it seems Naruto has gained some truly wonderful friends. I''m d. Time to end this charade.''

    A wide genuine smile appeared on the Hokage''s face and it surprised the students. "You never turned on your friends or let one take the fall by himself. I''m impressed."

    Hearing the Hokage''s words, cogs started turning in Shikamaru''s head. "Wait, that was a test? You really weren''t going to expel him?"

    Looking at their shocked faces, Hiruzen chuckled. "No. I lied. It''s something I said to see if you would truly stand by him."

    Relief flooded their faces as they heard the old leader''s words.

    "Whooo. You really had us going there for a minute, old man." Naruto said with a smile.

    Looking at the smiling faces of Naruto and his friends, Hiruzen spoke. "True loyal teammates would never turn their back on their friends. It''s one of the many lessons my sensei taught me. Usually you would learn this only by the time you be a genin but it seems you''ve all grasped that lesson a few years sooner."

    "But what about the situation with Yota and everything that''s happened?" Shikamaru couldn''t help but ask.

    "I''m aware of the boy and after reading the reports, I havee to the conclusion that he is not a threat to the Leaf But unfortunately at a time like this, he cannot be allowed back in the vige. I''m sorry." Hiruzen didn''t want to tell them that their friend had departed from this world, so he phrased it in such a manner.

    Hearing his words made the kids happy and sad at the same time. But they understood the situation. They knew this was the best oue that could have happened considering everything.

    "Now just because this isn''t a serious matter doesn''t mean you''ll be scot free First you''re going to clean up the mess you''ve made on the Hokage monument and then you''ll clean every ssroom in the academy. I''ll inform the teachers to give the cleaning staff the day off." Hiruzen chuckled looking at the dumbfounded faces of the students.

    "But" Naruto was about to protest but Sakura gave a sharp elbow to his ribs, shutting him up. "We understand Lord Hokage." Sakura said, bowing her head.

    "Good. Now go on. I believe you have a lot of work ahead of you. Oh! And tell Daichi toe in. I need to speak with him." Hiruzen dismissed the students.

    "Daichi''s here?" Naruto was excited. He ran outside the room and the others followed. Naruto found his friend leaning on a wall waiting for his summons.

    "Daichi you''re back." At Naruto''s shout, Daichi looked up.

    "Hey Naruto." Daichi walked to him. He saw Shikamaru and the othersing as well.

    "Yota! Is he gone?" Naruto couldn''t help but ask.

    "Yeah. He''s free." Daichi nodded.

    Hearing the answer brought sad smiles to everyone. "Hey you better go in. The Hokage wants to talk to you." Shikamaru said to him. "And we have a giant face and an academy to clean up." The young Nara gave a long sigh. "Could''ve been worse I suppose."

    Daichi nodded and went inside to meet the leader of the vige. He walked in and stood in front of the Hokage.

    ----------------

    Author''s Note:

    Hit me up with some power stone guys. Let''s get this story up the rankings.

 Chapter 44: Kensei and Hiruzen

    Chapter 44: Kensei and Hiruzen

    "You''ve certainly had an interesting day." Hiruzen started the conversation.

    "Yeah That''s one way to put it." Daichi gave a subdued answer.

    Noticing hisck of energy or emotions Hiruzen recalled what Daichi just went through. ''To see your friend die and be helpless to do anything about itThese emotions... It would drive someone down the wrong path if not properly dealt with.''

    Just as the Hokage was about to ask how he was feeling, Daichi spoke up. "I''ve learned some things about Yota that I think you should know."

    "Oh and what is it?" Hiruzen asked ying dumb. ''Is he really going to tell me?''

    "Yota is someone who died not too long ago. He was brought back by a reanimation jutsu by the missing nin Orochimaru." Daichi said to the Hokage.

    "I see Go on. What else did you learn?"

    "Yota said Orochimaru was conducting an experiment with the jutsu that brought him back. And there was someone else with him." Even before entering the room, Daichi decided to give all the information he learned from Yota to the Hokage. He wasn''t going to keep quiet when there was a chance the Hokage knew about everything.

    "Did the boy tell you who it was?" Hiruzen asked as if he wanted to know.

    "He didn''t know who it was But he gave me a description. Male, with grey hair and has round sses. And he wears a purple shirt." He said the same thing Yota said. He couldn''t make any mistakes and give more information even though a small part of him wanted to.

    Hiruzen nodded to Daichi''s words. "Thank you for telling me Daichi."

    The boy nodded. The Hokage noticed his hesitation and clenched fists. ''Time to see how these events have affected him.!''

    "How are you feeling Daichi?" Hiruzen asked him.

    Daichi stayed silent for a couple seconds before he answered with a question.

    "Can I have permission to speak freely?"

    "Go ahead." The Hokage nodded.

    "I''m angry" Daichi then stayed silent for a couple seconds.

    Hiruzen motioned for him to continue.

    "I''m angry at Orochimaru for using Yota like that I''m angry at the Anbu ninjas for interrogating him like a criminal, I''m angry at the vige for not letting him stay And I''m angry at myself, because I couldn''t save him." Daichi stopped.

    "Anger is a powerful emotion. If used correctly it can be the key to achieving your goal but if it consumes you, it will destroy you and everything around you." The Hokage said to the boy. He continued after a few seconds of silence.

    "Do you think under the current circumstances, the vige was wrong in not letting the boy stay?" He asked Daichi.

    Daichi was silent for a minute before he answered. "Yes."

    "Why?"

    "Because he was just an innocent kid who didn''t mean anyone any harm."

    "Yes. But as you''ve said, he was Orochimaru''s experiment. The jutsu that brought him back is known as the Reanimation Jutsu. It''s a forbidden jutsu capable of controlling those it binds... If Yota had attacked the vige under Orochimaru''s orders, what do you think would have happened?" Hiruzen asked him in a neutral tone.

    Daichi didn''t have an answer to that. Truthfully he didn''t want to answer it. ''With Yota''s capabilities he would have caused a lot of damage before being stopped. And since he was a reanimation, it would have been difficult to take him down.''

    "I see you understand. It might seem unkind and extreme, but the methods and measures the ninjas take are to ensure the safety of the vige and all of its citizens." The Hokage wanted Daichi to understand and let go of his anger towards the vige. He was examining the boy''s chakra throughout his conversation. He could feel the slight agitation and fluctuations of his energy.

    ''Is this all we are? Does being a shinobi mean I''ll have to take actions like these in the future?'' As Daichi was having these thoughts, the scene of Sasuke talking with the first Hokage in the Naka shrine came to his mind. Daichi remembered the words Hashirama Senju said to Sasuke.

    ''Shinobi are those who endure for a purpose. But depending on their purpose, a shinobi can change.''

    ''It seems Kensei was right after all.'' Daichi calmed down and looked at the Hokage.

    "I understand Lord Hokage."

    Sensing no lies, the Hokage nodded and dismissed Daichi.

    Daichi left the Hokage office and slowly walked down the hall. He had several thoughts running through his mind.

    ''The ripple effects of saving Yota. What could those be? One of them is definitely the Hokage learning about the reanimation jutsu and Kabuto but what else Nothing elsees to mind. I''m sure I''ll figure it out someday.''

    As he recalled everything that''s happened his mind stopped at the failure part of the quest.

    ''Why was the failure part of the quest being forced to join the root and Kensei''s death? How does Danzo fit into all this?''

    Daichi pondered on this question for a while before he reached a conclusion.

    ''If I had failed and they had recaptured Yota, then they would have definitely found out he was a reanimated person. And they would have used more intense interrogation methods and Orochimaru''s name would havee out. And then since I tried to rescue him, I would have definitely be a suspect. They would think that l was a spy. But then wouldn''t Shikamaru and the others be in trouble too? ''

    Daichi thought about it for a while and came to a conclusion. ''Everyone present in the group has strong backing except me and Sakura. Naruto has the Hokage''s backing and Shikamaru and the others are heirs of the n heads. And between Sakura and me, Danzo would pick me because of my talent and he probably wouldn''t see any value in Sakura. So he would leave her alone.''

    ''If this quest had gone sideways then all of them would have been safe except for me. Danzo keeps an eye on Anbu forces and this incident would have been brought to his attention. And knowing him and his hard-on for talented children he definitely would have forced me into root. Kensei would have been opposed to this and since the failure showed possible death of Kensei then that means Danzo would have had him killed. It all fits''

    Daichi shuddered at the implications. He was d everything turned out alright in the end but he vowed himself to be more careful in the future.

    ''Until I graduate I have to keep a low profile.''

    ---------------------------------------------------

    Once the boy left, Hiruzen leaned back in his chair, took his pipe and smoked. ''He looked like he came to terms with what happened but I''ll have to keep an eye on him Maybe it''s time I go see Kensei.''

    The Hokage sat in his chair pondering on what to do next? ''Before I do anything I need to figure out who it was that was with Orochimaru. If he was showing this man how to use the reanimation jutsu then he must be someone close to Orochimaru.''

    ''This man most probably could be a spy inside the vige. But figuring out his identity would be like finding a needle in a haystackHmm''

    Hiruzen taught Orochimaru almost everything about being a ninja. So the old Hokage had an idea as to how his student would think. He tried to put himself in his former student''s shoes.

    ''Orochimaru would never keep someone ipetent close. And definitely not a civilian. This person must have skills to defend himself, so he''s probably a shinobi. But a ninja posing as a civilian would be a waste of resources, so he''s definitely integrated himself within my forces.''

    ''But he could be of any rank and there are so many ninjas in different departments Still I have his description, so that''s something. This will have to be done discreetly. When I find him and his identity is exposed, Orochimaru would use another one in his ce and I''ll lose my leverage. A much better strategy is to use him to feed false Intel and see if he has connections to any other spies here''

    ''Alright. One problem at a time. First things first. Identifying the spy.''

    "Bear!" The Hokage called out. An Anbu wearing a mask with brown stripes resembling a bear appeared out of the shadows kneeling.

    "As you''ve just heard, we have a mole in our midst. We need to identify him as quickly as we can. Start with the genin and chunin forces. There''s a probability that he could be one of them."

    "Yes lord Hokage. Should I capture and detain him once I find him or?" The Anbu asked.

    "No. For the moment, let him be. This is an opportunity to find out more about Orochimaru''s operations and if possible, we can use the spy to nt false intelligence. Right now your priority is uncovering his identity." Hiruzen made his decision.

    "Understood Sir."

    "And Bear... Keep this between us. Not even the council elders must know. And make sure this investigation is carried out discreetly. No mistakes."

    "Yes sir.!" The kneeling Anbu vanished into the shadows as quietly as he came.

    Hiruzen stood from his chair and walked to the window. As he looked down he saw Daichi leaving the building and walking home. He sighed thinking about the young boy. ''It seems I can''t dy it any longer. I''ll have to speak with Kensei.''

    "I''m going out for a while. You three stay here." Hiruzen said to his guards hidden in the room. He left the tower and walked to a certain training ground. His mind was on the former Anbu captain and once close friend. He had an idea as to where Kensei would be today and that was where he was headed.

    After some time he reached a specific training ground in the vige. It was arge area with several stumps and targets lined up. There were craters on the ground indicating the use of destructive jutsus. A wide river ran at the far end of the training ground. Hiruzen stood there for a few moments taking in the view.

    As he stood there he suddenly heard a voice he hadn''t heard in several years.

    "If you''re looking for nostalgic memories then you''re in the wrong ce. This is training ground 6, not 3."

    Hiruzen turned around and found Kensei staring at him. "How did you know I''de here?" Kensei asked.

    "This was your training ground when you were a genin and the ce where you taught your students and your son. I know youe here every weekend to reminisce" The Hokage replied.

    "Hello old friend. It''s been a long time." Hiruzen greeted him with a smile.

    "Not long enough" Kensei said with an emotionless face.

    The smile on the Hokage''s face dropped. Hiruzen sighed thinking about the events that lead to their current rtionship. "Are you still angry with me?" He asked him.

    Kensei looked at the Hokage for a while and then let out a tired sigh. "No I guess somewhere along the way I lost that anger."

    Hiruzen slightly smiled hearing that answer.

    "What are you doing here?" Kensei knew the Hokage was here for something.

    "Can''t I see an old friend and subordinate and mend our friendship?" Hiruzen asked in a jovial tone as he walked to a tree stump. He sat on it looking at Kensei. The smile on Hiruzen''s face dimmed as he saw Kensei''s pegleg.

    Hearing his words Kensei couldn''t help but grunt. He walked forward and sat on a nearby tree stump as well. Kensei saw Hiruzen looking at his leg. He started speaking.

    "I was angry with you." Hiruzen looked up hearing Kensei''s words.

    "Even though you''re the Hokage, you couldn''t do anything to Danzo after what he did to me. Even after what he tried to do to my son I was furious for a long time" Kensei stopped looking at his once close friend andmander. His eyes wandered the training ground.

    "You know why I couldn''t" Hiruzen didn''t say anything more. He felt that saying anything more would only damage the already torn friendship between them.

    "Yes. I understood why you didn''t do it And after years I came to ept it After the Nine tails attack and the whole Hyuga Cloud mess, I know he has had some hand in keeping the vige stable... A necessary evil as you''ve said that day" Kensei paused looking at hispanion.

    "Danzo is ruthless and would use any method avable to him to achieve his goal. But everything he does, he does it for the vige." Hiruzen sighed and stopped. Both of them were quiet for a while.

    "How have you been?" The Hokage started the conversation again.

    "Good. I feel happy More than I did in a long time." Kensei said with a small smile.

    "Does it have anything to do with the young boy you adopted?"

    "Of course you''d ask about Daichi. You''ve seen his talents haven''t you?"

    "He is a remarkable young man. His progress is quite exceptional. I can onlypare his rate of improvement to a handful of people."

    Kensei smiled as he listened. He knew about Daichi''s progress better than anyone save the boy himself. "That he is"

    "Can I ask you something?"

    Kensei nodded to the Hokage.

    "Why did you adopt him?... Does it have anything to do with Hotaru?"

    Kensei thought about a certain memory as he heard the question. The memory of a promise made to his savior. After a few moments of silence he answered.

    "Why I adopted him? I consider it my second chance To make the right choicesAnd yes, he reminded me so much of Hotaru His looks, his talent, the way he acts"

    Hiruzen nodded as he listened. He could understand theparison. He had met Hotaru Yasaji at a young age and watched his growth throughout the years.

    "You''ve been training him, haven''t you?"

    "Yes!" The old man Kensei nodded.

    "But why push him so hard so early?" Hiruzen wanted to know Kensei''s motives

    "I don''t want him to have regrets I know that''s impossible but " Kensei didn''t finish his sentence. He looked towards Hiruzen.

    "Why are you so interested in him, Hiruzen?"

    "Daichi''s talents remind me of Minato and...Orochimaru. One of them died for the vige and the other has be its enemy. I don''t want Daichi to leave this world before his time or go down the wrong path."

    "Daichi is no ''Orochimaru''. I can promise you that. And I have a feeling he''ll be like a cat with nine lives when ites to surviving." Kensei''s words made it clear to Hiruzen that he knew Daichi''s path. But the Hokage doubted Kensei would share it with him.

    "There was an incident a few hours ago. Nothing major. When you get home you should talk to Daichi about it?" The Hokage told him. Kensei nodded in agreement.

    Both of them stayed there till the sun went down discussing various topics and traveling down memoryne. Once the sun had disappeared, each left for home with their own thoughts.

    -------------------------------------------------------------

    Author''s Note:

    Hit me up with some power stone guys. Let''s get this story up the rankings.

 Chapter 45: Reo Uchiha and Training for 2nd Dungeon

    Chapter 45: Reo Uchiha and Training for 2nd Dungeon

    The Next Day.

    It was Sunday morning. Daichi woke up and just stayed in bed thinking about everything that''s happened.

    ''Looks like I need to change my ns a bit. I''ll save the dungeon fight for March. I need to train more. And I''ve built up enough chakra for the Shadow Clone jutsu. I need to increase the speed of my training.''

    Daichi got up and went downstairs. He greeted his grandfather who was reading a book and went to the kitchen to get a bite to eat. Once he had his breakfast he went near Kensei and sat down.

    "So how was yesterday''s adventure?" Kensei asked nonchntly.

    "You heard that huh!" Daichi wasn''t surprised his grandfather had heard about it.

    "Yeah. Not many academy students can stand up to an Anbu''s intent." Hiruzen spoke about the entire incident with Kensei and the old man was impressed with Daichi''s strong will.

    "How are you feeling? With everything that''s happened?" He asked in a slightly gentle tone.

    "I''m not happy with the way things ended but I understand."

    "Every experience, no matter good or bad, is a teacher to us. It shapes how we think and how we act. The smart ones are those who learn and try not to repeat their past mistakes." Kensei shared his thoughts with Daichi.

    "Yeah. I learned quite a bit and. The whole thing was Fruitful. Helped me a lot in many ways." Daichi thought back to the special stat and item he got as a reward. His desire to be stronger had also increased.

    "As long as you don''t lose yourself along the way, you''re fine."

    Daichi nodded to Kensei''s wise words.

    "Hey gramps"

    "What is it?"

    "Can you teach me the Shadow clone Jutsu.?" When Daichi asked this, Kensei looked at him.

    Kensei assessed his chakra and deemed him capable of creating a few clones. Kensei took Daichi to his library and took out a couple of scrolls. He handed them to Daichi.

    "These are the scrolls for the Shadow clone jutsu and the Body Flicker technique. Figured it mighte in handy for you."

    Hearing Kensei''s words made Daichi excited. He wanted to start training right away. Daichi wanted to see if he could take the Body Flicker technique to the same level or even beyond Shisui Uchiha''s perfection.

    -----------------------------

    Days passed with Daichi maintaining the top spot at the academy. The incident also changed Naruto''s life as well.

    Daichi noticed that he was more happy with Shikamaru and the gang ying around with him. They would also stand up for Naruto when others picked on him. His pranks, although lessened, haven''t stopped. And sometimes Kiba, Choji and Shikamaru would join him in skipping ss. Daichi would y and hang around with them but it was only on a few asions. His focus was on training.

    One of the major changes Daichi noticed was about Ino. Whenever he looked at her, she would blush and look away. Daichi wasn''t sure why at first but knowing the cliches of an anime world he had an idea. And he decided he wasn''t going to touch that topic with a 10 foot pole.

    Daichi''s Home.

    It was a weekend and Daichi was currently in the middle of training with Kensei supervising it. Daichi had two of his shadow clones throw shuriken and kunai at him while he tried to dodge the iing projectiles. His goal was to improve his ''sense stat'' and thus his senses.

    The next dungeon Daichi was going to open was a Key dungeon as well. But it would have enemy ninjas instead of wild beasts. He wanted to be at his absolute best and prepare for the battles that''s going toe his way. As Daichi dodged or deflected the metals aimed at him his instincts improved.

    [+1 SENSE]

    Over three hours had passed since he started this training.

    ''Come on. Just a bit more. I need to improve my stamina as well. I doubt I''d be able to rest and recover in enemy territory.''

    Just as he dodged a hail of shuriken and deflected a kunai with one of his own, the special stat STAMINA had an increase as well.

    [+1 STAMINA]

    ''Finally!! Time to put an end to this.'' Daichi increased his speed with the Body Flicker technique and got behind a shadow clone. A hard punch to its spine and it vanished into smoke.

    ''Wow. That feels so weird. It seems I''m still getting used to that sensation.''

    Daichi senses immediately alerted him to the weaponsing from the second clone. He deflected all of them with his kunai and rushed the clone. Both Daichi and his clone started attacking each other at a fast pace. His clone used ''body flicker'' to dodge some of the punches aimed at him and blocked the rest.

    Daichi swiftly switched tactics and restrained the clone with chakra threads and before his clone could retaliate Daichi dispatched it with several shuriken.

    ''Looks like my reaction time has improved. Not bad.'' Just as he was relishing in his victory, Daichi heard the whistle of shurikens flying. He immediately jumped high barely dodging the metal stars and watched them bury deep into the trunk of the tree behind him. Daichi looked towards the culprit.

    "What the hell old man.!!! That could''ve seriously hurt if it had hit me."

    "But it didn''t. And you''re not hurt.!" Kensei said in a nonchnt manner. Daichi looked at his grandpa incredulously.

    Kensei chuckled but then in a somewhat serious tone spoke. "On a battlefield you should never let your guard down, even when you think you''re victorious. That''s the moment a cunning enemy strikes his foe."

    As Daichi heard these words he calmed down. At that moment the scene of Tobirama Senju striking down Izuna Uchiha came to his mind. ''He''s right. I need to be absolutely careful when I''m fighting someone. I can''t let my strength get to my head.''

    "I understand Gramps."

    Kensei nodded. Both of them ended the training and simply enjoyed the rest of the day.

    -----------------

    Months passed and soon it was February 12th. Daichi just finished his training with Ren and was about to leave but the Uchiha stopped him.

    "Hey. Daichi. Come on. There''s someone I want you to meet at home." Ren said with a smile.

    "Ohh so I finally get to meet your daughter huh.!"

    "Yeah. Come on! One day you''ll be Uncle Daichi to her. Hahaha" Renughed walking ahead.

    Daichi was d he had the Gamer''s Mind turned on. Otherwise he would have grimaced and freaked out as he thought about their fates, and Ren would have picked up on that.

    ''If I recall, the Uchiha are currently under surveince If I go to their nwill the Anbu be a headache for me...?? But I can''t decline his invitation without it sounding strange.'' Daichi lightly sighed and decided to go through with this.

    They reached the gates of the Uchihapound. Ren''s home was near the border of the walls surrounding thepound. It didn''t take them long to reach his home. On the way Daichi noticed several Uchiha looking at both of them with contempt. Daichi expected such a look for him but he was surprised that they were also aimed at Ren. His friend walked home as if he didn''t see anything wrong, so Daichi decided he wouldn''t ask about the situation.

    "I''m homeAnd I''ve brought a friend.!" Ren called out.

    He guided Daichi inside his home. Daichi went into the living room behind Ren and found a woman feeding a bottle of milk to a baby.

    "Daichi! Meet my wife Kimiko Uchiha. Kimiko. This is the young prodigy I told you about." Ren introduced them.

    "Hello." Daichi waved.

    "Hi. Ren told me he was teaching a talented academy student. I''m happy to finally meet you."

    Daichi politely nodded and used ''Observe'' on them.

    [LV.50] [Kimiko Uchiha]

    Age: 27

    HP: 3020 CP: 2900

    [Kimiko Uchiha is a member of the Uchiha n. She is a chunin ninja of average talent who awakened a one tomoe Sharingan, but retired a few years ago due to injuries she received during the 3rd world war. A year ago she married her childhood friend Ren Uchiha. She is a kind person who loves her family above all else. She gave birth to a baby girl named Reo Uchiha two weeks ago. But the pregnancy had put a strain on her body and she is now in a weakened state.]

    [LV.1] [Reo Uchiha]

    Age: <1

    HP: 58 CP: 20

    [Reo Uchiha is a member of the Uchiha n. Born on January 29 to Ren Uchiha and Kimiko Uchiha.]

    ''It seems the pregnancy has weakened her body. Her breathing pattern is a bit weaker than the normal person but not by much. If she rests for some time there''s a possibility she could recover. But In a few months it won''t matter''

    It was only thanks to the Gamer''s Mind that Daichi kept a calm face.

    "So I hear you''re the kid who beat Sasuke." Kimiko asked in a teasing manner.

    "Does everyone know about that.?" Daichi was surprised that many people in the Uchiha n would pay attention to him.

    "Of course. Everyone was expecting Sasuke to be just as good as Itachi and follow in his footsteps. So him taking second ce came as a big surprise." Kimiko said smiling.

    Once the bottle was empty the baby quickly fell asleep in Kimiko''s arms.

    "She''s cute." Daichi said, looking at the sleeping baby.

    "Yeah. She takes after her mother. Thank God for that. Her name is Reo Uchiha." Ren was smiling as he looked at his family. He took his daughter into his arms and after a few seconds turned to Daichi.

    "Do you wanna hold her?"

    "What?" Daichi was startled at the question. "Are you sure?"

    "Yeah. Come on" Ren held out his arms. Daichi slowly and cautiously took the baby into his arms. As he held her, baby Reo opened her eyes. She looked at Daichi and giggled and then slightly wiggled in his arms and soon fell asleep again.

    Daichi was surprised at that reaction. He looked at the cute baby sleeping in his arms that smiled at him and he couldn''t help but feel happy and protective of her. In that moment even though he didn''t realize it, Daichi formed a powerful bond with little girl Reo Uchiha.

    "Aww That''s so cute." Kimikoughed looking at the two children.

    Daichi slightly blushed at that.

    "I think that''s the first time I''ve seen you smile like that Daichi." Ren added his voice as well.

    Daichi and the two Uchiha spoke for a while before they noticed it was getting dark. Daichi left Ren''s home soon after, with thetter apanying him till the n gates.

    Daichi left the Uchihapound and was walking home. His mind was on the tragedy about to take ce not too long from now.

    ''Damn it What should I do? I can''t just leave them to their fates But I don''t even know the details of the massacre. And it''s been so long I''m slowly forgetting some things from my past life I remember the key events but the smaller details are bing foggyMy future knowledge is my advantage. I can''t lose that.''

    Daichi reached home. He had a n in mind to rectify his memory problem. Daichi went to his room after having dinner. He locked the door and sat on the floor. He opened his status page.

    ''Status''

    .

    Name : Daichi Hekima (The Gamer)

    ss : Student

    Age : 7

    Title : Capable Child, Explorer, Prodigy, Beast yer, Apprentice Dungeon Warrior.

    Level : 28 (12725/23250)

    .

    HP : 3435

    CP : 4103.5

    SP : 3255

    MP: 1300

    .

    Primary Stats

    Strength - 74

    Vitality - 72

    Dexterity - 62

    Agility - 74

    Intelligence - 69

    Chakra - 85

    Wisdom - 49

    .

    Special Stats

    Sense - 65

    Stamina - 86

    Indomitable - 1

    Charisma - 31

    Persistence - 3

    Dignity (LOCKED)

    Luck (LOCKED)

    .

    Stat Points - 465

    Ryo - 252000

    .

    ''Looks like my level progression has slowed down considerably but my stats are steadily improving It seems I was slightly wrong. I have a ton of points right now and if I don''t use them, it wouldn''t do me any good.''

    Daichi looked at his stats. After thinking about it for a while he came to a decision as to his next move.

    ---------------------

    Author''s Note:

    Hit me up with some power stone guys. Let''s get this story up the rankings.

 Chapter 46: 100 Intelligence and 2nd Dungeon.

    Chapter 46: 100 Intelligence and 2nd Dungeon.

    ''I can''t stay like this. I need to up my stats fast.'' Daichi looked at the umted stat points and made his choice. He started adding some points to his stats.

    [Primary Stats]

    Strength - 74 => 75

    Vitality - 72 => 75

    Dexterity - 62 => 70

    Agility - 74 => 75

    Intelligence - 69 => 100

    Chakra. - 85 => 100

    Wisdom - 49 => 50

    He used a total of 60 points to increase his primary stats. Several notifications popped up.

    [Intelligence stat has reached 100. You have gained the passive skill Absolute Recall.]

    [Absolute Recall - Passive (LV. MAX): A passive skill given to the yer when intelligence stat has reached 100. This skill gives the yer the ability to recall all past memories with great details and uracy. Absolute Recall is a skill that''s obtained and maxed.]

    [Note: This skill has positive and negative side effects. While this skill helps the yer in memorizing all details and recalling even the vaguest memories, it will also not allow the yer to forget any unhappy or traumatic experiences.]

    [The skill Lesser Mana Affinity has evolved to Mana Affinity. This increases the Mana points and power of the Mana skills of the yer.]

    [Chakra stat has reached 100.]

    [The skill Lesser Chakra Affinity has evolved to Chakra Affinity. The skill Lesser Chakra Regeneration has evolved to Chakra Regeneration. This increases the chakra points and chakra regeneration speed of the yer.]

    Daichi smiled as he read the blue system boxes. ''Looks like stats increased to 100 gives passive skills or Evolves already obtained skills Should I just increase the other stats to 100 right now?...''

    Daichi pondered on this question for a while before deciding against it. ''I''m about to enter a dungeon. I''ll definitely be able to increase my stats during the fighting. I''ll save the rest of the stat points forter.''

    Daichi looked at his health, chakra, stamina and intelligence points. All of them have increased considerably. Especially his chakra points.

    HP - 3575

    CP - 6010.2

    SP - 3365

    MP - 2270

    As Daichi read the details of the absolute recall skill a frown formed on his face. ''It''s indeed a great skill to have but the negative side effect To, not forget anything bad that''s happened. That''s going to be rough.''

    Just then the image of young Yota came to his mind. Along with memories that he couldn''t remember before. Daichi''s eyes widened as the memories came flooding in.

    ''OH My God!!. I''ve seen Yota, even before I met him in that forest. He was a filler character during the war episodes.''

    Daichi started recalling the past memories. He only saw the filler episodes a couple times before moving on. But now with this skill he could remember every single detail.

    ''Now I know why Yota was so important. And why that quest triggered a warning. In the story, Naruto and the others rescue Yota and once they reach the river and try to cross it, they get swept away. Yota saves them and erases their memories of him and their time together.''

    ''But now because of my interference with the plot, they remember everything. Naruto has friends and the third Hokage knows about Orochimaru and his experimentation with the reanimation jutsu and possibly about Kabuto too So that''s why the system warned me huh ''

    Daichi sighed thinking about the incident. ''We''ll No point in thinking about it now'' Daichi became sad as he remembered Yota and what had happened to him. But within a couple of seconds the Gamer''s Mind activated and the sadness he felt vanished. Daichi slightly shook his head as if to forget the memories and move on.

    He thought about the next dungeon he was going to enter. He found this particr dungeon on the day he met Ren. It was a red key when he found it but now since he leveled up to 28 it has turned to yellow. Daichi remembered the different types of keys and what they represent.

    ''ck keys lead to dungeons having opponents 30 levels above mine and will definitely end in my certain death. The red keys signify 15 - 30 level opponents stronger than me and are marked as extremely difficult. Yellow keys open a difficult level dungeon with opponents from 5 - 15 levels above mine. And then white keys ssified as normal and green as easy.''

    ''Since this key turned from red to yellow when I reached 28 that means the highest opponent in this dungeon would be of level 43. I''ll have to improve my stats as much as I can and level up too. The experience points needed for my next level up is over 10,000. And I''m pretty sure to reach level 30 I need at least 30,000 exp. Soon''

    The first week of March arrived quickly. The students were given a week leave to prepare for the exams in the second week and then they would be given a two weeks holiday before the start of the next academic year in April. Daichi was nning on using the first week of march toplete the second dungeon.

    Coincidentally it was the same week Kensei had to leave for Tanzaku town.

    "I''ll be gone for about 10 days. Be careful and don''t burn the house down."

    "Ohe on!!. Don''t you have faith in me, Gramps?. I''ll be good!!" Daichi said grinning like a Cheshire cat.

    Kensei had a nk expression on his face as he looked at Daichi. The boy''s smile reminded him of a mischievous cat about to get up to no good the moment the owner leaves

    "Mmm Hmm You''re up to something, aren''t you?" The old man has known Daichi long enough to know the boy was nning something.

    "Maybe" Daichi gave a cheeky reply with the same grin.

    Kensei sighed "I don''t wanna know" He bid his grandson farewell and soon left. Daichi waved him goodbye and went to his room.

    During thest three years, Kensei had taught Daichi the hand-seals that would allow him to connect to the barrier surrounding the house. It was a simple but efficient one capable of alerting the people connected to it, of intruders or other problems.

    Daichi connected to the barrier and sensing that he was alone, he sat on his bed and took out the yellow dungeon key.

    ''Time to go to work.''

    The moment he activated the key, he was teleported and Daichi experienced the sensation of falling from a great height. He was prepared for it this time. A couple secondster his feet touched the ground.

    Daichinded safely and looked around. He was in a hallway simr to the first one but this had several differences. Unlike the first dungeon hallway which was covered in moss and vines, this one was clean. The hallway seems to be made from red bricks and ck stones arranged in some sort of a pattern. And at the end of the narrow hallway stood a white arched door.

    ''I''m guessing this is going to be a theme.''

    Daichi walked to the white door and inserted the dungeon key.

    [You have reached the entrance to the dungeon - Akagahara Battlegrounds. ]

    [Would you like to enter? [Y/N]]

    ''Yes.''

    The key started rotating clockwise and within seconds the door opened. Daichi slowly took his steps and entered the dungeon grounds.

    As Daichi looked around all he could see were forest and rocks. A vast area just waiting to be explored and filled with danger.

    ''Observe''

    [Dungeon - Akagahara Battlegrounds]

    [This dungeon is created based on the former Chunin exam ground Akagahara, but there are several differences. This dungeon is much more vast and the traps are more lethal. The strength of the enemy ninjas created for this dungeon are based on some of the Genins who survived Akagahara and these enemies are a bit stronger. There are other dangers in the dungeon as well.]

    ''So I was right. Based on my memories, Akagahara was only shown in a special episode. But it seems fillers are real in this world. In the episode Naruto fought against enemy puppets and had to avoid traps.I''ll have to be careful when moving around. And it seems this dungeon has ninjas as well.''

    Just then a new quest was created.

    [Quest Created - ''Destroy all enemies''.]

    [Avoid the traps, kill the enemy ninjas and defeat the dungeon boss and his army. ]

    [Time limit : None. ]

    [Rewards:]

    New Skill.

    New Title.

    Ryo 375,000.

    10000 Exp.

    [Failure:]

    Death.

    [ept (Y/N)]

    ''So the boss of this dungeon has his own army huh Wonder what they would be like?''

    Daichi epted the quest. Just then the title ''Apprentice Dungeon Warrior'' activated.

    [Title ''Apprentice Dungeon Warrior'' is now active. All your stats are increased by 10% while inside the dungeon.]

    Daichi immediately felt the effects of the title. He smiled as he felt his strength increase. Despite the fact that it was a difficult dungeon, Daichi was confident in himself. Just as he was about to take his first step forward, he paused. He suddenly thought of something.

    ''Wait a minute. My Persistence stat opened when I fought a boss with my health below 3/4th of its total And my Indomitable stat opened when I switched off the Gamer''s Mind and stood up to a higher level enemy''s killing intent''

    ''And special stats can only be increased through training or level up and not with stat points. If I want to make the most of this dungeon then I need to turn off the Gamer''s Mind to increase Indomitable stat and keep fighting till my health points are at their lowest''

    ''Turning off the gamers mind won''t be much of a problem because now I have Unyielding spirit to protect my mind. Still, It''s a dangerous and risky move But...It looks like I have no choice.''

    Daichi opened the options tab and looked at the Gamer''s Mind On/Off button. Gathering his resolve he turned off the Gamer''s Mind. Daichi was much calmer this time when he shut it off. He felt his emotions at a higher degree but was calm and in control.

    Daichi slowly walked forward into the jungle. He tried to be as careful as possible but unfortunately for him, he identally tripped a wire.

    "Whoosh" Several kunais came flying at a fast rate towards the boy.

    "Oh shit." Daichi jumped to a nearby tree to avoid the weapons but the moment hended on the branch a paper bomb activated. Daichi, hearing the familiar sound of the paper explosive, instantly flooded his body with chakra and used Body Flicker to escape the st.

    Hended on the ground nearby but the next instant the area hended on, crumbled and a wide deep dark hole appeared beneath Daichi. He fell and as he looked down, he saw numerous metal spikes at the bottom of the pit waiting to impale him. There were small metal prongs and sharp razor wires covering the inside wall of the pit as well.

    ''I can''t swing to the wall and use chakra to stick my feet unless I want to get shredded.''

    He suddenly had an idea. He took two kunais with long wires attached to them from the inventory and quickly threw them with force in opposite directions. They struck the wall and were buried all the way to the hilt and the wires stretched taut as Daichi held their ends. It stopped Daichi in his fall just several inches above the sharp spikes. The metal wires dug into Daichi''s palm and he slightly bled but he didn''t care or even notice it.

    Daichi hung in the air and then looked down. He saw the spikes a couple inches away from skewering him. Daichi was breathing hard and sweat rolled down his face.

    "Not even five minutes into this fucking dungeon and I almost just died. Something tells me I''m really not gonna like this ce."

    As if fate was ying a cruel joke, it was at that exact moment that everything around Daichi started to shake and crumble. The rocks surrounding him started to break and fall. The ground shook harder by the second and the pit was starting to copse in on itself. It was as if the dungeon intended to bury Daichi inside it.

    Daichi''s eyes widened as he looked at the crumbling walls.

    "OH! COME ON!!!"

    -----------------------------------------------------------

    Author''s Note:

    Hit me up with some power stone guys. Let''s get this story up the rankings.

 Chapter 47: Shadow, Illusion and Tank.

    Chapter 47: Shadow, Illusion and Tank.

    Without wasting a single moment Daichi went into action. He leaned backwards and stretched the ninja wire as much as he could. He could feel the metal spikes poking his back. The next instant he used as much force as possible and swung himself upwards. As he flew, he quickly weaved signs.

    "Shadow clone jutsu.!!"

    Immediately two Shadow clones were created near the flying Daichi.

    One clone immediately went through several hand-seals and shot a st of water at the raining debris clearing Daichi''s path. The other grabbed hold of Daichi and tossed him up with enough force to exit the pit.

    In a few seconds Daichi was out and above the ground. He used his chakra strings and attached them to a tree and swung himself to safety.

    "That was close. Far too close"

    Even though he didn''t exert much energy, he was breathing hard. Due to the Gamer''s Mind being turned off, Daichi was feeling the shock of almost dying to a much greater degree. He felt his heart pounding away in his chest and the adrenaline pumping in his veins. His entire body was slightly quaking. After a few minutes he steadied himself and began to resume his exploration of the dungeon.

    Daichi was much more careful this time. Time went by as he slowly went deeper into the jungle. ''It''s now been over 3 hours and I haven''t seen any enemy ninjas or puppets. But my progress has been slow due to the traps.''

    Daichi, although sessful in avoiding most traps, still triggered a few, hidden carefully within the jungle. Luckily he escaped without much problems. Daichi had his eye on the Mini-Map as well as using ''Chakra Sense'' at certain intervals. He had no intention of being taken by surprise. As he traveled a bit further red dots started appearing on his holographic map.

    ''Looks like it''s finally beginning.''

    ording to the map there were 2 red dotsing from the front. Daichi took out his tanto from the inventory and got ready. As he slowly and cautiously walked forward, the red dots reached him and were on top of him.

    ''They''re hidden up in the trees and wants to ambush me. If I didn''t have the Mini-Map they might have seeded.''

    Daichi, not allowing them to make the first move, swiftly threw several shuriken and kunai at his enemies. The enemy ninjas escaped before they got hit andnded in front of Daichi.

    Both the ninjas looked to be around 13 or 14 years of age. They wore ordinary genin clothes and had weapon pouches strapped to their legs. Their bodies were gray and Daichi could see purple veins pulsing underneath their skin. They had dark purple sclerae and white eyes. Daichi slightly grimaced as he looked at them.

    ''These guys remind me of reanimation zombies. Let''s see how strong they are.''

    ''Observe''

    [LV.34] [Shadow Nin]

    HP: 4160 CP: 3230

    [A ninja created based on a Genin of the Nara n who survived the Akagahara exam grounds. This ninja is proficient in using shadow jutsus to bind and trap his enemies. Although his n was to catch his enemy unaware, he has no trouble adjusting to a change in tactics. Prefer to attack in a team. This enemy intends to kill you.]

    Just as Daichi finished reading the description of the first enemy nin, he attacked. Shadows from his feet quickly extended and tried to connect to Daichi''s but he evaded. Just then several fireballs a little bigger than his head were flying at him. It struck Daichi and burned him but the next instant the burning Daichi turned into a burning log.

    He substituted before the attacks struck and was high above hidden behind some thick tree leaves. He looked at the second ninja.

    ''Observe''

    [LV.33] [Illusion Nin]

    HP: 3702 CP: 3050

    [A ninja created based on a Genin of the Kurama n who survived the Akagahara exam grounds. This ninja is proficient in using Genjutsu to attack and kill enemies. This ninja prefers to fight in a group or with another as his physical strength is weak. This enemy intends to kill you.]

    ''Even though my Observe skill has reached level 40, I still can''t see their physical stats. Looks like I''ll have to somehow increase it in the next few months.''

    ''So they''re based on ninjas from the Nara and Kurama n huh. Then that means the fireballs might have been Genjutsu Or Genjutsu powerful enough to be a physical attack and injure the enemy.''

    ''Their n most probably is for the shadow user to trap me and for the Genjutsu user to finish me off But something seems strange. Based on their fighting style and appearance they don''t look like they could handle extreme hand to handbat. There should be a third member. Someone with a strong physique to fight while these two hang back''

    Daichi''s eyes widened and looked at the map. The Mini-Map showed that the dungeon was roughly 3.5 kilometers long in diameter. A smaller dungeon than training ground 43. It was then that Daichi noticed a dot slowly moving anding closer. Roughly 50 meters away from him. He couldn''t see any other enemies near him.

    ''That must be their third member. So these things are intelligent enough to form a n and attack huh. This dungeon is entirely different from the one before. I need to be extremely careful.''

    Just then Daichi felt a small headache and it was followed by several notifications popping up.

    [Mental intrusion detected.]

    [Unyielding spirit has neutralized the foreign attack.]

    Right as he finished reading the message, several fireballs struck near him. Daichi used Body Flicker and evaded. Hended on the ground and faced the two ninjas. He ran towards the illusion nin and created several normal illusion clones and made them look like they were going to attack him. The illusion nin created fireballs and attacked Daichi and his clones. Daichi evaded but clones were destroyed.

    Daichi threw several shuriken towards the Kurama n copy cat and jumped before a shadow tendril could connect to him. The illusion ninja dodged the shurikens with ease but that was also what Daichi was waiting for. He used chakra strings to guide the shuriken to pierce the nin from the back. The shuriken had ninja wire attached to it and Daichi quickly used the shuriken to surround and immobilize him.

    It was at that moment Daichi''s chakra sense alerted him to the third enemy ninja''s attack.

    ''It seems if one of them is about to be taken out then the back-up attacks, huh!!''

    Daichi evaded the punch aimed at the back of his head. He turned around and retaliated with a punch of his own. It struck and sent the enemy a few meters away. At that moment Daichi noticed the shadow nin cutting the wires and freeing the illusion ninja.

    Now surrounded by three ninjas Daichi felt a small fear but also excitement. This was going to be his first real ninja battle. His body realized the precarious situation he was in and sharpened his senses and instincts.

    ''Observe''

    [LV.36] [Tank Nin]

    HP: 4807 CP: 4721

    [A ninja created based on a Genin of the Akimichi n who survived the Akagahara exam grounds. This ninja possesses great physical strength and is capable of executing n techniques at a much greater speed than those his age. This enemy was looking to finish you quickly from your blind spot but now has made the decision to fight you head-on. This enemy intends to kill you.]

    ''I need to take out the Nara first. He''s the brains of this team and if let him be he''ll find some convoluted way to trap me. I haven''t yet grown strong enough to the point where I can just ignore whatever trap someone with brainses up with.''

    [You have sensed killing intent.]

    [Skill Danger Sense''s level has risen by one.]

    Daichi felt their killing intent. While his eyes were mainly on the Illusion and Tank ninja his main focus was on the shadow user. Daichi wanted to take the shadow nin by surprise. That''s why he didn''t target or even look at him yet. But that changed in an instant.

    Daichi weaved signs for the shadow clones and created two. Each one sprinted to the illusion and tank nins. The goal was to keep them busy and not let them interfere. The real Daichi''s target was the shadow user.

    In mere moments chakra flowed through Daichi''s limbs and he used sprint skill which uses stamina in conjunction with chakra enhancement to increase his speed and strength multiple folds.

    In an instant Daichi was behind the shadow user and he started cutting him up from head to toe. In just a little over 10 seconds Daichinded dozens of strikes on his enemy.

    [Skill Vital Strike''s level has risen by one.]

    [Skill Sword Mastery''s level has risen by one.]

    By the time the other two ninjas looked to their wounded teammate, Daichi had already attacked all major vital spots and cut off a limb. The enemy health points were falling rapidly and Daichi finished it with a fast sh to the neck.

    [Skill Death blow''s level has risen by one.]

    The skill death blow now level 15 adds an additional 150% attack damage to the enemy. While increasing the attack speed and criticals by 26%. The vital strike and sword mastery skills also increases attack speed and deals additional damage to the enemy. So with the help of these buffs Daichi finished his opponent in just over 10 seconds.

    The shadow nin exploded into smoke and disappeared.

    [Enemy killed.]

    +1200 Exp.

    +180 Exp.

    [Enemies killed: [01/168]

    [A new skill is created with a specific action.]

    [You have linked several attacks in quick session and killed an enemy in a single chainbo.]

    [Through continuously attacking and not allowing the enemy to escape or retaliate, the skill ''Linked Kill Strikes'' has been created.]

    Daichi didn''t have time to read the information on the skill as the two other ninjas dispatched his clones and were now after him.

    [Mental intrusion detected.]

    [Unyielding spirit has neutralized the foreign attack.]

    ''It seems he''s trying to use Genjutsu on me. Too bad for you''

    Watching the bigger ninja heading towards him, Daichi switched his tanto with a knuckle duster. The tank nin rushed at Daichi while the other stayed back. Daichi and the tank ninja began their battle. Daichi deflected and struck the enemies joints. Daichi coated his hands with chakra and boosted his strength.

    The tank nin suddenly increased the size of his right hand and punched Daichi, sending him skidding a few feet away. At that moment several lightning bolts came at him in an instant.

    Daichi quickly substituted with a nearby rock and escaped the attacks.

    "Alright. I can''t hold back if I want to beat these two." Daichi created two shadow clones and had them attack the Kurama n ninja. Daichi''s focus was now on the ninja with the Akimichi n abilities.

    Daichi quickly went through three hand seals. "Lightning style - Overdrive." Lightning coated his arms and legs and sparked over his whole body. ''Still not proficient with this. So I have to end this fight fast.''

    A Shadow clone created an earth wall behind the tank nin to prevent him from escaping. Daichi appeared in front of the tank in the blink of an eye. He started raining heavy blows in quick session all over his enemy.

    The tank nin expanded his body and tried to attack Daichi but he backed away and took out his dagger. ''You might be big, but your speed has been considerably reduced.''

    Daichi evaded the iing punches with ease and got behind him. He stabbed the big ninja through his neck and then buried his dagger deep into his head and left it there. ''The Overdrive jutsu is almost at its limit.''

    Without wasting time Daichi rained punches on his back and watched the HP of his enemy fall. And in half a minute the battle was over.

    [Due to the extreme physical training, you have obtained +1 AGI.]

    [Enemy killed.]

    +1400 Exp.

    +210 Exp.

    [Enemies killed: [02/168]

    At that moment he got the memories of his dispelled clones and new notifications popped up. Daichi smiled as he revised the memories.

    ---------------------------------------

    Minutes earlier: Daichi''s clones .

    Both clones evaded the fireballs and lightning strikesing at them. They threw shuriken and kunai at their opponent to gauge his reaction time. They noticed something about their enemy''s fighting style.

    ''There''s a 2 second interval before each attack. And he can only use one type of attack at a time. Furthermore he needs to use 3 hand seals for fire and 4 for lightning. So there''s a 1 second dy there. This is going to be easier than I thought.''

    A smirk came on the clone''s face. It looked at its counterpart and nodded. It seems both of them came up with the same strategy. The moment they dodged another attack, the first clone used chakra threads to immobilize the illusion ninja''s hands and feet.

    At that moment several kunai came from the second clone and pierced the joints making it more difficult for the illusion nin to move its limbs. But it didn''t matter as two giant fireballs were sted in his face the next second.

    [Enemy killed.]

    +1050 Exp.

    +157.5 Exp.

    Enemies killed: [03/168]

    Seeing as their target is destroyed, both clones dispelled themselves.

 Chapter 48: Battles in the 2nd Dungeon 01

    Chapter 48: Battles in the 2nd Dungeon 01

    With the three enemies killed, Daichi resumed his journey into the jungle.

    ''Since there are ninjas made from the Nara n and Kurama n then it stands to reason that I''ll encounter ninjas from other ns as well. This might be a good opportunity for me to learn how they fight first hand. Watching something from a story and experiencing it are two different things after all.''

    He then looked at the new skill he acquired.

    [Linked Kill Strikes - Active(LV.1): This skill activates once 10 fast consecutive strikes arended on the enemy. After the 10th strike each attack deals additional damage to the enemy. This skill also increases the speed of the user.]

    [Note: Dy in between each strike cannot be more than 1 second. ]

    [Effects: +1% Increase to Agility.

    +2% Increase in damage when using swords, daggers or other sharp weapons.

    +(n+1)% Increase to damage dealt for each additional strike. ''n'' represents thest consecutive attacknded on the enemy. ]

    ''Wow. This is one awesome sweet skill. It slightly increases my agility. But thest effect of this skill (n+1)% increase in damageSo unless I''m not mistaken then once the skill activates, the first strikends 2% additional damage and the second strikends 3% and 3rd deals 4% damage and so on. So theoretically if Ind about 20 strikes then this skill would deal an additional damage of 21%... ''

    ''And this is only the first level. If I increase the level of this skill it would be even more powerful Excellent.''

    Daichi became happy with the results of his first fight. He set his sights on the trees ahead and slowly moved.

    Daichi carefully walked through the woods. Hours slowly passed and it was starting to get dark. It was then that Daichi noticed two red dots moving slowly towards him on his map. Daichi slowed down and prepared himself. Suddenly Daichi heard the sound of trees getting crushed and looked ahead. Out of the darkness a ck spiraling body came directly at him at high speeds.

    Before the attacker could drill through him Daichi sidestepped and got out of the way. But he didn''t escape unscathed. "Ahh"

    [-132 HP]

    His shirt got torn and there were several bleeding lines on his chest. Luckily they were nothing serious. Before Daichi could take a look at his enemy he disappeared. He quickly looked at the map and saw that his attacker had slowed down and was now moving from behind him to a new location.

    ''He''s trying to ambush me again.''

    Daichi got ready. And just as he predicted the enemy attacked once more. The enemy ninja shot at Daichi intending to drill through him. Daichi sessfully escaped without injuries this time and he noticed something. The enemy drilled through trees and rocks behind Daichi and disappeared into the darkness once more.

    ''This guy is moving in a straight line. His speed is impressive but he can''t maneuver or change his direction. I think I have an idea who my next opponent is and what technique he''s using.''

    Daichi kept an eye on his Mini-Map. He noticed that the enemy ninja was getting ready for a third strike. Sweat trickled down Daichi''s face as he got ready to make his move.

    He suddenly heard the winds howling as he saw the enemying at him fast. Daichi stepped out of the line of attack while going through several hand-seals. Just as the enemy was about to reach where he stood a second ago Daichiunched his attack.

    "Fire style - Great Fireball Jutsu."

    The giant burning ball of me hit his enemy and exploded, sending the attacker flying. Daichi used Body Flickr and moved some distance away. He got near his opponent who was on the ground burning and smoking.

    ''Observe''

    [LV.36][Beast Nin]

    HP:3641 CP:3408

    [A ninja created based on a Genin of the Inuzuka n who survived the Akagahara exam grounds. This ninja possesses exceptional senses and instincts but is weak against Genjutsu attacks. He is proficient in using his n techniques and fights alongside his partner Shibori. He is faster than ordinary Genin. This enemy intends to kill you.]

    ''His partner..?'' Daichi''s eyes widened in realization but he was a second toote to dodge an attack from behind from the second enemy. A powerful force mmed into Daichi''s back sending him flying.

    [-108 HP]

    "Ghaa" Daichi flew in the air a few feet before roughlynding on the ground. He tumbled for a few meters before stopping himself. He got up and looked towards his enemy.

    ''So that''s his dog partner Shibori.''

    A ck dog half the size of an adult human was standing in front of his Inuzuka partner growling at Daichi. It had scars over its body and sharp red ws. The Inuzuka Genin was getting up and both were now looking to battle.

    ''I took out 310 HP points with that point nk fireball but It''s nowhere near enough. The Inuzuka n ninjas prefer speed andbo attacks over everything else. And they have extraordinary senses. I need to separate these two and take them out individually.''

    Forming the n in mind Daichi made his move. He created a shadow clone and rushed towards the genin while his clone targeted the ninja dog. The genin also rushed towards Daichi and both of them started fighting.

    Daichi dodged the swipe of a wed hand to the face and retaliated with a strong punch to the chest. It reduced a few HP and sent the ninja a few feet back but did nothing else.

    ''He''s strong.''

    The dungeon ninja rushed to Daichi and they began their second round of fighting. Daichi evaded the sharp ws and swipes and blocked the elbow shots aimed at his chest and head. During the fight the ninja suddenly dropped a few smoke bombs and jumped out. Daichi, not wanting to fight the enemy blind jumped out of the smoke as well.

    The moment he got out of the smoke a powerful kick struck his back sending him back into the purple smoke. Even before Daichinded and could get his bearings he felt several blows and cuts all over his body. The attacks came from all directions and within seconds of each other.

    Noticing his HP slowly dwindling, Daichi became agitated. He took his dagger from the inventory and tried to slice his opponent. But he failed in striking his enemy.

    ''This isn''t working. Why can''t I hit him?...'' Daichi was extremely agitated. He was breathing hard as he endured the attacks. ''Calm down Daichi. You can do this. Think this through.''

    Just then several notifications popped up indicating the enemy ninja dog was defeated. He suddenly received the memories of his dispelled clone and smiled. ''It seems the beast yer title was activated for my shadow clone when it forced the dog away from here. I''ll have to look into how far the beasts have to be separated another time. That info mighte in handy.''

    Daichi looked at the ninja and his anxiety lessened. ''I can do this.''

    Daichi calmed down and used his chakra sense and superior hearing. He started hearing the low sounds of winds moving and a strong chakraing at him from behind. The boy evaded the strike aimed at his neck and shed at the nin.

    [-504 HP]

    [Enemy Negative Status - Wounded buff in effect.]

    Daichi didn''t waste time and took out his tanto. He stabbed the wounded ninja through the chest and started shing at him with his dagger.

    The enemy''s health began rapidly falling. Daichi made sure to connect each attack so that his new skill Linked Kill Strikes activated. And before long he was victorious.

    [Enemy killed.]

    [+1400 Exp.]

    [+210 Exp.]

    [Enemies killed: 04/168]

    [You have leveled up.]

    Daichi looked at his stats. ''Level 29. Nice. My special stats went up by 1 but other than a 1 point in agility, none of my other primary stats has gone up. There is still time. I''ll increase as much as I can in this dungeon and then once I''m done I''ll add points and raise them to a 100 when I leave. That way I can save some pointsI think.''

    Without wasting time Daichi moved through the dungeon. It has now been several hours since he entered the dungeon. Daichi decided to get some rest and restore some of his stamina and health points. He looked at the map and noting that there weren''t any enemies near him, he went to a nearby rock and sat down. The mental exhaustion was getting to him as the events of the day went through his mind. Daichi slowly closed his eyes.

    After several minutes Daichi jerked awake to the sound of a notification ring.

    [You have sensed killing intent.]

    The moment Daichi opened his eyes he saw a deing straight for his head. Daichi tilted his head and avoided a fatal blow but the de still managed to leave a cut on his cheek. The moment the de lodged into the rock behind Daichi, he let his chakra flow into his arms. With the chakra enhancement technique increasing his strength and speed, Daichi quickly grabbed hold of the sword wielding arm and locked it in ce while he sent a powerful punch at his attacker''s face.

    The ninja reeled back from the force of the blow but Daichi didn''t let up. Instantly taking out his dagger from his inventory he sliced off the arm that had the sword.

    [-669 HP]

    [Enemy Negative Status - Crippled buff in effect.]

    The ninja jumped back several feet and tried to get away but Daichi threw several shuriken forcing him to abandon his retreat n.

    ''I made sure there weren''t any enemies near me with the map. So how did this guy get so close to me??''

    Daichi was angry that he let his guard down and almost got killed for it. He looked at his would-be killer and took in every detail. The ninja was covered in a ck and green camouge clothes from head to toe. Even the face was mostly covered in a ck mask and all Daichi could see were the eyes staring back at him. He wanted to know how this nin evaded his map and got to him undetected.

    ''Observe''

    [LV.35][Stealth Nin]

    HP: 3300 CP: 3165

    [A ninja created based on a Genin who survived the Akagahara exam grounds. This ninja is weak in Taijutsu but has exceptional stealth abilities and shurikenjutsu. He is able to mask his chakra and hide his presence, thus making him an ideal assassin. This ninja is capable of detecting traps and ambushing ninjas even stronger than him. This enemy prefers to move alone, making it easier to ambush his targets. He intends to kill you.]

    ''Mask his chakra and hide his presence?... So that means''

    Daichi quickly looked at his map from the corner of his eyes. The map didn''t show any red dots near him. ''So there are ninjas who can hide from the Mini map huh. I should have known.''

    Daichi quickly threw several shuriken at his target. The stealth nin deflected them with his own shurikens. He threw a kunai at Daichi with a paper bomb attached to it.

    ''He''s trying to escape. Can''t let that happen.'' Daichi went through the hand seals and used Body Flicker. The stealth nin was already on a tree branch and was nning on escaping when Daichi appeared before him.

    "Wind style - Wind bullet jutsu." Daichi expelled several fast wind bullets targeting the ninja''s torso and legs. His goal was to take his opponent''s bnce. Several bullets struck the enemy nin and the tree branch he was standing on and it broke sending him falling to the ground.

    The stealth nin flipped in mid air andnded on his feet. He took a kunai and stopped the dagger Daichi aimed at his head. Both of them trying to inflict a fatal injury to the other. Due to being weak in Taijutsu and only one arm, the stealth ninja was at a disadvantage. It wasn''t long before the oue of the fight was decided.

    Daichi blocked a thrust from his enemy and used chakra strings to tie his limbs up. Sessfully incapacitating his foe Daichiunched a barrage of strikes with his dagger and in a few seconds the stealth nin dispersed into smoke.

    [Enemy killed.]

    [+1050 Exp.]

    [+157.5 Exp.]

    [Enemies killed: 05/168]

    Once Daichi came down from his battle high, he realized that he only survived through pure luck.

    ''If the system hadn''t warned me I''d be dead right now. It seems I''ve be too reliant on the map. And it isn''t perfect either I suppose it''s a good thing I found this out so early. I can''t believe I didn''t notice something like this in the other dungeon. Then again dungeon 43 was full of mindless beasts. They didn''t have the ability or knowhow to mask chakra''

    It was then that a certain memory rushed to the forefront of his mind. ''Wait a minute. There was one incident. When I went to theke for the first time I checked my map and didn''t find any enemies but almost got ambushed by a crocodile. I didn''t think about it much then''

    Daichi made the decision to not rely on the map and use his chakra sense and superior sense skills to find his enemies throughout the dungeon. ''This is perfect training for tracking my opponents through unknown terrains.''

 Chapter 49: Battles in the 2nd Dungeon 02

    Chapter 49: Battles in the 2nd Dungeon 02

    Days passed with Daichi fighting enemies from several ns. His strength, speed and skills have all improved. Both his primary and special stats gained several points through the many fights he encountered. He gained another 2 levels and after fighting members of different ns he had an understanding of how they would attack and gained knowledge on their fighting style. Currently Daichi was engaged in hand to handbat against an ordinary ninja. One not made based on any ns'' genins.

    [LV.35][Ordinary Nin]

    HP: 3905 CP: 3000

    [A ninja created based on a Genin who survived the Akagahara exam grounds. Although this enemy only knows the three basic Ninjutsu (clone, substitution and transformation) he is proficient in Shurikenjutsu and Taijutsu. He prefers to attack his enemies head-on instead of ambushing them. This enemy intends to kill you.]

    Daichi blocked an iing kick with his leg and sent a fast jab to the enemy ninja''s throat. The ninja leaned back and grabbed Daichi''s outstretched hand. Daichi realized that the genin was intending to break his arm. He quickly reinforced his hands and legs with chakra and swiftly sent a knee to the genin''s chest.

    The strength of the attack forced the dungeon ninja to loosen his grip on Daichi''s arm. The moment the hold on his hand loosened, Daichi pulled his arm out of his enemy''s grasp. With his hand now free, Daichi jumped back and threw several shuriken towards his opponent.

    His enemy deflected all of them and aimed several of his own at Daichi. Daichi jumped right and evaded the projectiles. He failed to notice that one of the kunai cut a string on the tree behind him. Daichi heard the sound of several weapons beingunched and immediately used substitution jutsu.

    ''He was trying to lure me into a trap. His taijutsu skills and shurikenjutsu are incredible. I haven''t been able to seriously damage him even after fighting for 10 minutes. One of the reasons is my height. Since I''m only about 8 years old he has an advantage over me physically. He has longer limbs and thus a greater reach. Something I can only rectify with time. I need a way to take him downThis guy is like another version of Lee. The only reason I could withstand the blows was because of the damage reduction skills. But even that has its limitations.''

    As Daichi was thinking of a n to take his opponent down the ninja made his move. Creating 4 ordinary clones, the ninja rushed at Daichi trying to confuse him.

    Daichi slightly smirked at the weak tactic. ''That''s not going to work on me.''

    He enhanced his nose and ears with chakra and found the real one amongst the afterimage clones. They resumed their fight. Daichi concentrated on the real ninja and wasn''t distracted by the illusions. He ducked under a punch and tried to sweep his enemy''s legs. The ninja jumped back, escaping the leg sweep.

    Daichi quickly went through hand seals. "Lightning style - Overdrive." Daichi was getting used to this jutsu as he kept using it often during this dungeon raid. He bolted towards the genin and threw a strong fist which got through the enemy''s guard.

    [-98 HP Enemy hit.]

    The genin skidded back while Daichi ran after him. The Genin took several shuriken and threw them at the small boy. Daichi veered through the ninja stars and reached his target. Both of them resumed their battle with neither giving the other an edge.

    ''Even though my enemies had higher levels I managed to win against all of them. But now I see that it was due to my speed. I was able to use speed and get through their defenses and take them down But In a pure Taijutsu battle, against a fighter with the same speed as me I''m only able to defend myself and barely keep him fromnding any fatal injuries.''

    [Skill Physical Endurance''s level has risen by one.]

    [Skill Leaf Academy Taijutsu''s level has risen by one.]

    ''Well At least for now anyway.''

    Daichi weaved through the strikes aimed at his head andnded several blows on the enemy''s body. Due to Daichi''s speed he was able tond most of his attacks. The genin sent a fast kick which Daichi blocked. He then grabbed hold of the outstretched leg and used all his strength to pull the ninja off the ground. The dungeon ninja tried to attack Daichi with the other leg while he was in the air but he was unable tond a hit.

    Daichi used both hands and smashed the ninja into the ground, hard. And before the enemy could get his bearings Daichi pulled him up using his leg and smashed him into the ground again. He repeated it a couple more times before he was forced to let go.

    ''I''ve always wanted to go all ''Hulk'' like that.'' Daichi chuckled to himself.

    Both Daichi and the nin had a little over half their HP. ''It woulde down to thest one standing. I could use the daggers and it would activate the Dual Wielding Mastery skill. That would be the smart choice as it will increase my attack speed and damage dealt but This guy is perfect for improving my Taijutsu skill level.''

    Deciding to fight without using his weapon, Daichi sprinted towards the ninja. Both of them dodged andnded powerful strikes on their foe. Daichi tilted his head and escaped a hit to the face and retaliated with a blow to the torso. The ninja struck Daichi''s leg locking him in ce andnded several jabs on his small body. Daichi blocked and parried the attacks.

    [Skill Leaf Academy Taijutsu''s level has risen by one.]

    Both of them continued to fight with their health slowly falling. It wasn''t long before the winner was decided.

    [Skill Leaf Academy Taijutsu''s level has risen by one.]

    With the increase in his taijutsu skill several times over the fight Daichi slowly gained the upper hand. His movements became refined and his speed increased. It wasn''t long before he finished the ninja.

    [Enemy killed.]

    +1300 Exp.

    +195 Exp.

    [You have leveled up.]

    [Enemies killed: 65/168]

    ''To think this guy was strong enough to reduce my Health points to less than 500.'' Daichi sighed.

    It was gettingte. Daichi went to a nearby cave he found during his exploration of the dungeon. He started using it as his base. Heid several booby-traps and rms to make sure he would know if anyone came close.

    Once Daichi made sure to cover the entrance he took the small bed from his inventory and sat on it. He ate some food and quickly went to sleep.

    --------------------------------------

    Daichi was currently unleashing several small fireball jutsus to reduce a Kikaichu swarm that had surrounded him. Before the insects could entrap him, Daichi used Body Flicker and gained some distance.

    ''I can''t believe I got ambushed again Let''s see what these guys are made of.''

    ''Observe''

    [LV.35][Spirit Nin]

    HP: 3603 CP: 3222

    [A ninja created based on a Genin of the Yamanaka n who survived the Akagahara exam grounds. This enemy can utilize secret n jutsus and is exceptional in Genjutsu and medical Ninjutsu. Designated as the healer of the team and is a skilled sensor capable of finding enemies from a great distance. This ninja''s physical strength is weak. Prefers to work in a team. This enemy intends to kill you.]

    ''It seems she''s the one who found me. And the Genjutsu trying to trap me must be her work. Too bad I''m immune to that. It''s a good thing my body dispels foreign chakras before it can affect anything.''

    [LV.37][Insect Nin]

    HP: 4008 CP: 3650

    [A ninja created based on a Genin of the Aburame n who survived the Akagahara exam grounds. This ninja houses the Kikaich beetles in his body. These beetles are capable of consuming chakra at a fast rate. This ninja is immune to Genjutsu due to the Kikaich living inside him. Fire attacks with intense heat can damage or kill the beetles. This enemy prefers to work in a small team for maximum efficiency. He intends to kill you.]

    ''Looks like an ordinary Aburame genin. But I should be careful. I need to keep track of any bugs on me as well. They can track me like that.'' Daichi used Observe on thest ninja.

    [LV.38][Hunter Nin]

    HP: 4230 CP: 3701

    [A ninja created based on a Genin who survived the Akagahara exam grounds. This ninja is talented in detecting traps and setting them up to capture enemies. He is capable in hand to handbat and skilled in using a sword. Prefers to work in a team. This enemy intends to kill you.]

    ''That hunter nin is the one with the highest level and the one who engages me in Taijutsu fighting. All the while the other two provide support or try to distract me.''

    [Mental intrusion detected.]

    [Unyielding spirit has neutralized the foreign attack.]

    ''If I try to go after the Yamanaka ninja then the other two intervene. And I can''t hide and ambush them because her sensory skills would tell them where I am at all times.''

    Daichi stared down his enemies as he thought of a viable n. ''The Yamanaka isn''t a problem. But if I want to defeat the hunter nin then I can''t get caught in any surprise attacks from the Aburame. His chakra-draining insects would be a huge pain if I leave him be. So he''s the one I need to deal with first.''

    ''Shadow clone jutsu.'' Daichi created 3 solid clones and had them keep the hunter nin busy. Daichi quickly engaged the insect ninja in hand to handbat. The Aburame released arge amount of bugs to swarm and drain Daichi''s chakra but arge Fireball killed most of them.

    Daichi released chakra strings from his left hand and tried to immobilize his opponent. But the Kikaich bugs quickly came out of the insect ninja''s body and began to feed on the chakra strings.

    "Shit. These things can feed on raw chakra." Daichi quickly canceled his chakra threads. He took out two daggers from his inventory and blitzed his enemy.

    Daichi has been focused on his speed and the Body Flicker jutsu ever since he learned it. It gave him a great advantage over his foes and also allowed him to deal maximum damages quickly. As Daichi cut apart the insect ninja it quickly burst into a swarm of Kikaich beetles.

    ''He substituted himself with a bug clone.'' Daichi quickly spotted the Aburame rip-off behind a tree being healed by the spirit nin. Daichi watched as the health points of the insect ninja slowly increase.

    "Damn it! Can''t let him heal."

    Daichi swiftly reached them and shed down. The insect ninja dodged but the spirit ninja was slow to evade. Daichi pierced her body with both daggers and pinned her to a nearby tree. At that moment one of the shadow clones engaging the hunter nin was dispelled.

    "Shit. They won''t be able to hold him for much longer."

    [Mental intrusion detected.]

    [Unyielding spirit has neutralized the foreign attack.]

    ''Genjutsu won''t work on me.'' As Daichi was about to attack the spirit nin, he sensed slight movement from beneath the earth. Trusting his instincts he jumped back and just in the nick of time. Severalrge ck spears appeared out of the ground as if to impale Daichi. Taking a closer look at the spears, Daichi noticed something.

    ''Its Kikaich insects. This guy can use his insects to burrow underground and attack from below.''

    Daichi dodged the several shurikening his way and threw a few of his own with ninja wire attached. He used his chakra threads to control the path of the flying shuriken and used it to tangle the insect ninja with the wires and he was partially sessful. He immediately took several paper bombs. Activating them with a 3 second countdown, Daichi threw the bombs at the insect ninja. The Kikaich bugs quickly turned around and rushed to protect its host but that was what Daichi wanted.

    ''I''m gonna reduce those insects faster than you can make them. But first I''m gonna finish the healer of your group.''

    "BOOM"... "BOOM"... "BOOM"

    Explosions surrounded the Aburame nin as Daichi resumed his assaults on the spirit nin. His hands were like a blur as they shed and hacked the pinned dungeon ninja. Within several seconds the spirit nin was defeated and Daichi gained enough experience points to reach the next level.

    [Enemy killed.]

    +1100 Exp.

    +165 Exp.

    [Enemies killed: 87/168]

    [You have leveled up.]

    He didn''t get the chance to even check his stats as he received memories of his two dispelled clones. Daichi''s eyes widened as he felt a fast moving chakra approaching him from behind.

    "Oh crap-baskets."

    Before he could escape, a powerful blow struck his back sending him flying into the air.

    [-154 HP]

    "Ghaa." Daichi spit out a wad of blood as he flew up. His concentration slipped and he couldn''t keep up his chakra sense. Daichi lost track of the enemy. The next instant a punchnded on his face, rocketing him back into the ground.

    [-200 HP]

    "Boom". [-77 HP]

    The ground cracked as Daichi mmed into the dirt and stone, hard. He bounced up a few feet in the air due to the force of the impact and the next second the hunter nin was right beside Daichi. Hended a hard kick to Daichi''s side.

    [-94 HP]

    Daichi skidded and tumbled across the ground for a several meters and came to a stop as his back mmed into a tree.

    [-60 HP]

    "Ahhhh" Tears came out of Daichi''s eyes due to the pain and force of the impacts. He coughed a few times and his vision felt blurry for a couple seconds. Daichi slightly shook his head and tried to get up but unfortunately stumbled and fell to his knees. What Daichi saw when he looked ahead, frightened him .

    The hunter nin looked at Daichi with the same cold, emotionless dead eyes as before. None of the ninjas Daichi faced in the dungeon expressed emotions. But the look this ninja gave him scared Daichi.

    ''Monster.''

    His hands trembled and his heart beat loudly as he looked at the dead eyed nin. Daichi watched in horror as the enemy ninja swiftly take a few paper bombs and hurl them at him.

    Daichi quickly molded his chakra and went through 3 hand seals.

    ''Earth style - Rock Shelter Jutsu.''

    The paper bombs reached the defense dome just as it formed around the small boy. It hit the earth structure and violently exploded.

 Chapter 50: Battles in the 2nd Dungeon 03

    Chapter 50: Battles in the 2nd Dungeon 03

    "BOOM"

    The explosion rocked the forest sending nearby trees and rocks flying. Dust filled the air and it took a minute for everything to be visible.

    The Hunter nin kicked Daichi away from the restrained insect ninja before he threw the paper bombs. And he leapt back and created some distance as soon as heunched the attack on Daichi. So neither of the dungeon ninjas were affected by the st other than the dust and winds blowing in their faces.

    Once the dust cleared they got to work. While the insect nin was trying to free himself from the ninja wire, the hunter nin got close to where Daichi was. The earth dome Daichi created waspletely destroyed and there was arge crater where the explosion took ce. The hunter nin looked around and didn''t see a shred of his opponent''s body.

    As he looked around the rubble for any signs of his enemy, he suddenly heard the sound of des piercing a body. He turned around and saw two daggersing out of the insects ninja''s chest. Stabbed all the way from behind by a panting Daichi.

    The hunter nin looked at Daichi with indifference. At that moment his instincts warned him and he jumped backwards. Two hands burst out of the ground just as he jumped trying to trap him or at least that''s what it looked like. Just as hended on the ground several fireballs erupted out of the earth and struck him.

    [-268 HP Enemy hit.]

    A second shadow clone of Daichi''s came out of the ground and together with the first one started fighting the Hunter ninja.

    Meanwhile the real Daichi kicked the Aburame ninja into the ground and went through several hand-seals quickly. He was going to use the new fire jutsu he recently learned from Kensei''s library. His mind recalled the information on the jutsu as he weaved the 5 seals.

    [Fire Style - Dragon Fire Jutsu - Active(LV.3): The user kneads chakra and converts it to fire and expels it as a continuous stream of mes. The user can also breathe fire along a cord or ninja wire and use it to attack the enemy. The released mes, if strong enough, will engulf and vaporize the target and leave a smoldering crater on the ground''s surface.]

    [Rank: C]

    [Type: Ninjutsu]

    [Hand Seals: Snake - Dragon - Rabbit - Boar - Tiger]

    [CP Cost: 285 Per shot.]

    [Note: The range, power and duration of the attack can be altered by controlling the chakra kneaded into the attack. Overusing this jutsu without experience can cause burns inside the throat and mouth.]

    ''Fire style - Dragon Fire jutsu.''

    Despite its name, when Daichi breathed fire it didn''t have a dragon head. But it was fast and reached the insect ninja in a second. The mes covered his entire body and the Kikaich bugs tried to shield its host. Daichi increased the chakra and thus the power of the mes. But he was careful not to overdo it. The HP of the burning ninja was falling fast. Daichi kept up the attack without showing any mercy. As he breathed fire onto his enemy, he thought back to a few minutes ago.

    shback - A few Minutes ago

    Daichi looked on as the hunter nin took the paper bombs from his holster and tied them to the kunais. At that moment his brain worked faster than ever before. His neurons, firing at lightning speed. To Daichi it was as if the world had slowed down.

    ''His shuriken jutsu is perfect. It''ll definitely hit me. And even if I somehow jump and escape the st radius he would just capitalize on my weakened state and attack me. And the moment that Aburame ninja gets free it''s gamer over for me.''

    Daichi saw the nin tying thest paper bomb and finished attaching them to the kunais. He was getting ready to throw them.

    ''I have to escape. And then take them by surprise. That''s the only way I''ll survive.''

    Daichi had a n in mind and made his choice. He molded his chakra as fast as he could and used the defense jutsu. Not just to try and shield him from the st but also to block him from their view.

    ''Earth style - Rock Shelter Jutsu.''

    Daichi saw the ninjaunch the kunais at him. Everything was happening at slow-motion for him. Daichi calcted the time it would take for the weapons to reach him in an instant.

    ''Oh no! They are going to reach here before I can escape. Have to slow them down.''

    Daichi used telekinesis on the three kunais and slowed them down by three seconds. His telekic powers weren''t strong enough to shift their pathpletely or stop them but was only strong enough to slow them down by a small margin.

    As the rock dome formed around him, Daichi quickly went through another series of hand-seals. He remembered the words his grandfather said to him.

    Kensei handed Daichi a scroll and told him about the technique. "This jutsu wille in handy when you want to make a quick escape without most people noticing. Now It has its weaknesses. People from the Hyuga n, a good earth specialist nin or a sensor nin will be able to find you. But if you train this enough, you''ll be able to use it to your advantage even against people like them"

    ''Earth style - Earth Burrow Jutsu.'' Daichi mmed his hands down and softened the terrain below him.

    [Earth Style - Earth Burrow Jutsu - Active(LV.2): This jutsu allows the user to travel through the earth undetected by most ninja. The chakra kneaded in the body is spread into the ground and softens the earth around the jutsu caster. The user sinks and disappears underground while the earth hardens on the surface. This jutsu allows the user to create a small tunnel bypressing and softening the earth around the person and helps the user move underground in any direction. Once the chakra dissipates the tunnel copses on itself. ]

    [Rank: C.]

    [Type: Ninjutsu]

    [Hand Seals: Snake - Boar - Bird - Ram.]

    [CP Cost: 175 Per Use.]

    [Note: The movement speed of the user and creation speed of the tunnel will depend on the chakra supplied and the proficiency in earth nature of the user.]

    Daichi sank deep into the ground and disappeared just as the explosion took ce.

    ''Don''t have much time. I have to take a decisive course of action now.''

    Daichi quickly thought of his next move and an idea formed in his mind. ''I''ll use shadow clones and distract the hunter nin while I take down the Aburame. Then I''ll deal with that troublesome fucker one on one.''

    Daichi used his chakra sense and approximated their location and created two shadow clones. He swiftly went to where the insect ninja was and quietly rose out of the ground. He kept an eye on the hunter nin as well. Seeing that the two were distracted, Daichi struck.

    Taking two daggers from his inventory he rushed and stabbed the insect nin through the back. He buried his weapons all the way to the hilt. Due to the mounting exhaustion Daichi was breathing hard. But he still kept going. Taking the des out and putting them back into his inventory he quickly kicked and mmed the insect nin into the ground. He waved signs and started his vicious fire attack.

    shback - End

    Daichi watched with a satisfactory smirk as thest health point of the insect ninja disappeared.

    [Enemy killed.]

    [+1350 Exp.]

    [+202.5 Exp.]

    [Enemies killed: 88/168]

    His shadow clones were keeping the hunter nin busy and were trying hard not to get themselves dispelled. They had to buy some time for Daichi to kill the insect nin and recover some strength.

    Daichi sat down a small distance away from the fight and tried to rest. He had to recover at least some stamina and strength if he was going to engage the strongest nin he found so far in the dungeon.

    ''I need a passive skill that recovers my stamina and chakra quicker. Hope I get something like that soon. Or else I''ll have to start putting points into the stats.''

    Daichi didn''t close his eyes but he tried to calm himself and enter a meditative state. But it was unsessful. ''It seems the stress of the battle not too far from here is taking up my focus. It was a long shot anyways.''

    A minute was all Daichi received as the first clone was dispersed. As he recalled the memories of the dispelled clone, he smiled.

    [Skill Leaf Academy Taijutsu''s level has risen by one.]

    [Skill Chakra Thread''s level has risen by one.]

    [Skill Chakra Enhancement''s level has risen by one.]

    [Skill Lightning affinity''s level has risen by one.]

    ''Looks like the skill level rises even if it''s my clones who experience it. But I''m guessing it''s mostly for Taijutsu, Ninjutsu and Genjutsu techniques. To level up Physical body skill, I need to personally fight huh.''

    Daichi took several foods and bottles of water and quickly finished them. They restored his HP and CP to more than a third of his total.

    ''Then I suppose it''s my turn.''

    Just then his second clone was also dispelled and he received the memories.

    [Skill Fire affinity''s level has risen by one.]

    [Skill Earth affinity''s level has risen by one.]

    Daichi slowly walked forward. He could sense the ninjaing for him.

    ''Fighting stronger and stronger opponents is the only way to quickly gain strength and field experience.''

    Despite the near death experience and fear he felt a few minutes ago Daichi was fired up. The ninja roused the fighting spirit within Daichi. The Hunter ninja quickly appeared in front of him.

    Daichi was not scared this time. A wide crazed smile appeared on his face. Bloodlust, chakra and killing intent burst forth from him. The hunter nin also responded in kind. Both of them, looking to tear into each other.

    The ground slightly cracked and they disappeared. The next instant they met in the middle of the field and shed. Forearms met fists and palms blocking knees. Their speed was much greater than what an ordinary genin would be capable of.

    Daichi attacked with all his might. Every punch contained his full force and his intent to kill. The hunter was fighting the same. He met Daichi punches head on or directly blocked them. Both the ninjas had had no intention of saving their stamina or holding back.

    Daichi''s senses sharpened several fold. The mad grin on his face never left as he battled the ninja. Daichi tilted his head and avoided what would have been a devastating blow to the face. He locked the outstretched arm of his enemy and quickly headbutted the nin and immediately followed it up with a strong hit to the gut.

    The enemy ninja quickly recovered and tried to snap Daichi''s knee with his leg. Daichi avoided the blow but had to let go of the trapped hand. The nin swiftly roundhouse kicked Daichi but the boy quickly raised his hands and blocked the kick with his arms. The force of the kick sent him skidding backwards several feet.

    As Daichi slid back he saw several shuriken speeding his way with his enemy taking more from a storage paper on his wrist.

    Daichi smirked at the tactic. ''You wannapare shuriken jutsu with me? Fine Have it your way.''

    He stopped himself and took his weapons from the inventory and started his counter attack. Daichi aimed his shurikens to deflect and even counter attack back at the ninja.

    Sparks flew in the air as ck steel shed. The force with which each of them threw their shuriken was so great that it destroyed both fighters'' weapons when it came into contact. Destroyed shuriken flew everywhere as they threw dozens and dozens.

    This sh onlysted for about 40 seconds but they both used over a hundred shurikens and not onended on each other''s bodies.

    [Skill Shurikenjutsu''s level has risen by one.]

    ''Whoever this guy is based off of, it has to be someone powerful. His shurikenjutsu is on the same level as mine.''

    Notifications were popping up as Daichi fought the nin but he ignored it all.

    ''I can''t afford to get distracted even for an instant.''

    The hunter nin decided to switch tactics again and took out a sword. A standard katana used by swordsmen. Seeing this, Daichi smirked and took out his Tanto as well. It was not as long as the katana but Daichi didn''t mind it.

    Both of them held their swords and waited for the right movement. They both knew that if they were careless it would be the end for them. The ground around them was littered with broken shuriken. And on top of that if they weren''t careful they would fall victim to the traps in and around the jungle.

    This was a test of not only their sword skill and power but also of situational awareness. Daichi had his eyes firmly fixed on his enemy but he was aware of his predicament.

    ''We would have to battle at high speeds while maintaining absolute awareness of our surroundings. The first one to make even the slightest mistake would die. A situation like this would definitely push someone''s mental fortitude to their absolute limits.''

    Daichi gripped his tanto as he looked at the ninja. Sweat rolled down his face as both ninja sized each other up. Just then a tree branch snapped and fell. The sound was like an unspoken signal for them. In an instant they rushed towards each other and began their final bout.

 Chapter 51: Battles in the 2nd Dungeon 04

    Chapter 51: Battles in the 2nd Dungeon 04

    The two fighters moved at the same time. Within a second they reached the middle of the field and resumed their battle.

    "ang"

    [You have sensed killing intent.]

    des shed and sparks flew in the air. Murderous killing intent filled the air as both fighters looked to cut down their enemy. Even though their fight was gruesome, it had its elegance.

    Every step, every motion, the dungeon ninja made was elegant and covert. While Daichi''s sword swings were filled with fierce intent and brute force. But it had its own beauty as well.

    Every second several swings rained down against each other. Daichi and his opponent blocked, deflected or outright avoided the attacks while maintaining vignce on their surroundings. Daichi''s current sword skills paled inparison to the dungeon ninja.

    ''This guy. He''s far better than me. If it wasn''t for my speed he would have taken my head by now. I need to keep fighting him and improve my sword skills. That''s the only way I''ll beat him if I fight like this.''

    Daichi concentrated on every motion his enemy made and tried to study it. His intelligence gave him faster understanding of not just theory or concepts but also of the physical skills he observed.

    [Skill Sword Mastery''s level has risen by one.]

    Daichi slightly smirked as he parried another sh from his enemy. Seeing his attacks not getting through, the dungeon ninja decided to switch attack patterns. He disappeared from Daichi''s field of view.

    ''He vanished. His footwork is incredible. His speed increased and he was able topletely evade my attacks.'' Daichi immediately used the chakra sense skill and enhanced his eyes, ears and nose.

    Suddenly like a specter appearing out of nowhere the ninja appeared behind Daichi and shed down. But luckily Daichi found his enemy in time to block the attack. The moment Daichi blocked the attack the enemy disappeared from his view.

    ''Damn it! Disappeared again. Right now the broken shuriken all around is definitely slowing him down. This terrain is to my advantage. His speed decreased by a small margin when he came to attack. So I was able to block it. But I doubt it will be like this for long.'' Daichi didn''t want his enemy to take him by surprise. He wanted to be the one to make the next move.

    "aang"

    Sparks flew as Daichi blocked another sword swipe. Seeing his attacks blocked, the dungeon ninja jumped back and focused chakra into his sword. A blue hue could be seen around the weapon.

    ''What is he doing?''

    Daichi wondered only for a second before his eyes widened in realization. The enemy ninja shed several times in a second sending strong gusts of wind and several wind des.

    The moment he realized what was about to happen, Daichi pushed chakra to his legs and jumped as fast as he could. The next instant the area he was standing in was blown away by several powerful wind shes. Most of the scattered sharp metals on the ground all got blown away by the strong wind attack.

    Daichi safelynded several meters away from the destroyed ground. His eyes never left his foe. The ninja lowered his hand and looked at Daichi. The next instant he disappeared and appeared in front of Daichi and shed down.

    Daichi used both hands and coated his sword with chakra flow and deflected the attack. Both of them started to fight ferociously. Their des shed several times per second. The strength with which they shed caused a small wind storm to be formed around them.

    Sparks scattered all over the ce as they battled each other. Daichi was on the defensive due hisck of sword skill.

    ''This guy''s sword skills are incredible. It''s not just fast. His movements. It''s almost impossible for me to predict them at my level.''

    As the battle raged on, Daichi was analyzing his opponent. He barely dodged a swing aimed for his neck but the next second a thin line appeared across his chest.

    ''If I hadn''t leaned back at thest second that would have been a serious injury. His ability to quickly change the attack trajectory and paths. His insane uracy, and the swords ever changing orbits Whoever he is He''s based on someone powerful.''

    [Skill Sword Mastery''s level has risen by one.]

    [Skill Chakra Flow''s level has risen by one.]

    [+1 SENSE]

    [+1 Dexterity]

    ''But I''m also getting stronger. My sword skill improvement speed is much faster than I expected. Maybe it''s because I''m fighting an expert.''

    As they shed, Daichi''s skills improved. He was starting to keep up with the ninja. He blocked a strike and deflected the sword away from him and quickly sent a sh towards his enemy.

    The dungeon ninja recovered from the failed strike quickly and used more chakra to increase his speed and block Daichi''s strong iing sh. Due to the force generated from the sh both of them were thrown away from each other.

    They stood opposite to each other and stared down.

    ''His speed is almost equal to mine but his strength is slightly less. But he still sessfully suppressed my attack Unbelievable. I need to restrain him.''

    Daichi wasted no time and rushed forward. He was a ninja before he was a swordsman. And his life was more important to him than anything else. He was going to use every arsenal he had to win.

    He reached the ninja quickly and tried to restrain him using chakra threads. He used his left hand to create the several threads to keep his enemy in check. His threads connected with the enemy ninja''s hands and feet and rooted him in ce. Daichi swung his sword with his right hand intending to deal a huge amount of damage.

    But there was a problem with this strategy. The moment the ninja was restrained he used his chakra coated sword to cut the strings and was able to barely block the attack.

    Daichi''s eyes twitched as he saw his strike blocked. ''Of course it wouldn''t be that easy. Grr.''

    The dungeon ninja rushed and aimed for Daichi''s heart but Daichi with the help of his superior senses and agility evaded and didn''t allow the attack tond. The swords shed once again. As the battle progressed Daichi focused on the trajectory of the enemy''s sword more and more and his mind unknowingly disregarded the enemy''s empty hand.

    ''If I can just hold on and increase my sword skill I can''

    "Ku ock'' [-216 HP]

    [Negative Status - Bleeding.]

    Daichi''s eyes widened and trembled as he felt a dagger stab into his side. The enemy ninja quickly pulled the dagger out and was ready to attack again but Daichi immediately used Body Flicker and gained some distance.

    He ced a hand on the wound. "FUCK!!!" ''I was careless. He made me focus on his sword so much that he was able to get a sneak attack in. Bastard''s smart.''

    Despite his opponentnding a wound on him, Daichi smiled. '' A sneaky attack like that. So it looks like you''re a shinobi before you''re a swordsman too after all.''

    [You have sensed killing intent.]

    At that moment the enemy ninja rushed in and began to fight using both the weapons. The ninja''s swordsmanship became more dangerous and threatening as he started using two des. The gap time between the attacks was reduced and the path of the attacks became moreplicated.

    Daichi responded in kind and took a dagger from his inventory. Due to using two ded weapons, the Dual wielding mastery skill was activated. It increases the damage inflicted, speed, critical rate and bnce of the user. Due these buffs and the effects of the sword mastery skill, Daichi was able to match his opponent and bring the fight to almost equal terms.

    Both of them fought vigorously. Daichi was getting wounded and coughing up blood but he was also able to reduce the health points of his enemy. The fight went on for several minutes with neither side able to get in a decisive blow. They were only able to inflict non lethal strikes on each other. But soon the tides turned and the battle began to favor a certain side.

    When Daichi''s health fell below 25% the effects of the persistence stat activated. It gave an 8% stat boost, increasing Daichi''s speed and power. The ninja held on but was unable to block attacks due to the new increased speed. But he was still able to inflict damage on Daichi. His chakra flowed through his sword and dagger and blocked Daichi''s attacks and shed at Daichi''s left leg wanting to take the boy''s footing away.

    [-355 HP]

    [Negative status - Broken leg, Bleeding.]

    The powerful attacknded and Daichi went down to one knee.

    "Aaahhhhh. Fuk." Daichi desperately blocked the attacksing his way but he was somewhat unsessful due to the injury. At that moment another skill activated, saving Daichi from the onught.

    [Health points have fallen below 20%. Skill ''Ozark''s Resilience'' is activated. +2% to Strength, Vitality and Agility stats for 20 seconds.]

    This boost, coupled with the stat boost from the persistence skill, pushed Daichi''s speed and strength beyond his enemy. Daichi swiftly deflected the ded attacks and shed the hands of his enemy. The hand holding the sword severed and the one holding the dagger was torn up.

    [-622 HP]

    [Enemy Negative Status - Crippled buff in effect.]

    [+1 PERSISTENCE]

    ''I only have 14 seconds left. Need to make it count.''

    Daichi quickly stood on one leg and started his fierce counter attack. He used chakra thread to make sure the enemy didn''t escape and attacked him with his tanto. He was able to link over 10 strikes in quick session and activated the skill Linked Kill Strikes. Several other skills activated and Daichi''s hands became a blur.

    Brutal strikesnded on his enemy and in less than 10 seconds his health was reduced to zero.

    [Enemy killed.]

    [+2500 Exp.]

    [+375 Exp.]

    [Enemies killed: 89/168]

    "I won. Finally...It''s...over" Daichi was breathing hard. He let go of his tanto and fell on his back. He looked at his Minimap to make sure there wasn''t anyone around. He slowly took his sword and crawled to a nearby tree. He sat and looked at the piled up notifications.

    "Oh man! That''s a lot of messages."

    He started treating his wounds and bandaging them while going through the messages one by one.

    [Skill Dual Wielding Mastery''s level has risen by one.]

    [Skill Ozark''s Resilience''s level has risen by one.]

    [Skill Sword Mastery''s level has risen by one.]

    [Skill Death blow''s level has risen by one.]

    [Skill Chakra Thread''s level has risen by one.]

    [Skill Danger Sense''s level has risen by one.]

    [Skill Vital Strike''s level has risen by one.]

    [Skill Killing Intent''s level has risen by one.]

    [Skill Chakra Enhancement''s level has risen by one.]

    [Skill Chakra Flow''s level has risen by one.]

    [Skill Physical Endurance''s level has risen by one.]

    [Skill Danger Sense''s level has risen by one.]

    [Due to defeating a special enemy of this dungeon, you have received the Passive skill Combat Arts.]

    [Combat Arts - Passive (LV.1): This skill allows the user to be more proficient in hand to handbat and usage of weaponry. ]

    [Effects: Passively increases the user''s minimum and maximum melee Damage, Critical rate and Bnce. Make the user ambidextrous.

    2% Increase in Damage inflicted.

    2% Increase in Attack speed.]

    [By fighting on dangerous terrain and quickly adapting to it, the skill ''Light steps'' has been created.]

    [Light Steps - Passive/Active (LV. 01): This is a footwork skill that increases the movement speed and terrain adaptability of the user. When fighting an enemy this skill could also be used as a charging skill or avoidance skill ording to the user''s proficiency. ]

    [Effects: Increases bnce of the user when in unstable and dangerous terrain.

    3% Increase in movement speed.

    CP Cost: 50CP/min]

    ''Wow. Fighting this one guy really pushed a lot of skill to the next level. And I even got two new skills.''

    Daichi looked over the details of the skills and its effects.

    ''Not bad. Not bad at all.''

    Daichi finished his rudimentary treatment. He stood and slowly made his way back to the cave. After drinking plenty of water and eating the foods stored in his inventory he was able to replenish some of his HP. He reached his cave and took his sleeping bed from his inventory dimension.

    "Time to take a good long rest."

    Daichi slowly breathed in and out. His mental exhaustion was extreme due to the battle he just went through. Since he was in a rtively safe space, within seconds his eyes closed and he fell asleep.

    ---------------------------------------------------------

    Author''s note:

    Now onto other matters. I realize that this dungeon run is way too long. When I first started writing this arc, I thought I wouldplete it in like 4 chapters. But by the time I was done with the boss battle, the whole dungeon arc was almost 9 chapters.

    Even I know that''s waaay too long. But I couldn''t bring myself to cut down the chapters because I had fun writing it. Especially some of the fight scenes.

    But fear not! There will only be a couple more dungeon runs before he bes genin and I''ll be sure to keep those arcs 3 chapters or less.

    Now I realize the story has a slow pace. The truth is even I didn''t expect that. When I first nned out the story, even before writing the chapters, I thought I wouldplete the academy arc by chapter 50 or max. 60! Chapters. And eventually reach the chunin arc by chapter 100 or 120. Never did I imagine it would take soo long. Once this dungeon ispleted I''ll try and pick up the pace.

    I''ve also taken into consideration how often I show skill stats and what not. I have reduced it in theing chapters. There will be a skill list at the end of this dungeon arc but then there won''t be any skill stat updates on for a while. Like for 20 chapters at least!

    And how do you like the fight scenes in this dungeon I wanted to show that Daichi was strong but not too OP.

    Anyway guys, thanks for the reviews. I read all of it. It helps me improve my writing. Thank you for the love and support.

    Now as always,

    If you like my story vote with some power stones

 Chapter 52: New Quest and Skills

    Chapter 52: New Quest and Skills

    [You have slept in a bed. HP, CP, SP and MP have been fully restored.]

    Daichi woke up from his peaceful sleep to the sound of the notification ringing. He let out a small yawn and got up from his bed. Daichi got ready and prepared for the challenges ahead.

    He left the cave and looked at his Mini-map. "It''s been a week since I began fighting in this dungeon. Up until now of the 168 opponents, I took down 89 enemies of this dungeon. And now I''m at level 33. Along with the skill level ups this is turning out to be quite a productive dungeon run. Not bad for a week''s worth of fighting."

    Daichi looked at his stats and skills and he was satisfied with the results. He walked forward and headed to the red dots shown on the map. Daichi wanted toplete the dungeon as soon as possible but he also didn''t want to be caught off guard. But still with the experience of fighting over 7 dozen ninjas, he was ready to face whatever this dungeon could throw at him.

    -------------------------------------

    Days went by with Daichi fighting several types of ninjas. Most of them were based on a Genin from a n who survived the Akagahara exam grounds but there were some that weren''t from any ns. Daichi experienced what it was like going against enemy ninjas and learned their various tactics.

    He fought some ninjas in one-on-onebat. While others he fought were in a team of two or three or sometimes even four.

    During one such fight where he had to engage four shinobi''s at once, he used the Atamagai'' cloak for the first time. Hepletely disappeared from the enemy senses and he sessfully ambushed them within a short time.

    [Enemies killed: 110/168]

    [You have leveled up.]

    "Yes. Level 34! Finally."

    Once the battle was over Daichi sat down on a nearby tree stump after making sure he was safe and took off the cloak.

    "Wow. So that''s how it feels to be invisible."

    Daichi marveled at the abilities of the cloak. ''I remember in the observation info on this thing that it can respond to the user''s thoughts in a limited capacity. I didn''t understand what that actually meant until now ''

    ''The moment I put it on it reduced its length to match my height and size. I was just thinking that it was too big and wished it was smaller and this thing shrunk. I can''t even begin to imagine what kind of seals were used to create something like this. If anyone in the world knew that this existed they would do almost anything to get their hands on it.''

    During the fight Daichi tested some aspects and abilities he thought the cloak might have and he was satisfied with what he learned.

    ''Once I put it on it takes 100 mana points to activate but other than that there is no other cost. At least not if I continuously use it. If I try to extend the time by switching off the invisibility then I have to spend another 100 MP to activate it again And It seems the moment I put it on, I can somehow tell how long the invisibility of this cloak couldst. It was as if the cloak had connected to my mind Strange I remember that the max time I get is 3 hours and if I stretch it I can maybe extend it to 10 hours but that''s going to be difficult. Right now my mana is limited. So I have to use this thing carefully and maximize the usage efficiency.''

    At that moment a new quest box popped up.

    [Quest Created - ''Obtain the 5th Cloak.'']

    [Atamagai Uzumaki created 5 cloaks with special abilities. The first three cloaks were destroyed. You are currently in possession of his fourth cloak. Although the 4th cloak has exceptional abilities, Atamagai deemed it imperfect and a failure due to its limitations and thus he even refused to name it. He used the information learned from creating the previous cloaks and used it to create a perfect final work. Find out more information on Atamagai Uzumaki and obtain his masterpiece. Time Limit: None.]

    [Rewards:]

    The Abyss Cloak.

    New skill.

    [Failure:]

    None.

    [ept (Y/N)]

    "A new quest? Didn''t expect that" Daichi looked over the quest information and he epted it immediately.

    "Wow My current cloak is incredible and this guy deems it a failure.?!! Then what the hell does he consider perfect? I wonder what kinda abilities the final cloak has?"

    Daichi decided he would look into the quest once he left the dungeon. Refocusing his attention to the current dungeon quest, Daichi moved forward.

    -----------------------

    Daichi spent another 3 days exploring through the dungeon. He avoided traps and tracked his enemies. His stealth skills increased by a wide margin and he learned how to leave as little evidence behind when escaping a dangerous situation.

    Daichi was currently battling a ninja with the abilities based on a member from the Hyuga n.

    [LV.40][Gentle Fist Nin]

    HP: 4421 CP: 4002

    [A ninja created based on a Genin of the Hyuga n who survived the Akagahara exam grounds. This enemy is immune to Genjutsu and has powerful Taijutsu abilities capable of destroying internal organs. Capable of tracking the enemy from long distances and confronting them head on. This enemy prefers to fight alone and he intends to kill you.]

    He had been fighting for a while and managed to reduce the HP of his opponent to less than 150. Daichi went through several hand-seals as he evaded the palm strikes from the dungeon Hyuga genin.

    ''Water Style - Hydro st jutsu''

    A powerful point nk spiraling water st sent the ninja flying back to a tree. He crashed and it took hisst remaining health points.

    [+1200 Exp.

    [+180 Exp.

    [Enemies killed: 137/168]

    [You have leveled up.]

    "Level 35 huh. With the number of ninjas remaining it looks like I''ll be able to increase my level by one more by the time I finish this Dungeon."

    Daichi looked over the experience needed to reach level 36.

    ''Almost 34000 huh. With the experience points from the ninjas and the reward of the quest that should be enough to get me to 36.''

    As Daichi was looking over his stats a new skill notification appeared.

    [Due to defeating a special enemy of this dungeon, you have received the Passive skill Absolute Chakra Mastery.]

    [Absolute Chakra Mastery - Passive (LV. MAX): This skill allows the user to expel chakra from all Chakra points on the human body. It helps the user have more control over the chakra used in jutsu and other chakra rted techniques. This skill also passively increases the speed of the user''s chakra control mastery. Once the user reaches the pinnacle of chakra control they will be capable of using Yin and Yang chakra in various ratios.]

    As Daichi read the first part of the information his mind recalled everything he remembered about the chakra points.

    ''This wille in handy. Most people are only capable of expelling chakra from the hands or feet but the Hyuga n, Naruto and a few others are capable of releasing chakra from every part of their body. I figured it might be possible for me too with the gamer''s body and all that but I definitely would have needed to train more. So this skill helps in that regard. And it reduces my chakra control training time. So that''s a bonus as well. All in all Not a bad reward.''

    As Daichi read the full description his mind boggled at the possibilities.

    ''Oh yeah. This is definitely a great passive skill. If I can use Yin and Yang release as I want then theoretically it''s possible for me to create and use jutsus resembling secret n techniques. The possibilities are limitless.''

    With a smile on his face Daichi resumed his hunt.

    --------------------------

    Another 4 days passed. Daichi took his time and didn''t rush to battle his enemies. He spent several hours a day training and improving his skills. And his training bore fruit. His skills have all seen tremendous growth during thest week. It was currently noon and Daichi was fighting a ninja based on someone from the Uchiha n.

    [LV.41][Copy Nin]

    HP: 4391 CP: 4064

    [A ninja created based on a Genin of the Uchiha n who survived the Akagahara exam grounds. A powerful enemy capable of Genjutsu, Ninjutsu and Taijutsu. Proficient in fire attacks and has a two tomoe Sharingan. His speed is much greater than the average Genin and is capable of exceptional shuriken jutsu and swordsmanship. This enemy fights alone and intends to kill you.]

    Daichi blocked a punch with his palm and retaliated with a fast, strong kick. It sent the ninja several feet back. Daichi took several breaths of air within the few seconds he bought. This ninja had forced him to go all out and Daichi pushed himself to his limits.

    Once he got a few breaths of air, he rushed towards the red eyed nin. The enemy ninja threw several shuriken at Daichi but he deflected the weapons and defended himself with a kunai.

    [Mental intrusion detected.]

    [Unyielding spirit has neutralized the foreign attack.]

    ''That''s like the 10th time he''s tried to ensnare me in a Genjutsu. It''s getting annoying.''

    Daichi blocked a stab from a kunai and punched the head of his enemy. His opponent exploded into smoke.

    "Shadow clone jutsu huh. This bastard is using my tactics against me.*

    The copy ninja created a clone and used Genjutsu on Daichi. But seeing his Illusions ineffective, the clone engaged Daichi, buying the real one time to set up another attack.

    The real copy nin threw several shuriken with ninja wire attached to them. The shuriken wasn''t aimed to hit Daichi but rather confine him to a certain area. Once he let the ninja stars fly he quickly weaved several hand-seals. In just a couple seconds hepleted the seals with thest one ending in a Tiger seal.

    By the time Daichi finished off the clone the shurikens surrounded him with mes speeding along the wire.

    ''Dragon fire jutsu huh. You won''t get me that easily.''

    Daichi weaved signs for the substitution jutsu andnded on a nearby tree. The moment his feet touched the branch his senses alerted him to someoneing his way.

    Daichi looked behind him and saw the enemy flying at him with his leg outstretched and aimed for his back. Daichi dodged by jumping down from the tree branch. Hended and looked up to see a fireball jutsu heading his way.

    Daichi went through several seals and mmed his hands into the ground.

    ''Earth style - Rock shelter Jutsu.''

    The rock dome formed and protected Daichi from the burning ball of death. The fireball hit the rock dome and exploded creating dust and smoke. Daichi''s ears picked up movement and he parried a kicking from his side.

    The two ninjas engaged in hand tobat once again. Daichi quickly took out his dagger and sword and battled the ninja. The buffs due to using the ded weapons gave Daichi the advantage and after some time the fight came to an end with Daichi as the victor.

    [+1250 Exp.]

    [+187.5 Exp.]

    [Enemies killed: 167/168]

    [You have leveled up.]

    [Due to defeating a special enemy of this dungeon, you have received ''Fire Style - Phoenix Fire jutsu''.]

    [Fire Style - Phoenix Fire Jutsu - Active(LV.1): The user kneads chakra and converts it to fire and then spits several volley of small fireballs into the air. The small fireballs move wildly through the area and quickly surround the target. With enough control over the fire element and the jutsu, the user can guide each individual me with his chakra and direct them towards the target. Shurikens can be hidden within the mes and make this technique even more deadly. ]

    [Rank: C]

    [Type: Ninjutsu]

    [Hand Seals: Rat - Tiger - Dog - Ox - Rabbit - Tiger]

    [CP Cost: 240 Per use.]

    [Note: Currently the user is only able to create 6 small fireballs per attack. But with enough mastery over the fire nature chakra this limitation can be removed.]

    "Hmm This is an excellent offense. Looks like I''ll have to focus on fire nature chakra control along with earth nature. One for offense and other for defense. I suppose for the moment that will create a bnce in my Ninjutsu skills."

    Daichi dismissed the blue boxes and opened his status page. ''Status''

    [Name : Daichi Hekima (The Gamer)]

    [ss : Student]

    [Age : 7]

    [Title : Capable Child, Explorer, Prodigy, Beast yer,Apprentice Dungeon Warrior.]

    [Level : 36 (650.5/35550)]

    .

    HP : 3995

    CP : 6532.2

    SP : 3730

    MP: 2395

    .

    [Primary Stats]

    Strength - 85

    Vitality - 81

    Dexterity - 80

    Agility - 83

    Intelligence - 105

    Chakra - 107

    Wisdom - 55

    .

    [Special Stats]

    Sense - 80

    Stamina - 97

    Indomitable - 13

    Charisma - 39

    Persistence - 14

    Dignity (LOCKED)

    Luck (LOCKED)

    .

    [Stat Points - 505]

    [Ryo - 252000]

    Daichi smiled as he looked over the numbers. He was happy with the increase in stats so far.

    "Looks like all my stats have increased by a substantial margin. I can feel the strength and power of my body so clearly. Must be due to the sense stat. And now I have over 500 points umted. Once Iplete this dungeon I''m gonna increase the primary stats to a 100."

    As Daichi was pondering on his next move several notifications appeared.

    [You have defeated all the ninjas and as a result has awakened the boss of this dungeon. ]

    [The dungeon boss has 100 minions. Defeat all of them toplete and exit the dungeon.]

    Reading the message Daichi prepared himself. The ground started shaking and several meters in front of him Daichi could see a rising tform made of white and red stones. And standing on it was Daichi''s final opponent.

    ''About time. Let''s get this over with.''

    Daichi took out his tanto and braced himself.

 Chapter 53: 2nd Dungeon Boss Battle

    Chapter 53: 2nd Dungeon Boss Battle

    The tform rising from the ground wasposed of white and red stones. They were arranged in a clover pattern. And on top of it was a menacing 6 foot figure wearing a ck worn out cloak. Daichi immediately used ''observe'' on his final opponent.

    [LV. ??][Raidon]

    [HP: ??] [CP: ??]

    [A semi intelligent humanoid puppet created by the dungeon. This puppet activates after every ninja in the dungeon is destroyed. It is the strongest puppet and the boss of this dungeon. It has 100 minion puppets and canmand them to attack the enemy. This puppet is capable of using Ninjutsu attacks and is proficient in Taijutsu. Favors lightning nature. It wants to kill you.]

    A humanoid puppet with a powerful physique stood on the tform. Its face was devoid of everything except the eyes in the shape of two small horizontal slits.

    Daichi scrutinized his enemy. It had bulky arms but lean legs. The body was abination of wood and metal. Its joints, arms and legs were metal but its chest and lower torso were made of wood. Bright blue eyes looked at Daichi as he looked at it.

    ''What the hell? Why can''t I see how much HP and CP this thing has? Is it far beyond my level? Does that mean I can''t win?''

    Doubts slowly formed in Daichi''s mind. But he quickly calmed down and regained hisposure.

    ''You can do this. Keep your head in the fight Daichi. It''s just a dumb puppet. You can win.''

    Only a couple seconds passed with both of them staring at each other but then the puppet made its first move. It raised its left hand with the palm facing Daichi.

    [You have sensed killing intent.]

    ''What are you up to?'' Daichi''s mind came up with several attack scenarios and he prepared himself.

    The next instant Daichi barely dodged a water st aimed at the middle of his head. A small thin but powerful water st wasing out of the puppets'' raised hand. Daichi dodged and looked at the puppet. Daichi could hear the trees and rocks getting destroyed behind him. He saw a small round opening in the middle of the palm and the water jutsuing out of it.

    The puppet Raidon, seeing that his prey had evaded the attacks, stopped the water st and then raised both hands.

    Blue lines of light came to life on its arms from its elbow to its wrists. It then spoke a single word.

    "Arise."

    ''Da faq?'' Daichi was gobsmacked as he looked at the puppet. ''It can talk?... And why am I getting a strong solo leveling vibe?''

    The ground all around them started shaking and within seconds from the earth came dozens and dozens of puppets. Daichi jumped back and gained some distance from the new foes. The new puppets were around 5 feet tall and didn''t look as strong as their leader.

    "So these must be Raidon''s minions. Observe."

    [LV. 25][004]

    [HP: 2500] [CP: 2500]

    [A puppet under themand of Raidon.]

    [LV. 25][073]

    [HP: 2500] [CP: 2500]

    [A puppet under themand of Raidon.]

    [LV. 25][020]

    [HP: 2500] [CP: 2500]

    [A puppet under themand of Raidon.]

    Daichi used the skill ''observe'' on several of the new puppets. ''It looks like except for the name, everything else is the same for all of them.''

    ''Looks like I''ll have to take out these guys before I deal with the boss.''

    Daichi didn''t waste time and rushed towards the nearest one. His speed and strength were much greater than the minion puppets and he was able to easily destroy them.

    [Enemy killed.]

    +200 Exp.

    +30 Exp.

    All the other puppets got into action and started attacking Daichi.

    The battle began between Daichi and the smaller puppets. He ducked and weaved through the punches aimed his way and smashed the puppets. It broke apart quickly due to Daichi''s immense strength. His senses alerted him to a stream of fire headed his way. Daichi used substitution on a nearby puppet and escaped.

    ''So using substitution on my enemies is possible huh. I needed to confirm that.''

    As the battle progressed Daichi made several notes on his enemies. Each minion puppets could only use one type of Ninjutsu attack and there are several seconds dy after each attack. And they can turn their arms into ded weapons.

    Daichi blocked a de with his tanto and sent a powerful punch to the head sting it apart.

    [Enemy killed.]

    +200 Exp.

    +30 Exp.

    ''10 down. 90 more to go. Time to speed this up.''

    Daichi created two shadow clones and all of them went through several hand-seals.

    ''Fire Style - Great Fireball Jutsu.''

    ''Fire Style - Dragon Fire Jutsu.''

    ''Fire Style - Phoenix Fire Jutsu.''

    mes rushed in every direction and engulfed dozens of puppets. In seconds several of them exploded and were destroyed while others burned to the ground.

    [Enemy killed.]

    +200 Exp.

    +30 Exp.

    [Enemy killed.]

    +200 Exp.

    +30 Exp.

    .

    .

    .

    .

    [Enemy killed.]

    +200 Exp.

    +30 Exp.

    The kill confirm boxes kept piling up. The clones went off to battle the remaining puppets while Daichi refocused his attention back to the boss.

    ''I need to y this smart. I can''t read its level, HP or CP. That means this thing is much stronger than the ones I''ve faced just now. Can''t make any rash mistakes.''

    Daichi went through the hand seals for his lightning overdrive jutsu. With his body coated in small lightning currents Daichi sped to the enemy.

    Daichi sent a lightning fast punch to the center of his opponent''s head. But something unexpected happened. Lightning burst forth from his enemy and he blocked Daichi''s attack. The puppet stopped Daichi''s powerful momentum in his tracks.

    The moment they made contact a small boom urred and the force of the impact created small winds blowing all around them.

    [You have sensed killing intent.]

    Daichi''s eyes widened in realization. ''Shit! This thing can either copy my moves or it can already use lightning to increase its speed.''

    The boss puppet Raidon punched Daichi but the boy blocked the fist with both arms. They began their battle with both of them attacking and defending against enemy onught.

    The bottom half of Raidon''s face lowered. And from its open mouth several volley of small kunais wereunched. Daichi used Body Flicker to increase his speed and evade the attacks. Both of them rushed at each other. Fists met fists and knuckles met knuckles as neither one backed down.

    At that moment memories from one of his clones came and Daichi inwardly smiled. All of the minion puppets have been destroyed and now only the boss remains. Daichi now had a n in mind. He dodged another kicking towards him and used chakra threads to contain his enemy. The moment the threads connected and stopped the enemy''s movements, the clone who was hiding behind him came. In a second it sent a strong powerful punch to the back of Raidon''s head and was able to shatter the wooden skull.

    ''That was easy.''

    Daichi thought as he looked towards his headless enemy. Raidon fell on his knees and then a secondter fell forward onto the ground. Seeing the n work, Daichi''s clone let go of the shadow clone jutsu and disappeared.

    ''Its over?? That was a lot easier than I expected.'' As Daichi was thinking about this, a thought suddenly came to his mind.

    ''Wait. If I defeated him then why haven''t I gotten the notification yet?'' As Daichi was pondering this question something unexpected happened. The shattered pieces of the head moved as if it had a life of its own and rejoined the body. Once its head was reattached it stood up and looked at Daichi.

    "What the freaking hell? Is this thing immortal?"

    As Daichi was freaking out lightning coated Raidon''s body and the puppet boss rushed at the small boy. Daichi took out his dagger and tanto and they began their second round of battle.

    Lightning condensed and coated the puppets'' right hand and the current suddenly blitzed towards Daichi.

    Daichi used chakra enhancement to augment his speed and strength. And due to the buffs of using ded weapons his speed increased by a considerable margin. It was only due to these conditions that he was able to avoid the lightning attack. The spot where the lightning struck charred.

    Daichi evaded several strikes from the lightning and sent several volley of fireballs as retaliation. Both the puppet and the boy dodged and resumed their hand to handbat.

    [Skill Combat Arts''s level has risen by one.]

    [Skill Leaf Academy Taijutsu''s level has risen by one.]

    As the battle progressed Daichi''s skills leveled up and before long he found an opening and shed at the enemy''s torso.

    The puppet jumped back and gained some distance. It was what Daichi was waiting for. He quickly threw his weapons a few feet into the air and created 2 shadow clones. Daichi then used the lightning overdrive jutsu and caught his falling weapons.

    Daichi and his 2 clones dodged the water and fire stsing from the enemy puppet. They surrounded it and started attacking from all sides. The puppet, while strong and fast, was not able to sessfully defend against three enemies at the same time.

    One of Daichi''s clones used his chakra threads to limit Raidon''s movements and the next moment the clones sent several strong punches from the back while Daichi used chakra flow on his weapons and cut through from the front. Both of them attacked ferociously and destroyed the entire upper body of the puppet.

    What was left of it fell to the ground. Daichi was waiting for thepletion notification box but seeing it not appear he quickly realized that his job was not done.

    Daichi watched as the puppet started putting itself back together.

    "Not this time."

    He quickly weaved through hand-seals and let out a ming ball where the puppety. Watching the original Daichi attack the fallen puppet, the two clones joined as well. Several wind bullets and streams of mes were let loose and impacted the fallen enemy.

    The three didn''t let up and continued attacking for a while before stopping. The ground was a burning smoldering mess. The puppet was charred. As Daichi looked he still didn''t get a notification.

    ''What the hell? Why is it still not dead? What do I have to do?''

    As Daichi was frustrated at theck of victory his eyes suddenly caught something shining. It was a small pebble like blue stone in the middle of the charred ground. Daichi walked towards it and picked it up. He felt chakraing from it and quickly used ''observe''.

    [Raidon''s Core.]

    [This special sphere was created to supply near limitless chakra to the puppet Raidon. With this core the puppet can fight forever and regenerate its lost parts.]

    ''So that''s the secret huh.'' Daichi, having an understanding of what was going on, looked closely at the chakra sphere.

    ''Can I take this with me? A near limitless chakra sphere woulde in handy.''

    As Daichi pondered on this question he could feel the sphere shaking in his hand and Daichi could see several wooden and metal debrising towards him. Daichi tried to ce it in his inventory but the action was denied.

    "It''s trying to form its body again."

    Letting out a sigh, Daichi closed his fist around the small sphere. It was a sturdy small ball and Daichi had to use quite a bit of force before cracks started appearing. And secondster he crushed it. The core turned to dust the moment it broke and the wooden and metal debrising towards Daichi fell to the ground.

    [You have defeated the boss Raidon.]

    [Enemies killed: 168/168]

    [+1600 Exp.]

    [+240 Exp.]

    [You have leveled up.]

    [Reward: Skill ''Lightning style - Lightning Strike Jutsu''.]

    [Quest ''Destroy all enemies'' Completed.]

    [Rewards:]

    [New Skill: Mana puppetry.]

    [New Title: Executioner. (This title will increase all your stats by 7% when fighting enemy ninjas.)]

    [Ryo 375,000.]

    [10000 Exp.]

    [You have sessfully defeated every enemy in this dungeon. You have been granted ess to the return key. ]

    Just as Daichi expected, the golden key appeared in front of him as soon as he cleared the dungeon. Daichi was in a much better conditionpared to thest time he was in the dungeon.

    He took the key and used ''Observe'' on it.

    [Dungeon exit Key.]

    [With this key the yer can open the exit door and can leave the dungeon. Key valid for only 24 hours in dungeon time. Once the key bes invalid, the door will be locked and the yer will be trapped inside the dungeon forever.] [Time remaining: 23:59:30]

    "Just as I thought. So each time I finish a dungeon I have 24 hrs to get out huh."

    Daichi looked around the ce. He spent over 2 weeks fighting for his life here. He let out a sigh and opened his map. Daichi decided that he would rest and check his stats and skills in his home rather than here.

    Once Daichi ascertained the location of the entrance door he left the ce. He quickly reached the door and ced the golden key inside.

    ''Time to go home.''

    [You have used the return key. Would you like to leave this dungeon?]

    [Y/N]

    "Yes."

    The door opened and as Daichi stepped into the hallway he was teleported back to his home.

 Chapter 54: Powerful Growth

    Chapter 54: Powerful Growth

    Daichi appeared in his bed. He looked at the clock nearby and saw that only 4 seconds had passed.

    ''This is really convenient. I spent over 2 weeks there and only 3 seconds had gone by here. Time to check out my rewards.''

    Daichi opened the status page and saw that his cash reserves as well as stat points had increased significantly. He then saw the newest title. Daichi clicked on it and the information popped up.

    [Executioner. (This title will increase all your stats by 7% when fighting enemy ninjas.)]

    "A very useful title indeed. I''ll have to find ways to get more titles. It looks like they''ll be able to increase my battle prowess by arge margin."

    Daichi opened the status page next. Many skills had increased several levels thanks to the dungeon battles. He wanted to go through each and every one of them and see how far they had improved.

    "Skills."

    Daichi''s current list of skills opened up. He went through each one and noted their improvement.

    His eyesnded on the skill Observe. ''Looks like ''observe'' has increased. But I still only see the level, HP, CP and info on my enemies and not their physical stats Seems I''ll have to increase it beyond level 50 or more to get that Info.''

    He moved on to the next skills with great improvement. ''Seems all the training thesest several months and the battles inside the dungeon helped with the Basic Body conditioning skill. It''s already level 64. But I feel that the progress will slow down soon.''

    Daichi went down the list. He stopped on the Minor Jutsu creation skill. ''I haven''t used this skill as much as I wanted to. I''ll need to get on this as soon as I finish the shape transformation training.''

    He moved on and looked over the increase in the various sense skills. ''I''ll have to get my senses to level 50. I wonder what an evolved skill would be like?'' Since superior Sight is close to level 50 I''ll focus on that first.''

    Daichi went over the effects of the academy Taijutsu skill next. "Wow. My Taijutsu skill level went way up. I doubt any genin or even chunin will be able to fight me in straight hand to handbat now."

    ''My Shurikenjutsu is close to Max level. I''ll be able to level it to 100 by the end of the next dungeon run.''

    ''Physical endurance has reached level 57. It seems my damage reduction has increased greatly. And coupled with the damage reduction of the other skills I''ll take very little damage from blunt attacks from enemies on my level or below me. But the effects of the damage reduction skills decreases the higher level my opponent is and if they have ded weapons.''

    Daichi moved down the list. He stopped at the skill chakra threads. "Ahh one of my favorite skills. Since it''s reached level 70 I''ll have to start adding different applications to this technique. Soon I''ll be able to add Nature to this skill. Then it''ll be truly awesome."

    As Daichi moved on and went down the list he saw the three basic academy jutsus. "Seems I haven''t been practicing two of the academy jutsus as much as I should. I need to practice the rope escape and transformation jutsu more and Max them."

    The next skill he went over in detail was the sword mastery skill. Daichi''s sword mastery skill has now reached level 21. "Hmm This skill definitely saved my ass more than a dozen times. But still Should I be a weapons type fighter or not?... Questions forter I suppose."

    Daichi then noted the level of his tree walking technique. ''I''ll have to Max this skill as soon as I can and thenplete the water walking skill as well. After that I can focus on the Shape transformation and Nature transformation training of chakra.''

    ''The Ozark''s Resilience skill is a powerful skill that I need to level up as fast as possible. A 14% increase in stats for 45 seconds. That''s not a small effect and it''s only level 7 right now. But it only activates when my HP falls below 20. I deliberately let some attacksnd on me during some fights in the dungeon to increase this thing. And I didn''t like it at all. Is there another way to increase the level of this??''

    Daichi pondered on this for a little while before moving on to the next skill.

    Daichi looked over the Mana Affinity and Telekinesis skill. "Need to start training this skill actively. Don''t know when it mighte in handy."

    He went down the list and reached the affinity skills. "Hmm. So earth, fire and lightning are the three natures I''m frequently using huh I suppose that exins their increase over the other two natures. I can use earth for defense or escape jutsus while fire for attacking. And lightning can be switched with offense or defense. I''ll leave it like that for now."

    Daichi then reached thest skill on the list. "Mana puppetry!? Imnt suggestions??" Daichi clicked on thetest skill he received.

    [Mana puppetry - Active (LV. 01): This skill allows the user to control various animals and humans with mentalmands. Mana is used to imnt suggestions or orders into the target''s mind and the user can control them as they see fit. Since this skill is Mana based, Chakra defenses and seals will be useless against it. ]

    [Note: At the current level you can only imnt a simple suggestion into human targets and your mental strength is not strong enough to actively control them. But with training and at higher levels this limitation can be removed.]

    [Effects: Can imnt suggestions into a target''s mind.

    MP cost: 800/ Target]

    "HOLY SHIT!!!"

    Daichi couldn''t help but shout as he read the skill. His eyes widened like dinner tes as he understood the implications of the skill.

    ''This is the equivalent of Shisui Uchiha''s Mangeky Sharingan abilities''

    Daichi''s mind boggled at the ideas that suddenly came to him. He forcefully calmed himself and looked over the skill.

    "ording to this, right now with this skill, I can only imnt suggestions and not active control. And furthermore even after I develop this skill, there is no way it wouldn''t have further limitations. I''ll have to test this out and see what it''s capable of to determine the full power of this skill."

    Daichi made the decision to test out the skill after a few days.

    "I''ll test it on some wild animals first and then test and check the effects on humans."

    After he made the decision he opened the jutsu list. He wanted to see the details of the newest lightning jutsu he got.

    [Lightning Style - Lightning Strike - Active(LV.1): This jutsu allows the user to create an electric current that can hit multiple people at the same time. Additionally it can extend to incredible distances and can even avoid obstacles.]

    [Rank: C.]

    [Type: Ninjutsu.]

    [Hand Seals: Tiger - Snake - Dog.]

    [CP Cost: 260 Per use.]

    [Note: Current Range is 2 meters. Once the user has be more proficient in using the jutsu and lightning nature chakra, this limitation can be removed.]

    "A Decent attack jutsu. Not bad. Time to check out my status page."

    "Status."

    [Name : Daichi Hekima (The Gamer)]

    [ss : Student]

    [Age : 7]

    [Title : Capable Child, Explorer, Prodigy, Beast yer, Apprentice Dungeon Warrior, Executioner.]

    [Level : 37 (150/37250)]

    .

    HP : 3960

    CP : 6532.2

    SP : 3750

    MP : 2395

    .

    [Primary Stats]

    Strength - 85

    Vitality - 81

    Dexterity - 80

    Agility - 83

    Intelligence - 105

    Chakra - 107

    Wisdom - 55

    .

    [Special Stats]

    Sense - 81

    Stamina - 98

    Indomitable - 14

    Charisma - 40

    Persistence - 15

    Dignity (LOCKED)

    Luck (LOCKED)

    .

    [Stat Points - 510]

    [Ryo - 627000]

    "A little over 37000 exp for the next level up Looks like the exp requirement is going up as I expected. I''ll have to focus on improving my stats then 2 more points in Stamina stat and I''ll probably get a new skill. Most probably a passive one."

    Daichi looked at the special and then the primary stat points. He decided he would raise all of the primary stats above 100 points. His eyes focused on thest two special stats.

    "Dignity and Luck. Damn it! It''s been 3 years and I still haven''t unlocked these two. I have a theory as to how the Dignity stat might be unlocked but that would take years. And the Luck stat"

    Daichi let out a tired sigh. ''Damn it, I''ve tried everything I could think of. I learned gambling from the old man although he wasn''t very happy that I learned it at such a young age. I tried flipping coins and tried to predict the oue. I tried to predict the lotto and it didn''t get me anywhere. And several other methods that came to my mind but nothing''s worked so far What do I have to do??''

    Daichi let out another sigh. "I''ll deal with itter. Can''t do anything about it now I suppose." He started adding stat points.

    [Primary Stats]

    Strength - 85 => 101

    Vitality - 81 => 101

    Dexterity - 80 => 101

    Agility - 83 => 101

    Intelligence - 105 => 111

    Chakra. - 107 => 110

    Wisdom - 55 => 101

    "Looks like I needed to add 130 stat points."

    [Stat Points - 380]

    [HP : 6728]

    [CP : 7010.7]

    [SP : 4045]

    [MP : 4310]

    "Oh yeah!! My points are way up Chakra is still the highest with HPing second. And SP is the lowest. But I have a feeling that once my stamina stat rises over 100 that won''t be the case."

    At that moment several blue boxes started appearing.

    [Strength stat has reached 100. You have gained the passive skill Giant''s Strength.]

    [Vitality stat has reached 100. You have gained the passive skill Life Recovery.]

    [Dexterity stat has reached 100. You have gained the passive skill Lithe Body.]

    [Agility stat has reached 100. You have gained the passive skill Swiftness.]

    [Wisdom stat has reached 100. You have gained the passive skill Hermit''s Wisdom.]

    "OH MAN!!! I feel so strong."

    Daichi clenched his hands as he felt the strength and chakra in his body increase. He punched forward and he could feel the force of his strength flowing through him. Daichi started checking out the new passive skills.

    [Giant''s Strength - Passive (LV. MAX): A passive skill given to the yer when the strength stat has reached 100. This skill passively increases the strength of your body and the damages dealt to an enemy. It also reduces damage taken by the user''s body. Giant''s Strength is a skill that''s obtained and maxed. ]

    "I definitely feel much more powerful. I need to see just how strong I am soon." Daichi closed the Giant''s Strength skill window and opened the next one.

    [Life Recovery - Passive (LV. MAX): A passive skill given to the yer when the vitality stat has reached 100. The recovery ability of your body has been increased by 5 times. You can regain HP at a much faster rate. This skill also reduces the sleep time needed to restore your body down to 4.5 hours. Increases the HP of the user. Life Recovery is a skill that''s obtained and maxed. ]

    "I feel like I''m bing a tank fighter. The ability to take tons of damage and now my insane recovery speed. This will definitely help me in the tough situation toe."

    [Lithe Body - Passive (LV. MAX): A passive skill given to the yer when the dexterity stat has reached 100. This skill increases the evasion rates, bnce and weapons handling of the user. uracy of several skills are increased by multiple times depending on the skills. Lithe Body is a skill that''s obtained and maxed. ]

    "Hmm Evasion, uracy, bnce and weapons handling huh. Nice. It seems my shurikenjutsu, sword mastery and other such skills can be leveled up even faster."

    [Swiftness - Passive (LV. MAX): A passive skill given to the yer when the agility stat has reached 100. This skill passively increases the movement speed of the body by 5 times. Swiftness is a skill that''s obtained and maxed. ]

    "I could always use more speed. With this I''ll be able to dodge andnd multiple strikes within seconds. And with this speed I can use ''Linked kills strikes'' skill more often." Closing the swiftness skill page, he opened thest one.

    [Hermit''s Wisdom - Passive (LV. MAX): A passive skill given to the yer when wisdom stat has reached 100. This skill strengthens the mind and increases the Mana powers of the user. Effects and strength of Mind skills are increased. This skill also helps the user cope with the negative side effect of the skill Absolute Recall. Increases Mana Points of the user. Hermit''s Wisdom is a skill that''s obtained and maxed.]

    "Seems wisdom also greatly helps with Mana abilities. I have to test them soon Hmm Looks like I don''t have to worry about the negative side effects of the Recall skill. That''s good."

    Daichi went through all the skills. He was very happy with his progress and growth.

    "Each day brings me closer and closer to my goal. Soon I won''t have to fear anyone."

    Daichi closed the notification boxes and status page. Daichi got up from his bed and stretched his body. He could clearly feel the changes that happened. He went to get freshened up and then feeling hungry, he went downstairs to get something to eat.

    -----------------------------

    [Author''s Note]

    Yes yes, before you guys start cursing my name, I know! This was already a way too long dungeon and you guys are in no mood for another system update rted chapter. I get it!

    But please bear with me. This chapter is thest one with such a focus on the skills and gamer aspect in the story for at least another 30 chapters.

    The plot will move forward From the next chapter onwards. Well Daichi will make some important training ns in the next chapter and then the plot picks up after that and it picks up steam. Stay tuned.

    --------------------------------------------------------

    Skills

    1. Gamer''s Mind - Passive (LV. MAX)

    2. Gamer''s Body - Passive (LV. MAX)

    3. Gaia''s Blessing - Passive (LV. MAX)

    4. Observe - Active (LV.43)

    5. Dishwashing - Passive (LV.51)

    Effects: 87.5% increase in speed when dishwashing.

    6. Meditate - Active (LV. 58)

    Effects : 116% Increase to base HP regeneration per minute.

    116% Increase to base CP regeneration per minute.

    116% Increase to base SP regeneration per minute.

    7. Basic Body Conditioning - Passive (LV. 64)

    Effects: 72% Increase in Damage inflicted.

    73% Increase in Movement speed.

    25% Increase in Physical stat growth.

    50% Decrease in Damage taken.

    8. Mini-map

    9. Inventory

    10. Chakra Maniption - (Active/Passive) (LV.66)

    11. Chakra Affinity - (Passive/Active) (LV.57)

    Effects: 25% growth rate of Chakra stat.

    60% Strength increase to all chakra-based skills.

    58% Defense increase against chakra-based attacks.

    45% Increase to maximum CP.

    -28% CP cost to all chakra based skills.

    12. Chakra regeneration - Passive (LV.54)

    Effects: Regeneration Increased by 89% of base CP.

    15% Increase in Regeneration speed.

    25% Growth rate of Chakra stat.

    Note: Meditation increases CP regeneration to 108%.

    13. Minor Jutsu Creation - Active (LV.8)

    Effects: 22% Sess rate to create new Ninjutsu.

    22% Sess rate to create new Genjutsu.

    -14% CP requirements for new Jutsu created.

    14. Leaf concentration technique - (Active/Passive) (LV. MAX)

    Effects: 200% Increase in chakra control.

    CP cost : 1/sec.

    -50% CP cost to chakra techniques.

    15. Superior Tasting - Active (LV. 30)

    Effects: 60% Increase in taste

    CP cost : 1/sec.

    16. Superior Hearing - Active (LV.43)

    Effects: 86% Increase in hearing

    CP cost : 2/sec.

    17. Superior Smell - Active (LV. 40)

    Effects: 80% Increase in smell.

    CP cost : 1/sec.

    18. Superior Sight - Active(LV. 46)

    Effects: 92% Increase in sight.

    CP cost : 2/sec.

    19. Leaf Academy Taijutsu - Active (LV.65)

    Effects: 89% Increase in attack power.

    87% Increase in defense.

    91% Increase in speed

    78% Decrease in damage taken.

    20. Shurikenjutsu - Active(LV.93)

    Effects: 97.3% Increase in uracy.

    92.1% Increase in damage dealt.

    21. Physical Endurance - Passive (LV.57)

    Effects: 51.4% Decrease in damage taken.

    22. Strong Hit - Active (LV.43)

    Effects: 62% Increase in critical rate.

    75% Increase in damage inflicted to the enemy.

    61% Increase in attack speed.

    SP Cost: 7 per hit.

    23. Cooking - Active(LV.25)

    Effects: 50% Increase in taste and aroma of dish.

    50% Increase in ting technique.

    24. Painting - Passive (LV.16)

    Effects: +38% Increase in visual appeal.

    +42% Increase of uracy in painting.

    25. Chakra Threads - Active(LV.70)

    Effects: 140% Increase in thread control.

    140% Increase in thread speed

    CP cost: 2/sec for single thread.

    26. Sprint - Active (LV.50)

    Effects: 75% Increase in running speed.

    SP cost: 28 SP per minute.

    27. Rope Escape Jutsu - Active (LV.15)

    Effects: 30% Increase in sess when escaping bindings.

    28. Clone Jutsu - Active (LV.80)

    Effects: 75% uracy Increase when creating identical clones.

    CP cost: 35 CP per clone.

    29. Transformation Jutsu - Active(LV.30)

    Effects: 60% Increase in uracy and details when transforming.

    CP cost: 10 CP per transformation.

    30. Mana Maniption - (Active/Passive) (LV.03)

    31. Sword Mastery - Passive (LV.21)

    Note: This skill requires a sword to activate.

    Effects: 42% Additional damage when striking the target.

    Marks target with damage and negative debuffs.

    42% Increase in attack speed.

    32. Vital Strike - Active (LV.40)

    Effects: 57% Additional damage when hitting target.

    Marks target with damage and negative debuffs.

    22% Increase in attack speed.

    33. Tree walking technique - (Active/Passive) (LV.80)

    Effects: 160% Increase in chakra control.

    CP cost : 4/sec.

    -52.8% CP cost to chakra techniques.

    34. Danger Sense - Passive (LV.32)

    Effects: Current range - 80 meters.

    35. Death blow - Active (LV.22)

    Effects: 184% Additional attack Damage to the enemy.

    30% Increase in attack speed.

    30% Increase in critical rate.

    36. Water walking technique - (Active/Passive) (LV.88)

    Effects: 176% Increase in chakra control.

    CP cost : 5/sec.

    27.9% Decrease CP cost to chakra techniques.

    37. Chakra Sense - Active (LV.25)

    Effects: Current Range - 70 meters.

    CP Cost : 10/meter.

    38. Ozark''s Resilience - Active (LV.07)

    Effects: 14% Increase in Strength, Vitality and Agility stats for 45 seconds when HP falls below 20%.

    Cooldown time: 8 hours.

    39. Killing intent - Active (LV.15)

    Effects: Enemies with a (+ or -)3 level gap between the user are paralysed for 30 seconds.

    Enemies less than 4 levels and below the user are struck with terror and paralysed for 40 seconds as well as 10% reduction of their physical stats.

    40. Dual Wielding Mastery - Passive (LV.19)

    Effects: Passively increases the yer''s minimum and maximum melee Damage, Critical rate and Bnce.

    19% increase to Damage inflicted.

    19% Increase in attack speed.

    41. Water affinity - (Active/Passive) (LV.11)

    Effects: 22% Increase in water attack jutsu.

    22% Increase in water defense jutsu.

    10% Increase in sess when creating water style jutsu.

    5% Decrease in Chakra Cost when using water style jutsu.

    42. Wind affinity - (Active/Passive) (LV.13)

    Effects: 26% Increase in wind attack jutsu.

    26% Increase in wind defense jutsu.

    8.8% Increase in sess when creating wind style jutsu.

    5.3% Decrease in Chakra Cost when using wind style jutsu.

    43. Mana Affinity - (Passive/Active) (LV.06):

    Effects: 12% Strength increase to all Mana-based skills.

    -4% MP cost to all Mana based skills.

    44. Telekinesis - Active (LV.04)

    Effects: 8% Increase in Mana attacks.

    8% Increase in Mana defenses.

    2% Decrease in Mana cost.

    45. Fire affinity - (Active/Passive) (LV.20)

    Effects: 40% Increase in fire attack jutsu.

    40% Increase in fire defense jutsu.

    17% Increase in sess when creating fire style jutsu.

    11% Decrease in Chakra cost when using fire style jutsu.

    46. Earth affinity - (Active/Passive) (LV.24)

    Effects: 48% Increase in earth attack jutsu.

    48% Increase in earth defense jutsu.

    40% Increase in sess when creating earth style jutsu.

    20% Decrease in Chakra cost when using earth style jutsu.

    47. Lightning affinity - (Active/Passive) (LV.18)

    Effects: 36% Increase in Lightning attack jutsu.

    36% Increase in Lightning defense jutsu.

    15.8% Increase in sess when creating Lightning style jutsu.

    8.7% Decrease in Chakra cost when using Lightning style jutsu.

    48. Superior Touch - Active(LV. 10)

    Effects: +16% Increase in Skin sensitivity.

    CP cost : 20/sec.

    49. Chakra Enhancement - Active (LV.20)

    [Note: The chakra cost of the skill and increase in abilities, depends on the chakra supplied.]

    Effects: Increase the attack and defense power.

    Increase Strength, Stamina, Agility and Vitality.

    Decrease the damage taken.

    50. Chakra Flow - Active (LV.16)

    [Note: The chakra cost of the skill, depends on the chakra supplied.]

    Effects: 38% Strength increase to the object.

    38% Increase in chakra flow.

    8% Decrease in chakra cost.

    51. Creation - Active (LV.03)

    [Note: The chakra cost of the skill, depends on the chakra supplied.]

    Effects: 16.5% Chance when creating Common grade items.

    1% Chance when creating Rare grade items.

    0% Chance when creating Unique grade items.

    0% Chance when creating Legendary grade items.

    0% Chance when creating Mythical grade items.

    52. Unyielding Spirit - Passive (LV. MAX)

    53. Shadow Clone Jutsu - Active (LV.10)

    Effects: Chakra usage depends on the user of the jutsu.

    CP cost: 490 CP/Clone

    54. Body Flicker Technique - Active (LV.19)

    Effects: 38% Increase in Mobility.

    CP cost: 50 CP

    55. Absolute Recall - Passive (LV. MAX)

    56. Combat Arts - Passive (LV.6)

    Effects: 12% Increase in Damage inflicted.

    12% Increase in Movement speed.

    57. Linked Kill Strikes - Active (LV.5)

    Effects: 5% Increase in Agility.

    10% Increase in damage when using swords, daggers or other sharp weapons.

    (n+1)% Increase in damage dealt for each additional strike. ''n'' represents thest consecutive attacknded on the enemy.

    58. Absolute Chakra Mastery - Passive (LV. MAX)

    59. Light Steps - Passive/Active (LV.02)

    Effects: Increases bnce of the user when in unstable and dangerous terrain.

    6% Increase in movement speed.

    60. Mana puppetry - Active (LV. 01)

    Effects: Can imnt suggestions into a target''s mind.

    MP cost: 800/ Target

    61. Giant''s Strength - Passive (LV. MAX)

    62. Life Recovery - Passive (LV. MAX)

    63. Lithe Body - Passive (LV. MAX)

    64. Swiftness - Passive (LV. MAX)

    65. Hermit''s Wisdom - Passive (LV. MAX)

 Chapter 55: Training Plans and Shortcuts

    Chapter 55: Training ns and Shortcuts

    Daichi pondered on his next move as he sat on the porch and ate some dumplings. There were many skills he had to focus on. But he wasn''t sure what to tackle first.

    "Chakra control, my stats, the jutsu creation skill. Then there''s the change in chakra nature and change in chakra form training. I have plenty on my te already. Enough to keep me busy for at least 3 or 4 more years But what should I start with?"

    Daichi looked at the stats again. He wanted to train his special stat stamina and raise it to 100. Currently the SP was the only remaining one that hadn''t increased significantly.

    "Based on my training time, I''ll be able to raise my stamina points by the end of the week if I really push myself So that''s one problem solved."

    Daichi then thought about an important skill he had neglected. The ''Minor jutsu creation'' skill

    "To create or modify a jutsu I''ll need excellent control over my chakra and proficiency in shape transformation and the various chakra nature. So that will be my next focus"

    As Daichi went through the memories of his previous life a new thought urred to him.

    ''During Naruto''s wind chakra nature training, Kakashi said that the rasengan was the highest form of shape transformation. Chakra spinning wildly in every direction and contained in a sphere. With mastering just one jutsu, Naruto essentially skipped several years of training.''

    A smile slowly formed on Daichi''s face as he thought about the implications. ''If I can master the Rasengan, then I''ll havepleted the Shape transformation training. And it''s a perfect jutsu to get me out of tight situations. That''s the pros of learning Rasengan. The cons are Kakashi, Hiruzen, Jiraiya, Danzo and probably everyone else who''s seen the fourth Hokage fight would have their eyes on me. That''s not a good thing. At least at my current level anyway.''

    "I can keep that jutsu a secret but I know that no secret stays buried forever. The only thing I might have any control over is how long I could keep it hidden"

    Daichi weighed the pros and cons of learning that technique. After a couple of minutes he came to a decision.

    "Hmm No risk, no reward I''ll train the rasengan but I''ll have to tell the old man. I won''t be able to train it to perfection if I keep it a secret from him. But I need a convincing story for my knowledge on the Rasengan."

    Daichi came up with several ways he could exin the knowledge but immediately disregarded them due to the holes in the exnations. As he thought about it, an idea came to his mind. He got up and went to Kensei''s library.

    Daichi started going through scrolls and books trying to find ones that detail Chakra training. After a few minutes of searching he came across a handwritten notebook detailing various jutsu. Curiosity won and Daichi decided to check them out.

    "This must be the old man''s notes." Daichi flipped the pages and came across various techniques of all natures. "Damn. Based on these notes the old man has studied plenty of Jutsu'' during his time."

    As Daichi flipped another page he suddenly stopped. The jutsu listed on the page was the one he was looking for.

    "Rasengan So the old man did see it and tried to study the technique." Daichi read the observations made by Kensei.

    ''An A rank technique created with no hand seals. Based on my observation it is a spinning ball of chakra held in the caster''s palm. Upon closer look I concluded that the chakra is spinning in several directions. The chakra control and power needed to create such a technique must be beyond normal shinobi. I have also noticed that once the ball is formed it maintains its shape without the chakra dissipating until ites into contact with something.''

    ''Somehow Minato is able to maintain its form once the jutsu is created. Andstly it is powerful enough to drill through even the hardest stones. Based on my understanding this jutsu represents the ''Change in Chakra Form'' (Shape transformation) taken to a high degree. Tried to recreate the jutsu with not much positive results. Needs further observation on the jutsu to replicate it.''

    "Oh wow!! He''s figured out most of the jutsuponents from just seeing it He''s a lot smarter than I thought."

    Daichi looked over the notes some more and then closed the book. He started putting everything back in their ce.

    "The old man had shown me detailed notes on various techniques in this library. I had hoped it would be the case for the rasengan too. And looks like my guess was right. This gives me the excuse I need. I''ll just say that I read the notes and am now interested in recreating the jutsu. Hopefully he''ll believe it."

    As he put the books and scrolls back in their ce something came to his mind.

    ''My chakra reserve is considerablyrger than before. I have almost as much chakra as a Chunin. Currently the only person who has more chakra than me in my age group would be Naruto. If any teachers in the academy or someone else tried to sense my chakra level then they would get suspicious of my growth speed I need a jutsu to mask my chakra volume.''

    Daichi once again started going through books looking for the information he needed. Before long he found the technique required for the task. He read the details on the jutsu. It was a C-Rank supplementary jutsu.

    "Chakra suppression technique. Lowers the chakra to the point of being near undetectable. But the person wouldn''t be able to use Ninjutsu or Genjutsu while this technique is active."

    Daichi looked over the notes. "I only need to lower my chakra to the point where I would look like I''m only above average in chakra reserves. That way I can use the jutsu and still keep myself under the radar."

    Daichi went outside and sat down cross legged. He calmed his breathing and focused on his chakra. Just like when people force their chakra and unleash it so much that it bes potent and visible to he naked eye, a person can do the opposite and suppress their chakra to hide themselves from almost everyone. By lowering the amount of chakra flowing through the chakra pathways one can be less distinctive and can slip past the enemy senses.

    Daichi concentrated and slowly started reducing the amount of chakra flowing through him. He sat there concentrating on the task and after a minute he received new notifications.

    [Through continuously suppressing your chakra volume, the skill ''Chakra Suppression'' has been created.]

    [Chakra Suppression - Active (LV.01): This technique allows the user to suppress their chakra volume making it difficult for others to sense the user. The higher the level the more chakra you suppress. This is a supplementary ninjutsu. This technique is activated with the Tiger Seal.]

    [Effects: 1% Chakra suppression. ]

    "Hmm Not bad. I need to see if I can use this technique while still performing basic academy jutsu."

    "I also need toplete the tree walking exercise. Once that''s maxed out, I''ll raise the water walking technique to level 100. Then I''ll start on the Rasengan. I have 5 days remaining before the exams begin. Better make it count."

    Daichi walked to the backyard of the house and walked several meters away. He went through several seals and mmed his hands onto the ground.

    "Earth style - Mud wall."

    Arge wall several meters in length and height erupts out of the ground. This is the first and only B rank jutsu Daichi currently knows.

    [Earth Style - Mud Wall Jutsu - Active(LV.2): This jutsu allows the user to create a protective wall out of earth. There are two ways this jutsu can be performed. The user can convert their chakra to an earthen material that they spit from their mouth. The more skilled the user, the more powerful the wall. The second method is to use pre existing earth. By cing the hands on the ground, the user can raise the ground as a barrier in front of them.]

    [Rank: B.]

    [Type: Ninjutsu]

    [Hand Seals: Tiger - Hare - Boar - Dog - Ox - Snake.]

    [CP Cost: 280 Per Use.]

    Daichi created two clones. One went near a tree and sat under its shade. The clone started to use the chakra suppression technique in conjecture with transformation and clone jutsu. Meanwhile, the real Daichi and his second clone jumped to the wall.

    "I''m gonna abuse the hell out of the Shadow clone jutsu. And since I have the gamer''s body I''ll be up and ready in less than 5 hours."

    Daichi and the clone stood vertically on the wall and started their fight. Or more specifically Daichi dodged or blocked the strikesing from his doppelganger. Both of them were using chakra suppression as well. Daichi also wanted to level up his tree walking skill and he figured fighting on a vertical surface while focusing on another task would be the best way to do it. He also used transformation jutsu to see its effects while performing the suppression technique.

    Daichi trained like that till nightfall. He mainly focused on the academy jutsu since he felt they were a bitcking. Once he was done he dropped down to the ground and released the clone one at a time. Immediately several blue boxes appeared.

    [Skill Leaf Academy Taijutsu''s level has risen by one. x3]

    [Skill Clone Jutsu''s level has risen by one. x10]

    [Skill Transformation Jutsu''s level has risen by one. x18]

    [Skill Combat Arts''s level has risen by one. x7]

    [Skill Chakra Suppression''s level has risen by one. x26]

    [Skill Tree walking technique''s level has risen by one. x6]

    Daichi''s taijutsu skills, tree walking skill, clone jutsu, transformation jutsu and chakra suppression technique all saw great growth. By concentrating on several tasks while fighting an opponent Daichi was able to push himself and this increased his skill level up speed.

    [Leaf Academy Taijutsu - Active (LV.68)]

    [Effects: 96.3% Increase in attack power.]

    96.5% Increase in defense.

    98.2% Increase in speed

    79.5% Decrease in damage taken.]

    .

    [Clone Jutsu - Active (LV.90)]

    [Effects: 90% uracy Increase when creating identical clones.

    CP cost: 30 CP per clone.]

    .

    [Transformation Jutsu - Active (LV.48)

    [ Effects: 67% Increase in uracy and details when transforming.

    CP cost: 8.5 CP per transformation.]

    .

    [Tree walking technique - (Active/Passive) (LV.86)]

    [Effects: 172% Increase in chakra control.

    CP cost : 4/sec.

    -54% CP cost to chakra techniques.]

    .

    [Combat Arts - Passive (LV.13)]

    [Effects: 26% Increase in Damage inflicted.

    26% Increase in Movement speed.]

    .

    [Chakra Suppression - Active (LV.27)]

    [Effects: 27% Chakra suppression.]

    "Perfect. It seems using clones is really efficient. In just 7 hours I was able to level up the clone, transformation and chakra suppression by several levels."

    Just at that moment a huge fatigue hit him. Daichi''s stamina and chakra points rapidly fell to less than 500. "Wow "

    Daichi wobbled and fell to his knees. He clutched his head as if he felt it was going to explode. "Ohh my head." Daichi slowly got up off the ground and made his way to his room. He slowly got on his bed and quickly fell asleep.

    --------------------------

    [You have slept in a bed. HP, CP, SP and MP have been fully restored.]

    Daichi woke up to the sound of the system message. He got up and looked around.

    "That was nasty headache. And I only used 2 clones for about 7 hours. How in the world did Naruto survive with a 1000 clones training without having his brain melt?"

    Daichi sighed and stood on his feet. "I need to make slight adjustments. I can''t throw away such a useful training tactic. But I also can''t overdo it." Daichi thought of the best way to make use of the training method. After a short while he came up with a n.

    "I''ll use two clones to train but will dispel them after 2 hours. That way I''ll be able to reduce the strain ced on me. I''ll also have another clone meditate and that way I can bring myself to optimum level without wasting much time and can reduce the risk. If I use any more clones with my current chakra level, then my training won''t be effective."

    Daichi went over the n and decided to proceed with this method. Having just slept and now energized, Daichi went outside. He jumped to the roof of his home and sat down. It was a full moon that night. Daichi sat there gazing at the brightly lit moon thinking about what the future might bring him.

 Chapter 56: End of the 2nd Academic Year

    Chapter 56: End of the 2nd Academic Year

    It was the second semester exam week for the academy. Daichi stepped into the ssroom and saw some students revising the lessons, a few not doing anything and the rest ying around.

    Naruto, Shikamaru, Choji and Kiba belonged to thest group while Sakura and Ino were in the first. The moment Daichi stepped into ss he knew he got their attention.

    "Hey Daichi! Come on,e on!! We''re gonna prank Daikoku sensei when he gets here. You wanna join us?" Naruto excitedly ran up to Daichi and asked. He had a wide smile on his face. Ever since the Yota incident he gained several valuable friends and he was happier than ever.

    "Good morning to you too Naruto!" Daichi slightly sighed but still happily greeted his friend. "And to answer your question, No! I''m not going to join you in your pranks."

    "Aww Come on It''ll be fun!!" Naruto started whining.

    "Give it up Naruto. He''s not gonna join." Shikamaru came along and greeted Daichi.

    "Hey Shikamaru. Didn''t think you''d join him in pranks." Daichi smirked looking at the young Nara.

    "I''m bored and didn''t have anything better to do. Also Naruto threatened to dump water on my face whenever I take a nap if I didn''t join himSuch a drag." Shikamaru sighed saying this.

    "I didn''t threaten you. I only implied it." Naruto said with a devilish grin.

    "Hahaha." Daichi let out a smallugh, hearing him. "The fact that you even know the word ''implied'' is in itself scary Have you studied for the exam?" Daichi asked Naruto even though he knew the answer.

    "I''ll be fine. I studied all day yesterday. Now it''s time for some fun."

    "Let''s just get to our seats before senseies." Daichi moved to his usual spot in the back.

    But Naruto went to the teacher''s chair and put some glue on it. "This is gonna be awesome."

    Shikamaru sighed looking at his friend''s antics. "Our teacher is a chunin. He''s not gonna fall for that."

    "Oh yeah? Then what''s your n?"

    "My n was to sleep till the teacher got here and then answer just enough questions to pass and then go back to taking my nap. But since that''s not gonna happen I might as well help you." Shikamaru had a deadpan look on his face as he said the words.

    Shikamaru helped Naruto set up a simple trap and went back to their seats.

    Meanwhile Kiba and Choji were near Daichi watching Naruto and Shikamaru. Choji was munching on some snacks while Kiba tried to goad Daichi into a bet.

    "Come on Daichi. Let''s make this exciting. 20 Ryo says Daikoku sensei isn''t gonna fall for that."

    "That''s obvious." Daichi muttered. "He wouldn''t have been made a chunin if he fell for such a childish trap."

    "What about you Choji? Wanna bet?" "Arf Arf?" Kiba and Akamaru looked at their big boned friend.

    "No. If I lose my money then I won''t be able to buy my snacks." Choji said, munching on the crisp potatoes.

    It was at that moment that Daichi saw Sakura and Ino approaching. Daichi noticed Sakura subtly pushing Ino towards him.

    "Hey Daichi! How was the holidays?" Ino asked. She had a small almost imperceptible blush on her cheeks as she spoke.

    Having watched all sorts of anime and cartoons for a lifetime, Daichi was well aware of the romance cliches. ''Oh my god!! Does she have a crush on me? This can''t be happening Ok!! Keep cool Daichi. Just answer the question and pretend everything is normal.''

    "Yeah. It was nice. Got to rx. And I spent most of my time reading some books. So you know The usual How have you been Ino?"

    "Oh I''m great! Was helping out at my shop and studying and all that Say Daichi My father got some new flower seeds in his stock. You wannae by and check them outter?" Ino asked boldly.

    "Sure. I''ll drop by the store sometime next week." Daichi nodded and politely smiled at her.

    [Reputation increases with Ino Yamanaka.]

    [Reputation slightly increases with Sakura Haruno.]

    "Good luck with the exams Daichi. I know you''ll be first."

    "No way. Sasuke will be first this year." Sakura chimed in.

    Both Ino and Sakura went back to their seats arguing who would be first. Daichi slightly smiled looking at them. ''Even though they''re arguing I can''t sense any real malice I guess their friendship didn''t end because I took Sasuke''s ce in Ino''s mind. Another ripple effect from the Yota rescue mission no doubt!... Ino is cute but this feels really weird. I have no interest in a romantic rtionship right now. Should I tell Ino that? No That mightplicate things ''

    Daichi sighed and leaned back. ''I''ll tell her some other time. That''s a future me problem.''

    As Daichi sat in his chair, he noticed Sasuke eyeing him every so often. He could sense the angering from the Uchiha from where he sat. Daichi gave a small eye smile and mouthed the words good luck. Sasuke red at him and averted his gaze.

    Since it was almost time for ss to start, everyone got to their seats. Naruto was sitting a couple rows in front of Daichi while Shikamaru was sitting next to him.

    "Why did you help him set up the prank Shikamaru?" Daichi asked in a slow voice.

    "I told you He threatened to take away my nap time. Besides, I only gave him a few suggestions. He''s the one who set it up."

    Daichi smirked, hearing his answer. "Come on. I know you better than that. You wouldn''t help him with pranking a teacher knowing you could get detention. And you and I both know Naruto was just making empty threats. The real reason you did it was because you''ve seen it, haven''t you?" Daichi stared at Shikamaru with a knowing look.

    Shikamaru looked at Daichi for a few seconds and then sighed. He spoke in a low voice. "Nothing gets past you does it?... Yeah. I noticed that most teachers don''t like Naruto for some reason. They haven''t punished or yelled or even spoken harshly to him but I can tell that they don''t like him. And it''s not because of the pranks. I just don''t know why But something tells me you do."

    "I know most people in the vige feel the same about him but other than that nothing." Daichi said with a straight face. He continued. "So then you''re helping him because you want to see how Daikoku sensei reacts?" Daichi asked him.

    Shikamaru nodded. "We set up a simple harmless prank. I doubt he''d fall for it. But it''s still a prank. I want to see how he responds to it?"

    They spoke some more and then fell silent.

    After a few minutes the bell rang and Daikoku sensei opened the doors.

    "Good morning ss. I hope all of you are ready for the exam." As he said the words he reached the chair. He then noticed something peculiar and instantly recognized it as glue.

    ''Do they actually think they can catch me with this? I''m almost disappointed.''

    It was then that he noticed an almost imperceptible, thin ninja wire tied to the chair. It went all the way up to the top of the board and Daikoku noticed a water balloon strapped to the wire, right on top of where he was standing. ''So, the glue was a distraction huh. If I had moved the chair the balloon would have dropped.''

    Daikoku signed. He turned to the ss and questioned them. "Alright, who did this?"

    "Oh man! You almost fell for it." Naruto''s loud voice of disappointment could be heard.

    "Were you the one behind this?" Daikoku asked in a neutral tone.

    "Yup. Next time I''ll definitely get you. Hahaha." Naruto boisterously said those words.

    Daikoku looked at him with indifference and then sighed. "Just sit down, Naruto."

    The joy Naruto felt dimmed and he sat down in his chair and crossed his arms.

    Shikamaru noted Daikoku sensei''s look. He understood what it was. ''Indifference. He''s ignoring him and pretending Naruto doesn''t exist. That''s harsh. I''ll have to see why everyone dislikes Naruto so much.''

    The written exams began shortly after.

    ''The questions are easy enough.'' Daichipleted his exam faster than anyone else. He then meditated till Daikoku sensei collected everyone''s papers.

    The students were taken outside to test their shurikenjutsu skills. Daichi and Sasuke scored perfect hits. Naruto was among the lower end of the ss rankings in the shurikenjutsu test. Shikamaru, Choji and Kiba were among the middle to upper tier of the ss.

    Thest part was the Taijutsu spar. For the exams the students were paired up with someone simr in their strength level. The spar started with students at the lower end ranking. Everyone knew the rules and the spars started. A pair of names would be called every few minutes.

    Naruto was paired up against Hibachi. The sparing started once both of them made the seal of confrontation. Even though Naruto''s books knowledge and aim were poor, he trained his body and tried to improve his Taijutsu skills. And with the added benefit of exceptional stamina and chakra, Naruto won the spar a minute after it started. He was able to knock Hibachi out of the ring thus securing the victory.

    The fights continued and before long it was Daichi and Sasuke''s turn. This time no quest like ''defeat the opponent'' popped up. Daichi figured it must be because of his overwhelming strength.

    The spar began but neither one made any moves. Sasuke observed Daichi and seeing that he wasn''t making any moves Sasuke rushed at him. Daichi stood in his spot and easily blocked the iing attacks. He wanted to see how fast Sasuke had be before counter attacking.

    ''He''s definitely been training harder than before. Based on his current speed and strength he could easily defeat anyone in the ss and maybe even several senior students. It seems being second has given him a driving force.''

    Daichi casually blocked a punch aimed at his face and held on to the fist. Sasuke immediately tried to get out of it by attacking him with his other limbs but it was for naught. Daichi easily evaded the strikes and counterattacked. Within a few seconds Sasuke was on the ground wheezing. He looked up and saw a finger pointed at the middle of his forehead.

    "Match over. Daichi is the winner." Daikoku sensei called the match. He was observing Daichi much more than Sasuke. ''He''s gotten a lot stronger since thest spar. His chakra hasn''t fluctuated and neither has his breathing. This was far too easy for him. He won''t learn anymore if he stays in this grade. I should speak with the Hokage.''

    Daichi and Sasuke made the seal of Reconciliation. Even though Sasuke was displeased with it. And with thatst spar, the exams came to an end. A couple days passed and the results were out. Daichi retained his top spot with Sasuke as the second. Naruto was somewhere in the middle to lower end of the ss rankings. Thest day of sses for the second year came to an end.

    Kensei hade home from his trip a few days prior. He shared stories with Daichi and took him to Shi Fang''s restaurant the day the academy closed. Both of them had special meals in celebration of Daichi results.

    --------------------------

    Daichi wasying in bed looking at the clock. A few seconds after it struck midnight several notifications popped up.

    [Ongoing Quest - ''Path to the strongest.'']

    [2nd Year tasks sessfullypleted. Distributing the Special reward for clearing a dungeon. Distributing New Skill reward for learning new jutsu.]

    [Special Reward:]

    [Title: Dungeon Warrior.]

    [Note: Apprentice Dungeon Warrior title has been reced by the new title ''Dungeon Warrior'' (This title will increase all your stats by 15% when fighting inside a dungeon.)]

    [New Skill: Plunderer. ]

    "Plunderer huh I wonder what kind of a skill that is?" Daichi clicked on the skill. A new information box popped up.

    [Plunderer - Passive (LV. MAX): This passive skill allows the user a certain chance to plunder a skill, special ability or a jutsu from the targets the user kills. The user can choose to absorb or abandon the plundered reward. The user will only get a single reward per kill if the Plunderer skill is triggered. ]

    [The chances of obtaining skill or jutsu from the killed enemy is 10%. ]

    [The chances of obtaining special abilities or bloodline limits is 1%. ]

    "HOLY FUCK" Daichi''s eyes almost popped out of his skull.

    ''I can get jutsu or special abilities from people I kill? Is that limited to the real world or would this skill activate if I kill dungeon ninjas? Even if there is only a 10% chance for a skill or jutsu to drop, it is still a massive advantage. I had killed 167 ninjas in thest dungeon. If I had this skill before, I could have had about a dozen new skills. This is definitely an OP passive ability.''

    ''And the chance of obtaining a special bloodline limit Even if it''s only a 1% chance I need the ''luck'' stat. Have to find a way to unlock it somehow. That stat would definitely help me with this skill.''

    Daichi thought about the usefulness of this passive ability. He wanted to test it out immediately but he restrained himself.

    ''This skill description clearly says the targets I kill and not defeat I can''t go around killing people in the real world. But in the dungeons it''s an entirely different story. If this skill works on the dungeon ninjas then my dungeon runs just became much more crucial to my growth.''

    ''This is an excellent reward. Thank you system. I''ll be sure to put it to good use.''

    Satisfied with the rewards, Daichi went to sleep.

 Chapter 57: Interlude 02 - Daichi and the Rookie 6

    Chapter 57: Interlude 02 - Daichi and the Rookie 6

    "Ghaa That written exam was so tough. I didn''t even understand some of the questions." Naruto sat under the shade of a tree near the Academy and lightly wailed. Shikamaru, Ino, Choji, Kiba and Sakura were sitting nearby. They sighed hearing himin.

    "Well that''s what happens when you don''t study and goof off." Sakura replied.

    "But Sakura I did try to study. I spent all day yesterday trying to learn the chapters." Naruto said in an almost whiny tone.

    The pink haired academy student just sighed and shook her head as she listened to him. Even though her mother warned her to stay away from him she didn''t. One of the few times she has disobeyed her parents. After he helped rescue Yota, she decided to give him a chance and soon became friends with him.

    "Calm down Naruto. You''ll be fine. You''ll pass." Shikamaru said in a nonchnt tone.

    "Why do you say that Shikamaru?" Naruto was curious as to how he would know.

    "Because I''ve looked over all the questions. And some were easy enough that I''m sure even you got them right. That along with your Taijutsu results will definitely get you a passing grade. You''ll be in the lower half of the rankings though." Shikamaru said while looking at the clouds. He found them rxing and it would always help sleep quicker.

    "But I don''t just wanna pass I wanna be the best. I want to take the number spot." Naruto smiled and boldly said.

    "HA!! Keep dreaming. That''s not ever going to happen." Ino immediately replied in a haughty tone when she heard him. She was fixing Sakura''s hair and was in the middle of adding some colorful flower to match the pink hair when she heard Naruto.

    "Oh yeah?" Naruto stood up and challenged her.

    "Yeah." Ino stood up as well and red at him.

    Both of them red at each other. Metaphorical sparks could be seen flying between them. But before it escted Choji spoke up.

    "I''m sorry Naruto but I''m gonna have to agree with Ino on this. You could be strong and climb up the rankings but I don''t think you''ll be able to take the number one spot." Choji was eating his favorite brand of chips as he said those words.

    Naruto looked incredulous as he heard those words.

    "Choji''s right you know. Besides you do realize who you have to beat to take that spot, don''t you?" Kiba fed Akamaru some dog treats as he asked Naruto that question.

    Naruto knew the answer to that question. He sighed and sat down. "I''m gonna train hard and one day I''m gonna beat Sasuke and then Daichi too." He dered to the group. After a few seconds of silence he asked the question that was on his mind. "How is he so strong anyway...? Well it doesn''t matter. Soon I''m gonna defeat him."

    Ino smirked hearing him. "Well it''s not a crime to have wishful thinking."

    "HrrNow you''re just asking to be pranked."

    "Oh yeah. Just try it." Ino narrowed her eyes and looked at Naruto. After a few seconds Naruto averted his gaze and mumbled something about girls and wisely decided to keep quiet.

    Shikamaru listened to his friends and shook his head. "What a drag."

    "Speaking of who, Where is Daichi anyway?" Kiba asked the group.

    "I think I know." Sakura had a thoughtful look on her face as she tried to recall where she saw Daichi. "I saw him go to the library to take out a few books. He''s probably there reading."

    "He''s always reading. You''d think after the exams he''d loosen up a bit He hasn''t even joined me in ying pranks on anyone yet." Naruto crossed his arms and said.

    "And you wonder why he''s at the top." Ino remarked from the side lines.

    It was at that moment, Choji who was eating his snacks saw Daichi heading towards them. "Speak of the devil, look who''sing."

    The group looked ahead and saw Daichiing.

    Ino slightly panicked. "Oh my god!!! Daichi''sing here.!! Sakura, how''s my hair?"

    "Calm down Ino. You''re fine." Sakura smiled at her friend and her reaction to Daichi. It was obvious to everyone in the group she had a crush on Daichi.

    Naruto decided to get some payback and started teasing her. "Looks like somebody has a crush on Daichi"

    Ino looked at Naruto''s smirking face. "You better keep quiet or I''ll beat you up."

    Naruto was about to retort when Shikamaru ced a hand on his mouth, stopping him. "Do you want her to be annoying for the rest of the day?" Shikamaru whispered to Naruto.

    Naruto thought for a few seconds and answered. "You have a point." He decided to stay quiet and quit while he was ahead.

    By that time Daichi reached them. "Hey guys. What are you all up to?"

    "Nothing much. Just sitting around. You wanna join us?" Ino smiled and asked him.

    "Sure." Daichi sat near Kiba and Choji. "So what are you guys talking about?"

    "Oh you know. Nothing interesting. Tell us about your day. What were you up to?" Ino asked as she scooted closer to him. She had a small blush on her face.

    Everyone except Daichi looked at her and thought the same thing. ''Wow. She''s got it bad for him.!"

    "It was boring Ino. Nothing interesting happened. Just took out a few books from the library." Daichi replied while taking some chips from Choji''s bag.

    "What kinda books?" Kiba was curious. He wanted to know what Daichi took now that the exams are over.

    "Just a few on chakra nature." Daichi replied nonchntly.

    Everyone except Shikamaru didn''t know the implications of that statement due to theirck of knowledge on the subject. They thought it was something that would be taught next year in the academy and didn''t think much about it.

    But Shikamaru knew. He was keeping a calm face but inwardly he was startled. He pretended to look at the clouds but discreetly looked at Daichi from the corner of his eyes.

    ''Chakra Nature? When dad taught me the shadow imitation jutsu, he talked about this stuff. I remember him saying that I would only start learning about it after I became a Genin or Chunin. He said most people only start on it after they be chunin. Was he wrong?... No. That''s not it The fact that Daichi is already taking out books on that topic means he''s intending to train in it. And soon This guy. Just how far ahead of us is he?'' He looked at the books in Daichi''s hand and quickly memorized their titles.

    The young Nara watched Daichi make conversations with everyone around him. He remembered the Taijutsu fight between Daichi and Sasuke. ''He''s gotten a lot stronger than before. He was able to easily beat Sasuke. Even more easily than thest time they fought. I''m sure Daikoku sensei saw it too. So there is a chance Daichi would be allowed to skip a grade or two. How is he getting so strong so quickly?''

    Shikamaru sighed and looked back at the clouds. ''Its too much of a drag to think about it. And it''s none of my business anyway.''

    "Hey Daichi! Since there are no sses for the next two weeks, you wanna hangout and y? We built a kick-ass tree fort near the one we made for Yota. You wanna join us?" Kiba was excited at the prospect of ying around with his friends.

    "Arf.." Akamaru walked up to Daichi and licked his palm.

    "Hahaha That tickles Akamaru." Daichi rubbed Akamaru before looking at Kiba. He had a sheepish smile on his face as he answered Kiba. "Sorry Kiba. But I won''t be able to make it. Got some training to do."

    "You always say that. We hardly ever get the chance to hangout with you." Naruto said to Daichi.

    "Yeah. Come on Daichi. It''ll be fun." Ino joined Naruto in trying to convince him.

    Daichi politely smiled at them and declined. "Next time guys. I promise."

    Hearing his words dimmed Naruto and Ino''s smiles. Seeing this, Daichi quickly added. "I''m here now. Why don''t we y some games."

    They smiled again upon hearing him. The group stayed there for over 3 hours ying around and goofing off before most of their parents showed up.

    Naruto waved his friends goodbye with a smile on his face. Now it was only Daichi and Naruto left in the grounds. Once they left, Naruto turned to Daichi. "It''s gettingte. I better head home." Naruto had a wide smile as he said those words.

    Daichi had an impassive face as he looked at his friend. He sighed as he saw right through Naruto''s facade. "It''s okay you know." He slowly spoke.

    Naruto looked at him with a confused expression. "What are you talking about?"

    "To feel sad. Lonely. You don''t have to keep pretending." Daichi''s words erased the smile from Naruto''s face. He kept quiet and looked downcast.

    "It hurts sometimes." Naruto spoke in a low voice.

    "I know But I want you to remember something" Daichi ced both hands on Naruto''s shoulders and looked him in the eyes.

    "I want you to always keep these words in your heart." Naruto looked at Daichi and waited for him to speak.

    "No one in this world is born to be alone. No matter who tells you what, remember these words. Everyone has someone. You may not have a family But you have great friends. Loyal friends. Shikamaru, Sakura, Ino, Choji, Kiba and me. And you''ll make a lot more in the future. Friends that have your back no matter what. So turn that frown upside down and cheer up blondie." Daichi smiled as he said thest part.

    Naruto looked at him with wide eyes. He quickly rubbed his eyes with his sleeve and smiled. Daichi could tell that it was a genuine happy smile. "Thanks Daichi."

    "Come on. I''ll walk you home." Daichi and a happy Naruto left the grounds. Naruto was ted and so happy that not even the res of the vigers bothered him. Once he reached home, he parted ways with Daichi in a cheerful mood.

    -------------------------------------

    Meanwhile Shikamaru was walking alongside his father as they headed for their home. Shikaku turned to his son and noticed the pensive look on his face.

    "You look like you have something serious on your mind. What is it?" The Joninmander asked.

    Shikamaru looked at his father and sighed. "Yeah Can you tell me about ''change in chakra form'' and ''change in chakra nature'' ?"

    Shikamaru''s question startled Shikaku. He never expected such a question toe from his son''s mouth at this moment. "Where did you learn those terms?"

    "I saw someone take a few books out with thosebels. I was just curious." Shikamaru gave a vague reply.

    Shikaku looked at his son for a few seconds and then answered. "Change in chakra form and change in chakra nature are an advanced form of chakra control. They''re something we start to learn when we be chunin. Those who are talented learn about them when they''re genin and start training in them earlier. Those are two important aspects that deal with creating or modifying a jutsu."

    Shikamaru nodded as he listened to his father''s words. Shikaku continued, seeing that he had his son''s undivided attention.

    "Now change in chakra form or shape transformation as some call it, controls the form, movement and potency of a person''s chakra. It determines the size, range and purpose of a jutsu Now, change in chakra nature or nature transformations deals with molding and defining the nature of a person''s chakra Do you remember what I told you about chakra natures?"

    Shikamaru nodded. "Yeah. You said there were 5. Wind, fire, water, earth and lightning. And each person has one of the 5 chakra natures."

    "Yes. But there''s a lot more to it than that. I''m not going to get into all the details so I''ll be brief. Everyone has a certain chakra nature predisposed to them when they are born. It''s their primary chakra affinity. Jutsu that uses this nature would be easier for them to learn and uses much less chakra. But with enough training a person can acquire a secondary affinity and maybe even a third. But people who achieve this are usually Jonins."

    "What? It''s that difficult?" Shikamaru was surprised.

    "Yes. Training these chakra control techniques takes years and years to master. Most people only acquire a secondary nature by the time they be a Jonin. It''s extremely difficult training. That''s all you need to know about that for now."

    "I see." Shikamaru looked ahead as he heard his father. He only now understood the true distance between himself and Daichi.

    "Why the sudden interest in this topic Shikamaru?"

    "It''s nothing dad. I was just curious about something."

    Seeing his son not intending to borate, Shikaku let it go. Shikamaru was once again deep in his thoughts. He remembered Daichi''s words during the first day in the academy.

    "My goal is to be the strongest."

    He also remembered the scene of Daichi confronting the Anbu. ''When we couldn''t even see those people move, Daichi was able to not only see them but he was fast enough to react and block their strike. And their killing intent didn''t even faze him Now he''s taking out books on advanced chakra control stuff. He''s getting ready to take his training to the next stage.''

    Shikamaru sighed thinking about the goals and ambition of his other friend. ''Looks like your goal of taking the first spot just got a lot harder. I wish you goodluck Naruto.''

 Chapter 58: Interlude 03 - The Council Elders and Ren Uchiha.

    Chapter 58: Interlude 03 - The Council Elders and Ren Uchiha.

    Hokage Residence

    In a private chamber in the Hokage residency, Hiruzen Sarutobi and his three advisors were having a meeting. Homura Mitokado, a former member of Team Tobirama sat to his right while Koharu Utatane positioned on Hiruzen''s left. And directly across from him is his friend/rival and themander of the root forces, Danzo Shimura. The meeting had a slightly tense atmosphere due to the topic of their discussion.

    "The Uchiha are getting more and more restless with each day. It won''t be long before theyunch the coup d''etat. We need to handle them before anything happens." Danzo''s voice was stern and it showed no hint of mercy.

    "The Uchiha n are formidable. It won''t be easy to do something like that. And besides they are one of the founding ns of the vige. We can''t just attack them out of nowhere. It would destabilize the vige." Hiruzen countered.

    Hearing Hiruzen''s words, councilor Homura gave his thoughts on the matter. "I understand your points and concerns Hiruzen. But if Fugakuunches the coup d''etat, then there will be severe casualties. And the vige will be destabilized nheless and the other nations will take that opportunity to attack us."

    Hiruzen grunted hearing him. He knew Homura was right but it didn''t sit right with him to attack the n out of nowhere like that.

    "Both Danzo and Hiruzen make good points. But both of those ns have demerits to them as well" Koharu said. The rest turned to her. "If weunch a preemptive attack and kill the conspirators then we can stop the coup before it even starts. But it would lead to resentment from the Uchiha''s that remain alive. And they could plot another coup again. And also, the other ns would be wary of us. This would build a rift within the vige and any outsider would be able to take advantage of it." Koharu stopped for a moment and looked at them. She continued after a few seconds.

    "On the other hand if they sessfullyunch the coup d''etat then there will be deaths on both sides. The vige and the n will suffer casualties and it would weaken the vige and the Fire nation as a whole. The Tsuchikage and Raikage are currently looking for any weaknesses we might present. They would definitely attack us and it would start another war." She stopped and sighed. "Both options have their merits and demerits. So we need to proceed carefully."

    Hiruzen and Danzo became quiet after hearing her words. They knew she was right. This was a delicate matter that had to be dealt with carefully.

    "Whatever decisions we make we have to do it quickly. Time is running out. We need toe up with a n." Homura crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair. "Has Itachi given any updates?"

    "Yes. They haven''t yet decided when tounch the coup. But Itachi tells me they are gathering resources like battle gears and weapons and preparing themselves. But it''s a slow process since they don''t want to bring attention to themselves." Hiruzen replied with a downcast expression.

    "Tobirama sensei warned us of the Uchiha. We should have kept a much closer eye on them. If we had we wouldn''t have suffered an attack and lost a Hokage." It was a slight jab at Hiruzen from Danzo. The third Hokage reduced some restrictions ced on the Uchiha n during his reign before the nails attack. He believed the Uchiha would be morefortable and integrate more with the vige with time.

    Hiruzen didn''t rise to the bait and stayed quiet.

    "This is no time for your old rivalry Danzo. We need to stick together and figure out a n." Koharu slightly rebuked the one eyed root leader.

    "Right now we have Itachi working undercover and he''ll inform us if they decide to try anything. So for the moment let''s try to settle this diplomatically. The Uchiha n hasn''t attacked us yet. So there is still time for negotiations." Homura remarked and they all sat in silence.

    "What a truly troubling time." Hiruzen mumbled but the other three heard it. Hiruzen looked at his advisors. "I had hoped Itachi would have been able to persuade Fugaku from this course of action but with each day it seems more and more unlikely. Still You''re right Homura. They haven''t done any damage so far. I''ll try toe up with a viable n and settle this peacefully."

    He sighed and got up from his seat. "Let''s adjourn for now. I still have much work toplete back at the office." The Hokage was about to leave when Danzo stopped him.

    Danzo looked his friend in the eyes and had a serious expression. "Hiruzen. The Uchiha is an important military force in the vige. If anything happens to them we will be severely weakened. I understand that. But If they decide to move forward with this ridiculous n of theirs, then they will force my hand"

    "Danzo" Hiruzen saw his resolute face and knew he wouldn''t be able to change his mind.

    "If anything happens I will move to protect the vige. No matter the cost" Danzo stared at Hiruzen for a few more seconds after saying those words and then slowly left.

    "He''s more extreme than usual" Koharu muttered looking at the retreating back of their fellow advisor.

    "Let''s just hope everything gets settled peacefully." Homura added and both of them left. Hiruzen stood there with a heavy heart.

    ''I should be enjoying my retirement right now. Spending time with my family and smoking myself to death. But instead I''m here trying to stop what might be the linchpin to the fourth great war I can''t believe I''m resenting you for dying, Minato..'' The Hokage then left his residence and made his way to his office.

    Hiruzen stamped the documents piled up after going through them. He assigned missions to the teams and went through the budget of the vige. He looked over the various papers and after several hours he was almost done. At that moment a chunin walked in with his schedule for the next day and a message.

    "Lord Hokage. Daikoku Funeno is here to see you." She informed him.

    "Send him in." Hiruzen motioned. The chunin left and shortly afterwards the academy instructor came in.

    "Lord Hokage." Daikoku sensei greeted his leader.

    "I take it the academy exams have beenpleted." Hiruzen asked him.

    "Yes sir. They went without any problems." The ss instructor nodded.

    "So what''s this about?" The Hokage asked him.

    "I came mainly for two reasons. Both of them are in my ss." Daikoku started.

    "Go on."

    "The first is regarding a student named Daichi Hekima. He''s at the top of the ss and I''ve gone through his exams papers shortly beforeing here. He''ll retain his top spot in the ss for the second year as well.."

    "Hmmm Daichi huh. I''m aware of the boy. I know he''s talented. But you wouldn''t be here if it was just that, would you? So what is it?" Hiruzen asked him. He was curious as to what the teacher wanted.

    "I''ve been keeping an eye on his progress throughout the year. And during histest Taijutsu fight with Sasuke Uchiha I noticed that he was holding back by a wide margin. He is far above the current grade. He won''t learn anything from ss if he stays with the current year students. So I believe it would be best for him to skip a year and jump ahead" Daikoku stopped and looked at the Hokage.

    Hiruzen went over the information he had on the boy. After reading the reports from Anbu on Daichi''s skills from the Yota incident, he was inclined to believe and agree with the academy instructor. "So he''s grown to such a point huh. If you''re telling me he''s ready to jump ahead then I believe you. I''ll take your words into consideration. I''ll talk with Daichi and see if he''s interested in skipping ahead"

    "Thank you sir He has great potential. It would be a waste if he stayed in the academy any longer than he had to." Daikoku said with a smile. He was always happy to spot talents and help them.

    "Now what''s the second thing you wanted.?"

    At this question Daikoku''s face became somewhat serious. "The next matter is somewhat more difficult to address"

    Seeing Daikoku''s face Hiruzen had an idea as to what it might me. "Does this have anything to do with Naruto.?" He asked in a neutral tone.

    Daikoku sensei took a short breath and answered. "Yes sir."

    Hiruzen sighed hearing the answer. He knew the boy was a troublemaker. ''It seems the boy''s antics are getting to the teachers.''

    "What did he do?" Hiruzen asked the chunin ninja.

    "Well.." Daikoku knew that the Hokage looked out for the boy. So he chose his words carefully and began his exnation.

    ---------------------------------------

    Somewhere in the Uchiha n district.

    Ren Uchiha was walking down the road with a solemn gaze. He had just left another secret n meeting in the Naka Shrine. The agendas put forward in the meeting were weighing down on him. Before long he reached his home and was embraced by his beloved wife.

    "You look afraid. What''s wrong?" Kimiko asked him.

    "It''s the ns'' decisions. They''re going to go through with the coup. They''re preparing." Ren said with a tired voice.

    "How long ?" Kimiko knew what would happen if the nunched an attack on the vige.

    "There isn''t much time left. 1 or 2 months at most. They''re gathering weapons and other utilities to fight It''s going to be a bloodbath." Ren was loyal to the Uchiha but he was also someone who deeply cared about the vige. He couldn''t go against the n but he was determined to not attack the vige.

    Kimiko held her husband tightly. "I still don''t understand why Fugaku would go through with something like this"

    "It''s not just Fugaku. Yashiro is providing him with some top secret information. I have no idea where he''s getting them from But he was able to convince a lot of members that this is the only way. And Inabi and Tekka are also backing Yashiro with this n."

    "So they were able to convince everyone.?"

    "Most Some still disagree and think thatunching a coup is extreme but Those numbers are dwindling with each day." Ren saw that his friends and co-workers were getting swayed to the other side as each day passed.

    "I can understand their frustration and anger." Kimiko''s words shocked Ren.

    "What? So you agree with them?"

    "No I don''t agree with the coup d''etat n But considering how the vige treats us these days I can understand their anger. I''m not siding with them. But I get where their resentmentes from." Kimiko replied.

    Ren knew what she was talking about. Ever since that night 7 years ago, everything changed. "Nobody trusts our n after the Nine tails attack. They think we had something to do with it. And now Everything is spiraling out of control."

    It was at that moment they heard the cries of their daughter. Kimiko went to her crib and picked her up.

    "If the n attacks the vige, one of two things will happen. We win but suffer many deaths and weaken the n. It will lead to other ns or other viges taking advantage of the situation and it will only create more chaos."

    "Two We all die. Or even if the leaf decides to be merciful and spare those of us who were against the idea, the vigers would look at us as traitors for the rest of our lives." Kimiko then looked at the baby in her arms.

    "They would look at our little girl as if she was a criminal. Treat her like a traitor. Like they''re doing to that Naruto boy Even if she had nothing to do with this The people would still me her and take their anger out on her."

    Hearing his wife''s words Ren closed his eyes as if he was in pain.

    Kimiko looked at her sleeping daughter. After a few moments she made a choice. "I don''t want that"

    Ren looked at his wife. Kimiko looked at Ren and spoke of an idea she just had. "I don''t want our daughter to grow up and be treated like a criminalLet''s Lets leave the vige?"

    "What?" Ren had wide eyes as he heard his wife.

    "When the nunches the coup, we leave the vige. Both the n and the vige will be fighting each other. That will be our opportunity to escape. Once we leave, we don''t look back. We''ll find somece far away... I can''t go against the n but I won''t support their decision either. This is the only solution I can think of." Kimiko exined.

    "Kimiko. If we do this we''ll be leaving everything and everyone behind. And where would we even go?" Ren asked her.

    "I''m sure we can find some ce. Don''t forget. I do have some training in infiltration and espionage. I''m sure we can find somece safe and survive. What do you say?"

    Ren thought about the n. After thinking about it for a while he wanted to make sure this was what she wanted.

    "Are you sure about this Kimiko?"

    "Yes. For our daughter." Kimiko nodded.

    Ren hugged his wife and child. "For our daughter It''s decided. The night the Uchiha nunches the coup, we escape the vige. And we don''t look back."

    In theing weeks they would make preparations to leave undetected. Ren memorized an escape route that would have the least resistance. They slowly liquidated their assets without attracting attention. They would go through the n everyday to make sure they covered everything.

    But what they didn''t know was that they would never get the chance to enact that n.

    -----------

    Author''s Note:

    Just saw One piece chapter 1051... SUPERB!!! Who else thought Momonosuke was handsome?

 Chapter 59: A Decision to Make.

    Chapter 59: A Decision to Make.

    Hokage''s Office.

    Hiruzen watched Daikoku leave his office. He let out a tired breath. He rubbed his forehead as his mind went through the events of the day. Hiruzen had a lot on his te and he was beginning to feel the strain.

    ''More and more problems keep popping up One headache at a time I suppose.''

    Hiruzen took his pipe and filled it with something strong to calm his nerves. He lit it and started smoking.

    ''I better look into what Naruto is up to right now.''

    The Hokage took out the crystal ball and used the Telescope jutsu. He focused on Naruto''s chakra and within seconds he found who he was looking for. He saw the little troublemaker ying with his ssmates on the grounds near the academy. He saw the smile on Naruto''s face and it made him feel slightly better.

    It was then that he noticed the parents of the other childrening to collect them. Once they were gone only Daichi and Naruto remained. Hiruzen noticed Daichi intently looking at Naruto. He focused chakra to the ball so he could listen in on their conversation.

    He listened to their conversation and became happy that Naruto had found such a good friend. He watched Daichifort Naruto and apany him to his home.

    ''He has a good heart. I was not wrong about him.''

    Hiruzen then thought about Daikoku''s notes and request to allow Daichi to skip a year. ''Naruto just found a good friend. If I allow Daichi to get ahead he''ll lose that friendship. But at the same time Daichi has great potential. Daikoku was right about that. If he stays in that ss he''ll be wasting his time.''

    Hiruzen wasn''t sure about what to do. ''On one hand I don''t want to separate Naruto and Daichi. But on the other hand Daichi could get more benefits from the academy if he gets ahead and it''ll also save him a year. What should I do?''

    After some time thinking it over, Hiruzen made a decision. ''I''ll ask Daichi. This is his decision after all.''

    "Eagle." Hiruzen called out in a low voice. An Anbu appeared in an instant, kneeling before the Hokage.

    "Inform Kensei Yasaji and Daichi Hekima that I have summoned them for a meeting tomorrow morning."

    "Yes lord Hokage." The Anbu vanished as quietly and quickly as he came.

    Kensei Yasaji''s Home.

    Daichi got home about an hour ago. He freshened up, ate some food and went for a walk around the house. Daichi enjoyed the peaceful atmosphere and the beautiful nature. He sometimes missed the modern technologies he was ustomed to in his previous life but when he thought about what he currently had, those feelings disappeared.

    Daichi reached the garden he had grown over thest 3 years. He started watering the nts and removed a few dying stems. It started out with 3 flowers but as time passed by he bought more and more and added to the garden. With how careful and meticulously Daichi worked on the garden it wasn''t long before the results started showing.

    He was able to grow it from a weed filled disaster to a gorgeous wonder of nature. As Daichi watered the nts he heard the footsteps of his grandfather. Kensei reached and stood next to his grandson.

    "How were the exams?"

    Daichi smirked hearing the question. "Do you really have to ask questions you know the answer to, old man?"

    "You cheeky brat." Kensei''s lips twitched upwards hearing his grandson''s reply.

    He looked at the garden Daichi had built. He watched the boy work on it 3 or 4 days a week for thest 3 year. Daichi never missed a single week where he didn''t tend to the garden. And now after 3 years it has grown into something magnificent. The garden reminded him of his wife and brought back memories of Fumiyo standing proudly as she looked at the blossoming flowers.

    "It''s beautiful, Daichi You''ve worked hard on this garden for thest three years... I never did thank you for it, did I?" Kensei slowly asked.

    Daichi looked at his grandfather from the corner of his eyes. "And you''ll never have to Just enjoy the view, Gramps. No need to get so sentimental."

    Daichi looked at his old man and smiled. Kenseiughed hearing his reply. As both of them stood there enjoying the rxing moment, they suddenly sensed chakra fluctuations within the barrier of their home. Someone was calling out to them via injecting chakra into the barrier. They went to the gates of the house and found an Anbu waiting for them.

    "Kensei Yasaji and Daichi Hekima. You have both been summoned for a meeting with the Hokage tomorrow morning. That is all." The Anbu vanished after saying those words.

    ''So fast. I didn''t even get the chance to use ''Observe'' on himWonder what that''s about?'' Daichi looked at the empty spot where the Anbu was seconds ago.

    "You know what that was all about?" Kensei turned to Daichi and asked him.

    "No clue." Daichi shrugged and replied.

    "Well he wants to see both of us. So I''m guessing this has something to do with you I suppose we''ll know when we get there tomorrow." Kensei said and went back to the house. Daichi followed him shortly after. Daichi cooked a simple meal and both of them ate dinner discussing various subjects.

    Daichi''s mind wandered to the meeting that would take ce the next day.

    ''What does he want with me?''

    ---------------------

    Root Base - Somewhere Underground.

    The sounds of a cane tapping on the hard ground could be heard throughout the dark hallway. Danzo Shimura slowly walked towards his office, hidden deep inside one of the many bases around the vige.

    He reached one of the most guarded rooms in the base. Danzo''s office contained secret documents and other top secret scrolls and items locked inside. 2 Root Anbu were standing guard, along with another hidden in the shadows.

    "Lord Danzo." They greeted their leader as he came. Danzo entered the room and out of the shadows came a root operative. He kneeled waiting for his orders.

    "Summon Nero here."

    "Yes sir."

    As the operative vanished Danzo sat down and closed his eyes. He had a n in mind for the Uchiha n. As he sat there thinking about the future, a Root Anbu appeared. Danzo opened his eyes and looked at the operative. He had two files in his hand.

    "Did youplete the mission I tasked you with?" Danzo asked in a cold tone.

    "Yes sir. All the information I''vepiled on the two targets are here." The root agent handed the folders to Danzo and was dismissed.

    Danzo opened the first folder. In it was the picture of Sasuke Uchiha. ''Itachi''s one weakness Sooner orter we will have to go to war with the Uchiha n. Even though right now Itachi is on the vige''s side, there is no guarantee that would be the case for the future. Especially if his little brother''s life is in jeopardy.''

    Danzo went over the information contained in the file. He noted the routes Sasuke takes from the Academy to his home. He notes where he spends his time and with whom. His personality, characteristics and even the scores he received in academy were noted in the file.

    ''In war you must know the weaknesses of your allies just as much as your enemies. You might never know when you have a need for such information.'' The words Tobirama Senju once said to him came to his mind.

    ''This boy is the key to keeping Itachi under control.'' As Danzo looked over Sasuke''s information he noticed something he half expected. ''It seems he''s in second ce again. So I was not mistaken.''

    Danzo ced the young Uchiha''s folder beside him and opened the second one. Target number 2 - Daichi Hekima. He started going through the pages inside the file one by one.

    ''When I heard that a child not from any n was able to take the first ce in a ss with the heirs of most n heads, it really surprised me. It seems my intuition was correct. This boy was able to maintain his position and it seems based on Nero''s observations the boy is considerably stronger than his peers.''

    His agent was able to copy the information Daikoku sensei made as well. ''A great potential. His personality needs some corrections but he will be an excellent addition to my forces Now lets see who his parents are''

    Danzo stopped reading when his eyes reached a familiar name. His jaws slightly tightened and his face had a frown as he read the name in his mind. ''Kensei Yasaji''

    Danzo read the information his agent gathered. ''Daichi Hekima was adopted three years ago by Kensei Yasaji. Why is it you''re always getting in my wayKensei?''

    Danzo closed his eyes and thought about hisst confrontation with the man. After a few moments he let out a sigh and opened his eyes. ''Kensei won''t forget his grudges. It seems acquiring the boy will be much more difficult than I thought.''

    Danzo read the remaining information on the file. ''Sarutobi will no doubt have this information in his hand. So he would see the value of letting the boy graduate early. I''ll let him go for now. When the boy graduates, I''ll have one of my men be his sensei. That way I can control what missions get assigned to him. I''ll test and see if the boy shows the same potential then, as he shows now. And then he''ll soon be mine.''

    Danzo closed both files and locked them in a small safe along with other documents. He then started going through the mission reports his agents had ced on the desk.

    --------------------

    Hokage''s Office - Next Morning.

    Daichi and Kensei stood in front of the Hokage as he ced a few documents on the table. He looked at the two and smiled. Daichi smiled back but Kensei simply grunted.

    "Daichi! Kensei. Thank you foring."

    "Of course Lord Hokage Umm, What is this about?" Daichi greeted and asked the aging leader.

    "Daikoku sensei came to see me yesterday. Based on his reports and your performance in the academy I''m willing to let you skip a grade. I believe you''re qualified for that."

    Both Daichi and Kensei were surprised. Daichi thought about the advantages of moving ahead but he was having some doubts. He weighed them in his mind and he was leaning slightly more towards advancing. The indecision was present on his face. Both Hiruzen and Kensei noticed this.

    Daichi looked at the Hokage and asked. "Can I have a few minutes to think this through?"

    "Of course. I''ll need to speak with Kensei on another matter. You can wait outside and think it over. I''ll call you back in a few minutes." Hiruzen replied.

    As Daichi was about to leave Hiruzen spoke up. "Daichi. Before you make a decision, I would like you to hear me out. If you want to advance a year you are free to do so. I will make the arrangements immediately. But I would like you to stay with your peers for a couple more years. I understand that it will not be much beneficial for you but if you do this I will owe you a favor."

    Daichi and Kensei''s eyes widened as they heard this. A favor from a kage was no small thing.

    "Are you serious?" Daichi couldn''t help but exim.

    "Yes. A small reasonable favor! But a favor nheless." Hiruzen smiled as he looked at Daichi. He could understand that such an offer would be tempting. "Now go on. I''ll call for you in a short while."

    Daichi left the office thinking about what had just transpired. ''Wow. I did not expect that. The old guy must really want me to stay with my ss huh. But why would he care If I stay with them or not? Well it doesn''t matter. I could choose to get ahead. Then I''ll probably be in Neji''s ss but If I stay then the Hokage would owe me a favor. But what should I ask for?''

    As Daichi contemted on what he should ask for, a memory came to him. He suddenly had an idea in mind but he wasn''t sure if it would work. ''I need to be careful. I need to word this right or I might get in trouble.'' Several minutes passed and the doors to the office opened and Kensei came.

    He and Daichi talked for a minute before they both went inside.

    "So have you made a decision Daichi?" Hiruzen looked at the young boy.

    Daichi steeled his nerves and proceeded with his n. "I have lord Hokage. I''ll stay with my ss."

    Hiruzen slightly smiled hearing the answer. "Thank you Daichi."

    "Lord Hokage About that favor. Can I ask for it now?" Daichi cautiously asked.

    Hiruzen smiled at the boy. He was curious as to what the child would want.

    "Do you already have something in mind?" Hiruzen asked.

    Daichi nodded. What he said a few momentster shocked Hiruzen.

 Chapter 60: The Favor

    Chapter 60: The Favor

    Hokage office - A few minutes ago.

    Kensei and Hiruzen were discussing the current affairs of the Leaf vige. Since what was going to be discussed was issues of a sensitive nature, the Hokage had already dismissed his Anbu and personal guards hidden in the room before Kensei and Daichi came.

    They talked about the various ongoing events in the vige and throughout the 5 great nations. And their talks were winding down. They had a disagreement at the end of their conversation regarding someone.

    "I suppose only time will tell us who is right." Hiruzen sighed and leaned back in his chair.

    Kensei merely grunted.

    "I believe we''ve given Daichi enough time to make a decision. Why don''t you call him in!"

    Kensei left the room and walked towards Daichi. "Have you made a decision?" He asked the boy when he reached him.

    Daichi nodded. "I have. But before we go inside... I want to ask you something."

    "What is it?"

    "The thing is, during your time away a few weeks ago, I sorta went through some of the scrolls and books in your library." Daichi said with a sheepish smile.

    "Well I didn''t exactly forbid you from going through them So I don''t see a problem with it But what does that have to do with the Hokage?" Kensei was confused as to why his grandson was asking that.

    "Does he know you research jutsu?" Daichi asked his grandpa.

    "He does. I was A former Anbu captain. Ninjutsu and Genjutsu were my specialties. He knows I try to study any interesting techniques that appeal to me That''s not a problem. Most ninjas who are smart and capable do it. It''s not a crime...Well not unless you do something illegal Again, I don''t understand why this has anything to do with your current predicament."

    "You''ll see." Daichi only smiled at him and they both went to meet the Hokage.

    "So have you made a decision Daichi?" The Hokage asked.

    "I have lord Hokage. I''ll stay with my ss."

    "Thank you Daichi." Watching Hiruzen smile, Daichi decided to put his n into action.

    "Lord Hokage About that favor. Can I ask for it now?"

    "Do you already have something in mind?"

    "Yes sir."

    "Let''s hear it. You''ve piqued my interest." Hiruzen slightly leaned forward and looked at the boy.

    Daichi took a small breath and continued. His Gamer''s Mind doing an excellent job of keeping him calm and focused.

    "You see, the thing is, I''m interested in creating Ninjutsu. I want to focus on that field with Taijutsu as secondary. So recently I''ve been looking into some advanced chakra control exercises. And I came across two advanced chakra control exercises required for me to pursue my field of interest."

    Hiruzen was amazed when he heard Daichi. The fact that a second year academy student would be studying such subjects was very very rare.

    "You''re talking about change in chakra form and change in chakra nature techniques aren''t you?" The kage wanted to confirm it.

    "Yes sir." Daichi nodded.

    "Daichi. I know you''re talented but those are advanced stuff. It would take years to learn, understand and master those chakra control exercises." Hiruzen advised the boy.

    "I''m aware of that lord Hokage. But I would like to give it a try."

    Hearing Daichi''s response, Hiruzen sighed. ''He''s talented but it looks like it''s getting to his head. If he starts on those techniques now, it might impede his growth.''

    "Daichi. Do you know why most people start to work on those control techniques only after they reach chunin strength?" Hiruzen asked the boy.

    Daichi shook his head. Seeing this Hiruzen started his exnation.

    "The training required to master the change in chakra form and change in chakra nature requires a high level of chakra. A person must have at least chunin level reserves before starting on them. Because those chakra control exercises put immense strain on one''s chakra coil and their body. If one doesn''t have enough chakra and try to attempt that training, they would damage their chakra pathways. The only time someone from your age group is eligible to work on those techniques is if they have an exceptionally strong body. They must have at least chunin level chakra reserves and a powerful physique." Hiruzen finished his exnation and he was surprised that there was a smile on Daichi''s face.

    Daichi couldn''t help but smile as he heard the Hokage. ''It seems my chakra suppression technique is better than I thought They haven''t been able to sense my true reserves. Time to loosen some of my restraints.'' Daichi slowly released the chakra suppression technique but not all the way. Just enough to show the Hokage that he was capable.

    Hiruzen and Kensei were shocked as they sensed the chakra increase in the boy.

    ''He''s been suppressing his chakra!!? Since when did he learn that?'' Kensei looked at the boy in bewilderment. ''I''ll ask him on the way home.''

    [Reputation increases with Kensei Yasaji.]

    Hiruzen was also equally shocked. ''His chakra reserves have grown far beyond what someone his age should have. Only someone like a Jinchuriki would be able to surpass him in reserves amongst his peers. And not only that The chakra suppression technique It''s almost wless. He hasn''t yet mastered it but still, to learn and use it to such a degree I may have severely underestimated his talent.''

    [Reputation increases with Hiruzen Sarutobi.]

    "I believe I''m eligible to learn those control techniques" Daichi looked at the Hokage with a small smile.

    Hiruzen had an unreadable expression on his face as he looked at Daichi. His mind was running a mile a minute.

    ''This child I made a mistake. Since he has gotten this strong he will only be wasting his time if he stays in the academy. With his growth rate, it would be best if he graduates right now. I have no doubt he''ll ace the graduation exam But I''ve already set the minimum age requirement for graduation to be 11. Should I make an exception for him?... No! This vige already has a history of screwing up geniuses before they even reach puberty Let him stay with his ss. This is for the best. Let him grow with his friends. I don''t want him to end up mentally scarred like Kakashi and Itachi. And I''m sure he''ll form some strong bonds with his ssmates these next few years.''

    Hiruzen sighed and then replied. "Yes. Yes you are qualified. I take it the favor you want, are some control techniques for both those exercises?" He asked.

    "Not quite." Daichi''s reply confused the old man.

    "Alright. What is it you want?" Hiruzen asked him with no shortage of curiosity.

    "A few weeks ago, I was going through some notes Gramps here had in his library. And I came across an interesting jutsu that I think would be perfect for my training."

    As he heard this, Kensei mentally recalled the techniques he had researched and recorded in his library. But he couldn''t figure out which one caught Daichi''s interest.

    "What jutsu?" Hiruzen enquired.

    "The Rasengan."

    Daichi''s reply waspletely unexpected and it shocked both Kensei and Hiruzen. But the Hokage quickly regained hisposure.

    Hearing the name of the jutsu, Kensei thought back to the day he studied it. The fourth Hokage was in histe teens and he had just developed the jutsu. He showed him the technique once. ''I noted down everything I could remember about the technique and I. I stored it in my library Of course. So that''s your end goal huh Daichi Not bad.''

    "And why do you think the Rasengan would help you with this training?" Hiruzen asked the boy. He wanted to know if Daichi found out the secret of thete fourth Hokage''s jutsu.

    "Because that jutsu represents the shape transformation technique taken to the highest degree. At least that''s my understanding after reading the notes."

    Hiruzen narrows his eyes. He wanted to know just how much Daichi knew about the jutsu. "Tell me. What have you figured out about the Rasengan?"

    Daichi gathered his thoughts and after a second replied. "There were only a few things noted down about the Rasengan. The basics. But based on the information I''ve read I came to a few conclusions. The Rasengan is a powerful jutsu that represents pure shape transformation. Based on my understanding, I would say the jutsu has 3 mainponents. Rotation, containment and power. The chakra spinning wildly in several directions represents the rotation aspect. And since the chakra is stable and maintains its form, it shows containment of chakra in a specific spot. In this case, the palm of the user."

    "And finally power. It was noted in the old man''s book that the jutsu was capable of drilling through even solid rocks. It wouldn''t be able to do that if the chakra of the user wasn''t powerful enough."

    Hiruzen maintained his poker face as he listened to Daichi but in his heart he was astonished. ''To think a child in the academy would figure out the secrets to one of the most powerful and the signature jutsu of a kage Unbelievable.''

    Hiruzen discreetly looked at Kensei to see if he had any direct hand in this. But based on his former Anbu captain''s reactions he concluded that Kensei was just as shocked and surprised as he was. ''Hmmm Now that I think about it I vaguely remember Kensei asking Minato for a demonstration of the Rasengan. I recall some of the information Kensei noted down. It certainly wasn''t as detailed as Daichi''s analysis.''

    Daichi continued. "I believe this jutsu is a shortcut to mastering the change in chakra form. The usual shape transformation exercises would help me but it would take me much longer to master my chakra control with them. But if I master this jutsu I''ll be able to significantly reduce my time."

    ''And now I have an excuse to use this jutsu if I get into any tight spots. I have no interest in making this my signature jutsu like Naruto but this will definitelye in handy in tough situations.'' Daichi thought in his mind.

    "It seems you''ve figured out most of the jutsu. So what''s the favor you want." Hiruzen spoke once Daichi finished his exnation.

    "On my own I''ll be able to figure out how to learn the jutsu and I will. But it will take me time. Time I could spend on other subjects. So it would help me a lot if you know any training methods to master the Rasengan at a faster rate." Daichi asked politely and kept a calm face.

    Hiruzen looked at the boy for several seconds and then sighed.

    [Reputation increases with Hiruzen Sarutobi.]

    Daichi saw the notification and became excited but he kept a cool face.

    "I suppose I do owe you a favor don''t I?... Alright. It would be beneficial if you had something challenging to keep you upied during your time in the academy" The Hokage looked at Daichi and became serious.

    "The fourth Hokage, after creating the jutsu, invented training methods to make learning the Rasengan easier. I''ll tell you those methods on two conditions. You must not break those conditions under any circumstances. Do you understand?"

    Looking at the serious face of the Hokage, Daichi quickly nodded.

    "Yes sir. You have my word." He quickly replied.

    Hiruzen merely grunted.

    "The first condition. You must never tell anyone else about the information and secrets you''ve learned about the Rasengan. No other party must get ess to this jutsu, especially an outsider or a foreign ninja. In the wrong hands this jutsu is capable of great death and destruction. So tell no one. Not even your peers. The only people that are exempt from this condition are Kakashi Hatake and Jiraiya. Remember those names."

    Seeing Daichi nod, the Hokage slightly rxed and smiled. "The second condition is When you master the Rasengan, youe and show me. If you do in fact master the Rasengan by the time your next semester ends, then I''ll give you some beginner change in chakra nature control techniques Deal?"

    Daichi''s eyes widened as he heard the offer. He didn''t hesitate a second and agreed. "Yes sir. It''s a deal. And I''ll have this jutsu mastered by the end of October."

    "I look forward to it." Hiruzen smiled at the boy. ''His eagerness to learn. His intellect and ability to analyze a jutsu. He reminds me a lot of myself.''

    "Now, listen carefully. There are 3 steps to mastering the Rasengan"

    Hiruzen began his exnation and told Daichi of the training methods. It was the methods Jiraiya showed Naruto during their search for Tsunade.

    ''Popping the water balloon for mastering rotation, destroying a rubber ball for power and maintaining a balloon without it blowing up It seems the training is the same as the ones I know. Good'' Daichi thought to himself.

    The meeting between the three soon came to an end. Daichi left the office in a much happier mood.

    ''When I thought of this n, I was banking on my Charisma stat and good will with the Hokage on making this work. I had a feeling that my Charisma stat would influence his decision. And I was right. Now not only do I get the Rasengan but also some control techniques from the Hokage if I master the jutsu in about 7 months. That will be far too easy with my Gamer''s Body. What an ultimate cheat.''

    Daichi then thought about the real reason he asked for the Rasengan.

    ''I could have learned the Rasengan in secret and asked for any other favor. And if I had to reveal it, then when asked I could have just said that I figured it out on my own based on the old man''s notes But this was the right choice The Uchiha massacre will happen soon and I see no way to stop it from happening. I''m just an academy student with no real power. If I do anything in regards to the n then, Itachi, Obito, Fugaku, Hiruzen, Danzo and Zetsu will be after me. I''m not ready to deal with them. If I interfere then the oue will most certainly be my death and the destruction of the n will still happen. That is their inescapable fate The coup is already set in motion. Or at least that should be the case. There are too many powerful people involved in this''

    ''The oue of the n is inevitable Once the massacre happens there will be friction between the Hokage and Danzo. And if I prove that my talent is greater than the rest then Hiruzen will no doubt want to make sure I don''t end up in Danzo''s hands. The Hokage is a valuable shield that will protect me from the root leader. Learning the Rasengan is an important part of achieving that. Not only that, staying with my year has one other advantage as well.''

    "What are you thinking so hard about, kid?" The voice of his grandfather reached Daichi''s ears.

    Daichi lightly smirked. "Move your enemies. But do not let them dictate your moves Isn''t that what you once told me, Gramps?"

    "Hmm! True! I did say that. I also remember saying ''you also shouldn''t underestimate your opponents''..."

    "Don''t worry. I''m cautious. I always am."

    Kensei didn''t say anything else and kept walking. Daichi had a calcting glint in his eyes as he looked at the people around him.

    ''They think I''m a genius but the truth is I''m just an ordinary guy who possesses the world''s greatest advantages. Future knowledge and my greatest asset - A powerful Gamer System. I so do love the Gamer''s ability.''

    Daichi internally smirked as he walked down the road with his grandfather.

    ''You are right Sun Tzu. Opportunities multiply as they are seized.''

 Chapter 61: 1st Special Stat Awakening

    Chapter 61: 1st Special Stat Awakening

    Kensei and Daichi were walking down the cobbled street. Their heads, still processing what had happened.

    "That was a dangerous game you yed." Kensei said lightly to Daichi.

    Daichi looked at the old man from the corner of his eyes. Noticing the boy''s look, Kensei borated.

    "The Rasengan is a jutsu exclusive to the leaf vige and even then only 2 people currently alive know it ording to my knowledge. So you, asking for that technique" Kensei trailed off and he let out a small sigh. "Still I guess everything worked out in the end."

    Daichi knew what his grandfather had meant. ''It was a dangerous gamble. But I''ve won. Still He''s right. I need to keep my head down and not cause any more wild waves. Now that the Hokage knows I''m much more than ordinary he''ll definitely keep an eye on me. And then Danzo won''t be far behind either.''

    "I understand your point gramps. But this would help me with my training. So I had to take a shot." Daichi replied in a small voice.

    Kensei merely grunted in response. They went to a nearby store and bought enough balloons and rubber balls for the training and made their way home. As they were nearing their home Kensei thought about the offer the Hokage made at the end.

    ''Hiruzen knows I''m displeased with some of the elements within the vige and some of its philosophies. But he doesn''t have a clear understanding He knows I''m loyal to the vige but he also knows that I''m against some of his policies. Still He doesn''t want to take any chances with Daichi. Seeing the boy''s progress definitely startled Hiruzen. He doesn''t want me to spread my ideals to the boy more than I already have It''s why he offered to give advanced chakra control as a reward He wants to keep Daichi close and instill in him the loyalties he expects of a leaf ninja Just like he did with Hotaru.''

    Kensei''s fists clenched as memories of what happened to his son came to his mind. A few secondster his anger vanished and a small smile spread on his face. He discreetly looked at Daichi and his mind went to their first talk in Shi''s restaurant.

    ''You''re going to be in for a surprise Hiruzen. This kid won''t let anyone lead him by the nose And something tells me Daichi already saw through Hiruzen''s recruitment attempt I don''t have to worry about him''

    Both of them reached their home and went to do their own things.

    Daichi was in his room cing the balloon and rubber balls near his table. ''I''ll start training the Rasengan once I''m done with my stamina stat increase.'' He opened his status page and checked.

    ''Even with two weeks of training, none of my primary stats have increased since the dungeon run and my stamina stat has only gone up by 1. Now it''s at 99. Just one more and I''m sure it''ll awaken.''

    It was noon that day and Daichi decided to spend the rest of the day training and increasing his stamina. ''Normal physical training isn''t going to cut it. I need to go harder.''

    Daichi created 4 shadow clones and had them go through each Ninjutsu one by one until they exhausted their stamina. The real Daichi was wearing weighted training clothes the system gave him and he got into a handstand and started doing push ups.

    Daichi''s n was topletely exhaust his chakra and physical stamina. He was also going to train his telekinesis. In front of Daichi were several leaves. He was using his mana power to levitate them. And hold them in the air for as long as possible. As he trained his mind was trying to decipher what exactly Mana powers were.

    ''Mana powers are definitely not Yin chakra. In fact they have nothing to do with chakra. My tests have confirmed that much. Then what exactly is this?... The information the system gave says it''s an energy produced from my mind. It specifically said an intelligent mind Is that a clue?''

    Daichi was doing his exercise and keeping the leaves in the air as he contemted the workings of his powers. Daichi had studied the brain and its functions after he had received the Mana power. He recalled that information. And then something else came to his mind.

    ''As I understand, Mana isn''t an ability exclusive to me. The invisibility cloak. Atamagai'' cloak also uses Mana power. That means there''s a possibility that its creator Atamagai used Mana or at least understood it. Otherwise he wouldn''t have been able to incorporate Mana power usage into the seal inscribed on the cloak. So what makes us special''

    Daichi thought about this question for a while and then the answer came. ''Intelligence. Could that be the answer I''m looking for?... I doubt that guy had the gamer ability but somehow he was able to use Mana. The system said Mana is an energy produced by an intelligent mind that''s the key.''

    Sweat rolled down Daichi''s face and body as he pushed himself upwards. The shadow clones using up chakra the same time he waspleting physical exercise, increased the pressure on him. Even as he was getting tired a smile formed on his face.

    ''Brain Waves That''s the answer. Somehow my brain is able to produce energy that''s able to interact with the world. Just like radio waves, microwaves or electromaic waves They all interact with the world. We may not be able to see them but they are there And it seems Mana power is the same case. Some kind of energy or brain wave produced by my brain that interacts with the world So that''s why the system said Mind enhancing techniques would be much easier Those types of techniques probably don''t require much energy due to being used by my brain and they might be easier to learn than techniques like Telekinesis that interact with the world ''

    Daichi''s smile widened at the implications. ''Even if I get into a situation where I won''t be able to use chakra I can fall back on this. And not only that. With more stat points in intelligence and wisdom I can increase my Mana power. I could be OP with just this power alone.''

    As Daichi was dreaming about his future Mana capabilities one of the shadow clones dispelled.

    [Skill Fire affinity''s level has risen by one.]

    [Skill Tree walking technique''s level has risen by one.]

    [Ninjutsu Fire Style - Dragon Fire Jutsu has leveled up.]

    ''Looks like my clones are trying to level up the tree walking technique too.. Nice. And I have another level up in skill and jutsu. Excellent.''

    At that moment a wave of fatigue hit him. His hands slightly trembled but Daichi held still. He took several breaths of air and resumed his workout. Daichi noticed his stamina points decrease a chunk.

    ''Keep going Daichi. Almost there.''

    He decided it was enough push up and flipped in the air and gracefullynded on the ground. Daichi began running around thepound. He kept his speed up but he didn''t go at this fastest. He maintained his speed as he circled thepound. As hepleted several rounds the next clone disappeared.

    [Skill Earth affinity''s level has risen by one.]

    [Ninjutsu Earth Style - Rock Shelter Jutsu has leveled up.]

    Daichi breathed hard as his chakra and stamina went down another few hundreds of points. But he didn''t stop. Daichi kept running with the weights on. Several minutester thest two clones also dispelled.

    [Skill Water affinity''s level has risen by one.]

    [Skill Water walking technique''s level has risen by one.]

    [Skill Chakra Maniption''s level has risen by one.]

    [Ninjutsu Water Style - Hydro st Jutsu has leveled up. x2]

    [Ninjutsu Wind style - Wind Bullet Jutsu has leveled up. ]

    [Skill Tree walking technique''s level has risen by one.]

    Daichi was panting due to the fatigue hitting him all at once. He went down to one knee and tried to catch his breath as he looked through the blue system messages.

    ''Looks like the passive skill Absolute Chakra Mastery I got from that Hyuga rip off ninja is really helping me. The speed of my chakra control techniques are improving much faster than I thought.''

    Daichi took a few moments and then resumed his training. Hepleted several body conditioning exercises and pushed himself to go beyond his limits. Daichi watched as his stamina slowly depleted. After several hours of grueling training Daichi was finally sessful.

    [+1 STAMINA]

    [Your Stamina stat has reached 100 points. ]

    [You have gained the passive skill Enhanced Stamina. ]

    [Your SP form is recalcted and now has increased. ]

    Daichi felt as if he regained almost all his strength. ''Wow. What a rush. This feels amazing. It''s like I could go on training like this forever.'' Daichi clicked on the new skill.

    [Enhanced Stamina - Passive (LV. MAX): A passive skill given to the yer when the stamina stat has reached 100. This skill increases the user''s SP and speeds up the user''s stamina recovery by 5 times. Enhanced Stamina is a skill that''s obtained and maxed. ]

    Daichi looked over the skill. ''Hmmm Not much different than the other passive skills I got. But I''m notining Wow!!! Stamina recovery by 5 times Awesome. This wille in handy for a lot of stuff.''

    Daichi giggled as he had some naughty thoughts.

    He then calmed down and looked at his status page.

    "Wow. My stamina points shot up to 6695 points. Now there is only a 100 points difference between HP and SP."

    Seeing that his goal for the day waspleted he decided to end the training. Daichi went back to his room to get freshened up and by the time he came down it was dinner time.

    Daichi and Kensei were eating while they discussed various topics. The majority of them were on what Daichi should be focused on in theing years during his time in the academy.

    "Daichi. Are you nning on pursuing any other fields aside from Ninjutsu and Taijutsu?" Kensei asked the boy.

    "Not particrly. I nned on studying Genjutsu and maybe some Medical Ninjutsu but I''m not going to actively pursue them." Daichi gave a nonchnt answer.

    Kensei slightly narrowed his eyes as he listened to the boy. ''If this was before the meeting with Hiruzen, I would have agreed with him. I would have thought it would be too much for him. But now. I''m certain that he''s more than capable of handling multiple subjects at the same time. He won''t be able to fully and efficiently utilize his growth speed if he only studies Ninjutsu and devotes himself to Taijutsu. That''s just wasting his potential''

    "Daichi!... What do you think about Genjutsu and medical Ninjutsu?" The old man asked with a neutral face. Hearing his grandfather Daichi thought about the two vast fields.

    ''I''m immune to Genjutsu thanks to the Gamer''s Mind. And my gamer''s body takes care of injuries with a good night''s sleep. So that''s covered.'' After thinking about it for a minute he gave an answer.

    "I''ll study them but just enough for me to understand them and be a bit better than the average ninja and maybe learn about a dozen useful jutsus but that''s it. I''m not really interested in going further than that."

    Daichi''s answer was one Kensei half expected. ''It seems he doesn''t know the true value or the danger posed by Genjutsu users and Medic ninjas It''s to be expected I guess Kids are more impressed with shy stuff like Ninjutsu. Can''t exactly me him for that. I was the same once. But if he wants to be the best he''ll have to learn them as well. Spend time on them just like he does with Ninjutsu training.''

    A smirk appeared on Kensei''s face as he thought of a n. Noticing his grandfather''s smirk, Daichi was slightly confused.

    "Daichi! We''re going to battle tomorrow." Kensei suddenly said.

    "Alright I''ll get ready for our sparring in the morning and be in the room." Daichi replied as he didn''t think much of it.

    Kensei shook his head. "No. Not a spar. A battle!! We''re going outside. There is a private training ground near here with enough space for us to let loose. We''re going to use everything in our arsenal. No limits."

    Daichi was shocked as he listened to the old man''s words. Kensei turned serious as he looked at Daichi.

    "Daichi. Tomorrow we''re going to battle and I want you toe at me with everything you got. Fight with the intent to kill. Because I will"

    Looking at Kensei''s face Daichi knew the old man was serious. He didn''t know what prompted this sudden change but he was going to be ready. Daichi nodded seriously.

    Seeing that his grandson took the matter seriously, he internally smirked. ''Tomorrow I''m going to show you the value of the ninja arts you deem unnecessary.''

    ------------------------

    Author''s Note:

    I was nning on posting this chapter tomorrow but I decided to do it early. A certain milestone on a certain site (that starts with P and ends with N) has beenpleted.

    Thank you for all the love and support you guys show my story.

    Now onto other matters. I''m thinking about adding a second story. I''m not sure if I should do a one piece story or my hero academia story. I already have an idea as to the powers I want my character in MHA to have.

    But I''m not sure about the one piece MC. I want my guy to have a logia df. Not the ones used in the show but a new one. Any thoughts?? They are most wee. Or I wouldn''t mind if it''s a cool paramecia df with potential for unique abilities.

 Chapter 62: The Calamity Tiger - Kensei Yasaji

    Chapter 62: The Cmity Tiger - Kensei Yasaji

    Private Training Ground.

    It was a few minutes past seven in the morning. Daichi and Kensei stood on the training ground facing each other. Kensei was wearing a dark green vest simr to the Jonin vest. He had a kunai holster and shuriken pouch tied on his legs. And on his hands were fingerless ck gloves with metal te covering. He had a tanto strapped to his back along with arm and leg guards.

    Kensei had a calm but stern expression on his face. As Daichi stood opposite to him, he understood that this would be an entirely different level of battle. He could feel the presence of the veteran ninja pressing down on him.

    ''He''s not kidding around. It feels as if there''s some sort of pressure exerted on my body. I can''t underestimate him.''

    Daichi noticed something strange with Kensei''s left leg. It was something he noticed from the moment they left the house ''He''s not wearing the usual prosthetics. This one looks and helps him move around like a real leg It looks a lot more advanced than the one he had before. Maybe an advanced puppet prosthetic? Wonder where he got that from?''

    Daichi used ''Observe'' on him. Up until then every time he used the information gathering skill on Kensei it wouldn''t reveal anything but today was different. Today he finally saw information on his grandfather and after reading it he became even more serious and slightly nervous.

    [LV.75](Regressed)[Kensei Yasaji][The Cmity Tiger.]

    [Age: 64]

    [HP: 8533] [CP: 8006]

    [Kensei Yasaji is a retired Jonin and former Anbu captain. He graduated from the academy one year after Hiruzen Sarutobi. He is considered an exceptionally gifted ninja due to his knowledge and usage of several ninja arts. He rescued Fumiyo Aya during a mission and formed a rtionship thereafter. He married her and had a son named Hotaru Yasaji. Kensei Yasaji is a talented shinobi who fought in three world wars andpleted 1320 missions ranging from Ranks D to S. During the second world war due to his formidable power he earned the nickname ''The Cmity Tiger.'' His primary chakra nature is fire but he is also capable of using earth and wind chakra natures proficiently and has some degree of mastery in water and lightning. Even though he is loyal to the vige his philosophies regarding the ce have changed due to his bitter experiences throughout the years. He is very fond of you. Due to his age and the injuries he suffered throughout his career, his level, chakra and health points have regressed.]

    ''That''s a lot of info. Is it because he''s rted to me?... Questions forter.'' Daichi read the information disyed as quickly as possible. As he finished reading it Daichi became nervous. ''The Cmity Tiger? So he was strong enough to earn a nickname huh. I need to be extremely cautious. I''m not going to add points to my stats but I won''t hold back either.''

    Daichi remembered the quest that popped up when they reached the training grounds a few minutes ago.

    [Quest Created - ''Battle Kensei Yasaji.'']

    [Your grandfather has challenged you to a battle. Fight and give it your all.]

    [Conditions:]

    Survive the battle for over 1 hour.

    Force your opponent to take you seriously.

    Inflict an injury on your opponent that reduces over 150 HP at once.

    Defeat Kensei Yasaji. (Bonus)

    Survive the battle for over 5 hours. (Bonus)

    [Rewards:]

    20000 Exp.

    New skill.

    +2 Level. (Bonus)

    New weapon. (Bonus)

    Reputation increases with Kensei Yasaji.

    [Failure:]

    -1 Level.

    New Title.

    Reputation decreases with Kensei Yasaji.

    [ept (Y/N)]

    Daichi epted the quest without hesitation and now he was prepared for the fight.

    "Daichi. Don''t hold back on me just because I''m old and crippled. You''ll learn in a short while that appearances can be deceiving. Do you understand?" Kensei spoke up.

    "I know." Daichi nodded his head. "I''lle with the intent to kill." Daichi became serious. But despite the serious situation, due to his many life or death battles in the dungeon, instead of anxiety, Daichi was feeling excitement.

    "Whenever you''re ready. Come." Kensei spoke up.

    Daichi took a short breath and let it out. ''Let''s do this!.''

    3 shuriken appeared between Daichi''s fingers on both hands and he flung them as fast as he could at his enemy with precise aim. In the span of mere seconds they neared their target.

    Kensei stood still and looked nonchntly at the flying shuriken. He had a smirk on his face as he calcted the trajectory of the shurikens.

    ''Head, heart, lungs, thighs and arms. All of them aimed to kill and/or immobilize my limbs. Good. It''s good that you''re serious.''

    He took a single shuriken from his weapon holster and flung it within an instant. The time for that action to take ce was less than one second. Kensei''s shuriken hit the weapon flying at the front and changed its trajectory. And then both weapons hit the others near them and changed their paths as well. In moments all shuriken were deflected from their original paths and flew by Kensei without ever getting near him.

    Daichi''s eyes widened like dinner tes as he saw the scene.

    ''With just one shot he changed the paths of all the shurikensing at him And the way his arm moved It was a fluid motion. No wasted energy. Precise and strong and yet graceful This guy he''s no joke!! So this is what a veteran ninja is capable of huh Incredible.''

    Not one to waste time and let the opposite side dictate the battle, Daichi made his move. He created two shadow clones and surrounded Kensei. All of them threw several shuriken at the old man at the same time and then moved to attack him. The real Daichi leapt up and aimed a kunai at Kensei''s head while the clones positioned themselves at Kensei''s front and rear. They ran at him with the intent to engage in hand to handbat.

    Kensei took a single nce at theing projectiles and deflected all of them like before with three shurikens. He then got ready for Daichi and his clones and prepared for the Taijutsu battle that was about to begin. He analyzed the strategy used by his grandson.

    ''A shuriken attack wave from 3 directions and now a direct attack from 2 sides. If I jump upwards he''s ready to impale me with that kunai.'' He internally smirked. ''A basic attack strategy of a three man team. How childish.''

    Kensei easily blocked the punches aimed at him with both hands. The clone''s real intention was to hold his arms so Kensei wouldn''t be able to deflect the kunai Daichi had just thrown. Kensei tilted his head to the side and let the kunai pass him by but suddenly the weapon changed directions and flew back at his head.

    Daichi smirked as he looked on. ''Look at that. ''Chakra threads'' is such a great skill.''

    Kensei pushed against a hand holding him down and used a bit more force to get free but it was toote. The kunai struck his head and was buried deep. Blood gushed out and both clones jumped back while Daichinded on the ground. He was startled for a moment because it was the first time he saw blood and gore like that. Especially when it was him that inflicted that injury.

    In the dungeon, due to the enemies being made up of smoke like substance and since they were made by the system, Daichi never felt remorse or any other feelings when killing them.

    But this sudden ssh of blood froze him. His hands slightly shook and he became a bit unfocused. It wasn''t enough to trigger the effects of the Gamer''s Mind but what happened still made him lose focus. At that moment a powerful kick hit his back sending him flying onto one of the clones.

    [-33 HP]

    "Gha"

    The clone caught Daichi but due to the force of the impact, it was dispelled.

    ''Of course. There is no way a veteran ninja would die like that.'' Daichi refocused his senses and looked at the fallen Kensei. It had turned into a log with a kunai buried in it. The real ninja was standing several feet away from him looking right as rain.

    "That was -..."

    "A substitution with a simple Genjutsu weaved in. The Genjutsu made it look real. It wouldn''t fool a real ninja but against amateurs it''s more than enough." Kensei answered Daichi''s iplete question.

    Daichi narrowed his eyes as he listened to the old man. ''When did he have time to weave signs for a substitution or that Genjutsu?... And moreover I thought Genjutsu didn''t work on me due to the Gamer''s Mind. What''s going on?''

    As Daichi thought about this question Kensei suddenly appeared in front of him.

    "Don''t get distracted."

    Kensei yelled as a powerful kick broke through Daichi''s defenses andnded on his chest. The force of the attack sent him flying backwards. Daichi quickly regained his bearings and backflipped in mid air andnded on the ground. He skidded a few feet back but used chakra to stop his momentum. During this time Kensei attacked and easily dispatched the 2nd clone as well.

    ''The kick had enough force to send me flying a few meters back but it didn''t do much damage. And it was a little bit weaker than thest one. Looks like the damage reduction buffs are doing their jobs.'' Daichi concentrated on the fight and on his enemy.

    A few seconds passed and Daichi and Kensei rushed at each other. They both began their Taijutsu battle. Daichi was having a much harder time against him than he had in any of the other fights. Kensei deflected Daichi''s attacks and easily broke through the boy''s guard and preciselynded his strikes.

    The first few blows Kensei dealt didn''t do much damage but as more and more attacksnded on him Daichi noticed something.

    ''He''s increasing the strength of his punches. And now he''s putting enough force in each punch to surpass my damage reduction buff.''

    Daichi''s damage reduction buff worked well against enemies on his level and below. But against enemies with higher levels the effects of the buff be reduced. The higher the level of an opponent and the power of an attack, the easier it will be for the enemy to reduce damage reduction effects and inflict more damage on Daichi. The boy figured this out during his many fights in the dungeons.

    As Daichi blocked another punch he understood the old man''s n. ''He''s testing my limits. He''s trying to see just how much punishment I can take.''

    At this moment a notification appeared.

    [Mental intrusion detected.]

    [Gamer''s Mind has neutralized the attack. ]

    Kensei tried to ce a Genjutsu on the boy but it was ineffective. He narrowed his eyes as he tried to figure out how Daichi quickly got rid of the Genjutsu.

    ''Strange. I tried to ce a ''bnce disruption'' Genjutsu on him but as soon as my chakra came in contact with his he negated my attack. But it didn''t look like he consciously did it I''ll need to look into this.''

    Kensei was analyzing Daichi''s progress and fighting style throughout the battle. He was also trying to figure out Daichi''s damage threshold.

    During the spars throughout the years Kensei had learned that Daichi had a much stronger body than a child his age should have. Daichi took far less damage and was much more durable than others. He couldst longer and recover quickly after a fight. Kensei was curious and wanted to know the secrets of Daichi''s body but he never asked the boy.

    ''Now''s the perfect time to see just what you''re capable of. Your body is abnormal and your learning capabilities are beyond incredible I have a feeling you know the secrets behind your abnormalities but something tells me you won''t share them with me That''s fine. I''ll figure it out on my own.'' Kensei was determined to figure out Daichi''s secrets.

    After dozens of blows Kensei had a rough idea as to how much force should be exerted to injure Daichi. He evaded a punch and tried to sweep Daichi''s legs. The boy slightly jumped and kicked out. His knee aiming for the old man''s chin.

    Kensei blocked the knee with a palm and punched. Daichi blocked the fist but he was forced to fall back and take several steps back to steady himself.

    Both of them stood without making a move. Neither one was even slightly out of breath. For this was just a warm up. The real battle is about to begin.

    ---------------------------------

    Author''s Note:

    I can already picture some of you guys saying "Daichi has Gamer''s mind and thus Genjutsu shouldn''t affect him. So what the hell, author?"

    Trust me, there is an exnation for it and it will be given in the next couple chapters. So pls be patient.

    And I''ve decided that my second story would be a My Hero Academia story. But I won''t be writing it anytime soon. I want toplete the first half of this story. Otherwise I might not be able to publish chapters for either fics at such speed.

 Chapter 63: The Various Ninja Arts

    Chapter 63: The Various Ninja Arts

    Daichi looked at his grandfather and prepared himself. ''You''re not going to take me off guard this time.''

    "Warm Ups over. Time for the real fight." Kensei rushed over as he said those words.

    [You have sensed killing intent.]

    In moments he was in front of Daichi and sent a powerful punch aimed at the boy''s chest. Daichi flooded his body with chakra and enhanced himself. He deflected the punch, then counter attacked. Kensei blocked and grabbed hold of Daichi''s arm.

    "First lesson. Taijutsu."

    Kensei twisted Daichi''s arm and tried to get him into a submission hold but Daichi, familiar with the hold, grabbed Kensei''s other arm and got himself free.

    Daichi jumped back several feet and stood his ground. ''That was just a simple basic submission hold. He was only testing me''

    Kensei ran and quickly reached Daichi. Both of them began exchanging blows at a fast pace. Kensei targeted Daichi''s joints and upper torso. He increased the speed of his attacks little by little.

    ''His speed is equivalent to high level genin bordering chunin. And his reflexes and reaction time are nothing short of incredible for someone his age. But this fight has only just begun.'' Kensei''s aim was to study Daichi''s strengths and weaknesses and then teach him to get rid of those weaknesses.

    ''He has a firm grasp on the academy Taijutsu style and his instincts are good. He''s not falling for the obvious gaps I left in my defenses. It''s almost as if he has experience identifying the obvious trapsid out by the enemy. If I didn''t know any better I''d say he has been fighting and training with people other than me Time to switch it up.''

    Kensei changed his battle style in mere seconds. Daichi was fending off attacks with some difficulty but as the time passed it was getting increasingly harder. As the fight progressed, Daichi noticed the sudden shift in Kensei''s battle style.

    Kensei suddenly started attacking Daichi with much more force than before. A punch that Daichi blocked contained enough power to numb his arm.

    ''Ahh. My arm. That was strong enough to rattle my bones.'' Daichi put more chakra into his arms and blocked the next hard punches. As the fight progressed he noticed something strange.

    ''Some of his punches contain incredible force but some feel normal. No They are slightly weaker than his normal punches. But I can''t tell which is which. He''s not trying to go faster and get through my blocks. It''s as if he''s deliberately allowing me to block him. What''s he trying to do?''

    It took a few moments for Daichi to figure out the old man''s strategy.

    ''He''s trying to wear me down. Both mentally and physically. I''m using more chakra to block the powerful punches. But if I don''t know which ones are strong and which are weak, I''ll have to use chakra to block all the attacks. Even the weak ones that won''t affect me. He''s trying to confuse me and wear down my stamina and chakra.''

    "You sneaky old man." Daichi grinned at Kensei as he figured out his n.

    "You need to be more observant and efficient in a fight. If you use what you''ve already learned then you can figure it out." Kensei said nothing more as he kept up his assaults.

    Daichi deflected most attacks because directly blocking them would use up more energy. Daichi focused his chakra to his eyes and ears. He kept a close eye on the muscles in Kensei''s arms.

    A punch suddenly broke through Daichi''s guard and hit him in the chest.

    [-111 HP]

    "Ghaa" Spit flew from Daichi''s mouth as he reeled back from the blow. He quickly regained his bearings and defended himself against theing attack wave.

    "It''s good to want to analyze and figure out your enemy''s attack patterns and fighting style. But that doesn''t mean you should let your guard down." Advised the old man as he fought his grandson.

    The words Kensei said brought a certain memory to Daichi''s mind. It was the memories of the powerful Taijutsu and sword-wielding ninja he fought in the dungeon. ''I became focused on his sword style patterns so much that he was able to shove a knife into me. And now I made the same mistake again. Can''t let something like that happen a third time.''

    Daichished out with a kick aimed at Kensei''s knee. Kensei raised his leg and blocked Daichi''s kicks and forcefully locked the boy''s leg in ce and attacked.

    ''Shit. He has me locked down. If I try to get out of the hold he might snap my leg.'' Daichi calcted the ways in which he could escape. ''I can''t let this fight go on like this. If I do I''ll fail.''

    Daichi quickly focused chakra to his free leg and mmed down into the ground. The ground around the two fighters ruptured, forcing Kensei to disengage and jump back. The veteran ninja didn''t look as if he just fought in a Taijutsu battle. Kensei maintained his breathing and his chakra flow was calm and smooth as ever.

    Daichi jumped and gained some distance as well. But he was in a much rougher shape. He took in several deep breaths of air as drops of sweat fell down from his face.

    "You''re much better than an academy student. But if you want to stand at the peak then this isn''t enough. Your journey has only started. The academy. The fights you win there It''s just a ygroundpared to the real world. Don''t let your victories till now go to your head." Kensei said as he looked at the boy.

    Daichi''s eyes sharpened as he listened. ''I know, old man! The dangers lurking out in this world. Much more than you. I''m strong but I''m well aware that I''m still just a big fish in a small pond.''

    Daichi understood better than anyone the threats roaming the world. It was why he trained so often and learned everything he could. He didn''t want to draw attention to himself, so he was careful about the way he acted, to the way he spoke. His cautious nature was born from his fear of an early death at the hands of someone who might find out his secret or even just a random enemy he met on his journey.

    Daichi looked at the old man and spoke. "I won''t bezy or let my guard down."

    Kensei merely nodded. "Second lesson. Genjutsu."

    Daichi was immediately bombarded with several of the same notifications.

    [Mental intrusion detected.]

    [Gamer''s Mind has neutralized the attack.]

    Seeing that the Genjutsu attacks failed Daichi smirked. ''I could pretend to fall under a Genjutsu spell but he would probably see through that.''

    Kensei was bewildered as his illusion techniques failed. ''My chakra definitely connected with his but the moment it did it was flushed out of his body. He didn''t look like he consciously disrupted the Genjutsu attacks But judging from his grin he knows he''s not affected... Is it possible? Is he immune to Genjutsu attacks?...''

    The more Kensei studied and learned about Daichi the more intrigued he became. ''No. He was fooled by the Genjutsu I weaved into the substitution jutsu. So that means there are some Genjutsu that affect him Time to find out his limits.''

    "It seems you''re somehow negating my illusions. Then we''ll skip and go straight to the next one. Ninjutsu." Kensei weaved hand-seals faster than Daichi could keep up.

    "Earth style - Mud River." Kensei spoke as the earth surrounding Daichi turned into a torrent of rushing mud and earth.

    "Wow!!" Daichi was amazed at the speed with which the earth transformed. ''His execution of the technique is magnificent.''

    Daichi used chakra to stay on top and not get dragged down and across the ground but he was only partially sessful. Using his chakra strings he was able to quickly get to safety. He then decided to move away from the flowing terrain. Daichi jumped high and away and was about tond safely on the ground or so he thought.

    The moment Daichi''s feet touched the ground it was as if a ss had broken around the ground where he stood. A giant hole appeared and Daichi kept falling into the deep pit.

    He quickly used chakra strings and attached himself to the walls of the hole and after several seconds he sessfully climbed out. Daichi saw the grinning visage of his grandfather.

    "It seems there is a limitation to your Genjutsu immunity." Kensei said smirking.

    Daichi was on alert and slightly confused. ''Looks like he figured out the Gamer''s Mind abilities. Or some of it at least. But what did he mean by limitations?''

    Kensei didn''t give Daichi time to figure it out, and quickly attacked. "Your enemies won''t give you time to figure them out. You need a sharp as well as fast mind."

    Daichi deflected the punch and sent a swift kick to Kensei''s abdomen. He then quickly went through different hand-seals.

    ''Fire style - Fireball jutsu.''

    Daichi released the fireball directly at Kensei but it was doused with a powerful water style jutsu in seconds. Steam wafted through the air all around the two.

    Daichi used chakra sense to find Kensei through the mist. Suddenly as if he was swallowed by a ck void Daichi was surrounded by ckness. He couldn''t hear or see anything.

    ''What the hell?'' Daichi increased his senses and created two shadow clones that covered his back. The three stood back to back. ''What''s going on? I thought Genjutsu attacks didn''t affect me?''

    Suddenly three of them were attacked in the darkness. Daichi suffered multiple blows to his head and body. While his clones were dispelled after the first couple of hits.

    "Have you figured it out yet?" Kensei''s voice echoed throughout the ck void. "Since I''m such a good grandfather, I''ll give you ten seconds to figure it out. Then I''ll attack again."

    "Wait what?" Daichi''s question went unanswered. He was breathing hard and was on one knee from the assault that just took ce.

    "Nine."

    Daichi thought as fast as he could. ''Why? Why did this technique affect me?''

    "Eight."

    Daichi thought about the illusion jutsu he was trapped in now and the ones he encountered before.

    "Seven."

    Daichi''s brain worked as fast as it could. He discarded several theories but then one came to mind. ''Could it be?''

    "Six."

    ''I think I just figured out a way to get out of this. Just hope it works.'' Daichi made the ram seal and began gathering his chakra. He closed his eyes and concentrated.

    "Five."

    ''Not yet. Not yet.'' The boy concentrated more and more chakra in his body. If someone could see Daichi they would see a blue chakra mist covering his entire body.

    "Four."

    ''Almost there. Come on'' Daichi could feel his tensed muscles and coiled up chakra ready to burst.

    "Three."

    Daichi opened his eyes as he felt his chakra raging beneath his skin.

    "Now." He pped his hands and released all thepressed and gathered chakra at once. He ced his hands on the ground and let a third of it flow through the earth.

    The violent burst of chakra broke the illusion, like a ss being shattered.

    Daichi was breathing hard as he used quite a bit of his reserves. Several notifications popped up but Daichi ignored them.

    "Crude. Taxing on the body. Inefficient But effective." Kensei nonchntly remarked. "So you figured it out huh. Your weakness."

    Daichi nodded to the question. "I''m immune to Genjutsu that directly affects me. But I''m not against those ced on the surroundings."

    "Yes. That''s right. I was able to take away your sight, sound and smell by cing a Genjutsu on the terrain. It didn''t directly affect your nervous systems but you were still under its effects." Kensei answered him.

    "When I fell into that hole earlier You already made a pit and then covered it with Genjutsu." ''Incredible! The foresight to see where I wouldnd and create a trap even before I made the move I''ve been ying Shogi matches with him for a year now but not once was I able to beat him. This guy is an incredible tactician. And his awareness of his surroundings and the ability to analyze his opponent It''s scary So this is what true Anbu ninjas worth their salts are capable of.'' Daichi narrowed his eyes as looked at the old man and took another deep breath.

    "Yes. You might think of Genjutsu as a weak field but you couldn''t be further from the truth. The ability to take away the basic senses that''s child''s ypared to what a true Genjutsu master can achieve. Your sense of time, direction, movements and much more could be altered. So just because you''re immune to Genjutsu that directly affects you doesn''t mean you can fight skilled illusion users. Do you understand?" Kensei wanted Daichi to expand his horizons.

    "I understand." Daichi nodded seriously. ''I found a big gap in my skill. I need to fix it. And preferably before I take the genin exams.''

    "Let''s continue."

    Kensei and Daichi resumed their fight. But it was more Daichi desperately defending himself for as long as he could and trying his best to wound his enemy. Despite all his level ups and strengths, Daichi was still unable to properly fight back against the might and skills of a former anbu captain.

    As time passed Kensei showed Daichi what he was capable of. He trapped Daichi byyering the ground and surroundings with genjutsu. His ninjutsu forced Daichi to change tactics in the middle of the fight and retreat. And his taijutsu dismantled the boy''s meager defenses.

    Daichi was only strong enough to keep himself from getting seriously injured. But he fought at such an intense pace that Kensei had to take him seriously. But due to this intensity, Daichi was burning through his chakra and stamina quickly. During the entire fight he was only able tond a few shallow wounds on his grandfather.

    But even those were ineffective as Kensei had several medical Ninjutsu under his belt.

    "You know medical Ninjutsu as well?" Daichi was amazed at the skill and techniques his grandfather disyed.

    Daichi threw several shuriken as his grandfather healed himself. Kensei expertly dodged or deflected them. Among the ordinary shuriken was one tied with a smoke bomb. The moment it neared Kensei it exploded covering the area around him in smoke.

    Daichi rushed ahead and using his chakra sense he found and attacked Kensei. The old man parried the dagger in Daichi''s hands with his kunai. Both of them pitted their strength against each other. Sparks flew as the dagger and kunai struggled and grinded against each other.

    "Did you really think that would work?"

    "No. But this is the only way." As Daichi said this, he suddenly let go of his strength. The sudden change pushed Kensei onto Daichi and he stabbed the kunai into Daichi''s gut.

    [-312 ]

    [Negative Status - Bleeding.]

    This took Kensei by surprise and he was unable to defend against the sneak attack to his abdomen.

    Daichi held in the pain of the sharp metal stabbed into him and he buried a small knife into Kensei as well.

    [-268 HP. Enemy hit.]

    "Khuack-....." Kensei stepped back as he looked at the bleeding stomach. He couldn''t believe his eyes.

    "You deliberately let me stab you so you could injure me as well?" The wound was not life threatening but it was still serious.

    Despite the pain he was in, Daichi smirked. "You look surprised, old man. You told me toe with the intent to kill. We''ve been fighting for over 2 hours And I haven''t been able tond a serious injury. Not once. So this was my only way."

    Kensei grunted and narrowed his eyes. His palms let up with green medical jutsu technique and he started healing himself. "Bold move. You''re right Daichi. Sometimes you have to sacrifice an arm or a leg to save your life But remember this!. You have to make sure When you do make that sacrifice... Make sure to take the enemy down for good."

    Kensei finished healing the wound by the time he was done talking. He disappeared and reappeared in front of the small boy in an instant. Kensei struck Daichi''s right shoulder in two ces with two outstretched fingers.

    "What was that?... It didn''t hurt at all." Daichi was confused by the attack. At that moment a notification appeared.

    [Negative Buff - Right arm temporarily paralyzed. ]

    Seeing this notification Daichi tried to move his right arm but he couldn''t.

    "I just struck the nerve bundle in your deltoid. It may not have hurt. But you won''t be moving that arm for a while Time to end this." Kensei told the boy.

    Kensei disappeared from Daichi''s vision. The next second all Daichi could see was ckness.

    ---------------

    Author''s Note:

    Tell me your thoughts on the fight. Did you enjoy it?

    I wanted to show that despite being old, Kensei is still strong. And Kensei obviously didn''t go all out to defeat Daichi. I hope this was a satisfactory fight.

 Chapter 64: Testing the Mana Skills

    Chapter 64: Testing the Mana Skills

    "Oohhh my head" Daichi groaned as he slowly opened his eyes and became aware of his surroundings. He wasid down on a mat on the porch of his house.

    "You woke up much faster than I expected." The voice of his grandfather came from near him.

    Daichi turned around and saw Kensei in his usual clothes, meditating. Kensei had changed into a more casual attire during Daichi''s forced nap.

    "How long have I been out?" Daichi asked.

    "About 20 minutes. Your body is much stronger than normal and you have an abnormally fast recovery speed." The old man said. He didn''t move or even open his eyes. His chest slowly rising and falling was the only movement Daichi saw.

    Daichi then looked at the spot where the knife was stabbed during the end of the battle He saw smooth clean skin at the ce where a bleeding hole should be. It didn''t take a genius to figure out what happened. "You healed me."

    "Yes I did. It wasn''t a critical wound. Now get freshened up ande down. We have much work to do."

    Hearing his grandfather''s words, Daichi got up and went to his room. He saw the system messages piled up on the side and he started going through them one by one.

    [Skill Leaf Academy Taijutsu''s level has risen by one.]

    [Skill Shurikenjutsu''s level has risen by one. x2]

    [Skill Physical Endurance''s level has risen by one.]

    [Skill Strong Hit''s level has risen by one.]

    [Skill Chakra Thread''s level has risen by one. x2]

    [Skill Danger Sense''s level has risen by one.]

    [Skill Chakra Enhancement''s level has risen by one. x3]

    [Skill Chakra Flow''s level has risen by one. x2]

    [Quest ''Battle Kensei Yasaji'' Completed.]

    [Rewards:]

    20000 Exp.

    [New skill: Demonic Illusion - False surroundings technique.]

    [Reputation increases with Kensei Yasaji.]

    ''Hmm Seems a few of my skills have leveled upLooks like I didn''t get the bonus rewards. But I suppose sessfullypleting this quest is enough for now.''

    Daichi clicked on the new reward skill.

    [Demonic Illusion - False surroundings technique. - Active(LV.1): A simple illusion technique that alters the appearance of a nearby object or surroundings. ]

    Rank: C

    Type: Genjutsu

    Hand Seals: Rat - Monkey - Horse - Hare.

    [CP Cost: 210 CP.]

    [Note: The range of this technique can vary from short to long depending on the user''s chakra control and proficiency.]

    ''A Genjutsu huh. And one that ces an illusion on the surroundings ording to the caster''s wishes. Something tells me that''s going toe in handy one day.''

    Daichi reached his room and stripped down. He found that his clothes had been torn up and there were small blood stains in several ces. Discarding the rags he went to take a shower. His mind was still on the fight even as the cold water cascaded down his body.

    ''The old man had a counter attack for everything I threw at him. The chakra strings I used to tie him up were cut apart with chakra coated kunai. His shurikenjutsu was so skilled that I was never able tond a solid hit on him. And his taijutsu For an old guy who lost a leg, he sure can put up a fight. Every strategy I used was useless''

    Daichi sighed as he recalled the scenes of his beat down. ''So this is what experienced Jonin and Anbu are capable of huh. The dungeon ninjas I fought till now are nothingpared to the old man.''

    Daichi finished his shower and got dressed. He went downstairs and had some food and walked outside. Kensei was still meditating when Daichi came outside. He opened his eyes when the boy sat next to him.

    "You are far ahead of your peers. Of that there is no doubt. But you have much to learn. And there is time for that Daichi! You can utilize the time in the academy to broaden your knowledge and experience. It will help you on your journey." Kensei said, looking at the pond in their backyard.

    Daichi nodded slightly. Daichi remained quiet for a while and then asked a question. "That medical ninjutsu you used Was it the only one you know or Were you a medic-nin at some point?"

    "I know a few medic jutsu but no. I wasn''t a medic ninja. During the 1st and 2nd world war the Anbu were in charge of many important operations. And only the most skilled got epted. So losing even one was a blow to the vige. Those of us who had the talent for it and excellent chakra control all learned a few life saving jutsus." Kensei replied.

    He looked at Daichi and asked. "Are you interested in the field?"

    "Yes. I have a few ideas and now seeing their usefulness in a fight I want to learn it more than ever."

    Kensei hummed hearing the boy''s answer. "Complete your chakra control training. That will be your focus this year. Then maybe in your 3rd or 4th year, I''ll introduce you to someone I know who can teach you some medical ninjutsu." He said to Daichi.

    Daichi nodded and he had a pensive look on his face.

    "What is it?" Kensei asked.

    "It''s about genjutsu I''m a bit confused. I thought-" Daichi began but Kensei interrupted him.

    "Daichi! What do you know about genjutsu?"

    "They are illusions. When a ninja controls the chakra flow of a target''s cerebral nervous system and affects their senses, Genjutsu is created. People use this to confuse the senses of their enemies and trick their body into thinking it''s in pain when it''s not. We essentially influence the senses and control what the target sees and feels." Daichi gave the reply.

    "Yes. You just described the broad interpretation of genjutsu but it''s much more than that. What you just described falls under one of the 3 main categories of this art Daichi, based on my understanding you are immune to most genjutsu but not for some I''ll start you on genjutsu training when you begin your training in medical ninjutsu. I''ll give you a thorough exnation about genjutsu at that time."

    "I understand." Daichi nodded and got up. "I''m going for a walk around the vige."

    Kensei nodded and went back to his meditation.

    Daichi left the house and slowly walked along the vige road. His fight with Kensei opened his eyes to many of his weaknesses. ''During the ckout Genjutsu, even though I used ''chakra sense'' I couldn''t find him. He was able to mask his chakra and attack me. All the points he struck on my body could have been lethal if he wanted to So how do I find someone who can mask their chakra?''

    This was one of the many new problems Daichi faced. As he walked along the road he saw arge tree nearby with birds and some squirrels scurrying about. Daichi used the chakra sense skill and was able to locate the birds and small animals around the area.

    ''These creatures can''t hide chakra. It''s why I was able to find them. It needs to be the case for humans too if I want to sessfully track them. I need to find an aspect of a person that they can''t hide So what can''t humans hide?''

    As Daichi pondered on this question an idea came to his mind. ''Mana. Is that the answer?... Mana is an energy produced by an intelligent mind. But right now only I can use Mana and my theory is Atamagai could use it too But what about everyone else?... Is it possible to sense the mind of a person with Mana?''

    Daichi got near the tree and looked at the creatures. He wanted to test his theory. Daichi used the mana in the same manner as he used the chakra sense skill. His goal was to sense the animals near him. He closed his eyes and concentrated.

    ''I know the description said an intelligent mind but these creatures even though not as smart as humans still have some intelligence. So would it work on them?''

    As Daichi focused on the birds near him, after several seconds he suddenly felt a spark of something. His eyes suddenly opened wide and he smiled. ''It works. I felt something. It was small. Barely there but it''s something. And the birds don''t seem to notice anything Time to test it on a person. I hope there''s no negative effects.''

    Daichi made his way to the vige market. He casually walked around as if he was looking to buy something. Daichi concentrated his mana once again and this time the effects were magnified. He could sense every person within a certain range. And some felt stronger while some felt weaker.

    ''I knew it. My hypothesis was right. Mana is an energy simr to brain waves but only an exceptionally intelligent mind or someone like me who has an affinity and the gamer''s ability can use it. But that doesn''t mean it''s limited to people like me. Everyone''s mind produces small amounts of mana. The difference is they can''t sense or use it.''

    Right then a new skill notification popped up.

    [Through continuously concentrating Mana to sense the presence of intelligent creatures, the skill ''Mana Scout'' has been created.]

    [Mana Scout - (Passive/Active) (LV.01): All minds produce some miniscule amount of Mana energy. This skill allows the user to sense the presence of an intelligent mind. ]

    [Effects: 10 meters: Current maximum range.

    +2% Location uracy.

    MP Cost: 15 MP/2 Meters.]

    ''Wow'' Daichi looked at the skill and was excited. ''Time to level this baby up.''

    Daichi started using the skill as he went around and bought some items. He was testing the limitations and usage of the skill.

    ''So with this right now I can tell that someone is near me but not the exact location. But increasing the skill would increase the location uracy. So that''s taken care of. And another thing I''m noticing is that some people''s mana are a bit stronger than the others.''

    Daichi walked around and near a few chunin buying groceries. He noticed that the mana he was sensing from them were slightly stronger than the civilians. ''It must be because of their strong mental constitution.''

    Thest thing Daichi sensed was the amount of Mana energy they produced. ''It''s only a fraction of mine. So all of them have Mana energy but since it''s only a small amount and therefore not usable it''s probably why their mana points don''t show up on my observation info At least that''s my theory.''

    There was one more jutsu Daichi had in mind to test. It was also a Mana skill. He recalled the details of the skill.

    [Mana puppetry - Active (LV. 01): This skill allows the user to control various animals and humans with mentalmands. Mana is used to imnt suggestions or orders into the target''s mind and the user can control them as they see fit. Since this skill is Mana based, Chakra defenses and seals will be useless against it. ]

    [Note: At the current level you can only imnt a suggestion into human targets and your mental strength is not strong enough to control them. With training and at higher levels this limitation can be removed.]

    [Effects: Can imnt suggestions into a target''s mind.

    MP cost: 800/ Target]

    ''At the moment I only have a little over 4000 MP. And the skill costs 800 MP. It says per target and not permand or suggestions. Does that mean a certain target will only need 800 MP to imnt suggestions? Or is there some sort of time limit?''

    Daichi walked to a nearby fruit seller. He wanted to test the range and limitations of this skill as well. He picked a young man as his first test subject.

    The man was buying some apples from the fruit vendor. Daichi concentrated on his mana and tried to imnt a certain suggestion.

    ''Don''t buy the apples. Buy some oranges. It''ll be good for you.''

    The Mana Daichi used, connected with the young man. Daichi could feel that his suggestion was sessfully imnted.

    A new notification appeared.

    [Target has epted the suggestion.]

    "Hey. On second thought, I don''t want the apples. Can you wrap up the oranges for me? I''ll buy the apples another time." Daichi heard the customer change his decision and he became ecstatic but he kept himself under control with a calm and cool face.

    ''Time to test the limits. If I give another suggestion to the same person will this skill cost me another 800 MP? I also need to test the range of this skill. And let''s up the ante this time.''

    Daichi walked a few feet away from the stall and concentrated on his mana. He then concentrated on the same person and gave another suggestion.

    ''Swipe an apple while he''s not looking.''

    Daichi wanted to know if the target would ept a suggestion that had some risks? It was why he gave the man such a task.

    A notification popped up again.

    [Target has epted the suggestion.]

    Daichi discreetly looked at the guy. He saw the man looking around trying to see if anyone was noticing him. Seeing that no one was paying attention to him, the man swiped the apple nearest to him and put it in his pocket.

    Daichi was amazed at the implications. ''Wow. With enough level ups this could be one hell of an OP skill. And my Mana hasn''t decreased. So does that mean I don''t have to pay the mana cost when I imnt suggestions on the same person? Or is there a time limit?... One more. And this is the big one.''

    ''Take the small knife in front of you and cut his hand. A small sh.'' Daichi once again increased the danger of the suggestion and wanted to see the results.

    Daichi decided long ago that while he wouldn''t be a monster, he wouldn''t be a saint either. This bnce was his way to cope with this world and its dangers.

    ''It would be a small wound and would be healed in a few days. But let''s see if he would do it?''

    [Target has rejected the suggestion.]

    Daichi saw the man looking at the knife and slightly shaking his head. He bought his items and quickly left the ce.

    Daichi was in thought as he saw the results. ''So if the danger is too high or the suggestion is too absurd then the target woulde to a rational decision and reject my suggestion. But they will ept if the suggestions are within eptable parameters of difficulty Hmm It''s almost like I''m a little devil whispering in their ear''

    Daichi chuckled to himself at the thought. He continued walking around the vige testing and leveling both of the mana skills. He spent his days training these skills mainly. Daichi decided he would start on the Rasengan at the start of the 3rd year.

    The holidays passed with Daichi sometimes hanging out with Shikamaru, Naruto and the gang. But he focused on his training and soon March 28th his birthday came up. He kept it a secret from his ssmates due to not wanting to be bothered with a party. Days passed and soon it was April 1st.

    The 3rd year of Daichi''s academy begins.

 Chapter 65: 3rd Year and A New Teacher

    Chapter 65: 3rd Year and A New Teacher

    April 1st. Monday.

    It was early morning of April 1st. Daichi was getting ready for the day. Just as he finished putting on his clothes his long term quest was updated..

    [Ongoing quest - ''Path to the strongest'' updated.]

    ''Huh About time.''

    [Tasks toplete this year have been updated. Training clothes in your inventory have been modified. Wear them whenpleting the daily quests.]

    [Conditions:]

    Complete 200 Push ups (Daily)

    Complete 200 Squats (Daily)

    Complete 200 Punches(Daily)

    Run 20 Kilometers (Daily)

    Complete at least 1 Dungeon before the end of this academic year.

    Take the top spot in your ss.

    Learn advanced chakra control techniques.

    [Rewards:]

    Status Recovery (Daily)

    Random Reward(Weekly)

    +3 Stat Points (Weekly)

    Special reward for clearing a dungeon.

    Additional rewards for each extra dungeon cleared.

    New Skill for sessfully learning chakra control techniques.

    [Failure:]

    -5 Stat points.

    Penalty Dungeon.

    Death.

    [ept (Y/N)]

    ''It seems I''ll have to spend a little bit more time on my morning workouts. And it looks like the system has increased the weight of the training gear.''

    [Weighted Training Clothes] [Rare Item: Rank C]

    [A training gear created by the system to help the ''yer''. Consists of clothing garments that can be worn under the dress. Made from some of the most durable materials for withstanding intense training and designed to providefort and aesthetic appeal to the wearer. The clothes are ck in color with several red intricate patterns on them.

    Consists of 2 leg warmers to be worn below the knee and 2 arm sleeves to be worn below the elbow. Each weighing exactly 2 KG.

    Consists of 1 undershirt and 1 trouser to be worn under the clothes. Each weighing exactly 6 KG.]

    ''Looks like learning chakra control techniques is the theme this year. How convenient So a total of 20 Kilos huh! Nothing I can''t handle anyway No time to waste then.''

    Daichi wore his new training clothes and started his workout.

    ----------------------------------

    Ninja Academy.

    Daichi was walking to his new ssroom. As he reached he heard amotioning from inside. Several people were arguing. Daichi recognized that one of the voices belonged to Naruto.

    ''What the heck is going on in there?''

    Daichi slid the door open and entered the room. As he stepped inside he saw Naruto standing in front of Hinata as if protecting her. He looked ahead and saw the three ss jerks as Daichi called them in his mind, antagonizing Naruto and making fun of Hinata. The three were Hibachi, Unagi and Enji. Daichi looked around and found that most of the other future rookies were absent.

    "Leave her alone. She didn''t do anything to you." Naruto said as he stood in front of the girl.

    Daichi couldn''t help but smile as he saw the scene. ''Never change Naruto Time to step in before it esctes.''

    "Morning Naruto. Hinata." Daichi greeted them as he stood beside them.

    "Daichi!!" Naruto was excited to see him after the break.

    "H-Hello Daichi." Hinata quietly greeted him as well.

    "Get lost Daichi. This has nothing to do with you!" Hibachi said with a re.

    "Yeah About that You picked a fight with my friend So I can''t exactly just walk away." Daichi said with a nonchnt smile.

    The three ss bullies looked angry hearing this. But they knew they couldn''t beat Daichi. It was at that moment they heard several other voices joining their conversation.

    "Man, how troublesome. Do you really have to do this on the first day?" The groaned sleepy voice belonging to the Shikamaru reached their ears.

    "Hey Naruto, Daichi. Looks like you guys are having some fun. Mind if I join." Kiba walked up to them with a smile and looked at the three kids. Ino, Sakura, and Choji also came near them.

    Seeing that they were outnumbered, Hibachi and his gang left them without another word.

    "Morning guys. How was your holiday?" Daichi turned around and asked his friends.

    "It was fun. But you would know that if you had shown up." It was Kiba who said it.

    "Sorry. I was a little busy with some stuff." Daichi replied with a sheepish smile.

    "Lemme guess. Training." Naruto said with his hands on his hips. Daichi had a sly smile in response.

    Naruto and the others collectively sighed hearing the predictable answer.

    "Let''s just get to our seats before Daikoku sensei shows up." Shikamaru said and went to his seat. Choji followed him.

    "Hey Hinata,e sit with us." Ino and Sakura grabbed the Hyuga girl and went to their spot. Daichi, Kiba, and Naruto went to their ces as well. A few minutester the bell rang and the doors slid open.

    A chunin instructor who was not Daikoku Funeno walked into the room. Most of the ss was surprised and didn''t know who it was but Daichi knew. And he was excited to finally meet him.

    The chunin was a man of average height and build. He had brown hair which he tied and kept in a ponytail and had a scar across the bridge of his nose. He was wearing the standard leaf vige ninja outfitplete with k jacket and sandals.

    ''Iruka Umino. Finally!! So this is when he bes Naruto''s teacher. I remember that in the anime things happened a bit differently. I guess my presence has changed some things.''

    Daichi quickly used his ''Observe'' skill on him.

    [LV.54] [Iruka Umino]

    [Age: 17]

    [HP: 5006] [CP: 4228]

    [Iruka Umino is a chunin of the Leaf vige. He spent several years in the field before joining the academyst year as its teacher. He is a soft hearted individual who is fond of teaching. He is proficient in all forms of basic ninja skills as well as some Barrier Ninjutsu. His primary chakra nature is fire but he is capable of using water and Yin chakra natures as well. Despite losing his parents in the Nine tailed fox''s attack he still maintains a positive outlook on life. Inspired by the 3rd Hokage''s wisdom, Iruka decided to be a teacher to pass on the Will of fire to the next generation.]

    Iruka walked to the podium and looked at the ss. He had a wide smile on his face as he looked at his new students.

    "Good morning ss. Let me introduce myself. My name is Iruka Umino. Starting today I''ll be your new homeroom teacher. So from now on you can call me Iruka sensei. Ichiraku Ramen is my favorite food. And I enjoy spending time at the hot springs and reading good books. I love being a teacher and I look forward to getting to know you all. Alright, now that you know about me, it''s your turn. Let''s begin the introductions."

    At this moment Ino raised her hand. "Umm Excuse me, Iruka sensei. What happened to Daikoku sensei?"

    Iruka kept the same smile on his face but only Shikamaru, Daichi and Sasuke noticed the slight strain that apanied that smile.

    "Daikoku sensei was transferred to another ss. Any other questions?"

    Seeing that the students were quiet, Iruka asked each of them to introduce themselves. When it was Naruto''s turn the smile on Iruka''s face dimmed. Naruto boisterously introduced himself as if he didn''t notice the new teacher''s dislike of him.

    Seeing Iruka''s face, Shikamaru''s eyes narrowed. ''Great. Another teacher that doesn''t like Naruto.''

    Daichi was also immersed in his thoughts. ''I remember that he was a little rough around the edges when it came to Naruto at the beginning. But soon it will work out.'' Daichi then looked at Naruto. ''Soon you''ll have a role model you can look up to and as a family you can count on.''

    Introduction was soonpleted and ss began. Although outwardly it looked like Daichi was paying attention, inwardly he was thinking about something else. Daichi''s attention shifted to Sasuke who was sitting a few rows in front of him.

    ''The Uchiha massacre will soon happen. The story didn''t specify the exact date but if I''m right it should be happening this month. I thought about several ways I could warn the Hokage but after thinking things through it wouldn''t have changed anything and any information leak would only bring me into the line of fire I can''t save the n And Ren and his family will die.''

    Daichi''s fists clenched under the table as he thought about the little baby girl Reo dying because of the machinations of people she never even met.

    ''I need to keep an eye on Sasuke. If I remember right then an agent of Danzo dys Sasuke at the academy the day of the massacre. It was to give Itachi time toplete his mission. So then I''ll be able to figure out when the tragedy takes ce if I keep an eye on him.''

    The day quickly passed without much happening. During Daichi''s walk home he saw some Uchiha ns men ring at the people as they walked by.

    ''The tension between the vige and the n is increasing. And looks like the n will be making their move soon.''

    Daichi reached home after a few minutes and he saw a genin team at the front of his house handing a scroll to his grandfather. They left once theypleted the mission. ''It must have been some sort of D-rank delivery mission.'' Daichi concluded.

    Kensei opened the scroll and was reading the contents as Daichi came inside.

    "What''s that, gramps?"

    "It''s a letter from an old friend. He lives in the capital. Apparently he wants to meet for a reunion." Kensei said as he looked at the scroll.

    "So when is heing?" Daichi was curious about Kensei''s friends. The old man doesn''t talk about them much.

    "He won''t being here but has invited me to his home in the capital."

    "Are you going?" Daichi asked.

    "Hmmm Yes. He''s an old friend and it''s been a long time since Ist saw him Looks like I''ll be taking a trip out of the vige again."

    "How long will you be gone?"

    "I''ll leave tomorrow and be back in about a week." Kensei answered and both of them rxed in the backyard of the house. Daichi did some light training while Kensei asked about his day at the academy.

    The next day Kensei left for the capital just as Daichi left for the academy. Daichi reached the ssroom and saw that Naruto and Kiba were near Shino talking about the beetles. Naruto wanted to prank the girls with the small beetles while Shino protested. Daichi looked around and saw Hinata smiling as she talked with Ino and Sakura.

    ''Looks like the Rookie 6 just increased to rookie 8. Now if only the resident emo would join them It''ll truly be a geek''s dreame true to see them together.''

    Daichi chucked to himself at the thought and walked to his seat.

    Days passed by with nothing out of the ordinary happening. Daichi kept an eye on Sasuke to figure out the date of the massacre. With each passing day Daichi was bing slightly more and more anxious. But he hid his feelings so as to not arouse any suspicion.

    It was Friday. Thest day of their first week. The day''s sses just got done and Daichi was walking through the hallways. The evening rays were shining down through the windows as he walked the empty hallway. At that moment a quest suddenly appeared. The sudden emergence of the quest surprised Daichi. He looked at the contents and was shocked.

    ''The Uchiha massacre. It''s happening.''

    [Quest Created - ''Rescue Reo Uchiha'']

    [Itachi has decided to kill the Uchiha n. Sessfully rescue Reo Uchiha before she is killed. Time limit : 1.5 Hours.]

    [Rewards:]

    12000 Exp.

    Reputation increases with Aiko Hikara and Kensei Yasaji.

    Reputation increases with Ren Uchiha and Kimiko Uchiha.

    [Failure:]

    Death.

    Death of Kensei Yasaji and Reo Uchiha.

    Reputation decreases with everyone.

    [Warning: Sessfullypleting this quest will create a ripple effect and will have unknown consequences in the future.]

    [ept (Y/N)]

    Daichi knew that epting this mission would be dangerous. If anything happened then not only him but Kensei would also die as well.

    At that moment another quest popped up.

    [Alternate Quest]

    [Quest Created - ''Follow the Root Agents.'']

    [Danzo Shimura has assigned 3 root agents to watch the Uchihapound and make sure Itachipletes his mission. They are also assigned with the secondary mission of collecting Sharingan eyes. Find one of the agents and follow him back to the base and steal a Sharingan. ]

    [Rewards:]

    15000 Exp.

    Uchiha Bloodline.

    [Failure:]

    Death or Conscripted into the Root Anbu.

    Death of Kensei Yasaji.

    Reputation decreases with everyone.

    [Warning: Sessfullypleting this quest will create a ripple effect and will have unknown consequences in the future.]

    [ept (Y/N)]

    [Note: yer can only ept one quest.]

 Chapter 66: Uchiha Clan Massacre - Prelude 01

    Chapter 66: Uchiha n Massacre - Prelude 01

    Itachi Uchiha.

    Itachi walked with heavy slow steps and soon reached his destination.

    ''This ce This is where I made my promise to Shisui Before he gave his life for everyone''s sake.''

    It was the cliff where Shisuimitted suicide and the ce where he entrusted Itachi with the future of the Uchiha n and the vige.

    ''Tomorrow the n willunch the coup.''

    Itachi sat down and thought about thest twelve years of his life. Each important moment from the twelve years of his life flickered to his mind and vanished. He closed his eyes and the memories of his childhood appeared.

    ''It all began that day''

    Itachi Uchiha, who had only turned four recently, was standing in the rain. The rain poured down so heavily that he had trouble opening his eyes.

    "Remember this moment, Itachi. Burn this image into your heart. This battlefield This is the truth of the ninja world." Fugaku Uchiha''s words pierced through the sound of the rain and reached Itachi''s ears.

    Dozens upon dozens of bodies scattered all across the battlefield filled the child''s vision. The ninjas wearing the leaf forehead tes and the rest from othernds. The numerous dead bodies covered the earth. All of their faces showed nothing but misery and pain. None of them at peace, as they surrendered to their inevitable death.

    "This war will end soon. And in a few years you''ll be a ninja. But the truth is battles between ninjas never end. We kill our enemies so that our allies can live. This is the world you''ll step into."

    Fugaku''s cold hearted voice filled his head. Itachi couldn''t move as he looked ahead... Itachi felt a tightness in his heart and he could barely endure it. His fists clenched and face tightened. He was determined not to cry. The child desperately tried to control himself but he failed to stop the tears that came spilling out.

    ''Are the ninja arts and chakra techniques only for fighting and causing destruction? No. It can''t be. There has to be more to this than senseless death and chaos.''

    Itachi opened his eyes and brought himself out of that memory. He let out a slow tired breath. ''Father wanted to show me the reality of this world. He wanted me to see what he saw and understand what ninjas are But he failed to see what I did and what I understood that day.''

    Itachi never epted his father''s concept of a ninja and chose to take another path.

    ''I never forgot that day. I promised myself that I would be stronger. Stronger than anyone else so that I could be a deterrent to all the wars and pointless deaths But now All of those effortsMeaningless.''

    Itachi thought about the end of the third world war and the beginning of the new Hokage''s reign.

    The third Hokage decided to end the fighting with the stone vige despite the war flowing in the Leaf vige''s favor. The decision to not seek reparations were opposed by many and in order to keep the stability of the vige Hiruzen Sarutobi stepped down from the position of Hokage and handed the title to the hero of the war Minato Namikaze. And the vige slowly began to recover.

    ''That day when Minato was selected as the fourth Hokage, Yashiro, Inabi and Tekka confronted my father at the house and showed their dissatisfaction. They were angry that father''s name wasn''t considered for the position despite his efforts in the war. That day their meeting It was filled with malice. It was the same as that battlefield''

    Itachi trained and days turned into weeks and into months. His fifth birthday came but he didn''t care about it. To Itachi it was just like any other day. To him training was the most important thing. But that year another significant change happened in his life.

    "Meet your baby brother." His mother Mikoto Uchiha said as sheid back on the floor.

    Itachi stared at the small creature lying before him. The small newborn baby was content with sleeping in his cozy nket. Itachi gently touched his baby brother''s cheek. The infant twitched at the sudden touch. Mikoto smiled watching her two children.

    "Sasuke Uchiha We decided to name him after the father of the third Hokage." Mikoto said to him.

    Itachi looked at his new brother. "Sasuke" He uttered his brother''s name for the first time and in that moment his heart was filled with indescribable happiness and the desire to protect his innocent and precious little brother.

    As he thought about his little brother, the sunlight hitting his face made Itachi open his eyes. He thought about Sasuke and his future.

    ''I''m sorry I can''t be there for you''

    That apology came from the bottom of his heart, for Itachi was going to walk down a path he could nevere back from. At that moment the image of his best friend and the one he looked up to as an older brother showed up in his mind. Itachi remembered the first day he met Shisui Uchiha.

    Itachi was training and sharpening his skills whenever he could. A grove near his house was where he practiced his shuriken techniques. Wooden targets with circles drawn on it were hung all around. Holding 8 kunais between his fingers he jumped high into the air and let them lose. 8 shes of metal shot to both sides of Itachi and perfectly pierced the center of all targets.

    "Good job. That''s some serious skill there." Someone spoke from behind him.

    Itachi looked back and saw an older boy with ck hair and a leaf forehead protector. Itachi had seen the boy before in his n grounds. So he knew the boy was an Uchiha.

    "How old are you?" The ninja of the Uchiha n asked.

    "Five." Itachi gave a short reply.

    "Such mastery of shurikenjutsu at your age. You''re definitely something special I''m Shisui Uchiha." The older boy extended his hand. Itachi was about to introduce himself as well but Shisui interrupted him. "I already know who you are Wanna see something cool?"

    Without waiting for Itachi''s answer Shisui disappeared. Itachi followed the boy''s aura. Shisui was high up in the air just like Itachi had been seconds ago and he let out several kunais at once almost mimicking Itachi''s movements earlier. The new kunais all struck right next to Itachi''s on the target boards.

    Itachi''s eyes widened as he saw the scene. "Wow."

    "Not too bad huh. I got some skills too Hey, let''s be friends What do you say?" Shisui held out his hand once more.

    Shisui''s gentle smile and warm demeanor tugged on Itachi''s heart. The younger Uchiha walked forward and shook the extended hand. That day he made his first and greatest friend.

    Itachi recalled the words Shisui said to him during his academy days. "As long as you''re here the future of the Uchiha n is safe and secure."

    "Caw caw" The cry of the crow above him shook Itachi from his memories.

    ''Your death was meaningless Shisui. The Hokage and vige elders didn''t find a solution and the n didn''t stop. Things have reached a precipice. There is no stopping what''s toe I couldn''t keep my promise. I failed you All of this because of that one incident.''

    Itachi''s mind went back to that night. The night that changed everything for him, his n and the vige.

    Itachi stared at the full moon with Sasuke in his arms. Despite its brilliant radiance, the young Uchiha had an uneasy feeling in his heart.

    "What is this feeling"

    As though feeling his brother''s tension, young Sasuke began to cry in Itachi''s arms.

    "There, there Everything''s going to be alright. Big brother is here to protect you." Itachi held his brother tightly in his arms.

    Itachi remembered the disaster the Nine Tailed fox brought to the vige. The creature rampaged indiscriminately. Destroying and killing everything in its path. He remembered fleeing with his brother in his arms through the vige streets.

    All around him were people running and shouting. Trying to escape their deaths or trying to save others. He saw a man who lost his arm, a child who lost his mother and a woman on her knees staring lifelessly at a mountain of rubble that used to be a home. He ran desperately trying to escape the violence of the malevolent beast. It was a destruction the likes of which the vige had never seen before.

    Itachi remembered the construction of the new npound and was satisfied with the location of thepound because of its close proximity with the Naka Shrine and the abundant training space. But he could see that the adults were not. They were feeling the exact opposite of content.

    He remembered seeing several n membersing to meet his father throughout the weeks after the attack. False usations and discrimination. Those were the words he often heard during their meetings. Itachi realized that one of the Uchiha was suspected of causing the Nine tails incident and the whole n was being punished for it. He understood his father''s and the n''s outrage. But he couldn''t ept it.

    ''That day was the beginning of the end The vige lost trust in the n and used us. Even in the academy, I had to bear the brunt of their misced anger and aggression. No one believed we were innocent and victims like them. And with each day passing like this, it pushed everyone in the n to their breaking point And with people like Danzo, Madara and Yashiro scheming and plotting their own agendas Perhaps the end of the Uchiha n was inevitable''

    Itachi remembered his first day at the academy. He recalled what he said to the ss as the teacher asked Itachi to introduce himself.

    "My name is Itachi Uchiha and my dream is. My dream is to be the greatest ninja ever. So I can stop all the fighting in this world."

    Someughed at those words while others apuded. But none of them believed in him or his dream. To them it was just an absurd and delusional goal that would nevere true. Only Itachi believed in himself and his dream. And he worked hard everyday to realize it.

    In the academy Itachi disyed a level of talent that couldn''t be matched by anyone. He set new records after records for each of the tests that was presented before him. His wless shurikenjutsu, his vast knowledge, his ninja skills All of them earned him the title of genius. But those talents and titles also made it impossible for him to make friends. His ssmates hesitated to interact with him. But it was fine with Itachi. He never cared about making friends. His focus was on training and bettering himself. He had no energy to spare on something as trivial as friendship with his ssmates.

    ''No. There was one person who reached out to me.''

    As he thought about his academy days an incident came to his mind. Some of the senior students tried to intimidate him but at that moment someone stood up for him. Spoke on his behalf.

    The image of a certain girl came to Itachi''s mind.

    ''Despite my attitude she stuck up for me when others tried to pick on me. She talked to me and somewhere along the way she became my second friend Izumi Uchiha.''

    Itachi spent his days training and studying. In six months hepleted every test and homework his teachers assigned him. Itachi mastered everything the academy threw at him and the staff decided there was nothing more they could teach him. Due to theck of capable ninjas because of the war and nine tails attack, the vige was in need of talented ninjas. Itachi graduated from the academy in 6 months and began his duties as a genin.

    Itachi opened his eyes and stared at the sky. He could hear the rushing water of the Naka river below him. His fingers gripped the hard stone underneath him as he thought about his genin days.

    ''I thought I could change my n and the opinions of the vige by bing a ninja But Everything I endured. It was all for nothing.''

 Chapter 67: Uchiha Clan Massacre - Prelude 02

    Chapter 67: Uchiha n Massacre - Prelude 02

    Itachi remembered his graduation day as if it was just yesterday. He remembered walking out of the schoolyard and seeing his family waiting for him at the gates.

    ''It should have been easy. Be a ninja. Work with the team and impress the vige. Complete enough missions and quickly be a chunin and be strong enough to change the vigers opinion about my n But it didn''t happen Everything changed that day It was on that graduation day that I met him.''

    Itachi remembered his first meeting with the man he wouldter work for ande to despise.

    After the graduation Itachi was about to walk over to his family and greet them but someone got in his way. A man d in ck robes with the right side of his face covered in bandages. His single eye bore into Itachi as if he was peering down on his very soul.

    "Itachi Uchiha, I presume." The man said. Itachi met his gaze without flinching and simply nodded his head.

    "Those lines The ones running down from your eyes to the cheeks Do you know what they represent?" The man asked cryptically.

    "No." Itachi shook his head.

    "They are called chaos lines. They represent bad luck. Those who have it It is said that death and destruction follow them till the end Absolute chaos."

    Itachi couldn''t understand what this man''s intentions were. ''Who is he?''

    "Everyone here has said that you are the most talented genius to ever enter the academy. So I have a question for you? Will you indulge me?"

    Itachi stayed silent and waited for the man to speak.

    "Ten people were forced to abandon their sinking ship. They soon made it to an ind. Nine were healthy but one caught a deadly infectious disease. If allowed to live he will infect the other nine and they will all die. If you were the captain of the crew what would you do? What choice would you make?"

    Itachi didn''t understand why the man would ask such a question but he had an answer and he responded with simple words.

    "In this scenario the man who got sick is destined to die. If I were the captain my priority would be saving as many lives as possible. I would choose to save the lives of the nine healthy crew." Itachi answered.

    "What would you do?" The man pushed for a concrete answer.

    "I would kill the one and save the lives of nine." Itachi answered him without hesitation.

    Hearing the answer of the child a smile crossed the man''s face. "Bold. And a clear, obvious solution I look forward to meeting you again Itachi Uchiha." He almost whispered thest part as he passed the boy.

    Itachi didn''t understand then but he knew there was malice in his voice. Hidden, buried deep. But still prevalent for him to hear.

    As the man walked away his family came rushing over. His father had an unusually serious expression on his face. "What did he say?"

    "Nothing important."

    At the vague answer Fugaku turned to Itachi. "Is that so?"

    "Who is he?" Itachi was curious about the man who would have such a dark aura.

    "That was Danzo Shimura. He is the right hand man of the third Hokage." An ominous tone lurked in Fugaku''s voice as he answered his son''s question.

    "They are called chaos lines. They represent bad luck. Those who have it It is said that death and destruction follow them till the end Absolute chaos."

    The words Danzo Shimura said to him were like sharp des and pierced his young heart. He stared at the man''s retreating back until it disappeared.

    Itachi''s memories took him to his Genin days. A talentless and spiteful Jonin instructor Minazuki Yuki, a jealous teammate Izumo Tenma and an ordinary talentless girl Inari Shinko.

    Despite having to put up with a problematic team, Itachipleted his missions perfectly. As hepleted more and more missions the attention of the higher ups were drawn to him.

    Even though he was only seven years old his abilities were on par with the average chunin. So in order to test him, his team was assigned a mission normal genin teams wouldn''t have been allowed. The mission to eliminate a spy.

    It was shortly after the attempted kidnapping of Hinata Hyuga. Due to the hostile situation between the Leaf and the Cloud viges and the urgency of the situation, the Anbu and key ninjas were deployed to critical areas and were on standby in the event that a fight broke out. It was during this time the Leaf discovered the existence of the Stone spy. A spy disguised as a vegetable seller.

    The mission was aplished smoothly despite some small troubles from his teammate Tenma. The higher ups were impressed with Itachi''s method and execution of the mission.

    Shortly after that his father made him attend the secret n gatherings. Itachi could feel the air of unrest and malice. He looked around and saw his friend Shisui. Shisui looked at the younger Uchiha and smiled. That smile held an inconceivable amount of sadness. Itachi smiled back as if to convey that he felt the same as the older boy. The meeting proceeded with topics regarding raising concerns with the npound''s cement and the military police duties. Many were divided on how to proceed.

    Itachi wasn''t ustomed to the intense atmosphere and the n''s evil intent that hung in the air.

    "Caw" Itachi took a deep breath and opened his eyes as he heard the sound of his crow. He raised his arm and itnded on him.

    ''I saw it that day. Their dissatisfaction with the vige and its policies. But it was still only in the beginning stages. Some wanted to show force to the vige while some wanted to proceed peacefully. And then there were those that weren''t sure what side to choose.''

    He looked into the crow''s Sharingan eye and then remembered one of the most important events that happened in his life. The day he awakened his Sharingan.

    A year passed with Itachipleting normal genin missions. Even with his team''s hostility towards each other they somehow managed toplete missions without much problems. Despite being leagues ahead of his team in skill and judgment they still were not allowed to participate in the Chunin exams.

    It was during that time they were given the mission to guard the Daimyo of the Land of Fire. The Daimyo of thend of fire visited the leaf vige annually. Even during the great war. A regr important event for both sides.

    Although the vige resided in thend of fire it had an independent government with the Hokage on top. Officially even though the Daimyo was positioned higher than the Hokage, the military strength of the vige rested in the kage''s hands. Thus the rtionship between the Leaf vige and thend of fire was one of equal alliance. And so both the Daimyo and the Hokage would meet every year to maintain this symbiotic rtionship.

    Itachi remembered the mission debrief.

    "So we''re the ones guarding him?" His teammate Tenma asked the Jonin instructor.

    "Yes. Officially it''s us. But there are also the Daimyo''s own personal guards. The Twelve Guardian Ninjas. Not to mention another four man Anbu Team keeping an eye on everything from the shadows."

    "So we''re basically just for normal protocol.!"

    "Yeah Now that the war is over, this kind of mission is safe even for you three We''ll meet here tomorrow morning at 4. Don''t bete." Yuki parted saying those words.

    The next day the mission began as normal. They were on the main road that led from the capital to the leaf vige. Half a day passed and everything was going smoothly. It was until the team saw a mysterious man with a strange mask walking towards them. He looked non threatening to everyone on the team except for Itachi.

    His team decided to engage the person but they were immediately caught in Genjutsu. Itachi escaped before the illusion could take effect and his teammate Tenma was capable in the Genjutsu arts so he was able to break free as well. Misjudging his and his opponent''s strength, Tenma attacked and got himself killed.

    "A ninja who cannot assess a situation will get themselves killed." The man pierced Tenma''s torso and ended his life. He looked at Itachi and spoke.

    "It seems you''re not a fool who recklessly charges ahead. Good. That''s very good, Itachi Uchiha."

    "How do you know my name?"

    "I know everything about the Uchihas."

    The boy felt like prey in the jaws of a predator at that moment. Before the masked man could kill him, Anbu appeared and saved his life.

    Itachi remembered the death of his teammate and the encounter with the masked man. ''The reason I awakened my sharingan and the day I met Madara Uchiha.''

    Due to the threat of the unknown ninja, the visit was postponed. Faced with the cruel reality of the ninja world Itachi''s teammate Shinko quit being a ninja and opened a tea stall. Days passed with Itachipleting the missions with just his Jonin instructor Yuki. He trained and sharpened his skills with Shisui and waited for the day he could take the chunin exams.

    He recalled the day his father gave him the news.

    "Lord Hokage called me to talk about you." Fugaku said

    "What''s it about?"

    "The vige officials have decided that you are capable and he has decided to let you participate in theing chunin exams. The other examinees will be in teams so you taking the exam on your own will put you in a tough spot I told him you would be ready." Fugaku looked into his eyes as those words came out of his mouth.

    "Thank you father." Itachi was pleased he was given the chance to move up the ranks.

    The chunin exam came and he scored the highest marks in the exam. Second highest marks in the history of the written test only behind Minato Namikaze. It was the same for the second test as well. A new record of 5 hours and 37 minutes toplete the mission through the forest of death. His performance throughout the exams impressed everyone and he sessfully became a chunin.

    "How long are you going to sit there and reminisce?"

    The familiar voice of his soon to be aplice in massacring the n, came from the shadows and brought the young Uchiha out of his thoughts. Itachi didn''t answer him or even acknowledge his presence and simply looked on ahead. They stayed in silence as the sound of rushing water flowed from beneath the cliff. Itachi felt the chakra disappear and looked up at the sky.

    ''In just 5 months after bing chunin, the door to the Anbu organization was opened for me. Danzo was the one who made it possible. I didn''t know his end game until it was toote.''

    Itachi remembered the second meeting he had with the man.

    "There is resistance from several above at having an Uchiha member join the Anbu. So in order to show that you are capable and to quell the resistance you will need some sort of an achievement."

    Itachi looked up at the man half covered in the shadows. "Do you meanpleting a mission?"

    "Yes I''ll give you a mission. Complete it and your position in Anbu is secure. I''ll allow you to choose one team member of your choice for this task" Danzo revealed no emotion as heid out the details of the mission.

    ''The assassination mission of Mukai Kohinata. An Anbu turned spy who sold secrets to the Mist ninjas. A talented, powerful opponent If it wasn''t for Shisui and his hidden Mangeky Sharingan, he''d have killed us. The mission was a sess and I was put on Team Ro. Kakashi''s team Friend killer That''s what those who were jealous of him called him behind his back.''

    ''When Shisui and I were trying toplete the Mukai mission we had one goal in mind. I was supposed to climb up the rank and be Hokage while he would be a strong Jonin. We would be the bridge between the vige and the n. And it would be just the start. Once the vige was united, I would strengthen the rtionships with all the viges No more wars and pointless deaths I could spend time with my brother. Teach him like I''ve always wanted I had so many dreams''

    A single drop of tear fell down his cheeks. Itachi closed his eyes and exhaled.

    Itachi thought about the secret meeting he attended after bing Anbu. All the Uchiha gathered, focusing on his father.

    "We have tolerated the attitude of the vige all this time. No more. We will take advantage of Itachi''s entry into Anbu and we willunch a coup d''etat."

    "Itachi!" Fugaku turned to his son. "Your objective is to investigate the vige and its forces and report back to us."

    Itachi knew right then what his father was asking him to do. ''A spy Just like Mukai?''

 Chapter 68: Itachis Decision

    Chapter 68: Itachi''s Decision

    Itachi was in shock. He couldn''t believe what his father and his n were asking him to do.

    "Now we have a pipeline connecting our n to the center of the vige. Itachi! The information and advantage you bring us are the key to our n''s future. Don''t forget that." Every n member was looking at him. Their eyes red and the Sharingan zing in the dark.

    The memories of that meeting vanished from the forefront of his mind and were reced with his meeting with Danzo shortly after joining Anbu.

    "So you''re part of Team Ro huh. With team leader Kakashi Hatake." Danzo mused as he looked over the papers.

    "He is a powerful ninja Do you know what the most important aspect of an Anbu is?" The rootmander asked Itachi. Before even waiting for Itachi''s reply he answered.

    "It''s darkness. The darkness of the heart. Without it you won''t survive being Anbu And when I look at you I can tell. You have plenty of darkness inside you." Itachi just remained silent as he listened to those words.

    Itachi''s mind went through the several missions he undertook as an Anbu. Some were assassination missions while others were simple like guarding the Hokage. But there was one mission he wasn''t prepared for and it took him by shock. He remembered that day so clearly.

    In the basement of the Anbu building several monitors were fixed together. All the screens with pictures of the Uchiha npound.

    Kakashi stood besides him. "The nine tails attack on our vige. The officials suspect an Uchiha involvement. They didn''t just iste the npound to the edge of the vige. They''ve decided to monitor the movements of the Uchiha at all times."

    Itachi stood still as he watched his Anburades controlling the screens with various buttons.

    ''There''s no way I can tell the n about this. If they found out that they were being monitored every second of the day it would amplify their rage and it would be the tipping point.''

    "Now that you''re Anbu, this will be one of your tasks." Kakashi''s voice reached his ears.

    "You''re ordering me to spy on my n?"

    Hearing Itachi''s question an Anbu member watching the monitor answered. "A mission is a mission. Your n summoned the nine tails. So they are now under investigation. ept it, newbie."

    He could never forget that day. ''It was difficult but I did it. And that was also when I found out the existence of the masked man. Ever since he killed Tenma I''ve tried to find out who he is. I met with all the men in the n and no one had his chakra aura or voice. I also became sure that there was no one in the n who could control space time Ninjutsu like that. So I concluded that this masked man was an outsider. An Uchiha who has left the n And I was right.''

    Itachi investigated the identity of the masked man through several means. He concluded that it was an Uchiha and not someone who stole a Sharingan. After going through several theories and discarding the least likely, he had a suspect in mind. Itachi went through several documents in the archives to confirm his suspicion.

    ''None of these records verify the death of Madara Uchiha. It only says he died in battle with the first Hokage but there is no other proof. Not the body or the Sharingan was brought back there''s nothing That masked ninja. I''ve never encountered a ninja with such an overwhelming chakra and presence Is it possible Is he?''

    He kept his suspicion to himself. Weeks passed with his time in the Anbu. It was during this time that Danzo had called him and asked him to report on the n meetings.

    "I need you to report to me the details of the n meetings. If things progress as they have then there will be chaos for everyone."

    Itachi hated it but he agreed with the man. So from that day he started reporting the on-goings of the meetings to Danzo.

    Soon after that the day came when Fugaku was discussing the various strategies to be used for the coup.

    "We need to make a detailed list of all the people ready to participate in the n. Our assassination and attack targets and the invasion routes must be precise. If any of you have any thoughts feel free to speak your mind." Fugaku stopped as he looked at everyone.

    Itachi protested against the radical methods at the meeting and this earned him the ire of several members. Mainly Yashiro, Inabi and Tekka.

    "Who''s side are you on Itachi? Who''s your Ally? The vige or the n?"

    Itachi looked at everyone present and answered. "Isn''t it obvious? I''m Itachi of the Uchiha n."

    Itachi recalled Yashiro''s angry roar in the Naka shrine meeting. ''They didn''t believe me. It wasn''t long before they made their move. And they used my friend to do their dirty work.''

    The three tasked Shisui to spy on Itachi.

    It was midnight. Shisui had asked him toe to the cliff. During his time in Anbu, Itachi had memorized the position and angles of the cameras watching them. He devised a path that allowed him to move without being caught on the cameras. Itachi reached the location in a short while.

    "Forgive me for making you wait."

    "Don''t worry. I just got here too." Shisui said with a small smile.

    Seeing his friend''s face, Itachi became concerned. "What''s wrong, Shisui?"

    "There''s something I have to tell you The n suspects you of being a traitor."

    "I know. I already figured."

    "That''s not all They''ve ordered me to monitor your actions and movements."

    "What?" Itachi was shocked at the notion. ''I can''t believe father would''

    "It wasn''t Lord Fugaku." Shisui answered as if reading Itachi''s mind. "It was the three officials from the military police. Yashiro, Tekka and Inabi."

    "I see"

    "Don''t worry. I''ll make something up and report to them. You can rx." Itachi trusted his friend''s words. Both of them stood in silence for a few seconds.

    "If tomorrow''s meeting goes as nned then we won''t be able to stop the coup." Shisui said to him.

    "So what do we do?"

    "I have a n. I''m going to use my Mangeky Sharingan on Lord Fugaku and trap him in my Genjutsu."

    Itachi remembered the n. He would be absent from the meeting and Shisui would use his powerful Genjutsu on his father and stop the n. Shisui described the power of his Mangeky Sharingan and Itachi believed it would work. So he trusted in his friend and waited for the day.

    ''I had an argument with father the night before the meeting. I was adamant that I wouldn''t attend and he was furious. It was then that Sasuke woke up and came near the room I used him as a shield so father would drop the argument. That look in Sasuke''s eyes that night Was it jealousy?''

    ''It doesn''t matter now. By tomorrow the only emotions he would feel towards me are anger and hatred.''

    Memories of him waiting on the cliff for Shisui came. He had many thoughts in mind at that time. ''What would we do once father was brought down? How would we proceed?'' As he thought about what the future would bring him, he sensed the chakra of his friend appearing behind him. ''It''s too early for him to be here!''

    Itachi turned around and looked at his friend.

    "Sorry Itachi. I failed." Blood ran down from Shisui''s closed right eye. He slowly walked past Itachi and stood near the cliff.

    "What happened to your eye?"

    "Danzo Danzo happened." Shisui turned to Itachi and looked with his single eye. "Itachi" His friend looked weak. Like he had given up.

    ''No, don''t say it. Please don''t say it.'' Itachi desperately pleaded in his heart. He didn''t want to hear the words he knew his friend was going to say.

    "It looks like there''s no way to stop the coup. If the leaf starts fighting itself then The other countries would take action and use the opportunity to attack us. It''ll start another war."

    Itachi stood petrified as he heard those words. Unaware of his friend''s inner turmoil Shisui continued.

    "Just when I was about to use Kotoamatsukami and stop the coup Danzo interfered. He stole my right eye. He doesn''t trust me. Danzo intends to protect the vige his way, no matter what he has to do."

    As he heard those words Itachi felt a chill run down his spine. ''A man embodied in darkness.''

    "He''s after my left eye. Before he gets it, I''ll leave it in your hands."

    His friend took out his eye and gave it to him.

    "You''re my best friend. You''re the only one I trust with this mission. Protect the vige and the Uchiha name. I''m counting on you Itachi."

    Those were hisst words before he jumped into the river.

    Itachi opened his eyes and looked at the slowly setting sun. His three tomoe sharingan spinning and forming into a pinwheel. ''I failed you. I couldn''t stop them''

    Itachi thought about the rest of the events that took ce. Shisui''s death temporarily halted the coup d''etat ns. The n was banking on Shisui''s strength to take out difficult targets including the hokage. And with his death they had to stall and recalcte their battle n.

    Itachi then thought about Sasuke. He didn''t speak with his brother often those days. Even now, his interactions with his brother were far less than he''d like. But he did see him train. Train much harder and longer than before.

    ''It came as a surprise to me that there was someone who was strong enough to beat Sasuke and take first ce. But it seems that motivated Sasuke to train harder and get stronger.''

    Itachi remembered the confrontation that took ce with the three n members during that time. When Yashiro, Inabi and Tekka used him of being a traitor and killing his friend, Itachi lost his cool. He thoroughly destroyed them within seconds with minimal effort. He only stopped because of his little brother''s scream.

    ''If it wasn''t for Sasuke''s sake I would have killed them then and there I can''t believe Shisui sacrificed his life for people like them. He worked tirelessly to find a way to save them till the end And yet Everyone still decided to go down the path of destruction This n it isn''t worth saving.''

    Itachi confronted Danzo a few days after Shisui''s death.

    "Why did you kill Shisui?"

    "So you did know He told you, didn''t he." Danzo was calm as he answered the question.

    "We had a n. He was going to stop the coup. It would have brought peace within the vige."

    "Do you really believe that would have stopped the coup. You and I both know that Fugaku is just a figurehead. Rece him and another will take his ce. Shisui wasn''t willing to listen to my n."

    "That''s why you killed him?"

    "Yes."

    Hearing that blunt uncaring answer, killing intent burst forth from him. Itachi held a kunai and lunged for Danzo''s throat. A root Anbu got in his way and shielded his master. The kunai lodged in the agent''s forearm.

    Unfazed by the actions of Itachi, Danzo continued to speak. "You already realized it, haven''t you?"

    "Shut the hell up." Itachi roared at the man.

    "How can we protect the vige if we''re not willing to do what needs to be done?"

    "I said shut up." Itachi struggled against the root Anbu and slowly pushed the kunai forward.

    "This is what''s going to happen if you kill me. When I''m gone, the only thing holding the Uchiha n back will be gone and they will act unrestrained. And not to mention, the moment you kill me, a vige official, you will be branded a criminal and traitor. Even if you somehow make it out of this house alive, my men will pursue you till your death. You won''t be able to stay in the vige. So when the nunches the coup you can only watch from the outside as the vige ughters the Uchiha without mercy This is what''s going to happen if you take my life here. So go ahead if you wish to go down this foolish path Kill me and avenge Shisui."

    Danzo had no intention of dying. It was a clear provocation. Itachi knew that. He also knew that killing Danzo won''t solve anything. In fact, if he went through with it the situation would only be much worse.

    Itachi gritted his teeth and put his kunai back in his pouch. His ambition was bigger than his desire for vengeance.

    Itachi sighed thinking about the days after that incident.

    ''More than a year has passed since that incident. But nothing changed. The Hokage didn''t find a solution during that time and the n kept their heads down and simply waited for another opportunity. The time Shisui bought with his death was for nothing. And now after revising their ns the n has set a date. In Ten days they wouldunch the coup. That was nine days ago.''

    Itachi then thought about the choice Danzo presented him.

    "When pushes to shove Hiruzen will take action. That''s the kind of man he is. As the Hokage, his priority will be the vige." Danzo said to Itachi as they stood in front of the foundation building.

    Itachi recalled Danzo''s veiled threat against Sasuke and the oue of the coup if it wasunched. He recalled the choice he was given by the man.

    "I want you to choose. Will you side with the Uchiha,unch the coup and be destroyed with your n? Or will you stand with the leaf and help us eliminate the Uchiha before the coup and save your brother''s life Whatever we do we must do it quickly, for the sake of the vige. This mission can only be given to a double agent for both the Uchiha n and the leaf vige. Only you can do it Itachi"

    Itachi closed his eyes and let out a small breath. He turned around and walked away without saying a word. He soon reached the cliff where he promised Shisui. Tears started falling from his eyes. He cried for a long time. His tears never stopping.

    "This is the only way." Itachi told himself.

    He tracked down the masked man and confronted him.

    "Well then, this is simpler. You know who I am. Then you should know that I harbor hatred for both the leaf and the Uchiha n." The masked ninja said.

    "Let''s make a deal. I''ll help you kill the n but in exchange you''ll leave the vige alone and Sasuke Uchiha. Those are my conditions."

    Itachi thought about why the man would agree to him. ''He must have seen my talents and skills. It''s why he''s agreed to side with me and made that deal. The end of the n for Sasuke''s life and the vige. And then my talents and skills, put to use in his organization.''

    Itachi stared ahead and noticed that it was evening.

    ''The sses must have ended by now. But Danzo has made sure that Sasuke will be stalled in the Academy It''s time This is the only path avable to me.''

    More than six hours had passed as he sat there immersed in his thoughts. Several alternative ideas came to his mind but he quickly discarded them. He knew none of them would work.

    Itachi got up and took a deep breath. "Haah"

    ''All the preparations have been made. Time to move.''

    "Alright! I''m going." Those came out of Itachi''s mouth as he turned around. Seemingly announced to an empty space. But it wasn''t empty.

    Itachi made his decision. A decision he knew was born of failure.

 Chapter 69: A Promise Made

    Chapter 69: A Promise Made

    Daichi looked at the 2 quests in shock. ''No way. Two quests for one incident appearing at the same time?'' Daichi went through the details of the first quest ''Rescue Reo Uchiha'' and then the second ''Follow root agents quest''.

    ''The rewards are only 12000 exp. points and reputation increase for the first quest. But the second one. If I sessfullyplete it then I''ll get 15000 exp and the Uchiha bloodline and thus the Sharingan. The logical choice would be to choose the second quest as it yields a greater reward And I can only choose one.''

    At that moment the image of baby Reo smiling appeared in his mind. ''What the hell am I even thinking? I can''t believe I''m even debating myself over this.''

    Daichi made up his mind that instant and chose the first quest. ''Her life is more important and if I get the sharingan it''ll only bring a headache for me at this time.''

    Daichi immediately rushed to the bathroom of the academy. Since the sses had ended a while ago there were only a few people on the premises. After reaching the bathroom Daichi made sure he was alone in there.

    ''I can''t be too sure about the sses but I''m pretty sure no one''s spying on this ce right now.''

    He looked in the mirror and tried toe up with a strategy. ''I need a n. Danzo''s root Anbu is watching the n and Itachi and Obito are at thepound. I can''t rush in without a n.''

    ''After the massacre there will definitely be an investigation. Only the Hokage, Danzo and the council elders will know the truth about the massacre but they won''t be able to share it even with the Anbu members. And if this matter isn''t thoroughly investigated it will create problems with other ns. The Anbu will definitely investigate everyone''s movements within the vige today I need an alibi. And I need to know what I''ll do with Reo once I save her I can''t bring her home. It''ll bring attention to me and her. And if Danzo or Obito or anyone else figure out she''s an Uchiha, all my efforts would be in vain. And I will definitely be a target.''

    Daichi thought about saving Ren and Kimiko but he shut that idea down. ''They will count the bodies to see if anyone''s missing. And if they find a whole family missing then they will hunt them down and dere them traitors or secretly dispose of them. Either way, it''s not a pleasant ending.''

    Suddenly Daichi thought of something. He looked at the epted quest. More specifically at the rewards.

    [Reputation increases with Aiko Hikara.]

    ''Reo will be safe there. But I''ll need to convince Aiko to take her in.''

    Daichi came up with a viable n after thinking for several minutes. ''Lets just hope everything goes well.''

    He created a shadow clone and quickly took out Atamagai''s invisibility cloak from his inventory.

    Daichi looked at his clone and spoke. "You know what to do."

    The clone nodded. "Yeah. Get home as usual. Same routes. Keep minimal interactions and no suspicious movements. And make sure to not get dispelled until you get home."

    Daichi nodded in satisfaction. "Good. Go."

    Once the clone left Daichi quickly wore the cloak.

    [Special Item equipped.]

    [Atamagai''s cloak activated. ]

    A holographic bar appeared above the Mini-Map showing how much time was left for the cloak to stay active. Right next to it was a button for ON/OFF.

    Daichi looked at his MP bar and saw 300 points were used to activate the cloak. The moment the cloak activated he became invisible. Daichi looked at the mirror and saw nothing. He didn''t see his reflection in the mirror.

    ''If I use this continuously then I''ll have an invisibility of 3 hours but if I deactivate and use this sparingly then I can extend it up to 10 hours. After that the cloak gets deactivated no matter what for 29 days. It''s a good thing that this reactivated so soon or I might have been in some serious trouble.''

    Daichi used the cloak in the second dungeon but due to spending several days in there and thesest few weeks outside the cloak waspletely recharged a few days ago. Daichi wasted no more time and left the academy.

    The boy rushed to the Uchiha npound. Due to the cloak blocking the smell, chakra, sound and visibility, Daichi didn''t hold himself back. He put chakra in his limbs and sped towards his destination.

    ''I only have 1.5 Hrs to finish this.''

    On his way the boy thought about how he would convince Ren to let him have her daughter. ''I need to convince him no matter what. If the need arises I''ll have to use Mana Puppetry on him.''

    After a dozen minutes Daichi reached thepound. He ran through thepound and already started to see some dead bodies.

    ''I need to hurry.''

    He quickly reached Ren''s home and went inside. They were at the other side of the house and didn''t hear the front door opening. Daichi saw Ren and Kimiko looking anxious and packing a few scrolls.

    ''Here goes''

    Daichi dropped the invisibility and the moment he did Ren turned around in surprise. Kimiko was also shocked.

    "Daichi!! What? How?" Ren asked bewildered. He checked Daichi''s chakra signature and made sure it was the boy he knew.

    Daichi looked at the packed bags and scrolls. His eyes widened as he realized the situation.

    "You guys are nning to leave aren''t you?" Daichi asked, wanting to confirm his suspicion.

    "Daichi, I don''t know how you got here but you need to leave right now." Ren said with a serious face. His Sharingan quickly came to life.

    "I can''t do that." Daichi shook his head.

    "Kid you don''t understand the situation. You need to -"

    "Itachi is killing the n as we speak." Daichi''s words stunned the two Uchihas.

    Kimiko was shocked when she heard Daichi. "What did you say?"

    "I saw several dead bodies on my way here. And it was Itachi."

    "No that can''t be true. He would never"

    "Kimiko" Ren quietly spoke. The moment he heard Daichi''s words he activated his chakra and changed it to sensory mode. His range was wide and he felt the chakra fluctuations and disappearance throughout thepound.

    Ren was a smart man. He immediately understood the implications. ''Itachi it''s no coincidence that he would attack the n the day before the coup. He he sided with the vige. They know And it looks like there''s someone else in thepound killing the members. It won''t be long before they reach here.''

    Horror dawned on his face as he looked at his wife and daughter in her arms. He turned towards Daichi. His mind running through different scenarios. He needed to save his daughter at all cost.

    "Daichi the n" He started speaking but Daichi held up his hand.

    "They were going to attack the vige weren''t they?" Daichi spoke looking at them.

    "How do you know that? Are you a spy sent by the vige?" Kimiko immediately became defensive. But Ren was looking at Daichi with an impressive face.

    "I''m not a spy or anything like that. I''ve seen the tension between your n and the vige. It doesn''t take a genius to figure out what would happen next." Daichi replied to her question.

    Ren took a step forward and asked the boy. He was keeping a close eye on Daichi''s chakra and the two chakras killing everyone in thepound.

    "Why are you here Daichi?"

    Daichi looked at the stony face of the man. After a few seconds of silence he answered. "I came to save Reo."

    The eyes of the couple widened hearing those words.

    Daichi continued. "I can''t save you two. But I can save her. I''ll get her out of here safely and I''ll make sure she''s safe. But I''m sorry. You two won''t make it out of this alive"

    "Why? Why do you want to save her? You could get killed if they capture you?" Ren asked the boy.

    "I want to save her because she''s innocent and she doesn''t deserve to die because of the cruel ns of others And I have no intention of getting caught." Daichi spoke in a resolute tone. "But I need to get going in the next minute So you need to make a decision now."

    Ren looked at Kimiko. Tears ran down her face as she held her baby tightly in her arms. She looked at her husband and they came to a decision. They knew their n to escape was now a failure. They would get captured and killed if they left now. Ren took his daughter into his arms and walked towards Daichi.

    "Daichi, promise me something. Promise me you''ll watch over her and make sure she''s safe. Swear to me you''ll guard her like she''s your own sister."

    It was only Daichi''s gamer''s mind that kept him from choking up in sadness. "You have my word. I won''t let anyone get to her. I promise."

    Ren scrutinized Daichi''s chakra and he looked into the boy''s eyes. He saw the resolve and the determination to move mountains in them. He felt relieved in that moment.

    "Thank you Daichi. I''m d I met you." Ren handed his daughter over to the boy as tears ran down his face. Kimiko at the time took three scrolls and came to Daichi.

    "These belong to her. When the timees, tell her everything and give these to her." Kimiko said smiling even as she shed tears.

    "What are they?" Daichi asked.

    "One contains photos of us. All the memories we made from our childhood till now." Kimiko said with a sad smile

    "The second is a collection of all the jutsu and techniques I learned throughout the years. And the third is the entirety of our assets. All liquidated and in cash. You can use that for her needs. It''llst till she''s genin." Ren said.

    Daichi nodded and took the scrolls. He quickly ced them in his inventory. The two watched in surprise as the scrolls disappeared into thin air.

    "Another one of your secrets huh." Ren slightly smiled. During the course of their friendship Ren figured that Daichi was more than meets the eye but he just didn''t know the extent of it.

    "I sense several ninjas at the outskirts of thepound. Probably to keep an eye on things here. How are you nning on leaving thepound without anyone noticing?" Ren asked the boy as he sensed the movements of the killers and everyone else.

    "The same way I got here. Don''t worry. We''ll be fine. I have a n." Daichi slightly smiled at them.

    The couple looked at their daughter sleeping in Daichi''s arms. Ren gently stoked baby Reo''s cheeks while Kimiko hugged her husband and looked at her sleeping child. Both of them had their Sharingan locked on their child.

    "Be good Reo. Grow strong and beautiful like your mother." Ren spoke with tears in his eyes. His chakra concentrated in his eyes and began fluctuating.

    "Make sure to have lots of good friends. Eat healthy We love you so much" Kimiko was choking up as she said thest words.

    The chakra fluctuations within Ren''s eye became stronger and stronger. He didn''t care about the pain his eyes were experiencing. He kept looking at his daughter for what would be thest few moments of his life.

    Daichi sensed the chakra fluctuations and looked up. What he saw astounded him. The three tomoe sharingan in Ren''s eyes spinning wildly and forming a new pattern.

    Daichi was having a mind freakout. ''No freaking way Mangeky Sharingan!!!''

    The Mangeky Sharingan formed and stayed like that for several seconds. Suddenly Ren looked up and turned his head. The Mangeky Sharingan vanished from his eyes.

    "Daichi you need to hide now. The enemy ising." Ren whispered quickly.

    Daichi realizing that the killer wasing activated the cloak and hid himself in a corner of the room away from Ren and Kimiko. He was holding Reo in his arms so she was under the invisibility protection as well.

    To the Uchiha couple it was as if Daichi and their daughter had vanished. And they let out a breath. They were now sure that Daichi would be able to keep Reo safe. They held each other''s hands and waited for their assant.

    The next instant a sword pierced through Kimiko''s heart and she died before she could even utter a word. The attack happened fast and in a second. Ren turned to look and saw a masked man taking his sword out of his wife''s body. He took a kunai and lunged at the man. He was surprised when he passed through the person as if he was a ghost. The next second he felt a sh across his throat and another severing his spine.

    Ren fell down and choked on his own blood. In a few seconds he passed away as well.

 Chapter 70: A Safe Haven

    Chapter 70: A Safe Haven

    Daichi was watching everything from the corner of the room. His eyes widened at the brutality disyed in front of him and even more at the personmitting the deed. Daichi couldn''t believe what he was seeing.

    ''No way. That''s not Itachi. That''s That''s Obito.''

    The masked Uchiha brutally and efficiently killed the Uchiha couple in seconds before they could do anything.

    As if feeling the death of her parents, at that moment baby Reo woke up and started to cry. But being under the effects of the cloak no sound was heard by anyone other than Daichi.

    He tried to calm the baby down while he himself was going through several emotions. His gamer''s mind helped him a great deal in staying focused on the task.

    Daichi held Reo tightly in his arms. "It''s ok. I''m here Don''t cry. Everything is going to be alright."

    Daichi was about to leave but then stopped as he saw Obito do something unexpected.

    The masked Uchiha took out two containers and quickly plucked the eyes of Ren and Kimiko Uchiha. "The eyes are always fresh even when plucked right after death." He said looking at the dead couple.

    Once hepleted his task he left the house for his next targets.

    Daichi gritted his teeth in anger as he saw what happened. ''That bastard He He took their eyes.'' At that moment a certain memory came to his mind. The image of dozens of Sharingan in containers at the mountain hideout as Obito reced Sasuke''s Sharingan with Itachi''s.

    ''I can''t waste anymore time here, I need to leave.'' Without wasting time Daichi bolted from the ce. He held Reo tightly in his arms and fled the Uchiha npound.

    Daichi pushed chakra to his limbs and used the sprint skill to increase his speed. But he made sure the baby in his arms didn''t feel any major difort.

    His destination - Aiko''s Orphanage.

    Daichi had a n in mind and he had to make sure everything went perfectly. ''No secret stays buried forever. Someday this vige will find out about the existence of Reo and then about what I did tonight. Since Reo is going to be in Aiko''s care, the vige will question her and then Aiko will no doubt tell them about me. Everything that happened tonight. Every action I took and every word spoken. So I need to be absolutely careful not to say or do the wrong thing. I need my defense to be rock solid.''

    Daichi thought about what he would say to convince the orphan matron. After thinking for some time he had a solid idea.

    The orphanage was on the opposite side of the Uchihapound so it took Daichi more than half hour at full speed to reach the ce.

    Daichi stood in front of the building he lived in for the first 5 years of his life. He took a breath and quietly picked the lock of the front door.

    He entered the building without alerting anyone and used Mana scout skill.

    ''Looks like the children are asleep and the only other person here is Aiko. Good. That will make things easier.''

    He made for Aiko''s room and once he reached the door he let go of the invisibility. 50 minutes had already passed with him using the cloak. And Daichi only had 40 minutes remaining toplete the quest of rescuing Reo.

    ''If I enter her room without alerting her then she might react badly. She was a former ninja after all This way she would recognize my chakra and wouldn''t do anything rash.''

    Daichi quietly knocked on the door several times.

    "I''ming." The voice of the matron was heard from inside the room. After several seconds the door opened and Matron Aiko was shocked to see Daichi standing there holding a baby.

    "Daichi?.. What are you"

    Daichi quickly interrupted her and entered the room. He closed the door behind him. "I''ll exin everything."

    "What are you doing here? And who is that? What''s going on.?" Aiko was shocked at what was happening.

    "Ok in order. I''m here because I need your help. And this is Reo Uchiha and Itachi is killing the Uchiha n." Daichi said with a straight face.

    Aiko stood still as she processed what she just heard. "What? I''m going to need you to exin."

    Daichi sighed. He already had in mind what he would say to her.

    "I was training my shurikenjutsu in the woods near the Uchiha npound after sses were over. After I was done and on my way home, when I got near the npound I heard amotion. I went to take a look and saw a dead body. It looked like he died a minute or two before I got there. I went to call for the Uchiha police force but on my way I saw several more bodies in thepound." Daichi stopped and looked at the shocked face of the matron.

    "What?... I can''t believe Itachi would Diachi!! We need to alert the Hokage." Aiko turned around as if to get ready to leave but Daichi stopped her.

    "You can''t! You can''t tell anyone." Aiko, hearing the boy''s words, turned around.

    "Daichi, this isn''t a small matter. If Itachi is killing the people of the n then we need to alert the Hokage. And why are you so sure it was Itachi?"

    "I saw Itachi kill my friends. It was him. And you can''t tell anyone. You need to trust me."

    "Daichi, this isn''t a game. I need to alert the Hokage. You stay here with that baby and once I inform the hokage-"

    "I think someone high up in the vige is helping Itachi kill the n."

    Aiko stood still as she heard the words. "What did you say?"

    "Look. You need to listen to me. Please. Otherwise there is a good chance Reo here will die." At this moment he used his Mana puppetry skill on her.

    ''Trust him. He''s a good kid. Listen to what he has to say.''

    Daichi could see the struggle Aiko had with herself for several seconds. At that moment baby Reo started crying in Daichi''s arms.

    Daichi tried to console the baby. "Sshh It''s ok. I''m here. Big brother Daichi is here for you Don''t cry."

    Aiko''s face showed sympathy as she saw the scene.

    For Daichi, at that moment a notification came.

    [Target has epted the suggestion.]

    ''Yes.''

    "Ok Daichi, tell me everything."

    Daichi nodded. "I didn''t know who was killing everyone at that time. So when I saw more bodies I went straight to my friend''s home. Ren Uchiha. We met a while back. After I reached his ce I told him everything. He had a powerful sensor ability so he checked the chakra of everyone in thepound. He realized I was telling the truth and felt that most of the n were already dead. Then he sensed the person killing theming to the house." Daichi paused to take a breath.

    Aiko motioned for him to continue. Daichi looked as if he was struggling with his words. He took several breaths and then continued.

    "He handed me his daughter and told me not to trust the higher ups of the vige and keep her existence a secret I held Reo in my arms and hid. I saw Itachi killing my friend and his wife. Once he killed them he left. The instant he left I ran from there before anyone saw me."

    Aiko knelt and hugged Daichi. "Oh Daichi. I''m so sorry you had to go through that."

    She then looked at the baby and took Reo into her arms. She asked, looking at the baby. "Why do you think someone is helping Itachi kill the n?"

    "On my way here I didn''t see any ninja near thepound. It was as if the whole area surrounding thepound was deserted I thought about it a lot on my way here. I''m supposed to believe that one person is strong enough to kill an entire n? And that too without anyone knowing about it? I think someone high up was helping Itachi kill the n."

    "Daichi, that doesn''t make any sense. Itachi killing them doesn''t mean someone from the vige helped him. We need to speak with the Hokage. We need to save those people who might still be alive while we still have time." Aiko looked at the boy.

    "It''s probably toote. It took me over 30 minutes to reach here. Itachi has probably killed everyone. Going to the Hokage won''t change anything."

    Daichi looked at her and used Mana puppetry.

    ''Let''s hear what he has to say. Once he''s done exining then we can decide whether to go to the Hokage or not.''

    After a few seconds.

    [Target has epted the suggestion.]

    "Are you sure it was Itachi?"

    Daichi nodded to Miss Aiko''s question.

    "How did you get out of there without anyone noticing?"

    Daichi used his chakra suppression skill and lowered his chakra. "I learned a lot during thest three years." He said with a small smile.

    Aiko looked at him with an impassive face. "You expect me to believe that you ran all the way here from the Uchihapound, while holding a baby without anyone noticing with just your chakra suppression technique?"

    Daichi''s smile vanished as he heard her question. ''She''s smart.''

    "If you want me to trust what you''re saying then you need to tell me the truth." Aiko told the boy.

    Having no choice, Daichi activated the ability of the cloak.

    Aiko was shocked that Daichi just vanished in front of her. She quickly used chakra to sense the boy and even then couldn''t find him. A secondter Daichi reappeared.

    "How?" Aiko was shocked he could do something like that.

    Daichi held the cloak and answered. "Gramps gave this to me a few months ago. Told me if I was in any life threatening danger then I should use this. It can only be used a few times."

    "I see" Aiko couldn''t believe something like this was in Kensei''s possession. ''If that could help him vanish from the senses then he could easily have gotten out.''

    "But one thing still doesn''t make sense. Why do you think someone in the vige helped Itachi do something like this? What would they gain from this?" Aiko asked.

    "I don''t know. But whoever helped him has some serious resources and power. My guess would be someone high up near the Hokage." Daichi was careful with his words.

    "You don''t know that." Aiko said to the boy but doubt was beginning to form in her mind.

    "True. I don''t know for sure. But in a vige full of people who can see through walls, smell blood a mile away and have powerful sensors, you expect me to believe that none of them saw or even sensed that a n was being killed? Are you telling me our vige is that defenseless?" Daichi had a stony expression on his face as he spoke the words.

    Aiko thought about Daichi''s words. ''Is that even possible? Could it be true that someone''

    Daichi saw that Aiko was having an internal debate. Not taking any chances, he used the Mana puppetry skill on her again.

    ''Danzo Shimura. He could do something like this''

    Daichi wanted to make sure Aiko kept everything that happened here a secret. So he gave her a possible suspect.

    [Target has epted the suggestion.]

    That thought took root in her mind and it shook her. ''Is it possible? I know he''s dangerous but Would he really kill an entire n?''

    She then looked at the boy. "Daichi, whatever the case is, we need to tell the Hokage about her and this theory. If there is a traitor within the vigemitting something horrible like this, then he needs to know."

    Daichi, hearing her, vehemently shook his head. "You absolutely can''t. If Itachi or the person who helped him finds out she''s alive then they wille for her. And then possibly me for saving her. And maybe even you."

    Aiko was taken aback by Daichi''s words. She looked at the baby sleeping in her arms.

    Daichi used the puppetry skill one more time.

    ''Trust him. Keep this a secret for now. It''s best for everyone.''

    Daichi waited several seconds and then saw Aiko sigh.

    [Target has epted the suggestion.]

    [Skill Mana Puppetry''s level has risen by one.]

    Aiko looked at the boy. "Fine. I''ll keep what happened here a secret. But I need to speak with Kensei first thing in the morning."

    "Gramps isn''t here in the vige. He went to the capital to meet his old friend. He''ll only be back in a few days." Daichi said, looking at her.

    Aiko sighed, hearing the kid. "Alright The moment hees home you send him my way. I''ll keep what happened here quiet but I''ll need to have a word with Kensei."

    Daichi nodded his head. "Thank you."

    Aiko then took the baby in her arms to her bed while Daichi opened his quest list. He looked at the rescue quest that was still ongoing.

    Daichi was confused. ''I saved Reo. So why isn''t the quest marked aspleted?''

 Chapter 71: Erasing Reo Uchiha

    Chapter 71: Erasing Reo Uchiha

    Daichi was confused as he looked at the quest status. ''Why isn''t it saying Ipleted the quest? Is there something more I have to do?''

    Daichi pondered on this question for a couple of minutes. ''The fact that I haven''t received a questpletion notification means Reo is still in danger. But how? I made sure no one saw meing here. So how?''

    Daichi turned to Miss Aiko. ''Is it possible? Could Aiko be the threat?... No! Based on my memories she doesn''t seem like that kind of a person. And my ''Observe'' didn''t show anything problematic. Kensei trusts Miss Aiko as well. Of that I''m sure. So then she must not be the problem So then what is it?... She might not be the problem but maybe she might have an idea as to what is''

    "Miss Aiko?"

    The matron turned around at Daichi''s call. "Yes Daichi?"

    "Ren made me promise to keep Reo safe. So is there a possibility of people finding out about her?" Daichi asked in an unsure tone.

    "Daichi, she''s a member of the Uchiha n. People will find out about her one day."

    "I know that. I''m just asking if there is any chance her enemies would find out about her in theing days or weeks?"

    Aiko thought about the question. A couple secondster her eyes widened as she remembered something. Daichi seeing her face became slightly tense.

    "What is it?" The boy asked.

    "In the private archives, a record of every person living in the vige is documented. It only has the basic information but it will be there. The moment a baby is born a record would be made and kept in the archives in her family files. "

    Daichi''s eyes widened hearing Aiko''s words. She continued.

    "The baby''s record would be filed with their parents'' documents"

    Daichi now understood why the mission wasn''tpleted yet. He still had something to do.

    "There will definitely be an investigation on this matter when the Hokage finds out what Itachi did. So they would check the dead bodies to the records kept in the archives to see if anyone is missing And they would find out about her" Daichi said, looking at Aiko.

    The matron simply nodded. Daichi was in deep thought. He had a simple solution in mind but he was unsure if Miss Aiko would help him.

    ''I''ll have to use Mana puppetry on her if necessary.''

    "Do you know where the records are kept?" Daichi asked the matron.

    Aiko knew exactly what Daichi was going to do. "Daichi, are you nning onmitting a crime and asking me to be an aplice?"

    Hearing Aiko, Daichi pointed at the sleeping Reo. "I''m asking you if you''re nning on helping me save her life Itachi is a genius and formidable. Everyone in the vige knows that. If he finds out about her then he''lle back and finish the job. And then me for saving her. And not to mention what the unknown traitors in the vige would do if they found out about her The only way to keep her safe is if we erase her existence on paper for good."

    Aiko was torn between her loyalty to the vige and her love andpassion for children. At that moment the words Kensei said to her years ago came to mind.

    "Just because Hiruzen helped you save the orphanage from Danzo doesn''t mean you should trust him. He can be quite cunning and heartless when he wants to be."

    "Kensei, how can you say that about him?"

    "Because I''ve seen who he really is and the hypocrisy of people like him. Don''t forget. I was Anbu for a long time. I''ve seen the ugly side of this vige Trust me on this Aiko. Blind loyalty will get you and the people around you killed."

    Daichi was about to use Mana Puppetry on her to make herply but Aiko spoke before he could. She had a serious expression on her face.

    "I''ll help you. But we need to move fast. Let''s go to my office."

    Once Aiko made sure Reo was asleep in bed, she led Daichi to her office.

    "There are several people who have ess to the records kept. I happen to be one of them." Aiko said as she took a key from a shelf. "If we''re going to save that girl then not only do we have to erase her existing documents, we have to create new ones."

    "So you''re creating a new identity for her.!!"

    "Yes."

    Aiko started filling the new document. She looked at Daichi and spoke. "I will mark her as an orphan."

    Daichi nodded.

    "Do you know her birth date?" She asked.

    "January 29th What are you going to name her?" Daichi was sad that the girl would grow up under a different name than the one given by her parents.

    "Do you have something in mind?" Aiko asked the boy.

    "Keep the first name. Reo. Ren and Kimiko chose that for her. I don''t want her to lose anymore tonight than she already has." Daichi was downcast as he said the words. He was still processing what happened to them.

    Aiko nodded and went back topleting the document. Daichi looked at the time remaining toplete the quest. ''Less than 30 minutes Please hurry''

    A couple minutester the stamped andpleted records and documents of an orphan Reo Miena were in Daichi''s hands. Aiko gave Daichi a key and gave him the instructions toplete the next step.

    "Since she''s just a few months old she''ll only have a birth certificate and a couple other documents. They will be kept in the low priority records room so there will only be a chunin guarding the door at this time. I''m sure with that cloak of yours you can get past him. Each n has a specific shelf assigned to them to keep records of their members. Go to the section where they keep the Uchiha files. Find her parents files and just remove her documents."

    Daichi nodded and knew what he had to do next. "Then I ce these documents with the ones assigned to this orphanage right?"

    "Yeah."

    Daichi nodded as he memorized the n. "Thank you for this." He thanked her sincerely.

    Aiko merely nodded. "Go. Before it''s toote."

    Daichi tucked the files safely in his arms and left. Under the invisibility of his cloak he ran through the roofs of the vige. Daichi headed in the direction Aiko said. Within 15 minutes he reached his destination. He saw only one person guarding the door just like the matron said. Daichi got near him and didn''t bother wasting his time using his ''observe'' skill on him.

    Daichi could smell the strong scent of smoke and toboing from the man. He also saw a portion of a pack of smoke sticking out of the man''s pockets. Daichi had an idea. He used the Mana puppetry on him.

    ''It''s a good night for a smoke. I should have another one and enjoy the full moon. No one wille here anyway.''

    [Target has epted the suggestion.]

    ''That was fast. Guess he''s a heavy smoker. Makes things easier for me.'' Daichi thought as he looked at the chunin who left the post. The moment he turned a corner and was out of sight Daichi took out the key to the room and quietly opened the door and slipped inside. He slowly closed the door behind him and began his search.

    It was a big room with dozens of shelves.

    ''This is like looking for a needle in several haystacks. Thankfully these haystacksebeled and numbered.''

    He followed Aiko''s instructions and had an idea as to where the Uchiha n''s files would be kept. It took a minute but he found the Uchiha section of the records.

    ''Ok. One problem solved. Now to find Ren''s family file A, B, C. R. Now to find Ren..'' Daichi went through the alphabets and soon found the folder he was looking for.

    ''Ren Uchiha''

    Daichi took out the folder and opened it.

    ''This folder only contains the basic documents on Ren and Kimiko. Makes sense. Their other more important information like mission records and other details would be kept in a more secure location. And Reo Since she''s only born just a few months ago she would only have these couple of documents.''

    Daichi took Reo''s papers from the folder and stored them in his inventory. He then looked over the information on Ren and Kimiko''s documents to see if it mentions them having a child.

    ''Ok. There is nothing on these documents that indicates them having a child Good. Now as far as the vige is concerned Reo Uchiha doesn''t exist.''

    Daichi ced Ren''s folder back in its ce and closed the shelf. He then started to look for the cab assigned to Aiko''s orphanage. After a short search he found it. Daichi looked at the time remaining on the quest.

    ''Less than 4 minutes left.''

    Daichi quickly ced Reo Miena''s files in the correct spot and closed the cab.

    ''Time to get the hell out of here.''

    Daichi went near the door and used Mana scout. ''The good thing about the Mana scout skill is that no one can detect me when I use it. But if I use ''chakra sense'' a sensor could pick up my chakra. But I''m not sure that applies while I''m using the cloak. Either way, I''m not gonna risk it.''

    The mana scout skill indicated that the guard hadn''t returned yet. Seeing that the area was empty, Daichi quietly and cautiously opened the door. He got outside and quickly and carefully closed the door behind him. He let out a sigh of relief and at that moment a notification popped up

    ''About time.'' Daichi looked at the quest box.

    [Quest ''Rescue Reo Uchiha'' Completed.]

    [Rewards:]

    [12000 Exp.]

    [Reputation increases with Aiko Hikara and Kensei Yasaji.]

    [Reputation increases with Ren Uchiha and Kimiko Uchiha. - Reward Invalid.]

    ''I saved her Ren, Kimiko Rest easy. Reo''s safe. And I''ll make sure she stays safe till she''s strong enough to defend herself.''

    Daichi then slowly walked and reached the building''s exterior. At that moment, he saw two Anbu members and a nervous guard headed in the direction of the records room.

    ''So they found out This is why the quest had a time limit. If I had gotten here even a few minutester then they would have found out about her and then what I did.''

    Cold sweat ran down Daichi''s face as he imagined the consequences of the quest failure. Without wasting any more time lingering there, Daichi left and headed back to the orphanage. As he ran a few meters a new notification box and a quest appeared, taking him by surprise.

    Daichi opened the new quest box first.

    [Quest Created - ''Retrieve Ren and Kimiko Uchiha''s Sharingan.'']

    [Obito Uchiha has stolen the eyes of most of the Uchiha n members he and Itachi killed. Retrieve the eyes of your friends Ren and Kimiko and give them to Reo Uchiha when the dayes. ]

    [No Time Limit.]

    [Rewards:]

    50000 Exp.

    New Skill.

    Reputation increases with Reo Uchiha.

    [Failure:]

    Death.

    Death of Aiko Hikara and Reo Uchiha and possibly others.

    Reputation decreases with everyone.

    Reputation vastly decreases with Sasuke Uchiha.

    [ept Y/N]

    The contents shocked and then made Daichi happy. ''Wow I can''t believe it there''s no way I''m rejecting this quest.''

    He epted the quest immediately. Daichi''s fists clenched and his teeth grinded in anger as he thought about what happened to his friends. ''Just you wait, Obito. I''ll being for you one day. And unlike Naruto, mercy or the talk no jutsu would be thest things you will see from me.''

    Daichi then looked at the next blue box that was present. He was shocked as he read the contents.

    [You have chosen to save the life of someone you care about instead of chasing after power.]

    [You have received a hidden reward]

    The hidden reward was a new skill. Daichi read the details of the new skill and by the time he was done his eyes were wide open.

    ''Holy shit A skill like this It''s a one time use skill but the value of this can''t be understated.''

    Daichi couldn''t stop the small smile from spreading on his face.

 Chapter 72: Dark Deals Made In The Shadows 01

    Chapter 72: Dark Deals Made In The Shadows 01

    Now that his quest wasplete, Daichi was running at a moderate pace. He was going back to the orphanage to check up on Reo and talk to Aiko.

    ''One problem solved. But now when Aiko talks to Kensei about all this and asks about my cloak, I''ll be in trouble.''

    Daichi gave a long sigh as he ran through the rooftops of the vige under his invisibility cloak.

    ''I could have told her it was my ability but if anyone found out then I would have been killed for having such a dangerous ability or tortured or experimented to find out how it works. Saying it was the cloak would minimize the risk but not entirely. I could have said I found it somewhere but I doubt she''d believe that For some reason or other she trusts Kensei and I needed that What''s done is done. I''ll need to have a talk with him when he gets back.''

    Daichi reached the orphanage and went inside. He reached Miss Aiko''s room. She was looking at the sleeping baby Reo with sympathy in her eyes. Sensing Daichi''s chakra she turned to him.

    "Is it done?" Aiko quietly asked.

    Daichi nodded his head. He looked at Aiko. "Thank you for this." He said after a minute of silence. Both of them had various thoughts running through their heads.

    "I''ll try toe by every one or two months." Daichi said to the matron.

    Aiko nodded her head. She wouldn''t mind him visiting every now and then. "It''s gettingte. You should head back home."

    "Yeah Miss Aiko?"

    "I''ll keep what happened here tonight a secret. But I''ll need to talk with your grandfather first." Aiko replied to the question she knew Daichi was going to ask.

    "Thank you" The boy slightly bowed his head. He straightened and spoke. "I should go home. It''s reallyte."

    Aiko went near Daichi and gave him a hug. "You''re a good kid Daichi Get home safely."

    Daichi shortly left the orphanage and headed straight home. On his way he saw several ninjas rushing in all directions.

    ''Looks like the Anbu and other forces are scrambling to keep things under control This is the point where Hiruzen removes Danzo from power and disbands the root Too bad for him. This will only force Danzo to go underground with his root agents But still I won''t have to worry about him for a while. This incident will force him to keep a low profile. Even if it is for a short time.''

    Daichi reached his home a short whileter. He got inside the barrier and found his clone sitting on the porch of the house. Daichi removed the cloak and the clone looked at Daichi.

    "Everything alright?" The clone Daichi asked.

    "Yeah What about you?"

    "See for yourself." With this the clone dispelled itself. The chakra of the shadow clone returned to Daichi and along with it, its memories. Daichi reviewed every second of the memory since the clone left the academy.

    ''Nothing of significance happened Good.''

    Daichi felt relief spread through body. ''Its over.''

    He was feeling several emotions at the moment and the events of thest couple hours were taking its toll. He went straight to bed and soon fell asleep.

    ---------------

    Somewhere near the Uchiha n Compound.

    3 people in masks were swiftly moving through the trees. One in the front with the other 2 slightly behind on each side. Each of them had a scroll in their hand. They were root ninjas assigned by Danzo toplete a certain mission.

    "We need to move faster. The Anbu have been alerted. We need to make sure these scrolls reach lord Danzo." The Anbu leading the other two said as they jumped through the branches.

    At that moment a hand with a short sword suddenly came out of the tree trunk in front of them and beheaded the root ninja leading the team. It was an instant attack they couldn''t defend against.

    A masked ninja came out of the trunk and took the scroll from the dead ninja before his corpse even fell to the ground. The masked ninja quickly stored the scroll in his sleeve.

    The other 2 stopped dead in their tracks and made eye contact with each other. Their mission and priorities were clear to them. Make sure the scrolls reach lord Danzo at all costs. A secondter they made their decision.

    "Split up." One of the 2 root ninjas said and they quickly fled in different directions.

    The masked ninja looked at the two escaping targets. A deep dark chuckle emanated from his throat.

    "How cute. They think they can run from me." The man spoke in a voice that would send shivers down the spine of anyone who heard it. The next second the man disappeared in a swirling vortex that came from his eye.

    The root Anbu who was running through the trees heard the sound of several shuriken flying towards him from above. With a single motion he took his sword and deflected all the shurikens aimed at his vitals. But it was just a diversion.

    He sensed his enemying from below and looked down. He saw the spiral mask and in the single eye hole he saw a glowing red eye with 3 tomoe.

    ''Sharingan?? It can''t be!!'' This was thest thought of the root ninja before he was caught in a powerful genjutsu. The next second a hand pierced through his chest and destroyed his heart. Taking the second scroll from the dead man the masked ninja disappeared.

    The third root ninja was getting closer to his destination. ''Once I reach the base, I''ll have back up.''

    The next second he saw the masked assant appearing in front of him. The root Anbu quickly went through several hand seals and sent a fast lightning style attack. The lightning strike went right through the masked figure and he quickly rushed towards the root ninja.

    The root Anbu jumped down to the ground and dashed forward, taking his sword in one hand. ''Does physical attacks have no effects on him? Or did he somehow avoid that attack?''

    The root ninja blocked the iing strike of a kunai with his sword and sent a kick to his enemy''s chest. The kick seemed to phase through his opponent and the next second the root ninja felt something stab his heart.

    ''How could I die so''

    Without even being able toplete his thoughts the man''s life vanished. The masked Uchiha searched the root ninja''s body and found the scroll. The next second the several paper bombs covered the scroll and was about to explode.

    ''A trap. So predictable.''

    The explosion that was about to happen vanished in a spiraling vortex.

    ''He rigged the scroll to be destroyed and take me out with it in case he failed. Oh well. No matter! I have enough stock tost till my ns areplete. Time to pay that old fox a visit.''

    The masked ninja disappeared from there leaving no trace of his existence.

    --------------

    Root base.

    Danzo was in his office drinking sake. A very rare indulgence for him. He had a small smirk on his face as he poured another cup of his finest drink.

    ''Finally! It''s over. My life''s work is finallypleted Ohh how I had longed for this day. To rid this vige of its greatest problem. The root of evil and threats that the Uchiha n represented. And to top it off, the one with the greatest chance to be the 5th Hokage of the vige will now be considered a traitor. When the timees I''ll be the 5th hokage of this vige.''

    Feeling pleased with how everything turned out he drank another cup and quelled his emotions. He remembered Itachi''s threats at the end. And his confrontation with Hiruzen. The Hokage had ordered to disband his root forces but Danzo was not someone who epted something like that.

    ''I''ll keep my head down for now. Let things pass. Now with my forces moved underground I can operate with even less restrictions. But I''ll have to be careful. This is a setback for the moment but This will be helpful in the long term. I''ll need to move the funds and change the base of operations soon.''

    As he sat there making ns, he kept an eye on the time that passed. He was starting to wonder about the 3 root agents assigned with a specific task.

    ''Where are they? Those three should be here by now.''

    He was about to send some of his agents to look for them when he sensed movement from the shadows of his room. Danzo immediately knew something was wrong when his personal guards didn''te.

    "Don''t worry. I didn''t kill them."

    Out of the shadows came a deep voice. It carried an intent that set Danzo on edge. Danzo had lived through three wars. He knew when a dangerous enemy was in front of him.

    "You have quite the ability to get here without anyone noticing. And to even deal with my agents Who are you?" Danzo, while alert, was not someone who was cowed by threats.

    A masked ninja with a spiral mask and a single eye hole came out of the shadows. Only the upper body could be seen and the rest were hidden in darkness. "Who I am is not important to you at the moment As to why I came To take away what isn''t yours." As he said this the masked ninja took out a scroll from his sleeve. And lightly tossed it up a few times in his hand.

    Danzo narrowed his eyes as he looked at the scroll. He recognized the special scroll and he knew what it contained. They were scrolls specifically designed to store organs and safely maintain them.

    ''So that''s why they''re not here. He got to them. I must have those scrolls at all costs.''

    "How about we make a deal?" Danzo spoke.

    The masked ninja tilted his head as if he was interested but didn''t make a sound. After several seconds of silence Danzo continued.

    "Give me the scrolls and the contents in it intact and I''ll get you the forbidden scroll."

    Hearing the proposal, a chuckle escaped the masked nins lips. "Interesting proposal But I have a counter offer Forget about the Sharingan and I''ll let you live."

    The second those words were uttered Danzo rushed forward. His hand already weaving sings for a wind style jutsu. In less than a second Danzo stabbed the man''s head with a wind chakra coated kunai. But seeing no blood or brain scattered, and sensing the chakra of the enemy still strong, Danzo immediately stepped back.

    A dangerousugh escaped the masked ninja''s throat. "Haha The human condition So predictable."

    The next second Danzo felt a strong kick to his midsection that sent him reeling back.

    "Ghaa" He clutched his stomach and looked at the man. He was sending signals for the root agents currently in his base.

    The masked ninja looked at Danzo and spoke. "I could kill you right now But it would be boring. Letting you live I''m interested to see how it turns out We''ll meet again Danzo Shimura."

    Danzo scrutinized the man. As thest words were spoken, Danzo saw something that shook his heart. A fully matured Sharingan in the single visible eye. As Danzo stood there surprised at the revtion, the masked ninja disappeared as if he was never there.

    The second the ninja disappeared, Danzo snapped himself up from his stupor. He gritted his teeth in anger and frustration. But after a few seconds he took several breaths and calmed down.

    ''To deal with a Sharingan, one must need the Sharingan It''s a good thing I have a back up n But for this to work I''ll need his help.''

    Danzo walked out of the room to find his guards unconscious on the floor. He stepped past them and walked to meet someone.

 Chapter 73: Dark Deals Made In The Shadows 02

    Chapter 73: Dark Deals Made In The Shadows 02

    Several miles outside the Leaf vige.

    The space rippled in a vortex shape and the masked man suddenly appeared in the middle of the forest. He looked at the moonlight shining down on him and went to a nearby rock and sat down. The hidden leader of the Akatsuki organization and one that goes by the name Madara Uchiha. Real identity - Obito Uchiha.

    Several secondster another figure appeared out of the ground. This creature had two Venus flytrap-like extensions emerging from its sides that protected the upper body and the head like a shell.

    The right half of the face had apletely ck appearance with a single yellow eye thatcked a visible pupil and it had no other human characteristics. The left side was made up of a white creature with human-like facial features, green hair and a proper yellow eye. The creature was wearing a ck cloak with red clouds on them. One of the members of the Akatsuki organization - Zetsu. The spy and the one tasked with collecting intelligence on enemies and other countries.

    "Is it done?" The gruff voice from the ck half of the face came.

    "Yeah. The Uchiha n is no more. And now Itachi will work for us." Obito answered.

    "Ooohhh!! So did we make a new friend?" The question was asked from the white half of Zetsu in a slightly excited voice.

    "Quite you chatterbox. And no. At best Itachi would be nothing more than a co worker!" ck Zetsu replied.

    "Zetsu! Keep an eye on Itachi. He killed the n to safeguard the vige and his brother. He entered our organization most probably to spy on me." Obito knew a man like Itachi wouldn''t leave things to chance.

    "Hmm We''ll be discreet." ck Zetsu responded.

    "Did you get what you wanted?" The white Zetsu asked Obito.

    "Yes. I''ve taken almost every Sharingan I believe is valuable from the corpses. This will make sure Danzo or anyone else won''t get their hands on the Uchiha Kekkei Genkai. And now I have spares to use in case an emergency arises."

    "Were there anyplications?" ck Zetsu asked.

    "No. I did pay Danzo a visit though."

    "Did you kill him? Now that the Uchiha n is gone, he is of no use."

    "True. He is of no value right now. And I was tempted to kill him But I let him live." Obito said, looking up at the moon.

    "Any particr reason? He could be a problem if left alone." ck Zetsu wanted to take every variable into consideration for his ns. Letting someone like Danzo live was not ideal for his and the Akatsuki''s goals.

    "Yes. Given time he might be a thorn. But I need him alive for now. The threat Danzo poses against Itachi''s brother Sasuke Uchiha will keep most of Itachi''s attention on him. If I had killed Danzo, then I have no doubt Itachi would be much more focused on us and far more of a problem for our goals in the future." Obito crossed his hands and looked at Zetsu again.

    "If you know he''s such a threat then why keep Itachi alive?" Zetsu questioned.

    "Rarely few are born with talents like his. Just because he might be a threat doesn''t mean he can''t be of value. His strength and now his feared reputation can be put to good use for our organization."

    "Understood." ck Zetsu agreed with that reasoning.

    "Ohh!! So when can we meet him?" The white Zetsu asked with a child-like enthusiasm.

    "Why don''t you head over to his location right now. You can assess him for yourself."

    Zetsu nodded and left Obito to find Itachi and secondster Obito vanished as well.

    ----------------

    Root Laboratory.

    A tall man with a lightplexion and shaggy ck hair was looking through the microscope and taking down notes based on his observation.

    He was in arge room filled with several experiment containers, equipment and rare samples. This was a research facility of the root and under the supervision of the man named Tanuki Shigaraki. The door to the room opened and the sound of footsteps and a walking cane could be heard. The man turned his head to look at the visitor and then immediately stood and bowed.

    "Lord Danzo." The man greeted his superior.

    "Shigaraki! How goes the research with Hashirama''s cells?" Danzo Shimura asked the man.

    "I''ve learned quite a bit. Thanks to Orochimaru''s experiment documents and notes you provided me, I was able to further my research at a faster rate." The man was excited to share what he had learned studying the cells of the first Hokage.

    "What about the main project?" Danzo inquired.

    "Forgive me lord Danzo, but that will take a long time toplete. Even with my current understanding of Hashirama Senju''s cells it will take years for me toplete that work." Shigaraki replied while lowering his head.

    "No matter. I knew it would be a very difficult project when I assigned you to it. Right now I''m here for your progress on the cells. Tell me how much you''ve learned." Danzo went near the table and looked at the blood sample.

    Tanuki Shigaraki went to a nearby desk and picked up several papers. "It''s truly incredible. Based on these cells alone I''ve learned that our first Hokage was on an entirely different level than any other ninja that lived."

    Danzo nodded his head agreeing with the man. When he was young and shortly before the first great war he saw Hashirama Senju in battle and the power of his wood style. Ever since that day he became obsessed with his strength. He convinced Hiruzen to conduct experiments with the first Hokage''s blood but since there were only casualties the third Hokage shut down the research and dered it forbidden.

    But Danzo didn''t give up. He restarted the project in secret inside the root and helped Orochimaru abduct leaf vigers for experiments. Danzo''s goal was to understand and obtain the power the first Hokage had.

    Danzo spoke. "Tell me everything you''ve learned."

    Tanuki nodded. "First of all, even a small portion of his blood contains a sufficient amount of power and vitality. Whoever gets ustomed to his DNA will no doubt have wood release ability. And that''s not mentioning the increased chakra reserve, vitality and body strength."

    Tanuki continued. "The person would also theoretically have a longer life span and a strong increase in their earth and water chakra natures. I''m assuming this is what gives the ability to create and use wood style Jutsu. I''m also certain that his chakra will increase the strength and effects of any jutsu used by several folds."

    Danzo nodded as he listened to his researcher. He needed the strength of the first Hokage, now more than ever. ''I need the Sharingan to use that jutsu. And the first Hokage''s cells y a vital role in my ns.''

    It was then that Tanuki''s face turned slightly grim.

    "What is it?" Danzo enquired.

    "While it would help us, there is also a major problem. The strength of Hashirama''s blood is a double-edged sword. While it would no doubt tremendously help the person who gets limated to it, for everyone else it''s fatal. It''s too powerful!"

    Taking a breath he continued. "The first Hokage''s cells, instead of epting or merging with the new cells, attack the host body and overpower the DNA of the person experimented on and mutate their cells to the point it kills them. Orochimaru''s experiment with the 60 children is proof of that and it corroborates my results as well."

    "Do you have a solution for it?" Danzo was calm and collected on the outside but he was slightly anxious in his heart. He desperately needed this power.

    "The first is to find someone with a powerful physique and great chakra reserves and withpatible DNA to that of Hashirama Senju. But to find someone like that is extremely difficult And even then to sessfully graft the cells onto this person and have him survive The chances are slim with my current data and understanding of the cells. The second solution is if we somehow create a host body that will ept his DNA and get limated to its changes and strength There are a few other methods as well but all of these will take time."

    Tanuki Shigaraki was loyal to the root and its cause. And he was an excellent researcher as well. So Danzo didn''t doubt the man. After thinking about it for a while Danzo had an idea.

    "Give me a copy of everything you''ve learned on the cells. I''ll take it from here." Danzo ordered.

    "Yes lord Danzo!" Shigaraki bowed and got to work. He quickly made a copy of all his findings on Hashirama''s blood and handed them over to Danzo.

    With the files in hand, Danzo left theb. He went outside to a secluded part of the base. He closed his eyes and stood still and waited for the arrival of someone. After several minutes a yful voice came from the darkness.

    "I didn''t expect you to contact me so soon Danzo."

    Danzo merely grunted. "Some things have happened in the vige. I''m sure you''ll find out about it soon Orochimaru!"

    A man with pale skin, golden eyes with slitted pupils and with purple markings around his eyes appeared. He was wearing in gray garbs with ck pants and had a thick purple rope belt tied into arge knot behind his back.

    "Oohh! Now you got me curious. Still With Sarutobi sensei keeping an eye on things, you wouldn''t have called me for something trivial. So what is it?"

    "I remember you telling me about an experiment you have. One with the capability to adapt to new foreign DNA?! I want him!" Danzo said without beating around the bush.

    "Ahh! You''re asking about Shin. Unfortunately he died some time ago." Orochimaru said with a straight face. ''His body is one of my most valuable experiments. I won''t give him up before I''m done with him.''

    Danzo''s eyes narrowed as he heard that weak excuse. Danzo only flicked a finger and the area was immediately surrounded by a dozen root operatives.

    "Don''t y games with me boy!" Danzo was in no mood to tolerate Orochimaru''s antics. But he also knew he needed the Snake''s help. And he knew that Orochimaru knew that too.

    Orochimaru chucked at the show of force from the root leader. "I''m just a clone You didn''t really think I''de here in person just because you called, did you?"

    Danzo was silent as he gazed at the grinning Sanin.

    "Regardless, you''ve piqued my curiosity. What''s this about?"

    Danzo slightly waved his hand and the root ninja disappeared.

    "I want the Sharingan. And he will be useful in acquiring it."

    "I see Unfortunately I don''t have a Sharingan with me. So I''m unable to help you Unless you have some" Orochimaru looked at Danzo questioningly.

    "No!... But I have the next best thing." Danzo took a vial of blood from his pocket and held it up. He spoke.

    "This is Itachi Uchiha''s blood. I''m sure you can create a few Sharingan using this blood and Shin''s body."

    Danzo then took out the files on Hashirama Senju''s blood work. "This is the research on the first Hokage''s cells conducted by one of mine."

    Danzo didn''t say anything more and looked at the Sanin.

    Orochimaru looked at the two objects in Danzo''s hand. A wide grin appeared on his face. He chucked, understanding Danzo''s intentions.

    "How about we make a deal?" Orochimaru spoke.

    "Let''s hear the terms."

    "You give me Itachi''s blood and the files and I''ll make sure to give you several pairs of sharingan and I''ll see if I can safely add the strength of the first Hokage to your body." Orochimaru said with a grin.

    Danzo looked at the man. "In exchange?"

    "Funding, experimental equipment, and keeping Sarutobi sensei''s Anbu off my tracks Do we have a deal?" Orochimaru folded his arms and looked at the one eyed man.

    Danzo nodded and grunted. He tossed the vial and folder expertly to Orochimaru. The snake Sanin caught both objects.

    "Don''t make me wait"

    "Of course." Orochimaru replied with a grin.

    "And boy! Keep in mind what will happen if you double cross me." Danzo said in a serious warning tone.

    Orochimaru''s grin vanished and he released his killing intent. The next second root Anbu were all around him but several were affected by the snake sanin''s murderous intent. They raised their weapons against him but they didn''t dare make another move without the order of their leader.

    Only Danzo and a couple others werepletely unaffected by the killing intent. After several tense seconds, Orochimaru let go of the intent and disappeared.

    "I''ll see you soon Danzo!" Those words were thest Danzo heard from Orochimaru that night.

 Chapter 74: Uchiha Massacre - Aftermath

    Chapter 74: Uchiha Massacre - Aftermath

    Hokage Residency.

    In a private chamber in the Hokage residency, Hiruzen Sarutobi was sitting in a chair contemting the events that took cest night. His fists clenched in anger as he thought about what Danzo did and what Itachi had to do. He thought about the conversation he had with his former second inmand and the now rogue ninja.

    shback.

    Hiruzen was walking through the Uchiha n district. Several bodies could be seen all over the ce. He was surrounded by three of his Anbu members. All of them, checking for survivors.

    "What the hell?"

    "To think something like this would happen!!"

    "How horrible!"

    Even the Anbu members who had seen plenty of death and destruction were taken aback by the massacre that happened.

    The Hokage looked at the Uchiha nsmenying on the ground. "Rescue anyone still alive!" He shouted the order.

    The Anbu checked the bodies one by one.

    Suddenly someone shouted. "We have a survivor!" The masked ninja was checking the body of Sasuke Uchiha.

    Hiruzen immediately looked at the person. "Get him to the medical Unit. Hurry!"

    Another Anbu with silver hair checked the other bodies near him. "No one else survived. It seems everyone else has been killed."

    Hiruzen had a stony expression as he looked at the bodies. "Take away the corpses. All of them. Then check the buildings."

    "Yes sir." As the silver haired nin got to work another anbu posed a question. "Who could have done something like this?"

    "It was Itachi Uchiha." A new voice joined them.

    Danzo Shimura walked towards them and stopped. He looked at everyone present.

    "Itachi!?"

    "But why would he do something like this.?" The Anbu questions the man.

    "Itachi despised his n. He killed Shisui Uchiha and then took his eyes. He also caused infighting within the n. And now It seems he chose to end the n. He is responsible for this massacre."

    "But" As the Anbu were about to argue, Hiruzen interrupted them.

    "Stop wasting time and get to work!"

    All the Anbu present at the scene left. Danzo walked up to Hiruzen and stood in silence. Several secondster Danzo spoke.

    "This ends our problems."

    The Hokage turned to Danzo. "And exactly what does this end? Can''t you see the troubles we''re left with?"

    "I see the troubles that would arise from this as minor aspared to what would have happened otherwise." Danzo replied.

    "You crossed the line Danzo! I can''t allow you to operate on your own authority any longer. As of this moment you are relieved of your duties as the second inmand and you are removed from the council."

    "Hiruzen, don''t be rash. I did it"

    "For the good of the vige?" Hiruzen finished Danzo''s sentence. He looked at the one eyed man. "How many times are you going to use that excuse?"

    Hiruzen turned to look ahead, unable to look at his former teammate anymore.

    "The Uchiha n was part of the vige. Regardless of what they were about to do, they were still leaf vigers. And this indiscriminate massacre We could have found another way"

    "Do you really believe that Hiruzen?"

    "Yes. We could have dealt with the conspirators and the ones pushing for the coup, and given the innocent ones another chance. But now"

    "That wouldn''t have worked. If that had happened then years from now we would have the same problem crop up again." Danzo tried to justify his actions.

    "You don''t know that!" Hiruzen was furious listening to Danzo''s justification. He then sighed and spoke.

    "As of this moment, I''m removing you as the head of the foundation. The root forces will be dissolved and integrated with my forces. And until I decide how to deal with you, you are confined to your quarters! Now get out of my sight."

    With those words the Hokage walked away.

    Hokage Tower.

    In a secret chamber deep beneath the Hokage tower, Hiruzen was waiting for the arrival of someone. After a few minutes he spoke.

    "There is no one else here. Speak your mind"

    Several feet behind, Itachi Uchiha was kneeling and bowed his head as he addressed his leader.

    "Thank you for the opportunity to meet with me."

    "Itachi, first of all you have my gratitude. A civil war has been averted and now peace is maintained within the vige."

    "Yes" Itachi didn''t say anything else.

    "Regardless I regret that it had to be this way."

    "Forgive me. I saw no other choice."

    "No! I''m the one who should be asking for forgivenessItachi, henceforth you''ll be branded a traitor and a rogue ninja who killed his nYou''ll be added to the bingo books as a criminal. Dead or alive"

    "I understand! I''m prepared."

    "What are you going to do now?" The Hokage turned around and looked at Itachi.

    "There is an organization I want to keep an eye on. The Akatsuki. I intend to join them!"

    "The Akatsuki huh" Hiruzen had heard of the organization but he didn''t have much information on them.

    "Lord third" Itachi started. "Swear to me that you will protect Sasuke!"

    Hiruzen looked at the teen kneeling in front of him. "You have my word. He''ll be safe. Your brother will continue at the academy and when the timees he''ll be a leaf ninja But I won''t be able to erase his hatred for you"

    "I know. I''m prepared to bear his anger and hate."

    "You should go. The Anbu had been dispatched. I''ll leave the jutsu form for the vige barrier unchanged. This way you can check up on Sasuke whenever you want."

    "Thank you lord Hokage."

    "No. There is no need for thanks. I don''t deserve it. It was my weakness that led us to this moment."

    shback end.

    Hiruzen let out a tired sigh. At that moment the door to the room opened and the councilors Koharu and Homura entered.

    "We just heard what happened. You removed Danzo from the council?" Homura asked as he and Koharu sat down facing the Hokage.

    "Yes. It was necessary."

    "Hiruzen. We need Danzo to maintain the stability"

    "No we don''t!" Hiruzen interrupted Koharu.

    "He''s been acting in his own interests for a while. I turned a blind eye because I believed that he had some measure of respect for me and the title I hold and wouldn''t cross certain lines. That was my mistake!! I should have done this a long time ago." The anger contained in the Hokage''s voice was clear to the other two. They decided not to push the subject.

    The three sat in silence for a short while.

    "What do we do now?" Homura asked the Hokage.

    "I''m going to dissolve the foundation and have them integrated with my Anbu." Hiruzen replied.

    "We should also consider what to do about the police military force?" Koharu spoke up.

    "I know. This time instead of one n acting as the military police we''ll have an open recruitment. Anyone capable will be selected. And we need to find a suitable leader." Hiruzen has been thinking about this for a while and this was his solution.

    The three discussed the next steps to be taken to protect the vige. The meeting continued for a while and then concluded with several key decisions made.

    Hiruzen left the meeting and then went to the Hokage tower. He was standing on the roof of the tower looking at the vige. An Anbu appeared behind him, kneeling.

    "You called for me Lord Hokage?"

    "Yes. I believe it''s time for you to walk a different path, Kakashi"

    --------------------

    Land of Fire - Capital City.

    Kensei was reminiscing with his long time friend Jin. They both grew up in the leaf vige and were ssmates. Jin moved to the capital and was once part of the Twelve guardian ninjas. He was part of the first generation guardian ninjas before ninjas like Asuma, Chiriku and Kazuma reced him and his teammates. He settled in the capital once he retired.

    "I wish I could meet this Daichi kid. He sounds interesting." Jin said while drinking a ss of sake.

    "Yeah. Me too." Kensei didn''t have Jin''s enthusiasm.

    "Ohe on! Are you still upset that I didn''t tell you about it sooner."

    "Yes. You''re one of the few people left I consider as friends. So you, keeping this a secret" Kensei sighed. "Well I''m not happy about it."

    "I''m sorry. I didn''t want to worry you." Jin replied.

    "You ever think about Isen?" Kensei asked his friend.

    "Sometimes I still wonder. If he had juste to us Maybe things wouldn''t have happened the way they did"

    "No point in having that regret now I suppose." Kensei looked at the sake cup in his hand and then took another mouthful.

    At that moment someone entered the room and went to Jin. They spoke quietly for a minute. Kensei could see that Jin was rmed by whatever the person had just said. Once the man left Kensei spoke.

    "Is everything alright?"

    Jin looked at Kensei unsure as to how to answer.

    "No. It''s the leaf vige. Something has happened."

    "What!? What is it?" Kensei was rmed. The image of Daichi came to his mind at that moment. ''Please be alright kid.''

    "It''s the Uchiha n. They have been massacred." Jin had a serious expression on his face.

    Hearing those words Kensei jumped to his feet shocked. "What?"

    "How can an entire n be massacred. And who could" Kensei couldn''t believe something like that would happen.

    "They say it was Itachi Uchiha. The tragedy took cest night. The leaf vige is in lockdown and information about what happened is kept tight. I only know about it because of my contact inside the Daimyo court." Jin said understanding Kensei''s concerns.

    "Is there any other news? Did Itachi go after anyone else?"

    Hearing his friend''s anxious tone, Jin quickly replied. "No. It seems the only ones who died are the Uchiha members."

    "Is there any other news? Is he in custody? Or did he die during the confrontation with the vige ninjas?" Kensei questioned.

    "Neither! Based on what my informant told me, Itachi has escaped the vige. He''s alive and in the wind."

    Kensei sat down hearing those words. "How could something like this happen?"

    "I''ve heard of Itachi Uchiha. The prodigy and heir of the Uchiha n. I can''t believe he would do something like this."

    Kensei looked at his friend. "Yes It''s almost too hard to believe isn''t it?"

    Jin narrowed his eyes. "What exactly are you getting at?"

    "Come on Jin! There is just no way one person can kill an entire n no matter how strong he is. And on top of that, he got away! I don''t buy it. There''s more to this." Kensei crossed his arms and thought about the matter.

    "You should keep in mind that you''re retired. This isn''t your problem. Let Hiruzen deal with this headache."

    Kensei sighed hearing his friend''s words. "You''re right"

    Kensei finished his sake and stood up. "Looks like I have to cut our reunion short. I better get back to the vige."

    Jin smirked as he looked at his friend. "You''re really worried about him aren''t you?... I definitely have to meet this kid one day."

    Kensei and Jin spoke for a little while longer and then Kensei left for the leaf vige. The trip took a little over half a day. Kensei reached the vige gates by evening. He noticed that the ninjas patrolling were far more serious and alert than usual.

    ''The vige must have issued a level 1 emergency alert. This reminds me of wartime circumstances. The guards at the gate are far more on guard than usual.''

    Kensei got through the vige gates after a thorough checking. He quickly headed for his home. He reached his house minutester and quickly entered the barrier. Kensei sensed Daichi''s chakra in the backyard of the house. He went to look and saw Daichi doing a handstand on the water andpleting push ups. Several clones were also training in what Kensei deduced as chakra control exercises.

    Daichi looked at the approaching old man. "Gramps! I thought that was you You''re early."

    "Yeah. I heard what happened." Kensei said as he sat at the back porch of the house.

    Daichi dismissed his clones and got out of the pond. He went near his grandfather and sat down.

    "Are you alright Daichi? You seem down." Kensei knew something happened to the boy the moment he saw him.

    After several seconds of contemting, Daichi spoke. "Gramps. I need to talk to you! It''s about what happened with the Uchiha n."

    "It''s a tragedy what happened to them. And I''m sorry about Ren. I know you saw him as a teacher." Kensei thought that Daichi was upset about Ren''s death.

    "Yeah See the thing is I was there When it happened?" Daichi was a bit unsure as to how much he should tell his grandfather.

    "What are you talking about?" Kensei was confused.

    Letting out a long breath Daichi spoke. "I was there at the Uchihapound When Itachi was killing the n."

    Kensei''s eyes widened as he heard those words.

 Chapter 75: Half Truths

    Chapter 75: Half Truths

    Kensei couldn''t believe Daichi was involved in something so dangerous. The next second he looked around the house and then back to Daichi. "Based on the fact that Anbu hasn''t surrounded this ce and you''re not in an interrogation room right now, I''m guessing the vige doesn''t know you were there?"

    Daichi shook his head.

    Kensei let out a sigh of relief. "Good! Then we need to keep it that way."

    "Gramps! There''s something else." Daichi began in a somewhat apprehensive tone.

    "What is it?"

    "The Hokage or the vige officials don''t know about me but one person does. Aiko."

    "What?... How?"

    "I saved Ren''s daughter and took her to the orphanage." Daichi replied. He needed to make sure Kensei would convince Aiko to keep everything that happened a secret.

    Daichi thought long and hard for the whole day about what and how much he would say to his grandfather. And after several hours he decided to tell the truth, mix a few lies and omit some information.

    ''What the heck happened while I was gone?... If Aiko knows then I need to speak with her before she reports to the Hokage.'' Kensei closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. He let out several breaths and then calmed down.

    "You need to tell me everything that happened. I need to know all the information so I can do damage control."

    Daichi nodded and began retelling his tale with a bit of a twist. He made sure to keep his chakra calm and had to make sure there were no holes in his story.

    .

    .

    .

    .

    "And then I left the orphanage and headed straight here. I dispelled my clone and made sure everything was fine. Then I just went to bed." Daichi finished his exnation.

    Kensei let out a breath as he looked at the boy. He let out a sigh as he thought about the events.

    "So let me get this straight After your training, on your way back, when you got near the Uchiha npound you saw a dead body and you went to call for the police force, but then you saw more bodies on the street?"

    "Yes." Daichi gave a curt reply.

    "Then you decided to head for Ren''s home to tell him what happened?"

    Daichi nodded.

    Kensei sighed. He continued with the questioning.

    "There, you saw Ren packing and making preparations to leave the vige."

    Daichi nodded again. "I told him someone was killing people in the n and then he checked the chakra of everyone in thepound." He once again exined to his grandfather.

    "And this was when he sensed what was happening and told you about the supposed coup and their decision to leave the vige?!" Daichi nodded to the question.

    Kensei couldn''t believe the Uchiha would decide to do something this drastic.

    ''It should have been obvious in hindsight. The tension has been rising between the vigers and the Uchiha n members. Still To think they would n a coup d''etat. Did they seriously expect to take on the vige and win?''

    Kensei then looked at his grandson and continued. "Then you convinced Ren and his wife to hand you their daughter with the promise of keeping her safe."

    "Yeah. They knew they couldn''t escape so they put their faith in me." Daichi remembered what happened to them and was only calm because of the gamer''s mind skill.

    "Yes. About that! You mentioned that you had a cloak that turns you invisible to all senses? I want to see it." Kensei was shocked when Daichi said he was in possession of an item that could essentially be the greatest stealth tool in the world.

    Daichi got up and went to his room to get the cloak. ''I knew the old man would ask to see this thing when I told him about it. I don''t want him to know anymore about my ability than absolutely necessary.''

    Daichi liked his grandfather very much but his fear of death and paranoia of a vige full of killers stopped him from trusting people around him. Even those closest to him. Daichi knew he had to tell Kensei about the cloak but he wanted to keep its information to a minimum.

    ''I have to use Mana Puppetry on him if he asks too many questions about the cloak. He''ll want to know where I got it. I''ll have to keep my answers vague.''

    Daichi got down and gave the cloak to his grandfather.

    Kensei inspected every inch of the cloak. He saw the Uzumaki insignia on the back. ''Does this kid have some kind of rtionship with the Uzumaki n?''

    "Where did you get this?" Kensei was curious and wanted to know how Daichi got his hands on something so valuable.

    "I got it shortly after that Yota debacle."

    Daichi chose every word he spoke carefully. He didn''t want Kensei or anyone else to know about his gamer ability.

    "Who gave this to you?" Kensei asked, looking at the cloak and studying it.

    "I don''t know the person who sent it. Just that this item was addressed to me?"

    At that Kensei looked up. He narrowed his eyes as he looked at Daichi. At that moment an old memory resurfaced in his mind.

    shback.

    September 3rd. Almost 4 years after the nine tails attack.

    Kensei was standing in front of the gravestone of his wife Fumiyo Aya. It had been a year today since she passed away. As Kensei stood alone contemting his life, a figure joined him.

    "I''m sorry for your loss Kensei."

    Kensei was startled as he heard the sound of that voice. ''It can''t be!''

    He looked up and saw the man who saved his life during the third world war. "You"

    "Been a long time. Wow! You sure have gotten old." Kensei could see the smirk on his face as he managed to surprise him.

    The man then turned to the grave stone and the smile on his face was gone. "I''m truly sorry for your loss."

    "What do you want?" Kensei wasn''t in the mood to tolerate anyone.

    "I''m here to collect my debt."

    Kensei narrowed his eyes as he heard those words.

    "Walk with me." The man said and turned around.

    Kensei decided to hear him out. "You saved my life and helped me out when I needed it. That''s the only reason I''m doing this."

    The man nodded and they both left the cemetery.

    shback End.

    Kensei thought about the encounter he had with the man for a while. ''Could it be him?''

    Kensei then tried to activate the ability of the cloak. Seeing that it was not responding to him, Kensei decided to ask Daichi for help. He wanted to see the invisibility of the cloak.

    "I can''t seem to get it to work. Can you show me how it''s done?" Kensei handed the cloak back to Daichi.

    "I can''t right now. There are certain conditions for this cloak to work. There were some instructions that came with the cloak."

    "Tell me."

    "First of all, it can only be used by me. Second, once used the cloak can''t be used for a long period of time."

    "So it''s like some kind of cooldown time between each use How long?" Kensei asked.

    "Sometime under 90 days." Daichi replied with a straight face.

    Kensei had a pensive look. ''If this is him, then it might be true that Daichi may not know who sent it. Afterall he told me to keep his involvement in everything a secret.''

    "And you told Aiko that you got this from me?!" Kensei raised an eyebrow as he looked at Daichi.

    The boy had a slightly sheepish expression on his face. "When she asked me where I got it I kinda panicked. It was the first thing that came to mind."

    The old man sighed, hearing the boy''s answer.

    "Alright. Enough about the cloak... So after that Ren gave you his daughter and some scrolls they prepared for her." Kensei continued with the questioning.

    Daichi nodded. "The coup would have happened today and their n was to leave the vige in the middle of the chaos"

    "But things didn''t go as they nned, did it?... Still I can''t believe Itachi would do something like this." Kensei couldn''t believe such drastic measures were taken against a n.

    Seeing Kensei''s face, Daichi wanted to know what Kensei thought about the Hokage and the people close to him. "Ren said that originally Itachi was in the Anbu as a spy for the n but he must have turned and sided with the vige. He said that Itachi was most probably killing the n on orders of the Hokage and higher ups Do you really think the Hokage is capable of something like this?"

    Kensei sighed hearing his grandson''s question. "If necessary Hiruzen would do what needs to be done to protect the vige. But this is too extreme even for him. If I had to guess The man behind Itachi would most probably be a man named Danzo Shimura. He is one of Hokage''s advisors."

    Kensei looked at Daichi as he spoke. "Daichi! You need to be careful. You can''t trust Hiruzen or Danzo Shimura. Both of them are dangerous."

    Daichi nodded in agreement. He saw how serious Kensei was and was slightly relieved. ''So he doesn''t trust them too huh Seems like I have someone in this vige I can count on if I ever have to go up against them. Not that I intend to do that But I suppose anything is possible.''

    "Then I hid in a corner of the room with Reo and I saw Itachi kill both Ren and Kimiko."

    Kensei saw the clenched fists and anger on Daichi''s face as he spoke those words. He felt sympathy for his grandson.

    "I''m sorry for what happened to them and that you had to see it happen I always thought you would only experience this part of the ninja life only after you became a genin."

    Both of them sat in silence for a while. Kensei then spoke.

    "So then you took the baby to Aiko''s orphanage and convinced her to keep her there. And you also managed to have her create a new identity for the baby and helped you falsify records?... I have to admit That''s impressive. She''s usually a stickler for the rules." Kensei was skeptical when he heard that part but he trusted Daichi.

    "She said she''d keep Reo safe for the moment but she wants to talk to you. If things don''t go well there is a chance she''ll tell the Hokage and that would be trouble for me." Daichi was concerned and wanted to make sure Kensei knew the stakes of the situation.

    "Don''t worry. I''ll head there right now. Something like this can''t be dyed any longer." Kensei got up and was ready to leave for the orphanage. But before he left he had onest question for Daichi.

    "Why did you rescue the girl? You could have left and no one would have known you were there Why take that risk?"

    Daichi took a moment before he answered. "I''ve always wanted a little sister. When Ren first introduced her to me When I first saw her I don''t know myself but The moment I held her in my arms, I felt protective of her. It was the first time I felt an emotion like that"

    Daichi paused for a moment to gather his thoughts. Then continued. "When Ren said Itachi was killing everyone, I couldn''t let that happen to her. She didn''t deserve it. So regardless of the risks I took her with me."

    "You realize that when people find out when the Hokage finds out about her, you might be in trouble, right?" Kensei said.

    "I know. But if I had to do it all over again, I would without hesitation." Daichi replied with a resolute voice.

    Kensei saw that Daichi had no regret in saving her life. He smirked at the choice his grandson made. "You''re a good kid Daichi And don''t worry. I''ll make sure Aiko keeps everything that happened a secret."

    "You can''t tell her about the coup. I kept that part a secret." Daichi wanted to make sure Kensei didn''t say anything that would poke holes in his story.

    "Don''t worry. I''ll keep that part to myself. That''s the kind of information that could cause chaos within the vige. So the less people know the better. I know how to handle this situation. So don''t worry Stay here till I get back."

    Kensei left his house a minuteter. Once he was gone Daichi let out a breath of relief. ''Looks like that takes care of that.! I was sure he was going to be more suspicious or something But it seems everything worked out in the end.''

    Daichi looked at the setting sun as he sat on the back porch. ''I''m sorry Gramps. I wish I could tell you the truth about myself but That''s one secret I''ll take to my grave.''

 Chapter 76: The Shinobi of Darkness

    Chapter 76: The Shinobi of Darkness

    Sunday - 2nd day After the Massacre.

    Daichi was dodging the water stsing from the river beneath him. He was surrounded by three shadow clones, all using water, fire and wind style jutsu on him. The turbulent waves across the river due to the training didn''t affect Daichi.

    ''Almost there.''

    Daichi woke up early in the morning and went to the nearby river. The river was located not far from his house and Daichi often used it for training his water walking technique and water style jutsus. His goal was to improve and master his water walking chakra control training and improving his reflexes and reaction speed.

    Just as he dodged another water st and zipped past a shadow clone a notification appeared.

    Skill Water walking technique''s level has risen by one.

    Water walking technique - (Active/Passive) (LV.100)

    Effects: 200% Increase in chakra control.

    CP cost : 3/sec.

    30% Decrease CP cost to chakra techniques.

    Congrattions. You have sessfully trained a skill to its highest level.

    +500 Exp.

    +75 Exp.

    "Finally.!" Daichi let out a breath as he looked at the notification. Daichi had mainly been focused on his chakra control for the past few months. All in preparation to begin the next stage in his training. He released the shadow clones and jumped to the ground.

    He began walking back to his home. His mind went back to the conversation he and Kensei hadst night.

    shback.

    Kensei arrived homete at night from his visit to the orphanage. As he entered he saw Daichi waiting for him.

    "So how did everything go?"

    Daichi asked anxiously. He was concerned because the Mana puppetry skill he used on the matron was not a permanent or a strong one. It was only capable of swaying her decision at the moment. If she decided to change her mind and inform the Hokage, then there would be nothing Daichi could do.

    "Don''t worry. I spoke with Aiko about what happened. She''ll keep the Uchiha girl''s existence a secret." Kensei told him as he sat down.

    "So she agreed that this is for the best?"

    Kensei nodded. "She wasn''t happy that we''re keeping something like this from the Hokage but she sees the wisdom in keeping everything that happened that night under wraps."

    Daichi and rxed. "How is"

    "The baby?... Fine. She was sleeping Cute kid Too bad about what happened to her family." Kensei answered. "I''m sorry about your friend."

    Daichi nodded. After a few seconds he asked. "You didn''t tell Miss Aiko about the coup, right?" Daichi knew Kensei wouldn''t tell her something so dangerous but he still asked.

    "Of course not!... If even a word of that got out there would be such an outcry. Can you imagine what would happen if the other ns found out that the Hokage or the higher ups ordered the execution of an entire n?"

    "Pandamonium!"

    "Yes. That''s why no one else must know." Kensei sighed as he rubbed his forehead.

    The old ninja let out a long breath and sat back in his chair.

    "At first when you said Itachi might have killed the n on orders of the higher ups I couldn''t believe it But after thinking things through and the situation with the Uchiha thesest few years I''m convinced."

    "If the Uchihaunched a coup it would tear this vige apart and something had to be done. If the Hokage or his advisors knew about it then, I have no doubt that they would have taken drastic measures Your friend Ren was right. Itachi did kill the n with the help of someone high up in the vige. It was to stop the coup. And I''m sure the Hokage knows about this."

    He looked at his grandson and the old man had an unusually serious expression on his face.

    "Daichi! I''m going to tell you some things that even some Jonin aren''t privy to!... What I''m about to say is top secret but considering the circumstances I think you will need this information to make informed decisions in the future."

    Daichi was alert as he heard those words. His gaze sharpened. He nodded to his grandfather indicating he understood the seriousness of the situation.

    Kensei began exining the internal structure of the vige. Who was in-charge of what and the allies he had amongst the current ninja in and outside the vige. He took his time and made sure Daichi knew who to go to in case something happened to him.

    "...Then there are the vige elders. The Hokage''s advisors as most of them refer to. Koharu Utatane, Homura Mitokado andstly Danzo Shimura."

    Daichi noticed the tension and anger buried in Kensei''s voice when he mentioned thest name. ''Seems the old man really hates that one-eyed geezer.''

    Kensei looked at Daichi and continued. "Of the three advisors the one you need to keep an eye out for and be cautious of is Danzo Shimura."

    Daichi was internally excited. He might be getting some information on the root that wasn''t in the story.

    "What can you tell me about him?" Daichi asked his grandpa.

    Kensei sighed and after a few seconds answered.

    "Maniptive, ruthless, arrogant, cold hearted and has enough resources and operatives to be more than a headache even for the Hokage To the public he is a close advisor to the Hokage and nothing more. That''s what civilians and even most Jonin know of him. But to the rest of us He is the second inmand and right hand man of Hokage. He controls a separate secret force of agents that operates just like the Anbu. The Root! They take missions that are so dark that if known to the outside world it would bring disaster to us."

    Kensei thought back to some of the operations he knew were the root''s work. "That man is known as the Shinobi of Darkness. The Root Anbu under hismand are merciless and would eliminate anyone Danzo perceives as a threat."

    Daichi narrowed his eyes as he listened to Kensei. "Do they operate like that within the vige too?" He asked Kensei.

    The old man nodded. "Somewhat! They deal with internal threats and leaks. They also y a role simr to the Uchiha''s police force."

    "What do you mean?"

    "While the Uchiha military police force keeps peace in public, Danzo''s root They do it from the shadows. Danzo has over a dozen agents keeping an eye on the entire force of the vige from the shadows. They collect data on every person who could be a threat. From notable civilians to academy students to Jonins. His informationwork within the vige is vast."

    Daichi''s eyes widened as he heard this. ''I need to be a lot more careful.'' He asked Kensei. "You said the people under Danzo collect data What kind of data and how much?"

    Kensei sighed hearing the question. "Almost everything. From one''s academy scores to their strengths and weaknesses Information on their family, friends and finances. Even their ideologies, philosophies and psychological profiles would bepiled. Whether they are loyal or disloyal, a traitor or not From the basic information to the deepest secrets. He knows everything about everyone. Well Almost everything."

    "Wait! If he knows so much then does he know about your dislike of the Hokage and his ideologies? Does he know aboutme?" Daichi knew about the root and the reach Danzo had inside the vige but he didn''t know it was to such a degree.

    Kensei answered. "I''ve lived long enough to learn to keep my real feelings and thoughts a secret from even people like Danzo. He knows I hate him and he knows I might not agree with some policies of the Hokage but that''s it If you want to aplish your goals and live long then you have to learn to keep your real feelings a secret. Even from people looking to pry them out of you."

    Kensei then sighed looking at his grandson. "Now does he know about you? Yes. He most probably does. In your ss are children of several n heads. The future of the vige. So Danzo would definitely pay attention. And I have no doubt that from the moment you took first ce, he had his eye on you"

    Daichi''s eyes widened as he heard that. Kensei, noticing the panicked look on Daichi''s face, smiled slightly.

    "You haven''t talked to anyone other than me about your true goals have you?" Kensei asked Daichi.

    The boy shook his head indicating he didn''t.

    "Good. Then you can calm down Daichi. Just because he knows about your scores in the academy doesn''t mean he knows your true character and motives. He is good at acquiring information but he isn''t omniscient. I doubt he knows about your desire to leave the vige."

    Daichi calmed down and let out a breath after hearing those words.

    "But you need to be careful. Until you get strong enough to defend against people like him, you shouldn''t say anything to anyone that would get his attention anymore than it has."

    "I understand." Daichi was serious and he made sure he understood the threats Danzo posed.

    Kensei then smiled as he leaned back in his chair. "You don''t need to be so tense. If he has information on you then he knows you''re under my protection. He won''t make any direct moves."

    Both Daichi and Kensei sat in silence for a while. After some time Kensei spoke.

    "I''ll be going out early in the morning. I feel that this might be a good time to catch up with a few colleagues." The old man said.

    Daichi nodded. "Yeah. I have some training I need toplete too I''ll be heading to the nearby river for some chakra control training."

    Kensei nodded in understanding. "You want to start on the change in chakra form training don''t you?"

    Daichi nodded. "I need to make sure my chakra control is as perfect as it can get. Then I can start the next stuff."

    Kensei nodded and both of them discussed the situation and Daichi''s training and then after sometime they went to sleep.

    shback End.

    Daichi used the Mana scout to check his surroundings often. It''s range was less than chakra sense but no one would be able to detect this skill.

    ''I have to be more careful But if there is one good thing that came out of all this is that Danzo is now probably removed from power. The Hokage would be keeping an eye on him so that guy wouldn''t cause a scene. Still He operates from the shadows. I''ll have to be on guard.''

    Daichi reached his house after a short while. He went to his room and took out a new packet filled with balloons. He looked at his watch and saw that it was only a few minutes after 10 am.

    ''I still have the whole day to train.''

    Daichi reached the back yard and stretched. At that moment he sensed Kensei entering the house.

    Kensei came to the back and saw Daichi preparing to begin his advanced chakra control training.

    "I have some news." He said sitting on the back porch.

    Daichi turned to the old man.

    "Danzo has been removed from the vige council and the Root Anbu are being dissolved Do you know what that tells me?" Kensei asked.

    "Danzo was the one who helped Itachi massacre the n" Daichi spoke as if he was unsure. ''About time the Hokage put him in check. Although this won''t keep him down for long''

    Kensei nodded with his grandson''s deduction. "And he must have done it behind the Hokage''s back. Looks like you won''t have to worry about him. At least for a few years."

    "But then why is the Hokage keeping him alive? If he forced or aided Itachi to kill the n then isn''t that treason?" Daichi asked Kensei.

    The old ninja sighed hearing Daichi''s question. "You''re not the only one who''s had those questions" He mumbled. Kensei then answered. "Danzo was a former teammate of the Hokage and trained under Tobirama Senju. Perhaps it''s sentimentality or maybe he thinks Danzo may have more use in the future."

    ''Not bloody likely!'' Daichi knew the future event so he knew Danzo''s usefulness to the vige had ended.

    "Regardless, for the moment beyond removing him from power, Hiruzen has decided to do nothing else Now enough about him. Let''s begin your training." Kensei spoke.

    Daichi nodded and then looked at the water balloon in his hand. "Once I master this jutsu I''ll be one step closer to my goal."

    Kensei nodded.

 Chapter 77: Shape Transformation Training 01

    Chapter 77: Shape Transformation Training 01

    Daichi held the water balloon in his right hand. He gazed at it as his mind went through the first step of the training.

    ''The first step of the Rasengan. I went over everything in my old memories and everything I learned from Kensei''s notes Narutopleted the three steps and learned the Rasengan jutsu quickly. Well if you could call four and a half weeks quick But there was a problem with the way he learned it. Because he used shortcuts to master the jutsu, he needed two hands for it to work. And that limited hisbat capabilities.''

    He took a breath and let it out. ''Unlike Naruto I''m in no hurry. I''m going toplete the Rasengan quickly but I''ll make sure I master each step to perfection. Refining my Chakra control and mastering the shape transformation is my goal. It''s why I dyed learning this for so long. But still This first step I really want to master it in 1 day.''

    Daichi went over everything in his head. He checked the direction of the chakra flow in his body a few days ago. Based on the direction his hair was growing, Daichi concluded that his chakra was rotating to the right side in his body.

    Daichi held the balloon and started applying chakra to his hand. ''I need to spin the water with my chakra in multiple directions to make this pop. But first I need to spin in a single direction to get the feel of this.''

    The water in the balloon quickly started rotating in a clockwise direction. Feeling the chakra spinning with no problems in one direction, Daichi decided to keep it up for a few minutes. He wanted to see if he would get a new skill. And after a minute a new skill emerged.

    Daichi stopped applying chakra and looked at the new skill.

    [A new skill is created with a specific action.]

    [Through continuously concentrating chakra to the palm of your hand and rotating it, the skill ''Chakra Rotation'' has been created.]

    [Chakra Rotation - (Active/Passive)(LV.01): A skill that helps the user master their chakra and use it more proficiently. This skill is one of several advanced chakra control techniques to help the user Increase their chakra control and movement of their chakra.]

    [Effects:]

    [+2% Increase in Chakra Movement and Form.]

    [+1% Increase in Chakra Control.]

    [CP Cost: Depends on the user.]

    ''Excellent. So that means I''ll get 2 more control skills when I start the next two steps as well. I''ll start the next step after I Max this out.''

    Daichi began the rotation exercise again and kept going. At the moment he was only rotating his chakra in the palm in one direction. He increased and decreased the speed of rotation. Daichi also kept an eye on his chakra level.

    Kensei was sitting on the porch watching Daichi train. ''This kid is really something else. His improvements in the ninja arts are astounding. If it weren''t for the graduation age limit he definitely would have been a genin by now. But this is also a blessing in disguise. Now he has a few years to train in rtive safety.''

    Kensei thought about the mysterious man and the conversation he had with him.

    ''Did he know about the kid''s talent when he asked me to adopt Daichi? Were they rted? I have no doubt that the invisibility cloak was from him. It''s the only possible exnation. I do remember him saying he would send a few of his things to Daichi. I''m sure Daichi isn''t his son So what is their rtionship?''

    Kensei sighed and looked at the clouds. ''Maybe one day I''ll find out.''

    His mind went over what Aiko had said the previous night. He let out a breath and looked at his grandson.

    ''Aiko was certainly convinced by Daichi. But I''m not that easily fooled. Out of all the days, he picked the one day Itachi decided to kill the n to train near the Uchiha grounds I don''t buy it. Either that incident was a very big coincidence or Daichi knew something was about to happen Maybe I''m just grasping at straws here Regardless, Daichi knows more than he said. Of that, I''m sure Still I trust you kid. Maybe one day you''ll let me in on your secrets''

    Kensei watched Daichi practice with the water balloon with a stoic face. ''One thing I absolutely believe was his desire to save that girl. It was pure and genuine. He risked his life for her. Since the kid saved her life he is also now responsible for her. I''m sure he knows that. When that girl awakens the Sharingan the vige will know what he did. I hope you''re prepared for that day, Daichi!''

    Kensei didn''t say anything to help Daichi with the training. And Daichi preferred it that way. Both of them stayed in silence as Daichi continued the training.

    Over 15 minutes passed by as Daichi trained. He was looking at the new skill as he controlled his chakra rotation. He was surprised that the new ''Chakra Rotation'' skill was leveling up quickly.

    [Skill Chakra Rotation''s level has risen by one. x10.]

    The skill quickly reached level 10.

    ''This must be because I''ve maxed out the tree walking technique and water walking technique. Now that I''m familiar with the chakra rotation aspect, time to increase the difficulty.''

    Daichi closed his eyes and visualized his chakra spinning in clockwise direction but in different angles. He began with rotating his chakra to the right in two angles. The balloon in Daichi''s hand stretched up, down and sideways. He kept the rotation to the right but he kept spinning his chakra in two angles.

    The level of the skill kept going up as Daichi practiced.

    As several more minutes went by Daichi was beginning to feel the strain on his body. He kept up for a few more minutes and then stopped.

    He opened his eyes and took several deep breaths. ''This isn''t easy. Even though I have the gamer''s body I''m already feeling some pain. And I''ve only just begun For Naruto to relentlessly keep going His threshold for pain is no doubt much higher than normal. Not to mention the Nine tails healing him and with the chakra volume of the Uzumaki body One could almost call him a cheat.''

    Daichi smirked as he thought that. ''How hypocritical of me. Calling someone else a cheat.''

    Daichi went to the shade of the nearby tree and sat down.

    "So how is it?" The voice of his grandfather came.

    "It''s not easy. But I expected that. To be honest I''m kinda enjoying this I think I might be a training addict." Daichi said with a smallugh at the end.

    Kensei smirked and didn''t say much more. He remembered the instructions for the rasengan as he was with Daichi when the Hokage revealed them. Kensei pondered on the difficulty of the training Daichi was attempting.

    ''This training is done by applying the tree walking and water walking techniques. By gathering chakra and then releasing it in a steady stream. And this step even takes it further. I remember that the chakra in the Rasengan was rotating in different directions. So toplete this step he has to let out a steady stream of chakra and burst the balloon by spinning his chakra in multiple directions. A difficult task.''

    ''The fourth created this in 3 years and I heard that it took Jiraiya 1 year to learn and Kakashi mastered it in less than 6 months. I wonder how long it would take Daichi to master this jutsu.''

    Daichi was unaware of his grandfather''s thoughts. He was sitting down cross legged and started to meditate.

    ''Naruto may have the Nine tails to heal him but I have something much better. My gamer ability is a far greater cheat than anything else.''

    Daichi meditated and slowly the pains and aches his body felt disappeared. His chakra bar began to refill and before long he was at it again.

    It wasn''t just the chakra rotation skill that leveled up. His other chakra rted skills got a boost as well.

    [Skill Chakra Regeneration''s level has risen by one.]

    [Skill Chakra Affinity''s level has risen by one.]

    [Skill Chakra Maniption''s level has risen by one.]

    [Skill Chakra Rotation''s level has risen by one. x5.]

    Daichi trained for 3 hours while taking short meditation breaks. In just 3 hours his chakra rotation skill leveled up to 37. Daichi altered and increased the rotation angle a few more times. He kept spinning his chakra in several angles and he started to see the balloon stretch in multiple directions.

    ''I''m going topletely master this step in one day. I have to get this skill to level 100.''

    "Daichi! Come on. Time to eat. You''ll feel better with something delicious in your belly." Kensei called out to his grandson.

    Daichi nodded to his grandfather and went to get something to eat. After a while he resumed his training. He sat cross legged and held the water balloon.

    ''I''ve been spinning my chakra in a few directions but it''s not enough. I need to do more. And I need to keep the chakra flow steady.''

    Daichi began focusing his chakra and started rotating the water in the balloon. As each minute flew by, he increased the directions his chakra was moving. Sweat rolled down his face as he concentrated. His eyes were closed and his mind was on nothing else but the rotation of his chakra. He gritted his teeth and increased the rotation direction of the chakra.

    Kensei was watching everything from the sideline. He saw the balloon starting to bulge in several directions. As if bumps were forming on it. His eyes widened in disbelief. ''No way! Is he Is he really going to master the first step in a single day?''

    Daichi was in the zone. He didn''t even hear the sound of notifications popping up. All he felt was his chakra and the water spinning around in the balloon.

    "POP!"

    In the quiet backyard, the sound of the balloon popping was loud. The sound startled Daichi but a wide grin quickly formed on his face.

    "Yes! Bhooyaa!"

    Kensei was astonished. ''Unbelievable! He learned the first step in a day!? I thought he would take a week or maybe even 10 days but. A single day No! It hasn''t even been a day.''

    "Well done Daichi!" Kensei couldn''t help but congratte his grandson. He marveled at Daichi''s talents.

    "Thanks Gramps.!" Daichi had a wide smile on his face. His right hand was slightly shaking and in small pain but he wasughing.

    "You''ve learned the first step in less than a day. That''s impressive! Are you going to start the next step right now?" Kensei praised Daichi''s efforts and asked him.

    "Thanks gramps! But I''ve only learned it. I''m gonna master this first step and only after that will I start on the next one." Daichi replied with a smile.

    "Good choice." Kensei agreed with Daichi.

    Daichi looked at the skill and saw that it was up to level 51. ''Just as I thought! I learned how to pop the balloon but I haven''t mastered the technique yet. I want to get this to level 100 by the end of the night.''

    Daichi decided to increase the intensity of the training. He stood up and went to take two balloons and then filled them up with water.

    Kensei was surprised at this move. ''Is he going to use both hands?''

    Daichi now had two water balloons. One in each palm. He concentrated and began spinning his chakra. He slowly increased the directions of the rotations in both palms. His chakra drained rapidly but he kept going.

    Daichi''s concentration level was far greater than someone his age. As he increased the directions of his chakra small bumps started forming on both the balloons.

    ''Almost there.''

    He kept up the spin and the balloon on the right side popped but the balloon on the left remained without bursting.

    Daichi looked at the intact balloon. ''I was almost there'' He let out several exhausted breaths as his chakra was almost depleted.

    Daichi put the intact water balloon down and started meditating. After half an hour he resumed his training.

    Kensei watched Daichi push himself. ''This kid is relentless.''

    Time flew by as Daichi trained the first step of the Rasengan. It was almost 8:30 in the night.

    Daichi was standing in his backyard panting. He struggled to take his breaths and both his hands were trembling. But Daichi was chuckling as he stood there surrounded by dozens of destroyed water balloons.

    In front of him were the stats of the chakra rotation skill. Several of his other chakra skills increased as well but Daichi had his eyes on the one skill that currently mattered to him.

    [Chakra Rotation - (Active/Passive)(LV. MAX)]

    [Effects:]

    [+200% Increase in Chakra Movement and Form.]

    [+100% Increase in Chakra Control.]

    [CP Cost: Depends on the user.]

    .

    [Congrattions. You have sessfully trained a skill to its highest level.]

    [+500 Exp.]

    [+75 Exp.]

    "Finally! It''s done! I''ve mastered the first step." Daichi suddenly swayed on his feet but Kensei appeared and steadied him.

    "Well done kid! Time for you to rest." He slowly took Daichi inside the house. As he walked into his home he looked back at the destroyed balloons and then to the child in his arms in wonder.

    ''Incredible!''

 Chapter 78: Shape Transformation Training 02

    Chapter 78: Shape Transformation Training 02

    Monday.

    [You have slept in a bed. HP, CP, SP and MP have been fully restored.]

    Daichi opened his eyes and let out a small yawn. He stretched his hands and legs and got off the bed.

    ''All the pain I felt is gone. I feel good as new. Both mind and body. Thank you, Gamer ability!''

    Daichi smirked as he got ready for the day. He thought about everything that happened during the Uchiha massacre and the speech the third Hokage gave the next day.

    After the Uchiha massacre the Hokage held a vige announcement the next day. It was to address what had happened and he said someforting words to reassure the people of their safety.

    ''The academy is also closed for the whole week. People are afraid of letting their children out of sight. I don''t me them. An entire n was killed in a single night. And one of the strongest too. He must think a week would be enough to calm them down. There are also a lot more ninjas on patrol. A show of force for the vigers.''

    Daichi put on some new clothes and got ready. ''This week I''ll be focusing on nothing but Rasengan training. I need toplete it quickly and then move on to the next tasks.''

    Daichi then thought about the events and his mind wandered to two particr people. ''Reo I wonder how you must feel. You must miss them huh!... Sasuke. Will you walk down the path of the avenger or will you choose a different road?''

    As Daichi thought about those two, he was in a dilemma? ''Should I reveal her existence to him?'' After thinking about it for a while Daichi made a decision. He went downstairs and saw Kensei sipping his morning tea.

    "Good morning!" Kensei greeted his grandson.

    "Morning Gramps!" Daichi sat down and ate some breakfast.

    "How are you feeling right now?" Kensei asked the kid.

    Daichi raised an eyebrow at the question. Kensei borated on seeing Daichi''s expression.

    "You were pretty worn out. You''ve greatly exhausted your chakra by the time you were done yesterday. So"

    Daichi nodded as he heard Kensei. "I''m good. I''m feeling much better. And I''m ready for the next step. I''ll be spending the week on this training Well after I''ve had my morning workouts." Daichi quickly finished his breakfast and went toplete the daily tasks of the long running quest.

    Kensei sighed as he had already predicted this. He sensed Daichi''s chakra the moment he woke up. ''His chakra is fully recovered. I knew it! His body can heal and recover to peak form even after such intense chakra exertions after a single night''s rest I suppose I''ll add that to the rest of the abnormalities of his body. And it''s not just that. His chakra volume had grown again.''

    Kensei thought back to theirst fight. ''Even though he is only 8 years old his physical strength and chakra level is almost equal to a high chunin. I''ve had to use much more force than usual to even bruise him. And he hasn''t even hit puberty yet. What kind of a beast would he be by the time he bes a genin or he reaches 16? I can''t see his limits. Is that a good thing or a bad thing? Only time will tell I suppose!''

    The old ninja sighed and continued sipping his tea. Once he was done he went to the porch and sat in silence.

    Daichi was going through his morning workouts. He thought about yesterday''s gains. ''Got a new skill and several of my chakra rted skills have gone up. Not to mention the 5 point increase in my chakra stat. Now it''s at 115. I have a feeling it will keep increasing as Iplete this training.''

    Hepleted the workout shortly after and then meditated. Daichi wanted to be in top form before starting the second step of the Rasengan. After half an hour of meditation Daichi went to get the rubber balls.

    He took one and then stood in the middle of the backyard. He had a single rubber ball in his right hand and he let out a breath.

    "Time to get started."

    Daichi concentrated his chakra into his palm and started rotating the energy. The rubber ball started to show small bulges here and there but it didn''t break. As Daichi focused more chakra into the ball the bulges became more and more but the ball still remained intact. A minute after he began, as he expected, a new notification box appeared.

    [A new skill is created with a specific action.]

    [Through continuously concentrating chakra to the palm of your hand and forcing more and more to flow, the skill ''Chakra Potency'' has been created.]

    [Chakra Potency - (Active/Passive)(LV.01): A skill that helps the user master their chakra and use it more proficiently. This skill is one of several advanced chakra control techniques to help the user increase the size of their chakra volume and potency of their chakra. This skill also helps with controlling the size and range of a jutsu.]

    [Effects:]

    [+2% Increase in Chakra size and range.]

    [+0.1% Increase in Chakra Potency and CP.]

    [CP Cost: Depends on the user.]

    Daichi read the details of the new skill. ''Chakra potency huh! This skill increases the potency of my chakra and my Chakra points. That''s big. It looks like instead of control, this skill focuses on increasing the strength of my chakra Hmm Makes sense.''

    Daichi looked intently at the rubber ball. ''The academy is closed for 5 days and reopens next Monday. So that gives me a full week of training time. I have toplete this step and then thest part of the Rasengan in these 7 days.''

    With a renewed determination Daichi pushed forward. He gathered his chakra to the center of the palm and started rotating it.

    A few hours went by as he trained. The chakra potency skill increased little by little. He trained till his whole CP was down to single digits and then he would meditate for an hour. His chakra stat point increased by 2 due to the intensity of the training.

    Sweat was pouring down Daichi''s face as he concentrated on the ball in his hand. ''Come on Come on.'' As he gritted his teeth and forced more chakra into his hand, the rubber ball bulged more and more and then a light pop was heard.

    [Skill Chakra Potency''s level has risen by one.]

    Daichi was breathing hard as he looked at the result. "It popped." He looked at the small hole in the ball.

    "Well it''s a start." ''And the chakra potency skill has reached level 10 Not bad. Not bad at all for almost 4 hours of work.''

    Kensei, who was quietly sitting on the porch reading a book, was also surprised when he heard the ball pop. ''He actually managed to do it. Amazing Keep it up kid. You got this in the bag.''

    Daichi then noticed the growling sounds of his stomach and went to get something to eat. Once he had his fill he quickly returned and began to meditate under the shade of the tree and after his chakra was fully recovered, he resumed his training.

    ''The key is to increase the amount and use more chakra.'' Daichi resumed his training while Kensei narrowed his eyes and sensed Daichi''s chakra.

    ''This training forces the chakra coils in the body to expend more chakra quickly and thus expand. This will increase the chakra reserves and the power of one''s chakra. But anyone with insufficient chakra reserves would never be able toplete this training even in a few months. And this type of training also puts an enormous strain on the body. After a while you would be unable to move a finger let alone keep training''

    Kensei kept looking at Daichi as he forced more chakra and tried to pop the ball.

    ''Anyone training this control technique would be in pain andpletely exhausted. They would need to rest and recover. But this kid He is able to recover his chakra and heal much faster than normal. Especially when he meditates. I''ve heard that the first Hokage, Hashirama Senju, had simr abilities. Able to recover chakra and heal quickly But he was a freak of nature And now looking at Daichi and his speed of improvement I have a feeling he''ll one day be in the same league as the first Hokage.''

    Daichi kept training till it was nightfall. Just like before, he took turns taking rest and then resuming his training. He was only able to increase the skill to level 32 by the time he was done.

    "POP." A loud sound resonated through the backyard of the house. Daichi fell to his knees and was breathing hard. His entire body shook as he took each breath.

    "Damn Only level 32?... I thought I would be able toplete this by now"

    Daichi looked at thest ball he burst open. The hole in it was much wider than the first one. It indicated the improvement in his skill but Daichi wasn''t satisfied with it. "I need to do better"

    Daichi took several breaths and stood on shaky legs

    "Arg."

    He hissed in pain. ''My whole body feels like it''s on fire.''

    "Do you need help?" His grandfather asked him.

    Daichi shook his head. Determined to do it on his own. He took shaky steps into the house and went straight to his room. After cleaning himself up he went straight to sleep.

    -

    Tuesday.

    "Ding!"

    [You have slept in a bed. HP, CP, SP and MP have been fully restored.]

    Daichi opened his eyes as he heard the notification sound of the system message. He got out of bed and got ready for the day. He quickly freshened up and went downstairs to get something to eat.

    "Morning Gramps!" He greeted Kensei and quickly started eating.

    Kensei greeted him like normal but he was amazed at Daichi''s recovery ability. ''His chakra reserves are back to full capacity. And it doesn''t seem like he''s in any pain whatsoever. Incredible! To be able to heal with one sleep. This must be one of his abilities like immunity to direct Genjutsu attacks. I''m sure of it. But how? Is this some kind of new Kekkei Genkai ability? Or was he born with his body like this? I''m sure I''ll find out one day.''

    Kensei didn''t address his thoughts as he knew he might not get an answer from Daichi. Kensei knew Daichi loved him but he also knew Daichi wouldn''t share his secrets. He knew the child had trust issues but he didn''t know what caused it. For the moment he was content with how things were going between them.

    Daichi began the second step of the Rasengan training after hepleted his workouts. He took the rubber ball and concentrated.

    As time went by Daichi''s progress increased. He also gained 2 stat points in chakra and was able to level up several chakra rted skills. Hours passed by as he pushed himself toplete this step.

    It was evening around 6. Daichi stood with several rubber balls around him. He took a new one and focused his chakra. He narrowed his eyes and concentrated as much as he could. His chakra was rushing to his hand with great force.

    The ball bulged more and more and became unstable.

    "Boom!"

    A loud st sounded out through the area. Kensei, who was asleep, woke up with a startle.

    ''What the f?''

    He then turned his attention to Daichi.

    The rubber ball exploded in Daichi''s hands. There were small burn marks in his right palm and it hurt but he didn''t mind. He had a huge smile on his face as he looked at the shredded pieces of the ball.

    "YES! I DID IT!"

    His loud shout brought a smile to Kensei''s face. "Well done. You''ve exceeded my expectations. Nowe on. You''re done for the day. Time to get some rest."

    Daichi nodded and slowly went into the house.

 Chapter 79: Shape Transformation Training - Final

    Chapter 79: Shape Transformation Training - Final

    Daichi was in his room meditating. He spent much longer than usual due to the mental fatigue he umted throughout the day. He wasn''t at 100% but the pain and trembling throughout his body subsided.

    "Haaa" He let out a breath and got up.

    He joined his grandfather as they ate theirst meal for the day.

    "I didn''t think you''d sessfully master it in such a short time." Even after all this time Kensei was amazed at the talent Daichi disyed. And it was evident in his voice.

    Daichi nodded but he didn''t say much.

    "What''s wrong? You don''t seem satisfied!" Kensei asked the kid.

    Daichi took a few moments before he answered. "It''s just that I did learn the second step of the technique But I''m nowhere near mastering it."

    Kensei quietly listened. Daichi gathered his thoughts and exined. "I did make the rubber ball explode but I had to concentrate hard and use up a lot of chakra. It took almost over a dozen seconds to make the ball blow up."

    Kensei nodded as he understood Daichi''s intentions. "So you want to reduce the time taken and refine your control over this step."

    Daichi nodded. "Yeah!" ''Right now my chakra potency skill is only at level 51. I have to get it to 100 before moving to the final step. But that''s easier said than done.''

    "It''s not just the time but you have to increase your chakra reserves as well." Kensei said to the kid.

    Daichi looked at his grandfather. Kensei exined his thoughts.

    "Only someone with above normal reserves would be able to properly use the Rasengan. To destroy the rubber ball, the person must have sufficient chakra reserves as well as have a strong chakra. So mastering the second step would definitely improve your chakra abilities. This kind of training forces your chakra coils to expand and it increases the power of your chakra as well. Giving an overall boost to your strength."

    Daichi nodded with the assessment. He rested and didn''t continue training that day.

    Wednesday.

    "Boom."

    It was night time and the sound of a rubber ball bursting was heard. Daichi fell on his hands and knees gasping for air. He looked at the chakra potency skill.

    ''Level 60? That''s it? I''ve only increased about 9 levels?''

    Daichi then opened his stats and looked at the chakra stat. ''It looks like I was able to increase my chakra stat by another 4 points.''

    Daichi tried to get up but wobbled and fell down

    "Aargh." He grunted in pain as his palm touched the hard soil. Daichi looked at his right hand.

    ''Chakra burns It stings like hell And my whole body Feels like sharp needles prickling on my insides.''

    Due to the intensity of the physical punishment Daichi put himself through, even the physical endurance skill increased in level a couple of times. Daichiid on the ground unable to move and in pain. At that moment Kensei walked towards him.

    "I would tell you to take it easy and not over do it but I know that''s not your style!" The old man said with a small smile. He then kneeled beside Daichi and extended his hands.

    "What are you?" Before Daichi could even finish the question he saw the old man''s palms lit up in green color indicating the use of medical Ninjutsu.

    Warm and cool chakra entered Daichi''s body numbing his pain.

    "Oohhh wow! That feels soo good" Daichi almost moaned as he felt the pain recede. Kensei focused on Daichi''s hand and healed the burned skin. He then focused on the rest of the body.

    Daichi saw his HP increasing. He looked at the green chakra flowing into his body. Daichi wanted to learn medical Ninjutsu but due to the gamer''s body he didn''t put much priority on it. But thest few days have changed his mind.

    "Hey gramps" Daichi slowly called.

    Kensei looked at the kid sprawled on the ground.

    "Let me guess you want to learn Medical Ninjutsu?!" Kensei had a smirk on his face as he anticipated such a thing.

    Daichi pouted as he heard the teasing tone of his grandpa. "Now you''re just showing off!"

    A couple more secondster Kensei let the green chakra flow die down and stood up. "How do you feel?" He asked.

    "Much better! Thanks." The academy student answered as he stood up. He looked at Kensei with a questioning look. "So Can I?"

    Kensei nodded. "Yes. I know your wounds heal much faster than normal but having some medical skill under your belt would be beneficial. But we''ll begin your medical training next year. When your fourth academic year begins I''ll introduce you to someone I know. By that time you''ll have a much bigger chakra volume and perfect control."

    Daichi nodded and they went inside.

    Thursday.

    Kensei was watching Daichi blow up another rubber ball. ''He''s getting better at that. The speed and power of the explosion is increasing. His chakra reserves are expanding at an incredible rate. It''s as if his body is sensing the stress and limitations and adapting itself ordingly.''

    "Hey" Daichi suddenly called out to Kensei.

    "Hmm What is it?"

    "How do I build up my chakra faster?"

    Kensei thought about it for a couple of seconds and then gave the answer.

    "Concentrate the chakra in your body into a tight spiral. This will help you familiarize the way your chakra moves and helps build up chakra reserves over time."

    Daichi nodded at that and got back to work.

    Kensei looked over to the second Daichi that was meditating under a tree. ''To think he would use shadow clones like that it''s actually brilliant.''

    Daichi took a page out of Naruto''s book and created clones at several intervals that rested and gathered chakra.

    The created clone meditated and kept himself in optimal shape. But Daichi, having his reserves halved, had to force every ounce of his chakra as he trained. But still this method did help cut down the time needed to rest.

    Daichi started his training at dawn and byte afternoon he was able to increase the chakra potency skill level to 70.

    "Boom!" Another rubber ball blew up in Daichi''s hands.

    Daichi let out a breath as he looked at the remains of the ball. He wasn''t nearly as tired as before. The boy then looked at the clone and dispelled it. The chakra of the clone came back to Daichi and was ready to increase the difficulty.

    He now had no problems destroying the rubber balls with his chakra. But the skill only reached level 70. Daichi wanted to perfect the skill before moving on to thest step.

    This time he took out two balls and held them in both hands. And just like he did with the first step, he wanted to blow up both balls at the same time. This refined his skill to perfection.

    Daichi continued training like that for the remainder of that day and the next. He got closer and closer to his goal and it only motivated him to keep pushing himself. He endured chakra burns and severe body pains and chakra exhaustion but he never stopped. With only 4.5 hours of sleep needed to be back to his best, Daichi pushed forward like a maniac.

    It was Friday night. Millions of stars lit up the sky. It was a magnificent view and Daichi wasying sprawled on the ground enjoying it.

    Chakra Potency - (Active/Passive)(LV. MAX)

    Effects:

    +200% Increase in Chakra size and range.

    +10% Increase in Chakra Potency and CP.

    CP Cost: Depends on the user.

    Congrattions. You have sessfully trained a skill to its highest level.

    +500 Exp.

    +75 Exp.

    "Finally!... It''s done."

    Daichi had mastered the second step to perfection. The chakra potency skill was now leveled up to a hundred. He also gained another 6 points in chakra stat in thest two days, bringing his chakra points to 129.

    It wasn''t the only stat to grow. The stamina and vitality stats also gained several points during thest week.

    After a few minutes Daichi sat up and meditated. Once the fatigue left and his chakra was somewhat restored he stood and went to a nearby giant rock.

    ''I remember Jiraiya showing Naruto how the Rasengan attack would look like, after mastering the first two steps.''

    Daichi stood in front of the rock and gathered chakra into his right palm. Within a second a powerful torrent of chakra swirled into life and spun in Daichi''s right hand.

    Without wasting a second Daichi thrust his hand into the rock. The Rasengan made contact and blew a few chunks of the rock away. The rock didn''t crumble but it had a deep spiral grove etched into it. The mark of the iplete Rasengan.

    Daichi looked at the results.

    ''It''s simr to what Jiraiya shows Naruto. I''ve sessfully mastered the first two steps. Took me 6 days toplete them But now I''m ready. Time for thest one.''

    Daichi then looked at clouds blocking the moon light and the stars. ''Ok, maybe tomorrow. ''

    Saturday.

    Daichi blew air into a balloon and soon tied the end and held it in his hand. He remembered the principles of the first two steps. ''Rotation and power. And now the final one. Containment.''

    Daichi began gathering chakra and in seconds the empty balloon had bulges forming on its surface and the next second it exploded.

    ''Need more control.''

    He took another balloon and repeated the process. Each time the balloon exploded Daichi felt that he was getting closer and closer to his target. After a couple more tries a new skill appeared.

    [A new skill is created with a specific action.]

    [Through continuously concentrating chakra to the palm of your hand and trying to contain it, the skill ''Chakra Confinement'' has been created.]

    Chakra Confinement - (Active/Passive)(LV.01): A skill that helps the user master their chakra and use it more proficiently. This skill is one of several advanced chakra control techniques to help the user control and confine their chakra to a specific area.

    Effects:

    +2% Increase in Chakra Form.

    +2% Increase in Chakra control.

    CP Cost: Depends on the user.

    Even though the third step was the most difficult, once Daichi got the hang of it, he was able to make quick progress. Byte night, Daichi had leveled up thetest skill to 62.

    Sunday.

    It was Sunday. Daichi woke up early and got ready. He wanted toplete thest step today as the academy would resume sses tomorrow.

    ''Once the sses start I wouldn''t be able to dedicate my time to training like I had been this week.''

    The moment Daichi began training the third step, he knew it would be a challenging task.

    Daichi took another balloon as the one in his hand popped. ''This is by far the most difficult step. Combining the previous two aspects is not easy. It''s no wonder there are only a handful of people who can use the Rasengan.''

    Daichi created several shadow clones to speed up the control training and it helped. All of them used both hands and trained hard all day.

    ''It''ll take too much time if I don''t train like this. Since this part is all about the containment and control aspect of chakra, the shadow clones would be of great help.''

    Each time a shadow clone made significant progress, Daichi dispelled them. To counteract the fatigue he got from the clones, Daichi had a couple clones meditate as well. The level of the skill was rising much faster as Daichi had perfected his previous chakra control exercises. Daichi also had the ''Absolute Chakra Mastery'' skill working for him. It tremendously helped in speeding things up.

    Skill Chakra Confinement''s level has risen by one.

    Daichi didn''t use shortcuts like Naruto. Yet by dusk he was able to level up the skill to Max. Even though it was difficult at first and the most difficult step, Daichi managed toplete it in a single day.

    Congrattions. You have sessfully trained a skill to its highest level.

    +500 Exp.

    +75 Exp.

    Chakra Confinement - (Active/Passive)(LV. MAX)

    Effects:

    +200% Increase in Chakra Form.

    +200% Increase in Chakra control.

    CP Cost: Depends on the user.

    Daichi looked at the motionless balloon in his hand and grinned. The balloon didn''t make a single ripple, indicating that Daichi had mastered the technique.

    He then let go of the technique and went to the nearby rock. The same rock that had the spiral pattern on it.

    Daichi held his hand and gathered his chakra. Within a second a bright blue ball of swirling chakra came to life.

    Kensei who was watching Daichi was gobsmacked. ''That''s That''s the Rasengan He did it He actually did it! In a single week he mastered what it took others months and even years to learn.'' Watching the blue ball of chakra in Daichi''s hand, Kensei''s eyes widened and his jaw dropped.

    Daichi looked at the blue ball of chakra in glee and amazement. ''One of the most iconic jutsus in the world And I''m holding it in my palm.''

    Daichi was unable to hold back any longer. His eyes narrowed and he thrust the ball towards the rock.

    "Rasengan!" He excitedly shouted.

    "BOOM!"

    The chakra ballpletely crushed the giant rock as if it were brittle ss. Only a few small chunks of it survived.

    At that moment he read several notifications that appeared. Daichi read the messages and his grin widened.

 Chapter 80: Origin of a Teacher Student Bond

    Chapter 80: Origin of a Teacher Student Bond

    Daichi was walking through the somewhat quiet streets of the leaf vige. Even though a week had passed the vigers were still reeling from the Uchiha incident.

    Daichi slightly shook his head as if to get rid of the memories of that incident. His mind then went to the messages he gotst night.

    ''Not only did I get a new skill, with all the experience points I was able to level up to 38 There are four more years before my ss graduates. If I decide to graduate with them, then I''ll have plenty of time to master all the 5 chakra nature elements But should I wait that long?''

    Daichi let out a short sigh. ''I''ll decide when the timees.'' Before long he reached the academy grounds.

    It didn''t take long for him to reach his ssroom. As Daichi entered the room he saw some kids whispering and pointing towards Sasuke. He could somewhat hear their discussion.

    As Daichi looked at Sasuke he thought about the question Kensei had asked him that morning.

    shback.

    "Are you going to tell Sasuke Uchiha about the girl?" Kensei asked the question as Daichi was about to leave for the academy.

    Daichi halted as he heard the question. He had been thinking about it for a while and made a choice.

    "No! Right now the only thing keeping Reo safe is her anonymity. If I tell Sasuke, there is a chance he''ll go and see her and that would put her at risk. I''m not gonna do that." Daichi replied.

    Kensei nodded after hearing him. "It''s your choice."

    shback End.

    Daichi looked at the brooding Uchiha sitting in the middle row looking out the window.

    ''It''s also because I don''t trust Sasuke. If things follow as it did in the story then Sasuke will turn against the vige. When that happens His character is unpredictable. He might try to take her away from the vige or try to kill her He''s not someone I can put my trust in. I wouldn''t be able to turn him away from the path of vengeance. And he needs Orochimaru''s training to prepare for the future enemies Or does he?''

    Daichi gave up on that line of thought. ''Problems forter.''

    He took his seat in the back and leaned back in his chair. It wasn''t long before Shikamaru, Kiba, Naruto and the others arrived.

    "You heard about what happened didn''t you?" Shikamaru asked Daichi as he sat next to him.

    "Yeah And even after a week the vigers are a bit tense." Daichi replied in a low voice.

    "It''s not surprising! Something like that has never happened before My mom didn''t even let me go out of the house for the first few days after it happened" Shikamaru didn''t say anything more andid his head on the desk to take a nap.

    Daichi noticed that Naruto was unexpectedly subdued. He quietly went to his seat and leaned back in his chair and just whistled.

    ''Perhaps he read the situation and felt that it was not the best time for antics Or maybe he''s just tired and I''m reading too much into this?''

    Iruka sensei came and sses started.

    A few days passed and things somewhat returned to normal. Sasukepeted with Daichi at the academy and Naruto resumed his pranks on Iruka. Daichi was focused on improving some of his current skills and leveling them up to 100. He decided he would start on the Nature transformation chakra in a week.

    It was at this time another incident took ce.

    It was Friday morning and Daichi was on his way to the academy. As he reached the academy he saw Shikamaru and Choji running towards him. Both of them quickly reached Daichi and were slightly out of breath.

    Daichi was surprised. "What''s got you two excited?" He asked the two. He then noticed the serious expression on Shikamaru''s face. "What''s wrong?"

    "It''s Naruto. He went into the back hills." Shikamaru said.

    Daichi was confused. "What? Why? sses are about to start."

    "It was Hibachi. He tricked Naruto into thinking you''re there searching for some secret treasure and was looting the enemy ninja''s corpses. But seeing as you''re here, it looks like Hibachi yed a bad prank on Naruto." Shikamaru answered.

    "What?" Daichi''s eyes narrowed as he listened.

    "Yeah. We overheard them talking and saw Naruto taking off. We were on our way to the academy to tell Iruka sensei." Choji replied.

    Daichi was momentarily confused but then memories of a certain episode came to his mind.

    ''Fuck!''

    Daichi''s face immediately darkened. "Both of you listen. You need to get to the academy quickly and tell Iruka sensei what happened. I''m going after him."

    "Wait, what?"

    Without waiting to exin, Daichi bolted from there. He had explored most of the vige areas several times over thest few years. So he knew how to get to the back hills.

    As Daichi was running through the streets his mind went through certain memories.

    ''This incident must be the filler episode incident. The one with Iruka and those Taki ninjas. I thought since I changed some things in Naruto''s life, that it wouldn''t happen. Looks like I was wrong Is this the universe correcting itself? And this also confirms that fillers are real And that Hibachi. How dare he use my name I''ll deal with him when I get back!''

    Daichi increased his speed and quickly reached the hills. He stood for a moment and concentrated. He used the chakra sense skill. After a couple of seconds

    ''Found him!''

    Daichi opened his eyes as he sensed the massive chakra of his friend. He quickly jumped and took to the trees. Within minutes he saw Naruto and jumped down near him, startling the kid.

    "Ahh! What the Daichi?" Naruto fell on his butt, startled by Daichi''s suddennding. He quickly regained hisposure and jumped up.

    "Aha! I found you!"

    Daichi sighed, hearing him. "Idiot! I''m the one who found you."

    "Hey! You find the secret treasure yet?" Naruto excitedly asked.

    "There is no secret treasure and I wasn''t even here. Hibachi tricked you."

    "He did what?" Naruto lowered his head then clenched his fist. "That bastard I can''t believe he did that"

    "Yeah Nowe on. We better get back to the academy."

    Naruto then looked at Daichi with a serious expression. "Hey. You think it''s true?"

    "What are you talking about?"

    "That there might be treasure hidden here? I heard that some enemy ninjas were fighting here in the forest a couple days ago. Wanna go find it?" Despite being tricked, Naruto had a smile on his face as he looked at Daichi and asked that question.

    Daichi had been keeping an eye on his surroundings and hadn''t sensed any enemy chakra yet. He was about to decline and bring Naruto back but stopped himself. He thought about the situation.

    ''The safest and most rational option is to bring this knucklehead back to the academy and let the ninjas handle the situation. But if the enemy ninja has stashed documents here like in the story then without anyone to intervene the Taki ninjas might find it and sensitive information could fall into enemy hands.''

    ''On the other hand if I decide to help him, then we can find the documents and quickly get out of here. If I remember correctly then it was 3 chunin level Taki ninjas who were here. Based on what I remember, I won''t die or even get hurt by weak people like them. But since my existence has changed things here, is there anything else that has changed? Does the butterfly effect still exist? Do they have reinforcement? Or this time instead of chunin could it be Jonin?''

    After thinking about it for a few more seconds Daichi made a choice. ''The best and wisest course of action is to get out of here.''

    "Hey Anyone home! Earth to Daichi! You there?" Daichi saw an impatient Naruto with hands crossed, and foot tapping on the ground.

    "I''m sorry Naruto but we better leave. sses have already started. Not to mention the troubles we''d be in if there are enemy ninjas here."

    Naruto had a downcast expression as he heard Daichi''s answer.

    At that moment a new quest appeared for Daichi.

    ''Damn it! Why system, why!?'' Daichi mentally screamed as he looked at the quest.

    Quest Created - ''Retrieve The Documents.''

    Sessfully retrieve the documents stashed by the enemy spy and defeat your opponents.

    Rewards:

    3000 Exp.

    Reputation increases with Naruto, Iruka Umino and Kakashi Hatake.

    Reputation increases with Hiruzen Sarutobi and Kensei Yasaji.

    Failure:

    Reputation decreases with everyone.

    ept (Y/N)

    Daichi looked at the quest details. ''I could refuse the quest but those exp. points Can''t refuse that''

    "Ughhh. " Daichi let out a long sigh. ''Fuck it!'' Daichi epted the quest.

    "Fine let''s search the ce." Hearing Daichi answer, a wide smile spread on Naruto''s face.

    "Yes." He pumped his fists and screamed.

    But at that moment someone else joined them. Irukanded next to the two academy students.

    "Thank God I found you two."

    "Iruka sensei!? Why are you here?" Naruto frowned as he asked the question.

    "Looking for the two of you. Do you have any idea how dangerous it is here right now! Naruto, it was foolish toe here for such a stupid reason. And Daichi, it was reckless following him here." The academy instructor admonished the kids.

    Daichi looked sheepish and replied. "Sorry sensei."

    Iruka let out a small breath. "Alright you two back with me!"

    "No way!" Naruto shouted.

    "Naruto, you need toe with me to ss.!"

    "You don''t even like me. You only want me there because it''s convenient for you." Naruto shouted.

    Daichi noticed that Naruto''s words had an impact on the chunin.

    Iruka was taken aback by what the boy had said and looked down in sadness. He thought about everything that had happened with his parents on the night of the attack and his life since. He then remembered the reason why he became a teacher in the first ce. A momentter he looked at Naruto with a softer face.

    "Naruto, I''m still taking you back to the academy. You too Daichi! Follow me."

    Naruto, hearing this, suddenly had a mischievous grin. Daichi seeing the look on Naruto''s face knew he was up to no good.

    "Alright, n B!... Sexy jutsu!" Naruto yelled and quickly used the transformation jutsu.

    Smoke covered his body in an instant and then he turned into a naked teenage girl version of himself wearing only bikinis.

    "Gha!... You little brat" A stunned Iruka fell down with a giant nosebleed.

    "Ha! Grownups are so easy to fool.!" Naruto wasughing as he looked at his teacher.

    Daichi looked at the whole scene with utter bewilderment. ''Huh! He really fell down because of the nosebleed. I thought it was just someic relief Some things just don''t make sense. Or maybe they''re not meant to!''

    Daichi shook his head and looked at the transformed Naruto. ''I don''t get what the big deal is It''s just a bikini body and I know it''s Naruto. Feels kinda gross just thinking about it.''

    A shiver ran up Daichi''s spine.

    Naruto looked at the fallen chunin and then to his friend who was looking at him with a deadpan expression.

    "You resisted my sexy jutsu. I didn''t expect you to be so strong." The amazement in Naruto''s voice was unmasked.

    "Why do you sound so surprised? Don''t think this dumbass jutsu will work on me!"

    "Come on. Let''s get out of here before he wakes up." Naruto said before running away from there.

    Daichi looked at the fallen chunin teacher and sighed. He then followed Naruto deeper into the forest.

 Chapter 81: Enemy Ninja Attacks

    Chapter 81: Enemy Ninja Attacks

    3 Shadows swiftly moved through the trees of the back hills. They were searching everywhere their teammate hade in contact with inside the forest.

    "We need to find those documents quickly." The one leading, urged to the other two.

    "Itachi Uchiha killing the Uchiha n has left the vige severely weakened. Otherwise we wouldn''t have made it this far. Our vige superiors know this. It''s why we were given this task. We need toplete it before the leaf gets back on its feet." The person led the three person squad and was thoroughly searching the forest.

    As they were searching the area suddenly they heard some voices.

    "Shh!... Hear that?!" The three quietly went to investigate and found two children searching for something as well.

    -

    Daichi and Naruto were looking through the woods. As they looked through the area they came across a field littered with shuriken, kunai and a couple of swords. There were burn mark on the woods indicating the use of fire jutsu and the two could see some trees that were destroyed by what was most likely an explosive paper bomb.

    "This must be the battlefield So whatever is hidden has to be near here." Naruto eximed.

    Daichi looked at the area and nodded. He was keeping an eye on his surroundings as they searched. Getting caught unaware could be deadly. Daichi had learned this lesson in the dungeon on multiple asions.

    As Naruto and Daichi looked around the ce he suddenly sensed 3 chakras slowlying near them. Daichi didn''t make any outward indication that he sensed their presence.

    Daichi used the chakra sense skill and tried to gauge his enemy discreetly. He also enhanced his sense of hearing and smell. To the world Daichi was simply looking through the bushes, rocks and trees but he was secretly analyzing his soon to be opponents.

    ''3 chakra signatures moving from the east. I don''t sense any other enemy signatures here and I don''t hear or smell anyone else other than the three and Naruto and Iruka in the forest. So this team is most probably the same as that in the story. And based on their chakra level they won''t be that much to handle. That''s good.''

    "Hey Daichi, pick up the pace you slow poke. We got a lot of ces to search." Naruto yelled from above the tree branches. He jumped and resumed his search elsewhere.

    "Yes, boss!" Daichi saluted in a mock style and calmly looked through the ce. He wanted to make sure these three let their guard down around him.

    ''I already found the nest and saw the top of the kunai. If things happened the way they did then the kunai containing the documents must be there. But I can''t just walk up to the nest and retrieve it. It has to be Naruto. And also I need to test something.''

    Since Daichi was openly helping with finding the documents, he wanted to minimize the risks. ''The Hokage wouldn''t think twice about how we found the secret documents but still The cautious approach is the best one. Having Naruto retrieve the documents reduces the chances of any suspicion to zero. And not only that, if I have to engage the enemy ninjas in a fight I can''t let Naruto get involved. So he should be the one to hold on to the information.''

    Daichi was making ns as to how to best neutralize the threats.

    Naruto was eagerly searching the ce but after 20 minutes had passed he was starting to get tired. He searched for a few more minutes before sitting down on the ground tiredly.

    "Ohh man! There''s nothing here. What a waste of time." Naruto said dejectedly.

    "Sorry Naruto. Maybe on our next adventure." Daichi said with a small smile. ''Come on Look at the nest Should I use mana maniption on him?''

    At that moment Naruto''s stomach grumbled.

    Daichi was happy inside as he heard the kids'' tummy rumble. ''Yes! Saved by hunger.''

    "Man, I''m so hungry!" As Naruto looked around he saw a nest on the tree branch. "Well, we may not have treasure but at least we''ll get some fresh eggs!"

    Naruto quickly climbed the tree and reached the nest. It was at that moment something shiny caught his eyes. "Yes!" He shouted with excitement.

    Daichi held in his smirk and quickly went near his friend. "Look at that. You found it. Well done!"

    "Yeah. I was about to give up there for a minute." Naruto eximed as he looked at the weapon. He took and looked at it from different angles.

    "What a weird looking kunai. And it looks like there''s something tied to it. Whatever it is, I bet it''s important." Naruto was excited to share his findings with Daichi.

    As Daichi looked at the kunai he also kept a close eye on the three chakra signatures. He could hear them speaking and could hear someone ordering the other two to move. Daichi''s eyes narrowed.

    ''They''reing.''

    "You got that right kid. And they are more important than you know. So hand it over and you can live to see tomorrow."

    Three masked ninjas quickly appeared and the one in the middle spoke to Naruto. Their faces and head band was covered concealing their origin.

    "No way. If it''s important then I''m definitely not giving it to you." Naruto was stubborn and looked unafraid.

    The one who spoke then looked at Daichi and spoke. "Hey you! You look like a smart kid. Do you really want to die because of your friend''s stubbornness? Either take it and give it to us or run away. Do that and we''ll let you live." Daichi frowned at the arrogant tone in which it was said.

    He quietly looked at the three of them.

    ''Observe''

    [LV.43] [Hina]

    Age: 26

    HP: 4875 CP: 4035

    [A chunin kunoichi affiliated with the Vige hidden in the Waterfalls. Hina is assigned as the team''s healer for this mission. Primarily uses fire nature attacks. Capable in shuriken jutsu and some simple medical jutsu. Knowledgeable in herbs.]

    [LV.45] [Ichiko]

    Age: 25

    HP: 4733 CP: 4187

    [A chunin kunoichi affiliated with the Vige hidden in the Waterfalls. Ichiko is assigned as the team captain for this mission. Primarily uses fire nature attacks. Capable in shuriken jutsu and swordsmanship. Has some experience infiltrating enemy lines.]

    [LV.44] [Akari]

    Age: 25

    HP: 4902 CP: 4200

    [A chunin kunoichi affiliated with the Vige hidden in the Waterfalls. Assigned as additional strength to the team. Primarily uses fire nature attacks. And capable in shuriken jutsu and swordsmanship.]

    Daichi stayed silent and quickly read the information. To everyone else he was looking at the three as if he had no cares in the world. Because of his sunsses they couldn''t see his eyes and his silence made the scene awkward for a few seconds.

    "Hey kid. You deaf or an idiot?" One of the three couldn''t help but ask.

    "He''s probably petrified in fear facing real ninjas. You leaf kids. So pathetic." The threeughed looking at the silent Daichi.

    "Hey! You take that back. You don''t know us." Naruto was angry after hearing their remarks. He was about to say more but Daichi raised his hand and stopped him.

    He looked at the three and only uttered a few words.

    "Bunch of fools."

    Although it was said in a soft tone, in the quiet forest everyone heard it clearly.

    The three ninjas quickly quickly became angry hearing him.

    "What did you say you brat?"

    "Let''s just get rid of these three and get the documents."

    "Yes. I agree."

    The three spies were getting ready to attack the 2 students.

    Daichi quickly looked at Naruto and said "Zeus formation." Naruto heard Daichi and smirked. He nodded and both of them immediately took off into the forest.

    The three enemies quickly chased after them and started hurling shurikens at the two. Both of them nimbly dodged the sharp throwing stars aimed their way. They lured the three into the trap-filled portion of the jungle.

    Naruto and Daichi had been through the back hills several times. So they were aware of the different traps that were hidden in the forest. Naruto smirked as he remembered the day his friend taught him a few code words in case of any troubles.

    shback.

    Daichi brought Naruto to an empty room in the academy and told the kid he was going to teach him some code words. In case they were ever in trouble.

    "Now I need you to pay attention, Naruto."

    "Do I really need to remember this?"

    "Yes.! So pay attention. Now the first one. If we are ever in trouble and the enemy is about to attack us then the code for that is ''Zeus formation'', got it?"

    "Yes. So if we hear ''Zeus formation'', then we attack the enemies before they attack us?" Naruto asked in excitement.

    "No. We run away. This code is there if the enemy outnumber us or is stronger than us."

    "But I don''t want to run." Naruto said with a pout.

    "It''s called a tactical retreat. We can try to lure them into a trap or just run to safety as fast as we can. Depending on the situation." "Now for the next one."

    "How many are there?"

    "Just a couple. I''ll tell you the restter. Don''t want to fry that small brain of yours" Daichi said with a smirk.

    "Hey!"

    shback End.

    Both of them set off the hidden traps in the forest hindering the three enemies. Naruto and Daichi quickly gained distance and while they were running, Daichi created a shadow clone.

    "Is that a solid clone?" Naruto asked with amazement.

    "Yep. He''ll be a distraction when the timees." Daichi replied.

    "So I never got the chance to ask Who is Zeus?" Naruto asked Daichi.

    "Hmm. I read in an old story book that says Zeus was the god of the sky and ruler of thunder and lightning. The reason I gave that name to this code is To remember to run like lightning." Daichi replied.

    "Thats a dumb reasoning... you know it''s kindame giving the name of a god to a running away tactic." Naruto said with a smallugh.

    An invisible arrow hit Daichi''s heart as he heard that. ''I can''t believe I just got called dumb by Naruto of all people.'' "Maybe I was just too bored to think up another cool name." Daichi replied with a sad smile.

    As both of them were jumping through the trees Daichi sensed Iruka''s chakra signature closing in on them. Within a few seconds the teacher appeared in their view. He body flickered in front of them and all of them came to a stop.

    "You two I found you atst." Iruka said with relief.

    "We need to get going sensei. We have enemy ninjas after us." Daichi quickly said.

    "What?" Iruka''s eyes widened.

    Daichi sensed the three catching up to them. "Toote."

    The three ninjas quickly jumped down a few meters away from them. Iruka looked at the three ninjas. Most of their face was covered by a ck cloth. But he knew the gear they used was not ones used by the leaf ninjas.

    "You three you''re not from the leaf vige. What''s your purpose for entering the vige without permission?" Iruka asked them.

    "Like we''d tell our goals that easily."

    "Hand over that blond kid and walk away."

    As the three got ready and stood in a fighting stance Daichi and his clone looked at each other and nodded.

    One of the Daichi''s looked at Iruka and Naruto and spoke in a low voice. "Iruka sensei. You can''t fight all three of them while protecting us. So we need to retreat. When I drop the smoke bomb, I''ll use my clone as a distraction and we run as fast as we can."

    Iruka looked at the two Daichis and was impressed. ''He''s right. I can''t fight the three and protect both of them. It''s best to leave here. Still To think he can make shadow clones. He must be nning on using the clone to fight them and buy time while we escape. Not a bad n. If we rush out of here, we can leave the forest and get some backup.''

    Both of them nodded to the n. Daichi immediately dropped a ck ball and covered the area in ck smoke. Daichi, Naruto and Iruka ran out through the forest while another Daichi stayed behind.

    The three spies jumped out of the smoke and stood on a tall branch. They looked at the lone student standing in their way.

    "You think a mere clone will stop us. How stupid. You will pay for dying us You two go after them. We can''t let them out of this forest with those secrets."

    "Understood!" The other two ninjas were about to leave when several shuriken wereing towards all of them with precision.

    "Evade!" The team leader shouted.

    All three of them jumped and barely dodged the projectiles aimed at their vitals.

    "We''ll deal with this clone swiftly and then chase after them." One of them said.

    "You''re mistaken." The voice of Daichi suddenly interrupted them.

    "What are you talking about?"

    "I''m not a clone. I''m the real deal It''s true that I did create a clone. But it''s to distract them. They wouldn''t have left if they knew I would stay behind to fight. So I used the clone as a distraction. A distraction for them that is" Daichi said with a smirk.

    "You brat. If that''s true then you''re a bigger fool than I thought. Just because you joined the ninja academy, do you think you can take on real ninjas? How dumb. You will pay for your overconfidence."

    All three of them took out their swords and pointed them at Daichi.

    ----------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 82: Show of strength

    Chapter 82: Show of strength

    Daichi smirked, hearing theirments. "Like I said before. A bunch of fools."

    "This kid is getting on my nerves." The leader of the team was aggravated hearing the child.

    Daichi looked at the three nonchntly. A cold smile grew on his face as he looked at them.

    "Based on your outfits I''d say you''re not from the leaf. And judging by your voice and the pheromones you give out I''d say you''re females. Ages approximately between 23 and 28. Based on your chakra level and shuriken jutsu skills I''m guessing chunin ranks."

    The enemy spies stiffened as they heard the child speak. Daichi looked at the three who were now cautious. He continued.

    "You''re not from the other great nations. I''m absolutely sure they wouldn''t send amatures like you three to infiltrate this vige." Daichi smirked as he could see the signs of anger as they heard that.

    "I also heard rumors that an enemy infiltrator died fighting here in the forest. A single enemy. And your timing here in the vige Less than two weeks after the Uchiha massacre. You wanted to take advantage of the temporary blindspot in the leaf''s security. So predictable"

    "You''re a lot smarter than you look brat! Too bad. You could have lived if you had just walked away from the beginning. But now we can''t let you leave here alive after knowing about us." The leader who Daichi knew as Ichiko spoke. "And just because you made a few deductions about us doesn''t mean you know what we''re capable of!"

    Daichi smirked. "Don''t I? Assuming that person who died was your friend/teammate I''d say you guys are a 4 person squad from one of the minor viges. And I''d say you''re the leader of the team." Daichi pointed to Ichika. He then pointed to the one his observation said was Hina.

    "And you''re the healer of the group aren''t you? I can smell the faint scents of several herbs on your fingers. And then there''s your chakra Based on what I sensed and the properties of your chakra, I can tell that you''re all fire style jutsus users" Daichi smirked as he finished.

    Daichi remembered one of the lessons his grandfather imparted onto him.

    shback.

    It was an evening day and Daichi and Kensei were having a Shogi match.

    "In a battle, attacking your enemy''s mental state is just as important as attacking their body." Kensei said as he moved another piece on their shogi board.

    Daichi looked at the move his grandfather just made and cautiously chose his next step. "You''re talking about psychological warfare, aren''t you?"

    "Yes! If you are able to unbnce your opponent, affect his mental state, no matter how big or small, it will have an effect on the battlefield. And sometimes that could be the deciding factor in a life or death battle."

    "I see."

    shback End.

    Daichi looked at the three. "Tell me, have I gotten anything wrong?"

    The three spies couldn''t believe that a child would be able to analyze them so quickly and with minimal interactions. They took the child in front of them much more seriously.

    "No! You''re right about everything." The leader took off her face clothes revealing her face and headband. The other two followed.

    "The vige hidden in the Waterfalls." Daichi said, looking at their headbands.

    "That''s right. You''re smart. Much smarter than we gave you credit for. Letting you leave here will be a mistake." The leader Ichiko clenched her sword and got ready to attack.

    You have sensed killing intent.

    Daichi just smiled. He raised a single hand seal and released the shadow clone. As the chakra and memories of the clone came, Daichi slightly grimaced. ''Yeesh! Naruto and Iruka are not happy with me. Need to find some way to pacify them after I''m done with these three.''

    Daichi then focused his attention on the enemies in front of him. ''Make the first move Daichi! Don''t let them dictate the battle.''

    Several shuriken appeared in Daichi''s hands. The next instant they flew at the three spies aimed with precision.

    "Dodge!!" Ichiko shouted and the three were able to dodge most of the shuriken but a few still struck them in non vital areas.

    The threended surrounding Daichi. All three of them were now wary of the child.

    The team captain Ichiko looked at the child in horror. ''The speed and strength with which those shuriken came If we were even a secondte in dodging We''d be dead right now I was wrong. This kid is definitely not some weakling academy student.''

    The team healer Hina looked at her wounds and then the wounds on her teammates. Her heart was pounding in her chest. ''All the injuries seem non lethal. But it was only luck that we escaped with such minor wounds. Those shuriken were aimed at our vitals. This child. He was aiming to kill.''

    Thest member of the team, Akari, looked at Daichi with newfound caution and slight fear. ''His shurikenjutsu skills show that he''s fought with other highly trained ninjas before. The skills and the deadly precision He was looking to kill us. There is no way he''s an academy student.''

    With revealing their secrets and unbncing them mentally and with just one show of force, Daichi put pressure on the three enemy kunoichis.

    You have sensed killing intent.

    "Attack." The team captain Ichiko gave the order and rushed towards Daichi with her sword aimed at his head. The other two followed suit. Three of them rushed towards Daichi as fast as they could.

    But to Daichi they were painfully slow. He was on alert and looked at the threeing. His face showed no signs of distress.

    ''Why am I not feeling any fear? These three Even though I''m outnumbered and they intend to kill me, I don''t sense any threat from them. My heart is beating normally and I''m so calm. It''s as if my body isn''t registering them as a threat. Is it because they''re pitifully weak or have I gotten that strong?''

    Daichi sidestepped and evaded the sword swings with minimal effort. He continued dodging the shes while keeping the same bored expression on his face which only infuriated the enemies. After dodging a few more swings Daichi suddenly disappeared from their view.

    "What!? Where''d he go?" The three looked around and after a few seconds found Daichi sitting on a branch looking down at them.

    "Who are you? There is no way you''re an academy student. What are you? Some kind of secret Jonin?" The leader Ichiko shouted at Daichi.

    "No! I am a student at the academy. Third year now." Daichi said with a smile.

    "Bullshit! Like I''d believe that." She didn''t speak any more and quickly threw several shuriken at Daichi. The other two attacked as well.

    Almost two dozen shurikens flew at Daichi. He smirked and took two shuriken and aimed them at the weaponsing at him.

    The two shurikensunched by Daichi hit the ones in the front and changed its path, striking the others and starting a chain reaction. In moments all the shuriken were hit and their paths slightly changed and struck the trees surrounding Daichi, and none even got close to him.

    The eyes of the three ninjas widened as they saw the scene. ''No way! He was able to deflect all of them with just two shuriken of his own?.!!''

    The ninja Akari''s eyes widened as she saw what just happened. At that moment a certain memory and an image of a child came to her mind.

    Several years ago she was attending her Chunin exam and she saw a child several years younger than her, participating. At first she felt pity and contempt but after seeing his skills throughout the exams she felt fear towards him. She also remembered the cold remorseless eyes of the child as he defeated his enemies with ease. The child''s skills, name and image was forever imprinted on her mind. A child she vowed to never go up against.

    Akari looked at Daichi with renewed fear. Sweat rolled down her face as she looked up in horror and remembered the memories of her chunin exam. ''This child. His shurikenjutsu skill, his speed and strength and that cold expression He He reminds me of Itachi Uchiha!... There is no mistaking it. This child He''s just like him''

    "Captain! Forget about the mission. We need to leave now!" Akari shouted toward Ichiko.

    "What!?" The team captain couldn''t believe her ears. ''She wants us to leave? Sure this kid has some skills but Is she that afraid of a child?''

    Akari looked at Daichi in fear. ''I have to tell the vige superiors. They have to know There''s another monster hiding in the leaf vige.''

    "You think you cane and go as you please? What exactly do you take the leaf vige for? None of you are going anywhere except back to the vige under custody." Daichi said as he heard the words.

    He jumped down and looked at the three. They instantly got ready for the second round of battle.

    "I''ve seen your shurikenjutsu skills. Now let''s see how good you three are at Taijutsu." Daichi disappeared the next second after saying those words.

    "Where''d he go?" As Ichiko looked left and right, she felt a blow striking her back. She was sent flying forward and her sword fell out of her grasp.

    Akari and Hina turned around and tried to sh Daichi. He evaded the sword strikes and chopped at their wrists holding the swords. The two were forced to let go of their weapons and Daichi quickly sent the swords flying away from them.

    "You''re both chunin aren''t you? Let''s see how good your hand to handbat skills are" Daichi attacked the two enemy ninjas.

    Both of them struggled to defend themselves let alonend an attack on Daichi.

    Daichi was holding back by a wide margin. He was analyzing their fighting style and came to the conclusion that they were weak in Taijutsu skills.

    ''Even though they have higher levels than me, their strength is far below mine. So this is why I didn''t feel any sense of danger from them These three They''re just pitifully weak. I''ve seen enough.''

    Daichi sent two powerful blows and it sent the two flying and they leaned near their captain. All of them were in pain and struggling to get up.

    "I''m only gonna say this once. Surrender now ande quietly." Daichi''s tone showed no indication that he felt any mercy for them.

    The three stood on shaky legs and looked at the boy in front of them. Ichiko spoke in a low voice. "We can''t let him take us. He''s strong in Taijutsu and shurikenjutsu so he must not be very good in Ninjutsu. We have to use Synergy jutsu to finish him. Use everything you''ve got to finish him. Then we''ll leave."

    The two besides her nodded.

    What they didn''t realize is that Daichi heard every word. ''Amatures! You want to fight me in Ninjutsu? Go ahead''

    The three ninjas from the hidden waterfall vige weaved several signs.

    "Synergy jutsu. Fire style - Fire dragon jutsu."

    They converted their chakra to fire and spit it out. The three chakrabined to form a singlerge fire dragon and it headed straight for Daichi.

    Seeing the fire dragoning for him, Daichi''s hands went through several seals as well.

    ''Earth style - Mud wall!''

    A strong wall of earth immediately rose from the ground and stood tall. It was several meters tall and over two meters wide.

    The giant powerful wall took the full force of the fire dragon attack and a secondter there was an explosion. A couple of secondster the winds blew and the smoke cleared and the enemy spies saw that the giant wall was still there. Aside from a few scorch marks on the wall, there was no other indication that it had been attacked.

    "No way!" Their eyes widened looking at him. "We can''t beat him. Let''s get out of here while he''s distracted." Ichiko said and as she turned around to leave she saw Daichi a few feet in front of her. She froze as she looked at the smiling child. The other two were also petrified seeing him.

    "Sup!" Daichi greeted them.

    He disappeared and struck their pressure points. Within a second all three of them fell on the ground unconscious.

    Daichi looked at the three bodies on the ground and then looked up to a certain tree.

    "How long are you gonna hide there and watch me like a creep?" Daichi asked the unknown person who was watching everything that had happened.

    Secondster a figure stepped out of the shadows. A ninja with spiky silver hair and left eye covered with his forehead protector and wearing the standard leaf Jonin k jacket stood on the branch looking down at Daichi.

    Both of them stared at each other and didn''t say a word.

    -----------------------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 83: Meeting the Copy Cat Ninja

    Chapter 83: Meeting the Copy Cat Ninja

    Daichi looked at the Jonin standing on the tree and internally smirked. He was sure that man was there since the beginning of the skirmish.

    Daichi could have ended the fight with the three chunin spies in seconds but he wanted to put on a show for his hidden spectator. The reason was that Daichi wanted to cement his strength early on. He thought about the moment when he sensed the man lurking in the shadows.

    shback.

    Daichi threw his shurikens and watched the three ninjas clumsily dodge them. They luckily were able to avoid lethal strikes to their bodies but were still wounded.

    Daichi could see the fear spreading on their faces. As Daichi was focused on the three in front of him, he was also keeping an eye out for anyone else that might be there.

    ''Based on my memories Kakashi should be here by now But I can''t sense his chakra nor can I smell or hear him''

    Daichi then had an idea in mind. He used Mana scout and the moment he used it and expanded the range he sensed the presence of a powerful mind. One which belonged to someone of Jonin level strength.

    ''I knew it. Kakashi is here. But for how long? I''m guessing probably since before I threw the shurikens. And he was hiding his presence. So that''s why I couldn''t detect him earlier The fact that he is only observing means he wants to know what I''m capable of and then everything that happened here will be reported to the Hokage. I need to make a solid impression.''

    shback End.

    ''Observe''

    [?] [Kakashi Hatake]

    ?

    ''Of course I can''t see his level. So that means he''s even stronger than the old man? No. I''m not so sure about that. My ''Observe'' showed that Kensei''s level regressed due to the injuries he received in the war. But he has a ton of battle experience. If he and Kakashi fought I''m pretty sure the old man woulde out on top.''

    Daichi then sighed and rxed his posture. "Since a Jonin is here, I don''t have to interfere with this matter anymore. I''m sure you can take these three back to the vige."

    The silver haired ninja tilted his head as if he was curious. "What makes you think I''m a Jonin and that too from the leaf? I could be an enemy in disguise."

    Daichi had a small smile when he heard that question. "I can sense your chakra level along with its distinctive nature Lightning chakra nature but also has a strong earth nature as well. You got 2 natures going for you. So I''m pretty sure you''re a Jonin. And I''m certain my fight with these three had drawn the attention of the patrolling ninjas. I have no doubt they''ll be here in less than a minute. If you were someone from another vige you would have either attacked me as soon as possible or left without alerting your presence to me. So"

    The ninja put his hands in his pocket and leaned against the trunk of the tree. He looked at the kid below. ''He''s smart!''

    "What''s your name kid?" He asked.

    "Daichi Hekima Yours?"

    "You''re a smart kid. Find out for yourself." With those words the ninja jumped down and looked at the three unconscious spies and once he confirmed they were alive he took an orange book from his pocket and started reading it,pletely ignoring Daichi.

    Daichi sweat dropped as he saw the iconicic scene. He let out a small sigh. ''He hasn''t changed from the show. That''s a good thing I guess. I better get going.''

    "Look, I need to get back to Iruka sensei and Naruto. I''m sure they''re pissed off with the stunt I pulled. So if you don''t mind I''ll take my leave." Daichi said and waited for a response. But other than a small grunt he didn''t get anything from Kakashi.

    Daichi left the ce and headed back to the academy.

    Kakashi watched the child''s disappearing form from the corner of his eyes. ''I''ve only seen one other person with such shurikenjutsu skills and strength at his age Itachi Uchiha! And based on what I''ve seen today, I have a feeling this kid''s talent is on the same level as Itachi''s! Who is this child?''

    Shortly afterwards several patrolling ninjas appeared and they took the three spies into custody. Kakashi then quickly made his way to the Hokage''s office.

    The Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi was stamping away at the documents as usual. With the removal of Danzo from power and the loss of the Uchiha military force, his workload had increased significantly.

    "Lord Hokage, Kakashi Hatake is here to see you." His secretary informed him.

    "Send him in."

    Sarutobi looked up from the papers and saw Kakashi casually walking in with his usual book in his hands. Kakashi then closed the book and greeted his kage.

    "Lord Hokage."

    "What brings you here Kakashi?"

    "A couple of things. First, we found the teammates of the enemy spy that infiltrated a week ago. They are currently incapacitated and being taken to the interrogation rooms."

    "Good work bringing them in, Kakashi. Ibiki will get everything we need from those three."

    "Yeah. That''s the second thing. I''m not the one who dealt with them. It was a student in the academy named Daichi Hekima."

    Hiruzen''s eyes widened as he heard the name. ''Daichi? What was he doing fighting enemy ninjas?'' "Tell me everything."

    "Yes sir." Kakashi began reporting even from his point of view.

    shback.

    Kakashi was running through the tree and headed for the back hills as fast as he could. He met Shikamaru and Choji earlier while they were roaming outside the academy and heard what had happened. He instructed them to head back to the academy and left for the hills.

    ''There is a possibility that enemies could be lurking there. If that''s the case then Iruka won''t be able to keep the children safe while fighting them. I need to get there before anything happens.''

    Kakashi entered the forest and was able to track their location. He neared Iruka and the two students and before he could reveal himself he heard one of the students mention that they were a shadow clone. Kakashi could see the surprise and then anger forming on Iruka and Naruto''s face. But he didn''t stick around to find out what happened next.

    Kakashi silently leapt through the trees and headed in the direction Iruka and his group were running from. ''That reckless kid. He''s going to get himself killed.''

    He then sensed the presence of several people ahead. He quicklynded on a nearby tree and hid.

    "What are you talking about?"

    Kakashi heard the spy asking the boy. ''So that''s the kid huh.''

    "I''m not a clone. I''m the real deal It''s true that I did create a clone. But it''s to distract them. They wouldn''t have left if they knew I would stay behind to fight. So I used the clone as a distraction. A distraction for them that is"

    Kakashi could see the smirk forming on the child''s face as he said those words. Kakashi was good at reading one''s bodynguage. He saw no presence of fear or anxiousness on the child''s face. Originally he was going to intervene but he was curious as to what made the child think he could take three ninjas on his own.

    "You brat. If that''s true then you''re a bigger fool than I thought. Just because you joined the ninja academy, do you think you can take on real ninjas? How dumb. You will pay for your overconfidence."

    Kakashi saw the three spies aiming their swords at the child. He had to agree with what they said. ''Sadly, I have to agree. Learning the shadow clone jutsu is impressive at his age but all it shows is that his chakra level is a bitrger than his peers. These three look like they''re chunins. Even if they were on the weaker side of the chunin rank, taking three of them alone will be difficult for anyone below High Chunin or Jonin rank.''

    Kakashi saw the child smirk.

    "Like I said before. A bunch of fools."

    He then listened as the child analyzed the three ninjas in front of him. As Kakashi listened, he became more and more impressed with the boy''s analytical skills.

    ''From just one interaction he was able to deduce their age, gender, rank and even the nature of their chakra. He was also able to analyze their team structure. Pinpointing the leader and the healer of the group Alright Maybe this kid has some skill after all.''

    Kakashi watched the three spies take off their face masks. ''The hidden waterfall vige. What is Hisen thinking? Sending spies to infiltrate the vige at a time like this? He must know there will be repercussions to this''

    Kakashi decided that he would watch the fight and only intervene if the life of the child was in danger. He wanted to see where the boy''s confidence came from. He then saw Daichi forming a seal and sensed a spike in his chakra. ''He must have released his shadow clone.''

    What he saw next impressed him. Kakashi watched the kid send shurikens with deadly precision, wounding them. He saw the fear appearing on the enemy''s faces. He watched Daichi dodge their sword swings with ease. He looked on as the kid disappeared and reappeared on top of a nearby tree.

    ''He''s toying with them. He''s also a lot faster and stronger than he looks.''

    He looked on as Daichi then engaged the three in Taijutsu. He saw the kid dismantling their abysmal defenses with practiced ease. ''He''s had some serious training. Whoever he is, his skills are far beyond that of an academy student.''

    Kakashi then saw the three getting ready to use Ninjutsu. He was about to intervene but he stayed put when he saw Daichi making hand seals as well. A giant wall quickly sprung out of the ground protecting the kid from the attack.

    ''The speed with which his chakra responded and created that earth wall And the strength of the wall itself. Except for a few scorch marks there''s no indication it had been attacked The speed and strength of his chakra It resembles someone who''s trained in shape maniption exercises. I''m sure of it.''

    He then watched the kid incapacitate the three by striking the back of their necks. What surprised Kakashi the most was when the boy turned to face his direction.

    "How long are you gonna hide there and watch me like a creep?"

    ''He knows I''m here?! Seems there''s no point in hiding myself.''

    Kakashi stepped forward from the shadows. ''I made sure to hide my presence Che! To think I would be made by an academy student Either I''m getting sloppy and made a mistake or this kid has some exceptional senses. I''m betting it''s thetter.''

    "Since a Jonin is here, I don''t have to interfere with this matter anymore. I''m sure you can take these three back to the vige." The child spoke.

    "What makes you think I''m a Jonin and that too from the leaf? I could be an enemy in disguise." Kakashi wanted to see if he could glean any more information on the child''s abilities.

    As Daichiid out his exnation, Kakashi came to a conclusion. ''To even pick out a person''s chakra nature with such uracy. He must have a powerful sensory ability. And his intelligence and observational skills.. This child''

    ''He''s smart!''

    "What''s your name kid?" Kakashi asked the child.

    "Daichi Hekima Yours?"

    "You''re a smart kid. Find out for yourself."

    Kakashi saw the slight twitch in the kid''s eyes. He slightly smirked under his mask at being able to irritate the boy.

    shback End.

    "After that, he left!" Kakashipleted his verbal report.

    The Hokage leaned back in his chair. "I see."

    After a few seconds Hiruzen made a decision. He made a hand gesture and a secondter the Anbu and guards hidden in the room left without a word.

    "Daichi is one of the most talented students currently in the academy. He''s at the top of his ss and if these were war time circumstances then he would have graduated long ago And you were not mistaken in your observation of his skills. He''s been training in shape maniption technique and based on what you said I''m assuming he''spleted it."

    "Sir?"

    "Kakashi! What I''m about to tell you next is information about Daichi not known to others except his grandfather."

    Kakashi realized the seriousness of the situation and paid close attention to the Hokage''s words.

    "Shortly after the academy examsst month Daichi''s teacher approached me with the proposal to move Daichi up a grade. I had a talk with the boy afterwards about it and what I learned at that time startled me. His skills have already grown beyond that of academy students and he was preparing to train in change in chakra form and then nature transformations."

    "But such training for someone his age Is he ready?" Kakashi asked with some doubts.

    "I had my doubts as well but he understood the risks and he showed me he was ready. Despite his talents I wanted him to stay with his ssmates due to his close friendship with Naruto. So I said he could collect a favor from me if he stayed with his ss. Daichi agreed and the favor he asked truly surprised me."

    Hiruzen stood up from his chair and went to the windows of the room. He looked at the people below and a momentter he continued.

    "He asked me for instructions on how to master the Rasengan."

    Kakashi''s eyes widened. "What?"

    Hiruzen nodded. "Yes. Apparently when his grandfather was away on some trip he went through his jutsu library and found some mentioning on the Rasengan. Just a few basic notes from what I understand. But Daichi was able to urately figure out the secrets of the Rasengan with just the information on those notes. He figured out that mastering the Rasengan is a shortcut to mastering one''s change in chakra form. I have no doubt that with time he would have been able to learn the Rasengan even without my help. So I made the choice to give him the steps for learning Minato''s jutsu."

    Kakashi couldn''t believe his ears. "Lord Hokage, no offense but are you sure that was wise? He''s just a kid If someone learns about the secrets of that jutsu then"

    "I''m aware of the risks, Kakashi. I haven''t grown senile yet It was a calcted move. He''s growing too strong, too fast. I needed to make sure he formed some strong loyalties to the vige. It''s one of the reasons I wanted him to stay with his peers. And this way I can keep tabs on his progress I thought I had an understanding of his talents but It seems I''ve underestimated him again" Hiruzen then turned to look at Kakashi.

    "Even though it''s only been a few weeks since I told him how to perform the Rasengan I have no doubt that he''s already learned the technique. I''m sure of it."

    Kakashi''s eyes widened in disbelief. "But that''s"

    "Incredible And frightening. Such talent is indeed amazing and yet fearsome at the same time." Hiruzen then looked back outside and saw Iruka, Daichi and Naruto entering the tower.

    "They''re here."

    --------------------------------------------------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 84: The Rasengan

    Chapter 84: The Rasengan

    Daichi ended his conversation with Kakashi and left. He headed straight for Naruto and Iruka sensei.

    ''Naruto''s chakra is like a beacon for anypetent sensor ninja. Even in thisrge forest it''s easy to find him.'' Within a minute he reached his ssmate and teacher.

    Iruka was relieved to see his studente back unharmed. "Daichi! You''re safe. Are you hurt anywhere?"

    "You''re back!" Naruto ran up to him and gave him a tight hug.

    Daichi chuckled and pried Naruto off of him. "Yes I''m here. And I''m fine you guys. You worry too much."

    Confirming that Daichi was uninjured, Iruka started grilling him for the stunt he pulled. "What were you thinking? You could have gotten hurt or worse.!"

    "Yeah! What''s the big deal? I thought you would escape with us." Naruto also questioned him.

    "Calm down. They would have defeated the clone easily and I knew you two wouldn''t agree to me staying behind." Daichi said with a calm tone.

    Iruka narrowed his eyes. "So you decided to lie to us!"

    "Technically I didn''t lie. I said I''d use my clone as a distraction but I never said they were the ones who''ll be distracted." The boy said with a sheepish expression.

    "You could have gotten hurt Daichi! If you had intended to fight them then I could have helped."

    "I had it handled sensei." The boy let out a small sigh. "I figured the documents Naruto found were important since they were willing to attack us for it. And if all of us had stayed, then there was a chance they would have used us against you."

    He continued. "Besides, my clone told you that he sensed a Jonin was nearby. I''m sure he would have saved my life if anything had happened."

    "Who was it?" Naruto asked curiously.

    Daichi shrugged. "Don''t know. He had silver spiky hair and wore a face mask that covered everything except one eye."

    Iruka''s eyes slightly widened as he heard that description. ''Kakashi? He was here?''

    The academy instructor pinched his nose and let out a long tired breath.

    "Let''s go to the Hokage''s office. We need to report this matter."

    -

    Naruto, Daichi and Iruka entered the Hokage''s chamber shortly after they reached the tower.

    "Gramps!" Naruto greeted the Hokage.

    "Lord Hokage." Iruka and Daichi also quickly greeted their kage.

    Hiruzen looked at the two kids in the room. He had a warm smile on his face as he addressed them.

    "So what troubles have you two gotten yourselves into this time?" He asked, smiling.

    Naruto excitedly recalled everything that happened. From how he was tricked to Daichi finding him, to Iruka showing up and then escaping the three enemy ninjas and finally finding out about Daichi''s clone and then anxiously waiting for him.

    Hiruzen patiently listened to everything and now had a clearer understanding of what had happened. He looked at Daichi.

    "What you did was reckless But since you''re here safe and sound I won''t speak on the matter any further."

    "Thank you lord Hokage." Daichi slightly bowed and said nothing else.

    Hiruzen then asked Naruto for the kunai he found in the forest. Naruto gave the weapon to the Hokage. The old kage untied the document from the weapon and his eyes slightly widened as he looked at the contents.

    ''Confidential information on the patrol routes and number of guards. If this had gotten out it would have caused me quite a headache. Seems this little adventure of theirs yielded some really positive results.''

    "This is secret information regarding the security of the vige. If it had gotten out then it would have created a lot of problems. Good work finding and bringing this back, you two." Hiruzen smiled at the kids.

    "Thanks gramps.!" Naruto grinned as listened to the kage''s praise.

    At that moment a questpletion notification popped up in front of Daichi. He mentally closed the blue message box and stood still without making the slightest move.

    "Alright, Iruka, Naruto you two are dismissed. Daichi, a moment." Hiruzen looked at Daichi after he dismissed the two.

    "Gramps." Naruto slightly whined thinking his friend might be in trouble.

    "Don''t worry Naruto. Daichi will be along shortly. I just need his report on what happened with the three enemies. Go on." Hiruzen smiled as Naruto left the room.

    As Iruka was leaving the room Hiruzen spoke up. "Iruka. Wait outside. I need a word after this."

    "Yes sir." Iruka bowed and left the room.

    The door closed and Daichi stood in attention as the Hokage''s gaze focused on him. Hiruzen had a small smile on his face as he looked at the uing prodigy of the academy. A grandfatherly smile that would have many drop their guards around him.

    "I know I said I wouldn''t speak of the matter but I have to know. You stayed behind to fight them alone. Why?" He asked calmly.

    "Iruka sensei loves teaching. He really cares about us. His students. So I knew he wouldn''t have let me fight them no matter what. And he wouldn''t have been able to defend himself and protect us if he fought. Not that I needed much protection. And if we had engaged then there was a possibility that Naruto would have gotten caught in the crossfire. And I figured those documents were pretty important. So I couldn''t let them get their hands on that A clone wouldn''t have done the job. And I was sure I could handle them ande out unscathed. That''s why I stayed behind." Daichi replied.

    Hiruzen smiled for a few seconds hearing the response. "An apt answer. Certainly enough to fool young Naruto and Iruka."

    Then the smile vanished from his face. "Now why don''t you tell me the real reason."

    Daichi was slightly startled. ''He saw through me. I guess he wouldn''t have made apetent Hokage if he couldn''t see through people''s bullshit. Have to give him credit for that. Too bad this perception doesn''t extend to Danzo Lying to him is pointless now and I would only jeopardize a useful rtionship if I do. Beste clean then.'' Due to the gamers mind Daichi kept hisposure.

    The academy student let out a small breath and rubbed the back of his head. "Gramps may not agree but you and him are really alike. I can''t get away with anything with that old man either. It''s kind of annoying sometimes." Daichi said with a small sheepish smile.

    "When you''ve lived for as long as we have you learn a lot of things." Hiruzen nodded and replied.

    Daichi then turned serious. "I didn''t lie all together. I really didn''t want Naruto or Iruka sensei to get hurt. But that''s not the whole thing. The truth is I wanted to fight them. On my own with no help or outside interference."

    "Why?"

    "The only person I''ve been sparring with, and I mean really sparring with is the old man Kensei. I know he was a Jonin before he retired and I have a rough estimate of my strength because of our fights But I wanted to see for myself where I stand in the real world. Those three were the perfect opportunity. You could say that I was selfish and got excited at the prospect of a fight. And I wanted to fight them myself without anyone''s help." Daichi let out a small breath as he was done with his exnation.

    Hiruzen nodded. He then smiled at the boy. "In our world we''re surrounded by people who lie and cheat for a living. You''d be surprised at how far honesty could get you sometimes."

    Daichi tilted his head. "You''re not angry I didn''t tell you everything?"

    Hiruzen shook his head. "No. I would have been disappointed if you had still lied but everyone is entitled to their secrets. As long as it doesn''t cause harm to the vige, I don''t mind."

    "I understand Lord Hokage." Daichi slightly bowed.

    "I almost forgot to ask. How far have youe along with the Rasengan." Hiruzen was looking forward to the results.

    "I mastered the jutsu." Daichi replied with a straight face.

    "I''m impressed that you learned the jutsu so quickly."

    Daichi shook his head after hearing the kage. Hiruzen was confused at that.

    "I didn''t just learn it. Ipletely mastered the jutsu."

    Hiruzen was shocked when he heard that. Learning the Rasengan was hard enough but it was only the beginning. Mastering it would also take several more months. He was somewhat skeptical.

    "Show me!"

    Daichi nodded and brought up both hands. In a single second a perfect Rasengan formed on each palm. Hiruzen and the hidden Kakashi were shocked when they saw this. The old kage was quick to analyze the blue swirling balls of chakra in Daichi''s palms.

    ''He created them together and in an instant. The speed with which the Rasengan formed and the countless chakra nodes spinning inside it. It shows his perfect chakra control It must be even higher than most medic ninjas. And he created the Rasengan on both his hands. It shows his chakra volume. And then there''s the power I can feel emanating from them Hepletely mastered the second stage. The size and shape are the same as when Minatopletely mastered the jutsu. And if he hadn''t mastered the third step to perfection then it wouldn''t keep its shape perfectly like this Impossible! How did he do it so quickly?''

    "How long did it take you to master this Daichi?" Hiruzen asked while trying to keep his emotions neutral.

    Daichi let go of the two swirling orbs of chakra. "A week Well technically 8 days." Daichi said nonchntly.

    Hiruzen''s eyes widened as he heard it. ''8 days? It only took him 8 days to learn and master the jutsu?"

    "I began training the Rasengan a couple days after the Uchiha incident. With the academy shut down I had the whole week to train non stop." Daichi looked and understood the Hokage''s reaction. It was a jutsu that required months to master. Himpleting it in a week would be a shock to anyone who knew the secrets and specifics of the technique.

    Hiruzen looked at Daichi with renewed focus. ''This is insane I keep underestimating his talent. If he could master change in chakra form so quickly then it stands to reason that he could master the change in chakra nature just as fast. Coupled with Kensei''s training, by the time he graduates the academy he''ll be as strong as a Jonin. This boy could be a great asset to the leaf if guided correctly Or he could be one of the most dangerous enemies of the vige. His path is unclear. Now more than ever, I need him to form bonds with the vige. Hopefully Naruto and his ssmates will be able to aplish just that.''

    "You''ve certainly exceeded my expectations I take it you''re going to start on the change in chakra nature training." Hiruzen asked just to confirm.

    "Yes sir. I was nning on starting with earth and then fire. I intend to master these two elements by this time next year." Daichi revealed a small part of his training n.

    "I see. Do you know what your chakra affinity is?" Hiruzen asked the boy.

    "Earth."

    "A powerful element indeed." Hiruzen got up from his chair and headed for the nearby shelf. He opened a small portion and took out two scrolls. He locked the cab and then gave the scrolls to Daichi.

    "I did tell you that I would give you some change in chakra nature techniques if you learned the Rasengan quickly. These two scrolls contain Nature transformation training techniques for fire and earth elements. It also has some of my personal notes. So make sure to keep them safe and locked up and use them wisely."

    Daichi received the scrolls with a wide smile. "Thank you lord Hokage."

    Hiruzen nodded. Shortly after, Hiruzen dismissed Daichi and he was looking out the window as the hidden Jonin in the room appeared behind him.

    "Do you now understand Kakashi?"

    "Yes. His talent is indeed frightening. To master Minato sensei''s jutsu in a week It''s absurd and should be impossible and yet he did it. I''ve seen his skills first hand and now I''m almost positive that he''s just as much of a genius as Itachi or Minato sensei." Kakashi could spot talent a mile away. And when he looked at Daichi he saw an ocean of untapped potential.

    Hiruzen didn''t say anything about Kakashi''s assessment. ''I have a feeling we''re still underestimating his talent. There is a possibility that he could be a genius beyond even Minato. It also means there''s a possibility that the vige would have someone who would one day possess even greater strengths than the fourth Whether that''s a boon or a nightmare Only time will tell.''

    ''I need to keep an eye on him. And under no circumstances can I Iet Danzo anywhere near the boy. That''s just a recipe for disaster. Danzo may be keeping his head down for now but If he finds out about Daichi, finds out what the boy is really capable of, then he would stop at nothing to get to him. And if Daichi bes Danzo''s subordinate I don''t even want to think about that scenario''

    "Kakashi Keep an eye on that kid. But make sure you''re discreet." Hiruzen said with a hardened tone.

    "Yes sir. I understand." Kakashi nodded and disappeared.

    Hiruzen looked out the window and looked at the Hokage monument. ''One of the hardest choices a kage has to make is to question and surveil their own shinobi. Even when they have done nothing wrong.''

    Hiruzen let out a long breath and returned to his seat. He then called back Iruka. The academy instructor came and gave a report on what had happened and after a while he left the office leaving the old kage to his thoughts.

    ---------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 85: Fear - A Powerful Motivator and Deterrent

    Chapter 85: Fear - A Powerful Motivator and Deterrent

    Daichi quickly reached the academy. By the time the whole ordeal with the enemy ninjas was over, it was already noon. When he reached the academy the students were on their lunch break. Daichi quickly found Naruto and the others sitting in their usual spot under a tree in the corner of the academy grounds.

    "We then gave the information to the Hokage and I quickly came here."

    Daichi heard Naruto describing the tail end of the incident to his friends. As he got near the group Kiba noticed Daichi and greeted him.

    "Daichi! You''re back.!" "Arf!" Kiba''s exmation drew everyone''s attention from Naruto to Daichi. Most of them had an awed expression on their face as they looked at Daichi.

    "Hey guys. I see Naruto here has filled you all in on the details." Daichi sat down under the shade.

    "Are you alright Daichi? Did you get hurt fighting them?" Ino''s worried tone was evident in the question. She got near him and checked him for any wounds.

    "I''m fine Ino. Don''t worry." Daichi smiled but inwardly he was troubled. ''I''m not sure how to deal with this predicament. Should I tell Ino that I''m not interested? That would definitely hurt her and it could affect my friendship with her and probably others For the moment I''ll let things be like this. After graduation we won''t have time for things like this. Not until after''

    Daichi slightly shook his head as if to rid of the future memories of the war and events that''s toe.

    "What''s wrong?"

    "It''s nothing. I''m good Ino. Really." Daichi said with a wide smile reassuring the Yamanaka girl.

    "Hey Daichi! Can I ask you something?" Shikamaru looked at Daichi with an unusually serious demeanor.

    "What is it?"

    "Why did you stay with us?"

    The question confused Daichi and everyone else.

    "What are you talking about Shikamaru?" Naruto asked the young Nara.

    Shikamaru ignored Naruto''s question and focused on Daichi. "I''m sure Daikoku sensei saw just how strong you are during yourst Taijutsu spar with Sasuke and now you''ve proven that you can defeat adult ninjas."

    "Where are you going with this Shikamaru?" Daichi asked.

    "I''m certain Daikoku sensei must have informed the Hokage of your strength and he most certainly would have rmended you for advancing a grade and going higher. I thought for sure you would have taken that chance and you''d be in the grade above us. It''s the logical thing to do. But you''re here! Why?"

    Shikamaru wanted to know why someone like Daichi who prioritized training and getting stronger over everything else wouldn''t make use of such an opportunity and get ahead.

    "Why does that matter?"

    "Yeah, what gives Shikamaru?" Ino and Naruto were indignant at the question.

    Some others like Sakura and Shino looked at Daichi and waited for an answer. The rest were curious but didn''t care either way. They all knew Daichi''s goal and were curious to hear his answer though.

    Daichi smiled as he heard the question. "Would you believe me if I told you that I wanted to stay among my few friends."

    "No. Try again." Shikamaru crossed his arms and gazed at the boy.

    "You don''t have to answer him Daichi. He doesn''t know what he''s talking about." Ino red at Shikamaru for putting Daichi in such a spot.

    "It''s ok Ino. He just wanted to know. It''s no big deal."

    Daichi sat down and gently petted Akamaru who was lying near him. "Yes it''s true. The Hokage asked me if I wanted to jump ahead and skip a year. But I didn''t take the offer"

    Daichi took a moment before he continued. "I didn''t lie, you know. Aside from you guys I don''t have anyone here I can call my friends. If I had skipped a grade then I''d be kind of lonely and I would have to make some new friends all over again and in your words That would be such a drag But as you''ve probably guessed, that''s not the whole reason I stayed."

    Daichi looked at everyone and he turned serious. "The reason I stayed is to buy some time for myself. The moment I put on the leaf headband I''d be walking into danger on every single mission. If I''m not prepared, then there is a great possibility that I could die. Being strong here in the academy doesn''t mean much out in the real world. So I need as much time as I can get before I start on that dangerous path That''s why I stayed."

    "Yeesh, you''re being too grim Daichi. You''re going to be fine. We all are." Naruto said with a slight smile.

    Daichi looked at Naruto with aplicated expression. There were many things he wanted to say to the blonde boy but he refrained from speaking them. Instead he wanted to see if he could get Naruto to understand the dangers of the world and start taking his training more seriously.

    "Itachi Uchiha massacred the entire Uchiha n except Sasuke in a single night. Nobody thought something like that could happen. Someone killing scores of people inside the vige and then getting away with it. So what makes you so sure that we''d be safe outside the protection of these walls."

    Naruto''s smile dimmed and he didn''t have an answer for that.

    "The first Hokage created this vige to stop conflicts but instead it created great wars. 3 of them have already ravaged thends and people. And there will be a fourth one in our lifetime. Not to mention the countless dangerous missions we''d be going on after we be genin If we''re not prepared we will die. Or we''ll have to watch the people we care about bleed to death in our arms. I''m going to make sure I''m ready to face those days when theye."

    Daichi''s speech turned the mood solemn. Shikamaru looked at Daichi and then sat down without saying a word. Seeing that he spoiled their mood for lunch, Daichi decided to take a walk.

    "I''m gonna head to the library. Need to check some things out."

    Daichi walked away before anyone could say anything. He thought about the things he said. ''It''s true. The Rasengan wasn''t the only thing that affected my decision to stay. I need to make sure I''m as strong as possible when I be a genin. I still have much to learn. Most of my choices since I was reborn here are because of my fear. My greatest fear. Fear of death. I know it''s inevitable but I don''t want to die before my time like''

    Daichi let out a long sigh. He didn''t want to remember the final day of his past life.

    As Daichi turned around a corner he saw Hibachi with his two friends. Daichi narrowed his eyes as he saw the ss bullyughing without a care.

    There was no one around and Daichi made a choice. He walked towards them.

    One of Hibachi''s friends saw Daichiing and pointed to him.

    "Daichi!? W-what do you want?" Hibachi asked him in a nervous tone.

    Daichi didn''t say a word to him. Instead he looked to the other two near him. Daichi released a bit of killing intent. Even though it was only a fraction the three became terrified.

    "I''m only gonna say this once. Get lost." Daichi looked at the two and spoke.

    Without wasting time Hibachi''s two friends scrambled from the ce.

    "Y-You W-What are you?"

    Before he could evenplete the question Daichi ced his right hand on the boy''s shoulder. Daichi had a menacing tone as he spoke.

    "I could say something like, if you do this again I''ll kill you or something But you and I both know that won''t happen"

    Hibachi was petrified as he felt the killing intent and the chilling sound of Daichi''s voice. The grip on his shoulder tightened. To the point it was beginning to hurt.

    "What I''m going to say is this If you do something like this again, I''m not gonna kill you Hibachi I''m going to break you. Not your body. No I''m going to break your mind. In ways you couldn''t fathom. In ways not even the best Yamanaka will be able to put you back together. And by the time I''m done you''d be nothing more than a living corpse. And if you had even a piece of yourself intact then you''d spent every second wishing for death"

    Daichi slightly increased his killing intent to get his point across. Tears, snot and sweat fell down Hibachi''s face. He had never experienced such a terrifying feeling before. He was totally petrified and couldn''t even move or say anything.

    Daichi let go of his killing intent. "Nod if you understand."

    The moment the intent was lifted Hibachi gasped for air and then frantically nodded.

    Daichi didn''t say a word and kept looking at him for a few more seconds. He let go and took his hand off the boy''s shoulder.

    "Get lost."

    Hibachi ran like a bat out of hell from the area.

    "Che" As Daichi was about to leave, someone else spoke up.

    "That was a little harsh, don''t you think."

    Daichi was startled and swiftly whirled around while he took a kunai in his hand. It took a secondter for him to recognize the voice and then the face of the person that spoke.

    Daichi saw Kakashi reading his usual orange book with the sameid back expression.

    Daichi held in a breath he didn''t even know in his chest. ''Shit! Is he following me? I didn''t even sense him.''

    "Was that really necessary? What you did to that boy?" Kakashi asked while keeping his eyes fixed on his book.

    Daichi slightly rxed and put his kunai back in his pouch. He then answered.

    "He used my name and sent Naruto into a ce he knew could have enemies. Naruto could have died there. I''m not someone against harmless pranks but this was anything but. So yes! This was necessary And I didn''t hurt him. I just needed to put the fear of God in him. I''m sure he won''t pull something like that again."

    "Hmm"

    "Why are you following me?" Daichi asked Kakashi after a few seconds of silence.

    "You''re mistaken. I wasn''t following you."

    "Oh really? Then you''re here because"

    At that Kakashi looked at Daichi and then put on his iconic eye smile. "I just got lost on the road of life."

    Daichi''s eyes widened and his jaw dropped at that line.

    "Y-You"

    The Jonin chuckled at Daichi''s incredulous face. Before Daichi could say anything Kakashi vanished from his view.

    Daichi stood there with a ck jawed face. ''I can''t believe that just happened.''

    Daichi shook his head and regained hisposure. He didn''t see a notification that said reputation decreased with Kakashi. So he concluded that Kakashi wasn''t necessarily against what just happened. He checked the nearby area and found no trace of Kakashi.

    ''He''s really gone this time.''

    With that Daichi left the ce and went back to his ssroom.

    -

    Kakashi was outside the academy grounds and walked down the streets. He thought about what he had learned about the kid.

    Kakashi silently followed him and heard him speak to his friends and heard the reason he stayed behind. As someone who fought in the third world war he could agree with Daichi''s reasoning.

    Kakashi tensed when Daichi released his killing intent but he wanted to see what the child would do. He was impressed with the tactic used. At least for a child who hasn''t left the academy.

    There was also a reason he revealed himself to Daichi. He wanted to know if the kid had sensed him and was just ignoring him or if he was able to evade Daichi''s senses this time. And watching Daichi''s genuine reaction Kakashi found the answer.

    ''It seems after the battle and around his friends he let his guard down. And it looks like his sensing ability is not something that automatically activates. It seems like he''ll have to consciously search to find chakra signatures like most.''

    Kakashi closed the book and put it back in his pocket. He recalled the information in the boy''s file and everything he learned a few minutes ago.

    ''I think I''m starting to have a better understanding of you Daichi Hekima.''

    ---------------------------------------------------------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 86: Legendary Ninjas

    Chapter 86: Legendary Ninjas

    sses were over for the day and Daichi decided to return home quickly. As much as he liked spending time with his few friends he was much more invested in getting stronger.

    On his way back he opened his status page.

    Name : Daichi Hekima (The Gamer)

    ss : Student

    Age : 8

    Title : Capable Child, Explorer, Prodigy, Beast yer, Dungeon Warrior, Executioner.

    Level : 38 (6023/38975)

    .

    HP : 6946

    CP : 7962.75

    SP : 6957

    MP: 4360

    .

    [Primary Stats]

    Strength - 101

    Vitality - 105

    Dexterity - 101

    Agility - 101

    Intelligence - 113

    Chakra - 130

    Wisdom - 101

    .

    [Special Stats]

    Sense - 81

    Stamina - 103

    Indomitable - 14

    Charisma - 40

    Persistence - 15

    Dignity (LOCKED)

    Luck (LOCKED)

    .

    [Stat Points - 406]

    [Ryo - 646582]

    ''Hmmm. Based on the information I gathered from observing other ninjas, my chakra level is at normal chunin level. But that''s not gonna be enough. For someone my age it''s impressive butpared to people like Naruto this amount of chakra is abysmal.''

    Daichi looked at the stats and then his eyes fell to the points he had saved up till now.

    ''I have 406 points. If I don''t use them now to increase my chakra reserves it won''t help me speed up the ''nature transformation'' training It took Naruto several hundred clones training for over an hour to master the first stage. And I have only a fraction of his chakra. I must increase my chakra points.''

    Before long he reached his home. Kensei was near the garden admiring its beauty when he sensed Daichi entering the house.

    "You really are a ma for trouble aren''t you?" The old man had a smirk on his face as he looked at his grandson.

    "You heard?"

    "Hiruzen informed me of what happened And what he gave you after."

    Daichi nodded and was about to go inside but Kensei''s next words stopped him.

    "Be careful who you trust, Daichi."

    Daichi nodded. "I know gramps. I''m well aware that the Hokage agreed to help me with my training only because he wants to keep an eye on me. I''ll be careful."

    "As long as you understand"

    Daichi went to his room and freshened up. He opened his status page again and decided to add 30 points to his chakra stat.

    [Chakra - 130 - 160]

    [Stat Points - 376.]

    "Wow" Daichi immediately felt his chakra reserves expand. It was not painful but it was still somewhat an ufortable feeling. It onlysted a few seconds.

    Daichi took several breaths of air and he felt like he was on adrenaline. He could feel the chakra overflowing flowing throughout his body. ''This is truly incredible.''

    He quickly checked his HP, CP and SP.

    HP : 7233

    CP : 10104.32

    SP : 7572

    "Wonderful!" ''Now my chakra is on the low end of the Jonin level. With this much I''ll be able to increase my shadow clone use.''

    Daichi opened the brown scroll that contained the training for the earth element. He read the information on it a couple times even though he memorized it on his first try.

    ''From the show I know two steps to the change in chakra nature training. In the case of wind the first step was to cut the leaf in half and the second is to cut off a waterfall It seems based on this the training for the earth element is going to be simr.''

    Daichi ced the scroll on the table and went near his window. Even though it was evening Daichi had no intention of not training. He recalled the information on the scroll he just read.

    ''The change in chakra nature of the earth element. The first step is to use my chakra to crumble a leaf to dust. Seems simr to the wind chakra training. Instead of cutting I''m using chakra to turn the leaf into mostly dirt and earth and have it crumble The second step is to split the waterfall. But since earth is stronger than water, this step will be easier whenpared to the other elements.''

    ''But in the scroll, some personal notes of the Hokage indicate that there is another higher step for those who mastered these first two steps. However it''s not given here I wonder what that might be.''

    Wasting no more time, Daichi went downstairs and to his backyard.

    Kensei looked at Daichi in understanding. He knew Daichi was not one to push things to the next day. "So you''re going to start your training right now I see"

    "Yeah. No point in dying it." He went near a tree and plucked several leaves.

    "You''re starting with ''earth nature'' aren''t you?"

    Daichi nodded. He then asked Kensei about the hidden third step to the training.

    "After cutting the waterfall is there another advanced step beyond that?"

    Kensei tilted his head curiously. "Why do you ask?"

    "The Hokage had made some mentions of an advanced step beyond the waterfall cutting but he didn''t clearly specify it."

    Kensei narrowed his eyes when he heard it. ''That sly son of a bitch. He knows the kid will want to perfect his control. So he''s banking on Daichiing to him for advice. A slow but effective way to cultivate trust and thus form a rtionship with the target Hiruzen can be cunning when he wants to be. And people say Danzo is the one who emtes Tobirama Senju the most out of the two.''

    Kensei knew how cunning and pragmatic Hiruzen could be. He didn''t want Daichi to feel like he owed the man anything. And luckily he also knew the answer to the question Daichi was asking. "Yes it''s true. There is another step beyond the training with the waterfall. There is one for each element but it''s different for each one. The reason most people don''t train the third step is because one, this knowledge isn''tmon. Most Jonin know the first two steps but only a few know about the one beyond that. The second reason is mastering the first two is difficult enough and once they are mastered you''d have enough control over your chakra nature that you wouldn''t bother with thest one. Because the third step is on an entirely different level of difficulty than the first two. So most give up."

    "Do you know anyone who could have trained and mastered the third step? Not just for ''earth nature'' but the other natures as well!" Daichi wanted to know if there were people currently alive who had absolute mastery over the 5 main chakra natures.

    "I do But I''m not sure knowing their names would help you." Kensei replied cryptically.

    Daichi raised an eyebrow in confusion at that.

    "There are six people throughout history that have mastered the most advanced step of change in chakra nature. At least they are the 6 that I know of."

    Daichi was listening with rapt attention. Seeing Daichi''s focused gaze Kensei smiled.

    "For the water element there were two people whopleted the third step. Our first and second Hokages. Hashirama Senju and Tobirama Senju."

    "What?" Daichi was surprised. ''Ok. This is new information about them. I''m pretty sure this wasn''t in the story.''

    "Yes! The second Hokage Tobirama Senju could pull water out of the atmosphere and create powerful techniques. He didn''t need a water source to use A and S rank water style jutsus. He had an extremely powerful water affinity but that was only part of his strength. It was because hepleted the third step that he was able to achieve such mastery of the water element. Of course he had mastery of other chakra natures too but they weren''t nearly as strong as his water nature."

    "Wow." ''Amazing! So that''s how he was able to create such strong water style jutsus.''

    Kensei knew he had Daichi''s undivided attention now and kept going. "Now the first Hokage used wood style Ninjutsu. He was able tobine earth and water and use his chakra to create and use wood style. But since neither his descendants nor any other Senju showed powers of wood style ability, it was concluded that it was a gic mutation that was special to him. His talent and power was beyond even his younger brother. He mastered earth and water nature to their highest point. Not to use them individually, he could of course, but he mainly trained them to help increase the strength of his wood style Ninjutsu."

    Daichi was learning information not shown in the show and he was hearing first hand ounts of the strength of the men who are now hailed as legends.

    "Have you seen him In battle I mean." Daichi asked with great curiosity.

    Kensei nodded to the question. "Yes. And it''s something I''ll never forget Trust me when I say this Daichi, you couldn''t even begin toprehend his power. His chakra level, jutsu, healing. They were all in an entirely different league. He earned the title God of Ninja. And he deserved it. None could match him. Well Except one anyway."

    Daichi partially agreed with that assessment. ''Old man, I know what you''re talking about. If he''s anything like in the story then I agree that he was an absolute beast. But I n on reaching and surpassing him. It may not be anytime soon But I will. One day!''

    Kensei continued. "Now Hashirama had a rival. The only person who could match his strength and force him to go all out. Madara Uchiha." As he said the words his face turned slightly grim.

    "Just like the first Hokage, Madara was leagues ahead of others. His skill and talent was immense. But he had a falling out and left the vige shortly after it was founded Now Madara mainly used fire style jutsus. Just like the first and second Hokage he mastered an advanced step beyond the waterfall training and used it to increase the strength and power of his fire style jutsus"

    As Daichi heard this, images of Madara unleashing his fire style jutsu on the allied shinobi forces came to his mind.

    "His mastery of fire nature was second to none. There was a nickname for Madara Uchiha amongst us... ''Madara of the inferno style''."

    "Damn that sounds badass!" Daichi unknowingly eximed.

    Kensei chuckled at that. "Yes. I suppose it does sound badass doesn''t it! He was a man who was born for war and destruction."

    ''You have no idea how right you are, old man.'' Daichi thought to himself.

    Kensei had a sad smile as he thought about the events that happened after Madara Uchiha left the vige.

    A couple secondster Kensei continued. "Alright moving on. The three people I mentioned above are ones who I know for certain have mastered the third step. The next 3 are just spections based on their strength and the ability of their jutsu."

    Daichi nodded.

    "Now the next person is someone whopletely mastered the Lightning Nature transformation. The third Raikage Now all the Raikage are quite proficient in using lightning nature. But the third was even more capable at using it than others. The reason was, he had a heavenly blessed body which could withstand all kinds of punishments. His chakra level was alsoparable to a"

    Kensei stopped himself. He didn''t want Daichi to know about the tailed beasts yet. So he quickly corrected himself. "Well, let''s just say he had chakra reserves that could match an army. He''s someone who most probably mastered the third step of lightning nature. Because of that his control over the lightning nature increased and coupled with his abilities, he''s known as the strongest Raikage in history. His nickname, the one who possessed the ultimate shield and spear."

    "Now thest two are both Tsuchikage. The second and third Daichi! Do you know what Kekkei Tta is?" Kensei asked his grandson.

    Daichi nodded. "It''s abination of more than two chakra natures. Something even more rare than Kekkei Genkai."

    Kensei nodded. "Yes. Abination of 3 elements to be precise. Both the second and third Tsuchikage were able to use something called dust release. It''s abination of wind, fire and earth nature. But based on what we''ve learned the third and second are not blood rted so it''s not something that''s gically passed down. Based on this and the abilities disyed by them we''vee to the conclusion that to perform dust release, one must master either two or three elements of the three used in the jutsu. It''s most likely 2 because mastering three elements to such a degree seems unlikely. One of them would definitely be earth."

    "What makes you say that?"

    "The third Tsuchikage Onoki is someone who is also known as Onoki of both scales. The reason for this title is that he''s someone who can increase or decrease the weight of an object without affecting its shape or mass. He can manipte the weight to both scales. Plus or minus. He uses this technique to fly too. Or at least that''s our theory Someone without absolute mastery of earth chakra nature wouldn''t be able to aplish this. And without mastery of one more, creating the Dust release jutsu seems unlikely"

    Daichi crossed his arms and had a pensive look. "So the only person who is currently alive who has mastered the third step is the third Tsuchikage."

    "Unfortunately, yes. Of the 6 people I mentioned, 5 are dead and thest one is the leader of a vige that is not on friendly terms with the leaf. I told you that learning the names wouldn''t be of any help." Kensei agreed and spoke.

    "Why didn''t the third Hokage learn it as well?" Daichi asked.

    Kensei had a serious expression as he answered. "Daichi! This is one of the most difficult things in the world to master. Its difficulty makes the Rasengan look easy. Hiruzen was focused on learning more and increasing his knowledge and arsenal. If he had focused on that singr aspect and trained then I have no doubt he would have aplished it. I may not like the man but I have to admit that much."

    Kensei wanted Daichi to know just how difficult of a task mastering the final step was. "Daichi. For the moment I want you to forget about the third step. Focus onpleting the first two. Then try and master the other elements. After that if you are still interested then you can begin training in the third step Understood?"

    Daichi nodded. "Yes sir."

    "Good. Let''s begin.!"

    ---------------------------------------------------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 87: Nature Transformation - Earth

    Chapter 87: Nature Transformation - Earth

    Daichi sat down under the tree and looked at the leaf in his hand. He then looked up at Kensei.

    "Any advice gramps?"

    Kensei thought about it for a few seconds and then replied. "Every element is unique. For earth the goal is to turn the leaf into earth to the point it crumbles. When you''re focusing your chakra I want you tobine your chakra. Instead of spreading it out,bine it and harden your chakra. You''ve used several types of earth jutsu. So you know what your earth nature chakra would feel like. Concentrate on that."

    Daichi nodded and ced the leaf between both palms. He remembered how his chakra nature changed and felt when he used earth jutsu. He concentrated and focused his chakra into the leaf. He kept up his concentration and continuously poured chakra into the leaf. After a minute he heard the familiar sound of the system message notification.

    Daichi opened his eyes and looked at the leaf. A tiny portion of the tip of the leaf had turned to earth. He smiled and then looked at the new skill he got.

    [A new skill is created with a specific action.]

    [Earth - Leaf crumbling technique - (Active/Passive)(LV. 1): An earth chakra affinity training skill obtained through continuously focusing chakra to a leaf to turn it into dirt. A basic technique to help the user increase the strength of their earth nature chakra.]

    [Note: increasing the level of this skill will increase the level of the skill ''Earth Affinity.'']

    [Effects:]

    [1% increase in Earth Chakra control.]

    [CP cost : 30/sec.]

    ''Interesting. So this skill increases my Earth Affinity skill too huh. Makes sense now that I think about it I thought there would be more effects to this skill.''

    Daichi then mentally opened the skill page and went through the skill list until he found what he was looking for.

    [Earth Affinity - (Active/Passive)(LV.24): Earth Release is one of the five basic nature transformations. It ismonly affiliated with Tiger hand-seal. At higher levels the user can control the several minerals saturating the earth. Once this skill crosses Level 90, the user canbine it with other nature affinities which have also crossed Level 90. Primary affinity of the ''yer''.]

    [Effects:]

    [48% Increase in earth attack jutsu.]

    [48% Increase in earth defense jutsu.]

    [40% Increase in sess when creating earth style jutsu.]

    [20% Decrease in Chakra cost when using earth style jutsu.]

    ''So training the leaf control technique increases this skill which in turn increases the power of my Earth nature.''

    "You already picked it up I see! That''s impressive. But it will still take a while for you to master it." Kensei sat down on the porch and watched his adopted grandson train.

    Daichi agreed with that statement. "I know. Even with my speed, it will take a long time if I go like this. But fortunately I have a shortcut." He said with a grin.

    Kensei raised an eyebrow at that.

    Daichi made the hand seals for the shadow clone jutsu and created 4 clones.

    One went to mediate a little ways away from the group. The other 3 along with Daichi picked up a leaf and started training.

    Kensei''s eyes widened as he saw this. ''To think his chakra had already grown to such a point. To create 4 clones and have them train Impressive The chakra of the shadow clone will return to the user when it is dispelled. And along with it the memories and experiences. Since he uses 3 clones then his training time will be reduced by 3 as well. This is an ingenious training method. But Thinking about it there is also a risk to this type of training. Along with the experience he will also feel theirbined fatigue. Of that I''m sure. It will push him to his limits.''

    At that moment Kensei looked at the clone meditating and his eyes widened in realization. ''He knows?! He figured out the draw back and created a countermeasure. He''s using his clone tobat the fatigue as well. And after fighting him I can say that his body and mind are abnormally strong. Seems he knows what he''s doing.''

    Kensei didn''t say a word and was content with watching Daichi practice.

    Daichi''s control over his chakra was far superior than anyone currently in the vige. He also had the skill Absolute Chakra Mastery to aid him. Daichi was making slow but steady progress with the technique. He trained until a little after midnight before deciding to rest.

    [Skill Earth - Leaf crumbling technique''s level has risen by one. x12]

    [Skill Earth Affinity''s level has risen by one. x2]

    Daichi then looked at the clones and had them dispelled one by one with a few minutes of interval between them. As the experience and fatigue came, Daichi wobbled and fell to his knees. His eyes clenched shut as if he was in pain. But it onlysted for a couple seconds.

    [+1 STAMINA]

    Daichi looked at the stat point he just got. ''Unexpected but not unwee.''

    He was breathing hard and then dispelled thest clone. The one that was meditating and it rejuvenated Daichi by a small margin.

    [Skill Meditate''s level has risen by one.]

    He took the leaf he trainedst and showed it to his grandfather. A small portion of the leaf was missing and the edge was covered in dirt.

    "You''re progressing faster than I expected. Still Don''t over do it and strain yourself."

    Daichi nodded. "You didn''t have to stay up with me you know."

    "Don''t take me for an old man who has a bedtime and needs to be tucked in, you brat."

    Daichi smirked at that response. "Thank you."

    Kensei merely nodded. "Come on. Let''s get something to eat. I''m starving."

    -

    Daichi created 4 shadow clones and trained the earth nature control technique. While he was in ss instead of training he would try and meditate. He didn''t want the ss to see him exhausted and out of breath while doing nothing. Combined with his clones, he would spend over a total of 50 hours a day training.

    Several of his skills improved along with his Earth Affinity. And his stamina, vitality and chakra stats also gained some points. Several days went by with the same routine. But Daichi does take a single day break every 5 days or so to mentally recharge himself. With his gamer ability he could train everyday without any problems but Daichi didn''t want to do that. Even he had some limits.

    -

    Daichi meditated most of the time and Shikamaru noticed Daichi''s odd behavior. The young Nara narrowed his eyes as he saw Daichi crossed legged and meditating during the lunch time.

    ''Strange! Is he Is he meditating? For a guy who spends every free second reading or training this is surely strange. He''s doing nothing except meditating. He''s doing it in ss too. Wait! I heard that meditation improves chakra control. Could that be it? Is he doing a chakra control exercise?''

    It wasn''t just Shikamaru who noticed Daichi''s behavior. Naruto and the others also took note of Daichi''s new behavior.

    The future Rookie 8 was having their lunch and were chatting about one thing or another. Suddenly Naruto and Kiba came up with an idea to prank Daichi.

    "Hey what if we throw a water balloon at him? Do you think he''ll be able to catch it?" Naruto asked with a devilish grin.

    "Probably. But if we do it when he''s not expecting it then we might be able to get him."

    "You guys better not go disturb Daichi with your stupid pranks." Ino narrowed her eyes at the two.

    "Come on Ino! It''ll be fun Besides I bet if his clothes got wet you''d be able to take a closer look at his body. Don''t you want that?" Naruto said with a teasing grin.

    Ino was flustered hearing that. Her cheeks went red as she imagined that scene. "YesN-No I mean No!" She vehemently shook her head.

    "Naruto you''re gonna pay for that." Ino yelled at the whiskered boy embarrassed.

    "I can''t believe you got her. Here!" Kiba handed a candy to Naruto who happily took and ate it.

    "You tricked me!?" The blonde Yamanaka realized.

    "We made a bet. And I won. You''re so easy to fool when you''re angry. Hahaha" Naruto and Kibaughed at Ino''s furious face.

    "Why you" Just as she was about to walk over to the two and give them a piece of her mind, Shikamaru spoke up. He had an unusually serious demeanor.

    "Hinata!" He looked at the Hyuga girl.

    "Y-yes Shikamaru?"

    "Can you use your Byakugan?" Shikamaru asked her.

    "Umm Yes. But not for long." Hinata answered meekly.

    Everyone stopped what they were doing and focused on Shikamaru. He then turned his attention to Daichi who was meditating on the other end of the academy ground.

    "I need you to use your Byakugan on Daichi right now."

    "Umm" Hinata was hesitant to use her visual power to spy on a ssmate.

    "What! No way. Hinata, don''t do it." Ino protested.

    "I just need her to confirm something for me Ino."

    "No way. I won''t allow it." Seeing Ino''s adamant refusal, Shikamaru gave up.

    "What a drag" He let out a sigh.

    "Why do you want Hinata to use her byaku whatever?" Naruto asked in confusion. Hinata''s entire head turned red as she heard Naruto talk about her.

    "I have a feeling he''s doing a lot more than just sitting around... I think he''s training."

    "What? Really?"

    "You believe he''s doing chakra control training. Why? Because meditation helps strengthen the mind and thus the spiritual aspect of chakra." Shino spoke up.

    "Ghaa..!" Naruto and Kiba were slightly startled. ''Forgot he was even here.''

    Naruto then got excited. "Hey Hinata. Can you really tell if he''s training with your eyes?" He asked the blushing girl.

    "Umm" Hinata, not having any words simply nodded her head.

    "Come on. Can you do it? Please" Naruto looked at her with a big smile.

    "Absolutely not Naruto" Ino was against the idea of another girl peeking at her crush.

    But Hinata, unable to resist Naruto''s charm and plea, made a hand sign to activate her eyes and looked at Daichi.

    A secondter shock was evident on her face. "No way"

    Everyone seeing Hinata''s reaction got extremely curious.

    "Well don''t leave us in suspense now!" Ino slightly yelled at the girl.

    "He''s molding his chakra at the center of his belly and then running it throughout his body And Daichi''s chakra is increasing at a steady rate and It''s in perfect harmony." Hinata said.

    "What do you mean?" Shikamaru asked.

    "His m-mental energy and physical energy are in perfect harmony and his control over his chakra It''s I don''t know how to say it except it''s perfect It''s even beyond anything I''ve ever seen Not a single ounce of his chakra is being wasted. Not Not even my father has such precise control over his chakrawork."

    Shikamaru thought about what Hinata just said. He then asked her "Howrge is his chakra?"

    "His chakra reserves are huge. I''ve only seen adult ninjas with his chakra volume. And his chakra coils They''re much bigger than the normal person''s." She fibbed as she said thest part. She had seen one other person amongst them with a greater chakra reserve than Daichi. And he was the blonde sitting right next to her.

    "That much!?" Sakura and Ino were shocked.

    "He is the number one in ss And he did beat those 3 adult ninjas a few days ago. I guess we should have expected this." Choji said, munching on his chips.

    "Just as I thought. He''s doing chakra control exercises." Shikamaru was slightly confused. ''But I thought he would start on the change in chakra nature or change in chakra form training Did he give up because of its difficulty or No. Daichi isn''t the type to give up If he really is training in that, then this meditation must be a part of it.''

    As the group was discussing their findings there was another person who was listening to their conversation unseen by everyone else.

    Sasuke clenched his fists as he looked from the group to Daichi. ''No matter how much I train, I can''t get close to him. And and the gap only seems to widen Now his chakra reserve has already reached Jonin level?... How is he getting so strong so quickly? Is there some shortcut or is his talent that much better than mine?... He''s just like''

    Sasuke gritted his teeth and quietly walked away. ''No matter how hard I have to train, I will defeat you one day, Daichi. And then I''lle for you, Itachi! And I will make you pay.''

    ------------------------------------------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 88: The truth is, My Ability is...

    Chapter 88: The truth is, My Ability is...

    It was the second weekend of May. Daichi was at homepleting the first step of his earth nature training. It has now been three weeks since he started the training.

    ''Come on. Just a bit more''

    [Skill Earth - Leaf crumbling technique''s level has risen by one.]

    ''Yes!''

    [Earth - Leaf crumbling technique - (Active/Passive)(LV. MAX)]

    [Effects:]

    100% increase in Earth Chakra control.

    CP cost : 3/sec.

    [Congrattions. You have sessfully trained a skill to its highest level.]

    [+500 Exp.]

    [+75 Exp.]

    "I did it. It''s finallypleted." Daichi sat down to meditate and soon was back to prime condition.

    At that moment Kensei came to the training field.

    "Ipleted the first step, gramps"

    "What?!" ''So soon?''

    "Yup!" Daichi picked up a leaf and ced it between his index and middle finger. He only injected a small portion of his chakra into the leaf for a second but it was enough. The leaf instantly turned to dirt and earth and crumbled with the wind.

    Kensei was astonished as he watched the scene. ''I thought I had gotten used to his talents and growth speed, yet he still managed to surprise me.''

    "For ordinary people it would take 5 to 8 months to master this step. For someone capable it would take two or three months. And yet you were able toplete it in 3 weeks You used the shadow clones to speed up the process But still Truly impressive, boy!" Kensei had a smile on his face.

    Daichi had a smile when he heard him. "I''m going to take the next two days off and do some light training and rx. I''ll start the second step after that Truth be told. I''m exhausted."

    Kensei understood and simply nodded.

    "I''ll be back. I''m gonna get something to eat. You want anything gramps?"

    Kensei merely shook his head. He watched Daichi go inside the house for some snacks.

    For the past three weeks Kensei had seen the boy training relentlessly, with only taking a couple days in between to rest. At that moment he tried to sense Daichi''s chakra and what he felt was within his expectations.

    ''He only had a small amount of chakra left after he was done with his training but His body is regenerating his chakra at an astonishing speed. His chakra is replenishing at 3 No 4? Times faster than before. Hmm ''

    Kensei had aplicated expression as he looked at Daichi who came back with some fresh steaming buns.

    ''I can''t dy it any longer The secret of his incredible growth. I want to know. I''m sure Daichi knows the secrets of his body. Or at the very least he has an idea. The question is Is he willing to share those secrets with me?''

    Kensei came near Daichi and sat down. He had a serious expression which confused Daichi.

    "Daichi, I''m going to ask you a question I''d very much like for you to answer me... But If you don''t want to answer, then I''ll understand"

    Daichi was on guard as he heard Kensei. ''What is he? What does he want to know?''

    "Daichi Do you have any special abilities that help you with your growth?"

    Kensei kept his eyes on Daichi. He saw that the kid had be defensive the moment the question was asked. It was the subtle signs.

    ''He''s learned how to mask his reactions far better now. A trained interrogator would still be able to see through him, but he''d be able to fool the average Joe.''

    Daichi was startled. He knew the old man would ask this question one day but he didn''t think it''d be so soon. ''In hindsight I should have expected this. With everything I''ve learned and shown And my speed and strength Now that I think about it, I''m kinda surprised it took him this long to ask. Still Should I tell him?''

    Daichi decided to respond with a question of his own. He had a wide smile and asked "Come on! What makes you say that?"

    Kensei sighed as he heard the question. "Daichi, the way I see it Your secrets are yours. Like I said before, if you don''t want to tell me It''s fine. But don''t think of me as an idiot."

    Daichi''s smile fell and then he sighed. "Fair enough."

    Daichi mentally struggled with the decision. ''On the one hand, he''s helped me a lot. Much more than I ever expected. On the other hand, do I trust someone else with my secrets?''

    Daichi was silent for several seconds. Kensei could see that the boy was struggling to make a choice.

    ''Seems those secrets will stay with him''

    The old man let out a small, slightly sad sigh and was about to walk away when Daichi spoke up.

    "Yes!" Daichi looked at Kensei and replied to his question. "To answer your question, yes! I do have some abilities. At least I think so."

    Kensei was surprised that Daichi admitted that much. He felt happy that Daichi decided to open up to him.

    "What are they?" Kensei asked with great curiosity.

    "Before I answer that, how much have you figured out about my abilities?" Daichi asked while sitting down on the back porch.

    Kensei joined him. He looked at the setting sun and began to recall the observations he made on Daichi over the course of thest 3 years.

    "Over the years I noticed that your chakra reserve increases at an exceptionally faster rate. Despite being 8 years old, you only need at most 5 hours of sleep each day. No matter how exhausted, bruised or wounded you are, youpletely recover with a single night''s rest. Your chakra and stamina recovery after exhaustion is incredible but when you meditate, that recovery increases by several fold. For some reason your natural recovery has be much faster this year. You''re immune to Genjutsu. Well, most genjutsu anyway. You have a steep learning curve. Your body is far more durable than most chunins. And finally based on my observations your body has the ability to adapt and be stronger when pressured. It''s as if your body detects that it needs to improve to survive. For example when youck chakra your body increases your chakra volume and expands so on. I don''t know if you''re the one consciously doing it or if it''s your body''s automatic response? But I know there is a limit. Otherwise you''d already have surpassed me by now."

    Kensei concluded and turned to look at Daichi. He saw that the kid was wide eyed and jaw dropped. Kensei smirked at that. "Seeing your reaction I take it, I''m right?"

    "Umm" Daichi didn''t have any words to speak of at that moment. He was having a mental freakout.

    ''Holy fucking shit! How the hell is someone so perceptive? He knows all that? I thought he only knew about my genjutsu immunity and my growth speed but this is insane! He figured out the immunity aspect of the gamer''s mind and several aspects of the gamer''s body. He was able to sense my HP, CP, SP recovery and he was able to note that it increases during my meditation. He figured out that I heal wounds with one night''s rest and somehow he came to the conclusion that I was able to increase my strength at will By using points I can increase my strength and chakra volume. But he''s not sure if I''m the one doing it or if its my body''s natural response. Still I can''t believe he figured out something like that Despite not knowing about the gamer''s ability, he was able to deduce several of its aspects from just observing me His intuition, perception and observational skills are incredible...''

    Daichi opened and closed his mouth several times but no words came out. Neither of them spoke for a couple of minutes. After a minute Daichi gathered his thoughts and answered.

    "I can''t believe you figured out so much." He said in a low voice.

    "Well you have been living under my roof, sparring with me and training in my backyard for thest 3 years. It''s only natural that I''d notice your anomalies."

    Daichi nodded at that. ''I need to be more cautious from now on.''

    "Yes. You''re right, gramps. I only need to sleep for about 4 hours to be fully healed and be at peak form. And my body does have a limited ability to adapt to stressful situations by increasing my strength and chakra. It''s an automatic response. And I pick up jutsus and techniques at a much faster rate than others. And meditation does help me recover chakra and stamina faster after a workout. You''re right about everything." Daichi said with a small smile.

    Reputation increases with Kensei Yasaji.

    Kensei had a gentle smile on his face. ''He trusts me. I could see how difficult revealing this was for him But the fact that he did means he trusts me with his secrets. Thank you Daichi. I''ll make sure not to betray this trust.'' Kensei only smiled and didn''t say a single word of his thoughts to Daichi. Actions speak louder than words afterall.

    "The truth is My ability is a special kekkei genkai. Or at least that''s my understanding. I don''t know anyone in the vige that has abilities like mine. I don''t think there is any So " Daichi told the old man.

    "I see" Kensei pondered on that. "You might be right about that. I haven''t heard of a person let alone a whole n that has shown your uniqueness."

    "You figured out this much about my powers.! Think you have a theory?"

    Daichi enquired with genuine curiosity. Or at least that''s what it looked like. Daichi knew no matter how smart Kensei was he would never be able to figure out that Daichi possesses an ability that could interact with the world itself. The gamer ability. Because the concept of a gamer itself didn''t exist in this world.

    "I might have an idea." Kensei thought about Daichi''s question and answered after several seconds.

    "The first Hokage Hashirama Senju had the power to use Wood style. It was a unique Ninjutsu that only he could use. From what I know neither his brother nor his descendants possessed the ability to use this Kekkei Genkai. It was concluded that it was a mutation specific to him My guess is you''re the same case. Your ability might be a rare gic mutation. I''m sure your parents didn''t have your abilities but you might be able to pass it on to your descendants. Or you might not We can''t know for sure But what I''m sure of is that you''re probably the only one in the world who possesses a body with such capabilities"

    Daichi crossed his arms and thought about what Kensei said. He nodded along with his grandfather''s assumption.

    ''That''s an interesting idea. If someone No! When someone in the future asks these same questions then I can say that I have a specific mutated Kekkei Genkai. They can''t exactly disprove it. And by that time, I''ll be strong enough to handle most people thate my way.''

    Both of them sat in silence for a while and enjoyed thest rays of the sun as it disappeared over the horizon.

    "Thank you Daichi." Kensei looked at the kid. "For trusting me with your secret."

    Daichi smiled and nodded but didn''t say anything. They both retired to their rooms shortly after. Kensei was happy that his grandson decided to trust him but unknown to him, happiness was not what Daichi felt.

    As Daichi closed the door to his room, he had aplicated feeling in his heart. ''I''m sorry I can''t tell you the whole truth, old man It''s just''

    Daichi clenched his fists in anger and sadness.

    ''Damn it! Damn it! DAMN IT!... Despite everything he''s done for me I I still can''t bring myself topletely trust him Why?''

    Small trails of tears started rolling down his eyes as he sat in a corner of the room. The Gamer''s Mind activated and calmed him down more than once But, Daichi''s tears didn''t stop for several minutes as he sat there in silence without an answer.

    ------------------------------------------------------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 89: Inner Fears

    Chapter 89: Inner Fears

    Daichi tilted his head and dodged the fist that was aimed at his face. He then raised his left hand and blocked the punches and kicks Sasuke sent his way. Daichi had a bored nonchnt expression on his face as he parried the strikes of the Uchiha. Sasuke jumped back after a few seconds and red at his opponent.

    "Don''t just stand there. Fight back.!"

    Daichi let out a sigh which infuriated the Uchiha child. He raised his vignce and senses and prepared for Daichi''s attack. But those precautions didn''t change anything. One second Sasuke was looking at Daichi, the next he felt a punch ram into mid section and then all he felt was the ckness surrounding his eyes.

    Daichi looked at the unconscious Sasuke in his arms and gentlyid him down on the ground.

    "You didn''t have to knock him out Daichi!" Iruka came and checked Sasuke''s condition.

    "If I had held back any more, then Sasuke would have only gotten angrier. And I''m in no mood to deal with his bitchiness today."

    Iruka sensei let out a tired breath hearing Daichi''s reply. ''Daikoku was right. Lord Hokage should have let Daichi skip a grade. There is no one here that can give him a challenge.''

    "Now that the fight is over you still need to make the seal of reconciliation when he wakes up."

    "Sensei he''s not gonna do it and frankly I''m not going to either."

    "But "

    "I''m going to meditate. So If that''s all sensei"

    "All right! Just go to your spot." Iruka was confused and let out a tired sigh.

    Daichi turned around and left the ring. Iruka looked at Daichi and was concerned. ''Unusual. He''s irritated. Strange I wonder what happened?''

    Daichi went to the nearby tree on the training ground and sat down. He began meditating while the sparring between his ssmates continued.

    Shikamaru and the others noticed his behavior. Shikamaru slightly narrowed his eyes as he looked at his ssmate. ''Is it just me or is something bothering him?''

    "Have you noticed that he''s been doing nothing but meditate thesest few weeks." Ino quietly asked Sakura and Hinata.

    "Yeah. He doesn''t even go to the library anymore. And even in ss he''s meditating I wonder what kind of training would need him to meditate so much?" Sakura wondered.

    Sasuke woke up a few minutester and looked around. He seethed in anger as he looked at Daichi who was meditating under the tree. He clenched his fist and went to another corner of the academy ground.

    As Sasuke kept looking at Daichi his anger slowly vanished. He too had seen Daichi''s odd long meditation sessions. And he was more than curious as well. ''He''s not someone to sit around and waste time. So this must be some kind of training! Question is what? Chakra control? I read that meditation helps the Yin aspect of the chakra. Is that it? Is he trying to increase the strength of his Yin chakra?... If he''s so invested in it then it must be important Should I start meditating?''

    Naruto gazed at Daichi as well ''My goal is to be the strongest.'' Those words rang in Naruto''s head like a bell. He then thought about his own goal. The dream to be Hokage one day.

    ''He reads all kinds of books at the library and trains so much and so hard every chance he gets But I''m here ying pranks and goofing off! I said I want to be Hokage but have I really worked for it?'' Naruto clenched his fists and made a decision. He turned to Sakura who was near him.

    "Hey Sakura Can you Can you help me out with my homework?... Please" Naruto sheepishly smiled as he made the request.

    Sakura, Kiba, Ino and the others were shocked hearing that but they quickly figured out the reason. They realized that Daichi''s fight motivated Naruto to try harder.

    Sakura looked at Naruto and narrowed her eyes. She then let out a sigh and agreed. "Fine but only for an hour or two. And no funny business."

    "Yes! Thank you Sakura! You''re the best." Naruto was excited and had a wide grin.

    Hinata had her head down as she heard this. Ino noticed this and then looked at Naruto and then back to Hinata. After a couple seconds her eyes widened in realization.

    "OH MY GOD! Hinata you like-" Before Ino couldplete that sentence Hinata mped her hand on Ino''s mouth, silencing her.

    "Quiet! I I don''t want him to know yet." Hinata mumbled to Ino. Ino quietly nodded her head.

    "What is it, Hinata? What do you like?" Naruto and Kiba asked with a grin.

    The shy Hyuga girl took her hand off Ino''s mouth. "C-cinnabuns. Ino found o-out I just really c-cinnabuns." Hinata stuttered and replied looking down while having a small blush.

    "Oh! I like cinnabuns too!" Choji replied.

    "You like everything that counts as food." Kiba retorted.

    "HEY! QUIET YOU ALL AND PAY ATTENTION TO THE SPARS!"

    Iruka shouted at the group and he had his signature big head jutsu to back him up.

    Naruto and the group stayed silent and focused on the fights. Meanwhile Daichi was still in deep meditation. One of his clones dispelled and he was feeling the fatigue of the clone. But due to the passive skills he received after his vitality and stamina stats reached 100 his recovery rate had increased exponentially.

    It had been a week since Kensei had confronted him on his powers. Daichi was bothered by the fact that he couldn''t bring himself to truly trust the old man. But thanks to the Gamer''s Mind he was able to keep a calm and cool faade near the old man but it still weighed on his mind. And this distracted him from his training.

    Luckily Daichi found the solution in meditation. His meditation helped him confront his deep inner thoughts and fears and Daichi was now bing much more intune with his emotions.

    He realized that his trust issues were born from his fear of an untimely death at the hands of a powerful enemy or even an unknown stranger. Daichi realized that the knowledge of being reborn into a world that was once known to be fictional and where killers rule with an iron fist, has had an impact on his psyche on a far deeper level than he ever thought.

    For the past several days Daichi entered deep meditation and confronted the fear in his mind and he slowly and steadily began to control it. The fear in Daichi''s mind wasn''t like another self with a negative persona or consciousness or anything of the sort. It was just a culmination of negative thoughts and emotions.

    Hours passed by and the spar and ss came to an end.

    Naruto and the others came near Daichi to wake him up but it was unnecessary. The moment they neared him, Daichi opened his eyes.

    He was much calmer and his heart felt much lighter. He had finally confronted and ovee most of his fears. Several notifications popped up.

    [You have confronted and won against the fears that have been deeply rooted in your mind since the day you were awakened.]

    [Your mental fortitude has be stronger.]

    [You have achieved a brief enlightenment.]

    [+10 WISDOM.]

    Daichi looked at the message boxes and then dismissed them. He smiled at his friends as they reached him.

    Naruto, Ino and Shikamaru noticed that Daichi was a lot calmer now and he had a genuine happy expression. Ino had seen peoplee to her father for help with their mental troubles and she had seen the faces of people who got a lot better. It was how she realized the change in Daichi''s Aura so quickly.

    "You''re secretly training aren''t you? All this meditating It''s training right?" Kiba asked at that moment.

    Daichi chuckled. "Yes. Something like that. I''m doing a chakra strengthening exercise and this is part of it."

    Naruto and Kiba got excited hearing that. "Hey can you teach me?" "Me too?"

    Daichi got up and stretched his arms and legs. "Meditation isn''t all that difficult. Well once you get used to it anyway. But I''d doubt either of you has the patience for that."

    Kiba and Naruto pouted hearing that. At that moment Ino stepped forward with a smile.

    "sses are over. Would you like to walk home with me?"

    Daichi smiled at her childish crush. He didn''t want to break her little heart by refusing so he indulged her.

    "Sure, Ino!"

    The group then split up. Naruto and Sakura, staying back at the academy so she could help with Naruto''s homework. Hinata, Kiba and Shino heading to their npound together and Ino, Choji, Shikamaru and Daichi heading the opposite way.

    Ino talked about several topics to Daichi and paid little attention to the other two following behind them. Daichi smiled and nodded and gave his input whenever it was needed. Soon they reached Ino''s flower shop and Daichi bid farewell to his friends.

    As he walked home he thought about telling the real truth about his powers to his grandfather but decided against it. ''The old man is satisfied with the answers he has now. And we''re in a really good ce. I don''t want to jeopardize that. If the need arises I''ll tell him.''

    His mind then wandered to his training. He thought about the second stage of the ''Earth'' change in chakra nature technique. He thought about the skill he got after the first day of training.

    [Earth - Waterfall Cutting technique - (Active/Passive)(LV. 1):An earth chakra affinity training skill obtained through continuously focusing the chakra to cut off the flow of water. An advanced technique to help the user increase the control and strength of their earth nature chakra.]

    [Note: Increasing the level of this skill will increase the level of the skill ''Earth Affinity.'']

    [Effects:]

    [2% Increase in Earth Chakra control.]

    [3% Increase in power of Earth Chakra nature.]

    [CP cost : 99/sec.]

    ''Till now I haven''t been able to focus but now I''m ready. Based on my memories, it took Naruto over 8 days of training and with hundreds of clones to master the second stage. So for me it should take several months. My chakra has increased due to the intense training and now I can create 5 clones. Instead of adding the 5th clone to training I''ll have him meditate and improve other skills. That way I''ll recover much faster and can keep training for a lot longer in a day.''

    Daichi got home and saw Kensei watering the garden.

    "Hey Gramps!"

    Kensei turned and saw Daichi with a wide smile. He was relieved. Even though Daichi tried to hide it, Kensei saw that Daichi was ufortable after sharing his secret. He felt bad that he put Daichi in such a position and didn''t want to upset the boy any further but now after seeing Daichi''s genuine smile he felt a weight off his shoulders.

    ''It seems he''s epted what happened and came to terms with it. I''m happy for him.''

    "Anything interesting happen while I was gone?" Daichi asked while he ced his school bag on the porch.

    Kensei smirked. "Nothing much. Who has time nowadays to see a weak old crippled man." He made a sad face so fake that Daichi deadpanned.

    "Yeah right. An old cripple that I''m pretty sure can kick a Jonin''s ass." The boy retorted.

    Kenseiughed, hearing him. He enjoyed the banter with his grandson. He then turned to a more serious topic.

    "How goes the second step?"

    "It''s a lot harder than I thought. But I suppose I should have expected that." Daichi replied admiring the beautiful flowers of his garden.

    Kensei nodded. "Earth nature is strong against water nature. Sopared to the second step of the other natures this is the easiest. And you don''t have to rush. This is a step that would take years to master But you''re a talented freak of nature."

    "Thank you for thatpliment, you old geezer." Daichi replied in a dry tone.

    Kensei cheekily smiled. "You''re wee Now I''d estimate that you''d be able toplete it in maybe 7 to 9 months."

    Daichi had thought about that time frame. ''It won''t take that long if I really push it. I need to master the fire chakra nature too this year Then there is the dungeon run Ghaa! I''ve got a lot on my te but I''m really excited for it. But for now I''m gonna take a rest.''

    Both of them stood there and enjoyed the rxing atmosphere of their garden.

    ---------------------------------------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 90: 3rd Dungeon

    Chapter 90: 3rd Dungeon

    ''197. 198. 199. 200.''

    Daichi stood up and let out a deep breath as he finished his daily 200 push-ups. His daily workout waspleted and now Daichi was ready for the day. He opened the ongoing quests and looked at the conditions of his third year quest.

    [Complete 200 Push ups (Daily)]

    [Complete 200 Squats (Daily)]

    [Complete 200 Punches(Daily)]

    [Run 20 Kilometers (Daily)]

    [Complete at least 1 Dungeon before the end of this academic year.]

    [Take the top spot in your ss.]

    [Learn advanced chakra control techniques.]

    ''I''ll be able toplete the daily quests no problem. I''ve learned two advanced chakra control exercises and by the time this year ends I n on learning two more. And I''ll be able to take the top spot this year as well So the only thing remaining is the dungeon.''

    He decided that it was time for the third dungeon run.

    Several months had passed and Daichi was steadily increasing his strength. The October semester exams at the academy ended yesterday and now Daichi had a two week break. He also recentlypleted the second step of the Earth change in chakra nature control training.

    ''Along withpleting the first two steps of nature transformation I learned plenty of Earth style Ninjutsu as well. Now I just need experience using them in battle. The next dungeon should be a decent start with that. And I think I know which dungeon I should go to this time.''

    Daichi gets random rewards forpleting the daily quests. Most of the time it''smon ordinary items but sometimes he would get jutsu scroll or something of simr value as rewards. But these types of rewards were rare. Several months ago Daichi got an instant dungeon key as a reward. The dungeon key to the ''Zeroth Ground''.

    Daichi recalled the limited information he knew about the training ground. ''It was designed as a training ground when it was built but now it''s a wildlife preserve. I wonder how it''s dungeon version will look. Whatever the case, I''ll be ready.''

    Daichi checked his status page. His level was the same as before but he was able to increase points in several stats with just training. He then opened the skill list and went through them. His eyesnded on the Earth - Waterfall Cutting technique.

    [Earth - Waterfall Cutting technique - (Active/Passive)(LV. MAX):An earth chakra affinity training skill obtained through continuously focusing the chakra to cut off the flow of water. An advanced technique to help the user increase the control and strength of their earth nature chakra.]

    [Note: Increasing the level of this skill will increase the level of the skill ''Earth Affinity.'']

    [Effects:]

    [200% Increase in Earth Chakra control.]

    [300% Increase in power of Earth Chakra nature.]

    [CP cost : 18/sec.]

    ''The strength of my Earth style jutsus have gotten a lot stronger. It took me almost 5 months of non-stop training but it was totally worth it. And my earth affinity has improved as well. So that''s a bonus.''

    [Earth Affinity - (Active/Passive)(LV. 76): Earth Release is one of the five basic nature transformations. It ismonly affiliated with Tiger hand-seal. At higher levels the user can control the several minerals saturating the earth. Once this skill crosses Level 90, the user canbine it with other nature affinities which have also crossed Level 90. Primary affinity of the ''yer''.]

    [Effects:]

    [182% Power Increase in earth attack jutsu.]

    [182% Power Increase in earth defense jutsu.]

    [72.5% Increase in sess when creating earth style jutsu.]

    [60% Decrease in Chakra cost when using earth style jutsu.]

    ''Excellent. It is so gratifying to see my progress like this.''

    Daichi headed back home from the training ground. He quickly reached the house and went to his room. He took the necessary supplies and got ready for the third dungeon run.

    ''The old man went to see Shi and won''t be back for an hour or two. Now''s the perfect time.''

    Daichi took out the key and activated it. He was teleported andnded in a hallway that was simr to the hallway he saw in the first dungeon, but it had some key differences. It had wines and roots growing all over the ce, but it also had carvings of exotic animals on the walls.

    Daichi looked at the carvings with fascination and walked forward. Within a minute he reached the end and inserted the key into the door.

    [You have reached the entrance to the dungeon - Zeroth Ground.]

    [Would you like to enter? [Y/N]

    "Yes. Yes! Let''s get on with it."

    The door opened and Daichi stepped inside.

    [The title ''Dungeon Warrior'' is now active. All your stats are increased by 15% while inside the dungeon.]

    His titles activated and his stats increased. Daichi smiled as he felt the power flowing through his body. The first thing he saw was a vast expanse with little nts.

    ''Observe''.

    [Dungeon - Zeroth Ground]

    [This dungeon and its beasts are based on the wildlife sanctuary previously known as Zeroth Training ground. This dungeon is muchrger andprises different terrains that are home to various species of animals. The beasts inside the dungeon are unique and are a stronger and more evolved and powerful version of their strongest counterparts.]

    At that moment, as Daichi expected, a quest appeared.

    [Quest Created - ''Kill the 68 unique beasts inside the dungeon''.]

    Time limit : None.

    Rewards:

    15000 Exp.

    Ryo 150,000.

    Failure:

    Death.

    [ept (Y/N)]

    Daichi read the details and was slightly confused. ''These rewards don''t seem like much. And 68 unique beasts? That''s not a lot of enemies.''

    Daichi looked ahead and started walking forward. "Well, whatever the case I don''t n on losing."

    Daichi walked through therge expanse while keeping his senses on high alert. Daichi decided to not use the mini-map or his ''observe'' skill for this challenge. He wanted to increase his own observational and analytical skills and rely on his senses instead of beingpletely dependent on the gamer abilities for everything.

    He kept walking for over half an hour and then his senses picked up something. He heard the sounds of footsteps. And they were getting louder and louder with each second. Before long Daichi saw the cause of the sounds.

    ''Is that a. it''s a fucking Bison. But it''s It''s huge.''

    The Bison was covered in brown fun with a yellow stripe running down the middle and had tworge horns on either side of its head. The most noticeable feature was its size. It was almost 3 times taller than Daichi.

    "Rhaaa." The Bison let out a roar as soon as it saw Daichi and rushed at him.

    Daichi immediately went through hand-seals. ''Earth style - Mud River.''

    [Earth Style - Mud River Jutsu - Active(LV. 3): Amon Earth style jutsu that converts portions of the floor or ground that the user and their opponents are standing on into a raging avnche of mud and earth. The opponent quickly loses his/her standing and starts being dragged along the flow of the river.]

    [Rank: B.]

    [Type: Ninjutsu]

    [Hand Seals: Tiger - Ox - Dog - Snake.]

    [CP Cost: 133 Per Use.]

    The ground around the charging Bison turned from t rock formation to a raging flow of mud and soft soil. It quickly lost its footing and due to itsrge size it quickly began to get dragged underground.

    Daichi again quickly went through several seals.

    "Earth style - Earth Dragon bomb."

    A dragon head made of mud appeared out of the earth and several mud projectiles wereunched out of its mouth. The mud projectiles struck the bison and it roared in pain.

    Unable to defend itself, and due to the force of the impact the bison was dragged down and in seconds waspletely submerged under the earth river.

    After several seconds Daichi ced his hands on the ground and let the jutsu go and turned the earth back into a solid rock formation. He waited for several seconds and then a notification appeared.

    [Enemy killed.]

    +1000 Exp.

    +150 Exp.

    [Enemies killed: 01/68]

    "Not a bad start."

    -

    Daichi jumped back and evaded the sharp ws of ck panther. He covered his hands with solid rock and struck the giant cat the next second sending it several meters away.

    It was in the middle of the night and Daichi was traveling through the jungle. It was there he encountered the ferocious creature.

    ''Bisons, giant spiders and eagles, a four armed ape and now a panther. This ce is truly one of a kind.''

    The ck panther was quick to recover and looked at Daichi with anger in its eyes. The most noticeable feature about the panther was that it had two tails. It circled Daichi while trying to find the best way to attack it''s prey.

    Daichi was unusually calm as he faced the giant creature. He had gotten used to the ferocious intent and due to his plentiful life or death battles he was not nervous.

    The panther jumped with lightning speed and tried to w at Daichi''s head. Daichi dodged and quickly sent a powerful blow to its underbelly. The force sent the giant feline flying into a tree.

    Daichi smirked at seeing the effects of his attack. ''This jutsu is perfect for Taijutsu users.''

    [Earth Style - Fist Rock Jutsu - Active(LV. 2): The user encases the arm in a rock formation and deals a strong hardened punch against an opponent while being protected from direct contact with their target. The weight of the rock can be increased to further increase the power of the attack.]

    [Rank: C.]

    [Type: Ninjutsu]

    [Hand Seals: Snake - Ram - Dog - Rat - Snake - Tiger.]

    [CP Cost: 98 Per Use.]

    ''With this I can punch as hard as I want without getting my hands wrecked. But the negative side effect is this slightly reduces my speed. Against enemies who rely on strength this is perfect but for people like Lee I''ll need something else.''

    [You have sensed killing intent.]

    The panther got up and shook it''s head. It red and then ran at Daichi full speed. Daichi was faster than the beast and avoided the strikes while dealing damage to the beast. A powerful uppercut to the jaw staggered the animal and Daichi sent a powerful double blow to its head the next second. The strike ended the animal and it burst into smoke.

    [Enemy killed.]

    +1200 Exp.

    +180 Exp.

    [Enemies killed: 08/68]

    ''60 more to go.''

    -

    There were several environments in this dungeon. From lush jungles to barren wastnds and snow covered hills to a small desert. Severalrgekes were in between them.

    Daichi realized that even though the number of enemies he had to fight was small, this dungeon was the biggest one he had encountered yet. He fought powerful animals of all kinds throughout the various habitats.

    Daichi was currently in the snowy hills battling a Mammoth. He dodged the fast trunk and jumped back and gained some distance from the animal.

    The Mammoth seeing its target avoiding it''s strike, took in a lot of air and used it''s trunk to shoot it out like bullets.

    Daichi''s eyes widened. ''Wind bullets. This thing can also use Ninjutsu too.''

    During the battles in this dungeon Daichi found out that some animals were capable of using elemental attacks mimicking Ninjutsu.

    Daichi evaded and ran to his right to take cover under arge rock. ''I''ve been attacking it for a while. It has some significant wounds and it''s slowing down. This is the perfect time to finish it.''

    He quickly created a lightning clone and had it run in the opposite direction. The Mammoth was a simple creature and followed the clone. Daichi created 3 shadow clones and quickly and silently surrounded the giant beast.

    The lightning clone was chased and backed into a corner. Or at least that''s what it looked like. The Mammoth used it''s trunk to grab hold of Daichi and the moment it did the clone released itself and electrocuted and paralyzed the mammal.

    Daichi and his clones quickly capitalized the moment and let loose some of their powerful attacks. One clone used lightning attacks to keep the animal paralyzed while the others used earth, fire and wind attacks. They used attacks that were suitable to be used asbination attacks and quickly finished the job.

    [Enemy killed.]

    +1550 Exp.

    +232.5 Exp.

    [Enemies killed: 61/68]

    --

    Each beast in the dungeon was unique. There were no two of the same animal. Daichi realized that it was this reason that the dungeon had so few enemies. He traveled through the ce for over 12 days and battled all types of creatures.

    He defended himself against attacks that came from the sky and down from the earth. He had to find and kill some enemies that were deep beneath thekes, which were some of his most difficult tasks in the dungeon. But on the 13th day he finished off hisst opponent and the return key was delivered to him.

    -------------------------------------------------------------

    Author''s Note:

    Originally I nned on writing a 3 chapter dungeon run but then I scrapped the idea. Why drag things out. We''re 90 chapters in and Daichi still hasn''t left the academy. That was not part of my n when I started writing the story. Honest to god. So I''m gonna be speeding things up a bit but not too much that it''d seem like I''m suddenly skipping things. I can''t wait for his graduation, his missions and I''m most excited about the chunin arc. I already have his opponents in mind

    But still That''s a long way from now My n is toplete this story before Feb 2024. Maybe keep the story between 300 and 400 chapters long I already have an end goal in mind. Just a matter of reaching it. Hope you guys stick with the journey to the end.

    As always If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 91: Fire Affinity

    Chapter 91: Fire Affinity

    Daichi stood with his eyes closed and felt the cool breeze on his face. He got the quest rewards and was currently thinking about the battles he went through in this dungeon.

    ''I didn''t suffer any serious injuries in this dungeon like I did in the other two. It''s proof I''ve gotten a lot stronger.''

    His mind went through the different types of creatures he fought thesest two weeks.

    ''There were about a dozen beasts that used ninjutsu on me. Or at least techniques that mimicked ninjutsu. I was able to counter most but some still overpowered my techniques... I have several strong defensive jutsu and some that can be used to trap multiple enemies or to use as long range attacks. But I don''t have a strong attack type jutsu. Or the ones I have aren''t strong enough It seems I made the right choice to train fire as my next chakra affinity. If I master the first two steps of change in the chakra nature of fire then my fire ninjutsu will definitely get a boost.''

    Daichi opened his eyes and called upon his status page.

    [Name : Daichi Hekima (The Gamer)]

    ss : Student

    Age : 8

    Title : Capable Child, Explorer, Prodigy, Beast yer, Dungeon Warrior, Executioner.

    Level : 41 (2700/44425)

    .

    [HP : 7858]

    [CP : 11368.5]

    [SP : 8435]

    [MP: 4625]

    .

    [Primary Stats]

    Strength - 108

    Vitality - 113

    Dexterity - 104

    Agility - 107

    Intelligence - 117

    Chakra - 175

    Wisdom - 112

    .

    [Special Stats]

    Sense - 85

    Stamina - 121

    Indomitable - 14

    Charisma - 41

    Persistence - 15

    Dignity (LOCKED)

    Luck (LOCKED)

    .

    [Stat Points - 452]

    [Ryo - 796582]

    "My stats have increased a lot. And now I have over 450 stat points. Should I use them now?... No I''ll use a few during the next few years but I''ll think about adding the remaining points to my stats after I be a Genin. I wonder who my teacher and teammates would be?"

    Daichi returned to the entrance and ced the return key inside the entrance door keyhole.

    [You have used the return key. Would you like to leave this dungeon?]

    [Y/N]

    "Yes."

    In seconds Daichi was back in his room. He freshened up and went downstairs to make something to eat. It was his way to dpress and rx. He hummed a simple tune and made his dish.

    A couple hourster his grandfather returned. They both ate and a whileter both of them were sitting on the porch talking about several topics. Among them was Daichi''s visit to the orphanage a couple weeks ago.

    "How was the baby?" Kensei enquired.

    "She''s alright. Miss Aiko is taking good care of her. I''ve already given her some funds from Ren''s scrolls to cover her needs. But I told Miss Aiko it was from you." Daichi replied with a small smile.

    Kensei nodded. After several seconds of silence he spoke. "You need to be careful with your visits."

    Daichi looked at his old man with a questioning gaze. Seeing Daichi''s face, Kensei borated on his thoughts.

    "For the moment she is safe. To the world she is just another orphan without any ties. But if you make your visits regr and the wrong people find out then they will know you have a connection to that orphanage. Once you be strong enough and make a name for yourself, that connection will put either Aiko or that baby in danger. People like Danzo would no doubt use them as leverage against you. If he decides toe for you anyway. So you need to be careful."

    Daichi nodded and agreed with that statement. "Not to mention she is an Uchiha. When she awakens the Sharingan it''ll be a headache for me But I''ll handle it."

    "Well you have a few years before that happens. So I wouldn''t worry about that for now On a different topic, have you decided the next nature you''re going to train in?" Kensei asked the boy. He knew Daichi wanted to learn and master every chakra nature.

    Daichi nodded to the question. "Fire. That will be my second change in chakra nature training."

    "Hmm you have mastered earth chakra nature. It would increase your defense and close quarterbat power. So now you''re looking for something with serious attack power huh." Kensei concluded.

    "Yeah! I have about 2 weeks of free time. I was thinking about starting the training now.!"

    Kensei smiled hearing that. "Daichi, it''s good that you want to improve and get stronger but it''s not a bad thing to slow down and rx once in a while. But I know that advice will go through one ear and out the other."

    Daichi looked at Kensei with a neutral expression. "You say something gramps?"

    "Arghh." Kensei let out a groan and shook his head.

    Daichiughed seeing the reaction. ''I''ve always wanted to do that Now I know why Kakashi finds this so funny.''

    Daichi then got up and went to pick up a leaf. He then looked at Kensei.

    "Got any words of wisdom for me, old man?"

    Kensei rubbed his chin and then answered a few momentster. "Fire is a fundamental element which makes up this world. It nurtures life and gives warmth to all living things. But just as it is a blessing it can also be a curse. It has the ability to annihte all things in its path. If it can''t burn through then it burns around. Sometimes just a single spark is enough to set a forest aze. A dangerous and powerful element."

    Daichi paid attention to every word Kensei said. ''Its indeed a strong element, if harnessed could increase my strength by a wide margin.''

    Kensei continued. "Now in earth chakra nature training you had tobine and harden the chakra. But when ites to fire you have to split the chakra and then rub them against each other. Your intent should be to produce heat. So split your chakra and rub it against each other and rejoin them to produce heat and then burn the leaf."

    Daichi nodded and began his second chakra nature training. He ced the leaf between his palms and concentrated. He visualized his chakra being split into two halves. He proceeded and his chakra responded ordingly.

    Due to Daichi''s perfect chakra control, his ability to manipte and move his chakra was far easier whenpared to others. He split his chakra and started rubbing it against each other. The friction created energy and after a minute Daichibined his chakra and the result was that heat was produced.

    Several tiny portions all over the leaf burned. This showed that while Daichi understood how to do the technique, he didn''t have the necessary control of Fire nature chakra.

    Several notifications alerted Daichi and he opened his eyes and then his palms. He smiled looking at the result. He showed the burned leaf to his grandfather.

    [Reputation increases with Kensei Yasaji.]

    Kensei nodded but didn''t say a word. But Daichi knew he was impressed based on the reputation increase notification.

    Kensei was calm on the outside but he was deeply impressed and surprised. ''He got it on the first try. Even Hiruzen wasn''t this good when he first attempted this training. And his primary nature was fire I thought the reason Daichi grasped the earth nature training so quickly was because he had an unusually powerful earth affinity. But it seems I''m wrong. Could this kid really master two chakra natures in a single year? That would be something unheard of What monstrous talent!''

    [A new skill is created with a specific action.]

    [Fire - Leaf burning technique - (Active/Passive)(LV. 1): A fire chakra affinity training skill obtained through continuously focusing chakra to a leaf to burn it. A basic technique to help the user increase the strength of their fire nature chakra.]

    [Note: increasing the level of this skill will increase the level of the skill ''Fire Affinity.'']

    [Effects:]

    [1% increase in Fire Chakra control.]

    [CP cost : 52/sec.]

    Daichi looked at the new skill he received. ''The chakra cost is muchrger whenpared to the earth skill. It must be because earth is my natural affinity. During the leaf crumbling and the waterfall training I used 4 clones to train and another to meditate. But even this wasn''t enough. Due to the intensity of the chakra cost my clones had to meditate often. It''s a good thing my clones can use chakra regen as well. Otherwise I would have been in trouble But now With this much chakra cost, I won''t be able to create 5 clones and train properly. Now I get why Kakashi said that only Naruto would be able to do this kind of training effectively. Without a massive amount of chakra this type of training won''t work.''

    Daichi thought about adding some points to his chakra stat but after thinking about it for a few seconds he decided against it. Daichi created two clones.

    ''The speed will be slower but I have time. The old man is right about that. I don''t need to rush.''

    Daichi had 11368 chakra points. Split that evenly amongst Daichi and his two clones, then each would have roughly 3790 points. So Daichi and his two clones would only be able to use the chakra and burn the leaf for roughly a minute before they had to meditate and restore their chakra. But this simple calction didn''t take Daichi''s normal chakra regen speed into consideration. He sat down and began his chakra training.

    Daichi dispelled the clones every couple hours to increase his level and understanding of the technique. He would then meditate and rest and create new clones and continue training. It was rinse and repeat. While it was a monotonous process Daichi still made progress. It took about 5 weeks for Daichi topletely master the first step of the fire nature skill.

    [Fire - Leaf burning technique - (Active/Passive)(LV. MAX)]

    [Effects:]

    [100% increase in Fire Chakra control.]

    [CP cost : 5/sec.]

    Thest week of November began and Daichi was in the academy library. He was reading information about different viges and theirndscape and terrains. Daichi wanted to increase the wealth of his knowledge and learn about the formation of other viges that interested him. In his hand was a book on the hidden Grass vige. At that moment the image of a red haired girl with sses came to his mind.

    ''Karin! I can''t believe I didn''t even think about her. She''s in that vige and her mother is probably being forced to heal the grass ninjas. She''s either dead or it won''t be long before she dies and Karin is forced to take her mother''s ce at the hospital.''

    Daichi closed the book on the grass vige and crossed his arms. ''There is no point in thinking about people I can''t help Come to think of it, would I even help her if it came to it? If I helped her would that lead to a different future? She will be a crucial element in the future. If I do anything regarding her situation what will happen? Will I create a timeline that could be even worse than the one shown? Answers to that are unknown. Because of these reasons, I barely helped Naruto and he''s at arms length from me''

    Daichi shook his head and stood up. ''I need some air.''

    Daichi left the academy and entered the nearby forest. He walked aimlessly for several minutes before he reached a clearing. He saw a giant wooden stump in the middle of the clearing.

    ''Huh! I haven''t been here before.''

    Daichi walked closer and inspected the wooden stump. There were indicators that someone was training here. Daichi didn''t think much about it. He walked under the shade of a nearby tree and started meditating.

    What he didn''t realize was that this is where he would meet another prominent ninja of the future.

    ------------------------------------------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 92: Meeting Rock Lee & 3rd Year End

    Chapter 92: Meeting Rock Lee & 3rd Year End

    About an hour went by as Daichi peacefully meditated under the cool shade of the tree. His mind was on the second step of the fire chakra control technique.

    ''It will take me a lot longer to master the second step. I only have 4 months before this year ends. I''m not sure I''ll be able toplete it by then. Looks like I slightly overestimated myself. It seems mastery of Rasengan and the earth element at such a quick pace has gotten to my head''

    Daichi let out a sigh. He sat there andposed himself. At that moment he started hearing the sounds of footsteps. It was faint but as the seconds went by it got louder and louder. Daichi focused on his senses and he realized that the person was a child and was headed to the clearing. He used ''chakra sense'' and after a few seconds came to the conclusion that it was just a civilian child.

    Daichi believed it was just some random child and decided to keep meditating and not interact with the person. His mind was focused on how to improve his training efficiency.

    Several secondster a small figure reached the clearing. The child looked at the giant training stump and was about to walk over when he noticed a boy his age sitting under a tree and meditating. The child, not having seen this person here before decided to introduce himself. He walked up to Daichi and after a couple seconds of silence spoke.

    "Umm Hi!"

    Daichi felt the child approach him. He didn''t want to interact with the kid but hearing his voice Daichi immediately opened his eyes. When Daichi took in the image of the boy in front of him he was astonished.

    ''No way. It''s him!''

    The boy had long hair fastened in a braid. He wore a white kimono sleeved shirt with dark pants and a martial arts belt. The most prominent features about him were his round eyes and thick eyebrows.

    Daichi stared at the kid and didn''t speak for several seconds. The child shifted on his feet and looked at Daichi with uncertainty.

    "H-hi. I''ve never seen you here before. My name is Rock Lee."

    Daichi snapped out of his stupor and introduced himself with a small smile. "Hi. I''m Daichi. Daichi Hekima."

    The moment Lee heard the name his face got slightly serious. ''Daichi Hekima? So this is the underssmen the teachers call a prodigy. He''s probably like the rest. He''ll just make fun of me when he finds out who I am.''

    "Excuse me. But I''m going to train here." Lee gave a short quick bow and walked to the stump before Daichi could say another word.

    Daichi was observing every emotion on Lee''s face. Daichi saw recognition in Lee''s eyes the moment he mentioned his name. ''Seems this kid has heard of me. And his attitude He''s shy but he''s also unusually serious Makes sense. All those insults and mockery at the academy didn''t do him any good. He needs that Might Guy motivation and training to have that unbreakable will and bursting confidence and smile.''

    Daichi watched as Lee got into a basic punching stance. He began punching the stump and Daichi heard Lee counting the strikes. Daichi, not wanting to intrude on the training, decided to leave.

    "It was nice meeting you Lee. Good luck with your training."

    With those parting words Daichi left the clearing. Daichi had a smile as he heard the sounds of fists hitting the wooden stump.

    ''Lee is one of my favorite characters. His will and determination is far above that of normal people. With sheer brute training he was able to stand toe to toe with people who had powerful bloodlines and inborn talents Train hard Lee. I''m sure you can reach those heights once more.''

    -

    The days quickly passed with Daichi trying to master the advanced fire nature chakra technique.

    3 clones were currently trying to separate the waterfall with fire nature chakra. The whole area was covered in steam.

    In the second step of the ''Fire nature'' Daichi had to expel the fire chakra and turn the water to vapor and thus separate the water flow.

    "This is a lot harder than before."

    "That''s obvious. Fire is weak against water so this step would be more difficult whenpared to other elements."

    "I''m out of chakra. I''m going to dispel myself so the original can recover."

    One of the three clones burst into smoke and the other two gained its knowledge. Before long they both dispelled themselves as well.

    Daichi was in his backyard as he felt the clones dispel and the chakra returning to him. He was breathing hard but he endured it. His chakra and stamina regeneration was absurd whenpared to a normal person. Daichi was going through the memories while his body recovered. He opened the skill and took a look at his progress.

    [Fire - Waterfall separation technique - (Active/Passive)(LV.18):An advanced fire chakra affinity training skill obtained through continuously focusing the chakra to heat and separate the flow of water. An advanced technique to help the user increase the control and strength of their fire nature chakra.]

    [Note: Increasing the level of this skill will increase the level of the skill ''Fire Affinity.'']

    [Effects:]

    [36% Increase in Fire Chakra control.]

    [54% Increase in power of Fire Chakra nature.]

    [CP cost : 140/sec.]

    ''Only level 18 huh. And that''s with a month and a half of training The new year will begin within a couple days. Seems I might not be able to Max level this skill by the end of March.''

    Daichi sighed and got up. It was night time and he decided to finish for the day. He looked at the night sky and saw countless stars shining. He pondered on the question he had for a while now.

    ''I wonder If this world is real Isn''t it possible that the others are too''

    After several seconds of just staring into the ck sky he went inside.

    -

    Leaf Shopping District.

    It was early morning and Daichi was looking through a shop in the leaf shopping district. He pointed at several objects and was browsing for something special.

    "Yes. I''d like that one as well." Daichi said pointing to the small white tiger plushie.

    "All right. That''ll be 4600 Ryo total."

    Daichi paid the cash and headed for Aiko''s orphanage. It was January 29 and it was baby Reo''s birthday. He wanted to get her something on her birthday. Even though she won''t remember this moment, Daichi didn''t want her to feel alone.

    He quickly reached the orphanage and met with the matron.

    "Hello Miss Aiko."

    "Daichi! I had a feeling you would show up today. You''re here to see her, I take it?"

    Daichi nodded. The matron took Daichi to Reo''s room. The room had several other young children as well. Along the way Daichi brought a few sweets and toys for the other kids as well.

    There were two reasons. One, Daichi wanted to keep his rtionship with Reo under wraps for as long as possible. This way people wouldn''t be able to quickly connect him to Reo. And the second was that he asionally got gifts and candies when he himself was a ward here. He wanted to return the favor and do something nice for the children.

    Daichi spent the day at the orphanage ying with the kids and answering their questions about the academy. He gave Reo the white tiger plushie and stayed with her for hours. The matron and the kids celebrated Reo''s first birthday.

    Daichi had a gentle smile as he looked at the small child. ''Happy birthday Reo..''

    He only left at dusk when Reo went to sleep.

    Daichi clenched his fists as he walked home. ''You''re going to pay for what you did, Obito And if you go anywhere near her, Danzo... I don''t care what happens. It''ll be thest thing you ever do.''

    -

    Lee jumped backwards and barely avoided the blow to his torso. He was breathing hard while his opponent looked fresh as a Daisy.

    "Not bad Lee. Your Taijutsu style is getting better. Let''s stop for now. Your muscles need rest."

    Lee nodded and bowed.

    "Thank you for the spar Daichi."

    Daichi waved him off. "I told you, you don''t need to do that."

    After their first encounter, Daichi and Lee began meeting asionally in that same clearing. Lee, understanding that Daichi was not like the rest of his ssmates who mock or jeer him, quickly warmed up to him. They became friends and after a while Daichi decided to help Lee improve his taijutsu skills.

    Lee was extremely happy that there was someone who finally believed in him and he trained with renewed vigor.

    Both of them went to rest under the shade. Daichi took a few snacks from his bag and gave them a couple to his friend.

    Lee, after taking one bite, had sparkles in his eyes. "These are so delicious. I can''t believe you can also cook. You''re so awesome Daichi!"

    Daichi had a smirk and rubbed his nose. "Well I''m not one to brag"

    Leeughed seeing his friend''s attitude. They ate and talked about various things. The topic of the final exams came up.

    "I still can''t use any ninjutsu or genjutsu. So I can only rely on my Taijutsu and written grade to pass." Lee looked down as he said those words.

    "Everything will work out as long as you don''t give up. You need to have faith in yourself. As long as you don''t give up, I have no doubt that you can be something amazing in the future." Daichi said words of encouragement as he ate his snack.

    Lee''s eyes widened as he heard those words. A bright smile appeared on his face and he lunged and hugged Daichi as hard as he could. "Oh my good friend Daichi! Thank you for your words of encouragement. I will remember them forever."

    "Oy oy get off me." Daichi tried to pry theughing Lee off him.

    Daichi didn''t fail to notice the system message he got just before Lee jumped at him.

    [Reputation massively increased with Rock Lee.]

    -

    March 14th

    Iruka was supervising the ss as they had their final exams. The students were writing the answers as fast as they could. He saw some struggling with the questions(Naruto) while others having an easy time(Sakura). His eyes thennded on three particr students.

    All three of them were doing nothing. That''s not entirely urate. One was meditating while the other was ring at him and thest one was taking a nap without a care in the world.

    Iruka quietly sighed as he looked at the three of them.

    ''Daichi, Sasuke and Shikamaru. Those three... Their intelligence is above the others in the ss. But only two of them seem to take this seriously. Well, one of them takes it too seriously. Being second ce has really motivated Sasuke to improve himself. But I feel that this rivalry is being too serious And then there is the third one... Thankfully he knows to keep himself in check. Daichi and Sasuke finished all the questions quickly but Shikamaru answered only just enough questions to get him a satisfactory grade. And now he''s taking a nap Why did I expect him to do anything else.?''

    Iruka let out another sigh and supervised the exam. Before long it came to an end and with it their third year at the academy. Daichi hung out with his friends and after a while he left for his home.

    Time passed quickly and he was in his room going over his skill list when he noticed that it was almost midnight. A few seconds after the clock struck midnight the blue system message boxes came.

    [Ongoing Quest - ''Path to the strongest.'']

    [3rd Year tasks sessfullypleted. Distributing the Special reward for clearing a dungeon. Distributing New Skill for sessfully learning chakra control techniques.]

    [Special Reward.]

    [A-Grade Item Blueprint (1/3).]

    Daichi''s eyes widened as he looked at the reward.

    ''An A grade item? The Atamagai cloak is an A grade item and its functions are incredible. Does this mean I will get an item with extraordinary abilities? No! This says blueprints. That means I have to build it or find someone who can build it for me, depending on what this blueprint says. And moreover It says I only have one part out of three So I need two more huh If this item is anything like the cloak then I can wait. I''m sure it''ll be worth it.''

    A blue paper appeared in his inventory slot. Daichi took it out and used ''Observe'' on it.

    [Special Item - Rank A. Item and functions unknown (Needplete blueprint for more information.)]

    Daichi then looked at the new skill he got. His eyes widened as he read the details of the skill. "What kind of sick shitty skill is this?"

    [New skill: ''I''m Ready to Die'' stance.]

    -

    Author''s note:

    Rock Lee and Might Guy are two of my favorite characters in the series. No matter what anyone says, They''re awesome in my view.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 93: Interlude 04. And the Ripple Effect Continues...

    Chapter 93: Interlude 04. And the Ripple Effect Continues...

    Daichi couldn''t believe what he was reading. He went over the skill a couple more times just to be sure he didn''t miss anything. "Who the hell would design a skill like this?"

    [''I''m Ready to Die'' stance - Active(LV. MAX): This skill is a unique one time ''conditional trigger'' skill that can only be activated in a certain scenario. This skill activates when the user has mentally prepared himself to sacrifice his life. Once this skill activates, the CP, HP, SP and MP of the user are restored to 50% of maximum for 20 seconds. The user must die in these 20 seconds. If not, the body of the user will violently explode.]

    [Conditions for activation.]

    1. Health points of the user must be below 10%.

    2. Chakra points of the user must be below 10%.

    3. User must be resolute in his decision to die. Only then will this skill activate.

    [Effects:]

    [HP, CP, SP, MP of the user are restored to 50% for 20 seconds.]

    [300% Increase in effects of all techniques used during the 20 seconds activation period.]

    [All stats will gain a 20% boost for 20 seconds.]

    ''Da faq?... Well at least if anyonees close to killing me, then I can be sure that I''ll be able to take him with me to the afterlife.''

    Daichi then thought of the skill he acquired after saving Reo. His eyes slightly widened as he recalled the details of that skill. ''It seems this skill is designed to be paired up with that one. Interesting''

    Daichi closed the system messages andid down in his bed. He crossed his arms behind his head and justid there thinking about the next year. ''I need toplete the second step of the Fire Nature chakra. I was able to separate the waterfall but it wasn''t perfect. I was only able to increase it up to level 64 And I''ll need to start on medical ninjutsu this year. Have to ask the old man if he knows anyone But I also need to keep myself off Kabuto''s radar. I definitely can''t have him knowing about my abilities. One step at a time Daichi. Take one step at a time.''

    The boy let out a long breath and closed his eyes and soon went to sleep.

    -

    Hokage Office.

    An anbu wearing a mask with a bear pattern was standing silently in front of Hiruzen.

    "You took your time Bear! Over a year to investigate a single spy? Report!"

    At Hokage''smand, the Anbu ninja began his report on a certain spy.

    "I was able to identify the spy within the first two weeks of my assignment, Lord Hokage. But the reason it took so long topile the report is because of his background."

    Hiruzen narrowed his eyes. "Go on."

    "Based on the description we received, I identified the suspect as Kabuto Yakushi. His rank is genin and he works at the hospital as a medic ninja. Nothing out of the ordinary about him. That''s the first impression anyone would get when investigating him. "

    "Yakushi?... Where have I heard that name before?" Hiruzen asked himself.

    "Nono Yakushi. She was a Jonin and a medic ninja and was the former captain of the medic corps." The Anbu exined.

    "Ahh yes. Now I remember. She was also part of the foundation and for a while worked undercover for Danzo." Hiruzen said as he recalled the face of the woman.

    "Yes sir. And it seems this Kabuto Yakushi has followed in her footsteps."

    The Hokage raised an eyebrow at that. He didn''t realize that Orochimaru''s spy also had ties to Danzo. "Tell me everything."

    "When I first investigated Kabuto Yakushi, I found out that he was a child adopted by Nono Yakushi. She was assigned to heal the wounded from the battle of the Kikyo Pass and it''s said that it was there that she found a young child. She adopted him, gave him the name Kabuto and taught him medical ninjutsu But Iter found out that some of this story is false."

    "Some?"

    "Yes sir. The part about Miss Yakushi finding the child and teaching him medical Ninjutsu was true. But the rest of it is false. During my investigation I learned that Lord Danzo had made contact with Nono when she was running the Leaf Orphanage. I''m not sure how, but Kabuto ended up in Root and they trained him."

    "What?" Hiruzen couldn''t believe Orochimaru''s spy was a former root agent.

    Bear nodded. "Yes. I surveilled him for weeks and I learned that he is much more than he seems. He knows advanced surveince and counter surveince tactics. Most of the methods he employs I''ve only seen one group use those tactics. The Root forces At that point I established that he had connections to the foundation and dug deeper into his history. I had to infiltrate the root archives room. I found out the information needed there. The foundation trained Kabuto in espionage and he''s quite talented. I retraced his steps and paid a visit to the other great nations. I learnt that he infiltrated the Sand, Stone, Cloud, and Mist viges and posed as one of their shinobi gathering intelligence. An excellent infiltrator. On paper he is a Genin but I estimate that he''s at least a high Chunin or Low Jonin level."

    Hiruzen sped his hands as he listened. ''This Kabuto sounds like he could be a major problem. I''ll need to handle this carefully.''

    The Anbu continued. "During one of his infiltration missions in the stone vige, he was found out and they pursued him. The person who pursued him was none other than Nono Yakushi."

    "What?"

    "It''s the truth sir. Turns out Lord Danzo employed Miss Yakushi and fed her false information about Kabuto. Convinced her that he was safe and doing something else. Even created false photographs to make the story believable. The root used both of them as spies and when Lord Danzo deemed them to be too dangerous he assigned them on a task that would force them to kill each other."

    The gears in Hiruzen''s mind spun. He quickly deduced what had happened. "The mission in the stone vige. Danzo told me that the stone vige found out that Nono was a spy and killed her. But you''re telling me"

    "He lied sir. ording to the stone vige records it was an enemy spy that killed Nono. Danzo also sent Orochimaru to kill whoever remained. Tying up loose ends no doubt. I believe that Kabuto killed Miss Yakushi without realizing her identity and Orochimaru instead of killing Kabuto told him the truth and turned him against us." Bear concluded his report. He gave the Hokage a thick folder containing various documents he copied from the root missions records room and from the other great nations.

    Hiruzen clenched his fists as his mind went through all the information he just learned. "I''ve known Nono since she was a child. She would never have betrayed this vige. But now we have one of our own ninja allied with a known traitor and working against us All this mess because of Danzo''s paranoia And not only that, but he also had the gall to lie to me."

    "Sir, there''s more"

    "What is it?"

    "I heard that you ordered Lord Danzo to disband the root, after the whole Uchiha debacle"

    Hiruzen slightly narrowed his eyes. "I did."

    "It was during this time I was able to infiltrate the root base and get the information I needed. But I learned something else. Lord Danzo has been moving funds and making a new base of operations. I believe he still has a sizable portion of his operatives working for him. Not only that, I learned that he made contact with Orochimaru."

    "What?! Bear, are you sure about this information? You need to be 100% urate before you make usations like that."

    "I didn''t want to believe it myself but it''s the truth sir. It was shortly after the Uchiha massacre."

    The aging kage clenched his fists as he heard his ninja. Bear was one of his most trusted and loyal Anbu. So Hiruzen didn''t doubt his words. ''Danzo! It seems I''ve been far too lenient with you Not only did you go behind my back and force Itachi to kill his n but now you''re disobeying my direct orders If he''s lied to me about Nono''s death then what else has he lied about?''

    Hiruzen gritted his teeth and killing intent slowly started to roll off him The kage had dismissed his 3 personal Jonin guards but there were still another 2 Anbu hidden in the room. They along with Bear felt the murderous intent rising from heir leader.

    Bear looked at the Hokage and slightly trembled. ''He''s pissed I do not want to be Danzo right now.''

    After a short while Hiruzen took several deep breaths and calmed down. ''So you n on colluding with a traitor behind my back huh. I can no longer tolerate you Danzo It was my inaction that led to Orochimaru''s escape. And now he''s one of the biggest threats to the vige. If I let my emotions rule me again and do nothing then Danzo might be just as much of a problem if not more I knew he always wanted to be Hokage but To think he would do something like this He''s tried to kill me before and I have a feeling he''ll try again I won''t give you a second chance for that.''

    Hiruzen made a resolute decision. "Deer, Snow." He called out.

    2 Anbu appeared out of the shadows. "Yes sir."

    "You two along with Bear are my most loyal, capable and some of the best ninjas at infiltration, surveince and interrogation. Only you three canplete the missions I''m about to give now."

    The three stood in attention and in silence. "Bear. I need you to infiltrate the root forces. But make sure not to get branded by Danzo''s curse seal. I need the identities of his operatives, his resources and the origin of his funds. Every organization needs money to function and the root is no different I don''t need to say this to you but make sure to have a backup n in case you arepromised. The vige can''t afford to lose someone with your talents. Not in the state it currently is."

    "I understand Lord Hokage."

    Hiruzen nodded and turned to the Anbu referred to as Deer.

    "I need you to keep an eye on Kabuto Yakushi. You''ve heard what he''s capable of. Make sure he doesn''t notice you. I need to know everything about him. From his friends to contacts to his favorite foods and right down to his breathing habits. Is that clear?"

    "Yes sir.!"

    Hiruzen then turned to thest one. "Snow. If Danzo has disobeyed my orders and Root is still active then he most likely would have operatives hidden amongst the Anbu, Jonin and Chunin forces. I need you to investigate all of them and find out the identities of Danzo''s men. Such a task will take time. Take as much as you need, but be careful and be thorough."

    "Understood sir."

    Hiruzen then addressed the three of them. "Now all of you listen carefully. If one of you gets caught by the enemy then the chances of the other two getting caught increases dramatically. Orochimaru, Kabuto and Danzo are like the three ends of a triangle. All connected. If one of you getspromised then they will know I''m the one behind it. And while Orochimaru and Kabuto won''t make any direct or rash moves against me, I''m not sure that would be the case for Danzo. If he attacks me or in the event I somehow die, make sure that the next Hokage would have all the relevant information needed. Assuming the next one isn''t Danzo."

    The eyes of the three ninjas widened as they listened to the scenario described by their leader.

    Anbu agent Snow spoke up. "Sir, if you''re that worried about him then why don''t we take him into custody right now. I''m sure Ibiki and Inoichi can find out everything in his head."

    Hiruzen shook his head. "It''s not that simple. Danzo has acquaintances in several high ces in and out of the vige. Including the Daimyo court. If we rashly move against him, then"

    "Sir, are you saying there would be a civil war within the vige if we arrest him?" Bear eximed in shock.

    Hiruzen sighed and didn''t say anything but that silence was enough of an answer for the three Anbu ninjas.

    "Now you three know the gravity of the situation. Make sure you''re all careful. Go!"

    The three masked ninjas bowed and disappeared from Hiruzen''s view. He stood from his chair and walked to take in the view of the vige as he always does when he has troubling thoughts.

    ''With those three I can take control of my internal forces and when the timees strip Danzo''s resourcespletely. But it''s not enough. I need to deal with the allies he has outside And I know just the person to do it It seems you might have your revenge on Danzo after all Kensei.''

    -------------------------------------------------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 94: Academy 4th year

    Chapter 94: Academy 4th year

    Daichi was jogging along the woods early in the morning and he had apanion who was just as obsessed with training as he was.

    "Yosh! That''s over... 30 kilometers. This... was a wonderful idea... Daichi."

    Lee eximed with a wide smile and haggard breath. At the moment he was not the person that could fight and train with great intensity and Daichi knew that. Both Lee and Daichi slowed down and slowly came to a stop. Daichi woke up early and went to the forest where Lee trained and found the boy at his spot as usual. Daichi decided to have Lee as his workout partner. They bothpleted several sets of exercises which took over a couple hours.

    [Reward: Status Recovery.]

    The blue system reward message appeared in Daichi''s view.

    They were both resting at the moment and Daichi discreetly opened his quest ''Path to the strongest.''

    [Ongoing quest - ''Path to the strongest'' updated.]

    It was the first day of Daichi''s 4th year at the academy. And as Daichi expected, he got the quest update notification when he woke up.

    [Tasks toplete this year have been updated. Training clothes in your inventory have been modified. Wear them whenpleting the daily quests.]

    [Conditions:]

    Complete 400 Push ups (Daily)

    Complete 400 Squats (Daily)

    Complete 400 Punches(Daily)

    Run 30 Kilometers (Daily)

    Complete at least 1 Dungeon before the end of this academic year.

    Take the top spot in your ss.

    Learn advanced chakra control techniques.

    Improve at least 6 Skills to LV. MAX.

    .

    Daichi looked over the details of the quest the moment he got them. ''It seems other than increasing the workout there doesn''t seem to be any other major change Improve at least 6 skills to Max huh That''s going to be tricky but doable.'' He then looked at the rewards.

    [Rewards:]

    Status Recovery (Daily)

    Random Reward(Weekly)

    +3 Stat Points (Weekly)

    Special reward for clearing a dungeon.

    Additional rewards for each extra dungeon cleared.

    New Skill for sessfully Improving at least 6 Skills to LV. MAX.

    .

    ''There is no skill reward for learning advanced chakra control this time Oh well!''

    [Failure:]

    -5 Stat points.

    Penalty Dungeon.

    Death.

    ept (Y/N)

    The system also increased the weight of Daichi''s training clothes. Daichi''s eyes focused on the weight of the clothes.

    [Weighted Training Clothes] [Rare Item: Rank C]

    [...Consists of 2 leg warmers to be worn below the knee and 2 arm sleeves to be worn below the elbow. Each weighing exactly 4 KG.

    Consists of 1 undershirt and 1 trouser to be worn under the clothes. Each weighing exactly 12 KG.]

    ''40 Kilos total huh. I can handle much more than that but I''m notining. I must be the strongest 9 year old currently alive.''

    Daichi closed the quest box and got up. "I''m heading home. Need to get cleaned up. Don''t want to bete for the first ss of the year."

    Lee nodded and they went their separate ways. Daichi, after disappearing from Lee''s view, used the status recovery reward. His body was instantly refreshed as he made his way home.

    -

    Many children join the academy in the hopes of bing a powerful, famous ninja but only a portion of them even graduate and even less be Genin with a Jonin teacher. In the Academy there are divisions among the first, second and third year sses due to the number of children. But these numbers reduce during the first 3 years. Some children will find that bing a ninja would be much harder than they thought and quit. While some would have no talent or ambition to improve themselves.

    At the end of the third year the teachers assess the students based on the total marks of their first three years, their skills, talent and willingness to improve in the shinobi arts and separate them into two groups at the beginning of the 4th year. Students who have absolutely no skill, talent, interest or drive in bing a ninja are separated from the ones that show potential. This was to maximize resources and priorities.

    The students who show no potential in bing a shinobi are transferred to a ss that is designed for civilians. These sses would teach them the basics of subjects like math, science, business, marketing, economics and other essential aspects needed for the vige.

    Now for the students who show talent or the willingness to improve themselves and could potentially be a ninja are all ced together in a single ss.

    Daichi was in ss listening to Iruka''s lectures. He looked like he was paying attention but his mind was on something else entirely.

    ''I need toplete the second step of the fire nature chakra in 2 or at most 3 months. Then I need to start learning medical ninjutsu. I''m sure the old man would help me with that. Need toplete a dungeon as usual. That''s no biggie Last but not least I need to improve 6 skills to Max level. I need to choose the skills which are close to being maxed out So that takes care of this year''s quest''

    Daichi looked around and saw several new faces. He used ''observe'' on them one by one and saw nothing noteworthy until he reached thest one. Daichi used his ''observe'' skill and found something unexpected.

    [LV.22] [Touma Asai]

    Age: 8

    HP: 2764 CP: 2350

    [Touma Asai is an orphan who was handpicked by Danzo Shimura for the Root program over 2 years ago. He has received basic training from his handler. His talentsy in taijutsu and swordsmanship. He is here to keep an eye on Sasuke Uchiha, Naruto Uzumaki and Daichi Hekima.]

    Daichi was calm on the outside but he was nervous in his heart. ''What the fuck? This guy is Root? That means Danzo knows about me. It even says this guy is here to keep an eye on me. Well there is Naruto and Sasuke on his list but that''s understandable. One is a Jinchuriki and the other is thest Uchiha Still Kensei was right. The moment I got the top spot, Danzo must have had his eye on me. But will hee for me?... No. With everything that''s happenedst year he won''t make any big moves I hope.''

    Daichi also used ''observe'' on Naruto and Sasuke. He went over Naruto''s information.

    [LV.17] [Naruto Uzumaki]

    Age: 8

    HP: 4130. CP: 10755

    [Naruto Uzumaki is the son of thete fourth hokage Minato Namikaze and his wife Kushina Uzumaki. He is the current host of the nine tails. His status as a jinchuriki caused him to be shunned by most of the leaf-citizens. He is an orphan who longs for a family. He has a positive and friendly attitude despite his harsh circumstances. His dream is to be Hokage of the vige. He has a powerful chakra that is currently dormant.]

    ''Wow. His chakra is more than twice his health points. And it''s almost near mine. I had to train my body every day and add points to my chakra stat just to increase it over 11000 points, but this kid Without doing anything his chakra level is almost near mine. And once he hits puberty his reserves will increase massively Is this what they call protagonist halo?... Some information has changed. Powerful dormant chakra. It didn''t show that thest time. I remember seeing this only in Sasuke''s ''observe'' info Must be talking about Ashura''s chakra''

    Daichi then looked at Sasuke.

    [LV.23] [Sasuke Uchiha]

    Age: 8

    HP: 3122 CP: 2769

    [Sasuke Uchiha is the son of the Uchiha n head Fugaku and his wife Mikoto. He is the youngest of two children. His goal now is to be strong enough to kill his brother Itachi Uchiha. Sasuke Uchiha has a vast amount of hidden potential and talent. He trains hard everyday to be strong enough to defeat the ''yer''. He has a powerful chakra that is currently dormant.]

    ''Sasuke''s level is much higher than Naruto but he has nowhere near Naruto''s chakra reserves. His level indicates that he''s the strongest in the ss. And just like Naruto some information about him has changed It seems that Root kid is almost as strong as Sasuke. I''ll have to keep an eye on him without getting myself caught I wonder how this year will go? Only time will tell I suppose.''

    As the sses for the first day came to an end, Daichi went to meet Iruka sensei. He thought about what skill he couldpletely level up within the year and one came to mind. Daichi met Iruka in his office.

    "Daichi! Thought you would be out with your friends. What brings you here?" Iruka asked while going over some student reports.

    "I was wondering if I could get some scrolls on advance Leaf academy taijutsu. I feel like I''ve hit a barrier with my current understanding of the taijutsu style."

    "Daichi that scroll is only for the final year students. And even then it''s only given to those that show talent in taijutsu."

    "Are you saying Ick talent in taijutsu?" Daichi raised an eyebrow at that.

    "No. No! It''s not that." Iruka quickly corrected himself. He had seen Daichi fight and he would be a fool to say that Daichi didn''t have any talent in that field. He then let out a small sigh.

    "Look Daichi, I know you''re strong but that scroll is only given to 6th year students or Genins."

    "I get that but I could improve my skills in Taijutsu if I could get the scroll."

    Iruka shook his head. "Sorry Daichi. Rules are rules. And if I break the rule for one student then I''ll have to break them for all."

    Daichi let out a sigh. "I understand." He bowed and left the office.

    ''That was a bust. But I''m sure the old man would have the scrolls I need. I just didn''t want the hassle of answering questions on where I learned advanced taijutsu style only taught to 6th years.''

    That night Daichi asked for the scrolls and Kensei gave them to him.

    "Some rules in the academy need to change. I''ve seen your skills. You''re more than ready to learn the advanced forms of this style."

    -

    Daichi spent the months of April and May trying toplete the second stage of his advanced chakra control training. Even though he got the scroll for the taijutsu style he focused on his chakra control training. He didn''t like the fact that he hadn''tpleted the fire nature control training before the end of March. So he decided to finish the second step before starting anything else.

    Daichi and his clones were standing on a small rocky bridge trying to separate the waterfall. With each passing day the skill leveled up and by the end of May he leveled it up to maximum.

    [Fire - Waterfall separation technique - (Active/Passive)(LV. MAX):An advanced fire chakra affinity training skill obtained through continuously focusing the chakra to heat and separate the flow of water. An advanced technique to help the user increase the control and strength of their fire nature chakra.]

    [Note: Increasing the level of this skill will increase the level of the skill ''Fire Affinity.'']

    [Effects:]

    200% Increase in Fire Chakra control.

    300% Increase in power of Fire Chakra nature.

    [CP cost : 18/sec.]

    "Finally!"

    Daichi released his shadow clones and jumped down from the stone bridge. He took several breaths and steadied himself. He quickly weaved several hand seals and shot a fast and powerful fireball at the bridge he was previously standing on.

    The fireball struck the bridge and destroyed it and still didn''t stop. It traveled a bit further and struck the waterfall. There was a small explosion and the water parted ways around the exploded area due to the force of the attack. Daichi could see the scorched rocks behind the waterfall for a couple seconds before it was once again covered by the rushing water.

    "Not bad. The speed and strength of that fireball was on apletely different level from when I first used it. And there is still a third step remaining"

    Daichi smiled at the results of his work. In a happy mood Daichi left for his home.

    ---------------------------------------------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 95: The Hokages Visit

    Chapter 95: The Hokage''s Visit

    Hokage Office.

    The moonlight was shining through the ss window of the Hokage''s office. Hiruzen was looking over the top secret report sent by his Anbu agent Bear. His eyes narrowed as he read information regarding a certain root spy.

    ''Touma Asai. 8 years old. Orphan. Recruited by Danzo into the root program two years ago due to his high aptitude for taijutsu and weaponry. Has above average memory retention and intelligence. Currently in the 4th year of the academy with the mission to spy on Sasuke Uchiha, Daichi Hekima and Naruto Uzumaki.''

    Hiruzen smoked his pipe as he carefully read the details of the report. ''Bear is doing excellent work. Danzo knows that Sasuke is untouchable as long as Itachi is alive and that I have my eyes on Naruto. He won''t risk going after either of them as long as they are within the vige. But Daichi on the other hand Even the threat Kensei poses won''t hold him back for long It''s been almost 2 months since I assigned those three with their tasks. It''s time I had my chat with Kensei. Time to see if he''s as motivated as before. In the event he won''t help me I''ll have to persuade him or find someone else. Jiraiya has his own tasks and I can''t ask him to take on more work''

    Hiruzen sat in his chair and then looked at the Hokage hat on the table. ''I need to think about a sessor There is no one capable in the vige that can be the 5th at the moment. And Jiraiya has no intention of wearing the hat If I can hold on for another 5 or 6 years then maybe Kakashi might be ready by then''

    Hiruzen let out a smoke filled breath and stood up and paced around the room. ''There is one who is capable. But that''s impossible. She might never set foot here let alone lead the vige''

    He returned to the table and secured all the documents and left the Hokage tower shortly after. He was headed home. Due to the Hokage residency being near the tower it didn''t take him more than a couple minutes to reach the ce. He opened the doors to his home and was met with silence and darkness. A reminder that he had lost his wife and of a strained rtionship with his son.

    After having some food Hiruzen went to his bed. ''I''ll speak to Kensei tomorrow. I might also be able to see how far Daichi hase along in his nature training.''

    -

    Root Base - Underground.

    Danzo was reading the report written by Touma Asai. It contained information not only on Naruto, Sasuke and Daichi but also on the n heirs.

    ''What is Hiruzen thinking? Why hasn''t he let Daichi get ahead? Did he not think the child was capable or did the boy reject the offer? His character says otherwise. He is obsessed with getting stronger. Training everyday and expanding his knowledge. I doubt he would turn down an offer to skip a grade Or am I missing something? And then there is Sasuke Uchiha. Being in second ce has certainly had an effect on him. He''s constantly training to keep up with the boy. If I can get him on my side things will get a lot easier. But as long as Itachi is alive I can''t do that without him doing damage to the vige Damn you Itachi.''

    Danzo clenched his fist as he thought about the Uchiha. He then looked at the blonde whiskered boy and his face had an expression of contempt.

    ''How could the child of one of the greatest geniuses of an era be aplete idiot? He has no talent and his skills are worse than even the normal students. Looks like his only worth is the nine tails inside him I need the Sharingan and the power of the first Hokage before I go after him.''

    -

    It was Sunday morning. The streets of the vige were less busy than usual. A in unassuming man was walking through the road. He traveled for a while before he reached his intended destination. He met a barrier at the front of the house. Nostalgia filled the man as he remembered the day the barrier around the house was set up. He injected chakra into the barrier and it wasn''t long before the upant of the home came out to greet him.

    Kensei was reading a book when he sensed a fluctuation in the barrier. It only took him a moment to recognize the chakra and his eyes slightly widened.

    ''Why would he be here?''

    He stepped out of the house and went to meet the unexpected guest. He looked at the man and realized it was a transformation jutsu.

    "Hiruzen is that you? What''s with the getup?"

    Hiruzen released his transformation jutsu. "Hello old friend. Certain circumstances have forced me to use cautious methods. We need to talk."

    The tone in Hiruzen''s voice sent rm bells ringing in Kensei''s head. He opened the barrier and let the Hokage in.

    Hiruzen smiled as he entered the ce. "I still remember the day Lady Mito helped you set this up. Truly something else."

    "Mm" Kensei hummed in response. He looked at his once close friend. "What''s going on Hiruzen?"

    "Why do you ask that?"

    "You''re here in disguise and without your guards. Do I need to say more?"

    Hiruzen sighed. Kensei was always sharp. ''Not that I did much to hide my suspicious behavior anyway.''

    "Let''s go inside. There are some matters of importance we need to discuss."

    Kensei looked at him for a few seconds and then led him inside. He prepared some tea and poured two cups.

    "Where is Daichi?" The Hokage asked.

    "He''s out training."

    "He is quite dedicated." Hiruzen replied, sipping his tea.

    "Mmhmm!"

    Both of them sat and said nothing for several seconds before Hiruzen broke the silence. "I''m investigating Danzo and the Root."

    Kensei''s eyes widened as he heard the news. "What? Are you serious?"

    "Yes. But there is more."

    Kensei looked at Hiruzen with slight confusion.

    Hiruzen spoke, seeing Kensei''s questioning look. "I''m also investigating someone with ties to Orochimaru. I believe Danzo and Orochimaru are still in contact."

    "I thought you took care of Root?"

    "I ordered Danzo to disband the foundation but he has disobeyed my orders. I can no longer tolerate his actions. I need to cripple his power inside the vige. For that I need to know exactly what he''s capable of. I''ve tasked some of my Anbu with the job but something like this will take time."

    Hiruzen took another sip from his cup as he finished exining.

    Kensei knew that Hiruzen considered Danzo as a close friend. So he couldn''t believe he was actually going through with something like this. "You''re actually doing it. I can''t believe it. Does this have anything to do with ourst conversation?"

    "The conversation where you said Danzo would betray me and one day would be the death of me?... It might have yed a small part."

    "So what do you need me for? It sounds like you have everything under control."

    "You and I both know it''s not that simple. Danzo has associates he can use outside the vige. Especially in the capital." Hiruzen finished and looked Kensei in the eye.

    Kensei''s eyes narrowed in realization. "So that''s what this is about! You want to use my contacts in the Daimyo court to help you Tough luck there Hiruzen. They''re not gonna help you."

    "I know I know they won''t help me. They''re your friends and not mine. They don''t owe me anything"

    Kensei frowned as he heard the Hokage speak. He knew Hiruzen would always have a n when trying to negotiate.

    Hiruzen looked at Kensei and smiled. "They won''t help me. I''m well aware of that fact But they will help you."

    "So you want to drag me into this huh. And why would I get into the middle of this mess?"

    "Revenge. For Hotaru."

    "Don''t say his name. You have no right." Kensei was angered that Hiruzen would bring up his son''s name at a time like this.

    Hiruzen sighed and spoke. "I''m sorry about what happened. I know that deep down if you had the chance you wouldn''t hesitate to kill Danzo. I''m giving you that chance."

    Kensei gripped his knees as he thought about it. ''He''s partially right. If I have the chance to kill Danzo I would But I won''t.''

    Kensei let out a breath and looked at the kage. "You''re right. The need for revenge is still there in my heart But I''m not going to take your offer. Because if anything happens, if anything goes wrong then I''m not the only one who gets affected."

    Hiruzen only needed a second to realize the implications. "Daichi. You''re worried about his safety"

    "Yes." Kensei answered after a few seconds of silence.

    Hiruzen smiled as he looked at his former Anbumander. "You would turn down the chance to get even with the person responsible for the death of your son for someone else You really have changed. I''m d young Daichi has had such a positive impact on you."

    Kensei grunted but had a small smile on his face. "He''s a good kid. I never thought I would feel like this again"

    "Yes. He has a good character." Hiruzen looked at thest bit of tea in the cup as he remembered the moment when Daichiforted Naruto at the yground. From all the reports he read he knew that Daichi was someone who would stand up for his friends.

    "Hiruzen!"

    The Hokage looked up at Kensei.

    "Daichi currently has a carefree life. The only thing he''s concerned about is his training and academics But if I get involved in this Danzo business then sooner orter Daichi will be dragged into it as well. And you and I both know Danzo has no qualms about fighting dirty. Daichi will get caught in the crossfire and I don''t want that."

    Hiruzen sighed hearing Kensei''s reasoning. "I''m afraid it might be a bitte for that."

    "What are you talking about?"

    "Danzo already is aware of Daichi and has his eyes on him."

    "I figured. I know he''ll keep an eye on all the talented kids in the academy. I figured Danzo already knows about Daichi and he''s aware of the kid''s talents."

    Hiruzen shook his head. "No you don''t understand. I mean Danzo has already sent one of his agents to spy on Daichi."

    "What?" Kensei''s eyes widened as he heard this.

    "He has sent a child in the root program to infiltrate the academy with the sole purpose of spying on Daichi and getting close to him. Danzo is efficient when allocating his root forces. He wouldn''t send one of his ninjas for nothing. I believe Danzo will make a move on young Daichi before he graduates."

    Kensei was silent as he processed this information. After several seconds of silence he asked. "How urate is this information?"

    Hiruzen took out a scroll from his sleeve and opened it. The scroll had several folders. Hiruzen took one folder and gave it to Kensei.

    It was the folder containing documents on Touma Asai. Before Hiruzen came to speak with Kensei he had dug up more information about the child and with Bear''s report, it presented urate and thorough information about the child.

    "You may not want to engage in a fight with Danzo but soon you''ll have to. He''ll being for young Daichi. Just like he did with Your son."

    Kensei clenched his fists in anger. ''That bastard.'' He then looked at Hiruzen. "What about you? Are you just going to sit and do nothing? Root shouldn''t even be active right now. So are you going to let him go after the kid?"

    "Danzo knows I won''t let him operate his forces again. But if he manages to get backing from the Royal court then he can make things difficult for me. Or he can wait until I die and go after young Daichi Regardless, no matter what, Danzo will go after your grandson. It''s not a matter of if, only when."

    Kensei knew Hiruzen was right. Danzo was not someone who would back down once he had his sights set on something.

    He let out a breath and looked at Hiruzen.

    "So what''s the n?"

    ------------------------------------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 96: Hiruzens Plan

    Chapter 96: Hiruzen''s n

    Kensei''s Home.

    Kensei let out a long sigh and after thinking about what Hiruzen said, made a decision. "So what''s the n?"

    "I''ve already tasked some of my best agents to investigate Root and Danzo''s allies within the vige. I need you to investigate his ties to the Royal court. During thesest few decades Danzo has cultivated a few assets near the Daimyo. I need you to find their identities, their strengths and weaknesses. See if they are truly loyal to Danzo or if they can be turned."

    "What about Jiraiya? He has an extensive spywork. Why don''t you ask him for help with this?"

    "He has a lot on his te at the moment. The nine tails attack and now the Uchiha massacre has significantly reduced our strength. Jiraiya is currently working on minimizing information leaks and spreading false intelligence. With everything that''s happened, we need to show strength I can''t ask him to take on anymore at the moment. That''s why I need your help."

    Kensei pondered on what the Hokage just said. There were a lot of things that could go wrong with an operation like this. "Hiruzen, we''re about to conduct an investigation on the members associated with the Fire Daimyo. If he gets wind of it before weplete the investigation, if anything goes wrong, then it will impact the vige as a whole. You realize that don''t you?"

    Hiruzen nodded. "I''m well aware of the risks, Kensei. Don''t forget, I led this vige for decades. I know just how much our rtionship with the Fire Daimyo means to the vige. But I''ve decided to go forward with this investigation nheless. I''m here asking for your help to minimize the risks You have some businesses in the capital. So there wouldn''t be much suspicion if you moved to the capital under the guise of running your business in a more hands on capacity."

    Kensei crossed his arms as he thought about the proposal. "I don''t want to leave Daichi alone here."

    "I''ll make sure Daichi is safe."

    Kensei looked at Hiruzen and he had a downcast expression. "I trusted you once. And I paid the price. I can''t take that chance again."

    Hiruzen looked down as he heard those words. "I''m truly sorry about your son I can''t change the past Kensei No matter how much I want to."

    Both of them sat in silence and contemted what to say next. "I''m going to get us something to drink." Kensei stood up and went to the kitchen to get a bottle of sake and two cups. He returned shortly after and poured two cups. Both of them took a cup and drank the alcohol in it in silence.

    After a minute it was the Hokage that broke the ice.

    "How is young Daichi?"

    "Energetic and training as usual. He''s been going at it for months without stopping. But unlike most he actually enjoys pushing himself beyond his limits like this."

    "He''s the best in his ss and the teachers in the academy even know that he''s stronger than most of the senior students. They just don''t know how much."

    Kensei smiled and nodded with that assessment.

    "How far has he progressed with the change in chakra nature training?" Hiruzen drank another cup and asked.

    "Hepleted the first two steps of both Earth and Fire chakra". Kensei smirked as he answered that question.

    "What?"

    The Hokage was shocked. The first step alone would usually take 3 to 7 months to learn. For talented geniuses, that time would be reduced to 1 to 3 months. And it was merely the first step. To learn the second step would take much more time. And the fact that Daichi managed to learn the two steps of 2 chakra natures in a single year astounded him.

    "Are you sure Kensei?"

    "Of course I''m sure. He showed me after hepleted his training. He was able to master the first step of his Earth nature in just 3 weeks."

    Hiruzen''s eyes widened as heard that. Kensei looked at the dumbfounded face of the Hokage and chuckled.

    "Such speed"

    "Yes. It''s incredible. He makes you look like an ordinary chump Hiruzen." Kensei chucked at that.

    Hiruzen turned serious and looked at Kensei. "Danzo must not learn the true extent of Daichi''s talents. And we absolutely can''t let Daichi be dragged into the Foundation. If Daichi bes part of the Root then it won''t be long before Danzo makes a move on the position of Hokage. If someone as talented as Daichies under hismand then he will be bold enough to challenge me or whoeveres after me."

    Kensei nodded. "Yes. On that we can agree."

    "For the moment we can rest easy. Danzo won''t make any moves on the surface and recruiting someone like Daichi will draw attention to him. So for the moment he''ll only be observing. And he''s also in the middle of creating a new base and moving his assets. So he''ll be focused on that for now." The Hokage said after thinking about the current situation of root.

    "Danzo is not one to be sloppy with his movements or information. Who exactly did you send to infiltrate Root? He or she must be good if you''re getting such precise details."

    "One of my Anbu. Code named Bear. You know him. You even trained him for a brief period of time."

    Kensei''s eyes slightly widened as realized who Hiruzen was talking about. "Ahh So it''s him If it''s that brat then you won''t have much to worry."

    "If I''m going to help you with this, then I need two things in return." Kensei knew Hiruzen would onlye to him for help if he didn''t have many options left.

    The kage sighed hearing that. "I had a feeling you didn''t agree just because of the goodness of your heart What is it?"

    "I want Isen out of Hzuki Castle."

    The Hokage was shocked at what Kensei was asking. "That''s impossible."

    "No it''s not. The prisoners in that containment facility can be released if the vige sends an official request." Kensei then took another mouthful from his sake cup.

    "You forget. Danzo has spies in that facility as well. He was the one who put Isen there and if I get Isen out, Danzo will know and he will send a kill squad to finish him off And besides, what good will it do to have Isen out? He doesn''t have his memories. He won''t be of any help."

    Kensei sighed as he remembered what happened to his friend and once fellow Anbu member. "One of the few times Danzo showed mercy. Isen was loyal to the vige just as much as you. He knew that. But he also knew Isen uncovered several of his corrupt deeds. Isen had knowledge on Danzo''s illegal assets."

    "What?"

    "Yes. But he was too angry at that time to bring that information to you because of what happened during his mission. And then he fell into Danzo''s trap For his lifelong loyalty to the vige, instead of killing him, Danzo sealed his memories and with the charges against Isen he was able to imprison him in that castle. While you just sat there unable to help him."

    Hiruzen narrowed his eyes at that usation. "Do you think it was easy for me to just let that happen and do nothing about it? Isen attacked Danzo and the Daimyo''s minister in public. It was a trap for Isen but like a blind fool he walked right into it. The Daimyo got involved. If Isen wasn''t punished it could have caused friction between the vige and the capital."

    Kensei sighed as he heard the justification. The Hokage continued.

    "Besides, who do you think it was that convinced Danzo to spare his life instead of outright killing him. Who do you think convinced him that Isen would be far less of a threat if he didn''t have his memories and was imprisoned in a prison away from the vige."

    Kensei was shocked as he looked at his kage. "You?"

    "Yes. Don''t think I didn''t help. I made sure Isen would live to see another day."

    "Fat load of good that did. He''s alive but everything that made him him, is gone." Kensei looked down and poured another cup for him.

    "I wouldn''t be so sure of that."

    Kensei looked up at Hiruzen and saw the kage with a small smirk.

    "I''m the one who gave Danzo the memory seal form. I told him it was permanent. Once used on the target, it would erase all the memories forever. And he checked it to make sure before using it on Isen. The thing is I lied when I said it would permanently erase the memories."

    Kensei leaned forward and looked at Hiruzen. "You mean"

    "The memories are still there inside his head. Just locked away from everyone. A subtle butplex sealing jutsu courtesy of Lady Mito. The seal is essentially a lock. Anyone with the key would be able to undo that seal at any time. I figured it would be best to keep that information to myself."

    Kensei shot up from his seat as he heard those words. "You bastard. You mean I could have saved him and got his memories back all this time Why didn''t you tell me?"

    "Because I knew you would react like this and if you had tried to save him, Danzo would have interfered and killed Isen. And with the eyes of the Daimyo on the whole situation I couldn''t do anything to jeopardize the stability of the vige at the time."

    Kensei let out a breath and sat down. After several seconds spoke. "We have to save him."

    "I agree. But we need to do it without raising any suspicions. If we want to save Isen and get him out of there, then first he has to die."

    Kensei narrowed his eyes. He figured out the meaning of those words in seconds. "Fake his death."

    Hiruzen nodded. "I have an idea but I need some time to create a concrete n."

    "Ok Ok Whatever you need. I''ll help you with this. For Isen." Kensei spoke with a smile. He was excited at the prospect of rescuing his old friend.

    "For Isen." Hiruzen raised his sake cup and Kensei joined in toasting for their friend''s freedom.

    "You mentioned two things. What''s the second?" Hiruzen asked as he took another swig of the alcohol.

    "I''m thinking about having someone at the hospital teach Daichi some medical ninjutsu." Kensei replied. "I managed to peak the kid''s interest in the field. I told him I would start him on that this year."

    Hiruzen had a frown on his face when he heard this. ''Kabuto is working at the hospital. If he learns about Daichi then Orochimaru will also learn about the child. And that''s just as bad.''

    Noticing Hiruzen''s frown Kensei had an uneasy feeling. "What''s wrong?"

    "You can''t take Daichi to the hospital for training."

    "Why not?"

    The Hokage sighed. "The spy I mentioned that has ties to Orochimaru He works at the hospital. If Orochimaru gets information on Daichi, that would bring trouble for the boy."

    Kensei grunted at that. "Daichi has a lot of potential. Learning medical ninjutsu would benefit him greatly. And he would only need a fraction of the time to learn the techniques needed."

    "Yes. I''m sure he''s capable. But do you really want to take that risk?"

    Kensei''s silence was his reply to the question.

    Hiruzen spoke after a short while. "I''lle up with something. Give me a couple weeks."

    Kensei nodded.

    "I was hoping to meet young Daichi but it seems he''s busy with his training. Maybe another time" Hiruzen had his eyes ncing at the door.

    "He might not be back for a while."

    Hiruzen nodded. "Then it''s time for me to leave. I''lle back once everything is nned out."

    Kensei nodded and both of them stood from their chair. Hiruzen reapplied his transformation jutsu and walked out of the house. Before long, he left the ce.

    ---------------------------------------------------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 97: The Art of Genjutsu

    Chapter 97: The Art of Genjutsu

    Hi guys. Fair warning. Bit of an info dump chapter. This is my take on Genjutsu. It may be right, it may be wrong or maybe it''s something in the middle

    -------------------------

    Daichi was fighting his clones in the forest while being blindfolded. He relied on his other senses and wanted to improve them. He wanted to evolve his sense skills as quickly as he could. But Daichi''s clones were just as capable as he was. So the battlested for some time before he was able to sessfully defeat and dispel his clones. After meditating and recovering his strength he opened his skill list. Daichi''s eyes went to the skills rted to the 6 senses.

    ''They''re almost at level 50. Maybe another two or three battle sessions like this and they''ll be ready to evolve.''

    Daichi closed the skill list and headed home. During the battle he received a notification that indicated that reputation had increased with Hiruzen Sarutobi. Daichi was confused and not sure why that notification would show up at this time. ''Well, as long as it''s not a ''reputation decreases'' notification I don''t mind.''

    There was also something else he wanted to ask his grandfather.

    Before long he reached his home. He noticed Kensei on the porch and he seems to be immersed in deep thoughts.

    "Hey old man. You seem like you have something important on your mind."

    Daichi''s voice snapped Kensei out of his thoughts. He smiled and replied. "It''s nothing you need to worry about."

    Daichi looked at Kensei for a second and then nodded. Daichi at that time smelled the faint scents of tobo lingering in the air. He also smelled the heavy scent of sake. He knew Kensei didn''t smoke.

    "Was someone here?" Daichi asked.

    Kensei looked at the kid and sighed. ''His senses are getting sharper and sharper. I was nning on keeping Hiruzen''s visit to myself for now but''

    "Yes Daichi. I had an unexpected visitor this morning. But it''s nothing you need to concern yourself with. I''ll tell you when the timees."

    Daichi was slightly confused but then nodded and let it go. He had something more important on his mind. "Hey gramps. I''m thinking about working on my taijutsu and genjutsu and then some medical ninjutsu this year. What do you think?"

    Kensei thought about the question. The warning Hiruzen had given him about Orochimaru''s spy was prevalent in his mind. "Focus on your taijutsu and genjutsu and sharpen the skills you already possess. Learning too many things without mastery of anything won''t help you."

    Daichi nodded and agreed with that assessment. "Can you tell me about Genjutsu? I want to focus and improve my awareness on it as well."

    Kensei smiled. He motioned for Daichi toe and sit near him. "So you''re finally interested huh. The art of Genjutsu. This will take a while to fully exin."

    Daichi focused and paid attention to every word Kensei was going to say.

    "Genjutsu or the Art of Illusions is the third and leastmon of the basicbat specialties for a shinobi. Now Taijutsu and Ninjutsu both apply damage or alterations to the physical world while Genjutsu mainly targets the mind."

    Daichi was confused. "But during our fight you changed the terrain How is that"

    Kensei chucked. "What I did falls under Genjutsu but let me remind you, I did not alter the terrain with genjutsu. I merely ced an illusion on the hole on the ground I created with Ninjutsu I''ll exin As I said, Genjutsu can not affect non living or environmental things and physically alter them. Now, genjutsu is the most versatile of the three, but it is also the most difficult to use effectively. Our mind, our imagination, it''s limitless. So are the possibilities of genjutsu. It depends on the user. Whether it''s a simple distraction, or traumatizing someone or an outright powerful attack on the psyche of a person, a capable genjutsu user can aplish it all."

    Daichi was attentive to every word. ''In the show, most characters that genjutsu were used on had a bloodline limit or something else that helped them negate it. Mainly the Uchiha and their Sharingan, the Hyuga and the Byakugan, the Rinnegan and Jinchurikis who are partners with their tailed beasts. Compared to the number of shinobi in the world who are not immune to genjutsu this number is very small. While illusions won''t be useful against powerful A or S rank enemies, they will definitely be useful against most people below those ranks. I can''t ignore this field.''

    Kensei continued. "Now just like ninjutsu, genjutsu requires usage of hand-seals and precise control of chakra. There are three ways to utilize genjutsu. All the techniques of the illusion arts fall under these three categories.

    The first is Sensory-based illusions. The mostmon type of genjutsu. They can target a single or multiple opponents and they have great potential. Many techniques used by the shinobi fall under this category. A maniption of the target''s perception of reality. Chakra enters a person''s body and maniptes their senses."

    "The five major senses of the body?!."

    "Yes! The mostmon is maniption of our vision. The sense of sight. The genjutsu that affects what you see. Make something invisible or change the appearance or make you see something that doesn''t exist.

    Then there is Somatic sensation. It''s the sense of touch. We can induce pain, numb the body, change the perception of temperature and much more.

    Auditory sensation. The Sense of hearing. Manipting what the enemy hears. It can be used to feed false intelligence to create outright throbbing headaches. It can be used to annoy your enemy or take away their sense of hearing entirely.

    Gustatory. Your sense of taste. Now this is one of the rarer types of genjutsu. But with a creative mind it could be very effective.

    Then manipting the olfactory senses. It''s the sense of smell. It could be something as simple as creating the smell of smoke to go along with fire or something simr.

    Then there is the vestibr sense. It dictates our bnce and movements. Our hand-eye coordination will be disrupted if this sense is affected. Now these types of genjutsu are usually B rank and above.

    Now the remaining two main senses are the Temporal and Kinesthetic sense. The former deals with controlling the victim''s perception of time and thetter can manipte the spatial awareness of the body. With this you can make your victim lose the feeling of a limb or more Depends on a creative and slightly sadistic mind."

    Kensei smirked as he said thest part.

    Daichi slightly grimaced as he looked at the creepy smile on the old man''s face. ''Yikes!''

    "Now these jutsus can affect more senses but they can be easy or difficult to notice. Although these techniques are strong they are limited to the minds of those affected after activation. Now remember! All the above fall under the first category of genjutsu. Sensory based illusions. The important thing to remember is that these jutsus need a trigger to work. Trigger is an action or an object which catches the attention of the target''s senses. The exception is the wide area effect genjutsu. They use space as the medium."

    "Wow. What they teach us at the academy are peanutspared to what I just learned."

    Kensei replied hearing the kid. "Yes. They only teach the basics. And information on not just genjutsu but all the ninja arts is restricted. Once a student graduates, only then will they have ess to more information and techniques."

    Daichi nodded. ''Makes sense I guess. Wouldn''t want powerful techniques to fall into the hands of an irresponsible kid.'' "So what''s the next to two categories?"

    "The second category is Memory based genjutsu. Like the name suggests, it affects our mind. Specifically our memories. Now these types of genjutsu require time to activate and need great focus to utilize it on the battlefield properly. These types of techniques are mainly used in interrogation, nting false memories and thus false intelligence. This type is only used by the Yamanaka n due to their strong affinity towards Yin chakra and mental maniption."

    Kensei stopped and looked at Daichi. "Now I believe you can defend yourself against genjutsu of these two categories. Because these two types of genjutsu are direct type genjutsu that attack the brain and you have immunity against them Nowes the third category. The type of genjutsu you are susceptible to."

    Daichi paid close attention to every word his grandfather spoke. He needed to be aware of these types of illusions.

    Seeing he had Daichi''s undivided attention, Kensei continued.

    "Optical based Genjutsu. Chakra is used to bend or refract light to modify or create images. These illusions are based on natural illusions in nature like Rainbows or Mirages. Jutsus such as False cement or Haze clones fall under this category. The jutsu I used on you also falls under this category. These types of jutsus create images out of chakra but do not send them directly to the enemy''s mind. It essentially creates a physical Illusion that everyone can see."

    "But if we''re creating physical images out of chakra andyering them over objects then doesn''t that fall into the category of Ninjutsu? I thought genjutsu cannot be casted on objects with no chakrawork" Daichi questioned the old man.

    "You would think so but no. First this isn''t ssified as ninjutsu. These are still illusions. For these types of techniques we use a small amount of Yang chakra in conjunction with Yin chakra. This also answers your second question."

    Daichi nodded. Kensei continued with his exnation.

    "These types of genjutsu are used to alter the appearance of wide area terrains and such. They are easy to dispel but difficult to notice. But they can''t be used to hide or mask a person. Now I want you to know that optical illusions do not interfere with your other senses."

    Daichi''s eyes widened as heard thest part. "Wait a minute. When you used that ckout genjutsu on me, you said you took away my sight, sound and smell But now you''re telling me"

    "I lied. I took away your sight. That''s true. But what I did was make sure to reduce the amount of any sound or smell. The sounds and smell present were muted but they were still there. In the heat of the battle when you heard that I took away three of your senses you didn''t think to double check. That''s a lesson I want you to keep in your mind. Never trust your enemy. And be vignt of your allies."

    Daichi thought back to that battle. ''He''s right. He only took my sight away but I believed him when he said he took my sense of sound and smell The root cause of that mistake is trust In a world full of killers and backstabbers I''ll have to be careful not to let my guard down around anyone.''

    "Don''t worry. With enough training and experience you''ll be able to identify optical Genjutsu"

    Daichi looked at Kensei and nodded. He then asked his grandfather something that was on his mind. "What about emotions? Can genjutsu be used to control a person''s emotions?"

    "Genjutsu can affect the senses but it can''t control or change one''s emotions. They are only capable of indirectly inspiring one''s emotions. You can create a giant fearsome snake with the intent to scare the target but whether he/she gets scared or not, how that person reacts it all depends on them."

    Kensei took a moment for Daichi to digest all the information. After a while he began exining thest and crucial part of the Genjutsu arts. How to dispel them.

    "Figuring out you''re in a genjutsu is only half the battle. Now there are a few methods for negating genjutsu and they aren''t very difficult. Pain or physical trauma. Either self inflicted or afflicted by the enemy. Now what you need to keep in mind is that the pain must be strong enough to ovee the mental attack. The second method is the Genjutsu release Kai. The person stops all flow of chakra in their body and restarts their flow. The amount of chakra required depends on the jutsu used. The third method is if you are freed by another party. If you have a teammate then he must realize that you''re caught in a genjutsu and help you out. This person must make physical contact with the person trapped in the jutsu These are the three major ways someone can escape genjutsu Now some people have natural resistance to illusions. Like those with Sharingan and Byakugan. And ordinary shinobi too, over time can develop resistance to certain genjutsu techniques."

    "Now you have a thorough understanding of the Genjutsu arts. Since you''re immune to most you won''t have to worry that much but it''s still prudent that you learn and master the field." Kenseipleted his exnation and workings on the field of genjutsu.

    Daichi was grateful. He now had much better understanding and knowledge on the subject. "I understand. Thank you." ''This seems really interesting. The only limit to Genjutsu is one''s imagination I wonder how far I can take this field?''

    --------------------------------------------

    Author''s Note:

    So now that you guys have an understanding of my take on genjutsu, I Would love to hear yours.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 98: Sense Evolution and Skill Progress

    Chapter 98: Sense Evolution and Skill Progress

    Days went by as Daichi trained and honed his skills. His main focus was leveling up his sense skills. They would evolve once they reached level 50. Daichi concluded that evolving those skills would help withpleting part of this year''s quest. He was training in the forest near his home. He was in the middle of a battle with his clones and after sometime he got a few system notifications.

    [Skill Superior Hearing''s level has risen by one.]

    [Skill Superior Hearing has reached level 50. Evolving skill.]

    [Skill evolved into Acute Hearing.]

    [Acute Hearing - Active/Passive(LV. MAX): A skill obtained through evolving the skill Superior Hearing. This skill is a LV. MAX skill with various effects. The hearing of the user is sharpened and bes more acute. The user can increase the range of his hearing as he needs. But this has limitations.]

    [Note: Negative side effects associated with having a more sensitive hearing does not apply to the user. Gamer''s Mind will neutralize negative side effects of sensory overload. With training more and more effects can be added onto this skill.]

    [Effects:]

    Gives the user the ability to focus hearing to a certain area or filter out everything but the wanted sounds.

    The user is able to determine the location of the target with more uracy.

    Range of hearing depends on the user.

    CP Cost depends on the user.

    .

    [Congrattions. You have sessfully trained a skill to its highest level.]

    [500 Exp.]

    [75 Exp.]

    "Wow!" Daichi couldn''t help but exim out loud. He read the details of the evolved skill and was impressed.

    ''It says I can add more effects to this skill with training. And unless I''m mistaken there doesn''t seem to be a limitation to the number of effects that can be added. I''m guessing the only limitation is it must have something to do with hearing Interesting.''

    Reading the gamer''s mind''s negation of any negative side effects also brought a smile to Daichi''s face.

    ''If the Gamer''s Mind negates sensory overload for this skill then it''s possible it will do the same for other evolved skills.'' Daichi concluded.

    He then thought about the memories of Naruto winning against Kiba during the chunin exams.

    ''I don''t care what anyone says. That was a pathetic way to win. Thank God I don''t have to worry about anything like that.''

    Daichi then used the new skill. He only slightly focused and he could hear far better than before. Daichi tried out his new skill and he quickly learned how to discard unwanted sounds and focus on what he wanted to hear. His range was much better than before and when he focused his chakra it, the range of his hearing expanded.

    Daichi felt that the chakra used to increase his hearing was negligible.

    "Wow. This is truly incredible. Is this what those with super hearing feels like I can hear almost everything in this forest." Daichi spent a while getting used to the skill.

    A short whileter he stopped and decided to evolve the rest of his senses. After learning what an evolved skill can do, he was even more eager.

    The next sense he was going to evolve was superior smell. Daichi took several small stones that he coated with unique scents. He jumped high up in the air and threw them deep into the forest. Hended a secondter and then closed his eyes and concentrated chakra to his nose. There were many scents in the forest, of nts and other small animals. The stones were only coated with a very weak scent so Daichi would need absolute focus and concentration.

    His goal was to track and find the stones through the weak scents they emitted. He was blind folded but his other senses were heightened.

    After some time he was able to sessfully find all the stones and was able to level up the skill.

    [Skill Superior Smell''s level has risen by one.]

    [Skill Superior Smell has reached level 50. Evolving skill.]

    [Skill evolved into Absolute Smell.]

    [Absolute Smell - Active/Passive(LV. MAX): A skill obtained through evolving the skill Superior Smell. This skill is a LV. MAX skill with various effects. The sense of smell of the user has increased beyond normal. The user can increase the range of this sense as he needs. But this has limitations.]

    [Note: Negative side effects associated with having a more sensitive nose does not apply to the user. Gamer''s Mind will neutralize negative side effects of sensory overload. With training more and more effects can be added onto this skill.]

    [Effects]

    The user will never forget the scents of the targets it has detected once.

    The user is able to determine the location of the target with more uracy.

    The range of this sense depends on the user.

    CP Cost depends on the user.

    .

    [Congrattions. You have sessfully trained a skill to its highest level.]

    500 Exp.

    75 Exp.

    ''Yes! Just as I thought. Even though this is a Max level skill, I can train and add different effects to this. Just like the other one. Since all these are passive skills, even if my chakra somehow gets cut off, I''ll be able to effectively track an enemy or defend myself if the need arises.''

    Daichi used the new Absolute smell skill and he was impressed. He was able to block out unwanted or repulsive smells in an instant and focus on what was needed. Daichi picked up new scents that were previously hidden from him.

    "Incredible. Truly incredible." ''Now I understand why the Inuzuka n were called one of the best trackers Hmm Now that I think about it, Kakashi must also have such an excellent nose. To be able to improve his sense of smell to such a degree That''s impressive.''

    Daichi thought about the different new effects that can be trained and added to the skill. He was a fan of allics. He had seen plenty of heroes and viins use their different powers.

    Daichi had several ideas he wanted to work on. He was extremely excited at the prospects of improving his abilities just like them.

    The next on Daichi''s list was the sense of sight. Daichi created several shadow clones. He then stopped chakra flow to his ears and nose and concentrated on his eyes. He sharpened his vision and began fighting his clones.

    They were using skills that drastically increased their speed and Daichi''s goal was to track their movements without the help of his other senses. He dodged shurikens, blocked lightning fast attacks and was able to keep track of his opponents at all times.

    It wasn''t just his vision but Daichi also needed to be aware of his surroundings. An hour passed by and as he defeated thest clone he got several blue system message boxes.

    [Skill Leaf Academy Taijutsu''s level has risen by one.]

    [Skill Shadow clone jutsu''s level has risen by one.]

    [Skill Strong Hit''s level has risen by one.]

    [Skill Sprint''s level has risen by one.]

    Along with an increase in his sight skill, Daichi''sbat rted skills also increased.

    [Skill Superior Sight''s level has risen by one.]

    [Skill Superior Sight has reached level 50. Evolving skill.]

    [Skill evolved into Dynamic Vision.]

    [Dynamic Vision - Active/Passive(LV. MAX): A skill obtained through evolving the skill Superior Sight. This skill is a LV. MAX skill with various effects. The user possesses a sense of sight far beyond normal, allowing them to see far with great rity and details. The user can increase the range of this sense as he needs. But this has limitations.]

    [Note: Negative side effects associated with having more sensitive eyes do not apply to the user. Gamer''s Mind will neutralize negative side effects of sensory overload. With training more and more effects can be added onto this skill.]

    [Effects:]

    The user will be able to see even underwater and even during night with little lights.

    The user is able to see the faintest distinctions and easily track things too fast for the normal eyes.

    The range of this sense depends on the user.

    CP Cost depends on the user.

    .

    [Congrattions. You have sessfully trained a skill to its highest level.]

    500 Exp.

    75 Exp.

    Daichi felt the changes in his body in real-time. He felt that his body has physically improved his eyes. He looked around as if he was seeing everything for the first time.

    The feeling of seeing all the details and the rity with which he could see everything around him couldn''t be expressed in words.

    ''Not a bad skill. Would definitelye in handy if I ever have to go for a deep sea dive Night vision huh. Neat!''

    Daichi then sat down and began to focus on thest sense he was going to evolve today.

    He took out several small dishes he bought from Shi''s restaurant from his inventory. These were dishes he asked Shi Fang to prepare with specific ingredients. All the dishes were made with some special ingredients and as such had hidden vors that Daichi needed to identify if he wanted to improve the skill to the next level.

    Daichi slowly tasted the dishes and took his time identifying each vor.

    ''These taste delicious. My health, chakra and stamina are quickly recovering Focus Daichi!''

    Daichi focused his chakra and extracted the vors. He spent a while just sitting there tasting all the dishes and he was sessfully able to identify all the ingredients used.

    [Skill Superior Tasting''s level has risen by one.]

    [Skill Superior Tasting has reached level 50. Evolving skill.]

    [Skill evolved into Hyper Taste.]

    [Hyper Taste - Active/Passive(LV. MAX): A skill obtained through evolving the skill Superior Tasting. This skill is a LV. MAX skill with various effects. The user possesses an extremely keen sense of taste, allowing them to sense both harmful and beneficial things. Sweetness helps to identify energy rich food while bitterness serves as warning signs of poisons. The user can increase or decrease the effects of this sense.]

    [Note: Negative side effects associated with having a more sensitive tongue do not apply to the user. Gamer''s Mind will neutralize negative side effects of sensory overload. With training more and more effects can be added onto this skill.]

    [Effects:]

    The user is able to discern all tastes.

    The power of this sense depends on the user.

    CP Cost depends on the user.

    .

    [Congrattions. You have sessfully trained a skill to its highest level.]

    500 Exp.

    75 Exp.

    "Yes! I''m immune to poisons. And this skill won''t be of much use inbat but it''s still nice to evolve it."

    ''All that''s left is the sense of touch. But it''s nowhere near level 50. And I wonder if my chakra sense skill will evolve? It is one of my senses. And what about Mana scout?... Questions forter. I suppose I''ll find out sooner orter.''

    Daichi then opened his skill page and started going through them one by one.

    1. Gamer''s Mind - Passive (LV. MAX)

    2. Gamer''s Body - Passive (LV. MAX)

    3. Gaia''s Blessing - Passive (LV. MAX)

    4. Observe - Active (LV. 49)

    .

    5. Dishwashing - Passive (LV. MAX)

    Effects: 150% increase in speed when dishwashing.

    .

    6. Meditate - Active (LV. 77)

    Effects :

    154% Increase to base HP regeneration per minute.

    154% Increase to base CP regeneration per minute.

    154% Increase to base SP regeneration per minute.

    .

    7. Basic Body Conditioning - Passive (LV. 80)

    Effects:

    76% Increase in Damage inflicted.

    74% Increase in Movement speed.

    26.5% Increase in Physical stat growth.

    50% Decrease in Damage taken.

    .

    8. Mini-map

    9. Inventory

    10. Chakra Maniption - Active/Passive (LV. 70)

    .

    11. Chakra Affinity - (Passive/Active) (LV.80)

    Effects:

    28% growth rate of Chakra stat.

    71% Strength increases to all chakra-based skills.

    68% Defense increase against chakra-based attacks.

    50% Increase to maximum CP.

    -30% CP cost to all chakra based skills.

    .

    12. Chakra regeneration - Passive (LV. 80)

    Effects:

    Regeneration Increased by 95% of base CP.

    22% Increase in Regeneration speed.

    28% Growth rate of Chakra stat.

    Note: Meditation increases CP regeneration to 100%.

    .

    13. Minor Jutsu Creation - Active (LV.12)

    Effects:

    24% Sess rate to create new Ninjutsu.

    24% Sess rate to create new Genjutsu.

    -15.5% CP requirements for new Jutsu created.

    .

    14. Leaf concentration technique - Active/Passive (LV. MAX)

    Effects:

    200% Increase in chakra control.

    CP cost : 1/sec.

    -50% CP cost to chakra techniques.

    .

    15. Hyper Taste - Active/Passive(LV. MAX)

    Effects:

    The user is able to discern all tastes.

    The power of this sense depends on the user.

    CP Cost depends on the user.

    .

    16. Acute Hearing - Active/Passive(LV. MAX)

    Effects:

    Gives the user the ability to focus hearing to a certain area or filter out everything but the wanted sounds.

    Range of hearing depends on the user.

    CP Cost depends on the user.

    .

    17. Absolute Smell. - Active/Passive(LV. MAX)

    Effects:

    The user will never forget the scents of the targets it has detected once.

    The user is able to determine the location of the target with more uracy.

    The range of this sense depends on the user.

    CP Cost depends on the user.

    .

    18. Dynamic Vision - Active/Passive(LV. MAX)

    Effects:

    The user will be able to see even underwater and even during night with little lights.

    The user is able to see the faintest distinctions and easily track things too fast for the normal eyes.

    The range of this sense depends on the user.

    CP Cost depends on the user.

    .

    19. Leaf Academy Taijutsu - Active (LV.79)

    Effects:

    138.7% Increase in attack power.

    138.7% Increase in defense.

    138.7% Increase in speed.

    80% Decrease in damage taken.

    .

    20. Shurikenjutsu - Active(LV. MAX)

    Effects:

    100% Increase in uracy.

    100% Increase in damage dealt.

    .

    21. Physical Endurance - Passive (LV.75)

    Effects:

    56.3% Decrease in damage taken.

    Note: Damage decrease depends on enemy level and strength.

    .

    22. Strong Hit - Active (LV. 65)

    Effects:

    65% Increase in critical rate.

    92% Increase in damage inflicted to the enemy.

    70% Increase in attack speed.

    SP Cost: 5 per hit.

    .

    23. Cooking - Active(LV.32)

    Effects:

    64% Increase in taste and aroma of dish.

    64% Increase in ting technique.

    .

    24. Painting - Passive (LV.20)

    Effects: 44% Increase in visual appeal.

    48% Increase of uracy in painting.

    .

    25. Chakra Threads - Active(LV. MAX)

    Effects:

    200% Increase in thread control.

    200% Increase in thread speed

    CP cost: 1/sec for single thread.

    .

    26. Sprint - Active (LV.61)

    Effects:

    92% Increase in running speed.

    SP cost: 22 SP per minute.

    .

    27. Rope Escape Jutsu - Active (LV. MAX)

    Effects: 99.9% Increase in sess when escaping bindings.

    .

    28. Clone Jutsu - Active (LV. MAX)

    Effects:

    100% uracy Increase when creating identical clones.

    CP cost: 7 CP per clone.

    .

    29. Transformation Jutsu - Active (LV. MAX)

    Effects:

    100% Increase in uracy and details when transforming.

    CP cost: 5 CP per transformation.

    .

    30. Mana Maniption - (Active/Passive) (LV.06)

    31. Sword Mastery - Passive (LV.29)

    Note: This skill requires a sword to activate.

    Effects:

    58% Additional damage when striking the target.

    Marks target with damage and negative debuffs.

    47.6% Increase in attack speed.

    .

    32. Vital Strike - Active (LV.52)

    Effects:

    68% Additional damage when hitting target.

    Marks target with damage and negative debuffs.

    26% Increase in attack speed.

    .

    33. Tree walking technique - (Active/Passive) (LV. MAX)

    Effects:

    200% Increase in chakra control.

    CP cost : 1/sec.

    -65% CP cost to chakra techniques.

    .

    34. Danger Sense - Passive (LV.40)

    Effects: Current range - 83 meters.

    .

    35. Death blow - Active (LV.29)

    Effects:

    187% Additional attack Damage to the enemy.

    33% Increase in attack speed.

    33% Increase in critical rate.

    .

    36. Water walking technique - (Active/Passive) (LV.100)

    Effects:

    200% Increase in chakra control.

    CP cost : 3/sec.

    30% Decrease CP cost to chakra techniques.

    .

    37. Chakra Sense - Active (LV.33)

    Effects: Current Range - 77 meters.

    CP Cost : 8.7/meter.

    .

    38. Ozark''s Resilience - Active (LV.10)

    Effects:

    20% Increase in Strength, Vitality and Agility stats for 60 seconds when HP falls below 20%.

    Cooldown time: 8 hours.

    .

    39. Killing intent - Active (LV.25)

    Effects:

    Enemies with a (+ or -)3 level gap between the user are paralysed for 60 seconds.

    Enemies less than 4 levels and below the user are struck with terror and paralysed for 80 seconds as well as 13% reduction of their physical stats.

    .

    40. Dual Wielding Mastery - Passive (LV.19)

    Effects:

    Passively increases the yer''s minimum and maximum melee Damage, Critical rate and Bnce.

    19% increase to Damage inflicted.

    19% Increase in attack speed.

    .

    41. Water affinity - (Active/Passive) (LV.19)

    Effects:

    38% Increase in water attack jutsu.

    38% Increase in water defense jutsu.

    12.5% Increase in sess when creating water style jutsu.

    8.1% Decrease in Chakra Cost when using water style jutsu.

    .

    42. Wind affinity - (Active/Passive) (LV.17)

    Effects:

    34% Increase in wind attack jutsu.

    34% Increase in wind defense jutsu.

    10.8% Increase in sess when creating wind style jutsu.

    6.5% Decrease in Chakra Cost when using wind style jutsu.

    .

    43. Mana Affinity - (Passive/Active) (LV.09):

    Effects:

    18% Strength increase to all Mana-based skills.

    -6% MP cost to all Mana based skills.

    .

    44. Telekinesis - Active (LV.07)

    Effects:

    14% Increase in Mana attacks.

    14% Increase in Mana defenses.

    3.5% Decrease in Mana cost.

    .

    45. Fire affinity - (Active/Passive) (LV.77)

    Effects:

    154% Increase in fire attack jutsu.

    154% Increase in fire defense jutsu.

    80% Increase in sess when creating fire style jutsu.

    45% Decrease in Chakra cost when using fire style jutsu.

    .

    46. Earth affinity - (Active/Passive) (LV.79)

    Effects:

    182% Increase in earth attack jutsu.

    182% Increase in earth defense jutsu.

    83.6% Increase in sess when creating earth style jutsu.

    62.6% Decrease in Chakra cost when using earth style jutsu.

    .

    47. Lightning affinity - (Active/Passive) (LV.18)

    Effects:

    36% Increase in Lightning attack jutsu.

    36% Increase in Lightning defense jutsu.

    15.8% Increase in sess when creating Lightning style jutsu.

    8.7% Decrease in Chakra cost when using Lightning style jutsu.

    .

    48. Superior Touch - Active(LV. 19)

    Effects:

    +38% Increase in Skin sensitivity.

    CP cost : 16/sec.

    .

    49. Chakra Enhancement - Active (LV.29)

    [Note: The chakra cost of the skill and increase in abilities, depends on the chakra supplied.]

    Effects:

    Increase the attack and defense power.

    Increase Strength, Stamina, Agility and Vitality.

    Decrease the damage taken.

    .

    50. Chakra Flow - Active (LV.20)

    [Note: The chakra cost of the skill, depends on the chakra supplied.]

    Effects:

    48% Strength increase to the object.

    48% Increase in chakra flow.

    10% Decrease in chakra cost.

    .

    51. Creation - Active (LV.03)

    [Note: The chakra cost of the skill, depends on the chakra supplied.]

    Effects:

    16.5% Chance when creating Common grade items.

    1% Chance when creating Rare grade items.

    0% Chance when creating Unique grade items.

    0% Chance when creating Legendary grade items.

    0% Chance when creating Mythical grade items.

    .

    52. Unyielding Spirit - Passive (LV. MAX)

    .

    53. Shadow Clone Jutsu - Active (LV. 24)

    Effects:

    Number of clones depends on the chakra reserves of the user.

    CP cost: 490 CP/Clone(Minimum)

    .

    54. Body Flicker Technique - Active (LV.32)

    Effects:

    72% Increase in Mobility.

    CP cost: 41 CP

    .

    55. Absolute Recall - Passive (LV. MAX)

    56. Combat Arts - Passive (LV.17)

    Effects:

    34% Increase in Damage inflicted.

    34% Increase in Movement speed.

    .

    57. Linked Kill Strikes - Active (LV.5)

    Effects:

    5% Increase in Agility.

    10% Increase in damage when using swords, daggers or other sharp weapons.

    (n+1)% Increase in damage dealt for each additional strike. ''n'' represents thest consecutive attacknded on the enemy.

    .

    58. Absolute Chakra Mastery - Passive (LV. MAX)

    .

    59. Light Steps - Passive/Active (LV.02)

    Effects:

    Increases bnce of the user when in unstable and dangerous terrain.

    6% Increase in movement speed.

    .

    60. Mana puppetry - Active (LV. 08)

    Effects:

    Can imnt suggestions into a target''s mind.

    MP cost: 742/ Target

    .

    61. Giant''s Strength - Passive (LV. MAX)

    62. Life Recovery - Passive (LV. MAX)

    63. Lithe Body - Passive (LV. MAX)

    64. Swiftness - Passive (LV. MAX)

    65. Hermit''s Wisdom - Passive (LV. MAX)

    .

    66. Chakra Suppression - Active (LV.35)

    Effects:

    35% Chakra suppression.

    .

    67. Plunderer - Passive (LV. MAX)

    Effects:

    The chances of obtaining skill or jutsu from the killed enemy is 10%.

    The chances of obtaining special abilities or bloodline limits is 1%.

    .

    68. Mana Scout - (Passive/Active) (LV.10)

    Effects:

    20 meters: Current maximum range.

    +10% Location uracy.

    MP Cost: 13.5 MP/2 Meters.

    A small smile formed on Daichi''s face as his eyesnded on the next skill. ''I hope the day won''te when you''re activated.''

    70. Chakra Rotation - (Active/Passive)(LV. MAX)

    Effects:

    +200% Increase in Chakra Movement and Form.

    +100% Increase in Chakra Control.

    CP Cost: Depends on the user.

    .

    71. Chakra Potency - (Active/Passive)(LV. MAX)

    Effects:

    +200% Increase in Chakra size and range.

    +10% Increase in Chakra Potency and CP.

    CP Cost: Depends on the user.

    .

    72. Chakra Confinement - (Active/Passive)(LV. MAX)

    Effects:

    200% Increase in Chakra Form.

    200% Increase in Chakra control.

    CP Cost: Depends on the user.

    .

    73. Rasengan - Active(LV. MAX)

    [Note: The User can create variations of this jutsu with training.]

    Effects: Deals 1500 Damage points when it strikes the target.

    CP Cost: 250 CP(Minimum Needed)

    .

    74. Earth - Leaf crumbling technique - (Active/Passive)(LV. MAX)

    Effects:

    100% increase in Earth Chakra control.

    CP cost : 3/sec.

    .

    75. Earth - Waterfall Cutting technique - (Active/Passive)(LV. MAX)

    Effects:

    200% Increase in Earth Chakra control.

    300% Increase power of Earth Chakra nature.

    CP cost : 18/sec.

    .

    76. Fire - Leaf burning technique - (Active/Passive)(LV. MAX)

    Effects:

    100% increase in Fire Chakra control.

    CP cost : 5/sec.

    .

    77. Fire - Waterfall separation technique - (Active/Passive)(LV. MAX)

    Effects:

    200% Increase in Fire Chakra control.

    300% Increase in power of Fire Chakra nature.

    CP cost : 18/sec.

    .

    78. ''I''m Ready to Die'' stance - Active(LV. MAX)

    Effects:

    HP, CP, SP, MP of the user are restored to 50% for 20 seconds.

    300% Increase in effects of all techniques used during the 20 seconds activation period.

    All stats will gain a 20% boost for 20 seconds.

    Satisfied with the improvements, Daichi closed the panel and left for home.

    Author''s Note: Since thest chapter was just on genjutsu stuff and this chapter is just about evolving senses and stat update, I thought It was best I post these two chapters without any breaks. To be honest this whole chapter feels like a giant stat update to me too. But since this will be thest skill update chapter for a while I guess there is nothing wrong. We''ll pickup the story in the next chapter.

 Chapter 99: I Am Not Alone

    Chapter 99: I Am Not Alone

    Hiruzen was in his office going over the various mission reports. There was a pile of documents on his desk and he went through them as quickly as he could while still memorizing all the relevant information. He quickly finished his work for the day and his mind went to the conversation he had with Kensei.

    It has been a couple weeks since his chat with Kensei. His mind then drifted to young Daichi. ''Having him learn medical ninjutsu will be beneficial for the vige. But who exactly do I assign to teach him without attracting any more attention to him?... He could wait till he''s genin but That''s just wasting his potential What should I do?''

    He let out a sigh and as he was pondering on how to proceed regarding everything, his secretary came in.

    "Sir, Inoichi Yamanaka is here to see you."

    "Send him in."

    The secretary left and a blonde long haired man who was the head of the Yamanaka n came.

    "Sir, I have what you asked for. Based on your specifications, I believe this should do."

    The Yamanaka then handed a scroll which the Hokage took.

    "Thank you Inoichi. And keep this to yourself."

    "Yes sir." The n head left the office leaving Hiruzen alone with his thoughts.

    ''One part of the problem is solved. But there are still several other factors that need to be in y. The bodies of the criminals who die at Hzuki Castle are burned in a chamber in the lower floors. Faking his death would be for nothing if he gets burned to ash. So I need another body. One with identical build to Isen. And I need the best medic nin to make the necessary changes so it''s indistinguishable from Isen Tsunade could do it But she''s roaming the country gambling and drinking. She won''t set foot in this vige. I don''t think I can count on her Even if she is the best damn medic alive.''

    At that moment Hiruzen''s eyes widened. ''Medic! She could be a perfect teacher for Daichi. With Daichi''s learning curve he could learn most techniques from her within two or three years. And since she''s not in the vige Daichi will have to go along with her And out of Danzo''s sight. And with the protection of a Sanin, Kensei will be more assured of Daichi''s safety. Daichi is in his 4th year. There are three more years before his ss graduates''

    Gears turned in Hiruzen''s mind and he formed a n. But he needed help convincing Tsunade to take on a student. ''If I hadn''t known of Daichi''s talents I wouldn''t have even considered this. I have no doubt Daichi will reach Tsunade''s level before long. Having someone like that in the vige is a boon to us.''

    Hiruzen bit his thumb and went through several hand seals and mmed his palm on the table.

    "Summoning Jutsu."

    A seal spread across the table and then a small monkey around 60 centimeters tall appeared.

    Its chest and torso had ck fur but the rest of his body had silver fur. It was wearing a small coat with beautiful patterns that would attract most people.

    "Hiruzen. You haven''t called me in such a long time." The small monkey spoke. It had a deep voice that made it seem a lot older.

    "Goji! Forgive me. It''s just that I''ve had a lot on my te."

    "Yes. I understand. You have a vige to run. It''s good to see you."

    "You too."

    "What''s this about Hiruzen? I know you wouldn''t call me without a reason? Go on. What is it?"

    "I need you to track down Jiraiya and I need you to deliver a message for me. Tell him to return to the vige immediately but not alert anyone of his presence. This is of utmost importance."

    "What''s going on? Is there any trouble?"

    "Let''s hope not. I''ve put some things in motion and I need the help of Jiraiya and my other wayward student."

    Goji nodded and didn''t say anything else. The next second he disappeared in a puff of smoke.

    ''Goji should be able to track down Jiraiya in a day or two and depending on where he is, Jiraiya should be here within the week.''

    -

    Daichi and Kensei were sitting on their porch discussing several topics.

    "I''m thinking about starting on the lightning change in chakra nature now." Daichi said when the topic of his training came up.

    Kensei sighed, hearing the answer he expected. ''This kid doesn''t know how to take it easy. And once he starts training he''ll go at it like a maniac. Exhausting himself to the brink everyday. And for the life of me I can''t understand why.''

    "Daichi, we need to talk!"

    Daichi looked up in confusion at that.

    "Why are you training so hard?" Kensei asked the boy.

    "I told you, I like training. I enjoy it." Daichi replied and his confusion at the question was evident on his face.

    "No, I get that. I know you like training buttely you''ve been training like you have to, not because you want to. Using shadow clones and training to the point of total exhaustion."

    "I want to utilize the time I have and make the most of my healing abilities." Daichi replied.

    "You talk as if you''re running out of time Daichi, you have all the time in the world to get stronger. It''s not a bad thing to slow down and get stronger at a slower rate."

    Daichi looked down at that. "But what if I don''t get strong enough and I meet someone stronger who has less than good intentions towards me."

    "You''ll have a capable Jonin with you when you be a Genin. You won''t have to worry about something like that."

    Daichi thought about the enemies he would have to face in the future. His palms tightened on his knees. Kensei saw the signs of someone who was stressed and didn''t even know it. He spoke in a gentle tone.

    "What exactly are you afraid of, kid?"

    Daichi was surprised at the question. He then slowly answered. "The future."

    Hearing that answer, Kensei looked at Daichi in understanding. "The future is a scary thing. For almost everyone, thinking about the future can be frightening. It''ll be for different reasons, sure, but thinking about it is scary for everyone. For most civilians it''ll be how to put food on their family''s te tomorrow. For us ninjas we worry if our next mission could be ourst. For the Kage''s, they worry about the future of the vige, for a father and mother, it''s the worry of their child''s future."

    Daichi looked up at his grandfather.

    Kensei looked at Daichi and he had a gentle smile that he had never shown the kid before. "I want you to keep this in your heart. Daichi, you are not alone in feeling that fear. It''s a shitty feeling, but that''s what it means to be human What you can do, the only thing you can do, is ept it."

    Daichi''s eyes widened as he heard the words.

    Kensei continued. "I want you to stop all training and meditate for a while. I don''t think even you''re aware of your true fears yet, but I have a feeling that you''ll find your answers if you meditate Etch this in your heart. You will never be alone. Just as you look out for that baby Reo, someone else will have your back."

    Daichi had a tear fall from the corner of his eyes. He quickly wiped it off and smiled. "Thanks old man."

    Kensei smiled and nodded.

    Daichi took Kensei''s advice. He spent the next several days doing nothing but meditation.

    Slowly, over the weeks a change began to ur. In the academy Daichi''s friends noticed that Daichi was spending more time with them. ying around and having fun with them.

    During one of Daichi''s deep meditation he found the reason for his need to get stronger as quickly as he could.

    Ack of trust.

    ''Since the day I awoke, I felt that I could only rely on myself to survive. And with each passing day thisck of trust only grew. I know Naruto and Sasuke would one day save the world from Kaguya but I couldn''t bring myself to trust that knowledge. I feared that I might do or say something that would create a different darker future. All this time I never truly trusted that they would be as strong as their future selves because of my interactions. And not just Naruto and Sasuke, but Shikamaru and the rest as well I always worried that my influence, my very presence could have a negative impact on the future So the faith I had in my future knowledge diminished day by day. And because of thisck of trust in my knowledge and in Naruto and the others, I trained to be as powerful as I possibly could. Because deep down I arrogantly believed that only I could save them. That only I could be strong enough to face theing threats''

    "Daichi, you will never be alone"

    Daichi remembered the words of his grandfather and inwardly smiled. ''I need to have faith in them. I don''t need to bear the burden of the world on my shoulders. When the timees, I need to have faith that they will be ready I won''t ck off and give up on my goals but It''s not a bad thing to slow down a bit once in a while.''

    Daichi meditated for a few more hours and then let out a breath and slowly opened his eyes as he came to ept that realization.

    [You have confronted and won against the insecurities that have been growing in you since the day you were awakened.]

    [Your mental fortitude has be stronger.]

    [You have achieved a brief enlightenment.]

    [+10 WISDOM.]

    ''Wow I feel so much better now It feels like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders.''

    Daichi got up and went to see Kensei. He saw the old man tending to the garden.

    Kensei heard the footsteps of his grandson and looked up. He noticed the change in Daichi''s face.

    "I take it the meditation helped!?"

    "More than you know. I feel a lot better now."

    Kensei nodded at that. He then spoke. "Daichi, I want you to spend more time with your friends. Enjoy the simpler things in life. Work on those hobbies of yours. Or pick up another one And since we don''t want topletely waste time, you can train one change in chakra this year."

    Daichi tilted his head. "Which one?"

    "Water. Train only the water nature. And take your time."

    "Why water?"

    "Some say that water nature has a calming effect on the mind." Kensei replied.

    "Alright. I''ll train just the water nature this year." Daichi agreed. He decided to spend more time on his hobbies and friends.

    -

    Hiruzen was gazing at the stars through the window of his office. It was night time and there weren''t many people on the streets of the vige. He had sent his guards away for the night as he waited for someone. As his eyes roamed the night sky he heard someone speak.

    "Did you find something interesting up there, sensei?"

    The Hokage smirked. "Have you ever looked up at the stars and wondered if there was something more up there?" Hiruzen then turned to his once student and asked.

    "When I was young, Yes! But not anymore We have plenty going on right here after all."

    Hiruzen smiled at that. "How have you been Jiraiya?"

    "I was in the middle of some delicate research when master Goji showed up." One of the Legendary Sanin - Jiraiya had a smirk as he answered the question.

    Hiruzen smiled at that. He was also a fan of Jiraiya''s literature. "When is the next booking out?"

    "Soon. I need some inspiration to finish the final touches."

    "I''m sure you''ll manage."

    "How is everything with Asuma?" Jiraiya asked his former sensei.

    Hiruzen''s smile vanished and he looked down in sadness. "We haven''t spoken in a while"

    "I''m sorry old man." Jiraiya took out a pack and threw it to Hiruzen. "You''re favorite tobo."

    Hiruzen nodded his head, appreciating the gift.

    After a minute of silence Jiraiya spoke. "What''s this about sensei? Why did you drag me halfway around the world?"

    "I''m going up against Danzo and Orochimaru and I might need your assistance and Tsunade''s as well."

    The toad sage''s eyes widened as he heard that.

    Hiruzen had a serious demeanor. "There is a lot I need to catch you up on."

    -------------------------------------------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 100: Kenseis Hate

    Chapter 100: Kensei''s Hate

    Hokage Tower - Hiruzen''s Office.

    Jiraiya sat with his arms crossed across from his old sensei. He was still digesting the information he just learned.

    "So Danzo and Orochimaru are working together huh! Orochimaru isn''t the kind of person who would do something for someone without gaining anything in return. Danzo is the same." Jiraiya wondered what their goals were. "I''m sure neither of them trust each other So what would they gain from this partnership?"

    Hiruzen let out a puff of smoke. "It doesn''t matter what! The fact is they are working together. And my tolerance for Danzo has reached its limit."

    Jiraiya looked at his sensei. He saw anger on that face but he also saw the feeling of betrayal that his former sensei tried to hide. He let out a sigh and asked.

    "So what now sensei? I''ll dig into Danzo''s contacts and see if I can find something to use as leverage."

    Hiruzen shook his head. "No. I need you to handle the missions you currently have. We''re in a very delicate situation. I need you to stay the course I already have a few agents looking into Root and Danzo. And I''ll have someone else handle Danzo''s contacts at the Daimyo court."

    Jiraiya was puzzled. "So if you don''t want my help with Danzo then what do you need? I know you wouldn''t have summoned me here for nothing."

    "Yes. I do need your help. Not with Danzo. But with Tsunade."

    Jiraiya''s eyes widened. "Are you recalling her to the vige? Sensei, she won''t agree to that. In fact I''m pretty sure she''ll demolish the whole ce if you force her."

    "I''m well aware of her temperament, Jiraiya. And you have it backwards. I don''t need her to return to the vige. I want to send someone to her."

    "Who?"

    "A very talented child who I believe would make an excellent student. He''s currently in his fourth year at the academy."

    The toad sage was astonished. He couldn''t believe his sensei wanted Tsunade to take on another student. He was skeptical that his old teammate would take the Hokage up on that.

    "Tsunade already looks after Shizune. Do you think she''ll take on another brat?"

    "She will if I insist. I''m Hokage of the vige. If I make it an order then she''ll have no choice. And besides I have a feeling she''ll want him as a student after she sees his talent for herself."

    "You sure do have a high opinion of him. This kid must be quite special." Jiraiya said in a nonchnt tone.

    Hiruzen knew Jiraiya had no idea of the magnitude of Daichi''s talents. He looked at this student and spoke.

    "Jiraiya This childpletely mastered the Rasengan in 8 days."

    The smirk on the toad sage''s face vanished. He was silent for a couple seconds and then suddenly startedughing.

    "That''s a good one old man. I see you haven''t lost your sense of humor." Heughed for a few seconds but hisughter died down as he saw his sensei''s serious expression.

    "You''re serious?"

    "Deadly. And it''s not just the Rasengan. He mastered the first two steps of change in chakra nature of earth and fire as well." Hiruzen borated.

    Jiraiya''s eyes widened and his jaw dropped. "Oi oi! Seriously? You better not be pulling my leg."

    Hiruzen knew he piqued Jiraiya''s interest. "I''m serious Jiraiya. He showed me the Rasengan and his grandfather told me hepleted the nature training for earth and fire."

    Jiraiya got serious. "Sensei. Please tell me everything about this kid."

    "His name is Daichi Hekima." The Hokage then exined how he met the child on top of the Hokage monument, the kid''s talents disyed at the academy. His fight with the enemy spies and the disy of Rasengan. And finally about Kensei.

    Jiraiya leaned back in his chair and was immersed in his thoughts. ''This kid''s talents There is a possibility he is even more of a genius than Minato.''

    Jiraiya then looked at the Hokage. "If he''s this talented then why haven''t you let him graduate? Having him stay at the academy seems like a waste to me."

    Hiruzen sighed. "I know the academy won''t benefit him much in terms of getting stronger, but he is still a child. It''s best for him to grow up amongst his friends and let him enjoy the time he has Least be be like-"

    "Itachi?!" Jiraiya cut him off.

    Hiruzen only let out another small sigh but didn''t say anything.

    "You know I''ve been thinking a lot about the massacre." Jiraiya had his eyes firmly fixed on his sensei as he spoke.

    "How exactly did Itachi get away? As a matter of fact, how did he kill a whole n without someone raising a ruckus?" Jiraiya narrowed his eyes and gazed at his teacher.

    "I''m not sure how Itachi did what he did, but something like that won''t happen again." Hiruzen''s tone had a steely edge to it.

    Jiraiya looked at the old man and decided to drop the matter. He then focused on the information he learnt. "So the child this Daichi kid helped, turned out to be one of Orochimaru''s experiments. That''s how you got the identity of the spy and you then sent your Anbu after him. And during Anbu''s investigation into the spy he discovered Orochimaru''s involvement with Danzo Wow. One could almost call that incident a lucky break."

    "Yes" Hiruzen knew what his student meant. If it wasn''t for Daichi perhaps he would never have known about the existence of the spy until it was toote.

    "What do you need me to do sensei?"

    "I need you to track down Tsunade. Convince her to take the child as a student or at the very least meet the boy. If she still refuses then tell her it''s an order from me"

    Jiraiya looked at the aging kage for a few seconds and then nodded.

    Hiruzen continued. "There is something else I also need her help with another matter."

    Jiraiya tilted his head and waited for his sensei to speak.

    "I need her to create a corpse identical to a certain man."

    "Who?"

    "Isen!"

    Jiraiya was puzzled for several seconds before he recalled the name and face. And he was shocked. "What? Sensei, he''s in Hzuki Castle. And moreover his memories are wiped What exactly do you need him for?"

    "I have my ns and Isen is necessary for that. For the moment that''s all you need to know."

    Jiraiya didn''t ask anymore about that as he knew his sensei would be tight-lipped about sensitive ns.

    Both of them became silent for several seconds. Jiraiya then broke the silence with a question.

    "You mentioned Danzo having ties with people near the Daimyo. Who exactly are you nning on sending to investigate people of the Royal court."

    Hiruzen was silent for a few seconds. He took another puff from his lit pipe and let out a smoky breath a secondter and then answered. "Kensei Yasaji."

    Jiraiya nodded in understanding. ''In hindsight that''s not a bad n. He''s an excellent strategist and investigator and he''s capable of reading people far better than most. He''ll be able to uncover Danzo''s connections if he puts his mind to it. But would he do it if sensei asks?''

    "If I remember right, you and Kensei were not on the best of terms I know you two got into a heated argument. Regarding his son" Jiraiya asked his teacher.

    Hiruzen nodded. "His son Hotaru was talented. When he was a Jonin one of his missions went wrong and he took the me. Danzo wanted him in the root and I allowed it."

    "What exactly happened?"

    "He was leading a 4 man team. Aside from Hotaru there was another Jonin and 2 chunin. It was supposed to be an easy mission but they were ambushed due to Hotaru taking a different route on his way back. He''s the only one who survived."

    Jiraiya knew of dozens of such incidents throughout his life. Easy missions gone wrong due to one bad choice.

    "The vige lost 3 capable ninja and some wanted Hotaru to be held ountable. Danzo used this opportunity to recruit him into the root. Kensei was against that. He figured something was wrong with the whole picture and investigated."

    Now Jiraiya got curious. Kensei was an excellent investigator. "Did he find anything?"

    Hiruzen answered "A week after the incident with Hotaru, Kensei came to me and told me the whole ambush was a set up from Danzo but he couldn''t find proof."

    "What?"

    "Yes. Kensei followed the trail of the attackers and came to this conclusion. But he didn''t have solid proof of Danzo''s involvement. But he did discover something else during his investigation. The three ninjas Hotaru had on his team were selling secrets to enemy spies. They were turned."

    When Jiraiya heard that, he came to a realization. "What a minute! So due to that ambush, three traitors of the vige were taken care of and Danzo got a talented Jonin as a subordinate? That''s one hell of a coincidence."

    Hiruzen nodded. "Yes."

    "So in one move the threats to the vige were gone and Danzo had another talented root ninja. And there was no evidence connecting him to the whole thing?... Yeah. If you ask me, that sounds like Danzo''s work." Jiraiya gave his thoughts.

    "I didn''t believe it at the time. Or I didn''t want to believe it... And Kensei went to Danzo and confronted him. I don''t know what happened between them but Hotaru sided with Danzo for whatever reason After that Kensei''s dislike of Danzo turned into hate and he also mes me for not helping him. Kensei and his son drifted apart after that and years went by and before Kensei could reconcile with his child, Hotaru, along with his wife died in the nine tails attack. During the attack Danzo ordered some of his root forces to attack the beast. Hotaru was one of them. Kensei mes Danzo for everything that happened to his son. And to a lesser degree he mes me as well."

    "What a mess! What about now? Will he really help you if he still mes you?" Jiraiya asked.

    "I''m well aware that Kensei doesn''t like me. But his hatred for Danzo is far greater. He''s kept it buried but it''s still there. And you and I both know, hate can be a very potent stimulus He''ll help me But I need to convince him that Daichi will be safe."

    Jiraiya nodded as he understood the situation. "So I take it that''s another reason you''re sending that kid to Tsunade? Keeping him out of the vige and away from Danzo''s grasp"

    Hiruzen nodded in agreement.

    "Does the situation with Isen also have anything to do with this?" Jiraiya asked unsure if his sensei will answer him or not.

    "Yes Kensei was Adamant about rescuing him." Hiruzen answered after a few seconds of silence.

    Jiraiya sighed. He thought about the whole thing and came to a conclusion. "A prisoner can be released if the leader of their vige sends an official request. But since you can''t bring him back through official channels you''re nning on breaking him out I see So that''s why you need a corpse. You need a double to fake his death."

    "Indeed. I suppose there was no point in hiding it from you."

    "How are you going to do it?"

    "I''vee up with a n. I''ll speak to Kensei about it in theing week and finalize it. In the meantime I need you to track down Tsunade and tell her everything. Have here to the Silverstone safe house at the Capital in exactly a month from today. I''ll have Kensei meet her there. Jiraiya, make sure she understands how important this is."

    The toad sage nodded. "I''ll handle it."

    Both of them sat in silence for a while after that.

    "How is Naruto doing?" Jiraiya asked.

    "It''s been difficult for him But he''s made some good friends recently. He''s a lot happier these days."

    Jiraiya had a sad smile when he heard that. "Minato and Kushina trusted me with their son They made me the godfather. And I''ve let them down."

    "No. I know how much you care for the boy. I know it pains you deeply to not be here for him I''m the one who let them down. I''m to me for his situation. I don''t know how the information about him holding the nine tails got out to the public but It is my responsibility."

    Jiraiya said nothing. He knew it wasn''t his sensei''s fault but he couldn''t bring himself to say the words out loud.

    They spend a few hours catching up and Jiraiya apprized the hokage of the current situations throughout the great nations. And sometimeter Jiraiya left the vige as quietly as he came.

    ----------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 101: Decisions Made

    Chapter 101: Decisions Made

    Kensei''s Home.

    A week had passed since Jiraiya''s visit. Hiruzen and Kensei were sipping tea as they discussed how to move forward. The Hokage also expressed his desire to have Daichi leave the vige and train under Tsunade Senju.

    "So you want Daichi to travel with her for the next three years?"

    The Hokage nodded. "Yes. To the public, Daichi will be going with you to the capital so he could learn about your business and its operations. But privately he''ll be training in Medical ninjutsu under Tsunade."

    Kensei thought about it for a minute and found a problem. "Your n has a w. You know full well that Danzo has spies all over the country. It won''t be long before he gets wind that Daichi isn''t with me. And if he suspects something then things will be much more difficult and dangerous."

    "I''ve taken that into ount." Hiruzen''s face remained unchanged. "I''ve already thought of that and I''ve figured a way around it. Daichi will stay with you at the capital for a couple months and at that time Tsunade will visit the capital and meet Daichi. A pure coincidence. Daichi will impress her with his talents and due to his eagerness to learn medical ninjutsu and her unwillingness to let go of such a talented child she will take him with her and teach him till he bes ready to graduate And you being the good grandfather lets Daichi go with her for training"

    Hiruzen took a sip of the herbal tea and continued with a small smirk. "Or at least that''s the story I''ll tell Koharu and Homura. And it won''t be long before this information reaches Danzo. He must be aware of Daichi''s talents. So he will believe the story." Hiruzen stopped and took another sip of his tea.

    Kensei went through the n in his mind. ''This could work. Even if Danzo suspects something, he wouldn''t be able to tell what it is Unless he learns of the investigation'' Kensei sighed and stared at the Hokage.

    Seeing the still unconvinced face of Kensei, the Hokage spoke. "Daichi will learn much more under Tsunade''s tutge. It will be beneficial for him." Hiruzen said as he looked at his former Anbu captain.

    Kensei was a bit apprehensive about the whole thing. But he knew that Daichi would be rtively safe under the Slug Sanin''s protection.

    "Do you really think she''ll agree to teach him?"

    "She will. Once she sees the boy''s talents I''m sure she''ll take him in."

    Kensei leaned back, crossed his arms and looked at his kage. "And what about the academy?"

    Hiruzen already had an answer for that. "I''ll have an instructor at the academy conduct a private test for Daichi at the end of each year. I''ll also have them prepare a special curriculum for Daichi at the beginning of each year."

    Kensei narrowed his eyes as he listened. "You''re going through a lot for a single student in the academy! Why?"

    Hiruzen was silent as he heard the question. ''Daichi''s inborn talent is far beyond normal. And his strength is growing at an exponential rate. I need to make sure he forms some strong ties to the vige And There is also that''

    He then looked at his friend and replied. "I don''t want Daichi to waste his time and potential. If I hadn''t implemented the age restriction, then Daichi would have graduated from the academy in his first or second year For someone with his talents I believe this much is appropriate."

    Kensei looked at Hiruzen for a few seconds and then nodded his head.

    "And what about Isen?" Kensei asked.

    "I have a n. But it will require Tsunade''s help." Hiruzen freshened his cup and spoke.

    Kensei patiently waited for the Hokage to borate.

    Hiruzen instead of exining took a scroll from his sleeve and handed it to Kensei. The man took it and examined it.

    "You''ll understand once you open it."

    Kensei was about to open and send chakra through the scroll but Hiruzen stopped him.

    "Not now. The contents of that scroll are delicate. You need to meet with Tsunade and hand her the scroll. She''ll know what to do."

    Kensei looked at the scroll and nodded. "When?"

    "Around three weeks from now! She''ll meet you at the Silverstone safe house in the capital."

    Kensei''s eyes slightly widened. "Isn''t that?"

    Hiruzen nodded in affirmation. "Yes. It was Lord Second''s safe house. Only myself and Tsunade have ess to it Until now." Hiruzen then handed a small square paper seal to Kensei.

    "That seal will get you inside."

    Kensei nodded and both of them sat down in afortable silence for a minute. Hiruzen then finished his tea and got up.

    "I better head back" Hiruzen was about to leave but suddenly stopped. He looked at Kensei and had a serious expression.

    "Kensei, when Daichi gets back, I know you''ll tell him about the trip to the capital, but under no circumstances can you tell him about your investigations The less people know the better." There was a sharp edge to the Hokage''s tone.

    Kensei narrowed his eyes. He stared silently for a while and then slowly nodded. Hiruzen looked at the man for a few more seconds and seemed satisfied. He left the ce and headed to his office.

    Kensei slowly paced around the house thinking about the meeting that just took ce. It would be a few more hours before Daichi returned home from the academy.

    He sat down on the porch and thought about what he would say to his adopted grandson. ''Hiruzen is right. I''ll keep everything about Danzo to myself for now. But Daichi will need information to make informed decisions. If I feel the need arises then I''ll tell him''

    Kensei then thought about how Daichi would react when told that he will be training under a Sanin. A smirk formed on his face.

    ''He''ll be absolutely floored No! I''ll tell him that he''ll have someone teach him medic techniques but I''ll keep Tsunade''s name a secret. It''ll be a surprise.''

    Kensei spent his time mediating and exercising. When it was evening, at the usual time he sensed Daichi''s presence.

    Daichi greeted his grandfather and went to his room to freshen up. He returned a whileter and Kensei beckoned him over.

    "Daichi I need to tell you something" Kensei began his exnation.

    He told Daichi that he would be leaving with him to the capital for three years and would learn medical ninjutsu under a special trainer and that he was to keep the whole thing a secret.

    Daichi was surprised at the information. "This is a lot to take in."

    ''That''s what she said!'' Kensei chucked to himself at that.

    He then got serious and agreed with Daichi. "Yes. Take your time to digest the information I''m sure you''ll be ready."

    Daichi nodded and got up for a walk. He had a lot to process.

    The Next Day.

    The academy sses had ended and Daichi took his bag and was about to leave but was stopped by Naruto and Kiba.

    "Hey, we''re gonna y find the spy? Come on! You wanna be the spy or the ninja?" Naruto asked with a wide smile.

    Daichi had been spending time with his friends and they were happy with the change. But today Daichi had other ns.

    "Not today guys. Got something to do. Another time."

    Naruto and Kiba let out a sigh. "Fine. But next time you better join us."

    Daichi left them with an apologetic smile. He walked through the streets of the vige with several thoughts running through his mind.

    His journey took him to the forest where he first met Ren Uchiha. Before long he reached the spot in the forest with the round wooden targets.

    Daichi was thinking about what his grandfather had said yesterday. He had some concerns. Mainly regarding his quests.

    ''If I leave the vige and the academy before I be a Genin, then will my quest be invalid? Will it be considered a failure?... Then again the old man did say someone would conduct special tests at the end of each year. So technically I''ll still be training and be part of the academy roster''

    Daichi sat down under a tree and thought about the most likely oue. ''It''s not me quitting. This decision was made by Kensei and the Hokage. I could reject it but The chance to travel outside the vige and learn Medical ninjutsu It''s too good to pass up The most likely oue would be that my quest would be modified to suit the situation. At least that''s my assumption But if somehow this quest is marked as a failure because of this decision then the penalty is death''

    Daichi frowned as he thought about the consequences of failing the quest ''Path to the Strongest.'' Daichi opened the quest and looked at the description.

    [The System will help the yer on his journey to be the world''s strongest. Complete a set of tasks to receive System rewards. Failure toplete any task will result in activation of the Penalty Dungeon.]

    ''Hmm It doesn''t specifically say that I have to stay in the academy. As long as Iplete the tasks, it looks like I''ll be fine. I think.''

    Daichi made his choice. He was going to the capital and train for the next few years.

    Daichi became excited. ''I''ll finally see what this world has to offer. I wonder what kind of people I''ll meet.''

    At that moment another thought struck his mind. ''I''m sure I''ll meet a lot of people but at the same time I''ll miss Naruto and the others. Not to mention Reo I''ll miss her the most. I won''t even be able to make it to her birthdays Can I really trust Aiko with her safety?''

    Daichi went through all the memories he had of the woman. ''Yes. I can trust her... And right now to everyone Reo is just another ordinary kid. The only proof of her Uchiha bloodline is her Sharingan. And that will only awaken in stressful situations. Something that won''t happen anytime soon with how careful Aiko is with the children. And by the time she joins the academy, I''ll be a chunin at the least I''m sure I''ll be strong enough to handle any problems that arise.''

    Daichi let out a breath and rxed. With his concerns about the quest and Reo faded, Daichi''s mind went to his training.

    ''I''ve mastered two elements. 3 more remain. I''ll train the water chakra nature and increase my genjutsu and ninjutsu arsenal this year. I''ll also need to refine and Max out as many skills as I can. I''ll train the lightning and wind chakra natures in theing years. I suspect thatpleting them will take time since I''m going to be training in medical jutsu as well.''

    With a somewhat more solid training n in mind Daichi sat there and started meditating. He found that meditation always greatly improves his mood.

    Even passively his senses were now much more enhanced. Daichi could hear the various life forms scurrying about through the forest. He felt the wind blowing through the forest and the scents of various animals, nts and flowers.

    Half an hour went by as he sat there in his meditative trance. At that moment Daichi''s senses picked up something. The first thing Daichi noticed was the unique scent. Then he heard footsteps. Daichi was not alone in that forest. The footsteps were getting closer to Daichi''s location. Daichi was well ustomed to the person with this scent.

    ''I wonder what he''s doing here?''

    -

    A few meters away from the mediating Daichi, Sasuke Uchiha stood behind the cover of the trees. He didn''t know why he came to the ce where he once used to train with his brother. And it was even more of a surprise to find his ssmate here.

    It has been over a year since the massacre and Sasuke had been training even harder than before. But he felt like he hadn''t made any progress. In fact, fighting Daichi made him feel like he was getting weaker.

    Sasuke cursed his weakness in his heart. He walked through the forest near hispound to clear his head and he identally found his rival meditating under a tree.

    Sasuke stood behind the tree without making a sound. He clenched his fist as he looked at Daichi''s peaceful face.

    Suddenly he heard Daichi speak. "Are you gonna just stand there or you gonna say something?"

    Daichi opened his eyes and looked at the number two in his ss.

    ----------------------------------------

    Author''s note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 102: Sasukes Ordeal

    Chapter 102: Sasuke''s Ordeal

    Sasuke stared at Daichi with an almost unreadable expression. Almost

    Daichi was watching every minute expression that crossed the young Uchiha''s face. Daichi saw the efforts Sasuke put into concealing his emotions. As he observed, he saw the tell tale signs of someone who was furious but trying hard to keep that emotion under wraps.

    "What are you doing here Daichi?" There was an aggression to Sasuke''s tone that he couldn''t hide.

    Daichi let out a short breath. "To meditate. I had something on my mind And This was also where I met a friend."

    Sasuke was surprised by the slight downcast expression Daichi had as he said that. He knew most people didn''te here and those who did would most probably be from the Uchiha n.

    "Who?" He couldn''t help but ask.

    Daichi looked at Sasuke and was contemting whether or not to tell him. After a few seconds he made a choice.

    "Ren Ren Uchiha."

    Sasuke''s eyes widened. He didn''t know that Daichi had befriended someone from his n. As he stood there not knowing what to say, Daichi got up.

    "I''ll take my leave. Good day Sasuke." Daichi said, turned around and walked a few feet.

    "Stop."

    Sasuke''s voice stopped Daichi in his tracks and he turned around to face the Uchiha. He said nothing and waited for the other to speak.

    Sasuke gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. "Fight me." He all but shouted.

    It was something Daichi half expected. ''So damn predictable. He''s the same. The only difference is I took Naruto''s ce Something I have no interest in.''

    "Sasuke, you should know the oue of that fight already! So why?"

    "I know you''re stronger than me right now. But I want to know just how much stronger you are Fight me and don''t hold back."

    Daichi looked at Sasuke for a few seconds and replied. "No!"

    The Uchiha gritted his teeth and quickly tossed several shuriken at Daichi. The action was much quicker than what most from the academy, even in theirst year, could achieve.

    But Daichi saw every move the boy made. He saw Sasuke''s hands move to the pouch on his thighs and theunch of shurikens, all with rity in slow motion. Daichi sighed and took a single kunai and parried all the projectiles with ease. Daichi kept the same nonchnt expression on his face as he looked directly at Sasuke and parried his first attack wave.

    Daichi looked at the boy. "You really want to get beat up that bad?"

    "Let''s see you try." Sasuke entered a stance andunched himself at his opponent.

    Daichi stood with his left hand folded behind his back. He parried the fast and precise strikes with just his right arm.

    Sasukeunched his strikes targeting different parts of Daichi''s body. When Daichi blocked his fists, Sasuke sent a fast kick. Which got blocked by Daichi''s leg. No matter what tactic was used, no matter how he attacked, he couldn''tnd a single sessful hit nor could he budge Daichi an inch from where he stood.

    The one thing Sasuke noticed was that Daichi was only defending himself. Just like thest time they fought and it only made him more furious.

    "Fight back!"

    "I don''t have to do anything you say." Daichi said as he tilted his head and dodged another fist.

    Sasuke''s blood boiled as he heard the cool dismissive tone in Daichi''s voice. The young Uchiha was furious. He jumped back a few feet and looked at his enemy.

    Daichi was in perfect condition. Unlike Sasuke he wasn''t panting or sweating. He looked just as calm as he did when he meditated. Sasuke gritted his teeth. ''No. This is not over.''

    He took several kunai and tied ninja wire to them and tossed them at Daichi. Instead of a straight out attack, the shuriken went around Daichi''s body. At that moment Sasuke pulled the wires and the weapons changed paths. They quickly surrounded Daichi and circled him, and the wires tightened.

    Daichi was trapped or so it seemed. Daichi knew what was going to happen the moment Sasuke took out the ninja wire. After all, it was the same tactic he used against several enemies in the dungeon. Yet he did nothing and let the wires trap him.

    Sasuke, seeing Daichi''s still calm face, went through several hand-seals. ''Fire style - Fireball Jutsu.''

    The ming ball shot out of Sasuke''s mouth and got bigger and headed for Daichi. Sasuke knew there was a great chance Daichi could escape. He used the fireball jutsu so that Daichi would escape and think he(Sasuke) would let his guard down thinking the attack hit. Sasuke was counting on Daichi to attack him at that moment so he couldunch a surprise counter. At least that was his n.

    Daichi saw through Sasuke''s childish tactic. ''He believes that I would make it look like I got hit and then attack him from behind. And his n is to counter attack at that time. What an amateur move. Then again this is normal for someone with no real battle experience. Real ninjas won''t fall for such simple tactics.'' All these thoughts quickly flew through his mind.

    Daichi decided to do things a bit differently. He secretly took a shuriken from his inventory and coated it with wind chakra. ''Need to train the wind chakra nature next year. Right now I''m changing my chakra to wind nature based on the different wind jutsus I used. But the result is too crude.''

    Daichi cut apart the wires and got free but the fireball was right in front of him. Daichi didn''t n on dodging. Instead he was going to face the attack head on. He quickly gathered some chakra to his right palm and vertically shed down at the fireball. The chakra gathered in Daichi''s palm was changed to fire nature before he made the move. And due to his change in chakra form and nature training, Daichi''s chakra was far stronger than even some of the Jonin.

    Daichi''s fire chakra was more powerful and it shed with the fireball. The struggle onlysted a second before Sasuke''s fireball was split in half and in a few seconds the mes flew to Daichi''s sides and fizzled out

    Daichi had a slight smirk as his experiment proved sessful. ''The old man told me that some in the Hyuga n who are more attuned to chakra than others can read the chakra flow of a jutsu and are capable of dispersing the chakra in the Ninjutsu. But he also told me that this can be aplished by someone who doesn''t have the Byakugan. It will be extremely difficult without the special eyes but if someone has high sensitivity towards chakra, absolute chakra control and can understand the flow, this feat can be achieved Looks like I''m in that rare category.''

    Sasuke was shocked to see his attack be reduced to nothing like that. He unknowingly let go of the kunai in his hand and it fell to the ground. His hand had a slight tremble.

    ''If it was a Chunin or Jonin who did this then I would understand. But How did Daichi He''s the same age as me How is he so much stronger than me..?''

    Sasuke''s confidence and will was shaken for just a second with that disy. When Daichi destroyed those mes it was as if he reduced the roaring mes of Sasuke''s anger, hate and the will in his heart into a feeble smoldering fire, but at that moment the image of his parent''s dead bodies came to his mind along with Itachi''s words.

    ''My foolish brother'' The tremble in Sasuke''s hands stopped.

    ''If you wish to kill me curse me! Hate me!'' The hands became steady and slowly clenched into a fist.

    ''Run away and cling to your pitiful life And then when you have the same eyes as mine'' The mes that were about to go out in his heart came roaring back stronger than before.

    ''Come find me.'' The steel and vigor in Sasuke''s eyes returned with a vengeance.

    Daichi noticed the change. It wasn''t just Sasuke''s expression. ''For one moment I saw him lose his confidence but It''s back. And it''s not just that. His chakra It''s gotten slightly stronger.'' Daichi, who was much more sensitive to the changes of a person''s chakra, noticed this even though Sasuke didn''t.

    Sasuke bent down and picked up the kunai. He then looked at Daichi and spoke. "Daichi, no matter how strong you are I will beat you You wanna know one of the earliest lessons my father had taught me?"

    Daichi was silent. He didn''t have the same nonchnt expression as before. He was serious as he looked at the Uchiha.

    Sasuke looked at Daichi with a steely gaze and spoke. "He taught me that no matter how tall a wall stands, there is always a way TO KNOCK IT DOWN TO SIZE!"

    Sasuke threw the kunai much faster than before. Daichi, side stepped and dodged the weapon but the next second the Uchiha was in front of him. Daichi sent a punch aimed for Sasuke sr plexus but he missed. Sasuke disappeared and reappeared behind him and attacked. But Daichi could easily track him and he blocked the kick aimed for the side of his head with one hand and stopped the fist headed for his face with the other.

    Daichi was shocked at the speed and the force of the punch. ''He''s much faster than before and not only that he''s applying chakra to enhance his speed and strength. I don''t think he''s even aware of it. Somehow he''s subconsciously channeling his chakra to his arms and legs to make himself stronger. It''s not perfect but This guy Someone needs at least ''tree walking'' level chakra control before even attempting this but this guy He''s doing it without even realizing it He''s truly incredible.''

    Both of them began exchanging blows at a rate much faster than before. This time Daichi not only defended himself but also fought back. He parried and deflected Sasuke''s punches andnded several dozens of his own.

    Even with Daichi fighting back like this, Sasuke was able tost much longer this time.

    Daichi sensed Sasuke''s chakra fluctuations. ''What''s going on with his chakra It''s rapidly decreasing but There is something else It''s getting stronger Is he Is he about to awaken the Sharingan?''

    As Sasuke fought, he felt himself get stronger. ''I may not be able to beat you today Daichi, but I will one day. Just you wait.''

    Sasuke fought as hard as he could but he couldn''t injure Daichi and what''s even more, the force of Daichi''s blows and the speed and force of his attacks was rapidly draining his stamina. It wasn''t long before a punch Daichi sent to his midsection took his breath away and sent him flying several feet back.

    Sasukended on the ground and heid there looking at the clouds. He didn''t look like he was about to get up. A few secondster he started to chuckle and then it turned to full blownughter.

    "Hahahaha"

    Daichi was looking at Sasuke as if he was seeing a different person. ''What the hell? Did I knock his screw loose?''

    At that moment a notification popped up in front of Daichi and he was taken off guard reading it.

    [Reputation increases with Sasuke Uchiha.]

    ''What the?'' Daichi was confused as to why the system showed the message of a reputation increase rather than a decrease.

    Daichi walked near Sasuke and sat down on the ground. Neither of them spoke but it wasn''t an awkward silence.

    "Thank you Daichi!"

    Daichi almost missed those words due to the low voice with which they were said but when he registered them his eyes almost popped out of his skull.

    "Are you feeling alright Sasuke? Oh god! Did my punch do any brain damage?"

    Daichi dramatically yelled and disyed a shocked expression.

    "Shut up!" The scowl on Sasuke''s face returned. But after a few seconds it lessened. A few secondster he spoke.

    "All this time, I trained hard but whenever I fought you, it felt like I didn''t make any progress at all I was afraid that if I couldn''t even defeat you then" Sasuke didn''t borate and fell into silence.

    Daichi looked at Sasuke with a new perspective.

    A few momentster Sasuke continued. "But now I realize That''s not true at all I have gotten stronger It''s just that you''ve also been getting stronger at a much faster rate than me, haven''t you?"

    Daichi didn''t bother to answer and Sasuke wasn''t looking for one. "I will defeat you one day Daichi! And then I''ll be one step closer to achieving my ambition."

    Daichi sat there for a few more seconds but the Uchiha didn''t say anything else. He got up and was ready to leave but then looked down at the young Uchiha.

    "Good luck with your goal Sasuke And If you want a spar with me, I''ll be back here at the end of every month." Daichi said the words as he looked into Sasuke''s eyes.

    Sasuke slightly nodded but didn''t say anything else.

    Daichi left the forest and a n was slowly forming in his mind regarding his Uchiha ssmate.

    ---------------------------------------------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 103: Water Affinity

    Chapter 103: Water Affinity

    Daichi was walking home thinking about what had just happened. ''His chakra had gotten stronger. Uchiha always get stronger the more emotion they feel and the more dangerous the battle. But it still wasn''t able to reawaken his Sharingan. I know that he awakened his eyes that night at the massacre. Or at least I think so. Not so sure because of my presence and since I didn''t see it happen I can''t be too certain. But if he did, his brain must have buried that memory deep as some sort of protection for his fragile psyche''

    Daichi thought about what he should do next.

    ''I need to be careful. If I fight and help him awaken the Sharingan too early it could help in the long run or screw things up Things could go either way.''

    Daichi ran his hand through his hair. ''Ghaa! This is so frustrating... The future I know is bad But it''s better than the one I don''t. The safety of my lifees first and before everything else. Things have already derailed somewhat I''m not gonna cause any more ripples in this pond.''

    With a sigh Daichi made his choice. He then thought about Sasuke''s reaction as he lost the fight.

    ''This is strange I never would have expected him to show me respect, of all things I wonder what changed?''

    He thought about the Sasuke he knew in this life and the one he had seen through a screen in his old one. And after several minutes ofparison Daichi came to a conclusion.

    ''In the show Sasuke had no one to match him in the academy. He was the best. And Naruto was thest in the ss. So when Naruto the deadst started to rapidly catch up to him he felt that his improvements must have stalled. He was angry and jealous that someone he could easily defeat got to the same level of strength as him ''

    Daichi walked through the streets and was a few minutes away from his home.

    ''But here that didn''t happen. I took first ce and he was always second. He now has someone he could measure himself against. This fight was the most intense one we had till now. And he must have felt his growth in power. And he even started to open up This Sasuke He is still a child who''s in pain and looking for help and not the giant angry ball of mess that is the genin Sasuke in the show I think what he needed the most was to vent his frustrations on someone At least that''s my theory. Or I could be wrong and it could be something else''

    Daichi thought about his actions and thought about the changes his involvement would bring to Sasuke''s mental state.

    ''If I could help him, would he turn away from the path of vengeance when he learns the truth?... Most likely not But that doesn''t mean I shouldn''t try Right? Can I truly influence him? Well. Whatever the case If I can help him and make him form meaningful rtionships with the other future Rookie''s then this endeavor would be worth it.''

    Daichi reached his home and soon made his way to the backyard. ''I need to start the next nature chakra. I can''t let Sasuke get ahead.''

    Daichi looked at the pond and saw the water rippling about due to the movements of the wind and fishes.

    ''I have earth and fire. Water seems like the best choice to master next.''

    He went to the nearby tree and sat down. He picked up a fallen leaf and stared at it as he remembered his conversation with Kensei regarding the water nature chakra.

    shback.

    Kensei drank a cup of tea and spoke. "Water is a very versatile element. It depends on the person to bring out the full power of this nature. The second Hokage''s prowess with the water abilities was unlike any before and after him. Even now There''s not one that can use water style jutsus the way the second did I''ve seen you take a few books from my study. What have you learned and understood about the water element? Tell me."

    Daichi thought about everything he learned and he understood several aspects of this nature.

    "Water is the element of change. It''s formless and shapeless. But it can also take the shape of anything depending on its surroundings. It can flow gently or it can be as destructive as a Tsunami." Daichi replied.

    Kensei nodded. "Yes, it''s true. But that''s the most basic thing. I want you to tell me what someone who has absolute control over this element would be capable of I know you came to a few conclusions and have some theories. Let''s hear it."

    Daichi knew what his old man was asking. He had taken books on water nature and even on Kekkei Genkai and read through them. More specifically about the Ice users from the Yuki n. Daichi wanted to learn as much as he could about an element so he coulde up with various techniques in the future.

    Daichi looked at his grandfather. "Someone trained in the 2 steps of water chakra nature would be able to manipte 2 main properties of water. Viscosity and density. Changing the liquid into thick and adhesive or as thin as oil."

    Kensei nodded in agreement. "Yes. The jutsus like Starch Syrup binding rope and Starch Syrup capturing field perfectly match that."

    Daichi nodded. "But there''s more. A true master can condense vapor particles and liquids enough to be tangible to the point where they are solid and hardened. And the water molecules have high heat capacity and cont capabilities."

    Kensei thought about that point. He was a smart man and quickly realized Daichi''s point. "You''re talking about using water molecules as a medium for heat exchange aren''t you?"

    Daichi nodded and continued. "A true master can decrease the surrounding temperature and can even change water to ice or steam by manipting it at a molecr level."

    Kensei raised an eyebrow at that. He didn''t think such a thing was possible without the help of a Kekkei Genkai ability.

    "And you believe this can be done with just training and no Kekkei Genkai."

    Daichi smiled and nodded. "I believe so, yes."

    Kensei was impressed with the goals Daichi set for himself. "If you can do something like that, then you would have gone one step beyond the second. And that would be truly incredible."

    shback End.

    Daichi ced the leaf in his hand and concentrated. ''The trick is to let the chakra flow like water.''

    Daichi knew what his chakra was like due to using several water style jutsus. He focused on that and tried to make the leaf damp with hai chakra. Several minutes passed by and he opened his eyes when he heard the sound of the system notification.

    He opened his palms and looked at the leaf. A small portion of the leaf was slightly wet.

    [A new skill is created with a specific action.]

    Water - Leaf dampening technique - (Active/Passive)(LV. 1): A water chakra affinity training skill obtained through continuously focusing chakra to a leaf and making it wet. A basic technique to help the user increase the strength of their water nature chakra.

    [Note: increasing the level of this skill will increase the level of the skill ''Water Affinity.'']

    [Effects:]

    1% increase in Water Chakra control.

    [CP cost : 52/sec.]

    ''Yeah Seems about right''

    At that moment Kensei came out of the house.

    "So you''ve begun training your third element huh"

    "Yeah" There was something that Daichi wanted to ask Kensei. "Hey. Do you know the training techniques the other viges use to train the chakra natures?"

    Kensei looked at Daichi questioningly.

    "I doubt the Sand vige has trees or waterfalls to help their ninjas train. And the same goes for the rest of them. So they must have different types of training unique to their viges. Do you know what they are?"

    Kensei nodded. "I do. And you are right. Each vige has their own unique type of training methods to master the chakra natures But I''ll tell you about them another time."

    Daichi slightly pouted but didn''t say anything else. He created two shadow clones and all three of them got to work.

    -

    Days passed with Daichi training the first step of the water chakra nature. He would spend his mornings with Lee working out and would spend the evenings with Naruto and the others. He would then train once he reached home till midnight and the routine continued.

    Daichi was able to build a bnce between training and spending some time on his hobbies and just ying around. He knew that next year he would have to leave the vige so he was enjoying as much as he could with his friends while he had the chance.

    A couple weeks had passed and one evening as Daichi was training in the backyard Kensei came to meet him.

    "I''m headed to the capital. I won''t be back for a week or two." Kensei said.

    Daichi was slightly confused at that. "I thought you usually go only once a year. Didn''t you just get back from the capital a few months ago?"

    "Yes. But something hase up that needs my attention. Don''t worry about it."

    Daichi nodded and watched his grandfather leave. ''Strange... Does this have anything to do with my trip to the capital next year?''

    Daichi was suspicious as to why he had to leave the vige to learn medical ninjutsu from someone and even more that the Hokage was allowing him to stay an academy student even while he''s outside the vige. One of the reasons he epted was because he knew the Hokage had a hand in this decision and he was curious as to what that man had nned.

    ''I know that Kensei wouldn''t let any harme to me and if I oppose this decision then it might ruin my goodwill with the Hokage Not that I care about that but I rather have someone as influential and powerful as him as an ally than an enemy.''

    Daichi let the matter go for now and got back to his training. Now with the whole ce to himself he was free to train without restraints. Daichi started to increase the intensity of the training and got to work.

    -

    Hokage Office.

    It was night time. Hiruzen was looking over the various mission reports and filing them. As he got down with thest document he let out a breath of slight relief.

    ''I need to find a sessor. I''m getting too old for this.''

    He took his pipe and filled it with some tobo and lit. He stood and walked to the window of the room and stared at the night sky.

    ''Kensei left for the capital today. And Jiraiya has informed me that Tsunade has agreed to a meeting. Good. At least that''s something.''

    The Hokage then thought about Daichi and one of the main reasons why he decided to go through with having him learn under his student.

    ''Tsunade and Jiraiya are the only ones strong enough to take this position. But Jiraiya has his various duties and he won''t take the hat. So that leaves Tsunade. But I know no matter what I say she won''t take the position and I can''t exactly force her But if shees of her own will''

    Hiruzen let out a puff of smoke and thought about the reasoning. ''Right now her only attachment is the girl Shizune and she travels with her. But if Tsunade forms a simr attachment to Daichi, then she might be more willing toe back. With Daichi''s talents he''ll be able to pick up everything needed from Tsunade before he bes a genin. I know Daichi wants to be a ninja. And if hees back then she might also be willing to return. Or at the very least I''d have a better chance at convincing her to take my ce. I was surprised just how much Kensei changed because of Daichi I just hope he''ll be able to aplish the same thing with Tsunade.''

    Hiruzen hated the fact that he had to resort to manipting his students but he justified his actions with the reasoning that desperate time calls for desperate measures. He also wanted to make sure that Daichi had solid attachments in the vige.

    ''It''s not just Tsunade but Daichi would also form an attachment with them. Kensei must have warned Daichi about Danzo and told the boy about our rtionship... I''m sure of it. But if Tsunade bes the Hokage then Daichi would feel morefortable and trusting towards the vige or at the very least the Hokage''s seat of power And Kensei would also trust Tsunade a lot more than he does me I hate that I have to manipte them like this but this is necessary. I see no other way.''

    Hiruzen then thought about the n he set in motion regarding Isen and he let out a sigh. ''I just hope everything goes ording to n.''

    Hiruzen stood there staring at the stars as he thought about several things. A whileter he left the tower and headed home.

    ------------------------------------------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 104: Follow the Root

    Chapter 104: Follow the Root

    Daichi and Lee could be seen doing push ups next to each other.

    "So you''ll be leaving at the end of this year?" Lee asked as he stretched his arms and pushed himself up from the ground.

    "Yeah. Gramps wanted me to learn about his business in the capital. So I''ll be gone for about 3 years. I''lle back by the time my ss is ready to graduate." Daichi replied as he exercised alongside the boy.

    "I see"

    Daichi could hear the hidden sadness in that reply. He didn''t know what to say so for the moment he decided to keep quiet.

    Suddenly Daichi saw Lee smile a big grin. "Yosh! When youe back, I''ll definitely be a genin and we should spar. I can''t wait to see how strong you will be after 3 years."

    Daichiughed hearing his excited tone. "Yeah. That sounds fun."

    "499 500! Yosh!" Lee and Daichi got up from the ground and then walked through the forest.

    "How''s your sses?" Daichi asked the boy.

    "I''m concentrating on the taijutsu and theoretical sses as you said. My grades have slightly improved but it''s still not enough. And those sses are sometimes confusing." Lee replied.

    Daichi thought about that for a moment and had an idea in mind.

    "Everyone learns differently How about this? When you''re trying to learn a difficult subject at home, I want you to put the book down and do a hundred hand stands or push ups as you read. I have a feeling that kind of method might work for a training nut like you. I''m not 100% sure it''ll help you memorize everything but it''s worth a shot."

    Lee''s eyes widened in excitement as he heard that. "Yes! That''s a most brilliant idea. Thank you my friend Daichi."

    He ran and gave Daichi a tight hug

    "Ghaa Easy there." Daichi pried Lee''s hands off him. "We need to get ready soon or we''ll bete."

    "Yosh! Let''s race and see who makes it out of the forest first." Lee shouted.

    Both of them ran as they counted to three. It was a usual thing and unsurprisingly it was Daichi who came first. Both of them went their separate ways afterwards.

    Daichi headed home and freshened himself and got ready. He created three shadow clones to train the first step of the water chakra nature and left his home.

    He arrived in his ss a few minutes before the bell and the sses started as usual. He listened diligently and answered whatever questions were asked of him.

    As he listened to a lecture about a subject he already knew his mind drifted to his grandfather.

    ''I wonder what that old man is doing right now?''

    -

    Near the Fire Capital.

    Kensei was inside a two story house he had only heard about and never been to before that day. He looked around and found several rooms with different types of equipment in each room.

    ''So this is the safe house created by Second Lord Hokage. Locations wise The building isn''t in a bad spot. It is not easily found or essible and it is hidden and protected by seals that take energy from the surroundings What kind of a seal does that?''

    Kensei waited for the arrival of certain people. ''I wonder Will shee? Hiruzen sent word that she agreed to a meeting It seems the only thing I can do is wait''

    Kensei looked around the ce. ''Might as well look around. Hiruzen told me he disabled the traps inside the ce''

    Kensei opened the door to a room and saw several shelves of scrolls and documents. ''All that information I''m half tempted to take it all with me.''

    Kensei suppressed his desires and looked inside another room. This one was like a smallboratory. It didn''t have any advanced machine but there were several ss beakers and jars with various substances inside, allbeled and neatly preserved.

    As he looked around and waited, Kensei suddenly sensed the presence of three other people. They entered the barrier and opened the door to the safe house.

    Kensei saw a fair skinned woman with brown eyes and straight blond hair enter first. She wore a green haori and underneath had a grey kimono and matching dark bluish pants. Her most notable features were her sizable cleavage and violet diamond-shaped seal on her forehead. One of the three Legendary ninjas. Tsunade Senju.

    ''Tsunade Senju She''s certainly aged since thest time I saw her But that transformation technique is impressive. And behind her are''

    Behind Tsunade was another woman with average height, slender build and jet ck hair wearing a ck kimono. She was holding a small pinkish colored pig and thest one stepping inside was a tall well built man with spiky long white hair. The second of the Legendary three. Jiraiya the Toad Sage.

    ''Shizune and Jiraiya It seems all of them are here.''

    Tsunade and Jiraiya immediately recognized the man inside the safehouse.

    The blond sannin had a smirk as she looked at Kensei. "And here I thought you retired a long time ago. Not to mention your dislike of Sarutobi sensei So why exactly are you here doing this?"

    "I''m not here to help Hiruzen. I want to save Isen. And I''m going to create problems for Danzo So there is a difference"

    Tsunade smirked and said nothing else.

    "How is the young sapling you''ve adopted.?" Jiraiya asked as he stepped forward.

    "He''s fine. He started on his third nature training before I left." ''There is no point in hiding it from him. They will eventually know what Daichi is capable of.''

    Jiraiya was surprised when he heard that. ''Looks like sensei was right. Only 9 years old and already training in a third chakra nature? His talent and potential might be immeasurable.''

    They looked around the ce. Tsunade looked at the rooms with slight nostalgia. She had onlye here a couple times and it was in the presence of her grand uncle and grandmother.

    Kensei looked at Tsunade''s apprentice. "You must be Shizune."

    "Yes And you''re Kensei Yasaji right I''ve heard a lot about you." The girl politely replied.

    The old man nodded and then turned towards the approaching Sanin.

    "I have something Hiruzen gave me. He said you would know what to do" Kensei took out the scroll and gave it to Tsunade.

    She took the scroll and opened it. A ss jar twice the size of a human head appeared. Inside it were several of the same flowers.

    Each flower was 3.5 to 5cm long in diameter. They were violet-purple and had greenish yellow spots.

    Kensei looked at the flowers and was confused. He didn''t know why Hiruzen gave those to him. But he knew it had some significance to the n.

    "What is that?" Kensei asked.

    Tsunade examined the ss jar for a few seconds and replied. "It''s a beautiful looking flower isn''t it But it''s quite dangerous. Rhododendron ponticum. It has the ability to create toxic chemicals making it a poisonous nt. The nectar produced from the pollen of this flower can be poisonous. It can cause hypotension as well as bradycardia if consumed in certain quantities."

    Kensei slightly tilted his head. "Meaning."

    Tsunade sighed and answered. "Meaning it can cause low blood pressure and slows down the heart rate."

    Kensei''s eyes slightly widened at the implications. "How long will the effectsst?"

    Tsunade thought about it for a few seconds and replied. "If I make a few adjustments and add a couple other ingredients, then about 4 hours. The heartbeat will be slowed down to about 1 or 2 beats per minute. The person will be in a near death state."

    Kensei thought about the n proposed by the Hokage. "4 hours huh. That''s more than enough time for the whole thing to work What do you need to make the poison?"

    "I need a medicalb. And a week."

    Kensei looked around the ce. "So that''s why he told us to meet here."

    "Yes. Uncle Tobirama conducted several experiments here. He was a ninja but he was also a scientist at heart."

    Kensei nodded andpletely agreed with that.

    --

    Academy.

    The sses for the day were almost over. As Daichi was sitting therepleting his works a new quest box appeared in front of him.

    [Quest Created: Follow The Root.]

    Follow the root ninja Touma Asai. Find the location of the Root Base. Time Limit: 1.5 hour.

    .

    [Conditions:]

    Must not be caught.

    Locate the entrance to the Root base.

    Identify Touma Asai''s contact.

    .

    [Rewards:]

    2500 Exp.

    .

    [Failure:]

    Reputation decreases with Danzo Shimura.

    ept. (Y/N)

    Daichi went over the details of the quest and immediately epted.

    ''This quest doesn''t have death or being forced to join the root or anything like that as failure That means even if Danzo finds out that I followed his spy he wouldn''t be able to do much about it Must be because of Kensei and the Hokage. Not that I''m going to let something like that happen.''

    Daichi also noticed something strange. ''Why is there a time limit on this quest? Does that mean he''ll meet his contact in that time limit or will he personally go to the base? I guess I''ll find out.''

    Once the sses were over Daichi went to the bathroom and quickly created a shadow clone. Once the clone left he took out his Invisibility cloak and put it on.

    Daichi found his ssmate leaving the grounds and followed him to his home. It was some ways from the academy and once Touma reached his home Daichi moved to the opposite side of the building. He cautiously entered the building through an open window. He went to a corner of the room and sat while under the protection of the cloak.

    Daichi saw Touma preparing a report. ''Hmm Must be about me, Naruto and Sasuke. It seems someone wille here and pick up the report.'' Daichi nced at what was being written. It was an evaluation of his attitude, ss performance, strength, behavior and friends.

    He waited and after some time he saw Touma finish writing his report and sealed them in a small scroll. Touma left the scroll near the window and went to another room. Daichi waited patiently and after about fifteen more minutes he saw a small ck cat jump into the room and grab the scroll. It swallowed the scroll and jumped out the window.

    ''What the?''

    Daichi didn''t waste anymore time gawking at what had just happened. He jumped out the window and followed the cat. The ck cat took a path through the forest and kept to the shadows. Its movements were silent and if one wasn''t paying attention they would miss it.

    Daichi followed behind it and took a closer look. He found that it was not a real cat but something else.

    ''Is that Is that thing made of ink?''

    Daichi''s eyes widened in surprise as he realized the implications ''If that thing is made of ink then that means the one behind this is.''

    Daichi didn''t have to wait long for an answer. The cat suddenly jumped up a tree and reached its creator.

    Daichi saw two people and he immediately recognized one of them while he had a vague recollection of the other.

    The first was a child with short ck hair and pale skin. He had a small backpack and was painting something in his notebook while the cat jumped andnded near him.

    ''That''s definitely Sai. And unless I''m mistaken the other one must be Shin.''

    Daichi got close and listened to their conversation.

    "Well look at that. It looks like your ink Ninjutsu is a sess. Now you know you can make creatures that can move on their own instead of inanimate objects. Well done."

    The boy Daichi knew as Sai smiled.

    "Come on. Let''s head back." Shin said and both of them left.

    Daichi followed. ''So Sai is only beginning to learn how to use his ink Ninjutsu style.''

    Daichi followed them to the base of a cliff near the forest. Daichi saw Shin making a seal and saw the rock part ways and both of them went inside.

    [Quest Completed.]

    Daichi was debating on whether or not to follow them but he decided against it when the questionpletion notification appeared.

    [Rewards:]

    2500 Exp.

    375 Exp.

    [You have found a hidden location. Added to the Mini-Map.]

    Daichi looked at his holographic map and it expanded and it indicated the new location by highlighting it for a few seconds.

    ''It looks like this venture wasn''t all that bad. I found the location of a root base and got some exp. Not a bad way to spend an evening at all.''

    ----------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 105: Conquer the Castle

    Chapter 105: Conquer the Castle

    Daichi spent his time training and improving his skills. He refined his techniques and concentrated on increasing his chakra volume. Daichi gained several points in several stats over the course of thest few months.

    Kensei had returned home after 3 weeks. Daichi noticed that his grandfather was in a better mood when he returned from the trip. He didn''t pay much attention to it and chalked it up to the old man''s business doing well.

    Daichi kept his promise and sparred with Sasuke at the end of every month. Both of them noticed the Uchiha''s improvement. Daichi''s goal was to subtly influence Sasuke and have him not be a threat to the vige or him. It was slow but over the course of a few months there were some small changes.

    Several months passed and Daichi mastered the first step of the water walking skill and was half way through the second step. He and his clones used their chakra and pushed it forward from their palms. The water in front of him stopped off for several seconds before it resumed its fall.

    [Skill Water - Waterfall control technique''s level has risen by one.]

    [Skill Water affinity''s level has risen by one.]

    Daichi dispelled the clones. He felt the immediate fatigue enveloping his body.

    ''Level 50. Slow, but it''s not a problem. By the time I be a Genin I''d have all 5 chakra natures mastered.''

    Daichi sat down and meditated. He felt the cool water sshing on his body and he felt refreshed. After an hour of deep meditation Daichi got up and went back home.

    He was in a bit of a dilemma. ''Now that the October exams are over I have 2 weeks before ss starts for the second term Should I do an instant dungeon or should I try the academy dungeon?''

    In the Instant dungeon or Key dungeons the yer can stay inside the dungeon for as long as he wants and only a few seconds would pass in the real world. The strength of the enemies would depend on the color of the keys, so one can estimate the strength of the strongest opponent they might face in the dungeon.

    In a Location Dungeon, once the dungeon is activated it will be open for a year and will close after 365 days. There are several restrictions to the dungeon as well. Moreover, the enemy could be weak or unbelievably strong.

    After weighing the pros and cons and the fact that he would be leaving at the end of March, Daichi decided that starting a Location Dungeon would be just a waste. He took out the key to the Kikyo Castle Dungeon key.

    ''This thing used to be ck but now it''s red. So my opponents will be 15 to 30 levels higher than me My strength has grown considerably. I can do this!''

    That night Daichi waited for the clock to reach midnight and he took out the key. He clutched it in his hand and activated it. He felt the familiar sensation and in secondsnded on the stone floor.

    He looked at the hallway and he was surprised at what he saw. The hallway was muchrger than the ones he encountered in the other dungeons and this had artworks and gold colored lining throughout the walls. Daichi slowly walked and brushed his fingertips against the exquisite patterns on the wall.

    ''Wow It feels like I''m in some sort of a castle. But then I suppose that''s stating the obvious.''

    [You have reached the entrance to the dungeon - Kiky Castle.]

    [Would you like to enter?] [Y/N]

    "Yes!"

    The key rotated and the door opened. He stopped through the door and was surprised. Several meters in front of him stood arge castle and there was nothing else in the surroundings.

    [The title ''Dungeon Warrior'' is now active. All your stats are increased by 15% while inside the dungeon.]

    ''Observe''

    [Kiky Castle]

    [This castle was created based on the one built in the Leaf vige. There are several ninjas inside that guard the castle from intruders and there is a king that resides at the top floor. There are 10 floors and each floor has a certain number of guards.]

    [Quest Created - Conquer the Castle.]

    [Condition:]

    There are 10 floors inside the castle. Defeat your opponents and climb each floor till you reach the top. Defeat the king residing on the top floor and conquer the castle.

    Time limit : None.

    .

    [Rewards:]

    55000 Exp.

    Red Potion.

    .

    [Failure:]

    Death.

    [ept] (Y/N)

    Daichi epted the quest and walked towards the entrance of the castle. But before he entered he had to do something. Daichi opened the options tab and looked at the Gamer''s Mind On/Off button. Without wasting a second he turned it off.

    Daichi was perfectly calm and was his usual self. Due to facing his fears he was now much more in control of himself. Both mind and body.

    ''With ''Unyielding spirit'' skill I won''t have to worry about external mental attacks. And it''s not like I''m going to have a mental breakdown here. So I''m good on that front. With this I''ll be able to increase my indomitable stat But should I deliberately let myself get wounded on the chance that it would increase my ''persistence'' stat?''

    After thinking about it for a few seconds Daichi decided against such an idea. ''If I get myself hurt and then suddenly a new enemyes then I''ll be in trouble. It''s not worth the risk.''

    He looked at the giant door and pushed them open. He slowly walked inside prepared for an ambush but he didn''t find anyone. Daichi looked around and found no living creatures inside.

    ''What the? There isn''t anyone here Then again this is the ground floor.''

    Daichi then took the stairs and walked up to the first floor. The first floor was vastly different from the ground floor. It was a giant room with a wide space. There were several pirs and decorations on the wall but nothing else.

    ''Wow. This ce is big. I wouldn''t have thought that looking at this castle from the outside. But I don''t see any steps that would lead to the next floor.''

    It was at this moment Daichi''s senses alerted him to an attack from behind.

    Daichi pumped chakra through his legs and jumped. As he easily avoided the sh from a sword, Daichi took out a kunai with a ninja wire attached and sent it towards his attacker. The kunai struck the enemy ninja and as Daichi was about to unleash a fire jutsu he sensed movements and attacksing from 4 different directions.

    He yanked on the kunai stuck to the first ninja and got himself out of the way just in time.

    ''I really need to learn to fly or at least maneuver in mid air. I''m pretty sure if I get my telekinesis strong enough I can aplish that.''

    The first ninja took the kunai buried in his shoulder and tore it out. He disappeared from his spot and joined the other 4.

    Daichi stood and looked at the 5 enemies in front of him and a secondter he sensed more opponents appearing in his back.

    The enemy ninjas wore a ck outfit and it covered most of their face as well. The only thing notable was the silver light shining from their eyes.

    ''Damn! 5 in front and 5 more in the back. It looks like this floor has 10 enemies. Assuming there isn''t anymore hiding and waiting to ambush me''

    Daichi was in the middle of two teams of dungeon ninjas and he was extremely cautious. He immediately used ''Observe'' on them.

    ''All of them are Level 58. They each have an HP of a little over 6000. And their chakra is in the 4500 range. And it says here their strength lies in Taijutsu and swordy It doesn''t say anything about ninjutsu or genjutsu Good. That''s good.''

    Daichi used Mana Scout skill to make sure these were the only enemies on this floor.

    Daichi smiled as he looked at the dungeon ninjas. "I''m going to the second floor and you guys won''t be enough to stop me."

    His enemies stood still in silence and watched him. After a few seconds of calm, chaos erupted. The moment Daichi made signs for a shadow clone the ninjas attacked.

    Daichi dodged the swings of their weapons and sessfully created three clones. He took a few daggers and kunais from his inventory and threw them to his clones, while he kept the sword for himself.

    Daichi''s clones were able to deposit items into the inventory but they were unable to take it out. It was something he found out when he was first testing the shadow clone jutsu.

    "Back to back. Make sure not to get dispelled." Daichi spoke to the three clones.

    ''Unlike Naruto I can''t use shadow clones to overwhelm the enemy. But my clones are far more skilled than him and they wouldn''t easily get dispelled.''

    Daichi and the clones formed two teams. One of them attacked while the other provided support.

    During thest several months Daichi learned several ninjutsu and genjutsu to his ever expanding arsenal. Daichi''s stats increased due to the dungeon warrior title and he also got a boost due to the executioner title. It was a title that increased his stats by 7% when fighting enemy ninjas.

    As Daichi was fighting one opponent his clone kept anyone attacking at bay. The clone used disorientation genjutsu, wind style and fire ninjutsu to blow the other enemies from getting close to Daichi.

    Daichi easily evaded the sword swings and shed at his enemy. Several skills were triggered and within a dozen seconds he finished off his first enemy.

    [Enemy killed.]

    +700 Exp.

    +105 Exp.

    [Enemies killed: 01/55]

    "One down nine to go."

    He turned his attention to the rest and resumed his battle. Daichi and his clone used taijutsu and genjutsu in tandem to take down their opponents.

    [Enemy killed.]

    +700 Exp.

    +105 Exp.

    [Enemies killed: 02/55]

    At that moment he got the notification that his two man clone team had also finished their first enemy ninja in the dungeon.

    As Daichi dodged a sword swing and punched the enemy. His clone body flickered and shed the enemy from behind. Daichi then blocked a sword thrust and sidestepped another from two more enemies.

    He rushed and easily got through their defenses. He sent a kick that sent one flying while he shed at the leg of the other enemy and severed it. He went through hand-seals and let out a small but concentrated fireball that reduced the enemy to ashes in seconds.

    [Enemy killed.]

    +700 Exp.

    +105 Exp.

    [Enemies killed: 03/55]

    Daichi''s senses and battle skills had been refined to the point that even opponents several levels higher than him couldn''t easily wound him.

    As the battle continued the number of opponents on the first floor was decreasing minute by minute. Daichi''s clones worked perfectly as a team and covered their backs. They would carefully dodge or deflect attacks that would have them reduced to smoke.

    But there were still moments when the attacks got through and the clones dispelled. Daichi created a new clone the second he got the memories of the vanished one. Due to hisrge chakra reserves this was not a difficult task.

    It wasn''t long before the fight on the 1st floor became a one on one battle between 8 people.

    The clones primarily used genjutsu to distract or disorient the dungeon ninjas. And then they would deliver the finishing strikes.

    Daichi mainly used taijutsu and swordsmanship to improve and perfect it. Due to learning advanced leaf academy Taijutsu, his hand to handbat skills have also gotten a boost.

    Daichi parried a punch and sent several strikes to the joints and weak areas of his enemy''s body. It slowed down the dungeon ninja and Daichi quickly shed and reduced his health points to zero.

    [Enemy killed.]

    +700 Exp.

    +105 Exp.

    [Enemies killed: 07/55]

    It wasn''t long before his clones also finished their enemies.

    [Enemy killed.]

    +700 Exp.

    +105 Exp.

    [Enemies killed: 10/55]

    You have leveled up.

    Daichi looked at the several notifications indicating the level increase of several skills, ninjutsu and genjutsu.

    He went over them all and quickly closed the blue system message boxes.

    At that moment a new notification appeared.

    [You have cleared the first floor. You can now move to the second.]

    A portion of the wall on the far side of the room slid open and revealed white marbled stairs.

    ''It looks like I''ll have to defeat every enemy on the floor before I can get to the next one.''

    Daichi sat down and started meditating. Once he was back to his full strength he stood up and started making his way towards his next challenge.

    --------------------------------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 106: Battle on the 5 Floors.

    Chapter 106: Battle on the 5 Floors.

    As Daichi walked up the stairs he checked his status page and skill list. His thoughts drifted to the speed of his progress.

    ''Now I''m at level 42. But my level progression has considerably slowed down. Looks like until I be a Genin and take missions I won''t have many ways to increase my EXP other than dungeons. And this is thest Key dungeon I have at the moment. I haven''t found any more.''

    Daichi looked ahead and saw that he was almost at the entrance to the next floor.

    ''Even though the enemies were almost 20 levels higher than me, I defeated them without any lethal injury to myself. The passive skills are doing a great job. But that alone wouldn''t have been it! Their stats must not be that highpared to their level. It''s the only exnation I can think of''

    Daichi reached the top of the stairs and opened the door to the next floor.

    The room wasrge just like the one in the previous floor. Daichi nced at the mini-map and saw no red dots.

    ''My map isn''t registering any enemies. Looks like these guys can hide from the Mini-Map. But it''s a good thing I have other ways of finding my opponents.''

    Daichi immediately used Mana scout. Along with that skill and his exceptional senses he was able to deduce that there were 9 enemies in the room. All hidden waiting for their chance to strike him.

    ''Never give your opponent the chance to dictate the battle. Make the first move Daichi.''

    Daichi created 3 clones and the next moment all 4 of them were evading shuriken projectiles. Several shuriken appeared between Daichi''s fingers and he threw them at 4 of the enemies hidden in the shadows of the room.

    The next second several ck shadows moved and the dungeon ninjas appeared before Daichi.

    ''9 of them in total. And all of them are Level 59. And it seems there are swordsmen.''

    Daichi quickly analyzed them and the battle began.

    Each ninja had two swords strapped to them. Daichi took out his sword and shed with his opponent. This time there was a change in the battle tactic. Daichi would battle alone while his 3 clones would work as a team.

    Daichi thought about this as a way to improve his coordination so he can fight better alongside his clones when he goes up against stronger ninjas.

    Sparks flew and the sounds of swords shing could be heard everywhere. The dungeon ninjas didn''t use Ninjutsu or Genjutsu but their Taijutsu and sword y was impressive.

    Daichi was able to narrowly avoid serious lethal injuries to himself but there were some small cuts on his body. He deflected a strike with his sword and evaded another and punched the dungeon ninja closest to him.

    Daichi''s speed allowed him to get inside their defenses and he unleashed several lethal strikes. In seconds the first guard ninja of the second floor was destroyed.

    [Enemy killed.]

    +850 Exp.

    +127.5 Exp.

    [Enemies killed: 11/55]

    Unlike Daichi, his clones used everything they had. From Taijutsu to Genjutsu and Ninjutsu. Since one precise blow from the enemy could reduce them to smoke they were careful. This also helped them increase the level of skills such as body flicker jutsu, Telekinesis, chakra enhancement, chakra flow and more.

    A clone would restrain the enemy with chakra threads while another deliver finishing blows or they would use telekinesis to shift the trajectory of the sword swings helping them evade it easier.

    [Enemy killed.]

    +850 Exp.

    +127.5 Exp.

    [Enemies killed: 12/55]

    Daichi and his clones slowly but steadily defeated their opponents and reduced them to smoke. It took time and effort but after an hour of battle it was over. Daichi had to create new clones a few times but it was expected. In the end he was thest one who was left standing on the second floor.

    [Enemy Killed.]

    +850 Exp.

    +127.5 Exp.

    [Enemies killed: 19/55]

    [You have cleared the second floor. You can now move to the third.]

    As the battle came to an end a wall slid open to reveal the path to the next floor.

    Daichi closed the notification boxes and sat down on the ground and meditated. As his meditation skill activated, his wounds slowly began to heal.

    A few hours went by and Daichi had restored his CP, HP and SP.

    ''All my injuries are gone and I''m back to full health and chakra. Man this gamer ability is awesome. Only 9 and half years old and I''m stronger than most chunins.''

    Daichi sat there thinking about the battle he went through.

    ''In the first floor there were 10 ninjas and here there were 9. So if the pattern holds then the next floor should have 8 enemies and the one above should have 7. But as the number of opponents decrease, their strength would no doubt increase. Maybe I could use my clones like this for another two or three floors but can they hold on for more before they get taken out?''

    Daichi let out a sigh and stood up. ''One step at a time Daichi.''

    He climbed the stairs and soon reached the entrance to the next floor. Before entering he created 4 clones.

    "Make sure not to get dispelled too soon." Daichi told his clones.

    Daichi changed his battle style and fought alone because in addition to his clones learning to coordinate attacks, he wanted to learn to fight and defend against attacksing from his blind spots as well. He didn''t want to create any negative habits or anything even close to it by even slightly letting his guard down by thinking he would have a clone watching his back.

    He pushed open the doors and slowly stepped inside the room. His sense of smell, hearing, Mana scout and Chakra sensing alerted him to the presence of his enemies.

    ''I was right. I can only sense 8 ninjas in this room. And since it''s unlikely that they can evade Mana scout skill, I''m pretty sure I''m not missing anyone.''

    The fight on the third floor soon began. Daichi and his clones battled the dungeon ninjas but this battlested for much longer than the others.

    Daichi blocked a punch aimed at his midsection and retaliated with a swift kick. ''These guys are all level 60. And their stats are much higher whenpared to the first floor ninjas.''

    There were ninjas using swords, daggers, kunai, shurikens and some fought using Taijutsu.

    Daichi battled 2 ninjas while the clones took on 6. Daichi had to create new shadow clones more than thest time but due to hisrger chakra reserves he was able to endure it.

    [Enemy Killed.]

    +1100 Exp.

    +165 Exp.

    [Enemies killed: 27/55]

    [You have cleared the third floor. You can now move to the fourth.]

    It took over three hours for Daichi to defeat them all but he was sessful in the end. Daichi breathed hard and sat down.

    ''This tactic won''t work for much longer Even though the numbers are reducing, the guards are getting stronger and stronger.''

    Daichi meditated and while his body healed and his stamina and chakra replenished, he thought of ways he could fight more effectively. Maximizing the utility of his skills. At that moment, a memory of a certain ninja came to his mind.

    ''If I can use that skill like he did, then I would undoubtedly be able to win my battles. Or at the very least not die.''

    When he was ready Daichi headed to the fourth floor. This time he created only 2 clones. Reaching the entrance he stopped.

    "You two know what to do! Buy me some time and make sure to keep most of the enemies at bay. We''ll finish this one by one." Daichi spoke.

    His clones nodded and all three entered the room. The moment they did, several kunai and shuriken wereing their way.

    Daichi saw the spinning stars and knivesing at him and he slightly smirked.

    ''You won''t get us like that.''

    He flooded his body with chakra and supercharged his muscles. It was using his chakra the same way he would use the body flicker jutsu but this was more controlled and precise.

    Daichi and his clones vanished in an instant and they appeared at the other side of the room.

    ''Shisui the Teleporter. His use of the body flicker was so great it allowed him to battle multiple, powerful enemies. I''ll be borrowing your tactics, Shisui. I''m not proficient in this jutsu yet so I have to be careful.''

    Daichi immediately sensed his surroundings and found that there were 7 ninjas this time.

    ''I was right. The number decreases the more you climb but the strength will definitely be increasing.''

    Daichi used ''Observe'' on one ninja that appeared out of the shadows and saw that they were level 62.

    The fight began with Daichi''s clones using genjutsu and short range ninjutsu to distract most of the enemies while Daichi fought the others in hand to handbat. He used chakra to supercharge his cells and muscles and he easily evaded the multiple strikes of his enemies.

    Daichi used a dagger andnded several critical strikes in seconds on his opponents. The dungeon guards had a hard timending a sessful strike on Daichi due to his new speed.

    Daichinded several strikes on a ninja and decapitated the head while dodging a spear aimed at his heart the next second.

    Due to his powerful senses Daichi was able to urately keep track of his surroundings.

    While the dungeon ninjas fought back they were unable topletely keep up with Daichi''s speed. Before long the oue of the battle was decided.

    Daichi and his clones also used the body flicker technique to increase their speed and Daichi and his two clones were able to defeat the enemies much faster than thest time.

    [Enemy Killed.]

    +1300 Exp.

    +195 Exp.

    [Enemies killed: 34/55]

    [You have cleared the fourth floor. You can now move to the fifth.]

    Daichi checked his exp status.

    [Level : 42] (30265/46300)

    ''A little over 16000 more and I''ll be able to go up another level. Not to mention the reward exp once I clear this dungeon. That''s another level. Looks like I''ll be level 44 or at most 45 by the time I leave here.''

    Daichi had been going without sleep for over 14 hours. His Mana was down to a lil less than 600 points.

    While Daichi''s HP, CP, SP can be regenerated through meditation his Mana points can only be restored through sleep. After giving it some thought he came to a decision.

    ''I''ll sleep after I''m done with the battles one the next floor.''

    Once Daichi was ready he created 2 clones and headed upstairs.

    Daichi reached the fifth battle ground and looked around the ce. The decorations were more unique and stylish than the other four floors.

    He quickly sensed the guards hidden in the room.

    ''6. I''ll have to be careful.''

    Daichi went through several hand-seals and fired several small fire bullets at the hidden ninjas near him.

    The shadows moved and easily evaded the Ninjutsu and sent several strikes at Daichi. Thus the battle on the fifth floor began.

    [LV.64][5th Floor Guard - 5]

    HP: 6270 CP: 6044

    [LV.63][5th Floor Guard - 6]

    HP: 6139 CP: 6002

    .

    .

    .

    .

    [LV.64][5th Floor Guard - 1]

    HP: 6322 CP: 6166

    When Daichi used ''Observe'' on them he found that unlike the floors these ninjas vary in level, chakra and health.

    ''Their outfits are also different. Some wear armor while some are wearing normal kimonos. And two of them don''t even have weapons.''

    [Mental intrusion detected.]

    [Unyielding spirit has neutralized the foreign attack.]

    Daichi''s analysis of his enemies was correct. There were ninjas capable of using genjutsu on Daichi. But due to Daichi''s skills the mental attacks didn''t affect him.

    ''I was right. These guys can use more than just Taijutsu and swordsmanship.''

    The battle began and it wasn''t just genjutsu but ninjutsu as well was used by the floor guardians.

    Daichi used the earth wall to defend against fire and wind bullets and the moment he was out of their sight Daichi used the Body flicker jutsu and swiftly moved to their location. Due to his senses he was able to urately ascertain their positions and was able tounch attacks from their blind spots.

    But the dungeon ninjas were capable. They were able to defend against Daichi''s attacks and for a short while it was as if the two sides were in a stalemate.

    Due to the strength and speed of the ninjas, Daichi''s clones weren''t able to do much damage and they got destroyed by the ninjas quickly. Daichi had to create more to buy himself time. As the battle continued Daichi used his sword and dagger and this activated the dual mastery skill and its effects.

    .

    .

    .

    It was a difficult battle but he endured and pressed forward. Daichi mainly used guerri tactics. He created several stone walls inside therge room obstructing the view. But due to Daichi''s senses he was able to ascertain everyone''s position. He and his clones were able to take out 3 and reduce the health of the other three but the battle was getting more and more difficult for Daichi.

    His chakra was rapidly decreasing and he was beginning to feel his muscles strain from the constant use of the body flicker technique. The floor guards fought hard and pressed Daichi to his limits.

    When Daichi''s health lowered to less than 25% the ''Persistence'' stat activated.

    Due to the 16 points in the persistence stat Daichi got a 16% boost to all his other stats for 3 minutes.

    And with this increase in strength he was able to defeat all his opponents and he finally cleared the fifth floor after 4 hours.

    [Enemy Killed.]

    +1550 Exp.

    +232.5 Exp.

    [Enemies killed: 40/55]

    [You have cleared the fifth floor. You can now move to the sixth.]

    Daichi had a ragged breath as he closed the blue system messages. He looked at his progress.

    Level : 42 (41565/46300)

    ''Damn! I thought this level would have helped me in reaching 43 Whatever. I need some sleep right now.''

    Daichi let out another tired breath and took out his small mattress from his inventory. He took out some gauze and wrapped them around his wounds.

    ''Don''t want the bed to get too bloody.''

    That was Daichi''sst thought as he went to sleep.

    ---------------------------------------------------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 107: Reaching the ninth floor

    Chapter 107: Reaching the ninth floor

    [You have slept in a bed. HP, CP, SP and MP have been fully restored.]

    Daichi closed the box and let out a small yawn. He stood up and stretched his arms and legs. Daichi clenched his fists and felt the power coursing through his entire body. He put his sleeping bed back in his inventory and looked around the room. Daichi then saw arge open window and went near it.

    The view outside took him by surprise. The sky was full of dark grey clouds and blocked most of the sunlight. As Daichi looked he saw nothing but an open field surrounding the castle. A barrennd with a majestic castle in the center. That was the structure of this dungeon.

    Daichi felt the window sill on his palms and then looked at his hands. He felt several different emotions at once. Disbelief, amazement, excitement and more.

    ''I was supposed to die But instead I got reincarnated into a fictional world with one of the greatest abilities. And now I''m in a dungeon battling enemies that could kill me and yet I don''t feel scared Wariness maybe. But not fear. But more than that I feel excited Excited about the battles, the opportunities, about this world Still Sometimes I wonder if this is all just an borate dream my mind conjured up to keep me alive Until I heal from my wounds and wake up to my dull boring life''

    Daichi shook his head and sighed. ''Turning off the gamer''s mind always makes me more emotional.''

    Daichi sat near the window and started meditating. He needed to be at his best for the battles in the next few floors.

    After about an hour Daichi was in a much better and peaceful state of mind. He opened his eyes and stood. He was ready for battle.

    ''The next floor would have 5 enemies. But they would be much stronger. I doubt my clones would be able to distract them for long, much less beat them Still. I have to try. Speed is my greatest advantage against power. There is also the option of using stat points. But I don''t want to do that unless I absolutely have to.''

    He created 4 clones and they made their way to the next floor. As Daichi entered the sixth floor of the castle he felt the presence of 5 powerful ninjas. His ears alerted him to the shurikensing at his back. Daichi and his clones split up.

    Due to Daichi training everyday and pushing himself, his stat points increased steadily. It was a slow but steady progress. Thus he was far stronger than someone of the same level.

    The hidden ninjas appeared and the battle immediately began. Daichi and his clones extensively used the body flicker jutsu and due to the effects of several skills their speed was unmatched.

    ''Three of them are level 64 and two are 65.'' Daichi analyzed his opponents and quickly attacked the one that showed the highest health and chakra.

    The clones used ninjutsu and genjutsu and attacked their opponents from a distance while Daichi was in closebat with his foe. The clones used the body flicker jutsu to dodge attacks or keep their enemies in check while Daichi attacked and finished them off one by one.

    Daichi shed down vertically and sliced off an arm and jumped back to dodge the wild sword swing from his enemy. His hands blurred through several seals and he fired several small volleys of fast but powerful fire bullets.

    [Enemy Killed.]

    +1700 Exp.

    +255 Exp.

    [Enemies killed: 43/55]

    [You have leveled up.]

    ''Yes! About time.'' Thanks to the level up, Daichi''s stamina was restored to almost 70%. At that moment another notification alerted him to the enemying from behind.

    [Mental intrusion detected.]

    [Unyielding spirit has neutralized the foreign attack.]

    Daichi turned around and parried the short de that was about to stab him. He then used telekinesis to shift the enemy''s attack path and sent several fierce sword shes.

    With each battle Daichi was learning to fight different types of opponents and his experience grew faster than anyone couldprehend. Before long the battle on the 6the floor came to an end.

    [Enemy Killed.]

    +1700 Exp.

    +255 Exp.

    [Enemies killed: 45/55]

    [You have cleared the sixth floor. You can now move to the seventh.]

    Daichi meditated and once he fully recovered Daichi went to the seventh floor. The four enemies were of level 65 and 66.

    Due to their speed and strength it took Daichi considerably longer to defeat his enemies. He was wounded several times and his health even dropped to less than 10%. It was only due to his multiple passive skills that increased his speed and the damage reduction skills that reduced the damage he took that he was able to hold on.

    [Enemy Killed.]

    +1850 Exp.

    +277.5 Exp.

    [Enemies killed: 49/55]

    [You have cleared the seventh floor. You can now move to the eight.]

    Even though he won the fight, his health, chakra, stamina and mana points were in the low double digits. Daichi bandaged his cuts and took out his bed. He fell asleep in seconds.

    -

    [You have slept in a bed. HP, CP, SP and MP have been fully restored.]

    Daichi''s eyes opened and he slowly got up from the bed. "Ohh man. If I didn''t have the gamer''s body I don''t think I could havested long fighting like this"

    Daichi thought about the power of the ninjas he just faced and after giving it some thought he decided to add 10 points each in his strength and agility stats.

    ''I don''t like using points so early but if I don''t, I might not make it out alive from the next 3 floors.''

    With the stat points distributed Daichi made his way to the eight floor. He made 4 clones and walked up to the next floor. When he opened the door he saw three ninjas in heavy armor waiting for him at the opposite end of the room. They weren''t hidden like the ninjas in the previous floors.

    Daichi used ''observe'' on them.

    ''It looks like they have a title. The Three Guardian Knights. And their levels are all 68. Their health is 7000 and chakra is 6700. And it looks like each of them specializes in one of the ninja arts.''

    The three knights wore distinctive armor. Green, blue and red. The information on Daichi''s observation showed that the Green armored ninja was a Taijutsu specialist, while the blue was a Ninjutsu and Red a Genjutsu master.

    ''I''ll finish the red one first. Then the green one and save the blue forst. Genjutsu won''t have any effect on me or my clones but I should finish him first. Then the Taijutsu master while my clones wear down the ninjutsu specialist.''

    Daichi created the n in mere moments after going through the information and the battle began.

    [Mental intrusion detected.]

    [Unyielding spirit has neutralized the foreign attack.]

    Direct genjutsu attacks against Daichi were ineffective and Daichi didn''t give the Red ninja a chance to figure him out. With the increase in speed andbined with the body flicker jutsu he was able to get behind his enemy in an instant.

    Daichi thrust his sword but the Red ninja used substitution and escaped the attack. Daichi immediately sensed his enemy''s new location and used a bnce disruption Genjutsu. While the enemy was able to quickly negate the effect and escape, Daichi was already on him.

    Using sword and dagger Daichi activated the dual mastery skill and with speed boost he sent several strikes in quick session.

    At that moment a wall suddenly sprang up behind him protecting him from a fire ball.

    ''I need to finish this guy quickly.''

    The genjutsu ninja blocked a few strikes but several got past his defenses and reduced his health.

    [Mental intrusion detected.]

    [Unyielding spirit has neutralized the foreign attack.]

    Daichi smirked as he saw the system message. ''Genjutsu won''t help you against me.''

    While the Red ninja was a master of the Genjutsu arts, his skills in the taijutsu and ninjutsu were only just a little above ordinary.

    Thus Daichi was able to quickly finish off his first enemy on the eight floor and moved on to the taijutsu master.

    3 of Daichi''s clones concentrated on keeping the blue knight busy while thest one helped Daichi in restraining or distracting his green armored enemy. The clone used telekinesis, genjutsu and chakra strings to reduce the enemy''s fighting capabilities. But even then it was a difficult battle.

    ''Damn! Even with my clone getting in his way he''s still pushing me to my limits. If I hadn''t increased my stats I''d probably be dead right now. I need an opening. Just one chance to turn the tides.''

    Daichi evaded the fist to his head and sent one to his enemy''s shoulder. It took some time but it was the opportunity Daichi needed to win. The strike took the opponent off bnce and Daichi capitalized on it. His clone restrained the knight with shuriken wire while Daichi went through hand seals and coated his arms with rocks increasing his attack power.

    Daichi fists were like a blur as he rammed into the restrained and struggling enemy. The fast attacks were precise and aimed at specific parts of the body to keep the green knight from fighting back. Once Daichi reduced the health to a little over 300 he jumped back and at that moment his clone sent a fire dragon jutsu that engulfed the knight. Daichi joined his clone and used the earth dragon bomb jutsu and thebined attacks finished the second knight.

    At that moment he received memories of his two clones fighting the blue ninja. And it gave him a surprise.

    ''He can use shadow clones?''

    Daichi and his remaining clone turned to face the blue knights. There were three of them.

    ''Earth style - Mud wall.''

    Daichi''s clone created a stone wall defense while Daichi created two new clones.

    Daichi used mud river jutsu to destabilize the floor near the knights. Daichi and his clones attacked with everything they had but the knights were able to defend themselves. Daichi rushed to one of the enemies and began fighting in hand to handbat.

    Realizing that the one he''s fighting was the real one, Daichi''s clones used Genjutsu to distract and chakra strings to slow down his movements. Daichi didn''t let him use any ninjutsu attacks and after several powerful strikes, the battle soon came to an end. The moment Daichi defeated the real one, the clones also disappeared.

    [Enemy Killed.]

    +2000 Exp.

    +300 Exp.

    [Enemies killed: 52/55]

    [You have cleared the eight floor. You can now move to the ninth.]

    While Daichi didn''t receive any life threatening wounds, his chakra and stamina and mana was almostpletely drained.

    Daichi was breathing hard. The mental and physical fatigue he umted throughout the fight left himpletely exhausted. Daichiid down on the ground and took several long gulps of air.

    ''Even with the stat increase, It took everything I had to win If I fight without adding some more points I''ll definitely lose on the next floor.''

    This was the conclusion Daichi came to after thoroughly analyzing the strength of all the fighters he faced till now.

    Daichi took his bed and quickly fell asleep. When he woke up he added another 10 points to strength and agility stats. Daichi used a total of 40 points to increase his speed and strength but he felt that it was necessary.

    Daichi created 3 clones and headed to the ninth floor. He was about to push the doors open when they opened on their own.

    ''What the?... That hasn''t happened before!''

    Daichi looked at the two armored ninjas standing in the middle of the vast empty floor. One was wearing a ck armor while the other had a snow white one. From head to toe they were covered in protective steel. Their most noticeable feature was the blue ming ember burning from their eyes.

    ''Observe''

    [69] General - WHITE

    HP: 7500 CP: 7000

    [One of the twin generals that protects the ninth floor. Prefers speed over power.]

    [69] General - BLACK

    HP: 7500 CP: 7000

    [One of the twin generals that protects the ninth floor. Prefers power over speed.]

    ''This is going to be tricky.''

    ------------------------------------------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 108: 4th Dungeon Completed

    Chapter 108: 4th Dungeon Completed

    Daichi looked at the two imposing enemies guarding the ninth floor of the castle.

    ''It doesn''t matter how much power one has if you can''t hit your opponent it''s no use. So I''ll go for the one who''s the speed type first. I need to distract the ck one while I deal with the white general.''

    All these thoughts passed through Daichi''s mind in a second. After quick careful thinking he decided to fight the white armored general first.

    Daichi tensed and the moment he made the first seal to create the shadow clone, a sword wasing straight for his head.

    Daichi''s eyes widened and from his perspective everything slowed down. He saw the sharp gleaming edges of the sword about to bisect him in half.

    ''If I don''t dodge it, I''ll die!''

    Daichi flooded his body with chakra and used the sprint skill inbination with his body flicker.

    The white general brought his sword down and cut through Daichi. But the next instant the cut Daichi vanished like a mirage.

    Daichi was on the other side of the room. His heart was pounding in his chest. Sweat was dripping down his forehead as he looked at the white armored ninja.

    ''Fuck! Holy fuck! If I had been even a momentte I''d be dead I haven''t felt like this since my battle in the first and second dungeons.''

    At that moment Daichi''s senses alerted him to another enemying near him. Daichi jumped to the side and evaded the fist. The spot Daichi stood on cracked and slightly caved.

    Daichi skidded a few feet back and looked at the second enemy. ''If the other one''s speed is anything to go by then this guy''s power must also be insanely high.''

    Daichi kept both his enemies in his field of view. ''I need to decrease the white ninja''s mobility... I have an idea but I can''t do it alone. And I can''t fight both of them at the same time. I need to create a few shadow clones.''

    Daichi slightly narrowed his eyes and discreetly took several smoke bombs from his inventory. The moment he dropped them on the floor he saw the white speedster ninjaing for him. Daichi was ready for him this time.

    He evaded the sword strikes and at that moment the the smoke bomb went off around them. Daichi retreated and created 4 shadow clones.

    "You guys know what to do!" Daichi spoke as he kept his senses on his enemies.

    "Yup. Leave it to us." The clones replied and disappeared.

    The smoke was blown away and the white general rushed towards Daichi. The boy took a dagger and a short sword and readied himself. Both of them began their fast paced battle.

    Even though the enemy had a higher level, due to Daichi''s many passive skills he was able to match the general''s speed. Both Daichi and the armored ninja evaded strikes from the other and tried to cut their opponent.

    Daichi waspletely focused on the ninja in front of him. He trusted his clones to keep the ck armored ninja busy and to enact the n. Daichi looked at the blue embers burning in the enemy''s eye holes.

    ''It feels like I''m fighting death itself. What a frightening presence''

    Daichi evaded the sword swings and parried the next couple that came after. Half dozen strikes were sent each second. Each swing and sword strike the pair unleashed was precise and deadly. It also was a precursor to the next strike and so on.

    A chainbination attacks. But if a strike is sent that the enemy can get throughpletely or leaves the person exposed it would be the end.

    ''Both of us are mostly dodging the attacks but sooner orter one of us will make a mistake and the other will capitalize on it. The one who makes the first wrong move gets destroyed.''

    A precise, deadly fierce and fast battle. This was Daichi''s fight with the white general.

    On the other side of the room several small explosions could be heard. The clones were keeping the other general upied.

    Daichi had something else up his sleeve. He was slowly leading the enemy to the middle of the room. As the fight continued, suddenly for a second the white general seemed as if his limbs were petrified and he struggled.

    Daichi smiled as he saw the general restrained by numerous chakra threads. Daichi used his speed and vanished from the enemy''s view.

    The general coated his sword with chakra and cut through the strings. At that moment he sensed an attacking from behind. The general quickly turned around and parried the sword strike. And sent a fierce counter.

    The white general twisted Daichi''s sword away from his body and rushed at him. Once he got close the general stabbed his sword through Daichi''s chest all the way to the back.

    Daichi looked shocked and dropped his sword but the next instant he exploded in a sticky substance andpletely covered the general. The general struggled to get free but the adhesive properties were too strong.

    The real Daichi rose out of the ground a few meters away from him. He went through several hand seals and fired several earth dragon bombs at the retrained ninja. The clone joined Daichi and started using fire style jutsu.

    ''The n worked. 3 clones distracted the other general while the fourth created a Sticky Syrup Clone and then waited for an opportunity. The moment it restricted the general''s movements I rushed to his blind spot and substituted with the clone. And when the clone was destroyed the syruppletely covered him, immobilizing him.''

    Both Daichi and the clone unleashed powerful ninjutsu and before long a notification appeared.

    [Enemy Killed.]

    +2300 Exp.

    +345 Exp.

    [Enemies killed: 53/55]

    ''Time to finish the other one.''

    Daichi didn''t waste anymore time and joined the other fight that was going on. Due to the enemy''s strength the clones had to fight from a distance. They used genjutsu and ninjutsu but were unable to do serious damage to the ck armored ninja.

    Daichi put the sword and dagger back in his inventory and equipped his knuckle dusters. He rushed at the ninja and attacked the joints and weak spots of the enemy.

    ''Man, this guy is powerful. Even with my strong blows his health is only getting reduced a bit.''

    Daichi increased his speed and attacked from several directions while the clones tried to keep the general tied up.

    The ck armored ninja stomped the floor and sent a shockwave but Daichi sessfully evaded.

    ''You think you can get me with my own trick.''

    This was something Daichi tried when he fought several enemies in the previous dungeons. The battlested a while but due to his speed Daichi was slowly able to chip away at the general''s health points and atst he reduced the ninja to smoke.

    [Enemy Killed.]

    +2300 Exp.

    +345 Exp.

    [Enemies killed: 54/55]

    Daichi''s knuckles were bleeding and he was breathing hard as his stamina and chakra were almost depleted.

    ''It took everything I had to take him down.''

    His legs shook and Daichi dropped to his knees. Daichi took severalrge gulps of air. His body was sore all over. He took his bed and went to sleep.

    -

    [You have slept in a bed. HP, CP, SP and MP have been fully restored.]

    Daichi opened his eyes and let out a small yawn. He slowly got up from his bed and looked at the several notifications piled up. Daichi went through each blue system message and his smile widened.

    "Wow! That''s a lot of skill and stat increase"

    Daichi closed all the boxes. At that moment a thought entered his mind. ''I''ve killed 54 ninjas in this dungeon and yet my Plunderer skill hasn''t been activated once It seems the skill acquisition rate is even rarer than I thought.''

    He then looked at the passage that opened when the fight ended.

    ''Thest one. The boss of this dungeon.''

    Daichi took a deep breath and then slowly let it out. He created 2 clones and then started climbing the stairs. They were surprised when they reached the top. There was no door blocking the entrance to thest floor.

    Daichi stepped inside and looked at the majestic interior. The room was decorated in gems, rubies, gold and diamonds. The floor was made of white marble.

    At the opposite end of the room was a throne. And an imposing figure wearing a red and ck colored armor was residing in the throne. Two red glowing eyes looked directly at Daichi. The king had a ck cloak and a red long Mohawk on his head.

    Daichi didn''t look away from the gaze.

    ''Observe''

    [70] King Egrien

    HP: 8000 CP: 8000

    [The strongest ninja of the dungeon and the ruler of the Kikyo castle. Proficient inbat and capable of using all 3 forms of ninja arts. He wants to kill the intruder that barged into his domain.]

    [You have sensed killing intent.]

    At that moment Daichi sensed a pressure descending on his body as if trying to make him submit. Daichi raised his chakra to show his defiance.

    The king stood from his throne and slowly descended the steps. His ck cloak smoothly flowing behind him and his Mohawk gently waving in the air.

    Daichi narrowed his eyes and looked at the rulering down the steps. He could sense that there was someone different about this enemy.

    ''This guy is different from the others. His presence itself is imposing and formidable. One wrong move and my journey till now would be for nothing.''

    Daichi readied himself. The moment the king touched the marbled floor he disappeared.

    ''Fast!'' But due to his powerful senses Daichi was able to follow the movement. He swiftly leaned back and avoided a lethal sh.

    [-69 HP]

    The next instant a thin line of cut appeared in Daichi''s chest.

    ''I thought I avoided that attack. So how did he get me?''

    Daichi looked at the sword and saw a faint blue chakra hue coating it. ''This bastard. He used chakra to increase the range of his attack but kept it minimized so I couldn''t pick up on it.''

    Daichi didn''t waste any more time. He took his sword and dagger and rushed towards his final enemy.

    The sh between the king of the castle and the gamer ninja began.

    Daichi''s clones used genjutsu, telekinesis and attacks from the blind spots to limit the king''s movements.

    Daichi coated his dagger with fire chakra and shed downwards aiming at his enemy''s legs. The king quickly escaped and shot several fire bullets at Daichi.

    Daichi used body flicker and evaded to the side. Daichi looked at his enemy and came up with a n. ''I need to limit his movements.''

    He looked at the clones and they immediately understood what Daichi wanted. Daichi engaged the king while his clones got to work. The 2 clones went through several hand seals and ced them on the ground as Daichi fought the enemy the entire floor suddenly ruptured.

    Daichi and the king leaped away as the floor got destroyed.

    ''Now with this wrecked floor he won''t be able to move as fast as he did.''

    Due to the Light steps skill Daichi was able to adapt to the terrain quickly and he used this to his advantage. Daichi''s clone sent a fireball which was overpowered by a water wall jutsu by the enemy.

    King Egrien sent several quick flying sword shes from where he stood. One of the clones dodged but the other got dispelled.

    ''This guy is no joke. He quickly gets out of genjutsu and he''s able to fight me and my clones without much problem. I can see now why this guy is the king of this ce.''

    Daichi created 2 new clones and ran at the enemy. Both the king and Daichi engaged in a fierce battle. Both were evenly matched in strength and speed but due to Daichi''s clones he had the upper hand.

    As the battle continued both of them slowly chipped away at the other''s health. During the fight Daichi deliberately left an opening for the king to strike and when just before Egrien struck Daichi, he substituted with a syrup clone.

    The strong adhesive covered the king from head to toe.

    ''Now''s my chance.''

    As Daichi moved in for the kill, he suddenly felt uneasy. He immediately substituted himself with a shadow clone. The next second a long sword pierced right through him.

    Daichi looked at the king that emerged from the ground. And the one coated in sticky syrup vanished in a puff of smoke.

    ''This guy He used the same strategy as mine. He lured me into a false sense of security to finish me off That was too close. If it weren''t for my senses I''d be a goner.''

    Daichi and his 2 clones surrounded the King. Daichi used the swift skill to increase his speed and the battle resumed.

    ''I just need another shot.''

    Daichi parried and shed at the enemy''s strikes. He made sure the king''s attention was on him. At that moment several chakra threads and ninja wire immobilized the king. Before he could escape lightning flew through the wires paralyzing him.

    Daichi jumped back and went through several seals. ''This will drain most of my chakra but I have no other choice. Since he''s not a shadow clone I have to go all out.''

    ''Water style - Water Dragon jutsu.''

    The water dragons emerged and swallowed the king. With the water pressure and lightning coursing through, King Egrien was petrified. His health slowly depleted.

    The chakra of Daichi and his clones were also quickly being drained. It was a matter of what would give out first. Daichi''s chakra or the king''s health.

    Daichi concentrated andpressed the water dragons around his enemy to increase the pressure several folds.

    ''If he survives this, then I won''t have any choice but to use my stat points.''

    ''Come on Come on!''

    Atst the battle came to an end. Daichi was the first to have his chakra be depleted. He fell to his knees and took several breaths of air. Daichi looked at the standing king.

    ''Damn it.'' Just as Daichi was about to increase his chakra points something happened to the king.

    The king stood still even after the lightning water dragon disappeared. It was only several secondster that the king slowly took a step forward. But that step was hisst. He fell down and was reduced to smoke. Thepressed water dragonpletely crushed every portion of his armor and drained away the king''s heath.

    [Enemy Killed.]

    +3000 Exp.

    +450 Exp.

    [Enemies killed: 55/55]

    [You have defeated King Egrien.]

    [Reward:] Night Gaze Armor - blueprint (01/01)

    [Quest ''Conquer the Castle'' Completed.]

    [Rewards:]

    55000 Exp.

    Red Potion.

    [You have leveled up.]

    [You have sessfully defeated every enemy in this dungeon. You have been granted ess to the return key.]

    Daichi was on his hands and knees takingrge gulps of air as he heard the blue system messages pop up. He didn''t care about any of them at the moment.

    Due to the level up his stamina was half restored. Daichi took another breath of deep air and took out hisfy small bed.

    ''Time to get some shut eye.''

    He went to sleeppleting the Kikyo Castle dungeon.

    -------------------------------------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 109: Hypotheticals

    Chapter 109: Hypotheticals

    Daichi woke up from his sleep after a few hours. After he opened his eyes he justid there on his bed and thought about the battles he went through.

    Daichi raised his fists and clenched them. He urately felt the powerful force he could exert from just his fist alone.

    A small smile appeared on his face. ''My time, my pain, my training, they are not in vain. Each day I''m getting a step closer to my goal.''

    Daichi then saw the piled up notifications in front of him. He started going through them one by one.

    His eyesnded on the reward for defeating thest boss of the dungeon.

    [Night Gaze Armor] - blueprint (01/01)

    ''An Armor blueprint? Is it for the one he was wearing during our battle?''

    Daichi took out the pages of blueprints from his inventory. Each page had details on how to create the Armor and what materials were needed.

    ''Observe''

    [Night Gaze Armor] - blueprint (01/01) [Rare Item: Rank C]

    [A blueprint for a Rare Rank C armor. This Armor was created for King Egrien. Due to the ck design of the Armor it was given the name Night Gaze Armor.

    This Armor increases defense of the wearer by 25%. It reduces ninjutsu damage by 8% if the jutsu is B - Rank or above. If it''s below, the ninjutsu damage reduction increases to 35%.

    This Armor increases strength by 5% and agility by 3%. Physical attack damages are reduced by 15% or more depending on the force of the attack.

    Note: To create this armor a master cksmith is needed.]

    ''Wow! It''s not bad armor. And it''s a percentage increase in strength and agility Still, this is only a rare rank C item?... Then is it possible that there are better armors out there?... Whatever the case, all I have is a blueprint right now. I need a cksmith to create it. And based on the description, not an ordinary one.''

    Daichi then looked at the other new item that was in his inventory. It was a small round bottle the size of an adult''s palm. In it was red liquid.

    [Red Potion.]

    ''System please tell me this is what I think it is Observe''

    [Red Potion] [Unique Item: Rank B]

    [A potion created by the system to help the yer. This potion was created using rare medicinal ingredients from around the world. Due to the powerful effects of the potion it is a Unique Rank B item. Once the yer consumes the potion it will instantly heal all wounds, restore health, chakra, stamina and mana to 100%. If anyone other than the yer consumes the potion it will take up to 24 hours for the wounds to be healed and be restored to 100%.

    [Note: Negative status other than wounds, CP, HP, SP and MP exhaustion will not be removed.]

    "Yes!" ''I can''t believe I got my hands on a healing potion. And an instant healing one at that And if an emergency arises I can give this to someone in need. Not that that''s going to happen.''

    Daichi was happy with the items and rewards he got forpleting this dungeon.

    ''I''ve leveled up. Time to check out my stats.''

    ''Status.''

    [Name : Daichi Hekima] (The Gamer)

    ss : Student

    Age : 9

    Title : Capable Child, Explorer, Prodigy, Beast yer, Dungeon Warrior, Executioner.

    Level : 43 (37890/50625)

    .

    HP : 9555

    CP : 13088

    SP : 9858

    MP: 5065

    .

    [Primary Stats]

    Strength - 144

    Vitality - 135

    Dexterity - 118

    Agility - 148

    Intelligence - 125

    Chakra - 192

    Wisdom - 128

    .

    [Special Stats]

    Sense - 94

    Stamina - 139

    Indomitable - 17

    Charisma - 43

    Persistence - 19

    Dignity (LOCKED)

    Luck (LOCKED)

    .

    [Stat Points - 580]

    [Ryo - 710531]

    Daichi was happy with the stat increase.

    "Wow. My chakra is now in the Jonin league By the time I graduate I''ll only need to fear people of S rank or Kage level."

    Daichi looked at the chakra stat. ''192 huh. So close to 200. Just a few more. Should I add the points now.? No. I''ll train and see if I can''t increase it in the next two months. Can''t use points before absolutely necessary.''

    As Daichi went through everything he noticed that several of his skills have also leveled up. Mainly his Sprint, Sword Mastery, Dual Wielding Mastery, and Body flicker Jutsu skills have gone up by several levels.

    After going through everything, Daichi got up from his bed, put it back in his inventory and slowly descended the castle floors.

    Daichi looked at the battle scars on each floor. He remembered the enemies he fought and he was filled with gratitude.

    ''Thank you for helping me get stronger.''

    He soon reached the ground floor and left the castle. Daichi used the return key and in moments returned to his bedroom.

    -

    December. Academy

    Daichi was in the back with his head resting on his palm as he barely listened. ''God this is so boring. Wish I could do something exciting.''

    Iruka was almost finished with his lecture. The ss was about the nature of a shinobi. "Some say the true nature of a person is revealed when he is about to die I personally believe this to be true. And it''s not just the shinobi. I believe our true heart will be revealed the moment we learn about our death."

    "You really think so sensei?" A student asked.

    Iruka nodded. "Yes. If we learn that we have only a few moments here in this world then most of us would want to spend our time with our loved ones."

    "No way. I don''t buy it."

    Iruka sighed. "How about this? If the world were toe to an end tomorrow, who would you like to spend your time with?"

    The moment Daichi heard this question a memory came to his mind. He immediately straightened in his seat. ''This question. No way This scene. It''s from''

    At that moment Naruto spoke up. "Oh give me a break. That''s not gonna happen."

    Iruka let out a small exasperated breath. "It''s a hypothetical Naruto. Just imagine if. if the moon suddenly began to fall and we were going to die tomorrow, who would you like to spend time with?"

    At this moment an idea sparked in Daichi''s mind. He remembered memories of looking up what would happen if the moon were to fall in his previous life. A devious idea came to Daichi''s mind and an equally devious smile came to his face. ''This ss is so boring. Time to spice things up.''

    Shikamaru who was sitting near Daichi saw the smug smile on his friend''s face. He instantly recognized that expression. ''That''s the same smile Naruto has when he''s up to no good. What are you nning, Daichi?''

    Daichi raised his hand, getting Iruka''s attention. "Yes Daichi. What is it?"

    "Sensei, your question is actually more interesting than you think." Daichi replied.

    Iruka raised an eyebrow at that. "What makes you say that Daichi?"

    The whole ss turned to Daichi. Seeing that he had everyone''s attention, Daichi began his exnation.

    "The earth''s gravity pulls everything to the ground so why isn''t the moon already falling towards us?"

    Iruka didn''t have an answer for that. "Umm"

    Daichi continued. "It''s because of its sideways motion. The moons orbit. And to change that orbit would require enormous force and power."

    "Yes Daichi. And as I''ve said to Naruto, this is a hypothetical question."

    Daichi nodded. "Right. And your question is what would happen if the moon falls to earth tomorrow. The answer to that is, no. The moon won''t fall on us in a single day. If by some reason the moon starts falling towards earth it will take over a year to reach the earth."

    Now Iruka was intrigued. "Alright what would happen then, if it takes a year?" Iruka unknowingly took the bait Daichiid out.

    ''Time to traumatize them.'' Daichi hid his smirk and answered.

    "Well for the first few days nobody would notice a thing. But then as the moon gets closer the ocean tide gets higher and lower depending on the position of the moon. After about a month inds and coastal areas would be underwater. Now by the end of month two the world''s coastal areas and nearby ces would bepletely flooded. The sea water would flood in and contaminate the clean ground water with salt water. This continues for a couple more months and the intensity of the sea waves increases. By the fifth month, the whole world would be underwater. Including this vige and the Hokage mountain. But this is only the warmup. In about 5 months the gravitational pull of the moon will cause volcanoes to erupt and also start massive earthquakes. The volcanoes will spit out smoke thick enough to block the sun. This will cause acid rain and snow all over the world. Now after about 8 months the surface of the moon will be near the earth and it''ll start cracking. The whole world will experience meteor showers that destroy everything. And if anyone does survive they''d go hungry soon because of no sustainable ecosystem. And in thest month the moon will getpletely destroyed due to the earth''s gravity and it''ll rain all over the world killing us all."

    Daichi finished his long winded exnation and he was met withplete silence and wide eyes. Some students were looking slightly green. Even the usually stoic Sasuke was looking ufortable.

    Iruka opened and closed his mouth several times before finally saying something. "T-Th Thank you Daichi for that graphic exnation."

    "And for giving everyone nightmares." Iruka muttered under his breath. "Please sit."

    "I wanna see my mom right now." The voice of the girl could be heard by everyone in the quiet room.

    "Why don''t we move to a different topic." Iruka said tiredly.

    Daichi sat down in his seat and a wide grin was on his face.

    "You did that on purpose didn''t you?"

    Daichi looked towards the voice and saw Shikamaru''s narrowed eyes.

    Daichi put on the most innocent smile he could and replied. "I have no idea what you mean."

    Shikamaru was incredulous as he looked at Daichi. ''This guy'' He shook his head and then looked ahead.

    -

    Sasuke crossed his arms and blocked the punch aimed at his chest. The force pushed made him grunt and pushed him back several feet.

    Sasuke shook his arms and felt them slightly tremble. He looked at Daichi and narrowed his eyes. "You''ve gotten stronger again haven''t you." It was more of a statement than a question.

    Daichi smirked. "You''re not the only one training hard."

    The spar between the two continued for several more minutes before Sasuke fell downpletely exhausted signaling the end of the fight. He was breathing hard and covered in bruises.

    Daichi walked near him and sat down. "Your speed and strength have certainly increased." Daichi gave his assessment.

    "But it feels like I''m standing still. And I still haven''t awakened my Sharingan." Sasuke said with a clenched fist.

    "Give it time. Nothing can be aplished in a single day."

    The Uchiha merely grunted and became quiet. Both of them sat like that for a few minutes before Daichi spoke. "I''ll be leaving the vige for a few years at the end of March."

    "What?" Sasuke turned to Daichi in surprise.

    "Gramps wants me to learn about his business operations in the capital. I''ll be leaving after taking the finals this year."

    "What about the academy?"

    "Gramps told me an instructor would meet me at the end of every year to assess me and test my curriculum knowledge. I''ll be back here in time for the genin exams."

    Sasuke was slightly angry that he was going to lose his sparring partner but more than that he was also reminded of the fact that he was now alone in the world with no family other than a traitorous brother.

    After a short while both of them went their separate ways.

    Daichi was looking forward to the day he could leave the vige.

    ------------------------------------------------------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 110: 4th Year End

    Chapter 110: 4th Year End

    Daichi and 7 shadow clones stood on the stone bridge. All of them were still and the only noise that could be heard was the sound of the raging waterfall.

    The next second all of them thrust their palm as one and expelled their chakra. The water falling in front of them was quickly stopped and it stayed that way.

    [Skill Water - Waterfall Control technique''s level has risen by one.]

    [Congrattions. You have sessfully trained a skill to its highest level.]

    500 Exp.

    75 Exp.

    Daichi opened the skill list and checked the results.

    [Water - Waterfall Control technique - (Active/Passive)(LV. MAX):An advanced water chakra affinity training skill obtained through continuously focusing the chakra to control the flow of water. An advanced technique to help the user increase the control and strength of their water nature chakra.]

    [Note: Increasing the level of this skill will increase the level of the skill ''Water Affinity.'']

    [Effects:]

    200% Increase in Water Chakra control.

    300% Increase in power of Water Chakra nature.

    [CP cost : 18/sec.]

    ''Hmm It''s the same ratio as my fire affinity Still, not bad. Three natures down, 2 to go.''

    January 29.

    "Happy Birthday Reo" Aiko held Reo in her arms as the small child blew on the two candles on her birthday cake. The Matron and the children were having a small celebration and Daichi was hanging in the back of the crowd. He had a smile on his face as he watched the small child try to blow out the candles.

    It was Reo''s second birthday and Daichi made sure to not miss it since he''ll be away from the vige for the next few years. Daichi made sure to bring candies for everyone and a gift for the child. By the time the celebrations were over, the sun was already setting. Jozu took the child from Aiko and took little Reo to her room while Daichi and Aiko headed to her office.

    "She seems happy." Daichi spoke.

    "Yes. Despite being an orphan she''s happy here. But then again she''s only 2 years old." Aiko spoke as she sat down behind her desk.

    "Why don''t you spend more time with her?" Aiko asked Daichi.

    Daichi shook his head. "It''s not the right time"

    Aiko didn''t pressure the boy. She knew this was new territory for him as well. "When the timees she''ll be happy to learn who you are"

    Daichi nodded and both of them entered afortable silence. Aiko had a smile as she looked at the boy in front of her. She knew Daichi had a good heart. She was happy that Reo had someone like him looking out for her.

    There was another matter Daichi needed to discuss with the Matron. "I''ll be leaving the vige with gramps at the end of March."

    Aiko was surprised when she heard that. "Why? What about your studies at the academy?"

    "Gramps wants me to learn about his business operations in the capital and I''ll have an instructor assess me at the end of each year. I''ll be back by graduation time." Daichi replied.

    "I see You''re going to miss her aren''t you." Aiko asked, knowing the answer.

    Daichi merely nodded. He then took out a scroll and handed it to the matron. "This is from Gramps. It''s for Reo''s expenses and for the orphanage."

    Aiko nodded, took the scroll and ced it inside her desk.

    Both of them talked about various things and after some time Daichi left the ce. He reached his home and saw Kensei on the porch waiting for him.

    "How is Reo?"

    "Happy considering her circumstances."

    Kensei nodded.

    "I gave Miss Aiko some of the money Ren trusted me with and I''ve added some of mine to the pile as well. Told her it was all from you." Daichi told him as he sat down on the porch. "Now no one would be able to useck of money as leverage against her."

    The old man shook his head in agreement. "It would be an extreme situation but"

    "Always be prepared. I know." Daichi finished Kensei''s sentence.

    Both of them watched the sun disappear and then went inside the house.

    March.

    The final exams at the academy concluded. Daichi and the future Rookies minus Sasuke were hanging out in their usual ce.

    "Oh man, I didn''t do too well on the tests this time. My mom''s not gonna be happy." Kiba spoke while Akamaru, who was on top of his head, whined.

    "Yeah. The tests Iruka sensei prepared were somewhat more difficult than I expected." Shikamaru gave his thoughts as heid down looking at the clouds.

    Ino, who was next to Daichi, was smiling. "No matter how tough it was, I''m sure you got everything right didn''t you Daichi!"

    Daichi had an awkward smile as he agreed with her. Except for Sasuke and Lee he hadn''t told anyone else in the academy about his long trip. He decided that leaving without saying anything would leave a bad taste in his mouth so he made his decision. ''I told Sasuke yesterday. It''s time I told them too.''

    "Hey guys. I need to tell you something."

    The group focused on Daichi.

    Daichi took a breath and let it out. "I''ll be leaving the vige for a few years."

    Everyone was shocked when they heard that.

    "What!? When?" Ino asked him.

    "Tomorrow at dawn!"

    "What!?" Ino and Naruto shouted.

    "Why didn''t you say anything? I thought we were friends." " Yeah what gives man?" Naruto and Kiba got in Daichi''s face and shouted at him.

    Daichi calmly ced his hands on Kiba and Naruto''s shoulders and made them sit. "We are friends. And I didn''t tell you because I didn''t want you guys to make a big deal out of this."

    At that moment Akamaru jumped into Daichi''sp and started licking his hand.

    "When will you be back?" Ino asked. Daichi could hear the sadness in her voice even though she tried to mask it with curiosity.

    "I''ll be back by graduation." Daichi replied as he rubbed Akamaru''s belly.

    "Where exactly are you going?" Choji asked as he put down his chips.

    "The capital. Gramps has some business there. He figured I should learn about its ins and outs."

    Shikamaru narrowed his eyes as he looked at Daichi. ''A sudden trip? Not suspicious at all! Still, I''m gonna miss the guy. Not that I''ll ever admit it to anyone.''

    "There''s no way you''re learning of this trip just now. I can''t believe you didn''t tell us sooner." Naruto crossed his arms, pouted and looked away from Daichi.

    Daichi chuckled awkwardly. ''He''s a lot smarter than people give him credit for.''

    "I''m sorry I didn''t tell you guys sooner Look. As an apology I''ll take you all to Yakiniku BBQ. How about that? My treat." Daichi offered as he smiled at everyone.

    Some of them were looking forward while others were still miffed.

    Looking at their faces Daichi spoke again. "Look. We can sit here and you guys can be angry at me or we can have a great dinner and enjoy ourselves Come on, what do you say?"

    Unable to say no, all of them got and headed to the restaurant. Daichi got them a private fancy booth and gave the waiters several orders.

    "This booth needs to be reserved a few days in advance. You nned this didn''t you. You knew we would say yes" Shikamaru who sat near him said in a low voice.

    "I''m gonna miss you too Shikamaru." Daichi replied with a smallugh.

    Daichi managed to make sure the group was in a good mood. The 9 students spend the time reminiscing about their adventures together. The food arrived before long and everyone was having fun.

    They also talked about the academy and how Daichi''s departure will affect the ss.

    "Now with you gone that jerk Sasuke will be at the top" Naruto said as he stuffed a slice of beef into his mouth.

    "Hey. Sasuke isn''t a jerk And don''t speak with your mouth full." Sakura lightly admonished him.

    "Sorry Saku" Naruto started coughing and he frantically pounded his chest. After a couple seconds he was able to safely swallow the food.

    "Umm H- Here Naruto " Hinata held a ss and gave it to the blond. Naruto gulped down the ss of water as quickly as he could. "Ohh Thanks Hinata."

    Everyoneughed at Naruto''s antics and it was a fun night for them. There was even a small fight between Choji and Kiba for thest piece of the beef. In the end Choji was victorious.

    Daichi looked at everyone and then spoke. "I am gonna miss you guys"

    The future Rookie''s looked at Daichi and smiled. Ino, who was sitting nearby, hugged Daichi. "We''re gonna miss you too."

    The small party winded down and after a short while everyone exited the restaurant. Daichi bid his farewell and soon left.

    Hinata had a guard from the branch family keeping an eye on her since she left the academy. So she would safely return home. Shikamaru and Choji left with Ino and Shino, Kiba and Naruto escorted Sakura to her home.

    -

    There was one more person Daichi had to see.

    ''I''ve been so busy training that I haven''t seen Lee in over two weeks. Right now I''m sure he''ll be at the usual training spot.'' Daichi had bought take out for him and Lee. He figured the guy would be training like crazy and would be hungry.

    When Daichi reached the ce he saw something unusual. Lee was punching into the thick wooden stumps much harder than usual but that was not what Daichi focused on. Tears were falling down Lee''s face as he continued with his punches.

    Daichi could see the anguish on his friend''s face. He could also see the torn skin and the bleeding knuckles

    "Lee, stop! That''s enough." Daichi said as he rushed in and held Lee''s hand, stopping him.

    "Daichi?" Lee looked at his one and only friend. He then shook his head. "Let go. I need to train."

    "You''re not training. Not like this. And I''m not letting go until you tell me what''s wrong." Daichi firmly held Lee''s hand and spoke.

    "You wouldn''t understand Daichi."

    "Try me."

    Lee gritted his teeth and then let out his frustrations. "You''re a genius Daichi. The best in your ss. Everythinges so easy for you. Ninjutsu, Taijutsu, Genjutsu You''re the best at everything. So you wouldn''t understand."

    "What don''t I understand?"

    "THAT IT DOESN''T COME AS EASY FOR THE REST OF US!" Lee shouted as his tears kept falling.

    Daichi was quiet as he looked at his friend. ''He''s usually so upbeat, letting nothing get him down. But now Something''s happened. And I have a feeling it happened at the academy.''

    "What''s wrong? I''m not leaving here until you tell me what''s bothering you!" Daichi''s gentle voice gave Lee a smallfort.

    Lee gritted his teeth, looked down and was quiet for a few moments. Then he spoke in a low voice. "I couldn''t beat anyone in my ss in Taijutsu"

    He looked up at Daichi. "I tried so hard. I trained everyday but I still couldn''t beat anyone in my ss in Taijutsu today. I only barely passed with my written scores but I''m the deadst in my ss"

    Daichi''s gaze softened. "Lee You can''t beat yourself over that. You can get stronger if you-"

    "It''s not just that." The tears stopped but Lee was downtrodden as he recalled his experience at the academy.

    "Neji said I would never graduate from the academy let alone be a ninja And after being beaten by everyone in the Taijutsu spar How can I believe otherwise? All my pain, effort and training It''s all for nothing." Lee choked up as he remembered the mocking faces of his ssmates.

    Daichi was angry hearing that. ''That Neji Right He''s an asshole right now'' Daichi let go of Lee''s hand. He looked at his friend and saw that his self confidence was broken due to what had happened. And it made Daichi furious.

    "He''s wrong." Daichi said to Lee.

    Lee looked up and saw the angry expression on Daichi''s face. "Daichi"

    "Neji is wrong. He''s a fool. And you are too if you believe him."

    Lee''s eyes widened as he heard those words.

    Daichi continued. "No one is born without talent. The only question is whether or not a person can identify their talent and bring it out. Lee! If you believe in yourself, give it everything you have, then even if everyone tells you, you can''t do it, even if the whole world is against you, you have to stand your ground. nt yourself like a tree and tell them they''re wrong."

    Lee''s eyes widened as he heard those words.

    Daichi ced his hands on Lee''s shoulders and looked him in the eye with as much seriousness as he could. "You''ll face adversities, challenges that will bring you to your knees. You''ll feel pressure. But you can''t stay on your knees forever. Be strong and stand up. Endeavor and believe in yourself. Because I do."

    Tears began falling once more from Lee''s eyes. But this time Daichi knew they were not tears of sadness.

    [Reputation massively increases with Rock Lee.]

    [Reputation increases with Might Guy.]

    When Daichi saw the second notification he was surprised. But at the moment he didn''t care about the hidden Jonin.

    "Oh Daichi." Lee hugged Daichi and cried. "Thank you." He whispered to his friend. Daichiforted his friend and a short whileter both of them were sitting down under a tree.

    "So you''re leaving tomorrow?" Lee asked in a small voice. Lee was happy that he found such a good friend and sad that he wouldn''t be able to see him for several years.

    "Yeah. Here. I thought we could have a meal together." Daichi took out the dishes.

    Both of them ate their meal in afortable silence. After a while Daichi got up. "It''s getting reallyte. And I need to pack a few things."

    Lee nodded hearing him. He then looked at Daichi and spoke with a confident voice.

    "I won''t ever give up. I''m going to train as hard as I can. When youe back, I will be a ninja." Lee gave a wide smile.

    Daichiughed in delight when he heard that. "I look forward to sparring with the future Taijutsu master when Ie back."

    Daichi left, giving Lee the strength and motivation he needed.

    Nobody realized it then, but these two would one day be the strongest tag team duo in the world. Taking on an enemy no one else could.

    ----------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 111: Leaving The Leaf Village

    Chapter 111: Leaving The Leaf Vige

    Daichi was in his bed after packing the necessary items for his journey. He asked for a few books and scrolls in Kensei''s library and the old man provided them without hesitation. The different scrolls contained information on several fields of the ninja arts.

    ''This is gonna be myst night in the Leaf vige for a while. I didn''t expect things to go this route Whatever the case, I have to be ready to face all obstacles that get in my way Gramps said he had a medic who will train me. I wonder who it could be.''

    Time flew by as Daichiid on his bed thinking about the future. At midnight the rewards for the long running quest appeared.

    [Ongoing Quest - ''Path to the strongest.'']

    [4th Year tasks sessfullypleted. Distributing the Special reward for clearing a dungeon. Distributing New Skill for sessfully Improving at least 6 Skills to LV. MAX.]

    [Special Reward.]

    A-Grade Item Blueprint (2/3).

    [Stealth - Passive/Active(LV.1): This skill increases your ability to move undetected. It also gives you the ability to perform actions unobserved or undetected. This skill helps with pickpocketing, sneaking around and lockpicking. Damage dealt to targets also increases when stealth is active. Holding breath increases the effects by a small margin.

    Note: This skill is divided into 5 grades. Current grade: Average.]

    [Effects:]

    [Removes footstep sounds.]

    [+2% Chance of sessfully lockpicking doors, safes and containers faster.]

    [+2% Chance of pickpocketing an unsuspecting target. (A skilled pickpocketer is less likely to be caught and more likely to loot valuables from the target.)]

    [+1% Chance of sessfully moving unseen and unheard. (Highly skilled sneak can even hide in in sight.)]

    Daichi''s eyes slightly widened as he saw the new skill. ''A stealth skill. Definitely one I needed. I''ve been trying to get this skill for a while now. I can''t always rely on my cloak.''

    Daichi read the effects of the skill and came to a conclusion. ''I need to level this up fast. Right now it''s not all that good but once it reaches a high level I''ll be able to get in and out of anywhere And it looks like lockpicking and pickpocketing are attached to this skill. Nice.''

    Daichi then looked at the special reward. ''I still have no idea what it could be But it seems only one more piece is needed. Since it''s an A grade item it should be on the same level as Atamagai''s cloak.''

    "Time to get some shut eye. Tomorrow is a new chapter in my life." Daichi went to sleep with a small smile on his face.

    The next day he woke up bright and early. Hepleted his morning rituals and workouts within a couple hours. He was then getting ready to leave.

    Once he got dressed, he put on his backpack after double checking everything. Daichi felt a slight sadness as he looked at his room. It was his space ever since he came to this world. It was unknown why but Daichi always felt safe here.

    He let out a short breath and headed down stairs. As he walked down the steps he could hear his grandfather talking to someone. Daichi couldn''t recognize the second voice and was curious as to who it was..

    ''I wonder who he''s talking to?''

    Based on where the sounds wereing from, Daichi deduced that Kensei and the mystery person were on the front porch.

    Daichi reached the porch and waspletely surprised. His eyes widened as he looked at the second figure. ''Is that a''

    It was arge white tiger. It was as tall as Kensei and had snow white fur with ck stripes. It was wearing a ck body jacket that covered most of its body and had steel armor tes thatpletely covered its tail.

    "So this is the boy huh!" A deep gruff voice came from the tiger as it looked at the small boy.

    Kensei looked at the stunned Daichi and smirked. ''Good to know I can still surprise him.''

    "Daichi, this is Raiga. My summoning partner."

    Daichi quickly gained hisposure. "Hello. Nice to meet you." Daichi slightly bowed his head and greeted the summon.

    "Come closer boy." The tiger Raiga spoke. To Daichi it sounded more like amand.

    "He looks like he''ll make a delicious snack." Daichi saw the tiger lick its long sharp teeth.

    It was the first time Daichi saw a tiger in person. Ever! So he was a little nervous when the carnivorous animal was looking at him like he was its dinner.

    Despite his apprehension, Daichi stepped closer and stood near the giant white feline. The tiger slowly came near Daichi and lowered its head to Daichi''s stomach. Daichi watched the tiger sniff a few times and then it raised its head and took a couple steps back to look at him.

    "Strong For a small cub." Raiga spoke.

    "Umm Thank you?" Daichi spoke not knowing what else to say.

    "So what do you say Raiga? Is he qualified?" Kensei asked, looking at his summoning partner and then to Daichi.

    The tiger was quiet for several seconds as it looked into Daichi''s eyes. Daichi, not one to shy away from a challenge, stared right back into the eyes of therge jungle cat.

    After a few more seconds it spoke. "He has potential. But he will need to be tested."

    Kensei let out a sigh. "I understand."

    "I will speak with the elders. If they agree then he can take the trial. But only after he bes a ninja." Raiga looked at Kensei and said.

    Kensei nodded and agreed. "Fair enough. Thank you for your time Raiga."

    "Of course, old friend." The tiger then looked back at Daichi. "I hope you won''t disappoint when the timees."

    With those words the summon animal vanished in a smoke.

    Daichi blinked a few times and looked at his old man. "I knew you had a summoning contract but I didn''t know it was a tiger contract."

    "I didn''t advertise it and you didn''t exactly ask me for the details." Kensei shrugged.

    It was at that moment that Daichi remembered something. ''Come to think of it, his nickname is the Cmity Tiger Huh! So that''s why.''

    Daichi then focused on his grandfather. "So you want me to sign a contract with the Tiger summons." Due to the conversation between Kensei and Raiga, it didn''t take a genius to figure that out.

    "Yes. If you''re interested."

    Daichi''s eyes widened. "Yes. I''d like that." ''Oh wow! This opens so many possibilities.''

    The old man smiled looking at the boy. "It''s not going to be easy. There will be a trial to see if you are qualified to be their summoner. And it''s not something you need to worry about until you be a Genin."

    Daichi nodded.

    "Oh and before I forget. Tiger summons are very territorial. They won''t like it if their summoner signs another contract. So if youe across any other summoning contracts don''t sign them." Kensei told Daichi.

    Daichi was confused at that. "But I haven''t signed the contract yet. And what makes you think I''lle across a summoning contract. Those things aren''t exactly easy toe by."

    "True. Getting a summoning contract is rare. But you''re going on a long trip. Anything could happen. And trust me when I say this. The tiger summon will be more suited to you." Kensei emphasized thest part.

    Daichi looked at the old man and agreed. "Alright. I''ll wait until I''m Genin and then take the trail."

    "Good." Kensei smiled. ''After Tsunade takes him as a student I have no doubt she''ll be impressed with his potential. And there is a possibility she''ll offer him a chance to sign with the slug summons They have excellent healing capabilities but they are not suited for Daichi. The tiger n is the best for someone like him.'' This was Kensei''s reasoning for introducing Daichi to his summoning partner.

    "Did you get everything you needed?" Kensei asked his grandson.

    "Yeah. I''m ready."

    Both of them left their home. They closed the gate and Kensei reactivated the barrier. At that moment Daichi received new notifications.

    [Ongoing quest] - ''Take care of the Garden'' Failed.

    [Reputation decreases with Kensei Yasaji.] (Penalty invalid.)

    Daichi looked at the notification that popped up.

    ''Huh. I almost forgot about this quest This task would only be markedpleted after 6 years. There was still 1 more year left. But since I won''t be here for the next few years it looks like the system has considered this quest a failure. But due to outside interference it seems the failure part of this quest won''t affect me. Good to know.''

    Both of them headed for the gates of the vige. After reporting their departure they left the vige.

    Their journey was to the capital. Both of them enjoyed the view and Daichi asked his grandfather about the locations in the capital.

    A direct road led to the Fire capital. And it only took half a day to reach the ce. There were several guards in Armor at the entrance gates. Kensei and Daichi showed them their documents and soon entered the ce.

    "Wow!" Daichi was amazed as he looked ahead. The capital was more bustling with people than the leaf vige. Daichi saw many shops with colorful designs.

    [New Location: Mini-Map Updated]

    At that moment Daichi received a new quest.

    [Quest Created] - ''Explore the Fire Capital.''

    Explore and find out more about the Fire capital. Find the different buildings and ces in the capital (0/7). Time limit: 7 Days.

    [Rewards:]

    1000 Exp.

    Complete Quest in 3 days. (Bonus reward.)

    [Failure:]

    Rep slightly decreases with Kensei Yasaji.

    [ept] (Y/N)

    ''I knew it. I had a feeling this quest was going to appear.'' Daichi epted the quest without hesitation.

    Kensei had a small house in the capital,fortable for two people. They entered the small home.

    [You have found Kensei''s residence. Quest progression] (1/7)

    Daichi looked at the blue box. ''This will be easier than I thought.''

    "You can take that room during your stay here." Kensei said, pointing to a room at the other end of the house.

    -

    Same time - Leaf vige.

    Hiruzen was looking over the reports and stamping several documents. But his mind was elsewhere.

    ''Kensei and Daichi left early this morning. So they must have reached the capital by now. How will things go from here I wonder Based on Jiraiya''s reply, Tsunade wasn''t exactly happy that I''m making her take another student. She''ll most likely test him and see if he''s capable. I have no doubt that Daichi will find a way to pass But will she be a good teacher to him?... I guess time will tell''

    Hiruzen took a break from important files and documents and took the report that Iruka had dropped off a few hours ago. Hiruzen quickly went through the scores of every student in Daichi''s ss. He noted the ones with potential. His eyes thennded on the reports of Sasuke Uchiha.

    ''Daichi will retain the top spot for the 4th year as well. But now that he''s gone Sasuke will take that ce. And just as Daichi is far ahead of Sasuke, Sasuke is far ahead of everyone in his ss But now he has no one topete against. Will this stagnate his growth?''

    Hiruzen knew he had to wait to see the answer to that question. His mind then drifted to his two former students.

    ''Based on Jiraiya''s reports he and Tsunade should be at the capital right now. I hope everything goes alright.''

    -------------------------------------------------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 112: Fire Capital

    Chapter 112: Fire Capital

    Daichi unpacked his bag and freshened up. He took a look around the small house and saw that there were only the most necessary items present.

    ''The old man sure lives a spartan life.''

    After taking a look around Daichi decided it was time to take a trip through the capital. A few minutester Kensei came to him.

    "Daichi, I''m heading to meet a colleague of mine. Would you be alright here or would you like to explore the capital?"

    "I''m gonna go sightseeing. Take in the view." Daichi replied with a smile.

    Kensei nodded. "If you''re going to bete, make sure to eat something. I''m sure you can find a restaurant."

    The boy nodded and they both went their separate ways.

    Daichi and Kensei left the leaf vige that morning and now it was already evening. The sun was slowlying down.

    Daichi walked through the streets of the fire capital. The road itself was made with clean clear cut stones. The whole street was bustling with people. Merchants from all over the world have some businesses here. All the stores were well maintained and they had colorful designs.

    ''Observe''

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    [Hoseki Street]

    [One of the biggest and busiest streets in the Fire Capital. A part of the Hoseki Street is dedicated to ssic teahouses, many of which houses mesmerizing geisha performances. Several small restaurants, clothing stores, other shops and the shrine at the end make up Hoseki Street.]

    [You have found Hoseki Street. Quest progression] (2/7)

    ''The business here is booming. Whoever could set up shop here would be able to make a lot of money.''

    As Daichi walked he saw a few ninjas wearing the leaf vige uniform roaming the capital as well.

    ''Hmm Not that surprising. There are many missions that require the leaf ninjas toe here.''

    As Daichi walked through the streets he used his ''observe'' skill on several people. He didn''t find anyone that stood out or were interesting.

    ''I need to see if I can find some dungeons here. I''m sure this ce has got to have at least a few.''

    Daichi kept walking and didn''t bother to buy anything. Currently he wanted to explore the ce and was more interested inpleting the exploration quest first.

    As he kept walking he soon exited the crowded noisy street and came near a calm serene garden. The garden had arge pond with crystal clear water. Daichi could see several beautiful fishes swimming in therge pond. Daichi could also see a couple small houses that naturally blended with therge garden.

    [You have found Kanazawa Garden. Quest progression] (3/7)

    ''Observe''

    [Kanazawa Garden]

    [This garden was created on the orders of the wife of the first Fire Daimyo. This garden is also known as the garden of six aspects. These six aspects which were considered vital to create this garden are subtlety of design, coolness, scenic view, respect and wisdom, spaciousness and finally serenity. This garden features ponds, naturalndscape features such as hills and streams, and structures such as pavilions and tea houses.]

    [You have witnessed a work created by several master craftsmen.]

    [+1 WISDOM]

    Daichi was surprised at the new notification and stat increase.

    ''Wow. That''s unexpected. Wait So that means if I see works that were made by masters of other fields, does that mean I can increase my other stats as well?... Will I be able to increase my strength or agility stat by witnessing great battles?... No way to find out right now I guess. This is definitely an unexpected surprise. But not unwee.''

    With a smile, Daichi slowly roamed the garden. The craftsmen were able to create a garden that truly fulfilled its purpose. The ce made Daichi feel rxed andfortable. It was so peaceful that Daichi wanted to enjoy the feeling more. He found a tree and sat down under its shade. He closed his eyes and meditated.

    When Daichi opened his eyes again he realized the sun was about to disappear over the horizon.

    ''I didn''t even feel the time flying. I haven''t felt this rxed in a long time.''

    As Daichi got up his stomach grumbled letting him know that it was time to eat. He walked through the streets and soon found arge restaurant.

    The restaurant had a red fiery bird resembling a phoenix, decorated on its front. Therge sign board read ''Red Phoenix Restaurant.''

    Daichi looked at the whole thing. The design and aesthetic quality of the ce was impressive. But. ''The name It''s kind of on the nose Eh! Whatever. Observe.''

    [Red Phoenix Restaurant]

    [A traditional sake-house restaurant created 61 years ago located at the heart of the fire capital. The owner of the restaurant is Fujimoto Kizo. This restaurant boasts excellent vorful dishes made with the finest ingredients. The dishes made by the chefs of this restaurant are even able to impress the Daimyo. This restaurant has over one hundred unique cuisines. The restaurant is divided into 4 floors. Commoners are only allowed on the ground floor. Ninjas affiliated with the leaf vige are allowed on the first floor. Officials, diplomats and important dignitaries are seated on the second floor. The third floor is reserved for only the Daimyos, kages and other equally ranked or important personnel. The higher the floor, the more expensive and tastier the dishes.]

    ''Wow. That''s impressive.''

    After reading the description, Daichi was looking forward to their dishes.

    [You have found Red Phoenix Restaurant. Quest progression] (4/7)

    Daichi stepped inside and found the ce packed. He patiently waited and after a while he was escorted to a table. Daichi ordered the dish ''Roasted Duck'' and some apanying dishes to go along with it.

    As he waited for the food he took a look around the ce. Even though onlymoners and ordinary people ate on this floor it was quite clean and well kept. There were people standing by in a corner who efficiently cleaned the tables after each diner.

    Daichi thought about the structure of the restaurant and he figured out the goal of the owner.

    ''The owner is smart. There''s another meaning in creating different floors and separating the customers. Each floor represents someone''s rank, financial standing or political power. This is the Fire capital and the people here are mostly politicians. They would want to keep their image and prestige so they would definitely opt to go to the higher floor which would no doubt bring more revenue to the restaurant. Eating on the higher floors would also make them feel more important than the rest, giving them a certain satisfaction. And if someone from a good background or high standing who usually eats on the higher floor ever goes to the lower floors then it would present an image of a decrease in wealth or political status. So people who eat on the higher floors would definitely not try to go down. The owner is certainly cunning toe up with this idea.''

    Daichi patiently waited for his food and after a short while it arrived.

    The dish was a small roasted duck that had an excellent fragrance and it looked quite delicious. There were several otherplimentary dishes apanying it as well. Daichi, not wanting to waste time, took his chopsticks and took a bite out of the dish.

    "Mmmm Oh wow. This is delicious" Daichi was pleasantly surprised at the vors of the food.

    With Daichi''s extremely sharp senses he could clearly pick out the different vors blended in the dish.

    ''This dish is almost as good as those expensive ones in Shi''s restaurant. If this is the quality of dishes on the first floor then I wonder how good the ones on the higher floors would be.''

    He enjoyed the dishes and after some time left the restaurant with a smile.

    It was gettingte and Daichi soon reached Kensei''s residence. Due to having Absolute Recall skill Daichi was able to memorize the paths without any difficulty.

    As he entered he saw Kensei on the nearby desk writing something on a scroll. Kensei finished writing and closed the scroll.

    "How''s your first trip through the capital?"

    Daichi smiled as he sat down on the nearby chair. "It''s incredible. I especially like the Kanazawa garden and the Red Phoenix Restaurant."

    "The garden has a mystical and calming effect on a person''s psyche. Or at least that''s what most people say. What do you think?"

    "It certainly was an incredible sight. And yeah. I think there is some truth to it"

    Kensei smiled and nodded. That garden was one of the favorite ces of histe wife Fumiyo.

    "So, not that I mind a short break from my training but when do we meet this medic trainer?" Daichi asked and Kensei could sense the hidden curiosity and impatience.

    "Soon. In a day or two maybe." Kensei replied.

    "You''re not gonna tell me who it is are you?"

    <!--

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    The old man had a smug smirk. "Why ask questions you already know the answer to, Daichi?"

    Daichi sighed at Kensei''s antics.

    Kensei couldn''t help butugh seeing Daichi''s face.

    Daichi slightly pouted and spoke. "Good night Gramps. I''m gonna head to my room. Since I''ll be free tomorrow as well, I''m gonna check out the capital some more."

    "Sure." Replied the old man and both of them retired to their rooms.

    -

    [You have found Fujima Castle. Quest progression] (5/7)

    [Fujima Castle]

    [Also known as the Emerald castle due to the green colored stones used in constructing the castle. It was created 103 years ago. The Daimyo of that era built this castle as a gift for an unknown great warrior who came and saved them from a cmity. It is regarded as one of the three most elegant and visually spectacr castles in the fire capital. The great warrior has imprinted his presence on the castle long ago. Visiting the castle will grant you a one time stat increase. +2 STR, +2 AGI, +2 STM, +2 INT.]

    Daichi woke up early in the morning and walked around the capital. The first ce he went to was the majestic Green colored castle at the northern part of the city.

    Daichi was shocked as he read the information. ''A permanent increase in stats just by visiting the ce? Wow! Never seen anything like that before. Even the Hokage tower didn''t show anything like that. Who the hell was this great warrior?''

    [You have witnessed a work created by several master craftsmen.]

    [+1 WISDOM]

    [You have found a Key Dungeon. Retrieving the key to the dungeon The key to this dungeon has been ced in the inventory.]

    [Fujima Castle Dungeon Key.] Restricted.

    [With this key the yer can enter the dungeon in the Fujima castle. This key can transport the yer to its corresponding dungeon from anywhere. This key is restricted and the yer cannot use the key until he is above level 60.]

    ''A level restriction? I never saw that on any of the other keys The other keys indicated that they were higher than my level but I could ess them whenever I wanted. But this''

    Daichi looked at the giant majestic castle. ''That castle is no ordinary one. I''m sure It holds some great secrets Should I check it out now?... No! It might have traps. I need to be ready. It''s not going anywhere. Once I level up and be a ninja I''ll be back here. That time, I''ll pay you a visit.''

    Daichi also paid a visit to the imperial pce. The home of the current Daimyo. He could not enter due to the guards and could only look from the streets.

    [You have found the Imperial Pce. Quest progression] (6/7)

    [You have found a key dungeon.]

    [+1 WISDOM]

    Daichi looked at the ck key he got from the Imperial Pce. ''This doesn''t show any restrictions. If I use this key the opponents I face will be 30 levels higher than my current level. At least. But it doesn''t show that it can''t be used. So why the difference in key with the Emerald castle?''

    Daichi decided that he would find the answer one day. He walked around the city for a while. He had a lot on his mind.

    ''When I visited the Kikyo castle it didn''t show any increase in wisdom stat but here I''ve already encountered three What''s the difference between these ces? Or is the Kikyo castle nothingpared to these in terms of craftsmanship? Wellpared to the castles here the Kikyo castle is indeedcking. Anyone can see that But is that all there is to it?''

    Daichi decided not to ponder on these questions and moved on. As he walked he saw arge building in one of the corners of the street. He went near the ce.

    [Huroi''s Smithy]

    [A renounced smithy belonging to the master cksmith Huroi. He inherited the smithy from his father seven years ago. There are over two dozen cksmiths working in the smithy at all times. Armors for the Daimyo''s guards are made from this smithy. Several strong weapons were made from this smithy that is currently all over the world.]

    ''Wow. A cksmith shop. Just what I needed.''

    Daichi thought about the blueprints he had for the Night Gaze Armor. Daichi became somewhat excited at the thought of going to the smithy and showing him the blueprints.

    ''No. If I go there and show him the Armor blueprints he might get suspicious. I''m just a child after all. I should go when I have a good reputation or a strong backing to make sure the guy doesn''t swindle me in any way. I''ll show it after I meet the guy and have a better understanding about him.''

    [You have found Huroi''s Smithy. Quest progression] (7/7)

    [Quest ''Explore the Fire Capital'' Completed.]

    [Rewards:]

    1000 Exp.

    150 Exp.

    [Bonus Reward.]

    2000 Exp.

    300 Exp.

    ''A bonus of only 2000+ exp. Guess I should have expected that. This was a simple quest after all.''

    Daichi opened his status page and looked at the experience points needed to reach the next level.

    ''Around 10000 points to reach level 44 huh That''ll be easy with the next dungeon.''

    Daichi spent the entire day exploring the capital. By 3 in the afternoon Daichi came to the Kanazawa garden to rx. He could see some people on their own enjoying the calming atmosphere of the garden. Daichi sat down under a tree away from everyone and meditated. He always felt peace and tranquility when meditating.

    Hours passed by and Daichi only opened his eyes when the sun went down. He stood up and stretched himself.

    ''Red Phoenix Restaurant, here Ie. I wonder what I should order today.''

    Daichi was captivated by the dishes and couldn''t wait to taste more.

    He reached the restaurant and like yesterday a young beautiful waitress greeted him at the door. After waiting a while Daichi was escorted to a table near the back.

    Daichi didn''t pay attention to the other customers as his mind was upied with what he was going to have tonight.

    As he sat down thinking about what dish to order he heard the sound of a woman and a waitress arguing in the booth behind him.

    "Miss We won''t serve you anymore alcohol today. Please leave." The sound of the waiter was low so only the people in that booth and Daichi heard it.

    Then he heard the voice of another woman arguing with the waitress.

    "I''m not properly drunk yet. So another bottle now." The sound of a sake cup being emptied and roughly mmed on the table was heard.

    "No. You already drank so much, Miss. And you have a debt here." The waitress argued.

    Daichi was nning to ignore themotion behind him but at that moment he heard a name that shocked him.

    "Lady Tsunade. Please. Enough! You''ve already had too much to drink. And we''re out of money again."

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    That was going to be Daichi''s first meeting with one of the Legendary Three Ninjas.

    ----------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 113: Meeting the Sannin

    Chapter 113: Meeting the Sannin

    Daichi sat there in his booth not sure what to do. He decided to listen to the on-goings behind him and then take action.

    "Bhaa You worry too much, Shizune. That pervert will take care of the bill Where is he anyway?" Tsunade Senju said in a slightly slurred voice.

    "Lord Jiraiya isn''t here. He said he had to do some extremely important research and left a while ago. I''m sure it''s something important and urgent." Shizune said, oblivious to the true nature of the man known as Jiraiya.

    Tsunade snorted when she heard that. ''Important research my ass. That idiot is probably at one of the bathhouses.''

    At this time Daichi''s eyes widened as he heard the exchange between the two. ''Jiraiya is here too And based on the context he apanied these two here. Or maybe it''s the other way around. Regardless Two of the Sannins are together here Did this happen in the series? Or is this a butterfly effect from my interference?''

    Daichi heard the waitress denying Tsunade service.

    After thinking for a few more seconds he decided to step in. ''I don''t know why she''s here or what''s going on but I need to make a solid impression. Forming a rtionship with her would be beneficial in the long run.''

    Daichi turned his head to the waitress behind him. "Excuse me miss" His voice attracted the attention of the three.

    "How much does thedy owe the restaurant? I''ll pay for her." Daichi said with a smile.

    Tsunade looked at the boy who barged into their conversation. He had ck eyes and shoulder length light brown hair and a broad chin. Tsunade looked him over and she estimated that the child was around 10 or 11 years old. She slightly narrowed her eyes but didn''t say anything.

    Shizune was surprised and was about to reject the boy''s offer but the waitress of the restaurant beat her to it.

    She was polite even to someone as young as Daichi. "Please sir. There''s no need. Thedy was just leaving."

    As Daichi heard this he turned to look at Tsunade. Both the academy prodigy and the legendary Sannin looked at each other for a couple seconds. Neither said a word.

    Daichi turned to the waitress and had a polite smile as he spoke. "I came here for some delicious food and to enjoy it in peace. But if this continues that''s not going to happen." He then looked back at Tsunade and continued. "And she doesn''t look like she has any intention of leaving here anytime soon." He turned back to the restaurant staff. "So I''m doing this for me. Not her So I''ll ask again. How much does she owe?"

    At that moment Shizune spoke. "It''s sweet but there''s no need. We''re just leaving. Isn''t that right Lady Tsunade?" Shizune thought the boy was the son of a wealthy official in the capital and if he pays and the news of this incident spreads, her master''s reputation may take a nosedive. She wanted to avoid any potential problems for her master. But said master had other ns.

    "Nope. He said he''s going to pay. And he doesn''t look like he has any problems. So calm down. Enjoy the food and drinks." Tsunade said in a nonchnt manner.

    "Lady Tsunade!" Shizune was dismayed.

    Daichi slightlyughed. He looked at the waitress. "You heard thedy. How much?"

    Daichi could see the struggle of the staff and used Mana puppetry on her. And he got his answer.

    "97,439 Ryo." The waitress replied with a smile.

    Hearing the amount, Daichi put his hand in his pocket and took a thick stack of bills from his inventory. He gave the amount to the waitress with a cool smile on his face.

    Shizune and the waitress were surprised at the stack of bills. The slug Sannin''s apprentice began to look at the boy with caution. ''Why is a child carrying around that much money?...''

    The restaurant staff quickly regained herposure and took the money.

    Daichi had a charming smile on his face. "That''s 100,000. And keep the change. Oh! And I''d like to ce an order." He winked at the cute waitress. Due to the increase in charisma stat his ability to charm people especially women was increasing.

    The waitress had a small pink shade of hue on her cheeks. Proof that she was falling for the boy''s charms.

    At that moment Daichi got up from his small booth and invited himself over to where Tsunade and Shizune sat.

    "Since I''m paying for your booze it''s only fair that I join you." Daichi sat down without any intention of taking no for an answer. He sat near Shizune and across from him was the best medic ninja currently alive.

    "Listen kid, if you want to pay that''s on you. But I didn''t invite you over." Tsunade said, looking at the boy.

    Daichi smiled. "No you didn''t." He then turned to the waitress as if there was nothing wrong. "I''d like to ce my order if that''s alright." He said.

    Tsunade and Shizune were surprised at the boldness the child disyed.

    "O-of course." The waitress took out a small notepad and a pen.

    "The roasted duck I had yesterday was delicious but I think I''ll have something else today. I''m looking forward to the ''Waf Pan Fried Lamb Chops'' and maybe something to go along with it. Surprise me. And your most expensive sake bottle for thedy."

    Daichi politely gestured to Tsunade sitting in front of him. He then turned to Shizune sitting beside him. "What would you like to have Miss?"

    Shizune was surprised. She didn''t expect things to go this way. She was still a little apprehensive about the whole thing. "Um I''m fine."

    "Are you sure? It''s on me." Daichi kept his charming smile on his face.

    But it wasn''t able to change Shizune''s mind. "I''m sure." She replied.

    Daichi turned back to the waitress. "That will be all. Thank you."

    The girl slightly bowed and left.

    Daichi turned his attention back to the female Sannin. His smile never left his face.

    Tsunade looked at the grinning child in front of her. He was watching her with rapt attention. Unknown to her Daichi was using his skill ''Observe'' on her but it didn''t have any sess.

    Tsunade decided to bring the boy down a peg.

    "Don''t you know it''s not polite to stare."

    Daichi replied without any nervousness. "It''s hard when I''m in thepany of beautiful women..."

    "Aww Have you fallen for my charms? Sorry kid. But I''m not into little boys." Tsunade said, taking a swig that emptied the bottle she had.

    Daichi kept smiling as he listened. ''Alright. You wanna y like that. Game on. Time to troll.''

    Daichi smirked, hearing her. "Oh Thank God for that. You''re beautiful. There''s no question about that. But I''m not into old grannies either."

    [Reputation slightly decreased with Tsunade Senju.]

    Tsunade had a twitch above her eye. She looked at the smirking child and knew he was looking for a reaction.

    Shizune was shocked at what the child said. She looked at her master and saw the signs of anger. ''Oh oh! Lady Tsunade is mad. I better calm things down.'' At that moment she noticed the child turning his attention to her.

    "Wow you''re gorgeous. Do you know CPR?" Daichi had a charming smile as he looked at the girl next to him.

    Shizune was surprised and gave a short answer. "Um Yes."

    "Good. Because you just took my breath away" Daichi slowly took Shizune''s right hand and gave it a small kiss. "It''s a pleasure to be in the presence of such an elegant and beautifuldy."

    [Reputation slightly increased with Shizune Kato.]

    [Reputation slightly decreased with Tsunade Senju.]

    "Oh my!" Shizune was shocked. A small pink shade was formed on her cheeks. People usually ignored her while her master was present. So this felt kind of nice to her.

    Tsunade was gobsmacked at the audacity of the child who was tantly flirting with her apprentice. "You brat. Don''t you have any shame flirting with a woman almost thrice your age?"

    Daichi looked at Tsunade for a few seconds before replying. "Nope."

    "You''re a naughty child aren''t you?"

    "When the asion calls for it. Yes! But if it''s any constion" Daichi smirked and turned towards Shizune. "I''d be happy to let you spank me."

    The poor apprentice''s eyes widened. "W-what?"

    Looking at her flustered reaction, Daichi burst outughing. "Hahaha."

    After a few seconds he calmed down. "I''m sorry. I couldn''t help myself. I was just teasing you."

    Daichi, having had his fun, then looked at Tsunade and properly introduced himself.

    This time he kept a polite face. "I was just having some fun Please bear it no mind. My name is Daichi Hekima. It is an honor to meet you Lady Tsunade and you too Miss Shizune."

    [Reputation returned to neutral with Tsunade Senju.]

    Tsunade looked at the change in the boy''s manner and was surprised to see a serious and dignified expression.

    "It''s impressive you recognized me. Even more impressive, you recognized my assistant. A child born in the capital knowing my name and face is a coincidence. But I doubt that''s the case when ites to my apprentice."

    Information about her is easily avable but that wasn''t the case for her student. Based on the observations Tsunade made, she concluded that the child was not from the capital.

    Daichi nodded in agreement. "You''re right. I''m not from the capital. I''m from the Leaf vige. I came here for a business trip with my gramps I always try to learn more about the strongest ninjas of our time. Your name along with your former teammates came up in my study. During my research I found out that you have an apprentice. Shizune Kato" Daichi finished his exnation and looked at the apprentice.

    Tsunade nodded and was somewhat satisfied with that answer.

    "It''s nice to meet you Daichi." Shizune spoke with a smile.

    At that moment the dishes Daichi ordered came and Tsunade got her hands on some more alcohol. She didn''t say anything else and started drinking again.

    Daichi looked at the zingmb chops in front of him. The smell and the visual aesthetics captured Daichi''s attention. But he didn''t ignore the person sitting on his side.

    "Would you like to join me, Miss Shizune?"

    "No. Thank you. Maybe another time." She replied smiling.

    "Ohh Is there going to be another time?" Daichi asked with a grin and winked at her.

    Shizune giggled at the child''s antics. "Maybe when you''re older."

    Daichi shrugged and slowly ate his food. He made small conversations with Shizune while Tsunade didn''t look like she was interested.

    Some time went by and Daichi''s te only had a few small bites left.

    "So you''vepleted your 4th year in the academy huh. Unless I''m mistaken, the sses for the new year start in April right."

    "Yeah. But I don''t have to worry about that. I won''t be going back for the next couple years."

    "Why is that?" Shizune asked in slight confusion.

    "It''s. Nothing. I''m sorry, but I can''t say." Daichi knew his medic training was to be kept a secret until the appropriate time. But now looking at the person in front of him, Daichi knew he would be disappointed with the person Kensei assigned to him. ''She''s the best medic in the world. The things I could learn from her.''

    Daichi let out a small sad sigh.

    "What''s wrong?" Shizune asked him.

    Daichi thought about what he should say. ''If I can get Tsunade to be my teacher If there is any chance Shouldn''t I take it?''

    Daichi decided to tell them the real reason he was here. ''Even if I do tell, who are they gonna b to.''

    Daichi spoke. "The truth is I''m interested in learning medical jutsu."

    Tsunade and Shizune''s eyes slightly widened as they heard this. But they quickly schooled their faces.

    Daichi, who was looking down at his food, failed to see their reaction. "I told my gramps about it a couple years ago and now he''s managed to arrange someone to train me. He didn''t tell me who, just that I would meet him or her tomorrow. So that''s why I''m here. To get lessons in medical ninjutsu, but meeting you two here"

    Daichi looked up from his food. "I know I''m going to be a bit disappointed tomorrow I''m certain they wouldn''t be as good as you two."

    Tsunade narrowed her eyes as she looked at Daichi. She nced at Shizune and her apprentice knew what the look meant. Keep quiet.

    Without giving any of her intentions away, Tsunade asked Daichi a question.

    "Who is your grandfather?"

    Daichi replied without much hesitation.

    "Kensei Yasaji."

    ----------------------------------------------------

    Author''s Note:

    Hey guys. Sorry about the week long dy. Caught the flu. Still a little bit under the weather but the thought of dying the chapter release anymore than I already did left a bad taste in my mouth.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 114: The Test

    Chapter 114: The Test

    Hearing the name, Tsunade''s eyes slightly narrowed but other than that there was no change in her expression.

    She remembered the conversation she had with the man several months ago.

    Tsunade had told him that she would only meet the boy and only after assessing him would she even consider taking him under her. She made sure to emphasize that she was only doing this as a favor to her old sensei.

    Kensei agreed and said that he would keep her identity secret. He wanted to surprise the kid.

    ''So this is the boy huh. It seems Kensei really didn''t tell him about me. Well I''m not going to spoil the fun''

    Tsunade looked at the child who was finishing his te. ''At first he came off as rude but he surprisingly has a respectful personality. Still I need to see if he''s as good as sensei makes him out to be.''

    Tsunade took another swig from her bottle. "Kensei huh. You''re his grandson?"

    Daichi looked up at that. "You know him?"

    "We''ve met." The medic Sannin didn''t borate any further and continued her drinking.

    Daichi had a thoughtful face. ''Hmm In hindsight I should have guessed that. Kensei is from the third Hokage''s generation. And he was strong and formidable enough to have a nickname. So it stands to reason that she knows him.''

    Daichi looked at the woman who was currently more concentrated on her alcohol than anything else. ''Is it possible'' A thought appeared in Daichi''s mind but he dismissed it, thinking it was absurd.

    Daichi looked out the nearby window and saw that it was gettingte. ''I better head back. And I don''t want to overstay my wee.''

    Daichi got ready to leave. "It''s getting really dark out. I should get back home. Again, it was an honor to meet you Lady Tsunade. Miss Shizune"

    Daichi nodded to the two of them. Tsunade didn''t even bother looking at him and just gave a small wave of her hand indicating her dismissal while Shizune was more courteous.

    "Good night Daichi. Get home safe."

    Daichi left the restaurant after paying the bill for the table.

    "So that''s the child Kensei and Lord Jiraiya were talking about huh." Shizune spoke after Daichi left.

    "It seems so." Tsunade looked at the exit and then turned to her apprentice. "Did you notice?"

    Shizune''s face turned serious. "Yes. His footsteps. It didn''t make any sounds. And his presence It was simr to those who conceal their chakras. I wouldn''t have even noticed him if he hadn''t spoken."

    Shizune was there during the meeting with Kensei. She was surprised that the Hokage was making her teacher take on another student.

    Tsunade nodded with her student. She knew a capable ninja when she saw one. From just this one interaction she knew Daichi was more than he seemed.

    A smirk slowly formed in her face. ''Looks like this trip will be more interesting than I thought.''

    -

    Daichi walked through the illuminated streets of the capital. The lightsing from the fancynterns gave off a festive atmosphere.

    ''My ''observe'' didn''t show anything on Tsunade but I was able to get some information on her apprentice. Based on her stats I''d say Shizune is currently in the middle of the Jonin spectrum. A student of a Sannin and a talented medic ninja that very few can match.''

    Daichi thought about the entire interaction and there were many things he was now unsure about.

    He walked home with several thoughts running through his mind. ''It''s just a coincidence that she and Jiraiya are here. Isn''t it?''

    Daichi couldn''t get rid of the feeling that he was missing something. He soon reached his home and greeted his grandfather who was enjoying the calm atmosphere in the small backyard.

    "How was your second day at the capital?" Kensei asked him.

    "Very interesting. More than I thought actually" Daichi replied.

    "Oh?" Kensei raised an eyebrow at that.

    Daichi decided to tell his grandfather about Tsunade''s visit. He wanted to know if the presence of two Sannin here was just a coincidence or not.

    "I met Lady Tsunade and her apprentice." Daichi looked at Kensei for a reaction but he didn''t get one.

    Kensei kept an impassive face but he knew that a non answer was also an answer. Looking at the boy''s expression he sighed. Kensei decided to tell the boy about his soon to be teacher.

    Daichi saw Kensei let out a small breath and his eyes widened. ''No way. Is it possible that she''s the one who''s going to train me?'' Daichi didn''t want to jump to any conclusions and decided to hear it from Kensei''s mouth.

    "I think you''ve dragged the suspense on for too long. Will you tell me who''sing to train me?" Daichi asked him.

    "I wanted to keep this a surprise but As you may have already guessed, it''s the woman you''ve met. Tsunade Senju. The most proficient medic ninja in the world."

    Daichi''s eyes widened. "But I thought she wasn''t interested in taking any students and she''s not currently an active ninja." ''Did I change something or am I wrong?''

    "What you''ve said is true. And normally she wouldn''t have agreed to take another student under her wing but this was a special order from Hiruzen. She''s doing this as a favor to him. I also told her that she would be doing me a favor as well by teaching you." Kensei replied.

    Daichi was surprised. ''I understand Kensei But the Hokage ordered her to as well? So that''s why she''s here. And the fact that Jiraiya is here as well''

    Gears started turning in Daichi''s head faster and he deduced several things. ''Kensei must have told the Hokage about my training ns and since he knows my talents the Hokage must have decided to send me to the best medic out there. He must have made contact with Tsunade through Jiraiya. That also means Jiraiya knows about me and is at least aware of my talents ''

    Daichi crossed his arms and thought about the whole thing. ''When I saw her in the restaurant, for a split second I thought that maybe she was the one Kensei had arranged to teach me But I dismissed that thought immediately. Currently she''s someone who doesn''t like responsibilities and hates the position of Hokage. Someone who''s haunted by the memories of her loved ones and stuck in the past. I thought for sure that she would never agree to being a mentor for anyone So I concluded that her being here now was just a coincidence. Looks like I was wrong. Did she change or is there something else going on?''

    "Did she really agree to train me in medical ninjutsu?" Daichi asked with anticipation.

    Kensei slightly winced. "Well, technically all she said was that she would give you a shot. So there is a great chance she could reject you."

    "I see." Daichi nodded. ''That makes more sense. Based on what I understand from the series, she still has some respect for her former sensei and is probably meeting me out of obligation. She has a strong temperament and this is the best deal Kensei could make with her.''

    Kensei got up from his chair. "We''re going to meet her tomorrow. At that moment she''ll decide if she wants to be your teacher or not"

    Daichi nodded. "I''ll be ready for whatever she throws at me."

    Kensei looked at the confident child and his worries lessened. ''Whatever tests she puts him through, I''m sure he will get past them.''

    -

    It was morning and Kensei and Daichi were in front of an apartment. Kensei knocked on the door and waited for a few seconds.

    The door opened and Shizune appeared. "Good morning Kensei. Hello Daichi." She greeted the two and led them inside.

    As Daichi stepped inside a voice spoke, addressing him.

    "So you''re the kid sensei talked about huh You don''t look like much."

    Daichi looked in the direction the voice came from and saw that it was Jiraiya. He was sitting on the balcony at the other end near the open window. Daichi looked at the other sannin sitting in the corner of the room and the small pig near her.

    "He''s just a little brat. What exactly did you expect?" Tsunade gave her thoughts.

    "Daichi, that''s Lord Jiraiya and you''ve already met Lady Tsunade." Kensei gave a simple introduction.

    Jiraiya looked affronted with that introduction. "Hey that''s not how you introduce someone as great as me." He jumped andnded in the middle of the room, right in front of Daichi.

    A smoke suddenly appeared covering his entire body. When it cleared, it showed that Jiraiya had summoned a human sized toad and was standing atop its head in a strange pose.

    "Listen well young one, wherever I go men gaze at me with admiration and respect and women all over the world fall for my charms. I am none other than the holy sage of Mt. Myoboku. Jiraiya." The man stood on one leg with his hands extended and shook his head in an exaggerated fashion.

    Daichi looked at the man with wide eyes and his mouth was slightly open. He was excited to meet the legendary warrior and it showed on his face. ''Oh wow. This is really happening.''

    Jiraiya looked at Daichi for a reaction and saw the awe and admiration in Daichi''s eyes. He thought he had impressed the kid. ''Yes. Be at awe in my presence Hahaha''

    Tsunade looked at her teammate and then towards Daichi and couldn''t help but let out a tired sigh. ''Don''t tell me that kid fell for that. I thought he was smart.''

    Daichi immediately bowed and introduced himself. "It is an honor to meet you, Lord Jiraiya. My name is Daichi Hekima."

    Jiraiyaughed merrily. "Proper respect from the young ones is rare these days. I''ll let you have some signed copies of my books."

    "Please don''t." Kensei interrupted him and gave Jiraiya the stink eye. He was one of the few that resisted the temptations of the book ''Make out tactics.''

    "You don''t look surprised to see us. So your grandfather told you why I''m here?!" Tsunade got up and asked Daichi.

    Daichi nodded his head. "I mentioned our meeting and he told me that you would be my teacher."

    "That remains to be seen, little boy."

    Jiraiya stepped back and dismissed his summon. Tsunade looked at Daichi and came to a decision. ''Sensei knows what I''ve been through. So what would prompt him to suddenly make this decision? I have to find out.''

    "Raise your hands and gather some chakra in your palms. Keep the chakra flow steady until I tell you otherwise. And stop suppressing your chakra." Tsunade said to the boy.

    Daichi obeyed without asking any questions. He had been using the ''Chakra Suppression'' skill and had been steadily leveling it up. ''Since it''se to this I won''t hold back. I need to make sure she will take me as a student.''

    Daichi raised his hands with his palms facing upwards. He concentrated his chakra on his palms and stopped the suppression skill. Everyone in the room felt therge chakra flowing through the boy.

    The adults in the room were shocked when they sensed his chakra volume but they kept a neutral face.

    Shizune was shocked as she looked at the kid. ''This child. His chakra reserves, it feels evenrger than mine. And to suppress it to such a degree His control is no doubt beyond average.''

    Kensei looked at his grandson beside him and even though he expected it he was still surprised. ''His growth rate is incredible.''

    Jiraiya had a lifetime of practice in maintaining a poker face. He had heard about the boy''s capabilities but seeing it felt entirely different. ''This kid isn''t from any n and he isn''t holding a tailed beast. So for him to produce this much chakra at his age Only Jonin level ninjas and above have this much reserves. Looks like sensei wasn''t kidding about this kid''s strength.''

    Tsunade kept a calm face but was now intrigued about the child''s capabilities. ''Time to see what you''re made of.''

    Daichi''s test to be a medic ninja under Tsunade had begun.

    --------------------------------------------------------

    Author''s Note:

    In case it isn''t obvious from thest chapter, I''m not good at writing romance scene.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 115: The Bet With Tsunade

    Chapter 115: The Bet With Tsunade

    As Daichi focused his chakra he saw Tsunade bringing her hands over on top of his palms. She held her hands just a few inches above Daichi''s and a secondter it started glowing green.

    Daichi looked at the green chakra and at that moment he received a system notification.

    [Unharmful foreign chakra detected.]

    Daichi saw the message and came to a conclusion.

    ''So Tsunade is using her chakra on me? But it doesn''t seem to be medical jutsu. Hmm My guess is she''s most probably checking my chakra level and control And It seems my body won''t reject even ordinary chakras that aren''t harmful to me, just like medical ninjutsu chakras.''

    Daichi dismissed the blue box and focused on his current task. He kept the chakra flow steady and was inplete control.

    Tsunade kept a neutral face as she injected a bit of her chakra into Daichi. Her goal was to understand the boy''s chakra levels and his current control over his chakra. At first she kept a neutral face but after a short while her expression changed.

    Tsunade frowned and narrowed her eyes. The green glow between her palms got bigger and she looked far more serious than before.

    Kensei, Jiraiya and Shizune sensed the change in her. They all kept quiet and didn''t say anything to interrupt the medic nin.

    Jiraiya crossed his arms and looked at his former teammate. ''Looks like she found something interesting about him. It must be something big I can''t remember thest time she looked so focused.''

    Shizune held the pet pig Tonton and looked at her mentor. She knew what her master was doing right now but was confused about something. ''It''s been over a minute since Lady Tsunade started. She should have an urate assessment of his chakra volume and control by now. So why isn''t she stopping?''

    The upants aside from the Senju patiently waited for her to finish.

    After several minutes the green glowing chakra faded and Tsunade took a step back from Daichi. She looked at Daichi with an astonished and bewildered face. She opened her mouth a couple times as if to say something but no words came out.

    [Reputation increases with Tsunade Senju.]

    Daichi had a guess as to what impressed her about him. ''Looks like all that chakra control training paid off.'' Seeing that the test was done, Daichi cut off the chakra flow to his palms and put his hands down.

    After a few more seconds Tsunade took a deep breath and regained her poker face. "Your chakra control is adequate. And you have excellent reserves considering your age. And the fact that you can keep a steady flow of chakra for several minutes tells me just how well you''re trained. You certainly have the capabilities to be a medic ninja."

    Shizune was shocked at that assessment and Jiraiya narrowed his eyes. He knew what his teammate was most proud of was her precise chakra control and medical skills. ''Adequate control..? That''s high praise from her. For her to admit that much means this child''s control is beyond good Then again he mastered the Rasengan in a week. So I suppose I should have expected this much.''

    Daichi''s face had a smile as he heard her. ''Yes! Looks like things are gonna be easier than I thought.'' Just as this thought ran through his mind Tsunade burst his bubble.

    "But that doesn''t mean I''ll take you on as a student."

    "Wait what? Why?" Daichi was sure his control skills had impressed her so he was confused about her refusal.

    "Listen brat. I don''t have to exin myself to you. Just because sensei said so doesn''t mean I''ll do it. I''m sure you can find another medic back at the vige who''ll be more than happy to teach you." Tsunade spoke in a hard tone.

    She knew he couldn''t go back to the vige for the time being. Jiraiya had filled her in on the on-goings of the vige and her sensei''s secret investigations. She was just saying it to see Daichi''s response.

    Daichi was not someone who gave up that easily. "But You''re the best medic-nin in the world. I could learn far more from you than anyone else."

    Tsunade smirked at that. "You do know how to tter a girl. But sadly that won''t work on me Still"

    Tsunade paused and looked at the boy and after a few seconds continued. "Considering your above average chakra control skills, I''ll give you a chance. If you canplete the next task, I might take you as my student."

    Daichi nodded. "Alright. What do I have to do?"

    Tsunade smirked and looked at her apprentice. "Shizune, bring it here."

    "Yes. Of course!" Shizune left the room and after several seconds quickly came back with a scroll.

    Tsunade took the sealed scroll and held it in front of Daichi. She put it down and released the seal. A smoke suddenly appeared and when it cleared, Daichi saw over two dozen books atop the scroll. All of them several inches thick.

    "There are 24 books here. These textbooks contain the necessary information apetent medic-nin needs. These were all written by me, for those looking to be more than an ordinary medic ninja. I''ll give you two months to learn all the information in these books." Tsunade had a devious smirk on her face as she said this.

    Daichi''s eyes widened as he heard the insane timeframe given by the woman. He looked at the titles of some of those books.

    ''Medicine, Toxicology, Biology, Biochemistry, Physiology, Battle medics, Pharmacology, Microbiology, Animal anatomy, Human anatomy, Rules for medic ninjas on the field, Surgery, Poisons, Herbs, Chakra techniques and their effects on the human bodies, Medical equipment''s managements, Medical forensics and more Oh man That''s a lot of books.''

    Shizune, who was standing nearby, was also shocked. ''The amount of information contained in those books It would take a normal person years to learn and memorize all that. It would take someone motivated and highly intelligent at least 9 to 12 months. But she''s only giving him two months to understand all that?... There''s no way that''s possible So she really doesn''t want him as a student after all.''

    Kensei, who was standing behind Daichi, also came to the same conclusion. He was upset that she wasn''t even giving Daichi a fair shot. "Tsunade. That''s not fair."

    The blonde woman scowled. "I said I''d give him a chance. Never said I''d be fair."

    "That''s" Kensei was about to argue but Daichi slightly raised his hand, stopping him. The boy took off his sses and looked directly into the woman''s eyes. A yful smile appeared on his face.

    "I heard you like to gamble. Would you like to make a bet with me?" Daichi smiled and spoke in a polite tone.

    "Ohh?! What kind of bet?" Tsunade was intrigued.

    "If I learn all the information contained in all these books in seven days, will you take me as a student?"

    That question shocked everyone.

    The moment Tsunade heard that her smile vanished and she narrowed her eyes.

    [Reputation massively decreases with Tsunade Senju.]

    Daichi ignored the blue system box.

    Tsunade looked at the smiling boy in front of her and became slightly angry. "Che! I didn''t know you were so arrogant. I''m not going to teach someone who''s just going to take this as a joke."

    Daichi shook his head. "I never said I took this as a joke. I can assure you I''m dead serious. And besides You didn''t answer my question. Do you want to make that bet with me?"

    Thedy smirked. "First rule of trying to get someone to make a gamble. You need to have something the other person wants. If you want me to take the bet, you need to have something I want. And it doesn''t seem like you do."

    Daichi slightlyughed. "I wouldn''t be too sure of that."

    He took a small scroll from his sleeve and ced it on the ground. He pressed his palm and injected some chakra. The next second the contents of the scroll became visible to everyone. From the scroll several stacks of money appeared.

    The adults in the room were astonished.

    Daichi stood up and looked at Tsunade. "That''s 500,000 Ryo. My savings from thest 5 years Still think I don''t have anything you want?"

    [Reputation increased with Kensei Yasaji.]

    [Reputation increased with Shizune Kato.]

    [Reputation increased with Jiraiya.]

    [Reputation slightly increased with Tsunade Senju. ]

    Tsunade looked at the confident smirk on Daichi''s face and wanted to refuse the boy but her gambling addict side took over. She smirked and spoke. "Well well Things just got interesting. So if you can''t memorize everything in all those books in seven days, all this money is mine and you stop bothering me?"

    Daichi nodded.

    "Ha! Easiest money I ever made" Tsunadeughed and wondered which gambling den she should go to once she wins.

    "When I win" Daichi spoke up at that moment interrupting Tsunade''s day dreams "You ept me as your student and teach me everything about medical ninjutsu you know Give me your word that you will hold your end of the deal."

    The smile on Tsunade''s face disappeared as she saw the seriousness in Daichi''s eyes. She was quiet for several seconds and then nodded. "You have a deal."

    Daichi smirked and sealed the money scroll and the book scroll and took them with him. He smirked as he looked at the female Sannin. "I''ll be back in a week. Make sure not to skip town Now, Lady Tsunade, if you''ll excuse me, I have a lot of reading to do Miss Shizune, Lord Jiraiya" Daichi slightly bowed, bid his farewell and left with Kensei following him.

    Daichi headed back to Kensei''s house with the old man following him. Daichi had a simple yet efficient n in mind. And the seven day challenge he proposed wasn''t something done out of impulse. Daichi looked at the quest that was created when Tsunade said she would refuse to be his teacher.

    [Quest created. - ''Win the bet.'']

    [Make a bet with Tsunade Senju and win. Study and memorize all 24 books within seven days from now.]

    [Conditions.]

    Memorize all the books.

    Complete the task within seven days or less.

    .

    [Rewards. ]

    [2500 Exp.]

    [Reputation massively increases with Tsunade Senju, Jiraiya, Shizune Kato, Hiruzen Sarutobi and Kensei Yasaji.]

    [Odds of bing Tsunade Senju''s apprentice increases massively.]

    [Completing one half of the conditions required to open the Special stat ''Luck''.]

    .

    [Failure.]

    [Will never be Tsunade''s Student. ]

    [Reputation decreases with Jiraiya, Tsunade Senju and Shizune Kato, Hiruzen Sarutobi. ]

    [Completing one half of the conditions required to open Special stat ''Luck''.]

    As Daichi looked through all the details of the quest, the failure part confused him for a moment. ''Even if I fail the quest, I stillplete half the conditions needed to open the luck stat?''

    Daichi thought about it for a few seconds and he came to a conclusion. He now had an idea as to what was required to open the special stat luck.

    ''Tsunade has some kind of a strange rtionship with luck. When she wins at something, it indicates a terrible omen. And when she loses everything is fine A strange rtionship with Luck that''s beyond reason or understanding This must be why the system chose her. I think I understand now. To open the Luck stat I need to make two bets with Tsunade. One that I win and one that I lose That''s the logical conclusion I can reach from this''

    Arge grin appeared on Daichi''s face. ''I''m going to win this bet. Then I''ll have plenty of time to make another one with her where I can lose.''

    The two of them quickly reached their home in the capital. Kensei hadn''t spoken since Daichi made the bet. He knew his grandson''s tenacity and intelligence. He believed Daichi could do the impossible. Still, he couldn''t help but be slightly anxious.

    "Looks like you have a tough seven days ahead of you" Kensei spoke.

    Daichi looked at his grandfather, smirked and shook his head. "No. Not really."

    Watching Kensei''s confusion, Daichi made a single hand-seal.

    "Shadow clone jutsu!"

    Kensei''s eyes widened as he understood Daichi''s n and a wide grin that matched his grandson''s appeared on his old face.

    ----------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 116: The New Apprentice: Daichi Hekima

    Chapter 116: The New Apprentice: Daichi Hekima

    A few minutes ago. - Tsunade''s Apartment.

    Thest Senju watched the child seal the money and books back into the scroll.

    "I''ll be back in a week. Make sure not to skip town Now, Lady Tsunade, if you''ll excuse me, I have a lot of reading to do Miss Shizune, Lord Jiraiya"

    With those words Tsunade watched Daichi and Kensei leave the room. As she quietly stood there Jiraiya spoke up.

    "He''s really talented, you know. And he''s right. He could learn a lot from you. You said it yourself, his chakra control is excellent."

    At those words Tsunade turned to Jiraiya. Jiraiya noted that she had an unusually serious expression which was unlike her these days.

    "What''s wrong?" Seeing her master''s face, Shizune couldn''t help but ask.

    Tsunade didn''t utter any words for several seconds. She was still trying to digest the information she learned after examining the boy''s chakrawork. After a while she answered.

    "His chakrawork and his control It''s. It''s perfect." Tsunade said in a low voice.

    While Jiraiya only looked on in confusion to that statement, Shizune''s eyes widened because she knew what her master was talking about.

    "What?! Lady Tsunade, that''s That can''t be!" The young apprentice almost shouted.

    "Are you saying I made a mistake?" Tsunade slightly narrowed her eyes.

    "Of course not! But Something like that. It should be impossible right?"

    Tsunade sighed and answered her apprentice. "Yes. It should be impossible But I''ve checked. Thoroughly. His chakra control is precise. Absolutely perfect."

    At this point Jiraiya interrupted them. "Umm Yeah! For those of us not well versed in medical ninjutsu Do you mind exining? What exactly are you guys talking about?"

    Tsunade looked at her former teammate and began to exin the situation.

    "When someone uses chakra for anything, they unknowingly waste a lot of it. So to reduce this wastage and to use chakra more efficiently we came up with chakra control exercises. These exercises help one improve their control over the chakra their body expends."

    Jiraiya agreed with that. "Right! Techniques like tree walking and water walking and such."

    "Yes. The tree walking and water walking are just those for the standard ninjas. For medics there are even more difficult control refining techniques that they need to master." Shizune spoke.

    Tsunade nodded and continued. "Now these techniques help increase a shinobi''s chakra control and bring it to their absolute highest level as possible. But there will still be some small amount of chakra wastage. It''s not something that we can ovee."

    Jiraiya frowned at that. "Isn''t your chakra control perfect? You''re the best medic in the world. Some of the techniques you use can''t be aplished if you don''t have perfect control Right?"

    Tsunade shook her head in disagreement. "My chakra control is only near perfect."

    Seeing Jiraiya tilt his head in confusion, Tsunade borated. "How do I put this? Over the course of thest decade, Shizune has mastered all the control techniques she could and brought her chakra control to the highest level she could achieve. If I had to put it in mathematical terms I''d say that her control over her chakra is over 90%. For reference, an ordinary ninja who learned tree walking and water walking would only have about 75 to 85 percent control."

    "Wait! I thought by learning those techniques we would reduce wasting chakrapletely."

    Tsunade replied. "No! We only limit the wastage and only learn to use it more efficiently. There is a great difference in the amount of chakra wastage between someone who hasn''t learned the techniques and someone who has. But even after we learn those techniques there is still a small bit of chakra leakage. With more control training this problem can only be reduced. And those being born in certain ns also have an advantage and their bloodline can help with minimizing the chakra loss. You can say that while Shizune''s control is over 90%, mine is about 95%. An advantage of being born in the Senju n. But still it''s impossible topletely control our chakra without wasting even the tiniest bit At least that''s what I thought till now"

    Jiraiya crossed his arms and kept quiet. Unlike what he liked to portray he wasn''t an idiot. He was starting to see where Tsunade was going with this. "So you''re saying that child"

    "Yes. He has 100% control over his chakra. I couldn''t detect a single speck of his chakra leaking. He had absolute control over his energy the whole time" The astonishment in Tsunade''s voice couldn''t be hidden.

    "Still It''s only just a small difference. Is it that hard to increase your control to 100%?" The toad sage asked his friend.

    The female sannin sighed and answered. "The difference between each of thosest 5%, is like heaven and earth. It''s not something that can be done with training."

    She took a deep breath and let it out. "That child His chakra control It''s even superior to mine. In fact I don''t think there is or has been anyone alive who has such absolute mastery over their energy."

    Jiraiya and Shizune''s eyes widened at that statement

    "Lord Jiraiya, Is he part of some n?" Shizune turned to the toad sage and enquired.

    "Not that we know of. He was an orphan. They found him buried underneath some rubble during the rescue operations after the nine tails attack." Jiraiya replied after recalling the details he read in Daichi''s file.

    "The answer is in his gics. Something like this can''t be achieved with training. He must have some kind of a special mutation or gene that helps with his chakra control. I''m also sure this is also the cause for his abnormallyrge chakra reserves Although this is just a theory, I believe this is the most likely answer." Tsunade spoke up after a few seconds.

    Hearing that Jiraiya thought about the things the boy was capable of. ''So that''s how he learned the Rasengan and other nature transformation techniques so quickly Still Just because he has a natural advantage doesn''t make his achievements any less impressive. Even with his advantage, I''m sure that without a great amount of hard work he couldn''t have learned those things so quickly.''

    "If he''s so impressive then why did you initially reject him? Why give him that insanely short time in the first ce?" The toad sage asked Tsunade.

    The slug Sannin sighed and replied. "I just wanted to see how he''d react. I wanted to see if he would give up or take up the challenge and at least try and learn as much as possible before the deadline Truth is, I''d be impressed if he was able to learn 4 or 5 books at most within that time."

    Jiraiya smirked at that. "Well that didn''t work out the way you wanted, did it?"

    Tsunade replied with confidence. "He''s an arrogant brat if he thinks he can learn all of that information in one week. I''m not gonna teach a brat with a big head and overconfidence just because of a lucky break he was born with. He might have been able to master chakra control techniques easily but that was due to his inborn special ability. Learning the mountain of information on those books on the other hand That''s an entirely different thing."

    Jiraiya raised an eyebrow. "Do you really believe he wouldn''t be able to do it?"

    "Yes. Since he arrogantly made the bet to memorize all 24 books, I won''t be satisfied even if he learns 23 books by the end of the week. And he won''t even be able to do that. It''s an impossible task."

    At that moment Jiraiya thought about the conversation he had with his sensei almost a year ago.

    "But that can''t be! Did he really master the Rasengan to that degree?"

    Hiruzen nodded. "I saw it myself. And he imed he did it in one week. I have no reason to doubt him."

    Jiraiya was speechless when he heard that. "But But T-that''s impossible."

    "Well, he did it. That boy did the impossible."

    Looking at his sensei''s serious face Jiraiya knew the leaf vige now had another immeasurable talent growing inside its walls.

    "A week from now I''ll be 500,000 Ryo richer. Hey Shizune! Should we go to the upper floors of that fancy restaurant? Hmm Or maybe I wonder if I can find a good gambling den here?"

    Tsunade''s voice brought Jiraiya out of his thoughts. He looked at his former teammate already making ns as if she won.

    "Tsunade! A fair warning. I wouldn''t count on your victory just yet!" Jiraiya had a smile on his face as he said those words.

    Tsunade was surprised. "Oh really?! You really think he can do it?"

    The toad Sannin shrugged. "Anything is possible. You should wait and see the results for yourself." With those words he turned around and headed outside. "Now if youdies will excuse me, I''m off to find some inspiration for my new book." Having said those words he jumped off the balcony and disappeared.

    "Lord Jiraiya seems to believe in that boy. Do you really think he is capable of such a task?" Shizune asked her master.

    The slug Sannin waved her hand as if it wasn''t any big deal. "Bha! That idiot is wrong. There''s nothing for me to worry about."

    With those words Tsunade left the ce and Shizune followed. She entered a local watering hole and drank to her heart''s content.

    -

    A couple days slowly passed. It was very early in the morning and Tsunade was walking around the quiet streets. As she turned a corner she saw Daichi jogging. He wasing towards her from the opposite direction.

    "Morningdy Tsunade It''s a great time for a walk isn''t it?" Daichi had a polite smile as he conversed with her.

    The female sannin looked at the kid in surprise. She expected him to be stressed out and buried in his books trying to learn as much as possible. Not running around looking like he had no cares in the world.

    "Shouldn''t you be studying?" Tsunade asked the kid.

    Daichi''s smile grew at that question. "Oh I am. You don''t need to worry about me. I''ll be ready when the timees Good daydy Tsunade." With those words Daichi took off again.

    ''Has he already given up and this is just a bravado?... Eh, whatever! If he wants to lose on purpose that''s not my problem.'' Tsunade didn''t think much of it and resumed her morning walk.

    The next few days during her morning walks Tsunade saw him jogging and then exercising near an abandoned field.

    She was surprised as to what trick he had up his sleeve that made him so confident in his victory.

    Days passed and it was the sixth night. Tsunade was in a small bar quietly drinking her sake. ''Tomorrow is the day. Would he really be able to do it?'' Doubt was slowly forming in her mind. She quickly finished her drink and headed home. She had to prepare for tomorrow.

    Tsunade quickly reached her home and took a pen and several sheets of paper. At that moment her apprentice walked in.

    "Lady Tsunade!? You''re early What are you doing?" The young apprentice asked.

    "Preparing a questionnaire for the brat. I''m going to put the most difficult andplicated questions in those books." She smirked and started her task.

    Shizune winced at that. "Don''t you think maybe you''re going a bit too far mydy?"

    Tsunade stopped and looked at her student for a second before replying. "Nope!" And she went right back to her work.

    "Oink. Oink!" The pet pig Tonton in Shizune''s hands said.

    Shizune turned around and replied in a low voice to her pet. "Yes. I also think she''s only doing this for the money."

    "You say something Shizune?" Tsunade had a small tick mark on her forehead as she looked at her student from the corner of her eyes.

    ''Ehh!'' "Of course not mydy." "Oink oink!" With that the poor student of the slug Sannin got out of the house with her cute pig as quickly as she could.

    -

    The day of judgment was here. All the parties had gathered in Tsunade''s apartment.

    To the adults, Daichi looked nervous and looked as if he was trying to hide that fact. Tsunade''s confidence grew as she saw that.

    "So you''ve memorized everything in all those books?" The slug Sannin asked.

    "Y-yup! All that. Y-yes. I learned it." Daichi answered. His answer created frowns on Shizune, Kensei and Jiraiya''s faces but made Tsunade a lot happier. More confident in her victory, she proceeded with her n.

    "I''ll be the judge of that." Tsunade took out several pages of paper and handed it to Daichi.

    "There are 300 questions on those pages that cover the contents of the 24 books I gave you."

    "That''s a lot of questions" Daichi mumbled as he bewilderingly looked at the pages in front of him.

    "Yes. You have exactly 5 hours toplete the test Starting now!"

    "Wait what?" Daichi looked shocked but then scrambled to the nearby table and chair and started writing the answers to the questions in front of him.

    "Oh and one more thing. If you get even a single question wrong or if you fail to answer any one, you fail the test and I win!" The smug tone in Tsunade''s voice couldn''t be masked.

    Daichi looked like he was in panic and was quickly writing down the answers.

    Jiraiya winched at the conditions of the test. "Yeesh! That''s some harsh conditions, Tsuna Maybe we should give the kid some space so he can write those answers in peace."

    "Not a chance. I''m staying right here." Tsunade sat down on a nearby chair and focused on Daichi.

    Shizune sighed as she looked at the kid and then at her master who was watching said kid like a hawk.

    ''A test with difficult questions and a very limited time to answer the questions. He only has one minute to answer each question. If he misses one or gets one question wrong he loses, and more than that He is no doubt feeling the pressure of being watched by so many eyes. Lady Tsunade ced the chair in the middle of the room so Daichi would feel the pressure from those present. He has to recall the information and write it in such harsh conditions I would never be able to do it if I was in his ce... If he had something like the Sharingan then it wouldn''t have been a problem for him but The oue is already decided. He''ll fail.''

    Jiraiya was curious as to the oue so he decided to stay put. He and Kensei were quiet and sat down. Shizune also took a seat near her master.

    Time quickly flew by and everyone had their eyes on Daichi. He was writing non stop at an excellent pace. 4 hours and over 40 minutes had gone by. Suddenly Daichi put his pencil down and stood up with the pile of sheets in his hands.

    "I''m done!"

    Everyone was surprised at that exmation. "Already? Daichi, do you need to look over your answers? You still have some time left." Kensei asked his grandson in concern.

    "No need. I''m done." Daichi had a smug smile on his face. He handed the papers to Tsunade and sat back in his chair.

    Everyone was curious as to the results. Tsunade started going through his answers one by one. She had a smug look on her face at the beginning but as she graded the answers the smile slowly vanished.

    Around 40 minutes went by and Tsunade finished her evaluation. She looked at the papers with a stunned expression. She then looked at Daichi and asked.

    "How? How did you do it?"

    The question shocked the adults in the room as they could already guess the results of the test.

    "How did I do what? You''re gonna have to be more specific." Daichi said it in such a fake tone that small veins started popping up on Tsunade''s forehead when she heard it.

    "You little brat!... You got all the questions right! How did you do it?"

    Daichi shrugged and answered. "Like I said. I memorized and understood everything in those books thesest few days."

    "I''m asking how?"

    At that Daichi''s smile widened. "I have the ability to recall all my memories with perfect rity. And I mean all my memories. And I also abused the hell out of shadow clone jutsu."

    The adults, Kensei included, were surprised that Daichi had such an ability.

    Kensei looked at his grandson. ''This is the first time I''m hearing that It feels like everyday he''s disying new abilities.''

    "I made good on my end. I memorized the whole thing and I aced your test. Guess this means I''m your apprentice now huh!" Daichi spoke with a smallugh.

    Tsunade''s eyes widened in realization. "You tricked me." Those words came out before she could stop them.

    "I didn''t trick you. I just didn''t mention that I had the capability to win the bet Come on. Did you really think I would make a bet as important as that without having confidence that I could absolutely win Did you really think I''m such an idiot?"

    "Then why did you look so nervous at the beginning?" Jiraiya asked Daichi.

    "If I didn''t and I came here all confident looking then she might have pulled out another trick that would have made things even more difficult for me than it already was. I needed her to let her guard down." Daichi replied.

    "And you didn''t feel the need to share any of this with me because" It was Kensei who asked that question.

    "The best way to fool your enemies is to first fool your allies You taught me that Remember." Daichi was smiling as his n worked. Kensei''s genuine reaction to Daichi''s nervous act at the beginning made Tsunade drop her guard.

    [Reputation increased with Jiraiya, Shizune Kato, and Kensei Yasaji.]

    [Reputation massively increased with Tsunade Senju.]

    "You little brat! I''m seriously pissed off right now." Tsunade said one thing but her face showed a different emotion.

    Daichi looked her in the eyes. "If you''re angry then why are you smiling?"

    Yes. Despite saying she was furious, Tsunade had a wide grin on her face as she looked at the child.

    "So what do you say, Lady Tsunade. Do I have the honor of bing your second student?" Daichi slightly bowed and was polite as he asked this question.

    Tsunade reigned in her emotions and looked at the boy. She thought about his perfect chakra control, his absolute memory recall and his cunningness. She also remembered the things Jiraiya and Kensei said about the boy.

    After several seconds of silence she spoke. "A deal is a deal. From now on, call me Tsunade sensei."

    Daichi raised his head and gave a wide smile. "Yes, Tsunade sensei."

    The slug sannin walked forward and ced her hand softly on Daichi''s head. "But before we begin there''s one thing I need to do."

    "What''s that?" Daichi asked with great curiosity.

    Tsunade gave a sickly sweet smile that sent shivers up Daichi''s spine.

    [You have sensed killing intent.]

    This warning notification did not help Daichi at all.

    Jiraiya and Shizune instantly recognized that smile. Only one thought went through their minds. ''O oh!''

    "Don''t ever hustle me again." With that she flicked her finger on Daichi''s forehead sending him flying out of the building.

    "Oh my god! Daichi!" Kensei yelled and ran after his flying grandson.

    "Shizune!" Tsunade shouted.

    "Um, yes mydy."

    "Go and heal that brat if he''s injured." Tsunade said and went to her room and Shizune took off as well.

    "Was that really necessary?" Jiraiya asked his friend.

    "Yes." Tsunade gave a single word reply and started on her first drink of the day.

    Jiraiya slightly grimaced and looked at the holes in the walls left by the flying Daichi. ''Yeesh! Tsunade, You haven''t changed one bit I hope you''re prepared, kid.''

    ----------------------------------------

    Author''s Note:

    A Rare 3.4k words chapter. I just didn''t want to drag this on for another chapter.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 117: 5th Year and Medic Training

    Chapter 117: 5th Year and Medic Training

    A few days had passed since Daichi took the test and sessfully became Tsunade''s newest apprentice. She told Daichi that his training would begin only after he received his academy assignments for the current year.

    Yesterday a chunin from the vige brought Daichi a scroll containing the curriculum and assignments he needed toplete for the fifth year. It was specifically designed just for Daichi by Iruka on the Hokage''s orders.

    Daichi went through everything in the scroll that night and found that it wasn''t all that difficult for him toplete it. After making a mental training n for the year he went to sleep.

    April 1st.

    Daichi woke up early in the morning. The long running quest was updated.

    [Ongoing quest - ''Path to the strongest'' updated.]

    ''Let''s see what I have to do this year?''

    [Tasks toplete this year have been updated. Training clothes in your inventory have been modified. Wear them whenpleting the daily quests.]

    [Conditions:[

    [Complete 500 Push ups (Daily)]

    [Complete 500 Squats (Daily)]

    [Complete 500 Punches (Daily)]

    [Run 30 Kilometers (Daily)]

    [Complete at least 1 Dungeon before the end of March next year.]

    [Train under Tsunade Senju and learn over 15 different medical ninjutsu techniques.]

    [Learn advanced chakra control techniques. ]

    [Complete academic assignments before the final exam of this curriculum.]

    ''Hmm So the conditions were modified ording to the situation, huh! Learning 15 different medical ninjutsu, advanced chakra control, academy assignments I''ve got a lot to do.''

    Rather than be intimidated by the sheer amount of goals he needed toplete, Daichi was excited. His desire to improve himself was greater than one could understand. After reading the conditions needed to clear the quest this year he looked over the rewards.

    [Rewards:]

    [Status Recovery (Daily)]

    [Random Reward(Weekly)]

    [+3 Stat Points (Weekly) ]

    [+3000 Exp clearing a Dungeon.]

    [Reward for clearing additional dungeons.]

    [New Skill for sessfullypleting all tasks.]

    ''The daily and weekly rewards are the same. But the reward for dungeon clearing is now different. Instead of skill or title it''s exp for the first dungeon I raid New skill huh Please don''t let it be anything like thest one''

    [Failure:]

    [-5 Stat points.]

    [Penalty Dungeon.]

    [Death.]

    [ept] (Y/N)

    Daichi epted the quest without hesitation and looked at the training gear in his inventory.

    [Weighted Training Clothes] [Rare Item: Rank C]

    [...Consists of 2 leg warmers to be worn below the knee and 2 arm sleeves to be worn below the elbow. Each weighing exactly 10 KG.

    Consists of 1 undershirt and 1 trouser to be worn under the clothes. Each weighing exactly 30 KG.]

    ''Wow. 100 kilos. The system is starting to increase the weights by arge margin. Still it''s nothing I can''t handle.''

    Daichi began his morning workouts. ''100 kilos may seem like a small amount when working out but it''s a different story when I''m wearing these weighted clothes all the time.''

    Daichi diligentlypleted each of his daily exercises and was done within an hour. He freshened up and went to meet his new teacher Tsunade Senju.

    Daichi arrived at the slug Sannin''s apartment and was greeted by Shizune. He entered and saw Lady Tsunade looking out at the balcony wistfully. Noticing his arrival she became serious and came near him.

    "Before we begin, I need to know a few things from you." Tsunade spoke with an authoritative tone.

    Daichi stood straight and looked at her. "What do you want to know?"

    "Show me the Rasengan. Jiraiya said you mastered the jutsu and based on my observations on your chakra control and the strength of your coils, I''m inclined to agree with him But still, I want a demonstration."

    Daichi nodded and brought his right hand up. In an instant a round ball of spinning chakra gathered and was rotating on Daichi''s palm.

    Tsunade looked at the jutsu for several seconds. "That''s enough. It seems you have the change in chakra form down. How far have youe along in change in chakra nature training?"

    "I''vepleted the two steps of Earth, Fire and Water nature." Daichi replied.

    Shizune, who was standing behind Daichi, was astounded. ''He''s only 10 years old and yet he already mastered 3 elements? His talent is incredible.''

    Tsunade looked at the kid and was surprised as well but she kept a calm face. ''Jiraiya wasn''t kidding about his talents. This kid could be on the same level or even greater than thete fourth.''

    "Lemme guess. You n to master the remaining two as well?!" Tsunade asked Daichi but it was phrased more as a statement than a question.

    Daichi nodded in agreement. "I was thinking ofpleting Lightning nature this year and Wind nature by the end of next."

    The female sannin frowned as she looked at the boy. "Do you really think you can learn medical ninjutsu while alsopleting your academy assignments and master lightning chakra nature?"

    "Yes!" Daichi replied without hesitation.

    The resolute reply stunned the woman. Then she thought about his aplishments so far and decided to move forward.

    "You n on bing a front line fighter don''t you?"

    "Yeah."

    Tsunade narrowed her eyes and looked at the boy. "There are three rules I taught Shizune before I started her training. If you''re going to be a medic ninja trained under me then you''ll have to obey those rules."

    Daichi narrowed his eyes but said nothing. He knew what she was about to say.

    "Rule 1. A medic ninja must never give up on treatment until their patient''s dying breath Rule 2. A medic ninja must never go to the frontlines!... Rule 3. A medic ninja should always be thest of their toon to die."

    Tsunade paused to see the kid''s reaction to her words but Daichi was as still as a statue.

    "If you want to learn medical ninjutsu from me you''ll have to forget about fighting on the front lines." Tsunade was saying these words to test Daichi. She wanted to see his reaction.

    After a few seconds Daichi spoke with a slight cold tone. "You seem to have misunderstood something, Lady Tsunade. I''m a ninja first and will be a medic second. I have no intention of staying away from the frontlines."

    "Then you won''t be learning from me!" Tsunade crossed her arms and spoke.

    "Did you stay away?" Daichi asked.

    Tsunade raised an eyebrow.

    "Did you stay away from the battlefield, knowing that your presence there could change the oue."

    Tsunade was quiet for a few seconds but then sighed slightly and replied. "No. I went to war side by side with my teammates."

    Daichi nodded. "Then you understand Besides, isn''t there one more rule"

    Tsunade looked at the child in front of her and smirked. "Yes. Rule 4! A medic ninja who masters the ''Ninja art of Mitotic Regeneration, the 100 healings'' may ignore the first three rules!"

    Daichi smirked as he looked at his teacher. "I want to learn medical ninjutsu under you. All your techniques and skills. I want to learn them all. But I will also be fighting in the thick of the battle at all times."

    Tsunade tilted her head to the side and spoke. "It seems there is only one solution for that problem."

    "Yeah. I''m going to learn the ''Mitotic Regeneration 100 healing technique'' before I be a Genin." Daichi was absolutely confident that he could achieve this.

    Shizune was shocked at the deration but Tsunade merely snorted. "Do you really think you can do it in just a few years? It''s a special forbidden jutsu created by me. The level of difficulty of mastering that is not something to be taken lightly."

    Daichi smiled as he looked at the woman in front of him. "Are you still underestimating me, Lady Tsunade?"

    The smirk on her face vanished as she looked at Daichi''s confident face. ''Can he really do it? Can he learn that jutsu in just a few years?...''

    She sighed. "I guess we''ll find out won''t we? Let''s see if you can pull off your magic trick one more time."

    "Wanna make that a bet?" Daichi asked with a devilish smile.

    A tick mark formed on Tsunade''s head as she heard the boy''s cocky tone. "Do you want me to send you flying again?"

    Daichi immediately straightened and bowed. "No Tsunade sensei. I''ll be good." The horror of what he experienced that day won''t be forgotten for a long time.

    "Ha! That''s more like it. Nowe on. There''s no point in dying it any longer. We''ll begin your training today." Tsunade said and walked with Daichi and Shizune following her.

    The trio plus Shizune''s pet pig were walking down the streets of the capital.

    "Umm Where are we going?" Daichi asked the woman.

    "You''ll see when we get there." Tsunade didn''t borate anymore and kept walking with the other two following her. Before long she reached the destination.

    The trio was in front of the Fire Capital''s hospital.

    Tsunade quickly led them inside. There she met an older man wearing a white doctor''s coat. He was tall, had tan skin and a white beard and mustache and was wearing round sses.

    "Lady Tsunade! You''re here." The man spoke.

    "Thank you for indulging me Karuizawa. I appreciate it." Daichi was surprised at how polite Tsunade was when speaking to the man.

    The man waved his hand as if it was no big deal. "Think nothing of it. This is the least I could do for all the help you''ve done over the years."

    The man now identified as Karuizawa looked over to Shizune. "Oh Shizune!. You''ve grown up so much. I hear you''re an excellent medic just like your teacher here."

    Shizune slightly bowed and answered. "Thank you Karuizawa senpai."

    The man then looked towards Daichi. He rubbed his chin as he looked at the boy. "So this is the kid huh. He''s a bit young isn''t he? Do you think he''s ready?" He asked, turning his attention to Tsunade.

    "Trust me, he''s capable. Don''t let his age fool you."

    Karuizawa nodded. "Well, if he has your seal of approval then I approve What''s your name, young man?"

    "Daichi Hekima, sir."

    Karuizawa smiled as he looked at Daichi. "It''s a pleasure to meet you. My name is Karuizawa. I''m the head of the hospital here. Lady Tsunade came and told me about you a couple days ago. This is where you''ll be training for a while."

    Daichi had a feeling it was something like that. He bowed and replied. "Thank you for the opportunity."

    "Come on, I''ll show you to your room." With those words, the man turned around and started walking. He led them to a medium sized room with an examination bed, table and sufficient equipment.

    "I believe this will do. Don''t you think so, Lady Tsunade?"

    "Yes. This will do nicely. Thank you Karuizawa."

    "No no. Please! It''s my pleasure. Now if you''ll excuse me I have to get back to my work."

    The head doctor of the hospital smiled at everyone and left the room.

    Daichi looked around the room. ''A private room just for my training? Tsunade must have some serious pull here. He knew about Shizune as well. So this must be where she trained too''

    "So what do I start with?" Daichi was excited.

    "Before I begin you on medical ninjutsu, you need training in healing and handling wounds and injuries without the use of chakra. This is basic stuff that the academy teaches you before you be a Genin." Tsunade replied.

    Daichi recalled the information in the books and understood what she was talking about. "You''re talking about first aid and proper basic procedures."

    The Senju nodded in agreement. "That''s right. Many times out in the field, you''ll run out of chakra due to different reasons. You can''t stop treatment because of such ame excuse... And treating the different patients here will also give you some experience before we get into the real gritty part. You may have learned everything in those books but knowledge and experience are two different things."

    "I see Alright I''m ready. Let''s do this."

    "Shizune will handle things from here. Listen to her and do as she says." With those words, Tsunade went to the other side of the room and sat near the small open window.

    At that moment Daichi recalled the crucial information about the woman. ''Right! She''s afraid of blood. She has hemophobia.''

    Daichi just nodded and didn''t say anything. He saw Shizune getting ready and mentally prepared himself.

    ''Let''s do this.''

    ----------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 118: The First Step of a Medic

    Chapter 118: The First Step of a Medic

    Just as Daichi made a determined face, a new quest box popped up in front of him.

    [Quest Created] - ''Heal the patients.''

    Sessfully identify the injury and treat the patients thate to you.

    Time limit: Today before 5pm.

    [Conditions:]

    Sessfully treat at least 30 patients.

    [Rewards:]

    6000 Exp.

    New Skill.

    Reputation increases with Tsunade Senju, Shizune Kato, Karuizawa.

    Reputation slightly increases with the people of Fire Capital.

    [Failure:]

    New title.

    Reputation decreases with Tsunade Senju, Shizune Kato and Karuizawa.

    Reputation slightly decreases with the people of Fire Capital.

    [ept] Y/N

    Daichi held his breath and then let it out. He epted the quest and got ready.

    And like that Daichi''s medic training officially began. Shizune went outside the room and brought the first patient.

    "Remember Daichi. Communication, diagnosis and treatment." Tsunade gave a few more words of advice and then sat quietly.

    Daichi nodded and looked at his first patient. It was a teenage boy. Daichi gave the kid a once over the moment he walked through the doors.

    ''Based on his outfit and the scars on his palms I''d say he''s a carpenter. Or a trainee one He''s holding his right wrist. I don''t see any external injury other than swelling so probably a sprain.''

    "Hello." Daichi politely greeted the kid.

    The boy looked at Daichi and was surprised. "Aren''t you a little young to be a doctor?"

    Daichi had a slight twitch in his eye. "I''m that good. So what seems to be the problem"

    With that Daichi''s day at the hospital began. Just as he observed, his first patient came with a sprain. Since it wasn''t a serious injury, Daichi gave the basic treatment and dismissed him.

    Daichi remembered all the procedures, steps and treatment methods written in the books Tsunade gave him and he perfectly applied them.

    Shizune stood a few feet from Daichi and had a critical eye on everything.

    One after another, patients of all ages came to Daichi. Most of them were surprised to see a child treat them but some didn''t care.

    Daichi diagnosed a patient with blisters, pain and swelling. ''A minor second degree burn. Apply antibiotics to kill bacteria and elevate the burn area to reduce swelling and pain.''

    At the beginning Daichi was somewhat unsure of the steps even though he memorized them. But as he got used to the situation his speed increased and his confidence grew.

    Shizune was surprised at how calm and methodical Daichi was. ''His hesitation has disappeared. And the way he perfectly applies the medicine He truly did memorize every book Lady Tsunade gave him. Incredible. He''s doing a lot better than I did on my first day.''

    As Daichi sessfully treated more and more people the severity of the injuries slightly increased.

    The next person that came to Daichi had a bleeding arm. Daichi was focused on the patient but at that moment Shizune discreetly looked at her mentor.

    Tsunade turned her head and looked outside the window the moment she saw the patient.

    Daichi didn''t pay attention to the two. He quickly analyzed the arm and came up with the remedy. ''Hmm It''s a superficial wound. Non critical. So, Capiry bleeding. Apply pressure and stop the blood flow. Clean the wound and apply antibiotics to stop any infection and dress the wound.''

    Daichi quickly moved with precision. He calmed the patient down and gently eased the man''s worries and quicklypleted his treatment.

    Once that was done and the patient left the room, Shizune stepped forward. "Well done Daichi. Why don''t we take a break?"

    Daichi, not sure why but nodded. "Umm Sure." He then looked at the Sannin Tsunade sitting near the window clutching her green gem ne with a slightly shaky arm.

    His eyes widened in realization. ''She must be reliving some traumatic memories. I better give them some space.''

    "Yeah. A break sounds good. Why don''t I get something to drink? Do you want any Miss Shizune?" Daichi asked as he turned his attention to his senpai.

    "I''m good. Go." She replied with a small smile.

    Daichi nodded and left the room.

    Shizune turned to her master and was slightly saddened at the sight.

    "I really must be in a pathetic state for you to look at me like that." Tsunade looked towards her apprentice and tried to smile. "Come on. Cheer up. I''ll be fine"

    Shizune slightly frowned. ''That''s a poor lie. You''re far from fine. You''re not happy. And haven''t been for a long time. I haven''t seen you smile like you truly mean it in a long time''

    "Do you think he''s already figured it out?"

    Tsunade''s question brought Shizune out of her thoughts.

    "About your"

    Tsunade merely nodded to the iplete question.

    Shizune thought about it and replied. "He''s smart. He must have seen the state you were in and came to some conclusion. And even if he hasn''t, since he''s training under you, it won''t be long before he figures it out."

    Tsunade smirked at that. "Something tells me he already knows or at least figured it out. He probably left the room to give me some space Cheeky brat."

    "You think he knew about it before today? Do you think Kensei would have told him?" Shizune asked with a surprise.

    The slug Sannin shook her head. "Kensei isn''t the kind of person to tell someone something like that. Not even to his grandson If Daichi did know then he must have found out some other way. But if he didn''t then I''m pretty sure he must have suspected it after seeing my reaction to thest patient."

    Shizune nodded.

    Meanwhile Daichi was roaming the halls of the hospital. He got something to eat and was feeling mentally refreshed after taking a break.

    He reviewed the events of the day and smiled. ''I''m getting better and better. I haven''t made a mistake so far and must keep it that way. Tsunade really is a genius when ites to medical stuff. Her books contained information that made everything I learned about the field seem like nothing. The precise and most effective methods of treatment and medicine were her creations. She truly is a master of the field.''

    After a while Daichi got back to the examination room and continued treating his patients.

    Daichi gained experience with treating burns, bleeding, concussion, setting a split and more. He learned and experienced how to stitch up and close wounds and set the dislocated bones right. His basic skills and overall experience and understanding improved at tremendous pace.

    As Daichi treated each patient his reputation with said patient would also slightly increase. The day soon came to a close. Daichi sessfullypleted his quest and got a new skill that paired well with his current needs.

    [Quest ''Heal the patients'' Completed.]

    [Rewards:]

    6000 Exp.

    [New skill: First Aid ]

    [Reputation increases with Tsunade Senju, Shizune Kato, Karuizawa.]

    [Reputation slightly increases with the people of Fire Capital.]

    [You have leveled up.]

    .

    [First Aid - Passive(LV.1): A basic and necessary skill for any ninja. This skill enables the user to heal themselves or others and remove poisons and other non critical debuffs. With more proficiency the user can create a variety of bandages from different clothes and increase the HP restored. Higher level increases faster HP recovery.]

    [Effects: ]

    [10 HP restored when applying First Aid.]

    [35% Increase in sessfully identifying normal poisons. ]

    [35% Increase in sessfully creating antidotes. ]

    [2% Increase in recovery speed.]

    [0.5% Increase in sessfully identifying unique and engineered poisons.]

    Daichi looked at the rewards and was happy. ''A level up and a new skill. Nice.'' He went over the effects of the skill ''First Aid''. ''A passive skill huh. Hmm With higher levels I can increase the HP restored and the recovery speed and this says it applies to everyone I use it on. So people I heal in the future will recover faster. That''s going toe in handy when I''m in a team Only 35% in identifying poisons and creating anti venoms? I learned all the poisons and antidotes written in those books. And I''m pretty sure I can follow the steps and create antidotes. So shouldn''t it be 100%?''

    After thinking about it some more, Daichi came to a conclusion. ''Tsunade only gave me a portion of the books. She must still be holding out the important stuff. Hmm Now that I think about it, that makes sense. Looks like there is still much I need to learn.''

    "Not bad. You did well on your first day. But things will only get harder from here. So don''t get overconfident." Lady Tsunade''s voice brought Daichi out of his thoughts.

    He nodded. "I understand."

    "You''re done for the day. Meet us here tomorrow morning at the same time. Let''s go, Shizune! I need a drink." With those words the Senju left the room.

    Daichi gave a small bow and spoke to Shizune. "Thank you for the guidance. I''ll see you tomorrow."

    The woman nodded and smiled at the boy and they both went their separate ways.

    Without wasting time Daichi headed straight home. He met Kensei who was going over some documents.

    "So how was your first day as a medic ninja trainee?"

    "It felt a bit overwhelming at the beginning but I got used to it pretty quickly. The day passed without any problems." Daichi replied.

    Kensei nodded. "Well, it''s your first day Daichi! You''ll experience many hardships, but if you can persevere and move forward, you can be something truly great."

    Daichi smiled at the encouraging words. "I n to."

    Daichi went to his room and started on his academic assignment that was given to him. There were many he needed toplete and he got to work.

    -

    "Sake! Another bottle of sake." Tsunade emptied another bottle and yelled at the waiter. Shizune, who drank with her master, was passed out on the chair near her.

    "You seem to be having a good time." The voice of Jiraiya came. His eyes then went to the woman passed out next to his former teammate. "Looks like Shizune is done for the day."

    Tsunade looked at her apprentice. "Even after all this time She still can''t handle her booze. What a wimp."

    "Hahaha. I doubt anybody can hold a candle to you when ites to booze." The toad sageughed and sat down. "You look more and more beautiful each day."

    "What do you want, you pervert? Shouldn''t you be off somewhere doing ''research'' for your trashy book"?

    "Not tonight." Jiraiya took out a bottle and poured himself a cup and then handed Tsunade the bottle. They both drank and stayed quiet for a while.

    "How''s the brat?" Jiraiya asked her.

    Tsunade took a few moments before answering. "You weren''t kidding... He has enormous talent and potential. And it''s not just that He has a strong mind. His mental focus, his concentration It''s far above normal."

    Jiraiya nodded. "I told you sensei wasn''t wrong about him. He made a good choice sending the kid to you."

    "I''ll hold up my end of the deal. I''ll teach the brat as much as I can. But after that I''m done."

    Jiraiya only nodded to the words and didn''t say anything else. They enjoyed each other''spany in silence.

    -

    For Daichi, a routine slowly formed. Each day he would wake up early andplete his morning workouts and then would go to the hospital and train under Tsunade and Shizune for about 6 hours. He learned how to treat several types of injuries and became adept at identifying different diseases and poisons. His skill steadily leveled up. After his time at the hospital he would go home andplete the academy assignments for the day and then train his ninjutsu skills with the remaining time or just roam the capital.

    Tsunade and Shizune were impressed with Daichi. They were surprised that he could keep hisposure even under great stress and correctly make a diagnosis. He was always so calm and in control that they sometimes felt as if they were looking at a professional medic and not a trainee.

    The days turned into weeks and soon a month passed.

    ----------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 119: Seek the Hidden Truth of the Necklace

    Chapter 119: Seek the Hidden Truth of the Ne

    It was thest day of April. Daichi had spent everyday training in the hospital and improving his basic medical skills. He also didn''t neglect his other chakra training.

    The day wasing to a close and Daichi was just about toplete his shift when an emergency urred.

    "Lady Tsunade! We need your help." A nurse at the hospital barged into the room. She had a patient with her that seemed to be in agony.

    "Lay him down." Shizune and Daichiid the patient down on the examination table.

    "He came in with severe pain in his abdominal area. We ran a diagnostic and sensed abnormal chakra fluctuations."

    "We''ll take it from here." Shizune told the nurse and after giving them the relevant information she left.

    "Well Daichi, you''re up. He is in pain and his chakrawork is behaving erratically. So identify the problem quickly and solve it or Shizune will step in." Tsunade spoke at that moment.

    Daichi nodded and looked over at the patient. He ran a medical diagnostic jutsu created by Tsunade and quickly identified the problem.

    "He has a parasite in his abdominal area and it''s leeching off his chakra. He needs surgery." Daichi spoke and quickly put on the gloves and took a clean scalpel.

    The room they were in was clean and was capable of such a situation. Daichi prepared the patient and he cleaned the area and cut into the person''s body. He quickly reached the intended area where the parasite wasying and carefully cut it out. It wiggled and sent the drops of blood on its body flying everywhere. Daichi ced it in a container and quickly closed the wound. He was calm the entire time and moved with precision. His high dexterity helped in making it a perfect surgery with no mistakes.

    "Done." Daichi said. He called the nurse back and she took the unconscious patient out of the room.

    It was only then that Daichi turned around to look at his mentors. He saw a few drops of blood on Tsunade''s hands and she was shaking like a leaf. Shizune calmed her down in a low voice and quickly wiped the blood of her master.

    Tsunade looked at the two people in the room. Her eyes fell on Daichi and she felt like a failure at that moment. ''How pathetic! At this point a child is a better medic than me.''

    "I need some air." With those words she quickly left the room.

    Daichi sighed at the scene. ''Trauma like that It''s not something that can be ovee with ease Well unless you befriend the protagonist of the series''

    His eyes then went to Shizune. Even though he knew the reason he still asked. "She has hemophobia doesn''t she? What happened?"

    Shizune let out a small breath and looked sad at that question.

    "It was something that happened a long time ago She had two great loves in her life. The two most important people to her. The first was her brother. Nawaki Senju. He had dreams of bing Hokage. On his twelfth birthday after learning his goal, Lady Tsunade entrusted him with the green gem ne and hoped he would achieve his dreams The ne once belonged to her grandfather, the First Hokage. So she thought Nawaki deserved it. He died the day after in an unfortunate ident during a mission"

    Daichi nodded slightly and didn''t speak. ''If I remember right, then his body was blown up and the only thing that was intact was the ne.''

    Shizune continued without knowing Daichi''s thoughts. "It took a long time for her to recover from that. The second person she loved was my uncle. Dan Kato. He too had the same dream of bing Hokage and he was the second person she entrusted the ne to. Shortly after, during the second world war his team was ambushed and he was gravely injured. Lady Tsunade couldn''t save his life and he died in her arms From that day she became afraid of blood She holds onto the ne because it reminds her of her loss."

    "So that ne represents the two great losses of her life huh If she wants to recover and move on then she should entrust the ne to someone else." Daichi said this because he wanted to see if he could cure Tsunade of her phobia. And he felt that the person who should have the gem was Naruto. Daichi had no interest in bing Hokage and he had no interest in getting the green gem from the Sannin.

    Shizune shook her head hearing that. "It''s not that easy. There is more to that ne. Lady Tsunade believes it is cursed. She believes anyone who wears it other than her will die. So she won''t give it up to anyone."

    Daichi crossed his arms as he thought about that detail. ''Right. There is that''

    At that moment an unexpected quest box appeared.

    [Quest Created] - ''Seek the Hidden Truth of the Ne.''

    [Tsunade and those around her believe there is a curse on the first Hokage''s ne that would kill anyone who wears it other than Tsunade Senju. But is this the truth? Investigate what happened in secret and find the hidden truth of the ne. ]

    [No time limit.]

    [Once you''ve found the truth, you have two options.]

    [Option 1:]

    Reveal the truth to Tsunade.

    [Rewards:]

    15000 Exp.

    Reputation might increase or decrease with Tsunade, Shizune and possibly others.

    [Note: Revealing the truth to Tsunade will have unknown consequences.]

    [Option 2:]

    Keep what you''ve learned to yourself.

    .

    [Rewards:]

    15000 Exp.

    [Failure:]

    If you are caught investigating the incidents then certain dangerous individuals will have their eyes on you.

    [Possible death]

    .

    [ept] Y/N

    After telling the story Shizune left the room to find her master but Daichi was standing still staring at the quest box. He read the contents and was astonished.

    ''What the hell? There''s more to the story behind what happened? And the failure part of the quest Certain dangerous individuals and possible death So does that mean''

    Several thoughts went through Daichi''s mind and he came to a conclusion. ''The death of Nawaki Senju and Dan Kato They weren''t idents. It was both nned Two assassinations disguised as idents.''

    After thinking about it for a few more seconds Daichi epted the quest despite the risks. He was far too curious now. He decided he would think about it more once he got home.

    He washed up and stepped out of the room. He saw a much calmer Tsunade and Shizune waiting for him along with the head of the hospital Dr. Karuizawa.

    "I''m impressed young man. You passed the month without any problems. You treated every patient correctly. A perfect record. Which is unheard of for a trainee and even some doctors." The man spoke with arge smile.

    [Reputation increased with Karuizawa, Tsunade Senju and Shizune.]

    "Your basic training has nowe to an end. If you wish to practice your medical arts you are wee here."

    Daichi gave a small polite bow and thanked the man for the opportunity. ''Thanks to Tsunade''s books I know every part of the human body, the problems that can arise and how to treat them efficiently and correctly. And with the Gamer''s Mind keeping me calm and my absolute recall skill treatment is no problem. Add in my ''observe'' skill and diagnosing and urately identifying a patient''s illness was easy too...''

    Once Karuizawa left, Daichi turned to his two teachers.

    "Come on brat. Let''s go. We''re celebrating tonight. My treat." Tsunade said with a smirk and led the way. They made their way to the red phoenix restaurant and this time went to the First floor.

    They found a quiet private spot and gave their order.

    Tsunade looked at Daichi and was deeply impressed with his skills and talents. She never met a child with as much raw potential as him. ''He didn''t make a single mistake throughout the month. He was able to correctly identify the problem and solve it every time. Even I made mistakes when I started out. But then again I didn''t have the knowledge he had. But still. To apply that knowledge into practice correctly His potential is vast.''

    "You''vepleted your training for the first month and performed the tasks perfectly. I have to admit. You have some skill. You know You could be an excellent medic and spend your days in minimal danger and lead afortable life if you be a medic at the hospital here." Tsunade said as she looked at the boy.

    "I know. But that''s not the life I want And you already know that."

    The Senju merely smirked at that reply.

    "Take a few days off to rest. After that we''ll get started on the advanced stuff. It will only get difficult for you from this point forward."

    Daichi nodded. ''Finally I''ll be able to learn medical ninjutsu and can master it much faster thanks to my perfect control. Based on the speed, I should be able to learn everything she can teach me in the next couple years.''

    The food soon arrived and everyone enjoyed themselves.

    "So Daichi, what are your ns for the next two days?" Shizune asked the boy.

    Daichi paused for a moment and thought about it. After a short while he had an answer. "I''m thinking about starting on the first step of the change in chakra nature for lightning. Since I have the next few days off I''ll be able to start on that andplete it in a month or two."

    The slight Sannin smirked and looked at the boy. "You really think you can master the first step in just two months while training in medical ninjutsu andpleting your daily academy assignments!?"

    "Yes. I would have mastered it in less than 2 or 3 weeks if I had nothing to do but as you''ve said, I have plenty on my te already. That''s why I said two months" Daichi had a smirk on his face as he replied.

    "You''re a cocky little brat aren''t you?"

    "You''re only now figuring that out?" Daichi looked at her and took a bite of his food.

    Tsunade''s eyes twitched as she looked at the smug grin on the boy''s face. ''Why this little''

    Shizune awkwardlyughed looking at the scene. ''Daichi Please don''t antagonize Lady Tsunade. I really like this restaurant.''

    "Don''t you have anything else to do? Don''t you have any hobbies?" Tsunade asked him as she drank some sake.

    "Well I cook when the mood hits me and I asionally paint But... now that I think about it I haven''t had much time for those recently." Daichi pondered on that though. ''I need to enjoy myself. I can''t spend all my time training even though I like it I need to experience more in life''

    "Wait! You paint?" Shizune asked him.

    Daichi nodded and Shizune made a request for a portrait of herself. Daichi epted and told her he would make one in a couple weeks.

    A couple hourster the small party winded down and Daichi went home.

    When he got home he noticed that Kensei wasn''t around. ''Must be on a trip outside the capital again He''s been going out a lot more,tely. Wonder why?''

    Daichi didn''t think about it more because he had something else in his mind.

    Hepleted his daily assignments and justid in his bed. He thought about the recent quest that was created.

    ''Seek the hidden truth of the ne. It''s the first time I got a quest with different options like this. Not telling Tsunade and nothing happens, but telling Tsunade can create some kind of ripple effect And what''s more is the reward for telling her... My reputation might decrease? How is that even possible? Just what kind of secret is it?''

    Daichi went over everything he knew about the deaths and about the two characters.

    ''Nawaki Senju and Dan Kato. To the show they were just side characters that were created to move the plot forward. But this isn''t a show It''s real life. At least for me''

    Daichi took a deep breath and thought about the situation.

    ''It looks like their deaths were nned murders instead of some ident that happened on a mission So who would benefit from the death of a genin and a Jonin? Is it the work of one individual or two individuals? Or is it an organization that''s behind their deaths? Is Danzo involved in this? Both of them wanted to be Hokage Is that the reason? No. Nawaki was just a kid. He wasn''t a threat. And I doubt Danzo would order the assassination on the grandchild of the First Hokage Still can''tpletely rule him out.''

    Daichi frowned as he looked at the ceiling of his room. ''There are too many variables. Dan, Nawaki, Tsunade, the Senju n, Hokage, the ne There are too many things connected. But what was it that caused their deaths?''

    Daichi thought about it some more and made a decision. ''I need more information. In the meantime I need toe up with some theories that connect all the dots. I''ve seen the show in its entirety. The clue must be hidden in there somewhere''

    ----------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 120: Sculpting Skill and Lightning Nature

    Chapter 120: Sculpting Skill and Lightning Nature

    Daichi woke up precisely at 4 am. He was used to waking up so early and he began his morning workouts. Daichipleted them and meditated for a couple hours. He had several thoughts running through his mind.

    ''I have a couple days off So should I start lightning nature training today or tomorrow?.. Hmm I''ll begin on that tomorrow. Before I start that training I need to check my skill list and see what level all of them are at and see if any of them needs leveling up.''

    Daichi opened his skill list and went through each skill. As he went down the list his eyes reached a certain skill he hadn''t truly started on yet.

    [Creation - Active(LV.3): This skill is used for creating an item. As the skill increases, items with greater quality can be created. This skill can be used to even create legendary and Mythical items. But blueprints are required for such creations. The items are divided into 5 grades. Common, Rare, Unique, Legendary and Mythical.]

    [Note: The chakra cost of the skill, depends on the chakra supplied.]

    [Effects: ]

    [16.5% Chance when creating Common grade items.]

    [ 1% Chance when creating Rare grade items. ]

    [ 0% Chance when creating Unique grade items.]

    [ 0% Chance when creating Legendary grade items. ]

    [ 0% Chance when creating Mythical grade items.]

    ''This is an extremely important skill but I haven''t had the time to use it. But it still managed to reach level 3''

    The answer quickly came to him. ''It''s most likely my painting skill. I created several artworks and it''s a crafting skill So it is possible it will have an effect on this skill''

    Daichi got up and went for a walk around the capital. He had several ideas in mind but he wasn''t sure if he should follow through with them.

    ''The gamer ability is truly an OP ability. I could learn a lot of non shinobi rted stuff in a short amount of time But should I do it or just focus on the chakra and ninja skill aspects''

    As Daichi walked through the streets he came near a sculpture shop.

    ''Terra crafts house''. It was the name of the shop. Daichi saw several sculptors working on various materials.

    At that moment a thought went through Daichi. ''I can learn important skills like sculpting and cksmithing and it would definitely increase my creation skill level. Now that I think about it, I''ll be able to create different weapons and armor as well if I can level it up to a high degree And these are important life skills I''ll need in the future So it''s not a bad thing to learn them.''

    Daichi made a decision and entered the shop. He quickly found the owner of the ce. Daichi asked the man if he could just observe the workers that were in the shop for the day. At first the man refused but Daichi was able to change his decision with the promise of 20000 Ryo.

    The man''s eyes went to the money in Daichi''s hand and he changed his mind. "You only want to see how they work for the day, right?"

    Daichi nodded his head. "Yes. Just for today and I''ll only be observing them. I promise I won''t disturb them from their work."

    "Fine." The head sculptor Morman finally agreed. Daichi gave him the money and created two clones. Each clone along with himself picked the three most talented workers in the ce and started observing them.

    Daichi and his clones carefully memorized everything the workers did. From the way they use the tools to the movements of their wrists, hands and body. Daichi had the ability to memorize everything and it greatly helped him.

    By the time evening came Daichi had a solid understanding of the sculpting arts. He knew what tools to use and how to use them. He bought a set of carving knives and tools and a couple blocks of wood. He headed straight home and began his work.

    Daichi had an image in mind and he began carving the wood in front of him. He worked slowly and methodically. He carved the wood away bit by bit and a short whileter the image he had in his mind began to appear in it.

    The image of a man started to appear and with each minute and with more delicate details added the identity of the man became clearer.

    Kensei Yasaji. Yes. Daichi was creating a small sculpture of his grandfather. After an hour the work was done. The sculpture had a great resemnce to the old man. The details Daichi added to it were so urate that one might think it was a miniature Kensei.

    At that moment Daichi heard the system message sound.

    [A new skill is created with a specific action.]

    [By carving the wood and creating a good sculpture, the skill ''Sculpting'' has been created.]

    [Sculpting - Passive(LV.01): A production skill that helps the user create sculptures of various shapes, sizes and designs. This skill helps the user in carving or engraving on various types of materials. Although this is limited at the moment due to the low level. Artworks created in the future that have high artistic value can be worth a fortune. Sculptures created at higher levels can be imbued with some effects. This skill is divided into 4 grades. Common - Great - Epic - Masterpiece. Mastering this skill can increase the level of other crafting skills.]

    Current grade: Common.

    [Effects: ]

    [5% Increase in visual appeal of the sculpture.]

    [5% Increase of uracy when sculpting.]

    [1% Chance of engraving unique patterns when sculpting. ]

    [Increase reputation throughout thend.]

    "Yes!" Daichi had a wide smile. ''I knew it. I knew I would get the necessary skill if I made a good sculpture.''

    Daichi looked at the small statue in his hand. ''This will make an excellent gift for the old man.''

    Daichi ced the statue in a safe ce and went over the new sculpting skill. ''I can make a lot of money with this skill And the ability to add effects to my works That''ll definitelye in handy This is definitely an excellent skill.''

    At that moment another notification appeared.

    [Skill Creation''s level has risen by one.]

    ''Just as I suspected. Creation is an ultimate crafting skill which can be used to make legendary or mythical items like the des of the seven swordsmen of the mist or even something like Itachi''s spirit weapons I need to level up the creation skill fast and the best way to do it is to level up the production skills like painting and sculpting. I also need to learn cksmithing at ater date With that skill I''ll be able to create Armor and weapons that this world has never seen before''

    A grin formed on Daichi''s face as he thought of the different possibilities. ''When the timees my name will be known to everyone. They will know me as not just the greatest ninja but a man of many talents I will spread my name throughout the world.''

    Daichi decided to add sculpting and painting to his training. He would create three or four sculptures and artworks each week and improve the level of the rted skills and the creation skill.

    ''With each day I''m adding more and more things to my ''to do'' list. Leveling up, Medical ninjutsu training, chakra training, academy assignments, dungeons and now sculpting But even though there are a lot of things I have to do, I don''t feel overwhelmed at all All I''m feeling is excitement''

    With a wide smile and a satisfying day Daichi went to sleep. The next day after his morning routine Daichi was in his backyard sitting under a tree. He picked up a leaf and held it between his fingers.

    ''I shouldn''t dy it any longer. It''s time to train the change in chakra nature for lightning.''

    Daichi remembered the information on the Lightning training methods from Kensei''s books.

    ''For the lightning nature I need to separate the chakra into many pieces and make the chakra bounce and hit each other. This will generate spark and heat and then I have to rejoin the chakra and concentrate it on the leaf.''

    Daichi held the leaf between his palms and began the 4th chakra nature training.

    Daichi closed his eyes and focused. ''Concentrate.''

    With each chakra control technique and chakra nature mastered, Daichi''s Chakra Affinity and Chakra Maniption skills have also leveled up. This in turn made it easier for him to utilize his chakra with each passing day.

    Daichi gathered his chakra and was able to quickly split it into many pieces. He started bouncing the tiny pieces of energy and made them hit against each other. Daichi visualized and concentrated on how his chakra felt when using lightning jutsu and focused on it.

    It was a sess. After a minute Daichi rejoined his chakra and poured it to the leaf. The sound of the system alerted him to the oue of his experiment.

    "Ding."

    [A new skill is created with a specific action.]

    [Lightning - Leaf scorching technique - (Active/Passive)(LV. 1): A lightning chakra affinity training skill obtained through continuously focusing chakra to a leaf and scorching it. A basic technique to help the user increase the strength of their lightning chakra nature.]

    [Note: Increasing the level of this skill will increase the level of the skill ''Lightning Affinity.'']

    [Effects:]

    [1% increase in Lightning Chakra control. ]

    [CP cost : 52/sec.]

    ''Leaf scorching technique, huh! Well The name is apt I suppose.''

    Daichi looked at the leaf between his palms and saw that a small portion of it was scorched ck.

    ''It''s a bit different from fire. With fire the leaf would burn and the burned portion would immediately crumble to ash but now when using lightning, the portion of the leaf is scorched ck. Almost charred.''

    Daichi examined the leaf with a critical eye.

    ''An ipletebustion due to being subjected to high heat. The heat removed the hydrogen and oxygen and now the only thing remaining in the charred portions are primarily made of carbons.''

    Daichi thought about the applications of the lightning chakra nature. Just as water can be boiled and turned to vapor or cooled and turned to ice, lightning can be used in various ways.

    ''Right now I need to master the 5 different natures. Then I''ll see if I can start on creating Ninjutsu andbine different natures''

    Daichi created 10 clones and 2 of them went to meditate while the others picked up some leaves. ''If I want to stand above the rest then I need to fight on a higher level. Create techniques that they never even thought of''

    Daichi then opened his skill list and checked the Lightning Affinity skill.

    [Lightning affinity - (Active/Passive)(LV.20): Lightning Release is one of the five basic nature transformations. It ismonly affiliated with Snake hand-seal. Once this skill crosses Level 85 the user can manipte all forms of electricity dwelling in all matter known as Charged Particles. This will boost the user''s lightning powers several times. Once this skill crosses Level 90, the user canbine it with other nature affinities which have also crossed Level 90.]

    [Effects: ]

    [40% Increase in Lightning attack jutsu.]

    [40% Increase in Lightning defense jutsu.]

    [18% Increase in sess when creating Lightning style jutsu.]

    [10% Decrease in Chakra cost when using Lightning style jutsu.]

    ''Level 20 huh. It''s low but that will increase to at least level 75 by the time I''m done with the first two steps.''

    And thus Daichi began his change in chakra nature training of the year. He and his clones spent every second of the day on nothing but training and by midnight he was able to level up the Leaf scorching technique to 16.

    Daichi freshened up, ate some food and went to bed. As heid there he thought about his n for the year.

    ''I will have to resume my medical training tomorrow so I won''t be able to make such fast progress on chakra training. But still Leaving 2 clones for training and one for meditation and gathering chakra each day won''t be a problem I''ll also have to finish the dungeon run quickly.''

    He thought about the many things he had to aplish this year. With several ns for the future in mind, Daichi quickly went to sleep.

    ----------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 121: Medical Ninjutsu - Tests and Skills

    Chapter 121: Medical Ninjutsu - Tests and Skills

    "Wait! You made this?" Kensei asked Daichi in disbelief as he looked at the miniature version of himself in his hand.

    "Yup."

    "When? How? Since when do you know sculpting?"

    "I learned it a few ago." Daichi shrugged and replied.

    Kensei''s jaw slightly dropped as he heard the nonchnt answer. ''A few days ago? This is something that takes months and years to learn I thought this kid was talented in just the ninja arts But, it seems I was so wrong His natural talent is unbelievable''

    Kensei looked at the small statue and a happy smile formed. "Thank you Daichi. This is wonderful."

    Daichi just smiled as he looked at the old man.

    "So how is your training with Tsunade?" Kensei asked the boy.

    "Well"

    shback.

    Daichi was in Tsunade''s apartment. "There are severalponents when ites to being a medic. The first and foremost is knowledge. Thenes basic applications. Since you''ve done well on the first two parts, we''ll move to the next stage."

    The Slug Sannin and her apprentice were in front of a table that held three tall ss jars.

    The first jar had two different colored sands mixed in. The second one had liquids of two different colors mixed and the third had 4 types of colored liquids.

    Tsunade looked at Daichi and spoke.

    "Alright brat, listen up. Your task is simple. I want you to separate the solids and liquids in the three containers into differentyers. In the first jar it''s the samepound, sand, but with two colors. In the second jar it''s the same concept but instead of a solid substance you have to separate two liquids. In the third you have to separate not just 4 types ofpounds but each one is simr yet unique. They might look the same but the substances are different from one another."

    Daichi nodded in understanding. He looked at the three ss jars on the table. "You want me to use chakra and separate thepounds huh. This is simr to how one separates poison and other foreign materials from the tissue or blood"

    The woman agreed. "Precisely. The antidote jutsu! Now get to work."

    Daichi stepped near the table and went to the first jar. The container had green and blue sand mixed in. Daichi ced his palms above the container and concentrated his chakra. The sand in the container started to swirl.

    Due to Daichi''s precise control over his chakra, his sharp eyes and the knowledge of differentpounds he was able to quickly finish the first task. Within a couple minutes Daichi separated the two colored sands into twoyers. Green on the bottom and blue on top.

    "Done." Daichi took a step back and Tsunade ced her hands on the container and used her chakra and started inspecting the jar.

    Shizune was surprised at how quickly Daichi was able to finish the exercise. ''Even I couldn''tplete it that fast on my first try. Lady Tsunade was right. His chakra control is unbelievable and along with his knowledge and ability to quickly identify unique substances Daichi''s Truly incredible.''

    Tsunade finished her inspection and stepped back. "Alright, start on the next one."

    The Sannin watched the child step forward and ce his hands atop the second jar and concentrate chakra to his palms. ''Separating liquidspounds will be much more difficult than solids.'' She crossed her arms and let the kid focus on the task.

    Daichi concentrated his chakra and the blended water of yellow and red began to swirl in the jar. He focused. ''This is a bit more difficult than before but I got this.''

    It took a minute longer than before but Daichi was able to sessfully separate the two colored liquids into differentyers.

    "Start on thest one." Tsunade ordered as she stepped forward and checked the results of the second jar.

    She examined everything with a critical eye. ''Perfect. He perfectly isted them down to the most minute point.''

    It took a bit longer than the other two but Daichi sessfullypleted the third task as well.

    He took a step back and let out a breath. ''Now I know why medical ninjas are so rare. This is tough. And I''m only just beginning. And if it''s tough for me I can only imagine how difficult it must be for others For Sakura to learn from Tsunade in just 3 years Her talent for the medical arts is outstanding. But then again it wasn''t just her talent. She had a purpose for her training.''

    Tsunade examined the third container and was satisfied with the results. "Not bad. Your chakra control is precise and that''s going to be your greatest advantage when ites to learning medical ninjutsu."

    At that moment Shizune brought a white doll and ced it on the examination table. Tsunade quickly made arge cut on its chest. She pointed to the doll and spoke.

    "This is a special doll capable of mimicking the reaction of a human body when medical chakra is used on it. Your next task is to rejoin the wounded area on the chest. This is the healing jutsu."

    Daichi stepped forward and concentrated chakra to his palms. He identified what part was damaged and quickly followed through on the healing. He urately applied his chakra and the cut on the doll''s body began to close. Daichi kept a steady flow of chakra and after a short while hepletely closed the wound.

    Shizune and Tsunade examined the doll and were impressed. "Well done. Two more and we''ll be done for the day."

    Shizune quickly brought thest two items and ced them on the table. It was a small branch with flower buds and thest was a fish.

    Daichi''s next task was to bloom the flower buds in a small branch.

    Tsunade spoke. "This is simr to applying chakra to someone in life saving emergency situations. If you can make the buds bloom, you''ve seeded."

    Daichi once again began his work and focused. He sensed chakra in the small branch and more so in the flower buds. ''Hmm All things in nature have chakra. So even if it''s cut off from the tree it still has chakra. For it to bloom I need to concentrate on the yang aspect of the chakra and apply it. Can''t use too much or too little. It must be urate.''

    Due to Daichi''s sharp chakra control and the skills associated with it he was able to easily alter the Yin and Yang ratios in his chakra.

    And the results showed. The flower buds slowly started to bloom. A few secondster the green chakra between Daichi''s palm died down and he held the small branch with several bloomed flowers on it.

    The eyes of the other two upant''s in the room widened. Tsunade looked at Daichi and slightly smiled. ''He already figured it out! The fact that he can make the buds bloom means he can even alter the ratio of his spiritual and physical energy with absolute control And he got it on the first try too. His talent it''s far beyond Shizune and possibly even me!''

    Daichi moved on to thest one. ''Reviving the fish huh! Let''s get to it then.''

    Green chakra lit up around Daichi''s palms and he sensed the life force of the fish.

    ''Too much chakra and it''ll burn the cells and disrupt the cirction and too little, there won''t be any effects I need to measure the amount of chakra needed ordingly.''

    Daichi had to take several aspects of the fish into ount. It''s size, the strength of its chakra coils and tissue and more. He calmly and carefully stimted its cells with chakra and before long the fish started to move and a few secondster it started wiggling on the table.

    "Congrattions. You''vepleted the necessary requirements to begin healing patients using medical ninjutsu. The fact that you got it so quickly It''s impressive." Tsunade didn''t hold back in her praise. She respected someone''s talents and she could see that Daichi had an abundance of it.

    "Today''s session is over. Tomorrow we''ll begin with medical ninjutsu on the patients and I''ll show you the different techniques." Tsunade headed out after giving her instructions.

    Shizune came near Daichi and had a smile on her face. "You did well Daichi. Your skills are very impressive. Your first day as a true medical ninja will begin tomorrow So make sure to get plenty of rest."

    Daichi nodded. As he was about to leave, Shizune invited him. "Would you like to join us, Daichi? I''m sure Lady Tsunade wouldn''t mind."

    "No, thank you. I''m currently working on the first step of my lightning nature transformation. I''m a third of the way there."

    "What!? Already? But it''s only been like 4 days since you started on it." Shizune was shocked at his progress.

    Daichi awkwardly rubbed the back of his head and slightly chuckled. ''I probably don''t need to tell her that I only started on it 3 days ago since I spent the first day sculpting.''

    "What can I say? I''m really good at that stuff Well I''ll see you tomorrow." Daichi left the ce and headed home. Due to Daichipleting the tasks so quickly, he was able to reach his home before noon.

    As he reached home Daichi looked at the 4 new skills that appeared after hepleted the 4 tasks.

    Antidote Jutsu, Healing Jutsu, Regenerative Healing Jutsu, Mystical Palm.

    Daichi checked the skill list and he saw that it had been rearranged. Just like his arsenal of Ninjutsu and Genjutsu were listed in different tabs, a new list was created with the name Medical Ninjutsu.

    ''Hmm This makes things easier. But then why isn''t that the case for taijutsu? Why is it marked with the other skills?''

    Daichi quickly came up with an answer. ''I have several ninjutsu and genjutsu and now I''ve learned 4 different medical techniques So for there to be a separate section for taijutsu I need to learn at least 3 or 4 different types of Taijutsu style huh At least that''s the one that makes the most sense.''

    Daichi went over the 4 new skills. He checked the effects and utilities of each skill.

    ''All are active skills at level 1. A C-rank jutsu with dangerous capabilities. The antidote Jutsu helps with identifyingplex poisons and creating the necessary antidotes. It also increases my chance of making a custom poison but that''s only after I level it above 75. With each level up the effects of the poisons or antidotes I create will increase. That will definitelye in handy.''

    ''Healing Jutsu. It''s a simple jutsu which treats non critical wounds. The user gathers healing chakra and moves it around the injured area. Cuts and bruises are healed at a fast rate. While deeper wounds take time. Used for treating external injuries. It was created for ordinary ninjas who have average reserves. The jutsu uses less chakra so it can be used by many but it''s not as effective as the Mystical Palm jutsu.''

    Daichi had an idea as he read the details of this technique. ''If Lee and I ever train together then this would be perfect for him. It can heal his body''s wear and tear and he''ll be able to train much more And it doesn''t affect the growth and strengthening of the tissues or muscles. With this jutsu his recovery time could be drastically reduced.''

    Daichi then went over the details of the Regenerative Healing Jutsu. ''An advanced A Rank jutsu only used in severe life threatening situations. It''s supposed to be performed on a patient alongside several otherpetent medic nins. An extremely difficult procedure. And it has a great chakra cost But I''ll be able to do it on my own once I have enough proficiency in it and arge enough chakra reserve The effects of this skill will be much better once I level it up... Making that flower bud bloom was just the tip of the iceberg. It was to see if I was capable yet There is still a long way to go.''

    His eyes then went to thest Jutsu he acquired for the day. Mystical palm jutsu.

    ''The user applies chakra to the wounded part of the body and elerates the body''s natural healing process. Can be used to treat both internal and external injuries. With each level up the HP recovered increases. Even though it requires a delicate chakra control it''s on the low end of difficulty for an A rank jutsu Hmm It seems due to my knowledge and perfect chakra control the sess rate of all the jutsus is over 80%. And since my gamer ability would auto correct any small mistakes I don''t have to worry that much.''

    After going through everything Daichi closed the skill list and went to the backyard. He dispelled his clones and the level up notifications for the Leaf scorching technique appeared.

    Daichi spent the day training and by evening Kensei had returned home.

    ----------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 122: 5th Year - Life in the Capital

    Chapter 122: 5th Year - Life in the Capital

    "Concentrate. Keep the flow steady and hold" Tsunade was standing near Daichi and giving instructions as he healed the patient in front of him.

    A minuteter the green chakra between Daichi''s palms died down.

    [You have sessfully healed your patient.] [134/10000]

    Daichi let out a breath as he saw the notification. ''One step closer topleting the quest.'' He wiped the sweat off his forehead and took a deep breath. He mind went to the quest he received after the first month of basic training.

    [Quest created - Be a prodigal Medic Ninja.]

    [Sessfully heal the people thate to you for help. Time limit: Before the end of March next year.]

    [Conditions:]

    Heal 10,000 People using your medic ninjutsu within the given time limit.

    .

    [Rewards:]

    [40000 Exp.]

    [+20 Stat points.]

    [Level of all medical skills that have not reached maximum would increase by 3.]

    [Reputation increases with Tsunade Senju, Shizune, Kensei Yasaji, Sarutobi Hiruzen, Jiraiya and people of the Fire country.]

    [New Title.]

    .

    [Failure:]

    [-3 Level.]

    [New Title.]

    [Reputation decreases with Tsunade Senju, Shizune and people of the Fire country.]

    Daichi was unsure when he first saw the number of people he would have to treat. But after thinking about it for a while he knew that it was possible. ''20 stat points is the equivalent of 4 levels and level increase of my medical skills by 3. There was no way I would have rejected the quest even with its penalty.''

    Daichi focused on the present and looked at the sedated patient he just treated. He stepped back to let his sensei examine his work.

    Tsunade checked the condition of the person on the hospital bed and nodded in approval. "His internal bleeding has stopped and you''ve set the bones perfectly. You healed most of the damage. Well done. The nurses will handle it from here."

    Daichi and Tsunade then left the room and they were joined by Shizune. She had a wide smile as she looked at the boy.

    "It''s only been 3 weeks but your skills have improved so much in such a short time. You''re a true genius Daichi."

    Daichi had a small blush as he rubbed his head and smiled. "Thanks Shizune senpai."

    "Now that today''s work is done I''m gonna hit the casinos. Shizune, youing?" Tsunade asked her former student.

    "Yes of course mydy. Who knows, maybe we''ll get lucky."

    "Wait! Aren''t you forgetting something sensei?" Daichi looked at the Sannin and with a small smirk.

    Tsunade groaned as she looked at the boy "I was hoping you''d forget that but with that perfect memory that''s not going to happen."

    The three left the hospital and went to Tsunade''s apartment. She sat down on the tatami mat and looked at Daichi who sat down opposite her. He took out three dice and put them in a small cup.

    He shook the cup and quickly ced it on the ground upside down.

    "Ladies first." Daichi had a smirk as he looked at the woman.

    "12." Tsunade called.

    "I''ll go with 5" Replied Daichi. He slowly lifted the cup and saw the results.

    "1, 2 and 4. Makes 7. Looks like I win again."

    The blond woman had a slight twitch in her eyebrows as she looked at the boy who was trying to look innocent but failing due to his smug grin.

    She let out a breath and went to her room and took a book from the shelf. She returned and gave them to Daichi. "There are advanced medical techniques in there that I developed a few years ago. Return it by the end of the week."

    "Yes sensei." Daichi nodded and took the book.

    Shizune let out a sigh as she watched the scene. She still remembered the event that led to this moment.

    Three weeks ago.

    "So you want to make another bet with me?" Tsunade asked Daichi.

    "Yes."

    "Why?"

    "I want to. And I really like it." Daichi replied with a smile.

    "Not interested brat." Tsunade replied and drank her sake.

    "How about this?" Daichi opened a scroll and stacks of money appeared. "The bet is for 500,000."

    Shizune was appalled. "Daichi, you''re too young to gamble. You shouldn''t do it."

    "It''s not a gamble if I know I''m going to win." Daichi said this to provoke the slug sannin and his strategy worked.

    "Alright brat. What''s the term?"

    "But mydy"

    "Not now Shizune. I''m about to win us some money." Tsunade said, keeping her eyes on the boy.

    "If you win you keep the money. If I win I get another book on medical techniques you wrote. I know you haven''t given me everything thest time And if I win, we do this again next week Until you win. But I doubt that''s gonna happen."

    "You cocky little... Deal! So what''s the game?"

    Daichi took out three dice and a small cup. "Each of the dice is a standard dice with 6 faces. So the highest number would be 18 and the lowest would be 3. I''ll ce them in the cup, shake them and ce the cup upside down. Whoever calls the number or the number closest to the total of the three numbers on the dice wins. If it''s a draw we do it again. Deal?"

    "Let''s do it."

    Daichi shook the cup and then quickly flipped and ced it upside down.

    "So wanna do the honors?"

    "You''re gonna lose and I''m gonna enjoy spending your money. I call 7!" Tsunade said with a confident smirk.

    "Hmm I''m gonna go with 14."

    Daichi then slowly lifted the cup and saw the oue. 5, 6 and 2. A total of 13. The number closest to it was 14.

    Daichi''s eyes widened. "Haha! I won."

    It was at that moment that Kensei came to the apartment. He opened the door and saw a grumpy Tsunade, Daichi with a wide smile and hands up in the air and between them were stacks of money and three dice. His eyes widened in disbelief.

    "Are you teaching my grandson to gamble?" Kensei asked as he gave the woman nasty look.

    "I did no such thing! And why are you criticizing me?"

    Shizune who looked at the whole situation could only sigh.

    Present Time.

    "Oh before I forget I have something for you two." Daichi took a storage scroll from his pocket and took out its contents.

    There were two paintings. One of Shizune and the other of Tsunade.

    "Here. I know it''s not much but this is a small token of my appreciation."

    Shizune took the painting of herself and was impressed. It was as if she was looking at a real live person. "Wow, Daichi. It''s incredible. Thank you."

    "Not bad." Tsunade looked at the image of herself and spoke.

    [Reputation increases with Tsunade Senju and Shizune.]

    Daichi smiled and left the ce a few momentster. He had several things running through his mind.

    ''In the next couple years she should encounter at least 1 good luck moment and win against me. That way I willplete the second half of the conditions required to open the luck stat. But her winning would also mean bad luck and danger. Have to be ready for that too.''

    Daichi made the bet so he could open the luck stat and to get more information and knowledge. A win win from his point of view.

    He quickly reached home andpleted the daily assignments and went to the small training area behind the house. He sat down and thought about everything he had to do and how to fully utilize his gamer ability.

    ''I learned several Ninjutsu, Genjutsu and medical techniques and now it''s best to improve the level of those skills. I''ll create or learn more skills during my Genin days.''

    Daichi then thought about the other important skills he would need. ''I can create weapons that this world has never seen. But I would have to learn cksmithing. And if I want to create objects like the Atamagai''s cloak then I''ll need to learn Tailoring and Sealing Arts. But that''s not all Mybat skills and weapons skills arecking. I also need to learn different Taijutsu styles to improve my hand to handbat and I need to learn to handle different types of weapons''

    Daichi let out a breath and looked at the sky. ''There are so many things I have to do With this year focused on medical training, I won''t be able to focus my attention on anything else other than the chakra control training. Next year it will most likely be the same and I have to start on the Creation Rebirth technique. So I''ll have to postpone everything non critical until after I be a genin.''

    Daichi let out a breath and took a leaf between his index and middle fingers. He ran chakra through it and in a second the entire leaf was in a wrinkled charred state. Proof of mastery of the first step of the Lightning nature.

    [Lightning - Leaf scorching technique - (Active/Passive)(LV. MAX): A lightning chakra affinity training skill obtained.]

    [Effects:]

    [100% increase in Lightning Chakra control.]

    [CP cost : 5/sec.]

    ''I''ll start on the second step in a couple days when Kenseies home.''

    -

    Daichi started on the second step of the lightning nature. Unlike the others where Daichi had to train by separating the waterfall, this time Daichi had to cut through a giant boulder.

    Kensei stood near him and spoke. "For the earth chakra nature, we blocked the waterfall, for the fire you separated and when training water nature you had to control the flow of the water and stop the waterfall. But this time we won''t be training on the waterfall."

    Kensei created a giant sturdy long earth wall. It was over a dozen inches thick and over 3 meters long. "Your goal is to pierce through the rock wall. Coat your hands in chakra and change it to lightning nature. Then m into the wall and release the energy. You need power and precision for this. When you release the chakra make sure not to spread the lightning chakra. It will reduce the power."

    Daichi nodded in understanding. He began training. ''The natural advantage that lightning has over earth won''t matter much here. This wall is far stronger than normal. The old man used quite a bit of chakra to create it so it''s going to be especially strong.''

    Daichi quickly coated his hands in lightning chakra and thrust his palms forward. The moment he made contact with the rock surface he released the chakra with the intent to pierce through. But his efforts only resulted in creating small scratches on the surface of the rock. ''I need to concentrate the lightning to a point and increase the piercing power.''

    Created a few clones and resumed his training. A few minutester he got the Skill ''Lightning - Rock Piercing Technique.''

    -

    Daichi attended medical training at the hospital and worked on his chakra training at home. He also worked on his sculpting and improved his painting skills as well.

    Daichi was able to create unique sculptures of various animals and sold them to ''Terra crafts house'' owner and head sculptor Mormon.

    The man was surprised that Daichi knew sculpting and was able to make such detailed sculptures. Since his impression of the boy was good and recognizing another talented artist, the man bought the sculptures from Daichi at a reasonable price and sold them at his shop.

    Daichi made sure to mark every sculpture with a small unique signature because he knew it''s value would increase in the future when his fame increased.

    That''s how it went for him. Daichi was busy almost all the time and he was happy about it. With each passing day his various skills improved and he was getting stronger and stronger.

    Months passed by and it was December. Tsunade gave Daichi a few days off and he was currently alone in his house. In his hand was a Dungeon Key.

    Daichi got it as a random reward after hepleted the daily exercises.

    The key was white in color indicating that it was a normal dungeon and the opponents would have a level gap of +5 or -5 with Daichi. Without wasting time he activated the key and disappeared from the room.

    ----------------

    Author''s Note:

    Fear not! The dungeon run will only be just 1 Chapter

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 123: Unknown skill and New Title

    Chapter 123: Unknown skill and New Title

    Daichi quickly walked to the locked dungeon gate and inserted the key.

    [You have reached the entrance to the dungeon - Hidden Mercenary Guild

    Would you like to enter?] [Y/N]

    "Yes yes. Let''s get on with it."

    The gates to the dungeon opened and Daichi entered without wasting time.

    [The titles ''Dungeon Warrior'' and ''Executioner'' are now active.]

    [All your stats are increased by 15% while inside the dungeon. All your stats will increase by 7% when fighting enemy ninjas.]

    ''When I was studying the history of the capital I came across a few mentions of a mercenary guild that operated here. They were prevalent before the time of ninja viges and their system So this dungeon must be created based on that long forgotten guild.''

    In front of him was arge district with dozens and dozens of houses and a small castle could be seen at the back. ''Still It''s a bit strange. I thought the level would be much higher but based on the color of the dungeon key the strongest opponent I would face here would only be 5 levels higher than me at most. Based on my stats alone there is no way I would lose.''

    Daichi had been rigorously training everyday. He only slept the bare minimum and on the days when his grandfather wasn''t home Daichi would even forgo sleep. But due to his great vitality and meditation techniques he would be able to perform his daily tasks without any problems.

    He opened his status page and looked at the stats that had grown for thest several months due to his sheer hard work.

    [Primary Stats]

    Strength - 194

    Vitality - 196

    Dexterity - 147

    Agility - 191

    Intelligence - 141

    Chakra - 288

    Wisdom - 149

    .

    [Special Stats]

    Sense - 98

    Stamina - 179

    Indomitable - 20

    Charisma - 47

    Persistence - 22

    Dignity (LOCKED)

    Luck (LOCKED)

    All the stats that got a boost were due to Daichi''s relentless hard work. On top of the weights he already had he would pick up giant rocks andplete several exercises. He would train until his body dropped to the ground. The increase in Strength, Vitality, Stamina and Agility stats were proof of that. Daichi''s eyes then fell on the stat with the highest points.

    ''I would never be able toplete the quest of healing 10,000 patients without arge enough chakra reserve and stamina. It was as if the system was telling me to invest some points in the chakra stat. I put 50 points in the chakra stat and due to training in medical ninjutsu and lightning nature my CP was reduced to single digits every night, and this helped in increasing that stat even more. Tsunade has definitely noticed the increase in my reserves and kept pushing me. I had to heal at least 25 to 40 patients a day. Some of them would only have minor issues that would take a few minutes to heal but some would take almost an hour. And most days I would spend up to 15 hours at the hospital.''

    Daichi looked at the dungeon with cautious eyes but he had a smile on his face.

    ''Thanks to the intensity of my training I was able to push myself. I had wondered if I would get another boost if my stats reached 200 But since my chakra stat didn''t give any after reaching 200, I''m not hoping the others would. Maybe the next awakening is at 300 points. Whatever the case I need to increase my Sense stat to over a 100.''

    [Quest Created - Destroy the Mercenary Guild.]

    [Condition: Defeat the 300 enemies lurking through the district. ]

    [Time limit : None. ]

    .

    [Rewards:]

    35000 Exp.

    Red Potion.

    .

    [Failure:]

    Death.

    [ept (Y/N)]

    ''300 enemies huh!''. Daichi epted the quest that was created and began to raid the dungeon.

    -

    On the first couple days Daichi fought the dungeon ninjas in a pure frontal assault. He observed the enemies he fought and all of them were between level 40 and 46.

    Daichi dodged a sword swing and attacked his opponent''s hands with chakra scalpel. ''My stats and skills overwhelm them by arge margin. Even though we are nearly the same level, my power is on a different scale than theirs. Speed, Strength, Vitality, Recovery, Skills I''m above them in all these.''

    Daichi was using some of the offensive medical ninjutsu and improving their level. He then finished the fight with several small but precise and powerful fireballs.

    [Enemy killed.]

    +200 Exp.

    +30 Exp.

    Due to the strength difference, each dungeon kill only gave Daichi 200 to 300 exp. And even when the dungeon ninjas attacked Daichi in groups the result was an overwhelming defeat for the ck d ninjas.

    On the third day Daichi decided to switch tactics. He looked at the skill that would be an important asset the moment he became a Genin and started going on missions.

    [Stealth - Passive/Active(LV.1): This skill increases your ability to move undetected. It also gives you the ability to perform actions unobserved or undetected. This skill helps with pickpocketing, sneaking around and lockpicking. Damage dealt to targets also increases when stealth is active. Holding breath increases the effects by a small margin.

    Note: This skill is divided into 5 grades. Current grade: Average.]

    [Effects:]

    [Removes footstep sounds.]

    [+2% Chance of sessfully lockpicking doors, safes and containers faster.]

    [+2% Chance of pickpocketing an unsuspecting target. (A skilled pickpocketer is less likely to be caught and more likely to loot valuables from the target.)]

    [+1% Chance of sessfully moving unseen and unheard. (Highly skilled sneak can even hide in in sight.)]

    ''Instead of brute forcing through this ce I need to use this as a training exercise. This is an ideal dungeon for that. Since the level is so low I won''t have to worry about getting ganged up by several powerful enemies. I have to train my stealth skill and level it up. And improve my sense stat and get it above 100. I''ll increase the level of skills like chakra scalpel too.''

    And so Daichi began using his stealth skill, shadowing his enemies and attacking them from their blind spot when they least expected it. But due to this tactic the speed of Daichi''s hunt considerably slowed down.

    In the beginning the dungeon ninjas would be able to sense Daichi easily but as the days passed by and the level of the stealth skill increased it became harder and harder for the enemies to find Daichi.

    Daichi learned many things as he attacked the ninjas from the shadows. He learned how to blend into his surroundings, steal things from his enemies before they noticed him, control his intent when going for the killing strike and learned when to strike the enemy and how they would react.

    Once the stealth skill passed Level 20 the grade of the skill changed from Average to Good. A new effect was also added when the skill reached level 21.

    [Anyone 5 Levels below your level would not notice you when you''re in active stealth unless you want them to.]

    That wasn''t all. For Daichi to sessfully kill his foes, his senses had to work at peak efficiency. The moment his special stat sense had reached 100 points something strange happened.

    [+1 SENSE]

    [Your SENSE stat has reached 100 points. ]

    [You have received an ''Unknown skill'']

    [Note: Information about the ''Unknown skill'' will be revealed to the user only after a certain condition is met. And only after the specific condition is met can the skill be used.]

    ''What the? What kind of skill is this? Why would it be unknown?''

    Daichi was confused as he read the notifications. He looked at the existing skills rted to his senses but didn''t see any change. But he was certain about one thing.

    ''This skill definitely has something to do with sense. And if the system is setting a condition for the skill to appear. It must be something huge. An extraordinary skill that needs a certain trigger It''s too bad the system hasn''t told me the condition required but''

    A wide smile appeared on Daichi''s face. ''I can''t help but get excited.''

    The days slowly went by as Daichi fought in the dungeon. Daichi''s goal was to efficiently finish off his enemy before they knew he was even there. Despite the difference in power it was a difficult task. But Daichi persevered.

    He had to focus on his senses and find his opponent, track the ninja without having his presence discovered and wait for the perfect time to strike and thennd a killing blow. It was an arduous task and it took him weeks to finish most of the enemies in the dungeon.

    [You have leveled up.]

    But with each kill he was slowly increasing his experience and he had another level up which brought him to level 45.

    Daichi was currently hiding his presence, in the dark corner of a room and was looking at his next target with a critical gaze. The dungeon ninja was sitting in the middle of the room with both hands ced at his sides. It didn''t seem as if the ninja sensed any enemy in the room. This enemy was of level 49. The highest level enemy he had seen so far.

    Daichi controlled his breathing, and didn''t let any emotions hinder him. He was as calm as he was when meditating. For Daichi it felt like an hour but only several minutes had passed.

    The next instant Daichi was only a hair''s length behind the enemy and shed down. He cut his enemy''s head off in a single clean swift move and during the entire instance there was no sound made other than the small sound of a sword swiftly severing a bone. It faded away just as quickly as it came. A fatal strike that took the enemy down in a single second.

    The dungeon ninja turned into smoke before he realized what had even happened.

    [Enemy killed.]

    +500 Exp.

    +75 Exp.

    [Enemies killed: 284/300]

    [You have killed 100 ninjas without letting them sense your presence.]

    [You have acquired the title ''Assassin''.]

    ''Wow. A new title. Assassin huh. Alright!''

    Daichi checked the details of the new title and was impressed.

    [New title: Assassin: ]

    [This title can only be triggered when you''re in active stealth.]

    [100% increase in potency when using Poisons. ]

    [200% increase in Damage when using a dagger.]

    [100% activation of ''Fated to Perish'' whennding a critical strike on enemies of the same level or below.]

    [75% activation of ''Fated to Perish'' whennding a critical strike on enemies up to 5 levels above you.]

    [50% activation of ''Fated to Perish'' whennding a critical strike on enemies 6 to 10 levels above you.]

    [10% activation of ''Fated to Perish'' whennding a critical strike on enemies +10 levels above you.]

    ''Wow!... Fated to Perish What''s that?''

    [Fated to Perish: A one shot death skill that kills the enemy in an instant. The activation of this attack when facing higher level ninjas depends on the user''s condition, attack weapon, the enemy''s condition, level and defensive and resistance skills.]

    Daichi''s eyes widened as he read the details.

    ''Oh man that''s one hell of an attack. Would definitelye in handy in the future. All that time stalking and painstakingly waiting for the enemy to let the guard down My efforts weren''t in vain.''

    Daichi had been hunting his enemies like this for the past several weeks. He sometimes had to hold back the urge to just fight like he normally does and punch and st everything into pieces. But he resisted the temptations in the name of increasing his stealth skill. It was now at level 36.

    But now after receiving the new title and looking at its effects he left the ce with a happy smile and resumed his hunt.

    There was no boss in this dungeon. It was just a mob of 40 to level 49 ninjas that roamed the ce. Daichi quickly finished off hisst enemy andpleted the quest the very next day.

    [Quest ''Destroy the Mercenary Guild'' Completed.]

    [Rewards:]

    35000 Exp.

    Red Potion.

    [You have leveled up.]

    [You have sessfully defeated every enemy in this dungeon. You have been granted ess to the return key.]

    "Time to get the hell outta here."

    After activating the return key at the dungeon entrance, Daichi vanished.

    ----------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 124: 5th Year End

    Chapter 124: 5th Year End

    Once he was back in his room Daichi opened his status page.

    [Name : Daichi Hekima (The Gamer)]

    [ss : Student]

    [Age : 10]

    [Title : Capable Child, Explorer, Prodigy, Beast yer, Dungeon Warrior, Executioner, Assassin.]

    [Level : 46 (27551/56900)]

    .

    [HP : 14131]

    [CP : 24107.05]

    [SP : 14473]

    [MP: 6120]

    .

    [Primary Stats]

    Strength - 194

    Vitality - 196

    Dexterity - 155

    Agility - 191

    Intelligence - 148

    Chakra - 288

    Wisdom - 160

    .

    [Special Stats]

    Sense - 110

    Stamina - 179

    Indomitable - 22

    Charisma - 49

    Persistence - 24

    Dignity (LOCKED)

    Luck (LOCKED)

    .

    [Stat Points - 733]

    [Ryo - 722606]

    .

    ''Hmm Aside from wisdom, intelligence and dexterity none of the other primary stats have increased. And in the special stats the only one that got a boost was the Sense stat I suppose I should have seen that This dungeon was an easy one. So those other stats wouldn''t see any growth Still two level ups and a title. That''s worth it.''

    Even though only a few seconds passed in the real world, for Daichi, it had been a long time. He had been in the dungeon for over a month. He took a look around the room and got up. He got out of the house and went for a walk.

    It was night time and the end of December. It was the time of the ''Fire Festival'' in the capital. An annual end of the year holiday the people enjoyed.

    Daichi walked through the streets of the capital admiring the views of the various decorations that hung outside the shops. He went to a small BBQ stall and bought a few kebabs.

    ''My lightning nature training wille to an end by next month. Progress on it has been so slow due to my time in the hospital. And I haven''t been able to learn any other craft rted skills. But the good news is that I''ve learned most everything that Tsunade has to teach me... She said she would take me out of the capital next year for special training Wonder what that''s about?''

    Daichi stopped and sat on a bench as he enjoyed the delicacy in his hand. He watched the fireworks in the sky and a smile was present in his face.

    ''If I was in my old world, right now I would be home with my family for Christmas''

    Daichi had made peace with what had happened to him but the thought still made him a little sad. He slightly shook his head and just enjoyed the moment. Once the festivities came to an end he headed back home.

    ''Whatever special training Tsunade has nned I''ll be ready. And along with that I need to work on thest chakra nature. Wind I''ll also need to begin on the Creation Rebirth technique I already know that''s going to be a pain So much to do.''

    Daichi let out a small breath of exasperation. He had a lot on his te but he also knew that with each day he was getting closer and closer to his goals.

    -

    Daichi was at the hospital in an operating room surrounded by Karuizawa, a few medic nurses and Shizune who was by his side. His hands had green chakra and were atop the chest of a middle aged man.

    Daichi was at the end stage ofpleting aplicated transnt surgery and was in the process of healing the patient and closing the incisions.

    Under his green healing chakra the flesh and skin slowly but perfectly melded together and after a two hour long surgery he was finally done. Daichi let go of his healing chakra and checked the vitals of his patient.

    [You have sessfully healed your patient.] [10000/10000]

    [You have leveled up.]

    The notifications indicated to Daichi that everything was a sess. At that moment Shizune spoke up after looking over the man on the table.

    "All vitals look stable The wound''s perfectly closed. Well done Daichi!"

    [Reputation increased with the medics of the hospital]

    [Reputation increased with Shizune]

    "Thank you Shizune senpai."

    The head doctor of the hospital Karuizawa stepped forward. "You are truly talented in the medical arts, Daichi. What do you say about joining us? I''ll make sure you''ll have all theforts you want, here."

    Daichi smiled at the offer but politely declined. "Thank you for the offer Dr. Karuizawa but bing a ninja has been my goal for a long time. Can''t let it go now."

    The old man sighed sadly but then smiled. "I know... I know you want to be a ninja but I just can''t help but be selfish We might never see another talented kid like you in our lifetime again."

    All the medics at the hospital hold Daichi in high regard. Each day at the hospital Daichi kept proving his talent. Techniques that would require months to learn would be mastered in less than a week. He would work just as hard if not harder than most medic ninjas at the hospital. And due to his young age and prodigious medical skills even a few important people in the Fire Capital''s Daimyo court became aware of him. His reputation had grown quite a bit during thest year.

    Daichi and a smiling Shizune left the operating room and got themselves cleaned up. After a short while they met with Tsunade who was waiting for them outside.

    Tsunade was about to ask how things went but based on the smiling faces of her former and current apprentices she knew the results.

    [Reputation increased with Tsunade Senju]

    "I have to admit it brat, I am impressed!" Tsunade had a big smile as she looked at her student. "I never imagined you woulde so far in such a short amount of time You''re truly something else."

    "It''s all because of you and Shizune. Thank you." Daichi bowed his head and replied. His deep gratitude was clear in his voice.

    "BHA! Don''t get so formal with me you brat." Tsunadeughed as she ruffled Daichi''s hair. Over the year she had grown to like the brat. She admired his tenacity and willingness to work for his goals.

    Shizune smiled as she looked at her mentor and mother figure. She was grateful to Daichi for bringing such joy to her Master''s face.

    "Come on you two. Tonight we''re celebrating." Tsunade led the way and all of them left the hospital for the famous Red Phoenix Restaurant.

    It was evening by the time Daichi and the other two left the hospital and they spent the remainder of the day at the private booth on the upper floor of the restaurant. Hours had passed by and it was almost midnight. Tsunade and Shizune were drunk but Daichi was calmly eating a few BBQ chicken pieces. He was hungry and had a veryrge appetite.

    He sighed as he looked at the two drunkdies who were passed out in front of him. ''Tsunade had been so busy training me that she hadn''t had time for her vice. I suppose this was the perfect opportunity for her to get drunk Tomorrow is the day an instructor from the academy arrives and tests me Based on what the old man told me, my test will be a bit different from the ones my ssmates will take. It''ll be much more difficult But it won''t matter. I''ll be ready.''

    At that moment Daichi decided to check the rewards he got forpleting the healing quest.

    [Quest ''Be a prodigal Medic Ninja'' Completed.]

    [Rewards:]

    [40000 Exp.]

    [+20 Stat points.]

    [Level of all medical skills that have not reached maximum would increase by 3.]

    [Reputation increases with Tsunade Senju, Shizune, Kensei Yasaji, Sarutobi Hiruzen, Jiraiya and people of the Fire country.]

    [New Title: Mighty Healer.]

    [Mighty Healer: This title increases the Exp. gain by 10% for medical skills. Increases the effects of all healing skills by 15% when healing a patient. The effects further increase by another 5% when the yer uses healing skills on himself.]

    ''Awesome. Stat points in this alone are the equivalent of 4 levels. And that title. Mighty healer huh! I like the sound of that.'' Daichi then opened his status page and checked the level progress.

    [Level : 47 (13017/59075)]

    ''Almost 47000 to go huh Not bad.''

    Once Daichi was done eating he woke the two from their drunken slumber and bid farewell for the night.

    Tsunade looked at the vanishing figure of the boy. She had been studying him the whole time he was with her.

    ''His growth is extraordinary. He has a very steep learning curve and his perfect chakra control helps mastering any technique far too easy And it''s not just that. I''ve seen him train his body most days to its utmost limits. His chakra reserves had grown much faster than I anticipated. Only almost 11 years old and he already has high Jonin level reserves Is it because of the stress he put himself under? I know he was training the second step of the lightning nature and using shadow clones to do it. Then again he never made that a secret from me Now that I think about it, that''s actually kind of brilliant. Then again only someone like him with his unique abilities would be able to train like that.''

    Tsunade took one swig from her sake bottle and leaned back in her chair. She thought about the observations made on Daichi and came to some conclusions.

    ''His chakra must have been exhausted and he should have been tired, unable to move properly for at least a few days but after a night''s rest his bodypletely healed and his reserves were back to full capacity. He has extraordinary Recovery and Regenerative abilities. And for his chakra to increase at the rate it did His body must have a strong adaptable ability. And coupled with his sheer will and an almost unbreakable concentration He will one day be a force to be reckoned with.''

    Tsunade''s hands slowly went to the green jeweled ne. ''Should I give it to him'' It was only for a moment but Tsunade immediately banished the thought from her mind.

    ''No! Absolutely not! I won''t end another life with this curse. And besides He doesn''t even have any interest in bing Hokage.''

    Tsunade once asked Daichi what his dream was. When he told her that he wanted to be the strongest, Tsunade thought his dream was to be Hokage. But she was surprised to hear that bing a leader was not his ambition. She was even more surprised at the conversation that followed.

    "Na! I''m not interested in being Hokage. That position belongs to a friend of mine. One day he''s gonna reach that goal."

    The slug sannin was surprised at the confidence Daichi had in this mysterious friend.

    "You really think there''s someone who''s more talented and stronger than you in your generation?"

    Daichiughed at that and shook his head. "Oh no! He''s nowhere near as talented as me. In fact if I''m right he''s currently in the middle of the ss rankings. And that''s being generous. He can be a moron and a goof most of the time and he''s not that smart. But sometimes he can be quite cunning."

    Tsunade was bewildered as she heard Daichi describe his friend. "You do realize that someone like that would never make Hokage right?"

    "Ohh you''d be surprised. Sure he sounds like a mess now but He''s got a will that very few can match. He has a lot of potential just waiting to be unleashed. And once he sets his mind to something he''s not gonna stop. Ever! Guys like him are a pain to fight. To be honest I''m looking forward to challenging him to a battle once he gets strong enough I can''t help but be excited just thinking about that."

    Tsunade saw the smile Daichi had on his face. She understood that Daichi held this person in great regard.

    "Do you really believe he can be Hokage one day?"

    "Yes! I believe he can do it. And strength isn''t the only thing needed to be Hokage. The leader of the vige needs charisma He has a charm that brings people together That makes me wanna believe in him."

    Tsunade''s eyes widened as she heard those words. The emotions Daichi felt were almost the same as the ones she felt a long time ago.

    "Who is this kid?" Tsunade couldn''t contain her curiosity and asked.

    At that question Daichi had the mysterious smirk which sometimes infuriated her.

    "You''ll find out one day."

    "Why you little brat."

    Tsunade shook her head and brought herself to the present. She then looked to her side and the face of the drunk passed-out Shizune brought a smile to her face.

    ''Since he''s almost done with the medic training, I might as well teach him my fighting style''

    At that moment the image of another person came to mind. A Taijutsu master she met and helped a long time ago.

    ''He owes me his life. A life debt in his words. I think it''s time I cash that in. If Daichi can train with him and improve his Taijutsu skills by fighting that man, then maybe He might be capable of learning and using ''that'' style It''s a slim possibility but It''s worth a try. If there is anyone who can master ''that'' style then I believe it''s Daichi.''

    Tsunade sat there making ns for Daichi''s training for the next few months.

    -

    The next day at Kensei''s Home, Daichipleted the academy final exams under the supervision of a qualified chunin. Daichi would mail his academy assignments every two months. So he had nothing to worry about on that front. And with the written testpleted and after a brief spar which showed the examiner Daichi''s Taijutsu level he was marked as the top of the 5th year. Even though he was absent from the academy he still retained the position of first in his ss.

    The month of March was half way done. Daichi meditated in his room and after midnight the rewards for the year appeared.

    [Ongoing Quest - ''Path to the strongest.'']

    [5th Year tasks sessfullypleted. ]

    [Distributing the reward for clearing a dungeon. Distributing New Skill for sessfullypleting all tasks.]

    [+3000 Exp.]

    [+450 Exp.]

    [Health Maniption - Active(LV.1): This skill allows the user to manipte the health(the state of physical/mental/social well being) of the target. The user can manipte the healing process by speeding up any or all aspects of regeneration or slowing or blocking the healing of the target. Can sense the health of anyone within a certain range and identify the causes of wounds. Although this has certain limitations.]

    [Note: This skill is divided into 5 grades. Currently can only manipte the Physical Health of the target. More effects will be added as the skill level increases. The restrictions will be removed as the user increases his level and the level of the skill. Current grade: Average]

    [Effects:]

    [Can sense the health of anyone within 5 meters. (There are certain limitations.)]

    [Can increase or decrease the healing of your target by 2%.]

    [5% chance of manipting the biological chemicals or bio-electrical signals of the target. (There are certain restrictions.)]

    [CP Cost: 5000]

    [Cooldown time: 6 Hrs.]

    ''Wow! Holy shit. This is Incredible It''s not much at the moment but after I level it up this is gonna be one hell of a skill Damn it I wish I got thisst year. That way I could have leveled it up a lot by now''

    Daichi let out a sigh and consoled himself. ''Betterte than never I suppose. This is the first time I''ve seen a skill with such high chakra points cost and a cooldown time.''

    ''I have a feeling this is gonna be an OP skill one day.''

    With a big happy smile Daichi closed the blue notification boxes and went to sleep.

    ----------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 125: Interlude 05 - Rescue mission/ Uchiha Bloodline

    Chapter 125: Interlude 05 - Rescue mission/ Uchiha Bloodline

    A year ago.

    It was night time. Tsunade epted her second student and sent him flying a few hours ago.

    Jiraiya, Tsunade, Shizune and Kensei were at the Slug Sannin''s apartment to discuss various matters.

    "You could have killed him with that stunt." Kensei had a frosty expression on his face as he looked at the blonde woman.

    Tsunade snorted with a smallugh. "If you really thought that then you''ve definitely lost your touch."

    Kensei knew what she meant. He knew Tsunade had absolute power and control over her attacks. And moreover from all the spars he had with the kid, he knew just how strong and sturdy Daichi''s body was and how much punishment it could take. Even though he was disgruntled about the whole thing he decided to move on since his grandson only had a few minor injuries which were quickly healed by Shizune.

    "Try to reign in your temper princess At least when the kid''s around"

    Kensei let out a breath and moved on to the most important topic.

    "Are theypleted?"

    Tsunade nodded her head. She took out two scrolls and tossed them to Kensei.

    "One of them has the concoction that you''ll need. The other is a body. Medically altered right down to the smallest details."

    "How long do I have once the poison is in Isen''s system?" It was Jiraiya that asked this question.

    "The concoction I created will slow down Isen''s heartbeat to one beat per minute. It will also reduce his chakra to the very bare minimum his body would need to survive. He will be in a near death state. After the poison takes effect he will immediately fall unconscious. You''ll have a maximum of two hours from that moment. That''s the best I could do without giving him any permanent damage. After the two hours his vitals will begin climbing back up but he''ll be out of it for another couple days. It''s the side effects of the drug." Tsunade replied.

    "Two hours huh. That''ll work." Jiraiya spoke after thinking about the ns. "Sensei''s agent in the prison has been slowly giving Isen the drug you created. It will create all the appearance of an incurable disease. So when he gets knocked out there won''t be much suspicion."

    "That still leaves the seal Mui ced on him." Kensei had heard how troublesome the chakra sealing jutsu ced on the prisoners by the warden Mui can be.

    "Don''t worry about it. The contact at the castle knows how to deactivate the seal. And since Isen would be in a near death state and the seal would deactivate upon the user''s death, there wouldn''t be any doubts about his death. They would quickly move to destroy the body. During that time I''ll switch Isen''s body with the corpse and escape from the prison."

    "I''ll be waiting at the rendezvous point." Kensei spoke.

    Jiraiya nodded and both he and Kensei made the preparation.

    A few dayster Kensei and Jiraiya left the capital and headed for the Grass vige, while Tsunade and Shizune began training Daichi.

    -

    Kensei was able to gather the entry points of the castle and the guard details. With this information, Jiraiya with his infiltration expertise and the help of the toad summons, was able to get inside one of the most secure prisons in the world.

    The Hzuki Castle. Also known as Blood Prison.

    Jiraiya easily made contact with the spy the third Hokage nted inside therge castle. It wasn''t long before the n was enacted.

    Isen. A former ninja of the Leaf vige, close friend and ally of Kensei.

    He is a man ofrge stature, broad shoulders and long white beard and hair. He had an unfocused expression on his face and had drooping eyes.

    He suddenly copsed as he was walking along the corridors. The guard near him happened to be the spy Hiruzen ced inside the prison. He discreetly released the seal and checked the man to make sure he showed no vitals. The guard then took him to the medical examiner of the prison. After dering the man dead he left the room. At that moment Jiraiya appeared from the corner of the room and quickly unsealed the scroll containing an identical corpse.

    Summoning a special toad and stuffing the real Isen in its mouth, Jiraiya quickly made his escape.

    -

    A few dayster.

    Isen was sleeping on afortable looking bed while Tsunade was checking his condition.

    "Everything seems normal. No serious or permanent damage. The drugs in his system should clear out in a few days If you''re going to unseal his memories I suggest you do it now, Kensei. This is the best time." Tsunade said as she took a step back.

    Kensei nodded and ced a paper seal on the sleeping Isen''s forehead. He then went through several hand seals and gathered chakra on his index finger and touched the seal.

    "Memory Seal - Release."

    Aplicated seal form spread from the paper and covered Isen''s head.

    "Hmm Sensei told me it would take a few hours for the memories to be limated. We should give him some time. Let''s step outside." Jiraiya said.

    "You two go ahead. I''ll be here." With those words Kensei sat on a nearby chair and stared at his sleeping friend.

    Tsunade had already left not wanting anything to do with the matter and shortly afterwards Jiraiya followed her.

    Several hours went by and the seal form on Isen''s head disappeared. It took a few minutes but the man was slowly regaining his consciousness.

    "Wh Where Where am I?" With a blurry vision Isen asked.

    Kensei stood from his chair and slowly went near his friend. "Hello old friend"

    Isen looked at the man standing near him. It took several moments before he recognized the person.

    "Kensei, is that you?"

    The old man just nodded and smiled. He saw Isen then looking around the room.

    "I''m not in that prison am I?" Isen asked.

    "No. And you won''t ever be going back there Don''t worry. You''re safe here. We''re in the Fire capital. Right now you just focus on getting some rest." Kensei said as he held his friend''s hand.

    Isen nodded but then suddenly made a panicked face. Kensei was rmed when he saw that.

    "What? What is it?" He asked Isen.

    "Danzo! Danzo He''s We have to warn the Hokage."

    "Calm down Isen... Don''t worry about Danzo. Hiruzen has already sent his men on the task"

    "Hiruzen is investigating Danzo?" Isen asked in disbelief.

    "There''s a lot that has happened since your incarceration that I need to catch you up on."

    Isen calmed down and justid in his bed. He then looked at his friend. "How is Binami?"

    Kensei smiled. "She''s fine. Don''t worry And you''ll be in for a surprise." Kensei had an almost teasing tone in his voice.

    "Just knowing that she''s safe is what matters most to me Kensei I need to see him"

    Kensei looked at the man questioningly.

    "Hiruzen! I need to see him. I need to look him in the eye and get some answers."

    Kensei sighed as he heard that. "Get some rest right now. After that, after you hear everything that''s happened, if you still want to meet him, then I''ll make the arrangements."

    Isen nodded in agreement. It wasn''t long before he went to sleep. His body, due to many years of inaction and the ordeals it went through, was at the moment weak.

    -

    Somewhere in a secret Laboratory.

    "Marvelous Subject 24 shows no rejection or any major malformations in the body. His chakra signature has changed. It''s now vaguely simr to Itachi Uchiha"

    Orochimaru muttered to himself as he looked at the small child with pale white skin sleeping inside arge tank. The snake Sannin took the child out of the container and ced him on the examination table.

    He used his medical equipment to keep the eyelids of the child open. He ced a seal on the boy''s body and forcefully activated the chakra throughout the boy''s pathways. Orochimaru directed the chakra to the head and more specifically the eyes of the head.

    The ck eyes slowly turned into red with a single tomoe. The signature of someone with the Uchiha bloodline.

    "Artificial activation of Sharingan in the clone is a sess. Single tomoe present in both eyes."

    At that moment the Sharingan disappeared due to the small reserves of the boy.

    "Chakra volume is below average. Extracting eyes from the subject and preparing for dissection."

    Orochimaru carefully cut out the eyes and ced them in a preservation jar. He then cut open the child and examined every part of the body.

    As he examined the body a frown formed on Orochimaru''s face. "Chakra pathways are smaller than expected. Muscle and bone density is also slightly lower than average. Based on the current structure of the body and estimated growth developments the subject would have been a Genin at minimum but Chunin at average and low level Jonin at very best Conclusion Not viable for Transference Ritual."

    Orochimaru extracted as many valuable body parts for studying as he could before disposing of the boy.

    At that moment the door to hisboratory opened and a teenager walked in. The most noticeable feature about him was the single Sharingan in his right eye and the four embedded on his right arm.

    "Ahh Shin! Excellent timing. I have something for you." With those words Orochimaru gave the boy the container that held the two Sharingan that was extracted a short time ago.

    "Thank you Lord Orochimaru. I hope my clones will be able to help you with your research." The boy named Shin replied. He was one of the many devotees of Orochimaru. He was also a test subject for Orochimaru''s various experiments.

    "Yes. I gained plenty of data examining each of the subjects Tell me Shin, how goes your experiment? Were you able to advance the power of the Sharingan?"

    "Yes lord Orochimaru. It took some intense battle with Kimimaro but I was able to increase the tomoe of all Sharingan eyes. They are now in the second stage. However, they consume more chakra. So I can''t maintain them for long." Shin replied as he looked at the 4 two tomoe Sharingans in his right arm.

    "As expected. Come. I''ll imnt these into your arm as well. Your body will limate to the increased chakra usage in a short time."

    With those words Orochimaru led Shin to a table and began the transnt. After an hour two more eyes were added to Shin''s arm, making it six. Once the operation waspleted and after taking some gic samples from the boy, the snake Sannin dismissed him. As Shin left, Orochimaru noted down the observations he made on Shin''s body and the Sharingan in his arms.

    Some timeter he was in front of another Tank with green liquid which had another clone that was created using Uchiha blood and the gic samples from the boy Shin.

    ''Itachi! I''ll make you pay for what you did to my arm.''

    Orochimaru had left the Akatsuki organization a few months ago. He tried to take Itachi''s body for himself and lost an arm for his troubles. He fled the organization and was now conducting experiments using the blood Danzo gave him.

    ''At first I thought I could create a clone or an army of clones with the Uchiha bloodline and awaken Sharingan and transfer my soul into them. But the clones I create are just cheap imitations Then again, there is Subject Z- 07.''

    Orochimaru closed his eyes and thought about the masterpiece he was currently working on.

    ''But that''s not possible right now. I don''t have enough data It will take far too long for that project to bepleted... A clone won''t have the power I want even if I make the necessary augmentations and Subject Z-07 will take at least a decade to bepleted. And that''s only if everything goes ordingly. There could always beplications and the project could end in failure. I need a pure fresh living Uchiha body soon''

    A wicked smile was on Orochimaru''s face as he thought about his greatest target. ''I may not have been able to get you, Itachi, but I''m sure your brother would show just as much potential as you. That will also be my revenge. Just you wait Itachi! Once I have Sasuke''s body you''re dead.''

    He then walked to the next most important test subject.

    Subject ''Z-07''

    Orochimaru ced his hand on the ss and looked at histest creation. ''There is still more work to be done on Z-07.''

    ----------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 126: Interlude 06 - Danzos Plans

    Chapter 126: Interlude 06 - Danzo''s ns

    Leaf Vige.

    Somewhere in the leaf vige deep underground, the construction of the Root''s new base of operations was near itspletion.

    An elderly man with an eye bandaged and arm in a sling was walking the dimly lit hallway. He had much on his mind.

    ''It took a long time with Hiruzen keeping an eye on everything but atst it''s done. The construction ispleted and with the new added measures not even the Hyuga and their Byakugan would be able to see in here Things are proceeding ording to n.''

    The man Danzo Shimura, leader of the Root, soon reached his office. He saw a red scroll with the Insignia of the Hzuki Castle on his desk.

    Danzo opened the scroll and read its contents. ''So Isen has passed away huh. Serves right for that traitor. Because of Kensei, Hiruzen had been far too merciful with Isen''s punishment. But now that''s no longer a concern. He is now no longer a threat to me.''

    At that moment the child he assigned to keep tabs on certain students in the academy appeared before him and knelt.

    "Lord Danzo. I have an urgent update."

    Without a word of acknowledgement, Danzo closed the scroll and ced it inside his desk. Only then did he turn towards the child Touma Asai.

    "Report." The cold tone couldn''t be mistaken for anything other than an order.

    "Daichi has left the vige."

    Danzo''s one visible eye slightly widened. It was thest thing he expected.

    "Tell me everything you know." He needed to find out everything behind Daichi''s departure.

    -

    It has been a month since Isen regained his memories and freedom. He had learned that the Hokage was the one who convinced Danzo to spare his life. At Isen''s insistence Kensei sent word to the Hokage and arranged a meeting.

    Night Time - Hokage Residence.

    Hiruzen was in his home waiting for the man to arrive. Because of the secrecy of the meeting he had dismissed his guards. Before long he sensed a foreign presence in his home.

    He turned around and met Isen''s eyes. After a few moments of silence Hiruzen spoke.

    "You look better than I thought."

    Isen was silent for a moment as he looked at the old kage. "Am I supposed to say thank you for saving my life"

    Hiruzen narrowed his eyes. "Yes. What you did was reckless, stupid and could have put a serious strain on our rtionship with the Daimyo. Prison and the memory loss was a mercypared to what Danzo would have done."

    Isen let out a sigh as he heard those words.

    "Thank you"

    Hiruzen looked at the man and then nodded his head.

    At that moment Isen spoke again. "Just to be clear, I''m not thanking you for saving my life. I''m thanking you for what you did for my wife Binami. Kensei told me that you made sure she had a new identity, provided safe passage to the capital and gave her the sufficient funds needed for a new life."

    "I remembered you telling me she was pregnant a few weeks before the whole mess. I didn''t want her to get caught up in all that." Hiruzen took his wooden pipe and lit up the tobo.

    "I see you haven''t quit that habit."

    "Everyone has a vice. This is mine."

    Isen was silent as he looked around the house. He noticed the absence of two important people in Hiruzen''s life.

    "I''m sorry about Biwako. Kensei told me what happened. She was a good woman."

    The old kage merely nodded his head appreciating the sentiment.

    "You know After everything that''s happened I thought you would be angrier with me" The old kage said as he narrowed his eyes and looked at the man.

    "Make no mistake. I''m angry about what happened. I spent 17 years in that ce and I missed the first 17 years of my son''s life So yeah, when I learned everything, I was pissed But I can also see the bigger picture. You did what you could. And it was my decision thatnded me in that prison."

    Hiruzen took the pipe from his mouth and let out some smoke. He asked a question that has been bugging him for some time. "That brings me to another question. What exactly did you find out about Danzo that he went through all that trouble just to get rid of you?"

    "I was under yourmand in Anbu. But what you didn''t know is that I was also part of the Root."

    Hiruzen was startled at that admission. "Exin!"

    "During one of the missions I discovered that Danzo had sent several spies to most of the viges disguised as Merchants, bandits or mercenaries."

    "Yes. I know about them. After the loss of Lord Second, Danzo and I decided that it was imperative that we had an intelligence gatheringwork throughout the nations in ce."

    "Yeah well What you don''t know is that hiswork does a lot more than gather intelligence. He has created an extensivework thatunders money, trafficking rare materials, weapons and people"

    "People?" Hiruzen''s eyes narrowed.

    Isen nodded. "Hm! More specifically those with special blood lines."

    "Kekkei Genkai users."

    "That''s right. And that''s not all He''s also interested in Tailed Beasts."

    The old Kage''s eyes narrowed. "Do you have any proof?"

    "Just my memories."

    "It still doesn''t exin how you became part of Root or how you found out about these things Danzo is a very careful man. He would have had safeguards in ce for all his root members."

    "I felt that something was wrong when I was on a mission in the Sand vige. I found a merchant selling some of our secrets to the sand vige. But the thing is, he was not from the Sand and he was keeping tabs on the One tails as well. At first I thought he was from another vige butter I found out that he was from the Root. I felt that something was wrong and when Danzo came to recruit me I epted. I joined the Root to see if someone had beenpromised in Danzo''s organization but what I found was that I was wrong. The man was under Danzo''s orders to leak some intelligence to the sand vige."

    "For what purpose?"

    "The Root wanted the ma bloodline of the Royal family. Danzo''s n was to kidnap one of the children of the Kage or at least get enough experimental materials. He also had the spy send him regr updates on the Tailed beast of that vige. Throughout my time in the Foundation, I learned that he has conducted several missions that I''m sure you wouldn''t have approved of. He is invested in recruiting talented people and bolstering his forces. Near thest few years of the 3rd world war I learned that he nned to kidnap the 7 tails from the Waterfall vige and assassinate the child of the Earth Daimyo and frame another vige for it."

    "What!?... Something like that could have had unimaginable consequences The war would have gone on for much longer." The old kage was shocked. He never imagined that Danzo was so out of his control.

    "Yes. It was a n he hatched with a high ranking member in the Fire Daimyo court. During the chaos Danzo and his faction at the capital would convince the Fire Daimyo to make a move on the Earth country. There would have been plenty of chaos and death if this n had moved forward. I had to stop it."

    "If you learned all this then why didn''t youe to me?"

    "It was toote by the time I learned what was really happening. At that time Danzo found out about me spying on him. He had to move forward with the n. He framed me and bought some time. So I had to make amotion loud enough that would draw the Daimyo''s attention to Danzo and the people under him in the capital."

    The old kage had a realization. "That public attack on the minister That wasn''t the act of some rage filled fool. You did that on purpose didn''t you, knowing full well the consequences"

    "Yeah. I knew if the Daimyo found out that we were interfering in the affairs of the royal court the vige would lose his backing. And I also needed him to be vignt of external influences... I had a contingency in ce if I died so I knew you would learn the truth soon after my death. What I didn''t expect was for me to lose my memories."

    Hiruzen let out a puff of smoke as he took in the information. "There were many ways this could have been handled differently."

    "I was out of time and options. I did what I could."

    The old kage sighed. After a short silence he asked the man a question. "Are you willing to work under me again?"

    "No But if you want my help with Danzo then I can work with you."

    Hiruzen looked into the man''s eyes and relented. "I suppose that would have to do I have a task for you."

    -

    Leaf Vige.

    In an undergroundboratory, ''Shigaraki'' the researcher and scientist of the Root was performing experiments on a certain specimen using the gic materials acquired from Orochimaru and Danzo.

    At that moment Danzo walked into theboratory and inspected the specimen. "How much progress have you made?" He asked the scientist.

    "The sample Orochimaru provided is truly incredible. It canbine to any foreign DNA without rejection and can adapt its properties. Although the effects produced are not as powerful."

    "What are the results of the merger with the blood sample of the first Hokage?"

    "The DNA has adapted to the blood but there were some small mutations." With those words Shigaraki led Danzo to a certain area of theb.

    In a ss container filled with nutritional fluids a small child was kept suspended. There were several monitors connected to the child. Half his body was made of wood and the face of the first Hokage was present on the left side of his chest. But even with these mutations his vitals were reading normal.

    "The first Hokage''s blood contains too much power. More precisely Yang chakra. We need equally potent Yin chakra or something that requires therge reserves of chakra to keep the bnce and the power of the first Hokage in check."

    "I have something in mind. In a few months Orochimaru will be here with what I need. I need you to assist him with the surgery and graft the first Hokage''s blood into my body when the timees." Danzo told the man.

    "I understand lord Danzo but"

    "What is it?"

    "It''s just No matter how well the surgery goes, there will be some small mutation on your body. The power of the first Hokage is just too strong." Shigaraki bowed and spoke these words with slight fear.

    Danzo was quiet for a few moments. "I''m aware of the risks. And your duty is to minimize the risks as much as you can when the timees."

    "Yes Lord Danzo!"

    Danzo walked away from theb and made his way to his home. ''If I had the best medic nin in the world then I could reduce the dangers of the operation down to Zero. But Tsunade would never perform the operation on me and if she learns that I''ve been using Lord Hashirama''s blood for research like this, she''ll be furious. She might make a rash move and bring Jiraiya and Hiruzen''s attention to me and I don''t want that right now. But then again, I don''t necessarily need her. She has a new apprentice after all Should I dy the surgery and wait for her to teach Daichi everything before I go after him?... No. That will take too long. This must be done as soon as possible.''

    The moment Danzo learned of Daichi''s departure from the vige he used his contacts and found out what had happened.

    He learned that Kensei wanted Daichi to learn about his business operations and took the boy to the capital. But Hiruzen, not wanting to let Daichi go, made a deal with Kensei. Danzo learned that the n was for Daichi toe back by the time his ss graduates and be a Genin with them.

    A monthter Danzo learned from his sources in the capital that Tsunade happened upon the child and took him as her student.

    ''The boy leaving the vige is a perfect opportunity. Once she''s done training him I''ll make my move. Kensei won''t be able to protect him. But the mission needs to be covert. I can''t have anything connecting me to it.''

    With that thought in mind he summoned a few of his people and gave them a certain mission.

    ----------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 127: Interlude 07 - Daichis Training / Rookie 9s Exam

    Chapter 127: Interlude 07 - Daichi''s Training / Rookie 9''s Exam

    Fire Capital.

    Several months had passed since Tsunade epted Daichi as her student. Hepleted the basic training within the first month and Tsunade started him on Medical ninjutsu training.

    Right now Shizune and Daichi were in the operation theater going over the medical history of Daichi''s new patient. Tsunade was several feet behind them in a chair looking over the patient''s medical files.

    "Patient 47 years old, condition critical. Has sustained minor injuries on the left leg, bruises on left arm and torso but has a severed right arm." Daichi spoke as if giving a report.

    "What''s the next step?" Shizune questioned Daichi.

    Daichi carefully looked over every injury the man had and quickly came to a conclusion. "Give priority to the critical wound and create a viable treatment. And then proceed to the other minor injuries."

    "Good. Examine the injury and determine the damage."

    Daichi examined the severed limb and the arm on the table in great detail. It took a few minutes but hepleted his analysis.

    "The skin, bone, muscles, blood vessels and tendons have a clean cut. The weapon is most probably a thin but sharp sword. Restoring blood flow. Chances of a sessful surgery is over 88%. Beginning limb reattachment surgery." With those words Daichi began operating on the man.

    He carefully attached the severed arm to the man''s limb and started joining the bones. He then started to reattach the blood vessels, nerves, and muscles. It was a delicate process. Daichi''s perfect chakra control greatly helped him with theplex microsurgical procedures. Once everything was done he used chakra and created new skin above the cut.

    Once the critical injury was dealt with, Daichi moved on to the other wounds. He was able to quickly heal them and once his work was done he took a few steps back and let out a breath.

    Shizune had her eye on Daichi the whole time. She was impressed he had reached so far so quickly. "Well done. Everything looks good. He can now be taken to the observation room."

    Daichi nodded and then turned to look at Tsunade.

    She looked at the boy and nodded her head. "Good work."

    "Thank you Tsunade sensei."

    "Tell me Daichi, if you were on the battlefield right now with this man how would you proceed? Moreover, his arm was destroyed in the battle. How would you treat him?" Tsunade asked him.

    Shizune stayed silent and looked at Daichi.

    Daichi stayed silent and thought for several seconds and then answered.

    "If there are enemies present, I would heal the wound, stop any blood leakage and treat for any infections or poisons present. If no enemies are present, if there are fresh bodies avable for a donor arm then I''ll see if I can find one for limb transnt."

    "But when matching a donor hand with a recipient hand there are several things you need to consider. Would you have the time for that?" Tsunade asked him.

    "I have to quickly check the blood type, tissue type, skin color, age and sex of the donor and recipient, hand size and muscle bulk and make sure they''re a match. So I would use the Cell Scanning technique and quickly assess the conditions of the limbs and then proceed." Replied Daichi.

    "What are the risks of such a transnt?"

    "Risks such as infections, bleeding, and blood clots can be minimized with medical ninjutsu. But rejection of the donor arm and long term Immunosuppression risks will be present." Daichi replied.

    "That''s right. You have to be prepared. You have to evaluate the situation and make a decision on whether or not to have the transnt You will have to make decisions that may not be the one your patient wants You need to be ready. During battles you have to make split second choices that could have life changing effects. These are all things a battle medic must be prepared for." The seriousness in Tsunade''s voice told Daichi just how difficult this path would be for him.

    "I will be prepared." Daichi gave a simple reply. He had an iron will that wouldn''t break under pressure.

    Tsunade looked at the boy''s determined face and slightly smirked. "We''ll see." With those words she left the room. Daichi and Shizune followed after her.

    Tsunade walked into another room and saw two Daichi''s working on their patients. One was healing a minor injury while the other was extracting poison from the unconscious child on the table.

    As she looked at the two shadow clones she couldn''t help but be impressed and be more curious about him.

    ''His chakra level has increased explosively during thesest several months. He''s using shadow clones to heal the wounds of people with non critical injuries. Two months ago he could only use one clone but now he can use two. Moreover he has to create two clones that have enough chakra to heal those thate to them. He must have incredible recovery ability as well. He hasn''t missed a single day since he began training under me. And I know for a fact that he goes to bedpletely worn out from training. So that means his chakra recovery during sleep must be several times normal. And he has precise control over hisrge reserves. His growth rate is remarkable Now I understand why Sarutobi sensei sent him my way. This child can learn things in a fraction of the time it takes for others. His talent, his skills and his abilities It''s truly amazing.''

    As Tsunade stood there looking at Daichi, hepleted his work and was done for the day. The two clones dispelled themselves as soon as the original walked into the room.

    "Using your clones to heal is impressive. But don''t overdo it."

    Daichi nodded his head to the advice. Soon the trio of medic ninjas left the hospital. Daichi had a thoughtful expression.

    "What are you thinking about?" Shizune asked the boy.

    "My friends back at the vige I miss them." Daichi answered.

    "I''m sure they''re feeling the same." Shizune ced a hand on Daichi''s shoulder as if tofort him.

    Daichi appreciated the sentiment. He looked at the sky and the faces of his friends shed through his mind. ''Mid term exams must be going on at the moment.. I wonder how they''re doing right now?''

    -

    Leaf Vige - Academy.

    The students at the academy were having their mid term exams. Currently Daichi''s ss was on the academy grounds preparing for the Taijutsu test.

    Iruka called out the names of two students and began the test.

    "Sasuke Uchiha and Kiba Inuzuka! Step forward."

    The Uchiha and Inuzuka stepped inside therge ring with different expressions. There were a few girls cheering for Sasuke but he paid them no mind.

    For Sasuke, due to his strength he rarely sparred with any of his ssmates since Daichi left. He knew his strength and waspletely calm and nonchnt while Kiba was nervous. Kiba knew his chances of defeating Sasuke were zero.

    The other members of the future Rookie 9 were also paying attention to the fight.

    "Both of you make the seal of confrontation."

    At Iruka''s words Sasuke and Kiba raised their hands and made the seal.

    "Begin."

    Kiba slipped into the Inuzuka stance as soon as the match began. He was still for a few seconds but seeing Sasuke not even entering a stance and just watching him made Kiba slightly angry. Deciding to attack first, he rushed towards the Uchiha.

    Kiba might have been moving as fast as he could but for Sasuke it was pitifully slow.

    The Uchiha looked at the iing assault and sighed. He parried or redirected the attacks with one arm. ''He''s so slow. His attacks are wild and predictable. And theyck the necessary strength He''s so pitifully weak''

    Sasuke looked at the sweating and panting face of Kiba as the boy tried and tried tond a sessful strike on him. As the battle progressed the Uchiha had a strange feeling in his heart.

    ''Is this what Daichi feels every time he battles me?''

    As this thought crossed Sasuke''s mind he caught the punch aimed at his throat with the intent to incapacitate him. Sasuke had a strong grip on Kiba''s hand. The Inuzuka boy couldn''t retrieve his arm from Sasuke''s clutches and sent a kick to Sasuke''s midsection.

    The young Uchiha easily sidestepped the attack and looked into Kiba''s eyes. A secondter he let go of his enemy''s arm. He saw Kiba jump back and gain some distance to prepare for the next round of attacks.

    "I think I understand Daichi a little better now." Even though Sasuke only said this to himself, Kiba and most of the students heard it.

    Kiba raised an eyebrow at that. He was confused as to why Sasuke would bring up Daichi''s name at this moment. "What? What do you mean?"

    Iruka and most of the students were also curious.

    Sasuke looked at his sparring opponent, let out a sigh and answered. "There is no point fighting and defeating the weak. It''s just a waste of time and energy and not worth the effort. Especially if the enemy is so weak they can''t even force you to use both hands."

    "Why you!" Kiba was mad when he heard that.

    "Daichi''s not like that." At that moment Sasuke and Kiba heard Naruto shout out from where he stood.

    The Uchiha only had a smirk as he heard that. He had fought Daichi at their secret training spot several times over the course ofst year. So he had a good understanding of his training partner''s mentality.

    "If you believe that then you don''t know him as well as you think." He looked at Naruto and had a cold smirk on his face.

    Naruto gritted his teeth. "Why that jerk"

    "Calm down Naruto. It will only be more troublesome if you interfere in the test." Shikamaru was able to keep Naruto from blowing up and saying anything more.

    At that moment when Sasuke was looking at Naruto, Kibaunched a quick sneak attack. Or at least he tried.

    The moment Kiba''s fist neared Sasuke''s face, it was as if Sasuke disappeared and reappeared behind Kiba. Sasuke sent a few fast jabs aimed at Kiba''s joints and lower torso that sent the boy tumbling down in seconds.

    "Match!" Iruka ended the fight seeing the results of the match. Once Kiba was up on his feet he made them do the seal of reconciliation and called out the next two students.

    Kiba had a scowl on his face as he slowly walked towards his group of friends. Naruto, Shikamaru, Choji and Shino were together while Ino, Sakura and Hinata were on the other side. Naruto and the gang were waiting for their turn.

    "He''s so arrogant right now. Man, I wish Daichi was here to knock him down a peg or two." Kiba said as he rubbed his arms to relieve some pain.

    "I''m definitely gonna challenge and beat Sasuke when it''s my turn." Naruto said confidently as he looked at the Uchiha standing on the other side of the ground.

    "Be serious Naruto... Sasuke is a lot stronger than he''s letting on." It was Kiba who said this and he was unusually serious.

    "What makes you say that?" Choji asked him.

    "Aside from the whole fight!? It was when he attacked me at thatst moment I could tell. He was holding back. A lot!" Kiba might be hard headed and arrogant at times but he was smart enough to assess the strength of someone he fought against.

    "It makes sense when you think about it."

    Choji turned towards his friend and asked. "What do you mean Shikamaru?"

    "For thest four years Sasuke''s only goal was surpassing Daichi. He only had Daichi in his view and kept pushing himself everyday. I wager that he''s the only person other than Daichi who trains harder than anyone in our ss. So it''s no wonder that he''d be that strong And now that Daichi''s gone and he''s at the top, Sasuke''s realizing just how far ahead of us he is. So I suppose it''s natural that he has no interest in fighting us."

    "You really think so Shikamaru?" Kiba asked.

    The Nara just shrugged. "It''s just a guess."

    As Naruto heard those words, he had a metaphorical fire in his eyes as he looked at Sasuke. "I''m gonna make him take us seriously."

    Shikamaru just sighed as he looked at the blonde. ''This guy! Getting in the middle of his new obsession would only be more trouble than it''s worth. I''m just gonnay down, look at the clouds and ignore this whole thing.''

    With that thought Shikamaru sat down under the shade of the nearby tree and looked at the sky. ''Still I can''t help but be curious... What are you up to right now Daichi?... Eh! Whatever it is, I''m sure it must be important to you. And I know you''re not one to waste your time Good luck with your endeavors Daichi. See you when you get back.''

    ----------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 128: Interlude 08 - The Power of Senju and Uchiha

    Chapter 128: Interlude 08 - The Power of Senju and Uchiha

    Location - Dozen miles away from the Leaf Vige.

    It was a snowy December night. A team of ninjas covered entirely in ck battle gear was moving through the woods near the leaf vige. They were speeding through the trees in a diamond formation. In the center of the team was an old man with his entire body shrouded in darkness.

    Several meters behind them were 4 other teamsposed of ninjas wearing the same gear. Each of them, a formidable group of shinobi capable of battling against even the strongest Jonins and together the teams of ninjas would be capable of taking on and even killing S Rank nins.

    As the teams all sped through the forest silently, a figure with half ck and half white face appeared from the earth without being detected.

    Only half the body of the strange creature was present atop the earth.

    He was Zetsu. The spy of the Akatsuki. Zetsu looked at ninjas who vanished from his sights after a few seconds. He already analyzed and found the organization they belonged to.

    ''They''re from the Root. But this many teams? This is unusual. And If I''m not mistaken, that was Danzo''s chakraing from the lead team. He''s usually not the type to leave the vige and expose himself like this. And the number of ninjas protecting him. Something significant is going down. I need to find out what''

    "I wonder what they''re up to"

    "Let''s follow them." The gruff voice of ck Zetsu replied to the question of his white counterpart.

    -

    After some time the team of Root ninjas reached their destination. They came to a stop in front of a small cave.

    "Fu!"

    The man in the lead team only said a single word. But it conveyed his intentions.

    A ninja from the lead team raised his right hand, made a half ram seal and closed his eyes. After a few seconds he looked at the man in the center.

    "All clear, Lord Danzo. I can only sense one chakra at the base."

    The man Danzo Shimura removed his hood and walked forward.

    At that moment another man from the other team also joined Danzo''s group.

    "Let''s move." With Danzo''s orders several of his Root walked into the cave and then Danzo and the rest followed.

    The cave looked small and ordinary from the outside but the interior was much deeper. As they reached the end of the cave, Danzo made a hand-seal and an entrance opened up.

    "Fu, Torune, Shigaraki! You''re with me. The rest of you, secure the perimeter." Danzo gave the order and went inside the cave followed by his two most capable ninjas and the scientist of his organization.

    The wall closed behind them and a barrier came into existence. As the Root ninjas began securing the area one of them was concerned about what was happening.

    ''When Lord Hokage tasked me with infiltrating the root, I never could have imagined that things would be this bad. I know he''s meeting with Orochimaru right now but that''s it. I don''t know what''s going on or what this is about but whatever it is, it must be huge. Danzo doesn''t even trust his own people with what''s happening in there... Fu and Torune are the most loyal and some of the strongest of the Root ninjas and I know that Shigaraki is the Researcher What exactly is happening in there? Damn it! I can''t get any closer without exposing my intention''

    At that moment several meters away in the shadows, two yellow eyes popped up from a tree. Zetsu looked at the guards and then sensed the barrier surrounding the interior.

    ''This was once an old base of the Shimura n during the warring era I''m pretty sure they didn''t have a barrier here at that time. It seems Danzo added a few modifications. It will be difficult to get inside but not impossible. But if I force myself in there like that I''ll be detected''

    After thinking about the next move, Zetsu abandoned that n. ''The less they know about me the better. It''s not the time to make rash decisions. I''ll find out what he''s up to sooner orter.''

    With that thought Zetsu disappeared back into the ground without anyone sensing his presence.

    -

    Danzo walked forward through a small tunnel and soon entered arge room. There were several medical equipment set up all around the ce. He saw Orochimaru waiting for him with a devilish grin.

    "Is it ready?" Danzo asked the man.

    "Hm!" Orochimaru led Danzo to a special ss container with several seals all over it.

    Inside it, a pale white arm with numerous Sharingan could be seen. "So you were able to replicate the Sharingan and imnt it into the arm huh!"

    "Yes. I took Itachi''s blood and bonded it with Shin''s DNA. But these are still eyes made from clones. So the effects are not as powerful as the original."

    Danzo didn''t say anything and just inspected the arm. Orochimaru had already sent him a sample Sharingan a few months ago and Danzo made sure to confirm that it was able to use the Izanagi technique.

    Danzo inspected each of the Sharingan in the container. ''For my ns, for what I need to do, this will be enough. They will be my trump card.''

    "I wonder what Sarutobi sensei would say if he found out what you were doing?" At that moment Orochimaru asked, chuckling.

    Danzo narrowed his eyes. He wasn''t in the mood to chitchat. "What Hiruzen thinks or says is not your concern! Now stop wasting time and let''s proceed."

    "Very well Did you bring the item?"

    At that, Danzo motioned to Shigaraki. The scientist stepped forward with a scroll and unlocked its contents. There was a vial of blood and some brown synthetic flesh.

    "This is Lord Hashirama''s blood. The other is a cultivated flesh of his blood and the specimen sample you''ve provided."

    "You''vee far in your research on the first Hokage''s power." Orochimaru was not one to give out any praise but he was mildly impressed with the progress Shigaraki made.

    Danzo began disrobing and got on the operation table. He knew Fu and Torune would keep vignce and Shigaraki could spot if Orochimaru did something harmful to his body.

    Orochimaru injected Danzo with a special serum and within moments Danzo was knocked out.

    "Beginning surgery."

    Orochimaru and Shigaraki began the operation. Danzo''s crippled right arm was severed and Orochimaru ced several seals on his body. Each one meant to keep Danzo alive until the end of the procedures.

    The Snake Sannin took the Sharingan arm and brought it to the table. ''The first Hokage''s strength and the Sharingans. I wonder what you''ll do with this power Danzo?''

    The thought somewhat excited Orochimaru. He knew Danzo had his own ns and was extremely dangerous but he couldn''t help but take the risks. He still had use for the man''s connections.

    Several hours went by as Orochimaru and Shigaraki operated in Danzo. For the Sharingan arm to be of proper use, the First Hokage''s power was needed. They added his blood and grafted the synthetic flesh onto Danzo''s right shoulder and then attached Shin''s arm.

    The surgerysted for over 7 hours. It took two more hours for Danzo to regain consciousness. He could already sense the change happening throughout his body.

    As he tried to get up Shigaraki quickly stopped him. "Lord Danzo. Please. Not so quickly. It''s still healing."

    Danzo just ignored that advice. "You''re underestimating Lord Hashirama''s power. He was able to heal his wounds in seconds without even using medical ninjutsu. I can already feel that power flowing through me."

    With those words Danzo got up from the bed and stood without a problem. He inspected his right arm. The numerous 3 tomoe Sharingan sent a thrill up his spine.

    ''A total of 10 Sharingan and the power of wood style jutsu. Finally! Now I have the power of both the Senju and Uchiha!''

    At that moment Orochimaru came near him. "I''m sure you can already tell, but your chakra is undergoing a massive change. You will need a few months of rest for your body to fully adapt and for your chakra to stabilize."

    "Hmm." Danzo nodded as put on a cloak. At that moment Torune stepped forward with several steel couplings.

    "So that''s your n?! I assume they have the seals that can block the Byakugan and chakra sensors." Orochimaru looked over the contraptions and deduced their purpose.

    Torune stood silently without giving the Sannin an answer. His master was Danzo and no one else.

    Shigaraki covered Danzo''s right arm in bandages and then Fu took the couplings from Torune and secured them around the arm. With everythingplete Danzo and his Root members exited the room.

    It was dawn. Once outside Danzo ordered the other teams to head back to the vige. He then took out a map and threw it to the Sannin. "The materials and equipment you wanted are marked on that location. Let''s not meet for a while."

    With a dark chuckle Orochimaru burst into snakes and disappeared into the forest.

    -

    Hokage Residency - Private Chamber.

    Hiruzen had a grim visage as he heard Bear''s report. It was only after a week that the Anbu spy was able to make contact with the Hokage without arousing any suspicions.

    "This is truly troubling You have no idea what Danzo wanted with Orochimaru?"

    "Forgive me Lord Hokage but I couldn''t find out what happened. I didn''t want to do anything that jeopardized my position."

    "No. It''s alright. I need you where you are"

    Hiruzen thought about everything Bear said. He had several theories as to why his former teammate would meet his former student like this. But he needed to confirm a few things beforeing to an answer.

    "You said he had the head scientist of the Root with him!? So Shigaraki was present and he attended the meeting?"

    "Yes Lord Hokage. It''s strange. Taking Shigaraki to such a ce with a possibly dangerous enemy. And Danzo himself went. The whole thing is bizarre. And after Danzo came out of the cave his whole chakra felt strange"

    "Hmm! I might have an idea as to what might have happened. But I need to confirm a few things first In the meantime gather as much intelligence on his organization as you can. Make sure your position isn''tpromised."

    "Yes sir." With those words the Anbu disappeared.

    Hiruzen then made his way to the vault hidden beneath the Hokage tower. It contained some of the most dangerous information, jutsu and materials of the vige.

    He opened the vault and went to a special spot that held a preserver. Hiruzen opened the container and looked at the content.

    ''They''re gone!''

    3 vials were missing from the row.

    ''3 vials of Lord Hashirama''s blood are gone. Danzo would be the only one capable of taking it without alerting anyone You bastard. I knew it. The second I learned that Shigaraki was with you, I knew you were performing some kind of experiment with Lord First'' blood.''

    Hiruzen took the remaining vials with him. ''I can''t let anyone else get these.''

    Hiruzen got what he needed and closed the vault. He made his way back to his office in deep thought.

    ''Danzo must have performed some sort of experiment on himself. Orochimaru and Shigaraki are the two people who know the secrets of the first Hokage''s blood So that must be why he met them But Lord Hashirama''s blood is too strong. The chakra is potent and will react violently with anyone it is injected with. Danzo knows this... So for him to still perform some kind of experiment on himself He must be absolutely certain that he will survive and get some benefits from the experiment''

    Hiruzen sighed as he reached his office. ''It seems there is no choice. I need to move forward with my ns. Even if it goes against my morals.''

    Hiruzen took the forbidden scroll from its secured location. He went through each and every jutsu in there until he found the few he needed.

    Among the jutsus Hiruzen had his eyes one, was the one with the most potential and danger.

    Summoning Jutsu: Reanimation!

    ----------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 129: 6th Year Begins

    Chapter 129: 6th Year Begins

    ''497 498 499 500!''

    Daichi was in a handstand position andpleted his 500 push ups. At that moment the quest was updated and gave him the tasks that needed to bepleted for the 6th year.

    [Ongoing quest - ''Path to the strongest'' updated.]

    ''Ok. What do I have to do this time?''

    [Tasks toplete this year have been updated. Training clothes in your inventory have been modified. Wear them whenpleting the daily quests.]

    [Conditions:]

    [Complete 500 Push ups (Daily)]

    [Complete 500 Squats (Daily)]

    [Complete 500 Punches (Daily)

    [Run 10 Kilometers (Daily)]

    [Complete at least 1 Dungeon before the end of March next year.]

    [Master at least 2 advanced Nature transformation skills.]

    [Complete academic assignments before the final exam of this curriculum.]

    [Reach level 50 before the end of next March.]

    .

    [Rewards:]

    [Status Recovery (Daily)]

    [Random Reward(Weekly)]

    [+3 Stat Points (Weekly) ]

    [+10,000 Exp clearing a Dungeon.]

    [Reward for clearing additional dungeons.]

    [+2 Levels increase in the skill Chakra Affinity for sessfully learning 2 advanced Nature transformation skills.]

    [New Title.]

    [+35 stat points.]

    ''The daily and weekly rewards are still the same. +2 Levels to the ''Chakra Affinity'' skill, huh! 35 stat points? That''ll definitelye in handy New title!? Wonder which one it''ll be this time''

    [Failure:]

    [Penalty Dungeon.]

    [-100 Stat points. ]

    [Death.]

    ''Wow the penalty this time is massive. Taking away 100 stat points That''s not good. Well it''s not worse than death I suppose I need to reach level 50 before next March. Looks like I might have toplete more than one dungeon this time.

    [ept] (Y/N)

    Without wasting time Daichi epted the quest.

    [Weighted Training Clothes] [Rare Item: Rank C]

    [...Consists of 2 leg warmers to be worn below the knee and 2 arm sleeves to be worn below the elbow. Each weighing exactly 30 KG.

    Consists of 1 undershirt and 1 trouser to be worn under the clothes. Each weighing exactly 70 KG.]

    ''260 Kilos It''ll be easy if it was just for the workout but since I''m wearing them all day that''s gonna be a drain on my stamina Well Since that''s the only way I''d get to improve my physical stats, I have no choice. I gotta do what I gotta do.''

    At that moment a new notification appeared. It seemed more like a system warning than anything else.

    [Once the conditions for this year''s quest are sessfully cleared, You will be given the choice to graduate or wait one more year Choose carefully.]

    Daichi''s eyes widened as he read that ''Graduate at the end of this year? That means I''ll be graduating with Lee''s year group I''ll be a Genin ninja one year ahead of everyone else in my ss But should I take it I''ll make a decision at the end Right now I need to focus on getting stronger andpleting the tasks assigned to me''

    The month of April went by quickly as Daichi began training in his Wind Chakra nature. He was able topletely Max out the Leaf cutting skill in just 10 days. He also perfectly performed his tasks as a medic at the hospital. He learned almost everything from Tsunade regarding medical techniques.

    He also challenged her to some form of gamble every week only to win and it made Daichi somewhat frustrated, which had Tsunade and Shizune confused.

    As the month came to an end, Tsunade called Daichi over to her temporary home. She had two scrolls in her hands. A Green scroll and a slightlyrger Red scroll.

    Daichi had a serious look on his face as Tsunade handed him a green scroll. "I believe you are more than capable of mastering this"

    Daichi looked at the scroll and his eyes widened. He had an idea as to what it is. "Wait, is this what I think it is?"

    Tsunade smiled and nodded her head in confirmation.

    "The Strength of the Hundred Seal. This is a jutsu I learned from information I read in one of my grandmother''s journals. This scroll contains the information on how to store your chakra, maintain it in your body without loss and whenpleted use it without restriction. To use this jutsu one must have absolute control over their chakra. So this is perfect for you. But make sure you read everything in there before you get started."

    Daichi held the scroll as if he was holding something precious. "Yeah"

    Tsunade continued. "With the Release of the chakra stored, you''ll easily be able to use ninjutsu that would otherwise have been too taxing for your body."

    "But that''s not all, is it? You mastered this and used it as a parent jutsu for the Creation Rebirth technique"

    "Yes. I''ve watched my grandfather heal without even needing to weave hand seals. I wanted to reach that level. But during my early years I learned that it was impossible to reach that feat with just normal level jutsus. And after having witnessed the horrors of war, I created it with the purpose of protecting myrades."

    Tsunade had a sad smile as she remembered the faces of her lost friends and families. Two significant people stayed at the forefront of her mind. She sighed and looked at Daichi with a certain fondness.

    Over the course ofst year she had grown to like the boy. His determination, strength, abilities and personality made her smile. Daichi had a realistic yet optimistic view of the world which fascinated her. He was the first person aside from Shizune she felt close to in a long time. She didn''t want anything bad to happen to him.

    "Daichi! Make sure to learn the Creation Rebirth jutsu. That should be your first priority once you''ve mastered the Strength of the Hundred Seal."

    "I will."

    Tsunade then asked Daichi a question he was half expecting.

    "I''m sure you know that I hold a summoning contract. I''m the summoner of the Slug Katsuyu from the Shikkotsu Forest. If you sign a summoning contract with Katsuyu you''ll be able to symbiotically link your seal to Katsuyu and have her use healing chakra There are also other benefits but I''m sure you can learn them when the timees So what do you say? Do you want to sign the summoner contract with her"

    Daichi was somewhat dreading this question. He already promised Kensei that he would sign a contract with the Tiger n.

    ''I already gave my word to the old man that I would make a pact with the Tiger n And he told me they won''t like it if I sign a contract with another creature. Then again I have to pass some test to be their summoner, so''

    Tsunade could see that Daichi was having trouble answering her question. It only took a few moments to figure out the reason.

    "Don''t tell me You already signed a contract with the Tiger n?" She asked the boy.

    "No. But before I came to the capital, he had me meet one of them. He said I would be allowed to take the test and be a summoner. Told me not to sign any other contracts." Daichi replied with an awkward smile.

    A tick mark formed on Tsunade''s forehead. "That sneaky old geezer." She mumbled to herself. She looked at Daichi and then sighed.

    "What do you want to do Daichi?" Tsunade asked calmly.

    Daichi thought about it for a few more seconds and gave his answer. "I already made a promise to him. I can''t break it."

    The slug sannin let out a sigh. "Are you sure? You won''t get this offer again?"

    "I''m sure. I know it would be great to have Katsuyu as my summoner but I feel that I belong with the Tiger n."

    "Since you''ve made up your mind, I''m not gonna force you BUT that doesn''t mean I''m happy about it" With those words she punched a nearby table, crushing it to small pieces.

    [You have sensed killing intent.]

    Seeing Tsunade mad, Daichi immediately took the contingency he had prepared. "Oh, look what I have sensei!"

    With those words Daichi took a bottle from his sleeve and shook it in front of the angry woman. Tsunade''s eyes followed the bottle in Daichi''s hand.

    "This is the finest sake from the mountains of the lightning country. I remembered you saying that it was great and wanted to try it So I got it for you"

    Daichi bought the bottle at the Fire Capital''s Auction house at a great price for just such an asion. And at this moment, he felt that it was worth every Ryo.

    Tsunade took the bottle from Daichi''s hand in an instant and smelled the sake inside She smiled as soon as she got a whiff of that fine aged alcohol. Sheughed and looked at the kid.

    "Hmm! You''re a great student Daichi. I''m d I taught you." With those words she took a swig from the bottle and then sighed happily.

    Seeing his teacher appeased, Daichi let out a sigh of relief. ''Crisis averted.''

    At that moment he noticed the Red scroll in her other hand. ''What is that? Another medical ninjutsu technique?''

    "Umm What''s in that scroll, sensei?"

    Tsunade looked at the Red scroll when she heard Daichi''s questions. After a few seconds of silent contemtion, she replied.

    "This is a Taijutsu style developed by my grandfather and granduncle."

    Daichi was shocked when he heard that. ''A Taijutsu style created by the First and Second Hokages? Holy shit! That must have some incredible techniques The knowledge in that That thing must be worth a fortune.''

    "Wow!" Daichi was amazed that the two Hokages created a martial arts style together. "It must be powerful if it was created by the first two Kage''s."

    Tsunade nodded. "Yes... My grandfather had the ability to be one with nature. He observed every aspect of nature to achieve his pinnacle strength."

    Daichi slightly narrowed his eyes. ''She must be talking about sage mode.''

    Tsunade continued. "He observed all the elements and all the different creatures that roamed the world. It took several years but he finally understood their essence. The problem was that he couldn''t properly create the martial arts style he wanted based on the essence of nature on his own. That''s where my grandunclees in. With his intelligence and technical skills he helped grandfather create the ultimate Taijutsu style. They called it the pinnacle of Martial arts. But before he could learn and master it, he passed away And Uncle Tobirama didn''t have the time to learn it as well."

    "Wait. If it''s so powerful then why haven''t you learned it?"

    "There are several things a person must understand before they learn this Taijutsu style. What they created is something more than just punches and kicks. Before you try and even learn it, you need knowledge. You need to understand the world. Or more precisely understand nature I couldn''t do it because I wasn''t talented enough. And I was more focused on improving my medical skills. So I didn''t bother with it This Taijutsu style is special. Even if a person were to get a hold of this scroll, they wouldn''t be able to utilize it at all. Without proper knowledge the techniques in this scroll are useless"

    Daichi was somewhat confused. ''Did Hashirama learn this after bing a sage? Is that what she means when she says understand nature? If that''s the case then that must also be why the second Hokage Tobirama Senju didn''t try and learn it Damn. Does that mean I have to be a sage if I want to learn that style? I can''t exactly ask her that since information on Sage jutsu and nature chakra are so secretive that most people don''t even know about it.''

    "I''m giving this to you I believe you''re talented enough and have the time to learn and master this style." With those words Tsunade handed him the scroll. A quest popped up at that moment but he ignored it for the time. His eyes were on the scroll.

    Daichi looked at the Red scroll in his hand. It had abel on the top.

    ''Flowing Fist of the Natural Order''

    ----------------

    Author''s Note:

    Any of you care to take a guess as to who I took inspiration from for the new Taijutsu?

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 130: Path to Transcendence

    Chapter 130: Path to Transcendence

    "You really think I''ll be able to do it?" Daichi was happy that she had that much trust in him.

    Tsunade smiled and replied. "I believe you are the only one capable of aplishing it!"

    At that moment a new notification appeared.

    "Thank you Lady Tsunade. I won''t let you down."

    "You better not. Nowe on. Let''s celebrate. I got us a booth reserved on the exclusive second floor of the Phoenix restaurant." With those words Tsunade and Daichi made their way to the famous restaurant of the Fire capital. Shizune joined them mid way and the three headed to their destination with smiles on their faces.

    As Daichi made his way through the streets of the capital he looked at the new system message boxes piled up.

    [Tsunade has truly acknowledged you as her student.]

    [You have gained the Title ''Slug Sannin''s Apprentice'']

    [Slug Sannin''s Apprentice: ]

    [This title will give +30 points to Strength and Vitality stats.]

    [Reputation increases with Leaf Vigers and its Allies.]

    ''Wow. I''ve been wondering why I hadn''t received a title even when I was learning under her Now I know. It''s only now that she truly sees me as her student Regardless, this is a good thing''

    Daichi read the effects of the title and was impressed.

    ''30 points to strength and vitality huh. Makes sense it would be those stats. She is known for her strength and healing powers.''

    Daichi closed the Title notification and looked at the quest that had popped up when his teacher gave him the scroll.

    He read the contents and as he kept reading his astonishment grew and by the time hepletely read everything he was dumbfounded. He stopped dead in his tracks with his mouth slightly open.

    "What the frack?" Daichi couldn''t help but exim out loud.

    A couple walking nearby looked at Daichi like he was an idiot.

    Daichi quicklyposed himself and resumed walking. He went through the quest details again just to make sure he didn''t miss interpret anything.

    [Quest Created - ''Observe and Understand'']

    Observe the various Living Creatures, Phenomena and different Geologies of the world and understand their essence. When you have an understanding of the flow of energy of the world, you can learn and use the taijutsu style created by Hashirama Senju and Tobirama Senju. Time Limit: None

    .

    [Conditions:]

    Observe the Various aspects of Nature such as Land, Water, nts, Animals and Insects.

    Observe and understand at least 7 different types of Creatures.

    Observe and understand the creational aspect of Nature. nts, Forests, Lakes and Oceans.

    Observe and understand the destructive force of Nature. Raging Ocean waves, Forest fire, Natural lightning strikes, Tornado and Volcanic lightning.

    Explore and understand the different Geologies of the world. Forest, Desert, Frozen Tundra and Volcanic Lands.

    .

    [Rewards:]

    Ability to use the energy of the world.

    Limitless ess to Nature Chakra.

    Knowledge required to learn and master the Taijutsu style ''Flowing Fist of the Natural Order''.

    Completing one half of the conditions required to be a Transcendent.

    New Title.

    .

    [Failure:]

    Very limited ess to Nature Chakra. (This only applies if at least half the quest ispleted.)

    Will not be able to master ''Flowing Fist of the Natural Order''.

    Will never be a Transcendent.

    Possible Death.

    .

    [ept (Y/N)]

    ''Holy Shit! Energy of the world! Limitless Nature Chakra and Bing a Transcendent!? My god This kind of a quest''

    Daichi couldn''t believe the rewards of the quest.

    ''Bing a Transcendent No! It sayspleting one half of the conditions required So there is probably another quest I''ll need toplete to be a Transcendent''

    At that moment another thought popped into Daichi''s head. ''If I can be a Transcendent being, then can I fight the Otsutsuki on my own?... Questions forter.''

    "Hey Daichi! Quit spacing out. We''re here." Tsunade''s yell brought Daichi out of his thoughts. He epted the quest and decided to look into itter at home.

    The trio made their way up the floors and soon reached their booth on the second floor. They ordered fancy dishes and celebrated Daichi''s sessful year.

    Daichi asked his twopanions what it was like to travel and see the world. Hearing Daichi''s questions, Shizune recalled her adventures throughout the country. They had a fun time and after a couple hours things were winding down.

    "Daichi, since Kensei has already approved, we''ll leave the capital in a few days. There are still some things for you to learn regarding medicine and the next destination is perfect for that."

    "Where exactly are we going, Sensei?"

    "To the Land of Medicine."

    -

    It was midnight. Daichi wasying in his bed looking at the conditions of thetest quest he had received. He looked at the first condition of the quest.

    ''Observe and Understand 7 different types of Creatures Somehow I get the feeling that the list should include Birds, Reptiles and Amphibians So which ones should I focus on?''

    After thinking on it for a while he had a few options in mind. ''Birds, Lizards, Tiger, Snake, Toad, Fish and Human The quest didn''t say I couldn''t observe and understand Humans Not sure what more there is to understand about us but I''ll give it a try.''

    Daichi moved on to the next part. ''Understand the creational aspects of Nature Hmm. nts, Forest, Lakes and Oceans. They are ecosystems that give birth to life. Is that what the quest meant? I need to see the birth of new life in these terrains?''

    Daichi pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed.

    ''Ghaa! This quest is soplicated. Then again given what the rewards are I suppose this is only natural.''

    He then moved on to thest two parts of the quest. ''The destructive force of Nature and exploring different Geologies It''s gonna take me a long time just to find some of the ces mentioned in this quest. And I''ll need to spend even more on understanding whatever it is that I need to understand Oh man, that''s gonna eat up so much of my time''

    At that moment a new idea popped into Daichi''s head. ''What if I find dungeons withndscapes like these Then I''ll be able to spend as much time as I need there Hmm! That''s an idea But I''ll need to be prepared for failure Besides, does observing the environment in a dungeon count as observing and understanding the world? I guess I''ll have to find out.''

    Up until now Daichi couldn''t focus on training in the dungeons because he would get attacked every often and had to be on guard at all times. He had a very little rest period and he focused on healing himself during such short peaceful moments. Once he eliminated his enemies in a certain area then more would show up to that spot after a while forcing Daichi to fight again or move away. So during the dungeon times Daichi couldn''t effectively train his skills.

    ''I would always get attacked after having just sufficient resting periods. It was as if the dungeon wasn''t permitting me to get strong quickly I''ll need to find a way around that This is a long term quest. I''m pretty sure I won''t be able toplete it before the end of the Sasuke defection arc in the series I need to make a solid n if I want toplete this quest.''

    Since it was a long term quest with a great difficulty, Daichi decided to put it aside for now. He hadn''t opened the Strength of the Hundred Seal jutsu scroll yet. He was saving that for tomorrow.

    ''I''ll start on this with fresh eyes once I get some sleep.''

    The next day afterpleting his morning workouts Daichi opened his status page. He focused on the stats and points umted till now. His goal was increasing his primary stats.

    [Primary Stats]

    Strength - 227

    Vitality - 228

    Dexterity - 157

    Agility - 192

    Intelligence - 153

    Chakra - 294

    Wisdom - 163

    ''Thanks to Tsunade''s apprentice title my strength and vitality stats have gone up by 30 but aside from chakra none of the others in primary stat have gone beyond 200 I have 759 points saved Time to put them to some use.''

    Without wasting time, Daichi started adding points to his primary stats.

    [Primary Stats]

    STR - 227+3 = 230

    VIT - 228+2 = 230

    DEX - 157+43 = 200

    AGI - 192+28= 220

    INT - 153+17 = 170

    CHK - 294+36 = 330

    WISD - 163+7 = 170

    Daichi used a total of 136 stat points. He immediately felt the strength and chakra in his body increase several times. Several notifications also appeared before his eyes.

    [Chakra stat has reached 300. ]

    [The skill Chakra Affinity has evolved to Advanced Chakra Affinity. The skill Chakra Regeneration has evolved to Advanced Chakra Regeneration. This increases the chakra points and chakra regeneration speed of the yer.]

    [CP form is revised.]

    [Advanced Chakra Affinity - (Passive/Active)LV. 97: This skill increases the user''s talent and ability to use chakra more thoroughly. The users chakra has now be much stronger than others. ]

    [Effects:

    +40% growth rate of Chakra stat.

    +118% Strength increases to all chakra based skills.

    +118% Defense increases against chakra based attacks.

    +100% increase to maximum CP.

    -45% CP cost to all chakra based skills.]

    .

    [Advanced Chakra regeneration - Passive LV. 95: This skill gives the user the ability to regenerate chakra at a faster pace.]

    [Effects:

    Regeneration Increased by 125% of base CP.

    35% Increase in Regeneration speed.

    30% Growth rate of Chakra stat.

    [Note: Meditation increases CP regeneration to 150%.]

    [Skill Chakra Maniption''s level has risen by one. x5]

    [Skills that use less than 20CP can now be used without chakra consumption.]

    [All chakra rted skills will now gain experience and level up faster]

    ''Oh wow! It''s a good thing the old man isn''t here. He definitely would have felt the chakra spike.''

    Daichi felt his chakra coils expand and be stronger. He could sense that his chakra has be much more powerful and much denser.

    Daichi went through all the blue boxes and was extremely happy. ''Looks like skills that use a small amount of chakra can now be used at any time without CP reduction. And the level up speed of chakra rted skills, ninjutsu and genjutsu will be faster. Excellent.''

    He called upon his status window.

    ''Status''

    [Name : Daichi Hekima (The Gamer)]

    ss : Student

    Age : 11

    Title : Capable Child, Explorer, Prodigy, Beast yer, Dungeon Warrior, Executioner, Assassin, Mighty Healer, Slug Sannin''s Apprentice.

    [Level : 47 (21054/59075)]

    .

    HP : 17270

    CP : 44946

    SP : 17780

    MP: 6820

    .

    [Primary Stats]

    Strength - 230

    Vitality - 230

    Dexterity - 200

    Agility - 220

    Intelligence - 170

    Chakra - 330

    Wisdom - 170

    .

    [Special Stats]

    Sense - 113

    Stamina - 190

    Indomitable - 23

    Charisma - 51

    Persistence - 25

    Dignity (LOCKED)

    Luck (LOCKED)

    .

    [Stat Points - 623]

    [Ryo - 690050]

    ''Oh man 44000 CP Awesome!''

    Seeing his stats now and remembering what it was when he first opened the status page when he was reborn in this world, brought a smile to Daichi''s face.

    ''My struggles, my endless grinding They''re not in vain.''

    He went over everything and his eyes fell on the Mana points.

    ''6820 huh. I haven''t had any time to practice my Mana powers or level up any of my Mana skills thesest couple years. I''ve been so focused on my chakra affinity training and medical ninjutsu, that Ipletely neglected that I''ll need to start on Mana training once I be a Genin. Got too many things to focus on this year''

    As Daichi was making ns for his future, someone else was as well.

    -----------

    "Goodbye you guys."

    "I was hoping you''d join us for some fun but oh well... Goodbye Romya."

    A staff member at the Fire capital hospital parted ways with her coworkers after her shift at the hospital. She had a bright smile that could charm almost anyone. She had a kind, gentle smile as she walked through the streets.

    But as soon as she reached her home and closed the door that smile disappeared as if it was never there to begin with.

    "What have you found out?" A voice came from the shadows.

    "The boy haspleted his training at the hospital. His talent in Medical ninjutsu could rival Lady Tsunade''s."

    "It seems he''s exceeded our expectations."

    "There is something else. The boy will be leaving the capital." The woman told the stranger.

    "How urate is this information?"

    "It was a coincidence that I stumbled on this information but I believe it''s credible. I heard Tsunade''s apprentice Shizune telling Daichi that they are nning on a trip outside the capital."

    "Destination?"

    "Unknown Orders?!"

    "Maintain your cover at the hospital. I will take it from here." With those words the mysterious man vanished.

    The woman known to her colleagues at the hospital as Romya went to her bedroom. She opened her dresser and at the bottom was an Anbu uniform and a white mask with no markings was on top of it.

    Cover identity: Romya.

    Job: Medical Records keeper.

    Real name unknown.

    Affiliation: The Root.

    -------------------------------------------------

    Author''s Note:

    Hi guys, For all of you who guess One punch man. Congrattions. You got it right. I took the Taijutsu style inspiration from Bang and Garou. But I guess that was a no brainer given the arc that was justpleted in OPM.

    Anyway, I hope you like today''s chapter. Now, I have good news and bad news.

    The good news is some action packed chapters areing soon and we will see some of Hiruzen''s ns.

    The bad news is, I''m gonna be taking a short 3 day break. I need to rest and recharge my batteries. So I''ll see you guys with a new chapter on Thursday the 10th.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 131: 25 Million Chakra Points

    Chapter 131: 25 Million Chakra Points

    Daichi was studying the green scroll Tsunade had given him.

    ''Strength of a Hundred Seal. Once created, it appears in the form of a Rhombus shape on the forehead... If I remember right then Mito Uzumaki who was Tsunade''s grandmother also had a simr marking. Does that mean this jutsu was something originally developed by the Uzumaki n or something the Senju already had?''

    Daichi decided to ignore its history and focus his attention on its creation and applications.

    ''The reason the forehead is chosen as the concentration point for the chakra storage is because it''s the easiest and most efficient way to gather chakra and maintain it. Well, for someone with excellent chakra control anyway It''s the same principle as the leaf concentration exercise but on a whole other level''

    The scroll described how to maintain chakra and create the seal. Daichi studied every inch of the scroll and was preparing himself.

    ''This is the parent Jutsu. Once the ''Strength of the Hundred Seal'' is created, I can release it with the ''Yin seal release'' method. I can use the massive chakra that''s avable for battling or healing. The ''Ninja art Creation Rebirth'' is a subdivision of this technique. I''ll definitely need this skill in the future. And since my chakra will be far stronger andrger than Sakura''s, this will be more effective for me. But I wonder how long it will take for me to gather the needed chakra It shouldn''t be long right?''

    Daichi opened his status page and looked at his chakra points.

    ''44946''

    At that moment a skill notification appeared.

    [You have learned a new skill.]

    [Strength of the Hundred Seal: (Active/Passive) (Tier: 00): This powerful unique skill helps the user store chakra into a specific spot on their body. Once the necessary chakra volume is reached, a seal is created which the user can activate at any given time and use the stored chakra to boost the user''s abilities. This skill redirects the desired CP to the specific location on the body every day. This limitation can be removed at higher tiers.]

    [Note: This is a unique skill among the skill list and is represented by a Tier number. There are 7 tiers in total. Currently inactive.]

    Current Tier: 0

    To reach the next Tier, the current goal must bepleted.

    [Chakra Points Needed to reach Tier 01 - 0/25000000.]

    Daichi read the description and was astonished. This was the first time he saw a skill like this. And his eyes almost popped out of his skull as he read thest number.

    ''25 million? Holy crap! How long will it take me to reach that goal? And it says I''ll only reach the first Tier after gathering that much chakra? That''s insane.''

    At that moment a system message appeared.

    [This skill is currently inactive. Once this skill is activated, the system will automatically direct the allocated amount of chakra to the specific location of your body.]

    [How much percentage of your chakra do you want to redirect to the skill?]

    With that question a small red box popped up below the blue question box.

    ''Hmm So the gamer system will automatically store the chakra huh. That''s nice Now how much should I give?''

    After a couple seconds Daichi answered in his mind. ''10%.''

    After a second a new message box popped up.

    [44946 * 10%/100 = 4494.6 - Estimated at most 5562 days needed untilpletion and creation of Tier 01 seal. (Not an urate time frame due to various factors.)]

    [The time required forpletion will vary due to the additional chakra directed to the spot when you meditate, growth in your chakra reserves, and absorption of non-lethal foreign chakras or chakra generated during sleep.]

    [Would you like to proceed?]

    Daichi read the box and was disappointed. ''Over 5000 days. That''s like almost 15 years. No thanks. No.''

    Thest message disappeared reading Daichi''s intent and the question came once again.

    [How much percentage of your chakra do you want to redirect to the skill?]

    Daichi pondered as he thought about the information he just learned. ''This is just a rough estimate. So it looks like with sleep, meditation and other methods, I can reduce the time required to create the seal huh.. It''s logical now that I think about it. The system can''t predict when I will sleep or meditate and the additional chakra would be like a waste if it isn''t used for something.''

    Daichi looked at the system message and gave his second choice.

    ''30%''

    [44946 * 30%/100 = 13483 - Estimated at most 1854 days needed untilpletion and creation of Tier 01 seal. (Not an urate time frame due to various factors.)]

    [The time required forpletion will vary due to the additional chakra directed to the spot when you meditate, growth in your chakra reserves, and absorption of non-lethal foreign chakras or chakra generated during sleep.]

    [Would you like to proceed?]

    ''No!... It''s almost 5 years. That''s still too long But I can''t direct too much chakra to this because I''ll need a decent amount when I''m Genin''

    After thinking about it for a few more minutes Daichi gave his third and final answer.

    ''50%''

    [44946 * 50%/100 = 22473 - 1112 days needed.]

    ''Yes. I suppose this will have to do. Today is thest day of April. So I still have a year before Lee''s year graduates and even if I decide to graduate at that time, it won''t be a major problem. I have more than 2 years before the Chunin exams business So there is time 1112 days huh. And I can reduce this time even further with meditation and other methods. I''ll need to learn a skill that can absorb chakras from others. Like that guy Sasuke fought at the Chunin exam. But something much more efficient I''ll need to look into it.''

    [Would you like to proceed?]

    ''Yes.''

    [Concentrate chakra to the spot on your body where you want to store your energy.]

    Without even needing to close his eyes Daichi concentrated his chakra to the middle of his forehead.

    [Location confirmed.]

    [Strength of the Hundred Seal skill activated.]

    [50% of your CP will now be directed every day to the center of your forehead due to the skill.]

    [Excess chakra your body produces can now be reallocated to the skill if you wish.]

    Daichi saw a decrease in his CP points.

    [CP : 44930.4 / 44946]

    ''Almost 15.6 CP points reduction per minute. In 24 hours that umtes to 22743. 50% of my current total CP I see. So that''s how it is. This is the bare minimum that will be allocated a day and if I use other skills and increase the chakra redirected it can be a lot more What a fascinating skill''

    -------------

    May 1st

    The next morning Daichi headed to Tsunade''s apartment. He had said his temporary farewells to his grandfather the previous night. The two of them had gone out to celebrate Daichi''sst night at the capital for a while.

    When Tsunade saw Daichi the next day she noticed his massive increase in chakra reserves. ''Has he been suppressing his chakra this whole time? No! That can''t be. I would have noticed. His reserves are in the same range as high level Jonin. It''s almost as if his reserves had increased overnight. How strange!... A strong chakra, great vitality and powerful physique. He is truly blessed with a Heavenly body.''

    She also noticed something else.

    "I see you''ve started on that jutsu."

    Daichi knew exactly the one she was talking about. "Yeah. I''ll be storing a small portion of my chakra every minute to that point."

    The Sannin nodded. "Who knows with your progress you''ll be able to manifest the seal in about 4 or 5 years."

    "Actually by my estimates and with the amount I have in mind, by the time I''m done it''ll bepleted in less than 2." Daichi had a smirk on his face.

    Tsunade chuckled seeing Daichi''s confidence. "You really think so?"

    "Yup."

    "Guess we''ll find out in two years."

    At that moment Shizune appeared with her pig Tonton in her hands. "It''s done, Lady Tsunade. I''ve packed up everything we need. We''re ready." She said with enthusiasm. It''s been a few years since she spent a whole year in one ce. But now she''s excited to travel again.

    "Since we''re not in a hurry it''ll take a few weeks to reach the Land of Medicine but I doubt that''s a problem for you kid." Tsunade asked Daichi.

    "Nope. In fact I''m looking forward to traveling on the road. I''ve always wanted to explore new ces and I''m excited for this trip."

    "Alright then! Let''s hit the road."

    And like the trio left the capital for their next destination.

    They began their journey and the first ce they reached was Shukuba Town. "Why don''t you explore the ce Daichi! I''m gonna go have some fun." With those words the slug sannin left Daichi to his own devices.

    "Wait Lady Tsunade! Here Daichi. When you''re done,e to this address. I better go after her." Shizune shoved a paper in Daichi''s hand and quickly followed after their teacher.

    Daichi looked around the ce and he remembered something. ''If I recall right, then isn''t this the town where Itachi and Kisame attacked Naruto when he was out searching for Tsunade?... Yes. I''m sure of it.''

    He looked around and saw plenty of people going about their business. Daichi spent his time enjoying the sights and delicacies from around the different ces. He saw arge window in a shop and Daichi could see his reflection.

    ''Man! Long hair is indeed cool.''

    Daichi looked at his reflection and admired himself for a moment. He had long spiky brown hair that reached several inches below the shoulder. He had a lean muscr frame for someone his age. He had ck eyes and tan skin and was wearing a light green shirt, ck cargo pants and open toed shoes.

    ''Damn I look good.'' Daichi suddenly had the urge to pose in front of the mirror but he suppressed them.

    ''Now that I think about it, I kinda look like that grown up kid from One Piece What was his name?... Oh yeah! Momonosuke. I kinda look like his adult self Well my face does anyway''

    After a few more seconds he left. Daichi walked and he then came upon a street sign that read ''Fun Fun Avenue''.

    Daichi chuckled looking at the sign. ''One day.''

    He left and enjoyed the sights. He would also train the second step of his wind nature chakra when he could but its progress was much slowerpared to the others. Daichi believed he had plenty of time to master the Wind nature now that he didn''t have much else to do.

    Tsunade would visit a few gambling dens and small casinos whenever she found one. The ones that knew her reputation would wee her with open arms and would treat her like a VIP.

    As usual Tsunade would lose her money and she would spend the evening in a restaurant/bar getting drunk.

    Daichi didn''t mind as he knew she knew her limits. He would spend the night in an Inn and would only be asleep for only 4 hours and wouldplete the daily part of his quest.

    They quickly reached Tanzaku town next and spent a couple days there.

    Just because Daichi slowed down didn''t mean he becamecent. He trained everyday and meditated for a couple hours to speed up the creation of his Strength of the Hundred seal.

    A few days went by like this with nothing out of the ordinary happening. But that all changed on the 6th day of their trip.

    -------

    A Few Days Ago.

    Danzo looked at the agent he assigned at the capital.

    "So the boy left the Capital?"

    "Yes. And he is traveling with Lady Tsunade and Shizune."

    "Did you find out where Tsunade is taking him?" Danzo asked the man.

    "No sir. Unfortunately Tsunade kept that information to herself. But based on what I found out they are heading north east. Based on their current route they would reach the Land of hot water in a few days."

    Danzo''s mind went through the differentnds to the north east side of the fire country. As he thought about the different ces one stood out.

    ''The Land of Medicine That is most likely their end goal. Since the boy is training under her and haspleted the training at the hospital, it is logical that she would take him there. That ce holds dozens of different medicines and herbs. If I remember right then she spent a few months there during her childhood to learn about the various nts growing there and their herbal effects Yes. It''s most likely it.''

    Danzo had a frown as he came to this conclusion.

    ''Should I wait for her to finish teaching him?'' After he thought about it for a few more seconds he dismissed it.

    ''No. There is no better opportunity. Kensei isn''t with him right now. And there are a couple of blood thirsty factions in the Land of Hot Water. I''ll make use of their name. I might not get another chance. And based on the reports he is plenty good already. Thend of hot water is the ideal spot. And if amotion happens in thend of Iron then Mifune will be a headache.''

    Danzo made a decision. "Bu! Gather your team. Intercept them in the Land of Hot Water."

    "Yes sir." The root ninja Bu replied.

    "Make sure to take the boy alive and rtively unharmed. Avoid a fight with Tsunade and Shizune if you can. But if you have to engage, make sure not to kill Shizune. And I''m sure you remember what I said about Tsunade."

    "Yes sir. I''ll only resort to it in the most dire circumstances."

    Danzo nodded. "If you''re forced to use it, then make sure you erase her memory of it."

    ''Even if she is away from the vige drinking and gambling her life away, her name itself is enough to strengthen the image of the vige and deter some enemies. If anything happens to her then the other nations will be bold and take advantage. Not to mention what Hiruzen and Jiraiya will do. That''s not what I need right now.''

    "Go!"

    With that order the Root Anbu disappeared from Danzo''s sight.

    ---------------

    Author''s Note.

    Hey guys I''m back.

    For those who might be a bit confused with the calctions, I''ll break it down.

    [44946 * 10%/100 = 4494.6 - Estimated at most 5562 days needed untilpletion and creation of Tier 01 seal.]

    Now if Daichi chose this option, then the minimum chakra allocated to the seal would be 4494.6 CP per day. And if he only spends this much chakra on the seal then it would take him 5562 days maximum toplete the seal.

    25000000/4494.6 = 5562.

    Now there are various other factors thate into y. Absorbing Non harmful foreign chakra, chakra build up when meditating and sleeping With these factors the daily chakra redirected to the seal increases and the time decreases.

    I''m already envisioning the moment the mark appears on his forehead. I have the scenario in mind. But I don''t know how that scene wille out well that''s a long way into the future anyway. I''ll try to give it my best shot.

    Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter.

    I''ll see you guys Saturday.

    Next: Chapter 132 - My Luck and a ''Surprise'' Attack.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 132: My Luck and a Surprise Attack

    Chapter 132: My Luck and a ''Surprise'' Attack

    May 6th - Tanzaku Town.

    It was early morning. Daichipleted his daily workout and was on his bed. He looked at the chakra number in the Strength of the Hundred Seal skill on the 6th day of their journey.

    [187838/25000000]

    Daichi let out a sigh as he looked at the number. The chakra directed to the seal each dayprises 50% of Daichi''s max CP, the excess chakra generated in his sleep and meditation.

    ''I was too cautious. 22743 CP. That''s the minimum chakra the system transfers to the seal everyday. Before I activated this jutsu, I didn''t know how it would operate. If it had taken half my chakra everyday all at once, it would have been problematic in the future. Going on missions and suddenly losing half my chakra would have invited trouble. But it seems that''s not the case. The minimum chakra needed is divided and a fraction is taken from me each minute.''

    Daichi closed the system messages and sat up.

    ''And the chakra that I lose each minute to the seal is quickly restored thanks to my chakra regeneration skill. Since I didn''t know how the skill would work or how it would take my chakra after activation, I only gave the seal a 50% supply. But if I had known it would be like this then I would have made it like 400% or 500% of my total chakra to be redirected. My chakra regen skill and meditation could have made up for the decrease in CP... I could have significantly reduced my time to create the seal.''

    Daichi let out another sigh and got out of bed. ''Hindsight is 20/20. I guess But this is also valuable information. By the time the First Tier seal manifests I''ll be a lot stronger and my chakra will be much greater. I''ll be able to significantly reduce the time for the ones thate after and level it up.''

    Daichi got out of bed and quickly packed his stuff. Since most of his belongings were in his inventory, he didn''t have to waste much time on getting ready. Once he put on a new set of clothes he headed to where Tsunade and Shizune were.

    ''Those who know Tsunade and her abilities will definitely recognize my seal once it''s manifested on the forehead. I''ll need to be prepared.''

    -

    The three travelers were in an Inn and deciding their route to the Land of Medicine.

    "Alright we''ve spent enough time here. Why don''t we pack up? We can leave in an hour."

    "Do you have a map, Tsunade sensei?" At Daichi''s question the woman took an old map from her belongings and handed it to him.

    Daichi looked at the map and at that moment the Mini-Map was updated.

    ''The Land of Medicine is at the other end in the Land of Iron. We can reach the Land of Iron through the Final Valley or through the Land of Hot water Hmm I''ve always wanted to see the Final Valley. It''s an iconic ce after all But I think going through the Land of hot water would be better I can enjoy and rx in some hot springs Just hope none of those Jashine nutjobses''

    "Why don''t we head through the Land of Hot Water? It''s much better than just traveling through the route near the Valley of the End." Tsunade said.

    Shizune and Daichi agreed with Tsunade''s choice and packed. Before they left, Daichi as usual, made his weekly bet with Tsunade.

    "Aren''t you getting tired of this Daichi?" Shizune asked in an exasperated voice.

    "Nope!" Daichi turned to look at his sensei. "Bet is for 500,000. What do you say, sensei? Unless of course you''re afraid of losing again."

    Tsunade''s eyes twitched as she heard him. She knew he was just pushing her buttons but she couldn''t let it go.

    "Alright you brat. Let''s do it."

    Daichi took out a cup and put one dice in.

    "We''ll do best of three. If it''s the first three numbers then I win. If it''s thest three then you win."

    "Deal!"

    Daichi flipped the cup upside down and shook it for a few seconds and stopped. He raised the cup and saw 6 on the dice.

    He was shocked. ''4, 5, 6 and she wins. And it''s 6? Is this it?''

    Daichi was excited. But Tsunade and Shizune were shocked.

    Daichi rolled the dice inside the cup two more times and both times the results came up as 6.

    "Oh my god. You''ve won Lady Tsunade!" Shizune was surprised that her teacher had won.

    But Daichi and Tsunade didn''t say anything as they knew what this signified.

    Tsunade looked at the results and couldn''t help but feel anxious. ''I won? This is not good Why now?... I have a bad feeling about this.''

    While Tsunade was worried about what might happen Daichi was going through the new notifications that popped up in front of him.

    [You have won and lost a bet against Tsunade Senju. Conditions for unlocking special stat Luck reached. ]

    [Special stat Luck is now open.]

    [+1 Luck]

    [This stat increases the opportunities the yer might encounter. It can be good or bad depending on the actions of the yer.]

    [This stat also has a 0.001% chance to trigger a good luck moment every minute. This percentage increases with stat growth and during battle or luck based events the yer is participating.]

    [You have unlocked a special stat.

    Reward: +500 Exp.

    +75 Exp. ]

    ''Finally! I have the Luck stat open So it increases my opportunities and it depends on me to make the most of it huh''

    Daichi went through the details of the new stat. ''A 0.001% chance to trigger every minute. And it''s good luck that''s nice but I doubt it would activate at all since its percentage is so low It says it''ll increase during battle and other events but not by how much.''

    Daichi let out a breath and decided to wait and see how his Luck stat would work.

    At that moment the Slug Sannin spoke.

    "Change of ns. We''re leaving right now and we''re going through the path near the Valley of the End." Tsunade told the other two.

    Shizune was surprised. "But my Lady. What about the Land of water? I was looking forward to some rxing time in a hot spring."

    "We''ll visit there on our way back."

    It was at that moment Daichi remembered the bet. He took out a scroll and tossed it to his sensei who caught it out of reflex.

    "A deal is a deal. Here''s 500,000." Daichi had a smile on his face even as he lost his money.

    Tsunade looked at her student. "You sure about this kid?"

    Daichi smirked at that. "Yeah And good news. I think this cures my gambling addiction. Hahaha" Daichi was genuinely happy. He lost a good chunk of his cash but he was able to Unlock another Special stat. It was a trade off that was worth it in his mind.

    Seeing Daichi''s reaction, Tsunade shrugged and pocketed the scroll. She wasn''t going to say no to that much money even if he was her student.

    The trio quickly packed up and left Tanzaku Town. They changed their directions and headed in the direction of the valley of the end.

    Daichi was on alert. ''Since she''s won that means something bad is about to go down. I need to be careful.''

    -

    Some ways behind the traveling trio a man was following them secretly. Before long he was joined by four others.

    A 5 man Root Anbu team with the mission to capture Daichi Hekima.

    "Captain. It seems they have changed routes. They''re headed in the direction of Valley of the End." A ninja in the lead wearing unidentifiable clothes spoke to his leader.

    "Did they find out about us?" A woman in a simr get up asked his teammate.

    "No, that''s unlikely. Something else must have happened. Did they encounter anyone else?" The captain of the team asked his recon specialist.

    "No sir. Nothing out of the ordinary."

    "Then it must be a coincidence. A few dozen miles ahead of the valley is the entrance to the Land of Iron. We need to intercept and capture Daichi before they reach that ce."

    "Orders!?"

    "They will most probably be traveling non-stop till they reach the Land of Iron. We need to adjust our ns. Since separating and acquiring the target secretly is no longer possible, we need to engage directly. Gino and I will handle Tsunade. Doka. Your goal is to keep Shizune in ce. If the need arises I''m sure she''ll put her teacher''s safety ahead of the boy''s. Ichimaru, Toga! You two will subdue the target. Make sure not to reveal techniques that expose your origin." The Root Anbu captain Bu gave the orders.

    The speed of the Anbu team increased and they went around Daichi''s group in order to get ahead of them.

    -

    Daichi was the first one to notice it.

    "Sensei. We havepany."

    Tsunade and Shizune immediately searched the area. They could sense 3 presence surrounding them.

    The trio slowed down and sensed that the three chakra signatures were moving to intercept them. Three figures covered in ck gear appeared in front of them.

    Shizune got into a defensive position while Tsunade appeared calm. She narrowed her eyes as she looked at the three ninja blocking their path. ''Is this why I won? Are they the cause of my worry? What exactly are they after?''

    Daichi sensed only 3 presence when he used his chakra sense but when he used Mana scout he found 2 more hidden some ways from them.

    Daichi used Observe on the three present and cursed inside.

    [?] [Bu]

    ?

    [?] [Gino]

    ?

    [LV.90] [Doka]

    Age: 30

    HP: 17850 CP: 25900

    Affiliation:

    [Doka is a member of the Root forces under Danzo Shimura. He was taken into the Root program at 4 years of age and has been trained in several fields. He carries out missions with no questions asked and willplete a mission at all costs. Proficient in ninjutsu. Primary chakra nature is fire.

    His current mission is to capture Daichi Hekima alive and bring him to Danzo.

    STR - 253

    AGI - 247

    INT - 70

    The physical stats maybe subjected to change if chakra or technique is applied. ]

    ''Damn. They''re Root. And they''re here for me. Which means Danzo has decided to make his move. The fact that he knew to attack now means he''s been keeping an eye on me for a while. So most likely in the capital. He must have had someone at the hospital. Damn! I made sure to check out every nurse and doctor that I met there Was it someone else or was the agent not at the hospital?''

    Daichi let that thought go for the moment. He had more important things to worry about.

    "What do you want?" Tsunade asked in a rather impolite tone.

    "You''re one of the Legendary Sannin right. We just wish to fight you. And maybe take that bounty on your head. You''ve racked up quite a bit during the war." The one in the center spoke.

    Shizune sneered, hearing the words and the arrogant tone from him. ''Is he an idiot? Does he not know what Lady Tsunade is capable of? How presumptuous of him. To think he can defeat someone like her.''

    Daichi had very different thoughts from Shizune as he heard what the ninja said. ''That''s a load of crap. Based on what ''Observe'' says, their mission is to capture me. Since there are two more hiding, they would most likely be the ones toe after me. So this must be some kind of diversion These two. Bu and Gino. I can''t read their stats. So that means they''re over level 92. Most probably high level Jonin bordering S rank. But I doubt they would be confident in fighting Lady Tsunade one on one. So since they''re the strongest they will most likely stall Tsunade and the one called Doku will keep Shizune busy. And I''m guessing the two hiding will try and capture me during that Chaos. Isting the target and capturing, huh. That must be their n. Or the most probable one.''

    Daichi analyzed their words, information and mission goals and quickly came to this conclusion in seconds. Daichi''s intelligence and battle tactics had improved quite a bit due to his many battles in the dungeons. But now he was facing real live people. Daichi knew this would be nothing like his fight with the three ninjas from the Vige hidden in the Waterfall.

    Tsunade narrowed her eyes. "You really think the likes of you can take me down?"

    "We won''t know unless we try." With those words several shuriken flew towards Tsunade and Shizune.

    For Daichi at that moment a new quest box appeared.

    [Quest Created - Kill your Enemies.]

    ----------------

    Author''s Note:

    I''ll see you guys on Monday.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 133: Attack of the Root

    Chapter 133: Attack of the Root

    Daichi quickly read the details of the new quest.

    [Quest Created - Kill your Enemies.]

    Do not let the Root ninjas capture you. Make sure all the Root enemies present are dead and protect your teachers. If even one Root ninja escapes, or if you get captured, this quest is considered a failure.

    Time limit: 6 Hrs.

    [Conditions:]

    Death of all 5 enemies before the time limit.

    Do not let the enemy escape or reach the Leaf Vige.

    .

    [Rewards:]

    +1 Level

    New Jutsu.

    Reputation increases with Kensei Yasaji, Tsunade Senju, Shizune, Hiruzen Sarutobi and others.

    Reputation decreases with Danzo Shimura.

    .

    [Failure:]

    Possible death of Kensei Yasaji. (Only if captured)

    Bing Root ninja for a short time. (Only if captured)

    Danzo and Orochimaru will learn about you and your abilities.

    .

    [ept] (Y/N)

    Daichi read the contents and quickly epted the quest.

    The shuriken flew at the three and Daichi read its path. ''The way they''reing at us. We can only dodge and it would force me to create some distance from my team. They''re not making it obvious but they''re definitely trying to separate me.''

    Tsunade, Shizune and Daichi easily dodged the shurikens and as Daichi predicted he was forced tond several meters away from his team. Daichi looked at his enemies with a narrow nce.

    ''I''m not gonna let you dictate the battle. Since I''m gonna have to kill them all, it''s not a big deal if they see my real strength. But still I need to be cautious. Who knows who else is around watching outside of my sensor range. If someone like Zetsu gets wind of me I''ll be in trouble soon.''

    Without wasting a second and before the Root ninjas could make the next move Daichi threw several kunai with lightning chakra coating them. He then made a hand seal and immediately used body flicker and reappeared near Tsunade and Shizune.

    The root ninjas dodged the fast projectiles with minimum movements.

    The six people kept their eyes focused on their enemies. Tsunade and Shizune had heard what Daichi was capable of from his grandfather. So they had some confidence in the boy to hold his own.

    But still, Tsunade warned her student. "Daichi. Be careful of the three."

    "Actually it''s 5. Two more are hiding approximately 123 meters north north-east of us." Tsunade and Shizune were surprised when they heard it. The 3 Root Anbu heard him and was shocked as well.

    Bu looked at Daichi and was impressed. ''His senses are extraordinary and sharp. Ichimaru and Toga are specialists in stealth and yet this brat found them? He must be a natural born powerful sensor.''

    "I didn''t know you''d taken on another student, Lady Tsunade. Perhaps my colleagues can test him and see how far he''se under your tutge." Bu spoke.

    Daichi was looking at the leader of the team just as he was looking at him. ''I need to kill all of them. But I might have to go all out. And I don''t want to reveal my true strength even to Tsunade. So on second thought it''s best that I move away from the team. They''ll think it''s their n to separate me and I''ll just act along.''

    At that moment Tsunade spoke up. "Since you came for my head why don''t you leave him out of this. I''m more than enough to deal with you and your team."

    Bu just chuckled. "No no. Your opponent is me" With those words he quickly jumped down the tree while weaving hand seals.

    Daichi recognized the seals. "It''s the mud river jutsu."

    The moment he touched the ground it turned into a torrent of earthen river headed for the three medic ninjas. Before Daichi could do anything, Shizune ced a hand on him, stopping him. Daichi saw Tsunade step forward.

    She punched the ground in front of her and unleashed her super strength. "Hiya!" shattering the ground several meters forward and stopping the jutsu.

    Gino, Doka and Bu dodged the flying rocksing their way and got to safety.

    At that moment Daichi sensed a foreign chakra trying to intrude into his system.

    [Mental intrusion detected.]

    [Gamer''s Mind has neutralized the foreign attack.]

    The gamer notifications popped up.

    Next to him, Shizune quickly made a Ram hand seal. "Genjutsu Release."

    Daichi and Shizune walked and stood near their master. Daichi then said something in a very low tone that only Tsunade heard. She looked at the boy from the corner of her eyes and gave a slight nod.

    As this was happening the Root Anbu Doka lowered his hands and spoke to his colleagues. "As expected. It''s not easy capturing medical ninjas of their level in Genjutsu. Since they are attuned to even the smallest fluctuations in chakra they would quickly notice a Genjutsu ced on them."

    "Proceed with n C." At that moment the team captain Bu spoke.

    Without any more words the three ninjas rushed to their enemies. Bu went straight for Tsunade while Gino went for Shizune and Doka appeared in front of Daichi.

    Daichi quickly raised his hands and blocked a punch aimed directly at his face. ''Shit! That punch had some serious power. If I didn''t have all those damage reduction effects, that could have broken my arm. This guy is way above my level and his base stats is above mine. And if he uses chakra it''ll increase.''

    The punch pushed Daichi away from Tsunade and Shizune. ''I thought he would attack Shizune and the other two would join together to fight Lady Tsunade. Did I make a mistake?... Regardless, my end goal doesn''t change. I need to kill all of them.'' He slightly winced and shook his arm as if to get rid of the pain and numbness.

    Just as Daichi was analyzing his opponent and making ns, his enemy was doing the same. Doka looked at Daichi and was impressed. ''This kid''s reflexes, reaction time and response are incredible for someone his age. And he is a lot stronger than he looks. It seems the report on him is inurate But I''m still confident that the other two can handle him. I just need to lure him to them and then get back here. I''m not sure the captain will be able to hold on if Tsunade gets serious.''

    "Daichi!" Shizune''s yell brought Daichi out of his thoughts.

    "I''ll be fine. I can handle him. Don''t worry about me." Daichi told Shizune as he kept his eyes firmly on his enemy.

    "Handle me? You''ll handle me? Looks like I need to teach you some manners." Doka rushed forward and shed at Daichi who only barely evaded the sharp weapon. Daichi took out his own kunai and both of them began exchanging blows. But it was obvious to anyone watching that the rogue ninja had the upper hand and Daichi was struggling.

    Seeing this, Shizune became worried. She tried to get past the ninja in front of her but was unsessful. At that moment her teacher called out to her.

    "Shizune! Focus on the fight in front of you. Daichi can take care of himself. Have faith."

    Tsunade was also worried about Daichi and was on the lookout for the 2 other hidden ninjas as well but she decided to trust the kid. She remembered what he told her a few moments ago.

    "Whatever happens, don''t worry about me. I''ll be fine. Just make sure to take these guys down. I have a feeling they''re trying to separate us. I''ll y along. I promise I''ll be back before long."

    There was a strength in Daichi''s words that made Tsunade trust him. She knew he was not a fool or an overconfident person. So she decided to put her trust in him and let him handle his battles.

    The root ninja Doka took his tanto and shed at Daichi. He infused chakra into his limbs and increased his speed. The strikended and dealt a non lethal blow on Daichi.

    "Gha!" Daichi''s arm was bleeding as he couldn''tpletely evade the sh.

    At that moment a new notification popped up.

    [Poisons detected.]

    [Gamer''s Body has neutralized the foreignpounds.]

    Daichi looked at the wound and saw the light green liquid seeped into his flesh. He looked at the short de the enemy wielded and saw the same liquid coating it. ''Based on the texture and smell, this concoction is most probably a sleeping agent''

    Daichi internally smirked at their strategy. ''Too bad for them. But I''ll y along.''

    Daichi learned a vast amount of knowledge during his time with Tsunade. So he quickly figured out how fast the effects of the poison would take ce if he was affected.

    The Root ninja rushed forward and the fight resumed. Daichi coated his two kunai with lightning nature and rushed at the enemy. Doka''s Tanto was also coated in lightning chakra and they both shed. Daichi barely evaded the strikes and looked like he was having a difficult time.

    Tsunade was anxious as she kept an eye on Daichi and when she saw him struggling she became concerned. But that worry onlysted a second. During the battle Daichi looked back at her for only just a split second but those eyes conveyed a message to her. She immediately understood what he was doing.

    ''He''s ying them I see''

    The worry in her heart faded and she turned her attention back to the ninja in front of her. "Who do you work for?"

    She had something important to do before she got serious. She needed to find out more information about her attackers.

    -

    Doka vs Daichi.

    The man looked at the panting boy in front of him. ''He''s a lot stronger than the report indicates. It seems Kensei has trained the boy. But I''ve seen enough. And it looks like the poison is taking effect. His movements will only get more sluggish. I''m confident the other two will be able to easily subdue him. Now I need to lure him away from here.''

    Making up his mind he disappeared and reappeared in front of Daich andunched a powerful kick that sent Daichi flying. Without stopping he rushed towards the boy.

    Daichi regained control of himself, backflipped and safelynded on the ground. He swiftly evaded to the right and dodged a punch to his chest.

    "Let''s see how well you do in Taijutsu." Doka got into a fighting stance and looked at the boy.

    Doka rushed at Daichi and attacked with a greater ferocity. For each punch Daichi blocked or evaded, two morended on him. The root ninja analyzed the child and came to a conclusion. ''I''d put him at low Chunin. The others won''t have a problem.''

    He tried to knock Daichi out but it wasn''t easy. Deciding to let his hidden teammates capture the boy, Doku slowly moved the fight near their location.

    The fight progressed with Daichi blocking and parrying the attacksing at him. As the battle progressed, Daichi saw that he was being forced to move to where the other two were waiting to ambush him. It wasn''t long before he sensed the other two take action.

    Doka caught both of Daichi''s fists and stepped on his right foot to keep the boy in ce.

    At that moment Daichi''s senses picked up several senbons headed his way. Daichi didn''t move and let the sharp long needles pierce him.

    [Poisons detected.]

    [Gamer''s Body has neutralized the foreignpounds.]

    He then immediately sent a high kick to his enemy''s chin. The attack came fast and struck before Doka could react, forcing him to let go of Daichi''s fists and take a step back.

    He rubbed his chin and spit out some blood. "Even a rat, when cornered, will fight back."

    He saw that Daichi was bing more sluggish. ''It won''t be long now.''

    At that moment a loud explosion could be heard followed by a tremor. ''Looks like that Sannin is getting serious. Even with both of us working together we have no chance of defeating her in a straight fight. I need to back up Captain Bu now. Ichimaru and Toga can take it from here. ''

    Doka disappeared but two others appeared. Daichi used his senses and confirmed that Doka had left to assist his captain. And he used it to see if there was anyone else around watching him.

    Sensing no one else, Daichi let out a breath of relief. He internally smirked as he looked at the neers.

    ''Everything''s going ording to n. Time to stop this foolish facade.''

    ----------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 134: Daichis Counterattack

    Chapter 134: Daichi''s Counterattack

    Daichi looked at the two people who were just staring at him. One was a ck haired woman and the other was a man with faded blonde hair. He saw the woman quickly making hand signs. Daichi recognized the seals she made.

    [Mental intrusion detected.]

    [Gamer''s Mind has neutralized the foreign attack.]

    Daichi just stared at them without making a move. ''Attacking me with a sleeping Genjutsu?! They must have thought that it would easily take effect along with the drugs in my system It''s just not their day Still I shouldn''t y around with them Let''s see what they''re made of.''

    ''Observe''

    [LV.73] [Ichimaru]

    Age: 24

    HP: 9542 CP: 14538

    Affiliation:

    [Ichimaru is a member of the Root forces under Danzo Shimura. He joined the Root at 6 years old after his parents died in the war. He is fiercely loyal to Danzo Shimura and values the concept of strength greatly. Specializes in assassination and capture. Primary chakra nature is Fire.

    His current mission is to capture Daichi Hekima alive and bring him to Danzo.

    STR - 195

    AGI - 162

    INT - 61

    The physical stats may be subjected to change if chakra or special technique is applied.]

    ''His stats are below mine. And even if he could increase it, I can do the same Now that ''Observe'' skill can show strength and agility stats I have a rough understanding of how strong Chunin and Jonin ninjas are Hmm. Specialize in capture and assassination huh. Then he must have some techniques rted to stealth and capture or movement restrictions. I need to watch out for hidden traps as well.''

    Daichi then used his skill on the second person.

    [LV.76] [Toga]

    Age: 25

    HP: 11285 CP: 18300

    Affiliation:

    [Danzo Shimura recruited Toga directly out of the academy due to her talent in Genjutsu and poisons. She prides on her chakra control and wide variety of genjutsu skills. She also focuses on speed rather than strength. She is loyal to Danzo Shimura and will try toplete the mission at all costs. Primary chakra Nature is Water.

    Her current mission is to capture Daichi Hekima alive and bring him to Danzo.

    STR - 170

    AGI - 201

    INT - 64

    The physical stats may be subjected to change if chakra or special technique is applied.]

    ''They are quite the team. If it were any other moment I would have taken my time with them. Tried to find out how the root operates and their secrets but right now that''s not possible. If I waste too much time something could go wrong. Murphy''sw can be a bitch after all.''

    Daichi could sense the battle that was going on hundreds of meters away. He didn''t want anything bad to happen to his teachers and decided to quickly end the fight.

    Daichi fell to one knee and looked as if he was falling asleep. His body started swaying back and forth for a few seconds and then his eyes closed and he fell forward.

    ''And the Oscar goes to Daichi Hekima The crowd goes wild. Ya!'' Daichi mentally chuckled to himself.

    Despite the circumstances Daichi entered a semi-meditative state and rxed his breathing. His tight muscles slowly unwound and his breathing became stable. But it was all part of his n.

    The two Root ninja looked at the sleeping kid. Toga spoke. "It''s impressive he was able to hold out for so long. For a second I thought he resisted the genjutsu."

    Ichimaru agreed. "Yes. It''s amazing. But still He is just a child. And this is his limit... We should quickly seal his chakra and take him back to Lord Danzo. If Tsunade figures out the n then she won''t hold back."

    Both the Root ninjas approached Daichi but were still careful. After looking at his breathing pattern they concluded that Daichi was unconscious.

    Ichimaru took out some ninja wire and was about to restrain the unconscious kid in front of him but the next second he saw that he was falling sideways. It took a second for him to see that his body was headless, standing still and then falling to the opposite side.

    The Root ninja Toga only saw a small twitch of Daichi''s fingers before he made his move. Before she could warn Ichimaru, before she could utter the first syble, Daichi beheaded her teammate. She barely followed Daichi''s movements and by the time she turned her head to fully look at her now dead colleague Daichi disappeared from the spot and reappeared several meters away from her.

    He was removing the Senbons from his back with chakra threads.

    [You have sensed Killing Intent.]

    Daichi''s senses alerted him to several shurikening his way.

    [Mental intrusion detected.]

    [Gamer''s Mind has neutralized the foreign attack.]

    Daichi didn''t care about the Genjutsu attack and dodged the shurikens.

    "How are you not unconscious?" The cold tone of the root ninja only made Daichi raise an eyebrow.

    Daichi looked at the enemy in front of him. ''Wow. She isn''t even looking at him. Discarded like trash So this is what a Root ninja is like huh.''

    "The sleeping agents should have knocked you unconscious by now. But you''re standing and breathing without any problems. And you''ve also stopped my Genjutsu from taking effect without any visible action. How is it possible?" The root ninja questioned him.

    Daichi understood what she was doing. ''I don''t need to waste my breath on the dead.''

    "How!?" The ninjas questioned again but got no reply from Daichi.

    Daichi narrowed his eyes at the tactic she was using. ''She''s stalling but that won''t save her.''

    Daichi saw the woman''s muscles tense and knew she was about to make hand seals.

    He didn''t say a word and rushed at her, stopping her from using her jutsu. He took out his two daggers and used Sprint skill. Daichi also added chakra to his limbs and boosted his speed further and increased his strength. He added lightning to his chakra and went with the intent to kill.

    In a second Daichi was in front of her and he aimed his dagger at her heart. Toga''s eyes widened in panic and she hastily put up a defense. She raised her hands and barely deflected the dagger that was aimed at her heart. The dagger was coated with lightning chakra and shed at her arm and left a deep sh. She may have been able to barelypete with Daichi in speed but his strength was far too much for her. So she was still injured from Daichi''s Swift attack.

    The pain and lightning coursed through her body and made her lose focus for only just a second. But it was all Daichi needed.

    Flooding his body with more precise chakra, Daichi became a blur. He used both daggers and shed at his enemy. A quick sh to the throat, thrust to the lungs, kidneys, liver and stomach and shes along her arms and legs. Daichi severed her veins, arteries, tendons and flesh. With one final thrust to the heart he killed his second enemy.

    In just two seconds Daichi decimated his opponent. He had a cold merciless look on his face as he looked at the now dead ninja. He let out several breaths as he stopped using his chakra and sprint.

    ''I can only maintain that state for a short time right now. And it takes a toll. I can''t have my body tired out before the main battle.''

    Daichi looked at the two corpses he was responsible for.

    ''Strange. I killed her in a brutal way and yet I don''t feel remorse or sadness I don''t enjoy this but I also don''t regret it I won''t hold back against anyoneing for me And I needed to see for myself If I could be ruthless here just like I am in the dungeons.''

    Daichi looked at the two corpses and took out two scrolls. He stored the bodies in the scrolls and kept them in his inventory.

    Daichi healed his minor wounds from before and thought back to the brief fight just now.

    ''I only won so easily because they severely underestimated me. They just saw me as a 10 year old academy student and a medic ninja with some training. And I made it look like I was weakened and knocked out. That''s how I was able to get the first one. The second ninja made a miscalction in her judgment. She underestimated my strength and abilities. And paid with her life.''

    Once Daichi was healed he created five shadow clones. He took the Atamagai cloak from his inventory and handed it to one of them.

    "You know what to do." Daichi said as he looked at the clone.

    "Land a fatal blow when they least expect it." Daichi''s shadow clone answered before disappearing from view.

    Daichi and the four clones disappeared from their spots as well. They rushed towards the other battlefield and when Daichi reached there his eyes widened at what he saw.

    "Oh No!"

    A Few Minute Ago.

    Bu and Gino were fighting Tsunade while Doka was battling Shizune.

    Shizune was confused as she fought the enemy ninja. ''What''s going on? He''s not fighting at his full strength and hasn''t gone for my vitals yet. It''s almost as if he''s stalling me here Hmm It must be to stop me from interfering or helping in Lady Tsunade''s fight or help Daichi with his battle. Still What''s happened to him? Why did this mane back and Daichi didn''t?''

    Shizune didn''t have time to dwell on her thoughts as she evaded the knives flying her way.

    Tsunade was having a simr thought. She hoped Daichi would be able to take care of himself until she finished her fight here. She saw the leader weaving signs and prepared herself.

    "Water style - Water Bullets." Bu spit out several water bullets aimed at Tsunade. The slug sannin kicked the boulder in front of her to the path of the water bullets. She quickly took another and hurled it towards the caster who was already in the motion of dodging the giant flying rocking his way.

    Tsunade heard the swing of a sword and tilted her head. A sword passed by her missing its mark and she punched her attacker. The second attacker Gino sshed into water and disappeared the moment her strikended.

    ''Another water clone.'' Tsunade was getting irritated at the water clones who were distracting her.

    At that moment something unexpected happened. She saw the real Gino turn his head and she saw his eyes widen in surprise.

    Gino stopped fighting when he sensed the disappearance of the two that were sent to capture Daichi. ''What''s going on? They''re dead?''

    He waspletely unprepared for that oue. Furthermore he could sense Daichi''s strong chakra rushing towards their location. ''How could that brat''

    He didn''t waste anymore time. He yelled towards his leader. "Captain! We need to use the contingency.!"

    "What!?" Bu was startled that they had to resort to their contingency n. He made the n just in case but never expected it to happen. He nodded his head and looked at Tsunade.

    Doka, who was battling Shizune, was also surprised. ''That kid managed to beat those two even after all that?'' Seeing the captain agree to move forward with the contingency n, he prepared himself.

    Tsunade noticed the change in their demeanor. She had an idea as to what had happened and couldn''t help but smirk.

    "Looks like my student was more than your men could handle."

    Bu narrowed his eyes as he looked at the woman. "Not for long." His grip on his short sword tightened.

    At that moment Gino turned and rushed towards Shizune who was defending herself against Doka.

    Tsunade''s eyes widened. "Hey, what are you?" She turned to rush towards her student to help her but Bu intercepted her.

    "Get out of my way!"

    Bu evaded Tsunade''s punch and raised his sword. He quickly brought it down on his own arm and gave himself a non critical injury but one that sent arge amount of blood sshing.

    The blood sshed on Tsunade''s face and body, petrifying her in ce. She turned her head and saw Shizune getting stabbed through her torso and falling on the ground.

    "N-no" The slug Sannin trembled in fear as she saw the scene.

    At that moment Bu wasted no time and cast a genjutsu on Tsunade that amplified her fears. She trembled and fell to her knees as tears rolled down her face.

    It was at this moment Daichi and his clones appeared. He saw Shizune lying on the ground bleeding with two Root ninjas standing over her and the leader of the team with a sword above the trembling Sannin''s neck.

    The leader looked at the child and his eyes showed no mercy. "Surrender Daichi Hekima! Or watch them perish!"

    Daichi gritted his teeth. ''Damn you Murphy!''

    ----------------

    Author''s Note:

    I''ll see you guys Saturday

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 135: Attack of the Root: Conclusion

    Chapter 135: Attack of the Root: Conclusion

    Daichi was grim as he looked at the situation. His mind was operating faster than anything before. His eyes went to Tsunade and then Bu''s bleeding arm.

    ''They know about her hemophobia. The only way they could know that is if Danzo told them.''

    Daichi thought about the possible choices he could make. He looked at the three ninjas exuding killing intent. Time slowed down for him as tried toe up with a n.

    ''I knew they might use lethal force but I put that as a very low probability. And the fact that they did means they were getting ready to deal with me They must have a sensor. Someone on their team must have felt the disappearance of the other two''s chakra.''

    Daichi looked at the three enemies without saying a word. He had a stony expression as he looked at his mentor and sibling student.

    Bu moved the sword and ced it near Tsunade''s neck. "Release the shadow clones."

    Daichi''s gaze shifted to the sword the root ninja held and then to Tsunade. ''He has to be bluffing. If anything happens to her then the Hokage and Jiraiya will stop at nothing to find the ones responsible. Danzo must know that. But still Can I take that risk?''

    Daichi scrutinized Tsunade chakra movements. ''Her chakra is behaving differently She''s in a genjutsu I need to get the root ninja away from her But I need to save Shizune first. She''s critically injured.''

    Making a decision, Daichi nodded to the demand and released his four shadow clones.

    Seeing their target obey Bu motioned Doka to restrain the boy. Gino stood over Shizune while Doka made his way to Daichi.

    Daichi''s mind was running through several scenarios as the root ninja approached him. ''I need to take out their sensor. Assuming there is only one No. Sensor ninjas are rare. It''s a waste to have two on one team. Since ''observe'' didn''t show any sensor abilities for Doka it must be one of the other two. I can''t let them knock me unconscious.''

    Doka was careful as he approached the boy. He saw that Daichi didn''t have any wounds on him.

    "You''re going to make a great addition to our organization."

    Daichi smirked at that. "I wouldn''t be too sure of that."

    At that moment the sound of flesh being torn apart was heard. Doka and Bu looked towards Gino and saw that he had fallen down, dead. His chest was heavily bleeding and the light left his eyes. Their eyes widened and they couldn''t believe what had happened.

    At the same time Gino fell to the ground, several smoke bombs erupted around Daichi forcing Doka to suddenly try and grab the boy in front of him but he was unsessful.

    He waved his hand and the smoke cleared showing him a hole in the ground.

    The leader Bu sharpened his senses and looked around. He didn''t know how but he was certain that it was Daichi who killed Gino. At that moment he suddenly had an ominous feeling. It was instincts developed as the result of years of fighting in deadly battles. He immediately jumped away from his spot andnded several meters away.

    He looked around and didn''t see or hear anything out of the ordinary. ''There is nothing there. Am I in some sort of genjutsu? What''s going on?''

    At that moment Bu saw Tsunade jerking her head as if she was waking from her nightmares. ''Damn it. She''s free from that genjutsu. But how?''

    Suddenly the ground underneath Doka and Bu trembled and they jumped away just before it exploded.

    Three Daichis appeared out of the ground in front of Bu and Doka. Two more showed up near Tsunade and Shizune.

    And so the battle between the two Root ninjas and Daichi began.

    During that time the clone near Shizune began healing her wounds while the one near Tsunade examined her condition. She was clutching her ne as if her life depended on it.

    ''She doesn''t have any injuries but she''s petrified in fear.'' Daichi concluded as he looked at his master.

    "Sensei. You need to get a hold of yourself." Daichi spoke in a soft tone but it had urgency.

    Tsunade turned her head and looked at Daichi. "You''re alive!?"

    "I am. Don''t worry sensei. It was just a genjutsu." Daichi replied and he had a small smile on his face to reassure her.

    Her gaze then shifted to her other student. Her eyes widened in fear.

    "Shizune! She''s"

    "Don''t worry. That clone is healing her but that won''t matter if we don''t have you for this fight. You need to stand up and be strong. The real me is fighting the leader but I don''t know how long me or my clones willst against them."

    "But Daichi I don''t know if I can." Tsunade looked down as she clutched her green jewel.

    Daichi looked at her sorry figure and slightly cursed inside. ''Damn it. She''s not snapping out Time for a tough love speech.''

    "Listen. I can''t imagine or understand what you''re going through. But right now Shizune and I need you. So if you don''t want to lose anyone else you care about, then I need you to deal with those fears, get up off your ass and help me kill those fuckers."

    Tsunade looked at Daichi''s stern expression. But she could also see that he was worried for her.

    "He''s right, Mydy."

    The voice of Shizune came as she slowly made her way towards her teacher. Her wound was healed and the clone that healed her went to join the battle.

    Shizune knelt down and wiped the blood off her teacher''s face. "You can''t stay like this forever. If you keep living in your past, you won''t have a future. I know you lost your most precious people in your life. But you have us now. You''re not alone, Lady Tsunade."

    Daichi joined Shizune in helping their master and used his ''Low mental restoration'' skill to temporarily reduce Tsunade''s negative emotions and improve her mental state.

    The ''Low mental restoration'' skill was a jutsu Daichi created to heal someone''s phobia or other illnesses that affect the mind of a person. It was only created at the end stage of his training and he didn''t get time to level it up much. Due to that, the healing effects were reduced or temporary but Daichi didn''t care at the moment.

    The slug Sannin looked at her two students. "Shizune, Daichi" She saw that they were depending on her and at that moment she found the strength to push away her fears.

    The trembling in her hands stopped and she closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths.

    She opened her eyes and looked at the two. "Let''s go get them."

    Daichi smirked. "Oh yeah."

    With a new determination Tsunade stood up and looked at the battle raging hundreds of meters away from them.

    Daichi and his clones were keeping the fight away from the two and they were making sure the root couldn''t take them hostages.

    "Shizune, can you fight?"

    "Yes my Lady."

    "I will fight the leader and you two will battle the other one. Try to see if you can capture them. We need to see who they are. But that''s only a second priority. Your lifees first. If capture is not possible, go for the kill." Tsunade spoke as her eyes went to the masked leader.

    "Yes sensei." With those words Shizune and clone Daichi dashed for their enemy while Tsunade made her way to the leader.

    Clone Daichi vs Doka.

    The three clones were keeping the root Anbu away from Shizune until the clone healed her. They made sure to keep themselves from being dispelled but it was a difficult process. But with abination of genjutsu and long range ninjutsu it was possible to keep the other party at bay.

    The clone looked around and noticed something odd. ''Why isn''t the invisible clone attacking these guys? He could kill them easily with all the openings we made''

    It took only a few seconds to figure out the reason for the invisible clones'' inactions. ''Someone is watching. I can''t sense anyone but he must have. I need to be careful.''

    Daichi had given the order that if anyone was watching the fight the clone under the invisibility cloak should keep his movements at a minimum. He didn''t want to take any chances.

    A hand suddenly emerged from the ground and grabbed a clone''s legs. Several small fireballs and shuriken flew towards the trapped Daichi clone. An earth wall appeared in front of the clone protecting it from the deadly fire jutsu.

    The next second Daichi''s clone turned into lightning and electrocuted his attacker. The handsing from beneath the ground turned into water.

    Doka looked at Daichi''s clones. ''That shadow clone substituted with a lightning clone before I captured him. Fire, earth and now Lightning. Not to mention the chakra volume needed for the shadow clones. This kid has been holding back earlier and I fell for it.''

    He looked at the three and came to a conclusion after thinking over their tactics. ''Fighting and subduing him without inflicting lethal injuries is more difficult than I thought. And it''s taking too much time and forcing me to use more chakra But these three are most probably clones. They have been avoiding direct hand to handbat and are trying to fight me at a distance.''

    Doka increased his chakra output and rushed towards the clones. His speed increase was much greater than before and he reached a clone before it could escape.

    Daichi''s clone evaded the first couple of punches but the next fast one to the middle of the stomach hit and dispelled him.

    Doka saw several chakra strings headed his way and he skillfully evaded them. At that moment he sensed several shuriken aimed at his back and quickly made seals for a substitution jutsu and got out of that predicament.

    Doka looked ahead and saw that Shizune and another Daichi clone had joined the battle. ''Damn. It looks like he healed her. I thought it would take more time. It seems his skills in the medical arts are greater than I thought. And it looks like Tsunade is joining the battle as well. With the other three down, this mission will end in a failure. I need to report what I learned about the boy to lord Danzo.''

    Doka blocked a strike from Daichi and shifted his body to escape the chakra scalpel attack from Shizune. He tried to go for Shizune but Daichi''s clones were getting in the way.

    Doka grabbed the clone''s arm andshed out with a fast kick. Dispelling another clone, he jumped away and got out of the poison fog that came out of Shizune''s mouth.

    ''I need to retreat and inform Lord Danzo of what happened here. The captain will certainly die but it''s a price that must be paid. Lord Danzo must know about this child''s capabilities.''

    With a decision made Doka jumped away from his spot and went through several hand seals and took a deep breath. It was a wide area jutsu that took most of his chakra but he was going to make his escape.

    "Fire style - Fire song." A long, wide stream of me came out of Doka''s mouth.

    At that moment Daichi''s clone spit out an enormous amount of water to block the jutsu. "Water style - water wall jutsu."

    The two Jutsu collided and created arge amount of steam that covered the area and reduced vision.

    Seeing the perfect opportunity Doka lowered his chakra and turned around to escape only for a de to plunge into his back.

    "Ghaa!"

    The chakra coated de shed through his back severing his spine and destroying several internal organs. Doka fell to his knees and looked back but all he saw was steam. In seconds he fell forward taking hisst breath.

    A clone of Daichi came and stood near the body. "Is it him?" The clone asked in a very low voice.

    "Yes." Came the reply from an invisible ally.

    Daichi''s clone didn''t ask anything else but his eyes narrowed as he heard that answer. ''Zetsu. He''s here watching. The boss needs to know if he doesn''t already.'' With that though the clone dispelled himself.

    Daichi vs Bu.

    Daichi sharpened his senses and carefully watched his foe. Both the root leader and the academy student were engaged in a fierce sword battle.

    Whenever the root captain was about tond a critical blow on Daichi, his clones stepped in.

    "You''re quite capable aren''t you. Why don''t youe with me? I can grant you opportunities that you couldn''t even dream of." Bu tried to persuade the boy.

    "Not interested pal." Daichi''s swordsmanship skill was increasing as the battle continued.

    The two clones with him obstructed the enemy''s movements and attacked from the blind spot. Daichi''s clones spammed genjutsu and ninjutsu attacks on the enemy and forced him to split his attention between the three.

    Bu had to keep his chakra moving in an erratic manner and had to keep himself from falling prey to the genjutsu attacks and carefully evade the ninjutsu techniques. He looked at the three and hid a grim visage.

    ''Damn. I already used the knowledge of her phobia to my advantage. They will be suspicious. If I don''t erase their memories then things will turn problematic. I need to create solid clones. But if I use the shadow clone jutsu then they will be able to confirm that we''re from the leaf. And it would only cause problems for Lord Danzo.''

    At that moment he saw Tsunade heading his way and Shizune joining the battle against Doka. ''This isn''t good.''

    Tsunade flew and came down with an ax kick above Bu''s head. The root leader disengaged from Daichi and jumped back to avoid the powerful kick.

    The ground crumbled under Tsunade''s kick and she stood up from her spot.

    She had a murderous look on her face as she looked at the man. "You''re going to regret attacking us."

    Bu looked at the Sannin and then towards Daichi. The child was breathing hard but Bu knew his chances of taking the child away now was slim to none.

    At that moment a st was heard from the other battle side and steam covered thebatants.

    Bu looked sideways and after several seconds the steam cleared and it showed Daichi standing over Doka''s dead body. The clone dispelled and the Daich he was battling took several deep breaths and steadied himself.

    Tsunade saw what happened and smirked. "Looks like you''re thest one left. I''ll deal with you myself and I''ll get the answers I want."

    The Sannin nced at Daichi. "You''ve fought well kid. Now go rest with Shizune. I got it from here."

    Daichi nodded and jumped back. Hended near Shizune but both of them looked ready to assist their master if the need came.

    Bu looked at the turn of events and concluded the mission a failure.

    At that moment Tsunade spoke. "Don''t even think about escaping. No matter where you run, I''ll follow you and I''m gonna find out everything I need to know about you. Starting with who you work for."

    "What makes you think I work for someone?" Bu asked the woman.

    "Because guys like you, You take orders. Not give them. You''re a dog with a leash. And I''m going to find out who your master is. One way or the other." Tsunade slowly started making her way to the root ninja.

    Bu looked at the approaching woman. ''She definitely will follow me. I can''t let them find out my origin. Forgive me Lord Danzo. We failed. ''

    Bu immediately made a hand seal and his entire body was immediately covered in seals.

    Tsunade stopped in her tracks. ''What is he?''

    Bu looked at Tsunade and made the Ram seal. The next instant his entire body was covered in blue mes. The mes expanded. At that moment seals appeared on Gino and Doka''s bodies as well. Their bodies too were burned to ash.

    Tsunade jumped back and got to safety. She then noticed the other two corpses engulfed in blue fire as well. ''He was willing to die and even made sure I couldn''t find anything from their dead. These people weren''t from any ordinary organization. And moreover That man The leader of the team. He knew about my Phobia How?''

    Shizune and Daichi joined her.

    "It''s finally over." Shizune spoke with relief.

    "Yeah." Daichi dispelled the remaining clone and fell to the ground. He was taking several deep breaths and his chakra was in the low double digits. The adrenaline from the fight was starting to slowly wear off.

    At that moment the questpletion notification appeared in front of Daichi.

    ------------------------------------------------

    Author''s Note.

    Some people think I nerfed Tsunade and made Daichi too OP. That''s not true.

    People think the title Sannin gives her some sort of additional strength. It doesn''t. It''s just a title. She''s not some Gamer so that title is just that.

    Tsunade has wasted over a decade Gambling and drinking and she obviously wouldn''t be in the fighting shape she was during the war.

    And the two Root ninjas Daichi killed first were of Chunin level. And he killed the two so fast only by taking them by surprise.

    The root ninja Doka was of average Jonin strength and Bu and Gino were around Kakashi''s level. They were elite ninjas. Its why Daichi''s Observe skill didn''t show them anything.

    If someone argues that a ninja of Kakashi''s level can''t stall someone like Tsunade for several minutes, then I don''t buy it. Their goal was to stall for time. Not go head to head with her.

    And this was an undercover mission. If the Root ninjas behaved like emotionless robots, then that''s a pretty good give away of their identity isn''t it. And during Danzo''s Fight with Sasuke at the bridge Fu and Torune showed emotions resembling normal people. So they''re notpletely emotionless robots.

    And Tsunade was looking for information from the enemy and someone like her wouldn''t obviously summon Katsuyu and go all out from the start. And she didn''t know they knew about her phobia.

    I wrote the battle like this after Taking all these factors into ount.

    I''m well aware that I''m not gonna make everyone happy with my story and I''m not going to. I mean peopleined about Zoro with his roles in the Wano arc.

    Anyway these are the reasons I wrote the chapter like this. You can agree with my reasoning or you can disagree. That''s entirely your right.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 136: Short Rest in the Land of Iron

    Chapter 136: Short Rest in the Land of Iron

    Daichi finally let out a breath of relief as he sat down on the ground. The sun was shining in the sky and now that everything was calm he could hear the sounds of the birds chirping and flying back to the nearby trees.

    He looked at the questpletion notification.

    [Quest ''Kill your Enemies'' Completed]

    [Rewards:]

    +1 Level

    [New Jutsu.]

    [Reputation increases with Kensei Yasaji, Tsunade Senju, Shizune, Hiruzen Sarutobi and others.]

    [Reputation decreases with Danzo Shimura.]

    ''I wonder what the new Jutsu will be?''

    [Fire Style - Fire Wave Dance Jutsu - Active(LV.1): The user kneads chakra and converts it to fire and expels it as a continuous stream of mes. The mes will move in a vortex shape andpletely engulf the enemy leaving no room for the target to escape. The released mes, if strong enough, can vaporize the target to ash and scorch the surrounding area.]

    [Rank: B]

    [Type: Ninjutsu]

    [Hand Seals: Dragon - Rabbit - Tiger]

    [CP Cost: 440 Per shot.]

    [Note: The range, power and duration of the attack can be altered by controlling the chakra kneaded into the attack. Must have high fire affinity to efficiently use the technique.]

    ''Hmm Not bad. Not gonna say no to another powerful technique.''

    "Oink oink!" At that moment the sound of Tsunade''s pet pig Tonton was heard. He poked his head out of the bushes and after looking at the surroundings he ran to Shizune''s arm.

    The cute pig snuggled into Shizune''s bosom.

    Shizune smiled looking at her pet. "I''m happy to see you too, Tonton."

    "Lady Tsunade, Who do you think those people were?" Shizune asked afterforting Tonton.

    At that question Daichi looked at Tsunade and noticed that she had a thoughtful look on her face. "Not sure. I can think of a few but I can''t confirm it since we don''t even have a body to examine... But they came here with a purpose. They were after something but I don''t think it was my bounty."

    For Daichi at that moment a new quest appeared.

    [Quest Created: Information Flow]

    You have the option of revealing the information you''ve uncovered about your enemies to your teacher/family or keep them to yourself. Both choices have different oues.

    [1st Choice:]

    Reveal the critical information you''ve discovered about the Root to your teachers and grandfather.

    [Rewards:]

    40000 Exp.

    Revealing the information will have great consequences.

    Possible death of Third Hokage.

    Possible death of Danzo Shimura.

    Increased possibility of Root attack on you.

    Possibility of Tsunade bing the 5th Hokage within the next year increases.

    Other unknown consequences.

    .

    [2nd Choice:]

    Keep the information you''ve discovered about your enemies to yourself.

    [Rewards:]

    Restrictions on Danzo Shimura.

    Root attacks on you will be near zero.

    .

    [ept] (Y/N)

    Daichi looked at the new quest and became serious. ''Damn. If I choose the first option then I get a good chunk of exp but more than that Danzo will be dead. But it''s only a possibility and there''s a possibility of the Hokage dying as well. That''s not counting the future root attacks and other unknown consequences..''

    Daichi carefully thought about what would happen if he revealed the information and tried to think of the consequences.

    ''If I tell Tsunade and the others they''re Root, then they''ll need proof. I saw the Root tattoo on that Toga woman so that will be enough. Tsunade will no doubt tell Kensei and Jiraiya and this incident will reach the Hokage and it will force him to take action on Danzo. The possible death of Hiruzen and Danzo means they will most definitely fight and the root wille after me if Danzo survives. If Tsunade bes Hokage, it will change canon. Orochimaru might not attack since he mostly only had a grudge against his sensei. Although that''s not certain. This will also no doubt bring Akatsuki''s attention to me. Zetsu has been watching me midway through the battle. But I have a feeling that revealing the info will bring even more unwanted attention to me. On the other hand if I don''t reveal it, the dangers to myself be almost non-existent and things stay rtively the same as canon.''

    "You''ve been quiet for a while Daichi. What''s on your mind?" Tsunade asked her student. She noticed Daichi''s face and had a feeling he might know something.

    At Tsunade''s question Daichi looked up. He mentally epted the quest and made a choice. He let out a breath and stood up.

    "I don''t know who they were but they weren''t some weak amateurs. And I think I think they might have been after me I''m not sure though."

    Daichi decided to go with the second option and keep the fact that they were Root ninjas to himself. But he also wanted to make sure the Hokage would be wary and keep an eye on Danzo.

    The slug sannin narrowed her eyes. "What makes you say that?"

    Daichi thought for a few seconds and then gave an answer. "That guy who came at me first, he was leading me to the other two and they ambushed me. They hit me with a sedative concoction. It didn''t work though I think they wanted to capture me. Not kill. Maybe they were after me and the rest of their team wanted to keep you two busy or they just wanted to take me hostage to have an advantage over you I''m not sure."

    "If they wanted to capture you, then there were much more subtle methods. They could haveid in wait and ambushed you when you were alone, or tried to capture you in your sleep But this was an all out assault." Shizune gave her thoughts as she listened.

    Tsunade closed her eyes and went through everything she learned about the enemies. "Hypothetically, if they were after you Daichi, then Shizune is right. There were simpler ways to capture you. And based on the strength of the enemies we faced, I doubt you could have resisted much... That is if we were in the Land of Hot water right now."

    Daichi and Shizune''s eyes widened as they heard that.

    Tsunade continued. "We''re near the border of the Land of Iron. At our pace we would have crossed the border in about an hour. If we crossed and a battle took ce in theirnd then their leader Mifune wouldn''t have shown mercy to any of us. And if information on those enemy ninjas were exposed it would have created a major problem for whoever they were working for I think they wanted to avoid that."

    "Wait, so you''re saying they were after Daichi? But why?" Shizune was startled as she heard her teacher''s conclusions.

    "Don''t know. And like I said, this is a hypothetical. We still don''t know if this kid really was their target." Tsunade ced a hand on Daichi''s head and ruffled his hair.

    Daichi had an annoyed expression as his teacher teased him.

    Tsunade chuckled looking at the boy. "Regardless of their intentions, we won and they lost. That''s what matters And you You did well against them. Your strength has certainly grown much faster than I anticipated."

    "Thanks sensei."

    "Yes. And his healing skills are already starting to rival mine. I''m almost jealous." Shizune said with a pouty face

    Even though she said that Daichi could sense not even the slightest malice from her. Looking into Shizune''s eyes, he knew she was truly happy for him.

    "You''re being modest, Shizune senpai. I still have a long way to go before I reach your level." Daichi replied in a humble tone.

    [You have chosen the second option.]

    Keep the information you''ve discovered about your enemies to yourself.

    [Rewards:]

    Restrictions on Danzo Shimura.

    Root attack on you will be near zero.

    With a smile Daichi turned to his teacher. "So what now sensei? We still headed north or go back to the capital?"

    After thinking for a few seconds Tsunade replied. "Let''s head north. I know a ce where we can stay and rest for a few days."

    At that moment Daichi got the memories of his clone who used Atamagai''s cloak.

    The group continued on with their journey. They soon crossed the border and reached the Land of Iron. The three put on a thick coat that protected them from the snow and cold.

    Daichi felt the snow beneath his feet and felt nostalgic. ''Wow. How long has it been? That dungeon with the small snow terrain was simr but nothing like this''

    The group walked slowly through the snowy terrain for a few hours. Tsunade led them to an empty cottage hidden in the nearby forest. She opened the door and found the ce in a decent condition. The cottage was big enough for the three of them.

    "This ce belongs to an old friend. He just uses this as a vacation home from time to time. I''m sure he won''t mind us crashing the ce for a few days" Tsunade lit some wood on fire and warmed the ce.

    "We''ve had a hell of a day. Let''s get some rest."

    Daichi and Shizune nodded to that sentiment and picked a room.

    Tsunade sat near a table and began writing something on two scrolls. A whileter she summoned Katsuyu. "Katsuyu. I need you to take these to Jiraiya and Sarutobi sensei. It''s urgent and of utmost importance."

    "At once mydy." Taking the scrolls the slug vanished in a puff of smoke.

    Tsunade took out a bottle of sake from a scroll and took several gulps. ''If anyone can find out what happened then it''s them There are too many questions. Is this another vige making a move or someone else? And were they really after Daichi? If so then why? Or is it something else? Too many questions and not enough answers. Whatever the case, they knew about my phobia. They had Intel that shouldn''t be avable to most people. So that narrows down the list of suspects.''

    She then held her ne and let out a tired breath. ''Daichi had his first kill. I wonder how he''s dealing with that? He acted normal so I didn''t address it till now but I need to speak with him.''

    Tsunade took another mouthful of her alcohol. ''But first I should get some rest.''

    -

    Daichi was in his room going over the events of the day. He was thinking about what Tsunade had said.

    ''She is right. Those guys attacked us because they had no choice. If we went through the Land of Hot Water, then we would have stayed there for a couple days and I have no doubt the root had been following us before we left the capital. They would have gotten me alone and would have tried to subdue me or capture me in my sleep. And I would have had no choice but to reveal my cards.''

    Daichi sighed and went through the memories of the invisible clone. ''After my clone killed Gino he immediately headed for Bu. But somehow he dodged. Was it intuition or did he sense the clone Hmm... based on my memories it was just luck. And that clone sensed Zetsu''s presence just when me and my clones engaged Doka and Bu. It was at the edge of my senses so me and the other clones couldn''t sense him. He will no doubt inform Tobi about ''the kid'' under Tsunade''s care who can kill Jonin level ninjas already This is already a headache''

    Daichiid on thefy bed and thought about his decision. ''I''m not strong enough to bitch p the enemies thate my way and ignore the ns and machinations of anyone no matter their strength. I could majorly fuck canon up right now but then I would lose my advantage. Until I''m strong enough, I''ll try to stick to what I know I''ve already made major changes but in my calctions they don''t take any effect anytime soon. I hope.''

    Daichi got up and went to a nearby window. ''Tsunade sensei will definitely inform the Hokage and Jiraiya. I wonder what action they will take? I wonder what Kensei will do when he finds out?''

    Daichi''s mind then went through every second of the fight he had. ''I took out the first one so quickly due to sheer Luck. He let his guard down thinking I fell prey to his partner''s genjutsu, the injuries I suffered from fighting Doka and the sleeping poison in my system. The other tried to stall but that didn''t work. Her strength was speed but I still outssed her Based on their stats alone, I would have defeated them if I had battled head on but it would have taken a lot longer.''

    Daichi''s memories then shifted to the second round of battle with Doka and the fight he had with Bu.

    ''My chakra reservesbined with my fine control allowed me to spam genjutsu and ninjutsu on them. My team work when I battle with clones is good. All those battle experiences in the dungeon did wonders for me. But still, It took everything I had to survive. In my current state, I only won because I had the cheat of the invisibility cloak.''

    Daichi also noticed something in the battle. Something he was thankful for. ''They were holding back. If they were fighting to kill me things would have gone a lot harder for me. And they didn''t use any of the signature jutsu of the Leaf vige like the shadow clone or any n techniques''

    Letting out another deep breath, Daichi went back to his bed. Heid on thefy mattress and crossed his arms behind his head.

    ''They underestimated me. Those guys thought I was just a 10 year old kid with medical training and some shinobi skills. That tells me the information they have on me isn''t urate. Makes sense. I was extremely cautious when training. Always checking my surroundings with mana scout and chakra sense. And since I mostly trained in the old man''spound and fought in dungeons, those root creeps wouldn''t have gotten a read on my abilities Still I need to be careful I might never know when my luck would run out.''

    ----------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 137: Interlude 09 - Cold War

    Chapter 137: Interlude 09 - Cold War

    Shortly after Tsunade and her students left the battle area the spy of the Akatsuki organization appeared out of the ground. It was a mere coincidence that he was there. One of the white Zetsu clones was near the area and alerted ck Zetsu of the battle. He arrived at the battlefield just after Daichi sessfully forced the root ninjas away from his teachers. He watched Daichi battle the two ninjas and witnessed how he healed Shizune.

    "Well that was interesting." The white half said in a jolly tone.

    "Yes. I didn''t think there would be someone who would try to make a move on that Senju at this moment." The ck half replied.

    "What do you think about that boy?" White Zetsu asked his counterpart.

    "He''s strong. Well for a brat anyway. But we''ve seen plenty like him throughout the years." ck Zetsu already made an analysis of Daichi as he witnessed the fight.

    "Based on his interactions with Tsunade, I''d say he was her student."

    "Hmm You''re right. I didn''t think she would take another apprentice."

    "Do you think he''s a Senju?" The white half questioned.

    "No. His chakra indicates that he''s not from the Senju or any other n" The ck half replied after giving it a few seconds of thought.

    "A nless kid? He''s quite strong for his age. He was able to kill that one ninja and fight the other all the while healing that other apprentice."

    "Yes. But there are several things that were in his favor. Based on what we saw I''m certain those ninjas were holding back. There were several moments where they could have gone for the kill. I think they were trying to subdue him. Probably to use against Tsunade or the Leaf." The ck spoke in a gruff voice.

    "What do you think they were after? That child or the Sannin? Or something else?"

    At the white Zetsu''s question the ck half fell silent for a short while. He then replied after thinking it over. "It''s possible they were after the child but it''s a small one. Based on what I sensed the only things he had going for him was hisrge chakra reserves and control. The jutsus he used had the precise amount of chakra needed and the number of ninjutsu, genjutsu used and the shadow clones used tells me he has great reserves. On par with high level Jonins. He also knows medical ninjutsu. He must be talented to be learning medical techniques under her If he was the target then that should be it."

    "Someone with perfect control andrge reserves. That''s rare." White Zetsuplimented.

    "Yes. But we''ve seen plenty who were like that. Granted they were part of a n but still, he''s nothing special."

    "Do you think he would be strong enough to interfere with the n? Are you going to tell Madara?"

    "No. It would be a waste of time. Our goals will bepleted within the next 7 or 8 years. The boy would be strong in that time but not enough to be a threat that would endanger our ns. He''s not a Senju, Uchiha or an Uzumaki. He''s not Jinchuriki either. The boy is inconsequential. The only thing he has going for him is therge chakra reserves and being Tsunade''s apprentice. And that''s not all that special and won''t matter when the timees." ck Zetsu replied dismissing Daichi as a non threat.

    "Hmm. You''re right. Still I wonder who sent those ninjas? Only someone bold enough and has enough strength and backing wouldunch a direct attack on one of the Sannin."

    "You''re right about that. I have a few suspects in mind with Orochimaru and Danzo being at the top of the list... But it''s not our concern. Let''s head back."

    ck Zetsu gave the verdict and the strange ck and white creature disappeared into the ground.

    -------------

    [Somewhere in the Land of Hot Water.]

    Jiraiya was perched atop a roof and was peering through a telescope. His eyes were taking in the sights of the lovelydies who were rxing at the hot springs.

    "Ohh yeah. So gorgeous. Take your timedies. I''m not in a hurry."

    He was writing something in his small notebook as he ''conducted his research'' as he usually put it.

    "Mmm yes. So round. So firm My next book is going to be so epic." The man said to himself as he perved on the women.

    At that moment a small puff of smoke appeared near him. The mountain sage nced at the puff of smoke and was curious as to who came.

    "Are you still acting so shamelessly Jiraiya?" Katsuyu asked the man.

    Jiraiya was surprised when he found that it was Lady Katsuyu.

    He smiled and nonchntly replied. "A man needs his hobbies."

    "Make sure it doesn''t get you killed. I''m sure you remember what happened thest time you attempted something like this with Lady Tsunade."

    Jiraiya grimaced as he recalled those memories. He slightly shivered in fright but also giggled as he recalled Tsunade''s furious face. Even when angry, she still had her charm. At least that''s what he thought.

    The slug summon sighed looking at Jiraiya''s reaction. "You certainly are an odd one."

    The toad sage brought his attention back to Katsuyu. "What brings you here? I assume it''s something important."

    "Yes. Tsunade tasked me with delivering this message to you as quickly as I could."

    The toad sage was curious now. He took the scroll and read through the contents. The smile vanished from his face and the aura of a clumsy pervert was reced with a cold hearted veteran shinobi.

    "I''ll meet with Tsunade at the Land of Medicine in a few days."

    The slug nodded at the reply and vanished.

    Jiraiya looked at the private bath and sighed. ''Next timedies.''

    -------------------------------------------

    [Hokage office.]

    It was night time. Hiruzen was smoking and enjoying the calm atmosphere when suddenly a small slug appeared on his desk in a puff of smoke.

    The kage only took a second to recognize the creature. He made a slight motion to his guards to stand down and indicated that the visitor was an ally.

    "Lady Katsuyu. This is a surprise." Hiruzen greeted the Summon.

    "Apologies, Lord Hokage for the sudden arrival. But Lady Tsunade asked that I deliver this scroll to you as quickly as possible." With those words the small slug spat out a scroll. It had Tsunade''s signature chakra on it.

    Hiruzen''s eyes immediately sharpened. He knew Tsunade wouldn''t resort to using her summon unless something extreme happened.

    "How is Tsunade and everyone else?" He asked Katsuyu as he took the scroll and unwrapped it.

    "Lady Tsunade and her students are fine. Considering everything that has happened. You will understand once you''ve read the scroll."

    Hiruzen had a bad feeling in his heart as he heard those words. He opened the scroll and went through every line written on it. His face went rigid as he read through the scroll and by the end anyone could tell that he was furious.

    "Please tell Tsunade that I''ll handle it." He replied to the slug who was waiting for his response.

    "Yes." With that the small summon vanished.

    ''It was the right choice. I made the right choice moving against Danzo''. Hiruzen pressed a button under the desk which sent a special alert to selected Anbu members residing in the headquarters. He then looked at the ninjas hidden in the room and gave an order.

    "Summon Danzo Shimura here. If he refuses for any reason, consider him a traitor and bring him here by force."

    The Anbu and guards were stunned. They obeyed quickly and moved out of the office. Within a short time they reached the former councilors home. They found the man''s chakra signature inside the house and without waiting for an invitation they entered.

    Danzo narrowed his eyes at the sudden arrival of several Anbu ninjas. Since publicly he was no longer the head of the root he didn''t have any Root ninjas as guards posted at his home. But they were hidden near the area in case of an attack.

    "What is the meaning of this intrusion?" Danzo questioned.

    "Danzo Shimura." The lead Anbu stepped forward. "You have been summoned by Lord Hokage."

    Danzo did not like the tone in which the Anbu ninja spoke to him. He didn''t like the way things were going. "Why?"

    "We''re not here to answer your questions."

    Danzo tensed and clenched his fists. The Anbu who saw the subtle movements and tensions of their target began to prepare for a possiblebat. But the next second, the man stood up and calmly spoke.

    "Take me to him."

    The Anbu surrounded the man and they all disappeared. They arrived at the Hokage''s office within a short time

    Danzo had an impassive face as he walked in. ''Hiruzen summoning me like this at this time! This must be rted to the mission I assigned Bu. Something must have happened. But I need to stay calm and find out what.''

    Hiruzen was looking out the window at the Hokage monument and was smoking from his pipe when Anbu brought his old colleague. For a while none of them spoke.

    After a minute of silence the old Kage spoke. "When Tobirama sensei tasked me with the protection of the vige, I knew I could do it. It wasn''t because I had absolute confidence in myself No. It was because I believed I would have you to watch my back. I knew you wanted to be Hokage and when Tobirama sensei made the choice I knew it must have made you angry. But despite our rivalry, different personalities and ideals, I had faith that you would help me in times of need. I believed we would both protect the vige hand in hand and I could sleep easily knowing that you were here if anything happened to me."

    The kage fell silent.

    Danzo was silent as he listened to the Hokage. "Hiruzen. I- "

    "Those days are long gone." The Hokage cut off whatever the man was going to say. His tone set Danzo on edge.

    Hiruzen then turned around and looked at the man. He had a calm gaze but Danzo knew the man was furious.

    "Tsunade and her students were attacked earlier today. It was near the Valley of the end. The attackers all died. Under normal circumstances I would have focused on the enemies outside the vige walls but there was one detail in the report she sent that made me focus my gaze here. They knew about her phobia."

    Hiruzen kept his eyes fixed on Danzo as he spoke. He wanted to see the man''s reaction. He wasn''t surprised that the only reaction his old friend made was the small narrowing of his one eye.

    "Hiruzen. Let''s be clear. You believe I had a hand in this. That''s why you brought me here, isn''t it?"

    "Yes."

    "I don''t have the ability to do something like that. You saw to that a couple years ago."

    Hiruzen didn''t speak and just looked at his old colleague.

    Danzo continued. "And there are several people who knew about her condition, like Orochimaru. He could be the one behind the attack."

    "And what reason would he have to go after her after all these years?" Hiruzen asked the man.

    Danzo became silent for a few seconds. If he said Daichi''s name then that would indicate he knew private information that was not easily avable.

    "Maybe he''s after the Senju bloodline. He''s had a fascination with the first Hokage''s power."

    The Hokage just simply looked at the man with a steely gaze.

    Danzo was unnerved. "Hiruzen. You''re making a mistake. I''m not the enemy And what proof do you have that I''m the one responsible for this attack?"

    Hiruzen smiled at that. "Nothing. The ninja who attacked them all used a suicide jutsu to make sure no identification was possible. It''s why you''re here in my office instead of the interrogation department with Ibiki and Inoichi tearing through your mind."

    The old kage then took a puff from his pipe and let out a smoky breath. "But the thing is I don''t need proof. I''m the kage of this vige. I can have you shipped off to interrogation at this very moment and find out the answers I''m looking for."

    "Hiruzen!" The angry shout from Danzo drew des from the surrounding ninjas.

    The old kage looked at his former rival for several seconds and made a choice. "You are hereby ced on house arrest. I will have someone go through your finances and assets. If you interfere, resist or try to escape, I will dere you a traitor to the vige."

    Danzo''s eyes widened as he heard those words. He knew if he was dered a traitor he would never be able to be the kage of the vige. Even if he somehow takes it by force he knew there would be arge resistance.

    "How could you? After everything I did for the vige!"

    Just as those words were spoken by Danzo, killing intent burst forth from Hiruzen. "Did you send your team to capture Daichi, injure Shizune and traumatize Tsunade for the vige?!"

    The Root leader was quiet as he heard the usation.

    "The only reason I''m being lenient like this is because I don''t have any solid proof that it was your agents who ambushed them. And if you utter one more word, I''ll do what I should have done that day."

    Danzo remained silent as Hiruzen took a breath and reigned in his intent. Danzo was channeling chakra through his body and was prepared to use Kotoamatsukami in the worst case scenario. But he knew there were risks of being found out if he used it here.

    Hiruzen spoke after several seconds of silence. "I know you''re aware of the boy and his talents He would be quite the shield and sword if you were to get your hands on him. So I''m only going to say this once. If anyone goes after Daichi Hekima, I''ll consider them doing so, on your orders and we will have another conversation in a very different environment. Do I make myself clear?"

    Danzo gritted his teeth and then gave a short reply. "Yes."

    "Take him. And keep him under surveince." Hiruzen motioned to his Anbu.

    After the Anbu left Hiruzen made a signal and all his guards vanished. A few secondster an Anbu appeared in his office.

    "Have you found that man Bear?" Hiruzen questioned.

    "No sir. It seems ''that individual''s'' identity is a closely guarded secret that only Danzo knows." Anbu bear replied.

    Hiruzen sighed and took his seat. "I expected as much. That person is the second inmand of the Root. He knows every root ninja''s identity, their operational details, the roots locations and finances. His identity would be of the utmost secrecy Danzo is one of the most cunning, merciless and shrewd men I have ever met. To be his second inmand No ordinary person could do it. I know how intelligent, ruthless and cunning one has to be to fill in that position."

    "Sir, if you don''t mind me asking. Why did you let him leave like that? You could have taken him to interrogation and we would have had the answers we needed."

    "Yes. But if that was the case then his root would have attacked and they would have tried to rescue him. They are loyal to him first and the vige second. A serious mistake and oversight on my part The coteral damage and life lost is not something the vige can handle at the moment I know he was the one who sent the people to ambush Tsunade. But this way, by letting him go, he would think that I have no proof and unsure of his role and thus would drop this matter after finding no evidence. So for the moment he''s going toy low and his root ninjas won''t make any moves as well. That''s what I want too. Until we find the identity of that man and every asset under Danzo, this war must remain a cold one and in the shadows."

    At that moment a Jonin appeared in the office. He had pure white eyes without pupils indicating that he was a member of the Hyuga n. A Jonin who was considered for the position of Anbu. Tsubaki.

    Hiruzen and the Anbu bear turned their attention to the new arrival. "What did you find Tsubaki?" The kage asked. Hiruzen tasked Tsubaki with examining Danzo''s body with his Byakugan.

    "His chakra is much stronger and more potent than most ninja I''ve seen in the vige. It was especially potent in his right arm but I couldn''t see more than that. There were special seals blocking the Byakugan." The Jonin replied in a serious tone.

    "It''s to be expected. I believe he used the first Hokage''s blood and performed some sort of experiment with the help of Orochimaru."

    Bear''s eyes widened when he heard that. "Wait. So that''s what he was doing that day at that hideout?"

    "Yes. I believe so." Hiruzen replied.

    "Sir there''s something more" Tsubaki spoke, gaining their attention once again.

    "His right eye had chakra running through it. The eye wasn''t used but was active. I believe he has a Sharingan hidden under that bandage. And the chakra signature of that eye. I''ve only seen one person with that unique chakra signature Shisui Uchiha."

    Hiruzen''s eyes widened as he heard that name.

    ----------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 138: Land of Medicines

    Chapter 138: Land of Medicines

    Hokage office.

    Hiruzen stood still, shocked and in disbelief at what he just heard.

    "Tsubaki! Are you sure about that?" The question came before he could even stop himself.

    "Yes sir. There is no mistaking it." The Hyuga Jonin replied.

    Hiruzen''s mind worked faster than it had in a long time. He recalled the day when Shisui Uchiha confided in him and his advisors on his Mangekyo Sharingan powers. He also recalled the day the young Uchiha died and what the n was about to do at that time.

    ''Shisui was going to use his Sharingan to stop the revolt but the next thing I hear is that hemitted suicide. I had no clue what drove him to do something like that but now The only way Danzo would have his Sharingan is if he took it from Shisui The power of his eyes. Now that I think about it, Danzo would definitely covet something like that. He went after Kakashi''s Sharingan once upon a time. So it''s not a stretch to assume he''d do something like that again.''

    Hiruzen had a startling realization. ''Danzo killed Shisui. But that note Shisui left. No. A shinobi like him wouldn''tmit suicide unless he had nothing else. Either Danzo killed Shisui and disguised it as a suicide or something else happened. But he is involved in this. But how do I find out what happened?... Itachi! He would know. I need to make contact with him. I need to know the truth.''

    "Lord Hokage. What is it?"

    Hiruzen raised his head and looked at the two loyal shinobi in front of him. "I believe in your assessment. If it is a Sharingan then I believe it''s Shisui Uchiha''s Sharingan that''s in Danzo''s right eye. Shisui Uchihamitted suicide over a year before the Uchiha massacre. But it seems that''s a lie."

    "Lord Hokage, not that I''m doubting you or Tsubaki, but you seem absolutely sure that it''s Shisui''s eye that Danzo has. Why?" The Anbu codenamed Bear asked his kage.

    Hiruzen let out a breath and a few secondster replied. "Shisui had something called Mangekyo Sharingan. It''s an advanced stage of the Sharingan even greater than the 3 tomoe. Only a handful of people in history were able to awaken the Mangekyo eyes. Those who awakened those eyes were granted unique powers. Shisui had the ability called Kotoamatsukami. It''s a powerful genjutsu that allows the user to enter the victim''s mind and manipte them by giving false experiences. And the victims would bepletely unaware they were being manipted. Those who know it regard it as the most powerful genjutsu in existence."

    The eyes of the two ninjas in the Hokage''s office widened as they heard that.

    "That''s If Danzo had something like that" Tsubaki was startled as they heard the power of Shisui''s Sharingan eye.

    "But sir, wouldn''t there be drawbacks to something like that? Every powerful jutsu must have some weakness." Bear deduced that something as powerful as that genjutsu must have some sort of a weakness.

    "Yes. Every powerful jutsus has their risks but With Hashirama Senju''s power added to the mix, I''m not sure." Hiruzen looked at the two ninjas in front of him. "I wille up with the necessary counter measures. Tsubaki. Make sure to check Bear''s status from time to time. I can''t have him falling under Danzo''s power."

    "Yes sir."

    Land of Iron.

    In a cabin hidden in the snowy forest in thend of Iron, three medic ninjas were taking some much needed rest.

    Daichi only needed 4 hours of sleep and after waking up he went downstairs to the small kitchen to cook something for the group. He knew Tsunade and Shizune would be mentally tired after an ordeal like this and wanted to help them.

    Daichi had many ingredients stored in his inventory and in a scroll in case of an emergency like this.

    He made the necessary preparations and began preparing the foods. Cooking rxed Daichi. It had a calming effect on him simr to painting or gardening. After sometime several exquisite smells drifted out of the kitchen which woke the other two temporary residents in the cabin.

    "Wow That smells delicious Daichi." Shizune came first and Tonton walked in as well.

    "Thanks. It''s going to taste even better than it smells." Daichi grinned and gave a cheeky reply.

    A few momentster Tsunade joined them in the kitchen. "It''s really handy to have our own personal chef isn''t it Shizune."

    "Yes. The dishes are quite delicious. His cooking skills have certainly improved. I''m half tempted to keep him with us." Shizune replied with a smallugh.

    "Oink oink!"

    "See. Even Tonton agrees." Tsunade ruffled Daichi''s hair. She knew it always got to him.

    The slug Sannin and her first apprentice teased the young boy. Theyughed seeing Daichi''s annoyed face.

    "I could stay with you or you two coulde back to the vige with me." Daichi replied back with a smile.

    Hearing that Tsunade smile slightly turned sad. But it was only for a moment. She snorted and turned her head. "A tempting offer. But I''ll pass. Maybe I''ll visit once in a while to check up on you and see if you screwed anything up but I like roaming around the ce."

    Daichi shrugged in a nonchnt manner. "Your loss."

    In a short while all the dishes were prepared and they set the table. The 3 ninjas plus a pet pig had afortable meal and finally rxed after the life threatening ordeal they went through.

    At that moment Tsunade looked and Daichi decided to broach a delicate subject.

    "How are you feeling Daichi?" She asked him.

    Daichi was confused for a moment. "I feel fine." He replied unsure why she would ask him now.

    "Unless I''m mistaken you''ve had your first kill today, haven''t you?"

    Daichi''s eyes slightly widened as he heard that. He hadpletely dismissed it. Due to abination of gamers'' minds, his numerous kills in the dungeon and the kill during the heat of the battle he didn''t give it any thought.

    "If you''re asking me if I had some nightmares over those kills or regret my actions, then the answer is no." Daichi replied with a straight face.

    Tsunade looked at the kid for a few moments and then asked. "Why?" Shizune was also paying attention to Daichi.

    Daichi was silent as he thought about how to best answer that question. After a minute of silence he gave his reply. "I understand the life I chose. One day I''m going to have to make the choice of me or my enemy. And I know the kind of person I am. I don''t feel any regret over killing them. It was in the heat of the battle. But I also didn''t enjoy it. If it were just me, I might have tried to escape or I would have tried to subdue them and killing them would have been ast resort. But it wasn''t just my life that was at stake, your lives were also in danger. I won''t take the life of every enemy Ie across, but to those that threaten my life and the people I care about, to those that truly deserve it, I won''t show any mercy."

    Tsunade looked at Daichi''s resolute face and let out a small breath. "You have a strong heart and mind. You are dealing with this better than most kids your age would The piece of advice I can give you in this situation is, don''t let it consume you. With your strength, it won''t be long before enemiese for you. You will have to make choices like this again and again. Don''t let those decisions swallow you up Make sure you have someone you can count on to help you through in your dark times. No one can go at it alone and not change."

    Daichi nodded. "I understand."

    "You saved my life, you know. You''re a good kid with a good heart. Don''t forget that." Shizune said, smiling at Daichi.

    Daichi nodded, smiling.

    "I can''t help but wonder who those people were? They must have had a reason for such a brazen attack." Shizune turned to her mentor and said as she thought about the attackers.

    "Too bad we don''t have any bodies. If we did, we could have figured out where they came from." Tsunade sighed.

    Daichi was looking at his food and was concentrating on finishing his te. He didn''t want to let the other two know that he had two intact fresh corpses of the root ninjas with him.

    Daichi had checked the status of the first two ninjas he killed after taking the scrolls out of the inventory. The bodies were preserved and were still warm as if they were only killed a few minutes ago. Daichi quickly sealed them back inside the scroll and ced them back in his inventory.

    ''Tsunade sensei is right. But it''s better that I hold on to these bodies. I could study them and figure out so many things. Their bodies contain valuable information on the root after all. If I can learn some Yamanaka mind techniques or increase the level of my Mana skills and create a skill that can read memories of the dead, then I can get the root secrets. This is a valuable opportunity, and I can''t waste it Although something like this will definitely take some time to aplish.''

    -

    The next morning the trio of medic ninjas left the ce and continued on with their journey. Within seven hours they reached their destination.

    "This is the Land of Medicine. If we go inwards then we''ll reach the ''Three Wolves'' mountain ranges." Tsunade gave a run down of thend to Daichi.

    At that moment Daichi received a system notification.

    [Mini-Map has been updated.]

    [Location - Three Wolves Mountain Range.]

    "Now, there are three viges situated at the base of each mountain. The Howling Wolf Vige, Awakening Wolf Vige and Nourishing Wolf Vige. We''ll first be heading to the Howling Wolf Vige. They sell medicines and shinobi services. I spent some time here training a long time ago. Come on."

    "Are medicinal herbs the specialty of this ce?" Daichi asked his teacher.

    "Yes. The region surrounding the mountain range is filled with medical nts and rare herbs. It''s why it''s called the Land of Medicine. A person with adequate knowledge would be able to make over 300 medicines with just the herbs that could be found near the Howling Wolf Vige."

    "Wow." Daichi''s eyes widened with excitement. ''If I can increase my knowledge I can maybe level up several skills and increase the effects of several of my medical skills.''

    Tsunade led the other two through the mountain range and soon reached the Howling Wolf vige. She headed in a certain direction and soon stood in front of a small home. She knocked on the door a few times and a few secondster it opened.

    A man with dull blue hair opened the door and his eyes widened as he saw who was standing in front of him. The next second he quickly shut the door in her face without a word.

    Daichi and Shizune stood back and had an awkward expression seeing what just happened.

    Tsunade knocked on the door again. "Come on Denjiru, open up."

    "Go away." A voice came from the inside.

    "Ohe on! Are you still mad about what happened?"

    "Yes!"

    "What if I say I can remedy that?" Tsunade said in a somewhat teasing tone as she looked at the locked door.

    Daichi who was standing several feet back sweat dropped. ''This sounds like the start of a bad porno.''

    "Unless you have my 400,000Ryo there''s nothing you can do."

    "I have it."

    After she said those words there was a few seconds of silence and then the door opened once again. The blue haired man looked at Tsunade and asked her to show him the money.

    Tsunade took a scroll from her jacket and tossed it at the man. He opened it and was surprised to see it filled with money.

    "Can Ie in now?" The slug Sannin asked.

    The man signed. "You''re just gonna break my door down now if I say no. So what''s the point?" With that he slowly opened the door and Tsunade entered the small residence followed by Shizune and Daichi.

    Daichi looked at the man. ''I wonder what''s the story with him?''

    ----------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 139: Training in the Land of medicine

    Chapter 139: Training in the Land of medicine

    The 3 medic ninjas entered Denjiru''s home.

    ''Observe'' Daichi quickly used the ability to get a read on him.

    [?] [Denjiru]

    ?

    ''Wow. I can''t read his level. So then this guy must be some kind of elite Jonin. Based on the wrinkles on his skin I''d say he''s in histe 40s. And I can''t sense his chakra presence.''

    Theck of information from his observation skill and what he sensed orck thereof had Daichi on his guard.

    "I have to say. This is a surprise. I didn''t expect to see you here Tsunade. Especially after the stunt you pulled with me." The man known as Denjiru spoke.

    "Would you believe me if I said I felt sorry and wanted to see my old friend again?" Tsunade had a smile as she said that.

    Denjiru didn''t look amused. "No. I wasn''t born yesterday..."

    The Sannin sighed and then sat down on a nearby chair. "I''m looking for Shinji. Last time we spoke he said he''d be here. But it''s been several years since then. And since you''re his closest friend I figured you might know his exact location."

    The blue haired man chuckled. "You''re a yearte if you''re looking for Shinji here. He''s gone. Since he was on borrowed time, he went to ''explore the world'' as he said, about a year ago."

    Tsunade slightly scowled as she heard that. "Damn. That man is like a chameleon. It''ll be damn hard to find him once he disappears."

    Nodding his head in agreement, Denjiru then turned to Shizune and Daichi. "I remember Shizune but who''s the kid?"

    Daichi stepped forward and introduced himself. "Hello sir, my name is Daichi Hekima. I''m Lady Tsunade''s student."

    The man raised an eyebrow at that and turned to look at the blonde haired woman. Tsunade just smirked and shrugged her shoulders as if it wasn''t a big deal.

    "Well I was here for Shinji but since that''s a bust, I''ll move on with my other ns. It was nice seeing you, Denjiru."

    With those words Tsunade left with Shizune and Daichi following behind her.

    "Who was that guy?" Daichi was curious about their rtionship.

    "He is someone I met a couple decades ago. He''s a medic ninja. And apetent one at that. But he disliked the violent shinobi life and came here to live his life in peace."

    "What was with the money you gave him, Lady Tsunade?" Shizune asked.

    Tsunade had a sheepish expression as she replied. "I may or may not have duped him out of 400,000 Ryo and skipped town."

    The two students just sighed at their master''s antics.

    The three soon found a decent Inn and settled down.

    "Daichi. I had nned on having someone train you in special Taijutsu style but that n is now scrapped. Along with your remaining medical training I''ll be teaching you how to use my super strength. I''m sure you can incorporate it into your style."

    Daichi nodded in agreement.

    "For now, just explore the vige. But don''t cause any trouble."

    "Yes sensei." With that Daichi left the ce.

    He looked around and saw several apothecaries. ''This ce must have a treasure trove of information on herbs. I need to learn it all.''

    Daichi then thought about the things he had toplete this year. ''I need to find a waterfall toplete the second step of the wind nature chakra. And if there isn''t one, then I need to find a remote ce and make one. I''ll also need to find a dungeon. Getting to level 50 with one dungeon would be ideal but if not, I''ll have to do a second one.''

    He discreetly created a few clones and had them move around the vige. After a while one of his clones found an ideal spot forpleting the waterfall cutting step of his wind nature training.

    Daichi explored the small vige and returned to the Inn when it was nightfall. When he entered the room he was surprised to see Jiraiya there drinking with his teacher.

    "Ah! Daichi. You''re here. Tsunade was just telling me about you."

    "Lord Jiraiya. You''re here?"

    "I just came to visit this ce. Nothing much." Came the reply from the Toad sage.

    "Mmhm." ''Yeah. A routine visit the day after we were attacked. Like I''d believe that.''

    Daichi excused himself and went to his room. He freshened up and went to the balcony outside and looked at the sky. A few momentster Jiraiya joined him.

    "You know, you, standing there looking at the stars like that you just reminded me of someone else." The man spoke to Daichi.

    "May I ask, who?"

    "My sensei of course. He had that look too when he gazed at the stars. As if there was something more there."

    Both of them fell silent for a while.

    "You''ve gotten a lot stronger since thest time we met." Jiraiya spoke looking at the boy.

    "Thank you. That''s a highplimenting from someone like you."

    "You did good, kid. I haven''t seen Tsunade like this in a long time. She''s a lot happier than she has been in a long time."

    Daichi nodded and agreed with that sentiment. He saw that his teacher was drinking less and had a smile most of the time.

    "Tell me something, have you ever considered learning the Sealing Arts?"

    Jiraiya''s question startled Daichi. The boy then folded his arms and thought about the subject. A momentter, he replied.

    "Truth be told, yes. Learning the Sealing Arts has been on my mind for a while but it''s not a high priority for me at the moment. I figured I''d start learning it a year or two after I became a Genin. And then master it in another couple years."

    Daichi turned his head and looked at the Sannin next to him. "Why are you asking? Are you interested in having me as a student?"

    Jiraiya looked at Daichi for a few moments and he had an unreadable expression. A few momentster, he sighed.

    "The sealing arts isn''t something one can master in a few years. It needs time, dedication and intelligence. But then again the same could be said for medical ninjutsu. And youpleted it in one year. Something that should be impossible. So Maybe you can do it."

    The man looked ahead and became quiet for a few seconds before continuing. "And to answer your question, No. I''m not interested in taking a student at this moment. No matter how much of a genius he is Good luck with your training Daichi."

    Patting his back, Jiraiya left the ce. Daichi stood on the balcony for sometime as well and soon went to bed.

    -

    The next day onwards his training resumed. Under Tsunade, Daichi had to learn about hundreds of different nts and their uses and how they would interact with other medical herbs.

    His time was split learning about the herbs, how to concoct medicine as well as poisons, learning Tsunade''s strength technique andpleting his wind chakra nature training. He also had to spend time on his daily exercise and finishing up the academy assignments.

    A few dayster Kensei had also visited him. The man was furious when he learned what had happened, but after seeing that Daichi was alright he calmed down. He spent a week with his grandson and then left for the capital.

    Kensei knew if he did something reckless in anger it could jeopardize the ns put in ce. But that didn''t mean he wasn''t still angry. He redoubled his efforts and decided to find the spy in the hospital in the fire country.

    The months went by and Daichi was making steady progress on his training.

    [Congrattions. You have sessfully trained a skill to its highest level.]

    +500 Exp.

    +75 Exp.

    ''Finally! I''vepleted it.''

    Daichi finallypleted the second step of the wind nature chakra. He opened the skill list and checked on the two skills.

    [Wind - Leaf cutting technique] - (Active/Passive)(LV. MAX)

    [Note: increasing the level of this skill will increase the level of the skill ''Wind Affinity.'']

    [Effects:]

    100% increase in Wind Chakra control.

    [CP cost : 5/sec.]

    .

    [Wind - Waterfall cutting technique] - (Active/Passive)(LV. MAX)

    [Effects:]

    200% Increase in Wind Chakra control.

    300% Increase in power of Wind Chakra nature.

    [CP cost : 18/sec.]

    At that moment Daichi received another system message.

    [You have mastered the two steps of all 5 chakra natures. The level of the 5 nature affinities has reached 90. You have received the New title ''Master of the Elements''.]

    [New Title: Master of the Elements.]

    [This title increases your chance of sessfully creating Ninjutsu.]

    [When CP reaches below 2000, all ninjutsu CP costs will be halved without any reduction in their effects.]

    [Increase the level up speed of all Ninjutsu.]

    Daichi read the new title effects and was impressed. ''Wow. Master of the elements huh. I like the sound of that. Increasing my chance of creating Ninjutsu and the level up speed This is a very useful title indeed.''

    Daichi looked at the skill list and his eyes went to the different chakra affinity skills.

    ''Wind, Water, Earth, Fire and Lightning. All of them have reached level 90. In the description, it says I can only merge different elements that have crossed level 90 Hmm. So unless I start on the third step and increase the level of the skill to 91, I won''t be able tobine natures to create new ones.''

    Daichi had a frown on his face as he looked at the skills. ''But is it really that simple? Or is there something else?''

    Daichi decided to work on creating and expanding his ninjutsu arsenal next year. His mind was focused onpleting the tasks for the current year quest. Opening the ongoing quest, he looked at the main conditions needed toplete this year.

    [Complete at least 1 Dungeon before the end of March next year.]

    [Master at least 2 advanced Nature transformation skills.]

    [Complete academic assignments before the final exam of this curriculum.]

    [Reach level 50 before the end of next March.]

    ''I''vepleted one of the conditions. And I''ll easily be able to finish my curriculum assignments by the end of the year. So my main task should be to reach level 50.'' Daichi opened the status page and looked at his level.

    Level : 48 (27145/61275)

    ''One dungeon might not be enough.''

    At that moment Daichi thought about the one dungeon he hadn''t gone into yet. ''Penalty dungeon But that''s supposed to be a punishment dungeon. Landing in that ce doesn''t mean the quest has failed. But will I be able to gain experience there? And moreover I have no idea what kind of ce that''s going to be or the enemies I''ll face? So should I risk it?''

    Thinking over it for a few minutes, Daichi made a decision. ''I''llplete one key dungeon. And if it''s still not enough I''ll use the penalty dungeon.''

    With his next move nned, Daichi left the training ground.

    -

    Tsunade took Daichi to the two other viges situated in the Three Wolves Mountain Range and taught him the different medicines and herbs growing in and around the viges. At Tsunade''s request, Denjiru joined in teaching Daichi about the nts growing there.

    Even with Daichi''s exceptional memory, it took a long time for him to learn the different nts and the various methods needed to synthesize an antidote or poisons from the nts.

    Tsunade was amazed at Daichi''s ability to store a seemingly infinite amount of knowledge in his head. ''There are over 1000 herbs around these mountains and many of them need unique ways to be synthesized. Add in the differentbinations of various herbs to createplicated medications, it''s a massive headache. And he was able to learn all of that in just several months even while training and concentrating on his other tasks. Even I remember only about half of all that. And it took me years andplete dedication to learn all that Information.''

    By the end of December Daichipleted his medical training at thend of Medicine. He received a new notification when hepleted the training.

    [Skill effects rted to identifying herbs, creating antidotes and poisons, creating various pills and healing using medicines have increased to 100%]

    Several medical skills leveled up and reached the Max level at that moment and Daichi received around 3000exp.

    -

    Daichi looked at the dungeon key in his hand. ''Here I go. My sixth dungeon.''

    In a sh he disappeared from his spot.

    ---------------------------

    Author''s Note:

    I''llplete the dungeon business in just 1 chapter and after that Daichi will return to the capital.

    And the long awaited graduation ising.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 140: 6th Dungeon

    Chapter 140: 6th Dungeon

    The moment he entered the dungeon, the various Titles activated and the quest toplete the dungeon popped up. epting the quest and without wasting a second, Daichi turned off his gamer''s mind and prepared himself by sending chakra throughout his body.

    With all his senses alert, Daichi cautiously moved through the Rocky jungle. The terrain was intermingled with hard ck rocks and thick trees and vines hanging low.

    ''Rokugan''s Domain. That''s the name of this dungeon. And I have 187 enemies to kill. The dungeon key was white. So my enemies would only have a +5 or -5 level difference. But that doesn''t mean I should let my guard down.''

    Moving through the dungeon, it wasn''t long before he found his first enemy. Arge gray wolf with sharp ws and red eyes was staring at him with great aggression.

    "Awooo.." The wolf howled and the next second it dashed towards the boy.

    Daichi used ''observe'' and analyzed his first enemy. ''A level 46 enemy huh. And it can even use chakra attacks? Have to be careful.''

    Easily evading the enemy due to therge difference in their speed, Daichi observed the beast''s attack style.

    Seeing his prey escape, the wolf growled in anger. At that moment Daichi sensed chakra rising in the beast. The gray wolf pounced on the boy much faster than before. Daichi evaded without any injuries but his eyes widened at what happened the next second.

    The wolf''s thick fur moved on its own. The fur on the whole body became sharp and took the form of needles. This transformation only took a second and in the next, the needle-like fur wasunched from the wolf''s body directly aimed at Daichi.

    The fast, sharp like needles tore through Daichi but the next second Daichi exploded in a ssh of water.

    The wolf''s ears twitched and it jumped to the side, avoiding the lightning shuriken Daichi sent at it. But the next second it felt ninja wire wrap around its body. Sharp Wind des and small rapid fire balls bombarded its body, quickly reducing it to smoke.

    +500 Exp.

    +75 Exp.

    [Enemy Killed: 01/187]

    At that moment a skill that hadn''t worked till now was activated.

    [Plunderer skill activated.]

    [Piercing Needle Hair jutsu is plundered. Would you like to acquire this skill?]

    [Y/N]

    ''Yes.''

    [Piercing Needle Hair Jutsu (Active)LV. 01: By running chakra through the hair the user can increase its sharpness and strength and thenunch the hair at the enemy like projectiles.]

    [Rank: C.]

    [Type: Ninjutsu.]

    [Hand seals: Dog - Hare - Snake - Ram]

    [CP Cost: ]

    Daichi smiled as he read through the description. ''I was starting to think the plunderer skill would never activate. Guess I needed some Luck Needle hair huh. Seems simr to the one Jiraiya uses. Coulde in handy. And it seems the CP cost is negligible.''

    With defeating the first enemy and obtaining a new skill Daichi moved forward with his hunt in a good mood.

    Even though the enemies in this dungeon were low in level whenpared to the other dungeons, this one had both beasts and ninjas. Daichi on asions encounteredrge wolves and ninjas who fought the boy together.

    Landing on the surface of arge river, Daichi blurred through hand-seals.

    ''Water style - Water dragon Shockwave.''

    Arge water dragon emerged out of the river and crashed into where the enemies were. Therge wolf was caught by the water jutsu but the dungeon ninja escaped. Daichi, anticipating the move, made another hand seal and several tendrils of water shot out the blue dragon with bullet speed. The small but powerful water tendrils pierced through the dungeon ninja and finished him off.

    Experience acquisition points and enemy kill count notifications kept popping up but before Daichi could check it out he sensed movement from behind.

    Daichi sensed the rise in temperature and body flickered away from the spot just in time to watch blue fire rain down on theke.

    ''Well now this is interesting.'' The gamer ninja sensed the presence of more enemies gathering and surrounding him.

    ''I''ve gotten a lot stronger. I need to increase my Indomitable stat and Persistence stat and if I run away and heals myself to max that won''t happen. I should take the risk and fight all of them.''

    Deciding to make a bold move Daichi created several shadow clones and they in turn created a few water clones. With hisrge reserves and faith in the proficiency of his medical jutsu, Daichi began battling them head on.

    While the water clones provided distractions, the shadow clones used genjutsu and ninjutsu on their foes. Daichi was in the middle of a hand to handbat with three level 50 ninjas.

    The boy blocked the iing punch and concentrated chakra to his other fist. Within a second he punched the ninja in the chest and instantly released the chakra upon contact.

    The force of Daichi''s punch coupled with the powerful chakra destroyed the opponent instantly. It also created a powerful whirlwind that forced the other two shinobi to back off.

    ''So that''s what using Tsunade''s strength technique on someone would look like. If he hadn''t been made of smoke, it''d be raining blood and guts everywhere. I need to be careful when using it in the real world.''

    Daichi sensed several shuriken and fireballs headed his way. With a quick hand seal a powerful wall erupted out of the ground and shielded him. Daichi suddenly jumped high into the air and used chakra strings to swing himself away from the iing attacks from below the ground and in the air.

    Daichinded on the ground and two ninjas appeared on both sides. Both ninjas rushed at him and Daichi expertly evaded their strikes. He blocked a kick with the palm of his hand and grabbed the limb. With a fast swing he used the ninja as a bat and attacked the other foe, sending them both tumbling into the ground.

    Before they could recover Daichi was above them with a Rasengan in both hands.

    ''Double Ransengan.'' Daichi expertly struck the enemy''s body and unleashed the attack.

    The two blue orbs of chakra grinded into the enemy. Its power was such that it cracked and destroyed the ground they were on.

    [Enemy Killed. ]

    [Enemy Killed. ]

    His clones cast genjutsu and ninjutsu on the other enemies but defeating them was a slow process.

    At that moment a new enemy appeared and challenged the boy. As Daichi began fighting with his next opponent, the ninja dropped a small ball which exploded into green smoke enveloping Daichi and the ninja.

    [Foreign toxin detected.]

    [Mental instability detected.]

    [Gamer''s Body has neutralized the Toxin.]

    For a few seconds Daichi felt as if he was walking through a thick fog. His mind felt hazy and unfocused but it onlysted a few seconds.

    After his body rejected the toxins, Daichi quickly regained his mental faculties.

    ''What the hell just happened?''

    At that moment the enemy shed Daichi and left a small wound in his arm.

    "Ghaa Bastard."

    A clone of Daichi came and stood between him and his enemy and bought Daichi the time needed to heal himself.

    Weaving a few seals, Daichi''s hand glowed green and he immediately healed the wound.

    ''I need to find out what happened.'' Narrowing his eyes, Daichi rushed at the enemy ninja and the clone joined him.

    Both sent fast precise attacks but made sure not to use lethal force. The pressure from both Daichi forced the dungeon ninja to jump back and take another ball from his pouch.

    Seeing what he was looking for, Daichi rushed forward and caught the enemy''s hand before he could drop the smoke bomb. Seeing the objectivepleted, Daichi''s clone sent several chakra powered strikes and reduced the enemy to oblivion.

    Daichi looked at the small ball in his hand. He needed to know what this thing was.

    ''Observe''

    [Hallucinogen bomb: This smoke bomb is created by mixing hallucination inducing drugs made from the nts found around the Three Wolves Mountain Range. Once exploded it creates a green smoke that can cause varying sensory experiences that appear real but are created by the mind. Effects of the smoke depends on the person and their physique. Will be weak against those with a strong constitution. The targets will experience different hallucinations depending on their psyche and circumstances.

    Recipe for creating this drug is given below.]

    Daichi was amazed as he read the information.

    ''So that''s how. I remembered Tsunade telling me that different herbs and nts can be used to concoct certain psychedelics. I didn''t expect to see it in such a real world application so soon and not to mention here in this dungeon of all ces.''

    Sensing an enemy trying to get a shot at him, he didn''t waste anymore time thinking about the smoke bomb in his hand. Storing it in his inventory, he jumped away from his spot.

    Daichi saw the enemy take out a sword and enter a stance.

    Taking his daggers out, Daichi rushed and crossed des with his next opponent.

    Daichi coated his des with wind and lightning chakra. Due to his master of the natures he was able to extend the range of his attacks mid swing and injure the swordsman.

    The dungeon ninja coated his de with chakra and rushed at Daichi. At thest second he changed nes and instead of a swing he threw the sword directly at Daichi''s face.

    Daichi tilted his body to the side and avoided the sharp de. At that moment he saw the enemy going through several seals. The ninja''s fingers became coated with wind chakra and as Daichi looked closer he could see that it was in the shape of small des.

    The ninja attacked Daichi with fast, deadly precise strikes, but due to Daichi''s high stats he was able to avoid lethal injuries. He was still wounded due to battling in close contact but Daichi was dealing more damage to the enemy than he was to him.

    Before long the opportunity presented itself and Daichi was able to get behind the enemy and plunge his des deep into his opponent.

    Landing several vital strikes, the enemy vanished in a smoke.

    [Plunderer skill activated.]

    [Wind style - Drilling Wind Jutsu is plundered. Would you like to acquire this skill?]

    [Y/N]

    ''Yes, yes, most definitely a yes.''

    [Wind style - Drilling Wind Jutsu - Active(LV.1): The user circtes chakra around the fingers and converts them into sharp miniature wind des. These des act as fast spinning drills capable of piercing through even some of the toughest materials. A close range jutsu capable of drilling through even rocks and concrete.]

    [Rank: B]

    [Type: Ninjutsu]

    [Hand Seals: Bird - Ox - Hare - Ram.]

    [CP Cost: 170/5 Drills.]

    [Note: Only those who have mastered the second step of the Wind chakra nature training can use this jutsu without sustaining self injury.]

    ''Not a bad jutsu.''

    Daichi then looked at the Mini Map and saw that the dungeon upants were converging on his point. It was due to the Ninjutsu and the asional explosions happening around the battlefield.

    ''Time to see how long I can battle without rest.'' Daichi readied himself with great determination.

    As each ninja and beast wolf appeared, Daichi would battle them without stopping. He focused on limiting his chakra use andnding precise strikes to quickly kill his enemies.

    ''I need to learn to conserve chakra and fight for longer periods and more opponents without slowing down.''

    Daichi''s plunderer skill activated a couple more times, but the skills that popped up were ones he already had. So he rejected them.

    Over 6 hours went by with Daichi fighting his enemies nonstop. His entire body was covered in sweat, grime and blood. Although no wounds were present due to his healing. His clothes were ragged and torn in several ces.

    Daichi was having a hard time even breathing. ''Over 160 enemies. And fighting all of them without a break So this is my current limit huh''

    Daichi discreetly took out a small round ball from his inventory. He remembered the day he gathered the ingredients and made that ball.

    [Special Food Pill: A nutrition pill created by Daichi Hekima. It was created by concentrating the essence of several nutritional nts and proteins in very specific ratios. The pill is created in such a way that it is quickly absorbed into the body and immediately provides energy for the user. This pill is capable of restoring 20000 CP, 8000 HP and 10000 SP.]

    [Note: Taking more than one within an hour of each can cause temporary negative side effects. The more taken, the more negative side effects the body suffers.]

    Quickly tossing it in his mouth, Daichi chewed the special food pill and a secondter he swallowed it. The boy felt the stamina and chakra in his body rise.

    He had a mad grin as he looked at thest few enemies standing in his way. "Let''s end this"

    The final round began. Concentration chakra to his whole body and using body flicker and sprint skill he vanished from his spot.

    Daichi was like a specter appearing within the ranks of the enemy and killing one before disappearing the next second. He kept pushing himself and due to his great speed, terrain adaptability and vicious attacks, he was able to finish off the ninjas even though they tried hard to defend themselves.

    Thest remaining dungeon ninja jumped high in the air but it couldn''t stop Daichi''s assault.

    Daichi cut the ninja up in mid air with dozens of strikes in a couple seconds.

    +750 Exp.

    +112.5 Exp.

    [Enemy Killed: 186/187]

    ''One more to go.''

    When Daichi safelynded on the ground his senses immediately alerted him to somethinging at him at great speed. Before Daichi could escape, a blow struck his back sending him flying forward.

    Daichi gritted his teeth in pain for a second but quickly regained hisposure. He controlled his body and safelynded on the ground.

    When Daichi took a look at his attacker, "What the fuck is that?" he couldn''t help but exim out loud.

    It was arge wolf with three tails, and wings. It had dark red fur with white streaks. Daichi could see the sharp teeth sticking out of its maw.

    ''Observe''

    [52] Rokugan

    HP: 7000 CP: 6500

    [The strongest beast and the ruler of the dungeon. Immune to genjutsu and is capable of using ninjutsu. His body is much stronger than normal. Due to its wings, it can move at great speeds. Despite its average level its strength is far above normal. It wants to kill the intruder that barged into its domain and killed its pack.]

    Suddenly a strong gust of wind struck Daichi forcing him to steady himself lest he get swept away. The next instant the beast was in front of him and mmed its tails into Daichi''s chest.

    The boy crashed through a few trees and skipped through the ground a few times before he was able to stop himself.

    ''O That was a serious blow. The ''observe'' skill was right. It''s a lot stronger than it looks. And that saying something looking at its fearsome appearance.

    Daichi suddenly sensed the beast about tond on top of him and moved away.

    Creating clones to be his back up, Daichi resumed hisst battle in this dungeon.

    The wolfunched several ninjutsu attacks at Daichi and was swift enough to avoid some of clone Daichi''s long range attacks. The real Daichi attacked the beast with just as much ferocity as it showed when attacking him.

    The battle between man and beast continued with both sides slowly wounding each other.

    ''That thing is shielding its body from my more powerful jutsus with those wings. I need to disorient this thing and cut at least one wing off. Or kill it if I get the chance.''

    Daichi created 3 clones and came up with a n. Deliberately letting a w strike his body, Daichi was able to quickly grab and hold on to the leg. Killing Intent poured out of Daichi the next instance and it froze the beast.

    The next second it took a powerful super strong uppercut to the jaws that rattled its brain. Two Daichi clones appeared at that moment to take advantage of the disorientation. They came at both sides of its head and alsonded a Rasengan each.

    Thest clone came from high above ground and pierced the body of the dungeon boss all the way through with a longsword and wind chakra running through it.

    A secondter the beast fell to the ground.

    [Enemy Killed: 187/187]

    "It''s over." Daichi, tired and exhausted, fell backwards and hit the ground. Within a few moments he was asleep.

    ----------------

    Author''s Note:

    Graduation examing soon. I''ll try to update faster.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 141: Returning to the Fire Capital

    Chapter 141: Returning to the Fire Capital

    When Daichi regained his consciousness and opened his eyes, all he saw was nothing but darkness. He felt like he was floating in an endless void.

    ''What the hell? Where am I?...''

    He tried to move his body but he couldn''t. His mind started to panic but after a few seconds a memory popped up in his mind.

    ''Wait a minute This feeling I''ve only felt it once before When I was in that void Before My reincarnation''

    As Daichi tried to focus on his surroundings he started to see small light balls far far away. There were several of them

    ''What is that?''

    As Daichi tried to somehow move forward, suddenly he felt as if he was being pulled from behind. As he was being pulled faster and faster the small light balls disappeared and darkness engulfed him.

    "Aaaahhh"

    Daichi awoke with a frightening startle. He felt his heart pounding in his chest, his breathingbored and found his face covered in sweat.

    Daichi looked around and saw that he was in the exact spot in the dungeon where he fell asleep.

    ''What the hell was that? Where was I?... Or was that just a dream?''

    Daichi slowly got up and walked around. He looked at the return key and saw that he had over 18 hours left in the dungeon. He walked around the ce trying to get his emotions under control.

    ''That felt too real to be a dream. And that ce I''m sure It was the void where I was before My Rebirth But why would I have a dream about it now? What''s going on?''

    Daichi thought about it and couldn''te up with any definitive answers. He sat down on the ground, turned on his Gamer''s Mind and started meditating. A few hourster and with a much calmer mind Daichi stood at the entrance/exit of the dungeon.

    Without wasting another moment, he left the ce.

    Teleporting back to his room, Daichi sat on the bed and looked at the piled up notifications on the side. He started going through them one by one to make sure he didn''t miss anything. Among them was one he wanted the most.

    [You have leveled up.]

    ''Excellent. Due to the number of enemies I was able to get enough Exp to reach level 50. Now I don''t have to take the risk of doing the penalty dungeon.''

    Closing the level up notifications, Daichi immediately opened the status page.

    ''Status.''

    [Name : Daichi Hekima (The Gamer)]

    [ss : Student]

    [Age : 11]

    [Title : Capable Child, Explorer, Prodigy, Beast yer, Dungeon Warrior, Executioner, Assassin, Mighty Healer, Slug Sannin''s Apprentice, Master of the Elements.]

    [Level : 50 (345/65800)]

    .

    HP : 18645

    CP : 47891

    SP : 19144

    MP: 7015

    .

    [Primary Stats]

    Strength - 247

    Vitality - 251

    Dexterity - 207

    Agility - 250

    Intelligence - 176

    Chakra - 351

    Wisdom - 173

    .

    [Special Stats]

    Sense - 121

    Stamina - 207

    Indomitable - 29

    Charisma - 54

    Persistence - 29

    Dignity (LOCKED)

    Luck - 4

    .

    [Stat Points - 638]

    [Ryo - 251200]

    ''Nice. Very nice. My stats are in the Jonin level. Not to mention the many passives that strengthen my body. Now I don''t have to worry about getting killed by some random mook.''

    Daichi looked over the several skills that leveled up and was quite happy with his progress.

    He closed all the blue boxes and thought about his next move. ''The only things remaining are the daily exercises and academic curriculum. I''llplete that with no problem When this quest is markedplete, the system will give me the option of graduating now or not. But should I take that option this year?''

    Daichi''s ss had one more year in the academy. If he graduated now, he would be a year ahead of them. ''Should I take one more year and train and improve my stats or should I graduate now?... If I graduate now then this quest will be marked asplete and I won''t get any weekly stat points. But if I don''t and take another year to train, that''s one more year worth of stats But is it worth it?...''

    Daichi got up and went outside. He walked through the thick snowy road and looked at the few shops that were open at the moment. He spent a few hours simply wandering around the ce and after thinking about several things, he came to a decision. He quickly returned to his inn to find his teacher.

    Daichi found Tsunade enjoying a warm tea as she read some scrolls

    "Tsunade sensei, do you have a moment?" Tsunade looked up from the documents her sensei sent her. She noticed that her student had an unusually serious expression on his face.

    At that moment Shizune brought some more tea and joined them.

    "What is it, Daichi?" The Sannin asked the boy.

    After taking a deep breath, Daichi spoke with a determined tone. "Sensei, I would like to graduate this year."

    As they heard those words, Shizune''s eyes widened but Tsunade remained impassive.

    "But Daichi, if you graduate now you''ll be a year ahead of your ss. Do you really want that?" Shizune was surprised at Daichi''s desire to be a Genin ahead of his ssmates.

    Daichi gave a simple nod as a reply to Shizune. He then turned his attention to his teacher and stood in silence.

    A few momentster Tsunade spoke. "What''s your reason for this decision?"

    "I''ve already learned everything I could from you. And assessing realistically, my strength is much greater than a Genin or even most chunin. It would be a waste of time and resources if I spent another year as just an academy student. The minimum age for graduation is 11. And by theing March, I''ll be 12. My age, strength and skills more than qualify me to be a Genin."

    Daichi concluded his assessment and waited for his teacher''s decision.

    Tsunade looked at the boy for a few moments and nodded. "You''re right. The truth is I''ve been thinking about your graduation for a while now. As much as I like having you around, I have to agree that it would be a waste of time for you if you spent another year with me. Especially now that your medical training isplete."

    Daichi''s eyes slightly widened and a grin slowly formed in his face. "Wait you mean"

    Tsunade smirked and replied. "Yeah kid, I believe you''re ready too. I''ll talk with Sarutobi sensei."

    "Yes!" Daichi pumped his fist in excitement.

    "Congrattions Daichi. You''re going to be a Genin by the end of this year." Shizune smiled and hugged the kid.

    "Well, since our objective in the Land of Medicine has been aplished, what do you say we head back to the capital. This time we can take the route through the Land of Hot Water. I did promise us some rxing time at the hot springs afterall" Tsunade got up and stretched her hands.

    "Oh that sounds wonderful, Lady Tsunade." Shizune''s excitement was shared by Daichi as well. He decided he was going to take the next few months to rx and enjoy himself before the start of his next journey.

    Tsunade wrote a detailed report on Daichi''s capabilities along with his desire for an early graduation and sent it to the Hokage. The next few days were spent packing things up and getting ready for their journey back to the capital.

    The trio left the Land of Medicine and made their way to the Land of Hot Water. Tsunade found a good Inn with a nice bathhouse and soon the trio was rxing in the hot spring.

    "Haaa.!" Shizune sighed and rxed as she submerged neck deep in the hot spring.

    Tsunade was drinking some sake and was rxed like she had no cares in the world.

    The only person ufortable despite the rxing situation was Daichi. He looked at the two partially visible creamy orbs floating in front of Tsunade.

    ''Damn this woman. She deliberately dragged me here to make me ufortable The only good thing is that even though puberty has hit me, the gamer''s mind will keep me safe from the temptations.''

    Daichi slightly shook his head and closed his eyes as if to get rid of the impure thoughts. ''Stay strong man. You got this.''

    Tsunade chuckled seeing Daichi''s state. ''Despite his strength and attitude he''s still just a kid. So easy to tease''

    "Feeling alright Daichi?" Tsunade asked with a smirk knowing exactly what she was doing.

    A vein popped up in Daichi''s head as he heard that question. ''I know plenty of ways to turn this situation around but if I do any of that, it''s just asking for a beating.'' Daichi mumbled something and submerged in the water until only the top half of his face was visible.

    Shizune who looked at the two could only sigh. ''Sometimes Lady Tsunade is just too much.''

    The three spent a few days in the Land of Hot Water before resuming their journey.

    "Even when you''re rxing or on the move, you still do those exercises daily Doesn''t it get boring?" Shizune asked Daichi as hepleted the daily part of his quest.

    "No. This kind of training will only get boring if I think of it as a chore or something I have to do But I think of it as something that I want to do and I know that it makes me stronger each day. So it doesn''t bother me at all" Daichi replied as hepleted his push-ups.

    Tsunade looked at the kid as she put out the small campfire. ''I haven''t seen him miss one day of his training sessions. It takes more than just wanting to do it. One needs extreme discipline, concentration and willpower to keep training like that every day and not ck off. Even when he has nothing to do, he pushes himself I have no doubt that he would one day reach the top. With his talent and abilities, it''s only a matter of time.''

    Despitepleting the daily quest sets he was only slightly winded. And with the use of Status recovery he felt as good as new.

    The group slowly made their way to the capital, taking their time to enjoy the sights and various ces. It was more for Daichi''s benefit since he would be busy with missions starting next year. By the start of the second week of January, Tsunade and her two students reached the capital.

    "I''m gonna see if Gramps is home." With those words Daichi split from the group and headed to Kensei''s house.

    Opening the door to his temporary home he found Kensei rxing in the small backyard.

    Sensing Daichi''s presence Kensei turned around. "You''re back? So soon"

    "Yeah. I learned everything needed. We figured it would be a waste of time if we stayed there anymore." Daichi replied, cing his small backpack on the floor. He took a seat and joined his grandfather and watched the sun slowly set.

    "I''ve already talked about this with Tsunade sensei. And she agrees I''ll be taking the Genin exam at the end of this year." Daichi said to his grandfather.

    Kensei looked at his grandson and was quiet for a while. "Do you believe you''re ready?"

    "I do. I''m more than strong enough to face the challengesing my way."

    Kensei looked at Daichi and smiled. "If you think you''re ready then I''m not against it. I''m sure the Hokage would also agree with that assessment."

    Daichi nodded in agreement. He was strong enough to battle several trained root ninjas and take them down. Along with his skills, strength and medical techniques Daichi would be the most talented and strongest ninjaing out of the academy in a long time. Daichi knew that the Hokage knew that and was hoping he wouldn''t hold him back.

    ----------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 142: Kenseis Friends

    Chapter 142: Kensei''s Friends

    "I agree that the price is above normal but these are some of the finest sweets you could find anywhere in the capital. Please try it."

    Daichi tasted the sweets handed by the vendor one by one and he had to agree with the man. ''These are indeed delicious. I haven''t tasted candies like these since I came to this world. No wonder it costs so much.''

    "Since we''ve only opened a few weeks ago I''ll sell them to you at a nice discount young man."

    "Thank you. I''ll take it." Daichi smiled and bought enough sweets for all the kids at Aiko''s orphanage. It was Reo''s birthday next week and he wanted to buy some gifts for her. But he didn''t want to make things too obvious to anyone keeping an eye on him so he bought treats for everyone.

    Handing the money over, Daichi headed back home with the sweets and gifts. With his grandfather''s help he was able to send the gifts and treats to Aiko with no problems.

    Since he had nothing much to do, Daichi helped out at the Fire capital hospital from time to time. Tsunade and Shizune also decided to stay in the capital till Daichi''s departure back to the vige. Despite spending his time healing patients at the hospital, the boy''s thoughts were mainly on what would happen in theing months.

    ''By graduating this year, I''m giving up one year''s worth of stat points and training time. That''s a huge con. But I''ll be able to visit different viges and gain more information. If I need toplete my long term quests then I can''t waste anymore time training. I''ll also need to see if I can be a Chunin this year. If I can be one before the canon Chunin exam then I''ll have a significant advantage. I''ll only be able to put some of my ns in motion if I get an official Rank as soon as possible.''

    At that moment Daichi''s mind drifted to who would be his future teammates.

    ''I wonder who my teammates and sensei are gonna be? They will most definitely be from Lee''s ss. I hope they''re mature enough to work with me despite me being a year below them. Whatever the case, I just need to pass the test and I''ll be a Genin.''

    Daichi spent the remaining days polishing his skills and Leveling them up as much as he could. It was during this time that he met Kensei''s friends at the capital.

    Daichi and Kensei were in a small vi on the Eastern side of the capital. Daichi looked around the small mansion that was beautifully designed.

    ''This must be the home of some kind of noble. Or at least someone with a thriving business.'' Daichi deduced as he walked through the long halls.

    At that moment he saw someone around Kensei''s ageing towards them. The man had tan skin and a slightly skinny body. He had a white beard and had a few beads attached to them. Daichi immediately noticed the sh with the Fire Kanji tied around his waist. ''One of the Twelve Ninja Guardians. Or a former one based on his age.''

    "Hello young man. I''m Jin. A friend of your grandpa''s. Wee to my humble abode." The man smiled and introduced himself in a cheerful manner.

    "Hello sir, I''m Daichi Hekima."

    "I know. Your grandpa has spoken about you on more than one asion. You should hear him talk."

    "Alright that''s enough." Kensei interrupted Jin with an annoyed yet slightly embarrassed tone.

    "Hahaha. Come on. Isen is waiting in the other room." Jin led the two to anotherrge room where another man was waiting for them.

    "So this is the child. I can already tell that he''s strong. Tsunade certainly has been training him well." The man known as Isen spoke looking at Daichi.

    "Daichi, these are my friends. Isen and you''ve already met Jin." Kensei introduced them to his grandson with a smile. He was happy Daichi finally got to meet his former teammates and colleagues.

    "How do you like your stay in the capital so far?" Jin asked the boy.

    "It''s great. There''s lots to see and ces to visit. And the history behind this ce is incredible."

    "Hmm True. The Fire Capital is one of the oldest territories in the world. It is a hub that connects to every corner of the world."

    "Your grandfather tells us that you''re a genius. That true?" It was Isen who asked that question.

    "I do pick up things much faster than others and everything doese much easier for me. So yeah. You could say I''m a genius." Daichi replied with a grin.

    "You''re not even gonna pretend to be modest huh."

    "Why should I, when it''s the truth."

    Despite Daichi''s seemingly arrogant answer, Isen justughed. "Ha! I like you kid. You got spunk."

    "I can already tell, the kid''s gonna be a riot. He reminds me of you Kensei. During your ''I''m better than everyone else'' phase." Jin said with a smirk as he sat down.

    "I''m still better than everyone." Kensei said with arge smirk.

    Isen grinned at Kensei''s response. "Keep telling yourself that old man." He then looked at Daichi and spoke. "Your Gramps tells me you''re looking to graduate a year early."

    "Yes. I came to the capital to learn Medical ninjutsu and now that I''ve aplished that, I feel that it''s time to move on to the next stage. I''ve already learned everything taught at the academy, so passing it is just a formality." Daichi nodded and replied.

    Isen nodded. Based on the information Kensei shared, Isen knew the boy was more than ready to graduate. He also learned of the attack thwarted by Daichi that happenedst year. He didn''t have any proof but he was sure that it was Danzo who sent them. He was slightly concerned for the kid but knew that any move against him by Danzo would result in the wrath of Kensei and the Hokage.

    Kensei and his friends decided to catch up. The two people asked Daichi about his training, travels and goals in his life.

    As Kensei and the other two talked, Daichi used ''Observe'' to see if he could get anything from them.

    Daichi used ''observe'' skill on Jin first. On Jin, the skill information confirmed that he was a former member of the Twelve Guardian Ninjas. He was level 44 with health and chakra points in the low 4 digits. The information showed that he had an unknown disease that was eating away at his body.

    ''So that''s why he has such low stats. He doesn''t have much time left. Maybe a year or 18 months at most. I''ll need to talk to Gramps about this.''

    Daichi used the Health Maniption skill. It had the ability to sense the health of a person within a certain range. At that moment an unexpected quest appeared in front of him.

    [Quest Created - ''Heal Jin.'']

    [Jin is diagnosed with an incurable disease and doesn''t have much time left. Even Tsunade Senju could not find a permanent cure. Identify the cause of his illness and aid him.

    Time limit: Find a permanent cure within 12 months or a treatment that will increase his life span in 16 months.]

    [Conditions:]

    Perform the correct diagnosis and identify the real cause of his illness.

    Create a treatment that will increase his life span by at least 5 years or more.

    [Bonus:]

    Completely heal Jin and save him from the illness.

    [Rewards:]

    10000 Exp.

    Reputation increases with Isen, Kensei Yasaji.

    Reputation increases with Jin, Tsunade Senju and an Unknown person.

    [Bonus Reward:]

    +2 Level in Health Maniption skill.

    Reputation massively increases with Jin and Tsunade Senju.

    Reputation decreases with an Unknown person.

    [Failure:]

    Possible early death of Jin.

    Reputation slightly decreases with Kensei.

    Reputation decreases with Jin, Isen.

    [Note: This quest will only be epted if Jin lets you examine him.]

    Daichi read the quest details and was amazed. ''Wow. A quest that can only be activated on certain conditions? That''s new... And it says here even Tsunade sensei couldn''t heal this guy?... Even if she couldn''t, maybe I can. My medical skills rival and even surpass Tsunade''s. I''m the only chance he has Now the only question is whether or not he''ll ept my help. I''ll need the old man''s opinion and I need to pay Tsunade sensei a visit.''

    Turning his attention to Isen and used ''Observe'' on the man. When he did, he only got question marks ''I should be able to see up to level 95. So that means this guy is even higher than that?

    It waste evening when Daichi and Kensei bid farewell to the two men and headed home. When they reached their residence Kensei asked the question that''s been bugging him since they left Jin''s home.

    "What''s on your mind?" Kensei recognized Daichi''s thoughtful expression and asked.

    "That man Jin. He''s dying." Daichi''s reply was more of a statement than a question and the information startled Kensei.

    "How do you know?"

    "I''ve been with Lady Tsunade for two years. Trust me. I know a dying person when I see one." Daichi replied.

    Kensei slightly nodded in understanding. He knew a highly capable medic would be able to tell Jin''s state when carefully looking at his body''s behavior. He couldn''t believe Daichi had reached such a level in just such a short time. He let out a sad sigh and thought about what his friend said.

    "He has some kind of a rare disease that''s attacking his body. He caught it around 5 years ago. Jin went to every doctor he could. None of them could help him. He only had a few months to live. That''s when he went to Tsunade. Even though she couldn''t figure out what was wrong with him, she created a pill that would slow down the progress of this unknown disease. It gave him several more years. But it''s only slowed down the illness and it''s still progressing. By our estimates he has less than 2 years."

    "An illness even Tsunade sensei couldn''t figure out? That''s rare" Tsunade was the best medic in the world. So the fact that she couldn''t figure out what was wrong with the man amazed Daichi.

    "It''s going to be even more of a challenge than I thought." Daichi said to himself.

    Kensei heard that and looked at Daichi as if he had grown a second head. "Daichi, this is something I don''t think even you can help with. Even Tsunade couldn''t. Just Just let this go."

    Daichi couldn''t ept that. There was no way he was going to back out after seeing the quest. He looked at his grandfather and spoke with a determined tone.

    "Gramps I need you to talk to him. I need to examine him."

    Despite Daichi''s resolute stance, Kensei didn''t budge. "Daichi, I''ve let you do some risky things But on this matter I''m going to have to say no. Just let this go."

    "Can you tell me why?"

    "Even your teacher Tsunade couldn''t cure him. Jin has already made peace with what''s going to happen. Don''t give him hope and then take that away from him."

    Hearing Kensei''s reply, Daichi understood where the old man wasing from. ''Even though I''m a genius and learned Medical ninjutsu in just a couple years, he would trust her opinion over mine. It''s the logical thing to do. Can''t me him for that. She has decades of experience and is known as the best in the world But still I can''t let this change go.''

    "Gramps. You know I''m not someone who would take a situation like this lightly. Trust me when I say, I know the weight of what it means when even Tsunade sensei couldn''t find the true cause But I''m still asking. All I need is just a check up. Please." Daichi made sure his grandfather knew that he was taking this with the utmost seriousness.

    Kensei was conflicted as he looked at his grandson. He knew his grandson was a capable medic but he didn''t think he could seed where someone like Tsunade failed.

    "You can even say that Tsunade sensei sent me to examine him and check up on his prognosis. You don''t need to tell him anything else." Daichi tried his best to convince his grandfather and let him examine the man.

    Kensei closed his eyes and rubbed the bridge of his nose in exasperation. After pondering for several minutes he let out a sigh that indicated he would at least try.

    "Before we do anything, We''ll meet Tsunade first thing in the morning. I want her opinion on this before we move forward with anything." The old man told Daichi.

    "Deal. That way I can get an idea as well as to what''s really going on."

    Daichi went to his room and thought about the part of the quest that confused him. He opened the quest and looked at the rewards portion.

    [Rewards:]

    [10000 Exp.]

    [Reputation increases with Isen, Kensei Yasaji.]

    [Reputation increases with Jin, Tsunade Senju and an Unknown person.]

    ''This is strange. This reward is the one I get for increasing his life span. And it says reputation increases with an Unknown person.

    [Bonus Reward:]

    [+2 Level in Health Maniption skill.]

    [Reputation massively increases with Jin and Tsunade Senju.]

    [Reputation decreases with an Unknown person.]

    ''But here if I save Jin''s life then my reputation decreases How the heck does that happen?... Are they two different people? But then there is no reputation increase from Unknown person when I save his life This is strange But still This does prove something. There is someone involved in this matter. I bet that there is someone out there who knows more about this illness than even Tsunade And if that''s true then the only way they could have such knowledge is if they were the cause of his illness.''

    [Due to logically deducing new information from very little, you have obtained +1 WIS]

    ''Huh!? So you agree with my deduction?... I see Good to know.''

    ---------------------

    Author''s Note.

    I know it''s been slow thesest couple weeks. I''ll try to update more and post chapters regrly. Thank you for your patience.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 143: Back to the Leaf Village

    Chapter 143: Back to the Leaf Vige

    Leaf Vige - Hokage Office:

    Hiruzen was looking over the information Tsunade sent regarding Daichi.

    ''So he wants to take the Genin exams huh. Hmm This is certainly unexpected. I thought he would wait another year and graduate with his ss but it seems I''m wrong With his skills and knowledge, he''s certainly qualified.''

    Hiruzen let out a sigh and leaned back in his chair. ''There isn''t any point in denying him the chance But thisplicates my ns. Since Daichi has a good rtionship with Naruto and Sasuke, I was hoping he would be the third member of the team but there goes that n I suppose I''ll have to modify my ns a bit. I also need to see if there is anyone in the current graduation ss that''spatible with Daichi''s skill sets. And I need to pick a suitable instructor. But who?...''

    Hiruzen pondered on this question for a while. ''I need to assign a Jonin capable of handling his growth. And one that can effectively teach him.''

    At that moment the image of a figure popped up in his head. ''Hmm Yes. He might be a good choice I''ll also need to contact Iruka. I''ll have to let him know of the situation.''

    Fire Capital.

    Daichi and Kensei were at the Slug Sannin''s apartment. Tsunade had a serious expression as she looked at her student. "What''s the sudden interest in this case Daichi?"

    "I want to know the true cause of his illness. Aren''t you curious? I know I am. Is it a new type of disease or if he was poisoned or is it something else I have to know. If even you, the best medic in the world, couldn''t figure it out, then it must be something significant." Daichi replied.

    "Tsunade, what can you tell us about Jin''s condition?" Kensei asked the blonde woman.

    The woman let out a sigh and answered. "Jin has an unknown disease that attacks his lungs, heart and body muscles and weakens them. The reason I say unknown is because I''ve done a thorough checkup on his body and I couldn''t find anything that points to a problem. I took blood samples, biopsied tissues from his lungs, heart and even took some bone marrow. I''ve tested them against every disease I could think of and nothing. Even the blood work is normal. It''s as if his body decided to give up one day and started attacking himself."

    "Could it be some kind of autoimmune disease?" Daichi asked.

    "No. The tests came back negative. And none of the treatments worked on him."

    Daichi was quiet as he listened. "What about poisons?"

    Tsunade shook her head. "I''ve done a toxicology test. Everything came back negative. I couldn''t find any foreign content within his body. I''ve analyzed his body right down to the cellr level I couldn''t find anything wrong. Like I said earlier. It''s as if his body is attacking itself without any cause."

    "But that should be impossible."

    "Yes. I agree."

    At that, Kensei narrowed his eyes. "Do you have a theory?"

    Tsunade was quiet for a few seconds and then replied. "This is only just my theory and I don''t have any proof, but I believe he was poisoned."

    Kensei was shocked when he heard that. "What? But you just said he wasn''t."

    "I said I couldn''t find anything. But that doesn''t mean it isn''t there."

    "What makes you think it''s poison?"

    "Because I''ve never seen something like this before. And a disease like this at his age. There must have been a trigger that set it off. It''s the only thing that makes the most sense." Tsunade replied drink a some sake.

    "So someone did this to him?"

    Daichi could hear the anger bubbling through Kensei''s voice.

    "It''s a possibility. But there is also another. It could have been some kind of environmental factor. Certainnds have rare poisonous soils, nts and small streams that can be very harmful. He could have been affected in his travels"

    "But you don''t believe that''s the case, do you?" Kensei asked the woman.

    "No. If it were that easy I''d have found the answer long ago My theory is that he was infected with a custom poison designed specifically for him." Tsunade replied, looking at her bottle.

    Daichi was impressed. ''Even with practically no information she came to the conclusion that he was poisoned. She truly is a genius.''

    "And you didn''t say anything to Jin about this because" Kensei wanted to know why she would keep something like this from his friend.

    At this Tsunade looked annoyed. "Like I told you, this is only a theory. I don''t have any solid proof. It could also be a new disease like Daichi said"

    "How did youe up with the pills that prolonged his life?" Daichi asked the question.

    "It took some time, effort and lots of money and resources. Luckily, Jin had the cash and I knew where to find the needed resources Would you like to take a guess where, Daichi?"

    It only took him a second to get the answer. "Land of medicine."

    "That''s right. I''ve conducted several tests and I noticed his body reacting to abination of herbs found there. Not enough to stop whatever is happening to him. But enough to slow it down."

    Daichi and Kensei were both quiet as they now had a better understanding of the situation. After some more time with Daichi asking his teacher some questions they decided to leave and visit Jin.

    "Daichi! Be careful not to bite off more than you can chew." Tsunade said to her student as he was about to leave.

    Daichi nodded in understanding and left the ce with his grandfather. They soon reached Jin''s home.

    "Stay here. I''ll talk to him. Whatever happens don''t say anything to him. As far as he''s concerned, you''re just here to examine him."

    Daichi nodded and sat in the guest room while his grandfather went to talk to his friend in private. After about 15 minutes Daichi saw Kenseiing towards him. At that moment the quest eptance notification appeared.

    "Come on."

    Kensei led Daichi to another room where the man was waiting.

    "Your grandfather said this is going to be a routine check up. Is that all or is there something more?" Jin asked Daichi.

    "It''s a routine checkup to see if there are any unexpected changes in your vitals."

    Jin nodded andy down in his bed. Daichi got near him. He raised his palms over the man''s chest and instantly they glowed green. Daichi began scanning the man''s body starting with his chest.

    After several minutes of scanning Daichi came to a conclusion. ''Lady Tsunade was right. I can sense no foreign particles or anomalies in his body. Whatever it is it either left his system or it''spletely hidden. This will be a lot moreplicated than I thought. I need to know everything about the time he was infected.'' The green medical chakra died down and he took a step back.

    Daichi began asking Jin about his travels, the foods he eats and family history. As Jin answered each question Daichi couldn''t reach a solid conclusion. Deciding to finish his questioning regarding the man''s health, Daichi started asking about his business.

    Jin replied with a small smile. "I started from scratch and now have business operations in three nations. I have a few friends like your grandpa who help me look after them."

    "I''m sure Kai and Leo won''t be too pleased with the workload after you leave them in charge of the branch here." Kensei said with a smile trying to lighten the situation.

    "Haha. True It''s a shame though. If I hadn''t caught this disease I could have set up another branch in the Land of Rice Paddies." Jin said to Kensei. Neither of them Daichi''s reaction to those words.

    The moment Daichi heard Land of Rice Paddies, he stilled. Only one thought went through his mind. ''Don''t tell me, Orochimaru is involved.''

    Daichi began subtly asking questions regarding this new information. He wanted to keep what he learned a secret even from his grandfather so as to avoid answering any unnecessary questions.

    After a short while Daichi left the ce. After using his medical skills and observe, Daichi had a far greater understanding of Jin''s condition. And the new information gave him a rough idea as to how to heal him.

    "Did you get everything you wanted?" Kensei asked his grandson.

    "Mmhm. I believe so."

    For the next month Daichi spent every day analyzing the results of the blood taken from Jin and the herbs he''s currently taking. ''The fact that Tsunade was able to find thebination of the herbs to slow the poison down without knowing what it is, is incredible.''

    He also did some research and found that Jin had bought somends in the Land of Paddies. But he had to let them go due to his illness. During an extensive blood test and with the help of his medical skills, Daichi was able to find something that Tsunade missed.

    ''The drug hasn''t left his system. It''s invisible and can''t be detected by chakra or any normal methods. That''s why Tsunade couldn''t stop this illness. The only way I can find out exactly what it is, is to make it appear in his bloodstream. And the only way that''s possible is if the invisible poison reacts with a specificpound. If I had to guess, it will most probably be a custom made chemical. The poison is something that blends into the bloodstream making it virtually impossible to trace I need to find thepound And I have a feeling Orochimaru is the answer to my questions.''

    -

    Days turned to weeks and soon March arrived. It was early morning and Daichi andpany were at the gates of the Fire capital.

    "Thank you for training me sensei." Daichi bowed to Tsunade as he spoke the words. He had great appreciation for the woman who taught him everything about the medical field.

    "Good luck Daichi. Make sure to pass. It''d be a shame if my student were to fail the exam." The Sannin replied with a smirk.

    "Yes. Of course. I won''t let you down."

    "Goodbye Daichi. Take care of yourself."

    "You too, Shizune senpai."

    Kensei nodded to the both of them and then they took off. Tsunade watched Daichi''s figure vanish in the distance.

    "Are you worried about him, my Lady?"

    Tsunade just smiled. "No. Whatever the obstacle, he can ovee them. He''ll be fine."

    Daichi and Kensei spent half a day on the road before they saw the giant walls of the vige. A smile formed on his face as he looked at the ce. "You know, I kinda missed this ce."

    Kensei smiled at that sentiment. "It is home afterall."

    Confirming their identities at the vige gates both of them made their way to Kensei''s Home. Upon entering the ce Daichi felt happy. He looked at the garden that was unattended for two years.

    "Need some trimming and some pest control but I''m sure it''s nothing we can''t manage." Kensei said with a smile.

    Daichi nodded and both of them went inside.

    ----------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 144: 6th Year End

    Chapter 144: 6th Year End

    The next morning by the time Daichi was done with his workouts, he found a team of genin waiting outside his home. They were there to deliver a scroll to Daichi from the academy.

    "Daichi Hekima?"

    "Yes."

    "Here. This scroll is for you." The lead Genin handed the scroll to Daichi.

    "D Rank mission. Deliver scroll, done. Missionpleted. Let''s go." Said the Jonin of the team and the others followed him.

    Daichi opened the scroll. "This might be regarding my graduation exams."

    The boy read through the contents of the scroll quickly. ''So Iruka sensei wants to meet huh. He also asked me to bring this year''s assignments. Alright.''

    Daichi noted the time and ce set for the meeting and went to get some breakfast.

    "Will the graduation exam be different for me?" Daichi asked his old man.

    "No. I don''t think so. It''ll be the same as the ones the current graduating ss is taking. What I worry about is the team. Your strength will definitely cause an imbnce in the team dynamic. At least for the first few weeks or so." Kensei was also worried about something else. ''I just hope whoever bes his sensei isn''t part of the Root. That could be a serious problem fast.''

    But keeping his thoughts to himself, he continued. "Whatever the case, go meet the academy instructor."

    Daichi nodded. Once he was done he took the necessary items and headed to the academy. Daichi felt a smile as he walked through the streets of the vige. It wasn''t long before he reached his destination.

    "Daichi!"

    As he was about to enter the building he heard a familiar voice calling his name. Daichi turned around and saw Lee sprinting towards him.

    "Lee"

    "Ohh I have missed you so much my good friend." Lee jumped in and hugged his friend.

    Daichi awkwardly pried the bowl cut boy off him. "Yes yes. I missed you too."

    Daichi looked at Lee. He was wearing a green jumpsuit and had a big wide smile on his face. ''He looks a lot happier. And it seems he''s met Guy and began training under him.''

    "You''ve gotten taller Daichi." Lee said with a boisterousugh.

    "And you''ve gotten stronger. I can tell that you''ve been training hard thesest two years." Daichiplimented his friend.

    "Of course. I never gave up. And I found someone to help me with my training after you left." Lee replied with a smile. "I thought you would only be back by next year! What happened?"

    "Well the thing is, I''ve decided to take the graduation exam this year."

    "What?"

    "Yes. But keep this to yourself. You''re the first to know."

    "Don''t worry. I won''t tell anyone So you''re bing a Genin alongside my ss I hope we can be teammates." Now knowing that Daichi was going to graduate with him, Lee hoped he could be on a team with his best friend.

    "That wouldn''t be a bad thing. Let''s hope so." Daichi said with a smile. He wouldn''t mind having someone like Lee be his teammate.

    They chatted as they entered the academy and soon split. Daichi quickly headed for the teachers lounge. He soon found Iruka going over some papers.

    "Morning Iruka sensei."

    The academy instructor looked up hearing the voice. His eyes slightly widened as he looked at the boy in front of him. "Daichi! Wee back. You''ve certainly grown."

    "Well, I''m reaping the benefits of puberty, constant training and a proper diet." Daichi replied with a smirk.

    The instructor chuckled at that. "When did you get back?"

    "Justst evening."

    Iruka nodded and then got serious as he looked at the kid. "Daichi, are you sure you want to graduate now?"

    "I''ve made up my mind, sensei."

    "Very well Did you bring your assignments?"

    Daichi handed several stacks of paper to Iruka. The man gave a brief overview of the papers and then turned to Daichi.

    "Since I know your work is impable I''m pretty sure everything here is in order and perfect. But these are the written assignments. Since you''ve been away for two years, I will need an urate assessment of your Taijutsu skills." Iruka told Daichi.

    Daichi nodded and asked. "So when do I take the Taijutsu test?"

    "Two weeks from now on March 15 the final exam for all sses will bepleted. But for the graduating ss there will be another exam a weekter. It will determine whether a student bes a genin or not. Since you''ve been away I can''t have youpeting in your ss''s Taijutsu exam. So on 22nd you''ll report to the academy. We''ll spar. And if I see that your Taijutsu skills are passable then I''ll let you take the graduation exam taking ce that day. Do you understand?"

    "Yes sensei. Looks like I''ll see you on the 22nd." Daichi bowed and quickly left the room.

    Iruka sighed and took the text books for his ss and soon headed out. A minuteter he was in his ssroom.

    Seeing their teacher, the students quieted down. As Iruka was about to begin the ss a hand rose from the person he least expected.

    "Yes Sasuke. What is it?"

    Sasuke put down his hand and stood. "Is Daichi back? I saw him head to the teachers room."

    The whole ss was shocked when they heard that. There were murmurs going around throughout the room.

    "Wait Daichi''s back?" Naruto yelled at Sasuke.

    "Is it true Iruka sensei?" Ino Yamanaka asked her teacher.

    Iruka Umino could only let out a small sigh. ''Well, Lord Hokage hasn''t told me to keep Daichi''s graduation a secret. And rumors of his return were bound to spread.''

    A few secondster he replied. "Yes. Daichi Hekima is back. He just got back to the vige yesterday."

    "Why did hee to see you Iruka sensei?" Naruto asked.

    "He''s going to take the graduation exam in a couple weeks." The ss instructor replied.

    "WHAT?" The whole ssroom exploded as everyone excitedly talked about the matter.

    Iruka, annoyed with the turn of events, took a deep breath. And the next second. "BE QUIET AND PAY ATTENTION."

    The students imed down and looked at the man.

    At that moment a student stood up and questioned Iruka. "But Daichi wasn''t even in ss thest two years. How can he take the graduation exam if he hasn''t attended the sses?"

    Iruka sighed. ''I knew they would ask that.'' "Daichi was given special permission from the Hokage. And he has beenpleting academy assignments during his time away from the vige."

    At that moment Sasuke spoke up. "Sensei, I''d like to take the graduation exam."

    "Hey, you''re not getting ahead of me Sasuke. I wanna take the graduation exam too." It was Naruto who jumped to his feet and said it.

    "Neither of you or anyone else here can take the Genin exam. You''ll have to wait until next year. The reason Daichi was able to take the exam is because he put in the request months ago. And hepleted additional academy assignments. Now sit down, both of you. Let''s begin the ss."

    At that Sasuke sat down without a word while Naruto pouted and took his seat with his arms crossed.

    While Iruka was teaching his mind went to the meeting he had with the Hokage a few months ago.

    shback.

    "But Lord Hokage, are you sure? I know Daichi is strong for his age but should we let him graduate early?"

    "The truth is Iruka, he could have graduated within the first or second year. It was only the rules I implemented that kept him in ce."

    "What about the others in his ss? If Sasuke finds out Daichi''s taking early graduation he''ll want the same. Daichi is the only one Sasuke considers a rival. He wouldn''t want to get left behind." Iruka already knew it was going to be a problem.

    "Yes. But you can''t let that happen. While I''m sure that Sasuke will pass, I need him to stay for one more year and graduate with his peers."

    "Do you have something in mind, Lord Hokage?"

    "I''m thinking about creating several specialized teams. Tracking, interrogation, heavy assault. Your ss consists of students from several ns. Most of them are children of prominent Jonins. I believe they along with a few others are the ones with the most chance to pass next year. I had hoped Daichi would be a part of those teams but I''ve changed my ns. What I need you to do is keep them in the academy and polish their skills for one more year."

    "Yes Lord Hokage."

    shback End.

    While Iruka was in his own thoughts the students were the same.

    Shikamaru leaned back in his chair and thought about the new turn of events. ''If he bes a Genin now, he''ll be a year ahead of us in mission experience and training. Well, not like he already wasn''t when it came to training. Still, the fact that he''s taking the Genin exam now means that whatever he had to do at the capital came to an end.''

    Shikamaru nced to the side and saw Ino in a depressed state.

    "I won''t be on a team with Daichi." She mumbled as she drew her finger in circles on the desk.

    Seeing his friend in such a state the Nara sighed and gently patted Ino. "Ino, for what it''s worth, I''m sorry. I know you''ve been looking forward to being on his team."

    The Yamanaka girl just sighed and sat there listening to the lecture.

    Kensei''s Residence.

    That night Daichi was in his room when the ongoing quest notification appeared. He looked at the rewards of the 6th year. ''Alright. Let''s see what I got.''

    [Rewards:]

    [+10,000 Exp clearing a Dungeon.]

    [+2 Levels increase in the skill Chakra Affinity for sessfully learning 2 advanced Nature transformation skills.]

    [A Genius of the Continent.]

    [+35 stat points.]

    ''35 stat points huh. I won''t say no to more points. But now that the quest wille to an end this year, I guess that''s goodbye to the weekly stats Now let''s see what the title does.''

    [New Title: A Genius of the Continent. This title gives you the skill ''Analyze''.]

    Daichi opened the new skill Analyze.

    [Analyze - Active (LV.1): A skill given when the user receives the Title ''A Genius of the Continent.'' This skill allows the user to analyze a person''s technique or fighting style and with enough understanding, perfectly copy or recreate it with modifications.]

    [Note: This skill has certain limitations. The user can only understand the skills the target is using. Stronger effects will be added at higher levels.]

    [Effects:]

    [5% Faster understanding of the target''s technique when using the skill.

    CP cost: None.]

    Daichi read the new skill and was impressed. ''Oh man. This is a skill that could be used without any chakra cost. If I can use this to understand my enemy''s fighting style, I can increase my arsenal. This could be used to learn Taijutsu styles more easily. I need to find the limitations of this skill and push past them. I need to level this up after I be a Genin.''

    At that moment another system message appeared.

    [Would you like to graduate this year?] (Y/N)

    ''No point in saying no Yes.'' Daichi pressed the Y and a new message popped up.

    [Quest will be markedpleted after you be a Genin.]

    Daichi let out a breath andid on his bed after closing the system messages. ''A few weeks from now, I''ll be a Genin Time to prepare for the next arc of my Life.''

    -------------------------------------------------------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 145: Graduation

    Chapter 145: Graduation

    It was the next day after his visit to the academy. Daichi was moving along the streets of the Leaf and soon reached Aiko''s orphanage.

    As he entered thepound he saw children ying in the small yground and having fun. There were a couple adults who (Daichi used ''observe'' on and made sure we''re working for the orphanage) were watching the children to make sure they were safe. As he looked around, his eyes soon focused on a girl who looked very familiar to him. She was ying on a swing with her friends. It only took him a moment to figure out her identity.

    ''No way. Is that''

    After watching her for a few seconds Daichi headed to the matron''s office. He knocked on the door a few times. A couple secondster he heard the voice of Aiko from inside.

    "Come in."

    Daichi entered the room and greeted the head Matron.

    "Hello Miss Aiko. It''s been a long time."

    "Daichi! You''re back. I''m so happy to see you." Aiko got up and went to give Daichi a hug.

    "I''m happy to see you too. How have you been?"

    "I''ve been good. I hired a few people thesest two years to help with the kids. So things are going somewhat smoothly. I can''tin. What about you? When did you get back?"

    "A couple days ago. I''ve decided to take the graduation exam thising month."

    "Wow. I have no doubt you will ace the test." Aiko was truly happy for Daichi.

    "Miss Aiko. How''s Reo?" Daichi asked at that moment.

    Aiko smiled expecting that question. She got up from her seat and went near the window in her room. She motioned for Daichi toe and he went near her.

    "Look at the swings."

    Daichi looked at the girl in a red and blue dress riding the swing.

    "She''s grown a lot from thest time you saw her huh. 4 years old. It feels like only yesterday when you brought her to me." Aiko said.

    "Yeah. Time flies. She''s beautiful. She has Kimiko''s face but Ren''s smile." A smile formed on his face as he looked at the girl ying with her friends.

    "You know she''s smart too. Learns things much quicker than most. And she often asks me who it is that sends her special gifts and sweets on her birthdays."

    Daichi turned to look at the matron. "What did you tell her? Did you tell her about me?"

    "No. I just said it was an anonymous donation You should meet her."

    "And say what exactly? I can''t exactly go up to her and say ''Hey I''m the guy who saved your life when you were a baby from a psycho who murdered your parents and were about to kill you''"

    Aiko let out a small breath. "I wouldn''t phrase it like that Why are you hesitating?" She asked the boy.

    Daichi thought back to his discussion with Kensei.

    "Right now, you''re about to be a Genin. And I have some work remaining back at the capital. And you and I both know there are elements within the vige that could prove problematic if your rtionship with the girl got out. Her life would be in danger. For the moment let things pass. Once the threat is removed we''ll adopt her. Or at the very least you can openlymunicate with her."

    "It''s still dangerous for her. I can''t let her be in danger."

    "But Itachi is long gone from the vige."

    "It''s not just Itachi. During my time in the capital, I''ve encountered some forces that were hostile to me. I''m not sure who but they must have some backing from the vige. If I associate with Reo it might put her in danger." Daichi didn''t want Danzo to have any knowledge of Reo.

    Hearing his words, Aiko didn''t say anything more.

    "She seems happy." Daichi said as he looked at the small girl.

    "Yes. She''s smart, made some friends and gets along well with everyone. So despite being an orphan she can smile andugh. I''m sure one day when you tell her who you are she''ll look at you like a big brother."

    Daichi nodded. He stood there near the window and watched Reo y amongst her friends. Some timeter he handed a scroll which contained some money to Aiko.

    "Daichi, this isn''t necessary. We''re doing quite fine."

    "Please, Miss Aiko. Take it. It''s better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it." Daichi said, cing the scroll on the desk.

    The matron nodded and took the scroll and stored it somewhere safe.

    "After a couple more weeks, you''ll be busy with missions and stuff huh." Aiko asked the boy.

    "Yeah. Not sure who the Hokage would pick for my teammates and sensei. Just hope it''s someone strong."

    "I''m sure Lord Hokage will assign one that befits your talents."

    Daichi spent an hour at the orphanage and before long he left. He wandered around the ce and before long reached the academy. It was lunch time and he was looking for his friends.

    Before long Daichi found Naruto andpany eating food at their usual ce. As Daichi got near them he saw Akamaru quickly raise its head and look at Daichi.

    "Woof." It let out a bark that turned everyone''s attention to him.

    Daichi smiled as he looked at them. "Got room for one more."

    "Daichi!?"

    "Come on. Join us. Wee back Daichi"

    "It''s good to see all of you." Daichi smiled at his friends.

    "Hey, what''s this about you taking the graduation exam? I thought we would take that together next year." Naruto suddenly asked.

    Daichi was surprised to hear that. "You guys know about that?" He let out a sigh and replied.

    "I''ve been doing some training at the capital and it ended sooner than expected. And I didn''t want to waste a year. So I said to my teacher that I wanted to take the Genin exam this year."

    "Wait. You were training at the capital? I thought you were going to learn about your grandpa''s business or something." Kiba spoke.

    "That was the n. But things changed once I reached the ce."

    Shikamaru narrowed his eyes as he listened to his friend. ''I knew it. I knew he was training. But what kind would require him to leave the vige?''

    "What kinda training did you do?" The young Nara asked.

    "That is a secret." Daichi said with a smallugh.

    "Ohe on Daichi. You can tell us." Naruto wanted to know if he could do the training Daichi did.

    "Sorry Naruto. But like I said. It''s a secret. Now tell me about you guys. How have you been?"

    "Well nothing significant happened. Naruto pranked a bunch of peoplest week and got in trouble. But other than that nothing much." Kiba said with a smallugh.

    "Oh before I forget, I have something for you guys from the capital." With those words Daichi took out a scroll and opened it. Pushing chakra into it, he took out its contents. There were two bags. Daichi took one and opened it.

    "The best candy currently avable at the Fire Capital."

    "Oh sweet." Choji and Kiba dug into the small candy contained bag.

    "Hey Naruto, how''s your clone jutsuing along?" Daichi asked the blonde kid.

    Hearing that question, Naruto''s face soured. "Oh man, don''t remind me of that. I still can''t make a good clone."

    Hearing that Daichi then took another scroll from his sleeve and gave it to his friend. "Here. This contains a Chakra Control training method and my notes on it. Mastering this should help you with your clone problem."

    Naruto took the scroll and looked at the title. ''Tree walking chakra control techniques.''

    "Hey. I can climb trees just fine, thank you."

    Daichi let out a sigh half expecting that. "Just read the scroll Naruto. And you guys can use it too. It''ll be necessary when you be a Genin. This is important stuff."

    Naruto and some of the other''s eyes widened as they heard that.

    Daichi then opened the other bag and took out a shogi board. It had a stylish design and the pieces in the container were created with excellent craftsmanship.

    "Here. This is for you. I figured you might like something like this." Daichi handed the board and its rule book to Shikamaru.

    "Looks interesting. Thanks."

    Daichi then took out two small books. He gave one to Hinata and the other to Shino.

    "Hinata. Yours has recipes for various healing Ointments and how to cook one heck of a Cinnabon."

    "T-thank you Daichi."

    Daichi then turned to Shino. "Your book contains records of various rare insects. Don''t know if that will be useful for you or not but I bought them for you anyway."

    "Thank you for the gift Daichi." Shino slightly bowed his head as a show of appreciation.

    Daichi then took out a small golden bracelet with red and green jewels. He handed it to Ino. "The guy I bought this from said it had a Lucky charm. The luck of whoever wears it improves. I figured this would help you. And it would look good on you."

    Ino blushed and took the bracelet. "Wow, it''s gorgeous. Thank you Daichi."

    ''I was tempted to keep it. That bracelet has +3 Luck stat. It''s the first time I''m finding an item like that. I was half tempted to keep it.''

    Daichi then turned to Sakura. "Andst but not least Sakura. Here is a small guide to anyone looking to be a medic. I think this could help you out very well."

    "Thanks Daichi."

    "So now that you''ve bribed us all with these gifts, you''re expecting us not to stay mad at you for early graduation huh." Shikamaru asked Daichi with a smirk.

    "Is it that obvious?"

    "To me, yeah."

    Daichiughed hearing that answer.

    "Don''t worry Daichi. It''s only a year. We''ll catch up with you in no time." Naruto said with a big smile.

    "I''m looking forward to it."

    Daichi spent time with them until the end of their break and then he left the ce.

    Daichi prepared himself in theing weeks. On March 22nd he went to the academy and found Iruka.

    Iruka took Daichi to a sparring area. "Try tond three hits on me."

    Daichi and Iruka made the seal of confrontation. They began the spar and within a short time Daichi was able tond 3 sessful hits on his academy instructor. The first hit came too fast for Iruka to block. The second came behind the feint of another punch. And thest struck when Iruka was busy blocking Daichi''s kicks.

    "Well done Daichi. Your Taijutsu skills are certainly up to par. Nowe on. I''ll take you to the waiting room. When the timees, someone wille to call you. Head to room 21. It''s the examination room. Your test will be the clone and substitution jutsu."

    Daichi spent some time in the waiting room before being called. He went to the examination room and found Iruka sensei along with Daikoku sensei.

    "Daichi. How have you been?" Daikoku Funeno had a smile as he looked at the child he considers a prodigy.

    "Good sensei. I''m happy to see you."

    "Likewise. Now are you ready?"

    "Yes"

    "Good. Perform the clone Jutsu."

    Daichi weaved a sign and created the perfect clone.

    "Good. Now use the substitution jutsu."

    The next second Daichi swapped himself with a chair. Showing that he could perform the technique wlessly.

    "Well done. Step forward."

    Daichi stepped forward and stood in front of his two teachers. Daikoku held out a metal te with an insignia to Daichi.

    "It is my honor to present to you the Leaf Headband. Wear it with pride."

    Daichi slightly bowed and took the head band. Tied it loosely around his neck.

    "Make sure to be here on the 29th. You''ll meet your teammates and sensei at that time." Iruka instructed him.

    "Yes sensei." With those words Daichi left the academy.

    ----------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 146: Teammates

    Chapter 146: Teammates

    Hokage Tower - Roof.

    Daichi along with several other kids with the Leaf headband were having their identification photo taken. Each student when their name was called would step forward and have their picture taken.

    Since Daichi and Lee knew each other they stood together to the side. "See I told you Lee. I knew you would pass if you gave it your all." Daichi told Lee.

    "Yes. Thank you for believing in me. It still feels so surreal to hold this headband."

    Daichi noticed several students looking at him. He ignored them since he knew most of them were going to fail at the real Genin test. As he looked through the crowd his eyes soon found a long haired kid with the iconic white eyes of the Hyuga n.

    ''So that''s Neji Hyuga. Looks just like in my memories. I can sense his arrogance from here.'' Daichi dismissed him immediately and looked around. Aside from Neji and Tenten he didn''t find anyone else interesting.

    As Daichi''s name was called he stepped forward in front of the camera. He could hear several students murmuring his name and could hear their conversation.

    Neji Hyuga looked at the brown haired kid who walked up when the name was called.

    ''So that''s him. Daichi Hekima. The one Daikoku sensei calls a prodigy. Looks like he took early graduation. I wonder how strong he is. He doesn''t look like he''s from any n. And he''s associated with Lee. So he can''t be that strong.''

    Tenten also looked at the underssmen who graduated with them. ''I wonder who''s team he''s going to be in?''

    Several students had different thoughts as they saw Daichi fill out the ninja registration form and leave without even acknowledging them. There were several who had frowns on their faces that someone a year younger than them was graduating with them.

    Hokage office.

    Hiruzen went through each and every report the academy instructors prepared on the graduating students. He read their strength, their weakness and the field they would most likely be proficient in.

    ''It seems this year only has a few good prospects. And based on the report Tsunade sent me, Daichi is the best among them by a wide margin. I need to pick a team that bnces as well as suits him the best. But that''s one problem. I need to select a capable Jonin for his team''

    Hiruzen''s mind went through several candidates. ''Guy said he wouldn''t mind having Daichi on his team. And since Lee and Daichi are good friends they''ll get along splendidly. But that leaves a problem. The Rookie of the year. Neji Hyuga. Guy will no doubt be a tremendous help to the boy and help in improving his Taijutsu strength. But if I put Lee, Daichi and Neji together the team will bepletely unbnced. Hmm''

    Hiruzen read through Tsunade''s report and noted Daichi''s skills and areas of training he focused on. ''Daichi had mastered the second step of all 5 natures. It''s truly unprecedented. Putting him under Guy won''t help him much in terms of Ninjutsu. I remembered the kid telling me he''s interested in that field. And based on the training he''s been doing thest few years he''s following that path Hmm It seems Kakashi will be a much better suited teacher to the boy. He''ll be able to protect them if any problem arises and being a prodigy himself, he''ll be able to keep up with the boy.''

    Hiruzen decided on Kakashi Hatake as Daichi''s Jonin instructor and now looked through the ss roster to find two students to put on the team. After some time he made his choice.

    ''Daichi will need capable teammates. If this team is going to be efficient then I can''t put just anyone as his teammates.'' The Hokage looked through the students that graduated and found two eptable candidates. ''These two should do. His Taijutsu skills are good. Only behind Neji Hyuga. And under Kakashi he should grow nicely And the girl is excellent in stealth and weapons. A long range fighter and infiltrator. After Neji Hyuga and Tenten these two are the best in ss. They''ll do I just hope these three can pass Kakashi''s test.''

    He stamped his seal of approval on the candidates and all the teams and sent them to the academy. Once his work was done he stood from his chair and looked out the window. ''Let''s see if your team will be the first to pass his test. Surprise me Daichi. I''m curious to see your strength.''

    -

    29th March - Academy.

    Rock Lee was in his ss early. He could see that his ssmates were buzzing with excitement. He was also anxious about his team.

    ''I just hope I''m in a team with Guy sensei and Daichi.''

    After a few minutes Daikoku sensei entered the room. He looked at his students with pride.

    "As of today you are all ninjas. You''ve gone through difficult ordeals to get to this point. But things will only get more difficult from here on out. Right now you''re all Genin. All Genin are grouped into a 3 member team. And each team will have a Jonin leader. Your teams were selected after careful review of your skills and to create a bnced team. These are final and there will be no change."

    Once he was done with his speech Daikoku started calling the teams.

    "Team 01 is.

    Team 07. Mari Michiyaki, Seto Tomoya and Daichi Hekima under Kakashi Hatake."

    "Team 08-"

    "Wow, hold on, teach. Who''s Daichi Hekima?"

    "Yeah. We heard his name being called at the ninja registration site too. But we''ve never seen him before."

    Daikoku paused and then replied to their questions. "Daichi Hekima is someone who''s taken the graduation exam a year early. He''s a year below you but don''t let that fool you. He''s a prodigy and the best. You''re lucky to have him on your team. Now moving on team 08. Team 09 Rock Lee, Tenten and Neji Hyuga under the Jonin Might Guy."

    Neji''s eyes narrowed as he heard his name being called. ''So I''m on his team huh.''

    The Jonins starteding in and calling their teams one by one. Before long only two people were left in the ssroom. Mari Michiyaki and Seto Tomoya.

    "Where the hell is our Jonin and that other kid?" Yelled Seto to an almost empty ssroom.

    -

    Daichi was patiently waiting on a seat in the hallway. Daikoku sensei hade to him earlier and told him about the team. Daichi was surprised to hear that he''ll be under Kakashi.

    ''I never expected to be part of team 07. And under Kakashi too. This will be interesting. He''ll definitely give us the bell test I need to make ns to work with my team. He''ll only pass if we show teamwork and I have no intention of failing this Genin exam.''

    As Daichi sat there thinking about how to proceed in the real Genin testter, he saw several Jonin pick up their students. Daichi let out a sigh already knowing where this was going. ''He''ste.''

    Daichi sat in the hallway for a few more minutes before he decided to go meet his teammates. ''I need to make sure they will work with me. It would be the only way to get the bell. Well unless I get serious anyway.''

    He opened the ss door and was met with two curious stares.

    Seeing he had their attention, Daichi was about to introduce himself. "Hi I''m - "

    "We know who you are. The kid that took an early graduation exam Listen. You might be the best in your ss but that doesn''t mean anything to me. Just don''t slow us down." Seto Tomoya said with an arrogant smirk.

    Daichi kept quiet as he listened. ''Great. An arrogant jackass.''

    He immediately used ''Observe'' on the kid who spoke to him. The boy was wearing a white shirt with ck pants and open toed shoes. He had the leaf headband tied in his forehead. He had ck eyes and had an arrogant smirk as he looked at Daichi.

    [LV.26] [Seto Tomoya]

    Age: 12

    HP: 2822 CP: 2150

    [Seto Tomoya is a newly graduated student from the academy. He joined the academy to move away from the family merchant business. He is slightly more talented at the ninja arts than most of his ssmates and is in the top 3 of the ss. He is proficient in Taijutsu and prefers closebat. He has a crush on his teammate Mari Michiyaki. His dream is to be a famous ninja.

    STR - 67

    AGI - 60

    INT - 37

    The physical stats may be subjected to change if chakra or technique is applied. ]

    ''Great His stats are so far beneath me it''s not even funny. And he had the gall to say I''m the one who''s going to slow him down.''

    Daichi then turned his attention to the girl in the room. She had long ck hair tied in a ponytail and was wearing a violet dress..

    [LV.22] [Mari Michiyaki]

    Age: 12

    HP: 2462 CP: 1950

    [Mari Michiyaki is a newly graduated student from the academy. Due to growing up with several brothers and sisters she is headstrong andpetitive. Although she is talented she wants to prove herself on the battlefield. She does not like the fact that she has to work together with her junior. She is proficient in shurikenjutsu, traps and weapons. Her goal is to be the best ninja and follow in her father''s footsteps.

    STR - 58

    AGI - 50

    INT - 45

    The physical stats may be subjected to change if chakra or technique is applied.]

    ''Her stats are even worse. And she doesn''t wanna work with me either I got a bad feeling about this. Kakashi will test us on teamwork and I''m not sure they''re going to listen to me.''

    At that moment Daichi sensed someone''s presence outside the room. He quickly turned around and faced the closed door of the room.

    The next second the door slowly opened and a man with most of his face covered and silver spiky hair slowly walked into the room. He looked at the three kids in the room for several seconds and let out a sigh ruffling his hair.

    "My first impression of you. You''re all boring."

    Daichi crossed his arms and looked at the man while the other two narrowed their eyes.

    "Are you our Jonin sensei?" Seto asked the man.

    "I''m Kakashi Hatake if that''s what you''re wondering. Now whether I''m your Jonin sensei or not." Kakashi chuckled for a few seconds and then replied. "That remains to be seen."

    "Wait. What the hell does that mean?"

    "All will be exined shortly. Now meet me on the roof." With those words Kakashi vanished from their view.

    ''I could stay here and go with them, but something tells me that won''t solve my problems.'' Daichi didn''t waste another second and used body flicker and followed behind Kakashi and reached the roof in seconds.

    "You''re a fast one aren''t you?"

    "Yeah. It''s been a while. Didn''t think you''d be my sensei of all people." Daichi replied, looking at the man.

    Kakashi tilted his head and looked at the boy. The expression his single visible eye portrayed was one of confusion. "Have we met before?"

    Daichi was silent as he heard that question. He looked at the man for a few more seconds and then replied.

    "Either you really don''t remember me, in which case you have a very poor memory which is not a good trait for a ninja especially a Jonin or you''re just trolling me. So which is it? Poor memory or are you just messing with me?"

    Kakashi looked at the kid for a short while without any change in emotions and then reached into his bag. He then took out the book Make out Tactics and started reading, ignoring Daichi entirely.

    Daichi had a few veins pop up above his head and he took a few deep breaths to calm down. ''This guy is getting on my nerves. Alright Daichi. Calm down. No point in getting worked up. You know how he is. Just keep cool and everything will be fine.''

    Daichi decided to stay quiet and sat on a nearby bench and the two waited for the others.

    A couple minutester they were joined by the other two graduates. Kakashi looked at the three students in front of him. ''I can already tell that this team is doomed to fail. But who knows. Maybe they can surprise me.''

    ----------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 147: Genin Test Part 01

    Chapter 147: Genin Test Part 01

    The twote arrivals picked a spot on the bench opposite Daichi. They both had frowns on their faces as they looked at the boy.

    [Reputation slightly decreased with Seto Tomoya and Mari Michiyaki]

    Daichi ignored the system message and kept his eyes on his soon to be teacher.

    Kakashi pped his hands bringing their attention to him. "Alright. Now that everyone is here let''s begin."

    Kakashi leaned back against the railing and looked at the 3 kids in front of him. Several thoughts were going through his mind. He let out a sigh and spoke. "Alright. Why don''t you introduce yourselves?"

    "What do you want us to say sensei? I''m sure you already got a look at our files from the academy." Seto said to the silver haired Jonin.

    "I did. But I''d like to hear it from you. Tell us your likes, dislikes, hobbies and dreams if you have any Why don''t you go first." Kakashi replied in a bored tone.

    "My name is Seto Tomoya. I likeing up with new moves for my Taijutsu. My hobbies include helping pops with his business sometimes. And just ying around. I dislike pipsqueaks who think they''re better than others."

    Daichi noticed Seto looking his way when he said that.

    "And my dream is to be a famous ninja."

    Kakashi turned his attention to the girl of the team. "Your turn."

    "My name is Mari Michiyaki. I like my brothers. My hobby is to train and improve my shuriken skills. My dream is to be a ninja like my father Um What I dislike is arrogant brats."

    Kakashi nodded and finally looked at Daichi.

    "You. Go."

    "My name is Daichi Hekima. I like a lot of things. Mainly training. My hobbies include Cooking and painting I hate people who try to stab their friends in the back and bullies. My goal is to be the strongest in the world."

    "Pff. You? Strongest? Get real." Setoughed when he heard Daichi''s goal. Daichi kept quiet since he didn''t want to start an argument at that moment.

    "Now. I believe it''s my turn. I''m Kakashi Hatake. Things I like and things I hate I''m not gonna tell you those things. Dreams for the future Don''t really have one right now. And as for hobbies I have lots of hobbies. And it doesn''t concern you." The silver haired Jonin said with a smile.

    ''Typical. Why did I expect anything different from this guy.'' Daichi didn''t say anything and just looked at Kakashi. "When do we start missions?" He asked the man.

    "Tomorrow. The four of us are going to do something together."

    The three graduates paid attention. Two of them were excited thinking about their first mission while the third was weary.

    "Tomorrow we''re going to do a survival exercise." Kakashi said to the three.

    "Wait. Survival exercise? Like the ones we did in the academy?"

    "Wait, aren''t we supposed to do missions? We''ve alreadypleted the survival type training at the academy." Seto and Mari asked the man.

    "This isn''t going to be like the ones you''ve had at the academy. This will be entirely different."

    "So what kinda training are we supposed to do?"

    At Seto''s question Kakashi suddenly started chuckling.

    Daichi narrowed his eyes. ''Here ites''

    "What''s so funny?" Seto clenched his fists and was getting angry.

    "I''mughing because you''re not going to like my answer."

    "What''s that supposed to mean?" Mari narrowed her eyes. She had a bad feeling in her heart.

    "Of the 30 graduates in this year only 9 students will be epted as Genin. At most. At least 21 others will be weeded out and sent back to the academy. That means you have a 70% chance and above at failing this exam. This is a make it or break it pass/fail Genin test." Kakashi said in an ominous tone.

    Seto jumped to his feet hearing that. "But then what was up with the exam we just passed?"

    "Oh that? That was just a selection process to see who has the potential to be a Genin"

    "What?"

    "That''s how it is. Tomorrow I will decide whether you pass or fail. Now. Be at this training ground tomorrow at 4am. We''ll begin the survival mission then. Make sure not to forget your ninja gear." Kakashi threw a paper slip to Daichi which indicated the location of the test.

    Daichi looked at what was written on the paper. ''Training ground three''

    "Oh and You might wanna skip breakfast There''s a good chance you''ll puke." Without words the silver spiky haired ninja vanished.

    Seto and Mari came near Daichi and looked at the paper in his hand. "Training ground 3 huh. And at 4am. Oh man. I better sleep early."

    He then looked at Daichi. "You better not bete and mess this up."

    Daichi was getting irritated with the kid''s attitude. But he didn''t say anything because he needed them to work with him tomorrow. He decided he would help them out a bit.

    "Did you hear what hest said?" Daichi asked the two.

    "Yeah. He told us to skip breakfast."

    "No. He suggested we skip breakfast. There''s a difference. We''re going to need the energy if we''re going to have some kind of intense training tomorrow." With those words Daichi walked away.

    He thought about the strategy to use against Kakashi tomorrow. ''Its most likely the bell test. I need to make a show of working with the other two. And I need to convince them that it''s in their best interest to work with me. But if Kakashi even thinks I know about the test beforehand, then he might disqualify us. I need to y this carefully.''

    Before long Daichi reached his home. He found Kensei tending to the garden.

    "So Did you meet your team?"

    "Yeah. Let''s just say I didn''t give off the best first impression to my teammates"

    Kensei nodded and asked the question that''s been on his mind. "Who''s your Jonin instructor?"

    "Kakashi Hatake."

    Kensei stopped what he was doing and then looked at Daichi. He let out a breath and then spoke.

    "Daichi, teamwork will be important. And make sure to analyze the situation. Good luck." It was all he said before he went inside.

    ''It seems the old man wants to help me but still keep things fair. I can dig that.''

    That night Daichi packed the necessary tools into a few scrolls and stored them in his inventory.

    ''I know he''s going to bete. So should I arrivete or No. If by any chance I arrivete and he''s already there, that''ll be a problem. I can just spend the time meditating if he''ste.''

    With a n in mind Daichi quickly went to sleep a couple hours early. He woke up at 3 am and got himself ready. He packed his things and left the house and at sharp 4am he was at Training ground 3.

    Daichi looked around and saw that he was the first to arrive. At that moment he sensed the arrival of his other two teammates. Both of them looked half asleep. Neither of them greeted Daichi and he could see that they didn''t take his advice on eating breakfast.

    They waited for several minutes and there was no sign of Kakashi.

    "Aarrgh Where the hell is this guy?" Seto asked as he sat down on the ground.

    "He''s probablyte just like yesterday." Daichi replied. He used his senses and was absolutely sure that Kakashi was nowhere near the ce.

    Daichi looked around the training ground. ''I should get a good look at this terrain. This is going to be our battlefield after all.''

    "I''m gonna take a walk. It doesn''t look like he''ll be here anytime soon. You two should get some sleep." Daichi walked away from the other two.

    He walked around therge training ground and took note of various locations. ''Plenty of ces to hide, set traps and ambush someone.''

    He thought about what to do with his teammates. ''I could use my Mana skills and try to make them work with me But that won''t help me in the long run. I need to know what kind of people they are. And this is a good opportunity. If I force them to work together with me then I won''t be able to trust them in the future and it could be a problem.''

    Before long Daichi got back to his teammates. He saw the two of them huddled together discussing something. When they saw Daichiing their way they quieted down.

    "Since we''re going to be teammates we should get to know each other better." Daichi said to the other two.

    "Alright, sure. We should talk about who''s going to be the leader of the team. Since Mari and I are older we have seniority. I''m really good at Taijutsu and hand to handbat... So I''ll be the leader of the team. The best way we''re gonna pass this survival test is if you follow my lead."

    Daichi narrowed his eyes. ''This guy is definitely going to be a headache.''

    "I don''t remember agreeing to you being the leader, Seto." Mari spoke in a slightly cold tone.

    "Ohe on Mari. You know that after Neji, I''m the best in the ss. I''m the obvious choice."

    "Did you guys eat any breakfast?" Daichi asked them.

    "Look. We can''t take the chance that he''ll fail us just because we ate breakfast when he told us not to."

    Daichi sighed to his teammate''s reply. ''These two Even Naruto or Kiba were better than this I need a clear head if I''m going to pass this thing.''

    "I''m going to meditate." Daichi went to a nearby tree and sat under it. He took several deep breaths and soon slipped into meditation but still kept a vignt attention on his surroundings.

    Daichi spent almost three hours in meditation. It was almost 7 am. Daichi stood from his spot and stretched himself. He walked to the nearby stream running through the training ground.

    Daichi looked at the reflection in the water and pondered on his life till now. ''Everything feels so surreal. I''m in the Naruto world and right now I''m standing at a pivotal point in my life But How did I get here? How was I even born here? What is the truth of this universe? How did my soul enter this ne of existence? In fact how did this universee into existence? And since this one is real isn''t it possible the others are? Is it possible? Can I get into other worlds? How can I even aplish such a thing? I will need to breach the barrier of space. At least.''

    "You seem to be immersed in some pretty deep thoughts."

    Kakashi''s voice brought Daichi out of his musings. Daichi turned around and met the man''s gaze.

    "Care to share?" Kakashi jovially asked Daichi.

    Daichi looked at the man for several seconds and then replied. "I was contemting my birth, the existence of this universe and how to breach the space time continuum."

    "The space time what?" Seto looked confused at that while Kakashi raised an eyebrow hearing that answer. He looked at Daichi without a word for a few seconds and then decided to move on with the task.

    "That''s nice Now let''s get started."

    "Why were youte sensei?" Daichi asked.

    "You see. A ck cat crossed my path and I had to take the long road here." The Jonin smiled as he replied.

    "That''s an obvious lie." Mari said under her breath.

    Kakashi took out a clock with arge button at the top and ced it on one of the three stumps in the training ground.

    "This is set to go off exactly at noon. Your task is simple." At that moment Kakashi took out two small Bells. "Your goal is to get these bells from me. That''s all. If you can''t get the bells by noon you''ll be tied to the posts and I''ll eat your lunch in front of you."

    Seto and Mari both frowned as they heard that news. ''Damn it. He tricked us. We should have listened to that brat.''

    Kakashi saw the reaction he expected from the two but when he looked at Daichi he was surprised. "Daichi. You don''t seem to have a problem with it?"

    "I have no problem not having my lunch. I''m pretty sure I won''t be hungry."

    "You had breakfast?"

    "Yup. You only suggested we skip breakfast. Not an order. I ate before I came here. And it''s all digested by now. So I''m sure I won''t be puking." Daichi replied with a small smirk.

    "At least one of you has a good head on their shoulder." Kakashi nodded and continued. "Now, whoever has a bell before the clock rings will be a Genin."

    Seto looked at the bells and raised his hand. "Uhh Sensei? There are only two bells. There''s three of us."

    "Oh that. The reason there''s only two bells is because that way one of you will definitely fail inpleting the mission and will be sent back to the academy."

    Mari was rmed when she heard that. "Wait so only two people are allowed to pass. What kind of rule is that?"

    Kakashi narrowed his eyes and the jovial atmosphere around him changed into one of menacing. "It''s my team and it''s my rules. I can do whatever I want. Those are the terms. Only two of you have a chance at passing this test Well That is if you get the bells. There is also the possibility that all three of you will fail and go back to the academy."

    The three academy graduates got serious. Kakashi looked at the three and spoke in a serious tone.

    "You can use any weapon including shuriken and kunai and use any tactic you deem fit. If you don''te at me with the intent to kill, you won''t get these bells Begin!"

    And like that, Daichi''s Genin test began.

    ----------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 148: Genin Test 02

    Chapter 148: Genin Test 02

    While Seto and Mari disappeared from their position and hid in the forest, Daichi only jumped back several feet and gained some distance from his opponent. He looked at the new quest that appeared in front of him.

    [Quest Created] - ''Get the Bells.''

    Complete the task Kakashi Hatake has assigned you. Obtain the two bells. There are two ways you canplete this test. Time Limit: Before Noon.

    You have two options.

    [Option 1:]

    Work with your teammates and sessfully retrieve the bells.

    [Rewards:]

    High probability of bing Genin.

    5000 Exp.

    .

    [Option 2:]

    Use your strength and obtain the bells on your own. Show off your skills to those watching the test.

    [Rewards:]

    Very Low probability of bing Genin.

    10000 Exp.

    .

    [Failure:]

    If you cannot retrieve the bells in the designated time the quest is considered a failure.

    Will not be a Genin for another year.

    [Note: You can use either method any time. This quest is automatically epted. The rewards will only be given after the official announcement of the results.]

    Daichi quickly read the contents of the quest and came to an understanding. ''So to pass I have two options. Either I go solo and get the bells on my own or I work with my team. But if I chose to y solo then the probability of bing a Genin is very low But whatever the case, I need to get the bells to pass this test Hmm How should I proceed?''

    Daichi looked at the man standing nonchntly in the middle of the field.

    ''He''s someone who cares about teamwork more than anything. If I ignore the other two, then even if I get the bells, it won''t matter It seems the choice is obvious. I have to work with them But I doubt they feel the same I need to show them that cooperation is the only way we''re gonna make it past this test.''

    "You''re an odd one aren''t you?" Kakashi''s voice took Daichi out of his thoughts.

    "What makes you say that?"

    "Your teammates have hidden. But you You''re just standing there not even bothering to hide Why?"

    Daichi smirked, hearing that question. "You''re a Jonin. And a pretty good one from what I hear. I doubt ordinary Genin would be capable of escaping your senses. They''re still within your range, aren''t they? I can tell because they''re within mine. If I know where they are, then I''m pretty sure you do too. And it''s best to make the first move and gain Intel rather than waste time."

    Kakashi''s one visible eye narrowed as he looked at the child in front of him. He still remembered how the kid took down three Hidden waterfall ninjas without the slightest difficulty. ''I need to keep my eye on him. He''s far ahead of the other two. And I have no doubt he''s only improved thesest few years. Everything about him tells me he''ll fight me alone and ignore the other two.''

    Mari and Seto, who were hiding and listening, were surprised. Their eyes widened when they heard that their location waspromised. But they decided not to move in case Daichi was wrong.

    Daichi wanted more info on his enemy and used ''Observe'' skill on Kakashi.

    [?] [Kakashi Hatake]

    ?

    ''Damn. Nothing? I guess his level is higher than 95 I can''t waste anymore time. But I can''t go all out. I''ll use 1/4th of my strength.''

    Daichi''s body slightly tensed and the next second he rushed at his foe. Daichi reached Kakashi in a second and sent a fast, precise punch aimed directly at his chest.

    Kakashi blocked the punch and then raised the other hand to block the kick aimed at the side of his head. He saw Daichi going for the bells tied on his waist and he quickly gripped Daichi''s leg and flung him away.

    The Jonin quickly analyzed his opponent. ''He''s fast and he had some serious power behind that punch and kick. His strength is amazing for someone his age. This kid''s talent is incredible.''

    Daichi twisted around in mid air andnded safely on the ground. "I knew it wasn''t going to be that easy." Daichi got into a Taijutsu stance and prepared himself for round two.

    Kakashi also got ready. ''So it seems he''s decided to fight me on his own after all. Let''s see how this goes.''

    "Since you''re so eager, let''s begin. First lesson. Taijutsu." The silver haired Jonin said in a serious tone.

    Daichi made a hand seal and created three shadow clones. With a n in mind the real Daichi rushed at Kakashi and the second round of battle began.

    Kakashi could sense that Daichi infused his limbs with chakra. ''This is going to be tricky.''

    He blocked the punches and kicks and redirected them. At that moment a clone would attack him from his blind spot and another would try to try to take the bells. Whenever Kakashi tried tond a solid hit on the clone the real Daichi interfered and blocked his attack.

    The pace of the Taijutsu battle was intense. Daichi used the newly acquired skill Analyze to identify Kakashi''s fighting style and attack pattern. But it was a slow process since the skill was only level one. But it wasn''tpletely without merit.

    Kakashi noticed that Daichi was bing more and more familiar with his fighting style the more the battle went on. ''His battle insights are sharp. He''s able to read and somehow predict how I''m going to block his next attack and move ordingly. It''s not perfect but such insight is truly incredible.''

    But Kakashi was Jonin for a reason. Even with Daichi''s abilities and clones helping him, not a single solid hitnded on the man. His senses and skills were top notch.

    Kakashi blocked a kicking at his left side and grabbed onto the leg of the attacking clone. He added a bit more force to his grip and the clone dispelled. The next second Kakashi''s senses alerted him to several shurikening his way and he easily dodged them.

    "Your Taijutsu is certainly impressive." The manplimented his opponent.

    He blocked another punch and jumped over a leg sweep that came from behind. At that moment another shadow clone burst out of the ground. It''s hand going for the two bells. Kakashi grabbed onto the fist he was blocking and flung himself out of the way. He sent a quick jab that dispelled the clone and vanished from the spot using body flicker jutsu.

    Daichi and the remaining clone turned their heads to look at the Jonin standing a few meters away. "You''re just as strong as I heard. Looks like this test is going to be a lot harder than I thought."

    The clone Daichi went through several seals and tried genjutsu on Kakashi. He felt his chakra connect with Kakashi''s and then the next second Kakashi''s one eye zed over as if he was caught. At that moment the real Daichi threw several shuriken at the man. It had ninja wire attached to them and the shuriken curved around Kakashi''s body. Daichi pulled the wire and trapped the man in tight ninja wire.

    ''Fire style: Dragon fire Jutsu.''

    A hot stream of me rushed from Daichi''s mouth and engulfed the Jonin. The next moment Daichi sensed movement beneath his feet. He let go of the jutsu and he along with the clone jumped away but an unexpected attack came from above a secondter.

    A powerful punch that turned Daichi''s clone into smoke.

    The real Daichinded and turned around to look at the man. "You knew that I knew you wouldn''t be defeated like that. So you tricked me into thinking the attack wasing from below to draw my attention away from any movements above."

    Kakashi Hatake nodded. "You''re quick on the uptake. And you should''ve known. Genjutsu and tactics of that level won''t work on a Jonin. Especially on someone like me."

    Daichi gritted his teeth and sent chakra throughout his body. Supercharging his muscles he got ready.

    The next second he was in front of Kakashi and sent a fast high kick aimed for his neck. Kakashi barely had time to lean back and dodge but a momentter a hand burst out of the ground nearing the two bells tied on his waist. The clone Daichi that came from below got his hands on the two bells and the next second the Jonin above him vanished and was reced with a wooden log.

    Daichi opened his palms and saw two crumpled leaves. ''Substitution jutsu. His reaction time is incredible.''

    At that moment a smoke bomb went off near Daichi and his clone, blinding them. Daichi sensed a presenceing near him but before he could react he got the memories of the clone and the next second he felt his arm being grabbed and twisted behind him.

    "Gha!"

    A leg tripped him and Daichi fell forward to the ground with his right arm trapped behind him and a leg ced on his neck pinning him to the ground.

    The smoke cleared and everyone could see Kakashi had Daichi immobilized and pinned down.

    Kakashi looked at the struggling boy beneath him. "You certainly are a cut above the rest. And most definitely much better than your teammates. I''ve had to get serious for a second there. Your Ninjutsu, Taijutsu and Genjutsu skills are certainly impressive. On par with a Chunin no doubt. And you only just graduated from the academy. You truly are a genius."

    He then increased the pressure on Daichi''s arm. "You are certainly talented. It''s true. But tell me Daichi? Do you have the resolve to be a ninja?"

    Daichi struggled and turned his head to look at the man. "You have no idea of the strength of my resolve!"

    "Then show me. Show me you have what it takes"

    Daichi gritted his teeth and tried to pry his right arm away from the Jonin but it was futile. Kakashi had a strong tight grip on his arm.

    "Well What now? I thought you were going to show me These types of situations happen all the time. In impossible situations you''ll have to make sacrifices. And without a strong heart and the resolve to do what needs to be done, you won''t survive. Do you want me to tell you how to escape?"

    Daichi was getting angry at the situation. ''I can''t believe I let myself get caught like this. There is only one way to get free.''

    "The only way you''ll get free is if-" Before Kakashi could finish, Daichi made his move.

    "RHAA" Daichi increased his chakra flow throughout his body and put pressure on his right shoulder. He forcibly twisted his body around and the sound of bone breaking was heard throughout the clearing.

    Kakashi''s eye widened in disbelief and he failed to protect himself against the powerful fast kick that Daichi sent his way. It struck his midsection and sent him flying to the other side.

    Kakashi back flipped in the air andnded on the ground and looked at Daichi in amazement. ''He broke it. He broke his own arm without hesitation to escape A normal shinobi with a couple years of experience would be willing to break or even cut their limbs off if it means escaping death. But a fresh out of the academy Genin. I didn''t see thating. Unbelievable.''

    Daichi looked at the negative status screen and ignored the pain ring in his shoulder. Gritting his teeth he made a few seals and brought his palm to his broken shoulder. The calm healing green chakra soothed the pain Daichi felt and it started mending the broken bones.

    Kakashi saw Daichi making a few one handed seals and green chakra lighting up the left palm and bringing it to his injured shoulder. ''He can use medical ninjutsu with one arm?''

    The Jonin ninja watched in amazement as Daichi healed his arm in less than half a minute. He looked into Daichi''s eyes and was impressed. ''His will and resolve is strong. He''s a rare gem indeed.''

    Daichi looked at the man with a serious face. He took several deep breaths and calmed down. A few secondster a small smile appeared on his face which confused Kakashi.

    "Guess now I''ll have to go with n A." With those words Daichi vanished from his spot.

    -

    Seto and Mari were watching the battle with amazement. They saw how Daichi rushed at their teacher and started attacking him without hesitation.

    Seto clenched his fists as he saw the Taijutsu fight between his teammate and sensei. ''I didn''t think that kid would be so strong Damn it. He''s even stronger than me.''

    Mari looked at the Jonin who was blocking all attacks Daichi sent with ease and remembered what her brother told her. ''They say he''s one of the best Jonin in our Vige. And rumor has it that no one has passed his Genin test.''

    She clenched her fist in anger. ''I have to pass. Whatever the case.''

    Both of them watched the battle between their teammate and sensei. They were surprised at Daichi''s speed and strength. They could barely follow his movements. Both of them were shocked when they saw Kakashi getting caught in a fire jutsu.

    ''No way. Did that kid just kill our new Jonin?''

    The shock turned into surprise when they saw Kakashie out unscathed. They saw the battle yout and looked on as the man pinned Daichi down and talked to him.

    "You certainly are a cut above the rest. And most definitely much better than your teammates. I''ve had to get serious for a second there. Your Ninjutsu, Taijutsu and Genjutsu skills are certainly impressive. On par with a Chunin no doubt. And you only just graduated from the academy. You truly are a genius."

    Seto and Mari gritted their teeth in anger when they heard those words. They didn''t think someone a year below them could be so much stronger and better than them. It was a harsh blow to their pride.

    Both of them watched on and were amazed that Daichi would break his own arm to get free and use medical ninjutsu to heal himself.

    ''So he can use medical ninjutsu too? Where did this kide from?''

    The next second Daichi vanished from their view.

    ----------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 149: Genin Test - Final

    Chapter 149: Genin Test - Final

    Seto looked around and tried to find Daichi but he failed. A few secondster he felt someone tap his legs. He hastily turned around and his eyes widened when he saw that it was Daichi.

    "What?! How did you-"

    "Like I said before. You were always in my range. Nowe on. We need to find Mari."

    "Why?"

    "It''s important. I''ll exin after we get to her."

    Seto looked at Daichi for a few seconds and then slowly nodded. Daichi led the way and both of them soon reached their third teammate.

    "What are you two doing here?" Mari looked at the two in suspicion.

    "Don''t look at me. He''s the one who insisted." Seto pointing towards Daichi. "Alright Daichi. Why did you drag me here? I don''t have time to waste. I need to figure out a way to get the bells." Seto said to the boy.

    Daichi sighed and then spoke. "There''s no way either of you are ever gonnay your hands on those bells."

    Seto and Mari narrowed their eyes. "What are you saying? We''re not good enough?"

    "Yes." Daichi replied somewhat harshly. "You saw what he can do! You just saw what an Elite ninja is capable of. Do you really think you can fight him on your own and get the bells?"

    At that question both of them lowered their heads. After watching the battle earlier they knew it was an impossible task if they went at it alone.

    "So what are you suggesting?" Mari asked Daichi.

    "We work together to get the bells. If we go at it alone we won''t stand a chance. Time will run out quickly and we will fail. But if the three of us work together then there is a chance we can get the bells."

    "But teamwork won''t be helpful for us. There are only two bells. So one of us will definitely fail." Seto said in a low tone.

    Daichi sighed and answered the boy. "Listen. We need to get the bells first before anything else. Without them all three of us will definitely fail. But if we work together and get the bells, then two of us have a chance at passing."

    ''Damn it. I can''t tell them that the bells are designed to turn teammates against each other. If I do, Kakashi might sense that I already knew the specifics of the test and might disqualify all of us anyways.''

    "So on the off chance we somehow do get the bells Who passes and who fails?" Mari asked the two.

    "Look, we''ll decide that once we have the bells. Without them this argument is pointless. Agreed?" Daichi said to the two of them.

    Mari and Seto reluctantly nodded their heads. "Do you have a n?" The boy asked Daichi.

    "I do. Earlier when I came here I took a look around the training ground. I made a map and marked the best spots to stay hidden and set up ambushes. Who amongst you is good at traps?"

    "I am. I can rig up some good traps if the location is right." Mari raised her hand and told her teammates.

    Daichi took out the map and gave it to Mari. "I''ve marked some spots that I think would be ideal. We need to draw him towards the river. Use shuriken jutsu and cut off his escape routes if necessary. Seto and I will engage in close quarterbat. Once he''s on the river I''ll take it from there Agreed?"

    Mari and Seto looked at each other and then nodded their heads.

    "Alright. I''m going to engage him again. Seto. When you see an opening, take it and then lend me a hand." Daichi gave the instructions and left the two.

    He appeared in the clearing and saw Kakashi standing there reading a book.

    Seeing Daichi, Kakashi put the book back in his pouch and got serious. "So what''s the n Daichi? Are you gonna try your luck a second time?"

    "Something like that." Daichi weaved seals and ced his hands on the ground.

    ''Earth style - Great Mud River''

    The ground turned to fast flowing mid river almost instantly and Kakashi seemingly lost his footing. Daichi quickly took out several shurikens and aimed them directly at the unbnced Kakashi.

    The star weapons flew and perfectly struck Kakashi before his body was covered in smoke and a wooden log was in his ce.

    Two hands appeared out of the ground underneath Daichi andtched onto his leg tightly. The next second Daichi was pulled underground with only his head above the surface. Kakashi was standing in front of him with a nonchnt expression.

    "Your execution of the jutsu and your chakra reserves are impressive for someone your age. But there is still much for you to learn." Kakashi said, looking down at Daichi''s head.

    Daichi smirked, hearing that. "I know." The next second his entire body turned into lightning and struck the silver haired Jonin. A secondter the man vanished into a puff of smoke.

    Several meters away Daichi was looking at the scene from behind a tree. ''A shadow clone?! He''s careful.''

    Daichi used the Mana scout skill and found Kakashi to be nowhere near him.

    ''That''s strange. If he isn''t here then where'' Daichi''s eyes widened in realization. He quickly took off and rushed to his teammates'' location.

    ''Shit! I should have known he''d go after the others. I''m not the only one on this team afterall.''

    He sensed Kakashi''s presence near Mari and quickly rushed to her location. When he reached the location he saw the girl on the ground unconscious with a few tears rolling down her face. He sensed the fluctuations in her chakra and immediately understood the situation.

    ''He trapped her in a Genjutsu. Probably the Hell Viewing technique or something simr.''

    Daichi ced his hand on the girl''s shoulder and focused chakra into her. Making the Ram seal he dispelled the genjutsu.

    "Release."

    "Gha! What Where? Father" The girl was disoriented for several seconds and then looked at Daichi and then to her surroundings.

    At that moment she realized what had happened. "Genjutsu."

    "Yes. Whatever you saw, it wasn''t real. I need you back in the fight Can you set up the traps?" Daichi asked the girl.

    She looked at Daichi with aplicated expression for a few seconds and then nodded her head. At that moment Daichi''s senses picked up the sounds of battleing from the other side of the forest.

    "Looks like sensei found Seto. I''m going to help him Remember the n."

    With those words Daichi left and came near the battlefield. He hid behind arge tree and observed the situation.

    Kakashi was fighting Seto with only one arm. He looked absolutely bored and didn''t even move from his spot as he blocked and parried the slow kicks from the academy student. He pped a punch aimed at his face and jumped over the student.

    "Come on. Take this seriously." Seto gritted his teeth and shouted at the Jonin.

    "See the thing is I don''t need to if you''re my opponent Now if it was Daichi I''d be more cautious. But since it''s just you, I won''t bother."

    "You think I''m that weak?"

    "Yes. Compared to his skills and talent you''re just ordinary. If you ask me, he''s the one who should have one of the bells."

    Seto grew angry hearing that and ran at his foe.

    Daichi, who was watching the battle from his spot, understood what was happening. His eyes narrowed as he realized Kakashi''s strategy.

    ''He''s deliberately antagonizing him. Trying to make Seto think that I''m the enemy. He''s making it more difficult for us to work together as a unit That son of bitch. I knew it. He could sense us the whole time. He knew I was with the other two and he probably figured out that I know this is about teamwork. That''s why he targeted those two while he kept me busy. He''s creating friction among the team to make this more challenging. I need to attack and take control before things get out of hand.''

    Daichi had kept his presence to the bare minimum the moment he left Mari''s side. He wanted to take Kakashi by surprise. He waited for his chance to take an opening. A minuteter he got his chance.

    Daichi saw Kakashi holding both of Seto''s arms and holding him in ce. Daichi made a few clones and then rushed at Kakashi from his blind spot.

    The Jonin sensing movement from behind, threw Seto towards Daichi. Daichi stopped and caught his flying teammate

    "Get off me. I don''t need your help."

    "We need to work together. That''s the only way we can get the bells." Daichi said to the boy.

    Seto looked angry but after a few seconds nodded. Both of them rushed at Kakashi and started attacking him. Daichi used Analyze skill on both Kakashi and Seto and used the information to his advantage.

    Kakashi evaded a kick from Daichi and parried a punch from Seto. He noted their teamwork and was surprised. ''Hmm It seems Daichi is adjusting his speed and fighting style to match Seto''s. He''s not working with but around his teammate. For a new, fresh out of the academy kid, that''s actually not bad.''

    Daichi and Seto very slowly pushed Kakashi near theke flowing through the middle of the training ground.

    Daichi looked at the position of the sun. ''Its nearing noon. We don''t have much time left.''

    When Kakashi tried to jump back or gain distance, several kunai and shuriken came from the trees surrounding their battle field.

    Kakashi looked around and sensed movement in the forest. ''So they''re working together huh. I didn''t expect that given their behavior. It seems Daichi is the one who came up with that n.''

    Daichi used genjutsu and kept Kakashi distracted while Seto fought him in hand to handbat. And with the hidden projectile ambushes Kakashi had to evade, the three graduates slowly forced their teacher near the river.

    Kakashi evaded another set of projectile shurikens when Daichiunched a few of his own. They struck the shuriken Mari threw earlier and changed their trajectory to Kakashi''s new location.

    The Jonin''s eyes widened as he saw the scene. ''He''s still as sharp as ever. It reminds me more and more of Itachi''s shuriken skills.'' Kakashi took out a kunai and deflected the weapons when he saw Daichiing at him fast and head on.

    Kakashi crossed his arms and blocked a powerful punch that shook his body and sent him sliding backwards. ''So he was still holding back. That punch had enough strength to knock out an ordinary Jonin.''

    At that moment a Daichi clone appeared near him while weaving through hand seals and taking in a great amount of air.

    ''Wind style - Great breakthrough.''

    A powerful st of wind knocked Kakashi off his feet and forced him tond in the center of theke. The second his feet touched the center of the Lake water erupted all around him and swallowed himpletely.

    From inside the water sphere Kakashi saw water rise up from the surface of theke and take the form of Daichi. ''A water clone.'' He was surprised that Daichi was able to trap him with the water prison jutsu. ''I didn''t even sense his presence under or near theke. His stealth abilities are incredible. Not to mention the chakra reserves he has. To pull off so many jutsu without suffering from chakra exhaustion Amazing.''

    The real Daichinded on the water surface and ced his hand on the surface of the sphere. Chakra stings came to life from his hand and quickly attached to the two bells tied on Kakashi''s waistband. With a careful yank Daichi had the two bells in his hand.

    "Look at that sensei. I got the bells."

    "Yes you did. I never thought the day woulde when a Genin would get the bells from me." Kakashi said, looking at him through the water sphere. "Now that you have it, what are you gonna do?"

    Daichi smirked at that question. He was about to answer Kakashi when he sensed several shurikening at him from behind. A kunai appeared in his hand and he easily deflected the weapons away from him.

    Daichi looked at the people who attacked him.

    "Damn we missed." Seto and Mari both had a kunai and looked ready to battle. Both of them looked deadly serious as they looked at Daichi as their new enemy.

    Some time ago.

    "Alright. I''m going to engage him again. Seto. When you see an opening, take it and then lend me a hand." Seto and Mari watched as Daichi left them to battle their sensei.

    "Hey. Do you wanna pass this exam?" Seto asked Mari.

    "What kinda question is that? Of course I do."

    "Look. There are only two bells. So only two people can pass this test. And no matter what, I''m gonna be one of those people."

    Mari clenched her fist as she looked at her teammate. What he said next surprised her.

    "And I''d like for you to be my other teammate."

    "Wait. You want the two of us to pass."

    "Yes."

    "But then what about Daichi?"

    "You heard what sensei said. He''s a genius. And you and I both know what they''re like. Arrogant and self-serving. They only care about themselves."

    At that statement the image of Neji came to her mind. And she could see that Daichi had some simrities with their Rookie of the year.

    "You don''t think he would give up one of the bells do you?" Mari asked Seto.

    "No. He''s a lot stronger than us. So there is a chance that he''ll take both bells and keep them There is only one way we can pass and that''s if we take the bells from him. He''ll be tired after battling sensei for so long. And there is no rule that says we can''t take the bells from our teammates."

    Mari thought about it for a few moments and came to a decision. "Alright."

    Seto then left to join the battle against Kakashi and Mari left to prepare her traps. At that moment she heard a sound from behind and when she turned around there was nothing. She turned back and suddenly found herself standing on the courtyard of her house.

    She saw the stern disappointing visage of her father. "You are a disgrace Mari. You couldn''t even pass the Genin test."

    "What No father! Please " Mari cried and tried to reach out but it was as if her father was moving away and she couldn''t catch up.

    "You are a disgrace to the family." That voice was all she heard as she kneeled on the ground and cried.

    Suddenly everything vanished and she regained her senses as if she was woken up from a bad dream. She saw Daichi looking at her with a slightly concerned face. She looked around and realized what had happened.

    "Genjutsu."

    "Yes. Whatever you saw, it wasn''t real. I need you back in the fight Can you set up the traps?"

    At Daichi''s question she looked at him. ''I have to win this test No matter what I have to do.''

    She nodded her head and watched him leave.

    Seto was battling Kakashi as hard as he could. He wanted to show that Daichi wasn''t the only talented graduate on the team. But no matter how much he tried, no matter how hard or fast he attacked his sensei, the man only had a bored visage. Hezily pped away and dodged all of his attacks.

    "Come on. Take this seriously." Seto yelled in frustration at the Jonin. He saw Kakashi smirk under the mask.

    "See the thing is I don''t need to if you''re my opponent Now if it was Daichi I''d be more cautious. But since it''s just you, I won''t bother."

    Seto was furious when he heard that. "You think I''m that weak?"

    "Yes. Compared to his skills and talent you''re just ordinary. If you ask me, he''s the one who should have one of the bells." The way Kakashi said that only made Seto angrier. He rushed at Kakashi and attacked with renewed vigor but it was for naught.

    He threw Seto away from him and the next second Daichi caught him andnded safely on the ground.

    "Get off me. I don''t need your help." Seto angrily pried himself away from his teammate.

    "We need to work together. That''s the only way we can get the bells." Daichi said, looking at him.

    Seto kept quiet and looked at Daichi for a few seconds. ''No matter what, I''m going to be a Genin. One way or the other.''

    He nodded and both of them started attacking Kakashi together.

    The battle continued and somewhere along the way Daichi took the lead. He used a wind style attack and forced Kakashi tond on the water where he and his clone trapped him.

    At that moment Mari came out of hiding and went near Seto. She asked in a low tone. "Are you sure about this?"

    Seto nodded. "This is the only way."

    Both of them took some shuriken and got ready. They saw Daichi take the bells from their sensei and they made their decision. Both of themunched their shurikens when Daichi was distracted talking to their Jonin instructor.

    Or so it seemed. They saw a kunai suddenly appearing in Daichi''s hand and watched in amazement as he perfectly deflected all the weapons away from him.

    "Damn we missed." Seto couldn''t help but curse at their failed sneak attack.

    shback End.

    Looking at the two, anger bubbled inside Daichi. ''You fucks! You useless fucks. We had it! We won. And you blew it.''

    "You two better have a good reason for what you just did." The anger was palpable in Daichi''s voice.

    "Sorry Daichi. But we''vee to an agreement. We can''t let this opportunity pass. I want the bell and so does Mari" Seto replied, gripping his kunai.

    Daichi clenched his fists. His expression turned into one of righteous anger. But he tried to reign in that anger. He needed to salvage the situation.

    "Are you sure you wanna do this? We have the bells. Do you really wanna fight me for it?" He asked the two.

    Both Seto and Mari gripped their kunai and got into a Taijutsu stance.

    Kakashi watched everything with a sad expression on his face. ''Another team that was doomed for failure.''

    Seeing his teammates'' response, that instead of negotiating with him they were willing to attack him, Daichi could no longer hold back his anger. Killing Intent burst forth from him freezing his teammates on the spot. Their grim determined faces turned to one of fear and horror.

    Kakashi was surprised at the potency of Daichi''s killing intent. He tensed and got ready for action.

    In a chilling tone Daichi spoke as he looked at his two petrified teammates. "Do you know what I hate? Bullies and people who try to stab their friends in the back. You useless fucks just ruined our chances at passing this test."

    Daichi concentrated his chakra and turned it to wind nature. The next second he sent a powerful burst of wind at the two andbined with his killing intent, it knocked them unconscious.

    At that moment Kakashi burst forth from the water prison. Seeing that Kakashi had escaped, Daichi turned his attention back to the Jonin. "You got out of the jutsu so quickly?"

    "You''ve certainly trained in the change in chakra nature of water. But I can tell that you aren''t very familiar with the water prison jutsu. If that had been used by a true expert then I wouldn''t have even been able to move."

    Daichi nodded his head as he agreed with that assessment. He only learned the jutsu just in case he ever needed and it hadn''t leveled up all that much.

    The silver haired man looked at the two graduates on the ground and to Daichi. He was disappointed at how things went down. He looked at the angry Daichi and spoke in a low tone. "I was right. Looks like you and your team was going to fail the test after all."

    Daichi looked at the man in confusion for a few seconds before the answers clicked in his head. His eyes widened as he understood what had really happened.

    "You You deliberately didn''t escape the water prison jutsu earlier. You wanted me to take the bells."

    Kakashi simply nodded. "Yes. It was to see how they would react to you having them."

    "It''s why you antagonized those two and yed on their fears, isn''t it?"

    Kakashi nodded at that statement. "I wanted to see if they were willing to trust you and I also wanted to see what choice you''d make as well. I had some hope when I saw you three working together."

    Kakashi sighed and spoke. "But it seems they really weren''t going to trust you with their lives Daichi Hekima. You and your team failed the genin exam!"

    "You" Daichi gritted his teeth and clenched his eyes shut. For the first time since he came to this world, he has experienced true failure.

    ----------------------------------------------------------------

    Author''s Note:

    Another Rare 3.6k long Chapter. I hope you Enjoyed it.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 150: Team 7 - Fail

    Chapter 150: Team 7 - Fail

    Daichi was furious as he heard the verdict. ''Damn it DAMN IT!'' Killing Intent and chakra rose as he looked at the man in front of him.

    Sensing Daichi''s murderous intent, Kakashi tensed and prepared himself for any attack the boy mightunch. But it was unnecessary.

    Daichi looked at the man for several seconds and then took a few deep breaths. His Gamer''s Mind did its job and kept him calm. Daichi took onest deep breath and looked at Kakashi with a calmer attitude. He then looked at the two bells in his hands and had a sad smile on his face.

    "I guess it was just never meant to be." Without wasting another second he threw the bells at Kakashi who caught them and tied them back on his waist.

    "Since there''s no point in sticking around any longer, I''m going home." Daichi turned around and was about to leave but Kakashi stopped him.

    "Wait."

    "What?" Daichi turned back and looked at the man.

    "The bell test? You knew didn''t you?" Kakashi looked at Daichi and he had a serious expression.

    Daichi thought for a few seconds and decided that lying would be pointless. He had a feeling that Kakashi would know if he was dishonest about the answer. "I did."

    "How?"

    "When I was traveling with Lady Tsunadest year, I asked her about her Genin days and she told me about the Genin test her sensei gave her and her team. The bell test is something the Third gave his students and she told me what it was about and what had happened." Daichi replied.

    Kakashi nodded. The Hokage had informed him that Daichi had been training with Tsunade thest few years. ''I suppose the test was bound toe up during one of their conversations.''

    "If you knew the only way to pass was teamwork then why didn''t you tell them about it?" Kakashi asked the kid.

    "I think you know why!" Daichi replied with some snark.

    The man sighed. "So you figured out that I would have disqualified you and your team if you had said the specifics of the test to either of them If you had told them then it would have made this whole test pointless and I would have sent you all back to the academy."

    "It''s what I would do if I was in your shoes." Daichi said agreeing with the man.

    "But you realize that you just manipted them into helping you? What you showed wasn''t real teamwork. You only sought their help as a means for you to seed.." ''Just like I did.'' Those words went unsaid.

    Daichi shook his head at that. "I didn''t manipte them into doing anything they didn''t want to do. I only stated the facts. And besides it worked Up until they screwed everything up."

    Kakashi narrowed his eyes as he looked at the kid in front of him. "A means to an end. That''s what they were to you isn''t it. You never even considered forming a genuine bond with them did you? You had a day and several hours to get to know your teammates and at least form a rapport. But you didn''t."

    Daichi got angry hearing that. "I''ve been training since I was 5 years old. I study everything I could get my hands on to improve myself. I sleep less than 5 hours a day and train until my bones feel like jelly. I know what kind of life I''m walking into. And I know I''m the most talented kid in the academy but I also know full well that talent alone isn''t enough. So I push myself to go beyond my limits. And you''ve seen the results of that. So tell me Kakashi. Do you really expect someone like me to y nice with some arrogant brats who hadn''t even shown a fraction of the dedication I have? Who thinks this is just another game?"

    Kakashi looked at Daichi and felt the angering off him. ''His standards are high. I see now. He only respects those who put in just as much effort as he does. I think I understand how he''s friends with that Lee kid. Daichi values dedication and hardwork and sees those who don''t give it their best as useless.''

    Daichi was once again calm. He looked at the Jonin and spoke. "And since we''re on the subject of maniption, why don''t we talk about yours."

    Kakashi just narrowed his visible eye to that.

    Seeing the man''s silence, Daichi continued. "You yed on their fears. You knew both of them wanted to be Genin more than anything. They spent several years together in the academy so they would trust each other more than a stranger like me. So instead of turning the three of us against each other you turned those two against me."

    Daichi didn''t say anything more but Kakashi saw the boy''s clenched jaw. "If you have something to say Daichi, then spit it out."

    "The bell test was the wrong exam for this scenario." Daichi said boldly, looking at the man.

    Kakashi just stood there without any visible reaction to the assessment. "And why do you think it was wrong?" His tone gave no indication of what he was feeling.

    "This test would have worked for three Genins who were together in the academy. The years spent together studying, sparring andpeting with each other would have at least helped in forming some trust between three Genins But in our situation, I was virtually a stranger to them. In their eyes this test determined their future and failing it would have destroyed their careers before it even began. With the way this test was set up and with how you yed on their emotions, those two betraying me was inevitable." Daichi was unusually calm as said those words. He thought about the whole test and it''s impacts on himself and the other two and came to this conclusion.

    Kakashi closed his eyes as he thought about Daichi''s take on the test.

    At that moment both of them heard groansing from the two unconscious graduates. Mari and Seto slowly got up and looked ahead. Fear was present on their faces when they saw Daichi looking at them.

    "Alright. The test is over."

    Kakashi''s voice drew their attention.

    Seto looked at the clock on the wooden stump and saw that they still had some time left. "But it''s not noon yet. We still have a short amount of time."

    "No. Its over. Because you two didn''t understand the point of this test." Kakashi shook his head and denied them the chance.

    "Point of the test? What do you mean?" Mari asked as she slowly stood up.

    The Jonin sighed loud and looked at the two. "Why do you think we put you in squads of three?"

    "I don''t understand." Seto mumbled as he tried to think of an answer.

    "You should put that on your T Shirt." Daichi said, looking at the boy.

    "Why you"

    "What I mean is you two didn''t even realize the true point of this exercise. You didn''t evene close." Kakashi said to the two.

    "The true point of the test?"

    "What are you talking about? I still don''t get it."

    "And there''s the back of the shirt." Daichi quipped as he looked at the boy.

    Seto gritted his teeth. But before he could say anything Kakashi interrupted and gave them the answer.

    "Teamwork! This whole exercise was about teamwork. That is what determines whether you pass or fail in this test."

    Seto and Mari''s eyes widened as they heard that answer. "Wait. Working together? That was the answer?"

    "Yes. It''s the most basic foundation a team needs. When you worked together you were able to force me to a corner and youpleted your objective.."

    Seto and Mari''s face showed realization. But a secondter there was confusion as well.

    "Wait. But there are only two bells. If we had gotten the bells one of us would have failed. There''s three of us so there would have been group conflict no matter what." Mari said as she looked at her teacher.

    "Yes. Exactly. I purposely pitted you three against each other. Everything I did from the two bells to what I said was to see if you would ultimately turn on each other after you got the bells for selfish gains or if you would put the needs of others ahead of your own. Self sacrifice. That''s the mark of a true shinobi While individual skills are important, teamwork is also a necessary element. And you proved it Individually none of you could have gotten the bells but together you did. And it was going well until you two decided to attack your teammate. If you hadn''t, you might have passed."

    Seto and Mari looked shocked as they understood the truth behind the exam. Seto suddenly looked at Daichi. "Wait. Daichi! Did you know the purpose of this test? Did you know that teamwork was the key to passing?"

    Daichi, seeing no point in lying and wasting time, simply nodded his head.

    Seto got angry seeing that response. "Why didn''t you tell us?"

    Kakashi was the one who answered that question. "Because if he did then I would have failed all of you on the spot. If he had told you the answer, you two would have yed along and it would have only wasted my time. I have no interest in teaching Genins who try to pull the wool over my eyes."

    Kakashi looked at the three and sighed. "Whatever the case you three fail the test. Go home."

    "But that''s not fair." Mari clenched her fists tight. She was holding back her tears with great difficulty.

    But Kakashi showed no sympathy. "Life isn''t fair. And in this test, I make the rules. If I say you fail, you fail! End of conversation."

    With those words Kakashi vanished in a pile of leaves. Daichi, not wanting to spend another second with them, also quickly left the ce.

    Seeing their instructor and teammate vanish without another word, Seto and Mari had a gloomy face as they looked at each other. They too went their separate ways without saying a word.

    -

    Daichi was walking down the street and his eyes were focused on the quest message that popped up after he got the bells.

    [You have sessfully retrieved the bells.]

    [Quest ''Get the Bells'' Completed.]

    You have decided to take the first option toplete this task.

    [Option 1:]

    Work with your teammates and sessfully retrieve the bells.

    [Rewards:]

    High probability of bing Genin.

    5000 Exp. (This reward will be given only after the official announcement.)

    Daichi was surprised as he read the contents of the results. ''It''s not marked as a failure. And the reward says high probability of bing a Genin But how? Those two attacked me and in turn I knocked them unconscious. So I''m pretty sure we blew the test''

    At that moment Daichi recalled the system message that appeared when he broke his arm to escape and when he trapped Kakashi.

    [Reputation slightly increases with Hiruzen Sarutobi.]

    Daichi quickly understood what that meant. ''He was watching. The Hokage was watching the test. Does that mean there is a chance he''ll override Kakashi''s decision?... But still, even if he did, would I even want to work with them?''

    It was only noon now. Daichi wandered around the streets and went to Shi''s restaurant. He ordered some food and thought about the test. ''Should I have used Mana puppetry on them?... No. It''s best that I knew their true colors now. If they were willing to double cross me in this test, then they would no doubt do it again if the stakes were high. This was for the best I guess''

    He ate some lunch and went to the forest where he and Lee trained. He meditated for sometime and left with a much calmer and clearer head.

    He still had a few questions about what had happened. ''Why the heck didn''t my charisma stat work on them? Is it not high enough or is there something else?''

    Daichi thought back to every interaction he had with the team and came to a conclusion. ''I have a high charisma stat but I didn''t put much effort into making a good conversation with them. I only interacted with them when I had to work with them as a team Perhaps that''s the reason that stat didn''t help me''

    Daichi reached home and found his grandfather on a chair enjoying the peaceful atmosphere. Kensei looked at Daichi and smiled. But that smile turned into a frown when he saw Daichi''s sad smile.

    "What''s wrong?"

    Daichi just sighed and took a seat next to his grandpa. "I failed."

    Kensei was silent when he heard that. After a few seconds he consoled his grandson. "I''m sorry Daichi. I know how much you wanted to be a Genin."

    Daichi just looked down and nodded his head. "You don''t want to know what happened?"

    "I have no doubt that you''ve given it your best shot and that''s all I need to know."

    Silent tears fell down Daichi''s face as he sat there in silence. Kensei looked at his grandson and felt sympathy for him. ''Its his first time experiencing a failure of this magnitude and at something as important as this. It''s no wonder he''s taking it so hard.''

    "Victory and defeat. Sess and failure. They''re part of our lives. Don''t let one failure define who you are. You are much more than that and you know it."

    Daichi rubbed his face and stopped crying. He kept looking forward and nodded his head.

    "Look at it this way. You have one more year to train and hone your skills. Next time they won''t even stand a chance against you." Kensei said as he tried to cheer him up.

    "Thanks Gramps." Daichi nodded and appreciated the kind words. Both of them sat there in silence. As time went by Daichi felt much better. He epted his loss and vowed to do better next time. Even though he knew the Third Hokage was watching he didn''t put much stock in that belief that his team would be shown special treatment.

    ''I can''t let this get to me. Gramps is right. This is only just a minor setback. I can use this time toplete some dungeons and raise my strength and skills. Looks like I''ll be graduating with Naruto''s ss afterall.''

    But at this very moment a meeting was taking ce in the Hokage tower that would determine Daichi''s future.

    ----------------

    Author''s Note:

    I''ll see you guys Sunday.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 151: A Rare Decision

    Chapter 151: A Rare Decision

    Hokage Tower.

    An important meeting was taking ce at the Hokage tower between the Jonins assigned new Genin teams and the Hokage. The ninjas reported the results of the Genin exam to their leader.

    "Team 01 failed.

    Team 02 failed

    . Team 09 Pass."

    Everyone looked at Guy as he gave the results.

    "Congrattions Guy."

    The Hokage looked at the results. "It seems only one team has passed this year. How troubling."

    "Um sir. Kakashi isn''t here yet. He was assigned a team too." A Jonin spoke up.

    "Yeah but do you really think he''d pass a team? It''s highly unlikely." Another ninja spoke, showing his skepticism over the chances of Kakashi passing his team.

    "I''ll speak with Kakashi when he gets here. The rest of you are dismissed." The Hokage gave the order and all of them left the ce.

    Some timeter his secretary came and informed him that Kakashi Hatake had arrived.

    "Send him in."

    Kakashi walked into the room and Hiruzen could tell that something was bothering him.

    "So what''s the excuse this time?" The old kage asked the man.

    Kakashi sighed and replied. "No excuse. I was at the memorial stone. I just needed some time to clear my head."

    ''The bell test was the wrong exam for this scenario.'' Kakashi couldn''t get Daichi''s words out of his head no matter how hard he tried.

    Hiruzen nodded and leaned back in his chair. "So how did the test go?"

    Kakashi sighed and looked at his leader. "They failed. One of them knew the specifics of the test and the other two couldn''t bring themselves to trust their teammate."

    "But they got the bells Or more specifically Daichi got the bells right?"

    Kakashi''s eyes slightly widened. "You were watching?"

    "Yes. I was interested in how far Daichi hade and I''m impressed with what I saw."

    "But sir, if you saw what happened then you would know that he only agreed to work with the other two because he knew it was the only way of passing the exam."

    "Yes. I''m aware. But the fact of the matter is he did work with them. He made a n that incorporated their talents and used it toplete the mission"

    "But sir,..."

    "You have to understand Kakashi, Daichi has been training under a private tutor for thest two years. He is used to working alone. And from the other student''s perspective, he is a year younger than them. Do you really expect kids who never met each other to suddenly trust one another implicitly?"

    Kakashi was silent when he heard that. ''The same argument Daichi made.''

    "Did you know they were going to fail?" Kakashi asked the kage in a low voice.

    Hiruzen sighed and leaned back in his chair. After a few moments he answered. "Seto may not be from a n but he is skilled. His Taijutsues only second to Neji in their ss. And Mari is skilled in trap detection, ambush and long range support. I picked those two as Daichi''s teammates because after Neji and Tenten they are the best in that graduation ss."

    He stopped for a moment and Daichi''s image appeared in his mind. "I knew failure was a possibility. But I also hoped for Daichi to rally his teammates behind him to help. He did. And I was hoping for those two to ovee their fears and trust each other but It seems they couldn''t bring themselves to do so "

    "Teamwork is something that shoulde naturally to a Genin."

    "Yes. I agree. It''s why we put them in squads. But there are times when exceptions must be made." Hiruzen said as he took his pipe and lit it on fire. He took a puff and looked at the surprised Jonin.

    "Kakashi. Look at Daichi Individually. His skills, his talent and his capabilities. If you met him on the battlefield without knowing who he is, what rank would you give him?" The Hokage asked the man as he smoked from his pipe.

    Kakashi was silent for several seconds. After reviewing the battle in his mind he answered. "A mid to high level Chunin at the very least."

    Hiruzen smiled hearing that and looked at the Jonin. "Is that all? I''m sure someone with keen eyes like yourself would have noticed it."

    Kakashi was silent for a few seconds before he answered. "He was holding back. Quite a bit if I''m right."

    "Exactly. He''s a lot more cunning than you give him credit for. Usually kids with great talent and strength would love nothing more than to show off. But there are a few exceptions every now and then. Daichi is one such exception. He only showed you what he wanted you to see. And I''m sure that if he wanted to take the bells on his own he could have"

    Kakashi was surprised at that assessment. "Lord Hokage, what makes you so certain that he''s already so strong?"

    "I have my reasons. The point is, Daichi is far stronger than his peers and if we send him back to the academy for another year that gap will only widen. And it will ultimately cause an imbnce in his next team."

    "Wait, are you saying that I should pass this team? Sir, that would be a mistake. I can tell that Daichi is angry at Seto and Mari after what they did. He said it himself. He hates people who stab their friends in the back. I''m not sure he would even want to work with them." Kakashi saw the look on Daichi''s face. Despite him trying to hide it, Kakashi saw great anger hidden behind the calm facade.

    Hiruzen nodded his head with that assessment. "Yes. I agree. After what happened I doubt Daichi would be pleased to work with them as his teammates. And in my opinion those two could use another year at the academy. I''m sure it will do them well."

    Hiruzen let out a puff of smoke and looked at the silent Kakashi. "Passing the whole team was not what I had in mind."

    The Jonin''s one visible eye widened at that implication. "Wait. Are you saying"

    The kage nodded his head. "Yes. Sending Daichi back into the academy will be a waste of time and a valuable resource. This year only Guy''s team passed. The failure rate is almost 90%. Despite how our vige looks from an outside perspective we are in desperate need of manpower. I believe sending Daichi back to the academy with his skills is a huge mistake. He certainly has the skills and qualifications to be a Genin. I know that this is a bit unorthodox but I believe this is the right decision. I''m thinking about passing Daichi and just Daichi alone from your team."

    "And put him where? There''s no spots open on any other Genin teams currently active."

    Hiruzen shook his head and smiled at the man. "I wasn''t thinking about putting him in a team with any other genin."

    Kakashi was surprised and he had a vague feeling as to where this was going.

    Hiruzen continued. "I had a n in mind to create a few specialized teams next year. If Daichi had waited, I would have put him, Sasuke and Naruto under your care. They would have been a special unit designed for heavy assault and backup. But now that''s changed. And seeing Daichi''s skills first hand I''m inclined to let him pass."

    He let out another puff of smoke and looked at Kakashi with a serious gaze. "I''m thinking about creating a special two man team. Daichi will be under your care for the next year. On the outside your team will be a special Genin team but you will also act as backup for other Genin teams or low ranked Chunin missions if need be. A rapid response team."

    "This is certainly unexpected."

    "Yes. But sometimes we have to make certain exceptions. And if you want you can consider this as a way to gain valuable experience. You know, for when you have to teach your next team." The kage chuckled as he said that.

    Kakashi was astonished at the decision. "But there has to be another reason for this decision. You wouldn''t make such a choice without some serious forethought." The Jonin wanted to know why the Hokage was adamant on Daichi passing.

    Hiruzen leaned back in his chair and the image of his former teammate came to mind. ''No matter what, I can''t let Danzo get to Daichi. The investigationst year didn''t lead anywhere and I had to pull back some of the restrictions on him. And if he finds out that Daichi is alone he might strike again. I can''t take that chance. Kakashi will be able to keep him safe. But he will want to know the real reason for why I''m doing all this.''

    Having made up his mind, Hiruzen waved a hand and the hidden Anbu and guards vanished. Kakashi immediately knew he was about to hear something highly sensitive. Hiruzen walked to a secretpartment and took a few documents. He then handed them to Kakashi and gestured to the man to read them. "You asked me why I''m certain that Daichi is hiding his real strength! The answer is in there."

    Kakashi went through the papers quickly and his one visible eye widened at what he saw. "Wait. Is this urate?"

    The kage just nodded his head. "Yes. Based on Tsunade''s report Daichi took down 4 of the 5 assants on his own. And based on the report they were Chunin at the very least with 2 of them even Jonin And even though I have no proof, I''m sure it was Danzo who sent them."

    Kakashi finally understood his leader''s reason. "You want me to train and protect him. And keep him away from the vige from time to time with missions."

    "Yes. There is a shadow war going on between me and Danzo and Daichi is one the key elements. Someone with his potential cannot fall into Danzo''s hands. There are also other pieces in y but Daichi is a crucial piece. And you are the only Jonin I trust who is loyal and has the strength to protect the boy."

    The silver haired man was deep in thought. After a few moments he spoke. "Lord Hokage, if you don''t mind me asking Why do you think he''s hiding his strength? What he''s really capable of?"

    At that question the image of Kensei came to Hiruzen''s mind. "I doubt the boy has any nefarious schemes or such If I''m right then I believe Daichi is hiding his strength to survive To not draw any unwanted attention to himself."

    Kakashi paid rapt attention to his leader. Hiruzen continued. "His grandfather was former Anbu. I''m sure he noticed Daichi''s growth long before us. And I''m certain he''s warned the boy about the enemies and danger that lurk in the shadows of our world. I believe the boy is hiding his real skills, not to cause any damage to anyone but to protect himself. Although being the student of a Sannin, he''s bound to draw more attention sooner orter."

    Kakashi Hatake took a deep breath and let it out. "I understand sir. When do I begin my assignment?"

    "Today. I will make the arrangements and announce that you and Daichi will be a special two man team with you taking him as an apprentice due to his talents. I want you to train the boy. Sharpen and expand his skills." The kage said to the man.

    "Yes sir."

    "I''ll leave you to inform the boy of the new arrangements."

    Kakashi left the Hokage tower and looked at the people moving through the streets. He slowly made his way back to training ground three where one of the most important monuments of the Leaf vige stood.

    Kakashi stood in front of the memorial stone for over an hour and thought about what just happened. He finally let out a breath and spoke as if he was talking to his old team.

    "Looks like I finally got someone as my student. It''s not a team but I suppose I''ll have to start somewhere. He reminds me a bit of myself. A great talent minus all the trauma I hope I can pass on to him the lessons you taught me, Minato Sensei." Kakashi looked at the names important to him and then left the ce.

    A short whileter the silver haired man found himself standing in front of the Jonin station. He quietly went inside and took a seat near the window. He looked out at the academy building and the children ying around without a worry in the world.

    "Ahh. My rival Kakashi! You''ve arrived." The boisterous sound of his friend came from the other side of the room. Kakashi turned and looked at the man.

    "Guy. I hear you passed your team."

    "Indeed. They have shown their youthful spirit and dedication. So I have taken them under my wing." Guy said with arge smile.

    "What about you? Did you pass your team?" Guy asked with a wide smile but there was a hint of concern for his friend buried in his tone.

    Kakashi sighed and replied. "My team failed."

    "Ha! I knew it. Pay up." The voice of Anko came along with disgruntled groans from a couple of Jonins near her. She collected the money from the few Jonin who made the wrong bet with a wicked smile on her face.

    "Man Kakashi. Isn''t that like the fourth team you failed? If I didn''t know any better I''d say you''re failing them because you just don''t want to deal with the hassle." Asuma joined in the conversation.

    "Asuma? When did you get back?" Kakashi had heard that the man was working at the capital for some time and didn''t realize that he was back in the vige.

    "A few days ago." The bearded man replied.

    "So your team couldn''t get the bells huh. I guess that''s to be expected." The special Jonin Aoba Yamashiro joined the conversation.

    At that Kakashi gave a small chuckle. "Well, technically they got the bells."

    "What?" Every Jonin who heard that was surprised.

    Kakashi sighed and vaguely exined what had happened. "They worked together and forced me into a corner and they got the bells."

    "Wait! They got the bells? And you still failed them?" Guy was surprised to hear that.

    "They turned on the teammate who had the bells at thest moment. So I had to fail them."

    "So no team this time too huh. Well Better luck next year I suppose." Asuma said, patting Kakashi''s shoulder.

    "Not exactly."

    Everyone was confused at that reply.

    "The Hokage decided to pass one student from the team and based on the skills he''s shown, I agree with Lord Hokage''s judgment. It''s decided that I would take him as an apprentice and we''ll both be a two man team." The silver haired Jonin said with a shrug.

    "What? Are you serious? A two man team? With a Genin?" Anko and everyone else was stunned.

    "Who is this boy?" Asuma asked Kakashi.

    "Daichi Hekima."

    Asuma''s eyes widened hearing that name. "I see. It''s that kid."

    Everyone''s attention turned to the former Guardian twelve ninja. Asuma thought about what he had heard about the kid.

    "You know the boy?"

    Asuma nodded. "I''ve heard some rumors about him during my time in the capital thesest couple years. A very talented medic ninja personally trained by the Sannin Tsunade Senju. Rumors at the hospital are that his medical skills are already nearing or on par with Lady Tsunade herself."

    That information shocked everyone who heard it. They knew how formidable and capable the Sannin were. Tsunade holds the title of best medic in the world. And for a child to bepared to her was astounding.

    "Wait. Daichi Hekima? I knew I recognized that name." Aoba suddenly spoke. Everyone turned to him.

    "Yeah. He''s the number one student in his ss and teachers at the academy call him a prodigy. His skills are far ahead of his ssmates."

    "Is that true Kakashi? You fought the kid. Is there any truth to the rumors?" Asuma and everyone else looked at the man.

    Kakashi nodded. "His skills are certainly a cut above the rest. His strength and abilities already put him in the ranks of Chunin. And he''s quite proficient with medical ninjutsu. I''ve seen that up close."

    Everyone''s eyes widened in shock.

    "No wonder dad made such a choice." Asuma said. "Someone like that being sent back to the academy is the wrong move no matter how you think about it."

    Kakashi nodded his head. He stood up from his spot and put his hands in his pocket. "I guess I better go meet my new student."

    "Good luck"

    "Yosh Kakashi! Next time we should have apetition to see who the stronger team is"

    Kakashi walked out of the Jonin station with his next destination in mind. - Daichi''s home.

    ----------------

    Author''s Note:

    Merry Christmas and happy holidays. I''ll see you guys tomorrow with a new update.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 152: The 2 Man Genin Team

    Chapter 152: The 2 Man Genin Team

    It was evening and Daichi was upstairs in his room. He was in bed thinking about how to move forward for the next academic year.

    ''Even if the Hokage was watching the test the chances of the team passing are slim I need to make a n on what to do this year. Should I start on the third step of nature training or should I try something else?''

    Daichi''s mind suddenly went to the many quests that were pending and had to bepleted. He opened the system window and opened the quest list. He looked at the ones that are currently active.

    [Quest - Path to the strongest.]

    [Quest - Obtain the 5th Cloak.]

    [Quest - Retrieve Ren and Kimiko Uchiha''s Sharingan.]

    [Quest - Seek the Hidden Truth of the Ne.]

    [Quest - Observe and Understand.]

    [Quest - Heal Jin.]

    ''Hmm 6 active quests Assuming that I remain a student, then the quest path to the strongest will be active till the end of March next year. It''ll bepleted when I be a Genin so that''s not a problem Now for the others''

    Daichi looked at the second active quest and recalled the information. ''Atamagai''s Cloak. I need to find his final work. The one deemed a masterpiece. But I have no clue where to start. During my travelsst year I tried to find history books regarding the Uzumaki n but that was a bust Something tells me that I''ll have to visit the ruins in the Land of the Whirlpool if I want my answers. So that will take time. It''s a good thing this quest doesn''t have a time limit.''

    Daichi looked at the title of the next active quest and frowned. ''I need to find the location of Obito''s hideout. Not to mention be strong and skilled enough to fight or evade his and ck Zetsu''s senses. It will take time as well But no matter the cost, I''ll definitely take their eyes from his possession.''

    [Quest - Seek the Hidden Truth of the Ne.]

    Daichi''s eyes went to the next quest in line. His eyes narrowed as he looked at the title. Ever since he got the quest he had spent many hoursing up with theories on why someone would target the two. ''I have some suspects in mind and several theories that exin their involvement but nothing solid. And I need proof. If I''m going to get to the bottom of this mystery then I''ll have to do some things that I''m sure Tsunade sensei wouldn''t like Ick the necessary information and resources It seems like the others, this quest will also need to be put on hold till I''m ready''

    [Quest - Observe and Understand.]

    Daichi opened this quest and looked at the conditions.

    [Conditions:]

    [Observe the Various aspects of Nature such as Land, Water, nts, Animals and Insects.]

    [Observe and understand at least 7 different types of Creatures.]

    [Observe and understand the creational aspect of Nature. nts, Forests, Lakes and Oceans.]

    [Observe and understand the destructive force of Nature. Raging Ocean waves, Forest fire, Natural lightning strikes, Tornado and Volcanic lightning.]

    [Explore and understand the different Geologies of the world. Forest, Desert, Frozen Tundra and Volcanic Lands.]

    Daichi sighed as he looked at the conditions required toplete the quest. ''I have no doubt that this is the most difficult, time consuming quest that I currently have This will take years toplete The only way I can bypass that problem is if I find Dungeons with simr Geologies mentioned in the quest. Not to mention staying in that dimension for an extended period of time I''ll also need to Observe and understand their aspects I''ll need to up my intelligence and wisdom stats Like the others this is also another long term project''

    At that moment he sensed someone making contact with the barrier surrounding his home. But knowing that Kensei was outside, Daichi didn''t pay it any attention. ''Could they be here for me?... Naw. It''s too soon. The Hokage might take a few days to think things over regarding my team.''

    With that Daichi turned his attention to the final active quest. He looked at the contents and sighed.

    [Quest - Heal Jin.]

    ''Hmm This is the one that has a time limit. So this takes priority. I have a year to find a permanent cure When I used my poison detection skill on him it showed that there was poison in his system but when I tried using the normal methods I couldn''t find anything wrong. An invisible poison that even Tsunade couldn''t detect. Only someone like Orochimaru or Sasori would be capable of creating something like that. And along with Jin''s interest in setting up business in the Land of Rice Paddies Orochimaru is the prime suspect and I''m sure he''s the answer to this problem. I''m certain of it. I need to find his hideout and take a look around. But that''s going to be a problem considering I might not be able to leave the vige for a year Such a headache''

    Thinking about it for a few moments, Daichi made a choice. He decided he wouldplete the quest to heal Jin first and then focus on the others. He would try and find a permanent cure but if he couldn''t he would look for a way to increase the man''s lifespan.

    "Daichi. Come on down. There''s someone here to see you." At that moment he heard his grandfather calling out to him.

    ''I wonder who that could be?''

    Daichi got up from his bed and went downstairs. He was surprised to see who it was that came for him.

    "Kakashi?"

    A few minutes ago.

    Kakashi Hatake slowly walked through the streets reading his favorite book. It wasn''t long before he reached his intended destination. He tucked his precious orange book back in his pouch and looked at the house in front of him.

    ''This is the ce alright. Thest time I was here was with Minato Sensei when I just became his student.''

    Kakashi stepped forward and observed the ce. ''There''s a barrier around the house. But based on the intel the one currently active is a standard one. As soon as I step near the gates the person connected to it will know I''m here.''

    Kakashi stepped forward and a secondter he was greeted by an old man.

    "Master Kensei. I don''t know if you remember me but I came here a long time ago."

    Kensei nodded and recalled a certain memory. "With thete fourth Hokage. I remember. You''re Kakashi Hatake. You were so tiny back then."

    The Jonin awkwardly nodded and rubbed his hair.

    "What brings you here Kakashi?" Kensei asked.

    "I came to speak with Daichi. Is he here?"

    Kensei looked at the man and nodded after a couple seconds. "What''s this about?"

    Kakashi sighed and began his exnation. "I don''t know if he told you or not but I was the one who conducted his Genin exam. And based on their conduct I decided to fail the team."

    Kensei kept a passive face as he listened. "He told me you were the teacher assigned and that he failed. Didn''t tell me the specifics and I didn''t ask."

    Kakashi tilted his head and looked at the old man. "You don''t seem angry that I failed him despite his vast skills."

    Kensei slightly chuckled at that. "Don''t take me for an old bitter man Kakashi. I''ve been a Jonin instructor and was in Anbu. I know how things operate. And I also know your reputation. You''re strict and have high standards but you''re also fair. If you failed his team, then I''m sure you have your reasons and I''m sure they''re justified. I don''t me you."

    Kakashi was surprised at that assessment. "Well there has been a development regarding Daichi''s Genin exam results."

    Kensei had a small frown after hearing that. "And what would that be?"

    "He passed. Just him."

    The old man''s eyebrows rose as he heard that. "I''ll call him."

    Kensei went ahead and called out to Daichi. A few secondster the boy came out of the house and Kakashi could see the surprise on the child''s face.

    "Kakashi?"

    Present Time.

    Daichi knew it was a possibility but he was still surprised. "What are you doing here?" ''I knew the Hokage might make a favorable decision but I didn''t think it would happen so soon. He made his decision a lot faster than I thought.''

    "Came here looking for you. Walk with me." With those words the man took out his orange book, turned around and slowly walked away.

    Daichi turned to look at Kensei and the man nodded at him. He quickly left the house and ran up to the Jonin.

    "So uh Where are we going?" Daichi asked.

    "Training ground 3" Was the only reply from the Jonin.

    Daichi, not wanting to disturb him, kept silent along the way. Both of them navigated through the streets and soon reached the ce where the both of them fought each other hours ago. Kakashi led Daichi through the small forest and soon they stopped in front of a kunai shaped stone.

    Kakashi was silent for several minutes and Daichi didn''t break the silence. After a few moments the Jonin spoke. "I chose the bell test because it''s the test my sensei gave me. And like you I only fought alongside my teammates because I knew the real purpose of the test. I used them as a means to an end. But sensei saw through me. And yet he passed all of us."

    The man then looked towards Daichi. "Teamwork is an important factor. You can aplish much with a capable team you trust You may or may not have been right that the bell test wasn''t the correct exam for your team"

    The boy was slightly surprised hearing that admission. "Is that an apology?"

    Kakashi shook his head. "No. Your team failed when it counted. It may not have been your fault but they failed to pass my exam."

    "Why exactly are we here?" Daichi sighed and finally asked the man.

    The Jonin turned towards the stone in the training ground. "Do you know what this is?" Kakashi asked Daichi.

    "The Memorial Stone. An important monument of our vige. The names of all the shinobi who died in the line of duty are engraved on this stone." Daichi replied.

    "That''s right. The names of my closest friends and teacher are on this stone. Each one of them taught me a valuable lesson that has guided me throughout my life."

    Daichi stayed silent as he listened to the man. ''Wish you forgot some of the lessons Obito imparted.'' He couldn''t help butment in his heart.

    Without knowing Daichi''s inner thoughts Kakashi continued. "When you''re part of a team, you''re part of something bigger. Something more than yourself. Sometimes you might have to make tough choices for you and your teammates that will impact everyone for the rest of your lives. At the same time you''ll have to trust that your teammates will have your back if you get into trouble. Trust is a fundamental element in a team."

    "What are you getting at Kakashi?"

    "The Hokage has made a decision regarding your team." Kakashi turned and looked at Daichi. The air around him became heavy.

    Daichi''s eyes slightly widened after hearing that. ''Is this it? Am I bing a Genin? If so then what about the other two? Am I going to be put on a new team or?''

    After a few seconds of silence Kakashi spoke. "If I told you that you could be a Genin this year but you''ll have to work with Seto and Mari as your teammates what would you say?"

    The small excitement inside Daichi died down. He looked down and thought about the situation for a while and had an answer. He looked at Kakashi and spoke with a resolute tone.

    "I''m gonna have to pass that offer. I''ll wait another year at the academy and graduate with my ssmates."

    Kakashi looked at the kid and sighed. "You realize that you''ll have to bear some humiliation if you go back to the academy, right? You''re someone who took early graduation and the teachers call you a prodigy. If you go back while some ordinary students pass then you should know you''ll no doubt be mocked by some people."

    "What others think about me won''t matter after I be a Genin next year."

    Kakashi narrowed his eyes and looked at the boy. "Why are you saying no? Is your pride so big that you can''t work with people who aren''t as skilled as you?"

    Daichi shook his head and replied. "I don''t care that they aren''t as strong as me. Heck, I''d bepletely surprised if they were anywhere near my level. I''ve seen Genin fight. So I have an idea as to how strong a fresh academy graduate is. I know they''re only starting out and they have much to learn and grow. I don''t care about their strength. What I care about is their intent."

    "So it''s because they turned on you?" At this question Kakashi''s tone turned softer.

    "Yeah. You said it yourself. Trust is a fundamental element in a team. And I can''t bring myself to trust those two. They didn''t think twice about the objectives of the test People say that trust is earned. Something that''s built with time, through trials and hardships. But with their actions they destroyed it before the foundation was even set."

    "Why didn''t you just lie and say you''ll give them another chance or something?" The silver haired Jonin asked the kid.

    Daichi shook his head and spoke. "That might have helped and made me Genin in the short term but in the long term it''ll no doubt be a problem. Saying that I trust them will be a lie and nothing more. I''ll second guess their decisions on missions and I won''t be able to trust them to make the important choices. It will lead to one or all of us making the wrong choices and paying the price. I don''t want that."

    "I''m d you were honest Lord Hokage was right."

    Daichi looked puzzled at that statement. "Wait. If you and the Hokage knew that I didn''t want to be a part of their team, then why are we here?"

    "Because the decision he made was to pass you and you alone."

    Daichi''s eyes widened with surprise. He was curious as to who his new teammates would be. "And who''s going to be assigned as my new teammates?"

    Kakashi chuckled and looked at the boy. "No one."

    "What?"

    "Because of your abnormal strength, skill and talents the Hokage has decided to make you part of a special two man Genin team. You''ll be working under me till you be a chunin."

    Daichi was shocked when he heard that. ''I didn''t see thating.''

    Kakashi turned serious and looked at his new student. "Daichi, you and I are going to be a team. So from this moment forward you''ll have to trust me. And I''m going to trust you My teammate taught me a very valuable lesson during ourst mission. Those who break the rules are trash But those who abandon theirrades are even worse than trash."

    Daichi stood still as he heard those words. ''Wow. This is so unbelievable.''

    At that moment Kakashi asked him a very important question. "Do you trust me to watch your back?"

    Daichi closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He then let go and looked at the man. ''Despite what the canon showed about him and hisck of training of Team 07, Kakashi is a powerful Jonin with a vast arsenal of techniques. And if this is my ticket to bing a Genin this year then I''m notining. And despite whatever faults the man has, I can count on him in a fight.''

    "I do. I trust you. And you can count on me too Sensei."

    The Jonin eye smiled and the tense atmosphere around them vanished. "Well then, starting tomorrow Team Kakashi will be on active duty."

    Daichi had a smile on his face. "Yes sensei!"

    ----------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 153: System Rewards & First Mission

    Chapter 153: System Rewards & First Mission

    Several system notifications appeared but Daichi ignored all of them for the moment. His attention was on his new sensei.

    "We''ll start our duties bright and early tomorrow. So meet me in front of the Hokage tower at 7 am." Kakashi gave a small thumbs up and vanished in a puff of smoke.

    Daichi was surprised at how things turned out for him. ''I thought the Hokage would pass me and put me on another team but this waspletely unexpected. I haven''t heard any instances of a 2 man Genin team before. It''s normal for chunin and Jonin ninjas but definitely unheard of for Genin. This is certainly a unique situation... There''s no way he would have created a team like this with ordinary Genins... I guess he must have taken my strength and abilities into ount I should go tell the old man the good news.''

    Daichi left the training ground and went home. He looked at the notifications piled up and decided he would go through them once he reached his house.

    Before long Daichi reached his home and saw Kensei waiting for him at the entrance.

    "So I take it everything went well?" The old man asked with a smile.

    "Yes. I''m a Genin. It seems the Hokage made a different decision when it came to me. He put me on a two man team with Kakashi Hatake. It was unexpected but I''m notining." Daichi replied with a wide smile on his face.

    Kensei nodded and patted his grandson''s head. "Looks like you get to be a Genin this year after all."

    Daichi nodded. "Yeah. My first mission as a Genin begins tomorrow."

    "Go get some rest. Tomorrow the next part of your Journey begins."

    Daichi agreed and went upstairs to his room.

    The smile on Kensei''s face dimmed as he saw the disappearing figure of his grandson. ''A two man Genin team? Hiruzen wouldn''t make a choice like this unless he had no other option. Apprenticeship is not rare and is given to special students on certain asions. But even they must go through with being part of a 3 member squad for a while. So Hiruzen must believe that Danzo will go after Daichi again if he is held back''

    Meanwhile Daichi was in his room and decided to look over the notifications. He closed the door and started looking through the blue system boxes that were piled up to the side.

    [You have be a Genin. Quest - Path to the strongest isplete.]

    ''Finally! That''s one questpleted. 5 more to go.''

    [Special Reward.]

    A-Grade Item Blueprint (3/3).

    [You have obtained a secret map that shows the location of a special A-Grade item. Map is now in your inventory.]

    The boy was taken back with the reward. ''What the? So the blueprint was a map? I thought it would be some kind of method to make an item or something Hmm So this map is essentially a treasure map with a rare and powerful item at the end I wonder what kind of Item I''ll find?''

    Daichi took out the map from his storage dimension.

    [New location added to the Mini-Map]

    Daichi opened the Mini Map and looked at the location marked on it. ''The Land of Snow It looks like I''ll have to visit that ce sometime in the future.''

    The gamer eyed the map in his hands for a few seconds.

    ''Observe''

    [Map to the A-Grade Sword - Midnight.]

    [This map was created by a great swordsman over 6 decades ago. He ced his treasured weapon in a secret location somewhere in the Land of Snow weeks before his death and left this map for a worthy warrior to one day find and im his treasure.]

    ''So I''m looking for a sword huh. And based on the description I have a feeling it''s going to be a special one.''

    Daichi put the map back in his inventory and read the next message. He was absolutely surprised when he saw what it was. ''Wow. So it finally happened.''

    [You have acquired a rank in the ninja world. You have reached a special condition. Special stat Dignity is opened.]

    [You have unlocked a Special stat.]

    [Reward: 500 Exp.]

    [75 Exp.]

    .

    [You have unlocked all the Special stats.]

    [Reward: 2500 Exp.]

    [375 Exp.]

    ''So that''s what was needed to open the dignity stat huh. I thought it was acquiring some kind of special title but I suppose this works too.''

    [Quest - Get the Bells: Reward]

    [5000 Exp.]

    [750 Exp.]

    ''Wow. Over 9000 Exp. in total. That''s not bad at all.''

    [Your ss has now changed from Student to Genin. +3 Points to all stats.]

    ''A 3 point increase in all my stats? That''s incredible. So if this happened when I became a Genin then there is a chance I''ll get another stat boost when I be a chunin or Jonin ninja.

    ''Status''

    [Name : Daichi Hekima] (The Gamer)

    [ss : Genin - ID 012559.]

    [Age : 12]

    [Title : Capable Child, Explorer, Prodigy, Beast yer, Dungeon Warrior, Executioner, Assassin, Mighty Healer, Slug Sannin''s Apprentice, Master of the Elements, A Genius of the Continent.]

    [Level : 50 (22287/65800)]

    .

    HP : 19234

    CP : 49181

    SP : 19680

    MP: 7175

    .

    [Primary Stats]

    Strength - 255

    Vitality - 260

    Dexterity - 213

    Agility - 259

    Intelligence - 180

    Chakra - 360

    Wisdom - 177

    .

    [Special Stats]

    Sense - 125

    Stamina - 212

    Indomitable - 32

    Charisma - 57

    Persistence - 32

    Dignity - 4

    Luck - 7

    .

    [Stat Points - 712]

    [Ryo - 299720]

    ''Nice! Very nice. Just bing Genin made me a lot stronger. And this is just the start.''

    Seeing the increase in his stat points always made Daichi happy. Closing the blue boxes Daichi went to see his grandpa. He and Kensei spent the day rxing at the house and exchanging stories during their time away from the vige. Before long, night fell and Daichi headed up to his room.

    ''The man told me toe at 7am but I''m sure he''ll bete. So should I arrivete as well? No. What if hees early just to mess with me? If I''m not there and he''s already arrived it might set a bad impression of me to everyone.''

    Daichi let out a sigh and crossed his arms under his head. He looked at the ceiling and his mind went through several things as heid in his bed. ''I wonder what Tsunade Sensei and Shizune Senpai are doing right now?... Probably running around gambling and drinking''

    Before long Daichi went to sleep. He had a big day tomorrow.

    -

    The next morning Daichi arrived at the Hokage tower at exactly 7am. Since the quest path to the strongest waspleted he didn''t get any daily quests. But Daichi still woke up early andpleted his morning workouts. It had be a habit for him.

    He didn''t see Kakashi anywhere near the location and sighed. ''God Damn it. Why did I even think he would be on time I''ll just wait for a while and if he still doesn''t show up then I''ll meditate.''

    Daichi leaned on the building and waited for his sensei with his arms crossed. Almost half an hour went by and at that moment a random Jonin walked up to him.

    "Hey kid. You need any help?" The man asked Daichi.

    "No. Thank you. I''m just waiting for my sensei. It''s my first day as a Genin you see." Daichi replied with a small smile.

    "Ohh Who''s your sensei?"

    "Kakashi Hatake."

    At that the Jonin understood what was happening. He let out a small chuckle and looked at Daichi with sympathy. "Yeah You better getfortable, kid. You''re gonna be here for a while."

    Daichi nodded and decided not to waste anymore time and sat down on the ground. He began meditating and gathering chakra and redirecting them to the Strength of the hundred seal technique.

    Even though he was in meditation Daichi was still vignt of his surroundings. The people who were walking through the streets and going to the Hokage tower raised an eyebrow at the kid sitting near the entrance and meditating. But since he wasn''t doing anything they didn''t pay him much attention.

    Time went by and Daichi was suddenly aware of the familiar chakraing near him. He let out a breath and opened his eyes.

    "Yo!" Kakashi raised his hand and greeted his only student.

    "Sup!" Daichi gave an equally cheeky greeting to his sensei.

    "You don''t wanna know why I''mte?" Seeing Daichi''s silent stare, Kakashi asked.

    "Not really. No." Daichi kept a straight calm face as he replied.

    Kakashi sweat dropped at that nd response. ''Half the fun ofingte is watching their reaction. But this kid He''s taking the fun out of it for me.''

    "Come on. Let''s go get your first mission." Kakashi sighed and led Daichi through the tower.

    Daichi had a smirk as he walked behind the man. ''Haha. Take that. I''m not gonna give you the satisfaction you cyclops.''

    Kakashi''s eyes twitched as he had a feeling that Daichi wasughing behind his back. They soon reached the mission room where the Hokage and another chunin were waiting for them.

    "It''s the Leaf tradition for a Genin team to receive their first mission directly from the Hokage. Come on." Kakashi said to the boy.

    Kakashi and Daichi entered the room and saw the Third Hokage and Daikoku sensei waiting for them.

    "Lord Hokage." Kakashi gave a polite bow and nodded his head at the chunin.

    Daichi followed his teacher''s actions and greeted the Kage and his former academy teacher.

    Hiruzen and Daikoku smiled as they looked at Daichi. Both having different yet simr thoughts about the boy. Hiruzen began and addressed Daichi''s unique situation.

    "Daichi, I''m sure you know that the usual make-up of a Genin squad is 3 students and a teacher, right."

    "Yes Lord Hokage." Daichi nodded and kept a serious face as he looked at the man.

    "I decided to forgo that arrangement and pass you because you are an extremely talented individual. And also because of your performance during Kakashi''s test."

    Even though the Hokage praised him, Daichi heard the unspoken words. Don''t make me regret it. He replied with a confident smile to those unspoken words. "Thank you for your consideration, Lord Hokage. I won''t let you down."

    Hiruzen smiled and nodded his head. "Well then Daichi, are you ready for your first mission?"

    "Yes sir."

    Hiruzen took the scroll Daikoku handed him and looked it over. He kept a calm face but wasughing hard inside. He couldn''t wait to see Daichi''s reaction.

    The kage looked over the document and spoke. "A flower merchant and his family will be traveling a few miles out of the vige today."

    Daichi was surprised at hearing that description. ''Don''t tell me I''m already getting a C Rank. Is my first mission going to be an escort mission?''

    Since Daichi was expecting a D Rank mission, this was aplete surprise and it excited him.

    Hiruzen saw the excitement on the boy''s face and kept a calm attitude. "Your first mission"

    Daichi slightly leaned forward in eagerness.

    "Is to babysit their 1 year old son till they return to the vige." The kage said with a calm face.

    Daichi''s expression fell t, as if someone wiped the excitement off his face. "You''re kidding me right?" The words came out of Daichi''s mouth before he could stop them.

    Hiruzen, Daikoku and Kakashi chuckled watching Daichi''s reaction.

    The kage felt nostalgic as he looked at the boy''s face. ''He looks exactly like Jiraiya did when I told him of their first mission Ahh Messing with Genin like this It''s so much fun.''

    Daichi looked at the smiling faces of the adults and quicklyposed himself. ''Damn this old man. He got me excited thinking I could go out of the vige again so soon only to pull out an UNO reverse card. He probably realized that I''m aware of D Rank missions and just wanted to screw with me So that''s why he worded it like that.''

    Daichi sighed and looked at the third Hokage. "Well yed Lord Hokage."

    "Why, Thank you. Now here''s the scroll." Hiruzen smiled and held the document in his hand.

    Daichi took the scroll and went to stand by his sensei. At that moment a quest was created.

    "Good luck."

    Kakashi and Daichi bowed and they left the tower. And like that Daichi''s first D Rank mission began.

    ----------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 154: D Rank Missions

    Chapter 154: D Rank Missions

    Daichi went over the details in the scroll the Hokage handed him. The time and location to meet the clients were also noted down in the scroll. After going over the details, both of them were on their way to meet the clients. At that time the young gamer looked at the quest that appeared when he got the mission.

    [Quest created - Complete the first D Rank mission]

    [Your clients are going on a trip for a few hours. They need you to watch their year old son during their absence. Sessfullyplete the mission to their satisfaction.]

    [Conditions:]

    Meet the clients before the designated time.

    Keep an eye on their son and sessfully perform any tasks rted to the mission.

    .

    [Rewards:]

    2500 Exp.

    Reputation increases with your clients.

    2000 Exp. (Bonus Reward forpleting the first official mission.)

    .

    [Failure:]

    Reputation massively decreases with your clients, Hokage, Daikoku Funeno and Kakashi Hatake.

    No missions for a while.

    .

    ''This seems simple enough. The meeting time is at 10 am. Based on the location, we''ll arrive well before the time. Good thing Kakashi''steness didn''t affect the mission.''

    In a short while the 2 man Genin team reached the client''s home. It was a modest size house located in the heart of the leaf vige. A man came to greet them and lead them into the house.

    "Good. You''re notte. Wee When I asked for a Genin squad I was expecting two more Genins. Not that I''mining. My name is Hejin Tobori." The man introduced himself. He was a slightly pudgy man but had a charming face.

    "Lovely home" Kakashi said, looking around the ce.

    "Thank you. My wife actually designed the ce herself." The man replied with a smile.

    At that moment his wife joined them. "Wee to our home. I assume you''re the team sent toplete the mission?"

    Kakashi and Daichi nodded.

    "I thought there would be two more."

    "We''re a special Genin team." Kakashi replied with a polite tone.

    The woman nodded and got to business. "My name is Mei Tobori. And you''ve already met my husband. We will be out of the vige on a business trip and will only be back by evening today. We need you to look after our son in the meantime."

    "Is there anything we should know?"

    "He''s just 17 months old. He likes to sleep most of the time. And I have his food and snacks already prepared." The woman led the two to their kitchen and showed where everything was. "If he cries, just give him the juice box. I''ve written down everything you need to know here."

    With that she handed the Jonin arge sheet of paper with the needed instructions. She brought the two ninjas to their son''s room. The little boy was soundly sleeping in his crib.

    "What''s his name?" Daichi asked in a low voice.

    "Isshin. Isshin Tobori." The woman replied with a smile looking at her baby.

    They went to the living room and the woman took out a book and handed it to Daichi. "If you have any doubts then I believe this should also help."

    Daichi looked at the title of the book and deadpanned. ''How to take care of a toddler for dummies.''

    "Looks like we have everything we need. Well take it from here ma''am." Kakashi gave the parents a short nod. A little whileter the parents left the house and it was just Kakashi and Daichi along with the baby.

    Daichi had never babysat anyone before, even in his previous life. So he was unsure as to how to proceed. "So uh What do we do now?"

    "What else? We do our job. You are going to keep an eye on that baby at all times and I will be here catching up on some much needed reading."

    With those words Kakashi sat down and took out his orange book.

    Daichi sighed at that sight. ''This guy will never change.'' Without wasting time Daichi went up to the sleeping baby''s room and took a seat near the door. As he sat there looking at the kid he suddenly had an idea in mind.

    ''This is valuable time. I can''t train but I can use this time efficiently.''

    Daichi created a single clone and it went outside and found a spacious area. That clone created 10 other shadow clones and they all started meditating.

    Daichi sensed everything that happened and was satisfied. ''I need toplete the hundred healing seal as quickly as I can. Now that my ninja career has started I don''t know when I''ll need it.''

    Kakashi sensed Daichi creating clones and was curious as to what was going on. He stood up from his spot and went to a window and saw Daichi''s 11 clones meditating.

    ''I wonder what''s going on? Why is he using shadow clones to meditate?''

    Kakashi narrowed his eyes as he looked at the clones sitting still. ''Based on the report from the academy, he mostly spends his time in the library and from Lady Tsunade''s notes, Daichi likes to train and improve himself. It''s his primary focus So this must be some kind of training. Question is what?''

    He looked at the clones for a few more seconds and went back to his seat. ''Well, as long as he''s not causing any problems it''s not my concern.''

    The real Daichi was sitting at the entrance of the child''s room and was keeping an eye on him. Around two hours had passed and Daichi noticed that the baby was starting to wake up.

    Daichi got up from his chair and went near the small child. He noticed the toddler slowly opening his eyes. Daichi greeted him with a smile hoping to make the kidugh.

    Baby Isshin looked at Daichi''s face for a few seconds and then,

    "WHAA.." he let out a loud wail.

    "Gha!" Daichi reflexively took a step back. ''My god the lungs on this kid.''

    "Hey buddy. Don''t cry. I''m just here to look after you till your mommy and your daddy gets here." Daichi tried to appease the screaming child but it was of no use. ''Damn it, I need that juice box.''

    Daichi was about to leave the room but stopped. ''I can''t let the kid out of my sight. Even for a second. Can''t take any chances.''

    Daichi created another clone and had it run to the kitchen and get the Juice box for him. A few momentster the clone returned and Daichi held the small yellow box in front of the kid''s face.

    "Here. Don''t you want this? This delicious and tasty juice?"

    Daichi slightly shook the box a couple times and baby Isshin attempted to grab the box. Daichi ced the straw in the box and gave it to the little kid.

    The child stopped crying and focused his attention on the new item in his hand. Familiar with what he had in his hand, the kid slowly started to drink from the box.

    Daichi let out a breath and sat back in his chair. ''Crisis averted.''

    "Not bad. You handled that well. But the day is still young. You should be alert for anything." The voice of his sensei came from near the door.

    Daichi looked at the man with a questioning look. "This is just a babysitting mission. I''m sure I can handle it just fine."

    The man shrugged and went back to reading his book in the other room.

    Daichi then heard a sounding from the empty box and knew the kid finished his drink. He was about to take the juice box from the little boy but Isshin quickly threw it in the air.

    Watching the small box fly up, Daichi couldn''t help but sigh. He quickly used chakra strings and caught the box. ''You''re gonna be a little troublemaker when you grow up, aren''t you kid.''

    "Haaa." Isshin pped and giggled as he looked at the box flying andnding in Daichi''s palm.

    "Why thank you. It was a perfect catch wasn''t it." The kid''sugh brought a smile to Daichi''s face. At that moment another image came to his mind. And it dimmed the boy''s smile.

    ''Reo. I wish I could have been there for you more If I had just taken her home No. If that happened or if Kensei had adopted her it would have brought attention from all the wrong people.''

    Daichi slightly shook his head and thought about the positive side of everything.

    Since Isshin was awake, Daichi decided to y simple games with the kid and pass time.

    And that''s how it went for Daichi''s first mission. He yed with the kid and kept entertaining him. When it was time for his lunch, Daichi fed him and he also had to change the diaper. It was the only unpleasant part of his day.

    Before long, it was evening and not wanting to get questioned by the clients about his many clones around their house, Daichi dispelled them.

    Before long the parents returned home after what appeared to be a sessful trip. Seeing that everything was fine they gave the necessary paper slip to Kakashi as he was the leader of the team. They thanked the Genin team for their work and both Daichi and Kakashi soon left the ce.

    "So How was your first D Rank mission?" Kakashi nonchntly asked his student.

    Daichi shrugged and replied. "Eh. It''s alright. Nothing much to think about."

    "Is that all?"

    Daichi looked at Kakashi with a doubtful gaze. ''These kinds of missions are also used to subtly make the Genin form some sort of bond with the people of the vige. A subtle form of maniption and brainwash. But I''m not gonna say that outloud.''

    "Why do you think D Rank missions exist?" Kakashi''s question brought a frown to Daichi''s face.

    "Obviously D Rank missions are in ce to build teamwork amongst the squad members. Genin will need experience working together in a safe environment first before they start taking difficult tasks. And I heard that they are tax deductibles." Daichi replied after a short while.

    Kakashi nodded and began exining the intent behind the D Rank missions. "Two good points. Not bad It''s True. The D Rank missions and C Rank missions are Tax deductibles. This is a system created by the second Hokage Tobirama Senju. Paying the mission fee is the same as giving to charity. So most businesses or wealthy people will hire Genin to babysit, mow thewn or clean their house as a way to reduce the amount of taxes they need to pay. Genins use this opportunity as a team bonding experience and they learn to interact with the clients. The Genin will also learn valuable skills and the people get cheapbor. A win-win situation."

    "So I was right."

    "Well you''re only partially right. There is much more to it."

    Daichi looked at the man in slight confusion. Noticing the look Daichi was giving him, the Jonin instructor asked Daichi a question.

    "Why do you think I let you do all the work today and didn''t even bother to supervise you?"

    "Because you were bored and D Rank missions aren''t worth your time?" Daichi gave a snarky reply with a grin.

    The man chuckled at that answer. "True. But that''s not the whole pictureThere is much more to these simple missions than you think. I left you alone because I wanted to see how you would act inside the house. I wanted to see if you would go through their bedroom or closet. Snoop through their private stuff."

    Daichi''s eyes widened at that. He was beginning to understand the purpose of Kakashi''s absence and the true nature of these missions.

    Kakashi continued. "You have to remember, whether it''s a D Rank mission or an A Rank mission, we should treat the clients who hire us with respect. And we should follow the mission parameters and not overstep our boundaries. Of course, there are instances where certain exceptions must be made. But that''s rare. In most cases overstepping the mission parameters can cause serious problems. If you had gone through their private stuff and they had found out, it would have created a negative reputation. And that bad reputation will spread and people will be reluctant to hire us in the future. Even if we were only doing something silly like going through their closet or something serious like looking through the secret documents they have It will create great problems for us. So by doing these D Rank missions a Genin will learn restraint and not do unnecessary stuff like that when handling sensitive materials on higher ranked missions."

    Daichi was surprised at the deeper implications of a mission as simple as babysitting. ''Wait. The things Kakashi said. They''re the same as the requirements for passing the second stage of the chunin exam. Never open the scroll. Ninjas are not supposed to open a client''s secret documents''

    "I see. I had no idea So these missions are a lot more important than they seem huh."

    "Of course. And it''s not just this type of mission. Most D Rank missions help the Genin prepare for higher level missions." Kakashi replied.

    "What do you mean?" Daichi asked.

    "Well For example, most would think that babysitting is a simple mission but it''s not. It teaches the Genin to be patient. Even when that baby was asleep you were keeping an eye on him in case he suddenly woke up. Simrly when you''repleting a higher ranked mission, you might need to observe your target for a long period of time. This will require concentration and mostly patience." Kakashi replied.

    Daichi''s eyes widened as he understood the point Kakashi was trying to make.

    "Another example is chasing and retrieving lost pets. Animals have high sensitivity to sounds and they can smell far and wide. Their senses are much sharper than ordinary people. And that''s not counting ninja dogs and such. Capturing a pet may be a D Rank mission but we learn many things during that mission."

    "How to mask our smell and sound, track someone without being noticed and quickly subduing or assassinating them. Most importantly how to coordinate with your team and efficiently followmands." Daichi finished what Kakashi was going to say.

    "Exactly. Now you''re getting it. A ninja must always see underneath the underneath." The Jonin smiled and looked at Daichi as he spoke those words.

    "I understand Sensei." The boy nodded his head as he realized the true meaning of these missions. ''Looks like I''ll need to take these D Rank missions a lot more seriously than I first thought.''

    ----------------

    Author''s Note:

    Hello my fellow readers,

    Two things

    One. I have never babysit anyone in my entire life. So not sure how that goes other than ''don''t let anything happen to the baby''. So I just googled babysitting and just rolled with it.

    Two. I wanted to create a realistic and valid reason as to why D Rank missions exist and given to people who are trained to torture and kill. I hope I did a good job of that. What do you guys think?

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 155: A New Style & Skill

    Chapter 155: A New Style & Skill

    Daichi and his sensei reached the tower and Kakashi handed the slip of paper indicating thepletion of the mission to the desk chunin. At that moment Daichi received the questpletion notification.

    [Quest ''Complete the first D Rank mission'' Completed.]

    [Rewards:]

    [2500 Exp.]

    [375 Exp.]

    [Reputation increases with your clients.]

    [2000 Exp.]

    [300 Exp.]

    ''So I have to return and report the oue of my mission to get the reward huh.''

    Seeing as the mission was marked sessful Kakashi gave Daichi his share of the mission reward.

    "Well, Our work is done for the day. Take a break tomorrow and I''ll see you the day after at 7am here." Kakashi vanished in a puff of smoke without waiting for Daichi''s response.

    Daichi sighed and left the ce. He looked at the money Kakashi gave him.

    ''1033.2 Ryo I guess it would be even smaller if I were in a normal squad.''

    Daichi was given the necessary information about payments and such when he became a Genin.

    ''The client deposits the total mission fee to the vige and then a team is assigned to the mission. If the mission isplete the client gives a slip of paper to the team leader and after submitting the paper to the mission desk the money is allocated to the team. If the mission is a failure the money is returned to the client. The cost of D Rank missions ranges from 3000 Ryo to 25000 Ryo.''

    Daichi stopped at a nearby tea stall and got something to drink. As he drank the tea he thought about how the money would trickle down to the ninja whopleted the mission.

    ''The reward for this babysitting mission was 4000 Ryo. The vige takes an 18% from the total mission reward as amission fee for facilitating the mission. So that brings that number down to 3280 Ryo. The remaining amount is equally divided among the squad members. Since it''s just me and Kakashi, my share is 1640 Ryo. And from that individual amount the vige deducts a 15% for retirement funds or aspensation for the family if anything happened to the ninja. Then another 15% goes to the health care system. Medic ninjas are difficult to train and their services are expensive. And another 7% goes to the vige taxes. A total of 37% deduction from the amount that was divided. And that brings 1640 Ryo down to 1033 Suddenly I''m kinda d I don''t have teammates.''

    Daichi finished his cup of tea and left the ce. Before long he reached his house and noticed that Kensei was not home. Daichi went to his room and just sat on his bed.

    ''I''ll be busy with missions but I''ll still have some free time. What should I do this year?''

    This was a question that was on his mind for a while.

    ''I''ve mastered the two steps of all 5 chakra natures. I''ve learned medical ninjutsu Hmm I should concentrate on increasing my stats and improving my Ninjutsu. I''ll start on the third step this year. But which nature should I begin with?''

    Daichi couldn''t think of a solid answer for that question. But he came to a conclusion. ''Lightning, water or earth nature. It should be one of those But for the moment I''ll take a break and enjoy myself. I''ve been training like a maniac for thest few years. I need to take a short break. And I''ll have missions to keep me busy so that''s not a problem. I''ll do physical exercises and work on improving my Ninjutsu and Genjutsu skills.''

    Daichi stood up and went to stand in front of the tall mirror he had in his room. ''Now that I''m Genin I need to change my style and wardrobe.''

    Daichi was wearing a dark green full sleeve shirt with camouge patterns and blue knee length shorts. He also had the weighted clothes on him along with a ck ninja pouch strapped to his right thigh. His Leaf headband hung loosely around his neck.

    The young gamer looked at his reflection and sighed. ''I''m in serious need of an upgrade Guess I''m going shopping tomorrow. I''ll also need to buy something like a chainmail mesh undershirt. Can''t have too much protection and I have a feeling it''ll look cool with the right dress I''ll also need to take a look in my inventory. Take out what I don''t need.''

    Daichi opened the inventory section and started going through everything. He took out the books and other non essential items and kept only what was important. At that moment he noticed the weighted training clothes icon blinking.

    ''I wonder what that''s about?''

    Daichi clicked on it and the information on the training gear popped up along with something else.

    [Weighted Training Clothes] [Rare Item: Rank C]

    [A training gear created ]

    [Option to modify the ''Weighted Training Clothes'' is now avable.]

    [Modification can be done ording to the user''s wish. The different pieces of the item can bebined into a new desired form.]

    [Would you like to modify it? Y/N]

    ''Yes.''

    [Concentrate and visualize what you want the item to look like.]

    Daichi thought about what he wanted and had a picture in mind. He concentrated and a few secondster a new blue box appeared with the same picture he had in his mind.

    [Would you like to change the item to a new form? Y/N]

    Daichi pressed yes and a few secondster thepletion message appeared.

    [New Item created. Weighted ck Scarf.]

    Daichi took the new item out of the inventory and smiled.

    ''Perfect. This will do nicely.''

    The weighted leg warmers, arm sleeves, undershirt and trouser allbined and modified into a new form. A long ck scarf in a round shape that can be worn around the neck with two ends sticking out to the back. Daichi checked the information on it and found that it weighs 300 Kilos. It also had an additional option added to it.

    [The minimum weight of this item is 300 Kg. But the weight can be increased or decreased by adding or removing chakra to the scarf. This scarf is modified so that its weight will be distributed evenly throughout the body.]

    ''Nice. This is definitely much better. And I can increase the weight of this thing to improve my physical stats. Even distribution of weights throughout the body huh. That''s convenient.''

    After checking the rest of his inventory and rearranging all the items, Daichi went to sleep.

    The next day he headed out to a store that sold ninja gear and protection garments. Daichi looked over the items they had and soon made a choice. He bought the items he wanted and quickly returned home.

    Daichi bought ck pants with a purple tone chainmail mesh undershirt and a full sleeve deep purple jacket with a few small silver lines for design. He also changed his footwear from open toed sandals to ck shoes. He tied his head band around his forehead and put on the ck weighted scarf around his neck. His ninja pouch was now secured near his back pocket.

    The only thing that remained from his time as an academy student was his sses. Daichi smiled as he looked at his new attire.

    ''Hmm This reminds me of the denim jackets I had before I came here My hair has grown and it''s reached mid back length. Should I cut it?... Na. Long hair is cool.''

    Daichi spent the day just roaming around the vige and getting used to his new outfit. The whole day was spent rxing and just indulging himself in small pleasures.

    "That''s a new look." Kensei said as he looked at Daichi''s new outfit when he got home.

    "Yeah. I figured it was time for a change."

    The old man nodded and they spent the rest of the day tending to the garden and sharing some stories.

    -

    "Hmm There seems to be something different about you today."

    Daichi ended his meditation and opened his eyes to the voice of his sensei.

    "Morning to you too sensei."

    "Did you get new shoes?"

    ''This guy is definitely trying to mess with me. Two can y at that game.'' "Yeah. Figured this was better than the sandals."

    Kakashi just hummed at that reply. "That must be it." He and Daichi soon reached the mission desk.

    "Ready for your next mission?"

    "Yup."

    The ninja at the mission desk handed Kakashi a scroll and Daichi got a new quest. After looking over the details Daichi and Kakashi were on their way to their second D Rank mission. They soon reached a modest sized home.

    "Your next mission is to clear the yard. Pull the weed, level the ground, remove any rodents That sort of stuff." Kakashi said as he looked at the boy.

    "So what deep insightful lessons will I learn from this mission?" Daichi asked with a slight sarcasm.

    Kakashi looked at his student and replied. "How to pull the weed, clear the ground and kill any pest"

    Daichi raised an eyebrow at that answer.

    "Not all D Rank missions have some great meaning behind it. Some are just chores Now why don''t you get to work while I find out what Mimi-chan is up to with her new boyfriend." With a small giggle Kakashi turned his attention to the small book in his hand.

    Daichi sighed and began the mission. ''I should have expected that If I canplete this quickly I''ll have much more time to focus on myself. And despite what Kakashi says, I can use this as training. I haven''t focused on chakra strings for a while. That should be my priority.''

    Just like thest mission Daichi created several clones but this time each clone took a section of the yard surrounding the house and got to work. They used chakra strings to pull the weed out of the ground. The blue chakra strings dug into the ground and Daichi pulled them out by the roots.

    Even though it looked like Kakashi had his nose buried in the book, he was keeping an eye on his student. The man was surprised to see Daichi''s use of chakra strings with such efficiency. ''Normally you''d only see puppet masters from the Sand vige with such mastery over the chakra threads.''

    The young gamer used chakra strings to catch the small pests that were running away. When it came to thergest nts Daichi had an idea in mind.

    He focused the chakra in the strings and changed it to wind nature. He had a certain image in mind. ''Wind is mainly used to push and cut. And for this situation cutting is what I need.''

    The next second the normal chakra strings took on the form of wind chakra with small des swirling around it. Daichi essentially had a long flexible de running from his fingertips. He flexed his fingers and aimed the strings at arge nt near him. The wind de coated strings wrapped around the nt and the next second it was cut into pieces.

    Kakashi, who was paying attention to Daichi''s every move, was surprised at that development. ''He was able to create something like that on his first try? And if he can change the nature of the threads to wind then it stands to reason that he can change it to other natures he mastered.''

    A new skill appeared but before checking it out Daichi created a new shadow clone and dispelled it. With that action all the active clones learned the new technique. They started using the new Jutsu to speed up their simple mission.

    Meanwhile Daichi looked at the new skill that popped up.

    [Elemental Strings - Active (LV.1): This skill is a more advanced version of the skill Chakra Threads. The user converts the chakra into different Nature Elements and changes the properties of the string. This technique can be used in battle in various ways. Evenbined Nature Elements can be used to create the Elemental Strings.]

    [Effects:]

    [5% More effective in the changed element properties.]

    [CP cost: 25/Sec.]

    ''Hmm Excellent. I can already imagine a lightning and fire whip. I''ll definitely need to train this jutsu. It will have so many applications on the battlefield. Looks like this mission wasn''t a waste of time after all.''

    Daichi and the clones soonpleted the work. With the missionpleted Team Kakashi returned to the mission desk and got their pay.

    "I''ll see you tomorrow Daichi." Kakashi said to the boy.

    Daichi nodded and left the ce. He didn''t know it but tomorrow was going to be his first C Rank mission.

    ------------------------------------------------------------

    Author''s Note:

    Happy New Year everyone.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 156: First C Rank Mission

    Chapter 156: First C Rank Mission

    It was almost 9:30 in the morning. Kakashi slowly walked through the forest of Training ground 3 and found his student meditating. He quietly walked up to Daichi and before he could announce himself he saw the boy open his eyes and look at him. ''His senses are good. I made sure to keep my chakra and the sound of my footsteps concealed.''

    "So what''s the excuse for beingte this time?" Daichi asked the man.

    "Well, you see on my way here a ck cat crossed my path and- "

    "And you had to take the long way around?" Daichi interrupted him with a smirk.

    "Well no It looked so hungry, I had to feed it. So I took it home, fed it some milk and then took the long way around You know. To avoid any bad luck." The Jonin ninja replied with a somewhat smug manner.

    Daichi just sighed at the man''s quirks. "Let''s just get the missions."

    Both of them made their way to the Hokage tower. As they walked Kakashi spoke. "You know, meditation helps with chakra control, managing stress, reducing negative emotions and makes one self aware"

    "Is there a question in there?" Daichi asked.

    "Your chakra control is already as good as it will ever get. And you don''t look like someone who''s stressed. You have a good grip on your emotions Well most of the time anyway. And I''m sure you can make an objective evaluation of yourself"

    "I''m still not hearing a question."

    Kakashi turned to look at his student. "Why do you meditate?"

    Daichi wasn''t all that surprised by the question. ''With all the time I''ve spent meditating it would have been weird if he hadn''t asked me this.''

    Daichi decided to give a partial truth as an answer. "Meditation helps me focus more. It helps with gathering chakra and moving it throughout my body. And I will have a better understanding of how fast my chakra moves through my coils. How quickly I can release chakra through my chakra points and execute techniques. I would also be able to know if there were abnormalities within my body."

    Kakashi nodded as he heard that answer. ''A person would require extreme discipline and knowledge to achieve something like that.''

    They didn''t say anything else and soon reached the Hokage tower. Daichi and Kakashi met the Hokage after a short wait.

    "Well We have a few D Rank missions" The old kage spoke but he saw Daichi let out a tired sigh and slightly smiled. ''It''s a bit soon but perhaps it''s time I gave him something else.''

    "But we also have a C Rank mission that I think would be perfect for your team." The old leader saw Daichi''s eyes lighting up as he heard those words.

    Kakashi was only slightly surprised to hear that. ''So he''s starting to test the waters with Daichi. See how the kid operates.''

    "What do you say Daichi? Are you ready for a C Rank mission."

    "Yes sir." Daichi replied excitedly.

    "Very well. Your mission is to escort the goods trader Hanz to the capital. Protect the Goods and escort the man to the capital and back. Daichi, since you''ve spent some time in the capital I believe your team is perfect for this assignment." The Hokage told them the mission. He gave the mission scroll to Kakashi.

    At that moment a new quest appeared for Daichi.

    [Quest created - Escort Hanz to and from the Capital.]

    [Hanz is a merchant that makes frequent trips to the capital. Escort him and his products safely to the capital and back andplete this C Rank mission.]

    [Conditions:]

    Don''t not let anyone harm Hanz during this trip.

    Protect the Goods during the journey.

    .

    [Rewards:]

    4500 Exp.

    Reputation slightly increases with Hanz.

    .

    [Failure:]

    Reputation decreases with the Hokage, Kakashi Hatake and Hanz.

    No C Rank missions for a while.

    [ept Y/N]

    Daichi epted the quest without hesitation. ''Finally. My first C Rank mission I wonder how this will go down?''

    The meeting ce was given in the scroll so without wasting time Team Kakashi went to meet the merchant. They soon reached arge shop with the sign ''Greenfield trading Company''. They soon met the person they were going to escort.

    "Hello. Are you my team?" Hanz was a bulky older man with arge mustache and tan skin. Despite his aggressive look he greeted Kakashi and Daichi with a warm smile.

    "Yes. We''re team Kakashi. This is my student Daichi. We''ll be your escort team for this mission." Kakashi introduced himself and his student to the client.

    "You know, when I paid for a Genin team, I expected 2 more Genins." The man said, looking at Daichi.

    "We''re a special team sir. We''ll be more than enough to handle any problems that arise on a C Rank mission." Daichi spoke with a polite tone and a smile.

    "A Genin team with only one student. I''ve never heard of that You must be something special then" Hanz replied.

    Daichi just smiled and used ''Observe'' on the man.

    [LV. 25][Hanz]

    Age: 58

    HP: 3386 CP: 2680

    [Hanz is a merchant and citizen of the leaf vige. He is the adopted son ofte Mido who was also a minor merchant. Hanz studied in the ninja academy but dropped out due to hisck of talent in the ninja arts. Heter found out his calling as a goods trader andter created thepany Greenfield.

    STR - 58

    AGI - 37

    INT - 55]

    "When do we leave?" Kakashi asked the man.

    "In a few moments. My men are loading the wagon as we speak."

    A short whileter the whole party was at the vige gates. There was Kakashi and Daichi as protection and Hanz and his associate on their horse pulling arge goods wagon.

    "It''s a little after 10. If we leave now, we''ll be there by evening. We''ll rest up for the night. I''ve already booked rooms at an inn. My business at the capital should take about 2 days to conclude. And after that we return."

    Daichi and Kakashi nodded to the mission details. "Daichi, you take the rear. I''ll take the front."

    The group began their journey and slowly made their way to the capital.

    Daichi was on full alert. He wasn''t sure if he caught the curse of Team 7 where a seemingly simple mission can go straight to hell. So he was vignt of his surroundings. Daichi had exceptional senses and he used chakra to increase its range.

    "Daichi, rx. It''s a C Rank mission. While we might face enemies I doubt they would be ninjas." Kakashi spoke to the boy. He noticed Daichi''s vignce bordering on paranoia and wanted to reassure the boy.

    Daichi nodded and let out a breath. He kept an eye on his surroundings but slightly rxed himself. As they walked he asked Hanz a question that''s been on his mind for a while.

    "Hey mister Hanz. Can I ask you something?"

    "Sure. Go ahead."

    "The name of yourpany. Why Greenfield? Does it have any special meaning?"

    When he heard that, a smile formed on the man''s face. "Yes. There is a reason why I chose that name for mypany."

    Daichi and his sensei listened to the man''s story.

    "A merchant named Mido was traveling near the roads of the fire country and he got lost when a storm hit. He walked for hours and ended up in arge field. At that moment he suddenly heard a cry. It was a baby''s cry. He looked all around and all he could see were fields of green. Tall grass and nts were the only thing his eyesnded on. He heard the baby''s cry again and he started searching. Several minutester he found the baby in a small wooden crib hidden behind the tall growing vegetation. He took the baby and raised it as his own I''m sure you can make a good guess as to who that baby was?"

    Daichi nodded and replied. "You."

    "Yes. Some might say that field was where I was abandoned but the way I see it, that ce was where I was given my second chance. Where I was reborn as Hanz. Where I met a kind man who took me in and raised me as his own without hesitation. So I decided to name thepany Greenfield."

    "Wow. I never realized that name had such a backstory when I first saw it." Daichi spoke with a smile.

    Hanz merelyughed at that.

    "What kind of trading do you do?" It was Kakashi who asked this question.

    "Well, I mainly deal with agricultural products. Rice, vegetables and some herbs. But asionally I also trade quality textiles."

    "Do you often journey to the capital for business?" Daichi asked.

    "Every two months or so." The man replied.

    They made small conversations along the journey and Daichi found out more about the man named Hanz. The trip to the capital was smooth and without any problems. Byte evening they reached the capital gates without encountering any enemies.

    ''The mission is halfplete. I suppose it''s to be expected. This is the main road leading to the capital from the vige. If any bandits were present they would have been taken care of by the patrolling ninjas.''

    Hanz and his associate Coran took the wagon to a warehouse for storage. "Don''t worry. It''s gonna be safe here." Hanz said but Daichi created a shadow clone and had it hide inside the wagon as a precaution. Kakashi discreetly nodded at Daichi in approval.

    They left the warehouse and soon reached an Inn. Daichi and Kakashi did a sweep of the room for enemies or anything out of the ordinary. Finding nothing they left the room and Hanz and Coran entered.

    "Your room is the one adjacent to ours. Food will be delivered to your room and take my word for it, they are quite excellent." Hanz smiled at the two ninjas.

    Kakashi and Daichi rxed inside their room.

    "Well Dinner will be here shortly. What do you want to do?" Kakashi asked his student.

    "Nothing much. Shouldn''t we be keeping an eye on our client?" Daichi didn''t think the mission would be this easy.

    "This is a C Rank mission. On C Rank missions were not expected to battle ninjas. Just some bandits or thieves who aren''t too bright."

    "What about unusual situations where you might have to deal with shinobi?" Daichi questioned.

    Kakashi hummed as he thought about a scenario like that. "If that happens my job will be to take on the biggest threats and keep you safe and your job will be to keep the client safe."

    Daichi nodded. "I''m gonna take a walk."

    Kakashi nodded and Daichi left the inn. He roamed near the area and then walked through the streets of the capital. ''It hasn''t been long since I left this ce. And I''m back here so soon''

    Daichi spent a few hours roaming the streets and then returned to his room. He made sure the client was well and decided to take the first watch.

    As Daichi sat on the balcony outside his client''s room he thought about the situation. ''We''re in the middle of the capital. If someone wanted to attack him, this is thest ce they would choose to do so. And since this is a C Rank mission, the threat probability is low. But it doesn''t mean I should let my guard down.''

    A couple hours after midnight Kakashi came to relieve him of his shift. Daichi went to sleep and woke up early the next morning. He created a clone to stay at the Inn and went to workout in a secluded spot near the building.

    Once his morning workouts werepleted he freshened up and joined Kakashi.

    The 2 ninjas shadowed their client throughout his meetings and business deals. Hanz was good at bartering and traded his goods at a profitable rate for him. He and Coran then bought several items from the capital that could be sold at the Leaf vige and loaded his wagon.

    They spent the two days in the capital without incidents. And on their third day they were ready to return.

    "Things went much better than expected. Kakashi, Daichi. Our work here is done. What do you say, we head home."

    Daichi and his sensei nodded and both took positions. Their return journey began and Daichi created a few clones to scout ahead of them. Kakashi just sighed watching his students'' antics. ''Well Better be safe than sorry I suppose.''

    The team left early in the morning from the capital so they would reach the leaf vige byte afternoon. The team of 2 ninjas and clones kept a vignt watch but it was unnecessary. They reached the vige walls and didn''t encounter a single enemy throughout their trip.

    After splitting up from Hanz, Kakashi and Daichi made their way to the Hokage tower. "This mission was kind of Anticlimactic." Daichi said to his sensei.

    "What exactly were you expecting?"

    "I don''t know. It was too easy. And we didn''t fight a single enemy."

    The Jonin raised an eyebrow at that. "Isn''t that supposed to be a good thing? You know. A boring mission is much better than one with enemiesing for your head. And you have to remember This was a C Rank mission. The only way they ever go wrong is if the clients lied about the enemies after them, which would be idiotic. Or if we encounter an enemy ninja by chance. And since this is not war time the chances of that happening is low."

    Daichi nodded with what the man was saying. ''He makes a good point. If all missions happened like the wave mission then no ninja would ept missions from clients without wasting a ton of resources digging up everything about them.''

    The duo made their way to the administration table and got their pay. At that moment Daichi got the questpletion reward.

    [Quest ''Escort Hanz to and from the Capital'' Completed.]

    [Rewards:]

    4500 Exp.

    675 Exp.

    [Reputation slightly increases with Hanz.]

    Kakashi then looked at his student. "Meet me at training ground 3 at 8 am tomorrow. We''re going to do something different."

    ----------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 157: Battle with Kakashi 01

    Chapter 157: Battle with Kakashi 01

    Kakashi was in front of the Memorial Stone staring at a single name. He had been standing there for over two hours as he revisited the memories of his Genin team. The man looked up and noticed the position of the sun and realized how long he had been standing there.

    ''It''s time to leave. I''ve kept Daichi waiting long enough.''

    The Jonin looked back at the name engraved on the stone. ''I''ll see you tomorrow Obito.''

    Kakashi turned around and made his way through the forest. His mind went back to the conversation the Third Hokage had with him sometime ago.

    shback.

    "Kakashi, when you get the time I want you to spar with Daichi. See his capabilities. But this time I want you to force him to fight seriously." The old Kage said.

    The silver haired Jonin raised an eyebrow at that. "Is that really necessary?"

    Hiruzen nodded. "Yes. Only after you have a thorough understanding of his strength and abilities would you be able to train him efficiently. You would also be able to identify his weak spots if he has any and with training can get rid of them."

    "Yes. I''ll handle it But Do you mind me asking What''s this about? You don''t normally take such a keen interest in a Genin team." The Hokage taking an active interest in the training of a fresh Genin was a surprise to Kakashi.

    "True. But your student isn''t an ordinary Genin. He is someone who has extraordinary potential and was personally trained by a former Anbu Captain and a Sannin"

    "But that''s not all is it?"

    Hiruzen smoked his pipe and was silent for a few seconds. Letting out a smoky breath he replied. "No. I have received some disturbing news regarding Orochimaru and Danzo. Things wille to a collision between the three of us soon and the people I''ve tasked with the matter will be in the middle of it. Kensei is one of those people and what affects Kensei will also affect Daichi. I have no doubt that Orochimaru wille to know of the boy soon if he hasn''t already and knowing him, he''ll definitely try to make contact with the boy."

    Kakashi''s eyes widened at that. He was rmed that someone like that would one daye for his student. "Wait! Orochimaru''sing for the kid? Lord Hokage, I can protect him from almost any other Jonin but someone like Orochimaru"

    "Don''t be so rmed Kakashi. This isn''t something that will happen tomorrow or next week. And it''s just a possibility. There is also the chance that Orochimaru will leave him alone but the probability of that is low. I''m not telling you this to frighten you but to warn you. Take the necessary precautions."

    The old kage let out a breath and leaned back in his chair. "It''s not just Orochimaru but Danzo also has his eye on Daichi but for the moment he won''t make any moves. He''s more concerned with the movements and on-goings of his organization ''Root''."

    Kakashi nodded. "I see. I understand Lord Hokage. I''ll test him after the first C Rank mission."

    "Good. You need a clear picture of his strength and abilities if you''re going to prepare efficient team strategies Kakashi As long as Daichi is within these walls he''ll be under my protection. But outside I''m trusting you to keep him safe."

    Kakashi stood straight and nodded his head. He vowed he would keep that word no matter what.

    shback End.

    Kakashi had an idea as to what he had to do. Before long he reached the clearing of Training ground 3 and saw Daichi meditating. ''One day I''m gonna figure out the secret behind that''

    Sensing Kakashi''s presence Daichi opened his eyes.

    "Morning sensei."

    "Morning. Ready for today''s mission?"

    "Yeah. You said we were going to do something different."

    "We are." Kakashi walked to the nearby three stumps and ced an rm clock on top of the one in the middle.

    Daichi looked at the scene and felt a sense of Deja Vu. ''Wow''

    Once the timer was set Kakashi looked at his student. "Today you and I will be doing a survival test. And this one is going to be a lot different than the one we had at the beginning."

    Daichi narrowed his eyes as he heard those words. ''Something''s different about him today. He''s a lot more serious than usual.''

    "What kind of survival test?" Daichi asked his sensei.

    At that question Kakashi''s face turned serious as he looked at the boy and revealed his killing intent.

    [You have sensed Killing Intent]

    Daichi''s eyes widened at the implication of Kakashi''s action.

    The Jonin looked at his student and spoke. His voice wasced with a menacing tone. "Daichi, for this test I''ll being at you with the intent to kill. I''ll try to capture and subdue you. And if that isn''t possible I''ll try to kill you. Your goal is to defend against my assaults and either defeat me or escape. Survival is the priority of this exercise. Right now it''s 10:30 in the morning. This survival test willst till exactly midnight. You''ll pass if you sessfully defend against my attacks, defeat me or if you hide from me till the time runs out. You aren''t permitted to leave the training ground till the end of the test. If you do, you fail. If I capture you, you fail. And if you die to one my killing blows Well Try not to die."

    Daichi clenched his fists as he looked at the man. He was already releasing chakra throughout his body and was preparing for theing battle. At that moment a quest appeared in front of him. He quickly read the contents of the quest.

    [Quest created - Pass the Survival Test.]

    [Kakashi Hatake has decided to test your skills and find out your true power. Survive his test by battling him or escaping him.]

    [Conditions:]

    Do not get captured before Midnight.

    Do not leave the forest till the test is over.

    Do not let Kakashind any killing/lethal blows on your body.

    Survive till Midnight by any means.

    Defeat Kakashi.(Bonus)

    .

    [Rewards:]

    20000 Exp.

    35000 Exp. (Bonus)

    Reputation increases with Kakashi Hatake, Hiruzen Sarutobi and Kensei Yasaji.

    .

    [Failure:]

    No C Rank missions for a while.

    [This quest is automatically epted.]

    Kakashi continued. "And keep this in mind. If you don''t use your full power, all your skills and techniques, you will suffer a painful end."

    "I understand. I won''t hold back." Daichi replied, releasing his intent as well. The air became heavy and the sound of birds flying away from the forest could be heard.

    Up in the Hokage tower Hiruzen was watching everything through his crystal ball. ''This isn''t exactly what I had in mind but I suppose it will have to do. This way Kakashi will be able to determine Daichi''s stamina and stealth skills, medical prowess and his proficiency in the ninja arts But still He''s just 12 years old. A child. Would this be too much for him?''

    Back in the training ground Kakashi decided to make the first move. "Begin." As the words were spoken the Jonin was already moving at high speed towards Daichi with a punch aimed for his face.

    Daichi''s heightened concentration and senses allowed him to track every move that his sensei made. He saw the maning at him in slow motion with his left fist tightly clenched and Daichi''s mind began to work faster. His first instinct was to dodge using substitution but there was something preventing him from making that decision. His pride.

    ''Even after all this time, after all the training, the dungeon fights, if I just run away when someone stronger than me shows up without even putting up a fight then what does that say about the time I spent grinding myself to the bone A waste.''

    It was only a split second but Kakashi was already on him. His left fisting towards his student.

    Even as the Gamer''s Mind kept him calm, Daichi''s face turned into one filled with rage.

    ''Fuck that!''

    Chakra flooded his body and with a greater speed than Kakashi, Daichi threw his right fist. His punch directly aimed at his teacher''s iing one.

    The Jonin''s eye widened at the speed disyed by the boy. A momentter both fists collided.

    "BOOM!"

    Wind whipped around them from the force of the two attacks meeting head on. The ground cracked below the two but neither one budged an inch.

    "Since you''re intending to fight me head on, let''s begin with Taijutsu." Kakashi said as he threw another punch with his right arm aimed for Daichi''s throat.

    The young gamer swiftly parried and redirected the attack away from him. He then immediately sent a knee strike aimed at Kakashi''s ribs. The Jonin jumped back, escaping the strike but Daichi didn''t let up. He quickly rushed at Kakashi and they began their intense hand to handbat.

    Daichi used the skill Analyze to understand his opponent''s fighting style and attack patterns. Even though the fight would have been seen as fast paced to most, the battle was only just beginning. Both of them were only testing the waters and feeling out their opponent''s skills.

    Kakashi sent several powerful punches aimed at Daichi''s chest, biceps and ribs. All of which Daichi sessfully blocked or parried. ''His Taijutsu skills are incredible. And on top of that his battle senses are far beyond what someone his age should have. And this is only just the start.''

    Just as Kakashi was making notes on his student, Daichi was also doing the same to his teacher. ''He''s not blocking but redirecting all of my punches. He''s trying to conserve energy. That''s not a surprise. This is going tost over 12 hours after all. This is a good opportunity for me to go all out. To see where I stand in this world. Kakashi. You will be an excellent measuring stick.''

    Daichi sent a punch aimed at his enemy''s liver only for Kakashi to block and grab that fist. Immediately Daichi sent a roundhouse kick aimed for the man''s head. Kakashi raised his other hand and blocked the kick and the next instant leaned his upper body back to avoid the knee strike that came for his chin.

    The Jonin swiftly retaliated with a kick towards Daichi''s abdomen and sent the boy flying. Kakashi ran after his student intent on attacking him before he could reorient and defend himself.

    Daichi gritted his teeth as he saw his senseiing for him. In mid air he quickly took out several shuriken and threw them at the man and swiftly went through several seals.

    ''Shadow shuriken Jutsu.''

    The few metal stars quickly became over a dozen, forcing Kakashi to change his path and dodge the oing projectiles.

    These few seconds were all Daichi needed to safelynd on the ground and get his footing.

    Both of them looked at each other and took in their opponent''s condition. Neither one was hurt or even out of breath.

    It was Daichi who broke the silence. "What do you say we take things up a notch or two?"

    The silver haired Jonin smirked at that. "Funny. I was thinking the same thing. You know. You might be my favorite student yet."

    Daichi deadpanned at that. "I''m your only student." With those words Daichi ced a hand on his scarf. "I''ll show you just how strong I really am."

    The next moment he took the scarf over his head and threw it to the side.

    "Boom." The sound of a heavy object falling on the ground was heard and the ground slightly caved under the weight of the round scarf.

    Kakashi was surprised at that revtion. ''He was wearing weighted clothes?''

    "How much does that weigh?" The man asked.

    "500 Kilos." Daichi replied with a smirk.

    Kakashi and the watching Hokage were shocked as they heard how much it weighed.

    Daichi moved his head side to side and felt his shoulder pop. "I feel much better now. Been a long time since I took those off."

    "Well then, I suppose it''s my turn." With those words Kakashi simply lifted the clothing covering his left eye and that action alone would be enough to intimidate most but Daichi was not one of them. Kakashi revealed the Sharingan to his student for the first time.

    Daichi looked at the red eye with 3 tomoe and spoke. "Kakashi of the Sharingan, The Copy cat Ninja You got many names don''t you I''ve always wanted to fight you."

    Kakashi looked at Daichi and then became serious again. "Don''t get too overconfident. It will be your undoing."

    The boy smirked at that. He cracked his knuckles and spoke. "Funny. I was about to say the same thing."

    Killing Intent ignited again as both of them got ready for the second round of battle.

    ----------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 158: Battle with Kakashi 02

    Chapter 158: Battle with Kakashi 02

    An ominous wind passed through the training ground blowing the leaves all around the twobatants. Daichi took that as the metaphorical bell to start the second round of his fight. He flooded his body with chakra and sped towards Kakashi.

    With his Sharingan, Kakashi saw how Daichi spread chakra throughout his body and prepared to attack. ''He''sing.''

    Both of them were standing several meters apart but Daichi crossed that distance in a second. He sent a powerful punch infused with his chakra directly at Kakashi.

    The Jonin quickly raised and crossed his arms to block the fast and powerful attack. The punchnded on Kakashi''s forearm and the force of the attack pushed him backwards. He skidded several feet beforeing to a stop. He dropped his arms and looked at his student in wonder and renewed vignce..

    ''My arm is feeling numb. The power behind that punch. It was magnitudes higher than before. I had no idea he was holding back this much. If I block more attacks like that, then I won''tst for long.''

    At this time Daichi looked at Kakashi without a trace of emotion on his face. The next instant he vanished from view and the older man instantly ducked. He felt the wind pass and saw a leg sweep above him at high speed. Seeing Daichi miss and still in the air, Kakashi immediately took his chance and fought back. He infused chakra into his arm and sent a precise powerful punch at Daichi''s outer thigh intent to reduce the boy''s mobility. The punch struck its target but the next second Daichi burst into wooden pieces.

    ''Substitution.!''

    The man immediately jumped from his spot and expanded his senses. He sensed several projectilesing towards him at high velocity. ''If I use substitution then I''m pretty sure he''ll find and attack me again almost immediately.''

    Taking two kunais from his pouch, Kakashi expertly deflected all the weaponsing towards his vitals whilending safely. ''There he is.'' He sensed Daichi''s chakra and body flickered to the boy''s location.

    ''He found me!'' Daichi turned around and blocked the knife chop aimed at his head and sent a high kick that Kakashi blocked with his raised leg.

    The two began their Taijutsu bout with neither one gaining the advantage over the other. Daichi was using Analyze skill to understand Kakashi''s fighting style and attack patterns while Kakashi had the Sharingan predicting the path of Daichi''s movements. Those made it easier for him to parry or redirect the attacks.

    At that moment Daichi received several notifications that he looked from the corner of his eyes.

    [Mental intrusion detected.]

    [Gamer''s Mind has neutralized the attack.]

    ''He''s trying to cast Genjutsu on me. Too bad''

    Kakashi tried to ce one Genjutsu after another on Daichi but each one failed as soon as the chakra entered the boy''s system. The man narrowed his eyes as he looked at Daichi''s confident face. ''Genjutsu isn''t working on him. And he doesn''t even have to disturb his chakra flow. It''s almost as if he''s immune to it.''

    Kakashi stopped using that tactic to conserve his chakra.

    Daichi was keeping Kakashi at bay with abination of skills such as Sprint, Body flicker and chakra enhancement. ''This battle has only just begun. I can''t keep going at this intensity so early. I need to break away and create a few shadow clones But how?''

    Daichi tilted his head and evaded the strike to his face as he sent a stomp to the knee that was blocked.

    Both opponents were in a sort of stalemate due to them beginning to understand the other''s fighting techniques and Taijutsu style.

    Daichi decided to switch gears and see just how strong Kakashi''s Sharingan is. Daichi blocked and forcefully caught Kakashi''s fists and made several seals with his enemy. He began taking a deep breath as he held on to Kakashi''s fists. These actions only took less than 3 seconds.

    The Jonin''s eyes widened as he recognized the seals that were made. ''If he unleashes that jutsu at this close proximity I''ll take some serious damage.''

    Seeing theing danger Kakashi immediatelyshed out with a fast kick straight to Daichi''s chest. Daichi raised his knee and blocked the kick. But It was just a distraction as Kakashi gathered his chakra around his arms and turned it to lighting.

    The sudden lightning attack forced Daichi to let go of the man''s arms but his jutsu was ready. Kakashi jumped backwards as fast as he could just as Daichi unleashed a giant fire dragon from his mouth.

    ''Fire Style: Supreme Fire Dragon Jutsu.''

    The fire took the shape of a giant dragon head with an open mouth as it moved forward. It was a powerful fast moving attack that reduced everything in front of it to ashes. The jutsu followed Kakashi and sent several small fireballs from its body as Kakashi tried to change directions. The fast small ming balls forced Kakashi to move in a certain direction. The Jonin increased his speed and thus his distance from Daichi''s attack.

    The specialty of Daichi''s jutsu is that the caster can control the direction of the jutsu and can change its path if need be. It can also send small fireballs from its body ording to the caster''s desire.

    Daichi sensed Kakashi''s chakra moving away and he controlled the fire dragon to follow.

    Kakashi''s Jonin vest was a little burned from fire and aside from a few small light burns on his skin he was ultimately unhurt. He was moving as fast as he could and within a few secondsnded on theke flowing through the training ground.

    ''That attack is an A Rank jutsu and one on the higher ends of the scale. Daichi had something like that under his belt? That jutsu costs a great deal of chakra. He wouldn''t use something like that this early unless he was certain he could finish me or he thinks he has more chakra and can oust me.''

    Kakashi sensed the heat and saw the fire heading his way. ''There is only one way I can stop that.''

    He started going through several seals as fast as he could. The moment he reached the final seal the fire dragon was almost in front of him. Waiting no longer, Kakashi unleashed his jutsu.

    ''Water style: Water Dragon jutsu.''

    The water from the river surged upwards and immediately formed a blue dragon. Both Ninjutsu collided and there was a small explosion. Daichi kept pumping chakra into the attack and Kakashi did the same. But a few secondster, seeing that he entered another stalemate, Daichi cut the flow of chakra to the jutsu.

    Both attacks canceled one other out and a giant steam erupted from the epicenter of the jutsu. The steam spread everywhere covering most parts of the training ground.

    Daichi smirked as he looked at the steam. ''Everything is going ording to n.''

    He immediately created a few shadow clones and sent them in various directions. Their mission was to hide anywhere within the training ground and meditate.

    Daichi then created a water clone and sent it near the river where Kakashi was. The clone suppressed its energy and came near theke. Once it was close it went through some hand-seals and used a jutsu.

    Kakashi was standing atop theke taking several deep breaths of air. ''I knew he was strong but this is He was suppressing his chakra volume this whole time And this is only just the start.'' At that moment he sensed a presence. ''Daichi. He''s here.''

    Just as Kakashi was about to confront him he noticed that the mist around the ce was getting thicker. And it wasn''t just that. The mist had small amounts of chakra in it. The man''s eyes widened as he recognized the jutsu.

    ''Is this? Hidden mist jutsu! Where did he learn that?... Damn it. He''s trying to reduce my visibility.''

    At that moment Kakashi heard several weak explosions. ''What''s going on? It''s not a paper bomb... What is he trying to do?''

    At that moment Kakashi''s nose picked up a strong scent. The moment he smelled it he almost gagged and felt slightly dizzy. ''Agh! What the hell is that?'' A light bulb immediately went off in his head.

    ''He''s reducing my senses one by one. He''s blocked my senses of sight with the Mist and now my sense of smell Clever brat.''

    Kakashi used chakra to block the nasty scents now lingering in the forest. ''This is getting a little bit harder than I thought.''

    Somewhere in the forest the real Daichi smiled as he heard the sound of the small explosions going off throughout the ce. ''I knew he would find a way to escape my jutsu. I specifically used that technique to force Kakashi to go near theke. I was counting on his pride to confront my jutsu with his. And I was right. His pride didn''t allow him to run away from a Genin''s jutsu. And with arge water source nearby the best thing to do is attack with a water jutsu of simr strength. And the resulting mist gave me the chance to make my moves. Increasing the thickness of the mist with the Mist Jutsu and dropping special smoke bombs that can disrupt the sense of smell for hours. That provided a cover for my clones to hide and gather chakra''

    Daichi smirked as things went ording to his n. ''Move your enemy. Do not be moved by them Isn''t that what you taught me old man.'' Seeing that everything worked out he suppressed his chakra and disappeared into the forest.

    Kakashi looked around and all he could see was the mist. ''You won''t escape that easily Daichi.''

    Kakashi still had ways of finding his enemy. Due to his Sharingan he knew exactly where he was in the training ground and the entireyout of the terrain. He slowly walked forward and soon stepped on solid ground. He ced his hands on the ground, closed his eyes and concentrated. A few momentster he found what he was looking for. He sensed a chakra signature near him.

    ''He''s close. East.''

    The Jonin quietly made his way through the forest and soon found his target. He noticed that the thickness of the mist was a little bit less than the other ces. Kakashi got close enough just to see Daichi standing near theke with a hand-seal.

    ''He''s keeping up the jutsu. But to do it so openly. An obvious trap if there ever was one''

    The man took a closer look around the ce and then at the clone. With his Sharingan he realized something about the Daichi standing near the Lake. ''Water clone.''

    He made a few seals and created an earth clone. ''Well No point in wasting time.''

    The clone made a seal and went underground. The real one threw several shuriken at water clone Daichi and waited. His ears then picked up sounds of shurikening from another direction and the man smiled. ''There you are.''

    The real Daichi was hidden in the trees and was waiting for Kakashi to make his move. When he saw the weapons flying at his water clone he had found the location of his enemy. Daichi sent a few shurikens to deflect the weapons and it seeded.

    ''I can''t let you take out the clone Kakashi. Reducing visibility is to my advantage after all. And unlike shadow clones, when these ones disappear I don''t get the chakra back... Based on my Mana scout, he''s still there and hasn''t moved. He definitely knows my location. So why is he noting after me? Is he waiting for something?''

    Just as Daichi''s shuriken deflected the weapons thrown by Kakashi, several new weapons wereunched from a different area aimed at Daichi''s position. They had a few paper tags attached to them as well.

    Daichi heard the sound of wind and turned around. He heard the whistle of sharp weaponsing and immediately used substitution. A secondter the spot where he stood was riddled with shuriken, kunais and the paper bomb that blew up the ce dispersing some of the mist.

    At that moment when Daichi was distracted, Kakashi sessfully struck the clone and reduced it to a puddle of water.

    Kakashi turned and looked up at the boy standing on a tall branch looking down at him. ''Yesterday I rigged the whole field with weapons and traps. Traps that I could activate from almost anywhere in the forest. This test isn''t just about brute strength. It''s about tactics, intelligence and evasion skills.'' The next second Kakashi disappeared from his view.

    Daichi came to a realization as he looked at the spot where his sensei stood. ''Hit and run tactics. He cane for me directly but he''s trying to wear me down mentally. Survival Exam. That''s what he said this test is. I need to evade the traps he rigged here and avoid capture. Escaping from his attacks is the priority So this is going to be guerri warfare huh. So be it.''

    The next second Daichi vanished from his spot as well.

    ----------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 159: Battle with Kakashi - 03

    Chapter 159: Battle with Kakashi - 03

    Training ground 3 was slowly bing a warzone. Sparks were flying as weapons collided in the air. The ground and vegetation were getting destroyed as the two high level ninjas fought each other as if their lives depended on it.

    Daichi was running through the forest evading and deflecting the sharp weaponsing at him. As he gripped his dagger and deflected another shuriken he found his enemy. ''There.''

    Finding Kakashi''s location, Daichi increased his speed and rushed at him before the man could escape. Just as Daichi was on top of Kakashi a Rasengan formed in his hand.

    The man saw Daichiing a mile away. With the Sharingan he saw how Daichi''s chakra was beginning to gather in his hand. ''So he''s going to use that huh.''

    The Jonin went through the seals and the next second Kakashi''s arm lit up with lightning chakra. He focused his energy and increased its power. It looked like both of them were about to sh in a Ninjutsu strength contest but something else happened.

    Kakashi smirked and instead of directly confronting Daichi''s Rasengan he tilted his body to the side at thest possible moment and caught Daichi''s wrist in a firm grip. Without wasting a second on useless banter he thrusted his lightning coated arm to Daichi''s chest.

    His intention wasn''t to pierce through Daichi but to incapacitate him. Kakashi swiftly ced his arm on Daichi''s chest and before the boy could retaliate, the Jonin sent lightning throughout his student''s body electrocuting him.

    "Grr" Daichi gritted his teeth for a few seconds before vanishing in a puff of smoke. The man''s eyes narrowed at this revtion.

    At that moment he felt several chakra threads connecting to his back and the next moment he had a taste of his own medicine. Daichi was standing a few feet behind Kakashi and was channeling lightning chakra through his chakra strings.

    Daichi ran lightning through the man''s body for several seconds. But the next moment the Kakashi in front of him turned to lightning and through the chakra strings connected, reached Daichi and struck him.

    Feeling electricity course through his body, Daichi couldn''t hold on anymore and vanished in a puff of smoke. Silence came as the short fight ended and the two fierce ninjas vanished.

    Memories of the two clones came to Daichi who was on the other side of the forest. ''That guy. He tried to fool me into thinking that he thought the one with the Rasengan was the real deal and was trying to knock him out. A feint in the hopes that I would personally show up to attack him from behind. Too bad for you it was a clone that did that.''

    Kakashi, who was hidden deep in the earth, realized that his trap failed. He had switched with a lightning clone at the moment Daichi''s clone vanished and was waiting for his chance. ''So he didn''t take the bait huh Almost 4 hours have passed since the test began. I can''t slow down now. I need to push him and not give an inch.''

    The Jonin ninja, using Earth Burrow Jutsu, moved beneath the ground and came up a short distance away. Once on top of solid ground he took several deep breaths and steadied himself. ''I need to get back into shape. I can''t believe I let myself ck off so much since I left the Anbu. If a kid like him could force me to this state in just a few hours Che! This is embarrassing. But no time to think about that now.''

    Kakashi took a small whiff and he sensed that the stinky smoke hadrgely dispersed. ''Time to find the little brat.''

    He sent chakra to his nose and ears and expanded his senses. He crouched down and ced his hands on the ground and closed his eyes as he concentrated. Several secondster he began sensing his enemy.

    ''One Two Three. Seven I can sense seven Daichi hidden throughout the forest. But none of them are moving. Strange They could all be clones or one of them could be the real one. But as soon as I make a move on one of them the others will know and they might hide again. And I can''t hit all of them at once Well. Not without wasting some chakra anyway A conundrum indeed.''

    After thinking about it for a short while he made a decision. ''This isn''t ideal but I''ll see what he''s doing.''

    Creating 7 shadow clones, he hid and sent them to Daichi''s locations. Each clone soon reached their target and several small skirmishes began in the training ground.

    As the fight progressed one of his clones was dispelled. Kakashi went through the memories and information he received. ''He was meditating but as soon as he saw me he engaged inbat. And his chakra. He was generating more chakra during his meditation Is that what he''s been doing? Expanding his chakra coils and increasing his reserves? That would exin some things But why would he do something like that right now?''

    At that moment Kakashi realized something else. ''The chakra of the shadow clones, they return to their caster. If he can generate chakra and then''

    The man''s eyes widened in shock as he realized one of Daichi''s abilities. ''He can replenish his reserves with his shadow clones in the middle of the battle and thus his stamina! So that''s why he wasing at me with such ferocity from the start. He knows he can oust me Can''t let that happen.''

    At that moment he heard the sounds of weapons flying and the sh of steel. The Sharingan ninja rushed to the location just in time to see one of his clones vanish. The memories came and with it an important piece of information. ''Thats the real one.''

    Seeing the maning directly at him, Daichi bolted from the ce with the Jonin chasing him.

    Daichi nced at the man catching up to him. ''He''s got some extremely sharp senses to find me so quickly. And with his speed This was bound to happen sooner orter.''

    At that moment Daichi was forced to quickly change paths to avoid the shuriken his enemy threw. His eyes took in the devastation the weapons left in their wake.

    ''Shit. He coated them with lightning chakra. This guy is seriously trying to kill me.''

    Kakashi was closing in and he began weaving seals. He stopped and ced his hands on the ground.

    Daichi looked behind him and was confused. ''What the heck is he doing?''

    The Jonin''s chakra surged as he used his technique. ''Earth Style: Mud Wall.''

    Arge curved wall quickly sprung up in front of Daichi intent on blocking his path.

    Despite there being a thick earthen wall in front of him Daichi didn''t slow down. He remembered Tsunade''s teachings and gathered chakra in his fist. The moment he neared the structure he punched it with all his might and released the chakra upon contact.

    "BOOM."

    Kakashi''s eyes widened. ''He punched right through with that ease To do something like that He must have learned that technique from Lady Tsunade.''

    Daichi sted therge wall and sent chunks of broken rocks flying. But the moment he passed through, he heard the sound of something simr to birds chirping. ''Is that what I think it is?''

    Daichi saw another Kakashi appearing with Chidori concentrated on his right palming for him. Both of them were moving at high speed and would collide in less than a few seconds. Without wasting another moment Daichi created a Rasengan in his hand and got ready.

    Up in the tower the Hokage watching the battle tensed as he saw what was happening. ''Kakashi I hope you know what you''re doing.''

    Chidori and Rasengan shed the next second and with an explosive bang. The chaotic lightning and the tightly contained ball of chakra battled one another for supremacy. The ground cracked from the force of the jutsu impact. Lightning arched and wind blew all across the ce destroying the nearby trees, rocks and anything else in their paths.

    Daichi gritted his teeth and held his ground. When he looked at his teacher he saw a grim determination in those eyes that reminded the boy of himself. But even in this moment he kept a vignce over the real Kakashi dozen meters behind him. He needed to be ready when the man wouldunch a strike from behind.

    Though the worry Daichi had was unnecessary. The moment the real Kakashi took a step forward, he fell to one knee. He clenched his Sharingan eye shut and had to take several deep breaths of air. ''This kid is forcing me to expend more chakra. So he must have already made a guess that the Sharingan costs too much chakra to maintain for long.'' At that moment Kakashi''s shadow clones dispelled and he got confirmation that all of Daichi''s clones were destroyed.

    Having made a decision he took a Ration pill from his pouch and ate it. A few secondster he let out a breath of air feeling the pill quickly doing its work. Kakashi just knelt there resting for as much time as he could, looking at the confrontation taking ce ahead.

    Daichi received the memories and chakra of clones and grimaced. ''I didn''t think he''d take out the clones so quickly. But still I got some chakra back. So that''s a good thing.''

    At that moment the Sharingan wielding ninja with the chidori looked at Daichi and spoke. Even through the loud sounds of their battling jutsu, Daichi was able to clearly hear his sensei. "Your talent is undeniable. But to surpass me It won''t be that easy."

    "Haa." Kakashi increased his chakra output and thus the strength of his lightning attack and began pushing Daichi back.

    The ground cracked more around Daichi''s feet and he began to slide backwards. Daichi increased the chakra throughout his whole body and poured some more to his Rasengan making it bigger. ''NO! I won''t be defeated. I will never experience that feeling again.''

    With the increase in power Daichi firmly stood his ground and red at his foe. "I have a goal to conquer. So no matter who it is that gets in my way, no matter how strong my enemies are, I will never let myself BE DEFEATED!."

    Putting everything he had, Daichi pushed forward and because of therge energies from the two techniques, the next moment they violently exploded between the two. A shockwave was created that spread throughout the training ground forest with the ground at the epicenter of the explosion destroyed and charred.

    Kakashi''s clone was destroyed and Daichi was blown backwards where the real Jonin was waiting for him.

    [-366 HP]

    [Debuff - Right arm temporarily paralyzed.]

    [Negative Status - Bleeding, Several Muscles Torn, Burns.]

    Daichi''s special ck sses broke and some of his clothes got torn. But the major injuries were on his right arm. It was wounded in the sh and had burn marks, charred skin in several ces, bleeding and had a few muscles torn. His regeneration powers were kicking in and slowly healing the wounds but for the moment Daichi was reduced to fighting with one arm.

    Daichi used chakra strings to reorient himself and bleed off his body''s momentum. He came to a stop a few feet in front of his sensei. Daichi looked at the man but was conscious of his wounds and wanted to fight in a way that wouldn''t aggravate them.

    ''Even with all the damage reduction effects, I still took this many injuries? Unbelievable Still, I have some contingencies in ce if something like this ever happened.''

    Kakashi looked at Daichi and even though he inwardly bemoaned the state he put the boy in, he didn''t show it on his face. His expression was one of cold indifference. "I warned you to not get overconfident. Now look at you. Down an arm and unable to defend yourself."

    Daichi chuckled hearing those words. "Haha True. I''m down an arm. But by no means am I defenseless."

    At that moment Kakashi noticed several green chakra stringsing from the forest. Thinking that it was an attack aimed at him, Kakashi jumped and gained some distance but that was a miscalction. The man''s Sharingan showed that the chakra strings were not made from the 5 Nature elements.

    The Jonin took a closer look at those green strings of energy. ''What is that?''

    The strings quickly attached to Daichi''s wounded arm and they began to do their work. In seconds, small steam started to erupt from the arm and wounds began closing at a visible speed. The charred skin peeled off and was reced with new ones. Daichi winced as he felt some pain but he knew it would onlyst a short while.

    Kakashi was astonished with this new ability Daichi disyed. ''Healing from a distance. And using clone and chakra strings as a medium. That''s actually brilliant.''

    He saw the wounds closing on the boy''s arm and he focused his attention back on the battle. He quickly took off towards Daichi. Trying to stop him frompletely healing himself. ''Damn. I can''t let him finish healing... How did a clone escape my senses? I thought I got all of them.''

    Kakashi reached Daichi and thrust his chakra coated kunai at the strings. Daichi blocked it with his dagger but he wasn''t able to stop the second one due to his condition.

    Daichi quickly jumped backwards and gained some distance while the clone that hid appeared and attacked Kakashi. Seeing his sensei distracted, Daichi used his speed skills and got away.

    Kakashi evaded the dagger swings and quickly broke through the clone''s defense turning him into smoke. The man looked around and sighed. ''Gone. And by the time I find him, I have no doubt he''ll be fully healed But still I''m curious How did this clone avoid my detection when others didn''t''

    ----------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 160: Battle with Kakashi - Conclusion

    Chapter 160: Battle with Kakashi - Conclusion

    Kakashi went to a nearby tree and sat down under the shade. He closed his Sharingan eye and took in a few deep breaths. He felt some relief after drinking some water from a small bottle stored in his pouch.

    Hiruzen was watching the battle from time to time. He was impressed with how Daichi survived so far. ''Kensei and Tsunade taught him well. To push Kakashi like this He''s no doubt beyond Chunin. I made the right choice passing him.''

    Kakashi took a few minutes break to catch his breath and recuperate some energy. ''Based on his Medical skills, I''m sure he''s already healed himself.''

    Letting out a long breath he stood up, and bit his thumb. With the needed blood as sacrifice he spread the bloody thumb on a scroll and began to make several seals. Once he reached the final seal he mmed his palm on the ground. ''Summoning jutsu.''

    In arge puff of smoke 8 dogs of all sizes appeared wearing ninja gear.

    "Hey guys." The man smiled looking at his ninja dogs.

    The small pug sitting on top of therge ck dog took a look at his summoner and was taken back.

    "What happened to you Kakashi?" The small dog asked in a deep, gruff voice.

    "Hey. Pakkun"

    "What''s going on?"

    "Well, I''m currently putting my student through a survival exam."

    The dogs looked around the ce and noted the destruction. "Must be one hell of an exam." One of them said.

    "Yeah" Kakashi took a piece of clothing and handed it to Pakkun.

    "I took this during our battle. I need you guys to track him. He''s somewhere inside this Training ground."

    Pakkun took a whiff of the torn piece of clothing and concentrated on the smell Once he had the scent he closed his eyes and searched for his target.

    A few secondster the ninja dog opened his eyes and spoke. "Got him. West of here."

    Kakashi nodded. "Track him and capture. But be careful. He''s strong and he has powerful senses."

    "Understood." With those words the ninja dogs disappeared.

    -

    Daichi got away from his enemy and stopped near the border of the training field. ''Kakashi will take at least a few minutes to rest. His Sharingan must be taking its toll on his body by now. So this is my chance.''

    He created a shadow clone and sat down, controlled his breathing and within a minute entered the meditative state. His clone began healing his injuries and his meditation skill fastened the healing effects. ''Now that I can enter meditation quickly it helps with healing wounds and speeding up the chakra and health regen.''

    In just several minutes the debuff notifications vanished and his arm was fully healed. Daichi took a medical pill from his inventory and quickly ate it. ''That will ensure my body will have the Protein and Vitamins needed for healing otherrge wounds. I have a feeling I''m going to need it.''

    "How do you feel?" The shadow clone asked as it took a step back and asked his creator.

    "Not bad considering the situation. I''ll go hide and rest some more. I need you to distract Kakashi." Daichi told his counterpart.

    Replying with a nod, the clone took off in Kakashi''s direction.

    As the real Daichi stood up and was about to leave the ce, several ninja dogs burst out of the ground and bit down on his body. 2 dogs mped their jaws on each of his arms and another 2 held on to his legs. Arge ck dog was on Daichi''s back with his jaws near the boy''s neck.

    Daichi was surprised as he waspletely trapped. ''Shit! I didn''t even sense their movements underground. And because I didn''t use Mana scout they escaped my detection. But even so, to escape my senses, these ninja hounds must be pretty exceptional.''

    At that moment another small dog appeared out of the ground. He looked at the trapped prey and narrowed his eyes. ''So this is the student. Kakashi was right. I can already tell from his chakra This kid is extremely dangerous.''

    Daichi recognized the dogs around him. Especially the one that made thetest appearance. ''Pakkun. So Kakashi actually summoned them huh He''s actually kinda cute.''

    "Do you wanna touch my paw?" Pakkun suddenly asked him.

    "What?" Daichi was slightly taken back by the question.

    "My paw. Do you wanna touch it? It''s soft" The small pug raised its right front leg and showed Daichi it''s paw.

    Daichi gave arge innocent and angelic smile and replied. "Sure. I''ll touch your paw. It looks so smooth and it does look soft. If you just tell your buddies to let go I''ll shake your paw. I''ll even pet you. Dogs are my favorite, you know."

    "Aww really?" Pakkun tilted his head and smiled at the boy.

    "Yup."

    "Ok. But I''ll let you go after the test. Then you can pet me." The small dog had a smirk on his face as he replied.

    "Damn it!" Daichi''s smile fell and he mumbled.

    At that moment sounds of battle were hearding from the direction his clone took off. Itsted for a dozen seconds before the forest became silent again. Daichi got the memories of his vanquished clone and almost cursed. ''Kakashi went for killing blows and quickly finished off the clone. He must want to end this now. I''m not gonna give you that chance.''

    A few secondster footsteps were heard and Kakashi''s form became visible to all. He walked with his hands in his pocket, his Sharingan eye closed and a nonchnt look on his face. Once he reached the spot he looked at Daichi and spoke.

    "You''ve done well in this test. Far better than I had thought. But this is where it ends." Kakashi spoke with a serious tone.

    Despite the situation he found himself in, Daichi still managed to smile. "Do you really believe that?" He asked the man.

    The Jonin wasn''t surprised at the boy''s defiance. He half expected it. "I do. And you think you can escape this situation because you don''t understand it. Those are ninja dogs that are currently biting down on your body. And since you''re a great medic I''m sure you already know where their teeth are currently resting."

    With that the man opened his Sharingan eye again.

    Daichi narrowed his eyes and replied after a second. "My vital areas."

    The man nodded. "Exactly. Now before you do anything rash, you should listen to what I have to say"

    The Jonin paused and taking Daichi''s silence as a yes, he continued.

    "If you make one move, try to gather chakra for a jutsu, I will know and before you can even execute it, I will give them the order to tear you apart. These dogs are specially trained to take down even high level shinobi. They will tear through flesh and bone and can rip their target to pieces onmand. Your neck, the muscles, arteries, bones and veins through your arms and legs, once they chomp down you''ll receive critical injuries and you''ll bleed to death in seconds."

    Daichi raised an eyebrow at the grim picture Kakashi just painted. He had a n but for it to work he needed to turn off the Gamer''s Mind. ''I need to test something. Turning off the Gamer''s Mind is the only way. It''s not the best move but it''s my only option.''

    Daichi mentally opened the options panel and turned off the Gamer''s Mind.

    He then asked the man a question with a small smile. "Would you really kill me?"

    "During this test, yes. If ites to it I will." Kakashi replied without hesitation. "This is a survival exam. I told you from the start. I''ll being with the intent to kill Now, we can avoid that if you just surrender."

    At that question Daichi looked down and he couldn''t help but chuckle. "Hihihihi. HAHAHAHA..." The small chuckle quickly turned into full blownughter. Kakashi was taken back by Daichi''s unexpected response.

    Pakkun and the other dogs became weary. Their animal instincts were predicting aing danger but they weren''t sure what.

    A few secondster theughter died down and Daichi looked at the man. He had a dangerous and maniac smile on his face that set Kakashi on edge.

    "Kakashi" Pakkun called out his name in a slightly scared tone. The small ninja pug had a feeling things were about to get a lot more dangerous. Kakashi ignored him and kept his attention on his student.

    "Do you remember?" Daichi asked the man at that moment.

    "Remember what?"

    "What I told you that day? During the Genin exam When you had me pinned down with my arm behind my back?"

    At that, Kakashi remembered the memory of that moment. He clearly recalled the words Daichi said to him. ''You have no idea of the strength of my resolve.''

    Daichi looked at the man with a dangerous grin on his face. "I have no intention of dying for the foreseeable future. And even if I somehow do It won''t be from a few dog bites."

    Kakashi''s danger sense, born from years of facing strong enemies, suddenly reared its head. The hairs on his body suddenly stood as he felt the rise of an ominous intent.

    Daichi emitted a powerful Killing Intent that spread throughout the area petrifying everyone in their spot.

    Due to turning off the Gamer''s Mind and amplifying the strength of his emotions, the effects of his special stats and with a small bit of chakra mixed in, his intent became sufficiently potent and much stronger than most.

    Kakashi''s eyes widened as he felt the strength of Daichi''s murderous intent. ''What is this? How can he produce such powerful killing intent?''

    Daichi''s flowing aura contained the helplessness and rage he felt in thest day of his previous life, his desire to live as he bled out in the street, his strong resolve to survive as he battled the various powerful enemies throughout the years and the cold merciless brutally he was willing to unleash on his enemies.

    [Skill Killing Intent''s level has risen by one.]

    [Skill Killing Intent''s level has risen by one.]

    .

    .

    .

    [Skill Killing Intent''s level has risen by one.]

    .

    .

    .

    His intent concentrated on the dogs biting down on him for a few seconds and then it just vanished. Once the killing intent was gone, Daichi only spoke two words in a small soft tone.

    "Let go."

    Even though they were spoken in a soft tone without killing intent, they had a massive impact on the ninja dogs. Their natural animal instincts overcame their training and all of the ninja dogs let go of Daichi and the next second ran away as fast as they could, disappearing into the forest.

    Daichi turned his eyes to thest remaining dog. Pakkun saw no mercy in those orbs staring down at him.

    "Get lost. Or I''ll kill you."

    Pakkun looked into Daichi''s eyes and understood. ''He really will kill me I need to'' The small pug tried to move his body but it''s legs wouldn''t move. They were petrified in fear. And that fear showed on its face.

    The next second the small dog was safe in Kakashi''s arms. "It''s going to be okay Pakkun. You''re safe." Kakashi gently stroked Pakkun''s body and calmed him down.

    "Pakkun. Thank you for your help. I''ll take it from here. Go find the rest of them and return home." Kakashi said with a smile.

    Daichi didn''t make a move and just looked at the scene. He turned on his Gamer''s Mind and reigned in his emotions. Several notifications appeared at that moment but he didn''t pay them any attention.

    Now that he was free and thinking more clearly he felt slightly bad for scaring them like that. ''I should get them a treat as an apology after this.''

    The small dog looked at Kakashi in sadness. "Sorry Kakashi."

    "Don''t apologize. You did what I asked. You found him and trapped him. You guys did well. Now, find the others and get home. Once I''m done here I''ll call you guys back for a well deserved snack." The man had a gentle smile as he replied.

    Pakkun nodded and disappeared into the forest the next second.

    Once hisst summon disappeared, Kakashi looked at his student. ''So that''s what happens when someone pushes you to the edge huh.''

    "Thank you for not attacking them. They won''t interfere anymore. This will be just between you and me." The Jonin''s tone and expression didn''t show any rage at what had just happened.

    Daichi slightly narrowed his eyes and looked at the man. "You don''t sound angry at what I did to your friends."

    Kakashi let out a breath and replied. "I told you toe at me with everything you got. And your goal is to survive till the end of this test. You did as I asked. I can''t fault you for that."

    But a secondter his eyes narrowed and he clenched his fist. "But that doesn''t mean I''m not pissed off at what you did to them."

    No more words were spoken as in the next second both of them rushed at each other and began their attack.

    Kakashi blocked Daichi''s punch and pped away another. He thrust his fingers intending to target the nerve bundle in Daichi''s chest but was blocked by the boy''s high kick. The Sharingan eyed ninja bent low and did a leg sweep to unbnce Daichi but he jumped and brought the other leg high in the air down onto the man''s shoulder with enough force bringing Kakashi to his knee.

    The man swiftly grabbed and tightly held on to the leg on his shoulders and he ran to the nearest tree and mmed Daichi into it. The speed at which Kakashi mmed him destroyed the tree and before Daichi could respond Kakashi attacked with a palm thrust right towards Daichi''s chin.

    With his head snapped upwards Daichi was unable to properly defend himself and the next moment he felt a strong punch bury itself in his diaphragm. "GHAA"

    Without wasting another second after the chin strike, with precision Kakashi bypassed Daichi''s wild defense blocks and struck a blow to the boy''s abdomen, taking away his air. He quickly followed it up with several punches to the ribs and upper body.

    Daichi had the wind knocked out of him and felt the blows wrecking his body. His breathing became unstable and he coughed a few times. His vision went blurry for a second but he held on. Using every ounce of will power and survival instinct he unleashed chakra threads from his arms and attached to a nearby tree and pulled himself from the spot, thereby barely dodging a kick from his opponent that would have buried him in the ground.

    Kakashi followed his student but before he could continue with his assaults Daichi managed to create over a dozen shadow clones. One began to heal Daichi while the rest surrounded the Jonin ninja.

    The clone at the back ced his palms on the real Daichi and started emitting green chakra. It quickly and meticulously checked Daichi''s condition. ''Difficulty in breathing due to the spasm of Diaphragm. But no tears or other injuries in that area. Now moving upward 3 cracked ribs and a bruised sternum.''

    The real Daichi took a few deep breaths of air and got his breathing under control while his clone worked on healing the injured ribs and sternum.

    At that moment Daichi was watching his clones get torn apart with speed and precision. ''Despite having a numerical advantage my clones are getting destroyed. When getting attacked Kakashi grabs and uses one to take out another. And his Taijutsu is almost wless He was a former Anbu Captain. So I guess I should have expected this much''

    Kakashi meticulously took out the clones one by one with Taijutsu. He avoided their Ninjutsu and due to the Sharingan their Genjutsu techniques did nothing to slow him down. He dodged the chakra strings flying at him and jumped to the side to evade the wind bullets. But the moment his feet touched the ground two hands suddenly appeared and grabbed on to him. The next second a fireball from behind came and sted him but Daichi''s clones realized that the man used substitution jutsu.

    But it was toote as the ground around the three clones suddenly turned into swamp and fast lightning chakra coated shuriken came and pierced through them the next instance.

    Only the real Daichi and the healing clone remained. But the real Daichi was healed and stood next to his doppelganger. Not nning on staying there any longer, they dropped smoke bombs on their location covering their two figures. The next second two Daichi''s rushed in opposite directions.

    Kakashi and his shadow clone watched the two disappear and followed after them.

    The real Kakashi took off and as he swiftly moved through the trees, he threw a kunai that cut a wire hidden in the branches of a tree.

    Daichi, who was ahead, sensed movement from a bush and quickly dodged the weapons flying in his direction. At that moment he received the memories of his clone and was not happy. ''He took out my clone already?''

    As the boy jumped to another branch Daichi''s heightened senses allowed him to sense his teachering from above intending to strike him down. Daichi flipped in mid air and blocked the knee strike that was aimed at his back. His hands went through seals as he sent a roundhouse kick that Kakashi blocked.

    A small but fast fireball jutsu came from Daichi and struck the man in the face but the next second charred wooden pieces rained. Daichi was getting annoyed at that. ''Sometimes I hate that Jutsu.''

    He backflipped andnded on the ground but something unexpected happened. He had an uneasy feeling just before his feet touched the soil and his intuition was right. The instant his feet touched the earth, several paper bombs lit up around the ground he was standing on and exploded the next second.

    Daichi watched from a nearby tree and felt the shockwave from the st pass him by. ''But sometimes I love that Jutsu.''

    He tilted his head to the side and grabbed the arm that tried to attack him from behind. Daichi used Kakashi''s momentum and sent an elbow strike backwards to the man''s chest and dispelled him. He jumped down from the tree and avoided the small rain of shuriken thatnded in his previous spot.

    A secondter the real Kakashi appeared in front of him. Both looked at each other and resumed their battle. Daichi was using Analyze skill on Kakashi and now after hours of battling the man he knew how the Jonin fought.

    The battle continued with both of them trying to bring down the other. During the chaotic fight Daichi was able to create a few clones and escape the ce but minutester he sensed that Kakashi was onto him. He created three more and had them move in different directions but still felt that Kakashi was on his tail.

    ''Once is happenstance, twice is coincidence but three times is enemy action. How does he know I''m the real one?''

    The Jonin ninja caught up to his student and they shed for a while. Daichi had to use several skills that amplified his speed to escape the situation once again but the Mana scout indicated that his enemy was on his tracks.

    ''How is he following me? I managed to drop a few stink bombs around the ce and made sure to disappear from his line of sight. But he''s still tracking me. How?''

    As this thought came to Daichi''s head he stopped and looked at himself. He quickly checked himself over and soon found a small piece of paper tucked in his pocket. He saw a seal engraved on it.

    He used ''Observe'' on the item and cursed. ''Son of a bitch. A tracking seal. I didn''t even know he had something like this.''

    Daichi quickly destroyed the seal and checked his body if there were any more. Finding none, he let out a sigh but that relief was short lived as the tree near him exploded sending him flying through several other trees.

    "Ghaa"

    Daichinded and rolled on the ground a few times before coating his hand in lightning chakra and grabbed the earth to bleed off the momentum.

    His ears were ringing but he was able to raise his hand and block the punch that came with his forearm. Another bout of Taijutsu battle began but due to Daichi''s less than ideal conditions he took several blows and was only able to partially defend himself. ''Damn it. He''s too good. I can barely defend myself let alone attack. He''s going for my pressure points and nerves. He''s trying to paralyze me like the old man did at the end of our fight.''

    Kakashi had great respect for Daichi. Especially after seeing what he was capable of in this test. ''Even after taking an explosion near him, he''s still able to defend like this. How hard must he have trained to achieve such tenacity and will. He is definitely the best in his generation. With all his skills and his growth rate there is no one who will be able to match him I''ve been burning my chakra at a fast pace. I won''t be able to hold on if I continue at this rate. I need to end this now.''

    Wanting to finish the fight before running out of steam, Kakashi sent a speedy fist to the boy''s chest but the next second Daichi turned into broken wooden pieces. ''Shit. He escaped. His use of substitution jutsu is impressive.''

    Kakashi was about to give chase but he noticed something. He narrowed his eyes and concentrated. ''I can''t track him. So he found the seal. I was hoping to end this before that had happened but Seems I have no choice''

    Kakashi let out several long breaths and decided to take a short break and recuperate his energy.

    ---

    Meanwhile as Kakashi was resting, Daichi moved through the training ground as fast as he could. Only stopping after several minutes. He let out a breath and dropped to his knees. He had been using intense stamina skills, various Ninjutsu and Genjutsu to fight on equal terms with his foe.

    ''I had to fight with overwhelming force and intensity to match Kakashi andpensate for his years of experience and skill. My health isn''t a problem but my chakra and stamina are starting to run low. I''m down to a little over 35%... But first things first. I need to find the traps he has hidden in the forest and either disable them or try to use them to my advantage. I can''t get caught like that again But for that I need to scour the whole forest and Kakashi will be waiting for me I''ll have to use Mana scout but I need to use it sparingly''

    Daichi thought about the points stored up but decided not to use them. He didn''t want to see them as a crutch or a safety whenever he ran into trouble.

    Daichi created a few clones and had them meditate for as long as they could while he went to look for the traps Kakashi nted. Before long he came across one. He looked around and saw that it wouldunch shuriken and kunai with a few paper tags in a certain direction. Just as he was about to enter and disable the trap he stopped himself. He had a thought that ran through his mind that froze him in his tracks.

    ''Always look underneath the underneath. That''s his mantra Could it be''

    Without moving, Daichi carefully looked around the whole ce with a critical eye. As he was carefully searching he noticed a ninja wire painted green running through the leaves. He followed the wire and soon found that he was right.

    ''That bastard. He rigged a trap around the boobytrap. If I were to disarm the first one the second would go off. And he made the first one somewhat easier to find so that I wouldn''t look deeper and find the hidden one. That sly motherfucker He''s clever I have to give him that.''

    He looked around to see if there were more traps but after a while he found none.

    Daichi jumped back and gained some distance. ''Well, if I can''t disarm it, then the next best thing to do is let it go off. But this time it will be on my terms.'' He took a few kunai and sent them at the wires of the trap.

    -

    Kakashi raised his head and looked to the side as he heard the sound of an explosion followed by the wind blowing through the ce. "So he found one of the traps huh. I wonder if he got caught or if he saw through it?"

    Kakashi got up and went to the location. He didn''t find Daichi but the next moment he heard the sounds of shuriken hitting a tree trunk near him. By the time he reached the ce Daichi was already gone.

    ''It seems he saw through my little ruse. Well, he isn''t exactly dumb so I half expected that. Based on the location of the two traps that were triggered, he''s moving south. Unless I''m wrong he must have already reached the next one I set there. I''ll intercept him at the fourth one.''

    Kakashi moved quickly and took a long round path with the idea to confront Daichi when he reached the ce. But contrary to his expectations he didn''t see Daichi and after several minutes heard another one of his traps go off in apletely different direction. The man narrowed his eyes and then sighed in frustration.

    ''This kid is starting to be a real pain. I could have been at home reading my books but no. I had to take this seriously I''m beginning to regret this whole thing.''

    -

    Daichi smiled as he set off another trap. ''When I checked the location on my Mini Map it was obvious that the traps were set in a certain order with a simr distance between each one. You thought you could track me like this? I won''t be that easy to manipte''

    Daichi then moved in a random direction in search of the next trap. At that moment he got the chakra and memories of a clone that was dispelled by Kakashi. ''Hmm Seems he''s starting to get frustrated. Ha! That''s what you get when you mess with me, you walking scarecrow.''

    -

    The cat and mouse game continued for hours. The two ninjas often confronted each other and would then disappear into the forest. Kakashi took another Ration pill to keep up with the chakra demands of his body and Daichi created clones to generate chakra, stamina and health points for him. The contest of strength now turned into one of tracking, evasion and capture. The Jonin would try to capture Daichi and woulde close several times but the boy would find some ways to escape.

    The sun went down and the moon slowly began to rise in the sky. The darkness of the night was often illuminated by a fireball or a lightning strike. The sounds of trees and rocks getting crushed by winds and water jutsu could be heard. And if one was near the ce they would often feel the movements of the ground as if there was a small earthquake happening.

    Daichi was sitting under a tree with his back resting against itsrge wide trunk. He was breathing hard as the intensity was starting to take its toll on him. ''Come on. How much longer?''

    As if to answer his prayers the sound of an rm bell going off was clearly heard throughout the training ground. ''Fucking Finally. It''s over. I won I haven''t gotten the end of quest reward yet but it must be because it''s not officially acknowledged by Kakashi But it''s not that big of a deal. The bell rang. And I won. That''s all that matters''

    Daichi chuckled andid on the ground. He took several breaths and looked at the sky. He soon stopped smiling and sat up. ''Time to see this through.''

    -

    Kakashi was at the clearing of training ground 3 near the three stumps waiting for his student. He reached the ce a minute after the rm went off. A couple minutester he saw his student appear in a body flicker.

    The man smiled as he looked at his student. His headband covered the Sharingan eye and the serious intent that was around him earlier wasn''t present as if it was never there to begin with. "Well, I have to admit. I am impressed. You survived till the bell went off. To be honest I didn''t see thating."

    Daichi smiled as he looked at the man. "You really put me through the ringer sensei. And you almost had me too if it weren''t for some lucky breaks I had"

    Kakashi sighed as he scratched his head. "Well it doesn''t matter how but you survived. So congrattions, you pass. Now, I''m going home and gonna take a long bath. I''ll see youter Daichi."

    "A bath does sound rxing. I could use that. Good night sensei." Daichi smiled and turned around. He only took a step forward before he felt a kunai to his throat.

    Daichi slowly tilted his head and looked at his teacher. "What''s going on? You said I passed."

    Kakashi once again had the cold expression he had during the test. "Never trust anything your enemy says. They don''t y by your rules."

    "You said the test is over once the rm rings"

    "Did I say that? Think back to what I said carefully."

    Daichi recalled every word Kakashi said when they met in the morning. "You just ced the clock on the stump. You never did say that the rm would signify the end of the test. You just wanted me to think that."

    "Exactly. I said this test would be over exactly at midnight. I set the rm to go off 15 minutes before midnight. So technically this is still not over"

    Daichi was silent as he heard the words. Kakashi, not wanting the boy to feel depressed, spoke in a somewhat gentle tone. "When in prolongedbat our mental state gets worse and after some time we look for a way to finish the battle quickly or to escape. And in that desperate moment people often choose an easier path that opens up that willter be a trap You were bing tired and wanted to finish this quickly. So when you heard the rm ring your subconscious mind told you that it''s safe. You let your guard down. It''s something that happens to almost every person. It''s not something we can control You did splendidly in this exam. You have nothing to be ashamed about Now that being said I win."

    Daichi heard the speech and he slightly chuckled. The man narrowed his eyes and looked at the kid.

    Daichi spoke after calming down. "You''re right. It''s something that happens to almost every person."

    "But I''m not one of them." That voice came from behind Kakashi.

    The Jonin''s one visible eye widened and he looked behind and saw another Daichi with two daggers positioned millimeters away from his kidneys. The Jonin looked at the one he held at knife point and came to a realization. ''A shadow clone.''

    "How?" The man asked.

    "Even before I joined the Academy, I trained hard. And after I joined that ce my training time only increased. I''ve spent so many days training till midnight and then some. I trained till I was on my knees struggling to take the next breath. Once I was done I would spend some time looking at the sky. At the stars and at the moon. I did remember that you specifically said the exam ends at midnight. Before I came here I happened to look at the moon. I noted its position and realized that you set the rm early. And knowing your personality, I knew it was another trap."

    Kakashi had to fight off a smile as he heard that. ''This kid''

    "You said that as our situation worsens so does our desperation and the need for a way out. I''m not someone who would make such a careless mistake and I don''t think you''re the kind of person who would make an error in judgment like that as well So why didn''t you use a shadow clone to confront me " The boy asked his sensei.

    Kakashi sighed and replied to that question. "If I had used a Shadow clone, and it turned out you had fallen into my trap then I would have won and the test would have ended immediately. But if it was a clone then we would have been in a stalemate and I doubt I could have found the real you and subdued you in the remaining short time. And I would have ended the test then and there Either way this test was bound to end quickly. I didn''t see a need to waste anymore of my chakra and so I came by myself."

    He took the kunai off clone Daichi''s throat and ced it in his pouch.

    "Ohe on. We don''t know who will win for certain. We still have a few minutes before midnight. Wanna try your luck?" Daichi asked the man as he took a few steps back.

    "No. I''m good. You pass Daichi. For real this time. There''s no point in continuing this."

    At that moment Daichi received a system message.

    [Quest ''Pass the Survival Test'' Completed.]

    ---------------

    Author''s Note:

    Oh Man. Finally! It''spleted. Even after writing 3 chapters with over 2K words, it still took another chapter with over 5.6k words to finish the whole battle.

    This is my longest chapter in the series yet. A whopping 5.6k word count chapter without status page or skill list mentioned. That''s a first.

    Now that I''ve posted the whole battle sequence, I''M curious as to the response. Did you guys enjoy it?

    This would be a perfect time for you guys to go back a few chapters and reread the whole fight.

    I wanted to show that, while Daichi is strong, he isn''t powerful enough to steamroll someone like Kakashi. Well, not without using the saved Stat Points anyway. But I also wanted to show that thest several years weren''t a waste.

    Daichi would have survived and ousted Kakashi but wouldn''t have beaten him. Kakashi survived till midnight only due to taking ration pills. That will be exined in the next chapter. So I didn''t make him unnaturally stronger than his canon counterpart.

    I wanted to strike a bnce that showed Daichi was strong but not yet too OP(that would be boring if I did that this early.) Writing the whole thing with that bnce in mind was a bit challenging.

    Now I''m dying to know the verdict. Did you guys enjoy it? Or Do you think it''scking something? Comment without holding back. This will make me want to try even harder for the next fight.

    Alright, now with that out of the way I have some good news and bad news.

    The good news is that you get to read a long ass 5.6k word chapter. I didn''t want to split this whole fight even more than I already did and torture you guys.

    The bad news is, I''m gonna take a short 2 or 3 day break.

    I thank you all in advance for your patience.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 161: Trust & Truth 01

    Chapter 161: Trust & Truth 01

    Daichi didn''t let his guard down when Kakashi said those words. It was only after he received the questpletion notification message did he start to rx. He let out a deep breath of air and put the two daggers back in his pouch.

    Once the adrenaline started to wear off, Daichi began breathing hard. He waspletely exhausted. But unlike him Kakashi didn''t appear to be in such a tired state.

    "Well, you should get some rest and get home. You''ve pushed yourself beyond your limits in this short time. Take a few days off. We''ll meet here next week." With those words Kakashi turned around to leave but Daichi''s question stopped him.

    "You can barely see straight, can you?" The boy knew Kakashi was only putting up a front. He knew the man was on the brink of copse but didn''t want to seem weak in front of his student.

    "I''ll be fine Daichi. It''s nothing just some rest won''t fix." Kakashi said and began walking away.

    The young Genin narrowed his eyes and stood. He flexed his fingers and the next second chakra strings came to life around them.

    Kakashi only took a couple steps before he felt something grab onto his back and pull him backwards. He didn''t have the strength to move his hands let alone defend himself. "Daichi, you realize that I can escape anytime right?"

    "If you had the strength, then you would be gone by now."

    Daichi carefully pulled the man back and forced him to sit on the ground. He created two shadow clones and then walked up to his sensei and carefully removed his Jonin vest. Daichi ced his palms on the man''s chest and concentrated. Green glow formed as healing chakra began emitting from his hands.

    "You need to rest, kid. Don''t worry about me." Kakashi said through haggard breaths.

    "I''ll be fine. Now stop being so stubborn and let me heal you." Daichi carefully scanned the man''s body and took in its condition.

    Meanwhile Kakashi took note of the two clones meditating a few feet away from him. ''I guess now''s as good a time as any to get some answers.''

    "The meditation you do It increases your chakra reserves and you also use it to replenish your chakra and stamina during battle don''t you." Kakashi said, looking at the boy.

    Daichi sighed hearing that. ''He was bound to figure that out''

    A short silenceter Daichi answered. "Yes. The clones hide and begin to build up chakra. It also acts as a counter to the fatigue umted."

    "I see"

    After a second of internal debate Daichi revealed another use of meditation. "I use shadow clones to train chakra rted exercises such as control, nature training and improving the skill of my jutsu. By using my clones I can drastically reduce the time needed to learn a technique."

    Kakashi was surprised to hear that. He thought about such a training method and after a short while came to some conclusions. "But something like that is only possible for someone with veryrge reserves of chakra. And if the experiencees with the clone then does that mean the fatigue alsoes back to the user?"

    "Yes. So I have some clones meditate to counteract the negative effects of such training."

    Kakashi thought about the efficiency of such training and the results it would provide. ''Too bad I won''t be able to do something like that.''

    "You took two low grade Rations pills didn''t you?" Daichi asked the man at that moment.

    The Jonin sighed and replied. "Yes. These pills are not as powerful as the Military Ration pills used on missions but they did their job. It was the only way I could fight so long."

    Daichi looked over his condition and healed his injuries. Aside from major chakra exhaustion the man didn''t take much damage aside from a few minor scrapes and bruises. "Hmm Your Sharingan consumes lots of chakra and prolonged fights with it puts arge strain on your coils The pills are quickly starting to wear off, so that''s why you''re starting to feel such intense side effects."

    At that moment Daichi''s clones came up to Kakashi and began transferring their chakra to him.

    Kakashi let out a deep breath of air as he felt his chakra rise. The real Daichi finished his medical checkup and took two pills from his pouch and gave one to his teacher.

    "Here. This will counteract the rough side effects of the Ration pills."

    Kakashi was hesitant. Daichi understood the reason and immediately reassured the man.

    "Don''t worry. You won''t get addicted to this."

    Kakashi nodded and took the pill. He looked it over and then without hesitation ate it. His movements were fast and he didn''t allow Daichi to see his face under the mask. Kakashi internally smirked as he saw the small twitch in Daichi''s eyes. He then closed his eyes and felt the pill take effect immediately. He felt much better and in a better condition.

    "What is that?"

    "Well it''s something tobat the toxin build up after using the Ration pill."

    "Toxin?"

    Daichi nodded. "A Ration pill is made with powerful nutrients and stimnts that can be instantly absorbed into the body. When someone eats a Military Ration pill it nourishes the body and replenishes the chakra. While that''s true, it''s not the whole deal. They do supply the body with chakra but they also stimte the cells and organs to release some of the chakra stored in them."

    "What do you mean?"

    "Even when someone has chakra exhaustion their cells and organs would have some chakra in them so that they could function. It''s the reason ninjas recover from chakra exhaustion without deadly repercussions with just rest and food. Well, most of the time anyway. The chakra stored in the cells and organs helps keep the body alive long enough for the person to recover."

    Kakashi was beginning to understand where Daichi was going with this. "So then the pills force that stored chakra to be released into the coils to be used."

    "Yes. It''s how a person would be able to keep fighting for two or three days after taking a high grade pill. And that same reason is why they go into severe cases of exhaustion once the effects wear off. And the forceful extraction of chakra throughout the body creates toxins that would be harmful to the body if not treated."

    "I see. I read about some cases where some dropped dead a couple days after taking the pill. But they didn''t get the proper treatment in time." Kakashi added his thoughts.

    "Yes. If the right treatment and capable medic ninjas arrive before the time runs out, then there is a good chance of survival. But it''s still a risky gamble."

    Kakashi nodded. "It''s the reason why most ninjas don''t take those pills unless absolutely necessary. There is also the chance of getting addicted to it due to some of the narcotics used in the creation of those things. It''s why the vige has strict control over the distribution of those pills."

    "Yeah. It''s why I made sure to make my pill non addictive and with non lethal side-effects. Here." Daichi handed the second pill. "These should help with the recovery and healing muscles. It''s also something of my own design. It contains the necessary minerals, vitamins and proteins needed for cell repair. It works slow but it has no negative side effects. The only downside is, you''ll need to rest properly for a day or two and drink plenty of water."

    "That doesn''t seem so bad."

    The boy smirked at that. "I told you."

    Daichi''s face then turned slightly serious and asked a question that''s been on his mind since the beginning of the test.

    "Hey sensei Why did you put me through this? You know that an ordinary Genin would never have passed something like this right! Heck I doubt even Chunin ninjas could have survived."

    Kakashi sighed as he thought about how best to answer the question. He remembered the Hokage telling that Kensei had probably informed the boy of Danzo and a possible attack from him. ''Should I keep this from him or Lord Hokage didn''t specifically tell me not to say anything Trust is a two way street.''

    After thinking about it he made a decision. "I''ll tell you the reason if you honestly answer a couple questions of mine."

    Daichi frowned but nodded his head. "Seems fair I guess." ''Still the answers I give will depend on the questions.''

    "d you think so. Now the first question. Why did you hide your strength in the Genin exam? If you had shown this much skill and strength, you would have been made a Genin regardless of what had happened."

    Daichi was silent when he heard that. He looked at Kakashi and after a short internal debate decided to answer honestly. "There are two reasons for that. One. People think being a genius and graduating early from the academy is a good thing. They''re wrong. While it may open doors that will be useful to your career, Unofficially it''s like painting a giant orange metaphorical sign on that person''s head saying ''Here''s a kid with great potential. Come and kill him before he bes a threat.'' I don''t want the wrong kind of attention from someone dangerous."

    Kakashi internally winced when he heard that. ''It''s a bit toote for that kid.''

    Unaware of Kakashi''s thoughts, Daichi continued. "I know that it''s impossible since I''m a student of one of the Sannin. But if I openly unt my strength to anyone I meet then trouble will find me sooner than I would like."

    The man nodded in understanding. "And the second reason?"

    "I wanted to pass. But I also needed to see if I could trust my teammates. I wanted to see what kind of people they were. If I had shown my real strength, then as you''ve said, I would have passed. But I might have been on a team with those two. And the gap in our strength andck of concrete trust would have caused problems in the future." ''There was also the fact that I needed to see what kind of a man you are. If you were like your canon counterpart or someone different''

    The Jonin nodded. "Thank you for being honest Daichi."

    "Yeah. You said you had a couple questions? What''s the second one?" Daichi asked.

    "Well, not to brag but, I have powerful senses simr to yours. So during the test, when you created 7 shadow clones to meditate, I managed to find all of them But there was one more clone. One which evaded my senses. That''s very rare. So my question is, how did you do that?"

    Daichi smirked as he heard that. "Ohh that? Well there''s a trick to it. It''s something I learned to do during my time with Lady Tsunade."

    "I''m listening." Kakashi wanted to learn the secret to such a perfect hiding technique.

    "There are 4 main factors thate into y. A good Location to hide, masking your chakra, trick the nose of your tracker and the final one."

    Kakashi already figured that Daichi employed the first three. And slightly narrowed his eyes as he listened to the fourth.

    "You need to be indistinguishable from a corpse."

    The Jonin was perplexed at that. "What do you mean?"

    Daichi smirked. "I''ll exin from the top. First you need to find a good hiding ce. I chose to hide underground, right below a giant boulder. Now before you hide there''s something you have to do."

    As Kakashi listened, Daichi took out two pills from his ninja pouch.

    "What are those?" Kakashi asked.

    "These are the pills I used to mask my scent You see, your body odor can change depending on what you eat. Depending on the proteins and minerals that go inside you, your body could exude a good smell, bad smell or no smell at all" Daichi said with a smile.

    The man''s eyes widened as he heard that information.

    "But there''s more. During my time learning about the various medicines and herbs I figured out that abination of certain nts when ingested can change the body odor to one of soil scent. Another where they change the body odor to vegetation and nts. The first fewbinations I made during my training took a few hours to take effect but with time I perfected it. Take a couple of these pills and in just a minute my scent would change and be indistinguishable from that of the one given out by the earth."

    Kakashi was impressed. "You found an ideal location to hide and then took the pills that would change your scent to one resembling the environment you were in."

    "Exactly. But there were still two problems. My chakra. A skilled sensor would still be able to find me. So I suppressed my Chakra to near undetectable levels."

    Kakashi rubbed his chin as he thought about that. "But that still leaves a problem. I can use a certain jutsu and detect if there are any living creatures underground. I used this along with my other senses to find you. So I should have sensed your presence even if you had done all that."

    "And therein lies the fourth aspect. Breathing. I controlled my breathing and brought down my pulse and body temperature. It''s something I learned during my training. The shadow clones are made of chakra but when they are created they have chakra made organs inside them mimicking the real thing. Iid still, brought my temperature down and reduced my pulse to little over a few beats per minute. I essentially became a corpse. That''s how you couldn''t detect me If I had used a jutsu to hide myself then your Sharingan would have picked up on it. So I had to do things this way."

    "That''s smart Tell me. Did you instruct that clone to onlye out of that state if all the others were dispelled?" Kakashi asked.

    Daichi nodded in affirmation. ''There is also the stealth skill that came into y but I don''t need to tell him that.''

    "I can''t believe you came up with something like that." Kakashi was impressed.

    "Yes. Bask in the glory of my Genius. Muahaha." Daichi stood in a dramatic pose andughed with his hands raised in the air.

    Kakashi sweat dropped seeing Daichiugh to himself like an idiot. ''I think all those blows he took knocked a few screws loose in his head.''

    Daichi looked at his sensei and spoke with a grin. "Any more questions sensei? Maybe about how I look so good everyday or maybe some cooking tips?"

    The Jonin sighed and replied. "I''m good. Thanks." ,

    Daichi just smirked at that answer. "Your loss. Alright now that I''ve answered your questions, it''s my turn."

    "Actually I just had one more question for you." Kakashi said.

    Daichi nodded and waited for the man to speak.

    "Do you know about the organization known as Root?"

    ----------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 162: Trust & Truth 02

    Chapter 162: Trust & Truth 02

    The grin on Daichi''s face vanished as he heard that question. He kept silent and looked at his sensei.

    ''What do I tell him? Me remaining silent is already an answer to that question. Gramps told me that knowledge of the Root organization is known only to the upper level ninjas and even they don''t know the full details.''

    Daichi recalled the conversation he had with Kensei after his encounter with the Root ninjas.

    shback.

    "Did they have any kind of identification marks?" A concerned Kensei wanted to know every detail he grandson could recollect about the attackers.

    "No. They also only used the standard jutsus. There was nothing in their techniques that pointed to any n or organization." Daichi replied.

    He kept a calm face but internally he was unhappy about lying to the man. Daichi apologized to Kensei in his heart for the deceit. ''I''m sorry Gramps. But I have ns for those bodies. And I can''t reveal info that I got from Observe.''

    Kensei was silent and after a few minutes spoke as he went over what just happened. ''''Since we don''t have concrete evidence, their real identities will remain unknown but I''m positive they attacked you under Danzo''s orders. Based on the information and their strength they are most probably Root ninjas."

    Daichi nodded. ''''What do I do now?''''

    ''''For the moment, nothing. Hiruzen won''t let something like this slide. And since the attack failed Danzo would definitely not n another. Not with the scrutiny he''ll be under.''''

    "You said that knowledge of his organization exists on a need to know basis. Since an academy student like me shouldn''t be privy to information like this, what do I do in the event that the Hokage questions me? I''m not sure I can lie and get away with it."

    "You probably won''t. Tell him the truth. I''ll take the me. If Hiruzen questions you, tell him I''m the one who told you about him and his agents."

    Daichi slowly nodded.

    shback End.

    Kakashi was intently looking at his student''s expressions. ''So he knows. But will he admit it?''

    Daichi let out a sigh and replied. "Yes. I do."

    "How?"

    "My old man told me. The wrong attention that I said I wanted to avoid. It''s from the man leading that organization." Daichi replied.

    The Jonin ninja sighed hearing that. "So you know about Danzo"

    The boy nodded. "Kensei told me some things about him. It didn''t paint a pretty picture."

    Kakashi nodded. He knew what Daichi was talking about. ''That man came after my Sharingan once. So I have no doubt he would go after someone like Daichi.''

    "Very well. Since you answered my questions honestly, I suppose it''s only fair that I do the same."

    Daichi was surprised. "Wait. Don''t you want to know anymore? Like how much I know about him and The Root ninjas?"

    The Jonin shook his head. "No. I''m sure Kensei told you everything you needed to know."

    Daichi kept silent at that. He then repeated his earlier question. "What was the real reason behind this test?"

    "That unwanted attention you wanted to avoid. I''m afraid it''s toote for that."

    Daichi''s eyes narrowed. "So that Danzo guy ising for me."

    "Not Danzo."

    Daichi was confused. ''Is there someone else? Who could be after me at this time?''

    "I''m sure you''ve heard of him. Orochimaru." Kakashi told the boy.

    Daichi was only slightly taken back by that name. ''So that Snake freak knows of me. I half expected it, since I''m an apprentice of his teammate. But I didn''t think he''d being for me so soon. I need to prepare counter measures.''

    "You don''t seem that surprised." The Jonin noted Daichi''s reaction and concluded.

    Daichi crossed his arms and sat down. "I''m Lady Tsunade''s apprentice. That title alone will garner me some enemies from hostile nations. I was well aware from the start what training under her would entail I learned about the Legendary Three ninjas during thest few years. Orochimaru''s name came up during one of my conversations with her. But she didn''t talk about him all that much. She just told me that I should be careful if I ever meet him."

    Kakashi agreed with that assessment. "You should be extremely vignt if you''re in his presence. He''s not someone you can go up against Well, not at the moment anyway."

    "Where did you get the information about Orochimaru? Was it the Hokage?"

    "Yes. But you don''t need to panic. The intelligence that we received suggests that he has knowledge of you and has a mild interest in your capabilities but nothing more. And besides I''ll keep you safe. It''s my job as your teacher. So you don''t need to worry." Kakashi gave Daichi an eye smile as he tried to ease the boy''s worries.

    Daichi nodded and both of them became silent for a few moments, processing the information they learned.

    Daichi looked at Kakashi from the corner of his eyes. He still remembered the moment when his sensei asked him if he was willing to trust him. ''I can''t sense any lies. Looks like I made the right bet. He''s like his canon counterpart. He''ll definitely try to protect me I told him the truth when I said I trust him. But even so, that trust only goes so far. I''m sure there is still information Kakashi is keeping to himself. Blind trust is only something fools do. Even with you I won''tpletely let my guard down. I won''t let anyone catch me from behind.''

    After a few more seconds of rest Kakashi got up from his spot. "Well, I''m going home. I''m looking forward to some much needed rest. I''ll see you next week Daichi."

    The gamer ninja stood and nodded his head. He watched Kakashi walk away and decide to head home. He looked around the whole area and noted the devastation.

    ''''Yeesh. I do not envy whoever has to clean this mess.''''

    Daichi went to where his weighted scarf was and put them on. He took a new pair of stylish sunsses in his inventory through his pocket. ''Having spares was a good idea.''

    It was then he looked at the numerous notifications piled up on the corner. He decided he would check them out once he reached home.

    -

    Kakashi slowly made his way to the Hokage tower. Since it was midnight there weren''t many people in the streets and he only saw a few patrol ninjas roaming by.

    He soon reached the office door and knocked.

    "Come in."

    Kakashi went and stood in front of his kage.

    "This is a surprise. I figured you''d show up a couple hourster with some random excuse once the test was over". Hiruzen spoke with a smile.

    The man sighed as he heard that. He wanted to report the findings and then take a few days off to rest as quickly as he could.

    Hiruzen then took in Kakashi''s appearance and raised an eyebrow. "Seems you''ve had a very exciting day."

    "That''s one way to put it That concern you had about Daichi''s safety in the event of an attack I don''t think you need to worry that much." Kakashi said as he ruffled his hair.

    Hiruzen smirked and nodded. "Yes. I gathered that much from your appearance and from what I saw."

    The Jonin ninja had a feeling that was the case. "You watched the whole fight?"

    "Not the entire fight. My work demanded most of my attention so I was only able to see pieces of your battle. Your assessment?"

    Kakashi straightened and recounted the abilities he took note of. "His Taijutsu is strong enough to hold back and even take down ordinary Jonin ninjas and his chakra capacity isrger than mine. But not by much. But I suspect that with time it will grow at an exponential rate. His Ninjutsu skills are excellent for someone his age and I can confirm that he has mastered the second step of change in Chakra Nature of all 5 elements."

    "His medical skills and techniques were excellent. He''s demonstrated that he''s capable of using chakra scalpels in battle. He''s able to heal wounds much faster than any medic ninjas I''ve seen in the field. And he can heal from a distance using chakra strings as medium."

    Hiruzen was surprised to hear that. "He changed the properties of strings from ordinary chakra to healing chakra and connected them to the wounded area from a distance. That''s smart."

    Kakashi nodded. "His proficiency in Genjutsuesst. But I only say that due to the number of illusion techniques he used. Most were D and C Rank and he didn''t use much to conserve his chakra since he knew my Sharingan is a counter and it would only be a waste."

    Hiruzen nodded agreeing with that decision.

    "But I believe he''s highly resistant or immune to Genjutsu techniques."

    "What?" The old kage was shocked.

    "Yes. Whenever I used Genjutsu on him, the chakra entered his system but was immediately flushed out."

    Hiruzen leaned forward and narrowed his eyes. "Was it some kind of an automatic response from his body or was he aware that he was being attacked and was able to actively counter it?"

    "Based on his expression and reaction, he was aware that I tried to use Genjutsu on him but the thing is he didn''t need to do anything when he was attacked. He didn''t need to disrupt his chakra flow nor did he inflict pain on himself to get free. It was as if he knew he was getting attacked and his body automatically responded to the foreign attack without needing him to take action."

    Hiruzen was silent as he heard that. ''This is certainly interesting. Only people with special visual prowess can see through Genjutsu so efficiently. But Daichi isn''t an Uchiha or a Hyuga. And based on the blood work Tsunade did, she didn''t find anything that indicated that he was from any n It must be some kind of a special technique''

    Hiruzen was silent for a minute and then looked at the Jonin. "Kakashi. This information. When youplete the report, do not write it down. His resistance to Genjutsu must be kept an absolute secret. If this information gets out, there will be plenty who will have their eyes on him. Both in and out of the vige. So keep this to yourself. And make sure to tell Daichi that he shouldn''t reveal that ability to anyone."

    The silver haired Jonin nodded his head. "There is something else. You were right. He knows about Danzo and the foundation. Kensei told him."

    The Hokage sighed when he heard that news. "I figured. Kensei won''t take any chances with Daichi after what happened."

    "I also told him about Orochimaru." Kakashi hid a wince as he looked at the sharp eyes drilling into his skull.

    Hiruzen looked at his Jonin with narrowed eyes. Several secondster he sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "This is a very delicate time Kakashi. Any information leak could be catastrophic to the ns I''ve put in ce. So why did you do something like that?"

    "Trust needed to be built. If I lied about why I put him through what I did then It wouldn''t have gotten us anywhere. Lying won''t help us and he needs to know the danger so he can prepare." Kakashi made his judgment and he was going to stand by it. "And besides, I believe Daichi knows the value of keeping something like this a secret. He might tell Kensei but I''m sure he won''t tell anyone else."

    The kage sighed. "I will trust your judgment on this."

    "Thank you Lord Hokage."

    Kakashi gave a brief oral report on Daichi''s abilities, skills, strength and weaknesses. Hiruzen was impressed with the boy''s progress. Once the debriefing was done Kakashi left the office and headed home.

    Hiruzen was in his office going through everything he heard. ''The Chunin exams areing up in a few months. But it''s going to be held in the Stone vige. Should I send Daichi to take part? I can''t send him alone. He''ll need a team Hmm There is still plenty of time. I''ll deal with this matter at ater date.''

    -

    In a dimly lit room Danzo was standing near the window and looking out at the vige. ''Hiruzen pulled back his surveince and let go of the restrictions ced on me. So he didn''t find anything after all. For the moment I can move somewhat freely and conduct business. But still I need to be careful. He now knows Root isn''t disbanded but he doesn''t have any proof.''

    He turned around and at that moment a ninja rose from the shadows of the room. The shinobi in ck gear kneeled indicating his loyalty to his master.

    "Lord Danzo. I''ve conducted a thorough review of all the candidates we''ve recruitedst year along with some of the active ones who joined a few years prior. I didn''t find any spies."

    Danzo nodded and dismissed his agent. He sat down in a nearby chair and thought about the situation. ''The second Hiruzen learned of the attack he suspected me. It was because the attackers knew about Daichi and more importantly Tsunade''s phobia. But ''he'' made sure that all my agents hid as soon as Hiruzen took me into custody. His efficient work has made things easier for me. Making him my second inmand was an excellent choice.''

    ''Since Hiruzen couldn''t find any evidence of my organization being operational, I thought for sure that he would send someone to infiltrate Root. Seems I was wrong''

    His grip on his cane tightened just a bit. ''So then why do I still feel uneasy?''

    ----------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 163: One step forward

    Chapter 163: One step forward

    Daichi slowly walked through the streets of the vige. It was a full moon night and the road was illuminated in silver light. He thought about what Kakashi said.

    ''So Orochimaru ising for me? He must have learned of my existence during my time at the capital. I healed plenty of people after all and there were many who knew that I''m her apprentice Looks like I need to prepare for him.''

    Daichi thought about the best way to fight one of the most dangerous Sannin. ''He''ll most likely toy with me at first and that will be my best chance tond a fatal blow. But he has the special substitution jutsu that can heal his injuries. So how do I get around that?''

    As Daichi thought this through, the answer quickly came to his mind. ''Wind style Rasenshuriken.''

    ''In addition to dealing great damage to the body, that jutsu also attacks the cells and shreds the chakrawork. He wouldn''t be able to heal himself if he doesn''t have ess to chakra But I need something more. He''s known for surviving even the most fatal blows. I can''t let my guard down. I need something with simr firepower.''

    As Daichi''s mind went through a possibility of abination jutsu he had an idea. ''A Fire Style Rasengan. If wind cuts, then fire burns and if this jutsu turns out like the Rasenshuriken, then its power would be incredible. It would no doubt burn the target to ash. And if Ibine the Wind and Fire Rasengans and use a newbination technique''

    A smile formed on Daichi''s face as he had an idea as to what the jutsu would look like. ''I need to start working on this''

    Just as soon as that crossed his mind his smile dimmed. ''But there is still the problem of jutsu bacsh. My Gamer''s Body will heal the negative effects after a night''s sleep but I''m gonna need to learn to use Nature chakra to protect myself and further increase my strength. I wonder if the Tiger n would have ess to Nature chakra? I hope so Otherwise I''ll have to look for alternative measures''

    With several ns in mind Daichi made his way to his home. Kensei raised an eyebrow as he looked at his grandson and saw the obvious signs of a battle.

    "What happened to you?"

    "About that. I have good news and bad news."

    Kensei kept silent and paid attention to Daichi.

    "My sensei decided to put me through a survival exam so tough that I''m sure even some Jonin would fail. But I passed. That''s the good news." Daichi said with a small smile.

    Kensei''s eyes narrowed. "And the bad news?"

    "There is a chance that Orochimaru or one of his minions mighte after me in the future." Daichi sighed and sat down.

    Kensei let out a breath and leaned back in his chair. A few seconds of silence passed before Kensei spoke.

    "We knew this was a possibility. But I didn''t think it would happen Not so soon."

    "Kakashi sensei didn''t look all that worried. But that might be a facade he put on to make sure I''m not scared."

    "Aren''t you?" Kensei looked at his grandson. There was worry in his eyes. Having the attention of someone as dangerous as Orochimaru was a cause for concern.

    Daichi let out a breath and looked up at the ceiling. "I''m slightly worried. He is dangerous. But I''m not terrified or anything like that. I''m not gonna let someone like him scare me." ''There are much scarier opponents I have to face in the future. Compared to them, Orochimaru is a joke.''

    Kensei knew Daichi was fully aware of the threat someone like Orochimaru posed. And yet to hear his grandson speak such strong words. A small smile appeared on his face. ''Yes. No matter who it is, don''t let yourself fall. And even if you do, I''ll be here to help you get back up.''

    "You''re right. You should be cautious but never let fear rule you."

    Daichi smiled and nodded to his grandfather. Daichi quickly got cleaned up and they had their dinner.

    -

    Daichi was in his room going through the numerous notifications.

    [Skill Advanced Chakra regeneration level has risen by one.]

    ''Right now my chakra is Regenerating at 52 CP per minute. I was able to keep going thanks to this and my strong vitality. So unlike him I didn''t need any supplements''

    [Skill Basic Body conditioning''s level has risen by one.] X2

    [Skill Leaf Academy Taijutsu''s level has risen by one.] X5

    [Congrattions. You have sessfully trained a skill to its highest level.

    500 Exp.

    75 Exp.]

    ''Finally. I should learn and master a more advanced and lethal Taijutsu style. I wonder if Guy''s Strong Fist style is suited to me?''

    [Skill Physical Endurance''s level has risen by one.] X3

    [Skill Danger Sense''s level has risen by one.] X5

    [Skill Chakra Sense''s level has risen by one.] X4

    [Ninjutsu Wind style - Wind Bullet Jutsu has leveled up.]

    [Ninjutsu Earth Style - Rock Shelter Jutsu has leveled up.]

    [Skill Killing Intent''s level has risen by one.] X6

    [+4 Indomitable]

    ''Wow. So releasing killing intent at that level increases this stat quickly huh. Excellent.''

    Daichi had a smile on his face as he saw his improvements but the next system message Daichi read erased that smile.

    [Warning!]

    [Switching the Gamer''s Mind Skill On and Off within the span of 3 ~ 4 hours can cause Damage to Psyche.]

    [Time required between Turning the skill On/Off without receiving any negative side effects. 4Hrs.]

    ''I can''t believe there''s a restriction like this. It seems the system doesn''t want me to use that loophole. The Gamer''s Mind would protect me from any permanent damage to my mind but I should be careful moving forward.''

    Daichi sat down on the ground and focused on his breathing. A minuteter he was in meditation. Daichi concentrated and felt his emotions. He focused on his mind and tried to see if there was any damage. After an hour of meditation and sensing nothing wrong with himself he opened his eyes and began to go through the rest of the blue system message boxes.

    [Skill Ozark''s Resilience''s level has risen by one.]

    [Skill Dual Wielding Mastery''s level has risen by one.] X2

    [Skill Chakra Enhancement''s level has risen by one.] X4

    [Ninjutsu Lightning Style - Overdrive Jutsu has leveled up.]

    [Skill Chakra Flow''s level has risen by one.] X3

    [Ninjutsu Fire Style - Dragon Fire Jutsu has leveled up.]

    [Skill Combat Arts''s level has risen by one.] X4

    As Daichi went through the notifications he saw something unexpected.

    [You have Analyzed the fighting of your opponent and have reached sufficient understanding.]

    [You have acquired a New Taijutsu style.]

    [Shadow Layering Eight Extremities Fist - Active(LV.1): An advanced taijutsu style that can be used in a defensive or offensive manner to kill or subdue a single or multiple targets who are armed or unarmed. This form of martial arts uses few or no weapons and includes throws, holds and paralyzing attacks against the enemy. A true master of this style can create the illusion and effects of having additional limbs when attacking.]

    [Effects:]

    [5% Increase of chance in Landing critical strike.]

    [2% Increase in attack power.]

    [2% Increase in defense.]

    [3% Increase in speed.]

    [2% Decrease in damage taken.] [This has limitations depending on the Stats and level of your enemies]

    ''Oh wow. This is incredible. I must have learned this after using Analyze skill on Kakashi so much.''

    Daichi''s mind went through the different forms, stances and katas used during the battle. With the information Daichi acquired with Analyze skill, he was able to reconstruct the Taijutsu style and had an understanding of it.

    ''Hmm This Taijutsu style was also designed to supplement swordsmanship or small des weapons duringbat. And in case of absence of a weapon elbow strike, explosive short range power fists and leg strikes aimed to cripple are used. A lethal Taijutsu indeed I''ll need to work on this. Ok what else?''

    [Ninjutsu Earth Style - Fist Rock Jutsu has leveled up.] X2

    [Skill Light Steps''s level has risen by one.] X3

    [Skill Chakra Suppression''s level has risen by one.] X4

    [Skill Analyze''s level has risen by one.] X7

    [+2 Persistence]

    [Skill Elemental Strings''s level has risen by one.] X2

    [Medical Jutsu - Healing strings has leveled up.]

    [Medical Jutsu - Mystical Palm has leveled up.]

    [Medical Jutsu - Chakra Scalpel has leveled up.]

    [+5 Sense]

    [+6 Stamina]

    [Congrattions. You have encountered a Lucky break.]

    [+2 Luck]

    Reading this Daichi remembered the incident it was referring to. Kakashi was about tond a powerful strike that would have knocked him unconscious but at that moment a tree branch snapped and fell on the trap Kakashi rigged near their area and it was triggered. Kakashi had to dodge his own weapons and Daichi was able to make a quick escape.

    Daichi opened the Luck stat and looked at the description.

    [This stat also has a 0.001% chance to trigger a good luck moment every minute. This percentage increases with stat growth and during battle or luck based events the yer is participating.]

    ''I need to increase my Luck stat. It triggered only once during the battle but it saved my life. It''s one hell of a special stat.''

    [+3 Vitality]

    [+5 Agility]

    [+2 Dexterity]

    [+2 Strength]

    [+6 Chakra]

    [+3 Wisdom]

    [+2 Intelligence ]

    ''Looks like almost all my stats got a good boost. With just one fight I''ve gotten a lot stronger. High intensity battle is the only way to get stronger.''

    [Quest ''Pass the Survival Test'' Completed.]

    [Rewards:]

    20000 Exp.

    3000

    [Reputation increases with Kakashi Hatake, Hiruzen Sarutobi and Kensei Yasaji.]

    Daichi then opened his status page and checked the progress.

    ''My Intelligence and Wisdom stats are the only ones from the Primary stats that''s still below 200. Need to change that Well since I''m using points I might as well use some of them on the other stats as well.''

    [Primary Stats]

    Strength - 259 + 11

    Vitality - 263 + 7

    Dexterity - 215 + 15

    Agility - 264 + 6

    Intelligence - 182 +28

    Chakra - 371 + 29

    Wisdom - 180 + 30

    Daichi used a total of 126 points to increase his primary stats. He felt the increase in strength and chakra throughout his body. ''If I keep going like this, I''ll soon be able toplete the Strength of the Hundred seal.''

    [Intelligence has passed 200 points. Negative side effects of overusing Mana are now removed.]

    Daichi felt his mind be more powerful all of a sudden. It was as if an invisible weight that had gone unnoticed by him had been lifted off from his head.

    ''There are so many mind techniques I want to create. I can also use them to counter Sharingan and maybe even the Rinnegan. Let''s see what my stats look like now.''

    ''Status''

    [Name : Daichi Hekima] (The Gamer)

    [ss : Genin - ID 012559.]

    [Age : 12]

    [Title : Capable Child, Explorer, Prodigy, Beast yer, Dungeon Warrior, Executioner, Assassin, Mighty Healer, Slug Sannin''s Apprentice, Master of the Elements, A Genius of the Continent.]

    [Level : 50 (59362/65800)]

    HP : 20400

    CP : 54118

    SP : 21070

    MP: 12620

    .

    [Primary Stats]

    Strength - 270

    Vitality - 270

    Dexterity - 230

    Agility - 270

    Intelligence - 210

    Chakra - 400

    Wisdom - 210

    .

    [Special Stats]

    Sense - 129

    Stamina - 220

    Indomitable - 36

    Charisma - 57

    Persistence - 34

    Dignity - 4

    Luck - 9

    [Stat Points - 586]

    [Ryo - 307188]

    ''I have about 600 points. I could use another 90 to increase Strength, Vitality and Agility to 300. Should I increase it and get the benefits of 300 stats now or wait ''

    Daichi weighed the pros and cons of such a choice. ''For the moment I''m rtively safe. I should train as much as I can and improve my stats. Then I''ll increase it with points.''

    ''Looks like I''m going to hold off for the moment. It''s getting more difficult to increase stats with training... Once it reaches 290 or at least 285 I''ll put some points into them.''

    The next thing Daichi checked was the progress of the Hundred strength seal.

    [16743102/25000000]

    ''This is moving faster than anticipated. I sleep for 5 hours a day. So aside from the daily chakra given to the seal, I generate and redirect an additional 16800 CP and I use clones on most days to meditate and store chakra to the seal. So that''s an additional 6000 plus All in all, things are moving well Looks like I''ll be able toplete this in 4 to 5 months.''

    Daichiid on the bed and looked at the night sky through the window. ''I''vee a long way since my first day. But there is still a long road ahead. And this adventure has only just begun for me.''

    With a small smile Daichi soon went to sleep.

    ----------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 164: The Daily Life of a Genin

    Chapter 164: The Daily Life of a Genin

    It was early morning. The Sun had only broken through the horizon a short time ago.

    The sounds of weapons shing could be heard throughout the forest. Sasuke and Daichi were engaged in a spar at their usual meeting ce. They were battling each other and measuring each other''s improvements. The spar had been going on for a couple hours.

    Daichi tilted his body to the side and evaded the fast punch Sasuke sent his way. He then ducked under a high kick and sent a leg sweep trying to unbnce the Uchiha. Sasuke jumped back and immediately threw several shuriken at Daichi.

    The boy took a kunai and deflected all the weapons and then immediately jumped away from where he was standing.

    Several shuriken came from the back andnded on the spot the next second.

    Daichi stood on a thick tree branch and smiled at Sasuke. "I see you rigged the whole ce with traps. Not bad. But it''s a shame it won''t work on me."

    Sasuke just smirked and made a hand seal. The next second Daichi was engulfed in a small explosion.

    Even as Sasuke stood there vignt, he was unable to sense the kunai at the back of his neck until it was toote. Sensing his defeat the young Uchiha just grunted.

    "You''ve gotten a lot better. Your speed, reaction time and techniques have certainly improved." Daichi said as he put the weapon back in his pouch.

    Sasuke turned around to look at his sparring partner. "I could say the same about you. It feels like I''m taking 1 step forward and you''re taking 10."

    Daichi went under a tree and sat down. "You''ll catch up. The way you''re improving, you''ll be able to match me soon. You''re already head and shoulders above the rest of the ss."

    "They don''t matter. I don''t care about them. If I need to reach my goal then I''ll have to go at the pace you''re going. The only way I''ll get stronger and stronger is if I fight stronger opponents. Like you." The young Uchiha said.

    "You know it''s not just about physical strength. They could be a great asset if you let them." Daichi wanted Sasuke to form bonds with his peers. He wanted to see if he could turn the Uchiha away from the future that''s written.

    Sasuke smirked and looked at Daichi. "Have you ever asked for their help when you needed something?"

    Daichi just sighed and remained silent. ''This is going to be a lot harder than I initially thought. Time to change the topic.''

    Daichi asked a question that''s been on his mind for a while. "How goes your progress with awakening your Sharingan?"

    Sasuke soured upon hearing that question. "I tried to control my emotions, meditation, intense training Nothing. I haven''t awakened my eyes yet. It''s so frustrating."

    Daichi just nodded.

    "So how''s being a Genin?" Sasuke suddenly asked.

    "Not bad. I''m just starting out so the missions assigned to me are easy ones."

    "What about your teammates? Are they any good?" Sasuke wanted to know who Daichi was partnered up with.

    "Actually it''s just me and Sensei. We''re a special two man Genin team."

    "What? Is that even a thing?" Sasuke had never heard of anything like that and he was understandably surprised.

    Daichi just shrugged and replied. "My skills were above them by arge margin. And it would have caused an imbnce. So it was decided that I would be part of a 2 man Genin team. Me and my sensei."

    Sasuke just nodded after hearing that. Daichi then looked at the position of the sun and realized it was time to meet his teacher. Bidding farewell to Sasuke, Daichi left the ce.

    -

    Kakashi and his student slowly made their way to the Hokage tower. They were on their way to get the next mission. As they walked Daichi asked his teacher something that''s been bothering him since the survival test.

    "Hey Sensei. When I asked why you made me go through the survival exam, you said the reason was Orochimaru. But that still doesn''t exin a lot of things"

    Kakashi took his eyes off his book and looked at Daichi.

    Seeing Kakashi''s silence, Daichi''s suspicion grew. "It''s not the whole truth is it? What exactly does it mean when you said I caught Orochimaru''s attention. What do you know?"

    Kakashi looked at his student from the corner of his eyes. After a few seconds of silence he replied. "The intelligence suggests that at the moment Orochimaru is only mildly curious about you. Most probably because of your association with his former teammate Lady Tsunade. So he might send one of his people after you. But the Hokage didn''t want to take any chances and it was decided that you need to prepare in the eventuality that the man woulde for you himself. If I''m going to train you then I need a full understanding of your skills and abilities. I knew you would only show your true strength if I pushed you hard enough. It''s why I conducted such an exam."

    Daichi thought about it and nodded his head. ''Kakashi tested me on all fronts. Taijutsu, Ninjutsu, Genjutsu, Evasion techniques, tactical intelligence andbat capabilities. And he forced me to go all out. And since he now has a solid understanding of my strength I''m pretty sure the Hokage does too.''

    Daichi thought about everything that''s happened in thest few years. ''The attack of the Root. The old man''s frequent trips and now this. Kensei has been going out a lottely and he''s more on edge these days. Something''s going on. There''s a storm brewing and I have a feeling this is just the calm before it hits.''

    "You don''t need to look so tense. Like I said to you before. I''ll be here." Kakashi reassured his student.

    Daichi nodded with a small smile. They both made the rest of the journey in silence and soon reached the mission desk.

    "It''s a D rank mission. Your task is to find the missing pet. You will meet the owner here at this address. The mission details are in the scroll." The Chunin at the desk had a scroll for them.

    Kakashi took the scroll and looked at its contents while Daichi went through the new quest he received.

    [Quest created - Retrieve the missing Dog ]

    [Your client''s pet has gone missing. Find and retrieve the dog and sessfullyplete the mission. Time limit. 3hrs.]

    [Conditions:]

    Find the Pet Dog and return it to the client before the time runs out.

    [Rewards:]

    3000 Exp.

    Reputation increases with your client.

    [Failure:]

    Reputation decreases with your client, Hokage and Kakashi Hatake.

    No missions for a while.

    [ept] Y/N

    Daichi epted the quest and along with his teacher headed out to meet their client. They soon reached a modest home and saw a young woman waiting for them near the gate.

    "Are you guys the Genin team I requested?" The woman asked them.

    "Yes ma''am." Kakashi replied with a nod.

    "Hello. My name is Emika. I was going to take my pet dog Bakura to get his vine today but it seems he ran away. He can be a bit stubborn sometimes." The young woman said with a smile.

    Kakashi didn''t speak and decided to let Daichi handle the mission.

    The fresh Genin began asking about the dog, its identifying features and its habits.

    "He''s half Inuzuka breed. So he''s a lot smarter and stronger than the average dog. They gave him up for adoption and I took him in when he was just a small pup. Now he''s almost 9 yrs old and half your size." The woman gave Daichi several pictures of the dog and told him of the Bakura''s favorite ces.

    "Please bring him back in 3 hours. The vet clinic closes at that time and I won''t be able to get another appointment for a few weeks."

    Daichi nodded to the woman''s request and took the needed information.

    After receiving the necessary information Daichi looked around the house. He saw several footprints of a Dog and memorized their distinctive shape. He also got a piece of Bakura''s favorite clothing and took a whiff.

    Daichi took one whiff and grimaced. ''Ugg! I can''t believe I''m doing this But at least I now know what his scent is.''

    "So sensei, you gonna help me out or just gonna read that book?"

    "It''s your show. Let''s see what you got."

    Daichi nodded and looked around the house for a bit. As he observed the ce he saw a part of the fence broken. Daichi took a closer look. He saw fresh K9 footprints leading outside the fence.

    "Looks like we got tracks. And it''s headed into the hills." Daichi said to his sensei.

    "Dogs can smell a scent from miles away and the senses of an Inuzuka dog are even sharper than that." Kakashi reminded his student.

    "I know." With that Daichi made several seals.

    Kakashi recognized the simple jutsu. ''A scent masking jutsu. Good.''

    Daichi also suppressed his chakra and both of them began tracking the K9 through its footprint. Daichi used his evolved sense skills Absolute Smell and Acute Hearing in tandem. Blocking out the unnecessary sensory input Daichi focused on the one he wanted. Several secondster he had his target''s general location.

    ''Gotcha.''

    Daichi followed the scent he picked up and along with the footprint slowly made his way to their target. Daichi noticed something along the path.

    ''There are several w marks on the trees. And they appear to be fresh and they''re almost the same size as the Dogs.''

    Daichi and Kakashi quietly made their way through the forest and about 40 minutester came upon a clearing near a small stream. They saw a dog with the same features as the one described by Emika sleeping on a pile of leaves.

    ''Well that was easy.''

    The second Daichi had this thought, Bakura opened its eyes and looked at the two ninja.

    Daichi, Kakashi and the K9 stayed still with Daichi having a staring contest with his mission target. Several seconds of silenceter he saw the animal slowly get up on all fours.

    "Don''t you do it." Daichi said, looking at the dog. Daichi recognized intelligence in its eyes.

    The jaws of the dog widened as if he was smirking.

    Daichi frowned and slowly raised his hands. "Here boy. I got some tasty treats for you. Juste here."

    The dog tilted its head and looked at the small human. It tensed it''s leg muscles as if preparing to run.

    "Don''t you dare. I''m in no mood for a chase." Daichi also said, prepared to run and quickly catch the target. He looked at Bakura''s and saw the taunting expression on its face.

    Neither of them moved a muscle until,

    "Achoo!"

    Kakashi let out a loud sneeze which startled Daichi and Bakura took this split second to run away. Birds hidden in the forest were crying and flying all around the ce and leaves were falling from the tall trees.

    "What the hell sensei?" The young Genin looked at his teacher with a gobsmacked expression.

    "Ooops. My bad. I sneezed because the suspense was killing me." The Jonin said with a sheepish chuckle.

    Daichi looked at his teacher with a dumbfounded expression for a few seconds before he shook his head and leapt after his prey. ''No way I''m gonna let a mutt escape me.''

    The Inuzuka dog was fast. It jumped through branches and dove through bushes with great agility. But Daichi was faster. He was catching up to the dog and he hadn''t used any skills to increase his speed.

    Just as Daichi was within arms length of reaching Bakura, it showed its defiance and let out a stream of fresh golden piss directly aimed at Daichi''s face.

    The boy''s eyes widened at the iing stream and he immediately changed directions. He avoided the urine andnded on another branch but due to the force of his momentum it snapped causing the boy to fall.

    Daichi quickly used chakra strings to steady himself and safelynd on the ground. He looked at the K9 fleeing through the forest and had a twitch in his eyes.

    ''Alright no more Mr. Nice guy.'' Daichi directed chakra through his limbs and the next moment, he disappeared from his spot.

    Bakura let out a bark or joy and kept moving forward.

    "Pst. It''s time you go back to Emika."

    It didn''t even sense Daichi above until it heard the words. The next second it was lifted off the ground and held in mid air. The K9 wiggled with all its might but it was useless.

    Daichi held his target with chakra strings and suspended him in mid air.

    "Well done. Time to return him to the client." Kakashi said,nding behind his student.

    Daichi nodded and both of them made their way back. They soon reached their client''s home and handed the dog back to the woman.

    "Ohh. I''m so happy you''re back. Don''t go running off like that again. You''re gonna make mommy so sad." Emika said to her pet with a sad expression.

    The dog whined and licked her face, making the woman giggle.

    "Thank you for bringing him back in such a short time. Now I''ll be able to make my appointment." Emika thanked the team and gave them the missionpletion slip.

    [Quest ''Retrieve the missing Dog'' Completed.]

    [Rewards:]

    [3000 Exp.]

    [450 Exp.]

    [Reputation increases with your client.]

    With another D Rank mission well done Kakashi and Daichi returned to the tower to collect their mission pay.

    ----------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 165: A Hatred Born out of Nothing.

    Chapter 165: A Hatred Born out of Nothing.

    It was May. A month had passed since the future Rookie 9 entered their final year at the academy.

    Naruto and his friends were near the academy grounds enjoying their lunch break. Hinata and Sakura were reading a book while Shikamaru wasying on the ground looking at the sky. Ino was calmly eating her lunch while Kiba, Naruto and Choji fought for the food in front of theirs. Andstly Shino was off to the side under the shade of a tree observing the small insects flying about.

    "Hey, hey. I came up with this really cool technique that I''m sure is gonna work against Iruka sensei. It''s gonna be awesome." Naruto''s excitement to use his new technique on his academy teacher was tantly visible on his face.

    "I''m pretty sure whatever juvenile technique you''re gonna use is just gonna get you in trouble." Shikamaru said with a sigh, never taking his eyes off the clouds.

    "Yeah! Aren''t you tired of getting detention, Naruto?" Ino asked with exasperation.

    "No way. Even if I do get detention, I''ll find a way to skip it." The blonde boy said with his arms crossed. "And besides, the sses are getting boring. Wish I could graduate soon and go on some awesome missions. Like rescuing a princess or stopping an evil warlord." Naruto was eager to begin his journey as a Genin but he still had a year to go.

    "Yeah. I kinda wish I put in a request for early graduation too" "Arf Arf!"

    Kiba and Akamaru agreed with that sentiment.

    "I wonder how Daichi''s doing? I bet he''s going to all kinds of cool ces." Choji said as he took thest piece of meat while Naruto and Kiba were distracted.

    "Hey I was gonna eat that." Kiba and Naruto said at the same time.

    The young Akimichi smirked victoriously as he looked at the two. "Never take your eyes off the prize."

    Naruto sat down grumbling.

    "Have any of you guys seen Daichi these days?" Ino asked the group.

    "No. We looked for him in the usual ces after the academy but we didn''t find him." Kiba said.

    "I bet he''s on some super secret dangerous mission protecting someone important." Naruto imagined those as the kind of missions he would do when he became a Genin.

    "Not exactly Naruto." Daichi said, standing behind the kid.

    "Ghaa!" Naruto almost jumped out of his skin when he heard the voice behind him. "Where''d youe from?"

    "Oh I just came to visit my pals." The young Genin said with a smile.

    "Daichi! We thought you might be on a mission." Ino smiled at him. She had a small blush on her face as she looked at him.

    "I''m just starting out. So I get assigned simple missions for the moment."

    Daichi sat down with his friends and ced a small bag of snacks in the middle of the group. They all took some and began asking Daichi questions about his Genin life.

    Daichi answered their questions and Naruto was disappointed to learn that they would have to do simple D Rank missions when they became Genin.

    "Um Daichi, do you have any more books on Medicine? I''m almost done with the one you gave me." Sakura said.

    Daichi was only mildly surprised. ''That book had more information than what''s taught at the academy but it still only contained the basic information. Even so I thought it would take her at least 3 months to finish. For her toplete it already is just Well Her strength at the moment doesy in storing information''

    Daichi nodded. "Yeah. I''ll give you the titles of some reference books. They''ll probably be in the Academy Library. So you can check them out whenever you want."

    "I can''t believe you''re asking for more books to study."

    "Yeah. There''s no way I''d do that."

    Naruto and Kiba said in unison.

    "Well maybe if you two knuckleheads did study then you would have better grades." Ino told them and defended her friend.

    "That reminds me, I remember giving you a book on chakra control. Have you read it?" Daichi asked Naruto.

    The blonde boy just sheepishly chucked and rubbed his head. Daichi sweatdropped as he already knew what the answer to that question was.

    "Well, you see I tried it and just couldn''t get the hang of it. So I kinda stopped after a few days." Naruto replied with an embarrassed smile.

    Daichi sighed. ''This kid I thought he would be motivated enough but it seems he isn''t in the mindset he was in the Wave mission. Sasuke was there to motivate him but here he doesn''t have that and the sheer drive to learn the technique''

    Daichi decided to set a metaphorical fire under Naruto. "That''s a shame. Sasuke looked like hepletely mastered the technique."

    Hearing that Naruto jumped to his feet. "Say what!"

    "How do you know that Daichi?" Choji asked him.

    "You''ve been sparring with him, haven''t you?" Shikamaru said.

    Daichi nodded. "Yeah. He''s about mastered the Tree Walking technique."

    "What? Howe you don''t spar with us?" "Yeah?" Kiba and Naruto were slightly hurt that their friend wouldn''t fight them. They still remembered the words Sasuke said during the match at the academy.

    Daichi recognized the sad tone in their voice. "Guys, it''s nothing personal. I was training in the forest near his n grounds and we identally met. We just sparred to kill some time."

    Naruto was now determined. "There''s no way I''m gonna let Sasuke get ahead of me that easily. I''m gonna master the Tree walking as fast as I can."

    "Me too. I''m gonna train and I''ll learn it before you do." Kiba also became eager.

    "You should learn it. It helps with chakra movement throughout the body and will also help with the clone jutsu. There are also ways you can increase the chakra control training intensity" Daichi spoke and he had the attention of almost everyone. He saw the most excitement in Naruto''s eyes.

    "As written in the scroll, Tree walking increases chakra control but this is a simple exercise. After you learn tree walking, you can also increase your focus and chakra control by sticking leaves to the tip of your toes and the soles of your feet. It''s the same concept of sticking the leaf on the forehead. That way you''ll learn to control just how much chakra is needed Naruto, your problem with clone jutsu is that you''re not moving your chakra through the body correctly. And Sakura, if you want to learn medical ninjutsu then chakra control is of utmost importance." Daichi finished his exnation.

    Naruto and the gang save for Shikamaru and Shino nodded their heads. Those two already knew the specifics of chakra control training.

    As they were talking, Daichi sensed someone watching him. He discreetly looked around the ce and a few secondster saw who it was.

    ''Mizuki! He''s not as subtle as he thinks. He''s observing us... What''s his intentions? Is he keeping an eye on Naruto or me? He had contact with Orochimaru but to that snake this guy is just a weak pawn. Not even worth it''

    Mizuki was on the first floor of the academy looking at the group through one of the windows. He didn''t notice that he caught Daichi''s attention.

    Mizuki''s fists clenched as he saw the group of eight students and one new Geninughing and enjoying themselves. He had his eyes on two people in particr. ''That damn fox brat. I can''t believe he made friends And that''s Daichi Hekima. The student who took early graduation and one who''s called a Genius.''

    The man''s eyes narrowed as he looked at the Genin. He didn''t realize it but he was jealous of Daichi''s great talent. And that jealousy along with the boy''s friendship with Naruto made Mizuki hate the boy.

    Daichi''s senses picked up on the minute killing intent Mizuki emitted. He kept calm and talked to others with a smile like nothing happened. A few secondster the bell rang throughout the academy signaling the end of students'' lunch break.

    At this moment Daichi saw Mizuki walking away. His smile vanished and his eyes slightly narrowed as he looked at the disappearing form of the man.

    "Next ss is Mizuki sensei''s. We better hurry. See you next time Daichi." Choji said and the rest said their farewell as well.

    Shikamaru was thest to get up and leave. He noticed the way Daichi looked at the certain academy instructor. He didn''t leave and waited for the rest of his friends to get ahead.

    "Is there something wrong with Mizuki sensei?" Shikamaru stood near Daichi and asked in a low voice.

    Daichi was quiet for a few seconds. He was contemting on how to answer that question. A few momentster he spoke. "I''m not sure. It''s just I have a bad feeling about that guy. It''s not based on any evidence or anything like that. It''s just an illogical gut feeling"

    Shikamaru looked at his friend and slowly nodded. He walked away thinking about what Daichi said. ''Mizuki sensei has been teaching at the academy for a few years. But he wasn''t assigned to our ss till this year. So I doubt Daichi had any lengthy interaction with him, if any at all. But for him to still say that This is so troublesome.''

    Daichi left the academy with his mind on the silver haired academy instructor. ''I hope nothing bad happens.''

    Naruto and the others were walking to their ss.

    "You know, I''m kinda surprised you didn''t ask Daichi for a spar?" Sakura said.

    "It''s not that I don''t want to. It''s just that Daichi is the strongest. I do want to challenge him but I''ll only do it after beating Sasuke. And when I fight Daichi, I''m gonna beat him too." Naruto as he clenched his fists.

    Sakura snorted at that notion. "Yeah. Good luck with that."

    "Hey. I''m serious."

    They soon entered the ss and waited for their teacher. A few momentster the door opened.

    "Good Afternoon, Mizuki sensei."

    The ss greeted him. The man had a kind smile and greeted all the students. When his eyes reached Naruto, the smile on his face cracked for only a split second but he sessfully kept the facade of a kind loving teacher.

    No one saw the hate in the teacher''s eyes except for one person.

    Shikamaru didn''t believe Daichi at first and thought he was just being paranoid or something. But he decided to trust his friend and his own instinct and paid close attention to his teacher from the moment the man set foot in the room.

    It was only because he paid such scrutinizing attention that he saw such a split second micro expression. The young Nara frowned as he looked at his academy instructor. ''Daichi is definitely on to something. This guy is not what he seems.''

    -

    "597 598 599 600."

    Daichipleted the 600 rep handstand andnded on his feet. ''I got another 2 points in strength. One in stamina. Doing it with weights is the best way to improve stats. I need to increase the stats as much as I can and get them to 300. I need the perks more than ever.''

    Daichi wiped the sweat with a towel and sat down. He soon began meditating along with the several clones near him.

    Some timeter he sensed the arrival of his Jonin teacher.

    "So what''s it this time?" Daichi asked the man.

    "My rm clock stopped working so I got upte. I''ll fix it after our mission."

    "Mmmhm!"

    Daichi released the shadow clones and stood. "So what''s the mission today?"

    "Let''s go find out."

    With that the 2 man team headed for the tower. Soon they reached the mission desk. They saw the Hokage assigning missions to various teams.

    "Aah! Team Kakashi. Wee."

    "Lord Hokage." The two ninja greeted their leader.

    "If you''re interested I have a C Rank mission for you." The old leader said.

    Daichi straightened and nodded.

    "Well, since my student is so eager I guess we''ll take it." Kakashi said with a smile.

    The kage gave a scroll to Kakashi and gave them a mission overview. "It''s a document Delivery mission to Tonika Vige."

    At that moment a new quest popped up.

    [Quest Created - Delivery Mission to Tonika Vige.]

    ----------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 166: Quest: Acquire the Spring water.

    Chapter 166: Quest: Acquire the Spring water.

    Hiruzen handed Kakashi the scroll and spoke. He told them the details of the mission. "This scroll contains authorized documents pertaining goods trade between our viges. I want you to deliver the scroll to the head of the Tonika vige head and await his response."

    After listening to what the Hokage said, Daichi went through the quest details that popped up.

    [Quest created - Delivery Mission to Tonika Vige.]

    [The Hokage has tasked your team with delivering an important scroll to another vige. Sessfully deliver the scroll and return with the response of the other party toplete this C Rank mission.]

    [Conditions:]

    Protect the scroll during the journey.

    [Rewards:]

    7000 Exp.

    Reputation slightly increases with people of Tonika Vige.

    [Failure:]

    Reputation decreases with the Hokage, Kakashi Hatake and people of Tonika vige.

    No C Rank missions for a while.

    [ept Y/N]

    epting the quest, Daichi turned to his teacher. Kakashi took the scroll and left the tower.

    "The Tonika vige lies on the outskirts of Fire country. So this will take a couple days toplete. Pack ordingly. Meet me at the gate in an hour." Kakashi gave instructions to his student.

    Daichi nodded and left for his home. He already had everything needed in his inventory but he needed to inform his grandfather of his journey.

    -

    Daichi was waiting near the gates of the vige. A short whileter Kakashi showed up.

    "So ready for a trip outside the Fire country?" Kakashi asked in a jovial tone.

    "Well, I''ve been to other countries. But yes, I''m somewhat excited to travel to a new vige." His student replied with a smile. Both of them marked their departure with the guards and started their journey.

    Since they didn''t have a civilian with them they were moving through the trees at a fast but controlled pace.

    Daichi thought about what he knew about the Tonika vige. ''Its a small vige out in the middle of a barren wastnd. That''s the vige that was attacked by Kabuto. The ce with the tower ''Spear of Heaven''. It was a filler arc but since fillers exist, that ce also exists. It''s also the ce with spring water that has overflowing life energy and elerated cell division. I need to get a sample of that water and Analyze it. There are also rumors about hidden treasures in that vige.''

    "What''s on your mind?" Kakashi asked his student.

    "I''ve read up on the other viges and Tonika vige came up during my study. There are some mentions about treasures and powerful weapons hidden in the vige. Do you think that''s true?"

    "Hmm I''ve heard rumors about such but I don''t know for sure." Kakashi replied.

    Both of them jumped through the trees and made their way to the borders of the fire country. They saw patrolling ninjas pass by a couple times and their journey was uneventful.

    The young Genin was amazed as he hadn''t encountered any unexpected surprises yet. ''Naruto and Sasuke. Maybe those two are just bad luck. Or maybe its the curse. Technically my team is called team Kakashi. So maybe I''m free from the curse of Team 7?... Hmm That must be it.''

    The ninja duo made their way through the trees and after several hours they started to see a change in the terrain. Vegetation and trees became less and less as they moved forward and soon they were moving through a barrennd in the scorching sun.

    [Mini-Map updated]

    Daichi looked at the notification and new information appeared in his head.

    "We''re on the outskirts of the country. We need to move along east of here and we''ll reach the vige in a couple hours." Kakashi said and pointed and they both took off in the direction.

    As they made their journey they soon came across arge pipe going in another direction. The Gamer ninja recognized the pipe.

    ''This pipe! This must be the pipe that supplies spring water from the Tonika vige to the Hacho Vige.''

    "We''re close." Kakashi said and they both continued on. Before long they reached their destination.

    "Wow!" Daichi was amazed at the site. ''Seeing this vige through a television screen does no justice.''

    The Tonika vige was situated in arge hole. It was an ecological oasis in the middle of a barren wastnd. The vige was situated in the middle of the hole with arge forest andke surrounding it.

    "It''s beautiful." The boy spoke.

    Kakashi agreed with that sentiment. The vige bustling with wildlife and vegetation was a stark contrast to the lifeless wastnd around it.

    At that moment a few people wereing towards them. A group of 4 people came near Kakashi and Daichi and looked at the two. They noticed the Leaf headband and slightly rxed their posture.

    "My name is Santo. This is my team. We''re the guards of this vige. What brings you leaf ninja here?" The man introduced himself.

    "I''m Kakashi Hatake. This is my student Daichi Hekima. We''re on a mission to deliver a scroll to the vige head." Kakashi took out the scroll and showed the official seal of the Hokage.

    The guards straightened and nodded. They left to patrol the vige while their leader Santo escorted the 2 man Genin team to his vige. "Come. I''ll take you to meet the elder."

    The three shinobi made their way to a wooden stairs that led down to the vige.

    "So ahh. Can I ask you something?" The Genin looked at the Tonika ninja.

    Santo had a smile as he addressed Daichi. "Of course."

    "So is it true? The rumors?"

    "Haha! I assume you must be referring to the ones about treasures."

    "Yeah."

    "Well, the legend has it that long ago, long before even this vige was created, a powerful ninja hid something here in this area. That information spread and over time became the legend of the treasure. Truth be told, when I was a child, me and my friends searched this vige up and down for the so-called treasure. Couldn''t find anything"

    "I heard that bandits used to attack this ce." Kakashi spoke.

    "Yes. The thievese in search of the treasure but we''ve repelled them. We''ve ced traps around the ce to stop intruders." Santo didn''t borate on it any further.

    The trio soon reached the bottom of the steps. As soon as Daichi touched the ground a new quest appeared in his view.

    [Quest created - Obtain the Spring Water.]

    [The spring water is abundant with life energy and vitality. Obtain the spring water and increase your Stats.]

    [Conditions:]

    Obtain 1 liter of spring water for consumption.

    [Rewards:]

    Stat increase.

    [Failure:]

    None

    [ept Y/N]

    ''Wow. Amazing. A stat increase by obtaining the water. There''s no way I''m gonna reject this.''

    Without wasting a second Daichi epted the quest. They made their way to the vige. As they walked, Daichi recognized certain areas of the vige. Especially the ce where several pirs stood tall. There were patrol ninjas roaming around the ce.

    They soon made their way to arge house. A tall old man withrge white hair and beard appeared before them. Behind the elder stood another tall man. He was the guard tasked with protecting the head. Santo bowed to the elderly man.

    "Elder. They are from the Leaf vige." Santo said.

    "Thank you Santo. I got it."

    The elder then looked at Kakashi and Daichi and smiled. "Wee to our vige. Pleasee inside." The leader of the vige led the two ninjas to his office.

    Kakashi gave the scroll to the vige head. "The details of the trade agreement between our viges are inside. Our Hokage would like your response."

    The elder opened the scroll and went through the information. Once he was done he looked at the two ninja. "Please wait for a day. I must discuss it with a few others before I make a final decision."

    "I understand." Kakashi nodded. He had been on plenty of missions like this. So he knew he would have to wait for a while.

    "In the meantime you two are more than wee here. Jeno here will guide you."

    "Thank you." Kakashi and Daichi nodded and they left the office.

    "This ce ispletely different from the outside. So full of life." Kakashi said as he looked around.

    "Yes. It''s because of the spring water here." Jeno didn''t borate further. He had a somewhat stern visage.

    They walked through the streets of the vige enjoying the peaceful atmosphere of the vige. At that moment a little kid ying near them tripped and fell down on some sharp stones and wounded his arm. He cradled his arm and started crying.

    Daichi immediately rushed to the boy.

    "What are you trying to do?" Jeno quickly rushed after Daichi and asked the boy. He was wary of foreign ninjas and that included ninjas of the leaf vige.

    "I''m a medic ninja. I''m just going to take a look at his injury and heal him." Daichi replied without even looking at the man.

    Jeno was suspicious that a boy so young would be a medic ninja but he didn''t stop Daichi.

    "Don''t worry. He knows what he''s doing." Kakashi said to the man.

    Daichi reached the crying child and calmed him down. He then looked at the arm and noted the injuries.

    ''Nothing''s broken. But he has a deep cut.''

    "Hey. What''s your name?"

    "Noburo."

    "Hello Noburo. My name is Daichi. Don''t worry. Everything''s gonna be okay. I want you to hold still, close your eyes and count to 60. Can you do that?" Daichi asked the child with a gentle smile.

    The small child nodded and closed his eyes. He started counting in a small voice and the medic ninja beside him quickly got to work.

    Daichi immediately brought up his hands and they started glowing green. He quickly removed any foreign objects from the child''s wounded area and began to heal the injury.

    The Tonika vige ninja watched in fascination as the wounds on the boy''s hand quickly closed up. In less than a minute Daichipletely healed the arm and when the boy opened his eyes at 60, he was shocked.

    "It doesn''t hurt anymore."

    "Of course. I healed you. But you need to take it easy for the day. And don''t y around near sharp rocks."

    The child stood and bowed. "Thank you brother Daichi."

    "You''re wee." The child left with a wide smile on his face.

    Jeno looked at Daichi and his expression softened. "Thank you. For what you did to him."

    Daichi nodded. "I''m a medic. It''s what I do."

    "Would you like to look around the vige?"

    They toured the vige and Jeno''s attitude slowly became friendly towards them. After some time Daichi asked a question that''s been on his mind.

    ''I could just sneak into Spring Lake but I''d rather not cause any problems. And now the chances of them rejecting my request is near zero. Even if they do, I still have ways to get the water.''

    "Hey. I have a request. If you''ll indulge me?" Daichi spoke.

    "What is it?"

    "Can I take some of the Spring Lake water with me? During my time learning about various herbs, I read about the Spring water here and it''s abundant life energy. And based on the fact that there is a forest in the middle of a wastnd I''m guessing that''s true."

    Jeno nodded. "Yes. It''s true. The Spring water here nourishes and creates the wildlife you see before you. And it has some healing properties as well. And as for your request Yes. You may take some water. I''ll show you where to get it."

    "Thank you."

    "Why do you need the spring water Daichi?" Kakashi asked.

    "Mostly for research. I want to study it''s effects and see if it''s possible in creating medicine." The boy replied.

    They soon reached theke that surrounded the vige. It was a crystal clear Lake that almost sparkled. The trees around the ce were even taller than most trees in the lead vige. Daichi sensed various animals roaming throughout the area.

    "This is the ce." Jeno said.

    Daichi took a gourd out of his scroll and dipped it inside the clear Lake. Once it was filled he brought it to his nose.

    ''Hmm No smell It''s pure. There are no contaminating elements.''

    He then quickly began drinking the water. In a few seconds Daichi finished the whole thing.

    [+4000 HP]

    [+3400 CP]

    [+3700 SP]

    [Note: Drinking 1 liter of Spring Lake water gives an increase in HP, CP, SP but it is a temporary effect. Drinking the water again within 12 hours of consumption will not increase the HP, CP, SP points.]

    [+15 Vitality]

    [+13 Stamina]

    [+10 Chakra]

    [Note: Stat increase is a one time permanent effect.]

    ''Amazing. The stats increased by 38 points and this restores points in health, chakra and stamina. But it''s temporary and got a 12 hour cool down time. Still It''s far better than nothing. I need to find a way to store gallons of this stuff. But I doubt they would agree to something like that. And I don''t want anyone to know about my interest in this stuff.''

    At that moment the questpletion notification appeared.

    [Quest ''Obtain the Spring Water'' Completed.]

    [Rewards:]

    Stat increase.

    "Refreshing isn''t it." Jeno spoke to Daichi at that second.

    "Yes. It''s quite something." Daichi dipped the gourd into theke and refilled it. Once it was full he sealed the bottle and they left the ce.

    Daichi was very happy with the results. He was already making ns to abscond with arge quantity of the pure water.

    ''Looks like I need toe here without anyone noticing after all.''

    -----------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 167: Daichi, the Medic!

    Chapter 167: Daichi, the Medic!

    It was around midnight and Daichi was still in his bed awake. He looked out the window and saw the vige submerged in darkness.

    ''It''s time. I shouldn''t wait any longer.''

    With that thought Daichi closed the open window and created a shadow clone. He took the invisibility cloak from his inventory and handed it to the clone.

    "You know what to do. Go!"

    The clone nodded and under the protection of the cloak left the building. The real Daichiid back on his bed and soon went to sleep.

    -

    The shadow clone swiftly moved through the area and quickly reached theke. He walked on top of theke, almost a dozen meters from the shore. Once he found a suitable spot he took out a special sealing scroll.

    ''This will do nicely. I''m d I bought scrolls like this when I had the chance.''

    He ced his fingers on the scroll and activated it with his chakra. Several seals appeared on it with the kanji for water in the middle. It was a sealing scroll that could store vast quantities of water. He ced the scroll on top of theke and it began absorbing the spring water.

    ''My chakra sense and Mana scout doesn''t show anyone around. Excellent. The less people know the better. The properties of this water are amazing. No wonder Kabuto sought it out. I can revise the Ration pill form and create something even better with this. But it needs thorough research. I could also use this as an ingredient for Jin''s cure''

    At this another thought popped up in Daichi''s mind. It was something he''s been considering for a while. ''I need to set up ab. Learning medical ninjutsu from Lady Tsunade has certainly ignited a passion for research in me. I need to also use it for my other quests A top tier researchb will definitelye in handy for me. But how do I build one?''

    Daichi knew he wouldn''t be satisfied with a regrboratory. He was thinking about building one with advanced high tech equipment and machines.

    ''I need to find an ideal spot to set up myb. I need the funding to buy the necessary items. And even then, the production and distribution of advanced medical equipment is monitored by every nation. If I''m not careful I could get into some serious trouble. And after creating myb, I need to create adequate defensive measures Argh So many things to do.''

    As he was making ns for the future the scroll he was holding stopped absorbing the water. ''It''s filled to capacity. This willst me a long while. And even if I need more, all I need to do ise back here.''

    Daichi closed the scroll and ced it in his inventory. Since he was a shadow clone he couldn''t take things out of the inventory but he could ce items inside.

    ''Time to make my exit.''

    Daichi cut the flow of chakra to his feet and immediately fell into theke. As he submerged, he took off the cloak and quickly ced it in his inventory. Once the cloak disappeared he released the jutsu and vanished.

    -

    Kakashi and his student were in front of the elder of Tonika vige. Along with his guard Jeno there were a few others there with him as well.

    "We''ve looked over trade deals proposed in the scroll and we''vee to a decision. We will ept the terms. I have signed the scroll." The vige head spoke with a smile as he gave the scroll to the Leaf Jonin.

    Kakashi took the scroll and secured it. "It seems our mission here is done. We''ll be on our way then."

    "Thank you for the hospitality." Daichi slightly bowed.

    As the two Leaf ninja were about to leave, the vige head called out.

    "Could you wait a moment?" The elder asked. He looked at Daichi and spoke.

    "Jeno here says you''re a medic ninja. Is it true?" The leader asked.

    Daichi could sense the uncertainty and hope in his tone. "Yes. I am."

    The vige leader hesitated for a moment and then asked a question that''s been on his mind for a few hours.

    "Did you perhaps learn medical ninjutsu under the Sannin Lady Tsunade?"

    Daichi and Kakashi''s eyes narrowed. They both were on guard when they heard the question.

    ''People were bound to know about my rtionship with her. Still for someone to know that info even out here''

    "Yes. I did." Daichi nodded. He kept an impassive face. He wasn''t sure what the old man wanted from him but he could make a strong guess.

    "You two needn''t look so tense. It was a coincidence that I learned of this information." The man tried to ease the atmosphere.

    "Do you need me to heal someone?" Daichi asked the man.

    At this the elder''s face dimmed. There was great sadness in his eyes. "Yes. If it''s not too much trouble, could you take a look at my daughter? She is weakening day by day and I don''t know what to do. She gave birth a few months ago and soon her body began weakening." He spoke with a heavy heart.

    "I hired some good medics from the Fire capital but they couldn''t find the cause. That''s when I heard about Princess Tsunade''s young apprentice. I didn''t know for sure if you were the same Daichi Hekima as the one I had heard about." He had hope in his eyes as he looked at the boy.

    "Since you are her apprentice, I have no doubt that you''re more than capable. You are myst hope. Will you please help her?" The man almost pleaded.

    [Quest created - Treat the Elder''s Daughter.]

    [The vige head''s daughter hase down with an unexpected illness. Find the true cause of the illness and heal her.]

    [Conditions:]

    Identify the cause of her illness and create a treatment for her.

    .

    [Rewards:]

    2500 Exp

    +2 Intelligence Stat.

    Reputation massively increases with the head of the Tonika vige and his family.

    Reputation increases with the people of Tonika vige.

    Reputation slightly increases with Kakashi Hatake and Hiruzen Sarutobi.

    .

    [Failure:]

    Reputation decreases with people of the Tonika vige.

    Reputation slightly decreases with Kakashi Hatake and Hiruzen Sarutobi.

    [ept Y/N]

    Daichi epted the quest but he also needed Kakashi''s approval. He knew the man would most likely agree to it. But he wanted to be sure. This was just a simple C Rank delivery mission after all. Daichi looked at his sensei from the corner of his eyes. Kakashi nodded in approval.

    "Yes. I''ll see what I can do. Take me to her."

    The elder and the other people in the room had smiles on their faces. They all adored the elder''s daughter and her two children. The head of the Tonika vige guided the two Leaf ninjas to his home.

    Once they reached the house the old man led them upstairs. The room his daughter was situated in was on the upper floor. He opened the door to the sick woman''s room. Daichi, Kakashi and the vige elder entered the room while the few others waited outside the house.

    The man closed the door while Daichi looked at the woman sleeping on the bed. He went near her and examined her breathing and took her pulse. He could already tell that her condition was severe and knew that if nothing was done she would die in a matter of weeks.

    He ced his hands above her chest and it started glowing green. Daichi was examining her state and soon found the problem. After a minute of observing his new patient he stood and looked at the elder. He then silently looked around the room.

    Kakashi was watching Daichi''s every move. ''He must have found something about her illness.''

    The elder was silent as he watched the boy look around the room. He didn''t want to disturb the child.

    Daichi looked around the room and didn''t find what he was looking for. It was then that he heard the sound of a tree branch slightly hitting the window in the room. He noticed a table near the window and a basket filled with fruits on it.

    Daichi went near the table and examined the fruits in the basket. He then opened the window and looked outside. He looked down and saw something he had expected to see. A small smile formed on his face and he turned around.

    Kakashi knew that smile. ''Seems he figured it out.''

    Seeing the boy''s smile, hope began to rise in the old man''s heart. "Can you help her?" The desperation in his voice was obvious.

    "I found the problem but for an effective treatment and cure, I need to make sure of something. I need you to answer a question." Daichi replied.

    The elder''s eyes widened and he nodded. "Whatever you need."

    Daichi went to the fruit basket and picked a certain fruit. It was a red fruit the size of Daichi''s palm. It was in the vague shape of an ape.

    "Has your daughter been eating this fruit?" He asked the elder.

    The man shook in affirmation. "Yes. It''s one of her favorite foods."

    Daichi nodded. "Rubukara Pyrokus. Ormonly referred to as the Scarlet Ape fruit due to its dark red color and Ape like shape. It is rich in vitamins, antioxidants and it''s quite delicious. It''s nutritious and an ideal food for everyone."

    "I''m sensing a buting" Kakashi spoke.

    Daichi smiled. "But, what people don''t know is, it can also be turned into a poison."

    "What!?" The elder was shocked. "Are you saying someone poisoned my daughter?"

    "Not necessarily."

    The vige leader was confused when he heard the boy''s reply.

    Daichi beckoned them toe near the window and look outside. The two men did as Daichi told and looked outside.

    "Look down. The small garden you see down there. Do you see a green flower with 6 petals?"

    At Daichi''s question both men focused their attention and quickly found the nt in question.

    "Heptaurilum. Or the Green Umbre flower. The 6 leaves hanging down in an arc resembles the shape of an open umbre with the green flower on the top center. It''s a very rare, beautiful flower and quite harmless. It''s difficult to grow this flower in most ces. It flourished here most likely due to the spring water here."

    The two adults looked at Daichi as he continued with his exnation.

    "It produces much more pollen than other flowers. About 7 times. And since these pollen are microspores and no different than dust, we dismiss them. Now this nt was recently grown here wasn''t it?"

    The vige head nodded.

    "Yes. It was among the nts I brought here from my trip to the Fire capital several months ago. My daughter thought it would be beautiful in the garden and nted it there. But what does that have to do with the fruit or my daughter''s illness?" The old man asked.

    "The pollen from this nt whenbined with the Scarlet Ape fruit creates a toxin that slowly eats away at the chakra system and weakens the muscles. It''s virtually impossible to detect unless you know what you''re looking for. Your daughter must have been eating this fruit with the window open and with the winds flowing in this direction, the pollen may havended on the fruit when she was eating it. It created the toxin and your daughter became poisoned."

    The two men''s eyes widened.

    "So it was just an ident?" Kakashi asked.

    "Yeah. I don''t think anyone intentionally poisoned her. This was just a random coincidence." Daichi replied.

    "C-can you save her?" The elder was anxious.

    "Don''t worry. Even though the poison has been in her system for a while she''s not gonna die today. And yes. I can save her." Daichi eased the old man''s worries.

    Hearing that a wide smile formed on the old man''s face. A few tears escaped his eyes which he quickly wiped away.

    "I need a pen and paper." Daichi said to the man.

    The elder quickly took arge piece of paper and pen and handed them to Daichi. The young medic quickly wrote down several instructions on the paper. Once he was done he handed them back to the man.

    "I''ve created a medication for her. Right now her body is weak. So a heavy dose of the cure could do more damage to her than good. So I want you to give her this. I''ve written another prescription. Give this to her for two weeks and then start on the second medicine. In about a month she should be fully healed. Oh and you should either remove the flower from that area or don''t let her eat the fruit."

    [Quest ''Treat the Elder''s Daughter'' Completed.]

    [Rewards:]

    [2500 Exp.]

    [375 Exp. ]

    [+2 Intelligence Stat.]

    [Reputation massively increases with the head of the Tonika vige and his family.]

    [Reputation increases with the people of Tonika vige.]

    [Reputation slightly increases with Kakashi Hatake and Hiruzen Sarutobi. ]

    The elder held Daichi''s hands in gratitude. "Thank you. You saved her life. How can I repay you?"

    "You don''t need to do anything I''d prefer it actually Oh and before I forget. You need to keep what you learned here to yourself. This is a good way to make an almost undetectable poison and if this information got out it would cause trouble." Daichi conveyed the seriousness of the situation to the man.

    "I understand." The man nodded his head. He smiled at the boy who created a cure for his daughter. He then led the two ninjas outside.

    The few people outside were anxiously waiting for the results. They saw the vige heade out with the 2 Leaf ninjas. They saw the wide smile on his face and had an answer.

    "He truly is Lady Tsunade''s apprentice. He found her illness and created a treatment for her." The man said to them.

    [Reputation increases with the people of Tonika vige.]

    "What was wrong with her?" Jeno asked his leader.

    Before the man could reply, Daichi answered. "She was suffering from a rare gic disease. It caused her muscles to weaken over time."

    The vige head didn''t dispute the words and nodded along with Daichi.

    "Would you like to stay for a few more days? We''d be more than happy to have you."

    The elder gave them an invitation which the two ninjas politely declined.

    "I''ll be sure to visit the Leaf vige with my family once my daughter is healed. I''m sure she''ll be excited to meet her savior." The vige head said.

    After some time the two Leaf ninjas left the vige and headed back home.

    -----------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 168: Military Tactics

    Chapter 168: Military Tactics

    The two Leaf ninja were on their way back to the vige. Watching Daichi find the root of the woman''s illness and create a treatment so quickly still amazed Kakashi. It was yet another reminder that the boy was the apprentice of one of the Sannin.

    "How did you diagnose her condition so quickly?" The Jonin asked out of curiosity.

    Daichi had a small smirk when he heard the question. "My medical ninjutsu techniques are far more precise and thorough than everyone else''s. The only one who could match my skills or have even greater proficiency is Lady Tsunade. The second I scanned her body, I knew there were foreign particles inside her. Those particles are almost impossible to detect by anyone else. It''s why the other medics failed to recognize what was wrong with her. And during my scan I found that her veins started clogging up first and her chakra system was being attacked after. That narrowed down the cause and the rest Well, you saw."

    Kakashi nodded and looked ahead. ''People dedicate their whole lives to learn and be proficient in a certain field. But this kid To him, it was as if learning Medical Ninjutsu was just a side project''

    The man still remembered the day he met the boy and the discussion he had with the Hokage after. ''An immeasurable talent with a rapid growth rate He could very well be kage level in a few years if he keeps going at this rate.''

    The duo moved through the trees without stopping. They didn''t encounter any resistance or bandits on their trip. Several hourster they reached the vige gates and notified their arrival at the gate guards.

    -

    Hiruzen was listening to the mission details. Kakashi recalled everything that happened and quickly gave an oral report.

    Once the Jonin was done the kage nodded his head in approval. "I see. So that''s how it went huh. Well done Daichi. You''vepleted the mission and you saved someone''s life. Tsunade would be proud."

    Daichi smiled and gave a short bow. He received the questpletion notification and soon the two of them left the Hokage''s office.

    [Quest ''Delivery Mission to Tonika Vige'' Completed.]

    [Rewards:]

    [7000 Exp.]

    [1050 Exp.]

    [Reputation slightly increases with people of Tonika Vige.]

    [You have leveled up.]

    ''Yes. Level 51. I need toplete high ranking missions and increase my experience I also need to think about the next dungeon I want to enter.''

    As Daichi was making ns Kakashi spoke.

    "Take a day off to rest. The day after tomorrow, meet me at the training ground at 7am. We''ll go over some battle tactics and team formations." Kakashi said those words and the next second vanished in a puff of smoke.

    ''So military tactics and strategies huh. Hmm I''m looking forward to it.''

    Daichi headed back home and spent the remainder of the day just enjoying himself. He visited Naruto and the gang the next day and spent some time with his friends catching up.

    -

    It was almost 10am and Daichi''s senses picked up the scent of his teacher entering the forest. He opened his eyes and stopped his meditation when Kakashi got near.

    "So what are we doing today?" Daichi asked the man.

    "You''re not even curious as to why I''mte?" The Jonin looked at the kid.

    "Nope." Daichi shook his head and kept a straight face.

    Kakashi sighed seeing his student''sckluster response. ''Maybe this will be more fun with my next team.''

    He decided to get down to business. "The academy gives their students survival, evasion, resistance and escape training. You''ve been away from the academy for two years but I''m sure Lady Tsunade has taught you these lessons during your time with her."

    "Yeah." Daichi nodded. "The curriculum I received during those two years were even moreprehensive and advanced than the standard ones given in the academy. I Learned about survival techniques, recovery methods, rescue techniques and various signals." He continued.

    The Jonin nodded. ''So Lord Hokage wanted to make sure he was ready huh.''

    "Today you''re going to learn team formation training and military tactics. I''m going to teach you some general form of warfare. Now these are things you only learn when you be a Chunin or during wartime but circumstances have forced our hands." The Jonin looked at Daichi and knew the boy took the situation seriously.

    Daichi knew what Kakashi meant. Powerful people had taken an interest in him and he needed to be prepared.

    Kakashi and Daichi sat down and the Jonin began his lesson with Daichi paying close attention.

    "Like I said, there are several forms of warfare. The first is exploiting the weather. The tactical use of weather as a force multiplier has influenced many battles throughout history. Using the terrain to our advantage also falls into this category."

    At this, Daichi thought about the ''Sasuke vs Itachi'' battle. The way Sasuke used fire to create a lightning cloud and used its power to use one of the strongest lightning attacks.

    Kakashi continued. "Nextes forced concentration. It''s the practice of concentrating a military force against a portion of an enemy force."

    "To take out high profile targets or important bases right?"

    "Yes. Only when we stand to gain something significant of value would we employ such a tactic." Kakashi recalled the missions hepleted during thest war.

    "Nowes nightbat. As the name suggests it isbat that takes ce during the night."

    "But it would have tactical advantages and disadvantages to both attacker and defender wouldn''t it.?" Daichi questioned.

    "Yes. If we employ such a tactic without proper information on the enemy, then we could be the ones in trouble. And nightbat requires more preparation thanbat during the day. One needs to have all their senses on high alert during such a battle."

    "The next is Reconnaissance. The mission to obtain information on the enemy by any detection methods. In such a mission one would need to find out the activities and resources of the enemy, their routes, potential and even the meteorological, hydrographic and even the geographical characteristics of their location."

    "Man, that''s a lot of things. The chances of getting caught during such a mission are high." Daichi spoke. He knew he would one day be sent on a mission like that but with his cloak he wasn''t all that worried.

    "Yes. It''s an extremely dangerous mission. We''re talking about spying in hostile territory with enemies that have who knows what abilities. It is why most reconnaissance missions consist of Hyuga n and Aburame n shinobi. Since they can spy on enemies from a long range. They will also be aided by someone who''s good in closebat."

    Daichi nodded his head. He had read several books on strategies so he already had an idea as to what Kakashi was talking about. ''Listening and reading about this stuff is entirely different from experience and actually doing it. I need to train these tactics during my next dungeon run.''

    Giving Daichi a basic idea Kakashi moved on to the next topic. "Now these are some of the general tactics used. There are much more but for now this should do Next we move on to standard warfare maneuvers."

    "You''re talking about pration of the enemy center, defensive attack, single and double envelopment, Feigned retreat and dyed approach." Daichi remembered the techniques used by Kensei during his time in the war.

    Kakashi was surprised. Information like that wasn''t easily avable to ninjas below Chunin rank. "You know about that?"

    The boy nodded his head. "Old man Kensei told me about the various strategies he used during the war." Daichi recalled that day.

    shback.

    Daichi and Kensei were having a Shogi match.

    "The only way to get smarter is if you y a smarter opponent. And Shogi is the perfect tool to help with that. It will help you ining up with strategies to get out of tight situations." Kensei said as he moved his piece on the board.

    Daichi moved his piece and spoke. "In war it won''t be just me fighting. I may be part of arge team-"

    "Or you may be the one leading a team. Either way you''ll no doubt find yourself in a difficult situation. It''s not a matter of if, only when." Kensei said as a matter of fact.

    "So how do I prepare?... How did you do it? I''m sure you''ve led a team or two in your time. What kind of strategies did you use?" Daichi asked his grandfather.

    "Hmm Well. In a war there are several maneuvers one can use to ovee the enemy forces. The first is ''Pration of the center''. We exploit a gap in the enemy line and go directly to the enemy''smand or base of operations. There are two ways to aplish this. Can you take a guess as to how?"

    At Kensei''s question Daichi thought about how he would do such a thing. "We separate the enemy forces and use a reserve to exploit the gap. Or we attack their weak spot with overwhelming force."

    Kensei smiled as he heard that answer. "Precisely. Just like this." He moved his Shogi piece and captured Daichi''s piece.

    "Damn it." Daichi cursed and looked at the board. His grandfather had forced him to concentrate his pieces to two locations and thereby creating a path directly to one of the more valuable pieces. Daichi looked at the scene and his eyes widened as he understood what happened. ''His battle senses and wisdom are incredible.''

    "We use Chunin ninjas and Special Jonin to hold the line while our elite forces smash down the weak spots and continue forward exploiting the gap." Kensei spoke as if from experience.

    Daichi nodded and took every word to heart. Kensei continued.

    "Now the next is Defensive attack. We establish a strong defensive line and attack the enemy. But this strategy has a problem. A prolonged defensive battle can be too passive and it could ultimately lead to our defeat and deaths. If you are in such a situation, try to change the tides or escape. Those are the two options."

    "I understand grandpa."

    "Now for single envelopment we attack with a strong nk. Holding the front line while the enemy gets demolished from the rear."

    "What happens if there is someone extremely strong behind the weak front." Daichi asked.

    "If that''s the case, it might prevent our allies from sessfullypleting the maneuver. Or it could even result in total failure. But it only happens in the case of a strong enemy present." Kensei said to the boy. The next moment he moved his piece and ended the match.

    "Checkmate." Said Kensei with a smile, capturing Daichi''s king. "You''re getting better. Yousted much longer this time." The old manplimented the boy.

    "But I still have a long way to go." Daichi grumbled.

    "Patience Daichi. It is a virtue."

    "What are the other maneuvers used?" Daichi was more than curious now. He wanted to know the different kinds of strategies to outsmart his enemies.

    Kensei leaned back and replied. "Well, the next is Feigned retreat. The frontal forces fake a retreat forcing the enemies to chase us."

    "Drawing them out in pursuit and then attacking them. Is that what you''re getting at?" From the very name of the technique Daichi had an idea as to what it entailed.

    The old veteran ninja nodded his head. "Yes. We attack with a strong force at the location of our choosing. But in some cases the Feigned retreat may devolve into a real one Now the final one is Dyed approach. We wear down the enemy with a minor force and thenunch an attack with a majority. In this case there will be unavoidable sacrifices."

    "Is there any way to minimize the casualty?" Daichi asked.

    "Information is key. Information on the enemy strength, the number and Rank and we also need to be prepared for the unexpected. Utilizing this information and arranging our forces ordingly, we can reduce the number of deaths to our forces."

    "I see"

    shback End.

    "So you have an understanding of the techniques used in war. Good. Seems we can skip that part."

    Kakashi began moving on with the next topic. Team formations.

    ----------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 169: Rivals & Training

    Chapter 169: Rivals & Training

    Kakashi and Daichi spent the day training in several team formations andbat maneuvers. The Jonin taught Daichi how to cut off an enemy''s retreat or to escape when facing much stronger opponents.

    "Understanding and effectively utilizing these formations depending on the enemy strength is critical." Kakashi told his student. "Once you achieve higher ranks you would be sent on missions involving counterattack, infiltration, extraction or you''ll be part of a rapid reaction unit. Your strategies and techniques should change depending on the situation."

    "Yeah." Daichi nodded.

    They battled and trained for the whole day and Kakashi made sure Daichi knew what to do if a difficult situation arose.

    -

    Kensei''s Home.

    Daichi opened his Status page and looked at his progress.

    [Name : Daichi Hekima] (The Gamer)

    [ss : Genin - ID 012559.]

    [Age : 12]

    [Title : Capable Child, Explorer, Prodigy, Beast yer, Dungeon Warrior, Executioner, Assassin, Mighty Healer, Slug Sannin''s Apprentice, Master of the Elements, A Genius of the Continent.]

    [Level : 51 (7937/68125)]

    .

    HP : 21119

    CP : 55316.8

    SP : 21884

    MP: 12690

    .

    [Primary Stats]

    Strength - 272

    Vitality - 285

    Dexterity - 230

    Agility - 270

    Intelligence - 212

    Chakra - 410

    Wisdom - 210

    .

    [Special Stats]

    Sense - 130

    Stamina - 235

    Indomitable - 37

    Charisma - 58

    Persistence - 35

    Dignity - 5

    Luck - 10

    .

    [Stat Points - 591]

    [Ryo - 334552]

    ''I have about 600 points to spend but It''s getting really difficult to increase my points already. If I use any more now Look at me. Hoarding the points like a dragon hoarding his gold. Vitality has already reached 285. I need to increase my strength and agility. Once they pass 290 I''ll add points and get them over 300. Hmm that should do.''

    Daichi closed the blue window and got up from his bed. He looked outside and his mind wandered. ''I need to build ab. But how? And where? I''ll need to start my work on that soon So many things to do before Canon starts. I wonder There definitely would be some kind of a butterfly effect because of my presence But what could it possibly be?''

    Daichi let out a small sigh and went back to bed. ''Whatever it is, I''ll just need to be ready.''

    Kakashi gave his student a few days off and Daichi spent the time training and improving his skills. He was getting ready and preparing himself to start on the third step of nature training.

    -

    "So, are you ready for another mission?" The silver haired Jonin asked his student, already knowing the answer.

    Daichi nodded eager for the next C Rank mission. "Yeah. I''ve been getting a little restless"

    The duo made their way to the tower with Kakashi reading his favorite book and Daichi looking around the ce. As they reached the entrance of the tower Daichi noticed another Genin team exiting the ce. A team he knew well from canon.

    Team Guy had just epted a mission from the Hokage and left the ce. As they came out of the Hokage tower Rock Lee saw his best friending in his direction.

    "Daichi!" Lee had a wide smile and ran to give his friend a tight hug.

    "Easy Lee. I''m happy to see you too." Daichi awkwardly hugged and then pried the bowlcut haired boy off him.

    Guy also smiled and looked at his Jonin rival. He stood in front of the man, not minding that Kakashi was still engrossed in his book and boisterously spoke. "Aahh Kakashi! My youthful friend/rival. I see you came here for a mission Haha. But it is toote. We came first and got the mission before you."

    It was then that Kakashi looked up from his reading material and looked at the green spandex wearing Taijutsu specialist. "Oh. Guy. I didn''t see you there Did you say something?"

    Guy dramatically held his heart as if an invisible arrow pierced it. "Argh! That hip and cool attitude. I''ll definitely beat you Kakashi!"

    His gaze then shifted to Daichi who was conversing with Lee. "You must be Kakashi''s youthful student Daichi!"

    Daichi looked at the Jonin and slightly bowed. "Yes. Sir."

    "So polite. You must be exceptionally strong for Kakashi to take you as his only student." Guy spoke looking at the boy.

    "Well I do eat my vegetables and train a lot. So" Daichi replied, giving a small smile. He used ''Observe'' skill in the man and found what he expected. ''Damn. Nothing. Makes sense. He''s on the same level as Kakashi.''

    Guyughed hearing that response from the boy.

    Lee was excited to see his friend after a long time. "I''ve gotten a lot stronger since thest time we met Daichi. I can''t wait to spar again with you." Lee said with a smile.

    "I look forward to it." Daichi replied. He then turned his attention to thest two members of Team Guy standing back and looking at him.

    Neji looked at Daichi and the Hyuga didn''t know what to make of him. ''So it''s him. The only Genin on a two man team. And the first to pass that Jonin Kakashi Hatake''s impossible test. Why would someone who''s praised as a genius and prodigy waste time with someone like Lee?... I must see for myself how strong he really is.''

    While Neji Hyuga quietly observed the Genin, Tenten stepped forward and introduced both of them.

    "Hello. I''m Tenten and he''s Neji Hyuga."

    "Daichi Hekima." Daichi introduced himself and used ''Observe'' on the three Genin as well. The information on them was what he already knew and all of their stats were normal for a fresh Genin team.

    "Oh we already know who you are. Lee can''t stop talking about you." Tenten said with a teasing smile.

    "Tenten!" Leeughed in slight embarrassment.

    "Lee and I''ve been friends for a few years. I know how excitable he is."

    "Alright team. It''s time to leave for our mission. Kakashi when Ie back we''ll have another battle." Guy said with great enthusiasm.

    An enthusiasm Kakashi did not share. The silver haired Jonin just sighed tiredly and replied. "Whatever you say, Guy."

    "There''s that nonchnt cool attitude again. I will definitely defeat you in our next battle. Lee, let''s not waste any more time and train. We must race to the vige gates but on our hands. The second ce mustplete 1000 push-ups." He spoke with determination.

    "Yes Guy Sensei!" Lee shouted with equal determination.

    Guy and Lee immediately got into a handstand and took off to the vige gates. Neji and Tenten just sighed as they looked at the scene.

    "Well, we better go after them. It was nice meeting you Daichi. Kakashi sensei." Tenten bowed and followed after her teammates.

    Neji looked at Daichi for a few seconds and he left as well, never saying a word.

    Once they were gone Daichi looked at his teacher.

    "Well that was interesting."

    "Yeah. That''s one word for it. Come on." Both of them continued on and soon stood in front of the mission desk.

    Hiruzen let out a puff of smoke as he looked at the special 2 man Team. "So you''re looking for a C Rank mission huh. I''m afraid you two are a bitte for that. The team before you took thest C Rank. There are a couple of D Ranks avable."

    Daichi looked at his sensei from the corner of his eyes. ''If this guy came at least half an hour earlier we would be on a C Rank mission by now.''

    Kakashi awkwardly rubbed his head and pretended not to notice the stink eye his student kept giving him.

    "Well take it." His sensei said.

    Hiruzen slightly chuckled seeing Daichi annoyed with Kakashi''s antics.

    Daichi sighed and took the mission scroll. He looked at the mission details andmented. ''Trash collection? This is not my day.''

    Daichi epted the corresponding quest that popped up and decided toplete the mission as soon as possible. He had some important Nature training toplete.

    -

    Guy and his team were at the vige gates ready to escort their client to a nearby vige.

    "So that''s the guy you''re always going on about huh. He''s kinda cute. I''ll give him that." Tenten said as she looked at Lee. "All the teachers at the academy say he''s a genius. Well otherwise they wouldn''t have allowed his early graduation. So how strong is he exactly? Do you know?" She asked Lee, the question that''s been on her and Neji''s mind.

    Lee was on the groundpleting his push-ups. A few secondster he stood and looked at Tenten. "He''s really strong. Daichi is the best at everything. I was never able to make him take me seriously."

    "Che. That''s not much of a problem." Neji said with a cold tone.

    Lee looked at his teammate in seriousness and spoke. "Neji. You may have heard the teachers say that he''s a prodigy but you have no idea just how true that is. If you were to challenge him now you''d lose. I can tell you right now, he''s much stronger than me and he''s stronger than you. He''s a prodigy in Ninjutsu, Genjutsu and Taijutsu. Right now, there is no Genin here that''s his equal."

    Tenten''s eyes widened and Neji was also surprised at that deration.

    "He''s that strong?" At her question Lee nodded his head.

    Guy was also listening in on their conversation. ''If the rumors are to be believed then Lee is absolutely right. He''s the strongest Genin currently in the vige. A genius and a student of one of the Legendary Sannin herself.''

    The Hyuga Genin narrowed his eyes and looked at his teammate. His face was calm but there was anger beneath that calm facade. "We''ll see"

    At this time their teacher interrupted them. "Yes. Daichi may be stronger than you at the moment but are you going to let that get to you?" Guy asked.

    "No way Guy sensei. I''m going to train harder and be much stronger. I''m going to defeat him." Lee''s words had strength and determination in them. ''I''m going to show everyone that I can be a great ninja too.''

    Lee''s greatest dream was to be acknowledged as a splendid ninja.

    -

    Daichi and Kakashi werepleting the D Rank mission assigned to them.

    "Man, I need a long shower after this." Daichi said as he kept collecting the trash.

    "Well, we probably won''t get a mission like this for a while. So that''s good news" Kakashi said, trying to lighten the mood.

    Daichi just grunted at that reply. He was quiet for a while and then asked Kakashi something.

    "Hey sensei."

    "Hmm"

    "I''m thinking about starting the third step of change in chakra nature training." Daichi spoke.

    Kakashi''s single visible eye widened when he heard that. "Daichi, that''s very advanced stuff. Its difficulty is on apletely different level whenpared to the second step. You would have to spend a great deal of time on it? Are you sure about this?"

    "Yeah. I''ve been thinking about it for a while. I want to master the elements to their highest degree. And I want to create Ninjutsu that are unique to mine."

    Kakashi let out a breath when he heard that. "Creating something like that. Even mastering the third step, one needs intuition. A deep understanding of that element and perfect control of one''s own chakra I suppose you do have those But something like this will take a long time to learn and even master. Are you absolutely sure about this?"

    Daichi nodded. "Yeah. I''m ready."

    "The third step of mastering change in chakra nature I''m not sure what they are. You would have to ask Lord Hokage for that information." The Jonin informed Daichi.

    The boy nodded his head and focused on his current task.

    Before long, with the help of Daichi''s shadow clones theypleted the mission and returned to the mission desk and returned the mission slip.

    Once they submitted a report Daichi made a request to the Hokage.

    "Lord Hokage, there is something I''d like to ask."

    "What is it, Daichi?"

    Kakashi looked at his student. ''He''s really gonna go through with this? Looks like I need to adjust my training ns.''

    "I want to start on the third step of Change in Chakra Nature training."

    Hiruzen slightly narrowed his eyes and leaned back in his chair. He looked at the boy for a few moments in silence and then spoke.

    "Mastering this would require extraordinary time and effort. It could slow down your progress in other areas. Are you certain this is what you want?" The kage asked.

    "Yes sir."

    "Very well. Have you decided on what element you''re going to start first?"

    At the Hokage''s question Daichi already had an answer in mind.

    "Yes sir. I''m going to start with Water Nature."

    ----------------

    Author''s Note:

    In the next chapter Daichi will begin the 3rd step of nature training but There wont be another long training arc. A new C Rank Mission will begin in a few chapters.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 170: Ninjutsu Mastery of Tobirama Senju

    Chapter 170: Ninjutsu Mastery of Tobirama Senju

    Hiruzen was slightly surprised when he heard that answer. ''I thought he would start with his primary affinity. Earth''

    The old kage was silent for a few moments as he contemted the choice.

    "Water is certainly a versatile element. Can you tell me the reason for choosing that?" He asked the boy.

    Daichi weighed the pros and cons of telling the man why he wanted to start with that. A couple secondster he ultimately decided to inform the kage of his reasons.

    "The versatility of water isn''t just in its attack and defense. It''s also in its element. Water when cooled down can be turned into ice or if heat is applied can be turned to steam. Ice and steam is something most people see as different elements but at their core they are a subdivision of water."

    Kakashi and Hiruzen''s eyes widened as they realized where the boy was going with this and they were astonished at what Daichi was intending to do.

    "You don''t actually think you can use Ice Kekkei Genkai jutsu do you?" Hiruzen asked. In his mind he already knew the answer but he wanted to hear it from Daichi''s mouth.

    "Yes sir. But not in the way you think." Daichi replied.

    Seeing the Hokage''s silence, Daichi continued.

    "I''m not from the Yuki n so I won''t be able to create Ice particles out of nothing and use Ice style jutsu like them. But if I master water nature to its highest degree, even greater than Lord Second, then I believe I''ll be able to turn the existing water around me to Ice and use that to my advantage. By removing heat and cooling down water to 0C then I''ll be able to create Ice. The same in the opposite can also be done and I get steam." Daichi replied and looked at the Hokage.

    Hiruzen was amazed at what he heard. It reminded him of the few times with the second Hokage where the man would tell him theories on what was possible. "The logical answer to what you just said is that it''s an impossibility"

    The young Genin said nothing as he looked at his leader.

    Hiruzen sighed and spoke. "Daichi what you''re saying You''re not the first person to think that. Lord Second also had theories that it could be achieved but he was never able to do it Do you really believe you can seed where he failed?"

    The boy gave a small smile and replied. "I won''t know unless I try?"

    "You''re determined to go through with this aren''t you?"

    "Yes sir."

    Hearing Daichi''s strong hearted reply, Hiruzen got up from his seat and went to the corner of his room. He made several seals in a second and focused his chakra on a particr seal etched into the floor. The next second a box appeared and Hiruzen opened it. Rummaging through it for a minute he found what he was looking for.

    Hiruzen closed the box and the next second it vanished. He made his way back. ''In the handful of decades only a few powerful ninjas have everid their eyes on this. And I''m about to give this to a Genin no less Even if I refuse, he''s just going to go to Kensei and one way or the other I''m sure Daichi will get what he wants. He''s bing so strong in such a short amount of time''

    Hiruzen hesitated for a moment but ultimately decided to give the boy a chance. He gave the scroll to Daichi and sat down in his chair.

    The young Genin took the scroll and inspected it. It was a dark blue scroll with the insignia of the Senju n on it.

    "That scroll was written by the Second Hokage himself. His training methods and the theories on Water Nature The possibilities All of them are written down in detail. Your talent is undeniable. Since you''ve insisted on this, lets see what you can do." Hiruzen spoke.

    Daichi pocketed the scroll and bowed to the man. "Thank you Lord Hokage."

    Hiruzen nodded his head. "Make sure to keep that safe and return it to either me or Tsunade."

    Daichi nodded his head and a short whileter the Hokage dismissed them.

    Kakashi and Daichi were walking down the streets at a slow pace. "You''re going to dive right in and not waste time aren''t you." Kakashi asked the boy as he read his book.

    "You know me so well sensei."

    The Jonin sighed as he thought about the extra workload. ''And here I was looking forward to a rxing few weeks''

    Meanwhile Daichi opened his skill list and looked at the Water Affinity skill.

    [Water Affinity - (Active/Passive)(LV.90): Water Release is one of the five basic nature transformations. It ismonly affiliated with Dog hand-seal. Once this skill crosses Level 85 the user can manipte even the molecr structure of water to create ice or steam. Once this skill crosses Level 90, the user canbine it with other nature affinities which have also crossed Level 90.]

    ''I crossed level 85 long ago. And I was able to level up all the affinities to level 90 with the first two steps of nature training. Now since I can manipte water at a molecr level it is best I start with this element.''

    Both of them soon reached the training ground. "Why don''t you go through that scroll and then we''ll start." Kakashi told Daichi and went to sit under the shade of a tree intent on finishing his book before starting.

    Daichi didn''t waste anymore time and opened the scroll. He slowly began going through every word recorded in the scroll.

    The Second Hokage meticulously noted down the most efficient ways to train the water chakra nature and several of his theories. He also theorized that his brother''s unparalleled medical ninjutsu skills were also partially due to his proficiency in water style and yang chakra.

    As Daichi read through the scroll he understood why the man was considered a genius and a Ninjutsu specialist.

    ''This guy His intellect is unbelievable. He theorized that to turn water into Ice he had to remove the potential energy from it. Stopping the movement of molecules would bind and transform water from liquid state to solid. He was able to analyze the element on a molecr level? He was also able to find out the atomic structure of Hydrogen and Oxygen. This scroll even notes down what he felt when he created water out of the atmosphere''

    As Daichi read the scroll his theories about the second Hokage were confirmed.

    ''Humidity is the concentration of water vapor in the atmosphere. The gaseous state of water invisible to the naked eye. Tobirama Senju has an exceptionally high affinity to water nature. With his chakra he was able to extract water out of humid ambient air and use it in his techniques. But that can''t be all there is''

    As Daichi kept reading the scroll his suspicions were confirmed. ''So that''s how I see. He was also a proficient user of other elements as well. So it makes sense.''

    Kakashi was keeping an eye on Daichi and realized the boy found something interesting. Truth be told he was also very much interested in the information personally written down by the Genius Ninjutsu creator. With a sigh he closed his book and went near Daichi.

    "You look like you found some great treasure Care to share?"

    Daichi looked up and had a wide smile on his face. "Yes. The information in this scroll could indeed be considered a treasure. I believe I know how the second Hokage was able to generate arge amount of water from air. He only noted down a few clues. He certainly didn''t want to make it easy. But I figured it out."

    Kakashi one visible eye widened. ''This kid He never ceases to amaze me''

    "What did you find?" The Jonin asked his student.

    "There are several factors thate into y. The Second Hokage had a high affinity towards water chakra nature. But he was also a master of the other 4 natures."

    Kakashi nodded his head. He read that the Second Hokage was capable in all 5 natures just like the Third.

    Daichi continued. "He created water from air through two means. First he spread his chakra around him and cooled down the air below its dew point. The dew point is the temperature of which air must be cooled to be saturated with water vapor. When condensed below this point water vapor will condense and form liquid water."

    "But to cool down the atmosphere like that?"

    "He used wind chakra He didn''t have the Kekkei Genkai trait in his blood tobine wind and water to form ice but his mastery over that nature allowed him to use it to cool down the atmosphere." Daichi exined.

    Kakashi began to understand what his student was getting at. "Simr to a capable fire style user using Ash and smoke"

    "Exactly. But this is only the first. His second method was tobine Hydrogen and Oxygen to create water."

    "But to have that kind of deep mastery over the element? Is it possible?" The man was somewhat skeptical but he had no reason to doubt Daichi.

    "Combining Hydrogen and Oxygen isn''t enough to create water. An energy catalyst like fire or lightning spark is needed to start the chair reaction between their atoms. His affinity towards Ninjutsu was so powerful that I believe he was able to instinctually start this process. I believe this is what the Lord Third meant when he said that one needs the right instinct for this training."

    Kakashi slowly nodded his head. "I see" ''Even with all my training I doubt I''d be able to aplish a feat like that. The Senju brothers were truly something else.''

    Kakashi then looked at Daichi. He was quiet for some time. "Do you really think you can aplish the same feat?"

    "Like I said to Lord Third, I won''t know unless I try." Daichi replied.

    Kakashi then asked Daichi for the scroll and took a look at it. He quickly went through it and reached the training portion mentioned in the scroll.

    "The third step is divided into several tasks. In it, toplete the third step of Water Nature the person must first extract water out of the leaf without making physical contact." Daichi said.

    "Hmm This seems like the reverse of the first step. In the first step one had to concentrate on their chakra and turn that chakra to water nature. That''s how the leaf bes wet. But it seems here, one must focus their chakra and extract the water present inside the leaf. Resulting in the leaf drying up." Kakashi spoke as he went through the details.

    Daichi nodded. "It''s a lot more challenging than it seems. You have to be perfect in extracting water and just the water content from the leaves. Any damage to the leaves would also indicate a failure. Turning one''s own chakra into a different nature is one thing but this It is doable but far more challenging."

    ''But luckily I was trained in medical ninjutsu. I know how to identify different substances. Even microparticles and extract them without damaging the surrounding areas. And since I have the gamer system and with my perfect chakra control and high water affinity, I should be able to get this soon.''

    "Well, since you were so eager, let''s get to work." Kakashi also decided not to waste time and got into his own training. He pulled his headband up revealing the Sharingan.

    And like that the next stage of Daichi''s training began. He created 10 clones and each one picked several leaves and sat down in the meditative pose. They ced the leaves at least a meter away from them and concentrated.

    Daichi and his clones slowly spread chakra through their hands and extended the chakra to the leaves. They kept their chakra neutral and carefully examined the object.

    ''Analyze the materialposition and identify the different elements in it.''

    Daichi concentrated his chakra and examined the leaf. It was more difficult without the specific Medical Analysis Ninjutsu that''s used on patients.

    ''This is also a test in how one uses their chakra and how much control they have. The level must be delicate, if not the leaf will get damaged.''

    Daichi''s concentration reached its peak. All the voices surrounding him disappeared and he was single mindedly focused on his task. As he kept it up, he suddenly found it. He found water particles inside the leaf and concentrated on them. Slowly but carefully he began extracting them. Slowly and carefully moving the water particles through the veins to the upper epidermis and outeryer.

    Daichi opened his eyes and let out a breath. He looked at the leaf and saw it. A drop of water was on the leaf he focused on.

    "Hahaha. Yes!"

    Daichi immediately created a shadow clone and dispelled it. With the clones having more to work with now they redoubled their efforts.

    Soon they began to see results.

    [A new skill is created with a specific action.]

    [Through continuously concentrating chakra to an object and extracting water, the skill ''Water Extraction technique'' has been created.]

    The smile on Daichi''s face only widened.

    --------------

    Author''s Note:

    Don''t worry you guys. I''m not gonna make you go through another long training arc.

    I wrote this chapter to establish that Daichi had started his next stage of training. I wanted things to have a somewhat scientific root instead of the exnation that ''its chakra and thus equivalent to magic'' BS. I hope I got it right.

    Next chapter we''re back to the Genin missions and other stuff

    And on the matter of Daichi''s Tiger summon, he will be tested to see if he''s worthy shortly before Canon starts.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 171: Team Guy VS Team Kakashi

    Chapter 171: Team Guy VS Team Kakashi

    It was early morning and Kakashi as usual was standing in front of the Memorial stone. Each time he came here it reminded him of his failures. His failure to keep his promise to Obito and his helplessness when the Nine tails attacked.

    ''Minato sensei. I have a student who reminds me a lot of you. Well in his inherent shinobi talents anyway It''s only been four days and already he''s started learning the final step of change in chakra nature training His work ethic, focus and talent It reminds me a lot of you sensei I just hope I can guide him correctly. Just as you did for me.''

    "Kakashi! I thought I might find you here."

    The silver haired Jonin was brought out of his thoughts by the sound of his friend and rival.

    "Hey Guy." Kakashi greeted the man in a monotonous tone without looking away from the stone.

    The Jonin Might Guy walked and stood near his friend and looked at the sacred stone. His boisterous demeanor calmed down as he read the names of hisrades who had passed away during thest decades. After a minute of silence he decided to drag Kakashi away from here and cheer him up.

    "Come on. Let''s go for a walk." The man said, cing a hand on Kakashi''s shoulder.

    "Maybe another time Guy."

    "No excuses. It''s been a while since we''ve challenged each other." Not taking no for an answer Guy dragged his rival away from there.

    "Oi Guy, wait a minute." Kakashi protested but the Taijutsu master could tell that the protests were half-hearted and his rival was d to have him there.

    They walked for a few minutes and reached a clearing.

    "Don''t you have a Genin team to train Guy?" Kakashi asked the Jonin.

    "They''ll be fine on their own for one afternoon. They will keep training and improve their skill even if I''m not there. Their PASSION, their YOUTHFUL SPIRIT! IT FLOWS DEEP IN THEIR BONES.!" Guy smirked wide and shouted out to the heavens.

    Kakashi sweatdropped at his friend''s theatrics. "I''ll take your word for it."

    Guy then turned to Kakashi. "And besides I could ask the same of you. You know you''re supposed to be guiding your student. So why aren''t you with him right now?"

    "He''s in the middle of something delicate at the moment. And I''m sure he doesn''t need my help." The silver haired Jonin replied.

    Guy just smiled hearing that and got excited at the thought of challenging his rival. "Well then I guess you have some time to spare. Since I''m leading with a score of 46 to your 45 this is a good opportunity for you. This will be our 92nd battle. READY!?"

    Hearing Guy''s deration of challenge, Kakashi got ready. He slightly slid his right foot back and brought his right arm up and got ready. His challenger also prepared himself and brought his arm up.

    The next second the battle between two of the strongest Jonin in the Leaf vige began.

    "Rock, Paper, Scissors!"

    Guy would challenge Kakashi every once in a while. And they would both y Rock, Paper, Scissors. The winner of that match gets to set whatever challenge he wants between the two.

    Both of them brought their hands down and each chose paper.

    "Rock, Paper, Scissors!"

    They went again and this time they both had Rock. They brought their hands up for the next bout.

    "Rock, Paper, Scissors!"

    "Rock, Paper, Scissors!"

    "Rock, Paper, Scissors!"

    "Rock, Paper, Scissors!"

    Each one ended in a draw but soon it ended with a win for Guy.

    "YES! MY ROCK BEATS YOUR SCISSORS! FEEL MY YOUTH KAKASHIII!"

    The silver haired Jonin just sighed and put his hands in his pocket. "All right, since you won, what''s the challenge?"

    Might Guy had a wide smile as he took a scroll from his pocket. He ced it on the ground and gave it some chakra. Two puffs of smoke appeared and Kakashi saw two identical machines appear. He recognized them immediately.

    "Is that what I think it is?" Kakashi asked Guy.

    "Yes. It''s the Mole Buster. I specificallymissioned these two just for our battle my dear rival." Guy had a wide smile as he gave a thumbs up to his friend/rival.

    What came out of the scroll were two identical Whac-A-Mole machines. They had 8 holes in the y area and Kakashi could make out the top of cartoonish moles hidden in the cabin. Each had two disy screens. One of the disy screens showed 0000 the score, while the other showed the time 3:00. Arge ck mallet was hanging at the side of each machine.

    "Alright. What''s the rules?" Kakashi asked.

    "The challenge is to hit as many of the moles as you can. The moles will pop up for only half a second before they disappear back into their holes. For every mole you hit, you get two points. But if you miss your hit, one point will be deducted from your score. These machines are specially designed to read even the fastest movements. I saw to that. And there is a timer." Guy exined.

    "Lemme guess 3 minutes. And no Sharingan?" Kakashi said as his eyes went to the time disyed on the screen.

    "YES! This is an excellentpetition that tests reflexes, speed, judgment and precision. The one with the highest score when the timer reaches zero WINS!" Guy was excited and he knew Kakashi would be as well.

    The Jonin of Team 9 was correct. Kakashi was more interested in this game than he let on. ''This is more interesting than some of his other challenges. He actually put a lot of thought into this. I''m kinda getting excited to start the match ''

    "Alright. Let''s do this."

    After Kakashi and Guy took the mallets and got in position, Guy took out a small remote with a red button. He pressed it and the lights turned on in the two machines.

    A small red bulb started to blink on both machines.

    "When that red turns to green that''s when this begins." Guy told his friend and got ready.

    Kakashi nodded and raised his hand. His visible eye focused on the red blinking light.

    The blinking became faster and faster and after about 5 seconds of wait it suddenly turned green on both machines at the same time.

    Both Jonin swiftly struck the first mole that appeared. And thus the 92ndpetition between two rivals began.

    The moles popped up quickly and disappeared just as fast. There was only half a second window to strike and sometimes the cartoonishly sculpted moles appeared in groups and other times in singles.

    Both Jonin tried to get as many points as possible while trying to not lose any. Their arms became a blur as they struck the wooden rodents.

    -

    Daichi and his Shadow clones were training the water extraction technique and slowly making progress. He carefully sent his chakra a couple meters away from his body and surrounded the leaf in front of him. He concentrated and slowly extracted the few drops of water from the leaf.

    The process took a couple minutes toplete without causing any damage to the leaf.

    ''The extraction process is bing faster but I need to get this down to a couple seconds.''

    Daichi released his shadow clones once theypleted the tasks and their memories and fatigue came to him. As he sat to catch his breath and meditate suddenly he heard two small explosionsing from a distance.

    ''The hell is that?''

    Daichi got up and decided to check it out. He made his way to where he heard the sounds and his senses picked up two scentsing from that direction and immediately recognized them.

    ''Kakashi and Guy. Wonder what they''re up to?''

    He quickly came upon a clearing and found the two Jonin standing in front of two wrecked Whac-A-Mole machines. It had the scores 1123 and 1120 flickering across the screen.

    He saw Guy sensei sulking on the ground while Kakashi sensei stood with a smug aura. Daichi quickly deduced the situation.

    ''This must have been one of Guy''s challenges. And based on their reaction it looks like sensei won.''

    "Ahh you won Kakashi. If I just hadn''t missed thatst one" Guymented

    "Better luck next time Guy." Kakashi said. At that moment he sensed someoneing from the other side and saw Daichi looking at the two of them. Guy noticed the boy as well

    "Oh young Daichi. You''re here." Guy jumped to his feet and gave a nice guy pose to the boy. He ced a hand around Kakashi''s shoulder and smiled.

    "My rival here tells me that you love to train. Ahh the passion flowing through you IT''S SO BEAUTIFUL."

    Daichi just stood there and watched the man speechless. ''Wow. Watching this through a T.V and seeing him act like this in real life Oh man. I get Naruto and the others'' reaction now.''

    "Er Thanks I think."

    "Hey! I have a great idea. Why don''t we have a team battle? Huh Kakashi?" Guy asked his friend.

    "I don''t think that''s necessary at the moment."

    "Nonsense. Kakashi! I challenge you again."

    The silver haired Jonin just sighed and got ready. Both of them brought their hands up

    "Rock, Paper, Scissors."

    and quickly brought them down. It was Guy''s win again.

    "Haha! Looks like I get to challenge you again. Let''s do a team battle. Your Genin vs Mine."

    "Fine." Kakashi sighed and agreed with the man.

    "Um Don''t I have a say in this?" Daichi asked them.

    "Young Daichi, this will be an excellent chance to show your fighting spirit to your peers. Come. Let''s go." With that Guy rushed out of the training ground.

    "Let''s just follow him. Otherwise he is just going to keep persisting." Kakashi told the boy.

    The gamer ninja sighed and both of them followed after the Green beast of the Leaf.

    Might Guy quickly reached his training ground. He saw Leepleting his exercises and Neji meditating and Tenten sharpening her weapon skills.

    Lee saw his sensei arrive and was the first to greet the man. "Guy sensei. You''re here."

    Neji opened his eyes and along with Tenten greeted their teacher.

    "Lee, Neji, Tenten. I have a special surprise for you three today."

    It was at that second that Kakashi and Daichi entered the training ground. All four members of Team Guy turned to the new arrivals.

    "Daichi! Kakashi sensei." Lee greeted them with a wide happy smile.

    Neji looked at Daichi and narrowed his eyes. "What''s going on?" He then asked his teacher.

    Guy smiled and was silent for a few seconds to build the hype. He spread his arms and grinned. "Today we''re going to do A TEAM BATTLE! TEAM GUY vs TEAM KAKASHI!"

    Excitement coursed through Lee when he heard that. Thest time he sparred with Daichi was before he left for the capital. And now he was going to get the chance.

    Neji was also interested in the uing battle. ''Finally. A chance for me to see for myself if he''s truly worthy of the title Genius.''

    As Lee and Neji were mentally preparing to fight Daichi, Tenten asked a question. "Um sensei. Since their team has only one Genin who''s going to fight."

    At that Lee and Neji snapped from their thoughts and looked at their sensei.

    Guy smiled and looked at Kakashi. A silent conversation seemed to pass between them and Guy made his decision. "Like I said before, this is a team battle. That means all three of you will be battling Daichi."

    Daichi was surprised to hear that but he wasn''t going to back down.

    Lee frowned when he heard that. "Um sensei. Isn''t three against one kinda unfair."

    Guy gently smiled at his favorite student. "In a true battle with the enemy ninjas, sometimes you might be the one with numbers on your side but that doesn''t mean victory is certain. You must fight and see for yourself. The oue of the battle."

    Lee understood what his sensei meant and he got pumped up.

    Kakashi realized what his friend was doing. ''Guy isn''t someone who fights unfairly. And I''m certain he knows or at least has an idea as to Daichi''s strength. I''m sure he knows that even with three of them, their chances of winning this are slim to none. So then This must be a test for his students. He wants them to see the difference in strength between them and Daichi. He wants them to set Daichi as their goal and motivate them to grow stronger Clever.''

    "But since this is a three on one battle I''ll make things a bit difficult for you three as well. Here are the rules." Guy began exining the rules and everyone paid attention.

    --------------------------------------------------------------

    Author''s Note:

    I don''t want to drag all the battles for several chapters like I did with the Kakashi vs Daichi one. So I will make sure to finish this team battle in the next chapter and start the next C Rank mission.

    I''ll see you guys Thursday.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 172: 1 vs 3

    Chapter 172: 1 vs 3

    "Alright. The rules are as follows. Daichi! You will need tond three sessful strikes on Lee, Tenten and Neji for you to secure victory. Once you are able tond 3 hits on your enemy that person is out of the battle." Guy said, looking at Kakashi''s student. The boy nodded his head and the Taijutsu master then turned to his own pupils.

    "While Daichi needs to onlynd three strikes, you guys each will have tond 6. The time limit will be 15 minutes. Only if all three of yound the strikes will it be considered a victory for you. And if the timer runs out before you defeat your opponent then the victory will automatically go to Daichi. Any questions?"

    The 3 Genin of team Guy was mulling over the rules.

    Tenten was going over the challenge rules in her head. ''All of us need to strike him before the timer runs out to win. And the rules don''t say he can''t escape or run from us This will be a lot trickier than it seems.''

    While Tenten thought that Daichi might decide to dodge or escape, Lee knew better. ''Daichi isn''t someone who runs from a fight. He will battle us head on. And based on his speed and strength and Taijutsu skills We need to work together if we want to win.''

    Neji was looking at Daichi with slightly narrowed eyes. ''I knew I would face him one day but I didn''t think it would be so soon.''

    Daichi was calm as he looked at the three slightly nervous Genins. ''I half expected a quest to pop up by now but It seems the system sees this as an obvious victory Hmm Is my Gamer system sentient?... Question for another time I suppose.''

    Kakashi walked to the side while Daichi stepped forward and stood in the middle of the clearing indicating that he was ready for battle. Lee and his two teammates stepped forward as well. Neji and Lee got into a fighting stance while Tenten got ready with her scrolls.

    Neji looked at his opponent''s calm temperament and saw that Daichi hadn''t yet entered a fighting stance. ''Is he looking down on us? I''ll show him the power of the Gentle Fist.''

    Daichi had both arms in his pockets and stood casually as if he was waiting in line for something mundane and had no cares in the world. And it only enraged Neji and brought a frown to Tenten''s face.

    But Lee knew Daichi longer than his teammates. He knew Daichi respected hard work and strength. ''He studies and trains so hard every day. Even more than me. I have to show him just how far I havee. And I must earn his respect.''

    "Are you READY?" Guy asked them.

    Getting a nod from everyone he raised his right hand. "Let your youthful spirit shine brightly. BEGIN.!"

    Nobody made a move but Team Guy knew that time was not on their side.

    ''We can''t dy any longer. The more time passes the greater his chances of victory.'' Having made a decision, Neji Hyuga dashed forward with his palms coiled ready to send a fast precise strike.

    And that was the signal for the other two to take action as well. Lee rushed forward towards Daichi as well and Tenten hanged back to provide backup.

    Daichi saw every move Neji made. From where Neji was looking to strike to the way his muscles moved. Neji quickly reached Daichi and sent a fast palm strike aimed at the boy''s chest.

    But the Hyuga Genin''s speed was nowhere near Daichi''s and thus he was unable tond the attack as Daichi easily sidestepped and dodged. At that moment he sensed movement from behind and knew it was Lee''s kicking from behind.

    The young Gamer ninja jumped and saw Lee fly by under him. At that moment several shuriken struck him and he fell to the ground. But the next second the fallen Genin vanished and in his ce was a wooden log.

    Daichi was somewhere nearby and sitting atop the branches of arge tree. He looked at the three Genin and smiled. ''I''ll y a little cat and mouse game for a few minutes. Get them riled up. Then I''ll fight them head on. I''m eager to see how much Lee has improved and what Neji and Tenten are capable of before they had a year of training with Guy.''

    "Neji, where is he?" Tenten asked, looking around.

    Neji closed his eyes and made a hand-seal. "Byakugan."

    His eyes opened with veins around them bulging. An indication that he had activated his Kekkei Genkai. It took only a second for him to find their opponent since he wasn''t trying to actively hide.

    "Neji, we need to fight him together." Lee spoke but the young Hyuga didn''t waste anymore time and took off.

    Daichi jumped down from the branch and saw Neji headed his way. "You need to be much faster than that if you wanna hit me."

    Neji pushed himself and was right in front of Daichi again. He started unleashing a barrage of Gentle fist strikes aimed at Daichi''s arms, torso and major pressure points. But Daichi easily dodged each one while still rooted in his spot.

    Neji saw the boy avoiding his attacks with just inches to spare. ''Damn it. It''s no good if I can''tnd my attacks on him. How is he so much faster than me? My speed is much greater than an ordinary Genin my age and yet I can''tnd even one strike And what''s worse, he''s not even serious''

    Neji saw the expression Daichi wore and understood. It was almost the same one he had when fighting someone much weaker than him. Boredom and annoyance.

    At that moment Lee joined the battle. Both Neji and Lee attacked Daichi without slowing down but not one of their attacks connected. When they showed a gap Tenten wouldunch some of her shuriken but it was for naught. None of themnded their mark.

    A few ways away Kakashi and Guy were watching the match. Guy looked at Daichi''s movements and immediately realized the oue of the fight.

    ''Daichi is adjusting his speed every so often. Whenever Neji sends an attack faster than the previous one, Daichi slightly increases his speed and evades. And even with Lee''s help they can''t touch him His speed and Taijutsu skills are certainly far beyond Genin. It looks like the chances of victory for my team is zero.''

    Neji and Lee were giving it their best and trying to work together to bring their enemy down. Both of them forced Daichi to jump back a couple feet only for several ninja wires to suddenly surround and trap him. Tenten pulled on the ninja wire and immobilized Daichi.

    "We got him." She couldn''t help but grin.

    "Do you now?" Daichi looked at the three and smirked. The next second he vanished in a puff of smoke. Leaving nothing behind.

    "What the? Where''d he go?" Lee looked around and couldn''t find Daichi.

    "What happened? Was that a clone?" Tenten quickly recovered her ninja wire and asked.

    With the help of his Byakugan Neji quickly located their foe. He clenched his teeth in anger. "He''s on the other side of the training field. He''s just toying with us. If he keeps escaping then we won''t be able to beat him."

    "Neji! We need to work together. It''s the only way."

    Neji looked at Lee and after a couple seconds slightly nodded his head. He understood that this was a team battle. "We need to force him to fight us and not escape. I might have a way." Neji spoke.

    Team Guy took off once again and quickly reached Daichi''s location. When they reached the ce they saw Daichi waiting for them with a bored look on his face.

    Neji stepped forward and spoke. "Is this all you can do? Run away?"

    Daichi smiled. "Why should I do otherwise when I can win like this? If you can''t catch me you lose." He replied.

    Neji smirked hearing that response. "So the so-called Genius is nothing more than a coward. You might have some speed but you''re scared of facing my ability. The way you evade my attacks. You know what I can do don''t you I guess it''s only natural that you''re afraid."

    Kakashi and Guy who were standing to the side understood what Neji was trying to do. As did Daichi. The boy looked at his opponent and uncrossed his arms.

    "You know The funny thing is, I know you''re ying me. I know what you''re doing Neji. Goading me into fighting all of you till thest second ying to my ego Fine. We''ll do it your way." Daichi looked at the three and the bored expression on his face vanished.

    Guy looked at the change in battle tactics and was curious. ''This should be interesting.''

    Kakashi too looked up from his book and nced at his student. ''So he''s going on the offense. He most probably won''t end it quickly. Based on his personality he''ll likely test them before finishing the fight.''

    Neji and Lee immediately entered their respective Taijutsu stances and Tenten leapt back and got ready. All three kept their eyes on Daichi.

    Neji and Lee raised their vignce but it didn''t help them. One second Daichi was standing several meters away from them, the next moment he vanished. Neji with his Byakugan eyes saw where Daichi was standing and was shocked.

    "Behind." Neji yelled to Lee and turned around.

    Daichi was standing a few feet behind the two. Lee and Neji turned around and began their aggressive Taijutsu assaults on their opponent.

    Daichi easily parried Neji''s chakra point strikes and blocked Lee''s fists. Even with fighting two opponents Daichi''s was able to take a few shuriken and urately aim them at the iing projectiles sent by Tenten.

    His shuriken deflected and redirected the weapons back towards Tenten and forced her to move away.

    Daichi tilted his head to avoid a fist by Lee and redirected a palm strike by Neji. He stayed close to them so the two couldn''t use higher momentum attacks against him.

    Tentennded on the ground and looked in awe at the fight in front of her. ''Lee wasn''t kidding around. Daichi''s speed is unreal. He was able to instantly get behind them and even in the middle of fighting those two he was able to sessfully target my shuriken and change their trajectory back to mine. Even I can''t do something like that. And weapons and uracy are my specialty.''

    Guy who was watching the fight was now starting to understand the fighting prowess of Daichi Hekima. "Kakashi. That kind of shuriken skill" He said in a low tone and left the statement unfinished.

    "Yeah Reminds you of Itachi, doesn''t it." The silver haired Jonin was well aware of his student''s capabilities.

    Daichi kept blocking and redirecting the attacks sent his way. ''I''ll use Analyze skill when they are a bit more proficient in their Taijutsu. Right now they''re only just beginning so it won''t help me all that much.''

    Time was quickly running out and not once even with the distractions and openings Tenten tried to create could Lee and Neji sessfullynd a strike on Daichi.

    "One minute remaining."

    Guy''s voice was heard by all and Daichi immediately vanished again. He reappeared several meters away from them and looked at the two.

    Both Lee and Neji had haggard breaths while Tenten had sweat dripping down her face. All three of them looked weary.

    "Alright. I''ve seen all I wanted to see. You''ve had your time to attack. Now its my turn. Here Ie." With those words Daichi rushed forward. Neji and Lee instantly tried to escape but it was futile.

    Daichi quickly reached Lee and sent fast, precise strikes to his torso and chest. He broke through Lee''s meager defense before the boy knew what had happened andnded three attacks on him.

    "Lee is out of the battle." Guy''s voice rang through the training ground.

    Neji was next on Daichi''s list. The young Gamer reached the Hyuga prodigy and easily parried and redirected his Gentle fist strikes. The first attack Daichinded took Neji''s breath away. The second and third came before the young Hyuga couldpose himself.

    "Neji is out of the battle."

    At that moment Daichi jumped back and quickly dodged the shurikensing his way. He vanished and within moments the final member of Team 9 was also down.

    "Winner. Daichi Hekima."

    Neji looked at Daichi and saw that he looked just as he did when he entered the training ground. His eyes widened as he looked at his fallen teammates. ''He was just toying with us this whole time. We never even stood a chance of winning''

    He slowly got up and looked at the boy. ''I see So this is why the teachers called him an unmatched prodigy'' Neji''s fist unconsciously clenched as he looked at his new goal. ''I need to train harder. I have to surpass him.''

    Lee, even though he lost, wasn''t that depressed. He experienced defeat so many times and it only motivated him to try harder. He saw Daichi walking towards him and extending his hand. With a smile Lee took Daichi''s hand and stood.

    "You''ve gotten a lot stronger Lee. You''repletely different from when you were in the academy. I told you. All you need to do is believe in yourself." Daichi smiled at his friend. He knew how hard Lee trained and wasn''t above giving credit where it is due.

    "Wow. You really are a Genius." Tenten said, looking at Daichi.

    "That title means nothing without effort." Daichi replied.

    "Yes. Young Daichi is very correct." Guy said as he came near them. He looked at his three students and gave them a wide smile.

    "You have all done wonderfully. Even though you lost you can use this as nourishment for your growth. Let your youthful power grow from a small sapling and burst like a mighty Oak." He grabbed his three students and hugged them despite the protest of two.

    "Well, I think it''s time we take our leave. Daichi." Kakashi said with his eyes roaming each line in his book.

    "Kakashi. This time you win. I''ll challenge you again soon. I''ll show you THE BLOSSOMING POWER OF MY YOUTH." Guy said with his fists pumped as if he was ready for action.

    Silence prevailed with Guy enthusiastically looking at his rival for a reaction and all the Genin standing awkwardly.

    Kakashi didn''t seem to hear him and a couple secondster he looked up from his book. "You say something Guy?"

    "Gha! That hip and cool attitude I''d expect no less from my rival." Heically cried.

    Daichi and Kakashi quietly left the training ground and Guy turned to his students. "My cute ducklings it''s time to train."

    "Yes Guy sensei!" Lee shouted with the other two nodding their heads. They may have lost but their spirits were unbroken.

    -------------------------

    Author''s Note.

    I know I said I would start the mission in this chapter but by the time I was done writing the fight scene it was like 2.5k words. So I''ll get to it in the next one.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 173: C Rank mission & Chain Quests

    Chapter 173: C Rank mission & Chain Quests

    Kakashi and his student stepped into the Hokage''s office ready to take on their next mission.

    "Ah! You two are here. Excellent." The Hokage said and looked through some documents. "I have a C Rank mission if you''re interested."

    "Yes sir." Kakashi said.

    "Good." The Hokage nodded and looked to the assistant Chunin. "Send him in."

    The Chunin quickly left and a few secondster a middle aged man stepped into the room. He gave a small smile as he looked at everyone.

    "Kakashi, Daichi. This is Kenichi Garoya. He''s your client. Now this mission is a bit tricky. A valuable heirloom that was in his family for generations was stolen. Your mission is to track it down and retrieve it." The Hokage introduced the man and gave a rough outline of the mission.

    Daichi had a small frown as he heard the broad details. "So a simple tracking mission Doesn''t seem thatplicated to me."

    The kage just smiled as if he was expecting that response. "That''s not the case young Daichi. The thing that makes this mission challenging is that the heirloom was stolen almost a year ago."

    Daichi''s eyes slightly widened and Kakashi sighed. The Jonin knew a mission like this could be a headache.

    "Ok you''re right. Thatplicates things." Daichi said. At that moment a new quest and notifications appeared. But this time there was something different.

    [Chain Quest Initiated.]

    ''Chain quest? I''ve read about these So that means I''ll get more missions once Iplete this one''

    [Quest created - Locate and Retrieve the Missing Item.]

    [The Hokage has tasked your team with finding the client''s missing item. Sessfully gather information and track down the item toplete this C Rank mission.]

    .

    [Conditions:]

    Gather information and find the item.

    Retrieve it without causing any damage to the item.

    Return the item to the client without damage.

    .

    [Rewards:]

    15000 Exp.

    Reputation increases with the client.

    Reputation increases with Kakashi Hatake and Hiruzen Sarutobi.

    .

    [Failure:]

    Reputation decreases with the Hokage, Kakashi Hatake and the client.

    No C Rank missions for a while.

    [ept Y/N]

    Daichi epted the quest and a new notification appeared.

    [You have epted the 1st quest.]

    Daichi was excited about this mission. ''Finally! Something challenging.''

    At that moment the client stepped forward and spoke. "Hello. My name is Kenichi Garoya. And I would be grateful if you two could help me with my predicament."

    "Well, we''ll certainly try." Kakashi replied with a nod.

    "Splendid. But let''s discuss the matter over some Tea. I know just the ce." The client and two ninjas slightly bowed to the Hokage and left the ce.

    Kenichi took them to a beautifully designed Tea shop and got them a private booth. He ordered for them and got situated.

    "Wow, so you''re the owner of this ce?" Daichi asked in surprise.

    "Yes. This has been the family business for generations." The man replied. At the man''s request they enjoyed a rxing cup of tea and then finally got down to business.

    "Alright Mr. Kenichi. Tell us more about the mission."

    The man nodded and sat straight. "To start you need to understand the significance of the item I want you two to find. Now this is a story that''s been passed down through my family for 3 generations. Over a 100 years ago the ruling Daimyo of Fire capital visited my great grandfather''s tea stall during one of his travels. But an assassin that was following him got past the Daimyo''s guards and poisoned him. My great grandfather saved Daimyo''s life with his herbs and medicines and as a gesture of gratitude the Daimyo gave himnd in the capital, money and a gift. This gift was a handcrafted teapot made with rare earth materials. Some said that it was even more valuable than gold in its weight. Now this teapot was passed down from father to son for three generations. And a year ago my father died and a weekter it was stolen."

    "Wow I''m sorry for your loss but something like that must be worth a lot to the right buyer." Daichi said.

    "Yes Well, if the story is true anyway?" Kenichi said with a sad smile.

    Daichi was puzzled at that reply. "What do you mean?"

    "Well, let''s just say I have a different view of things than my father and grandfather did." Kenichi said, looking at the cup of tea in his hand.

    "You don''t believe the story. And you think the teapot is just ordinary, don''t you?" Kakashi asked, looking at the man.

    Kenichi just sighed and remained silent.

    Deciding to change the topic, Kakashi asked another question. "If the teapot was stolen a year ago then was there an investigation at that time, right?"

    The man nodded his head. "Yes. I hired a team but after week''s of searching they couldn''t find anything. And they gave up and after a while so did I."

    "So then why start again now?" Daichi asked.

    "It''s been one year since my father passed away and despite my feelings, that teapot is the family heirloom. My father treasured it. And if I couldn''t do everything I can to find it, then I would be ashamed to meet him in the next world." He replied.

    Daichi nodded. "Where did the theft ur?"

    "In the main residence at the Capital." Kenichi replied.

    "Then we better get going." Kakashi spoke and the three of them soon left the Tea house...

    The two ninjas quickly got ready for the journey and soon the trio made their way to the capital. Kenichi was riding on a horse while Kakashi and Daichi jumped through the trees keeping an eye on their client and surroundings. Within a few hours they reached the capital gates and Kenichi led the two ninjas to his home.

    "What can you tell us about the robbery?" Kakashi asked the man.

    "Well, aside from the teapot, some precious stones and scrolls were also taken. The people who investigated hadn''t even been able to identify how the thief got in, let alone find him." Kenichi replied.

    Kakashi and Daichi looked around the house.

    "The Fire capital has defenses almost equivalent to a hidden vige. And the punishment could be severe for something like this. Especially if it came out that the teapot really was a gift from a former Daimyo. Stealing something that was given as a gift from the Daimyo is the equivalent of insulting the Daimyo himself." Kakashi said, looking around the ce.

    Daichi understood what his sensei was getting at. "So whoever did this is definitely not an ordinary person. And based on the fact that not a single clue could be found means the person is skilled. Exceptionally skilled."

    The Tea Shop owner looked at the two ninjas with great sadness. "Even the investigators at the time couldn''t find anything. So now almost after a year, I know what I''m asking is an impossibility but I would be grateful if you could help."

    "We''ll try our best." Kakashi said to the man. He then turned to his student. "Come on. Daichi. Let''s see what we can find"

    The two ninjas left the house and walked through the streets of the capital.

    "Do you buy his story?" Daichi suddenly asked his sensei.

    "Hmm?" The Jonin merely nced at his student.

    "That he wanted to find the Teapot a year after it''s gone because of some remorse and guilt"

    "What do you think, Daichi?"

    The boy was silent for a few moments and then replied. "I think he found out that the Teapot might be more valuable than he thought I think there might be some truth to the history of the heirloom."

    "Well, whatever the case is, he''s our client and he hired us to find it. So unless something happens our mission parameters are clear." Kakashi was simply reminding Daichi not to get side tracked.

    "So where are we going?" Daichi asked his sensei.

    "We are going to the archive building. It stores mission reports, investigation and personnel files. A Leaf Jonin can ess the files anytime but a Chunin can get ess to it after getting special permission." Kakashi replied.

    "So a small time Genin like me couldn''t take a peek if I wanted to huh?" Daichi said with a mischievous smile.

    "Unless you have a Chunin with permission apanying you, then no." The Jonin replied with an eye smile. They soon reached the ce. Daichi saw several Leaf ninja patrolling the ce along with some guards who wore the Fire Capital insignia.

    The Leaf ninjas recognized Kakashi but made sure to check his identity. Once they were done they let him and Daichi inside. Kakashi walked up to the guard with the Fire capital insignia who was guarding the door to another chamber.

    "Shigeru. Been a long time."

    "Kakashi yes. It''s been almost a decade." The Guard Shigeru smirked at the Jonin.

    Daichi looked at the interaction between the two. ''So he knows the Guy. Wonder how strong he is?''

    The boy used ''Observe'' skill and couldn''t find anything. ''Damn. I guess they wouldn''t keep someone weak to guard important documents.''

    Shigeru and Kakashi talked for a short while. His eyes then turned to Daichi. "So who''s this?"

    Kakashi ced a hand on Daichi''s head and spoke with a smile. "Well, this is my student. Daichi."

    The Guard looked puzzled. "You took a Genin team? Where''s the other two?"

    "Well, it''s just him. He''s a special case, so I took him as sort of an apprentice." Kakashi said while Daichi just looked gruntled. He never liked it when someone messed up his hair.

    Shigeru raised an eyebrow at that reply. A couple secondster he looked at Daichi with renewed interest. "You wouldn''t happen to be Daichi Hekima, the medic who studied under Lady Tsunade would you?"

    Daichi was slightly surprised at that. "Yes sir. I am."

    The guard smiled at that. "You may not know me but I know about you. During your time here at the hospital, you saved my friend''s life. You''re quite the talented medic."

    "Thank you for thepliment sir, but I wouldn''t even be half as good without Lady Tsunade and Shizune senpai''s help." Daichi replied. He wanted to give a humble appearance.

    The guard gave a light heartedugh hearing that. He turned his attention back to the Jonin. "So Kakashi, what are you looking for?"

    "We''re looking for the incident report and the investigation files pertaining to a robbery that happened almost a year ago. A robbery that took ce at Kenichi Garoya''s home." Kakashi answered.

    "Ahh yes. I remember. Come with me."

    Shigeru opened the door and led them inside. The group entered arge room with dozens of shelves with differentbels on them. Thousands of scrolls were stored in this ce. The guard led the two ninjas to a certain section of the room.

    He opened the shelf and after some searching took a scroll and handed it to Kakashi. "Here. This is what you''re looking for."

    Kakashi and Daichi looked through the documents and report and it pretty much stated what little they already knew. The thief took off with the family heirloom along with some jewelry and scrolls.

    "Do you know anything about that incident? Have you heard any rumors?" Daichi asked the man.

    Shigeru nodded his head and spoke. "Well, this investigation is one of those very rare ones where no culprit was found. Not even a single clue to identify who did this was left on the scene. There were no signs of forced entry or any disturbances inside the home. We couldn''t find anything that pointed to anyone."

    "So we''re after someone with extraordinary stealth and thieving skills." Daichi said.

    "Yes " Shigeru agreed.

    [Congrattions. You have encountered a Lucky break.]

    [+1 Luck]

    Daichi was pleasantly surprised at this notification. He looked at the guard and the man looked like he wanted to say something else and Daichi caught on to it.

    "What is it?" The boy asked.

    "Well, not to brag but the guards and ninja guarding the capital are some of the best. And the fact that we still couldn''t find the person who did this It is still a shameful moment for all of us You know some of us joked around that the person who pulled off this robbery was the Phantom thief" Shigeru replied with a small smile.

    "The Phantom thief?" Daichi could see Kakashi was surprised but more than that, There was something else in his tone that Daichi couldn''t identify.

    "Yeah. But it''s not him. I guess we just said that as a way to protect our self esteem." Shigeru replied with a small smile.

    "Do you know about this Phantom thief, sensei?" Daichi asked Kakashi.

    Kakashi sighed and was quiet for a few seconds. "Yes. Let''s just say I''vee across his work." The Jonin replied.

    At that moment before Daichi could press his sensei for more information a new quest popped up.

    [2nd Quest.]

    [Quest created - Identify the Legendary Thief.]

    Daichi looked at the quest title and was shocked. ''What the hell?''

    ----------------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 174: The Legendary Thief

    Chapter 174: The Legendary Thief

    Daichi instantly looked at the details of the quest and was shocked.

    [Quest created - Identify the Legendary Thief.]

    [A mysterious and highly skilled thief had made their mark all over the world. No one has been able to catch or identify this thief since he/she began their exploits. Find this person''s true identity.]

    [Conditions:]

    Gather information and find out the identity of the thief.

    .

    [Rewards:]

    3000 Exp.

    +2 Level for Stealth skill.

    +2 Wisdom Stat

    +1 Intelligence.

    Reputation increases with the client.

    Reputation massively increased with Kakashi Hatake and Hiruzen Sarutobi, Shigeru and some people in Fire Capital and around the world.

    .

    [Failure:]

    [Failure toplete the ''Quest - Locate and Retrieve the Missing Item]

    .

    [ept Y/N]

    The young Gamer''s eyes slightly twitched as he looked at the failure part of the quest. ''If I can''tplete the main quest withoutpleting this one then is that really a choice you''re giving me, huh system?''

    He didn''t wait for the nonexistent reply and epted the quest. Daichi then looked at the guard and spoke.

    "Can you tell us more about the Phantom Thief?"

    "Daichi we''re here to find who took Kenichi''s family heirloom. Not to go after ghosts." Kakashi said.

    "Yes I know that but You just read the incident report. There isn''t anything in there that''s useful and I''m pretty sure the people who investigated this incident a year ago would have pursued all possible routes. What we need is a new angle. A different approach. Do you disagree with my assessment sensei?" Daichi looked at his sensei in anticipation. ''I have to get sensei to agree with me. The fact that I need toplete this quest to finish the main one means This Phantom Thief character is involved in this.''

    Kakashi just sighed at his student''s eager eyes.

    Daichi decided to sweeten the pot. "Sensei, we''ll go over everything in the robbery files and if we don''t find anything, what do you say we look through the Phantom Thief''s files? Who knows we might actually solve it."

    The Jonin was silent and then agreed. "Fine. We''ll do it your way."

    At that moment the guard Shigeru chuckled. "Well, this has certainly gotten interesting. I''ll bring the reports and files on the mystery thief while you two can go over the other report and see if we missed anything."

    The guard left and Kakashi and Daichi went to a nearby table. They both took their time and looked at the detailed report and went through each line.

    Kakashi carefully examined every piece of information written down in the scroll about the incident. ''Daichi was right. Whoever did this left no clue to trace. The ones who searched at that time couldn''t even find a scent of the thief. We''d be wasting time with this report. We need a new approach''

    By the time they were done Shigeru returned with a scroll in his hand. "This is everything that''s known about the Phantom Thief." He ced the storage scroll on the table and opened it. Dozens of files appeared atop the scroll.

    "Wow. That''s a lot." Daichi eximed.

    "Yes. This is informationpiled from the five great nations." Shigeru said.

    "Wait? The great nations were cooperating?" Daichi was surprised at that.

    Kakashi shook his head. "No. The thief stole from all the world and from some important people. But even that couldn''t force them to work together. At the beginning none of the nations shared any information because they all wanted to find the thief first. But over time it became clear that it was going to be impossible. So after pressure from the Daimyos the Kages shared whatever intel they had on the thief to others on certain conditions."

    Shigeru nodded his head. "Precisely. These files contain every location the thief hit, what they took, when they took and more. Dozens of people looked over these files and couldn''t find anything."

    The guard then looked at Daichi and Kakashi. "Listen. I know I joked about it being the Phantom Thief behind this but it''s not. In all his robbery he leaves a Red Paper Crane at the scene. There was no such thing at Kenichi''s house. And the Phantom Thief disappeared almost a decade ago. The heirloom at Kenichi''s house was stolen only a year ago. So I don''t think this was done by him. For all we know he could be dead. So there''s the chance that you might literally be chasing a ghost."

    "This certainly is aplicated mission. But I have a good feeling about this" Daichi smiled as he looked at the guard.

    The man smirked at Daichi''s confidence. "Well, I''ll get back to my position. Good luck Kakashi, Daichi."

    The two Leaf ninjas nodded and sat down. They looked at the huge pile of files and sighed. "Well you heard the man. Let''s get to work."

    Daichi and his teacher started going through the files. At that moment Daichi asked his teacher a question that''s been on his mind for a while. "Sensei, what did you mean when you said you''vee across the Phantom Thief''s work?"

    Kakashi had a wistful look on his face as he remembered the time spent under his sensei Minato Namikaze. A few momentster he answered Daichi''s question.

    "It was during the Third World war. I was studying under the Fourth Hokage with my teammate. My team was sent on an escort mission. A wealthy merchant hired a team to protect him during his journey. He was an important client of the vige so the Third Hokage sent our team. We arrived at his house and escorted him to the Hidden Waterfall Vige. There he picked up his daughter and we escorted them both back safely to their home. But once we reached the ce we saw that two items inside the house were missing."

    "Didn''t the ce have guards? I would assume that a wealthy man would have a few protecting his home." Daichi asked.

    "He did. There was a team of capable mercenaries guarding the house. But they didn''t notice anything. We only found one thing that was out of ce. A Red paper crane. The identity of the person was instantly clear to all of us."

    "What did this Phantom steal?"

    At that question Kakashi recalled that day.

    shback.

    A ninja with bright spiky yellow hair wearing the Leaf Jonin jacket led two smaller ninjas into arge vi. "Team Minato reporting."

    A tall, bulky man with long hair and a beard wearing a luxurious dress appeared. "Minato Namikaze. I''ve heard a lot about you. I''m d the Hokage has sent your team. I feel safer already." The man smiled at the Leaf Jonin.

    Minato stepped forward and shook the man''s hand. "Thank you for the trust you''ve ced in us, Mr. Makoto. We will make sure any problems are taken care of."

    "Yes. I know your team is more than capable. We will leave shortly for the Hidden Waterfall Vige. I have to pick up my daughter and conduct some small business. So we''ll be there for only a day. We''ll return the day after."

    Minato nodded. "Let me introduce you to my two students. This is Kakashi Hatake and Rin Nohara."

    The merchant smiled and nodded at them. "Nice to meet you two We''ll leave in half an hour. In the meantime feel free to make yourselves at home."

    Minato and his two students looked around the house and saw several artworks and antiques decorating the walls. As he looked Minato''s eyes were drawn to a certain painting at the center of the room. He walked closer and inspected it.

    "Is this what I think it is?" Minato''s surprised and somewhat shocked question drew his student''s and Makoto''s attention.

    The man came near the Jonin and admired the painting. "Yes. It''s the original. It cost me quite a lot to acquire it."

    Kakashi was curious about the artwork that drew his sensei''s gaze. The painting was of arge ship sailing away from the viewer. "What is this painting sensei?"

    "This painting was drawn over two hundred years ago. It is known as the Voyager. It was named after the ship you see in it. The story has it that the ship carried 100 brave sailors who traveled the world and saw everything they could." Minato said.

    "Yes. The story is that the artist started on this work just as the ship took off andpleted the painting in 4 days right there on the spot. Once the real shippleted the journey the value of this painting skyrocketed and over time it only kept increasing." Makoto said with a smile. "This is the most prized artwork here."

    As they talked about the painting Rin''s eyes were drawn to the music box near it. Makoto saw the look of wonder on her face and smiled.

    "That music box was specifically created by an excellent sculpture from the Fire capital. I had itmissioned as a gift for my daughter."

    "Very nice sir." Rin smiled.

    shback End.

    "It was a special music box. He showed us how it worked and sometimeter we left the house. We returned four dayster and saw that the painting and music box were stolen. In ce of the painting was a small Red paper crane. The moment we saw that we knew the chances of finding the culprit would be slim to none." Kakashi said to Daichi.

    "Did you guys investigate the incident?" Daichi asked.

    Kakashi shook his head. "No. Well, our team didn''t. If it were any other circumstances we might have. But we were in the middle of a war. The vige couldn''t put our team on an investigation mission. So we left."

    Daichi was beginning to understand the history of the thief. The two ninjas looked through documents upon documents and noted the items stolen.

    Hours went by and Daichi pinched the bridge of his nose. "Oh Man, this guy has stolen from all over the world. Diamonds, valuable paintings, exotic sculptures, rare manuscripts and scrolls. Exactly 40 thefts with nothing pointing to him except his signature the Red paper crane. No one can even give a description of the guy. Nobody knows where he''s from or if it''s even a he"

    "I told you this is going to be a really difficult case to crack."

    "But not impossible. Everyone leaves something behind." Daichi was determined toplete this quest.

    "Daichi, no one''s evere close to even finding this person''s identity."

    "You''re forgetting one thing, sensei I''ve never gone looking for him." Daichi had a confident smirk and resumed his work.

    Kakashi looked at his student with an unreadable expression. ''Its good to be confident. But Hubris That''s a dangerous thing Daichi. Let''s see how this goes.''

    The two ninjas looked over every document present. In every case attributed to the Phantom Thief the most valuable item at the location along with something of minor value were stolen. And the signature Red Paper Crane was left where the most valuable of the two items was.

    "Thest time Phantom Thief struck was over a decade ago. No one could figure out how he got in or out of the ces undetected. It''s how he got his name." Kakashi said as he looked over the reports.

    "Yeah. And in the incident that took ce a year ago, there was no red crane and the thief took several things" Daichi went over every detail given in the incident report. After spending several hours going over almost all the documents Daichi came to a conclusion. This conclusion was something he drew from the moment the second quest appeared but he needed to be sure.

    "The thief may not have left a crane at Kenichi''s home but I''m sure that the robbery was done by the Phantom Thief. Granted there are a few things different in this case but He''s got a certain style. There is a singr sensibility at work here." Daichi said to his sensei.

    Kakashi looked at the items the Legendary Thief has stolen over the years and then to the items stolen from Kenichi''s home. "So then if that''s the case then why? If the history of that heirloom was real and that teapot was indeed more valuable then why didn''t he leave his signature behind. And why start after a decade?"

    Daichi was silent as he mulled over the question. He tried to look at it from several perspectives. A few minutester he had a theory. "What if it was personal? What if the Phantom Thief had some kind of grudge against Kenichi''s father or even Kenichi or maybe someone found the Thief''s identity and hired him to steal from them. Regardless, the Phantom thief is involved."

    The Jonin mulled over the information and thought about their next move. "You might be right. We need to know more about Kenichi''s father. We need to dig into his history."

    The two ninjas sealed the documents back into the scroll and took it with them. They headed back to Kenichi''s home to talk to the man about his father.

    At the moment as Daichi and Kakashi made their way to their client''s home they had no clue what was waiting for them at the end of the mission.

    -----------------------------

    Author''s Note.

    This is one of the few original mission arcs I''ve had in mind for a long time. Fair warning. It''s a bit long.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 175: Decades long Mystery - Solved?

    Chapter 175: Decades long Mystery - Solved?

    Kenichi and the two ninjas he hired sat down and made themselvesfortable.

    "Alright. What can I help you with?"

    "What can you tell us about your father?" Kakashi asked the man while Daichi payed close attention to him.

    Kenichi was confused. "What''s this about? I thought you were looking into the person who broke into my home?"

    "We are. But if we want to find the culprit and retrieve the stolen items then we need more information. We need to know if your father had any enemies? The more information we have the better. I know this might be a difficult subject but we need your help if we want to solve this." Kakashi said in a reassuring tone.

    "Okay. What do you want to know about him?"

    "Anything and everything you can tell us."

    "My father Ichiro was a kind man. He followed in grandfather''s footsteps and continued the family business." Kenichi had a smile on his face as he recalled memories of his father.

    "He was a brilliant man but he was also a cautious one. He made sure not to step on any toes and that''s how he was able to expand the business beyond the capital without making enemies. Father truly believed the history behind the heirloom. He spent his days taking care of me and my mother and growing the business. During thest several years he suffered from memory loss and loss of muscle movement."

    "Your father traveled a lot, didn''t he?" Daichi asked.

    Kenichi nodded his head. "He''s visited all over the world and met all kinds of people."

    Daichi and Kakashi questioned the man for about half an hour before they were somewhat satisfied. The two ninjas then decided to look around the house to see if they could find something all the others missed.

    As they looked around Daichi''s eyes were drawn to several animal and bird sculptures locked behind a ss shelf. He used ''observe'' skill on one of them and the information he found amazed him.

    [Puppet - Crow]

    [A chakra puppet created by Niya Ikaru. Special weightless but strong materials were used in the creation of this puppet. This mechanical puppet can only be activated if a certain chakra is poured into it. Once activated this puppet can follow themands set by the person who activated it. This puppet was mainly used for reconnaissance. Can fly and observe an area or target for several hours and return to the user. Materials used are.]

    At that moment a new notification appeared.

    [Blueprint for the puppet can be acquired if you examine its inner mechanics.]

    Daichi was about to ask if he could look at the puppet more closely but then immediately fell silent. ''I need to be careful with my intentions.''

    "Those sculptures look so real. Who created them?" Daichi asked Kenichi.

    The man looked at the objects on the shelf. "My mother. She had a fascination with such things. My grandmother was from the wind country. She had a love for puppets. I guess my mother picked it up from her. Those puppets can move for several seconds and can mimic the real thing Well it was made in a way that only my mother''s chakra could make it move."

    "I see"

    Daichi looked at the puppets on the shelf andmitted their image to memory. He had some things to do.

    At that moment Kakashi came and gathered his student. "Well, we will get out of your hair for the moment."

    Daichi and his sensei left the house and made their way to an Inn. The rooms were provided by Kenichi till theypleted their mission.

    "So have you drawn any conclusions?" Kakashi asked his student.

    "His father travels a lot. Has contacts in several ces Kenichi''s father is a good suspect for the thief". ''And those puppets He''s an excellent candidate.'' Daichi replied as he looked out the window.

    "But"

    "But it doesn''t fit The theft at his house urred after he died. And I''m sure that it was done by the Phantom Did you get them?"

    "Yes." Kakashi took a small book that their client gave them. "This is his father''s travel journal. It noted down all his travels in and out of Fire country. The man was meticulous."

    Daichi opened the scroll on the Phantom thief andid the contents on the desk and examined the time and location of the thefts. He thenpared them to Ichiro''s business trips.

    "A few of the thefts coincide with his travels but many took ce while he was on the other side of the map"

    Kakashi sighed and looked at the setting sun. "Let''s call it a day. We''ll resume tomorrow with fresh eyes."

    Daichi closed his eyes and thought about the situation. ''Before, we were investigating the thief but now we''re also looking into Kenichi''s father. It''s like going in two directions at the same time but it''s not going to help. Everything I learned till now are different pieces of the puzzle but it doesn''t fit right.''

    "But where do we start?" He asked his teacher.

    "With the infamous mystery thief of course." Kakashi''s voice brought Daichi out of his thoughts. "We''ll start with him and then once we figure out his identity we''ll take it from there."

    Daichi nodded his head in agreement. He looked at the mountain of documents in front of him. ''There must be something here that we''re missing.''

    "I''ll see you tomorrow morning, sensei." With those words Daichi got up and left. He went outside and was looking to buy a few items. ''The materials, color and design should be identical. This will be somewhat tricky.''

    Daichi spent a couple hours roaming the capital streets and bought the items he needed. He returned to his room and got to work.

    -

    "Morning sensei. I see you''re already working." Daichi greeted his teacher and saw that Kakashi was going over the files.

    "This is one the trickiest C Ranks I''ve had in a long time."

    Daichi nodded at that sentiment and then Kakashi took a map and ced it near the table. It was a detailed map of the world with important locations marked. It was difficult to acquire but with Shigeru''s help the task waspleted.

    Daichi looked over the different thefts that urred and he was impressed.

    While his student was studying the Thief''s methods, Kakashi began marking the locations on the map where the thief hit. The dates and locations seemed random with no discerning pattern.

    Daichi was impressed with the Phantom''s work. "Man, whoever this is They''re really impressive. Stealing the Jewel from the earth Daimyo''s castle in broad daylight Robbing a painting from the Fire Capital royal court the night it was unveiled Rare diamonds This guy had ir. The total estimated value of everything he stole would be around 500 million and above. And no one could even find any trace of him. A master of either stealth or disguise. Or maybe even both."

    "Yes. But the things he stole are too unique. Even if you put them up for auction in the ck market you''d be found almost immediately. He couldn''t have sold it. That would have put a huge target on his back." Kakashi said as he looked at the dates and ces of the theft.

    They spend hoursbing through the reports and as Daichi was looking at something Kakashi called out to him. The Jonin ced a paper with several dates notes down on it.

    "Daichi, tell me, do these dates seem interesting to you?" Kakashi asked him.

    Daichi looked at the dates noted down on the paper. ''17/03, 11/02, 04/06, 10/04, 05/09, 14/08, 13/09.''

    Daichi looked at them for a few moments and shook his head. "No. Did you find something in them?"

    "The first time the Phantom thief made his appearance. 17th March. That year he only made one appearance. The next year he made two. On 11th February and 04 of June The culprit isn''t just interested in fame and rare items. He also has a fascination with numbers."

    Daichi looked at the numbers again and tried to see what his sensei had found.

    Seeing Daichi''s silence, Kakashi continued. "The first date. 17/03. Now if you add the individual numbers in that date, 1+7+3 you get-"

    "11." Daichi''s eyes widened. He looked at the dates again and at the month and something clicked in his head. "Add 11 months to the 3 (March) and you get February. The second month."

    "Precisely. The date of the next robbery. 11/02. Now add the individual numbers up. 1+1+2 and you get 4. Add 4 months to February and the date of the next robbery is 04th of June."

    Daichi looked at the dates and Kakashi''s theory was correct. "So the date of the next robbery was in the previous one. How has no one figured this out yet?"

    "You would need to wait for a while for the pattern to emerge. And most people wouldn''t look at the dates so closely at first. Still, I doubt we''re the first people to make this connection." Kakashi said.

    Daichi sat back with his arms crossed andpiled all the information they had on their target. ''This guy has no problem letting the world know of the date for his next heist. He''s bold. He''s confident that he can escape whatever traps that are set up if they figure out the trick with the date. The fact that he''s still a mystery speaks to his skills. This person wants to remain anonymous yet they want the world to know their existence. With 40 thefts across the world he''s marked his name into the history books.''

    At that thought something else crossed Daichi''s mind. ''Wait a minute. Marked''

    Daichi took the map and spread it across the floor.

    Kakashi smiled under the mask as he looked at his student. ''Looks like he has a new idea.''

    "Sensei. I need you to tell me the location of the heists in the exact order it happened."

    Kakashi looked at the files and began telling the information. As he said the name of each location Daichi marked it down andmitted it to his memory. A couple minutester 40 locations were marked with a small pin on the map.

    Daichi took a few steps backwards and looked at the map from a distance. ''There isn''t any identifiable symbol or markings appearing across the map But I was sure that with his personality he would leave something behind Maybe I''m just not seeing it?''

    Daichi took a pen and paper and looked at the map.

    "You ok Daichi?" His sensei asked.

    "I thought I had something I''m not sure" The Jonin decided not to disturb his student and let Daichi do his own thing.

    Daichi started scribbling on his paper and tried toe up with various Kanji, symbols or other meaningful illustrations that might appear and one that fit all the location points. The few that connected made no sense. Hours went by and dozens of crumpled up paper was by Daichi''s side but the boy knew he was getting close.

    His mind worked through hundreds of images that could be formed but none of them fit Until

    Daichi slowly connected each dot and finally a meaningful word emerged. "He did more than just leave clues in the dates. He was marking his presence on the world itself."

    "Did you find something Daichi?" Kakashi looked over and in Daichi''s paper was a stylish version of the Kanji ''Eternal''.

    Daichi had a wide grin on his face. "Eternal. He marked the word eternal into the map itself. But there''s something else. The kanji on the map. It has a certain design that makes it unique."

    Kakashi looked at the symbol Daichi drew. ''He''s right. The kanji is drawn in a unique font and style The way this kanji is written''

    Kakashi narrowed his eyes and looked at kanji closely. "I''ve seen this before. This kanji in this exact design I''ve seen it before."

    The boy was shocked. "What?! Where?"

    Kakashi recalled the information. "During one of my missions several years ago I came across this symbol. It was the house symbol of a small lord living a few miles outside the capital. I saw the symbol when I went to his house toplete a mission."

    "Do you remember anything else?" Daichi asked in excitement.

    "Yeah. The symbol also had a crane in its background. Eternal Crane. That''s his house siegel." Kakashi closed his eyes and said with a sigh.

    As he heard that piece of information, Daichi''s eyes widened and he couldn''t have had a wider grin. The thought of solving a mystery that stumped everyone else made him positively giddy.

    Kakashi on the other hand had entirely different thoughts and emotions running through him. ''This mission just got a lot moreplicated. If we''re not careful this could turn into a huge problem for everyone.''

    ---------------------------------------

    Author''s Note

    Hi guys, something I wanna make clear is that the Phantom Thief character is not based on the Kaito kid character in Detective Conan anime. I''ve only watched Case closed, the English dubbed version of the series a long time ago. it had around 130 episodes i think. Anyway, I didn''t watch any more than that. And I''ve onlye to learn of Kaito kid half way through writing this arc...

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 176: The Thiefs Identity

    Chapter 176: The Thief''s Identity

    Despite his excitement, Daichi noticed his sensei''s somewhat tense posture. "What is it? What''s wrong?"

    Kakashi looked at his student and let out a deep breath. "What we have isn''t solid proof. And our mission was to find the location of our client''s heirloom. Instead we might have solved one of the biggest cases of the decade. But more than that, if we''re right about who''s behind this, then this mission could have great implications."

    Daichi''s eyes narrowed as he heard that.

    "The value of everything the Phantom Thief stole over the years is over half a billion. And that''s a low estimate. Since none of the items that were stolen were found anywhere, it''s assumed that it''s all kept in one location. The 5 Kages put certain conditions in ce when they shared the information in the first ce. If we''re right and we unearth this treasure" The Jonin just sighed and fell silent.

    Daichi understood what his sensei was getting at. "Let''s just confirm our theory before anything else. Right now that''s all we have. A theory"

    Kakashi nodded and both of them sealed all the documents back into the scroll. To continue their investigation they had to leave the Fire Capital and the two ninjas informed their departure to their client.

    Within a couple hours Kakashi and Daichi were on the move with the Jonin leading the way. A few hourster they were in front of a modest looking mansion.

    "This is the ce." Kakashi said to Daichi. He spoke to the guards outside and a few minutester Kakashi and his student were let in.

    Daichi looked at everyone working in the mansion and used ''observe''. None of them was the Phantom Thief.

    A few momentster a man in his mid thirties approached them with a smile. Daichi looked at him and immediately knew he was the Lord of thisnd. ''This guy is too young. There''s no way he could be the thief.'' Just to make sure, he used Observe on him but didn''t see anything useful.

    "Wee Leaf ninja to my home. I''m Hirohito Inagi. What can I do for you two?" The young lord spoke.

    The silver haired Jonin stepped forward and introduced himself. "My name is Kakashi Hatake. I don''t know if you remember but 7 years ago your father hired me for an escort mission."

    In a few moments Hirohito recalled the incident and smiled. He quickly recognized the man in front of him. "Ahh yes. I remember. My father was very impressed with your work. What can I do for you?"

    "Can I speak to your father? It''s important." Kakashi came to the same conclusion as Daichi. He knew the man in front of him was too young to be the culprit.

    The smile on the Lord''s face dimmed. "My father passed away from a stroke 5 months ago."

    At that Kakashi turned a bit more serious and looked at the Lord. "I see. Can we speak in private? There is a matter of grave importance that we need to discuss with you?"

    Seeing the serious demeanor of the Jonin, the smile on Hirohito''s face vanished. He looked at the two ninjas and a secondter dismissed his guards and took them to his personal office. He locked the door and looked at the two. "No one will disturb us. Speak."

    "The Eternal Crane. That''s your house sigil isn''t it?"

    Hirohito raised an eyebrow at that question. He was silent for a couple seconds but then answered. "It was. But that seal was reced during my grandfather''s time. But my father still had an attachment to it. What''s this about?"

    "I assume you''ve heard of The Phantom Thief?"

    The young lord slightlyughed at that name. "Ahh yes. The ghost who can appear anywhere and disappear with your riches Last anyone has heard of him was over a decade ago I believe What does an infamous thief have to do with my old Family Seal?"

    At that Kakashi took the world map out of scroll with the marked the locations where the Phantom Thief struck. "These are all the locations the Thief has struck during his time." The Jonin then took Daichi''s drawing and showed it to the man. "If we connect all the dots on the map the Kanji Eternal appears. But it has a unique design. The same design as the Kanji on your previous house emblem. And the fact that the thief leaves a Red Crane as his calling card. Can you exin that?"

    Hirohito was stunned as he heard the usations. He looked at the map and then to the drawing.

    Daichi was paying close attention to the man''s bodynguage and chakra. ''Heartbeat elevated. Body temperature has risen and increased breathing. He''s not faking it. This guy is definitely shocked. Either we have the wrong person and this is all just a coincidence or even he didn''t know about his father''s double life.''

    After a few moments of silence the man''s face turned from shocked to anger. He looked at the two ninjas furious, and spoke. "I can''t exin it because this is some random coincidence. You don''t have any proof that my father is this Phantom do you? I won''t have you nder my father''s name. Please leave my house."

    [Reputation decreased with Hirohito Inagi]

    Kakashi knew that since the man was a somewhat wealthy Lord and with connections to the capital it could be troublesome if he employed his more aggressive interrogation tactics. But neither the Leaf Jonin nor his student was going to leave without answers.

    "Mr. Hirohito. I''m asking you to cooperate with us. If you don''t, things will be much more problematic for you." Kakashi said with a dangerous edge in his tone.

    The Lord narrowed his eyes and looked at the ninja in front of him. "Is that a threat?"

    Kakashi shook his head. "No. I''m just stating facts. We came across this information when we were looking into the thief. I haven''t reported this to the Hokage yet but the moment I do he will inform the Fire Daimyo. And the Fire Daimyo will definitely look into you and he''ll be obligated to inform the other Feudal lords."

    Daichi was impressed with his sensei. ''Wow. ckmail and a thinly veiled threat. His dark Anbu side is showing.''

    The young Lord''s eyes widened as he now began to understand the repercussions. But he was still defiant. "It''s still not going to be enough. What you have is just a wild conjuncture. No actual evidence. You can make any kind of symbol with locations marked. If you put baseless usations forward there will be consequences"

    Kakashi continued to put pressure on the man. "True, there might be. But this kanji is still a unique design. And the thief chose the locations and robbed them in the exact order you would write the Kanji Eternal. You have to admit, that''s one hell of a coincidence. Now whether the information we came across is a coincidence or not, your life won''t be the same. The Phantom Thief stole from very powerful and dangerous people. If No, when they find out about this new piece of information, they will no doubte for you. And I''m sure you know just how cruel some people can be"

    "Stop Please" Hirohito was breathing hard. He closed his eyes and the image of his father appeared in his mind. He still couldn''t believe what he was hearing but the man slowly started to recall several suspicious and secret outings his father had. ''It can''t be There''s no way But If it is true. Even if this information is false or just a coincidence, if this gets out my family will be destroyed.''

    A few momentster the manposed himself and looked at Kakashi. The Jonin understood what Hirohito was going through. "We need your cooperation on this matter. If you help us then we might be able to keep your family''s name out of this."

    The Lord just sighed and resigned himself. "What do you need?"

    "I know your father kept a journal regarding his travels. I need to take a look at the journal. And I want you to tell us if your father had any properties that he used for any personal business. Right now we need to confirm that your father was indeed the Phantom thief."

    Hirohito was puzzled. "But won''t that bring more trouble for me and my family?"

    "Not necessarily. It''s believed that the Phantom kept all his loot in one location. If we can recover the loot and return it and confirm that the Phantom is dead, then there wouldn''t be much reason for people toe after you." The silver haired Jonin reasoned.

    "And the only way to find the location of the stolen items is if you confirm the identity of the thief!?"

    Kakashi nodded in agreement.

    "If I help you, will you give me your word that me and my family won''t face any wrath from the Daimyo."

    Kakashi sighed and closed his eyes for a moment. He then looked at the man and gave the honest answer. "I can''t promise you that. I''m sure that you had no idea of the truth about your father. So what I can promise you is this. I will tell Lord Hokage and plead for leniency. If your father is indeed the thief and since the culprit is dead I doubt he woulde after you. And I will make sure he will make the case to the Daimyo as well"

    Hirohito just sighed hearing that. ''I suppose given the situation that''s the best I''m going to get.'' He went to his desk and after looking over a few items, took a brown leather bound book and handed it to the Jonin. "This contains all the trips my father made in and out of Fire country."

    Kakashi and Daichi looked through the dates and about a dozen coincided with the time the thief was present in the area. It was looking more and more like Hirohito''s father was the thief.

    ''But that could also be a coincidence. There were some important functions taking ce at these locations during the time of the theft.''

    At that moment Hirohito took a small key and showed it to them. "I would sometimes catch my fathering in at odd hours after being gone for a few days. He always had a believable excuseNow I''m not so sure This key. It''s to one of his private properties a few miles from here. I only found it after he passed away."

    "Have you visited the ce?" Daichi asked.

    "Just once. But I haven''t seen anything valuable there"

    "We''ll need to take a look at that property."

    The young Lord nodded and soon the trio made their way to the location. It was a small home located in a privatepound. The young lord opened the gates and soon unlocked the front door.

    Kakashi, Daichi and Hirohito stepped inside the dusty home. It was evident that none had been living here for a long time.

    "What exactly do you expect to find?" Hirohito asked.

    "Something that will help us with our search." Kakashi said as he looked around the ce. He then looked at his student.

    "Daichi, you remember all the items that were stolen, correct?"

    "Yeah!?"

    "Good. Search the ce and see if you find anything."

    Daichi and Kakashi looked around and moved to the living room. As Daichi looked around, something on top of a nearby table caught his eyes. "Um sensei you might wanna see this."

    Kakashi turned to look at his student who was pointing at a music box. A very familiar looking music box. His visible eye slightly widened at the implication. But he needed to be sure.

    Kakashi stepped near the table and took the music box. He opened the lid and ady figurine in a gorgeous kimono rose on a silver circr tform, dancing to a soothing melody.

    "What is it?" Hirohito asked.

    "During one of the heists a music box was stolen from a merchant''s home. One that looks a lot like this." Kakashi replied.

    "How can you be sure that this is the same one?"

    At the lord''s question Kakashi recalled the memory of the man showing his old team the secret of the box.

    "The music box that was stolen was specifically designed as a gift for his daughter. The merchant showed my team what was special about it."

    With those words Kakashi closed the box and looked underneath it. The bottom of the box was divided into 9 equal parts. He gently pressed them in a certain order and then ced the box back on the table.

    A couple secondster the lid of the box slowly opened on its own and a new song started ying. The melody had a calming effect on anyone who listened and even during this tense situation brought a smile to the three who were present. It yed for about 60 seconds and once the song ended a small click was heard. A small hiddenpartment at the bottom jutted out of the box. Kakashi pulled thepartment open and took what was inside.

    Daichi and Hirohito looked at the object in Kakashi''s hand. It was a photo of a happy family. A father, mother and daughter smiling as they looked at the camera. On its back were the words,

    ''To my dear Moonlight, Happy Birthday. Love papa.''

    Kakashi saw the photo and remembered the joy on the man''s face as he showed them the special gift. He also remembered the devastated expression the man had when he learned of its theft. To him the music box was more valuable than the Painting that was stolen.

    For Daichi the moment he finished reading the words, notifications popped up. ''Its him. We did it. We solved one of the biggest unsolved cases in the world.''

    [Quest ''Identify the Legendary Thief''pleted.]

    [Rewards:]

    [3000 Exp.]

    [450 Exp.]

    [+2 Level for Stealth skill.]

    [+2 Wisdom Stat]

    [+1 Intelligence.]

    [Reputation increases with the client.]

    [Reputation massively increases with Kakashi Hatake and Hiruzen Sarutobi, Shigeru and some people in Fire Capital and around the world.]

    Just as the boy finished reading the words on the blue boxes a new one popped up.

    [3rd Quest]

    Daichi''s next quest hase.

    -------------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 177: Treasure - Part 01

    Chapter 177: Treasure - Part 01

    Daichi looked at the 3rd quest that appeared.

    [Quest created - Find the Secret of the Heirloom.]

    [Kenichi''s family heirloom contains a vital secret. Find the Teapot and figure out its secret.]

    [Conditions:]

    Retrieve the heirloom and identify its secrets without damaging it.

    .

    [Rewards:]

    3000 Exp.

    +2 Intelligence

    Reputation increases with Kakashi, Sarutobi Hiruzen and several other people.

    Reputation increases or decreases with the client. (Depending on the action of the yer.)

    .

    [Failure:]

    [Cannot open the 4th quest]

    [Reputation decreases with the client. (If heirloom is damaged.)]

    ''So that teapot does have some secrets. And the quest says it''s a vital secret And my reputation might decrease? So if I take a certain action my reputation may increase or decrease with him. That''s strange. And it''s not given in the failure part of the quest but the reward.''

    The young gamer thought about the clue hidden in the wording and quickly came to a conclusion. ''This quest. It''s about finding the secret of the heirloom. After I find out the secret, depending on what I do after, the client will be pleased or displeased with me It must be it Hmm. If I want to take the right course of action then I need to find out what the secret is''

    Daichi looked around the ce. He was beginning to have an idea as to what this was all about? ''There is no way this is a coincidence. This whole thing must be connected with the thief''

    "Daichi!" Kakashi suddenly called out to him.

    "We have our evidence. I need you to search the whole house. We need to find the other items" The Jonin said to the boy.

    "What will you be doing sensei?"

    "I need to send an urgent report to the Hokage." He then turned to Hirohito. The man was shocked at what he had just learned and was quietly sitting on the couch with a downtrodden face.

    "Hey. I need you to please stay here for the moment. Don''t leave the premises for any reason." Even though Kakashi had worded it as a request, the man knew it was an unconditional demand. The young Lord only nodded to the order. After everything that just happened he didn''t have the energy to argue.

    Kakashi took out a scroll from his pouch and started writing. Several minutester after his report waspleted he went outside the house and made the five hand seals.

    "Summoning jutsu."

    In a puff of smoke a single dog appeared. It had tan fur, white snout and long brown ears. And the blue vest and the forehead protector it wore indicated that it was a ninja dog.

    "Guruko. I need your assistance."

    The ninja dog was on guard and was looking around. "Kakashi, please tell me we''re not fighting that crazy student of yours." The ninken still remembered the feeling of dread from that day.

    "No. No. Nothing of the sort."

    The ninja dog Guruko let out a breath of relief. "What do you need?"

    "I need you to deliver this scroll to the Hokage as soon as possible. Go directly to the Hokage. The information on this scroll is very crucial. And wait for his orders."

    Guruko nodded and took the scroll from the Jonin. The next second he disappeared from his summoner''s view. Kakashi sighed and slowly went back into the house.

    Daichi looked all around the house but couldn''t find anything else that was stolen. ''There has to be something else here. What am I missing?''

    "Didn''t find anything?"

    Daichi shook his head to Kakashi''s question.

    "Hmm."

    The young Genin looked at his teacher who appeared to be in deep thoughts. "You got something sensei?"

    "Maybe. When people want to hide something they usually put it under them"

    The boy quickly caught on to what his sensei was implying. "The basement? But I already checked. It was empty save for a few desks and chairs." Daichi said.

    "Let''s go check again. It''s possible you might have missed something."

    Daichi didn''t argue since he had nothing else to go on. As both of them headed down to the basement, Hirohito joined them. He wanted to see if his father had hidden anything more in the house.

    They quickly reached the basement and looked around. There was nothing else except for a few desks, chairs and a few wall mounted hooks with a hat on one of them.

    Both the ninjas started looking around the basement but there was nothing that was out of the ordinary at first nce. As Kakashi made his way across the room he noticed something peculiar on the floor.

    A few drops of some ck stain was on the floor but what was strange was that the wall was over half of the small drop. Kakashi lifted the headband over his Sharingan eye and looked at the spot.

    "Daichi, could youe over here for a moment?"

    The boy looked over to his sensei and saw that the man had his Sharingan out examining something. Daichi walked over and looked down to where his teacher was looking.

    He quickly noticed the anomaly and heightened his senses. Daichi bent down and took a whiff and looked closely at the stain. Seeing the two ninjas crouched at the other end of the room Hirohito also made his way over.

    After a few seconds Daichi came to a conclusion. "It''s an ink stain."

    "Yes. But the shape is strange. It''s in a semicircle. Only half of it is on the floor and the edge of this wall is clean. There isn''t any stain on where the rest should be." With his Sharingan, Kakashi quickly made his analysis.

    Daichi looked at the wall in front of him and focused his attention on it. A few momentster he sensed something. He ced his fingers a few millimeters above the bricks and slowly moved.

    "Sensei. I can feel a drafting from this area. It''s faint but it''s there." Daichi said.

    Kakashi nodded and knocked on the section of the wall. "Yes. You''re right. I''m pretty sure there''s a passage behind this wall."

    "Wait, hold on. Are you saying there''s a secret passage behind this?" The young lord was surprised. He looked around when he first came here and didn''t find anything out of the ordinary. ''Today is just full of surprises. And not the good kind.''

    "Yeah. It seems so. Stand back." Daichi told the man and was reading his hand to punch right through when Kakashi stopped him.

    "If we force our way inside, who knows what will happen. We can''t just break through. We need to open it." Kakashi said.

    "You think there might be traps?"

    "It''s a possibility. Let''s look around. There might be something here."

    With that the duo renewed their search and focused their attention on every inch of the room. As they searched Daichi noticed something.

    "Sensei. I think I found it."

    Kakashi walked over and looked at what Daichi was pointing at. "These four wall mounted hooks. One of them doesn''t have as much dust or cobwebs as the others. I think this must be the key." Daichi deduced this by the state of the hook. He also used ''Observe'' just to make sure and he was right.

    Kakashi pulled the particr hook down and the sounds of gears moving were heard. Then the wall they examined earlier started going down revealing a narrow stone passage.

    ''I can''t believe this path was here the whole time.'' Hirohito couldn''t believe his eyes.

    Daichi was also excited. ''This is incredible. Solving a mysterious theft. Finding hidden treasures. I feel like Sherlock Holmes. My life is so awesome.''

    They saw fire torches hanging on the side of the wall and Kakashi quickly lit one and took it. With light from the ming torch as a guide the three people made their way forward. They walked for several meters and soon came to the entrance of arge octagonal shaped room. Kakashi lit fire to the torches hanging in the room and soon light illuminated every inch of the ce.

    "Wow" Daichi and Hirohito couldn''t help but exim. "I can''t believe there was something like this under the house all along." Hirohito muttered.

    There were over a dozen paintings hanging on the walls. Daichi turned his head and saw jewelry boxes neatly ced on a table. There were a few rare statues among the collection as well.

    "Looks like we found the loot of the century. Hahaha" Daichi said in a glee.

    Kakashi looked around and he wasn''t as joyful as his student. "This isn''t it" He said with a sigh.

    Hearing Kakashi''s serious tone, Daichi sobered up. "What''s wrong?"

    "Look around Daichi. Yes these are many of the stolen items but many more are missing. The Phantom thief stole two items during his robbery. One that''s priceless and another that''s not worth as much. Granted it''s still valuable but What we have in front of us are items that have secondary value." Kakashi exined.

    "What? You mean there''s more?" The young lord was stupefied. ''I can''t believe my father got away with so much treasure and hid them till now.''

    Daichi carefully looked at the items in his view and realized that his sensei was right. ''So this is only half the stuff huh He must have hidden the ones with greater value at another location Or maybe there might be another hidden room here somewhere''

    "We have to search this house. Maybe there''s another hidden room."

    Kakashi nodded with that theory. "It''s possible But right now we need to move forward with our mission. We have to find our client''s heirloom."

    Daichi agreed and the two of them started going through the stolen items. The client had shown them a picture of the item that was stolen so they knew what they were after. Several minutester they found what they were looking for.

    Kakashi found the item stashed away inside a small box. Along with it were the jewelry and scrolls that were stolen from their client''s home.

    The teapot was ck with a gold design and several precious stones embedded in various patterns.

    "Finally. We found it. You were right, Daichi. The Phantom was the one who stole from Kenichi''s house."

    Daichi nodded and looked at the item. ''Observe''

    [Inochi no Okurimono]

    [Inochi no Okurimono also known as ''Gift of Life'' is a teapot created by a master craftsman and given to a Kagura Garoya by the Fire Daimyo as a gift for saving his life. The Daimyo gave the name to the teapot due to the life saving incident. Several rare and expensive stones were used in the creation of this item. The Garoya family consider this their heirloom and most valuable item. Several years ago Ichiro Garoya came across valuable information and with the help of an artist, stored it in this teapot in secret.]

    [You have witnessed an item created by a master craftsman.]

    [+1 Intelligence.]

    ''So the story was true. This was indeed a gift from the Daimyo at that time But moreover''

    Daichi''s eyes were focused on the information shownst. ''A secret information stored in this pot with the help of an artist Hmm That''s a clue''

    "Um sensei, may I?"

    Kakashi looked at his student and then gave the teapot to Daichi. The Genin carefully took the heirloom in his hands and began examining it. He carefully scrutinized every inch of the ck teapot and even took a look inside. He tried to see if there was some sort of hidden pattern inscribed on the pot.

    ''There isn''t anything inside and it doesn''t appear to have any storage or any other seals of any kind on this So what secret are you hiding?''

    "What are you looking for?" Kakashi asked his student.

    "The design and craftsmanship of this item are spectacr. And the diamonds and several other stones on this are real. Moreover, based on its appearance I''m pretty sure this thing is at least several decades old. This teapot is indeed worth a fortune. The story was true. I believe his ancestor did save the Daimyo of the time and got this as a gift." Daichi said.

    The Jonin raised an eyebrow at Daichi''s conclusion but didn''t disagree. "Well, I guess now we know why Kenichi wanted to find it so bad."

    Daichi slightly shook his head. "I''m not so sure about that Why would the Phantom Thief steal this after so many years. He disappeared for almost a decade and right after the guy dies he steals this from his house a year ago. No, I don''t think that''s some coincidence."

    "So what''s your theory?" Kakashi asked his student.

    "I think there is more to this Teapot than what we know. And I''m gonna figure out its secrets." Daichi said with confidence as he looked at the precious item in his hands.

    Hokage''s Office.

    Hiruzen was rxing in his chair, smoking his pipe infort when he heard knocksing from the window. He looked to the side and saw a ninja dog and immediately recognized it as one of Kakashi''s.

    ''Kakashi wouldn''t send his summon unless something serious happened''

    There was a worry in Hiruzen''s heart that the team might have encountered dangerous enemies. He made a small gesture with his hand and one of the hidden guards opened the window to the office. The ninja dog jumped inside and hopped up onto the desk.

    Guruko took the scroll and ced it on the table. "Lord Hokage, Kakashi tasked me with delivering this directly to you. He says it''s important and I''m to wait for your response."

    Hiruzen nodded, took the scroll and began reading its contents. As he went through each line his eyebrows began to rise. And as he reached the end of the scroll he waspletely shocked. "You''ve got to be kidding me"

    The Hokage groaned thinking about the headache that will certainly arise when the other Kages and Feudal lords are made aware of the situation. ''They were supposed to be on a simple tracking mission But now''

    "Is everything alright Lord Hokage?" The Hokage''s guard Special Jonin Genma appeared kneeling and asked.

    "It seems Kakashi and young Daichi have encountered something that will definitely spark an international incident"

    "Sir?" Genma and the hidden guards in the room were surprised at how a routine Genin mission could turn into something of such magnitude.

    "Genma! It seems I will need to make a trip to the capital. Most probably early tomorrow morning. I need you to make the arrangements." The old Kage gave the order.

    "Yes sir."

    "And summon Akai Hyuga and Nomoru Nara."

    Genma nodded and vanished. The Hokage then turned his attention to Guruko. "Tell Kakashi to stay the course. Since he and Daichi have found the identity of the culprit we can''t let this opportunity pass by. Tell him I''ll be sending a Hyuga to help with the mission. He will be at the capital at the Inn by tonight. And also inform Kakashi that I will be there by noon tomorrow."

    Kakashi''s summon nodded its head and quickly left the office.

    Hiruzen sighed and leaned back in his chair. He thought about the conditions ced by the other Kages and Feudal lords when the information on the mysterious thief was shared.

    ''Whoever finds the thief or his stolen items will get 10% of the total value of everything that''s found. The other kages ced that condition in the hopes that if one of their ninja finds the stolen treasure then the money they get would be diverted to the vige. That''s a lot of money. Enough to finance several dangerous missions. And that''s just one of the conditions ced This needs to be handled diplomatically.''

    He let out a breath and stood from his chair. He paced in his office thinking the best move forward. He slowly came near the window and stopped. ''I can''t believe this whole time that Kiyoto Inagi was the thief. But that doesn''t make any sense He certainly wasn''t in need of any money. And even though I''ve only met the man on a couple asions I''m certain he didn''t possess the skills tomit these acts So how? Is there an aplice? Or was the innocent man I met just a facade''

    At that moment someone knocked on his door.

    "Come in."

    Two people entered the room. Both wearing a Jonin vest. One had distinctive white eyes indicating that he was from the Hyuga n and the other had the Nara n symbol etched on his shoulder.

    "Akai, Nomoru. You two are here. Good. There is an urgent matter that needs to be discussed."

    Both ninjas straightened and had their full attention on their kage.

    "Akai. I need you to travel to the Fire capital and meet up with Kakashi and his student. Your task is to help them with their C Rank mission. This is a priority mission with great implications. And the sooner you reach the location the better. Kakashi will fill you in on the mission details. Go."

    The Hyuga nodded in seriousness and vanished using the body flicker jutsu.

    The Hokage then turned to the Nara in the room.

    "Nomoru, you''ll be apanying me to the Fire capital tomorrow. I need you to prepare for aing meeting with the diplomats from the other 4 nations. There was an incident and once the news reaches the other nations the Kages will definitely send their diplomats to the capital. I need you to prepare."

    Nomoru nodded. "Lord Hokage, what''s this about?" He then asked.

    "The identity of the Legendary Phantom Thief has finally been revealed." The Hokage replied after a couple seconds.

    The Nara''s eyes widened in shock. He now understood the magnitude of the events taking ce.

    --------------------

    Author''s Note.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 178: Treasure - Part 02

    Chapter 178: Treasure - Part 02

    Near the Fire Capital. A short whileter.

    "So that''s what the Hokage said huh."

    Guruko nodded his head.

    "Thank you for the assistance. Here." Kakashi gave his summon some treats and momentster the ninja dog vanished.

    The Leaf Jonin met the other two and informed them of their journey back to the capital.

    Daichi ced the teapot into a scroll and secured it.

    Soon the trio was making their way back to the capital. Daichi only took Kenichi''s heirloom with him and the rest were kept in the hidden room. Before long they reached the gates of the capital.

    Kakashi turned to look at Hirohito. "I''m sure you''re aware that what you have learned today must be kept secret, don''t you? If there is any information leak before the matter is resolved by the Daimyo then it will bring trouble for you and your family. So for the moment just stay at this inn." The young lord nodded seriously. Kakashi gave the man an address and soon the two ninjas parted ways with the man.

    Daichi and Kakashi made their way to their temporary residence.

    "Daichi, we really should just hand over that teapot to our client and finish this mission." Kakashi advised his student.

    "Please, not yet sensei. I want to examine this. I''m sure this holds some valuable secrets."

    The silver haired ninja just sighed. "Daichi, we don''t need to do that. Our goal was to find it and return it. We found it. Now we just need to return it."

    Daichi was calm on the outside but he was getting slightly anxious. He needed to examine the heirloom and find out its secrets. "A day. Just give me a day. I did crack one of the biggest cases of the century. Kenichi waited about a year for this. I''m sure he won''t mind waiting for one more day."

    Kakashi was surprised at Daichi''s request. "Why are you so adamant about this? What secrets do you imagine this heirloom holds "

    "I don''t know what, but I know it does. Don''t you think it''s strange? There were never any incidents reported that matched the Thief''s style other than the 40 Thefts and the one at Kenichi''s house. And in the 40 thefts he left his mark, the red crane on the scene but at Kenichi''s house, nothing. And that robbery was almost a decade after he disappeared So there must be something he wanted. Something important." Daichi tried toe up with a logical exnation for his desire to examine the heirloom.

    "And you think whatever that is, is hidden on this teapot?"

    The boy nodded his head. Kakashi looked at his student and sighed again. "Fine. We''ll do it your way. But how exactly are you going to find out what you''re looking for?"

    Daichi just smirked at that question. "I have my methods. But first I need to get a few things." With that Daichi took a storage scroll and left the room.

    Kakashi looked around and just left out a small tired breath. ''Guess there''s nothing to do but wait.'' He took out his favorite reading material and just gotfortable.

    -

    Daichi looked around in his room in Kensei''s apartment in the capital. During his time as Lady Tsunade''s apprentice she would often task him with identifying, examining and making notes on various materials. Organic and non organic.

    ''Where the heck is it? I know it''s here somewhereAha! Found you.''

    Daichi held a microscope in his hands and carefully ced it in the storage scroll. ''The technology in this world is really bizarre. There is advanced tech in the medical field but cars and cell phones don''t exist yet?''

    He also took several other objects that would help him with his examination. Once he had everything he wanted he sealed them in his scroll and headed back to Kakashi''s ce.

    Once Daichi returned he saw his sensei with his nose buried in his trashy book. The young Genin didn''t mind and in fact weed the quiet atmosphere. Daichi set up his equipment and was finally ready to solve the mystery.

    ''Time to begin my experiments. The information on ''Observe'' said that the guy went to an artist to help him hide his secret. So it must have something to do with paint Or maybe ink. I need to focus on foreign material added to this in thest decade.''

    Daichi ced both hands above the teapot and they started glowing green. ''A scanning jutsu created with a standard technique from Lady Tsunade andbining the gamer powers. Perfect for all asions. But still, I never thought I''d use this to examine a teapot of all things.''

    As he made notes on the minerals in the teapot, a few stood out. ''Gold, silver, and several precious elements present. But the one that was addedter was Phosphorous. And it''s mixed with some other chemicals.''

    Daichi took a cklight from the storage scroll and shined it on the teapot. He sighed as he looked at the result. ''Nothing. I should have known it wouldn''t be that easy. I thought for sure it was invisible ink. Alright, time to get some physical samples. But I have to make sure not to damage it...''

    Daichi took a needle and scraped a minute sample from several sides. He took several samples and soon had them ready to be examined under a microscope.

    Time slowly went by as Daichi examined different slides and noted the materials present on the teapot. He made sure to take samples from even the inside and the bottom of the teapot.

    Kakashi nced at his student from time to time but didn''t say anything. ''Its quite something watching him work I wonder what he''ll dig up now?''

    Hours went by and Daichi was finally done. He had made a list of all foreign chemicals and minerals that waster added to the object.

    Daichi looked at the chemicals used and frowned. ''Thisbination of chemicals Its definitely used in the creation of invisible ink. But when I used a cklight earlier it didn''t show anything?''

    Daichi sat back down and thought it through. ''Its some kind of special invisible ink. I''m sure of that. So he wrote the information and hid it in in view. But what kind of information? And how do I see it?... I need to get some air.''

    Daichi stood and went to the balcony outside the room. ''What am I missing?'' He looked ahead at the disappearing sun and suddenly had an idea.

    He quickly returned to his room and opened the cklight to look at its insides. ''Just as I thought.'' Daichi made a few modifications to the device. He took out a pair ofrge ck sunsses and put them over the ones he already had on. He let out a breath and then shined the light over the ck teapot.

    The result took Daichi''s breath away.

    At that moment Kakashi spoke up from his spot. "Daichi, you''ve been silent for a long time and not that I don''t mind the quietness but should I be concerned?"

    Daichi quietly took off therge sunsses and started chuckling.

    "Hihihihi. HAHAHAHAHA." Daichi''s soft chuckle turned into full blownughter. "Sensei! Prepare to prostrate, be humbled and weep at the magnificence of my intellect. Hahaha."

    Kakashi just looked on as his studentughed like a loon. ''Nope. I was wrong. It was better before.''

    At that moment both of them were taken out of their thoughts by the knock on the door. Daichi sensed a strong chakra presence behind the door and became serious.

    ''That must be the Hyuga Lord Hokage sent.'' Kakashi opened the door and he was right. "Come in."

    Akai Hyuga stepped forward and looked at the two upants of the room. He noticed the delicate equipment set up in the ce. ''Were they doing some kind of experiment?''

    "Hello. I''m Akai Hyuga. Special Jonin. I''m here to assist you with your mission." The man introduced himself.

    "Kakashi Hatake and that''s my student Daichi Hekima. We were just about to discuss some information my student had discovered."

    Kakashi then turned towards Daichi. "Well, Daichi The floor is yours."

    "Yes but before that, since a Hyuga is here" Daichi took hold of the teapot. "Can you please use the Byakugan and see if there is anything hidden in this?"

    Akai looked sideways at Kakashi and the Jonin just shrugged. The Hyuga made a seal and the veins around his eyes immediately bulged. The Hyuga looked at the Teapot and carefully examined every inch. After a few moments he let go of his visual jutsu.

    "No. I can''t find anything. There isn''t anything hidden in it." Akai said.

    But despite what the Jonin said Kakashi had his doubts. He knew Daichi was brilliant and had found something. So he paid close attention to his student.

    Daichi smiled hearing that reply. "Just as I thought. With the trace amounts used even the Byakugan couldn''t find it."

    "What is it? What did you find?" Kakashi asked. The Jonin Akai was also curious. ''Something my eyes missed?''

    "What do you know about the electromaic spectrum?" Daichi asked the two. Kakashi looked at Akai and the Hyuga just shrugged indicating he didn''t know what Daichi was talking about.

    "It''s some kind of wave right. That carries signals?" Kakashi said recalling the limited information he knew about the subject.

    "It''s much more than that. Electromaic spectrum is the range of all types of EM radiation. Radiation is energy that travels and spreads out as it goes. Now there are seven types of radiation that make up the electromaic spectrum. Radio wave, Microwave, Infra-red, Visible light, Ultraviolet, X-ray and Gamma rays. Among these, the visible light is the only one we humans can detect without special abilities or gadgets."

    The two Jonin nodded as they listened to Daichi''s every word. Since they never studied such subjects this was new information for them and it sounded fascinating. But Kakashi didn''t understand what significance this information had to do with their situation. "What does this have to do with the Teapot?"

    "Everything. The normal human eyes will only detect visible light. The light that''s reflected off an object''s surface. Now we as humans are a crafty bunch. We came up with means to send messages that escape unwanted eyes." Daichi said with a smirk.

    "You''re talking about invisible ink aren''t you?" Kakashi asked.

    Daichi nodded.

    "But Daichi, you used a cklight earlier. I noticed. Nothing showed up."

    Daichi agreed with his sensei. "Yes. It''s true. If the person had used a normal invisible ink it would have appeared as soon as I had shone the cklight above it. A standard cklight emits Ultraviolet rays between 320nm(nanometers) and 400nm. A normal invisible ink will be cooked and be visible if ced under this spectrum of UV rays."

    Kakashi stayed silent as he listened to his student.

    "But what if it was a special ink that was used to write the secret message? An ink that would only be visible under a certain condition. Under a very specific wavelength of rays"

    The two Jonin were starting to get what the Genin was saying.

    Daichi continued. "The special fluorescent phosphors ink was made by mixing very specific chemicals. To create this ink is no easy stuff. Now the materials used are inorganicpounds. So this ink is sunlight stable, heat stable and willst a long time. This ink will be only visible under UV shortwave lengths."

    "UV shortwaves? What''s that?" Akai asked.

    "The Ultraviolet rays are separated ording to their wavelength. Just as the visible lights are separated into seven colors the Ultraviolet rays are categorized into three. UV longwave 320nm to 400nm, UV medium wave 280nm to 320nm and UV shortwave 280nm to 100nm. Now almost all invisible inks appear when UV long waves fall on them. But this ink"

    "It would only show up if shortwave UV light is used" Kakashi said.

    Daichi nodded his head. "Almost all cklights that are avable use long wave UV rays. So you wouldn''t have found it under normal methods."

    "Can we see" Kakashi was now more than curious about the message hidden in the heirloom.

    Daichi nodded and took out two pairs of sunsses and handed them to the two older ninjas. "To protect your eyes." He put on his pair and turned on the modified cklight over the teapot. He flipped the pot upside down and underneath it were several instructions shining in bright orange color.

    "It''s a cipher." Kakashi immediately recognized it.

    Daichi nodded his head. "Yeah. And without the key we won''t be able to unlock it."

    "So who has the key?" Akai asked.

    The young Genin smiled. "Who else? Our client of course?"

    Kakashi thought about that possibility and he couldn''t rule it out. "What do you think these instructions are for?" He asked his student. He was looking to hear Daichi''s theory.

    "It''s no coincidence that the Phantom thief woulde and steal this item after so many years. There is only one reason he would do something like that. I believe these are instructions left by Kenichi''s father that will lead to Phantom''s hidden treasure." Daichi said.

    The Jonin was surprised. "Do you mean the items missing from that hidden room?"

    "Yes."

    "How can you be certain of that?" Akai asked the kid.

    Daichi was silent for a few moments before answering. "Its just an illogical gut feeling. But this is the story that makes sense." ''And it''s also based on every heist movie, Sherlock stories and detective novels I read in my previous life This has to be it. Now the whole pieces connect.''

    Daichi then looked up to his sensei. "So teach What''s our next move?"

    The silver haired ninja just closed his eyes and took a deep breath. A few secondster he made a decision.

    -------------

    Author''s Note:

    This arc is taking a lot longer toplete than I first thought. I hope you guys are enjoying it.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 179: Treasure - Part 03

    Chapter 179: Treasure - Part 03

    As Kakashi thought about their next move, Daichi took a look at the quest rewards.

    [Quest ''Find the Secret of the Heirloom'' Completed.]

    [Rewards:]

    [3000 Exp.]

    [450 Exp.]

    [+2 Intelligence]

    [Reputation increases with Kakashi, Sarutobi Hiruzen and several other people.]

    [Reputation increases or decreases with the client. (Depending on the action of the yer.)]

    ''Not bad. I won''t say no to more stat points and experience. Now it''s time to check the next quest.''

    [4th Quest]

    [Quest Created - The Great Treasure]

    [Many people from all over the world have been searching for the items that were stolen by the Phantom thief. Since the value of the items has only increased due to their infamy over time, it is considered one of the greatest hidden treasures in the world. Find the hidden Great Treasure.]

    .

    [Rewards:]

    [Large unknown amount of money.]

    [+2 Dignity.]

    [Reputation increases with the Daimyo and people of the Fire country.]

    [Reputation increases with the Hokage and people of the Leaf vige.]

    [Reputation increases with some people around the world.]

    [Reputation slightly decreases with some people around the world.]

    .

    [Failure:]

    [Iplete Chain Quest.]

    [-5000 Exp.]

    ''Wow. A Treasure hunt. How exciting My guess was right.''

    Daichi went through the quest and quickly epted it. ''Arge unknown amount of money? Will the system give me that reward or is it going to be the Hokage? Regardless, this quest is far too profitable not to ept.''

    Daichi didn''t mind the reputation decrease portion of the reward. He knew that the attention he''ll receive once hepletes this quest would be negative and positive.

    At that moment Kakashi spoke up, bringing Daichi out of his thoughts. "Let''s just review what we learned so far. Decades ago Kiyoto Inagi decided to be a thief and he amassed arge amount of stolen items. He decided to mark the sigil of his house on to the world map with the location of his robberies. And once that task waspleted he disappeared. And this was over a decade ago. He kept the stolen items in two locations. In the octagonal room in the basement, we found items of secondary value. And the rest were hidden elsewhere. Somehow around the time when the Phantom was active Kenichi''s father Ichiro Garoya found out about Kiyoto and possibly the location where he hid his main treasure. This is on the assumption that the secret message is indeed about the stolen items."

    Daichi nodded his head. He took over from his sensei. "Kenichi said that during thest years of his life he suffered from memory loss. So it''s possible he wanted to record the information in a safe ce."

    The silver haired Jonin nodded. "Yes. So Ichiro went to a skilled chemist and created an invisible ink that would only appear under specific conditions. I''m sure he must have a cklight that would reveal the information. And he must not have told anyone in his family. Even his son. If he had, Kenichi would have kept that heirloom in a much more secure location."

    "And somehow during thest couple years or so, Kiyoto found out about what Ichiro did and after the man''s death, went to his house to steal the heirloom and make sure his hidden treasure is never found. He probably stole random objects to confuse and mislead the people who were going to investigate." Daichi concluded his theory.

    Kakashi stopped and looked at the two ninjas in the room. "But there is still a problem. We don''t know if Kenichi is aware of the secret message hidden underneath the teapot. We don''t know if that''s his goal or if he truly regrets letting his family heirloom get stolen and is genuinely trying to get it back."

    Daichi tilted his head in slight confusion. "Why is that a problem?"

    "If the man was genuinely trying to get the heirloom back then it wouldn''t be a problem. If we tell him everything we''ve learned thest few days there is a good chance he might help us." His sensei answered.

    Daichi took a slight breath as he realized where his sensei was going. "But if he did learn about the treasure and is after that wealth and if we tell him, he''ll just y dumb and be a lot more cautious. He won''t solve the cipher and go after the treasure until he''s sure we aren''t watching."

    "Precisely. And we can''t exactly torture the guy for information." Kakashi nodded.

    "But why not? And if you''re worried about repercussions then why don''t you just use your Sharingan on him? Put him in a Genjutsu and get the answers needed. Then erase his memories." Daichi asked.

    "It''s not that simple." Akai Hyuga was the one who answered. Daichi turned his attention towards the new temporary addition to the team.

    "As far as I understand, this Kenichi is the client, yes."

    Daichi nodded.

    Akai continued. "The mission that was originally given to you was to locate his stolen property. And despite the information you''vee across during your search, if you put the client in a Genjutsu or torture him for information without a very good sufficient cause it could effect our standing with the people poorly. And not to mention that this client is wealthy and has ties to the Daimyo. So even if it is an efficient logical move, it is a bad one."

    "Yes." Kakashi agreed with his fellow Jonin. "If we put him in a Genjutsu and it turns out he didn''t know anything, there will be serious bacsh against us and the vige. We need to proceed carefully."

    "What about going to the Hokage? Get him to negotiate with the Daimyo for us to interrogate Kenichi."

    Kakashi shook his head. "No, it''s risky. If we don''t have any results then it could put a strain on our rtionship with the capital. No matter how small that might be, it''s something we should avoid."

    Daichi shook his head upon hearing that. "Look I get what you''re saying but he knows about the treasure."

    "And how would you know that Daichi? Do you have any solid proof that Kenichi is aware of what his father did?" Kakashi questioned his student. He looked at Daichi and he couldn''t figure out why the boy was certain of this theory.

    Daichi was silent as he heard that question. ''Damn it I can''t tell them, it''s because of the quest that just popped up. So what do I do?''

    Kakashi sighed seeing the frustration on Daichi''s face. "Look. I understand your frustrations. But right now all we have is spections. Even that hidden cipher isn''t enough. We need something more And we need to be careful before taking the next step. If Kenichi has figured out that the Phantom was the one who stole the heirloom and we return the Teapot then he''d know we figured out Phantom''s identity and tracked him down."

    "He doesn''t. I''m sure of that." Daichi said in absolute confidence.

    "What makes you say that?"

    "When we asked him if he had any idea as to who stole the teapot, he said he didn''t have a clue. He wasn''t lying. I''m sure of that. I believe he thinks this was just a random robbery. And if he knew it was the Phantom Thief then he would have at least tried to send us in that direction but he didn''t." The young Genin said confident in his deduction.

    After taking a few deep breaths Daichi looked at his sensei. "So what now? What do we do?"

    Kakashi silently thought about the matter. "Lord Hokage will be here by tomorrow afternoon. We''ll speak with him and then we''ll make a n. Right now you should get some rest Daichi."

    "What will you be doing?" The boy asked.

    "Akai and I will go to Kiyoto''s house again. We''ll check the whole ce one more time just to make sure we didn''t miss anything." Kakashi replied.

    "With my Byakugan we''ll be able to spot if there are any more hidden structures underneath thepound." The Hyuga added.

    "We''ll be back by morning. Try to get some sleep. Okay?"

    At Kakashi''s request Daichi simply nodded his head. A short whileter Kakashi and Akai left the capital once again. Daichi was on the couch thinking about what to do. At that moment he thought of something and opened the scroll containing the details about the robbery at Kenichi''s home a year ago.

    Daichi opened the scroll and looked through certain documents. ''There will be changes to the number and formation but it won''t matter. I''ll have to make my move soon though. Just need to find the right time. And I can''t draw anyone''s attention.''

    With a few ns in mind Daichi soon went to sleep.

    He woke up a few hours before dawn and went outside toplete his daily exercise. An hourter by the time he was done Kakashi came up to him.

    "You didn''t find anything did you?" It was more of a statement on Daichi''s part.

    The Jonin simply sighed and after a few seconds of silence replied. "No. There wasn''t anything else other than what we found."

    Daichi nodded and went back to training while Kakashi rxed and read his book. Soon by the time it was noon there were a few knocks on the door.

    Kakashi opened it and immediately bowed. "Lord Hokage. Pleasee in."

    Hiruzen with a smile slowly entered the room. A ninja from the Nara n and Akai Hyuga also followed the old kage into the room.

    Daichi also stood from his spot and greeted the Kage. "Lord Hokage."

    "Daichi, Kakashi, you two certainly know how to make things interesting for me." Hiruzen said with a smallugh.

    "Please tell me you''re notining that we cracked one of the biggest unsolved cases in thest few decades." Daichi said with a small smile as he looked at the old man.

    Hiruzen justughed at that. "No no. While this will certainly cause a headache for me, it is a minor one. The rewards far outweigh any problem that might arise."

    He looked at the two ninjas and spoke in a somewhat more serious tone. "Akai has filled me in on the situation. I haven''t spoken to the Daimyo yet and the people of Fire capital are under his protection. So using Genjutsu or any means of direct interrogation will cause problems. So how are you two nning to proceed?"

    At that Kakashi spoke up. "Well, Daichi and I came up with a n. It''s a simple, straightforward idea and I believe it should work nicely."

    Kakashi exined his n and the Hokage gave his permission to move forward with it.

    The Next Day.

    Daichi and Kakashi were in Kenichi''s office. Daichi held the precious Teapot in his hands and showed it to their client.

    "I believe you were looking for this sir." Daichi said with a smile.

    Kenichi''s eyes were wide as he looked at the item in front of him. "Oh my God. You actually found it. After all this time I didn''t have much hope but you two actually did it."

    [Reputation increases with Kenichi Garoya]

    "We couldn''t find the jewels that were stolen. This is what we were able to track down." Kakashi said.

    Kenichi shook his head smiling. "Those jewels don''t matter that much. This is what I wanted. Now I''m sure my father will be able to rest in peace." Kenichi said with a wide smile as he carefully took the teapot from Daichi and inspected it.

    "You retrieved it without any damages. Well done." The man ced the teapot on top of the table and looked at the two ninjas he hired with a happy smile.

    "I should have hired you two from the start. I''m amazed. How did you even track this down? Who had it?" Kenichi asked them eager to know the details.

    "Well as for how, we can''t reveal the tricks of our trade I''m afraid." The Jonin said with a polite smile. "Now as for whom, it was a skilled thief from a nearby vige. He was at the fire capital and heard of your valuable heirloom. So he broke in and stole it along with whatever else he deemed valuable."

    "The nerve. Where is he at the moment?" Kenichi asked with slight anger.

    "Dead. He died of an illness a few months ago." Daichi replied.

    Kenichi let out a small breath and calmed himself. He smiled again. "Well, I guess this is it. You two havepleted your mission perfectly. Thank you."

    "It was our pleasure." Kakashi replied.

    [Quest ''Locate and Retrieve the Missing Item'' Completed.]

    [Rewards:]

    [15000 Exp.]

    [2250 Exp.]

    [Reputation increases with the client.]

    [Reputation increases with Kakashi Hatake and Hiruzen Sarutobi.]

    For Daichi, at that moment the questpletion notification appeared but he only briefly nced at it. He kept his full attention on the man in front of him.

    "Will you two be staying at the capital? You two are more than wee to stay at the Inn. You could enjoy some free time and tour the ces. It will be my treat." The offer from Kenichi sounded genuine to the two ninjas. And his face only expressed his joy at the return of the heirloom and satisfaction at the two ninja''s impable work.

    "Thank you for the offer but maybe another time perhaps. Now that our mission isplete here, we''ll be returning to the vige promptly." Kakashi said smiling.

    "If you''re leaving already, then please take this." Kenichi took two coupons from his desk and handed them to Kakashi. "You two will no doubt be looking to rx once you reach the vige. Please show these coupons at my shop and the staff will treat you to some excellent tea. Please, I insist."

    "Thank you." The Jonin took the two coupons and stashed them in his pouch.

    The two ninjas soon left Kenichi''s home and headed to the capital gates. They showed their identification documents and left the Fire Capital.

    Daichi had a small smirk as he jumped through the trees. ''Now the n begins.''

    -------------

    Author''s Note:

    Writing this chapter, I had some new ideas pop up in my head for a fewing arcs. I''ve been mulling over them all day. A proper viin, maybe a few tragedies I haven''t decided anything solid yet. Well, we''ll see how it goes after I''m done with this arc.

    Anyways I''m taking a few days break to rest and recharge. Need to n a new arc and then canon will begin.

    Next chapter: Treasure 04(Final)

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 180: Treasure - Part 04 (Final)

    Chapter 180: Treasure - Part 04 (Final)

    Kakashi and Daichi quickly moved through the trees and made their way back to the vige.

    "Do you think he was suspicious?" Kakashi asked his student.

    Daichi shook his head. "No. He believed us when we said the robbery was done by a random thief. I''m certain."

    "I think the same. Now we know for sure. He has absolutely no idea that it was the Phantom who stole the item. And that''s the key."

    Daichi agreed with his sensei. Due to their speed both of them reach the vige in just a few hours.

    "Since he was gracious enough to give us two coupons we should use it." The Jonin said and both of them soon reached Kenichi''s tea house. They showed the coupon to the staff and were escorted to a private room and served their best products.

    "Oh wow. This really is delicious. I can see why this guy has shops all over the country." Daichimented as he emptied his cup.

    "The vors are truly exquisite. I''m d I got to enjoy this." Kakashi also chimed in.

    They spent some time rxing at the Teashop and soon left the ce. The duo walked through the vige streets and slowly made their way to Training ground 3.

    "I think that should be enough, don''t you agree Daichi."

    The boy nodded and both Kakashi and Daichi made a hand seal.

    "Release."

    The next second both ninjas vanished in a puff of smoke.

    Fire Capital.

    Daichi and Kakashi were sitting in a room in a different Inn. They stood as they felt the chakra of the shadow clonesing back to them.

    "Looks like our clones did a good job fooling everyone into thinking we reached the vige." Daichi said as he stretched himself.

    "I wonder Did Kenichi give us those coupons because he truly was grateful or is there something more?"

    "I guess we''ll find out soon won''t we sensei."

    Kakashi nodded. "Now that our roles are done for the moment, it''s Akai''s turn. He''ll be able to observe Kenichi''s movements much easier without getting noticed."

    "Yeah but we''re stuck here for who knows how long." Daichi had no problems with staying inside but he was miffed since he didn''t know how long it was going tost.

    Daichi and Kakashi found out Kenichi''s schedule for the next several days before they handed the heirloom to the man. The n was to see if Kenichi would act any differently once he thought the team he hired had left. And so they waited to see the oue of their gambit.

    -

    In the Leaf vige a few minutes after Kakashi and Daichi left the Kenichi''s Teashop a staff member sent a scroll out for delivery. ''Just as Lord Garoya instructed.''

    The staff member remembered what the man had said. ''Remember, send this only after the ninjas have returned.''

    Once he made sure the scroll would be delivered to the capital soon, he went back to work. ''I wonder what that was all about?''

    -

    Akai was watching every move his target made from a safe distance. He made notes of the people the man met and where he went. The shadow clones of Kakashi and Daichi left that morning and it was alreadyte evening.

    ''He hasn''t done anything suspicious yet. Well, only a day has gone by after all. Does he really not know what that Teapot contains?'' Akai Hyuga frowned as he paid close attention to the man.

    But at that moment the Hyuga saw someone deliver a scroll to Kenichi and Akai saw the glee and joy on the man''s face. ''What''s he so happy about? What''s in that scroll?''

    The spying Jonin clearly saw the change in the man''s demeanor. ''Looks like Kakashi and Daichi''s n is working This will be interesting.''

    -

    Kenichi looked at the scroll his men had delivered to him from the Leaf vige. It contained the monthly report and details of his business operations of the teashop in the leaf vige. A normal scroll with no real value or secret message from someone else''s perspective. But that wasn''t the case.

    ''I tasked him with sending me this scroll only after he confirmed the arrival of the two ninjas back in the vige. He was to send this specific scroll should that happen It seems the two ninjas really did return to the vige. They weren''t suspicious about my story at all. Fantastic.''

    The man closed the parchment and went back inside. He went to his private chamber and looked at the family heirloom with an intensity that wasn''t present before.

    ''The great hidden treasure of the legendary Phantom Thief. It''s all mine''

    He took the teapot and carefully held it in his hands. ''When I read my father''s personal journal I never expected something like this. A secret message stored on the family heirloom. Time to see if it''s true or not.''

    Kenichi closed the door to his room and all the windows and made sure he had absolute privacy. He took a specialized lightning equipment and turned it on. The entire room was bathed in blue ultraviolet rays. He shined the light over the Teapot. He frowned seeing nothing. But then he carefully took the pot and looked underneath. The next second a wide smile was on his face.

    ''Yes. It''s all true. The location of the great treasure. His journal didn''t mention how he found out the identity of the thief or how he came by the secret location but He knew his memory was failing him. And for him to go to such lengths to preserve the information and on the item he considered the most precious in the family It must have some truth''

    Kenichi took a book and wrote down what was written underneath the teapot. Once he was done he put the cklight away and took out his father''s journal. He turned the pages and found the keyword necessary for decrypting the cipher. After about half an hour he deciphered the message.

    ''I need a map.''

    Kenichi took out a detailed world map and after studying the message, found the location mentioned in it.

    ''This area. It''s within the Fire country but it''s a wilderness. As far as I know there are no settlements or such near that ce But I need to make sure. I''ll also need to see if there are any bandits hiding there. I''ll check it out first thing tomorrow.''

    With ns made for tomorrow Kenichi went to sleep dreaming about the wealth he soon would have.

    -

    The next morning Kenichi took a horse and without any guards left his home. He was dressed in simple clothing and at a nce people would mistake him for amoner. Kenichi left the capital and headed in the direction marked in the map. Unaware that several pairs of eyes were on him and following in the shadows.

    After a few hours he reached the area. Kenichi looked around and didn''t find another soul in the area. ''Perfect. There isn''t anybody here. This ce isn''t near any traveling routes and there is no strategic value here. The chances of someoneing here is low. That will make this easier.''

    He began his search in the thick wilderness. ''Come on. It should be here.''

    He carefully looked around and several minutester found it. A small well that was covered in thick vegetation appeared in his view. ''That''s it. That''s the spot. Even after all these years it''s still here. That well is an ideal location to hide important stuff.''

    Kenichi took a look inside the well. The water was clear but he could see a few small snakes and insects inside the water and crawling on the sides of the inner wall.

    ''I need to get rid of these pests. Can''t enjoy the treasure if I''m dead due to a snake bite.''

    Kenichi had some training in chakra and knew a few low level techniques so he wasn''t that worried. He got to work and after an hour he was done. He looked around and still found no one. He was anxious to see what was at the bottom of the well and without wasting a second he jumped inside. Hended and stood on top of the water on shaky feet.

    ''Wow''

    The man held his hands out as if to steady himself. ''I can''t believe all those times spent on learning about chakra and its uses came in handy Time to see what''s underneath my feet.''

    Taking a deep breath Kenichi cut chakra to his feet and immediately plunged into the water. The well was much deeper than one would guess. He swam down and soon he reached the bottom. Kenichi felt around with his hands and feet and didn''t find anything except for soil and rocks.. After a couple minutes he came back for air and dove back in. He searched again but he didn''t find anything and came up for air a second time..

    "Damn it. It''s supposed to be here Did someone else take it? Or did the Phantom move the treasure."

    Kenichi went back down for a third time and tried to find anything that could make this trip worth it. But it was for naught. He tried to dig and see if the items were buried but he didn''te across anything other than earth.

    He mmed his fists into the wall of the well as took several breaths of air. "Damn it. Damn it!..."

    ''Its not here Either it was all a lie or someone else got here first.''

    Kenichi was depressed that his endeavor didn''t bear any fruit. He slowly climbed out of the well and when he looked up he saw the smiling faces of Daichi, Kakashi and the stoic face of Akai Hyuga.

    "Hi there. You seem to be having some trouble."

    Kenichi was so shocked at their presence that he almost slipped and fell back into the well. He held on and slowly climbed out.

    "Ah HowEr.. What are you doing here? I thought you went back to the vige?"

    "We did." Daichi answered.

    "But we decided to take a stroll" It was Kakashi who said that part.

    Kenichi narrowed his eyes. He didn''t find any treasure and he was already in a bad mood. "I mean how did you get here? Were you following me?"

    "Hmm.. Well, we were at the capital a few hours ago and then decided to explore. We just happened to go in the same direction as you" The silver haired Jonin said with a chuckle. "Anyway, what are you doing here in the middle of nowhere and inside a well?"

    Kenichi was silent as he heard the question. ''I was inside that well for quite a while. They couldn''t have seen me if they were just passing by, so they must have been here for a while. They''ve been following me since I left my home.''

    "Nothing. I just dropped something and went to get it." With those words Kenichi made his way to his horse.

    "You deciphered the cipher, didn''t you?"

    Daichi''s question stopped the man in his tracks. Despite his body being cold he began to slightly sweat. ''No. Maybe I can still get out of this if I just act dumb. There isn''t anything here. So without any evidence I won''t be in any trouble.''

    "I don''t know what you''re talking about." The man answered without even looking at the three ninjas.

    "Your father was a clever man. To leave a message in a special fluorescent ink that only appears under the light from a special cklight."

    Kenichi swallowed and took a deep breath. ''There is no way these guys can know the Phantom is connected can they No. It''s impossible. I''ll just pretend I was here trying to find something else.''

    He turned around to face the ninjas. "It was just gibberish. There wasn''t anything here. He marked this on the teapot and I just wanted to know why? That''s not a crime is it?"

    "No. But deliberately withholding information that could potentially help the vige discover a vast stolen wealth is" Kakashi said and the smile on his face slowly vanished.

    "Kakashi senpai. I believe it''s time we use the carrot and stick ." Akai said.

    The Jonin sensei nodded and spoke to Kenichi. "Mr. Kenichi Garoya. Let''s stop ying these games. We know the code written on the teapot is the location of the treasure stolen by the infamous Phantom Thief. We know for certain because we''ve found his real identity and already found his safehouse and part of the stolen loot."

    Kenichi''s eyes widened as he heard that. The gears in his mind slowly turned. "Wait a minute. It wasn''t just some random thief that stole from my home It was him wasn''t it?"

    "Yes." Daichi answered. "But he died several months ago."

    "Now let me exin what''s going to happen. The Hokage is already in the capital. And soon the Daimyo will get involved. Youing here means you knew the truth about the teapot. And since you stayed silent you''re gonna be in trouble. We''re going to find the remaining treasure and so you have two options. You can cooperate, forget about the stolen wealth and maybe the Daimyo will forgive you. He might even give you a reward for leading us to the thief. Or stay silent, we find the treasure and you''ll get to face the Daimyo''s anger"

    [Reputation decreases with Kenichi Garoya]

    Kenichi gritted his teeth. ''Damn it. Now no matter what I say the Daimyo will eventually get involved. And I''ll be in trouble. I''m backed into a corner. Wait''

    Kenichi then smiled as he looked at them. "I wasn''t trying to take the stolen treasure for myself. I swear. The reason I didn''t say anything earlier is because I wanted to make sure it really was what it was and then once I found it I was going to gift it to the Fire Daimyo. I had no intention of keeping the stolen items for myself." He said in a smiling humble tone.

    Daichi sweat dropped as he looked at the man''s 180 flip in expression. ''Man This guy is unbelievable. A wolf in sheep''s clothing.''

    Akai Hyuga narrowed his eyes as he looked at the man. ''How shameless can you be Trying to y that card now''

    Daichi and Akai frowned as they looked at the man. But Kakashi was smiling. "Oh is that right, then we were mistaken. If that''s the case then you wouldn''t mind telling us what was written underneath the Teapot would you? Since you didn''t find anything in the well maybe we''ll give it a try. What do you say?"

    Kenichi was smiling but on the inside hemented. ''Damn it. I can''t lie to them. If I do, I''ll be in even more trouble. I don''t have a choice.''

    "Sure. The message was this location and it said that inside the well I''ll find a great treasure. That''s it."

    "I see. Well, thank you for informing us. We''ll take it from here." Kakashi said and the next second he created a shadow clone. "Why don''t you return to the vige. My clone will escort you."

    Kenichi knew it wasn''t a request. He nodded without saying a word, got on his horse and started to make his way back home with the Kakashi shadow clone following.

    "So Akai, find anything?" The real Kakashi asked once the other two left.

    "There is a tunnel at the bottom side of theke leading to a different location. It''s strange. For some reason, my Byakugan vision is getting blurry when I''m looking further down the tunnel."

    "Well, then. Why don''t we check it out ourselves."

    The other two nodded to Kakashi''s words and jumped into the well. They took a deep breath and plunged into the water. Daichi used observe on everything and soon they reached the bottom. The three ninjas could hold their breath for far longer than an ordinary person and thus were able to investigate longer.

    Akai noticed a brick that was connected to a hidden pulley system and pressed it. The brick slid into the wall of the well and the next second a portion of the well started to sink into the ground. Enough for one adult to pass. The three ninjas swam through the water filled tunnel. Soon they began to notice the water level dropping and their feet touched the stone ground.

    "We can breathe so that''s something. But I can still only see several feet in front of me even with my eyes. It''s really strange." They carefully made their way forward with Akai leading them and soon the tunnel began to get bigger and bigger. Before long Kakashi and the two others were standing at the entrance of arge underground cave. Akai saw a couple torches and lit them.

    What the three saw as light illuminated the darkness made them speechless. The cave was farrger than they thought.

    They could see several precious artifacts, paintings, statues and other stuff, all perfectly preserved and kept on different tables.

    "We did it. We actually found it. The Great Treasure of The Legendary Thief." Daichi said in an awed tone as he looked around.

    "Yes. Yes we did."

    [Quest ''The Great Treasure'' Completed.]

    -------------

    Author''s note:

    I''M BAAAACK!!!

    Hi guys. I really needed that break but now I''m back and updates will resume as usual. Hope you enjoyed another long chapter.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 181: Meeting the Fire Daimyo

    Chapter 181: Meeting the Fire Daimyo

    Daichi was in awe as he looked at what was in front of his eyes. ''Amazing. Everything is perfectly stored and preserved''

    "Look at all this stuff. You can buy a small army with it." Akai said as he inspected the items.

    There were paintings, precious stones, statues, and scrolls with the markings of Daimyos.

    "I can''t believe our C Rank mission turned into one of the biggest treasure hunts in the world." Kakashi said as he looked around. He then turned to this student. "Well done Daichi. This wouldn''t have happened without you."

    "I think you mean us sensei. I wouldn''t have known the identity of the thief if it wasn''t for you."

    Kakashi shrugged and turned his head to the items all around. ''Hmm There is something I still don''t get. How did he steal all this without getting caught? The ces he robbed must have had at least a few sensory ninjas. How did he escape their senses? Is his infiltration and escape skills that good Or is there something else?... With the man dead, I suppose we''ll never know.''

    As Kakashi was mulling over his theories Daichi looked at the notifications piled up.

    [Quest ''The Great Treasure'' Completed.]

    [Rewards:]

    [Large unknown amount of money.]

    [+2 Dignity.]

    [Reputation increases with the Daimyo and people of the Fire country.]

    [Reputation increases with the Hokage and people of the Leaf vige.]

    [Reputation increases with some people around the world.]

    [Reputation slightly decreases with some people around the world.]

    ''Dignity andrge unknown amounts of money huh. So Dignity stat can be increased with quests like this. That''s good to know. Now time to check out how much money I got as a reward.''

    Daichi was ecstatic about the reward. He opened his status page and looked at the Ryo count. It wasn''t any different from yesterday.

    ''What the? I didn''t get any money? Then.?''

    Daichi thought about it and figured that if the quest didn''t reward him then it''s possible that the mary reward was from the Hokage.

    Daichi looked at the next quest that appeared.

    [5th Quest]

    [Quest Created - Kiyoto Inagi''s secret.]

    [Kiyoto Inagi only had ordinary skills in the shinobi arts. Yet he was able to infiltrate the most securepounds in the world. Investigate this underground cavern and find out his secret.]

    .

    [Rewards:]

    [+2 Level in Stealth Skill.]

    .

    [Failure:]

    [Iplete Chain Quest.]

    [-5000 Exp.]

    Daichi read the quest and his eyes slightly narrowed. ''A man with only average ninja skills infiltrated ces like Daimyo''s mansions and heavily guarded museums.? How did''

    At that moment a thought entered his mind. ''No. It can''t be. There''s no way he could have found Atamagai''s cloak could he? No It couldn''t be his fifth and final cloak. That possibility is low So it must be one of the other cloaks But when I first got the quest, it said the first three cloaks were destroyed. I have the 4th and the Abyss cloak is the 5th So what''s going on? Did he really find the Abyss cloak? Is it here?''

    The quest mentioned investigating the cavern and Daichi was intending to do so. ''If the 5th cloak really is hidden here then I have to find it.''

    "Sensei, I''m gonna take a look around. Why don''t you start packing everything?"

    "Looking for something Daichi?" Kakashi asked in a curious tone.

    "This is the ce The Phantom Thief hid his great treasure. There''s no way I''m leaving without inspecting every inch. Who knows We might find something else."

    Daichi was calm as he said those words but he was cautious. ''If the 5th cloak really is here then I must have it. There''s no way I''m handing it to anyone else I have to do my part andplete this quest. Especially since my clone did his job so well.''

    shback.

    Shortly after Kakashi left with Akai Hyuga to investigate Kiyoto''s home, Daichi opened the scroll containing the investigation reports on the robbery that happened a year ago.

    ''Kenichi is a wealthy man. He had hired several guards to protect his home and yet the thief broke in. The investigating shinobi have made a detailed ount of the guard''s patrol time and positions. And this report even has ayout of the building. Not that I need it that much since I''ve been inside Still this is good. The guards shift may have changed but it hardly matters.''

    Daichi thought about a n that would put everything in his favor. ''Kenichi doubles his guards at night. So I''ll need him to leave his house in the morning Hmm If he did know the location of the treasure then I doubt he''d go there at night. I need to convince Kakashi to make a n that would have Kenichi leave the house in daylight. Only a couple maids will be at his home during that time and it''ll make my job easier.''

    Daichi thought about how to proceed and came up with a n. He opened his inventory and looked at the items he recently created. ''Perfect. They look exactly like the puppets in Kenichi''s home. Not a hair out of ce. Even he won''t be able to tell the difference just by looking. And based on how they were, he hadn''t even touched them in ages. He won''t be able to tell the difference. It''s a waste to just lock those puppets away inside that shelf.''

    Daichi memorized all the information necessary to infiltrate Kenichi''s home and steal the items. When his sensei returned, Daichiid out his n and got the man to agree. And once it had the Hokage''s green light, Daichi prepared himself.

    -

    "He''s on the move. He didn''t take any guards with him." Akai said as he looked at Kenichi leaving the capital.

    "Well then, let''s see where he leads us." Kakashi gave the order and the three ninjas swiftly moved. They made their presence to a minimum and maintained a certain distance.

    At this time Daichi''s shadow clone under the protection of the invisibility cloak infiltrated Kenichi''s home. The clone easily moved past the guards and soon reached the room where his prize was located. But there was a maid cleaning the room.

    Daichi used ''Observe'' and the information showed that she was an ordinary woman. He used Mana puppetry on her and made her leave the room.

    ''Master Kenichi is gone. Why don''t I take a break?''

    The maid left and Daichi made his way to the shelf with the chakra puppets. He opened the shelf without making any noise and carefully lifted the items and ced them in his inventory. Once that was done he reced them with identical wooden sculptures. With his missionpleted the clone slowly made his way outside. He carefully moved through the streets and reached his room.

    The clone took off the cloak and ced it in the inventory and the next second vanished.

    shback End.

    Half an hour went by and Kakashi and Akai were sealing the items in a scroll while Daichi looked around. As he observed every inch of the ce he came across something peculiar. At the far end in a corner a rock stood out with burn marks. Daichi would have ignored it if there was no quest but since he was searching for clues he decided to inspect it.

    There was something else on the burned rock. Daichi knelt and carefully inspected the area. ''Something was burned here. But what?...''

    He looked closer and he could see something. ''Observe''

    [Atamagai''s Cloak][Destroyed]

    [A charred piece of fabric from the 3rd cloak Atamagai Uzumaki created. Last used by Kiyoto Inagi.]

    The observe skill didn''t show anymore information on the piece of item.

    ''The third cloak. Now it makes sense. He did have it but after he was done with his thievery he destroyed the cloak.. But why the hell would he do that? This is a great stealth item. Why would he destroy it?''

    [Quest Kiyoto Inagi''s secret Completed]

    [Rewards:]

    [+2 Level in Stealth Skill.]

    [First Chain Quest Completed]

    [2500 Exp.]

    [375 Exp.]

    Daichi didn''t know the answer but he didn''t care. ''As long as it wasn''t the 5th cloak and the quest waspleted it doesn''t really matter now. Completed huh It seems this chain Quest is officially done. Still, this is a bit underwhelming. I thought this guy had some awesome skills or stealth jutsu. Turns out he only just had a cheat cloak.''

    "Find something Daichi?" Kakashi came near and asked his student.

    Daichi held the small burned fabric and spoke. "This was the only thing here it''s almost fully burned."

    Kakashi took the item and carefully examined it. "Seems like a fabric of some sort. Must have been part of his disguise It''s no use to us now"

    "Yeah that''s what I thought too " Daichi replied.

    "I''ve finished storing everything. What do you say we leave Kakashi?" The Hyuga spoke up at that moment.

    Daichi and Kakashi looked around onest time and nodded their heads. They started making their way back to the Fire Capital.

    -

    Daichi and sensei gave a detailed report of their findings to the Hokage.

    Currently they were in a meeting with the Hokage and the man Hirohito Inagi was also present. The man went through a light interrogation to make sure he wasn''t aware or a participant in his father''s crimes.

    Hiruzen had a stern gaze as he looked at the man. "I''ve spoken with the Fire Daimyo. Due to the sensitive nature of everything he has agreed to keep your name out of it. Since you didn''t know what your father was up to, it was decided that you wouldn''t be punished for his crimes."

    "Thank you for the mercy, Lord Hokage." Hirohito bowed respectfully as he heard his verdict.

    "This was only possible because we were able to retrieve everything that was stolen. If that weren''t the case then things would have gone much differently for you. So instead of thanking me, you should be thanking those two behind you." Hiruzen said.

    Hirohito nodded and turned towards Daichi and Kakashi. "Thank you sincerely." He then looked at Kakashi. "Thank you for keeping your word."

    The silver haired Jonin just nodded with a small smile.

    The man was dismissed and soon it was just the three of them in the room. Hiruzen looked at his two ninjas.

    "The Daimyo wants to meet you two. I couldn''t exactly say no." The old kage said.

    Kakashi nodded. "I understand sir."

    Hiruzen then turned to Daichi. "I know I don''t have to say this to you but please be on your best behavior. You''re about to meet the most powerful man in Fire country."

    Daichi nodded his head. "Yes sir." He knew the matter was no joke. If he made any remarks that displeased the Fire lord it could have great consequences.

    "Good. Let''s move."

    The group made their way to the Fire Daimyo''s pce.

    [You have witnessed a work created by several master craftsmen. ]

    [+1 WISDOM]

    "This Pce is incredible."

    The Hokage chuckled looking at Daichi''s reaction. It was something he expected. "Yes. Indeed it is. This is the Fire lord''s home after all"

    There were guards everywhere. Visible and hidden. Daichi could sense all of them with his Mana. He knew using ''Chakra sense'' was a bad idea. ''If No. There definitely would be a sensory type ninja hidden. If I use ''chakra sense'' and he detects me, that might cause some trouble. Better not risk it.''

    A high ranking court official met them and led them inside. Soon they reached a room with two giant doors in gold and red design.

    "This is Lord Ryuga''s personal chamber. Come."

    The doors opened and they went in. ''This room is much bigger than I thought.''

    On the other side of the room on a luxurious couch sat the current Fire Lord, Ryuga Hino. Two guards in Imperial Armor stood behind him. There were a couple of advisors with him as well taking part in the meeting.

    Daichi used ''observe'' but couldn''t see their level. When he used Mana scout he sensed several other ninjas hidden throughout the room. ''Must be some of the twelve guardian ninjas.''

    The Daimyo smiled as he looked at the Hokage. "Aah Hiruzen. You''vee right on time. As always."

    "I did not wish to make you wait. And it helps that I do like to be punctual." Hiruzen replied with a polite smile.

    Daimyoughed merrily after hearing that. "Come. Sit, sit."

    While Hiruzen sat on the opposite couch Daichi and Kakashi stood near him.

    And like that, the meeting with some of the most powerful people in Fire country began.

    -----------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 182: Ryuga Hinoō

    Chapter 182: Ryuga Hino��

    "Come. Sit, sit." At the Daimyo''s invitation Hiruzen took his seat and his two ninjas stood behind him.

    Despite being in front of the Daimyo of the Fire country, Daichi had been paying attention to the guards visible and invisible in the room. It was only after observing them that he paid full attention to the man sitting on the couch.

    Daichi looked at the old man and he was slightly confused. ''Wait a minute Now that I''m taking a closer look at the guy, he doesn''t look like the Fire Lord I saw from canon.''

    Daichi took a close look at the guy and recalled the face that was shown in canon. ''Yeah. That''s definitely not him''

    The Daimyo looked to be in histe 50s but Daichi could tell he had a strong physique. He wore luxurious clothes that had gold and red embroidery. He had an oval face with long white hair and a goatee. His green eyes looked as if they were peering into one''s soul.

    The realization sent a jolt through the boy. Daichi immediately used ''Observe''.

    [?] [Ryuga Hino] (Fire Daimyo)

    [?]

    ''Shit! This guy is over Level 96? I know he''s been the Daimyo of this country for several decades. So this change didn''t happen because of me. That means Is this some kind of alternate universe? Why is this happening?... And if this is different then what else is?''

    The boy''s face didn''t show any expression and he looked calm. But Daichi was anxious inside. He felt he couldn''t trust whatever canon information he had and it bothered him slightly. ''I''ve already made changes but in therger scheme, things are rtively on track. At least that''s what I thought Now It''s good that I found out this now I need to dig into the history of this world. I need to know what else is different.''

    Daichi looked at the advisors in the room and they were civilians with no ninja training.

    "I''ve spoken with Kenichi Garoya. Despite the man''s less than pure intentions I''ve decided not to pursue the matter with him. The story passed down through his family is true. His ancestor did help save mine. And he did lead us to the treasure. So in a way I suppose I owed him." The Daimyo spoke as he recalled the short meeting with the man responsible for starting everything.

    Hiruzen agreed with that assessment. "Yes. He has business across the nation. And he is a client that brings missions every year. It was a wise move."

    Ryuga nodded and spoke with a smile as he looked at Hiruzen. "My people looked over everything your ninjas have recovered. All the items are genuine. They are indeed the ones stolen from all over the world. And based on the report we''ve recovered everything."

    The Hokage smiled hearing that. "I''m pleased. That will help us during the negotiations. I assume you''ve already sent a message."

    Ryuga nodded his head. "Yes. This isn''t something that can be hidden. And I still clearly remember the conditions set forth by everyone."

    He was silent for a moment and then continued. "The other Kages and Daimyo''s will be sending their diplomats. They''ll be here in a few days. Things will be hectic." He sighed and leaned back in his seat.

    The kage nodded. He too knew the seriousness of the situation. "Yes. That''s why I brought Nomoru Nara with me."

    "You know Hiruzen, you could have given me a heads up about this sooner." Ryuga said with a small sigh.

    "I know. And I apologize for withholding the information till thest moment but I couldn''t risk anything going wrong. I hope you understand." The Hokage said with a small smile.

    The Daimyoughed light-heartedly. He decided to switch to lighter topics. "I know. I know. I''m justining for the sake ofining How is Asuma? He left a few months ago. He said he was interested in taking a team to train."

    The old kage nodded his head. "He is well. And yes, he has expressed his intentions on teaching a Genin team. A new Ino-Shika-Cho team will graduate from the academy next year. I was hoping for Asuma to take charge of them"

    Ryuga nodded. "Speaking of the Leaf ninja academy" His eyes then drifted to Daichi.

    Hiruzen and Kakashi, while outwardly calm, were slightly tense as the Daimyo looked at the Genin in the room. The Fire Daimyo, unlike the other Lords of different nations, was trained from a young age and was a skilled warrior. He had the aura of a powerful ruler.

    Hiruzen knew the true nature of the man. ''He can be kind and merciful but he is also ruthless when the time calls for it. He has no qualms about getting his hands bloody if the need arises. If he decides to take Daichi to the capital''

    Hiruzen knew that scenario wouldplicate a few things.

    Ryuga looked at the boy standing behind Hiruzen. "Daichi Hekima. The apprentice of Princess Tsunade Senju. Now Genin under Kakashi Hatake. If the reports are right, then the most skilled medic currently in the capital"

    Daichi was silent and calm as he locked gaze with the man.

    "I''m curious, Daichi. Do you think you''re the best medic in the capital?" Ryuga asked the boy with a smile.

    Hiruzen nced at Daichi and gave a small nod as if giving him permission to answer the question.

    Daichi took a deep breath and answered. "Lady Tsunade has taught me everything she knows. But I still have some ways to go before I surpass her. If she were in the capital right now, then no. I''m only the second best medic."

    The smile on Ryuga''s face vanished and he looked into the boy''s eyes. But several seemingly tense secondster he burst intoughter. "Hahahaha. I like that answer."

    Theughter died down and he looked at the boy with a smirk. "A man should always know what he''s worth"

    He was silent for a few seconds and spoke again. "Hiruzen tells me you''re one of the most talented ninjas of this generation. I can see his ims were true. You identified the thief when no one else could and you found the clues hidden by Ichiro. You''re quite intelligent."

    "Thank you Lord Ryuga. But I couldn''t have done it without sensei''s help. He was the one who figured out the important parts of the case." Daichi slightly bowed and replied.

    "Yes. I''m aware. You''re sensei is an excellent ninja." Despite addressing Kakashi, Ryuga''s eyes were on Daichi.

    "A smart, strong, capable and talented child Daichi, what do you say you stay here? Your skills will be tested of course, but I have a feeling you''ll pass with flying colors. You''ll be trained by skilled teachers and you can even join my personal guards"

    Daichi was surprised at the invitation. ''This guy is definitely nothing like the Daimyo in the story.''

    Hiruzen was outwardly calm as he listened to the Daimyo''s proposal but inside he was surprised at the tant way the man was trying to poach his shinobi.

    Kakashi looked at the Daimyo with a cool face but he too was shocked. ''To think he would have the nerve to ask that question with Lord Hokage sitting right in front of him no less. Rumors about him are indeed true it seems. A cunning bold man who has no problems taking what he wants''

    His attention then turned to his student. ''What will you do? I have no doubt that Daichi at least has an idea as to what the offer entails. Joining the man''s personal guards means he''ll have wealth, power both political and physical and the risk to his life bes far less It''s a tempting offer But I have a feeling I know your answer.''

    Daichi gave a polite smile and bowed. Seeing Daichi''s expression Ryuga already knew the answer before the boy spoke the words.

    "Thank you for the offer but I apologize Lord Ryuga. My ce is in the Leaf vige." Daichi lifted his head and saw the man looking at him with a serious gaze.

    "You''re a smartd. So you must know what my offer holds don''t you?" The Daimyo asked the boy with a serious expression.

    "I have an idea, yes." Daichi nodded.

    "And you''re still refusing?" Ryuga raised an eyebrow at that.

    "Yes sir."

    The Daimyo looked at Daichi for a few more seconds and turned his attention back to the Hokage. "There was no hesitation when he answered me. That''s a loyal shinobi you have there Hiruzen."

    The Hokage chuckled and nodded along. "Yes. Daichi is full of passion and he carries the Will of Fire in him."

    Daichi inwardly snorted at that. ''More like I won''t be able to aplish my goals if I stay here. It''s a pretty sweet tempting offer though. If I didn''t know about Madara and Kaguya I probably would have taken this guy up on it.''

    The Fire lord smiled hearing that answer. "Well, let''s get back to the topic at hand. One of the conditions set forth when the intel was being shared by the Kages was that whoever finds the treasure gets 10% of its total value in cash. A reward for finding the elusive thief."

    Hiruzen nodded his head. "Yes. But I''m sure you know what they really had in mind."

    "They were intending for one of their shinobi to find the treasure and then use the cash flow to recruit outside forces and stockpile weapons. They all knew war was just around the corner and it would have given them the advantage. That much money if used the right way could have changed the flow of battle. Thankfully none of that happened." Ryuga replied as he sat back with his legs crossed.

    "Yes. It was fortunate that it was these two who found it at this time."

    "Yes. But the fact remains. Whoever finds the treasure does receive the sum as reward." The Daimyo then turned to his advisors. "Have you made an estimate on how much everything they found is worth?"

    "Yes my Lord. Approximately 682,040,000 Ryo. We took into ount the item, their original value and their infamy." One of the advisors answered.

    Ryuga nodded and turned his head to the two Leaf ninjas. "Approximately six hundred and eighty two million 10% of that is 68.2 million Ryo. Even when it''s split between the two of you, there will still be a lot of money left"

    "68 million wow" Daichi couldn''t help but smile at that number.

    The Daimyoughed heartily seeing Daichi''s expression. "Yes. You''ll never have to work again But I''m sure that won''t be the case. The mary reward will be handed over to Hiruzen in a few days and you can receive it from him."

    "Yes sir." Daichi and Kakashi bowed slightly.

    "Now. Why don''t you two enjoy your time here? My men will guide you. The Hokage and I have some catching up to do." Ryuga spoke and his advisors stood and motioned Kakashi and Daichi to follow as they bowed to their Lord and left the room.

    Hiruzen nodded and dismissed them. Soon the only people in the room were the Hokage, the Daimyo and his two trusted Guards hidden in the shadows.

    The Hokage was quick to notice the change in the man''s aura. He became serious.

    "Lord Hokage, I''m going to ask you something and I want you to reply honestly."

    Hiruzen slightly narrowed his eyes and nodded.

    "I know most everything that goes on in my city. So tell me, why is Kensei Yasaji investigating the members of my court?" The jovial atmosphere Ryuga gave off was nowhere to be found as he asked this.

    Hiruzen looked calm and didn''t even flinch at the usation. He knew the man finding out about the task he assigned Kensei was a possibility. ''Since a few members of the Daimyo court are involved I have to tell him. Especially now that he''s directly asked me.''

    Hiruzen decided to answer the question. He wasn''t worried about the guards hidden in the room as he knew they were some of the most loyal people of the Daimyo.

    "There is a war between me and Danzo going on behind the scenes. For the moment it is a cold war. But soon things will boil over. I tasked Kensei with identifying Danzo''s contacts here at the capital. I''m sorry for not informing you but secrecy was absolutely necessary. You know how Danzo operates"

    Ryuga was surprised to hear that. He leaned back and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "You and Danzo watched over the Leaf together for decades. What changed? What happened?"

    Hiruzen sighed at that question. Truthfully he didn''t know exactly when the rtionship between him and his old friend turned sour. "The nine tails attack did more than just kill our ninjas and destroy the vige. It may have been long before then but I believe that was the tipping point for him."

    The two sat in silence for a short while. "So what now? Now that I know this, I can''t pretend to go about as if nothing has changed." The Daimyo spoke.

    "Lord Ryuga, you''re aware that the Daimyo can''t interfere in the internal matters of the vige"

    "Yes. And the same is said for the shinobi vige. But you and Danzo vited that rule" The slight anger in the Daimyo''s voice wasn''t missed by anyone in the room.

    The Fire Lord took a deep breath and was once again calm. "This is going to be a problem I understand your reasoning, Hiruzen. I''m not particrly happy about it. But I understand."

    The Hokage let out a small breath. "Thank you Lord Ryuga."

    "This is such a mess. I need you to tell me everything that''s happened thesest few years."

    Hiruzen nodded to the Daimyo''s request. But he had a question of his own.

    "Yes. But before that, I wanted to ask Did you ask young Daichi to stay here because of this?" Hiruzen gazed into the man''s eyes as he posed his question.

    Ryuga looked at the Hokage and smirked. He already had the answer in mind.

    -----------

    Author''s Note.

    So I decided to create an Original Character for the Daimyo. It came to me a couple chapters ago. Why write the same boring character from canon when I can create a new one. And the change will be exined. There is a reason. But thats long into the future.

    With the next chapter this arc will be concluded and Daichi and the others will return to the leaf.

    The one important thing I learned whenpleting this mission arc is pacing. I expected to finish this in like 4 or 5 chapters. But this was too long. In the future I''ll try toplete missions without dragging it out to so many chapters Well, I''ll try anyway

    Alright, your turn. Comment below guys. How did you like this mission?

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 183: A wild theory

    Chapter 183: A wild theory

    Daichi''s group.

    Kakashi and his student bowed and followed the Daimyo''s advisors out the room.

    "This is your first time in the pce isn''t it?" One of the advisors said to the two ninjas.

    "Yes." Kakashi and his student nodded.

    "Come. I''ll show you around." The court member gave a small tour of the pce to the two ninjas.

    Kakashi and Daichi were well aware that their every move was being observed by the guards hidden throughout the pce.

    As Daichi looked around he met several people. One in particr caught his attention. It was a thin servant woman carrying out her duties. ''Her features She seems''

    A picture came to his mind and Daichipared that to the thin maid. He finally recognized who it was.. ''There''s no way. That''s Madam Shijimi or her counterpart from canon. So here she''s a maid and not the wife of the Fire Lord. Another change I need to find the reason behind it.''

    Daichi was about to ask the advisor the history of the Fire Daimyo but decided against it. ''Its best I ask the Hokage for that information. And I also need to pay a visit to Kenichi and Hirohito. I have a feeling they''ll have the answers I''m looking for. Their family would definitely have records of some sort.''

    Soon their tour came to an end and at that time the Hokage came to meet them.

    "We''ll be here for a few days. The diplomats from other countries will arrive and I need you to prepare a detailed report Kakashi."

    The Jonin nodded.

    "Dismissed."

    Kakashi and Daichi went their separate ways. Hiruzen looked at the disappearing form of Daichi Hekima. He sighed and went to his guest room.

    -

    Kenichi looked at the boy in front of him with a tired sigh. The events of thest few days were stressful for him. "What brings you here Daichi?"

    "I want to know more about your great grandfather?"

    The man was puzzled at that request. "Why?"

    "Call it curiosity. And I don''t have much else to do at the moment. I''m curious about the ordinary man who saved a Daimyo''s life."

    Kenichi was suspicious but he couldn''t deny Daichi''s request after everything that''s happened. He took the Genin to his personal library and took a few worn out looking books from the shelf.

    "These were his personal journals. These should help you learn more about him." The man handed the books to the boy.

    "Have you read them?" Daichi asked Kenichi.

    The man shook his head. "No. I have no interest in wasting time and reading something that happened almost a century ago." With that answer he left the room.

    Daichi began going through each journal. He thought his chances of finding something unusual was slim but he was wrong. After just an hour he stumbled on a critical piece of information. Daichi''s eyes carefully read the lines written in the book.

    ''An hour after I opened my shop a strange traveler came in. The only thing I could see was his eyes... Everything else was shrouded in ck clothing. The Komugi n and the Hyuga n had a small battle not too far from here so I was wary of the stranger. Even though I was slightly scared, I served him without hesitation. At the end he gave me the needed coins and something else. It was a small pouch with a herb in it.''

    "Thank you. This tea is indeed very good. So as a reward I''ll give you something extra. This pouch contains a very special herb. It is the rarest medicinal herb in the world. It has the ability to defeat any poison, restore vitality and cure any disease. Use it wisely."

    ''Those were the words he said to me as he handed me the pouch. He didn''t even give me his name. And I didn''t believe him. But I didn''t throw it away. What if he was telling the truth? That question rang in my head and it bothered me. So I kept the small pouch in a safe ce. Two monthster on a Saturday evening a man in wealthy clothing barged into my store. He was breathing hard, bleeding from his mouth and had a wound on his leg. He didn''t tell me who he was but I could see that he was going to die. The next second I was rushing to take the pouch the stranger gave me and I gave the man the herb inside. The stranger was saved. I didn''t know what prompted me to do what I did but I''m d it happened. It was onlyter that I learned that he was the Daimyo of this nation. As a reward for saving his life, the Daimyo gave me wealth,nd and a precious heirloom But still, all this couldn''t have been possible without that stranger. Whoever you are, thank you for giving me a new life.''

    Daichi finished reading and leaned back in his chair. ''So that guy didn''t have any secret knowledge about medicine or herbs. A customer gave it to him. But there is no way some guy would just hand over a herb that valuable to a tea stall owner without any reason He must have known about the attack on the Daimyo. It''s the only logical exnation. But how could he predict that the Daimyo would end up at that stall? Or that tea stall owner would help him? And why not warn the Daimyo or save him directly? Why use a random ordinary civilian as an intermediary?... Still it''s clear now. Kenichi''s great grandfather was just a pawn in someone else''s ns I''m sure of that. But who and for what purpose?... Whoever that person is, he must have some great knowledge about herbs to have something like that ''

    Daichi closed the book and closed his eyes. Several theories went through his head but without evidence he couldn''t make a final judgment. ''I need to see Hirohito as well. I have to know more about Kiyoto Inagi. And why did that man decide to burn something as valuable as that cloak.''

    Daichi left Kenichi''s home shortly after and headed to the hotel Hirohito was staying at.

    "When will you be leaving?"

    "Tomorrow. Is there something the Hokage needed?" Hirohito was unsure as to why Daichi hade to him.

    "Don''t worry. You''re not in any trouble. I just came to see if you still had the books that were taken from your father''s safe house."

    The man nodded and led Daichi inside. During the recovery of items from the first location, Kakashi and Akai came across the Thief''s personal notes and journals. They took it and after thorough examination determined that it didn''t contain any relevant information. And thus returned them to his son.

    Daichi went through the journals and notes and like Kakashi, didn''t find anything of significance. At first.

    ''Wait. This guy used Atamagai''s Cloak. That means there is a strong possibility that he could use Mana powers Is it possible?''

    Daichi concentrated Mana energy to his fingertips and ced them on top of the books. Nothing changed on the outside. But Daichi opened the book and saw new texts appear on the back of the book.

    ''I was right. He can use Mana. So that''s how he hid it. He wrote mundane information in normal ink from the right and hid valuable secret info with Mana from the left side of the book. No one would get suspicious at that Now time to find out what secrets you''re hiding.''

    Daichi read through the information and found several pieces of interest. ''During his childhood he met a strange man who taught him the ability to use Mana. And Kiyoto was given a book with clues that lead to the 3rd cloak. He was cunning but also a rebellious man and he hated his father. The Eternal Red Crane was the House Sigil of his mother. And when it was changed Kiyoto didn''t want it to be forgotten and looked for a way to mark it forever. He solved the clues in the book and found the cloak. He used it not only for his robberies but also to spy on hispetition and enemies''

    Daichi closely read thest few parts of the secret texts written by Kiyoto.

    ''This cloak is slowly killing me. Whenever I used it I felt a small pain in my head but now I feel like I''m dying. If I use this again, I know I surely will Since I''ve aplished my goals I have no need for it. Now that I''vepleted the 40th mark I can rest''

    ''That man Ichiro Garoya. He found out about my secret identity or at least found the location of my treasure. I don''t know how that''s possible. I was so careful. But it doesn''t matter. His memory is failing him and he let slip that he knew the location of a treasure to his friends. They thought the disease was affecting his memories and didn''t take him seriously but when I heard it I knew I couldn''t take the risk. After his death I used the cloak onest time. I searched everywhere and made sure to throw off the ones who will look for me from my trail I cannot use this cloak any further. It''s time I destroyed it.''

    Daichi then read the text below that addressed him.

    ''If you are reading this, then that means you have the ability to use this special energy. In all my life I haven''te across anyone that had this power other than the man who taught it to me. So if you are reading these words then you have that power too and you found out who I really am. I''m sorry I destroyed the cloak. I did it so that it wouldn''t kill you. You have a unique power. Carve your mark on this world. Just like I did. Good luck.''

    Daichi closed the book and let out a breath. ''So there was someone else who could use Mana And he taught it to Kiyoto when he was young. But what could he possibly gain from this? What reason could he have had to teach Kiyoto about Mana?... Maybe someone asked him to? An obligation? Or did this person do it on a whim?''

    Daichi thought about the two cases. The man who gave Kenichi''s great grandfather the herb and about the unknown man who taught Mana to Kiyoto. ''In both incidents two unknown people helped them without seemingly getting anything in return Strange Very strange. Both incidents happened several decades apart. So I''m sure there is no connection between Kiyoto and the old tea stall owner Hmm''

    Daichi stood from his chair and soon left Hirohito''s ce. He had one more person to see.

    -

    Hiruzen was enjoying a warmfortable tea when someone knocked on his door. "Come in."

    He was surprised to see that it was Daichi. "What do you need?" The old man smiled and asked.

    "Do you know the history of the Fire capital?"

    Hiruzen frowned upon hearing that question. "What exactly are you looking for?"

    "I''m curious about the attack that happened to Lord Ryuga''s ancestor. An attack on the Daimyo would definitely not be the work of some random person."

    "Why the sudden interest in an incident that happened almost a hundred years ago?"

    "I have an inquisitive mind, Lord Hokage." Daichi replied with a smile.

    Hiruzen chuckled when he heard that. ''It seems we both have simr inquisitive minds.''

    "You''re not the only one who thought that. When I heard about it I went through the Library here and found out the truth."

    Daichi was excited. He wasn''t sure the Hokage would have the answer he was looking for but it seems he was wrong.

    "What was it?"

    "Before I tell you, you must understand that this is information not known to many. Especially in today''s time. Make sure to keep it that way." The Hokage''s tone had a warning to it and Daichi nodded in seriousness.

    "I''m only saying this because of your recent exploits The Daimyo at that time had a younger brother. The brother grew jealous and wanted the position of Daimyo and sent assassins after his older brother. If the Daimyo had died his brother would have taken power. But the man survived the attack and soon found out his own flesh and blood was responsible for the attempt on his life. Saddened and enraged, he had his brother killed in secret and he made sure to erase this shameful family history from the public. But it''s recorded in the private archives here."

    "I see Brother rising against brother and leaving destion behind. How tragic." Daichi spoke in a low tone. At that moment the battle between Itachi and Sasuke came to his mind.

    Hiruzen also agreed with that sentiment. "Yes. Indeed Is there anything else?"

    "No sir."

    Hiruzen nodded and Daichi left the room with several thoughts swirling in his mind.

    He went to the garden in the pcepound and sat in a meditative pose. ''Think Daichi. Do these incidents have anything inmon? Or were they all just random coincidences? In the first case a stranger gave a herb to a random Tea Shop owner and a couple monthster the Daimyo who was passing by was attacked and saved. The Daimyo must have also investigated the man who saved his life. He must have been suspicious that a random nobody could have saved him in the nick of time. So assuming that''s the case and the fact that he rewarded the man means the Tea Shop owner wasn''t involved or the Daimyo couldn''t find anything.. I was right in my earlier assessment. He was a pawn. Someone wanted that Daimyo to stay in power. If I''m right the canon Daimyo must have been a descendant of the younger brother. Since he was killed, the canon counterpart was never born. Makes sense But that doesn''t exin the incident with Kiyoto.''

    Daichi spent his time in the garden analyzing the information from different angles. ''Come on Daichi. Think outside the box. Find a different perspective''

    Daichi reviewed the incidents as if they were a y in a theater and he was the director. ''The ones who benefit from all these are Kenichi''s great grandfather, Kiyoto, the Daimyo. And me''

    Daichi''s eyes snapped open and he took a deep breath. ''No way A stranger who''s knowledgeable in herbs. A stranger who can use Mana. And someone who''s actions influenced the timeline It can''t be Me? Can it?''

    Daichi let out a deep breath and focused. ''Up until now I''ve assumed the unknowns who helped were two different people. But what if it wasn''t What if it was one person. That''s why his actions influenced the timeline. Because that person wasn''t part of canon. Because it was me Or there was someone else in this timeline like me Someone from outside the story but that probability is low''

    That monumental realization struck Daichi like thunder. ''34 million is a lot of money. And there''s much that I can aplish with it So sometime in the future I travel back and set events in motion that benefits me? I can time travel? Was it the dragon veins Or was it something else?''

    Daichi stood and walked to a nearby pond. He looked at his reflection and sighed. ''This is still all just a theory Without any proof Still, assuming I can time travel in the future, still a big if What else did I do?''

    Daichi sighed and slowly walked back to his room in the pce. ''Looks like I''ll just have to trust that ''future me'' didn''t screw anything up for ''me'' me... I hope.''

    -

    The diplomats arrived and negotiations were proceeding without any problems. The Hokage had to stay at the capital for a few more days but Daichi, Kakashi and Akai Hyuga returned to the vige.

    Daichi went to his room and looked in the mirror. ''For the moment, I''ll focus on the here and now. Whatever I might do in the future regarding time travel stuff, that''s not my concern right now''

    ------------

    Author''s Note.

    Show of hands. How many of you saw thising? And how many like it?

    Just a reminder that it could also not be time travel and be all a huge coincidence And Daichi''s imagination was just running wild IF it were time travel then that stuff won''te into y for a long time and if it does there won''t be much of it.... Still, its a big if...

    Who knows well, I do

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 184: Interlude - Around the World 01

    Chapter 184: Interlude - Around the World 01

    "The items recovered will be returned to their original owners. But since we''re the ones who found the treasure, the mary reward for finding the items as per the original negotiations must be handed over first." Nomoru Nara said as he looked at the other diplomats.

    "What about the one who stole the treasure? What is the identity of the Phantom thief?" The diplomat from Sand vige asked.

    "His identity is irrelevant as he died months ago." The Nara replied.

    "How can you expect our cooperation if you can''t even reveal to us his identity? What are you trying to hide?" This question came from the man who represented the Stone vige. He had an aggressive air as he looked at the leaf ninja.

    "He has a point. How do you expect us to believe that the Leaf vige had nothing to do with the Thief if you don''t reveal who he is What deceitful tricks are you trying to pull" A man with dark skin who wore the head band of the cloud vige asked.

    Nomoru narrowed his eyes at that question. "Thising from the man from the vige which orchestrated a fake peace treaty to get at one of our n heirs"

    "Careful with your words Nara."

    "I could say the same for you." Nomoru took several documents that were on his side and handed them over to the others in the room.

    "Those documents contain the dates and locations of all the ces the Phantom Thief hit. He stole from the Fire country just as much as he did from the other nations. And during the 3rd war his actions forced the Hokage to divert some forces from certain areas which allowed your vige an advantage in the battle Do you really think if the thief was from our vige and acting under the Hokage, he would make a move like that?"

    The diplomat from the Cloud vige was silent as he looked at the event in question. "Maybe it was a ruse And as I recall, that battle ended in your favor."

    "Not without avoiding casualties. The robbery that happened here 4 yearster Do you really think the Daimyo would show mercy for an insult like that? The Hokage has spoken with the Fire lord and it was his decision that the identity of the thief not be revealed. Not because we want to hide something but because of what will happen to his family. The thief is dead and his family had no idea about the double life he led. They are innocent."

    "Getting back to the distribution of all the items. How long do you expect that to take?" The Sand vige ninja asked.

    "As soon as the conditions set forth by the Kages are met, we will return the properties..."

    "682 million. That''s a lot of money." The ninja muttered and looked at the documents on two Leaf ninjas who uncovered the treasure.

    ''Kakashi Hatake and Daichi Hekima. Based on the report it was the Genin Daichi who solved the puzzles that led to the identity of the thief Another talented ninja growing in the Leaf.''

    The sand diplomat sighed and moved on with the negotiations.

    -

    It took a few days but with the Daimyo overseeing the meetings, it all soon came to an end.

    Hiruzen bid farewell to the Fire Lord and made his way back to the vige. Meanwhile the Fire Lord Ryuga Hino was having tea and rxing in his garden.

    "My Lord, Did you really want that Genin to Join the ranks of imperial guards?" Ryuga''s closet advisor asked him.

    "Even though it was a spur of the moment decision, I wanted to see his response."

    "And what did you find my Lord?"

    At this question Ryuga turned to his closet advisor and smiled. "There are three types of people in this world. The first are the ones who only know to follow orders without question. Ones who cannot be a leader. The ones who follow behind everyone else. The Sheep. The second and third are wolves but they are of a different nature. One looks for freedom while the other looks to conquer. But regardless of what category they fall into, they want one thing. Power. Be it physical or the political power to rule. There are people who achieved one or the other but ones who achieved both of those things Those people are a rare breed."

    "You mean someone like you my Lord You have the strength to rival a kage and you are also the ruler of a great nation"

    Ryugaughed at that "Yes. But I was lucky. I was born into one of those roles and had to work hard for the other. But I''m talking about the people who had none of these when they were born but still managed to achieve both."

    "Someone like the Kages"

    "Yes." The Fire Lord nodded at that.

    "So that child, is he a wolf?"

    "He''s a wolf. Of that there is no doubt. But I don''t think he''s the kind that''s looking to rule over anyone. I could tell when I was looking in his eyes. He''s someone who wants freedom and he knows that to have it, he needs strength."

    Lord Ryuga thought about the question the Hokage asked.

    shback.

    "Yes. But before that, I wanted to ask Did you ask young Daichi to stay here because of this?" Hiruzen gazed into the man''s eyes as he posed his question.

    "No. I was genuinely interested in the boy. What his grandfather was up to wasn''t a concern for me."

    Hiruzen nodded and leaned back in his seat. "Daichi has a passionate heart. He wanted to be a strong ninja from a young age. He is quite dedicated."

    "Of that I have no doubt." Ryuga had a smile as he said that.

    "I''m surprised you let it go so easily. That''s not usually the case." Hiruzen said as he looked into Ryuga''s eyes.

    The Fire Lord just shrugged and smiled. But there was something else in his smile that Hiruzen missed.

    The Fire Lord took a cup of tea and slowly drank it as he remembered Daichi''s eyes. ''He''s dedicated to bing more powerful but loyalty I can tell that he is loyal to himself first and foremost. I''ve seen eyes like his plenty when I looked in the mirror in my early days. When I just wanted my freedom. I yearned for it. But I knew to achieve that freedom I would need power. ''

    The Fire Daimyo looked at the clueless Hokage in front of him. ''A child like him, he won''t submit to anyone for long. Because I wouldn''t if I were him. It''s why I didn''t push the matter of recruitment any further Well, I''m not going to interfere in the matter of the vige, Hiruzen. So I''ll just stay quiet.''

    shback End.

    "I''m curious to see what that boy will do in the future But right now, he isn''t all that important." Ryuga said and closed his eyes to enjoy the calm peaceful atmosphere.

    It wasn''t just the Fire Daimyo discussing Daichi but various powerful ninjas across the world were bing aware of him.

    Hidden Sand Vige.

    The Kazekage looked at the reports his men had sent after the meeting at the Fire capital.

    ''The vige is already in a precarious position and this will put the economy in even more of a struggle. At a time like this''

    The leader of the Sand vige took a look at another file on his desk. He flipped the page and in it were the pictures of Kakashi Hatake and Daichi Hekima.

    "So the son of White fang took an apprentice huh."

    It wasn''t the Kazekage who spoke but an elderly woman who came near him. He looked at her as she and another elderly man came to the room.

    "Who that man takes as his student is of no concern to me. So what was so important that you had to call us here? You know that we are retired, correct?" The old woman spoke with a slight irritation in her voice.

    "Yes. And I apologize for calling you in at this time but there is a matter that you should be aware of. The Phantom Thief has been found and the stolen items have been retrieved"

    Both the neers were shocked. "This is certainly news. To think that after all this time someone would discover the identity of that Thief." The granny spoke as she digested the information. "I assume it was this team who did it?!" She said pointing to the Leaf ninja duo.

    "Yes. But there is more. This child. Daichi Hekima. He''s not just the student of Kakashi Hatake but he is also the apprentice of Tsunade Senju the Sannin."

    Lady Chiyo was shocked. "What?"

    The red haired Kage nodded. "Yes. And based on the information we found, his medical ninjutsu skills are alreadyparable to hers. Or at least that''s the rumors at the Fire Capital hospital. I did some more digging and it seems this child is touted as a genius by the Leaf vige."

    Lady Chiyo frowned upon hearing that. "That Slug girl has caused me quite a bit of headache during the war. Every poison I created, she had a counter. When I heard she left the vige with only a little girl as apanion I was happy. Happy that she wouldn''t be a thorn in our side again. But now you''re telling me she took on another apprentice? One with genius potential?"

    The Kazekage sighed and nodded his head. "It seems so."

    At this time an elderly man who has been silent the whole time spoke up. "Have you spoken to the Wind Daimyo? Will he still continue to send missions to the Leaf and not us?" It was Lady Chiyo''s brother Ebizo.

    "For the moment arge amount of missionses our way but he has been slowly decreasing it. He finds that sending missions to the Leaf is easier since they charge less. And it also doesn''t help that two of the missions he entrusted us ended in failure" The redheaded kage clenched his fists as he said thest part. He was angry thinking about the incident and he made sure to punish the shinobis in question.

    Rasa stood from his chair and walked to the window in his office. He sighed as thought about his next move. "I''ll pay a visit to the Daimyo. But I want you two to apany me. You still have some power with him There is also the matter of repossessing the precious items. But we will have to abide by the terms set. Only the Daimyo will be able to help us out in that matter. It''s why I called for you two."

    "And here I thought I could retire and leave everything to you" Chiyo said as she came and stood by his side.

    Hidden Cloud Vige.

    A ck muscled man in kage attire was looking over the documents in front of him. "So they will only return the artifacts after the sum has been paid huh."

    "Yes Lord Raikage. They were quite adamant. It didn''t help that the conditions were set forth by the Kages and Daimyos themselves." A ninja reported.

    "682 million. And even only a 10% of that will boost the Leaf''s economy by a good margin."

    "That''s assuming that the money isn''t given to the two ninjas who found the treasure, Lord Raikage."

    The leader of the hidden Cloud vige looked at his men. "You think the Hokage will give the money to the two ninjas? It makes sense for him to give half to Kakashi Hatake. His reputation is known far and wide but the other 34 million to a Genin? I doubt he''d do that."

    "Well sir, the Genin in question is also one of the rising prodigies of the Leaf vige. And it''s also confirmed that he is the apprentice of Sannin Tsunade Senju."

    A was shocked. "What?"

    "Yes sir. We''ve confirmed it. He was seen training with her for two years."

    A became silent and thought about thest interaction he had with the woman. It was when he had to save his men from chakra parasites. ''I thought that girl Shizune was her only apprentice. And from what she told me Tsunade was still traumatized from losing her brother and fiance. But now she has another student? How did that happen?''

    Unaware of the thoughts of the Raikage the reporting ninja spoke. "Regarding the identity of the Phantom Thief, it was agreed that a sealed scroll containing the details and identity of the thief would be sent to only the Kages. The Hokage and Fire Lord made this decision. It had some pushback from the diplomats the other Daimyos sent but certain concessions were made. It''s all in the report."

    A nodded in silence. His eyes still on the picture of Genin in front of him. "I need you to get me everything you have on this child. Daichi Hekima."

    "Yes sir." The ninja nodded.

    Hidden Stone Vige.

    A short old man looked at the file in front of him and frowned.

    "Seriously. Is there something in the Leaf vige''s water that we don''t know about? The moment one Genius disappears from that vige another one pops up. Orochimaru, Minato, Kakashi, Itachi and now him."

    The Tsuchikage muttered in displeasure as he looked at the details his ninjas sent. He was sitting at the end of a conference table and several important figures of his vige were there. The council of the Hidden Stone vige.

    "It was said that he along with his sensei was responsible for finding the Phantom''s hidden loot." One councilor said.

    "A two man Genin team. That''s certainly a first from that vige. They usually always preach about teamwork and all that but this is unexpected." Another one gave their opinion.

    Onoki looked at the picture of Daichi and had a twitch above his eye. "Based on the reports, this childpleted his medical training under Tsunade in just two years and already the people at the Fire Capital areparing his skills to hers Tch! Learning medical ninjutsu to that degree in just two years. Absurd. This could be some kind of trick from those tree huggers."

    "Lord Tsuchikage, I''m afraid there is some truth to the rumors. His skill and abilities are verified. And he is currently under Kakashi Hatake. The copy cat Ninja." One of his ninjas standing by his side said.

    "The prodigy of Yellow sh." The Kage frowned as he recalled the face of the man who decimated his ninja during thest war.

    "Lord Tsuchikage, the Chunin exams will start in a week. Do you think the Hokage will send this child here to participate?" A councilor asked.

    Onoki took a breath and was silent for a few moments. "There is a chance that Hiruzen won''t send the child but if he does, we''ll crush him in the exam."

    "What about the mary payment proposed in the agreement sir?"

    At that, Onoki jumped to the table and crushed the papers into small balls. He then threw them to the ground and proceeded to stomp on them. "That''s what I think about their payment."

    "Crack." At that moment a bone breaking sound was heard throughout the room.

    "OW my back!"

    Hidden Mist Vige.

    It was night time. Clouds were gathering in the sky and it looked like it was about to rain.

    In a dark room in a tower at the center of the Mist Vige, a ninja was giving his report to his leader.

    "Is that everything?" A voice came from the shadows.

    "Yes, Lord Mizukage."

    "Hmm You''re dismissed."

    The ninja bowed and left the room. A secondter a short young adult with messy grey hair and pink eyes reached forward and took the report his subordinate submitted. He looked over every detail in silence. The fourth Mizukage of Hidden Mist vige.

    At that moment a light from outside shined through the window and a shadowy figure could be seen standing behind the Mizukage. A man with a spiral mask and one eye hole. The ominous glint of the Sharingan could be seen.

    ''Kakashi, I thought you would take a team under you. Not a single Genin How strange.''

    The masked man took the small picture and looked at it very closely. "Daichi Hekima. I wonder what''s so special about you that my old teammate would take you as his apprentice" He muttered in a small tone.

    Lightning struck outside and illuminated the Kages room again but this time, the masked man was nowhere to be found.

    -------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 185: Daily Life of a Genin 02

    Chapter 185: Daily Life of a Genin 02

    "You certainly had quite the adventure thesest few days" Kensei said as he looked at his grandson training in the backyard.

    "Yeah. I still can''t believe it. But I doubt I''d get a mission like that any time soon." Daichi replied as he did another handstand push-up. There were several shadow clones meditating and directing chakra to the seal on the other side as the real onepleted the physical training.

    "True. Mission like that is a rarity. And a Genin getting such a mission. It''s unheard of How long does your breakst?"

    "Kakashi sensei gave me 5 days. He said that I should be prepared just in case. Whatever that means" Daichi replied as he pushed his body up. He had increased the weight on his training clothes to 600kg and waspleting his strength and speed training.

    Kensei looked at his grandson and his mind came up with a possible answer. ''The Chunin exams are taking ce in the Stone vige in less than 6 Days. Would Kakashi nominate him? Moreover, will he have two teammates to go along with him?''

    Kensei wasn''t silent and told Daichi his assumption.

    Daichi looked at his grandpa and digested what the old man just told him. ''The Chunin exams huh I''m strong enough to take anythinging my way but that''s if I go alone. Based on Kakashi''s personality he might rmend me for it but will the Hokage agree? The exam is in the Stone vige so that might be a problem. I don''t know how hostile they would be to ninjas from our nation. If the Hokage does decide to send me, then he will have to send me in a team. I''m not sure how I feel about that''

    "I''ll make a decision if I''m allowed to attend the exam. Right now I''m just gonna rx and enjoy myself." Daichi replied as he got closer and closer topleting his set.

    [+1 Strength]

    Daichi looked at the pop up box and frowned. He did 4 more bringing his set to 500 and stopped. He jumped andnded on his feet and went to the nearby tree to meditate. Daichi looked at the increase in stat point and frowned.

    ''Before starting my training I created shadow clones and had them store their chakra into the Hundred strength seal. And I made sure to use up my remaining chakra to make my physical exercise more demanding. And it paid off. I got an additional 4 in strength, 2 in vitality, 2 in dexterity and 3 in agility. But I only got 1 point increase in the chakra stat.''

    Daichi had a theory for a while regarding his stat increase and the training he did for a few days were confirming it. ''It''s taking longer and longer to get points in my chakra stat. But it''s above 400 But this also means there is a possibility that soon I won''t be able to increase my stats at all with training when I reach a certain threshold. After that point I''ll only be able to increase my stat with Level up and saved points.''

    The boy opened his status page and looked at the saved points. ''591 points huh. I''ve been careful with how I spend them Hoarding them like a dragon with his gold But now that I''m a ninja, not using the points could affect me adversely''

    The young Gamer thought on the matter for a little longer and made a decision. ''If I''m indeed selected for the uing Chunin exam then I''ll add some points to the Chakra stat. I''ll need to test my theory and I''ll be able to increase my chakra points as well, allowing me to finish the first tier of the seal.''

    As Daichi was making ns for his future so was his sensei and the Hokage.

    Hokage Tower.

    Kakashi and his fellow Jonins with Genin teams were having a meeting with the Hokage. Hiruzen had returned a few days ago from the capital and things were starting to get back to normal.

    "Have all of you made a decision regarding your teams?"

    "We have Lord Hokage."

    Hiruzen nodded. "Those of you who want to nominate your teams please step forward."

    A few of the Jonins made a move and then at thest second Kakashi also stepped forward. The silver haired ninja stepping forward indicated that he was nominating Daichi for the exam.

    "Oi oi Kakashi, what are you doing? Are you really going to let Daichi participate in the exam at the Stone vige?" A Jonin asked with shock.

    "Kakashi, don''t you think you''re moving a bit too fast?" It was Guy who asked this question.

    "No. He''s ready." The silver haired ninja''s confident reply stopped any protest from his fellow ninjas.

    Hiruzen didn''t speak a word as he looked at the Jonin in front of him. A few secondster he spoke. "Kakashi, stay. The rest of you are dismissed. Those of you nominated your teams, I''ll take them into consideration." The kage said looking at the few sensei who want their Genins to participate in the exams

    All the Jonins left the room and soon it was just the copy cat ninja and the Hokage.

    Hiruzen took a few moments to gather his thoughts and then addressed the issue. "You are right, Kakashi. Daichi is strong and intelligent enough that he''ll most likely pass the exam. But I will have to reject his nomination for this exam."

    Kakashi was confused. "If I may ask, why Lord Hokage? If he bes a Chunin then he''ll have more freedom and mobility. It would be difficult for Danzo or Orochimaru to get to him."

    "True. But you''re forgetting what happenedst week."

    At that moment the Jonin realized what the Hokage was talking about. "I know that solving that case was a big deal but did it really garner him that much attention."

    Hiruzen nodded. "Yes. Now everyone knows that he''s not just your student but also Tsunade''s apprentice and a talented medic ninja. If we send him into the Chunin exam at the Stone vige there will be a lot of eyes on him. And that''s not mentioning theck of team members to participate in the exam. Daichi will most definitely be a target."

    "You know he can take care of himself."

    "Yes, I do. But that doesn''t mean something out of his control couldn''t happen. Our intelligence have reported that the other viges are gathering information about Daichi. Now whether they just want to know more about their enemy or if they are nning to do something, we can''t tell So I''m rejecting your nomination. And for the moment let him train and improve himself. I''m sure he already has some ns figured out." Hiruzen said.

    Kakashi took a breath and nodded. "Yes sir."

    The Jonin left the Kage to his thoughts. Hiruzen leaned back in his chair and took his pipe. ''This mission brought Daichi a lot of fame but whether its good or bad Only time will tell''

    Hiruzen looked through the documents and saw three names among the list submitted for the exam. There were only a few Genin teams participating in the Chunin exam at the Stone vige. ''Kabuto Yakushi and his two teammates. They are participating in this exam as well Since they''ve been a Genin team for a while, they don''t have a Jonin to supervise them. Giving them much more freedom Hmm. This exam in the Stone vige He must be there to collect intel.''

    The kage looked at the request put forth by the Jonins and approved it. He then went through the other documents and frowned as he looked at the location where the next exam was held. ''The next Chunin exam is in that vige'' The information written on that vige didn''t make the Hokage happy.

    -

    "Come on" Daichi concentrated on the bowl a meter in front of him. It was filled to the brim with leaves and Daichi was trying to extract water from it. He had been doing it for hours. Several drops of water were extracted from the leaves, condensed and formed into a small sphere suspended in the air above the bowl with his chakra.

    [Skill Water Extraction technique''s level has risen by one.]

    "Yes. Finally got it to Level 06."

    Daichi carefully took the bowl and examined all the leaves. ''No damage. Good.''

    Daichi got up and went near theke in training ground three. He looked at the flowing water and let out a small breath. "Soon"

    As he stood there enjoying the calm atmosphere his senses alerted him to his teacher''s presence.

    "You''re only an hourte. That''s a surprise" Daichi said with a smile as he looked at Kakashi.

    "Well, I couldn''t keep my cute Genin waiting too long." The Jonin said with a shrug.

    Daichi was silent for a while and then decided to ask his question. "Will I be participating in theing Chunin exam?"

    Kakashi looked at his student and then sighed. ''Of course he''d ask that.''

    "Unfortunately no. There wasn''t a team with an open spot avable and given the mission we justpleted it was decided that it would be best for you to justy low for a while."

    Daichi nodded at that. "Next time then"

    "Are you disappointed?"

    "Why? I''m not exactly in a hurry. And this gives me time to train and get stronger."

    Kakashi raised an eyebrow at that. "Most people who take early graduation try to take the earliest Chunin exam avable"

    "You forget sensei, I could have graduated a lot sooner or I could have skipped a grade in the academy but I didn''t do it because I wanted to be ready and as strong as possible. And now that I''m Genin there''s a lot I need to do. So missing one or two exams doesn''t really bother me, because it doesn''t stop me from improving myself. And I will also have more mission experience under the guidance of a capable leader like you."

    The Jonin sensei nodded with that sentiment. "Well then what do you say we get some missions."

    "Sure thing sensei."

    -

    "You know, when you said we had some missions this isn''t exactly what I had in mind." Daichi said with a twitch in his eye as he held several dog leashes.

    Daichi and his teacher were taking the pets to the Inuzukapound. A D Rank mission Pet delivery mission. They were tasked with collecting the dogs and getting them to thepound.

    "This is the perfect time to rx Daichi. You need to take some rest and do simple things" Kakashi then looked at his student and asked. "Did you really have to ce them in a Genjutsu?"

    Daichi looked at his sensei with some annoyance. "They tried to bite me. And besides it''s just a harmless Genjutsu. And this way they behave till they reach the ce and I get to improve my illusion skills. A win-win for everyone."

    The Jonin shrugged and soon they reached their destination. They handed over the pets and got the missionpletion slip.

    That''s how it went for Daichi. He would train his body and improve his chakra stat. Daichi would also spend time working on improving the third step of Nature transformation training. And every two or three days Kakashi would take Daichi toplete a D Rank mission.

    -

    Somewhere in Fire country.

    It was the middle of the night. In a small inn somewhere in Fire Nation a meeting was taking ce between two people. They looked ordinary in appearance and nothing about them stood out.

    One handed a small pouch to the other and collected a scroll in exchange.

    "So this will work?" The man asked hispanion as he took the pouch.

    "Yes. Definitely. This is custom made. Just as you wanted. It will work and it won''t be traced." The other man replied.

    The first man nodded and spoke. "Payment is all there. I''ll take my leave then."

    The second man opened the scroll and verified the contents and soon left the ce. He traveled through the forest and soon reached his house near the capital.

    As he entered his home a voice came from the shadows.

    "Is it done?"

    The unnamed man nodded. "Yes. The item is delivered on schedule and payment has been received." The man handed the scroll to the appendage that appeared out of the shadows.

    "Good. I''ll activate you when I need you again."

    The man suddenly fell unconscious and a few minutester opened his eyes again. He slowly got up and checked himself. "Oh man. I must have cked out. I have got to stop drinking so much."

    He went about his business as if nothing had happened.

    Nearby the man''s home a blond was waiting for his partner. He was wearing a ck cloak with red clouds. He soon saw the one he was waiting for headed his way.

    "Yo Sasori. What took you so long my man? I was getting bored."

    "Calm down Deidara. I told you I went to meet with one of my spies. And I''m notte just as I said." The man identified as Sasori spoke.

    "Yeah yeah. So is it done?" Deidara asked his partner.

    "Yes. Business is done. And we have the payment." Sasori extended his tail and handed the scroll to his partner.

    "Well then let''s get this to Kakuzu. He''s the one who handles the money after all" Deidara said.

    With a grunt, Sasori agreed and both of them moved through the forest. Sasori and Deidara. Two S Rank missing ninjas. And members of the Akatsuki organization.

    -------------

    Author''s Note:

    DunDunDun. And the Akatsuki made a move.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 186: Observe the Diplomats

    Chapter 186: Observe the Diplomats

    Daichi was in the backyard, in front of his canvas painting. He was recreating the underground treasure cave of the Phantom Thief on his canvas. Due to his absolute recall ability Daichi remembered every detail and was bringing the location to life.

    ''This would make a killing in the auction house. People aren''t allowed to visit the hidden cave but that doesn''t mean I can''t draw it up and sell Well, I would if I ever needed the money.''

    The boy''s goal was to make a masterpiece painting and improve his dexterity and the Level of his skills. He haspleted several sculptures of his friends and various animals thesest few days and has improved his sculpting skill.

    ''I need to create chakra puppets like the ones I took from Kenichi''s home. But those items won''t be of ordinary rank. And they would only be the start. I need the Creation skill to be at a much higher level if I want to create the things I have in mind. One of the ways to aplish that is to level up my Painting and Sculpting skills. After that I''ll examine the puppets more thoroughly.''

    Daichi focused on his painting and slowlypleted it. But it was not all he did. Several shadow clones were meditating or using Ninjutsu and improving their level. He made sure to utilize his time to the fullest. He kept getting system messages of level up but Daichi learned to ignore them long ago.

    About an hourter he was done.

    [You have created a masterpiece painting.]

    [+2 Dexterity]

    ''Hmm Not bad. Not bad at all'' Daichi thought to himself as he examined histest work.

    A few days passed by with Daichi improving his skills andpleting D Rank missions. And soon he got another C Rank mission.

    -

    Hiruzen looked over the list of foreign diplomatsing to the vige to finalize the agreements made days earlier. ''I need to keep a close eye on every person entering the vige. But I also can''t just focus on the onesing into the vige. I''ll have to make sure the forces at the border aren''t weakened.''

    "Sir, team Kakashi is here for their mission."

    The Hokage nodded. "Send them up."

    Soon the ninja duo was in the Kage''s office.

    "Kakashi, I have a C Rank mission for you today." Hiruzen said without wasting any time.

    "Does this have anything to do with the foreign dignitaries and their guards?" Kakashi made an educated guess. He knew the shinobi forces would be spread thin and the vige would be on high alert.

    "Yes. Your mission is to observe the group from the Hidden Mist Vige. They should be arriving at the gates soon. I''ll have their schedule for you in a moment. There will be one diplomat and 2 guards. Your task is to keep an eye on all of them. Report if there are any unusual movements and detain if absolutely necessary."

    Daichi knew the mission was serious despite its low Rank.

    [Quest created - Observe the Diplomats.]

    [The Hokage has tasked your team with keeping an eye on the foreign ninjas and diplomats. Do not let the targets out of your sight and take necessary action that will not put the vige security at risk toplete this C Rank mission.]

    .

    [Rewards:]

    10000 Exp.

    Reputation increases with the people of the vige.

    Reputation increases with Kakashi Hatake and Hiruzen Sarutobi.

    .

    [Failure:]

    Reputation decreases with the Hokage, Kakashi Hatake.

    No C Rank missions for a while.

    .

    [ept Y/N]

    Daichi immediately epted the mission while Kakashi got the schedule and reports on the Mist vige personnel.

    The two ninjas left the tower and they could see that the vige was full of activity. Ninjas were patrolling the streets and Daichi could see that they had their guards up.

    ''I didn''t expect such an aftermath whenpleting that mission.'' Daichi thought as he looked around.

    "Come on. Let''s move."

    The Genin didn''t waste time and obeyed his sensei. They quickly made their way to the gates and at that moment saw two ninjas with the Mist headband. They were alert the moment they saw the copycat ninja.

    Kakashi and Daichi walked up to the group and the Jonin was about to introduce himself. "Wee to the Leaf vige. I''m-"

    "Kakashi Hatake. We know who you are." A Mist ninja said, interrupting the silver haired Jonin. His eyes then briefly turned to Daichi.

    Kakashi then turned to the diplomat representing the vige. "Please follow me. Your amodations have been arranged."

    The man nodded without saying a word and the three foreigners followed Kakashi and his student.

    Daichi was on full alert in the presence of these people. ''They''re from the Mist vige. If I''m right then Yagura must still be in charge and the rebellion must only be in its infancy right now. I need to be careful. One wrong move and I''ll be on Obito''s radar. If I''m not on it already''

    Daichi looked at the two ninjas and immediately used ''Observe'' on them the moment he came near them. ''The diplomat is only a little bit stronger than a civilian. But the other two. Level 70 Shiroya and 78 Oboru. Based on their stats, I''m stronger than them and they are proficient in water and lightning style. I''ll have to be careful. I also need to make sure no water clones or such escape my detection.''

    None of the people spoke and the ninjas moved in silence observing each other and everything around them. The group soon reached arge building and Kakashi led the ninjas to their assigned rooms.

    Kakashi handed the diplomat a scroll. "It contains the itinerary and details the time of the meeting. We''lle to pick you up. Please do not leave the premises without one of us." Kakashi motioned to himself and his student.

    The man nodded and the trio went inside. Kakashi and Daichi soon left and got outside the building. "Come on. I know where we can get a good vantage point."

    Meanwhile

    Meanwhile with the Mist ninjas they were looking around the room. "There are no seals or traps of any kind. Well, nothing I can find anyway." Oboru, the leader of the two guards said.

    "Hey captain, you want me to look around the vige? Who knows what I might find." Shiroya said with a smile. It soon formed into a grin. "I didn''t think we''d run into that brat the moment we set foot here."

    "Don''t cause any trouble here you two." The diplomat said.

    "Come now Kuma. I was joking." Theugh and sadistic grining from Shiroya didn''t convince the diplomat Kuma at all.

    Oboru, who was done inspecting the entire room, spoke. "The location of this room was within my expectations. The Leaf ninjas ced us here so they can keep an eye on us at all times."

    "Obviously. It was only a few years ago that the Hyuga incident took ce. They won''t take any chances this time. And not with such arge group." Kuma said as he sat on the bed.

    "What about the border patrols? Surely with so many foreign ninjas the Hokage would have pulled some back to the vige" Shiroya spected.

    ''I wonder about that.'' The diplomat Kuma was much smarter than the two guards. ''Hiruzen has decades of experience. He wouldn''t make a stupid mistake like that. I doubt the defenses at the Leaf border have been weakened because of this.''

    Shiroya thought about the team assigned to keep tabs on them and slightly frowned. "It''s strange that the Hokage would task a Genin with spying on us. Either that was a critical mistake or"

    "Or that Genin is indeed capable of spying on experienced Jonin and even capture us if need be. The Hokage isn''t a fool If he had assigned that boy to keep an eye on us then he''s much more than he seems" Oboru finished.

    He closed his eyes and thought about how to proceed and after a minute made a decision.

    "The Mizukage has tasked us with investigating that child if possible Based on the intel we have, he isn''t from any n. So I''m not certain he has some special tracking skills but we can''t be sure of that. I''ll lure the Sharingan ninja away when the timees, you try and see if you can escape the boy''s sight and investigate." Oboru said.

    Kuma sighed as he recalled what the Mizukage said. "Don''t forget. That is still a secondary task. Right now your mission is to protect me for the duration of this journey. Gathering intel on that child and the vige is a secondary mission. And a non priority. Don''t cause anymotion."

    The two ninjas nodded and waited.

    -

    "The building has one main exit and one emergency exit. Aside from us there are also patrol ninjas roaming the area. And their room is in a corner so we can keep a close watch over them." Kakashi gave his student a brief overview of the buildingyout and the surrounding area.

    Daichi nodded. He also used Mana Scout skill to keep tabs on the guests.

    The meeting between the Hokage and all the foreign diplomats was tomorrow and the team from the Mist vige was one of the early ones to arrive. Time went by and soon it was night.

    Kakashi and Daichi noticed a ninja they knew as Oboru leave the building through the main exit.

    "Sensei, looks like that guy is looking to take a stroll"

    Kakashi''s one visible eye slightly narrowed. "I''ll go keep himpany. You can keep an eye on the others can''t you Daichi?"

    The boy nodded. "Yeah I''ll be fine."

    Kakashi disappeared and Daichi paid attention to the two remaining inside the room. ''They must know that we''re watching them So I doubt they would do anything foolish Still, I shouldn''t let my guard down.''

    Daichi used Chakra Sense and Mana Scout and made sure they wouldn''t give him the slip. ''The Diplomat is asleep and the other guy is just sitting in his bed.''

    Daichi kept a close eye on them and felt nothing wrong. That was until a few minutester when he sensed the minute fluctuations of Shiroya''s Chakra. He narrowed his eyes and looked at the shadow of the man. ''What are you up to?''

    -

    Back in the room Shiroya carefully made a few hand-seals and a small puddle of water began to form at his feet. The puddle of water then as if it had a life of its own moved forward and under the door, right out the room. All without leaving a trace.

    It climbed the wall under the nearest open window and escaped out the building. The water puddle soon reached into the alley and in the shadows soon began to take the form of an unassuming man.

    Shiroya in disguise looked around. ''So that brat''s not all that great. Looks like I''ll be fine Time to snoop around and see if I can''t take anything of value.''

    As the mist ninja in disguise was making his n he suddenly felt a presence behind him. He quickly turned around and saw Daichi casually sitting on the balcony of the nearby building.

    "Hi there Mind telling me why you were sneaking out?" Daichi asked the ninja. His face was expressionless and the look in Daichi''s eyes somehow unnerved the Mist ninja.

    ''This brat found me? But I used the bare minimum of chakra needed. He''d have to be a sensor to track me. I know the captain said no fight but''

    Shiroya couldn''t help but sport a bloodthirsty grin on his face. "Why don''t you make me."

    Daichi didn''t look impressed and just kept staring at the man. A few moments of silenceter he spoke. "Do you really think a water clone is sufficient to battle me?"

    The Mist ninja grinned. "This is a special water clone jutsu. It''s much stronger than the normal one."

    Daichi looked at the confidence the man exuded and spoke. "You know the thing about water clones? Once they''re destroyed, the user will know they''re destroyed but nothing more than that. They won''t know how or who."

    "And you think you can take me down?" The ninja had a mocking smile.

    "I do." It wasn''t the Daichi in front of the ninja that spoke but one standing behind him.

    Before Shiroya could even react, over a dozen wind bullets tore through his body and reduced him to a puddle.

    The two Daichi''s looked at the puddle and narrowed their eyes. ''There is still some chakra left in the water.''

    A small fire ball jutsu from the Genin reduced the water to vapor. They looked around and noticed a patrolling Jonin looking at the scene. The Jonin gave Daichi a small nod and left. Their task done, the two Daichi''s vanished in a puff of smoke the next second.

    -------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 187: Another Ripple...

    Chapter 187: Another Ripple...

    Kakashi returned to his position and saw Daichi with a bored nonchnt look on his face? "Were there any problems with the other one?"

    "He used a water clone to try and sneak away but didn''t get that far"

    Kakashi turned his attention towards the building and his eyes slightly narrowed. ''They''re trying to test our limits With all that''s happened in the vige thesest several years it''s no surprise.''

    The team kept a vignt watch over their targets and it didn''t look like they were going to try again. Daichi and his teacher took shifts and soon it was morning.

    "Time to greet our guests" Kakashi said as he knocked on the door.

    A few secondster the guard Oboru opened the door. He walked out followed by the Mist vige diplomat and then the 2nd guard.

    The group made it to their location without any problems. But during the journey Daichi sensed that the two ninjas were vignt towards him. ''Do they know I''m the one that took the clone down? Highly unlikely But still even if they do, it won''t matter''

    The meeting between the parties started and itsted two days. Aside from the first incident Daichi and Kakashi didn''t encounter any problems. Before long everything was settled and the foreign ninjas left the vige.

    -

    "Well done you two. The mission waspleted without any incidents." Hiruzen congratted the team.

    The questpletion boxes appeared in front of Daichi as he said those words.

    [Quest ''Observe the Diplomats'' Completed.]

    [Rewards:]

    10000 Exp.

    1500 Exp.

    [Reputation increases with the people of the vige.]

    [Reputation increases with Kakashi Hatake and Hiruzen Sarutobi.]

    Daichi dismissed the box and asked a question that''s been on his mind. "Lord Hokage, if you don''t mind me asking, why did you select us for this mission?"

    Hiruzen slightly tilted his head and looked at Daichi as if puzzled by the question.

    "Don''t get me wrong, it''s not that I didn''t want the C Rank mission. It''s just, this was an important mission. If they were able to escape my senses somehow it would have been a headache for the vige. I get why Kakashi sensei was on the job, but my question is, why did you select me, a Genin for this mission? And why was this mission a C Rank? If there was a possibility of confrontation with the Mist shinobi, then shouldn''t this have been a B or an A Rank mission?" Daichi quickly exined himself and then asked the kage.

    Hiruzen nodded and hummed at that. "To answer your first question. It''s true, this was an important mission. And yes, you are a Genin" He let out a small breath and looked at the young boy. "But then, that title is only in name isn''t it. You and I both know your strength far exceeds that rank."

    Daichi was silent as he heard that assessment. The Hokage continued.

    "Truth is, letting youplete D Rank and low risk C Rank missions is a waste of resources for the vige. I wanted to see how you would perform when on a mission to observe and track other ninjas. I created your team with the intent that you and Kakashi would act as back-up for other Genin or Chunin teams. I was going to wait before I tested your skills but when an opportunity presented itself, well I took it."

    Daichi silently nodded. The Hokage continued.

    "You''re right. They had two Jonin ninjas with them. Usually a mission like this would be marked as an A Rank mission. But I made certain exceptions here. This mission was taking ce within the walls of our vige. The Mist ninjas came here on a diplomatic mission. If they caused an incident it would have serious consequences for them and their vige. So the possibility of a confrontation was very small. But on the remote chance that they would try something, I added another Jonin team to observe and patrol the area. It was one of their members you saw after you destroyed that water clone."

    Hiruzen exined his decision to lower the rank of the mission. ''There are also several parties in and out of this vige who have their eyes on you. Having you a ''Genin'' participate in a Rank A mission would certainly raise a few eyebrows and question my judgment as well. But this way, all that headache is avoided and I got to see your skills. A win-win scenario.''

    "Thank you for telling me, Lord Hokage." Daichi nodded his head at that. "Does that mean you''ll be sending me on higher ranking missions?" He was slightly excited at the prospect of going on tougher missions.

    Hiruzen chuckled seeing Daichi''s eager expression. "Not yet. You are still a fresh Genin. At least on paper. But in a couple months we''ll see"

    Daichi nodded. "Thank you Lord Hokage."

    "Well, I guess we''ll take our leave then." Kakashi said.

    "Oh wait, before I forget." The Hokage called out to them. He took two scrolls from his desk and tossed them to Daichi and his teacher.

    "Each of those scroll has 30 million Ryo. That''s your reward for finding the treasure. The vige took a small portion as tax from the 68 million. The remaining is rightfully yours." Hiruzen said.

    Daichi was surprised at the amount. ''I thought he would take arger cut out of the reward and use it for the vige and give us a small amount. I expected somewhere below 5 million. So this is certainly a wee surprise.''

    "You''re really giving us this much?"

    Hiruzen expected the surprised tone in Daichi''s voice.

    "Are you sure about this lord Hokage?" Kakashi was also mildly surprised. He had no problem if the money was used to boost the vige''s economy.

    "Yes. You two are the ones who found the treasure. So the reward belongs to you." The kage said with a smile.

    Daichi didn''t argue any further and just bowed his head. Kakashi looked at the scroll and then pocketed it. The two ninjas bowed and left the tower.

    "Well this is a nice chunk of change." Daichi said.

    "Be careful not to spend it on frivolous things. Don''t waste that money." Kakashi advised Daichi even though he knew it wasn''t necessary.

    "Don''t worry. I won''t Will there be a mission or training tomorrow?" The boy asked his sensei.

    "No. Take a week off. It''s the beginning of June. Train your chakra nature, rx, whatever it is you do. Well, meet up after a week." The silver haired Jonin said and vanished in a pile of leaves the next moment.

    Daichi shrugged at the exit. "Alright" The young Genin sighed and looked around the bustling street. ''Okay, where to next?''

    Daichi thought about his next move and had an idea. ''Well, I guess I''ll head to the academy next. Why don''t I see how Shikamaru and the rest are doing?''

    With a decision made the gamer ninja headed to the academy.

    -

    "Oh man I know sses started three months ago but still, it''s only the beginning of the year and Iruka sensei is already going hard on us" Kiba said in a whining tone as he fed Akamaru some dog treats.

    "Indeed he would. Why? Because it''s the final year and he wants us to be prepared." Shino spoke in a low voice from behind Kiba.

    The young Inuzuka had a shudder go through him as he heard the voice. ''Gha Still not used to that.''

    "Hey Shikamaru, are you nning on just scoring the passing marks again? You know your grades are almost as bad as Naruto''s right?" Ino said looking at the rxing Nara.

    "Hey! My scores aren''t that bad." Naruto tried to defend his academic marks but it was futile.

    "Who are you kidding? You only got by thanks to Sakura cramming all that info into that thick head at thest moment." Ino had a smirk as she looked at Naruto.

    The blond Uzumaki gritted his teeth as he looked at the girl''s challenging face.

    "Um.. I think you did well Naruto." Hinata''s meek but encouraging voice brought a smile to Naruto''s face.

    "Thanks Hinata. I knew you''d get how awesome I am."

    The Hyuga girl got red and just dreamily sighed.

    "Hinata''s just being nice. You really need to study more if you wanna pass with us Naruto." Even though Ino said it in a smug tone, there was a hint of worry hidden underneath it. She didn''t want to see Naruto or any of her friends fail the Genin exam.

    "Yeah yeah Well, I did learn everything in the scroll Daichi gave me." Naruto said with a wide grin.

    "Really? You learned the tree walking chakra control exercises?" Choji asked in surprise.

    "Yep. Took me a couple weeks. But I did it." The blond boy said with a peace sign.

    "And all Daichi needed to do was tell you that Sasuke could do tree walking to get you to train." Sakura said with a smallugh.

    "Hey, I did it for me." Naruto crossed his arms as sat down, turning his head away in mock anger. "Hmph!"

    "Calm down you knucklehead. I was joking."

    "That technique isn''t that difficult. I asked my sis to show me and I got it down in a week too." Kiba spoke. "Arf."

    Narutoid down on the ground under a nearby tree and looked at the clouds. "I need to see if Daichi has any more special techniques like that. I''m gonna be an awesome ninja by the time I graduate."

    "I do know some techniques." The voice came from up in the tree. Daichi jumped down and greeted his friends with a smile.

    "I know how to do the tree walking technique now. Wanna see?" Naruto was excited to show his friend how far he''de.

    Daichi nodded with a smile and Naruto took a few steps back. The others were also paying attention to the boy.

    Taking a deep breath, Naruto ran straight at the tree and jumped. His footnded on the trunk and his chakra kept him glued to the tree. Naruto kept running as high as he could and quickly reached the top.

    "See, I told you. I''m one step closer to bing Hokage." The blond said with a wide smile.

    "Not bad Naruto, that''s impressive. Looks like you got the first chakra control exercise down."

    Daichi''s praise made the boy happy and he jumped down andnded on his feet.

    As Daichi was congratting Naruto he sensed a malicious intent. He subtly looked around and saw Mizuki spying on them. ''This guy is going to be a problem.''

    -

    The sses for the day had ended and the academy instructor Mizuki was walking down the halls. His mind was on thest time he met the Sannin Orochimaru and the words the snake Sannin told him. Mizuki thought about his future in the Leaf vige and it didn''t make him happy.

    ''This vige won''t help me. And the fact that they won''t promote me is proof of that. Even though I did what was best for the mission they I will only be crippling myself if I stay here. He''s the future But I can''t just go to him empty handed. I need something that will prove my loyalty. The Forbidden Scroll. It would be of great use to him. And I''m sure he''ll reward me for something as valuable as that.''

    Mizuki frowned as he thought about how to aplish the task of getting the precious scroll. ''Taking the forbidden scroll won''t be easy. I need to make sure I have enough time to get away once I have it. And for that I''ll need a diversion''

    At that moment he walked by a window and saw Naruto andpany at their usual spot. A small grin formed on his face as he looked at the blond Uzumaki.

    ''Yes. I''ll use him. He''ll do nicely as a bait. I get the scroll and get to kill the demon brat as a bonus.''

    As Mizuki was making ns he saw Daichi jump down from the tree and join the gang. The teacher was further surprised when he saw Naruto''s demonstration of the tree walking technique and he almost couldn''t contain the anger.

    ''That brat. He shouldn''t have known that technique It must have been Daichi He must have taught Naruto that technique''

    Mizuki''s fists clenched shut and were slightly shaking. ''Damn it. That brat is getting good. And his grades are also improving. The progress is slow but it''s a steady growth If he keeps improving at this rate, he''ll surely pass the final exams''

    The instructor looked at the kids surrounding the smiling Naruto.

    ''I thought they would get tired of him and leave and then he wouldn''t have anyone to help him. But it seems I''m wrong''

    At that moment Mizuki noticed Daichi looking in his direction. Quickly schooling his features he ced a gentle smile on his face and waved.

    ''Did he see anything?'' The man was nervous inside. He didn''t know if Daichi saw his anger. But he soon sighed in relief when Daichi smiled and waved back as if he didn''t notice anything wrong. ''That was close. I need to be more careful.''

    Mizuki then walked away with a gentle smile but inside he was fuming. ''It seems just using the demon brat won''t be enough. I thought framing him would be all I need to do but now I know that that alone is not going to work. With all those other brats in the way, I''ll have to adjust my strategy a bit.''

    -

    While almost everyone in the group was excited about Naruto''s achievement, only two people saw the interaction between Mizuki and Daichi. Shikamaru Nara and Hinata Hyuga.

    --------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 188: An Ominous Warning

    Chapter 188: An Ominous Warning

    Daichi smiled and waved at the academy instructor as if there was nothing wrong. ''Man, such a faker. Makes me wanna kick his teeth in. But I can''t let him know that I''m on to him.''

    When the Genin saw Mizuki leave the smile fell from his face as if it was never there to begin with.

    Shikamaru, who was watching the whole interaction from the corner of his eyes, slowly got up. He had a frown on his face as he recalled his teacher''s face. ''There was no doubt about it. That was pure hatred. And the fact that he tried to cover it up He could be up to something''

    The young Nara''s gaze then turned towards his Genin friend. ''Did he know about Mizuki? Is that why he distrusts him?''

    His eyes then focused on Naruto. ''Why does everyone hate you so much? It can''t be because of the pranks So why?''

    At that moment Daichi spoke looking at Naruto and the others. "Well, since you''ve learned a chakra control exercise meant for Genin I''d say this calls for celebration. My treat. You pick the ce."

    "Nice. Thanks Daichi." Kiba and Choji were excited to go out and eat with their friends.

    "Awesome. Let''s go to Ichiraku Ramen." The blond boy said with a smile.

    "Seriously, Ramen?" Ino and Sakura sighed expecting that predictable response.

    "Come on. Once you''ve had a taste you''ll neverin about Ramen again. It''s the best ce. And old man Teuchi and big sis Ayame are really nice too. They make the best Ramen in the vige" Naruto had a wide smile as he tried to convince them of the deliciousness of the food served.

    "Hahaha I figured you''d say that." Daichi smiled. "Alright Ichiraku Ramen it is"

    And so the group of future rookies slowly made their way to the Ramen stand.

    As they walked through the streets the more observant ones in the group noticed how the people were looking at them with a smile and then their change in expression when they looked at Naruto.

    Shikamaru frowned as he thought about the situation. He looked at Daichi and saw the small frown on his face. ''So he noticed the looks too And I have a feeling Daichi knows the real reason for all this animosity the vigers are showing Naruto.''

    He turned his attention to the blond boy and saw a wide smile on his face. But he had been around his friend long enough to know that it was just a weak facade.

    Shikamaru sighed and tried to distract his friend. "So tell us Daichi, are you really treating us just because Naruto learned the technique or is there something else?" The Nara asked his friend, trying to draw attention away from Naruto.

    Daichi looked at his friend and he realized what Shikamaru was trying to do. The young gamer chuckled and quickly replied. "Well, I did get some unexpected additional reward for my mission And it''s been a while since I''ve seen you guys. So I figured why not"

    "Oohh tell us all about your mission Daichi. What was it like?" Ino was excited to hear the details and so was everyone else.

    "Well the client came to us with a C Rank mission" Daichi began the story of how he and his sensei were hired to track down the heirloom and the subsequent events.

    They soon made their way to the Ramen stand.

    "So wait, you''re telling us that you guys found the identity of the Phantom Thief?" Kiba was shocked. He had heard stories of the great thief.

    "Yeah It was tough but the clues were there"

    "Naruto, good to see you. And I see you brought your friends along too" Teuchi greeted everyone with a smile.

    "Yeah. It''s Daichi''s treat. Hit us up with your best old man." Naruto said as he excitedly got on his seat.

    "That sounds like a challenge" The Ramen chef took everyone''s order and quickly got to work.

    All of them got settled and focused their attention back on Daichi and listened to his adventure.

    Daichi exined how he and his sensei first found the secret room. The students were amazed when Daichi told them how he found the clues hidden in the teapot and finally how the team managed to find the great treasure.

    "And when we looked around, everything that was stolen was kept perfectly preserved. We found the Phantom''s hidden treasure." Daichi concluded his story with a grin

    "Oh man That''s awesome." Naruto and Kiba had stars in their eyes at the end.

    "Oh wow. I want to be a Genin and go on exciting missions too. It sounds totally awesome. Believe it!" Naruto said, pumping his fists in the air.

    "I assume the reward you mentioned is for finding the treasure" Sakura asked Daichi.

    The boy nodded his head. "Yup. The Hokage figured we deserve it for solving that case."

    "Just you wait, Daichi. When I be a Genin I''m gonna go on even more awesome adventures than you."

    The Genin chuckled hearing that. "It''s not apetition, Naruto. And you have to be a Genin first. Which will only happen if you study and train some more"

    "Do you know the chemicalposition of the special invisible ink used? That''s a great way to send secret messages." Sakura asked.

    "I do. But Lord Hokage told me not to disclose that information."

    "I see."

    At that moment Teuchi came with everyone''s order. "Here you go. Enjoy."

    "Thank you for the meal."

    Everyone began digging into their food and they were all surprised.

    "You know Naruto, I may have misjudged your taste This ramen is really good" Ino said as she slowly ate her food.

    "See I told you. This is the best food in the world."

    "I wouldn''t go that far." Ino mumbled with a sweatdrop as she looked at her friend''s antics.

    "Even though this Ramen is good I say Yakiniku BBQ is still the best." Choji said as he dug into his bowl.

    "No way. Ramen is the best!" Naruto wolfed down the remaining food and red at the Akimichi.

    "BBQ!" Choji finished his meal and looked at his friend defending his favorite meal.

    "Ramen!"

    "BBQ!"

    Then as one they both turned towards Daichi who was peacefully eating his ramen and enjoying the taste trying to ignore everything else around him. He suddenly stopped eating and looked up to see two eyes boring holes into his head.

    "Ehh"

    "Daichi, which is better? Ramen or BBQ?" Naruto asked.

    "Please don''t bring me into this" The young gamer said with a sigh.

    "But we have to decide" Choji spoke up.

    "Well, I''ll treat you to a BBQ next time and then we''lle to an agreement. Right now, just enjoy the food."

    Naruto and Choji looked at each other and then ordered more. Choji ordered more in the name of tasting different vors while Naruto just loved Teuchi''s food.

    About an hourter the group finished and left the ramen stand with happy smiles on their faces. They said their goodbyes to Daichi and soon left. Except for two.

    Shikamaru and Hinata stayed behind with Daichi.

    "Should I be worried about Mizuki sensei?" Shikamaru asked his friend.

    Daichi looked at the Nara and sighed. "You saw that huh."

    "Um I saw it too Mizuki sensei was really angry But He pretended not to be when you looked at him." Hinata spoke in a low tone.

    "You too?"

    "You didn''t answer the question. Should we be worried about him? I noticed that he really hates Naruto. Do you know something?" Shikamaru narrowed his eyes.

    "When I first saw him, it was just a gut feeling. But after today''s interaction I have a feeling he''s going to be trouble." The Genin replied.

    "Should Should we tell the adults or or maybe the other teachers?"

    Daichi shook his head at Hinata''s suggestion. "And tell them what exactly. We don''t have any proof that he''s doing something wrong. We don''t even know if he''s doing anything wrong. And as for hating Naruto, half the vige does that. No one''s going to take us seriously if we tell someone without any proof. And if he finds out that we made baseless usations about him, then who knows what he''ll try"

    "So what are you suggesting we do?" Shikamaru asked, crossing his arms.

    "For now, nothing. As far as he knows, you guys didn''t see his anger and hate and think nothing more of him than your average teacher. But be careful. If he does something that you think is strange, tell me or Iruka sensei. You can trust him."

    The Nara sighed and nodded his head. ''Normally I wouldn''t bother with something like this but Since he has a problem with Naruto, I guess I have no choice.''

    Seeing Shikamaru agree, Daichi then turned to Hinata. "You can''t tell anyone what you saw. Please keep this a secret."

    Hinata reluctantly nodded her head and soon was on her way home. Shikamaru asked one more question before he left.

    "Do you know why they hate him so much?"

    The Nara didn''t specify who, they or why but Daichi knew what he was talking about. "I do. But I can''t say." Daichi had a somber expression and when Shikamaru saw that he didn''t press any further for information and left.

    Daichi sighed and slowly made his way home. ''I wonder how things will turn out? Will things happen like it did in canon or has everything gone to hell already I suppose only time will tell''

    -

    "Yosh! I''m so pumped. Are you ready Daichi?" Lee was excited at the prospect of sparring with his friend again.

    Daichi nodded his head and tossed a stone up in the air. Both of them were in the training field where they first met. Lee had found Daichi meditating and insisted on a spar which Daichi agreed to.

    The stone reached its apex height and began to fall down to the earth. The second it touched the ground Lee and Daichi vanished from their spots.

    Both Genin met in mid air with Daichi blocking Lee''s fist and sending a fast punch aimed at the boy''s chest.

    Lee was unable to dodge the punch and so decided to attack at thest moment. He sent a swift kick aimed at Daichi''s abdomen just as he was hit and both of them fell back on to the ground and skidded several feet.

    Daichi didn''t take any damage from the attack and waspletely fine. He looked at his friend as Lee stood up. ''His battle instincts are getting better and better. I was right. Even with just training you can''t improve that fast if you don''t have some hidden talent It''s only been a few months. Time to see how far you havee.''

    With that thought Daichi made the next move. He rushed at Lee and they began their Taijutsu spar.

    Lee was surprised at the initiative Daichi took. ''He usually waits for me to attack but now He must have been looking forward to this just as much as I have''

    Lee desperately blocked every attack Daichi sent his way but that was the best he could do. ''He''s not giving me a chance to counter. His speed is incredible and it''s taking everything I have just to parry his strikes. His Taijutsu form is wless. I can''t take any advantage.''

    Daichi wasn''t going all out but he was fighting with much more intensity than he ever did during their previous spars. ''I need to push him. I need to know where he''s at and see if I can get him even stronger than in canon.''

    Sweat started to slowly form on Lee''s face as he pushed himself to stay in the battle. ''His punches feel a lot more powerful. So he was holding back so much during our previous spars''

    Lee blocked another punch and gripped Daichi''s fist that was aimed to take his breath away and sent a high kick towards his opponent''s face. The gamer tilted his body to the side to avoid the iing leg strike. At that moment Daichi felt the grip on his wrist tighten and sensed the weight shift. He saw Lee letting go to attack him with a spin kick.

    Lee slightly jumped and sent a spinning kick at his opponent only for Daichi to get under him and sent an attack at his leg intent on taking his mobility away temporarily.

    Rock Lee sensed the attacking and just before Daichi''s strikended he used a leg technique his sensei Guy taught him to avoid the blow andunch a counter strike.

    Daichi quickly raised his hands to defend himself. He felt the kicknd on his forearm and before he could throw a counter Lee back flipped away and gained some distance.

    Daichi looked at his sparring partner who was taking several deep breaths of air. ''There is no way this kind of battle instinct can be obtained with just training. Either he''s fighting Guy everyday of the week or he was born with a warrior''s battle sense''

    Daichi smiled as he looked at his friend. "You can see that I''m not holding back much. In all our other spars you would have gotten knocked out by now. But look at you now. Even with me upping the intensity you''re still standing. You''vee a long way since we first met my friend."

    Rock Lee smiled hearing the sincereplimenting from his best friend. It only motivated him to keep going. "But I still have a long way to go before I catch up to you."

    Daichi smirked after hearing that response. "If you wanna catch up to me" the smile on the Gamer ninja''s face fell and he became serious again. "You''re gonna have to train a lot harder."

    Both of them took their respective Taijutsu stances and their next round of battle began

    --------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 189: Men make Plans...

    Chapter 189: Men make ns...

    Lee took several deep breaths of air as he was sprawled on the ground.

    Daichi, who was sitting near him, spoke. "Looks like the training your sensei is putting you through is starting to show. You were able to survive a lot longer and that''s even with those weights you have on."

    Lee looked at Daichi at that. "So you noticed?"

    The young gamer smirked. "Of course I did. You''re not the only one training with weighted gear."

    Lee slowly sat up and smiled at his friend. He expected something like that.

    Daichi got up and went to Lee. He ced his palms on Lee''s chest and began using medical ninjutsu.

    Lee was fascinated as he watched his friend work. "Is that medical ninjutsu?"

    "Yes. I learned it during my time at the capital."

    "That''s incredible." Lee grinned as he looked at his friend. ''Ninjutsu, Genjutsu, Taijutsu. Now medical jutsu too... It''s as if there''s no end to his talent and potential. He''s amazing.''

    Daichi moved his palms to Lee''s arms and legs and gave him a quick full body check up. ''In just one year Lee was able to go from being a nobody to a monster in Taijutsu. In canon he did it with nothing but his will and determination. But now I wonder how strong he''ll be with me aiding in his growth.''

    A few momentster Daichipleted his work. "Done."

    Lee got up and looked himself over in wonder. "I feel good as new."

    "That''s because the tears in your muscles and cells are all healed without impeding your growth. Now you can train again right away without needing to waste time for rest and recovery. Lee, I want you to meet me here every weekend if possible. I''ll heal all the wear and tears on your body." Daichi smirked as he replied.

    The bowl cut ninja''s eyes widened as he understood the implications. "That means I can train much more and be stronger a lot faster."

    "That''s the idea." Daichi smiled looking at the kid who had stars and tears in his eyes.

    "Ohh my great friend Daichi. Thank you!" Lee jumped and tried to hug his friend who quickly dodged him.

    "Easy Lee. Not a hugger And it''s not that big a deal. Here. Take these as well" Daichi took out a small bottle from his pocket and tossed it to his friend. Inside the bottle there were several round pills of the same color.

    "What''s this?" Lee asked as he examined the ss bottle.

    "Those are special nutrient pills I created. The vitamins, proteins and minerals contained in each of those pills will speed up muscle growth and strengthen your bones. They''ll be a massive help for your training. Oh! But make sure you only take one every 24 hours. And make sure to only take them when you train. And drink plenty of water after you do."

    Lee''s eyes widened as he held the precious item. He couldn''t believe how much his friend was helping him. He looked at Daichi and had aplicated expression on his face.

    "You''ve given so much help. But I don''t have anything to give you" Lee said in a small voice.

    Daichi ced a hand on his friend''s shoulder. "You don''t need to give me anything you idiot. You''re my friend. Nowe on. Let''s go get something to eat."

    Lee nodded with a wide smile. ''Someday I will definitely repay your kindness.''

    -

    Hiruzen was going over the list of few Genins taking part in the Chunin exams happening in the stone vige. He thought about the one name he rejected from the list.

    ''If Daichi and Kakashi hadn''t made such amotion with their previous mission I would have let the boy take the exam. He would have definitely passed and then Kakashi would have been free to take Sasuke and Naruto under him. But now For the next chunin exam, I need to see how things are with that vige before I make a decision... In the meantime I''ll have to make other arrangements for Naruto and Sasuke as well. Hmm If not Kakashi, then perhaps Tenzo could train them He has experience with the Sharingan, fighting alongside Kakashi. And his wood style will be useful if Naruto ever loses control over the Nine tails.''

    He frowned as he looked at a particr name.

    ''Kabuto Yakushi is taking part in this test as well and based on his previous track record he''s going to intentionally fail the exam He must be attending these exams to either spy on possible targets for Orochimaru or contacting him without drawing attention. I can''t get rid of him at the moment. He is a crucial piece in my ns''

    The Kage then began going over reports his spy in the Root sent.

    ''Danzo is suspicious. So I won''t be able to make contact for a while. Identity of the primary target is still unknown.''

    Hiruzen sighed as he leaned back. ''Right now is the calm before the storm. But what is the Linchpin that will set off that storm? When would Orochimaru attack? Would it be an assassination attempt or something else? And with the Reanimation jutsu under hismand, I can''t predict who all he''ll bring Without the crucial information I cannot make a move on Danzo as well. I need to take them both out at once.''

    "Sir, Kensei Yasaji is here to see you." At that moment his secretary came in and informed him. Hiruzen nodded and a few minutester Daichi''s grandfather walked into the room. Hiruzen made a gesture and the hidden guards quickly left the room.

    Kensei walked into the middle of the room and Hiruzen could tell that he was not happy. "Why didn''t you tell me the Daimyo was aware of our actions?"

    The old kage sighed and replied. "He confronted me during my visit to the capital. And I couldn''t exactly lie to him."

    "That man is more resourceful than I thought. I made sure to keep my movements under wraps and yet he found out?"

    "He is not someone to be trifled with. You should know that Did he summon you to his court? How did you know?"

    Kensei was quiet for a while and then asked. "He summoned me to his chamber and wanted to know what I had found out. He said you told him about Danzo''s interference but didn''t tell me any details. Since he asked, I couldn''t lie or keep the information to myself. He said he will look into the matter himself and told me to stop."

    Hiruzen nodded his head. "I see" ''So it went better than I assumed.''

    "What I want to know is how much you told him and how he took the news?"

    "He was angry. Understandably so. But he said he''ll deal with Danzo''s men in the capital and there won''t be any interference from his people. And with the information he has now, I doubt it would be a difficult task."

    "He will want something in return when all this is finished. He isn''t someone who does anything without ying an angle."

    Hiruzen narrowed his eyes and spoke. "Yes I''m well aware. It''s always a headache when dealing with him."

    "Will this interfere with the ns put in ce?" Kensei was concerned that now with the Daimyo involved things would get out of hand.

    "No. This actually works better for us. We can focus on the internal matters of the vige now that Ryuga is keeping an eye on things in the capital."

    Kensei nodded and they both sat in silence. They discussed their ns and a short whileter the old man got up and bid the kage farewell, and left for home.

    -

    Hidden Stone Vige

    Onoki went through the names of the candidates that came from the Leaf vige and he was somewhat disappointed. ''So Hiruzen didn''t send him after all. This would have been an excellent venue to see just how strong Tsunade''s student is. Well, next time...''

    At that second a Jonin came in and kneeled. "Lord Tsuchikage, all the participants have arrived and are waiting in the hall."

    The kage of the Stone vige nodded and soon the Chunin exams would begin.

    It wasn''t just the stone ninjas who were looking for Daichi. Several Genins looked closely at the handful of ninjas from the Leaf vige and frowned.

    A Genin with the headband of the Mist vige frowned as he didn''t find his target. ''So he didn''t show up huh. Either his teacher didn''t rmend him or he pussed out like a bitch. Either way I can''t get the information needed. And Lord Mizukage told me to test his strength during the exam Oh well''

    A Genin with sunsses and green hair looked around and sighed in annoyance. ''Great. That kid from the Leaf is a no show. Guess there''s nothing to do except tell the Raikage that the kid didn''te. Something tells me he won''t be happy.''

    During all this a certain Genin with the Leaf vige headband was sitting quietly in the room trying not to draw any attention to himself. But that didn''t mean he was unaware of the eyes lingering on him and his teammates. ''For some reason the Genins from the other great viges are keeping an eye on everyone from the Leaf vige. But based on their dismissal of us, I''m sure we''re not their targets Hmm They must have been looking for Daichi. After the Treasure incident at the capital, and his rtionship to a Sannin, it''s no surprise.''

    As the Genin was in thought his teammate called out to him as the proctor for the exam entered the room. "Hey Kabuto, look alive. The exams are starting."

    "Right." Kabuto Yakushi replied as he focused his attention on the Jonin. There was also something else that required his attention but he sent someone just as capable in his ce.

    As the tests were taking ce, two people were meeting in secret in one of the houses in the vige.

    "Here are the reports you wanted" A man with ash grey hair and ck circr sses said as he handed over a scroll to his colleague.

    A snake crawled out of the sleeve from the man and swallowed the scroll before disappearing back into the shadow.

    "Tell me, Kabuto, how are things going in the Leaf?"

    "You know you can alwayse and check it out for yourself" The bespectacled Genin replied.

    "Kukuku It''s not time yet for my return."

    "I''m sure the Third Hokage would have the surprise of his life when he sees what you have in store for him, Lord Orochimaru."

    The man now identified as one of the Sannin chuckled hearing those words. "My return all depends on him. I need to see what his potential is"

    "Based on my observations Sasuke Uchiha is head and shoulders above his peers and his talent is incredible. He is quite skilled in the ninja arts. It seems he has indeed inherited his brother''s potential. Maybe not on the same level as Itachi but he is talented nheless."

    Orochimaru nodded his head and became quiet. "But he is not the strongest in that generation is he?" Even though the Sannin phrased it like a question he already knew the answer.

    "No. The most talented one in that generation is Daichi Hekima I was surprised to learn that he studied under your former teammate. Based on what you told me, I didn''t think Lady Tsunade would have epted another apprentice." Kabuto replied as Daichi''s picture came to his mind. He was curious to test his medical skills against one trained by another Sannin.

    "Yes. It was a surprise to me as well. And what shocked me more is that he only studied under her for two years. Tsunade wouldn''t half ass anything. That includes teaching someone her skills. So if that boy returned to the vige after just two years-"

    "Then that would mean he only needed that much time to learn everything he could from her." Kabuto finished.

    "Yes. I''m eager to meet him. Someone who''s trained by Tsunade and currently under Kakashi Hatake''s tutge. He''s bound to show promise. I was hoping he''d be here. But it seems that''s not the case."

    Kabuto narrowed his eyes and looked at his master. "Are you nning on giving him the curse seal Lord Orochimaru?"

    The snake Sannin looked at his subordinate with a menacing grin. "Kukuku Is that a problem Kabuto?"

    Kabuto shook his head and spoke. "Not at all But as I''m sure you know, if you attack Daichi then I have a feeling Lady Tsunade won''t just sit back and do nothing. And then there is also his grandfather."

    "Kensei Yasaji. An old feeble man just like Sarutobi sensei. Both far past their prime. They are of no concern It seems Daichi will get to enjoy his carefree life for a few more months. I''ll meet him in the Chunin exams. And if he shows as much talent as the rumors say, then I''ll see if I can''t sway him my way." Orochimaru gave a smallugh as he imagined the look on the boy''s face when they would eventually meet.

    "Well then, I''ll keep you updated. My chakra is running low. So I''ll be going now"

    "If you find any interesting specimen, do collect some samples for me won''t you Kabuto, Kukuku"

    The Genin smiled and slightly bowed. "Of course my Lord." The next second he vanished in a puff of smoke indicating that he was a shadow clone.

    --------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 190: Reanimation: Tobirama Senju

    Chapter 190: Reanimation: Tobirama Senju

    Hiruzen was walking through a dimly lit hall. He was alone and there were no others present near him. Even his personal guards were absent. The hall was more of a tunnel made up of rocks and earth. In his hand was arge scroll which had the word forbidden written on it. Several minutester he entered a room at the end of the tunnel.

    ''I just hope Lord Second understands the reasons for my actions.''

    The room was muchrger than it seemed from the outside. It had several desks and chairs with many scrolls and materials on them. Hiruzen ced the scroll on a table and looked at another one.

    ''I was able to advance the jutsu much further with my research''

    His eyes then shifted to the other end of the room. In the corner of therge chamber there was a man lying unconscious. Hiruzen frowned as he looked at the man.

    ''But finding the secrets of the jutsu came with a cost. Now I''m no different than my student. I''ve be a hypocrite''

    The Hokage took the scroll and ced it on the floor. ''Please forgive me for what I''m about to do, Lord Second.''

    The kage quickly made several seals.

    "Summoning Jutsu: Reanimation!"

    As soon as hepleted the final hand seal, the scroll on the ground became active. Several seals came from it and surrounded the unconscious man. Dust and debris started to swirl around his body and he looked like he was in pain.

    Hiruzen watched the scene with a steely heart as he had done the few times before. Several momentster in ce of the unknown man stood another.

    A fair skinned man with silver shaggy hair and red markings on his face appeared. He had blue armor with a white fur cor over a ck suit.

    The man who was summoned was none other than the Second Hokage Tobirama Senju.

    Hiruzen let out a deep breath of air as he looked at the emotionless face of his predecessor and mentor. ''Time to see this through.''

    The kage of the Leaf vige walked forward and took a kunai with a special tag attached at the end. He slowly ced the tag into the back of the Second''s head and as soon as he did, steam started to rise from the reanimation''s body.

    The lifeless eyes of Tobirama gained a spark as if he hade alive. Hiruzen walked back to his previous spot and stood in front of his teacher.

    Tobirama Senju slowly came to life and looked at the man in front of him in total surprise. He then looked at his own hands and body and noted the details. The second heid his eyes on Hiruzen he made sure to check his chakra signature and made sure it was not an enemy in disguise.

    "I knew the day I created this jutsu, that it was possible for it to be used on me. But I never expected to be resurrected by you of all people Hiruzen." Tobirama''s tone didn''t indicate disappointment or anger. It contained no emotion at all, it was as if he was stating a fact.

    Hiruzen looked down for a second and then looked at the man. "Forgive me sensei but I had to."

    The Second Hokage raised an eyebrow at that statement. ''Under normal circumstances, Hiruzen would never use a jutsu like this. But every man has his breaking point. For him to use a jutsu of this nature, that too on me, it seems he has reached that point. Something serious must have happened.''

    "Based on your appearance I''d say it''s been a few decades since I died. What''s going on Hiruzen? Why did you bring me back now? What''s happening in the vige?"

    "So many things I don''t even know where to begin."

    Tobirama didn''t say a word and patiently waited for his sessor to speak.

    "The Leaf vige has faced many adversities over thisst decade but the vige still stands strong At least from an outside perspective. After you died we''ve had two more world wars. The vige had a fourth Hokage for a brief period of time."

    The second Hokage''s eyes narrowed when he heard that. "What do you mean had? What happened to him?"

    Hiruzen sighed and replied. "He was a talented young man. A genius from his generation. But he sacrificed his life saving the vige from a great disaster The nine tails attack."

    Tobirama''s ever expressionless eyes slightly narrowed and hands slightly clenched. "For the nine tails to have gotten free and that too during thest decade I assume it got free from Lady Mito''s sessor?"

    Hiruzen nodded. "Yes. Her name was Kushina Uzumaki. She was from the Land of Whirlpool. She was the second Jinchuriki of the nine tails."

    Tobirama pondered on the information and quickly came to a conclusion. He had a suspicion in his mind and wanted to confirm it. "Was the woman pregnant?"

    "Yes. She was married to the Fourth Hokage. It was on the day of her child''s birth that the Nine tails got loose and wreaked havoc. The fourth gave his life and sealed it away inside his son."

    The second Hokage listened and thought about the situation. "I see But there should have been contingencies in ce for something like this. I know you''re not ipetent. You must have had some safeguards in ce for the birth."

    "The birth was taking ce in a secret location far away from the vige. Her pregnancy was kept a secret and only a select few knew about it. I''ve had special Anbu members on standby guarding the location and there was a barrier around the whole area created by the Fourth"

    "And the nine tails still got free It seems to me that this was no ident."

    The third Hokage agreed with that sentiment. "Yes. I investigated the matter. My wife was there. Delivering the baby. But she died with her throat shed. The guards stationed were also killed. The attack had a perpetrator."

    Tobirama''s mind went through the scenario described and the conclusions he drew troubled him greatly. ''Someone who knew the location and could get past such precautions put in ce. And to somehow separate a Kage and force the nine tails to attack here... And on top of that they had to have known top secret information, meaning this is an inside job. Only someone with intimate knowledge of the vige could pull off something like this''

    "Do you have any suspects in mind?" Tobirama asked his student.

    "Thest thing Kushina said before she died was Uchiha"

    Tobirama sighed in irritation. "Why is it always that n?"

    "What happened to the Uchiha who did this? Or was the whole n involved?" He looked at the old man and questioned.

    "We don''t know the identity of the one responsible but the Uchiha n is gone now. They were massacred."

    Tobirama was surprised to hear that information. "Tell me everything regarding the incident."

    "After the nine tails attack we suspected the Uchiha n and theirpound was relocated to the outskirts of the vige. After that" Hiruzen exined how the suspicion towards the n grew and the beginning of the n''s revolt. Their n for a coup and about the double agent Itachi Uchiha. The mission assigned to Itachi and finally the extermination of the n.

    The second Hokage sighed as he listened to the whole thing. "To think such a thing happened I suppose this was an inevitability. The Uchiha was a cursed n after all"

    Hiruzen didn''t share the level of suspicion his sensei had towards the Uchiha n. "I didn''t want it to happen but part of me is grateful that a civil war is averted."

    "Where is Danzo? Why isn''t he here?"

    At the second Hokage''s question Hiruzen looked down in sadness. "Danzo is one of the reasons I had to use the forbidden jutsu on you I''m afraid he''s no longer the man you once knew."

    That information shocked the reanimated Hokage. "Hiruzen. What are you implying? Danzo''s loyalty to the vige is unquestionable."

    "That may have been the case till several years ago but now he is putting his own interest ahead of the vige. He still cares for the vige. I have no doubt about that. But I fear his actions are causing more problems for the vige than they solve."

    The second Hokage rubbed the bridge of his nose in frustration. "This is unexpected. You said Danzo is one of the reasons. What''s the other?"

    "My student. Orochimaru. He is another genius this vige had produced. But his fascination with immortality and forbidden jutsus has caused him to go down a dark path. He is researching many forbidden jutsu and prime among them is the Reanimation technique. He has conducted immoral experiments on the Leaf citizens and has conducted bloodline thefts..."

    Tobirama sensed the slight shift in the Third Hokage''s chakra. "What are you not telling me Hiruzen?"

    Hiruzen closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He then looked at his sensei and spoke. "I believe he is experimenting with Lord Hashirama''s blood."

    The Senju only narrowed his eyes but Hiruzen could tell the man was furious hearing that piece of info.

    Hiruzen looked down and continued. "I condemned my student''s actions. Deeming him a danger to the vige. Yet here I am doing the same thing. The hypocrisy of the whole situation doesn''t elude me."

    "The man who you used as a sacrifice to bring me back. Who was he?" Tobirama asked suddenly.

    "He was a prisoner of the vige. Hemitted rape and murder and was sentenced to life in prison."

    The reanimated kage nodded and questioned again. "I assume this isn''t the first time you''ve used this jutsu. The people who were used in the previous instances. Were they innocent people?"

    The third shook his head. "No. I only used this jutsu three times before. To study it''s effects and secrets. And the ones I''ve used as sacrifice weren''t innocent. Two were captured enemy ninjas with arge body count and another was a prisoner sentenced to execution."

    "And there''s the difference. You used the jutsu on those whomitted heinous acts. While your student used whomever he could. There is a difference, Hiruzen Besides, how do you think I created this jutsu."

    Hiruzen looked at his sensei and saw an expression he hadn''t seen in a long time. Sadness.

    "My brother never condoned the use of this jutsu. He was against its creation. I used several enemies to research and create this forbidden technique Well, I had some help from Mito."

    That news startled Hiruzen. "Wait, Lady Mito helped you create this jutsu?"

    Tobirama Senju nodded. "Yes. This technique dealt with the souls and the afterlife. The Uzumaki n had a small group of people who created methods to interact with the Reaper and thus gained knowledge on souls. They considered it sort of a religion."

    "The Uzumaki mask temple." The reigning Kage deduced.

    "Yes. They are the ones who build it. Even though Mito questioned the morality of creating a jutsu that uses the dead to fight, she helped me in its creation nheless."

    "Yes. So you''re the one who knows the most about this jutsu. It''s why I summoned you. I need to know of the ways it can be stopped. It wasn''t mentioned in any of the scrolls." Hiruzen exined his reasons for bringing the Senju back to life.

    "Very well. But before that, tell me, what happened to the Senju n? What happened to Hashirama''s descendants?"

    Hiruzen slightly grimaced as he thought about the situation. "The Senju n is integrated with the vige. And the one remaining with a direct link to the n is Tsunade. She is on an extended leave outside the vige at the moment."

    The Senju''s eyes narrowed. "borate."

    The old kage winced at the teacher''s tone. ''Sorry Tsunade.''

    "Her brother died after he just became Genin andter Tsunade''s fiance died in the war. And she was unable to save him. These events traumatized her and she left the vige. She''s been wandering the fire country ever since."

    Tobirama was not happy with the situation happening in the Leaf vige. "Your student must no doubt be capable. And now he''s a traitor working against the Leaf? And then there is Danzo''s betrayal, Nine tails attack, Tsunade''s exile and the destruction of the Uchiha n Things have certainly not gone the way I expected it to."

    Tobirama thought about the fate of the two ns that created the vige. "Only one loyal Uchiha is in the vige. The other is known as a traitor. And the only living person who bears the Senju name is in a self imposed exile. To think this is what has be of the founding ns of this vige."

    "Forgive me sensei. I failed to fulfill my duties as capably as you did."

    "This is no time to wallow in self pity Hiruzen. We have much work to do."

    The Hokage was happy that his teacher was willing to help but he didn''t want it. "Sensei, I didn''t bring you back to make you shoulder my burdens. You already gave your life for the Leaf. I can''t ask anymore of you. I will protect the vige at all costs. I just need your help with certain things. After that''ll I''ll let go of the jutsu and make sure your peace isn''t disturbed."

    "I understand where you''reing from Hiruzen. But I can''t leave as it is. And when I said we needed to get to work, I had no intention of revealing myself to the public. I will help you from the shadows. And this will only be for a short time. Just until everything is sorted out. After that, I''ll rest in peace once again."

    Hiruzen smiled slightly and nodded to that condition. They had much to aplish.

    Even though he died, now that he was brought back, Tobirama couldn''t leave the vige in such a pitiful state. ''Brother, I will make sure the vige you sacrificed your life for stands tall even through the darkest of times.''

    -------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 191: C Rank: Search & Destroy... A book?

    Chapter 191: C Rank: Search & Destroy... A book?

    It was early morning in the Leaf vige. The special two man Genin team was making their way to the Hokage tower. Kakashi had deemed his student ready for another C Rank mission. Before long they were in front of the Hokage.

    Hiruzen smiled as he looked at the two ninjas. At that moment Daichi noticed something strange.

    ''Is it just me or does he seem like he''s in a good mood... It''s his smile It''s definitely different from the ones before. Hmm Something must have gone his way''

    Daichi didn''t remark on what he noticed and kept a straight face.

    "So are you two ready for your next C Rank mission?"

    "Yes sir." The young Genin replied with a small smile.

    The Hokage handed the mission scroll and exined the situation to the team.

    [Quest Created - Search and Destroy]

    Daichi read the details of the quest and quickly epted it. It looked like an ordinary quest with no hidden agenda.

    "You will meet the client in the location marked on the scroll. Your task is to retrieve some valuables that were stolen from his house."

    Daichi was surprised at the mission. ''Finding lost items? Feels like Deja vu.''

    "But there is one condition." The Hokage continued. "Among the stolen valuables is a book containing information sensitive to the client. He wants the book destroyed. Your client Denjima will exin the details."

    Both Kakashi and Daichi nodded and soon left the office.

    Hiruzen sat back in his chair and thought about what the other Kage of the Hidden Leaf was up to right now. He recalled the conversation he had with Lord Second.

    shback.

    "There are several things that needs to be done. I will modify the barrier seal form and strengthen it. We need to make sure something like the Nails attack never happens again." Tobirama said as he looked at a scroll.

    "There is something else I''ve been meaning to ask It''s about your teleportation jutsu."

    Tobirama looked up from his scroll and motioned Hiruzen to continue.

    "There has only been one person who could learn that jutsu and use it like you could. And it was Minato."

    "Is there no one else who could use it?"

    "There are his personal guards. But all three have to be present to use it. And that Teleportation jutsu is far too valuable to be ignored. But the problem is, even with your notes, the jutsu is far tooplicated to use." Hiruzen didn''t say anything more as he knew his predecessor understood what he wanted.

    "You want me to rework the jutsu form and make it so that someone capable can learn it."

    The old kage nodded. "You''re the only one familiar with space time ninjutsu. Even my knowledge on the subject is spotty at best."

    Tobirama pondered on it and agreed. ''He has a point. That jutsu is indeed too valuable to be left alone. But I also need to make sure its useless in enemy hands.''

    "I can certainly modify the jutsu. But I''ll have to create some contingencies just in case. And simplifying the jutsu means its power will also be reduced. There will be more restrictions"

    "I understand." Hiruzen nodded as he already has a list of Jonin candidates in mind who he believes can learn the jutsu.

    Tobirama crossed his arms and spoke about the things he needed to do. "Studying the curse seal from that girl Anko will take time and creating a suitable removal method even more. I will put it at the bottom of the list. First and foremost, we need to strengthen the vige. Creating countermeasures for the Reanimation Jutsu is the priority."

    The second Hokage thought about the ordeal. ''If his student attacks the vige, he will no doubt have several reanimations under him. And based on what Hiruzen said, Orochimaru will definitely improve the jutsu. He must be testing its limits even now. So the power and control aspect of the technique will certainly be greater than it is now. This is my first priority''

    "And then there is the counter to the Genjutsu Kotoamatsukami. That jutsu is quite powerful. But if Danzo only has one eye then we have a chance." Hiruzen continued. He knew there were quite a lot of things needed to be done and not a lot of time.

    The second Hokage nodded. "I will begin working on the Reanimation. I need you to get me a few things."

    "Yes sensei."

    shback End.

    Hiruzen sighed and got back to work while his teacher was busy unraveling the secrets of one of the most dangerous forbidden jutsu in the world.

    -

    Daichi and his teacher got ready for the mission and headed for the gates. Once they notified the guards of their departure they quickly moved through the forest.

    "So where are we headed sensei?"

    At Daichi''s question Kakashi recalled the information given in the scroll. "Well, there''s an Inn about 3 kilometers from here. Our client said he would wait for us there."

    The young Genin nodded and the two ninjas quickly made their way to the location. The inn was a modest one that themoners use.

    Daichi and Kakashi stepped inside and went to the front desk.

    "Excuse me. We''re looking for Denjima"

    The woman at the desk looked at the ninja in front of her and nodded. "He''s expecting you. Room 205."

    The Jonin smiled and thanked thedy. The duo made their way to the room and saw a guard standing in front of the door.

    "We''re here to meet your client." Kakashi spoke and showed the mission scroll with the Leaf emblem. The guard nodded and knocked on the door.

    "Come in." The door was opened and the two ninjas entered the room.

    A man in histe sixties greeted the ninjas with a smile. He had a thin long neatly kept beard and mustache. He was wearing a ck attire and coupled with his look made Daichi think he was a butler. "Please take a seat."

    "My name is Kakashi Hatake and this is my student Daichi Hekima. We''re assigned to your C Rank mission." The Jonin introduced himself and his student.

    The man nodded and once everyone was settled he began going over the details of the mission.

    "My name is Denjima. I represent master Ayama Jido."

    The Jonin in the room didn''t show any outward change in expression but he was surprised. ''Where have I heard that name before?''

    "A few days ago there was a robbery at Master Ayama''s residence. The safe in which he kept his valuables was broken into. Your task is to retrieve the valuables. But that is secondary. There was a book containing secret information about master Ayama''s personal business. You are to bring me the book so that I can destroy it. If retrieval of the book is not possible for any reason make sure it''s destroyed."

    "Do they know the value of the book or what''s inside it?" Kakashi asked.

    "No. They don''t. And you have to retrieve it before they figure it out."

    "Do you know who broke into the house?" Daichi asked and Denjima nodded.

    "Master Ayama is a small but sessful businessman. But he has a rival, Butsuba. He is the one responsible for this robbery. The theft was an inside job and we found and dealt with the thief ordingly. Your task is to infiltrate Butsuba''s home, retrieve the book and all the other items stolen. Here is a list of all the items kept in the safe." With that Denjima gave a piece of paper to Daichi.

    Kakashi nodded as he thought about the whole thing. "So you caught the one who actually stole from you. I''ll need to see him or her."

    Denjima slightly frowned. "Why do you need to see him?"

    "Well, he might have information that will be useful to us. I have some questions for him."

    The man closed his eyes as he thought about the request/demand the Jonin set forth. ''Well, this isn''t unexpected No point in dying it.''

    "Very well. He''s currently incapacitated in the other room. Come." Denjima replied and with that he led the two ninjas to the other room where the upant was lying unconscious.

    ''So they anticipated that I would ask to see the thief for interrogation.'' Kakashi thought as he looked at the sleeping man. "Daichi, why don''t you wait outside. I''ll be done shortly."

    The Genin nodded and did as he was instructed. ''So sensei also wanted to make sure we have the right guy before breaking into someone''s home. It''smon sense I wonder what type of interrogation techniques he''ll use?''

    No sound was heard from the room for several minutes and then the door opened and Kakashi came out with a calm smile. "Well, we have what we need. Time for us to get to work. We will return here once the mission ispleted."

    With that the Jonin and Genin from the Leaf vige left the Inn toplete their mission. Denjima sighed and went to the upper floor of the building. He knocked on a room marked 318 and a man in ordinary clothing opened the door.

    "Master Ayama. The two ninjas have left for the mission."

    The man now identified as Ayama nodded. "Were there any problems?"

    "No sir. Everything went as expected But do you mind me asking, what if they decided to keep the book for themselves and try to learn the secrets of your business"

    Ayama shook his head. "It''s not a concern. There is a rule that says ninjas shouldn''t open confidential documents pertaining to their clients. They won''t break that rule and even if they do, they won''t be able to learn the secrets of the book unless they have the key"

    Denjima nodded and left. "I understand sir. I will wait for their arrival."

    -

    "What kind of interrogation techniques did you use? I didn''t hear any sounds and when you came out he didn''t look physically hurt. So I''m guessing you went with some sort of psychological attack?" Daichi asked as he looked at his teacher.

    "I could have. Or"

    The young Genin sighed. "Or you could have used your Sharingan to get the information."

    "It was much easier since I didn''t know anything about him."

    Daichi nodded. "So was he right? Is this Butsuba guy really the one behind the theft?" He asked his teacher.

    Kakashi nodded his head at Daichi''s question. "Yes. And based on what I learned he''s a small time merchant. He would only have ordinary guards for protection."

    "Something I don''t understand. Why would he want to destroy the book if he gets it?"

    The Jonin shrugged since he didn''t know the answer. "Perhaps he wants to make sure his business secrets and tactics don''t reach into rival hands again But whatever the case, our mission is to retrieve it and if not, destroy it."

    "So how do we proceed sensei?"

    "I have the location of his home. But we won''t go break down the front door. We''ll do this with stealth. We''ll have to scout the location and see how many guards are present. Once we have all the information we''ll strike a little after midnight."

    The young gamer nodded to the n and they made their way to their target''s home. Soon the two ninjas reached apound surrounded by walls and guards on all sides. Inside thepound stood a small mansion 3 stories tall.

    Daichi used Chakra Sense and didn''t find anyone with significant strength. ''All are normal guards. So that''s why that Denjima guy applied for a C Rank. I thought there would be some ninjas considering the guy''s wealth but it looks like that''s not the case.''

    Kakashi and Daichi were hidden in the trees surrounding the small mansion. Kakashi made a few hand signals and gave Daichi instructions.

    Hold position. Observe guards. Moving to observe viable entry points.

    Daichi nodded and Kakashi vanished without making a single leaf move. The young Gamer used Observe skill on every guard he saw to make sure there weren''t any hidden surprises. Daichi mentally noted down their number, patrol paths, their behavior and more.

    Time went by and the sun slowly set. ''So this is what Kakashi meant when he said we needed to have patience and D Rank was the best way to learn it This is soo goddamn boring''

    Kakashi joined Daichi and the duo waited for the perfect time to strike. They saw the guards change shifts and Daichi could see that almost all of them were undisciplined or sleepy.

    Soon the time came. Kakashi gave a single hand signal. Let''s move. And the two ninjas quietly vanished from their spot.

    -------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 192: Sins of the Father

    Chapter 192: Sins of the Father

    Daichi followed Kakashi to the top floor balcony of the small mansion. There was a guard who stood by therge door who was keeping a vignt watch. But despite his alertness he wasn''t able to sense the two ninjas who got behind him.

    With a quick well ced jab Kakashi knocked the man unconscious and without drawing any attention. Daichi had used ''Observe'' on the man and had gotten his basic details and quickly created a shadow clone who transformed into the now sleeping guard.

    The door leading into the house was locked from the inside but Daichi quickly picked the lock. The two ninjas quietly entered the house and they could sense that they were alone in the room.

    "You remember what we were looking for don''t you?" Kakashi asked his student in a low voice.

    Daichi simply nodded his head in affirmation.

    "I have theyout of the building. We''ll need to sweep the house quickly and without alerting them of our presence. Let''s split up."

    Daichi agreed and parted ways from his sensei. Both of them picked a room and quietly slipped inside and the search for the stolen items began.

    -

    Daichi quickly and meticulously searched through the rooms he entered. He looked at the small safe and frowned. ''I doubt he''d keep stolen items with his own money. So he must have ced it somewhere else. But on the off chance that I''m wrong''

    Daichi created multiple shadow clones and had them quietly move through the shadows of the house. He began working on the safe while his clones searched the rest.

    One clone entered a room that looked more like an office. As he looked around Daichi noticed that there were several papers with letters and numbers with most crossed out and some circled.

    ''Strange He was trying to decipher some kind of code. But there doesn''t seem to be anything here that''s written in code. Maybe'' He looked around and finding nothing else among the many papers, Daichi opened the locked drawer under the desk. His stealth skill was leveling up.

    ''Jackpot.''

    Inside the desk was the book the client wanted retrieved and destroyed. Daichi took the book and inspected it. It was a simple leather bound book with a brown cover. He was tempted to open it but decided against it.

    ''So this book must have been encoded. He was trying to figure out the code. What''s in it? Some business tactics or something else?'' Daichi looked at the papers and then shook his head. Figuring out the secret of the book was not part of the mission.

    The young Genin created a shadow clone and quickly dispelled it, rying the news to the real Daichi and everyone else. ''I need to find a jutsu that can ry messages without creating and dispelling a shadow clone.''

    Daichi secured the book and left the room. As he looked around he suddenly heard somemotioning from outside. ''Looks like they found out about that clone.''

    The were sounds of people fighting and yelling for a few seconds before everything went quiet. ''Did my clone take care of them or''

    Just as this thought passed through Daichi, the memories of the shadow clone disguised as the guard came to him. ''So the guy I was impersonating was a lefty and since I was using my right hand one of the guys figured it out. And even though I quickly knocked him down a few others saw me and made themotion Oh well''

    At that moment Kakashi appeared in front of his student. "I found the client''s jewels. Did you get the book?"

    Daichi nodded.

    "Well then, our work here is done. Let''s vanish."

    Both ninjas vanished in a pile of leaves the next second and momentster the small vi was crawling with thugs looking to impress their boss.

    Butsuba woke up from his sleep due to all the screaming of his men and quickly switched the lights on in the house. ''Damn it. Did someone get in here?''

    He quickly went to his safe and found all his valuables there but when he looked for the stolen items he hid in his secret stash he found them missing.

    ''Damn. Ayama sent someone here. I didn''t think he''d find out so soon. That thief must have screwed up and got caught.''

    The man quickly rushed to his office and found the book missing and cursed. "Find the intruders. I want them found now." He screamed at his men.

    The guards searched every inch of the house but sadly they couldn''t find even a hint of Daichi or Kakashi.

    -

    "Here are the stolen items. The Jewels and the book." Kakashi gave the items to Denjima and the first thing he inspected was the book. He carefully examined it and a minuteter he was satisfied and convinced that it was indeed the real book and not some copy.

    He then slightly narrowed his eyes and looked at the two. "You didn''t look inside this did you?"

    Daichi had a small frown hearing that question but Kakashi was nonchnt. "Not at all. We''re professionals and we know how to handle sensitive documents." The Jonin replied in a smooth tone.

    Denjima looked at the two for a few moments and nodded his head as if he was satisfied. "Your work is done and you did it splendidly. Thank you. I knew I could count on you leaf ninjas."

    Denjima gave a polite smile to the two Leaf Shinobi and gave them the missionpletion slip. Daichi and Kakashi quickly left the Inn and made their way back to the leaf vige.

    As the gamer ninja jumped through the trees he had a question in the back of his mind. ''Why didn''t the system issue me an option of opening the book and finding its secrets when it gave me the mission. When I heard what they wanted I thought for sure the system would issue something like open the book and find its secrets or not I probably would have refused unless the rewards were great but still. The fact that it didn''t even show up It must have been some mundane secret info. Well, mundane from my perspective. When I used ''observe'' on the book it showed that it was Nebuma Jido who wrote the book and the information was in code. It said the information could destroy his family if it came to light but nothing more Must be some sex scandal or business corruption or something. Well, not my concern.''

    Daichi didn''t give it any more thought and the two ninjas silently made their way back to the vige.

    -

    Back at the Inn the smile on Denjima''s face vanished as soon as the two shinobi were out of his sight. He quickly made his way to the upper floor where his master resided.

    The door quickly opened after just a couple of knocks. Ayama Jido was nervous about the whole ordeal but when he saw his faithful servant bring him his book he let out a breath of relief.

    "The book has been recovered. But my Lord, what is so important inside it that you''re going to destroy it?" Denjima politely asked his master.

    Ayama gave a tired smile at that. "Some secrets are best left buried my friend."

    Denjima bowed his head and didn''t ask anymore. He gave the book to his master and left the room.

    Ayama took a lighter and set the edge of the book alight. He walked to the nearby trashcan and threw the burning book inside. As he saw the mes eat away the pages of the book he recalled a certain memory. It was a conversation he had with histe father.

    shback.

    Nebuma Jido, father of Ayama Jido, was lying in his bed sick. He was at the end of his life and he knew it. As he wasing to terms with his life in his final moments his son came into his room.

    "What is this?" Ayama asked his dying father in anger as he held a brown book. "I was going through the files and found this a few days ago, hidden beneath the scrolls. I couldn''t understand this since it was written in code. At first I thought this was some business deals you wanted to keep secret-"

    "Then why did(cough) did you look.. through them" Ayama''s father asked in a tired sigh.

    "I had to know I know the code used in this book. You taught it to me when I was little after all. So it wasn''t that hard to decipher the book. I was expecting some information about our mining operations but this Tell me it isn''t true" The man''s voice slightly cracked at the end.

    Nebuma looked down, unable to form words or even look at his son. His silence made Ayama drop the book in disbelief. "I can''t believe you You''re a monster."

    "It was war time. (Cough cough). I did(cough) what I had to do to survive." Nebuma took several wheezing breaths and replied.

    "And if they ever find out what you did Even if you''re dead They wille for me and my family"

    The dying man shook his head. "They won''t find out. That book is the only proof that exists"

    He looked at shocked Ayama and spoke in a low voice. "I''m sorry I wasn''t the man you(cough) thought.. I was" With thosest words he took hisst breath and life left his eyes.

    "Father!" Ayama rushed to his father''s bedside but there was nothing he could do.

    shback End.

    Ayama looked at thest few burning embers of the book. ''I should have destroyed this thing that night If the Leaf vige or the Hokage had ever found out that my father helped other viges facilitate the kidnapping of Leaf ninjas during the war, my family and I would have been killed. It was a risk giving this mission to the Leaf shinobi but if I had given it to anyone else and they had be suspicious, then I could have been in big trouble. But my gamble paid off. The past and the sins of my father won''t haunt my family anymore.''

    -

    Hokage office.

    "Missionpleted without a problem. Here are the mission reports." Kakashi handed the files to his kage and stepped back.

    Daichi got the missionpletion reward which was 7000 Exp and it''s 15% bonus of 1050 Exp.

    "Well done you two." The Hokage replied and then he focused his attention on the Genin in the room.

    "Daichi, Kakashi will be unavable for a few weeks so there won''t be any C Rank missions for a while. But you''re more than wee toplete the D Rank missions on your own. And I would also like to see how far you''vee with the third step in Change in Chakra Nature of Water at the end of this month."

    The young Genin was confused. "If I may ask Lord Hokage, is there any particr reason you wish to see my progress?"

    "The scroll I gave you was written by the Second Hokage. The information it contains is quite valuable and I wish to know if you have grasped the concepts in it or if it''s simply beyond your reach. That is all Mastering the Third step is a very difficult agenda"

    The Genin nodded his head. "I understand Lord Hokage. I''ll work on the Change in chakra nature andplete a few D Rank missions in between till sensei is free again."

    "Good. You''re dismissed." Daichi left and Kakashi stood behind.

    Once the door to his office closed, Hiruzen became serious.

    "What''s going on sir?"

    The kage took a scroll and tossed it to the Jonin who swiftly caught it. "Kakashi, that scroll has all of Minato''s notes on his teleportation jutsu. I need you to study it."

    "But sir, I''ve already tried it years ago. Sensei''s teleportation jutsu. Theplexity of it. I understood most of its aspects but I just can''t use it."

    "That variation might be impossible for you to learn but I''m developing a simplified version of the Teleportation jutsu. I will give you the modified technique in a few days. I need you to study this scroll and prepare when the timees."

    The silver haired Jonin was surprised to hear that. "I didn''t realize that you had knowledge of space time ninjutsu arts No offense sir"

    "None taken. And it''s not me who''s modifying the jutsu but someone else. He is much more versed in the sealing arts" The kage replied with a chuckle.

    ''Someone who''s good with sealing arts'' "Is it Lord Jiraiya?" The Jonin asked.

    "No. I''m afraid I can''t divulge his identity."

    "I understand sir. I''ll prepare."

    The old kage nodded and soon dismissed the Jonin. He leaned back in his chair and thought about the next move. ''I need a few trusted and capable Jonin to learn this jutsu. And Kakashi is a good start. If he gets the hang of it I''ll give it to the rest of the candidates.''

    -------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 193: Nature training: Water

    Chapter 193: Nature training: Water

    A lone Genin sat in the middle of theke flowing through training ground three and was meditating. There were several birds sitting on his shoulders and legs and letting out small chirps. But their noises didn''t distract the child. He had now been sitting there for over five days. The Genin neither ate nor slept as he formed a deep and vast connection with the water element.

    Several meters away, the boy''s teacher stood and looked at the child. The silver haired Jonin had a stoic face as he looked at his student. ''Its almost six days now. He hasn''t moved an inch from that spot. His concentration and will is certainly amazing.''

    At that moment Kakashi sensed another presence joining him.

    Kensei walked up to Kakashi and stood near the tree lines. He watched his adopted grandson train the Change in Chakra nature of Water. He remembered what Daichi said to him beforeing to the training ground.

    "Hey Gramps, I''ll be spending the next few weeks improving my Water Nature chakra skills. I''ve hit a block and I have an idea as to how to get past it, but I''ll need time. So I''m gonna take a couple weeks off. I''ve already informed sensei." Daichi said to his grandpa before leaving the house.

    "What are you going to do?"

    At Kensei''s question the boy smiled. "I think meditation is the key to solving my problem."

    The old veteran ninja merely nodded. "Good luck."

    He was proud of the man Daichi was bing. "If he seeds, he''ll have achieved what only a handful of people in the world have aplished." The old man said in a small voice.

    "His growth is unprecedented. To learn the third step in just a few months. It''s insane. I don''t think even Minato sensei could have aplished something like that." The Joninmented without taking his eyes off the boy.

    Kensei smirked and spoke. "He will only learn it right now but he won''t be able to master it in such a short time. That level of proficiency still requires months of dedicated training. But his progress is still impressive nheless."

    The two men didn''t say anything else and just watched the boy. As they stood for several minutes they suddenly noticed a change happening in the water flow around the boy.

    ''He''sing out of his meditation. Did he seed?'' That was the question on both of their minds.

    A few secondster they both felt a massive rise in the boy''s chakra.

    ''What''s going on?''

    -

    Daichi was in a deep meditative state. Hepleted the first phase of the third step but felt as if he was stuck and couldn''t move further. He could quickly extract water from nts and the ground but it was not quick enough and he needed to concentrate quite a bit to achieve the feat.

    And thus after reading several books and notes, Daichi decided to meditate. He found that the calm river flowing through the middle of his training ground would be ideal. Even though six days is a short time, for Daichi it may as well have been weeks.

    While he meditated he began examining the water flowing under him. He contemted the temperature, movements and weight of the water. He imagined it as a part of his body. What it felt like to be the water. He spent every second pondering the existence of this life giving element and tried to understand it.

    Days passed with Daichi making slow progress but on the dawn of the sixth day Daichi finally had a great understanding of water nature.

    [Due to having a brief enlightenment, you have obtained +1 WIS]

    A powerful connection was formed with the Water element.

    [Skill Water affinity''s level has risen by one.]

    [Skill Chakra Flow''s level has risen by one.] x2

    [Skill Water Extraction technique''s level has risen by one] x6

    The notifications alerted Daichi and he opened his eyes. He looked at the messages and had a small smile on his face. ''Finally. I understand now. But before I test the results, there is something else I must do.''

    Sensing movements from the boy, the birds all quickly flew away. Daichi smiled as he looked at the scene. Then without wasting a second the young Genin opened his status page. He looked at the Chakra stat under the Primary stats.

    [Chakra - 416]

    ''I have 591 stat points. Just holding on to them will only hinder me from this point forward. And this will also give me the opportunity to test my theory. Time to increase this stat and take it to the next level.''

    Daichi added 84 points to the stat and watched it get up to 500. The moment the stat reached that number several notifications appeared. But Daichi was far too immersed in the feeling of his chakra being increased to notice the blue boxes right away.

    "Amazing" Daichi couldn''t help but exim out loud. ''This feeling. It''s incredible. It feels as if I''m overflowing with energy. As if I can aplish anything.''

    [Gamer''s Mind Activated.]

    Just before Daichi could let out a manicugh from the high of overflowing chakra, his mental skill calmed him down. Once calmed down, the boy took several deep breaths and regained his peaceful state of mind. He then looked at the various blue boxes stacked up in front of him.

    [Chakra stat has reached 500. ]

    [CP form is revised.]

    [The skill Advanced Chakra Affinity has evolved to Supreme Chakra Affinity. The skill Advanced Chakra Regeneration has evolved to Supreme Chakra Regeneration. This increases the chakra points and chakra regeneration speed of the yer.]

    [Note: Supreme Chakra Affinity and Supreme Chakra Regeneration skills have now reached Max. Level.]

    [Congrattions. You have sessfully trained two skills to their highest level.]

    [1000 Exp.]

    [150 Exp.]

    [Warning: Chakra stat has reached 500. Cannot increase this stat with training anymore. Can only use Free stat points to increase the number.]

    ''So even though the skills have reached Max level the system has no problems with increasing stat points. Good.''

    Daichi then looked at the warning and he wasn''t surprised. ''I knew it. So my theory was right. Once a stat reaches level 500 there will be a restriction from the system. Now I will only be able to use points for this stat Hmm Then this must be the case for the other stats as well. I see.''

    Daichi opened the skill list and looked at the two new maxed out skills. ''New effects were added along with a 150% increase in chakra strength and defense based skills. My chakra points have also gotten a serious boost. Looks like I''ll be able toplete Tsunade''s secret technique soon.''

    Only after confirming everything and closing all the blue system boxes did Daichi pay attention to the two ninjas hanging back in the forest. ''They must be surprised about the rapid chakra increase. But I have an excuse for that. I''m sure they''re also eager to see my progress. Well, can''t me them. I''m also looking forward to this.''

    Daichi got up from his spot and multiple bone pops could be heard. The boy stretched his body and felt much better. With a smile he walked to the shore and greeted the two ninjas who came to see him.

    "Going by that smile, I take it you know how to move past your problem?" Kakashi asked but he already knew the answer.

    The boy nodded. "Yes. You were right. I just needed the right mindset and instinct."

    "What was that huge chakra release just now?"

    "Since I understand the Water chakra nature more thoroughly, I felt that it was time to cut loose and really test my limits and progress of third step skills. And for that holding back would be counterproductive." Daichi gave a smooth reply.

    The Jonin teacher didn''t ask any more and just nodded his head and hummed. Kensei knew it wasn''t the whole truth but didn''t say anything about it. He kept his thoughts to himself since his grandson didn''t want to reveal them to his teacher.

    "Well, no time to waste then." With those words Daichi began moving inward into the training ground and away from the nearby river. Once he reached the clearing in the distance he stopped and let out a breath. Kensei and Kakashi both stood a few meters behind the boy.

    The Genin closed his eyes and stood motionless. He let out a breath and then looked around. ''Creating a powerful water jutsu with just the use of atmosphere. That''s the goal.''

    The next second with lightning speed he went through several hand seals. His concentration peaked as he began executing the jutsu.

    ''Water style - Water Wall jutsu.''

    Daichi''s goal was to create a powerful water wall from the atmosphere. Up until now he had been gathering chakra, changing its nature to water and spitting out the needed volume for the jutsu or using external sources if avable.

    But now he could feel the difference. As he went through the hand seals and prepared, his chakra spread outward from his body in fast but small precise quantities. With great rity Daichi could sense the presence of water particles in the air.

    ''Come on. Focus on the space around me. Visualize the water particles in the air. Force the molecules together. Collect as many particles as possible andbine them''

    These thoughts went through Daichi''s mind in less than a second.

    The eyes of Kakashi and Kensei who were standing a short distance behind Daichi widened in disbelief.

    Kensei looked at the fast swirling and increasing vortex of water with Daichi standing in the center. ''I knew he could do it but still To see and experience it. It''s totally different.''

    Kakashi already had his Sharingan out and was amazed with what he saw. With each second the jutsu got bigger and bigger. ''To have such fast and precise control over the spread of his chakra and to even create such a powerful water style jutsu. Especially where there is no water There is no mistaking it. Daichi has just be the most powerful water style jutsu user in the whole Leaf vige.''

    Daichi stood in the center of a swirling mass of water that grew bigger and bigger by the second. He could sense his chakra seeping into the ground, trees and even saturate the air and extract andbine the water partictes.

    The young Gamer wasn''t satisfied with the amount of water gathered after about a dozen seconds. ''More. I have to see my limits. And then move beyond them. Come on. I need to create more water. Find the two atoms. Combine Hydrogen and Oxygen. Use heat as a catalyst...''

    He closed his eyes, concentrated and increased the chakra output. He could sense the molecules in the air and he added a minute amount of heat to start the process. The next second the speed of water formation increased. Daichi thought about nothing but the task he was attempting. The ground cracked from the sheer force, trees shook and the leaves flew all around in the air.

    After about 30 seconds Daichi opened his eyes. All around him was fast swirling water. It was several meters high and there was a high volume of water concentrated and held in the air. The boy looked in wonder at the clear liquid surrounding him. As he stood there, Daichi felt as if he had achieved inner peace. He closed his eyes and basked in the feeling for a few moments.

    A few secondster arge grin formed on the Genin''s face. He sensed no life present for several meters in front of him. Immediately he began forming several different seals for his next jutsu. In moments hepleted the long sequence of hand seals.

    "Water style - Water Dragon shockwave!"

    The gathered water swiftly changed form and took the shape of a Large dragon with yellow eyes. With a ferocious roar it rushed forward destroying everything in its path. Crushing trees, rocks, boulders Nothing stood in its ways and survived.

    Due to the crystal clear water, Daichi saw the aftermath of his jutsu and what it left behind. He was satisfied with its strength and cut the chakra off to the jutsu. The dragon kept going for a couple more seconds before losing form and then the water came crashing down and kept moving forward.

    Daichi looked ahead and saw the devastating power of his technique.

    "Did you really have to do that?" Kakashi came near the boy and asked with a tired sigh. He looked at the wrecked training ground in front of him and let out a deep breath. ''Ohh Tenzo is not going to be happy.''

    "I had to see for myself. How far I havee." Daichi didn''t say anything else.

    Kensei came and patted the boy''s back. "Your jutsu reminds of the ones Lord Second used in his times. I''ve only seen him fight a few times and it was incredible. The sheer power, versatility and the cunning way he used his techniques The way he created water from air Daichi, you''re finally stepping into the realms of Legends."

    The old man had no problems with showering Daichi with praise. Especially after the performance he just saw.

    The boy smiled at thepliment. "Thank Gramps. But this is just a start. I''m gonna surpass them all."

    -------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 194: Joint D Rank Mission

    Chapter 194: Joint D Rank Mission

    It has been a few days since Daichi''s water training and stat upgrade in the forest. Since he had made significant improvements the boy decided to take a few days off to rest and rx. Other thanpleting the daily exercise tasks he had set for himself, Daichi didn''t do anything else and just enjoyed his time.

    ''Its been so long since I just spent time doing nothing Ahh''

    Daichi was in his backyard under a tree enjoying the quiet atmosphere. Even though his body was rxing his mind was working on what to tackle next.

    ''Lets see my progress. I''ll decide from there. Status.''

    The boy''s eyes immediately went to the primary stats.

    [Primary Stats]

    Strength - 277

    Vitality - 289

    Dexterity - 235

    Agility - 275

    Intelligence - 218

    Chakra - 500

    Wisdom - 214

    .

    ''Strength, Vitality and Agility are all close to 300. There is no point in wasting time getting them to 300 by training. Using points to get to the next stage is the best move. I have 507 free points remaining. I should at least use some of it now.''

    Having made a decision, Daichi added 23 points to Strength stat, 11 points to Vitality and 25 points to Agility.

    ''A total of 59 points to get these three stats to 300. That''s a good trade off. Now till these reach the mid 400s I''ll just increase them using training.''

    A few seconds after the three stats reached 300 points, several system notifications started popping up. Daichi quickly felt the changes in his body. He felt his muscles tighten and felt the increased power coursing through his body.

    The young gamer began looking through each of the messages.

    [Strength stat has reached 300.]

    [The passive skill Giant''s Strength has evolved to Tank Man.]

    ''So the skill evolved. Tank man huh. I suppose it''s a fitting name for a fighter like me. I wonder what''s changed?''

    The boy noticed that new effects were added to the skill.

    ''Augmented muscle density and bone strength. A reduction in damage taken and iing Damage nullification of certain levels Not bad.''

    [Vitality stat has reached 300.]

    [HP form is revised]

    [You have gained the new skill Life Return.]

    Daichi immediately opened the details of the new skill.

    [Life Return - Active(LV. MAX): A passive skill given to the yer when Vitality has 300. This skill allows the user to absorb the Stamina and Health of their target and improve one''s own Vitality.]

    [Effect:]

    [Increase in HP and SP depends on the health and stamina absorbed from the target.]

    [Can permanently increase Stamina and Vitality stats with Life Return.]

    [Note: Skill has a cool down time of 2 Hours. The user must be in physical contact with the target to activate the skill. Ten seconds are required for skill activation. Once the skill is activated, the longer the contact the longer the Health and Stamina drain.]

    Daichi read the skills and his eyes widened as he looked at the effects. ''I can permanently increase two of my stats by using this skill? Amazing. Even though there are some restrictions, the value of this skill far outweighs their demerits I need to test this skill. I need to see their true potential It looks like I''ll have to prepare for the next dungeon soon.''

    [Agility stat has reached 300.]

    [The passive skill Swiftness has evolved to Shadow Speed.]

    [Hidden limitations ced on the skill due to the insufficient strength stat points have now been removed. New effects have been added.]

    Daichi read thest part and his suspicions were proven correct. ''The system said I could increase my speed to 5 times but I was never able to achieve that speed. At best I was able to increase my speed by 3 times. It seems my theory was correct. My body didn''t have the strength to withstand those speeds and thus there were hidden limitations. But I wonder why the system didn''t tell me about the restrictions ced Question for another time I guess''

    Daichi looked at the new effects of the evolved skill.

    [Enhanced body part velocity.]

    [The ability to move body parts at extreme speeds in almost all directions allowing the user to cover a wide range of motions quickly.]

    ''A perfect skill to take the enemy by surprise or unleash unsuspecting fast attacks This will definitelye in handy.''

    After going through each of the blue boxes Daichi opened his status page and looked at his current condition.

    [Name : Daichi Hekima] (The Gamer)

    [ss : Genin - ID 012559.]

    [Age : 12]

    [Title : Capable Child, Explorer, Prodigy, Beast yer, Dungeon Warrior, Executioner, Assassin, Mighty Healer, Slug Sannin''s Apprentice, Master of the Elements, A Genius of the Continent.]

    [Level : 51 (52787/68125)]

    .

    HP : 27040

    CP : 86424

    SP : 24570

    MP: 13000

    .

    [Primary Stats]

    Strength - 300

    Vitality - 300

    Dexterity - 235

    Agility - 300

    Intelligence - 218

    Chakra - 500

    Wisdom - 214

    .

    [Special Stats]

    Sense - 132

    Stamina - 242

    Indomitable - 37

    Charisma - 58

    Persistence - 35

    Dignity - 7

    Luck - 11

    .

    [Stat Points - 448]

    [Ryo - 30484501]

    Daichi looked at his stats and smiled. He leaned back against the tree and took in a deep breath of air and let it out.

    ''Strength invites challenges. I have no doubt that when canon starts Orochimaru, Akatsuki and others wille for me. Obito and Zetsu will take every factor into ount and I will no doubt be a new variable to them. Our sh is inevitable. The story only focused on a few enemies since it was about Naruto and Sasuke. But I doubt they are the only ones in the shadows. So the question is, who else will get in my way?''

    Daichi looked at the clouds and rxed in his spot. ''It won''t matter. I won''t allow myself to fall.''

    --

    Daichi stood in front of the Hokage and waited for his new mission.

    "Since Kakashi is unavable you''ll be working with another Genin team. I''ll exin the mission details when they get here. It shouldn''t be long now." Hiruzen said as he looked through the details in the scroll.

    A few secondster there was a knock on the door.

    "Come in."

    The door opened and Daichi saw Team Guy entering. Might Guy had a wide smile as he entered the room and he was followed by his three students.

    "Good morning Lord Hokage. My youthful team is ready for our next mission." Guy greeted the Kage and then turned his attention to Daichi.

    "Ahh young Daichi, you''re here too. Where is Kakashi?"

    At that moment the Guy''s students also looked at Daichi. Lee had a wide grin as he looked at his best friend and Tenten greeted Daichi with a polite smile while Neji didn''t even bother looking his way. He stood stoic and kept his attention on the Kage of the vige.

    "Guy, right on time. I''ve given Kakashi an important task and so he is unavable at the moment. So for this mission Daichi will be joining your team and will be under your care." Hiruzen said as he looked at the Jonin.

    "Yosh. It will be my pleasure to have young Daichi on our team." Guy gave a thumbs up to the Genin gamer and stood in attention.

    Lee was extremely happy to be able to work with his friend. He went and stood near his friend. "Oh Daichi. Our first mission together. This will be awesome."

    Daichi chuckled as he looked at his friend. "That depends on the mission Lee."

    "What mission do you have for us, Lord Hokage?"

    At Might Guy''s question the kage gave a scroll to the green spandex wearing Jonin.

    Hiruzen began exining the mission. "Now, this might be marked as a D Rank mission but it is a very important one. There are apparently some parasitic organisms that got into the Great Southern Lake. They were most probably flushed here due to the recent unexpected rains we''ve been having. We suspect they aremprey. Your mission is to eliminate them now before they have a chance to spawn and kill the fishester."

    Tenten tilted her head and thought about the situation. "Lamprey? Aren''t those the fish that hook onto other fishes or something? It''s going to be hard to get rid of all of them."

    "Not to mention that if it''s already at the point where the Lamprey are high in numbers where we''re noticing the death and injuries on the poption of fish then it''ll be a big problem if we''re not thorough." Daichi gave his thoughts as well. He then looked at the Hokage and asked a question. "If I''m not mistaken, then the Great Lake is one of the back up food supplies for the vige isn''t it."

    Hiruzen nodded his head. "Yes it is. That''s why despite the mission being a low D Rank it has such great importance. We cannot afford to have that supply be destroyed by parasites."

    "What about chemicals? What are they called Ah yes Lampricides. What about them?" Guy asked the old leader.

    "What''s that sensei?" Lee asked at that moment.

    It was Hiruzen who answered Lee''s question. "There is a chemical called Lampricide. It''s a toxic chemical dangerous to Lamprey but harmless to most other aquatic species. The problem is we have no shipment here in the vige at the moment. Not in the quantities we need anyway. We''d have to ship it from the capital or coastal facilities that have ess to the material. That will take time which we do not have."

    Daichi crossed his arms as his mind went through the different scenarios. He went through different options, but one stood out to him. But for that he needed to know the limits.

    "Lord Hokage, what''s the eptable coteral damage?" Daichi had a serious face as he looked at the kage.

    The others became silent at Daichi''s question. Hiruzen looked at the strongest Genin in the room and sighed after a few seconds. He then answered the boy''s question. "Right now, we have an estimate of the edible fishes in theke. If ites down to it then their poption should not be reduced to less than 60% of their current number. Also no permanent damages should be done to theke itself You mustplete the mission with these parameters in mind." The kage looked at everyone as he said thosest words.

    A new quest appeared in front of Daichi.

    [Quest Created - Wipe out the Invasive Species]

    Daichi looked at the mission details and epted the quest.

    "Yes sir.!"

    "Dismissed."

    The four Genin and one Jonin left the room. Guy looked at his students and the new addition to his team. "This mission will be a tricky one but not impossible. We willplete it with excellence and show everyone our BLAZING SPIRITS!"

    "YES GUY SENSEI!" Lee shouted alongside his sensei.

    "Now then" Guy leaned forward with his right hand extended straight.

    "Oh right." Lee extended his right hand and ced it on top of Guy''s. The Jonin then looked towards Tenten.

    ''Oh God this is so embarrassing.'' The weapons specialist after a few seconds hesitatingly put her right hand on top of Lee''s.

    Guy''s attention then focused on the two remaining ninjas of their team.

    Neji looked like he swallowed a lemon and Daichi had a twitch above his eyes. Daichi met the excited eyes of Lee and Guy and just sighed. He then nced at Neji and just decided to go with the flow.

    ''Oh well, when in Rome'' The young Gamer reluctantly extended his arm and joined the others and Neji soon followed.

    "Hahaha. Yes! Onward with the Power of Youth. ATTACK! ATTACK! ATTACK!" Guy shouted with a wide grin.

    "YES SENSEI. ATTACK!" Lee joined his sensei with great enthusiasm.

    There were other ninjas walking by who looked at the five. They chuckled when they saw Daichi, Neji and Tenten''s red faces.

    "Let''s gooo"

    With that the team made their way to the Great Southern Lake.

    -

    The five ninjas stood at the shore of the Great Lake.

    "So my dear Genins, any ideas?" Guy asked his students.

    "I don''t know much about Lamprey but aren''t they eaten just like other fishes? There''s probably a lot of information avable about them. Maybe we could find a book that tells us their characteristics or how to catch them?" Tenten gave her thoughts.

    "But we don''t know if they have started reproducing yet or what fishes they''re feeding upon. Finding information on them is a good idea but we don''t have a lot of time to waste." Neji said as he looked at the giant body of water.

    "Tenten, you''re right about the Lamprey being edible but as Neji said, we don''t have time to research the matter thoroughly." Guys said to his students.

    Lee looked at his new temporary teammate. "What do you think, Daichi?"

    "Hmm Let me see what we''re dealing with." Daichi said as he took a few steps on top of theke.

    Neji narrowed his eyes at this. ''So he knows water walking. Not unexpected.''

    Daichi created a shadow clone and then got down on one knee and ced a hand on the surface of the water. The other four people were paying close attention to his actions.

    A secondter several Chakra strings came to life from the palm touching the surface of the water. The chakra threads rushed down and quickly caught two fishes.

    Daichi pulled back the chakra strings and looked at two captured fishes. He kept the native fish just below the surface of the water while he examined the intruder closely.

    ''Observe''

    [Lamprey]

    [HP: 5] [CP: 1]

    [This is a parasitic Lamprey not native to the Land of Fire. They are an invasive species that migrate up the river to spawn. It is also sometimes referred to as the Vampire fish. They have an eel-like body without paired fins. It''s mouth is a jawless round sucker-like and wider than the head with sharp teeth arranged in concentric circr rows. An adult Lamprey can reach up to 120 cm.]

    "What are you thinking, young Daichi?" Guy asked the boy.

    "I''m curious to see their tolerance towards heat whenpared to the other fishes here." Daichi gave his reply.

    "And how would you find that out?" Questioned Tenten.

    At that Daichi ced the struggling Lamprey back under water and he slightly extended his chakra strings. Now both fish he caught were about half a meter under the surface of water. They were both struggling to get away but were unable to break hold from Daichi''s strings.

    The shadow clone Daichi also created two strings and had them form a loose coil around the two fishes. He made sure his strings didn''t touch their bodies.

    Daichi changed the properties of the string to fire and began to heat up the water around the two fishes. But this was a slow process. He made sure to pay attention to the changes in the fish at each degree increase.

    Soon the Lamprey started to struggle harder and after a few more seconds fell limp. Daichi stopped increasing the heat and looked at the other fish that was native to the Great Lake.

    It was struggling but still alive and rtively unharmed. Daichi memorized the amount of heat the water was exuding when the Lamprey died and now he had a n. He just needs Guy''s permission to execute it.

    He turned towards the Jonin and spoke. "It''s just as I thought. Lamprey can''t survive in hot water. They have very low tolerance for high temperatures in water. I''m sure they can''t even tolerate tropical waters. But the native fishes on the other hand are hardy and can tolerate temperature fluctuations and heat."

    "But even if that''s true, if we heat theke then, then many native fishes will die." Lee said, trying to think of a different way.

    "Yes. It''s why I asked the Hokage about coteral damage. Sometimes sacrificing the few is necessary for the good of the many. I know it''s not a pretty concept but" Daichi didn''t say anything anymore and just looked at his temporary instructor.

    Guy sighed and spoke with a rare serious face. "It''s true. Sometimes those measures are necessary. But not done lightly."

    He looked at Daichi and nodded his head, giving the boy permission to move forward with his n. But there were certain preparations that needed to be made first.

    Daichi got up and looked at the Greatke. At that moment he was seeing the vige in ce of the water and the Uchiha n as the Lamprey.

    ''Sacrificing the few to save the many. But still, people aren''t fishes. It''s not a decision that can be made when ites to humans Was there really no other way Itachi?''

    --------------

    Author''s Note.

    This mission will bepleted in the next chapter and a new B rank mission will begin.

    I know it might seem like I''m dying canon and writing filler chapters but that is not the case. I do want to start canon as soon as possible but I also want to write some original mission arcs and not bore you guys with the variations of the same missions you''ve all probably read a hundred or thousand times already.

    I hope you''re enjoying the variety of tasks I''ming up with for Daichi.

    Please feel free to share your thoughts on the missions I''ming up with.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 195: First B Rank Mission

    Chapter 195: First B Rank Mission

    Guy stood with his arms crossed and had his eyes on Daichi. He had an unusually serious expression as he looked at the boy. ''The fact that he asked the Hokage about coteral damages He knew this was most likely the best option out of all the ones The life of few for the safety of many. But will he make such a choice when ites to other people?''

    Guy''s eyes then slowly drifted to his most precious student, Lee. As he looked at the boy and thought about all the things Lee said about his friend, the concerns Guy had vanished and his face softened. ''No. Daichi knows the difference. He''s a good kid. His friendship with Lee is proof of that.''

    Putting on a big smile, Guy stepped forward and spoke. "Daichi! Do you have a n on solving this situation?"

    At that the young gamer nodded his head. "Yes. There are a few ways we can go about this. We can drain the pond, capture all the native fishes and safely store them. Then kill all the Lampreys and look for any eggs that they might haveid and kill them too. Then refill the pond and bring the fishes back inside."

    "But that will take time and lots of resources" Tenten said as she thought about the logistics of such a n.

    Daichi nodded his head agreeing with her. "Yes. It is an option but not the best n. The fastest way to solve this is to heat theke to a certain temperature that kills the eggs andrvae of themprey and not harm the other fishes."

    Guy nodded his head and stepped forward. "He''s right. Sometimes a problem can be solved through careful nning, clever consideration, through patience or with brute force. But for delicate matters like this, one needs to apply brute force alongside a clever n to make it a sess."

    "I have an idea and I need Neji''s assistance." Daichi said as he looked at the Jonin and then to the Hyuga in the group.

    Guy beamed and gave a thumbs up. "Alright. Let''s hear your n. Neji, are you ready?"

    The Hyuga merely nodded his head and paid attention to the new teammate. Lee and Tenten also paid attention and wanted to know how they could help out.

    Daichi beganying out his n. "Neji, I need you to use your Byakugan and tell me the location of the fishes native to these waters. I''ll create clones and capture them with my chakra strings and keep them at a safe distance. I know we won''t be able to get everything but we can significantly reduce the damage to their poption if we''re careful and thorough."

    Daichi then turned his attention to Lee and Tenten. "Once I heat up theke you two will need to take the fishing and scoop up the remains from the pond so that the corpses don''t contaminate the water. Two people per."

    Lee looked a bit unsure at that moment since he didn''t know water walking and Daichi immediately understood the problem. "Lee, you can hold the from the shore and cover the perimeter of the pond. Tenten can cover the parts nearer the center."

    "Not a bad n Daichi." Guy said with a smile.

    Daichi nodded and created over two dozen shadow clones.

    Neji, Tenten were shocked to see the solid clones. Guy grinned as he looked at the number of clones that appeared. ''27 shadow clones and he doesn''t even look winded. His chakra is far bigger than those his age.''

    Neji made the hand seal and activated his Kekkei Genkai. The moment he did, he was shocked to see how much chakra Daichi had. ''He has this much chakra? His reserves are even greater than Lord Hiashi.''

    The shadow clones spread out all over theke and stood in attention. Each one of them had chakra stringsing from their hands. With his heightened senses Daichi sensed most of the creatures swimming under theke. The Chakra strings immediately moved and started to attach to their targets.

    ''I''ve only seen the puppet brigade from the Sand vige that had such wless mastery of Chakra Strings. But I doubt even they could change the nature of their strings so easily. His skills are truly vast.'' Guy thought as he looked at how Daichi used his energy threads.

    "Neji, call out if you see the fishes I miss or the ones deep in theke."

    "Byakugan!" The Hyuga nodded and activated his special eyes. "Approximately 380ft below you. Four of them."

    Daichi quickly expanded his senses and captured the fishes.

    "The one you caught just now is a Lamprey." Neji addressed a clone. The shadow clone nodded and heated the string that had caught the parasite fish.

    His clones were also doing their best and with Neji guiding them the work was done quickly.

    Over half an hour and almost all the sea creatures in theke were entangled in Daichi''s strings. The shadow clones moved towards the edge of theke with their targets while the real Daichi moved to the center. He focused on his chakra and blurred through a series of seals.

    Inhaling a deep breath of air and changing its properties, Daichi exhaled a stream of fire into the water. Steam erupted almost immediately as the mes touched theke''s surface. Daichi kept up the stream of fire and soon theke started heating up. His delicate senses allowed him to assess the temperature of theke while his clones kept the native fishes as cool as possible by changing the properties and nature of their chakra strings.

    Soon the entire pond started producing small bubbles and steam. At that moment Daichi stopped using the jutsu and took a deep breath of air.

    "The Lampreyrvae should be dead and the adults should be dying right now. We need to scoop up the remains before they contaminate the water." Daichi said as he looked at the team.

    "Yosh. Well done Daichi. You did your part. Now it''s our turn. Let''s show him our burning passion!" Guy shouted with a grin and they got to work.

    It wasn''t an easy task. The team spent almost all day hauling out fish, checking for parasites and then tossing the fish back. They also had to scoop up the remains of the dead fish as well. It was tedious, physically exhausting work. Thankfully Guy''s team and Daichi were used to such tasks.

    As Daichi suspected, some native fishes did not survive and were killed by the heat.

    "What''s the damage, Neji?" Guy asked.

    The Hyuga Genin used his eyes to check the Lake and soon came to a conclusion. "Based on my estimates more than 85% of the native fishes survived with no visible wounds. And all the Lampreys seem to have been killed."

    Might Guy beamed hearing that. "Excellent work. Well done, all of you."

    "You know we should take the dead fish to the market and give them to the hungry. That way there won''t be any waste. What do you think?." Tenten said, looking at her sensei.

    "That''s a wonderful idea Tenten." Lee praised his teammate with a big smile.

    "Yes! A most excellent idea dear Tenten. As soon as we''re done here we''ll head to the market. Others should benefit from this work and the fish is already cooked." The Jonin agreed and made his decision.

    The team kept up their work for hours and by evening, their work waspleted.

    "Oh god. I need a shower." Tenten spoke as she cleaned her hands.

    Lee smelled himself and was taken back. "Urgh. You have a point. A bath does sound nice."

    All of them were covered in dirt, grim and smelled horrible.

    At that moment an Anbu appeared near the team, starling the three Genins. Only Daichi and Guy sensed the presence of the new ninja before he appeared.

    The Anbu looked directly at Daichi and spoke. "Daichi Hekima. Please clean yourself up quickly and head to the Hokage''s office. There is an emergency."

    Everyone was surprised and shocked. Guy narrowed his eyes and looked at the Anbu. "Did something happen?"

    "There has been an incident at the Capital. The Hokage has asked for Daichi''s presence. That is all I can say." The stoic ninja replied.

    The Jonin nodded his head. "I understand." He turned to the temporary addition to the team. "Daichi. You''re dismissed. Get cleaned up quickly and get to the tower. You shouldn''t keep Lord Hokage waiting."

    Daichi nodded and turned towards the messenger. "Please inform Lord Hokage that I''ll be there shortly."

    The Anbu nodded and vanished from his spot. Daichi turned to the other and waved them goodbye. Next second he vanished with the body flicker jutsu.

    The Gamer ninja quickly reached his home and soon got himself in a presentable state. After taking a shower and putting on some new gear Daichi made his way to the Hokage tower.

    ''I wonder what this is about? An emergency at the capital? Could it be about Jin. Or maybe something to do with the Phantom thief?''

    He didn''t know what happened but he would face whatever it was without flinching.

    Hokage Tower: A short while ago.

    The Hokage was going through important mission documents when his secretary came into the room.

    "Lord Hokage. Yondu is here from the Capital. He has requested a meeting. Said it was an emergency." The assistant said, conveying the urgency of the situation.

    Hiruzen was startled hearing that. ''Yondu? He''s the messenger of the Royal court. If he''s here then something serious must have happened.''

    "Send him in."

    The secretary nodded and a few momentster a middle aged man with green eyes and light shaded red hair entered the room. He bowed before the Hokage and then straightened.

    "Greetings Lord Hokage." His voice was smooth and pleasant to the ears.

    Hiruzen nodded. "Wee to the Leaf vige Yondu. Please sit. What brings you here?"

    Yondu took a chair and spoke. "I will get straight to the point since time is a precious factor. The nephew of the 3rd Minister was poisoned less than 12 hours ago."

    The Hokage''s eyes widened. ''Even though it was the nephew of the 3rd minister, Ryuga will definitely consider this an attack on the Royal court and thus a personal attack on him. But that still doesn''t exin why Yondu is here. There are capable medics in the capital. So why would hee here Unless''

    Hiruzen could make a guess as to why the man was here but didn''t say anything in case he was wrong.

    Yondu continued. "The boy is dying. The best medics at the capital couldn''t find out what''s wrong with him or what poison was used. But they were able to make an estimate based on the speed of the poison''s progression. Based on his bodily functions, they estimate he has about 7 or 8 hours from now to live. We''ve searched for Lady Tsunade. She visited the capital a few weeks ago but soon left. We can''t locate her at the moment and won''t be able to until it''s toote."

    Hiruzen''s suspicion was proven correct. "So you''re here for her student, Daichi Hekima I presume?"

    "Yes." The messenger from the Royal court nodded his head. "Lord Taji Mayima has requested the boy''s aid and has given the mission. This will be marked as a B Rank due to its high priority. Is the boy here in the vige?"

    Yondu knew that if Daichi was away outside the vige, the chances of the Minister''s nephew dying would increase to 100%. And the situation would be much worse.

    "Daichi is here. He is currently on a D Rank mission. I will summon him immediately." Hiruzen replied and made a gesture with his hand. An Anbu quickly appeared kneeling.

    "Find Daichi and tell him to report to me at once." Nothing else was said and the Anbu nodded and vanished in silence.

    Hiruzen then turned his attention back to Yondu. "Tell me about the situation. How did this happen?"

    -------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 196: Save the Nephew of the Minister.

    Chapter 196: Save the Nephew of the Minister.

    "I see. So that''s how it is If he dies, then" Hiruzen massaged the bridge of his nose as his mind went through the situation.

    "Yes. Not only will the minister be furious but Lord Ryuga will also be very unhappy. Until the culprit is found, there will be some chaos." Yondu knew the temperament of the Fire Lord better than most. If the matter is not resolved soon harsh actions will be taken that could cause problems for everyone.

    ''The first thing to do is save Leorio''s life. And the only people who could do that are Tsunade and Daichi. And since Tsunade is nowhere to be found I have no choice but to send Daichi. But with all the threats eyeing him, I can''t send him alone I can''t recall Kakashi. He is in the middle of his delicate training. I''ll have to assign someone else''

    Hiruzen knew that sending Daichi alone was not an option no matter how strong the boy was. At that moment an idea suddenly sparked in his head. ''Hmm, that will work. If they can work together then a couple of my problems will be solved.''

    At that moment the Kage sensed the presence of the Genin outside his office.

    -

    Daichi reached the Hokage''s office and was quickly let in.

    "Lord Hokage." He greeted the leader of the vige and then nced at the other person present in the room.

    "Daichi. This is Yondu. He is a member of the Fire Daimyo''s Royal court." Hiruzen introduced the man to the Genin.

    Daichi immediately used ''Observe'' skill on the man and made an analysis of the person. ''Level 68. 47 years old. His agility and stamina are high for his level but other than that all his stats seem normal A messenger and close personal friend of the Daimyo. Unmarried. Smart and capable of fighting even Jonin level ninjas.''

    It only took a few seconds for Daichi to have a rough understanding and measure of Yondu''s background, strength and abilities.

    "It is an honor to meet you sir." He gave a short bow and greeted the elder man.

    "There is a matter of grave importance that requires your attention at the Capital." Hiruzen spoke, drawing Daichi''s attention. "This will be a B Rank mission and you are to leave for the Capital immediately."

    ''A B Rank? This is indeed serious.'' The boy nodded and stood in attention. "Will Kakashi sensei being?"

    The Hokage shook his head indicating the absence of the Sharingan ninja. "Kakashi will be unavable but Genma here will join you."

    At that moment the Hokage''s Elite Guard and Special Jonin Genma Shiranui appeared. "Hey."

    Daichi immediately used the Observe skill again on the new target.

    [LV.75] [Genma Shiranui]

    Age: 27

    HP: 9860 CP: 11425

    Affiliation: Leaf Vige

    [Genma Shiranui is the son ofte Hirata Shiranui. He is a Special Jonin of the Leaf vige and an elite bodyguard to the Hokage. Became a Genin at the age of 10 and was teammates of Might Guy and Ebisu under the Jonin Choza Akimichi. He is a calm collected individual and a veteran shinobi with a wide variety of skills. Proficient in ninjutsu. Capable in Taijutsu and Genjutsu. Primary chakra nature is fire.

    STR - 186

    AGI - 198

    INT - 67

    The physical stats maybe subjected to change if chakra or technique is applied. ]

    The young gamer quickly read the information his system showed. ''Hmm Genma Shiranui. There wasn''t much about him in canon other than the small bits shown I guess I''ll know more about him during this mission.''

    "You will be working under Genma for the duration of this mission." Hiruzen ryed his message.

    At that moment the second Chain Quest appeared in front of the boy.

    [Chain Quest Initiated.]

    [Quest created - Save the Nephew of the Minister.]

    [An unknown party has poisoned the nephew of the 3rd Minister of the Fire Capital. He only has a few hours left to live. Head to the capital and save his life.]

    [Conditions:]

    Stabilize his condition and prolong his life.

    [Rewards:]

    [12000 Exp.

    +1 Level in Health Maniption.

    +1 Wisdom Stat

    +1 Intelligence Stat.

    Reputation increases with the Client.

    Reputation massively increased with Genma Shirunau, Hiruzen Sarutobi and people in Fire Capital.]

    .

    [Failure:]

    [Failure toplete the ''Quest - Save the Nephew of the Minister.

    Reputation decreases with everyone.

    Possible wrath of the Fire Daimyo.]

    .

    [ept Y/N]

    ''Another chain Quest? Looks like this will be a tricky mission''

    Having absolute faith in his medical skills, Daichi mentally epted the quest.

    [You have epted the 1st quest.]

    The Hokage spoke at that moment. "Since this is a time sensitive issue, Yondu will exin the details of the mission to you on the way."

    Daichi nodded and soon Genma, Yondu and Daichi were on their way to the Capital.

    -

    It was evening around 6pm. Three people swiftly moved through the forest in the Fire country and were making their way to the Capital.

    "Daichi, you''ve spent some time in the capital. What do you know about the 3rd Minister?" Yondu asked the boy as he jumped to another tree.

    ''Hmm'' Daichi recalled the information he read and quickly replied. "The 3rd Minister is Lord Taji Mayima. He is in charge of public rtions and overseeing the various businesses in the Capital and surrounding towns."

    "Yes. There are three ministers overseeing various aspects of the government in Fire country and Lord Taji Mayima is a very important person. So this must be solved quickly. And moreover an attack against his family is considered an attack against the Daimyo itself."

    The Genin nodded his head as heard that. "I understand the seriousness of the situation. Can you tell me more about the minister? You said his nephew lives with him? What about his parents?"

    Yondu was silent for a few moments and just when Daichi thought he wouldn''t answer Yondu spoke. "Lord Taji and his wife Fuyi had a son. And Lord Taji had a twin brother named Genji. Genji also had a son named Leorio Mayima. Both Leorio and Lord Taji''s son were around the same age. Many years ago he lost his son, his brother and sister inw in an unfortunate ident. Lord Taji and Fuyi lost their son and Leorio, his parents."

    "The third Minister adopted and raised the boy, didn''t he?" Genma said as it was easy to draw that conclusion from the events.

    Yondu nodded his head. "Yes. It took a long time but they were able to heal and move past the tragedy. But now If Lord Taji loses Leorio as well"

    "I will do everything in power to not let that happen."

    Yondu looked at the Genin''s serious expression and nodded. ''If there is anyone who can save him and avert a crisis, it''s you.''

    "Please tell me everything that''s happened to Leorio." Daichi wanted to know as much information as he could to prepare and have an idea as to what he was walking into.

    Yondu recalled the memories and began. "Everything was fine yesterday when Leorio went to bed. He was healthy without any problems. But early this morning the guard outside his room started hearing loud coughs and painful shouts. He burst into the room and saw Leorio sweating heavily, breathing hard and clutching his chest in pain. The family medics did a thorough examination and couldn''t find what''s wrong with him and he was soon brought to the hospital."

    "I see I''m guessing Dr. Karuizawa examined his condition."

    "Indeed. He along with severalpetent other medics ran all sorts of tests But none of them could find the cause of his illness let alone a cure. What they did find is that he was poisoned and how much time he has left before death. The medics said that based on the speed of his organs deteriorating functions he has only a few hours from now"

    "Have you caught the person who poisoned him?"

    The messenger from the Capital shook his head to Genma''s question. "An investigation is underway but nothing at the moment. At least, I haven''t heard anything before I left. And the guards stationed at Lord Taji''s mansion didn''t sense any intruders."

    It became quiet and Daichi took another look at the new quest. ''It says stabilize his condition and prolong his life. Not cure or save him That''s strange Does that mean saving his life is impossible or will ite in another quest? Hmm I''ll only be able to know more after I examine the guy. This brings another question that''s been on my mind for some time Does the system know the future and my future actions? Is My Gamer system sentient?''

    Daichi recalled the system message that appeared when he first woke up in this world.

    [Memories of the previous life of your soul which were locked have now been unlocked. Memories of your current life and your unlocked ones are being merged. Mergingplete. Good luck, yer.

    System Administrator ]

    ''System Administrator Till a few years ago I thought it was from some deity who sent my soul here. But now Is there someone who is controlling the system?''

    An ufortable and somewhat frightening thought came to Daichi''s mind. ''Am I someone''s puppet?''

    Daichi took a few deep breaths of air and calmed his heart. ''I will have to look into this. But for now Just need to focus on bing stronger.''

    "Are you alright Daichi? You look a little pale."

    The Jonin Genma''s voice brought Daichi out of his thoughts.

    "I''m fine. Just thinking about the many possibilities of our actions" Genma raised an eyebrow hearing the vague reply.

    At that moment Daichi received a new system message.

    [Quest ''Wipe out the Invasive Species'' Completed.]

    [Rewards]

    8000 Exp.

    1200 Exp.

    [Reputation increases with Team Guy and The Hokage.]

    [Reputation increases with people of the Leaf Vige.]

    ''So Guy must have submitted the mission report. Good. Only 6168 exp to the next level.''

    In a better mood than before, Daichi made his way to his destination.

    The three people were moving much faster than even ordinary ninjas. Yondu expected the fast pace from the Jonin apanying him but Daichi keeping up without showing any strain was a surprise to the man.

    ''So his stamina and speed are also above normal. A very talented child indeed.'' Yondu thought as they were getting closer to the Fire Capital city.

    -

    The three people soon made it to the hospital and Dr. Karuizawa greeted them. He was about to bring them to where Leorio was situated but at that moment several people came forward. Two in particr had their focus on Daichi.

    The young Genin immediately used ''Observe'' and found out who they were. ''The 3rd Minister and his wife. And the rest are his personal guards.''

    Lord Taji Mayima, the 3rd Minister of the Fire Capital looked at the messenger of the Royal court. "Thank you for bringing him so quickly Yondu."

    "Of course Lord Taji." The man bowed and replied. He then turned to Daichi and Genma and introduced them. "This is Lord Taji Mayima the 3rd Minister of his Capital and his wife Fuyi Mayima."

    Taji had a somber expression while his wife silently looked at the Genin.

    "I have heard a lot about you, Daichi Hekima. Your medical skills are almost equal to those of Lady Tsunade. You''re ourst chance. Can I put my faith in you?" The minister looked at the boy with hope in his eyes.

    Daichi was silent for a few seconds and then replied in a careful tone. "I will do my best. But forgive me Lord Taji, I cannot say anything more until I see my patient."

    The minister nodded in understanding and stepped aside. Karuizawa led them deeper into the hospital building. Daichi and Genma passed by many Guards who were wearing Imperial armor.

    ''Just as I expected. Since they don''t know if the poison is contagious or not, they''re keeping him in an istion chamber.'' Daichi thought as he looked around.

    Dr. Karuizawa gave Daichi a detailed file and spoke. "This is everything we have found about his condition." Daichi quickly went through the pages andmitted all the information to memory.

    He reached the room where the nephew was being kept. "I''ll take it from here. I''ll go in alone and examine him." Having said his piece the Genin medic ninja quickly put on the Hazmat suit and entered the room.

    He saw a man in his twenties unconscious on the medical bed, breathing through a tube with several wires connected to him that were monitoring his vitals.

    ''Alright, let''s see what I got.''

    -------------

    Author''s Note;

    Two things.

    One. I apologize for the dy with this, but I was sick and needed some bedrest. Still a little under the weather. Got covid again so that sucks. Anyway,

    Two. Daichi isn''t anyone''s puppet. The answers to the system will only appear near the end of the story.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 197: Quest Failed?

    Chapter 197: Quest Failed?

    Fire Capital.

    A few hours before Daichi reached the Capital.

    A man in a well dressed suit was standing on his balcony looking at the night sky. He had a mncholic expression as he looked at the stars.

    ''Soon you two I''ll see both of you very soon. I''ll finally be with you.''

    At that moment another person came and stood behind him. "Sir, I have news. It seems Yondu from the Royal court has gone to the Leaf vige. Rumor at the hospital is that he is going to bring Daichi Hekima, the student of The Sannin and medic ninja Lady Tsunade, here to heal Leorio."

    The man merely scoffed as he heard that. "Just as we expected. But at thiste stage... It won''t matter. There won''t be anything he can do to save him. This poison was created by that man. It''s not something a child can(Cough Cough)" The man suddenly started violently coughing into his hand. There was blood on his palms.

    "My Lord. Here." The servant standing behind gave the well dressed man a small piece of cloth to wipe off the blood.

    "Thank you Junichiro... It doesn''t matter who Yondu brings." The man took another gulp of air and continued. "Unless he brings Tsunade herself, there is no way to save Leorio from death. And I made sure to put this n in motion now when she was out of the country."

    "But still my Lord, the head of the hospital believes the boy can save his life. He is not someone who speaks empty words." The servant now identified as Junichiro spoke.

    "Is that so? Well then, why don''t you pay the hospital a visit and stick around. Find out what happens and report back to me."

    Junichiro bowed as he heard his master''s order. "Yes Lord Jedayu." He vanished from his spot leaving the sick man alone on his balcony. ''Daichi Hekima Lets see if you can do the impossible?''

    -

    Daichi had entered the istion room and several people were waiting outside in anxiety. As the Minister and his wife waited for the good news another young woman soon came near them.

    "I heard he''s here. So I came as quickly as I could." The young woman spoke softly to Lady Fuyi.

    "Yes. He''s inside healing Leorio. He is ourst hope." Taji replied with a small smile as he looked at the girl.

    "But can he really do it? I heard he''s only 12 years old."

    "You needn''t worry about that Lady Junko. Right now, Daichi is the best medic in this hospital. If there is anyone who can save your fiance, it''s him. Lady Tsunade taught her students well." It was Dr. Karuizawa who spoke these words. He had faith in the boy''s skills.

    Genma''s who stood leaning against the wall had a smirk as he heard the doctor. His opinion of the boy was increasing day by day. ''Looks like the kid has a fan Daichi''s talents are truly incredible. To bepared to someone as aplished as Lady Tsunade herself at such a young age.''

    Yondu came near the Mayima family and spoke. "I understand your fears. But for now all we can do is wait and pray."

    The group nodded and waited. More than two hours passed by with no news.

    Dr. Karuizawa was slightly tense. Despite his strong faith in the boy, the person who was lying in critical state was the nephew of the minister. If anything happened, he didn''t even want to think of the consequences he would face. ''Come on Only you can save his life.''

    The group patiently waited and after about half an hour more they saw the boying out of the room.

    Daichi walked out of the istion room and looked at the people present. There was the 3rd Minister and his wife, a young woman who Daichi quickly used ''Observe'' and identified as Leorio''s fiance Junko Sekari, the messenger of the Royal court Yondu, head of the Fire Capital Hospital Dr. Karuizawa, his temporary Jonin instructor Genma Shiranui and several guards of the Mayima family.

    They all had their eyes on him with the Mayima family having great hope in their eyes. But that hope was quickly vanishing as they looked at the dark somber expression on Daichi''s face.

    Daichi closed his eyes and took a deep breath and slowly let it out. He looked at the 3d minister and his family members as they came near them.

    Dr Karuizawa frowned as he looked at Daichi''s face. ''Don''t tell me you failed..? Was there nothing that could have been done?''

    With a sad and soft tone Daichi spoke. "I''m sorry sir. I was toote to save him."

    "No. That can''t be." Leorio''s fiance and Lady Fuyi burst into tears while the minister just stood still trying to process the information.

    [Reputation massively decreases with Taji and Fuyi Mayima.]

    Yondu sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose as he heard this. ''Did we overestimate the boy''s skills? Or was it toote to save him when we got here? Now this situation is going to escte. Lord Ryuga will be angry and that''s not mentioning what Lord Taji will do'' The messenger looked at the grieving man and frowned.

    [Reputation decreases with Yondu.]

    "How? How could this happen? Was there nothing you could do?" He asked the boy in a shaky tone.

    [Reputation massively decreases with Tadashi and other Guards.]

    "I did everything I could, but the poison was too strong and I got here toote." Daichi replied in a soft tone.

    Genma who stood against the wall sighed. ''It seems we indeed reached here toote... Still with everything I heard about you, I thought you would be able to pull some kind of Miracle. But it looks like not even the best medic can save everyone. The death of Lady Tsunade''s fiance is proof of that''

    [Reputation slightly decreases with Genma Shiranui.]

    [Reputation slightly decreases with Dr. Karuizawa.]

    "Aren''t you the student of the greatest medic in the world? How could you not save him?" It was Leorio''s fiance who shouted this question angrily at him.

    [Reputation massively decreases with Junko Sekari.]

    Genma was about to step forward and defend his ward but Daichi slightly raised his hand, stopping the man.

    "I''m sorry. There are some things even I''m not capable of doing."

    "C-can we see him?" Tears were flowing down Lady Fuyu''s cheeks as she wasing to terms with the death of her adopted child.

    "Yes. Of course." Answered Daichi.

    The young medic ninja then turned his attention to the 3rd Minister. "Lord Taji. I need to speak with you along with Dr. Karuizawa, Lord Yondu and you too, Genma sensei. The poison isn''t contagious but there is something you should know about it."

    Daichi said, pointing to the room Leorio was in. The people who Daichi called out nced at each other but followed after the boy into the room without question.

    As the group of seven walked into the room the Mayima family guards stood in silence. They had great fondness for their young Lord and his passing away had struck them all. Especially one in particr.

    The Guard Tadashi tightened his fist and clenched his jaws in anger and sadness. ''Damn it. How could I let someone poison Lord Leorio. How did they escape me?''

    He looked at the closed entrance of the room Leorio was in. ''Daichi Hekima. I thought you were some great medic ninja. But it looks like you''re just another overhyped useless brat.''

    The guards waited for about 10 minutes before everyone starteding out of the room.

    Lord Taji had an unreadable face as he looked at his guards. ''To think there could be a traitor among my guards He said it was unlikely but still This is a risk that''s too big to take.''

    Lord Taji looked at the man that was stationed outside Leorio''s roomst night. "Tadashi, go with the Leaf ninjas and assist in their investigation." The guards all heard the sadness in Taji''s voice.

    "Yes my Lord."

    "Hiromichi."

    "Yes sir." Another guard answered and straightened.

    Taji was silent for a few moments and then in a small voice, gave the order. "Make the funeral arrangements."

    "Y-yes sir."

    "The rest of you. Return to your posts."

    Everyone began leaving and Dr. Karuizawa headed to the medic station. "I have strict orders from the Minister not to disturb the body. No one is allowed to go inside the room. Is that clear?"

    "Yes sir."

    "Um sir, did that mean Daichi failed? Is Lord Leorio" A medic asked and the head doctor sighed.

    "Yes. I''m afraid so. And we still haven''t found what poison was used. So for the moment Daichi will be using theb in Sector 3. Do not disturb him."

    The fact that Daichi failed was certainly news to everyone. And before long the death of the minister''s son quietly spread throughout the hospital.

    -

    A man who was paying close attention to the chatter in his surroundings suddenly focused on a new conversation happening. He was sitting in a corner of the room wearing ordinary clothes.

    "Yes. It''s true. Daichi couldn''t save his life. The Minister''s son is dead. The guards stationed around the room all left."

    "I can''t believe it. I thought for sure he could cure the poison in time."

    "That''s the thing. They couldn''t even find what poison was used. Daichi is working on identifying it now"

    The man smirked as he heard the news. He got up from his seat and slowly made his exit without anyone noticing. He made sure no one was following him and quickly made his way to his master.

    "It worked, master. The Minister''s son is dead."

    "Hmm Yes. I''d expect no less (cough) (cough) from the poison made by Sasori of the Red Sand. Even Tsunade''s apprentice. couldn''t save his life Now Onto the next part of my n." The sickly man turned towards his aid.

    "I know you''re not looking forward to Whates next, Junichiro.(cough)(cough)"

    "No master Jedayu. But I will endeavor."

    "You will be fine. You will find a new purpose. My death will set you free" The well dressed man slowly walked towards his kneeling servant and ced a hand on his shoulder.

    "To be free..? I never considered this as an imprisonment, master. It was my choice to serve you" Junichiro replied with small tears rolling down his eyes.

    His master didn''t say a word and just looked up at the night sky.

    -

    Tadashi, Genma and Daichi were in front of Leorio''s bedroom. Daichi had used ''Observe'' skill to see if Tadashi was a possible enemy but the information he was shown told Daichi that Tadashi was a loyal guard.

    ''A sensory ninja huh. To escape his senses this culprit must have some serious stealth skill It''s also a good thing the istion ward had chakra blocking seals.''

    Tadashi looked at the two Leaf ninjas with a stony expression. He was angry at Daichi for his failure to save Leorio and even more at himself for failure to protect his ward. But he decided to cooperate with the ninjas and find the people responsible for his young lord''s death.

    "Did you sense any suspicious movement around Leorio during thesest few days?"

    "No."

    "Did you see or hear anything unusual yesterday?" Genma asked the guard.

    "No Wait!"

    Genma narrowed his eyes as he looked at the guard.

    Tadashi thought about the strange thing that happened and decided to tell the ninjas.

    "Last night as I was standing guard, there was a sudden burst of lighting from Leorio''s room. It was only there for a split second before it disappeared. I only saw the light because I was standing near the door and saw the split second shing from below the door."

    "Did you go and check the room?"

    "No. I quickly went into sensory mode to check if there were any intruders but I didn''t sense anyone or anything abnormal. And I felt Leorio''s chakra. He was sleeping without any problems. I figured it might have been some tricks my mind was ying on me. So I didn''t give it much thought But now"

    "We''ll need to check the room. Please stay here." Genma gave the order and both he and his ward entered the room. It was a spacious room with one open window and a king size bed in the middle. The room was on the third floor of the Mayima mansion.

    The two ninjas began examining the room with Genma taking a look at the area near the window and Daichi examining the bed to see if he could find any foreign particles. Time went by and they couldn''t find anything yet. As Daichi inspected the wooden structure and the mattress upon it he saw something strange.

    "Hey Genma sensei. What do you make of this?"

    The special Jonin came over and looked to where Daichi was pointing. He narrowed his eyes and concentrated. A few momentster he saw it too.

    On the wooden headboard in the center there was an almost imperceptible lightly burned area in the shape of a square. It was almost impossible to notice with a normal eye and could be easily mistaken as part of the wooden design of the bed.

    "That''s odd What is that?"

    Daichi took a closer look and several secondster replied. "Whatever it is, that''s not part of the design. It''s too regr. It''s a square shape burn approximately 10cm in length."

    Daichi leaned closer and took a few sniffs. He did a double take and took another whiff of the burned area.

    "I think I know how Leorio was infected. Call the guard."

    Genma raised an eyebrow and looked at Daichi in silence for a few seconds and then decided to do as the kid said. He called Tadashi inside and the two of them waited for Daichi''s exnation.

    Daichi looked at the guard who just stood in silence. "I was under the impression that the culprit came herest night, slipped through all the guards and security, poisoned the minister''s son and left without anyone noticing. That''s not the case."

    Tadashi was surprised to hear that. "What? But then how did he?"

    "You said you saw a bright sh of light. Just for a split second"

    "Yeah"

    "Your eyes weren''t ying tricks on you. You did see it. More precisely what you saw was evidence being destroyed."

    "What are you talking about Daichi? What did you figure out?" Genma was eager to know the truth behind the case.

    "sh paper. When it burns, it does so very quickly and it leaves no smoke and no residue."

    Tadashi was shocked. "sh paper?"

    The Genin nodded. "Yes. sh paper or nitrocellulose. It''s created by mixing paper or cellulose with equal portions of nitric acid and sulfuric acid. The sulfuric acid converts nitric acid into nitronium ions that easily makes nitrogenated cellulose. Also known as sh paper. When activated, it generates an exothermicbustion reaction that releases bright light and converts into carbon dioxide, nitrogen and water vapor. All of them are gasses and leave no Ash residue. But it''s not perfect. Someone with a keen Inuzuka level nose can find the small residue if they know where to look for it."

    "I see That exins the light. But that still doesn''t exin the poison." Tadashi questioned.

    "My guess is, the sh paper was also the delivery method. The toxin that infected Leorio was in gaseous form. So there must have been a seal on that paper that released the poison a few hours into the night. Right on top of the sleeping Leorio''s face. And the moment it did its job, the whole paper burned leaving almost nothing that could be traced."

    The eyes of the two adults widened. "Wait a minute. You''re saying"

    Daichi nodded his head in affirmation. "Yes. This paper must have been ced here hours beforest night. There are two ways that could have happened. Someone inside these walls ced it here.."

    Tadashi clenched his fists at the thought of a traitor.

    "Or the culprit most probably infiltrated this ce when it had the least guards and ced the paper here." Daichi finished.

    "I see.." Genma was silent for a while and thought about his next move. Several momentster, he turned to his ward.

    "Daichi, why don''t you get some rest. You''ve had a long day. I''ll take it from here."

    "Wait. I can help." The gamer ninja wanted to help so that he could make sure the quest waspleted.

    Genma shook his head from side to side "You''ve done plenty to help, kid. Right now, based on everything you''ve told me, I have an idea as to who could make something like this. I''m gonna report my findings and then get whoever did this. Don''t worry. You can join the fun after you''ve had a good long rest."

    Genma came near Daichi and gave him a piece of paper with an address in it. "We''ll be staying there for the duration of our mission courtesy of Lord Taji. Go there and get some sleep. We will definitely need your help tomorrow."

    Daichi wanted to protest but he decided to go along with his temporary Jonin instructor. Bidding farewell, Daichi quickly made his way to his quarters. It was located in one of the best Inns in the area. The room was far better than any he stayed in till now.

    ''This isn''t half bad. I guess a good night''s sleep won''t be a bad thing.''

    Daichi closed his eyes and drifted off into dream world.

    --------------

    Author''s Note;

    Enjoy the 3k word chapter. Hope you like this arc once it''spleted.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 198: Interrogation

    Chapter 198: Interrogation

    It was early morning with the sun slowly making its way over the Horizon. Daichi got up, did some light exercises and got ready for his day.

    At that moment Genma came into the room and greeted his ward. "Good morning. Sleep well?"

    "Yeah, it was alright. So any new developments? You said you had an idea as to who made the seal."

    The Special Jonin nodded. "Yes. There is a ninja who wasn''t all that good when it came to the ninja arts but he had decent skills in Sealing. He was from one of the smaller viges surrounding the borders of the Fire country. About two decades ago he left his vige and became sort of a frencer."

    "A missing nin? Why hasn''t he been hunted down by now?"

    "Well, he left his vige on good terms and he helped us in some small but meaningful ways during the Third war. The threat he posed was minimal and since he hadn''tmitted any crimes and helped us when we asked he wasn''t ced in the bingo books Last I heard, he''s a frencer working near the Fire country."

    "What makes you so sure that he''s our guy?"

    "Well, aside from being an excellent seal master, he''s also a good chemist." Genma said with a grin. "If I had to make a bet, I''d say that sh paper was his work."

    "So assuming you''re right, do you think he could be the person who nted it here?"

    Genma shook his head negatively. "No. He''s a contractor. He just makes what he''smissioned. And he always made it a point not to target anyone in the Fire country. That''s a sure fire way to write your own death sentence. Now he may not have been the one to ce it here but he did create the seal."

    "So the shinobi stationed here will bring him in for interrogation?!"

    "Yes. I gave the information to the necessary people. They''ll find him. He''s our best lead. So all we can do is wait." Genma then asked something that''s been on his mind. "Yesterday you said you needed a sample of the original thing to find a cure Is this poison really thatplex?"

    "Well if this were a poison that affected everyone it came in contact with, then regardless of howplex its chemical make-up was or whatpounds were used, I could easilye up with a counter agent."

    Genma nodded as he paid close attention. "And you said the poison used on Leorio was a custom built one specific to his DNA."

    Daichi nodded his head. "Yes. If I had Leorio''s uncontaminated blood sample I could have reverse engineered the poison and then created a cure. But since we don''t have that, we need the original sample of the toxin or something close to it."

    "And there''s no other way to create a cure?"

    "Well, there is. It''s just that, it''ll take time. I''d need 3 or 4 days at least."

    The special Jonin ninja sighed and sat on one of the chairs. "And that''s time we don''t have."

    The Genin sat down opposite and both shinobi were silent. A few momentster Daichi broke the silence. "What about the spy in Lord Taji''s Mansion?"

    "An investigation is currently underway. We don''t even know if there is a spy so everyone is under scrutiny save for a few people. So far we haven''t found anyone suspicious. A request for a Yamanaka n ninja is already sent to the vige." Genma replied.

    Daichi nodded. "Hey sensei, when they begin interrogating that chemist guy, I should be there."

    Genma raised an eyebrow at that strange request. "Why?"

    "Lady Tsunade taught me several things. How to check someone''s vitals and spot when they are lying was one of the many lessons she imparted on me. We''ll be able to move much faster with our investigation if we could get our answers quicker"

    The special Jonin closed his eyes and sighed. Several secondster he opened his eyes and gave a small nod. ''Hope this kid''s ready to see the ugly side of shinobi life.''

    Daichi leaned back in his chair and thought about what his shadow clones were up to.

    ''One of them is with him and the other is in the Lab analyzing the blood sample. Since they haven''t popped I guess there hasn''t been any new developments Guess all I can do is wait''

    Genma leaned back into his chair and closed his eyes. He had been awake all night and was tired. Daichi decided to meditate and wait for news from the guards.

    Time went by and a couple hours after noon a ninja came to them with a scroll. Genma took the sealed scroll and looked at the information written inside. "They found him. He''s here."

    "Well let''s not waste any time." Daichi got up from his spot and the two ninjas quickly made their way to where the suspect was being kept.

    The building the man was being held at was a special facility built to hold criminals and rogue ninjas for a short while until they could be transferred somewhere else or in rare cases executed.

    "Are you sure about this Daichi?" Genma stopped before entering and looked at the kid.

    The Genin wordlessly nodded and the two entered the building. Soon they were escorted to the cell where their target was being kept.

    Daichi looked around and keptmitting the routes and cells to his memory. ''I might never know when I''ll need this information.''

    Soon the two ninjas reached a cell. The Genin looked around and wasn''t that impressed. ''Standard interrogation chamber. Table and chair in the middle with the suspect strapped to the chair and a one way mirror.''

    As Daichi looked around, two people came near them. One was the Minister Taji Mayima and the other was a ninja wearing the Leaf headband and k jacket. The Leaf nin didn''t spare Daichi a second nce and entered the room.

    The Gamer ninja instantly used ''Observe'' on the shinobi. ''Level 62. A Chunin and an interrogation specialist.''

    The minister was surprised to see Daichi there. "What are you doing here?"

    "I can monitor his vitals and tell if he''s lying or not" ''I also want to see their interrogation tactics up close. If I ever needed to use those tactics or in case I needed to create counter measures to protect myself''

    "Thank you for the assistance but I think Heiji there can get the answers we need from him quickly."

    He turned his attention to the man who was tied up in his chair and unconscious. "So that''s the man who created the seal that was used to infect my son huh."

    Daichi sighed and spoke in a soft tone. "I can help. I know you''re angry but if we have the wrong information or if it takes too much time I''m sure you know what you have to lose I just want to help."

    The Minister stilled and then sighed. He looked at Genma and the Jonin nodded his head. The elderly man knocked on the ss once and gave permission to Daichi to go inside.

    The Genin went inside the room and stood near the culprit.

    ''Observe''

    ''Hmm Toshigo Heza. 41 years old. Level 70. Above average intelligence but his physical attributes are all normal. He''s in the mid Chunin Range. Condition: Drugged. Sleeping.''

    Daichi ced his palms on the man''s head and it started glowing green.

    "What are you doing?" The interrogator asked.

    "I''m monitoring his vitals. His body temperature, pupil dtion, pulse rate and even the electrical signals his body is sending. I will know if he''s lying or not."

    The interrogator Heiji looked like he wanted to say something but then nced at the mirror and then kept quiet. He knew the situation was extremely serious and he didn''t want to offend the minister.

    Without saying another word Heiji took a syringe and injected it''s contents into Toshigo''s arm and a few momentster the man groggily woke up.

    "What the hell?"

    He shook his head and quickly came to lucidity. He looked around and felt the bindings on his body. He struggled for a few seconds and then stilled.

    "One minute I''m in bed and the next What''s going on? Where am I?"

    "You''re in an interrogation room currently in the heart of the Fire capital." Heiji answered the trapped man''s questions.

    "Why am I here? I haven''tmitted any crimes or done anything against the people of this country."

    Daichi paid close attention to him and then nced at Heiji and gave a small nod.

    ''His voice and body movements suggest he''s telling the truth. It seems this kid might have some skills.''

    Toshigo then turned his attention to the Genin with the green glowing hands. "They''re sending kids into interrogation now? You must be scraping the bottom of the barrel."

    Heiji pped Toshigo''s face lightly a few times to get his attention back on him. "Hey. I''m the one asking the questions. Now, there has been an incidentst night and now a lot of powerful people are upset and want answers. And they are willing to go far to get them. Co operate and you''ll find yourself back home in one piece."

    Toshigo was silent and then nodded his head. "What do you want?"

    "You made a special sh paper with some sort of a seal on it didn''t you?"

    Toshigo was silent for a few moments and then nodded his head. "Yes. I did. It was made about 2 months ago."

    "Who gave you themission to make that item?"

    Toshigo sighed and shook his head. "If I give out my client details like that then I won''t have much of a reputation."

    Heiji narrowed his eyes. "Even if it means inviting the wrath of the Fire Daimyo and the people of his court?"

    Toshigo''s eyes widened in panic. "Wow wow wow! Hold on. Fire Daimyo? People of the court? What are you talking about?"

    Seeing the genuine panic and confusion on their suspect''s face, Heiji decided to give him one chance. "The nephew of the 3rd Minister is dead via a poison that spreads through the air. Traces of your sh paper were found at the scene. You have one chance toe clean. Otherwise I''ll have to resort to more barbaric tactics."

    "I have nothing to do with that."

    Daichi nodded his head and Heiji sighed and looked at the tied up man. "You have one minute to exin who gave you the order to create that paper with that seal and why. Go."

    Toshigo sighed and began his side of the story. "2 and a half months ago a man came to see me. He was in disguise and said he wanted a special seal that could dispense aerosol particles into the atmosphere in a small space. And it had to be done in a way that would leave no evidence."

    "And you didn''t ask what he was going to do with it?"

    "I did. He said he was going to use it for a robbery in some minor vige in Lightning country. The seal was going to be infused with sleeping gas and he said he was going to use it on some guard."

    Daichi didn''t detect any lies and indicated as such to the interrogator.

    Heiji sighed at the situation. ''His tone, throat and eye movements all indicate he''s telling the truth. And this kid is also convinced of that His history suggests he''s telling the truth. He has made it a point not to antagonize anyone in Fire country. So we''re just looking at a patsy and an unknowing aplice.''

    "Look. I had no idea about poisoning the Minister''s nephew or any such. If I did, I would have backed out. I''m telling the truth." Toshigo said with a pleading tone.

    Heiji sighed and spoke. "The sad thing is we believe you. But Lord Leorio is dead. So if you wanna walk out of here, then you''ll have to give me something."

    The culprit was silent for a few moments. "He was in disguise. Most of my clients send one of their underlings or disguise themselves to see me. So I didn''t think much of it But there was one detail that stuck with me He had a scar on his right palm."

    "What kind of scar?" Heiji leaned in.

    "I think it was a burn mark that was healed long ago. It looked like an 8. The scar was in the center of the palm. I don''t remember much else."

    Heiji motioned for Daichi to stop. The Genin stopped using his technique and quietly left the room.

    Outside the room Genma sighed as he heard the description. "Finding someone with that scar in such a short time Even assuming they''re in the capital"

    Genma turned to the man and saw that Lord Taji was silent and in deep concentration.

    "Sir?"

    "That scar he mentioned I know that from somewhere I''ve seen it. I just can''t seem to remember where" Taji said in a low voice.

    Genma frowned as he heard that. ''So he met the person behind this. That means whoever did this has some sort of a connection with him Could it be because of the position as the 3rd Minister or could it be an enemy his nephew made.''

    At that moment Taji gasped almost in shock. His eyes widened as he remembered a face he''d almost forgotten. "I know who did this. I know who poisoned my nephew."

    Daichi and Genma looked at each other in surprise.

    ''Looks like we have a new lead.''

    ------------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 199: Capture the Mercenary

    Chapter 199: Capture the Mercenary

    shback:

    3rd Minister''s Home.

    "Please. You can''t do this!" A man wearing ck and red luxury clothes with short grey hair, ck eyes and goatee shouted in anger as he was held back by his guard.

    "I can. It is in my authority to seize all of your son''s assets." A cold reply that had no hint of mercy came from another standing on the other side.

    The well dressed man fell to his knees. "Please, Lord Taji. Have mercy on him. He won''t survive"

    The second man, Lord Taji, looked down at the person who was on his knees crying. He sighed as he thought about the situation. ''Sometimes justice must be impartial and merciless.''

    "You said your son won''t survive? What about all the people he exploited? What about all the ones that were killed due to his greed? The wealth he built does not belong to him." Taji spoke in a cold tone.

    After a moment he continued. "You asked for mercy? I''m only taking all of his wealth. I''m going to redistribute it to the right people. Jedayu Goda. I''m only taking your son''s money. Not his life. That''s mercy. And it''s more than he deserves."

    The man Jedayu looked up at the 3rd Minister. "He won''t survive. I won''t be able to protect him."

    "Your son had a tendency to make enemies. If anything happens to him, then you can only chalk it up to karmic retribution..."

    "You" The anger on Jedayu''s face was palpable. The guards protecting the Minister raised their weapons and pointed them at the man. Lord Taji raised his hand, stopping his men from taking any action.

    "Leave my home. There is nothing more to discuss."

    "YOU THINK YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO TAKE WHAT BELONGS TO MY SON!?"

    The furious shout from the man made Lord Taji angry. "You forget your ce, Jedayu! How dare you raise your voice against me in my own home. Restrain him and take him to the holding cells."

    Jedayu and his guard Junichiro were restrained, escorted out and taken to the holding cells in the capital. Taji looked on and as his guards were escorting the two out, he saw the right palm of Jedayu''s guard. A palm that had a burn scar in the shape of the figure 8.

    shback End.

    "A few days after that incident I heard that his son died. It was an attack from one of the many adversaries he created. I felt bad for the man who lost his son and I let him go. I kept an eye on him for a while. He and his wife moved away from the capital. After that I didn''t hear from him again." Taji finished his story as he stood in his garden in his home.

    "You said Jedayu''s sonmitted crimes. What exactly did he do?" Daichi asked the man.

    "Jedayu was a wealthy man but he worked hard for his money. He earned every coin that he has. His son on the other hand was the opposite of that man. He was cruel, vicious and had no problems lying and exploiting others There are several mines in and near the border of this country that hold several valuable minerals and elements. Jedayu''s son Wakamu killed minor wealthy merchants and took over their businesses in secret. He paid off the right people to not get caught and once he had enough capital he bought the rights to some of the mines."

    "He used people from minor viges to work in the mines, didn''t he?" Daichi knew where this story was going.

    Taji nodded his head. "Yes. He went to one of the smaller remote viges on the border of the country to avoid scrutiny. He had several people on his payroll to keep trouble out of his way and to keep his evil deeds a secret. At first he promised the people of that vige money and riches but as time went by the people learned his true nature. He enved them and killed those that rebelled to make an example Only 23 years old and he already had a cold, ck heart. In just a short amount of time he made plenty of money. But with that came enemies."

    "Let me guess, rival businessmen,petitors and those looking to take over." Genma spoke.

    Taji nodded. "Wakamu''s greed only grew. He killed those that tried to take over his operations and took their wealth as well. But he made far too many enemies. It was at this time that Lord Ryuga and myself started learning the truth about him. And since it was my job to oversee the business operations, protection of merchants and people, I took immediate action I seized all his assets and imprisoned him."

    Taji was silent for a few moments and then continued.

    "Jedayu, hearing what happened to his son, spent a significant portion of his wealth to get as many influential people as he could on his side. Atst I was forced to let Wakamu out of prison but that''s the best they could get."

    "And without his money and protection, the enemies he made came for him." Genma concluded.

    Daichi had a thoughtful expression as he heard the full story. ''So this is a revenge plot. His son died and he couldn''t save him. So that''s why he went after Leorio. His son died and now Leorio has to suffer the same fate''

    "An eye for an eye." Daichi muttered and the two men turned to the Genin. "Now it makes sense why he poisoned your nephew. Why he used a custom built poison He wants you to feel the same way he did."

    Taji closed his eyes and took a deep breath of air. "What kind of a mind thinks this way?"

    "The kind that has no problems attacking a family member of an official of the Royal court. Someone in enough psychological pain to not care about the stupidity of the situation from their perspective." Genma sighed and came near the minister.

    "The poisoning of your nephew is the equivalent of writing one''s own death sentence. He knows that if someone finds out what he did there will be no escape for him from death. So for him to do something so bold we need to proceed with the assumption that he''s not done yet. You and your wife need to be careful."

    The minister nodded in understanding. "Thesest several hours, all my guards and staff have been properly checked and interrogated. We don''t have a spy. I''m sure of it."

    "Then our best move is to find Jedayu and his guard."

    "My men will help you with the search."

    With a detailed description of their targets, Genma and Daichi left the Minister''s home and began their search. Several of the Royal guards and Leaf ninja stationed at the Capital also lend their hands.

    Time went by and soon it was night time. The minister was at the Daimyo''s pce reporting his findings to Lord Ryuga while his wife was home.

    Fuyi Mayima was in bed alone with tears running down her cheeks. She stayed upte and soon felt too tired and slowly went to sleep. A couple hourster a shadowy figure in ck clothes entered her room from the open window. He looked at her sleeping form for a moment and then took a knife from his pouch.

    Just as he was about to plunge the knife into the old woman''s heart a senbon came from the shadows with great speed and struck the assant''s right shoulder, paralyzing the arm. It was also coated with a special enzyme that momentarily disrupts the chakra in one''s body rendering the person unable to use jutsu.

    ''What the?'' Before the enemy could even process what was happening several chakra threads came from the shadows and restricted his movements.

    The next second the door to the room opened and Genma came in. He had long ninja wire in his hands and he quickly restrained the enemy.

    "You cane out now, Daichi."

    From the spot where the senbon came Daichi appeared. He changed his Chakra strings to lightning and quickly knocked the intruder unconscious. ''Strange. It didn''t look like he felt any pain when I electrocuted him.''

    "Looks like your n worked Genma sensei." The boy spoke as he looked at the knocked out ninja.

    "Mmmhm. If you can''t find them, make theme to you." The Special Jonin had a smirk as he rolled the senbon in his mouth.

    shback.

    Genma and Daichi met with the Minister in the evening.

    "You said your Guard Tadashi was a sensory ninja. Do you have anyone else under you who are also sensory ninjas?" Genma asked the Minister.

    "No."

    "We''ve been searching the capital and surrounding area. But still nothing. They must have gone underground or left the country."

    Genma nodded to Daichi''s theory. ''Its a possibility.'' The odds of finding them in time were dwindling with each second and the Special Jonin knew it.

    "But we need to find them." The desperation on the minister''s face was evident.

    The Jonin ninja was silent for a few moments and then shared an idea. "If we can''t find them Then how about we make theme to us?"

    It only took Daichi a second to realize his superior''s n. "Wait. You''re talking about setting up a bait and trapping them? What makes you so sure that they''re even in the Capital? If I were Jedayu I''d put some serious distance between this ce and myself after what happened."

    "Guys who are so motivated by revenge They have a one track mind and they''re somewhat easy to predict if you know their personality." Genma turned to the minister. "You said he loved his son very much, right?"

    Taji sighed and replied. "Yes. It was one of his few faults. He loved his son too much to see what Wakamu was bing. And even then"

    "Someone like that I have a feeling he''s still here in the Capital. That sh paper wasn''t easy to find. And without that paper we never would have reached Toshigo and wouldn''t have known about Jedayu. So for the moment he must think he''s safe. He will definitely try to attack. We need a bait." Genma looked at the Minister.

    Lord Taji sighed as he saw the ninja''s look. "I''m not happy with this but I suppose I have no choice. What do you need me to do?"

    Genma shook his head. "Forgive me Lord Taji but it''s not you I was referring to"

    "Then who?" The minister''s eyes widened in shock and then turned to anger. "Absolutely not. I won''t put her in danger. I will be the one."

    Genma refused. "Setting you up would be too obvious and it probably won''t work. And we need Tadashi to leave as well."

    "What? Why Fuyi? And why does Tadashi need to leave?"

    "This attack on your family was well prepared. To execute this n so well, they must have intel on you. Your daily routine, number of guards, their abilities. The day Leorio was poisoned, your guard Tadashi only left the house for three hours when he was apanying you. We have to assume the intruder got inside and ced the seal at that time. So there is a good chance he must know that Tadashi is a sensor ninja."

    Taji nodded to Genma''s reasoning. "Makes sense."

    "If you''re here in the house and your guard Tadashi isn''t then it might look like you''re vulnerable for an attack but a smart person would be able to tell that it''s a trap. Same goes for the reverse. If your guard is here and you''re not, it shows that we''re waiting for the enemy."

    "Why can''t you be the bait? You can transform into someone else can''t you?" The minister asked and Genma sighed.

    "We can do that but the chances of our enemy finding out that something is wrong is too great. The n might fail. We have to do this for real."

    Taji was silent as he heard Genma''s n. "So you want me to leave and take Tadashi with me. And leave Fuyi here alone at the mercy of a killer?"

    "She won''t be alone. We''ll keep her safe. We promise." Daichi spoke and the minister looked at the strong confident face of the Genin. After a few moments he sighed and reluctantly agreed.

    Both ninjas created shadow clones and together the group was seen leaving Taji''s home. Daichi and Genma headed away from the house while the minister made his way to the Daimyo''s castle.

    ''Don''t let anything happen to Fuyi.'' Saying a prayer in his heart, the minister left with heavy steps.

    The shadow clones of Genma and Daichi continued their investigation and movements in the streets.

    shback End.

    ''Observe''

    Daichi used his information acquisition skill on the man currently restrained in the middle of the interrogation room. There was Heiji and another ninja from the Yamanaka n trying to gather intel from the suspect.

    ''His name is Junichiro. Age 38 and Level 80. Jedayu took him in from the streets when he was young and raised him. He''s trained in information gathering and stealth skills. High Chunin level ninja and Jedayu''s trusted bodyguard.''

    As Daichi read the information his system showed, he found something that surprised him. ''Well this is interesting.''

    The young Genin looked at the man sitting silently and knew the information he read changed everything. ''If we keep going like this we won''t get anything in time. Should I inform them now?... No. I''ll wait and see how this ys out? If that Yamanaka can get inside his head then my assistance won''t be required.''

    Daichi, Genma, Yondu and Lord Taji were waiting silently outside as the interrogators did their work. Almost 30 minutes passed and still there was no progress.

    The Yamanaka ninja trying to read Junichiro''s mind stopped his jutsu. He looked at Heiji and shook his head and both of them stopped their work and got out.

    "We have a major problem." The Yamanaka n ninja said.

    "That''s obvious." Yondu muttered.

    "This guy is a lot tougher than he looks. His pain tolerance is extremely high. And he hasn''t shown any fear. His mental fortitude is much higher than your average ninja." Heiji only met a handful of people with such intense discipline, strength and loyalty.

    "And it''s not just that. His mind has several strong barriers preventing anyone from getting any information." The blonde mind reader informed the group.

    "How long would it take you to get past them?" Genma asked.

    "Whoever created these shields did their job well. It would take me a day, at least, to break through them."

    "Damn it. We don''t have that kind of time!" Taji clenched his fists and gritted his teeth in helplessness.

    Heiji turned to Daichi and spoke. "Hey, you''re a medic ninja right. Can you check his body and see if there is something wrong with him?"

    "What are you getting at Heiji?" Genma was puzzled at the man''s request.

    "Even during all the physical pain I inflicted, he didn''t even flinch. That kind of pain tolerance I''ve never seen anything like it"

    Daichi hummed and looked at his temporary sensei. Genma nodded and the young medic entered the room and made his way to Junichiro. The man was silent as the Genin came to him and started examining him.

    Daichi''s hands glowed green and his analysis confirmed what his ''observe'' skill showed. A couple minutester he stopped his jutsu and got out of the room.

    "So?"

    "You were right. He has Congenital Anhidrosis. It''s a very rare gic mutation that doesn''t allow one to feel physical pain."

    "So that''s it. Now it makes sense." Heiji sighed and muttered.

    "What about other sensations? Like touch and heat?" Yondu asked the boy.

    "I checked. His senses are numb. Even if you freeze his hand or put burning hot coal on his palms, he would only feel a mild temperature difference. Nothing that would make him ufortable."

    "Great. So we have a guy who can''t feel physical pain and has mental blocks that can stop a Yamanaka. How are we supposed to find Jedayu like this?" Taji''s frustration was felt by everyone but Daichi. He had an idea as to what kind of a man he was dealing with.

    Daichi thought about what he was going to do next. ''I need toplete this mission and the only way to do that is to extract the information from that guy. I need to get a sample of the poison before it''s toote Looks like it''s time for me to y the viin.''

    "Let me talk to him." Daichi suddenly spoke up.

    Everyone looked at the Genin in confusion.

    "I don''t think you can appeal to the kind nature in him. I have a feeling he''s not going to open up to you that way." Genma said to the boy.

    "We don''t have any other option right now. Let me talk to him. Just 10-15 minutes. I''ll be done by then."

    The adults looked at each other and then Taji and Genma nodded, giving their permission.

    "Daichi, do whatever you have to do." The 3rd minister said in a hard cold tone.

    Genma frowned at that but didn''t say anything.

    "I''m only gonna talk to him sir." Daichi said and entered the room.

    The Genin closed the door behind him and looked at the man. He had bloody lips and small wounds and bruises all over his body. Daichi sighed and went to the corner where a small can of water was ced. He took the cup on top of the can and drank a mouthful. He filled the cup again and turned to the other upant in the room.

    Daichi went near the silent man and ced the cup near his lips allowing him to drink.

    Outside the room Heiji frowned at the scene. "What is he doing? He''s not gonna get him to talk by showing him kindness. And by giving him water, that man will regain some energy and will be able to hold out much longer. This was a mistake."

    "Be quiet. Daichi isn''t an idiot. He knows what he''s doing. Let''s give him his 15 minutes." Genma said in a cold voice and the Chunin didn''t say anything else.

    Inside the room Junichiro drank the cup empty and sighed. He kept silent and looked at the boy. Daichi ced the cup back in the corner of the room and sat on the chair opposite to him.

    "I heard your name is Junichiro. Let''s talk." Daichi gave the man a small smile and began.

    ------------

    Author''s Note:

    Another 3k Chapter. I''m on fire.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 200: Live or Die: Make your Choice

    Chapter 200: Live or Die: Make your Choice

    The two stared at each other for a few moments and it was Daichi who broke the silence.

    "Hello. My name is Daichi Hekima. I''m a Genin from the Leaf vige"

    The man was silent as he looked at the Genin ninja.

    Seeing his silence and his stone cold face, Daichi chuckled and spoke. "Something tells me you already know who I am"

    Junichiro said nothing and just gazed at the boy.

    "The strong silent type huh? You know you''re not doing much to break the stereotypes here."

    Daichi looked at the man and just gave a small smile. "Oh I almost forgot" He said to himself and took a kunai from his pouch and came near the tied up man.

    Heiji frowned and Genma narrowed his eyes. Everyone else who was standing outside just looked on to see what would happen next.

    Daichi ced the weapon on the table right in front of Junichiro. The man was secured to his seat and couldn''t move his limbs so he could only stare at the sharp weapon.

    Junichiro just looked at the kunai for a second and then turned to the boy. "If you think you can get me to talk by torture, you''re severely underestimating me."

    "He speaks! Atst. For a second, I thought you were a mute And no. I''m not going to torture you. I''m just here to talk." Daichi replied, taking his seat at the opposite end of the table.

    Jedayu''s guard was confused at that. "Then why the Kunai?"

    "It''s an experiment. I can''t say anything more at the moment." Daichi didn''t reveal the reason for putting the weapon in front of him and both of them fell into silence once again.

    It was Junichiro who restarted the conversation. "How did you find that paper? I thought it was impossible to trace it."

    "It would have been... Not to brag but you see, my senses are much sharper than the ordinary ninja''s. I studied medical ninjutsu and learned to analyze particles even microscopic in nature. I examined the bed thoroughly and saw the faint discoloration on the wood due to the burn. There was a faint distinctive scent at that spot and I quickly figured out that sh Paper was used. My sensei and the others did the rest... Hmm. Now that I''m saying it out loud it does sound like I''m bragging a little huh." Daichi chuckled to himself.

    "Hmm"

    "I read your file. Lord Taji gathered some information about you thest time you were here in the Capital with your master, Jedayu."

    Junichiro just tilted his head and scoffed. "You don''t know anything about me."

    "Oh on the contrary, I know quite a bit. Your family sold you to some wealthy merchant when you were just a boy. Several monthster, he died in a bandit attack and you were out on the streets with no one to turn to. That''s when the merchant Jedayu took you in. He raised you and soon you became his trusted aid. And you also have a gic defect. Congenital anhidrosis. You can''t feel pain." Daichi recalled the information he read on Junichiro.

    ''Lord Taji did extensive research on Jedayu and his guardst year. It was due to his son Wakamu but who would have thought that this info woulde in handy like this at such a time.''

    "You think you know me just because you read something in a file? You presume too much." The man was angry as he focused on Daichi''s face.

    "Alright, enlighten me. Tell me your story. I want to know where this deep devotion and loyalty to your masteres from." Daichi slightly leaned forward with a serious gaze and wanted to hear what the man had to say.

    Junichiro was silent for a few seconds and then decided to indulge the Genin. "From the day I could remember, I never felt pain. My sense of touch was also mild. And because of that I always got into idents and hurt myself. But I never cried about it. My birth parents They were poor and couldn''t take me to a doctor to get me checked. And they were disturbed that I got injured more often than the other kids and even more when I never showed any pain or anger when I got hurt. They called me a freak of nature."

    Daichi''s eyes slightly softened hearing that. "Ignorance breeds ignorance. What you have is a gic mutation. Meaning they were the ones responsible for whatever defects you were born with. Of course God also yed a part in giving you that shitty deal, if there is such an entity as God anyway."

    Hearing that, the anger on Junichiro''s face lessened. He continued with his story. "A wealthy merchant came and offered to buy me. What my parents saw as a curse, he saw as an opportunity. He bought me and kept me as a ve for his amusement. 5 monthster, when I was out of the house, bandits struck and killed him. I became homeless and spent months on the streets. Going hungry for days and if lucky I would find some food in the trash to eat."

    "Jedayu found you at this point didn''t he."

    The restrained man looked down and spoke in a soft tone. He had a small smile as he remembered that moment. "Yes. He saw a child trying to eat food that was covered in dirt and filth and took him in."

    Junichiro stopped for a few moments and then with a hardened face looked up at the boy. "He cleaned me, bathed me, fed me, taught me how to read, write, took care of me when I was sick, he taught me how tough He didn''t care about my afflictions. He saw me as a son. And I look at him as my father I swore a long time ago that I would do anything for his happiness."

    "You''re willing to die for him." Daichi said in a small soft tone.

    "Yes. If giving my life means he could live then I will dly do it without hesitation. No matter what you do to me, you won''t get his location. I won''t give you that information."

    The conviction in his voice stirred something in Daichi''s heart. ''I want that. Such loyalty and devotion. Damn! What I wouldn''t give to have someone like him as my subordinate.''

    The people outside the room frowned as they listened.

    ''That kind of loyalty. It''s rare'' Genma looked at the man with new eyes.

    ''Such deep devotion. It''s a shame Jedayu If he hadn''t poisoned my nephew, I would have let him live.'' Taji looked through the one way mirror and stood stoically.

    Back in the room Daichi took a deep breath and steeled his heart. He couldn''t show any mercy or sympathy now or it would ruin his n.

    With the smile erased from his face, Daichi asked the man a question. "You said you were willing to die for your master. But are you willing to live for him?"

    The captured guard was puzzled. Daichi continued.

    "Since you''ve told me your story, I suppose it''s only fair that I share something with you as well. As you may know, I studied under Lady Tsunade and learned her medical skills. She is the best in her field. Her knowledge, the skills in the medical arts. It''s amazing to see her at work. But one of her few problems is that she is a gambling addict. And her luck My God! The woman has the worst luck on the!"

    Daichi sighed and shook his head thinking about his mentor. He carried on. "A year ago Lady Tsunade and I were hiking through the Three Wolves Mountain range looking for rare herbs. During our journey we encountered the people living there on top of the snowy mountain. Those people rarelye down and interact with the ''Earth dwellers'' as they called us.. They had several precious herbs and medicines in their possession. Ones we wanted to find and study. The tribal leader, a man of great cunning and wisdom, quickly found out about my sensei''s gambling addiction and made several wagers. As you can expect she lost all the wagers made and we had to give up our goods one by one until only the clothes on our backs were left. And so to get back what we lost and get the herbs they have, I made a bet with the man. Lady Tsunade and I would be their servants forever if he won or we would get everything they took from us plus a few samples of their rare herbs. Thank God it was only Tsunade''s skills that were passed on to me and not her luck. We would have been screwed in that case."

    "Is there a point to this?" Junichiro asked Daichi with a scoffing smile.

    "I''m getting there. Patience." Daichi chuckled and replied.

    "Now where was I? Oh yeah. We won the bet and got everything we needed. The tribal leader was impressed with my guts and invited me to witness their ''Moon Dance'' ritual. It was something they did once a year. It was to honor the moon god for his blessings and such. During the ritual I watched a tribal member suspend himself from a tall tree with flesh hooks through his chest. 6 hours he dangled. His skin stretched like rubber. And below him was a deep pit filled with hot burning coal. He didn''t show any pain or difort. It was as if his soul left his body tomunicate with the Moon God''s spirit."

    Junichiro and those standing outside were silent as they listened to Daichi''s story. It was quite captivating.

    "Once the ritual was over and the man was safely on the ground, I walked up to him. I asked him whether he was afraid of falling into that burning pit or not."

    Daichi''s smile left his face and he became serious. He looked straight into Junichiro''s eyes and spoke in a somewhat cold tone. "He looked at me with a straight face and said no. He told me that death was just another shortstop in our spirit''s journey. Like you he wasn''t afraid of death or pain and suffering. But you know what terrified him? The thought of spending his days in a dark hole, deep in the earth, trapped, unable to move and just waiting for the end."

    The sudden change in Daichi''s story took everyone by surprise.

    The Genin looked at the restrained man with no hint of mercy.

    "I know you''re willing to die for your master. But are you willing to live for him?... If you don''t tell me where Jedayu is, I''m not going to kill you. I''m going to do the opposite. I''m going to make a concrete box just big enough to get you in and then I''m gonna bury you alive deep into the earth."

    Daichi stood and slowly walked up to the tied up man. He ced a hand on his shoulder. "The human body is a paradox. It can be unbelievably strong and at the same time it''s incredibly fragile. We can survive without food for 2 months before giving up.. But if you force my hand and make me bury you, I will make sure you live far longer than two months. Junichiro I want you to imagine Your Chakra sealed and your body restrained. Being trapped in a small box. No way out. Just two small holes that will bring you just enough air and an IV drip that will keep you alive for years. And no one will stop me. You know why? Because of you Lord Taji''s nephew is dead. And he will make sure you suffer his pain."

    As Daichi painted that picture, the m facade of the man started to slowly vanish. He looked in horror at the child near him. "You monster."

    "To you, I could be" Daichi took a scroll from his pouch and took out several things from it.

    He ced a vial first on the table. "This is a special concoction that will destroy the part of your brain that makes you sleep. Without sleep, the toxins in the brain build up and it deteriorates the organ. This process will drive the person insane. Their mind would slowly copse in on itself without the person even realizing it."

    Junichiro shook his head defiantly. "N-No. That can''t be. The Yamanaka-"

    "It doesn''t matter how many protections he ced inside your mind. If your organ is physically failing then no amount of mental defenses will help you. In fact those shields will only prolong your agony." Daichi said, rying the cold hard facts.

    As Jedayu''s guard stayed silent, Daichi continued putting on the pressure. The next item he ced on the table was an IV bag. "The liquid in this bag contains essential vitamins and boosters. It can keep a person in your condition who is rtively unharmed, alive for several months. Attach a few of these to you and you''ll live for several years.."

    Daichi looked Junichiro dead in his eyes and gave an ultimatum. "If you force my hand, I will inject the vial, hook you up to this bag and bury you so deep so you won''t even be able to think about seeing the sun."

    Daichi walked around him and looked at the man with a stern visage. "You''re strong. But you''re not that strong. Trapped in that darkness, your mind would copse and your body would slowly destroy itself from within. I have no doubt that by the sixth or seventh day, you''d scream your throat bloody and by the end of the second week, most of your sanity will be gone. And each second from that point forward would feel like an eternity to you"

    Daichi became silent and got back to his seat. He looked at the unparalleled horror and fear that appeared on the man''s face. ''Jesus Christ, I sound like such a fucking edgelord. But I have no choice. If I want toplete my quest, I need this guy to talk. And since my Mana puppetry isn''t working on him, this will have to do.''

    The people standing outside were silent and had wide eyes and dropped jaws. Never did they imagine the charming Genin to have such a dark side to him. They saw the unimaginable fear on Junichiro''s face and they could perfectly understand that reaction. They would show the same reaction if such a threat was posed against any one of them.

    Junichiro looked at Daichi''s face to see if he was bluffing but seeing the boy''s cold hardened face he knew the truth. ''He''s really going to do it.''

    The second this realization sank in, Junichiro tried to reach for the kunai that was in front of him. Even though he was strapped to the chair, he made every effort to break free and reach for the weapon. He tried his best for several seconds before stopping.

    The man was breathing hard with sweat dripping down his face. He looked shocked at what he was experiencing.

    "You went for it. So you really tired to kill yourself for your master. And since biting your tongue isn''t an option, you went for the de."

    "This was your experiment?" The restrained man asked in fear.

    "Yes. It was a test on the human psyche You''re sweating. This must be a new experience for you isn''t it. I heard that people with your condition rarely sweat." Daichi spoke in a casual tone looking at the man.

    He stood from his spot and walked up to the man. Daichi pointed to the vial and IV bag and gave the man a choice. "A prolonged agonizing painful life. Or"

    "A quick rtively painless death." Daichi said, pointing at the kunai.

    "What do you choose? Live or die?"

    Junichiro was silent and several momentster tears formed and started rolling down his cheeks. He didn''t make a single sound but the tears kepting.

    Daichi was silent and he patiently waited. A minuteter Junichiro spoke. "I want you to do it."

    Daichi raised an eyebrow and waited for the man to borate. "Do what?"

    "I will tell you Master Jedayu''s location. But I want you to kill me right after. It has to be you. No one else. A quick painless death. Give me your word that you''ll do it."

    Daichi was silent and nced at the mirror in the room for a second.

    Genma was about to step forward and knock on the ss to stop Daichi but Lord Taji stopped him. The special Jonin gritted his teeth and then thought about what was at stake and stood still.

    Seeing no response from the other side, Daichi made his decision. "Tell me your master''s location and I''ll give you a quick death. You have my word."

    Junichiro sighed and then spoke. "East za. Kumoragi Mansion. That''s where he is."

    Daichi was scanning his vitals and saw that the man was telling the truth. He sighed and picked up the kunai.

    "I hope you have better luck in your next life." With those words and before anyone coulde in and stop him, Daichi plunged the Kunai into the man''s heart.

    "Argh" Within seconds the life faded from his eyes and blood slowly trickled down his lips and chest.

    He ced everything back in his scroll and slowly walked out of the room. The Genin looked at the faces of everyone with an unreadable expression. "East za. Kumoragi Mansion. We should move quickly"

    With those words he walked away before anyone could say anything.

    -------------

    Author''s Note:

    The adventurous gamer ninja is my first story.

    The character Daichi is a morally grey ninja. His self interests will be his first priority but he does take actions based on his emotions on a few asions. Like saving Reo Uchiha.

    Now, I have never written a scene with an edge theme like this before so I''m not sure what you viewers are feeling. Does this interrogatione as natural, cool or forced? Do you find anything cringy when reading it? I''m curious to know your thoughts.

    Comment below.

    On another note enjoy the 3k chapter and the 200th chapter of this story.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 201: Jedayus Revenge

    Chapter 201: Jedayu''s Revenge

    "What do you choose? Live or die?"

    Those words rang in everyone''s ear like a drum. The 5 people standing outside the interrogation room were looking intently at Junichiro.

    Several seconds after Daichi gave the ultimatum they saw tears falling down the man''s face. And at that moment they knew what option he was going to choose.

    Heiji looked at the boy with new respect and slight fear. ''He broke him. In just 15 minutes he broke him and with just words no less. That is some Ibiki level interrogation shit. Who the hell is this kid?''

    The Royal court messenger Yondu looked at the boy in a new light. ''So this is a Sannin''s apprentice. It seems he''s picked up a lot more than just Medical skills from his teacher.''

    Genma was perhaps the most surprised out of anyone. He was there on top of the Hokage Mountain when the 3rd Hokage first met the boy. At that time he never could have imagined the boy would have such a dark cruel side to him.

    As the conversation progressed Genma was stopped by the minister and he had to watch the Genin kill the prisoner.

    Daichi came out of the room and the Jonin couldn''t read what was on his face.

    "East za. Kumoragi Mansion. We should move quickly."

    Before the Jonin could even speak to him, Daichi walked away. He was about to follow but the Yamanaka ninja with them, who was silent until then spoke. "Give him some time. He needs to process this."

    The usually cheerful Jonin was silent with a somber expression. He decided to do as his fellow shinobi said and waited for Daichi to get his head straight.

    Yondu turned to Heiji and his fellow interrogator. "Inform the ninjas stationed to keep an eye on all movements in the Eastern za."

    Taji also gave his orders. "I need you to deliver a message to the guards at my Mansion. Tell them to only keep essential personals. The rest of them are to converge on Kumoragi Mansion. I don''t want Jedayu to escape."

    "Yes sir." Both ninjas vanished.

    -

    The young Genin was standing near a window looking out at the city in front of him. His mind, still on the face of the man he just killed. He took a deep breath of air and then slowly let it out.

    He looked at the numerous reputation increase/decrease notifications piled up on the corner and dismissed all of them without even reading them.

    ''He died for what he believed in I can''t fault him for that.''

    Then he thought about the question that''s been guing his mind. ''I wanted him to talk because I needed to sessfullyplete my quest. But... Would I have gone through with it? If he had decided to keep his mouth shut Would I have put him through that unimaginable torture?... Do I actually have the capacity? To be such a merciless monster Am I bing one of them?''

    At that moment Daichi remembered the words Tsunade once told him.

    "Don''t change. Don''t let this life consume you."

    "I won''t sensei." The Genin muttered to himself.

    "Hey kid."

    Genma''s soft voice brought Daichi out of his thoughts. He turned to the side to look at his temporary Jonin instructor.

    "Hey."

    "I know this is a stupid question to ask considering the situation but are you alright?"

    "I''m fine."

    Daichi''s short reply brought a small frown to the Special Jonin''s face. After a few moments of silence he began. "Daichi, what happened back there You-"

    "It wasn''t my first kill if that''s what you''re wondering?" The Genin interrupted the man.

    Genma was surprised at that information. "When did you?"

    "During my travels with Lady Tsunade and Shizune Senpai, we fought rogue ninjas. I had to take extreme measures during that fight."

    The young man didn''t borate more and Genma didn''t ask. Both of them stood in silence for a few seconds before Genma spoke again.

    "He was loyal to his master. His death was inevitable. Junichiro attacked a family member of the minister. If he hadn''t gotten the death penalty, then he would have spent the rest of his life caged. I have a feeling he would have preferred this."

    "Hn" Daichi just grunted and didn''t say anything else.

    At that moment they were joined by Lord Taji and Yondu. The minister looked at Daichi with sympathy.

    "I''m sorry you were forced to do something like that. But with the situation I''m in, I had no choice I know you''re a shinobi and this is part of your life but still, you''re only just a Genin. You shouldn''t have had to make such a difficult choice."

    Daichi just nodded his head in response.

    "Can I ask you something?" Yondu spoke looking at the boy.

    Seeing Daichi''s silence he continued. "Would you have really gone through with it?"

    The young Gamer sighed hearing that question. "It''s something I''ve been asking myself this whole time And after thinking about it long and hard. I have an answer"

    Seeing their silent gaze waiting for his answer, Daichi spoke. "I wouldn''t have done it. Because it wasn''t personal for me But if he had done the same to someone close to me Then I don''t know I don''t know if I have the capacity for such cruelty. Time will tell I suppose."

    Yondu nodded and seemed satisfied with that answer while Lord Taji gave a small smile.

    "Kumoragi Mansion. Is that his home here?" The Genin asked changing the subject.

    Lord Taji shook his head. "No. In Fact that''s home to one of Wakamu''s enemies. The fact that Jedayu is there means"

    "He''s either coerced the people inside the home or he killed them." Genma finished the sentence for the minister.

    "In hindsight that''s a smart move. You wouldn''t look for someone in their enemy''s home." Yondu spoke.

    "We can capture him but we shouldn''t forget our main objective." Taji clenched his fists thinking about the situation.

    "We need to trick him into revealing if he has more of the poison or not. And we have to be very careful with our intentions. And we don''t know if he''s already left the mansion since we captured Junichiro." Genma spoke.

    Daichi crossed his arms and looked at the minister. "So what''s the n? How do you want us to proceed?"

    "We have no choice but to move on the assumption that he''s there. Orders have already been given. My guards and the ninja stationed here will converge on Kumoragi mansion. The entire area will be surrounded. If he''s still there, he won''t escape." Taji said.

    As he said those words Daichi tilted his head as if he was remembering something. A few momentster he uncrossed his arms and nodded his head. "So that''s how it is Not a bad n." Daichi muttered to himself.

    Genma nodded. "Yeah. Let''s meet this guy."

    "You guys go on ahead. I need to use the bathroom for a minute." Daichi said and separated from the group.

    Genma waited for his ward while the other two adults left.

    A minuteter Daichi rejoined him and both of them headed to their new destination. On their way they saw several Imperial guards and ninja stealthily moving towards the location, swiftly but quietly moving through the roof tops.

    Soon they reach argepound with a big vi in the middle. A few minutester Yondu and Lord Taji arrived with their guards.

    "Um, are you sure you want to be here sir?" Genma asked the Minister.

    "Yes. He went through quite a lot of trouble and brought me here. I should see this through."

    Genma nodded and turned to Daichi. "How many people are inside?"

    Daichi checked the whole area with Chakra sense and Mana scout. He looked at the whole ce and frowned. "Strange. There are no guards here. I can only sense one person. He''s in the middle of the house. Civilian and quite old or weak based on his chakra."

    Genma nodded and turned to look at the other two.

    "Well then, since it''s only just one, you two will be enough. Have the guards stay outside." Taji gave the order.

    Genma and Daichi took the lead with the minister and the Royal court messenger following them. As they went inside they encountered no traps or tricks from the enemy. Soon the two ninjas stepped into arge room and saw an old man sitting on a sofa almost as if he was waiting for them. He didn''t have any hair and had pale skin. He had dark circles around his eyes and looked like he was about to kick the bucket any second.

    Jedayu''s eyes locked onto the minister the moment he set foot in the room. "I didn''t think you two would be so. early(cough cough)."

    Daichi looked at the man on the couch and immediately used ''observe''. The information he read made him cautious. ''This guy has an incurable disease. He''s dying. And dying men can often be dangerous.''

    "You were waiting for us?... You don''t look so good, Jedayu." Taji saw the miserable state the man was in and he understood that his enemy was ill. "You''re dying aren''t you? So you decided to take your anger out on someone I see as my own son. Just because yours died of the poor decisions he made."

    Jedayu''s face turned furious after hearing that. "You took far more than my son."

    "Enlighten us. It was a foolish move to attack a member of the Royal court. Whatever happened to your son was brought on by his own cruel actions. You must know that at some level. So why go through with this?" Yondu asked the man.

    The man was silent for several moments and then answered the messenger. "Do you know (cough) how my son died? They(cough cough) tortured him. Tore him to pieces. My wife My beloved Anya She couldn''t bear what happened to her child. Her gentle heart couldn''t take it. She soon followed him And Now I''m all that''s left."

    "What about Junichiro? There was still someone who cared for you. Loved you." It was Daichi who asked this question.

    At that name, the anger on Jedayu''s face dimmed and he looked down at the floor. "I truly wanted him to leave me But he was adamant to stay by my side(cough cough). He loved me. I know. But It wasn''t enough. My love for Wakamu and (Cough Cough) my wife was greater."

    He then looked up at Daichi and Genma. "Junichiro wouldn''t have talked. And(cough) you couldn''t have entered his mind so quickly. (Cough)I saw to that."

    Genma narrowed his eyes at that admission, confirming his suspicions. "So you did get someone from the Yamanaka n to put barriers inside his head. How?"

    "Yes. (Cough cough). It was A rogue ninja Fleeing from your vige several years ago. I helped him. (cough) In exchange for a favor It''s my turn to ask a question. How did you.. get this information from him so quickly?(cough cough) I''m well aware of his loyalty and his special condition. What did you do to him?" Jedayu was gripping his cane hard and taking several deep breaths as he tried to calm his breathing. Blood was slowly falling from the corner of his lips.

    Daichi had a grim look as he answered. "I told him a story. And then gave him a choice."

    "Must have been One hell of a story He would have held out for as long as he could Just on the hope(cough) that I would escape from here"

    "But you didn''t. Why?" Yondu narrowed his eyes and asked the man in suspicion.

    "I''m a dead man walking. Even if I escape, I don''t have much time left I''m not going to waste my energy Is he Is Junichiro stilive(cough)?"

    Daichi took a deep breath of air and let it out. "No. I made sure to end it quickly."

    Hearing that news, Jedayu lowered his head and several drops of tears started falling down the man''s face. "Forgive me Junichiro. I hope you find peace in your next life."

    He was silent and the others didn''t interrupt him. Momentster Jedayu lifted his head and looked at the Genin. "Daichi Hekima I presume. Student of Lady Tsunade Senju I''ve heard quite a lot about you(cough)."

    "Wow. Didn''t know I was so famous" The Genin said with a mocking grin.

    "Yes. Your reputation precedes you. That''s why I went through the trouble of having such a precise custom poison made(cough cough). I needed something that even you couldn''t heal."

    Daichi stepped forward and looked at the man with a grim face. "Who made it? Something like that isn''t easy or cheap."

    Jedayu grinned at that question. "It was created by Sasori of the Red sand And you''re right. It cost(cough) me my fortune."

    Genma and Daichi''s eyes simultaneously widened. They knew that name.

    Jedayu continued with a grin "I knew that anything less and you''d be able to save them."

    Daichi and the others did a double take when they heard thest word.

    "Wait, them? What are you talking about?" Lord Taji''s eyes narrowed.

    Jedayu gave a cruel smile as he looked at the minister. "You fool Did you really think(cough) I would sit here and ther (cough) for no reason at all? I was stalling you."

    Taji''s teeth grinded in anger when he heard that. He rushed towards the man and punched him in the face. Jedayu fell to the side spitting out a wad of blood.

    Genma quickly stepped forward and stopped the minister from inflicting any more damage to the man. "Please sir, stop. We need to know what he''s done?"

    Taji looked in anger at the Jonin and then turned to the man on the floor. "What did you do? Who else have you poisoned?"

    Jedayu grabbed the cane and slowly got himself up. He took a white handkerchief and wiped the blood off his lips. "I lost my beloved Anya. So now you''re going to lose Fuyi as well My assassin was keeping an eye on your home. The second you pulled the guards to get to me, my assassin struck... She''s probably infected by now... The poison is the same with two key differences. It''s created just for her(cough) and it works much faster than the one(cough) used on your nephew. In less than an hour she''ll be dead..."

    "You bastard! I''ll kill you" Rage filled the minister''s face and he tried to lunge towards the man but Genma kept a hold on him.

    "You lost your nephew(cough) and now you''re going to lose your wife." The mad grin on the man''s face only made the minister more enraged. Before things could get out of hand Genma quickly turned to Daichi. "Leave. You need to get to Lady Fuyi. You need to save her."

    Daichi shook his head at that order. "No."

    Genma and the others were shocked at that response.

    "What? Daichi, you need to save her life?" The minister shouted at the Genin.

    "I don''t need to save her life because she wasn''t poisoned to begin with. She''s fine." That im surprised everyone in the room.

    "What are you talking about?" Jedayu was the one who was most confused.

    "I had a clone waiting near Lord Taji''s home. That woman you sent to poison Lady Fuyi, I took her down before she even got into the room." The Genin had a smirk as he looked at the man.

    Jedayu was shocked. "You But how could you have known"

    Daichi''s grin only widened at that question.

    (shback.)

    "We have no choice but to move on the assumption that he''s there. Orders have already been given. My guards and the ninja stationed here will converge on Kumoragi mansion. The entire area will be surrounded. If he''s still there, he won''t escape." Taji said.

    As Daichi heard these words a memory quickly came to the forefront of his mind. It was the memory of a shogi match he had with his grandfather a few months ago.

    ''During that match Kensei sacrificed his one remaining Gold General and exposed his King. I was so eager to gain a victory, that I surrounded his king from all sides. But that left me exposed. And at thatst moment he used a knight to capture my King.''

    ''Could it just be a coincidence? Or is there something more?''

    Daichi quickly had the map of the whole capital in his mind. He had spent a long time at the capital and had memorized every street and corner. He put the East za andpared it to the location of the minister''s home.

    ''The minister''s home is on the other side of the city. He''s drawing all the guards and ninjas to one side of the Capital and leaving the other exposed. He specifically chose to stay in the East za''

    That revtion surprised Daichi. ''That bastard. His target is Lord Taji''s wife.''

    "So that''s how it is Not a bad n." The Genin couldn''t help but appreciate a good strategy.

    (shback End.)

    "In my Shogi match with my grandfather, he let me take the General, a valuable piece. And he intentionally exposed his King. But I was too eager to win to see the trap that was set. He drew my forces to concentrate on one area while he moved one of his more agile pieces to capture my king who was on the other side."

    With a wide somewhat sadistic grin, Daichi looked at Jedayu. "I didn''t know for sure if this was your n or not? And I knew that if it was and I told the minister, he would have had some more guards stationed at his home and it would have tipped off the assassin. So I created a shadow clone in secret and had him wait. As a contingency. And a few minutes ago, I just got confirmation from my clone that your assassin had been captured."

    Jedayu gritted his teeth as he looked at the grinning Genin. "You"

    Genma, Yondu and Taji were surprised at the Genin''s n.

    Yondu looked at the boy from the corner of his eyes. ''He keeps surprising me again and again. His medical skills, interrogation tactic, his foresight to put a counter in case something went wrong He''s on apletely different level than any other Genin.''

    "This kid" Since everything worked out, Genma couldn''t stay mad at the boy.

    Lord Taji breathed a sigh of relief. He looked at the boy with a smile. "Thank you Daichi. I''m not happy you didn''t share your n with me, but I understand."

    "You think you''ve won?" Jedayu''s angry voice drew everyone''s attention. "I may not have gotten your wife. But your nephew is dead."

    After his outburst, Jedayu expected anger from Taji but was surprised to see a smile forming on everyone''s faces.

    "Yeah about that The death of my nephew may have been exaggerated" The minister had a smile as he looked at his enemy''s shocked face.

    "What? But he died." Jedayu couldn''t understand what was happening. He turned his head towards Daichi. "You couldn''t save his life."

    "Yeah. We lied." Daichi chuckled.

    (shback)

    Daichi looked at his new patient''s condition. ''There is a lot of pressure on me. I can''t let anything happen to this guy on my watch. So to heal him, I have to know everything about him''

    The gamer ninja used ''observe'' and it showed everything about his new patient. ''Leorio Mayima, 24 years old with a Level of 18. Stats slightly above normal civilian standards. He must have had some training.. His physical stats are weakened. Condition: poisoned. Critical.

    Daichi recalled the information he read in the chart. ''The doctors here did every test they could. He tested negative for all known viruses. Only positive for pneumonia. But this is much more than that.''

    Daichi stepped forward and ced his palms on top of the unconscious man''s chest. The young medic''s hands glowed green and he began examining the patient. Daichi''s medical techniques were developed by Tsunade and augmented by his gamer system. So those jutsu were much more precise and thorough than even the best.

    ''His kidneys, liver, lungs are all slowly shutting down. His fever has spiked in thest hour. Based on my estimates he has less than two hours beforeplete body shutdown and heart failure. The first thing I need to do is see if this thing is contagious or not. If this has the potential to spread, it could be chaotic.''

    Daichi analyzed the body right down to the cellr structure and took a look at the major organs. As he examined the patient his lips slightly curled up.

    ''Hmm So that''s how it is. Clever move Whoever made this poison is certainly no amateur''

    Daichi studied the man for several minutes and then the green chakra faded from his hands. He took three vials from his inventory and took the nearby syringes. One vial had a light blue liquid while the other two had red and brown liquids.

    ''The three life saving concoctions of my own design. I was only able toplete this with the spring water I took from Tonika vige and my own form. This should help you out for the moment.''

    Daichi took the first Blue vial in his hand and inserted the contents into the syringe. ''X Purge shot. Capable of removing foreign particles and diseases.. I''ve only been able to test it on a few animals so far.. But since all my calctions are right and Observe didn''t show any defects with it, this is the best option.''

    Daichi came near the unconscious Leorio and spoke. "These medicines are just prototypes. But I guess you''re not gonna mind are you" Without wasting another second he injected the contents into the man''s veins. Once the contents of the first syringe was emptied he ced the used needle in his inventory and waited a few minutes.

    As Daichi stood observing every inch of the man, he saw some of the blisters and red patches on the skin receding and slowly return to normal. It was a slow process that took about 20 minutes. At that moment Daichi took several skin and blood samples from the patient and safely stored them.

    He then ced his palms on the man''s chest and they once again glowed green. Daichi examined the state of the body and nodded his head. ''Just as I expected. The poison isn''tpletely purged from his system. It''s progress has been slowed down but it''s still there. With time it will spread again. Whoever did this created this poison specially with this guy in mind. Time for the other two shots.''

    The next vial the medic ninja took contained a brown liquid. ''The Booster Shot. This will boost your immune system and give you the necessary energy. It will also buy me time to find a permanent solution.''

    Daichi injected the liquid and after several minutes took samples of his blood and checked his condition. ''His immunity system is responding well and vitals are beginning to stabilize. That spring water is no joke. It''s life-giving properties are incredible. Now time for the final one.''

    Daichi took thest vial with the red liquid and soon injected the man. He looked at the sleeping Leorio with a small smile. "Life Blood. I know it''s not the coolest name. But it does its job well. This will heal the injuries your organs suffered and restore your health. If I were to sell this in the open market, I would never have to work in my life again"

    ''Well, that is if I was a normal person.''

    Daichi sighed and once again paid close attention to Leorio''s vitals. His hands glowed green and checked the man''s status.

    Daichi spent over two hours in the room healing the man and bringing him from death''s door. With his special medicine and using the Health Maniption skill which is at Level 7, Daichi was able to considerably improve his vital status.

    ''But the problem is, the more potent orplicated the poison the weaker the effect of my drug. These medicines are still in their early stages of development.. I can''t proceed further and improve these drugs without a properb''

    As he was thinking about the status of his medicines and their effects a new system message showed up.

    [Quest ''Save the Nephew of the Minister'' Completed.]

    [Rewards:]

    [12000 Exp.

    1800 Exp.

    +1 Level in Health Maniption.

    +1 Wisdom Stat

    +1 Intelligence Stat.

    Reputation increases with the Client.

    Reputation will massively increase with Genma Shiranui, Hiruzen Sarutobi and people in Fire Capital.]

    [You have leveled up.]

    ''Ok. That''s one headache down.''

    [2nd Quest.]

    [Quest created - Identify the Culprit.]

    ''Aaand herees the second headache.''

    ---------------

    Author''s note:

    Aaand here is a 4.2k word Chapter. If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 202: The Second Quest

    Chapter 202: The Second Quest

    Daichi quickly opened the quest box and looked at his next set of tasks.

    [Quest Created - Identify the Culprit.]

    [An unknown party has poisoned Leorio. Find out the person/people behind this.]

    [Conditions:]

    Find out the identifies of the main culprits.

    Get a sample of the original poison.

    .

    [Rewards:]

    [20000 Exp.

    +1 Intelligence Stat.

    +2 Dignity Stat.

    +1 Charisma Stat.

    Reputation increases with the Client.

    Reputation massively increases with Genma Shirunau, Hiruzen Sarutobi and people in Fire Capital.

    Opening the 3rd Quest - ''Cure Leorio Mayima''.]

    .

    [Failure:]

    [Failure to open the Quest - ''Cure Leorio Mayima''

    Reputation decreases with everyone.

    Possible wrath of the Fire Daimyo.]

    .

    [ept Y/N]

    ''Yeah, l had a feeling this is what the quest was going to say.''

    With a sigh he epted the quest and thought about how to proceed best. ''Since this is a custom built poison created with his DNA as the specific target, I need the original sample of the poison to create a permanent cure.''

    The Genin sat in a nearby chair and thought about the best n. After thinking things through he had an idea. ''I need to make sure whoever did this thinks their n has worked and their guard is down.''

    Having made a decision he took a deep breath. ''Here''s hoping everything goes ording to n. Time to face the music.''

    Daichi went outside and told the family that the child they looked after and saw as their own had passed away.

    ''I need to take control of the situation before any unknown variable appears.''

    Daichi quickly used Mana Puppetry on the 3rd Minister. ''How did this happen? Ask him for an exnation.''

    [Target has epted the suggestion.]

    "How? How could this happen? Was there nothing you could do?"

    "I did everything I could, but the poison was too strong and I got here toote."

    "Aren''t you the student of the greatest medic in the world? How could you not save him?"

    "I''m sorry. There are some things even I''m not capable of doing."

    Daichi wordlessly stopped Genma from speaking for him. He inwardly sighed as he saw the reputation decrease notifications popping up. ''Time to move forward with the second Puppetry Target.''

    Daichi''s next use of the Mana skill was on the Minister''s wife Lady Fuyi. ''Ask him to see Leorio.''

    [Target has epted the suggestion.]

    "C-can we see him?"

    "Yes. Of course." ''I need to get these specific people inside the room before something out of my control happens. This will make things easier.''

    "Lord Taji. I need to speak with you along with Dr. Karuizawa, Lord Yondu and you too, Genma sensei. The poison isn''t contagious but there is something you should know about it." The group followed Daichi and entered the room and as soon as thest person was inside Daichi closed the door.

    Everyone looked towards the bed and expected to see a dead body. But they were all shocked when they saw Leorio''s chest moving up and down slowly and the monitoring machines indicating that he was alive.

    "I would like to apologize to all of you here. I lied earlier."

    Everyone turned around and looked at the boy who spoke. The Mayima family was too surprised to form words while the others just stayed silent and decided to hear the Genin''s exnation.

    Daichi looked at the Minister, his wife and Leorio''s Fiance. "I''m sorry. It was not my intention to cause you all such pain but I had no choice. I apologize." Daichi bowed to the elderly couple and then straightened. "As you can see behind you, your nephew is still very much alive."

    The three looked behind them and when they processed that their precious child was alive they had tears of joy.

    [Reputation increases with everyone in the room]

    At that moment Yondu stepped forward. "Why did you lie? What was the point of this?"

    "There are two reasons. The first is that I needed to see the reactions of the guards stationed outside. Somehow without anyone knowing, a very dangerous poison entered your nephews system. So I suspect the possibility of a spy. Even if I hadpletely cured the poison and saved Leorio''s life, if any of the Guards were the person who poisoned him, then his life would still have been in danger." Daichi exined.

    [Reputation increases with everyone in the room.]

    Yondu nodded his head as he heard that. "I see. That''s a valid reason I suppose."

    At that moment Dr. Karuizawa stepped forward and had a frown on his face. "Wait. You said ''even if you hadpletely cured the poison and saved his life. What do you mean? Isn''t hepletely healed?"

    The joy the Mayima family was feeling quickly dimmed. They looked at the Genin and when they saw his serious expression they got their answer.

    The young medic shook his head. "I''m sorry to say that he''s not. The foreign agent introduced into his system is a very intricate, custom-built toxin that''s coded to his gic sequence and DNA structure."

    Junko raised her hand. "Yeah, for those of us not a medic, could you dumb it down. What are you talking about?"

    Daichi sighed and slowly answered. "The poison is specifically built so that it would infect Leorio and only him. To create a cure for such a custom poison, I need the original sample of the poison or something close to it. I need to analyze its makeup, biological agents and chemical structure to create a counter agent. Ie. A cure. That''s the second reason I made such a public lie. I need the enemy''s guard down and get a sample of the original poison. If he or she still has it. "

    "So he''s still in danger!?" Taji said as he looked at his adopted child.

    "Yes. I''m afraid so." Daichi replied.

    "May I examine him?" Dr. Karuizawa asked and Daichi nodded. The head of the Fire hospital came near the sleeping Leorio and ced his palms on top of the man. It glowed green a couple secondster and he began examining the young man''s condition.

    "You said this poison was created specifically with Leo in mind. How is that possible? Create a poison that can infect a specific person and no one else?" Junko asked.

    ''That''s a good question?'' Yondu, Taji and Genma turned to Daichi.

    "Well to do that one would need the target''s DNA. It can be from anywhere. A strand of hair, from your tea cup, saliva After that they would study the target''s gic make-up for deficiencies, allergies etc. Say lung disease or peanut allergy They can even add their own twists to the toxin and make it more deadly. Then they would harness that gic sequence onto a virus. Any virus would do and make sure ites in contact with the target. That''s why the tests here showed that he was positive for pneumonia and almost nothing else." Daichi replied.

    "This custom built poison. How many people are capable of making something like this?" It was Genma who posed this question.

    "Hmm" Daichi thought about it for a few seconds and then answered. "To create something like this one would need an intricate understanding of hundreds of herbs, an in depth knowledge of the human body and a ton of experience. The people who are in this category There are less than 10 in the whole world Lets see, there is Lady Chiyo of the Sand vige, the Ghost Walker of the Mist, Killing Dust of the Stone vige, Sasori of the Red sand, Orochimaru Lady Tsunade, Shizune Senpai and"

    "You?" Taji smiled slightly and finished Daichi''s sentence.

    The young Genin smirked and nodded. "Yeah."

    "Since you know how to make one, then you would also know how to create a cure. The fact that my boy is still breathing when he should be dead is proof of that." The minister said. His impression of the boy greatly improved from before.

    [Reputation increases with Dr. Karuizawa.]

    "Yes. Indeed." Dr. Karuizawa suddenly said with excitement. Everyone turned to him. "You were able to heal the scars and damages his organs suffered and boost his immune system and increase his body metabolism. It''s unbelievable. How did you even aplish such a thing?"

    "I created a special technique that allows me to heal the internal injuries even in such critical conditions. There was also a special drug I came up with that boosted the strength of his immune system so it can fight the poison."

    ''It seems I was wrong earlier. We didn''t overestimate him. No, we underestimated his talents. He truly is Lady Tsunade''s apprentice.'' Yondu thought as he looked at the Genin.

    The Jonin Genma internally smiled. ''Looks like you really can pull off a miracle.''

    "Your reputation certainly doesn''t do you justice." Taji said with a smile. He was grateful that his faith had not been misced.

    "Thank you for saving him." Lady Fuyi smiled tearfully as she sat near her nephew and stroked his cheeks.

    Daichi smiled for a moment but then the smile dimmed. "Well as I said. It''s still too early to celebrate. I was able to stabilize his condition but he isn''t fully healed. The medication I used to help him boost his immune system is a work in progress. It''s a one time pill. It won''t have anywhere near the first time effects if used again. We have 44 to 48 hours before the poison overpowers his body''s defenses and starts its attack again. After that another 5 or 6 hours before he''s in critical condition again."

    Lord Taji and Yondu nodded as they understood the situation.

    "How long will you need to create a cure once we find the original sample?" Yondu asked the Medic ninja.

    "Hmm I need to analyze itsposition first. Then find the best agent to counter it and then synthesize the antidote. Should take me roughly 3 or 4 hours."

    "So we have two days to find the person who did this and get a sample." Genma knew such a tight time frame was not good but it was the best they had.

    ''''Attacking a family member of the Daimyo court. Whoever did it must have some serious guts. That and a shit ton of money and connections. So we''re not dealing with an average individual or a group. This could be the work of factions of rival Daimyo of another country or someone else." Yondu spoke. The list of suspects that could do this wasn''t long but each one was dangerous.

    "Do you trust the guards outside?" Genma suddenly asked Taji.

    "If this had been a couple days ago, my answer would have been a resolute yes. But now" Since he didn''t know who was behind the attack of his son, Taji had doubts about his men.

    "I don''t think there are any spies among the guards outside. I was keeping a close eye on their facial expressions and all of them seemed really angry when they heard Leorio died. So" The Genin tried to speak in the guards favor.

    ''I can''t say it''s because of the reputation decrease I saw. And I''m not gonna tell them I sensed their chakra Need to keep that info under wraps from the people here in the capital.'' Daichi was very careful with the words he spoke. He wanted to keep some parts of his skills and items a secret. It''s why he didn''t tell them the true details of his three concoctions.

    "That may be true but still, we can''t take the risk." Taji said. ''Not when ites to my boy.''

    "We need to know everything your men have found out about this incident. We''ll start our own investigation and find the culprit behind this." Genma spoke.

    "I might have an idea as to where to start."

    Everyone turned to Daichi and listened.

    The young Genin took a moment topose himself and then spoke. "As I said before, to create a custom build virus or poison, all one would need is a sample of the target''s DNA. But for this specific virus that''s attacking him, whoever did this must have gotten his or her hands on some of Leorio''s blood. This poison couldn''t have been created without examining his blood."

    He turned to the Minister. "Do you know any instances when Leorio was wounded in thest several months?"

    Taji thought about the situation and his eyes widened. He recalled an incident that happened several months ago.

    "Yeah! There was! It was 4 months ago. A bear attack." It was Junko who answered the question. "Leo and I were walking through the small forest near the east end of the capital. And there was a bearing at us. It was angry and looked like it wanted to kill us. Leo stood in front of me and got hurt. But-"

    "Let me guess, before he could get more injured a random passerby came to his rescue and either killed or scared off that bear." Genma had been on enough missions to know when someone was being set up.

    "Yeah. Exactly." Junko nodded. "He said he was a traveler and luckily had some bandages and medicines. He cleaned Leo''s wounds and bandaged him."

    "How kind of him." The sarcastic tone in which Daichi said these words weren''t missed by anyone.

    The young woman''s eyes widened. "Wait! You''re saying that whole thing was nned?"

    The Genin nodded his head. "Yeah. If I had to make a guess, I''d say that bear was under some sort of Genjutsu. The person who helped you. He bandaged the wounds on Leo but did you see him destroy the blood soaked clothes or items?"

    Junko opened her mouth to say something then closed it. She was silent for several seconds and then replied. "No. In all thatmotion wepletely forgot about that."

    "Well, I guess now we know how they got hold of Leorio''s blood." Genma said.

    "Junko. Can you remember the man''s face? Please think hard." The desperation was barely hidden in Taji''s voice.

    "I-... I''m sorry. I don''t remember." Junko had tears forming in her eyes due to her helplessness.

    "Y-you w-were always a worrywort.. Jun" A tired raspy sound was heard and everyone turned to look at the person who just spoke.

    "Oh my god! Leo. You''re awake." Jun rushed to her fiance and hugged him.

    "You had all of us so worried." Fuyi spoke smiling and with tears in her eyes.

    "Sorry aunt Fuyi. But look I''m getting better." Leorio tried to calm his family down.

    "I don''t know how to help you Leo. I can''t even remember the face of the man we met that day."

    "Don''t w-worry Jun. I''m sure they''ll find him. Don''t cry."

    "He''s right. You shouldn''t cry. I doubt it would have helped anyway." Daichi spoke up.

    Taji and Yondu turned to him. "What do you mean?" The messenger of the Royal court asked.

    "This whole thing was meticulously nned. I have no doubt that the person who appeared before Lady Junko was in disguise. Even if you gave us a perfect description, I have a feeling we would have ended up chasing ghosts." Genma answered for Daichi as he tried to console the crying young woman.

    "So then how do we find him?" The 3rd minister asked.

    "We start with where Leorio was infected. His room. Daichi and I''ll search the whole ce. See if we can''t find anything." The special Jonin had been part of and had conducted several investigations. He knew how to proceed and what the next best step was.

    "Leorio, my name is Daichi Hekima. I need you to answer a few questions for me." The Genin came near his patient and examined him.

    "Who are you?"

    "I''m the guy who''s keeping the Reaper from taking your soul."

    "Don''t be so dramatic, Daichi He''s your medic Leo." Genma said with a smirk.

    "Guess I I need to thank you for saving my life. What happened?" Leo gave a small smile as he looked at the Genin.

    "You''re not out of the woods yet. I was able to stabilize your vitals and give a boost in energy but you''re still very much in danger you''ll die in two days if we don''t find a cure." Daichi said somewhat bluntly.

    "Oh" Leorio paled even more when he heard that news.

    "Couldn''t you have said that nicely?" Junko frowned as she looked at the Genin.

    "That was putting it nicely." Daichi replied with a raised eyebrow to the woman.

    He then turned his attention back to the sick man in bed. "Yesterday night, did you eat or drink anything when you were inside your room?"

    "N-no Nothing I just went to bed After that All I remember was just pain" He replied while taking several breaths.

    "Just as I thought." Daichi muttered.

    Dr. Karuizawa heard him and turned towards the Genin. "Daichi, have you figured out how the virus got into his system?"

    The Genin nodded. "It''s obvious. I''m sure you''ve already got an idea."

    "Aerosol?"

    "Yeah. I thoroughly examined him. There were no needle marks on his body and he said he didn''t take any food or drinks. I check his oral cavity. There weren''t any signs of foreign particles or chemicals. So the poison must have gotten in through the air."

    "So then I was" At that moment Leorio was bing too tired and slowly slipped back into sleep.

    "Leo, Leo What''s happening?"

    "Calm down. He''s tired. Being awake takes too much energy. He''s sleeping." Daichi replied to the worried nces.

    He looked at Taji and spoke. "I''ll need to talk to the guard stationed outside Leorio''s room. I want to know everything that happenedst night."

    "But what about my nephew? If you leave here and something happens" Fuyi was scared that something unexpected would happen and wanted Daichi to stay by her nephew''s side till he was fully healed.

    "Don''t worry. I won''t leave him without supervision." Daichi created a shadow clone and turned to Dr. Karuizawa. "My clone will watch over his vitals and condition. In the meantime, till we solve this whole predicament, you cannot let anyonee into this room. Even you."

    The head doctor agreed. "I understand."

    "What? But I want to stay with him. I should be there for him when he wakes up."

    "That''s right." Junko said and her mother agreed but Taji was looking at Daichi with a serious gaze. He knew what had to be done.

    "No." Taji Mayima said. "Right now, everyone outside thinks he''s dead. So that news will eventually reach the killer. We need to make it look real. So Leo won''t be attacked again."

    He turned to his wife and future daughter inw. "We need to leave. Do as the Leaf ninja says. This is for the best."

    "I''ll have to inform Lord Ryuga of the situation but I think he''ll see the wisdom in keeping this whole thing under wraps. At least until we get to the bottom of this." As the messenger and member of the Royal court, Yondu had the duty of informing the Daimyo everything without lies.

    "Daichi and I will start with his bedroom." Genma said and the Genin nodded. The Special Jonin turned to the head doctor of the hospital. "Don''t let anyone get in here. And just tell the staff here that we were toote to save him. If there is a spy then I''m sure the news will reach them quickly."

    "Yes. of course."

    Having made their decision the people slowly starteding out of the room. They all had sad somber expressions.

    (shback End)

    "The short version of everything that happened is, I slowed the poison down, prolonged his life, faked his death, investigated the poisoning, followed the tracks and well here we are." The smile on Daichi''s face only got bigger as he looked at the shocked face of the dying man.

    -----------------

    Author''s Note:

    Another 3k+ word chap. The mission conclusion and return will be in the next chapter. With each chap we''re one step closer to Canon

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 203: B Rank Mission: Conclusion

    Chapter 203: B Rank Mission: Conclusion

    "No That That can''t be" Jedayu couldn''t believe that his months of nning and sacrifices had been for nothing.

    [Quest ''Identify the Culprit'' Completed.]

    [Rewards:]

    [20000 Exp.

    3000 Exp.

    +1 Intelligence Stat.

    +2 Dignity Stat.

    +1 Charisma Stat.

    Reputation increases with the Client.

    Reputation massively increased with Genma Shiranui, Hiruzen Sarutobi and people in Fire Capital.

    Opening the 3rd Quest - ''Cure Leorio Mayima''.]

    [3rd Quest.]

    [Quest created - Cure Leorio Mayima.]

    ''Excellent. That''s a nice chunk of Exp.''

    Daichi read through the notifications and epted the next quest quickly. He then looked at the shocked man and gave a final blow to his psyche.

    "Oh yeah. I almost forgot. I subdued your would-be assassin, and now I have a sample of the poison in my possession. My clone is currently working on it at the hospital to find a counter agent. In about 4 hours I''ll have an antidote ready for Leorio. He will be just fine."

    Hearing Daichi''s words, Lord Taji let out a sigh of relief and smiled.

    Yondu smirked and looked at the dying man in front of them. "You lost."

    Rage filled every inch of Jedayu''s body. He gripped his cane so badly he was bleeding from his nails. His eyes were on the Genin who was smirking at him. "You brat."

    "Enough Jedayu! There is nothing more you can do. So are you going to surrender ande willingly or not?" Genma stepped forward and crossed his arms.

    Jedayu took a deep breath and tried to calm himself. "So I failed huh"

    "Yes. This is the end for you." Taji said with a cold tone. He wasn''t going to forgive the man for what he did.

    A mad grin quickly formed on Jedayu''s face. Daichi and the others were immediately on alert. He quickly made a seal and the clothes on his body started hissing and sending out smoke. Jedayu was secretly covered in paper bombs and he suddenly activated them. "Since I''m going to die, I''m taking you all with me"

    Along with Jedayu, the entire room they were in was covered in paper bombs.

    Genma''s eyes widened at therge number of active paper bombs. ''Oh fuck me.''

    The moment Jedayu had the crazy grin on his face, Daichi had an idea what he was up to. He gathered his chakra and the second Jedayu made the seal, the young Genin quickly went through several hand seals.

    ''Earth style - Super Hardened Defense Dome.''

    His chakra responded at lightning speed and a powerful earth dome quickly erupted from the sides of the floor andpletely covered everyone. It was thicker and several times stronger than the normal earth defense dome. Genma, Yondu and Lord Taji were all standing close to Daichi so they were all under the protection of the jutsu.

    "BOOM.!"

    A powerful explosion went off inside the room and its power rocked the whole mansion and brought it down on top of Daichi''s dome wall. The sound of the explosion and it''s shockwave woke up the entire Fire Capital. The guards stationed outside the Mansion were thrown backwards due to the force.

    "LORD TAJIII" Tadashi''s scream couldn''t be heard through the sounds of the falling rubble. Dust and smoke filled the whole area and chaos erupted. The guards and ninja securing the perimeter quickly rushed towards the fallen house.

    As they were about to dig, a small explosion happened in the center sending wood and stone flying. They saw Daichi standing there with his right fist stretched and around him, the 3rd Minister, the Special Jonin and the messenger of the Royal court. All safe and sound.

    "That was too close... Nice reflexes Daichi." Genma praised his ward for his quick thinking and actions. The man was about to grab the minister and body flicker away knowing that the other two would follow him. It was a risky n so when he saw Daichi''s defense dome sprang up he abandoned that idea and decided to trust Kakashi''s student.

    "I can''t believe he did that." Taji''s heart was pounding in his chest and only now was he beginning to calm down. He turned towards Daichi and thanked him for saving their lives.

    "So this is why I knew it was a bit too easy" Daichi muttered to himself but the others heard him.

    "What are you talking about Daichi?" Lord Taji asked the Genin.

    Daichi looked at the 3 people around him and exined. "When I was interrogating Junichiro It felt like he gave up this location without much resistance. At first I didn''t think much of it but it still bothered me on some level. But now we know. This was a trap to kill you, Lord Taji. My guess is that if Junichiro was captured then he was to give up this location and Jedayu must have been counting on you toe here yourself. It must be why there was no one else here other than Jedayu. It was to lure you in. Junichiro might have wanted to make it look real or he might have wanted his master to change his mind and escape at thest moment. I think that''s why he resisted at first This is all just a theory anyway."

    "I see" The minister sighed as he heard that. ''The lengths a man will go to for revenge''

    "Whatever the case is, it doesn''t matter now. All the parties involved in the poisoning are dead. We can finally be at ease." Yondu spoke.

    "Not all of them. The man who created the poison, Sasori of the red sand he is still out there." The minister spoke and nobody missed the wariness in his tone.

    "I don''t think you need to worry about himing after your family. Based on what I know he''s a missing nin from Hidden Sand vige and he most likely created the poison as a job for Jedayu. I doubt its anything personal to him." Genma said, trying to reassure the man.

    The minister turned to look at the Special Jonin. "It felt pretty fucking personal to me Apologies for the crude words." The minister sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Whatever. Right now there are things that are more important that need my attention."

    The Royal messenger surveyed the whole area and then spoke again. "It looks like nothing survived. I have a feeling that it''s over."

    "We should get out of here. There could still be paper bombs that didn''t detonate." Genma said and all of them slowly made their way to the outer area and the Guards surrounded.

    "My Lord, are you alright?" Tadashi''s his master once over and was satisfied to not see any visible injuries.

    "I''m fine Tadashi. Daichi saved our lives." The guard smiled and nodded his head at the Genin.

    "Daichi, why don''t you head to the hospital. Now that you have a sample of the poison you''re much more needed there." Yondu said.

    "He''s right. I''ll be with them just in case Jedayu has set up any more traps. Go."

    Daichi nodded to Lord Yondu''s and with Genma''s assurance of their safety he headed to the hospital.

    "Yes. I''ll inform my wife of the good news." Taji said with a wide smile.

    Tadashi was confused as to why his lord was smiling like that. Seeing the confused look on his guard the Minister exined.

    "Leorio is alive. Daichi was able to temporarily heal his injuries and extend his life until he found a permanent cure."

    The guard''s eyes widened at that. "What? Young master Leorio is alive?"

    "Yes indeed. I''m sorry for the ruse that was yed, but it was necessary." Taji said with a small apologetic smile. Tadashi was one of the guards that had been with him for over two decades. It pained to suspect the man or even lie to him but the minister told himself that it was for his nephew.

    Tadashi was silent for a few moments before a smile appeared on his face. "I understand my Lord. I''m just d he''s alive."

    "Mm Let''s get out of here"

    They left while the guards and Leaf shinobibed through the wreckage.

    At the edge of thepound, in the shadows there were two figures watching everything.

    ''So Jedayu died huh I didn''t think they would get to him Looks like the n will be a failure.''

    "Want to go to the hospital to see if Daichi can save his life?" One voice asked the other.

    "Hmm Sure. I''m curious to see the result as well. If Leorio is saved then we''ll have to abandon our ns. If that''s the case then I''m not sure how Pain will take the news." The second voice replied and the two disappeared.

    -

    Daimyo Pce.

    "Hmm So he wanted revenge for his dead wife and son huh." The Daimyo of the Fire country Lord Ryuga Hino sat on his immacte throne and looked gazed at his messenger.

    Yondu nodded his head. "Yes. And the fact that he had the whole mansion rigged to explode It seems he was nning on luring Lord Taji there all along."

    Ryuga sighed and slightly shook his head. "And even that failed. What a pathetic ending to a sad, desperate man Well, I''m d you''re alright Yondu. I would not have been happy if anything had happened to you."

    "Thank you for the kind words my Lord. It was Daichi''s quick thinking that saved us."

    Ryuga nodded. "I''ll be sure to Thank him."

    "On another note, seize all of Jedayu''s remaining assets. And find out what contacts he has here. He must have bribed at least a few people here for all of this to go unnoticed for so long. I won''t tolerate anyone causing trouble in my domain."

    "Yes my Lord. It shall be done." Yondu bowed his head and replied.

    Ryuga then asked the minister a question that''s been on his mind. "So, how''s your evaluation of the child?"

    Yondu was silent for a moment to gather his thoughts and then spoke. "I have no doubt that his medical skills are on par with Lady Tsunade herself. And he''s not just a talented medic. His Ninjutsu skills are also far ahead of someone his age. His earth jutsu responded quickly and was powerful enough to withstand the st of so many paper bombs I believe he''s mastered the second step of Change in chakra nature for Earth."

    Ryuga had a small smile when he heard that. "I see. That''s certainly impressive."

    "There is something else." Yondu took a few seconds and looked at his lord with a serious face. His mind recalling the interrogation scene.

    "He is more dangerous than we have previously assessed. He''s much more cunning than he lets on and he can be quite cruel if the time calls for it. He told me he ys shogi with his grandfather frequently. And it shows. His battle senses and strategies are far beyond Genin stage. We will have to raise his threat level."

    Ryuga nodded as he listened to his friend. He smiled at his messenger and spoke. "I told you before, didn''t I? He''s a very interesting child. And it seems Kazuya is interested in Daichi''s skills as well He''s had some of his men gather information about the Genin."

    "The young prince? But why?" Yondu was confused as to why the youngest son of the Fire Lord was interested in the boy.

    "Who knows? But I''m not going to interfere I''ll just sit back and enjoy the show." With a wide grin the Lord of Fire country just rxed in his throne and enjoyed his wine.

    -

    Hours passed by and Genma, the Minister along with his family and few guards were standing outside Leorio''s room waiting for Daichi to finish creating the antidote.

    In the medical Lab, after about 4 hours of analysis and experiments, Daichi finally had a blue vial ready. ''Finally. It''s ready Time to wake him up.''

    Daichi made his way out of theb and headed straight for Leo''s room. He saw the anxiousness on everyone''s faces and smiled. Giving Lord Taji and his family hope. Daichi went in and soon administered the antidote.

    He then ced his palms on Leo''s chest and it started glowing green. Daichi used a diagnostic jutsu to see the effects of his drug. He found that his antidote was working well to counter the foreign toxin.

    ''To think it was Sasori who created this poison. If the Akatsuki is involved then trouble will no doubt find me sooner orter Hmm What were they doing at this time in canon?''

    Daichi recalled the memories from his previous life and charted the movements of the Akatsuki. ''At the moment they were more focused on gathering intel and shoring up their resources. They were also looking to increase their revenue. Could this just be another job for them to make easy cash? Or is there something more?''

    Daichi focused his attention back to his patient. Half an hour went by and the Genin did a thorough checkup and concluded that all foreign toxins had left Leorio''s body.

    [Quest ''Cure Leorio Mayima'' Completed.]

    [Rewards:]

    [14500 Exp.

    2175 Exp.

    +1 Level in Health Maniption.

    +1 Dignity Stat.

    +1 Charisma Stat.

    Reputation increases with the Client.

    Reputation massively increases with Genma Shiranui, Hiruzen Sarutobi and people in Fire Capital.]

    [Chain Quest Completed]

    [500 Exp.]

    [75 Exp.]

    "Ohh What?" The Minister''s nephew was slowly starting to wake up. As his eyes gained focus, the first face he saw was Daichi''s.

    "Wee back. How are you feeling?"

    "A bit tired But otherwise I feel fine" He slowly sat up in his bed and took several deep breaths of air and smiled as he felt no pain. He moved his arms and legs and felt that he was back to normal.

    "You saved me. Thank you." Leorio gave a small bow to the Leaf Genin and straightened.

    "You''re wee. Your family is waiting for you outside. Do you wanna see them?"

    Leo eagerly nodded his head to the Genin''s question. Daichi went out and ryed the good news and in seconds the 3rd Minister, his wife and fiance came running. Junko hugged her man and buried her face against his chest. "I''m so d you''re safe." She said with tears running down her cheeks.

    "Oh Leo, you had everyone so worried."

    "Are you feeling alright?"

    The young man looked at his family and he couldn''t help but get choked up. "I''m fine now see"

    Daichi was outside rying the details to his Jonin instructor and then went inside Leo''s room. The minister turned to the medic who saved his life and bowed. Fuyi smiled while Junko was shocked that the proud Minister was bowing to someone else other than the Daimyo.

    "Thank you for what you did. You not only saved Leo but you also saved mine and Fuyi''s life" Lord Taji was grateful beyond words.

    "Please sir, there''s no need to bow. And besides, it''s what you hired me to do." Daichi had been in situations like this plenty when he was with Tsunade. He would heal a life threatening injury and the family would show great appreciation and even bow. At first it was awkward but now he doesn''t think twice about it. But the man in front of him was the minister of the Fire Capital. So Daichi kept a polite and awkward expression.

    Lord Taji straightened and looked at the boy with a smile. "I know the mary reward I put up for this mission is nowhere near enough topensate for what you did today. So I''ll just give you this"

    Lord Taji took a golden emblem from his pocket and handed it to Daichi. "That is my family seal. That proves you''re an ally of the Mayima family. If you''re here and ever in need of any assistance, just show that seal."

    Daichi took a look at the small pendant and tucked it inside his pocket. "Thank you Lord Taji." ''Wow Cliche move. But I''m notining. Who knows when and how this mighte in handy.''

    The minister then turned to look at his nephew. "Will Leo need any medication going forward?"

    "No. All he needs is plenty of water to drink and a day''s rest and he''ll be fine."

    "Amazing. Your medical skills are truly amazing."

    "I wouldn''t be here if it wasn''t for Lady Tsunade. She is the one who taught me everything regarding medical ninjutsu."

    The Minister smiled and nodded.

    After checking him once over, Dr. Karuizawa dismissed Leo from the hospital. The young man was currently spending time at home resting with his family while Daichi and Genma stood in front of the Fire Lord.

    Ryuga smiled as he looked at the boy. "Your reputation is well deserved. And you have my gratitude for saving my men''s lives. So I''ll let you make one request within reasonable bounds and it''ll be done. I know this is sudden. So you can think it over and the next time you''re in the capital you can ask me for that request."

    Daichi was shocked. ''Wow there''s so many things I need to think things through before I cash in that favor.''

    Genma was equally surprised. He didn''t think the Daimyo would make such an offer. At that moment Yondu, who was standing on the side, stepped forward and gave the special Jonin a scroll.

    "Deliver that to the Hokage will you? It''s important." Ryuga said nothing more and the Jonin straightened and nodded in seriousness.

    "Have a safe journey back to the vige you two."

    "Thank you, Lord Ryuga."

    With that Daichi''s first B Rank mission hade to a sessful closure and the Genin and his Jonin supervisor headed back to the Leaf vige.

    ---------------

    Author''s Note:

    Finally! It''s done. Oh man. I really enjoyed writing this arc. Maybe I''ll call it ''Jedayu''s Revenge arc.'' If you guyse up with a cooler name, let me know. A long chap without a break. I''m really spoiling you guys aren''t I

    Anyway the ''Jedayu''s Revenge'' arc and the previous ''Treasure hunting'' arcs are something I wanted to write since the beginning of this novel. I hope I did well. Now I''m curious to hear your thoughts.

    So on a scale of 1 to 5 how would you rate this arc? With 5 being very very good. And 1 the worst. Comment below.

    And I''m also eager to know if you guys want to see more original missions like these and don''t worry. I''ll be focusing on getting to canon now. I''ll do a dungeon in the next chap but it will only be for one chapter and after that''ll we''ll move on to other things that will set the framework for canon to start.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 204: Dungeons and Kages

    Chapter 204: Dungeons and Kages

    It was evening when Daichi and his superior reached the vige. Both ninjas were in front of the Hokage and finished their debriefing of the mission.

    "Daichi, there were several instances where things could have gone beyond your control but thankfully none of them happened and everything worked out well in the end. That''s good. But be more careful next time and let your Jonin in on your ns, yes?"

    "Yes. Lord Hokage." Daichi replied with a small bow.

    "Cheer up young Daichi. Youpleted the mission sessfully and the Minister is satisfied with the results. That''s a win in my book." Hiruzen had a smile as he looked at the Genin. ''Sending him to Tsunade was a brilliant idea.''

    "You did good work Daichi. Youpleted your first B Rank mission almost wlessly. Not many Genin can say that." The old kage praised the boy.

    "Thank you Lord Hokage." Daichi gave a small bow and replied.

    "Have you decided what you want to request from the Fire Daimyo?"

    Daichi was silent for a moment and then answered. "I have a few things in mind but I haven''t made any decisions."

    Hiruzen nodded and then spoke in a serious tone. "Fair warning Daichi. Lord Ryuga is not a simple man. Be very careful when you deal with him. And think very carefully before you make your decision." Hiruzen knew what kind of a man the Fire Daimyo was. He didn''t want Daichi to fall into his palms.

    The Genin took the warning seriously and silently nodded. He was dismissed shortly after and headed straight home. Daichi quickly arrived at his house and saw Kensei sitting on the porch.

    "Hey Gramps. Getting bored?"

    "I suppose. It has been dull here without you to entertain me." Kensei replied with a smallugh. "I thought your mission would take longer?"

    "No. It was just to heal someone. The Minister''s nephew."

    Kensei''s eyes narrowed as he heard that. "You had contact with members of the Royal court?"

    Daichi nodded. He looked at the serious expression on Kensei''s face and frowned.

    "Daichi, tell me everything about your mission?"

    "What''s wrong, Gramps?"

    The old ninja sighed and spoke. "There is a power struggle going on in the capital. Just like one that''s going on in the shadows here in the vige. You need to be careful who you ally with."

    Daichi nodded and recapped the whole mission. After hearing everything Kensei sat back and just let out a deep breath of air. "Lord Taji is a reasonable man. And he has honor. Having him as an ally is certainly a good thing. But the problem is, you''re now considered as a threat to those looking to bring him down. You need to be careful if you ever go to the capital. They won''t attack you outright or anything but you should be vignt."

    The young Gamer ninja nodded his head. ''I need to get stronger. It''s time to begin the Academy Dungeon. I''ve been putting it off for too long.''

    -

    The Hokage gave Daichi a few days off to rest and recuperate after the mission. ''The Academy dungeon is different from the ones I''vepleted so far.'' Daichi recalled the information about the special dungeon.

    [Location dungeon: yer will have to go to the dungeon specific locations to ess them. These are long term dungeons with strong and weak opponents. Once the dungeon is activated it will remain active for 1 year before disappearing. yers can enter and exit the dungeon anytime during the active period. Exiting the dungeon is impossible when in enemy sight. yers can stay inside the dungeon for up to 24 hours(Dungeon time), at a time. Once exited, the dungeon will have a cooldown of 3 hours in real world time. Real world time and Dungeon time is - 01:06 ratio. Whatever happens in the dungeon will not affect the real world.]

    ''A 1:6 ratio huh. That means only 4 hours would pass in the real world if I spend the full day in the dungeon. And another 3 hours is needed for dungeon cool down. Depending on the number of enemies in there, I''ll have to make multiple visits to the dungeon. And what happens when the dungeon time is up and I''m in enemy sight? And it says it will remain active for 1 year before disappearing. Will the dungeon be there even after Iplete it? If so then that coulde in handy.''

    The Genin had several thoughts running through his mind as heid in bed. He went to sleep and the next day visited the academy during the lunch break. Daichi secretly created a shadow clone and had him interact with his friends while he went to an old unused room in the academy.

    ''This room is only used for storage of old files. No onees here any more. This will be an excellent spot.''

    Daichi checked his surroundings with the Mana scout and made sure he was alone.

    [You have found the Academy dungeon. Would you like to activate this dungeon?]

    [Y/N]

    ''So I can enter the dungeon from anywhere within the dungeon location. Good to know.''

    Daichi clicked yes and immediately was transported to the dungeon. Unlike the previous ones he wasn''t transported to a tunnel to reach the entrance. Daichi appeared at the outskirts of a veryrgepound. The dungeon had daytime with the sun slowly rising in the sky.

    Daichi quickly recognized therge building at the center. ''This ce is a replica of the Academy with some small differences.''

    He looked at his map and noticed the barrier surrounding the dungeon. ''So I''ll have to stay within the vicinity huh.''

    At that moment a new quest appeared and his dungeon titles activated.

    [Quest Created - ''Complete the Academy dungeon'']

    .

    [Time limit: 1 year(Real World Time)]

    .

    [Rewards:]

    New Skills.

    New Title.

    250000Ryo

    .

    [Failure:]

    Death.

    .

    [ept] (Y/N)

    ''Yes. I ept.''

    Immediately red dots began to appear on Daichi''s Mini Map. A timer also appeared below the holographic map. It was counting down from 24 hours. The young Genin looked at the Academy and used Observe skill.

    [Academy Dungeon.]

    [This dungeon and its inhabitants are created based on the real world Ninja Academy. 1125 enemies reside in this dungeon. The ninjas inside this dungeon vary from strong to weak. This Dungeon has a 1 Year time limit.]

    ''Let''s do this.''

    Daichi created 8 shadow clones. He instructed two clones to stay at the outer area and meditate while he sent the rest to scout the enemies and area.

    ''I shouldn''t move on the assumption that this building is an exact replica of the Ninja Academy in the outside world. And there could be traps and hidden ninjas waiting to attack. I need to be careful.''

    The shadow clones used their stealth skill and moved towards the building. They used ''observe'' skill on every ninja and saw that some had low level and weak stats while some were as strong as chunins. The clones made sure to stay hidden and gather intel on the enemy forces. Daichi wanted to use this dungeon to increase his battle strategies and fighting skills.

    ''Level 20 is the weakest I''ve seen till now. And then there was a Chunin level ninja at Level 63 near the entrance of the Academy.''

    After about an hour of recon, the gamer ninja decided that it was time to attack. Daichi created a clone and dispelled it, rying the message to the others and the battle began.

    -

    Hokage Tower.

    Deep beneath the Hokage tower Tobirama and Hiruzen were having a meeting.

    "Has that Jonin Kakashi learned the Jutsu yet?" The reanimated Hokage asked his former student.

    "Almost. Based on the report he sent yesterday, he should have it ready in a couple weeks or so."

    Tobirama nodded. "The revised version of the Teleportation jutsu has certain limits. The most pressing one is range. Then there is the chakra cost. For now that Jonin will experience a huge drain in his reserves every time he uses it but that problem will be gone once he bes more proficient in it. But for the moment this will have to do. The information collected during his training will also help those that will learn the jutsu after him."

    "Indeed. I''ve also changed the barrier form as per your instructions. The security around the vige has been updated. How goes your research into the Reanimation jutsu Lord Second?"

    "I''m almost done creating the sealing jutsu needed. Since the body of the Reanimation will heal, we will have to target the soul. There are a few jutsu that are capable of that"

    "But all of them demand the exchange of the user''s life."

    Tobirama turned towards his sessor. "Yes. And that''s not something we can afford at this time. You sacrificing your life won''t do this vige any good right now. I have a n to stop the Reanimation jutsu without resorting to such drastic measures."

    Hiruzen was surprised that the man found a solution so quickly.

    Tobirama spoke. "I''ve been going over the Uzumaki n records and Lady Mito''s personal notes. There is a way to free the soul from the body of a Reanimation. I''ve been developing a jutsu that separates the soul from the body. It''s nearingpletion. But I will need a couple of test subjects to research and collect data."

    Hiruzen closed his eyes and sighed hearing that. ''For a second he sounded like Orochimaru. But unlike my student, sensei knows the value of life.''

    "I''ll make the arrangements." The old Kage had a small frown on his face as he thought about such a powerful jutsu. "Can this method be used on the living?" ''In the process of finding a solution, we don''t want to create an even bigger problem.''

    Tobirama shook his head. "No. This jutsu will be useless against the living. It will only work on the dead because they are supposed to be dead. Using the Reanimation jutsu means to bring the souls to the living realm and forcefully binding it with a sacrifice. This forbidden nature is the very reason why the jutsu will only work on those that are in a reanimated state."

    "But a technique of such nature would require some price to pay wouldn''t it?"

    At Hiruzen''s question Tobirama sighed. He looked at the old man and answered. "Yes. There is a certain condition to use this sealing jutsu. It will need Nature energy to power it. To fight against the forbidden nature of the Reanimation Jutsu, normal chakra isn''t enough. We need to use Nature Chakra."

    Hiruzen was shocked. "Nature energy? You mean using Sage jutsu chakra?"

    "Indeed. We will need someone who can harness Nature chakra to power the seal."

    The old Kage was silent for a moment and then spoke. "I have a student. He learned how to use Natural Energy from Mount Myoboku."

    The second Hokage raised an eyebrow at that. "Mount Myoboku? Are you referring to the Land of the Toads?"

    "Yes. He has signed a summoning contract with the Toad n. And he has been trained in using Nature energy." Hiruzen replied.

    Tobirama nodded. "Summon him. We will need toplete this seal as soon as possible."

    "Yes. It''ll be done."

    A few secondster Tobirama sighed, stopped his work and looked at Hiruzen. "Tsunade is still roaming outside these walls isn''t she?"

    The old Kage closed his eyes and just nodded his head.

    The eyes of the Second Hokage narrowed. Hiruzen looked at the man and immediately knew the reanimated kage was not happy with his living n member.

    "If you want, I will summon her."

    "No." Tobirama shook head at Hiruzen''s suggestion. "I will need to speak with her before I go. But not now. If we suddenly gather forces to the vige it will look suspicious."

    The ruling kage nodded. "There is something else I''ve been meaning to ask. Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, used the Reaper Death seal to stop the nine tails and protect the vige. His soul is still in the Shinigami''s belly. I''ve been looking for a way to free him from that prison."

    The silver haired Kage nodded his head in understanding. He wasn''t going to let a kage who protected the vige suffer if he could help it. "I''ve already been thinking about it. I will free his soul when the timees."

    Hiruzen was d and both of them worked on their projects infortable silence. A short whileter Tobirama asked a question.

    "How is Danzo? Has he created any troubletely?"

    Hiruzen could hear the frustration and anger hidden in his sensei''s voice. He quickly replied. "No. Surprisingly he''s been quiet. He hasn''t made any moves."

    Tobirama narrowed his eyes and looked at his former student. "But"

    The old kage sighed and spoke. "But my spy has informed me that Root is still active. They have been conducting operations outside our borders. He doesn''t know the details but he''s keeping his ear to the ground. My spy has alreadypiled a list of Danzo''s agents."

    The Second Hokage stopped his work and crossed his arms. "How did he change so much?.. The only reason I haven''t gone after him till now is because you told me he still has some semnce of loyalty to the vige. But the more I hear, the harder it bes to believe that. What happened to him?"

    Hiruzen looked down and was quiet for a few moments. He recalled the incident that scarred and changed his friend. "Danzo had a son. The child was capable in the shinobi arts. He became Genin at 9 and Chunin at the age of 11. When he was 13 he and his team were escorting an important client through the border of the Fire country. They were headed to a meetingposed of merchants from the 5 great nations. During the mission he along with his teammates died to an enemy attack."

    Tobirama''s face slightly softened but he was still confused. "It''s unfortunate that something like that happened. But he knows that the life of a shinobi could end at any time. Why would this change him so much?"

    "It was during this time we were establishing our informationwork throughout the nations. Just shortly before the mission, Danzo received intel that enemy forces might be in the area. But since it would have caused an international incident, he didn''t send anyone else. And it cost us. It''s one of his greatest regrets. After that he became more headstrong and took action without waiting for my permission. With his Root acting in the shadows, he was able to divert many threats and kept the vige safe. But somewhere along the way he began to put his own interests above the vige''s. He wanted to take my position. And now It''se to this."

    Tobirama closed his eyes and slightly shook his head. "Even going as far as colluding with a traitor and using my brother''s DNA for experiments."

    Hiruzen looked at the man for a few seconds and spoke. "Are you going to confront him?"

    Tobirama opened his eyes and it had a hardened glint to them. "When the timees. I''m going to give him a chance. If he decides to do the right thing, then we''ll end this peacefully without the vige knowing anything. If he doesn''t, then we''ll end things on my terms."

    "I understand sensei."

    Tobirama continued on with his work and then decided to switch topics. "Are there any promising talents in the vige? Any other Jonin who is as skilled as Kakashi Hatake?"

    "Well there are a few. But Kakashi is the best. There aren''t many Jonin like him save a few."

    Tobirama cocked his head at his student. "You''re holding back something."

    Hiruzen sighed knowing he couldn''t hide anything from the sharp senses of the man in front of him. "Well, it''s not a Jonin but a Genin. A Genius in the ninja arts. He possesses talent and potential that could possibly surpass even yours Lord Second."

    The second Hokage stopped what he was doing and looked at the old man. "Really? A child with such potential?"

    "Yes He" Hiruzen was hesitant for a moment but then decided to tell the man about Daichi. "He''s training in the third step of the Change in chakra nature of water. And based on the reports, he''s already learned how to harness water from the atmosphere just like you."

    Tobirama''s eyes widened when he heard that piece of information. "Tell me everything about him."

    ---------------

    Author''s Note.

    I didn''t want this chapter to be just about Daichi''s dungeon.

    And regarding Danzo''s son. It''s kinda hard to believe a man like that wouldn''t want a son to leave his legacy behind. To pass on his teachings. Now he might not be the kind of man who would fall in love but I believe he would have wanted a strong child.

    Now rest assured, Danzo''s son is dead. And he isn''ting back. That plot thread will stay dead and buried.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 205: Plundering Hidden Jutsu

    Chapter 205: Plundering Hidden Jutsu

    Academy Dungeon.

    Daichi''s senses alerted him to several fast projectilesing from behind. Even in the middle of fighting several opponents he was able to jump to the side and easily avoid all the weapons.

    He looked at the 3 Genin level ninjas surrounding him and inwardly smiled. ''Everything''s going just as expected. My clones have drawn out arge bulk of the enemy forces and separated them all over the dungeon. Still I''ve been fighting for only about 8 hours. I''ve only just started. Based on my ''Observe'' about 100 of them are High Chunin level, with the rest all below that, all the way down to Genin.''

    Daichi narrowed his eyes and swiftly moved towards his enemies. He easily broke through the weak defenses of the low level ninjas and finished them off.

    [100 Exp.]

    [15 Exp.]

    [130 Exp.]

    [19.5 Exp.]

    [125 Exp.]

    [18.75 Exp.]

    Enemies Defeated: [51/1125]

    ''They were so weak, I didn''t get anything more than 150 exp per one ninja. Looks like it''s a good thing I sent my clone to attack all at once. There are several things I want to test in this dungeon.''

    [8340 Exp.]

    [1251 Exp.]

    Enemies Defeated: [89/1125]

    [You have leveled up.]

    At that moment an explosion was hearding from a distance and arge chunk of experience came Daichi''s way. Along with that several new notifications appeared as well.

    [A new skill is created with a specific action.]

    ''Haven''t seen this message in a while. Wonder what it is''

    [Through continuously forming ns and different tactics to defeat enemies in battle, the skill ''Battle Insight'' has been created.]

    [Battle Insight - Active/Passive(LV. 01): This skill gives the user the sharp instincts of a Warmaster and strategist. Helps the user find a way to defeat the enemy.]

    [Effects:

    Allows the user to determine the enemy''s weaknesses, characteristics and n of attack.]

    [Note: Effects of this skill will be weaker against higher level enemies and those with special abilities. But these limitations can be removed once yer and Battle Insight skill reaches sufficient Level.]

    ''Wow. It''s been a while since I got a new skill. Nice. I won''t say no to this... Hmm I wonder if I can improve this skill when I y shogi with Gramps?... Battle Insight huh. This will be excellent when fighting people like Shikamaru.''

    Daichi had instructed his clones to use the several Military strategies and tactics that Kakashi and Kensei taught him. He wanted to improve his situational awareness and battle wisdom.

    ''I''m still not at the level where I can curb stomp anyone that gets in my way regardless of their number, strength or ns So for the moment I''ll have to fight like this.''

    [You have sensed killing intent.] X4

    Daichi was well aware of the dungeon ninjas gathering around him. Their number increased with each minute but they were cautious.

    Daichi looked at his enemies and their attack position solidified a theory he had since his battle started here.

    ''These guys They''re different from the other enemies I''ve fought in other dungeons. They know my strength and are cautious. They''re surrounding me and want to overwhelm me with numbers.''

    Daichi also noted the positions some of the ninjas took. He used ''observe'' skill and saw that some enemies with higher intelligence were ncing at the ground and terrain around them. ''Based on their stats they''re Chunin level ninjas. And their intelligence stat is much higher than the Genin ones. Judging by their position and movements they''re looking to use the environment against me and attack from a distance.''

    [Mental intrusion detected.]

    [Unyielding spirit has neutralized the foreign attack.]

    It looked like the Genjutsu attack was the signal. Immediately several enemies made hand seals that Daichi recognized.

    ''They''re going to use ''Earth style mud river'' to destabilize me.''

    The other dungeon ninjasunched Kunai, Shuriken, Paper bombs and several Ninjutsu of various natures. Daichi was surrounded with attacks of all natureing from different directions. But it didn''t matter to the young Gamer.

    The second Daichi felt the intrusive Chakra trying to attack him, he went through seals and created two shadow clones with instructions already in ce.

    One of the shadow clones immediately went through seals and stopped the enemy''s Mud River Jutsu. ''Earth style - Hardened Core This will make sure my position is safe and since my control over the Earth Nature Chakra is far greater than theirs they won''t be able to over power me.''

    The other clone and its creator both were going through several hand seals at super speed. The Dexterity stat and Agility stat allowed Daichi to make about a dozen seals in a second without any mistakes. Both of them went through seals in perfect synchronization andpleted it at the exact moment.

    ''Water Style - Water Wall Jutsu''

    [Water Style - Water Wall Jutsu - Active(LV. 35): This technique creates a wall of water around the user to protect against enemy attacks. The water source can be taken from the surroundings or the user kneads chakra and converts it to water nature and spits it. A skilled user of Water chakra Nature can create this jutsu using the water particles in the atmosphere.]

    [Rank: B.]

    [Type: Ninjutsu.]

    [Hand Seals: Tiger - Snake - Rat - Snake - Tiger.]

    [CP Cost: 255.]

    Daichi and his shadow clone created the water wall from the surrounding atmosphere. The powerful wall of water covered Daichi and kept growing bigger and bigger with each second. The power, size and rotational speed of the water wall stopped all iing attacks in their tracks. The power of the jutsu created a whirlwind at the outeryer and threw the nearby enemies into the air.

    Thergemotion brought more and more dungeon enemies to Daichi''s location and they all attacked the protective wall but with no sess.

    ''I need to increase my proficiency in the Water Extraction skill. And a battle would be the fastest way to do it. Since their jutsus are on the weaker side I won''t have to worry about any getting through my technique.''

    [Ninjutsu Water Style - Water Wall Jutsu has leveled up.] x2

    [Skill Water affinity''s level has risen by one.]

    [Skill Water Extraction technique''s level has risen by one] x3

    Daichi smirked as he looked at the notifications. ''Yes. Now, let''s see if I have enough targets.''

    Using the chakra sense skill, the Genin felt the number of enemies around him. ''Good. I managed to draw a lot of attention. Time to move on with the next phase of my attack.''

    The real Daichi kept up the spinning water wall while his shadow clone made a few seals.

    ''Water Style- Bullet Wave Jutsu''.

    [Water Style - Bullet wave Jutsu - Active(LV. 39): The user sends a wave of water bullets from an existing source of water. This jutsu has arge attack range and can target multiple enemies. A skilled user can use this jutsu to crush earth barriers or formations. An advanced version of this jutsu is the ''Water Style: Drilling Bullet Wave Jutsu''.]

    [Rank: C.]

    [Type: Ninjutsu.]

    [Hand Seals: Ox - Ram - Rat - Snake - Horse.]

    [CP Cost: 10 Per bullet.]

    Dozens and dozens of water bullets formed from the Water Wall jutsu and wereunched at the enemy in all directions. The liquid bullets struck the enemy with the force of a wrecking ball.

    [Ninjutsu Water Style - Bullet wave Jutsu has leveled up.] x4

    [260 Exp.]

    [ 39 Exp.]

    [310 Exp.]

    [46.5 Exp.]

    [185 Exp.]

    [27.75 Exp.]

    .

    .

    .

    .

    ''Hell yeah. A 360 attack on a mob like this. I could farm this dungeon in no time.'' The real Daichi had a wide grin as he saw the experience rolling in.

    Daichi''s clone, keeping the earth jutsu active, sensed particr vibrationsing from the earth. "I think some of the higher level ninjas are using the Earth Wall jutsu to defend themselves." He said to his twopanions.

    "Yeah. I sensed the fluctuations in their chakra. Time to switch up the jutsu." The real one spoke and the clone using the bullet wave jutsu nodded. He made four seals and immediately the Water bullets began spinning, increasing their lethality.

    "This jutsu will be able to drill through their defenses."

    [Ninjutsu Water Style - Drilling Bullet wave Jutsu has leveled up.] x3

    The experience kepting in and along with it, a skill with low activation percentage activated.

    [Plunderer skill activated.] x15

    ''I''ll look through this once I''m done with the battle here.''

    He kept up his attack for several more seconds before letting it go. Most of the enemies were killed but

    ''I can sense movement underground. A few hid deep into the earth.''

    Daichi jumped away from his spot and a momentter a hand burst through. Several other dungeon ninjas appeared from the earth. There were only about a dozen of them. Even though it was almost 4 to 1, Daichi and his two clones finished their opponents quickly.

    Enemies Defeated: [211/1125]

    ''So 122 enemies in thesest couple minutes huh. That''s a new record for me. But most of these guys were weak.'' Daichi looked at the Experience bar and saw that he had only gained about 42000 Exp from this battle. ''Come on Daichi. No need to get so down. There are still over nine hundred ninjas to go.''

    Once everything was done the Genin made his way to a secluded area of the dungeon and looked through the plunderer notifications. Daichi saw the list of jutsus the plunderer skill copied. Some were simple D Rank Ninjutsu and Genjutsu that were useless but Daichi saw use in some others and acquired them. As he looked through the list of 15 plundered skills he came across a few that made him narrow his eyes.

    [Shadow Imitation Jutsu is plundered. Would you like to acquire this skill?] Y/N

    ''This is the Nara n''s Hidden jutsu. Hmm If I learn this jutsu, then I''ll be able to learn how to manipte Yin chakra much more easily in Ninjutsu. That will open whole new doors for me Yes. Give me the skill system.''

    [You have acquired Shadow Imitation Jutsu]

    New information on the hidden jutsu of the Nara n flooded Daichi''s brain. ''So that''s how it is. I''ll need to see if Kensei has any more info on the Nara n before I start using this.''

    [Double sh is plundered. Would you like to acquire this skill?] Y/N

    ''Yes.''

    Daichi looked at the details of the attack and nodded. Double sh is a Kenjutsu attack that involves shing twice swiftly in a row with a single de. A cut in one direction is attempted and then the de is immediately reversed and swept back in the other direction. The speed at which these attacks ur takes less than a second.

    ''Speed, technique and dexterity is paramount for this skill to be used effectively. If a single error is made in the initial sh then both cuts will miss or not do enough damage. And not enough speed or not enough precision can mess up the attack Hmm I''ll definitely need to practice it with some weaker enemies before taking it against the stronger ones.''

    [Detection Seal Jutsu is plundered. Would you like to acquire this skill?] Y/N

    ''Yes. Definitely. I''ll have to learn sealing jutsu during the three year training arc. Assuming that even happens.''

    Daichi looked at the skill that appeared in his list and smiled. ''A simple Sealing jutsu used as a ward to detect motion. An ambush or a stealth attack can be warned against by this seal. Depending on the Kanji or paper used, the seal itself will have a variety of ways to notify its user Although it can''t sense chakra flow, light changes or sound Well, it''s something at least.''

    Daichi looked at thest one on the list and it was also a hidden jutsu. One from the Akimichi n.

    [Expansion Jutsu is plundered. Would you like to acquire this skill?] Y/N

    ''Yes. Not gonna say no to more hidden jutsu.''

    -

    Several hours went by with Daichi and his clones battling throughout the Academy dungeon. Since his stats were high and the dungeon was a rtively weak one, the young Gamer decided to use direct frontal assault.

    [Skill Killing Intent''s level has risen by one.]

    The dangerous intent flowing from Daichi paralyzed several enemies near him and he used his dagger to finish most of them quickly. He quickly went through seals and created a water prison jutsu that trapped thatst person.

    [Water Style - Water prison Jutsu - Active(LV. 40): This technique traps the target in a sphere of water. The water can be drawn from the surroundings or expelled from the user''s mouth. The user or a clone must have contact with the sphere to maintain it. At higher levels this limitation can be removed.]

    [Rank: C.]

    [Type: Ninjutsu.]

    [Hand Seals: Snake - Ram - Horse - Hare - Ram - Ox.]

    [CP Cost: 150.]

    [Note: The higher the level of this skill the stronger the water sphere making the targets movements more restrictive. ]

    Daichi looked at the ninja and spoke. "Your body is quite strong. And based on your stats I''d say you''re a high Chunin level ninja aren''t you.?"

    The enemy ninja didn''t say anything and just gazed at Daichi in defiance and struggled in the Water prison.

    "Yeah I know you can''t talk. I''m just curious to see if you can escape my water prison." Daichi startedpressing the water sphere and soon the enemy''s health was reduced to zero.

    [508 Exp.]

    [76.2 Exp.]

    Enemies defeated: [302/1125]

    [You have leveled up.]

    ''Two level ups in one day. That hasn''t happened in a long time.''

    Daichi looked at the timer and realized that he had spent almost 19 hours in the dungeon. ''Should I stay till the whole 24 hours are up or leave Nay. I''ll leave. I left the shadow clone with Shikamaru and the others. If anything happened to it they would be suspicious. Better get the hell out of here before anything like that happens.''

    Daichi exited the dungeon and found himself back in the storage closet. He created a shadow clone and dispelled it letting his clone know that he''s back.

    The Gamer ninja waited for a while before the door opened and his doppelganger showed up.

    "Any problems?"

    "No." The clone shook his head. But then with a mischievous smile spoke. "But there is a development. You can see it for yourself."

    With that he dispelled himself and the chakra and memories returned to Daichi.

    The real Genin went through the clone''s memories and sighed. ''He was right. I can''t believe Shikamaru was the one that came up with it and my clone agreed to this. A birthday party for Naruto I just hope nothing goes wrong Wait Did I just jinx myself?''

    ------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 206: Birthday Plans & First Tier Seal

    Chapter 206: Birthday ns & First Tier Seal

    Daichi was in Kensei''s library going over various books on the Nara n. The veteran ninja had collected and recorded information on various ns from all over the world. Their jutsu and fighting styles.

    Daichi looked over some of the information and he was impressed. ''There is no way the old man could have gotten these kinds of info without fighting most of them. The information here. It''s like a treasure trove.''

    The young Genin was looking through two books in particr. One was on the Nara n and the other on the Yuki n and Ice Style users.

    ''The Nara n uses Yin chakra in a special ratio to create their hidden techniques. Over time their bodies limated and they gained a gic advantage to using their style. But it can be taught to someone outside their n. In the beginning the Nara n developed techniques to hunt animals but over time they realized the battlefield applications and thus several variations of the Shadow jutsu were born. They formed an alliance with the Yamanaka n and Akimichi n and helped them with long range support.''

    Daichi closed the book and thought about the situation. ''I know how to use the Shadow Imitation Jutsu but if I use it in public, there will be a lot of problemsing my way. Some might even use me of stealing n secrets Looks like I can only use this jutsu in the dungeons.''

    Daichi leaned back in his chair and thought about the enemies he would face in the future.

    ''In about two weeks Naruto''s birthday ising up. I can''t believe it''s almost October. And soon March wille by with Naruto''s graduation and the start of Canon. And whatever problems thates Naruto and Sasuke''s way would sooner orter be my problem as well. Because why wouldn''t it I''ll have to fight guys who can regenerate from near death, immortal zombies, someone with godly eyes and the assholes who put them all in our path. I''m definitely going to kill Obito and Madara. That''s a given. But that''s easier said than done. How do I get around their Ninjutsu negation plot armor?''

    Daichi sighed and looked at the second book on the table. ''I need to find a way to get around their abilities. Sage jutsu is a good way but I need something much more But that''s a few years into the future. I should focus on the here and now.''

    Daichi opened the book on the Yuki n and went through the information written. He noted that a few people outside the n living in the outskirts of the Mist vige and a few living in the Snow country were capable of using Ice Style techniques. He read the notes that his grandfather made about those that can use this Kekkei Genkai and those that can mimic it.

    ''Kensei theorized that some people can manipte existing Ice and use Ice Ninjutsu but they would definitely be weaker versions of the real one. The hand seals are pretty much the standard ones. I''ll have to start on this soon. I''m looking forward to my next visit to that Academy.''

    As Daichi was training, making ns and preparation, others were as well.

    A couple days passed by and Daichi headed to the Hokage''s office to get a new D Rank mission. As he opened the door he saw Kakashi standing in front of the Hokage. The Jonin turned to look at the boy and waved his hand.

    "Yo. How''s my favorite Genin?"

    "Sensei?! You''re back?"

    "Yup. Did you miss me?"

    Daichi smirked and replied. "You know, oddly enough, yes."

    Daichi kept a smiling face but he was inside, he was surprised. ''Kakashi''s chakra It''s definitely gotten stronger. Even though he''s suppressing his energy, I can tell that he''s learned to refine it even more He must have done some serious training thesest few weeks.''

    The Genin turned to the Hokage and greeted the old ninja. The two got their D Rank mission and went on their way.

    -

    The Rookie 9 minus, Sasuke, Naruto and Sakura were together at their favorite spot in the back hills.

    "So Naruto''s birthday ising up in a week. Any ideas?" Kiba asked as he sat on top of the tree house.

    "We need to formte a n fast. Naruto will being soon." Shino said as he examined some bugs crawling on the tree near him.

    "Don''t worry. Sakura is keeping that knucklehead busy. He won''t be here for a while. But still, we need to prepare." Ino spoke as she looked at her friends.

    "I have an idea." Daichi''s voice drew everyone''s attention. "First, we need to keep him out of his apartment and busy for the whole day and then surprise him when hees home in the evening."

    Shikamaru sat up from under the tree and looked at the Genin in the group. "Yeah but that''s not gonna be easy. Have you forgotten? That day is October 10th. Last year when he and I went out on that day, he got a lot of nasty looks from almost everyone on the streets. He was pretty depressed for the whole day. So I don''t think that''ll work."

    "Yeah, I''ve been meaning to ask. Why does everyone hate him so much? It''s been really bugging me." "Arf arf." Kiba looked to Shikamaru and saw the Nara nce at Daichi. "Do you know something about it, Daichi?" He turned towards the Genin and asked.

    The boy sighed and replied. "I do. I figured it out a few years ago. But I can''t say."

    Kiba and the others frowned at that reply. "Why not?" "Yeah, what''s the big deal?"

    Daichi was silent for a few moments and then looked at everyone. He had a serious gaze that the Rookies rarely saw. "It''s not my ce to say. And if I do, there will be serious repercussions."

    Shikamaru''s eyes slightly narrowed as he looked at his friend. "Does whatever secret you''re keeping have to do with his birthday?"

    "Shikamaru! That''s enough. You''ve said more than enough." Daichi looked at the boy and inwardly sighed. ''Of course this has to be the topic that gets yourzy butt up and about.''

    Everyone saw the tension rising between the two.

    "Um.. Guy Please Stop. Whatever it is, I''m sure Naruto will tell us." Hinata said, trying to calm the situation down.

    Hearing that, Daichi sighed and spoke. "The thing is, I don''t think even Naruto knows the reason. He''s in the dark about the whole situation just as you all Look. Just forget about the whole thing, okay? And don''t ask him about it and bum him out. Let it go, Shikamaru."

    Daichi sighed as he heard the murmured agreement. He continued. "As I was saying, we''ll have to keep him out of the apartment. And before you guys say anything, I''ll take him here and keep him busy. Nobodyes here that much so that''s one problem down."

    "Oh! We need to set up decorations in his apartment."

    Daichi nodded. "Yeah. But it''s a mess. Once I get him out of the apartment, I''ll make a few clones to clean the whole ce."

    "You don''t have to do it alone. We''ll help you." Kiba said as he ced his hand on Shino''s shoulder.

    "And why would I do that?" The young Aburame student raised an eyebrow at his friend''s decision.

    "Come on. I don''t like it either, but it''s for Naruto. And besides, with how all the junk is piled up in his apartment, you might even discover a new species of bugs" The young Inuzuka chuckled and said to his friend.

    "I know you''re making a joke, Kiba. But the way the trash is umted at his ce, you might be right. Fine. I''ll help you." A small bug flew away from the top of Shino''s finger as he turned to look at Daichi.

    "Excellent. Thanks Kiba, Shino." Daichi smiled at the two. He then turned to Ino and Hinata. "Ok. You two are in charge of decorations. Unless it''s not already well established, Naruto likes Orange. But you can add a lil yellow and red in there too. Go nuts"

    Ino''s eyes sparkled in excitement while Hinata smiled. "Ohh I have so many ideas."

    "Choji, you''ll be in charge of the cake. Can I trust you with that?"

    "Yup. I got it."

    "Oh, and I''ve already talked to Sakura about this. She''ll help you with the other foods and snacks."

    The Akimichi nodded and Daichi then turned to Shikamaru. "You''re in charge of invites. There aren''t many people that like him so your list is short."

    Shikamaru sighed and spoke. "Let me guess. Iruka sensei, the Ramen guy and his daughter."

    "And the Third Hokage." Daichi said in a nonchnt tone.

    The Nara''s eyes widened when he heard that. "You want me to go to the Hokage tower and invite the Hokage of the Leaf vige to a birthday party? You realize he''ll be busy with plenty of other important stuff that day, right."

    The young Genin smiled seeing the tired expression on his friend''s face. "Its not just any birthday party. Its Naruto''s birthday party. And it''ll mean a lot to him. You know how he talks about the Hokage."

    The Nara looked at the boy and gave a long, tired sigh. "Argh. Fine. Whatever."

    "That''s the spirit. And besides, I have a feeling Lord Hokage will show up."

    The group of seven made their ns and soon everyone went their separate way.

    Shikamaru and Choji were going in the same direction and halfway home Choji asked his friend something that''s on his mind. "What did you mean when you asked Daichi if Naruto''s birthday had something to do with the people not liking him?"

    "I''m not sure 100%. But I have some ideas. Unfortunately I''m not gonna say anything more till I''m certain. If Daichi is right and there really is some big conspiracy, then I don''t want you to get into trouble." Shikamaru replied.

    "But you''re gonna keep looking into this aren''t you?" Choji looked at his thin friend with a serious gaze.

    "I would love to say no but yeah Such a drag " The Nara kicked a pebble and let out a sigh.

    "Good luck."

    Choji reached his npound and soon Shikamaru was home as well. His mind was on the conversation he had with Daichi and the way the vigers look at his friend. He remembered the words people spoke about Naruto behind his back.

    Shikamaru was eating dinner lost in his thoughts and his father and mother noticed it.

    "Everything alright Shikamaru?" Shikaku asked his son.

    Shikamaru looked at his parents for a few moments and keeping an eye on them both he asked his question. "What connection does Naruto have to the Nine Tailed Beast?"

    The startled reaction of his mother and the stoic face of his father told Shikamaru what he needed to know. ''So they know the secret. And it seems I''m right on the money. Naruto does have some connection with the Nine Tailed fox.''

    "Shikamaru! Who told-"

    "Yoshino! Stop!" Shikaku''s firm voice stopped his wife from saying anything else.

    He looked at his son and with slightly narrowed eyes spoke. "Shikamaru. I know you care about your friend a great deal. But you need to stop. Just let it go."

    The young Nara gave an irritated sigh hearing that. "You sound just like Daichi."

    The Joninmander''s eyes slightly widened hearing that. ''So that boy knows.''

    He let out a small sigh and spoke in a somewhat kinder tone. "Shikamaru, right now all you need to know is this. Naruto is a good friend. You said so yourself. Nothing more. Nothing less. And his secret... It''s a matter of vige security. Whatever you think you know, you need to keep it to yourself. And you need to stop looking into it. It''s a whole can of worms you do not want to open right now. Do you understand?"

    Shikamaru looked at his dad and nodded. "Yes father May I be excused?"

    Shikaku nodded and his son left without another word. The Joninmander and his wife sat there in silence for a few moments before the man sighed and spoke.

    "He''s not gonna let this go, is he?"

    Yoshino''s lips slightly curled as she looked at her husband. "What do you think?"

    Shikaku pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. "I think this is going to be such a headache."

    Yoshino looked back to Shikamaru''s seat. "Well, he is our son... You know, I can''t help but ponder the frightful headway he''d make if he put this kind of energy into his studies."

    The Joninmander smirked at that statement. The smile slowly wore off as he thought about his next move. ''I need to inform the Hokage about this. So troublesome.''

    -

    Daichi was at home in his backyard meditating. He had several clones around him gathering and storing chakra into their seal. Several hours went by and Daichi opened his eyes to the sound of a system message.

    [Tier 01 - 25000000/25000000.]

    ''Fucking finally. About time.''

    A grin formed on the boy''s face as he looked at the chakra stored. ''25 million chakra points. I''ll make sure the next one ispleted even faster.''

    Several other notifications appeared and Daichi began going over them. ''The second Tier huh. Alright. Let''s see what it is''

    --------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 207: Tier 02, Life Return & Kakashis Promise

    Chapter 207: Tier 02, Life Return & Kakashi''s Promise

    Daichi''s Home

    With a huge smile Daichi got up from his spot and went to the nearby pond. He looked at his reflection and saw a small green triangle in the middle of his forehead.

    ''Huh. I thought it would be in a diamond shape. Perhaps it''s different for me because of my gamer system.''

    [Skill Strength of the Hundred Seal has upgraded to Tier 01]

    [Tier 01 - 25000000 Chakra Points.]

    [Tier 01 Seal is in the form of a small green triangle. Cannot add chakra to this seal beyond the marked amount.]

    [Since Tier 01 isplete, system has now stopped allocating chakra to the seal. This skill is now inactive.]

    ''So I need to reactivate again if I want to get this skill to the next level. And it looks like another seal will be formed at Tier 02.''

    [Chakra Points Needed to reach Tier 02 - 0/50000000.]

    ''I need 50 million chakra points to get to Tier 02. But that won''t be a problem with the way I''m going to redirect my chakra.''

    ''Status''

    [Name : Daichi Hekima] (The Gamer)

    [ss : Genin - ID 012559.]

    [Age : 12]

    [Title : Capable Child, Explorer, Prodigy, Beast yer, Dungeon Warrior, Executioner, Assassin, Mighty Healer, Slug Sannin''s Apprentice, Master of the Elements, A Genius of the Continent.]

    [Level : 54 (1024/79050)]

    .

    HP : 27070

    CP : 86448

    SP : 24645

    MP: 13095

    .

    [Primary Stats]

    Strength - 300

    Vitality - 300

    Dexterity - 235

    Agility - 300

    Intelligence - 220

    Chakra - 500

    Wisdom - 215

    .

    [Special Stats]

    Sense - 135

    Stamina - 245

    Indomitable - 40

    Charisma - 63

    Persistence - 38

    Dignity - 13

    Luck - 14

    .

    [Stat Points - 458]

    [Ryo - 30573690]

    ''86448. That''s perfect for this.''

    Daichi opened the Hundred Seal skill and thought about activating the skill to begin the next Tier.

    [This skill is currently inactive. Once this skill is activated, the system will automatically direct the allocated amount of chakra to the specific location of your body.]

    A red system message box popped up next.

    [How much percentage of your chakra do you want to redirect to the skill?]

    ''Lets see, does the system have restrictions in ce or can I give it any amount I want?''

    Daichi thought about how much chakra he wanted to give the seal and came up with an answer.

    ''300%''

    [Unable to allocate 300% of the user''s chakra. Allocating chakra points cannot exceed 150% of the total Chakra points.]

    Daichi sighed as he saw the system message. ''Of course there''s a restriction. If I did allocate 300% CP points, then that''s roughly 180 CP per minute. And if I somehow run out of chakra because of such arge amount that could cause some serious problems.''

    The young Gamer thought about it and decided to allocate the maximum amount the system allowed.

    ''150%''

    [86448 * 150%/100 = 129672 - Estimated at most 385.5 days needed untilpletion and creation of Tier 02 seal. (Not an urate time frame due to various factors.)]

    ''So almost a year huh. But that''s not going to be a problem. Ipleted Tier 01 in about a year and a half when it said I needed around 3 years toplete. So by my estimate I''ll be able to finish this in about 6 or 7 months.''

    [Would you like to proceed?]

    ''Yes.''

    [Concentrate chakra to the spot on your body where you want to store your energy.]

    Daichi concentrated on the spot just below the tier 01 seal. He imagined the 02 seal in the shape of an inverted triangle just below the first seal. ''This way it''ll look like a diamond shape when the second Tier ispleted.''

    [Location confirmed.]

    [Strength of the Hundred Seal skill activated.]

    [150% of your CP will now be directed every day to your forehead due to the skill.]

    [Excess chakra your body produces can now be reallocated to the skill if you wish.]

    [Note: Once the second Tier ispleted, the user can use Chakra in both tier individually or simultaneously.]

    ''That''s good to know. It seems with each tier, the chakra needed gets bigger and bigger. I can use the smaller tiers if necessary and only use the higher ones if I have no choice.''

    Daichi looked at his CP and saw a 90 point reduction each minute. ''I''ll have to spend some time meditating everyday to make sure there won''t be any problems.''

    -

    Academy Dungeon

    The Genin spent his dayspleting D Rank missions under Kakashi and fighting in the Academy dungeon. He honed his Water Affinity to levels that only very few could match.

    At the moment Daichi was battling several dungeon enemies along with his clones. There were eight enemies and the real Daichi trapped all of them with the new Shadow Imitation Jutsu.

    ''You''re all going to be my guinea pigs now. Time to see the power of Life Return and find out its limitations.''

    [Life Return - Active(LV. MAX): A passive skill given to the yer when Vitality has 300. This skill allows the user to absorb the Stamina and Health of their target and improve one''s own Vitality.]

    [Effect:]

    [Increase in HP and SP depends on the health and stamina absorbed from the target.]

    [Can permanently increase Stamina and Vitality stats with Life Return.]

    [Note: Skill has a cool down time of 2 Hours. The user must be in physical contact with the target to activate the skill. Ten seconds are required for skill activation.]

    He thought back to the skill description and the experiment he had done two hours ago.

    ''Once I use the skill, it will be on cooldown for two hours. And the shadow clones I create during the cool down time won''t be able to use the jutsu. And when I used the skill earlier, I only got 1 stat in vitality from the enemy. But he was weakened during the battle. Perhaps that''s why I didn''t get any increase in stamina stat.''

    Daichi looked at the clones and nodded. All the enemy ninjas captured weren''t wounded or exhausted. The Genin wanted to know if there is a difference in using Life Return on enemies that aren''t wounded and exhausted and those that are. The dungeon ninjas captured were all of simr levels.

    ''If my clones can also absorb the Stamina and Vitality stat and return them to me when dispelled, then this would be one hell of a broken skill.''

    The shadow clones came near the trapped, struggling enemies and ced their hands on the enemy''s head. The system recognized it''s user''s intent and a 10 second countdown began. All the shadow clones in contact with the enemy were able to activate the skill and after 10 seconds started absorbing the Health and Stamina of the trapped ninjas.

    [100 Exp.]

    [15 Exp.]

    [135 Exp.]

    [20.2 Exp.]

    [120 Exp.]

    [18 Exp.]

    .

    .

    .

    The clones absorbed all the health till thest ninja turned to smoke. And then each one dispelled itself and Daichi had his answer.

    ''So my clones can absorb Health points(HP) and Stamina points(SP) but they can''t help in increasing my Stat points. It seems only I can do that.''

    Daichi looked at the skill and it wasn''t in cooldown. ''So even if the shadow clones use it, It won''t affect me. That''s good. Still, even if it''s only health and stamina, the clones absorbing them and giving it to me would help me fight far longer. But this kind of strategy would only work on arge group of weaker enemies.''

    [Enemies defeated: [654/1125]

    [Level : 54 (53867/79050)]

    Having spent 16 hours in the dungeon, Daichi decided to end it for the day. He exited the dungeon and left the Academy grounds without looking suspicious.

    -

    Training Ground 3

    The next morning when Daichi reached the training ground at his usual time he saw Kakashi waiting for him.

    ''What the hell? He''s here before me?''

    Daichi rubbed his eyes and looked again to make sure he wasn''t seeing images. Kakashi''s figure, leaning on the wooden stumps, still didn''t change. The Genin used ''Chakra Sense'' and ''Observe'' just to make sure it was not someone else in disguise.

    "Good morning Daichi!." There was a jovial happy tone in Kakashi''s voice that sent a shiver down Daichi''s spine.

    "Um... Sensei You''re early It''s only 7. What''s up with that?" The Genin kept a close eye on his teacher in case he was up to something.

    "Oh It''s just that there was nothing I had to do on my way here. No olddy to help or cat to get around. And I didn''t even get lost Huh. So this is what it''s like to get here early huh."

    Daichi looked at the man with a deadpan gaze. ''Oh wow.''

    "So, why don''t we get a new mission? We couldplete the mission early and you could have the whole day to train without anyone disturbing you." The silver haired Jonin had an innocent smile as he looked at his student.

    "Mm hum" Daichi just nodded and didn''t say anything else. They made their way to the Hokage tower and Daichi kept his vignce the whole way. Once inside, Kakashi asked for a simple D Rank mission and they got one.

    It was a simple mission to rearrange scrolls in the public Library after their renovation. At the Library Daichi was surprised to see that Kakashi had decided to help him out. The Jonin even created a few clones and asked his student to do the same toplete the task faster.

    ''What is he up to?'' The young Genin looked at the man out of the corner of his eyes every few seconds but he didn''t see the Jonin doing anything suspicious.

    ''Of all the countless dangerous situations I''ve been in, I can''t believe this is the one that''s freaking me out.''

    With the help of their clones theypleted their mission in just an hour. They took the mission slip and soon they were at the Hokage tower getting paid. By the time they were done it was barely 8am.

    "Tell me Daichi, what will you be doing today?" Kakashi suddenly questioned his student.

    "Um Well Ur Training I guess. I''m going to be at the training ground till evening. I want to improve my control over the water chakra nature some more before I move forward."

    Kakashi nodded and spoke. "Alright. I won''t be joining you today. So you''ll be alone in the training ground. This way you can concentrate on your Nature control training."

    Daichi tilted his head at that. "What will you be doing?"

    "There is something of great importance that I have to get to. It''s an emergency and it can''t wait any longer." The Jonin didn''t say anything more and Daichi didn''t ask, seeing the serious air around him. The next second the Jonin vanished in a pile of leaves leaving Daichi to his thoughts.

    ''I wonder what got him so worked up? Is it some kind of secret mission? He''s early today. It must be something extremely serious''

    Daichi made his way to the training ground and slowly improved the strength of his water ninjutsu. Daichi''s goal was to create rivers andkes worth of water without exhausting himself.

    ''In terms of control and proficiency, I might be slightly better than Kisame Hoshigaki. But when ites to raw power in Water jutsu he''s much stronger than me. I need to go beyond him. I wonder what kind of control techniques the Mist vige uses to train their shinobi Hmm Kensei might have that info. Or at least one of his books in the library would. But I''m pretty sure I''ve already looked through everything there regarding Water Chakra nature.''

    Daichi trained till noon and he decided to head home and continue. As the Genin walked through the streets he saw a familiar figure standing at the front of a somewhat long line.

    ''Is that Kakashi?''

    "Hey sensei. What are you up to?" Suppressing his chakra, Daichi walked up to the man and surprised him.

    The silver haired man was slightly startled and looked at the Genin near him. "Oh, Daichi? I thought you were training."

    "I was. I decided to head home. What about you?"

    "I''m waiting"

    "For what?" The Genin raised an eyebrow and looked at the man. He then looked around and saw a poster near the small closed store.

    Daichi read the poster and he didn''t know whether tough or let out a tired groan.

    Make-Out Violence to be released on October 07th at 2pm. First 10 copies will be signed by the author Jiraiya.

    ''Wait a minute. October 07th? That''s today..''

    Daichi turned towards his Jonin teacher with a stoic face. "This!? This is your big emergency?"

    "Yes. Thest book was so good that I promised myself that I would be the first to have the next one. It''s why I came early." The Jonin said without any shame.

    The Genin let out a deep breath of air and rxed. "And the universe suddenly makes sense again."

    "Well, since you''re here, I might as well tell you that I won''t be avable for a few days. I''ll be busy with important work."

    "Mm hmm" Daichi''s face didn''t show any emotion as he looked at the man. He stared silently for a few seconds before letting out a sigh. "Okay then, good luck with your reading."

    With those words Daichi headed home to train and Kakashi eagerly waited for the next volume release of the infamous Make-Out series.

    -

    Several Shuriken flew from Sasuke''s fingers with speed and precise aim. But unfortunately his opponent was too agile to be hit by them. He vanished and the young Uchiha immediately jumped away from his position. Sasuke saw his enemy standing where he previously stood. Hended on a thick branch and looked at his sparring opponent.

    "That trick won''t work on me Daichi. You''re gonna need to do better."

    The young Genin standing on the ground just smiled at the Uchiha.

    "I did do better." That voice came from behind the Uchiha and before he could escape from his spot a blow struck his back and sent him flying. The Uchiha gritted his teeth, tried to ignore the pain and regained control of his body. Hended on the trunk of a tree and slid down to the ground.

    Sasuke looked at the Daichi on the ground and the one standing on the tree. It only took a couple seconds to figure out what was going on.

    ''That wasn''t a clone. That was Genjutsu.''

    The Uchiha brought his hands into a Ram seal and momentarily stopped his chakra flow.

    ''Genjutsu Release.''

    At that moment both Daichi vanished and Sasuke once again tried to sense his enemy.

    ''Where is he? Behind? Above? Below?''

    But even as he kept up his vignce, a blow still struck his chest and sent him skidding backwards.

    ''Damn it. I didn''t even see that. Where did thate from?''

    Sasuke looked all around but couldn''t find a trace of his opponent. Another punch hit his gut taking the breath out of him. Sasuke coughed for a few seconds before jumping away from the location. Hended several meters away and looked at the situation.

    ''Does he have some kind of invisibility jutsu?... No wait.''

    Bringing his hands together one more time. ''Genjutsu Release.''

    The next moment Sasuke saw Daichi standing on the tree at the same spot before he punched him.

    "A doubleyered Genjutsu huh. I''m guessing you put the second one when you punched me."

    Daichi nodded his head. "Don''t believe everything you see. What you saw as the truth could always be a lie. Sasuke, I want you to take this next piece of advice and etch it in your heart. It''s going to help you throughout your life."

    With a serious gaze the Uchiha nodded and Daichi spoke. "Believe half of what you see and none of what you hear. Especially from someone you don''t even know."

    "What are you getting at Daichi? I know you wouldn''t say something like that without a reason." The young Uchiha narrowed his eyes and looked at the only person he considered a friend.

    Daichi looked at the academy student and mentally debated whether or not to say anything more. "You are thest Uchiha of the Leaf vige. People inside and outside these walls would try to use you for their advantage. Think for yourself and do not fall into their traps."

    Sasuke narrowed his eyes and then gave a small nod. ''Why did he say something like that now? Does he know something?''

    "Why don''t we end our sparring session here. There''s something I gotta do today." Daichi jumped down and walked up to the other ninja.

    "But it''s only dawn. And it''s the memorial day of the Nine tails attack. What do you have to do? Don''t tell me there''s a mission?"

    Daichi shook his head at that. "No. I have to arrange a birthday party."

    The Uchiha was surprised at that statement. "What?" He couldn''t see Daichi as someone who would waste time on something so trivial.

    "Yeah. It''s Naruto''s birthday. We''re throwing him a surprise party."

    Sasuke was surprised and just nodded in silence. As he turned to leave, Daichi spoke, stopping him.

    "Hey, would you like toe to his birthday party?"

    "You can''t be serious Daichi. I don''t have time to waste on such nonsense."

    "Come on. It''s just one evening. This will do you good."

    Sasuke narrowed his eyes and resolutely shook his head. "I got better things to do."

    Daichi narrowed his eyes and before Sasuke could leave he gave a meaningful warning. "I know you want to be strong enough to avenge your family. But on that journey, don''t forget about those around you. It would be meaningless if in the end, you wind up alone. And if that happened Itachi would have won."

    Sasuke got furious and gritted his teeth. He rushed at Daichi, throwing a punch aimed at his face.

    Daichi blocked the punch and grabbed the extended hand. He blocked the other arm trying to attack him and twisted it. Holding the boy in a submission hold.

    Sasuke struggled against Daichi''s strong grip. "What would you know of meaningless?! You never lost anyone. You haven''t experienced my pain!" He shouted at the Genin.

    "You''re angry. Take a deep breath." Daichi said in a calm tone, not letting the boy go.

    Sasuke struggled some more, not listening to him.

    "Calm down. Take a deep breath. You need to control your emotions."

    The Uchiha stopped struggling and took a few deep breaths of air. Once he was calm Daichi slowly let him go. Sasuke turned around and Daichi could see the anger on the boy''s face.

    ''I can sense his chakra. Bing slightly more potent. More powerful. It really is true. The more hatred he feels the more powerful he bes.'' Daichi was keeping a close eye on Sasuke''s chakra and noticed the small changes.

    With a calm voice Daichi spoke. "You''re right. I haven''t lost anyone close to me. I don''t know what it''s like to feel that deep pain. And I hope I never will."

    The anger on the Uchiha''s face slightly dimmed hearing that.

    "But there is someone who can rte to you. Someone who knows the pain of being alone. Someone who goes to an empty home everyday after school."

    Sasuke immediately knew who Daichi was talking about.

    Daichi continued. "Don''t think you''re alone in this world. And don''t think you''re the only one who''s experienced crappy situations. But that''s life. It happens. Now you can ignore everyone around you and go at it by yourself or you can form bonds with others who can understand you and move through life with people who will stand by you. Your choice."

    Daichi turned around and started walking away. "The party will be at 7 tonight. You cane if you want."

    Daichi left the forest leaving Sasuke to his thoughts.

    ---------------

    Author''s Note.

    Yeah, I know this is somewhat of a filler chapter, but in my defense, I''ve had the ''Kakashi waiting in line for the Icha Icha book scene'' in mind for a long time.

    And originally, I wrote the Sasuke scene as part of the next chapter but then I thought, if I just post a 2k filler chapter, that would be kind of a dick move on my part. So I moved it here.

    Anyway, I''ll see you guyster.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 208: Training Naruto

    Chapter 208: Training Naruto

    It was October 10th and Naruto was awake in his bed staring at his ceiling. He sighed as he thought about the day.

    ''Everyone''s probably busy with their stuff. And maybe it''s best if I don''t just leave the apartment for today. But still, today''s my birthday. Maybe gramps wille to visit''

    Feeling slightly depressed, the young blonde just stayed in bed. He clearly remembered the looks sent his way and the cruel words spoken in whispered tone by the vigers when he went out on thest Memorial day.

    ''I''ll just stay in bed and sleep.''

    Knock Knock.

    Naruto''s head snapped up and looked at his door.

    Knock knock.

    Hearing the knocking again, he quickly got out of bed and went to the door. He looked through the peephole and saw his friend waiting outside. The blonde was surprised to see Daichi at his doorstep early in the morning.

    "Daichi, what are you doing here?" Naruto asked, opening the door.

    "Morning to you too Naruto. Nowe on. Get ready. We''re going out today." Daichi smirked looking at Naruto''s cartoonishly cute pajama outfit.

    The blonde slightly smiled hearing that. His depressing thoughts vanished. "Wait! What about the others?"

    "Yeah. I already went to everyone''s home. Since today is the memorial day, they''re all busy with their n and stuff. It''s just you and me." Daichi said with a shrug. "Nowe on. Get moving."

    Naruto excitedly nodded and went to get ready while Daichi looked around the apartment and noticed the piled up trash. ''Yeah. This will take some work.''

    About 20 minutester Naruto and Daichi were headed to their spot in the forest.

    "Man, I wish the others were here too, ya know?"

    "Oh I''m hurt that you don''t want me here. Then maybe I''ll just go home." Daichi said with mock hurt and crocodile tears.

    "No No No! I didn''t mean that. I was just kidding, ya know."

    "Hahaha It''s always fun watching you get riled up like this."

    "Why you So what are we doing here anyway?"

    The Genin smiled at his friend''s question. "We''re going to train."

    Naruto''s eyes lit up as he heard that. But they quickly lost their sparkle when he heard Daichi''s next words.

    "You''re going to master a chakra control skill that''ll help with mastering the three basic Ninjutsu."

    "Aw man, Chakra control? That''s not what I want. Come on. Show me some awesome jutsu. You must know a lot."

    Daichi nodded his head with a smile. "I do know. But it won''t help you with the lousy Chakra control you have Now stopining. Do you wanna get stronger or not?"

    At that question the hesitation on Naruto''s face disappeared and he was eager to train and learn from his friend.

    -

    Several minutes after the real Daichi and Naruto left, the shadow clones hiding outside entered his apartment. Almost an hour went by before Kiba and Shino showed and started helping Daichi.

    "So what exactly did you say to Naruto? How did you get him to stay in the forest?"

    At Kiba''s question the Genin smirked. "I''m teaching him a chakra control technique. I figured training would keep him busy."

    "Oh man really? Maybe I should join you guys. There''s no way I can let that guy get ahead of me."

    Daichi shook his head at that. "This is a special control technique that only someone like him would benefit from."

    Shino and Kiba stopped and looked at the Genin at that deration.

    Seeing their looks Daichi borated. "The thing is Naruto has much greater chakra reserves than any of us. But still, he has problems with properly controlling his chakra and moving them through his coils. It''s the reason he can''t perform a decent clone."

    "So you''re training him to help with the chakra flow in his body?" Shino asked.

    "Yeah. This particr control skill is designed for people withrge chakra reserves. This technique uses the same principle as Tree walking but it''s much more difficult. Naruto would have to use more chakra than the normal tree walking to learn this. If you guys try it, you''d be exhausted in a few hours."

    "I see." Kiba and Shino nodded in understanding and went back to work.

    "Hey, when do you think the others will being by huh?" Kiba asked as he took out the trash.

    "Hm Hinata told me her n has a memorial service in the morning. She''ll only be able to join us after. She and Ino should being together with the decorations in about 3 or 4 hours." Daichi replied.

    "Based on our speed we''ll be done in an hour. We can go home, get cleaned up and return here." Shino spoke.

    Shadow clone Daichi nodded and they worked quickly cleaning the whole ce. Within a short time the three were done with their tasks.

    "Shino and I are gonna head back and get cleaned up. We''ll pick up Ino, Shikamaru and Hinata and get the decorations on our way back."

    Daichi nodded to Kiba''s suggestion and once the two academy students left, the shadow clone dispelled itself letting its creator know of the progress.

    -

    "Why am I doing this again?" Naruto questioned as he tried to bnce himself in one leg. He was standing on a small wooden te with several smooth metal balls under it. Naruto was trying his best not to lose bnce.

    ''Sometimes I think this kid has the memory of a goldfish'' The Genin sighed for what seemed like the hundredth time, replied.

    "Chakra is thebination of physical and mental energies. With tree walking technique you learned to somewhat control the chakra inside you. But this particr control exercise allows your chakra to move through the chakra coils more easily and you would be able to use your jutsus much easier. The reason you couldn''t properly use clone jutsu is because you weren''t performing the technique with the proper harmony of physical and mental energies needed. With tree walking I''m sure you can use that jutsu but with this, that control is even more refined. This exercise will help in improving your concentration and strengthen your Yin chakra."

    To help Naruto train his chakra control, Daichi raised a small portion of the earth a meter high with the top made t and smooth. He put 9 small metal balls of the same size and ced them in a square position and held them in ce with his Chakra strings. Once that was done he ced a wooden board on top of them and had Naruto stand on it.

    "Mainly ninjas learn Tree walking and Water walking techniques to improve their control."

    "Wait! Water walking? You mean I''ll be able to walk on water? That''s awesome." Naruto was excited at the thought of that and the next second he lost control and fell backwards to the ground.

    "Ow"

    "You need to stay focused, Naruto. You have to train till this bes second nature to you. And this is only just the beginning of the exercise." Daichi said as he picked up the metal balls and wooden board. "Again."

    Daichi held them in ce and Naruto got on top of the wooden board.

    Daichi spoke as he looked at his friend trying to bnce himself. "You learned the Tree walking technique right. This is the same concept and application but much more difficult. You have to let your chakra flow from the sole of your feet and cover the wooden board and the metal balls under the board. You need to use your chakra and make them all stick together. When that happens it''ll be as if you''re standing on a solid surface."

    "Oh man this is really hard." Naruto said as he closed his eyes shut trying to concentrate.

    "Of course it is. But it will be worth it." Daichi stood back with his arms crossed as he looked at his friend.

    "You said this was the first step of this technique. What are the others?"

    "Once you learn to bnce yourself on one leg you''ll have to bnce another board and metal balls on your hand on the alternative side. This will improve focus and boost your control and chakra flow throughout your body by arge margin."

    "Wait. You mean I have to hold another one in my hand while I''m standing like this?" Naruto was bbergasted as he thought about that.

    "Yes. That''s the second step. It''s a lot harder because you have to hold the board and not let the metal balls on top roll off it. Then an even more difficult part would be to hold a leaf of your forehead while you do all this." Daichi had a smirk on his face as he remembered the various control exercises Tsunade and Shizune taught him during his time with them.

    "Huh! You''re kidding me." Naruto groaned and the next second he lost his bnce and hit the ground again.

    "Oh man. This is so tough." The blonde got up and rubbed his back to ease the dull pain.

    "Of course it is. This exercise, even though it uses the same principle as tree walking, is much more difficult. In tree walking there was nothing between the soles of your feet and the tree trunk. But here, you need to focus your chakra on the wood, the smooth metal balls and the t surface."

    Daichi looked at the boy and spoke. "Sometimes certain people would be unable to make their chakra flow through their body properly or they would have an imbnce of Yin and Yang chakra and this will hinder them in performing simple jutsus. But this problem can be ovee with training."

    ''It''s also the reason why he couldn''t use simple clone jutsu or why he couldn''t stick to the tree on his first time, despite having arger reserve than Sasuke and could use hundreds of Shadow clones.''

    The young Genin continued. "This Chakra control technique was created for people withrge amounts of chakra reserves but with poor body chakra flow."

    Naruto listened to every word Daichi said and paid close attention. "Wait. You''re telling me that I got much more chakra than others but I can''t use it properly?"

    "You can use your chakra but not as effectively as others. But with just a few weeks of training this problem can easily be fixed."

    The whiskered boy clenched his fists and nodded. Now that he knew why couldn''t make simple clones and how to solve that issue, he was even more determined to learn this exercise.

    ''Maybe this will go faster if he has a training partner.'' Daichi thought about it and decided to join the training and motivate his friend.

    "It''s boring to just stand here and watch you fall on your ass." With that Daichi created a simr earth tform. He took out two boards and got into position. At that time he used his Chakra Strings and took a leaf and ced it on his forehead.

    Naruto was in awe as Daichi perfectly bnced himself on his left leg while he held a board with metal balls on his right hand. He was even more shocked to see him hold a leaf to his forehead and stand perfectly still.

    ''He can do all that and he doesn''t even look like he''s trying If I keepining, I''ll never be as good as him.'' Thepetitive spirit inside him burned with a fury and with a wide grin Naruto took his spot.

    Daichi used his strings to set up the boars in Naruto''s earth tform and the boy took his spot. He tried to bnce himself on his left leg.

    "Hey, give me the second board. I want to train while holding it." The blonde said, looking eager to jump ahead.

    "No. Not now. One step at a time. You need to learn to stand perfectly still before moving to the next step. Rushing through this won''t help you."

    Naruto nodded and listened to his friend.

    Daichi looked at the struggle his friend was having and spoke. "Calm down, Naruto. Close your eyes and listen to my voice."

    Naruto looked at Daichi and decided to do as he said. He closed his eyes and concentrated.

    Having his friend''s attention on him, Daichi continued. "Concentrate on nothing but your chakra. Feel your energy. Feel the way it moves to the bottom of your feet."

    Daichi became silent as he gave the boy a couple minutes. He sensed the way Naruto''s chakra moved. ''It will take some time, but if he can learn this he won''t have any problem with water walking. He''ll probably get it on his first try. And this will also solve the clone problem. By the time Naruto''s graduationes up, he''ll be able to perform all 3 jutsus without any problems. Then Iruka will pass him and Mizuki won''t get the chance But therein lies the problem. What would that guy do next? In canon he was most probably counting on Naruto to fail. But here What will he do when Naruto passes? Since I already made changes and created ripple effects, how will things y out during his graduation.''

    Daichi realized that worrying about it now wouldn''t help him and he focused on helping his friend. He continued his instructions. "Coat the soles of your feet and then slowly increase the output of your chakra. Cover the wooden board and then then the metal balls. Use the right amount and make them stick to one spot."

    Sweat formed on Naruto''s face as he concentrated on the task. He was happy to have someone like Daichi help him and he was determined to get stronger.

    What Daichi and Naruto didn''t realize is that they had an observer watching them from afar.

    ------------

    Author''s Note:

    I wanted to give a reasonable excuse as to why Naruto wasn''t able to perform Clone jutsu or his feet slid off the tree trunk when he first tired tree walking despite havingrger reserves than anyone. What do you guys think?

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 209: A Birthday Party & Sinister Plots

    Chapter 209: A Birthday Party & Sinister Plots

    Hokage''s Office

    Hiruzen looked through the crystal ball and a happy smile was on his face as he saw Daichi help Naruto with his training. He looked at the Genin and his smile slightly widened. The old kage remembered the conversation he had with his predecessor about the genius child.

    He also recalled the warning the reanimated kage gave him and the events that happened after.

    "Saru, I''ve never known anyone with such talent. Even my brother couldn''t master all the Chakra Natures to that degree at such a young age. Even I couldn''t. And on top of that this boy learned medical ninjutsu as well? This is truly incredible."

    Hiruzen nodded and smiled hearing his predecessor''s assessment of Daichi. "Are you interested in training him for a short while, sensei? I''m sure the boy could learn a great deal from you."

    Tobirama sighed and replied. "Such talent should be nurtured for sure and under a different circumstance I would have been very interested in training him But you know our situation. My situation. My existence should remain a secret. If anyone were to find out that I had been brought back to life, if the other viges get wind of this information, it would create chaos and throw all the ns you put in ce in jeopardy. So for the moment my resurrection shall remain a secret and I won''t be meeting anyone. But if an opportunity arises Well, we''ll see With the way you speak about the child, he''ll get more powerful quickly."

    "Yes. He said his goal was to be the strongest in the world. I have no doubt he would be one of the strongest shinobis of his era."

    Tobirama frowned as he heard that. "You told me he trains everyday and pushes himself to be better. But why? Why does he train with such intense discipline and why does he want to be the strongest?"

    Hiruzen frowned at that question. "What are you getting at sensei?"

    "There must be a reason for his need for strength beyond wanting to reach the peak. Something more. Everyone has something that drives them forward. My brother wanted to be strong to create a peaceful environment for the n. The same went for Madara. That''s the reason they wanted to be stronger than everyone around them. Simrly, this child must have some kind of reason beyond simply wanting strength or fame to push himself like this. Do you know what that is?"

    Hiruzen shook his head indicating that he didn''t know. Seeing this Tobirama, being the cautious man he was, gave his former student a warning.

    "We must be vignt. The child should be given guidance in his training but you should also keep watch. It''s a delicate line to bnce for people like us... Be careful of this child. Since you don''t know what his end goals are, you should keep an eye on him. Power corrupts. And there is a chance this child could walk down Madara''s path or even your student''s path."

    The second Hokage didn''t know it, but those words shook Hiruzen. He didn''t even want to think what would happen should Daichi be a traitor.

    It was during this time that Shikamaru visited him in his office and invited him to Naruto''s birthday party.

    "So you want me toe to Naruto''s birthday party tomorrow?" The old kage asked the child with a teasing smile.

    "Yes Lord Hokage. If you aren''t busy, that is..."

    Hiruzen could see the nervousness of the young Nara. He chuckled and replied. "Hmm. I''lle. I''m d you''re such a good friend to Naruto."

    "Well, I can''t take all the credit. Daichi and the others are helping."

    Hiruzen was surprised to hear that. He knew that even though Naruto and Daichi were friends, he thought the boy would be spending his time training and improving his skills.

    "I assume this party will be at Naruto''s apartment?"

    "Yeah."

    "How are you going to get young Naruto out of there if you want to decorate his home? I assume you have a n for that."

    "Well, Daichi said he''ll take care of it. He''ll pick up Naruto tomorrow morning and keep him busy for the day."

    Hiruzen looked at the Nara child with a calm smile and spoke. "Not a bad n. I''ll be sure toe. Thank you for informing me."

    He saw the young academy student let out a breath and leave with a smile.

    The next day Hiruzen woke up early and checked his crystal ball to see what Daichi was up to. He saw the Genin pick up Naruto from his home and even saw the clones cleaning the blonde''s home.

    Hiruzen watched as Daichi gave Naruto instructions on one of the more difficult Chakra control exercises and trained him. The grim feeling he had in his heart slowly vanished and a smile formed. Hiruzen watched the genuine and rare happiness on Naruto''s face and rxed.

    ''You''re wrong about him sensei. He''s no Orochimaru or Madara. Daichi has a good heart. And even if he somehow strays from his path, he has friends who''ll bring him back.''

    Hiruzen quickly got to work. He wanted toplete all the tasks he had for the day. Afterall, he had a birthday party to attend.

    -

    By around 2pm, most of the Rookie 9 had arrived at Naruto''s home and started decorating the ce with Ino in charge.

    "Shikamaru, that banner goes there. It should be right below this table. Kiba, Choji! Move the table here."

    Shikamaru sighed as he quietly did as he was told. ''I''m starting to remember why I don''t like birthday parties. She''s nagging even more than usual.''

    "You know Ino, this would go a lot faster if you helped us." Kiba said as he and Choji moved the table to where the Yamanaka girl pointed.

    "What are you talking about? I''m doing the most important job here?"

    Shino, who was standing on the side hanging decorations raised an eyebrow at that. "And that is?"

    The girl had a wide grin and replied in a cheeky tone. "I''m the party coordinator. It''s the most important job. And besides, a delicate girl like me shouldn''t have to lift heavy stuff when you boys are here."

    Kiba snorted at that. "Yeah right. You''re the farthest thing from delicate."

    "What''d you say!?"

    "Um.. Guys.. Please don''t fight. We should focus on the decorations." Hinata said with a small blush as she tied the balloons and colorful strings to the side of the wall. ''I can''t believe it. I''m in Naruto''s apartment. Haa''

    "Naruto and Daichi would only be here by 7 in the evening. We have plenty of time. So rx." Shikamaru sighed as he sat on the nearby chair.

    Ino sighed and spoke thinking about their two friends training in the forest. "I wish it was me with Daichi in that forest. We could have a pic. y games... Naruto is so lucky. He gets to spend time with Daichi alone and even gets his help with training."

    "Yeah but there''s a difference. Unlike you, Naruto doesn''t have a crush on Daichi." Choji said as he munched on a small snack to replenish his energy.

    Ino hung her head down and sighed. The next second she became upbeat again. She had a metaphorical fire burning in her eyes. "On my birthday, I''m gonna ask Daichi for a date. We''re going to have so much fun."

    The boy''s merely sighed and decided to keep their opinions to themselves. They all had one thought running through their minds. ''Good luck Daichi. May God have mercy on your soul.''

    -

    It was evening with the sun slowly disappearing over the horizon. Sweat poured down Naruto''s face as he stood still on the wooden board and concentrated.

    "Alright, you''re starting to get the hang of it. But I think this is enough for today."

    "Come on. We can train some more. I''m not done yet." Naruto said as he tried to keep his bnce.

    Daichi shook his head. "No. Your body needs rest. You can train tomorrow at home. Today, you need to rest and recover your strength."

    The blonde boy reluctantly nodded and got down. Both Daichi and Naruto went to a nearby stream to get cleaned up.

    Daichi already had fresh clothes for his friend. "Here. I took these from your home."

    "But I could have changed at home."

    "Just put these on."

    The blonde shrugged and put on his new attire after freshening up. Shortly after, both of them headed to Naruto''s home and Daichi noticed that the boy was in a great mood.

    As they neared the apartment Naruto turned towards his friend. With a nervous smile and rubbing the back of his head, the boy spoke. "Thanks for helping me train, ya know."

    Daichi smiled looking at his friend. "Don''t mention it. Anyway it''s gettingte. I better head home." With those words Daichi turned around and slowly walked away.

    Naruto waved and turned to look at his home. With a sigh he made his way to his door and opened it.

    "SURPRISE!"

    POP!

    The second Naruto opened his door he saw the lightse on and his home, decorated. He saw his friends, Iruka sensei, Teuchi and Ayame wearing party hats and smiling at him.

    "What the?" Naruto waspletely surprised and taken back.

    "Happy birthday Naruto." It was Daichi who said it as he sneaked up behind him.

    The blonde boy was speechless andpletely surprised. "Wow. You.. You guys threw a birthday party for me."

    "Of course. It was Shikamaru''s idea." The young Genin said with a smirk.

    "Come on. Make a wish." Choji said, pointing towards the cake with orange frosting. The whiskered blonde had a big grin and immediately went near the cake. He closed his eyes and blew the candles out. Everyone near him smiled and gave him presents.

    Daichi stood near the door and looked at the scene with a big smile.

    "I''ve never seen him so happy before."

    Daichi was startled to hear the third Hokage''s voiceing from behind him.

    He looked at the old man and was surprised. Hiruzen had his eyes focused on Naruto. He had a sad expression as he gazed at the boy but he quickly put on a smile as he noticed Daichi''s look.

    The old kage patted the Genin on the shoulder and spoke. "You''re a good friend to Naruto, Daichi. He''s lucky to have you."

    The young Genin turned towards the boy smiling andughing in the middle of his friends. "It''s no big deal. It''s just a birthday party."

    Hiruzenughed hearing that response. "To him its much more than just a party... Well, I suppose it''s time I greet the birthday boy." With that he entered the room and Naruto immediately ran to him.

    "Gramps. You''re here."

    "Of course. I couldn''t say no to this. Here. Happy Birthday Naruto." The Hokage said with a smile, handing the boy his gift.

    Daichi looked around the apartment and into the streets. He sighed as he didn''t sense ''his'' presence. Without wasting any more time, Daichi joined the party.

    It was a small celebration and before long the cake was cut and everyone had a piece. Naruto was eager to go through the gifts everyone had given him.

    The first gift box Naruto had opened was Hiruzen''s. It contained new ninja gear and tools. "Oh man this looks so cool. I can''t wait to try it out."

    "I''m d you like it."

    Teuchi and Ayame gave their gift next. "This coupon will get you 10 free premium Ramens. But only 1 per month." "Happy Birthday Naruto."

    The blonde boy held the small coupon as if he was holding a precious delicate jewel. "I''m gonna keep this real safe, ya know. Thanks old man Teuchi. Big sis."

    Iruka gave a new Kunai and Shuriken set to the boy and wished him as well. Hiruzen smiled looking at the teacher. ''He''se a long way from the man who once couldn''t even be near the boy.''

    It was the future Rookie''s turn to give their presents. Naruto was excited as he went through each one. Hinata had a huge blush on her face as Naruto opened her present.

    "Wow. Sweets. That''s awesome. Thanks a bunch Hinata."

    "Haaa" The shy Hyuga girl just poked her fingers and looked down.

    Shikamaru gave a board game while Choji gave a BBQ recipe as a gift. As Ino, Sakura, Kiba and Shino were giving their gifts Daichi went outside and looked around.

    ''He''s still not here. So he decided not to show up huh. I suppose I should have expected this. Sasuke isn''t the kind of guy who would waste his time with things like this.''

    With a sigh he stood there and looked up at the night sky. He saw the stars and just closed his eyes and enjoyed the peaceful atmosphere.

    A few secondster he sensed another presence behind him.

    "You know sometimes you brood even more than Sasuke. I didn''t think that was even possible. Someone outbrooding him."

    A chuckle escaped Daichi''s lips hearing that. He turned around to look at his friend. Shikamaru stared at Daichi with a questioning look.

    "Maybe I was just thinking about the future."

    "You sound like an old man when you talk like that"

    "Hahaha I prefer the term mentally matured."

    "Daichi, you don''t need to worry so much. I''m sure everything will work out fine."

    "Maybe you''re right Shikamaru Oh! I almost forgot to give him my present. Come on."

    Daichi went to Naruto and gave him a gift. The blonde Jinchuriki eagerly opened it and saw that it was a scroll. When he rolled it open, it took his breath away.

    In it was a marvelous painting of their group with Naruto in the middle and everyone smiling. It looked so life-like and beautiful that it made everyone speechless.

    "Oh my god. It''s so beautiful." Ino said as she looked at the painting.

    "Yeah. I didn''t know you could draw like that."

    Daichi smirked and shrugged. "I''m a man of many talents."

    Naruto turned to his friend and Daichi saw a few drops of tears in the corner of his eyes. "Thank you Daichi. I''ll cherish this forever."

    The Genin nodded with a smile. "Happy Birthday Naruto."

    -

    Somewhere else in the Leaf vige a man was heavily drinking alcohol to numb the pain in his heart. He was home and only had onepanion.

    "Here. Have another ss. It''ll help." The second figure gave another ss full of liquor to the inebriated man.

    "Y-you know Mi-Mizuki You''re a real Friend."

    The Chunin and academy instructor Mizuki gave a sad smile as he looked at his friend.

    "You know you need to stop, right. This isn''t helping you." The Chunin said with a kind tone. He sounded like he wanted nothing more than to help his friend.

    "I can''t move on Mizuki. My wife and my son died in that attack And that brat" The man stopped and looked at the academy instructor. Even under the influence he still has some small semnce of self control.

    "I know Kirai. They didn''t deserve what happened to them." The academy instructor poured two sses and held one out for his friend. He raised his ss and with a somber look spoke.

    "To your wife and son."

    The man now identified as Kirai raised his ss in response and they drank to the departed souls. They stayed in silence for a few moments before Mizuki spoke up.

    "It''s not right, you know. That fox brat living like he has no cares in the world. You know what makes me angry? That brat was having a party in his home."

    "What!?" The drunk Kirai was furious hearing that.

    "Yeah. That fox brat managed to trick his ssmates into bing friends with him and they threw him a birthday party. They may be fooled. But we know the truth."

    Mizuki looked at the man dead in the eyes and spoke with a serious tone. "That brat is the nine tails. He''s dangerous and he''ll one day destroy the vige."

    Kirai was surprised at that admission and he realized that Mizuki understood him. "I I hate him. I want that monster dead." He spoke as he tightly gripped the ss in his palms.

    "DAMN IT!" Kirai suddenly stood and threw the ss into the wall, shattering it. "How can How can we live in peace when we know that a monster is walking among us And worst of all, the Hokage wouldn''t do anything about it." Kirai ranted.

    "You need to calm down. Here. Have another ss. This will help you." Mizuki gave the man another ss of alcohol and calmed him down.

    The Academy instructor was silent for a minute before he spoke. "That fox brat will graduate this March. When that happens we''ll all be in trouble."

    Kirai nodded with that sentiment. "But what can we do? We''re just two Chunin."

    "Hypothetically, if we could get rid of that monster and save this vige would you do it?" Mizuki asked the man.

    Kirai nodded his head without hesitation. "Yes. I.. love this vige. I don''t don''t want the nine tails attack to happen again. Do you Do you have a n or something?"

    Mizuki sheepishly smiled and shook his head. "Nah. It''s nothing. Just forget I said anything."

    "No. Tell me. Do you really have a n to get rid of that beast?" Kirai ced a hand on Mizuki''s shoulder and almost pleaded.

    "I do. But I will need your help."

    Kirai nodded his head and spoke. "Whatever you need to get rid of that monster." The man was looking at his friend but failed to see the evil intent hidden behind the academy teacher''s eyes.

    "Alright. Here''s the n." With that Mizuki set the first stage of his ns in motion.

    -------------------

    Author''s Note:

    Hi guys. Hope you enjoyed the chapter. I wanted to show the good side and the bad side of the situation. Naruto had his first birthday celebration. But Mizuki has some evil ns in mind. What will he do? Stay tuned to find out.

    Tobirama is a cautious person. so I would imagine that this is his reaction to someone like Daichi. Now for those of you looking forward to the Daichi and Tobirama meet [SPOILER: Well, let''s just say it won''t happen any time soon but they will meet. What I mean is when Canon starts an incident will ur and those two wille face to face At the moment I will just say this. Look forward to Daichi vs Tobirama]

    I''ll be nning the next arc and the canon chapters these next few days. We''re close. No one is more excited about writing it than I am. But I also dread it a bit What if my readers don''t like it or what if I mess it up? During those moments I just remind myself to write one chapter at a time and do my best. We''ll see how it goes.

    So I''ll see you guys with an updateter.

    Hope you guys can wait patiently. And I dearly hope you''re enjoying my story.

    Thank you for the support everyone.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 210: C Rank: Retake the Fortress 01

    Chapter 210: C Rank: Retake the Fortress 01

    It was a few days after Naruto''s birthday. It had been a long time since Daichi had spent some time with his friends just enjoying the moment. But now he was back to training.

    The Genin was in his designated training ground improving his control over the water chakra nature. He was gathering water particles from the air and holding them before letting it go.

    [Skill Water Extraction technique''s level has risen by one]

    Daichi wiped the sweat off his brow as he looked at his progress. ''Hmm Good. The volume and speed of the water gathered has increased significantly. It won''t be long now. Next time I visit the dungeon I''ll have to see if I can do it If I can mimic ice release then that opens up a whole new world of possibilities for me Hmm.. No. It''s still too soon.''

    "I see you''re already hard at work."

    The boy looked around and saw his sensei casually leaning on a nearby tree.

    Daichi nodded. "I''m getting close. Soon I''ll be ready for the next step."

    Kakashi''s one eye slightly narrowed after hearing that. ''The next step? Creating such powerful water jutsu from the atmosphere is already considered the pinnacle. So what would he''

    At that moment the Jonin remembered what Daichi said in the Hokage''s chamber. ''Ice release He''s going to try to manipte water on a molecr level I was able to copy the jutsu during my time in thend of Snow thanks to my Sharingan but for someone who doesn''t have that advantage Is it possible? Can he do it?''

    "Are you sure something like that is even possible?" There was skepticism in the silver haired Jonin''s voice.

    "I believe so." Daichi knew it was possible. He remembered Kakashi copying an Ice move during a mission in the snow country and the information his system showed on Water Affinity proves that creating and mimicking Ice release was possible.

    "Good luck." Kakashi said nothing more on the subject and started walking with Daichi quickly following him.

    The two ninjas made their way to the Hokage tower. Just as they reached the entrance another voice called out to them.

    "Kakashi! My youthful rival. You''re here too."

    The two man Genin team looked and saw Team Guy headed towards them.

    Kakashi sighed and looked at the fellow Jonin. "Guy. Don''t you usually take missions much earlier?"

    "True. But today I put my team through some extra morning workouts."

    The silver haired Jonin just nodded and turned back.

    "Daichi. Are you here to take a mission?" Lee asked with a big grin.

    Daichi looked at his friend and nodded. ''He''s been training. I can tell, his chakra is much stronger With my pills, recovery time has been reduced and thus his training time has been significantly increased.''

    "Yeah. I''m hoping to get a C Rank mission." The Gamer replied.

    "Cool. We''re here for a C Rank too. We''ve done a few easy ones but now I''m looking for one with a little bit more challenge." Tenten had a grin on her face as she looked at the Genin.

    The two teams made their way to the Hokage''s chamber and exchanged pleasantries.

    "So young Daichi, have you been training in Taijutsu?" Guy asked Kakashi''s student.

    "Well no actually. I''m more interested in Ninjutsu at the moment. It''s my specialty. I''m currently training my Water Chakra Nature."

    "I see. Are you perhaps trying to follow in my youthful rival''s footsteps? He''s someone who can use a wide variety of Ninjutsu." Guy said and looked at Kakashi but the silver haired Jonin was engrossed in his new book and totally ignored the green spandex wearing man.

    Waiting for several seconds and seeing Kakashi''s non response, Guy just had tears running down his face. ''Ghaa. That cool attitude is so annoying''

    Daichi smirked and spoke. "I''m focusing on one Chakra Nature now. Once I''m done with water I''ll move on to the next."

    Guy gave a wide grin hearing that and nodded. "That''s good. Learning too much without mastery won''t help you in the long term."

    Neji, hearing the conversation, just narrowed his eyes. ''Taijutsu isn''t his specialty? And even worse, when he defeated us he didn''t use any ninjutsu How far ahead of us is he?''

    The teams soon stood in front of the Hokage.

    "Team Kakashi and Team Guy. It seems you two are right on time. I have two C Rank missions and I think your teams would be perfect." Hiruzen said, looking at them. He handed a scroll to each of the squad leaders.

    "Team Kakashi. Your mission is in Tea country. There is a small fortress in that country that was built during the early days. The Toujin Fortress. About two weeks ago, a bandit team infiltrated the fortress and made it their home. Based on the information we were given, there are about a dozen bandits and one shinobi. Estimates put him somewhere between High Genin to mid Chunin. Your task is to capture the bandits, eliminate the rogue ninja if necessary and free the fortress. You can meet up with the Daimyo of the Tea country and he''ll give you more information."

    "Yes sir." Kakashi and his student nodded.

    [Quest Created - Retake the Fortress.]

    [You have been given a new C Rank mission. A bandit group led by an unknown person has taken control of the fortress in the Land of Tea. Defeat them and recapture the fortress.]

    .

    [Conditions:]

    Defeat all the bandits.

    Defeat the unknown ninja.

    Rescue hostages (If there are any.)

    Complete the mission without damaging the Fortress.

    Complete the mission to the Tea Daimyo''s satisfaction.

    .

    [Rewards:]

    [15000 Exp.]

    [+1 Dignity Stat]

    [Reputation increases with the Client.]

    [Reputation increases with people in Tea country.]

    .

    [Failure:]

    [-8000 Exp.]

    [Reputation decreases with client and Hokage]

    .

    [ept Y/N]

    Daichi read the contents and epted the quest. ''Hmm No chain Quest or hidden agendas. Looks like this is a simple, straightforward mission.''

    Kakashi and Daichi left the office. "We might be in the Land of Tea for a couple days. So pack your gear ordingly and meet me at the gates."

    Daichi nodded and the two ninjas separated. The Genin went home and packed the needed supplies and headed out.

    ''The old man is at the capital again. He''s been making frequent trips. It feels like I haven''t spent that much time with him these days.''

    Daichi sighed as he walked to the gates and waited. A short whileter he saw his sensei and Team Guying towards him. Lee ran up to him and gave a big grin. "Looks like we''ll be traveling together."

    "Really? You have another mission in the Land of Tea?" Daichi asked his friend.

    "No. We''re headed to the Land of the Sea." Lee shook his head and replied.

    "Ah. That makes sense." Daichi was familiar with the world map. The only way to get to the Land of sea is by boat. The port city in the Land of Tea would be the best route.

    ''It seems we''ll be traveling together till we reach Tea country.''

    At that moment the rest of Team Guy and Kakashi joined them and after notifying the gate guards the two teams left the vige. The group of 6 ninjas were quickly moving through the trees. Since there were no civilians with them, they would quickly reach their destination.

    "So what''s your mission?" Daichi asked the other team.

    "We''re just going to get rid of some small-time pirates. They''ve been robbing a couple of shipsing from the Land of Sea. They sent the mission." Tenten replied.

    "Sounds interesting. But since they''re on a ship it might take time for you guys to find them."

    Lee and Tenten nodded as they realized that Daichi was right. "We could set a trap. Get on a ship and when they try to attack, capture all of them."

    "Not a bad idea So how is your training Lee? How''s the pills?"

    Rock Lee was excited to answer. He has been training hard and by taking the rmended doses his training time has significantly extended. "I''m healing much faster and now I can train for longer periods of time. Those pills are amazing."

    "What are you talking about?" Even though it was only Tenten who asked this question, everyone else was listening too. As Lee''s teacher, Guy already knew about the supplements Daichi gave to his student.

    Daichi thought about what to say and then decided to answer. ''Tenten and Neji may not know it, but its not like it''s a secret that I''m a medic ninja.''

    "I created a few special pills with high nutrients that heals muscles and cells much faster. With it a person''s recovery period is greatly reduced."

    Tenten was surprised to hear that. "Wait a minute. You created the pills? But don''t you need to learn about medicine to make something like that?"

    It was Guy who replied. "My young students. Daichi here is also a medic ninja. He''s trained under the best and is quite capable in using medical ninjutsu."

    Lee''s two teammates were shocked to hear that. Tenten looked at Daichi with new eyes. ''He''s a medic ninja too? And to be one at such an age It''s amazing.''

    Neji looked at Daichi from the corner of his eyes. After their battle he did some research on the Genin and found that he had been away from the vige for two years. ''He didn''t learn medical Ninjutsu from the hospital at the vige or I would have found out about it earlier. So that means he learned it during his time outside. That means He learned medical ninjutsu in just two years.''

    The Hyuga frowned thinking about the implications. ''I need to get stronger quickly. The next time we fight, I need to make him take me seriously.''

    "When did you learn Medical Ninjutsu? I thought you were only allowed to learn that stuff after bing a Genin."

    "Daichi was in the Capital for two years before he took early graduation. He showed talent in the medic field and trained at the hospital there." Kakashi replied for his student while eyes never left his new book.

    "Wow." Tenten and Lee made small talk while Neji stayed silent. Soon the group reached the Land of Tea. They made their way ind and soon reached the Daimyo''s mansion.

    "It seems this is where we part ways. Kakashi! Good luck on your missions. Show those bandits scum your shining spirit." Guy gave a thumbs up and then turned to his students.

    "Alright team. The port is only 2 kilometers away from here. Let''s race. Last one to reach the port does 500 pushups. Show me your YOUTH! Begin!" Without waiting for a response from his students, Guy took off and Lee immediately followed him. Neji and Tenten sighed and quickly went after them.

    Kakashi sighed as he saw the dust trail left by his friend. ''Where does he get all this energy?''

    The Jonin shook his head and turned to his student. "Come on Daichi. Let''s go meet the Daimyo."

    The two met the guards outside the mansion and after confirming their identities were led inside. Soon the two ninjas were in front of the Daimyo of the Land of Tea.

    Daichi paid close attention to the man''s facial features and let out a small breath of relief. ''Yukata Genjima. This guy looks like the canon counterpart. I remember that Naruto had toplete a mission here. Based on my memories, this guy should be a fair and good ruler.'' Daichi used Observe and confirmed the information.

    The Daimyo smiled as he looked at the two Leaf ninjas. As his eyesnded on Daichi the smile dimmed. "Thank you foring so quickly. But may I ask something?"

    Kakashi nodded, already having an idea as to what the man was going to ask.

    "Why is there only 1 Genin? As I recall, you normally have 3 Genins and one Jonin in a new squad, correct?" The Daimyo asked in a polite tone. Even though it was only one Genin he didn''t want toe off as rude.

    It was Kakashi who replied. "Well sir, we''re a special team. Daichi here may be Genin but its in rank only. His skills are on par with a solid Chunin. He is quite capable."

    The Daimyo took a second look at the boy and nodded. "Very well. Since you have such an evaluation of the child, I won''t ask about it anymore. Now onto the matter at hand."

    The Jonin nodded and the Daimyo ryed the situation to the duo.

    "There is a fortress in ournd that was built almost 98 years ago. The Toujin Fortress. It''s at the heart of our country and has been a pride to us. There are several precious items in that fortress that''s worth a fortune. Around two weeks ago, a dozen bandits entered our country and forcefully upied the fortress. They were led by a ninja."

    "Do you know the identity of the ninja?"

    The Daimyo shook his head at Kakashi''s question. "No. But my people have estimated that this person must be a strong Genin or Chunin level ninja."

    "Have they taken any hostages or killed anyone?" Daichi asked.

    "No. But they have looted several establishments here in the country. Your task is to retrieve what they stole and get rid of them. How you aplish this is up to you."

    Kakashi and Daichi nodded and both were silent for a few moments. After a short while thinking things through, they had an idea as to how to proceed.

    -------------

    Author''s Note:

    This mission will bepleted by chapter 213. And then we''ll move on to even more exciting things. I''ll see you guys tomorrow with next chapter.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 211: C Rank: Retake the Fortress 02

    Chapter 211: C Rank: Retake the Fortress 02

    Kakashi had several ideas on how to proceed but he needed to know a few more things from the Daimyo.

    "You said the Toujin Fortress is important to the Tea country. So I assume you want us toplete the mission and make sure no damagese to the building."

    The tea Daimyo nodded his head. "Yes. It''s another reason why I hired you ninjas. I want you to get rid of them before they do any damage and you have toplete this task without damaging the property."

    Kakashi nodded. "Then I''m going to need the blueprints of that fortress. I assume you have them?"

    "I do. I''ll have someone bring them to you quickly." The Tea Daimyo turned to his attendant and nodded his head. The attendant quickly left to fetch the item Kakashi requested.

    "Why do you need a blueprint of the fortress?" Yukata asked the silver haired man.

    "If they see using and set off any booby traps or paper bombs then that will definitely cause damage. Since we have toplete this mission without any damages to the building, we need to take them by surprise. We''ll have an idea of the best entry points if we take a look at the structure of the fortress."

    The Tea Daimyo nodded his head to the logic.

    At that moment Daichi asked a question that''s been on his mind for a while. "Are you sure they haven''t taken any hostages? It''s surprising that they haven''t taken any to hold leverage over you. If they do have any, then we''ll have to rescue them."

    "Well see, the thing is, we don''t know if anyone has been taken. There haven''t been any reports thus far But" The man looked down and clenched his fists as he thought about such a possibility.

    "You''re not sure, are you" Kakashi said in a soft voice. "We understand. If they have taken any of your citizens in secret, we''ll rescue them."

    Yukata looked at the two ninjas and smiled. "Thank you."

    "It''s what you paid us to do sir." Kakashi gave an eye smile and reassured the man.

    At that moment the Daimyo''s attendant came in with severalrge sheets of paper. He handed the sheets of paper to the Leaf ninjas and stepped back. "The blueprints for the Toujin Fortress as you have requested."

    "We''ll take our leave and get to work." Kakashi took the items and sealed them in a scroll.

    At that moment the attendant handed the Jonin a slip of paper with an address. "Your lodging will be at that Inn. I have already made the arrangements." Yukata informed the two ninjas.

    The Jonin nodded and the two Leaf ninjas left the small mansion shortly after.

    The Tea Daimyo wanted to ask when they wouldplete their task but held his tongue. ''They have their ways. I should just be patient.''

    -

    "Don''t you find this whole thing weird?" As the two ninjas walked through the streets Daichi asked his sensei.

    "Hmm..." Kakashi merely nced at Daichi and didn''t reply.

    The Genin sighed and borated. "The bandits attacked a ce so close to the Tea Daimyo''s home. And they even looted several people here ording to him. That''s a pretty stupid thing to do. They should have known that the people of Tea country or the Daimyo would hire ninjas to protect them. So why go through with something like this?"

    "You are right. It doesn''t make much sense. But it could also be because of that unknown ninja. He could be controlling them. Forcing them to do it or"

    "Or they''re just stupid."

    The Jonin chuckled at that. "Or that. The sad thing is, most bandits are people who don''t have any formal education ande from poverty. So they take from others and slowly it bes a way of life for them."

    The two ninjas soon reached the Inn. They quickly got into the room assigned to them and Kakashi took out the blueprints. He ced them on a table and started examining it alongside Daichi.

    "It''s almost evening. We need to gather some intel on these guys." The Jonin said looking out the window.

    The ninja duo created shadow clones and then the two clones transformed into civilians with nondescript attire. The two shadow clones nodded to their creators and quietly left through the window of their room.

    "Ok. So our priority is toplete this mission all the while making sure no damagees to the Fortress either by our hands or theirs." Daichi said as he looked at the papers with the building n written on it.

    "We need to make sure they didn''t take anyone in secret. If they did, then we have to rescue them as well. And we also need to know their number and strength. The number of bandits and ninja could be more than what the Daimyo has said. We should conduct our own investigation." Kakashi said, rubbing his chin.

    "We need to interrogate one or two of their members."

    The Jonin nodded to Daichi''s suggestion. "I''m pretty sure our shadow clones came to the same conclusion. We''ll just have to wait for them to finish their work."

    "When do we strike?" Daichi asked his teacher.

    "If this were the usual mission where damages were eptable, then this would have been a really simple straightforward mission. But since the Toujin Fortress is an importantndmark of Tea country we should proceed cautiously. How would you go about this Daichi? How would you make your move?" Kakashi answered with a question of his own.

    The Genin was silent and thought for a few minutes. "This mission needs stealth. We''ll have to infiltrate the fortress and once inside we need to make sure they have no hostages and need to disable any and all traps they might have set up. And after that we strike them all at once. Since they''remon bandits they won''t be any threat. The only one that could be a problem is the ninja, since we don''t know what he''s capable of or if he had set up any traps beforehand."

    Kakashi nodded. "True. And you''re right. This n of theirs to attack in the middle of a country like this It''s brazen and down right idiotic. They must have a reason. We should find out what."

    "I''m sure we can get the info we need if we capture a couple of them. We should infiltrate at midnight and once we confirm everything we can strike. At thetest, an hour before dawn."

    Kakashi nodded and the two fell intofortable silence as they studied the blueprints. A few minutester Daichi spoke. "Hey sensei. I''ve been thinking about something."

    The Jonin looked at Daichi who had a serious air around him. "What is it?"

    Daichi let out a deep breath of air and looked at his teacher. "I''m thinking about creating a jutsu thatbines Change in chakra form with change in chakra nature."

    Kakashi''s one visible eye widened as he heard that statement. He immediately knew what Daichi nned on doing. ''I knew he might one day try it but I didn''t think it would be so soon.''

    "You''re going tobine the Rasengan with a Chakra Nature aren''t you?!"

    Daichi looked at the man and nodded. "Yes."

    Kakashi was silent for a few moments and then spoke. "Daichi, something like that has never been done before. The Fourth Hokage, the man who created the Rasengan, had theories that the jutsu he created could bebined with a Chakra Nature. But he passed away before he could try and aplish it. And I''ve tried to follow his work. I''ve tried tobine Lighting Nature with Rasengan. I''ve always failed. A jutsu like that I''m not even sure it''s possible Are you really going to attempt it.?"

    "Yes." The quick resolute response surprised the Jonin.

    "Which one? Which Nature are you going to try?" Kakashi asked because he knew Daichi had already mastered the second step of all 5 basic natures. He had a feeling it was going to be water nature but he didn''t want to assume.

    "Water. It''s the one I''m most proficient in. I''m going tobine the Rasengan with the Water Nature chakra. I''ve been meditating and ran several simtions in my head. The jutsu that would be created from such abination I already have an idea as to what it would look like and it''s effects."

    Kakashi was shocked by that statement. ''Even before attempting the jutsu, he already knows what the finished product would look like and it''s effects? Such foresight. His intellect and shinobi talent is on apletely different level than mine. With each passing day, it feels like I can''t even measure him.''

    "When do you n on starting?" The silver haired Jonin asked his student after several seconds of silence.

    "Soon. Once this mission ispleted I''m going to take some time off to create the new Rasengan."

    The Jonin nodded with that idea. ''If he can create a jutsu like that, then it''ll prove that adding Chakra Nature to the Rasengan is possible.''

    The two ninjas discussed ns for theing weeks as they waited for their clones.

    -

    The disguised shadow clones left the building and quietly entered the streets of Tea country from a nearby alley.

    "Split up and gather information. But do not engage if you find the enemy. We don''t want to take away the element of surprise." Kakashi gave his instructions and his student nodded. Both of them went their separate ways as they collected intelligence on their enemies.

    Daichi investigated the ces that were robbed by bandits and got some of their features. As the Genin spoke to the people, he understood one thing. ''They wore masks and dark clothes to cover their identifying features. So they''re afraid of being recognized or hunted down. They rob different locations and go to their fortress for a few days before they do it again. They looted several stores yesterday so they won''t be active today.''

    Daichi asked around and retraced the steps of the bandits. He visited various homes where the bandits struck to make sure they haven''t kidnapped any Tea citizens without anyone knowing.

    ''Based on the info, these guys haven''t killed or even seriously hurt anyone. The most they did was bruises and a few broken bones. And the doctors here took care of that. How strange. They are restraining themselves. A bandit group with morals or is it an order from the ninjas controlling them?''

    Hours passed by and it was night time. Daichi in his stealth mode was observing the Toujin Fortress from a distance. ''There are a few on guard duty. Keeping an eye on any intruders no doubt.''

    As Daichi stood there looking at his target he sensed the presence of his senseiing near him.

    Kakashi walked up to his student and looked at the towering structure. Both of them were in the cover of darkness and the bandits on the lookout towers couldn''t even see them.

    "Based on what I found, they haven''t caused any serious injuries or death. And they haven''t kidnapped anyone as far as the people know." Daichi ryed what he found out.

    "Hmm Same here. They only struck high value targets and businesses. They were after money and took precious jewels but that''s it. And their leader. The unknown ninja. He rarely leaves the fortress." The Jonin said as he looked ahead and noted the position of the Toujin Fortress.

    Both Daichi and Kakashi observed the Fortress and movements of the guards and an hour before midnight they dispelled themselves, rying their memories and chakra to their creators.

    Daichi was meditating and Kakashi was reading his book when they got the memories of their Shadow clones.

    The Jonin closed the book and got up off his chair. "Looks like they did excellent work. The chances of a hostage is low but we should still be cautious. We''ll interrogate one of their men once we infiltrate the Fortress. And if there aren''t any traps set up then we proceed to capture."

    "Since these guys haven''t caused anyone any serious harm, lethal measures aren''t needed right." Daichi asked the man.

    Kakashi nodded his head. "Yes. Incapacitate and capture. Let''s move."

    -------------

    Author''s note:

    I wanted to post this chapter yesterday but certain outside factors prevented me from doing so. Anyway, a few of you guys did ask why this mission is a C Rank mission instead of a B Rank, the answer will be given in a couple chapters.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 212: C Rank: Retake the Fortress 03(Final)

    Chapter 212: C Rank: Retake the Fortress 03(Final)

    Kakashi and Daichi were moving through the streets of the Land of Tea. They were sticking to the shadows and making their way to their target location.

    At that moment Daichi asked a question that''s been on his mind. "Hey sensei. We might encounter a ninja in this mission. So shouldn''t this bebeled as a B Rank instead of a C Rank?"

    "That''s a valid question. There are a couple of reasons for that. One, is that this mission was specifically assigned to our team because most other Jonin and Chunin were away with their own tasks. And since an encounter with a hostile shinobi is a possibility this type of mission won''t be given to a normal rookie Genin team."

    "But we aren''t a normal rookie team."

    "No we''re not. Now a few other Special Jonin would have taken the mission but the threat level described by the client doesn''t warrant their participation. So the Hokage decided to give it to us. He knows that while you might be a Genin in Rank, you would be more than capable of holding yourself against an ordinary Jonin. So we''re the best team toplete this without any problems. The second reason is that while this mission is marked as a C Rank, its pay is on the upper end bordering on B Rank missions."

    Daichi nodded with that reason. "So essentially a C Rank mission with an almost B Rank mission pay. I can live with that."

    The two Leaf ninjas quietly moved through the trees and soon therge fortress was in their sight. They stood under the cover of shadows and observed the bandits guarding their temporary home.

    Daichi looked at the structure of the fortress and was impressed. "The people who created this fortress were smart. They designed the castle in a symmetrical shape to help give the upants a broader line of sight and built taller towers which would maximize the view."

    The Jonin nodded with his student''s assessment. "And this one even has a moat. It''s several feet deep and filled with water. While it''s rare, with how we can walk on water, it''s not that surprising.." He added.

    "I think that was the point. I took a sample of the water earlier and tested it. There''s poison mixed in it. It won''t spread to the surroundingnds but whoever gets in the water will have a very bad day." Daichi said.

    Kakashi understood the reason behind such a move. "They want the intruder to walk on water. That way they''ll be able to spot them quickly and attack."

    "Based on the recon and blueprints, only one way in and out. And the drawbridge is closed. We''ll have to use an Earth jutsu and move underground."

    The silver haired Jonin agreed with the n. "We''ll create a few shadow clones and surround the area. Then we''ll use Earth burrow jutsu and move about 8 feet under the moat. We''ll resurface in the south east section of the fortress."

    "Yes. Got it."

    Once the n was made, Daichi and Kakashi made a seal and a few shadow clones popped up. They slowly moved around the giant stone structure and took up their positions. The real Kakashi and Daichi, without wasting any more time, went through several hand seals.

    ''Earth style - Earth Burrow Jutsu.''

    [Earth Style - Earth Burrow Jutsu - Active(LV.27): This jutsu allows the user to travel through the earth undetected by most ninja. The chakra kneaded in the body is spread into the ground and softens the earth around the jutsu caster. The user disappears underground while the earth hardens on the surface. This jutsu allows the user to create a small tunnel bypressing and softening the earth around the person and helps the user move underground in any direction. Once the chakra dissipates the tunnel copses.]

    [Rank: C.]

    [Type: Ninjutsu]

    [Hand Seals: Snake - Boar - Bird - Ram.]

    [CP Cost: 67 Per Use.]

    [Note: The movement speed of the user and creation speed of the tunnel will depend on the chakra supplied and the proficiency in earth nature of the user.]

    Daichi and Kakashi sank into the earth. Daichi''s senses allowed him to know the position of his clones and he was able to make an earth tunnel in the direction of their destination. The two ninjas moved beneath the ground and the people keeping a lookout didn''t sense anything amiss.

    A couple minutester Kakashi and Daichi slowly poked their heads out of the group and looked ahead.

    "Good. We''re within the castle walls. Let''s stick to the shadows. We''ll scale the walls and capture the targets. We need to interrogate them. So put them in Genjutsu and get what you need. After that, knock them out and create a clone in their ce."

    Under Kakashi''s orders Daichi moved. The Genin had excellent stealth skills and the Jonin had a wealth of experience. The people keeping a lookout couldn''t even detect a hint of their presence.

    The two ninjas made their way to two guards up in the towers keeping an eye on everything. Daichi looked at his target and used ''observe'' skill.

    ''Sasagawa Fujio. Level 11. High for a civilian but that''s expected considering his lifestyle. No special abilities or background. His stats all look normal. Looks like this guy is nothing special.''

    Once in position Daichi and Kakashi used Genjutsu on the two bandit guards. The Jonin used his Sharingan and quickly put the bandit under its powers.

    In another tower Daichi went through seals and used a simple interrogation Genjutsu. It was a jutsu Daichi had developed after learning about the brain during his time under Tsunade''s tutge.

    ''Genjutsu art - Hollowed Spirit.''

    Daichi chakra quickly entered the man''s system and in moments he was under Daichi''s control. The Genin smiled as he saw the effects of his jutsu.

    ''This Genjutsu puts the target at ease and makes them believe they''re talking to someone they trust. That reduces their chance of rebelling or resisting the technique. This technique also puts restrictions on the areas of the brain that help in lying.''

    Daichi remembered the conversation he had with his teacher during his study of the human brain.

    shback.

    "Is it possible to create a simple jutsu that can manipte the brain and make the target give up the information easily? Based on the information I''ve read, the ones we currently have all employ some sort of brute force into the brain or mainly use pain as a stimulus. The exception is the Sharingan and a few other powerful Genjutsu." Daichi asked Tsunade as he was looking through the many books in front of him.

    "You''re talking about creating a simple jutsu for interrogation aren''t you? Do you think techniques like that don''t exist?" The Sannin raised an eyebrow at him.

    "I know they do. I''m sure Genjutsu specialists and the Yamanaka n have techniques like that. But it''s just that until I reach a much higher Rank, jutsus of that nature won''t be avable to me. So I''ll have to create something simr myself."

    The blonde woman looked at her student for a few moments and then sighed. She decided to help Daichi with creating the jutsu. "Ack of impulse control. That''s the key. Lying is much harder than telling the truth. One needs to have good impulse control to lie or the truth wille out."

    The medical trainee listened closely as his teacher spoke. Daichimitted every word to his memory.

    "The main thing you need to remember is that when a person lies their brain expends much more energy in controlling and regting their body functions than when they''re telling the truth. There are three areas in the brain that generally be more active during deception. The anterior cingte cortex, the dorsteral prefrontal cortex and the parietal cortex. The Anterior cingte cortex is in charge of monitoring errors. The Dorsteral prefrontal cortex is to control behavior and the Parietal cortex processes sensory input. When someone''s lying, these areas will work much harder." Tsunade said to her student.

    Daichi nodded his head and rubbed his chin. "So I need to create a jutsu that limits their involvement. It should also have aponent that will reduce their resistance and make thempliant."

    The Sannin nodded as she took a small sip from her sake bottle. Daichi raised an eyebrow looking at the scene.

    "Should you really be drinking so early in the day?"

    The buxom woman looked annoyed and just waved her hand. "Give me a break. You''re starting to sound like Shizune."

    shback End.

    Daichi had a small smile on his lips as he remembered that day. He let go of the memories and focused on the task at hand.

    ''This is a perfect jutsu for a weak minded guy like this. But the problem is, apetent Chunin or Jonin will be able to see through this jutsu. They will be able to resist and break out. Well, this jutsu is only at Level 4 right now. Once it''s higher I''m sure more effects will be added and this will be much stronger Time to start my interrogation.''

    "Are all of your friends currently inside this fortress?" Daichi asked the man whose eyes looked zed over as if he was in a trance.

    "Yes. They''re all here." The bandit Sasagawa replied.

    "Have you captured any citizens from the Tea country or nearby areas?"

    "No. Boss specifically said not to kidnap or kill anyone."

    The Genin was somewhat surprised at that admission. "How many shinobi are here in the fortress?"

    "One."

    "Including yourself, how many in total are here in the fortress?"

    "15."

    ''So 14 bandits and one Ninja.'' Daichi thought about the situation and it didn''t make much sense to him. "Why did youe to Tea country? What''s the n?"

    "Boss made use here. He''s looking for something in the castle. We just did what he told us."

    A theory was beginning to take shape in the Genin''s head about the whole situation.

    "How strong is your boss? Where is he from?"

    "We don''t know. He just appeared around a month ago and none of us could beat him in a fight."

    ''Not surprising. These guys wouldn''t survive against a decent Genin let alone a possible Chunin.'' The Genin nodded his head in thought. "Have you set up any traps in the castle for intruders?" Daichi asked hisst question.

    "Boss set some up in the outer walls but nothing else."

    "Alright. Since you were very cooperative, I''ll let you take a nap."

    Done with his questioning, Daichi knocked the man out and hid him in a corner. The Genin created a shadow clone and had it transform into Sasagawa.

    "Make sure nothing goes wrong."

    The clone nodded in silence and the real Daichi went to his sensei. By the time Daichi reached Kakashi the Jonin was just standing there leaning against the wall with a carefree attitude reading his book.

    "What took you so long? I was getting bored." The Jonin said with a smug attitude.

    "Well excuse me for not having a bullshit eye that can read people''s minds with a look."

    Kakashi just chuckled at Daichi''s deadpan tone and pocketed his orange book.

    "One ninja. Rank and strength unknown. Fourteen bandits, no hostages and some traps on the outer walls." Daichi gave his report.

    Kakashi nodded his head. "Yeah that''s about what I got too. Hm But still, we need to make sure. With your sensory abilities you should be able to locate everyone here. Can you confirm?"

    Daichi made a seal and his chakra sensei skill activated. He expanded the range to cover the whole castle and found the one with the biggest chakra aside from them.

    "15 chakra signatures in total confirmed. I didn''t sense any distress or erratic movements in their chakra. So not hostages. They''re all enemies. I also found the location of the enemy ninja. Based on his chakra I''d say he''s low to mid Chunin."

    Hearing that Kakashi created a shadow clone and dispelled it. "My clone outside will disable the traps on the outer walls. Let''s save the enemy Chunin forst and capture the bandits now."

    Daichi nodded and the two ninjas split up. Daichi gave his sensei the location of their targets and they went to work.

    With a sleeping Genjutsu here, a swift hand chop to the neck there and the sparse use of Sharingan, Kakashi and his student incapacitated and restrained the enemies. The two moved in such perfect coordination that they were able toplete their first task without anyone raising the rm.

    They brought the captured bandits and locked them in a small room in the fortress.

    "That was easy."

    "Please don''t jinx us sensei." Daichi said with a sigh.

    "Come on. There''s no such thing." The Jonin gave Daichi an innocent smile as he said the words.

    Daichi looked at the man and just gave a tired groan. "It''s like you''re intentionally tempting the universe to conspire against us Let''s just go get this guy andplete our mission."

    The two stealthily made their way to where the leader of the bandit team was. The enemy ninja was currently in therge bedroom located in the middle of the fortress. The Genin sensed the other person''s chakra and noted that the man was agitated.

    ''He seems stressed. Did he find out about us? No. If that were the case he''d be trying to flee. Based on his movements I''m guessing he''s looking for something in that room.''

    Daichi recalled the blueprints he saw earlier and found that the room was thergest in the whole fortress. ''The personal room of the former owner of this fortress.''

    Kakashi gave his student a nod and then knocked on the door several times. Both of them heard an irritated groaning from the other side along with hurried footsteps.

    "I thought I told all of you that I''m not to be disturbed!" The man shouted as he quickly opened the door. He expected to see his underlings but found two Leaf ninjas waiting for him.

    "Sup." Kakashi greeted the enemy ninja with a wave of his hand.

    The man''s eyes widened and before he could make a move, he suddenly froze in his ce. He felt as if something was restraining his arms, legs and torso.

    Before the enemy ninja could even utter any words, Daichi used chakra strings to quickly immobilize him and he then converted the strings to lightning, electrocuting the man.

    "Grrr" The man resisted for a few seconds before dropping to the floor.

    "Night night." The Leaf Genin smiled as he looked at the intruding shinobi who fell unconscious.

    Kakashi looked at the downed ninja and looked at his student. "See. Easy."

    Daichi just shook his head at his teacher''s words and picked up the knocked out ninja.

    "Let''s go see the Daimyo. I''m sure he''d love to meet this guy." The Jonin said and they left the fortress.

    ----------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 213: A Second chance & Backup Request

    Chapter 213: A Second chance & Backup Request

    It was 1hr past midnight and the mission that was assigned to The two man Genin team waspleted without any problems.

    Kakashi and Daichi''s shadow clones picked up the bandits and followed their creators. They made their way to the Daimyo mansion and handed the unconscious bandits to the guards. Once their task waspleted the shadow clones dispelled themselves.

    The Daimyo''s men took the restrained men and locked them behind bars until their fate was decided.

    "It looks like we were able to get this done much sooner than I thought." Daichi said as he looked at his teacher.

    "True. So it seems we''ll be back in the Leaf vige by morning."

    "Do you think the Daimyo will see us at this hour? It''s the middle of the night after all." The Genin asked his teacher.

    "He did tell us that we should see him as soon as the mission was done. So I don''t see any problems." The Jonin just shrugged and waited for their client.

    Daichi didn''t ask anything more and looked at the unconscious ninja on the ground.

    ''Observe''

    [LV.51] [Yamaha Toshigaki]

    Age: 30

    HP: 5358 CP: 4691

    [Yamaha Toshigaki is a former ninja of the Vige Hidden in Hot Water and a former citizen of the Land of Hot Water. He became a Genin at 11 and Chunin at the age of 16. He is a friendly man who used to love his vige. During hisst mission his teammate betrayed him and Yamaha took the me for a crime he didn''tmit. He was considered a traitor by most and became hated by the people of the vige. The Vige Leader and the Daimyoter made the decision to exile him from theirnd.

    STR - 91

    AGI - 83

    INT - 48

    The physical stats may be subjected to change if chakra or technique is applied.]

    Daichi''s eyes slightly softened as he read the description. ''Betrayed by a teammate and had to go on the run huh. Just bad luck. Based on my info, it seems this guy has morals... But why did the Vige leader and Daimyo exile him instead of clearing his name?''

    Daichi slightly shook his head and thought about the two academy students who were temporarily his teammates. ''This exact situation is what I want to avoid. A stab in the back by someone you trust when you least expect. If I had be teammates with them, then it wouldn''t have been smooth sailing for me. Still, I wonder what they''re doing now?''

    As several thoughts were running through the Genin''s mind the Tea Daimyo came to them with two guards by his side. The two Leaf ninja stood in attention and gave a small short bow of respect.

    The Daimyo looked at the ninja on the floor and smiled as he turned his attention back to the two Leaf shinobis. "Well done. I didn''t think you''dplete this mission so quickly. Were there any problems?"

    "No sir. Everything went smoothly. This is the one behind the whole bandit troubles."

    The Daimyo nodded. "Please wake him up. There are some things I need to ask him."

    Daichi nodded and pressed a pressure point under the downed man''s neck and in a few seconds the man''s eyes suddenly opened wide and he came to consciousness. He coughed a few times and took several deep breaths of air. He felt the ninja wire restraining his body and looked around. Seeing that there was no chance of escape he stopped struggling and stopped his resistance. Daichi''s hands were on his shoulders to subdue him, in case he decided to attack.

    The Daimyo looked at the man with a stoic expression. After several seconds of silence he began the conversation. "It seems you know the position you''re in. Good. Now. I''m going to ask you some questions and I would appreciate it if you could answer me honestly."

    The tied up ninja looked at the Daimyo with a tired look and just nodded his head.

    Seeing the man''spliance, the Tea Daimyo began questioning him. "What''s your name?"

    "Yamaha Toshigaki."

    "Where are you from, Yamaha Toshigaki?"

    "I''m from I was from the Land of Hot Water."

    The tea Daimyo slightly narrowed his eyes. "Was from? Are you a missing ninja?"

    "No. I''m just exiled from there." The man shook his head and replied.

    "That''s a surprise. When ninjas go rogue, they are dered a missing nin. But you''re saying that is not the case I''m sure there''s a story behind that. I''m curious to hear it."

    The man just looked at the Daimyo of the small country with slight anger on his face. "Why does it matter to you? I attacked the people of thisnd. I got caught. Just put me in a dungeon or get it over with."

    The ruler of the Land of Tea was silent as he looked at the man. A few momentster he replied. "It''s true you did bring a bandit group and attacked my people. But they didn''t cause any serious damages to the properties or fatally injure anyone. And I''m guessing they were told not to by you. I want to know why? And I want to know what''s your reason for taking over the Toujin fortress. I''m giving you a chance to exin yourself. So start from the beginning."

    Kakashi was also curious to hear the backstory of the man. He knew the ninja gave strict orders not to harm the people of this vige. Some may have caused small injuries but nothing that couldn''t be healed. So the Jonin was also curious about the nature of the man and his true purpose here in the Land of Tea.

    Yamaha was silent for a short time contemting his options. After a while he decided to just tell the truth.

    "As I said earlier, I was born in the Land of Hot water. I was a ninja there. A few months back, during a mission, my teammate and I were sent on a mission to guard a wealthy client. He was moving a lot of money and he asked for our protection. My teammate got greedy and killed him. He took the money and fled and I went after him. During our fight he identally got killed but that''s when another team from the vige found us. I took the me for his crimes and they called me a traitor. The Vige Leader is an old friend of mine. He was the only one who believed me. He was able to convince the Daimyo of my innocence but no one else would believe me. The pressure to imprison me was increasing so he made a decision to exile me."

    Kakashi gave a small sigh as he heard the story. ''His voice, tone and bodynguage tells me that he''s telling the truth What an unfortunate turn of events for him. Such is the life of a ninja. Sometimes we don''t know who our real enemy is''

    The Tea Daimyo looked at the two Leaf ninjas. "Is he telling the truth? Can you tell?"

    Daichi nodded his head. "Yes. I''ve been keeping an eye on his vitals. He hasn''t lied so far."

    The Daimyo nodded and his face slightly softened as he turned to the man. "I''m sorry for what you went through. But the people here were not responsible for anything that happened to you. So why did you attack us?"

    "I just wanted to buy some time. It wasn''t my intention to harm anyone here. I knew you would hire ninjas to get rid of the bandits and I knew they would return the stolen money to your people but I didn''t think you''d do it so soon." Yamaha said with a tired sigh.

    "You were counting on using? But you obviously had no intention of surrendering at first. So that means you were nning on abandoning them and escaping from the start weren''t you?" The Jonin asked as he looked at the man.

    "Yes." The tied up ninja nodded.

    "You said you wanted to buy time. What were you looking for in the Toujin Fortress?" The tea Daimyo asked.

    Yamaha was silent and looked down. ''I already told them this much. No point in keeping quiet now.''

    "I remembered the stories my grandfather used to tell. How he helped in building that fortress almost a century ago. He told me that during its creation, he and a couple others were secretly told to build a small escape tunnel from the building. He also remembered hearing rumors of a chamber that was secretly being built in the fortress. I knew a chamber like that would be filled with money or something really valuable. So I subdued a group of low-life scums who rob travelers and made them rob you. My n was to find the secret room, then take the money and leave through the tunnel without anyone knowing."

    Hearing that, the Daimyo''s eyes widened. He sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose as he thought about that debacle.

    Kakashi, looking at the daimyo''s reaction, sighed. ''So it seems this guy is telling the truth.''

    "The Daimyo who ruled before my predecessor was somewhat of a tyrant. It was his father who gave the order to build the fortress. He put heavy taxes on people and made a lot of wealth. And he stored all that money in his secret room. The man was also afraid of a coup from the people of the vige so during the creation of the fortress he had a secret exit built into the fortress that wasn''t even shown on the blueprints."

    "Is it still there? That money?" Daichi asked with curiosity.

    The Daimyo shook his head. "No. My predecessor was a good man. After he took the position he gave the stolen wealth back to the people of thisnd. That chamber is empty."

    Yamaha was shocked to hear that. "N-no. Th-that can''t be. You''re telling me I did all this for nothing."

    "Yes." Came the short reply from the ruler.

    Yamaha Toshigaki looked down and it seemed as if his spirit had left him. Kakashi nced at the tied up ninja and knew he had no more fight left in him. The Jonin felt slightly bad for the man.

    It was at this moment, the Tea Daimyo spoke again. "Hypothetically, if you got the money what would you do?"

    "What''s the point in asking me that?"

    "Humor me."

    Yamaha shook his head and a short whileter replied. "I would find some remote ce to spend the rest of my life in peace But why does that matter now? Are you gonna give me the money?" He asked sarcastically.

    "Watch your tone." The guard standing behind the Daimyo red at the man for his rudeness.

    The Daimyo chuckled when he heard that question. "No. I''m not gonna give you any money. What I will give you is a second chance."

    Yamaha was confused at that. "Based on the information I looked over, the bandits caught today were the ones causing minor issues to lone travelers in the border of my country. It was the Leaf ninjas who caught them, but it can also be said that you had a hand in their capture. Since you were the one who set them up in the first ce. And since all the money stolen is returned and no one is seriously harmed I am willing to let things slide. "

    "You''re willing to let me go?" The shock on Yamaha''s face wasn''t a surprise since everyone else in the room aside from the Daimyo felt the same.

    "On certain conditions, yes. And you''re not exactly in a position to negotiate." The ruler of the Land of Tea said with an authoritative tone.

    The exiled ninja narrowed his eyes and looked at the man. "What''s the catch?"

    The Daimyo had a serious look as he spoke. "I''ll give you your freedom, but you be a ninja under me, bound to thisnd. Since you''re exiled and not a missing ninja, it won''t be a problem. You''ll escort and protect the merchants and travelers to nearby viges for two years without any pay. I''ll give you food and shelter for the two years but that''s it. After that you''re free to go or you can stay here. You can even continue as you were but you will be paid for your work. Your crimes will be forgiven and you get a second chance at a normal life... Or you can be locked up with the rest of your men. And if you think about betraying the trust, I''ll make sure you''re marked as a missing nin. So what will it be?"

    Kakashi and Daichi were surprised at the turn of events. ''Considering the situation I know what I would do Still, I didn''t see thating.'' Daichi thought as he looked at the man.

    "Why are you showing mercy to me?" The bound shinobi asked the Daimyo in a small voice.

    "Hmm I''m someone who believes in second chances. I don''t think you''re a terrible person. I think you''re just someone looking to survive."

    ''I heard rumors that the Tea Daimyo is a kind man but I didn''t think he would have given me another chance.'' Yamaha thought about his choices and a few momentster he made his decision. "I ept My Lord." The tied ninja bowed to the Daimyo and then raised his head to look at the man.

    Tea Daimyo nodded and looked at the two Leaf ninjas. "Release him."

    Daichi looked at Kakashi and the Jonin just shrugged his shoulders. The Genin released the ninja wire and the man slowly stood up. There were a few tense seconds at first but then the man gave a deep bow to the Daimyo and the guards and the Tea Daimyo rxed.

    "Take him to the quarters. I''ll be along shortly." The order was given and the guards escorted the man out of the room.

    The Daimyo looked at the Leaf ninjas and smiled. "Thank you for your hard work. You twopleted the assignment perfectly."

    "Thank you."

    "Now, here''s your mission slip. Have a safe journey back to the vige."

    Daichi looked at the questpletion box while Kakashi secured the missionpletion slip in his pocket.

    [Quest ''Retake the Fortress'' Completed.]

    .

    [Rewards:]

    [15000 Exp.]

    [2250 Exp.]

    [+1 Dignity Stat]

    [Reputation increases with the Client.]

    [Reputation increases with people in Tea country.]

    ''Just 8000 exp more and I''ll get to level 55.''

    "Alright Daichi, time to head home." The two ninja left the Tea Daimyo''s house and were about to head back when Daichi sensed a fast iing projectile.

    ''Behind.'' The Genin swiftly tilted his head to the side and saw a small object pass by at great speed. It hit a nearby rock and went flying straight at Kakashi. The Jonin tracked its movements and easily caught the moving object.

    "What the hell is that?" Daichi was confused and used chakra sense on his surroundings. He couldn''t sense any enemies and then looked at his sensei.

    Kakashi looked at the moving object in his hand and was surprised. Daichi''s eyes widened as heid eyes on it as well. ''Wait a minute. That''s''

    "This is Guy''s ninja turtle. He only uses it for emergencies." The Jonin said as he looked at the turtle smaller than a palm. There was a glowing SOS on its shell.

    "Turtle turtle Guy needs help."

    Hearing that, Daichi sighed and gave his sensei the stink eye. "You just had to jinx us didn''t you!?"

    --------------

    Author''s Note:

    The next arc will be a long arc like the treasure hunt and Jedayu''s revenge arcs but there will be no investigation or any such things. This arc is gonna be a straight up battle arc.

    And one more thing. Don''t think thising arc is gonna be a filler one. This mission and the events taking ce will be crucial to Daichi and his ns for the future. You''ll understand once you read the whole arc. See ya...

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 214: Backup Team Guy.

    Chapter 214: Backup Team Guy.

    Kakashi had a thoughtful expression as he held the small turtle summon in his hand. ''Guy requesting backup for a Genin mission is unusual. Something serious must have happened.''

    At that moment the small wiggling turtle in the silver haired ninja''s hand spoke. "Turtle Guy and his team are on Jiro ind. He asked for your assistance as soon as your current mission ispleted Turtle."

    "I understand. Our work here was just done. We''re on our way."

    Hearing the Jonin''s response the small turtle summon vanished in a puff of smoke.

    "Looks like we''re heading to Jiro ind."

    Daichi nodded and the two ninjas took off. They quickly reached the port and looked for a ferry. But since it was the middle of the night, none were avable. One of the few workers at the docks spoke with the two ninjas about the situation.

    "I apologize. But there''s been pirate attacks on vessels traveling during the night. So no one will take you. Sorry."

    Daichi narrowed his eyes as he heard that. ''They must be the same ones Guy''s Team were sent to take care of.''

    "Can we borrow a boat? We''ll pay." Kakashi said and the dock worker reluctantly agreed. The Jonin paid the needed money to the man and took his boat. It was a small boat capable of being manned by two people.

    Kakashi had been on various missions that required traveling through sea so he was familiar with handling a boat.

    The two ninjas made their way to Jiro ind where the other team was waiting. On their way they saw some wooden wreckage floating in the sea. Daichi jumped off the boat and walked to the wreckage.

    "These look like they were from arge ship." Daichi said as he examined the wooden piece.

    Kakashi looked through the various pieces and agreed with his student. "You''re right. And something tells me that this has to do with Guy calling for our help."

    "What do you know about the Land of Sea, Daichi?" Kakashi asked his student as they moved through the ocean.

    "Hmm Well let''s see" Daichi recalled all the information he knew from his past life and the few tidbits he learned over the years here. "The Land of Sea consists of several inds. With the Mother Ind being the main one. It''s surrounded by Jiro, Taro and Demon inds. Their main export is fish and herbs that grow on those inds."

    The Jonin nodded. "Yes. You are correct. But there''s more. The Land of Sea is an important trading route. The cargo ships containing goods from Ouza and Nagi Inds and the Land of Wind goes through here."

    "I get it. This is an ideal spot for pirates targeting shipments and various merchandise."

    Kakashi nodded. "Guy must have encountered a situation with these pirates where backup must have been absolutely necessary."

    "Then we better hurry." Daichi said as he looked at the approaching Ind.

    The two ninjas didn''t encounter any problems and were able to quickly reach their destination. Once ashore Kakashi and Daichi quickly hid the boat to mask their arrival.

    "We need to find Guy quickly. But we don''t know if he''s in any immediate trouble or not. So we have to be careful." Kakashi bit his thumb and quickly went through several seals. He mmed his palm on the ground and summoned his favorite ninja dog.

    "Sup Kakashi." A gruff voice came from the smoke. Pakkun looked at his summoner with a carefree look and then he turned his attention to his student. The ninja dog still remembered theirst encounter but he didn''t show any difort on his face.

    "Hi." Daichi gave a small wave as he looked at the summon.

    "You''ve gotten stronger." Pakkun said, looking at the boy.

    "Kakashi sensei has been training non stop. So that''s no surprise." Daichi shrugged and replied. The ninja dog just grunted and looked at the Jonin.

    "Pakkun, I need you to track Guy''s scent. He is somewhere on this ind. We need to find him and his team quickly. Hopefully they''re all together."

    The ninja dog nodded and closed his eyes. He sniffed the air and a few secondster he found what he was looking for. "I got him. Follow me." With those words Pakkun took off.

    The two ninja followed the small dog for several minutes before Pakkun came to a stop. Several meters in front of them was arge house. "I can pick up several scentsing from that house. One of them is definitely Guy."

    Kakashi nodded and turned to his student. "Can you sense if he is with his team or not? If they are separated then we might need to track them as well."

    Daichi nodded and used his chakra sense. He quickly picked up Guy and his team''s chakra signatures along with a few others. "Guy sensei is in there along with his whole team. Based on their chakra flow, they''re not in any distress or restrained."

    Pakkun slightly narrowed his eyes as he heard Daichi. ''To think he has such sharp senses and sensory abilities. Kakashi definitely wasn''t kidding around.''

    "I''m also picking up a few other chakra signatures in there as well. Only one of them has reservesparable to a ninja. The others are civilians Hmm Neji just used his Byakugan. He knows we''re here. He''s informing his team." Daichi concluded and looked at his sensei.

    The silver haired ninja nodded. "Okay. They don''t appear to be in any immediate danger. That''s good." He turned to his ninja summon and spoke.

    "Pakkun, thank you for the assist. You can go home now. We''ll take it from here."

    "No problem Kakashi." Pakkun replied with a nod

    "Wait."

    The ninja dog was about to disappear when Daichi stopped him. The boy quickly took out a scroll from his pocket and tossed it to the small dog. Pakkun caught the small scroll between his teeth and looked at the boy.

    "It''s a treat. It''s also an apology for the stunt I pulled on you guys that day." The Genin said with a smile and Pakkun smirked at him and nodded in appreciation. "See youter kid." With that Kakashi''s summon disappeared.

    The Jonin raised an eyebrow at the boy. "Do you always carry around dog treats with you?"

    "Oh I carry around a lot of things with me." The Genin said with a smirk.

    "Like what?"

    "That is a secret." Daichi had a mischievous smile on his face and Kakashi could only sigh at that response. ''Looks like he''s picking up some of my habits. Don''t know if that''s a good thing or a bad thing.''

    The two ninjas walked up to the house and were about to knock when the door opened and a beaming Guy weed them inside.

    "Oh Kakashi! My dear friend. You came so quickly. That must mean you finished your mission already didn''t you. As expected of you my youthful rival."

    "Hello Guy." Kakashi greeted the man with a sigh. He and Daichi entered the house and looked at Guy''s team.

    "Daichi, you''re here. We need your help." Lee spoke in an urgent tone.

    "Is anyone hurt?" Daichi asked, looking at the members of Team Guy. Daichi closely examined them quickly and couldn''t find any injuries on them.

    Hearing the Genin''s question, Might Guy turned serious. "Our Team is fine, but there are a few people that are in need of medical assistance. It''s one of the reasons I requested your aid. Follow me."

    Daichi nodded. Kakashi and his student followed Guy to another room. The room was more of arge hall and there were 7 people lying on the ground. Three others were tending to them as best as they could.

    One of the people looked over to Guy. "Are they here to help us?"

    "Yes. Young Daichi here will help them. He''s a medic."

    Said Genin created 7 shadow clones and each one took a patient. "Don''t worry. I''ll take it from here."

    The three people moved away and the shadow clones quickly got to work. They analyzed their conditions and once they were done all the shadow clones created clones and dispelled them.

    Daichi got the memories and information from all the new clones and nodded. He turned to the Jonin and spoke. "They''re suffering from Malnutrition, a few bruises, slight symptoms of scurvy and a couple of them have a fever but nothing dangerous. They''ll be fine and stabilized by the end of my treatment."

    "I knew I could count on you young Daichi. I made the right choice." Guy gave the Genin a thumbs up and a big smile.

    "You said medical aid was one of the reasons you called us here. What''s the other?" Kakashi asked his friend.

    "Come. I''ll tell you." Guy went back to the other room followed by Kakashi, his student.

    Neji was using his Byakugan in certain intervals and keeping a lookout. Guy turned to the Hyuga on his team and spoke. "Neji, everything alright? Did anyone else arrive?"

    The Hyuga shook. "No. There hasn''t been any movement so far and I don''t see any ships."

    Guy nodded and turned to Team Kakashi. "Looks like we have some time to spare. We''ll tell you what happened after we left the port yesterday."

    (shback.)

    On a small boat Guy and his team began their journey to the Land of the Sea. Their destination- Mother Ind.

    The Jonin stood at the front of the boat and pointed forward. "Alright team. Onwards! Let''s defeat our enemies and finish this mission." He shouted with great enthusiasm.

    (10 minutester.)

    Might Guy was leaning over the side of the boat and barfing his lungs out.

    "aargh!"

    "Um Are you okay Guy sensei? I didn''t know you got seasick so easily." Tenten said with concern in her voice as she looked at her teacher. Lee was gently rubbing his teacher''s back as the man puked on the side of the boat.

    The trembling Guy looked at Tenten with a purple face and tried to smile. The Genin saw the expression on her teacher''s face and grimaced. ''Ergh.''

    "II am The green beast M-Might Guy... I don''t get sea- aaargh!" The man quickly turned to the sea and emptied his guts for the umpteenth time.

    "Is your teacher alright?" The ferryman manning the boat asked the Genin.

    "He''s fine. Don''t worry about him." Neji said with a calm, cool tone.

    "aargh!" Was the only response from the green spandex wearing Jonin.

    Tenten sighed tiredly as she looked at the kneeling man. ''He had so much energy when we left. Where did that all go?''

    "How long till we reach Mother Ind?" Neji asked the ferryman.

    "An hour if we don''t encounter any problems. We''ll get there by evening."

    Neji nodded. He decided to ask the man about the problem they came here to solve. "Can you tell me about the pirates attacking the ships traveling through here?"

    Tenten and Lee also listened in since this was crucial information.

    "It started about a month ago. At first there was just one pirate ship. But then rumors began to spread that there were multiple ships. And they could even destroy a big cargo ship if they wanted. Trading has been slow thesest couple of weeks. Many ships went missing."

    "Does the Land of Sea have any ninja for its protection?" Tenten asked.

    The ferryman shook his head. "No. They have a contract with the Land of Water. The Land of Sea pays a tribute to the Land of Water and in return their ninjas protect them but"

    "Since there is disruption in the sea route and attacks on ships the tribute hasn''t been paid. Am I right?" Neji concluded.

    "Yes. It''s been really difficult for all of us."

    "Don''t worry sir. We will find these pirates and we will restore the peace in these waters." Lee said with a serious gaze.

    Guy also gave the man a shaky thumbs up but all he could say was

    "aaaargh!"

    (shback End.)

    "You didn''t need to tell him that, Neji." Guy mumbled under his breath.

    "So you still get seasick huh Guy?" Kakashi asked with a teasing chuckle.

    "We''re getting off topic." Might Guy waved his hands and continued with the story.

    "We got to the Mother Ind. But that''s when things got strange." Guy crossed his arms and a serious expression marred his face.

    -------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 215: Team Guys Trap and Crisis

    Chapter 215: Team Guy''s Trap and Crisis

    The Taijutsu master recalled the events of the day.

    Guy and his students were walking through the streets of Mother Ind. They noticed that the people looked at them with suspicion, fear and even slight anger. The distrust in the air was apparent to the Leaf Ninjas.

    Guy looked at the people of the ind and his smile dimmed. ''What''s going on? It''s like they have an inherent distrust towards outsiders.''

    The Jonin and his students walked up to a random passerby to ask some questions. "Hello sir. We are with the Leaf vige. I''m wondering if I could ask you some questio-"

    "We don''t need your help. Just leave." The man spoke in a harsh tone and left.

    "That was most disrespectful." Lee said as he looked at the man''s back.

    "Yeah. What''s his problem? We''re here to help!" Tenten spoke with slight anger in her voice.

    Despite the anger his students felt, Guy was calm. ''Something happened here. But what? Does it have anything to do with my mission or is it something else. I need to find out.''

    The four ninjas tried to find more information but none of the people would help them or even talk to them. Many even urged them to leave before the night. After a couple hours their luck turned.

    ''This is definitely strange. They are the ones who hired us and yet they aren''t willing to spare a second for us?''

    As Guy and his students were sitting under a tree thinking about how to proceed with their mission, a young man in his twenties walked up to them.

    "I heard you''re looking for information. I''ll help ya."

    Guy perked up as soon as he heard that. "Yes. Finally! Someone who can help us."

    "You''re Leaf ninjas right. That means you''re strong, ya!?"

    At that, Guy gave the man a bright smile, a thumbs up and did a nice Guy pose. "Friend, you are looking at the Mighty Green Beast of the Leaf vige. There is no one better to help you."

    "Yes. Guy sensei is the best. He is one of the strongest ninjas in the Leaf vige." Lee praised his teacher.

    The man nodded and smiled. "My name is Ishido Tatsuma. Come with me. We''ll talk somewhere else."

    The man led the team to the coast of the ind where a medium sized ship was docked.

    "I heard you''re looking for information on the pirates that are roaming these waters."

    Guy nodded. "Yes. But no one is willing to help us."

    "There is a reason for that." Ishido looked down in sadness and his fists clenched in anger as he thought about their situation. He looked at the ninjas and began to exin the situation on that Ind.

    "A month ago several pirates invaded our Ind. They took several family members hostage and took them to their ships. They wanted us to excavate some minerals from the mines in the heart of this ind. Those bastards took people from the surrounding inds too. They were strong. We were told that if we contacted anyone outside for help or if we disobeyed they''d kill our families. The reason the people here won''t talk to you is because they''re scared."

    Guy and his team had a somber expression as they heard the truth of the situation. "If they are in such danger then why are you telling this?" The green spandex wearing Jonin asked the man.

    "Because I know that those pirates won''t keep their word. They''ll kill us when we are of no more use to them. I''ve seen people like them. They''re going to kill everyone after they get what they want. But the people here don''t believe that. They have hope. So they won''t disobey or rebel against them."

    Guy nodded and crossed his arms. ''So we have hostages to rescue. And on top of that we have to find them first without them knowing of our presence.''

    At that moment Guy''s eyes widened as he thought about their movements throughout the ind. "Did those pirates leave anyone to oversee the people here? Do they know about our arrival?"

    Ishido shook his head. "No. None of their members are here. They would onlye every two or three days to check up on us and take the minerals we mined. And they came here yesterday."

    "We need to find them, Guy sensei. And save those people." The determination in Lee''s voice was obvious.

    "But how, we might need to wait for a day or two to get them." Tenten said.

    "Not necessarily. What if instead of theming to us, we go straight to them." Neji looked at his sensei as he spoke.

    Guy looked at his student and immediately understood what the boy was implying. The man looked at the ship near him and smiled. "You want us to be bait huh. Bold n young Neji. I like it."

    He turned towards Ishido. "This ship. Does it belong to you?"

    "Yeah. It''s mine."

    "Do you know the route that would be the one most likely to get their attention and target this ship? If we can draw them out. Then we''ll take down the pirates and rescue the people trapped inside." Guy said with a grin.

    "Um There might be a problem with that. Remember what that ferryman told us? That there were multiple pirate ships. What if the hostages are in one of them? What if the ship attacking us doesn''t have the people taken from here." Tenten posed the question and Guy was silent as he thought about that scenario.

    ''She''s right. It could also be the work of multiple pirate groups or onerge group under a singlemand.''

    After a minute Guy made a decision. He spoke.

    "You make a good point. Before we draw their attention, we need to confirm if they have the hostages or not. Still, it doesn''t matter. If the first ship doesn''t have the hostages, we''ll destroy it and move on to the next. But we''ll need to make sure their crew cannot contact the other ships and warn them before we save the people of this ind."

    His three students nodded at that and Ishido had a smile.

    "When do we leave?" Guy asked the man.

    "A few hours from now. I need your help in decorating my ship. It needs to look extravagant to attract their attention." Ishido said.

    The team got to work and made sure the ship looked like it belonged to someone wealthy. When night fell, they began their journey. As usual, after a few minutes of traveling on board the ship, Guy got sick.

    The Jonin sat crossed legged with his hands clenching his knees. He had a purple face but he tried to be strong.

    Ishido was losing confidence as he looked at the man. ''Maybe I made a horrible mistake.''

    Neji looked at the doubt forming on the man''s face and spoke in a confident tone to reassure him. "Don''t worry. Despite his appearance and current condition, he won''t let you down. And neither will we. Our team will rescue your people and take those pirates down."

    "You said it, Neji." "Yeah we''re one of the strongest Genin teams in the Leaf vige." Lee and Tenten said with a smile and Guy sitting near them just gave a shaky thumbs up.

    The ship sailed through the waters with the team on high alert. Neji used his Byakugan in several intervals to conserve his chakra and to make sure they were not taken by surprise. Once they were in the region known for pirate attacks they didn''t have to wait long.

    "Large vessel is approaching us. There are several people held in chains in the inner cabins. The man who seems to be the captain of the ship is standing on the deck." Neji said as he looked at the approaching ship.

    Hearing that, Guy stood on shaky feet and tried to take several deep breaths of air. "Neji Lee, Tenten Infiltrate the ship. R-rescue the hostages. I''llI''ll fight with those pirate scum.."

    The Genin nodded and jumped to the ocean where they stood on the water. Using the cover of the night they quickly made their way to the sides of the approaching ship while Guy got ready to fight.

    "Surrender and hand over the valuables and I might let you live." The man standing on the deck wearing a captain''s coat spoke in an arrogant tone.

    Guy didn''t say anything and just jumped to their ship.

    ''He can jump that high. Shit he''s a ninja. But he looks weakened and he is alone. I can defeat him.'' The captain, looking at the iing man, realized that Guy was a shinobi and immediately gave the order to his men. "Attack."

    "Rhaar" The pirates let out a war cry and ran straight towards the Jonin with their weapons. Even when weakened Guy didn''t let any of the sharp desnd on him. He weaved through the attacks and took down the pirates one by one. It was slow but it was a steady progress.

    Hearing themotion, more and more pirates came out and fought the Jonin only to be taken down.

    Guy sidestepped a swing from a sword and blocked a kick from another pirate before retaliating with a fast punch to their throat and kidneys. ''Damn. This is taking a lot longer than I thought. If it wasn''t for my seasickness I could have defeated all of them long ago.''

    Even though Guy was fighting several enemies he had an eye on the man who gave the order. The captain of the ship. ''I can''t let him out of my sight.''

    The pirate captain was getting angrier by the minute. "Can''t you fools handle even one enemy? I have to do everything, don''t I?" The man suddenly rushed at Guy as he defeated thest of the crew.

    Guy blocked the kick aimed at his head and sent one of own straight to the man''s chest. The pirate captain barely moved. He smirked at the Leaf Jonin. "You made a big mistake, Leaf ninja."

    Guy was surprised to see that his kick didn''t have any effect. ''He should have been blown away but he barely budged from the spot. I didn''t put anywhere near the energy into that kick but still To take it like it''s nothing? His strength is far more than I thought.''

    The man counter attacked and his speed increased. Guy became focused and the Jonin matched the pirates speed and power. The pirate captain tried to stab Guy with the knives attached to his wrists but the Jonin quickly stopped and disarmed the man. Guy was observing and understanding his enemy''s fight prowess.

    ''He''s an amateur. Based on his sloppy techniques I''m sure that he''s had no formal training. But his speed and strength are far above that of a civilian. How strange.''

    The fight made Guy focused and the sea sickness he was feeling reduced. His strength increased and the Jonin sent a punch much stronger than the one before.

    "Argh." The blow took the breath out of the pirate as he wasunched backwards from the force of the attack.

    The man looked at Guy and sneered. ''Damn it. My Armor can only take so much physical force before it breaks. And on top of that, I don''t have the chakra to maintain the blocking effects for long. This bastard is even stronger than I thought. I have to stop him before my armor gets destroyed.''

    "Guy sensei. We rescued everyone. We''re taking them back to the ship." Lee''s excited voice gained the attention of Guy and the Pirate captain.

    The man looked at the people being carried out by the three Genin and he gritted his teeth in anger. "You damn brats! You''ll pay!"

    He was about to go after the Genin but Guy intercepted him. "Your fight is with me. The Mighty Green Beast of the Leaf."

    Guy started attacking the man relentlessly. The pirate could only block the iing assaults and couldn''t even fight back. He endured for a half a minute before a punch thatnded on his torso broke his Armor. The man coughed blood and fell to his knees.

    "It''s over. You lost." Guy said as he looked at the fallen pirate.

    "Y-you think you''ve won? You fool They''ll find you" The man taking deep breaths of air.

    "It doesn''t matter. We''ll defeat them. And our primary goal wasplete. We saved the people you kidnapped."

    The pirate captain had a smirk on his face as he heard that. "How wrong you are. Their blood will be on your hands. The other captains will know about this. And those two And they''ll kill you The lighting twins won''t spare any of your lives." With those words the man coughed up more blood and fell unconscious.

    Guy had a strange look on his face as he heard what the man said. He turned to his student and spoke. "Get the people back to our ship. Then Neji and Tenten, I want you two to return here. We''ll inspect this ship and take anything of importance. Lee, you''ll be guarding the other ship in the meantime."

    The Genin nodded and they quickly got to work. Ishido ran up to the Genins and looked at the hostages they brought. His eyes widened and he panicked.

    "Where are the others?" He asked the Leaf ninja team.

    "What are you talking about? Aside from the crew they were the only ones on that ship." Neji replied and his eyes slightly narrowed.

    Ishido shook his head. "No. There were more people taken from my Ind. This isn''t everyone."

    "What?" Tenten and Lee was shocked.

    "It it''s true. There''s more." The tired voice came from one of the hostages the team saved.

    "They split us. There are more on the other ships."

    The Genins were shocked. Neji and Tenten quickly returned to their teacher and informed him of the situation. Guy sighed and his face turned serious. ''So that''s what he meant. It seems this mission is a lot moreplicated than I thought.''

    Might Guy and his two students searched the pirate ship and took anything they could use. Log books, route maps, money and other valuables. Tenten sealed everything she and Neji got from their ship. The pirate captain was captured and locked up. Once everyone was clear Guy opened his 3rd Gate.

    "Gate of Life. OPEN!"

    Chakra flooded the man''s body. He jumped high and sent a fast powerful punch aimed at the ship. In seconds therge wooden vessel was destroyed leaving only chunks of wood floating in the water.

    Guy closed the gate and got to the ship. He looked at the people his students saved and frowned. ''They are in a much worse condition than I thought. They need a medic.''

    "It''ll take hours to get back to Mother Ind. That''s too long. What''s the ind nearest here?" Guy asked Ishido.

    "Jiro ind."

    The Jonin nodded. "Then we''re going to Jiro ind."

    "What? Wait. You have to save the others! This isn''t everyone. We have to find the other ships and save them too." Ishido was desperate and the Team could see that.

    Guy looked at the young man and sighed. ''He must have someone he cares about in one of the other ships. But''

    "Listen. I understand your frustrations. And we will save them. But not at the cost of the people here. They are already in very bad shape." Guy replied as he pointed to the people brought by his team.

    Ishido looked at the state of the hostages rescued and he sighed. He reluctantly nodded his head and spoke. "I will take us to Jiro Ind. But I''m not sure if they have a doctor there."

    Guy nodded. "Guess I have no choice." The Jonin bit his thumb and went through several hand seals.

    "Summoning jutsu."

    Poof. Out of the smoke came a small turtle.

    "I need you to get to Kakashi and get help. He is somewhere in the Land of Tea. If he is finished with his mission, then tell his team I need their assistance. As quickly as they can."

    "Turtle turtle." The small summon rocketed out of there spinning and quickly vanished from their view.

    "You''re calling for Daichi''s help aren''t you sensei." Lee asked his teacher.

    "Yes. He''s the best medic we know and he''s the one closest to us. But that''s only one problem. If I''m right, then there is a muchrger fight and far stronger enemies waiting for us." The seriousness in their teacher''s voice was seldom seen by his students and they became much more cautious.

    The ship sailed and soon reached Jiro Ind. They hid the ship and took the people to one of therger homes nearest to them. Luckily the people inside understood their situation and helped them.

    "Neji. Keep a lookout but conserve your chakra The best thing we can do now is wait for Kakashi and Daichi."

    -------------

    Author''s Note.

    I didn''t want to drag the shback to another chapter so this is somewhat of a bigger chapter

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 216: A Plan of Attack

    Chapter 216: A n of Attack

    The Copycat ninja nodded his head as he listened to his friend. "So that''s what happened." Suddenly something Guy said struck his mind. He turned serious and nced at the other Jonin.

    "Wait, the Lightning Twins that pirate captain mentioned. You don''t think it''s them, do you?"

    Guy''s smile vanished and he too sported a grim expression. The man nodded his head to Kakashi''s question. "Unfortunately, I do. Nobody else has that title. It''s the other reason that I requested your help."

    Kakashi sighed and stared at the man. "Guy, you realize that this mission just went from a C Rank to an A Rank difficulty, right?"

    "Yes. I''m well aware of the risks. But I intend to finish it my friend." The determination in Might Guy''s voice was obvious to everyone.

    At that time Daichi raised his hand. "Um Yeah. For those of us not in the loop. Who are the Lightning Twins?"

    Kakashi let out a small breath of air and spoke. "They are two rogue Jonin ninjas from the Hidden Cloud vige. As their name suggests they are indeed twins and they''re really talented in lightning jutsu. Rumor has it that they killed some important dignitaries attending the vige and then fled. They each have a bounty of 18 million on their heads."

    "Wait! Jonin?! You''re telling us we have to go up against two Jonin?" Tenten was slightly scared at the prospect of fighting Jonin level ninjas so early in her career.

    Guy smiled as he looked at his student. "You won''t be fighting any Jonin. We''ll be the ones to battle them. You can leave it to us Tenten." He ced a hand on Tenten''s head and reassured her.

    "I don''t think it''s going to be as easy as you said Guy sensei." Daichi spoke and everyone turned to him.

    "Why do you think that Daichi?" Guy was genuinely curious as to the boy''s answer.

    "I sent a shadow clone to do a check up on that pirate you captured. He has just a little above Genin reserves of chakra. But from what you told us is that he was able to make you fight him somewhat seriously. Granted, you were in a really weakened state but still It didn''t make sense. So I checked the pieces of Armor you brought and what was left on him. That Armor isn''t an ordinary one. Based on my examination and the few tests I''ve done, I''vee to the conclusion that it reduces the physical damage inflicted on the wearer by a certain margin. It takes a small portion of chakra from the user and increases the defense and perhaps even augments the wearer''s speed. I assume that''s the secret of his strength."

    "So that''s how he did it! I see now." Guy was surprised and shook his head in understanding. "An Armor like that? The shinobi viges would kill to have that in their possession. Where did someone like him get it?"

    "Probably stolen from a very good cksmith or weapons maker. Or the pirates have someone like that working for them." Daichi concluded.

    While Guy was focused on what Daichi said, Kakashi was concerned about the part his student didn''t say. "If this armor can make someone of Genin level fight against a Jonin, then what kind of augmentation will it give to a Jonin. We don''t know if this was the only armor or if every captain has one. If that''s the case, then you''re right. This battle will be far more difficult than we anticipated."

    Guy sobered up at that thought. He looked at his students and internally frowned. ''They''re just fresh Genin. They''re not ready for this. This mission has be soplicated And it''s partially due to my mistakes''

    "Sensei, we can''t abandon the mission. We''vee this far. We''ll face whatever adversities along the way and we''ll prevail. We won''t fail you sensei." Lee spoke with fire in his eyes. He knew what his teacher was thinking. Lee knew his sensei was not worried about fighting rogue Jonin ninjas but was worried about them.

    "Despite the difficulties, we shouldn''t count ourselves out just yet. We may have an advantage." Kakashi said, looking in the direction of the unconscious pirate. "I''m going to go have a chat with him."

    At that moment Daichi took a small syringe from his pocket and gave it to Kakashi. "Here. This will make it easier."

    "What is that? Is that a truth serum?" Lee looked at the small object and asked his friend.

    Daichi chuckled and shook his head. "There is no such thing as truth serum. It''s just a drug that will lower his mental defenses. That way, sensei won''t have to use much chakra."

    "Alright team. While Kakashi is gathering intelligence from our enemies we too shall prepare. Lee, Tenten, Neji. Go with Ishido and get the boat ready. We will be going after the other ships. Make sure to pack your gear. We will be in for a battle." Guy said, giving his team a thumbs up and a big smile.

    After the three Genin along with Ishido left the house Guy turned to Daichi. "Young Daichi. I need your help."

    Daichi had a feeling he knew what the Jonin wanted. "You want something for the seasickness right?"

    Guy nodded his head and the jubnt expression on his face minutely dimmed. ''Because of my seasickness I was so tired when I reached Mother Ind. I just wanted to get this mission over with and like a rookie I overlooked several things. The number of hostages taken, enemy numbers, viable backup ns, my ownck of battle strength If Kakashi and Daichi hadn''te when they did, this could have gone seriously wrong. I can''t make mistakes like that again.''

    "I got just the thing for you Guy sensei." During Daichi''s time at the capital he had already encountered problems like these. He took two pills from his pouch and gave them to the Taijutsu master. "The first one gets rid of any headache or difort your body is feeling and the second revitalizes it. Take the first one now and the second pill about a couple minutester. There''s one more thing to do but it can be done when we get on the ship."

    Guy nodded. He held the two small orange and green colored pills in his hand and examined them. "Fascinating." Without wasting another moment he took the orange pill and swallowed it. Within moments he could feel the small nausea in the back of his head disappearing. "Did you make this?"

    "Tsunade sensei was the one who created this. I just modified the form a bit."

    [Reputation increases with Might Guy]

    "Still, this is amazing. I can already feel the effects." A couple minutester Guy took the second pill and the tiredness he was feeling vanished and he felt full of energy. He clenched his fists and pumped them in the air. "Yosh! Next time when I go into battle, you''ll be able to witness the power of the Green Beast of the Leaf." With that he sprinted to help his students.

    Daichi sighed and just waited. A few momentster he started receiving the memories of his shadow clones. ''Their work is done. Good. I should meditate now. I need to generate some chakra.''

    Since Daichi dedicated 150% of his chakra reserves to the Hundred Strength seal his CP bar would only be about a 3rd full most of the time.

    A short while went by before Daichi was woken up from his meditation by his sensei. "I take it Guy and his students went to the ship?"

    "Yeah."

    "Thene on. We don''t have much time to waste." The silver haired Jonin said and both of them took off. They soon reached the ship and Kakashi gave Ishido the order to set sail and the route that he wanted the man to take.

    Once on board Daichi cast a small Genjutsu on Guy that kept him from bing sick. "This Genjutsu will trick your brain and you won''t feel nauseous or sick. Use this Genjutsu when you''re out sailing a few times and you''ll get used to the motions of the waves and you''ll essentially be cured."

    "Yes! To create such an efficient technique. As expected of a great medic." Guy gave Daichi a thumbs up and shined his pearly whites. "Since I''m so full of energy, I''ll do one hundred push ups."

    Lee grinned and joined his teacher. "Let''s do 200 push ups sensei."

    "No Lee LET''S DO 300 push ups!" "YES GUY SENSEI!" With a loud shout Guy got down on the floor and Lee joined him.

    Neji and Tenten just sighed as they looked at their teammates'' antics.

    Seeing Guy back to his usual self full of energy, Kakashi also let out a tired breath of air. "Guy, I was about to tell everyone what I had found out from him."

    "Don''t worry my rival. I''ll be listening the entire time."

    Kakashi sighed and gave up. He focused on the rest of the team and exined the situation.

    "The pirate captain Guy captured is a man named Remonzo. From what I was able to gather, he was a bandit before he learned to use his chakra and simple ninjutsu techniques. And the thing is he is the weakest of the bunch."

    Everyone was listening intently to Kakashi''s words andmitting them to memory. The Jonin continued.

    "I''ve interrogated him on the number of hostages taken, ships they have, the routes they take, the enemy strength and their weapons. There are a total of 5 ships. One warship and 4 subordinate vessels. What Team Guy took down was a subordinate ship. The 5 captainsmunicate twice a day. It won''t be long before they find out one of their people was taken down. But we have a small window of opportunity. We need to capitalize on it. I have their general locations and that''s our y."

    "So there''s 4 more ships huh. But what about the 2 rogue Jonins?" Daichi crossed his arms and questioned.

    "From what I learned, the lightning twins will be on the main warship. These 4 subordinate vessels were operated by small-time pirates that the twins threatened and subdued. They are not that much of a threat. But each of them has the same armor as the other one." Kakashi replied.

    "What about the people taken from the inds? Are they divided amongst the subordinate ships?" Neji asked the Sharingan Jonin.

    Kakashi nodded and took out a map. He ced it on a nearby table and pointed to certain sea routes. "Yes. It''s true. A total of 32 hostages were taken from the three Inds. You guys rescued 7. The remaining are divided among the three subordinate ships. Those ships are traveling near the routes here. We need to take them all down tonight."

    Daichi looked at the routes pointed by his teacher and he saw a problem. "But sensei, this is a small boat. It doesn''t have the capability to support so many people. And moreover we can''t hit three different ships in three locations before dawn. This vessel isn''t fast enough to travel at such speed." Daichi spoke, pointing to the ship they were on.

    "Yes. That''s why we''re going to takemand of the first ship wee across and split up." Kakashi then looked at Guy who was doing push ups. "Daichi and I will take control of the first ship. I''ve already given Ishido the coordinates to where the second ship would be at."

    Guypleted another push up and nodded with Kakashi''s n. "My team and I will handle the second ship. I''m sure we can fit the people in that ship here. So I''ll just smash it to bits... I''m assuming you guys are going after the third one. If so then all that will remain is the warship."

    Kakashi nodded and spoke. "One of Daichi''s shadow clones will be with your team just in case."

    "What did you find out about the pirates on the main ship Kakashi?" Guy asked.

    "The man didn''t know much. He knows there are two others aside from the lightning twins that are in charge. But he doesn''t know their strengths or what weapons they use. So we have to proceed with caution. Once all the hostages are secure we''ll meetup near the warship. It doesn''t move much and is hidden in a blind spot near a small uninhabited ind."

    Guy nodded. "Once all the people are safe, Kakashi and I will attack the main ship and draw out the enemy. Kakashi, since we''re on the ocean and they use Lightning attacks, they could have a massive advantage if they y it smart."

    The copycat ninja nodded his head. "Yes. I know. We have to be careful."

    Guy agreed and turned to the Genins. "Neji, Daichi. Since you two have excellent sensing abilities, ascertain the number of people on the ship and their strength. If possible, engage and subdue. Lee, Tenten, you two will protect the ships with hostages on board. This is the n but we might have to adjust our strategy ording to the mission progress. So are you ready, team?"

    "Yes sensei!"

    With a n in ce Team Guy and Team Kakashi were ready for battle. At that time a new quest appeared in front of Daichi.

    -------------

    Author''s Note:

    In the middle of writing this chapter, I suddenly had so many ideas for future powerups and missions and events flood my brain. I had to take some time to sort them out, note them down, make ns and do some research. And ooohhh Boy, do I have some ns! I''m really pumped up to write it.

    Anyway from the next chapter onwards it''s going to be an all out battle.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 217: Battle on the High Seas 01

    Chapter 217: Battle on the High Seas 01

    The gamer ninja quickly looked through the details of the quest. Daichi was surprised as to what the conditions needed for sess were.

    [Quest Created - Back up Team Guy]

    You and Kakashi are Team Guy''s backup. Save the hostages, defeat the enemies andplete the mission your sensei has given you and sessfully finish this quest.

    .

    [Conditions]

    Do not die.

    Do not let your sensei or Team Guy get mortally injured or die.

    Save every hostage.

    Make sure all enemies are defeated or neutralized.

    Retrieve at least 2 +Rare Ranked Items.

    .

    [Rewards]

    50000 Exp.

    Weapon Blueprints.

    Reputation increases with Leaf Ninjas and citizens of the Land of Sea.

    .

    [Failure]

    Reputation decreases with Leaf Ninjas and citizens of the Land of Sea.

    Possible death.

    -35000 Exp.

    .

    [ept - Y/N]

    ''So I need to make sure everyone from my side is safe and sound by the end of this and all my targets dead or captured? This is going to be tough but it''s doable Hmm It seems I''ll have to keep an eye on everyone during the battle. Regardless, the experience and blueprints are worth it. I''m going to do this mission anyway so might as well ept this.''

    With that Daichi mentally epted the quest and prepared himself. The Leaf Shinobi didn''t have to wait long before they saw the first enemy ship.

    Kakashi looked at the pirate ship sailing in the distance and spoke. "This is it. Daichi and I will handle that one and meet you guys at the rendezvous point."

    "You got it. I know you don''t need it but good luck Kakashi" Guy nodded with a smile. The Jonin turned to look at the ship which suddenly changed directions and was heading for them. "Looks like your target ising straight for you. How nice of them. Neji, how many do you see in that ship? Give us their number and position."

    The Hyuga Genin quickly used his Kekkei Genkai and retrieved the intel needed. "There are 8 people below deck, chained and in small cages. The hostages no doubt. There are 12 others who seem to be part of the pirate crew. Except for the captain none of them seems dangerous. Ordinary chakra reserves. They''re looking to attack us. Mainly swords and a few have daggers as weapons The Captain has Chunin level reserves and is wearing Armor simr to the other one."

    Nejipleted his report and shut off the Byakugan to conserve chakra. At that moment Daichi created a shadow clone and had it join Team Guy.

    Kakashi looked at the iing ship and let out a small breath of air. "It''s time, Daichi. Let''s go greet them. Good luck with your end, Guy." With those words Kakashi vanished from the boat in a swirl of leaves.

    Daichi looked at the floating leaves and shook his head. ''Where did they evene from?... Eh. Whatever. I''m not going to question it.''

    "Good luck Daichi. Show them the power of the Leaf Ninjas." Lee shouted with a smile.

    The Gamer Genin nodded and following his teacher''s example vanished from the ship the next second with a body flicker.

    After the two ninjas left Might Guy turned to the man navigating the ship. "Alright Ishido. Time to head to the second location."

    "You got it." Ishido looked at the other ship and prayed in his heart. ''Please let everything be alright.'' He decided to trust the Leaf ninjas and just did as he was told.

    With Team Kakashi.

    The Pirate captain looked at the other ship changing course and was about to order his men to follow but stopped when two ninjas suddenly appeared in their midst. He recognized them as the ones he saw standing on the deck of the other ship a few moments ago.

    "Wow, who are these guys?" "How''d they get here?" Murmurs came from the crew. The Captain was silent as he looked at the neers.

    ''Based on their attire and headband, they''re Leaf ninjas. I can''t believe the people on those inds called for help even with us holding their families here. They''ll pay.'' The pirate captain knew the strength of a high level ninja due to fighting the Lightning Twins. So he wasn''t arrogant in front of them but he didn''t show fear as well.

    Just as the Captain was observing them, Kakashi and Daichi were also paying attention to their surroundings. The Genin''s eyes swept across the deck and dismissed everyone except the man in charge. He looked at the man with the captain''s coat and used his information gathering skill.

    ''Observe''

    [LV.49] [Akamine Fumimaro]

    Age: 33

    HP: 5723 CP: 4980

    Affiliation: diator pirates

    [Akamine Fumimaro used to be a Chunin from the Hidden waterfall vige. During a mission he faked his death to disappear and became a lone bandit sailing the sea near the Land of Sea. Later hemanded his own crew before being defeated by the rogue ninja Mazui and began serving under him. He is now a pirate under the diator Pirates led by the Lightning Twins. He is a shrewd merciless man who only cares for himself. He is wearing a Rare Rank armor made by Katsura Sadoshi.

    STR - 58

    AGI - 51

    INT - 38

    The physical stats maybe subjected to change if chakra or technique is applied. ]

    Daichi read the info his system showed and he was far from impressed.

    ''Hmm So that''s his story huh. Just another spineless idiot who couldn''t hack it. Nothing special about him except the armor. I need to see if sensei can take him down without damaging it much. Let''s see what that thing can do. Observe.''

    [Power Armor] [Rare Item: Rank C]

    [The Power Armor is a Rare Ranked item created by Katsura Sadoshi. This item can increase the defense of the wearer by reducing the force of the iing attack by at most 80%. This armor absorbs the chakra from the physical attacks and uses it to increase the defense and speed of the wearer. Chakra costs to activate the functions of this armor are minimum. The armor is strong enough to withstand ordinary attacks from shuriken and kunai weapons.

    Note: Attacks with force above a certain threshold can break this armor.]

    "What do you Leaf Ninjas want?" Akamine stepped forward and asked. His crew became quiet but the hold on their weapons tightened and their muscles tensed.

    Kakashi gave the man an eye smile and replied. "Could you kindly release the prisoners you have here, lock yourselves up below deck and give us control of the ship?"

    The whole crew including the captain looked incredulous at that statement. ''Is this guy for real?'' That was the general thought among them.

    Even Daichi looked sideways at his sensei and raised an eyebrow. ''He really knows how to fuck with people doesn''t he.''

    The pirate captain Akamine gritted his teeth hearing that. "You think this a joke? I was going to negotiate with you before But now I''ll deal with you myself." ''Even if he is strong, my armor will help me fight him on even terms. And this kid looks like he''s a Genin. So when my men attack him, that Jonin''s attention will be on his student. He''ll be distracted and I''ll take that opportunity to go for the kill.''

    "Men! Kill that brat. I''ll fight him." Akamine pointed to the Jonin and gave the order.

    "Yes boss." "Get him" Several members of the crew rushed at Daichi with their swords above their heads.

    Looking at the iing enemies Daichi spoke. "Sensei. Try to take him down without damaging that Armor. I want to study it." The Genin spoke in a low voice but his sensei clearly heard it.

    "I''ll see what I can do. Once you finish them off, head down stairs and free the hostages. Then lock these guys up in there. And make sure not to cause any damage to the ship."

    Hearing Kakashi''s reply Daichi nodded and without wasting another second rushed forward meeting the pirates halfway. The gamer ninjas used observe skill and saw that all of them were really strong for a civilian but they were nothing to a ninja like him.

    The captain also rushed at the Leaf Jonin. His sword poised to cut Kakashi in half but was blocked by the Jonin''s Kunai. Sparks flew as the captain tried to push his de forward but his attempt was futile. He tried to kick Kakashi''s knee and break his leg but his strike was redirected. Akamine pulled the sword and went for a horizontal sh with the intent to cut the Jonin''s head off but Kakashi easily evaded it. And so the battle between the pirate captain and Kakashi began.

    Meanwhile Daichi slid below a sword swing and grabbed the hand of the attacking pirate. With Daichi''s great strength it was easy to take the pirate off his feet, spin him around and toss him towards hispanions. Several pirates went flying backwards while the others tried their best to kill the boy. The Genin easily weaved through the sloppy attacks and sword swings. He took a dagger from his inventory and started shing his enemy''s tendons. Since there were only 11 people, Daichi easily sliced through them like a hot knife through butter.

    With the first part of his taskpleted the Genin created a few clones and had them take the incapacitated crew downstairs while he freed the prisoners. He freed the hostages from their chains and led them out while he chained up the crew.

    As the Genin waspleting his assignment Kakashi was studying his opponent. ''His fighting style is that of the average Genin. His techniques are sloppy. But what he has is defense and speed. That armor certainly is incredible. To be able to reduce the power of my punches to such a degree and even augment the speed of the wearer. Whoever created this can change the bnce of power between the 5 nations. He or she must be captured and if they''re with the enemy then they need to be killed. This could be a big problem otherwise. Especially if the other nations find out.''

    Kakashi side stepped and evaded the enemy de and sent a powerful punch directly on top of the liver.

    "Gha!" Spit and blood flew from the captain''s mouth as he was sent flying backwards and hit the mast. His sword flew from his grasp andnded far away.

    The Copycat ninja looked at the kneeling, coughing enemy and made a conclusion. ''So that Armor has a limit. Hmm.. time to finish this.''

    Akamine slowly stood and gritted his teeth in anger as he looked at Kakashi. None of his attacks were getting through the Jonin''s defenses. ''Shit! This guy is most probably a high level Jonin. Just like those sted twins. Damn it. And it doesn''t look like he''ll let me go even if I surrender. My only choice is to kill him.''

    Suddenly the man went through several seals. ''Genjutsu - Negative perception.''

    The man slightly smirked as his chakra connected with the Jonin and put him under his control. ''This illusion will make you think I''m moving in one direction when I''m going in the opposite. A Genjutsu that shows the mirrored movements to those caught in it. You''ll prepare for my attacks from right while Ie from the left. Time to end this.''

    Akamine rushed towards Kakashi from the left. He saw the Leaf ninja preparing to defend against an attacking from the right and smirked. "Die." With all his might the pirate captain swung his sword at the Leaf Jonin''s neck.

    The next second he saw that he was flying and there was a person with his body and armor standing near him. He noticed that the body didn''t have a head and he was confused. ''What the?'' That was thest thought of Akamine Fumimaro as his head rolled on the deck of the ship.

    Kakashi looked at the scene and sighed. ''Too bad.'' As the pirate captain died the Jonin suddenly started hearing a hissing sounding from the dead man''s body. Due to his years living as a shinobi he knew exactly what that sound was. The Jonin rushed at the decapitated body and threw it towards the sea, far away from the ship.

    The body flew dozens of meters away and sank beneath the waves. The next second a loud st was heard along with the ssh of water.

    It was at this moment that Daichi came up to the deck with the reduced hostages. "What the hell was that?"

    "That Armor was booby trapped. Once that man died the paper bombs in it activated. I had to toss the body before we all got caught in the explosion." Kakashi replied with a sigh.

    Daichi nodded and turned to the decapitated head on the floor. "And this? Didn''t think you''d chop his head off."

    "I didn''t. He did it to himself."

    The Genin raised an eyebrow at that statement and quickly figured out the answer. "Genjutsu?"

    "Yeah. I put him in an illusion where he would attack himself What about the hostages? Any serious injuries?"

    The Genin shook his head. "No. Nothing that can''t be healed."

    The Leaf Jonin nodded. "I know the route the third ship will take. Let''s go."

    Daichi nodded. He then created a shadow clone and dispelled it. Once he sent the message the medic ninja went to examine the people he just freed.

    With Team Guy.

    Daichi''s clone opened his eyes as he got the new memories. "Kakashi sensei has taken control of the ship. All 8 people taken from the ind are safe. They are exhausted but there are no permanent or serious injuries." He ryed the news to everyone.

    "Haha. Way to go my rival. Just as expected of you." Guy said with a grin as hepleted his pushup challenge.

    At that moment Ishido came near Daichi. "Is there a woman named Kamika among them? She has brown hair and a tattoo of a deer on her right hand."

    Daichi went through his memories and a couple secondster shook his head. "I''m sorry. But she''s not with the group we found. She must be on one of the other two ships."

    Ishido looked down and clenched his fist.

    "Who is she?" Tenten asked the man.

    "She''s my wife. We only got married a few months ago." Ishido replied.

    "Don''t worry. We''ll get her." Daichi reassured the man. Ishido gave a weak smile as he walked back to his post.

    "We''re nearing the location the other ninja said. Their ship must be near here. Prepare yourself. We''ll be within range soon." Ishido said.

    Everyone nodded. At that moment Daichi spoke. "Guy sensei. There is something you should know. The pirate captain of the ship had high Chunin levelbat speed and solid defense with that armor. It also had a failsafe. Once the person wearing it dies the armor explodes."

    "If that''s the case then why didn''t the first one explode?" Tenten asked.

    "My theory is that it''s because Guy sensei damaged it. I think breaking that armor negates the failsafe. It''s just a theory though. I''d still be careful around it." Daichi replied.

    Guy nodded and he listened to the Genin. "Understood Daichi. Alright my dear Genins, listen up. I''m going to battle the captain. Lee, Tenten, you two will fight the other members of that crew and restrain them. Neji, you can help Daichi locate the prisoners and bring them to this ship. Lee, Tenten, once you subdue all the members put them on a life raft. I''m sure that ship will have one. We''ll tie it to the back of this ship."

    "Yes sensei." The reply came in unison.

    "Ship in sight! North northeast of us!" Ishido alerted them.

    "Neji, give us the rundown. What are we looking at?" Guy spoke.

    The Hyuga nodded and made the seal to activate his Kekkei Genkai. "Byakugan!"

    "The captain seems to be in his quarters. There are 8 prisoners on this ship as well. Aside from the captain there are 15 crewmen. I don''t see anyone with any strong chakra aside from the captain. He has chunin level reserves."

    A few momentster, the people on the other ship saw them as well. They headed straight for Ishido''s ship.

    "All of you should hide. Neji, Daichi. You two will board the ship from the back. Lee, Tenten. You two willunch a surprise attack." Guy decided on the battle n and the others agreed. The Genin blended into the shadows.

    Once the pirate ship was near, the Genins jumped to the sea and under the cover of the night swiftly reached the other vessel. Now they were waiting for their sensei to draw the attention of the crew and it didn''t take long. The moment the Pirate captain came out of his cabin, Guy jumped from his ship.

    The Taijutsu master of the Leaf vige flew towards his target with a flying kick.

    "DYNAMIC ENTRY!"

    The captain''s eyes widened like dinner tes as he saw the fast iing kick. He was too surprised at the sudden action to evade and Guy''s foot collided right with his face sending him flying through his cabin. He collided with the walls of his cabin andnded on the other side.

    The man moaned in pain as heid on the floor. His crew came near him and looked in surprise and fear at what had just happened.

    Lee and Tenten stealthily climbed the pirate ship from the other side at this moment while Neji and Daichi got on board from the back.

    "Get that bastard." "Kill him." The crew took out their weapons and ran at Guy.

    "Haha. Come on you sea bandits. Allow me to show you the burning spirit of the Green beast! Hiya!" Guy sprung into action and spin kicked the first opponent that got near him. The pirate lost consciousness on the first attack and flew away.

    Guy dodged the swings of the swords and chopped their wrists making them drop their weapons. With a swift punch to the torso and a high kick to the chin he knocked them out and send them flying.

    "Come on. Let''s pile on him. He won''t be able to attack all of us." One of the pirates said and all of them rushed at Guy. But the next second dozens of kunai rained down on them, wounding several. Tenten and Lee joined the battle as well.

    "Leaf rising wind!" Lee appeared in front of an opponent and tripped him with a leg sweep beforepleting the move with a high kick thatunched the pirate straight up into the air.

    "Sensei, we''ll take care of these guys. Go after the captain." Lee said to his teacher.

    Guy nodded and gave his team a thumbs up. He headed towards the pirate captain who got up and was rubbing his broken chin. The man was furious as he looked at the iing Jonin. The next moment he took a kunai from his pouch and shot off towards Guy and the battle between them began.

    Meanwhile, with the help of Neji, Daichi easily found the prisoners on the ship.

    "P-please Help us"

    "Don''t worry. We''re Leaf ninjas. We''re here to get you out." Neji said calming them down and giving them hope.

    "Thankfully, there aren''t any restraints on their person. But all the cages are locked and it would be easier if we had the keys." Daichi said to the Hyuga.

    "Yes, but I don''t see them anywhere. They must be kept in another location. We need to find it quickly." Neji replied as he looked around with his Byakugan.

    "No. We don''t have time for that. I can get them out." Daichi ushered the prisoners to get back and went through 4 seals. ''I really don''t like using this jutsu. Leaves a weird taste in my mouth.''

    ''Water style - Corrosion liquid jutsu.''

    Daichi spat some light acid on the cage''s lock and in seconds it corroded away.

    "What jutsu is that?" Neji asked.

    "It''s Water style Corrosion liquid. By manipting the pH level of water I can increase its acidity. And just a small quantity of it is enough to get the job done." Daichi replied.

    Neji opened the cage and slowly took the prisoners out. Daichi''s clone created two more clones. And they carefully led the people of Land of Sea on to the deck. They saw that the battle was already over, with the pirates captured and Lee and Tenten securing them on a life raft.

    Daichi looked to the other side and saw Guy sensei standing in front of a fallen man with his armor broken to several pieces and scattered near him.

    The Genin took the hostages from the pirate ship and brought them to theirs. Ishido looked through each one that came on board and was saddened. "Do you know where Kamika is?" He asked one of them.

    "She''s on the other ship."

    Ishido was tense but that answer gave him some hope. He helped themy down and got them something to eat and drink while Daichi examined them and healed any wounds.

    Once everyone was safe and secure, Guy set fire to the pirate ship and returned to his. They slowly sailed away as the 2nd ship of the diator Pirates was destroyed in the middle of the sea.

    "Daichi, tell Kakashi that we are on our way to the location of the main ship. Tell him to inform us if there is any change." The Jonin told Daichi. When the additional shadow clones Daichi''s clone created, dispelled, the memories of what happened went back to the original.

    With Team Kakashi.

    "They got the second ship, sensei. No casualties. They''re headed to the main pirate ship. Guy sensei also asked me to confirm the route."

    Kakashi nodded. "It seems I''ll have to interrogate the leader of this one too. Make sure that nothing''s changed."

    The two Leaf ninjas sailed for about 2 hours before they caught sight of thest subordinate ship.

    "I''ll deal with the captain. Can you handle the rest alone?"

    "Yeah. I got it." Daichi nodded and created several shadow clones. The second their ships got close the ninjas made their move. Kakashi headed straight for the Leader of the pirate crew while Daichi took down the rest.

    Kakashi had his Sharingan out for this and it wasn''t long before the captain was under an illusion. As the Leaf Jonin interrogated and got the info needed, Daichi rescued the prisoners one by one and got them to the other ship.

    He found a woman that had the matching features Ishido spoke of. "Are you Kamika?"

    "Yeah. How do you know my name?" The tired woman asked as sheid on the floor.

    "Your husband Ishido sent us. He was worried about you."

    The woman hearing that name smiled with tears forming in her eyes. "Is he okay?"

    "Yes. He''s fine. He''s with another team helping save the people from your Ind." Daichi said while his hands glowed green as he examined her.

    "That''s just like him Are you a doctor?"

    "I''m a medic. Yes It looks like you''re just malnourished. Don''t worry. You''ll be fine after a week of healthy food." The young woman let out a breath of relief.

    "Daichi!" At that moment Kakashi called out to him.

    "What is it, sensei?"

    "I have good news and bad news." The Jonin said, covering the Sharingan eye.

    Daichi sighed hearing that. "I figured."

    "The good news is, ording to the information I got from him, the main ship is docked at the specified location. They have no prisoners on board. So we don''t have to be careful. They''re behind the ind two dozen miles from here and they haven''t moved. So there is the chance that they are not expecting us."

    "So what''s the problem?"

    "Because it''s not just a ship. It''s arge warship. They have a long range weapon capable of taking out any ship. Even one that''s almost a mile away. It''s some sort of a cannon. A single blow from that and a ship like this would be blown to bits. If we get close and they spot us, there''s a good chance they''ll st us apart. We can escape but the civilians They''ll be in danger. That''s the bad news." Kakashi finished and leaned on the mast as they sailed away from the pirate ship burning down behind them.

    "So what''s our y?"

    Kakashi was quiet and thought about his next move. A few momentster he spoke. "We need to take care of them. Otherwise they can do a lot of damage. So we stay the course but slightly adjust the rendezvous point. We''ll meet with Guy''s team about two miles away from the warship and then we travel through the ocean."

    Kakashi took out a map and pointed at a specific spot. "Tell Ishido to bring the ship here. From there we''ll move together with Team Guy and take them by surprise."

    "Understood." Daichi memorized the location Kakashi showed. He created and dispelled a shadow clone informing the other party of the situation.

    With Team Guy.

    "So that''s what Kakashi said huh. Very well then! Ishido. Change course. Since they have a weapon that can destroy ships, we need to be careful." Guy told the man.

    Ishido nodded and then looked at the Genin. "So she''s fine? They didn''t hurt her or anything?"

    Daichi shook his head and smiled. "Don''t worry. She''s tired but she''ll be just fine."

    "Thank you. All of you. I knew I made the right choice." Ishido bowed and quickly returned to his post with a big smile. He turned the rudder and adjusted the route.

    Now only one more enemy ship remained and both Jonin and their students were making their way towards it.

    -------------------

    Author''s Note.

    This one right here is the equivalent of 2 chapters. Enjoy the 4.6k word chap.. Now on to other stuff.

    One of the things I''m concerned about is the P.O.V shift. I hope the transition from Team Kakashi to Team Guy to Team Kakashi to Team Guy isn''t jarring or doesn''t cause a big problem(annoyance) when reading.

    Also I didn''t want to write two Jonin beating up helpless sea bandits three times, so I showed different events each time. Only the pirate captain was somewhat strong but Kakashi and Guy are on a different level so it was a short battle. The other crew were just civilian bandits. So not much resistance on their part. Hope this chapter wasn''t boring to read. Next chap will have a much more intense battle.

    On an another note:

    -

    "Are you Kamika?"

    "Yeah. How do you know my name?" The tired woman asked as heid on the floor.

    "Your husband Ishido sent us. He was worried about you."

    -

    After reading this, how many of you expected the woman''s response to be like:

    -

    ''''What do you mean my husband? What are you talking about?''''

    ''''What? I''m talking about your husband. Ishido.''''

    ''''I don''t have a husband.''''

    -

    After writing Daichi''s dialogue informing the woman that her husband sent them, It took some effort on my part not to write the above lines and make a pointless drama. I personally think that, that whole plot move has be kinda cliche at this point, but who am I toin. I might use something like that in the future.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 218: Battle on the High Seas 02

    Chapter 218: Battle on the High Seas 02

    Another long chapter. Enjoy.

    -

    Unknown location.

    On the coast of an uninhabited ind about 110 miles away from the Land of Sea was arge ship made of wood and metal. It was long with metal coatings on each side for protection and taller than most buildings in the world. The two main features of the ship were its g that had a Red skull with spiky helmet and sword and therge long cannon attached on the front of the ship. The whole ship looked fearsome and would strike terror to any ordinary sailoring across it. The gship of the diator Pirates - The Dark Amphibian.

    There were half a dozen men scattered on the deck keeping an eye out during that night. On the bridge of the ship, a young navigator was half asleep as he sat at the control desk. As he was about to fall asleep his eyes caught a glimpse of three of the 4 yellow buttons that stopped blinking.

    ''What the?'' It roused him from his sleep. He tapped the three small dead yellow bulbs and was confused. ''Did something go wrong or is it malfunctioning again I better go call him.''

    The man stood from his chair and made his way to the private quarters. He knocked on a certain door and after a few moments it opened. A middle aged man with long grey hair and a tattoo of a crow under the right eye appeared.

    "What?" Came the question in an annoyed tone.

    "I''m sorry for distributing you at thiste hour sir, but there is something wrong with the transponders."

    The man sighed hearing this and made his way to the bridge followed by the other. He checked the transponders and saw that three of them were not responsive and only one was active.

    "Maki? I thought you were sleeping?" A voice came from outside.

    The middle aged man now identified as Maki turned to the door. "Oh, it''s you, Mazui."

    "Captain!" The other young man stood in attention as the captain of the ship came.

    The new arrival was a dark skinned man with a lean muscr body. He was wearing a dark blue shirt with ck pants. He had the tattoo of speed on his right shoulder. Mazui - The rogue Jonin from the Hidden Cloud vige. One of the two ninjas with the nickname lightning twins and captain of the newly formed diator Pirates.

    "What''s going on?" Mazui asked as he came near them.

    "3 of the transponders are unresponsive." Maki said as he looked at the unblinking lights. "But it could be some kind of mechanical error. This is new technology after all. Long rangemunication technology is rare and this is still in the early stages. So it could be some form of a glitch."

    Mazui looked at the device and his eyes slightly narrowed. "When did they stop responding?" He asked the navigator.

    The man nervously answered. "Um, They stopped sending signals one after another starting a few hours ago. Since it happened a few times before I didn''t think much of it."

    "Yes. But for 3 to be unresponsive in the span of several hours. That''s very strange." Maki said.

    "Oi. What are you all doing here in the middle of the night?"

    Mazui turned to look at his brother. "Bozui. I thought you were sleeping."

    "Nay. Couldn''t sleep. So I was just walking around. So what''s going on?" Bozui replied. He had almost identical facial features to his brother but his body was much bulkier and had bigger muscles than his brother. He had the tattoo ''power'' on his left shoulder.

    "3 of the transponders that are connected to the subordinate ships are down. And that too in the span of a few hours. It could be a coincidence or" Mazui replied.

    Bozui frowned at that. "Since the transponders are down we can''t contact them, can we?"

    "No." Maki replied.

    "Maki. Aren''t you a shipwright? You''re the one who came up with this in the first ce. Can''t you fix it?" Bozui asked.

    Maki looked at the controls and shook. "I don''t think the problem is with us. I think the problem is with the other side."

    Mazui sighed and picked up a device that resembled a small radio. "Since we can''t contact the ones offline, we''ll just call the one we can." He pressed a few buttons and waited several moments before the other side picked up.

    "Akamine here." Came the reply.

    "You took a while to pick up." Mazui said. His tone, neutral and giving no indication of his emotion.

    "Apologies Captain Mazui. I came rushing as soon as I heard your call."

    "Is everything alright there? Are there issues?"

    "No sir. Everything''s fine. We haven''te across any merchant ships so far, so the men are a little bored. Other than that, nothing." Came the reply from the other side.

    Mazui nodded. "Very well. Carry on. Oh wait, before I forget, did you get the special spicy herbs from Demon ind?"

    "Yes sir. I have it with me."

    Mazui was only quiet for a second after hearing that answer before he spoke again. "Good. I''ll see you soon Akamine." He ended the call and a smirk formed on his face.

    Bozui, who was standing next to his brother, also had a mad grin.

    "Wait. Didn''t you get the herbs from that Ind like two weeks ago?" Maki asked.

    Mazui turned to the shipwright. "I did. Whoever that was, was not Akamine. So they wouldn''t have known that. I think it''s no coincidence that the other transponders went dead."

    "So someone''s making a move against us huh. They probably took out the other three ships and kept this one." Bozui said as his hands clenched into a fist.

    "Yes. Let''s go see who has the balls to interfere in our turf. Ready the ship. And set a course for that vessel." Mazui gave the order and the nervous young navigator got to work.

    The captain then turned to Maki. "Get Katsura. He''s probably in his forge."

    Maki nodded and left the bridge.

    "Whoever attacked the three ships, they must have arge number. At least two or three teams. And they would have two or three Jonin and a couple of Chunin." Bozui deduced. The two brothers slowly walked outside and looked at the night sky.

    "No matter who they are, we''ll kill them and take the bounty on their heads." Mazui said with a dark tone.

    Within moments a loud horn was heard and The Dark Amphibian was on the move.

    -

    Kakashi ced the radio down and was silently staring at it. Daichi, who was standing near him, narrowed his eyes. "What''s wrong sensei?"

    Kakashi sighed and looked at his student. "I think they know."

    The Genin was surprised to hear that. "Why do you think that?"

    "It''s just a feeling. When I was gathering information from thatst pirate, I learned a few things. The captain calls every couple days but never at this hour. And the way he asked thest question. The one about the spices" Kakashi gave his exnation.

    Daichi let out a long breath of air hearing that. "They called after three ships were destroyed. I think you might be right. And if that''s the case they might being towards us or preparing for our ambush. In either case, what do we do?"

    "Nothing changes. Based on what I learned, their warship is much faster than normal ships. So even if we change course to get to the Land of Sea we won''t make it before they catch up to us. And there are no other inds nearby. We don''t have time to do anything else but proceed as nned." The Jonin said and his student nodded.

    They sailed for a couple hours before meeting up with the other Team. After Kakashi gave the reins of his ship to one of the people rescued who was a sailor, he and Daichi got to the other ship and met up with Team Guy.

    "So they might be on to us huh?" Guy rubbed his chin as he thought about what Kakashi just told him. "You''re right Kakashi. Our best move is to confront them head on. But we need to be careful. Do you know the enemy''s strength?"

    "The Lightning Twins. So that''s two Jonins. Another unknown Chunin level ninja with some special abilities. There are nearly 35 crew members on that ship. But they''re all bandits with above average civilian strength. So they''re not a real threat. He also had memories of someone from the Mist vige. Could be a Chunin level ninja. But I''m not sure. So we should be cautious." Kakashi replied.

    Guy nodded and as they were about to disembark the ship, they saw the faint outline of arge shiping towards them.

    "It seems they reached us. That''s sooner than I thought." Kakashi mumbled.

    "Well my rival, no need to beat yourself up. Let''s go to battle." The green spandex wearing Jonin said with a grin.

    At that moment Daichi''s eyes widened as he sensed a new presence. "Enemy on board!"

    The Genin''s shout put everyone on high alert. Daichi''s chakra sense easily discerned where the enemy was at and he threw several shuriken towards the shadows in the top mast.

    Thunk, thunk thunk.

    The next second Daichi had a sword pierce through him from the back.

    "DAICHI!" Lee screamed as he saw his friend get stabbed from behind and was about to rush over but Neji stopped him.

    The next second the stabbed Daichi exploded into arge sphere of water andpletely captured the enemy ninja.

    The real Daichi emerged from the floor a few feet away. He had several strings connected to the water prison keeping it in ce. "Water Prison jutsu. String variation."

    Kakashi and Guy looked at the trapped ninja and saw that it was one of the Lightning Twins. They were about to walk over but stopped when Daichi raised his hand.

    "That''s a lightning clone. I''m pretty sure he''s nning on blowing himself up once we''re near." Daichi said as he looked at the ninja. ''To get past my senses and reach the ship like that This guy has some exceptional stealth skills''

    The lightning clone just kept his eyes on Daichi. "You''re pretty clever for a Genin. And you have some extremely sharp senses to find me. What''s your name?" The missing nin asked.

    "Daichi Hekima."

    "Ohh So you''re the brat that found the identity of the Phantom thief and recovered the great treasure." The man then turned his head to look at Kakashi.

    "You must be Kakashi Hatake. The Sharingan ninja. Haha To think it would be you. You have a nice chunk of bounty on your head. And that Sharingan eye. We''ll be able to recuperate our losses once we bring your head in."

    Guy stepped forward and looked at the ninja with a grin. "It''s not just Kakashi you''ll be fighting. The mighty Green beast of the Leaf is also here."

    The captured ninja just looked at the Jonin silently and then turned his attention to the rest of the people present. Guy slumped and had a dark expression on his face as he was seemingly ignored.

    "Two Jonin and 4 Genin. And here we figured it would be a muchrger formidable team. This will be a lot easier than we thought. Since you''ll all be killed in a short while, you should probably know who I am. My name is Mazui. One of the Lightning Twins. And you made a big mistake attacking my ships." Mazui spoke.

    "You''re here to gather intel on us aren''t you? But how will you be able to do that if you get destroyed here?" Kakashi was the one who asked that.

    Mazui smiled and pointed to the small item connected to his head. "My crew already heard everything said here. Even if I''m destroyed they''ll be ready."

    "In that case, we shouldn''t waste anymore time." Daichi spoke and with that he startedpressing the water sphere.

    With a grin Mazui''s clone spoke. "Haha. Bold child. But you should know, if this ship or the other flees during our battle, we''ll destroy it with everyone in it." The next moment the ninja turned into Lightning and the whole sphere lit up. The next second it exploded but no one was injured since they jumped back and got to safety.

    "Sensei, we should meet them halfway. Make sure the battle is as far away from the ships as possible." Daichi said to his teacher.

    Kakashi nodded and threw a kunai to the corner of his ship. He threw another to the deck of the other ship as well. ''I might have to use that jutsu today.''

    "Alright team, Listen up. We''re about to make contact with the enemy. So a slight change of ns. Kakashi and I will take the rogue ninjas from Cloud vige. Daichi, you''ll fight the next strongest opponent that appears. Lee, Neji, Tenten, your job is to get to that ship andpletely destroy it. You''ll have to battle the crew but from what I understand they aren''t that strong. But be careful. There could be another enemy ninja from the Mist vige. So be wary of water style jutsus."

    "Yes sensei."

    "Ishido, we''re leaving. I want to say they''re bluffing but, if they see you leave, then There is a chance they will do as they just said." Guy didn''t like the fact that these people were still held as hostages but he had no choice.

    Ishido reluctantly nodded since he knew these pirates were ruthless.

    The ninjas quickly jumped andnded on the ocean. The next second they ran straight for the warshiping their way. They saw two people jump from the other ship and made their way towards them.

    One was Mazui and the other was Bozui. It wasn''t long before the two teams met.

    Daichi immediately used ''observe'' on the two enemy ninjas.

    [LV.94] [Mazui]

    Age: 29

    HP: 19700 CP: 21240

    Affiliation: diator pirates (Captain.)

    [Mazui is the older brother of Bozui by 4 minutes. He is a former Jonin of the Hidden Cloud vige. Due to greed and dissatisfaction with the vige ruling he and his brother killed several wealthy people and fled with their money. He is a talented ninja who has partially copied the Raikage''s Lightning Armor ninjutsu. Mazui is a speed type ninja and doesn''t show any mercy to his enemies. The power of his Lightning ninjutsu was even acknowledged by the 4th Raikage. He is wearing a Rare Rank armor made by Katsura Sadoshi.

    STR - 258

    AGI - 301

    INT - 52

    The physical stats maybe subjected to change if chakra or technique is applied. ]

    .

    [LV.93] [Bozui]

    Age: 29

    HP: 22050 CP: 22721

    Affiliation: diator pirates (Wise captain)

    [Bozui is the younger brother of Mazui. He is a former Jonin of the Hidden Cloud vige. Due to greed and dissatisfaction with the vige ruling he and his brother killed several wealthy people and fled with their money. With the help of his older brother he was able to copy the shield aspect of the Raikage''s Lightning Armor ninjutsu. Bozui is a power type ninja. He loves and respects his older brother very much. He is wearing a Rare Rank armor made by Katsura Sadoshi.

    STR - 299

    AGI - 239

    INT - 48

    The physical stats maybe subjected to change if chakra or technique is applied. ]

    Daichi was extremely cautious as he saw the information his system disyed. He looked over to his sensei and used ''observe'' but still couldn''t find anything. But when he used it on Guy he saw that the man was at Level 99. The information his observe skill showed was what he already knew about the man.

    ''Level 99 is the maximum I can see right now. And since Guy and Kakashi are almost equal in terms ofbat capabilities then, Kakashi sensei''s level must be only one or two higher.'' Daichi concluded.

    "Now what do we have here? Two Jonin who think they''re invincible. Coming right to the lion''s den." The condescending tone in Mazui''s voice as he looked at the Leaf ninjas wasn''t missed by anyone.

    "Funny. That''s exactly what I was thinking. You realize that even if you kill us, that just means more Leaf ninjas wille after you two right? And that''s not mentioning who the Raikage will send when he finds out you''re here. You two certainly know how to make enemies." Kakashi smirked and replied.

    "That''s only if he finds out. And were not afraid. We''ll deal with anyone that gets in our way." Bozui spoke looking at Kakashi. He turned his gaze to Daichi. "I heard you''re an excellent medic ninja. Why don''t you switch sides and join us? You won''t have to listen to pesky annoying orders from the vige. You''ll be free to do anything you want."

    Daichi crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow. "Really? That''s your pitch? No offers of great wealth or powerful jutsu? Just ''I don''t have to follow the rules of my vige and just do whatever I want?''. First of all, I already do whatever I want! Second, I''ve had better offerse my way when I was a lot weaker."

    Kakashi smirked after hearing that response from his student.

    Bozui sighed but then a momentter a bloodthirsty grin formed on his face. "That''s a shame. I wonder how your teacher Tsunade Senju would react when news of your death reaches her. I heard you''re her apprentice."

    When the Genins of Team Guy heard that statement they were shocked. ''He''s a student of one of the Sannin?''

    Tenten was the one who was most surprised. ''Lady Tsunade is his teacher? No way.''

    Daichi didn''t know or care for the thoughts his Genin teammates had at the moment. His attention was focused on the Jonin in front of him. "I didn''t realize my reputation precedes me so much."

    "The mission youpleted certainly helped with that. And I like to keep an eye on up anding promising talents. It''s just sad that you threw my generous offer back in my face. I''ll have to rip you to shreds for that disrespect." Bozui said and killing intent rose from him.

    "You won''t get that chance. Your opponents are us." Kakashi and Guy raised their chakra and the atmosphere quickly turned dangerous.

    "Yes! Why don''t you pick on someone of your own size like me." Guy said as got ready for battle.

    Neji, Lee and Tenten were sweating as they sensed the malevolent intent and powerful chakra rising in the air. Daichi, who was close to them, raised his chakra and protected them from most of the effects. Guy saw Daichi''s actions and gave the boy a grateful nod.

    The Lightning Twins smirked at the Jonin''s response. "So be it."

    At that moment Daichi sensed another presence several meters under the water. Since his affinity with Water Nature was high he could sense the chakra forming below and even the small changes in water.

    The next second the water a few feet in front of the Lightning Twins shot forward towards the leaf ninjas in a fast drilling motion. Mazui and Bozui quickly stepped forward and created Lightning from their palm and ced it on the drilling water aimed at the Leaf ninjas.

    Before the two Leaf Jonin had to take evasive action, Daichi stepped forward as he went through seals. ''Water Style - Blockade waves''

    A powerfulrge wave of water sprung up in front of the team and protected them from the Lightning water attack.

    Daichi meditated and had his chakra fully restored before the battle. So he had no problems using high level jutsu and since water ninjutsu cost him the least chakra he was going to use every water jutsu in his arsenal.

    Kakashi looked at the giant wave of water Daichi brought forth. ''The Blockade waves jutsu. A stronger variation of the water wall technique. But one that''s most effective when used on arge body of water. Creates several waves that can defend against multiple attacks or single strong attacks. An almost perfect frontal defense jutsu when fighting on water terrain.''

    "There''s another enemy present 18 meters below. He doesn''t appear to have any breathing equipment and his appearance is strange." Neji used his Byakugan and quickly found the person.

    When Neji described the enemy, Daichi suddenly had a suspicion as to who it was and even as he was performing the jutsu his mind went through several scenarios and ns. ''This could be a great opportunity for me if I y it right.''

    Seeing that their jutsu failed the Lightning Twins stopped wasting chakra and momentster the water jutsu also vanished. Seconds after the jutsu ended a half fish and half human type creature appeared.

    "Kakashi sensei, I''ll fight this guy. I can sense that he''s strong. I''m going to get him away from here. If he has any coboration Ninjutsu with those two Jonin it could be trouble for us." Daichi said to his teacher.

    The silver haired Jonin agreed. He looked at the Genin''s of Team Guy and spoke. "You three, head to their ship."

    "Right!" Neji, Lee and Tenten began making their way to the warship while Daichi and the new opponent faced off.

    Kakashi walked near his friend and spoke. "Guy, you remember what the bingo book had on these guys?"

    "Yes."

    "Good. I''ll take Mazui since I''m better at fighting against speed type enemies and you can take his brother."

    "Exactly what I was thinking my dear rival. Let''s show them the power of our youthful spirits!"

    The two Jonin and Genin dashed forward to their enemies.

    ------------

    Author''s Note:

    I wanted toplete at least half the battle in this chapter but it''s already 3.6k words. So I decided toplete the whole thing in the next one. Maybe I should stop saying that.. I''ll try my best to finish this arc quickly and get to canon.

    Note: the Jonins can increase their stats by a good margin by using special techniques or using chakra.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 219: Battle on the High Seas 03

    Chapter 219: Battle on the High Seas 03

    Seeing Lee, Tenten and Neji start to make their way towards his ship, Mazui instantly threw several shuriken at them with deadly precision. But the deadly throwing stars were quickly deflected off their targets by another wave of shuriken from Kakashi.

    "Like I said earlier. Your opponent is me." Kakashi had his Sharingan out and was ready for battle.

    Mazui turned his attention back to the Jonin in front of him and smiled. "So be it. I''ll kill them after I kill you."

    Battle: Kakashi vs Mazui Begins.

    -

    Several meters away from Kakashi and Mazui were Guy and Bozui.

    Might Guy suddenly appeared on Bozui''s left side and struck with a roundhouse kick to the head. The former cloud Jonin had experience fighting with fast opponents and was able to easily keep up with Guy''s speed. He raised his hand and defended against the powerful kick of the Taijutsu master.

    A small shockwave that rocked the water appeared when their limbs connected. The water below Bozui caved from the force for a few moments due to the blow he blocked before returning to normal. Bozui was just as fast as Guy and the second he blocked Guy''s kick, he tried tond a punch on the other Jonin''s throat. But Guy saw iting and raised his forearm to defend against the punch. Both of them separated andnded a few meters apart.

    Bozui grinned as the lust for battle awakened in him. "Hahaha That speed and strength. It seems this might be a lot more interesting than I thought."

    Guy too smirked hearing that. "My specialty is Taijutsu. I devote my life to improving my battle skills. So allow me to show you my passionate spirit." Guy got into a fighting stance and Bozui also got ready.

    Battle: Might Guy vs Bozui Begins.

    -

    As the battle between the Jonins was starting, Daichi created a shadow clone and it apanied the other Genins. "I''ll be with you guys. We''ll get this done much faster."

    Neji looked at clone Daichi with his Byakugan and frowned. "That clone jutsu you just used cut your chakra in half. Are you sure about this?"

    "I''ll be fine Neji." Daichi dismissed the other Genin''s concerns. He had certain ns in mind and the clone was an insurance.

    ''I can''t let anything happen to anyone on my side if I want to sessfullyplete this quest. So I can''t let anything go to chance. And I need to raid that ship and take some items with me. With a shadow clone present I won''t have to worry much. ''

    And so the three Genin of Team Guy and Daichi''s shadow clone made their way to the ship that wasing closer and closer to their location.

    -

    As all this was happening the real Gamer ninja sped towards the fishman enemy. The unknown person immediately tried to escape underwater but Daichi didn''t let up. He cut off chakra to his feet and plunged into the sea just as the figure disappeared beneath the waves.

    Daichi''s senses allowed him to keep track of the enemy. The next second he boosted his limbs with chakra and thanks to the evolved Agility skill ''Shadow Speed'' he was able to reach the enemy before he got away.

    The water around Daichi violently spread in all directions with how quickly he was moving and the force he was generating. When Daichi neared the enemy, instead of striking with an attack he grabbed his opponent''s head and forced him away from the other battlefields. The Leaf Genin concentrated and sent a burst of his killing intent at the enemy, reducing his resistance. Daichi swam a couple hundred meters away from the Jonins.

    ''I can''t incapacitate or kill this guy. Not yet. I need to get him away from Kakashi and Guy and make him talk. The information I want from him, I need to make sure no one else finds out.''

    Daichi, having formed some ns of his own, decided to take advantage of the opportunity that unexpectedly arose. The enemy ninja could do nothing but grip the Genin''s arm as the Leaf nin dragged him along.

    As Daichi gripped the enemy''s head in his palm and got away from the other fights, he thought about the decision he had made on the ship. ''I''ve been ying the hero for a while now. But if I want to reach the apex of this world, ying the role of a goody two shoes won''t help. The ns in my mind I won''t be able to execute them if I keep ying nice I guess it''s time to step into the role of a viin. But I have to make sure That I don''t lose myself to the darkness.''

    And so Daichi made a choice. A choice that would one day affect the bnce of power in the world.

    Once the Leaf Genin was sure that he was sufficiently out of range from the other Jonins he threw the captured ninja upwards and out of the water. ''Oh man. It''s a good thing I learned to hold my breath much longer or this would have been more tedious. I''m out of Kakashi and Guy''s range but they are still in mine. Thank you ''evolved sense'' skills.''

    The fishman ninja was sted out of the water and skipped on the ocean surface for several meters before he used chakra to stop himself. The enemy was in disbelief at what had just happened.

    ''Damn it. What the hell? My strength had increased a lot after the experiments. And yet I couldn''t get out of his grip no matter how hard he tried And that speed. He was faster than even me, and that too underwater? There is no way he''s a Genin.''

    Daichi appeared a short distance away and looked at the ninja.

    [LV.66] [Onizaki]

    Age: 26

    HP: 12425 CP: 9020

    Affiliation: diator pirates.

    [Onizaki is a former Chunin from the Land of Rain. He came to the Land of Sea on a mission and was captured by Orochimaru and used as an experiment. Due to the experiments Amachi and Orochimaru conducted on him, he had gained fish-like appearance, ability to breath underwater, increased stamina, higher muscle and bone density and higher than average water affinity. He is one of the few people that survived the experiments. After the experiments were conducted he was locked up due to his rebellious nature but was set free when Bozui and Mazui raided theb. Now he serves under them.

    STR - 223

    AGI - 177

    INT - 40

    The physical stats maybe subjected to change if chakra or technique is applied. ]

    Daichi had a small frown as he looked at the information. ''Shit! So Bozui and Mazui already raided theb? If they killed that man, then this whole endeavor might be pointless. No. I need to confirm his status before I jump to any conclusions.''

    "Who are you? Really? You''re not a Genin." The question came from Onizaki.

    Daichi had a stone cold face as he looked at the enemy. "Who I really am? You''re not ready to hear that answer."

    Onizaki gritted his teeth as he looked at Daichi. ''It doesn''t matter who he is or how strong he is. Those experiments gave me power far beyond ordinary ninjas. He just caught me off guard that time. Yeah that''s it. And it won''t happen again. I can win this fight.''

    Having made his decision no more words were spoken as Onizaki rushed towards Daichi.

    The Gamer ninja looked at the enemy and let out a small breath of air. ''He won''t give me the answers I want like this. I need to make sure he understands his situation. I''ll beat him till near death and then give him hope. At that moment if he values his life, he''ll sing like a canary.''

    Once Onizaki neared the Leaf Genin he made several seals and instantly 4 high pressure water streams with enough power to slice through buildings shot towards Daichi from the ocean.

    Onizaki smirked at the execution of the jutsu. ''At this short distance he won''t be able to dodge. I''m going to skewer you to bits, you arrogant brat.''

    The lightning fast water attacks pierced through Daichi and cut him to shreds. Onizaki smirked but the next second a powerful punch hit his left cheeks sending him flying. Blood sttered and several teeth fell out as his body was thrown across the ocean floor.

    Before he could think or even stop himself a powerful kick struck his back sending him flying up high into the air.

    Daichi went through a few seals and used his next attack. ''Lightning Style - Blitz arrows.''

    Lightning covered Daichi''s hands as he pointed them at the airborne Onizaki. The next second several blue lightning arrows formed from his lightning coated arms and flew at the enemy ninja.

    "Ahhh" BOOM!

    A few secondster the former Chunin from the Hidden Rain vige fell down to the ocean. He had several burn marks on his body and was not fully conscious. He slowly sank but Daichi knew the man was far from dead. He decided to wait and give him a chance to retaliate.

    Onizaki sank beneath the waves and it took a short while for him to regain his bearings. ''Fuck. That almost killed me. How is he so fast and strong? Those punches If I didn''t have this body I''d be a smear right now I need to attack him from a distance.''

    The speed and strength Daichi disyed reduced the arrogance in the man and he became cautious. ''If I can''t defeat him then I''ll need to get Mazui and Bozui''s help.''

    He readied himself and went through several seals. ''Water clone Jutsu.''

    Several water clones rose out of the ocean around Daichi and began to attack him. The Leaf Genin easily evaded and destroyed them one by one with precise aim and powerful strikes. Daichi was keeping a close eye on the real one and found his intentions.

    ''He''s trying to escape from here and get back to the others. Can''t let that happen.''

    The Leaf Genin made a few seals and ced his palms on the water. ''Water Style - Drilling bullets.''

    Dozens of drilling water bullets were shot at Onizaki. Thanks to his fish-like features and abilities he almost evaded all of them. A few clipped him drawing blood but he didn''t stop. His goal was to get to the others and usebination jutsu.

    But his escape n was a failure. Daichi appeared a few meters in front of him underwater.

    Onizaki clenched his fists at the tant arrogance. ''You think you can fight me underwater?''

    Anger clouded his judgment and he rushed forward towards the Genin. A clenched fist was sent at Daichi''s face who tilted his head to the side and avoided the punch. Onizaki with the other hand made a wing motion and several thin water needles formed and attacked Daichi. The thin water needles didn''t do much damage due to Daichi''s numerous passive defensive skills.

    A fast punch buried Onizaki''s gut the next second and he was forced upwards again and out of the water. Daichi created a shadow clone and then quickly followed him. Once he was out of water, he threw several shuriken at the other ninja who evaded the throwing stars.

    The next second several water tendrils rose and restrained his hands and legs. Onizaki struggled against the jutsu but it was no use. ''This kid. He distracted me with those shurikens. He must have arge volume of chakra to keep using Jutsu like this Shit! I can''t break free.''

    Daichinded a couple meters away from the restrained ninja. "I remember you using abination attack at the beginning. Lemme try what that''s like."

    The next second Lightning came through the water tendrils and itpletely electrocuted him.

    His jaw clenched and his muscles tightened. Onizaki groaned from the pain as he was paralyzed by the attack.

    Daichi kept hisbination jutsu going for a few more seconds before dropping it. The shadow clone appeared out of the water behind the ninja pirate and stood with his arms crossed. ''That strength stat is no joke. Even after all that, he''s still conscious. Just as I thought. Orochimaru''s experiments are certainly strong.''

    Onizaki was breathing hard and coughing. He was down to his knees and struggled to even stand. He looked at the Genin standing in front of him and then nced at the other one behind. ''There''s no doubt that I''ve got internal injuries from his attacks. If I keep fighting, I''ll die But if I surrender Maybe I''ll get the opportunity to escapeter It''s my only choice. But what if the Lightning Twins win against the other Jonins? Then they''ll probably kill me for surrendering Fuck!''

    "You''re realizing it now aren''t you? Your situation. There is no escape and winning isn''t in the cards for you." Daichi said with a cold tone as he crossed his arms and looked at the ninja.

    Onizaki sighed and slowly stood. "I resigned myself to death when Orochimaru captured me. I guess, after everything that''s happened, I suppose it''s my time."

    Daichi narrowed his eyes and spoke. "I can give you a choice."

    Onizaki slightly tilted his head at that statement. "And what''s that?"

    "I want you to answer a few questions I have. If you do, I''ll show you mercy."

    Daichi''s reply drew a scoff from the man. "I might be dead by the end of this fight but I ain''t telling you shit!"

    Daichi smirked at that predicted response. "You didn''t hear my whole offer."

    "If I talk, are you willing to let me go?"

    "No." Daichi shook his head and the certainty in the Genin''s voice confused Onizaki.

    "So if you''re not gonna let me go then what are you gonna offer me in return for answering your questions?"

    At the man''s question Daichi turned serious and all humor left his face. Killing intent surfaced as he answered the man.

    "A quick death!"

    That answer stunned Onizaki for a few moments before he started chuckling. Those chuckles turned into full blownughter. "HAHAHAHAHAHAHA."

    "You think I''ll talk just because you''ll be generous and give me a quick death?" The expression on the former Rain Ninja''s face instantly changed into one of absolute fury. "STOP FUCKING AROUND YOU LITTLE SHIT!"

    The next second the enraged Onizaki zoomed towards Daichi and their hand to handbat began. Daichi blocked and redirected the attacks while noting the increased power behind the attacks.

    ''It seems rage increases his strength. But this still won''t be enough against me.''

    Daichi clenched his hand and concentrated a small portion of his chakra to his fist. The next second he directly punched at the iing fist and released his stored up chakra.

    BOOM!

    "AAAHHH!" Onizaki screamed in pain as most of the bones in his right arm were broken and muscles were torn. He was tossed back from the blow andnded a few meters away. He took several deep breaths of air as he looked at the Leaf Genin. His right arm hung limp as it bled profusely from multiple areas.

    "If I If I don''t talk What are you gonna do? Torture me?"

    Daichi calmly walked up to the man and replied. "No. If you don''t talk, I''m gonna capture you and hand you to a certain man in the Leaf vige. Perhaps you might have heard of him. Danzo Shimura. He''s the one who''s gonna do the torturing."

    Onizaki broke out in a cold sweat as he heard that name. He indeed knew who the man was. He had heard rumors about him.

    Seeing the man''s expression, Daichi continued. "You see, Danzo is interested in creating powerful shinobi for the vige. Once you''re in his hands, he''ll conduct experiments on you to study you and replicate your powers. He''ll make Orochimaru look tame inparison. He is a man who will do anything to strengthen the Leaf vige. And when he finds out you were Orochimaru''s experiment, he''ll torture you for information on that man, even if you don''t know anything. You''ll spend the rest of your days in agony and pain. And then weeks, months or maybe yearster when you''re of no more use to him, that''s when he''ll kill you."

    Daichi kept a calm face as he told the man a bold faced lie. ''There is one perk about Danzo and his cruel methods and infamy. I can use it to scare enemy ninjas and get what I want.''

    Seeing Onizaki silent, Daichi continued in a slightly softer tone. "I could have lied to you, told you that I would let you leave here alive, if you gave me what I wanted but that''s not my style. At least not when ites to shinobi. I respect you as a ninja. It''s why I''m telling you what will happen. You have a choice. You give me the information I want and I will give you a swift rtively painless death. It''ll be all over in seconds. If you refuse, I''ll knock you out and take you back to the vige and you''ll live in prolonged agony before dying. You have a decision to make."

    Onizaki gritted his teeth in anger as he looked at Daichi. Small drops of tears appeared in the corner of his eyes. ''If the rumors about Danzo Shimura are true, then dying is a better alternative than getting caught After everything I''ve suffered, I can''t believe this is how it ends for me''

    Daichi seeing the man struggle, decided to use Mana puppetry.

    ''Its over. I don''t want to be tortured again. There''s no need to continue struggling. Let''s just get this over with. I''ll have better luck in the next life.''

    Seeing the man getting closer to making a choice, Daichi gave him onest push. "I''ll give you a quick death. And as a bonus I''ll also take revenge on the people who did this to you."

    A few momentster a notification appeared.

    [Target has epted the suggestion.]

    Onizaki gave up resisting and looked at the boy. "What do you want to know?"

    Daichi uncrossed his arms and began his questioning.

    --------------

    Author''s Note:

    Another 3k word chap.

    There are a few things that I think I should rify right now.

    Daichi won''t be a full blown viin.

    He''ll still keep his persona of the good guy. He still has standards and values. He''ll still help his friends but he''ll do some morally questionable things in the shadows. But only to those that deserve it.

    Daichi has some ns in mind but to get it started he needs to do some questionable things.

    I told you guys from the beginning. Daichi is gonna be a grey ninja. Neither a saint nor an evil bad guy. I''ll see if I can strike that bnce.

    Anyway I''m curious to hear your thoughts. What''s your opinion on Daichi turning to the dark side

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 220: Battle on the High Seas 04

    Chapter 220: Battle on the High Seas 04

    The team of 3 Genin and one shadow clone were quickly making their way to the warship.

    "Wow. I can''t believe how big this ship is." Lee said as the team came close to the sea vessel.

    "Yeah. And that cannon in the front. A weapon like that could do some serious damage." Tenten looked at the giant cannon and spoke.

    "Concentrate you two. We''re here. And they have several people waiting for us on board." Neji used his Byakugan and saw that their approach had already been detected.

    Daichi''s shadow clone smirked as he heard that. "Well then let''s not disappoint them."

    The Genins quicklyunched themselves onto the side of the ship and made their way up. They saw over a dozen men with weapons and malicious grins waiting for them.

    But among them was one with a menacing aura. The middle aged man had long grey hair, striking blue eyes, a crow tattoo under the right eye, sharp jawline and light skin. He was wearing a dark blue jacket, ck pants and shoes and had a headband with the symbol of the Mist vige crossed off in the middle.

    Daichi upon seeing the man knew he was stronger than your average ninja. He immediately used ''observe'' skill.

    [LV.64] [Maki Reijiro]

    Age: 51

    HP: 7452 CP: 11644

    Affiliation: diator pirates.

    [Maki Reijiro was a former ninja from the Hidden Mist vige. He is a ninja with above average talents who became a Chunin during the 3rd world war. His unique features are his high affinity towards Water chakra nature and higher than average chakra reserves. He is also a talented shipwright due to his father. Almost a year ago he was forced to take the me for a crime he didn''tmit under the orders of his Kage and had to flee the vige. Before the Hunter ninjas of the vige could kill him he was saved by the Lightning Twins and he has been with them since. He no longer cares about anyone other than a few certain people in his crew. He has gotten old and his fighting skills have diminished. To make up for hiscking strength he uses special items. He is wearing a Rare Rank armor and wielding the Special rank item, the Frost Sword. Both, made by Katsura Sadoshi, another member of the crew.

    STR - 152

    AGI - 130

    INT - 55

    The physical stats maybe subjected to change if chakra or technique is applied. ]

    Daichi internally sighed as he saw the info disyed in the blue box. ''Another guy used and discarded by the vige. It''s no wonder Kisame left that vige and joined Obito. I kinda feel bad for the guy but I''ve already decided not to show mercy to my enemies.''

    Daichi paid close attention to the stat and level of his enemy. ''Even though this guy and Akamine were of the same shinobi rank their level and skills are vastly different. Even if he''s not in his prime he''s a lot stronger than that guy Akamine His chakra level and stats are far higher And what''s this? Frost Sword?... Is that what I think it is?''

    Daichi looked at the man and the most noticeable item in his possession was the sword he was holding in his right arm. The sword was more like a katana. The de was deep blue and shining in an almost ethereal manner. The hilt and guard were made of special darkened steel like material. The de of the weapon was emitting a light blue mist.

    ''Observe''

    [Frost Sword] [Special Item: Rank A]

    [The Frost Sword is a Special Ranked item created by Katsura Sadoshi. It is his greatest creation till date. This weapon is created by studying the Kekkei Genkai gics of a member of the Yuki n and the DNA is extracted and used in creating this sword. This sword can freeze water, create andunch massive waves of ice and more. Only someone with higher than average chakra reserves and one with high affinity to Water can use this sword. This is a melee weapon that can shoot ice projectiles and can be used both defensively and offensively.

    Note: This sword was created using the blood of a member of The Yuki n and thus it can create Ice and mimic the abilities of that n.

    Members not part of the Yuki n can use this sword but the chakra cost is high.

    Members of the Yuki n can use this sword with minimal chakra cost.]

    Daichi was shocked by what his system showed him. ''A sword that can mimic the abilities of the Yuki n? Unbelievable. To create something like that I must have it. I need to study it. That sword will definitely help me inpleting my water Nature training And the man who made that sword. Katsura Sadoshi. I want him working for me.''

    Several ns formed in Daichi''s mind in moments and after a few seconds he decided on a certain course of action. ''I can''t let the creator of a weapon like that get taken by Kakashi or any other vige. I want him on my side. But I''m pretty sure he won''t like the way I do it. If my ns work, then the gamble I take will pay off significantly.''

    Maki looked at the genins and made a decision. He motioned to his men to get back. ''They will only be fodder to these Genin. It''s best not to waste manpower.'' He then looked at the 4 Leaf Genin and spoke. "You kids are a long way from home. You should have left when you had the chance."

    "We have a mission toplete and we aren''t leaving here without doing so."

    "Yes. You kidnaped innocent people and held them hostage so their families would work in the mines. We wouldn''t turn our backs on them at such a time."

    Tenten and Lee said getting into a battle stance. Neji was silent but he also prepared himself for the fight.

    "Guys, be careful of that sword. It doesn''t look ordinary. I think it''s like that armor these guys have." Daichi didn''t want the other Genin''s to get blindsided but he didn''t give his teammates any more information.

    Maki heard Daichi and smirked. "You have a good eye on you kid. And you''re right. This sword is indeed special and you''ll see its abilities up close real soon."

    The former Mist ninja made a seal and thick fog suddenly formed around them.

    Daichi had his senses on high alert and was easily keeping track of the enemy. ''Hidden Mist Jutsu. But that won''t work. Especially with Neji and me here.''

    "He''sing! 2.4 meters north east of us." Neji quickly shouted to Lee and Tenten.

    Maki stopped his approach as soon as he heard that. ''So I was right. This kid is from the Hyuga n. That means he can see me with those eyes. Looks like I''ll have to use the ocean as my battleground. Can''t damage the ship.''

    He quickly formed seals and spit out sticky water aimed at the Genin''s feet.

    "Jump!" Neji saw the attacking and shouted.

    Maki smirked as his n worked. Channeling chakra to his sword he swung it in the Genin''s direction. A small blizzard was created and tossed the 4 Leaf ninjas on to the ocean a short distance away from the ship and it cleared the mist.

    All of themnded on the water without any problems and Daichi made sure to reinforce his shadow clone body with chakra to make sure he didn''t get dispelled.

    "What happened? Where did that blizzarde from?" Tenten looked towards the ship and was surprised.

    "It''s the sword. He channeled some of his chakra into it and the next second he was able to create that blizzard." Neji said to his teammates.

    "A sword that can create blizzards? I''ve neve heard of anything like that!" Tenten eximed in shock.

    "I have a feeling that sword can do a lot more than just create snow storms." Daichi spoke to make sure they remained on high alert.

    Maki jumped from the ship and made several seals as hended on the ocean. The second his feet touched the water several tendril of water shot out and attacked the 4 Genin.

    The Leaf ninjas quickly evaded the water style jutsu. Neji and Lee were rushing towards the Mist ninja to engage in closebat while Tenten and clone Daichi stood back to provide support.

    As the two Taijutsu specialists of Team Guy charged towards the enemy, Maki had a devious grin and channeled chakra to his sword. "Ice time."

    The next second the water in front of him started freezing and quickly the ice spread in the direction of Lee and Neji. The eyes of the three Genin widened as they saw the attacking.

    Neji and Lee jumped to the side to avoid the ice attack but Maki didn''t let up. He channeled more chakra to his Frost Sword and sharp ice crystals formed on the surface of the ice tform and it shot towards the two ninjas at high speed.

    A fireball from Daichi''s clone quickly intercepted the long dangerous looking ice shards and reduced them to vapor.

    At that time several shuriken, kunai and paper bombs wereing towards Maki and sessfully hit their target. The paper bombs exploded, consuming the enemy ninja.

    "Got him!" Tentennded a short ways away with a scroll wide opened in her hands. She smirked as she looked at the sess of her attack.

    But her victorious feeling was short-lived when several water bullets shot out of the ocean surface targeting her. Luckily Daichi used chakra strings to pull her out of the way just in time.

    "Don''t let your guard down." Daichi told them and the Genins regrouped. A few meters away the enemy shinobi appeared.

    Maki was impressed with Daichi''s reflexes. "You think you can save them? Think again!"

    He gripped his sword with both hands, focused his chakra into it and swung it as hand as he could. "Ice storm!"

    Daichi''s senses alerted him to the sudden drop in temperature. "Brace yourselves!" A sudden thick snowy storm sted their way and ice crystals slowly started to form on the 4 Genins bodies. The bodies of water around them became frozen solid in a few seconds.

    Neji, Lee and Tenten had a hard time moving their bodies as they tried to shield their faces. The Hyuga had an idea as to what their enemy was trying to aplish. ''He''s trying to reduce our movement so he can kill us with a more lethal attack.''

    Daichi, even though had a few ice crystals forming on him, looked rtively calm but he was cautious. ''I can''t let myself get dispelled. Time to really help these guys and stop holding back.''

    Daichi increased the chakra flow in his body and turned it into fire nature, increasing his body heat. He then created several elemental strings and attached them to his three teammates.

    Channeling Fire Chakra to the strings, Daichi regted their body temperature and their surroundings. Thus the ice crystals forming on their bodies melted and disappeared.

    "Wow, I only feel mildly cold. Daichi you''re awesome." Lee moved his hands and looked at his friend with a grin.

    "Your ninjutsu skills are really impressive. How did you do that? Wait. Did you just use chakra strings?" Tenten asked the boy. She and Lee couldn''t see the chakra strings but knew about them due to their previous mission. But there was one who could see it as clear as day.

    ''To change the properties to such a degree so quickly. His control has gotten better from thest time Hmm He did say ninjutsu was his specialty.'' Neji was reminded yet again why Daichi was the best in their generation.

    "Yes. He used chakra strings and attached them to our bodies. He changed their properties to Fire Nature to increase the temperature around us." Neji said but he didn''t borate anymore.

    "That''s incredible. Just like on thest mission. Except this time you''re protecting us instead of fishes." Tenten said. She knew using Nature chakra was advanced stuff.

    "Its no big deal. And besides, we should focus on that guy. He''s probably going to stop using his jutsu any second now that he can see the snow storm has no effect on us." Daichi remained in guard and looked at the enemy.

    The gamer ninja was right. Maki scowled seeing his jutsu fail. ''Damn it. I thought this would trap them but it looks like there''s one among them who''s a proficient fire user And I used quite a bit of my reserves for that. I need to be more careful.''

    At that moment he saw Daichi disappear and immediately got away using substitution jutsu.

    The next second Daichi appeared near the spot Maki previously stood and narrowed his eyes. The boy used ''Mana scout'' and immediately located the man under water a short distance away.

    Neji also tracked the enemy with his eyes. He and his team prepared to attack but stopped when they saw Daichi making several seals.

    ''Water Style - Tearing Ripples.''

    A powerful water current in the form of a veryrge ripple wave formed underwater and spread from Daichi''s feet. It wasrge and shot in all directions with extraordinary speed.

    Daichi smirked as he looked at the effects of the jutsu. ''A powerful B Rank underwater jutsu. Creates several ripples one after the other and ms into your opponent. I can even adjust the angle when a new ripple is formed and this will make my enemy keep dodging. This will force you to either go up and out of the water or go deeper into the ocean and if you do so then your body will start to feel the water pressure. Stay below too long and you''ll die''

    Maki saw therge powerful wavesing in his direction and knew that moving down would only bring about his end. He quickly used chakra to swim to the top as fast as he could and reached the surface.

    The next second Daichi and team Guy were on him but when their attacksnded, the man turned into a water clone.

    Maki resurfaced several meters away but this time he didn''t have the jovial attitude he had at the beginning.

    "He''s a slippery one. And with that sword it''ll be difficult to bring him down." Lee said, looking at the man.

    Neji was using the Byakugan the whole time and made a deduction. "It might not be as difficult as you think Lee. Whenever he uses that sword, his chakra is consumed at a higher than average rate. If we can force him to use up his chakra or destroy that sword then we can defeat him without much difficulty."

    "Destroying that sword is not an option." Daichi said to them.

    The three Genin of team Guy looked at Daichi and frowned. Seeing their questioning gazes the boy answered. "I want to study that sword. If possible, I want to take it from him and use it to improve my Nature training. So destroying the sword is out of the question."

    Tenten and Lee readily nodded since Lee is Daichi''s friend and Tenten was fascinated with the weapons as well. Neji just frowned but a few secondster he gave a short nod as well.

    "I''ll take that sword away from him and you guys engage in closebat. Tenten, you should take any openings Lee and Neji provide. Everyone ready?"

    The three Genin of Team Guy nodded to Daichi''s n.

    Maki saw the gamer ninja quickly forming seals and then sensed the water moving erratically under him. He dodged several water bullets and was about to counter attack when sharp pain from his wrist showed him the reality.

    His right wrist was broken and his Frost sword was in the hand of one of the Genin. He was furious as he realized that he fell for a Genjutsu attack. "You bastard! You''re going to pay for that."

    He wanted to rush forward towards Daichi but was intercepted by Neji and Lee. The three ninjas began their Taijutsu battle and with his broken wrist Maki couldn''t use his substitution and escape.

    Neji and Lee trained so much together that they attacked their opponent in perfect sync. Maki redirected a kick from Lee with his right forearm while sending a punch with his left fist. Lee jumped back and dodged while Neji rushed and took his ce. His attacks were negated due to the chakra absorbing properties of armor.

    "Your Gentle Fist Taijutsu won''t work on me. My armor absorbs chakra and your deadly techniques are nothing more than love taps to me." Maki said as he took a kunai and attacked the boy.

    Neji evaded nimbly and frowned at the situation. At that moment Lee joined him and sent a powerful punch that stopped Maki in his tracks. He took Lee much more seriously due to the strengthing from the boy.

    He quickly jumped to the side and evaded a shuriken wave from Tenten but was sted in Lee and Neji''s direction by a strong kick from Daichi''s clone.

    "You two can do it. Focus."

    The shout from Daichi drove away the apprehension from Neji and Lee and the two concentrated on the battle.

    Neji and Lee attacked together with Neji ying the supporting role and Lee taking the main frontal attack role. A rarity in their team. Daichi joined from a short distance away and used ''Bnce Disruption'' Genjutsu on the man.

    Maki was sweating as he was fighting the Leaf ninjas. ''Damn it. I have to watch out for the Genjutsu from that brat while these two keep me here. They''re wearing me down. Even with my armor they''re keeping up with me. The Hyuga brat is redirecting and deflecting my attacks against his teammate and giving him openings to take advantage of.''

    Lee was in the zone as he battled his enemy. ''I have to defeat him. I need to fight harder. I need to be stronger.''

    The bowl cut boy put more and more chakra into limbs and increased his speed and strength. Maki struggled with the increased battle powering from the Genin.

    ''Damn it. Where is he getting all this energy? My armor won''t be able to take much more of this.''

    Just as Maki thought this he saw Neji and Lee quickly back away from him. The next second several kunai struck his back and he was covered in explosions.

    During his battle with the two Genins, Maki failed to see Tenten subtly make her way towards his back andunch her weapons. The paper bombs hit their target and engulfed the man.

    All the Genin stood still to see the result and once the smoke cleared they saw the man on his knees bleeding and his Armor broken. He was barely conscious and struggled to stand. "I''m I''m gonna kill.. you... You fucking-"

    That was all he said before his entire body was engulfed in thick ice that erupted from below him. He was frozen solid inside arge chunk of ice.

    Daichi looked at his sword and nodded. "So that''s how it works. Nice."

    He looked at the three Genin and nodded. ''I could have helped Lee and Neji more by restraining him with my chakra strings but that would be like babying them. They won this battle on their own with minimal help from me. That''s a win in my book.''

    Meanwhile Neji looked with his Byakugan and saw that the man''s heart had stopped beating. "It''s over Let''s get to the ship."

    The other Genin looked at the warship and noted that it was getting much closer to the other ships.

    "While we were fighting, they kept moving forward. Come on. We should intercept it before anything happens." Daichi spoke and at that moment something did happen as if fate was listening and decided to intervene.

    "Something''s wrong." Neji used his Byakugan on the ship and quickly said.

    Daichi focused and saw that therge cannon of the ship was gathering energy. His eyes widened as he turned his head and saw the target. Ishido''s ship. The Genin''s were also rmed and quickly ran towards the ship to stop the weapon but it was toote.

    "Tenten!" With a yell, Daichi tossed the Frost sword to Tenten who easily caught it. The next moment he vanished in a puff of smoke to alert the real him.

    BOOM!

    The cannon activated andunched a massive fireball directly at Ishido''s ship. Neji, Lee and Tenten felt dread as they saw the attackunch and looked on helplessly.

    --------------------

    Author''s Note:

    another 3.5k word chap. Hope you enjoyed it.

    Several points to note:

    Daichi was a clone so he was holding back and ying it cautiously.

    He could have used his speed skills to attack and finish the chunin but it was more of a Team Guy battle and Daichi just yed the supporting role.

    Despite being a Chunin, Maki was weak due to old age and letting his skills rust. He wasn''t able to properly battle Neji and Lee due to Daichi''s interference and broken right wrist.

    So with these points in mind I hope you feel that the fight was bnced and fair

    On to other matters. By the time Ipleted the whole battle it was like near 11k words. So I decided to split it. Next chapter will be the conclusion of the battle. An 8k chap.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 221: Battle on the High Seas 05(Final)

    Chapter 221: Battle on the High Seas 05(Final)

    A long 8k word chapter. Take your time and enjoy.

    -

    Therge cannon from the Dark Amphibian fired and the ming ball was fast approaching Ishido''s ship.

    A short while ago.

    As the Genins left the area, Kakashi and Mazui stood opposite each other with killing intent filling the air.

    "I''ve heard of your exploits during the 3rd war and after. You have quite the reputation Kakashi of the Sharingan. But that won''t save you from me." Mazui spoke. He didn''t focus on Kakashi''s Sharingan to not fall prey to a Genjutsu.

    "A lot of people who faced me thought that. But I''m still here." The Leaf Jonin tensed his muscles and got ready.

    "Not for long." The next second the rogue Cloud ninja was in front of Kakashi with a lightning fast punch aimed at the heart.

    The Sharingan ninja blocked and retaliated with a kick which Mazui easily blocked. And thus their Taijutsu battle atop the ocean began. Their movements were both fast, deadly and graceful as they dodged or blocked their enemy''s strikes.

    Kakashi could sense that his opponent had a strong physique. Mazui on the other hand noted Kakashi''s swift reaction time and reflexes.

    The two ninjas were only testing the waters but soon they got serious. The speed behind their blows started increasing and the waves around them slowly became agitated. Mazui quickly took out a kunai and tried to sh Kakashi while the man jumped back and dodged. He threw several shuriken at Mazui but all of them missed their mark as the enemy evaded to the side.

    The two ninjas stood a couple meters apart. They could sense the battle raging between Might Guy and Bozui a short distance away but they were more focused on their own.

    Kakashi made the first move as he speedily threw two kunai with paper bombs attached to them. The two sharp weapons flew towards Mazui who jumped back and just as they were in front of the ninja, Kakashi made a seal.

    BOOM!BOOM!

    The two paper bombs exploded in front of Mazui but the missing ninja didn''t take much damage. Hended on the water safely but the next second a pair of arms emerged from the ocean and immediately dragged him down beneath the waves.

    Kakashi held Mazui in a choke hold underwater and stabbed his spine with his knife. The next moment Mazui turned into Lightning and electrocuted the Leaf Jonin but it turned out to be a water clone.

    A short distance away Kakashi narrowed his eyes at what had just happened. ''He created and substituted with a lightning clone in that split second after the explosion. His skills are certainly no joke. I may have to use that jutsu to end this quickly.''

    He felt a fast iing chakra and immediately moved away from his position. The next moment a powerful blow was struck where Kakashi previously was. The waves were blown away and it took a few seconds for the ocean to calm down.

    Seeing his prey dodge and gain distance, Mazui stood up, looked at the Leaf ninja and smirked.

    Kakashi let out a deep breath of air and spoke. "You deliberately didn''t get away from the paper bombs. You wanted me to take you by surprise so you could get an opening on me."

    Mazui grinned. "It was a simple tactic. I didn''t think it would work on you anyways. So let''s stop wasting time and get serious." Saying those words Mazui made a few seals and the next second chakra exploded from his body and turned into Lightning.

    It wasn''t a full Lightning armor like the Raikage but close. Bolts of electricity arced around his body and Mazui directly looked at Kakashi''s Sharingan.

    The Copycat ninja wasted no time and tried to cast Genjutsu from his special eye but it was no use.

    "You aren''t the first Sharingan user or Genjutsu capable fighter I''ve fought. The lightning chakra running through me makes Genjutsu invalid." Mazui didn''t say anything more and drew a short sword from his back. ''Unlike with the Raikage, my lightning armor has some negative side effects. Experiencing pain for one but I suppose that''s also a plus for me. It can get me out of Genjutsu."

    Mazui focused and heightened his concentration. The next second he disappeared from his spot.

    Kakashi took two kunai and blocked the sword swing that came for his head. Sparks flew in the air as both ninjas exchanged a flurry of fast precise strikes with their des. Each one trying tond a lethal blow on the other.

    Mazui swung his sword aiming for the Leaf Jonin''s neck but it was deflected with a kunai and the next second he raised his leg to block a kick from Kakashi. Mazui jumped back and threw several shuriken at his enemy, all of which the Leaf Jonin deflected with his weapon. The next second he saw his enemy''s swording for his head and raised his kunai to block.

    Mazui, predicting Kakashi''s defense, sent chakra into his de and coated it with lightning. The blue crackle of electricity was heard and the sword came down at blinding speed.

    Kakashi sessfully blocked the chakra coated de and Mazui was surprised that his Lightning sword didn''t cut through the enemy''s kunai. He took a closer look at the two kunai the man was holding and understood. ''He''s using his own Lightning chakra to counter mine.''

    The next second Mazui sent a powerful fast kick at Kakashi''s abdomen.

    "Gha!" The Leaf Jonin was forced back but not beforending a wound on his opponent. At thest moment when the kick wasing Kakashi dragged his Lightning chakra coated kunai across the enemy sword and tried to sh Mazui''s neck. The Cloud Jonin adjusted his body to avoid a lethal blow but a cut still formed on his cheek.

    Mazui and Kakashi stood across from each other and stared at their foe.

    The Leaf Jonin was cautious as he looked at the captain of the diator pirates. ''His lightning style jutsu is simr to the Raikage but it''s not as powerful. He has incredible speed but it''s not armor like or has the power boost like with the Raikage. But he has that chakra absorbing armor and that makes up for his weakness and the lightning moving through his body must be causing him some kind of pain. It must be one of the ways he can get out of Genjutsu. I need tounch a single fast piercing strike to end this. One with enough chakra to break through that armor and oneing that he can''t dodge.''

    Just as Kakashi was analyzing his enemy, so was Mazui. ''His Sharingan is certainly incredible. It''s much more powerful than the ones the Uchiha I''ve fought in the war had. Even with my speed that eye is giving him the advantage of predicting the path of my movements and allowing him to dodge my more lethal attacks. I need to increase my speed or block his vision and then go for a kill strike.''

    At that moment a small boom was heard and both of them looked to see Guynding on the water while they sensed Bozui''s chakra sinking in the ocean. Mazui frowned at that but he knew how strong his brother was. So he knew that the battle was far from over and turned his attention back to Kakashi.

    The battle quickly resumed with Kakashi putting his kunai back in his pouch and quickly making a few seals. ''Fire style - Fireball jutsu.''

    Arge ming sphere quickly made its way to Mazui. Despite itsrge size it was moving with incredible speed.

    Mazui dodged the attack and swiftly made his way to Kakashi. ''You think you can fool me? I won''t fall for that again.''

    The rogue Cloud ninja was expecting the ninja in front of him to be a clone so the real one can take him by surprise. So he was mildly surprised when the Leaf ninja deflected his sword swings and engaged in a Taijutsu battle showing that he wasn''t a clone.

    Kakashi made a few seals and coated his arms in lightning chakra as Mazui was rushing towards him. The Leaf Jonin thrust his hand towards the enemy''s chest but Mazui jumped over Kakashi and dodged the attack. As he jumped over, Mazui himself was making several seals.

    Arge amount of chakra gathered in his arms and when hended on water he charged at the Leaf Jonin. Kakashi turned around to block a punch and counterattacked with a lightning fist of his own. But Mazui caught his wrist and grinned. The next instant the rogue ninja sent his stored chakra into Kakashi in the form of a strong electric current.

    "Arrrggghh" The Leaf Jonin gritted his teeth as the current passed through him.

    "Lightning style - Electric overdose jutsu. It stores chakra in a limb and upon contact with the enemy it''s released in the form of electricity. Paralyzing and also temporarily doubling the weight of the target making it difficult for the victim to move. Considering your strength it''ll onlyst a few seconds but that''s all I need..." Mazui had a blood thirsty grin as he knew he caught the real ninja. Wanting to finish this quickly he swung his sword at the immobilized enemy.

    But before the sword could get close to Kakashi, water erupted around Mazui andpletely covered him. The pirate captain was trapped in a sphere of water.

    ''This is Water prison jutsu But how?''

    The Jonin looked and a couple secondster a water clone Kakashi appeared on top of the waves. The cloud ninja understood what had happened. ''He did make a clone. But he used himself as bait to catch me off guard. This clever bastard.''

    The current running through the real Kakashi dissipated and he slowly took in a few deep breaths of air. He immediately took a small pill that Daichi gave him just for such an asion. The Leaf Jonin felt his chakra increasing and immediately made the needed seals for the chidori.

    Mazui saw the scene and internally frowned. ''He took some sort of pill from his pouch and he regained some of his chakra. That pill must be some kind of special military ration pill. Hmm That boy Daichi must have made it. If he has anymore then I''ll be in trouble. I need to destroy it.''

    As Mazui was making ns lightning gathered in Kakashi''s right palm and the sound of a thousand birds chirping could be heard. "This is the end of the road for you." He spoke in a grave tone as he looked at the man.

    Mazui trapped in the water prison jutsu gritted his teeth in anger. ''No. I can''t die like this. I''ve just gotten my freedom. I want to live.''

    The mad desire to survive made his chakra output to his pseudo lightning armor increase several fold. Kakashi''s water clone didn''t have time to escape as the water prison jutsu exploded and destroyed him, setting the man free. He looked at Kakashi with fury. Mazui felt pain all around his body due to the extremes of his jutsu but he considered it a worthwhile exchange for his life.

    The second Mazui was free Kakashi threw a kunai as fast as he could aimed at the man''s forehead. But it was a miss. Mazui disappeared from his spot and got behind Kakashi and shed down aiming at the man''s spine with his kunai.

    Kakashi tilted his body and barely avoided it with only a tear on the back of his Jonin vest. The copycat ninja jumped forward and gained some distance before turning around to face his enemy.

    He saw Mazui looking at him with a grin. At that moment Kakashi''s eyes fell on the pouch that was in the enemy Jonin''s other hand. ''Damn it. He used the kunai attack as a distraction. He was aiming for that.''

    The rogue Cloud ninja swiftly examined the bag. ''Hmm This thing has defensive seals weaved inside. So only that guy can open it. If anyone else tries it blows up. ssic tricks I''ve seen from elites and ck op nins. Since I can''t take any chakra pills from this I might as well destroy it.''

    Mazui increased the chakra output in his palm and destroyed the pouch along with all its contents. "No more ration pills for you Kakashi."

    Kakashi looked at the scene and mentally congratted himself for having the foresight to put his favorite book on the ship. But he was also annoyed at this turn of events. ''Now I don''t have any of Daichi''s pills so I have to fight him with the chakra I have now. I should only use that jutsu for a kill shot. Otherwise he would be wise to my tactics and it would be even more difficult to finish this.''

    At that moment Mazui rushed towards Kakashi as he went through several seals and spat out arge stream of fire.

    The Leaf ninja quickly countered by using the blockade waves jutsu that Daichi used earlier.

    Fire and water Ninjutsu collided and steam erupted covering the area. Mazui stopped in his tracks and ended the Fire jutsu. He quickly went through a few other seals as well. ''Water style - Hidden Mist jutsu. Thanks to Maki, learning this was a piece of cake. Now your Sharingan won''t be so effective Kakashi.''

    The Copycat ninja knew what the enemy was doing. ''He''s trying to reduce visibility, wear down my mental strength and reduce my chakra with high level ninjutsu Still, this could be used to my advantage.''

    Kakashi made a n and created a couple of shadow clones. They all made seals and the next second blewrge winds in all directions dispersing the Mist.

    At that moment Mazui attacked one of the Kakashis and reduced him to smoke. ''My n is working. I''m going to make you use up your chakra and when you can''t even defend yourself then I''ll finish you.''

    The two ninjas exchanged lethal strikes and Ninjutsu at a fast pace. When Mazui tried to use a fire style jutsu again Kakashi used arge scale lightning jutsu to destroy it. Kakashi coated his kunai with lightning nature chakra and attacked but Mazui blocked it with his own lightning, ending the short sh in a stalemate.

    The two ninjas were breathing harder and harder as the fight went on and soon Kakashi was down on one knee, looking haggard. He looked at his opponent and gathered some of his remaining chakra onto his right palm and activated the Chidori.

    Mazui was standing a few meters away and he wasn''t looking too good either. During the battle the Leaf ninja managed tond a lethal strike on Mazui''s upper right arm rendering it useless for battle. He looked at the ninja on his knee and took in another shaky deep breath of air. ''He doesn''t have much left. This lightning attack will be hisst.''

    Kakashi took a kunai and threw it towards Mazui''s head but the aim was slightly off. The cloud ninja saw it and thought it was due to his miserable state. So the former Cloud Jonin just tilted his head with a condescending smile and let the weapon pass by without touching him. He easily dodged the metal weapon but what he didn''t know was that kunai had a special seal on it.

    "Die!" The rogue Jonin was about to charge forward towards his enemy but the next second he felt something pierce through his back. He looked down and saw a lightning coated arm sticking out of his chest through where his heart was.

    "Gha!" Mazui spat out blood as he looked forward and saw no sign of his enemy.

    ''''Never underestimate your opponents." Kakashi said in a cold tone. He recalled what he said to Daichi at the end of their serious battle. ''When a Shinobi is in a prolonged battle or in a dangerous position, they would just wish for the battle to be over with and thus they would make one or both of two great mistakes. Arrogance and carelessness. Mazui, you made both.''

    Mazui tried to turn around but life soon left his eyes and he fell forward dead as Kakashi took his hand out of the man''s chest.

    The Leaf Jonin didn''t smile or feel smug at his victory. He didn''t enjoy taking a life but he knew that it was sometimes a necessity in their world. He closed his eyes and sent a silent prayer for another enemy fallen by hands.

    "BROTHER! NOOOOO!..."

    An agonizing scream came from Bozui as he saw Mazui fall. Kakashi let out a sigh and turned his attention to the remaining enemy Jonin.

    As Kakashi vs Mazui battle began

    About a hundred meters away another battle was going on between the Taijutsu warriors Might Guy and Bozui.

    "Your Taijutsu seems strong. So I won''t hold back. Might Guy!" Bozui shouted and the next second electric current coated his body. Unlike his brother Mazui, Bozui didn''t hold back and decided to fight seriously from the very start.

    Seeing his opponent battle ready, Guy took his Taijutsu stance and braced himself. "I wouldn''t want it any other way. I''m always up for a good challenge."

    The next second both Jonin disappeared from their position and met mid way with a powerful exchange. The blows hit each other andrge waves were created from their force. The two ninjas were a blur as they battled their enemy.

    While Kakashi and Mazui focused on speed and lethal precise strikes, Bozui and Guy were fighting each other with their Taijutsu style and powerful brute force.

    As they tried to break their opponent''s body down, Bozui suddenly spoke. "You''re strong but reckless. You leave yourself open to attack." As he said this, a palm with lightning coating, went straight towards Guy''s chest.

    Guy side stepped and avoided the piercing thrust. "You''re wrong about that. DYNAMIC ACTION!" He grabbed his opponent and kicked him in the chin before punching him in the gut with great force.

    Despite having armor to reduce the iing physical damage, that blow still knocked the wind out of the rogue ninja. Guy didn''t stop. He spun around and sent Bozui flying with a strong roundhouse kick.

    Bozuinded several meters away. He stood up and spit to the side. There was a small trail of blood flowing from the corner of his lips but the former Cloud Jonin only grinned more. ''He left that opening on purpose. His power and strength are certainly above that of most Jonin I''vee across. This might actually be fun. I haven''t had a challenge in some time.''

    Guy smiled as he looked at the enemy but he was more cautious inside. ''That kick to the chin, power punch to the torso and the final roundhouse kick should have brought him to his knees but he looks just fine. He''s far stronger than I thought. But that armor also yed it''s part by reducing the damage. I''ll need to increase my chakra output and break through it like before.''

    "First blood goes to you Might Guy. But now it''s my turn." Bozui vanished from his spot and the next second Guy raised his hands and blocked the kicking from above. The force of the attack made the arms of the Taijutsu Jonin slightly numb.

    Bozui used Guy''s hand to spring himself up and quickly went through several seals. ''Lightning Style - Needle rain.''

    Bozui looked at the Jonin and pointed his hands towards the man. The next second dozens of lightning needles were created and flew towards Guy from Bozui''s palm. The Leaf Jonin kept moving and dodged the attacksing his way.

    Momentster Bozui canceled the jutsu as hended on the ocean and arge wave sprung up from his position due to the force. He rocketed towards Guy and they began their next bout.

    The two ninjas focused on their opponent''s fast movements and explosive power. Despite their great physical strength they also had great agility as well. Multiple attacks and counter attacks were delivered each second. With their concentrations peaked each ninja was at a stalemate as they battled one another.

    Guy blocked two iing punches aimed at his vitals and held on to his enemy''s arms. He sent a knee aimed at Bozui''s chin but it was blocked by the man''s legs. The rogue Cloud ninja quickly grabbed Guy''s wrist and forced his arms aside as he stepped forward and gave a headbutt to Guy.

    "Ghaa!" Guy reeled back and was forced to let go. His nose was bleeding but that didn''t stop the man from paying attention to the iing attack. A fast kick was aimed at his throat which Guy immediately dodged. He grabbed on to the outstretched leg and spun around taking Bozui off his feet. After a couple of spins Guy tossed him upwards high into the air.

    Wiping the blood off his nose and focusing on his enemy took only less than a second for the Taijutsu master. He bent his legs and took off into the air towards his foe with great force.

    "Rising Leaf Whirlwind!" Guy was right in front of Bozui and sent a powerful kick that sent the rogue ninja higher into the air. Guy continued rising in the air with his enemy. He attacked his opponent with severalbo kicks and punches but Bozui managed to block most of them. His body was capable of taking harsh punishment and could fight much longer.

    Bozui tried to grab Guy''s hand but the Leaf Jonin redirected it with his forearm and got behind the man. Both of them high in the air with Might Guy behind Bozui. Before the pirate ninja could turn and retaliate Guy pulled his arms back and tensed his muscles. The next second he sent a strong double punch towards Bozui''s back. The force shot him towards the sea and hended with a small boom. Secondster, as Bozui sank beneath the waves Guynded atop the water with grace.

    Large sea waves sshed all around as Bozui sank for a few meters. ''That fucking hurt! I''m lucky he didn''t manage to damage my spine.''

    He regained his bearings and quickly rushed towards Guy from underneath the ocean. The Leaf Taijutsu master was prepared and braced himself for the attack. The water surface exploded outwards as Bozui jumped and attacked the ninja.

    His chakra output increased and the power of his pseudo lightning armor increased as well. His speed and strength exceeded Guy and he startednding several blows on the Jonin.

    Might Guy put up a strong defense and avoided lethal blows but in exchange he was forced to take attacks that slowed him down. ''It can''t continue like this. His speed and power has increased by arge margin. I need to open the gates to finish this.''

    Mustering more energy into his body and cells, Guy was able to push back against the rogue ninja. Bozui jumped back and stood on guard. The extreme chakra output was causing him pain but he knew he couldn''t show any weaknesses or he''d lose the battle.

    Guy didn''t waste any time and opened the First Gate.

    ''Gate of Opening - Open.''

    The first gate, Gate Of Opening located in the brain''s left hemisphere, opened, removing Guy''s mental inhibitions. Letting out a deep breath of air he immediately opened the second gate.

    ''Gate of Healing - Open.''

    Veins started to bulge on Guy''s body and be visible. Chakra flooded throughout his body, rapidly re-energizing him and increasing his recovery speed.

    Bozui became cautious as he saw the building veins and muscles. ''Something''s happening. He must be performing some kind of technique to increase his bodily functions. I have to stop him.''

    But before Guy or Bozui could make a move they heard the loud sound of a certain technique. Guy''s eyes widened as he recognized the jutsu sound. He and Bozui both turned to look at the other battle and saw Mazui escaping from the water prison.

    Bozui smirked at that. "He won''t defeat my brother like that."

    Guy smirked hearing that. "My rival Kakashi isn''t someone easy to defeat as well."

    "We''ll see. Now, what do you say we ignore those two and focus on us huh." The lightning coating Bozui''s body increased. His muscles bulged and he got in hisbat stance.

    The smirk on Guy''s face vanished as he took his opponent seriously. ''I need to open the third gate. It''s the only way to finish him. I shouldn''t use the Reverse Lotus unless absolutely necessary. If he can take that and still be able to battle it will be a big problem.''

    ''Gate of Life - Open.''

    Having made his choice, Might Guy opened the third gate located on the spinal cord. His skin turned red with veins bulging all over his body. Guy''s pupils disappeared and his hair stood on end as power radiated from him.

    Bozui narrowed his eyes as he looked at his enemy''s transformation. ''It must be some sort of technique that increases his physical power by several times. But it must have some sort of cost. Otherwise he would have used it much earlier.''

    "Here Ie!" Guy yelled and tensed his legs. The next second the ocean exploded where he stood and Guy disappeared from his spot. Bozui was able to track the man but putting up a solid defense was far more difficult.

    Might Guy appeared on the man''s right side and when Bozui swiped a lightning coated arm at him, Guy''s form disappeared like an afterimage. The next instant the missing nin from the Cloud vige was struck from the other side and was sent flying. He skipped on top of the water but quickly bnced himself in mid air and stopped himself.

    ''His speed and power is incredible. Whatever technique he''s using is no joke.''

    Bozui quickly looked around but couldn''t find his foe. ''Where the hell is he?''

    He got his answer the next instant when a lightning speed kick to the chin came from beneath the ocean surface.

    "Ghaa!" Spit and blood flew from his mouth as his head snapped back. Guy''s attack wasn''t enough to cause a fatal injury but it did disorient the Lightning ninja. The Leaf''s Taijutsu master wasted no time and took advantage of the opening. He relentlessly attacked from multiple sides while being fully aware of his own state.

    Guy narrowed his eyes as he sent another punch to the enemy''s chest. ''I can''t afford to be careless and take myself out of this fight.''

    Bozui was getting angrier by the second as he was attacked from multiple angles. Pushing his chakra to its utmost limits he sent lightning bolts in all directions when he sensed Guying in for another attack.

    The lightning strikended and electrocuted Guy. It only slowed the Jonin down for a second or two but that was enough for Bozui. Pushing himself through the pain he was experiencing he disappeared and reappeared in front of Guy and sent a powerful blow that sent the Leaf Jonin flying backwards.

    "Argh." The kick coupled with the electric current slightly reduced Guy''s agility. He quickly shook off the effects and regained his bearings.

    The two ninjas shed again and again with neither gaining solid advantage over the other. As they fought their bodies were bing wounded and exhaustion was slowly creeping in. At that moment Bozui nced to the other battlefield and saw a sight that made him smile.

    Guy was puzzled at Bozui''s expression and turned his attention to what was happening with his fellow Leaf Jonin. The Taijutsu master was surprised to find his rival on his knee looking utterly exhausted. But he was slightly confused.

    ''I know Kakashi has a problem with his chakra reserves due to the Sharingan but he should havested longer. Even with whatever ninjutsu he''s forced to use, his reserves shouldn''t be depleted so quickly So then This must be a ploy to trick the enemy''

    Guy had battled Kakashi on numerous asions, so he was well aware of his rival''s strength. And momentster his suspicion was proven correct when Kakashi disappeared and stabbed Mazui with the Chidori from behind.

    Guy was silent as he saw Kakashi throw a kunai at his enemy but the next second he was shocked. Kakashi disappeared from his spot and was behind Mazui and thrust his chidori into the man''s back. ''Its over''

    Even though they were enemies Guy too didn''t feel any joy when a life was taken. He then thought about something else. ''How did Kakashi get behind him so quickly? It was almost instantaneous. I couldn''t even follow his movements. I''ll ask him once we get home.''

    Bozui''s eyes widened as he saw his brother fall. He felt the chakra disappearing from his elder brother''s body.

    "BROTHER! NOOOOO!..."

    An agonizing scream came from him before he even realized it. His pseudo lightning armor disappeared as he stood there in shock.

    Guy out of respect for his enemy decided to give him a few moments to mourn the death of his brother. He was feeling the pain of opening the third gate and now with Kakashi soon joining him, Guy knew his odds of victory would increase significantly.

    He let go of the forbidden jutsu and waited for his rival while he quietly recuperated. ''Capturing one of the Lightning Twins alive could give an advantage if we have to make any negotiations with the Land of Cloud.''

    A few tears formed at the corner of Bozui''s eyes as his brother''s body vanished into the depths of the ocean. ''Brother Farewell.''

    Kakashi disappeared from his position and appeared near his friend. ''Its a good thing I marked Guy with a Teleportation jutsu seal.''

    Kakashi and Guy looked at the ninja and a couple secondster Guy spoke. "Surrender. You can''t win this fight."

    Hearing that statement made Bozui''s blood boil. He turned to look at the two ninjas, especially Kakashi with furious anger and vengeance burning in his eyes and immediately the two Leaf ninjas knew what his answer was.

    "You''re going to pay for that. I''m going to make you suffer, Kakashi Hatake." Bozui said through gritted teeth. Lightning exploded around him as he clenched his fists. Blood was dripping down his fingers as his nails dug into his palms but he didn''t seem to notice or care.

    Kakashi narrowed his eyes and looked at the angry shinobi. "You''ve killed your enemies. Taken people''s families away from them. So you shouldn''tin when someone does the same to you. Or did you think you and your brother were special."

    The rogue ninja''s anger skyrocketed as he heard that. Flooding more chakra to boost his speed, he made several seals in seconds as he charged at his enemies. Kakashi and Guy got ready but they couldn''t react to Bozui''s new burst of super speed.

    Bozui got behind the two ninjas and two lightning bolts were fired from his hand.

    ''Lightning Style - Immobilization field.''

    The two lightning bolts came near the two Leaf ninja in a fraction of a second and instead of hitting them, it spread like a dome around them and trapped the two inside. A lightning cocoon with two leaf ninjas as it''s prisoners.

    Kakashi coated his hands with chidori and tried to break through but a lightning bolt from the dome struck and paralyzed him.

    Bozui kept supplying chakra to the jutsu to keep the two ninjas contained. He had wild menacing eyes as he looked at the two. Kakashi and Guy were trapped and had a bad feeling as they looked at their enemy.

    "You''re right Kakashi. But that doesn''t mean I''m not going to take my revenge." Bozui pressed a button on the earpiece he had. "Ready the Destroyer. Target the unknown ship north of your position." He spoke to someone on the other side who was on the bridge of the warship. The eyes of the two Leaf ninjas widened as they understood his mad n.

    "Hey stop! Your battle is with us!" Guy shouted from inside the lightning dome. He tried to directly open the third gate and free himself but the lightning bolts from the dome were striking his body and was taking his concentration away and stopping him frompleting his task.

    Bozui shook his head as he heard that. "You came here to save those inders, so I''ll kill them first. Since they requested your help, you can say that they have a hand in my brother''s death as well. I''m gonna enjoy making you watch as your mission objective fails."

    "We''re ready sir. Target locked." A voice came from the short distance radio transmitter in the pirate ninja''s ear.

    Bozui''s had a mad angry grin as he looked at the two Leaf ninjas. "That cannon was designed to destroy entire ships in one blow. The attack from that weapon can st anything in its path. Let me show you. FIRE!"

    At Bozui''smand Kakashi and Guy turned their attention to the warship and saw the explosioning from the barrel of the cannon.

    BOOM!

    The two Leaf Jonin tried their best to break out of their prison but it was for naught.

    Bozui kept channeling arge amount of his reserves to the lightning jutsu to keep the two Jonin in ce. ''Even if I die here, I''ll make sure this won''t end as a victory for you.''

    Bozui spoke as he saw the fast approach of the ming ball. "Even if you escape from my prison, you won''t be able to stop it. It''s too fast and too strong. Anyone weaker than someone like the Raikage and their body would get destroyed if they stand in its path. And even if someone does stop it, it''ll blow up right in their face, reducing them to small chunks. If someone makes contact with it and puts too much pressure, it''ll blow in seconds. The people on that ship. They''re done for." Bozui told the two ninjas because he wanted to see hope leave their eyes.

    The ocean waves parted to the sides as the ming projectile ball headed to Ishido''s ship with great speed and force. Kakashi looked at the attacking and sweated. ''Shit! If that thing strikes the ship, everyone on it will definitely die.''

    Guy was also regretting his inaction. ''Damn it. I should have taken him down when he was distracted.''

    At that moment Bozui, Kakashi and Guy saw something unexpected and their eyes widened in shock.

    A minute before the Cannon Fire:

    "So he''s still there huh. What are the chances of him being alive?" Daichi asked Onizaki.

    "Very. He''s just like me but more perfected. Even though he''s suffered, I''m certain he''s still alive." The fishman replied in a subdued tone.

    Daichi was keeping a close eye on his vitals as he spoke. He even discreetly attached a chakra string to monitor the body responses and he found the answers given to him as satisfactory.

    At that moment Onizaki looked at Daichi and spoke. "I told you everything I know. Please end this. I just want this to end. No more."

    Daichi''s face slightly softened. He nodded his head to the enemy''s request. "Very well. A deal is a deal. I hope you have better luck in your next life."

    Onizaki closed his eyes and the next second he felt something pierce his heart. He opened his eyes and saw Daichi with a somber expression and a knife in his chest. He didn''t feel much pain and quickly sumbed to the darkness.

    Daichi took a special seal from his inventory and ced it on the deceased Onizaki''s chest. He then ced the body on the water and watched as it slowly sank into the ocean. A few secondster Daichi made a Ram seal and Onizaki''s body started burning even beneath the ocean. An extreme measure that Daichi chose, to make sure his conversation would never be found out by anyone.

    ''So that man is still alive huh. He''s a very valuable piece. No. He''s the key piece. If I have him, if he has what I''m looking for, then I can put my ns in motion much sooner than I anticipated. I need to make contact with him quickly. Preferably before Kakashi or anyone else finds him.''

    At that moment the shadow clone that Daichi had assigned to Team Guy had dispelled and he got the memories. He immediately turned around just in time to see therge cannon on the warship fire. The ming ball headed straight towards Ishido''s ship.

    He turned to Kakashi and Guy and saw that both of them were trapped inside a lightning dome..

    "FUCK!" Daichi couldn''t help but curse out loud seeing the situation.

    Flooding his body with chakra, and using skills that he hadn''t used in a long time, Daichi burst towards the path of the fiery shell.

    Daichi''s hearing was far greater than even ordinary ninjas. So he heard every word Bozui said. In mere moments Daichi came up and discarded several ns that came to his mind. ''Fuck! If I punch that thing, it''ll explode in my face. It can''t be stopped with water style jutsu. At that speed it''ll st right through. And I can''t adjust its trajectory with chakra strings or any wind style jutsu. It''s moving too fast and my strings aren''t powerful enough for something traveling at that speed and generating that much force.''

    Daichi thought of several ways and finally he made a choice. Instead of intercepting and punching the ming shell to bits or using chakra strings to adjust course he decided to do something else. A direct course of action. He increased his speed as much as he could and within a few moments he reached his intended spot.

    ''Observe''

    The gamer ninja used his information gathering skill in the ming metal ball and swiftly confirmed the information he heard. He also checked to see if the cannon had any weaknesses. He dismissed the blue information box and focused his attention back on the fast iing projectile.

    ''Based on its speed, it''ll reach this spot in less than 3 seconds. I need to hold that thing while only making minimal physical contact.''

    Daichi stood in the path of the ming cannonball, spread his arms as if he was preparing to catch it and braced himself. He was standing a little over two hundred meters in front of Ishido''s ship. Chakra flooded his body and he mentally prepared himself.

    Ishido and the people of that ship also looked on with dread but the Genin in front of them gave everyone a small ray of hope. They prayed with every fiber of their being to live through this ordeal and to see their families again.

    But Kakashi had different thoughts. "Daichi, Get out of the way! Save yourself!" The Genin could hear Kakashi and Guy yelling at him to dodge but he didn''t move from his spot as his eyes were locked on to the iing projectile. ''I can''t move. I can''t fail the quest no matter what.''

    Near the warship the Genin of Team Guy also saw the cannon fire beingunched at Ishido''s ship. They were shocked to see their sensei and Kakashi trapped. But what was even more shocking was Daichi rushing towards the path of the shell and standing in its way as if to block it.

    "Daichi!" Lee screamed as he looked at his friend in panic.

    "What is he doing? He''s going to get himself killed!" Tenten was shocked as well.

    Neji gritted his teeth as he looked behind Daichi. ''This is bad. If he gets away then the people of that ship will die. But if he tries to stop it himself, then he''ll die. His body will be blown to bits.''

    Kakashi was doing a simr math in his head. ''Damn it. The death of the people on that ship will be a tragedy. But it''ll be nothingpared to the loss the vige will suffer if Daichi dies here. He''s far too valuable. Even if this mission ends in a failure he can''t die. Damn it. Using that teleportation jutsu took its toll. I can''t use it again till I recover some more chakra I should have saved it in case of an emergency.''

    Bozui was shocked as well, seeing the bravery of the Leaf Genin. The shock soon turned into glee. Heughed seeing the ming cannonball reach Daichi. "Say goodbye to your student Kakashi Hatake!"

    Under the gaze of everyone the fiery cannonball reached the Genin who stood firmly atop the water in the path of the iing danger. Just as the ming ball reached Daichi expertly he caught it with his hands.

    BOOM.

    The force of the cannonball making contact with Daichi created a small shockwave that everyone could see. Wind and Fire spread from the round projectile that was spinning with extraordinary speed and covered Daichi. The force generated by the shell pushed the boy backwards towards Ishido''s ship without any stop in its momentum.

    A second after making contact and being engulfed in fire and wind, everyone saw Daichi being blown backwards and out of the mes as he held the fiery spinning metal sphere.

    Numerous system notifications appeared in Daichi''s peripheral but he didn''t pay them any mind. His focus was entirely on the round metal ming object in his hands.

    Daichi''s arms weren''t badly burned from the fire because just before making contact with the round cannonball, he coated his hands with Water Nature chakra. And the moment the ming shell was inches from his hands he turned the water to sticky syrup nature.

    ''I can''t let this thing slip out of my hands but I also need to make sure my palms aren''t directly touching this thing. This jutsu will help me with that.''

    The Genin was being pushed backwards towards Ishido''s ship. Strong winds blew and the waves were turbulent as Daichi pushed chakra throughout his body to stay afloat and slow down the momentum of the shell.

    Fire covered his upper body from the shell and burned most of his shirt and some of his skin. His ck sunsses cracked and broke under the force of the winds. Daichi kept being pushed backwards due to the power generated by the projectile but with each second that power was waning and Daichi was slowing down. The Genin was keeping a close eye on himself and the distance between Ishido''s ship.

    ''150 meters

    .

    120 meters

    .

    .

    100 meters

    .

    .

    70 meters

    .

    .

    .

    50 meters

    .

    .

    .

    40 meters

    .

    .

    .

    .

    30 meters''

    Daichi focused more chakra on his entire body and soon came to a stop. The gamer ninja stopped 30 meters away from the ship with a ming, spinning cannonball in his hands.

    ''I stopped the momentum but it''s still spinning.''

    At that moment he sensed a chakra change in the interior of the shell and Daichi''s eyes widened. ''Shit that''s fire chakra. This thing''s about to blow.''

    Daichi swiftly changed the sticky nature of his water chakra and blocked the spinning fiery metal ball with one hand. Lightning coated his other hand and the shell. ''I''ll coat both my hand and shell with the same charged prity.''

    The next second Daichi punched the cannonball as fast as he could. It flew to the side far away from anyone with great speed because of the repulsive property due to having the same prity. The cannonball bomb soon disappeared beneath the waves and a secondter a giant explosion rocked the sea.

    BOOM!

    The ocean surface of that region bulged and exploded upwards sending giant waves in every direction.

    Daichi was taking deep breaths of air as he seeded in stopping the weapon. What was left of his burned shirt was torn up and floated in the air due to the strong winds flowing around them. His upper chest had several burn marks but they were non life threatening.

    Every ninja watching the scene had a dumbfounded expression as they saw the boy stand there with a grin on his face.

    "Impossible He stopped it. That That can''t be" Bozui was absolutely stunned as he saw the scene. ''Who the hell is this kid? There''s no way some ordinary Genin No. Even a normal Jonin wouldn''t have been able to stop it like that''

    "Who the hell are you brat!?" Bozui yelled at Daichi.

    The Genin looked at rogue Cloud ninja and the grin vanished from his face. He made his way towards the three Jonin and a short momentter stood a few meters away from Bozui. After several moments of tense silence, Daichi spoke.

    "I''m Daichi Hekima. The one who''s going to stand at the top of this era."

    Before the former Cloud Jonin could even process the words, Daichi was in front of him and with a wind chakra nature coated kunai. Daichi aimed for the man''s neck but had to settle for a sh on his chest.

    Due to using the Immobilization jutsu for so long and pushing his chakra to the extremes, Bozui''s body was slightly paralyzed. He was exhausted, but he was a Jonin for a reason. He was able to avoid a lethal blow by moving backwards but it freed Kakashi and Guy from their prison.

    The two Leaf ninjas had a lot to ask Daichi but they knew that it wasn''t the time.

    "Kakashi sensei, Guy sensei. I believe you two can take it from here?!" Daichi asked as he took in another deep breath of air.

    "We can. You''ve more than done your part. We''ll handle this. Go and rest." Kakashi said with his eyes focused on the enemy Jonin.

    "Yes. You''ve disyed the power of your youthful spirit splendidly. Go to Ishido''s ship and rest. Heal those wounds." Guy spoke as well as he stood next to his rival and best friend.

    Daichi shook his head at that. "I can''t rest. Not yet. I won''t be able to take another attack like that. So it''s best that I join Neji and the others and destroy that ship before they fire that weapon again."

    Guy was about to argue but the determination in Daichi tone stopped him. "Then if you''re able, go! Kakashi and I will join you soon."

    Daichi nodded and left the area while Guy and Kakashi turned their attention to the tired Jonin. The two Jonin weren''t going to pull any punches now.

    -----------------

    Author''s note:

    I wanted toplete the battle in this chapter but I couldn''t. Sorry. To make up for it, this is a near 8k word chap. My biggest chapter so far in this story.

    Navigating through life,pleting my work assignments and writing this chapter when I did It wasn''t easy but I got it done.

    The warship battles and everything regarding the diator Pirates will be resolved in the next chapter

    Anyway now it''s your turn, did you see the events ying out like this? What are your thoughts on the fight scenes and stuff? Did you enjoy it? How was the battle sequence?

    You can post yourments and questions in thement box below. I''ll try to reply But I''ll only be able to do it in a day or two.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 222: Katsura Sadoshi

    Chapter 222: Katsura Sadoshi

    The Forge.

    The Forge was the name of the room in the Dark Amphibian that Katsura Sadoshi worked in. It was constructed so the man could work and create armor and weapons from prying eyes. Katsura was getting updates on the status of his crew from the few people on the ship.

    ''So Mazui is dead huh. Even with my armor. That''s a shame.''

    He remembered the day he joined the Lightning Twins and Maki and became the founding member of the diator Pirates.

    shback.

    Katsura Sadoshi was running through the trees as fast as he could. There were several people chasing after him. The next second Katsura had to dodge several shuriken but one clipped him in the leg making him lose his bnce.

    He crashed to the ground but there were only minor injuries on his body. He looked up and saw 4 people quickly surrounding him. They all had the headband with the stylized kanji for artisans.

    "Don''t do this, Hoki. Just let me go."

    A man with a slim face, brown hair and prominent jawline stepped forward and sneered at Katsura. "That''s not going to happen. You''re a traitor."

    "I''m a traitor only because I wouldn''t go along with your insanity." Katsura stood and red at the man.

    A slender boy with green eyes and blue hair stepped forward. "Is it insane to want to see your vige rise to the top? Is it insane to want the great nations to respect our vige? They attack our vige because they fear the abilities of our weapons. But no more. We won''t tolerate this disrespect any longer."

    "Katsura. You are the best of us. Your craftsmanship is unparalleled. We can forget your foolishness if you join us." A slender kunoichi with fair skin, blue-green cyan hair spoke. She held a hand out to the man in front of her.

    Katsura shook his head "No Kujaku. You''re all going to build weapons using my blueprints to wage war on the great nations. Can''t you see how stupid that is. You won''t win." Katsura yelled at the group.

    "Yes, We will! We will take the power of their tailed beasts first. We''ll begin with Shukaku and use its power to revive our founder. Then he will save us." Thergest of the group spoke. It was a broadly built man with a purple coat.

    "Suiko" Katsura clenched his fist as he looked at the 4. ''It looks like they n to kill me and take my scroll. There''s no way out of this. I can''t beat all of them and they won''t let me take out my weapons from the scroll. Maybe if I surrender I might get the chance to escape again. It''s better than dying here now.''

    Katsura sighed and he relented. "Fine. Have it your way. I''ll help you build the weapons."

    Hoki smiled as he looked at the defeated man. "Do you think we''re idiots? You''re just looking to buy time aren''t you?"

    Katsura''s eyes widened as he heard. He looked at the malicious intenting from the four and came to a startling realization. "You all never intended to let me live did you?"

    Ninja wire flew from Kujaku''s hands and she quickly restrained Katsura.

    "You''ve shown that you''re not truly loyal to the vige. So you''ll have to die." A kunai appeared in Hoki''s hand and he rushed forward towards Katsura.

    In one timeline, Katsura was killed by the four. They would take his scroll and build the weapons needed to revive their founder. In this timeline however

    Several shuriken came from shadows and struck Hoki''s vitals instantly killing him. From the shadows came two ninjas with a shed cloud vige headband.

    "Now what do we have here" Mazui said with a grin.

    shback End.

    ''The twins saved me from Hoki and his team and I became a weapons creator for them It was a far better deal at the moment.''

    "Sir, we have enemies on board the ship." A voice came from the radio in his ear piece.

    Katsura took his sword and waited for his opponent.

    -

    Daichi looked at the notifications piled up on the corner of his vision. He looked ahead and saw that Neji, Lee and Tenten were in the process of destroying therge cannon.

    ''So they went after the cannon first huh. Good.''

    He created a shadow clone and had it join the other Genins while he healed himself and slowly made his way over to the warship. Daichi looked at the notifications and smiled as another skill reached level 100.

    [-73 HP]

    [-80 HP]

    [Skill Physical Endurance''s level has risen by one.]

    .

    [Congrattions. You have sessfully trained a skill to its highest level.]

    [500 Exp.]

    [75 Exp.]

    .

    [-44 HP]

    [Skill Chakra Enhancement''s level has risen by one.]

    [-37 HP]

    [Skill Chakra Flow''s level has risen by one.]

    [Negative Status - First degree burns]

    [Skill Light Steps'' level has risen by one.]

    ''Not bad. Not bad at all.''

    His hands glowed green as he brought them to his chest. The healing chakra soothed the small lingering pain and healed the minor burns on his chest. He looked ahead and saw the other Genins taking down the crew and going inside.

    ''Time to put my n to work. I need to find the weapons maker before they do. But with Neji''s eyes it won''t be long before they get to him. I can''t let that happen.''

    Having made a decision, Daichi disappeared from his spot and a few momentster reached the ship.

    Meanwhile with Team Guy and clone Daichi.

    "HIYAA!"

    BOOM BOOM BOOM

    Lee sent a powerful kick towards the barrel of the cannon while Tenten hurled several kunai with paper bombs tied to the base of therge weapons. Their attacks wrecked the ''Destroyer Cannon'' while Neji took down the crew that wasing for them. His gentle fist made swift work of the enemies that stood in his path.

    At that moment Daichi''s shadow clone quickly joined them.

    "Daichi! That was so cool. I can''t believe you stopped such an attack on your own like that." Lee said as he gave his friend a big grin and thumbs up.

    "Yeah. We thought for sure you were a goner when you stood in its way. I can''t believe you''re so strong." Tenten spoke as shended near him.

    Daichi smiled at the twopliments and replied. "I''ve been training and increasing my muscle strength thesest several years. So I knew I would be able to take that attack head on. But only one. If you guys hadn''t destroyed the cannon and if it had fired again we would have been screwed."

    Neji finished his opponents and came near them. "You''re a clone, right. Why didn''t youe here yourself?" He asked Daichi.

    The gamer ninja raised an eyebrow at that. "I might look fine, but I did take some serious damage from tanking that attack. My real self is healing himself while he sent me to finish this. We need to sink this ship and everything on it. He''lle as soon as he''s done healing his wounds."

    Neji nodded at that answer and the four Leaf Genins made their way inside the ship.

    "We need to find the navigation room first. Stop this vessel before it goes any further." Daichi spoke.

    Neji used his Byakugan and quickly found the control center of the ship. They made their way there and quickly took down any crew member that attacked them.

    Tenten gave a sad sigh as she handed Daichi the Frost sword. She didn''t meet the required conditions to use the sword and it made her a little sad.

    Daichi on the other hand was able to connect with the Frost sword. He channeled some of his chakra and ced the tip of the sword on the floor. The next second the entire room except for the 4 Genins was frozen solid. A cold wind blew through the air that sent shivers up the Genin''s spines.

    "Wow. This thing is almost on the same level as one of the seven swords of the Mist." Daichi said as he used the weapon.

    "Where did these pirates even get a sword like this from? And how did they make that cannon?"

    "Those are good questions, Tenten. We should search the ship." Lee made a suggestion but Neji disagreed.

    "No need." Neji was using his Byakugan and was silent for several seconds. "It seems the real Daichi is here and he''s on the floor below. He''s fighting someone with a sword that can emit fire." The shock and surprise in his words are evident to everyone.

    The next moment Neji''s eyes widened. "We need to get out of here right now. Daichi defeated the enemy but the fire has spread to the engine room. This ship will soon blow."

    The Genin quickly exited the way they came and jumped off the warship. They saw the real Daichi escaping the ship and making his way towards them. The small group ran a short distance away from the ship and watched it explode and then slowly sink.

    "What happened in there?" Tenten asked the gamer ninja.

    "I found the person who created the weapons. But he was unwilling to surrender peacefully. He attacked me with a Fire sword and after everything that''s happened, I had little patience for people aiming their weapons at me."

    Daichi didn''t borate anymore as he crossed his arms and looked at the burning ship. He thought about his encounter with the man who created powerful weapons.

    Several Minutes ago.

    Daichi made his way to the Forge. He got the location from Onizaki and quickly made his way after he entered the ship. He created a thick mist with his chakra to make sure the conversation in there remains private from Neji''s eyes. ''The Byakugan will be able to see through the Mist but it won''t be able to clearly read lips, if Neji is even able to do that right now. A precaution just in case.''

    He punched through the door and saw a man with sharp jawline, red eyes, and long brte hair waiting for him with a red sword in his hand.

    Daichi immediately used ''observe'' on the man and noted down the details.

    ''He''s definitely the cksmith I''m looking for... So this guy was a former Chunin from the Vige of Artisans. Makes sense. He was saved by Mazui and Bozui and then joined them. That''s another shift in the timeline. He was the one who created the cannon for the ship. His cksmithing talent is incredible.''

    Daichi paid attention to one specific information shown in his ''Observe''.

    ''His ultimate goal is to create tools that surpass the seven swords of the Mist.

    Daichi used ''Observe'' on the red sword in his hand next.

    [Phoenix de] [Unique Item: Rank B]

    [The Phoenix de is a Unique ranked item that was created by Katsura Sadoshi, a master weapons creator from the vige of Artisans. This sword is capable of emitting and freely manipting vast amounts of fire and can burn whatever is in its path. This de only uses a fraction of the chakra required to activate it. Its ultimate attack is a Fire Style jutsu that appears in the form of a phoenix. This jutsu can incinerate anything in its path.

    Note: Only those with inborn Fire chakra nature affinity can use this sword. Once damaged or destroyed, it cannot be repaired.]

    "I take it Maki is dead?! You wouldn''t have gotten inside this ship otherwise." Katsura spoke.

    "Yes. That Frost sword he had That''s quite something. I doubt there are many people in the world who could make something like that."

    The cksmith had a smirk as he heard the praise. "There aren''t. I''m the only one capable of building that."

    Daichi nodded and turned serious. "What''s your goal? I want to hear your greatest desire."

    Katsura was taken aback by the question. "And why would you want to know that?" He narrowed his eyes and looked at the Genin readying his sword to attack.

    "What if I told you that you could have funding and a workshop to create more weapons You''ll be free to make whatever you like. Would you do it?" Daichi asked the man.

    The man was surprised to hear that offer. He looked at the Genin and spoke. "I have no interest in building weapons for the Leaf."

    Daichi shook his head. "I wasn''t talking about the Leaf vige I''ll let you in on a little secret. The lightning twins aren''t the only ones with a rebellious attitude."

    Katsura''s eyes narrowed as he looked at the Genin. "What''s your name?"

    "Daichi Hekima."

    Katsura remembered the information he had about the Genin. ''He''s the one who found the treasure. So he would definitely have some capital to fund my projects.''

    After thinking for a few moments the cksmith made a decision. "I want to build weapons and tools that surpass the might of the seven swords of the Mist vige."

    Daichi smirked and nodded his head. "I can help you with that goal. But you need to trust me."

    "What do you want me to do?"

    "Use that weapon on the surroundings. Destroy this room. I can''t have anyone else find your weapon blueprints."

    The man looked into Daichi''s eyes and decided to take a leap of faith. ''If I refuse, I''ll die or be taken prisoner. None of the two options appeal to me. But if I join him then maybe I''ll be able to survive and aplish my goal.''

    Katsura nodded to Daichi''s suggestion and channeled his chakra to the sword. He pointed the Phoenix de towards the blueprints he created. Every blueprint he created was stored in his memory. So destroying the physical copies won''t be a problem for him.

    The Fire from the sword destroyed the room and it blew the Mist away. The fire also struck part of the engine room and destroyed several machines.

    "Now what?" The Chunin asked Daichi.

    "Now I''m going to kill you."

    "What?" The cksmith was shocked when he heard that.

    "I need you to trust me on this." Daichi said, making a few seals.

    Katsura panicked and pointed his sword at the boy. He sent one of the strongest fire jutsu at the Genin but Daichi dodged and sent arge fireball at Katsura''s back. It struck and killed the man instantly.

    Chakra strings came to life from Daichi''s hand and he took the Phoenix de and something else from the dead man. He sealed the two items in separate scrolls and put them in his inventory.

    Seeing the ship bing unstable, Daichi decided to make his exit. ''My ns will only work if I can get the information I need''

    Present time.

    Daichi was brought out of his thoughts when Kakashi and Guynded next to the team.

    They didn''t have any injuries on them save for a few minor wounds. "Any serious injuries?" Daichi asked them just in case.

    "No. Just tired. Since the ship is destroyed along with everyone on it, we don''t have anything else to do. Let''s get out of here." Kakashi said as he looked at the burning sinking wreckage.

    The two Leaf teams made their way to their ships and set course for Mother Ind. It took several hours and the two teams didn''t face any unexpected enemies. An hour after sunrise the two ships made shore and the people aboard the ship finally set foot on their homnds after several weeks.

    The inders seeing the shipsing were already making their way to the shore. They were surprised to see the Leaf ninjas aboard and their family members unharmeding towards them.

    An elder of the ind came near the two Leaf shinobi teams and bowed his head. "Thank you for saving them. But what about those pirates? Will theye and attack us?"

    "Don''t worry my good sir! We took care of those pirate scum. They won''t harm your citizens again. You have nothing to fear." Guy said, giving the man a thumbs up.

    The elder''s eyes widened with tears of joy. "Thank you foring all this way and saving us."

    "Well, you did call for our help. We can''t just ignore a mission." Guy said as his team smiled at the people who were waving at them.

    The elder had a frown as he heard that. "Mission? What do you mean? We never requested any official help!"

    Guy and Kakashi were surprised to hear that. "You didn''t ask the Leaf vige for a C Rank mission to take care of the pirates?" Kakashi carefully asked the old man.

    "No. The captain told us that if we contacted anyone for help they would kill the hostages. We thought that if we did as they told us then they would let our family go free. So we never requested anyone''s help. At least I don''t think the people on this ind did. And I heard that they took arge sum from the people of the other inds so they couldn''t call for help either."

    At that moment Kakashi turned to Ishido. "You''re not the one who requested our help are you?"

    The man shook his head as he looked at the ninja. "No. I just took a gamble when I saw you guys. I don''t have the money to hire anyone."

    "This is strange indeed." Kakashi rubbed his chin and thought about the situation. ''So someone definitely wanted those pirates dead. Or the lightning twins dead specifically Hmm I''ll inform Lord Hokage when we get back to the vige.''

    Soon the vigers thanked the Leaf ninjas and left for their homes. As the two teams were getting ready to leave and head home, Daichi spoke.

    "Sensei, I found some interesting information that I think you should know."

    "And what''s that?"

    "I think I know where Orochimaru''sb is. Or at least one of them."

    Kakashi and Guy''s eyes widened as they heard that sentence.

    "What!?"

    -

    Somewhere far away.

    "Are you sure the Leaf Ninjas could handle the Twins sir?" A man on one knee asked his master.

    "Yes. And even if they couldn''t and they die, the leaf will send more ninjas to investigate. They will send stronger ninjas and soon the Lightning Twins and their crew will perish." A man in a suit replied as he looked at the sunrise from his mansion.

    "They are Jonins from the cloud vige. I doubt they would have any trouble with a Genin team."

    "It doesn''t matter if they''re strong. I wasn''t going to pay for a mission above C Rank. I''m not going to waste any more money than I absolutely needed to. This way if the team dies in this mission, the Leaf will be forced to send stronger ninjas to take care of the problem."

    "It''s a brilliant move sir."

    "Of course it is. Those damn diator Pirates shouldn''t have attacked my ships and stolen my merchandise." The man in the suit clenched his fist in slight anger as he spoke. But that anger soon faded. "They will pay for their arrogance, if they haven''t already."

    "You are truly a cunning man, Lord Gato."

    Gato, the founder of Gato shippingpany, stood on his balcony as he looked at the sunrise with a malicious smirk.

    -----------------

    Author''s Note.

    ''Gasp'' Gato? No way!

    How many of you saw this twisting? Next chapter is exploring the hiddenb and Daichi making his move

    Now for those of you wondering what Daichi looks like.

    He looks simr to the adult self of Momonosuke kozuki from One piece. Just His face and hairstyle. Not his attitude. He has a lean muscr body. Long somewhat spiky dark brown hair. Wears ck punk futuristic sunsses. Has a ck scarf with two ends. Hmm the best way to describe its shape would be to say it''s like the scarf Kai from Beyde wears in g revolution. The scarf is ck. He has a dark purple jacket with silver line designs and long ck pants. He has a chainmail mesh undershirt.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 223: Demon Island Laboratory

    Chapter 223: Demon Ind Laboratory

    [shback.]

    Daichi kept a close eye on Onizaki and saw his enemy''s shoulders slightly slump and his resistance fading.

    "What do you want to know?" Onizaki asked the Leaf Genin.

    The Genin uncrossed his arms and began with his questioning. "You got captured by Orochimaru and were experimented on, right? My first question is, was there anyone else besides Orochimaru?"

    Hearing that question, Onizaki hesitated for a moment. Then he looked at Daichi and made a choice. ''I''m going to die anyway. Might as well tell him. This kid doesn''t look like he''s interested in making allies with them. So if he''s looking to cause trouble for those two bastards then I have no problems.''

    "I only met one other person that worked for Orochimaru. His name is Amachi. He''s a scientist just like that snake. They kidnapped people from the Land of Sea and anyone else from around the area and experimented on them. I was originally from the Land of Rain."

    Daichi thought about what he had just learned. ''If that guy is still alive then I have a chance.''

    The Leaf Genin immediately created a shadow clone and it disappeared beneath the waves. ''It''s several hours of journey from here. My clone needs to get to demon ind and by then I''ll have all the info I need.''

    "The Lab Orochimaru was using. Where is it? And how do I get inside?"

    "It''s on demon ind. There are two entrances to theb." Onizaki replied and told Daichi how to get inside the building.

    ''Just as I thought.'' Daichi merely nodded his head. "Did anyonee to meet Orochimaru? Do you know any other allies of Orochimaru or Amachi? Or the location of any otherbs or hideout?"

    Onizaki shook his head. "If anyone else came then I don''t know. I was in my container for most of the time there. I didn''t see anyone else and I don''t know any other hideout orbs I''m telling the truth."

    "I believe you." Daichi nodded. ''I knew it. They wouldn''t be careless and let someone like this guy get his hands on any sensitive data.''

    "Are there any other survivors other than you?" Daichi asked.

    Onizaki shook his head negatively. "No. Everyone else died. I was the only test subject that survived." The man clenched his fists as he thought about what had happened.

    "Are you absolutely sure? Is there the possibility that someone else could have survived?"

    "No. I checked the whole ce after I got free. I didn''t find anyone else alive." Daichi narrowed his eyes at that. He was keeping a close eye on the man''s vitals.

    ''He''s not lying. So that means Isaribi is dead. Or escaped without him knowing. But that possibility is low. Still, I need to check it out. This is another ripple and change in the canon. Now to find out about the weapons and Armor they''re using.''

    "The diator Pirates helped you get free. That much is obvious. What I want to know is who created the Armor you guys are using?"

    Onizaki was silent and gritted his teeth as he heard that. He had no problems giving out information on Orochimaru but the diator Pirates were a different thing.

    Daichi, seeing the man''s struggle, spoke. "If you think I have any intentions of hurting the inventor of that armor you''re wrong. It''s the opposite. I''m interested in his talents and want him to work for me in secret. So I''ll ask again. Who made the Armor and where is he?"

    ''It''s not like not telling this kid would stop him from going after that man.'' The half fish half man sighed and after a few moments of internal struggle replied. "His name is Katsura Sadoshi. He is one of the founding members of the diator Pirates. He''s a cksmith and he''s very good at what he does. He has made several weapons that are almost on par with the Seven swords of the Mist vige. He''s currently on the ship. In a room called the Forge. It''s his workshop."

    "Where is this forge located?"

    "It''s below deck. In a reinforced room near the engine." The man told Daichi the fastest route to the location.

    ''He''ll be an excellent asset if I can get him to work for me. But I doubt I could sneak him out of this chaotic situation with so many eyes here Hmm I need toe up with a n. Hmm That might work. But I need ess to that jutsu.'' The boy decided to proceed with his interrogation as he knew time was of the essence.

    "Alright, back to Amachi. How did Mazui and Bozui help you get away from Amachi? Where is he?"

    "One day almost 5 months ago when Amachi was in the middle of his experiments the Lightning twins found the hidden building and broke into theb. Amachi tried to reason with them but they disagreed and fought with him. Sometimeter I was freed and seeing my ability to breath and easily move underwater they asked me to join them. I had nowhere else to go so I took them on their offer."

    "And Amachi? Is he alive or did the lightning twins kill him?" Daichi knew his ns hinged on the man being alive.

    "He''s alive. After learning who Amachi was and who he worked for, Mazui decided not to kill him. He thought the man could be used as a bargaining chip. So he injured the man but made sure to leave him alive. He''s imprisoned in a room in theb."

    Daichi let out a breath of relief hearing that news. ''So he''s still alive huh. Hmm.. But this happened almost 5 months ago? I don''t know if these guys keep regr tabs on the man or not but I need to get to him fast.''

    "So he''s still there huh. What are the chances of him being alive?" Daichi asked Onizaki.

    "Very. He''s just like me but more perfected. Even though he''s suffered, I''m certain he''s still alive." The fishman replied in a subdued tone. "I told you everything I know. Please end this. I just want this to end. No more."

    Daichi''s face slightly softened. He nodded his head and took a kunai. "Very well. A deal is a deal. I hope you have better luck in your next life."

    Daichi killed the man and quickly disposed of the body. ''So that man is still alive huh. He''s a very valuable piece. No. He''s the key piece. If I have him, if he has what I''m looking for, then I can put my ns in motion much sooner than I anticipated. I need to make contact with him quickly. Preferably before Kakashi or anyone else finds him.''

    [shback End.]

    [Daichi''s Shadow Clone.]

    The solid clone made sure to go unnoticed by the Jonins fighting on the sea. He traveled for several hours and finally made his way to the Demon ind. By then the clone had received all the memories and information from the other clones. ''I need to find Amachi as soon as possible. The battle is over and Kakashi and Guy will reach Mother Ind soon.''

    Daichi took out a pill and quickly ate it and then made several seals. ''I need to mask my scent. I can''t let Kakashi know that I was here. I have to make my presence on this ind as little as possible.''

    Once the effects of the pill and jutsu started, Daichinded on the ind. He created a few more clones and had it scout the ind. All of them made sure to leave no trace of their footprints or their presence.

    He was looking for thendmarks that Onizaki described. Daichi used Mana Scout to make sure there weren''t any unexpected people on the ind.

    ''When I create shadow clones my Chakra will keep splitting in half but Mana on the other hand No matter how many clones are made, they all have 70% of the Mana of their creator. That''s a nice advantage to have.''

    The clones searched the area and soon found a cave. It was the entrance to theb. Daichi and the clones went inside the cave one by one and were careful of the traps. Soon they came in front of a steel door. ''I need to open this without disturbing much of the surroundings.''

    After finding that the door was unlocked, he carefully opened it a third of the way and got inside. Onizaki gave aprehensiveyout of theb and the Leaf Genin and his clones spread out to look for anything of value.

    One of them went directly to where Onizaki said Amachi was being kept. He soon reached the spot and sensed a weak life force behind the door. Daichi put on a mask to conceal his face and took a ck robe to cover himself. ''No such thing as being too careful.''

    Once his preparation was done he quickly opened it and saw Amachi on the ground struggling to breathe.

    "You''re still alive. Good. A lot more resilient than the average person." Daichi spoke as he looked at the chained up man.

    "W-who"

    "Who I am is of no concern. Just know that I''m here to help you." With those words, Daichi used his medical ninjutsu to heal some injuries and boost the man''s strength a bit more. ''I have no choice but to heal some of his wounds and give him some strength. He can''t answer my questions like this.''

    Daichi healed the man just enough for him to sit up and speak without much difficulty.

    Amachi looked at the man who healed him. "Who are you?" He was well aware that the man hadn''t fully healed him or freed him from his chains.

    "Someone who can help you get out of here. But for that I''m going to need something."

    "What do you want?" Amachi slightly narrowed his eyes and carefully asked.

    "I know you worked with Orochimaru on several asions. What I want to know is the name of his associates, and the location of hisbs."

    Amachi was a cautious man. He didn''t trust the man to keep his word but he knew that at the moment he was powerless. "And what do I get in return?"

    "Your freedom and a newb." The mysterious masked ninja replied.

    Amachi snorted after hearing that answer. "You''re lying. You''re going to kill me aren''t you?"

    The masked ninja tilted his head as he looked at the man. "What makes you say that?"

    "Because I''ve worked with Orochimaru. So I know a liar when I see one. After I tell you what you want you''ll just kill me. You must be working for one of the major hidden viges aren''t you?."

    "You''re wrong about that You see, I used to be one of Orochimaru''s assistants in one of thebs situated north of here. But he left me behind to die when Leaf ninjas raided the base a couple months ago. So now I''m here looking for allies to help with some of my research and if possible get revenge on Orochimaru." The masked ninja spoke. His voice contained anger, resentment and resolution. Enough to convince most people of the authenticity of the story.

    But Amachi was not like most people. He was still cautious. ''Is it true or is he making it up? Does he truly know Orochimaru?''

    "I don''t believe you. And even if I did, I wouldn''t help you. Orochimaru is helping me with my research on creating hybrids. He-"

    "He gave up on it." The masked ninja interrupted the man. "The Human Fish Hybrid project no longer interests him. Now he''s focused on getting the Sharingan."

    Amachi''s eyes widened as he heard that. "What did you say?" ''How does he know about the Sharingan?''

    "Yes it''s true. Orochimaru has found a new obsession. The Uchiha n''s Kekkei Genkai. He ns on taking Sasuke Uchiha''s body next year."

    Amachi was shocked to hear that information. ''This guy. He knows about Lord Orochimaru''s interest in the Sharingan and his target. And he even knows about the secret body transfer jutsu?''

    Amachi remembered a conversation he had with Orochimaru almost a year ago.

    "So you''re giving up on Itachi, my Lord?"

    "Yes. For the moment, Itachi will get to live. And since he''s part of the Akatsuki, If I attack him, then it will bring unwanted headaches for me."

    "But my Lord, what about the Sharingan? You were conducting all those experiments"

    "Yes. I haven''t given up on it. Itachi might be out of my reach but his brother Sasuke Uchiha is not. He''ll be a fine recement. Kukuku" The Snake Sannin turned to Amachi. "Do keep our conversation to yourself Amachi."

    Amachi quickly bowed and replied. "Of course my Lord. Not a single soul will know this from my mouth."

    "Kukuku Yes. You''re such a loyal servant"

    Amachi came out of his memories and looked at the masked ninja in a new light. ''Only people close to him would know these things So this guy definitely did work for Orochimaru. If that''s the case then I made a mistake and he might be telling the truth after all.''

    At that moment the masked ninja spoke again. "I''ll free you and help you set up a newb. But first I need information on Orochimaru''sbs. And you should make your choice quickly. Because there are Leaf ninjas on Mother ind. They will be here soon. So we don''t have much time."

    "The Leaf ninjas? Why are they here?"

    "Why else? To take down the Lightning twins. And when they do, they''ll probably find this ce. So like I said, make your choice quickly."

    Amachi was silent for several moments. ''Orochimaru may be a powerful ninja but he is also an arrogant prick. I don''t need his help. I canplete this project on my own.''

    He made his choice and spoke. "Get me out of these chains and we''ll talk."

    The masked ninja shook his head. "Yeaaah I''m not doing that! After Orochimaru betrayed me it''s a lot harder for me to trust someone. Especially someone who worked for him. You tell me the information I want and only then will I set you free."

    "And how do I know that you''ll help me if I give you the information?"

    "You don''t. But we''re on the same boat. He left us to die and he won''te to save us. So we have to do it ourselves. I need allies and ones I can trust. But I won''t take that first step." The masked ninja sat on a nearby rock and looked nonchnt as he answered. ''Man I should have joined the theater in myst life. I''m really good at this. My acting skills are a lot better than I thought.''

    Amachi gritted his teeth in anger and silently looked at the man for several minutes. After seeing that the masked ninja was not going to make the first move, Amachi relented. After 5 months of captivity he was mentally and physically tired and just wanted to get his freedom. "Fine. I''ll tell you."

    "Excellent." At that moment several green chakra strings came and attached to Amachi''s body.

    "These strings will read your vitals far better than any machine. So I will know if you''re lying or not. If you lie even once then I will know your allegiance lies with Orochimaru and I will kill you here. If you tell me the truth, I''ll heal your wounds and set you free. Are we clear?"

    Amachi nodded to the demands. "To begin, Orochimaru has powerful bodyguards. They''re called-"

    "The sound four. Yes!. I know about them and I have some info on them. They''re not my interest."

    Amachi looked at the man and spoke. "Then what specifically are you looking for?"

    "His right hand man Kabuto Yakushi and hisbs. The location of his forbidden jutsus andb is the most important!"

    Amachi was silent for a few moments and then spoke. "I''ve only met Kabuto a couple times. He''s a spy currently in the hidden Leaf. He''s a talented medic ninja and his skills are on par with a Jonin. Lord Orochimaru created a base of operations for him but I don''t know where it is. That''s all I know about him."

    The masked ninja nodded. "Tell me about Orochimaru''s other bases."

    "I only know of 2 locations. Even though I worked for him, I wasn''t privy to more information. The first is a series of hideouts in the Land of Sound. It''s his main hideout and it''s where he keeps the most important and secretive jutsu. The sound four and several others are also present in the base at all times to guard it. Then there''s the northern hideout. I don''t know much about that except it''s where Orochimaru developed his curse seal."

    The masked ninja crossed his arms and nodded. "Tell me about the main base. How to get in, its precise location, the traps, the guards and protocols for intruders."

    Amachi began exining everything he knew about the base and its operations. Since he valued his freedom more, he didn''t lie or hold back anything.

    Several minutester Daichi had a far greater understanding of the situation and he had the beginnings of a n. ''I need to raid that base. But only when Orochimaru is not around and my absence and infiltration can''t be known to anyone, especially anyone in the Leaf.''

    "That''s everything I know." Amachi spoke and looked at the masked ninja.

    "One more thing. When I worked for that snake, he told me about this ce and a hybrid test subject called Isaribi. Is she still alive? If so, where is she?" The masked ninja asked the scientist. ''I need to have information on all variables. Can''t leave anything to chance.''

    "That girl is dead. Shortly before the Lightning Twin''s attack, I was conducting an experiment on her to improve her abilities even more. It was based on another test subject. A former ninja from the Rain vige."

    The masked ninja was silent and kept nodding his head. Amachi continued. "She didn''t survive the procedure and died shortly after. A few dayster those sted Twins invaded the base and attacked me There. I told you what you wanted to know. Now free me."

    "Thank you. And as agreed. I''ll heal your wounds and then I''ll give you your freedom." The masked ninja got closer to Amachi and his hands glowed green. The next second the former subordinate of the snake Sannin felt his wounds heal and his energy increasing.

    ''Yes. Finally, It seems I''ll have my freedom.'' Hope finally bloomed in his heart and just as a smile formed on his face he felt a sharp paining from his chest. The next second he struggled to breath and was gasping for air. "W- what Did.. you?" Gasp.!

    "Did you know, one of the most awful things a person could do is to give hope to someone who''s hit rock bottom and then take it away?... I lied. I never worked for Orochimaru or even met him. And I never had any intention of letting you live." The cold tone in the mysterious ninja sent shivers down Amachi''s spine.

    "T-then.. why?"

    "Why did I say all those things? Two reasons. First, I needed information and you looked like the kind of guy who wouldn''t give up any info without getting anything substantial in return. I had a feeling you would do almost anything for your freedom Second, I wanted you to understand what suffering is. After torturing and experimenting on innocent people for so long and treating them like disposal materials, did you think you would have a good ending?"

    "Y-you" Amachi tried to take one more deep breath but failed. And momentster his life left his body.

    Daichi took off the mask and then broke the chains holding the man. He took out a special scroll and sealed the body inside. ''If I had used a knife and spilled any blood then Kakashi would have picked up on it. I need them to invade this base but I don''t want them to find his body."

    Once Daichi sealed the scroll he stored it in his inventory along with the mask and robe. His other clones were making copies of any information worth their value in various parts of theb. ''I can''t take the items. The leaf will be suspicious. But I can certainly make copies. And I need to make sure to erase this guy''s scent as well.''

    The shadow clones dispelled one by one and soon he was thest on left. ''There isn''t much of anything useful. This base mainly had medical ninjutsu techniques and information on hybrid tests. Medical techniques that I have ess to and experiments that I have no interest in. And there''s no information on other bases or anything else. So aside from Amachi, this was a waste of my time. Still, now I have a key piece of information. I need to find the right time and act on it. But before that I need to train and increase my stealth skills. Time to let the original know.''

    The clone dispelled after making sure there were no traces of his or his clone''s invasion of theb.

    The real Daichi was with Kakashi, Guy and the others making sure everyone was safely reunited with their families. Daichi was making sure to keep a tight grip on his chakra to make sure no one sensed the chakra fluctuations in his body. As the chakra of the clone returned to him he smiled inwardly.

    ''It seems everything is going ording to n. Time to let the others know.''

    Since their work was done the ninjas were getting ready to leave. But at that moment Daichi looked at Kakashi and spoke.

    "Sensei, I found some interesting information that I think you should know."

    "And what''s that?"

    "I think I know where Orochimaru''sb is. Or at least one of them."

    The moment the two Jonin heard this their eyes widened in shock.

    "What!?"

    Kakashi turned to his student and was serious. "Daichi, how do you know this? Where did you get this information?"

    "The half fish half man I was fighting at the beginning. He was one of Orochimaru''s test subjects. Let''s just say I had a little chat with him during our fight. He wanted revenge on Orochimaru for turning him into a half fish monster. So he gave me information on theb. There isn''t anyone in theboratory right now. At least that''s what he said so I figured we should check it out."

    "Kakashi, what should we do? This isn''t something we can just ignore." Guy asked his friend in a serious tone.

    The Sharingan ninja was silent for a few moments and nodded his head. "Daichi, did he tell you where theb is?"

    "Yeah. It''s on Demon Ind."

    Kakashi quickly thought about the pros and cons of his next move and made a decision. "Then we''re going to Demon ind. I doubt Orochimaru is there right now, so this is the best time to strike. We can raid theb and if we''re lucky we''ll be able to find more information on his other hideouts. But we should be on guard in case there is someone guarding theb."

    Daichi and Team Guy nodded their heads in agreement with the Jonin.

    ----------------

    Author''s Note:

    A 4.k chapter. Enjoy. I''m trying out a new thing. write a longer word count chapter but there will be a break of 2 or sometimes(very rarely) 3 days break in between. Tell me your thoughts on that and about the chapter

    In DBZA King Kai''s words:

    "The whole n ising together!"

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 224: Abandoned Lab & Hidden Agendas

    Chapter 224: Abandoned Lab & Hidden Agendas

    As they made the decision, Daichi looked at the questpletion notifications that appeared when he escorted the inders back home.

    [Quest ''Back up Team Guy'' Completed]

    .

    [Rewards]

    [50000 Exp.]

    [7500 Exp.]

    [Weapon Blueprints are in your inventory.]

    [Reputation increases with Leaf Ninjas and citizens of the Land of Sea.]

    .

    [You have leveled up.]

    ''Good. Level 55 and it''s already halfway there. I need to train in the dungeon and increase my power when I get home Hmm Weapon blueprints? Since they''re in my inventory I''ll check them out after I get home.''

    Just as the Leaf ninjas were about to take off a viger came near them.

    "Excuse me. I couldn''t help but overhear that you''re all going to the Demon ind."

    "Yes. There is something we want to investigate on that Ind." Kakashi replied but didn''t borate further.

    "Please don''t. If you go to that Ind, you''ll be taken away by the demon as well. I don''t want to see our saviors disappearing at the hands of the demon." The viger pleaded with the ninjas.

    While Daichi knew what the man was talking about, others were confused.

    "Demon?" Tenten and Lee looked at each other but neither of them had heard anything about the demon.

    Kakashi slightly narrowed his eyes but quickly put a disarming smile on his face. "Can you tell us more about this demon?"

    Guy was silent and he didn''t interrupt his friend. The man knew the more information they had, the better.

    The viger was silent for a few seconds and he then told them about the legend of the mysterious demon that haunted demon ind.

    "This is a story that''s been passed down for generations by fishermen. The Legend of demon ind. At the beginning the waters of demon ind were rich in fish but the hidden reefs made it dangerous for boats. Most people were weary and stayed away from that ind. Around 10 years ago the fish in the ocean started disappearing. But there were fish near the demon ind. So in order to make a living many people went near that Ind. But they all went missing. Since then there have been many disappearances around that ind. Even the ones who were sent to search for the missing were gone. All of them disappeared without a trace."

    "Wait! They all just disappeared?"

    The viger nodded at Tenten.

    "But how can that be? What could have happened to those people?" Lee crossed his arms and thought about the story but he didn''t have an answer.

    But Kakashi and Might Guy, hearing the story about the demon and the disappearance of people, nced at each other. They had an idea as to what may have happened.

    Neji noticed the silentmunication between the two Jonin. He looked at Daichi and saw that the boy wasn''t surprised about the whole thing as well. ''They all know something.''

    "Now no one will go to that Ind for fear of being taken away by the demon. So please, I beg of you. Do not go."

    Kakashi gave the viger a gentle smile. "It seems we have no choice. We''re not going into that ind. It''s better to stay safe and be cautious."

    The viger smiled hearing that. "Thank you."

    "We''ll be going back home then. Everybody. Time to go." At Kakashi''s orders all the ninjas got on the boat and the vigers left for their homes.

    "We''re not really going back just yet are we Kakashi?" Guy asked the man with a knowing smile.

    "No. We need to investigate that ind but I didn''t want those people to worry and spread the news." The Sharingan ninja replied.

    "You think this is his doing?" Guy turned serious and asked his rival.

    "Yeah. This is definitely his style of approach." Kakashi nodded his head.

    "Um, what are you talking about Guy sensei?" Lee asked his teacher.

    "They know who''s behind the abduction of those people." Neji suddenly spoke. He then turned his attention to Daichi. "You also know what''s going on don''t you?"

    Daichi sighed as he looked at the Hyuga genin. "I do. That viger said these disappearances started 10 years ago. So it''s probably Orochimaru."

    "Who is Orochimaru?" Lee asked.

    It was Kakashi that answered. "Orochimaru is a former ninja of the Leaf vige. He is a very dangerous individual who fled the vige aftermitting several crimes."

    "Wow This Orochimaru person sounds like bad news." Tenten eximed.

    Daichi snorted at that. "That''s an understatement."

    Guy turned to Daichi and asked a question that''s been on his mind. "Daichi, you trained under Lady Tsunade. How much did she tell you about that man?"

    "Enough for me to know to give that guy a wide berth if he''s in the area." Seeing the questioning look of the other Genins, Daichi borated. "Orochimaru, Tsunade Senju and Jiraiya. The former members of Team seven and Lord Hokage''s students. They are known as the Legendary Sannin. Orochimaru was considered a genius. His talent, insight and determination were praised by the Third Hokage. During the second world war they were the only team to battle Hanzo the Smander and lived to tell the tale. From what Tsunade sensei has told me, Orochimaru was sent to the battlefield quite often during the third world war, right sensei?" Daichi looked at his teacher.

    Kakashi nodded his head. "Yes. He was a very efficient and effective ninja on the battlefields of the third war. In fact his performance was so great he was considered as a candidate for the position of Fourth Hokage along with my sensei Minato Namikaze."

    "But then what happened? Why did he be a rogue ninja?" Lee asked.

    "Because Orochimaru only wanted the title of Hokage to further his goals. Lord Hokage saw the evil in his student and despite his efforts Orochimaru strayed to the dark path. After my sensei became the Fourth Hokage, he went into seclusion and people rarely saw him."

    Daichi took over and continued. "After that Orochimaru started conducting illegal experiments. Human experimentation, immoral research, kidnapping Leaf citizens, all sorts of things that would make your skin crawl. The Hokage found out about it and Orochimaru had to flee the vige. Right now he''s one of the most dangerous missing ninjas in the world."

    The three Genins of Team Guy were rmed to learn that there was someone so dangerous out there. Neji quickly remembered something. "Wait! You said the man you fought before was one of Orochimaru''s test subjects. So if thisb at Demon ind belongs to Orochimaru and he conducts human experiments then does that mean"

    Daichi nodded his head. "If you''re thinking he''s the one behind the disappearances of the people around the ind, then yeah. Most probably."

    "Daichi is right. It''s far too much of a coincidence that his Lab is here and we encounter stories of people going missing." Kakashi spoke. "Our mission is to investigate theb, take anything of value and then destroy theb. If it is Orochimaru''sboratory then we need to make sure he can''t use it again."

    Guy looked at Daichi and spoke. "Daichi, do you know the entrance to theb? What did that man say to you? What information did he give?"

    The Genin nodded. "From what Onizaki told me, he was a former ninja of the Rain vige and was captured by Orochimaru for human experimentation. Orochimaru was trying to create a Human Fish Hybrid ninja who could breathe and fight effectively underwater."

    The other ninjas nodded in understanding. "That exins his fish-like appearance."

    Daichi continued. "He told me that Orochimaru left the experiments in the hands of his assistant and left the ind more than a year ago. And several monthster the lightning twins broke in and killed everyone except him. For saving his life, Onizaki joined their crew and has been with them since."

    "Did he give you any information on the assistant?" Kakashi asked.

    Daichi shook his head. "Just the name Amachi. But he told me that the man was killed during the Twin''s attack."

    "Did he give you a way into theb?"

    "Yeah. There are two entrances. One underwater and one above through a cave. The traps have been disabled. At least that''s what he told me." Daichi said.

    "We''re nearing the Ind." Tenten said as she looked ahead and saw Demon ind.

    Daichi used ''Observe'' skill on the ind as he got close. At that moment along with information he already knew there was something else that he got.

    [You have found a Key Dungeon. Retrieving the key to the dungeon Key to this dungeon has been ced in the inventory.]

    Daichi immediately took a look in his inventory and saw a new dungeon key. ''I''ll check this out after I get home.''

    "Neji, use your Byakugan and find us a clear path. We don''t want to get the boat damaged."

    Neji nodded to his sensei''s orders. With his help the ninjas were able to steer the boat without hitting any reefs and safely made it to the ind. Once they madend, they secured the boat and began to move towards the location in Daichi''s description.

    It wasn''t long before they came upon a small cave. Neji used his Byakugan and saw the steps leading to a steel door.

    "This way. The traps are indeed disabled." Neji spoke.

    "Let''s go. Guy and I will take the lead. Daichi, you''ll be in the rear. Be on your guard everyone." Kakashi spoke and they all cautiously went inside. The two teams slowly made their way to the door and Kakashi slowly opened and entered. Guy followed and soon the other Genins were inside as well.

    They saw severalrge tanks filled with green nutritional fluid with dead creatures inside.

    "I think I''m going to puke." Tenten said as she looked at the body of a mangled creature inside one tank.

    "How horrible! How could someone do something like this?" Lee had a slightly scared face and even Neji looked grim at the scene they saw.

    Guy had a solemn expression as he looked at his Genins. "I''m sorry you have to encounter something like this so early my students but this is part of the shinobi life. An ugly cruel part that we need to deal with."

    Kakashi gave a sad sigh as looked around the room. ''Sometimes I forget they''re still only kids with a simple view of the world. I guess I''ve been around Daichi for so long that I didn''t see other Genins as just kids starting out.''

    "Daichi and I will check the lower floors." Kakashi said.

    "I will stay here and see if there''s anything else. My team will sweep the area." Guy said. "Lee, Tenten, Neji. I need you three to do a quick search around the ind. We need to make sure there isn''t anything hidden outside this hiddenir. Once your search ispleted, return here."

    "Yes sensei." The three genin nodded and went outside while Guy, Kakashi and Daichi searched inside theb. They meticulously searched through the area, made notes and Kakashi took some pictures. The two Jonins sealed any documents they came across and looked through every cell. After a couple hours they were done with the investigation and the two teams ced paper bombs all over the indb.

    They made their way to the boat and once they were a few hundred meters away from the ind, Kakashi made a seal.

    BOOOMM!

    A giant explosion took ce but since most of theb was underground there wasn''t much smoke or fire.

    "Let''s head home, Team! Our work here is done." Guy gave an enthusiastic cheer as they made their way to the maind. They reached the port in Tea country after several hours and made their way to the Leaf vige.

    Before long they were home.

    Same time - Near Fire Country.

    Two ninjas wearing ck cloaks with red clouds were on their way to a certain location. They were walking through a small road with arge forest on both sides.

    One was a tall tan skinned man with green irides and red sclerae. He had a ck mask and a grey hood to cover his hair. The Hidden Waterfall vige forehead protector with a scratch in the middle was also visible on his head.

    "Aarrgh! We should be going after someone here. I don''t want to get on a boat for who knows how long with you!"

    "Be quiet! The two we''re after have a big chunk of bounty on their heads. Andst I heard they''re near the Land of Sea operating as pirates. So they would also have others operating under them with bounties on their heads."

    "All you care about is money. Can''t you think of anything else?"

    "Hmph! Money is all that matters. Money runs the world. Unlike your ridiculous religion, money actually matters."

    "What did you say you sphemous heathen? How dare you mock my religion!" The second member of the Akatsuki was enraged hearing his partner''s words. The man was wearing the Akatsuki cloak, had medium length grey hair that was slicked back and distinctive purple eyes. The most noticeable feature was the red Triple ded Scythe he had on his back.

    The first man stopped and looked at his partner. "So what if I mock your religion? What are you going to do about it, Hidan?"

    "Kakuzu, you bloody bastard! I''ll kill you, you non believing son of bitch!" Hidan with lightning quick speed took his scythe and shed at Kakuzu.

    The former ninja of the Hidden waterfall vige merely raised his hand and blocked the de with just his forearm.

    "I''m going to shut you up Hidan!" The next second he sent a punch aimed at Hidan''s throat. But the man quickly raised his left arm and deflected the punch. "You''ll need to do better than that Kakuzu." The next second he jumped back with his weapons ready to attack.

    Both the Akatsuki stood a few meters apart and looked as if they were ready to battle. But at that moment someone else entered the scene. A nt-like creature appeared with a half ck and half white face.

    "Are you two trying to get the attention of the patrolling ninjas?" A gruff voice came from ck Zetsu.

    "Aww. But I wanted to see them fight." The White Zetsu whined.

    "Zetsu? This is nothing you need to concern yourself with. I was just teaching my idiot partner what was really important in this world." Kakuzu said in a nonchnt tone.

    "Hey, who are you calling an idiot, you greedy bastard!" Hidan yelled at his partner.

    Kakuzu didn''t pay any attention to him and turned to Zetsu. "We''re on our way to the Land of Sea to take out the Lightning Twins and cash in their bounty. So we''ll be busy for a few days."

    "Yes about that" ck Zetsu began and Kakuzu narrowed his eyes.

    "You''rete. Someone beat you to it." White Zetsu said in a sing-song voice.

    "What?" Kakuzu forgot his aggression with Hidan and focused his attention on the spy of the Akatsuki organization.

    "Yes. It was two teams from the Leaf Vige. They were on a mission to take down the diator Pirates and rescue the people taken from Mother Ind. The Lightning Twins and their entire crew are dead. I just learned of this a few minutes ago." ck Zetsu replied.

    "Arrrgh!" Kakuzu clenched his fist and let out an irritated growl. "Who were the ones who fought the twins?"

    "Hmm Based on the intel, it was Kakashi Hatake and Might Guy along with their students." White Zetsu spoke.

    Kakuzu was silent for a few moments hearing that info.

    "Kakashi Hatake? Where have I heard that name before?" Hidan mumbled as he tried to ce the familiar name.

    "He''s the one responsible for finding the hidden treasure of the Phantom Thief." Kakuzu replied in an angry, irritated tone.

    Hidan nodded his head in realization. "Oh yeah! I remember now. You were really bent out of shape after you heard that news. Didn''t he have a genius student or something?" He asked.

    "Yes. Daichi Hekima. That boy is also a student of Tsunade Senju the Sannin." ck Zetsu replied.

    "Really? Then I think he would make a great sacrifice for Lord Jashin." Hidan licked his lips and ced his de on his back. "Hey, Kakuzu. What do you say we head to the Leaf and stir up some trouble huh."

    "No. Right now we need to keep a low profile. And Pain has new orders for you two." ck Zetsu. "There''s another target with arge bounty in the Land of Stone. You two are to track him down and finish him. There''s also another mission you need to carry out. The details are in here." Zetsu tossed Kakuzu a scroll.

    "Fine. I''m not happy but missions are absolute after all. Let''s go, Hidan."

    "Hey, don''t tell me what to do Kakuzu!"

    Kakuzu nodded at ck Zetsu and two Akatsuki members headed in the direction of the Stone Country.

    As the two ninjas walked away White Zetsu spoke to his counterpart. "Do you think that boy Daichi Hekima will be a problem? He''s the one who ruined the ns we had for the Fire Capital after all."

    ck Zetsu was silent as he recalled the day he informed Pain of the failure of Jedayu.

    shback.

    Zetsu was watching thepound where Jedayu was. They were hidden and kept a safe distance from the ninjas patrolling the area. The two Zetsus watched as Daichi, Genma, Yondu and The Third Minister went into Jedayu''s home. Several minutester there was an explosion but the four were unharmed.

    ''So Jedayu died huh I didn''t think they would get to him Looks like the n will be a failure.'' ck Zetsu narrowed his eyes and looked at the four.

    "Want to go to the hospital to see if Daichi can save his life?" White Zetsu asked him.

    "Hmm Sure. I''m curious to see the result as well. If Leorio is saved then we''ll have to abandon our ns." ck Zetsu replied and the two disappeared. They soon reached the hospital and after waiting for a few hours they heard news of Leorio.

    "Looks like Daichi was able to save him. He''s certainly a skilled medic." White Zetsu said.

    "Yes. It seems even Sasori''s special poison was unable to stop him. Let''s get out of here."

    With those words the spy disappeared and made their way to the Land of Rain. They quickly went to meet the Leader of the Akatsuki.

    "The n to raise tensions between the Fire country and Stone country is a failure." ck Zetsu informed Pain.

    A man with orange hair and several small metal rods embedded on his face turned to Zetsu. "What happened? I thought they couldn''t trace anything to that merchant Jedayu?"

    "I don''t know how they did it, but they were able to find out about Jedayu and they got to him. Even more, that Genin Daichi Hekima was able to save Leorio''s life. So our n to use a high level individual near the Stone Daimyo as a scapegoat for the attack is also a failure." ck Zetsu replied.

    Pain was silent as he listened to the report. "Hmm We could have created tension between the two nations and used the opportunity to create a few small conflicts and used that situation to raise our capital. But it doesn''t matter. These ns were only made due to the opportunity that arose from the situation with that merchant Jedayu and his need for revenge. They are not of that much importance. There are still other priorities we need to consider."

    "Should we try it ourselves?" White Zetsu asked.

    Pain shook his head. "No. The reason I allowed Sasori to create that poison is because Jedayu was the one who was going to use it on the Minister''s family. And if his ns fail only he would have been exposed. Sasori joining our organization is still secret information. So we''re insted and we should stay that way. Now the Fire Daimyo will be far more on guard and so will his people. We should focus on the other matters first."

    "Understood Lord Pain." Hearing the Leader''s decision, Zetsu disappeared back into the ground.

    shback End.

    ck Zetsu spoke. "As I recall, the Third Minister requested Daichi''s aid specifically and this time it was Might Guy who was originally sent on the mission to eradicate the pirates. He must have called Kakashi Hatake for backup. And I doubt it was the boy who took down the rogue Jonins. Might Guy and Kakashi are powerful. They must have fought the twins while their Genin students dealt with the rest. The incidents are just coincidences. I don''t think Daichi will be a threat to our ns. But still, it''s best we keep an eye on him once in a while."

    "Right." The nt-like creature soon disappeared beneath the ground headed to an unknown location.

    Hokage Tower.

    Team Guy and Team Kakashi were giving a detailed oral report on their missions. The two Jonin and the four Genin gave their version of events with the Jonins cing the evidence taken from theb on Hokage''s desk. Almost half an hour passed and Hiruzen rubbed the bridge of his nose.

    "So we''re not sure who requested our help for the mission. And their objectives remain unknown. But that''s only a small concernpared to the rest. To think you woulde across the Lightning Twins. Guy, you made the right judgment calling for Kakashi as backup. And Daichi, you found one of Orochimaru''sbs. That''s valuable information for us. Overall, well done. All of you."

    "Thank you Lord Hokage."

    "Did you recover anything from the warship?" The old kage asked the Genins.

    "No Lord Hokage. The entire ship was on fire. We didn''t have much time."

    Hiruzen rubbed his chin and nodded his head.

    "I wish we could have gotten the blueprints for that cannon. That would have been cool to build here." Tenten said with a sigh.

    Hiruzen chuckled when he heard that. "While that weapon you described indeed sounds impressive there are several ws present as well."

    Tenten and Lee were confused at that. "What do you mean Lord Hokage?"

    "For one, even if we build it here, it would be inefficient because we wouldn''t be able to hit enemy targets. The enemy shinobi will be too fast and they''ll be able to dodge the attack. And if a few enemy ninjas get past the guards they could destroy the whole machine and make it useless. I think the lightning twins also knew this and perhaps that might have been one of the reasons that they created the weapon on a ship."

    "That makes sense." Daichi spoke. "Their warship is mobile and that keeps the weapon safe and out of enemy hands under most circumstances. And with that cannon they could take out other ships because ships can''t move fast enough to evade. And with two Jonins and others protecting the warship a cannon would be an excellent weapon."

    "Exactly. Now, while you may not have gotten the cannon you defeated one of the most dangerous pirates on the ocean. You can be proud of that."

    Lee, and Tenten had a big smile and even Neji smirked hearing thepliment from the kage.

    Hiruzen turned to Kakashi. "Kakashi, take the scrolls to the intelligence department. They might be able to get something. The rest of you, I want a detailed report by tomorrow."

    "Yes sir."

    "Lee, Tenten and Neji. You three are dismissed. Take the next week off to rest and rx."

    Guy''s students bowed and left the office leaving him, Kakashi and his student.

    Hiruzen then turned to Daichi. "You have a sword that can create Ice? May I see it?"

    Daichi nodded and took the sword from a storage scroll. ''I knew he would ask to see it. So predictable.''

    Daichi gave the sword to the old Kage and the man stood from his chair. He walked a couple feet to the side and channeled his chakra to the sword. And ced the tip on the floor.

    Small Ice started gathering where the sword was ced and there was a small drop in temperature in the room.

    Hiruzen looked at the sword in wonder. "Fascinating. This reminds me of the Thunder sword of Lord second. It had a simr ability but instead of ice it created thunder."

    The old kage gave the sword to Daichi. "The man who created this sword and the special Armor? He''s dead?"

    "Yes sir. He didn''t leave me much of a choice." Daichi replied with a serious tone.

    "I understand. What are you nning on doing with that sword?" The kage asked.

    "I want to study it. I feel that this sword will help me take my proficiency in Water chakra nature to its highest level."

    "You''re nning on replicating its effects aren''t you?" Hiruzen was amazed that Daichi had reached such a proficiency in Water Nature in such a short amount of time.

    "Yes sir. I''m going to be focused on some intense training for some time. That''s why, I would like to ask for a few weeks of leave." Daichi slightly bowed and asked the Hokage.

    Hiruzen nodded with a smile. "Very well. I''m curious to see the results as well. Take the next month off and train. I''m looking forward to seeing if you can actually replicate the Kekkei Genkai ability. If you need any help I''m sure you can find Kakashi."

    "Yes sir." The Genin and Jonin nodded.

    "You''re dismissed. And Daichi, well done on the mission." Hiruzen said with a gentle smile.

    Daichi smiled and nodded. "Thank you sir." With that he left the tower.

    Hiruzen then looked at Kakashi and Guy. "If what you''re describing is urate then Daichi''s physical strength and chakra control is far greater than I ever expected. Tsunade certainly didn''t hold back when it came to teaching him."

    "Yes. Even I was scared when he took that attack from the cannon head on. But it seems he''s able to replicate Lady Tsunade''s techniques in conjunction with his own jutsus and safely take the attack head on."

    "But chakra control alone wouldn''t have been enough to aplish what he did. Unless I''m mistaken his physical strength is on par with a Jonin. And even then, his muscles and bones would no doubt be far stronger than the average shinobi." Guy gave his observation as well.

    Hiruzen nodded his head. "I think you''re right, Guy."

    The old kage then turned his attention to Kakashi. "It seems you''re still not that capable in using that jutsu."

    "That jutsu requires a certain intuition and skill to master. I''m afraid I don''t know if I can learn it like sensei did." Kakashi said, rubbing his hair.

    "Understanding the seal and theponents is important. But the Jutsu form is just a small part of it. It is a space time ninjutsu after all and a difficult one at that. It will take more than a few months to master it. Take this time to improve your skill with it."

    "Yes sir."

    "Dismissed, both of you."

    With that Kakashi and Guy left the office leaving Hiruzen to his thoughts.

    --------------

    Author''s Note.

    A 4.6k Word chap. Enjoy.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 225: Dungeon Training/ Dark Plans

    Chapter 225: Dungeon Training/ Dark ns

    "So you encountered the Lightning Twins huh. I don''t know if you''re lucky or unlucky to face those kinds of enemies so soon." Kensei sat,id back in a chair in the backyard of his house.

    "They were definitely strong but Kakashi sensei and Guy sensei handled them. We took care of the others. Even found Orochimaru''s base as a bonus." Daichi replied as he fed the fish in the small pond.

    Kensei sighed when he heard that piece of news. ''Orochimaru will definitelye to know of the attack on his base. And he won''t be happy. It seems Daichi might have to face him sooner rather thanter. If that happens I just hope Kakashi is strong enough to defend the boy when the timees.''

    Kensei thought about the ns the Hokage had in ce. ''Hiruzen will deal with his student while I fight with Danzo. Hiruzen said I''d have help but he never mentioned just who Whoever it is, I''ll have to be ready.''

    Kensei decided to move to a different topic. "You said you had some special training in mind and that''s why you took a month break from missions. So what do you have in mind?"

    At that Daichi stood from his spot and turned to look at his grandfather. "I''m going tobine Rasengaan''s change in chakra form with change in chakra nature."

    The old man''s eyes widened as he listened. ''I knew he would attempt to do it but so soon?''

    "So you''re going tobine the Rasengan with an element huh? Which one? Is it Water or Earth?" The old veteran ninja asked his grandson.

    Daichi gave the man a smile and replied after a couple seconds of silence. "All of them."

    "What?" Kensei did a double take and thought he might have misheard Daichi? "What do you mean by all of them?" ''Surely he isn''t going to do what I think he''s going to do.''

    Daichi was silent as he heard the doubt in his grandfather''s voice. He had been thinking about the situation for a while and he hade to a conclusion. ''I''m strong but I don''t have any sure kill techniques. I have several powerful jutsu but ninjas on the level of Orochimaru would never die to those. I need a few ace moves up my sleeves. Ones lethal enough to kill S Rank ninjas. And toplete the Rasengan, learning the third step of Change in chakra Nature isn''t necessary. With the current proficiency I have in the 5 Chakra Natures I canplete the Rasengan.''

    Daichi looked at his old man and spoke. "I''ve been meditating on this for some time. And I have an idea as to what the finished product of the Rasengan jutsu added to all 5 chakra natures would look like. I just need time to create it."

    "Do you think you canplete all that in just 1 month?" The shock in Kensei''s voice was obvious. Seeing the boy''s face he already had his answer. ''Of course he would think that. Who am I kidding? Just when I thought I couldn''t be surprised he pulls another stunt like this. And what''s more, he already has an idea as to what thepleted Rasengan would be like? His intuition and talent in Ninjutsu is unlike anything I''ve ever seen''

    Kensei sighed and replied. "I''m not going to discourage you. If you think you canplete it in a month then I believe you. Do you need any help from me?"

    Daichi smiled and shook his head. "This training It''s something I need to do alone. But after that there are a few I would need your advice on, gramps."

    The old man sighed and rested in his chair as he looked at his grandson. "Whenever you need me I''ll be here."

    "I know." The two watched in silence as the sun slowly set and night fell.

    -

    It was midnight. The gamer ninja was in his room looking at the Dungeon Key he got in the Land of the Sea. The dungeon key was yellow in color.

    ''A yellow Dungeon Key huh. So that means my opponents will be 5 to 15 levels higher than me.''

    ''Observe''

    [Dungeon - Demon Ind Battlefield.]

    [This is an ind dungeon created based on Demon Ind and its creatures but there are several differences. This dungeon is muchrger and the enemies are much stronger than their counterparts. The enemy ninjas created for this dungeon are based on the creatures made in the Laboratory. There are other dangers in and around the dungeon as well.]

    As Daichi looked over the information a thought suddenly appeared in his mind that made him freeze. ''Wait a minute. Orochimaru worked here for some time. Will I have to fight his counterpart here?''

    Daichi looked at the key and read the details his ''Observe'' showed. ''This Dungeon key is only a yellow one. And Orochimaru is definitely above level 100. So I don''t think he''ll be here. Still, I need to be careful.''

    ''Status''

    [Name : Daichi Hekima] (The Gamer)

    [ss : Genin - ID 012559.]

    [Age : 12]

    [Title : Capable Child, Explorer, Prodigy, Beast yer, Dungeon Warrior, Executioner, Assassin, Mighty Healer, Slug Sannin''s Apprentice, Master of the Elements, A Genius of the Continent.]

    [Level : 55 (49567/80950)]

    .

    HP : 27169

    CP : 86522.4

    SP : 24732

    MP: 13095

    .

    [Primary Stats]

    Strength - 302

    Vitality - 301

    Dexterity - 235

    Agility - 302

    Intelligence - 220

    Chakra - 500

    Wisdom - 215

    .

    [Special Stats]

    Sense - 137

    Stamina - 247

    Indomitable - 43

    Charisma - 65

    Persistence - 40

    Dignity - 14

    Luck - 15

    .

    [Stat Points - 468]

    [Ryo - 30597588]

    ''There hasn''t been a significant increase. I''ll use this dungeon to level up and create the Completed Rasengans. Since no time passes here this dungeon is perfect.''

    Daichi thought about all the times he entered a Key dungeon. ''Most of the time the dungeons were too strong for me to stay and train effectively. And when I found a rtively normal one, I didn''t because I didn''t want to seem too different. If I had spent months training in them, my body would have gotten older, my chakra much stronger and reserves muchrger. But since only seconds would pass in the real world, Kensei or anyone with keen senses would be able to spot the difference. And that would have brought me trouble. And using transformation jutsu isn''t ideal. Still, even with that, I was able to get strong quickly. Now, only S Rank ninjas and above pose a threat to me.''

    Daichi took the key and activated it. The next second he was transported to a new location. Daichi''s feet touched the ground with a ssh. The hallway Daichinded in was covered in moss and w marks of several shapes and sizes. The most important thing was the water that came up to Daichi''s knee.

    ''Well, this is new. Must be because this dungeon is in the middle of the sea.''

    The boy moved forward and soon stood in front of the doors. He inserted the yellow key and the notification Daichi was expecting appeared.

    [You have reached the entrance to the dungeon - Demon Ind Battlefield. ]

    [Would you like to enter?] [Y/N]

    ''Yes. Let''s get it on.''

    The key rotated and the doors opened. And so Daichi took his first step into the Demon ind dungeon.

    -

    Somewhere Near the Leaf Vige.

    It was midnight and Mizuki was making his way to a certain location. He had a smirk on his face as he thought about the ns he set in motion.

    ''Everything is going much smoother than I expected. Well, this is still the beginning stage. I need their help as well for my ns to work.''

    He remembered the night of October 10. The conversation he had with Kirai.

    shback.

    "Do you really have a n to get rid of that beast?" Kirai ced a hand on Mizuki''s shoulder and almost pleaded.

    "I do. But I will need your help." Mizuki had a gentle smile on his face as he nodded and replied to the desperate man.

    "Whatever you need to get rid of that monster." Kirai was eager to help but he in his inebriated state he didn''t see the evil lurking in Mizuki''s eyes.

    "Alright. Here''s the n." With that Mizuki set the first stage of his ns in motion. "You''re the Guard at the Leaf Maximum security prison right?"

    "Yeah?" Kirai was confused as to that question.

    "First, I need the list of all your inmates."

    "Why do you want that Mizuki?"

    "The Hokage likes the demon brat and if anything happens to him then the person responsible would be punished. So we can''t do it ourselves." Mizuki replied with a knowing smile.

    Kirai caught on to what he was saying. "I think I think I get it now. You want a patsy."

    The Chunin academy teacher nodded his head in confirmation. "Yes. And with the list we can pick out one that''s really fit for the job."

    Kirai was hesitant when he heard that. Seeing this Mizuki sweetened the deal.

    "I want you to hear what I have in mind. After that if you agree then we can proceed, if not then we can forget this whole conversation as if it never happened."

    Seeing the prison guard silently nod his head, Mizuki continued. "On the day of this year''s Graduation I''ll visit you in prison in disguise and I''ll hold you hostage. I''ll make the other guards release just one prisoner and take him with me. After that I would knock out you and the others. But you''ll be able to wake up just in time. I''ll tell you the location where the prisoner would be at. You''d be able toe just in time to see the prisoner kill that fox brat and at that time you can take him down. You''ll be the hero who captured the prisoner and he''ll be the one who would have killed the demon brat and the Hokage wouldn''t be able to punish you." Mizuki became silent as he thought about the n.

    ''The Hero who captured the escaped prisoner huh. That could help me and as a bonus that demon brat would be dead.'' Kirai was too drunk at the moment to see the many dangers of the n so he agreed after giving it some thought. But even so there was still some doubt in his mind.

    "Why do you want that brat dead, Mizuki?"

    The academy teacher turned solemn and poured another ss to drink. "You''re not the only here who lost people close to them. My teammates and some of my closest friends perished that night. I sometimes wake up at night hearing their screams."

    Mizuki looked at the man near him. Kirai saw a few tears flowing from Mizuki''s eyes. "I can''t sleep most nights. The only way I''ll get peace is if that demon is dead."

    Kirai''s face softened as he looked at his friend. "I''m sorry about your friends." He poured another ss of liquor and gave it to Mizuki. "To your teammates and friends. May they rest in peace."

    Mizuki looked down and muttered in a small voice. "How can they have peace when the monster that killed them is still alive?"

    "They will!" The resolute tone from Kirai made the instructor look at him. The doubts in Kirai''s mind vanished.

    "I''ll help you. We''ll get justice for all of them. I''ll get you the prisoner list Mizuki." Kirai said with a smile. Mizuki smiled and nodded. Soon he left the man''s house.

    The hands of the academy instructor clenched in excitement as he thought about what had just happened. ''That fool. I can''t believe he bought that sob story. The crying was a nice touch on my part. Looks like the first phase of my n is a sess. Still, I can''t have him questioning my ns. I need to be careful. Need to keep a close eye on him and make sure he doesn''t b to anyone and do exactly what I want.''

    shback End.

    A weekter Kirai gave Mizuki a list of all the prisoners. Mizuki did some research on them and picked some names that would most likely help him. He soon reached his destination.

    Leaf Prison.

    Mizuki came near the entrance and saw Kirai waiting for him but the Chunin instructor noticed the hesitation on the Guard''s face.

    Inwardly Mizuki sneered at any possibility of hesitation from the man.

    Kirai saw his friending near but he couldn''t smile. ''Maybe this was not a good idea.''

    "What''s wrong Kirai?" Mizuki asked with concern in his tone.

    "I don''t know if we should do this. I was drunk earlier when I agreed but now" Kirai couldn''t continue.

    Mizuki sighed and ced a hand on the man''s shoulder. "Kirai. You''re my friend. If you don''t want to do this then we''ll stop here. I won''t force you to do anything you don''t want to do."

    The guard smiled hearing that response.

    But the Chunin instructor continued with a serious face. "But you should remember this. Naruto Uzumaki is going to graduate this March. In less than 4 months he''ll be wearing a Leaf headband. The same headband our friends andrades wore as they battled the nails to protect the vige. After that I won''t be able to do anything to him. And if he kills any of his teammates or other Leaf ninjas in secret, then we''ll have to live with that knowledge."

    Kirai''s body slightly shook as he imagined that happening. Mizuki seeing the man shake continued to poison his mind.

    "It would be even more of a tragedy if one day he transforms back into the demon fox and destroys the vige. We''ll die or we''ll have to live with the fact that we let him destroy the vige when we could have stopped all of it before it began."

    "Mizuki. Why Why are you saying this?"

    "I want you to understand what''s at stake and what might happen if we do nothing." Mizuki sighed after he said his piece. "I''ll see you around Kirai. Take care." Mizuki turned around and only took a few steps before he heard it.

    "Wait! Stop."

    The Chunin instructor had a grin on his face but he quickly hid it and turned around to meet his friend.

    Kirai clenched his eyes shut and was silent for a few moments. After several seconds of internal debate he made a choice and looked at the silver haired chunin. "I''ll help you. We can''t let that demon do what he wants."

    Mizuki nodded his head. "We''re doing the right thing. For the Leaf vige and its people."

    "For the Leaf vige and its people." Kirai replied and led the other man inside the prison. "I''ve sent the other guards home. You have a couple hours before the next shiftes. Have you picked out who you wanted to do this?"

    Mizuki nodded his head. "Yes. And now I just need to convince him to help us. Stay here. There''s no need to implicate yourself any further."

    Kirai nodded and stood at the entrance while Mizuki went to meet his target.

    ---------------

    Author''s Note:

    So I''ve decided to do half dungeons and half real world events. It will be like this for the next few chapters.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 226: Dungeon Training/Jiraiyas Warning

    Chapter 226: Dungeon Training/Jiraiya''s Warning

    [Dungeon - Demon Ind Battlefield.]

    Daichi stepped through the doors and was met with a scene he did not expect. In front of him was the vast ocean with giant raging waves and strong winds blowing.

    Daichi took a few steps forward and looked back to the entrance. He was standing on a small rock formation in the middle of the sea. The dungeon gateway was sandwiched between two palm trees. The entire diameter of the rock formation wasn''trger than 4 or 5 meters.

    ''This is new.''

    All the relevant titles became active and as usual after entering a dungeon, Daichi turned off his Gamer''s Mind. Just then the quest notifications appeared.

    [Quest Created - ''Clear the Dungeon.'']

    This dungeon is muchrger than an ordinary one. There are many enemies and monsters lurking all around. Find and defeat all the creatures in this dungeon.

    [Time limit : None.]

    .

    [Rewards:]

    New Jutsu.

    New Title/Title Upgrade.

    Ryo 400,000.

    20000 Exp.

    .

    [Failure:]

    Death.

    .

    [ept] (Y/N)

    Daichi immediately epted the quest and thought about his next n. ''I can''t bulldoze through this dungeon like I did the previous ones. I need to train the Rasengan technique and I also need to increase my stats. Specifically Stamina and Vitality. Canon is getting closer and something is bound to go wrong. I need to capture a few dungeon enemies and keep them restrained. Just long enough for me to master the special jutsus.''

    The boy closed his eyes and took a deep breath of air. Daichi''s senses expanded and he could sense several creatures beneath the ocean surface.

    ''No point in wasting any more time.''

    The gamer ninja jumped to the sea and ran forward. Less than a minuteter he sensed the presence of arge life forming for him from deep beneath the sea. The boy waited for just a moment before disappearing from his spot.

    The next second a giant mouth mped shut where he stood. Daichi looked at the sea creature and his eyebrows raised.

    "This is indeed new."

    It was a giant dark green sea serpent. It had green hair like mane simr to seaweed and a wide mouth lined withrge jagged fangs. It had a long body with thick scales covering every inch.

    Daichi immediately used observe skill on it.

    ''Serpon. Level 65. With HP and CP over 30000. Scales are extremely hard and durable, so des won''t do it, have high agility and can use wind des and water attacks. This thing is also resistant to Fire but weak against Lightning attacks. I can use that. Hmm But it says there is a limit.''

    Daichi jumped to the side to avoid another attack from therge serpent. The sea serpent turned its head and looked at its prey in annoyance. The next moment it opened its mouth and Daichi could see water molecules quickly gathering.

    Without wasting a second he sent chakra to his limbs and quickly dodged a giant water st. Daichi was several meters away and looked at therge sea creature. ''That thing has a ton of Health and Chakra points. If I can restrain it and activate my Life Return skill then I''m sure I can improve my Stamina and Vitality points by a good number.''

    Daichi calmly looked at the creature and smirked. He took a single step forward and then disappeared from the beast''s line of sight. The next instant a powerful blow struck the side of Serpon''s head shifting its view. Before it could regain itself several blows struck all over its body.

    "ROOARRR!"

    The giant sea serpent angrily thrashed around and tried to escape underwater but Daichi didn''t give it a chance. ''Super speed + Tsunade''s super strength punchbo. Even you with your high level defense won''t be able to stand up to it.''

    As the giant sea serpent was getting attacked from multiple directions several clones were making their move. ''I need to distract this thing long enough for my clone to capture it.''

    4 shadow clones went through several seals in perfect unity.

    ''Water Style - Water Prison jutsu.''

    The instant thest seal was made the ocean water exploded upwards towards the serpent andpletely submerged it inside. The real Daichi created several clones when he began the assault. He watched with a smile as his clones trapped therge creature in a giant water prison jutsu.

    ''I''ve gotten a lot stronger since I used this against Kakashi during the Genin test. My control over the water element has gotten so good that even a creature like you won''t escape this prison.''

    Another shadow clone walked up to therge water sphere and chakra strings extended from his fingertips. It connected with therge green sea serpent and the next second the strings turned to Lightning paralyzing the creature. It roared in fury and tried to escape but it was helpless and unable to defy its captor.

    The real Daichi came near the water prison and used the chakra threads to bring the beast''s head near him. His clones were keeping a close eye on the beast in case it attempted anything.

    [Skill Life Return Activated.]

    10 seconds after Daichi made contact the Life Return skill was activated and he began absorbing the Stamina, Health and Vitality of the creature.

    [You have sensed Killing Intent.]

    Daichi could sense several other life forms appearing in his senses. But he wasn''t worried. There were several other clones keeping an eye on the surrounding ocean ready to intercept any enemy looking to attack him.

    Momentster several new enemies appeared. Several of them were simr to Onizaki but they were much stronger. Daichi''s clones engaged inbat as the real one kept up his jutsu.

    [+1 Vitality]

    [+234 HP]

    [+234 SP]

    [+1 Stamina]

    [+1 Vitality]

    [+1 Stamina]

    .

    .

    .

    Daichi mentally grinned but at the same time he sighed. ''If my clones use this jutsu they would only be able to absorb HP and CP. Not stats points. If I want Stat points then I need to do it myself. That''s the down side of this.''

    The sea serpent looked at the small human but it was powerless as its energy disappeared. It was paralyzed due to the strong lightning current flowing through its body and it was getting weaker and weaker as time went by.

    Daichi looked at the trapped prey and his mind went through the battles and struggles he faced in the first dungeon he entered. ''Even with a higher level and a greater presence, this sea serpent didn''t pose much of a threat. Abination of swift strong attacks and a powerful restraining jutsu. I''vee a long way from a kid who struggled against a few apes.''

    With each passing second the Health and Chakra of the sea beast kept dropping and after about 4 minutes it''s health reached zero.

    [+2000 Exp.]

    [+300 Exp.]

    Enemies killed: [01/199]

    ''So I got 7 Vitality and 6 Stamina points from this guy alone. This jutsu is definitely an OP one.''

    Daichi looked around and saw most of the enemies subdued and others escaping. The boy killed the weaker ones and made sure to restrain the stronger enemies. ''Once the cool down ends, I''ll use this on you guys next.''

    Daichi looked around and frowned. ''This ind is called the Demon ind Battlefield. So there must be an ind somewhere in this ce. Need to find it.''

    Creating a few clones, Daichi had them spread out in several directions. In less than 20 minutes he got the memories of arge ind from one of his clones. ''Time to get myself on solid ground.''

    -

    Hokage Tower - Private Chamber.

    Hiruzen looked out at the midnight sky and let out a puff of smoke. As he waited he sensed another presence entering the room.

    "You''rete." The old kage said, turning to look at his student.

    "Come on sensei. I got here as fast as I could." The form of Jiraiya the Toad sage became visible.

    "So have you made any new discoveries?"

    "Wow. Not even a hello, how have you been? Just straight to business. I''m hurt sensei." The toad sage said with a mock hurt tone.

    Hiruzen sighed at his student''s antics. "How have you been Jiraiya?" The old man smiled and asked his student.

    "Well since you asked. I''m looking for some new inspiration. My book is getting a movie adaptation." The Sannin replied with a grin.

    That news surprised Hiruzen. "Really? That is interesting information. Any word on who gets to y the lead female character?"

    At that Jiraiya giggled shyly like a little schoolgirl. "I''m thinking of asking Tsunade to do it."

    Hiruzen deadpanned at that. ''Is he trying to get himself killed?''

    "You know there are easier ways tomit suicide, right Jiraiya?"

    "Come on sensei. Who knows, she might take the part."

    "I sincerely doubt that. Now, onto matters that are a tad more important"

    At that the Toad Sannin''s face turned serious and Hiruzen mentally prepared himself for whatever bad news his student found out.

    "Orochimaru has made contact with the Sand vige."

    The Hokage was silent but his eyes slightly narrowed. His student continued.

    "It was a few weeks ago. I traced his movements to Wind country and then the Hidden Sand vige. I have reason to believe he met with the Kazekage. But what they''re nning is unknown at this point."

    Hiruzen let out a puff of smoke and turned to look at the night sky. "We have a peace treaty with the Sand vige but that''s only on paper. If thest 3 wars are any indication, a promise made on a paper is worth no more than that paper itself. But Rasa is also a cautious man. He won''t do anything reckless. Do we have reason to believe that Sand could be hostile?"

    "This isn''t known much to outside but as I''m sure you''ve noticed, the Wind Daimyo has been sending a good portion of his missions our way and that has put a financial struggle on the Sand vige. Coupled with the unearthing of the Phantom''s Treasure and the conditions the Sand vige has to oblige by, they are in serious financial trouble. If nothing is done to solve their money problems they might try something drastic." Jiraiya replied.

    Hiruzen nodded his head at that. "I noticed the situation with their Daimyo. But I didn''t say anything because we needed to recover after the nine tails attacks and the loss of the Uchiha n. So I didn''t turn away from his missions. But now if it puts a strain on our ally and could potentially turn them into our enemy then I will have to rethink that matter."

    "But then what about the mission loss?" The toad sage asked.

    "The Chunin exams areing up again next month. I''m thinking of sending Daichi and having him put on an excellent performance for the mission boost. That reminds me, how are things in the Mist vige." Hiruzen turned to his student and asked.

    Jiraiya''s face turned grim at that. "Bad. Really bad. You can''t send Daichi to the Mist vige. Not now."

    Hiruzen tilted his head. "Why?"

    "There is a civil war going on over there. The Chunin exams are just a front to kill their enemies. I also have intel that several other viges are sending some powerful shinobi to the exam. Their goals are information on the Mist vige''s situation and then Daichi. They''re intention is probably to probe him and ascertain his strength."

    Hiruzen groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I have already held him back once. And I have no doubt that Kakashi will nominate him again when I convene the Jonin council next week."

    "The Chunin exams after the Mist will be conducted here. Why not have Daichi participate then? That way if Orochimarues here we''ll be able to trap him If you send him now, there is no telling what might happen."

    Hiruzen sighed and nodded his head. "Very well, I''ll think it through. In the meantime, there is something I need you to do. It requires you to go into that Sage transformation of yours."

    The toad sage grimaced at that. "Come on sensei, you know I don''t like using that form unless it''s really necessary."

    "This is an important matter, Jiraiya. I know your aversion to using the jutsu because of what it makes you look like but this matter is of utmost importance."

    The Sage of Mount Myoboku relented and agreed. "Fine. But what is this about? Why do you need me to go into Sage mode?"

    "You''ll see." Hiruzen then led his student into another secret chamber hidden beneath the tower.

    ---------------

    Author''s Note.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 227: Rasengan Variants 01

    Chapter 227: Rasengan Variants 01

    Daichi and over two dozen of his clones were on an ind training and battling various enemies. It had been two days since he came to this dungeon and the Gamer ninja had made great progress in improving his Vitality and Stamina stats.

    ''I absorbed the Health and Stamina of 11 enemies so far and killed the weaker ones that came my way. So far from this dungeon I already got 31 Vitality and 26 Stamina points. And having my HP and CP restored has helped me greatly.''

    Daichi was training the new elemental Rasengans. So the boost provided by the Life return skill was invaluable. The Genin and a small group of his clones were infusing Wind Chakra Nature to the Rasengan and after multiple attempts over a day he finally had a finished product. Sweat was dripping down his face and he was breathing slightly harder than normal but there was a smile on Daichi''s face.

    The Genin looked at the small white orb of energy with small des surrounding it. The new jutsu was norger than the palm of his hand. It emitted a small humming sound as it rotated wildly.

    ''Took me around 30 hours toplete this. Kakashi was right in the manga. You need a certain instinct and incredible skill to mix the chakra nature to the Rasengan and create a jutsu like this. For Naruto to create this jutsu, he isn''t without talent. But unlike canon Naruto, I don''t need two clones to help me create this.''

    A shadow clone came near Daichi and inspected the jutsu. "The chakra feels powerful and I can sense powerful vibrations in the air being created by this technique. And the sound emitting from this... I don''t think we''ll be able to take someone by surprise with this jutsu... How does it feel?"

    Daichi looked at the spinning white orb of energy in his hand quietly. "This jutsu is still in itspact form. The clone that used theplete version earlier with the shuriken des was destroyed from the bacsh. Based on the memories I received there will be negative feedback from the jutsu. But that''s only the case if we use thepleted version. The Wind style Rasenshuriken. Thispact form on the other hand There isn''t damage to the user. At least not when I''m just holding it. Time to test it out."

    Daichi started with the Wind style Rasengan because it was the one he had seen and knew would be the easiest to create. ''Time to see the effects. I need to see what this attack does to a strong body.''

    There were a few clones to the side that captured and restrained a few dungeon enemies just for such an asion. Daichi looked at one such captured enemy and nodded to himself.

    The enemy was a half fishman simr to Onizaki but this one had hard shells to protect his internal organs.

    ''He has high level defense and a powerful body with strong turtle like shells covering his upper torso. He''ll do nicely.''

    Without wasting another second Daichi rushed to the restrained ninja and mmed the small Wind style Rasengan to the dungeon creature''s chest.

    BOOM

    A screeching sound was heard as the small Wind style Rasengan sted him away. The jutsu slightly expanded and Daichi could see it ripping up chunks of its victim. The jutsu kept attacking for several seconds before fading away and at that moment Daichi received a new notification.

    [Skill Rasengan: Wind Style has leveled up]

    [+1000 Exp.]

    [+150 Exp.]

    Enemies killed: [22/199]

    Daichi then opened his skill list and looked at the new jutsu.

    [Rasengan: Wind Style - Active (Lv. 04): This jutsu was created by mixing Wind Chakra Nature to the existing jutsu ''Rasengan''. This technique is a powerful destructive jutsu that uses the wind as its weapon. There are several variations to this jutsu and the power and destructive capabilities can be altered.]

    [Note: Using the fully formed variation of this jutsu can cause damage to the body but a really strong physique or sage jutsu can negate this side effect.]

    [Effects:]

    [2000 minimum Damage points when striking the enemy.]

    [Deals an additional 2000% Damage to the enemy after 2 seconds.]

    [Destroys internal organs, chakra coils and most chakra based defense skills.]

    [Can expand and increase range ording to the users will.]

    [CP cost: 3330 minimum.]

    ''Over 3000 Chakra points cost. This is the highest CP cost technique currently in my arsenal. But that might change by the time I have all 5 different Rasengans.''

    At this moment several new notifications popped up in front of Daichi. The Genin looked at the new notifications and a smile formed on his face. ''It seems my clones have been using the superior Touch skill so much under water that it finally maxed out.''

    Daichi''s clones have been battling a few enemies underwater and they had to use the Touch sense skill to the extreme to keep an eye on all speed based enemies. And the training finally paid off.

    [+1200 Exp.]

    [+180 Exp.]

    Enemies killed: [23/199]

    [Skill Superior Touch has leveled up]

    .

    [Congrattions. You have sessfully trained a skill to its highest level.]

    [500 Exp.]

    [75 Exp.]

    .

    [+3 Sense Stat]

    [Skill Superior Touch has reached level 50. Evolving skill.]

    [Skill evolved into Hyper Tactility.]

    .

    [Hyper Tactility - Active/Passive(LV. MAX): A skill obtained through evolving the skill Superior Touch. This skill is a LV. MAX skill with various effects. The sense of touch of the user has increased beyond normal. The user can increase the range of this sense as he needs. But this has limitations.

    [Note: Negative side effects associated with having a more sensitive skin does not apply to the user. Gamer''s Mind will neutralize negative side effects of sensory overload. With training more and more effects can be added onto this skill.]

    [Effects]

    [The user can feel the most subtle disturbances in the air and discern thendscape and location of all things.]

    [The user is able to determine the location of the target with more uracy.]

    [The range of this sense depends on the user.]

    [CP Cost depends on the user.]

    ''This is a very useful skill. I can keep track of multiple enemies on a battlefield without using chakra senses and even be aware of attacksing from my blindspot.''

    At that moment a new blue box appeared and the contents surprised Daichi.

    [Note: All your senses have evolved. The new effect ''Prediction'' is added to the skill Analyze.]

    .

    [Analyze - Active (LV. 14) A skill given when the user receives the Title ''A Genius of the Continent.'' This skill allows the user to analyze a person''s technique or fighting style and with enough understanding, perfectly copy or recreate it with modifications.]

    [Note: This skill has certain limitations. The user can only understand the skills the target is using. Stronger effects will be added at higher levels.]

    [Effects:]

    [28% Faster understanding of the target''s technique when using the skill.

    Prediction: The user can predict with 8% uracy of the target''s next move seconds before the target makes them. This can also be applied to Taijutsu and certain other techniques.

    CP cost: None.]

    ''Prediction huh. Not bad at all. As my Analyze skill levels up I''m sure that 8% will also increase.''

    Letting out a deep breath of air, the Gamer ninja prepared for the next elemental Rasengan.

    ''Time to create a Fire Rasengan.''

    -

    It has been over 15 days since the Gamer ninja entered the Demon ind dungeon. Daichi battled all sorts of enemies such asrge sea creatures and half fish and half human hybrids. Several skills have leveled up and he got two level ups as well. But his main focus was creating the 4 different types of Rasengans. So far he was able to create 3.

    ''Before, I couldn''t train in a dungeon like this because of my low chakra and strength. I couldn''t make shadow clones that kept my enemies busy while I just focused on training. And I was afraid that if I spent too long in a dungeon and my body grew older it would look suspicious to everyone else. But now, since I have a month leave, that''s not an issue. After Iplete this dungeon and return, I''ll just have to leave the house before I get spotted by the old man.''

    [+1350 Exp.]

    [+202.5 Exp.]

    Enemies killed: [118/199]

    Daichi was currently battling a giant yellow crab like creature with 9 legs. Its shell was tougher than anything he had seen so far in the dungeon.

    Dodging two water jetsing from its mouth, Daichi immediately rushed to its blind spot while a few clones attacked it with weaker jutsu and Genjutsu to keep it distracted. ''Just a few seconds. That''s all I need.''

    He began concentrating chakra to his palms and several secondster a red ming ball appeared atop Daichi''s palm.

    Immediately the surrounding temperature began to soar and the clothes on Daichi''s body began to catch on fire.

    ''Just as the wind style jutsu creates a humming sound and vibrations in the air, the fire style jutsu increases the temperature of the surroundings.''

    [-87 HP]

    The ming ball reminded Daichi of Escanor''s cruel sun technique. ''I knew this would resemble something like that.''

    As the creator of the jutsu Daichi didn''t suffer too much damage from the heat but his HP still dropped by a small margin.

    The giant crab sensed the heating from Daichi''s jutsu and turned its head. It looked at the small Orange ming ball resembling a miniature sun in Daichi''s hand and immediately sensed the danger it posed.

    It tried to get away but Daichi''s shadow clones kept it in ce while the real one rushed towards his enemy. Jumping up high, Daichi mmed the ming sphere right on top of the crab''s back.

    ''Fire Style - Hell Star Rasengan.''

    Just as the jutsu made contact, several shadow clones attached chakra threads to the real Daichi and pulled him away from the jutsu range.

    .

    [Fire Style - Hell Star Rasengan - Active (Lv.02): This jutsu was created by mixing Fire Chakra Nature to the existing jutsu ''Rasengan''. This technique is a powerful destructive jutsu that uses the Fire as its weapon. There are several variations to this jutsu and the power and destructive capabilities can be altered.]

    [Note: Using the fully formed variation of this jutsu can cause damage to the body but a really strong physique or sage jutsu can negate this side effect.]

    [Effects:]

    [2300 minimum Damage points when striking the enemy.]

    [Deals an additional 1800% Damage to the enemy after 2 seconds.]

    [Burns the target to ash and can destroy most chakra based defense skills.]

    [Can expand and increase range ording to the users will.]

    [New Fire jutsu can be created and used from the Fire tornado created.]

    [CP cost: 3500 minimum]

    The small fireball Rasengan expanded and just after 3 seconds it exploded upwards into a red ming tornado. Itpletely epassed the creature as the mes spun in a vortex.

    Daichi looked at the effects of the jutsu and then to his right hand which was being healed by a clone. ''Third degree and some second degree burns. This jutsu is more dangerous than the wind variation. This jutsu reduces all things to ashes and its range expands.''

    [+3000 Exp.]

    [+450 Exp.]

    Enemies killed: [119/199]

    Just then a ring of fire spread from the Fire tornado in all directions and Daichi and his clones had to create defense domes and take cover. Secondster the fire tornado copsed in on itself and disappeared. A charred husk with no flesh was the only thing left of the creature before it disappeared into ash a couple secondster.

    But the true aftereffects of the jutsu were clear as Daichi looked at the sky. Dark clouds were quickly forming and secondster rain, lightning and thunder dominated the sky.

    ''This jutsu can rapidly change the temperature and even create thunderclouds. If I can recreate Sasuke''s Kirin attack then I can use the Fire Style- Hell Star Rasengan as the precursor. But there''s more. What would abination of Wind Style and Fire style Rasengans detonating together look like? I''ll have to find out one of these days.''

    At this time several battles were happening all around the dungeon. One of Daichi''s shadow clones has been fighting several sea creatures atop the ocean waves.

    The shadow clone used body flicker and avoided several lethal strikes while creating a short distance between him and his enemies. ''I need to attack them and finish them all at once.''

    At that moment a few shadow clones joined the battle and kept the dungeon ninjas busy while the clone decided to test another Rasengan variant.

    A dark brown Rasengan formed on Daichi''s palm and dust particles slowly started to swirl around it. The jutsu looked like a round sphere with rocks covering the surface and light could be seening from the cracks.

    Clone Daichi fell to one knee and used his left hand to support the right palm. ''Damn! This jutsu is so heavy. The weight of this Rasengan is unbelievable. I can''t even effectively move with this jutsu active. The density of this technique I knew when creating Earth Nature Rasengan that factor woulde into y but still Feels like I''m holding over 5 tons of weight on my palm.''

    Taking a deep breath of air, the genin stood up. Carefully maintaining the jutsu Daichi tensed his muscles and the next second took off towards the group of dungeon enemies. The other clones forced them to group together and Daichi came in with the Earth Style Rasengan in just the right time.

    The Gamer ninja mmed the Earth Rasengan into the one standing in the middle and he disappeared the next second. The other clones immediately backed away and the real Daichi also turned his head and looked in their direction.

    The person the jutsu struck and those that were near him immediately turned into stone due to the effects of the technique. But that was only the first stage of the Earth Rasengan. Just 2 secondster a small explosion happened and a mountain started forming from the middle of the group of sea creatures and it quickly expanded. The sea became turbulent and earth kept pouring out from the center of the Rasengan and soon a small mountain formed in the middle of the ocean and it quickly began sinking.

    Large violent waves spread across all directions as the aftereffects of the jutsu ended.

    [+12670 Exp.]

    [+1900.5 Exp.]

    Enemies killed: [126/199]

    [You have leveled up]

    The real Daichi who was standing on the ind nearby nodded his head in satisfaction.

    ''Earth Style Rasengan - Great Eruption Use a few of these and I can effectively create a new ind or reshape thendscape. All living creatures thate in contact with the jutsu get turned to stone almost instantly and then during the second phase whoever remains will get crushed and buried in the mountain of earth that''s created. If I had used this jutsu onnd, there definitely would have been a mild earthquake.''

    Just then another notification popped up.

    [25 Stat points have been added to your Chakra stat as per the natural growth of your body. This stat update will ur twice a year.]

    ''Huh. That''s good. So as my body naturally grows the system will automatically send points topensate for that. Good. I was right it seems. That''s another problem down.''

    -------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 228: Rasengan Variants 02

    Chapter 228: Rasengan Variants 02

    6 days had passed since Daichi reached level 58. He had been training non stop while his clones kept the dungeon ninjas at bay. But now after almost a week he decided to switch it up.

    Daichi was moving at top speed atop the ocean waves. He had several enemies following him and they all attacked the young Genin but none of their jutsus met their mark.

    Daichi dodged another water st and at that moment he could see his clones several meters ahead. He could see one clone in particr holding thepact form of the Earth Rasengan in his palm. ''Excellent. They''re ready.''

    Daichi lured his four enemies closer to the ind and then he stopped running and stood his ground. His shadow clones disappeared from their spot and as the real Daichi engaged in battle they struck. Several chakra strings tied up the limbs of the dungeon enemies and forced all of them together.

    The next moment a shadow clone appeared with a glowing brown ball of energy in his right palm and thrust it towards the dungeon ninja in front of him. The shadow stood in its spot and observed the power of his jutsu while his creator was watching from a distance.

    The real Daichi stood back but carefully observed everything taking ce. His shadow clone disappeared into smoke a few secondster due to the shockwave created by the jutsu but Daichi got some valuable memories from him. He kept his eyes focused on his enemies and saw the change take ce.

    The Earth style Rasengan slightly expanded and the effects were felt by all those close to it. The dungeon creatures started turning to stone and in just a few seconds their entire body was petrified.

    [+5800 Exp.]

    [+870 Exp.]

    Enemies killed: [179/199]

    [You have leveled up]

    ''Level 59. Good. But it looks like I won''t be able to make it to Level 60 from this dungeon Oh well.''

    Daichi turned his attention back to the attack detonating atop the ocean surface. Only a couple seconds passed and then came the explosion of earth from the epicenter. It was much less than before due to the small size of the jutsu but it was still dangerous to be near it.

    Daichi observed everything with a critical eye and after it was over he made his way to the ind. He had an idea as to what made the bodies petrified. He sat down and took a few moments to catch his breath.

    "So Any thoughts?" A shadow clone came up to Daichi and asked while he started to heal him.

    "I can''t bepletely certain since we don''t have a body to examine but I believe this jutsu attacks them right down to the molecules." The real Daichi replied.

    The shadow clone silently nodded its head with that assessment. He looked to where the new small mountain was formed on the ocean and sighed. ''It''s too bad the dungeon ninjas vanish after they die or we could cut them open or at least see the effects of the jutsu on the human body.''

    "I believe we''re dealing with a variation of Earth Transmutation." The real Daichi spoke.

    The clone tilted its head and thought about it for a few moments before he nodded his head as well. "You''re right. I think the Earth Rasengan reshapes the minerals in and around the body and maniptes the atoms, molecules and ions. Theirposition, properties, structure and behavior undergo a massive change."

    The real Daichi nodded his head. "Precisely. The minerals stored in the body, mainly calcium, magnesium, phosphate and multiple others are brought forth and are used to attack the body. Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the human body and our bones act as a calcium storage center for deposits or withdrawal. Since we don''t have a body to conduct an autopsy, I can''t be sure but when the Earth Rasengan makes contact with its target, I believe it extracts all the calcium from the bones before turning it into stone first. And then the rest of the body follows. Muscles, tissues, organs..."

    "But what about the user? The clone that used the jutsu didn''t suffer any negative effects." The shadow clone was done with its healing while Daichi stood up.

    "That''s because we''ve been using thepact version, so far. We''ve only used the full variant of the Earth Rasengan jutsu once. And that version weighed over a ton whenpleted. It made movements difficult. I believe sage mode and our gamer body will rectify most of those problems in time."

    The shadow clone nodded. "Just two variations remaining."

    The real Daichi sighed and looked around. "I''llplete the Lightning variant next. And then I''ll finish this dungeon. After that I''ll head to the training ground and finish the water Rasengan. If Kakashi or the Hokage sees that I created the Water style Rasengan without any training, they''ll be suspicious. They would know something is up. Can''t have that."

    "Do what you think is best."

    [Earth style Rasengan: Great Eruption - Active (Lv.03): This jutsu was created by mixing Earth Nature Chakra Nature to the existing jutsu ''Rasengan''. This technique is a powerful destructive jutsu that uses the Earth and minerals as its weapon. There are several variations to this jutsu and the power and destructive capabilities can be altered.]

    [Note: Using the fully formed variation of this jutsu can cause damage to the body but a really strong physique or sage jutsu can negate this side effect. A true master of this jutsu can reduce the density without affecting its power.]

    [Effects:]

    [2600 minimum Damage points when striking the enemy.]

    [Deals an additional 2000% Damage to the enemy after 2 seconds.]

    [Turns the target to stone and can destroy most chakra based defense skills.]

    [Can expand and increase range ording to the users will.]

    [CP cost: 2400 minimum]

    ''Wow. For someone like Naruto who has an abundance of chakra, he would still run out of sage mode if he just uses 2 or 3 wind style Rasenshuriken. But for me using this jutsu over and over isn''t a problem. The chakra cost isn''t as high as I thought it would be. I suppose I have my extreme chakra control and gamer body to thank for that.''

    -

    BOOM! "Ghaa" Poof!

    Daichi sighed as he looked at the explosion that urred a few meters from his position. ''It''s been 3 days. And I still haven''t been sessful in creating the Lightning version of the Rasengan. But I can tell that I''m close. I just need to try a few more times.''

    At that moment he sensed an enemy rushing at him from behind. Daichi made a few seals and immediately mmed his hands into the ground creating an Earth wall around him. The dome protected him from the water sting from behind.

    The real Daichi didn''t even need to retaliate as the few clones near him sprung into action. They quickly attacked the enemy and in a few seconds subdued him.

    Daichi looked at the cool down time of the Life Return skill and noted that it had been reset. ''Time to get some health and vitality.''

    He made his way to the struggling dungeon creature and activated the special skill. Daichi felt the energy rushing to his body and restoring his health, stamina and chakra.

    [+1 Vitality]

    [+165 HP]

    [+165 SP]

    [+1 Stamina]

    [+165 CP]

    .

    [+1350 Exp.]

    [+ Exp.]

    Enemies killed: [193/199]

    ''Just six more to go.''

    Daichi dropped to the ground and started meditating. ''Lightning is a vtile nature. Just like Fire. No even more than Fire. Creating the Hell Star Rasengan wasn''t this difficult. Fire nature was hard to control but I did it. But with Lightning What am I missing?''

    Daichi quietly meditated for several hours before he opened his eyes. ''Lightning is an element with a positive and negative charge. What if that''s it?''

    He created a shadow clone and quickly dispelled it, sending his new thoughts and ideas to the few clones training on the ind.

    ''I need to create a Rasengan with a core and then outer shell. All the Rasengan up till now was just one dense ball of chakra. But Lightning Rasengan, it can''t be the same as them.''

    With the new ideas in mind Daichi and his clones got to work and after several hours of trial and error it was finally done.

    Daichi held a Rasengan in his palm with the Lightning chakra nature added to it. The Rasengan had a small pure white chakra core no bigger than a few centimeters in diameter. Then came the outer shell. It was pure electricity. A round spherical shaped electrical with small lightning arcs zapping outwards. The spherical electrical was as big as Daichi''s palm and the pure white core was in the middle of it. There was nothing else to that jutsu.

    The hairs on the Genin''s body stood straight. The gamer ninja looked at the energy ball he was holding and no words coulde to his mind. None of the previous versions of the Rasengan could bring forth such a feeling from him.

    Daichi looked at the jutsu in his hand and marveled at it. ''I can feel the near limitless energy and power in this thing. I have no doubt that this jutsu is even more destructive than the others. My hand is feeling numb. But there is no other major damage. So that''s good. Still, I don''t want to test this myself. I''ll have a clone do it. No need to identally kill myself.''

    "Wow. So that''s what that looks like." Several clones came near Daichi and observed the jutsu.

    The real Daichi looked at the Rasengan as if he wasmitting it to memory forever and a few secondster he let go of the jutsu. The Lightning style Rasengan quickly disappeared into sparkling light particles.

    ''It feels like I''m the lightning god holding the reins of the sky in the palm of my hand Hmm I have the perfect name for this jutsu. I just need to see the effects of the jutsu to see if that name is worthy.''

    The Genin let out a deep breath of air and created a new clone and dispelled it. Only 6 shadow clones were near him training. Several others were moving through the dungeon in search of the remaining enemies.

    The shadow clones that were training were soon able to create the Lightning Rasengan and stabilize it. After a few trial and error and with more clones Daichi was able to create a version that wouldn''t have his clones dispelled from just holding it.

    At that moment the boy sensed the presence of his other clones approaching from the ocean. They had 6 dungeon enemies captured and restrained with them. The clones found the final 6 dungeon creatures at the edge of the ind. Daichi nodded to the clone who was holding the Lightning Rasengan.

    He jumped back and got a good distance away from the action. ''This is far enough.''

    The clone seeing its creator back away, rushed towards the 6 captured enemies. It noted the Lightning Rasengan''s effects on the body. ''My speed is bing several times faster than normal. It''s as if I''m being forced to move faster. Must be one of the side effects.''

    In a second the clone reached his target and plunged the Lightning ball into the chest of the enemy.

    Unlike the other Rasengan the effects and destruction of the Lightning version was almost instantaneous. The second the jutsu came in contact with the enemy''s body the outer blue electric shell copsed into the inner pure white energy and in the next fraction of a second the lightning ball expanded to several meters and every living creature inside the lightning sphere was ripped apart and disintegrated.

    But that''s not all. The next moment therge lightning ball changed shape into a huge pir of lightning that reached the sky.

    BOOM!

    The ear shattering sound of thunder could be heard and the giant lightning pir disappeared just as it came. But the after effects of the jutsu were still not over. A powerful shockwave of air spread in all directions and Daichi had to create a defense wall to protect himself.

    The sound of thunder lingered in the sky for several more seconds before dissipating.

    Several notifications popped up in front of Daichi but he ignored all of them. His attention was on the Rasengan that just exploded.

    After everything returned to a calm state Daichi poked his head out from behind the wall. His eyes were wide open and his jaws slightly dropped.

    "Holy Fuck!"

    He couldn''t help but let out a curse as he looked at the power of the jutsu. Daichi slowly walked up to the location where the attack took ce and there was a giant hole several meters wide. It went straight into earth for a great distance and when Daichi looked up at the sky he sucked in a cold breath of air. There was a hole in the cloud directly above which was rapidly closing but sunlight was shining down through it long enough for Daichi to see it.

    "I created something that put a hole in heaven and earth HahahahaHAHAHAHAHA." Daichi copsed back into the ground andughed hysterically for several minutes. Tears came from the corner of his eyes and after a few minutes he sucked in severalrge breaths of air and calmed himself. "It really is worthy of the name."

    "Lightning style - Divine Rasengan!"

    [Lightning style: Divine Rasengan - Active (Lv.01): This jutsu was created by mixing Lightning Nature Chakra Nature to the existing jutsu ''Rasengan''. This technique is a powerful destructive jutsu that uses the lightning and the charged particles as its weapon. There are several variations to this jutsu and the power and destructive capabilities can be altered.]

    [Note: Direct contact with the jutsu when it detonates willpletely destroy the user''s body regardless of the use of Sage jutsu or the possession of a powerful physique.]

    [Effects:]

    [Deals 5000 minimum Damage points when striking the enemy.]

    [Deals an additional 2500% Damage to the enemy in less than a second.]

    [Completely eradicates all targets within the electrical field.]

    [Jutsu automatically expands and increases range.]

    [CP cost: 3000 minimum]

    ''Despite the near god-like power of this jutsu I can''t directly use it. I can only have a clone use the technique. And even then, I shouldn''t be anywhere near this thing when it goes off and I have to make sure none of my allies are near it when it detonates The destructive power of this jutsu is incredible Itpletely ripped their bodies to nothing. That was actually kinda scary to watch. It''s a good thing I have the Gamer''s Mind or I might have had nightmares.''

    The few remaining clones came near their creator. "That''s one hell of jutsu. I don''t think there are many enemies that can stand up to it. Even Orochimaru would be killed if he got struck by that."

    "Yes. The power of that giant lightning pir. I didn''t think the jutsu would contain that much energy." One of the clones said.

    "I don''t think it was just the power of the Rasengan." The real Daichi said and his clones looked at him.

    The gamer ninja began to exin. "I think the jutsu sucked the negative charges from the ground and the positive charges from the atmosphere and brought it to the central point. All of this must have happened in the single instant after the Lightning Rasengan expanded but before the giant Lightning pir formation."

    "Damn! This is one hell of a technique."

    "Indeed."

    The clones dispelled themselves and Daichi took a few moments to steady himself. The boy took a deep breath of air and then looked at the notifications piled up.

    [+8375 Exp.]

    [+1256.2 Exp.]

    Enemies killed: [199/199]

    .

    [Quest ''Clear the Dungeon'' Completed]

    .

    [Rewards:]

    [New Jutsu: Water Style - Lotus light Rupture.]

    [The ''Beast yer'' title has been upgraded to ''Species King''.]

    [Title Species King - (This title will increase all your stats by 30% when fighting non humans.)

    Daichi looked at the effects of the new jutsu and title and was satisfied. ''So a standard water style jutsu that can be used to attack multiple enemies and the title increases my stats from a 10% to a 30% huh. That''s gonnae in handy.''

    [Ryo 400,000.]

    [20000 Exp.]

    [3000 Exp.]

    .

    [You have sessfully defeated every enemy in this dungeon. You have been granted ess to the return key.]

    The Gamer ninja let out a deep breath of air and looked at the return key in his inventory. ''Time to get the hell out of here.''

    -------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 229: Supernatural Stamina & New Skills

    Chapter 229: Supernatural Stamina & New Skills

    Kensei''s Home

    In a sh Daichi returned to his bedroom. He had spent nearly a month in the dungeon training and battling various enemies. He looked at the clock on the wall. ''Only seven seconds had passed.'' Daichi walked and stood in front of the full length mirror in the corner of the room and looked at himself.

    ''Yup. My hair has gotten longer and I''ve grown over 2 inches. There is a small but significant difference in my muscle mass and anyone would be able to tell that I''ve changed. This is one of the reasons I didn''t want to spend so much time in the dungeon. If anyone who knows me takes a good look then they''ll know something''s up It''s a good thing I have a month before I need to show my face to anyone. No. A month isn''t needed. Just a couple weeks is enough.''

    The Genin let out a deep breath of air and stretched himself. ''Time to see my progress. Status.''

    The next second the status window appeared in his view.

    [Name : Daichi Hekima] (The Gamer)

    [ss : Genin - ID 012559.]

    [Age : 12]

    [Title : Capable Child, Explorer, Prodigy, Species King, Dungeon Warrior, Executioner, Assassin, Mighty Healer, Slug Sannin''s Apprentice, Master of the Elements, A Genius of the Continent.]

    [Level : 59 (50186.2/89650)

    .

    HP : 34428

    CP : 90480

    SP : 44795

    MP: 13825

    .

    [Primary Stats]

    Strength - 309

    Vitality - 451

    Dexterity - 251

    Agility - 314

    Intelligence - 233

    Chakra - 525

    Wisdom - 226

    .

    [Special Stats]

    Sense - 151

    Stamina - 395

    Indomitable - 50

    Charisma - 69

    Persistence - 47

    Dignity - 18

    Luck - 20

    .

    [Stat Points - 488]

    [Ryo - 30997588]

    ''Neat! My Vitality and Stamina really got a boost just from that one trip alone. But that whole thing was tedious.''

    Daichi thought about why his two stats had such an immense boost. Every two hours, the second Daichi''s Life Return skill cooldown had ended, he would use it on the strongest enemy that was near him. Everyday the skill would be used over 10 times for almost 20 days. And the results showed. With the two stats getting a near 300 points boost, Daichi was satisfied with the whole endeavor.

    The Genin had his eyes on the SP(stamina points) and the Stamina Special Stat. He remembered the skill upgrade and notifications he got when Stamina reached 300.

    [Stamina Stat has reached 300]

    [Revising SP form and recalcting Stamina Points]

    [Skill ''Enhanced Stamina'' has evolved to ''Supernatural Stamina'']

    [Supernatural Stamina - Passive (LV. MAX): A passive skill given to the yer when the Stamina stat has reached 300. This skill increases the user''s SP and speeds up the user''s stamina recovery by 5 times(Removed all previous limitations). This skill gives the user the ability to suppress or block pain and battle with full function. This skill also allows the user to suppress hunger for long periods of time and allows them to think clearly and move without any hindrance (There are certain limitations). Enhanced Stamina is a skill that''s obtained and maxed.]

    Letting out a deep breath of air, Daichi went to pack his bag and quietly left his home. His destination. Training ground 3.

    ''There is still one more Rasengan variation that I need toplete and there are several other things I need to learn as well. This one month I got from the Hokage is the perfect opportunity. I''ll also need toplete the academy dungeon as well. I''ve been neglecting a serious ability of mine and it''s time I put that to use.''

    Before long Daichi reached his training ground and began the next stage of his training.

    -

    One Week Later - Academy Dungeon.

    "ng ng!"

    Sparks were flying in the air as weapons from multiple enemies were sent flying at Daichi but all of them were deflected by the boy''s own numerous shuriken. The Gamer Genin had spent 6 days improving the strength of his water ninjutsu and on the 7th day he decided to use the Academy dungeon ground to improve his skills and even create some new ones.

    The Genin had been battling for over 20 hours non stop in the dungeon. Daichi had sweat dripping down his face and was breathing harder but he had a wide grin as looked at the multiple enemies surrounding him. 8 Chunin dungeon ninjas surrounded the boy but Daichi wasn''t worried.

    He grinned and spoke. "Now you see me now you don''t!"

    The next second he vanished from their sight like a disappearing mirage. The dungeon ninjas looked around but couldn''t find their enemy. But one dungeon ninja made a seal, closed his eyes and looked as if he was concentrating. The next second he opened his eyes and threw several shurikens in a certain direction. The shuriken struck the wall of a building but the particr dungeon ninja rushed towards an empty area and soon began engaging inbat with an invisible enemy.

    Daichi, who was invisible to the naked eye, was slightly impressed that he was found out. He saw the other enemies rushing over and quickly finished off the enemy in front of him and jumped to a safe distance.

    ''Hmm This is why field testing new skills is always an excellent idea.''

    Daichi entered the academy dungeon mainly to sharpen his current skills and to create new defensive and evasive abilities. During thest 20 hours he was able to sessfully create several new skills based on his Mana energy. A power that he had not been fully utilizing till now.

    ''I didn''t have the necessary Mana pool needed to create the skills I''ve wanted until now.''

    Daichi opened the skill list and his eyes were on the first new skill created since entering the Academy dungeon.

    [Mana Cloak - Active(LV. 01): The skill allows the user to cover their body partiallypletely in ayer of Mana energy and use it to manipte the light spectrum. The user can render themselves unseen by most eyes and be invisible in the visible spectrum. The scent of the user is also masked. Since Mana is the energy being used for this skill the Byakugan nor the Sharingan can detect the user. But the Rinnesharingan can detect the flow of unnatural energy and thus will be able to see through the ability.]

    [MP Cost: 100MP/10 minutes. 20 MP for each additional minute.]

    ''Mana is best suited for using stealth skills since there aren''t many people that know or can even use Mana abilities. If I use chakra and create a jutsu to make myself invisible then I''ll be sensed by the Sharingan and others much more easily Hmm The Mana cloak blocks my scent and renders me invisible from other sights but it seems a sensor ninja can still find me. So that''s a downside. Sensor ninjas are rare but those that have that ability are among the most troublesome ones To maximize the effects of this skill I need to use it in tandem with the Stealth skill.''

    Daichi moved through the remaining 7 enemies that were near him and he began his counter attack. The dungeon ninjas sensed theirrades being attacked but couldn''t find the enemy. Theyunched several Ninjutsu to their surroundings to flush out the enemy. One ninja used a wind style jutsu to kick up the dust and the enemies were able to see an invisible silhouette moving through the dust filled area.

    ''These guys are a lot smarter than the enemies I''ve gone up against in the other dungeon. But I suppose that''s natural. Those guys were just mindless beastspared to these guys who can use multiple strategies.''

    But before the academy dungeon enemies could capitalize on their chance several Wind Style Breakthroughs wereunched by Daichi at his foes. He took a dagger and quickly finished off his opponents in less than a minute.

    [+6000 Exp.]

    [+900 Exp.]

    Enemies killed: [700/1125]

    [Skill Death blow has leveled up.]

    [Skill Danger Sense has leveled up.]

    [Skill Mana Maniption has leveled up.]

    [You have leveled up]

    ''Finally! Level 60 I have 4 more hours before I need to exit the dungeon. My Mana is running low...''

    Daichi opened the skill list and checked out the other Mana skills he created during his time here.

    [Mana Shield(Semi) - Active(LV. 01): An active skill primarily used as defense in battle. This skill creates a semi-spherical shield in front of the user that can block physical attacks. Only those with high sensitivity to Mana can see the Mana shield so the shield produced is also an invisibility shield. Can only create one shield at the current level.]

    [Effects: ]

    [Creates one shield in front of the user that can take up to 1000 Damage points.]

    [MP cost: 100 MP to activate shield and maintain for 2 minutes. 50 MP will be used to maintain the shield for each additional minute.]

    ''Based on my analysis and the battle data collected, this shield can tank up to 5 or 6 C Rank level ninjutsu and 2 or maybe 3 B Rank Ninjutsu and just a single A Rank level jutsu. And it''s still only Level 1. And this is a semi protective shield. I need to create a full body shield next time.''

    Daichi let go of the Mana cloak skill and used another one he created. This one was much more versatile but the Mana cost was equally higher than the other skill.

    [Mana Body Armor - Active(LV. 01): This is an active skill best used in defensive style in battle. This skill creates ayer of Mana energy atop the skin and clothes of the user and hardens it forming an invisible armor. This armor can also be used to hide the scent and chakra of the user.

    MP Cost: 160 MP to activate and maintain for 2 minutes. Additional 80 MP will be used each minute.]

    [Effects:]

    [Can negate a certain portion of the iing damage of the Physical attacks.]

    [Can block all scents of the user from being sensed by others. (Does not adversely affect the user)]

    [Can block the chakra of the user from being sensed by others. (Does not adversely affect the user)]

    [Negate the effects of Chakra drain techniques of enemy ninjas.]

    [The properties of this armor can be changed while in use. Can Mimic the Mana cloak ability and turn the user invisible. To activate this ability an additional 50 MP will be required.]

    Daichi stealthily moved through the dungeon with the Mana Armor skill activated. His stealth skill was also active and thus no dungeon ninja could sense the gamer ninja''s presence.

    ''With this mybat abilities will have a boost and I won''t take much damage. If any enemy tries to take my chakra I can activate this skill and block the drain effect. I''ll need to extensively test this skill as well but I don''t have much Mana left.''

    Daichi cut down each enemy he came across and various skills that haven''t leveled up in a while got a boost. Due to being in stealth mode the Title ''Assassin'' was activated and the deadly skill ''Fated to Perish'' activated multiple times allowing Daichi to kill his enemies in one strike each.

    [Skill Stealth has leveled up.]

    [Skill Vital Strike has leveled up.]

    [Skill Killing Intent has leveled up.]

    [+875 Exp.]

    [+131.2 Exp.]

    Enemies killed: [709/1125]

    The gamer ninja let go of the body Armor skill and looked at the final skill he created in the dungeon.

    [Mind Drain - Active(LV. 01): This is an active skill that can only be used on other intelligent creatures on the same level as humans. This skill allows the user to absorb the Mana energy from other intelligent creatures and increase one''s own Mana reserve. This skill can be used to permanently increase the Wisdom and Intelligent stats.]

    [The user must have physical contact with the target''s head for 5 seconds for the skill to activate. Certain knowledge possessed by the target can be gained during the use of this skill.

    MP cost: 25MP/Activation.]

    ''Time to replenish my reserves. I need to see if I can activate this skill in tandem with Life Return.''

    Daichi had observed various people from ordinary civilians to various ranked ninjas before entering the dungeon. ''Civilians have at most 40 or 50 MP reserves. The Mana an average Chunin level ninja would have is around 250 and for Jonin that number increased to 500 or 600. But the Yamanaka n ninjas have higher than usual MP reserves. But it seems none of them can use or are even aware of this energy. A good thing for me I guess.''

    The boy moved around the dungeon and targeted an enemy that was alone. Daichi attacked and quickly disabled and immobilized him. He ced his hands on the enemy''s head and 5 secondster the Mind Drain skill was activated.

    [Skill Mind Drain is activated]

    5 more secondster another notification popped up.

    [Skill Life Return is activated]

    ''Yes! I can use the two skills at the same time and there isn''t any conflict. Damn! I should have created the Mind Drain before going into the other dungeon Oh well. Hindsight is 20/20 I guess.''

    [+1 Vitality]

    [+250 HP]

    [+1 Intelligence]

    [+270 MP]

    [+1 Stamina]

    [+300 SP]

    .

    [+720 Exp.]

    [+108 Exp.]

    Enemies killed: [710/1125]

    [Skill Mind Drain has leveled up.]

    ''Ok. That''s enough for today. It seems my mental fatigue umtes faster when I use Mana skills. Hmm This problem should be solved with higher stats in INT and WIS.''

    Daichi activated the Mana Armor one more time and quickly exited the dungeon.

    ''I finally have a way to move around the vige and avoid detection. I don''t need Atamagai''s cloak anymore for this.''

    Daichi quietly exited the academy and made his way to the training ground where he had created a clone that was meditating. ''Since I''m only gone for less than 4 hours the chances of the clone getting into trouble and popping are slim. Still, I should be careful.''

    Daichi thought about the reasons why he created the 4 Mana techniques. ''The plunderer skill activated multiple times but all I got is weak level ninjutsu and no hidden jutsu If I''m going to raid Orochimaru''s base then I''ll need to increase my stealth abilities to a whole new degree. I need to prepare as much as I can before I make my move. I only got one shot and I need to make it count.''

    Daichi reached the training ground and used the Mana scout skill to see if anyone was watching. Sensing nobody nearby Daichi made his way to the clone and lightly tapped him on the shoulder in a certain pattern. The clone got up as if there was nothing out of the ordinary and made his way to the river running through the training ground. Daichi followed after his shadow clone and the two disappeared into the water.

    ''The clone will go into the river and disperse once it reaches the bottom and I''ll emerge from the water in his ce. There is no such thing as being overly cautious. Especially in this world.''

    The real Daichi emerged from the river and quickly got himself dried up. ''I should take a nap. Need to rest and recharge.''

    -

    Hokage Tower.

    "I''m sorry Kakashi. I will have to reject your nomination this time as well." Hiruzen said with a sigh.

    Kakashi slightly narrowed his eyes but he didn''t speak any more. There were small murmurs from the other Jonins as well but nobody questioned the kage''s decision.

    "All of you except Kakashi, dismissed." Hiruzen spoke and all the Jonins assembled left the room save for the Copy cat ninja.

    "What''s wrong Lord Hokage?" Kakashi asked.

    "I have new information from Jiraiya that stops me from sending Daichi to the Mist vige. There is a brutal civil war going on in that vige and based on the information Jiraiya found out, their internal struggle is in a critical state. The rebellion is led by a powerful kunoichi by the name Mei Terumi. She is a powerful ninja and has several strong forces backing her."

    Kakashi''s eyes widened at that new information. "What about the Mizukage?"

    "His bloodthirsty reign has caused some friction amongst his people and based on what Jiraiya found out his power is waning. This Chunin exam is a way for him to show the world that the Mist vige is still under his control but that may not be the case for long. I don''t want to send one of our most promising ninjas into the middle of such a chaotic situation. Especially since the next Chunin exam will be held here." Hiruzen replied, letting out a puff of smoke.

    The Jonin nodded his head to that reasoning. "I see. So that''s the case. What about Sasuke Uchiha and Naruto Uzumaki?"

    Hiruzen was silent for a moment and then answered. "Young Sasuke hasn''t awakened the Sharingan and Naruto is nowhere near capable in using the power of the Tailed beast inside him. So for the moment those two are no different from most other Genins. I will have Tenzo be their instructor. He is the best suited for them till you are free of your current ward. Once you nominate Daichi for the Chunin exam I''ll have you take over as the Jonin for their team. I have no doubt that Daichi would only need one chance to pass the Chunin exam and you''ll be free to take on Sasuke, Naruto and the third member under you."

    The copy cat Jonin nodded and agreed with that n. "Sir, there is something I wanted to ask."

    "What is it?"

    "Is there any team from our vige participating in the Mist Exam?"

    Hiruzen closed his eyes and sighed hearing that question. A few momentster he looked at the Jonin and silently nodded his head. "There are 3 Genin ranked ninjas participating in the Chunin exams in theing week. One of the Genins is Kabuto Yakushi."

    Kakashi sighed hearing that name. ''So he''s going to this one as well huh. Must be to make contact with Orochimaru and gain intel on the other viges and shinobi.''

    "You approved his request, Lord Hokage?" Kakashi asked his leader.

    "Yes. I''m curious to see how long he thinks he can y this charade. The more information he has, the more information I''ll be able to extract from him when the timees. So for the moment he''ll move as he does." The Hokage replied calmly but he had a dangerous glint in his eyes.

    "Understood Lord Hokage." Kakashi bowed and disappeared while Hiruzen got up from his seat and headed home.

    -------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 230: Blooming Flood

    Chapter 230: Blooming Flood

    Daichi and his clones were in training ground three working hard on the final variation of the Rasengan. It had been three weeks since the boy had begun his training there. Since the jutsu had the potential to be on the higher end of destructive nature, Daichi and his clones moved inwards into the training grounds.

    Daichi and his Shadow clones were close topleting the Water version of the Rasengan and after hours of grueling work they finally did it.

    A clone held a small fast swirling orb of water in his palm. There was a small mist surrounding the jutsu and the clone. The sound of ocean waves could be heard all around. The Water Rasengan was a pure blue sphere of energy with fast rotating currents. Due to the Mist surrounding the jutsu and the user, a small rainbow mirage could be seen around Daichi''s palm.

    "How is it?" Daichi asked his clone.

    "It''s heavy like with Earth Nature Rasengan but not to such a huge degree. The rotation and power of the water current in the orb is beyond what I expected. It''s moving at such high speeds that it seems to be still..."

    The real Daichi nodded. "Alright. Time to test it out."

    At that moment another shadow clone stood several meters away from them and the clone holding the Water Rasengan got ready and rushed towards him.

    The first holding his position used earth chakra to increase the strength of his defense and waited. Momentster the other clone was in front of his target and mmed the Water Rasengan into the test clone.

    The second the Water Style Rasengan made contact with the enemy it expanded to several meters in a spherical vortex of fast moving water currents thatpletely captured the enemy.

    The real Daichi looked on as his clone waspletely trapped and immobilized inside the huge water sphere. The next moment he saw the flesh and clothes being torn off his clone before it vanished giving him its memories.

    The fast lethal spinning spherical shaped water jutsu bulged and looked as if it was about to explode. And the next second it did. Hundreds of gallons of water poured out from the sphere in all directions. The force of the water current ripped apart and destroyed the ground, trees and boulders in its path. It was as if a small dam had burst and the stored water was rushing forward wiping out everything in its path.

    Daichi and his few remaining clones jumped high in the air andnded on the surging current of waves. They steadied themselves and observed the aftereffects of the jutsu. At that moment another person joined them.

    Daichi turned towards the neer and raised an eyebrow. "When did you get here sensei?"

    "A few seconds ago. Just in time to see you test out your new technique." Kakashi nonchntly replied as he looked around. The Water style Rasengan kept creating more waves of water for several more seconds before disappearing. The entire training ground was underwater with everything near them swept away by the force of the current.

    Kakashi looked around and let out a small breath of air. ''It''s as if a flood rampaged through here. The power of that jutsu is incredible So this is what a change in chakra Naturebined with the Rasengan looks like.''

    [Reputation increases with Kakashi Hatake]

    His attention turned to Daichi and the Jonin was silent for several seconds before he spoke. "You said you had an idea as to what the finished version of the Water style Rasengan would look like. Is this what you expected?"

    Daichi nodded his head. "I knew that adding water nature to the jutsu would create something like this But still" Daichi looked around and sighed. "I didn''t think it would be so strong."

    "You used it on your shadow clone. What did it feel when the jutsu made contact with it?" Kakashi asked.

    Daichi was as silent as he recalled the memories of the clone. "The moment the jutsu made an impact on me it expanded in an instant,pletely trapping me. It was like the water prison jutsu but on a whole different level. I couldn''t move no matter how much chakra I used and it didn''t matter for long. The sphere of water had fast currents. They were moving at speeds far beyond what the normal eye could catch."

    Kakashi was silent as his student described the effects of the new jutsu.

    Daichi looked down at his arms and spoke. "Then I felt it. The water inside the sphere started shredding me. It was as if my skin and flesh were being peeled off my bones. My clone vanished the next second." The Genin was silent and then looked at his sensei. "I''m pretty sure that if this Rasengan is used on another person, by the time this jutsu is done only a clean skeleton of the target would be left behind. And that''s if the bones aren''t crushed and swept away by the torrents of water created afterwards. This is a pretty destructive jutsu that can change the battlefield."

    Kakashi looked around and he agreed with his student''s assessment. "Such a powerful jutsu. There is no doubt that Daichi just created an S Rank technique. And in just three weeks. Incredible.''

    For Daichi several new system notifications appeared at that moment.

    [Skill Water Extraction Technique has leveled up.]

    [Congrattions. You have sessfully trained a skill to its highest level.]

    [500 Exp.]

    [75 Exp.]

    .

    [Skill Water Affinity has leveled up.]

    [Congrattions. You have sessfully trained a skill to its highest level. ]

    [500 Exp.]

    [75 Exp.]

    ''Looks like my Water Affinity skill has maxed out. But I haven''tpleted training the third step of change in chakra nature. But it seems the system has deemed that my Water affinity skill is at its highest degree Hmm''

    After thinking about it for a few moments Daichi had a theory.

    ''It seems I only needed toplete part of the third step of change in chakra nature and create a jutsu thatbines water chakra and something extremely difficult like the Rasengan for my affinity to reach its highest point It must be why I only got one level up in other affinity skills when Ipleted the other Rasengans. I haven''t started training in their third step.''

    [Water affinity - (Active/Passive)(LV. MAX): Water Release is one of the five basic nature transformations. It ismonly affiliated with Dog hand-seal. Once this skill crosses Level 85 the user can manipte even the molecr structure of water to create ice or steam. Once this skill crosses Level 90, the user canbine it with other nature affinities which have also crossed Level 90.]

    [Effects: ]

    [200% Power increase in water attack jutsu.]

    [200% Defense Increase in water defense jutsu.]

    [99.9% Increase in sess when creating water style jutsu. ]

    [65% Decrease in Chakra Cost when using water style jutsu.]

    ''Hmm My water affinity may have maxed out but there is still room for improvement. With the water extraction technique I''ve learned to create water from the atmosphere and the nearby nts and I''ve learned to do it quickly. Now I need to learn to increase the power and volume of the water I need to use in my jutsu. With that the third step will bepleted.''

    "What are you thinking of Daichi?" Kakashi''s voice snapped the Genin out of his thoughts.

    Daichi was silent and then decided as a question of his own. "It''s the second week of December. The Chunin exams have probably started and I''m still here. Did you not nominate me or is there something else going on?" Daichi asked his teacher.

    Kakashi rubbed his hair and sighed hearing that question. ''Lord Hokage didn''t exactly say to keep this information a secret from him'' A few momentster Kakashi decided to be honest with the Genin.

    "I did nominate you for the Chunin exam. But due to several important reasons your nomination was rejected."

    Daichi tilted his head and looked at the silver haired Jonin, confused "And they are?"

    "The current Chunin exam is taking ce in the Hidden Mist vige. There is a civil war going on over there and Lord Hokage has decided that it would be best if you wait for 6 more months."

    Daichi''s eyes slightly widened after hearing that information. ''Right. Mist civil war. That''s happening right now huh. Is Mei still leading the rebellion or has there been a butterfly effect? I need to know more. This is the best chance to get more information out of him.''

    "Sensei, can you tell me more about the civil war happening in the Mist vige? If such a thing is happening then won''t the other viges take advantage of the situation. There is potential for this whole thing to get out of hand and be a headache for all the great nations." Daichi looked at his sensei and spoke.

    Kakashi sighed and replied. "You don''t need to worry about it Daichi. Their conflict won''t affect us too much. And the chances of other viges getting involved is slim. For one thing the resources of the Mist vige aren''t that abundant. And to battle them on their own turf is much harder than you think. Right now I believe the other kages are taking a wait and see approach to the whole thing regarding their vige."

    "What about the ones fighting the Mizukage? Who is the leader of the rebellion?"

    "Based on what Lord Hokage told me, the one leading the rebellion is someone named Mei Terumi. A power kunoichi with dual Kekkei Genkai." Daichi nodded and Kakashi didn''t borate further.

    Daichi thought about the situation and he was d that his actions hadn''t caused any ripples in the Mist vige. ''So Mei is leading the rebellion huh. It seems my influence hasn''t fucked up canon on their side That''s good. Maybe it''s best that I wasn''t nominated for the exam this time. I''ll be more than prepared for when the next onees.''

    "So what are you going to name your jutsu?" Kakashi asked his student.

    At that Daichi just smirked and replied. "Water Style: Blooming Flood."

    "Not a bad name."

    Daichi opened the skill list and looked at the details of the new jutsu.

    [Water Style: Blooming Flood - Active (Lv. 01): This jutsu was created by mixing Water Chakra Nature to the existing jutsu ''Rasengan''. This technique is a powerful destructive jutsu that uses fast water currents as its weapon. There are several variations to this jutsu and the power and destructive capabilities can be altered.]

    [Note: Using the fully formed variation of this jutsu can cause damage to the body but a really strong physique or sage jutsu can negate this side effect.]

    [Effects:]

    [500 Damage points when striking and trapping the enemy in a water prison.]

    [Deals an additional 10000% Damage to the enemies trapped in the water prison after 2 seconds. ]

    [Destroys internal organs, flesh muscles, chakra coils of the body. ]

    [Can expand and increase range ording to the user''s will.]

    [CP cost: 2600 minimum]

    ''So it won''t do much damage for the first couple of seconds but after that there is massive damage dealt. Hmm As long as it gets the job done I won''tin Now that I have all the variations of the Rasengan ready, it''s time to try that.''

    Daichi looked at his teacher who took his book out and was about to walk away. "Hey Kakashi sensei. There is one more thing that I want to try. And I''m going to need your help with it."

    "What did you have in mind?"

    Daichi had a wide grin as he replied to the question. "Ice Jutsu."

    -------------

    Author''s Note:

    This chapter might look smallpared to the rest but that''s because the previous several were unusually long chapters. This is a 2k chap and it''s easier for me to write a 2k word chapter and thus updates will be faster.

    Alright onto other matter,

    There will be 1 chapter onpleting the academy dungeon, and creating Ice jutsu, then December ends and Daichi will take some time off training and meet Aiko.

    Several others will be making their moves as well during this time. Stay tuned to find out.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 231: Interlude: Orochimarus plans

    Chapter 231: Interlude: Orochimaru''s ns

    Hidden Mist Vige.

    A 3 man team from the Hidden Leaf vige was hiding behind a bush and the thick Mist surrounding the area helped them stay unnoticed.

    "It seems this is as far as we''re going to get in the exams here." Kabuto spoke as he took several deep breaths of air and looked at his teammates.

    "You know I''m notining. The faster we get out of this wretched vige the better. This whole ce gives me the creeps." A ninja with his face mostly covered spoke. He wore his forehead protector like a bandanna and had a simr purple attire to that of his teammates.

    "Ohe on Misumi. You''re not seriously scared of these Mist ninjas are you?" Asked the third member of the team.

    "Scared. No. Wary. Yes. Some of these guys are killing anyone that they find. Friend or foe. So I don''t want to stick around here any longer than I absolutely have to. And besides, you''ve already collected enough data on several ninjas here haven''t you Kabuto?" The ninja identified as Misumi asked his teammate.

    "Yes. You''re right. I''ve collected and stored all the necessary info. Our mission here ispleted. Let''s get to the safe zone. We no longer need to continue with the exams." Kabuto made the decision and all three made their way to the designated safe zone.

    The trio dered their forfeiture to the Mist Jonins and made their way to their Inn. Once they entered the room Kabuto spoke. "You two stay here. I''ll be back soon." With those words Kabuto Yakushi vanished in a puff of smoke.

    Mist vige - Secret location.

    "Here is all the information you wanted on the teams participating, Lord Orochimaru." Kabuto handed a small card to his master and took a couple steps back.

    Orochimaru chuckled as he looked at his subordinate. "Kukuku... Excellent work Kabuto. I''ll be sure to go through this and see if there aren''t any promising talents Tell me, how are you new teammates?"

    "Hmm Yoroi Akado and Misumi Tsurugi. They both have some level of skill but they''re average. They''re arrogant but don''t have much skills to back it up. If anyone takes a look at them all they''ll see are two Genin with a bit of an overinted ego. Nothing else about them stands out. But I suppose that''s by design. If you had assigned anyone more capable it might have drawn attention towards myself." Kabuto gave an assessment of his two new teammates.

    "When the timees, they will help you. I''m sure you can put their limited abilities to good use. Kukuku"

    "Of course my Lord." Kabuto slightly bowed and replied.

    "I heard that you met with my former partner and did a job for him several months ago. Tell me, what did he want?"

    "You heard about that?" Kabuto Yakushi was surprised. He sighed and shook his head. "Of course you did. You have spies all over thend Yes. It''s true. Your former Akatsuki partner Sasori did make contact. There were a few things he wanted from me."

    "Oh He wouldn''t have called you unless it was important." Orochimaru was curious as to what his former partner in crime and his organization was nning.

    "Sasori called me to the Fire capital. He mainly wanted two things from me. The first was the analysis of your Immortality jutsu."

    Orochimaru crossed his arms and leaned on the tree as he listened. "And what did my dear partner want to know?"

    "Everything. From the specifics of your jutsu to what the effects would be on the vessels you already used them on. Lord Sasori wanted me to analyze the cells of the vessels you''ve already used and document the effects the jutsu had on them."

    "Kukukuku How predictable." The former Sannin of the Leaf vige couldn''t help butugh hearing Sasori''s demand.

    Seeing Kabuto''s puzzled face, Orochimaru exined. "I''m not the only one looking to be immortal. Sasori also has a fascination with eternal life and he turned himself into a puppet to achieve that goal. Not many people know that secret but I found out during my time in that organization. So it''s no surprise that he would be interested in my Immortality jutsu."

    "What should I tell him, my Lord?"

    "Kukuku What else Kabuto? The truth of course."

    Kabuto Yakushi smirked upon hearing that response. "Of course Lord Orochimaru. I tried to analyze the cells of your discarded vessels but I couldn''t get past your protection jutsu."

    "What was the other thing my former partner wanted from you?" Orochimaru asked.

    "Blood samples. The blood samples of the nephew of the 3rd Minister and his wife. I believe Sasori wanted to create a custom poison for them." Kabuto replied.

    "Fascinating. Sasori wouldn''t interfere with the Fire Capital''s Royal court members unless it was on orders from the Leader. I wonder what they wanted."

    "Unknown. But I have a hypothesis."

    Orochimaru was silent and motioned for the grey haired spy to speak his mind.

    "I believe the Akatsuki was nning to create friction between the Fire Daimyo and Earth Daimyo and use the chaos to their advantage. If I''m right then they would have also used the situation to create an internal power struggle in the Fire capital royal court and use it to their advantage. But how they would aplish such a thing? I''m not sure" Kabuto gave his theory.

    Orochimaru gave a smallugh at that. "Zetsu would be used for such an asion. He is an expert in intelligence gathering, frame up and subterfuge But I haven''t heard anything drastic happening in the Fire capital. So I''m assuming the n failed."

    "Yes. The Genin Daichi Hekima happened. The minister requested for the boy''s help and he was able to save the nephew from Sasori''s poison."

    The Snake sannin raised an eyebrow at that. "Really? He can already counter poisons created by Sasori? Kukuku." Orochimaru''s grin widened and his tongue extended as he licked his lips. "I''m quite excited to meet him."

    Kabuto was keenly observing his master throughout the conversation and it''s why he knew that despite his masterughing, Orochimaru seemed irritated for some reason.

    "You seem displeased my Lord."

    The snake Sannin had a wide creepy grin as he looked at his subordinate. "Oh really? Do I look unhappy to you, Kabuto? You think you can read me so easily?" The next instant Kabuto tilted his head to the side and avoided a piercing stab from the Kusanagi sword. The sword struck the wall behind Kabuto and left a big crack.

    Kabuto calmly stepped to the side and looked at his master. "I would never presume to understand your thoughts, my lord. But right now, yes, you do seem agitated."

    The Snake Sannin pulled the sword and stored it away, chuckling. "Kukuku Those keen eyes and that boldness are some of the reasons I keep you around Kabuto Well then, why don''t you tell me why I''m displeased."

    "Hmm" Orochimaru''s student was silent for a few moments before he spoke. He already had an idea as to what was bothering his master. "Daichi Hekima''s absence from this exam."

    "Yes. I was hoping to meet the talented Genin but it seems he is a no show here as well."

    "Maybe his Jonin teacher Kakashi Hatake didn''t nominate him for the exam." Kabuto gave a reasoning for Daichi''s absence.

    Orochimaru shook his head at that. "No. Kakashi is a prideful man. And he is perfectly capable of assessing the talents of student. I have no doubt that he nominated the boy for the exam Yes. I''m sure he did. So the only reason the boy wouldn''t be here is if my dear sensei rejected the nomination for some reason. I don''t like it when someone else interferes in my ns. And this is the second time. Even when I''m away from the vige, my dear sensei is bing a thorn in my side."

    "Perhaps Lord Hokage was worried about Daichi''s safety. There is a civil war going on in this vige and if Daichies, with his fame he''ll be an easy target. Maybe the Hokage is holding him back so he canpete in the next exam taking ce in the vige." The bespectacled Genin gave his reasoning.

    Orochimaru listened and nodded. "Perhaps But it''s annoying that I didn''t get to meet him again There are others from several nations that are also here to see the skills of Tsunade''s youngest student. Since he''s a no show here perhaps they might attend the next exam happening in the vige Now that would be a perfect recipe for chaos. Kukuku."

    "I wouldn''t be too sure about that. I think the Hokage is looking to use Daichi to make a statement." Kabuto said. He collected certain information about the Genin beforeing to the exam.

    Orochimaru slightly tilted his head and looked at his subordinate. "Oh, what makes you say that Kabuto?"

    At that the grey haired Genin took a scroll from his pouch and tossed it to his master. Orochimaru caught the scroll and opened it. It contained a great deal of information on Daichi and the missions he undertook.

    "Beforeing to the Chunin exam I infiltrated the records room. I got a hold of the missions Daichi took since he became part of the two man Team with Kakashi." Kabuto spoke as Orochimaru looked through the documents. His grin disappeared as he looked at the details of thest mission Daichi participated in.

    Orochimaru narrowed his eyes and looked at his subordinate. "How urate is this information?"

    "Very. Beforeing here, I took a detour to the Land of Sea. I spoke with a few people who were on the ship who watched the whole thing."

    "I heard that the Lightning Twins recruited several people to their crew and made the Land of Sea their domain. I''ve heard of their warship but I didn''t get the chance to investigate it myself." Orochimaru said.

    Kabuto nodded and continued. "I got the detailed description of the warship and the weapons used. Daichi took a direct hit from a powerful cannon like that and managed to deflect it without much damage to himself. His physical strength is far from ordinary." Kabuto gave his reply and was silent.

    "It''s not just his physical strength." Orochimaru said. ''To stop something like that, he would have needed a strong body but also perfect chakra control and great chakra reserves. He''s only 12 years old and already such a strong body at his age. It will only be stronger as time passes.''

    The second this thought crossed Orochimaru''s mind a new idea began to take root. He looked at his student and spoke.

    "Tell me Kabuto, if another Jonin were to take a direct hit from that weapon, what are their chances of survival?" Orochimaru asked.

    "Unless they have a powerful defense jutsu or special Kekkei Genkai technique then the chances of their survival is very low."

    "And yet this Genin survived without much injury. Fascinating isn''t it."

    Kabuto was confused. "What are you getting at Lord Orochimaru?"

    "The boy reminds me of Hashirama Senju. The first Hokage had a powerful physique and his blood held great vitality and powerful chakra. I believe the boy is the same. He must have some mutation simr to the first Hokage to have such a powerful body and I''m sure his chakra is just as exceptional. He would make a great vessel."

    Kabuto''s eyes widened hearing that. "But what about Sasuke Uchiha? I thought you wanted the power of the Uchiha n."

    "Kukuku Kabuto, don''t you know me by now? One can''t have too many toysKukuku I will give the young Uchiha the curse seal but I''ve changed my mind. Sasuke will be my backup. I''ll give Daichi the curse seal as well. I''m sure he''ll survive the procedure." Orochimaru chuckled, thinking about the new ideas forming in his mind.

    "What exactly are you nning, Lord Orochimaru?"

    "Imagine someone with young Daichi''s body with a pair of powerful Sharingan. Kuku."

    Kabuto''s eyes widened. "Wait. But the Sharingan takes too much chakra to maintain. Kakashi Hatake is an example of that. And your experiments with Shin also proved that without Uchiha bloodline the Sharingan is weakened."

    Orochimaru chuckled and looked at his servant. "Yes. I''m aware of that, Kabuto. But that''s where Hashirama Senju''s bloodes into y."

    Kabuto was silent as he listened to his master.

    "Young Daichi is already so powerful. Just imagine. His powerful body,bined with the First Hokage''s cells and Sasuke''s Sharingan eyes. A strong body, the powerful chakra and wood style of the First Hokage and the visual prowess of the Uchiha n. I''ll be unstoppable."

    Kabuto wasn''t as optimistic as his master about such a thing. "In theory having such a body would make someone near invincible. But my lord, the first Hokage''s blood is too vtile. If the grafting procedure fails and Daichi dies, what then? You''d lose a valuable resource."

    "Kabuto, I might be rash when ites to my experiments sometimes, but I do know when to hold back. I will need to conduct some tests with Hashirama''s blood. And I will need to use it on a specimen that is sure to survive the procedure so I can collect the necessary data."

    "Does such a person exist?" Kabuto asked.

    "Yes. I have someone in mind." Orochimaru chuckled and replied. "Once I have the crucial information I need, I''ll bestow on young Daichi, my curse seal Kabuto, we shouldn''t meet again for some time. My ns with Sand vige will be on hold for now. I need to make some arrangements. Is myb on Demon ind still operational?"

    "No my Lord. I paid a visit and everything''s destroyed. And I''m pretty sure the Leaf ninjas raided that base before I got there." Kabuto replied.

    "It seems, I''ll have to create a new temporary base. And I know just where Kukuku"

    Shortly afterward Kabuto and Orochimaru went their separate ways with Orochimaru making new ns to further his ambition.

    -------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 232: Ice Affinity

    Chapter 232: Ice Affinity

    Training Ground 3

    "Well, we got plenty of water here thanks to your jutsu. So how do you want to get started?" Kakashi asked Daichi.

    "You remember the Ice sword I got on ourst mission?"

    "Yeah it rings a bell. But I don''t remember seeing you in action with that yet." The Jonin said with a chuckle. Daichi had a smile hearing that and soon he took the sword out of a scroll. The Genin still remembered the details his ''observe'' skill showed him.

    [Frost Sword] [Special Item: Rank A]

    [The Frost Sword is a Special Ranked item created by Katsura Sadoshi. It is his greatest creation till date. This weapon is created by studying the Kekkei Genkai gics of a member of the Yuki n and the DNA is extracted and used in creating this sword. This sword can freeze water, create andunch massive waves of ice and more. Only someone with higher than average chakra reserves and one with high affinity to Water can use this sword. This is a melee weapon that can shoot ice projectiles and can be used both defensively and offensively.

    Note: This sword was created using the blood of a member of The Yuki n and thus it can create Ice and mimic the abilities of that n.

    Members not part of the Yuki n can use this sword but the chakra cost is high.

    Members of the Yuki n can use this sword with minimal chakra cost.]

    Daichi looked at the sword with an intense gaze. ''If I can understand the inner workings of this sword, how it uses someone''s chakra into creating ice, then I''ll be one step closer to achieving my goal.''

    "So that''s the weapon huh. That man who worked for the Lightning Twins must have been an extraordinary cksmith to create something like this." Kakashi came close and looked at the magnificent weapon.

    Daichi nodded. "Yeah. If I can figure out its secrets or at least understand some parts of its inner mechanics then I''m sure I can create my own ice techniques."

    "Well then, let''s get started."

    Hearing his sensei, Daichi got ready. Both the teacher and student were standing on top of a smallke created as a result of Daichi''stest Rasengan variant. The Genin created a couple of shadow clones so that they could concentrate on observing the chakra flow when the sword is in use.

    The real Daichi gripped the Frost sword in his right hand and channeled some of his chakra into it. He ced the tip of the sword atop the surface of the new smallke and quickly the water under Daichi began to freeze. The water underneath Daichi''s feet became solid and soon it spread.

    Kakashi had his Sharingan out and was keenly observing the sword in Daichi''s hand. After a few seconds he came to a conclusion. ''I can''t copy it. Not only does the user create Ice with no hand seals, that sword is somehow mimicking the chakra flow of the Yuki n. It seems that man was able to harness the gic disposition that gave the Yuki n members their ability to use Ice jutsu and somehow artificially replicate that ability and transnt it into a sword. The vast knowledge and skills one would need to do something like that''

    Kakashi watched as the ice spread in all directions from underneath Daichi. The Jonin let out a tired sigh as he thought about the situation.

    ''If any other vige had gotten their hands on him then it would have been a disaster. It was best that he died on that ship. This is something that would tip the bnce of power between nations. If weapons like this and the armor used by them were mass produced it would have soon caused an all out war.''

    Daichi was unaware of his teacher''s thoughts and was just focused on the weapon in his hand. The temperature in the area dropped little by little as the ice spread. Soon the ice covered over a hundred meters and in the center was Daichi. He let out a deep breath of air and he could see his breath due to the cold temperature.

    The Gamer ninja waited for several seconds but he didn''t get any notifications regarding the use of the sword.

    ''Hmm I didn''t get any Ice creation notification. It seems I''ll have to personally create Ice to get that affinity.''

    At that moment Daichi''s shadow clones came near him and one of them dispelled. Daichi got the memories of his clone and quickly analyzed what it had learned. The clones had been using chakra senses and had all their attention focused on the Frost sword.

    ''When using the sword they sensed the use of Wind chakra nature and Water chakra nature working in tandem. My chakra changed when it flowed through the weapon. There was something else Something that changed the properties of my chakra to help in making a new element. Hmm''

    "What do you think sensei?" Daichi looked at his teacher for advice.

    "That sword can somehow duplicate the Kekkei Genkai ability of the Yuki n. It doesn''t have hand seals and the way the chakra moves through the sword I can''t copy the creation of Ice but" The next instant Kakashi went through several different seals.

    "Ice style - Barrier Jutsu."

    An ice wall suddenly sprung forth in front of Kakashi from the Ice that was created thanks to Daichi''s sword.

    "This is one of the jutsus I copied during a mission in the Land of Snow some time ago. There were people there not part of the Yuki n that could use the existing Ice for their techniques." Kakashi said to his student.

    "Butnds with snow and ice are not thatmon. And I might not always get to use this sword. So what happens in situations like that?" Daichi didn''t say everything that was on his mind. ''This is also a test run. I need to see if I can create otherplicated elements. The knowledge I would gain from this is invaluable.''

    "Well Daichi, I think the solution is simple." The silver haired Jonin said with a knowing grin.

    The Genin already knew what the man was going to say. "Let me guess. I need to learn how to create Ice first."

    "Yup. I have an idea on how to do that. I got it from observing that sword." The Jonin gave Daichi his thoughts and the Genin was silent.

    "I need to think this through." With that Daichi put the Frost sword back into his scroll and walked to a nearby tree. He sat down and soon began meditating.

    -

    Kakashi was lying on the ground reading his favorite book but asionally his eyes would drift to his student. Daichi had been meditating under a tree for several hours and was preparing himself to create a mixed Nature jutsu.

    The man sighed and went back to reading but his mind was on what his student said earlier and the advice he gave Daichi. ''Creating Ice jutsu is no easy task. Can it even be done? To copy a Kekkei Genkai ability That''s a tall order. I could only do it because of my Sharingan.'' The Jonin sighed and went back to reading. He would patiently wait till his student was ready.

    With deep meditation Daichi was restoring his health, stamina and chakra and was also mentally preparing himself. A few hours went by and he was back to his peak.

    ''Its time.''

    Momentster he opened his eyes and let out a deep breath of air. He got up and stretched himself and feltpletely refreshed. Kakashi, who saw his student up and about, put his reading material back into his pouch and stood.

    "So any thoughts?" The Jonin asked.

    Daichi nodded. "I''ve been going over what you said. And you''re partially right."

    "Partially?" The silver haired Jonin slightly tilted his head.

    "I''ve been thinking it over and your method is one of the two best ways to create Ice." Daichi spoke.

    Seeing Kakashi''s silence, Daichi borated on his theory. "I don''t have the Yuki n''s Kekkei Genkai, so I can''t create Ice out of nothing. But I''m sure I can use existing Ice and use Ice jutsu and mimic their n''s abilities. But for that I need to learn to turn water into ice. Because the Ice I need to use must have at least a tiny portion of my chakra. At least right now when I''m learning anyway. Without that it''s no use. You showed me the signs for some Ice jutsu you got from the Land of Snow and told me about the method to use Wind Chakra nature to cool down water and turn it to ice."

    The Jonin nodded his head. "Yes. Based on what I know the Yuki n membersbine Wind chakra nature and Water chakra nature to create and use Ice Style. My Sharingan also saw something simr happening within that sword when it was used earlier. That''s why I suggested using Wind Nature."

    Daichi agreed with that statement. "Right. But there is one more way. Using Fire Chakra Nature."

    Kakashi slightly narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean? Isn''t Fire Nature used for creating steam techniques?"

    "Yes. But there is much more. Ice, water and steam. They are all rted. Ice exists when atoms of water are bound together and they have no movement or the least amount of motion. But when heat or energy is applied the atoms get energized and they be mobile and so ice melts and bes water. And to that water if we apply even more heat and energy the movements of the atoms be even faster. Thus water boils and bes steam. It''s basic chemistry. But this is what will help me."

    Kakashi was beginning to have an idea of what his student was attempting to do and he was impressed. ''To manipte elements on an atomic level like that with his chakra. Especially when he has no special n gic advantages He''s just 12 years old and he''s alreadye so far. This kid truly is a genius in Ninjutsu.''

    "When we apply heat to ice it bes water. You''re implying that we do the reverse and remove heat from water and turn it back into ice." Kakashi figured out Daichi''s idea and was pondering on the possibilities of such a method. ''That could also theoretically work.''

    "Precisely. Mastering the second step of the Fire Nature allowed me to learn to control the temperature and make variations to the heat emitted from my jutsu. I want to apply that concept. But all of this is a theory. And I''m not sure where I should start." Daichi looked at his sensei for guidance and Kakashi was silent for a few moments before giving his two cents.

    "So we have two possible methods to create Ice. One, using wind chakra nature to cool the water down to its solid form. Two, use fire nature to remove heat and turn water to ice. Hmm Why don''t we try both? But not at once."

    Daichi was silent as he nodded his head to that suggestion.

    Kakashi continued. "We''ll try to create Ice using both methods and see which one''s the best. Let''s start with Fire Nature. And if the results aren''t what you want we move on to Wind Nature. That way you''ll be able to see the difference and you can use the best option for your techniques."

    Daichi nodded and looked around and saw some small water puddles. "I''ll start small then work my way up."

    The Jonin agreed and both of them went to a nearby small puddle. Daichi sat down on the muddy ground, ced both his hands on the surface of the small puddle and concentrated.

    Kakashi looked at his student and at that moment another idea struck him. ''Hmm Yes. If this experiment is sessful then could that also be a possibility? But it would be more difficult since he has to maintain focus on two natures at once''

    The Jonin didn''t say anything since he didn''t want to disturb his student from his current task. He looked on after a short while the water stilled. Kakashi''s eyes slightly widened as he saw a smallyer of ice form atop the water. His Sharingan was focused on Daichi''s chakra flow. ''He''s using fire nature in such a refined manner. With his chakra he''s extracting the heat from the water and it''s slowly cooling down.''

    Daichi sat there with his eyes closed and just focused on his task. Thanks to all the chakra control training and nature training he had done so far the task Daichi was attempting was yielding results much faster than he anticipated.

    In just a few minutes a thinyer of ice covered the small puddle of water. Daichi kept focusing on his work but the sounds of several notifications popping up made him stop.

    He looked at the partially frozen water in front of him and had a big grin on his face.

    "It seems your theory is correct Daichi. You can create Ice by using Fire Nature. That''s impressive."

    "Thanks sensei. Now that I''ve got the hang of it, I need to train it to eptable levels. After that I''ll start to work on ice jutsu." Daichi spoke and the silver haired Jonin agreed.

    "Well, I''m d I could help Daichi. Now this is something you can only do on your own. Good luck." With that Kakashi pulled the headband over his Sharingan and walked to a dry spot to continue his reading.

    Daichi looked at the notifications that appeared and a smile was on his face.

    [A new skill is created with a specific action.]

    [By continuously focusing your chakra to manipte the heat of a substance, the skill Fire: Heat Maniption has been created.]

    [Fire: Heat Maniption - (Active/Passive) (LV. 01): This is a skill created through the meticulous use of Fire chakra nature and is a subdivision of Fire Affinity. This technique will help the user increase their strength, control and speed over the heat maniption of a substance. This skill allows the user to create, shape and manipte heat by increasing the Kic energy of atoms and thus make things hotter. This process can also be used in reverse to remove heat from certain objects and cool them down.]

    [Effects:]

    [2% Increase in Heat maniption and control.]

    [0.5% Increase in power of Fire chakra Nature.]

    [Note: The chakra used for this technique depends on the items this skill is used on.]

    The grin on Daichi''s face got wider as he looked at the new skill. ''With this I''ll be able to increase the firepower of my Fire jutsus and even use it in a more versatile way. I have so many ideas I can''t wait. But for now, I need to stay concentrated on the task at hand.''

    The Genin calmed himself and got back to work. He created multiple clones and they all picked a spot and started working.

    -

    Days passed by with Daichi making steady progress. Almost 10 days passed with non-stop day and night training and finally his efforts paid off. Daichi increased the heat maniption skill to max level and was able to freeze arge portion of water in seconds. But it wasn''t all he did.

    The gamer ninja used the Frost sword dozens of times to study the chakra flow and how it uses his energy to create a new element. After a while he grasped the secrets and it was finally time to put his training and theories to the test.

    "You ready Daichi?" Kakashi asked as he stood atop the river flowing through the middle of their training ground.

    "Yup. Bring it."

    The Jonin nodded and quickly made several seals. ''Water style - Water torrent jutsu.''

    The second Kakashi made the final seal for the technique, arge spiraling torrent of water sted out of the river and headed straight for Daichi. The Genin slightly jumped to the side and narrowly avoided the jutsu. He looked at the spiraling water jutsu that was still active and quickly brought his hands upon it.

    ''I need to make sure the water doesn''t shred my palms. Create minimum contact and use the opportunity to maximum efficiency.''

    Daichi brought his palms near the surface of the water jutsu and before Kakashi''s jutsu could do any damage, Daichi used his heat maniption ability.

    The water around Daichi''s palm was quickly frozen and it swiftly spread throughout the technique till it reached its origin point in the river.

    Kakashi watched as Daichi''s chakra overtook his water jutsu and turned it into a long spiraling ice structure. He let go of the technique and jumped to the ground.

    "Ready for the next part?"

    Daichi nodded to the Jonin''s question and quickly made several hand signs that ended with a dog seal. "Ice style - Needle barrage."

    On the surface of the newly created ice structure several ice needles formed and thenunched forward with speed and lethality.

    "Haha! Yes! Hell yeah!" Daichi was excited that he was finally able to sessfully create Ice and copy a Kekkei Genkai ability.

    "Well what do you know? It works. Well done Daichi." Kakashi was impressed with the results of their one month training. ''Not only did he create a Water version of the Rasengan, he was able to create hidden jutsus specific to the Yuki n.''

    For Daichi, at that moment two new notifications arrived.

    [You have used your first Ice nature jutsu.]

    [You have acquired the skill Ice Affinity.]

    --------------

    Author''s Note:

    Enjoy the 3k chapter fes. I have a lot of ns in mind till we reach the chunin exams. I''m so excited.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 233: A Winter Holiday

    Chapter 233: A Winter Holiday

    [You have used your first Ice nature jutsu.]

    [You have acquired the skill Ice Affinity.]

    The two notifications brought a smile to Daichi''s face. He wanted to check out the details of his new skill but before he could Kakashi spoke.

    "It seems your method of using Fire Nature to create ice and then use it for your Ice techniques work"

    "Yeah Hey, since you had your Sharingan on the jutsu I just used, what can you tell me about it?" Daichi asked his teacher.

    "Well the truth is even though you''ve mimicked the Yuki n''s ability, the strength and efficiency of your Ice style is far from the real thing. I saw you use a lot more chakra than what you''ve used for your other nature jutsu but not to the same effect. You expended more energy but the Ice needles you created were a lot weaker than they should be. Do you know why?" The Jonin asked his student.

    Daichi nodded his head. "It''s the first time I''m using this technique and because I didn''t add Wind chakra nature to create and strengthen the ice."

    "Precisely. Right now what you have is a copy. It is nowhere near as strong as the original But don''t let that bring you down. There aren''t many people who could do what you did. And you''ve only just begun." Kakashi knew that even though Daichi''s Ice style was weak at the moment, it would only get stronger.

    The Genin was well aware of that. ''Right now this skill should be at level 1. With time I''ll get it to max and then Oh boy It will be one hell of an ace up my sleeve''

    "Since our training with Fire Nature ispleted, are you going to try it with Wind Nature next?"

    Daichi fell silent and let out a deep breath of air. He recalled thest several weeks and thought about what to do. ''I''ve been going at it hard with little rest for almost two months now. One month in the dungeon and one here. It''s better I take some time off and rx.''

    He looked at his sensei and spoke. "I will but not right now. I''ve been training hard non-stop and I think it''s time I take a small break."

    The Jonin smiled hearing that. "Good. I was hoping you''d say that. Training is good but without proper rest for the body and mind we will only hinder ourselves. There won''t be any missions till the end of this month. So have fun." With that Kakashi used body flicker and left the training ground.

    Daichi looked at himself and saw that he was covered in mud and dirt. ''Man, I really need a shower.''

    He dove into theke and swam around for a few minutes. He felt his body rx and soon got out of the water. ''Time to check out my new skill.''

    The Genin opened the skill list and looked at the details of the new skill as he put on new clothes.

    [Ice affinity - (Active/Passive)(LV. 01): Ice Release is abination nature transformation of Wind and Water. It ismonly affiliated with Dog hand-seal. Most Ice jutsus are far stronger than Water jutsu or Wind jutsu that use the same amount of chakra. ]

    [Note: You have created Ice without the use of Wind chakra nature and thus your jutsu will be weaker than normal. There will also be a level restriction. Users cannot level up this skill beyond LV. 25 until the needed conditions are met. Users can remove this restriction with two methods.

    The user has learned tobine Wind and Water chakra natures to create Ice or must gain absolute mastery of Water Nature on all its aspects.]

    [Effects: ]

    [1% Power Increase in Ice attack jutsu.]

    [1% Defense Increase in Ice defense jutsu.]

    [2% Increase in sess when creating Ice style jutsu.]

    [1% Decrease in Chakra Cost when using Ice style jutsu.]

    Daichi looked at the details of the new skill and sighed. ''I had a feeling it would be like this. I knew there would be limitations. I couldn''tbine both natures so I used a shortcut. I can use Ice jutsu but not to its true potential. Not until I learn to use both chakra natures at the same time anyway. That''s going to be tricky but I don''t think it''s impossible. I just need time and effort. I''vee this far Hmm So if there is a limitation like this on Ice Affinity then there would be on the others as well. I need a way to get around this problem.''

    Daichi headed back home thinking about how to solve his new predicament. ''I need to learn how to use two natures simultaneously. But my body currently doesn''t have that skill. So how do I acquire it?''

    ''This isn''t like the gamer story where I can just buy a skill book and get a new skill.'' As he neared his home Daichi suddenly came to a halt. An idea popped. ''Training is indeed the answer Hmm Yes. That might work and I might get the skill I need.''

    Daichi crossed his arms and thought about the other option. ''Butbining Wind and Water is one option. The other is getting such mastery over Water Nature that I can manipte it down to its molecules without any help. The water skill says that after crossing level 85 I can manipte it down to its molecules and I can but it takes time and lots of energy. But I have a feeling that if Iplete the final step of the 3rd stage I''ll be able to create Ice with just water Nature I need to test it out when I get the time.''

    With a n in mind Daichi moved forward and soon reached his home. He found his grandfather tending to their garden.

    "Hey Gramps. Did ya miss me?"

    Kensei sensed the arrival of his grandson and turned to look at the boy. "You''ve certainly grown. I take it that things worked out"

    The Genin smiled and went to a nearby bucket of water. He made two seals and ced a hand on the surface of the water. In seconds the water in the bucket became frozen solid.

    The old veteran ninja was surprised as he saw the water turn to ice. "You did it. You actually created ice from water."

    "Yeah. I can use Ice style jutsu but I need to turn water into ice first. There are some limits." Daichi replied.

    "Still, this is very impressive. Rarely can a shinobi who isn''t part of a n can use their techniques. You should be proud of your achievements."

    "Thanks Gramps." The Genin sat down near his grandfather and both of them recalled what they were up tost month.

    "Hey gramps. The Rinne festival is in 3 days. Did you get the items I wrote down?" Daichi asked.

    Kensei nodded with a small smile. "Yes. They''re in your room. I just received them a couple days ago."

    "Alright, let me get to work. I''ve missed thest couple of festivals here so I''m kinda looking forward to this. I''ll be inside if you need me." With that the young Genin went inside.

    The Rinne festival is a winter holiday celebrated in thest week of December in the Leaf vige and other parts of the world. It is a time for praying for the deceased and praying for good fortunes in theing year. Daichi had made his grandfather certain requests the day he headed out to training.

    The Genin opened the door to his room and saw several boxes on his bed. Daichi opened the boxes and a smile formed on his face. ''They''re beautiful. She''ll love these.''

    There were also several scrolls and painting equipment nearby. ''Hmm These should do nicely. The Rinne festival is in three days. I better get to work.''

    -

    Daichi made his way to a ce he hadn''t visited in a long time. He walked up to the gates of Aiko''s Orphanage and soon was led inside to her office.

    Miss Aiko smiled as soon as she saw the boy "Daichi! It''s so nice to see you again. I missed you."

    "I missed you too." Daichi smiled and nodded at the kind matron. He took off his sunsses and ced them in his pocket. The Genin took a closer look at the matron and noticed the wrinkles bing more pronounced on her face and the grays in her hair. It saddened Daichi that he couldn''te to this ce more often. "How have you been?"

    "Good, Daichi. The work here keeps me busy but I''m quite happy." The matron of the orphanage replied. "How''s your grandpa? He came here a month ago but I haven''t seen him since."

    "The old man''s at the cemetery visiting his family. He''ll be there for a while and then return home."

    Aiko thought about Kensei''s family and the smile on her face dimmed. But she didn''t dwell on it for much longer and put on a cheerful face.

    She smiled at the Genin in her office and spoke. "How''s your life as a ninja? I know you wanted to be one long before you left here. So how is it? Go on any interesting missions?"

    Daichi chuckled thinking about thest several missions. "Let''s just say it''s been an exciting few months for me and my sensei."

    "I''ll bet. I heard that you''re part of a special two man team. That true?" Aiko asked the boy.

    Daichi nodded his head with a smile. "Yeah. My skills were assessed to be much higher than my teammates and this way I''ll be able to train at my own pace and take missions more suited to my skills."

    Aiko smiled hearing that but Daichi saw a hint of sadness on the middle aged woman''s face. "What''s wrong?" The Genin asked the caretaker.

    Aiko sighed and replied. "It''s just When I was a Genin I was part of a team with two others my age and the bond we created through the good times and bad I could always count on them. We shared our happiness and sadness together. Training with them andpleting missions with them It was some of the best days of my ninja life I''m just sad that you didn''t get to experience that."

    Daichi understood where the woman wasing from. "Yeah. It would have been nice to have teammates but I think for me this is the best option. I still have friends. And if you''re worried about someone not having my back, don''t be. I made a few friends during my missions and besides, my ssmates will graduate this March and I''m pretty sure I''ll be going on joint missions with them."

    "I''m happy to hear that Daichi"

    Daichi nodded with a smile. He then took a scroll and gave it to the matron.

    "What''s this?" Aiko asked.

    "It''s a few small gifts for the kids here. Some new clothes, candies and toys. The Rinne festival ister today and I thought I''d buy the kids here something nice."

    "Daichi, that''s sweet and I really appreciate the gesture but you didn''t have to do that. You should be saving your mission payments." Aiko was happy with the boy''s kind generous feature but she wanted him to save his money for the future.

    Daichi smiled as if he knew what she was thinking. "If you''re worried about me not having any money, you''re in for a surprise."

    "What do you mean?"

    "I recentlypleted a mission with a reward that came in the millions"

    Aiko''s eyes widened hearing that. "What? How? What mission did youplete?... Wait? Can you even talk about it?"

    Daichi smirked and ryed the details of the Phantom Thief''s hidden Treasure and the mission hepleted. He also recalled the few other C Ranks he did during thest few months.

    Aiko smiled hearing Daichi''s missions. "Wow. That''s amazing. Not even a year and you already started out with way more exciting missions than what normal Genins get."

    The two fell into afortable silence for a few moments before Aiko spoke. "I know you didn''te here just to check up on little old me. You want to know about her don''t you?"

    Daichi had a small smile on his face. "Yes. There is something in that scroll specifically for her Reo will turn 5 next month, so I had it made just for her."

    Aiko ced the scroll on her desk and opened it. There were several gifts but one caught her attention. It was a muchrger box than the others with a small tag with the name Reo on it. It was covered in a beautiful ornate wrapping paper.

    "It''s a kimono." Daichi said. "It''s her birthday present."

    Aiko''s eyes slightly widened in understanding. ''So that''s why Kensei came herest month and asked for Reo''s measurements.''

    Aiko''s face softened as she looked at Daichi''s sad face. "Daichi, why don''t you go see her? Talk to her"

    The Genin looked at the matron and she could see a sad smile was on his face. "You have no idea how much I want to. I thought about adopting her and bringing her home with me on more than one asion. I want nothing more than to form a rtionship with her. Teach her, guide her, tell her about her origin"

    Aiko could hear the yearning in Daichi''s voice. She clearly understood that Daichi had lost sleep over this issue more than once. "Then why don''t you?"

    Daichi looked up and the smile vanished from his face. "When Ren and Kimiko first introduced me to Reo, when they handed me their little baby, when I held her in my arms, the moment she looked at me and smiled, I instantly felt protective of her... I don''t know how or why that emotion appeared in me but it doesn''t matter. From that moment forward she was like a little sister to me. I promised those two that I would be a big brother to her and protect her I want to meet her and form a bond with her so much that it hurts But I can''t be that selfish."

    Aiko looked at the boy and she could hear the sadness buried in his voice.

    Daichi continued. "With all the things happening, if I form a rtionship with her and any of my enemies found out about it, she would be in danger and if they discover her truth, she''ll be in even more danger. I can''t do that to her."

    Aiko narrowed her eyes and looked at the Genin. "That''s not the whole truth, is it? What exactly are you afraid of?"

    Daichi became silent after hearing that question and looked down, deep in thought. ''Danzo, Orochimaru, Obito, Zetsu With the ns I have in mind I would be their enemy sooner orter and if they find out about Reo they''ll use her to their advantage. They won''t even hesitate to hurt or kill her if need be. And if something like that happens''

    The interrogation he had with Junichiro during the capital mission and the questions it roused in him came to the forefront of Daichi''s mind. After a few seconds of silence the Genin replied, still looking down. "I''m afraid of what those people might do to her but you''re right That''s not all"

    Daichi looked up at Aiko and the moment she saw the boy''s eye''s the retired kunoichi felt an emotion she hadn''t felt in a long time.

    Absolute Terror.

    "What I''m more afraid of is what I would do to them... The horrors I would unleash on my enemies should they darey a hand on her, of the man I would be should that happen That''s what frightens me more"

    Aiko sat petrified, unable to say a word. The Genin sighed seeing the terrified expression on the woman''s face and stood from his chair. He went to the nearby window and looked outside. The children ying outside brought a small smile to his face.

    He put on his special ck sses and looked at the matron. "I''ll see you another time Miss Aiko. Sorry to put a damper on the good mood." With those words Daichi vanished from his spot.

    Aiko sat still and just after Daichi left she let out a deep breath of air. She looked at her right arm and saw it slightly shaking and held it with her left hand. The orphanage matron was still thinking about that moment.

    ''When I looked into his eyes I saw it. Hatred that would burn anyone and darkness that would swallow everyone in its path''

    "I''m afraid of that too Daichi" The matron mumbled to no one as she sat in her office alone.

    ----

    It was night time. Daichi and Kensei were both home. The Genin had made a couple gifts for his grandfather as well. He gave the old man two scrolls and Kensei opened the first one.

    In it was a beautiful painting of Fumiyo Yasaji in the middle of a garden along with Kensei. The garden in the painting reminded Kensei of the one in the Fire capital.

    "This is beautiful Daichi. Thank you." The old man had a big smile as he looked at his grandson.

    "Open the second scroll gramps."

    Kensei ced the first scroll on the table and opened the second one. It was a painting of Kensei''s whole family. Kensei Yasaji in the middle with his wife to the right and his son and daughter inw to the left andstly a painter was drawing them nearby. It was drawn as if they were posing for the painting.

    Kensei looked at the painting of his family and a tear escaped his eyes. It was then that he noticed another detail. The one drawing them in the painting. It looked like Daichi. The old man''s smile widened as he looked at that.

    "Thank you. These are truly beautiful. Fumiyo would have loved them."

    The Genin smiled and spoke. "Don''t get all mushy on me old man. Come on. Let''s go watch the fireworks. It''s almost time."

    The two went to their backyard and sat on the porch. As they looked up at the sky and waited, they saw several fireworks going off

    Everywhere in the Leaf vige people were all praying for the departed and for a better year. They were all happily celebrating the winter holiday.

    Daichi''s former ssmates were all at their homes smiling as they saw the fireworks in the sky. Kakashi and several Jonin were on the roof of the Jonin station enjoying the pleasant atmosphere. Hiruzen was in his office looking through the window and enjoying his tobo while Jiraiya was near the bath house smiling.

    None of them knew that these next few months would merely be the calm before the storm hits.

    ----------------

    Author''s Note.

    Enjoy another 3k chap.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 234: Powerful Growth 02

    Chapter 234: Powerful Growth 02

    January 1st.

    [+1 Dexterity]

    [+1 Strength]

    Daichi was in his backyardpleting his morning exercises and training. Once he was done with his workout he quickly freshened up and created a shadow clone.

    The clone looked at its creator and spoke. "Since the old man''s away for the day, and Kakashi is on a mission of his own, we have a little over 24 hours all to ourselves. So now is the best time. We need toplete the academy dungeon today."

    "I know. I need to increase my Mana stats and skills. We need to move on Orochimaru''s base before the Chunin exams take ce in June. I''ll be focusing on stealth skills and my Mana abilities. You stay here and meditate. I''m gonna need the energy when I get back."

    The clone nodded and sat under a tree. The real Daichi closed his eyes and activated the Mana body Armor.

    [Skill Mana Body Armor is activated.]

    The gamer ninja felt his Mana energy coat his whole body.

    ''With this skill I''ll be able to evade chakra detection and other pesky invasive jutsus and move around more freely.''

    He activated the secondary ability of the Mana Armor and made himself invisible. Without wasting another second Daichi rushed out of his house and made his way to the academy. The Genin, even though was moving fast, made sure his movements didn''t cause any disturbance to his surroundings.

    Within 5 minutes he reached the academy and quickly entered the dungeon. He was invisible to the enemy ninjas and Daichi quickly moved to a secluded spot. He looked at the Mana spent and nodded to himself.

    ''Just as I thought. 650 MP used in just 5 minutes. I need to increase the level of the skill and reduce the Mana cost. My focus should be on stealth and increasing my stats.''

    Daichi kept the current skill active as he moved through the dungeon. The Genin ninja targeted enemies that were alone. Daichi''s strategy was to restrain them and use the Mind Drain and Life Return skills as much as he could.

    The first enemy Daichi attacked since his return into the dungeon was a ninja 10 levels below him. And thus its stats were weaker and the effects of Daichi''s skills were weakened as well.

    [Skill Mind Drain is activated]

    [Skill Life Return is activated]

    [+1 Vitality]

    [+125 HP]

    [+1 Intelligence]

    [+100 MP]

    .

    [+200 Exp.]

    [+30 Exp.]

    Enemies killed: [711/1125]

    ''Weaker enemies would only get me 2 stat points total and Life return has a 2 hour cool down period. Hmm Using it on higher level ninjas with greater health points is the best way I can use this right now. But since Mind Drain has no cool down time I will be able to abuse that skill.''

    Having made a decision the Genin created multiple shadow clones. They didn''t use Mana skills to mask their presence but used the stealth skill.

    "You know what to do. Eliminate any ninja 10 Levels below us. They''ll just waste our time. Restrain any on the same level or below but evade higher level ninjas. Make sure to lure your targets into a secure location."

    The clones nodded and vanished in all directions.

    The real Daichi chuckled to himself. ''Feels like I''m some kind of generalmanding an army.''

    The Genin let out a deep breath of air and his eyes sharpened. The next second he too vanished from his spot.

    -

    Daichi was perched atop the academy building in the dungeon. He was hidden from the enemy ninjas that roamed around the ce. He had been battling in the dungeon for a few hours now.

    The gamer ninja took a look at the stats and frowned. ''All of my primary stats are going up except chakra. Moving forward I''m going to need a ton of chakra, especially if I want to fight with Naruto and others like him with massive reserves. I need to get the Chakra stat to go up But how? I tried absorbing chakra from these guys like with Life Return skill and Mana Drain but that''s not working. So how do I get around this problem?''

    Daichi wanted to improve his chakra reserves and created a new skill Chakra Absorption. It''s a skill that takes chakra from the enemies upon contact and temporarily increases his CP. The advantage of this skill is that it has no cool down but the disadvantage is that it has no effect on the chakra stat and doesn''t improve it.

    ''I''ve used the skill over 5 times now on different enemies but all I get is a boost in CP but no stats. So what am I missing?''

    Daichi beganparing the Chakra absorption skill to the other two and after several minutes he had a few theories in mind.

    ''I need to experiment with this skill.'' He created a shadow clone and dispelled it, sending his thoughts to his clones spread all around the dungeon.

    While he waited for the results from his clones, the boy headed to a nearby location and looked at a tied up enemy ninja courtesy of his shadow clone. Without wasting time Daichi activated the three energy draining skills.

    [Skill Mind Drain is activated]

    [Skill Life Return is activated]

    [Skill Chakra Absorption is activated]

    [+1 Vitality]

    [+176 HP]

    [+1 Intelligence]

    [+108 MP]

    [+520 CP]

    In just a couple minutes the enemy ninja waspletely drained of his chakra, vitality and mental energy and the dungeon ninja vanished into smoke.

    [+250 Exp.]

    [+37.5 Exp.]

    Enemies killed: [723/1125]

    Daichi sighed in slight disappointment as he saw the results. ''Still no chakra stats I''ll just have to keep trying.''

    Daichi was moving through the hallways in the academy when new memories from one of his clones came to him. Daichi stopped in his tracks and a smile threatened to form on his face.

    ''No. This I need to make sure this is the method.''

    The Genin ninja immediately found an enemy but this time his target seemed to be expecting him and was ready for a fight.

    Daichi avoided several shuriken and jumped to the ceiling to avoid a small fireball that destroyed a portion of the hallway. The Genin vanished from his spot and got behind the enemy and stabbed him with a dagger but the next second a log with several paper bombs attached was in the enemy''s ce.

    ''Ok this guy is good.''

    Daichi jumped through the nearby window just as the explosion went off. He immediately sensed multiple iing projectiles and took several shuriken and hurled them at the iing ninja stars. He was able to sessfully deflect the weaponsing for him and was able to quickly stick to the wall of the building.

    [+1 Dexterity]

    Daichi and the enemy ninja stood on the wall of the dungeon academy and just stared at each other. The Genin used his ''observe'' skill and saw that the guy was 10 levels above him with abnormally high stats.

    Daichi grinned as he looked at his foe. ''It''s been a while since I''ve had a challenge. Let''s see what you can do.''

    Both ninjas vanished and engaged in fastbat. In their Taijutsu battle Daichi had the upper hand due to his vast array of skills and high stats but the enemy ninja was still holding his own.

    The dungeon ninja parried and deflected a powerful punch from Daichi and swiftly counterattacked. He sent fast, precise taps on the boy''s right shoulder and triceps.

    [Temporary Debuff - Right arm paralyzed.]

    Daichi''s eyes widened in surprise. ''Shit. My right arm is numb and my muscles stiffened. This guy knows pressure and nerve point attacks.''

    The enemy ninja seized the opportunity and quickly grabbed Daichi''s arm and took him off his feet. He spun the Genin around and tossed him high up in the air and immediately weaved through seals.

    Daichi recognized the seals being made and knew what jutsu the enemy was going to use. Immediately flooding healing chakra throughout his chest and right arm, Daichi regained full function of his paralyzed limb.

    At that moment the enemy ninja made the final seal and took a deep breath of air. The next second he exhaled and a Fire dragon headed straight for Genin who was still in the air. Daichi immediately went through several seals as therge fire dragon with its jaws open wasing straight towards him.

    The atmosphere around Daichi immediately changed with water molecules quickly gathering and condensing. He made the final seal for his own jutsu a powerful water current was present around Daichi. The water exploded and quickly formed a blue dragon.

    ''Water style - Water Dragon Jutsu.''

    The water dragon shed with the fire dragon but Daichi''s jutsu quickly got the upper hand. Steam erupted but Daichi''s jutsu was still active and rushed towards the enemy ninja.

    The dungeon ninja jumped and escaped from his spot just as the blue dragon crashed and destroyed a section of the academy building.

    [Ninjutsu Water Style - Water Dragon Jutsu has leveled up.]

    Daichi was keeping a close eye on the man with his Mana Scout. He let go of his jutsu and quickly followed his enemy. Adding lighting to his limbs, Daichi increased his speed and caught up with his foe.

    "You''re good. But you won''t get another chance like that."

    Daichi rushed at the man and used the same tactic. He attacked the enemy''s nerve bundles and pressure points and crippled the enemy''s power. "You''re not the only one who can use nerve strikes."

    Disabling both arms of the dungeon ninja, Daichi used a lightning jutsu and quickly paralyzed him. "It''s a shame I used Life Return before meeting you. I have a feeling I would have gotten two or three stats from you with that skill alone."

    Daichi activated Mind Drain and Chakra absorption. This time when he used chakra absorption he was going to test out the new method one of his clones came up with.

    ''Each person''s chakra is different. When an ordinary person uses a chakra absorbing technique they only get a small portion of the chakra taken from their enemy. The rest is lost. That''s mainly due to their poor chakra control and chakra ipatibilities. And even the chakra boost they get is temporary. This foreign chakra won''t be added to their reserves. But for me it''s not the same case. I can use their chakra to increase my own reserves. My only problem was figuring out the how.''

    When Daichi began absorbing the chakra from the enemy he used his senses and made note of the form, nature and properties of the chakra. The medic ninja skillfully transformed the foreign chakra to bepatible with his own chakra and he began directing the absorbed chakra into his heart.

    ''The heart is one of the most vital organs in the body and a key piece in chakra production in the body. If my theory is right then''

    A few moments after Daichi began absorbing the changed foreign chakra into his heart a new system message appeared that made Daichi grin wide.

    [+1 Chakra]

    "Fuck Yeah!" The Genin couldn''t help but shout out in glee.

    Daichi kept using his skill and soon he had 2 more points in Chakra stat, 2 in intelligence and 1 in wisdom. The enemy ninja fell unconscious from the energy drain and Daichi quickly ended him.

    [+1360 Exp.]

    [+204 Exp.]

    Enemies killed: [726/1125]

    At that moment several new notifications came in front of Daichi.

    [A new skill is created with a specific action.]

    [Through continuously transforming chakra and making it morepatible, the skill ''Chakra Transmutation'' has been created.]

    [Chakra Transmutation - Active (LV. 01): This is an active skill that helps the user in making it easier to sense the nature and properties of someone''s chakra and transform it into apatible state with the user''s chakra. This skill also helps the user with transferring one''s chakra to another. When this skill is used in conjunction with Chakra Absorption skill, it allows the yer to increase his Primary stat: Chakra.]

    [Note: Must be in contact with the target for 5 seconds for the skill to activate. This time will be reduced at higher levels.]

    [Effects:]

    [Easier chakra transmutation and chakra transfer.]

    [CP cost : 10/sec for as long as the skill is active.]

    Daichi grinned as he looked at the skill details. "Oh you''re gonnae in handy so much. No cool down time. Perfect."

    Momentster he calmed down and thought about his situation. He had used ''Observe'' on Naruto thest time he saw him and took note of the blonde Jinchuriki''s chakra points.

    ''As absurd as it is, Naruto''s chakra point is already above 700,000. All because of the mountain sized fox his father put inside him. And it''s increasing day by day. At the beginning when I joined the academy my reserves were higher than his but now in just a couple years he surpassed and even went far beyond me. Well in terms of chakra reserves anyway. But even so, I can''t just let him get ahead. I need tailed beast level reserves. Since I''m here in this world, who knows what kind of butterfly effect I caused and when shit will hit the fan. I need to be ready.''

    Daichi had a n in mind to achieve a massive boost in chakra but he needed to make preparations first.

    -

    Daichi took his timepleting the academy dungeon. He could only spend 24 hours inside before he had to exit the dungeon. Moreover the dungeon had a cool down time of 3 hours. A total of 7 hours was needed for one dungeon run and reset.

    The Genin afterpleting a dungeon run would go straight home and sleep to restore his Mana. Thanks to the clones he had at home Daichi recovered quickly and once the cool down for the dungeon was over he would start all over again. Many skills leveled up including the few hidden jutsu he plundered earlier.

    His stats gained a major boost and he even got a new skill as his intelligence stat reached 300.

    [Intelligence stat has reached 300.]

    [MP form is revised]

    [You have gained the new skill Parallel Processing.]

    ''Finally. So my assumptions were right. I had a feeling that Parallel Processing skill was something I would get when Intelligence stat reached 300 or 500 I''ve been trying to get this skill for a long time but no matter what I did I could never get this to show up. But now This will help me a great deal. Especially with the new jutsu I want to create.''

    [Parallel Processing - Active(LV. MAX): An active skill given to the yer when Intelligence has reached 300. This skill gives the user the ability to carry out multiple thought processes and calctions at the same time. In active state this skill helps the user in consciously focusing and being fully aware of multiple targets, tasks, locations, dangers, etc without any trouble or confusion.

    [Note: Has a limit to how many thoughts the user can perform at once. But this limitation can be removed with higher stats in Intelligence.]

    [MP cost: 120MP/min.]

    ''Not bad. Not bad at all Not only did I get several new skills and plundered several ninjutsu and Genjutsu, I reached Level 61. In just one day I got a whole lot stronger. Definitely worth the grind.''

    Daichi went into the dungeon 3 times toplete it since he was more focused on improving his skills and increasing his stats. But it was worth it. He made great progress in just a single day.

    [Quest ''Complete the Academy dungeon'' ispleted.]

    [Rewards]

    [New Skill: Body Freeze Jutsu.]

    [New Title: Dungeon Master.]

    [250000Ryo]

    Daichi opened the skill list and checked out the details of the new jutsu and title.

    ''Hmm The Body Freeze jutsu is a A Rank jutsu used for restraining shinobi even near Level 90. That''s going toe in handy. It seems the Dungeon Master title allows me to manipte the time I spend in the dungeon. Based on this I can increase the time of the Location dungeon from 24 to 48 hours. But there won''t be any change in the time ratio and cooldown needed. At least it''s something''

    ''Well, whatever. This was a productive dungeon nheless. Time to check out my stats.'' Daichi opened his status page.

    [Name : Daichi Hekima] (The Gamer)

    [ss : Genin - ID 012559.]

    [Age : 12]

    [Title : Capable Child, Explorer, Prodigy, Species King, Dungeon Warrior, Executioner, Assassin, Mighty Healer, Slug Sannin''s Apprentice, Master of the Elements, A Genius of the Continent, Dungeon Master.]

    [Level : 61 (2630/95175)

    .

    HP : 37506

    CP : 102624

    SP : 49065

    MP: 24615

    .

    [Primary Stats]

    Strength - 313

    Vitality - 494

    Dexterity - 257

    Agility - 317

    Intelligence - 312

    Chakra - 608

    Wisdom - 257

    .

    [Special Stats]

    Sense - 156

    Stamina - 419

    Indomitable - 53

    Charisma - 71

    Persistence - 49

    Dignity - 20

    Luck - 24

    .

    [Stat Points - 498]

    [Ryo - 31106100]

    Satisfied with his progress, Daichi headed home with a big smile. It was dawn as Daichi left the Academy dungeon under the protection of his Mana Body Armor.

    ''Gramps should be back in a few hours. I better get some breakfast ready for him.''

    Daichi took a short nap and then prepared some food for his grandfather. Time went by and soon Kensei arrived home. The moment the Genin saw the old man he frowned. There was a sad look on Kensei''s face as he looked at his grandson.

    "What''s wrong, Gramps?"

    The old veteran ninja sighed and replied. "Daichi, I need your help It''s Jin. He''s in a serious state. It''s not looking good."

    -----------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 235: Quest: Heal Jin 01

    Chapter 235: Quest: Heal Jin 01

    "It''s Jin. He''s in a serious state. It''s not looking good."

    Daichi closed his eyes and internally groaned. ''It seems I can''t wait any longer. But my samples aren''t ready yet... Guess I have to take the specimens I currently have and make it work.''

    The Genin opened his eyes and spoke. "How is he?"

    Kensei sat down on the porch and replied. "He''s in bad shape. He''s coughing up blood and is too tired to even speak. Tsunade is already there and is treating him but There is not much she can do at this point."

    "I see."

    The old ninja turned to his grandson. He wanted to speak but the words were stuck in his throat. Daichi saw the man''s struggle and replied to the unasked question.

    "I''m going to the capital with you. I need to see him. I might have a way to help."

    Kensei narrowed his eyes and was silent for a few seconds. "Does it have anything to do with the smallb you had me set up near here?"

    "Yeah. Come on." Daichi took his grandfather to a nearby shed in their yard and opened the door.

    It was a smallboratory that Daichi had his grandfather build. It had several medical equipment and Kensei could see multiple nts in small pots on one side, sealed inside a temperature controlled shelf.

    Daichi looked at the miniature shabbyb and smiled. ''Up until now this was enough but going forward thisb and its items will be insufficient. Still I''m gonna miss this ce.''

    After bing a Genin Daichi and his clones had spent a lot of time here examining various materials and creating new medical pills and refining his medical ninjutsu.

    Kensei looked at the smallb and was impressed. It was the first time he entered theboratory after it was built. ''Everything is kept so neat and orderly. If I didn''t know any better I would have thought the kid had some kind of obsessivepulsive disorder.''

    There were several scrolls on a nearby table and Daichi opened the shelf and took all the small potted nts and sealed them into the scroll. He turned to his grandfather and spoke. "Let go Gramps. We better hurry."

    Kensei nodded and two after reporting to the Hokage about their departure, soon left the vige walls.

    -

    It was noon by the time Daichi and Kensei had reached the Fire Capital. They made their way to Jin''s vi but before Daichi took another step Kensei raised his arm and stopped the boy.

    He looked at his grandson and spoke in a serious tone. "Daichi, do you have a way to cure Jin?"

    The Genin was silent for a few moments and then truthfully replied. "No. I don''t have a cure for him."

    "What exactly is your intention here? What exactly is his chance of survival?"

    The boy sighed and replied. "It''s slim. I have a few ideas on how to help him but nothing concrete. I have a few theories in mind but I have to examine him first. And his chances of making out of this is very low."

    Kensei closed his eyes and let out a breath of air. He looked at his grandson and nodded in understanding. "Let''s go see him."

    The two met the guards outside and were soon escorted in. As the two came near the entrance they saw someoneing out. Daichi''s eyes widened and a smile was on his face.

    -

    "Arrh" A man groaned in pain as a needle was inserted into his arm to take his blood.

    "Please bear with it for a few more seconds." Shizune spoke as she took the man''s blood sample.

    Tsunade was near the door looking at the whole scene. Her phobia had lessened from before but it was still present.

    A secondter Shizune was done with her work and headed into the next room with the vial of blood.

    The female Sannin walked up to the man on the bed and gave her verdict. "It''s the same herbs but I''ve tweaked the form of the pills. They should take effect and reduce the pain soon."

    Jin could only give a shallow nod as a reply. Tsunade spoke again. "This is only a stop gap measure. I''ve done the best I can. Even with these new pills you only have 3 or 4 months left. 5 if you''re really stubborn." The blonde woman said with a smirk.

    There was an almost imperceptible smile on Jin''s face as he heard that. But he couldn''t make a single sound.

    Seeing the man''s state, Tsunade''s small smile also disappeared. "I''m sorry."

    Jin looked at the woman and tried to smile. He understood that she did her best but he was well aware that even she had her limits. The man closed his eyes and went to sleep so he could ignore the pain his body was in.

    Tsunade sighed as she looked at the sleeping man. She left him alone and went outside to get some fresh air. At that moment she saw two peopleing towards her. She expected Kensei to be here but she was surprised to see her student.

    "Hey sensei. Been a long time." Daichi greeted his teacher with a smile.

    "Daichi? I''m surprised to see you here."

    "I came to check up on Jin. Gramps told me you''d be here. Is Shizune senpai here too?" Daichi asked.

    Lady Tsunade nodded. "She''s running some tests inside."

    The three went inside and discussed the situation.

    "Were you able to help him?" Kensei asked the older medic ninja.

    "I was able to create some modified pills but that won''t help for long. He has at best 4 months."

    "I see"

    "Can I examine him, sensei?" Daichi asked his former mentor.

    Tsunade looked at her student and spoke. "Shizune is currently performing a risk assessment to predict the patient''s disposition and the next course of action."

    "I can help her. I might have an idea as to the problem. I''m not sure but I need ess." Daichi was serious about examining Jin but he didn''t want to overstep on a patient she''s looking after.

    Tsunade looked at the boy and then sighed. A momentter she slowly nodded her head.

    "Thank you sensei." Daichi had a smile and went inside.

    "Good luck."

    The leaf ninja headed inside and quickly found Jin''s room. He quietly made his way to the sleeping man and ced his hands over his chest.

    They glowed green a secondter as Daichi carefully examined him. The Genin medic scanned Jin right down to his cells and took note of the damage that was being done to his body.

    ''His muscles have severely weakened. He has a fever but that seems to be slowly going down Hm It seems sensei was able to stabilize the heart, blood pressure and breathing before I got here. She''s healed some of the damage done to the liver and boosted the kidney functions. That''s good The new pills he took are working well Hmm Good. I have some time then.''

    Daichi examined the sleeping man for a while and collected as much information as he could. Once the first part of his work was done he headed to the smallb setup inside the vi.

    ''Wow. Rich people really are different. His own medicalb with most of thetest tools. This ce makes mine look like a dump.''

    At that moment inside theb Shizune was working on the blood sample and analyzing it. ''I can''t find anything even now. But based on Lady Tsunade''s notes, this man was definitely poisoned. But without a way to identify the foreign particles it''s no use.''

    At that moment there was a knock on the door. Shizune turned her head to look at the neer and was surprised to see Daichi. A big smile was on her face as she greeted her fellow student.

    "I didn''t know you wereing, Daichi. But I guess I should have expected this. Your grandpa is close friends with him." Shizune spoke, smiling.

    "Yeah. I examined himst time I was here. Thought I might take another look."

    Shizune nodded and both of them got to work.

    Daichi opened the quest list and looked at the one he was currently attempting toplete.

    [Quest Created - ''Heal Jin.'']

    [Jin is diagnosed with an incurable disease and doesn''t have much time left. Even Tsunade Senju could not find a permanent cure. Identify the cause of his illness and aid him.

    Time limit: Find a permanent cure within 12 months or a treatment that will increase his lifespan in 16 months.]

    .

    [Conditions:]

    [Perform the correct diagnosis and identify the real cause of his illness.]

    [Create a treatment that will increase his lifespan by at least 5 years or more.]

    .

    [Bonus:]

    [Completely heal Jin and save him from the illness.]

    ''I diagnosed him in the third week ofst January. It looks like his condition has been deteriorating day by day. I need to act soon.''

    Daichi also noticed another detail in the quest.

    ''It looks like the quest was right about how much time Jin had. This confirms beyond a doubt. My system can see the future. I need to keep this information in mind at all times. Don''t know when it wille in handy.''

    The genin ran several tests on the new blood taken and nodded to himself. He also analyzed the new pills his teacher created for Jin and as he examined them his ns on finding a way to extend the man''s life and even find a cure became more and more of a reality.

    ''So that''s it My theory was right. Tsunade sensei''s new pills prove it.''

    "So find anything we missed Daichi?" At that moment Tsunade came in and asked her student.

    "Maybe. Your new pills have proved a hypothesis of mine." Daichi said with a smile.

    Tsunade and Shizune were surprised to hear that. "What are you talking about Daichi?"

    "The reason you couldn''te up with a cure or know what the poison that infected him is because you haven''te across it. Or the nts that were used to create it." Daichi replied.

    "That''s impossible. Remember our time at the Three wolves mountain. I spent a lot of time going over every herb and flora that was there. The people of that region grow almost all nts from all around the world. A poison as unique and powerful as this It would have only been possible to create it with the herbs avable there. And I would have found it if it was there."

    "Well you technically did." Daichi had a smile as he looked at his teacher. He began exining what he meant. "The herbs you used to slow down the poison. Only you coulde up with thebination needed to slow the poison down without even identifying it. But what if I told you those very herbs are theponents used in creating the poison? Well, at least some of them anyway."

    "But you just said that Lady Tsunade hadn''te across the nts that were used to create this poison." Shizune spoke out.

    "I did. And that''s also true." The boy had a grin on his face.

    "borate." Tsunade was silent as she looked at her student.

    "I believe someone with some serious knowledge on the human body, nts and medicine created this poison. They took several dozens of nts and cross pollinated them to create new breeds. I believe the person behind this poisoning used cross pollination and gic engineering on multiple varieties of the same species and did so with over a dozen specimens. And perhaps even further cross pollination could have taken ce. He or she must have mostly used poisonous nts to make the toxin more deadly. But still the nts you used as herbs must have been used in this experiment. They must have been the key pieces. It''s why the pills created from them were effective till now. They were fighting against an enemy invisible to all but them. It''s just that they weren''t strong enough to get rid of the poison."

    The Sannin sat down in a chair and thought about it for a while. "Daichi, something like that would take a lot of time, focus, energy and resources to create. It''s much easier to hire someone to kill the man." She said.

    "Yes. That''s true. But what if that would draw unwanted attention?... This way he would have died slowly without anyone knowing what had really happened Regardless, this is the theory I have and I need to test it." Daichi replied.

    "How?"

    At that Daichi took his own scroll out and opened it on a nearby empty table. Over 2 dozen small potted nts appeared along with several notes. In it were nts and herbs that Tsunade recognized and some that she immediately didn''t.

    "I tried to create a few cross pollinated nts but they haven''t fully matured yet. And even then, I still need to analyze their properties and DNA and synthesize their enzymes and analyze it to Jin''s blood. The rightbination might help in revealing the poison hidden in his body."

    "That''s like over a billionbinations!" Shizune eximed.

    Tsunade''s eyes widened as she heard that. "Even with all my free time, I''ve only been able toe up with herbs that could slow down whatever is attacking him The one or multiple poisons responsible for all this. Daichi, finding out something like that It would take a long long time. Time he doesn''t have. And finding the rightbination and permutations between these 27 specimens you have How do you n to do that? Jin doesn''t exactly have medical equipment capable enough to do that kind ofputational work and I doubt the hospital would lend us one."

    "We don''t need aputer. I''m going to do it." The boy said with a big grin.

    The two female medics were shocked. "You can''t be serious."

    The smile disappeared from the boy''s face as he looked at the other two. "I am. Deadly serious. It will take a few days, maybe a week but I believe I''ll have an answer by then. Excuse me sensei. I need to prepare."

    The two were in silence as they watched the boy exit the room.

    Daichi headed outside and felt the wind blowing in his face. He sensed his grandfathering and turned to the man. The old man knew of Daichi''s miracle on the Minister''s nephew and was hoping for one to happen now to Jin.

    "Daichi, if you can do anything to help Jin... ple-"

    "Don''t! I don''t ever wanna hear you say that word. Not to me I''ll do everything I can. I might have a way." Daichi smiled at his grandfather as he tried to reassure the man.

    The old man nodded and soon left the boy to his thoughts.

    ''Intelligence, Wisdom and Vitality. They''re the key.''

    The gamer ninja let out a deep breath of air and made his decision.

    ----------------

    Author''s Note:

    Two details for you my dear readers to keep in mind.

    One! I''m not a botanist or a doctor or a scientist of any kind. I''m just an average person with average intelligence. I searched the inte and came up with this stuff. So try not to look too deep into the details and just enjoy the story.

    Two. I''m hoping toplete this quest quickly and move on. I''ll do my best with that. Canon ising so close. I''m getting ready for that. I''m writing down some plot lines till chunin exams and refining them each day I can''t wait to write it.

    Oh one more thing Regarding Daichi''s Tiger summon. I originally wanted Daichi to sign the contract after he became a Genin but so many things happened it would have dyed canon even further if i added that now. So I decided to give the summon test after Naruto''s graduation

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 236: Stat Boost

    Chapter 236: Stat Boost

    Aftering to a decision, Daichi quickly made his way to theb and found the other two medics.

    "You''re back. Since you''re going to stubbornly move forward with this n, have you given any thoughts about your next step?" The blonde Sannin crossed her arms and asked the boy.

    The gamer ninja nodded his head and created a shadow clone. "I have an idea but I''m going to need to prepare a few things first. I''m going to artificially mature the crossbred herbs and nts and then I''ll need to synthesize the enzymes from the 27 specimens. I could use some help from you with that, sensei."

    Tsunade nodded and both her and Daichi''s clone got to work.

    "Anything I can do?" Shizune asked the boy.

    Daichi turned his head and nodded. "Yes. Can you get me a sample of every snake venom the hospital has currently avable?"

    At that request Shizune was confused. "Why do you need snake venom?"

    Tsunade, who was listening to the conversation, slightly narrowed her eyes but continued on with her work with no other reaction.

    Hearing Shizune''s question the boy held a mysterious smirk which made the woman sigh. "Fine. Keep your secret. I''ll get you your samples. It''s gonna take a while though."

    "I know. Thank you senpai." The Genin replied with a smile and momentster Tsunade''spanion headed out to the Fire Capital hospital.

    "I''ll see you in a few hours, sensei."

    The Sannin silently nodded and Daichi left to go find his grandfather. He found the man sitting in a corner in Jin''s room with a somber expression.

    Sensing his grandson''s arrival Kensei spoke without turning his head away from the sleeping man. "I''ve known him for a long time. We grew up together. Became shinobi together. Went on so many missions with both of us watching out for the other After my son and my daughter inw died in the attack, he was there for me. After Fumiyo passed away, he was there for me."

    Kensei turned his head to look at his grandson and Daichi could see a small trail of tears running down the old man''s cheeks. "Jin was there for me long before I had my son, long before I met my wife. And he was there for me long after they all were gone. And I I haven''t even been able to return a fraction of the support and kindness he has shown me over decades. I regret that."

    Daichi slowly walked to the old man and ced a hand on his shoulder. "Don''t worry. When I''m done with my treatment, you''ll have plenty of time to make up for that regret."

    The old ninja nodded and his gaze went back to his friend while Daichi made his way to another room to prepare.

    -

    Daichi was in the guest room meditating alone for a few hours. He was thinking about the next move he was going to make and the long term effects.

    ''I need to increase the power of my Parallel Processing skill. And for that high Intelligence stat is necessary and high Wisdom is also needed. But there will be another limitation. My body or more specifically my brain. It''s the most energy consuming organ in the body since it''s so full of nerve cells. So if I want to efficiently use my brain I need to increase my Vitality and get it to 500 as well.''

    Daichi opened the status page and looked at the three stats he wanted to improve.

    [Vitality - 494]

    [Intelligence - 312]

    [Wisdom - 257]

    Daichi closed his eyes and sighed. ''It won''t be long before I start toe across stronger and stronger opponents. Fighting them with sheer brute force won''t be enough all the time. I''ll need to outmaneuver and outthink the crafty ones. Using stats now will be beneficial in the long run. With Vitality my brain will have the needed energy to operate and with high Intelligence and Wisdom stats, I''m sure the restrictions on Parallel Processing skill will significantly be reduced I wonder what kind of skills I''ll get when I upgrade these stats.''

    Daichi opened his eyes and looked at his status page and the stat points he had umted. ''Letting them just umte without using them won''t help much. Guess it''s time for another powerup.''

    The first stat Daichi improved was Vitality. He added 6 points and brought it to 500.

    [Vitality - 494 + 6  500]

    As another stat reached 500 points new system messages appeared.

    [Vitality stat has reached 500.]

    [HP form is revised.]

    [You have gained the new skill ''Enhanced Life-Force''.]

    [Enhanced Life-Force - Passive (LV. MAX): A passive skill given to the yer when Vitality has reached 500. The skill gives the user enhanced life energy and also augments physical capabilities. The user''s stamina, health and regeneration also gains a massive boost.]

    The moment the notification appeared Daichi felt the energy flood through his body. The vitality and power flowing through his veins made him feel like he was at the top of the world.

    ''The dopamine levels in my body must be really high. I feel pretty fucking good.''

    At that moment another notification came up. And reading the details only made Daichi grin wider.

    [This skill will grant a one time permanent stat boost to Strength, Agility, Chakra and Stamina stats.]

    [Strength - 313 + 20  333]

    [Agility - 317 + 10  327]

    [Chakra - 608 + 15  623]

    [Stamina - 419 + 30  449]

    ''Wow. I knew I would get a strong skill but a 75 stat bonus as well. That''s pretty sweet Ok. Time to move on to the next stat.''

    [Wisdom - 257 + 43  300]

    The next stat the gamer Genin chose was the Wisdom stat. Daichi added 43 points and brought it to 300 and only needed to wait a couple seconds for the results.

    [Wisdom stat has reached 300.]

    [You have gained the new skill ''Brain Augmentation''.]

    [Brain Augmentation - Passive (LV. MAX): A passive skill given to the yer when Wisdom stat has reached 300. This skill gives the yer the ability to increase his brain capabilities. The user has enhanced thinking capabilities beyond ordinary but this isn''t achieved by increasing intelligence but instead by enhancing the ability to use already existing knowledge and abilities to their maximum potential.]

    [Effects:]

    [Skill helps with intuitive leaps and imaginations.]

    [Highly efficient memory and cognitive capacities.]

    [Gives the ability to use knowledge in new ways.]

    Daichi closed his eyes and felt the effects the skill had on his brain. He felt the shackles he never knew he had, break away. New ideas and techniques, new ways to modify his pill forms, battle ns All these were forming in Daichi''s mind.

    The boy opened his eyes and let out a deep breath of air. ''So many things to do. So little time. But then again... I can remedy that problem with the shadow clones.''

    As Daichi felt the effects of the new skill, just like the previous time, a stat boost notification appeared.

    [This skill will grant a one time permanent stat boost to Sense stat.]

    [Sense - 156 + 25  181]

    Daichi smiled as he looked at the result. ''A stat increase in special stat is very wee. Thank you system. Now for the final one.''

    [Intelligence - 312 + 188  500]

    [Intelligence stat has reached 500.]

    [MP form is revised.]

    [Skill Mana Maniption has leveled up.] x5

    [Skill Mana Affinity has leveled up.] x5

    .

    [Most restrictions on the skill Parallel Processing have been removed.]

    [Most restrictions on Mana Affinity have been removed.]

    [You have gained the new skill ''Hypercognition'']

    .

    [Hypercognition - Passive (LV. MAX): This skill is given to the yer when Intelligence stat has reached 500. This skill gives the user the ability to performplex mental operations far beyond normal. This makes their mental actions/process of acquiring knowledge through thought, experience and senses far greater than the average person.]

    Daichi shut his eyes close as he felt hundreds of random information and ideas bombard his mind. But the next second the gamers mind activated and Daichi felt his mind be calm. He took several deep breaths of air and opened his eyes.

    The young Genin looked around the room in wonder and took in all the information around. He went near a window and looked outside to the courtyard.

    Daichi saw a small bird chirping on a nearby tree branch. It was mostly blue with the tip of its wings tinged in red and green color. His mind slowed down as he looked at the scene. With his sharp senses Daichi saw the bird''s legs tense as if it was going to take off.

    And a few momentster he was proven right. He saw the bird spread its wings and take off from the branch in slow motion. And as it reached near the top of the tree, Daichi saw a well camouged snake lunge at the small avian creature with its mouth wide open and its poisonous fangs ready to pierce and inject the creature with its venom. Secondster the small blue bird was in the mouth of the snake struggling to break free, but its efforts were futile. The snake devoured its prey and went back into hiding up in the tree.

    The boy saw everything happen in slow motion and he let out a deep breath of air and blinked.

    The next moment when Daichi opened his eyes he was taken back when he saw the bird alive and well, standing in the same pose with its wings spread, atop the branch ready to take off. He saw the bird ascend into the air and be prey to the snake when it reached the apex of the tree. It was exactly like he had seen before.

    It was then that Daichi realized that what he saw the first time was a simtion created by his brain with the information avable in front of him.

    "Wow So that''s what that feels like." He looked on in wonder and couldn''t help but mutter.

    ''My mental abilities have exceeded far beyond what I expected. With this so many new doors have just opened to me... Now I''m certain I''ll be able to solve Jin''s problem. But before that Status.''

    Daichi''s status page appeared in front of him.

    [Name : Daichi Hekima] (The Gamer)

    [ss : Genin - ID 012559.]

    [Age : 12]

    [Title : Capable Child, Explorer, Prodigy, Species King, Dungeon Warrior, Executioner, Assassin, Mighty Healer, Slug Sannin''s Apprentice, Master of the Elements, A Genius of the Continent, Dungeon Master.]

    [Level : 61 (2630/95175)

    .

    HP : 50040

    CP : 105744

    SP : 51085

    MP: 42020

    .

    [Primary Stats]

    Strength - 333

    Vitality - 500

    Dexterity - 257

    Agility - 327

    Intelligence - 500

    Chakra - 623

    Wisdom - 300

    .

    [Special Stats]

    Sense - 181

    Stamina - 449

    Indomitable - 53

    Charisma - 71

    Persistence - 49

    Dignity - 20

    Luck - 24

    .

    [Stat Points - 261]

    [Ryo - 31106100]

    ''261 points remaining. I''ll save them forter. Right now this is enough.''

    He looked at the clock and saw that almost 3 hours had passed since his meeting with Tsunade and Kensei. ''They should be ready by now.''

    Daichi exited the room and made his way to theb where Tsunade and Shizune were helping Shadow clone Daichi with his preparations.

    The three turned to the real Daichi when he entered the room and while Shizune was oblivious to Daichi''s change, Tsunade immediately sensed that something was different with her apprentice. The same went for the clone but it knew what the reason behind the change was but the other medic could only sense this due to the time they spent together.

    Tsunade looked at her student and frowned. ''Something''s changed. He feels different. But it''s definitely him.''

    It was only a few secondster that Tsunade realized what was bothering her. It was the way Daichi looked at her, her student and at everything else around the room. The look Daichi had wasn''t one of lust or desire but a gaze of cold hard calctions. For some reason when Daichi looked at her she felt like she was under a microscope.

    The Sannin closed her eyes and slightly shook her head as if to get rid of her negative thoughts. ''I must be going crazy. He''s the same person he was ten minutes ago.''

    She let go of her thoughts and decided to move on to more pressing matters.

    "So Daichi, are you ready?"

    The boy nodded his head. "Yes. Let''s begin."

    ----------------

    Author''s note.

    Something I want to point out is that Daichi''s new abilities won''t stunt his emotions anymore than they already have.. he''ll be the same guy whoughs and jokes(the few jokes he makes normally anyway) around but he would be a lot more serious when the situation calls for it.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 237: Quest: Heal Jin 02

    Chapter 237: Quest: Heal Jin 02

    Daichi released the shadow clone in the room and got the information needed. ''It seems everything is ready. They did their part. Now it''s my turn.''

    The boy turned to the two other medics in the room and spoke. "There are a couple things I need to set up before I start my analysis."

    Tsunade and Shizune nodded, curious as to what their student was going to do. The boy created several new clones and looked at their Mana points. ''75% of my total Mana. Good. They will be able to help but I need to make sure of all the variables.''

    Once the shadow clones were created Daichi took out a scroll and gave it some chakra. Several IV bags appeared filled with clear liquid.

    Seeing the contents of the scroll Tsunade took one and ran some chakra through it. "These are energy boosters. Based on a cursory reading they''re even better than the ones I have." She turned to the boy with a raised eyebrow.

    Daichi smiled at his teacher and spoke. "I came across some rare ingredients and incorporated them into my form."

    At that moment a clone came up with a small stand and set the booster bags on them. Daichi sat down in a corner of theb and the clone attached the drip needles to the Genin''s vein.

    "What exactly do you need these for? You don''t look tired or exhausted." Shizune asked.

    "I may not be now, but if I don''t have these then soon I will be. My body is going to need a massive amount of energy for what I''m going to do next." The Genin replied.

    "And what exactly are you going to do next?" Tsunade had her arms crossed and asked the boy.

    "You''ll see." Seeing Daichi''s non answer and his smirk annoyed the blonde woman.

    As all this was happening one of the clones opened the skill list and checked the MP cost and the other details of the Parallel Parallel Processing skill. A few secondster it dispelled.

    The real Daichi got the information from the clone and closed his eyes. ''As expected. The Shadow clones will have 75% of the Mana I have at the time of their creation. This is an advantage. But the disadvantage is that the MP cost for Mana techniques is a lot higher for them than it is for me. They won''t be able to maintain it for very long Still, I can make this work.''

    Daichi opened his eyes and looked at everything. ''Right now my Parallel Processing skill consumes 92 MP per minute. Based on the total Mana I have right now I can maintain that skill for roughly 7.6 hours. The shadow clones won''t be able to keep going for that long but they will definitely be of help in this endeavor. Then I''ll have to sleep for my mind to be optimal again.''

    The preparations were done and Daichi looked at Tsunade and spoke. "You asked me what I needed the energy boosters for? Well, I developed a technique that can increase the functions of my brain but I''m certain that it will use up energy. I''m not sure by how much. That''s why I have the IV bags."

    The medic Sannin narrowed her eyes as she looked at the child. "What kind of technique?"

    "You can see for yourself once I activate it."

    The woman let out a short breath of air as she looked at her former student. "Daichi, you and I both know that tampering with your brain shouldn''t be done recklessly. Are you absolutely sure about this?"

    "I am. And besides, you''re here if anything goes wrong. So I''m not going to worry." The Genin had a smirk as he let out a deep breath. The joyful expression vanished and was reced with one of total focus.

    In front of Daichi the enzymes extracted from the 27 nt specimens, a sample of Jin''s blood and several snake venoms were present. Daichi created 7 shadow clones a few minutes ago. Daichi and 5 of his clones sat down in a circle around the items. Another clone was checking the vital signs of the it''s creator while thest one was working on modifying several forms for different medicines.

    "Let''s not waste anymore time." With that Daichi and his clones ced their hands above the samples in front of them and went through 4 hand seals in perfect unison. The next moment their palms glowed green and their chakra was probing the items below.

    Daichi looked at the jutsu he''s using and already new information was filling his brain. ''Absolute cellr analysis techniques. This jutsu will help me in analyzing all organicpounds right down to their cellr level. I can gain information on thepound including the chemical make-up, potency and side effects. This will also help me with observing the molecrposition, their cellr structure and how they would interact with the other.''

    This jutsu was a modified version and abination of other medical analysis jutsu Daichi had in his arsenal.

    ''Time to start the next phase of my operation.''

    The boy looked at the clones and gave a nod. The real Daichi along with his 5 shadow clones activated the Parallel Processing skill immediately. The Genin closed his eyes as information began to flood his brain.

    Daichi started identifying the gic structure and properties of the samples in front of him and began the task of finding the rightbination between the right samples. He would then analyze the data to the sample of Jin''s blood and the boy would know the results.

    Thousands of calctions andbinations were running through his brain each second. His enormous task of identifying the rightpounds and thus identifying the poison has begun.

    -

    The 6th shadow clone was running his green palms over Daichi''s head. It was tasked with making sure that there were no abnormalities within his real body. ''So far so good. All functions seem to be at optimum level. Heartbeat, blood pressure all stable. And it seems I was right. Energy consumption has increased but thanks to the high vitality there isn''t much problem''

    At that moment Tsunade and Shizune came near the boy. They stared at the child in silence and it looked like Daichi was in a deep trance or meditation.

    "What''s going on? What is he doing?" The older medical ninja asked the clone in a low tone.

    "See for yourself. You''ll understand when you do." The clone replied and Tsunade carefully went near the real Daichi. She ced her hands a few centimeters above his head and they started glowing green as she examined Daichi brain activities.

    Several secondster Tsunade''s eyes widened as she sensed what was happening in the boy''s head. She kept her jutsu up for over a minute to make sure there wasn''t a mistake in what she was sensing.

    Stopping her chakra flow a few momentster, Tsunade took several steps back and looked at the boy inplete astonishment. "Impossible." She couldn''t help but mutter the words.

    "What? What is it, Lady Tsunade?" Shizune asked. Rarely did she ever see such a surprised expression from her teacher.

    "His brain It''s functioning at speeds I can''t even fathom."

    "What do you mean by that mydy?" Shizune didn''t understand the implications her teacher made.

    The Sannin was silent as she turned to the shadow clone keeping an eye on the real Daichi''s vitals.

    "What did you do? What jutsu did you use?" Tsunade asked the clone in a serious tone.

    "It''s something that I created a short while ago. With it I can retain and recall vast amounts of data and quickly process them in a short time. It helps me process information faster but there are drawbacks. I need to be in a calm environment and I need lots of energy for it to function." The clone replied. ''Don''t need to tell them the true extent of my abilities. Not yet anyway''

    "I''m confused. Couldn''t you already do that? I remember you saying so during Tsunade sensei''s test." Shizune spoke.

    The Sannin shook her head as she looked at the girl. "It''s not the same Shizune."

    Seeing the girl''s questioning gaze, Sannin exined her findings. "The strength of the synaptic connections in his hippocampus is far greater than in any other brain I''ve examined ore across. And that allows faster and more efficientmunications between neurons. And moreover his brain is evaluating and processing arge amount of information at an extremely rapid rate. What would take a normal person days or weeks to calcte and analyze, Daichi can now do it in seconds..."

    Shizune was starting to understand what her sensei was getting at. "But that would require highly efficientmunication between different regions of the brain, particrly those involved in decision making and cognitive processing. And the way you''re describing it, the neurons firing in his brain would have to be significantly faster than an ordinary person."

    "It is. His neurons are firing at speeds I can''t evenprehend. He''s extracting information and those data are being processed in multiple regions of the brain simultaneously. His prefrontal cortex has lit up unlike anything I''ve ever seen." The blonde woman gave her analysis.

    "How? How did you evene up with such a technique?" She turned to the clone and asked.

    "Do you remember what I said during the beginning? What my goal is?" The clone asked.

    "To be the strongest."

    The clone nodded and looked at the woman with a serious gaze. "I want to stand at the apex of this world but I won''t get there with brute strength. Well, I can but I doubt I''d be able to stay on top for long if that was the case. There wille a time when I need to outsmart my enemies to defeat them. And the first step is to increase my brain power Right now it''s functioning at superhuman levels and this technique will immensely help me in the future."

    Tsunade looked at the boy with a stoic expression. ''With his enhanced mind he''ll be able toe up with new techniques, jutsus, scientific discoveries all on his own in no time. If I''m right, then he''ll be able to significantly change this era when he grows up.''

    Tsunade said nothing else as she looked at her student''s clone. The female medic then turned her attention to the real one who was in a meditative state and just observed him for a few minutes.

    "You should get some rest. This will take a while." The clone informed her.

    "Well, I''ll leave you to it then." With those words she left theb with Shizune following after.

    -

    3 days went by since Daichi started using the Parallel Processing skill to analyze the nt enzymes and other samples. He would use the Mana skill for 7.5 hours before going to sleep for 3 hours and getting back to optimal level. His clones would be able to use the skill for a little over 4 hours and after Daichi wakes up from his trance the clones would dispel one by one giving him their information and findings.

    [You have slept in a bed. HP, CP, SP and MP have been fully restored.]

    Daichi closed the box as soon as he woke up from his 3 hour sleep.

    ''I''m close. I can feel it. Just one more. I just need one more try.''

    Daichi headed to his spot, made 5 clones and began all over again. 4 hourster his clones dispelled one by one. Around 6 hours went by before he opened his eyes again. He had a big grin on his face as he stood and stretched.

    Since he was alone in theb Daichi immediately got to work on his findings. He took 17 small potted nts and ced 12 of them in pairs on a table. ''I need to crossbreed and create 6 hybrids from these. Then I''ll need to alter their gics by using the unique traits of the other 5. And then gicallybine all of them again and extract the enzymes from the finished sample. It needs to be done in the correct order or it won''t work.''

    Daichi sighed thinking of the massive amounts of work he would have to do. ''Now I''m more than sure. It was Orochimaru behind this poisoning. And if I''m right about the reason why, then we''re in even bigger troubles than I thought No. I shouldn''t worry about him at this time. Right now my focus should be on Jin.''

    Creating new shadow clones, Daichi immediately got to work. It took him another 3 days toplete all the tasks required to help his patient.

    Daichi added a single drop of the new enzyme to a sample of Jin''s blood and watched as the red liquid slowly turned purple.

    ''Fucking finally. Now I have a way to identify the poison and remove it. Time to inform the others.''

    -----------------

    Author''s Note:

    Next chapter: Quest Completion & A Secret Meeting.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 238: Quest Completion & A Secret Meeting.

    Chapter 238: Quest Completion & A Secret Meeting.

    It was morning and Daichi was roaming through numerous gambling dens in the capital looking for his teacher. His search finally bore results when he stumbled upon Tsunade who was in the middle of a wager with an another gambler. As the small medic ninja walked towards them he saw the annoyed expression on Tsunade''s face as she lost another match.

    The gambler sitting opposite to Tsunade gave a small grin as he collected his rewards. "Sorry, Lady Tsunade. It seems luck is not with you this time. But maybe in the next round it will be. Let''s say double or nothing."

    The blonde woman sighed and shook her head. "Another time."

    "Oh. I didn''t realize the legendary Tsunade Senju was afraid of losing a bet. Very well. We''ll stop here." The man had a smirk as he knew that would push her buttons. And he was right.

    Veins popped up on Tsunade''s forehead as she gave the man a death re. "Fine! Double or nothing." She took a small scroll and opened it and showed the stacks of cash. The greed in the gambler''s eyes wasn''t missed by anyone.

    It was at this moment that Daichi decided to intervene. "Hey. Wait a minute. Hold on."

    The two gamblers turned their heads to Daichi.

    "Morning sensei. Where is Shizune?" Daichi asked.

    "She''s at the hospital taking some extra work." Tsunade replied

    Meanwhile the male gambler slightly narrowed his eyes as he looked at the child with the Leaf headband. ''He called her sensei. So that means this child must be Daichi Hekima So the boy is here huh. My Lord should know about this.''

    The man said nothing as he watched the interaction between the teacher and the student.

    "Isn''t it a bit too early to start gambling?" The young Genin had an eyebrow raised as he looked at his medic teacher.

    "Bha! What do you know? Don''t you have more important things to do? Now Shoo! Go away. I''m going to win back my money." The Sannin waved her hand at Daichi and turned her attention back towards the man.

    The man''s grin widened as she epted his challenge. Daichi just sighed seeing his teacher''s reaction and decided to intervene before she could lose anymore. He stepped forward and spoke.

    "How about you make a bet with me?"

    "Huh?" The two people raised an eyebrow at the boy in front of him.

    "Daichi, this is my fight. I can win the money on my own." Tsunade said annoyed.

    "Mmhm. So what do you say Mr?" Daichi asked, looking to the other person.

    "Sadoshi. And no. I''m not interested in making a bet with you."

    "How much is the current wager?" The boy asked.

    "108000 Ryo." The man replied, curious to see where this was going.

    Daichi took out a scroll and ced his chakra into the seal. In a puff arge ck briefcase appeared. When he opened it, Sadoshi''s eyes widened looking at the contents.

    "That''s 1 million. Still not interested?"

    Tsunade turned to her student and all of a sudden gave the boy a sweet, kind smile and spoke. "Hey. Why don''t you go get Shizune and we''ll head to somece nice and rxing. Just leave the case here. I''ll keep it safe. Okay?"

    Daichi had a deadpan expression when he heard his sensei. ''Even if she''s talking to me her sight has never left the money even once. I can practically see the dor signs in her eyes. Such a woman.''

    "Not gonna happen. You know I wasn''t born yesterday, right." Daichi ignored his teacher and turned his attention back to the man. "So what do you say?"

    Sadoshi had a small frown on his face. ''This must be part of the reward he got for capturing the Phantom thief. That''s a lot of money. Should I do it?''

    The man was cautious but in the end his greed won. "Fine. But we''re going to do this my way."

    Daichi nodded and Sadoshi exined the rules. He would roll 3 dice simultaneously in a small cup and Daichi would have to correctly guess the number on the side facing up. A three round match.

    Daichi had a stoic face hearing the terms but on the inside he was smiling.

    The Genin took a look at the three dice inside the small cup before Sadoshi started shaking it and quickly flipping it upside down.

    ''Parallel Processing. Do your thing.''

    With the help of his Mana skill Daichi was able to correctly predict the oue three times leaving the manpletely dumbfounded and a lot less richer.

    He collected and handed the winnings to Tsunade and the two quickly left the area.

    Sadoshi looked at the disappearing figure of Daichi and a small smile formed on his face. ''It seems I''ve underestimated him. I wonder how my Lord will assess him?''

    Across the street as Daichi and Tsunade kept walking, the blonde Sannin suddenly asked. "You used that ability didn''t you? The one that increases your brain functions."

    "Yes. It''s quite handy for stuff like this."

    The blonde woman had a smirk as she heard that reply. "You know, part of the reason I didn''t stop you from making that wager is because I was pretty sure you were going to win. After all, you told me yourself. You never make a bet unless you''re sure you know the oue."

    The boy shrugged hearing that. "I take calcted risks. It just so happens that my calctions are much more urate than others."

    The two were silent for a while before Tsunade spoke again. "You found a solution to Jin''s problem didn''t you? You wouldn''t havee to find me otherwise."

    "Yes. I have."

    "Is it a cure?"

    "No. But I have a feeling Jin is going to be satisfied with the results." The two didn''t say anything else and made their way to their patient''s home.

    -

    Jin slowly opened his eyes and looked up at the ceiling. ''The pain has been significantly reduced. But I''ll need a few more days of rest before I can get out of bed on my own.''

    The man quietly sighed and looked around. His eyes then fell on Kensei who was dozing on a chair near his bed. A smile formed on Jin''s face as he looked at his long-time friend.

    "Napping in the middle of the day You''re finally starting to show your age, aren''t you old man Hahaha"

    Jin''s voice woke Kensei up from his short sleep. "Jin. You''re awake."

    "Yeah You look like shit." Jin replied with a smirk.

    "Ha! Look who''s talking." Kensei stood and went to get a ss of water for his friend.

    Jin tilted his head and slowly drank the cool liquid held by his friend. "Aahh That feels good."

    Kensei looked at his friend helplessly. His only hope now was his grandson.

    "Don''t look so grim. It doesn''t suit you. Besides, there is an upside to all this." Jin spoke.

    "What''s that?"

    Jin turned to his friend and smirked as he answered. "I get to haunt Danzo and make his life miserable."

    "Ha! I doubt you could haunt someone who doesn''t even believe in ghosts or karma or any of that. But I guess it''s worth a try." Kensei replied with a smile.

    "You know, with the life we''ve led... I always thought I''d die on the battlefield. Getting stabbed by an enemy weapon or falling prey to their jutsu. Never did I imagine dying in bed in such a sad state."

    The smile faded from Kensei''s face and he held Jin''s hand. "Don''t give up Jin. You can''t give up now. There is still-"

    "Don''t. Please Just don''t." A sad smile and eptance was on Jin''s face. "I''ve already made peace. It''s okay. I''m ready to let go now."

    Kensei shook his head upon hearing that. "I''ve known you long enough to know when you''re lying Jin. You want to fight, don''t you?"

    "Even if I want to What''s the point? Even Tsunade couldn''t cure me. She did the best she could. But I won''t live past another 3 or 4 months."

    "I wouldn''t be too sure of that." Kensei said as his lips slightly curled up. He sensed the presence of two individualsing closer to their room.

    "What are you talking about?" The former member of the guardian twelve asked his friend.

    "He''s talking about me." Daichi spoke as he entered the room with Tsunade following behind him. They wheeled in several medical equipments and began setting them up.

    Daichi looked at his grandfather and gave a small nod. Kensei smiled as hope formed in him. He took several steps back to give the two medics their space.

    "What''s all this? What''s going on?" Jin asked the two medic ninjas.

    "As you know you''ve been poisoned, Jin. The problem I had until now was identifying the poison. But today my student has found a solution to that problem." Tsunade told her patient. "If this treatment works, you''ll live a lot longer than just 4 months"

    Jin''s eyes widened in shock as he heard that. He turned his head to look at Daichi in disbelief.

    "Hi. We met a year ago." Daichi waved at the man.

    "I remember. Did you really find a cure?"

    Daichi kept a cool expression and replied. "I''ll exin everything after the procedure. Right now I''m going to put you under."

    Jin couldn''t say anything else as Tsunade ced the anesthetic over his nose and soon the man was unconscious.

    "Is this going to work Daichi?" The boy''s grandpa couldn''t help but ask him.

    "It will."

    "Since this is a clean room, we can perform the treatment right here."

    Daichi nodded to his teacher''s suggestion and they both got to work.

    Kensei was in the corner of the room watching the two medics.

    Daichi created 5 shadow clones and they all ced their palms atop Jin and it started glowing green with healing chakra. The real Daichi gave a nod and Tsunade injected a vial of green liquid into Jin''s body.

    "It''s working." A few momentster Daichi eximed seeing the results of the special enzyme he created.

    "How long will it take for the poison to appear throughout the body?"

    "A few minutes." Daichi answered his teacher.

    The two ninjas waited for several minutes for the enzyme to take effect. They kept a close eye on the man''s vitals and organ functions.

    "Time for the second phase. I''m leaving it to you Daichi." Tsunade said and took several steps back.

    The boy nodded and concentrated. "Beginning the incisions."

    He along with his clones made 5 cuts along Jin''s body. One on each limb and thest one on his chest. One of the 5 shadow clones brought a container filled with medical liquid. His real self and counterparts used their medical technique to gather and hold the liquid in their palms.

    They injected Jin''s body with the liquid and a few secondster began to extract the liquid from the cut that was made. It had a dark purple foreign substance swirling inside.

    Kensei narrowed his eyes as he looked on at the scene. ''So that''s the poison. Who exactly is capable of creating something like this? And why did they target Jin?''

    Daichi and his group of shadow clones worked for almost half an hour before their second phase of treatment waspleted.

    ''Most of the poison became visible and was extracted. But there is still some deep within his cells.''

    "Beginning phase three." The shadow clones closed the incisions perfectly while their creator took out his three special medical concoctions to inject into the sleeping man.

    ''Thanks to Parallel Processing I was able to revamp the form and make the effects of these much stronger. They are now much more effective than when I used it on Leorio.''

    Daichi injected the ''X Purge shot'' into Jin and examined his state. ''It looks like the poison is being eradicated at a faster rate than I thought. Must be because I extracted and removed most of it manually.''

    Daichi took the ''booster shot'' vial and quickly injected it next. ''Now that your immune system has recognized the poison it will be able to resist it much more effectively.''

    The final ''Life blood'' vial injected gave some color to Jin''s face. Already his physical state was improving quickly.

    ''Time for the final step.''

    The clones stepped back and dispelled themselves while Daichi prepared himself to use one of his strongest medical skills. He made several seals and ced his hands on top of Jin''s chest.

    [Skill Health Maniption is now active.]

    ''Right now I can increase or decrease the health of a target by 12% and a 33% chance of manipting the biological chemicals. Now that I can manipte Life force more easily, I''ll be able to use Health Maniption more effectively. And with the power of added regeneration I''m sure his lifespan has increased by at least 5 or 6 years.''

    Daichi was able to sessfully use his skill to its maximum efficiency. He kept up the treatment for over 10 minutes before stopping.

    [Skill Health Maniption has leveled up.]

    [Health Maniption skill has reached Level 20. Grade of this skill has increased from Average to Good. New effects are added to the skill.]

    He took a few steps back and wiped his forehead. He turned to look at his teacher and gave her a nod.

    After that Daichi began going over the questpletion notifications that appeared in front of him.

    [Would you like to mark this quest aspleted?]

    ''I only have a couple weeks left before the one year time limit to find the cure is up. I''m sure Orochimaru is behind this, but finding the secretpound he used is going to be a pain. It''s not worth it.''

    ''Yes. I would like to mark this quest aspleted.''

    As Daichi''s intentions were made clear, new notifications appeared.

    [Quest ''Heal Jin'' has beenpleted.]

    .

    [Rewards:]

    [10000 Exp.]

    [1500 Exp.]

    [Reputation increases with Isen, Kensei Yasaji.]

    [Reputation increases with Jin, Tsunade Senju and an Unknown person.]

    Tsunade walked up to the sleeping man and began running her chakra throughout his body. She did a thorough scan and turned to Daichi with a grin. "Look at that. You actually did it."

    Kensei could keep his silence any longer. "What happened? Is he cured? Did you save him?"

    "Let''s just say that Jin has another 7 to 8 years of healthy life to look forward to." The Sannin replied with a smirk.

    "What did you say?" The shocked question came from Jin who was wide awake.

    -

    Fire Capital - Unknown Location.

    At the same time as Daichi was healing Jin a secret meeting was taking ce.

    "You wouldn''te to me in such secrecy unless it was something important So what is it, Sadoshi? Speak." A man covered by darkness ordered in a menacing tone to his kneeling subordinate.

    "I came across Lady Tsunade''s student. The one you were interested in." Sadoshi spoke in a respectful manner.

    "So you met the boy?"

    "Yes my Lord. He came into my shop. It was indeed Daichi Hekima. Based on what I gathered he''s not here toplete any mission on behalf of the Leaf vige. It seems to be a personal matter of sorts."

    "I see. You did well informing me, Sadoshi." The voice said, chuckling.

    "Of course. It is this humble servant''s pleasure to serve you my Lord." With those words Sadoshi vanished from the room.

    "So you''vee back to the capital. Sooner than I''d expected. It''s time we''ve met Daichi Hekima Huhuhu." As a dark chuckle escaped the unknown man''s lips, the curtain that covered the windows was moved to the side, filling the room with bright light.

    "Ow. Ow. Hey, stop that." The figure tried to cover his face from the sunlight and his menacing tone changed to one of childishness.

    "Are you done trying to act like a cliche viin young master?"

    Another voice came from the other side of the room. It was a middle aged man well dressed in a red and ck suit. He was giving his master a raised eyebrow as heard theugh. He sighed and shook his head at his master''s antics.

    "Booo You''re ruining my fun Hotoja. Don''t you know... It''s much more entertaining to y the viin in public and be the hero in secret."

    "Respectfully young master, I will have to disagree with that Still, about what Sadoshi said. Are you going to meet with that child? This is a good opportunity."

    The unknown person turned serious and the smile disappeared from his face. "Yes. I want to know what kind of a person he is underneath. I''m also curious to see what his visions are for the future."

    -------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 239: Possible Motives & A Good Time

    Chapter 239: Possible Motives & A Good Time

    Daichipleted his treatment and Jin was slowly regaining consciousness. At that moment he sensed Tsunade examining him and when he was about to speak he heard the older medic ninja giving her assessment. He was even more shocked at how long she expected him to live.

    "What did you say?" Jin was so surprised he couldn''t help but ask. It was then he felt the changes in his body.

    He took in a deep breath of air and held it for a few seconds before letting it out. He clenched his fist and felt the energy coursing through his body. ''It doesn''t hurt when I breathe. I don''t feel any strain when I move. The aches and pains I''ve endured for thest half decade It''s all gone.''

    He looked shocked and turned his gaze to Tsunade. "What did you do? How? I thought you couldn''t help me."

    "I didn''t. It wasn''t me who saved you. It was him." Tsunade replied, pointing at Daichi.

    "Yo." Daichi waved his hand at the man.

    Jin sat up and looked at the boy in wonder. "You saved me Thank you."

    "You''re wee." The Genin replied with a small smile.

    "See Jin. I told you not to give up hope. Thank you Daichi." Kensei had a big smile as he gave his grandson a hug.

    "Don''t mention it, Gramps. It''s nothing... Now before you all go celebrating there are a few things you need to know." Daichi''s smile slowly vanished and looked at the two men.

    Jin and Kensei looked at the serious expression on the boy''s face and quieted down. Tsunade was also keenly observing her student.

    Daichi looked at the two men and began. "Now as I''m sure you already know, you were poisoned. This poison is the mostplex piece ofpound I''ve evere across and it was specific to you. Its properties, interactions, mechanisms They are all soplex and intricate that it took months for sensei to develop a resistance pill that would only slow the poison down. And even with my skills I''m afraid I''ve only been able to extend your lifespan and not cure you."

    "What? But I thought" Jin began but Daichi interrupted him.

    "Please let me exin. You''ll understand once you have the full picture."

    Jin nodded and stayed silent.

    The Genin continued. "Based on my analysis this poison was created from a special gically engineered nt. Gic engineering techniques allow scientists to identify, iste specific genes responsible for the needed trait and transfer those traits between different nt species. The nt used in creating this poison was the result of cross pollination of several different nts and then gically modifying them. Whoever did this also added an unknown final element to make the poison more deadly. If you hadn''t met sensei, you would have died in a few months in a slow agonizing way. This poison was designed that way."

    While Tsunade kept a cool face, Jin and Kensei clenched their fists and anger was on their faces when they heard that.

    "Now, I was able to identify the nts used in the cross breeding and went about the same way. I created the final gene-edited nt and extracted its enzymes."

    Kensei''s eyes widened as he began to understand what his grandson did. "Wait. You once said to me that the poison was hiding in his body Those enzymes from the nt revealed them, didn''t they. That was what you injected into him in the beginning."

    Daichi nodded. "Yes. Once the poison was revealed, it was easy to remove it and heal most of your internal organs and reverse some of the damages. I used some of my special medicines to boost your strength and immune system. You have another 8 years of rtively healthy life."

    "But doesn''t that mean you cured me?" Jin asked the boy, confused.

    "Unfortunately no. While I was able to find the correct nt used, I''m not able to identify the unknown element added to this. And without that, I can''t help you. If you had the cure then you would have had another 4 to 6 years added to your lifespan. But since I don''t know what thepound is"

    "But if we find the person responsible, and get that unknownpound, you can create a permanent cure, right?" Kensei asked the boy.

    Daichi sighed and silently shook his head. "I''m sorry. But the damage is done. It''s toote even if we did find thepound in the next week oring days. His body has suffered too much damage thesest several years. It won''t help now."

    Kensei looked down and clenched his fist as he thought about the situation. At that moment Jin spoke.

    "Why do you look so down you idiot? I just went from being near death''s door to having another 8 years of life. I''m notining." The man had a smirk as he got up from his medical bed.

    Kensei sighed and nodded. "Yes. You''re right. I should look at the positive side of this."

    "Oh there''s one more thing." Daichi took a small bottle filled with orange pills. "Take one tablet each week. Around 7 days apart. They''re a modified version of the pills you''ve been taking."

    Jin smiled as he took the bottle but then his smile slowly disappeared. "Daichi, thank you But there are two things I want to know."

    "What is it?"

    "At the end of my life span, seven or eight years from now, will I suffer again like thesest few months?" He asked in a small tone.

    "No. Your body wouldn''t have the strength to put up a fight at that moment When the timees you''ll pass away in your sleep or you''ll most likely faint. You won''t suffer."

    Jin nodded with a smile. "Thank you."

    "What''s the second thing?" Daichi asked and the smile on Jin''s face vanished and was reced with one of fury.

    "Who did this to me?"

    At that question all eyes were on Daichi waiting to hear his reply.

    The gamer ninja kept a cool face and was silent for a few moments before he replied. "I don''t know. But whoever did this, they have resources, a deep scientific knowledge in multiple fields and are most likely very dangerous. But I don''t know the identity of the one behind this."

    While the two men nodded at Daichi''s reply, Tsunade narrowed her eyes as she looked at the boy.

    "We need to take precautions in case whoever did this attacks again." Kensei spoke.

    "I don''t think you need to worry about that, Gramps." Daichi said.

    "Why do you say that?"

    "Whoever is responsible was counting on Jin to die several years ago. But he lived thanks to sensei. But there was no other attack on him again. If this was personal then there would have been another attempt on his life. If I''m right, then Jin, you were just an experiment."

    "What!?"

    Jin was angry hearing that but Daichi continued with a calm face. "As much as it might make you mad to hear this, I believe you were just a test subject used to see the effects of the poison. They might have had another motive but I believe they''re irrelevant now At least this is my theory."

    Jin gritted his teeth but after several seconds calmed down. He took a few deep breaths and regained hisposure. He looked at the boy and nodded.

    "Thank you for sharing the information Daichi and for saving my life. If there is anything I can do for you just ask." The man smiled.

    "I''ll keep that in mind." Daichi smiled at the man.

    Jin turned to Tsunade who was keeping quiet the whole time. He bowed to the woman and straightened. "Your student is truly magnificent. That speaks volumes of your skill as a teacher. I have you to thank for this new lease on life as well."

    The blonde woman smirked at that. "You know my fee has just substantially increased, right?"

    "Hahaha Yes. I''ll have someone make the arrangements."

    Tsunade nodded and turned to her student. "Daichi,e on. We still have some work to go over."

    Jin and Kensei nodded and the Sannin and her student left the room.

    "So what now?" Kensei asked.

    "It''s been a long time since I took a stroll through the capital and just enjoyed the sights Why don''t you find Isen and tell him the good news. I''ll be there shortly." Jin replied.

    Kensei nodded and the two friends soon left the house in different directions.

    -

    Tsunade and her student entered the medicalboratory and the blonde Sannin locked the door behind her. "Why did you lie to them?" She asked her student.

    Daichi looked at his teacher and knew what she was asking about. A few moments of silence passed before the boy gave his reply. "I didn''t want them- Well I didn''t want gramps to go after him."

    The Sannin narrowed her eyes upon hearing that. "So you do know who''s behind this don''t you?"

    "I have a strong suspicion."

    "Please don''t tell me it''s who I think it is."

    "I believe this is your former teammate Orochimaru''s work."

    The woman groaned hearing that name. "God damn it!... Why? What''s your reasoning? Is it the snake venom?"

    Daichi nodded. He began telling the truth with a small portion of lies mixed in. "Yes. The reason I suspected him was because of theplexity of this poison. At first I thought it was created just by crossbreeding various poisonous nts but I soon realized that it had to be more than that. And creating something like this takes time and energy. No one does something like this for a job or as a chore. They do it because they like it. Because it''s their obsession. And as I said before, whoever made this must have scientific knowledge in multiple fields. There aren''t many people that fit that category."

    "So you began suspecting Orochimaru?"

    The boy nodded. "Yes. I believe the unknownpound used was snake venom. But I needed to know for sure. It''s why I had Shizune senpai bring me those venoms."

    "And Were they used?"

    Daichi shook his head side to side. "No. They show some simrities but none of those samples were the exact ones used. But the data and information I extracted led me to one conclusion. It was Orochimaru behind this. He created this special hybrid nt and added a snake venom that''s unique or rare to increase the lethality of the poison. Since he has the snake summoning contract he must have used a species that''s not been recorded."

    Tsunade sighed hearing the exnation. "But why? He wouldn''t do something like this on a whim. He must have a reason What does that big brain tell you?"

    Daichi was silently contemting on what answer to give his teacher. He sighed and spoke. "Over a month ago I came across one of Orochimaru''sbs in the Land of Sea. He was experimenting with human-fish hybrids. We found several bodies that were used as test subjects."

    The older medic ninja was surprised to hear that. ''He truly has lost all morals. That snake is not someone who stops once he has an obsession. He''ll be a dangerous enemy in the future.''

    Daichi continued. "Based on my understanding, Orochimaru''s fascination lies with the human body. I believe he''s trying to edit and manipte the human genome to create something more The cross pollination and gene editing he did in those nts must have been a test to see if it was possible. At least this is the theory I have"

    Tsunade groaned thinking about theing headache and pinched the bridge of her nose. She then looked at her student and spoke. "I''ll make a report of this and send it to sensei. When you get back to the vige, he will want to see you and know what you know."

    "I understand sensei."

    A few moments of silenceter Tsunade spoke. "Kensei and Jin aren''t idiots. You gave them enough clues to point towards Orochimaru. And they also would know you suspect him as well."

    Daichi agreed. "Yes. I''m aware. It''s a calcted risk. If I told them nothing then they would know I''m lying and would know something was up. Those two would be even more determined to find the enemy and Kensei would end up going up against Orochimaru. It''s not a certainty but this oue is one with higher probabilities. But this way, by giving them something, they''ll investigate but won''t make a move on Orochimaru unless they are certain and they have a reason to. Those two know the threat he poses. So they won''t move recklessly."

    The woman nodded and crossed her arms. "I guess time will tell how things will y out... So now that our work here is done, do you have any ns?" She asked changing the subject to lighter topics.

    Daichi smirked and replied. "Well I''ve been wanting to go to the Phoenix restaurant for a while And maybe hit the gambling dens with you. We could take them all down."

    "Ohh.." The blonde woman''s eyes sparkled with excitement and the two medics soon left Jin''s home.

    -

    It was night time. Shizune was walking through the streets of the capital looking for her master. She went to Jin''s house but didn''t find her there.

    ''Where could she have gone? There''s no sign of Daichi as well.''

    "Oink oink." At that moment, Tonton who was with her made a nose and pointed in a certain direction.

    "Did you pick up Lady Tsunade''s scent Tonton?"

    "Oink!" The pig nodded and ran with Shizune right behind it. Soon they made their way to a small tavern and found her master along with Daichi drinking andughing in a booth in the corner of the room. Shizune sighed seeing the scene and as she got closer she heard Daichi speaking.

    "And he said, ''My head is feeling a little numb''. And I said ''is it your skull, is it numb? That''s it! You''re a numbskull.'' Hahaha" Daichi saidughing at his own joke.

    The Sannin alsoughed hearing that. "Hahaha Daichi, that is the most horrible pun I have ever heard." Her cheeks were flushed and she was slightly slurring her words. Proof that she was tipsy.

    Shizune came near the two and looked at them. She immediately realized that both were drinking. "Oh my god! Lady Tsunade! Did you let Daichi have alcohol?"

    "Calm down Shizune. It''s just a little bit. No big deal. And And besides, look what I got." Tsunade waved Shizune''s concerns and showed her the big suitcase that was near her. The woman opened it and Shizune was surprised to see it filled with cash.

    "Mydy! Where did you get that? Please tell me you didn''t borrow it from someone shady. Or rob someone." Thest part said in an almost quiet tone.

    "Rx. Daichi and I went to a few casinos and we won this fair and square."

    Shizune''s eyes widened even further. "You took him gambling!?"

    "Yup. He''s my lucky charm. We make a great team, don''t we Daichi?" Tsunade replied, grinning.

    "Sure do. You build them up. I knock them down." Daichi downed another ss of alcohol and extended his arm for a fist bump which the Sannin reciprocated. ''Aahh. I missed the taste of alcohol. It''s a good thing I created ''that'' skill. It''s a risk having it ON but still... Well at least it can get me drunk.''

    At that moment someone else joined the conversation. And they didn''t sound pleased.

    "You took my grandson gambling and drinking?" Kensei''s angry tone as he looked at Tsunade made everyone pause.

    Jin was grinning from behind the angry ninja and gave Daichi a secret thumbs up.

    Tsunade looked at the angry Kensei and just said one word in a t tone. "Whoops!"

    The old veteran ninja narrowed his eyes and growled at the woman''s antics.

    Meanwhile Daichi was pouring another drink and enjoying himself. ''Aaahhh. This is the life!''

    ------------

    Author''s Note:

    For anyone wondering, in his previous life Daichi(Thomas''s) older brothers used to sneak him alcohol when they got together. And he enjoyed the taste.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 240: The Third Prince

    Chapter 240: The Third Prince

    [Reputation slightly decreases with Kensei Yasaji]

    Since he got adopted, Daichi got this notification very rarely. And truth be told it bummed him out a little. The two were on their way to Kensei''s house in the capital.

    "Come on Gramps. It was just a few drinks. Don''t be mad. It''s no big deal."

    The old man''s shoulders slumped hearing that. He sighed and replied. "I''m not mad at you Daichi. I''m just-"

    "Please don''t say disappointed. That''s so much worse." The Genin said with a small wince.

    At that Kensei sported a small smirk and spoke. "Displeased."

    "That''s just another word for disappointment."

    The old man let out a long breath and nced at his grandson. "Daichi, you''re only 12 years old. You shouldn''t be drinking or gambling. That woman might be a great shinobi and a great teacher but she is a bad influence. I''m disappointed in her."

    "Don''t you think you''re being a bit too harsh?"

    "No. And I''m even more disappointed in you. You''re supposed to be the smart mature kid who doesn''t do dumb shit like this."

    "Come on Gramps. It was just one time. And besides, how old were you when you had your first drink?" Daichi asked with a small smirk.

    At the boy''s question Kensei thought back to the memory of his first drink and a smile formed on his face. He realized that Daichi was watching and quickly put on his poker face.

    "We''re not talking about me. We''re talking about you. Now. No more drinking until you''re seventeen. Got it?" He asked as the two reached the house.

    ''Well I guess now I don''t have an excuse to turn on that skill.'' Daichi sighed and turned the skill off that allowed him to get drunk. But the down side of that skill was that it also made Daichi vulnerable to poisons. "Yes, gramps."

    The old man turned his head and looked at the boy with a raised eyebrow "Promise?"

    "I promise. And you know I don''t break promises." Daichi replied with a sincere nod.

    The old ninja looked at the boy for a few more seconds and nodded in satisfaction. "I''ll hold you to it."

    [Reputation slightly increased with Kensei Yasaji.]

    They soon reached the house and got inside.

    "Get cleaned up and go to bed. We''ll head back to the vige in the morning."

    "Right. Goodnight gramps."

    "Night Daichi."

    The Genin made his way to his room and after a quick shower and a change of clothes he was ready for bed. Never realizing that tomorrow he would be meeting one of the most important people in the Fire country.

    -

    It was a couple hours after dawn and Daichi waspleting his morning exercises. Kensei had left the house to meet with Jin and this left Daichi alone for the morning. As hepleted another set of workouts he sensed the presence of a strong individual in the vicinity of thepound.

    The boy''s eyes slightly narrowed as he focused on the intruder but there was no other outward change in his manner. Daichi sensed the intruder entering thepound and making his way towards him all the while concealing his presence from the rest of the world. He made his way to the top of a tree all without making a single leaf move.

    ''His stealth skills aren''t bad. There isn''t any scenting off him and he didn''t make any sounds getting here. He also has great control over his chakra to hide its presence like this. There aren''t many who could sense his presence save for people like Kakashi Hmm Who is he? An assassin or someone just here to observe me?''

    Daichi waspleting his pushups as he tried to gauge the unknown man''s intentions. Several minutes went by with the unknown ninja just watching Daichi and it was starting to annoy the boy.

    He got to his feet and stretched himself as if there was nothing wrong.

    The next instant several shuriken appeared between his fingers and Daichi threw the deadly weapons with precision.

    The unknown assant was surprised at the sudden attack and tried to defend himself but the speed with which the shuriken came made the task almost impossible. The ninja took a kunai and deflected the shuriken while trying to jump down from his position.

    He was able to change the path of the deadly weapons away from his vitals but it still left him with shallow wounds.

    As his feet touched the ground he suddenly felt as if he was unable to move. ''What''s going on?''

    As the intruder looked ahead he didn''t see Daichi but a swarm of ck butterfliesing his way. They quickly covered his whole body and the man felt like his flesh was being eaten.

    Despite the situation his heart was beating calmly. He was a very experienced ninja who had faced much worse.

    ''Genjutsu. To think I fell prey to this child''s genjutsu without even knowing it''

    The man bit his lips hard enough to draw blood and the swarm of ck butterflies eating away at his body vanished. He looked around and saw ninja wire restraining his every limb. Upon closer inspection the wounds inflicted due to the shuriken were also missing.

    The enemy realized the full scope of what had happened. ''From the very beginning I was under his illusion. This child is indeed just as dangerous and talented as the information suggested.''

    "I don''t appreciate an unknown spying on me. So you better start talking before I decide to get serious." Daichi spoke from behind him.

    Despite the intruder wearing unidentifiable clothes the boy already knew who the man was thanks to his ''observe'' skill.

    [LV.87] [Hotoja]

    [Age: 29]

    [HP: 17642] [CP: 25430]

    [Affiliation: Prince Katsuya Hinoo.]

    [Hotoja was born in a small vige in the Fire country. When he was young his family was killed by rogue ninjas. Hotoja trained to be a shinobi to take revenge on the ones who killed his family and after seeding in his mission he wandered thends for a brief period of time. It was during this period that he met the Daimyo of Fire country. Hotoja is a very loyal individual and is dedicated to his cause. The Fire Lord saw this quality and assigned him to his youngest son. Hotoja has been a faithful guardian to the youngest Fire prince since that day. He has higher than average stealth abilities, sealing skills and has excellent swordsmanship and powerful Fire Style ninjutsu. His chakra reserves are higher than average due his grandmother''s Uzumaki lineage.

    STR - 265

    AGI - 302

    INT - 67

    The physical stats maybe subjected to change if chakra or technique is applied. ]

    ''Affiliation: Katsuya Hinoo. So this guy is someone associated with the Third prince. And one with ties to the Uzumaki n no less. I didn''t expect that. It''s a good thing I didn''t go with lethal force. Still Why the hell is he here?''

    As Daichi was thinking about theplicated situation he found himself in, the restrained man spoke. "Your skills are certainly very impressive. You are far more than a mere Genin. I suppose it is to be expected from the student of one of the Legendary Sannin."

    Daichi had a smirk after hearing that. He walked forward and stood in front of the man who was sizing him up. "Buttering me up isn''t going to help you pal. Who are you and why are you here?"

    "I heard you''re quite an intelligent child. So tell me, who do you think I am?" The intruder, despite being unable to move, was calm as he gazed at the child.

    Daichi crossed his arms and scrutinized the ninja in front of him with a calcting gaze. A few secondster Daichi broke the silence.

    "You''re not an enemy here to kill me or kidnap me. I don''t sense any killing or malicious intenting from you. And up until I attacked, you were just fine with keeping an eye on me."

    ''So this child did indeed see through my stealth. His senses are sharp For a child anyway.''

    "My grandfather is an important business man here in the capital and for you to break into thispound so brazenly... You don''t have an ordinary background do you. You''re not from outside the Capital. If you were and you were caught, it would be a headache for whomever sent you here. So my guess is you''re affiliated with someone high up in the royal court here. Only they would be bold enough to do something like this. It''s definitely not the Daimyo. So maybe the first or second Minister or one of the three princes So who is it?"

    Hotoja was surprised as he heard Daichi speak. ''He was able to deduce my connection to the royal court so easily? Could it be a wild guess?''

    "Am I making a wild guess? No. I''m just that good." Daichi spoke with a grin.

    Hotoja was startled. ''Does he know mind reading techniques? Is he reading my mind? This wasn''t in the reports.''

    "No. I''m not reading your mind. I don''t know any Yamanaka n techniques."

    "Then how did you know?" Hotoja asked curiously.

    "The human mind is a wonderful thing. Most people think that it would be easier to predict the behavior and moves of an idiot than a smart person. But they''re wrong. It''s the exact opposite. You can''t predict what an utter fool might do next but you can predict what an individual with average intelligence would do most of the time When I made my conclusions about you, you thought it might be a wild guess. Because that''s what a smart person would think. And when I called that out, for a moment you thought I had mind reading capabilities It''s a nice trick isn''t it? A psychological way to unbnce your enemies on the battlefield."

    "It is a cute trick."

    "Yes. Now, I''m gonna ask you again. Who are you and why are you here?"

    Hotoja chuckled and the next second the ninja wires melted off the man freeing him.

    Daichi sensed the chakra moving inside him and immediately jumped back when the ninja started applying heat to the wire. ''He melted through those wires in less than a second. He was never trapped. He just wanted me to think that. His Fire style techniques are certainly a cut above the average.''

    The ninja stood straight and looked at Daichi and then gave a short bow. "I apologize for my intrusion and behavior, Daichi Hekima. I merely wanted to see what you would do. My name is Hotoja. My Lord, Prince Katsuya Hinoo sent me. He wishes to meet with you before you leave the Capital."

    Daichi nodded and was quietly staring at the man. ''The third prince wants to see me? Declining the invitation of someone like him is not a smart move. But why me? What does he want?''

    "Well then. Let''s not waste any more time talking and make his highness wait. Give me a minute to change into something more appropriate." Daichi spoke and headed inside the house. In less than a minute Daichi came out in a more proper attire and the two left the house.

    -

    Hotoja led Daichi to arge mansion with beautiful carvings and designs. It was a small pce with servants everywhere. The ninja led Daichi to a gorgeous garden where the Genin saw a man dressed in regal clothes sitting cross legged near a pond.

    Sensing the presence of neers in his garden, the man got up from his spot and looked their way. He was the Third Prince and the youngest child of the Fire Daimyo. Katsuya Hinoo.

    Nearing the prince, Daichi bowed and addressed the royal member. "Your highness. It is an honor to be in your presence."

    The prince chuckled as he looked at the boy. ''So this is the child. Hmph. Just from the way he stands in front of me He''s not afraid or intimidated. His temperament is simr to veteran ninjas. Interesting. This is going to be fun.''

    "You''re an interesting individual. I''ve been wanting to meet you for a while, Daichi Hekima." The prince spoke with a charming smile.

    Daichi straightened and looked at the prince. Even though he was showing a polite expression on his face, his eyes held a calcting gaze as he looked at the prince.

    ''This guy His aura isn''t like any ordinary noble or a spoiled rich kid. This person is more cunning and dangerous than he looks.''

    The meeting between the two that would one day change the shinobi era has begun.

    -----------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 241: Katsuya Hinoo

    Chapter 241: Katsuya Hinoo

    The Genin and the prince held a polite smile on their faces as they examined the other. Daichi looked at the prince and took in every detail. With his parallel processing skill Daichi analyzed the man and took note of his physique.

    ''He might be wearing loose clothes but he can''t hide his true nature from me. This man is trained. Extremely well trained. Under those baggy clothes is a powerful body.'' Daichi noted to himself.

    The youngest son of the Fire Daimyo was a slender man with average height. He had a charming youthful appearance and his dark eyes were full of curiosity as they gazed at the Genin in front of him. His raven hair is styled in a modern yet tasteful manner and his attire consisted of a ''Montsuki Hakama''. It is a formal ck kimono with the family crest disyed on the back. The ensemble struck a perfect bnce between traditional and modern fashion, reflecting his young age and his status as the youngest prince.

    ''Observe''

    When Daichi used his information gathering skills on the young man he was astonished.

    [LV. 105] [Katsuya Hino] (Prince)

    [Age: 18]

    [HP: 16780] [CP: 22964]

    [Affiliation: Fire Country.]

    [Katsuya Hino is the youngest son of the Fire Daimyo Ryuga Hino. He is the third prince of the Fire Country and as such has immense wealth and resources. Katsuya was born with talent that surpasses both his older brothers by a wide margin. He is an individual with vast potential and has trained himself from a very young age. He is skilled in the ninja arts and his preferred weapon is a Katana. Katsuya can significantly increase his physical stats thanks to his sharp chakra control techniques and special skills. He is an intelligent, ambitious but honorable man and his goal is to bring about a new era.

    STR - 244

    AGI - 341

    INT - 94

    The physical stats may be subjected to change if chakra or technique is applied.]

    ''He''s the one with the highest level I''ve been able to observe so far. Holy shit. This dude is no joke.''

    Daichi was keeping a calm face on the outside but he was surprised as he read what his observe had shown him. At that moment Katsuya spoke.

    "I''m Katsuya Hino. The 3rd prince of this great nation. I''ve been wanting to meet you for a while now Daichi."

    "I''m humbled by your kind words, your Highness." While Daichi was saying one thing his inner thoughts were entirely different. ''Oh man. I can''t believe I have to keep pretending to be so polite to this guy. Then again he is a prince. Can''t exactly piss him off.''

    The young prince smiled and looked at Hotoja. He gave the man a small nod and a meaningful nce. The faithful servant bowed and immediately disappeared from the garden leaving the two alone.

    "Come. I have some snacks prepared. You must be hungry." The prince smiled and led the Genin to another area in therge garden. There was a beautiful table and two chairs set up with several delicious looking pastries atop it.

    "Tea?" Katsuya asked.

    "Yes, please."

    The prince smiled and poured Daichi a small cup. The Genin was surprised at that and the prince noticed it.

    "You''re wondering why I''m the one serving you Tea and not one of the maids here."

    "Well, you are a prince " Daichi said with an awkward smile.

    "Haha Yes, but I''m not what you would call traditional. I don''t mind doing things like this. Especially for my guests and the people who deserve it. And you young Daichi most certainly do." The prince poured himself another cup and leaned back in thefy chair.

    "Well, there is also the fact that we won''t have any prying ears this way." Katsuya said. His hidden meaning, clear to Daichi.

    The Genin sipped the tea as he used ''Chakra sense'' and ''Mana scout'' to check the vicinity and made sure they were alone. ''This guy doesn''t want anyone to know what we''re talking about. Oh man. I have a feeling this is either going to go very good or go very poorly Oh well, can''t just leave now. I''ll see what this guy wants.''

    "So you have sensory abilities. And it''s much more discreet than the average ninjas. Impressive." The prince suddenly spoke as he looked at the boy.

    "Apologies for my rudeness. But I am a ninja and we''re cautious by nature." Daichi gave a small smile and replied.

    The prince chuckled as he looked at the boy. "Yes. I certainly know what you mean."

    "I was careful and yet you were able to pick up on my sensing techniques. You''re quite skilled yourself, your Highness." Daichi spoke with a ttering smile.

    The prince grinned as he looked at the boy. "In this world one needs to have an advantage to get ahead. Either physical strength or political power. I was born into one and was eager to gain the other."

    Daichi nodded and was silent for a few moments. He then decided not to waste anymore time and got straight to the point. "Forgive me if I''m being rude, your Highness, but why did you want to see me? I''m just a simple Genin from the Leaf vige."

    "Haha Oh you and I both know you''re far more than that Daichi."

    The Genin finished his cup and set it down. He looked at the prince with a cool gaze as he leaned back in his chair.

    "I''m not quite sure what you mean, your Highness. I''m talented. I''m well aware of that. And I''m a student of Lady Tsunade. But beyond that, there isn''t anything special about me."

    Katsuya smirked, hearing that predicted response. "Ohh I think you''re very special. I''m looking for talented individuals and you caught my attention some time ago. I''ve been following your exploits, progress and contributions for a while now."

    "It was the mission with the Phantom Thief''s treasure, wasn''t it?" Daichi asked.

    "Well, that incident did put you in the spotlight but no. I''ve had an interest in you since before you became a Genin. To be precise the incident that happened near the border of this nation a few days after you left the Capital. After one year of training at the hospital."

    "What are you -" Daichi stopped as one significant incident came to mind. ''The Root ambush But how did this guy know? There was nobody in the vicinity except Zetsu who was spying near the end. I made sure of that.''

    Katsuya saw that Daichi understood what he was talking about.

    Daichi had a serious expression as he looked at the man in front of him. "I didn''t sense anyone else near the area. And I doubt the Hokage would have shared this information with you."

    Katsuya chuckled as he looked at the boy. "Attacking an individual of Lady Tsunade''s reputation Do you think such an incident would remain in the shadows? My grandfather and father built this country and made an extensive informationwork throughout every vige. What happened that day, the devastation it left behind The Leaf ninjas didn''t cover that up as well as they think."

    Daichi crossed his arms and gazed at the young man seriously. "Regardless, what happened on that day was Leaf vige business. Isn''t there a policy that the Fire Lord or members of the royal court can''t interfere in shinobi matters?"

    "Oh yes. Of course there is. Daichi, I''m not looking to interfere in the Leaf vige business. As I said before I''m far more interested in you."

    Daichi was silent as he looked at the teenager. ''What does this guy want from me? My medical skills or something else? Maybe he wants me to join him like the Fire Daimyo? Hmm My ''observe'' info showed that this guy wants to bring a new era. Could that have something to do with this?''

    As Daichi stayed silent the prince spoke. "I was surprised when I heard that there was an attack on the Princess of the Senju n. She is a powerful ninja and no one would attack her without being ready for the harsh repercussions. It seemed foolish but then I thought about you."

    The prince leaned forward andced his fingers with his chin atop them. "You see, I don''t think they were after Lady Tsunade. I think they were after you. What do you think about this theory Daichi?"

    The Genin slightly narrowed his eyes. "And hypothetically If they were, what does that have to do with you your highness."

    Katsuya grinned and leaned back in his chair. He poured himself another cup of tea and silently drank it while enjoying Daichi''s guarded reaction. The prince could see that underneath the boy''s polite attitude his silence was annoying Daichi and the older teenager was enjoying it.

    A minute of silenceter Katsuya looked at the Genin and replied. "That incident has nothing to do with me. But it was the one that made me more interested in you. And after you discovered the Phantom thief''s treasure I had some people gather all the intelligence they could get on you. I''ve had your file updated since then. Yourtest exploit is saving that merchant Jin''s life, yes? It''s why you came here to the capital isn''t it?"

    Daichi was silent for a few moments and then slowly nodded his head. "Yeah. I examined him a year ago and during my research I found a solution that would help him."

    The prince nodded and spoke with a charming smile. "You found a solution where even the mighty medic Tsunade failed. See, I told you. You''re a very interesting individual. And I''m looking for talented people such as yourself. I believe you would be a valuable asset."

    Daichi had a feeling that this is what the young prince wanted. "You want me for my medical talents don''t you? You want me to join your faction!"

    The prince hummed as he took a small slice of a red cake and slowly ate it. "Yes. Your medical skills are certainly the best. And there are a few other reasons as well."

    "Your highness, I''m ttered that you want me to join you but I''m loyal to the Hidden Leaf vige." Daichi gave a smooth convincing reply but Katsuya just smiled at that.

    "Are you now? Well, I''m not asking you to betray or leave the vige or anything like that. What I have in mind it''s not as simple a straightforward alliance as you might be thinking."

    Daichi was interested in what the prince had to say. "I''m all ears. I''m very curious as to what the prince of a wealthy nation like this wants with me."

    Katsuya was silent. He finished his snack and looked at the boy in front of him. The smile on his face vanished and the young prince asked the Genin a thought provoking question. "Daichi, do you know what the three fundamentals are when creating a nation? The three important elements on which we could build a functioning civilization?"

    ''He''s testing me.'' Daichi thought about this question and analyzed the functioning of the society from his past life and his current one. A minuteter he came up with an answer.

    "Chakra, Religion and Technology or Science."

    Katsuya raised an eyebrow at the quick correct reply. He did not expect to hear the answer so quickly. "Very impressive. Only someone intelligent and one who has a deep knowledge of the history of the human race cane up with that right answer."

    Daichi keenly listened to every word as the prince spoke.

    "You see, right now, our civilization The nations are built around Chakra. The stronger and more versatile it can be used, the stronger you are. But before there was chakra do you know what the civilization was built on?"

    Daichi was silent and Katsuya spoke. "Religion. Different regions had different gods that people worshiped and wars were waged in their names."

    Daichi''s eyes slightly widened. ''Does this guy know the history of this world before chakra existed? Does he know about Kaguya?''

    "You''ve read written records of the time before chakra existed?" Daichi asked the prince. He wanted to know just how much the prince knew.

    Katsuya nodded. "Yes. Before the birth of ninja viges, warring nations existed. But the Fire country and the long line of Daimyos who have ruled thesends have existed long before even the warring era of shinobi. The other Daimyo factions are also the same. We have existed for well over a thousand years. Now, most of the records might have been lost to time but there are some that still exist. I''ve read through some of them and learned a bit about the history of the current era. The history of shinobi."

    "What was it like before you know, before chakra existed?" Daichi asked the prince.

    "I don''t know much to tell you the truth. There were many wars waged in the name of religion and just before the beginning of the shinobi era, it was written that it was a brutal time period. Then the legendary Sage of the Six paths came and brought peace to the world."

    The third prince became silent as he looked at the child. "Tell me, from the information you learned just now, what conclusions can you draw about the state of our civilization and its current progress?"

    Daichi was silent as he thought over everything. A few momentster he replied. "Religion was the past. Chakra is the present" Daichi looked at the prince in surprise. "Technology and Science is the future."

    Katsuya smiled and nodded agreeing with Daichi. He then looked to the side and saw small birds chirping on the nearby tree.

    Daichi was shocked that someone figured out the value of technology in this age and the advantages that would bring.

    ''This guy knows that technology is the future and decades from now it would be a massive part of our lives. His foresight is incredible. I was right. I can''t underestimate this guy. I need to know what his intentions are. Someone like him. His ambitions and goals wouldn''t be small.''

    -----------

    Author''s Note.

    The Daimyo in this story, his children, the ministers, they are all original characters I created. So now that you know a little bit more about the 3rd prince, what are your thoughts?

    The meeting concludes in the next chapter and Daichi returns home. Tell me, what do you think of this chapter? Did you guys expect the meeting to go this way?

    After Daichi''s return to the leaf I''ll write another chapter showing everyone''s progress and a small time skip to March. And then the beginning of Well, the beginning.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 242: A Possible Alliance

    Chapter 242: A Possible Alliance

    "Your highness, what makes you so certain that technology is the future?" The Genin asked.

    The prince turned to the boy and replied. "Technology or Science can be used in two ways. For the growth and betterment of the people and their nation and for destruction and military advantages. The Land of Snow has an unusually high level of technology whenpared to the rest of the world. They have airships, railroads, power generators and even these machines called snow mobiles. Now all of this can be used to improve a nation faster. I heard that they recently developed something called Chakra Armor which can help them in battle."

    Daichi stayed silent but disyed the appropriate expressions of surprises and skepticism as he listened to the prince. ''His informationwork is certainly extensive. Some of those things about the Land of Snow are not easy to find out right now. I need to keep up appearances and can''t let this guy figure out that I already know about all that.''

    The prince, unaware of Daichi''s thoughts, continued. "During the second shinobi world war there was a country known as the Land of Sky. It was formed by ninjas from across thends. Their technology was much more advanced than the other nations and they had the ability to fly. Now unfortunately they dered war on the five great nations and were destroyed but their technology allowed them to deal a lot of damage to the nations."

    The prince stopped and looked at the boy sitting opposite. "With chakra a lot of things are possible but times are changing. It may be slow but change is inevitable."

    The Genin leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. He had much to think about.

    The prince closed his eyes and took in a deep breath of air and slowly exhaled. He kept his full attention on the Genin who was pondering on the implications of their discussion.

    "Tell me Daichi, what is your goal?" Katsuya asked the boy.

    The young gamer decided to be straight forward and told the truth. He needed to know the intentions of the young prince and wanted to see if the man in front of him would one day oppose him. "To be the strongest. To stand at the top of this era."

    Katsuya smirked at that reply. "That''s not an easy task to aplish But I suppose with your talent and potential it might be possible."

    Daichi leaned forward in his chair and asked the same question. "Prince Katsuya, what''s your ambition?"

    "Hmm Well, I won''t be the Daimyo of this country. That title will belong to my oldest brother when my dear father departs from this world My second eldest brother will be themander of the military force. I would just be an advisor. But then again I have no interest in ruling this country ormanding its military. My ambition is much higher. I''ll tell you next time we meet."

    Daichi raised an eyebrow at thatst remark. ''What game is he ying? He wants me on his side but what else is he after?''

    The Genin decided to move on to the core matter he was here for. "You said something about an alliance? What did you have in mind?"

    "I''m suggesting we could establish a covert alliance that would strengthen the both of us. And I''m not talking about the Leaf vige and the Land of Fire. I''m talking about you and me. I have certain projects in mind and like I said earlier I''m looking for talented people in multiple fields. You''re the best in the field of medicine and biology."

    "And I''m someone who''scking in resources and political power. I''m also not as dangerous as some others, right?" Daichi said with a smirk.

    The prince grinned at Daichi. "Ha! Yes. That''s true. The others who are capable would be a headache for me to deal with and I might identally kill them." The grin widened and Katsuya''s eyes held a dangerous glint.

    The hairs on Daichi''s body stood and multiple notifications popped up. But the boy kept a cool face despite the danger right in front of him. The intenting from the prince only made Daichi''s blood boil and excite him. The gamer ninja reciprocated in kind and the dangerous intent started pouring out of him as he looked at the prince with a wide smirk.

    The calm atmosphere of the garden quickly changed. The birds happily chirping about a few seconds ago fell silent and quickly disappeared into the sky. All other small animals scurried and disappeared into their holes. The air was thick with the intent of the two powerful individuals.

    ''''Crack."

    One of the small cups cracked and its sound cut the tension. Both of them quickly reigned in their intent but kept the smile on their faces as if nothing happened.

    "Apologies. I seem to have broken your cup, your highness." Daichi said with a small bow.

    "Hahahaha No worries. I was getting bored of them anyway What do you say we table this discussion for another time, huh? Come. I''ll give you a tour of my humble home." Katsuya said and got up from his seat.

    "That would be wonderful. This ce is certainly gorgeous. Some of the artwork I saw whening here is magnificent." Daichi said as he looked around.

    "Ah! That''s just a fraction of my collection. Comee."

    And so the 3rd prince took Daichi on a tour of hisrge mansion and about an hourter it was time for the Genin to leave. When the two shook hands, Katsuya leaned forward and whispered something in Daichi''s ear that made the Genin''s eyes slightly widen.

    The prince pulled back and just smiled at the boy. "Safe journey, kid."

    Daichi left the mansion and Hotoja watched the boy disappear into the busy street. He came near his master and looked at the smiling prince.

    "Do you think he will join you, my lord?"

    "He''s definitely interested in my offer. He''s a smart, cunning kid and definitely a lot stronger than what was mentioned in the reports I have a feeling he''ll be seeing us sooner than he thinks."

    "So you told him what was happening?"

    "I gave him a short warning. What he does next is entirely up to him."

    -

    "Safe journey, kid."

    Daichi silently gave a short bow and quickly left the ce. ''What did he mean when he said that? Does he know something? Looks like I need to be more cautious I should keep the visit to the prince to myself. At least for now. My visit to his ce wasn''t exactly a secret and interested parties are bound to find out about it''

    The Genin decided to drop the matter and think about the next few months. ''In just two months Naruto''s graduation will take ce and canon will begin. Here''s hoping I haven''t fucked everything up.''

    The boy soon reached his house and found Kensei waiting for him. "Finished with your sightseeing?"

    "Yeah. It was an interesting walk."

    Daichi and Kensei left the Capital and by evening reached the vige gates. As soon as they verified their identities with the guards, an Anbu ninja appeared in front of the two.

    "Daichi Hekima. The Hokage has asked for your presence."

    Daichi nodded and nced towards Kensei. "Must be about our trip."

    The old man nodded and was about to go to the tower with his grandson but the Anbu raised a hand stopping the old ninja. "Just the boy."

    Kensei narrowed his eyes slightly and then agreed. He looked at the Genin and spoke. "I''ll be heading home. Make sure to buy something for dinner when you get back."

    "Right." The boy vanished in a swirl of leaves and the next instant the Anbu was gone as well.

    -

    Hokage Office.

    Hiruzen was going over some documents when he sensed the presence of the body flicker jutsu. ''He''s getting quite good at it. Practically no chakra waste and no sound. I doubt the guards could have reacted in time if he was an enemy.''

    The Hokage looked up from his paper and saw Daichi giving him a small bow and straightening.

    "Lord Hokage."

    "Ah Daichi. I''m sorry to summon you here so quickly and just after you got home but there are a few important matters I need to discuss with you." The old kage said with a small smile.

    "I''m guessing this has to do with what Lady Tsunade wrote in the report?"

    Hiruzen''s face turned serious. "Yes. You said Orochimaru was behind that man Jin''s poisoning. Are you absolutely sure about that?"

    The Genin nodded. "All the evidence points me towards him. But I don''t know why Orochimaru would poison him or why he doesn''t care that the man lives now. So my theory is that it was a test or maybe he just did it for his amusement. Don''t know about the motive really."

    Hiruzen nodded and leaned back in his chair. "So you''re sure of the who but not the why?"

    The kage was silent and then asked the boy something that''s been on his mind since he read the report. "Based on Tsunade''s report, the nt that was artificially created to synthesize part of the poison, it must have taken a great deal of time and research to create something like that. Any thoughts on why?"

    ''So you want to know the real reason huh. It seems you have some suspicion about his ns just like me. I have to give you credit. You''re certainly a smart old man. Still can''t just give up the info like that or he''ll be suspicious.'' Daichi was keeping a cool calm face as he was debriefed about the situation.

    Daichi looked puzzled at that question. "What do you mean Lord Hokage?"

    "I''ve taught Orochimaru a great deal. I know he has several lethal poisons of all kinds under his belt. But for him to spend his energy and time and try to create something like this What is he trying to aplish bybining and cross breeding different species of nts? Any ideas?" Hiruzen asked.

    Daichi was silent for a minute before he gave his reply. "I believe this was an experiment. I think he was doing gic engineering and trying to see if using rbinant DNA to create a sessful test subject was possible."

    Hiruzen raised an eyebrow at the boy and gave him a deadpanned look.

    Daichi could see that the old ninja didn''t understand what he was talking about and began exining in simple terms. "Yeah. Um, right now scientists have developed something called gic engineering. Gic engineering techniques allow a person to identify and iste specific genes responsible for desirable traits. In nts those would be disease resistance, increased yield or improved quality. Using gic engineering scientists could transfer these traits between different nt species."

    Hiruzen''s eyes widened in rm as he heard what was possible. "So So if he wanted to use these gic engineering techniques on humans Would they be sessful?"

    Daichi had a grim look at that question and gave the kage a small nod. "Yes. I believe Orochimaru created the hybrid nt as a test phase to see the effects and the shorings of his scientific knowledge and gene editing skills. I think he ns to use the information gained to improve himself and use it on humans with special Kekkei Genkai traits Theoretically he couldbine the Kekkei Genkai abilities of multiple ns and use only the needed traits from them and create a new hybrid human."

    "If he hasn''t already" Hiruzen was shocked and stunned. Even the couple of guards in the room were astounded that something like that was possible.

    "Hypothetically, if Orochimaru were to experiment with human DNA, how many different Kekkei Genkai abilities would he be able tobine?"

    Daichi fell silent and thought about it for a while. Hiruzen wanted to know the answer immediately but he knew he shouldn''t rush the boy. After a few moments Daichi looked at the man and replied. "At most 7 or 8 different types of DNA could bebined. At most. If everything went well."

    Hiruzen was surprised at the nonchnt way Daichi dismissed the threat. "What do you mean? You don''t seem too concerned. Especially knowing how dangerous the man is."

    "I know you''re rmed when I said that he could create something with multiple Kekkei Genkai traits but you shouldn''t be too concerned about that. Human gic sequence is far moreplex than a nt''s. Combining Kekkei Genkai traits isn''t as easy or straightforward as you think. Orochimaru would have to find the right n traits that wouldn''t sh against another, iste the needed gene from them and add them to the test subject without rejection. And trust me. That is not an easy task. Even if he was somehow sessful, it would take time for new mutated cells and abilities to emerge If that even happens."

    Hiruzen let out a sigh of relief hearing that. ''So I have some time. But how long exactly?''

    "How long would an experiment like this take to bear fruit?" The kage asked.

    "I''d say a decade at least. And only if he spends all his time on research and development on this sole project. That''s if he wants a perfect subject with the results he''s looking for. If all he wants is a weak crude copy of one ability then all he needs to do is correctly synthesize the DNA of a subject and extract the gene sequences of the Kekkei Genkai from that DNA, jam it into a 100 people and see which one of them survives and adapts." Daichi said those words for a specific reason.

    To find Tenzo. The man who was widely known as Yamato and the leader of Team 07.

    And his gamble paid off. When Daichi talked about the experiment at the end, the chakra of one of the Anbu hidden in the room fluctuated. It was a minor fluctuation that wasn''t caught by anyone except for Daichi.

    ''Got ya. I need a bit of your blood Yamato Or should I address you as Tenzo? It''s time I took a peek at Hashirama''s blood at work.'' The Gamer ninja quickly memorized the man''s chakra and Mana signature. ''Now I''ll be able to track you much more easily.''

    Daichi continued without giving away his intentions. "Is it a horrific, terrible, morally wrong thing to do? Yes. But it would give some results in a much faster time. But it wouldn''t be anywhere close to what he would be looking for. So I don''t think he would do that. At least that''s the impression I get about the man after all I''ve heard about him. I could be wrong though."

    Daichi fell silent and Hiruzen took in a deep breath of air to process the information. ''You are such a headache. Why couldn''t you just let me be in peace Orochimaru''

    He shook his head to get rid of the heavy thoughts. He looked at the boy and nodded. "So I don''t have to worry about an army of Kekkei Genkai users with multiple abilities suddenly storming the vige, do I?"

    Daichi chuckled at that. "Most certainly not."

    "Thank you for the information and your insights Daichi. You have given us some valuable intel."

    "Of course Lord Hokage."

    "I''m sure you''re eager to get home and rest. Take a couple days off and then you''ll be back on duty."

    "Yes sir."

    "Dismissed."

    Once Daichi left the room Hiruzen called for one of the Anbu in the room.

    "From what was said, Orochimaru would need several specialized medical equipment if he wants to conduct a project like this. See if you can find sales of any such machines in or around Fire Country." Hiruzen said. ''It''s a long shot. Orochimaru would be sure to cover his tracks. But it won''t hurt to follow up.''

    "Yes sir." The Anbu vanished leaving the ruler of the Leaf vige to this thoughts.

    -----------------

    Author''s Note:

    For anyone wondering what Daichi was talking about with the Hokage. I''ve already given a clue in a much earlier chapter. if any of you guys still haven''t figured it out then check out ch 125.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 243: Everyone has an Agenda 01

    Chapter 243: Everyone has an Agenda 01

    Jan 23rd: Sound Vige.

    In an underground secret researchb one of the most dangerous and intelligent ninja of the world was conducting inhuman experiments.

    Orochimaru stood in a small circr room and in front of him was a table with a special scroll on it. The scroll had special seals meant for testing various medical experiments and Orochimaru was in the middle of histest project. He took a test tube filled with a green liquid and slowly brought it above the special scroll.

    He tilted the test tube just enough for one drop of liquid to fall into the middle of the seal. The ck sealing ink lit up blue for a couple seconds and a few momentster the green liquid turned purple. Orochimaru narrowed his eyes as he saw the results of his tests.

    ''Hmm.. I''m getting close. But without a viable specimen I can''t go any further quickly and can only make a few more adjustments. I was right in my assumption. I need to see the effects of this on a live subject to get the final unlocking data.''

    The Snake Sannin turned his attention to another table nearby. On it was a man securely strapped and unconscious,pletely covered in seals save for a few areas near his chest. Orochimaru emptied the contents of the test tube into a syringe and injected the green liquid above the man''s heart.

    The Sannin took a couple steps back and looked on with a stoic gaze at what happened next.

    Seconds after the green liquid was injected, the man groaned in his sleep. He struggled in his unconscious state and pulled on the restraint. He looked as if he was in agony but he never once opened his eyes. About a minuteter his struggles stopped and he fell back on to the cold metal table, his bodypletely still.

    Orochimaru stepped forward and removed some of the seals and frowned. ''So even after diluting, refining and reducing the power of his cells they still caused such damage. But even though he''s dead his physical state is in a much better condition than the previous ones. A few more tests and I''ll have refined the serum and then I''ll be able to move on to my true target.''

    Orochimaru took several samples from the deceased man and made some notes on the progress of his new obsession. He then secured them in a scroll and left the room.

    Outside, one of his loyal subordinates was waiting for him. He bowed as he saw his mastere out of the testing chamber.

    "Dispose of him and bring me a new subject." Orochimaru gave the order without even ncing at the man.

    "Yes my Lord." The servant answered, still keeping his head bowed. Before Orochimaru left his sight the loyal servant quickly spoke.

    "My Lord, a message hase from one of the spies in the Land of Fire." The man raised his head and presented a scroll to the Sannin.

    Orochimaru was curious to find out what it was about and so he quickly took the scroll and read through the contents. A malicious grin formed on his face and it widened as he kept reading the contents.

    "Kukuku Fascinating. So he ns to make a move huh... Hmm This could work in my favor."

    ''The odds of his n seeding are very slim. But this is an excellent opportunity for me. Sensei will be busy with the aftermath and will be trying to clean up the mess. I can go after my target at that time.''

    He looked at his subordinate and spoke. "Tell Nam to make contact with that man and arrange a meeting between the two."

    "Yes my Lord." The servant bowed and quickly left.

    Orochimaru made his way into another room and found one of his most loyal and powerful ninjas waiting for him.

    "My Lord." The ninja bowed as he saw his master enter the room.

    The Snake summoner smiled at the young man. "Kimimaro. You''ve arrived sooner than I expected. Is everything going on schedule?"

    Thest member of the Kaguya n and the user of the Shikotsumyaku spoke. "Yes my Lord. Seven new bases were built just to your specifications and in the locations you wanted. We created them without attracting anyone''s attention but moving some of the equipment will take some time since we don''t want anyone to find out too soon. But it will be done my Lord. Although this will put a dent in your funds for research."

    "Kukuku Yes, I''m aware of that Kimimaro. But it''s a necessity. Once my n seeds it will all be worth it."

    "I understand Lord Orochimaru."

    "Kimimaro. We need to make one small adjustment to my ns. We''re moving up the timeline of the attack on my target. So I need those equipments ready by the end of next month."

    The Kaguya n member''s eyes widened. "My Lord, we will need more manpower and resources for that. Otherwise-"

    "I''m aware of the risks. Call Guren. She will be of service. But I need this done by the end of February. Do you understand Kimimaro?"

    "Yes my Lord. It shall be done."

    -

    Leaf Vige. Jan 26.

    Naruto was training the chakra control exercise that Daichi taught him on the day of his birthday. Sweat was pouring down his face as he stood on his left foot atop the metal balls and wooden board. On his right hand was another wooden board with several small metal balls held in ce with his chakra. The boy had his eyes tightly closed shut as he concentrated.

    ''Come on. I can do this. Just concentrate on my chakra flow.''

    The wooden board under his leg wobbled slightly but ultimately it held firm. Naruto had been training this chakra control exercise everyday and now his hard work was beginning to show its results. The boy stood without falling for over two hours before finally stopping himself.

    Naruto took in several deep breaths of air and a smile was on his face. "Yes! I did it! Oh man, that was so hard. Time to see if it helped at all."

    Naruto stood straight and took in a deep breath of air and focused. He made several hand seals and quickly used a jutsu.

    "Ninja art - Clone jutsu."

    "Poof." In a puff of smoke an identical Naruto stood in front of the blonde Jinchuriki who had a big grin.

    "Haha. I did it. I finally did it. I can use the clone jutsu. Graduation exam, here Ie. I''m gonna show everyone what I can do. Now I''m one step closer to bing Hokage, believe it!"

    As he said his dream out loud the smile and joy slightly dimmed and he calmed down. ''No. I can''t be Hokage unless I defeat him. I''m gonna be the strongest ninja and defeat Daichi. Only after that will I be Hokage.''

    Naruto looked at the wooden boards and the small metal orbs and got back to work. ''Again. I need to train some more. I need to be better.''

    The academy student concentrated on his task and thus didn''t sense that he was being watched by his teacher.

    Iruka stood behind a tree as he observed Naruto train. A kind smile was on the man''s face as he watched the boy push himself. He was relieved when he saw Naruto finally make a decent clone.

    ''Looks like he got the clone jutsu down. That chakra control technique is an advanced one. So it must be Daichi who taught it. Even after leaving the academy and bing a Genin he''s still looking out for his friends.''

    Iruka smiled as he saw Naruto use chakra to bnce on one leg and at the same time create an illusion clone. ''Seems I don''t need to worry about him graduating. With the others in his ss helping him in his theoretical studies and now with his mastery of the three basic fundamentals, he''s bound to pass. Still, don''t getcent Naruto You have a long road ahead of you. Good luck.''

    The academy instructor quietly left the area without alerting his presence.

    -

    Nara n - Jan 30.

    Shikamaru was in a small training ground near his home practicing his family jutsu. He remembered the words his father told him a long time ago.

    ''Learning the Shadow possession jutsu is a rite of passage for a Nara.''

    The young Nara focused his attention on the cat several meters away. Shikamaru''s eyes took in every detail around him and he made the seals.

    ''Shadow possession jutsu.''

    His shadow quietly extended to the feline unaware of the traping. The young ninja in training didn''t aim his shadow directly at his target. Instead he had it circle around and wanted to entrap the cat from its blind spot. The cat was sleeping under a tree and Shikamaru''s shadow came from the other side.

    Whether it was an inborn instinct or a sixth sense about danger, just before the shadow could connect, the cat woke up and looked around. It felt like it was in danger and jumped up to the tree but the next moment it stood paralyzed. The boy had a second shadow tendril waiting as a contingency in case the cat moved.

    "Sess." Shikamaru smirked and let go of his jutsu.

    He took a deep breath of air and went home. He was in front of a shogi board and was ying against himself. He moved a piece as he thought about theing days.

    ''Hmm Most likely, Ino and Choji would be my teammates after graduating. But who would be our sensei? Someone from the Sarutobi n no doubt.''

    Shikamaru wasn''t just thinking about theing graduation but was concerned about the next several months. ''I heard pops saying that the Chunin exams will be held here this time in June. So there is a chance that our Jonin would rmend our team since we have the home advantage. But since we''ll be a rookie team that probability is low. Still I shouldn''t dismiss it.''

    He moved another piece and his eyes narrowed. ''Daichi hasn''t participated in the Chunin exams for whatever reason. But he''ll most definitely be in this one. I''m sure of that. And if our team participates in theing exam, we won''t stand a chance against him. He would have more experience and I''m sure he''s gotten a lot stronger.''

    The young Nara sighed and just closed his eyes. ''Well, not that I''m going to fight him. If I''m in the Chunin exam and matched up against him, I''ll just give up and try another time. Naruto and Sasuke would be more interested in fighting that guy.''

    Shikamaru looked at the setting sun and enjoyed the peaceful atmosphere. ''Less than 50 days until graduation. I should enjoy this time. I''ll probably be busy with my mission after I get the headband such a drag Hmm.. Should I quit the academy and go into politics? Gramps did say he was friends with the 1st minister. He was sure he could get me some guidance if I wanted to go that path Na. If I quit now Ino won''t stop bothering me and I''d rather not have that I''ll just stop at Chunin Rank and retire afterpleting my mission quota Yeah that sounds like a n.''

    The young ninja of the Nara n smiled as he thought about his carefree life and justid under a tree without a care in the world.

    -

    Uchiha n Compound - Feb 3rd.

    Sasuke was home sitting in front of his parent''s photo. He had tears falling down his cheeks as he looked at the picture but he never made a single sound. He thought back to the events that happened shortly before the n was massacred. He remembered the encouraging words his father said.

    ''You are my son. Right now it might seem like an impossible task but sooner orter you wille out on top. Don''t give up. There is nothing wrong with not being like your brother. In fact I''m d Follow your own path. Not your brother''s.''

    Sasuke clenched his fists as he recalled another memory of his mother.

    ''Hey, do you know. You''re the one he talks about all the time. He sees how hard you''re training to be the first in your ss and he''s proud. Sometimes he secretly watches you train and he smiles every time he tells me about it.''

    The young grieving Uchiha opened his eyes and looked at the picture of his deceased parents. "Thank you for your kind words mother, father I will make you proud. I will avenge your deaths. The deaths of everyone in our n I will make him pay."

    Sasuke''s fist clenched and he rubbed the tears from his eyes. He prayed for a few minutes and then got up to change into his training attire.

    Thest Uchiha of the Leaf vige stood in front of several wooden stumps and Itachi''s face came to his mind along with his parting words.

    ''My foolish brother If you wish to kill me curse me! Hate me! Run away and cling to your pitiful life And then when you have the same eyes as mine Come find me.''

    The boy took a deep breath of air and remembered Daichi''s words. ''You''re letting your emotions control you. That won''t help you in reaching your goals.''

    Sasuke calmed down and got ready to train. ''I will kill you, Itachi. No matter what the cost, I will end you. Even if it''s thest thing I do.''

    The hate in Sasuke''s heart was growing and with it the power of his chakra. The young Uchiha didn''t know it at that moment but the time for his Sharingan to awaken was sooning.

    -------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 244: Sealing Arts

    Chapter 244: Sealing Arts

    Jan 25th.

    It was two hours past evening. Daichi had justpleted his missions and returned home. He was currently in his backyard, meditating under a tree and going over the events that would take ce in the future.

    ''Orochimaru would attack in the chunin exams. At that time he along with his guards would be away from his base. And he has no reason to believe that his location has beenpromised. But that could change any time. With my existence any change to these events could happen. The sooner I move on my intel the better. But therein lies several problems. I need an opportunity to leave the vige and it has to be during a time when Orochimaru''s main base is at its weakest. And even if I do get there his scrolls would no doubt be protected in seals. I need to get around them.''

    Daichi opened his eyes and sighed. He got up from his spot and went to the nearby pond. He watched the different fish calmly swimming through the cold waters.

    ''And it''s not just techniques. I need a few other materials as well from hisb. I''m sure they would be there. But I have to infiltrate hisir and if possible make sure to keep my presence to a minimum.''

    The Genin had been thinking about his next step and what to do to prepare and after a couple hours of internal debate he came to a conclusion.

    ''Sealing Arts. They''re key to getting me to the top. I need to learn how to break protective seals on scrolls before I make my move. Maybe even some barrier destruction seal. But that''s only the start. Sealing jutsu has limitless applications. If I can harness its true potential then I''ll be able to deal with not only the Akatsuki but maybe even the Otsutsuki. Not that I''ll let it get to that point. I''ll have to find a way to seal ck Zetsu before the Pain arc. Sealing jutsu is fundamental for my growth.''

    Daichi made the decision and went to find his grandfather. Kensei was in the living room enjoying tea and was reading a book when Daichi came in.

    "Gramps, I''ve been thinking about this for a while now And I''ve decided to start learning Sealing Jutsu." Daichi said.

    The old ninja put the book down and looked at the Genin. "Learning the sealing arts isn''t an easy task But then again so is learning the Third step of water chakra nature and Medical ninjutsu but you did it Are you sure you want to focus your energy on this instead of strengthening your other areas?"

    "Yes." Daichi gave a firm nod and Kensei stood and motioned Daichi to follow him. The two quickly made their way to the man''s library and Kensei began to take a few books and scrolls from the shelf. He handed them to his grandson and spoke.

    "These will help you. Once you learn the basics you can be better at it with practice."

    Daichi nodded and took the book and scrolls to his room. He closed the door and began his journey into the new field. He looked at the titles of the numerous books and scrolls.

    ''Basic sealing, Understanding sealing jutsu, Fundamentals of a seal & its functions and methods, Sealing Variables and Conditional logics, Specialized Sealing knowledge, Intermediate Sealing Skills, Advanced sealing arts''

    Daichi looked at the titles more carefully and a thought came to his mind. ''These titles They remind me ofputer programming Hmm Now that I think about it, this is simr to programming.''

    Daichi had learned a bit about programming in his previous life due to his academy curriculum. He beganparing the two and found many simrities.

    ''Sealing jutsu in this universe is a type of ninja technique that involves sealing objects, living beings, chakra and other wide variety of materials into another object. This concept could be metaphoricallypared to certain aspects of programming. But still this is just an abstractparison.''

    Daichi created a few shadow clones and began learning the contents in front of him. With his high Intelligence and Wisdom stats he was able to easily understand the new field of shinobi.

    ''I was right. There are many simrities. Each sealing jutsu in this world can be seen as a function or method in programming. A set of instructions designed to perform a particr task. Just like a function, a sealing jutsu has an input and an output. The input being what I want to seal and the output being the sealed object. And moreover, the seals can contain different things like weapons, materials or even a person. That''s just like how variables in programming can hold different values. And some seals only activate under certain conditions and some have failsafes. That''s just like Conditional Logic and Error Handling in programming''

    Daichi had a smile as he saw more and more simrities pop up in his mind. ''So this is why there aren''t many sealing masters alive. Anyone can get the basics down and learn the easy stuff but creating seals that can manipte space time techniques... That''s like trying to build an AI program when you only have the basic knowledge to build an rm program. The skills set required would be at apletely different level.''

    "This will be a bit easier than we thought." One of the clones spoke.

    The real Daichi nodded. "Yes. It will take some time but if I can understand the programmingnguage and the functions and fundamentals then I''ll be able to quickly learn this. And with time I''ll be able to improve it."

    Daichi and his clones read every word, every sentence and every page andmitted them to memory. After an hour, he made his first sealing object. A simple storage scroll.

    ''The storage scroll is a simple item. As the name suggests, it can store certain items and materials but there are limitations. I can store Water and Fire from nature but not one created with the chakra of another person.''

    Daichi ced a Shuriken on the scroll. He then poured a bit of chakra and the next second the weapon disappeared. Daichi waited a few moments and then concentrated on a different seal and ced a tiny bit of his chakra on that seal and the weapon reappeared.

    "Looks like the storage scroll works." Daichi remarked to his clones with a grin.

    [By learning the basics of Sealing and creating your first sessful seal, you have acquired a new skill ''Sealing Arts''.]

    [Sealing Art - Active(LV. 01): Sealing Art is aplex and advanced form of ninja technique used for various purposes. It involves the use of symbolic scripts and seals to control, manipte, and contain different forms of energy and entities. This skill can be used to seal objects, living beings, chakra, along with a wide range of other things within another object or living being.]

    Current Grade: Basic

    .

    [Effects:]

    [Chakra Sealing: This allows the user to seal away or lock the chakra of a target, effectively preventing them from using their abilities.]

    [Entity Sealing: Powerful enough users can seal entities like Tailed Beasts within themselves or others.]

    [Barrier Creation: Some seals can also create barriers or wards to protect a certain area or person.]

    [Trap Activation: Certain seals can act as triggers for traps or other techniques, activating when a certain condition is met.]

    [Seal Release: The ability to release previously sealed techniques or energy.]

    [Attribute Maniption: Some advanced sealing techniques can alter the properties of what they seal, such as altering the nature of sealed chakra.]

    .

    [Note: The effectiveness, range, and versatility of these abilities wouldrgely depend on the user''s knowledge, skill level, and amount of chakra. Mastery of Sealing Art requires significant study, practice, and innate talent. Advanced sealing techniques require significant knowledge, chakra control, and precision. As with all other jutsu, the constant use of these abilities would drain the user''s chakra, with moreplex and powerful seals requiring more energy to use.]

    .

    [Limitations: Some seals, especially ones involving powerful entities orrge amounts of energy, may carry risks if improperly handled.

    Sealing Art can be countered by someone with knowledge of the field or with specific counter-sealing techniques.]

    The Genin smiled as he saw the details of the new skill. ''Time to level up this baby.''

    He dispelled the clones and quickly used parallel processing and sorted through the memories. Several minutester Daichi''s sealing skills were already equal to someone who was very good at the basics and had a year or two of experience.

    -

    The next day Kakashi found Daichi in the training ground nose deep in a book while several clones meditated and trained their chakra control techniques. Kakashi came near the boy and took a closer look at the book Daichi was holding.

    ''Sealing Variables and Conditional Logics.''

    The Jonin was surprised that Daichi was already trying to learn sealing jutsu along with his other tasks. ''If I remember right then those bookse after someone has a firm understanding of the basics.''

    "Morning Sensei." Daichi spoke looking up from the book. A secondter he closed it and ced it in his pouch.

    "Morning. You''re trying to learn Sealing?"

    "Yes. I''ve been thinking about this for a while now and I believe it''s time."

    "It''s not an easy task. Only someone with the right intuition and high intelligence can master this art. It''s not something you can learn overnight."

    "I agree that learning Sealing jutsu isn''t for everyone but I''ll have to disagree with the other stuff." Daichi smirked and stood.

    The Jonin teacher raised an eyebrow at that statement. ''Is he implying that he learned the basics in one night? Is he creating a storage scroll?''

    The Jonin just watched as Daichi quickly took out a nk scroll and ink brush and began writing seals in it. In just a minute he finished his work and looked at his teacher.

    Three new notifications popped up for Daichi as hepleted the seals in his scroll.

    [Enclosing Jutsu scroll created]

    [Skill ''Sealing Arts'' has leveled up.]

    [Grade of the skill ''Sealing Arts'' has evolved from Basic to Intermediate.]

    "Sensei, I want you to send a Fireball jutsu my way." Daichi told the man and Kakashi could see that his student wasn''t joking.

    Curious to see the results of this experiment the Jonin didn''t question it further and quickly went through the needed hand signs. Once he made the final seal he took a deep breath of air and exhaled arge ming ball.

    ''Fire Style - Fireball jutsu.''

    The ming sphere swiftly made its way to the Genin who stood with the new scroll spread in front of him. Daichi gave the scroll some of his chakra and as the Fire reached the scroll it began to get absorbed into the paper.

    Kakashi watched in surprise as in mere moments his fire jutsu disappeared into the scroll and the Kanji for Fire appeared in the center of the seals.

    Daichi closed the scroll and put it back in his pocket.

    "That''s an Enclosing sealing scroll isn''t it?" The Jonin asked,ing near the boy.

    "Yes."

    "That''s impressive. I thought you were making a storage scroll."

    "Storage scroll is the simplest sealing scroll that can be made. I made that an hour after I started learning how to create Sealing Jutsus." The Genin shrugged as he replied. "But this Enclosing Sealing scroll can seal ninjutsu and release it when the user deems it. There are limitations of course but it''s worth it. This is a much harder Sealing jutsu to create but it''s an impressive one and shows one''s talent in this field."

    "You''re telling me you learned the basics and now reached the intermediary stage of Sealing jutsu in one night?"

    "Well, I still have a long way to go but yes, essentially."

    The Jonin just sighed and shook his head. ''I don''t know if I should be impressed or scared of this kid''s talent.''

    "Let''s just get on with the missions." The man said with a sigh and turned his attention back to his own reading material.

    As they walked to the Hokage tower Daichi was thinking about which aspect of the Sealing arts he should master first and he quickly had an answer.

    ''I should learn how to see through trap seals and learn how to get past barrier seals. I''ll also need to learn how to decipher codes and break through protective seals on scrolls. ording to Amachi, Orochimaru has protective seals on important scrolls so I need to learn how to break them. If I can''t then I''ll have no choice but to steal them and it will alert Orochimaru that someone was inside his home and it will change things I have several months. But still, I should learn them quickly. With high intelligence and Parallel Processing it should be easy to create new seals and level up this skill.''

    -------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 245: Everyone has an Agenda 02

    Chapter 245: Everyone has an Agenda 02

    Feb. 7th: Hyuga n Compound.

    It was only an hour after dawn but there was already a Hyuga training in thepound and improving his taijutsu style. He began his training early and alreadypleted a vigorous warm-up to prepare his body for the intense training thatid ahead. Currently the sounds of flesh hitting wooden dummies could be heard throughout the small training area.

    Sweat was slowly forming on Neji''s face as he practiced basic stance and strikes on the wooden targets. He focused on precision and fluidity of his movements rather than brute force.

    Even though he was training and going through the motions, his mind was elsewhere. He recalled the mission in the Land of the Sea and the events that urred. Neji''s mind was focused on one particr memory. Daichi stopping the cannon fired from the warship.

    ''He took such an attack head on. His speed to reach that weapon before it struck its target, his physical strength and chakra control needed to stop it It''s beyond even some Jonin. I''m sure of it.''

    Neji looked at the scene with his Byakugan and saw Daichi''s higher than normal chakra volume and the precise control he had over it.

    ''He was able to change his chakra to water and lightning nature in the span of a second and even control every ounce of his chakra throughout his whole body to protect himself in such a situation.''

    Thunk.

    Another strikended on the wooden dummy. At that moment another memory popped up in his mind. A conversation that happened between his teacher and Daichi''s. Neji was going to update his sensei and Kakashi on the progress of their journey when he identally happened upon their conversation.

    shback.

    It was shortly after the defeat of the diator pirates. The two ships were making their way to Mother Ind. Kakashi and Guy were in the captain''s cabin on Ishido''s ship going over their supplies. Daichi healed their injuries from the battle but the two were mentally tired after fighting such strong ninjas. But they wanted to be prepared in case any more unexpected problems arose.

    "How''s your student Kakashi? He looked fine but After taking a powerful attack like that head-on" Guy asked in a serious tone.

    Kakashi smiled at his friend''s concern. "Don''t worry. He''s an excellent medic and he knows to take care of himself. He''s currently sleeping and he''ll be fine in a day or two. He said so himself and I trust his judgment."

    "That''s good." Might Guy smiled and nodded his head. But a few momentster that smile dimmed and then disappeared.

    "Did you see it Kakashi? I''m sure you know what I''m talking about." The green spandex wearing Jonin asked in an unusually serious tone.

    The copycat ninja was silent as heard his friend''s question. A few secondster he nodded his head. "Yeah Daichi''s talent and growth It''s beyond belief."

    "His physical strength is no doubt extraordinary and the concentration and stamina to take that attack directly Only someone with arge chakra pool with precision control could have survived What did your Sharingan see?" The Jonin of Team Guy asked.

    "You''re right but there is much more to it." Kakashi replied and his fellow Jonin narrowed his eyes.

    The copycat ninja continued. "He strengthened his entire body with chakra and kept it evenly bnced and just before the cannon''s impact he concentrated a portion of his chakra to his hands and changed their nature to sticky water. It was to make sure he had a hold of that ming ball at all times."

    "To keep that jutsu active while being engulfed in mes and with half his body almost burning I can''t imagine doing something like that with such concentration at his age." Guy crossed his arms and said with a sigh.

    "Yes. If his techniques had any ws then it would have been the end for him. But the fact that he was able to hold it steady is a credit to his skills with Ninjutsu."

    "But that wasn''t all, was it Kakashi?"

    Kakashi looked down and closed his eyes as he thought about what his Sharingan had shown him. He crossed his arms and spoke. "No. With my Sharingan I saw the chakra flow in his body and it was incredible. I''ve never seen anyone with such perfect chakra control. He was spreading his energy through his whole body to strengthen himself and to counter the power of that weapon. A bnce between aggressively increasing the power of his muscles and shielding against the massive momentum of that attack. He had to perfectly stabilize his chakra throughout his body and because of the turbulent ocean surface, change the flow of chakra at the soles of his feet at every moment so he didn''t sink or get blown away."

    The Sharingan ninja looked up at his friend with a serious gaze and continued. "If my Sharingan wasn''t ying tricks on me then I saw him bnce his chakra within 0.1 percent uracy. Something that''s almost unachievable for most people even with experience and immense training. But he managed to do it and it shows his immeasurable potential and genius talent."

    Guy nodded his head with his friend''s assessment. "His growth rate is unbelievable, it''s almost frightening. Even for you it took years ofbat and training for your chakra flow to reach anywhere near that stage."

    Kakashi slightly smiled and turned to the window in the cabin. He looked at the partially visible moon and sighed. "It''s not that surprising when you see it from my point of view. He is someone whopletely mastered the Rasengan when he was just in the third year of the academy."

    Guy''s eyes widened as he heard that. "You''re kidding me. He mastered that jutsu so early?"

    The copycat ninja just nodded his head. "I had a feeling about him when we fought in the Genin exam but now after what happened I''m even more sure"

    Might Guy crossed his arms and listened to his friend as he looked out to the sea.

    "There is no one in this generation that cane close to his potential and talent. Not Sasuke Uchiha, not Neji No one I don''t think there''s a Genin out there that can defeat Daichi"

    Guy was silent as he heard that assessment. He wanted to argue but he was someone who wasn''t afraid of the truth. ''As much as I don''t want to agree with that statement, I have to acknowledge that it is the truth. Based on what I saw tonight, Daichi is probably the strongest Genin in the Five Great nations.''

    The two Jonin stood silent as they looked out through the window at the waves passing by and the calm atmosphere.

    What they didn''t know was that there was someone who was listening to their conversation. Neji''s fist clenched as he heard Kakashi''s assessment of his student. For a second Neji hoped his sensei would argue and tell the man that he was only saying that because he was Daichi''s teacher but the Hyuga Genin didn''t hear a single word from his teacher.

    Even though he didn''t want to acknowledge it, his sensei''s silence had slightly hurt him and the young Hyuga quietly walked away.

    shback End.

    Thunk! Crack!

    The sound of the wooden dummy breaking and falling to the ground rang through the area. Neji shook his head and tried to clear his thoughts.

    ''I shouldn''t be angry at sensei. Looking at it objectively he''s right. Daichi defeated my team with ease and he wasn''t even serious. I suppose it is fate that he was born with such great talent.''

    The Hyuga genin clenched his fists at that thought. ''So then why am I angry? Why do I want to challenge him and fight him so badly? Why do I want to prove myself? Damn it. It''s just like Lee''

    "You''re distracted. Training like that won''t help you." A voice suddenly came from the entrance of the small training area.

    Neji looked up and saw another member of the n. The neer was an older man with long brown hair and a bandanna style forehead protector. He was wearing the standard Leaf Shinobi attireplete with the k jacket. He had a serious expression on his face as he looked at Neji.

    The Genin quickly recognized the Hyuga n member. ''Iroha Hyuga. A Jonin from the branch family.''

    "Master Iroha. I didn''t know you were back." Neji straightened and gave a small bow.

    "Just got back from a mission. I''ll be here for a few days I didn''t expect to see you here so early, Neji. Don''t you have to get ready for missions today?" Iroha asked.

    "No. Guy sensei gave us a few days off."

    "I see You''re training and not wasting time. That''s good. But you''re distracted and that won''t help you in making progress."

    Neji sighed and looked down.

    Wanting to help a rising star from the branch family, Iroha decided to help the Genin. "What''s on your mind Neji?"

    The Genin stood silent for a few moments before he answered. "When I entered the academy I thought that me being part of the Hyuga n and the talent I was born with would give me the advantage I needed over my peers. But now There is someone in my generation that''s far beyond my reach"

    Iroha had an inkling of what Neji was getting at. "Are you talking about Daichi Hekima?"

    The Genin Hyuga nodded his head. He then looked at the man and spoke. "Master Iroha, what do you know about Daichi?"

    Iroha crossed his arms and thought about the information he knew. "Hmm Saying he''s talented is an understatement. From what I know, before he became a Genin, he trained in the Fire Capital under Lady Tsunade Senju to be a medic ninja. And during the Genin exam he demonstrated such exceptional skills that he was already deemed to be at chunin level in strength and strategy by his teacher. It''s the reason he was assigned to Kakashi Hatake and was made part of a special two man team"

    Neji looked down as he heard that. ''So he was already so strong huh.''

    Seeing the Genin dispirited, Iroha decided to help the boy. "Daichi is talented and strong. But that doesn''t mean he''s undefeatable."

    "How do I go up against someone like him? With my current strength, I''d lose."

    The Jonin nodded. "Yes. Right now if you two fought you''d lose but that won''t be the case in the future. If you want to have a chance at defeating him, you need to first focus on yourself. Remove all other distractions. Whatever thoughts that''s keeping you frompletely focusing on your training Get rid of them. You need to center your mind."

    "How do I do that?" Neji asked the man.

    "Meditation. You need self reflection. Look deep within yourself and remove all the things that''s stopping you from reaching your goal."

    Neji nodded and looked at the nearby oak tree in the corner. He sat under the tree and began his breathing exercises. It took some time but slowly Neji entered a meditative state.

    Having recently be a Genin, the pressures of his new rank, the expectations of his family, weigh heavily on his shoulders. The sounds of leaves rustling in the wind was the only sound in the peacefulpound.

    Neji let out a small breath and thought about his fate as a Caged Bird. The hatred he felt for the main branch and his cousin Hinata. The anger he felt when he saw his teammate Lee''s determination and defiance. And then finally his biggest obstacle of all. Daichi Hekima.

    Neji became distracted and came out of his meditation multiple times but he persevered. He closed his eyes, controlled his breathing and focused on himself. He looked deep within himself and slowly began to break the chains mentally holding him back.

    ''Just because fate has made me the servant of the main family doesn''t mean I can''t defy their rules There is one thing they can''t control My death I will be strong and I will choose how I die... I will choose my path.''

    Neji''s heart felt lighter as he found a new way forward. He didn''t truly understand it yet, but Neji was slowly letting go of the hatred in his heart. He let out a small breath and focused on his breathing.

    ''So this is how Lee feels after our fights. He wants to prove himself and thus trains every second he can I understand now Lee, if you want to prove to me that you can defy your fate then show me in theing Chunin exams. I''ll be waiting. I won''t belittle you anymore Because I''ll be doing the same If you''re determined to defy your destiny, then I will do the same.''

    Neji realized that just as he wanted to prove himself to Daichi, his teammate wanted to do the same with him. His anger towards his teammate diminished. Neji began to respect Lee''s will and epted his teammate''s challenge in his heart. When he did, Neji felt his heart bing lighter and his mind bing more clear.

    The Hyuga Genin felt his chakra bing stronger. He didn''t hesitate and dwelled deeper into his meditation and focused on his chakra. He visualized his chakra flow and the pressure points throughout his body. Neji felt the strength and potential within himself.

    ''Fate may have ced me here. But it''s my talent, strength and will that will determine my future. I am born with the strength and potential to reshape my own destiny.''

    The Genin slowly let out another breath and continued with his deep meditation.

    Iroha had decided to stay and watch the boy''s progress. He was keeping an eye on everything from a short distance. He saw Neji''s breathing pattern and realized that his advice had worked. He used his Byakugan out of curiosity but was shocked at what he saw.

    ''His spiritual energy is increasing. His chakra flow is bing more stable and less restrictive. He''s just at the very beginning stage but''

    Iroha knew what was happening. He had only seen very few Hyuga in theirte 40''s in the main branch family achieve this state.

    ''Neji is at the beginning stages of achieving inner peace. If he can reach that state, there is no doubt that he''d be able to easily learn and use the secret jutsu of the main family Unbelievable.''

    As Iroha watched Neji a small smile slowly formed on his face.

    ''Daichi may be a talented genius But so are you Neji. To even reach such a state on your own and in just a day... You are the best prodigy of this n... I''ll make sure to help you grow.''

    As Iroha wowed to help Neji, the Genin was deep in his mind facing his biggest obstacle. ''Daichi, I know you''re going to participate in theing Chunin exam. I will be stronger. I will see for myself what our destiny is when I battle you.''

    Time went by and when Neji finally opened his eyes he saw that the sun had already gone down and the moonlight was shining through the dark sky.

    ''A whole day had gone by. I didn''t even realize it.'' Neji let out a breath and stood from his spot. He felt much calmer, lighter and far more focused than he had ever been.

    He looked around and saw Iroha nodding his head in approval.

    "How do you feel, Neji?"

    "Good. I feel better. Thank you master Iroha." Neji replied with a bow.

    "Your chakra has be stronger. It''s proof that your spiritual energy has gotten stronger. Neji, I know it''ste but do you want to continue training?"

    The Genin straightened his posture and nodded. The two Hyuga branch members made their way to the middle of the small training area and entered their stance. The Jonin could already see the small improvement in Neji''s stance. Seconds went by and at an unspoken signal, both of them rushed forward and began engaging inbat.

    -

    Feb. 7th. Training Ground 9. Early morning.

    "149614971498..1499Arrgh 1500!."

    Lee struggled and slowly stood up. There was a giant boulder several timesrger than the boy strapped to his back and after Leepleted his pushups he cut off the straps holding the giant piece of rock to his back. It hit the ground with a small boom and dust rose in the air.

    Lee took several deep breaths of air and reached into his pouch. He took a small pill and quickly swallowed it. A few momentster the Genin let out a breath of air as he felt his energy rising and the aches slowly vanishing.

    "Well done Lee. That was much better than thest time." Guy gave his student a big smile and a thumbs up.

    "Thank you Guy sensei. Now it''s time I start the next set." Lee was about to walk over and pick up the big rock when Guy spoke.

    "Err Maybe you should rest for a few minutes, Lee. Rest is an important part of bing stronger. It heals the body and rejuvenates the mind."

    Lee shook his head at that. "I''m sorry Guy sensei but I can''t waste even a second. Daichi''s probably training even harder than I am right now and if I want to have a chance against him in theing battle, I need to be much stronger."

    Guy was perplexed as he heard that. ''Theing battle?''

    "What are you talking about Lee?" The Jonin asked his favorite student.

    "The next Chunin exam is here in the vige, isn''t it sensei? Daichi hasn''t participated till now but I''m sure he''ll be there in the uing exam. I know you''re looking forward to nominating our team too."

    Guy sighed as he realized what Lee was getting at. "Yes. These exams are dangerous and I wanted you all to be prepared before I sent you off. And it''s true. My rival Kakashi will be nominating his student as well So yes. You''re right Lee. There is a good chance that you''ll be battling Daichi."

    Lee nodded and looked at his sensei with a determined gaze. "Yes. Exactly. I want to show him just how far I havee. Last time he defeated our entire team so easily. It didn''t bother me much because I thought if I kept training like I have I''ll eventually be strong enough to challenge him on equal terms. And I''ve been training so hard for that but after seeing him fight in the Land of Sea After seeing what he''s capable of It''s as if the gap has only widened. It feels as if I''m standing still."

    Guy''s face softened as he listened to his student. He came near Lee and ced a hand on his shoulder. "Lee Why do you want to battle Daichi so much?" He asked his student in a soft tone.

    Hearing his teacher''s question Lee looked down and he thought about the memories he had with his friend. A small smile appeared as he remembered the words Daichi said to him before he left the vige to train in the Capital.

    "When I first met Daichi I thought he was just a genius who didn''t care about anybody else. I wasn''t any good and I thought he would just belittle me. I was wrong. Contrary to what I thought, he became my friend. He encouraged me to train harder No one except Daichi cared about me when I was in the academy. No one believed in me. But he did. Even when I didn''t believe in myself He did."

    Lee looked up at his sensei and Guy was surprised to see tears falling down his face. "I have to show him that his faith in me isn''t misced. That he didn''t waste his time with me. That with training, I can stand shoulder to shoulder with him My dream is to be a splendid ninja but more than that I want to earn Daichi''s respect as a strong shinobi."

    Guy''s eyes widened as he heard that. He immediately knew what his student was feeling because they were feelings he himself had. The Jonin quickly hugged his student and patted his head. At that moment the Jonin thought about what Kakashi said on the boat during their return trip to Mother Ind.

    "There is no one in this generation that cane close to his potential and talent. Not Sasuke Uchiha, not Neji No one I don''t think there''s a Genin out there that can defeat Daichi"

    The second Guy recalled Kakashi''s words, he regretted not arguing with his rival. At that moment Guy became determined to prove Kakashi wrong. He wanted to make his student''s dreame true.

    "You are already a great ninja Lee. But if your goal is to defeat Daichi and make him acknowledge you then let''s make it happen. We''re going to train harder than ever and get you ready for the exams!" Guy said with a big smile.

    "Yes Guy sensei!" Lee replied with a big smile.

    "Lee, pick up that boulder. We''re going to run 500ps around the vige. This time I''ll be joining you." With that Guy looked around the training ground and soon picked up another boulder of simr size to the one on Lee''s back and soon they resumed their training.

    -

    It was night time with Guy and Lee sweating like pigs and struggling to take another breath of air.

    "Okay N-now we should.. probably rest." Guy said as he sat under a tree.

    Lee was panting and could only nod to his sensei''s words.

    Several minutester they regained a bit of energy and sat cross legged on the ground facing each other. The two ninjas were brainstorming on how to improve their Taijutsu strength and the power of their forbidden jutsu.

    Lee asked a question that''s been on his mind. "Sensei. How do I use the Eight gates technique more efficiently?"

    Guy became serious as he heard that. "Lee, that technique is forbidden and you remember the rules don''t you?"

    "I know sensei. I won''t use it unless in the most dire of circumstances." Lee''s reply satisfied the bowl cut Jonin.

    "Good. Now back to your question. How to use it more efficiently huh?" Guy rubbed his chin as he thought about the answer.

    "Should I try to learn how to open more gates or?" Lee asked, looking at his teacher.

    The Taijutsu master shook his head. "No. I don''t think that''s such a good idea. You just learned how to open the fourth gate and by the time of the Chunin exams you might be able to open five. But that won''t help you in a long drawn out fight. The Eight gates will drain your energy and stamina quickly. It will put tremendous strain on your body. This forbidden jutsu will help against people who are physically weak but"

    Guy didn''t say further but Lee knew what he was talking about. The young Genin remembered the scene of Daichi stopping the fiery cannonball in its tracks. ''Daichi isn''t someone who would go down so easily. He has a strong body and his stamina is incredible.''

    Lee looked at his teacher and spoke. "So then sensei, how do I keep the drawbacks of the eight gates to a minimum and fight for longer periods of time?"

    "If you''re nning on using it in a prolonged battle then you would need to focus on several key areas"

    Guy imparted his wisdom and Lee eagerly listened. Guy told Lee the 5 main ways he could improve the fighting style with the eight gates. The teacher and student spend hours going over the details. They were going to modify their schedule and increase Lee''s growth speed.

    Just as Daichi was bing stronger, everyone around him was also bing stronger.

    ----------------

    Author''s Note.

    A few things. I didn''t want to split this chapter up so that''s why it took a little longer. Enjoy the 4k word chap.

    Next, it might seem like I''m stalling from starting canon with these chapters but I''m not. These are important events that will have great significance in the future. (Spoiler: The chunin exams)

    Now thest thing is, I wanted to have a realistic and eptable reason for Neji and Lee''s growth. In Canon Neji and Sasuke were at the top and believed themselves to be the best(till they got knocked down on their ass).

    In Neji''s case, since he was the best, his focus was on the main family of his n and he hated that he was being held back by them. But here Neji has a new goal to strive towards so he trains much harder.

    Sasuke is simr. He was the best in canon and he felt like being held back when he saw Naruto''s growth.

    But here Daichi has established himself as the strongest long ago and thus it gave all these guys the motivation needed to be even stronger.

    I hope you guys find these changes and events logical or believable in any way, did you enjoy the chapter? Hit me up with yourments.

    Just one more chapter like this and then Daichi''s new mission starts and thus canon will get underway

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 246: Everyone has an Agenda 03(Final)

    Chapter 246: Everyone has an Agenda 03(Final)

    Feb.15th

    Daichi and Kakashi were in front of the Hokage giving their mission report.

    [Quest ''Protect the Farnd'' has beenpleted.]

    .

    [Rewards:]

    [6500 Exp.]

    [975 Exp.]

    [Reputation increases with the people of the Keishi vige.]

    Daichi internally sighed as he saw the quest experience gains. ''As I level up and get stronger the mission exp decreases. A C-Rank mission Ipleted at the beginning had given me over 12000 exp but now that I''m much stronger it''s only half that. It''s as if the system knows that this isn''t challenging me and is giving me a smaller reward.''

    He mentally closed the blue boxes and paid attention to the Hokage.

    "Well done you two. Good work onpleting another C Rank mission Daichi. You have the next week off." The old kage said with a nod.

    "Thank you Lord Hokage." The Genin politely replied.

    "You''re dismissed."

    Daichi left the room while Kakashi stayed. The Sharingan Jonin looked at the kage and was waiting for an answer.

    Hiruzen looked at one of his top ninjas in the vige and spoke. "Since we have many kids from the various ns in theing graduation, I''ve decided to create specialized teams this year. I''m going to ce Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura together. Now, based on Naruto''s improvement he won''t be thest in the ss but I''m sure I can find some other excuse as to why I''m cing him with the Rookie of the year."

    "Have you given any thoughts to my request Lord Hokage?"

    "Yes. I have made a final decision. Right now, your responsibility is to Daichi. I will be assigning Tenzo to Team 7 when they graduate. He will be able to keep an eye on Naruto and take appropriate measures should anything go wrong during a mission and he''ll be able to teach ninjutsu to Sasuke and polish up Sakura''s skills. But by the time June rolls around I''m sure Sasuke will have awakened his eyes and you''ll be able to take over the team at which point I''ll have Tenzo lead Daichi." Hiruzen said, looking at Kakashi.

    The Jonin nodded. "I will enter Daichi in the uing Chunin exam and if his past is any indication he''ll pass it with flying colors."

    "Indeed."

    "Thank you for your time. I''ll get out of your hair Lord Hokage." Kakashi said with a bow and soon left the tower.

    Hiruzen leaned back in his chair and thought about what he had learned about a week ago. ''So he has shown interest in seals and has already started learning it huh. If he keeps going at this rate he''ll be Kage level in a few years. Kakashi might have a contender for the position of Hokage in theing years.''

    -

    "Achoo!" ''Argh. Someone must be thinking about me.'' Daichi rubbed his nose and kept walking. Soon he reached home and just as he was about to enter several notifications popped up.

    [Tier 02 - 50000000/50000000.]

    ''Finally. Tear 02 ispleted. About time.''

    The gamer ninja immediately went through the other messages.

    [Skill Strength of the Hundred Seal has upgraded to Tier 02]

    [Tier 02 - 50000000 Chakra Points.]

    [Tier 02 Seal is in the form of a small green inverted triangle 0.05 millimeter below the First Tier Seal. Cannot add chakra to this seal beyond the marked amount.]

    Daichi removed his forehead protector and looked at the small seal on his forehead through the reflection on the metal.

    ''Now it looks simr to Tsunade''s seal. Except mine is green in color. Hmm I like it.''

    [Since Tier 02 isplete, system has now stopped allocating chakra to the seal. This skill is now inactive.]

    [Chakra Points Needed to reach Tier 03 - 0/100000000.]

    ''100 Million chakra points to reach tier 03. That''s a lot. Now there''s two things I need to be careful about the 3rd seal. Where I ce it and how much I should allocate to it''

    The Genin went to his backyard and sat near the pond. He enjoyed the peaceful atmosphere as he thought about his next move. ''The First and second seals should help me in battle with the needed chakra. Now I need to create one to heal my internal organs. Naruto''s graduation ising up and I''m pretty sure my existence has caused some changes. I''m not certain if it''s for good or bad I''ll have to wait and see but it''s best that I be prepared.''

    The Genin thought about where to ce the seal next and he had an idea. He looked at the skill and activated it.

    [This skill is currently inactive. Once this skill is activated, the system will automatically direct the allocated amount of chakra to the specific location of your body.]

    A red system message box popped up next.

    [How much percentage of your chakra do you want to redirect to the skill?]

    ''I''ll have a lot of tough battles ahead and I just can''t recklessly allocate chakra and then not have it when needed.''

    Daichi thought about what to do and made his decision. He would allocate only 100% of his CP to the seal daily.

    [106398 * 100%/100 = 106398 - Estimated at most 939.8 days needed untilpletion and creation of Tier 03 seal. (Not an urate time frame due to various factors.)]

    ''Almost 3 years huh. I''ll have to speed up that time frame somehow. If my ns for the Chunin exams go well then I''m pretty sure I''ll be able to level this skill up to the highest Tier in less than a year or two.''

    [Would you like to proceed?]

    ''Yes.''

    [Concentrate chakra to the spot on your body where you want to store your energy.]

    Daichi concentrated and focused his chakra into an internal organ. ''My heart. The 2nd most vital organ right below the brain. Since the heart is the organ that produces chakra and supplies it, it''s best I create a seal and merge it with my heart. Enemies love targeting fatal organs. It''s best if I take precautions.''

    [Location confirmed.]

    Daichi envisioned the seal in the form of a six pointed star atop his heart.

    [Strength of the Hundred Seal skill activated.]

    The instant the skill was activated, the system started reallocating CP to the beating organ. A small seal very slowly began to take shape inside Daichi''s body atop his beating organ.

    [100% of your CP will now be directed every day to your heart due to the skill.]

    [Excess chakra your body produces can now be reallocated to the skill if you wish.]

    [Note: Once the Third Tier ispleted, the user can use Chakra in all tiers individually or simultaneously.]

    The gamer ninja let out a deep breath of air and meditated. He felt the chakra flow inside his body and feltpletely calm. A few minutester he began his daily training

    -

    March 10th - Fire country border.

    It was night time and a lone shinobi was traveling through the woods of the Land of Fire. He soon reached a small wooden hut that was surrounded by trees. The ninja was wearing a brown and green cloak that covered him from head to toe. He quietly jumped down from the trees and slowly walked up to the door.

    After knocking in a certain pattern he immediately heard the reply to enter. The cloaked ninja entered the small hut and saw a tall man with long blonde hair. He was wearing a mask that covered his facial features but the cloaked ninja knew who the person was.

    "So you''re Mizuki. Interesting" The blonde man said with a chuckle.

    The first ninja removed his cloak and silver hair fell framing the sides of his face. Mizuki, the academy instructor of the Leaf vige.

    Mizuki looked at the other man and was on guard but he put up a strong front wanting to show that he wasn''t afraid. "You must be Ko Yamanaka. The rogue ninja that left the vige three years ago. Now you''re currently working for Orochimaru."

    Ko smiled as he heard that. " ''Working for'' is a bit of a stretch. I help him out from time to time. I''m more of an independent contractor."

    Mizuki nodded. "Let''s not waste anymore time. You know why I came here don''t you?"

    "Yes. Orochimaru mentioned a few things. You''re nning something interesting in the vige on the day of the uing graduation. Then escape while the whole ce is in chaos But you know you should have done this before you even started nning." The blonde sat on a nearby chair and took out the sake bottle.

    Mizuki sat on the opposite chair and poured himself a ss. "The graduation is on March 20th and the academy gave 2 weeks off to every student so that they could prepare. I could onlye now because I had to be sure that no one would suspect me. If I left during the middle of the curriculum then it would have raised suspicion."

    Ko nodded and turned serious. "Do you have my payment?"

    The academy instructor nodded and took out a scroll. He ced his chakra on it and a small pile of money appeared. "It''s all there." Mizuki said as if to reassure the man.

    Ko smiled as he looked at the neatly stacked bills. "Good. Let''s get started then. Lord Orochimaru told me to build strong barriers within your mind. Once I''m done all the information in your head will be inessible to anyone else but you. Not even Genjutsu will be able to make you spill your secrets. But you know the risks don''t you?."

    Mizuki smiled arrogantly upon hearing that. "Yes. And this is just a precaution. I have no intention of getting caught and with the n I put in ce they won''t suspect me until it''s toote."

    "How long do you have till you need to return to the vige?" Ko asked.

    "I have a few day''s time."

    "Good. That should be plenty." With that Ko got up and went to Mizuki. He ced both hands atop the academy instructor''s head and began his work.

    The rogue Yamanaka ninja was creating barriers and defenses in Mizuki''s mind to shield him from various mind-reading jutsu from his own n members. He knew what techniques they would use and he was building defenses against it.

    -

    March 12th.

    It was morning. Kopleted his work and Mizuki left the hut shortly after.

    ''Now that I have some additional spending money I should hit the gentlemen''s club in the Capital tonight.''

    As the blonde ninja stretched his arms and thought about the girls he''d be seeing tonight, a lecherous smile formed on his face. But before he could delve deeper into his fantasies he sensed the presence of a strong shinobi and the grin vanished from his face. He instantly recognized the chakra and knew who his guest was. His mood instantly soured.

    ''Damn it. I was hoping to avoid that snake. He gives me the creeps.''

    Knock! Knock!

    Ko quickly opened the door and weed the guest in with a smile. "Lord Orochimaru. Pleasee inside. I just finished the task you assigned me."

    "Kukuku Hello Ko. I take it that everything went well."

    "Yes Lord Orochimaru. Mizuki just left a few minutes ago. I did just as you asked and got the payment right here." The blonde ninja said with a slightly nervous grin.

    "Good. I knew I could count on you." The snake Sannin had a big grin as he looked at the man in front of him. "There is one more thing I need you to do."

    "Whatever you need my Lord." Ko replied and gave a small bow as if he was appreciating working for the man.

    Orochimaru''s grin only widened at that reply.

    -

    March 14th. Hidden Leaf Vige.

    It was nearing midnight and a lone man stood near a small window. He looked out at the moonless sky and stood patiently as if waiting for someone.

    A few momentster he turned around and looked at the corner of his room. "You''rete."

    "I deeply apologize Lord Danzo but I had to make sure the information the others obtained were verified." The outline of a man kneeling in the shadows could be seen. He was wearing Anbu gear and had on a nk mask.

    Danzo grunted and walked towards the nearby couch. He sat down and looked at the man. "And is it? Is there confirmation?"

    "Yes. Orochimaru is nning something big. He has had shipments and high tech medical equipment move all over the country thesest few months. We suspect that he''s created several bases here in the Land of Fire." The unknown Root ninja replied.

    "Does Hiruzen or the others in the Surveince and Intelligence department know?" Danzo asked.

    The ninja shook his head. "No my Lord. I checked. They''re unaware of his activities. Even we wouldn''t have found out about it if we didn''t know his operational channels and methods."

    Danzo became silent as he thought about the situation. ''What are you nning? If it was an attack on the vige he would have contacted me and tried to exploit my position to get his hands on our Anbu and guard patrol routes. But since he hasn''t, this must be something else Or maybe he ns an attack topletely weaken the vige and make an opening for the other viges to strike?... What exactly is he thinking?''

    Danzo looked at his subordinate and spoke. "What about the other matter? Have you concluded your investigation?"

    "Yes. I''ve checked the Anbu records and our mission logs. I noticed a few discrepancies. I''m afraid we have a spy in our midst. The Hokage has sent someone and they have indeed infiltrated the Foundation. Based on my conclusions they''ve been within our rank for over 2 years."

    "I see." Danzo closed his eyes and exhaled a breath of air. ''So it hase to this. We''ve both been reduced to sending operatives into each other''s organizations.''

    Danzo opened his eyes and stood in front of the kneeling man. "There is a waring. We need to identify the threat before it hits and we need to prepare. Since you''re the second inmand of Root, I''m giving you full operational authority and mandate. Find the enemy and neutralize the threat."

    "Yes Lord Danzo." With those words the man disappeared from the room the very next second leaving no trace behind.

    --------------

    Author''s Note.

    Next chapter Daichi will begin his new mission and things will slowly begin. Are you all excited? I know I am.

    On another note I''m sure you all noticed the slow updates thesest couple of weeks.

    It''s just that canon is starting and I''m feeling the pressure to make it a good opening arc. I have a lot of things nned and I have the general idea of the events that will happen in my mind but I''m having a bit of difficulty putting it on paper. But don''t worry. I started the arc and after writing several chapters I''m sure I''ll be able to keep up the flow and update faster.

    So don''t worry I will keep soldiering on and once we begin canon we''ll have a smooth flow. At least that''s what I''m hoping. But in the meantime please be patient with me for one more week..

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 247: A New B Rank Mission

    Chapter 247: A New B Rank Mission

    March 15th. Leaf Vige.

    It was early morning and Daichi was in training ground 3 meditating. ''In 5 days Naruto and the others will graduate. But what will happen on that day? Will everything go the same or will canon be shot to hell Since we hadn''t gotten a C Rank mission in a while I''m pretty sure I''ll get one today and that''ll take me out of the vige. But for how long? There is a chance that I''ll miss their graduation and if anything happens I won''t be here to run interference.''

    Daichi had been debating on whether or not to leave a Shadow clone behind just in case. ''No. That jutsu reduces my chakra. If Kakashi uses the Sharingan during the mission and sees that my chakra is cut in half then he might have some questions I''d rather not answer.''

    Daichi opened his eyes and let out a breath of air. He stood and went near theke running through the training ground. He stood still and thought about everything and finally made a decision.

    ''I can''t babysit them. If there are any changes and if anything bad happens, then I need to see if Naruto or the others can handle it on their own. For better or worse I have a feeling I''m going to see the bigger ripple effects of my actions from this point forward. Can I trust them to protect the future or do I need to bear the burden and battle all the enemies myself to make sure the future is secure What happens on the night of the graduation will decide my course of action in the next couple of years.''

    "What''s worrying you?" The sudden voice of Kakashi brought the Genin out of his thoughts. The Jonin rarely saw Daichi having such an expression.

    The young ninja looked at his sensei and spoke after a few moments of silence. "It''s nothing and maybe everything."

    The Jonin raised an eyebrow at the cryptic answer. He thought about anything that could be bothering his student and after a few moments he had an idea. "Your former ss is graduating in a few days? Are you worried that your friends won''t pass the Genin exam?"

    "No. I''m sure they''ll pass even the real Genin exam. But I''m worried about whates after. The giant obstacles and trails some of them would face"

    Kakashi slightly narrowed his eyes at that statement. He knew Daichi was friends with Sasuke and that they would sometimes train together and he also knew from the Hokage that Daichi was aware of Naruto''s connection to the Nine tails. ''Are you concerned about Sasuke and Naruto? ''

    The Jonin spoke. "Daichi, you can''t hold their hands every step of the way. No one can. Even we as teachers have limits. There are some things in life that you have to go through on your own. All you can do is trust them and hope that they get through their trials and tribtions ande out stronger."

    "Yeah you''re right sensei. Thanks." The Genin said with a small smile. The talk with Kakashi helped and he got out of his funk.

    "Come on. Let''s get us a C Rank mission."

    -

    It was a little after 10 am. Daichi and Kakashi were making their way towards the Hokage tower. The two quickly reached their destination and were soon granted an audience with the kage.

    Hiruzen looked at the two ninjas and spoke. "I have a B Rank mission that I think would be best suited for the two of you."

    Kakashi nced at his student and Daichi just shrugged his shoulders. "B rank huh. We''ll take it."

    Hiruzen nodded and began giving them the details. "Good. You two will be heading to the capital to meet with a man named Ryoma. He''s a mediator of sorts. Someone who brokers peace between differentpanies. Twopanies in the Land of Fire have requested his aid and he has epted. Your mission is to protect him for the duration of the mission. You will travel with him from the capital to another destination and then once his business is concluded, safely escort him back to the capital."

    Once the kage gave them the brief overview Daichi raised his hand.

    "Yes Daichi."

    "This mission is Ranked B. So that means we''re expected to battle shinobi. But is there any information on their threat level? Is there any info on thepanies that hired this Ryoma guy''s services?" Daichi asked.

    "We don''t have much information but the twopanies are rival corporations that have existed for over 3 decades. What I can tell you is that there are many people who don''t want to see an alliance between the two. You''ll have more information when you meet Ryoma. He''ll exin the mission in more detail." Hiruzen said and handed a scroll to Kakashi.

    The Genin nodded and the Jonin took the mission scroll. The two soon left the Hokage tower and made their way to the gates of the vige.

    Daichi looked at the new quest that appeared.

    [Quest created - Protect the Mediator ]

    [The Hokage has assigned your team a B rank mission. Protect your client from bodily harm for the duration of this mission toplete this quest.

    Bonus: Make sure the negotiations between the twopanies are sessful and an alliance is formed.]

    .

    [Rewards:]

    [20000 Exp.]

    [4000 Exp. (Bonus)]

    [Reputation increases with client and everyone else involved.]

    .

    [Failure:]

    [Reputation decreases with client and everyone else involved.]

    [No B Rank missions for a while.]

    [ept] (Y/N)

    ''So the bare minimum is to protect the client but making sure the negotiations end up a sess is a bonus huh. I need the experience so I guess I might have to meddle in this if the need arises''

    Daichi epted the quest and the two soon reached the vige gates.

    Kotetsu looked at the mission scroll and then at the Genin. "Man, I envy you. You''re already going on B rank missions, meanwhile we''re bored out of our minds here." The chunin said slumped on the table.

    Izumo gave his friend a light hand chop to the head and spoke. "Come on. We''re doing important work here. Can''t you at least pretend to be serious."

    Daichi chuckled looking at their interactions. "I''m sure you guys will get some good missions soon."

    "Yeah yeah Good luck on your mission you two. Imma take a nap." Kotetsu said and closed his eyes.

    Izumo just sighed and sat next to his friend. He looked at Kakashi who was ignoring everything and had his nose buried in his favorite orange book. ''He hasn''t changed. With how this guy is, it''s surprising that Daichi hadn''t picked up any of his questionable habits.''

    The gate guard watched the two ninjas exit the vige and then leaned back in his chair humming to himself.

    -

    As the two ninjas hopped through the trees in the Land of Fire, Daichi asked his teacher a question. "So sensei, do you know anything about this Ryoma?"

    Kakashi hummed as he recalled what little information he had about the man. "Hmm I''ve heard some rumors about him. As Lord Hokage said, he''s a peace breaker of sorts. Some call him the ''Dealmaker''. There are rumors that he joins 2 warring factions through mutual self interest, maniption of both parties and in some rare cases violence. But these are rumors and they haven''t been confirmed or anything."

    Daichi nodded and kept the information in mind. ''Need to use ''observe'' on this guy as soon as he''s in sight. I get the feeling I''m not dealing with the average mediator.''

    The two man Genin team kept their pace and reached the capital in a few hours without facing any problems. They made their way to their client''s home and soon came in front of a wealthy mansion.

    "Looks like this Ryoma guy is pretty loaded." Daichi whistled as he looked at the giant gates and the building behind it.

    "Come on." The two met the guards outside and were escorted in.

    As the two ninjas entered the living room they saw a man in wealthy garments waiting for them. He was in histe 40s, tan skin and had a lean body with long ck hair. He had sharp jaws, ck eyes and two piercings in his right ear.

    The man smiled as he looked at the two ninjas. "Wee, wee. I recognize young Daichi so then you must be Kakashi Hatake. I expected a chunin team but I''m satisfied with the two of you. I''m Ryoma."

    The Jonin just smiled at the man while Daichi calmly stood in his spot. ''Observe''

    The gamer ninja quickly read the details and had a more thorough understanding of his client.

    ''Age 44 and his level is 42. High Genin level and average physical stats but his intelligence stat is slightly higher than normal but isn''t noteworthy. A cunning man who''s talenty in business.''

    At this time Kakashi spoke. "Lord Hokage mentioned that you would need protection for the whole duration of our mission. Since you asked for a B rank mission I''m assuming you believe there will be ninjas after you?"

    Ryoma nodded in agreement.

    "Then I will need more details on our mission. The routes, destination, the parties involved and the likes."

    "Of course." Ryoma smiled and nced at the servant standing to the side. "Bring something to drink for my guests here."

    After the maid bowed and disappeared the wealthy man turned to the two ninjas and motioned them to the nearby chairs.

    The older man began to exin the situation in more detail. "Alright to begin with, there are twopanies that have requested my aid in seeing if an alliance can be made between them. The Satoru corporation and the Rising Sun corporation. I''m sure you''re aware of their business."

    Kakashi leaned back as he thought about the two famouspanies. "I''ve heard of them. They deal with resource gathering, processing and even transportation through the Land of fire and its bordering small nations."

    "Yes. Exactly. Wood is a crucial resource used in construction, furniture and weapon making. These twopanies are the biggest ones that''s responsible for sustainable logging of trees, transportation of timber and its processing into usable forms."

    Daichi had also heard about the two aforementioned corporations. "I heard they expanded their reach into agricultural resources. They''ve even released a few food products." The Genin spoke.

    Ryoma was surprised that the Genin knew that information. "Very good Daichi. I''m impressed. You know not many Genin have such insight on what happens outside their borders. Especially if it doesn''t have anything to do with the shinobi world."

    "I like to keep myself apprised of major events happening in the world. Maybe invest if a good opportunity arrives" The Genin said with a shrug.

    Ryoma nodded. "A wise policy."

    At that moment the maid came and served drinks to the three. Daichi and Kakashi were cautious as they tasted the drink and after making sure there wasn''t anything harmful or unusual they drank it.

    Seeing the ninja ept his polite gesture the man continued. "Yes. They''ve only been in the agricultural field for a little over a year but they are already making waves. The Satoru corporation has been the major supplier in the northern part of Land of Fire while the Rising Sun is the supplier in the Southern region. Decades ago when it was founded the twopanies were originally one and were managed by two friends. But a few yearster they had a falling out and each started their own businesses. Ever since then they were both rivalpanies looking to outdo the other. Now they''re expanding their territories and looking to take more. And so as you can imagine they have shed. There have been a few small incidents so far but nothing major and no damage that can''t be undone but if this keeps happening things will escte and one of them will get destroyed. It will have an impact on our economy and no matter how big or small that effect is, we must avoid it."

    "And they asked you to mediate or did you approach them?" Kakashi asked.

    "They came to me. They couldn''t trust each other so they decided to ask for an outside party to help. Their representatives came to the capitalst week to meet with me. They knew I have experiences in matters like this and I decided to take their case." Ryoma replied.

    "The twopanies you mentioned are the biggest ones in the market. And if they form an alliance it will push some of the smaller ones out of business. So there are at least a few people who don''t want to see this alliance form. You believe they are the ones who''ll send ninjas after you." Kakashi deduced as to the reason why this was marked a B rank and who their enemies could possibly be.

    "I believe so but there''s more I did some investigating of my own and found that there are elements within their ownpanies that don''t want this alliance. So if enemiese there is a possibility that they could be sent by certain factions in the two families It''s not a certainty but a possibility." Ryoma said as he sipped his drink.

    "When and where is the meeting taking ce?" Kakashi asked.

    "Tomorrow. Tanzaku Town. We''ll need to leave in an hour and reach there before sundown. Then tomorrow I''ll be sitting down with the heads of the twopanies and our negotiations will begin. Now keep in mind that this could take a few days and maybe even a week. It depends on them."

    "We understand." Kakashi and Daichi nodded as they had a better understanding of the situation.

    "Will you be traveling in a carriage or?" Daichi asked.

    Ryoma chuckled and replied. "I may not look like it but I''m quite capable of moving like a shinobi. Battling not so much. Besides, being stuffed in a box and carried around is not my style Alright. Now that you two know what to expect, let me get ready. We''ll move in an hour."

    With that the wealthy broker left the room while Kakashi and Daichi waited for the man outside. Around an hourter Ryoma met his escorts and the three began their journey to Tanzaku Town.

    -------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 248: Protect the Mediator 01

    Chapter 248: Protect the Mediator 01

    Through the thick forest in the Land of Fire three figures moved at a steady pace in a straight line formation. If anyone were to look up from the road, they would only see three shadows for a brief second before it disappeared from their view.

    Kakashi was in front and Daichi was in the back while their client was in the middle. A formation used when there are minimal shinobi escorts. They had been traveling for a few minutes in silence but Ryoma decided to open a conversation with the two Leaf ninjas.

    He nced behind and spoke. "So Daichi, I heard that the next Chunin exams will be held in the Leaf. Will you be participating?"

    Hearing the question Daichi discreetly nced at Kakashi and the man just shrugged. Seeing his teacher''s nonverbal reply, Daichi answered their client. "If sensei nominates me then yeah. I''ll take part in the exams."

    Ryoma nodded his head and gazed forward as he leapt off another branch.

    At that moment Kakashi asked a question to his client. "Did you specifically ask for us for this mission? I remember you telling us that you recognized us when we met."

    Daichi thought about the reason why his teacher would ask that question. ''Normally Lord Hokage wouldn''t give B rank missions to Genins with less than a year of experience in the field. But then again I''m not most Genins. But still It''s best to know if the client has any ulterior motives.''

    The middle-aged client lightly chuckled and then replied. "No no. I simply requested for a B rank mission and implied that there might be some ninjas after me. And as for recognizing the two of you Well You two made quite the stir when you unearthed arge hidden treasure. And then the whole mess with Lord Taji''s nephew. It would be embarrassing if someone in my position didn''t know the parties involved."

    Kakashi nodded and the mediator looked behind. "There aren''t many shinobi who could make impacts like that when they''re just starting out."

    "I''ll take that as apliment." Daichi said with a small grin. He decided to change the subject. "You have shinobi training but you said that you''ve been a mediator for over two decades. Are you a retired ninja or?"

    "Hmm I suppose I am" Ryoma had a slightly sad tone as he spoke. Kakashi and Daichi intently listened as the man spoke.

    "Well I was born in the capital and during my childhood my father sent me to the Leaf Ninja academy to train. I wanted to be a ninja at the time you see. A few yearster I became a Genin and spent two years in service. But during that period the great war was raging through thends and my team was killed by a rogue ninja in an ambush. I was the only one to make it out alive."

    "I''m sorry for your loss."

    Ryoma nodded and gave a small smile. "It is the way of the shinobi. We can''t change that. Anyway, I made it back to the vige. I was physically unharmed. Mostly. But there were wounds that cut much deeper. After several evaluations it was deemed that I could no longer continue as a shinobi so I returned to the capital Well, that''s the abridged version of my story Sometimes I wonder if I''m disrespecting my teammates'' memories by just giving up."

    Kakashi, who was listening, spoke up at that moment. "For some people continuing through this harsh life of ours and serving a cause greater than them is their way to honor the ones who sacrificed their lives for them."

    The man looked down in sadness when he heard that. Kakashi looked at him and continued. "But some people honor the sacrifices made by living their life to the fullest and keeping theirrades'' memories alive in their hearts. By showing that their deaths and sacrifices weren''t in vain It''s different for different people. There is no shame in forging a new path in life."

    Ryoma looked up and saw the silver haired Jonin giving him a small nod. "Thank you. That does ease my spirit."

    Daichi smiled and just as he was about to speak he sensed several chakra signatures ahead. The chakra signatures were stationary as if they were waiting. The Genin looked to his teacher and saw that Kakashi was also aware of the threat.

    Kakashi spoke. "We havepany. Not sure if they''re here to ambush someone unlucky or if they''re specifically waiting for us."

    Ryoma smirked. "I''m not worried. I know I''m in capable hands. If they are here for us then it would be helpful if you could find out who sent them."

    Kakashi nodded and made a few hand signals to his student. Daichi understood Kakashi''s ns and got ready. The three kept going forward without any change in their pace and a few secondster an attack suddenly came. Several shuriken flew out of the shadows directly aimed at Kakashi.

    The Jonin took out a kunai and deflected the throwing stars with ease while Ryoma and Daichi jumped down to the ground. A ninja covered in ck cloak suddenly appeared behind Kakashi and tried to kill him with his sword.

    The Jonin easily sidestepped the attack and quickly tried to disarm the ninja but quickly changed tactics and jumped back to another tree branch when more weapons were thrown his way by 3 others.

    Kakashi quickly looked around and analyzed the situation. He took note of their attire, weapons and posture. ''One ninja of unknown origin. Strength low chunin. The 3 others look like bandits. No proper shinobi gear. They can treewalk but they''re not that good. And their aim is poor. So bandits with only minimal training.''

    As Kakashi was focusing on his opponents, Daichi was being attacked as well. The area the young Genin was standing on became a small swamp and he began to sink into the ground the moment hended.

    Another unknown shinobi slowly emerged from the ground a few feet away from the sinking Daichi and threw several shurikens at the Genin. ''This was easier than we thought. Then again this kid is just a Genin after all.''

    This was the opening the enemies were waiting for. With the two Leaf ninjas seemingly in trouble another third rogue ninja released his camouge Genjutsu and appeared from the woods.

    He quickly took out a kunai and rushed towards his target. ''I got you now.''

    At that moment Ryoma was standing a few meters away calmly watching the two battles and looked at the ninja speeding towards him. Despite the situation looking bad he wasn''t scared. He knew just how capable the two ninjas that were protecting him were.

    The shuriken thrown towards the sinking Daichi struck but the next moment it vanished in a puff of smoke.

    And just as the third ninja was about to reach Ryoma a fast punch came from above that mmed the enemy into the ground kicking up dust and small debris.

    Daichi looked at the ninja knocked out beneath him and just sighed. ''My base strength is far greater than these ordinary guys. They would need to augment their body with chakra to evene close to matching my strength. At this point taking down these guys won''t even be a warm up.''

    The other rogue shinobi looked towards the scene and saw Daichi standing above their downed and unconsciousrade. Without wasting time Daichi made a few seals and used a binding genjutsu on his attacker.

    Kakashi too made quick work of his opponents and within a minute they were all securely tied up to a tree.

    The Jonin began to interrogate them. "3 Bandits and 3 rogue ninjas. From your intentions we know your target is Ryoma. So what we want to know is who sent you."

    The bandits were subdued but the three ninjas struggled for a few moments. Seeing that escape was impossible they decided to stay quiet. The silver-haired Jonin groaned at that and turned his head to look at Daichi.

    The Genin understood his teacher''s intentions and took the client to another area.

    Kakashi watched as the two disappeared from his view and then turned back to captured enemies. He gave them a sweet smile that sent shivers up their spine. "Let''s have a chat shall we"

    -

    "We haven''t even reached Tanzaku Town and already they''reing for me." Ryoma sighed and shook his head at the situation.

    "I get why you would be a target but wouldn''t the families of the twopanies also be in danger?" Daichi asked the man.

    Ryoma smiled at that question and replied. "Despite my reputation, my influence has certain limits. If these people were sent by a third party, apany that doesn''t want to see an alliance, then they must think that it''s easier to target me than face the wrath of the families of two biggest resource corporations in the Land of Fire"

    The Genin nodded. "I see"

    "But there could also be others who are bold enough to go after the two families and if that happens there will be chaos and it''ll be such a headache for me."

    "I assume they have guards."

    "Yes. They have their own security. Still if there is one thing I''ve learned in life, it''s that anything can happen when we least expect it."

    Daichipletely understood that sentiment. ''Murphy''sw. If that was a superpower I could have probably solved all of my problems by now.''

    At that time Kakashi came into view and the two turned towards him for answers. "What did you find, sensei?"

    The Jonin turned towards the mediator and spoke. "Well, someone paid them a lot of money to kill you. They were given your description and were told that you would have a team to protect you but they didn''t know the details. I got the facial features of the man who hired them for the job but they don''t have anything more useful."

    Ryoma nodded. Kakashi gave the man information on the person who hired them but he didn''t know who it was. "I don''t recognize the features. Could be someone in disguise from one of the two families or could be from anotherpany. At this point we don''t have much."

    "Let''s not waste anymore time here. We should get to the town quickly. The patrolling squads should be here in a few minutes. They''ll take them to prison."

    Under the Jonin''s instructions the trio resumed their journey and byte evening they reached Tanzaku Town. The ''dealmaker'' made his way to one of the wealthier private Inns in the town.

    The head manager of the Inn recognized Ryoma and weed the man. "Wee to Paradise Inn. My name is Kotohaku. Please enjoy your stay." He was a rtively good-looking old man in histe 60s. He had a lean body, short white hair and a goatee.

    Ryoma nodded with a polite smile. "Are the other two parties here yet?" He asked the man.

    "No sir. But I''m sure they''ll be here in a couple of hours." Came the reply from the host.

    "Then please show us to our rooms." Kakashi spoke and soon the client and his two guards were in front of arge luxurious room.

    Daichi whistled as he saw the amenities. "This is nice." ''This ce is like a 5 star resort.''

    Ryoma chuckled seeing the Genin''s reaction. "Your room will be next to mine."

    Before the wealthy mediator could enter the room, Kakashi stepped through and did a sweep of the area. A few minutester he found nothing that indicated a threat and stepped aside.

    "As I''m sure you already know, I will worry about the negotiations. You just need to keep me safe till we return." The mediator said with a smile and entered his suite.

    The two ninjas nodded seriously. After they changed into a morefortable attire, the two ninjas found their client rxing near an open window. Daichi asked the mediator a question. "If you don''t mind me asking, how exactly do you form an alliance with two rivalpetitors like this?"

    Ryoma sat on a chair overlooking the beautiful garden outside and replied after a few moments. "Well, the first step would be initial discussion. The twopanies would have an informal dialogue to gauge the other''s interest and potential. All of this will of course go through me."

    "A neutral third party." Daichi spoke in understanding.

    "Indeed. Now the next step would be to find and identify potential areas of coboration. That could include shared resource gathering and processing, cooperative farming, joint distributionworks and shared protection against potential threats. Thenes the evaluation of each corporation''s physical and security strengths. This includes the abilities of the shinobi they may have on their payroll."

    "How strong is their security? Do you know?" Kakashi asked.

    "I''m not absolutely sure but if I''m right they have a few retired Jonins and chunins in their organization." Ryoma replied.

    The Jonin nodded and the mediator continued. "After thates negotiations then drafting terms and conditions that the two should abide by. Once eptable conditions are setes the Legal and regtory approval. Daichi, do you know who would preside over that?"

    "The third minister. Lord Taji Mayima." The Genin replied. Daichi was aware of the working of the important dignitaries in the capital after his encounter with the minister.

    "Yes. Lord Taji is in charge of public rtions and business overview. The twopanies would have to get his approval on the new terms for the alliance to be official."

    Ryoma then stood from his chair and looked at the two ninjas with a serious gaze. "Despite this being a matter between two civilianpanies, the oue of this meeting will have an impact on the Fire country. So I need to make sure this is a win-win scenario for everyone. That''s my problem to deal with. I''m trusting you two to handle anything that gets in the way of me doing my job."

    "You can count on us." Kakashi reassured the man with a confident tone. At that second Daichi slightly turned his head and narrowed his eyes.

    "Sensei. Several strong individuals have just entered the building. There are several civilians with them." The Genin reported.

    "Other than the parties of the two corporations, Is there anyone else expected to arrive here these next few days." Kakashi asked the mediator.

    "No. I specifically requested it to be that way."

    "Then I''m guessing they are one of the two parties involved."

    Ryoma nodded to the Jonin''s assessment. "Yes. It won''t be long before the other arrives. Then tomorrow we''ll begin."

    -------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 249: Negotiation Tactics

    Chapter 249: Negotiation Tactics

    March 16th.

    The sun crept above the Horizon, bathing Tanzaku Town and its luxurious resort in soft golden light. Set against the backdrop of rolling green hills and calm waters, the resort was a private oasis of tranquility. It was a fitting location for the serious discussions thaty ahead.

    Ryoma was on his balcony gazing at the beautiful scenery in front of his view. He let out a deep breath of air and closed his eyes. After a few moments of mentally preparing himself he turned and looked to the two ninjas tasked with protecting him.

    "You two ready?" Ryoma asked with a grin.

    "Of course. I''m actually looking forward to this." Daichi replied with a smile while his sensei just nodded.

    With that the trio moved to the lower floors. The resort had set up a giant pavilion in therge private garden outside for the gathering and meeting between all those present.

    When the three people arrived downstairs in therge hall the family members of the two corporations were present along with their guards. The head of the ''Paradise Inn'' was also present along with a maid in the corner. They all turned towards the three as they arrived.

    Ryoma had a charming yetmanding presence as he entered the hall. His two bodyguards also drew some eyes.

    The head of the Satoru corporation Mr. Tsuyoshi Satoru gazed at the diplomat with attentive, gentle brown eyes. He sported a neatly trimmed, graying beard that framed his square jawline and it added to his dignified persona.

    ''So he''s Ryoma the Dealmaker. A cunning man known for his negotiation tactics and diplomatic skills. With him here Could it be possible?'' Tsuyoshi Satoru thought about the future of hispany and decided to see what would happen these next few days.

    Mr. Yamamoto Hideshi, the president of the Rising Sun corporation, looked at the new arrivals. ''Ryoma the Dealmaker huh. Time to see if the rumors about you are true or not Hmm I need to make sure my father''s legacy is safe.''

    One of the guards apanying the family recognized Kakashi. ''There''s no mistaking it. That''s Kakashi Hatake. But he only has one other ninja with him. Is that kid a chunin?''

    Just as everyone had their eyes on the mediator, he too was examining all parties present with a critical eye. He looked to the left and his eyes roamed the group of people. ''It looks like all the main family members of the Satoru corporation are here. The head of the family and president of thepany Tsuyoshi Satoru and his wife Hana Satoru. His three children and if the information is correct then the manager and business advisor Taichi. Then there are the guards. There is someone else but he seems too young and I don''t have any information on him Must be a distant rtive or a friend of the children.''

    It only took Ryoma a few seconds to gaze at everyone and take in their attire. A habit he picked up and kept from his shinobi life. He then looked to the right and saw the second party.

    ''The Rising Sun corporation with the president of thepany Yamamoto Hideshi. His wife, and two sons. Yakumi and Yamaha Hideshi along with the head manager Kotei Nanaji and their guards.''

    Ryoma smiled at everyone but he was already thinking of slightly adjusting his negotiation tactics to better his advantage. The diplomat nced at Kotohaku and the man gave a small nod in return.

    Ryoma smiled and slightly spread his arms and began. "Wee everyone. Thank you all foring to the meeting and being here today. I''m sure you all understand the significance of this venture. So let''s not waste anymore time."

    Everyone nodded and just as they were about to move to therge pavilion, Ryoma spoke. "I would like Mr. Tsuyoshi and Yamamoto to join me for a private meeting first. Just the two please. You may each have one guard apany you. The rest, please make yourselvesfortable in the pavilion. Our meeting might take a while."

    With those words Ryoma moved to a different private room guided by the resort''s manager. The two heads of the families looked at each other and then quietly followed the man. Kakashi and two other ninjas also followed behind them and soon they all disappeared from everyone''s view.

    Daichi and the others slowly moved to the pavilion outside. The Genin stood in a corner and was using ''observe'' on everyone in his view. ''The guards are all between Level 75 to 85. Guess these rich guys have some muscle.''

    There were some curious eyes from several people on Daichi but none of them made a move to interact with him. The Genin preferred it that way as he looked through the information his spying skill showed him. And as he did he found a couple of interesting people.

    ''Yusuke Satoru. Age 24 and the youngest child of Tsuyoshi Satoru. He''s jealous of his brother and sister. His micro expressions indicate that he''s unhappy And then there is his friend. Yuta Genjira. Age 24. Civilian and son of a wealthy merchant. Hmm. nothing more significant about him. For some reason he seems angry that Ryoma took the two family heads out of the room. I''ll have to keep an eye on those two.''

    Daichi stood calm and looked around. ''The guards are keeping an eye on the other and they even have me in their peripheral. Seems they''re all cautious. With observation I can find a threat far sooner than anyone else. I really love my gamer powers But man, standing around like this is so boring. Oh well, I''m sure Kakashi sensei must be bored as well right now. He can''t even read his book. If he looked like he was distracted doing his thing then it would reflect badly on the client. So I guess that''s a win for me.''

    -

    With Ryoma.

    The manager/owner of the resort led the group of 6 people to a rtivelyrge private room. In the middle of the room was a round table with three chairs ced equal distance apart. Ryoma gestured to the chairs and spoke.

    "Gentlemen. Please take your seats."

    Kakashi and the other two guards of the families each took a spot at the edge of the room but near their client. The two guards were keeping an eye on the other and Kakashi but said Jonin stood nonchntly and looked like he had no cares in the world. He suddenly had the impulse to sneeze but he didn''t move a muscle and held it down. ''Someone must be thinking about me. Please let it be a cute girl.''

    Once the two heads of the families were seated Ryoma spoke. "Thank you for agreeing to my request."

    "Funny. It sounded more like a demand." Yamamoto slightly narrowed his eyes and replied.

    Ryoma chuckled. "Oohh but you see, there is a difference. When I make a demand you''ll know it." Ryoma''s smile was the same but there was a sinister undertone to it that no one missed.

    Kakashi understood the tactic being used by the man. ''Keeping them wary but not at the edge. This way they''ll tread carefully and not make reckless decisions. Depending on how he proceeds this could be an opportunity or a problem.''

    The diplomat continued as normal. "Now as I said before, I''m d you two and your families have traveled all the way here from your homes. I understand the significance of your journey and the history both your families share. Your presence here is a testament to your willingness to look beyond past rivalries for the future prosperity of not just your corporations but also the Land of Fire."

    The two men nced at the other and turned towards the diplomat.

    It was Tsuyoshi who spoke first. "My willingness toe here doesn''t mean I trust him or my unconditional agreement to an alliance."

    "Hmph! Same here. I don''t trust this man. There have been some shes between the two of us thesest few months and I don''t wish to escte it further if possible. It''s the reason I came. But if these negotiations seem unfavorable, I will not agree to anything." Yamamoto gave his thoughts as well.

    Despite what the two thought, Ryoma didn''t be angry after hearing that. He only kept smiling as he sipped his tea. His gaze swept across the table meeting each person''s eyes in turn. "Trust is not an easymodity. And most of my previous clients were simr to the two of you. So I fully understand your situation. It''s why I''m here after all. My duty is to create a scenario where everyone leaves happy. Or at the very least make things better than when you came here."

    Tsuyoshi and Yamamoto nodded their heads.

    "Good. Now the reason I asked for a private audience with you two is to establish some ground rules. Before we delve into the intricacies of this potential alliance you two need to abide by certain conditions." Ryoma stopped and looked at the two for any objections. Seeing none he continued.

    "First and foremost, we will treat each other with respect. Second, I request openness and honesty in these negotiations. Trust may be non-existent between the two of you but if this alliance is going to work then it is an essential factor."

    The heads of both corporations gave a slight nod in understanding. A murmur of agreement echoed around the table.

    The eyes of the mediator sharpened and there was an edge to his tone that set the two family guards on alert. "Third, and the most important one, there will be no violence towards each other or towards me conducted on these premises and in this town. Vite that rule and there will be consequences. I hope I''m making myself very clear."

    Tsuyoshi and Yamamoto were people not easily threatened but they knew that Ryoma was someone important in the Fire capital and if anything were to happen to him the ministers or someone from the Royal court would get involved. It was not something they wanted. The two nodded their heads and a gentle smile was on the mediator''s face again.

    "Excellent. Before we begin A toast." Ryoma slowly pulled a small storage scroll from his sleeve. The guards of the twopanies discreetly moved their hands to their pouch but a nce from their employers stopped them from making a rash move.

    Ryoma smiled as he saw the scene from the corner of his eyes as he took out the contents from his scroll.

    Three white sake cups and a bottle. "I had this imported from the Land of Lightning. The Thunder Spirit Wine. Excellent stuff from what I hear. Never had the pleasure of tasting it so I''m quite eager." Ryoma said as he poured three cups. Once the bottle was ced in the middle of the table they each took a cup and looked at the other.

    "To a better future." Ryoma grinned and downed his cup. Seeing the man drink it without hesitation the other two nced at each other and drank it as well.

    Yamamoto let out a breath and ced the sake cup on the table. "Not bad. This is certainly better than the one from the Land of Earth. What was that called.? Ah yes. The Bejeweled Earth Nectar."

    Tsuyoshi smirked and looked at the man beside him. "While this is certainly a good sake I believe the Bejeweled Earth Nectar is a bit better."

    "You can''t be serious? It seems your taste buds must have finally given out due to old age if you think that." Yamamoto retorted.

    "If you believe this is better than the Bejeweled Earth Nectar then you certainly have gone senile. How can I form an alliance with apany run by a senile man?" Tsuyoshi verbally struck back.

    "What''d you say?" A vein popped up in Yamamoto''s forehead.

    Ryoma groaned loudly before they could escte their verbal attacks. "Good grief. You two can''t even agree on a simple drink. No wonder yourpanies have such an intense rivalry with each other"

    The mediator looked at the two and then a grin formed on his face. "Well then, first things first. Let''s settle this matter of the better wine."

    "And how do we do that?" The two raised an eyebrow.

    "By finding out which one''s the best. It''s a good thing I brought some samples." Ryoma said as he ced some chakra into the storage scroll. Several small bottles of different colors and designs appeared.

    Kakashi looked at the scene and internally smirked. ''I see. So that''s his n. He''s clever.''

    It was only morning but the start of the negotiations that had the potential to change the dynamics of the Land of Fire''s economy was underway in an unusual way.

    -

    Daichi had been keeping an eye on everyone in the pavilion while sticking to the shadows. A few curious people wanted to interact with him but he didn''t give them the chance. ''Not yet. It''s still too soon.''

    The Genin was closely observing the surveince tactics of the other shinobi. Daichi''s goal was to see if he could learn anything new from them. But he made sure to keep intentions hidden from them.

    -

    On the other side of the pavilion a few members of the Satoru family were having their own discussions. Yusuke Satoru, the youngest child of Tsuyoshi Satoru, was having a small argument with his elder brother. "We should be in there with them. We should be by pop''s side. What if that bastard Yamamoto influenced Ryoma? We don''t know anything for sure so we can''t trust anyone."

    Kazuki Satoru shook his head. "No. You''re impatient Yusuke. The negotiations have only just started. And Ryoma is a man with an irreproachable record."

    Taichi, the head manager and the advisor of The Satoru corporation also weighed in. "He is right, master Yusuke. That man is trustworthy. It''s one of the reasons we chose him."

    "It doesn''t matter. We shouldn''t be even talking about an alliance with them. They''re our enemies. Within a few more years we can take over their business." Yusuke made his argument. He was against this whole thing and only came due to his father.

    "You gave up your position in thepany so you do not have a say in how these negotiations go. Don''t forget that." Mika Satoru, the middle child and only daughter of Tsuyoshi, spoke looking at her little brother.

    Yusuke clenched his fist hearing that argument. Several years ago he had made a grave mistake and it cost hispany a great deal. He had to pay for it by removing himself from the business his family had built.

    The young man clenched his fist and walked away from his family. He came near his friend who was enjoying the drinks and food.

    "Yeesh. You look like you want to stab someone." Yuta Genjira, the close friend of Yusuke, spoke with a grin.

    The youngest son of Tsuyoshi calmed down and kept a neutral expression. Yusuke knew he had to keep the arguments with his family under wraps. It was a private matter between his siblings. But even though he was keeping calm on the outside, inside he was very angry. "They don''t even value my opinions anymore."

    "Come on. Of course they do. They''re family. Look. You guys might have arguments but I have no doubt that they value your contributions. Cheer up man. This isn''t the end of the world." Yuta reassured his friend.

    Yusuke snorted and smirked when he heard that. "It could be for ourpany if this alliancees about. I won''t trust the Hideshis to not stab us in the back."

    "You''re being dramatic. Your father is a smart man. I''m sure he can handle it. Your brother and sister are with him and I''m sure they''ll only make a decision only after hearing your opinions too." Yuta gave his friend a big smile and gave him a small ss of wine. "Here. For now, have this and rx."

    Yusuke grinned as he looked at his closest friend. "Well, at least I have you in my corner." He grabbed the ss and the two had a small toast. "Let''s get drunk."

    -

    It was an hour after noon and at that moment he sensed several people entering the pavilion. Daichi immediately zeroed in on his client and saw that the man was slightly drunk but was stillpletely aware of everything. The other two were also in a simr state but they couldn''t hide their flush cheeks like the mediator.

    Ryoma pped, gaining everyone''s attention. "Apologies for the dy. There was an important matter that had to be dealt with. The negotiations will resume tomorrow. In the meantime you are all wee to enjoy this wonderful establishment."

    Saying nothing else, Ryoma turned around and kept walking with Kakashi beside him. In seconds Daichi also joined the two.

    As they left everyone''s view Kakashi spoke. "You deliberately chose that wine at the beginning didn''t you. It was your n to get them to disagree with each other at first."

    Ryomaughed when he heard that. "Yes. I did some extensive research on the two as soon as the matter was brought to me. I knew Tsuyoshi liked the Bejeweled Earth Nectar. And Yamamoto was a fan of sake simr to the vor of The Thunder Spirit Wine. I wanted them to disagree so that I could bring them together."

    "By pulling out a wine at the end that was even better than all the previous ones. You didn''t say which of the two wines were better. You just said to find the best one." Kakashi said as he walked.

    Ryoma nodded. "Yes. By getting them to agree to something even as simple as a bottle of wine, I''ve created a small trust between the two. A small miniscule tiny wisp of trust. But trust nheless."

    "And your stunt reduced the tension between the two even by a little."

    The diplomat lightly chuckled. "That too." The smile slowly vanished and he got serious. "But from this point forward things will be much more serious. There is a possibility that an attack will being. I''m not sure who the target is, but there are elements that want to see this alliance fall. That much I understood as soon as I walked into that hall. So be ready."

    Daichi and Kakashi nodded. The Genin was impressed. ''This guy has good situational awareness and knows how to read people. Impressive This mission might not be as boring as I thought.''

    -------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 250: Protect the Mediator 02

    Chapter 250: Protect the Mediator 02

    March 17th.

    It was morning and negotiations between the two parties had already begun. Daichi and two other guards stood in the shadows while the second day negotiations were taking ce.

    Ryoma was sipping his tea as he looked at the two heads ofpanies apanied by their managers/advisors. "I suggest that we begin this by addressing the primary concern that both sides have regarding this alliance and explore how we might resolve them for mutual benefit. Shall we?"

    The two along with Ryoma discussed the disruption they''ve been causing to each other''s business and product distributionwork.

    As the hours progressed Ryoma put forth an idea and the heads of the two corporations froze. There was tension in the room as the weight of years of rivalry hung in the air.

    "You can''t be serious. A merger. That''s your proposal? That we merge ourpanies." The incredulity in Yamamoto''s voice was mirrored on Tsuyoshi''s face.

    "What you''re saying is impossible. Even if I were to forget what happened between our fathers I won''t forget everything that happened thest few decades. So I can''t ept that." Tsuyoshi replied.

    The mediator chuckled as he looked at the two. "Look at that. You two can agree on something."

    The two presidents weren''t in a joking mood as both were sporting a stern expression.

    Ryoma decided to exin his decision. "This rivalry began with your fathers. But they''re both dead now and it serves no purpose to continue this feud. Your hate for each other stemmed from your fathers and I doubt I can do anything about that. But I can help your children."

    "And how is that? " Yamamoto asked.

    "While an alliance would make sure that your businesses aren''t interrupted and help you with expanding your reach, it is not truly binding. It can be broken if someone were to put pressure on it or if someone sees an opportunity to take a massive advantage of the other. Now there are risks of course. If an alliance is formed and broken then the 3rd Minister Lord Taji would be less than pleased. Especially because your corporations are the two biggest civilianpanies in the Land of Fire in resource management."

    "And you think a merger will solve our problems?" Tsuyoshi slightly tilted his head and asked with a raised eyebrow.

    "Yes. It might not solve all the problems but it will certainly help a great deal. You might not want a merger but it''s in your best interest." Ryoma looked at the two and took another sip from his cup.

    "What do you mean?" Yamamoto slowly leaned forward. Tsuyoshi too was waiting for the reply.

    Ryoma took out two thick documents from his scroll and handed them to the two presidents. "Review that file and you''ll understand."

    The two presidents along with their advisors quickly flipped through the pages and their eyes widened after a few minutes of reading. "This is"

    "The growth rate and distribution control of your organizations thisst decade and the projections for the next several years." Ryoma finished for them.

    He leaned forward and spoke. "Right now the Satoru corporation controls 23% of the market in the northern region and the Rising Sun control 22% in the southern region and its borders. If the two of you form an alliance your production and distribution channels would expand to a little over 48%. But if you form a merger of your organizations then that increases to over 65% in the next few years. Your profits would soar and you''d be able to take over otherpetitors looking to take you on."

    Daichi heard the numbers and did some rough calctions in his head. ''If the rumors about their current business turnovers are correct then a merger would definitely be in their best interests. They might be an excellent investment opportunity. With their expanded resources they''ll be able to take over otherpetitors and will be the most prominent manufacturers in Fire country Well aside from the shinobi contactors.''

    The two presidents and their advisors looked at each other across the table. They looked at the numbers and realized the potential. Such profits would definitely help them increase their wealth and also with exporting their goods to other countries andpeting with their businesses. But that was not all that was in the files Ryoma gave them.

    The mediator was silent for a few moments and then continued. "If you do not merge and just form an alliance, it will set off a chain reaction that will force yourpeting businesses to make simr moves and they will try to overtake you. While this might seem like a good thing in the short term, in the long term it will be a problem. You''ll be focused on battling enemies on two fronts. Ones from the outside and the ones from within your organizations that don''t agree with an alliance. Your growth will stagnate."

    "And if we stay the course and keep battling each other then the organizations will see a decline starting next year and within the next decade we''ll be out of business." Tsuyoshi said as he looked at the papers in his hands.

    Yamamoto put the file down and looked at the mediator. "But you can''t know all this for sure. These are just numbers on a paper. This hasn''t happened. How can I be sure that it will go the way you said?"

    Ryoma smirked. "These aren''t just some random numbers. Some of the best and brightest people came up with these after analyzing almost every aspect of your two organizations. They took all the data of your family and your business growth and transactions this previous decade and created a model that shows the growth theseing years."

    Daichi, who was in the shadows, was surprised to hear that. He knew exactly who his client was talking about. ''He''s talking about business analysts. Taking historical data and using it to predict what might happen in the future or how an organization can move forward. In a world where math and physics take a back priority, I didn''t think they would have guys like that. Were people like that always present or is this something that came about because of my existence?''

    Daichi decided to shove those thoughts to the back of his mind and concentrated on the meeting in front of him.

    Tsuyoshi and Yamamoto looked at each other in silence and with a stern gaze. Ryoma spoke again. "I''m sure you''ll want to discuss this with your families. So let''s meet again in the evening."

    With that the discussions hade to an end and Daichi escorted his client to his room.

    -

    In a suite room on the upper floor of Paradise Inn, Yamamoto Hideshi, his wife Nayobi Hideshi, their two children and Yamamoto''s advisor Kotei Nanaji were having a serious discussion.

    "I don''t agree with this, father. This could all be a ploy from Ryoma so that we would merge with the Satoru corporation." Yakumi Hideshi, the oldest son of the president spoke. He was not happy with the idea of an alliance and a merger even less.

    "Could this be something he would do to bolster his reputation?" The younger son Yamaha Hideshi asked the family/business advisor.

    "It''s true that if we form an alliance or merger, it would increase Ryoma''s reputation in the capital and thus his influence. But I''m not sure he would lie or make up the information on these documents to achieve that" Kotei Nanaji gave his thoughts.

    "So do you really think that if we don''t form an alliance, we would be overtaken in the next few years?" Nayobi asked the man.

    "It might be possible. There are many smallerpanies looking to take a piece of our organization. But now that we know, if we adjust our strategies then maybe we can fight them" Kotei replied.

    "What do you think dear?" Nayobi turned to her husband.

    "If we have to fight Satoru and everyone else, then we might notst past the next decade. But I''m sure Tsuyoshi has alsoe to this conclusion by now. To expand, we''ll have to take over the businesses of the Satorupany. So a sh is inevitable. It''s the same for them as well. But if neither of us attack the other we could shore up our resources and battle the others but with each year ourpany might stagnate in growth. An alliance is good but logically, a merger is better." Yamamoto replied.

    Yakumi sighed, hearing that. "For the record I''m not happy with this"

    "Yes. You''ve made that clear my son Still, I haven''t decided anything yet. We''ll see how these negotiations go I''m sure an answer will present itself to us in time." Yamamoto said and leaned back in hisfy chair.

    In another part of the building where the Satoru family was residing a simr discussion was taking ce.

    Mika was looking through the documents that her father had brought. After several minutes she closed the files and gave her opinion. "I have to give that man credit. He certainly did his research. These numbers aren''t just random or fabricated. Based on the information present and the model they created, our profits would be in a decline starting within 13 months if we keep the status quo."

    Tsuyoshi sighed. "As I feared. It seems at the very least an alliance is necessary."

    "Pops you''re not actually considering this are you?" Yusuke was in disbelief as he heard his father.

    "Yes I am. We have to think about the future. If a merger is the only way to protect everything that our family built then I have to consider that option."

    "Grandfather would disagree." Yusuke spoke in a cold tone looking at Tsuyoshi.

    Hana Satoru was shocked. "Yusuke!"

    The youngest son turned to his mother. "Am I wrong mother? You''ve known grandfather for a long time. Do you think he''d agree with this?"

    At that moment Tsuyoshi spoke in a cold tone. "He is not here. The future of The Satoru corporation is my responsibility. And I will do what needs to be done."

    "No. There has to be another way. We can''t trust them."

    The president narrowed his eyes at the rebellious nature of the youngest child. "I don''t find your tone of voice eptable Yusuke."

    Yusuke clenched his fist and became silent hearing the cold edge in his father''s voice. Before he could say something and make it worse, his friend who was standing in the back came beside him and spoke.

    "Apologies, sir. Yusuke is just a bit emotional right now. I''m sure he didn''t mean any disrespect. I''m gonna borrow him for a while." Yuta spoke and the next second he grabbed his friend and dragged him out of the room.

    Kazuki sighed seeing the form of his younger brother and his friend disappear. "Those two" The oldest son turned to his father.

    "Yuta is right pops. Yusuke might seem angry but he has thepany''s best interests at heart."

    Tsuyoshi sighed while his wife gently rubbed his hands making him feel reassured.

    -

    "Do you think they''ll go for it?" Daichi asked the older man.

    "We''ll have to wait and see. They''re not blind idiots. They''ll want to see what I have in mind for the merger. And I''m not sure they''ll agree when they hear my proposal" Ryoma gave the Genin a cryptic reply.

    Daichi nodded and as they made their way to the upper floor the Genin asked another question. "Why did you ask me to apany you to this meeting and not sensei?"

    "It was actually your sensei''s idea. You will understand when we reach my room."

    The two soon came to the top floor and stood in front of Ryoma''s suite. Kakashi was leaning against the wall and reading his book as they came up.

    "Is there anything suspicious?" Ryoma asked the Jonin.

    The silver haired ninja put his orange book back in his pouch and nodded his head. "I''ve examined the room thoroughly after you two left and I found something strange. It''s in the bathroom."

    Kakashi led the two to the bathroom and pointed at the bathtub. "Yesterday I used my Sharingan on every inch of this suite and today when I was inspecting everything I found some strangepound on the floor of the tub Daichi, can you examine that?"

    The Genin nodded and ced his hands above the floor of the bathtub and they started glowing blue.

    He immediately found a very thinyer of chemical coating at the bottom of the tub. Daichi analyzed the foreignpound and in a couple minutes he knew what it was. He stood and turned to the two adults.

    "It''s a paralytic agent. It''s a special custom designed one that activates when ites into contact with water and it''s absorbed through skin. It has no smell or color and finding it is difficult if you don''t know it''s there. If you didn''t have the Sharingan then it would have been a lot more difficult to identify it." Daichi replied.

    Ryoma narrowed his eyes as he looked down. "So essentially an almost untraceable paralysis poison. How did it get here?"

    Kakashi was the one who answered that question. "It wasn''t here yesterday or this morning when you took a bath or you would have suffered the side effects. My guess would be during the time we all had breakfast down in the pavilion."

    Ryoma looked at the two and spoke. "There are 7 suites in this resort. Only Kotohaku knew I was staying in this room when we arrived. It was to minimize information leak and to avoid problems exactly like this. Only two families and guards of the corporations came and no one left since. So unless the other rooms were also marked with this poison we have to proceed on the assumption that I''m the target. Someone inside this building wants me dead or at the very least make sure this meeting doesn''t end with an alliance."

    "Yeah, but with all the guards around this ce I can''t believe someone managed to break into this room." Daichi said. He knew through his observation skill that the other guards the two families brought were far from ipetent.

    Ryoma sighed and sat on a nearby chair. Daichi thought for a few seconds and another idea popped into his mind.

    "Then again I don''t think someone broke in here... I found faint traces of chakra in thispound, I think this was part of a jutsu" Daichi said to the two.

    Kakashi was surprised when he heard that. ''My Sharingan saw miniscule traces of chakra but not anywhere near enough to identify it. To think Daichi could find such faint traces as well His techniques are impressive.''

    Daichi tapped his chin and thought about what to do next and he found a way. "Hmm I might have an idea as to how it got here. Sensei with your permission, I''d like to execute a n I have in mind."

    "Let''s hear it?" Kakashi and Ryoma paid attention as Daichiid out his n. After a few minutes they looked at each other and nodded.

    "That could work." Ryoma said.

    "Let''s try it Daichi." Kakashi said with an eye smile.

    -

    It was evening and almost everyone was in the pavilion. They made polite conversations but were mostly sticking to the ones with their group. At this time they saw the mediator entering wearing new luxurious eye-catching clothes. Kakashi and Daichi were with him and they were calm as usual.

    Ryoma nodded to the people present and then nced at the two family patriarchs. "Let''s continue where we left off shall we?"

    The Mediator, Daichi, the two presidents and their guards began making their way to the private room to resume their discussion. As this was happening someone who was standing somewhat away from them narrowed their eyes as they looked at Ryoma.

    ''Damn it. Did it not work? Did that man fail? From his appearance he looked like he took a bath in that tub. But he''s fine. If he was poisoned, even if the two ninjas saved him they would have made a fuss over it. But they don''t seem concerned or anything It looks like that man must have made a mistake. I need to contact him.''

    The unknown person clenched their fist under the table and waited for his chance to exit the room without seeming suspicious.

    Kakashi was standing nonchntly near the door guarding the meeting room with his book in his hand. Despite his aloof appearance he was aware of everyone''s movements in the room. ''If Daichi is right, then there might be another attack and this might be our only chance to catch the culprit. If hees into contact with the enemy I''ll just have to trust that he can handle himself.''

    -------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 251: Meeting Sai.

    Chapter 251: Meeting Sai.

    Daichi''s n.

    "Hmm I might have an idea as to how it got here. Sensei with your permission, I''d like to execute a n I have in mind."

    Kakashi nced at his client and then turned his attention back to his student. "Let''s hear it."

    "Right now we don''t know for certain if the enemy is among us. For all we know an outside attacker found out that you were staying here in this specific room through some special reconnaissance method." Daichi reasoned and Ryoma nodded as he realized theck of evidence pointing to someone inside.

    Ryoma suddenly thought of something. ''If the attacker is someone from outside then is it possible that they poisoned all the tubs in the 7 suits just to get to me?'' He immediately disregarded that line of thought. ''No. That''s inefficient and it might also put the other parties in danger. No ninja worth their salt would proceed with such careless nning.''

    At that moment Kakashi spoke. "Daichi, we can''t just rule out the possibility that there aren''t any enemies among the people inside this building. It could be an aplice or maybe even the culprit."

    "Yes. I agree, sensei. It''s why we need to know for sure who''s involved and who''s not." Daichi and his teacher turned to the mediator.

    Ryoma sighed as he knew what the two might be thinking. "If you two are suggesting an interrogation then please remember that despite being civilians those two have great wealth and lots of connections. I''m afraid I can''t authorize that."

    Kakashi nodded as he understood the precarious situation they were in. "I had a feeling you''d say that." Daichi sighed but had a small smile on his face. "What if we force their hand? Give them a shot at their target one more time?"

    "You''re suggesting we use Ryoma here as bait?" Kakashi raised an eyebrow as he looked at his student.

    Daichi nodded and turned to their client. "If you''re up for it sir."

    Ryoma agreed after thinking about it for a few moments. "What do you need me to do?"

    "Take a nice long bath, rx, then put on your best garments and walk down to the evening meeting like nothing ever happened. I''ll have a shadow clone apany you and sensei will be outside the door with his boring usual self." The Genin had a smirk as he said thest part.

    ''Boring? I''m not boring.'' The silver haired man just looked at his student with a deadpan expression.

    Daichi continued. "At that time I''ll be in this room hidden. If the attacker tries to tamper with anything here again, I''ll know."

    "What about the other people? How will you know if there is anyone working with the enemy.?" Ryoma asked the Genin.

    Daichi held a mysterious smile as he looked at the man. "That Is a secret. Trust me. If they try another attempt on your life, I''ll find them."

    At that time Kakashi asked a question that was on his mind. "You said you had an idea as to how the poison got here. Tell me, was it a special shape transformation jutsu?"

    Daichi smiled and nodded. "Yeah. I believe whoever did this created the poison and added it to their jutsu. The jutsu most likely would be a small puppet or semi sentient chakra creature. Maybe a small rat, spider or a lizard."

    The idea came to the Genin when he pondered on how the attacker could get in the building without anyone knowing. ''This particr jutsu used as a delivery method... I think it might be simr to Sai''s ink creatures. Instead of Ink as the substance used, here it is poison and water style jutsu. Still, this is just a theory. I need confirmation.''

    "I''ll wait here and since the people downstairs won''t suspect a thing they might be bold enough to try again. I''ll track down the attacker and subdue him." Daichi exined to the two.

    "Daichi, if there are multiple opponents with overwhelming strength then proceed ording to protocol." Kakashi looked at his student with a calm but serious gaze.

    "I know sensei. I''ll be careful. I''ll try to capture the enemy for interrogation if possible. That way we''ll be able to find out who our opponents are and you might be able to use it to your advantage in the negotiations."

    The two adults looked at each other and nodded.

    "That could work." Ryoma said.

    "Let''s try it Daichi." Kakashi said with an eye smile.

    -

    Evening: Ryoma''s Suite.

    As the two parties were in a heated discussion Daichi was in his client''s room hidden from everyone''s senses.

    Daichi''s Mana Scout skill had improved and leveled up a great deal during his dungeon battles. He was able to keep track of everyone in the building with ease. Daichi sensed everyone''s movements and soon paid close attention to where everyone was.

    The Genin was sitting crossed legged on the ceiling of the room. Daichi had his Mana Body Armor active as he waited. ''This will block my scent and chakra from being sensed. And with the Mana Cloak I''m invisible to the eyes of everyone.''

    Daichi waited and waited and an hour had passed.

    ''There isn''t a hundred percent guarantee that this will work. Whoever is behind this might also be paranoid and just give up.''

    Just as he was thinking this he sensed a change in movement behavior in one of the people downstairs. Daichi sensed the person split up from the rest of the people and headed up to their room.

    The Genin got up from his spot and stood upside down on the ceiling. He created a shadow clone with minimum chakra and it immediately concealed itself with Mana abilities while the real Daichi quietly exited the room through the open window. The Genin made his way to where the suspicious party was and saw a man he recognized standing near a window writing something on a small piece of paper.

    ''The guy definitely looks nervous. Now who are you waiting for?''

    The invisible Daichi looked at the man and wondered. At that moment he sensed somethinging closer from the distance. He looked in the other direction and a small smile tugged his lips. ''Not a who but a what.''

    It was a small blue bird with red beaks and yellow eyes. It was even smaller than an adult''s palm. The birdnded near the man''s window and Daichi saw him tie a small note onto the bird''s leg.

    The Genin used ''observe'' on the bird and to make sure that it was just a regr creature.

    ''A trained carrier bird huh. I see. Well well, this thing has a special sense of smell that''s much stronger than normal. On par with an Inuzuka ninken. It''s also trained to pick up any trackers and evade them. Not a bad pet to keep. Time to see where you''re going.''

    Daichi got within 10 meters of the bird and pointed his finger at it. He concentrated some of his Mana Energy and activated his recently acquired skill.

    [Skill Mana Tracker is now active]

    He saw the bird take off into the forest but Daichi was calm. With his new skill he knew exactly where the bird was.

    [Mana Tracker - Active (LV.04): This skill allows the user to track their target even if the target is out of range of the user''s other senses. This skill is activated by concentrating a very small portion of the user''s Mana and imnting it into the target''s brain. At the current level this skill has certain limitations.]

    [Note: Stronger Minds can reject this skill subconsciously.

    Target needs to be within 10 meters and must be in line of sight for the skill to activate. (This limitation can be removed at higher levels.)

    Currently this skill can only track one target at a time.

    Cannot track targets in different dimensions.]

    [Effects:]

    [Imnted Mana in the target will disappear after 2 Hours and 20 minutes.]

    [Target location will be shown on Map till the tracker wears off.]

    [100% Location uracy.]

    [MP Cost: 100MP]

    ''This is an excellent tracking skill. I need to level this baby up when I get back to the vige.''

    Daichi decided to follow the bird since he knew the clone would be keeping an eye on the man.

    The invisible Daichi quietly followed the bird as it flew through the air for several hundred meters. He came upon several well hidden traps and moved around them.

    ''Ok. Whoever this is, is good with ambush tactics.''

    Soon it began its descent. At that moment Daichi sensed the presence of two individuals hidden in the forest. He quietly arrived and stood in the shadows of a tree as he looked at the two ninjas present. One was a ninja around Daichi''s age but the other was a few years older. The small avian creaturended on the palm of the older ninja but Daichi''s attention was on his teammate.

    ''Of all the people It''s him. I can''t believe I''m meeting him here.''

    The younger ninja had short, straight ck hair, dark eyes and translucent looking pale skin. He had on a short ck jacket with red stripes, ck shinobi pants and gloves. Near the ninja Daichi could see a small backpack, scrolls and brush.

    ''No fucking way. That''s Sai.''

    The older ninja took the piece of paper and read the message. He turned to his teammate and spoke. "Tao. It seems the target is still alive and the negotiations are moving forward. He wasn''t poisoned."

    Daichi narrowed his eyes as he heard that. ''Tao. So that''s what you''re going by for this mission huh Now then, who''s your teammate?''

    ''Observe''

    Daichi quickly went through the information his system provided. ''17 years old. Enji. That''s his codename for the mission. Real name unknown. Chunin level ninja with proficiency in trap making, ambush and stealth attacks. Higher than average talent in Water Chakra Nature. Allegiance: The Root.''

    The older ninja was wearing simr garments to Tao. He had a small tanto on his back and had a face mask simr to Kakashi.

    "Was the intel we received wrong?" Tao/Future Sai asked his teammate.

    Enji shook his head. "It doesn''t seem so. Perhaps I''m the one who made a miscalction. I''ve only just started to mimic your techniques. So it''s possible that my jutsu might have missed the mark."

    "Is it possible our targets are aware of our assassination attempts?"

    "It doesn''t seem so based on the note. But we should still be cautious. Kakashi Hatake is the one guarding our target. And the medic nin Daichi Hekima is also present. The chances ofpleting this mission are slim."

    "Lord Danzo will not be pleased with mistakes or failure." Tao said keeping a calm emotionless tone.

    "I''m well aware. There won''t be any this time." Enji replied and went through a few seals. He then spit out a liter of water which turned into a small transparent water mouse. The ninja took a syringe and injected the mouse. The next second it took off in the direction of the resort.

    Daichi was looking at everything that happened with keen eyes. He was keeping close watch on the future member of Team 07. ''He''s keeping his emotions as neutral as possible. Even his chakra is calm. But it''s impossible to hide your micro expressions from me, Sai. You''re trying to blend in and make sure to not be discovered by Danzo aren''t you Based on the information Observe gave me on him, it seems Sai''s life has gone pretty much the same way as canon Makes sense. There wasn''t much that I did that could have affected this guy''s life.''

    Daichi had a grin as he looked at the two. With his camouge Mana skills on, he easily got around the two and stood a few feet behind them. There was a mischievous grin on Daichi''s face as he looked at the two Root.

    ''Time to make a proper introduction.''

    He kept his chakra, sound and smell concealed and then let go of the active Mana skill keeping him invisible to the world. His body became visible but the two Root ninjas were oblivious to Daichi''s presence.

    "Psst! Hello there" Daichi leaned forward and spoke from behind in a small tone.

    The two Root ninja were startled when they heard the voice. Their heartbeat suddenly increased and adrenaline pumped through their veins. Tao and Enji immediately turned around with weapons unsheathed in their hands. Even before theyid eyes on their foe, the two Root ninjas tried to sh the person standing a couple feet behind them but they missed their mark.

    Daichi expected the reaction and easily jumped back avoiding it. He grinned at the two shinobi while the eyes of the Root ninjas widened as they recognized the person in front of them standing with a calm smile.

    "Yeesh. Kill first and ask questionster. Not a smart policy gentlemen." The Genin said with a smirk.

    Only one thought went through the Root shinobi''s mind. ''Daichi Hekima. How did he find us?''

    -------------

    Author''s Note.

    A few things.

    I want toplete this arc and get to the start of the graduation in the next few chapters. Or at least I''ll try my best to do that.

    Lastly how do guys like my introduction of Sai into the story? Hit me up with your thoughts.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 252: Capturing Root Ninjas

    Chapter 252: Capturing Root Ninjas

    Tao and Enji were tense as they looked at the Genin standing nonchntly in front of them. The older Root ninja remembered the order that was given by their superior. ''We weren''t supposed to be discovered. All of us were given orders to operate with absolute secrecy. If we''re captured, it would bring trouble to Lord Danzo.''

    Daichi had a smile as he looked at the two. "That''s a cute pet bird you have. Mind if I keep him? Don''t worry. I''ll make sure to take good care of him while you two are in a deep dark hole somewhere."

    The two Root ninjas kept an emotionless face as they heard the Genin''s mild threat. Mind games of such level wouldn''t affect them.

    Tao/Future Sai had his hands on his tanto and was tense. ''It''s a good thing we don''t have any identifiable objects on us. For all this Genin knows we are two enemy shinobi trying to kill their client. Still We need to leave. Based on the information we have, Daichi Hekima is already much stronger than the average Chunin. There is only one possible path to escape.''

    Tao and Enji nced at each other from the corner of their eyes. A silentmunication passed between the two.

    Daichi noticed the silent exchange and his smile vanished. ''They''re about to make their move. But you two won''t escape me.''

    The three were in a stand-off but a secondter Tao swiftly threw three smoke bombs a few feet in front of him while Enji threw several kunai aimed at Daichi. The small balls exploded and thick green smoke covered the area in between Daichi and the two other ninjas. A fraction of a second after the smoke bomb exploded several kunais came out of the smoke speeding in Daichi''s direction.

    The older Root ninja threw the kunais in a way that forced Daichi to leap backwards and up to a tree branch. The next second two ink lion beasts burst out of the ground near the tree Daichi was standing on and headed straight for the Genin with their jaws wide open. He easily evaded their attacks and destroyed them in seconds.

    Despite being forced backwards Daichi wasn''t distracted from his targets. He had his chakra focused on the two Root ninjas and sensed them escaping higher into the air. He jumped high up and saw a ck and white bird carrying the two ninjas getting further and further away from his position. The gamer ninja stood atop therge tree and his eyes narrowed as he gazed at the escaping ninjas.

    Right then as if time was reversing, the events started ying backwards faster and faster and in less than a second Daichi was standing in front of the two Root ninjas. They were still ncing at each other from the corner of their eyes trying to decide on their next move.

    From Daichi''s perspective even a second was several minutes long. ''Brain Augmentation plus Hypercognition skill in conjunction with Parallel Processing. One hell of an OPbo.''

    As a single second passed in the real world Daichi''s mind was going through several simtions of his battle with the two ninjas. Daichi''s brain created these mental simtions based on the information acquired from Observe, their body and muscle structure, their weapon pouch and its position on their body and the environment. His mind also took the information he had on Sai from the past life and used what he knew as reference. After multiple variations Daichi finally came to the most likely strategy the duo was going to try.

    ''Thest version is the most likely one they would use.''

    The Genin had multiple thoughts running through his mind. ''I could let them escape without making it look like I let them. If I capture these two, then I''d have to take them back to Kakashi and the Hokage would have solid proof of Root''s activities by the end of this mission. It will definitely create a conflict with Danzo and that one eyed geezer could do something drastic. Desperate people like him might try stupid things. Not to mention Naruto''s graduation is in a couple days. All this mess''

    Daichi was in a precarious position. ''If I let them go, the status quo won''t change. I''ll just tell Kakashi that the attacker escaped andplete this mission without any trouble. But if I capture them, it might bring Danzo''s attention to me more than it already has.''

    At that moment the image of Reo and her parents came to his mind. And along with that image came blood boiling anger. The gamer ninja clenched his fist as he thought about what had happened to his friends Ren and Kimiko Uchiha.

    ''If that useless geezer hadn''t fanned the mes of hate between the Uchiha n and the vige, then Obito wouldn''t have taken advantage and killed the n like he did. Reo would still have her parents. Not only that, then the bastard had the gall to send his Root after Tsunade sensei and injure Shizune senpai... All to get to me.''

    [Skill Gamer''s Mind has activated]

    The Gamer''s mind was doing its job keeping Daichi from doing anything impulsive but the anger was palpable around the Genin.

    ''Calm down Daichi. Think this through. How can you use this situation to your advantage?''

    Daichi''s various mental Mana abilities were active. He went through several scenarios and the oues of his decisions. How capturing the Root affected him, the vige.

    ''Kensei told me that there is already friction between the Hokage and Danzo and it''s only getting worse. With this I''ll put the nail in the coffin Directly interfering with a mission assigned by the vige and killing someone like Ryoma. The Hokage won''t tolerate that. Even if Danzo knows I''m the one who took down his agent and brought them in, he won''t be able to do anything about it. He''ll be too busy dealing with the fallout of his actions. His Root will be busy protecting their master. If Danzoes for me or tries to use Naruto then it''s game over for him. I''m a rising prodigy, student of Tsunade and Kakashi and Naruto is the Jinchuriki. So even if I bring these two in, Danzo won''t be able to retaliate unless he ns to start a civil war. One that he won''t win.''

    Daichi even took into ount how removing Danzo from the board would affect Orochimaru and the Akatsuki. ''If I''m right, Itachi''s number one concern is Sasuke. He knows that at the moment Danzo is the greatest threat to his brother. If Danzo is taken care of, then Itachi will turn his attention to Obito and the Akatsuki. Itachi might be able to gather more intel on that Organization and maybe If it''s possible I can use Itachi as a proxy to wage war on the Akatsuki. Or at the very least gather intel on their group''

    Daichi''s thoughts and calctions were moving faster than ever, going through various possibilities. His eyes were still on the two Root ninjas standing in front of him, oblivious to their fate. ''All the possibilities With the capture of two pawns''

    Daichi thought hard about his next step and he made a choice. A choice he wasn''t going back down from. ''Fuck Danzo. Fuck Obito, fuck Zetsu, Fuck Orochimaru. Fuck all those fucks. If I get the chance to make their lives harder I''m gonna do it. What''s the point of bing strong if I''m just scared and can''t do what I want?''

    Daichi''s rage vanished. Despite the anger he felt he wasn''t going to make such a decision based on emotions. He had a calm neutral face as he looked at the two Root ninja. Having made a decision he exhaled and focused. Time started to flow normal for him and just as he predicted, Daichi saw Sai reaching into pouch to take smoke bombs and holding them between his fingers while his teammate was taking out several kunai.

    Just as they moved, Daichi took out several shuriken from his back pouch. He threw them with greater but precise force at the weapons hurled at him by the enemy. All their actions took ce at the same time. Just as the smoke bomb exploded covering the area, Daichi''s shuriken hit the kunias and changed their directions. They flew back towards the two enemy shinobi with greater speed.

    Tao and Enji had jumped back to a new spot a split second after Tao threw the smoke bomb. But their hidden movements were well within Daichi''s calctions. The two Root ninjas didn''t expect to have Enji''s kunai redirected and Daichi''s shuriken flying at their new location. The two barely defended against the surprise attack but they couldn''t deflect all weapons.

    Daichi followed after the two Root ninjas just as the smoke exploded. It wasn''t harmful so the Genin went straight through the green smoke. Daichi used chakra ''Sense skill'' and knew exactly where they were. He increased his speed and got behind Tao.

    Before the pale skinned ninja knew what was happening he felt several blows on his back. Daichi hit several pressure points and knocked the shinobi unconscious before he even hit the ground.

    Enji turned his head just in time to see Tao''s eyes roll up to his skull and his body falling to the ground. The Root ninja was shocked to see their tactics fail so easily.

    ''I need to kill Tao and make my escape. He can''t fall into enemy hands. Otherwise Lord Danzo will be displeased.''

    Enji gripped his tanto and tensed his leg. Even with keeping hisplete focus on Daichi he still couldn''t follow the Gamer ninja''s movements. Daichi vanished from his sight and the next second he felt a pressure on his neck and then everything went nk for him.

    Daichi looked at the two unconscious root shinobi and sighed. He created a shadow clone and dispelled it, alerting his other two clones. One clone apanying Ryoma and the other hiding in Ryoma''s room.

    -

    With Ryoma''s group: A few minutes before

    The two organizations were arguing the pros and cons of a merger. The discussion had been going on for about an hour. Seeing a stalemate the mediator decided to implement the next step in his ns to bring the two rivalpanies together.

    Ryoma spoke. "From both of your arguments, I can tell that you love your families a great deal. This rivalry started with two family members and I believe we can end it with two as well."

    Tsuyoshi leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. "What are you talking about?"

    His rival Yamamoto was also silently paying close attention to Ryoma.

    The mediator chose his next words carefully so as to not offend anyone. He looked at the head of the Satoru corporation. "You have a daughter. Middle child. Mika Satoru. 24 years of age I believe."

    Ryoma then turned to Yamamoto. "Your youngest son. Yamaha Hideshi. 25 years I believe. I heard that both of them y quite an important role in your organizations. Is that true?"

    Tsuyoshi nodded. Yamamoto Hideshi narrowed his eyes as he looked at the Dealmaker. "What of it?"

    "The best way to solve this conflict and make sure it doesn''t reignite is to remove the rivalry between your two families. What I''m proposing is a marriage between your daughter Mika Satoru and your son Yamaha Hideshi." Ryoma said as he looked at the two presidents. The two advisors and the guards present in the room were shocked when they heard the idea.

    Tsuyoshi mmed a fist into the table. "You can''t be serious. My daughter isn''t somemodity you can use in a business negotiation." Everyone could see the anger on his face.

    "Hmph! While I don''t agree with much of anything Tsuyoshi here says, I''ll agree with him on this much. Yamaha isn''t some bargain chip you can use to leverage me. I''m not gonna force my son into a marriage he doesn''t want to." Yamamoto gave his reply.

    Ryoma had a calm smile and spoke to the two. "I wasn''t implying any such notion. The reason I suggested marriage is so that there is a medium between your two parties. Both of them are simr in age, good looking, intelligent and an integral part of your corporations. They would both have reasons to protect their families and if they were to get married then the two would also be more motivated to work together for their heirs and safeguard their future. Your profits would increase and so will the strength of your organizations."

    Hearing that, the two presidents nced at each other with a stoic expression.

    Seeing them interested, Ryoma continued. "Now aside from that, I''ve seen that in most love and arranged based marriages, both partners end up happy, satisfied and financially blossomed. This is a win-win scenario for all those involved. Right now all I''m asking is for you two to consider this a possibility. Discuss it amongst your family. If you''re not interested, if your children aren''t interested, then we can forget it and move on "

    Tsuyoshi and Yamamoto silently looked at each other, unable to make a decision. Ryoma smiled as the seeds he nted slowly sprouted. He looked at Daichi and the Genin gave a small discreet nod. A minute ago the real Daichi sent information to his clones updating them on the situation.

    The mediator smiled. ''Looks like he captured the enemy. Now I can use him or her to my advantage tomorrow.''

    "I would suggest that we take a break for today. Let''s continue in the morning. I have a feeling we''re going to make a lot of progress tomorrow. I''m excited." Ryoma said with a mysterious grin.

    The people soon exited the meeting room and Daichi walked near his client. Kakashi also joined the two and soon they were in front of Ryoma''srge suite.

    "So Daichi Did it work? Did they take the bait?" Kakashi asked his student.

    "Yup. I have our culprits in custody."

    Kakashi didn''t doubt his student. He knew Daichi would havepleted the task without any problems. ''Time to see who they are.''

    -------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 253: The Betrayer

    Chapter 253: The Betrayer

    March 17th.

    The door to Ryoma''s suite opened and the two adults entered expecting to see the enemy shinobi Daichi captured, tied up and unconscious. Instead they were met with an empty room.

    Ryoma turned to the Genin with a questioning look. "Where is the enemy?"

    Daichi had a sheepish smile as he looked at the client. "Yeah About that. There are two ninjas. But I couldn''t exactly carry them here without attracting attention. They''re safely hidden in the forest along with my real self. The clone that was here dispelled itself after making sure everything was safe."

    Daichi turned to look at his sensei. "I figured you''d know what to do with the prisoners once you interrogated them."

    Ryoma epted that logic and Kakashi too silently nodded along to his student''s reason. "Where are you?"

    "Approximately 450 meters north north west from here. I''ll stay here and make sure nothing happens." Clone Daichi replied.

    The silver haired Jonin nodded and the next second vanished from the room in a swirl of wind and leaves. Daichi turned to his client who was rxing in a chair.

    "Do you think they''ll agree to your idea?" The Genin asked the man.

    "Well see. If we can use the prisoners in the right way we might have a good chance for an alliance." Ryoma replied as he took a sip from his cup.

    Daichi nodded and looked out the window. At that moment the client asked him a question. "How did you find the culprits? Is anyone from within the families involved in this?"

    Daichi turned to look at the man. ''Hiding that person''s involvement won''t do any good for me. Might as well spill the beans on that. But I''ll have to keep the involvement of the Root ninjas a secret.''

    With that Daichi told Ryoma about the saboteur inside the building. The Dealmaker narrowed his eyes as he listened to the events that Daichi saw. ''What would he gain from this? What possible reason could he have to jeopardize this alliance?''

    At that moment his eyes widened as if he recalled something. He quickly got up from his seat and opened the scroll he brought with him. Numerous files and paper appeared in a smoke and Ryoma began to go through them as if he was searching for something specific.

    Daichi, who was watching the man, crossed his arms and sat in a chair. ''Looks like he has an idea as to what this is all about.''

    -

    The sun had set and the sounds of various animals big and small roaming the night could be heard throughout the forest. The real Daichi was leaning against a tree keeping an eye on his surroundings and the two sleeping Root prisoners. It wasn''t long before Kakashi reached the location.

    "Fill me in on everything that happened."

    The Jonin ordered and Daichi gave an ount of his version of events.

    The Jonin nced at the prisoners and then turned to his student. "Daichi, what''s the real reason you didn''t bring these two back to the resort? I know it''s not because you were afraid of being caught."

    The Genin uncrossed his arms and looked at his teacher. ''He saw through that little lie huh. Not unexpected. I already have an excuse prepared just in case...''

    "Because, I think they''re part of the organization Root. I''m not sure though."

    Kakashi''s eyes narrowed and turned to the two ninjas unconscious on the floor. ''Root? Danzo sent them? But why would he?''

    Daichi continued. "I don''t have any proof to back up my ims but if it turns out to be right then that would be proof that shinobi from our own vige were interfering in business matters of the Capital and tried to assassinate a respected member under the Daimyo. It would have caused a huge bacsh. So I didn''t take that chance."

    "What makes you think these two are part of Root?" Kakashi asked.

    "Their chakra. I''m sure the Hokage has already told you this. I''ve fought several Root ninjas before. During my time training under Lady Tsunade. At that time I made a clear note of their chakras. Its properties and how it behaved. Their chakra was cold How do I put this? It''s the way their chakra behaved. It''s almost as if they were suppressing their emotions to the point of being emotionless These guys Their chakra behaves in almost simr ways."

    Kakashi silently listened and nodded. ''His sensory skills are top notch.''

    The Jonin turned to the other shinobi present. ''If he believes these two are Root then chances are he''s right. Still, I need to check''

    The silver haired ninja bent down and opened the mouths of the two. ''If they''re Root then they should have''

    He saw the distinct seal of the Foundation on their tongues. ''Well, that confirms that.'' He stood and turned to his student. "You''re right. They''re Danzo''s men. Lord Hokage is not going to be happy."

    "What should we tell Ryoma?" Daichi asked his teacher.

    "We can''t interrogate these two. They have a seal that prohibits them from divulging any information about their organization and they would definitely have mental defenses in ce to protect against standard interrogation." Kakashi reasoned. He was silent for a few moments and then came up with a n.

    "Daichi, did anyone other than their contact in the building act suspicious during your surveince?"

    The Genin shook his head. "No. It was just that one guy."

    "Right now, our mission is to protect Ryoma. We have to proceed on the assumption that there is only one enemy in the building. We will tell Ryoma that we made a deal with the captured ninjas. Information on their informant in exchange for their freedom. He might be able to use that as leverage or he might not. The oue of the negotiations doesn''t concern us."

    Daichi inwardly disagreed with that. ''Not to you maybe''

    "If there are other dangerous parties after our client we''ll deal with them discreetly. This way weplete the mission and make sure the reputation of the vige isn''t damaged."

    "I like the n but there is one problem. How do we get sensitive information about that guy?"

    The Jonin had an eye smile as he answered that question. "How else? I''m going to interrogate him. Let''s see if we can''t get the info straight from his head. Stay here and keep a lookout. I''ll be back soon." With those words Kakashi vanished in a puff of smoke.

    Daichi sighed. He created and dispelled a shadow clone to update the clone that was with Ryoma of the current situation. ''Guess all I can do now is wait.''

    At that moment the shadow clone keeping Ryomapany also sent Daichi new memories. ''Well, this just got a lot easier. If we can corroborate the information then we can win.''

    Daichi patiently waited in the forest and about an hourter Kakashi returned.

    ''He got past the guards at the resort and interrogated him without anyone knowing? Not surprising. Guess this is what a former Anbu captain is capable of. Those Jonin were never on his level to begin with. And with the Sharingan, pulling the information from his head and making sure he doesn''t remember it will be a piece of cake.'' The gamer ninja thought as he looked at his teacher

    Kakashi told his student what he learned and Daichi told him of the memories received from his clone.

    Now having solid intel worth great value the two ninjas secured the Root shinobi and made sure they stayed hidden and couldn''t escape.

    -

    Ryoma looked at his two shinobi escorts. He listened to every word Kakashi spoke and by the end he had a smile on his face. "While I would have liked to see those two who tried to kill me pay, I suppose the information they shared makes up for it. This will definitely turn the tides my way tomorrow."

    "When are you nning on confronting him?" Daichi asked.

    "Tomorrow at the pavilion. Ohh this is going to be fun." Ryoma chuckled to himself thinking of the chaos he was going to start tomorrow.

    With a n in ce the two Leaf ninjas resumed their guard duties. They stood guard outside the room in shifts and soon morning came.

    March 18th.

    Ryoma had called a gathering of all the family members to therge pavilion. Seeing the mediator still breathing and well, one person among the group was tense and Ryoma picked up on it. He along with Kakashi and Daichi were scrutinizing everyone to make sure there were no other enemies in the crowd. The two ninjas had several folders in their arms.

    "I gathered you all here because I have some interesting information to share." Ryoma stood in front of the group and spoke.

    The two presidents frowned as they didn''t know what the man was up to.

    The dealmaker continued. "There was an attempt on my life yesterday. Someone here wanted to poison and drown me in my bathtub."

    Eyes widened and immediately murmurs began to appear. The two presidents nced at each other while the guards present were on high alert. The person standing to the back was panicking inside but he kept a calm face.

    "Now, thanks to my capable escorts I was unharmed and we were even able to find out who''s responsible. That person is here among us."

    "Are you using us of trying to kill you and sabotage this meeting?" Yamamoto gripped his cane and asked the mediator in a stern tone. The people standing around calmed down and looked at the man in front of them. It was a tense atmosphere.

    But Ryoma had a calm smile as he replied. "Just one of you. Yes. I am."

    "If there was an attempt on your life yesterday then why weren''t we informed? If the goal was to sabotage this meeting then any one of us could have been in danger." Tsuyoshi asked the man with a frown.

    "Because my attacker had information that only someone inside this building could have provided. The truth is I didn''t know who I could trust. But I''m happy to inform you all that I have found the person responsible. You''ll understand once you read the informationpiled in these files."

    The people in the pavilion looked at the rival family in suspicion. At that moment Kakashi and Daichi started distributing their folders to the two presidents, their advisors and their children. They began reading its contents and soon their eyes widened.

    They turned to the two people standing near the back with the Satoru family. Yusuke Satoru, the youngest child of the Satoru family, had wide eyes as he looked at the documents in front of him.

    "This can''t be. There has to be a mistake." Tsuyoshi''s youngest son was in shock.

    Daichi stepped forward and spoke. "There is no mistake. After the attempt on our client I was keeping an eye on everyone present here. During that time, I personally saw him send crucial information to enemies outside the perimeters of this resortst evening. I followed the trail and subdued the enemy shinobi. Sensei and I interrogated them and got the information..."

    Tsuyoshi looked at the mediator and understood that the Leaf ninjas were telling the truth. He had anger as he looked at the mediator. "You sent your guards to spy on my family?"

    "Yes." Ryoma nodded without showing a hint of hesitation.

    Even Yamamoto frowned at that nonchnt reply. "You have no right-"

    "I have every right!" Now anger was present on the man''s face. He looked at all those present and he spoke withmanding presence.

    "Let me make this clear to all of you. I might not be a direct member of the Fire Daimyo''s Royal court but I am a high ranking official under the 3rd Minister. An attack on me is the equivalent of attacking him and his reputation. Do you think that''s something that''s going to be taken lightly? Do you think you have the authority to question me? Especially after what happened?"

    Ryoma''s words poured cold water on everyone present. They now fully realized the gravity of the situation and both families feared the retaliation from the minister. The Satoru family more since it was one of their members thatmitted the act.

    Daichi was impressed with the presence of the man. ''Looks like this guy can be quite intimidating when he wants to be.''

    Yusuke was in disbelief. He turned to the man standing beside him. "No. That can''t be. Tell them Yuta. Tell them they''re wrong about you. That this is some mistake."

    Everyone''s attention was on Yuta Genjira. The spy who infiltrated the Satoru family.

    ---------------

    Author''s Note.

    The revtion that Yuta was the traitor was kinda obvious huh. I''ll try toe up with a better hidden viin in the future. anyway,

    This arc will end soon. I promise. Then we''ll jump straight into Naruto graduation. I mean the right into middle of the whole cluster fuck.(spoiler.)

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 254: A Common Enemy

    Chapter 254: A Common Enemy

    Yuta Genjira looked at Ryoma and the two Leaf ninjas standing near him. Seeing their expression he realized it. ''They know No. They don''t have any proof. Father destroyed all evidence of my survival. I can''t let my ns fall here.''

    Yakumi and Yamaha looked at their father as the drama unfolded on the other side. "Let''s hang back and watch. I have a feeling things are about to get interesting." Yamamoto said as he looked at the mediator and then to Yuta Genjira.

    Ryoma looked at the stunned Yuta and exined. "If you''re wondering what''s in the file, I''ll tell you. It''s information on anotherpany that in a few years could be asrge as Satoru or the Rising Sun corporations. The ''Silver Wood Loggingpany.'' Led by a man named Fujin Ginma. It''s apany that''s beenpeting with the two for several years now and they''ve been gaining ground fast. Have any of you ever wondered how that is?" He asked everyone present in the room.

    The members of the Satoru family were surprised and turned to Yuta in anger.

    "You see, almost 10 years ago Fujin Ginma lost his son in a tragic fire ident. At least that''s what everyone believes. But the interesting thing is his dead son''s facial features are almost simr to yours. After taking a closer look at your picture I realized that you also somewhat resemble Fujin Ginma. Now I find it hard to believe that someone who has facial features simr to Ginma''s dead son is a close confidant of Tsuyoshi''s youngest son. Coincidence?"

    "That''s it? That''s your proof? Of course it''s a coincidence. Yuta! Say something. Tell them that it''s a mistake." Yusuke grabbed and shook his friend.

    Yuta gave a nervous smile and looked at everyone. "Yes! This is all a misunderstanding. What reason would I have to betray my friend? I''m not even part of thepany. And I''m certainly not an enemy."

    Yusuke agreed and looked at Ryoma with anger. "That''s right. He''s been my friend for almost 10 years. He has no reason to do anything that would harm us. You''re mistaken. You have the wrong person. Unless you''re trying to tell us that he became my friend just to sabotage my familypany at just 12 years of age"

    Ryoma chuckled and everyone turned their attention to him. "That''s exactly what I''m saying."

    Tsuyoshi sighed and looked at the mediator. "That sounds a little far-fetched."

    Ryoma nodded his head. "Yes. I agree. If I only had this as my evidence I would have just considered it a big coincidence and ignored it. But my guards had confirmation that it was him who sent the message to the enemy shinobi who wanted to kill me. I believe them a lot more than I do him."

    Yusuke was getting angrier and so was Yuta. "You have no solid proof of your usations. What you have is-"

    "What if there is proof?" Ryoma''s question quieted everyone. "Not of your attempt on my life. I already have proof of that but what if there is proof that you''re Ginma''s son?"

    Yuta clenched his fists and became silent. ''No. There is no way he should know about''

    The mediator continued. "Ginma''s son was in a Fire ident. That was true and there were witnesses that said he had a burn scar in the shape of a star on the right side of his chest. About 4 or 5 inches big. Would you mind removing your shirt for us?"

    Yuta stood still. He had been careful for the past 10 years to never show his scar to anyone.

    "If you''re not going to, then my guards will be forced to do it." The mediator said with a cold edge.

    "No. Stop!" Yuta clenched fists and shook his head. ''I''ve been beaten.''

    "There''s no need. I have a burn scar on my right chest as you said." Yuta admitted with a defeated sigh because he didn''t want to face further humiliation. ''Damn it. To think that years of my nning would fail here of all ces.''

    He looked at his friend and saw how his betrayal hurt Yusuke.

    Yuta was a man who always thought he was smarter than those around him. He was arrogant but smart and cunning. He still remembered the words his father said to him. A conversation took ce almost 10 years ago.

    ''If we can bring them down then ourpany would stand at the peak. We would have wealth and power to control an entire industry. But only you can make this happen. Infiltrate the Satoru corporation and bring them down from within.''

    Yuta looked around and realized that trying to make excuses was pointless. ''I made a reckless mistake. I should have been more careful.''

    "Yuta? Is Is it true?" Yusuke ced a hand on his friend''s shoulder.

    With anger on his face Yuta pped the hand away. The youngest son of Tsuyoshi was heart broken.

    Yuta paid his former friend no mind and turned to the Dealmaker. "How much do you know about me?"

    "Enough to paint a rough picture. Your father faked your death when you were 12. He took advantage of your ident and used it to further his own goals. So almost a year after your death, under a new identity you met young Yusuke and became friends. But that was part of your n all along. Fujin is a very ruthless man. He must have been the one who made you do it huh. Over the years you''ve gained the trust of Yusuke and his family and used private information against them. Disrupting their business on a small scale from the shadows and giving your father''spany the edge."

    Yuta clenched his fists and looked down. ''It''s over. How did he I guess it doesn''t matter anymore I''m so tired of ying this charade anyway''

    Ryoma looked at the man and narrowed his eyes. "Now. I want to hear it from your mouth. You sent those ninjas toe after me to make sure these negotiations ended in failure. Isn''t that right?"

    "Yes."

    That answer was like a physical punch to Yusuke who stumbled back from his friend. "How could you. I trusted you"

    Tsuyoshi was furious as he looked at the young man. He was angry that someone had infiltrated his organization but even more that the person used his son as a pawn.

    Ryoma turned to the silver haired Jonin. "Kakashi. Would you kindly restrain him and take him to an empty room. Make sure he doesn''t go anywhere or does anything stupid."

    Kakashi nodded and did exactly as he was told. As the two left the room Yamamoto stepped forward.

    "Tsuyoshi. It seems you''re not evenpetent enough to sense the enemies near you. How can I form an alliance with you if this is the state of your family?" Yamamoto stepped forward and couldn''t help but take a jab. The two were rivals trying to outdo the other after all.

    "Why you" Tsuyoshi gritted his teeth and was about to argue but Ryoma''s mockingughter stopped him.

    The mediator looked at the head of Rising corporate with a big grin on his face. "You know that''s funny. The same could be said for you."

    Yamamoto narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean?" He asked with a frown on his face.

    "There is an employee in yourpany by the name of Volga isn''t there?"

    Yamamoto slowly nodded his head in silence.

    "Well, it turns out he is also someone Fujin has sent to spy on hispetition. So if you want to talk about ipetence then save a finger to point in the mirror."

    The president was surprised to hear that there was an intruder under his nose as well. ''To think Fujin would be so bold I''ll have to teach him a lesson.''

    "How do you know this information?" Yamamoto''s eldest son asked.

    "I have my ways." Ryoma nced at Daichi and the Genin had a smirk on his face.

    Ryoma stood in the center and gained everyone''s attention. "For thest half decade Fujin has been using his spies to turn you against each other. A number of the conflicts you''ve had with each other They were all set in motion by him. You two got yed. You don''t have to blindly take my word for it. Everything I have ispiled in the folders you''re holding."

    "What are you going to do about Fujin and hispany?" Tsuyoshi asked Ryoma.

    "Lord Taji has beenpiling evidence against him. It''se to light that he''s been involved in some illegal trade and with everything that happened here he''s done for. You leave Fujin to us."

    "So where do we go from here?" Yamaha Hideshi stepped forward and asked the man.

    Ryoma sighed and looked at everyone. "To a better future hopefully. I''m sure you have a lot to discuss amongst yourselves. But do keep this in mind. If you do not change and find another path forward, this will only be the start. There will be many more who wille for you and next time it won''t be me who''ll be in danger."

    The meeting soon ended with the two parties agreeing to meet the next day.

    -

    During that early morning, Ryoma had sent a message to Lord Taji about everything that happened and had arranged for a prisoner transport for Yuta Genjira. A few hours after he was caught two ninjas came from the capital to escort the tied up man.

    Meanwhile Kakashi had also sent a discreet message to the Hokage informing him of the two captured Root ninja. Several hours went by and Kakashi was in the forest waiting for a response from the Kage. It was evening and as leaned against a tree reading his book, he sensed the presence of three people.

    Kakashi looked up and saw 3 ninjas in Leaf Anbu gear. The Jonin had his Sharingan out just in case so he immediately recognized the three. They were ninjas who worked under him during his time in Anbu and he trusted them.

    "Hey Kakashi senpai. Been a long time. Looks like Jonin life suits you."

    The silver haired ninjas covered his Sharingan and chuckled. "It''s good to see you three as well."

    He made a hand seal and released a Genjutsu. Immediately the form of two unconscious root ninjas appeared nearby. "Take these two back to the vige. High priority cargo. I''m sure the Hokage has already briefed you on the situation, yes?"

    "Yeah. They''re under Danzo right? We''re going to take them through the secret channels underneath." One of the Anbu replied.

    Kakashi nodded and the three soon left with their prisoners. The Jonin just stood still and let out a long tired breath of air. ''I wonder how Danzo is going to react when he finds out about this? I have a feeling things are going to get hectic once we return to the vige.''

    -

    That night: Leaf vige - Root Base.

    A meeting was taking ce between the second inmand of the Root and Fu. Fu Yamanaka was giving his report on the teams under him and soon two names came up.

    "So Tao and Enji hadn''t reported back yet?" The unknown ninja asked.

    "No sir. They were supposed to return yesterday but there hasn''t been any word. Tao hasn''t notified us of any changes or updates in their mission as well."

    The maskedmander was silent as he looked at the blonde ninja. "Who are the ones in charge of the mission they were set to sabotage?"

    "Hmm If I recall correctly then it''s Kakashi Hatake and Daichi Hekima."

    "Those two are skilled. Especially Kakashi. He was a former Anbu captain Tao and Enji might have been captured."

    "Tao has been trained to escape capture. His aerial ability gives him an advantage in escaping."

    "Still We need to be careful. Send word to the others to be on alert. If those two are captured it will bring trouble for everyone. If they are indeed caught, then you have permission to eliminate them. The secrets of the Root cannot fall into anyone''s hands."

    "Yes sir." Fu vanished leaving his superior to adjust his ns.

    -

    The negotiations between the two parties resumed the next day early in the morning. As Daichi stood guard several feet behind Ryoma his mind wandered to what his ssmates were doing. Specifically Naruto. Daichi had been waiting for this day since the moment he woke up in this world.

    ''This is the day. I wonder if Naruto would paint Hokage Monument like in canon or if there would be any changes I''ll find out when I get back.''

    -----------------

    Author''s Note:

    Everyone has been waiting for this for a year and a half. It''s beginning. The start of canon.

    Next chapter: Prankster of the Hidden Leaf

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 255: The Prankster of the Leaf

    Chapter 255: The Prankster of the Leaf

    March 19th. Hidden Leaf Vige.

    At the crack of dawn a blonde academy student left his apartment with severalrge cans of paint in his hands. He was slowly and stealthily making his way towards the Hokage Monument and it wasn''t long before he reached his intended destination.

    ''Phew. No one has seen me so far.'' The student was none other than Naruto Uzumaki. He looked at the four faces carved into the mountain and a mischievous grin appeared on his face.

    ''Time for onest big prank before I be an awesome ninja Hm This is gonna take a lot of time. I''ll probably bete for ss Oh well. Tomorrow is the real exam and it''s only revision day today. I''m sure Iruka sensei won''t mind.''

    Convincing himself that Iruka won''te after him, Naruto got to work. With the tree climbing skill it was easy for him to quickly scale the mountain while holding on to several cans. Once he reached the top, he put his cans down and opened them. Each one was filled with a different paint.

    Naruto looked at the four Hokages and grinned. "Time to give you all a makeover."

    Academy.

    Iruka was taking attendance and noticed that one student was missing. He groaned as he realized who it was. "For the love of Where is Naruto?" He asked, looking at Shikamaru and Kiba.

    They looked at each other and shrugged their shoulders. The academy instructor groaned and got up from his seat. "I''ll be back. Make sure you all behave." With those words Iruka left the room.

    "Argh. Where the heck is Naruto? Did he oversleep or something?" Ino asked with slight frustration in her voice. "I wanna get this day over with."

    "I''m sure that idiot just forgot about today and is still probably in bed. We did get a two week break after all." Sakura said nonchntly. She looked at Sasuke who was sitting at the other end of her bench and blushed. "H-hey Sasuke. Did you study for the exams? Good luck tomorrow. I bet you''re going to be rookie of the year."

    The Uchiha only nced at the blushing pink haired girl in silence.

    ''CHAA! Come on Sasuke. At least respond. I just gave you apliment.'' Inner Sakura shouted in her mind.

    Sasuke looked at her with a silent serious gaze that made the girl nervous and then he turned his attention back to the view outside the ss. ''What''s the point of that title? It''s meaningless. Especially now that he''s not here''

    Seeing her crush dismiss her, Sakura hung her head down and sighed. Ino who was sitting beside her just patted her back. ''While Sasuke is cool and strong, he''s not as cool as Daichi But I think it''s better I don''t say that right now.''

    "So (munch) Um where do you guys (munch) think Naruto is?" Choji asked in between eating his chips.

    "He''s probably asleep. Or he''s out doing something dumb. I''m pretty sure it''s one of those." Kiba replied.

    "Arf arf." "See. Akamaru agrees."

    Hinata who was silently sitting near Kiba sighed. ''Naruto? Where are you?''

    -

    "NARUTO! ARE YOU IN THERE? OPEN UP!" Iruka was standing in front of Naruto''s apartment and banged on the door several times. He became frustrated and used his sensory skills.

    ''He''s not here? Where the hell is this kid?''

    The academy instructor sighed and jumped to the street. At that time he saw several people pointing in the direction of the Hokage Monument. Their expressions were of disbelief and anger. Iruka turned around to see what themotion was about and in moments his eyes widened like dinner tes at what he witnessed. "No. He didn''t"

    The four faces on the Hokage mountain, the pride of the Leaf vige, were vandalized.

    Naruto was standing on a nearby building admiring his work. ''Man I am the best.''

    The First Hokage had a big red nose and two green swirls painted on his cheeks.

    The Second Hokage had white paint running down from the corner of his eyes and from one side of his nose, making it look like he was crying and had tears and snot running down his face.

    Naruto painted a monocle, a handlebar mustache and red blimp lips onto the Third Hokage''s face. It added aic touch to the stern and dignified features of the current kage.

    On the Fourth, the mischievous prankster paintedical eyshes around the eyes. He drew poop on the right cheek with brown paint and a red X mark on the left cheek.

    "Hahahaha! Oh man, they look hrious." The blonde academy studentughed out loud to himself.

    "You brat! Do you have any idea what you just did?"

    Naruto turned to the direction of the shouting and saw two ninjas running towards. "Time to get out here. But first..."

    The boy made a hand seal and immediately a small firework flew up into the sky exploding into different colors. ''It''s a good thing I saved some of these from the Rinne festival.''

    With a big grin on Naruto''s face he jumped from his spot and took off. "Haha! Catch me if you can. I''m gonna be the best ninja there is. Believe it!"

    Hiruzen was on a nearby balcony looking at the scene with a tired sigh. ''Oh Naruto. It''s clear that these pranks are an expression of your frustration with the vigers and your way to rebel against the vige thatrgely ostracizes you But I thought you had outgrown these childish tantrums If Tobirama sensei sees this and catches you, you''re done for.'' He let out a puff of smoky air, shook his head at the boy''s antics and went back inside.

    "Come back here you damned brat."

    "You''re gonna have to move faster than that, losers." Naruto saw a junction up ahead and immediately made several hand seals. Three perfect clones popped into existence running beside him. The four Narutos each took a separate path and the two ninjas following him were momentarily confused and followed after the two closest to them.

    After everyone was gone a trash can near the corner was suddenly covered in smoke and Naruto stood in its spot. "Ha! You can''t catch me. Those suckers. Getting rid of them was easier than I thought."

    "Oh yeah! You think so huh?!"

    "GHAAA!"

    Iruka''s sudden voice startled the boy so much he stumbled forward and fell onto his face.

    "Oww.. " Naruto slowly picked himself off the ground and rubbed his face. He turned around to look at his teacher. "What the? When did you get here Iruka sensei?"

    The academy instructor had a tick mark on his forehead. "The better question is WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE?"

    -

    ssroom.

    Naruto was struggling against the rope bindings Iruka had him in.

    "I''m so tired of this. My patience has a limit, Naruto. Today is revision day. You failed the graduation test two times already. So you''re the one who needs it the most. Tomorrow is yourst chance. But instead of studying and improving your techniques you''re out there pulling pranks and wasting everyone''s time."

    Naruto sat there with a bored look on his face as if everything Iruka just said went in one ear and out the other. He looked at the academy instructor and blew raspberries at the man.

    Iruka had veins popping up on his forehead at the disrespect shown. "You little That''s it." He turned to the rest of the ss.

    "Since Naruto missed the ss with his foolish stunt, all of you are going to review the clone jutsu."

    "Ohe on Iruka sensei" Tired groans were all around the room.

    One by the students performed the technique and created two identical clones. Finally it was Naruto''s turn. When Naruto walked in front of the ss, Kiba leaned to Shikamaru. "100 Ryo says he''s gonna do something stupid." The Inuzuka nin said in a low voice.

    "That''s a sucker''s bet." Shikamaru said standing back with his arms crossed.

    "Alright Naruto, perform the clone jutsu."

    The blonde student grinned and made a seal. "Transform." The next second a sexy naked female version was standing in his spot and the Irukapletely lost his cool. "Gha!"

    "Ha! Take that sensei. How do you like my sexy jutsu?" Naruto grinned as he looked at his teacher.

    "CUT THE STUPID TRICKS YOU BRAT!"

    -

    Few hourster.

    "Alright everyone. Don''t bete for tomorrow''s exam. Dismissed." Iruka said to his students.

    With the ss over, Naruto was about to sneak away when he sensed his sensei standing behind him. "Where do you think you''re going?"

    "Umm Home?"

    "Not until you clean everyst drop of paint from that Monument."

    Hearing the verdict, Naruto''s shoulders slumped.

    "Hey Naruto, need any help?" Kiba asked with Choji standing near him munching some chips.

    The blonde''s eyes widened and he smiled but Iruka put a damper on his happiness.

    "No. You two go home. This is Naruto''s mess to clean up." The academy instructor turned to the prankster. "You need to learn to take responsibility for your actions. Nowe on."

    "Yeah yeah Thanks for the offer guys but I got this." Naruto replied to his friends. Iruka''s words did have an impact on him. Coupled that with his pride, he waves his friends off before making his way to the monument.

    The two made their way to the mountain and Naruto started cleaning up the mess he made. Several hours went by with him washing and scrubbing the paint off the rocky faces. Even though he was working hard at cleaning the mountain, his mind was somewhere else.

    ''Tomorrow I''ll pass the graduation exam and finally be a ninja. Then I''ll be one step closer to my goal of bing Hokage But for that''

    Daichi''s image appeared in Naruto''s mind. ''I wonder what he''s doing right now? I bet he''s going on some awesome missions and stuff Oh man, I can''t wait.''

    "Stop daydreaming and get to work. You''re not leaving here till you clean up every inch of this ce." Iruka said from atop the face.

    "I got it, I got it. It''s not like I have anyone waiting for me at home." The blonde kid mumbled thest part but the chunin instructor heard it. His face softened as he looked at the boy. Several seconds of silenceter he spoke in a gentler tone.

    "Hey Naruto, once you finish up here, I''ll take you to some ramen. You can order anything you want." The man said with a grin looking at his student.

    Naruto had a wide smile when he heard that. "Awesome. I''ll clean this up in no time. Believe it!"

    -

    Anbu Headquarters. Top Secret Division. Night time.

    Hiruzen looked at the two ninjas restrained in their cell. Tao and Enji were tied up and unconscious in a chair. The room they were in had several seals that prevented them from escaping.

    "Have you been able to break the seal yet?" The kage asked the Anbu shinobi near him.

    "Forgive me Lord Hokage but I''ve not. These seals are designed in such a way that any attempt to remove it by force will result in the wearer''s death. But that was by design. These were created to protect the mind and keep any enemy ninjas from obtaining any secrets."

    "During the Second and Third world wars these kinds of seals were necessary. They kept critical information under wraps. But now They''ve be a hindrance. I need those two alive with those seals removed as soon as possible."

    "Since this seal connects to the brain and the mind, I suppose it will take time to get the information out of their heads, even with a Yamanaka." The Anbu replied.

    "Has there been any suspicious movements in the Anbu?" Hiruzen asked.

    "No sir. We kept everything quiet and went by as routine. Since protocols for this section are extremely strict no one knows about these two other than the few you assigned."

    "Keep it that way. Danzo will know somethings wrong soon if he hasn''t already. Be prepared." Hiruzen left the chamber and made his way to his office.

    He looked out the window and saw that the Hokage Monument was cleaned. ''Assigning Iruka to Naruto was an excellent idea. Now with his skills and training, Naruto is sure to pass tomorrow. Hm Should I tell him about the Nine tails? No That information could have great changes in his life. I''ll tell him the truth when he matures a bit more and reaches Chunin.''

    With a decision made the Hokage soonpleted his paperwork for the day and went home.

    -----------------

    Author''s Note.

    It''s begun. I wrote part of the first episode of Naruto with adding my own little twists to it but it still feels like I copy pasted it. What are your thoughts

    I didn''t write the Iruka and Naruto - Ichiraku ramen scene for obvious reasons. They have a simr conversation to the anime and I felt that it was unneeded to add it here with small differences.

    Anyway, This is just the first episode of canon. I''ll make sure not to copy paste the anime into chapters. That would be boring and pointless. When Daichi gets back home, things are gonna be hectic

    Now, your thoughts and opinions. I value them a great deal. If you feel that there is room where I could have improved this chap,ment below

    Now for those of you looking for the stats of the people of the ninja world, I''ve posted a link in the thought area.

    It''s an excel sheet that shows a rough stat estimate.

    Strength and agility will be simr for standard ninjas. But for some it many change with one stat being high and other being low. When ites to Intelligence, most Jonin and Anbu have 90 to 110 intelligence. Shikamaru now has 70+ but it will grow and go above 110 with battle and life experience. Someone like Shikaku would have 150 or 200 INT

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 256: Graduation Day Debacle: Prelude

    Chapter 256: Graduation Day Debacle: Prelude

    March 20.

    It was early morning and the Chunin Kirai was home getting ready for his work shift at the Leaf Correctional Facility. ''Today is graduation day. This is it''

    As he put on his Chunin vest, Kirai thought about the n he and Mizuki came up with and went over everything one more time in his head. ''I made sure there would be minimal guards today. Only 3 others besides me will be stationed and they''re all new Chunin recruits. So there won''t be much resistance. Once the graduation exam is over Mizuki is going toe over in disguise and I''ll have to y the role of the hostage. Force them to release Zefrek.''

    Kirai frowned at the thought of releasing that man from prison. ''He''s a dangerous criminal with near Jonin level skills Will he hurt anyone else?... No. Mizuki gave me his word that he will control Zefrek. I trust him Zefrek will kill that damn monster fox and at that time I''ll take him down''

    The prison guard stood still and took in a deep breath of air. ''I''m doing the right thing aren''t I?''

    He turned to look at the photo of his deceased wife and child and his hands clenched. His mind reyed the stunt Naruto pulled yesterday on the Hokage Monument and it made him angry. The small shred of hesitation he had in his heart was gone.

    "Yes. This is right." He said as if to reassure himself. He took the photo of his family and held it close. "After tonight the vige will be safe. I''ll make sure of it."

    He made his choice and soon Kirai was on his way to the Leaf prison. The guard smiled at his colleagues and went about his day as if everything was normal and waited for Mizuki.

    ''It will all be over soon.''

    -

    In another part of the Leaf vige an academy instructor was packing everything valuable he had into a storage scroll. Mizuki had been preparing for this day for quite some time. He had been training his body to be ready for what it was going to endureter today.

    The Chunin instructor thought about what he was going to do and the conversation he had with his fiance a few days ago.

    shback.

    "Mizuki. Please stop. This isn''t right." A young woman with dark eyes and long ck spoke.

    "Tsubaki. You don''t understand. That brat is a danger to everyone and the Hokage letting that fox brat do whatever he wants. It won''t be long before another disaster strikes. Come with me. With Orochimaru we''ll be safe and we''ll be a lot more powerful." Mizuki said, trying to convince her.

    "No Mizuki. I won''te and you shouldn''t go either. Orochimaru is not a good man. He only cares about himself. And if the vige finds out that you''ve made contact with him-"

    "They won''t find out. Unless you tell them Will you?" Mizuki''s tone took a darker edge that scared Tsubaki. She had tears falling down her cheeks and remained silent.

    Mizuki looked at the crying woman and his face slightly softened. "Please Tsubaki. We''ll have a great future. But it won''t be in the Leaf vige. Will youe with me?" He asked in a softer tone. He held his hand out for her to take hold but Tsubaki shook her head.

    "I love you Mizuki but I''m noting with you. I can''t leave the vige It''s my home. Please don''t go. Whatever it is you''ve nned Don''t do it We can be happy here"

    He dropped his hand and Mizuki''s face turned cold as he looked at his fiance. "I won''t be happy. Not as long as that monster is still alive. It seems This is where we part ways"

    "Mizuki Don''t" She was about to step forward but Mizuki stopped her.

    "Do me this favor Tsubaki. Don''t tell anyone about our conversation. Keep it a secret or you''ll be in trouble too"

    With those words he vanished from her house.

    shback End.

    "Tch!" Mizuki scoffed to himself as he thought about his fiance. ''She''s too weak. If this is her mentality then it''s best I leave her here. She''ll only hold me back.''

    After packing every essentials and valuables, he went into another room. He kneeled and pried opened a few floor boards. It was a secret storage space he created to stash the items he recently acquired. There were several pouches and a few vials. He took another small scroll and quickly stored everything inside it.

    ''The easiest way to obtain them would have been to raid the Nara Researchb in the mountains but it would have alerted everyone to me. It would have been a risky move. Yes. It was a better choice for me to get these through the ck market. It took some time and cost me a lot but this was the safer way. Lord Orochimaru''s contact really came through for me.''

    Mizuki held the scroll and looked at it with greed. ''This will give me great power. With this I''ll be able to ovee anything.''

    After making sure everything was ready he left his home and made his way to the academy. He had a polite kind appearance but there was a deep sinister evil lurking underneath that mask.

    ''Just you wait Naruto. You have no idea what''s in store for you today.''

    -

    Hokage''s Office.

    The Third Hokage was behind his desk going through several documents his Anbu had sent. His attention was on one in particr. It was the rough blueprint of a building.

    ''So this was what Deer got from his contact huh. It was an excellent strategy to shift his investigations from Kabuto to Orochimaru''s movementsst year. Now he has a spy inside Orochimaru''s organization. This is certainly valuable information.''

    At that moment there was a knock on the door.

    "Come in."

    At the Hokage''s orders the door opened and two ninjas walked in. They bowed and stood straight in front of their leader.

    One ninja had spiky short ck hair and had his eyes obscured by dark sses. He was wearing a high cored outfit and was carrying a gourd on his back. He stood still as he looked at the leader of the Lead vige.

    The other ninja had long brown hair over which he wore a bandanna styled forehead protector. The most noticeable feature was his pure white eyes.

    "You called for us, Lord Hokage?"

    "Yes. Iroha Hyuga. Takamo Aburame. I have a mission for you two." Hiruzen said and he gave the two the blueprints of a building. "That is the rough sketch of a building I need you two to locate. It''s situated somewhere in the South East part of Fire country."

    Iroha looked through the documents and spoke. "Lord Hokage. This is a 5 story building. But if I''m understanding these blueprints right, then this whole building is underground."

    Hiruzen nodded. "Yes. The entire structure is subterranean. And there would also be defensive measures put in ce. So it won''t be easy to find."

    "Lord Hokage, who''s building is this?" At Takamo''s question Hiruzen became silent for a couple seconds and then answered.

    "Orochimaru."

    The eyes of the two shinobi widened as they heard that name. Hiruzen continued. "I have reason to believe that this is one of Orochimaru''s bases of operations. I managed to cultivate a spy in his organization and this is what I got. I understand that this is limited information but you two are quite capable in tracking operations. I need you to find this base."

    "If Orochimaru is involved, shouldn''t we bring more manpower? If we''re going to fight him -"

    "No." Hiruzen shook his head to Takamo''s request. "This should be a stealth mission. You need to make sure to keep your presence to the absolute minimum. He cannot know that he''s being tracked. I have a muchrger operation in mind to take him down but for that to be sessful I need every information I can get on his current resources."

    "Yes sir."

    Hiruzen gave the two ninjas a few more documents containing information on his former student. "Memorize theyout and structure of the building. Your mission is to locate it and if possible determine the number of guards and defensive measures that are in ce. Based on the intel I received, it''s built in the South East region of this country."

    "Understood sir. We''ll send a report through the secure channel once we have something." Iroha nodded and spoke.

    Takamo looked at the papers and slightly narrowed his eyes. "He sure is bold to create a base in Fire country. Especially after everything he did and knowing we''re looking for him."

    Hiruzen leaned back in his chair and nodded. "The best way to go undetected from your enemies is to hide in in sight near them. I have no doubt that my traitorous student has taken this philosophy to heart."

    The kage looked at the two ninjas. "If for any reason you''re discovered by ore across my wayward student, retreat."

    "Yes sir. We''ll be careful." Iroha and Takamo nodded. They knew how powerful and dangerous Orochimaru was and they knew if a battle broke out, the chances of their survival was slim at best.

    "Dismissed." At the Hokage''s orders the two vanished from the room. He sighed and stood from his chair. He walked to the nearby window and looked at the faces on the mountain.

    ''It''s almost time for the exams to start. The current graduation ss is one of the most important ones this vige has had in a while. All the future heirs to the major ns are participating I hope these exams go smoothly.''

    The old kage sat back down and took out his crystal ball. Within a few moments the image of Iruka and Mizuki appeared. The images soon shifted to Naruto.

    ''He''se a long way. Now with his training I''m sure he''ll pass the exams. But will he and the other two pass Tenzo''s test? I''ll have to wait and see for that Good luck my boy.''

    -

    Ninja Academy.

    Everyone taking the graduation exam came early and was already seated in ss.

    "I''m surprised you showed up on time, Naruto." Shikamaru said, looking at the blonde sitting on the other bench.

    "Of course I did. I''ve been waiting for this moment for so long. There''s no way I was going to miss it." Naruto said with a big grin.

    "I thought you''d want to make some dramatic entrance at thest moment." Kiba said, chuckling.

    Naruto sheepishly chuckled hearing that. "I thought about it but Iruka sensei took me to ramenst night so I figured I should give him a break today."

    "Um G-good luck on your exams. N-Naruto." Hinata said in a small voice as she looked at her crush.

    "Oh thanks Hinata. I''ve been training real hard. I''m gonna show who''s the best." The blonde boy turned his attention to the person sitting on the opposite side of his bench near the window of the ss. "You hear that Sasuke. You''re going down. I''ll be taking your spot and be number one."

    Sasuke looked at Naruto and scoffed. He shook his head and turned his attention back to the calm environment outside.

    Naruto had a tick mark as he was ignored. "Why that bastard" Before he could go near his rival and cause amotion, Sakura grabbed his cor and shoved him in his seat.

    "Sit down Naruto and don''t disturb Sasuke." She said as she gave Naruto''s head a few Karate chops.

    "Aww but Sakura"

    "No buts. Now sit down and be quiet."

    "I have to agree with Naruto on one thing. I can''t wait to be a ninja too. I''ll be able to team up with Daichi on missions. We''ll get close. Go on some romantic adventures" Ino sat in her seat and daydreamed about her future.

    "I heard (munch) he''s part of some special 2 person squad (munch). You think it would be like that for us?" Choji asked his best friend.

    Shikamaru shook his head. "No. He''s a special case. I haven''t heard of any other teams like that. All the new Genin teams are usually three Genins and one Jonin. That''s the format."

    Everyone nearby was paying attention to Shikamaru. He continued. "Daichi is leagues ahead of us. The Hokage and teachers know that. It would have only slowed him down or made the team inefficient if he was put with Genins with ordinary talent. I think that''s why the Hokage made an exception for him. At least that''s what I think."

    "Hmm I wonder if I can convince the old man to make me part of a two person team?" Naruto thought aloud to himself.

    "Haven''t you been listening, Naruto? Daichi''s is one of the best toe out of this academy in a long time. He''s a Genius. You on the other hand failed the graduation exam twice. You really think they''re going to give you an apprenticeship?" Kiba spoke up

    "Hey!" The blonde boy stood up and looked at the Inuzuka indignantly.

    "I''m sorry Naruto but it''s the fact. It''s gonna be the same for all of us. I''m sure even Sasuke will be part of a standard four man Genin team."

    Before anyone could say anything else Iruka and Mizuki entered the room. As soon as they got in all the students quieted down. Looking at all the students, Iruka stepped forward and spoke.

    "Alright ss. This is what all of you have been preparing for since you entered the academy. Do your best. Your graduation exams start now."

    -------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 257: Rookie 9: Graduation Exam 01

    Chapter 257: Rookie 9: Graduation Exam 01

    The graduation exam for Naruto and his ss has begun. Mizuki sat behind the table in the front while Iruka took several sheets of paper and distributed it among the students. He stood in front of the ss and spoke.

    "The first part is a written exam. You have 2 hours. You are only allowed to hand in your paper at the end of the exam. So even if you finish early it won''t make any difference. Do your best to score as much as you can. Begin."

    Most of the students immediately went through the questions on the paper. Shikamaru was one of the few that took their time carefully reading all the questions.

    The Nara had a calm face as he sat up and browsed the problems written down on the paper. ''Mom will be mad if I just go about this exam as usual. Guess I need to put some more effort into this. What a drag.''

    Nearby Kiba had a grin as he looked at his paper. "Alright Akamaru, wish me luck." "Arf." With encouragement from his partner Kiba began answering the questions.

    Sakura quickly looked through all the problems and smiled as she reached thest question. ''These questions are designed to test our knowledge on theory and critical thinking and problem solving. Still this is going to be so easy.''

    She was about to start writing when she noticed Naruto sitting right next to her looking pale as he stared at the paper in front of him. She knew he was panicking right now.

    Naruto gripped his head with both hands as he looked at the difficult questions. ''Oh man. This is so tough. I really hate this part of the exam. What do I do if I can''t answer?''

    "Naruto."

    As the blonde boy was screaming in his mind he heard his name called in a small soft tone. He turned to the side and saw Sakura giving him a small smile.

    "You need to calm down. Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths." Sakura said in a small voice as to not attract any attention.

    Naruto looked at her smile and he quickly calmed down. He nodded and smiled as he looked at her. "Thanks Sakura."

    "You''ve studied hard for this exam. You can do this. Good luck." Giving her friend a small nod the pink haired girl turned her attention back to the papers in front of her.

    Naruto smiled and did as he was told. He closed his eyes and took several slow deep breaths. ''She''s right. I got this. Just remember everything I studied. I can do this. I will pass this exam and be a ninja. One day I''m gonna be the Hokage of the vige. I can''t fail here.''

    Opening his eyes Naruto gazed at his exam papers with a renewed determination. He carefully read the questions and began to write down what he knew.

    Iruka had been watching the interaction between the two from the corner of his eyes. He inwardly smiled as Naruto confidently began to write the answers.

    But it wasn''t just Iruka that saw this interaction. Mizuki was also paying attention to Naruto and when he saw Sakura encouraging the boy he became furious. He clenched his fists underneath the table. For a second his face turned furious but he quickly controlled himself. But what Mizuki didn''t know is that his split second reaction was caught by Hinata who became even more cautious and wary of the white haired Chunin teacher. She quickly turned her head down and wrote the answers on a paper to avoid any attention from Mizuki.

    And so the first part of the Graduation exam had begun.

    -

    Two hours had passed and Iruka collected all the paper and handed them to Daikoku Funeno. He was the teacher grading the paper of the graduating students while Iruka and Mizuki continued on with the other tests.

    The students were taken out to the field and the weapons uracy test was next on the exam. Each student had 20 kunai and 20 shuriken. Some of the wooden targets were in the usual round shape but there were also targets that looked like humans with red circles marked on the critical areas. Some targets had red circles at the center and some had green. Two had a ck circles painted in the center.

    Iruka exined the rules. "You have 40 weapons and 40 targets. You get 1 point if you hit the center of a green target. 0.5 points if you just hit the wooden board with green targets. 0 points if you miss. Then for the red target, if you hit the center you''ll get 1.5 points. 1 point if you hit the board and 0 for a miss. The two targets painted ck are positioned in your blind spots. Hitting them in the dead center will get you 2 points and hitting the board will get you 1.5 points. Is everyone clear?"

    All the students nodded and Iruka continued.

    "There will be a timer. Your points will increase based on the time in which youplete this test. A perfect score is 2 points per board. But that will require perfect aim and speed. You need at least 25 points to pass."

    Sasuke looked at the field and observed the position of all the targets. ''The targets with green color painted on are in in view and they''re the easiest to get. But the red ones are partially concealed and the two ck ones are fully concealed, ced behind a boulder and a tree. The distance is also different and there is a time limit I see They also want us to use the correct weapon for the right target huh Time to cut loose. This test is going to be interesting.''

    Shikamaru nced at some of the members in the ss and sighed. ''Sasuke, Naruto, Hibachi, Kiba They all look really eager to get started''

    He looked at the target course and his eyes narrowed. He brought his hands together as he thought about the test.

    ''Time is limited and based on the way some of the targets are positioned they expect us to hit it while we''re moving fast. Moreover, a few of them are ced at an angle so if we don''t throw with the right technique and use the right force we might miss. We also need to make a choice between using shuriken or kunai on the targets. To get the best score we''ll have to hit them as we''re running, so determining which of the two weapons we should use is also part of the test. If the weapon we throw hits the target but doesn''t stick and bounces off, it will count as 0 points This won''t be easy.''

    Iruka walked forward and called out the name of the first person toplete the Weapons uracy Test. "Sasuke Uchiha. Step forward."

    The young Uchiha grabbed the pouch and made sure all the weapons were inside. He quickly got to the starting line and the instant Iruka started the time he rushed from his spot.

    Sasuke expertly threw several shurikens and kunai at every target that was in his path and they all hit bullseye. ''This is nothingpared to my fights with Daichi. I''ve gotten far better with my shuriken skills and my speed has increased thanks to my spars with him.''

    Sasuke was moving faster than even Iruka and Mizuki anticipated and they were shocked at the skills that were disyed.

    ''He truly is a genius. Just like Daichi.'' Iruka had a smile as he saw the academy student urately hitting thest target and reaching the finish line.

    The students were also shocked at the sight. After Daichi left they had never seen Sasuke go all out so this was a shock for them.

    "Well, there goes my n to take first spot." Kiba said with wide eyes and slumped shoulders.

    "It is a logical oue. He has been training every chance he gets." Shino said as he looked at the Uchiha.

    Choji, who was near them, agreed. "Just like Daichi. Looks like he''s going to be the Rookie of the year for sure"

    "Wow That''s incredible Sasuke." Sakura said with a big smile as the Uchiha came near. He ignored her and leaned back against the wall as he looked at the instructors recording his hits and grading him.

    Naruto standing nearby frowned and clenched his fist. "I''m gonna go even faster and beat you." He was about to walk over to the starting line but was stopped by a hand on his shoulder. He turned around and saw that it was Shikamaru.

    "Shikamaru? What are you doing? I''m gonna take the test next."

    "Naruto. Don''t let Sasuke distract you." The Nara said with a serious tone.

    Naruto was confused as he looked at the serious gaze of his friend. "What are you-"

    "This is a weapons uracy test. Not a race. If you run fast trying to beat his time and miss all the shuriken targets, you''ll get a zero. Time is a secondary factor. The most important thing is to hit the wooden targets with uracy. Do you understand?"

    Naruto''s eyes widened as he remembered Iruka''s instructions. He looked at Sasuke who just gave him a condescending smirk. The blonde boy became angry but he closed his eyes and controlled himself. ''Shikamaru is right. I can''t make any stupid mistakes and fail. This exam is myst chance.''

    Naruto stood back as Iruka and Mizuki were back calling the results. "Sasuke Uchiha. 80 points. A perfect score. Next up, Ino Yamanaka."

    "Wish me luck guys." Ino was a little nervous but she psyched herself up and confidently walked to the starting line.

    The uracy test exam continued for about an hour. After all the studentspleted their run the results were published.

    The results of the future Rookies were such

    Sasuke Uchiha. - 80

    Ino Yamanaka - 65.5

    Naruto Uzumaki - 41

    Shikamaru Nara - 62

    Sakura Haruno - 63

    Hinata Hyuga - 68.5

    Kiba Inuzuka - 70.5

    Shino Aburame - 66

    Choji Akimichi - 61.5

    Many others in the ss had points ranging from 30 to 55. But Iruka was most surprised by Naruto''s performance. ''I thought he would only barely pass. But it seems he''s ahead of a few others. Looks like all his training has paid off. I''m d Naruto.''

    The Chunin instructor nced at the ones with the highest points. ''All of them scored high points with Kibaing in second. They''ve all trained hard, otherwise they couldn''t have gotten such high points.''

    Mizuki kept a smiling, kind face as he collected the weapons from all the students. ''I made the right choice changing my original ns. It looks like this brat will definitely pass the exam.''

    The future rookies minus Sasuke were all standing in a group. They were d to havepleted this part of the exam.

    "Oh man. I only got 41 points. I thought for sure it would be more." Naruto sulked as he looked at his score.

    "Cheer up Naruto. You did better than some of the others in ss." Choji said as opened a snack. "Here. Have some chips."

    The blonde boy reluctantly took a chip and chowed down.

    "I was half expecting you to just pass by the skin of your teeth. But you got 41 points. So cheer up you dolt." Ino said as she and Sakura giggled looking at Sasuke.

    "I guess. It was really tough. But I remembered what Daichi taught me during trainingst month and just went with it." Naruto said offhandedly but Ino''s attention was instantly on Naruto.

    "Wait, you''ve been training with Daichist month?"

    "Err Yeah! He came to me one weekend and asked if I wanted to train with him. We went into the back hills and trained for a while. He taught me a few moves and I trained them."

    "How could you not tell me? I mean us. How could you not tell us?" Ino started shaking the boy.

    Shikamaru and Kiba had an idea as to what Naruto''s answer might be and they silently motioned for Naruto to stop talking before he dug his own grave.

    "I guess I kinda forgot. Oops." Naruto sheepishly chuckled and a vein throbbed on Ino''s forehead as she saw Naruto''s expression.

    Shikamaru just groaned in exasperation while Kiba facepalmed at the dumb answer the blonde boy just gave.

    Ino had a smile that sent shivers up Naruto''s spine. "Why you" But before she could do anything Sakura and Hinata quickly pulled her away.

    "You really don''t know when to stop talking, do you Naruto?" Shikamaru asked, letting out a tired sigh.

    The boy grinned as he rubbed the back of his head. "It''s a gift."

    The Nara boy looked at his friend with a deadpan expression. "It really isn''t."

    As they were talking Iruka stepped in front of everyone and spoke about the next part of their exam.

    "Now, we''ll begin with your Taijutsu evaluation."

    ------------

    Author''s Note.

    I''ll show Daichi''s missionpletion and return along with thepletion of the graduation exam in the next few chapter Well, I''ll try my best anyway. I''d love to hear your thoughts in the character interaction thus far.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 258: Rookie 9: Graduation Exam 02

    Chapter 258: Rookie 9: Graduation Exam 02

    Iruka stepped forward and gazed at the faces of all his students and exined the rules of the Taijutsu portion of the exam.

    "Listen up. I''ve ranked all 27 of you ording to your performance in the physical tests conducted thisst academic year. We''ve taken aprehensive assessment of yourbat skills, Taijutsu techniques, agility, strength and endurance. Now this rank isn''t a permanent one. It''s to give each and everyone of you an idea as to where you stand amongst your peers."

    Iruka then nodded to his fellow teacher and Mizuki gave each student a paper with the list of the 27 students ranked from first tost. Sasuke was the first on the list and all of the rookie nine were ranked below 15 with Narutoing in the 14th spot.

    The blonde boy smiled as he looked at the number. ''All my training in the woods helped. I''m 14th.'' His eyes then drifted to the top of the page and his smile dimmed. ''I need to beat him.''

    After everyone got their list Mizuki made his way to the front and Iruka continued. "Based on your ranks we''ve selected two opponents near your rank for you to battle. Now listen carefully. What I''m about to say next is the evaluation criteria. I won''t be repeating it."

    Iruka looked around and was satisfied seeing that everyone was paying full attention to him.

    "First we will grade you on your speed and strength. To be more urate the force and agility behind your attacks and movements. Second will be your techniques and precision. The skills you disy and the uracy with which you execute your attack and defend. Next will be strategy and adaptability. We will grade you on how well you adapt to your opponents moves and the strategies you use in battle. Thest is stamina and endurance. You need to be able to maintain your energy and focus throughout the match. This is the evaluation criteria. Is everyone clear?"

    "Yes Iruka sensei!"

    Iruka nodded and motioned for Mizuki to exin the rules. The white haired chunin stepped forward and gave everyone a small smile before he began. "Now, we''ve selected two ssmates for you to face but you might be battling a total of 3 opponents."

    Seeing the students'' faces marred with confusion Mizuki exined. "You will be selecting your third opponent. But the rules for that match will be exined when all of you havepleted your first two matches."

    The students nodded while Shikamaru''s mind sharpened as he thought about the Taijutsu exam. ''So this test is essentially a two part test. In the first part we have to fight against the two people the teachers have selected and in the second part we have to pick an opponent and fight Hmm I doubt Iruka sensei would make the stronger students pick a match with the weaker ones. So there must be a rule against it Will the 3rd match have the same rules or will there be something more. Eh If I can score some decent points in the first two matches then I might not have to fight thest match.''

    He nced around as he thought about the particrs of the test and his eyes fell on Naruto who was intently gazing at Sasuke''s back. The Uchiha was standing in the front nonchntly with his hands in his pockets.

    Shikamaru saw the gaze Naruto had and quietly sighed. ''Well, I guess I know who he''s going to pick.'' He turned his attention back to his teacher.

    "The rules are as follows. Your match will consist of three rounds. Each round willst for three minutes. Each round will begin with bothbatants at the opposite ends of the marked fighting area. Your goal is tond sessful hits on your opponents or force them outside the marked area. Hits are counted only when it''s clean and precise. ncing blows or indirect hits are not counted. A knockdown counts as two sessful hits. A student who is knocked down thrice in a round will lose the round. Each sessful hit and knockdown grants points." Mizuki said.

    The students were already familiar with the Taijutsu rules but Iruka wanted to make sure everyone remembered the rules. Mizuki looked at his fellow examiner and Iruka took over.

    "The student with the highest points at the end of all rounds wins the match. But the points you''ve earned during the match will also be counted when considering the final rank. Disqualifications ur if a student uses any form of Ninjutsu or Genjutsu, or intentionally inflicts severe injuries. The use of weapons is also not allowed. If both students are still standing with the same points at the end of three rounds, a sudden-death round will ur where the first tond a sessful hit wins."

    Once the Chunin finished exining the rules the students were divided between Iruka and Mizuki and the Taijutsu portion of the exam began. Naruto and some of his friends were with Iruka''s group while Sasuke and a few others were in Mizuki''s.

    Some of the future rookies faced each other. Kiba and Shino were Sasuke''s two matches. While others like Shikamaru, Choji and Naruto were matched up against two outside their group. Hinata meanwhile had her matched up against Shino and another student from ss. It was the same for Ino and Sakura. They were matched against each other and had another against someone outside their small group of friends.

    In therge academy ground the two chunins were conducting the Taijutsu portion of the exam. Mizuki acted professional and didn''t show a hint of maliciousness. He knew he couldn''t screw up when he was so close.

    Time went by and each studentpleted their exam.

    Sasuke and some of the rookies had two wins while others had one win and one loss. This was the case for those matched against their friends. Naruto had one win and one loss against his two foes.

    After a couple hours everyone''s first two matches came to an end. Iruka marked everyone''s score and addressed his students.

    "Now for thest match. This is optional. This is for those of you looking to improve your points. You will carefully select an opponent amongst your ssmates. The only condition is you can''t select someone who''s lower than your rank and no person will be challenged twice. If you defeat your opponent then points will be awarded based on their rank and your performance and if you lose then some points will be deducted. For those who are challenged, you will gain points if you win but you won''t lose points if you lose the match. You will only have one round. 4 minutes. Other than that the rules are the same as the other test. Everyone clear?"

    "Yes sensei."

    "Alright. Who''s up first?" Iruka asked and immediately a hand went up.

    "Oh me! Me me sensei. I want to go first."

    Iruka groaned in exasperation as he saw Naruto''s hand go up and wave about. "Why am I even surprised?... Fine. Naruto. Step forward into the ring."

    As Naruto got into the ring Iruka asked who his opponent was going to be.

    "I pick Sasuke. Today is the day I beat you and be number 1." The boy said, pointing at the Uchiha.

    Some of the students frowned as they heard Naruto''s deration. "Seriously Naruto?" "Stop wasting time and take this seriously."

    His friends were silent but some of them shook their heads at Naruto''s antics.

    "I saw thating a mile away." Ino said with a sigh.

    Hinata was silent but she was concerned for Naruto and silently cheered him on.

    "There is no way he''s going to win against Sasuke." Sakura said, shaking her head. ''What are you doing idiot Naruto? Sasuke is gonna kick your ass and you''re going to lose points. Couldn''t you have picked anyone else? CHAAA!'' Inner Sakura shouted in her mind.

    Iruka sighed as he looked at his student. ''He didn''t even think it through This kid. He''s going to lose points.''

    The Chunin looked at Sasuke who was standing with crossed arms and a frown on his face. "Sasuke Uchiha. Step into the ring and make the seal of confrontation." The Uchiha looked at his teacher and silently did as he was told.

    "Naruto made a bad call." Shino said in a low voice as he stood near Kiba, Choji and Shikamaru.

    "Why do you say that?" Choji asked.

    Shino began to exin. "This part of the Taijutsu test is optional. And if he was going to participate to improve his final ranking he should have chosen someone near his current rank. But now that he''s chosen Sasuke as his opponent, he won''t be getting any points but he''ll be losing some."

    The young Nara among them agreed. "They''re testing us on our judgment. Trying to see if we can urately assess our own strengths and weaknesses along with our opponents. If we make the wrong choice and choose someone that we definitely can''t beat, it''ll lead to points deduction."

    "Oh I see. So for those with lower points they need to be careful about who they challenge huh." Kiba spoke finally understanding the intricacies hidden in this seemingly straight forward exam.

    The sun sat high in the sky, casting stark shadows on the ground below. The crowd soon hushed, tense with anticipation, as two figures stood inside the ring. To one side is Naruto Uzumaki, grinning widely, his bright orange jumpsuit a stark contrast to the muted surroundings. On the opposite side is Sasuke Uchiha, his onyx eyes serious and focused, his dark hair as unruly as ever.

    "Hey weakling, you ready to lose?" Sasuke called out with a smirk.

    "Hah, as if, ya bastard!" Naruto responded, raising his fists in preparation. Despite the bravado in his words, a nervous sweat dripped down his brow.

    "Make the seal of confrontation."

    At Iruka''s words both Naruto and Sasuke made the half tiger seal.

    Iruka raised his hand and dropped it. "Begin!"

    As soon as the match began, Naruto rushed forward with his characteristic headstrong approach. He threw a series of wild punches, but Sasuke effortlessly dodged them. The Uchiha, even though his Sharingan was still inactive, was already disying far superior reflexes and battle instincts. Sasuke side stepped, ducked or parried and redirected every strike that came his way with ease and minimal effort.

    Naruto was getting angrier and angrier that his attacks were missing and it showed on his face.

    Sasuke smirked seeing his opponent angry. "Is that all you got, deadst?"

    Naruto gritted his teeth. He hated it when people called him that. "I won''t lose to a stuck-up jerk like you!"

    Naruto attempted to kick Sasuke, but the raven haired boy effortlessly caught his leg, and with a swift motion, threw Naruto to the ground near the ring.

    Naruto immediately got up but this time he was more cautious. He started slowly circling Sasuke, looking for an opening. ''I need to take him by surprise and attack him before he can defend.''

    The Uchiha just stood there, analyzing Naruto''s movements. Sasuke looked at Naruto''s new strategy and smiled condescendingly. "You think that will help you? You''re too slow."

    Suddenly, Naruto darted forward, faster than before. But just before he was within arms length of his enemy, Naruto quickly changed direction and moved to another side and came at Sasuke again. And just as the Uchiha was about to defend, Naruto changed directions again. Naruto kept moving wildly around his enemy while Sasuke was in the middle keeping a close eye on his foe.

    The Uchiha was surprised at the skill the boy just showed. ''He''s changing directions at such speed without losing his bnce or footing. He definitely knows the tree walking technique. It''s the only way he could aplish this.''

    Sasuke had eyes on Naruto the whole time. The Uchiha knew time was running out and knew Naruto would attack soon. The blonde boy also knew he didn''t have much time and was growing nervous looking for an opening.

    Suddenly, Naruto rushed towards Sasuke''s back, attempting to attack from his blind spot, but Sasuke quickly turned and countered with a lightning-fast punch to Naruto''s stomach.

    The boy doubled over, and in that instant, Sasuke grabs him and performs a wless judo throw, mming Naruto to the ground.

    "Give up, Naruto!"

    Naruto groaned in pain but refused to stay down. "I''m not giving up that easily!" He got back to his feet, his determination unwavering. Narutounched a flurry of punches and kicks but unfortunately for him Sasuke''s battle experience was much greater than Naruto''s. Every strike was blocked or redirected easily.

    Sasuke suddenly switched from defensive to an offensive battle style andnded several precise hits on Naruto''s body. Naruto tried to block as much as he could but failed to keep up with Sasuke''s speed and precision.

    The blonde was suddenly on the defensive, pushed back step by step under his opponent''s relentless assault. Sasuke''s every move was a dance of control and aggression, a testament to his Uchiha heritage.

    Naruto gritted his teeth, feeling the pressure his enemy was exerting. He ducked under a swing aimed at his head, countering with a punch aimed at Sasuke''s midsection. But the Uchiha was quick, shifting his weight to the side andunching a high kick that Naruto barely managed to dodge.

    "Is that all you got, Naruto?" Sasuke taunted, his eyes gleaming. Naruto''s breath hitched, but he shot Sasuke a stubborn re.

    "I''m...just...getting started!" Naruto retorted,unching himself at Sasuke with renewed vigor.

    He easily deflected Naruto''s wild punches, weaving around him with an almostzy grace. He dodged a punch, slipping under Naruto''s guard to deliver a punishing blow to the boy''s ribs. Naruto staggered back, wincing as he clutched his side.

    Sasuke''s expression never wavered, his gaze cold and focused as he advanced on the vulnerable Naruto. He feinted a punch to Naruto''s face, drawing Naruto''s guard up. As Naruto''s hands instinctively moved to protect his face, Sasuke swiftly swept his leg, and sent a strong blow to Naruto''s torso, toppling the boy to the ground.

    Naruto hit the earth with a thud, his breath leaving him in a rush. He looked up at Sasuke, who was standing over him, with a cold look on his face.

    "Sasuke Uchiha...wins," Iruka immediately stepped in and announced. Most of the crowd exploded into cheers while others were silent.

    Naruto coughed and took several breaths and slowly stood up. "Why... why are you so strong?" Naruto asked his opponent, panting.

    Hearing that question the Uchiha''s gaze slightly softened. "To fulfill my ambition, I can''t afford to be weak." Before Iruka could make them form the seal of reconciliation Sasuke turned around and began walking back to his spot.

    "Next time, Sasuke...next time, I won''t lose!" Naruto with gritted teeth.

    The Uchiha nced back at him, his face was inscrutable. He didn''t respond, but for a moment, his eyes softened before he turned and walked away.

    And with their battle thest portion of the Taijutsu test began. Some students challenged someone higher near their rank to improve their score while others decided to opt out.

    Sasuke stood near the back, not needing to fight anyone again. He didn''t want to waste time with anyone in his ss and only looked forward to the sparring matches he had with Daichi.

    The Uchiha looked up and thought about his former ssmate. ''What''s Daichi up to right now?''

    -------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 259: Daichis Mission & Narutos Graduation

    Chapter 259: Daichi''s Mission & Naruto''s Graduation

    March 20. Tanzaku Town.

    It was a few minutes past 9am and in Paradise Inn the meeting between the two corporations mediated by Ryoma, after several days were in its final stages. Daichi was standing guard in the room while Kakashi was outside keeping an eye on everyone.

    Daichi stood in a corner of the room with his arms behind his back. He kept an eye on the other ninjas along with his client, but Daichi''s mind drifted to his friends back in the Leaf vige.

    ''The exams must have started by now. Unless I''m mistaken right now they''re probably taking the written exam. Thenes the weapons test and then Taijutsu and finally Ninjutsu... Good Luck Naruto. Today is the day everything changes for you... I have to trust that whatever happens he''ll pull through.''

    Daichi let out a quiet sigh and focused his attention back on the mediator. After the drama and the reveal of the spy things have calmed down and after several hours of debate and discussion the two presidents decided to put aside their differences for the future of their family.

    In this meeting it wasn''t only the presidents and their advisors but also several family members were present.

    The head of The Satoru Corporation, Tsuyoshi was about to speak when his eldest son Kazuki whispered ast-minute suggestion in his ear. Tsuyoshi nodded before he addressed the gathering, "Our main concern is about the distribution of responsibilities. We believe an alliance should distribute responsibilities based on the strengths of our businesses."

    "What do you have in mind, Tsuyoshi?" Ryoma asked the man.

    "We''ve always excelled in resource extraction and initial processing. If we focus on that, and have The Rising Sun corporation, with its refining and distribution capabilities, take over thetter stages, we could maximize efficiency and output."

    The room is silent as everyone contemtes this suggestion. There was some nodding and a few thoughtful hums. It''s a logical strategy, one that takes advantage of the strengths of each corporation while minimizing their weaknesses.

    "We also propose the formation of a joint council, with representatives from both corporations, for decision making and resolving any disputes that may arise. This council would be the governing body of our alliance, ensuring decisions are made fairly and are in the best interest of both parties." The head patriarch and president of the Rising Sun corporation, Yamamoto Hideshi gave his thoughts.

    The negotiations proceed smoothly, with both corporations putting forth their concerns, expectations, and ns. Ryoma managed the meeting and with several key ideas from his view the twopanies agreed that an alliance at the very least would be greatly beneficial.

    They also discussed the possibility of a merger. Ryoma looked at the two sides and spoke.

    "So it''s agreed. An alliance for now but your children Mika Satoru and Yamaha Hideshi will live in the capital and get to know each other. If they feel that they arepatible and happy with their rtionship then they will marry and a merger between your two corporations will take ce. But if not, the alliance between you two stands strong with the promise of no betrayal. Agreed?"

    The two heads looked at each other and after a few seconds of tense silence, agreed. They slowly nodded their heads and turned their gaze towards their children.

    Yamamoto looked at his youngest Son and nodded. ''If we hold on to old grudges, others could take advantage and destroy us. This is for the best.''

    Tsuyoshi had his eyes on his youngest son who was silent throughout the whole meeting. He sighed inwardly and turned his attention to his daughter. ''Everything I''ve done, I''ve done for all of you. Whatever you decide I will stand by it my daughter.''

    They agreed and they discussed other issues such as potential redundancies, maintaining the morale of their employees during the merger, and of course, the legal and financial implications of this alliance.

    By noon everyone was in a broad agreement on the structure of the alliance, though several minor issues still needed to be ironed out. Still, the atmosphere is one of optimism - the first steps have been taken towards an alliance that could change the face of the Land of Fire''s economy.

    Paradise Inn.

    At noon the negotiations between the two parties hade to an end. They agreed to meet at the capital next week and under the Third Minister the alliance would be official. After that the two children would temporarily move to the capital in the hope of creating a good rtionship and thus a sessful merger.

    The two families thanked the mediator and soon they and their guards left the Inn.

    After everyone was gone Ryoma looked at the owner of the Inn and smiled. "Thank you for the hospitality my friend. I know shutting down business here for several days was not an easy choice to make."

    "Please, Lord Ryoma. It was our pleasure to host you and your guests. I do apologize for the inconveniences you faced. I hope you''ll visit us again." Kotohaku said with a wide smile and humble posture.

    "Haha I''m well aware that it wasn''t your fault. You were a gracious host. And I''ll definitely be back. But next time it won''t be for business. Haha" Ryoma chuckled and gave the man a scroll. Kotohaku took the scroll with a wide smile and bowed.

    Ryoma turned to his guards and gave a nod and soon Daichi, Kakashi and their client were on the road back towards the Capital. Soon they were out of Tanzaku Town making good time towards their destination.

    -

    "Well that went better than I thought it would." Daichi said as he looked at his client.

    "Yes. The negotiations were in part made easier due to that spy. Those two may hate each other but ultimately they were forced to cease all hostility towards one another. It actually went smoother than I anticipated." Ryoma replied.

    "I assume appropriate actions are going to be taken against the Silver wood Loggingpany?" Kakashi spoke.

    Ryoma nodded. "Yes. It''se to Lord Taji''s attention that they''ve been dabbling in some illegal activities. He''ll take action once we get the information needed from his spy. I''m sure they''re working on that even as we speak."

    "Almost a decade of waiting and his ns go bust because he picked one wrong target. That''s gotta sting." Daichi had a chuckle as he thought about that man''s situation.

    Ryoma had a smile when he heard that. Hepletely agreed with that sentiment. "Yes. He had no idea that the famed Kakashi Hatake and the prodigious Daichi Hekima were the ones guarding me. It was his bad luck I suppose."

    The trio didn''t encounter any more dangers or attacks on their way back. By around 4 pm they reached the Capital. While the two ninjas escorted their client to his home, Daichi was thinking about what was happening in the vige.

    ''The Taijutsu exam must have beenpleted by the time we left Tanzaku Town. Sasuke took first ce, I''m certain. Naruto has been training so I''m pretty sure he''s not going to be the deast. I wonder how he did in the shuriken tests? Eh! I guess I''ll find out once I get back.''

    Daichi looked up at the sky and noted the position of the sun. ''It''s a little past 4pm. Ninjutsu tests must have been done by now. The exams arepleted I just wish I knew how everything is going on over there.''

    -

    Leaf Vige.

    Ninja Academy: A couple hours ago.

    Every studentpleted their Taijutsu exam and was back in their ssroom. Iruka and Mizuki were going over the results of the Taijutsu exam and were in the process of ranking the examinees. The students had an hour before the final part of their exam began. The students in ss chatted amongst their friends on how they did and most of the future rookies were no different.

    "Shikamaru, Choji why didn''t you two take part in the third match?" Ino asked with narrowed eyes and her hands on her hips.

    Shikamaru who was trying to take a nap sighed. "Because it was pointless. I already got enough marks on the written exam and the shuriken test. And I did well in my first two matches. My grade would be much higher than usual and that''s gonna be more than enough for my mom. And that''s good enough for me. I''m not gonna do any more work." He closed his eyes and ignored Ino''s exasperated groan.

    "Argh! Such azy ass. And you Choji? What''s your excuse?" Ino turned to the Akimichi who was munching on some chips.

    "What (munch) Shikamaru said." Like his friend, Choji ignored Ino and turned his attention back to what took priority. Salted crunchy potato chips.

    Ino looked at the two and just shook head. "I pity the person who''s going to be on a team with you two."

    Shikamaru, who was lying on his desk, eyes closed, slightly smirked. ''I have a feeling you''re not going to like it when they announce the teams.''

    "Well even if they didn''t fight someone to improve their grades they didn''t make a dumb decision and lose points like someone else." Sakura, who was near Ino, spoke looking at Naruto with crossed arms.

    "Awe on Sakura. I could have won that." Naruto whined as he applied the special healing cream Hinata gave him on some of the bruises on his arms.

    "That''s an Illogical statement Naruto. You lost the moment you picked Sasuke Uchiha as your opponent." Shino spoke as he examined the small fly on his fingertip.

    "Yeah. Even a blind person could tell that you were going to lose that fight." Kiba saidughing.

    "Um I- I think you tried your best Naruto." Hinata was very shy and spoke in a small voice. She looked at Naruto from the corner of her eyes and gave him a small smile.

    "Thanks Hinata." Naruto beamed as the girl gave himpliments.

    "You''re coddling him too much Hinata. He won''t learn not to pick a fight with someone who can kick his ass that way." Sakura said with a smirk. She knew about Hinata''s crush and thought it was cute.

    "Hey. I''ll beat that jerk next time. After I be a Genin I''m gonna train hard and then I''m gonna kick his ass." Naruto said standing up from his seat. He turned to Sasuke and spoke. "Hear that. I''m gonna take you down in our rematch."

    Sasuke was looking out the window and didn''t even bother paying attention to whatever Naruto said. And it only made the blonde angrier.

    "Naruto, sit down! The final part of the exam is about to begin." Iruka said from the front of the ss and the blonde obediently sat in his spot. A few minutester Iruka addressed his students.

    "We''ve reached the final portion of the graduation exam. When your name is called, proceed to the testing room. Mizuki and I will be waiting. Your test will be on The clone jutsu. Good luck everyone." Iruka left and soon the students were being called one by one.

    "Kiba Inuzuka."

    "Sweet. It''s my turn." When Kiba''s name was called he stood from his spot and grinned with excitement. "Good luck you guys."

    "Come on. When are they gonna call me?" Naruto tapped his fingers on the desk and waited.

    "Be patient Naruto. They''ll call soon. There aren''t many left." Sakura said but then turned to Sasuke''s direction. ''Look at him sitting by the window so calm and cool. Chaa! He looks so hot.''

    Sakura''s face turned red and she immediately shook her head to get rid of any distracting thoughts.

    "Sasuke Uchiha." The Uchiha slowly stood from his spot and walked towards the door.

    "Good luck Sasuke. You''re gonna do great." Sakura said with a big smile.

    The Uchiha simply nced in her direction but didn''t say or do anything else. There was no change in his expression as he looked at her.

    ''Chaa He looked. He''s so cool. I hope I''m on Sasuke''s team.''

    Naruto grumbled seeing Sakura''s attention on his rival.

    Several minutester the next name was called. "Sakura Haruno."

    "Good luck Sakura." Naruto said with a big smile and wave.

    The pink haired kunoichi smiled at him but then her face turned serious. "Naruto you better not y any pranks and screw up. You hear?"

    The blonde boy grinned and eagerly nodded his head. "Yup. Don''t you worry. I''m definitely gonna pass. Believe it."

    Sakura gave the boy a small smile after hearing that. Over the years she came to see him as a good friend. She would get annoyed by some of his antics but he was someone she cared about.

    Around 10 minutester the next name was called.

    "Naruto Uzumaki."

    Naruto stood from his seat and took a deep breath and closed his eyes. ''Alright Naruto. Get it together. You can do this. You''ve been training your whole life for this. You can be a ninja. Believe it.''

    He opened his eyes and made his way to the testing room.

    "Alright Naruto. Make at least three identical clones." Iruka looked at the boy and spoke. He was concerned that Naruto might try a prank or something and get himself failed but seeing the boy''s serious expression the Chunin rxed. ''Come on Naruto. You can do this.''

    Naruto brought his hands together and made the seal. ''Ninja art: Clone jutsu.''

    Four clones were created in a puff of smoke. Iruka and Mizuki inspected the clones and found them all identical. Iruka smiled and sighed in relief. He had a big smile as he looked at Naruto.

    "They''re perfect. Congrattions Naruto. You''ve earned this." Iruka took a leaf headband and gave it to the boy.

    "YES! FINALLY. YAHOO!" Naruto was giddy with joy and he immediately took the headband and tied it around his forehead.

    "I''m a ninja now. Lookout world. Naruto Uzumaki ising. Hahaha" Naruto felt like he was atop the world.

    "Alright alright calm down. You''ve trained hard thisst year and it showed. Not only did you pass but surprisingly you''re not thest in ss."

    "Yeah. That was aplete surprise for everyone." Mizuki said with a light chuckle.

    "I really wanted to pass this exam. It was hard. But I did it." Naruto said, giving them a thumbs up.

    "Yes. Yes you did. But you shouldn''t ck off. Your real journey has only just begun." Iruka had a kind smile as he looked at the boy.

    Naruto nodded with a grin. "Thanks for everything Iruka sensei."

    "So Naruto, now that the exams are over, what are you gonna do?" Mizuki asked the boy with a smile.

    "I''m gonna go over and celebrate at Ichiraku Ramen."

    "Well, have fun. I gotta get back to work." Mizuki said and left the two.

    "Hey Iruka sensei. You wannae with me to celebrate?" Naruto asked the man.

    The chunin shook his head. "No. I have plenty of work toplete here and need to send the reports to the Hokage. You go and have fun."

    The blonde nodded and soon left the room with a Leaf ninja headband shining on his forehead.

    ------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 260: Tobiramas Suspicion & Mizukis Trick

    Chapter 260: Tobirama''s Suspicion & Mizuki''s Trick

    Hokage office.

    Hiruzen had his crystal ball in front of him and watched as Naruto correctly performed the clone jutsu and Iruka handing him the Leaf headband. He smiled as he looked at the boy''s jubnt face. ''You passed your first hurdle. Now let''s hope you and your two teammates can impress your Jonin teacher.''

    He let go of the Telescope jutsu and sat back in his chair as his mind went through other matters regarding the vige. The kage recalled the conversation he had with his predecessor earlier that day on the Nine tails incident.

    shback.

    "So today is the graduation day huh. The Nine tails Jinchuriki will be taking part in this exam, correct?"

    "Yes sensei." Hiruzen nodded.

    "Hm I''ll be leaving the vige for a day or two. There is something I need to confirm."

    "Leaving the vige? But why? What would have you take such a huge risk?" The kage was surprised because since the day his sensei was reanimated the man was adamant on staying hidden and helping only from the shadows.

    "Something about the whole Nine Tails attack bothers me Hiruzen." Tobirama said as he looked at his student.

    "What do you mean sensei?"

    "When I first heard of the incident and heard the perpetrator was an Uchiha, I thought that somehow Madara had returned to the living and was behind it. He was the only one known to control the beast. But after thinking it through I''m sure it''s not him." Tobirama said.

    "Why do you say that?"

    "How do I put this It''s not his style. He had strong pride and he wouldn''t choose to attack from the shadows like that. If it was really Madara he would have dered it or at the very least would have made sure we knew it was him. He was a powerful individual and even his name sparks fear. He knew that and would have taken advantage of it." Tobirama knew the Uchiha very well. How he thought and how he would act and respond. It was why he was certain that the nine tails incident was not Madara Uchiha''s doing.

    "There is also the fact that he is dead and has been for several decades. Aside from the reanimation jutsu I don''t know any other techniques that can bring an individual to life." Hiruzen said.

    Tobirama nodded but Hiruzen still saw a sense of unease on his sensei''s face. ''Even the possibility of Madara being alive really terrifies you, doesn''t it. It''s as if he left a scar on your psyche.''

    The second Hokage looked at his student and spoke.

    "I wanted to study Madara''s body after his death but my brother forbade it. So I made sure to hide his body in a secure location in the mountains inplete secrecy I''ve ignored this for so long because someone finding the hidden location in the mountains is close to impossible and breaking through the seals and entering Madara''s tomb is even more difficult. And since there hasn''t been any incidents or sightings of any Uchiha other than Itachi since the massacre, I figured the Uchiha who orchestrated the attack had died."

    Hiruzen was silent as he listened to his teacher.

    "I thought it would be a waste of time to go search and check and since we had more pressing matters to deal with, I ignored it. But now with that child graduating"

    "You want to make sure" Hiruzen nodded as he understood his sensei''s feeling. There were many times over the decades when Hiruzen had sent his shinobi to make sure the powerful enemies that were known to be dead were truly dead and gone. "I understand sensei."

    Tobirama nodded. "I''ll be gone for a day or two. It''ll depend on what I find. I''m hoping that this whole endeavor is just a waste of time and nothing more."

    The two made ns and soon the second Hokage left the vige in utmost secrecy.

    shback End.

    ''I wonder what sensei is up to? Since he modified the jutsu and canceled the reanimation contract I can''t see through him unless he lets me Guess I''ll just have to wait till he returns.''

    The Hokage let go of his thoughts and decided to go back to his work.

    -

    Ninja Academy.

    Outside the academy building the parents of almost all students were present and they were all happy and proud seeing their child sessfully be a ninja.

    Sasuke had exited the building a short while ago and seeing his ssmates embraced by their parents made his heart yearn for his own. He put his hands in his pockets and quickly walked away with a stoic face avoiding everyone.

    Shikamaru nced at Sasuke''s figure from the corner of his eyes and felt bad for the guy. He turned his attention to his smiling parents nearby. ''Thank god I don''t have a crazy brother like his.''

    "You did well, Shikamaru. Your grades are even higher than usual. I guess you really do want to be a strong ninja huh." Yoshino said with a smallugh.

    Shikamaru chuckled awkwardly. ''More like I don''t want to hear you nag mom.''

    "Hey Shikaku. It''s been a while. Looks like everyone is here." A voice came near them.

    The Naramander turned his head and smiled at his friends Choza Akimichi and Inoichi Yamanaka. Their children were with them as well, wearing their new Leaf ninja headband.

    "Come on dad. I wanna go over to Sakura." Ino said as she looked around. ''Hinata has passed and Sakura just came out with a headband. So she passed. Looks like almost all of us passed. Hmm... Now only Naruto is left.''

    Inoichi sighed at her daughter''s energy and nodded. "Kids these days. Don''t even want to spend time with their lil old dads."

    "Oh let her have some fun Inoichi. It''s her graduation day after all. In fact, Shikamaru, why don''t you join her." Yoshino said with a mischievousugh.

    The young Nara groaned seeing his mom''s face. "This is such a drag." Despiteining he didn''t disobey as he knew what his mother was like.

    "Choji. Go on." Choza nodded and his son tagged along with Shikamaru and Ino. They 3 kids started to make their way towards Sakura when they saw Naruto exit the building with a big grin and a leaf headband tied to his forehead.

    Before they could move further the trio immediately noticed the subdued energy and the barely hidden hostility from most of the adults surrounding them. Shikamaru narrowed his eyes and observed everyone and saw that they all discreetly had eyes on Naruto and were displeased seeing him with a headband.

    It wasn''t just Shikamaru and his two friends that noticed the change. Hinata was also keeping an eye out and waiting for Naruto. When she saw him exit the building she was extremely happy inside. ''I knew you could do it Naruto.''

    She wanted to congratte him but was too shy and afraid. But she noticed some of the adult''s faces turning from joy to frown as they looked at Naruto. ''It''s the same as that day.''

    Hinata paid close attention to what some of the adults were whispering. But it wasn''t just Hinata. Most of the rookies noted the change and they were paying close attention.

    -

    "I can''t believe he passed. What is Lord Hokage even thinking?" A woman whispered to her friend as they crossed their arms and looked at Naruto with barely hidden hate.

    "Letting that boy into the academy was a mistake in the first ce. I thought he would fail but now"

    "It was best if he was far away from here."

    "What if he What if he turns into the mon-"

    "Stop. We''re not supposed to talk about that. Remember."

    "What are you guys talking about?" One of their kids asked.

    "It''s nothing. Listen, if you''re ever on a mission with that boy, be very careful." The woman said to her child, pointing at Naruto.

    Naruto''s ssmate didn''t understand the reason but he nodded his head nheless.

    The two women stopped talking and quickly left the academy grounds with their kids.

    Simr murmurs were happening among most civilians and some ninja parents. Shikaku slightly frowned as he heard the whispered remarks. ''If nothing is done then it seems even with Lord Hokage''sw, their hate might soon pass down to their children I''m truly sorry Minato.''

    -

    Naruto saw some of his friends as he looked around. ''I can''t wait to show them my headband.''

    He saw Sakura a short distance away and was about to walk over and show her his headband but the murmurs from the adults stopped him.

    Even though it looked like Naruto was ignoring them, the boy was paying close attention to what was being said. He heard every word they spoke and the immense joy he felt after graduation quickly disappeared. He didn''t want to look up and see the hateful faces of the adults. He even became hesitant to go near his friends. He didn''t want them to see him like this. So vulnerable.

    ''Eh. I''ll see her next week when Iruka sensei announces the teams. I''m gonna get some Ramen. I''m sure the old man and big sis will be happy to see me.''

    Naruto decided to go to Ichiraku ramen unaware that several eyes were on him. Several friends and one dangerous foe.

    -

    "Oh my god. You''re wearing the headband. That means you passed." As soon as Naruto walked into Ichiraku Ramen Ayame noticed the new item tied around Naruto''s forehead. She was excited for him.

    "Yup. I''m a ninja now." The depressed mood he had earlier vanished as soon as Naruto entered the store. He was happy seeing their reaction.

    "Congrattions on passing your graduation exam Naruto. I''m so happy for you." Ayama hugged the blond as soon as he came near.

    "Well done kid. Take a seat. I''ll get you something good." Teuchi got to work and soon Naruto had a big bowl of his favorite Ramen in front of him.

    "A premium Miso ramen with extra pork. Just how you like it. It''s on the house kid."

    Naruto''s smile widened as he looked at the two people. "Thank you for the food, old man."

    Teuchi and Ayame smiled as they saw the boy dig in.

    To Naruto the ramen tasted much better than usual. ''At least there are some people that care about me I will make this vige acknowledge me one day. I''m gonna be a great ninja and when I be Hokage everyone''s gonna respect me.''

    The boy ate his food and talked about his exam with Ayame and Teuchi.

    "So who do you want to be on a team with Naruto? Is it your dear Sakura?" Ayame had a teasing smile as she looked at the slightly blushing boy.

    "Come on Ayame, stop teasing the poor kid." Teuchi said as he made more Ramen.

    "But it''s so cute seeing his reaction Now who do you not want on your team?" Ayame asked and Naruto instantly had an answer.

    "That jerk Sasuke. I really hope Iruka sensei doesn''t put him on my team. I can''t stand that arrogant bastard."

    "Language Naruto."

    "Sorry old man."

    -

    His time at Ichiraku Ramen went well and soon Naruto was on his way home. ''I wonder who''ll be my teammates. I want Sakura to be the second member but who will be the third Hmm Maybe Kiba Or Choji. It''ll be cool if it was one of those guys. Hinata is okay too I guess. If it''s Shikamaru I don''t know if I can deal with hiszy butt. Eh. I guess it''s fine. I don''t want Ino. She sure can be bossy when she wants to be. Shino is kinda creepy. And definitely not that bastard Sasuke. Anyone but him.''

    The blonde boy prayed in his heart. He was on a less traveled street in the vige and when turned a corner he saw Mizuki waiting nearby. The Chunin instructor saw Naruto and gave the boy a small wave.

    "Hey Mizuki sensei. Didn''t you say you had some work to finish?" Naruto asked the Chunin with a big smile.

    "Yeah. I still do. In fact it''s why I''m here." The Chunin replied,ing near the boy. The small street was empty save for the two. One of the reasons Mizuki chose this spot.

    Naruto was confused by that statement. "What do you mean?"

    Mizuki smiled at the kid and told him the reason he was there. "Naruto. I''m here because there is one more test for the graduation exam."

    ------------

    Author''s Note:

    In canon Tobirama didn''t know about the Izanagi jutsu of the Uchiha n. If he did then he probably would have destroyed Madara''s eyes or his entire body just to make sure he won''te back. This is my hypothesis based on the story.

    The more logical reality based assumption is that the creator pulled the OP plot Armor jutsu at thest moment for Obito and thus included it for Danzo to make it seem like a big deal and to exin away any plot holes

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 261: A Fake Test & A Bad Omen

    Chapter 261: A Fake Test & A Bad Omen

    With Naruto & Mizuki.

    "Naruto. I''m here because there is one more test for the graduation exam."

    "One more test?" Naruto tilted his head in confusion. ''I''ve never heard of any tests. What''s going on?''

    "What do you mean Mizuki sensei? I''ve never heard of another test."

    The academy Chunin smiled. "There is a reason for that. The graduation test you just took was to see who can be a Genin. The test you need to take will determine who really bes a Genin. It can even help with team cements and final ranks in ss. This test is kept a secret so the new recruits don''t cheat."

    Naruto''s eyes widened and he grinned in excitement. ''If I can pass this test then maybe I can get a higher grade than Sasuke.''

    "Awesome. Alright sensei what''s the test?"

    Mizuki took a small scroll from his pocket and rolled it open. He showed it to the eager student and exined. "This scroll contains a list of tasks assigned from the most difficult to the least difficult. Some tasks would be to retrieve small items, some tasks would be to follow others under stealth. Others will be forbat. There are some rules but I''ll exin thatter."

    Naruto looked at the scroll and saw Sasuke''s name right next to the second task. He also saw several of his friend''s names as well next to the tasks on the list.

    "Wait, is everyone in ss already participating in this?" Naruto asked the Chunin.

    "Most of them. Some declined. But your friends? Yes. They''ve already chosen their assignments. The higher the difficulty the more points you''ll get. Sasuke chose the second task which is to fight a chunin. The only task more difficult than that is the retrieval of a scroll from the Hokage Tower"

    Mizuki carefully kept an eye on Naruto and watched with hidden glee as the boy''s eyes narrowed when hearing the words. ''Bruise your ego and you''ll do exactly what I want.''

    "But that task is way too difficult... Too much for a fresh ordinary Genin." Mizuki shrugged and said in a nonchnt manner. "Now then why don''t you choose a task toplete from the middle. I''m sure you can pass that and get a good ranking."

    Naruto was silent for a few seconds before asking the question that was on his mind. "Hey Mizuki sensei, If I were toplete the first task, how many points would I get?"

    ''So predictable''

    "Naruto. Retrieving the scroll is way too difficult. You should pick something else." Mizuki said as if trying to change his mind.

    "Please sensei. Just tell me."

    "Well, that''s the toughest challenge on the list. If you were toplete that then you would automatically be Rookie of the year."

    Those words brought a big grin to the boy''s face. "Awesome. I''ll be the Rookie of the year instead of that jerk. Okay sensei. I''ve decided. I''m going to take the scroll from the Hokage Tower."

    "Are you sure about this Naruto?"

    "Yes yes. Now tell me the rules."

    "Well, I''ll give you information on what scroll you need to retrieve, where it''s located and where to bring it. Now remember, your friends have already chosen their tasks. And some of them include surveince on their ssmates and battling. So make sure you don''t interact with them or get caught or you might lose points." Mizuki said and Naruto paid close attention and eagerly nodded to everything.

    "When you reach the final location, wait for me. Till I get to you your test won''t end. So keep that in mind. The information you need is here." Mizuki said and handed Naruto a small paper with the details inside.

    Naruto looked at the paper and soon put it in his pocket. He thought about how to get past the guards and he had a mischievous grin on his face. "Sweet. This is gonna be easy."

    "Good luck Naruto." The Chunin instructor said with a smile.

    "Thanks. Next time you see me, I''m gonna be Rookie of the year. Believe it!" The next second Naruto took off and the kind smile fell from Mizuki''s face.

    ''You have no idea what''s in store for you, brat.''

    A momentter Mizuki vanished from his spot in a puff of smoke and left the area, unaware that his conversation was overhead and seen by two people.

    -

    Fire Country Border. Same time.

    In a casino near the Land of Waterfall one of the Legendary Sannin was having a great time. As Tsunade used the slot machine Shizune and Tonton came near.

    "Aahh The hot spring here is wonderful. I haven''t felt this good in a while." The young medic said as she sat down watching her teacher lose again. "Maybe you should try something else, Lady Tsunade."

    "Just one more roll, Shizune." The blonde Sannin said and pulled the lever on the machine and the dial on the screen started to rotate.

    "It was nice of them to invite us to an all expenses paid vacation at this new casino. Although I''m pretty sure they did it because they knew you''d lose every coin and bring them huge profits."

    Tsunade drank some sake and looked at her student with a smirk. "Does it really matter? I''m having fun, you''re having fun. Let''s just enjoy ourselves." She said and leaned back in her chair.

    But the next second something the two women didn''t expect, happened. All three dials on the slot machine screennded on jackpot and coins wereing out of the machine.

    Tsunade had won.

    The blonde woman looked at the pile of coins and then the screen in terror. ''I won? This can''t be This isn''t good. Winning is a bad omen.''

    The two medic ninjas were shocked as they saw the results. Shizune was surprised but quickly it turned into excitement. "Oh my god. Mydy, you won. You won! This is a lot more than I expected." She turned to face her teacher but instead of excitement she saw dread on the woman''s face.

    "What''s wrong my Lady?"

    Tsunade jerkily turned to her student. "Shizune... Remember what happened thest time I won a bet"

    Shizune recalled the incident. "Wasn''t that with Daichi just before we" Her eyes widened in realization. "No... Lady Tsunade, you don''t think"

    "Pack everything quickly. We need to get out of here right now." Tsunade stood from her spot and became vignt.

    Shizune nodded and quickly took the winnings and stored them in a scroll. Within minutes the master and apprentice medics left the casino and was on the road.

    Tsunade''s mind was running a mile a minute. ''Why now? What''s going to happen? Is something going to happen to me or Shizune Or Is it Daichi or someone else?

    -

    Leaf Vige.

    Shikamaru, Choji and Ino were walking through the vige streets talking about what happened at the academy.

    "I still don''t get it! What secret about Naruto are they all hiding?" Ino said as she racked her brain for a possible exnation.

    "Just forget about it, Ino. Let it go. It''s not our business." Shikamaru said.

    "Now you''re just repeating what our dads said. Come on. Aren''t you the least bit curious?" Ino asked and Choji was also paying attention to Shikamaru.

    "They must have a good reason." Shikamaru said nothing more than that and just kept walking.

    "Naruto seemed pretty bummed out. Where do you think he went?" Choji asked.

    "My money is on that Ramen store. Ichiraku Ramen. After that maybe he went home" The Nara replied with a shrug.

    "Should we (munch) go find him?"

    "Well I think we should-" Just as Shikamaru was deciding on what to do he saw Hinataing towards them running. His eyes narrowed as he saw the panicked expression on the girl''s face.

    "Hinata. What are you doing here?" Ino asked, looking at the girl.

    Hinata was unsure as to what to say but the three others could see that something was amiss.

    "What''s wrong?" Shikamaru asked the girl.

    "It''s It''s Naruto. I think he might be in trouble." The Hyuga replied and the others were rmed.

    "What are you talking about?" Ino asked her friend.

    "I was on my way to see Naruto and and I saw him talking with Mizuki."

    "Mizuki sensei?" Ino and Choji were confused as to why that was a problem but Shikamaru''s eyes instantly narrowed and he was on alert. "Hinata. Tell us everything you saw and every word Mizuki said to Naruto. Don''t leave anything out."

    The other two were also paying attention as the Hyuga began recapping what happened.

    shback.

    Hinata was on her way back home but half way through she decided to find Naruto and congratte him. ''I can do this. Just wish him well. Yes''

    She somehow found the courage and turned around and started searching for the blonde boy. Hinata used her Byakugan and soon found her crush. She was hesitant for a few moments. She took a deep breath and gathered up the strength to go over to him but stopped, seeing as someone else was also there for Naruto.

    ''Mizuki sensei? What is he doing with Naruto?''

    She looked around with her Byakugan and saw that another person was also eavesdropping on Mizuki and Naruto''s conversation. ''That''s But what''s he doing here''

    She knew how Mizuki really felt about Naruto so she ignored the other person and concentrated on the conversation between the Chunin and the new Genin. She was not able to hear what was being said but she was able to read lips.

    ''Another test? I''ve hadn''t gotten any tests''

    She saw the list and the tasks written down and saw her name and her friend''s names on the list. ''He''s Lying. But why is he doing this?''

    ''No, Naruto. Don''t Please don''t do it.''

    But her hope was in vain. She watched helplessly as Mizuki tricked Naruto into taking the task at the top of the scroll. Hinata quickly memorized the contents of the paper Mizuki gave her friend and saw the Chunin''s face turn malicious after Naruto left.

    Mizuki left seconds after and Hinata saw the other hidden eavesdropper leave as well. ''No. They''re gone. What should I do? Who do I go to for help? Daichi said to go to Iruka sensei but will he believe me?''

    At that time she remembered that she wasn''t the only one who knew what Mizuki was really like. ''Shikamaru. He''d know what to do.''

    Hinata quickly rushed through the streets of the vige looking all around. It wasn''t long before she spotted Shikamaru with Ino and Choji.

    shback End.

    "Wait. Another test? What''s Mizuki sensei talking about?" Ino was surprised to hear that.

    "Yeah. I thought we had already graduated." Choji spoke looking to his friend for an exnation.

    "We did. There is no other test. Mizuki lied. He tricked Naruto." Shikamaru replied in a grave tone.

    "But why?"

    At Ino''s question Shikamaru turned to Hinata. "Mizuki wanted Naruto to steal some scroll for him. I think that''s what this is all about Hinata. You said you read the paper Mizuki gave Naruto right? What was the name of the scroll he wanted Naruto to take?"

    "The Forbidden scroll."

    Shikamaru''s eyes widened. He heard the name of that scroll before. "I''ve overheard dad once talking about that scroll. The Forbidden scroll contains some of the vige''s most powerful and dangerous jutsus. Only the Hokage has ess to it and some high level Jonin can take a look inside the scroll with the Hokage''s permission. At least that''s what I know"

    Hinata, Ino and Choji immediately understood the danger of the situation.

    "Wait. If a scroll like that gets stolen then"

    "It''ll be chaos in the vige. And if it falls into the hands of another vige... There''s no telling what might happen." Shikamaru''s words clearly told them the seriousness of the situation.

    "We We need to tell someone."

    "Yeah. I agree with Hinata. I think we should tell the Hokage about this right now." Ino said but Shikamaru was silent.

    "What are we going to do?" Choji asked his friend.

    "Hold on. Let me just think." The young Nara kneeled and brought his hands together. He closed his eyes and thought about the best way to proceed.

    ''What do we do? How do we get Naruto out of this mess and trap Mizuki?''

    A minute passed in silence and the other three academy graduates were getting anxious. Suddenly Shikamaru opened his eyes and stood up. He looked at the other three and knew they would be with him to help Naruto.

    "I have a n I need you guys to do exactly as I say."

    -------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 262: Sasukes Choice & Shikamarus Plan

    Chapter 262: Sasuke''s Choice & Shikamaru''s n

    Sasuke Uchiha left the Ninja Academy and was walking down a riverside road. Anyone who looked at him could see that he was distracted by something. He wanted to clear his mind and was simply roaming the vige through some random roads.

    ''I''ve be a Genin but I haven''t even awakened my Sharingan yet. Damn it. Itachi was in Anbu by the time he was twelve with fully matured Sharingan. I''ve been training so hard but it feels like I haven''t made any progress So what am I doing wrong?''

    The Uchiha sighed and slightly shook his head. His mind soon came to the subject of his team.

    ''I wonder who my teammates are going to be? No matter who they are, they''ll only slow me down I need to get much stronger. I need to be strong enough to fight and defeat Daichi. Only then will I be able to defeat Itachi.''

    At that moment Sasuke sighed and somehow the conversation he had with Daichi during theirst spar popped into his mind.

    shback.

    "Hey, I know I''ve asked this before but do you think that if I show the teachers what I can really do, I might be able to get an apprenticeship with an experienced Jonin like you?" Sasuke asked as he blocked Daichi''s punch.

    The Uchiha could see Daichi''s hesitance to reply and immediately knew the answer to that question. ''Of course not. Despite my talents I''m still not on the same level of skill and strength as Daichi.''

    "Sasuke, you''re a talented-"

    "Stop! Just stop."

    Sasuke stopped the fight and looked at his rival. A few secondster he sighed and looked at the sky.

    "I spend time here with you for two reasons. One, because you''re stronger than me and fighting you is the only way I can get stronger. At least right now."

    ''And I hate admitting that''

    "Two, you don''t try to coddle me like most people I meet nowadays."

    The Uchiha turned his head and looked Daichi dead in the eye. "Just give me a straight answer."

    Daichi looked at his friend and nodded. "Fine. The answer to your question... No. While you''re strong and far ahead of your peers I don''t think you''ll be under an apprenticeship when you graduate. You''ll be part of a standard 4 member Genin squad."

    Sasuke nodded and the two continued to spar. They weren''t having an intense fight but were trying to improve their basic Taijutsu skills and techniques.

    "Who do you think my teammates are going to be?"

    At Sasuke''s question a smirk formed on Daichi''s face which brought confusion to the Uchiha.

    "Daichi, you know something I don''t?"

    "A lot of things actually." The Genin said with a smallugh.

    "Hn."

    Seeing Sasuke''s irritated face, Daichi chuckled but gave an answer. "I''m not sure... But anyone could be a part of your team. Even Naruto."

    The Uchiha groaned tiredly. "Of all people I doubt I''d remain sane for long with that knucklehead on my team. Someone like him, he''d only drag me down."

    "You know, he and you are a lot alike." Daichi said, jumping over Sasuke''s leg sweep and sent a fast jab towards Sasuke''s shoulder.

    The academy student moved out of the way and quickly got up facing his opponent. "Please. He and I are nothing alike."

    "Ohh you''d be surprised. Both of you suffered tragedies and lost parents. Granted he doesn''t know his family, but still, I imagine the pain he feels of not knowing is quite significant. You both have high ambition. And he works hard once he sets his mind to something. Just like you."

    Sasuke had stopped mid battle and jumped back. He narrowed his eyes and looked at Daichi with a frown. The Genin could see anger bubbling beneath the somewhat calm face. "You''re reallyparing that idiot to me? You think he even spends half his time training like I do? You think he knows the kind of loss and pain I feel?"

    "Not the same kind of pain you''ve experienced but he has felt immense pain and heartache. There was a time when he had no one he could count on for help. Sasuke, what happened to you was bad, but you do not want to switch ces with him. Trust me on that."

    Daichi was serious as he said the words and Sasuke realized that. The Genin continued. "And as for training, I''ve seen him push himself till he can barely stand. You shouldn''t underestimate him. I don''t."

    Sasuke was surprised at that admission. "You''re not just saying that, are you? You really do mean it."

    "Yes."

    "Hn. Well, unlike you I don''t have overwhelming blind faith that he''s suddenly going to be strong."

    "You''ll eat those words one day." Daichi saidughing.

    The two continued to spar and soon when night came they went their separate ways.

    shback End.

    Sasuke then recalled the match he had with Naruto a few hours ago at the academy. ''He definitely trained his chakra control and his shuriken skills were a lot better than I thought Still It would be hectic if he was on a team with me.''

    Sasuke was about to turn a corner but a conversation stopped him in his tracks.

    "Naruto. I''m here because there is one more test for the graduation exam."

    "One more test?"

    ''That''s Mizuki and Naruto. What are they talking about? A second graduation test?''

    The Uchiha was surprised to hear that. He concealed his presence and carefully listened to the two. As the conversation progressed he was even more shocked by what he heard and by the end of it the Uchiha had a rough idea of what was happening.

    "Good luck Naruto." The Chunin instructor said with a smile.

    "Thanks. Next time you see me, I''m gonna be Rookie of the year. Believe it!"

    A few momentster he sensed that both parties had left the area. ''This must be Mizuki''s trick. He''s looking to use Naruto for his own gains Whatever. It''s not my problem if that idiot gets himself into trouble.''

    Sasuke turned around and decided to head straight home. He decided to ignore the predicament Naruto was in and made the decision to focus on himself. He made his way to the front gates of his npound and stopped. He looked at the Uchiha symbol carved on the gates and his hands clenched into a fist.

    ''Damn it. Why am I even hesitating? Whatever trouble Naruto is in, it''s not my business. So then Why can''t I ignore it?''

    The Uchiha let out a deep breath of air and closed his eyes. ''That damn Mizuki. He even dragged in my name Still to make Naruto steal a scroll from the Hokage tower. He should know he''ll be caught when they catch Naruto. So what''s his n here?''

    Sasuke opened his eyes and turned around. ''Since he had the nerve to use me in his trap, it''s only fair that I see what he''s up to. He must have somerger n, he''d be aplete idiot otherwise''

    Suddenly another thought emerged in his head. ''If I take a traitorous Chunin down, will the Hokage make an exception for me? If I capture Mizuki and retrieve whatever scroll he wanted Naruto to take, will the Hokage make me part of a two man team like Daichi?''

    A small smile slowly formed on the boy''s face. ''Whatever the case, I''m far too curious now to just let this go.''

    He began making his way to the Hokage tower. ''I need to make sure I''m out of Naruto and Mizuki''s sight. I need to find out what''s really happening before I make my move.''

    -

    With Shikamaru.

    "I have a n I need you guys to do exactly as I say." Shikamaru said and the others nodded.

    "Come on, I''ll exin everything but right now, let''s move from this spot." Shikamaru led his friends to a more secluded ce and after having Hinata confirm that they were alone heid out his n.

    "Okay. For the moment we can''t tell anyone or alert anyone to the situation."

    Ino and Hinata were surprised at that strategy but Choji kept silent. He had great trust in his friend.

    "What? Why? The smartest thing right now would be to inform the Jonins or the Hokage."

    The young Nara shook his head at Ino. "No. For one thing we don''t know if he''s working alone or if has some team with him. If we tell some random Jonin what we know and he turns out to be Mizuki''s friend or partner we''d be in trouble. And even if we do tell the Hokage, Mizuki might get captured but if he has any aplices then they might get away."

    "What makes you so sure he has anyone helping him?" Ino asked.

    "Because it''s what I''d do. If I was going to betray the vige, I''d need back up or at the very least a distraction. It''d be a dumb n otherwise. He''s just a Chunin academy instructor. For him to choose to be a missing ninja, he''d need a strong team or he knows for sure he''ll get protection once he leaves the vige."

    "Um.. What about your dads?" Hinata asked nervously.

    Ino sighed at that question. "I''m pretty sure they''re out drinking. It''s been a while since they all met and since it''s our graduation, this was an excuse for them to get drunk together. I don''t even know where to start to look for them."

    "So right now we can''t tell anyone? Then what do we do?" Choji asked.

    "We need to make sure Mizuki is caught red handed. Or the theft of the scroll will be med on Naruto."

    "Um What if What if we tell Naruto the truth? He''d believe us right?" Even though Hinata asked that question, it was as if deep down she knew the answer herself.

    Shikamaru was silent for a few moments and then shook his head. "I don''t like saying this but right now, I don''t think Naruto would believe us."

    "Why not? We''re his friends right?"

    Shikamaru turned to Choji and sighed. "Yes. But you have to see it from his perspective. Mizuki is a respected chunin teacher and Naruto doesn''t know about Mizuki''s hatred. And remember what he said to Naruto. ording to him we''re all participating in this exam. Mizuki specifically told Naruto not to trust us or listen to us. If we confront Naruto now I''m not sure how he''d react."

    "Aargh. That idiot. Even if it''s a fake test, why did he have to choose the test to steal the scroll from the Hokage tower?"

    "Come on Ino, I thought you figured him out by now. For Naruto, after that defeat today against Sasuke this was the perfect way to get even and show him up. It''s why he chose that task" Shikamaru replied and Ino slumped her shoulders.

    "I have to give Mizuki credit. He knew just what to say to push Naruto''s buttons"

    "Sounds like Mizuki really thought this through." Ino realized that Mizuki had thought his n out well and that it wouldn''t be easy to beat him.

    "So what do we do right now? We have to do something."

    "I agree. Mizuki is being meticulous. He''ll be extremely careful for the next several hours. We need to trap him and anyone helping him when he meets with Naruto for the exchange."

    "But we only just graduated. If there is someone helping Mizuki, they''d at least be Chunin or maybe even Jonin Right?" Choji was nervous as he realized that a battle might be inevitable.

    "I know. The four of us won''t stand a chance. That''s why we''ll need everyone for this." Shikamaru turned to Ino.

    "Ino. I need you to get Sakura and Shino. I''m sure you can find Sakura quickly and Shino might be at the insectarium near his npound. Find them quickly and then make sure to stock up on your ninja gear. We''ll be going up against shinobi with experience so we need to set a trap and fight smarter. In addition to the usual gear, get smoke bombs, sh grenades and res."

    "Right!" Ino nodded in confidence.

    Shikamaru then turned to his oldest friend. "Choji. I need you to find Kiba. He should be at the veterinary hospital or at his n. Find him and stock up on gear. Tell him what''s going on. We''ll need his tracking skills. But make sure that no one else finds out."

    "Got it."

    "What will you be doing?" Ino asked.

    "I''m going to keep an eye on the surroundings of the Hokage tower along with Hinata."

    "But spying on the Hokage tower That''s really dangerous."

    The Nara sighed. "I know. What a drag... If we just tantly spy on the Hokage, we''ll get caught and will definitely be in trouble. We just need to keep an eye out for Naruto." He turned to the Hyuga of the group. "Hinata. We''re going to keep an eye on Naruto but from a distance. We know he''ll be at the Hokage tower so that''s our location. Your Byakugan will be of great help."

    The white eyed girl instantly went red faced. ''My-my eyes On Naruto''

    "Arr... Hinata... Can you do it?" Shikamaru asked in a deadpanned tone.

    The Hyuga girl clenched her hands and eagerly nodded her head. "Y-yes. You can count on me Shikamaru." Her strong determination sowed in her voice and face.

    The future Ino-Shika-Cho team sweatdropped seeing the strong reaction from the usually timid girl.

    Shikamaru continued with his n. "Right... Anyway lucky for us, I''m sure Naruto won''t make a move till the sun goes down, so that gives us some time to prepare."

    Shikamaru tore a small portion of his clothes and handed them to Ino and Choji. "Once you two find the others and are ready, use that to find me and Hinata. But make sure to be as discreet as possible and above all else, we can''t be seen by Naruto or Mizuki."

    "So don''t draw attention. That''s gonna be hard since I''m a charming figure but it''s not impossible." Despite the serious situation Ino couldn''t help but give a cheeky reply.

    Shikamaru sighed. ''Oh brother.''

    "Whatever Remember. This is most important. We''re following Naruto into danger and there is a good chance we''d be risking our lives. There could be Chunin or Jonin enemies. This is really dangerous. If anyone wants to back out, now is the time. It won''t change anything." Shikamaru looked at the three and saw that none of them were willing to back down. He smiled and nodded.

    "Good luck everyone. Let''s go."

    The next second the four newly graduated ninjas vanished from their spot.

    ----------------

    Author''s Note.

    One thing I want all of you to keep in mind is that Kishimoto created shikamaru as a character with great intelligence and high 200 IQ. He''s a master strategist.

    Now obviously I as the author have nowhere near that intelligence. So the ns I make might have some ws and it will show in the story. I''ve been revising my ns over and over but I could have missed something.

    So If you spot any problems let me know in thements.

    I''m really nervous writing this arc. It''s not just rookie graduation. Another significant event will also take ce.

    Now, About my four day absence well. I have no excuse. I was reading a story that caught my eye. It''s a one piece fanfiction story.

    Name: I''m sailing, Ask whitebeard a question at the start.

    I''ve been reading it non-stop for thest 4 days. And when I say non stop I mean other than eating and sleeping for 5 hours, I did nothing else but read it. It has over 600 chaps and I read up to 550.

    The truth is I really needed that ME Time and now I feel refreshed. I hope you guys can forgive me for making you wait for so long for this chapter. If you''re interested, check it out. I''ll be posting next chap tomorrow.

    Now fair warning for those who want to read that story. It''s a Chinese tranted novel. And you''ll encounter broken English. But it''s not in most ces but you''ll understand the content of the chapter. Despite thenguage barriers, I really enjoyed reading it. I''ll see you guys tomorrow.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 263: Shikamarus Plan 02

    Chapter 263: Shikamaru''s n 02

    Fire Capital.

    Kakashi and Daichi were escorting their client through the streets of the capital. It wasn''t long before they reached arge mansion.

    Daichi immediately recognized the building. "This is Lord Taji''s home."

    "Lord Taji. Hmm So this is the home of the Minister in charge of overseeing businesses huh. I assume he wants a report." Kakashi had never met the man but he had heard of him.

    Ryoma nodded. "Indeed. After everything that has happened he wanted me to give him an update as soon as I returned. I''m sure he would also want to speak with you two. And I have a feeling he''d be delighted to see you again Daichi."

    The Jonin and Genin nodded. "I''m also somewhat curious about the prisoner that was taken?" Kakashi said as he put his book back in his pouch.

    The guards standing in front of the gates immediately recognized Daichi and Ryoma ''The Dealmaker''. Soon the two were escorted inside for a meeting with the minister.

    Within a few minutes the 3rd minister of the Fire Capital came to greet them. The two ninjas and their client bowed and straightened.

    Lord Taji smiled as he looked at the three. "Wee. I take it, the journey back was pleasant?"

    "Yes my Lord. After dealing with the small interruption at the Inn, everything proceeded smoothly." Ryoma replied.

    "Wonderful! So what was their response?" Taji asked his man.

    "They agreed to cease all hostilities and agreed for an alliance. They''ll be here next week. A merger between the two is in the works but it will only move forward if their children agree. I''ll have a report within the day sir."

    "Good." Lord Taji smiled and turned his attention to the two ninjas. "Kakashi Hatake. I''ve heard quite a lot about you. You have an impressive reputation."

    "Thank you Lord Taji." The Jonin smiled and gave a small nod.

    The minister turned his attention to the Genin and his smile widened as he looked at the boy. "Hello Daichi. How have you been?"

    "Very well sir. Thank you How is your nephew, Leorio?"

    "He''s doing well. It was a difficult few months for him emotionally after that whole ordeal, but he''s now back to his old self." The minister replied joyfully.

    "I''m d to hear that."

    "You also protected my friend here and found the spy hidden amongst them. Thank you. Your skills are very impressive But there is something I wanted to ask. Why did you let the attackers get away? Was it really to get information on Yuta Genjira?"

    Taji asked the question that Kakashi and Daichi were expecting. "I didn''t know if there were any other threats aside from Yuta present at that meeting. Capturing and interrogating them would have taken time and those ninjas had suicide jutsus as contingences. They were just hired hands and it would have been more trouble than it was worth and we wouldn''t have found the evidence needed in time. So we made a deal with them. Information in exchange for freedom. Our priority was to protect the client and this felt like the easiest way."

    The minister listened and nodded. "I see Hm You''re right. I don''t care about the methods but the results. And they speak for themselves. We now have two of the biggest resource corporations working together and have evidence against another conducting illegal operations. Well done."

    "Thank you." The Genin replied with a short respectful bow.

    "Lord Taji, has Yuta given you anything?" Ryoma asked.

    "We''re still interrogating him but it seems he was only tasked with sending information about The Satoru corporation to Fujin. He doesn''t know any credible information about his father''spany."

    "To think Fujin would sacrifice and make his own son a spy from such a young age To Fujin his son was just another piece on the board. All to further his goals." Ryoma spoke in a low tone.

    Lord Taji sighed as he thought about the young man currently being interrogated by his men. His mind then briefly went to Junichiro. ''It''s such a sad fate. Good men being obligated and forced to follow the path of evil men But such is life.''

    The minister didn''t dwell on the negative thoughts for long. He put on a cheerful face and looked at the two man ninja team. "I''ll have amodations prepared for you two. Now that your mission ispleted you''re more than wee to rest and rx here for as long as you need."

    While Daichi considered it a grateful gesture he wanted to get back to the vige as soon as possible. Kakashi nced at his student out of the corner of his eyes and knew Daichi wanted to get home quickly to see his friends. ''The graduation exam is today. I''m sure he''s eager to see them''

    With that in mind Kakashi spoke. "We appreciate the offer Lord Taji but I''m afraid Daichi and I have to head back to the vige now that our mission ispleted."

    The minister looked to the Genin and saw the boy give a small nod.

    "Very well then. Next time. Have a safe journey back home."

    The 3rd Minister and Ryoma said their goodbyes to the two ninjas and soon Kakashi and his student left the mansion. In half an hour they left the capital and were slowly making their way back home.

    The Genin was hopping through the trees thinking about what Naruto and Mizuki were up to in the vige. ''What''s going on right now? Did Mizuki use the same trick or did something else happen?''

    Kakashi looked at Daichi and his eyes slightly narrowed. ''He seems off...''

    "Are you alright Daichi?"

    The Jonin''s question brought the boy out of his thoughts. He looked at his teacher from the corner of his eyes. "Why do you ask sensei?"

    "You seem. How do I put this?... Distracted."

    The boy chuckled hearing that. "I''m fine sensei. Just a lot on my mind." Daichi gave a smooth reply and kept a cool face as he looked forward.

    Kakashi looked at his student for a few more seconds before he shook his head and decided to ignore it. ''Eh. I''m sure it''s nothing. Must be thinking about some new jutsu Probably''

    The silver haired ninja took out his orange book and flipped to the marked page and slowly began continuing from where he left off.

    -

    With Shikamaru and Hinata.

    Shikamaru and Hinata were atop a small building a short distance away from the Hokage tower. They were hidden in a corner that wasn''t easily visible to everyone.

    Shikamaru sat in his spot and let out a deep breath. "This area has a good vantage point. We''ll be able to see if there is any movement or if anyone is scouting out the tower."

    "Do you think Naruto is going to escape through this section?" Hinata asked and the Nara Genin nodded his head.

    "Yeah. If I''m right Naruto''s gonna enter the tower through the lower entrance and then once he has the scroll he''ll most likely exit through this area."

    "But do you think he''ll get the scroll? If the Hokage or his guards are present he won''t be able to escape." Hinata said.

    "Yeah. If he stumbles into the Hokage or anyone else, he''ll be in trouble Well, let''s see what happens" Shikamaru replied and he soon gotfortable. But despite his rxed posture he was alert and on the lookout for any suspicious movements.

    The two sat there in silence while Hinata asionally used her Byakugan to keep an eye on her surroundings. Shikamaru had warned her to keep an eye on anyone moving suspiciously.

    As she used her Byakugan she asked her friend a question that''s been on her mind. "Shi-Shikamaru Um If we can''t tell any Jonin or Chunin, then why don''t we tell the Hokage about this? He''d believe us right?... He knows Naruto wouldn''t steal a scroll out of the blue Right?"

    Shikamaru was silent and sighed.

    "You You don''t think he''d believe us?"

    The Nara shook his head. "No. I''m pretty sure he will. If we tell him what we know, what you heard, I''m sure he''d believe us and take our words at face value"

    "Then why aren''t we?" Hearing that response Hinata was confused as to why Shikamaru wasn''t taking that option.

    "Two reasons mainly. Number one. Mizuki knowing about the existence of the Forbidden scroll isn''t that surprising. But knowing where to find it in the tower and how to get it That''s a whole different story. That''s information he couldn''t have gotten without high level ess. Someone in the Hokage tower or someone who once worked there must have tipped him off. Mizuki isn''t dumb enough to believe he can fool the entire vige and get away with it on his own. At least I don''t think he is"

    "So someone must be helping him."

    "Yeah. That''s what I''m thinking. And we don''t know if the spy is still there or not. If we alert the Hokage he woulde to the same conclusion I have and I''m betting he''s going to take the wait and see approach. He''d probably let Naruto take the scroll, in order to draw out the spy and catch Mizuki in the act, clearing Naruto''s name. I''m also sure he''d also have an Anbu or two shadow Naruto to make sure he wouldn''t get into any trouble"

    Hinata''s eyes widened. "Th-Then why aren''t we-"

    "Going inside the tower and warning him? That''s reason number two" Shikamaru said, raising his second finger. "We just graduated from the academy. We should be celebrating with our family and friends. We have no business seeing the Hokage at this time. So if we go into the tower to meet with Lord Hokage and the spy or anyone who knows what''s going on see us or finds out about our meeting they''d get suspicious and alert Mizuki and things could get chaotic fast."

    Shikamaru remembered the words his father once said to him during a shogi match.

    ''Vignce and paranoia are not your enemies Shikamaru. We should take into ount every possible possibility. No matter how miniscule. Our greatest strength lies in anticipating our enemy''s next several moves before they even know to make them Checkmate.''

    Shikaku moved a crucial piece and defeated his son in another match.

    "Aww man" The boy slumped andid back down.

    The Genin came out of his memories and looked at Hinata. "We can''t take any risks and tip our hand. You eavesdropping on Mizuki''s conversation was lucky but we don''t want to push it. We need to be careful on how we proceed."

    Hinata nodded and was silent for a few moments before she made another query. "But then what about our parents? We can trust them."

    "Yeah we can. But we can''t tell them. Not yet."

    Seeing the girl''s questioning gaze Shikamaru sighed and began exining. "Our parents would believe us. Yes. But they would be obligated to inform the Hokage of what''s going on. Even if we told them that we have a well made n to catch Mizuki and make sure the scroll would be returned, they wouldn''t just sit back and do nothing. They wouldn''t listen to kids that just got headbands a few hours ago We just graduated, Hinata. We''re not even assigned to Genin teams yet. Our parents have an obligation to the Hokage. They wouldn''t keep sensitive information like this to themselves. They''d wait for Lord Hokage''s orders. And we''re back to my first reasoning."

    "But we We have to tell him. We can''t keep this a secret for long."

    "I agree." Shikamaru took out a small sheet of paper and a pen from his pocket and began writing something. "After Naruto takes the scroll and leaves the tower I''ll have a message delivered to the Hokage in secret exining everything. He''d make the needed arrangements."

    "Okay."

    The two entered afortable silence while they kept an eye out for anyone suspicious. A short whileter Shikamaru spoke.

    "Are you worried about him?"

    Hinata looked at her friend''s face and instantly knew who he was talking about and she blushed. "Um Yes"

    She didn''t say anything else and the Nara smirked seeing her expression. "Don''t worry. It''ll all be fine. Everything''s gonna work out fine."

    Hinata nodded and looked ahead as the sun disappeared and night fell. ''I hope so''

    Fire Capital - Ryoma''s Home.

    The Dealmaker was in his office and hadpleted the report a few minutes ago. As he sat in his chair and rxed he suddenly felt a little dizzy. As if his vision was going dark. He shook his head for a few moments and everything seemed to return to normal.

    He immediately stood up and looked around. Seeing nothing amiss and sensing no one''s presence but his own he sat down in his chair and let out a breath. "I must be more tired than I thought. I better send this to Lord Taji and get some sleep."

    Ryoma took the report of his negotiations with the two corporations and sealed it in a scroll. He went outside and had one of his men deliver it to the minister and soon went to bed.

    Neither Ryoma nor his guards sensed the presence of an intruder leaving thepound in the shadows.

    -------------

    Author''s Note:

    The conclusions Shikamaru draws are due to questions from his point of view.

    How did Mizuki know where to locate the scroll?

    Mizuki should know the military strength of the vige so he must be confident he can escape. So that means he has a n. Maybe even a few aplices? How to draw them out.

    Most people in the vige hate Naruto. So how many are helping Mizuki with this n?

    What would happen to Naruto if Mizuki''s n is ruined before he escapes?

    Shikamaru knows Mizuki isn''t dumb so he is being extra cautious. It''s why he''s keeping information close to his vest.

    Putting myself in a character''s shoes and seeing things from that character''s P.O.V and thinking about the limited information that character would know is not an easy task. I apud all of you writers out there.

    In canon we all know the only reason Mizuki knew the location of such a dangerous scroll and how Naruto got in was because of plot.

    Anyway, I hope my reasoning satisfies you.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 264: A Sacrificial Lamb

    Chapter 264: A Sacrificial Lamb

    Fire Capital.

    A ninja stood inside Ryoma''s room, hidden in the darkness and silently observing him. The subordinate of the 3rd minister was unaware of this individual''s presence and was steadilypleting his mission report. It wasn''t long before he finished it and at that moment the intruder made his move.

    ''Genjutsu art: Timeless Haze''

    In mere moments Ryoma was under the intruder''s illusion technique and was sitting in his chair motionless.

    The shinobi slowly appeared from the shadows and walked towards Ryoma. ''This will put you under while I get what I need.''

    He immediately began going through the mission report that was just done and quickly memorized every detail and even made a copy. ''The spy Fujin sent was caught and now the two major corporations are forming an alliance. The young master won''t be happy about this.''

    He read the details of the alliance and merger between the two parties and gave a light sigh.

    The unknown ninjapleted his work in a couple of minutes and the next moment he was out of the room. He dispelled the illusion jutsu holding Ryoma and quietly made his exit.

    -

    The ninja was exceptional in stealth and quickly made his way to his destination with the new information. It wasn''t long before he reached a small pce and entered through a secret tunnel. He soon stood in front of his master''s room and knocked on the door.

    "Come in."

    The shinobi entered and gave a small bow before taking a scroll from his pocket. "I have the information you wanted, young master."

    "Ahh yes. Perfect. I can always count on you Hotoja."

    The shinobi who entered Ryoma''s residence in secret was the loyal guard of the youngest prince Katsuya Hino. The third prince immediately went through the report and noted the most important details as Hotoja stood silently. The smile on Katsuya''s face widened by the time he finished the document.

    "Wonderful. Everything''s going ording to n." The prince couldn''t help but chuckle. He turned to Hotoja with a teasing grin.

    Hotoja was surprised to see his master''s reaction. "I thought you''d be angry or at the very least annoyed, seeing that Fujin Genjira''spany would soon be shut down. You spent quite a bit of money over thest 4 years on strengthening hispany."

    "I did. And it was for this exact reason."

    "You helped him to fail?"

    Seeing his subordinate''s confusion the third prince began exining.

    "Over 5 years ago I had been gathering information on most businesses running in and around Fire country. One in particr caught my eye. The Silver Wood Loggingpany."

    "Fujin Genjira''spany!"

    The prince nodded. "Yes. While simr businesses were struggling due to the two giants Satoru and Rising Sun, Fujin''spany was steadily growing. I found it odd and ordered a secret in depth investigation. It took some time but I soon came to know of his spies in the two majorpanies feeding him intel. Fujin used that intelligence to create tension and skirmishes between the two corporations."

    Hotoja began to understand the situation. "Slowing down their growth while strengthening his own."

    "Precisely. And it was at that moment I came up with an idea. Can you guess what that is Hotoja?"

    The prince''s subordinate was silent for several moments as he thought about all the information he had. A minuteter his eyes widened. "The only thing I can think of that''s profitable from this whole endeavor is if you wanted the alliance of the Satoru corporation and Rising Sun corporation."

    "Exactly."

    "But if the goal was the merger of the twopanies then why did you secretly help Fujin build hispany and help him with the funds? Why not use those resources to assist the other two?"

    The prince shook his head negatively. "Even if I did they would have kept going at it and they wouldn''t have agreed to an alliance. It would have been a waste of time and energy. Their ego and hate was too big. So I decided to strengthen the enemy they already had and make him amon foe they could rally against when the time came. I gave Fujin''spany a boost in capital with several conditions in ce. With my help his growth increased significantly to the point he was beginning to threaten the other two. The only way they could keep growing was to stop fighting each other. They were beginning to realize that even if they didn''t like it."

    Hotoja''s eyes widened. "Wait. The mission you sent Kaien on a couple months ago"

    "It was to meet with Tsuyoshi Satoru and Yamamoto Hideshi in secret. I''m the one who ordered them to meet for a possible negotiation and alliance. And the moment I learnt that it was Kakashi and Daichi sent to guard Ryoma, I knew the mission would be a sess and the spy would be captured."

    Hotoja was silent as he went over the whole scenario. ''Tsuyoshi and Yamamoto hated each other''s guts but they feared theirpany''s ruin more. Young master created amon enemy for them to unite against. A sacrificialmb... All of this n created and set in motion years before today. How frightening''

    "Now do you understand my reasoning for giving aid to that man Fujin and hispany for thest four years?"

    Hotoja looked up at his master and nodded. "Yes. But young master Even if this was the n from the start won''t you suffer some losses with the destruction of the Fujinpany? Since you wanted your involvement with him a secret you won''t be able to recuperate the losses when the 3rd minister shuts him down."

    The grin on Katsuya''s face slightly widened and a dark dangerous glint was in his eyes. "Not exactly Hotoja."

    Fire country. Fujin Genjira''s Home.

    Fujin Genjira, the head of the Silver wood Loggingpany, was currently tied to a chair and was bleeding all over. He was tortured for information for over an hour. In a weak voice he spoke to the man who stood near him.

    "P-please I told you everything Nobody knows about my deal with Lord Katsuya There is no Evidence Please believe me" Fujin pleaded with every bit of his strength.

    A man shrouded in ck and dark red garments silently stared at the man for several seconds. He then spoke in a heavy tone. "I believe you." The next second a kunai was plunged into Fujin''s brain ending the man''s life.

    The ninja took the kunai and made his way to the basement of the home. He passed by several guards that were on the floor dead and bleeding. Soon he reached the basement and opened a secret chamber. Inside was arge space filled with money and gold.

    ''Master will be pleased. I better get to him with this quickly.''

    The shinobi hurriedly began sealing the massive wealth in arge storage scroll. Soon the secret chamber was empty and the shinobi left Fujin''s house. A few secondster the house caught on fire behind him, burning everyone and everything inside

    With Prince Katsuya.

    "When I first began helping him I made certain conditions with him. I told him not to use my money for anything nefarious. Fujin had the gall to ignore that warning and imported drugs and even ves using my funds. I wasn''t going to let him live long after that" The third prince said as he stood on the balcony of his room enjoying the cold wind on his face.

    "I take it you sent Kaien to deal with him."

    "Yes. He''s going to erase all evidence if there is any and he''ll take all the liquid assets stored in his home. That was another condition I made with Fujin. I knew this day woulde and I''m not someone who epts losses easily. You know that"

    Hotoja was silent for a few moments before he spoke again. "Young master, not that I''m questioning your methods, but why go through all this trouble just to create an alliance between Tsuyoshi and Yamamoto''spanies?"

    Katsuya smiled hearing that. "People look at theirpanies and see tworge business operations but I see it as something much more A potential informationwork with a distribution channel that spans an entire country and a few neighboring regions It just needs the right touch to make it happen But all that will only be possible if a merger happens. An alliance won''t cut it. I need those two corporations to join together"

    The older man''s eyes widened in surprise when he heard his master''s n. ''An informationwork like that will certainly increase the young master''s influence and reach. Even though he''s young he''s certainly a cunning man. I made the right choice joining his side.''

    The two spoke for a short while before another topic came up.

    "I still can''t believe the Leaf ninjas would let go of their prisoners in exchange for information I wonder who they were" Hotoja slightly shook his head and wondered to himself.

    "I believe I have an idea." Katsuya chuckled as he already deduced an answer.

    Hotoja silently looked at his master and waited for him to speak.

    "This meeting between the two was kept a secret and was on a need to know basis. Only very few people could have gotten ess to that information aside from Fujin''s spy leaking the intel. I knew that possibility and was keeping an eye on Yuta. Imagine my surprise when I learned that it was some unknown shinobi who contacted him regarding the negotiations and not the other way around"

    "So Yuta wasn''t the one who hired the ninjas?"

    "No. He just tried to take advantage of the opportunity that came" The prince replied.

    "But who could have known about this? And what reason would they have to interfere?"

    "The only ones with the means to get secret intel like this in this country are very few people. The one I''m suspecting is Danzo Shimura." Katsuya crossed his arms and spoke.

    "Based on our intelligence he''s the former advisor to the Hokage and themander of Root. From what I know the Hokage ordered and disbanded the Root but there is scattered evidence of its activities across the 5 nations. But young master, why do you suspect him?" Hotoja recalled the information on the organization.

    "I suspect him because of the actions of the Leaf ninjas Danzo isn''t someone who likes others to have great power. An alliance between those two corporations would have significant economic changes. The power and influence of the twopanies would greatly increase and I''m guessing he didn''t want that to happen. And perhaps he even foresaw the potential of what their merger might bring. He''s a paranoid old man who still lives in the warring era But then again considering my ns I suppose he was right to be wary."

    Hotoja soon understood why his master suspected Danzo. "But that''s not a valid reason to attack Ryoma and disrupt the negotiations between those two. If the 3rd minister found out that ninjas from Leaf vige were interfering like that, he would report it to Lord Ryuga and he would take action."

    The prince agreed. "Yes. Father would not be pleased and the actions of the ninjas would cause friction between the vige and the Royal court. The Hokage wouldn''t sanction a mission like this so I''m guessing the ninjas were operating on Danzo''s orders behind the Hokage''s back."

    "I see. The Leaf ninjas must havee to this conclusion as well. They didn''t want the identity of the attackers to be revealed because they didn''t want them to be connected back to their vige. They must have captured them in secret and found the information some other way."

    "Yes. The fact that the Leaf ninja wanted to hide the identity of their prisoners is the very reason I suspect Danzo." The prince spoke.

    Hotoja looked at his master. "Are you going to take any action my Lord?"

    Katsuyaughed. "Why? The Leaf ninjas lied. True. But those two did their job perfectly and I have a feeling the Hokage will take the needed action once this news reaches him, if he hasn''t already I won''t waste energy on a problem others will take care of for me"

    Hotoja nodded and stood silently while his master looked at the starry night sky with a small grin.

    ------------

    Author''s Note:

    This is all for now regarding the B rank mission and events at the capital. From the next chapter onwards we''ll focus solely on Kakashi, Daichi, Naruto and the others till the end of the graduation debacle.

    Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the twist in this chapter. How are you guys liking the Katsuya Hinoo character so far?

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 265: Escaped Prisoners

    Chapter 265: Escaped Prisoners

    The moon hung low in the night sky, casting an ethereal glow upon the dense forest in the Land of Fire. The tall trees swayed slightly in the night breeze, rustling leaves echoing like whispers in the night. Two shinobi moved like phantoms through the dense vegetation and made their way to the Leaf vige.

    Daichi and Kakashi had a steady pace as they made their way back home. As they moved through the branches the Genin asked his teacher something that''s been on his mind.

    "Hey sensei."

    "Hmm" Kakashi nced at his student from the corner of his eyes.

    "Sasuke is graduating today. Since he''s an Uchiha, are you going to be the Jonin sensei of his team?"

    "Hmm That topic was discussed with the Hokage. Since he hasn''t awakened his Sharingan it wouldn''t be much beneficial if I took over his training right now. So you have me for a few more months"

    "Till theing Chunin exams you mean."

    The silver haired Jonin smirked and looked forward. A few seconds of silenceter he spoke. "I know you''ll easily pass that exam. You''ll be assigned to other teams and will be on higher priority missions Well, that''s then You don''t need to worry about it now."

    Daichi nodded. "Who do you think will be on Sasuke''s team?" Daichi asked this question as casually as possible, making sure not to reveal his interests.

    Kakashi looked at his student and instead of answering the question he asked one of his own. "Why do you ask?"

    "Sasuke is the Rookie of the year. I know he''ll only push himself harder once he''s in a squad. Whoever is on his team, either they''ll need to keep up or they''ll be left behind. If the right two teammates aren''t chosen then it would cause problems down the line for everyone."

    "You don''t need to worry about your friend. The teachers and the Hokage will make the right decision."

    Daichi nodded and the two made their way forward. As they traveled further and neared the vige the Genin suddenly sensed several presence a short distance in front and closing. Daichi''s senses were far beyond even the most experienced Jonin and he was the one who sensed them first. He was alert as he felt the people approaching.

    Daichi frowned and immediately used his Chakra Sense skill and counted the signaturesing close. ''6 Chakra signatures. Are they the patrol squad? No. That can''t be. Too many clustered together No. Now that I''m taking a closer look, there are 4 in front and 2 moving slower and following from a distance. Maybe two teams going on different missions Based on their speed, they''re moving fast and will make contact with us soon.''

    Since today was graduation day, Daichi was extra cautious of anything and everything. "Sensei."

    "Yeah. I know. Don''t worry. They''re probably arge team leaving for a mission." Kakashi shrugged and replied. Within a few seconds 4 shinobi in Leaf gear appeared in their vision. They wereing close and looked as if they intended to pass them without any incident.

    The ninjas came close and Kakashi looked at each one as if he was merely ncing at them.

    The moment they were near Daichi used ''Observe'' skill on one of them and quickly read the information. His eyes minutely widened as he saw what was written. ''Tenjin Tsuchi. Male, 33. Former Chunin from the Leaf. Has fire chakra nature and several Fire jutsu under hismand. He leaked important intel to enemies for money. Imprisoned in the Leaf Correctional Facility for over 9 years This guy He''s an escaped prisoner.''

    Suddenly, just as they passed, Kakashi took several shuriken and hurled them at the ninjas. "Battle formation." Kakashi ordered his student as he made sure to stop the 4 ninjas in their tracks with his weapons.

    Daichi was ready the moment he realized that the shinobis were enemies. At that moment a new quest appeared in front of Daichi.

    [Quest created - Capture the escaped Prisoners.] [Time limit: 20 min.]

    [Something has happened at the Leaf Correctional Facility and the prisoners have escaped. Capture the prisoners you have encountered here.]

    .

    [Conditions:]

    [Do not let the prisoners escape.]

    [Do not die.]

    [Capture all 6 enemies without killing them][Bonus]

    .

    [Rewards:]

    [8800 Exp.]

    [12000 Exp. (Bonus)]

    [Reputation increases with Kakashi Hatake and Hiruzen Sarutobi.]

    [Reputation increases with Leaf Citizens]

    .

    [Failure:]

    [No C Rank missions for a while.]

    [Reputation decrease with citizens of the Leaf vige]

    [This quest is automatically epted.]

    The Genin quickly went through the details and the quest box closed as he turned his attention back to his foes. ''An automatically epted quest? Been a while since I had that. Eh. Whatever. It''s not like I was going to let them go or anything 6 enemies? So that means the two following are adversaries as well.''

    The 4 ninjas swiftly dodged Kakashi''s weapons andnded on the nearby trees. "Shit! He recognized us." One of them spoke.

    Kakashi looked at one man who had a scar running down the left side of his face. "Tenjin. I thought that was you. I can''t believe we''re running into each other like this. Hmm If I recall correctly, you''re supposed to be serving time in prison right now"

    The man identified as Tenjin sneered at Kakashi. "I got an early release."

    "Is that so" Kakashi narrowed his eyes and saw the battle ready stance of the other three. ''So they''re his aplices. Are they other prisoners in disguise or traitors? Doesn''t matter. I need to capture them all and find out what''s going on.''

    "Daichi."

    "Yeah. I have an idea as to what''s going on. Don''t worry I''ll be on guard." Daichi replied as he knew what his sensei was about to say.

    The Jonin smirked underneath his mask. He focused and kept his attention on Tenjin and the other three as well. As they were in a stalemate, Daichi immediately used ''Observe'' skill on the others in front of him.

    The first was a woman with brte hair and a slender figure. ''Aosora. 26, Female. Mostly use lightning jutsu and projectile weapons. Chunin. Killed a teammate because of jealousy. Wow...''

    The second was a man with a brutish figure and long ck hair. He had ck eyes and a sharp jawline. ''Kitoha Mizuho. Chunin Ninja from one of the neighboring viges in the Fire country. Wind style jutsu is his specialty. Imprisoned in the Leaf Correctional facility for infiltrating the secured archives and records room and trying to steal vige secrets.''

    Daichi nced at thest man who had his hand on a short sword and was just waiting to attack. He was the oldest one in the group. He had a bald head and several scars running down his hands and face. ''Ryuken. Age 51. Former special Jonin of the stone vige. Caught infiltrating the vige shortly after the nine tails attack and was imprisoned.''

    ''So these guys are all escaped prisoners. The fact that they all picked today to escape. That''s no coincidence. I''m pretty sure Mizuki must have had a hand in this.''

    Daichi read the information on the three and came to this conclusion in less than 3 seconds.

    Suddenly Tenjin took a step forward. "You remember this Kakashi? You gave this to me thest time we met." He said pointing to the vertical scar running down from his forehead to the bottom of the chin. "You did this to me." The rage and hate was palpable in his voice.

    "I didn''t do it to you. You did it to yourself when you refused to surrender." Kakashi kept a nonchnt face as he looked at the angry shinobi. He had no mercy for people like Tenjin.

    "What do we do?" Aosora asked. She had her eyes on Daichi and was gripping her kunai. They were Chunin ninjas and had wanted to escape from the clutches of the Leaf ninjas. Their eyes gleamed with a mix of fear and anticipation but they were determined to keep their freedom.

    Kakashi looked at Tenjin''s aplices and narrowed his eyes. ''They''re desperate. I need to take them down quickly.''

    "Attack!" Tenjin yelled as he and Aosora let loose a barrage of shuriken and kunai towards their enemies. While the two threw deadly weapons, Kitoha was going through a few hand seals and Ryuken jumped down to the ground.

    Just as Daichi and Kakashi avoided the sharp weapons, several wind bullets wereing their way and destroyed the trees they were on. The two ninjas leaped from the falling tree to the ground but the next second the earth under them morphed into the shape of arge deadly jaw with sharp spikes.

    The second Ryuken jumped down he made hand seals and ced his palms on the ground. ''Earth Style - Crushing Maw.''

    Daichi''s mind and senses began working faster. He activated his parallel processing skill and immediately began taking in more data about his enemies and the environment. His eyes went down towards the earth jutsu that was slowly making its way towards them in slow motion. Daichi also took note of what everyone was doing at that time.

    Before the two Leaf ninjasnded on the trap Kakashi and Daichi made a few seals and lightning immediately covered their arms. They extended their arms towards the ground and at therge deadly earth jutsu looking to crush and tear them.

    ''Lightning style - Impulse Rain.''

    Several strong Lightning bolts discharged from their limbs and attacked the jutsu in quick session. Their lightning jutsu was several times more powerful than Ryuken''s earth technique and it was immediately destroyed.

    Kakashi and Daichi safelynded on the ground but a fraction of secondter they took a kunai and deflected two others that came near them. The deflected kunais had paper bombs tied to them and they exploded a short distance away filling their surroundings with smoke and dust.

    Daichi sensed Ryuken, Kitoha and Aosora making a run for it while they had the chance but he sensed Tenjin staying where he was.

    ''So that''s what they''re trying to do huh.'' Daichi saw the simtion ying in his mind and was ready to counter it.

    When the Genin opened his eyes the next moment and looked down, he was still in mid air slowly falling towards the earth jutsu of his enemy. ''Kakashi sensei''s lightning jutsu is strong enough to defeat this earth jutsu. I need to focus on the others.''

    Daichi turned his attention to the ninjas standing atop the tree as his sensei began making seals for the ''Impulse Rain''. He swiftly took several shuriken and with precision aim and force, he sent them flying.

    The escaped Chunins were startled. They tried to dodge but were unsessful as two shuriken knocked the kunai out of their hands and a few others hit several areas wounding them.

    "Aargh! Fuck. That hurts." Aosora clenched her abdomen where a metal star was buried in.

    Kitoha grunted as he took the ninja stars from his arms and legs. He was bleeding and in pain as he looked at the Genin with anger.

    Kakashi looked at the situation and spoke to the escaped ninjas. "You''re outmatched. Surrender and this won''t end ugly for you."

    "You think it''ll be that easy?" Tenjin looked at the copycat ninja and suddenly smiled. "Think again."

    Right then Kakashi and Daichi sensed the arrival of two new people. They were massive figures and the two Leaf ninjas immediately recognized them.

    "Hey big brother. Looks like we caught up. Do you think these guys have any food?"

    "We can find out. I''m so hungry."

    Daichi''s eyes slightly widened as he stared at the tworge individuals. ''Thats Fujin and Raijin. The stupid brothers So they''re the ones I sensed following these guys.''

    Kakashi narrowed his eyes as he looked at the two. ''Of all people it''s these two morons I have to deal with.''

    Suddenly Tenjin shouted at the two brothers. "Hey Fujin! Raijin! We had tons of delicious food for you guys but these two destroyed it. Now you''ll go hungry because of them." He said pointing at Kakashi and Daichi, painting them as the culprits.

    "What!?" "What!?"

    Hearing that there was no food for them, Fujin and Raijin turned angry as they looked at the Leaf duo with clenched fists. "You''ll die for destroying our food."

    Kakashi let out an audible sigh and lifted up his headband revealing his Sharingan.

    "Let''s get this over with."

    -------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 266: Capture

    Chapter 266: Capture

    Daichi was calmly analyzing the situation and even with the addition of the two new ninjas, he knew he and his sensei woulde out victorious.

    Meanwhile the two nicknamed the Stupid Brothers were furious and were getting ready to attack.

    "Daichi, I''ll take care of these two. Think you can handle the others?" Kakashi asked his student.

    Daichi nced at his sensei and nodded. ''I want toplete this mission and get the bonus points too. I need to increase my Exp and level up fast. I need to make sure Kakashi doesn''t kill any of these guys. But I can''t just outright state my intentions. Hmm...''

    "Sensei. Are you intending on taking lethal measures?" Daichi asked in a low tone.

    "If the need arises" Kakashi replied.

    "We might have to interrogate these guys. I''m going to subdue these four."

    Kakashi nodded and the two were ready for battle.

    Tenjin, Aosora, Kitoha and Ryuken noticed the older ninja focusing his attention on Fujin and Raijin and realized that he was sending his student to fight them.

    The ninja of the Hidden Stone vige was scowling. ''I don''t know if I should be happy or pissed off that he''s sending a Genin to fight all of us. Does he think we''re that weak Or is this kid that strong?''

    Kitoha and Aosora had several wounds on their bodies. They understood that the child in front of them was not an average Genin.

    ''I need to get out of here. I won''tst in a prolonged fight with my wounds.''

    ''I need to escape this hellhole. These idiots can fight all they want.''

    The two were having simr thoughts of escaping but they knew it was going to be difficult.

    [You have sensed Killing Intent]

    Looking at the notification, Daichi''s eyes moved to the man with the long facial scar.

    Tenjin was furious at Kakashi and he wanted revenge. He looked at Daichi and a thought formed. ''I might not be strong enough to kill you Kakashi, but I''ll kill your student and I''ll escape from here.''

    "If we want to escape, we need to kill that brat first." Tenjin gave the order and the four got ready to attack.

    Daichi jumped from his teacher''s side and moved to engage in battle with the four.

    With Kakashi.

    "You''ll die for destroying our food. We''re soo MAAADD!" Fujin moved towards the Sharingan ninja with surprising speed for someone of his stature. He sent hisrge fist directly towards Kakashi''s head but the Jonin easily evaded and got behind him in the blink of an eye. Fujin lowered his fist and looked confused at not seeing the enemy in front of him. "Huh. Where''d he go?"

    Suddenly he felt a palm touch his back and lightning flooded his body. "Aarrr" He fell to one knee as electric current coursed through his body.

    "FUJIN!" Seeing his older brother in trouble, the younger Raijin quickly moved to attack Kakashi with the same type of forward punch just as his brother had done earlier.

    ''They''re surprisingly agile. They have plenty of strength. But they''re not very smart.''

    The Jonin did the same thing with Raijin and brought him to his knees as well. But then something happened. Both Fujin and Raijin slowly got up and turned to Kakashi.

    "Give us back our food." Raijin let out a sudden punch at Kakashi and sent him flying but the next moment a wooden log reced the Sharingan ninja. He appeared a few meters away and sighed.

    ''I should have known it wouldn''t be that easy. Time to fight idiot with idiot.''

    Kakashi focused on Raijin first and his Sharingan began to spin wildly. ''Sharingan Genjutsu! Body double perception.''

    Instantly chakra from his Sharingan connected with Raijin and put him in a Genjutsu. To Raijin it was as if Kakashi disappeared from his spot and reappeared where his brother was standing.

    "You won''t leave me hungry." Raijin roared and ran towards Fujin in anger.

    The older brother was confused at his younger brother''s behavior. At this time Kakashi stood in Fujin''s line of sight and used the same Genjutsu again. Within seconds the two brothers were fighting each other thinking they were fighting Kakashi.

    The silver haired Jonin looked at the two and nodded to himself. ''Once they get a bit more tired I''ll use sleeping Genjutsu on them and put them under.''

    He turned to Daichi and saw his student finishing up the battle on his end as well. ''Looks like he''s done too.''

    With Daichi a few minutes ago.

    Daichi rushed towards Ryuken while making a couple of seals.

    ''Ninja art Chakra scalpel.''

    Green chakra des, invisible to the naked eye, formed around Daichi''s palms. His Parallel Processing and Hypercognition skills already showed him what his opponent''s moves would most likely be.

    Seeing the Genin''s fast approach, Ryuken took his short sword from his sheath. ''Sorry kid. But you''re going to die here.''

    He tried to stab the boy through his chest but failed. Daichi easily predicted and evaded the sword swing and moved around Ryuken. As he did, he used his chakra scalpel and sliced a few muscles and tendons in Ryuken''s extended arm.

    The Genin''s attack waspleted in a second as he stood behind the man.

    Ryuken only had time to turn around to face the boy before he felt the effects of the damage done to him.

    "Aargh!" The sword fell from palm and his right arm hung down limply. Daichi immediately let go of the chakra scalpel jutsu and used chakra strings to catch the falling sword and grab hold of it.

    ''Damn it. I can''t even use ninjutsu now.'' Ryuken held his right arm and looked at the boy in fear. "Wh-what did you do? I can''t move my arm."

    Daichi smirked and immediately swung the sword a few times and struck the shurikens that targeted himing from his side. Sparks flew in the air as the long de knocked the deadly ninja stars from their path.

    The Genin not only deflected the weapons off course but redirected them back towards the two that threw them from up in the trees at a much faster speed, all the while keeping eye contact with the escaped stone ninja.

    Aosora and Kitoha were shocked that their weapons were redirected anding at them and they quickly jumped to the sides and barely evaded. Daichi redirected their attack without even ncing in their direction.

    It was an intimidation tactic. And it worked. The eyes of Aosora and Kitoha widened in fear and Tenjin who was rushing towards Daichi suddenly froze in his spot. They suddenly understood why Kakashi let the boy fight them on his own even though outnumbered.

    ''What the hell? How did he even do that? There is no way this kid is a Genin.''

    "Fuck this. I''m out." Aosora wanted to escape. She turned around and jumped to another tree. At that moment Daichi channeled chakra to his sword and swung it twice in quick session. The wind des moved faster than they could react to it.

    The first was in her direction. A thin imperceptible wind de was created and shot at blinding speed. The wind de partially cut the tree shended on and the rogue ninja fell to the ground along with part of therge tree trunk. Her wounds aggravated and she was no longer in any shape to move.

    The second wind de clipped Kitoha in the side and sent him flying into another tree.

    "Gha!" His back mmed into arge tree and the man coughed up blood. The loss of blood and the powerful body blow nearly made him unconscious as he slid to the ground.

    Just as Daichi sent the attacks at Aosora and Kitoha, Tenjin and Ryuken attacked. They knew it was the best chance for them to attack and kill the boy.

    Daichi tossed the sword high up in the air and rushed towards the two. He reached the Stone ninja first and easily dodged the clumsy Taijutsu attack. ''All these years of being trapped in a cell. It shows. Prison has made you weak. Your skills have dulled. Even Sasuke could take you down.''

    Daichi sent precise strikes to the man''s nerve points. Abination of pressure points attacks throughout his upper body had the man paralyzed and falling towards the ground in seconds.

    At that moment Daichi tilted his head back and evaded a kunai. He raised his arm and deflected a strong punch to his throat. Daichi immediately stepped on the man''s foot. Holding him in ce, he countered with a powerful liver shot.

    Tenjin doubled over in sudden pain and Daichi finished it with a swift blow to the temple, knocking him down and out of the fight.

    The Genin turned in time to see Fujin and Raijin punching each other into unconsciousness. He looked at his sensei with a raised eyebrow.

    "Genjutsu?!"

    "Genjutsu." Kakashi shrugged and replied. He pulled his headband down to cover his Sharingan and looked at the four Daichi took down. "A little messy and bloody. Don''t you think so?"

    "Are you reallyining about my methods sensei?"

    "Just making an observation."

    Daichi sighed and slightly shook his head. "Let''s just secure these guys and find out what''s going on."

    The Jonin teacher agreed and soon the two ninja soon tied all the rogue prisoners together. Daichi healed the more severe wounds they had but made sure they were too weak to try anything.

    [Quest ''Capture the escaped Prisoners'' Completed.]

    .

    [Rewards:]

    [8800 Exp.]

    [1320 Exp.]

    [12000 Exp.]

    [1800 Exp.]

    .

    [Reputation increases with Kakashi Hatake and Hiruzen Sarutobi.]

    [Reputation increases with Leaf Citizens]

    Daichi closed the questpletion box and crossed his arms. He looked in the direction of the vige and was worried. ''What''s happened? Was this Mizuki or is this something else''

    "Something must have gone wrong at the prison." Kakashi had a serious tone as he looked at the six escaped prisoners.

    Daichi silently nodded. ''It looks like the butterfly effect is starting to really take hold. The ripples of my existence and actions are beginning to tangibly affect significant canon events I need to get to the vige and find Naruto.''

    "Sensei, I-" Before Daichi could finish he sensed several approaching chakras. They were moving fast towards their location.

    Daichi nced at his teacher and saw that Kakashi was also on high alert. A few secondster 4 shinobi wearing Leaf ninja gear appeared. Among the four was one ninja that Daichi immediately recognized.

    Anko Mitarashi.

    The Genin made sure to use observe just to make sure but it confirmed that they weren''t enemies. ''Based on the stats alone I''m stronger than her. But that''s no surprise.''

    The four neers immediately recognized Kakashi and Daichi. Anko and the others turned their attention to the 6 ninjas unconscious and tied up. Anko whistled as she saw the damage some of them had.

    "Did you really need to go overboard with these small-fries, Kakashi?"

    The Jonin chuckled. "Well, it wasn''t exactly me"

    Daichi looked at his sensei from the corner of his eyes. ''Is this guy really throwing me under the bus?''

    The ninjas were surprised that a Genin was able to subdue 4 higher ranked ninjas within such a short time.

    Anko looked at Daichi and took note of his appearance. ''There isn''t a single wound on him. And even his clothes are pristine. If Kakashi is right and this kid is the one who took them down and without injury no less, he''s got some serious skills. Looks like the rumors might be true.''

    She didn''t waste any time and turned to her teammates. "Yobu, Rijin, Hibara. Make preparations to transport these 6 back to holding. And make sure to keep the brothers asleep."

    "What''s going on Anko?" Kakashi asked.

    She turned to the man and her yful demeanor changed. "A lot. There''s been a massive prison break and The forbidden scroll is stolen."

    The silver haired Jonin''s eyes widened. "What? Someone took the forbidden scroll? Who?"

    Before Anko could reply, someone else answered that question. "It was that damn Naruto. He sneaked into the Hokage tower and stole the Forbidden scroll." The anger present in Yobu''s voice was evident.

    "That brat. If he uses the forbidden scroll and something happens, he could bring disaster to the vige." Hibara clenched his fist and spoke. There was anger but behind it, fear was also present in his voice. He was someone who lived through the nine tails attack.

    "This Forbidden scroll. I assume it contains dangerous and sensitive information and jutsu knowledge?" Daichi asked the ninjas present.

    "Yes. It''s a very dangerous scroll that the Hokage keeps at the tower." Kakashi replied.

    "Then that''s all the more reason for me to believe that Naruto isn''t the real culprit."

    Daichi''s words brought a frown to Anko''s face and shocked Yobu, Rijin and Hibara. Kakashi was silent and wanted to hear Daichi''s theory.

    "What are you talking about? Naruto was the one who stole the scroll. We have witnesses." Rijin spoke.

    Daichi shook his head and spoke. "I''m not saying Naruto didn''t steal the scroll. I have a feeling he might very well have."

    "Then why did you say that Naruto isn''t the real culprit?" Hibara asked.

    "If this Forbidden scroll is as dangerous as you say then not just anyone would have knowledge of its existence. So how did Naruto, a kid who I''m assuming just graduated, find out about it? How did he know where to find it?"

    Daichi''s question silenced the three and Anko''s lips slightly curled upwards. ''So it seems this kid has the same suspicions as me.''

    Daichi looked at the 4 ninjas and spoke. "Look, I know he''s a troublemaker, a headache and could sometimes be a major pain in the ass. But he''s my friend. I know him. He would never deliberately do anything to harm the vige or its people. I can guarantee you that."

    "Then what do you think happened?" Anko questioned and Daichi became silent for a few moments. He was contemting his answers and in just a few seconds after going through several scenarios in mind, he decided what to say.

    -------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 267: Save your Friends

    Chapter 267: Save your Friends

    ''I need to be very careful with what I say.'' Daichi looked at Anko for a few moments and then spoke. "The only way that Naruto would have known the existence of such a scroll is if someone told him... I think someone is using Naruto as a patsy."

    The look on Daichi''s face and the certainty in his voice brought doubt to the three ninjas with Anko.

    Yobu had heard of Daichi''s talents and intelligence. He knew the child was skilled and was called a prodigy by many including Kakashi. So hearing him ask these questions made him doubt the whole situation. "How can you be sure about this?" Yobu asked Daichi.

    "My theory holds value when you take into ount the timing of this prison break. Right when the Forbidden Jutsu scroll goes missing. It''s far too convenient timing. The only way those prisoners could have gotten free is if they had outside help. Naruto has no business with that ce. He doesn''t even know its location. So he wouldn''t have been responsible. My theory is that the same person who made Naruto steal the scroll is the one responsible for the prisoner''s escape. Or maybe one of their aplices I''m not sure but this is my theory."

    "But" Yobu wanted to argue but Daichi made good points. Even he could see that.

    "Emotion is a powerful thing. Especially hate and anger. You get a bunch of people together with anger and hate buried in their hearts and if someone can bring those emotions out and weaponize them That''s a recipe for chaos." Daichi had a look on his face as he stared at Anko and the ninjas with her, and their eyes slightly widened.

    "You know Don''t you?"

    "Yeah." Daichi nodded his head. Even though Anko didn''t say anything specific, everyone knew what she was asking him. ''How did he know? Did some tell him or did he figure it out on his own? Lord Hokage won''t be happy if someone broke that rule.''

    She then looked at the boy and narrowed her eyes. Something was strange to her. ''This kid He''s far too confident in his words Is this just a theory or does he know something we don''t?''

    "You sound far too confident. Do you have a culprit in mind or something?" Anko asked with a casual tone but she was keeping a close eye on the boy''s facial expressions.

    Daichi was silent for a second. He was extremely cautious. He wanted to help Naruto and capture Mizuki but he didn''t want to get into any trouble in the process. His many skills helped him with keeping a perfect mask.

    For Anko and everyone else it was only a second or two that passed since she asked that question but for Daichi it was over a minute. He went through several scenarios and finally chose an answer.

    "I might have I''m not sure I''d start with a Chunin in the academy. An instructor by the name of Mizuki. He hates Naruto. I''ve seen that. But I''m not sure if he''s like all the others who blindly hate him or if there is something more But if I were you I''d start with him."

    Anko nodded and a grin formed on her face. "Well, looks like we have a suspect." She turned towards the three others and spoke. "Take these six back to the nearest retrieval teams. Then spread the word. We''re looking for Chunin Mizuki. Academy instructor. If you find him, detain him."

    "Anko, are you sure about this?" Rijin looked at his friend and asked.

    "Yeah. If there is any problem, I''ll take the me." She replied and waved her hand in a nonchnt manner. Rijin looked at the other two with him and they all nodded. The three quickly secured the defeated enemies and left the area.

    "You''re awfully trusting. I''m just a Genin. What I just said is all theories. What if I''m wrong?" Daichi asked with a serious gaze.

    Anko Mitarashi smirked. "You''re the kid they call a genius. You helped figure out the identity of a legendary thief. I have a feeling you wouldn''t have recklessly tossed out Mizuki''s name without any serious forethought."

    Daichi nodded with a calm face. ''She''s a lot more shrewd and cunning than what''s portrayed in the story. But then again you have to be, to be the student of Orochimaru.''

    Kakashi sighed as he looked at his student. He then went over the whole situation in his head and spoke after a few moments. "Hmm So that kid could be a decoy, huh" Kakashi crossed his arms and thought about everything Daichi said.

    "What is it, sensei?" Daichi asked, seeing Kakashi''s serious gaze.

    "Well, the thing is"

    ''Ding''

    Just as Kakashi began speaking, a quest box popped up in front of Daichi. The gamer Genin immediately looked at the details and even though he kept a calm face he was shocked inside.

    [Quest Created - ''Save your Friends.'']

    [Your friends are in grave danger. Find them and protect them from their enemies before it''s toote. Time limit: 30 minutes.]

    .

    [Conditions:]

    [Locate all your friends.]

    [Heal any injuries they might have.]

    [Do not let them die.]

    [Do not die.]

    [Capture or kill the enemies aiding Mizuki. Do not let any escape.]

    [Secure the Forbidden Scroll.]

    .

    [Rewards:]

    [19000 Exp.]

    [+10 Points to Special stats Charisma, Dignity.]

    [+5 Points to Special stat Indomitable.]

    [+2 Points to Special stat Luck.]

    [+3 Points to Special stat Sense.]

    [Reputation increases with Hiruzen Sarutobi, Kensei Yasaji and Kakashi Hatake.]

    [Reputation slightly increases with Danzo Shimura.]

    [Reputation massively increases with ''Rookie 9''. ]

    [Reputation massively increases with people of the Leaf Vige.]

    .

    [Failure:]

    [High probability of destruction of the Leaf Vige.]

    [Possible death of Naruto, Sasuke and others.]

    [Reputation massively decreases with everyone.]

    .

    [Warning: Failure toplete any of the conditions in this quest will create a ripple effect that will have dangerous consequences in the future.]

    .

    [This quest is automatically epted]

    "...I went on a few missions simr to our current situation. This is a frame job. And in almost all frame jobs the decoy usually doesn''t make it."

    Daichi read the quest details just as Kakashi finished speaking. The gamer ninja was shocked at the conditions and the consequences of the failure. ''It''s not just Naruto. The others are in trouble too. Even Sasuke Mizuki even has help.''

    "Shit." Daichi couldn''t help but exim as he realized the dangerous situation.

    "Crude but urate considering our situation." Kakashi said. Even though he looked calm he was slightly tense.

    Daichi immediately made a cross seal and created 10 shadow clones. "I''m going to find Naruto. I have a feeling he might be in serious danger."

    Without waiting for Kakashi''s response, Daichi and his clones vanished. All of them heading straight for the Leaf vige.

    Kakashi was about to follow his student but Anko stopped him. "I know you''re worried about your student but we have a lot of rogue ninjas hiding or trying to escape. We could use some help, Kakashi."

    The Silver haired Jonin nodded. "Are all the prisoners in disguise wearing our gear?" He asked Anko.

    "No. Only a few. Most others are in their prison uniforms."

    Kakashi nodded and made the seals for the summoning jutsu. "Poof!"

    Kakashi''s ninja dogs appeared with Pakkun sitting atop Bull. "Yo. Kakashi."

    "Hey Pakkun. I have two urgent tasks for you and your team."

    "What do you need? Where''s the kid?" The small pug asked, looking around and not seeing Kakashi''s student.

    "Daichi is currently making his way to the vige. His friend is in danger. Pakkun. I need you to track Daichi. Once he finds his friend, I need you to get back to me and ry their location. He has 10 shadow clones moving about as well, so this might be tricky."

    "Right. I''m on it." Pakkun nodded and disappeared from his spot. The Jonin turned to the rest of the ninja dogs.

    "We have escaped prisoners roaming these woods. Track and contain them. If not possible, report their location back to me."

    "Right!" The seven disappeared and just then a small snake crawled near Anko. She picked it up and listened as it hissed. "Thanks girl."

    Anko turned to the masked Jonin. "Hey Kakashi. I got a few rogues hiding a few hundred meters east of here. Let''s go hunting."

    "Lead the way."

    -

    With Daichi.

    The Genin was moving faster than most Jonins. Daichi sensed the presence of several individuals and small battles but he ignored all of them. ''So it''s not just Naruto in danger. The others are also involved. Damn it. For the system to give me a quest like this Things have gone off the rails from Canon.''

    Daichi and his clones were using parallel processing and went to the most likely locations Naruto would be at. They looked at their map and didn''t see Naruto or his friends anywhere on it.

    ''I found the old shed in the story where Mizuki told Naruto toe after taking the scroll. But I can''t rely on that knowledge. Here Mizuki has help and he could very well have changed the location. He knows everyone would be searching for Naruto so he wouldn''t have asked him toe to just any secluded locations. So there is a good probability that Naruto''s usual hangout ces would be empty. But I can''t ignore them as well.''

    Daichi clones would go to the back hills and Naruto''s usual ''secret'' training spots just in case but they didn''t have much hope of finding him there.

    Daichi reached the vige gates after a couple minutes and saw many shinobi in a frenzy. He also saw smoke rising from a few ces in the vige. ''There has been an attack.''

    Daichi immediately formed a map of the vige in mind andpared the locations from where the smoke was rising from. ''All of them are non priority targets. It''s just a distraction Come on. If I was Mizuki, I''d want to leave immediately. Where could he be? It needs to be a ce where he could meet Naruto and get the scroll. Mizuki has been observing the kid for a while so he would know that if any of Naruto''s friends finds out he''s in trouble then they''d look for him in their usual spots. Hmm... So somewhere nearby the vige, secluded with few chances ofing into contact with the patrol ninjas or anyone else but a location with a direct route to get out of the country quickly.''

    Daichi''s mind immediately processed theyout of the entire terrain and surroundings of the vige and bordering areas and in several seconds he had a location in mind.

    ''The East Canyons. It''s the perfect ce. But is Mizuki smart enough to choose that location? I guess I''ll find out.''

    Daichi changed directions and headed for that location. He was moving so swiftly that a few Jonin took note of his urgent speed and decided to follow. But they were forced to stop and engage in fights as they encountered prisoners on their way, but they kept the direction Daichi was heading in their minds.

    The Genin kept moving to his destination as fast as he could. The East Canyons were about a dozen kilometers away from the vige gates. He used chakra to boost his speed and even used the stamina consuming skill ''Sprint''.

    ''Come on. Come on.''

    As he neared the location his senses alerted him to Naruto''s chakra. Secondster he began to sense Mizuki, Iruka and the rest of the Rookies. There were three unknown chakra signatures there as well but Daichi knew he could handle them based on what he sensed.

    ''Yes! Found them. Just hold on for a few more seconds. I''ming. It''s going to be fine. I''m almost there.''

    But Daichi''s relief was short-lived as he sensed Sasuke''s chakra suddenly fluctuate and weaken rapidly. He reached near the battlefield and his sharp eyes caught Mizuki in his tiger transformation form with a raised sword, about to cut down Sasuke who was standing still in front of Naruto and Sakura. The rogue chunin instructor brought his sword down aiming to kill Sasuke.

    "NOOOO.!" The scream came from Daichi''s throat before he even realized it.

    Mizuki''s sword neared Sasuke but his eyes moved to the direction of the scream. He only saw a bluring at him due to his extremely sharp senses but he didn''t even have time to evade or even react.

    Daichi entered the scene like lightning and came with the force of a giant several ton wrecking ball. He wanted to aim a punch straight at Mizuki''s head and reduce it to pulp with his super strength but rational thought and Parallel Processing skill won over.

    ''I need to take him in alive. The vigers would be angry for the chaos caused tonight and they''ll need someone to me. If I kill him, they might take their anger out on Naruto I need this guy alive. But that doesn''t mean he has to be in one piece.''

    Daichi sent his punch at the hand holding the sword. Mizuki''s right arm was reduced to a pulp and exploded into a bloody mist. The sword he was holding fell straight to the ground. The force and strength of Daichi''s fist traveled through Mizuki''s entire body and sted him away from the battlefield. Mizuki crashed through several trees and only stopped when his back mmed into a giant boulder.

    "Bang!"

    Daichi skidded several meters due to his momentum and had to use lightning to slow himself down. Aftering to a stop he looked at everyone present. They were all looking at him with shocked wide eyes. The Rookies after realizing that their friend had just arrived had huge smiles.

    "DAICHIII!"

    But a screaming from Sakura erased their joyful expressions. Daichi turned to her just in time to see Sasuke Uchiha fall to his knees, going unconscious with Naruto holding on to him. Sasuke was bleeding profusely from his chest.

    ''Oh no.''

    Daichi''s eyes widened as he sensed Sasuke''s chakra on the brink of being extinguished. An emotion he hadn''t felt in a long long time appeared in his heart. It was only miniscule and Daichi crushed that emotion as quickly as it came but its brief presence still slightly shook him.

    That emotion - Fear.

    -------------

    Author''s Note:

    Hi guys. Hope you liked the chapter.

    Now, tell me your thoughts guys. Comment on the situation. Did you guys expect things to go down like this?

    Sorry about the week long absence. Got into a bit of an ident. But now I''m home resting up. Update will be posted as usual.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen(No space)

 Chapter 268: A Prisoners Choice

    Chapter 268: A Prisoner''s Choice

    Even as Sasuke was falling to the ground, Daichi''s Parallel Processing skill showed him several simtions of events that might happen should the Uchiha die. The fear that Daichi felt wasn''t because he sensed a danger or threat to his life but because of what his mind showed him. Of the events that might take ce.

    ''Not good. If Sasuke dies, that news will reach Itachi and he will definitely take action and retaliate against the vige. He sacrificed his own n to keep his brother safe. When he finds out the vige failed to keep their end of the deal... And that''s just one problem. Orochimaru won''t be pleased when he finds out about the death of his next vessel. He might attack early or he might directly attack the Hokage. And when the other viges find out what happened tonight they won''t just sit back and watch as well.''

    Daichi''s senses were keeping a close watch on the movements of the three prisoners nearby.

    ''To them we lost control of our prison, and couldn''t even keep thest Uchiha safe within our own walls. The Mist vige won''t be a problem. They have their own civil war to deal with. But The Hidden Sand vige will definitely be looking for any weaknesses we might show. They will take a wait and see approach after making a cost benefit analysis. But with the financial situation they are in now, if a war starts they will definitely switch sides. The Cloud Vige and the Stone vige will definitely probe our defenses. Small border skirmishes will soon turn into big ones and before long war will break out. And with Itachi wanting to take revenge in the mix, things will turn chaotic fast.''

    Daichi''s eyes moved to the panicking Naruto who was near the falling Uchiha.

    ''That''s not mentioning what that bastard Obito might do. If a war breaks out he will definitely use it to his advantage. He could initiate his ns early and capture the tailed beasts. Itachi would be grieving and there is a chance Obito could take advantage of Itachi in such a situation This is why the system said destruction of the Leaf vige in its quest if I failed All because of one death.''

    With the final simtion Daichi instantly knew the source of his fear. The worst scenario that could happen.

    ''If all the Tailed beasts are joined in the Gedo statue before I''m ready, then Kaguya will be born and it will be the end''

    Thud.

    Sasuke''s body hit the ground and was without any movements.

    Daichi gritted his teeth as he looked at the scene. ''Damn it all. What the hell happened here today?''

    -

    Leaf Vige: Several hours ago.

    In the Leaf Prison a man was sitting in a small cell with his arms folded and his eyes closed. To most he would seem asleep but the man was carefully keeping track of time.

    He had broad shoulders, a powerful physique and shoulder length ck hair. He was over six feet tall and had a somewhat light skin. He had a narrow chin and forehead but had wide cheekbones giving his face a diamond shape. He had on a standard prison uniform and was calmly sitting in his cell.

    Slowly he opened his eyes and let out a deep breath of air. ''It''s almost time. The Genin exams must have ended by now. It won''t be long before I have to make my move.''

    The man''s name is Zefrek. A former special Jonin of the Hidden Leaf vige.

    Zefrek stood from his bench and walked up to the bars of his cell. He looked into two other specific cells and saw two people standing nonchntly but he knew they were waiting for him to take action. He gave them an almost imperceptible nod and they understood.

    A few minutester 2 Chunin guards came and opened his cell. It was a daily routine to check the cells for any contraband.

    "Up against the wall, prisoner." Kirai and one of his new fellow guards were the ones who opened Zefrek''s cell.

    Kirai kept a close eye on the former Special Jonin while the new Chunin guard searched the room. The veteran guard knew what today signified. And he knew that Zefrek knew it too. ''It won''t be long before Mizukies here in disguise. I need to make sure to y a convincing hostage. The others will be forced to release Zefrek and I''ll capture him just after he kills that demon brat Mizuki gave me his word that nothing will go wrong. I''ll just have to trust him on that.''

    Not finding anything suspicious in the room, the Chunin gave Kirai a nod.

    "Step forward. Arms up." Kirai ordered and Zefrek took a step towards the guard. He had the same nk look on his face and didn''t do anything else. Kirai stepped near him and began searching the prisoner. When his hands reached Zefrek''s palms he felt something unusual.

    ''What the?''

    Before Kirai could question it, a malicious grin formed on the prisoner''s face. "It''s your unlucky day."

    Very thin, almost invisible but sharp ninja wire fell from Zefrek''s palm and he swiftly moved his arms and tied it around Kirai''s neck. Before Kirai could save himself or the other guard could even react, Zefrek ran wind chakra through the ninja wire choking Kirai and immediately a deep wound was shed open on his neck.

    "Gha!"

    Red liquid spewed forth from his throat and Kirai began choking on his own blood. Before the other ninja could react, he felt several small pricks in his arm from behind. He pulled the small objects and noticed that they were needles. They had a purple sheen on them, indicating that they were coated with some chemical. Secondster the second Chunin''s mouth went numb and he fell to the ground, dizzy.

    The remaining two guards who were on the other side of the hall noticed themotion and were quickly making their way towards Zefrek''s cell but it was toote.

    Kirai''s vision blurred and he felt as if he was drowning. His strength waned with every second and he felt the cold touch of death nearing him. ''How? How could I?''

    The man didn''t even get toplete his thought before he was forced to surrender to the cold de of the reaper.

    The other guards arrived and saw Kirai on the ground iling and then sumbing to death. The chunins looked to the other guard who was also on the ground with foaming from his mouth.

    "They''re dead." "You! You''ll pay for that." The two guards immediately took weapons and were on guard.

    "Come and try your luck." Killing intent arose from Zefrek and he rushed at the two.

    The two new chunin guards were confident. ''We can take him down. His chakra should be restricted right now.''

    But the two miscalcted. Zefrek moved faster than they anticipated. A short battle ensued between the three before the prisoner killed the remaining two guards in the middle of the prison.

    "Such unlucky fellows. Hahaha." Zefrek''s cruelugh rang throughout the prison. The other inmates were getting restless and enjoyed the bloody show. They banged on the walls and on their cell bars.

    He looked around and raised his hands as if he was the king. "This is my prison now. I''m in control. Those of you who want your freedom You''ll obey me!"

    Many roared in approval while some issued vocal challenges to his reign. But Zefrek ignored them all.

    ''I''ve kept the deal on my end. Just make sure you keep yours, Mizuki.'' The Special Jonin remembered the day when Mizuki came to see him and he told him of the n.

    shback.

    Mizuki looked at Kirai and spoke. "We''re doing the right thing. For the Leaf vige and its people."

    "For the Leaf vige and its people. I''ve sent the other guards home. You have a couple of hours before the next shiftes. Have you picked out who you wanted to do this?" Kirai asked as he led Mizuki to a secluded section inside the prison.

    "Yes." The academy instructor nodded. "And now I just need to convince him to help us. Stay here. There is no need to implicate yourself any further."

    Kirai nodded and stood at the entrance to a steel door while Mizuki went inside. He searched for his target and soon found the man sitting in a corner tossing a small rubber ball up and down. The academy instructor''s lips curled up as he looked at the man.

    ''Zefrek. Former Special Jonin of the Leaf vige. Imprisoned for killing civilians from neighboring small viges and stealing their money. A dangerous man with near Jonin level skills. Sentenced to prison for life. He''s perfect for my ns.''

    Mizuki walked up to his cell and stood outside. Zefrek took note of his presence and looked at the silver haired Chunin but then turned his attention back to his rubber ball. There were no other prisoners nearby so it was just the two.

    "You look like you''re making productive use of your time." Mizuki opened the cell door and leaned against the wall inside with arms crossed.

    "Get lost Leaf ninja. I don''t like to be bothered."

    Mizuki chuckled as he expected that reaction. "Now now. Is that anyway to talk to your new friend?"

    Zefrek caught the ball and looked at Mizuki with a frown. "You''re not my friend. I don''t have time for some weakling guard looking to boost their ego." The prisoner went back to tossing the ball and ignored the silver haired man.

    Seeing this the smile on Mizuki''s face vanished. ''Such disrespect. If he wasn''t part of my n I''d have killed him.''

    "You will make time for me if you want your freedom."

    Zefrek noticed the change in Mizuki''s tone and looked at him. ''My freedom?''

    "What are you talking about?"

    Mizuki inwardly smirked seeing that he finally had the man''s attention. "The Leaf vige has sentenced you here for life because of your crimes. But what if I told you that you can have your freedom in a few months?"

    Hearing that the prisoner''s eyes narrowed. "You better not be messing around. Or I''ll kill you."

    "Hahaha Please Zefrek. You and I both know you''re not in any position to threaten me. Your chakra is blocked. You''re no danger to me."

    Zefrek clenched his fists and stood. He looked at Mizuki as if he wanted to kill the man but a few secondster he let out a deep breath of air and rxed his muscles. ''He''s right. If I fight him right now, I''ll die''

    "Well then, let''s hear what you have to say. I have nothing better to do anyway." He crossed his arms and sat back down on his bench.

    "I know you hate the vige for imprisoning you. Well, I''m here to tell you that you''re not the only one the vige and its leaders keep in check..."

    Zefrek narrowed his eyes and looked at the man. "You hate them too don''t you?"

    "Yes. Very much. They''ve been holding me back for far too long. They''ll pay for that." Mizuki replied with a sneer.

    Zefrek wasn''t interested in Mizuki''s grudge but was more keen on learning how he could escape. "You said something about my freedom. What are you on about?"

    "The next Academy graduation is on March 20th. On that day I n to leave the vige. But escaping the patrol guards is not going to be easy. So I could use someone with your skills."

    "Escape where? We''ll be wanted everywhere and they''ll be sending Anbu after us. We''d be dead soon after we leave."

    "Not if we have a strong ally to protect us. Someone the Leaf fears."

    Zefrek shook his head. "Do you really think the other great viges would trust us? We betrayed our own vige. If we go to any one of them, they''ll capture and interrogate us and then execute us when we''re of no value."

    Mizuki shook his head. "I wasn''t talking about going to another Great Nation. I was thinking about an individual."

    "Who?"

    A wide grin formed on Mizuki''s face. "Lord Orochimaru."

    The prisoner''s eyes widened when he heard that name. "You can''t be serious."

    "I am. He''s the best chance for us to not only survive but be more powerful."

    "And what if he decides to just kill us or use us as one of his experiments?"

    The academy instructor shook his head. "He won''t. Because we''re going to prove our value to him and we won''t be going empty handed."

    Mizuki''s confidence stopped Zefrek. He looked at the man for several seconds in silence and then spoke. "What exactly do you have in mind?"

    "On the day of the Academy graduation, we''ll be leaving the vige with the Forbidden Scroll. We''ll cause havoc on the vige in the process and then make our way to Lord Orochimaru. We''ll be the ones to bring him one of the most treasured jutsu scrolls of the vige. He''ll definitely see our value and take us under him. At that point not only will you have your freedom, but you''ll also have the opportunity to be more powerful Now tell me. Are you still interested?"

    Zefrek thought about what Mizuki said. He was weighing the pros and cons of the n Mizuki proposed.

    ''Orochimaru is a psychopath and he won''t hesitate to kill us. But he''s also strong and many fear him. I''ve heard rumors that he even has some ns from smaller viges working for him. The Forbidden scroll and chaos in this vige would certainly put us in a good light with him. If he epts me, I can be much more powerful and once I be strong enough, I''ll just escape if I want to leave Yes The alternative is to spend my remaining time here in this wretched prison So take the risk, go to Orochimaru and be powerful or stay here and live out the rest of my days in these walls till I die.''

    A few secondster a wide grin appeared. "Alright Mizuki. What the hell. I''m in."

    "Excellent. I had a feeling you mighte around."

    "So what''s the n?"

    Mizuki smiled and beganying out his strategy to escape.

    ------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you enjoyed the chapter pls take a moment to hit that like button. Have a good day.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen(No space)

 Chapter 269: Mizukis Agenda

    Chapter 269: Mizuki''s Agenda

    "You''re right, Zefrek. Orochimaru might not help us if we go empty handed. That''s why we''ll bring him the forbidden scroll. But I''m going to use someone else to steal the scroll."

    The prisoner sarcastically smiled. "A patsy willing to steal the Forbidden scroll from the Hokage tower and give it to you? Who would be dumb enough to do that?"

    "Oh I have someone in mind. Don''t you worry about that."

    Seeing the malicious grin on Mizuki''s face Zefrek assumed it was someone the man hated. "Moving on, if you want my help then I need my strength back. The food in this prison keeps our chakra unstable and blocked. You got a solution for that?"

    Mizuki nodded and took a small blue vial and a scroll from his pocket and gave it to Zefrek. "That drug will counteract the effects of the chakra destabilizing poison you''re forced to take here. It willst till you eat the next meal. The scroll contains a few more vials, several weapons and a poison concoction."

    Zefrek looked at Mizuki for a few moments before deciding to chance it. He drank the contents of the vial and within a few minutes began to feel the change in his body. ''My chakra is bing stable and easier to circte again.''

    He stood from his spot and looked at the academy instructor. Killing intent began to fill the air. "I can feel it. My strength is returning. So then what''s stopping me from knocking you down, killing that guard outside and escaping, huh?"

    Despite being faced with the evil intent of a Jonin, Mizuki held his ground. "Nothing. You might be able to escape the prison but you won''t make it out of the vige alive. You''ve been a Jonin for a while. You should know that. And even if you somehow did, how long do you think you''ll stay safe?"

    Zefrek looked at the Chunin in front of him and his grin widened. "Hahahaha Fine. We''ll do it your way. I can wait a few more months."

    "You should hide that scroll. This ce has daily inspections, doesn''t it?"

    Zefrek made a few seals and mmed his hands down on the ground. A summoning seal spread and in a puff of smoke a small earthworm appeared.

    Mizuki looked at the creature with narrowed eyes. ''So this is how he smuggled illegal items and stolen goods. His summoning creature isn''t used for battle but for stealing. Interesting.''

    "You said we''d be leaving on March 20th right?" Zefrek asked Mizuki just to make sure. After seeing the Chunin nod he turned to his small summoning creature.

    "J''vaya. Keep this scroll safe and return it to me on March 20th early morning."

    The small earthworm moved its body up and down and opened its mouthrge enough to swallow the scroll. Once the scroll disappeared into his body, it burrowed into the ground and disappeared.

    "By the way, how did you arrange our meeting?" Zefrek asked.

    "Kirai has a vendetta against the person I''m going to frame. So he agreed to help me. I told him that on graduation day, I''de here in disguise and hold him hostage and make the other guards release just you. Then have you kill the patsy and Kirai would arrive just in the nick of time to capture you before you escape."

    "But that''s not the n, is it?"

    "No. My n to cause chaos in the vige and escape won''t work if it''s just you. On that day, I want you to kill Kirai and the other guards and take control of this prison. You''ll need to recruit a couple more people who''lle with us. There is strength in numbers after all."

    Zefrek grinned and nodded. "I''ll quietly poke around and see who''s willing to join us."

    Mizuki nodded. "I''lle by after the exams are done and I''ll get you some gear so that we can blend in."

    "Who exactly do you have in mind to take the fall for stealing the Forbidden scroll?" Zefrek was curious and asked.

    "Naruto Uzumaki."

    "The nine tails brat? You really think he''ll go for it?"

    Mizuki nodded with a dark gleam in his eyes. "Oh he will. I''ll make sure of it."

    "Haha This is going to be fun."

    "March 20th. I''ll being by in the evening. Make sure you''re ready."

    At that moment Zefrek stepped forward and stood face to face with Mizuki. "You''re awfully trusting. What if I betray you?" The man asked without concealing his vicious grin.

    ''I''vee too far to stop now.'' Mizuki didn''t back down. He red at Jonin and spoke in a chilling tone. "I won''t let anyone get in my way. If you betray me or do anything to ruin my n, it won''t matter how strong you are, you''ll pay. I''ll make sure of it."

    Both of them stared at each other with narrowed eyes and malicious intent. Suddenly Zefrek backed up and smirked. "Looks like I''m making the right choice. I''ll see you on the 20th."

    Mizuki nodded and soon left Zefrek to his thoughts. He had spent the next few months speaking with several people before finally deciding on two inmates that wouldn''t betray him and exchange the secret information for reduced sentences.

    shback End.

    Zefrek smirked as he looked as he looked around the prison cells. He walked towards a dead guard and took the keys to the cells. He opened two cells containing his partners in crime. Haroshi and Seijo. Both of them, former Chunins of the Leaf vige.

    Both of them hated the vige and wanted to escape. Zefrek learned that they were even willing to join Orochimaru. Early morning that day Zefrek got the scroll from his summon and retrieved the contents. He gave the blue vials to Haroshi and Seijo with the instructions to drink them after having their breakfast.

    Seijo was an expert in using most weapons and Zefrek handed him the poison vial and a few needles. They waited the whole day and soon everything went ording to their n.

    "So now what? We wait till he gets here?" Seijo asked Zefrek as he was the leader of the group.

    The Special Jonin nodded. "Yes. He said he''d bring us gear. We need his help." ''For now anyway.''

    Zefrek and the other two opened all the cells and the prisoners came out one by one.

    "We''ll be escaping soon. Who wants their freedom!?"

    "YEAAHHH!"

    -

    Around an hourter, Mizuki came to the prison. He entered and nced at the dead bodies on the side. ''Sorry Kirai. But I couldn''t let you live. But I''ll make sure the demon brat dies today. It''s the least I could do for you.''

    "So is it done?" Zefrek came near the academy teacher and asked.

    "Yes. That brat took the bait." Mizuki said and tossed a storage scroll to his partner in crime. "As promised. Weapons and ninja gear to blend in."

    Zefrek opened and saw several sets of weapons and a few Jonin k jackets. Several prisoners came nearby but only a few got to wear the Jonin jackets. The rest were forced to keep their prison uniform.

    Once it was just the four main culprits, Haroshi spoke. "We got our chakra working and got some gear. So do we leave now?"

    Mizuki shook his head. "Not yet. You all need to stay here for a few more hours. Without the Forbidden scroll in my hands this n won''t work."

    Haroshi and Seijo frowned but since Zefrek was keeping quiet, they didn''t argue anymore.

    Mizuki told them the n and instructed them not to leave the prison until the designated time. He gave them the meeting location and soon left the prison.

    After Mizuki left Seijo turned to Zefrek. "Are we really listening to him? We can get out of here right now. We can use the rest of these guys as a distraction." He spoke in a low tone so as to not be overheard by anyone else.

    Zefrek shook his head. "No. Even if we escape now, it won''t matter if we don''t have a strong backing." He nced at the rest of the prisoners standing several meters away. "We need the Forbidden Scroll. Its power will greatly help us."

    -

    Somewhere near the Leaf vige.

    Mizuki stood near the entrance of a small cave and looked around. He made sure this was the right location. ''This is it. It''s inside here.''

    He lit a small candle for light and began to slowly make his way inside. As he took each step he remembered the first and only time he met Orochimaru.

    shback.

    "HihihihihiHAHAHA How fascinating"

    Mizuki looked around but he didn''t know where the sound wasing from.

    "I saw you You killed your injured teammate. That''s not something one sees that often. Especially amongst the Leaf shinobi"

    Mizuki''s eyes widened as he saw a man emerge from the shadows. He instantly recognized him. "You''re Orochimaru."

    "Correct."

    "Wh-what do you want?" Fear was evident on Mizuki''s face. His voice cracked as he failed to even speak clearly in the presence of the Snake Sannin. "I-I didn''t do anything wrong"

    "Yes. It''s true. You were merelypleting your mission."

    "That''s right. It was my only choice."

    "But I doubt the Leaf vige will see it that way. They will be suspicious and soon after, they''ll start to distrust you. They won''t acknowledge you." The next instant a snake flew from Orochimaru''s sleeve and bit Mizuki''s hand.

    "Aaaaahhh Wh- what did you" The Chunin was on the ground screaming in pain as a tattoo formed where the snake bit.

    "When you''re ready, seek me out. Good luckhihihi." The Snake Sannin vanished from Mizuki''s senses.

    shback End.

    ''It was just like he said. The vige didn''t trust me. I did what I had to do and yet I was treated like a criminal. They''ll never help me So this is why, huh Orochimaru must have wanted to be more powerful and the Hokage stood in his way It must have been why Orochimaru left the vige. But even without the vige''s help he is one of the most powerful and feared ninjas in the world I''m making the right decision. Leaving the vige is the best choice.''

    Mizuki soon reached a dead end wall inside the cavern. He carefully looked around and soon saw a small diamond shaped hole in the rock at the bottom of his feet.

    ''There it is.'' Mizuki took a kunai and inserted it into the small stone opening. When the weapon was buried all the way to the hilt, a sudden click was heard and the ground slightly shook. In seconds the wall in front of Mizuki slowly started to disappear beneath the floor.

    Mizuki stepped into the new circr room and looked at the stone bricks on the walls. ''The eight one from the right.'' Mizuki pulled a b of rock from the right wall and found a lever. Pulling the lever activated the mechanism that opened the floor and brought a special b up to the surface.

    The grey haired man smiled wickedly and took a storage scroll from his pocket. He opened it andid out the ingredients and utensils on the table. ''The two ces that had these special drugs were the Nara nb and the ck market. It cost me my fortune but now that I have these I''ll be invincible.''

    Mizuki looked outside and saw the sign of the disappearing sun. ''I better get to work. There isn''t much time left.''

    He brought his hands together and made three seals.

    Tatsu - Tori - Inu

    The tattoo on Mizuki''s arm glowed and writings appeared. They were names of various ingredients and herbs with measurements marked on it. The Chunin began to mix the drugs ording to what was written on his tattoo and before long he poured four different colored liquids onto each designated slot on the special b in the middle of the room.

    "All the preparations are done. This is the moment my future is decided." Mizuki spoke to himself and pressed a small button on the b. The four liquids flowed into different chambers and began mixing with each other and soon Mizuki had a small beaker filled with the final concoction.

    "With this I''ll be unstoppable. HahahaHAHAHAHA."

    A chemical that could replicate the power of Orochimaru''s curse seal was now in Mizuki''s hands.

    -

    Near the Hokage tower.

    It was night time and Naruto was hidden behind the leaves of arge tree. His gaze was on one of the most important buildings in the Leaf vige. The Hokage tower. ''Alright. I just gotta sneak in, get the scroll and get out. Easy right?''

    Naruto slightly shook his head. ''Come on. You can do this. Don''t quit now.''

    Seeing the patrol guards get further away Naruto made his move. He kept to the shadows and made no sound as he infiltrated the tower. ''Time to find the scroll. Then I''ll pass the special test and I''ll be rookie of the year. Believe it.''

    Naruto entered the Hokage tower without any problem but he didn''t realize that there were several eyes already on him. Both from within the tower and from outside .

    ------------

    Author''s Note:

    With each chapter we''re getting closer and closer to Mizuki vs Rookies and then another earth shaking event will ur stay tuned to find out

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen(No space)

 Chapter 270: The Forbidden Scroll Incident 01

    Chapter 270: The Forbidden Scroll Incident 01

    Outside the Hokage Tower.

    Hinata and Shikamaru were keeping themselves to the shadows and had a close eye on the Hokage tower and its surroundings.

    "Na-Naruto''s here." Hinata whispered to Shikamaru as she saw Naruto hiding in therge tree near the tower. "What do we do?"

    "Let''s wait and see how this ys out. If he gets in any trouble with the Hokage we''ll go in and exin everything. But if Naruto leaves that tower with the scroll then I have a feeling it''ll only be because Lord Hokage let him."

    Hinata reluctantly nodded. The two new Genin watched as Naruto patiently waited and then stealthily enter the tower when he got the chance.

    "Hinata, is there anyone else keeping an eye on Naruto in the area?"

    At Shikamaru''s question Hinata looked around and her eyes widened as she saw her academy teacher. "Mi-Mizuki. He just arrived. He saw Naruto go inside."

    "Does he have anyone with him?"

    The Hyuga girl shook her head side to side indicating no.

    ''He''s alone huh. Does that mean he''s doing this all on his own? Does he really have no one helping him?'' Shikamaru hadn''t taken that possibility off the board yet. "What is he doing?"

    "Nothing It looks like he''s just waiting."

    The Nara narrowed his eyes. ''He''s waiting to see if Naruto can pull it off. If Naruto gets captured then I''m betting Mizuki''s gonna make a run for it. He wants to know what''s going to happen I hope the others get here fast. We don''t have much time.''

    Inside the Tower.

    Naruto was quietly making his way to the scroll room written down in the paper Mizuki gave him. Since it was night time there weren''t many people in the tower and Naruto reached the room without encountering anyone. He grabbed the handle and found the door unlocked. Entering the room, he looked around and saw severalrge shelves filled with all kinds of scrolls of different sizes.

    ''Oh man. How am I supposed to find the Forbidden Scroll in time?''

    Naruto sighed and clenched his hands. "Gotta start somewhere."

    He began his search and looked through the scrolls nearest to him. ''Hmm In Mizuki sensei''s notes it says the Forbidden Scroll is arge scroll with the word Forbidden written on it. Kinda on the nose if ya ask me.''

    Naruto looked around and searched the title of all therge scrolls present in the room. After looking over a few his eyes widened as he saw arge red scroll. He read the title and a grin formed on his face.

    "I found it!"

    "And what did you find, Naruto?"

    "GHAAAA!" Naruto was startled by the sudden question and turned around with a girly scream. He saw the Hokage looking at him with amusement.

    Naruto''s shoulders slumped and he let out a deep breath of air. "What''s the big idea, old man. Sneaking up on me. What are you even doing here?"

    The young blonde boy asked in a tone as if he was using the Hokage of doing something he shouldn''t.

    Hiruzen looked at the boy with deadpanned eyes. ''This kid. The gall to ask me that. What are you up to, Naruto?''

    "I should be the one asking you that. Why are you here at this time of the night?"

    "Err" Naruto stammered and couldn''t quicklye up with an answer to that question.

    Hiruzen''s eyes went to the shelf behind Naruto and he saw the Forbidden scroll half way out of its storage rack. His eyes narrowed and he turned his attention back to the boy.

    "Why are you taking the Forbidden Scroll?"

    Hearing that question Naruto clenched his fist and got into a fighting stance. "So that is the Forbidden Scroll huh. I need that scroll old man."

    Hiruzen was calm despite the battle intent shown by Naruto. "Why?"

    "I need to pass the secret special test and I''m not gonna let you stop me."

    Hiruzen was inwardly confused. ''Secret special test? What the heck is he on about?... I need to find out more information from him.''

    "So you know about the test huh. Who told you?" Hiruzen asked calmly, not giving anything away.

    "Mizuki sensei did. I know the others in my ss are taking the test right now." Naruto replied.

    ''Mizuki huh. He must have some hidden agenda.'' Hiruzen began to have an idea about what was going on. "And did he tell you to take the scroll?"

    "No. But he told me it was the most difficult test and if I did I''ll be Rookie of the year." Naruto was answering the Hokage''s questions because he was trying to buy some time and think of an escape n. ''Oh man. How do I get out of here?... I guess there is only one thing I can do.''

    ''So that''s how it is, huh.'' Hiruzen nodded. "You don''t really think it''ll be that easy to take the scroll and get past me do you?"

    Naruto looked tense but the next second he grinned. He had a mischievous smile on his face. He brought his hands together and made the seal for the transformation jutsu.

    "Ninja art - Transform: Sexy jutsu!"

    POOF! A puff of smoke surrounded Naruto and the next second a naked teenage blonde with pig tails andrge assets bouncing and jiggling all around could be seen. The lingering smoke left very little for the imagination.

    "~Won''t you pleeeasse let me have the scroll Lord Hokage~" The sexy teenage blonde girl asked in a seductive tone.

    Hiruzen was shocked with his eyes wide open, nose bleeding and his jaws dropped to the floor. The transformed Naruto wiggled her ass and blew a kiss to the old leader. "Chu!" (1)

    The next second the old Kage was blown backwards as if hit by arge unseen force and hit the wall. He was promptly knocked out and had a stupefied expression.

    Poof! Naruto transformed back into his usual self and looked at the unconscious leader. "Man. Old people are such perverts. But now I know one thing for sure. The older and more powerful you are, the more power my jutsu has Hmm That must be why this move doesn''t work on Daichi."

    Naruto nodded to himself at the new theory and turned around.

    ''The Forbidden scroll huh. This must have all kinds of super secret jutsus.'' He looked at therge scroll and carefully took it from its spot.

    ''Time to get out of here.'' He slung it around his back and soon left the room. Naruto didn''t encounter anyone else and soon exited the tower and began making his way to the location Mizuki had written down.

    -

    Hiruzen sensed Naruto leaving the tower and slowly stood from his spot. He took a handkerchief and wiped his nose before making his way to his office. ''That is a ridiculous juvenile jutsu he created. But I suppose I can''t deny its effects.''

    He entered the room and immediately a guard dropped down onto the floor. "Should we go retrieve the boy, Lord Hokage?"

    "No. Not yet. Mizuki is the one behind this. He''s a chunin instructor at the academy. I want to see what Mizuki is up to and see if he has anyone else helping him. But be ready to dispatch ninjas towards Naruto''s location at a moment''s notice."

    "Yes sir." The guard nodded and hid in the shadows. The Hokage then walked to a nearby shelf and began searching for his crystal orb. He soon found it and began tracking Naruto. At that moment something else happened.

    A small swarm of insects flew in through the open window and hovered in the center of the room. The three guards immediately surrounded the insect swarm but the Hokage motioned for them to not do anything.

    He was curious to see what it was about. ''An Aburame wants to send a message.''

    As the ninjas looked, a paper appeared among the insect swarm and it gently flew to the ground. The small flying insects left the room and returned to their human hive while the guards took a closer look at the paper.

    Genma carefully took the paper and read its contents. His eyes widened and he immediately turned to the Hokage. "Lord Hokage. You need to see this."

    Hiruzen took the paper and read the contents. By the end of the page, he let out a small tired groan. ''Kids today. So eager to jump into trouble. I just hope this doesn''t end up a disaster.''

    -

    A few Minutes before Naruto left the Tower.

    "He''s searching for the scroll. It won''t be long now The others areing." Hinata updated the young Nara on the situation.

    "Ok. You should stop using the Byakugan. we need to conserve our chakra for what''s next." Shikamaru said and waited for his friends. It wasn''t long before the rest of the Rookies joined the two.

    "They''re here. I''d told you I''d find them quickly." Shikamaru heard Kiba say.

    Ino, Kiba, Choji, Sakura, Shino came near the two and tried their best not to make anymotion that would draw attention.

    "My insects have detected Mizuki nearby." Shino suddenly spoke.

    "Shikamaru, Hinata. Ino and Choji told us everything. But is it true? Is Mizuki sensei really trying to get Naruto in trouble?" Kiba asked the two. He wore a serious expression as he spoke.

    "Yeah."

    "I can''t believe a teacher at the academy would do that." Sakura ced a hand on her mouth as if she was horrified.

    "Look. As far as we''re concerned Mizuki is trying to steal vige secrets and is using Naruto to do it. We need to capture him before he does any damage." Shikamaru spoke and the rest of the rookies nodded.

    "Where is Naruto? Did he go inside already?" Choji asked.

    "Yeah. Naruto entered the tower a few minutes ago. Mizuki''s been watching the whole thing."

    "So now what? You want us to wait?"

    The Nara nodded. "The only way Naruto gets out of that tower is if the Hokage lets him. We''ll make our move depending on what happens next That reminds me."

    Shikamaru turned to the insect user among the group. "I need you to do something for me." Shikamaru took a small sheet of paper and gave it to the Aburame genin. "If Naruto leaves the tower with the scroll then we''ll need to keep our distance and follow him. But we''re going to need backup and inform someone we can trust of what''s going on. So after Naruto escapes make sure this gets to the Hokage and only him. I''ve written down the important details."

    Shino nodded and took the paper. Numerous insects covered the paper and it disappeared the next second.

    The seven future rookies waited anxiously and in a few minutes saw Naruto leaving the tower with a giant red scroll on his back.

    -

    Meanwhile, nearby the tower in another hidden area, Mizuki looked at the fleeing Naruto with arge grin. ''Looks like that brat did it. I can''t believe he pulled it off. Now I just need to wait a while for him to get to the East Canyons. Then I''ll inform the other vigers and spread the news of the theft. The prisoners will leave and cause havoc at that time. In all the chaos I''ll be the only one who''ll know his location The timing needs to be right. Zefrek needs to stick to the n.''

    Mizuki left his hiding spot and went to the ninja district and patiently waited at a small restaurant.

    -

    Sakura and the other Genins saw Naruto disappear into the trees with the scroll on his back.

    "Hinata."

    "Right." The girl made the seal and her Byakugan was activated again. "Naruto is making his way towards the East direction Mizuki just left as well. But he''s not following Naruto. He''s going north."

    "Shikamaru. What do we do?" Ino asked and the boy already had an answer.

    "We follow Naruto. Mizuki needs to meet with Naruto to get the scroll. So he''ll find him eventually. Right now we need to stick together and follow that knucklehead."

    The seven new Genins quietly and discreetly began following Naruto. Since they had Kiba, Shino and Hinata as trackers, it was easy for the group to follow their friend. While they were moving through the vige, the seven split into two teams and kept their distance to make sure no one noticed them.

    And no one did, except for one ninja. One ninja who was familiar with them found their behavior strange. ''Where are they going at this time? Eh. Not my problem anyway.'' He shrugged it off and went about his business.

    The Genins followed Naruto into a forest but they were moving much slower than him to not draw any attention. The seven new Genins soon made their way to the East Canyons. It took about half an hour more but they soon reached the location. They were keeping a short distance to make sure no one spotted them but we''re near enough to help Naruto if something went wrong.

    "Hinata. Is there anyone else here?" Shikamaru asked and the Hyuga girl did a quick check. Her eyes widened as she saw a figure she didn''t expect. "Sasuke. He''s here. It It looks like he followed Naruto."

    "Wait, Sasuke is here?" Sakura was excited but Ino quickly put a hand on her mouth to calm her down and make sure she didn''t make any noise.

    "Forget about Sasuke. What''s Naruto doing right now?" Kiba asked.

    Hinata was silent for a few seconds before she replied. "I think I think he''s training."

    -

    East Canyons - Half hour ago.

    Naruto ran as fast as his legs took him towards the location mentioned in the paper Mizuki gave him. Due to his chakra control training he was able to move much faster and soon reached the meeting point.

    He panted and dropped on butt. "Oh man. I made it. That was easy." Naruto took in and let out several deep breaths of air and soonposed himself. He looked around and didn''t find anyone. ''Looks like Mizuki sensei isn''t here yet. Guess I got some free time.''

    Just then an idea struck his mind. He took the scroll from his back and slowly opened it. "This scroll must have some awesome jutsu. Since I have some time, I guess I''ll learn a few."

    Naruto unruffled the scroll a bit and saw the name of the first jutsu and instantly his face soured.

    Shadow Clone Jutsu.

    "Oh man. The clone jutsu. That was the hardest one I had to learn." Naruto groaned and just nced at the jutsu description. He was about to look at the next jutsu when one sentence caught his eye.

    ...This jutsu splits the user''s chakra to create solid clones that''s

    Naruto did a double take and took a closer look at the jutsu description. ''So if I learn this jutsu then I can create solid copies? Oh man. That''s gonna be awesome. There''s so many pranks I could do with this.''

    "Alright. I''m gonna master the Shadow clone jutsu. Believe it!" With that invigorating shout Naruto read the hand seals and began training the Shadow clone jutsu.

    Leaf vige. North District - A whileter.

    Mizuki waited and slowly finished his soup. He looked at the time and had a small smile.

    ''Time for the fireworks to begin.''

    -------------

    Author''s Note.

    Keeping track of all the events that''s happening, the timing and correctly writing the perspective of everyone without making it feel jarring is not an easy task. But thankfully I already created a blueprint for this whole arc just before I started writing chapter 253. So that helps.

    (1).. Chu: For anyone who doesn''t know, this is how they write the sound of kissing in Japanese. I looked it up. But If I''m wrong,ment.

    Anyway, how''s the chapter? Did you like it?

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen(No space)

 Chapter 271: The Forbidden Scroll Incident 02

    Chapter 271: The Forbidden Scroll Incident 02

    It was night time. In a small restaurant/club, several Leaf ninjas were enjoying the food and catching up with their friends. They were sharing stories of their missions and some were even ying cards nearby. There were a couple of prominent Jonins among them as well.

    "Ha! I win, Asuma. Pay up." A woman in a trench coat stood with her arms high in the air and holding a victory pose.

    "Ya ya." Said the bearded Jonin and the son of the Third Hokage. He took out a small wad of cash and gave it to the woman.

    "Aww Poor baby. Don''t worry. I''m sure you''ll win another game Someday. Hahahaha"

    Asuma had a twitch in his eye as he looked at the female Jonin. "Has anyone ever told you that you''re a poor winner, Anko?" He said as he opened a small bottle of beer and sipped it.

    "All the time." Anko remarked and she quickly counted the bills. "Well I''m off to get me some dango. Have fun making googly eyes at Kurenai when she gets here."

    Asuma choked and spat out some beer, hearing that. "I-I don''t make-"

    "Yeah. Whatever you say pal." Anko waved her hand and exited the small restaurant.

    Asuma shook his head and began hanging out with the others. Several minutes went by and suddenly a grey haired ninja rushed into the restaurant, gaining everyone''s attention.

    "You guys. There''s a catastrophe!" The hysterical yell and the panicked face of the ninja put everyone on alert.

    "What''s wrong? What happened?"

    "It''s that boy Naruto. He stole the Forbidden Scroll." Mizuki said with the appropriate panicked tone.

    "WHAT!?"

    Every ninja was shocked when they heard that. Asuma stepped forward and ced a hand on the grey haired ninja''s shoulder. "Are you absolutely sure about this?"

    "Asuma." Mizuki instantly recognized the man. "Yes. I''m telling the truth. A few people saw him leaving the tower with arge scroll. You should head to the Hokage tower immediately."

    "Asuma. If that brat uses the scroll and the seales undone" One of the ninjas looked at the bearded Jonin with terror on his face.

    "We need to find that brat quickly. Before he causes any damage." Another ninja spoke up.

    "Yes but first, we need to see the Hokage. Find out what is going on. I''m sure he''s already aware of the matter. We need more information."

    Asuma said and the rest of the ninjas nodded in agreement. They immediately made their way to the tower and once everyone left, a devious smile formed on Mizuki''s face. ''Yes that''s right. I''ve spread the news to a few groups. Now in a short time everyone will know what Naruto did. There''s no stopping this now. Time to see one more person.''

    -

    Iruka was in his home cooking dinner. He hummed a happy tune and smiled as he cooked his food. ''He finally passed the graduation. I just hope he passes the Jonin''s test too Good luck Naruto. I''m rooting for you.''

    Iruka leaned forward and took a deep breath of air. "Aahh That smells delicious. Those cooking lessons really paid off." The Chunin turned off the mes and was about to te his food when suddenly loud banging came from his front door.

    ''What the hell?'' "I''ming. I''ming." Iruka quickly opened the door and saw Mizuki in a panic. "Mizuki? What''s wrong?"

    "It''s terrible Iruka sensei. You need to get to Lord Hokage."

    "What happened? Why are you so anxious?" Iruka could see the fear on his fellow teacher''s face and he didn''t know what to think.

    "It''s Naruto. He stole the Sacred scroll!"

    Iruka''s eyes widened in shock. At that moment, for him, the sounds of the world started disappearing and all he could hear and feel were the sounds of his rapidly beating chest. He stood frozen with the sound of his heart in his ear. ''Naruto Why?''

    Seeing Iruka stand still in shock Mizuki slightly shook him. "Iruka. Get it together. We need to find him before something terrible happens."

    Iruka snapped out of his daze. "Naruto stole the Scroll of Sealing? Are you sure about this Mizuki?"

    "Yes. You need to get to Lord Hokage."

    Iruka nodded and the two immediately left the area. Both of them, going in different directions.

    Mizuki looked at his watch and smiled. ''It''s almost time for Zefrek to make his move.''

    -

    Hokage Tower.

    In front of the Tower arge group of shinobi had already gathered.

    "Lord Hokage. Is it true? Did he really take the scroll?" One of the ninjas asked and Hiruzen nodded his head. "I''m afraid so."

    Anger could be seen on most of the ninjas but some were silent and keenly gazing at the old leader. At that moment Iruka arrived and stood at the back of the crowd.

    "Lord Hokage, this isn''t a small matter. That scroll in the wrong hands could bring disaster to our vige."

    "That''s right. This is not a prank anymore. Stealing the scroll is a serious crime. We need to find him quickly."

    Hiruzen looked at the group and knew that if he didn''t allow them to take appropriate action, they would suspect something. ''The chances of them finding Naruto''s location are slim. If they find Naruto in the mindset they are, he and the rest of the kids could be in danger. But I can''t just stand back and do nothing.''

    "Find Naruto and the scroll. But bring him to me unharmed. I have some questions for him."

    "Sir!"

    The order was given and the ninjas vanished in all directions. As Hiruzen walked back into the tower his mind was piecing together the events that happened till now.

    ''No one at the tower leaked the intel so the only way they could find out was if Mizuki told them. He''s trying to create chaos and confusion and manipte their hate for the boy Hmm Once Mizuki and his cohorts show up, I''ll send Genma after Naruto and his friends. He knows what to do.''

    -

    Leaf Prison.

    Zefrek looked at the time and his eyes slightly narrowed. ''This is it. Mizuki should have spread the news by now.''

    He turned to the prisoners raging and howling behind him. ''These fools will make an excellent distraction.''

    Zefrek turned to the four of the six ninjas he gave the Jonin jacket to. "Tenjin, Ryuken. I have something I need you to do."

    "What?"

    Zefrek replied with a grin and gave them several paper bombs. "Use that to cause a distraction. I know you two hate the vige. Why don''t you use this as an opportunity to vent some of that repressed anger."

    Tenjin grinned as he took the stacks of explosives. "This wouldn''t happen to be a n so you could escape while we''re taking the heat would it?" The dangerous intenting from Tenjin was apparent to everyone nearby.

    Despite the hostile attitude, Zefrek just shrugged. "If you don''t want it then I''ll give it to someone else. But you''re going to have to return that ck jacket along with those paper bombs."

    "That''s not gonna happen. Why don''t I just use these on you here instead?"

    The nonchnt attitude disappeared from Zefrek''s face. "Then you can forget about escaping at all."

    "We''ll do it." Ryuken suddenly spoke. The two prisoners turned to him.

    "I''ve wanted to pay back this vige for my incarceration for a long time. I''ll do it." Ryuken replied as he took a few paper bombs from Tenjin''s hand.

    "If we''re doing this then we need to be quick. We won''t be able to attack secure buildings." Aosora came near them and spoke.

    Ryuken shook his head. "It doesn''t matter. Even if it''s some superficial damage, it''ll please my heart. We''ll use these prisoners as cover to nt the bombs."

    "Then we''ll escape between the chaos and get out while the Leaf ninjas are dealing with the fallout of this prison break." Kitoha gave his input as well. Since he also wasn''t from the Hidden Leaf vige, he didn''t care what happened to them.

    Zefrek looked at the four and nodded. "Go. I''ll buy you four a few minutes of time."

    The four disguised prisoners escaped and Zefrek turned to his two partners. Haroshi and Seijo. They, along with Zefrek were the only ones remaining wearing the standard Leaf shinobi outfit. "Did you really have to give them the explosives? We could have used them."

    Zefrek shook his head. "If we used explosives, it would have drawn attention towards our location. So since we can''t use it, might as well give it to the few who will. They might get caught or they might escape. I couldn''t care less what happens to them."

    "It''s a shame Mizuki was only able to bring seven k jackets. We could have used more." Haroshi spoke. He looked at the three dead guards and sighed. ''If those jackets didn''t have blood we could have used them. Eh. I suppose it doesn''t matter now.''

    The trio waited a few minutes and then turned to the rest of the prisoners. "IT''S TIME TO TAKE BACK YOUR FREEDOM!"

    "YEAAAHHHH!"

    On this day the Leaf vige experienced the biggest and only prison break since the founding of the vige.

    -

    Iruka was making his way to Naruto''s ''secret'' training ground in the back forest. ''Damn it. Why did he do that? Why did he take the scroll? Was this supposed to be some kind graduation prank? What is he thinking?''

    Iruka moved as fast as he could and soon reached the area. He used his sensory techniques but couldn''t find anyone. ''Damn it. He''s not here.''

    The Chunin instructor looked around and there weren''t any signs of anyone being present. "Where could he have gone?"

    Suddenly Iruka remembered something. He remembered seeing Shikamaru, Sakura and Kiba and Ino together nearby the tower a few hours ago. He didn''t think much about it then but now he couldn''t help but wonder. Iruka closed his eyes and recalled the memory as best as he could. He suddenly picked up on two details.

    ''Sakura. She tried to hide it but she was nervous. And Kiba. He and Akamaru It looked like They were tracking someone I didn''t think much of it at the time but now''

    The instant this thought entered Iruka''s mind his eyes snapped open. ''Don''t tell me Do they know what Naruto did? Did they help him take the scroll somehow? What''s going on?''

    Iruka recalled the direction they were going and quickly moved. ''They were going east from the tower. What''s east of the vige?''

    After racking his brain for a few minutes the Chunin had an idea as to their destination. ''Is it possible? Are they going to the East Canyons? Damn it. I don''t have much else to go on.''

    The East Canyons were somewhat nearer, so Iruka decided to check it out just to make sure. As he made his way to that ce, Mizuki was also making his way there. He was extremely cautious as he didn''t want anyone to get suspicious and follow him.

    ''Taking the longer route will cost me more time but this way I can be certain that no one''s following me''

    -

    East Canyons.

    Choji, Kiba and Shino were keeping watch on Naruto as he trained his new Shadow clone jutsu. "Oh man. Not only did that idiot take the scroll he actually learned a jutsu from it. Maybe I should take a peek inside that thing."

    "I would not rmend that course of action Kiba." Shino calmly said as he looked at the solid clones Naruto was creating. "That jutsu came from the scroll that is dubbed Forbidden. It must have some extreme cost. We would be wise not to act foolishly."

    "Right."

    Just then Shikamaru, Hinata, Ino and Sakura joined them.

    "Did you guys set up the traps?" Kiba turned to them and asked.

    "Yeah. But we need to be careful."

    "I just I just wish we could talk to Naruto. He doesn''t even know he''s in danger."

    Shikamaru slightly sighed and spoke. "I know what you mean Hinata. But that guy can be hard headed sometimes. If we go over to him now, he''ll most likely fight us. And what''s more, we need to catch Mizuki red handed. The second he reveals his true intentions, we''ll try our best to trap him."

    "And if he has anyone helping him?" Kiba and Akamaru looked at the tactician in their group.

    "Then we go to n B."

    "What about Sasuke? Did you guys go talk to him?" Choji asked while hiding under the bush.

    "No. He was on the other side and too far away. We would have given ourselves away if we tried to go over to him." The young Nara shook his head.

    "I could have had my insects send him a message but Shikamaru is worried someone might find out and how Sasuke might react."

    "We''ll worry about Sasuketer. I''m sure he''ll know to make the correct decision if anything happens. Right now Naruto is the priority."

    As most of the Rookies nodded and paid close attention to the blonde boy training his new jutsu, Shino slowly made his way near Shikamaru.

    "I''m sure Naruto would believe us if we told him that this whole thing is a trap. So what''s the real reason you don''t want to confront him?" The new Aburame Genin asked Shikamaru in a very low voice.

    The Nara was silent as he heard the question. "I have my reasons." He didn''t say anything more as he stared at the blonde training a short distance away. But his mind was in turmoil.

    ''If I tell Naruto that Mizuki hates him enough to trap him like this then he''ll demand to know the reason. How am I supposed to tell him why Mizuki hates him? How can I tell him that he has some sort of connection to the very creature that brought misery and pain to the vige I don''t even know the full picture about it myself''

    Shikamaru quietly sighed and kept his gaze forward. Seeing that his question won''t be answered any further, Shino decided to drop it.

    On the other side of the field Sasuke was keeping an eye on Naruto and as he watched his ssmate train hard, he remembered the words Daichi said to him during their spars. The Uchiha shook his head to get rid of the annoying thoughts and focused. ''That clone jutsu could be pretty useful to me.''

    As he stood there hidden from view he suddenly heard the sound of leaves and branches moving. ''Someone''sing.''

    Sasuke made sure to stay hidden and soon saw who it was heading for Naruto. ''That''s''

    -

    Naruto released all the clones and fell back to the ground. "Oh man. Pant pant That was tough." He was takingrge gulps of air and tried to regain some energy. Naruto then sat up and looked at his hands. "But it was worth it. With this jutsu I''ll be unstoppable."

    Just then someone made his appearance. "I didn''t think you''d look that tired getting that scroll here. But well done."

    Naruto looked up at the familiar voice and saw Mizuki sensei on a tree staring at him.

    "Yeah. I got the scroll. Ipleted the toughest exam, no problem. Believe it." Naruto had a big grin as he looked at his teacher.

    Mizuki chuckled as he looked at the boy. "Yes you did. There''s only one more thing you need to do."

    Naruto rubbed the back of his head and smiled back. "What''s that sensei?"

    The smile on Mizuki''s face fell and the next instant he threw several kunai at the boy with speed and precision. "DIE!"

    ---------------

    Author''s Note:

    Making sure the timing of the events in this arc is a real pain but I''ll get it done. I hope you''re enjoying this story so far.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen(No space)

 Chapter 272: The Forbidden Scroll Incident 03

    Chapter 272: The Forbidden Scroll Incident 03

    The smile on Naruto''s face vanished as he saw his teacher''s vicious and hateful expression. He certainly didn''t expect Mizuki to attack him right out of the blue. The blond boy stood frozen in fear as the kunais wereing straight at him.

    Sasuke, Shikamaru and the rest of the new graduates also didn''t anticipate Mizuki to try and outright kill Naruto right then and there. Their eyes widened and they stood still in shock as well. But Sasuke was the only one who quickly snapped out of it and took action. He held several shuriken between his fingers and was about to throw them from his location but someone beat him to it. The Uchiha heard the distinct whistle of shurikens flying at a fast rate and his eyes moved in that direction. In moments he saw them and realized they were urately going to intercept Mizuki''s kunai.

    A few feet in front of Naruto, Mizuki''s kunai were hit by several shuriken that came from the darkness of the forest and they sessfully deflected the weapons aimed to kill the boy.

    "What the? Where did thosee from?" Mizuki wondered seeing his attack fail.

    A secondter Iruka appeared and stood several feet in front of Naruto, looking at his colleague with narrowed eyes.

    Shikamaru and the rest of the rookies let out relieved breaths as they saw their friend unharmed. ''Iruka sensei. He''s here. Oh thank god.''

    "That was too close. If Iruka sensei hadn''t shown up or was even a secondte, Naruto would have been a goner now." Kiba said in a low tone.

    "No kidding" Ino said and Sakura and Hinata nodded. Hinata''s hands tightened and clenched into fists. She looked at Mizuki and for the first time the emotion of hatred appeared in her kind heart.

    The rest of the rookies paid close attention to the interaction going on between the three and were getting ready to intervene.

    Iruka red at Mizuki silently for a few seconds before speaking. "What''s the meaning of this Mizuki? Lord Hokage asked us to bring Naruto in unharmed for questioning. So why did you attack him with such lethal force?"

    Mizuki gritted his teeth looking at the man. ''I wanted to make you suffer onest time by telling you what that brat did but I didn''t expect you to actually find this ce. I guess that''s an oversight on my part.''

    "I see you found my location. I have to admit. I didn''t expect that." Mizuki looked down at Iruka and crossed his arms.

    "Wha-what''s going on? Why did you attack me? Is- is this part of the test?" Naruto asked, slightly stuttering from the shock of the sudden attack. Naruto looked at the two in confusion as he didn''t know what was going on.

    Iruka nced at the boy behind him and was perplexed. "Test? What test? What are you talking about Naruto?"

    -

    Couple dozen meters away from them Shikamaru and his group stood, ready to help out their friend and Iruka sensei. "Shikamaru, now that Iruka sensei is here we can go help out. There is no point in hiding here anymore." Ino said in a low voice looking at the friend.

    The Nara shook his head side to side. "If we go out there I''m sure we''ll be able to capture Mizuki with Iruka sensei''s help. But if Mizuki has anyone helping him then we lose the element of surprise. In a straight fight we might be in trouble."

    "Why are you so sure Mizuki has someone to help him?" Sakura asked.

    "Because it''s what I''d do if I was in his shoes. Mizuki has been nning this for a long time. I''m sure of it. He''d be dumb to betray the vige and expect to safely leave on his own. The odds of him seeking out someone to help him is high and if anyone has agreed then they''d no doubt be a strong chunin or possibly even Jonin. So we need to be careful."

    "Is that why you asked me, Kiba and Hinata to keep a lookout even now? Are you anticipating the possibility of someone finding us here?" Shino Aburame slightly turned his head in the young Nara''s direction.

    "Yes. If Mizuki has someone helping him, I can''t avoid the possibility that they might have some sensing abilities. If they get the drop on us, we''d be a liability. I don''t want that to happen. So the second someone enters our vicinity I want to know."

    Hearing Shikamaru''s reasoning everyone nodded and turned their attention back to Naruto and the two teachers.

    -

    "Test? What test? What are you talking about Naruto?" Iruka was puzzled and looked at the boy from the corner of his eyes.

    "You know, the super secret special exam to be real Genin" Naruto trailed off seeing Iruka sensei''s confused expression. "Mizuki sensei told me about it. He told me where to get the scroll and everything"

    "Naruto, give me the scroll now!" Mizuki spoke in a menacing tone looking at the boy.

    Iruka turned back to Mizuki and his brain quickly figured out what was going on. "You! Now it makes sense. You''re behind this whole thing."

    "Wh-What''s going on sensei? Why is Mizuki sensei acting like that?"

    The Grey haired Chunin couldn''t help chuckle hearing that question. "You really are an utter idiot aren''t you Naruto."

    The blonde boy clenched his hands hearing that insult.

    "Naruto, listen carefully. That scroll you have contains secret and forbidden jutsus created by the First and Second Hokages. If it got out, it could bring great danger to our vige. There is no test. Mizuki used you to steal the scroll for himself. For his own selfish goals."

    Hearing Iruka''s words Naruto was immediately on guard against the grey haired enemy ninja up on the tree.

    Iruka took a kunai from his leg pouch and held it in reverse grip. His eyes squarely fixed on his former friend. "Naruto. No matter what happens, don''t let Mizuki have that scroll. Get out of here. Take it straight to Lord Hokage."

    "Right!" Naruto nodded his head with determination and strapped the scroll to his back. He was about to jump and escape the ce but several shuriken from Mizukinded near him stopping him in his tracks.

    "You two aren''t going anywhere. That scroll is mine."

    -

    "Looks like they''re about to fight."

    "You''re nning on having Iruka sensei battle Mizuki and all of usunch a surprise attack if any other enemies show up. Its not a bad n but still Are you sure about this?" Ino had her doubts as she looked at her friend.

    At that moment Shino spoke up. "Your n has a few ws, Shikamaru. What if there is no one helping Mizuki? What if he''s alone? And look It doesn''t seem like Mizuki intends to let them leave here. Iruka sensei will not be able to fight effectively if he has to protect Naruto at the same time."

    Shikamaru intently gazed at the two Chunins. "I know. I thought about that. Look. If it looks like Iruka sensei and Naruto are in trouble then we''ll intervene. But let''s wait a couple more minutes. I just want to make sure that Mizuki is the only threat."

    Shikamaru was on one knee and brought his hands together with his fingertips touching. He thought of the possibilities in front of him as he looked at the fight that''s about to start between the two Leaf ninjas.

    ''We could all attack Mizuki right now and take him down with minimal injuries to ourselves. But if he has anyone helping him, they might not reveal themselves and then we might not be able to find that traitor. Or we could be ambushed. But with Hinata, Shino and Kiba that possibility is low. Still it doesn''t solve our problem. I don''t know the enemy strength to make a solid strategy or if there is more than one enemy we have to deal with I just hope Lord Hokage sends some back up.''

    -

    Seeing Mizukiing towards him, Iruka urged Naruto to leave. But the rogue ninja had other ns. He wanted to make sure Naruto stayed. Mizuki had been training thest several months in preparation for this day and thus he was a lot stronger and faster than Iruka anticipated.

    Naruto tried to get away from there but the rogue Chunin threw a Windmill shuriken in his path stopping the boy even as he engaged in a fight with Iruka. Mizuki easily parried a fist and side stepped Iruka''s kunai swipe. Seeing an opening he countered with a cross to the man''s left cheek making the scarred Chunin take a few steps back.

    "Do you really want to run away, Naruto? Especially before you know the truth about yourself?" Mizuki had a malicious grin as he looked at Iruka.

    "Truth? What truth?"

    "Don''t listen to him Naruto! He''s lying. Get out of here!" The Chunin yelled as he tried to keep his former friend at bay.

    "That''s rich Iruka. The whole vige knows the truth except for him. It''s thew after all. That we shouldn''t tell Naruto." Even as Mizuki was fighting he nced from the corner of his eyes and saw that he had Naruto''s attention. ''Excellent. That fool is far more concerned with himself to make any sensible decision.''

    "What truth? What are you hiding from me?" Naruto saw Iruka''s tense face and he immediately knew that his teacher was hiding something. "What don''t you want me to know, Iruka sensei?"

    Naruto''s vulnerable expression made Iruka lose focus mid fight and Mizuki immediately capitalized on it. He punched Iruka in the face and kicked him hard, sending him crashing into a nearby tree. Several kunais instantly flew and pierced Iruka''s arms and legs. "Aaarhhh!" The scarred Chunin gritted his teeth and tried to hold in his pain.

    Iruka was bleeding from his nose and had multiple other flesh wounds. None of them were lethal and the loyal Leaf ninja was slowly removing the weapons that struck his body and was trying to stand back up.

    "IRUKA SENSEI!" Naruto rushed to the wounded Chunin.

    "How touching. You still care. But I doubt that''d be the case when you realize that deep down he hates you. That you''re the reason his parents are dead." Mizuki''s words halted Naruto''s steps.

    "What? What are you talking about?" The boy turned to the traitorous ninja.

    "Mi-Mizuki. Stop. Don''t." Iruka took in a few deep breaths of air through his mouth and pleaded with the man.

    -

    It wasn''t just Naruto who was paying close attention to Mizuki but the other graduates as well. Shikamaru''s eyes widened as he knew what Mizuki was going on about. ''Don''t tell me he''s going to say what I think he''s going to say.''

    "Wait. Are they talking about the reason why people seem to hate him?"

    Kiba nodded. "I think so, Ino. And did you hear what Mizuki said? There''s some kind ofw to stop Naruto from knowing the reason."

    As his friends were having a quieted discussion, Shikamaru had several thoughts running through his mind. ''I know Naruto has some connection to the Nine tailed beast. But that''s it. I couldn''t get much more info on the subject after I asked my father about it Do I want to know the truth? If there is aw preventing Naruto from learning the truth then should I allow it to break? How would he even react if he finds out?''

    The Nara cautiously and discreetly nced at everyone present near him. ''How would they react? Damn it. What should I do? Do I stop Mizuki or do I just stay here? What''s the best decision I could make?''

    "I I think we should stop Mizuki." Shikamaru made his choice.

    Ino was puzzled. "Weren''t you the one who just told us to stay here till anyone else shows up."

    Shino and Kiba narrowed their eyes and looked at their friend. They could see the worry on their friend''s face. "You suddenly changed your decision and want us to attack. Why? Is it because of Iruka sensei''s injuries or because of what Mizuki is saying?"

    "Shikamaru, what''s going on?... The secret. You know it, don''t you? What is it?" Kiba asked.

    At that time, as if to answer his question, Mizuki spoke revealing the long kept open secret.

    -

    In all themotion and the revtion of Mizuki''s betrayal Irukapletely forgot about Naruto''s ssmates. He had sensed Naruto''s chakra when he came near the canyons and became solely focused on it. At that moment he didn''t realize that it wouldn''t just be Naruto learning the terrible secret the vige hid for so long.

    Mizuki looked at the boy''s scared face and chuckled. "The whole vige has been lying to you since you were born. Because of the decree made 12 years ago. Everyone knows about it. Everyone except you and those born around your time and since."

    "STOP MIZUKI. THAT''S FORBIDDEN!"

    Iruka''s desperate shout only made Naruto want to know more.

    Mizuki looked at Naruto with a gleeful expression before he spoke. "The decree is no one can tell you the Nine tailed fox is inside you."

    Naruto stood still with widened eyes. His hands shook as he heard that. "What?"

    "The fox spirit that destroyed the vige and killed Iruka''s parents twelve years ago. It''s you. You are the nine tails."

    Iruka looked at the shocked Naruto and he gritted his teeth. "That''s enough Mizuki. Stop it." He yelled at Mizuki but it was for naught.

    "They''ve been hiding this secret from you your whole life. Come on. Haven''t you ever wondered why they hated you so much? Treated you like dirt your whole life. Like they hate you for just existing. Well now you know." The rogue ninja couldn''t help butugh seeing the distraught look on Naruto.

    All the hidden Genins stood still as they too were shocked by this revtion. All except Shikamaru. ''Damn it. Now Naruto knows. How''s he going to react?''

    "No. You''re lying. NO!" The more Naruto heard Mizuki speak the angrier he got. Blue chakra whisps began to appear in a whirl all around him.

    Iruka sensed the chakra rising in his former student. ''Naruto. Don''t lose control.''

    "Do you understand now, demon! You will never be epted in this vige. Even your precious Iruka hates you." Mizuki looked at the traumatized boy and reached for therge windmill shuriken tied to his back. He unstrapped it and spun it in his hands.

    Naruto, seeing therge weapon, stumbled in fear and fell on his back.

    "DIE YOU BEAST!" Mizuki threw therge shuriken at Naruto and the boy desperately scrambled to all fours and tried to escape.

    "GET DOWN NARUTO!"

    Iruka sensei''s shout made Naruto duck down with his head between his arms. He closed his eyes in fear and waited for the pain but it never came. Instead he heard the sounds of metal shing against metal.

    When Naruto opened his eyes a couple secondster he saw Iruka sensei shielding him with his own body. He looked up at his teacher and saw that the man was looking around in shock.

    Several Seconds Before Mizuki threw the Shuriken.

    Kiba and Choji were the ones in front of the group and the two clenched their fists in anger as they looked at the grey haired ninja. The hateful words the man spoke made them furious.

    "Fuck this shit! I''m not gonna just stay here and listen to this crap anymore. I''m going to help Naruto and Iruka sensei." "Arf." "Youin'' Choji?"

    "Hell yeah!" The Akimichi nodded with fire in his eyes.

    "What about you guys?" Kiba turned to the others.

    The rest of the team were angry as well and now with Kiba and Choji deciding to forgo stealth they made that choice as well.

    "For once I''m looking forward to starting a fight. Let''s go kick that traitor''s ass." Ino spoke for them all and the 7 rookies rushed from their spot just as Mizuki threw the weapon.

    The Genins saw Iruka rushing over to Naruto and trying to shield him with his own body.

    The 7 new Genins immediately took their weapons and threw them at therge four legged spinning de with as much force as they could muster. Their n was to deflect the weapon off its path. Just then they also saw several small shurikening from the other side aimed for the weapon. They immediately saw Sasuke''s figure appear and all the small weapons collided with Mizuki''s de.

    Shikamaru and his group''s weapons slowed the de down. Sasuke''s shuriken had ninja wire tied to them and the Uchiha manipted his small weapons to grab therge Windmill Shuriken and force it off course. Mizuki''s weapon hit a nearby tree trunk and was embedded all the way through.

    Present time.

    Iruka willed his body to move and made it just in time to shield Naruto''s body with his own. He braced for the lethal impact but instead of pain he sensed several familiar presenceing towards them and then heard the sound of therge shuriken hitting a nearby tree.

    Iruka looked up and saw his students appear nearby and walking towards them. It was then that he recalled the strange behaviors of some of them earlier and the conclusions heter came to.

    "I can''t believe you were dumb enough to think there was a test to steal an important scroll like that from the Hokage tower. You really are a dope."

    Naruto couldn''t see who but he instantly recognized that voice. ''Sasuke.''

    "Oi oi. That''s a bit too harsh, Sasuke." Thezy voice of Shikamaru Nara was heard next.

    "But Sasuke is kinda right Shikamaru But then again I can''t exactly me Naruto on this one. We''re supposed to trust our teachers afterall." Sakura said as she looked at Mizuki with a frown on her face.

    Kiba snorted. He red at the Chunin. "Some teacher. Never did like him anyways. Iruka sensei was far better." "Arf arf." "See. Akamaru agrees."

    "Yeah. We''re gonna kick your ass for the stunt you just pulled." Ino tied a rubber band around her hair and red at the enemy ninja.

    Choji came near Iruka and stood with his arms crossed while Hinata stood ready with her Taijutsu Gentle Fist stance. They didn''t say anything as they looked at Mizuki but their stern expression was more than enough to convey their feelings.

    "Surrender Mizuki sensei. No. You do not deserve that title anymore. Surrender Mizuki. Why? Because you are outnumbered." The insects buzzing could be heard throughout the area as Shino looked at the Chunin with a calm face.

    The rookies have entered the scene and all of them are ready for battle.

    ---------------

    Author''s Note.

    Did you guys enjoy it? I had fun writing it. I hope I was able to capture the rookies'' personalities urately.

    For some reason at the end of this chapter I envisioned two soundtracks ying in my mind. One piece''s Overtaken and Shokugeki no soma''s Isshiki''s theme. What do you guys think?

    The next chapter will be a battle.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen(No space)

 Chapter 273: The Forbidden Scroll Incident 04

    Chapter 273: The Forbidden Scroll Incident 04

    Hokage''s Room

    Hiruzen watched in anger as Mizuki broke the rule and revealed the secret about the nine tails to Naruto and unknowingly his ssmates as well. ''Now that Naruto knows the truth, what will he do?''

    The old kage turned his attention to Shikamaru and the rest. ''Shikaku said his son already knew. Yet he hasn''t shown any hostility to Naruto. So I don''t have to worry about him. But what about the rest? Will their hearts and minds be strong and clever enough to separate Naruto and the beast and see them as two entities?''

    Hiruzen kept observing the group and even after the revtion he saw that the rookies jumped in to save Iruka and Naruto. It brought relief and a small smile to his face. ''They all make a great team. Still, they''ll have questions when this is all over. I''ll need to exin everything carefully. Still, if Mizuki bes desperate and tries something there is the possibility of someone getting injured or worse. It''s best if I send someone over there now.''

    Having made a decision Hiruzen was about to call forth his personal guards but at that moment something else happened.

    BOOM!

    A sudden explosion from the vige caught Hiruzen''s attention. The windows of the Hokage tower slightly rattled from the winds and every ninja was on alert. The kage stood from his chair and went to look outside. He saw many people rushing towards the explosion. The smoke and fire wereing from the market district.

    "Bull." As Hiruzen said the name, an Anbu appeared behind him on one knee. "Find out what''s happening and the ones responsible."

    "Sir." The Anbu vanished and Hiruzen''s eyes roamed the vige looking for anything else happening.

    Several secondster just when things didn''t seem like it could get worse three more explosions went off in three different locations. The three guards in the room and two remaining Anbu appeared beside the Hokage.

    Hiruzen turned to his two Anbu members. One of them had a mask resembling a wolf while the other a lizard.

    "Wolf! I''m putting the vige on a level 1 emergency alert. Coordinate with the Jonins and get the situation under control. Evacuate the civilians if needed. Make sure of their safety."

    "Yes sir."

    "Lizard. Go to the locations that were just hit. Assess the damage and casualties and report back to me as soon as possible."

    "Sir."

    The two ninjas vanished and the old kage turned his attention to the vige.

    "Who would do something like this?" Raido saw the fire and smoke and could help but ask.

    "Someone who thinks it''s worth it to make an enemy out of an entire vige." Genma said with narrowed eyes.

    "It can''t be a coincidence that these attacks happened just on the night Mizuki nned to take the scroll. He must be behind this." Iwase theory made sense to everyone.

    At that moment the guards and the Hokage sensed the presence of two ninjas rushing towards the tower. They quickly recognized the two ninjas as part of the patrol unit.

    "Lord Hokage. I have terrible news! The prisoners have escaped."

    "What?" The kage was surprised as he knew the possibility of a prison break was very very slim.

    "It''s true. The Leaf Correctional facility has beenpromised. The prisoners are on the loose. Our team came across a few of them. We captured them and found out about it just a short while ago."

    Hiruzen groaned hearing that. "They must be the ones behind the explosion. But for them to escape, gain ess to paper bombs and go unnoticed through the vige They must have had outside help."

    He went to his crystal ball and altered the chakra flow of his Telescope jutsu. The images immediately changed from Naruto and his group to the outskirts of the vige. He saw several escapees in their prison uniform making their way out of the forest. ''If they get outside the border this could be more problematic.''

    Hiruzen turned to one of his personal guards. "Iwase. Take these two and spread the word to everyone. I have new orders. Capture every escaped prisoner. Use lethal force if need be. I''ll send someone else to get Naruto and the children. Right now containing the prisoners are priority."

    "Yes sir." The guard and the two Chunin patrol ninjas nodded and quickly exited the building.

    Once the three left, Genma stepped near the kage. "Sir, right now I''m sure the academy students and Iruka can hold back Mizuki. But if no one is looking for Naruto and if the prisoners happen upon their location then they all could be in serious trouble."

    Hiruzen nodded. "Yes, I''m aware of that. And things would be more dangerous with that scroll in y."

    "Lord Hokage, this prison break, the explosions, the theft of the scroll, for all of it to take ce like this on the same night. I believe Mizuki must be behind this. He must have a guard at the prison helping him. And if Mizuki told any of those prisoners to get to East Canyons then Iruka, Naruto and the others would be in danger."

    "You are right Raido. I was thinking the very same. Alright. I want you to go to the facility and investigate. If the guards have been turned then subdue them and bring them to Ibiki for interrogation."

    "On it." Raido vanished and Hiruzen turned to thest guard in the room. "Genma. Get to Naruto''s location. If the prisoners show up Iruka won''t be able to protect the children on his own. With everything that''s happening there is a great risk of something going wrong or beyond Iruka''s control. Defend the people and take down that traitor Mizuki and anyone else with him."

    "Yes sir."

    Hiruzen kept an eye on everything happening in the vige through his Telescope jutsu. A few minutester one of the Anbu he sent returned.

    "Lizard, Report."

    "I went to the four locations. They weren''t part of our critical infrastructure. The locations that were hit were low priority and easy to ess. Two explosions happened in the market but at this time the shops were all closed. So no casualties. Only property damage. The third attack took ce near the veterinary clinic run by the Inuzuka n. Again no casualties. The fourth was in the outskirts of the civilian residential area. Two houses were damaged and there have been a few injuries but no fatalities. The injured have already been taken to the hospital and we''re already fortifying the key areas. The Hyuga and Aburame are coordinating and leading search teams to see if there are more explosives hidden."

    Hiruzen nodded and let out a small breath of relief. ''No one killed in four explosions. I suppose I can call that a miracle. But still, why cause damage to these locationsThese damages wouldn''t hurt us even in the short term'' The kage stroked his chin and pondered on the reason for this attack.

    Hiruzen''s eyes widened as an idea suddenly sprung up in his head. ''Distraction. What if this is all a distraction to take off our focus But they won''t be able to escape the way they are now Unless''

    He quickly looked at his Anbu. "The patrol squad has informed me that there has been a massive prison break. I believe this destruction might be the work of a prisoner. These explosions might be a diversion."

    "But Lord Hokage, how can you be sure it was them? And even then the prisoners would be in their uniform, they''d quickly be identified and captured."

    "I''m not 100% sure it''s them but it''s what my gut is telling me. And it would be possible for them to escape in this chaos If they have our ninja gear."

    The Anbu''s eyes behind the mask slightly widened. "If that''s the case"

    "Inform the Anbu teams and the trusted Jonins to be on the lookout for anyone suspicious. They wouldn''t have ess to Anbu attire but if those prisoners have outside help then they could be wearing our k jackets."

    "Yes. I understand." The Anbu nodded and immediately left the room.

    Hiruzen turned his attention back to the crystal ball, changed the chakra flow and the images soon changed to Naruto battling his traitorous teacher. ''Mizuki. I have a feeling you''re behind all this mess. If that is the case then I''ll make sure you never see daylight again.''

    -

    East Canyons. Shortly after Future Rookies saved Iruka.

    Mizuki looked at the neers and waspletely shocked. ''Where did theye from? How long have they been here? Did they get here following Iruka or Naruto?''

    The rogue Chunin was angry that his n to kill Naruto was thwarted. "You brats made a big mistakeing here."

    "We''ll see about that soon." Sasuke said as he looked at Mizuki with narrowed eyes.

    Sounds of several footsteps came and Naruto turned his head. He realized that he, Iruka and Mizuki weren''t the only ones that were there. But at the moment he didn''t care about them. He turned his attention back to his teacher.

    "Why?"

    Naruto''s weak voice brought Iruka''s attention back to him. The Chunin saw the sad, confused expression on the boy''s face and it pained his heart.

    "You could have died. Why did you save my life?"

    Iruka looked at the boy and tried to smile. Slowly tears started falling down his face as he recalled the memories of his childhood. "You know you and I are a lot alike. We''re the same in so many ways After my parents died I was all alone. No one cared about me. My grades dropped. I was soon at the bottom. A ss clown. I did so many stupid things. I just wanted them to remember my name. Even if it was just for a few seconds But soon I had to pay for my mistakes."

    Naruto''s eyes widened as he looked at his sensei. Even through the tears Iruka tried to smile. "I know how you feel. Feeling lonely and hurting inside. I should have been there for you more I''m sorry."

    "Sensei"

    "But you know there is one difference between us. You found friends you can depend on early on. Friends who''ll have your back no matter what. I''m really happy" Iruka smiled as he looked at his favorite student.

    Shikamaru and the rest smiled as they looked at their teacher. The young Nara nced at Iruka from the corner of his eyes and recalled the first day the man came to his ss. ''When he first saw Naruto he couldn''t even look at him but now I guess Naruto has grown on him.''

    Mizuki gritted his teeth as he looked at the scene. ''This isn''t how things were supposed to go. Wait! Maybe I can still use this to my advantage. If I can turn them all against him then I have a chance.''

    The grey haired Chunin suddenly chuckled, drawing everyone''s attention. "Hihihihi Oh please Iruka. You don''t have to lie. I know you hate him from your very core. The Nine tailed fox killed your parents and it''s inside you now Naruto. Iruka would say anything to get that scroll from you."

    Mizuki turned his attention to the new Genins. "Naruto''s the living embodiment of the catastrophe that struck the vige. You all should fear him. He''ll soon release the seal and the Nine tails will emerge and destroy the vige. He''s just a beast hell bent on destruction."

    "Yeah like we''d believe that. Someone needs to shut you up." Kiba said and the rest of the rookies were getting ready to attack.

    Naruto looked at Mizuki and he suddenly felt ashamed to meet everyone''s gaze. He just wanted to escape. He tried to take off running but Iruka suddenly grabbed his arm stopping him. Before Naruto could struggle and escape, Iruka suddenly brought him in for a hug. Naruto stilled as he was embraced in the warm gesture.

    "I did hate you, Naruto." The boy''s eyes widened as he heard his sensei. "And Mizuki is right. A beast would only know just to rampage and cause destruction when it''s hurt But you''re not a beast. I''ve seen you struggle, endure everyone''s hate and still have a smile on your face. I''ve seen your willingness to work hard and your determination. You try your best despite the odds against you. I came to admire that."

    Iruka looked Naruto in the eyes and he had a genuine smile. "You are not the nine tails. You are Naruto Uzumaki of the Leaf. And You''re my precious student."

    "Sensei." Naruto realized that the man was telling the truth and the instant that realization hit him, he buried his face in his sensei''s chest and cried. Iruka gently stroked the back of the boy''s head and stayed silent.

    Naruto''s friends smiled and stayed quiet to give them their moment.

    Mizuki clenched his fists as his ns to turn them against Naruto failed. But unwilling to give up he tried one more time. He looked at the children and spoke. "You all don''t understand. He''s-"

    "You should stop wasting your breath. That scroll is going back to the Hokage and we aren''t going to turn on Naruto. You''re done Mizuki. It''s over." Shikamaru said with a serious tone.

    "You have nothing up your sleeve left. Surrender." Shino spoke with crossed arms.

    "Just give up Mizuki. You''re finished."

    Sasuke''s arrogant tone made Mizuki furious. "You fucking brats! You really think just because I''m outnumbered you can defeat me? I''ll kill all of you for your arrogance."

    The Rookies took battle stances and we''re preparing to attack. But

    "No you won''t!" Iruka''s strong voice stopped everyone. He stood, looked at Naruto and gave the boy a small reassuring nod. Then he turned to face the rest of his students. "You all. Thank you for saving my life. But this is my responsibility. Mizuki is my responsibility. I''ll deal with that traitor.."

    "But we can fight. We can help." Sasuke looked at Iruka with determination.

    "He''s right. Sensei, we" Kiba wanted to argue but Iruka shook his head. He turned to look at Mizuki but was addressing his students.

    "I have a mission for all of you. Protect the scroll of seals and get it back to the Hokage tower safely." Iruka was ring at Mizuki and walked forward. He stood in front of the new Genins and became focused on his foe.

    "You really think you all can escape from me? I''ll take the scroll from your corpses if I have to." Mizuki red at Iruka and the kids.

    "I won''t give you that chance. Your fight is with me." Iruka took a kunai and readied himself.

    Seeing their teachers about to engage, Shikamaru got near Naruto. "Hey. We need to go. Now. While Iruka sensei is buying us some time." Naruto reluctantly nodded but stopped when he heard Mizuki''s next words.

    "Fine. Have it your way. I''ll kill you first, Iruka."

    Naruto clenched his fist and jumped from his spot andnded near his teacher. He red at Mizuki. "If you touch my sensei I''ll kill you."

    "Naruto, I told you to leave. The safety of that scroll is more important than my life." Iruka was shocked that Naruto stayed. He wanted the kid to leave while he bought them time.

    "Not to me sensei. MULTI SHADOW CLONE JUTSU!" The blonde Jinchuriki made the cross seal and the next second the entire surrounding was covered in smoke. In moments the smoke disappeared and several hundred shadow clones were present all around them.

    Everyone was astounded by the number of clones Naruto created.

    "Oh man, I can''t even keep count the number of clones here." Kiba said with his jaws dropped.

    Sasuke''s eyes narrowed as he looked at the boy standing near Iruka. ''Is this the potential Daichi was talking about? Or is this the power of the nine tails? Did he already know?''

    Hinata looked at the Naruto''s and blushed. '' .Narutos.''

    Shikamaru looked at the clones and then at Mizuki. ''Even he would have some trouble fighting this many clones. But still, I don''t know the strength and weakness of this jutsu. Or what it does to the caster. Naruto should be careful. This jutsu was from the scroll dubbed ''Forbidden''. Hmm Naruto doesn''t look winded or anything. Guess we''ll have to wait to see what the effects of the jutsu are.''

    "All of them are solid clones right?" Sakura asked and Ino nodded. "Yeah. This jutsu is different from the normal clone jutsu."

    Sakura pondered on the implications and then looked at Naruto. ''Then this jutsu must take more chakra than the clone jutsu to execute. So to create this many solid clones Naruto must have a lot more chakra than I thought. I thought Mizuki was lying at first but now Iruka sensei doesn''t seem surprised at Mizuki''s usations. So does that mean Naruto is the nine tails? No Iruka sensei trusts him. So that can''t be it. But Naruto must have some connection to the Nine tails''

    Naruto''s shadow clones began attacking Mizuki from all sides. But the Chunin immediately began countering. He had been secretly training and increasing his strength and preparing his body for the ritual.

    Mizuki dodged a kick from the back and jumped to avoid a leg swipe. He punched a clone in the chest reducing it to smoke while he grabbed the leg of another that came flying at him. Mizuki tossed that clone around and destroyed another dozen clones.

    ''To use Lord Orochimaru''s power I needed to increase my power and get my body strong enough to withstand the transformation. But I never imagined my training woulde to aid me in such a manner.''

    Mizuki punched, kicked and used his weapons to kill the shadow clones that attacked him. But as time went by he was getting more tired. ''I need to finish this fast.''

    "Rhaaa You fucking brat. You think you can defeat me with clones?" Mizuki''s rage increased his battle momentum and in less than a minute he destroyed all the clones that were present. But he had bruises on his body and was taking several deep breaths due to his exertion.

    Iruka looked at the worn out enemy and spoke. "You may have defeated the clones but you''re in no shape to fight anyone Mizuki and win."

    Suddenly Shino''s head snapped towards his left. "Multiple Shinobi approaching." His scouting insects informed him of the approaching people.

    Hinata quickly used her Byakugan. "Three people. All wearing Leaf headbands."

    Iruka and Naruto rxed but the rest of the students were on alert.

    Shikamaru heard Shino''s words and his eyes never left Mizuki once. He saw that Mizuki was tense when he heard that people wereing but then saw his body slightly rx when Hinata confirmed the number.

    ''Damn it. Could they be his aplices? Are they here for him?''

    He didn''t have to wait long to find out. Three ninjas wearing the standard Chunin gear appeared. Iruka looked at the three ninjas but he didn''t recognise any of them. But he thought they were here for the scroll under Lord Hokage''s orders and was about to move when he heard one of them chuckle.

    The leader of the group looked at the scene and couldn''t help but let out a ridiculingugh looking at Mizuki.

    "You really are pathetic. You can''t even handle a few brats and a Chunin? It seems you''re the one who needs our help more." Zefrek spoke with a condescending tone.

    "You" Mizuki hated it when someone looked down on him.

    Zefrek didn''t care about the tired Chunin and turned his attention back to Iruka and the rest. Everyone saw the dark glint and maliciousness in his eyes.

    "Now what do we have here?"

    -----------------

    Author''s Note.

    Another 3.3k word chp.. I hope you all enjoyed the chapter.

    The Naruto and Iruka scene in Canon is an iconic event for Naruto. I didn''t want to take that away from him. But I also wanted to add my own twist to the events.

    How do you guys feel about this chapter?

    It was a bit difficult when I wrote next few chapters. I needed to create a battle sequence for all the rookies based on their current strength and fighting style. I also had to take teamwork into ount, enemy strength, jutsus the pressure was on to make it a good battle and a good chapter. I hope I don''t disappoint you all

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen(No space)

 Chapter 274: Irukas Resolve

    Chapter 274: Iruka''s Resolve

    With Genma.

    The Special Jonin was rushing through the rooftops and headed in the direction of the East Canyons. He could hear the sounds of fighting in several areas of the vige and he ignored them. He had a job to do and he trusted his fellow ninjas to capture the escapees. As Genma was making his way towards his destination, he suddenly heard the scream of a womaning from nearby. He jumped and saw three prisoners attacking a pair of old civilians down in an alley..

    Genma couldn''t ignore their scream for help and he rushed towards the convicts. Several shuriken went flying from his fingers and struck one of the enemy while Genma spit his senbon at the shoulder of the other.

    The Leaf ninja appeared in front of the civilians and looked at the three. "Fes. Just give up and you won''t get hurt."

    "In your dreams you bastard."

    One of the prisoners rushed to attack but the Jonin quickly dodged his attack and knocked him unconscious with two blows. The other two tried to escape but Genma swiftly dealt with them as well.

    He turned to the two civilians behind him. "Don''t worry. Everything''s going to be fine. Please make your way to the shelter."

    "Thank you." The pair ran away and Genma was about to leave when he sensed multiple chakras behind him. He turned around and saw several more prisoners appearing. ''This is going to take a while.''

    -

    East Canyons

    "Now what do we have here?"

    Iruka''s eyes narrowed as he looked at the ninja up on the tree. ''His voice Why is it familiar? And why is he looking at me with such hate?''

    Zefrek only just nced at the students but then his eyes were fixed on Iruka. He had a cruel smile as he looked at the academy teacher. "Hello Iruka. It''s been a while."

    Iruka was on guard but he was confused as he couldn''t quickly identify the man.

    Naruto looked between the new ninja and his teacher. "Hey Iruka sensei, you know this guy?"

    "I''m not sure Who are you?"

    Iruka asked in confusion and Zefrek couldn''t help butugh like he was the only one in on the joke. "Hihihi You really don''t remember me do you? I suppose I can''t me you. I was wearing a mask thest time we met Maybe this will jog your memory ''The Double Canary'' mission."

    Iruka''s eyes widened. He concentrated on the man''s chakra and in a few seconds figured out exactly who he was. "Zefrek."

    "Hahahaha Yes. In the flesh."

    Iruka took a kunai to battle and gestured to the students to get behind him. "You''re supposed to be in prison."

    Naruto and the others could hear the slight fear in their teacher''s voice.

    "Yes. But circumstances have changed." Zefrek''s eyes went to Mizuki who was steadily getting up and getting his bearings.

    Iruka immediately understood how the man was here. "Mizuki! What have you done?"

    The traitor Chunin looked at Iruka and sneered. "What I had to do. I needed help so I recruited a few subordinates."

    Zefrek''s smile dimmed as he heard the word subordinate. Mizuki was high on adrenaline and battle rush and thus wasn''t careful with his words.

    ''A pathetic Chunin like him dares to call me a subordinate.'' Zefrek vanished from his spot and kicked Mizuki in the gut, sending him flying. The traitor ninjanded on the ground several meters away. "Since when did I be your subordinate huh? This is my operation now."

    "Yo- you" Mizuki was breathing hard and couldn''t even form a proper sentence.

    "What the hell? He attacked him. I thought he was on Mizuki''s side?" Kiba eximed and the rest agreed.

    The Genin were shocked but Iruka knew what the man was like. "Don''t be deceived by his actions. That man attacks whoever he feels like it."

    "Um sensei? What''s going on? Who is this guy?" Naruto asked, scratching his head.

    "That''s Zefrek. He was a former Special Jonin of the vige. But hemitted several crimes and was soon caught and imprisoned." Iruka replied while keeping his eyes on Zefrek and the other two. ''If they''re Zefrek''s aplices then chances are that they''re prisoner''s too. Something must have happened at the Leaf Prison.''

    "You failed to mention that you''re the reason they found out about me. I spent half a decade in chains because of you. An unlucky fate I suppose." The smile on Zefrek''s face was reced with anger. But it soon turned into a cruel gleeful expression. "But that bad luck has once again changed for me it seems. I''m d that you''re here. I''m going to enjoy what I''m about to do to you."

    "Oh no you don''t.!" Naruto loudly dered and was about to step forward but Iruka held him back by his cor and pulled him to his side. "Naruto. He''s not an opponent you can fight."

    Iruka took a few seconds and looked at the enemy ninjas in front of him. ''There''s three of them and Mizuki. Mizuki is weakened but far from out of this battle. And aside from Zefrek the other two must at least be Chunin. There is no other choice. Someone needs to stay here and buy time.''

    Iruka nced back at his students and looked at each one of them. "I need you all to do exactly as I say. I''m going to buy you sometime. Get as far away from here as possible."

    Seijo and Haroshi wanted to attack but a small motion from Zefrek stopped them. He wanted to see what the man was up to before he crushed him.

    Shikamaru looked at the three ninjas just watching the drama and immediately came to the same conclusion as Iruka sensei. "Sensei. That''s not going to work. They''re-" His eyes widened as he realized what the man was going to do.

    "I know Shikamaru... It has been a privilege teaching you all." At that moment despite the dangerous situation, Iruka had a bright smile on his face. The 8 students looked at Iruka''s smile and suddenly understood what the man was going to do. Some had tears forming in the corner of their eyes.

    "Sensei. Why are you talking like that? We''re all getting out of here and we''re not leaving you." Naruto, who was standing to the side, looked at his teacher.

    Iruka suddenly pulled Naruto for a hug. "Naruto. I want you to know I''m proud of you."

    The blond boy stilled and looked up at his teacher. He was at a loss for words as he saw Iruka''s smile. "Sensei-"

    The next second the boy felt a sharp blow to his neck and he lost consciousness. Before he could fall to the ground Iruka caught him and looked at Choji. The Akimichi had tears in his eyes as he stepped forward and held Naruto on his shoulders.

    Iruka looked at the strongest Genin in the group and spoke. "Sasuke. I''m putting you in charge. Protect your ssmates and the scroll. Get it to the Hokage tower. Don''t stop for anyone. Do you understand?"

    The Uchiha clenched his fist in anger at the situation but he nodded.

    "Haha... Do you really think I''ll let any of you escape?" Zefrekughed at the n. "Do you really think you can hold the four of us back on your own Iruka?"

    Iruka smirked as he looked at his enemies. "Don''t underestimate me. I still have a few tricks up my sleeve."

    "RUN!" Iruka took several weapons from his pouch and threw them at the enemies as he yelled. The three ninjas evaded the weapons but at that moment the genins vanished from their position.

    "Get the brats." Zefrek yelled at his twopanions and they moved to follow but several kunai flew in front of them forcing the two to stop. Immediately smoke bombs went off covering their surroundings. Iruka used his sensory skills to quickly keep track of Zefrek and the other two Chunins. His n was to fight them under the cover of the smoke but it fell apart when a strong wind jutsu blew the smoke away.

    Zefrek cut off his wind jutsu and he along with the other two looked around but there was no sign of Iruka. Suddenly multiple kunai flew from a nearby tree towards Seijo. He jumped back and evaded the weapons while Zefrek and Haroshi sent several shuriken towards the spot the weapons came from.

    But at that exact moment two hands with kunai popped out of the ground right behind Zefrek''s legs and shed the limbs.

    "Aaarrhhh" Zefrek fell to his knees as the muscles in his ankles were cut. Iruka jumped out of the ground but before he could escape he was hit in the chest with a powerful punch from the wounded Jonin.

    "Gha!" The Chunin instructor tumbled backwards as if he was wounded. Seijo and Haroshi immediately took advantage, going in for the kill. Just as their weapons came near Iruka, he swiftly gained control of his body and deflected them. The three entered into a short Taijutsu battle with Iruka barely hanging in there.

    Before the two prisoners could kill Iruka, the chunin teacher grabbed their arms and suddenly several seals appeared on the ground beginning at Iruka''s feet. The barrier ninjutsu immobilized the three.

    Zefrek and the two other ninjas were furious as they looked at the Chunin. "You bastard. How could a lowly Chunin like you-."

    "You''re arrogant Zefrek." Iruka looked at the former Jonin and spoke. "You look down on others thinking they''re beneath you. And this is where that''s gotten you."

    Zefrek turned his head and looked at the tree where the shuriken came from before. He suddenly realized Iruka''s n. "You set up a dyed trap with the weapons to catch me off guard. You knew you couldn''t beat me in a straight up fight so you yed dirty. And then you lured those two in to trap them as well."

    Iruka smirked when he heard that. "Figured it out huh. Yeah. But it won''t matter. You''ve all been in prison for so long your skills and instincts have dulled."

    "Do you really think you can hold us here for long? I know this Barrier Ninjutsu. It''s a weaker version of the Strong light Formation ninjutsu isn''t it?" It was Seijo who spoke the words. Several veins on his body could be seen as he used his chakra and forced his body to move.

    Iruka frowned as he looked at the man near him. ''He knows barrier ninjutsu?''

    "Seijo. What is this jutsu? How do we get out of it?" Haroshi asked. He too was using every ounce of his strength to forcefully escape the bindings.

    "This is a binding ninjutsu that paralyzes the limbs of the enemy. But it has two weaknesses. It forces the caster to be paralyzed as well along with the enemies. Second, the jutsu uses the casters chakra every second. And the more chakra the enemies apply to struggle and break out of the seal the more chakra the barrier uses and the faster the drain." Seijo had an evil grin as he looked at Iruka. "Based on your condition you won''t hold out for long. You don''t have the reserves. In less than a minute we''ll be free."

    Seijo was right. Every second Iruka''s chakra was being siphoned by the jutsu and he was getting weaker and weaker.

    But Iruka still smiled when he heard that and looked at the man. "Like I said to Zefrek. It won''t matter. Those kids are long gone by now. By the time you''re free, it''ll be toote. And even if you catch up to them, you won''t be able to beat them. It''s 2 against 9. Even though they''re only Genins they''re an exceptional bunch. They''ll find a way to win."

    "What makes you think it''s 2 against 9? Do you think these injuries have disabled me?" Zefrek looked at Iruka and suddenly smiled.

    Iruka narrowed his eyes and was wary. ''He''s trying to get inside my head. Trying to trick me into making a mistake and releasing these two.''

    Zefrek took a shuriken from the ground nearby and looked at Iruka with a malicious grin. "Since you''re paralyzed too, it''ll be easy to kill you."

    "You only have that one weapon. I might not be able to move away from this spot but I have some range of mobility avable to me. I''ll make sure your attack won''tnd on any vital areas."

    "You think you can hold out?"

    Iruka narrowed his eyes and put up a strong front. "Your bluff won''t work on me Zefrek. I severed the crucial muscles in your legs. Even if you can somehow get up you won''t be moving anytime soon."

    Zefrek looked at Iruka with a smirk. Iruka paid close attention to the man and saw his eyes shift minutely to something behind him. Iruka''s instincts were suddenly sending him danger signals and he immediately canceled the barrier ninjutsu and jumped to the side. But he wasn''t able topletely escape his attacker. His arm was shed by the kunai and had a deep gash.

    The academy teacher fell to the ground and was breathing hard. He looked up and saw Mizuki''s furious gaze. Seijo and Haroshi were free and walked near Iruka with their weapons out. They stopped near the tired man on the ground and looked between Mizuki and Zefrek.

    -

    With The New Genins.

    Sasuke and his peers were moving through the trees as fast as they could in a diamond formation. Choji was in the middle with an unconscious Naruto and the Forbidden scroll.

    "Are we really leaving like this? Iruka sensei is going to..." Ino could bring herself toplete the sentence. She and Sakura had tears in their eyes.

    "We have no choice." Sasuke said with a somewhat cold tone.

    Shikamaru gritted his teeth as he remembered his teacher''s face. "We have to do what sensei said. We can''t fail him."

    "What about all the ns and traps Shikamaru? Was there no other way?" Kiba asked.

    "That man Zefrek. Iruka said he was a Jonin. The other two must be Chunin at least. If we could haveunched a surprise attack then maybe. But I don''t think we could have beaten them otherwise. I was hoping for reinforcement to show up but"

    "Naruto isn''t going to be happy when he wakes up." Kiba said and as if those were the magic words the blond boy slowly opened his eyes.

    "What the?" He realized he was on Choji''s shoulders and suddenly struggled. "Put me down Choji."

    "Naruto? You''re awake."

    The group stopped and Naruto immediately got off Choji''s shoulder. He looked around and saw that they were in a different location. "Where are we?" The boy looked around and didn''t see his teacher. "Where is Iruka sensei?"

    Hearing Naruto''s question, the group became silent. Sasuke was the one who stepped forward and answered. "Naruto. We need to go to the Hokage tower. We need to secure that scroll."

    But the blond boy only narrowed his eyes. "Yeah. I get that. But where is Iruka sensei?"

    The Uchiha was bing aggravated. "Argh. We don''t have time for this. We need to go."

    "Where. is. Iruka sensei?" Not getting a reply from his friends, Naruto was also getting angry.

    "Naruto. Please, you need to calm down." Choji looked at his friend in worry.

    "He stayed behind!" Shikamaru suddenly spoke. He looked at Naruto with a sad but resolute gaze. "He stayed behind to buy us some time."

    Naruto''s eyes widened as he realized the implications. "You You all left him there?"

    "We didn''t have a choice!" Sasuke said to the boy.

    Naruto gritted his teeth as he looked at Sasuke. "I''m going back. I''m going to save him."

    Just as Naruto was about to turn he froze. He was caught in Shikamaru''s shadow binding jutsu. "You''ll get yourself killed and make his sacrifice meaningless. Is that what you want?" Shikamaru gritted his teeth and spoke.

    "Guys. We can''t be fighting at a time like this." Ino looked at Naruto, Sasuke and Shikamaru and saw the tension rising.

    "We need to keep moving. We''re wasting precious time." Shino spoke. His insects were spread out to keep an eye on anyoneing.

    Naruto''s eyes moved to Shikamaru. For the first time he red at his friend. "Let go, Shikamaru." Naruto struggled but no matter what he couldn''t move from his spot.

    Shikamaru hated the situation they were in but he didn''t let go of his jutsu. "Think this through Naruto. If you go back and they get their hands on the scroll, this whole vige will be in danger. Iruka sensei understood that. Why can''t you?"

    The boy stilled as he heard that and he stopped struggling. At that moment clouds covered the moonlight and with no shadow, Shikamaru''s jutsu was broken.

    The Nara was taken back and looked at Naruto, afraid that he might try to escape. But he was surprised when he saw the boy standing still.

    The blonde Jinchuriki looked at Shikamaru and nodded. "I understand."

    "Good. I''m sorry but there is no other choice. We have to What are you doing?" Shikamaru stopped and questioned as he saw Naruto unstrapping the scroll from his back. Without a reply he tossed therge scroll to Shikamaru who quickly caught it.

    Naruto looked at his friend with a serious gaze and spoke. "You''re right. We can''t let them have the scroll. So take it back to the vige."

    "And you?" Sasuke stepped forward and asked.

    "I''m going back to help him."

    Sasuke narrowed his eyes and looked at the boy. "You''ll just get yourself killed. That''s not what Iruka sensei would want."

    "I don''t care what he wants. I''m going back to help. You can run if you want. But I''m not a coward."

    Sasuke was taken back by those words. The words his brother spoke that night echoed in his ears.

    "How pathetic Scuttling away like a coward. Run Cling to your pathetic life."

    Sasuke''s anger rose and he took a step forward. His hands clenched as he looked at the boy. "Why you"

    Naruto also looked like he was preparing to fight.

    "Guys. We don''t have time for this." "Sasuke don''t do this." Everyone was tense as it looked like a fight was about to break out.

    "Stop it you two!" Sakura''s desperate shout stopped the two. Sasuke looked around and realized that he was about to take his repressed anger out on the wrong person. He took a deep breath and got his emotions under control. He looked at Naruto and asked a question. "You''re going back there no matter what, aren''t you?"

    "Yeah." Naruto nodded.

    Sasuke sighed and turned to the Nara. "Shikamaru. Take the scroll and get everyone to the Hokage tower. I''m going with this idiot to back up Iruka."

    Everyone was surprised. Sasuke saw their faces and exined. "Iruka sensei told me to protect the scroll and my ssmates. No matter how much of an idiot he is"

    "Hey!"

    "He is still my ssmate."

    Naruto was shocked as he looked at the Uchiha.

    "If he goes alone this idiot is guaranteed to die. So I would have failed the first mission I was ever assigned. It''ll be a ck mark on my record. So there is that too." Sasuke said with a smug grin as he looked at the blond boy.

    "Ha! And here I was thinking you got soft." Kiba slightly chuckled.

    "How exactly are you two gonna fight three ninjas with years of experience and skill?"

    "I''m sure I''ll think of something." Sasuke said. Both he and Naruto were about to leave when Hinata stopped them. "Um guys. I I don''t think that''s necessary. I see Iruka sensei. He''sing our way."

    "What? Really?" Naruto and several other students were happy but a few were cautious.

    "Are you sure it''s him and not someone in disguise?" Sasuke asked.

    Hinata focused on her Byakugan and a secondter nodded. "It''s sensei. It''s It''s really him."

    Just as she spoke those words Iruka appeared in front of the kids. The wounded Chunin was haggard as he looked at his student. His vision was blurry and he was on the brink of exhaustion. He took a couple of deep breaths and his vision cleared. "What are you What are you all... just standing here for?... I told you all to leave."

    Suddenly a body collided with him and grabbed Iruka for a hug. The Chunin saw a mop of bright blond hair and couldn''t help but smile.

    "Don''t ever do that again sensei." Naruto said, relieved to see the man.

    "Naruto." Iruka smiled but it onlysted for a second as he remembered the predicament they were in.

    "Se- sensei. Four people areing towards our location fast. One of them. His chakra It''s it''s really strong." The Genins saw the terrified expression on Hinata''s face and they couldn''t help but worry.

    "We need to keep going. They''re after us." Iruka shouted.

    Shino looked up from his spot as he sensed the arrival of the enemies. "Toote. They''re here."

    The four rogue ninjas surrounded Iruka and the Genins

    -

    Several Minutes Ago.

    Mizuki looked at Iruka and was silent for a few moments. He then turned his attention to Zefrek and sneered. "A pathetic Jonin who can''t even handle a wounded Chunin. Even with help. Now look at you. You can''t even stand. Maybe I should just kill you here and now."

    Zefrek smirked. "I wouldn''t get cocky if I were you." The man suddenly went through seals and mmed his hands on the ground. "Summoning Jutsu."

    Suddenly several small earthworms dug out of the ground in front of Zefrek. The Jonin ced a finger atop one of the small worms and sent his chakra to it. The next moment the small worms began moving to Zefrek''s legs and covered the wounded area.

    Iruka saw what was happening and his eyes widened. ''It''s just like back then. He''s using his summon to cover for his injuries and act as his muscles. Damn it. I forgot about that.''

    After a few seconds the man stood up and jumped a few times testing the movements of his legs. "I guess this will have to do for now."

    As this was happening Mizuki took a red vial from his pouch and drank it. The next second his whole body began transforming. He bulked up and several markings began appearing atop his face, chest and arms. Seijo and Haroshi were horrified at the transformation while Zefrek looked on with a stoic face. In a few seconds Mizuki stood, taller than before and with a powerful physique.

    Iruka was horrified as he looked at Mizuki. ''His chakra level. It''s horrifying. What did he do? If he gets to the kids, they won''t survive. I have to escape. But I need an opening.''

    Zefrek looked at the Mizuki and clenched his fists. "That red drug you just took. I doubt you have the knowledge to make something like that. Tell me. Was it Orochimaru?"

    Instead of answering Mizuki disappeared from his spot and appeared in front of Zefrek. The traitor ninja sent a strong kick and sent Zefrek flying just like he did to him.

    Seijo and Haroshi were wary of Mizuki and thus they failed to keep a watch on Iruka.

    With everyone''s gaze on Mizuki, Iruka discreetly took out thest few smoke bombs from his pouch. and just when the moonlight was covered by the clouds and darkness descended, Iruka made his move. He made as little sound as possible and escaped from there after quietly tossing the small balls to the ground.

    Mizuki''s attention was focused on Zefrek but suddenly the smoke bombs exploded distracting him. Mizuki waves his arms and blew the smoke away to look and it was only then that he noticed Iruka missing. "DAMN IT!"

    "Shit! He escaped." Seijo and Haroshi also noticed the missing Chunin toote. Zefrek stood and rubbed his torso as he looked at Mizuki. ''He might have cracked a rib or two. I''ll have to kill him for that but now might not be the best time.''

    Mizuki stepped forward and spoke. "I''m going to get that scroll and get out of the vige. If you get in my way, I''ll kill you."

    "Fine by me. We''ll settle this once we leave the vige." The two strong ninjas came to an agreement and the four disappeared.

    They tracked Iruka''s path and in a short time made it to their targets. The four ninjas surrounded the new graduates and their teacher.

    Naruto and his friends were shocked to see Mizuki''s new form.

    "Wow. He''s jacked. What the heck happened?"

    "My insects are detecting an abnormallyrge amount of chakra from Mizuki."

    "Arf arf."

    "Yeah. Akamaru is saying the same thing. I got a bad feeling about him." Kiba said.

    Sasuke and Naruto were silent as they looked at Mizuki and readied forbat.

    At that time Haroshi looked at Hinata and noticed that her forehead was unmarked with a seal. "Hey look. That Hyuga girl. She doesn''t have a seal on her head. She must be from the main branch."

    Seijo raised an eyebrow. "So?"

    "So, I''m saying she could be a valuable bargain chip. Or at least her eyes are going to be." Haroshi had a dark grin as he looked at the Byakugan.

    Hinata was scared but she tried not to show it. The Genins red at the man and Kiba and Shino, who were closer to Hinata stepped near her as if to give her courage.

    "You''re gonna have to go through us first." "Arf arf."

    "And it will not be that easy." Insects crawled out of Shino''s sleeves and hovered around the three.

    Just like Haroshi, Seijo also had a target in mind. "Hey. You there, blonde." He looked at Ino and narrowed his eyes. "You wouldn''t happen to be Inoichi''s daughter would you?"

    "Yeah, what about it?" Ino asked in a slightly haughty tone.

    Hearing that confirmation Seijo grinned with dark intent. "You see, he was the one who found some incriminating evidence against me and sent me to that hell hole. So I''m going to make sure he suffers."

    Shikamaru groaned as he looked at the man. "Let me guess. You want to kill her to get your revenge?"

    "Yeah. But I''ll dly add you to the list too."

    Shikamaru groaned and gave Naruto the stink eye. "You just had to take the scroll didn''t you?"

    "Sorry." Naruto said with a wince and an awkwardugh.

    The Nara shook his head. "Nay. Forget about it. I doubt you saying no would have stopped Mizuki or any of this from happening. He''s been nning this for a long time."

    "He''s right about that. No matter what you were going to choose, it would have led you to this moment, Naruto." Mizuki said to the boy angrily. He then turned to Zefrek. "I''m going to kill that brat. Make sure no one gets in my way. Especially Iruka."

    "I was going to target him anyway. I have a debt to collect from you after all, Iruka..." Zefrek said as he red at the wounded Chunin.

    Iruka grimaced but he knew he had to be the one to fight Zefrek. Aside from Mizuki, Zefrek was the strongest there.

    "Guys, our only chance is to split into teams and attack. Iruka sensei, can you hold on for a minute or two?" Shikamaru asked the man and he nodded. "I have no other other choice."

    Iruka then nced at Sasuke and Sakura. "Help Naruto."

    Naruto shook his head as if to deny the help. "I''ll be fine sensei. I''ve beaten him before. I can do it again."

    "No. Don''t underestimate him. He''s a lot more dangerous now." Iruka''s serious tone stopped Naruto from arguing and he looked back at the bulked up Chunin. Sasuke and Sakura got nearer to the boy with their weapons in hand.

    Mizuki looked at Sasuke and Sakura and his palms clenched in anger. ''These fools. Fine. If you want to protect him, then you can die screaming alongside him.''

    The opponents were chosen. Everyone was ready to engage in battle.

    Haroshi vs Hinata, Kiba and Shino.

    Seijo vs Ino, Shikamaru and Choji.

    Iruka vs Zefrek.

    Mizuki vs Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura.

    --------------

    Author''s Note.

    A 5k word chap. Been a while since I wrote a chapter this big. I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter.

    Now I know it may look like I''m stalling from starting canon but that isn''t true.

    Well, that''s not right.

    To be more urate, it''s not intentional on my part. I''m having so much fun writing the interaction between each character and the battle sequences and such that by the time I''m done with just a small part of an arc a whole chapter would bepleted

    I wanted to get a lot further story progress wise but since it was already near 5k I decided to stop here.

    In The next chapter Daichi will show up. Or I will write till he shows up.

    Now tell me your thoughts and suggestions If you see any mistakes plot wise, don''t hesitate to point them out. I''ll try to correct them if possible.

    I''m sure you''ve all noticed the team formations. Yeah. (Not much of a spoiler now). I''ll be keeping the Rookie 9 with their original canon Genin partners. What are your thoughts on Iruka''s fight scene.

    -

    Special Note.(02-01-2024)

    Hi. I''m not Monk. I''m his friend. I''m posting this on his behalf. He''s had a few emergency surgeries over thest two months. But he''s recuperating and doing well. He''ll be home by the end of next week after a full recovery.

    He started writing chapters a couple days ago. He tells me that updates should resume like normal.

    Please keep in mind that I will only update the story and will not be responding toments or messages. Monk will be back in a week and he''ll reply to everyone.

    Thank you for the support

 Chapter 275: Bloodline Awakening.

    Chapter 275: Bloodline Awakening.

    Hokage Tower.

    Hiruzen was tense as he watched the events happen in the East Canyons. He changed the chakra flow and images changed to the streets of the vige and then the outskirts.

    ''With many Jonins and Chunins out on missions, it''s more difficult and time-consuming to track down and subdue the prisoners. The ones here are helping secure the main locations and searching for more explosives but they should be done soon. Still, with Genma caught up in a battle, Iruka and the kids won''t have anyone to back them up. What a problematic turn of events.''

    The old kage kept an eye on the surroundings of his vige with the long range jutsu. It was at this moment he saw 4 ninjas wearing Leaf Chunin gear moving away from the vige. The kage immediately recognized the spy from the Stone vige and realized that the team of four must be disguised prisoners.

    ''If they sessfully cross the border and news gets out of themotion here then Onoki and Ai would no doubt be tempted to probe us No. Things haven''t spiraled out of control yet. Anko''s patrol unit is roaming nearby. They''ll soon intercept them''

    Hiruzen sighed and turned his attention back to Naruto and his group. He saw that their battle had already started. ''They''re surrounded. I didn''t think Mizuki would use such a clever tactic Iruka, Naruto, Shikamaru Just hold on for a few minutes.''

    -

    East Canyons.

    Shikamaru looked at the four and several strategies were running through his mind. ''Our goal should be to escape. Not to fight them head on. If we can create chaos then we''ll have a chance to slip through''

    The young Nara recalled the Multi shadow clone jutsu Naruto used earlier and his eyes widened as he recalled a strategy Daichi once told them. ''That n just might work. If he can create enough clones then we might be able to escape.''

    Shikamaru looked at his friends standing nearby and hoped that they would remember the code words Daichi had taught them. ''The moment I open my mouth those Chunins might attack. If I tell the n they''ll hear and it won''t help us. I have no choice. I just hope Naruto remembers.''

    Shikamaru remembered the day they came up with that n.

    shback.

    Daichi, Naruto, Shikamaru and the rest of his friends were in the forest near the academy just ying around. It was a couple days after Daichi saved Naruto from Hidden waterfall vige spies in the back hills.

    "I still can''t believe that trick came in handy." Sakura said as she looked at Daichi.

    "Yeah. We should have more ns and codes for stuff like that. Coming up with it actually sounds like fun." Ino chimed in as well.

    Daichi chuckled and then gave them a scenario. "Alright. Here''s a hypothetical situation. What if your team is trapped by enemy ninjas while you have to protect someone important or guard an important secret document?"

    "We can fight!" Came the answer from Naruto and Kiba.

    Daichi shook his head and spoke. "They''re stronger and more experienced. Moreover you have important information with you and your only choice is to escape. What would you do?"

    "Create a distraction." Shino answered as he sat under a tree and looked at the insect crawling in his fingertips.

    "Too many unknown variables." Shikamaru said as he looked at the sky. He turned his attention to Daichi and spoke. "Your hypothetical situation doesn''t count for the strength of our team, the enemy team, their number, the location and the value of the information we have. There are too many unknown variables"

    Daichi pondered "Hmm I suppose you''re right. But still, your only option is to escape. You and your teammates are weaker than the enemies."

    "Well, my n would be to create momentary confusion among the enemies and then slip away." Shikamaru replied with a shrug.

    "What n did you have in mind Daichi?" Choji asked as he opened up another bag of potato chips.

    "Well, my strategy is simr to Shikamaru''s. It involves someone who has more chakra than normal. Create dozens of clones and then your team would transform into the person creating the clone. Then everyone scatters."

    "But the clone jutsu would be seen through by someone with experience." Shikamaru replied.

    "Not if they''re solid clones and there''s like two dozen of them"

    "Wait, solid clone? There''s actually ninjutsu for solid clones?" Naruto was excited to hear about that piece of information.

    "Yeah. I''ve seen my grandfather use it."

    "That''s so cool. Man, I wanna learn jutsu like that."

    "So what''s the code name of the strategy?" Sakura asked.

    "Don''t make it tooplicated or Naruto might forget." Ino teased the boy.

    "Hmm You''re right." Daichi chuckled and agreed.

    "Hey!"

    "How about this? The name of this escape strategy is"

    shback End.

    "1000 Ramen Surprise." Shikamaru suddenly said.

    Iruka, Sasuke and the prisoners who were about to attack were suddenly confused. ''Why is he talking about ramen?''

    While the rest were momentarily confused they got the meaning behind Shikamaru''s words in seconds. Naruto remembered the code word and its meaning and he immediately grinned. "Got it."

    The rest of the students looked at Naruto and were ready to transform into Naruto the moment he created the shadow clones.

    Mizuki was keeping a close eye on the students and when he saw Naruto''s grin he was tense. ''What''s he nning?''

    Naruto brought his hands together and immediately made the cross seal. "Multi-"

    Bang!

    The next instant a punch sent Naruto flying into another tree while Mizuki stood in Naruto''s spot with an extended fist. No one could track his speed and they were all shocked.

    "Not this time you fucking brat. Kill them!" Mizuki sneered as he looked at them. The Genins and Iruka quickly jumped and created a short distance between them and Mizuki.

    ''Shit! He didn''t even give us time to prepare. He''s a lot more careful than I thought.'' Shikamaru looked at Sakura nearby and threw the forbidden scroll to her. "Keep it safe."

    The pink haired kunoichi nodded and the Nara jumped from his spot andnded on the ground. Ino and Choji joined him as Seijo appeared near them with a kunai in his hand.

    Zefrek appeared in front of Iruka and sent a fast kick but the academy instructor was able to barely dodge.

    "That wound on your arm looks bad. You''re not going tost for very long, Iruka."

    Iruka red at his enemy. "I won''t be that easy to kill."

    Zefrek had a malicious grin. "I''m going to enjoy this and make you suffer slowly."

    Nearby, Haroshi used a small fire jutsu against the iing insects and jumped to the side and avoided shurikens from Kiba and Hinata. "I''m a Chunin. You brats don''t stand a chance."

    "Oh yeah. We''ll see about that." Kiba and Hinata entered their Taijutsu stance and waited for an opening in their enemy''s defense.

    A short distance away the bulked up Mizuki red at Naruto who was wedged on arge tree trunk. "Die!"

    He jumped from his spot and headed for Naruto at a tremendous speed but a shuriken with ninja wire quickly tied around Naruto''s leg and pulled him to the ground just in time to avoid Mizuki''s attack.

    Naruto fell face first into the ground but behind him the tree he was on was chopped in half. Mizuki turned his head and saw that it was Sasuke who saved his prey.

    "Oww my face! What the hell bastard?" Naruto got up while holding his nose in pain.

    "Quit your whining idiot. You should be thanking me for saving your life." Sasuke addressed Naruto but his eyes never left Mizuki.

    "Sasuke, Mizuki looks a lot stronger than before. He must have done something. I don''t think we can win." Sakura said as she looked at her former teacher in fear.

    "If we do nothing we''ll die." Sasuke narrowed his eyes and analyzed his opponent. ''He''s definitely stronger and that speed... If I hadn''t moved when I did, Naruto would be dead right now Looks like all that training with Daichi really paid off. But these two, they won''t be able to fight someone with such speed Naruto might be able to hold him off with his clone jutsu but Sakura I can''t fight if I have to worry about her.''

    "Sakura. Go and back up Iruka sensei. We''ll fight Mizuki." Naruto said as he looked at the man who just tried to kill him.

    Sasuke inwardly smiled. He had a feeling Naruto came to the same conclusions as well.

    "But what about"

    "We''ll be fine. Go. He needs your help more. But make sure to keep the scroll safe. This won''t mean anything if they get the scroll." Sasuke said confidently and the pink haired girl reluctantly nodded. She left and headed to her teacher''s location.

    Mizuki looked at Sasuke and spoke. "Sasuke. You were able to see my moves. Not bad. You have potential. If you surrender, I''ll spare your life."

    The Uchiha smirked at that. "I''ll pass. But I''m more interested in knowing how you got that strong so quickly."

    Hearing that the rogue Chunin grinned. "Oh this? This is a gift from my master. Don''t you want to be strong? I''ll take you to someone who can give you true power. This vige is useless. Especially that old fool who calls himself the Hokage."

    "Don''t you dare talk about the old man like that." Naruto was angry when he heard Mizuki talk trash about the kage. "Shadow clone jutsu."

    Multiple clones popped into existence and rushed towards Mizuki but the Chunin disappeared from his spot. The clones looked around confused but then suddenly their enemy appeared in the middle of their group and started destroying them.

    -

    Nearby Choji, Shikamaru and Ino were battling Seijo. The Chunin nimbly evaded the shadowsing his way. Several senbons were sent flying from between his knuckles towards Ino but the girl jumped and escaped.

    Shikamaru looked at Choji and knew that despite the brave face, his friend was scared out of his wits. "Choji."

    The Akimichi was tense as he turned to his friend. "I know it''s scary but we need to fight. It''s our only way out."

    "I know that Shikamaru But"

    Seijoughed seeing the hidden fear on the Akimichi''s face. "Haha Pathetic. Just as I''d expect from a n of fat idiots."

    Choji narrowed his eyes when he heard that. It was one thing to mock him but it was another to insult his whole n. The young Akimichi heir was mad and so were his friends.

    "You really shouldn''t have said that." Shikamaru said with narrowed eyes.

    Choji immediately went through several seals. "EXPANSION JUTSU!"

    -

    "8 Trigram - 16 palms"

    A short distance away Hinata was engaged in a Taijutsu battle against Haroshi. He defended against the precise attacksing and parried them.

    "You have some skill but it''s still not enough to save you little girl." Haroshi moved in to attack but the next second backed away as several ck spikes erupted from the spot where he stood. The ninja took a closer look and saw the spikes were moving.

    The next second the spike dispersed into a small cloud of insects and headed straight for the man.

    The enemy nina went through seals and was about to use his fire jutsu but a fast attack by Kiba quickly foiled that n. The ninja from the Inuzuka n and his partner attacked from the shadows to take the enemy by surprise and give an opening.

    Haroshi was sent tumbling to the ground and the insect quickly covered him and started absorbing his chakra. The next second the man turned to a wooden log and he appeared a short distance away with an ugly expression.

    ''Ch. This is going to be a bit more difficult than I thought.''

    -

    Mizuki easily evaded the clumsy attacks of the clones and in seconds reduced them into smoke. "Is that the best you got, you trash?"

    At that moment he tilted his body to the side and evaded multiple kunai and shuriken. He turned his head to look at thest loyal Uchiha of the Leaf vige and smirked. "You missed brat."

    Mizuki disappeared but Sasuke had experience fighting a fast opponent. His spars with Daichi hadted him valuable experience and it was this experience that allowed Sasuke to dodge the attack from Mizuki.

    Mizuki''s speed was higher but Sasuke was able to barely keep up. He struggled to deflect the powerful punches but he was still hanging on. The Chunin was astounded that Sasuke was able to keep up with him even if it was by a small margin. ''This brat. How did he get so strong?''

    Naruto didn''t just sit back and let his rival fight alone. "Shadow clone jutsu. If you don''t seed, try again."

    Two dozen clones appeared and attacked Mizuki from all sides. The Chunin was angry and quickly attacked the clones. At this time Sasuke took a kunai and shed Mizuki''s leg while the man was distracted and his vision blocked by the clones.

    "Arr.. " Mizuki was angry that he was wounded and quickly destroyed all the shadow clones.

    He kicked Sasuke and sent the boy flying backwards. Sasuke backflipped and gained control of his body and quicklynded on the ground beside Naruto.

    Mizuki looked at the boy in anger. "Fine. It looks like you''re going to die here by my hands. Too bad. You could have joined me and had a great future."

    "I seriously doubt that." The Uchiha retorted.

    Mizuki sneered and looked at the other person he hated even more. "I''m going to kill you two brats here. This forest will be your grave."

    "I''m not gonna die to you Mizuki. I''m gonna be Hokage one day. You won''t stop me."

    The smile on Naruto''s face only enraged the Chunin. Mizuki took a sword from his back and looked at the two. Killing intent rose from him and rolled out in waves.

    The smile on Naruto and Sasuke vanished as they experienced the man''s intent. The next instant Mizuki vanisned.

    "He''sing." Sasuke pulled Naruto to the side and saved him from a sword swing. The Uchina immediately took a kunai and the two shed. Naruto, not intending to just be a spectator, also joined in the fight. He created clones and it was an all out brawl.

    Mizuki shed one Naruto into smoke while he quickly defended and attacked Sasuke. ''These fucking pests. One of them is trying to overwhelm me with numbers and the other is trying to catch me off guard with his speed.''

    Sparks were flying in the air with the sounds of des shing and flesh hitting flesh rang through the canyons.

    As the fight progressed Mizuki noticed something about the Uchiha. ''The way he''s dodging my shes and moving around Naruto tond his attacks. It''s as if he has experience in fighting faster enemies and to coordinate attacks. How strange.''

    "How did you get so strong?"

    "I don''t have to answer your questions, Mizuki." Sasuke said as he parried and deflected another sword strike with both hands. ''Damn. I need both hands to even deflect the strength behind one swing. If it keeps going like this I''ll run out of energy soon. My only option is topletely dodge and fight, preserving my stamina.''

    Mizuki was furious hearing the tone from the boy. ''Just because you''re an Uchiha you think you''re better than me? It''s time to teach you about respect. I''ll kill you first.''

    Mizuki saw Naruto running at him from the corner of his eyes and swiftly dodged the boy''s punch and sent a knee kick to his chin. A powerful punch a secondter sent Naruto tumbling to the side.

    He then focused his attention solely on Sasuke and his attacks became more ruthless.

    Sasuke struggled due to the increased speed of his enemy but he concentrated as hard as he could to track the man''s movements. His shirt and trousers started to get ripped and small cuts started appearing all over his body. ''Damn it. Come on. Follow his speed. Come on!''

    Blood started coating Mizuki''s sword bit by bit and he grinned looking at the struggling boy. ''I think I''ve toyed with him long enough. Time to finish this and get out of here.''

    "This is the end for you brat. Die!" Mizuki increased his speed more and swung his sword at Sasuke''s head.

    For the young Uchiha at that moment it was as if time had slowed down. Sasuke saw the deing at him in slow motion and was able to tilt his body and evade the swing. He felt his chakra bing stronger but he didn''t pay it any mind at the moment. His focus waspletely on Mizuki.

    Mizuki, seeing his attack miss, tried again and shed sideways aimed at tearing the boy''s throat open. Sasuke took a step back and leaned backwards to avoid the lethal strike.

    The rogue ninja was astonished. ''That''s impossible. How did he escape my attacks His speed shouldn''t -''

    It was at this moment that Mizuki noticed Sasuke''s eyes. His own pair widened in shock as he saw red eyes with a tomoe ring back at him "Sharingan. You actually awakened your Sharingan."

    Zefrek and Iruka who were nearby also heard that and turned their heads to look at the boy. "Sharingan. So he''s an Uchiha. Looks like he''s awakened his bloodline. This just got a lot more interesting."

    Iruka was also amazed but he immediately moved and attacked Zefrek. ''I need to keep his attention on me. Sasuke. I hope you can hold out just a little bit longer.''

    Sasuke was surprised at Mizuki''s statement. ''So this is what it''s like to have the Sharingan.''

    Mizuki gritted his teeth as he looked at the boy. "You think just because you have those eyes, you can defeat me? Think again!"

    The Chunin rushed at the boy and attacked with as much speed as he could with his sharp weapon. Sasuke saw the movements of the de and saw its path. He evaded the attacks much better this time and was able to keep up with Mizuki.

    As the Chunin''s attention was on Sasuke he failed to see several peopleing from behind him. Just as Mizuki was about to attack Sasuke with another sword swing, he felt someone kicking the back of his legs.

    Mizuki lost bnce and fell to his knees and Sasuke took that chance. He tired to plunge his kunai into Mizuki''s chest but the man blocked it with his forearm.

    "Arrrgh" The grey haired ninja felt pain and anger as the kunai dung into his forearm. At that time he saw several Naruto surrounding him. Before Mizuki could defend, several took hold of his right arm and held it in ce while the Narutos on the other side kicked Mizuki, sending him airborne.

    Sasuke took the chance and immediately went through several seals. ''Fire Style - Fireball Jutsu.''

    A Fireball immediately flew out of the Uchiha''s mouth and struck the flying Mizuki and exploded, engulfing him in mes.

    Zefrek, Seijo and Haroshi frowned as they saw Mizuki down on the ground in mes.

    "Ha! Take that. You won''t defeat the future Hokage of the Leaf. Believe It!" Naruto rubbed his nose with a grin believing that Mizuki was down for the count.

    "Stay alert Naruto. That wasn''t enough to defeat him." Sasuke warned the boy. His Sharingan allowed him to see Mizuki''s chakra still strong as before.

    "What are you talking about Sasuke, he''s done for."

    Before the Uchiha could reply the mes suddenly vanished and Mizuki stood with an enraged visage. "How dare HOW DARE YOUUU."

    Mizuki felt the chakra in his body increase in response to his rage and he felt his body morph and his power increase.

    Everyone looked on in astonishment as steam started to rise from Mizuki''s body. The Chunin''s body bulked up again and his skin began to change. Everyone stopped their battle and watched the transformation in fascination and horror.

    In seconds Mizuki stood in his new form. His entire body was transformed with his skin and face resembling a tiger.

    "What the? What did you do, Mizuki?" Iruka looked on in horror and couldn''t help but wonder what his formerrade had done.

    Shikamaru and the others were sweating as they saw the new Mizuki. The information Shino''s insects passed on to him made him nervous. Kiba and Hinata were also cautious due to their sensing abilities.

    Sasuke looked at the chakra being emitted from Mizuki and his body slightly shook in terror. ''Such power. What kind of transformation is that? Where did he get so much chakra?''

    Mizuki felt the changes and looked at his palms. He clenched them a few times and felt the strength coursing through them. "Hahahaha HAHAHAHA. This is incredible. I knew I made the right choice following him. I''m invincible."

    He came down from his high and looked at Naruto and Sasuke. Both of them were on alert but it didn''t help them defend against the Chunin''s next attack. Mizuki vanished and a momentter Naruto and Sasuke were hit with a strong force thatunched them backwards for several meters. The two crashed into the nearby trees and slumped to the ground.

    "Wh- what the hell. Was that?" Naruto slowly stood and looked up.

    Sasuke had pain in his chest and looked down to see 5 w marks. He was bleeding but it wasn''t a serious wound. He gritted his teeth as he looked at the enemy.

    ''Even with my Sharingan I couldn''t follow that. In that fraction of a second, he not only sent us both flying but he also wounded me. Damn it! This isn''t good.''

    Mizuki looked at Naruto and grinned. "How will you be the Hokage when you can''t even keep your headband safe?"

    Naruto was confused. "What are you talking about?" He brought his palms to his forehead and immediately felt the absence of his forehead protector. "What the? Where did it?"

    Naruto looked around and soon saw his headband in Mizuki''s right palm. The blond boy was angry his headband got taken. "Hey! Give that back!"

    "Oh you want this?" Mizuki held his palm open just long enough for Naruto to have a glimpse of his Leaf headband. The next second the Chunin closed his palms and crushed the metal band in his hand. Once Mizuki reduced the headband to a crumpled mess he tossed it into the darkness of the forest.

    "Whoops. My hand slipped. Hahahaha." Mizukiughed seeing Naruto''s furious reaction.

    Naruto gritted his teeth at the disrespect shown by Mizuki. "You''re going to pay for that. SHADOW CLONE JUTSU!"

    Hundreds of clones appeared and rushed at the transformed Mizuki. The transformed ninja also rushed at Naruto. His speed was several times faster and even with hundreds of enemies in his way, he still had the upper hand.

    He went through several seals and used a wind style jutsu to blow all the Narutos away. Due to the force of the jutsu the clones dispelled and only the real one was left standing. Mizuki had a mad grin as he looked at the tired boy.

    Nearby, Zefrek looked at the chaotic scene and frowned. ''This is taking too long. We don''t have much time. If the other ninjas get here none of us will be able to escape.''

    The rogue Jonin looked around and his eyes fell on Sakura and the scroll strapped behind her. ''This girl has been an annoyance with her sneak attacks and Genjutsu. It''s time I get rid of her...Yeah. That way I''ll have the scroll and can escape quickly.''

    Meanwhile Mizuki dodged several shuriken from Sasuke and turned his attention to the Uchiha. "Looks like you have a death wish. I''ll be happy to oblige."

    Zefrek, seeing Mizuki''s attention on the Uchiha, rushed toward the pink haired girl. Sakura tensed and held her ground as she saw the ninjaing but Iruka intercepted the man. "You''re not getting the scroll."

    "Get out of my way!" Zefrek ducked under a punch and plunged his fingers into Iruka''s wounds.

    "Aaaarrr!" Iruka lost focus due to the pain and the next second he was punched in the face and sent tumbling backwards.

    "Sensei!" Sakura''s eyes widened at Iruka''s injury. But she knew the scroll on her back was much more important. ''I can''t let him get the scroll.''

    Naruto heard his sensei''s scream and then saw that Zefrek''s target was Sakura. He immediately rushed to the man while creating a few clones. ''Damn it. My chakra is running low. I can''t make much more''

    Naruto and his five doppelgangers got in between Sakura and Zefrek and they fought. Unfortunately for Naruto, Zefrek''s Taijutsu skills were far greater than his and in a short time Naruto and his clones were beaten. Sakura jumped to escape but Zefrek caught her leg and twisted her ankle, throwing her to the ground.

    Mizuki, while fighting Sasuke, noticed Zefrek''s intentions to escape with the Forbidden Scroll and gritted his teeth.

    Zefrek moved towards Sakura but the next second Mizuki appeared near him and punched the man. Zefrek skidded several meters and came to a stop.

    Mizuki snarled at the man. "Don''t even think about it. I''ll kill you where you stand."

    "This is taking too long. We need to finish this and leave."

    "Fine. Kill Iruka and I''ll take care of things on my end." Mizuki replied and turned his attention to Naruto who was in front of Sakura. He was breathing hard due to chakra exhaustion but he was determined not to fall.

    Mizuki took his sword and aimed the top at Naruto. "It''s time you die, demon."

    Shikamaru''s group and Kiba''s group were fighting a short distance away but they could see what was happening. Their eyes widened in fear as they saw Naruto on hisst leg and Mizuki getting ready to kill.

    Shikamaru gritted his teeth as helplessness surged through him. ''Damn it. This bastard won''t let us get to him.''

    Ino''s eyes held fear as she saw Mizuki move towards Naruto and Sakura. ''No.''

    Sasuke''s eyes widened as he saw Mizuki''s body tense up. He realized what was about to happen and his body immediately moved. Sasuke didn''t know why but the words Daichi once said to him rang in his ears.

    "You know, he and you are a lot alike."

    With the Sharingan, Sasuke saw Mizuki closing in on Naruto.

    "Both of you suffered tragedies and lost parents. Granted he doesn''t know his family, but still, I imagine the pain he feels of not knowing is quite significant."

    The Uchiha pushed himself to move faster and faster.

    "You both have high ambition. And he works hard once he sets his mind to something. Just like you."

    Chakra rushed to his limbs as he saw the de getting closer and closer to Naruto''s chest.

    "You think he knows the kind of loss and pain I feel?"

    "Not the same kind of pain you''ve experienced but he has felt immense pain and heartache. There was a time when he had no one he could count on for help. Sasuke, what happened to you was bad, but you do not want to switch ces with him. Trust me on that."

    "Naruto. I want you to know I''m proud of you." For some reason, Iruka''s words reminded Sasuke of the words his father spoke to him near the end. "That''s my boy. I''m proud of you Sasuke."

    The sound of de piercing flesh was heard throughout the area. Naruto was breathing hard and was prepared for the worst but a momentter someone was in front of him blocking Mizuki''s attack. The blonde boy saw blood flying and stood in shock. He saw the Uchiha crest on the back of the shirt and it was only then that he realized who it was that saved him.

    "SASUKE!" Naruto didn''t know what to think as the Uchiha stood motionless.

    All the fighting stopped with the Genins scared for their ssmate''s life. "Sasuke!"

    In the Hokage tower Hiruzen was shocked at the turn of events. ''Damn it. This isn''t good. If Sasuke dies, then there will be dire consequences. Itachi will retaliate against the vige.''

    The kage immediately scanned the crystal ball to find nearby ninjas and medics. It was then that he noticed a strong chakra signature heading straight for Naruto''s location. He focused his jutsu and a secondter saw a face that gave him hope. ''Come on Daichi. Please get to him in time.''

    Mizuki was shocked at the boy''s action. He took his sword out of the boy''s body and took a step back.

    Sasuke stood still but spat out a small wad of blood.

    "Hmph. If you wanna die so badly then I have no problem with it." Mizuki looked at the boy and had a condescending smirk. The transformed ninja raised his sword ready to cut down the Uchiha.

    "MIZUKI. DON''T DO IT!" Iruka''s yell did nothing to persuade the man from killing.

    Sakura had tears in her eyes as she saw the person she loved about to be killed.

    Shikamaru and the rest of the Genins were scared and tense at what was about to happen.

    Ino looked at the scene and could only hope for a miracle. ''Someone, save us.''

    "Die!" Mizuki brought his sword down with the intent to cut Sasuke in half but at that instant he and everyone else heard a screaming from somewhere.

    "NOOOO."

    The Chunin only had time to nce at the person approaching him and he immediately recognized the new arrival.

    ''Daichi!''

    Before Mizuki could even give his body the order to move away, he was struck with a powerful punch that reverberated throughout his right arm and then the rest of his body.

    Mizuki''s right arm was mangled and the sword was blown away before it could touch Sasuke. The force of Daichi''s punch blew Mizuki away from the battlefield. He was sent flying and crashed into several trees before mming violently into a boulder anding to a stop.

    Daichi skidded several meters and he immediately brought chakra to his fingertips and changed it to lightning nature. He grabbed the earth and was able to quickly bleed off the momentum.

    The rookies and Iruka looked at what had just happened in shock and then turned to the person that just arrived. It took a second longer for them to realize that it was their friend and they were relieved. They had huge smiles on their faces as they looked at Daichi.

    Sakura looked at Daichi and hope bloomed in her heart. She knew he was a medic ninja. "DAICHIII!" She screamed for his help.

    Daichi turned to her just in time to see Sasuke Uchiha fall to his knees, going unconscious with Naruto holding on to him. Sasuke was bleeding profusely from his chest. ''Oh no.''

    "Thud." Sasuke''s body hit the ground and was without any movements.

    Daichi gritted his teeth as he looked at the scene. ''Damn it all. What the hell happened here today?... It doesn''t matter. I need to save his life. But I also can''t leave the rest of them to defend for themselves.''

    Daichi made a cross seal and created Five shadow clones. Two of them went to heal Iruka and to battle Zefrek while another two went to the remaining two teams.

    The real Daichi and the remaining clone pushed chakra to their limbs and was immediately by Naruto and Sakura''s side. Daichi immediately made hand seals for a scalpel jutsu and cut Sasuke''s shirt.

    The medic ninja looked and saw that the Uchiha was still barely conscious of his surroundings. Daichi and his clone were examining the wound and making notes of the extent of the damage. ''There is an exit wound and he has severe internal damage and is bleeding fast.''

    "BASTARD! WHY DID YOU DO THAT? I DIDN''T ASK YOU TO SAVE ME!" Even though Naruto was angry and yelling he had tears falling down his eyes as he looked at Sasuke.

    The Uchiha had a weak smile on his face. "I I don''t know My body just moved My brother He''s out there I-"

    "You''ll get the chance to avenge your family Sasuke. You''ll get the chance to fight him."

    Sasuke recognized that sound. "Daichi?" He asked in a weak tone. He couldn''t stay awake for any longer and truly fell unconscious.

    "Yes Sasuke. He''s here. Daichi''s going to save you." Sakura said with tears in her eyes. "Right?" Seeing Sasuke unconscious, she looked at Daichi and asked with uncertainty in her voice.

    "Don''t worry. He''ll live." Daichi gave the girl a reassuring smile. At that moment he sent a signal and the clones he created for searching the various locations dispelled themselves and he got most of his chakra back.

    "You can save him?" Naruto asked with hope in his voice.

    "Yes. He''ll be just fine." The next moment, green chakra lit up around the two Daichi''s palms and he and his doppelganger started closing the wounds on Sasuke''s front and back to stop the bleeding.

    In just a little over a minute Daichi managed to heal the major internal damages done to the veins and lungs and he was able to close the wounds on the Uchiha''s body.

    There were battles taking ce all nearby but he knew he could trust his clones.

    At that moment the sound of trees being crushed was heard. Daichi, Naruto and Sakura turned their heads and saw Mizuki slowly walking towards them with a limp arm. His right arm was mangled up andpletely bloodied. His eyes were bloodshot and he had a crazed expression.

    Naruto, seeing the man, clenched his fists and stood up without a word. He walked forward towards Mizuki and didn''t stop even when Sakura called out to him.

    The real Daichi looked at his clone and nodded. "Go. I''ll take care of this."

    The shadow clone Daichi stood and walked near Naruto while the real one kept healing the Uchiha.

    Daichi''s senses picked up on Naruto''s agitated chakra. He inwardly sighed as he began to sense the presence of the Nine tails chakra being brought to the surface.

    Mizuki looked at Naruto''s face and saw the rage present in his eyes. His red, slit pupiled eyes A familiar chakra he had experienced over a decade ago suddenly brushed his senses Mizuki''s eyes widened in fear as he looked at the boy.

    ''The Nine tails.''

    ----------------------------

    Author''s Note.

    Damn. 5800 words. Hope you guys enjoyed it. and the title itself was a spoiler but i couldn''t think of anything else...

 Chapter 276: The Forbidden Scroll Incident(Final)

    Chapter 276: The Forbidden Scroll Incident(Final)

    Daichi looked at the situation and noted the position of everyone. ''Shikamaru and his team led one of them deeper into the forest. But since my clone is with them I don''t have to worry. Kiba and his team are fighting in the clearing nearby in the opposite direction. None of them are hurt. That''s a good sign. Iruka''s lost quite a bit of blood but he''ll be fine in a minute or two. Now all that''s left is Mizuki But that might be a problem.''

    The boy nced to his side and inwardly shook his head. Daichi was standing near his friend and could clearly feel the rise of the Nine Tails'' malicious chakra emanating from him. ''With everything that happened today there''s no doubt that everyone would be on edge. If they sense the presence of the Nine tails chakra then even if Mizuki is caught it might not end well for Naruto. I need to quickly calm him down.''

    The Genin ced a hand on Naruto getting his attention. Naruto saw the seriousness in Daichi''s eyes and gave him a questioning look.

    "You need to calm down Naruto."

    "Are you really telling me to calm down? After everything that happened. After Sasuke almost -"

    "Yes. Sasuke will be fine. Right now fighting Mizuki angry won''t help."

    Naruto stood still and struggled with himself for a few seconds but then slowly let out a deep breath of air. The hidden chakra of the tailed beast slowly receded and Daichi internally let out a sigh of relief.

    But at that time Mizuki spoke. "I told you all. He''s the Nine tails. That chakra just now. It was the Nine tails. If he isn''t killed the whole vige would be destroyed."

    Daichi could see that along with anger and hate there was also fear in Mizuki''s eyes. The rogue instructor, seeing that his words weren''t getting anyone to turn on Naruto, looked at Daichi. "Daichi. I know your parents died in the Nine tails attack and it''s why you became an orphan."

    The Genin was silent for a few moments before he nodded his head. "You are right. The Nine tails did kill my parents."

    Naruto held his head down and clenched his fist but he was silent. He didn''t have the strength to look at his friend.

    "But I don''t see a giant mountain sized fox anywhere. So you must be mistaken." The gamer ninja had a smirk as he looked at the Chunin.

    Naruto was shocked hearing that and turned his head. He saw Daichi giving him a big smile and he had small tears in the corner of his eyes.

    "He''s not your friend." Mizuki tried one more time to turn the Genin against his friend but it was useless.

    Daichi narrowed his eyes as he red at the grey haired ninja. "Who exactly are you to decide who my friends are?" He then looked at his friend and took note of his condition.

    ''Naruto''s trying to hide it but he''s exhausted. If I had to guess I''d say he''s been using the shadow clone jutsu multiple times already. There are also multiple wounds on his body. The nature of those injuries suggests it came from someone who was much faster.''

    Daichi''s eyes then nced at Mizuki. ''Of course it''s him. His speed in this transformed state is much greater than a normal Chunin ninja.''

    Daichi took a closer look at Mizuki''s body and noted something. ''I see It won''t be long now.''

    "I''m sick of hearing him talk. Daichi. Let''s kick his ass." Naruto was about to bring his hands to make the shadow clone seal but his friend stopped him.

    "Naruto, if you don''t mind, I''d like to fight him alone. There are a few things I want to find out from him."

    Naruto looked at his friend and was confused. "I''m not gonna let him just get away with everything he did."

    "Neither am I. But right now you''re exhausted. You''re in no shape to fight him."

    "But-"

    "And someone needs to protect Sakura and Sasuke. Right now my real self is focused on healing Sasuke''s injuries and if we''re both fighting here and someone attacks them, it''ll be trouble."

    Hearing that Naruto became silent and looked at Mizuki with anger.

    "I promise. I''ll make him pay. He will face the consequences of his actions. He''s not getting away."

    Naruto looked at Daichi and finally relented. He turned back and went near Sakura, Sasuke and the real Daichi while the clone faced Mizuki.

    "You really think one Shadow clone is strong enough to beat me? How arrogant." Mizuki sneered at the boy.

    The gamer ninja chuckled as he looked at his enemy. "I could say the same about you. Down an arm, your ns failed and you still have the audacity to make threats. The truth is Mizuki You''re insanely stupid."

    The transformed Chunin gritted his teeth as he looked at the Genin. "You. This is all your fault. If you hadn''t helped that demon-"

    BANG!

    An instantter a punch struck Mizuki''s gut sending rocketing backwards. His back crashed through a couple of trees before tumbling and rolling on ground anding to a stop. Mizuki felt pain all over his body and was struggling to get up.

    ''WhWhat the I couldn''t even see him move.''

    As he tried to get up he heard footsteps getting closer. The rogue ninja looked up from the ground and saw Daichi standing a few meters away, most of his body hidden in darkness. The rogue ninja had fear as he looked at the boy.

    Daichi got closer and looked at the man with an emotionless face. "Call my friend that word again and I''ll break your legs next. This is your only warning."

    The Chunin struggled and was breathing harder and harder. He struggled and slowly got to his feet. ''Shit. I need to escape. It''s toote. I can''t get the scroll now. I have to get out of this vige.''

    Mizuki turned around and was about to jump when he saw Daichi standing there. "How did you-"

    That was all the chunin got to say before he was sted back to the clearing near Naruto and the others. Mizuki skidded on the ground and rolled several times before hitting a boulder.

    He didn''t even have strength to get up after getting hit with Daichi''s two powerful blows. He saw the boy walking up to him and just staring at him with a cold expression.

    "What connection do you have with Orochimaru?"

    Mizuki turned his head and looked at the boy standing near him. ''This isn''t possible. I was supposed to be invincible.''

    He could only look up at the night sky in helplessness as a painful realization came to him. ''My ns failed. It''s all over.''

    -

    At that moment the future team 10 and team 8 appeared and went near Naruto''s group.

    "Ha. Looks like we beat the bad guy first." Kiba had a smirk as he looked at Shikamaru and Choji.

    "It was never apetition." Ino answered while Shikamaru just sighed. He looked at his former teacher lying several meters ahead of them with Daichi interrogating him. The young Nara just shook his head as he thought about everything. "Looks like Mizuki is done for. He can''t even move."

    "Serves him right." Ino said as she red at the man. She then turned to Sasuke.

    "His chakra is fading fast. His strength is waning." Shino spoke and Hinata also nodded in affirmation as they gazed at their former teacher.

    Kiba looked at the unconscious Uchiha and he was concerned. "Daichi, is he going to be alright?"

    The medic ninja gave everyone a reassuring smile. "Don''t worry. I''ve healed most of his injuries. He should wake up in a couple of minutes."

    Sakura had a big teary smile. "Thank you Daichi. If it weren''t for you"

    "Don''t mention it, Sakura. It''s my job as a medic after all."

    Just then, Iruka walked up to them and looked at everyone. His eyes went down to Sasuke and he let out a sigh of relief as he sensed the Uchiha''s chakra signature getting stronger and stronger.

    He looked at his students with a big smile. "All of you did well. You''re going to be great ninjas of this vige one day."

    Everyone had smiles on their faces except Naruto. He looked down and was silent. Iruka looked at his favorite student and frowned.

    "What''s wrong, Naruto?"

    "Sensei I couldn''t even protect my headband. Mizuki took it from me and destroyed it I"

    Iruka had a gentle smile and walked up to the boy. He ced a hand on Naruto''s shoulder and spoke. "Sometimes we meet powerful opponents when we least expect it. Our goal should be to survive that encounter and be stronger for the next battle. Your life for that headband I would take that trade any day."

    "Sensei"

    Before Naruto could say more Iruka took off his headband and tied it around the boy''s head. "You are my student and a Genin of the Leaf vige. Mizuki can''t take that away from you."

    Naruto had a big grin and nodded his head.

    Suddenly Daichi looked up and turned his head in the west direction. "We havepany. Don''t worry. They''re friendly."

    A few secondster several ninjas appeared in the area and looked around. Prominent among them were Kurenai, Genma, Kakashi, his summon Pakkun, Asuma and Anko.

    They saw Mizuki on the ground with Daichi talking to him while another Daichi healing Sasuke with the students and Iruka near him. Anko took a closer look and saw the Forbidden scroll on Sakura''s back and inwardly let out a breath of relief. "Looks like you kids had quite the party."

    "More like a nightmare we wished we could have escaped from sooner" Ino said under her breath.

    "There were three other prisoners here. Where are they?" Asuma asked.

    "We took care of them. That guy called Haroshi is unconscious about 100 meters west of here." Kiba replied with a grin.

    "We managed to trap his partner Seijo about 160 meters north east." Shikamaru answered for his team.

    Anko nodded to the Chunins behind her and they disappeared to said locations.

    Genma saw Sasuke''s unconscious state and frowned. "How is he?" He looked at Daichi and asked.

    "He suffered several internal injuries and an artery was cut near the heart but I got here just in time. I''ve healed most of the damage. He''ll wake up soon."

    The Jonins let out a breath of relief and then turned to the culpritying on the ground a few meters ahead of them. As they looked at the man responsible he suddenly started screaming. Steam starteding from his body and before everyone''s eyes his skin turned dark brown and body shrank.

    -

    A few Minutes ago.

    As Daichi looked at the defeated Mizuki he gained memories from the shadow clones assigned to Kiba and Shikamaru''s team. He inwardly smiled as he went through the memories.

    ''Looks like they learned how to work as a team to take down a stronger enemy before they were even assigned to a Jonin.''

    He focused his attention back on the enemy in front of him and spoke. "What connection do you have with Orochimaru?"

    ''I need to know if there is more to his ties with Orochimaru than what''s shown in the story.''

    Mizuki tilted his head and asked the boy. "How How do you know I have something. To do with him?"

    "Your transformation You''re not smart enough to create something with these effects. Only someone with a great deal of knowledge on the human body can make the drug you took. I''m betting it''s him."

    Mizuki chuckled as he looked at the Genin. "So what if I was working for him? I won''t tell you anything."

    Daichi narrowed his eyes and looked to the side. He saw the defeated prisoner Zefrek and asked about the prison break.

    "You were using the prisoners as a distraction to escape with the scroll. Tell me. Was that really your idea or was it someone else''s?"

    "You do you really expect me to just answer your questions brat" Daichi saw the burning hate in Mizuki''s eyes and sighed.

    As they were talking several Jonins arrived at the scene and were surveying the situation. Daichi saw that his teacher was among the new arrivals and gave the man a nod. The Genin turned his attention back to Mizuki. "This is the end of the road for you Mizuki."

    "Go to hell brat Once I get my strength back I''ll kill you"

    "I wouldn''t be too sure of that." Daichi was keeping a close eye on the man''s vitals and saw that his body was at the breaking point. A couple secondster steam started to erupt from the man''s body and he shrank in size. He lost all his strength and looked like a weak, old malnutritioned man.

    "Aaarhhh Wh what''s happening to me? Why am I like this?" He struggled to stand but didn''t even have the strength to sit up.

    The rest of the Jonins came over and looked at Mizuki. They had no pity for what the man did. Anko whistled as she looked at the former academy teacher''s pitiful state. "Damn. I didn''t know you medic nins could do that. Brutal. I like it." She gave Daichi a wild grin and a thumbs up.

    "Please don''t give him any ideas Anko." Kurenai said with a sigh.

    "Actually I didn''t. He did it to himself." Daichi said with a small shake of his head.

    Pakkun who jumped atop Kakashi took a couple sniffs in the air grimaced. "Ergh. I can smell all sorts of weird narcoticsing from his body."

    "What exactly happened to him?" Kakashi asked his student.

    "As I''m sure you all saw earlier, he was in a transformed state. My guess would be that he took some sort of drug to make it happen. A drug I''m pretty sure was Orochimaru''s creation."

    "Wait what? You mean Orochimaru had a hand in this." Asuma asked with a concerned tone. The other Jonins were on alert as well. They knew the threat the snake Sannin posed.

    Daichi shrugged his shoulders at that. "I don''t know for sure or what his involvement in this is. That''s something you guys in the interrogation department will have to figure out. What I can tell you is that this drug was an iplete one. It temporarily gives the user an immense boost but it ultimately destroys the body."

    "No You''re" Mizuki tried his best and with one hand and slowly stood. His attention was entirely on Daichi. The Jonin''s were half curious to what he would do and say.

    "You''re lying. This is supposed to be the. ultimate power Lord Orochimaru He-"

    Daichi shook his head and cut Mizuki off. "He used you. Your cells are being destroyed from within. These are the side effects of the drug you took."

    "No that can''t be."

    "As I said, that drug was iplete. He used you as an experiment. Based on observing your vitals, my understanding is that the drug you took absorbs the power of the animal you want andbines it with the human genome. It gives quite a boost to the user but that''s temporary and then you''ll feel the nasty side effects. While it''s in use it puts an incredible strain on the cells. It''s damage that can''t be reversed."

    ''Well. I can probably heal you. But that''s thest thing on my to do list.'' Daichi looked at Mizuki and scoffed.

    The Rogue chunin was angry hearing that. "You." He was about to step forward but Anko stepped in and grabbed his arm. "Ok. No more of that. You''ll have plenty of time to reflect on your actions back at T&I."

    "I''d go easy on him. Physically at least. He''s quite fragile." Daichi couldn''t help but quip with a chuckle. Anko and a few Chunins disappeared with Mizuki and the unconscious prisoners.

    At that moment they heard a groan and turned around to see Sasuke awake with Sakura giving him a tight hug. He felt his chest and saw that it waspletely healed. Sasuke turned to Daichi and was about to speak but Daichi stopped him. "You''re wee."

    He gave the Uchiha a smile and pulled him to his feet. The rest of the Genins smiled seeing their friend up on his feet. The Jonins quickly began escorting the new Genins and Iruka to the Hokage tower.

    "I saw some small fires in the market and near the civilian district. Is everything alright?" Daichi asked Genma.

    "Don''t worry. We got it under control. Thankfully there was no serious injury to anyone or any major damages."

    "What? Fire? What are you talking about?" Iruka, who was near them asked.

    It was Kurenai who spoke. "Mizuki nned a prison break and it happened while you were all in the forest. A few prisoners set explosions in multiple locations. But the patrol units and Anbu teams are on it now."

    "I can''t believe he would go that far." Iruka couldn''t help but ponder when and where it all went wrong.

    As they jumped through the trees Asuma eyes the Ino, Shikamaru and Choji. He knew his father wanted him to be their sensei. "How exactly did you capture your enemy?"

    Ino grinned. "Well"

    -

    shback.

    Daichi''s clone came to assist the three and the clone quickly healed their minor injuries and even restored most of their chakra and stamina.

    "Thanks Daichi. You''re the best Um, is Sasuke going to be alright?" Ino asked her friend.

    "Don''t worry. He''ll be fine. I''ll make sure of it." The shadow clone Daichi replied with a calming smile and was about to battle Seijo but Shikamaru stopped him.

    "Daichi. If it''s possible, can you leave him to us? This is our fight."

    The Genin noted the expression on the faces of the three and immediately knew they were serious. ''They must be angry about what happened with Sasuke. I would be too.''

    Daichi nodded and stepped back. "He''s yours. But if things turn for the worse. I''ll be stepping in."

    Shikamaru nodded and he, along with his teammates, turned their attention to Seijo. Ino was the first to attack the prisoner with her shurikens.

    Seijo easily evaded the weapons but the next second, had to jump from his spot to escape a fast moving shadow andnded on a tree branch. "It won''t be that easy to capture me brats. I''m a Chunin."

    "Yeah. The weakest Chunin in the vige. You can''t even defeat us. And we aren''t even on a Genin team yet." Ino said with a mocking grin provoking the man.

    Seijo was angry as he looked at the grin on the girl''s face and at that second a giant body quickly came at him from the shadows.

    "Human boulder jutsu!" Arge round spinning body quickly came straight at Seijo but he easily avoided Choji''s attack andnded several meters away. As he dodged Choji''s attack he was also keeping an eye on Ino''s position and saw that she was trying to use the Yamanaka n jutsu on him.

    "I won''t fall for that trick. I''ve seen your battle style. So I''ll take you out first girl." Seijo turned his attention and sprinted after Ino.

    Ino eyes widened in slight fear and immediately sprinted through the forest with the prisoner right behind. Shikamaru and Choji immediately followed after them.

    The prisoner took note of the route his prey was running and inwardly smirked. ''Several meters ahead is arge open clearing. That Nara''s hidden attacks and Shadow possession jutsu won''t work so easily there. I know the speed of his shadow possession jutsu so I''ll be able to escape as long as I keep in mind his position at all times. That Akimichi kid also can''t control his movements that well. In that setting, taking them out will be a piece of cake.''

    Seijo was catching up to the girl in front of him quickly and just as Ino was near his grasp and near the edge of the open space, she increased her speed and threw two kunai to the side triggering the hidden traps they set up nearby.

    Several shuriken wereunched from the bushes and aimed to where Seijo was going tond. He took his kunai and immediately deflected several weapons. Just as hended, Choji''s giant spinning figure flew over his head and made him look up for a split second. His eyes turned to Ino who was looking at him with great caution.

    Seijo smirked seeing the young Akimichi''s attack miss. ''That Nara is closing in. Based on the speed with which his shadow moves, I still have a couple of seconds.''

    But at that moment, against his calctions Seijo suddenly found himself bing paralyzed. ''No. This jutsu.''

    "Shadow possession jutsu sessful." The smug tone in Shikamaru''s voice was clear to everyone.

    As Seijo was struggling, Ino stood with a grin and cut a very thin ninja wire that was tied near a tree. The next second multiple ninja wires sprung up from the ground and wrapped all around Seijo,pletely trapping him.

    "Now Choji!"

    At Shikamaru''s signal the Akimichi rushed at the Chunin with everything he got and mmed into him, knocking him out. Just before Choji struck, Shikamaru let go of his jutsu and stood safely observing everything.

    The three Genins and the hidden Daichi looked at the Chunin and they made sure he was unconscious. The Genin was impressed with what he saw. ''When Shikamaru used the shadow possession jutsu multiple times he made sure to showcase its speed to the enemy. Shikamaru made the jutsu speed consistent and made Seijo miscalcte the speed of his technique. He was keeping an eye on Shikamaru''s position and became overconfident thinking he could escape the jutsu when Shikamaru used it.''

    Daichi remembered how Ino was leading the man to this location without making it obvious. ''Ino lured him here and then Choji not only distracted Seijo by flying above him, but Shikamaru used Choji''s shadow that was cast over Seijo as an extension to his jutsu and instantly immobilized him. Then Ino triggered the traps and Choji ended it with a finishing blow. Not bad you guys. Not bad at all.''

    "Well done you guys. You three make a great team." Daichi said with a smile.

    "I guess they''re alright." Ino looked at Shikamaru and Choji with a smile. But the next moment her smile got bigger as she looked at Daichi. "But they''re not you. Come on. What do you say I join your team huh?"

    She quickly rushed to Daichi and linked arms with him.

    "That''s not exactly up to me, Ino. Besides what do you say we go to the others. They''re probably waiting for us." Daichiughed awkwardly and then vanished in a puff of smoke.

    "He''s right. We should get back to the others." Choji spoke and the three made it back to the clearing and saw Mizuki defeated on the ground with Daichi standing over him. They saw Kiba, Hinata and Shino waiting for them.

    -

    shback End.

    "We waited and that''s when you all showed up."

    The Jonins were very impressed with the way they handled the battle. Asuma smiled as he looked at the three. ''These kids are something else. Not even on a team and already they took down a chunin with excellent teamwork. Guess this is going to be a lot more fun than I thought.''

    Kurenai looked at the three Genins that the Hokage wanted her to take on as well. "Did you three have any trouble with your enemy?"

    "Nay. Shino drained his chakra while Hinata and I kept him busy with our Taijutsu. He didn''tst that long."

    Kiba recalled his memories of that fight. He asked Daichi to only step in if they couldn''t handle him.

    Daichi respected his wishes and the three attacked Haroshi with everything they had. Since Haroshi was interested in the Byakugan he fought with Hinata in hand to handbat multiple times but with Shino and Kiba also attacking him, the Chunin didn''tst for long.

    Hinata''s Gentle Fist and Shino''s chakra draining insects made quick work of the enemy while Kiba sent the final attack that knocked Haroshi into sleep.

    Iruka had a proud look as he heard their battles. He looked at Daichi and he recalled the boy helping him finish his fight with Zefrek as well. ''His long range healing skill is really impressive. It''s quite effective on the battlefield.''

    Daichi restrained Zefrek''s body with chakra strings and turned them into lightning strings, paralyzing the man''s muscles. Iruka, who was healed, quicklynded several blows to critical areas that put Zefrek under.

    Soon therge group of ninjas reached the Hokage tower. The Genins saw the Hokage giving out orders in front of the tower and coordinating the ninjas. Since the Genin''s were safe the Jonins left to track and subdue the escapees.

    "Sir, we''ve confirmed that there are no more explosives or traps set in the vige." An Anbu gave his report.

    "Good. Now with the Sacred scroll returned and the perpetrators behind this attack under custody, your task is to recapture every escaped prisoner."

    "Yes sir." The Anbu vanished and the old kage turned to the Genin''s and Iruka. He had an unreadable expression as he looked at them and the kids were slightly nervous.

    Naruto took the scroll from Sakura and stepped forward. He held the scroll up to the kage. "Sorry for all the trouble old man."

    Hiruzen looked at Naruto silently for a few more seconds and was inwardly amused as the boy squirmed. He then smiled and looked at everyone present. "Well done. All of you."

    He turned around and started making his way to his office. "Come."

    At his order Daichi, Iruka and the new Genins followed the kage into his office.

    -

    Near the Fire country border.

    "Lady Tsunade. Nothing''s happened so far. Maybe this isn''t some bad luck. Maybe you just got lucky and won." Shizune said as she followed her teacher.

    "There is no such thing as good luck when ites to my winnings. Something bad is going to happen. I just know it." Tsunade was paranoid and was out of the small city they were previously gambling in.

    At that moment a voice came from the shadows that stopped the two Leaf ninjas in their tracks. "Hello Tsunade. You look like you''re in a hurry."

    The blonde ninja looked at the man who appeared from the shadows. She narrowed her eyes as she looked at him. "Orochimaru. What the hell do you want?"

    "Ohhh Tsunade Why the hostility? Is that how you treat an old colleague? kukuku."

    Shizune recognized the snake Sanin and was instantly on alert. She concentrated and sensed several chakras nearby. ''He didn''te alone.''

    Multiple people appeared from the shadows and encircled the blonde Sannin and her apprentice.

    Shizune was slightly sweating. ''This isn''t good. This isn''t good at all.''

    Tsunade narrowed her eyes as nced at the surroundings and then to her former teammate. ''So you''re the reason for my winnings. Of all people. He''s clearly here for a fight. I might have to go all out.''

    ----------------

    Author''s note:

    Ok guys. Your thoughts. How was the chapter? Did you enjoy the Ino shika cho fight? And Daichi basically stomped Mizuki because that guy was just that weak despite his powerup.

    Now, I had a more detailed fight for Kiba''s team too but then I scrapped it. I''ll showcase their battle skills another time at another opportunity.

    As I mentioned before, the Tsunade meeting Orochimaru will be the second incident that will take ce. Did you guys see thising? Do you guess what my n is?

    I''ll give you one spoiler. Someone will die at the end of this incident.

 Chapter 277: A Night of Revelations

    Chapter 277: A Night of Revtions

    Leaf Vige.

    As Daichi walked up the stairs to the Hokage''s office, he was going through multiple notifications that appeared in his view.

    The first was the quest rewards for the B rank mission hepleted.

    [Quest ''Protect the Mediator'' Completed.]

    .

    [Rewards:]

    [20000 Exp.]

    [3000 Exp.]

    [4000 Exp.]

    [600 Exp.]

    [Reputation increases with client and everyone else involved.]

    ''So looks like I even got the bonus 4000 experience. I thought that might only appear after those two stayed at the capital. Eh. Whatever. I''m notining. The more exp the merrier.''

    His eyes then went to the next quest reward and he couldn''t help but have a small smile on his face.

    [Quest ''Save your Friends.'' Completed.]

    ''I''m d I got there in time. To think Mizuki would have nned a prison break and taken the serum Orochimaru gave him Still, I guess I''ll thank my lucky stat that everything worked out well in the end.''

    Daichi looked at the rewards of the quest and he was satisfied.

    [Rewards:]

    [19000 Exp.]

    [2850 Exp.]

    [+10 Points to Special stats Charisma, Dignity.]

    [+5 Points to Special stat Indomitable.]

    [+2 Points to Special stat Luck.]

    [+3 Points to Special stat Sense.]

    [Reputation increases with Hiruzen Sarutobi, Kensei Yasaji and Kakashi Hatake.]

    [Reputation slightly increases with Danzo Shimura.]

    [Reputation massively increases with ''Rookie 9''. ]

    [Reputation massively increases with people of the Leaf Vige.]

    ''30 points in the Special stats. These are some excellent gains.''

    [You have leveled up.]

    ''Level 62 huh. Let''s see Status.''

    [Name : Daichi Hekima] (The Gamer)

    [ss : Genin - ID 012559.]

    [Age : 12]

    [Title : Capable Child, Explorer, Prodigy, Species King, Dungeon Warrior, Executioner, Assassin, Mighty Healer, Slug Sannin''s Apprentice, Master of the Elements, A Genius of the Continent, Dungeon Master.]

    [Level : 62 (16005/98000)

    .

    HP : 50545

    CP : 106512

    SP : 51650

    MP: 42380

    .

    [Primary Stats]

    Strength - 349

    Vitality - 500

    Dexterity - 271

    Agility - 340

    Intelligence - 500

    Chakra - 623

    Wisdom - 309

    .

    [Special Stats]

    Sense - 200

    Stamina - 456

    Indomitable - 59

    Charisma - 82

    Persistence - 50

    Dignity - 31

    Luck - 27

    .

    [Stat Points - 266]

    [Ryo - 31256400]

    ''My stat growth has stagnated. With 500 as the limit Vitality, Chakra and Intelligence hasn''t increased at all. I can solve the vitality and chakra problem with the dungeon ninjas but Intelligence will be a problem. So will strength, agility, dexterity when they reach 500. Need to find a solution that doesn''t involve using points or I need to find a way to get more points.''

    Daichi had been pondering on a solution for this dilemma for a while and he hase up with several ideas. But due to missions, training and studying Sealing arts his time was stretched thin. ''I''ll need to find some free time before the Chunin exams.''

    Daichi looked at the reputation increases and was mildly surprised. ''Slight increase in reputation with Danzo? This is a surprise. Eh. Not like I care what he thinks.''

    Daichi closed the blue boxes and followed the old Kage into his office. The Hokage stood behind his desk while the Rookies were in the middle of the room with Iruka standing behind them. Naruto still had the Sacred scroll in his arms and was nervous. He knew he was responsible for some of the chaos tonight.

    Hiruzen looked at each of the faces in the room with a gentle smile that put them at ease. "You all went through quite an ordeal today. I''m d you''re all safe." His eyes focused on Naruto and the kage held out his hand. Naruto stepped forward and handed him the scroll which the kage inspected and then nodded to himself. ''No damage. That''s good. Tobirama sensei would be displeased otherwise. Now I need to address the other matter.''

    He ced the scroll on the table and looked at the new Genins. They were looking for an exnation about the secret they''ve learned tonight but they weren''t bold enough to approach the topic with the Hokage.

    Hiruzen looked at the newest Genin from the Nara n and spoke. "I understand the broad outline of the events from the note you sent me. But I will need a detailed exnation on what happened."

    Naruto turned his head to look at his friend with a puzzled gaze. "Wait, you left a note? When?... Wait. That reminds me. How did you guys even find me?"

    Before Shikamaru answered, the kage spoke. "We''ll get to that. I''m also curious to hear the details. But since Mizuki approached you to take the scroll, why don''t we start with you, Naruto. Tell me everything Mizuki said to you."

    Naruto nodded and began retelling the events since he left Ichiraku Ramen. He told them about the fake test and when he got to the part where he decided to take the Forbidden scroll he was embarrassed with his head held down.

    Hiruzen smiled and looked at the boy standing awkwardly. "Everyone makes mistakes, Naruto. What you should do is learn from them. That''s part of life. Don''t run away from your mistake. Embrace them and be better. It''s how you grow."

    Naruto looked up at the kage and nodded with a big grin. "Thanks old man. I promise I won''t mess up again like that. Believe it!"

    Hiruzen chuckled when he heard that. He then turned to Shikamaru. "Is this when you found out about Mizuki''s trap?"

    "Actually, it was Hinata. She was looking for Naruto and came upon their conversation." The Nara replied and Hinata had a red face seeing the attention focused on her.

    "What? You were looking for me?" Naruto turned to the girl and she blushed even harder.

    "Um I.. I wanted to.. Wish you congrattions for passing the Genin test." She said, struggling to get the words out.

    "Thanks Hinata." Naruto grinned and rubbed his head.

    "She wasn''t the only one who heard them." Sasuke spoke and everyone turned to him. "I was walking through the streets near his home when I heard the two of them talk. I knew there wasn''t a test like that. It was even more obvious when he said I was participating in it when I clearly didn''t. I figured it was a trap and started following Naruto."

    "What? You were following me this whole time?"

    The Uchiha grinned as he looked at the boy. "Yeah. Your stealth skills aren''t as great as you think."

    Naruto growled and just huffed, crossing his arms and turning his head away. "Hmph!"

    "And then what happened?" Hiruzen asked and the rookies recapped the events that led them to the forest.

    Daichi went through events in his head and inwardly sighed. ''Mizuki made an extensive and detailed n to get that scroll. The one thing he didn''t count on was Hinata and Sasuke overhearing his conversation. Still, if this has changed so much then what else will happen? I''ll have to prepare.''

    As Daichi was in deep thoughts Iruka stepped forward and looked at the kids with a frown. "If you knew Naruto was in trouble and that Mizuki was after the Forbidden scroll then why didn''t you tell anyone before he took the scroll?"

    "Because they didn''t know who to trust." Daichi, who was quiet until then suddenly spoke up. Everyone turned to him with Iruka and the kage looking for an exnation.

    "That scroll is obviously important. So knowledge about it would be on a need to know basis. And I don''t think Mizuki would be in that category. So you believe there is a spy helping him. I''m assuming that''s one of the reasons you kept quiet."

    Shikamaru sighed and nodded his head. "Among other things, yeah. We thought about telling our parents but we didn''t know where they were."

    Hiruzen groaned as he listened to the young Nara. He looked at the boy with a serious gaze which set the boy on alert. "Shikamaru. I''m going to be blunt. But that was not a wise decision. Hiding this kind of information from me... If you had sent a message earlier we could have avoided so much trouble. I could have had Anbu disguised as Naruto and trapped Mizuki before things escted. If Daichi hadn''t arrived when he did, Sasuke would be dead right now."

    The Nara held his head down and slowly nodded. Seeing his friend so down, Naruto was about to speak on his friend''s behalf but Hiruzen raised his hand, stopping him. "This is a valuable lesson for all of you. Learn from it and better yourselves."

    The Genins nodded as they truly realized the seriousness of what had transpired.

    "After that did you follow Naruto till he took the scroll?" Hiruzen asked.

    Shikamaru shook his head. "Well, kinda. Hinata and I were near the tower and were keeping ourselves out of sight and were waiting for Naruto toe. After Naruto got out of the tower with the scroll we followed. But we made sure to send you a message just before we left. I was hoping for backup to arrive before we had to fight."

    Hiruzen sighed and sat down. His face marred with a grim expression. "I apologized for that Shikamaru. You see during your confrontation with Mizuki, the prisoners at the Leaf Correctional facility escaped. They attacked the vige and I had sent a priority order to secure the safety of the civilians."

    "So that''s what happened. So the smoke that''sing from the market district They did that?" Kiba asked the kage.

    "Yes. I believe they used the chaos as a distraction so that they could escape." Hiruzen replied and turned to Daichi. "On that note, I received word from the patrol teams that the prisoners you caught were the ones who set off the explosions. Well done Daichi."

    "It was Kakashi sensei who identified them as prisoners. If it weren''t for that they might have gotten away."

    Hiruzen nodded and turned his attention back to the small Nara. "So, you followed young Naruto into the Canyons and then waited for Mizuki, yes."

    Shikamaru nodded. "Yeah. We watched him train that new jutsu while we set up some traps for Mizuki and anyone else who showed up to help him. Mizuki soon came and tried to kill Naruto but Iruka sensei showed up just in the nick of time and then we decided to step in."

    "Man. That clone jutsu is really cool. Creating solid copies. That''s gonnae in handy. I wonder if I can learn it." Kiba said with a grin.

    "A jutsu like that is really useful. I''ve been wondering the same, Lord Hokage." Sasuke asked as he looked at the kage.

    Hiruzen sighed and burst their bubbles. "I''m afraid that won''t be possible anytime soon. That jutsu is a dangerous technique created by my predecessor. It cuts the person''s chakra in half to create the clone. Someone without a high level of chakra reserves would not be able to perform the jutsu and if they do, they could faint due to chakra exhaustion or in the worst case scenario even die on the spot. Even I can only create somewhere around 15 or so shadow clones..."

    The new Genin''s eyes widened as they heard that information.

    "Wait wait. But I created like a thousand of those clones. I feel tired but not that much." Naruto spoke up and saw the old kage''s expression turning serious.

    "Yes. You did create hundreds of shadow clones. That''s because you have such enormous chakra reserves. And it''s partially due to what happened the night you were born."

    Iruka was shocked as he realized what the Hokage was about to do.

    Daichi slightly narrowed his eyes and as he heard their version of events that happened, he realized that all of the rookie 9 learned of the Nine tails. ''Here we go. Looks like the Hokage wants to get in front of this thing and do damage control.''

    "You mean the Nine tails that''s inside Naruto?" Shikamaru asked as he looked at the kage.

    Naruto stood in the middle of the room and was self conscious.

    Hiruzen looked at the kids with a stern yet kind face. "I understand that you''ve all learned something of great significance today."

    Naruto clenched his fist and stepped forward. He looked at the kage with a rare serious gaze. "How much of what Mizuki said was true? Do I have the Nine tails in me?"

    Hiruzen sighed tiredly and began to feel his age as he looked at the boy''s face. ''Now that they know, there is no point in keeping this a secret.''

    "The nine tails is a powerful chakra beast that can''t be stopped through ordinary means. The only way to save the vige was to seal it away. A prison. But ordinary sealing objects wouldn''t do. The beast was extremely powerful. To seal the beast a living container was needed. A newborn with chakra coils that weren''t developed yet."

    Naruto''s eyes widened as he learned the truth. "Me..."

    Hiruzen gave a small nod. "Yes. Both of your parents died that night. To save the vige, the fourth Hokage used a powerful sealing jutsu at the cost of his own life and sealed the nine tails inside you."

    Naruto stood silently and a few tears escaped his eyes. His friends didn''t know what to say as they stood there and learned the truth.

    "Why didn''t you tell me?" The blond boy asked Hiruzen through teary eyes.

    Hiruzen''s face softened as he looked at the boy. "I felt that you weren''t ready. I was hoping to tell you when you became a Chunin but" Hiruzen became silent for a few moments and then spoke. "Naruto. I want you to keep this in mind. You and the Nine Tails are two different entities. You are the prison and it''s the prisoner. You understand that right"

    Naruto wiped the tears and nodded his head. "Yeah. I understand. Thanks."

    "So Naruto has the Nine tails huh. That''s messed up. No wonder he''s treated like an outcast." Kiba said, shaking his head.

    "Thinking it logically, it''s an irrational choice." Shino spoke up.

    "It''s not about rational or logical choices." Sasuke said in a low tone and looked down as he thought about Itachi. ''There were many people who lost family members that night. They would hate anyone or anything rted to the killer. Even if it doesn''t make sense. Just like'' He sighed and stood silently with a stoic face.

    "Lord Hokage. Why keep something like this a secret in the first ce?" Ino asked.

    "There must have been some important reason, right." Shikamaru said with a shrug.

    Hiruzen sighed and raised a hand. The Genins became quiet and listened. "I passed aw that forbade anyone from the older generation from revealing the truth about the Nine tails to the younger ones because I didn''t want their hate to pass on to any of you. Blind hatred is a very dangerous thing. The choice was not an easy one and it was made before some of you were born."

    "Seems like a drag but I get it. If people who didn''t know, learned this secret, they''d have treated him badly too." Shikamaru said and the rest nodded. The Nara then suddenly turned to Daichi. "So that''s why you told me to let it go when I asked you."

    "Yeah." Daichi nodded.

    Iruka and the rest of the rookies were surprised that Daichi knew. "Wait. This was the secret? And you knew, Daichi?" Sakura asked and Daichi nodded.

    "I''ve known for a while. I did some digging and figured it out."

    "How long have you known?" Naruto suddenly asked and the room became quiet.

    Daichi looked at the boy who had a calm face and then a few secondster replied. "A few years."

    Naruto was silent for a few moments and then a big smile appeared on his face. "Thanks Daichi."

    The Genin smiled and nodded. He heard the unspoken words from his friend.

    Thanks for being my friend even when you knew that secret.

    Hiruzen smiled as he looked at the faces of everyone. "The purpose of this meeting was not just about the secrets you''ve learned today but of unity as well. Naruto is one of you. A Leaf shinobi. In time you will face challenges that will test your bonds. Remember this moment and stand together."

    "We will, Lord Hokage." Choji spoke up.

    "The vige might have their prejudice but we are not kids anymore. We can think for ourselves." Kiba said with a smirk. "Arf arf."

    "It''s clear that the vige fears the Nine Tails. But Naruto is not the beast. That conclusion is obvious." Shino said in his usual calm manner.

    "As far I''m concerned you''re still the same idiot you were when you walked into ss this morning." Sasuke said with a grin as he looked at Naruto.

    "And you''re still the same jerk you were since forever." Naruto retorted back with a grin.

    Iruka and Hiruzen smiled seeing the unity among the group. "Now, this is still a secret. Naruto''s condition should be kept a secret. Do all of you understand?"

    "Yes. Lord Hokage." They all replied.

    "Good. Now I need you all to do one more thing. Write your first mission report. Recall as much information about the event from your perspective and create a detailed report. Iruka. Help Naruto. Daichi, please assist Sasuke. The rest of you, I''m sure your parents will help you out."

    Everyone nodded and the Kage dismissed everyone. Everyone left the office except for Daichi.

    "Is there something you need Daichi?" Hiruzen asked. He was confused seeing the serious expression on the Genin''s face.

    After a few moments of silence Daichi spoke. "Permission to speak freely, Lord Hokage."

    The old kage heard the tone and immediately knew that whatever the boy was about to say was of grave importance.

    -----------------

    Author''s Note.

    Hi guys. Its Monk here. I''m back home. It was a tough few months but I survived. I''m Feeling good. 100% healthy and recovered.

    I wouldment on my update schedule but then I would jinx it. All I can say is I''ll do my best not to disappoint you guys. I''m just now going through the dozens of messages andments posted in thest couple months. I''ll try to respond as much as I can.

    Anyway, now your thoughts on the chapter.

    I feel like this was a satisfactory exnation and conclusion of the forbidden scroll events. How did you like this arc and my spin on it?

    It was longer than I thought but Ipleted it and I''m happy. I might edit some small bits here and there. If I do, I''ll make a note and post it

    Don''t worry. The next arc with Tsunade and Orochimaru in front and center will start soon.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen(No space)

    Peace.

 Chapter 278: Daichis Request & Investigations

    Chapter 278: Daichi''s Request & Investigations

    Hiruzen looked at the Genin in front of him and sped his fingers. "Speak your mind Daichi."

    The Genin looked at the Hokage''s calm expression and he had a feeling the old man had an inkling as to what he was going to talk about. ''I need to make sure this doesn''t sound like a demand. I have to take the diplomatic approach and see where that leads me.''

    "Naruto deserves to know the truth about his parents."

    ''So he knows. I suppose that shouldn''te as a surprise to me.'' Hiruzen calmly gazed at the boy and was quiet for several seconds. Seeing that Daichi had a simr stoic face, the old man asked him a question. "I won''t insult your intelligence by pretending not to know what you''re talking about. I''m curious though. How did you find out?"

    "I did some extensive research during thest few years. And I did study about the human body and gics with Lady Tsunade. Inherited traits such as eye color, hair color, shape of the cheek bones, earlobes. They''re easy to identify. I found a few pictures of Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki and noted the simrities between them and Naruto." Daichi decided to be straightforward and answered the kage.

    "You realize that their connection to Naruto is a highly protected secret right?" Hiruzen''s tone had a slight edge to it but Daichi stood firm and wasn''t intimidated.

    "Yes. It''s why I haven''t shared this with anyone but you since I found out." Daichi replied in a cool, calm tone.

    Hiruzen let out a deep breath of air and leaned back in his chair. After a few moments of silence he spoke. "You''re right. He deserves to know the truth. But do you think this is the correct time? Do you think he''s ready right now?"

    ''He''s testing me.'' Daichi kept a calm face and after a couple seconds of silence he replied. "Right now, tonight is not the time. He already has a lot to process. But excuses can always be found to dy this conversation with him. The sooner he knows the better."

    "Why do you think that?"

    Daichi looked at the old man and slightly narrowed his eyes. ''This guy. Asking me a question he already knows the answer to.''

    Daichi kept his thoughts to himself and indulged the Hokage. "The secret about the Nine tails was kept hidden from him. I''m assuming you were waiting to tell him about it after he reached a certain age or rank. But that didn''t happen. He found out about it in one of the worst ways possible. It was only luck that everything worked out in the end... If an enemy finds out about his lineage and uses it against him in the field like today, there is a chance he might not be so lucky that time. He needs information to make informed decisions about his life..."

    Hiruzen looked at the boy silently contemting his next move. "I''m aware of the situation and I understand your concerns Daichi. But right now, the truth about Naruto''s parents must remain a secret. I will tell him when he bes stronger and more mature. This is for his own protection."

    "He is strong. He is stronger than you think." Daichi said with a small tone. "Enduring the hatred of an entiremunity since childhood without even knowing the reason and the fact that he can still genuinely smile and be good to others It might not seem like much from an outside perspective but that takes an unbelievable amount of willpower and strength."

    Hiruzen internally sighed and his sped palms slightly tightened. The secret about the Nine tails getting out was one of his many failures in thest decade. As Hiruzen sat quietly, Daichi''s next words somewhat shocked him.

    "But I guess such is life for those like him. All Jinchuriki are hated by their viges after all" Daichi said, looking straight at the Hokage.

    The old kage didn''t expect the boy to know so much. ''Jinchuriki aren''t exactly a secret but ordinary people and most Genins and even some Chunins shouldn''t know about it.''

    "How much do you know about Jinchuriki?" Hiruzen asked the boy

    "From what I found, I was able to paint a rough picture. They are used as weapons of war. Have incredible power and can change the tides of battle. But despite all this they are feared and hated by their viges. Some see them as walking time bombs."

    Daichi revealed a broad outline of his knowledge and nothing more. ''If I tell him specifics like their identity or that the Hidden cloud vige treats Bee better he''ll get a lot more suspicious and cautious. This vague answer is better.''

    Hiruzen narrowed his eyes as he looked at the boy. "I see you''ve been poking around where you shouldn''t."

    "I did a lot more than just train medical ninjutsu during my time at the capital. I wanted to know more about the world. About the life I was stepping into and the enemies I mighte across. Information is a valuable tool after all"

    "Did Kensei help you with this?"

    Daichi shook his head. "No. I found out about all this on my own."

    Hiruzen was keeping a close watch on Daichi''s chakra and realized that he was telling the truth. He inwardly groaned as he gazed at the boy. ''Kids today. They think they know everything.''

    "We''re getting off topic. About his parents Are you going to tell him?" Hiruzen asked the Genin.

    "I will after he passes the Graduation test with his team." Daichi replied, looking straight at the kage.

    "And if I told you not to?"

    "Are you making it an order?"

    Hiruzen was silent for a few moments and then spoke. "Yes. Let Naruto focus on himself first. He already has enough on his te. Don''t tell him anything."

    Daichi looked at the stern face of the kage and sighed. He nodded his head and spoke. "I will obey your orders."

    "Good Now about Mizuki. What have you learned from your fight with him?" The Hokage asked changing the topic.

    "He''s definitely in contact or had contact with Orochimaru. I''m pretty sure he''s the one who gave him the form to create the drug that induced such a transformation."

    "It could also be someone else That''s a possibility isn''t it?"

    "It is possible but Mizuki himself confessed that his power was Orochimaru''s doing. If I had to make a guess I''d say Mizuki wanted the Forbidden scroll as an offering so he could join Orochimaru''s protection after leaving the vige."

    "I see What about his condition right now? Will he survive?"

    At that question Daichi was silent for a few moments before answering. "His cells have suffered serious damage and his lifespan has severely decreased. He won''t live past a few months in his condition. If additional stress is ced on his body then that time frame dwindles even more."

    "I understand." Hiruzen nodded. He would need to tell Ibiki and Anko to adjust their interrogation tactics. ''It seems Inoichi will be better suited for his interrogation.''

    "Is that all Daichi?" Hiruzen asked, seeing the thoughtful expression on the boy''s face.

    "No sir. There is one more matter I would like to speak with you about. It''s more of a request."

    The kage was silent and nodded his head.

    "Kakashi sensei. I think it would be best if you assigned him to Sasuke''s team."

    Hiruzen sighed hearing that. "I take it this is because he awakened his Sharingan during the fight."

    Daichi nodded. "Yes. There is no one else that can teach Sasuke to utilize the Sharingan. I''ve already learned plenty from Kakashi sensei. But now I think he would be better suited to lead Sasuke."

    Hiruzen looked at the Genin''s face and understood that Daichi gave this matter a serious forethought. "Are you sure about this?"

    "Yes." Daichi nodded with a resolute gaze. ''After everything that happened in the forest, I know for sure this old man will ce Sasuke, Naruto and Sakura together. But right now there is no Jonin I trust with them other than Kakashi. He''s the key that made Team 7 special. And after a whole year of sparring with me, he''s a lot stronger than his canon counterpart. So even if something unexpected happens I can count on him to protect them. If today has taught me anything it''s that I should be prepared for the worst case scenario.''

    Hiruzen was silent and then nodded his head. He had been thinking along those lines ever since the incident ended. "I''ll speak with Kakashi and make a decision in a few days."

    "I understand."

    "If that''s all, you''re dismissed. I have much to attend to."

    Daichi nodded and left the room. Outside he saw Sasuke waiting for him.

    "Did everyone else leave?" Daichi asked his friend.

    The Uchiha nodded. "Iruka sensei took everyone home. I said I''d wait for you here."

    Daichi nodded. "Come on. Let''s finish that report so I can get some sleep."

    Sasuke smirked and the two left the tower.

    -

    Leaf Correctional Facility.

    ''I thought someone turned traitor and helped them escape but this Still, I can''t rule out that possibility.'' The member of the Hokage''s guard toon looked grim as he surveyed the scene.

    Special Jonin Raido and several of his colleagues examined the bodies of Kirai and the two other guards in the ground. ''Why did the prison have such a small number of guards? Shouldn''t there have been more?''

    A medic ninja examining the bodies spoke up. "Kirai died with his throat shed and from examining the wound I''m sure a sharp ninja wire with Wind chakra running through them was used. The other two have poison in their system but they came from another direction."

    Raido nodded and stood from his spot. As he looked around he noticed several more bodies around the prison. But these were prisoners based on their outfits. "Get me the logs for the prison."

    A chunin nodded to Raido''s orders and disappeared. As they investigated the area the chunin returned and handed Raido what he wanted.

    ''Kirai was the one with the most senior authority in the prison. He must have known or at least suspected something was wrong.''

    Raido examined the document and went through everything with a keen eye. ''Kirai was the one who put in the request for minimal guards on this day and he also made the request for the new recruits to be assigned today That can''t be a coincidence So that means he knew''

    Raido turned to the Anbu ninjas near him. "Kirai is involved in this prison break. I''m not sure how I''m going to his home to investigate."

    The Anbu ninja nodded and turned to his colleagues. "Let''s bring his friends and other guards for questioning. We need to find out if anyone else ispromised."

    Raido and a small team of Chunins left the prison and soon reached Kirai''s home. He quickly scanned the area and made sure there were no hidden traps and then entered the building.

    "Search every inch of this ce." The chunin under Raido nodded and began going over everything. Raido looked around and as he was about to head into Kirai''s bedroom a chunin called out to him. "I found something."

    ''That was fast.''

    "It''s not a trap. I''ve checked." The Chunin said, holding up a small scroll.

    "Where was it?" Raido asked the man.

    "It was in his desk. It wasn''t locked. The note on top of it that says ''If anything goes wrong''..."

    Raido took the scroll and opened it. He examined what was written and his eyes widened as he kept reading. "That fool." He couldn''t help but curse as he finished reading. .

    "What is it, Raido?"

    "That idiot Kirai is one of the reasons we''re in this mess. He helped Mizuki." He turned to the chunin and handed him the scroll. "Take this to Lord Hokage and update him on the situation."

    The Chunin nodded and vanished with the body flicker jutsu.

    -

    Interrogation Department.

    In arge room, the prisoners who fought Iruka and his students were unconscious and strapped to a table. Several Yamanaka members were going through the memories of Seijo, Haroshi and Zefrek with Ibiki and Inoichi Yamanaka overseeing the whole process.

    "It''s still surprising that those kids were able to subdue these three without getting seriously injured. It seems the new crop of graduates might be better than I thought." Ibiki said as he looked at the three ninjas who were having their minds read.

    Inoichi had a small smile as he recalled the scene of hugging his daughter at the Hokage tower. "Yes. You know, I was worried for a while about my daughter''s graduation and Genin days but now Those fears are somewhat gone."

    Then Inoichi''s smile slowly left his face. "I still can''t believe Mizuki would have the guts to do this. He was a teacher at the academy. We should have caught him sooner."

    "There was already suspicion about his involvement in a death during a mission he participated in, a few years ago. We had no concrete evidence but Lord Hokage felt that limiting his movements was the best option at the time." Ibiki replied in his gruff voice.

    "There are rumors among the Jonins that he''s connected to Orochimaru."

    Ibiki had a grim expression as he nodded. "You''ll need to find that out and anything else he knows. Due to his poor condition I can''t employ my best tactics so Lord Hokage has asked you for this. We need to know if Mizuki''s attack and everything else that happened tonight was just a distraction or not. If he''s nning an attack on the vige, things could spiral out of control quickly."

    "Lord Hokage has already put the vige on Level 1 emergency alert and increased the patrol units and Anbu teams stationed around the vige. Mizuki is being prepped for interrogation as we speak. I''ll head over and begin once I have a report from the team here."

    At that moment the Yamanaka member going through Zefrek''s memories ended his jutsu and went to Inoichi and Ibiki.

    "Report." Ibiki ordered and the shinobi told them what he had found out. After sharing what he knew the ninja went back to work.

    "So he''s been preparing for monthsI have something special in mind for Zefrek for all the mess he made." Ibiki said with a chilling grin.

    Just then a Chunin came into the room and bowed. "Captain Ibiki, Master Inoichi. Lord Hokage has ordered all team captains of Chunin rank and above to convene in the tower as quickly as possible. He also specifically asked for two of you."

    "We understand." Ibiki nodded and nced at his friend.

    The chunin left and Inoichi sighed. "This hasn''t happened in a while. But then again with everything that happened today, it''s not surprising. It seems the Anbu squads will be keeping an eye on things till this meeting is over."

    The two interrogation specialists headed to the Hokage tower and soon saw numerous ninjas gathering.

    -

    With Kakashi and his group.

    "We managed to capture most of them. The remaining few are hiding in the forest. The tracking teams will find them soon." The copy cat ninja said as he handed over an unconscious prisoner to the patrol squad.

    "Man, I was looking forward to a rxing day before the team assignments started but I guess it can''t be helped." Asuma said as he secured his knuckle dusters into his pouch.

    The Jonins suddenly heard the sound of a hawk flying above their heads and quickly began making their way back to the vige.

    "You know, I''m actually looking forward to teaching. They have potential." Kurenai gave her thoughts as she jumped through the trees.

    "Well, they are n heirs and they''ve had better training. I guess a certain level of skill is expected But still They sure did surprise me." Asuma said with a chuckle. He was looking forward to taking the Ino-Shika-Cho team under his wing.

    The former guardian twelve ninja then turned to the silver haired Jonin who was engrossed in his orange book. "Hey Kakashi. I overheard the kids talking earlier. They said Sasuke''s Sharingan awakened. You think dad''s gonna switch you to his team?"

    "Hmm I''m not sure what Lord Hokage''s decision is going to be Guess I''ll find out in a day or two." The silver haired ninja replied with a nonchnt shrug.

    "But do you think that''s fair to Daichi? Switching you with someone else right now Would that affect his performance in the field?"

    "Kurenai makes a valid point Kakashi. You''ve known him for a year now. What do you think?"

    At Asuma and Kurenai''s questions Kakashi became silent and thought about his student. He had a small smile as he knew Daichi could handle it. "He''ll be fine. He''s a mature kid and knows that it''s the logical thing to do. Even if it''s another Jonin leading him, it won''t affect his performance in the field."

    The Jonin''s quickly reached the Hokage tower and made their way to the meeting room. As Kakashi entered the small hall, he saw the Hokage at the front with the two elder councilors behind him. He also noted the presence of Ibiki, Inoichi and other major figures including the Anbu captain.

    ''There are a lot of people here but they must be squad captains. To call for this meeting so quickly... It looks like Lord Hokage wants to make sure no one spreads the wrong narrative and no me falls upon Naruto.''

    Asuma, Kurenai and other Jonins looked around and noted the presence of several important individuals. ''This meeting will either be short or really long'' Asuma inwardly sighed as he stood and looked at his father.

    Hiruzen looked at the people present and decided to get started. "Thank you all foring on such short notice. I''ll be quick. I''ve called you all here to update you on the current events that took ce in the vige. The Chunin Mizuki was the one responsible for all the chaos tonight."

    All the ninjas paid close attention to the kage''s words. Most of them only knew bits and pieces of information so far.

    Hiruzen turned towards Inoichi''s direction. "Tell us what you''ve found out from the prisoners."

    The head of the Yamanaka n stepped forward and revealed his findings. "From reading Zefrek''s mind and going through his memories it looks like Mizuki approached him months ago. He wanted Zefrek''s help to take control of the prison on this day and cause chaos in the vige while leaving with the Forbidden scroll. Their n was to go to Orochimaru and hide under his protection. This was all Mizuki''s n. He deceived a prison guard to get ess to the prisoner and Zefrek killed that guard. Zefrek also found a couple of people and formed a team. The explosions that urred around the vige were the doing of another group of prisoners. Mizuki supplied them with ninja gear shortly after the Genin exams were over and Zefrek had four prisoners set off the explosives to divert our attention."

    Hiruzen nodded and turned to Raido. "Share with us what you have found."

    The Elite bodyguard nodded and began speaking. "Kirai was the prison guard who waspromised. I''ve searched his house. He had a vendetta against Naruto and agreed to help Mizuki. They began nning this sincest October. Kirai was the one who requested minimal guards at the prison today. Mizuki would have Naruto steal the scroll and have hime to the Eastern Canyon where the escaped Zefrek would kill him and Kirai would capture Zefrek. But obviously things didn''t go that way. Kirai noted down the details in a scroll as a contingency in case anything went wrong and we''d know what happened. As far as he knows there aren''t any other guards involved. I don''t think he knew about Mizuki''s connection to Orochimaru."

    Hiruzen nodded and Raido stepped back. He then addressed everyone. "Mizuki and his three aplices were defeated by Iruka and the new Genins along with Daichi. The forbidden scroll is secured. He''s currently in interrogation."

    Homura, who was standing to Hiruzen''s right, looked at the Captain of the patrol squad. "Have all the prisoners been recaptured?"

    "Almost. We were able to catch most of them. But there are still a few in hiding. But the tracking squads are on them. It''s only a matter of hours before we have everyone under custody." The squad captain replied.

    "What about the civilians?" Koharu asked.

    "They''re safe. Since the damage the explosions caused are minimal we''re also in the process of rebuilding the destroyed structures. It''ll bepleted before morning."

    Hiruzen nodded and then gazed at the head of the Leaf vige barrier division. "Has anyone entered or exited the barrier?"

    "Aside from the few prisoners that escaped, no one has left. And no one suspicious has entered. We''re keeping a close eye on it."

    The man replied and Hiruzen turned his attention to the rest of the ninjas. "Good. I''ll be keeping the vige on high alert. As you may have heard, Mizuki has ties to Orochimaru. We don''t know if he''s directly involved in this or if he ns to do anything in this chaos. So be on high alert. I''ll lift the emergency protocols in the morning if nothing happens. Until then be prepared for anything. Dismissed."

    As everyone left, Hiruzen went back to his office. As he opened the door he saw Danzo standing near the window. The old kage had a frown as he looked at the man. Danzo was gazing at the vige through the ss window and he had a stoic gaze.

    "Danzo. This is a surprise. I didn''t think you''d be here." Hiruzen spoke with a slight edge as he gazed at the man.

    "Circumstances have changed" The old warhawk said nothing more as his eyes roamed the vige. He saw many teams moving about and slowly turned to face his old teammate. "If Mizuki had escaped with that scroll, it would have had terrible consequences for the vige. I''m d he was stopped in time."

    "Why are you here?" Hiruzen asked calmly.

    "Despite what you may believe, I have the vige''s interests at heart."

    The old kage visibly sighed and shook his head. "I don''t have time to hear this. I have a lot to deal with." He went to his seat and started going through the documents.

    "I''m aware" Danzo said with a slightly narrowed eye. "I know you have my men in custody. I would like you to release them."

    The old kage raised an eyebrow as he looked at the one-eyed man standing in front of him. "I have no idea what you''re talking about? And since when do you have any ninjas under you? I thought I ordered Root to be disbanded that night all those years ago."

    Danzo looked into Hiruzen''s eyes and realized that the man was angry beneath his calm facade. "Let''s not waste anymore of each other''s time. You know that Root is still active. You''d have to bepletely ipetent if you didn''t. There is a reason I sent those two to sabotage that mission."

    Even without the specifics, Hiruzen knew what he was talking about. "Are you here trying to justify your actions? Justify why you refused a direct order from me?"

    "Yes."

    Hiruzen was slightly taken back by the calm yet firm reply. His gazed steeled as he stared at the man. "You have some nerve... Give me one good reason why I shouldn''t have you in chains and in interrogation alongside that traitor Mizuki right now?"

    "I''ll give you two. Right now you have more important things to focus on than me and the Root. Orochimaru is a dangerous man. You''ll need to keep your attention on him."

    Hiruzen clenched his jaw as he heard the man. Danzo then slowly took out a scroll from his sleeve and ced it atop the desk. "That''s the second reason. Read it when you have the time. You''ll understand why I do what I do I won''t take up any more of your time Lord Hokage."

    Hiruzen''s eyes were on the in scroll that was in front of him even as Danzo left the office. He reached out and slowly opened it and began going through. His eyes widened and he gritted his teeth as he looked at the information in the scroll but soon he calmed down and he had a stoic gaze.

    ''He always has an excuse... I''ll need to find out and see the authenticity of this information before I make a decision. But that can wait.''

    -----------------

    Author''s Note:

    I wanted to add Tsunade''s battle too but the whole thing was nearing 8k+ words so I decided to split it.

    This is a 4k+ chap.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen(No space)

 Chapter 279: Clash of Legends: Orochimaru vs Tsunade

    Chapter 279: sh of Legends: Orochimaru vs Tsunade

    <strong>Fire country border.</strong>

    Tsunade and Shizune were fully alert of the enemies present in their vicinity. The blonde Sannin red at her former teammate and the now rogue ninja.

    Orochimaru smiled as he looked at the fury on his teammates face. "Ah, Tsunade. It''s been soo long. When I heard that you were somewhere nearby, I just couldn''t resist the opportunity to reunite with my dear friend."

    Tsunade smirked, hearing that. "You must have gotten hit on the head or something." Her mocking expression turned to one of seriousness again. "We are not friends. We haven''t been for a long time. Don''t think for a second that I''ve forgotten the atrocities you''vemitted, Orochimaru."

    The snake Sannin''s lips curled into a wicked grin as he extended his palm, fingers arching like serpents ready to strike. "Hahaha. I''ve missed your vibrant spirit." He hissed, a hint of mockery present in his voice.

    Despite being outnumbered, Tsunade''s gaze was resolute. d in her distinctive haori, her green ne shimmering in the moonlight, she fixed her deep brown eyes on Orochimaru with a mixture of anger and determination. "You won''t find me as easy a prey as those you''ve taken before."

    The grin on Orochimaru''s face dimmed as he looked at his opponent. "Oh I''m counting on it." The atmosphere crackled with chakra as the two Sannin red at each other, their enmity radiating like a storm gathering strength.

    Shizune took a couple steps back from her teacher. ''This is bad. Orochimaru looks serious. But why now? What does he want with Lady Tsunade?''

    The Sound Five were vignt as they looked at the two powerful ninjas. Unlike the other times when they faced enemies, they didn''t dare insult or belittle Tsunade. Just from the chakra and presence being emitted from Tsunade was enough to put them on edge.

    Shizune''s eyes then went to the others present. ''Orochimaru wouldn''t bring people who aren''t capable. So that means I can''t take any of them lightly.''

    Tonton whined in fear in between Shizune''s arms. "It''s going to be okay, Tonton." Sheforted the small pig in a low tone but the younger medic was nervous as she had no idea how the situation was going to develop.

    It was Orochimaru who made the first move. In the fraction of a second he moved and was in front of Tsunade with his right arm extended.

    ''Hidden Shadow Snake Hand''

    Multiple snakes flew out from the sleeve of his right arm headed for Tsunade''s body. Their jaws widened and each of them had a sword protruding from their mouths. The snakes struck Tsunade''s body and dug into several ces but the next moment they were covered in smoke.

    Orochimaru let go of the jutsu and turned his head to the tree nearby. He chuckled as he saw his former teammate standing with crossed arms atop a branch, unharmed. "wless Substitution jutsu. Good. You haven''t lost your touch. I''d be disappointed otherwise."

    "I''m not here to impress you, Orochimaru." Tsunade jumped down and Shizune quickly rushed to her side and stood by.

    Aside from Kimimaro, none of the other sound ninjas could track Tsunade. Kidomaru and Jirobo had slight sweat as they looked at the Slug Sannin. ''I couldn''t even follow that speed. I thought for sure Orochimaru would have gotten her No. I shouldn''t have made that assumption. She is in the same league as him. Subduing her won''t be easy.''

    Kimimaro gazed at Tsunade and kept his calm expression. ''Based on Lord Orochimaru''s intel, her fighting strength should be slightly diminished during thesest several years. But still, it''s best not to waste time. With that n in ce it shouldn''t be long before we''re able to knock her out.''

    The ninja from the Kaguya n narrowed his eyes as he looked at the blonde medic. He noted that Shizune had also made her way to her master''s side.

    Orochimaru pressed his belly and opened his mouth wide looking up. A secondter the handle of his Kusanagi appeared and the snake Sannin quickly grabbed and pulled it out of his body. "Kimimaro. It''s time. Let''s finish this quickly."

    Tsunade tensed up as she saw the long sword. ''I need to be careful with my attacks.''

    The leader of the sound five quickly removed the upper garments and was ready for battle. "Kidomaru, Jirobo. You know what to do. The rest of you, stick to the strategy put in ce."

    The moment the order was given, various markings began to appear on their bodies and began to spread.

    "What is that?" Shizune couldn''t help but ask as she saw what was happening.

    "It''s a curse seal Orochimaru developed. It increases the strength of whoever wields it. So be careful." Tsunade ordered and her apprentice nodded. Tonton jumped from Shizune''s grasp and went to hide under a tree nearby away from the action.

    "Attack!" Orochimaru rushed towards Tsunade and alongside him were Kimimaro, Sakon and Ukon. Tayuya was acting as back up and her role was to distract the blonde medic.

    Kidomaru and Jirobo went straight to Shizune.

    The battle between two of the Sannin''s has begun.

    -

    <strong>Near the Leaf Vige.</strong>

    Somewhere in the mountain range near the Leaf vige, a lone shinobi was going through several seals. The winds blew and his silver hair and red eyes could be seen under his ck cloak.

    Tobirama made the final seal and the ground beneath him began to move. ''Finding this location was more difficult than I thought. I wanted to make sure Madara''s grave was forgotten so there were no markings when I created it. But then again I suppose that was the point. It''s been so many years. Thendscape and vegetation have changed.''

    A passageway opened up that led to an underground tomb and the reanimated Second Hokage slowly began to make his way down. ''It''s taken all day to break through the seal without alerting anyone. But still, that''s a good sign. That means the seal was intact and no one had found and opened the tomb.''

    Soon Tobirama reached the room where arge square coffin was resting in the middle. ''This is it.'' The torches hanging on the walls automatically lit as Tobirama entered the tomb.

    The kage slowly made his way and stood near the concrete box. He let out a deep breath of air and then pushed the lid to the side. Tobirama looked inside and stood still as he saw nothing.

    There were no bones, no clothes or anything. The coffin was empty. The Second Hokage''s fists clenched until his knuckles dug into his palms. ''His body is gone. Either someone found it and took it or He is alive.''

    Tobirama quickly began to examine every inch of the ce he built. He soon found some anomalies in a certain portion of the tomb. He examined the stones and his eyes narrowed upon closer inspection. ''This portion, it was broken from the inside and then put back together from the outside. That''s why the protection seals didn''t trigger. The attack came from within That means Madara He came back to life somehow And he escaped.''

    "Damn it!" The Second Hokage couldn''t help but punch the wall in frustration. ''I should have destroyed his body. But if only''

    He remembered his argument with his older brother shortly after the battle at the Final Valley.

    <strong>shback.</strong>

    "I want to take Madara''s body and perform an autopsy." Tobirama spoke as he looked at the dead Uchiha''s corpse.

    "No." The simple yet stern answer from Hashirama made Tobirama frown. He tried to reason with the man.

    "Brother, just imagine what we can learn from his corpse. The secrets of the Sharingan, how they work, how to counteract the Mangekyo abilities We can create countermeasures by studying Madara''s body. In the event the Uchiha n ever bes a threat, this knowledge will definitely be of use to the vige."

    Despite the points being made, Hashirama shook his head. "I forbid it, Tobirama. You will do no such thing."

    "Why?" The younger Senju brother crossed his arms and gazed at the older one who was sitting besides Madara''s body.

    The first Hokage was silent for several moments before he spoke. "We just formed an alliance with the Uchiha and created the vige. They know that Madara was a threat and they won''t hold it against me right now for killing him. But that won''t be the case if we desecrate his body. Even if the Uchiha n didn''t follow Madara, they respected his power. He was once their leader after all. If we take his body and start experimenting on it, they will see it as a disrespect against their whole n and will resent us. It won''t help the vige."

    "But brother-"

    "Tobirama. I respect your dedication to the vige. And I recognize the value of knowledge. But there must be a bnce between seeking knowledge and preserving our values. We will continue to study the Sharingan but I will not condone desecrating Madara''s body."

    The younger Senju looked at his brother and his eyes slightly softened. "That''s not the whole reason is it?"

    Hashirama gazed at Madara''s face and recalled the memories of his childhood. "He wanted nothing more than to protect his brother and safeguard the n. The truth is Without him, I doubt I could have changed this era He may have walked a different path at the end, but he was my friend and he should be buried with dignity. It''s the least he deserves."

    Tobirama looked at the steely gaze of his brother and relented. "Fine. I''ll do as you say brother. You have my word."

    Hashirama nodded and the younger brother sealed Madara''s body into a sealing scroll and soon left the destroyed battlefield.

    <strong>shback End.</strong>

    Tobirama took a deep breath of air and began to think things through. ''Madara was definitely dead. The seals I ced haven''t been activated. So that means whatever happened, happened inside this coffin. Madara must havee back to life somehow. But what sort of jutsu does that?... It must have been some kind of a dyed technique I need to look into this Still, it''s clear now, the Nine Tails attack is connected to Madara.''

    Tobirama began making his way back to the outside but his mind was distracted. ''Is Madara still alive? Did he make contact with the n somehow? I need to know more about the Nine tails attack and the Uchiha n If he''s alive, I need to be even more careful.''

    Tobirama returned to the surface and began to close the passageway. He sealed everything back to the way it was and made sure to make it seem like the area was undisturbed. Soon with his work done, the Second Hokage of the vige left the spot and headed back to the vige.

    -

    <strong>Leaf Vige.</strong>

    Sasuke finished his report of the Forbidden scroll incident and stretched his arms.

    Daichi took the papers and went through everything quickly and nodded in satisfaction. "Good. I''ll make sure to submit this at the tower. Get some sleep. You''ve had a long day."

    Just as the Genin was about to leave, Sasuke called out. "Hey."

    Daichi stopped and turned around to look at the Uchiha.

    "Thank you for saving my life." Sasuke spoke after shoving his pride down.

    "You''re wee."

    Daichi was about to leave but the Uchiha''s next words stopped him.

    "Can we spar? Now that I''ve awakened my Sharingan, it''s not going to be so easy to defeat me."

    Daichi''s lips slightly curled up as he looked at the boy. "Just because you''ve awakened your eyes doesn''t mean you''re suddenly all powerful. The Sharingan may seem strong right now but there is a w You should figure out the strength and weakness of your abilities before challenging a stronger opponent."

    Sasuke stood silently and watched Daichi disappear into a whirl of leaves. ''Weakness of my Jutsu huh? That''s not bad advice. Looks like I''ll have to review the old scrolls if I want to know more about my eyes.''

    As the young Uchiha made his way to the library in his family a thought suddenly stopped him. ''How does Daichi know about such information on the Sharingan?''

    -

    <strong>With Orochimaru & Tsunade.</strong>

    Thendscape around the two Sannin had changed considerably. There were multiple craters and destroyed trees scattered about.

    Tsunade dodged a bone spear to her right shoulder and quickly grabbed it, holding it in ce. She swiftly brought her other palm in a chopping motion and broke the spear in two and jumped back dodging Sakon''s kick.

    Tsunade''s opponents were in their Level 2 curse seal state.

    "I must say, I''m impressed, Tsunade. You haven''t even used your seal and you''re still keeping up with us. And here I thought you''d be rusty." Orochimaru chuckled as he looked at the woman. Even as he kept a smiling face, inside he was analyzing her strength. ''She seems to be on the verge of oveing her hemophobia. I thought her skills would have dulled after all these years of inactivity but it seems I''m wrong. Could it be that after taking Daichi under her, she has resumed her training?''

    Just as Orochimaru was keeping an eye on Tsunade she was making notes of her enemies. ''They work perfectly as a team. One of them has the Kaguya bloodline and the other has impressive reflexes almost simr to Jonin. And whenever I''m about tond a killing blow, that bastard steps in and protects them. And on top of that, I have to deal with the sound Genjutsu attacks from that red head. This is all so annoying.''

    The blonde Sannin''s eyes briefly went to her student and saw that Shizune was suddenly trapped in an earth dome. ''She can handle herself.''

    "You don''t have time to be worried about her, Tsunade." Orochimaru appeared and swung his sword. Tsunade knew the cutting power of the Kusanagi de and so she spread her chakra to the bone spear she was holding and deflected the sword swing.

    Orochimaru''s subordinates also joined in the battle and were slowly wearing the Sannin down.

    Nearby, Shizune was sprawled on the ground with spider webs coating her torso and legs, trapping her. An earth dome surrounded her and she could feel her chakra being drained. Tonton was inside the dome and tried to go near Shizune but she stopped it.

    ''I can''t believe they caught me like that. I need to get out of here quickly before I lose all my chakra.''

    Shizune calmly recalled everything she learned during her battle with Kidomaru and Jirobo. ''His spider silks are strong and trying to cut it with Kunai won''t help. When I analyzed the silk thread they have chakra running through them Wait If they have chakra running through them''

    Shizune quickly brought her hands and made several seals. A momentter green chakra began to glow around her palms. The chakra was moving in the shape of a de. The Jonin medic closed her eyes and concentrated.

    Outside Jirobo smirked and looked at his teammate. "She''s done for. It won''t be long before she loses her consciousness."

    Kidomaru nodded his head. "Yes. But remember what Lord Orochimaru said. We need her alive and rtively unharmed. So don''t go identally killing her, alright"

    Jirobo nodded. "Yeah. I know. I''m keeping an eye on her."

    Suddenly Kidomaru coughed up some blood.

    "It seems her poison jutsus weren''tpletely useless." Jirobomented looking at the blooding from Kidomaru''s mouth. He himself had a bloody nose. It was difficult for him to breathe due to Shizune''s poison attacks.

    Kidomaru frowned and reverted back to his Level 1 seal state. He took several deep breaths of air and grinded his teeth in anger. ''She almost had us. If it wasn''t for Lord Orochimaru''s poison resistance training, we''d be dead right now.''

    Inside the earth dome Shizune focused on her chakra scalpel and made it as sharp as possible. Once she was ready she carefully began cutting through the silk thread that had her trapped. ''I knew it. This is the best way to fight his techniques.''

    In a few seconds she was free and stood from her spot.

    "Oink." Tonton immediately ran into her arms and squeaked. "Oink. Oink."

    "I know Tonton. We need help." Shizune thought about the battle till now and frowned. ''They aren''t aiming for any killing blows or going for the vitals. They''re trying to subdue me. And they''re doing the same to Lady Tsunade. They''re here to capture us. Not kill us. But for what?''

    Shizune tried to think of an answer but nothing came to mind. ''It doesn''t matter. I need a n now. What do I do?''

    As she thought that, she immediately looked to Tonton and an idea came to mind. Shizune took a paper and bit her index finger. She immediately began writing something on it and soon closed the paper and secured it into Tonton''s vest.

    She spoke in a very low tone to the pet pig. "I need you to listen carefully. Take this letter back to the Leaf vige. Find either Daichi or the Hokage. It''s important. I''m going to get us out of this dome, but you need to run and escape as fast as you can. Understand?"

    "Oink oink oink" Tonton knew what Shizune was asking but was hesitant to leave its master''s side.

    "No. You can''t stay. And I don''t think we can escape from them. You''re our only hope. Get us help from the vige. Can you do that, Tonton."

    The pig finally nodded its head.

    Shizune smiled and began to think of a way to get out of the earth prison that was sucking her chakra. She threw several kunai in multiple directions and saw that the damage the kunai made was immediately being restored. ''Damn it. The walls are being rebuilt almost immediately.''

    As she looked around she suddenly noticed something. The damage done in one spot was healed almost immediately but the damage done in the opposite side was taking much longer.

    The medic ninja immediately threw her remaining two kunai to the two sides opposite each other. Two small cracks formed on the wall and she noted one of them regenerating much faster than the other. Shizune was a smart ninja and immediately figured out the weakness of Jirobo''s jutsu.

    ''This is it. He must be concentrating chakra only on one side of the dome. I need to attack the weak point.''

    The medic ninja immediately took two paper bombs and struck them to the side that was repairing slowest. She set the timer and immediately jumped back to the other side while making seals.

    ''Earth Style - Defense wall.''

    Tonton and Shizune took cover under a stone wall that rose up. Secondster an explosion rang out destroying the weak part of Jirobo''s earth dome. Shizune used chakra to protect herself and Tonton against the st.

    "What the hell?"

    "What just happened, Jirobo?"

    Under the cover of the smoke and the confusion of the two sound ninjas, Shizune made her move. Several figures rushed out of the smoke and stood in front of the two bodyguards of Orochimaru.

    Kidomaru looked at the 7 copies of Shizune and gritted his teeth. ''Shadow clones. I just need to find the right one. She won''t escape without her master so I''m sure the real one is among them.''

    What Kidomaru and Jirobo failed to notice was that there was one more Shizune who was holding Tonton quickly moving away from the battlefield. It was a shadow clone and its job was to quickly get Tonton as far away from the battle and as close to the vige as possible.

    "Tonton. Remember. I might disappear at any moment but you have to keep going. Reach the vige and get help no matter what."

    "Oink."

    Back at the battlefield the real Shizune and one clone rushed at Jirobo while the others headed for Kidomaru.

    ''My poison hadn''t killed him. But it should have at least slowed them down.''

    The medic ninja rushed at Jirobo and just as he swung his fist the two medics nimbly dodged. The shadow clone Shizune had thin near invisible wires around her hands and immediately tied it around Jirobo''s hands and feet.

    ''Now''s my chance.''

    Seeing the opportunity the real Shizune rushed towards Jirobo''s heart with chakra scalpels in her hands. ''Heart, Liver and lunges. I just need one shot to end him.''

    Jirobo couldn''t defend himself and just as Shizune''s palm neared him, several golden kunai wereunched from the trees aimed at Shizune. She had to change her path and cut the muscles of Jirobo''s right arm and escape the deadly weapons rain. A few kunai struck Jirobo due to hisrge size. He immediately waved his hand and destroyed the shadow clone holding him down.

    "Argh. Damn it that hurt. Couldn''t you have aimed better." Jirobo asked his teammate.

    "Better a few flesh wounds than your life." Kidomaru retorted as he looked at Shizune. "Lord Orochimaru gave us a detailed review of your skills and techniques. You were going with a chakra scalpel to the heart with that move weren''t you."

    Shizune frowned as he she looked at the two. She held a kunai and got ready.

    Meanwhile Tsunade was in a Taijutsu battle against 3 opponents while also defending against Genjutsu attacks. Kimimaro and Sakon/Ukon were in their Level 2 curse seal state.

    ''I just need one opportunity for Ukon to enter her body. Then it''ll be over. She hasn''t released her Hundred seal or summoned Katsuya but that''s because I haven''t gotten serious yet. The moment I escte this battle she will also take things further. I need to finish this before then.'' Orochimaru knew she wouldn''t resort to extreme measures unless needed but that she also wouldn''t hesitate to use her trump cards if she felt her life was in danger.

    Thest survivor of the Kaguya n looked at his enemy without any emotion. ''She definitely deserves to be called a Sannin. Even with fighting against us in Level 2 state she is holding her own. More than that, if it wasn''t for my defensive skills, Sakon and Ukons healing ability and Orochimaru distracting her, we''d be dead by now This can''t go on much longer. If any patrol ninjase upon us, it''ll be even more of a headache. I need to create an opening for them.''

    Just then Kimimaro saw a punch headed for Sakon''s chest and blocked it with his own body, blowing the Kaguya several meters back. Orochimaru rushed and attacked with his sword forcing Tsunade to defend with her bone spear while Sakon kicked from behind with two legs. Tsunade then blocked the kick with her leg and was forced to block a punching at her face with her free hand.

    But this was the opportunity they were waiting for. Ukon swiftly exited Sakon''s body and entered Tsunade''s. With her sight blocked by the fist, Tsunade quickly couldn''t defend against the surprise invasion into her body.

    "What the hell? How are you" Tsunade was unaware of their ability to enter others bodies so she was taken by surprise.

    Orochimaru grinned as he saw the scene. "Yes. Perfect." He jumped back and quickly made a seal.

    "Paralysis jutsu - Absolute confinement."

    Seals immediately began spreading from Ukon''s body and covered Tsunade as well.

    The blonde Sannin couldn''t even open her mouth and could only re at the man. Orochimaru quickly took a gas mask from his sleeve and ced it on Tsunade''s face. Once secured a green gas began emitting from it.

    "Take a deep breath my dear Tsunade. I made this just for you."

    The medic held her breath in defiance and Orochimaru only grinned. He turned to Kimimaro who was making his way back to their location and just nodded to him.

    He disappeared and several momentster Tsunade saw him return with an unconscious Shizune on his shoulder. Kimimaro dropped the sleeping medic on the ground and had a bone spear at her throat.

    Orochimaruughed and turned his gaze back to his former friend. "Kukuku... She''s so devoted to you. All these years, staying by your side Now you wouldn''t want anything to happen to dear Shizune would you?"

    Tsunade''s eyes went to her precious apprentice on the ground and she relented. The next moment she took a breath of the gas and suddenly began to feel dizzy.

    Orochimaru released the paralysis jutsu and Ukon immediately exited his target''s body as he too began to feel the effects. But Sakon gave him the antidote to the gas and Ukon entered his brother''s body to rest.

    Tsunade wanted to struggle but with the threat against Shizune there was nothing she could do. ''They want me and Shizune alive for some reason. Right now, I need to buy some time.''

    Those were thest thoughts before the female Sannin went unconscious and drifted off into sleep.

    ------------------------

    Author''s note:

    The next arc has begun. ''Tsunade abduction arc.''

    I originally wrote Dan Kato into this fight. Orochimaru and his team would fight Tsunade and in the heat of the battle he would use the reanimation jutsu to bring back Dan Kato and then Orochimaru would plunge his de into dan. Tayuya would use Genjutsu and make it look like dan had his real body instead of a reanimated one. Blood spilling everywhere and making Tsunade relive that moment and take her down when she''s distracted..

    That was what I wrote but then I rewrote the whole thing and we have today''s chapter

    Tell me your thoughts about that.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen(No space)

 Chapter 280: The Abducted Sannin

    Chapter 280: The Abducted Sannin

    Orochimaru gazed at his former teammate unconscious on the ground and his face was devoid of expression. ''So after all these years, it hase to this. Sorry Tsunade. But to further my goals, your sacrifice is needed.''

    He then turned his attention to his guards. He looked at Kimimaro, Jirobo and Kidomaru and spoke. He saw the blood flowing from the corner of Kimimaro''s mouth and frowned. ''Even after all the preparations, Tsunade was still able to inflict significant internal damage to Kimimaro.''

    "You three. Head back to the base and secure it. This is a delicate time. I don''t want any unexpected incidents." The Snake sannin gave the order.

    Kimimaro stepped forward and bowed. "Yes my Lord. We''ll make sure nothing happens till you return."

    "Make sure to heal your injuries. Shizune''s poison jutsu isn''t something you can simply shrug off."

    "Understood my Lord."

    The Snake Sannin then turned to the remaining members of the Sound Five. "Sakon, Tayuya. We need to move quickly. You know what to do."

    The two guards nodded and went to the two sleeping bodies on the ground. Tayuya picked up Shizune while Sakon carried Tsunade. Orochimaru looked around and noticed that their pet was missing.

    He inwardly smiled as he couldn''t sense Tonton anywhere nearby. ''It must be on its way to the vige. This battle was bound to draw attention. Even if they sent their entire force to search, they wouldn''t find me.''

    "Let''s go." On Orochimaru''s orders the group split up and went in two directions. Sakon and Tayuya followed Orochimaru, carrying their captives while Kimimaro and his team went to the main base in the Land of Sound.

    Shortly after all parties left the area, a strange figure appeared out of the tree several meters away. A figure with the body of a nt and wearing the Akatsuki robes. Zetsu looked at the scene and was confused.

    "Well, that was unexpected. You think she did something to make Orochimaru mad?" The white half asked his partner.

    "No. Tsunade had been wasting her time getting drunk and gambling thisst year. I doubt she had crossed paths with Orochimaru at the time. That snake must have something nned." ck Zetsu replied.

    "I see. You''re probably right. Still, I didn''t think she''d put up such a fight. Even outnumbered she was holding her own."

    Unlike his other half ck Zetsu knew that they weren''t battling with anywhere near their full power. "No. It only looked like that because Orochimaru and the others didn''t go for any killing blows. For some reason they want her and her student alive."

    "What do you think Orochimaru''s n is?"

    At the white half''s question, ck Zetsu became silent for a few moments. "I have a few ideas but I can''t make any solid conclusions. Let''s see if we can follow them."

    The two disappeared into the ground and tried to pursue their target. As they neared Orochimaru the Snake Sannin suddenly stopped while his subordinates kept going.

    "Kuku Is that you Zetsu." Orochimaru spoke as he kept looking forward.

    Zetsu, who was hidden in the ground several meters away, was annoyed. ''He knows.''

    "If you''re going to keep following me I''ll see for myself just how durable you really are. Or we can part ways and you can go spy on someone else." With those words Orochimaru vanished from Zetsu''s sight.

    The Akatsuki spy was hiding underground and decided not to pursue the Snake Sannin. "His sensing skills are sharper than I thought." The white half remarked.

    "He must have some method to detect us. Still it''s expected that he''s a lot more vignt than usual. He just attacked and kidnapped Tsunade Senju. This incident will definitely cause an uproar once it gets out." The ck half spoke.

    "So what do we do now? Should we tell him?"

    "Yes. This is a big incident. Let''s go find Madara." With the final say from ck Zetsu, the spy began to move in a different direction. Towards the Mountain Graveyard where Obito was.

    Leaf Vige.

    It was shortly an hour past midnight. Hiruzen was still in his office going through several documents. As he was working, two Anbu suddenly appeared in front of him. "You summoned us, Lord Hokage?"

    Hiruzen looked up from his document and saw the Anbus Bear and Snow standing in attention in front of him. He had tasked Bear with infiltrating the Root forces and Snow with investigating his own ninjas. An assignment that was given years ago.

    "Yes. First, Bear, I have a task for you." Hiruzen gave Bear the scroll Danzo had given him earlier and spoke. "I''m sure you made a copy of every mission report of thest decade from the Root Archive when you first infiltrated the organization. I need a copy of the reports of the missions mentioned in that scroll."

    "What is this about sir?" Bear asked the old leader.

    "Danzo came to see me a few hours ago. He gave me this scroll and it was his justification for disobeying my orders and continuing with his operations. The missions on that scroll goes all the way back to the time of the Uchiha massacre. Based on the mission''s details, it suggests that if it wasn''t for Root the vige would have been embroiled in several major fights with other nations. The actions the Root took, mainly assassination and subterfuge missions on certain targets around the world, reduced the tensions between the great nations and smaller viges."

    "So essentially Danzo is saying he''s the reason we have peace right now." Snow couldn''t help but remark.

    Hiruzen nodded. "Yes. Some of the incidents took ce near our border and I''ve had some Jonins investigate it at the time. On the surface of most of these events there wasn''t much. It looked like a straightforward assassination by people who had a grudge against them. But now with this The scroll gives a detailed ount of what the targets were up to and what their intentions were If it''s true then Danzo''s actions could be somewhat justified but"

    Bear suddenly understood why the Hokage wanted the report copies he made. "You want to make sure the information on that scroll is urate."

    Hiruzen nodded in agreement. "Yes. I need to know the authenticity of this information. They have figured out that they have a spy in their midst. So the reports in their archive might have been edited now to match what Danzo gave me. But that won''t be the case for the copies you made. I need those documents by tomorrow morning."

    "Yes sir."

    The Hokage then turned his attention to Snow. "Have youpleted the investigation?"

    "Yes sir. It''ll take me a few hours topile the report though."

    The old kage nodded. "That''s fine. Make sure to get it to me by morning So how is it? Is it as bad as we feared?"

    Snow was silent for a few seconds before he replied. "No sir. Danzo was paranoid and limited the number of agents he had within the ranks so they wouldn''t be found out. But some of them are in key positions in certain squads."

    Hiruzen sighed and leaned back in his chair. "Get me that list by early morning."

    "Understood sir."

    Just then Bear spoke. "Lord Hokage. Can I ask you something?"

    "What is it, Bear?"

    "If the information on my reports corresponds to the reports in Danzo''s scroll, are you going to show him leniency?" He asked the question that''s been on his mind.

    Hiruzen was silent as he thought about the question. "No. I gave him an order and he disobeyed. It doesn''t matter what Danzo says. I''m not going to let Root operate for much longer. Under Danzo, the Foundation is an uncontroble, unpredictable element."

    ''I need to talk to sensei when he returns and update him on everything that happened. If Danzo has proved himself loyal then No. He''s crossed far too many lines for me to back down now. Still, I need to talk to him alongside sensei. After that I will decide whether I have to kill him or not.''

    Mountain Graveyard.

    It wasn''t long before Zetsu reached the hidden location. He saw a masked ninja meditating on the center of theyer and got closer.

    "~Big News. We have big news Madaraa~" White Zetsu spoke in a sing-song voice.

    "Would you be serious!? This is important." The ck half reprimanded his counterpart.

    Obito sensed their presence the moment they arrived near the base. He turned in their direction and spoke. "What is it, Zetsu?"

    "It''s Orochimaru. He attacked Tsunade and captured her along with Shizune."

    Obito was curious and was slightly concerned with this new development. "Orochimaru attacked and captured Tsunade? This is certainly unexpected. What could he be after?" The man rubbed his chin and muttered to himself. He then looked to his subordinate.

    "Zetsu, did you manage to track his location after he captured them?"

    "I''m sorry, Madara. But he managed to notice me. He made a threat that I have no doubt he would have followed through if I kept going after him. I lost track of him after, so I came to inform you." ck half replied with a calm voice.

    "It''s not surprising that he picked up on you. He''s been studying all the Akatsuki members since he joined. He''s developed measures to evade your surveince after all. So losing track of him isn''t surprising... That snake is skilled at disappearing when he wants to. Zetsu, did you notice anything peculiar about his actions or any hint of his intention?" The masked Obito asked his spy.

    "Hmm... Orochimaru seemed determined and focused. Based on the way he and his team fought, there was a sense of urgency in their actions. He didn''t waste any time subduing Tsunade and her student. Orochimaru and his team took them down before Tsunade could use her summons."

    "Did you watch the whole fight?"

    "Yep. We recorded the whole thing for you." White Zetsu replied.

    "Show me."

    At Obito''smand Zetsu showed him the battle that took ce between the Sannin and their subordinates. Obito watched the fight and noticed something.

    "He didn''t use any lethal attacks. He wasn''t trying to kill them or even seriously injure Tsunade. The same goes for Shizune. He needs them for something."

    ck Zetsu agreed with Obito''s spection. "Yes. That''s what I think too. Since he went after her it may have something to do with her medical skills."

    Obito had a slightly different theory in mind. ''Or her Senju bloodline. He always had a fascination with forbidden techniques and unique bloodlines. But why now? Why not sooner? Or is it something else?''

    "What should we do? It won''t be long before the Leaf vige finds out what happened and they won''t be happy." ck Zetsu looked at Obito for the next course of action.

    The masked Obito nodded his head. "We''re going to the Rain Vige. We need to inform Pain of this incident."

    "Got it." Zetsu nodded and disappeared into the ground while Obito vanished in a swirl.

    Hidden Rain Vige.

    The masked Uchiha, Zetsu, Konan and Pain stood on the top floor of the tallest tower in the Rain Vige. An orange haired man wearing the distinct Akatsuki cloak looked at the vige and the people below through the window.

    "So, Orochimaru is making moves again huh. This couldplicate our n." Pain spoke with a calm tone.

    "He''s always been a wild card. But his actions now have the potential to escte tensions between the great nations." The masked ''Madara'' spoke as he leaned on the wall.

    "Agreed. We need to keep an eye on the situation. Orochimaru''s actions could potentially disrupt the bnce of power we''ve been working towards." Konan crossed her arms and gave her thoughts.

    Pain slightly nodded his head and turned to Zetsu. "Continue monitoring the Leaf vige and Orochimaru''s movements. If anything significant happens, report it immediately."

    "Pain, shouldn''t we inform the other members of the situation?" Konan asked her friend.

    The Orange haired man nodded. "Yes. But not now. We need to know more about his ns. Zetsu, gather intel on Orochimaru''s movements for thest year. We''ll call for a meeting tomorrow and inform them of the situation."

    "Yes. I''ll get it done." Zetsu disappeared into the ground momentster with his new task toplete.

    "You should increase the patrol squads around the border. The Leaf will be sending teams to investigate the matter soon and they won''t be some ordinary Chunins." Madara spoke with a grave tone.

    "I''m aware." Pain gave a short reply and returned his gaze to the view outside.

    "Don''t engage unless absolutely necessary. We still need some more time. So for now it''s best to stay in the shadows and observe." Madara spoke once again but he got no reply from Pain. Konan kept her impassive face as she looked at the masked Uchiha.

    Madara didn''t say anything more and disappeared momentster, leaving the two top members of the organization on their own.

    "Nagato, what do you think Jiraiya sensei is going to do?" Now that it was only just the two of them, Konan used her friend''s real name and spoke in a softer tone.

    "We''ll find out soon. One thing is for certain. Something drastic is going to happen in these next few days. I can feel it." Pain replied as he looked at the rain pouring down from the sky.

    --------------------

    Author''s Note:

    Things are about to heat up. I told you guys that canon will have an explosive start I just pray that this arces out great by the time I''m done with it

    A few things to rify about the previous chapter.

    01.. Why Tsunade didn''t summon Katsuyu.

    Orochimaru wouldn''t have given her the chance as a battle of such arge scale is not what he wants.(it''s given in the chapter) It''s why Orochimaru didn''t use his summon as well.

    02.. Why Tsunade didn''t use her diamond seal?

    It may not seem like it but the fight was fast paced. And Orochimaru knew that if she released the seal on her forehead it would take a long time to defeat her. He knew the seals she needed to make to release that jutsu so he would have stopped it. And even if she did use her seal, Orochimaru would have used Shizune and threatened her. Not only that, Tsunade noticed that Orochimaru and his team weren''t trying tond lethal blows. So why would she release the seal and just waste her chakra?

    03.. The gas poison used on Tsunade that made her go unconscious.

    It''s stated in the chapter. Orochimaru made this specifically for Tsunade. He knows just how strong her medical Ninjutsu is. So he would have created something to counter that strength.

    04.. Did I over power sound five?

    Not exactly. In the anime and manga, they''ve had a fight with Genma and his team before they met the Shikamaru squad. But that was glossed over. And Orochimaru has been training the team in preparation for this fight. And gave them all detailed reports of Tsunade and Shizune''s fighting skills.

    But that''s not to say that the sound five came out unharmed. Tsunade was able to wound them but their teamwork and Orochimaru also made it possible to avoid deadly attacks from the female sannin.

    I hope this answers any questions you may have.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen(No space)

 Chapter 281: Trouble on the Horizon

    Chapter 281: Trouble on the Horizon

    <strong>Fire Country.</strong>

    A team of 10 ninjas were moving through the trees in the Land of Fire. Most of them were wearing worn out attires while a couple others had strange outfits. Each one of them looked unique with some even looking strange. The most prominent one in the group was a woman who had dark eyes, light blue hair and was wearing a green dress.

    She was at the front of the group and wore a stern expression. ''He should be up ahead. If it wasn''t for my Lord''s orders, I wouldn''t even bother with him Still, I wonder why Lord Orochimaru made a move on his former teammate after all these years? Could it be because of the vige? Well, it doesn''t matter.''

    At that moment someone nearby interrupted her thoughts. "Guren. Why do you think Lord Orochimaru wants us to find him now? Won''t his mission in the Leaf vige be in jeopardy?"

    The woman identified as Guren nced sideways and spoke in a cold tone. "Our task isn''t to question his orders. You would do well to remember that."

    "Yes. Of course. Forgive me." The man quickly became quiet and the group continued in silence.

    They soon reached a small hill and looked down at the forest below. Guren, who was in front, made several seals and immediately several pink crystal birds began to emerge from her hand. They flew high up in the air and disappeared from everyone''s view. A momentter a tall crystal in the shape of a mirror emerged out of the ground and images began to appear on it.

    ''So that''s her long range jutsu used for spying and observing a territory. The mirror shows the images the birds see and most people can''t detect the crystal creatures because of their high altitude. Evading that is not going to be easy.''

    Some of the members looked at the jutsu from behind. They were studying it and trying to assess its strengths and weaknesses.

    As Guren focused, soon an image of a person she disliked appeared on the screen. ''There he is.''

    As she scouted the area with her special reconnaissance technique she saw something that made her lips curl upwards. ''Looks like he''s not that great at his job after all. My Lord will no doubt be displeased with this Hihihi ohh I can''t wait. Time to pay him a visit.''

    -

    A lone figure with ash grey hair and sses was slowly making his way through the small road in the dense forest. As he traveled in the direction of the Leaf vige his thoughts were on Mizuki and themotion that should be happening in the vige.

    ''The perfect time for Lord Orochimaru to strike his target. Mizuki is an excellent sacrificial piece. With themotion he''s caused by now, the whole vige would be focused on containing the threat and securing the vige. Lord Orochimaru would no doubt have attacked Tsunade by now. With the information on the patrol routes he''ll be able to easily avoid anyone and get to the final location. In the meantime I''ll have to keep an eye on the shinobi movements in the vige. I need to alert my lord if anything unexpected happens.''

    The moonlight radiated through the thick foliage and Kabuto''s smirking face could be visible. As he slowly made his way forward he came upon a small clearing. He kept walking but soon he slowed down.

    His eyes narrowed and he suddenly stopped. His senses picked up a disturbance in the ground and the next second he jumped to the side, evading arge sharp pink spear that burst out of the ground where he had stood previously.

    Kabuto''s eyes widened as he looked at the structure that just tried to kill him. ''This jutsu. It''s her.''

    The medic spy didn''t have any more time to question the situation before he was attacked again. Kabuto jumped and evaded the attack spears two more times before his ears picked up the sounds of sharp objects flying towards him.

    He immediately made seals and coated his palms with chakra and deflected the pink sharp shuriken. Once he was sure there were no more attacks, he looked around, slightly tense.

    "Come out Guren!" Kabuto shouted, ready for another attack.

    "Hahaha" A mockingughter came from the darkened forest and soon a figure emerged. "What''s with the face Kabuto? Aren''t you happy to see me?"

    Kabuto narrowed his eyes as he looked at the blue haired woman. He disliked her very much and didn''t know why she was meeting him here like this. "Why did you attack me? What''s the meaning of this? Are you trying to kill me?"

    "Ohe now. If I wanted you dead, I''m pretty sure I could do it easily And besides, if you couldn''t even handle that much, you really don''t deserve to be on Orochimaru''s side."

    "What are you doing here Guren? We shouldn''t be meeting like this?" As Kabuto said the words he sensed the arrival of multiple other people. He looked at them and saw that they were prisoners of his master.

    ''Why are they here? What''s going on?'' Kabuto was silent as he calmly gazed at Guren. ''What''s this woman up to? Especially tonight.''

    The blue haired woman chuckled as she looked at the bespectacled ninja. "I have a new task from Lord Orochimaru. You have been ordered to return to yourboratory and wait for further instructions. Theb our Lord graciously built for you."

    Kabuto was surprised when he heard that. ''Orochimaru wants me to abandon my position at the Leaf? But why now? Even if the Leaf is on high alert, I haven''t done anything to gain their attention. So won''t this be a waste?''

    "Is this because of what''s happening tonight?" Kabuto asked her cryptically.

    "Yes."

    "I''ve been gathering intelligence on the vige and its shinobi strengths for thest few years. It''s still notpleted so abandoning my cover would be a waste now-"

    "Hahaha" Guren couldn''t help butugh hearing Kabuto''s excuse.

    "What''s so funny?" Kabuto narrowed his eyes as he heard the mocking tone in thatughter.

    "You''re not as slippery as you think. You already screwed up. You''re pathetic." Thest words were said with a sneer and Kabuto was taken back.

    "What are you talking about?"

    Guren sighed and she became serious. "I''m saying, your cover has already been blown."

    Kabuto was shocked and narrowed his eyes. "What makes you say that?"

    "Because I''m pretty sure the two rats that''ve been following you are part of the Leaf''s Anbu."

    The second Kabuto heard this he turned to look behind him.

    Meanwhile the two Anbu members who were hidden a short distance behind Kabuto were also shocked. ''She knows. And based on their numbers, it''s best if we escape with the information we have now.''

    Just as they made that decision they sensed several presenceing from behind them. A fireball jutsu immediately struck where the 2 Anbu were hiding and it forced them out.

    Guren noticed the Anbu following Kabuto with her jutsu and made the decision to split the 10 members with her into two teams to ambush the Leaf ninjas.

    Kabuto was shocked when he saw the masked ninjas. ''How long have they been following me? How did I not know this?''

    Despite the questions that were raised in his mind, he immediately focused and chakra appeared in his palms. "We can''t let them leave here alive."

    "Yes. I agree." Guren jumped and stood near Kabuto and narrowed her eyes.

    "Crystal style - Crystal prison."

    The Anbu were skilled and quickly evaded the deadly jutsu. At that moment several other members of Guren''s team began to attack.

    The Anbu easily incapacitated the ones that came near them with Taijutsu but the next moment they had to defend against multiple Crystal spears heading their way.

    Even though the 2 Anbu dodged, the speed of the attack caused several shallow injuries on their bodies. "What kind of jutsu is that?"

    "She must have a special Kekkei Genkai."

    The two ninjas saw the amusement on their enemies'' faces and understood the situation. "She''s toying with us." One of them said and the other nodded his head. He looked around and noticed the grim situation. "We need to make sure the information reaches Lord Hokage. No matter the cost." "Agreed."

    The next instant they faced the two teams and went through multiple seals. ''Wind style - Dust expansion.''

    A powerful gust of wind blew in all directions kicking dust and small earth and covered the whole area. In the cover of the dust multiple shadows rushed out in all directions.

    "Where are they?" "Where did they go?"

    One of the members on Guren''s team spread his arms and the tip of his fingers opened up. "Air pressure Cannon."

    An explosive wind rushed out and cleared the dust allowing them all to gain visibility again. They looked around and saw that neither the 2 Anbu nor Guren and Kabuto were present at the scene.

    "Where is Guren and Kabuto?" One of them asked and suddenly they heard an explosioning from a short distance away. All of them rushed over and saw the two Anbu ninjas heavily injured and kneeling on the ground.

    The two ck ops ninjas of the Leaf were analyzing the woman in front of them. ''Her strength is formidable and along with her special Kekkei Genaki, she''s going to be trouble.''

    Kabuto and Guren kept track of them even through the smoke and quickly engaged them in battle. The Anbu, while skilled, quickly lost against thebined might of the two and was in a serious state. Orochimaru''s spy looked at the two ninjas and took note of their appearance.

    ''How did they know about me? Was it Danzo?... No. These two don''t look like Root ninjas. So they''re the Hokage''s forces. I wonder How much does he know about me?''

    Kabuto and Guren were standing a few feet in front of them.

    "Did you really think that would work? How foolish?" Guren spoke with a smug tone.

    Kabuto looked at the two and a sinister smile slowly formed on his face. "I''m curious to learn how much you know about me. You can just tell me or" His hands slowly glowed green and killing intent slowly emitted from him.

    The two Anbu were silent. They wouldn''t give up information at any cost and now they realized their time hade. A momentter they made their final hand seal. The next instant they were engulfed in blue mes in less than a dozen seconds their bodies were reduced to ash.

    The members who arrived had wide eyes as they saw the scene. "They killed themselves? That''s kinda pathetic?"

    Guren looked at the two piles of Ash and frowned. "So they''re willing to go that far huh." She muttered to herself but Kabuto heard her.

    "Of course. Leave no corpse upon death. It''s the Anbu code." Kabuto exined looking at the scene with a neutral face.

    "Hmph. They got off lucky." Guren remarked.

    "Guren. In case you didn''t notice, this was a diversion. They used their own lives as a distraction so that their message would reach the vige." Kabuto spoke looking at the woman.

    Guren looked at Kabuto with narrowed eyes but the next second she rxed and chuckled. "I''m not as ipetent as you."

    As she said the words a small pink object suddenly fell from the sky a couple meters ahead of them. It was a small crystallized sparrow and on its leg was a small scroll. A secondter the crystal broke into a million tiny shards destroying the message and the bird inside. She then turned to the ash haired ninja standing near her. "Our lord won''t be pleased when he learns that you''ve let your guard down and slipped up."

    "I''ll talk to Lord Orochimaru. And whatever consequencese my way, I''ll take it. So you don''t need to worry about me." Kabuto said with a stern face. He looked at the scene and sighed. "Let''s go. There is no point in wasting any more time here."

    "Yes. You should head to yourb. I have some other business to take care of."

    Guren replied and Kabuto stopped. He looked around and saw the number of people following Guren and frowned. "Why do you need these many people? I doubt it was just for me."

    Guren smirked as she turned her attention to the ash haired ninja. "I have another assignment in the Land of Fire."

    "What assignment?" Kabuto knew of Orochimaru''s n to kidnap Tsunade but he knew nothing beyond that and he was curious.

    "Let''s just say that I have a package I need to extract. A special delivery for our Lord." The blue haired woman chuckled seeing Kabuto''s expression and soon the whole party left the area.

    A couple minutester, several meters away a small green bird popped its head out the bushes. Seeing that there was nobody around it immediately took off in the direction of the Leaf vige.

    Kabuto and Guren failed to realize that the sparrow they killed was merely another decoy.

    ----------------

    Author''s Note.

    It''s starting. I''ve been looking forward to writing this arc for a long time how long? Well since Daichi Joined Tsunade as her student

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen(No space)

 Chapter 282: Sinister Plans

    Chapter 282: Sinister ns

    <strong>Location: Unknown.</strong>

    <strong>Building: Orochimaru''s Base.</strong>

    <strong>Time: 21 March - Approx. 5 am.</strong>

    In a moderately lit underground chamber, Tsunade slowly came to consciousness. A tired groan escaped her lips as she slowly opened her eyes. It only took a second for her to realize what had happened to her. She immediately tried to get up but found that her body waspletely restrained.

    Tsunade was strapped to a medical table with her hands and legs restrained by strong metal chains. She tried to use her chakra to escape but found that she couldn''t call forth her explosive power.

    "Hello Tsunade. You woke up right on time."

    Hearing the voice, the female Sannin turned her head to the side and saw Orochimaru''s grinning face. "When I get out of here I''m gonna bash your skull into the ground." She gritted her teeth and struggled against her restraints but it was of no use.

    "Hahahaha So bold and direct. I''ve always liked that about you." Orochimaru looked at her and then turned back to the table near him. Several experimental vials and sses were on it with various substances. The whole room had several scientific and medical equipment. "If you''re thinking about escaping, I wouldn''t rmend it. This whole building is under heavy protection. And I made sure you can''t summon Katsuyu nor will you be able to use the reverse summon technique and escape."

    Tsunade turned to look at the medical bed she was strapped on and noticed several seals on the chains and on her body. She noticed that she was in a garment simr to a hospital gown and her eyes narrowed. She turned her attention back to her captor.

    "You sealed my chakra didn''t you? What the hell do you want with me?"

    The Snake Sannin chuckled hearing the question but he didn''t look at the woman. "Yes. I need you restrained and immobile for what I have in mind. I''m well aware that even without chakra to boost your strength, you''re still quite powerful."

    Orochimaru turned his head and nced at his former teammate. "Those chains were specifically made to handle your strength. You won''t be getting out of there without me saying so As for what I want with you?... You''ll find out soon enough."

    Tsunade gritted her teeth and clenched her fist as she looked at Orochimaru. "You bastard." Suddenly she remembered that she wasn''t the only one that was in trouble. "Where is Shizune? I swear. If you did anything to her I''ll-"

    "She''s perfectly fine at the moment. Just sleeping. As long as you cooperate she''ll be fine."

    Orochimaru''s reply didn''t ease her worries but she knew he wouldn''t be divulging anything more unless he intends to.

    "Cooperate? With what? Why exactly did you kidnap me?"

    "Kukukuku Soon You''ll know soon enough"

    "You just made a big mistake, Orochimaru. Do you really think sensei is going to let this go? You''ll be hunted down with everything the Leaf vige has got. You''re going to die."

    Orochimaru stopped working and slowly turned to look at the woman strapped on the bed. He had a serious gaze and was silent for a few moments as he looked at the angry Tsunade. "Do you think this was just a spur of the moment decision? Do you think I haven''t nned for this?"

    The Snake Sannin walked to the blonde woman and slowly caressed her cheek with the back of his hand. Tsunade turned her head in anger and disgust to get away from the man''s touch.

    "I''m counting on sensei''s response. I''ve been nning this for a long time now and I''ve made the necessary preparations. He won''t find us. I can promise you that."

    Seeing Orochimaru''s expression, Tsunade knew he was telling the truth. ''What does this freak want with me? Since I''m tied up, it''s unlikely that he needs my help with medical ninjutsu That means He ns to use me as an experiment?''

    Havinge to this conclusion Tsunade struggled against her restraints but she saw no results.

    Orochimaru looked at the vials as he mixed the contents. ''It''ll take a few more minutes for the solutions topletely mix and unify.''

    He turned to the blonde woman and spoke. "Since we have some time to spare, let''s talk shall we?"

    "Go to hell you bastard."

    "Now now. Being hurtful isn''t going to win you any points with me Hihi" The sinister man couldn''t help but chuckle.

    Orochimaru ignored Tsunade''s furious expression and just crossed his arms as he leaned against the table near him. "You see, I''vee to learn about the survival of Jin a couple months ago."

    Tsunade''s eyes narrowed as she looked at the man. The Snake Sannin, seeing that he had her attention, kept speaking. "He wasn''t just alive. It was as if he waspletely healed. And curiosity got the better of me. I went to the Fire Capitol in secret and found that he was back to his healthy state."

    "What''s your point?" The Slug Sannin slightly narrowed her eyes and asked.

    Orochimaru chuckled as he looked at her. "I have to admit. That''s impressive. He should have died, for all intents and purposes. But when I saw him walking the streets without any difficulty Well, I must say I didn''t expect that."

    Hearing that, Tsunade had a condescending smile as she looked at the other Sannin. "He was an interesting project. I knew the type of poison that was making him sick could only be your work. I could tell that you put a lot of effort into it. But it still wasn''t enough to kill him. Looks like you''re not all that great, Orochimaru."

    The Snake Sannin just looked at the blonde woman with a stoic expression before a wide grin formed on his face. He slowly chuckled but then it turned into a full blownughter. He soon stoppedughing but Tsunade could see amusement in the man''s eyes.

    "Do you really expect me to believe that you''re the one who saved him?"

    "What are you talking about? Of course I''m the one who saved his life and beat your poison." Tsunade''s smile now gone as she gazed at Orochimaru. ''No matter what, I can''t have him going after Daichi.''

    "You can''t protect him with your lies, Tsunade. I already know." Orochimaru chuckled as spoke. "After learning about Jin''s miraculous recovery, I gathered as much information as I could about him. I learned that your new student came to see him a couple days before he waspletely healed. You''ve prolonged his life, but it was young Daichi who saved it. Isn''t that the truth my dear Tsunade? Hihi"

    Tsunade saw the expression on the man''s face and knew he wasn''t going to believe anything she said. ''Damn it. If he goes after Daichi''

    "I''m so looking forward to meeting the boy. I''ve been hearing great things about him."

    "Do you really think Kensei is going to just let you do as you please when ites to his grandson?"

    The snake''s Sannin''s smile dimmed and replied. "He might have been a strong and a powerful force, but that was a long time ago. He''s an old withered man now. He''s no threat to me. The same goes for sensei. None of you have the power to stop me."

    Tsunade looked at Orochimaru''s expression and realized that he believed everything he said. ''What kind of trick does he have up his sleeve for him to have such confidence. I need to learn more information about his ns. Since Jin was poisoned with thatplex chemical he might be the key.''

    "You''re an idiot if you think that."

    "Careful Tsunade. You don''t want to hurt my feelings and get on my bad side would you? Especially considering the circumstances" Orochimaru looked at her and then turned back to the chemicals on the table.

    "Tch!" She clicked her tongue and focused on the seals restraining and binding her chakra. ''These seals are moreplex than I thought. He''s gone through a lot of trouble just to get me here.''

    "I''m curious. Why did you go after Jin? As far as I know, you two never crossed paths and he hadn''t done anything to antagonize you. So why him?" Tsunade asked trying to get some information.

    Orochimaru was still engrossed in his work and was quiet for a short while before he answered. "His business. He was trying to expand and was unknowingly trying to buy my territories. He had to go. If I had him killed it would have looked suspicious to his friends and it was at that time I developed my new poisons. So he became my test subject. An unfortunate fate for him."

    Orochimaru turned to look at his former teammate and smiled. "I thought he would die in a month or two but unexpectedly you managed to prolong his life."

    "And the reason you didn''t bother with him after I managed to save him from death?"

    Orochimaru smiled and replied with a mirth in his voice. "He was of no use to me. He was concerned about his own life and I had the needed data in my hands. He knew nothing of me nor had any suspicions about what happened to him. I knew killing him would be more trouble than it was worth so he got to live."

    "Why exactly did you go through all that trouble? It wasn''t the poison you were after. It was the DNA splicing techniques wasn''t it. The whole thing was just another experiment to improve your knowledge and skills in the gene maniption field."

    The grin on Orochimaru''s face grew wider as he heard that. "Very good Tsunade. I''m impressed. In fact, it''s the whole reason we''re here."

    Tsunade narrowed her eyes and was trying to figure out what he meant. "What are you talking about?"

    The Snake Sannin looked at the restrained Senju and he had a dangerous smile. "I''m on the brink of a scientific breakthrough that will change the course of shinobi history."

    Tsunade struggled against her restraints and looked at the man with anger. "And let me guess. You''re going to use me for this scientific achievement. You really have be twisted. To use me as some guinea pig."

    The Snake Sannin chuckled when he heard that. "Twisted perhaps. But the potential results of this experiment will shake every nation."

    "What are you talking about? What could be so groundbreaking that you''re willing to kidnap and experiment on me?"

    "You see, I''ve been working on a little project. A serum of great power derived from none other than your grandfather. The First Hokage, Hashirama Senju himself."

    Tsunade''s eyes widened in shock when she heard that. "No That you''re actually experimenting with his blood." Immediately her shock turned into a fury. "You really are a sick monster. How dare you"

    "Oh don''t me me Tsunade. The vige already tried replicating his power. They failed. I seeded. Or I will soon."

    "What are you talking about? His blood was found to be too vtile and would kill anyone it was injected on." Tsunade asked with narrowed eyes.

    "That was the case. I''ve discovered a way to bestow Wood Style upon anyone, even those whock the innate ability."

    Tsunade was shocked when she heard that. ''How is that possible? Is he lying No. It doesn''t look like Orochimaru is bluffing. But grandfather''s blood is too strong and the yang chakra in it is too powerful for any person to control it. So how did Orochimaru''

    "What did you do?" Tsunade was shocked and at the same time she wanted to know more information. She knew the potential damage something like this could create for the whole world.

    "I created a special serum. A concoction created from Hashirama''s blood, containing his wood style essence and powerful vitality. A serum that took countless hours and numerous test subjects to create."

    "Even if you made something like that, it would have negative side effects. I doubt even you can create a perfect serum."

    "Yes. Very true. The form is still a bit vtile and there are side effects. The serum is still somewhat unstable and it causes erratic reactions in some who receive it. So you''re right about that." The man lightly chuckled at the end.

    "You don''t seem too down about someone who failed in replicating the First Hokage''s abilities." The blonde Sannin was wary about the man''s motives and was trying to figure out his ns.

    "Yes. Sadly perfection has eluded me But you see, I found a solution to that problem."

    Tsunade had a bad feeling as she saw Orochimaru''s gaze. "What does any of this have to do with me?"

    "Because you are Hashirama''s descendant. Your body contains powerful vitality and regenerative properties, unparalleled in the current shinobi world. I believe your blood can stabilize the serum, making it usable without any dangerous side effects."

    Tsunade was silent as she heard the man''s n. ''Does he really think this is going to work?''

    "What makes you think I won''t just die when you inject me with that?" The medic ninja asked.

    "Because I''ve been rigorously testing your blood for thest few hours. Your Senju bloodline and the fact that you''re his descendant are the key. There are markers within your DNA that would recognize Hashirama''s power and integrate it instead of fighting it."

    Tsunade gritted her teeth in anger as she heard the man speak about his ns. "You''re insane if you think I''ll let you use my blood for your experiments. My bloodline is not a tool for your twisted ambitions. So you''re out of your mind if you think I''d willingly help you with this."

    Orochimaru chucked and got closer to the woman strapped on the table. "You misunderstand me Tsunade. Yourpliance isn''t needed. Willingly, unwillingly, it makes no difference to me. I''ve alreadye so far. I''m not going to stop now. Once I have the power of the Legendary woodstyle jutsu under mymand, I''ll be unstoppable. But it''s not just about power. My goal is to understand the secrets and intricacies of chakra, gics and the very essence of life itself."

    Tsunade scoffed at that. "Save your excuses for someone who cares. You''re just a madman who''s lost his way."

    Orochimaru looked at the woman with a raised eyebrow. "Madman? You wound me my dear." He couldn''t help but let out a smallugh.

    Tsunade tried her hardest to get out of her bindings but it was of no use.

    "It''s no use. You''re not going anywhere." Orochimaru spoke, seeing the woman struggle. "My serum with your blood as the stabilizer, will change the world. I will inject you with the serum and after your body adapts, stabilizes and perfects my serum, I''ll extract the required blood. And once I extract the serum from that blood, the true power of the wood style will be under mymand."

    Tsunade pulled on the chains as hard as she could but it wasn''t enough to escape.

    "Your resistance is admirable but futile. You''re strapped here, powerless to stop me." Orochimaru spoke as he looked at the blonde woman being defiant.

    Tsunade red at the man and her fury was palpable. "You damn bastard. You''re going to pay. When I get out of here you''re a dead man."

    The yfulness on Orochimaru''s face was gone as he looked at his former teammate. "Strong words as always. But let''s not waste time on futile threats. Once this process isplete I''ll be one step closer to my ultimate goal."

    "You''re ying with forces you can''t control. This ''power'' you seek It will consume you." She tried to reason with the man but Orochimaru wouldn''t back down now. He ignored her warning and went back to the table and picked up a gas mask.

    "It''s like you don''t know the nature of a shinobi at all. It''s what we all desire. More power to stand above the rest." He turned around and spoke. He slowly walked near the medical bed and looked her in the eyes. "And I will have that power Tsunade, even if I have to extract everyst drop of your blood to attain it"

    As she looked into Orochimaru''s eyes, Tsunade saw the hunger for more power and she was frightened. "You-"

    Before she could say anything, the Snake Sannin ced the gas mask on her face and soon Tsunade was unconscious again. Orochimaru looked at Tsunade''s face and memories of his childhood and team battles with her and came to his mind. His face slightly softened as he looked at her.

    "This will be thest time we''ll see each other Tsunade. I''ll try to make it as painless as possible Fare well."

    ------------------------

    Author''s Note.

    It has begun. From the next chapter onwards we''ll see Daichi and the rest of the Leaf.

    Things are going to heat up.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen(No space)

 Chapter 283: Rescue Tsunade Senju

    Chapter 283: Rescue Tsunade Senju

    "I''ll try to make it as painless as possible Fare well." Orochimaru gazed at the sleeping form of his former friend/teammate for a few more seconds and then turned to a dark corner of the room.

    "Bring her." Orochimaru ordered and a shadow disappeared from the corner.

    As one his bodyguards went to bring Shizune, Orochimaru thought about the response the Leaf vige would take.

    ''Tsunade''s pet should no doubt reach the vige by morning or at thetest noon. When sensei learns what happened he''ll do everything he can to look for me.''

    Orochimaru couldn''t help but let out a smallugh. ''I could have stopped the message but where is the fun in that? It''s much more entertaining to know that sensei is squirming in panic. He''ll know time won''t be on his side. Fortunately for me, I''ve taken countermeasures. He won''t be able to get to me here. Now all I need to do is wait for the results.''

    -

    In an eerie dimly lit room the pained groan of a female could be heard.

    "Oohh" ''What happened to me?''

    Shizune woke up from her sleep and slowly looked around. She immediately realized she was in an unknown area and her teacher was nowhere nearby.

    ''Damn it. It''s Orochimaru. Did he only kidnap me or What''s going on?''

    She was on the ground and moved her hands and feet only to find out that they were restrained with heavy chains. The young medic looked around trying to find anything useful for her to use for her escape.

    ''Not good. They took all my hidden weapons and poisons. Moreover I can''t bring my hands together to form seals and manipte my chakra.''

    She focused on her internal chakra and tried to increase the strength of her arms but it didn''t show any results. The medic took a closer look at the chains holding her and noticed small seals on them. ''So that Snake also sealed my chakra. This isn''t good.''

    Shizune turned her head and took note of every inch of the room. ''Ok. Looks like I''m in some sort of a dungeon with my limbs restrained and my chakra sealed. Ok think. What do I do?''

    As she was trying toe up with a n, Shizune suddenly heard the door unlock. A figure she recognized from the earlier fight entered the room and came near her. The person had light blue grey color hair with long bangs that covered one eye. The strangest detail was the 2nd head hanging limply from the upper back of the person.

    "Who are you?" Shizune asked. There was anger in her voice.

    "My name is Sakon. One of Lord Orochimaru''s trusted guards." Sakon spoke with a condescending smile as he looked at the chained medic.

    "Where am I?"

    Sakon just smiled at the woman. "You have a lot of questions don''t you? Well, I''m not here to answer any of them."

    He moved to the chains restraining Shizune. He was about to release his prisoner but stopped and looked at the woman. "We have your sensei. So don''t even attempt to grow a brain. If you do anything we don''t tell you, both of you will die."

    Shizune stilled hearing the threat. ''They have Lady Tsunade? No. This can''t be''

    Seeing that the young medic understood her situation, Sakon proceeded to remove the chains and in a few moments freed her. "Follow me."

    He turned around and began walking with a reluctant Shizune following him. "Where are you taking me?"

    "To your sensei. Now shut up and be quiet."

    Shizune was angry but she knew the dangerous situation she was in. ''Do they really have Lady Tsunade? If they do then I need to be more careful. I need to find a way to get us out of here without them knowing.''

    Soon the two reached arge door and Sakon walked through followed by Shizune. She immediately froze upon seeing Tsunade restrained in a medical bed, asleep. She rushed over to help but a cold chilling voice stopped her.

    "Don''t move."

    Shizune turned to the side and saw Orochimaru''s malicious gaze. His intent and powerful presence was suffocating to her. Sweat dripped down the side of her face as she looked at the Snake Sannin. But she mustered her courage and didn''t back down. "What did you do to her?"

    "Nothing drastic yet." Orochimaru spoke and slowly raised his right hand. Shizune saw a syringe with a blue liquid inside and she suddenly had a bad feeling.

    "Hey what is that?"

    Orochimaru chuckled and moved closer to the sleeping Tsunade. "You''ll find out soon."

    Shizune realizing his intentions moved to stop him but suddenly she heard a strange melody and her body froze. She couldn''t move. ''What is this?''

    It only took her a couple of seconds to figure it out. ''Genjutsu. I need to escape it.''

    She struggled and brought her hands together to disrupt the chakra flow. Shizune got free but by then it was toote. Orochimaru had injected the blue serum into Tsunade''s body.

    "What did you just do? What was in that syringe?" Shizune rushed near Tsunade and looked at her.

    A few seconds after the serum was injected into her, Tsunade began to experience pain. Even though she was unconscious she was in agony. A pained groan escaped her lips and her body pulled the chains tight.

    "It has begun." Orochimaru spoke as he looked at Tsunade.

    "What''s happening to her?"

    "I created a serum using the first Hokage''s DNA. But to stabilize and perfect it, I need Tsunade. And that''s also why you''re here alive." Orochimaru replied and turned his attention to the young medic. "Tsunade''s body is currently undergoing a metamorphosis. Her cells are being destroyed and recreated into something new. Her entire DNA is being rewritten."

    Shizune''s eyes widened when she heard that. "But something like that It will kill her."

    "Maybe. But that''s why you''re here. To make sure that doesn''t happen. Now, your teacher needs you. Since the process has started it can''t be stopped unless it''s eitherpleted or she''s dead. So don''t focus on trying toe up with a n to escape. Concentrate on keeping her alive."

    Shizune gritted her teeth but she couldn''t do anything against someone as powerful as Orochimaru. She immediately brought her palms atop Tsunade and used her medical diagnostic jutsu. Her palms glowed green and Shizune immediately found out what was happening to Tsunade''s body.

    ''That serum Orochimaru injected has already begun to cause biochemical reactions within her cells. Her vitals are slowly bing erratic.''

    Orochimaru stepped back and kept a close eye on both medics. ''Tsunade''s cells will start to undergo rapid mitosis and differentiation soon but will it lead to wood-like structures within her body? I made sure to reduce the presence of yang chakra but what was present is still too much for an ordinary person. Let''s see if you can handle the power of the First Hokage.''

    Orochimaru looked at Tsunade''s apprentice trying to keep her teacher from dying. ''Yes. It was an excellent choice to use Shizune. But it''s a shame I''ll have to kill both of them. If this experiment is sessful I have no doubt Tsunade would be able to use wood style. Maybe not on the level of the First Hokage but her strength and chakra would definitely increase. She''ll most certainly hold a grudge. I can''t have that. Once Tsunade''s blood is stabilized, I can handle the rest. At that time I''ll kill them both. I''ll dispose of Shizune but Tsunade''s corpse will be a valuable research tool. Kukuku''

    While Orochimaru was scheming, Shizune was praying in her heart. ''Please Tonton. Hurry. You''re our only hope.''

    -

    Leaf Vige: March 21.

    Time: 6:00am

    Daichi and Kensei were at the vige gates. The guards were verifying Kensei''s documents and soon he was given the clearance.

    Daichi looked around and noticed that the patrol ninjas were fewer thanst night. ''The Hokage hasn''tpletely lifted the emergency lockdown but the severity has been reduced.''

    Kensei looked at Daichi and had a small grin. "It''ll be a while before I get back. Try not to cause any incidents before then."

    "I''ll make sure to keep my head down. I promise" Daichi replied with a grin. But the smile dimmed. "Are you sure you don''t want any escorts for this journey? You are going to the Hidden Sand vige" He asked with a serious face.

    Kensei nodded. "I''m not that helpless that you need to worry about me boy. I''ll be fine. I''ll return within two weeks."

    Daichi nodded and said goodbye to his grandfather. Kensei left the vige and soon disappeared out of Daichi''s sigh. He turned around and only walked a few steps before he heard a very familiar sound.

    "Oink oink."

    ''What the Is that?'' Daichi immediately turned around expecting to see Tsunade and Shizune but was surprised to only find Tonton running straight towards him.

    ''Where are the others?''

    As Daichi looked at Tonton he immediately noticed its panicked bodynguage. His eyes narrowed and he immediately ran up to the little pet pig.

    "Oink oink oink"

    "What''s wrong Tonton?" Daichi asked, seeing the restlessness of the pig. He suddenly noticed the blood stains on its clothes and his eyes narrowed. He carefully examined the garments and quickly found a piece of paper safely tucked inside. He unruffled the paper as he read its contents he became shocked.

    "How the hell did this happen!?" Daichi unknowingly eximed out loud. He looked at the message written.

    Ambushed near the border. Orochimaru plus 5 assants. In trouble.

    The note contained the location and time of the attack but nothing more.

    ''This is definitely Shizune''s handwriting. And it''s written in blood. She mustn''t have had much time.''

    Daichi immediately opened the Mini-Map and tried to locate his sensei but it was of no help. ''Damn it. I can''t find either of them on the map. My map now shows most of Fire country but the fact that I can''t find them Did Orochimaru take them out of the country?''

    At that moment a quest appeared. One of the most important quests he got till date.

    <strong>[Quest created - Rescue Tsunade Senju.]</strong>

    <strong>[Orochimaru has kidnapped Tsunade Senju and Shizune Kato several hours ago for unknown purposes. Their lives are in danger. Their current location: unknown. Find out where Orochimaru is hiding them and rescue your Teachers before the time runs out. Sessfully bring Tsunade and Shizune alive to the Leaf vige toplete the mission.] [Time limit: 60 hours]</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>[Conditions:]</strong>

    <strong>[Find the location of Orochimaru''s hideout.]</strong>

    <strong>[Do not let Orochimaru capture you or anyone with you during the rescue mission.]</strong>

    <strong>[Rescue Tsunade and Shizune before the time limit and bring them to the Leaf vige.]</strong>

    <strong>[Escape from Orochimaru and his guards. ]</strong>

    <strong>[Do not die.]</strong>

    <strong>[Defeat/Kill Orochimaru''s Guards(Bonus)]</strong>

    <strong>[Defeat/Kill Orochimaru(Bonus)]</strong>

    <strong>[Destroy Orochimaru''s base(Bonus)]</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>[Rewards:]</strong>

    <strong>[150000 Exp.]</strong>

    <strong>[New Title.]</strong>

    <strong>[Stat points(Bonus)]</strong>

    <strong>[Special Stat points(Bonus)]</strong>

    <strong>[Reputation increases with Leaf Vige citizens.]</strong>

    <strong>[Reputation increases with Fire country citizens.]</strong>

    <strong>[Your name will spread all over the globe.]</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>[Failure:]</strong>

    <strong>[Possible cancetion of theing Chunin exams.]</strong>

    <strong>[Possible civil war in the Leaf vige.]</strong>

    <strong>[Failure to rescue Shizune Kato: Possible enmity between Tsunade and the Leaf vige. ]</strong>

    <strong>[Failure to rescue Tsunade Senju: Attack on the Leaf vige in the near future/ Fourth great ninja war in the near future.]</strong>

    <strong>[Death of Jiraiya and several significant others.]</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>[This quest is automatically epted.]</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>[Warning: Failure of this quest will have several other unknown consequences in the future]</strong>

    Daichi looked at the quest that popped up and his hands slightly trembled as he saw the consequences of the Failure. ''Damn it! The time limit is 60 hours. That means two and half days Not good. That''s too short of a window to find them No. I can''t waste time just standing here. I need to get to the Hokage tower and alert him.''

    Daichi quickly picked up Tonton and rushed straight to the tower. He ignored the ninjas nearby and moved as quickly as possible. Daichi red his chakra to alert the guards in the tower of his arrival and soon he burst into the Hokage''s room.

    He saw the Hokage, his personal guards, Inoichi and Ibiki all looking at him with confusion at his brazen entrance.

    "Daichi. What is the meaning of this?" Hiruzen asked in a calm tone as he looked at the boy. He then noticed the pig in Daichi''s hands and immediately recognized it as Tsunade''s pet.

    "Lord Hokage. It''s Tsunade sensei. She and Shizune were attacked by Orochimaru." Daichi spoke without wasting any time.

    -------------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen(No space)

 Chapter 284: Speculations

    Chapter 284: Spections

    Hokage Tower.

    Hiruzen was behind his desk going through various documents from the patrol squads. A Special Jonin stood in front of him and reported the current situation.

    "All the escaped prisoners have been captured and are in custody. We''ve ounted for everyone. The correctional facility is operational with 4 teams of guards working in three shifts."

    "Has there been any suspicious movements near the vige?" Hiruzen asked and the ninja shook his head. "No sir. Nothing out of the ordinary."

    Hiruzen nodded and leaned back in his chair. "Good. Dismissed."

    The ninja vanished and Hiruzen let out a long breath of air. ''It''s been a long time since I''ve had a troubled night like the one I''ve had. Looks like Orochimaru hadn''t used the chance to cause any chaos. That''s good. Still Why do I feel so uneasy?''

    At that time Genma appeared and looked at the kage with concern on his face. "Lord Hokage, you''re tired. You haven''t slept or eaten anything since yesterday. Perhaps you should get some rest."

    "It''s tempting but there is still much work to be done Genma." The old kage yawned tiredly just as he finished his sentence. He rubbed his eyes and let out another deep breath. "Maybe a short nap isn''t such a bad thing."

    Genma smiled as he looked at the leader of the vige. "Yes. Everything''s resolved without anyplications So that''s good news."

    Raido and Iwashi also appeared and stood near Genma. They were ready to transport Hiruzen to his home but suddenly there was a knock on the door.

    "Come in." Hiruzen spoke and soon two highly respected members of the Leaf ninja force entered the room. The head of the interrogation department Ibiki Morino and leader of the Analysis Team Inoichi Yamanaka.

    "Inoichi, Ibiki. What have you learned from the Mizuki and his aplices?" Hiruzen asked and Inochi replied first.

    "I have good news and bad Lord Hokage."

    Hiruzen sighed hearing that. ''Of course there''s bad news. Just my luck.'' He looked at the blonde haired man and nodded to continue. "Tell me the good news first."

    "I''ve gone through the memories of Zefrek, Haroshi, Seijo and the others Kakashi''s team captured. Mizuki was their contact and he''s the one that supplied them with weapons and shinobi gear. He''s been nning this for months. The n was to take the forbidden scroll and leave the country. Their goal was to go to Orochimaru protection and the Scroll of Seals was their bargaining chip. It was Mizuki''s n. The team that caused havoc in the vige was a distraction so Mizuki could kill Naruto and the others and get the scroll. From what I''ve learned there is no one else involved. So we don''t have to worry about another traitor helping Zefrek. That''s the good news" Inoichi stopped and looked at the Kage.

    "Alright. Now what''s the bad news?"

    It was Ibiki who answered. "It was Mizuki''s n for them to go to Orochimaru. Unfortunately he didn''t share it with his team. And when Inoichi did a Mind walk on Mizuki he came across powerful barriers and protection in his mind. And because of his unique condition I can''t employ other tactics without the risk of killing him. The intelligence and whereabouts he has on Orochimaru will be of great use to us. So I''ve refrained from any drastic measures to get your opinion, Lord Hokage."

    "That curse seal really did a number on him didn''t it?" Hiruzen mumbled but everyone heard him.

    "Itpletely destroyed his body. It''s far different from the one used on Anko. If I had to make a guess, I''d say this seal was developed well before the one he gave to Anko." Ibiki spoke.

    Inoichi nodded. "Mizuki doesn''t have much time. If he hadn''t done what he did, I''d feel sorry for him."

    Hiruzen leaned back and thought about the predicament they were in regarding Mizuki. "The barriers inside Mizuki. Do you know how long it will take you to break through them without causing any damage to his mind?" He asked the Yamanaka.

    "If I put all my focus and energy into that task, then a day or two. That''s if nothing goes wrong..."

    Hiruzen looked at Inoichi and saw that there was something else the man wanted to say. "What is it?"

    "The barriers. It was as if they were created to specifically protect against an intrusion from a Yamanaka. Only someone from the Yamanaka n could have created the barriers he has in his mind." Inoichi''s fists clenched as he thought about the traitor that came from his n.

    "I take it you''re talking about Ko Yamanaka."

    "Yes sir. He has a certain style and signature to his jutsu. I recognized it. This is his work."

    Hiruzen exhaled and sped his hands together. "You''re right. I have intel that says Ko Yamanaka has joined Orochimaru. Or at the very least, working for him. We''ll have to capture him soon. He''ll have valuable intel on that man''s operations."

    "How should we proceed Lord Hokage? Shall I concentrate on the others while Inoichi interrogates Mizuki?" Ibiki asked and after a few seconds of contemtion Hiruzen nodded his head.

    "Yes. I think that''s best. We-"

    Before Hiruzen couldplete his sentence everyone in the room felt a chakra ir and it was headed straight for them. They sensed the fast approach of a strong chakra. The guards along with Ibiki and Inoichi were tense but Hiruzen quickly recognized the chakra. "Stand down. It''s Daichi."

    Only a couple seconds passed after he said the words and Genin suddenly appeared in the room in a strong gust of wind.

    He was carrying a small pig that Hiruzen immediately recognized as Tsunade''s pet.

    "Daichi. What is the meaning of this?" Hiruzen asked in a calm tone as he looked at the boy. ''He must have a reason to burst in here like this.''

    "Lord Hokage. It''s Tsunade sensei. She and Shizune were attacked by Orochimaru." Daichi''s words shocked everyone in the room.

    It took a moment to register those words for Hiruzen but his eyes immediately narrowed. "What? How do you know this information Daichi?"

    The Genin took out the paper Shizune wrote and handed it to the Hokage.

    Hiruzen read the contents and his fists clenched and anger was visible on his face. Genma sighed seeing the kage''s response. "So much for resolving everything without anyplications."

    "That damn Orochimaru. He knew about Mizuki''s n and used the opportunity to attack her. He knew our patrol squads would be busy dealing with the escapees. He ambushed her at the Fire country border near the road to the Hidden Waterfall vige. And he took a team with him. He''s gone too far this time." Hiruzen was furious as he looked at the note.

    "Are you sure that''s from Shizune?" Inoichi asked Daichi.

    The Genin nodded his head as he addressed the man. "That''s Shizune Senpai''s handwriting. I recognize it anywhere. She also used a code that only I would know. And I''m pretty sure she wrote that in her own blood. Orochimaru has them, Lord Hokage." "Oink oink." Daichi spoke and the small pig also nodded its head.

    "Daichi''s right. This is Tsunade''s pet pig. She and Shizune wouldn''t leave it behind for any reason. So for it to be here" Hiruzen spoke as he looked at the small pet.

    "Lord Hokage, If Orochimaru has attacked Lady Tsunade, then do you think it''s possible she''s" Ibiki didn''t finish the sentence as he looked at the angry Kage.

    "She''s not dead!" Daichi''s strong reply brought everyone''s attention to him. He looked at them and spoke with conviction. "Tsunade sensei isn''t someone who''ll go down without a fight. She''s not someone who''ll die so easily. Even when fighting someone like Orochimaru."

    "But even if that''s true, we have to take into ount Shizune''s presence. What if Orochimaru uses her against Tsunade?" Inoichi asked. He has seen such tactics used in the previous war on several asions. Taking down a strong enemy by exploiting their weakness.

    "What''s Orochimaru nning? Why attack her? She hasn''t been here for years. What is he thinking?" Genma looked at the kage and knew that once this news gets out things will be much more chaotic.

    At that second someone knocked on the door a few times.

    "What now?... Come in." Hiruzen ordered and a masked ninja entered the room.

    He kneeled greeting the kage and stood. He was silent as there were several others present but Hiruzen didn''t have time for secrecy. "Speak. What is it?"

    On the Hokage''s orders he gave the scroll in his hands to Hiruzen and spoke. "This just came in through the secret Anbu channels. The two Anbu who were observing Kabuto''s movements were killedst night. But they managed to send this scroll."

    Hiruzen quickly opened it and read the information and cursed in his head. ''Arge team of high level shinobi ambushed the Anbu team. Kabuto has escaped. This isn''t a coincidence.''

    Daichi was surprised but he didn''t show any outward reaction when he heard that name. ''So the Hokage has already put Kabuto under investigation and observation huh. That''s good. If his men had investigated Kabuto''s background thoroughly then there is a chance that the old guys knew Kabuto was once part of Root. That''s good.''

    Inoichi remembered the name Kabuto. "Wait. Kabuto? Kabuto Yakushi? Isn''t he a medic Genin in the vige?"

    Hiruzen nodded and spoke, shedding light on the situation. "Yes. Kabuto''s rank is Genin but in truth he is Orochimaru''s close aide and his spy in the vige. Last night he escaped Anbu surveince with the assistance of arge team."

    "That''s not good news. First Orochimaru attacks Lady Tsunade and now he removes his spy from the vige. He''s nning something big." The long haired Yamanaka spoke.

    "Yes. Orochimaru is taking precautions." Hiruzen had doubts in his mind. ''Does he know? Is he simply taking a precaution or has he picked up on my team''s surveince before tonight?''

    Daichi knew Tsunade was alive thanks to the quest that appeared. ''If they believe she is alive then they''ll be far more motivated to find her as soon as possible. But if they think she''s dead they''ll still investigate but they''ll spend valuable time on preparing battle ns on how to bring down Orochimaru. Right now the most important thing is to save Tsunade.''

    Hiruzen turned to Raido Namiashi and spoke. "Make sure the vige is on alert. Inform the patrol squads to stay vignt. But before that, get me Kakashi, Asuma, Guy and a Jonin tracking squad."

    "Yes sir." Raido nodded vanished in a swirl of leaves.

    Hiruzen walked back to his chair and sat with a heavy heart. "If anything happens to Tsunade If he killed her"

    "I don''t think Lady Tsunade is dead, Lord Hokage." Daichi spoke, gaining his attention.

    "What makes you say that? He hates me and he hates the vige. He could have gone after her in the hope of hurting me and reducing the strength of the vige." Hiruzen didn''t want to believe his own words but he had to be prepared for the worst case scenario.

    Daichi shook his head hearing that reasoning. "From what I heard from sensei and what I learned of the man, Orochimaru is a ruthless person but he also isn''t an idiot. He would know that going after sensei would mean dealing with severe repercussions. I think that''s the reason he hadn''t gone after Tsunade sensei all these years. "

    "But he has now." Ibiki spoke up.

    Daichi turned and nodded. "Yes. And that means something''s changed Something fundamental. I think Orochimaru attacked Tsunade sensei and Shizune, not to kill them but to abduct them."

    "What are you thinking Daichi?" Hiruzen asked the Genin. He knew Daichi had good insight and wanted to know what he thought of the situation.

    Daichi let out a deep breath and focused. "There are two main reasons why Orochimaru would go after Tsunade sensei. I don''t think it''s to kill her. One. I think it''s to use her talents. To use her medical skills for some nefarious n he has in mind. Maybe using Shizune senpai and forcing Tsunade sensei to help with some medical experiment. Or maybe to heal someone. Someone who could be a threat to the vige."

    Hiruzen clenched his fist as she listened to the scenarios. "On her own, Tsunade would never help him. But if Orochimaru threatens Shizune''s life That girl is family to her. If Orochimaru has a sword over neck" Hiruzen sighed and closed his eyes tight. ''Damn it. This is all my fault. I should have dealt with him when I had the chance.''

    Genma sighed seeing the Hokage''s troubled face. "What''s the second reason?" He turned to the boy and asked.

    At that question Daichi''s face became even more grim and the people in the room had an ominous feeling creeping up in their hearts. After a few moments of silence Daichi spoke.

    "Reason number two... To use Tsunade sensei as an experiment."

    ---------------

    Author''s Note:

    Sorry about the week long dy. I''ve had some emergencies to deal with. I''ll try to update faster..

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen(No space)

 Chapter 285: Orochimaru: Path from Light to Dark

    Chapter 285: Orochimaru: Path from Light to Dark

    The three Genins of Team Guy stood in the middle of their training ground and looked at their sensei.

    Might Guy looked at his team with a big smile and gave them all a thumbs up. "Alright team since we''vepleted another C Rank mission, there won''t be any missions for you for a few days. So take the next few days to train on your own and improve your skills and if you need any help juste to me."

    "Yes sensei!" Came the reply from Lee, Neji and Tenten.

    "Um, sensei, do you think themotionst night was resolved?" Tenten asked the green spandex wearing Jonin. Their team had returnedtest night from the mission and saw that the vige was on high alert. After reporting to the Hokage of their arrival the three Genins and Jonin went their separate ways.

    "Yes. There was a problem at the prison and the inmates escaped. The vige was on lockdown to capture them. I''m happy to say that the situation is resolved." Guy nodded and replied with a grin.

    The Genins were satisfied with that answer but before they could ask anything else a Jonin appeared near Guy. He whispered something in their teacher''s ear and the students saw Guy''s face turn to shock.

    "Is that true?" Might Guy couldn''t help but ask Raido.

    "It seems so. You need to get to the tower."

    "I understand." Guy nodded and Raido vanished with the body flicker jutsu. The bowl cut Jonin turned to his student and they saw the serious expression on the man''s face.

    "What is it sensei? What''s wrong?" Lee asked with concern.

    "I''m afraid I can''t say. I might not be avable for the next couple of days. So you''ll need to train on your own. Dismissed." Guy disappeared without saying anything more which puzzled the Genins.

    "Something serious must have happened in the vige." Neji spoke up.

    "But what?" Tenten questioned.

    "I don''t know" Neji didn''t say anything more. He was keeping a close eye on his teacher''s expression and he thought he saw fear on the man''s face for a split second. ''What happened for sensei to have that kind of reaction?''

    ------

    Kakashi was walking down the road reading his favorite book when he suddenly sensed a familiar chakra rushing towards him. ''Raido? It seems he''s in a hurry too.''

    The next moment the Hokage guard appeared and spoke with the silver haired Jonin. Kakashi''s visible eye widened as he heard the shocking news. "To think Orochimaru would do such a thing."

    "Yeah. This might as well be his deration of war against the vige." Raido spoke. "You need to get to the tower quickly. The Hokage is putting together a team to investigate."

    Kakashi nodded to Raido and the Jonin vanished. The silver haired ninja pocketed his book and let out a deep breath of air. He had one thought at the moment.

    ''I wonder what Daichi is going to do?''

    The next instant the copy ninja vanished from his spot. His destination: The Hokage Tower.

    -------

    At this time several other Jonins were also being informed of the situation and they were immediately making their way to the tower.

    <strong>Hokage Tower.</strong>

    "Reason number two... To use Tsunade sensei as an experiment."

    When Hiruzen heard those words it was as if his strength left his body. All sounds from the surrounding disappeared for him and the old leader felt numb. For some reason the memories he had of Orochimaru from his childhood days to the day he betrayed the vige rushed to the forefront of his mind.

    <strong>shback.</strong>

    A young Hiruzen and a pre teen Orochimaru were standing atop the Hokage monument and looking at the vige below, both bathing in the golden hue of the setting sun. Orochimaru was only 10 years old yet his intellect and genius talent caught Hiruzen''s attention.

    The young child asked his teacher a question that''s been on his mind. "Sensei. Do you think we be stronger by conquering our fears or by understanding them?"

    Hiruzen gazed at the young child thoughtfully, contemting the profound question. After a few moments of silence he began to reply with a calm and measured tone. "Orochimaru, the path to strength is not a singr journey. In my opinion it''s a delicate bnce between conquering and understanding our fears. Each approach has its ce in our journey as a shinobi and the key lies in knowing when to employ each."

    The young Orochimaru tilted his head and looked at Hiruzen since he didn''t fully understand the answer. Hiruzen smiled and began to exin.

    "Conquering fear is like sharpening a de. It involves facing your fears head-on, summoning your courage, and pushing through the barriers that hold you back. By conquering fear, you gain a sense of empowerment and mastery over yourself. It can give you the confidence to face physical and mental challenges, allowing you to tap into hidden reservoirs of strength."

    Orochimaru listened to every word Hiruzen spoke and engraved them in his mind.

    Hiruzen continued. "However, understanding fear is also equally essential. It is like studying the opponent''s movements in a battle. To understand fear, you must look within yourself and delve into the root causes of your anxieties. This introspection grants you insight and control over your emotional responses. It allows you to anticipate and adapt to fear, making you more resilient and strategic in your actions."

    "I see." The young child finally grasped what the man was trying to impart to him.

    "So, Orochimaru, remember that true strength arises from the intery between conquering and understanding fear. The two are not mutually exclusive but ratherplementary. Embrace both approaches, and you will find harmony and bnce."

    Soon that memory vanished from Hiruzen''s mind and another took its ce. It was shortly after Team Hiruzen had their first difficult mission and Orochimaru had his first kill. The team was sent to kill a rogue ninja and his bandit group. Theypleted the mission but Orochimaru was forced to take a life.

    Tsunade and Jiraiya stayed to support their teammate but as night fell Hiruzen sent them home. Now Orochimaru and his teacher remained. The two were sitting in front of a small fire beneath the starry night sky.

    "Sensei What is the true purpose of our abilities as a shinobi?" Orochimaru asked as he looked at the man.

    Hiruzen could see that the first kill had shaken the young Genin. He looked at the boy withpassion and understanding. He began to reply, his voice carrying the weight of years of experience and contemtion, "Orochimaru, the true purpose of our abilities as shinobi is a question that has haunted many generations, and it''s one that we must grapple with throughout our lives. Our talents, our techniques, and our strength are tools, much like a kunai or a jutsu. They can be used for good or for ill, depending on the heart that wields them."

    Hiruzen paused, letting the words sink in before continuing, "As shinobi, we are entrusted with the protection of our vige and its people. But our true purpose goes beyond mere duty. It is about preserving the delicate bnce of this world. It''s about understanding that power alone is not enough. It''s about responsibility, empathy, and the courage to make the right choices, even when they are the hardest."

    "Delicate bnce huh" Orochimaru was quiet for a while and then he looked at his teacher. "Sensei That man''s purpose was to exploit people weaker than him for his own good. But now he died because he was weaker than me."

    "What are you getting at Orochimaru?" Hiruzen asked curiously.

    "Is power the key to understanding life and death?"

    Hiruzen then turned his gaze to the night sky, as if seeking guidance from the stars. "Your question, Orochimaru, is aplex one. Power can grant us knowledge, but it''s not the sole key to understanding theplexities of life and death. True wisdomes from a deeper understanding, one that epasses not only our abilities but also our rtionships, our experiences, and our capacity forpassion."

    Hiruzen continued, "Life and death are intertwined, like the roots of a great tree that sustains all of existence. To understand them fully, we must look beyond the surface and seek the connections that bind us all. Power can be a stepping stone on that path, but it should never be the destination. It is through the pursuit of knowledge, the nurturing of our bonds with others, and the choices we make that wee closer to unlocking the mysteries of life and death."

    He then turned back to Orochimaru, a gentle smile on his face, "Remember, Orochimaru, as shinobi, we have a duty to protect and serve, but our true purpose lies in striving for a world where power is bnced by wisdom, where strength is tempered bypassion, and where the pursuit of knowledge leads to harmony rather than chaos. It is in this pursuit that we find the true essence of our abilities as shinobi."

    Orochimaru nodded as he listened to his teacher. "I understand sensei."

    <strong>shback End.</strong>

    That memory vanished and soon several others yed in Hiruzen''s mind. The many days he trained his students. The countless hours he spent discussing his aspirations with Orochimaru, teaching him various jutsu.

    Orochimaru''s fascination with snakes and reptiles was evident even then, as he would often bring small snakes he had found to show Hiruzen. Their conversations ranged from the ethics of warfare to the nature of power itself. Orochimaru''s thirst for knowledge was evident even then, as he sought to uncover the hidden truths of their world. Hiruzen admired Orochimaru''s intellect and his ability to make him question everything they were taught. It was a time of innocence and dreams, and Hiruzen even considered Orochimaru as a son.

    Soon the happy memories vanished and the one that haunts him to this very day started ying in his mind.

    <strong>shback.</strong>

    The night of the dark revtion remains etched in Hiruzen''s memory with vivid rity. It was a moonless night when he received reports of Orochimaru''s suspicious activities. With a heavy heart, he followed the leads that took him deep into the forests surrounding Konoha. There, in a hidden undergroundboratory, he discovered the horrifying extent of Orochimaru''s experiments. Hiruzen and his two Anbu guards were shocked at what they saw.

    The chamber was filled with cages containing creatures fused with unnatural chakra-infused substances. The wails of agony echoed through the room as Hiruzen confronted Orochimaru.

    "Kukukuku So you finally caught me huh That''s a shame" Orochimaru turned around and looked at his teacher with a malicious grin.

    "Exin yourself Orochimaru. What''s the meaning of this?" Hiruzen looked at his former student with anger and demanded.

    The Snake Sannin sighed and looked at his teacher. "After all the trouble I went through to ce those booby traps to give me warnings, I wasn''t expecting anyone. But I suppose I should have known that you''d be able to avoid them Sensei Kukuku"

    An Anbu stepped forward with his sword down. "Several people have gone missing from the vige. From Genins to even Anbu. Reports say that most of them were seen with you. And you''ve been acting strange for thest several weeks."

    Another Anbu also had his weapons drawn and was ready to fight. "You. How could you do something like this?"

    Orochimaru chuckled as he listened to the usations. "Deadmen don''t need any answers. I''ll kill you two as well."

    "Is that an admission of guilt, Orochimaru?" Hiruzen asked with a hardened tone.

    The Snake Sannin grinned as he looked at the Hokage. "Why ask questions you already know the answer to."

    "So all this is your doing. But why? What exactly are your intentions?" Hiruzen asked the man.

    Orochimaru gazed at the man and replied after a few moments. "Oh well, there''s no point in pretending now I suppose This is all part of my research. I''m developing jutsu."

    "What kind of jutsu would have you do inhumane things like this?" One of the Anbu asked with anger.

    "It''s forbidden jutsu you''re after, isn''t it?" Hiruzen asked with narrowed eyes. He understood the nature of Orochimaru''s work as soon as heid eyes on it. "What do you want, Orochimaru?"

    The smile on the Snake Sannin''s face vanished. "I want everything."

    "What do you mean everything?" Hiruzen asked, having an ominous feeling in his heart.

    "I want to know every jutsu in the world. Even those that have not yet been discovered. Just as there are countless shades of color in the world, there must be countless jutsu out there. I want to master them all."

    Hiruzen was puzzled. "But something like that It would take decades if not centuries You can''t aplish that task even in several lifetimes."

    Orochimaru smiled as he looked at his teacher. "Very true sensei. Our mortal existence is too fleeting. One, two or even three lifetimes is simply not enough for me to aplish my goals."

    "Exactly what kind of forbidden jutsu are you after?"

    "Come now sensei. I think you''ve already figured it out." Orochimaru spoke as he looked at his teacher.

    "I want to hear it from you, Orochimaru." Hiruzen clenched his fists and spoke.

    "Eternal youth, immortality jutsu. That''s what I''m creating."

    Hiruzen had no words as he looked at his student. The air was heavy with a sense of betrayal and foreboding.

    With a heavy heart, the Third Hokage spoke, his voice trembling with a mix of sorrow and disappointment, "Orochimaru, is this the path to power you''ve chosen?" His eyes bore into Orochimaru''s, searching for any remnants of the young, ambitious Genin he had once taught.

    The traitorous ninja, surrounded by the eerie apparatus of his experiments, met Hiruzen''s gaze with an unsettling calmness. His eyes, once filled with curiosity and potential, were now cold and devoid of the innocence that once defined him.

    He replied, his tone chilling, "Sensei. I havee to understand that true power lies in transcending the limitations of the human body, in mastering life and death itself. It is a path paved with sacrifices, but it is the only path to ensure my survival and eternal existence."

    Hiruzen''s heart sank further as he realized the depths to which Orochimaru had fallen. He spoke with deep sadness, "Orochimaru, power gained through such means is not true power. It is a twisted perversion of the very essence of what it means to be a shinobi. Our abilities are meant to protect and serve, not tomit atrocities in the name of personal gain."

    Orochimaru''s sinister smile sent shivers down Hiruzen''s spine. "Sensei, you always were too narrow-minded. You fail to see the grandeur of my vision. I will achieve power that transcends the limitations of this world, and I will not be bound by the feeble morality that restricts ordinary shinobi."

    Hiruzen, his heart heavy with sorrow and resolve, knew that he had a duty to stop his former student''s descent into darkness. "Orochimaru, as your teacher and as the Hokage, I cannot allow you to continue down this path." With a heavy heart, he dered.

    "What are you going to do sensei? Kill me?" Orochimaru took a step forward and asked his teacher with an evil grin.

    Hiruzen immediately went through several seals and mmed his palm onto the ground. "Ninja art: Summoning Jutsu."

    Orochimaru chuckled seeing the Monkey King Enma pop into existence. "I wonder Can you really go through with it.. Sarutobi sensei?"

    <strong>shback End.</strong>

    A short sh ensued between the ninjas but ultimately Hiruzen couldn''t bring himself to kill someone he once saw as his own child. Sentimentality and emotions won over logic and cold hard facts.

    And thus, on that night Orochimaru the Sannin escaped the Hidden Leaf vige and became one of the most dangerous criminals in the world.

    --------------------

    <strong>Author''s Note.</strong>

    I wanted to show Orochimaru''s path from a good guy to a bad guy. I took one scene from the anime and Gave it my own twists. The rest is original.

    I agree that letting Orochimaru escape was a bad idea but in my opinion people hold Hiruzen to an absurdly high standard. From my perspective every man has a weakness that they wouldpromise their ideals for. For most it''s family, for some it''s money or power... Yes. Because Hiruzen is the Hokage, he is held to a higher standard but he is also human. And humans have moments of weakness... At least this is my view

    Anyway, what are your thoughts guys?

    On the next chapter will see Daichi taking action.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen(No space)

 Chapter 286: Interrogating Mizuki 01

    Chapter 286: Interrogating Mizuki 01

    The whole room was quiet as they stared at Daichi.

    "To experiment on Lady Tsunade. His own former teammate? Do you really think he''d go that far?" Inoichi asked in a small tone.

    It was Ibiki who replied to the Yamanaka n head. "Orochimaru is known for his cruel experiments and thirst for power. He might have taken Lady Tsunade for her incredible medical knowledge and her unique chakra control abilities But it''s also possible he intends to use her as an experiment." Ibiki remembered what happened to Anko and knew that Orochimaru was not above using his own former teammate for his own gains.

    "Damn it. To think something like this could happen" Genma knew that soon the world would know what happened and if the Leaf vige lost someone like Tsunade it would make the other countries bold and they would try to take advantage of the situation.

    At that moment Hiruzen sighed tiredly. He clenched his fists and looked down at them as he spoke. "This is all my fault."

    Genma shook his head as he looked at the kage. "Lord Hokage. You can''t me yourself for something-"

    "His eyes They always had malice and ambition hidden behind them Almost hidden. I had seen it But I pretended not to notice. His strength and talent. He was the sort of student that came once in a generation."

    Everyone had their attention on Hiruzen. Daichi slightly narrowed his eyes as he looked at the old leader. ''Yes. If you hadn''t let him escape this wouldn''t be happening. So you have a me in this as well But then again this didn''t happen before in canon So I have to take responsibility as well''

    Hiruzen leaned back in his chair and let out a breath as he looked at his people present. "Even though Lord Hashirama brought peace by creating this vige, it wasn''t true peace. It was still a brutal time filled with war and darkness. We needed shinobi like him. I thought that if I kept training him, I could make him walk the right path. I once believed that he would be the one worthy to seed me. I was too naive It was my weakness that brought all this upon us now This is all on me"

    Everyone was silent as they heard the kage''s admission.

    Suddenly Hiruzen''s eyes sharpened. "But I can''t dwell on the past. I''m going to correct that mistake when I meet Orochimaru. But before that we''re going to rescue Tsunade and Shizune no matter what."

    The Hokage looked at the sole Genin in the room and spoke. "If Orochimaru wanted Tsunade for her medical skills then it would be for something extremely serious. And Tsunade would no doubt know that she needs to stall for as long as she can. But on the other hand even if he''s using her for some kind of experiment he won''t let her live for long. I estimate at most 4 or maybe 5 days before Orochimaru takes drastic measures. Do you concur with my theory Daichi?"

    Daichi was inwardly impressed at Hiruzen''s deduction. "Yes. I''vee to a simr conclusion as well."

    "Then we better find Lady Tsunade quickly." Kakashi who entered the room suddenly spoke up. Behind him came Asuma Sarutobi, Might Guy, Shibi Aburame, Tsume Inuzuka, her ninja dog partner and Kogamu Hyuga.

    "Is it true dad? Did Orochimaru really" Asuma asked.

    Hiruzen merely nodded his head.

    "To think that bastard has the balls to do something so audacious We can''t let him just do what he wants, Lord Hokage." Tsume spoke up. Tsunade had healed and saved her life when she was young and a new chunin. She would never forget that day and had wowed to repay her.

    "I will personally deal with Orochimaru when I find him." Hiruzen replied in a hard tone. "But right now our goal is to find Tsunade and her apprentice and rescue them safely. Your mission is to get to theirst known location and see if you can track them from there. ording to what Shizune wrote there were multiple enemies. So you might have to split into separate teams. If you find them your priority is to rescue Tsunade and Shizune and retreat."

    "Understood sir." The Jonins nodded. Hiruzen gave Kakashi the paper Tonton brought and the silver haired Jonin noted the details to memory. He gave the note to Tsume and she had her ninken partner Kuromaru take a whiff of the scents on the paper.

    "Got it." The one eyed wolfish canine spoke in a gruff voice.

    Suddenly Daichi spoke up. "Lord Hokage, please let me join their team."

    The Jonins nced at the Genin. They each had different thoughts as they looked at the boy.

    Hiruzen looked at the boy and shook his head. "I''m sorry Daichi. But I''m afraid I can''t allow that. It''s too dangerous."

    "But she''s my sensei. I can''t just sit back and do nothing." Daichi was desperate. ''I have to find them as soon as possible If not''

    "She also is my student " Hiruzen said in a hardened voice. But then he sighed and spoke in a softer tone. "It pains me as well to just sit here and not be out there doing everything I can to find those two but we have to make the smart decisions. No matter how hard they might be."

    Daichi wanted to argue but Kakashi interrupted him. "Lord Hokage is right, Daichi. Besides we don''t know if Orochimaru is after you as well. Right now you need to stay here. We''ll do everything we can"

    ''Damn it.'' Daichi looked at his teacher and reluctantly nodded his head.

    "Go." Hiruzen ordered and the group of ninja immediately left the building.

    Kakashi and the team of Jonins rushed with Tsume and Kuromaru at the front. Time of departure: 6:20 am. March 21st.

    Daichi stood in the Hokage office as he contemted his next move. ''What do I do? I need to know where Orochimaru is hiding them? If he took them to the main base then I''ll need to make my move soon. But what if he''s not there Wait a minute.''

    Just then another thought struck Daichi and he looked at the Kage. "Lord Hokage. Mizuki must have some information. He must definitely know something. He had to have met with Orochimaru to get the cursed jutsu." ''I need to know for sure if Mizuki in this timeline knows more about Orochimaru''s operations or not.''

    Hiruzen nodded as he recalled what happenedst night. "Yes. For him to attack Tsunadest night, Orochimaru knew Mizuki''s n. They must have been in contact."

    "But Lord Hokage. If Mizuki knows something then it''s a problem for us. As I mentioned earlier, it''ll take me time to enter his mind and ess the information we need because of the barriers." Inoichi spoke.

    "Wait. Barriers? Mizuki has mind barriers?" Daichi asked and Inoichi looked at the Hokage as if asking for permission to answer the question.

    Hiruzen looked at Daichi and nodded his head. ''He''s the one who caught Mizuki and he''s Tsunade''s student. I suppose there is no trouble in him knowing this.''

    "A rogue ninja ced powerful defenses in Mizuki''s mind. So unfortunately it will take me time to ess his memories. A day or two." Inoichi spoke looking at the boy.

    Daichi was tense and looked down in disappointment. ''By then it''ll be toote. I need information quickly. Maybe I can convince him somehow''

    At that time a system message popped up. It was a new quest. The gamer ninja immediately went through the details.

    [Quest created - Get Information from Mizuki]

    [Orochimaru has kidnapped Tsunade Senju and Shizune Kato several hours ago for unknown purposes. Mizuki may or may not have some information regarding Orochimaru''s ns. Find out whatever information you can from Mizuki through whatever means needed.] [Time Limit: 3 hours]

    .

    [Conditions:]

    [Get information on at least one of Orochimaru''s bases. ]

    [Get information on the person who helped him with the mind barriers.]

    [Find out more information about Orochimaru or his subordinates.]

    .

    [Rewards:]

    [15000 Exp.]

    [Reputation increases with certain Leaf vige ninjas.]

    [Increased chances of sessfullypleting the quest - ''Rescue Tsunade Senju'']

    .

    [Failure:]

    [Great chance of failure inpleting quest - Rescue Tsunade Senju]

    [ept: Y/N]

    Daichi immediately epted the quest. ''An increased chance in rescuing Tsunade sensei? So that means Mizuki is the key. He knows something that will help me. I need to find whatever information he has in his head. But this quest has a time limit. I need to act quickly.''

    Daichi looked at the Kage and spoke. "Lord Hokage. Even waiting for several hours would be too long. Let me talk to him. I want to try and see if I can convince Mizuki to give us any information he knows about Orochimaru and his ns."

    "Daichi, I don''t think that''s a good idea."

    "I can be persuasive Lord Hokage. Let me just talk to him."

    Genma who was standing nearby heard Daichi say simr words before. ''I have a feeling Mizuki is not going to enjoy a meeting with Daichi Should we let him do this?''

    Genma recalled what happened thest time Daichi interrogated someone. ''Right now Lady Tsunade and Shizune are in danger. We have to take drastic steps.''

    Genma looked at the kage and nodded his head. "Lord Hokage. I think you should give Daichi a chance. Let him speak with Mizuki."

    Hiruzen looked at Genma and quickly recalled what the man said on his mission with Daichi. He read Genma''s report on Daichi''s interrogation style and was impressed and a little concerned. ''Now we''re in a dangerous situation. Saving Tsunade and Shizune is all that matters. And this will give me the chance to see what you would do in such a situation, Daichi.''

    After a few moments of contemtion Hiruzen nodded his head giving Daichi permission. "Try to convince him if you can. If not, we''ll try some other methods."

    Daichi nodded and turned to Inoichi. "Sir, can you tell me what kind of mind barriers Mizuki have?"

    Inoichi nodded and recalled the information. "He has a stronger than average defense barrier. Based on my examination, if someone tries to poke in the wrong ce in his head, traps could be triggered that could kill both Mizuki and the person doing a Mind walk."

    "Can he give me the information of his own will?" Daichi asked.

    The Yamanaka n head nodded. "Yes. I believe so. Mizuki was able to tell Zefrek and the other two about his intentions to go to Orochimaru. So I believe he should be able to tell us as well. I haven''t seen any triggers in his mind that would activate should he decide to share information with us."

    Inoichi stopped and looked at the boy. "But that''s a big if He hasn''t said a word since we brought him into custody."

    Daichi nodded his head and crossed his arms as he came up with a n.

    Ibiki looked at the Genin from the corner of his eyes and recalled what Heiji said a few months ago.

    <strong>shback.</strong>

    Heiji had returned to the Leaf vige after the mission in the Capital to interrogate a suspect and he met up with Ibiki. During their conversation Heiji recalled his experience with the Genin Daichi Hekima.

    "I''m telling you, Ibiki. That kid only needed a short time and he just talked and that man spilled his secrets. If I didn''t know any better I''d say he was trained by you."

    Ibiki''s lips slightly curled upwards as he looked at the man. "Now you''ve got me curious. Daichi Hekima huh. I''m looking forward to meeting the boy one day."

    "Why? Are you thinking of training him?" Heiji asked with a grin.

    The head of the interrogation department shook his head. "No. That kid is already trained by Lady Tsunade and is currently under Kakashi. And if what you said is true I don''t think he''d need my help in the interrogation department. I''m just curious is all. Genin like him are rare. Especially during these peaceful times."

    <strong>shback End.</strong>

    Ibiki turned to the Genin and asked in a neutral tone. "Do you think you can get the answers you need from him just by talking to him? He isn''t like the person youst interrogated. Mizuki hates the vige. He won''t give up any information unless it''s by force."

    "I won''t know unless I try." Daichi replied with a resolute tone and Ibiki turned to the Hokage. Hiruzen looked at the Jonin and nodded his head.

    "Ibiki, Inoichi. Take him to the interrogation cell Mizuki is in. It won''t hurt us to try." The Hokage made a decision and Ibiki, Inoichi and Daichi nodded.

    The two Jonins plus Genin left the tower and quickly made their way to the interrogation department. It wasn''t long before they reached the cell Mizuki was in.

    Daichi stood outside the cell and looked through the one way mirror. He saw Mizuki and his heart hardened. ''Time to see if I''ll get an answer to my question''

    Without wasting another second Daichi opened the door and entered the room while Ibiki and Inoichi stood outside and observed.

    ---------------

    <strong>Author''s Note:</strong>

    Interrogating Mizuki will have two parts after this well you''ll have to wait and see

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen(No space)

 Chapter 287: Interrogating Mizuki 02

    Chapter 287: Interrogating Mizuki 02

    Hiruzen watched Ibiki, Inoichi and Daichi leave the room with a heavy heart and the old leader was left to his thoughts.

    ''I''m sure Ibiki will get whatever information Mizuki has in his head but it might take time. This is also an opportunity to see what Daichi would do in situations like this.''

    Hiruzen clenched his fists in anger as he thought about the whole incident. ''Orochimaru took precautions. That means he''s nning something big. Whatever the reason he took Tsunade for Ultimately it wouldn''t be good for the vige If Kabuto was here I could have taken him in and interrogated him but now I need to find them as quickly as possible. I''ll have to use all the ssified information Deerpiled over the years on Kabuto and use them But that won''t be enough''

    Genma noticed the frown on Hiruzen''s face and quickly recognized his expression. ''I know that face. He''s between annoyed and angry''

    The old kage turned to his personal guard and spoke. "Genma. Get me Danzo, Koharu and Homura. Tell them toe to my office immediately."

    "Yes sir." Genma nodded and immediately left the room.

    Hiruzen thought about Danzo and his mood worsened. ''Of all the times No. I need whatever information he has. He''s been in contact with that traitor and there is no chance Danzo would trust Orochimaru. So he must have some damaging information on him''

    Hiruzen bit his thumb and went through the seals for the summoning jutsu. He mmed his palm into the ground and a small monkey appeared in a puff of smoke.

    "I need you to track Jiraiya and find him. Tell him to get back to the vige as soon as possible. Tsunade and Shizune were abducted by Orochimaru. Ry this message." Hiruzen spoke as he looked down at his small summon.

    "Yes, master Hiruzen." The small monkey wearing a red vest and a bandanna nodded and disappeared.

    Hiruzen sighed and looked out the window. Even though the vige looked calm he knew things were about to get chaotic. The old kage thought about something and made up his mind. He got up from his chair and headed for the interrogation room.

    -

    6:40 am. Interrogation Department.

    Mizuki was already secured in his cell and because of the damage his body has undergone due to Orochimaru''s curse seal the man didn''t even have the energy to resist.

    Daichi looked at the tied up chunin and his eyes slightly narrowed. ''All this mess happening on the same night. He must know something. And I doubt Mizuki had any powerful mental defenses in canon. So that means he was prepared for the possibility of capture. Even though it was low Or was it his idea I need to know everything This will also give me the answer to that question as well.''

    Daichi didn''t speak a word as he opened the door and entered the interrogation room. Ibiki and Inoichi stood outside and looked at the Genin and the traitor Chunin with stoic expressions. At that moment they sensed Hiruzening and soon the kage stood near them. None of them spoke as they looked through the mirror.

    Inside the room Daichi stood near the door and looked at the prisoner. ''He doesn''t have any energy. He can''t answer my questions like this even if he wanted to.''

    Daichi walked up to Mizuki and ced his hands on the man''s chest. In a second Daichi''s palms began to glow green and in moments Mizuki felt chakra rushing to his body. Daichi was giving energy to Mizuki but he was also careful analyzing his condition. ''Most of his nerves are destroyed. He''s suffered serious damage. He''s in a worse state thanst night. So much so that he can''t feel any sensations. His condition is almost simr to Junichiro. Right now Mizuki can''t feel that pain and any stress on his body could induce cardiac arrest So this is why Ibiki is stuck I see now''

    The prisoner felt some energy filling his body and looked up to see the face of the person he currently hated the most.

    Seeing that the man had enough energy to talk, Daichi stopped his jutsu and took a few steps back.

    "You" Mizuki''s gaze held fury and hate and everyone could clearly see it.

    "You did this to me" Mizuki spoke with venom in his tone as he looked at Daichi.

    "There must be something wrong with your memories. I''m not the one who used Orochimaru''s jutsu. You did that on your own." Daichi replied in a cold tone as well.

    Mizuki grit his teeth as he looked at the Genin. "I''m not talking about this If you hadn''t be friends with that damned demon... If you hadn''t helped him My ns wouldn''t have failed You did this to me"

    "You brought this upon yourself" Daichi was angry inside that Mizuki was using him and he wanted to say what was really on his mind but he held his tongue. ''I need to get answers. I can''t antagonize this guy too much.''

    Mizuki looked at the Genin''s emotionless face and could only curse his bad luck. He then took a moment to look around the room. ''They really sent this brat to help with the interrogation No, that can''t be it.''

    "What do you want?" Mizuki took a deep breath of air and asked the boy.

    "You have powerful barriers in your mind. How did that happen? Who put them there?" Daichi asked.

    The traitorous chunin sneered as he looked at the boy. "You can''t be serious. You really think I''d talk"

    "You were a loyal shinobi of this vige once. There haven''t been any serious damage done so far. They would show mercy if you cooperate and give up the information willingly." Daichi replied to the man.

    Ibiki and Inoichi who were standing outside frowned. ''He shouldn''t have said that. Now Mizuki will figure out that he has the advantage''

    Ibiki looked at the kage and saw the stoic face of their leader and he decided to see how things would progress as well.

    Mizuki was confused. ''Mercy. I''ve seen them give harsher sentences for people who did far less than what I did So then why would they''

    As he thought about it Mizuki soon had an idea. He slowly chuckled as he looked at the boy. Even through the rasped sounds Daichi heard the mocking tone.

    "You''re lying... Something happened. Didn''t it You almost sound desperate."

    Daichi ignored Mizuki''s hateful gaze and spoke. "Information is a valuable currency. You were in contact with Orochimaru. The vige wants Orochimaru''s head more than yours. So they want to know the extent of your rtionship with him."

    Seeing Mizuki''s silence, Daichi continued. "Orochimaru did this to you. He used you as an experiment. You were yed by him. Don''t you want revenge against him?"

    Mizuki was silent as he looked at the boy. After a few seconds a small grin formed on his face. "You still haven''t answered my question. Something happened that made youe here Didn''t it?"

    Daichi held his gaze without showing any reaction to Mizuki''s deduction. "Are you really trying to fish for information from me? Orochimaru hadn''t attacked the vige if that''s what you are wondering."

    Mizuki looked at the Genin and couldn''t tell if it was true or not. ''If Orochimaru isn''t attacking the vige then what''s going on. Why is this kid here trying to get information from me? I need to know what''s happening.''

    "You haven''t answered my question Mizuki. Don''t you want revenge against Orochimaru?"

    Mizuki looked down and looked at his hands and feet. "What good is revenge. I''ll die in a few months He can''t save me" He then slowly turned his head upwards and looked at Daichi. "But I''m sure he''lle for all of you one day I''ll die knowing that you failed against him."

    Daichi looked at the man with slight amusement. "You do realize that a Yamanaka can get through those barriers with enough time right? Your secrets won''t be hidden for long."

    "If that''s the case Why are you here?"

    Daichi was silent for a couple seconds as he gazed at the man. "To find an answer to a question I''ve had for several months."

    ''Months? What is he talking about? Did he know about me even back then No, that''s not possible is it?'' Mizuki was puzzled when he heard the Genin''s reply. "What are you What question?"

    "You don''t want to know, Mizuki The truth is I''m hoping I don''t find out the answer today." Daichi replied with a soft tone and his reply puzzled the prisoner and the people outside the room.

    ''He came here to find an answer but he''s hoping he doesn''t get it. What is he on about?'' This was the general thought.

    Daichi decided to press forward and looked at the man. "In your current condition, it''s true. You''ll die in a few months. But what if I can help you"

    Mizuki looked at the boy in confusion. "What are you (cough)(cough)... talking about?" Hepleted his sentence after taking several painful breaths.

    "My medical skills are on the same level as my teacher. Lady Tsunade. I can restore the damaged cells in your body and with some time restore you back to full health."

    Everyone was surprised to hear that. Especially the three older ninjas standing outside. Hiruzen, Ibiki and Inoichi had aprehensive report on Mizuki''s condition after the man was examined by a medic ninja. They all thought that the damage was too extensive and couldn''t be reversed but hearing Daichi say that it could be was a shock.

    Inoichi looked at the boy in surprise. ''To heal that kind of damage Is he telling the truth or is he just trying to get Mizuki to give up information?''

    Meanwhile outside the room, Ibiki had a frown as he looked at the boy. ''His tactics are some I would expect from a normal Genin and a novice interrogator. Not someone who''s praised as a genius. He''s giving Mizuki too much information and leverage.''

    "Lord Hokage Should we" Ibiki spoke but Hiruzen shook his head.

    "Daichi isn''t an idiot. He knows what he''s doing. Let''s wait and watch." Hiruzen''s reply stopped Ibiki and the man turned his attention back to the interrogation taking ce.

    "Even if you healed me It won''t matter. The Hokage won''t let this go. He''ll just have me in chains and when he gets what he wants I''ll be executed." Mizuki coughed and struggled to breathe again. He gasped for air several times before he calmed down.

    "Maybe I can put in a good word for you. Get him to show leniency Who knows. He might be willing to give you a second chance."

    ''This brat is willing to do all that? Why? He didn''t look like he wanted to show me any mercyst night. And he''s right. Even with my barriers, someone will get through them with enough time. So why is this kid'' Mizuki looked at the boy and soon a malicious grin appeared on his face. "I was right at the beginning. You really are desperate Why are you really here, Daichi?"

    The Genin kept the same expression and rxed bodynguage even as he was called out. A few momentster he replied. "Orochimaru didn''t attack the vige. That''s true. But he did attack my teacher. He''s abducted Lady Tsunade and I want to know whatever information you have so I can save her."

    "So that''s it" Mizuki nodded and soon he began to chuckle. "So here you are Begging for my help."

    "Yes. Here I am Begging for your help." Daichi replied with his stoic expression. "Lady Tsunade''s life is more important than your punishment. So I''m here to make a deal."

    Mizuki was silent as he thought about the situation. Soon the evil smile on his face was reced with a serious face. "If I tell you what I know, what is the offer?"

    "Tell us everything you know and I''ll fully heal your injuries. You''ll be restored to full health. But since you''vemitted several serious crimes, I doubt the Hokage would be willing to just let you go. I can convince him to seal your chakra and let you live out the rest of your days in a corner of the vige. You won''t be a ninja but you won''t rot away in a prison either. You will get to live a healthy ordinary life. Considering everything that''s happened, that''s the best deal you''re going to get." Daichi spoke as he looked at the man.

    Mizuki looked at Genin and was quiet for several moments. "You really think the Hokage will go along with this? You think you can convince him?"

    "Yes. I''m sure I''ll find a way." Daichi replied and nodded with confidence.

    "How do I know you''re not lying? What guarantee do I have that you''ll heal me when you get what you want?"

    "I''m not you Mizuki. I''m a man of my word. If you tell me what I want to know now, I''ll keep my end of the deal."

    Hiruzen, who was watching everything, slightly narrowed his eyes. ''Daichi is right. Saving Tsunade and Shizune is more important. If Mizuki gives up information and it leads to Tsunade''s rescue in time, I''ll consider moving forward with Daichi''s proposal. No matter how much that displeases me.''

    Inoichi looked at the Genin and his gaze mildly softened. ''He hates this. But to save his sensei he''s going to go through with it I suppose we all have to makepromises in situations like this.''

    Inside the small cell, Mizuki looked at the Genin and saw Daichi''s resolute gaze. ''An ordinary life huh''

    Mizuki thought hard about the choice and soon he had an answer. ''Fuck that.''

    The traitorous chunin chuckled as he looked at the boy. "Now that I know what''s at stake, I definitely won''t tell you anything. I want you to suffer."

    Mizuki''s response was somewhat unexpected to the three ninjas. They hadpiled a profile of the man and thought they had figured him out. Mizuki would put his own life ahead of anyone else. This was evident to anyone who studied his files.

    The three ninjas outside were sure that Mizuki would ept the deal and that''s why when the man refused Daichi''s generous offer they were surprised.

    Hiruzen looked at Daichi and was tense. ''Did his gamble fail? Did I make a mistake sending him in?''

    ---------------

    Author''s Note:

    This was a long ass interrogation scene so I decided to split it again.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen(No space)

 Chapter 288: Daichis Fury 01

    Chapter 288: Daichi''s Fury 01

    Daichi held a stoic face as he looked at the grinning prisoner. Seeing Daichi''s silence, the man felt happy. "It''s not the answer you were expecting, was it?"

    "It was the best deal you were ever going to get. So why did you refuse it?" Daichi asked the man.

    Mizuki''s face sported a furious expression as he heard that question. "An ordinary life? Are you joking with me? I want power. This vige was holding me back. Now they''re going to pay."

    "Is your hatred so big that you can''t let go of your grudges and pick the logical choice?"

    The restrained Chunin looked at Daichi and his malice was clear to everyone. "I hate this vige. But now I hate you even more than that. Since I''m already dead it doesn''t matter anymore. I''ll die knowing that you''ll lose your precious sensei."

    Daichi closed his eyes, took a deep breath of air and slowly exhaled. He looked at the man and his face softened. "Mizuki. There is still a chance to change your fate. Give me the information I need and I''ll help you."

    Outside, Ibiki frowned and shook his head. "It''s not going to work. Mizuki won''t change his mind. This was a mistake." He turned to the Hokage and spoke. "Lord Hokage. Let me and Inoichi take over. We need to get past his barriers and retrieve as much information as quickly as possible."

    Hiruzen was silent as he looked through the ss mirror. "Just give him a couple more minutes If his efforts seem fruitless then you can take over."

    Inside the room, even though he was dying, Mizuki felt glee at that moment. Watching the Genin who ruined his ns, now pleading for his help made the Chunin happy.

    "Look at you. Begging here in front of me. No matter what you say, I won''t tell you anything. I want you to suffer. Orochimaru is going to kill Tsunade. I''m certain. That will be my revenge on you."

    Daichi looked at the mad grin on the weakened Mizuki''s face and sighed. "It seems I found the answer to my question." He spoke to himself but everyone heard his words.

    Mizuki frowned as he looked at the boy. "What are you talking about? I didn''t tell you anything."

    Daichi ignored Mizuki, looked around the room and then nodded to himself. "This room will do just fine."

    Nobody knew what Daichi had nned and they were curious. The Genin turned his attention back to Mizuki and after a few moments of silence he began to speak.

    "When I was training with Tsunade sensei, she made me promise something... She made me promise to never let the shinobi life consume me. That I should never lose to this world andpromise who I am. Compromise my ideals. She saw my talent and potential and saw how much good I could do. But she also saw the misery and horror I could bring to the world if I used my skills the wrong way."

    Hiruzen closed his eyes when he heard that. The simrities between Daichi and Orochimaru were many. But at the same time, the two couldn''t be more different in who they are and the old kage knew that.

    Daichi''s tone took a cold edge as he looked at the tied up man. "I promised her that this life wouldn''t change me. That I wouldn''t be a monster."

    Hiruzen, Ibiki and Inoichi had a bad feeling in their guts as they heard Daichi talk.

    Mizuki looked at the boy in confusion and then sneered. "If you think you can scare methen you''re mistaken. No matter what you do No matter what you say I won''t tell you anything."

    Daichi chuckled and his tone sent danger signals to everyone. Even Mizuki looked at the boy cautiously.

    Daichi looked at Mizuki with a small smile that sent shivers up the man''s spine. "You know it''s funny.. .The person I interrogated a few months ago said something simr. You see during that interrogation he was stubborn too. I gave that man a choice and I got the information needed. But you know, that wasn''t personal. I was just doing what I had to, toplete the mission. So at that time a question arose in front of me. To save the someone I care about, would I go to any length? Would I break my promise to my teacher andpromise on my ideals?"

    Mizuki was silent as he looked at the Genin.

    "I''ve been pondering this question for months. I wanted to know the answer but at the same time I was afraid of the answer And I was right to be afraid."

    Daichi''s face was devoid of any feelings as he looked at the man. The Genin at the moment didn''t feel any emotion and it showed in his eyes. "Mizuki I was begging you. But it wasn''t to help me save Tsunade''s life... I was begging you to help me save yours."

    Ibiki, who was standing outside the cell, finally understood why the child gave information to Mizuki so freely. ''This kid He wanted to know what Mizuki would do''

    Mizuki looked at the Genin and fear began to rise in heart. His body trembled for a moment and the terror was visible on his face.

    Daichi sighed and shook his head. "I was trying to be kind. But since you''ve helped me find an answer to my query We''ll do this a different way. To save my sensei''s life, I''m going to break my promise to her."

    The Genin immediately turned around and came near the one way mirror in the room. He sensed the presence of the kage and turned his head in the man''s direction. It was as if Daichi was looking at Hiruzen through the ss.

    "Lord Hokage. I''m going to find Tsunade sensei and Shizune no matter what. I''ve made my choice."

    Hiruzen heard the tone in which the boy spoke and knew that no matter what he decided, Daichi would do what he had to do.

    The Genin in the interrogation room took a deep breath and stood firm. "Lord Hokage. Requesting permission to have full unrestricted dominion over the prisoner. I''ll get the answers we need in less than two hours. Tap the ss twice if you agree with my request"

    Ibiki and Inoichi were silent as they turned to the kage. Hiruzen looked at the boy and then his eyes went to Mizuki.

    ''Time is of the essence. I need to make a decision.''

    "Inoichi, if we use every method at our disposal, how long would it take for you to get through Mizuki''s mental defenses?" Hiruzen asked the Jonin mind reader.

    "If we work round the clock using additional forces then around half a day. Maybe a little more" Inoichi replied knowing that wasn''t the answer the Hokage was hoping for. ''If it wasn''t someone from the n that ced those barriers, I could break through them much sooner. But Ko knows all our techniques and the methods we use to break through a barrier What a troublesome situation Now I''m starting to sound like Shikaku.''

    "It might still be toote by then. Every second counts." Hiruzen shook his head.

    ''Perhaps Kakashi''s team could gather some information and find her, but Orochimaru isn''t someone who''s careless. And the information I have on him I''ll have to give it to the analysis team and have them go through it. But still all those will take time. If Mizuki has any additional vital information that could help us Then it can''t wait.''

    After thinking things through, Hiruzen sighed and closed his eyes. ''Tsunade, please forgive me for doing this.'' His eyes went to Daichi and the kage made his decision. He raised his hand..

    Tap Tap

    And tapped the ss two times.

    Inoichi was surprised. He didn''t know of the interrogation that happened between Daichi and Junichiro, so he was shocked that the Hokage would give such control of a prisoner to a Genin.

    "Lord Hokage, are you sure about this?" The Yamanaka n head asked.

    "If Daichi says he can get the answers quickly then I have to trust him."

    "But-"

    "Inoichi. Let''s wait and see what he does." Ibiki spoke and Inoichi''s protests died in his throat.

    Inside the cell Daichi heard the two taps and nodded. He created a shadow clone and looked at him. "Go get it for me."

    The clone nodded and quickly left the room.

    The real Daichi turned around and looked at the prisoner who was cautious and nervous. Daichi walked up to the man and ced his hands on Mizuki''s chest.

    <strong>[Skill Health Maniption is activated]</strong>

    <strong>[Skill Chakra Transmutation is activated]</strong>

    A powerful green chakra glow formed between Daichi''s palms. Mizuki felt vitality and strong chakra rushing to his body. At first he felt pain but then it disappeared and the silver haired Chunin felt pure energy coursing through his veins. He felt his muscles strengthen and chakra rising. His body began to bulk up and the skin that was wrinkled and had dark brown color began to regain its original luster.

    It took almost half an hour but Daichi was able topletely heal Mizuki and restore his strength. The ninjas outside were astonished at Daichi''s medical skills.

    "To bring someone to full health from such a state Amazing." Inoichi muttered as he looked at the boy.

    "He certainly wasn''t overselling his medical skills." Ibiki concurred. "Lord Hokage, perhaps now I can-"

    "No." Hiruzen knew what Ibiki wanted to ask. "This is Daichi''s choice. I want to see what he does."

    To Daichi, the two skills leveled up multiple times after healing someone in Mizuki''s state.

    <strong>[Skill Health Maniption has leveled up] x3</strong>

    <strong>[Skill Chakra Transmutation has leveled up] x5</strong>

    Even with his strength restored to his peak, Mizuki was stillpletely restrained. He looked at the boy in confusion. ''Even though he knows I won''t tell him anything, he healed me Does he really think I''m bluffing.''

    "Your medical skills are certainly impressive. But it doesn''t matter if you healed my injuries. I won''t tell you anything." Mizuki spoke in a condescending tone as he looked at the boy.

    "I didn''t heal you on the belief that you would willingly answer my questions. No. I healed you because I don''t want you to die too quickly." Daichi replied and went to open the door.

    Mizuki was puzzled at those words. ''What is he going to do? No. No matter what he does I''m not going to give up. He ruined my goals and destroyed my future. I can''t let him win.'' Mizuki struggled in his chair but it was useless.

    Daichi opened the door and his clone was waiting outside with a scroll. The Genin closed the door after the clone walked inside the room and didn''t say anything to the curious eyes that were on him.

    "Have you heard the story of General Akihiro of the Land of Water?" Daichi asked Mizuki.

    The Chunin was silent as he looked at the boy. Daichi smiled at the silence and walked near Mizuki. He leaned against the wall while his shadow clone stood in the middle of the room. The clone ced the scroll on the ground and gave it some chakra.

    In a puff of smoke several items appeared including several small wooden nks. The shadow clone went through several seals and ced his hands on the ground. Immediately the ground underneath them began to shift and it changed shape ording to Daichi''s will.

    "From your silence I take it you don''t know who I''m talking about. It''s not surprising. I doubt anyone outside the Daimyo family of the Land of Water would know about him these days." The real Daichi spoke as everyone''s attention was on the clone.

    It began to create a contraption from the earth and wooden nks.

    "What are you doing? What is that?" Mizuki asked the real Daichi.

    "You''ll get to experience what that is soon. But if you want to know what it is Well, that is something a Daimyo in the Land of Water came up with a couple centuries ago."

    "What?" Mizuki was confused and he wasn''t the only one.

    "Lord Hokage, do you know what that is?" Inoichi asked the kage since he too didn''t know what Daichi was talking about.

    "No. I don''t know what he''s building." Hiruzen replied with an anxious heart. He also tried to recall any mention of the name Akihiro connected to the Land of Water. ''General Akihiro. Who is he and what does he have to do with this?''

    "Whatever that thing is, I don''t think Mizuki is going to like it." Ibiki looked at Daichi''s face and he saw no emotion. But that in itself was a tell. ''That kid is seriously pissed off right now.''

    While the shadow clone was working, meticulously building the contraption, the real Daichi looked up at the ceiling and thought about the predictability of the human condition. ''It seems even I''m not immune to it.''

    "The Human Condition. Most people in the world grow up with self imposed rules in their hearts. No cheating, no murdering, no thieving, no torture Things like that. But we all have that something that would make us break our own rules and the rules society has imposed on us. For many, it''s family, for others it''s money and fame or their self interests. For most shinobi, it''s protecting our home. But for people like you and Orochimaru it''s power. The power to stand above others. And when you want that something badly or to protect it you''d be willing to break the rules you''d imposed on yourself."

    Daichi looked down from the single bulb in the room and fixed a chilling gaze at Mizuki. "I care about my teachers very much. So to save their lives I''m going to break the rules I''ve imposed on myself I''m going to dig deep and I''m going to unleash horrors on you the likes of which you''ve never experienced."

    Killing intent rose from Daichi as he looked at the scared chunin. "Mizuki. This is yourst day on earth. But before I sent you off to the other side" Daichi came near the petrified Chunin and tapped his forehead with his index finder. "I''m going to learn everything I need from that little noggin of yours."

    "It''s ready." The voice from the shadow clone drew the attention of Daichi and Mizuki. It dispelled and Daichi turned his attention back to his prisoner.

    "Let''s begin."

    ---------------

    Author''s Note:

    I was originally going to name this chapter something simple like Mizuki interrogation 03 or something But after watching the YouTube video of the Doctor who that ''High priestess of Torga'' i decided to name it this.

    I hope this chapter and the one thates after doesn''te as cringe. As I said before I''m only starting to try these dark themes in my story

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen (No space)

 Chapter 289: Daichis Fury 02

    Chapter 289: Daichi''s Fury 02

    The Hokage and the two interrogators were surprised at the wooden contraption Daichi built in the middle of the interrogation room. It was simr to a chair but there were several additional mechanisms to it.

    Daichi walked to Mizuki while making a few hand seals and ced his right palm on the back of the man''s head. Mizuki jerked as he felt Daichi use his jutsu on him.

    "You won''t be able to control the motor function of your limbs from now on." The Genin spoke as he looked at the jerking man. He released the restraints and held Mizuki up. He led the struggling Chunin and brought him to the special chair he made.

    Daichi made sure to secure the Chunin''s head, arms and legs to the chair and made sure there would be no movement from Mizuki. After strapping him down securely in the chair Daichi took a step back.

    The chair had a basin attached to the top along with additional two arms positioned vertically.

    ''So this is what the minister felt that day. The need to do whatever it takes for a loved one.'' Daichi looked emotionless as he looked at the trapped Chunin. ''This is too important. I need to know what he knows. I''m not going to stop now. ''

    The Genin made a hand seal and the sound of water could be heard above the chair. A few secondster a drop of cold water hit Mizuki right in the middle of his forehead. The chair had special seals Daichi created with fixed functions.

    Mizuki was confused at Daichi''s methods. "What is this?"

    "This is an invention a Daimyo in the Land of water came up with to punish his murderous general around two centuries ago."

    The Chunin looked at Daichi in silence for a few moments before he burst out inughter. "Pfft-Hahahahaha Seriously You really-"

    Drip.

    Mizuki was cut off by another drop of water to the forehead but he ignored it after a second and continued. "You really think a drop of water can get me to-"

    Drip.

    Mizuki stopped for a moment and then ignored it and again continued. "This isn''t scary. At most it''s annoying. And here I was feeling afraid of you."

    Drip.

    Feeling the cold drop of water slowly run down his face, Mizuki just tried to ignore it. ''He thinks he can get me to talk with a bucket of water. Is this kid an idiot?''

    Daichi took the small chair in the corner of the room and sat down in front of the prisoner. "You see Mizuki, during my travels with Lady Tsunade I would try to find rare books about the history and culture of the world. Amongst them I found a very interesting journal. It was written by the minister who served under a Daimyo in the Land of water two centuries ago. That journal told an interesting tale."

    The Chunin and the people standing outside the room were curious.

    "What are you talking about? Are you here to interrogate me or tell a story and make me go to sleep?" Mizuki was arrogant thinking that he had won against Daichi and so he tried to be as condescending as possible.

    The Genin only smiled as he looked at the prisoner''s face. "Yes. I am here to tell you a story But I promise. You won''t be sleeping."

    The way in which Daichi said thatst part made Mizuki somewhat cautious. All the while his forehead was struck by cold water droplets at irregr intervals.

    Daichi sat in his chair looking rxed as he gazed at Mizuki. "Around two hundred years ago there was a Daimyo that ruled the Land of water named Yushin Denjiro. He had a powerful general under hismand named Akihiro. The Daimyo was a brilliant, cunning man. And General Akihiro. Well, if the journal is to be believed then he was the Tobirama Senju of that time. At least when ites to chakra power and water ninjutsu."

    Hiruzen, Ibiki and Inoichi were surprised to hear that. It was especially shocking to the old Hokage since he knows just how powerful his teacher is. ''Someone as strong as Lord Second? Even if it was in a time period long ago, it''s still hard to believe.''

    "It''s written that General Akihiro could manipte water to such a degree that if he was near even a small body of water, he was said to be invincible. No matter how many enemies he faced, he wouldn''t be defeated. The most powerful water style jutsu user of that era."

    Mizuki was confused when he heard Daichi talk. "What does-" Drip

    "a dead-" Drip.

    Mizuki was slightly annoyed but felt nothing more. "What does a dead general have to do with this?"

    "Because you two are simr. Not in terms of power but your behavior."

    Mizuki was silent as he red at the Genin and Daichi continued. "With the General''s power and the Daimyo''s cunning strategies they crushed all opposition and took over many territories nearby and ruled over them. After the Daimyo had enoughnd and power he began to focus on enjoying his life. He got married to the love of his life but tragedy struck. She died in childbirth. The Daimyo had a son. Yuji Denjiro. A son he loved very much. When Yuji was a teenager he fell in love with a very beautiful girl. The Daimyo approved of the rtionship and agreed that as soon as they reached 19, they would get married. Everyone was happy. Or at least that''s what it seemed. You see, General Akihiro was secretly in love with the girl and he hated the fact that she would be someone else''s. No one knew he was madly obsessed with her."

    Daichi stopped and fixed Mizuki with a cold gaze. "Can you guess what happened next?"

    Mizuki snorted and gave a nonchnt reply. "He killed her?!"

    Daichi sighed as he heard that reply. "Yes. See. I told you, you two were simr. Anyone else might have said, the General would abduct the woman or kill the son of the Daimyo but you you got it right on the first try. He killed her."

    The silver haired Chunin sneered as he looked at the Genin. "If he had the kind of power you said he had then there is no problem for him to do what he wants. Power is what''s important in this word. Nothing else matters."

    "Yes. You and that dead General are so much alike That girl died and even though the General did it in secret, the Daimyo''s son found out about it and confronted him. In anger the general killed the boy too. After that he knew he would have to kill the Daimyo as well since Akihiro knew how much the Daimyo loved his one and only son. So heunched a coup. But unfortunately the cunning Daimyo had already taken precautions against him. He spent a good chunk of his wealth and fortune and hired a small army from various ns to confront the general. After many sacrifices the General was defeated and imprisoned."

    Mizuki let out an intentional yawn as he looked at the Genin. "That''s a great story and all. But what does any of that have to do with us?"

    Daichi was silent as he looked at the man. But the silence was broken a few momentster by the sound of a drop of water hitting Mizuki''s forehead.

    Daichi smiled at Mizuki''s irritated expression. "Hatred is a powerful emotion. When someone you love is taken from you, even the kindest person can take the most cruel actions Like that Water Daimyo. He wanted revenge for his son but he wanted the General to suffer an unimaginable pain. So the Daimyo tried toe up with different torture methods but nothing worked. Not to his satisfaction anyway. In today''s standards the General would have been a high kage level ninja after all. He was strong both in mind and body. And the Daimyo didn''t just want to break the General''s body but he wanted to break the man''s mind as well. He wanted to use the man''s greatest strength against him. The Daimyo wanted to use water to torture the traitorous General."

    Outside the room Ibiki and Inoichi nced at each other as they had a bad premonition in their hearts. Hiruzen stood still and looked in with a stoic expression as he listened to every word Daichi spoke.

    Daichi slowly stood from his small chair and walked to Mizuki. "Soon one day, he saw a snake lying under a tree in his garden. The water from the leaves hit its body at random times and the Daimyo could see that the snake was irritated. As he kept watching he saw the snake biting its own body and the Daimyo was confused. He asked a doctor in the pce to take the snake and examine him. He wanted to know why the snake didn''t just crawl away."

    Mizuki and the others were silent as they listened to Daichi''s tale. The Genin circled Mizuki and nodded to himself as he saw the seals on the wooden machine working as they should.

    "After examining the snake the doctor found the reason. Arge portion of its body was paralyzed and it could only move a small portion near the head. But what the Daimyo wanted to know more was why the snake was so aggressive to the point it would harm its own body. So after several tests the Daimyo found a new method of torture. The Water Dripping method."

    Mizuki could help but let out a smallugh. Even as his face was dripping with water he grinned. "Are you kidding me? You really think a few drops of water to my face is torture? Haha There is no way something like this works."

    Daichi sat down in front of Mizuki and smiled. A smile that erased the grin on the Chunin''s face.

    "That''s because you don''t know the effects of this method. That General. Despite his cruel nature he was strong and a powerful warrior. But with this method the Daimyo broke him in just 4 days. You see, the Daimyo found out that if cold water is slowly dripped into the scalp, forehead or face for a prolonged period of time, it would cause fear and mental deterioration on the subject. The pattern of the drop is often irregr and the cold sensation is jarring. It slowly causes anxiety as the person tries to anticipate the next drip."

    Ibiki and Inoichi were surprised to hear such an interrogation method. "Have you heard of such a method, Ibiki?"

    "No. Not using water drops. There are ways to inflict damage to the psyche but I''ve never heard of such a method before. So I''m also skeptical. I don''t know how effective this is going to be."

    Nearby, Hiruzen narrowed his eyes as he looked at the boy. ''A shinobi is more resilient than a normal human. So to inflict such psychological damage in such a short amount of time using such a simple method Can it really be done? But still even if it''s possible, it might take hours for this to take effect Unless Daichi has something else nned.''

    Just as the Hokage had this thought, Daichi took three small syringes from the scroll. Mizuki was tense as he looked at them and he red at the Genin with all the hatred he could muster.

    Daichi looked at Mizuki with a cold emotionless gaze and spoke. "That method, while effective, was a bit too slow for my taste. So I perfected it with the help of these. One of these vials will weaken your optic nerves and you''ll be blinded. The other will make your nerves far more sensitive than normal. The third will increase your brain activity."

    Daichi injected the contents and soon Mizuki''s eyes lost their vision. "I can''t see. Damn it I can''t see. What did you do to me, you bastard!?"

    "I told you. This is my own version of that method. I''ll be back in an hour when you''re in the mood to talk." Daichi left the room after speaking those words. He ignored the screams and curses that came at him.

    Hiruzen looked at Daichi with aplicated expression. ''This method relies on the psychological stress caused by sensory deprivation and the incessant repetition of a small, seemingly harmless stimulus. Over time, this can lead to intense mental distress and even madness. I never would have expected something like this from Daichi.''

    "How long will it take for this method to work?" Ibiki asked looking at the boy.

    "The original method would have taken days but my method will get the results in an hour." Daichi replied to the man.

    "What''s different?" It was Inoichi who asked this question.

    "I hypothesized various ways to intensify the experience. Alternating the temperature of the water could heighten the sensory input and make the experience more disorienting and distressing for the victim. Using cold water could cause difort and potentially lead to hallucination of hypothermia over time, making the victim more susceptible to the psychological effects of the torture."

    Hiruzen''s eyes slightly widened as he looked at the boy.

    "On the other hand, hot water might cause mild burns or heightened skin sensitivity, making each drop more noticeable and ufortable. Switching between hot and cold water could also disrupt the victim''s ability to limate to the sensation. Humans can be somewhat ustomed to unchanging stimuli over time, but if the stimulus is constantly changing, it''s much harder to ignore or adapt to."

    The three adults were shocked when they heard that. Ibiki turned to look at Mizuki who was already beginning to show the effects of this method. ''It would be as if he was being frozen one second and then being burned alive the next second. What a terrifying method.''

    "How long would it take before Mizuki would be willing to answer questions?" The Hokage asked in an unusually serious tone.

    Daichi looked at the Hokage and sighed. He knew the kage would be cautious when it came to him from now on with this stunt. Regardless he answered. "My vial has increased the sensitivity in his body by multiple times. In the first five minutes Mizuki would try to suppress the effects by trying to meditate and center his mind to dull the sensations. But by 10 minutes he''d start to feel irritated and he''ll struggle to maintain his meditation. In 20 minutes frustration will begin to creep in. Then anxiety. His mental strength will be pushed to the limits"

    "And what happens after an hour?" Hiruzen asked the child in a low tone.

    Daichi was silent for a few moments and then replied. "A growing sense of despair. His thoughts would be chaotic. His mind will begin to wander, imagining worst-case scenarios and oues. He will hallucinate. His sense of reality will start to distort. He will then begin to experience a profound sense of istion and loneliness. He''ll start to lose track of time. Each moment would feel like an eternity. His sense of self will begin to dissolve. A few minutes beyond an hour His mental state will deteriorate further. He will begin to experience extreme stress, paranoia, and delusions. He may even lose his sense of identity."

    The silence that followed Daichi''s answer was deafening. The ninjas looked at Daichi and tried to hide what they were thinking but the Genin knew that surprise and maybe even slight fear was among the emotions.

    "Why? Why would youe up with something like this unless you weren''t intending on using it?" Hiruzen suddenly asked Daichi. His face was devoid of expression as he looked at the boy.

    Daichi looked down as he heard that question. ''I originally created this for Obito in the event he ever came for Reo but now''

    The Genin looked at the Hokage and his face softened. "I had truly hoped this day would nevere. I never wanted to use this method on anyone But I''m not someone who''ll be unprepared when ites to a ruthless enemy."

    Hiruzen sighed as he heard that. ''We''ve done things far worse to our enemies during the wars.''

    The Hokage looked at the boy and he had to remind himself that Daichi wasn''t an ordinary child. ''This is the nature of a shinobi. There is nothing I can do to change that.''

    "Do you want us to question Mizuki or?"

    Daichi shook his head negatively to the Hokage''s question. "No. I''ll be back in an hour. I have an idea as to how to get some definitive answers from him once he''s ready."

    ---------------

    Author''s Note.

    I had to rewrite several parts of this chapter when i wrote it. I don''t know if this is cringy or edgy or cool. So I''m eager to know your opinions. Pleasement.

    Oh for those of you looking forward to battles, it''sing soon.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen(No space)

 Chapter 290: The Hokages Ultimatum

    Chapter 290: The Hokage''s Ultimatum

    <strong>March 21 - 7:40 am</strong>

    Hiruzen internally sighed as he observed the Genin. He then looked at Mizuki inside the interrogation room who was slowly starting to struggle against his restraints. "Will he survive After this?"

    Daichi was quiet for a few moments before he replied. "If he''s subjected to the current stimtion for about an hour and a half or more, his mind would be gone and no treatment would be able to heal him. For all intents and purposes he''d be nothing more than a walking corpse"

    Hiruzen kept his attention on Mizuki and didn''t show any reaction to hearing Daichi''s answer.

    "But If it''s stopped in around just an hour or so, he can still be saved."

    At Daichi''s answer Hiruzen turned to look at the boy and nodded. "What are you going to do now?" He asked the Genin.

    "I''m going home for a while. So many things happened in such a short time. I need to clear my head."

    Just then Genma appeared and gave a small bow to the kage. "They''re waiting for you at the office sir."

    Hiruzen nodded. He looked at Daichi and after a few moments of silence spoke. "Do what you think is needed. But you shouldn''t forget Tsunade''s words."

    Daichi nodded and soon both Hiruzen and Daichi went their separate ways while Ibiki and Inoichi observed the changes in Mizuki''s behavior patterns.

    -

    Hiruzen quickly made his way to his office and soon could sense the presence of his three former teammates waiting inside. He looked at the two guards and nodded. "Don''t let anyone inside until I''m finished with this meeting."

    "Yes Sir." The two Chunins stationed stood straight and replied.

    Hiruzen entered the room and saw the curious gaze of the three. ''It seems they don''t know yet.''

    "Why have you called us so suddenly Hiruzen? What happened?" Homura asked the man.

    "And why is the vige still in the Level 1 emergency state? I thought the escaped prisoners were recaptured." Koharu also spoke.

    Danzo merely looked at Hiruzen with a stoic gaze and stood silently. ''Something serious must have happened that he''s even asked for me toe Does this have something to do with the Root agents that were caught.''

    Hiruzen''s eyes roamed the faces of his three teammates and he soon took his chair. "A little over an hour ago I received credible intelligence that Orochimaru had attacked Tsunade and Shizune."

    The news was like a thunderstorm for the other three. Even someone like Danzo was surprised at this piece of information.

    "What? Hiruzen are you sure about this?" Homura couldn''t help but ask.

    "Yes. The information is credible. And I''ve sent a team to investigate it." The kage replied.

    "This isn''t good Hiruzen. Tsunade may not be an active shinobi but she is a deterrent against other nations. If they realize that she''s missing or even dead then it will create chaos." Koharu spoke with slight dread in her tone.

    "Did Orochimaru kill them?" It was Danzo who asked this question and Hiruzen became silent. A few momentster he replied.

    "The truth is I don''t know. Tsunade''s pet came here this morning with a message from Shizune saying they were ambushedst night near the border. Whether they were killed or Orochimaru took them I''m not sure But I''m hoping it''s thetter. That way there is still a chance to save them." The sadness and tiredness in his voice wasn''t missed by his friends.

    "Why would Orochimaru do something like this now? He ignored her and never caused trouble for her all these years So why now?" Homura knew Orochimaru wouldn''t antagonize them without a reason. He couldn''t understand the man''s motives.

    "If he took them then there might be a couple of reasons He needs her help for something or he''s nning to use her in some way. Regardless It''s not good." Hiruzen replied.

    Danzo thought about the unusual movements Orochimaru exhibited during thest few months and he was also concerned. Despite his displeasure at Tsunade, he knew that she was an important part of the vige. ''What is he thinking? I didn''t even hear any wisps of an attack nned on her If he''s avoiding even me Then this isn''t good.''

    "Hiruzen. This is no small matter. We need to mobilize the forces and secure the border. This information can''t get out." Koharu spoke and the old kage agreed with her.

    "I''m aware of that and I''ve taken the necessary steps."

    "What do you need from me Hiruzen?" Danzo suddenly spoke up. "You wouldn''t have called me here otherwise."

    Hiruzen frowned as he looked at the man he once thought of as his closestrade. "Danzo. I know you''ve been in contact with him even after he''s left the vige."

    "Hiruzen, I haven''t-"

    "Danzo. Don''t waste my time and test my patience. Right now my concern is Tsunade and her student. So, I want all the information you have on Orochimaru, his associates, his hideouts and hiswork. Everything."

    Danzo looked at the man and saw the cold glint in Hiruzen''s eyes and it made him nervous inside.

    The old Kage looked at Danzo with narrowed eyes. His mind was still on Daichi and what happened several minutes ago. ''He was willing to go that far and break his ideals and promise to Tsunade. Some might say that he was taking the easy way out but I saw it at the end. He really hated himself for choosing to go down that path. But he''s willing to do that anyway to save her. If a Kage like me doesn''t even have such strength to put aside my personal feelings then it''s time I stepped down from my position.''

    "Danzo." The cold hardened voice in Hiruzen''s tone and the dangerous intent surrounding the man set the old warhawk on edge.

    "Hi-Hiruzen-" Homura didn''t know what had been going on between the two but before he could say anything further Hiruzen''s eyes stopped him. The old kage looked at Koharu and Homura and then turned his attention back to Danzo.

    The old kage leaned forward and sped his hands as he looked at the one eyed man. "I realize that in all these years, I haven''t really made myself clear to you Danzo. Never really said these words out loud. So here it is so that there is no misunderstanding between us You will never be Hokage of this vige. Ever. I have already put contingencies in ce for when I die. You will never take this seat, even after I''m dead. So your only choice is to obediently follow the orders given or else I''ll have you executed for treason."

    Danzo stood silently and could only look solemnly at the Hokage.

    Koharu looked at the two and couldn''t believe there was such animosity between them. "Hiruzen That''s going too far. Danzo has served the vige-"

    Hiruzen nodded as he looked at the old woman. "He has. I''m not denying that. But he has also operated beyond his authority multiple times and even crossed the lines a few times. I won''t allow it anymore. I can''t have a rogue element in this vige with their own agendas." ''Not anymore.''

    Hiruzen looked at Danzo and crossed his arms. "What do you say Danzo? Do you want to resist or do you want toply?"

    Danzo closed his one eye and sighed. He then looked at the man and nodded "I will obey your orders Lord Hokage. You''ll have everything I have on Orochimaru in an hour."

    Hiruzen looked at the man and slowly nodded. The four discussed the measure to be taken and were soon dismissed. Hiruzen looked at Danzo''s figure and recalled the information his Anbu had sent him. ''It''s time I used that.''

    -

    <strong>Nara n. Shikaku''s House.</strong>

    The Joninmander was in his yard feeding a small deer that wandered in. He soon heard slow footsteps and turned his head to see Shikamaru looking at him, still sleepy.

    "Morning Shikamaru. Had a good night''s rest?" He asked with a small smile. After hearing about everything that happened yesterday he was proud of his son for standing up for his friends.

    "Not really." He looked at the deer and very slowly walked towards it. "Where did hee from?"

    "Must have wandered away from his herd."

    Shikamaru took a handful of grass from his father and slowly fed the small creature.

    "Do you have any ns or are you just going to stay here and sleep all day?" Shikaku asked his son.

    "I was thinking sleeping. I got nothing better to do. And after bing a Genin I''m pretty sure my free time will be a lot less."

    The Joninmander just nodded as he listened to his son. After a few moments of silence Shikaku spoke. "Are you satisfied with the answers you got?"

    Shikamaru knew what his father was asking about. ''The nine tails. When I first saw Naruto in the academy I never would have guessed that there was more to him. That there was such a story.''

    "Mostly." Shikamaru replied with a slight yawn.

    "Mostly?" The older man cocked an eyebrow as he looked at the boy.

    Shikamaru seeing his father''s gaze rified. "There are still some things that don''t make sense. But for now I''m mostly satisfied."

    The Nara turned his head back for the small deer and spoke. "Till you reach a suitable rank and attain sufficient strength, the answers you have now will have to do."

    "I understand." The Genin sighed and nodded his head. ''It''ll be too much of a headache if I still keep poking my nose into this Guess it''s time to just let it go For now''

    As they were enjoying the morning fresh air an Anbu suddenly appeared nearby, startling the Genin.

    "Commander Shikaku. Your presence is urgently required at the Hokage tower."

    Shikaku sensed the tone in the Anbu ninja and he immediately knew something was up. "I''ll be right there."

    Receiving the reply the masked ninja nodded and vanished.

    "You don''t think this has anything to do withst night do you?" Shikamaru asked his father. He was slightly concerned since their group was a part of the incident that happened with Mizuki and the prisoners.

    "It shouldn''t be. You don''t need to worry." Shikaku soon vanished in a pile of leaves reassuring his son.

    Shikamaru fed the small deer and soon it licked the boy''s hand as a thank you. At that moment arge deer came near the yard with its eyes fixed on the two.

    "Looks like your mom''s here. See ya squirt." Shikamaru stood and watched the deers leave and he made his way back inside. He got ready and was soon in his usual attire.

    ''I want to sleep in but it''s better if I go check up on those guys''

    "Mom, I''m going out."

    "Don''t bete." Came the reply from inside.

    When the Genin reached the streets of the vige he could sense the strange atmosphere. He saw several shinobi running on rooftops and he felt the gaze of multiple patrol ninjas. ''What''s going on? I thought dad said the emergency alert would be lifted by now. So why is it still in ce?''

    The Nara quickly made his way to Choji''s home. He was surprised to find that Choji''s dad had left on a mission several minutes ago as well. The two quickly found Ino next.

    They found the Yamanaka Genin behind the counter of her flower shop with her best friend.

    "Sakura? Why are you here so early?" Shikamaru asked the pink haired girl.

    "I just wanted to buy some flowers for Sasuke. You know as a thank you." She replied with a small blush.

    "Right." Shikamaru clearly recalled the scene where the Uchiha jumped in front of Naruto and Sakura, saving their lives. ''I always thought he only cared about himself. I never would have guessed he would do that for Naruto of all people''

    There was a small smile on the Nara''s face. He may not like Sasuke''s attitude but he has great respect for his fellow Genin.

    "We can see him on our way. That was a serious injury he hadst night. I guess it''s no problem checking up on him." Choji spoke at that time.

    "Right. By the way, what are you guys doing here?" Ino asked the two boys.

    "The vige is still on high alert. I don''t know why I thought you''d have an idea. Seeing your dad is the head of the Analysis department and all." Shikamaru replied.

    "I don''t know what''s going on. Dad came home for a couple hours and had to leave again." Ino spoke up. She saw the worry on her father''s face and was concerned.

    "You don''t think this has anything to do withst night or us do you?" Choji suddenly asked.

    Ino and Sakura looked at each other as they had no answer to his question.

    Shikamaru shook his head. "I don''t think so. We caught Mizuki and everyone that helped him I don''t believe this has anything to do with us."

    Sakura nodded. "You''re probably right. Well, we better get going. I''m sure Sasuke has woken up and is probably preparing for his training."

    "Ohh we can go to Daichi''s home after. Oh this is going to be fun." Ino said excitedly.

    "Don''t you have to manage the store?" Shikamaru asked with a questioning look.

    "No. Mom can manage it MOM I''M GOING OUT WITH MY FRIENDS." Ino yelled and quickly left her position without waiting for a reply.

    "You sure?" The Nara asked again and Ino gave him a t look. "You got a problem Shikamaru?"

    "Nope." Shikamaru quickly replied and sighed in relief when he saw Ino turn her attention to pick some flowers for Daichi. ''What a troublesome girl.''

    "I thought that was you guys." A voice came from nearby. Shikamaru and Choji who were standing near the door saw Kiba, Akamaru, Hinata, Shino and Narutoing towards them.

    "Hey. I thought you all would be home." Shikamaru spoke.

    Kiba shrugged his head. "Nay. I figured I''d go for a walk. I came across Naruto and we picked up Shino and Hinata." "Arf arf."

    "So what''s guys talking about?" Naruto asked excitedly.

    "Well, we were on our way to see Sasuke and Daichi" Ino replied.

    "You wanna tag along?" Shikamaru asked Naruto.

    "Since you guys are going sure." Naruto replied.

    As they walked to the Uchiha''s home they noticed the patrolling ninjas roaming the area and less civilians than usual.

    "Man. I can''t believe they still haven''t caught all those prisoners who got out. Guess there must be some strong ones who escaped." Naruto spoke looking at the ninjas quickly moving about.

    "You might be right about that, Naruto." Kiba replied.

    "What do you mean Kiba?" Shikamaru asked.

    "An hour ago a Jonin came to my mom for a mission and told her something. It was the same Jonin who came to help usst night. I don''t know what they talked about but mom was really pissed off by the end. I can''t remember thest time she was so mad." Kiba shivered as he saw the angry look on his mom''s face.

    "Strange. Something simr happened this morning at my home too." Shino spoke up. "I think it was the same Jonin who came and talked to my father. I could sense that his Kikaichu became restless after hearing the news."

    "Um... What do you think is going on?" Hinata asked in a timid voice.

    "I don''t know the whole deal but I do know one thing. I heard them mentioning Daichi''s name."

    "What!?" Kiba''s answer startled the whole group.

    "Daichi? Are you sure?" Shikamaru asked the Inuzuka Genin.

    "Yeah. I heard them saying Daichi''s name. But I don''t know much more." Kiba replied.

    "Do you think he''s in trouble? Or maybe something happened?" Ino spoke and no one had an answer.

    "There is no point in standing here and worrying. Let''s go to his house and see for ourselves." Shino spoke and they all agreed.

    But then came a problem.

    "Does anyone know where he lives?" Naruto asked and they all looked at each other.

    "We could go find Sasuke. He might know. I know they''re training partners. So he might know." Sakura spoke and the group nodded with that logic.

    And so the group of 8 new Genins quickly began making their way to the Uchiha''s home

    ---------------

    <strong>Author''s Note:</strong>

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen(No space)

 Chapter 291: Daichis Strategies

    Chapter 291: Daichi''s Strategies

    <strong>Hokage office</strong>

    The Joninmander of the Leaf vige let out an audible sigh after he was made aware of the ongoing crisis by the Hokage.

    "What a disastrous situation. That Orochimaru is bing more and more troublesome."

    "Shikaku. I need you to draw up battlens. We''ll be going into a direct conflict with him and his people. Alert all the Jonins and Chunins and have them on standby."

    "Yes sir." Shikaku nodded as he looked at the old leader. Seeing the thoughtful look on Hiruzen''s face, Nara spoke. "What are you thinking, Lord Hokage?"

    "Orochimaru had been nning this for a while. I''m sure of it. What do you think his tactics would be?" Hiruzen asked the man.

    Shikaku was silent and carefully thought about the answer. After a short while he replied. "This whole thing, he''s strategically nned his encounter with Lady Tsunade. Now to keep us from rescuing her he''ll most likely use false information and diversion tactics. Maybe even brute force."

    Hiruzen leaned back as he listened. "So there is the possibility of an attack to keep our attention away huh"

    "Yes." Themander nodded.

    "I need you to assemble a small team with an interrogation specialist and a tracking specialist Orochimaru must have gathered intelligence on Tsunade''s whereabouts and routines."

    Shikaku quickly understood what the kage was implying. "Someone must have observed her movements and habits and reported back to Orochimaru. That''s valuable intel and he must have used it to n his attack."

    Hiruzen nodded. "Yes. Mizuki''s attackst night There is no doubt in my mind. It must have been a diversion to keep us upied. Keep the patrol squads upied while he carried out the attack and abduction."

    "But if we can retrace Lady Tsunade''s steps and investigate we might be able to gather some information. I understand."

    Hiruzen sighed as he turned his head and looked out at the vige. "It''s a long shot. But we need to pursue all avenues. Go. I''ll leave it to you to pick the team."

    Shikaku nodded and vanished.

    <em>''Tsunade, Shizune. Please be safe.''</em>Hiruzen closed his eyes and prayed.

    "Oink" The sad whine of the small pig was heard and Hiruzen looked at Tonton with a soft gaze. "Do you miss her? I miss her too"

    <strong>Uchiha Compound.</strong>

    Sasuke was home standing in front of the mirror wearing only his trousers. Even though his eyes were on his reflection in the mirror, his mind was far away.

    <em>''''Die." Sasuke saw the moonlight glint on the de as it came down on him. He felt Mizuki''s killing intent along with pain spreading in his chest. His Sharingan recorded every moment and he could only stand by helplessly and watch. The de was only several inches away before Mizuki was sted away by Daichi.</em>

    Sasuke suddenly let out a long breath of air and closed his eyes. He was slightly sweating as he recalled how close he came to death.

    <em>''I can''t believe I almost died to Mizuki Even more than that, I can''t believe I would risk my life for Naruto of all people Damn it I put my own ambition at risk to save his life''</em>

    Sasuke opened his eyes and his hands went to his chest. He looked and felt the area where Mizuki''s sword first pierced.<em>''Not even a scar. Daichi''s an excellent medic. I don''t feel any abnormalities with my body. So everything should be alright.''</em>

    He then turned his attention back to his eyes. Sasuke''s onyx eyes soon changed colour to crimson. A tomoe in each eye. The young Uchiha looked at the Sharingan with pride. "Well, at least I awakened my eyes. So it wasn''t a waste."

    He turned around and took his iconic blue shirt and quickly dressed.<em>''I need to train. I have to quickly master the Sharingan as fast as I can. From now on, I might stand a chance against Daichi.''</em>

    He stepped out the front door of his house with the intent to head to the training ground but stopped seeing Shikamaru and the othersing towards him.

    Sakura, who was at the front, smiled brightly as she saw Sasuke and quickly ran up to him.

    "What are you all doing here?" The young Uchiha asked with narrowed eyes.

    "Um.. We wanted to see how you were doing? And um I wanted to give you this." Sakura showed the flowers in her hand hoping Sasuke would ept her gift. "Thank you for saving us."

    Sasuke initially wanted to reject her gift but he recalled her desperate cries for help when he was bleeding out.

    "Hn." Not wanting to seem ungrateful he gave a small nod and took the flowers inside his home and ced them in a watering pot.

    Sakura was excited to see Sasuke not reject her gift.<em>''Chaa! Yes! He''s into me.''</em>Her inner self screamed with excitement.

    Sasuke came back outside and looked at everyone. "As you can all see, I''m fine. Now if you''ll excuse me, I have somewhere to be." He turned around and was about to walk away when Kiba spoke up. "Where are you going?"

    Sasuke let out a small breath and rolled his eyes before he gave a short reply. "To train."

    "Wait." Sasuke was about to walk away when Shikamaru''s voice stopped him.

    "What?" Sasuke turned around and asked with slight irritation in his voice.

    Shikamaru sighed seeing his ssmate''s annoyed expression.<em>''This guy. He''s still the same as before. I don''t know whether I should be relieved or not.''</em>

    "Sasuke, you and Daichi spar a lot right?"

    "What of it?" Sasuke asked.

    "Do you know where Daichi lives?" Naruto immediately and bluntly asked before Shikamaru could speak and the Nara could only sigh tiredly.

    "What if I do?" Sasuke crossed his arms and looked at the group.

    "Can you tell us?" Ino asked.

    "Why are you looking for Daichi so early in the morning?" Sasuke found it strange that they would want to see Daichi at this time.<em>''I clearly remember him saying that he''s going to take a day or two off to rx.''</em>

    "We think something might have happened. Look, can you help us or not?" Shikamaru asked, looking at the boy.

    Sasuke slightly narrowed his eyes and finally nodded his head. "Fine. I''ll show. But you need to tell me what''s going on."

    Shikamaru nodded and soon the group was making their way to Daichi''s home.

    <strong>Kensei''s House.</strong>

    Daichi quickly arrived home after he left the interrogation building. He went to the backyard and quickly created 3 shadow clones.

    After making sure no one was near or spying on him, he nodded to his clones.

    The four Daichis sat down and quickly started using parallel processing to create strategies and figure out Orochimaru''s ns.

    The real Daichi opened the quest and looked at the conditions required toplete the quest. He began going through them one by one and discussed options with his clones.

    <strong>[Conditions:]</strong>

    <strong>[Find the location of Orochimaru''s hideout.]</strong>

    "Do you think Orochimaru took them to the main base in the Land of Sound?" One of the clones asked.

    "It is the perfect hideout. I mean, not even Jiraiya with his spywork could find it for years" Another clone spoke.

    The real Daichi shook his head. "No. I''m not so sure about that."

    "The main base is too valuable. If anything should go wrong Orochimaru would lose too much. Is that what you''re getting at?" A clone looked at the real Daichi asked.

    The Genin nodded. "Yes. From the quest details and the given time limit, it can be inferred that Orochimaru needs Tsunade sensei and Shizune senpai for something. It''s most probably for experimentation."

    "Orochimaru didn''t find Tsunade even when his prized ninja Kimimaro was in danger. But the fact that he''s gone to her now It means it''s most likely not for her help with healing someone. So the probability of using her for some kind of experiment or having her help with some delicate experiment is the most likely answer." Another clone deduced.

    "But whatever it is takes two and a half days toplete. So during this time, if the vige finds and attacks him, it will be problematic."

    "So the probability of Orochimaru creating a temporary base for whatever his purpose with sensei is high Hmm I think that''s why the quest said ''location unknown''."

    The real Daichi agreed with that theory. "Yes. I think if Orochimaru and Tsunade were at any of the locations Amachi told us about then perhaps the mission would have said the name of the specific location But then again, it''s also possible the quest says ''unknown location'' because we don''t know where they are, even if they are in one of the bases we know"

    A clone suddenly looked at Daichi with a serious gaze. "But this also means that Orochimaru might not be in the bases we know."

    The eyes of the other 3 Daichi''s slightly widened as they immediately realised what the clone was getting at.

    The real Daichi crossed his arms and thought about it. "You want to raid the main base and take that item huh."

    "Not just that, but we can take<em>their</em>blood samples too. If we can get our hands on<em>their</em>DNA, we might have the answers we''re looking for and we could finallyplete<em>that</em>quest."

    Daichi was silent for a few moments before he spoke. "As I recall, Orochimaru also has several other valuable items like the horn of the 8 tails. If we can retrieve a piece of that, we''ll be able to study tailed beast power... Not to mention the detailed information he has on Akatsuki, Zetsu and other viges. If we can get ess to that information With<em>that</em>jutsu, we''ll be able to finally start building a powerful force."

    "But we can''t forget our number one priority. Tsunade and Shizune are our top most priority. We have to save them before something unfortunate happens." The clone reminded everyone and the others nodded.

    The clones turned to their creator and waited for his decision. After a short while Daichi made his choice. "We need to do both. We need to rescue sensei, and we need to raid Orochimaru''s base. If Orochimaru has taken Lady Tsunade and Shizune to the main base then things will be easier. With our Mana skills we''ll be able to easily sneak in, avoid the traps and get what we need and rescue those two."

    "But if they are in two locations, we will have to split up. Or create two teams. This is all on the premise that Shizune is with them. If they are all separated then things will be even moreplicated." The clone opposite Daichi pointed out.

    "I''m aware." The Genin nodded.

    "Let''s do both. But I don''t think our Mana willst long if we use it here. We need to get closer to the Land of Sound. Then we can create clones and have them infiltrate his location."

    "Should we destroy the base and kill his people?"

    Daichi disagreed. "No. Let''s keep this a stealth mission. We get in, get out and make sure they never know we were even there."

    One of the clones looked at the next condition on the quest and frowned.

    <strong>[Do not let Orochimaru capture you or anyone with you during the rescue mission.]</strong>

    "This is going to be tricky. If it''s arge force, then chances are that Orochimaru or his guards will capture or kill whoever is with us. Assuming the Hokage lets us go into his base."

    "So it can''t be too big of a team and they can''t be weak. A high level Jonin team. Maybe a total of three or four people including me"

    "Do you think Kakashi sensei and his team will find them?"

    "Chances are slim. I doubt it would be that easy. Orochimaru would no doubt have erased his presence. Unless he intends to lure them into some trap, I don''t think they''ll find anything." The real Daichi replied with a sigh.

    <strong>[Rescue Tsunade and Shizune before the time limit and bring them to the Leaf vige.]</strong>

    Daichi was tense as he looked at the timer. "Two and a half days. We have a very short time period. If they''re not in the Fire country, it will be troublesome."

    <strong>[Escape from Orochimaru and his guards. ]</strong>

    <strong>[Do not die.]</strong>

    "If we y this right we''ll have a chance atpleting this quest. But if anything goes wrong the oue will be catastrophic."

    <strong>[Defeat/Kill Orochimaru''s Guards(Bonus)]</strong>

    <strong>[Defeat/Kill Orochimaru(Bonus)]</strong>

    <strong>[Destroy Orochimaru''s base(Bonus)]</strong>

    "What do you think about thest three Bonus conditions?" A clone asked his counterpart.

    "I don''t n on confronting Orochimaru directly. If it''s possible I''d like to escape without a fight But still, I won''t be unprepared. I''ll have to create powerful jutsu that instantly kill. Destructive war jutsus." The real Daichi replied.

    "Creating new jutsus of that level will take some time So you''re going to increase the power of the Rasengan variants aren''t you?" The clones looked at their creator and already figured out what he was thinking.

    "Yes. If possible I''d like toplete this mission without a direct confrontation. But if ites down to it I won''t be unprepared."

    "You''ll have to use the saved stat points. Otherwise it''s difficult." A clone spoke and Daichi agreed.

    "Yes. This situation is far too serious and our enemy is too dangerous. Holding back or not using the points is not a good n."

    The clones smirked as they looked at their creator. "Looks like it''s time for another powerup."

    Daichi nodded and made a seal. The next second the clones dispelled and their ns, ideas and strategies came flooding into his mind.

    Daichi opened the status page and looked at his stats.<em>''I can''t hold back. This time my enemy is Orochimaru the Sannin. I guess it''s time to power up my attributes again.''</em>

    -------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen(No space)

 Chapter 292: Powerful Ninjutsu

    Chapter 292: Powerful Ninjutsu

    Daichi stood with his arms crossed and opened the status screen. He looked at every stat and the saved points.<em>''No point in holding back. I have 266 stat points saved up. Time to use them.''</em>

    He looked at the first stat in the primary stat category.<em>''I''ll definitely need strength.''</em>

    <strong>[Strength - 349 to 400]</strong>

    Daichi used 51 points to increase the strength of his body. As soon as he did he felt the power flowing through his muscles. He let out a breath and clench his fists.<em>''Good. Very good. Time for the next stat.''</em>

    <strong>[Dexterity - 271 to 300]</strong>

    <strong>[Dexterity stat has reached 300. You have gained the passive skill Physique Modification 1.]</strong>

    <strong>[Physique Modification 1 - Passive(LV. MAX): A passive skill given to the yer when dexterity has reached 300. This skill increases the user''s control over his muscles, bones and joints. Muscles can be tightened and can be almost as hard as Iron without the use of chakra. Bones and joints can be broken or bent beyond normal increasing evasion rate. Healing broken bones will also be much faster. The user can use this skill in the middle of a battle without losing anybat power.]</strong>

    Daichi looked at the new skill that appeared and after reading the details, he couldn''t help but smile.

    <em>''Tighten muscles to make them as hard as Iron? It looks like Iron body skill from One Piece. And with the ability to even control bones and bending it beyond normal This might be simr to Orochimaru''s evasion style. Not a bad skill at all.''</em>

    Daichi looked at the remaining stat points saved up.<em>''I''ve used up 80 points. Now 186 points left. Hm Which one should I increase next?''</em>

    After quickly thinking it through, Daichi made a choice.<em>''I''ll need speed. Orochimaru is a Sannin. I can''t underestimate him. My base speed should be much higher than him.''</em>

    <strong>[Agility - 340 to 400]</strong>

    <em>''This should do. I can''t use up all my stats. If needed I''ll increase it again in the middle of battle. But for now this is enough.''</em>

    Daichi''s eyes went to the remaining stats in the primary set and his eyes fell on Wisdom.<em>''I need to increase my Mana pool if I want toplete my objectives. Right now wisdom is at 309. Even if I use all my remaining points, I won''t even get it to 450.''</em>

    Daichi internally sighed and made his choice.

    <strong>[Wisdom - 309 to 370]</strong>

    <em>''That should be enough.''</em>

    <em>''Status''</em>

    <strong>[Name : Daichi Hekima] (The Gamer)</strong>

    <strong>[ss : Genin - ID 012559.]</strong>

    <strong>[Age : 12]</strong>

    <strong>[Title : Capable Child, Explorer, Prodigy, Species King, Dungeon Warrior, Executioner, Assassin, Mighty Healer, Slug Sannin''s Apprentice, Master of the Elements, A Genius of the Continent, Dungeon Master.]</strong>

    <strong>[Level : 62 (16005/98000)</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>[HP : 51820 ]</strong>

    <strong>[CP : 108960 ]</strong>

    <strong>[SP : 52670 ]</strong>

    <strong>[MP: 44820 ]</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>[Primary Stats]</strong>

    <strong>Strength - 400</strong>

    <strong>Vitality - 500</strong>

    <strong>Dexterity - 300</strong>

    <strong>Agility - 400</strong>

    <strong>Intelligence - 500</strong>

    <strong>Chakra - 623</strong>

    <strong>Wisdom - 370</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>[Special Stats]</strong>

    <strong>Sense - 200</strong>

    <strong>Stamina - 456</strong>

    <strong>Indomitable - 59</strong>

    <strong>Charisma - 82</strong>

    <strong>Persistence - 50</strong>

    <strong>Dignity - 31</strong>

    <strong>Luck - 27</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>[Stat Points - 65]</strong>

    <strong>[Ryo - 31256400]</strong>

    With his stats increased to a satisfied level, Daichi opened the skill list and looked at an important skill.

    <strong>[Jutsu Creation - Active (LV. 87): This skill increases the user''s understanding, talent and ability to create new Ninjutsu and Genjutsu.]</strong>

    <strong>[Effects:]</strong>

    <strong>[92% Sess rate to create new Ninjutsu.]</strong>

    <strong>[87% Sess rate to create new Genjutsu.]</strong>

    <strong>[30% Less CP requirements for new Jutsu created.]</strong>

    <em>''With my high level chakra control, Master of Elements title, and this skill, I''ll be able to create stronger variations of Rasengan sessfully. But the problem is that I would have to physically create it and it would need time But with Parallel processing, Hypercognition and Brain Augmentation Is it possible?''</em>

    Daichi decided to test a theory that popped into his head. He quickly sat down and calmed his mind. He closed his mind and quickly began a mental stimtion.

    His mind took the experience he had till now and began to form a mental stimtion. Hand seals, the way chakra moved through his body, what seals to use to create what jutsu.

    Daichi''s goal was to create S rank or above jutsus. Just like he used the Mana skills to identify the poisons when he saved Jin, now he used his Mana skills to create Ninjutsu.

    Every aspect of the jutsu would be created in the mental stimtion. Everything from which seals were needed, how much chakra required to execute the jutsu to the power, aftermath and the bacsh if there was any.

    And in less than a minute Daichi had begun to get results.

    <em>''Ding.''</em>The system notification sound rang in Daichi''s mind.

    <strong>[Ninjutsu created]</strong>

    Daichi suddenly opened his eyes and let out several deep breaths of air. Sweat formed on his face and his heart was pounding in his chest. Daichi thought about the simtion and what he experienced inside his mind and now his body was reacting ordingly.

    <em>''What a monstrous jutsu. Unbelievable. I didn''t think I would experience the feeling of death during the simtion It felt so real.''</em>

    The Gamer''s Mind quickly calmed Daichi and his vitals quickly returned to normal. The gamer ninja looked at the new ninjutsu he acquired.

    <strong>[Lightning style Rasengan - Divine Particle - Active(LV. 01): This jutsu is an upgraded version of the Divine Rasengan. This powerful destructive jutsu uses lightning and charged particles as its weapons.]</strong>

    <strong>[Note: Since the Strength stat of the yer has not reached 500 the yer will experience damage when creating this jutsu.</strong>

    <strong>This is a highly destructive jutsu capable of erasing arge amount of area. It is highly rmended to move several kilometres away from the st zone before the jutsu detonates.]</strong>

    <strong>[Effects:]</strong>

    <strong>[Completely eradicates all targets within the electrical field.]</strong>

    <strong>[Jutsu automatically expands and increases range.]</strong>

    <strong>[CP cost: 12000 Minimum]</strong>

    <em>''If the aftermath of this jutsu is anything like what I experienced in mind, then I definitely don''t want to be anywhere near this thing when it goes off. But that''s also a problem. This thing goes off in less than a second aftering into contact with its target. I don''t have any teleportation skills so I''ll be caught in the st radius and be killed. Not what I want. I''ll need to find a solution for that before using this jutsu.''</em>

    At that moment another notification appeared.

    <strong>[You have used mental simtion skills to sessfully create Ninjutsu.]</strong>

    <strong>[Wisdom stat has increased by 5 points]</strong>

    <strong>[Skill Jutsu Creation has levelled up.]</strong>

    <em>''Unexpected but certainly not unwee.''</em>Daichi had a smile as he looked at the stat increase. Even if it was small, he was happy.

    <em>''Now that I know what to experience, I''ll be able to control myself. I need something else as well.''</em>

    With that he closed his eyes and began his next simtion. In a couple minutes he opened his eyes with a smile and looked at the new jutsu he came up with.

    <strong>[Fire style - Hell Guard Hydra - Active(LV. 01): A supreme Fire style jutsu created from a giant Firestorm of wind and fire Rasengans created by the user. This is a powerful destruction jutsu that burns all things it touches to ash. This is a giant jutsu that takes the form of an 8 headed hydra. Each head can be individually used to attack different enemies. Speed and proficiency of the body of this jutsu increases with higher levels.]</strong>

    <strong>[Note: Since the yer''s Strength stat has not reached 500, it is rmended to keep some distance away from the jutsu or use defensive skills.]</strong>

    <strong>[Effects:]</strong>

    <strong>Burns the targets to ash and can destroy all physical defence skills and most chakra based defence skills.</strong>

    <strong>8 Heads can be used independently to attack multiple opponents.</strong>

    <strong>[CP cost: 6500 minimum]</strong>

    Daichi looked at the new technique and grinned.<em>''The chakra cost is almost half of the Divine particle jutsu but that''s because I have to use Wind style and Fire style Rasengan as a precursor to create this jutsu. So to use this technique I''ll have to expend more chakra. But I don''t have to worry about instant death if I''m near this thing.''</em>

    <strong>[Wisdom stat has increased by 5 points]</strong>

    <strong>[Skill Jutsu Creation has levelled up.]</strong>

    <em>''Will my wisdom increase with every jutsu I create or just the really powerful ones? I''ll have to find out Hmm Since I can create jutsu from my simtion is it possible to train and increase their level in my mind?''</em>

    As soon this idea sprung up, Daichi got to work. Soon he found out that it was possible. Daichi immediately spent the next half hour increasing the level of his powerful jutsu and creating new techniques. During this time he also realised that wisdom stat only increased when he created extremely strong techniques.

    It wasn''t just Ninjutsu that Daichi created but Genjutsu, Sealing jutsu and several new Mana skills. It took Daichi only a little over 40 minutes to create jutsus that would take others weeks or months to create.

    The Gamer ninja stood up and let out a deep breath of air. At that moment he sensed several chakras standing outside hispound. He immediately identified them and was confused.<em>''Why are they here?''</em>

    -

    <strong>Outside Kensei''s home.</strong>

    Naruto looked at therge gates and tried to open them but it didn''t budge. "Are you sure we''re in the right ce?" The blonde Genin asked Sasuke with a frown.

    "We are." The Uchiha gave a short reply.

    "We''ve been standing here for thest 10 minutes. He would havee out by now. Maybe he''s not home." Kiba said as he looked at therge house beyond the gate.

    Shikamaru looked around and ced a hand on the door.<em>''There is a barrier of some kind. I''ve only seen barriers like this in major npounds.''</em>

    "Should we leave?" Choji asked and Ino immediately rejected that idea. "Let''s wait a few more minutes."

    Just then they saw the gates open and Daichi appeared before them. "Hey. What are you guys doing here? How did you even find this ce?"

    "You know, you say that like you don''t want us here." Naruto said with a deadpan.

    Daichi smiled as he looked at the boy. "No no. Of course not. I was just curious." He then looked at Sasuke and figured out that the Uchiha led them there.

    "Now. Back to my previous question. What are you all doing here? Did something happen?" Daichi was slightly tense and wanted to know if Orochimaru had done something else.

    "We should be the one asking you that. Are you alright?" Ino stepped forward and asked with concern.

    "What do you mean?"<em>''Do they know about Tsunade''s abduction?''</em>

    "A Jonin came an hour ago to my mom for a mission. I don''t know what he said but she was mad by the end. But I did hear him saying your name. Is there something going on?" Kiba spoke and Daichi understood what happened.

    <em>''He must have been nearby when Genma told Tsume what happened.''</em>

    At that time Shikamaru also looked at his friend. "More importantly, does this have to do with the increased patrol squads around the vige? Are you in any trouble Daichi?"

    Daichi smiled at their concern but inwardly sighed as he looked at his fellow ssmates.<em>''Orochimaru''s attack and Tsunade''s abduction. That''s dangerous information. I can''t tell them about it. But lying to them won''t do me any good.''</em>

    "Something did happen but I''m afraid I can''t tell you guys. And don''t worry. I''m not in any danger and this doesn''t have anything to do with what happened in the vigest night. So you guys don''t have to worry as well." The Genin replied with a small smile.

    "Whaaat? Why can''t you tell us?" Naruto asked, slightly tilting his head.

    "Sorry Naruto. It''s confidential information."

    "Um.. Do you want to hangout or anything" Ino asked with a small blush on her face.

    Daichi had an awkward smile as he looked at the girl. "Sorry Ino. I''m in the middle of something."<em>''Like torturing your former teacher.''</em>"I won''t be here for the next several days or so."<em>''Probably running around the country trying to find my teacher and stop the next great war.''</em>

    "I would invite you guys inside but I''m currently on my way out."

    "Are you going on a mission?" Choji asked.

    "Well-" Before Daichi could answer, a Chunin suddenly appeared nearby, startling the fresh Genins. His eyes were on Daichi and his face exuded seriousness.

    "Daichi Hekima. Master Ibiki asked for you. It''s an emergency."

    <em>''Something must have happened to Mizuki.''</em>Daichi nodded. "I''ll be there quickly."

    The Chunin nodded and disappeared and Daichi turned to his friends. "Sorry guys. I have to go. I''ll see you all another time." Without wasting another second Daichi disappeared in the Body flicker jutsu.

    "What was that all about?" Sakura wondered out loud.

    Shikamaru frowned as he looked at the empty spot.<em>''Is it just me or did he look tense?''</em>

    "Anyone know who Ibiki is?" Sasuke asked the group.

    "I think I know that name Where did I" Ino spoke and tried to recall where she heard it. Suddenly her eyes widened. "I met him once with my dad. I think he''s the head of the interrogation department."

    "What does he want with Daichi?" Shino asked with crossed arms.

    "How should I know?" Ino shrugged her shoulders. She looked at the flowers and sighed. "I didn''t even get to give him these."

    "Well, I''m going home to train." Sasuke turned around and was about to leave when Sakura came near him.

    "Hey um Sasuke Do you want to go on a date?"

    "No." The Uchiha quickly left the group while Naruto had a sheepish smile. "Hey Sakura. Maybe we can go on a date."

    Sakura gave a small sigh. "No. But maybe we can get something to eat. But it''s not a date."

    "Hey. Why don''t we all go? We didn''t get to celebrate bing Genin." Kiba spoke with a grin.

    "Not a bad idea." Ino and the others agreed.

    As they made their way to a restaurant, Shikamaru frowned at the piece of information he had.<em>''Head of the Interrogation department huh. What does someone like him want with Daichi? Does this have anything to do with Mizuki?''</em>

    ---------------------

    Author''s Note.

    Not gonna lie. I''ve had something akin to writer''s block. We''ll I''m not sure if it is writer''s block.

    I have all these ideas on what to do for theing arcs. I''ve even got the ending to this story in my mind. But for some damn reason I couldn''t get them on paper. I tried so hard to even write a small paragraph.

    A week after I posted thest chapter I somehow managed to write about one and a half chapters but I didn''t like the way it turned out and I scrapped it.

    It was at this time that I found the problem.

    I realized that my mind was on something else. I''ve had a one piece story in my head for a while and I wanted to write the beginning. Not writing that beginning was messing with me and I decided to write it. Ipleted 3 chapters and then got that urge out of my system.

    Don''t worry. This story is my priority and I''ll only start another afterpleting this. After writing the start of one piece I was able toplete this. Hopefully I''m back. Again.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen(No space)

 Chapter 293: Vital Clues

    Chapter 293: Vital Clues

    Outside the cell, Ibiki and Inoichi watched with a cold hardened gaze as Mizuki screamed for help. A medic nin was checking Mizuki''s vitals and quickly informed Ibiki of the prisoner''s condition.

    The head of the interrogation department frowned as he looked at the scene.<em>''I never thought such a simple method would have such results.''</em>

    Just then he sensed the arrival of the Genin. He turned to the boy and spoke. "His vitals are climbing. Blood pressure, heartbeat If this goes on for much longer his body won''t be able to handle it."

    "How can a drop of water cause such a reaction in the human body?" Inoichi, who was standing nearby, asked the boy.

    "It''s one of the drugs I injected into him. It increases his sensitivity among other things. In normal cases something like this would take hours but I elerated the process. The body is reacting to what the mind is saying. Right now Mizuki''s mind is telling him that he''s being burned alive and frozen to death. And his body is reacting in such a way." Daichi had no sympathy for the man screaming for his life.<em>''I gave him a chance. He should have taken it.''</em>

    "But if that''s the case, his body won''t be able to handle such stress. He''ll go into shock and die soon." Ibiki spoke as he turned his attention to the man in the cell.

    "He won''t. The concoction I injected into him will make sure his heart won''t stop beating But still, it''s time to see if he''s in the mood to talk." Without saying another word Daichi entered the room and stopped the water flow in the wooden contraption.

    Daichi brought his palms atop Mizuki''s head and they glowed green. Daichi injected healing chakra and soon the man calmed down but he was breathing hard. He was still blind as the Genin had taken away his sight.

    The Genin looked at Mizuki and used Mana puppetry. He imnted a simple thought into the man''s mind.<em>''No more. Just tell them everything. It''s not worth it.''</em>

    To Mizuki it''s as if his mind was making a decision and he immediately agreed.

    <strong>[Target has epted the suggestion.]</strong>

    Daichi took a step back and looked at the blind ninja with a calm gaze. "I''m going to give you one chance. If you don''t I''ll-"

    "I''ll talk. I''ll talk. Please. No more." The silver haired Chunin didn''t want to go through what he just experienced.

    Ibiki and Inoichi were not all that surprised that Mizuki gave in. They had been watching him screaming in agony for thatst hour. They paid close attention to every word spoken in the room.

    Daichi immediately made several chakra strings and connected them to Mizuki''s body. "This is your only chance. I''m monitoring your vitals. If you lie to me, you''ll experience hell. There will be no second chance."

    Hearing that Mizuki struggled in his chair. "Please. No. I''ll tell you whatever you want to know." His mind was on the verge of copsing in on itself. He didn''t want to experience the feeling of going insane.

    "First Question. When did you meet Orochimaru?"

    "I only met him once when I was on a mission before I became an instructor. At that time he saw me kill my teammate. He gave the form for the curse seal."

    "You told Orochimaru about your n to steal the forbidden scroll and the prisoner release didn''t you."

    "Yes." Mizuki replied without hesitation. He knew his situation and he didn''t want to make it worse.

    "How did you send this information to him? If you met Orochimaru only once then that means you must have been in contact with one of his spies right?"

    "Yes. Orochimaru has someone at the capital acting as a spy and messenger. His name is Nam. I sent the information to him."

    "Give me the description and your contact method."

    Mizuki immediately told everything he knew regarding Orochimaru''s spy and the two interrogators outside quickly noted it down.

    Daichi continued. "Who''s idea was it for you to get those Mind shields?"

    "It was Orochimaru. A week after I sent the information, Nam made contact and told me that I would need to have my mind protected. He told me about Ko Yamanaka and where to find him."

    Daichi''s eyes slightly narrowed.<em>''So this was Orochimaru''s n. But something doesn''t add up. If the goal was to protect Mizuki''s mind then''</em>

    "When and where did you meet up with Ko Yamanaka?"

    "10 days before the graduation exam. In a hut 3 kilometres north west of the Fire capital."

    Outside the room, Ibiki looked at the records he had of Mizuki and it noted his travels. "He''s telling the truth. Based on this he made a request to go to the Fire capital and returned a few dayster." Inoichi nodded and the two men turned their attention back to the interrogation cell.

    "What was the n after you left the vige with the scroll?" Daichi asked and the two interrogators outside paid close attention.

    "To go to Orochimaru for protection. The forbidden scroll was my way in."

    "Tell me the location. Where were you going to meet him?" Daichi asked. This was the main information he wanted to know.

    "Nam told me toe to the Valley Of The End. He said he''d be waiting to take us to Orochimaru once he confirmed I had the scroll."

    "Do you know where Orochimaru''s hideout is?"

    "I only know he created the Sound vige. In the Land of Rice. I don''t know anything more than that. Please, you have to believe. I don''t know anything more." Mizuki sounded desperate as he thought that Daichi wouldn''t believe him.

    Daichi kept a close eye on the man''s vitals and sighed.<em>''Looks like he''s not lying.''</em>

    "I believe you Did Orochimaru tell you about any ns to attack Lady Tsunade?" Daichi had little hope of getting any information on this question.

    "No. I was told nothing. I don''t know anything about the attack on her."

    <em>''Of course not. Orochimaru would never tell this idiot anything of such importance. This guy was just a pawn.''</em>Daichi sighed and slightly shook his head.

    At that moment the system notification appeared indicating that the quest waspleted.

    <strong>[Quest ''Get Information from Mizuki'' Completed.]</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>[Rewards:]</strong>

    <strong>[15000 Exp.]</strong>

    <strong>[Reputation increases with certain Leaf vige ninjas.]</strong>

    <strong>[Increased chances of sessfullypleting the quest - ''Rescue Tsunade Senju'']</strong>

    Daichi looked at the notification and slightly frowned.<em>''How strange. I didn''t get much information from him and yet The system deems that Ipleted the information. Increased chances of rescuing Tsunade huh... So that means there is a vital clue in the information I got from him Then I should stop wasting time with him and let Ibiki take over But before that''</em>

    Daichi looked at the man and spoke in a n tone. "I have one more question. Think very carefully before you answer. Lie and you''ll go back to that hell and you''ll nevere back."

    Daichi''s tone sent shivers up Mizuki''s spine.

    "Do you regret what you did to Naruto?"

    Mizuki opened his mouth and was about to speak but stopped himself. He was quiet for a few moments and then replied in a small tone. "I only regret getting caught."

    Daichi looked at the man and stopped using his chakra strings. He turned around and walked out of the room. The Genin looked at the two Jonins without showing any emotion. "He''s all yours. I''ll report to the Hokage what I''ve learned."

    Ibiki and Inoichi nced at each other for a second and then looked at the boy. They nodded and the head of the Interrogation department spoke. "Thank you for your help. I hope we can rescue Lady Tsunade in time."

    "Me too." Daichi nodded and left. Quickly making his way to the Hokage tower.

    As he walked closer to the tower, he analyzed every word Mizuki said to him. <em>''There must be a clue in there somewhere. Otherwise the system wouldn''t reward me. This clue determines my next move.''</em>

    Daichi''s mind went through every answer Mizuki said to him.<em>''I already know about Orochimaru and Mizuki''s first meeting. So that''s not it. The next important clue is Orochimaru''s spy Nam. But since Mizuki didn''t show up at The Final Valley, Nam should know by now that the n failed and Mizuki is either dead or captured. So even with Mizuki''s mind protection there is a chance that Nam wouldn''t be at the capital. There is a good chance that he wouldn''t take such a risk. Then that means the only clue is Ko Yamanaka. I need to get to him. I need to start with the hut. Where Mizukist met him. It must be the clue.''</em>

    Daichi came to the conclusion and soon made his way up the steps of the Hokage tower.

    -

    <strong>Hokage Office.</strong>

    Hiruzen listened to the information Daichi was able to find out and nodded.

    "There is something that I don''t understand though" Daichi spoke and Hiruzen looked at the boy.

    "If Orochimaru wanted to make sure that information about him wouldn''t leak then there should have been some other contingency besides the barriers." Daichi had learned a great deal about seal jutsu and sealing jutsu used on the mind.<em>''If he wanted absolute secrecy then he should have added something like Danzo''s curse seal. Where his body would be paralyzed if he shared information with the enemy. But there were only mind barriers.''</em>

    Daichi looked at the Hokage and exined his doubt. "Why didn''t that Yamanaka implement such precautions when he set up the barriers in Mizuki''s mind?"

    Hiruzen looked at the boy and let out a small breath of air. After a few seconds of contemtion Hiruzen decided to tell the boy certain secret information.

    "Because Ko Yamanaka is a spy my Anbu cultivated inside Orochimaru."

    Daichi was surprised to hear that.

    "A year ago I had my Anbu investigate Orochimaru. During your mission at the capital where you healed the 3rd Minister''s nephew, you learned information about a rogue Yamanaka who ced barriers inside the enemy."

    Daichi recalled that information.<em>''Junichiro had powerful mind defenses.''</em>

    "That was Ko Yamanaka. He began to work for Orochimaru many months ago. My agent found him and instead of killing him decided to turn him to spy on Orochimaru. Since Ko was the one who ced the barriers in Mizuki''s mind, he must have known about Mizuki''s ns and figured out the chances of it seeding were slim. He had to make sure the barriers were strong in the event Orochimaru checked but he deliberately didn''t add more extreme measures."

    Daichi looked at the Hokage and immediately found his next path. "So then this Ko must have more information on Orochimaru. His base of operations and much more."

    "Yes I believe so." The Hokage agreed with that assessment.

    "Lord Hokage. Has he sent any more information about Orochimaru?" Daichi asked the old leader.

    "Orochimaru is very careful. So Ko hasn''t been able tomunicate much... But he did sent one piece of intelligence a few days ago. I already have a team looking into it."

    The Hokage said nothing more and Daichi nodded.<em>''I need to start somewhere. That meeting ce where Mizuki and Ko met is a good start.''</em>

    "Lord Hokage. Please grant me permission to go to the capital and investigate the information I have. I can''t just sit here and do nothing."

    Daichi wanted to use Mana puppetry on the kage to let him go but then decided it was too dangerous.<em>''This guy is not like the others. I can''t make reckless choices.''</em>

    Hiruzen looked at the boy silently and weighed his options.<em>''He did get information from Mizuki. And from what Kakashi has told me, he is strong enough to protect himself.''</em>

    After several seconds of internal debate Hiruzen made a decision. "Very well. Pack your gear and be at the gates in 20 minutes. I''ll have two members join you."

    "Thank you Lord Hokage." Daichi nodded and left.

    The Genin returned home and immediately got his ninja gear. He soon made his way to the vige gates and waited.<em>''I hope whoever he sends is strong enough. This might be a tough mission.''</em>

    Daichi waited for a few minutes before he felt two familiar chakra signaturesing his way. He turned around and saw the two Jonins smiling at him.

    "Hey kid."

    Daichi gave a small smile and nodded. "Genma sensei. Anko sensei. Are you here for me?"

    Anko smiled as she looked at the boy. "Yup. You''ll be joining us on this mission."

    "Come on. I''ll exin our objectives on the way." Genma said and the three documented their departure at the vige gate and quickly left.

    -----------------

    Author''s Note.

    Just to rify. When Daichi exined his doubt about Ko''s mental defenses to the Hokage, he didn''t say anything about Danzo''s seal..

    A battle will being soon. Things are going to heat up.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen(No space)

 Chapter 294: Danzo makes a move.

    Chapter 294: Danzo makes a move.

    Anko, Genma and Daichi left the vige around 9:am and were quickly making their way to thest known location of the missing nin turned spy ''Ko Yamanaka''.

    Genma, Anko and Daichi were moving in a close triangle formation with Daichi a few feet ahead of the other two ninjas.

    The team leader Genma began to address the mission. "Alright. This is our objective. Orochimaru has attacked the Anbu team that was sent to monitor Kabuto. That means he''s taking extraordinary precautions. So our chances of finding his spy Nam is slim. But that doesn''t mean we can''t investigate his whereabouts."

    "So are we going to the Fire Capital first?" Daichi asked.

    "No. We are going to the ce where Mizuki met Ko. The Hut a few kilometers ahead of the capital. Obviously he won''t be there but if can find some clues that can help us track him down, then we''re that much closer to Orochimaru." Genma said to the two.

    "But don''t we need a tracker ninja for that? Like someone from the Inuzuka n or the Aburame n?" Daichi asked as he looked at the team leader.

    At that time Anko had a grin. "Hey. Why do you think I''m here?"

    Daichi turned his head to look at the female Jonin.

    "I may not be from Inuzuka or Aburame but I''m a pretty good tracker too."

    The Genin nodded and turned his attention back to Genma.

    "While Anko investigates that lead, you and I will be heading to the capital next. We''re going to investigate Nam. If we find anything useful we follow up If not, we head back to the vige."

    Daichi was slightly tense as he heard thest part.<em>''I need to find some leads. I can''t go back to the vige. Not without sensei and Shizune.''</em>

    As they travelled through the trees Anko and Genma nced at the boy who was slightly ahead of them.

    "You know, I heard about what happened with Mizuki." It was Anko who spoke. She didn''t address who she was talking to but the three knew.

    Daichi held no sympathy for the former academy instructor. "He should have taken my offer. Things would have gone a lot smoother then."

    A few momentster Genma spoke. "I still remember that moment when Yondu asked you that question Do you regret finding out the answer Daichi?"

    The Genin was silent for a few moments as he thought about it.<em>''The morals and rules I learned in my previous life won''t help me here... Still, I won''t abandon thempletely. But now I know that I''ll break those rules in times of crisis.''</em>

    "No." Daichi replied after giving it some thought. "I found out who I am. And I know who I am and when to not go over the edge So to answer your question. No. I don''t regret it After all, this is who we are"

    "You''re not like the other Genins are you?" Anko asked with a slight questioning look. Not that Daichi could see.

    "No, I''m not."

    "Why did you even learn such a method of torture?" It was Genma who asked Daichi this question.

    "Well, that method wasn''t written down. But most of the information regarding it was documented and I simply recreated it out of intellectual curiosity. Mostly... Using the simplest method to cause damage to the human psyche in the shortest time."

    "Did Lady Tsunade know?" Anko asked.

    Daichi had a small smile as he remembered that day when he discussed this with his teacher. "Yeah. Who do you think gave me the tips to make it more effective?"

    As the two Jonin were silent, Daichi spoke again. "We came up with it mainly to understand what kind of damage it could do to the mind so we could create healing methods to reverse the effects. But after recreating it, we came to the same conclusion as the people from the Land of Water. This method was too cruel. So we simply put it away. I never thought I would have had to use it on someone."

    As they jumped through the trees Daichi turned his head to look at the female Jonin. "Anko sensei. Orochimaru was your teacher, right.?"

    The Special Jonin''s face scowled as she nodded. Unhappy memories flowing into her mind. "Yeah."

    "Do you think he would really experiment on Lady Tsunade? His own former teammate."

    Anko was silent as she remembered the memories of her childhood. How she spent time helping her teacher with various tests and how finally she became the experiment itself.

    "That bastard has no morals. He would do anything to achieve his goals So yeah. If Lady Tsunade was indeed taken then there is a good chance he''s gonna turn her into hisb rat." Anko replied to the boy.

    Daichi clenched his fist and slightly gritted his teeth.

    Anko looked at the Genin and her eyes softened. "I''m sorry Daichi."

    Daichi only nodded as he kept moving forward.

    "We''ll find them. And remember. Lady Tsunade isn''t some average kunoichi. You know that don''t you? She is one of the Legendary Sannin too. If anyone can survive Orochimaru it''s her." Genma said, trying to reassure the boy.

    Daichi nodded as he looked at Genma with a small smile. The trio was quickly moving through the forest. They were moving much faster than normal and Anko was impressed that the Genin could keep up at such speed without showing any signs of fatigue.

    <em>''His speed and stamina are certainly above even some chunins.''</em>

    As they jumped through the thick forest of the Fire country Anko looked at Genma. "Orochimaru should know that we''d be looking for him. What do you think his strategy would be?"

    Daichi also nced back at the team leader at that question.

    Genma was silent for a few moments before he spoke. "He would definitely try to keep a low presence in the next few days. Maybe even spread false information on his location. Try to confuse us to buy himself time for whatever it is he''s doing."

    "By that logic, he would definitely build fake bases. Maybe to keep us busy or spread our resources thin." Anko also gave her thoughts.

    Daichi internally sighed as he heard their theories.<em>''Yeah. All those sounds like things I''d do if I want to distract the vige.''</em>

    And then a thought he feared the most came into Daichi''s mind.<em>''And if she''s not in the country then''</em>

    "If Orochimaru took Tsunade sensei and Shizune out of the country then we might be in serious trouble." Daichi spoke and the two Jonins also grimaced at that thought.

    "If the other great nations find out then things will definitely get ugly. And if they capture them This is such a mess" Genma couldn''t help but sigh out loud about their situation.

    The trio slowly increased their pace towards their destination. The sooner they find something the better.

    <strong>Leaf vige - Root base.</strong>

    Around 10 minutes after Danzo left the Hokage building he reached his Root base.

    His mind was still on the words the Hokage spoke.

    <em>''''You will never be the Hokage of the vige."</em>

    Danzo''s fists clenched in anger as he thought about what Hiruzen said.<em>''How dare he? After everything I did for the vige This is how he treats me?''</em>

    Danzo kept his cold gaze as he walked through the dark halls of his underground base. He reached his private office and sat down in silence.

    A few momentster he looked at the shadows in his room. A ninja d in ck Anbu gear and mask appeared. He half knelt in front of the one eyed leader.

    He is second inmand of Root.

    "Lord Danzo."

    "It seems our suspicions are correct. Hiruzen has Tao and Enji. They''re in Anbu custody being interrogated." Danzo spoke looking at the masked ninja.

    "That''s strange. I haven''t heard anything from our spy in the Anbu division." The second inmand replied looking down on the ground.

    Danzo leaned back and tiles his gaze to the single bulb in the room. "Hiruzen built a top secret wing for highly ssified operations and enemies. It was built after the Uchiha massacre. Only a few people even in the Anbu know about it. I only came by that information through sheer luck. And I only know of its existence. Not its location or its operational leader."

    "And the spy in the root?"

    "Yes. It seems my old teammate has be quite resourceful. There is a traitor amongst us. The people capable of bypassing even the contingencies we put in ce against such infiltration tactics is very small."

    "Does the Hokage know about my identity?"

    "No. I''m sure he''s aware of your existence but nothing more than that" Danzo let out a small breath of air as he looked down at his ninja.

    <em>''If Hiruzen knew your identity he would definitely be shocked. And moreover he would inform Kensei. If that happened he would stop at nothing to try and kill me''</em>

    "Right now, we have bigger concerns. Orochimaru attacked Tsunade and her apprenticest night at the border. As to why he did such a thing, it''s unknown"

    "His movements were strange during thest several months This must have been the reason." The masked ninja spoke.

    "Yes. I think I might have a way to identify the spy. Draw him out into the open. I need you to do something."

    After informing the Root ninja of his n Danzo went to arge hall and summoned several high level members of his organization. There was a table in front of him with arge map of Fire country and several ces were marked on it.

    "Last night Tsunade Senju and her student Shizune were attacked by Orochimaru." Danzo looked at the Root ninjas assembled and spoke.

    That information shocked the Root agents. They knew how important Tsunade was to the vige despite her absence.

    The Root Leader continued. "I have been studying Orochimaru''s movements for thest several months and havee up with three locations where he might have set up a base. Your task is to investigate these locations."

    The ninjas nodded. At that time one of them spoke. "Lord Danzo, are we going to share this information with the Hokage?"

    Danzo looked at the Root ninja with an expressionless face. "I will but not at the moment. There is still much work to be done. You have your assignments."

    Danzo didn''t need to say anything further and the ninjas vanished. As the ninjas disappeared and made their way to the exit, all but one of them deviated from their route.

    The masked ninja moved deeper into the base and quickly opened the mission record section. He quickly found intelligence on Orochimaru and memorized them. He was the spy Hiruzen sent to infiltrate the root forces.

    The Anbu looked at the intelligence and he couldn''t help but frown behind his mask.<em>''If this intelligence is correct, Orochimaru would have two more bases hidden in the Land of Fire. There is no way Danzo would have missed that Which means He''s deliberately trying to hide information.''</em>

    Hiruzen''s spy memorized the information and quickly left the room. Instead of heading out of the vige, he took a secret entrance and went straight to the Hokage to report the situation.

    What he didn''t know was there was someone hidden in the records room. Someone who saw everything the spy did.

    The second inmand of the Root.

    He quickly reached Danzo''s office and confirmed the identity of the spy. Danzo nodded his head and a small smile was on his face.

    "The news of Orochimaru attacking Tsunade would be shocking. I knew Hiruzen''s agent would know the consequences if something happened to her. He just couldn''t take the chance that I might have hid more information that could help them." Danzo spoke with a cunning smile.

    "But now the Hokage will know you''re keeping important information to yourself."

    "Not if I give him that information and some more." Danzo looked at his agent and the small grin disappeared from his face. "This is also my chance. I''m not giving up. It''s time to wake them up. Our sleeper agents."

    "Should I give them the order sir?"

    "Yes Tell them to prepare for war. While Hiruzen is busy trying to find Tsunade, we''re going to take control of the vige."

    Danzo gave the order and his right hand man nodded and disappeared.

    <em>''I will be Hokage of this vige. Just you wait Hiruzen. That position is mine...''</em>

    <em>---------------</em>

    Author''s Note.

    Things are about to be chaotic. An attack from multiple sides. What will happen.. stay tuned to find out.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen(No space)

 Chapter 295: Point of no return

    Chapter 295: Point of no return

    Danzo Shimura held a cold gaze as he made his way up the steps of the Hokage tower. His mind was on the events that would take ce in the next few days.

    <em>''I''m doing what''s best for the vige. If we remain passive the other viges will take action and destroy us Yes. This is for the best.''</em>

    Danzo only went to the Hokage tower after he had confirmed that Hiruzen had met with the spy he embedded in Root.

    <em>''Hiruzen will no doubt be confused. But with this information his forces will be stretched thin and I can initiate my n.''</em>

    Danzo soon reached the door to the Hokage office and took a deep breath of air.<em>''This is it. My point of no return. If this fails I''ll be executed. But if it seeds I''ll be the next Hokage. Only a few will remain a problem. Once I deal with Hiruzen I''ll have to deal with Jiraiya as well. Hmph. No matter how strong he is, Kotoamatsukami will put him under my control.''</em>

    Just a momentter the door to the office opened and two Aburame and a Hyuga Jonin walked out. Danzo looked at their bodynguage and saw that they were tense and he knew it was not because of him.

    <em>''I wonder what''s happened? No. Now isn''t the time to worry about that.''</em>

    Danzo quickly moved forward and stood in front of the old leader. "I have what you asked for Hiruzen."

    The Hokage merely leaned back in his chair and looked at the one eyed man in silence. He remembered the information his spy sent him a short while ago.<em>''Let''s see what your game is Danzo.''</em>

    The old war hawk put the scroll on the desk and activated it. Several papers and maps appeared and Hiruzen quickly began going over it. His eyes widened as he saw the information on it.

    "These are"

    "Orochimaru''s secret transportation channels, approximate location of his base of operations. And an estimate of the man power he would have under his control."

    The Hokage quickly went through the information and his eyes narrowed. "ording to these, Orochimaru has around 7 bases of operations built in the Land of Fire."

    "Yes. He''s been busy thest few months. He was very careful about it but he couldn''t move suchrge shipments of materials and people without me noticing it." Danzo replied as he stood stoically.

    Hiruzen raised his head and looked at themander of Root. "I''ve been keeping an eye on Orochimaru''s movements but I didn''t find anything So how did youe across such information?"

    "I have my methods, Hiruzen. You have what you asked for."

    The old kage was silent as he looked at the information on his desk. "I''ll need to investigate and make sure this information is urate before I take action."

    Danzo only nodded his head.

    "This information Do your agents know about this?" Hiruzen asked while keeping a calm expression.

    "They knew a few details but not much. All this information is kept ssified and under lock in my vault. I''ve sent my men to investigate 3 locations to make sure I''m not wrong and Orochimaru isn''t leading us into a trap."

    Hiruzen nodded and soon dismissed the man.

    Danzo was expressionless on the outside but his heart was beating faster than normal.<em>''The information I gave you is all true. You''ll need arge force to attack Orochimaru''s hideouts. Once you make your move, the vige won''t have much force to defend you and then I''ll take charge. The sleeper agents I''ve sent to infiltrate your ranks will soon help me take control I''m the one who will lead this vige into a new era.''</em>

    The Hokage watched the man leave with a calm gaze but as soon as Danzo left the old leader''s expression turned cold.

    <em>''I need to verify this information before I take action.''</em>

    "Sparrow."

    The Hokage called out and the next moment Anbu appeared and stood before him.

    "Take all this information to the intelligence department for analysis. While they go through the data I want you to assemble seven long range tracking and reconnaissance teams. There are several locations marked on the map. We need to search and confirm them all. Right now our priority is rescuing Tsunade and her apprentice."

    The Anbu with the mark of a sparrow on its mask nodded. "I''ll take charge of this operation. I''ll assemble the teams for this mission."

    Hiruzen nodded. "We need to find Orochimaru''s hideouts, confirm theyout and assess the strength of the enemies before I send in the assault teams."

    "Yes Sir. I''ll have the teams ready for departure in less than an hour."

    "Good. I''ll leave this to you."

    The Anbu vanished and the old Kage got up from his chair and walked to the window.<em>''Things are about to get chaotic. It seems the time is near''</em>

    <strong>(10:30 am -</strong>Several Chunin and Special Jonin tracking teams leave the vige.<strong>)</strong>

    -

    <strong>Kakashi''s Team.</strong>

    Around the time the chunin teams left the vige to investigate Orochimaru''s hideouts, Kakashi and his team reached the location mentioned in the note.

    Arge area waspletely devastated with several craters and uprooted trees. Multiple sharp long bones were sticking out of several ces. There were obvious signs of Fire ninjutsu used along with multiple earth jutsu.

    Asuma and the others were surprised to see the destruction. "Man they really wrecked the ce didn''t they."

    "Such destruction. What kind of a battle must have taken ce here" Guy couldn''t help but exim as he looked around.

    "We''re not alone." The Hyuga in the group spoke in a low voice.

    The Sharingan ninja of the group nodded. "Yeah. I know. Something like this is bound to get everyone''s attention."

    The team was near the Land of Fire and the Land of Waterfall border and they could already see several ninjas from minor viges investigating the area.

    "I smell blood." Kuromaru, Tsume''s ninja dog, spoke with a small growl.

    "Yeah. I do too" Tsume spoke and the team moved to the center of the devastatednd. The team soon reached a certain spot and observed the area.

    "The scent is strong here. It''s definitely Lady Tsunade''s scent. And Yes That bastard Orochimaru''s scent is also here" Tsume spoke. There was anger in her tone and everyone could understand her emotion.

    The team spread out and searched the area for a while looking for any clues.

    "I see several long bone spikes buried in the ground." The Hyuga spoke as he looked around.

    "Bone spikes?" Kakashi and the rest were puzzled.

    The Hyuga took a few steps and knelt down. He added chakra to his fingers and plunged his hands into the earth. He retrieved a long sharp bone that looked broken.

    "Strange. This doesn''t seem like a bone in the human body" Asuma spoke as he inspected the item.

    "Hmm" Kakashi''s eyes narrowed as he examined the long sharp weapon.<em>''This bone It''s created with chakra.''</em>

    "In the hidden Mist vige, there used to be a n that used bones as weapons. I''ve never met them but I''ve heard stories about the n." Kakashi spoke as he recalled some information his teacher had told him.

    "Wait. Now that you mention it" Tsume had fought in the war and suddenly recalled seeing something simr. "Yes. You''re talking about the Kaguya n aren''t you?"

    Kakashi nodded.

    "They''re a bloodthirsty n. Always looking for a battle But I heard that they were all dead and the n was extinct due to the Mist civil war." Tsume spoke.

    "Well, apparently I think one or two might have survived."

    "Wait. So Orochimaru has members of the Kaguya n with him." Asuma and Guy looked at Kakashi and their faces were grim.

    "I believe so. He''s someone who''s fascinated with rare bloodlines. So it shouldn''te as a surprise." The Sharingan ninja replied with a small sigh.

    "My insects have spread through the area and found multiple strong scents going in different directions. But something''s strange" Shibi spoke as he looked around.

    "What''s wrong?" Kakashi asked.

    Tsume and Kuromaru also took several whiffs before their faces turned grim. "Yes. I think I know what you''re getting at East, West, North and South. The scents move in these four directions. I think he''s trying to confuse us."

    "What do we do, Kakashi? Orochimaru should know we''d be tracking him. This most likely is a false trail. If we go these four directions we''ll just be wasting time." Asuma spoke as he looked around.

    "But not following up on this is also not an option. We need to find something" Guy spoke.

    "We can''t not investigate. Ideally I would say split up and follow the tracks but I have another idea." Kakashi spoke and immediately went through the seals for the summoning jutsu.

    Poof.

    Pakkun and his team appeared in front of Kakashi. "You know Kakashi, I was just about to rx and have a long nap before you called us." Pakkun spoke in a deadpanned tone. The ninja dogs with him also whined.

    "Sorry Pakkun. But this is an emergency."

    The ninken immediately stood in alertness as they heard the words. "What''s wrong?"

    "Orochimaru has attacked Lady Tsunade. Based on the intel we have, he might have abducted her and her student. There are multiple scents leading away from here in four directions. I need you to split up and investigate them."

    "Understood. We''ll get it done." The dogs disappeared and Kakashi stood up.

    "We could have looked into it. Why did you use your summon?" Tsume asked the Jonin.

    "Because if I''m right, then those leads won''t take us anywhere. I''ve been following Orochimaru for a while after he defected. I have a good idea as to how he operates. Those tracks are to mislead us. I''m sure of that. But as I said, I can''t not look into it either." The Jonin replied with a sigh.

    "So assuming those tracks are there to confuse us and waste our time, where do we start?" Kogamu Hyuga asked the man. He was a recently promoted Jonin but his tracking skills are top notch.

    "Orochimaru must have had Lady Tsunade under surveince to attack her here where no one could interfere."

    "I doubt he would have personally taken the time to spy on her. So one of his men must have done it." Asuma deduced and Kakashi nodded.

    "We need to retrace Lady Tsunade''s steps. Find out where she was before she came here. If we can track the person who was watching her, maybe we''ll have a better chance of getting more information on Orochimaru."

    The Jonins agreed with the n. It wasn''t long before they found some clues to help them with their search.

    "I got tracks." Tsume spoke. "Lady Tsunade and Shizune wereing from the east."

    "Let''s go."

    On Kakashi''s orders the team began to quickly follow Tsunade''s tracks through the forest.

    "What can you tell us?" Kakashi asked the head of the Inuzuka n.

    "Based on these footprints, Lady Tsunade and Shizune were definitely moving in a hurry. It''s almost as if as if they were trying to get away" Tsume was an excellent tracker ninja. She could tell what the intentions of a person are correctly most of the time just by analysing their footprints and gait.

    The Jonins were surprised to hear that.<em>''What could scare one of the Sanin? Did she find out about Orochimaru before she was ambushed?''</em>

    The team hurried and quickly moved through the forest. With each minute they were getting closer and closer to the vige Tsunade had spent the day before.

    -

    <strong>Anko, Daichi and Genma.</strong>

    The trio was standing several meters in front of an old wooden hut. They reached the location Mizuki gave at around 2pm.

    Daichi used Chakra and Mana sense and didn''t find anything living in or nearby the area.

    "I hope we find something from there." Genma spoke with a serious gaze.

    Anko summoned a small snake and had it go near the wooden house. "It''s better to be safe."

    "Right. Check for any boobytraps."

    The snake slithered through the cracks and was soon inside the house.

    Daichi looked around the area and his gaze finally settled back on the small wooden building.

    <em>''Observe.''</em>

    <strong>[Secret Cabin]</strong>

    <strong>[This building was created by Orochimaru several years ago as a means tomunicate with his spies in the Fire Capital. It was deliberately created to look like a dpidated building to avoid suspicion. Orochimaru has decided to abandon this cabin and modified it a week ago and made it into a trap in case anyonees here.]</strong>

    <em>''A trap huh. Damn it. So he was expecting Mizuki to fail huh. But this was modified weeks ago. Was it just a precaution or Regardless of the case, I''ll need to be carefull.''</em>

    The team waited for a while before they saw the small creature returning to Anko and hissing.

    "There doesn''t seem to be any traps inside." Anko spoke and Daichi couldn''t help but frown.

    "Are you sure Anko sensei? Since this location is linked to Orochimaru shouldn''t there be defences in ce?" Daichi asked. He couldn''t tell them what his observe told him but he wanted them to be cautious.

    "Yeah. Orochimaru is not someone who''s careless. But this ce looks like it''s going to fall apart anytime soon. I don''t think he''s going to waste his time on this ce."

    Daichi frowned at Anko''s reply.

    "I have a simple solution." Genma spoke and told them his n.

    Daichi had a smile.<em>''Just what I was thinking.''</em>

    A few secondster the ninjas were slowly making their way to the front door. They slowly opened it and looked inside. The cabin had several chairs and a table. And on top of the table they saw a scroll.

    The three ninjas looked at each other and nodded. They slowly walked inside as they looked around.

    <em>''There doesn''t seem to be any traps here. Maybe he really did give up on this ce.''</em>Genma thought as he looked around.

    The three soon came near the scroll and observed it.

    "It looks like a storage scroll." Anko spoke.

    "There doesn''t seem to be anything around it." Genma spoke as he examined the small scroll.

    Daichi used observe skill and immediately found that it was a scroll that contained the body of Ko Yamanaka.

    "We should open it." Daichi spoke and the two Special Jonins nodded.

    They opened the scroll and out came the body of the dead missing Yamanaka ninja.

    "Wait. This is" The eyes of the ninjas widened as they recognized the person.

    But at that instant Daichi and the two Jonins danger senses went off. A seal instantly spread from the corpse and trapped the three Leaf ninjas.

    "Damn it. Can''t move my legs."

    Suddenly they heard a loud hissing sound. And the three immediately recognized what it was.

    <em>''Shit. Paper bombs.''</em>

    "BOOM!"

    The next instant the whole cabin and everything nearby went up in mes in a giant explosion.

    ------------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen(No space)

 Chapter 296: Akatsuki Moves - Target: Daichi Hekima

    Chapter 296: Akatsuki Moves - Target: Daichi Hekima

    In an unknown location Orochimaru was leaning against the wall watching Shizune desperately try to stabilize her teacher with a malicious grin.

    <em>''Just as I thought. Her vital reaction is much better than all of my previous test subjects. But this is still a delicate moment. Things could go wrong at any moment. But if I can seed, I''ll be that much closer to achieving my ambition.''</em>

    As he watched the young medic work he noticed a paper with a seal on the nearby wall suddenly burn to ssh. The Snake Sannin''s grin slightly widened as he saw the paper go up in mes.<em>''So they found the body huh. They must have gotten the information from Mizuki somehow. Well, it won''t matter.''</em>

    Orochimaru''s mind went to thest time met with Ko Yamanaka.

    <strong>shback.</strong>

    Knock! Knock!

    Orochimaru only had to wait a couple seconds before the door opened. He saw the surprise on Ko''s face and couldn''t help but grin.

    "Lord Orochimaru. Pleasee inside. I just finished the task you assigned me."

    "Kukuku�� Hello Ko. I take it that everything went well."

    "Yes Lord Orochimaru. Mizuki just left a few minutes ago. I did just as you asked and got the payment right here."

    Orochimaru could see that the blonde ninja was nervous and trying to hide that fact.

    "Good. I knew I could count on you. There is one more thing I need you to do."

    "Whatever you need my Lord." Ko replied and gave a small bow. Orochimaru''s grin widened as he looked at the man.

    The Grass Sword suddenly appeared from Orochimaru''s sleeve. The Sannin grabbed it and shed at Ko with murderous intent. "Die for me."

    The Yamanaka ninja quickly reacted and was able to avoid the killing strike but he was still wounded. There was a deep sh across his chest.

    Orochimaru smiled as he saw that. "Very good Ko. You wouldn''t have been able to avoid that strike if you weren''t vignt against me�� And if I wasn''t toying with you�� Hihi��"

    Ko was grim as he looked at his opponent. He knew just how dangerous the man in front of him was. "Wh-why? I have served loyally��"

    Hearing that excuse Orochimaru''s expression changed into one of mock disappointment. "Why do you lie to me Ko? Hihihi��"

    The Yamanaka ninja was silent and was thinking of ways to escape.<em>''He knows. Damn it. But I was so sure that I wasn''t followed��''</em>

    The smile on the snake Sannin''s face vanished and Ko began to feel his killing intent.

    "I followed you to your meeting with the Leaf Anbu. I saw that Anbu forcing your hand. I know you''re spying on me under threat from the Hokage. I could have killed both of you then and there but�� Well, I had a better idea."

    Ko immediately knew what Orochimaru did. "You want to use me to feed them false intelligence."

    "Yes. That was the original n. I know you were keeping an eye on my shipments and their routes. I thought about using you to send them on a wild goose chase but I''ve changed my mind."

    Before Ko could use any seals to and try to escape, Orochimaru vanished from his position and Ko was stabbed through the heart from behind.

    "It''s better if they had no intel at all." The cruel Sannin whispered in Ko''s ear. He sensed the man''s vitals drop and in seconds the spy was dead and on the ground.

    Orochimaru looked at the dead man bleeding on the floor with no outward reaction.<em>''My ns can''t have any wrinkles. I need to make sure all the variables are in my favor.''</em>

    He quickly sealed the body in a scroll and left the cabin after setting up the trap.

    <strong>shback End.</strong>

    <em>''No loose ends.''</em>Orochimaru thought as he looked at Shizune and the unconscious Tsunade.<em>''Hmm�� I wonder who triggered my trap?''</em>

    ��-

    BOOOM!

    Daichi, Anko and Genma watched the explosion from behind a tree several meters away from the st.

    "That''s a big explosion. I guess he really didy a trap for whoever came here." Genma said with a raised eyebrow as he saw the fiery smoke rising into the sky.

    "Shadow clones for the win." Anko said with a whistle.

    The three ninjas got the memories of their clones and couldn''t help but sigh. "So much for collecting evidence and clues." Genma spoke as he looked at the destroyed cabin.

    "We do know a few things." Daichi suddenly spoke and the two Jonin turned their attention to him.

    "I saw the wounds on that man''s body. A sh wound across the chest from a sword and a stab wound to the heart. And he died about a week ago." Daichi looked at the destroyed cabin and then turned his attention to the inventory list infront of him.

    In it thetest item was the hand of Ko Yamanaka.<em>''This will definitelye in handy.''</em>

    "Orochimaru is being too careful. Something tells me we won''t have any luck following our other leads." Anko spoke as she looked at the burning cabin with a dark frown.

    Daichi''s eyes narrowed as he looked at the inferno.<em>''I can''t waste anymore time. This is the best opportunity. Time to put my ns into action.''</em>

    "I''m going to expand my search. We can''t give up." Daichi spoke while making the seal for the Shadow clone jutsu.

    5 solid clones popped up in arge puff of smoke. Under the cover of the smoke and in just a split second the real Daichi gave two of his clones a scroll. Of the 5 shadow clones created, two of them had very specific instructions.

    <strong>With Daichi''s two clones.</strong>

    The five clones vanished in different directions. But two of them had certain goals in mind.

    One was making his way towards the Fire Capital. He jumped into a thick vegetation part in the forest and immediately used Mana scout.

    <em>''Alright. Good. I''m alone.''</em>

    The shadow clone immediately used ''Mana Cloak'' skill and became invisible.<em>''This skill bends light and makes the user invisible and also masks the scent. But there is still the problem of chakra sensing.''</em>

    Knowing that a sensor ninja could find him, Daichi used ''Chakra Suppression'' skill next.<em>''Now I''m undetectable. Time to meet that man.''</em>

    A near undetectable Daichi quickly began to make his way to the capital.

    The second clone was making his way to the border. Unlike the first clone, after making sure he was alone, the shadow clone opened the scroll the real Daichi gave him. In it was Atamagai''s invisibility cloak. He quickly put it on and rushed toward his destination.

    The clone''s target: Orochimaru''s Main base in the Land of sound.

    Time: 2:30pm.

    <strong>With the real Daichi.</strong>

    The trio of ninjas were quickly making their way to the capital. Daichi''s mind was on the two clones he sent out for the special operations.

    <em>''All the information Amachi gave me has been examined. If Orochimaru is not in that base this is the best time for me to infiltrate it. But if someone like Jugo is there, then it''s best that I not use the cloak inside. The cloak will help me stay under the radar and save me a good chunk of my mental energy. I''ll save my Mana points till I reach the base and then I''ll switch to using Mana concealment skills.''</em>

    Daichi remembered the information his observe showed him on the cloak.

    <strong>[This cloak absorbs, stores and when activated, uses nature energy in conjunction with mana energy of the wearer.</strong>

    <strong>Note: Sages who are proficient in utilizing nature chakra can detect the cloak even when it is active.]</strong>

    <em>''Jugo utilizes nature energy. Even if it''s uncontrolled if he somehow senses me, things will get much moreplicated. I better not take that chance. I don''t know if things changed in this time line so I better not risk it.''</em>

    At that time Genma spoke. "Orochimaru is taking every measure to ensure that we know nothing about his ns. But we still need to investigate Nam''s whereabouts just to make sure. But if we don''t find anything in a few hours then we''ll return to the vige."

    Anko and Daichi nodded and soon they reached the capital gates. The ninjas showed their identification and soon entered the Capital and began their search.

    <strong>Land of Rain.</strong>

    Konan walked through the dimly lit hall of her base. She was soon standing behind an orange haired man who was looking out the window with a stoic gaze. The sound of heavy rain made them feel almost peaceful�� Almost.

    "Pain. It''s time." Konan spoke in a soft tone to her friend and the leader of the organization.

    Nagato nodded and closed his eyes. Momentster when he opened his eyes he was standing on the fingertips of arge statue in a giant cave and all the members of the Akatsuki were present.

    "About time you got here."

    Kakuzu frowned at his partner''s tone. "Show our leader respect Hidan."

    "Yeah yeah." Hidan stuck a pinky finger into his ear as he listened to his partner and gave a nonchnt reply.

    Kakuzu could only growl at his partner''s antics.

    "Hey Kakuzu. Are you gonna take that disrespect my man?" Deidara looked at the two with a grin trying to fan the mes of tension between the two.

    "Mind your own business you ugly bomber." Hidan looked at Deidara''s shimmering holographic image and spoke.

    "Who''re you calling ugly you stupid cultist?"

    "Calm down Deidara." Sasori spoke in a gruff voice.

    "Heye one Sasori. Who''s side are you on?"

    Itachi, Konan and Zetsu were silent as they watched the antics of the other members.

    At this time Kisame looked at Pain and Konan and spoke. "You know Itachi and I were in the middle of tracking our targets though the Land of Snow when Zetsu showed up. He said it was something important. So what happened?"

    Everyone quieted down and turned their attention to their leader.

    Pain was silent for a few seconds before he replied. "Last night Orochimaru attacked and abducted Tsunade Senju and her student Shizune at the border of the Fire Country and the Hidden Waterfall vige."

    The eyes of several people widened as they heard that news.

    "Wow. He actually went after his former teammate? What a ruthless guy." Deidara spoke with a small chuckle.

    "You''re one to talk." Sasori mumbled under his breath.

    "That should be near impossible. The Leaf would have patrol squads near that area. How did they miss such an attack?" Itachi asked in a calm tone. He was the one who was most familiar with the defenses of the Leaf vige in the room other than Zetsu.

    "Orochimaru killed one of the patrol squad near the border and the Leaf at the time was more focused on containing the prison break that happenedst night." Zetsu replied.

    "Prison break? Looks like a lot of exciting things are happening in your former vige Itachi." Kisame said with a chuckle while the Uchiha remained silent.

    Zetsu began informing them about the situation at the Leaf vige. From the theft of the Forbidden Scroll to the prison break and finally Orochimaru''s attack.

    "Do we know why Orochimaru would go after her at this time?" Kakuzu asked Pain.

    "It could be for her bloodline. He''s had a fascination with woodstyle jutsu and the power of the First Hokage." ck Zetsu replied.

    Itachi meanwhile was trying to figure out a way to inform the vige of the information he was gathering here.<em>''If anything happens to Tsunade it would make the other viges bolder and they would start to act. Things are bound to go out of control in such a scenario. They need to find her as quickly as possible before anything happens.''</em>

    "Has information about this incident spread to the other viges?" Itachi asked with a calm tone.

    "No. Based on my observation, even amongst the Leaf vige only a handful of people know the matter. Several high level Jonin who are investigating the attack, her student Daichi and the Hokage." ck Zetsu replied.

    "Where do you think that snake hid them?" Deidara asked.

    "Attacking one of the Sannin and a member of the Senju n is bound to bring Orochimaru trouble. But abducting them. If it were me I wouldn''t even stay in the country for a while�� But then again I might�� just to see who woulde after me��" Kisame said with a blood thirsty grin.

    "Any information on Orochimaru''s movements?" Itachi asked with a nonchnt tone.

    ck Zetsu was silent as he heard Itachi''s question. He knew the man was a spy.<em>''Obito didn''t say to keep the information hidden. So he must have a way to stop Itachi from contacting the vige.''</em>

    "I was able to analyze his travel patterns for thest several months and I might have something. There is a chance he''s in the Earth country." ck Zetsu replied after careful consideration.

    "I don''t think he could be in the Stone vige. That damn old Tsuchikage wouldn''t trust Orochimaru one bit and he wouldn''t give him any assistance or hide that snake in his vige." Deidara quickly shook his head and replied.

    "I didn''t say the Hidden stone vige. I said he might be in the Earth country. And you''re right Deidara. Based on my intel, Orochimaru didn''t go to the vige. He met with someone in the Stone Royal court. But I don''t know any more. He managed to keep things hidden even from me."

    Deidara nodded in understanding. "Ohh that makes more sense. Oh man. That old man is not gonna be happy if anything happens." He chuckled as he imagined Onoki''s angry expression if he heard the news that Orochimaru and Tsunade were in his country.

    "If the other viges find out about the situation in the vige, they would definitely try to take advantage." Sasori knew that everyone would be looking to tear a piece of the Fire country if they showed any signs of weaknesses.

    "Yes. That''s why we''ll need to monitor the situation closely. And if the opportunity arises then we can take advantage as well." Pain replied.

    "What about Tsunade''s student?" Kakuzu suddenly inquired.

    "Shizune? She was also taken. Whereabouts unknown." Zetsu replied.

    "No. Not her. I''m talking about Daichi Hekima." Kakuzu had a grin as he asked this question.

    "Hey Kakuzu. You going after that kid?" Hidan asked his partner.

    "I''m considering it."

    "Based on my information, he left the vige this morning with Jonins Anko and Genma."

    "What are you think of, Kakuzu?" Pain asked the man.

    "Based on what we know, that kid is quite the medic ninja. He could be a valuable bargaining chip for us. Maybe even hold him for a nice ransom."

    Pain was thoughtful as he heard that.<em>''If he could heal my legs then I''ll be that much stronger.''</em>

    "The Leaf vige is on high alert. All movements throughout the country are being monitored." ck Zetsu replied.

    "Where is Daichi now?" Pain suddenly asked Zetsu.

    "Hmm. If I''m right, his team should be near the capital. Are you nning on going after that kid Pain?"

    The leader of the Akatsuki organization nodded. He turned his attention to the Zombie brothers. "Kakuzu, Hidan. Your tasks have changed. Track Daichi Hekima and subdue him. Then bring him to me."

    "Alright. Let''s go kill some Leaf vigers." Hidan''s excitement was visible to everyone.

    "No. You should only go after Daichi if he''s alone or if there is only minimum protection. You''re not allowed to attack the Leaf vige or cause too much chaos in the Fire country. Our organization still needs to maintain anonymity." Pain gave the order.

    "What about the rest of us?" Kisame asked while Itachi remained silent.

    "You''llplete the current tasks and wait for further instructions. Depending on how this situation develops, we might have to take action."

    "Understood."

    "That is all." With that Pain''s figure disappeared from the cave and then everyone else left as well.

    ��-

    <strong>Somewhere in the Land of Snow.</strong>

    Itachi opened his eyes and slowly stood from his spot. He began to make his way towards the nearby woods while his partner stood and stretched his arms. Itachi only took a couple of steps before he saw a masked figure hidden in the shadows of the woods.

    <em>''Madara. He''s making it obvious that he''s watching me. It seems I won''t be able to send any help to the vige��''</em>

    "What is it, Itachi?" Kisame came up from behind and asked.

    "It''s nothing. Let''s go." Itachi gave a short reply and started moving in another direction.

    ---------------------

    Author''s Note.

    The Zombie brothers are after Daichi and they know where he is�� what will happen. Some explosive action�� a battle ising in the next chapter.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen(No space)

 Chapter 297: Ambush 01

    Chapter 297: Ambush 01

    <strong>Fire Capital.</strong>

    Daichi, Genma and Anko were investigating the man they know as Nam. They had spent almost three hours but there wasn''t much useful information they could gather. They had split up and searched for information through several avenues but the results were disappointing.

    Genma sighed as he rejoined with the other two.

    "Anything?" Anko asked.

    Genma shook his head. "Nothing other than the usual. A mid level merchant who moves all over Fire capital and the bordering countries. Nothing stands out about him. Just an ordinary guy. Standard background for espionage agents."

    "Yeah. The same. The people I talked to barely had any impression of him." Anko spoke as she sat on a nearby rock.

    "Genma sensei is right. That''s by design. He''s someone who people will forget easily in just a short time." Daichi spoke up. "From what I learned, he left the capital a few days ago on business. The few people who were in contact with him don''t know where he went."

    "His home was a bust as well. There''s nothing that points us anywhere. He didn''t keep any relevant information that could help us." Anko told them about her side of the investigation.

    "Well, this wasn''t a total waste of time. We now have a picture of the guy. With a clear description our odds of finding him are much higher."Anko and Daichi looked at the Special Jonin.

    "The guards here make sure the people whoe here aren''t in any disguises. So we can be certain that the description we got is real. So this trip wasn''t aplete waste. Still, I was hoping to find much more." Genma spoke as he twirled the senbon from one end of his lips to the other.

    Daichi crossed his arms and frowned.<em>''Damn it. Time is running out. There was nothing useful in that cabin and now this Nam guy has disappeared. Orochimaru is well prepared. He''s taking every precaution possible.''</em>

    Daichi looked at the position of the sun and let out a deep breath of air.<em>''It''s almost five in the evening. There isn''t much point in waiting around here. I just hope my two clones can find something useful.''</em>

    One of the two shadow clones went to the pce of the Third Prince. He found out that the prince was on a trip and would only return in the evening, so he was waiting patiently hidden from everyone.

    The second clone was swiftly making his way towards Orochimaru''s main base.

    Daichi thought about it and decided that he could only wait till he got more information.<em>''There must be some crucial information in Orochimaru''s hideout.''</em>

    "We should head back to the vige. I''ve made a copy of Nam''s travel history. We''ll give it to the analysis team when we get back to the vige. Maybe we''ll get a clue as to where Orochimaru''s hideout is after they analyze the information."

    Genma spoke and the two nodded. They began to leave the capital city.

    <strong>A Few Kilometers away.</strong>

    A team of 6 shinobi were standing atop a small hill overlooking the dense forest. A woman wearing a green dress and light blue hair, who stood at the front of the team turned her attention to the side.

    "Have they entered the forest yet, Rinji?" Guren asked the man standing near her.

    "I''m afraid not Guren. There is a chance we might have to wait a lot longer." The man with dark brown hair and loose fitting purple vest spoke. A ninja from the Land of Sound and the underling of Orochimaru.

    Hearing the reply Guren frowned and looked ahead.<em>''So they haven''t left the capital yet huh. This is going to be tricky. We followed their trail but it seems we were toote. I wanted to intercept them before they reached the capital to avoid wasting time.''</em>

    "We could capture the brat from the capital." One of the ninjas on the team spoke.

    "No." Rinji shook his head. "The Fire capital has several powerful guards. Once we cause a scene we''ll be in trouble. Our best chance is to wait for the Leaf ninjas to leave. Once they put some distance and enter the forest we''ll get them."

    Rinji then turned his attention to Guren. "They went to the Fire capital after going to that blown up cabin. I wonder why that is?"

    Guren stayed quiet as she heard Rinji''s question.<em>''They don''t know that it belonged to Lord Orochimaru. That cabin was built formunication between several of Orochimaru''s agents throughout the Land of Fire. The fact that the Leaf ninjas got to it�� It means the information has been exposed. So the fact that they went to the capital right after�� There might be a chance that those Leaf ninjas are investigating Nam. This is a problem. Looks like after I capture that brat, I''ll have to kill the two who''s with him.''</em>

    She slightly sighed and recalled thest meeting with her master and the orders he gave.

    <strong>shback.</strong>

    In a base in the Land of Sound, Kimimaro led Guren to his master as soon as she arrived.

    "She is here my Lord." Kimimaro spoke and Guren half knelt in front of Orochimaru.

    "Aahh�� Guren. How nice of you toe so quickly." Orochimaru had a wide grin as he looked at the woman.

    "Of course my Lord. How could I make you wait?" Guren replied with a smile.

    "Hihihi�� So eager to please."

    "My Lord. Kimimaro told me that you''re nning on attacking Tsunade Senju. Have you called me to take part in that mission?" Guren asked the Snake Sannin.

    Orochimaru smiled and shook his head. "No. I already have a team assembled and ready for that. I called you here for a different reason."

    Guren''s eyes widened as she heard that.<em>''Whatever it is, it must be extremely important. I must not fail him.''</em>

    "No matter what task it is, I''llplete it, my Lord." Guren spoke with absolute loyal fervor.

    "Kuku�� I know I can trust you. Guren, I need you toplete two missions for me. Both of them are extremely vital to my ns."

    Guren knelt and silently waited for her master''s orders.

    "Your first task is to locate Kabuto and inform him that his mission in the Leaf vige hase to an end. The information he''s gathered is enough for now. After tomorrow''s attack the Leaf will be on guard. They''ll definitely be looking for any spies who''ve infiltrated their ranks and I don''t want Kabuto to be caught."

    Orochimaru gave her the first task and at that moment Kimimaro gave her a small scroll.

    "That scroll contains information on Kabuto''s current mission given by the vige. It also includes the routes he''s taken. Intercept him and inform him of the change in the ns. But remember, you should only make your move tomorrow night."

    Guren nodded. "Yes. Of course my Lord. What is the second task you want me toplete?"

    "Tsunade''s student. A Genin named Daichi Hekima. He''s extremely talented and is crucial to my ns. I want him."

    Guren''s eyes widened as she listened.<em>''Wait. Does that mean�� My Lord�� Is he your next vessel�� Am I not worthy?''</em>

    Guren kept her thoughts and emotions to herself and listened.

    Orochimaru looked at the woman in front of him and spoke. "Once news reaches the vige that Tsunade was attacked, I doubt the boy would be able to sit still. He will definitely try to find her. When he leaves the vige, I want you to capture him alive and bring him to my base at ''that'' location."

    Kimimaro gave another scroll to the blue haired woman. "This contains detailed information on Daichi Hekima. From his appearance to his skills. Use it to form an efficient n."

    "Yes. It will be done, Lord Orochimaru."

    "Guren. Remember. I want him unharmed. So try not to damage him. Your mission is to subdue him and bring him to the location marked on the scroll. Memorise the information and destroy the scroll."

    "Yes my Lord. If he''s just a Genin,pleting this mission won''t be a challenge at all." Guren spoke with a confident tone.

    The Snake Sannin chuckled hearing that. "Hihi. I wouldn''t be too sure of that. His strength is far beyond Genin. His talent and potential... It might even be greater than yours."

    Guren was startled to hear that.<em>''What? A child with such power?... No wonder. It''s no wonder Lord Orochimaru wants him.''</em>

    "I understand my Lord."

    "Good. Make sure to destroy the scroll. The information on that should only be known to you till the task ispleted. Once you''ve brought him to that location, wait for my further instructions."

    Guren bowed her head and spoke in a respectful tone. "Yes my Lord. I understand."

    "Excellent. Kimimaro will take it from here. I have to prepare." With those words Orochimaru disappeared into the darkness and Guren stood.

    "Come. I already have a team assembled." Thest member of the Kaguya n spoke and led the blue haired woman through several hallways. Soon that reached arge room. 12 people were waiting in that room.

    "All of them are Lord Orochimaru''s experiments and have been bestowed with special abilities." Kimimaro spoke as he looked at them.

    The 12 individuals were prisoners of Orochimaru that had undergone various experiments. They had strange appearances and some of them had different weapons attached to their bodies.

    The member of the Kaguya n then pointed to two people who stood in the corner of the room. "Among the 12, those two are the strongest. Rinji and Gozu. You can use them as you see fit toplete the two tasks."

    "Yes. I''ll be done with my assignments soon." Guren nodded.

    Kimimaro looked at the woman and knew just how strong she was. So he had faith in her abilities. But he still gave a short warning.

    "Good. And remember. Failure is not an option."

    With those words he walked away.

    Guren slightly frowned but didn''t say anything as she looked at the leader of the Sound Five. She turned her attention to the rest of the people in the room and then walked to a nearby chair.

    "Alright, listen up. I''m your team leader now. We have two very important missions toplete. We move out in an hour." Guren spoke as she looked at therge group. She had an arrogant smile as she looked at them.

    Three of the prisoners got angry as they heard her condescending tone.

    "This woman. Who do you think you are huh." A man almost 7 feet tall with bulky muscles stepped forward and looked at Guren.

    Gathering courage, two others from the group also stepped forward. "You don''t look like you could beat any of us."

    "Yeah. Maybe Lord Orochimaru made a mistake. If you want to be the leader, you''re gonna have to prove your strength to us, little girl." The person who spoke had light skin, several scars on his face and body. The most notable detail was therge machete that was attached to his right elbow.

    Guren chuckled as she looked at the three. "There''s always a few idiots��"

    Hearing those words the three got angry and took a step forward. The next moment Guren made her move.

    She made a hand seal and several long, sharp pink crystals shot at the tall bulky man at the front. The crystals came from the floor, the ceiling and the walls surrounding them. The fast attack instantly ripped through the man''s body shredding him to pieces.

    Seeing this horrific scene the two others who were arrogant a second ago were suddenly afraid. But it was toote for them as well.

    "Crystal Style - Crystal prison!"

    A secondter pink crystal appeared below their feet andpletely covered them before they could figure out what was even happening.

    The two people werepletely encased in her jutsu.

    Guren chuckled seeing the terrified faces of the people in the room. She raised her hand and snapped her finger once and the next instant, the two crystals shattered into tiny pieces.

    "Does anyone else have a problem with me being the leader?" Guren asked and everyone was silent and averted their gazes.

    After showcasing a fraction of her power, Guren focused on the task her Lord gave her. She opened the second scroll and read through the details and was very surprised.

    <em>''A student of the Legendary Sannin Tsunade Senju. His medical skills are rumored to be almost on par with his teacher. His chakra control and physical skills are all exceptional. Based on this information, this brat might be a high chunin level ninja or maybe even a low Jonin�� Not bad for a brat�� This is going to be tricky��''</em>

    <strong>shback End.</strong>

    As the team stood there, suddenly a bat flew from the forest andnded on Rinji''s arm. It sent a sonic whistle to Rinji''s mind and his eyes widened. He turned to the team leader and smiled.

    "Guren. They''ve entered the forest."

    The blue haired woman smiled hearing that. "Hahaha�� Good. About time. Let''s proceed."

 Chapter 298: Ambush 02

    Chapter 298: Ambush 02

    <strong>Land of Sound.</strong>

    Kimimaro sat on the roof of the main base in the Land of Sound and looked at the clouds. His mind went to what Orochimaru had told him.

    <strong>shback.</strong>

    Kimimaro looked at his master and spoke. "My Lord, do you think Daichi will leave the vige trying to find Tsunade?"

    "Yes. Once news reaches the vige that I attacked Tsunade, I''m sure young Daichi will be anxious. He won''t be able to stay still in the vige and will try to search for her himself. I''m sure he''ll leave the vige." Orochimaru replied with a sinister smile.

    "You sound so sure my Lord. What if the Hokage refuses to let him go?" Kimimaro asked his master.

    "Kukuku�� I''m sure young Daichi will find a way to convince that old man."

    Seeing Kimimaro''s puzzled gaze Orochimaru continued. "You have much to learn about human nature, Kimimaro. The more time someone spends with a person the closer they be. And this bond will be even stronger between a master and a student. And those two�� Tsunade and Daichi''s bonds run quite deep. I have no doubt that he''ll leave the vige to find her. That''s when Guren will strike."

    The member of the Kaguya n nodded but then frowned. There was something on his mind but he decided to keep quiet. But Orochimaru noticed Kimimaro''s hesitation. "What is it Kimimaro? What do you want to ask me?""My Lord, wouldn''t it be better to wait before going after the boy? The Leaf vige will definitely have their guard up after they hear about your attack. So wouldn''t it be better to wait till they rx their vignce? Right now if Guren is caught it will expose critical information on us. Once the experiment with Tsunade is sessful you''ll be able to create an army that can use powerful wood style ninjutsu. If you wait, you''ll be able to take revenge on the Leaf vige and capture Daichi in one fell swoop."

    Orochimaru chuckled after he heard that question. "Under normal circumstances that would be a better n. But not in this case. I''ve gathered a great deal of intelligence on Daichi Hekima and I''ve noticed an important detail. His growth rate is unprecedented. Right now I''m certain he''s reached at least a low Jonin level in skill and power. If I wait any longer, capturing him would be even more difficult. Once news of Tsunade''s death reaches the boy he''ll want revenge. He''ll train even harder and be much stronger. With each passing day capturing him will be more difficult. So right now is the perfect time. While he tries to find his teacher Guren will strike."

    "So that''s why you asked me to assemble such arge team." The young bone user nodded in understanding.

    "Yes. Even Kakashi won''t be able to protect the boy with such a team. And Guren will capture the boy and bring him to that location." Orochimaru replied with a grin. His dreams are so close. He could feel it.

    "Once I have Daichi, we''ll go after Sasuke. He''ll be thest piece. Tsunade, Daichi and Sasuke. My ambition can be realized with the capture of those three."

    "We won''t fail you my Lord." Kimimaro spoke as he bowed to Orochimaru.

    <strong>shback End.</strong>

    Kimimaro felt the wind blowing in his face and turned to the direction of the Fire country.<em>''Guren. This is the most important mission you''llplete for Lord Orochimaru in your entire life. If you fail, I''ll kill you myself.''</em>

    ��-

    <strong>Land of Fire.</strong>

    In a forest a few kilometers outside the capital several people were waiting for Daichi and his team.

    Guren thought about the strategy put in ce. She looked at the 5 ninjas near her and her eyes narrowed.

    <em>''That Anbu that was spying on Kabuto managed to cripple one of these idiots. Still we have nine people on our side. We definitely have them outnumbered. I''ve already sent 3 to the other side. They''ll intercept them from the front. And then mid battle I''ll have another team of 3 attacking from the rear. Once they''re weakened I''ll go in for the capture with Rinji and Gozu.''</em>

    "Guren. They''ve entered the forest." Rinji turned to the team leader and reported at that moment.

    "Hahaha�� Good. About time. Let''s proceed."

    "The first team has been notified. They''re going to intercept the ninjas from the Leaf." Rinji spoke as he listened to the bat.

    "Good. The first ambush team will strike soon." Guren then looked at the 3 Sound ninjas and gave the order. "Go. Attack them from the back. Wear them down."

    The three sound ninjas nodded and disappeared from their spot. Guren turned her attention back to Rinji. "Is Kakashi with the brat?"

    Rinji shook his head. "No. Based on their appearance andparing it with the intel we got from Kabuto, it''s not Kakashi but Genma and Anko. Two special Jonins."

    "Hahaha�� Then this mission will bepleted faster than I thought. Come on."

    "Shouldn''t we keep our distance till thest moment?" Rinji asked the blue haired woman.

    "We''ll stay out of their range. But I''m curious to see that brat in action. He''s talented but I want to see why Lord Orochimaru values him so much." Guren''s smile dimmed as she spoke thest part. She didn''t say anything more and disappeared from her position with Rinji and Gozu following her.

    ��-

    <strong>With Anko, Genma and Daichi.</strong>

    The three left the Fire capital and were making their way back to the vige. Daichi had a lot on his mind as he moved through the forest.

    <em>''Damn it. We didn''t find any useful leads. Even if I analyze Nam''s whereabouts and find something, for all I know Orochimaru killed that Nam guy to cover his tracks. We might be chasing a ghost here�� Is this why I didn''t get a quest for this mission? Is there another purpose for meing here?''</em>

    The Genin sighed as he looked ahead.<em>''But then what''s the real reason the system led me here? What was the point?... It seems all I can do now is trust my two clones. Orochimaru''s main base must have something. Based on what I understand, if I can find one of his bodyguards, I''ll have an idea as to where Tsunade is�� They are his most trusted people. They would definitely know.''</em>

    Genma who was near the Genin saw the boy''s silence and wanted to cheer him up. "Daichi, I know you''re worried. But we''re going to find Lady Tsunade. We won''t give up."

    "He''s right. And besides Lady Tsunade is one of the Legendary Sannin and one of the smartest people in the world. If anyone can survive, it''s here." Anko also tried to reassure the boy.

    Daichi nodded and gave them a small smile. "I haven''t given up hope. I still-"

    Just then he sensed three chakrasing from the front.<em>''Based on their path they''reing straight for us.''</em>

    "We havepany." Daichi spoke. His senses were much sharper than the two Jonins.

    Daichi''s words put Genma and Anko on alert and only after several seconds did they sense the enemy. The two Jonins were astonished at the young Genin''s sensory skills.

    Genma nced at the boy from the corner of his eyes.<em>''Even with his warning, it still took a while for me to pick those chakra signatures. That means�� His sensory range is far greater than mine.''</em>

    The three were on alert and were ready for battle. Momentster multiple small air pressure attacks came and targeted the three Leaf ninjas. All of them evaded andnded on the ground safely.

    In seconds three ninjas with no identifiable markings appeared before them.

    At that moment before Daichi could use his observe skill his next quest appeared.

    <strong>[Quest created - Defeat and Capture.]</strong>

    <strong>[Arge team of strong ninjas havee after you. Their goal is to capture you. Defeat them and capture the enemy.]</strong>

    Daichi narrowed his eyes as he read the first part of the quest.<em>''Arge group? Three isn''t exactly arge group�� Then that means there''s more on the way��''</em>

    He quickly read through the rest of the quest details.

    <strong>[Conditions:]</strong>

    <strong>Defeat all the enemies.</strong>

    <strong>Do not let Anko or Genma die.</strong>

    <strong>Capture at least 5 enemies alive.</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>[Rewards:]</strong>

    <strong>[30000 Exp.]</strong>

    <strong>[Increased chances of rescuing Tsunade Senju and Shizune Kato.]</strong>

    <strong>[Reputation increases with ninja of the Leaf vige.]</strong>

    <strong>[Reputation bes hostile with certain people.]</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>[Failure:]</strong>

    <strong>[Reputation decreases with the Hokage, Kakashi Hatake.]</strong>

    <strong>[Death of Tsunade Senju.]</strong>

    <strong>[Possible unknown consequences.]</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>[ept Y/N]</strong>

    Daichi immediately epted the quest. His mind quickly sorted through the information and he came to a conclusion.

    <em>''So there are more than 5 enemies huh. The fact that capturing them is an increased chance in saving sense means�� These guys all work for Orochimaru. Looks like he''s finally decided toe after me huh. He must have gathered intel on me. So he must know at least a good deal about my skills. And the fact that he still sent people at this time means the ones he''s sent are powerful�� Is it possible�� If the Sound four or Kabuto are the onesing after me and these guys are just decoys then I''ll definitely be able to get to Orochimaru if I capture them.''</em>

    Daichi looked at the three and took notice that their eyes were mainly on him. Anko and Genma also picked up on this detail and moved closer to Daichi.

    Then Genin narrowed his eyes.<em>''Observe.''</em>

    <strong>[LV. 51] [Yuma]</strong>

    <strong>Age: 30</strong>

    <strong>HP: 6132 CP: 5467</strong>

    <strong>Affiliation: Orochimaru</strong>

    <strong>[Yuma is one of Orochimaru''s prisoners. He was captured 3 years ago and underwent multiple experiments. His body underwent multiple surgeries and his hands have been physically altered with unnatural enhancements. His fingers have been fitted with hollow air tubes that extend through his arms that allow him to use air pressure attacks. He is given a curse seal which can be activated remotely. He is currently a ninja of the Sound vige under the Sannin Orochimaru.</strong>

    <strong>STR - 185</strong>

    <strong>AGI - 190</strong>

    <strong>INT - 49</strong>

    <strong>The physical stats may be subjected to change if chakra or technique is applied.]</strong>

    <em>''This guy seems like another version of Zaku. Maybe an earlier prototype? He can use air pressure attacks, but unlike Zaku he has tubes connected from his fingertips.''</em>

    Daichi''s eyes quickly moved to the second enemy.

    <strong>[LV. 49] [Ryotoba]</strong>

    <strong>Age: 23</strong>

    <strong>HP: 5109 CP: 5400</strong>

    <strong>Affiliation: Orochimaru</strong>

    <strong>[Ryotoba is one of Orochimaru''s prisoners. He is given a curse seal that transforms him into a hybrid of human and piranha. Due to the nature of the curse seal he is aggressive and violent but is submissive to someone stronger. He has a strong sense of smell and thirst for blood. In his transformed state he has sharp ws and high agility. His curse seal can be activated remotely. He is currently a ninja of the Sound vige under the Sannin Orochimaru.</strong>

    <strong>STR - 200</strong>

    <strong>AGI - 235</strong>

    <strong>INT - 42</strong>

    <strong>The physical stats may be subjected to change if chakra or technique is applied.]</strong>

    <em>''So another science experiment huh. He looks like a fish hybrid simr to the ones I found on the Land of Sea. Just from looking at his grin�� I can tell that this guy has killed plenty.''</em>

    Daichi then quickly gathered information on thest one.

    <strong>[LV. 55] [Tanjero]</strong>

    <strong>Age: 27</strong>

    <strong>HP: 8120 CP: 8820</strong>

    <strong>Affiliation: Orochimaru</strong>

    <strong>[Tanjero is one of Orochimaru''s prisoners. He underwent extensive experiments under Orochimaru and gained two additional arms. He was also given a curse seal which gives him a strong boost in speed and strength. Hecks the ability to use ninjutsu but canpensate with high level Taijutsu. His curse seal can be activated remotely. He is currently a ninja of the Sound vige under the Sannin Orochimaru.</strong>

    <strong>STR - 271</strong>

    <strong>AGI - 280</strong>

    <strong>INT - 46</strong>

    <strong>The physical stats may be subjected to change if chakra or technique is applied.]</strong>

    <em>''So a knock off version of Lee and Guy huh. His strength and speed are far greater than the other two�� I need to warn them.''</em>

    "Do you work for Orochimaru?" It wasn''t Daichi who asked this question but Anko.

    She read the report on Daichi and Kakashi''s mission in the Land of Sea and knew what they found in the Laboratory there. Anko noticed that one of the enemies had characteristics of a fish and she also noticed the man with four arms.

    <em>''That bastard always gave his followers creepy powers. The fact that one of them is simr to the experiment on the Demon Indboratory and another has 4 arms. They must be Orochimaru''s people.''</em>

    This was the conclusion Anko came to.

    "Not bad. You''re smarter than you look, woman." Yuma grinned as he looked at Anko.

    "Now that you know who we work for, are you gonna beg for mercy?" Ryotobas asked. The bloodlusting from him could be felt by everyone.

    Genma twirled the senbon between his lips and smirked as he gazed at the trio. "You really have a low opinion of us Leaf ninjas don''t you? Hmph. Begging for mercy. Shouldn''t that be our line?!"

    The three got angry as they looked at Genma''s calm face. Daichi immediately used Observe on Genma and Anko and quickly let out a small breath of relief.<em>''Their stats and level are higher than these clowns. They''ll be fine�� But will that be the case if their curse seal activates or if more show up?''</em>

    "Sensei. I think there might be more people waiting to ambush us. I think these guys are just a distraction." Daichi quickly warned the two.

    "Yeah. I kinda had a feeling." The jovial smile on Genma''s face vanished and was reced with a serious demeanor.

    "We need to capture them all alive. They might have information we need." Anko spoke and the two nodded.

    The three ninjas under Orochimaru were furious hearing the Leaf ninjas casually talking about capturing them.

    "Attack. Don''t show any mercy." Ryotoba roared and the three moved.

    The battle between the Leaf ninjas and Orochimaru''s minions have begun.

 Chapter 299: Fierce Battle in the Forest 01

    Chapter 299: Fierce Battle in the Forest 01

    Orochimaru''s men sprinted towards the three Leaf ninjas. They each selected their target and were looking forward to their victory against them.

    Genma tensed his muscles but had a calm expression. "Here theye. Be careful and don''t waste time. They would most likely have backup."

    Despite the tense situation Anko had a yful smile. "Don''t worry. I''ll be fine." Her eyes drifted to Daichi and seeing the Genin''sck of fear, her hidden worries disappeared.<em>''Let''s see what you can really do.''</em>

    The three Leaf ninjas didn''t wait any longer and met the enemy halfway.

    In seconds the sh of weapons could be heard through the forest as sparks flew in the air between the two groups of fighters. They separated from theirpanions and kept some distance so as to not interfere with the other fights.

    Daichi was fighting against Tanjero. The prisoner with high level taijutsu skills and man with four arms.

    Genma faced off against Ryotoba. A bloodthirsty fighter and a human fish hybrid.

    Anko''s opponent was Yuma who could easily use air bullet attacks from his fingers.

    Orochimaru''s men focused on their enemy in front of them. The 3 remembered the order Guren gave them.<em>''Our target is Daichi Hekima. The Genin in their group. I want him alive and in one piece. But I also want to see just how strong he is. The other two�� You can kill them if you can.''</em>

    Yuma looked at Anko and had an evil grin.<em>''With my power she won''t beat me.''</em>

    <strong>Anko Mitarashi Vs Yuma.</strong>

    Yuma quickly took two kunai and sent them flying at Anko''s head. The Special Jonin from the Leaf tilted her body slightly and easily dodged the weapons without taking her eyes off the enemy. Before Yuma could make the next move he collided with his foe.

    Anko ducked under the wild punch sent by Yuma and quickly took him off bnce with a leg sweep. Yuma, who was startled and falling to the ground, quickly raised his hands in Anko''s direction.

    "Air bullets!"

    Several small air bullets were fired from his fingertips. Yuma grinned as he looked at the woman.<em>''At this close range I won''t miss.''</em>

    The wind style attacks hit Anko''s body and she fell to the ground. Seeing his enemy defeated so easily he was happy. But that joy didn''tst for more than a second or two. The next instant he heard the whistle of several objectsing towards him. Before he could get up and dodge, multiple shuriken hit his body.

    "Argh!"

    "If you think it''s going to be that easy to take us Leaf ninjas down, then you have underestimated us a lot." Anko''s voice came from all around him.

    Yuma''s smile had long vanished and was reced with an expression of seriousness. He looked around and all he could see was the greenery. His attention turned back to the body infront of him and his eyes widened at what he saw.

    The fallen Anko turned into several snakes and rushed towards him. Bearing the pain from the Shuriken wounds Yuma quickly got to his feet and jumped to a tree branch.

    He immediately took the weapons that were pierced into his flesh.<em>''I was careless. Damn it. Thankfully this is just a flesh wound�� But something isn''t right��''</em>

    Yuma looked at the snakes below and a memory came to him. This was not the first time he saw this jutsu.

    <em>''This is the Snake clone technique. I''ve only seen Lord Orochimaru use it. So how can this woman use this jutsu?''</em>

    "Peek-a-boo!"

    As Yuma pondered on this question Anko suddenly appeared behind him with a smile and kicked him in the back sending him flying forward.

    "Argh!" Yuma, despite being attacked, quickly twisted his body in mid air and faced Anko.

    "You bitch. Take this! Air Bullet wave!"

    Small pressurized air bullets quickly began firing from Yuma fingertips. Anko jumped to the side and kept moving to avoid the attacks. Even though it looked as if she was on the defensive, it was not the case.

    <em>''He has above average speed and strength but Taijutsu skill and techniques are abysmal. Then there are the air bulletsing from his fingertips. After he shoots an attack from a finger he can''t send another air bullet attack from that finger for at least 5 seconds. It must be because of some physical limitations, recoil or something else.''</em>

    Anko was carefully observing and analyzing her opponent and figured out the strength and weaknesses of his tricks.

    <em>''Damn it. I can''t waste too much chakra.''</em>Seeing his attacks fail to hit the target Yuma stopped his wind jutsu assault.

    He took a step forward but the next second fell to one knee. His vision slightly blurred for a moment.<em>''What the?''</em>

    "Looks like they''re kicking in."

    Hearing Anko''s voice, Yuma looked at her. He quickly figured out what happened.

    "Th-those shuriken earlier. Youced them with poison?"

    Anko grinned as she came near him. "Yeah. It''s something that''ll put you to sleep till I get you some better amodations. I have a feeling my friends back home would love to have a chat with you."

    "You��" Before he could finish the sentence Yuma fell to the group and closed his eyes.

    Anko looked at the unconscious body for a few seconds and got closer. "Alright. Now I just need to make sure you don''t go anywhere."

    Just as Anko was about to touch Yuma''s body, his right hand quickly moved and was in front of her face.

    "Air bullets."

    Despite the extreme close range, Anko sessfully moved her body and dodged the attack. But her trench coat was not so lucky. It had several holes torn through it and the female Jonin was displeased.

    "You just destroyed my favorite coat. Alright. Congrattions. You''ve pissed me off."

    Yuma quickly jumped to his feet and Anko created a short distance between them. Yuma had an arrogant smirk as he looked at Anko. "Do I look like I care?"

    "You look pretty lively for a guy who was about to take a long nap." Anko couldn''t help but quip.

    "Hmph. I was slightly affected at first but my body quickly fought off the effects. Poison of that level won''t be effective on me. Lord Orochimaru saw to that. He made several modifications to my body and poison resistance was one of them."

    Anko growled as she listened to the man.<em>''Of course it is. That bastard Orochimaru loves poison techniques. He knows just how dangerous they are. So it would make sense for him to develop some subordinates that could withstand most toxins. I''ll need to be careful.''</em>

    "What rtionship do you have with Lord Orochimaru?" Yuma suddenly asked.

    "Rtionship?" Anko raised an eyebrow.

    "That snake clone technique. I''ve only seen Lord Orochimaru use it. And the way you used it earlier was almost the same. I doubt that''s a coincidence��"

    Anko''s eyes narrowed as she looked at Yuma. "Yes. You''re right. I do have a rtionship with Orochimaru."

    <em>''I knew it. Is she one of Lord Orochimaru''s spy?''</em>Yuma silently looked at the woman with hidden excitement. But Anko''s words poured cold water on that feeling.

    "I want to kill that bastard someday. That''s my rtionship."

    Yuma was angry when he heard that. He had seen Orochimaru''s strength and knew the Leaf ninja in front of him could never aplish such a task in her life. "Don''t be so arrogant."

    With those words Yuma rushed forward and their fight resumed.

    <strong>Genma Vs Ryotoba.</strong>

    Genma leaned back to avoid a fast kunai swipe and quickly counterattacked at the extended arm. He thrust his kunai into the elbow of his enemy, but just as the weapon was near Ryotoba''s body, his arm moved faster and dodged Genma''s attack.

    Orochimaru''s minion took a step forward and sent his hand to Genma''s face. They were in the shape of a w as Ryotoba''s aim was to literally rip Genma''s face.

    Seeing the deadly sharp handing, the Special Jonin didn''t panic. He looked at his enemy and spit the senbon in his mouth directly towards Ryotoba''s eyes.

    The human fish hybrid was taken back for a second and swiftly moved his head to evade the flying needle. But this momentarypse in concentration allowed Genma to escape and create some distance between them.

    Genma was calm as he looked at the enemy who had rage written all over his face.

    <em>''This guy. Kakashi and Guy�� They fought someone like this guy in the Land of Sea. He had extremely good physical strength and speed. And based on this one''s appearance, he must have a simr skill set. If he has an advantage with water style jutsu then it''s a good thing I''m not near anyrge bodies of water.''</em>

    "You can''t escape from me, little rat." Ryotoba roared and rushed towards Genma. The special Jonin didn''t back down and ran forward with his kunai.

    Ryotoba raised his forearm and easily blocked a kunai strike without injuring himself. Genma noted the hardness of the scales on the man''s body.

    <em>''It seems those ck scales can block kunai and shuriken. They''re hard to break. But can they withstand chakra sh? I also need to be careful about his water style jutsu.''</em>

    Ryotoba and Genma fought with Taijutsu for several seconds before Ryotoba suddenly jumped back, making several hand seals.

    "Water style - Tearing Current!"

    A powerful water wave was sted in Genma''s direction, the speed of the jutsu would have made it difficult for ordinary Chunins or even some low Jonins to escape unharmed.

    But Genma was neither. He increased his speed and quickly escaped the jutsu range. Ryotoba was surprised to see that.<em>''I thought I had an understanding of his speed. But it looks like this bastard was holding back on me.''</em>

    "You''re a fast little prey aren''t you? Don''t think this little bit of speed will help you." The ninja from the Land of Sound asked with a condescending tone.

    Genma wasn''t someone who would be easily provoked. He smiled and replied in a calm tone. "I was once the guard of the fourth Hokage. The man who was regarded as the fastest. It would shame him if I couldn''t at least keep some pace with him. Compared to that this is nothing."

    Ryotoba got angry as he looked at Genma''s taunting smile. "You bastard." He rushed forward with increased speed and tried to rip Genma''s flesh with his bare hands.

    The Leaf Jonin showed a jovial and cool face but was very careful and was paying attention to the other party''s every move.<em>''It''s really easy to antagonize him. He doesn''t seem to have a sense of strategy. He''s relying on his speed and force to kill me.''</em>

    Genma parried several strikes and carefully redirected a few others while making sure the scales didn''t harm him. The man could feel the killing intent emanating from Ryotoba and frowned.<em>''A blood thirsty person with no problems in killing. I really don''t like people like you.''</em>

    Genma suddenly got closer and let out several fierce shes with his kunai at the area''s of Ryotoba''s body not protected by the ck armor like scales.

    "Aaahh��" Ryotoba screamed in pain as blood sshed from body.

    Genma kicked the man hard in the stomach, sending him colliding with a nearby tree. Ryotoba slid down to the ground with his back to the tree trunk.

    "This isn''t a fight you can win. Surrender."

    "Surrender?" Ryotoba looked at Genma with anger and pain.

    The Leaf Jonin nodded. "Tell us everything you know about Orochimaru and the Leaf vige will show you leniency."

    Hearing that proposal, Ryotoba went silent for a few moments. He then looked down on the wounds on his body. His left hand went to the wounds and soon his palm was covered in the crimson liquid.

    Ryotoba looked back at Genma and a mad grin formed on his face. He brought his left palm to his face and quickly licked the palm clean of blood.

    "Delicious!" Ryotoba eximed as if he was in ecstasy.

    Genma was surprised and slightly taken back at the deranged scene the enemy just showed him.

    "You pathetic Leaf ninjas��" Killing intent and chakra quickly began to flow from Ryotoba''s body. The hair on Genma''s body stood and he became in guard.

    "I''m not someone who''ll surrender so easily." As he spoke those words, several marks began to appear on his body. Genma looked closer and saw that they were originating from his neck. He immediately knew what was happening.

    <em>''Don''t tell me�� This guy�� he''s activating his curse seal.''</em>

    "RHAAAA!" Ryotoba screamed as he looked at Genma. As the marks spread, his body began to transform.

    Genma was about to attack Ryotoba but the transformation was quicklypleted.

    The Leaf Jonin tried to sense the situation of Anko and Daichi but was unsessful.

    <em>''Anko, Daichi. Be careful. I have a feeling things may not go our way so easily.''</em>

    The battle had entered the second, more dangerous stage.

 Chapter 300: Fierce Battle in the Forest 02

    Chapter 300: Fierce Battle in the Forest 02

    A short distance away from Genma and Anko, Daichi stood face to face with his enemy. The four armed Tanjero grinned as he looked at the boy. The two had exchanged a few blows but they were nowhere near getting serious.

    Even though Daichi had his focus on the fighter in front of him he was also keeping an eye on his two Joninpanions.<em>''I can''t let anything happen to them. Still, they''re Jonin. These guys won''t be able to kill Anko or Genma. Even with curse seals. But I need to be focused on any other chakra that might be approaching this ce.''</em>

    At that instant Tanjero vanished from his position and appeared in front of Daichi in a second with both left arms cocked back for a punch.

    "Can you really afford to be distracted right now?!" Tanjero yelled as he sent two powerful punches aimed at Daichi''s head and chest.

    Daichi kept a calm facade and seemed to stand still even as the two strong fists came close. "I''m not distracted."

    Tanjero struck Daichi''s body with two powerful blows but before he could even grin at the sessful attack, the Daichi in front of him turned into lightning.

    "Aaaarrrgghhh!" Tanjero grunted in pain as the powerful lightning current flowed through his body. But that attack didn''t stop him. Mustering his strength and circting his chakra internally, Tanjero pped his hands together dispersing Daichi''s lightning.

    The Genin came out from behind a nearby tree and looked at the man with his arms crossed.<em>''His strength is certainly above even high chunin level. And he hasn''t even used the cursed seal yet. Orochimaru must have made him specially to deal with me. Or to at least test my strength.''</em>

    <strong>[You have sensed killing intent.]</strong>The fourarmed man turned around and looked at Daichi with undisguised anger.<em>''That was a lightning clone. But when did he even create and switch with that clone?''</em>

    Slowly the anger dimmed and the man became cautious.<em>''So this is why Guren wanted us to test this kid�� I should have known. Since Orochimaru wants this brat, he wouldn''t be someone ordinary. But still��''</em>

    "Don''t think you''ve won just because of that, you little brat. This fight is far from over." Tanjero spoke as he looked at the boy.

    "Where is Lady Tsunade?" Daichi suddenly asked.

    Orochimaru''s subordinate was confused when he heard that question. "What? Lady Tsunade? What are you talking about?"

    Daichi was paying close attention to the man''s micro expressions and chakra and he sighed internally.<em>''He''s not acting. He really doesn''t know what happened to her. But that doesn''t mean he won''t have valuable information.''</em>

    The Leaf Genin uncrossed his arms and clenched his fists. "Since you don''t know what I''m talking about, I have no interest in continuing this fight. Why don''t you take a nap and get some rest? You''re going to need a lot of energy when you wake up."

    Tanjero narrowed his eyes and looked at the boy with fury. "Are you really looking down on me that much?"

    Daichi didn''t answer. The next instant his figure disappeared.

    The man was quite proficient in speed and he saw the Leaf Genining at him. He immediately crossed his arms as fast as he could. He only had one thought at that moment.<em>''What incredible speed.''</em>

    Boom!

    "Argh!"

    Daichi''s strong punch was barely blocked by Tanjero but the force behind the attack sent him flying backwards. He crashed through several trees and skidded on the ground for a few meters beforeing to a stop.

    Severe pain coursed through the arm that took the brunt of Daichi''s punch. His whole body felt numb for several moments. He broke out in cold sweat as he felt the terrifying strength of the child he was fighting.

    ''<em>What a monstrous power. This can''t be. He''s even stronger than me�� I''ll have to go all out and use Lord Orochimaru''s curse seal if I want to win.''</em>

    He slowly got up from his spot and looked at the boy calmly walking towards him.

    Just as Daichi was getting close to Tanjero, he sensed a powerful chakra fluctuation and heard a scream. He turned his head to the direction it wasing from and immediately knew what was happening.<em>''Looks like that guy Genma is fighting has started using the curse seal.''</em>

    A few momentster, Daichi felt a second chakra fluctuation.<em>''Anko''s enemy has also released the cursed seal. Hmm�� Should I send my shadow clones to help? No. If I curb stomp these guys then their backup might not appear and decide to escape. It''s best to make it look like we''re tired and lure them in. Still, I should create some contingencies in case anything goes wrong.''</em>

    "Hahaha�� It looks like the others are getting serious."

    Tanjero''sughter brought Daichi''s attention back to him.

    "You''re strong. For a Genin. But in front of absolute powers like Orochimaru, you''re nothing. I''ll show you�� The great power he bestowed onto me."

    With those words the seal on his neck glowed and began to spread across his body. The man''s physique changed as the curse seal was activated.

    Daichi was closely observing every aspect of the transformation taking ce in front of him.

    Tanjero''s already powerful physique bulked up. He got taller, bigger and stronger. His skin turned red and the white sclera of his eyes turned dark green.

    Daichi used Observe and noticed the rapid increase in his physical stats.<em>''In this state this guy is no joke. It would take a Jonin to take him down. Still, even at this level he''s not a threat to me.''</em>

    <strong>[You have sensed killing intent.]</strong>

    "Are you scared yet brat?" The man asked with a cruel smile.

    Daichi scoffed and had a condescending grin. "Of you? Hardly."

    Tanjero''s smile vanished and he looked at Daichi with killing intent. "Let''s change that."

    The two fighters vanished and met in the middle of the battle field. Tanjero thrusted his right leg and executed a fast side kick aimed at Daichi''s head but the Genin quickly blocked it with his left forearm.

    At the same time Tanjero threw a quick straight punch with his upper right arm.<em>''I''ll take this brat down with my 4 Hitbo.''</em>

    To Daichi it was as if time slowed down to a crawl and Tanjero''srge fist wasing at him at snail''s pace. He was quickly analyzing his enemy''s every muscle movement, breathing pattern, eye movements and was keeping a close watch on the chakra flow.

    Arge amount of information quickly flowed into his mind and he immediately saw a simtion of the next attacks. Daichi inwardly smiled as he saw the attacks even before they werepletely executed.

    Tanjero''s jab with his upper right arm flowed through Daichi''s head, quickly followed by a powerful straight punch thrown with his upper left arm. And then a rising punch aimed at the chin from below followed by a circr punch targeting the side of Daichi''s head.

    ''<em>I see. A jab, then cross. Followed by an uppercut and finally a hook. Even if that first Jab is avoided his arm would block my view of his second attack. Not a badbo.''</em>

    Time returned to normal for Daichi. Already knowing the next attack pattern, Daichi already decided on his next course of action. Daichi''s left forearm was still blocking the man''s right leg. The same time as the Leaf Genin evaded that first Jab he gripped Tanjero''s raised leg and took him off the ground before the man could follow up with his next attack.

    Daichi gripped the man''s leg and raised him high in the air before mming him into the ground.

    The man grunted in slight pain and Daichi saw that he was going to kick him with his other leg. The Genin quickly let go and jumped back creating a short distance.

    The boy smirked as he gazed at the fallen man.<em>''Your advantage. Your additional arms. My advantage. My mind. You can''t ovee the speed and capabilities of my intellect.''</em>

    Tanjero jumped to his feet and he gritted his teeth in anger as he looked at the small ninja.<em>''Damn it. How did he��? His reaction speed is incredible. I need to watch out for his tricks�� Damn it. I can''t take too long or else Guren will be angry. That''s a bitch I don''t wanna mess with.''</em>

    Without another word and without wasting another second, the two enemies rushed towards each other. They closed in on each other in seconds and exploded into another round of battle.

    Daichi blocked or evaded every strike that came his way.<em>''I need to conserve my energy. I have a feeling that the one behind these guys is extremely strong.''</em>

    Tanjero attacked Daichi with everything he got. But it wasn''t enough.<em>''Damn it. Why can''t I hit him? Even with four arms, this kid is still keeping up with me. How is this possible��?''</em>

    Even as the fight grew more intense Daichi was keenly aware of his surroundings. He had expanded his senses and that''s why he immediately sensed another 3 chakras headed towards the 3 battle fields.

    ''<em>Based on the simrities of their chakras, they should be the backup these guys are waiting for. They''lle into contact in about a minute. I should finish this fight before then. Looks like I can''t hold back anymore. Time to be more brutal.''</em>

    Daichi focused on the chakra flow in his body and increased his speed.<em>''I can beat him in raw power with my techniques but it''s best if I keep some cards hidden�� For now anyway.''</em>

    Tanjero immediately noticed the change in Daichi''s fighting style.<em>''What is this kid trying to do?''</em>

    Daichi stopped fighting defensively and started going on the attack. He utilized a style focused on pressure points and nerve centers of the body. The Genin narrowed his eyes as he looked at the man.<em>''Time to cripple your strength, big guy.''</em>

    Daichi looked at the man and smiled. "Your strength, speed and Taijutsu skills are good. But it''s not enough. Especially against a medic ninja like me."

    Before Tanjero figured out what was happening, Daichi burst out with speed and a sudden flurry of strikesnded on his opponent''s body. He first aimed for a certain spot on the man''s right shoulder. Suddenly Tanjero''s upper right arm went limp.

    Orochimaru''s ninja panicked as he failed to make his arm respond. "What did you do?" He asked as he looked at the boy.

    "The ulnar nerve. It runs from the neck down through the shoulder and arm, passing behind the elbow and along the inner side of the forearm to the hand. A pinpoint pressure strike and that arm bes useless." Daichi exined with a smile.

    He wanted the man to experience fear before hepletely defeated him. Before Tanjero could get his bearings Daichi followed up with his next attacks. He targeted the muscles in the quadriceps and hindered mobility.

    Tanjero tried to fight back but it was useless.<em>''Shit! I can''t even follow his speed.''</em>

    Daichi''s attacks were meticulous and had incredible speed and precision. The movements of his arms were too rapid for the enemy to follow. He systematically rendered the four arms useless.

    Suddenly the Leaf Genin vanished from in front of Tanjero.

    ''<em>Where did he -''</em>

    But before Tanjero could evenplete this thought, he felt a powerful strikend on his back. The pain he felt from the attack radiated through his whole body. In just a few seconds he lost feelings in his legs and was on his knees.

    Daichi walked to the man''s side and ced a hand on the man''s shoulder. "What I hit was the Sciatic Nerve. It''s thergest nerve in the body, running from the lower back, through the hips and down each leg. Damage to the Sciatic Nerve from trauma or severe injury can lead to debilitating pain, weakness in legs or in some cases�� Total paralysis."

    The seal on the man''s body slowly began to shrink and he began to transform back into his normal state. But he didn''t notice this as his eyes were on the boy right next to him. Fear was evident in Tanjero''s eyes. "You-"

    "You shouldn''t have messed with a medic nin. Especially one who''s pissed off." Daichi said, looking into his eyes. The cold ruthless eyes of the Genin sent shivers down the man''s spine.

    ''<em>Lightning style - Day break.''</em>

    The next moment, a powerful lightning current flowed from Daichi''s body and electrocuted the man, sending him into unconsciousness.

    Just as the man''s body hit the ground, another ninja showed up. He stood a couple meters away and looked at the scene. He looked at the defeated Tanjero and slightly gulped.

    ''<em>No way. This brat took down Tanjero? That''s impossible��''</em>

    The man was scared but then thinking that the boy must be tired after a fight with a powerful enemy like Tanjero, his bravado kicked in. "If you surrender now, you won''t suffer the beating of your life."

    Daichi didn''t say a single word and turned to the new enemy. He cracked his knuckles and looked at him with cold eyes.

    Not wanting to suffer Tanjero''s fate, he immediately used his curse seal. After transforming he shouted at the boy with anger. "You should have just surrendered. Now you''re going to pay for your insolence, brat."

    "Aaha. That''s what you all say." The boy said in a low tone. The next second Daichi vanished from his spot.

    <strong>With Anko.</strong>

    She was sitting on the ground, leaning against a tree and was breathing hard. Around her were several shuriken, kunai and destroyed tree trunks. Several parts of her trench coat were torn and she had several shed and wounds on her body.

    But the most important detail was the two tied up enemies covered in wounds.

    "You two�� really don''t know how to�� treat a delicate girl like me��" Anko spoke with haggard breaths, looking at the unconscious two ninjas.

    "I really wouldn''t call you delicate Anko." Spoke Genma who slowly came towards her with a small smile. He too was in rough shape but he was not as exhausted as Anko. She saw that he was holding his left arm and saw some blood seeping from between the fingers.

    "You alright?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.

    "Yeah. He just got a lucky shot. It''s nothing that can''t be healed." Genma replied with a calm tone.

    "Speaking of healing, do you know where Daichi is?" Anko asked.

    Before Genma could give a reply the two ninjas sensed someoneing towards them. They heard slow footsteps and also heard the sounds of something being dragged through the ground.

    They two were tense but soon let out a sigh of relief as they saw who it was. Genma and Anko saw Daichiing towards them and he was dragging his two unconscious opponents behind him."

    "You really know how to make an entrance don''t you?" Anko said with a grin.

    "You alright Daichi?" Genma asked the kid.

    "Yeah." Daichi didn''t say anything more and went to the two. He raised his arms and immediately ten green chakra threads came to life. They quickly connected to the two Jonin and they felt chakra healing chakra running through their body.

    "Oohh that feels good." Anko eximed with a smile.

    Genma on the other hand was silent as he looked at the boy.<em>''Even after fighting two enemies like that, he doesn''t look winded or even injured. Not even a scratch or tear in his dress. And to heal two people at the same time like this�� What a scary kid. Lady Tsunade created a monster. I''m sure d this kid''s on our side.''</em>

    Within a short time Anko and Genma''s wounds were healed and they were back in fighting form. Before they could think about their next step Daichi suddenly spoke.

    "It''s not over. We havepany."

    "Not bad. I saw what you did to those guys. I''m impressed." A voice came from the shadows of the forest. Soon three figures appeared and stood at the other end.

    Daichi immediately recognized the three and he knew who the leader of this operation was.<em>''Guren. She''ll definitely have the answers I''m looking for.''</em>

 Chapter 301: The Crystal Style user

    Chapter 301: The Crystal Style user

    p�� p�� p��

    Gruen gave three slow ps as she and her two subordinates appeared out of the shadows. She had an arrogant grin on her face as she looked at the two Jonin before finally setting her sights on Daichi.<em>''To heal their injuries so quickly and using chakra strings as a medium. This kid''s medical ninjutsu might be even greater than Kabuto''s.''</em>

    Anko couldn''t help but groan as she looked at the other woman. "Really? The slow p? Isn''t that a bit cliche?"

    Guren chuckled and she turned her attention to Anko. "True. Cliches are the foundation of every ssic performance. But don''t worry." The smile on her face vanished and Guren became serious. "I''m here to add a touch of originality to our little showdown."

    Genma looked at the two silent figures that stood by Guren.<em>''They haven''t said a word. Based on their behavior and this woman''s arrogant smirk, she''s probably the leader. Which means she might know where Orochimaru has taken Lady Tsunade.''</em>

    Rinji looked at Daichi and kept a calm face. They already came up with a n.

    ''<em>So this is Daichi Hekima. Hmm�� If we engage in an all out fight here, he''ll be able to heal those Jonins and that''ll make things more difficult. It''s best if we separate them. Guren can handle the brat. Her Crystal Style can easily restrain him�� Once that''s done, all we have to do is make an opening and escape.''</em>

    At that time Daichi was busy using his Observe skill on the three enemies.

    <strong>[LV. 103] [Guren]</strong><strong>Age: 25</strong>

    <strong>HP: 27432 CP: 78150</strong>

    <strong>Affiliation: Orochimaru</strong>

    <strong>[Guren was born in a small vige outside the borders of the Land of Snow. After witnessing Orochimaru''s power she became one of his loyal followers. She was born with the unique ability and higher than average chakra. Guren has the unique ninja art - Crystal Release. She can crystallize targets and even the moisture in the air, thus providing her with an infinite source of weapons. With the help of her unique ninjutsu she can significantly increase her strength and defense powers. Has high level taijutsu skills, chakra reserves and is capable of using one handed seals. She can even convert her life energy into additional chakra reserves. She is currently a ninja of the Sound vige under the Sannin Orochimaru.</strong>

    <strong>STR - 201</strong>

    <strong>AGI - 190</strong>

    <strong>INT - 85</strong>

    <strong>The physical stats may be subjected to change if chakra or technique is applied.]</strong>

    ''<em>Her chakra is even higher than some elite Jonins�� Genma and Anko won''t be able to take her on. And�� I have a feeling she''s going toe straight for me.''</em>

    <strong>[LV. 63] [Rinji]</strong>

    <strong>Age: 20</strong>

    <strong>HP: 8200 CP: 8120</strong>

    <strong>Affiliation: Orochimaru</strong>

    <strong>[Rinji met Orochimaru in his early teens and quickly became a follower. He has aid back personality but has high intellect. He is ambitious and a strategist wishes to work closer with Orochimaru. He has spent many years acting as a spy and has infiltrated multiple small viges and even went as a spy in Orochimaru''s prison to gather intelligence. He is a bat user and has the ability to manipte bats via the Bat Controlling method. Rinji canmand his bats to produce high frequency ultrasonic waves that affect the mind and equilibrium of the opponent. He also has sonar-like abilities that allows him to detect sounds from arge radius. He is currently a ninja of the Sound vige under the Sannin Orochimaru.</strong>

    <strong>STR - 169</strong>

    <strong>AGI - 162</strong>

    <strong>INT - 89</strong>

    <strong>The physical stats may be subjected to change if chakra or technique is applied.]</strong>

    ''<em>A spy huh. He''ll have at least some intel on Orochimaru''s operations. I need him alive.''</em>

    <strong>[LV. 77] [Gozu]</strong>

    <strong>Age: 28</strong>

    <strong>HP: 37021 CP: 41030</strong>

    <strong>Affiliation: Orochimaru</strong>

    <strong>[Gozu was captured and imprisoned by Orochimaru a few years ago. When he was dying from thirst and starvation, Guren saved his life by giving him some water which was enough to help him survive. He developed deep loyalty to Guren after this incident. He has a variety of battle skills but his main attributes are his brute strength and speed. He can use Earth Nature Transformation and can even turn his body into mud. Due to his body being altered by Orochimaru he has gained abilities simr to the Akimichi n. He is currently a ninja of the Sound vige under the Sannin Orochimaru.</strong>

    <strong>STR - 291</strong>

    <strong>AGI - 275</strong>

    <strong>INT - 60</strong>

    <strong>The physical stats may be subjected to change if chakra or technique is applied.]</strong>

    ''<em>Hmm�� Abilities simr to what''s shown in canon. Nothing extra. So that''s good. His strength and special Earth jutsu can be a nuisance for Genma. But based on my analysis, Genma should win the fight.''</em>

    Daichi only took a couple of moments to go through their information and make a clear analysis.

    At that time Genma took a step forward and looked at the three with a frown. "Those guys who attacked us earlier, I take it they were sent by you. What do you want?"

    Guren looked at the Jonin and then her eyes shifted to Daichi. "Hand over that brat and I''ll let you two live."

    "That''s not gonna happen." Anko replied as she gripped her kunai.

    "You''re not taking Daichi anywhere. In Fact, you''reing with us to the Leaf vige." Genma spoke as he looked at the blue haired woman.

    "Hahahaha��." Guren couldn''t help but burst out inughter as if she heard a big joke. "That''s hrious."

    "What''s so funny?" The special Jonin asked with a calm but cautious tone.

    Guren slightly narrowed her eyes and sneered. "You''re all so outmatched and you don''t even know it�� Still, why don''t we ask the kid what he thinks."

    The crystal style user looked at the Genin who was keeping his silence. "You cane with us and you can avoid an unnecessary beating. What do you say?"

    Daichi stood with a calm expression as he looked at the three ninjas. After a few seconds of silence he answered with a question. "Where are Lady Tsunade and Shizune?"

    Guren was slightly taken back by the child''s attitude.<em>''I thought he''d be angrier knowing that his teacher was taken�� Hmm�� Maybe I can use that to my advantage.''</em>

    Guren smiled at the boy and decided to reply. "Lord Orochimaru has them. You can see them if youe with me. I can reunite you with your two teachers."

    Genma and Anko were slightly tense. The Hokage guard nced at Daichi.<em>''I know Daichi''s not an idiot who''d fall for a trick like that but still�� Considering the circumstances��''</em>

    Daichi, feeling the gaze of his two fellow Leaf ninjas, quickly spoke. "Don''t worry Genma. I''m not dumb enough to believe them and make such a reckless decision."

    Genma nodded and smiled. Guren on the other hand got slightly angry. "So be it. Have it your way. Gozu, Rinji. Get rid of those two Jonins. They''re an eyesore."

    "Yeah. I got it." Rinji spoke with a small smile.

    "Yes Guren." Gozu was also ready to attack.

    Seeing their enemy starting to move, Daichi quickly spoke to his two teammates. "Genma. Take the big guy. Based on what I see, he has strength and speed. And I can sense a strong earth chakra from him. You''re better suited to fight him than Anko."

    Daichi saw the bats hanging on the trees near Rinji and spoke. "Anko. That other guy can control bats. He has the weakest chakra out of the three."

    "Yeah, I got it. But are you sure you can fight her?" Anko was worried that Daichi was too tired after the first two fights and then healing them.

    "I''ll be just fine. I can handle her." Daichi spoke with confidence and he could see that those words had angered Guren.

    Genma, Anko, Gozu and Rinji disappeared from their spot and soon shes of metal and flesh could be heard throughout the area. Soon it was just the Gamer ninja and the crystal style user left.

    <strong>[You have sensed killing intent.]</strong>

    "Handle me? You''ll handle me? You fucking disrespectful brat." Guren gritted her teeth and made a hand-seal. Almost instantaneously the air all around Daichi crystallized and countless pink sharp crystal needles rained down on the Genin.

    The sharp needles traveled towards their target at extremely high speed and with pinpoint uracy.

    Daichi, who was the target of the attack, kept a calm, cool face. The instant he sensed her chakra surge, his brain elerated. Time slowed down for him as Hypercognition skill kicked in. His mind swiftly processing the number of sharp weapons, their angle, velocity, shape and size. He didn''t even need to avert his gaze from Guren to confirm the number of weapons flying towards him.

    Based on the information he got after heplied and processed the data he came to two conclusions.

    ''<em>She''s not trying to injure me. At best even if I don''t move a few needles will just scratch me. She''s using this attack as a scare tactic and Orochimaru wants me alive. I see�� If that''s the case there is a good chance he wants to use me as his next vessel�� But still, I thought he wanted the Sharingan�� Well, it doesn''t matter now.''</em>

    Daichi stood still in his spot even as the crystals trapped him. About a dozen left several shallow wounds over his body but Daichi never took his eyes off the enemy or even let out a pained grunt.

    Guren frowned and her previous anger dimmed.<em>''He just stood there doing nothing. Did he really not follow my attack or�� No. This kid didn''t even flinch. It was as if he knew they wouldn''t cause any serious injuries��''</em>

    At that moment Daichi spoke. "Earlier, you asked me toe with you to avoid an unnecessary beating. My answer is no. Now I''m going to ask you a simr question. Surrender and tell me everything you know about Orochimaru and his operations and I won''t cripple you."

    The blue haired woman clenched her fist and gritted her teeth when she heard that. "You fucking brat. Who do you think you are, threatening me? You''re a genius and your strength is almost on par with a Jonin. I''ll give you that. But that''s it. I''ve seen and killed plenty of strong geniuses like you. So don''t get cocky."

    Daichi looked at her and his mind was going through several scenarios.<em>''Even if I go with her, it won''t guarantee that I''ll be able to get to Tsunade sensei. Moreover if I''m caught, it''ll only put the vige in a more weakened position. So surrendering and infiltrating is out of the question. And this woman�� Based on what I know, she''s a true Orochimaru loyalist. I can''t turn her into Orochimaru''s enemy like Naruto did�� No. Even if I could... I don''t want to�� I''m not him. I''m me.''</em>

    At that moment Daichi made a decision. He wasn''t going to hold back and show mercy.

    "So be it." Those words came out of Daichi''s lips in a very low tone but Guren heard them. Before she could react to those words, several strong lightning currents burst out of Daichi''s body.

    The powerful lightning destroyed the crystal needles trapping Daichi and the Genin vanished from his spot the next instant.

    Guren was an elite fighter. She tracked the boy but she didn''t have the speed to evade Daichi''s attack. The Leaf Genin appeared behind her and sent a powerful punch aimed at her right kidney.

    The strong physical attacknded and sent her flying. As Guren was in the air, Daichi narrowed his eyes. When he struck her, he felt that she had strengthened her body with crystal.

    ''<em>As expected. Her senses could keep up my speed but her body''s not fast enough to dodge. So she reinforced her body with armor made of crystal and tanked my punch.''</em>

    Guren was momentarily stunned that a child could send her flying with just a punch. She twisted her body and immediately flipped in the air and looked at Daichi just in time to see him form several hand seals.

    Daichi made the final seal and he looked at his opponent.

    ''<em>Earth Style - Crushing Dragon.''</em>

    ''<em>I need to wear her down and capture her. She''ll have valuable intelligence. I can''t let her kill herself or escape.''</em>

    As Guren was about to touch the ground, the earth underneath her quickly reformed into the jaws of a giant dragon. The earth dragon rose up and was about to swallow Guren but she immediately made a few seals and held her palm out to the oing earth dragon.

    The earth dragon Daichi created stopped just a few centimeters from Guren and quickly became crystallized. Daichi purposely used earth jutsu knowing she could turn it against him but he wanted to know how she did it.

    The gamer ninja was keeping a close eye on his chakra and when Guren transformed his earth dragon Daichi felt his chakra in his ninjutsu being taken over.

    ''<em>So that''s it. It''s not just about crystallizing matter but she''s overriding my chakra with hers.''</em>

    Gurennded on the ground and looked at the Genin with a condescending smile. A giant pink crystal dragon was now by her side.

    <strong>[You have sensed killing intent.]</strong>

    "Your ninjutsu is useless against me. You should have just surrendered."

    "Funny. I was about to say something simr." Daichi narrowed his eyes and got ready.

    ��-------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen(No space)

 Chapter 302: Dynamo Resonance

    Chapter 302: Dynamo Resonance

    Therge pink crystal dragon with glowing emerald eyes made a beeline for Daichi.

    "Crystal style - Jade crystal dragon."

    The unique and powerful jutsu followed the will of its creator and rushed towards the Leaf Genin. The young ninja stood still and seemed like he had no intention of taking any defensive action. In mere moments the dragon was upon Daichi and mmed into him, crushing him into the ground.

    But the next instant Daichi turned into lightning and the blue electric current ripped through the dragon''s head destroying the jutsu.

    Guren narrowed her eyes as she saw the powerful lightning jutsu counter her bloodline.<em>''A lightning clone? When did he make that switch?''</em>

    She suddenly recalled what she did a minute ago. When she stopped the earth jutsu, she lost sight of Daichi for just a couple seconds.<em>''He made a clone and switched in just that short moment. To think he would take advantage to disappear in those few short seconds. His battle instincts and experience is much greater than I thought.''</em>

    Suddenly the earth under her feet quickly began to shift and instantly it turned to a raging mud whirlpool. But before Guren could lose her footing the ground under her quickly began to stabilize and became crystal.

    ''<em>Trying to catch me with Earth jutsu again? It won''t be so easy.''</em>Her jutsu expanded for several meters before it stopped.

    Almost at the same time she got out of Daichi''s earth jutsu, arge stream of fire wasing towards her from above. She felt the light and strong heating from the jutsu and immediately made several seals."Crystal style - Crimson fruit."

    A dome of pink crystal sprung out of the ground and surrounded Guren protecting her from the Fire style jutsu.

    Meanwhile, as his clones attacked Guren, the real Daichi was studying her strengths and weaknesses from a short distance away. He was analyzing the way her chakra moved through the atmosphere and through the ground. How fast her jutsu could attack and how quickly she could defend. The speed, shape, density and durability of Guren''s bloodline were all being tested by Daichi.

    ''<em>I can see why Orochimaru once wanted her to be his vessel. A powerful bloodline that gives the user versatility, mobility, defense along with having high chakra. Any other Jonin would have had major troubles with her.''</em>

    Suddenly Daichi moved from his concealed position and jumped high onto a tree branch . Several crystal shuriken struck where he was a second ago.

    "Did you really think you could hide from me?" Guren spoke as she looked at him.

    "I wasn''t hiding." With those words Daichi jumped from his spot and rushed towards Guren. The two quickly began engaging in a Taijutsu battle.

    The blue haired ninja was slowly adjusting to Daichi''s speed and she was able to defend against his attacks. But she still frowned as she fought against the boy half her size.

    ''<em>Damn. I need my armor just to offset the power of his punches. He''s targeting my vital organs. His Taijutsu skills are no joke.''</em>

    Daichi was also making mental notes on his enemy.<em>''The crystal acting as her armor is an inch thicker than before. It definitely increases her defense and attack power. It perfectly integrates with her hand to handbat skills. Orochimaru trained her well. But still, that armor is also a weakness. The stronger the armor the less mobility she has.''</em>

    Guren gritted her teeth as she fought the boy.<em>''I can''t use any of my lethal techniques against this brat or Lord Orochimaru will be angry. But this kid is so troublesome. Guess I need to use that.''</em>

    Guren immediately used all her strength and speed to get through Daichi''s Taijutsu and kick him a few feet away. The next second she ced a hand on the ground and crystal spikes were created and flew towards Daichi. The sharp weapons surrounded and flew towards Daichi and his only escape route was to jump.

    The Genin narrowed his eyes and looked at the scene.<em>''So that''s your n huh. I''ll y along.''</em>

    "Crystal style - Expanded Crimson Fruit."

    Daichi jumped into the air to avoid the lethal attacks but the next moment a giant red crystal dome appeared and rose up into the air and quickly covered the Genin. The speed of the jutsu execution was much greater than the others.

    Soon the boy fell and touched the floor of the crystal jutsu.<em>''I''m trapped in this dome. This jutsu is much stronger than before.''</em>

    "I got you now brat." Guren let out a deep breath of air and grinned. Daichi looked at her and then turned his attention to 2 other people appearing out of the forest. The gamer ninja narrowed his eyes as he looked at the 3 identical figures.

    ''<em>Crystal clones. So that''s why the speed of the jutsu was faster than before. I can''t sense Mana energy from these clones but I can sense chakra. To most others these clones may not be indistinguishable but you can''t hide from me.''</em>

    Guren ced a hand on the dome and it began to shrink, till it was only two and a half meters tall. She smiled as she looked at the boy. "Now that I have you gift wrapped, time to get you to Lord Orochimaru."

    Daichi was calm as he looked at the woman. "Do you really think you''ve caught me? I could be a clone."

    Gurenughed and shook her head. "No. I know you''re the real deal. I''m not like those other wastes."

    Daichi too gave a small chuckle as he looked at her. "No. I suppose you''re not." He quickly went through a few seals and spat a strong electric current from his mouth.

    The strong jutsu hit the crystal wall and bounced back. Daichi dodged the electric current and stopped the jutsu.

    "Hahaha�� Do you think this is some ordinary jutsu? I made this to specifically counter your lightning techniques. This dome is harder, stronger and much more durable. It will reflect your jutsu long before ites close to breaking. And it can repair itself when damaged. An unbreakable defense and prison."

    Daichi noticed the few small scratches made by his lightning being repaired and disappearing quickly. He looked at the blue haired woman and nodded. "This is indeed a pretty useful technique. I need to create something simr when I get back home."

    "That''s assuming you get back." One of the Guren clones spoke.

    "You won''t escape that prison. Not without my permission." Another clone spoke.

    Daichi only smiled as he looked at his enemies. He quickly went through multiple seals and finally pped his palms together.

    Guren was cautious as she looked at the Genin.<em>''What''s this kid up to? Ninjutsu won''t work. So what is he trying to do?''</em>

    Daichi''s palms suddenly lit up with lightning chakra. The powerful lightning current began to spread and soon covered his arms up to his shoulder.

    The Gamer ninja had no smile as she looked at the woman. "No jutsu is infallible. This technique has a weakness."

    The lightning at the palms became stronger and sharper. The blue lightning chakra extending several inches from his fingernails.

    Guren and her clones sensed the danger of the jutsu and didn''t want to take any chances. They immediately ced their palms on the crystal to reinforce its strength and to restrain Daichi. Multiple crystal ropes suddenly sprung from the floor and side walls aimed atpletely restraining Daichi but he disappeared.

    Guren and her clones tilted their heads upwards as they saw the boy evade their jutsu and in the air near the ceiling.

    "Hiya!" With a powerful thrust of both lightning hands to the same spot in the center of the roof, Daichi instantly broke through the jutsu and escaped.

    "No way." Guren and her two clones were shocked at the turn of events.

    Daichi appeared several meters away and stood with a smile. "See. Not so unbreakable is it?"

    The blue haired woman gritted her teeth in anger as she looked at the boy. "How? How did you do that? There is no way a lightning jutsu would have been able to break through my technique."

    The corner of Daichi''s lips raised as he looked at her. "Oh? You want to know? Alright. I''ll show you."

    The next second Daichi vanished and appeared in front of one of the clones. He thrusted his right arm into her abdomen and instantly the clone shattered like ss. Daichi didn''t waste time and appeared behind the second clone and swiped his left hand at her neck at incredible speed.

    The head went flying and a momentter both the decapitated head and the headless body turned into pink crystals and shattered into tiny shards.

    Daichi was using his speed skill in addition to chakra and sprint. Thus the real Guren couldn''t even follow Daichi''s new extraordinary speed. She only felt the chakra of her clones disappearing almost simultaneously.

    ''<em>How did he��?''</em>At that moment an emotion that had long been buried in Guren''s heart slowly began to emerge. Fear.

    "You''re right." Daichi spoke as he looked at the crystal style user. "Normal lightning jutsu. No. Even stronger ones like chidori wouldn''t have broken through your jutsu so easily. But lightning is only one part of the equation. The other is this."

    With that Daichi raised his right hand and showed it to Guren. She observed carefully and immediately understood.

    Daichi''s hand was moving at super speed.

    "Vibrations caused by super speed." Guren spoke as she looked at the boy.

    "Very good." Daichi nodded. "Sharpened lightning chakrabined with super speed vibrations. Your jutsu was broken before it could even be repaired. I call it ''Lightning Style - Dynamo Resonance.'' One of the several new jutsu I created to deal with annoyances like you." Daichi canceled the jutsu and the smile vanished from his face.

    <strong>[Ninjutsu Lightning Style - Dynamo Resonance Jutsu has leveled up.]</strong>

    The woman gathered her chakra and was ready for another attack from the Genin.

    The gamer ninja looked at her and sighed<em>.</em>"I could have killed you just now. You know that right?"

    Guren snorted after hearing that. "So what? All you did was waste a perfect opportunity. You won''t get a chance like that. I''ll see to it."

    "Hmph. You can''t kill me. Orochimaru wants me alive and rtively in one piece. That much I understood during our battle. So that limits you from using more lethal jutsus. I have no such problems."

    Guren smirked. "Don''t bluff kid. I can''t kill you but the same goes for you as well. You can''t kill me. Because I have the intel you need."

    Daichi nodded. "True. But you forgot one thing. I am a god damn medic ninja. An excellent one at that. I can take you to the brink of death and keep you alive for as long as I need to get what I want."

    "Then let''s see you try brat!"

    <strong>[You have sensed killing intent.]</strong>

    No more words were exchanged as the two resumed their heated battle. Daichi rushed forward with a straight punch with concentrated chakra but Guren countered with a defensive red wall.

    She sent out a chakra wave almost instantly, an imprablerge red crystal wall appeared. Daichi''s strong punch caused cracks to spread like spider webs but Guren quickly made seals and the damage was repaired.

    The next moment several red sharp crystal spears flew from the defensive jutsu. Daichi evaded and created four shadow clones.

    The two clones bypassed the defensive wall and stood on either side of Guren. The second Daichi created them, the four clones were weaving signs as they moved into position.

    Each one of them had a different seal at the end.

    "Fire style - Fire Dragon jutsu."

    "Wind style - Great breakthrough."

    The two shadow clones on the right fired Wind style and Fire style jutsus while the clones on the left��

    "Water style - Water dragon jutsu."

    "Lightning style - Thunderbolt Surge."

    The two pairs of clones molded their chakra and used the jutsu in perfect harmony so that they would seamlesslybine and be stronger.

    Guren''s mind was running a mile a minute.<em>''Even before I could move to a defensive position his clones were ready to attack. If I jump and escape, he''ll attack me directly. If I move underground he''ll just use earth jutsu to counter me. I can''t use substitution. He''ll just attack me again. My only choice is to block.''</em>

    Guren made a seal and the red defense wall behind her quickly began to curve and spread around her. It effectively shielded her from the two powerfulbination jutsus.

    Boom!

    A powerful st was heard throughout the forest sending wind and dust flying. Due to the dust and debris visibility was reduced considerably. But Daichi''s senses were all on high alert.

    He sensed multiple projectilesing and quickly took a kunai and deflected the crystal weapons.

    A couple of wind jutsu from the shadow clones cleared the battle field and Daichi saw the woman on one knee panting heavily.<em>''I knew it. The most logical thing would be to use substitution to take risk or escape underground but she wouldn''t do that. Her pride wouldn''t allow her to run scared from someone like me.''</em>

    Guren looked at Daichi with surprise and horror.<em>''Earth, Lightning, Water, Wind, Fire. He can use all 5 natures? That should be impossible for someone his age. No matter how much of a genius he is�� And to use such chakra consuming jutsu like that one after another�� This kid�� He''s��''</em>

    "Matter and energy." Daichi suddenly spoke as he stared at Guren. "You can crystallize matter. Earth, Wind and Water. But you can''t crystallize energy. Like Fire and lightning. That''s why those jutsus were more effective against you."

    Guren couldn''t believe it.<em>''He already figured it out.''</em>

    "But there is one more weakness." Daichi said, raising his index finger. "If youbinepatible matter and energy chakra natures then those techniques will also be useful against you. The energy will disrupt your crystallization on the matter and the jutsu will be more powerful."

    Guren stood and looked at the boy with widened eyes.<em>''A genius ninja with great potential. He''s only 12 and he''s already stronger than me. This is why Lord Orochimaru changed his ns and took such big risks.''</em>

    Daichi saw new determination burning in Guren''s eyes.

    The blue haired woman looked at Daichi with renewed fighting intent.<em>''Now more than ever I''m certain. If Lord Orochimaru can use this child as a vessel then he''ll be unstoppable. Combined with wood style jutsu he''ll stand at the top of this world one day. More than anything, I want that to happen�� I''ll have to activate the curse seal on those 6. Activating it so soon will have adverse effects but this mission is far more important than them.''</em>

    "I''m going to give you a chance. A mercy you wouldn''t have shown me if I was in your shoes." Daichi suddenly spoke as he looked at her. "Surrender and tell me everything about Orochimaru and where my sensei is and I''ll let you go."

    Guren spat on the ground and clenched her fists in fury. "I''ll never betray my Lord. I''ll die before I talk."

    Daichi looked at her and let out a small breath of air. "Very well."

    Guren wanted to activate the curse seals on her subordinates and quickly brought her hands to form the needed seals. But before she could even make the first hand sign, she felt a strong current flowing through her neck and she was paralyzed. A momentter she lost vision and fell to the ground unconscious.

    She saw the vague image of Daichi''s clone and thest thought was wondering how it got behind her without her knowing.

    ��-------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen(No space)

 Chapter 303: Fierce Battle in the Forest (Final)

    Chapter 303: Fierce Battle in the Forest (Final)

    <strong>A short while ago.</strong>

    In the thick forest, a short distance away from Guren and Daichi two other fights were taking ce. Guren''s subordinates were trying to buy time while the two Leaf Jonins were trying to subdue them. They had separated from Daichi and wanted to find out more about Orochimaru''s ns.

    Anko looked at the brown haired man with the loose fitting vest. She was on guard as she studied her opponent.<em>''This guy. Even in such a situation he still has aid back attitude�� I get it. He''s one of those scheming, intellect types. We''ll then, let''s see what you can do.''</em>

    Anko rushed towards him at quick speed and raised her left arm.

    ''<em>Striking Shadow snakes!''</em>

    Multiple snakes swiftly emerged out of Anko''s sleeve and immediately went towards Rinji. Within moments the snakes bit into his flesh and held him in ce.

    At that moment several shuriken came from the bushes nearby and flew towards Anko. The Leaf Jonin canceled her jutsu and jumped out of the way.

    "You didn''t think it would be that easy would you? I''ve seen that trick plenty of times from Lord Orochimaru." Rinji said as he walked out from behind the small vegetation with a smile on his face.

    The one Anko caught turned into smoke and in its ce was a log. The Leaf Jonin turned her attention to Rinji and gave a flirty smile. "Can''t me a girl for trying."At that moment from behind Rinji a small snake was making its way towards him. Just as it was near his leg Rinji raised his left leg and stomped on its head killing it. "It''s a childish trick. Trying to distract me and attacking from behind. It won''t work."

    Anko merely smiled and shrugged but she was cautious.<em>''That snake didn''t make any sound and its presence was very little. He shouldn''t have known about it. So how did he do it?''</em>

    "You can''t beat me. You should stop wasting your energy." Rinji said with a sigh as if he was giving Anko a way out.

    "Never gonna happen."

    "Our leader Guren is on apletely different level than me. She''ll subdue that kid in no time. He''s no match for her."

    "What exactly does Orochimaru want with Daichi and Lady Tsunade?" Anko asked the man.

    "I don''t know what his ns are for Lady Tsunade but for Daichi��" The smile on Rinji''s face grew bigger. "Well, if it''s for what I think it is, then all I can say is that, that kid will be fulfilling a great purpose."

    Anko thought back to the memories of her time with Orochimaru and of his betrayal and it made her angry. "I''m not gonna let that happen."

    Gripping a kunai she rushed towards the enemy in front of her. The two quickly began their Taijutsu fight.

    A few hundred meters away Genma was fighting against Gozu. The leaf Jonin was taking careful notes of the enemy''s strengths as he dodged another wave of attacks.<em>''Daichi was right. This guy has earth chakra nature and powerful Earth jutsus.''</em>

    Genma was jumping around and avoiding the volley of mud bulletsing at him. He took out a shuriken and tied a paperbomb to it and sent it flying the next second.

    Gozu ced his hand on the ground and suddenly arge wall sprung up in front of him protecting him from the weapon. The second the shuriken was embedded into the wall, it exploded.

    Gozu was safe from the st thanks to his earth shield but suddenly he sensed a presence behind him.

    Genma appeared and was about to plunge his kunai into Gozu''s back but suddenly the enemy''s speed increased and he escaped Genma''s surprise attack. Gozu jumped and twisted his body the second he sensed Genma''s presence behind him. He stood on the earth wall he created and jumped towards Genma.

    Genma, preparing for the hand to handbat, was suddenly taken off guard when Gozu''s arm increased in size. Guren''s subordinate punched the Leaf Jonin with increased strength and sent him flying backwards.

    At thest moment before the first struck him, Genma was able to raise his arms and put up a defense. But he was still sent flying. He had wide eyes as he looked at the man.<em>''That technique. It''s like the expansion jutsu of the Akimichi n.''</em>

    The Leaf Jonin back flipped andnded on the ground.<em>''Looks like this is going to take a bit longer than I thought.''</em>

    Gozu didn''t waste any time and rushed towards Genma. With his right fist cocked back he was looking forward to finishing the fight as quickly as possible.

    ''<em>Fast.''</em>This thought ran through Genma''s mind as he tilted his body and narrowly dodged the man''s straight forward attack.

    Gozu followed up with another strike but that was also dodged by the enemy.<em>''I need to finish him quickly in case Guren needs me.''</em>

    The hand to handbat continued with one party attacking with force and the other parrying or outright avoiding the lethal blows. As the fight continued with Gozu failing tond another sessful hit he was getting more tense.

    ''<em>Why can''t I hit him?''</em>This question appeared in his mind.

    Genma inwardly smiled as he saw the change in the enemy''s expression.<em>''You may have speed and power but youck technique, form andbat skills.''</em>

    "If you''re wondering how I can dodge your attacks even at that speed, I suppose I could tell you�� But then again I don''t need to��" The Leaf Jonin taunted the enemy.

    "Your mind games are of no use." Gozu gave a short reply and rushed forward. As Genma got ready to defend, Gozu suddenly changed his fighting style and made a few seals.

    "Earth Style - Raging mud current."

    The ground for over a hundred meters instantly cracked and crumbled forming a small cloud of dust which quickly dissipated in a second due to the strong winds. Around the two ninjas, the earth suddenly turned into a raging vortex of mud.

    As the caster of the jutsu Gozu was able to steady himself above the earth but Genma was seemingly caught in the current and he panicked. In just a few seconds he was pulled into the fast swirling mid currents and his figure disappeared underground.

    Guren''s subordinate quickly ced his hands on the ground and immediately the earth solidified. Seeing no sign of the enemy, Gozu let out a breath of relief.

    "It''s over." He said to himself. Just as he took a step forward in Guren''s direction, he felt extremely tired and sleepy. Before he could even understand what''s going on he fell unconscious.

    Momentster footsteps could be hearding closer.

    Genma stood over the body of the unconscious Gozu with an expressionless face and spoke in a low tone. "I''m not some average run of the mill Jonin. I was once part of the guard toon that protected the fastest shinobi in the world. That meant learning how to keep up and counter enemies with speed and power. You''re strong but youck skill and battle wisdom. A simple shadow clone substitution and Genjutsu is enough to take you out of the fight."

    Genma sighed and made sure to secure his prisoner. Once that task waspleted he immediately made his way to Anko.

    ''<em>If Anko''s enemy is anywhere near as strong as this guy, she''ll be in trouble. It''s better to take him out and then head over to Daichi. Based on Kakashi''s words, that kid''s strong enough to hold his own for a while.''</em>

    <strong>With Anko.</strong>

    "Sonic swarm."

    Rinji used his bat controlling method to summon arge swarm of bats and directed them at Anko. The avian creatures quickly reached their target and attacked. Biting into the flesh, scratching with their small ws their overwhelming number caused dozens of small wounds.

    The Anko that was being attacked suddenly turned into several dozen snakes and copsed. The snakes spread across the area to avoid the bats and began to head straight for Rinji.

    The man jumped back several feet but the next second jumped high to a nearby tree branch to avoid a kunai strike.

    Anko rose from the ground and nodded to herself. "So that''s it. You have some kind of sonar type power that helps you detect sound from arge radius. That''s how you''ve been able to avoid attacksing from your blind spots."

    Rinji smirked with confidence even though his trick was exposed. "Not bad. You''ve figured me out. But that won''t help you."

    ''<em>Pulse Wave.''</em>Rinji immediately made a seal and began his next jutsu.

    The bats all around him flew around Anko and made ultrasonic waves. The concentrated sonic waves disoriented her and disturbed her equilibrium. With each second the bats amplified the attack by increasing the strength of their sonar waves creating a disorienting cacophony.

    "Aaarrrggg!" Anko held her ears in pain and fell to the ground.

    Rinji had a cruel smile as he looked at the scene. But that smile was quickly erased when two kunai were stabbed into his feet from the ground.

    "Aaarg!" Rinji fell to the ground in pain and let go of the bat controlling technique, stopping the sound wave attacks on Anko.

    A shadow clone quickly emerged from the ground a few feet away and immediately went through several seals.

    "Fire style - Fireball jutsu."

    With thatst tiger sealpleted, Anko let out a fireball that flew towards the fallen Rinji. He immediately made a seal and used the ultrasounds to give the bats a newmand.

    Getting new orders from their master, the avian creatures quickly formed a defensive shield around Rinji, protecting him from most of the damage from the fire jutsu. But he was still injured.

    He turned his attention to the woman who was slowly getting back up and gritted his teeth in anger. He was toote to see through her n. "Y-you�� You used yourself as bait and waited�� When I lowered my guard you attacked my feet to�� Take my mobility and then used the Fire jutsu to kill the bats."

    "Yeah.." Anko slowly stood and held her head. "Ooohhh I''m gonna feel that tomorrow."

    At that moment Genma entered the scene. He looked at his fellow Leaf ninja and nodded. "You alright."

    "I''ve been through worse. I''ll be fine. Just a small headache."

    "Ok then we-"

    BOOM!

    A powerful explosion was heard and soon a strong st of wind blew through the forest. Everyone braced for themselves and soon the environment quickly calmed down.

    "What the hell was that?" Anko asked incredulously.

    "That must be Daichi and that woman. What is going on over there?" Genma was also confused.

    Meanwhile Rinji who was blown several feet backwards made a seal and had a bat fly to the area where Guren and Daichi were fighting. When the creature reached the area it saw Guren on the ground unconscious with Daichi standing atop her.

    The creature let out a sonic noise and alerted Rinji and the man was shocked.<em>''Guren lost? To that kid? No way.''</em>

    He looked at the leaf ninjas with renewed fear and made a choice.<em>''Looks like I have no choice but to use that.''</em>

    Immediately while the Leaf ninjas were distracted, Rinji made several seals. Once the final hand seal waspleted, a cruel smile formed on his face.

    Somewhere in the distance 6 people suddenly groaned in pain as several purple marks spread across their bodies. Their eyes snapped open and no sign of intelligence could be seen. They broke through their restraint and rushed towards the one who activated their seal.

    Rinji hid his smile and kept an eye on the two Leaf ninjas.<em>''I''m d I talked Guren into giving me ess to the activation seals. Once the seal activates they will die in the end but not before fulfilling my orders. I want to live. I can escape using them.''</em>

    At that moment Daichi appeared near the group. Genma and Anko were d to see the Genin arrive unharmed.

    "Are you alright?" Genma asked the kid.

    "Yeah. She knocked out and I''ve made sure to restrain her."

    "Good." The man nodded.

    "That explosion just now. Was that you?" Anko asked the boy.

    The gamer ninja nodded his head. "There are several iing." He suddenly spoke.

    Daichi sensed the arrival of the bat and he heard the sonic sound waves it made. The Genin made the correct assumption that it wasmunicating with Rinji and quickly came here.

    A few seconds after Daichi spoke, six people appeared near Rinji. They were all the opponents Daichi and his two Jonin superiors fought a short while ago.

    "Their curse seals are active but they look abnormal." Genma quickly noticed the weirdness and spoke.

    At that time Rinji gave an order. "Kill them."

    Anko, Genma were tense but ready for a fight. Daichi was about to make his move but suddenly he sensed something and his lips slightly curled upwards.

    As soon as Rinji gave the order, the transformed four armed Tanjero was the first to make a move. He targeted Daichi and sped towards him. The others also followed suit and began to attack the two Jonins.

    Daichi stood still and looked at the maning towards him with a calm demeanor. Just as Tanjero neared the Genin, another shout could be hearding from the forest.

    "Leaf Hurricane!"

    A green spandex leg suddenly filled Tanjero''s vision before he was kicked in the face and was sent flying. The force of the kick sent him crashing into several trees before he came to a stop.

    "Fear not Daichi! The mighty Green beast is here." Guy appeared near Daichi with a big smile.

    A secondter Kakashi, Asuma and the other Jonins with them also appeared one after another.

    "You''re a ma for trouble aren''t you Daichi?" Kakashi asked with a jovial tone.

    The Genin sweatdropped hearing that.<em>''I''m a ma for trouble? Just wait until you get Naruto and Sasuke.''</em>

    "Need backup?" Kakashi turned his head to Genma and Anko.

    "Appreciate it."

    Seeing the killing intent of the neers, Daichi quickly spoke. "We need to catch them alive. They have the intel we need."

    The Jonins took Daichi''s words seriously and turned their attention to their foes.

    ---------------------

    Author''s Note:

    Next chapter: This battle will quickly end and the group returns. Then things will pick up speed.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen(No space)

 Chapter 304: Valuable Prisoners

    Chapter 304: Valuable Prisoners

    Shibi Aburame looked at the enemies and there was an almost imperceptible frown on his face. "Something isn''t right. My insects are detecting arge amount of chakra being produced in their body. How is that possible?"

    The Hyuga of the group had activated his Byakugan and what he saw left him bewildered. Seeing his expression Asuma asked. "What is it, Kogamu? What do you see?"

    "Their- Their bodies. It''s forcibly extracting chakra from every cell and organ but it isn''t just that. Their body functions have heightened. Blood flowing faster, Muscles are strengthening, heart beating faster�� They''re getting stronger out of nowhere. I''ve never seen anything like it."

    Tsume Inuzuka sneered as she looked at the six people who were losing their sanity with each second. "It must be the effects of the curse seals. They might look like they''re getting stronger but something isn''t right. Their bodies are starting to give off a bad odor. I don''t know what it means but it can''t be anything good."

    "Yeah. I smell it too." The ninja dog Kuromaru also spoke as it got ready to face the enemy with his partner.

    Daichi''s eyes narrowed as he heard Tsume.<em>''Rotten smell��?''</em>His eyes slightly widened as he realized what was happening. "We need to subdue them right now. The sooner the better."

    "What is it, Daichi?" Kakashi asked his student.

    "The curse is making them stronger but it''s destroying their bodies. If we don''t subdue them and stop the seal quickly, they''ll die and whatever information they have will die with them." Daichi quickly informed everyone. The Jonins nodded in understanding.

    Meanwhile on the other side of the battlefield the man with his sanity remaining intact looked at the assembled Leaf ninjas and couldn''t help but curse his luck.<em>''Damn it. Where the hell did these guyse from? If it was just that brat and those two Jonins I could have handled this no problem but now�� Things have seriously gotten out of hand. Still, it won''t help me if I waste time. The effects of the curse seals won''tst long.''</em>"Attack!"

    Under Rinji''s orders the six ninjas quickly attacked the new arrivals.

    The man was furious as he looked at the situation. His eyes then shifted to the Genin of the group.

    ''<em>I never imagined that Guren could lose. Especially to a brat. This isn''t good. If I go back empty handed, Orochimaru will kill me. If I get caught by these people, I''ll end up getting tortured and killed or best case scenario I''ll end up in prison for the rest of my life.''</em>

    Rinji was a man who was loyal to Orochimaru but at this moment his instincts for self preservation won over that loyalty. He looked at the battle taking ce in front of him and quickly made a decision.<em>''Its time to get the fuck out of here. I''m sure I can find somece to disappear. Good thing I made a nest egg for just this asion.''</em>

    As the focus of the Leaf ninjas were on the six enemies, Rinji turned around and was about to escape when he suddenly froze.

    Daichi held an emotionless face as he looked at the man in front of him. "You''re not going anywhere."

    Without giving Rinji a chance to make a move, Daichi rushed in to attack. The powerful Genin quickly incapacitated and restrained him and turned his attention to the other six.

    ''<em>Their vitals are all over the ce. If this keeps up for much longer they''ll die. I can''t have that.''</em>

    "Shadow clone jutsu." The gamer ninja created 6 clones and immediately went to their targets. While the ninjas with the curse seals were fighting the new arrivals, Daichi sneaked up behind them.

    "Restrain them. I just need a few seconds." Daichi shouted and the Jonins quickly attacked and held down their enemy.

    The clones quickly took out a piece of paper and an ink brush and immediately began to formte a seal. Within just a few seconds theypleted the specific seal and stuck them on the backs of the cursed seal ninjas.

    A secondter the characters on the seal glowed red.

    <strong>[''Contract Disruption'' seal is now active.]</strong>x6

    In just a few seconds the curse seals on their bodies glowed and slowly began to shrink and disappear.

    Due to the pain of having their bodies suddenly overtaxed the six ninjas quickly fell unconscious. But Daichi could see that their vitality was quickly disappearing.<em>''Not on my watch.''</em>

    The clones immediately ced their palms on Orochimaru''s men and soon started using his healing chakra.

    "I see two bodies a few hundred meters away from here. Are they also Orochimaru''s people?" Kogamu Hyuga asked as he survived his surroundings with his special eyes.

    "Yeah. Could you bring them here?" Genma nodded and spoke.

    Kogamu nodded and he, along with Tsume, quickly went to where Guren and Gozu were tied up.

    "What was that tag you just used?" Asuma came near the real Daichi and asked as he watched the small clones at work.

    "A contract disruption seal. It will prevent anyone from remotely activating a seal on another''s body or we can disrupt a seal that''s already active." Daichi replied as he looked at the six unconscious people.

    "Are they trying to stabilize their bodies?" Genma asked as he came near them.

    "Yeah. I can''t have them all dying on me." He then turned his attention to Genma and Anko quickly got to work healing them.

    "How did you guys even find us?" Anko looked at Kakashi and his team and asked.

    "We were following up on Lady Tsunade''s whereabouts and when we came near this area we found signs of battle. Blood and several shards of crystals. It was at that moment we heard an explosion. Kogamu checked what was happening and we quickly rushed over." The silver haired Jonin replied in a moderate tone.

    "We haven''t found any patrol squads on this route. I''m guessing they were killed by them." Asuma took a cigarette and lit it.

    "They have a crystal style user. Her bloodline crystalizes matter and reduces it to shards. You must have seen the aftermath of her work." Daichi gave his thoughts as hepletely healed Genma and Anko.

    Anko moved her arms and closed her eyes as she took a deep breath. "I feel good as new. Damn. You really are a great medic."

    "All thanks to Tsunade sensei and Shizune senpai." Daichi couldn''t help but sigh as he thought about his two teachers

    "We''ll find them. We can''t give up hope." Guy spoke with a big grin and everyone could see that he was trying to lighten the mood.

    Daichi gave a small smile and nodded at the green spandex wearing Jonin.

    Before long Tsume and Kogamu returned with a tied up Guren and Gozu.

    At this moment Daichi sensed the chakra fluctuations from two of the unconscious enemies. The clones working on them couldn''t help but frown as the time went by. Soon all sixpleted their work and dispelled themselves.

    Asuma and some of the other Jonins were surprised that Daichi''s 6 shadow clones had enough chakra to heal people.

    Daichi looked at the Jonins and spoke. "Two of them passed away. Their bodies were not strong enough to begin with and the effect of the curse seals was too much."

    Kakashi and the others nodded. "Still, you did a good job. We have seven valuable prisoners. We need to take them back to the vige for interrogation."

    The one eyed Jonin then turned his attention to the Hyuga, Aburame and Inuzuka on the team. "We still need to continue our side of the investigation. But you three will be much better suited for that. Guy, Asuma and I will escort Genma''s team and the prisoners back to the vige."

    Tsume, Shibi and Kogamu nodded and quickly left.

    Kakashi sealed the bodies of the deceased enemies and soon the five Jonin and one Genin were traveling back to the Leaf vige with additional cargo. At this moment Daichi was going over the quest notification that appeared.

    <strong>[Quest ''Defeat and Capture'' Completed.]</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>[Rewards]</strong>

    <strong>[30000 Exp.]</strong>

    <strong>[4500 Exp.]</strong>

    <strong>[Increased chances of rescuing Tsunade Senju and Shizune Kato.]</strong>

    <strong>[Reputation increases with ninja of the Leaf vige.]</strong>

    <strong>[Reputation bes hostile with certain people.]</strong>

    His eyes narrowed as he saw the rewards.<em>''Right now the experience reward is nothingpared to the increased chances of saving those. Still I wonder how that will happen.''</em>

    At approximately<em><strong>5:30 pm</strong></em>Daichi, Kakashi and the other started making their way to the Leaf vige

    ��-

    <strong>Somewhere in Land of Lightning.</strong>

    In a pleasure inn in the Land of Lightning, a tall man with long spiky hair was sitting on afortable sofa. He was in a small private room with dim light and the soft melodies of traditional music could be heard. It created a rxed ambience for the man. He had two scantily dressed women on either side of him and was enjoying himself.

    "Hihihi. Youdies sure know what makes me smile." Jiraiya said with a big goofy grin.

    He put a small bill into the clothes of one of the women. "Hey Nina. Could you get us a few sses of your best sake dear? Nothing is better than spending time with two lovelydies with some good sake."

    "Of course Lord Jiraiya." The girl giggled and left the small room. As she disappeared from the room the white haired Sannin turned his attention to the otherdy beside him.

    "We only have a few minutes before shees back." The Sannin spoke and the woman nodded.

    "Talking about business so soon Lord Jiraiya?" The woman gave a small smile as she looked at the man.

    "Don''t worry Sara. We''ll have plenty of time after. In fact I''m looking forward to having your friend join us." The white haired man had a silly perverted smile as he imagined the scene.

    The woman just shook her head and internally sighed as she looked at the man''s reaction.<em>''Same old pervert.''</em>

    She turned serious and then spoke. "I did some digging on that organization. They''re keeping a low profile. But I''ve heard some whispers."

    Jiraiya''s smile dimmed and his eyes slightly narrowed as he listened. "And��"

    "They''ve got some low level underlings working in the shadows. I don''t know who. But I''m sure they have a bounty collection station under their control." The woman told him. She was one of the many informants Jiraiya has cultivated throughout the years.

    "Bounty station?" The Sannin raised an eyebrow in surprise.

    The woman nodded. "Yes. I heard that they''ve been attacking missing ninjas withrge bounties on their heads."

    Jiraiya thought about that information and quickly understood the objective.<em>''They''re trying to increase their financial resources.''</em>

    "Can you give me any names or locations? Anything specific?"

    "Sorry Lord Jiraiya. But they''re extremely secretive. I heard that someone who was asking questions about them suddenly disappeared. I don''t know what happened to him. So I didn''t dig too deep."

    Jiraiya nodded his head.<em>''Yeah. I''m not surprised. They would have their own information control methods.''</em>

    "But I did find out something important. The higher ups�� They wear ck cloaks with red clouds. I think that''s their symbol or something."

    The white haired man leaned back in his chair and nodded. "ck cloaks with red clouds pattern huh. That could be helpful." He looked at the woman and smiled. "Thanks a lot my dear."

    He discreetly ced a small roll of bills inside the woman''s dress. "Now what do you say we have some fun��"

    At that moment the girl Nina returned with their drinks but she kept looking back. Jiraiya noticed the strange behavior and turned his head. He saw a small monkey with white furing towards them.

    "How did a monkey get here?" Sara asked with slight confusion.

    "I don''t know. It just appeared and started following me after I got the drinks." Nina replied just as bewildered as her friend.

    "He''s a charming guy. Why don''t you girls head on up to the room. I''ll be in shortly after ying with this little guy." Jiraiya spoke with a grin as he looked at the small ape.

    "Are you really ditching us for a monkey?" Sara asked with a smile and a raised brow.

    "Of course not. How could I do that to two lovelydies such as yourself. I just think this guy''s interesting. That''s all."

    The two women giggled and quickly left. The second they disappeared the smile on Jiraiya''s face vanished. "You really know how to pick the wrong time. What does sensei want now?" The Sannin asked with a tired groan.

    "Orochimaru attacked Tsunade and Shizune. Right now their whereabouts are unknown." The monkey spoke with a serious tone.

    The second Jiraiya heard the news hisplexion changed. "What!?"

    ��----------------

    Author''s Note.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen(No space)

 Chapter 305: All Eyes on Fire Nation

    Chapter 305: All Eyes on Fire Nation

    <strong>Earth Country - 6 Pm.</strong>

    In a grand stone-built chamber adorned with intricate carvings and filled with ancient scrolls, a weathered and authoritative figure, sat at the head of a massive long table. Around him, the council members, each bearing the insignia of the Hidden Stone Vige, were engaged in a tense discussion.

    Tension filled the air as reports from the Hidden Leaf Vige reached the council''s chambers.

    One of the council members read the reports and then leaned back in his chair crossing his arms. "For some reason the Leaf vige is on high alert, increasing patrols and reinforcing their borders. And it''s something they''re not even trying to hide from our intelligencework."

    The Tsuchikage, a stern-faced leader with a distinct air of authority, narrowed his eyes as he thought about the situation. Silence filled the room as the other high ranking members looked at the old leader of the Hidden Stone Vige.

    After a few moments his gravelly voice echoed through the chamber, "The Hidden Leaf''s actions are not without reason. It''s evident they''re preparing for something significant. This change in their stance is concerning. Hiruzen isn''t someone who does anything without a good reason."

    The councilors exchanged worried nces, their expressions a mix of concern and wariness. One of the senior council members, a seasoned strategist known for his caution, spoke up. "Lord Tsuchikage, might this not be a mere show of strength? The Hidden Leaf may be flexing its muscles to deter any potential threat."

    The Tsuchikage''s gaze pierced through the room. "I refuse to take this lightly. The Hidden Leaf does not act without cause. We need to be vignt and ready for any possibility. Send word to our scouts. I want detailed reports on Leaf Vige movements, their recent missions, and any unusual activities."

    Another councilor, a younger and more impulsive voice in the chamber, spoke up. "Should we not respond in kind? Increase our own patrols, bolster our defenses?"The Tsuchikage leaned forward, and shook his head. "No. Right now I do not wish to escte tensions unnecessarily. However, we must be prepared for any eventuality. Order our shinobi to remain vignt, but refrain from aggressive actions unless absolutely necessary."

    The council nodded in agreement, recognizing the wisdom in the Tsuchikage''s words. The atmosphere remained tense as ns wereid out to gather more intelligence and secure the Hidden Stone Vige.

    "Tighten the defenses around the border and gather intelligence from our assets in the bordering small viges. We need to know the movement of the Leaf ninjas at all times." Onoki gave the orders.

    Akatsuchi who was standing near the kage nodded. "I''ll send word and make sure we get the information as soon as possible."

    The people in the room discussed and the gravity of the situation was palpable. Soon after a viable defense n was created the councilors dispersed with a sense of urgency, each tasked with specific responsibilities to ensure the vige''s safety.

    As the chamber emptied, the Tsuchikage remained, deep in thought. His body slowly floated from his seat and he flew to the nearby window overlooking the vige.<em>''What is that old monkey thinking? Something must have happened for him to take such drastic measures. Were there any threats or attacks from the Cloud or Mist I don''t know about?''</em>

    Onoki couldn''t help but let out a sigh as he recalled thest time he saw the third knew that the delicate bnce between viges could easily tip into conflict, and the safety of his people rested heavily on his decisions in these critical times. With a heavy heart, he resolved to navigate these troubled waters with caution, aware that the shadows of uncertainty loomedrge over the ninja world.

    Onoki''s fists clenched as he remembered the faces of his enemies.<em>''Hiruzen, Rasa, Ay, Yagura... No matter what the situation or who it is, if this esctes into a war then I won''t show any of them mercy.''</em>

    ��-

    <strong>Hidden Sand Vige</strong>

    In the well lit council room of the Hidden Sand Vige, the Kazekage, the highest figure of authority of the vige sat at the head of a long, ancient wooden table with a calm stony facade. Around him, the vige''s most esteemed council members gathered, their faces etched with tension and curiosity.

    The room, usually filled with the sounds of the desert wind, is now heavy with anticipation and the undercurrents of strategic nning.

    The Kazekage''s voice, authoritative yetposed, broke the silence. "We''ve received reports of increased activity in and around the Fire nation. The Hidden Leaf has heightened patrols, stationed additional guards along their borders, and there are rumors of a significant prison break apanied by arge battle at the Fire country''s border. The reports are all in front of you."

    Everyone was surprised and quickly began going through the information on the documents in front of them. Chiyo and Ebizo were also among the council and their faces showed no emotions as they read the reports their spies sent.

    After several moments one of the council members with a shrewd mind and keen eyes, spoke, "This is an unusual level of activity. It could mean they are expecting a significant threat. We must consider the implications for our vige."

    Another council member, a strategist known for her insight, spoke "Such turmoil could signify internal strife or an external threat of considerable magnitude. Either scenario could weaken the Leaf, presenting us with a unique opportunity."

    Another council member, a seasoned ninja with decades of experience, adds, "However, we must also consider the risks. Engaging with the Leaf under these circumstances might expose us to unforeseen dangers, especially if they''re already on high alert."

    The Kazekage nods thoughtfully, acknowledging each point. "True. Our primary objective remains the safety and security of our vige. Yet, this chaos within the Leaf could offer us strategic advantages if approached with caution."

    A younger member, representing the vige''s tactical units, suggests, "Perhaps this is an opportune moment to send scouts to gather more intelligence. Understanding the true nature of the Leaf''s turmoil will allow us to make a more informed decision. If we can use this opportunity to expand our borders, it will significantly strengthen us."

    At that moment Ebizo gave his thoughts. "Yes but we need to be cautious. If this is an internal strife then I have a feeling that Danzo Shimura would be involved. But if the Leaf vige is facing an external threat then we don''t know who their enemy is and thatck of information could be costly for us if we make the wrong move."

    The room buzzed with murmurs and spection, each member weighing the situation with a mix of concern and opportunism.

    At this time Lady Chiyo suddenly spoke. "Don''t forget, right now we have an alliance with them. Even if it''s just on paper for us, they might expect our help if this is an external threat. But we can also use our alliance to figure out what''s really happening over there."

    The Kazekage agrees. "I agree. Gathering intelligence is our first step. We''ll deploy our most skilled scouts to gather information discreetly. Additionally, we''ll increase our border patrols as a precautionary measure, ensuring we''re prepared for any scenario."

    Turning to a council member skilled in diplomacy, the Kazekage instructs, "Begin drafting a message to the Leaf. Offer support in managing their border security. It will serve as a gesture of goodwill and provide us with closer insights into their situation."

    The room fills with a sense of purpose as the council members nod in agreement, each aware of their role in the delicate dance of ninja politics and power ys. The Kazekage concludes, "Let us proceed with caution and wisdom. Our actions during this period could redefine our vige''s standing in the world. We need to be smart, stealthy, and, above all, united in our approach."

    As the council members disperse to enact the Kazekage''s orders, the room''s heavy atmosphere begins to lift, reced by a focused determination. The Hidden Sand Vige, amidst the whispers of chaos in the Hidden Leaf, began to prepare to navigate the treacherous waters of opportunity and risk, guided by the hand of their Kazekage.

    ��-

    <strong>Hidden Cloud vige. 6:30 pm</strong>

    The Raikage, a muscr and imposing figure with a demeanor that exuded authority, listened intently as the reports were presented. His councilors, a mix of seasoned veterans and shrewd advisors, exchanged concerned nces, understanding the significance of the Leaf''s actions.

    "The Hidden Leaf''s sudden increase in patrols is no trivial matter," the Raikage spoke, his voicemanding attention. "This indicates a serious concern or a potential threat. We cannot afford to ignore it."

    One of the council''s elder members, a wise strategist with a wealth of experience, offered his perspective. "Lord Raikage, this could be a response to an external threat. However, it''s imperative that we assess the situation carefully and prepare ordingly. Should we not reinforce our own defenses?"

    The Raikage nodded thoughtfully. "Indeed. Dispatch our elite scouts and intelligence operatives. I want detailed reports on Leaf Vige activities, recent missions, and any signs of imminent conflict or instability within their borders. We need to grasp the full scope of this situation."

    A younger council member, known for his boldness, interjected, "Should we not show our strength in response? Increase our border patrols and readiness to send a clear message?"

    The Raikage''s gaze softened slightly as he addressed the council. "Yes. I don''t care what their reason is. Those leaf ninjas are acting so aggressively. I''m not someone who runs away from a challenge. Send troops to the border. Increase our defenses and conduct military drills. And heighten our surveince."

    "But boss, we need to avoid actions that might be perceived as too aggressive. We don''t wish to escte tensions needlessly. Right now, we don''t know what''s really going on in the Fire country." Darui, the right hand man of the Fourth Raikage spoke.

    C who was standing near his friend, also spoke. "Darui''s right, Lord Raikage. At the moment, it''s not just about the Leaf Vige. I''m sure the other great nations are also keeping a close eye on the situation."

    Ay heard their arguments and slowly nodded after giving it a few moments of thought.<em>''They''re right. That damn old Onoki is always looking for any opportunity to take advantage of everyone. I need to be careful.''</em>

    A council member spoke. "We should consider sending a team to our bordering small nations. We can do it under a gesture of our willingness to maintain peace and to protect them against Leaf ninjas if they attack. This would be a good way to gather intelligence if those tree huggers cross borders and act. It''s crucial we stay informed and ready for any action."

    The Raikage nodded, pondering the suggestions. "We''ll deploy a team of our best stealth ninjas to monitor the situation discreetly. They''ll gather information on Leaf''s state and any potential threats that could affect us."

    Acknowledging the delicate bnce between vignce and restraint in a time of uncertainty, the Raikage nodded. "Darui, ensure the teams are assembled and deployed by midnight. Inform them their mission is of the highest priority and secrecy. We must protect our vige and be ready to act in the interest of peace and stability of the Cloud Vige. This situation requires our utmost attention and swift action."

    The councilors agreed to discreetly gather intelligence and fortify the Hidden Cloud''s defenses and increase border patrol without inciting conflict.

    As C and Darui were about to leave the room the Raikage turned to them. "Make sure my idiot brother doesn''t leave the vige and assign additional security to Yugito. There are many who will be looking to take advantage of the turmoiling in the next few days."

    "Yes boss. Leave it to us." The two trusted ninjas nodded and soon left the kage to his thoughts.

    <strong>Land of Water - Around 9 pm.</strong>

    Under the veil of night, the hidden vige of Mist was ensconced in its own turmoil, the civil war reaching a pivotal moment. Mei Terumi, leading the rebellion against the Fourth Mizukage Yagura''s tyrannical rule, convened with her closest confidants in a secluded safe house. The tension was palpable, mirroring the unrest that divided their vige.

    Mei sighed as she spoke. "The Hidden Leaf is on high emergency alert. This development is unusual and it could signify a threat."

    One of her advisers, expressed concern, "This alert from Leaf Vige could indeed be the precursor to arger conflict. If a war breaks out, our divided vige stands to lose the most. We''re already weakened by this civil strife."

    "Since the Leaf has increased their activities, is it possible for us to make an alliance with any other nation?" A much younger man asked.

    Ao, who was standing near them, disagreed. "No. Right now we''re alone. Our resources are scarce. If this civil war goes on for much longer then we''ll be severely weakened. At that time, no great nation will want an alliance even if we want to. We''d be lucky if they didn''t take advantage of our desperate state."

    Everyone nodded somberly as they listened to Ao''s insights. But Mei had different thoughts.

    ''<em>Alone(Me)�� Much longer(Older)... No alliance(Single forever)''</em>

    The rebel leader Mei suddenly had a vein bulge in her forehead and exuded an ominous aura. "Ao. Shut up!"

    "Ehh!" The one eyed ninja was taken back by Mei''s hostile look and shivered.<em>''What did I say?''</em>

    "Should we send any troops into the Fire country to gather intelligence?" A ninja quickly asked, trying to distract their leader.

    And the tactic worked. Mei forgot her hostility and was considering the situation. A few secondster she replied. "At the moment, we''re stretched thin as it is. We don''t have the manpower to send any troops to investigate this matter."

    "I''m sure Yagura would be in the same situation as us." Ao spoke up.

    Mei nodded. "Yes, but unlike us, he can''t afford to sit back and do nothing." The redheaded ninja was silent for a few moments before a smile came to her face. "We can use this opportunity to our advantage. No matter what, Yagura will be forced to send some troops to show strength to the other nations. We can use this time to attack and weaken him."

    The ninjas present had their eyes lit. "Yes. He''ll be forced to confront us and we can finally defeat him and take control of the Mist vige."

    Ao quickly gave his thoughts. "Yagura could also be anticipating this move from us. So we need to be careful about what route we need to take to get inside the vige."

    The future Mizukage nodded. "Don''t worry. I have a n. Gather the troops. I have a feeling it won''t be long now. When the time is right we''llunch our attack."

    "Yes.!"

    ��------------

    Author''s Note

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen(No space)

 Chapter 306: Shizunes Fear

    Chapter 306: Shizune''s Fear

    <strong>Orochimaru''s Lab. (Approx. 4 pm)</strong>

    Sweat was slowly rolling down Shizune''s face as she did her best to stabilize her teacher''s vitals. Her hands glowed green as she was constantly monitoring Tsunade''s condition and pouring healing chakra into her sensei''s body. And to add pressure, Orochimaru was watching her every move.

    The young medic looked at her blonde teacher with fear as she sensed what was happening within Tsunade''s body.<em>''Her cells are being destroyed and created rapidly. Her fever is spiking again. The Leukocytes are treating the injected serum as foreign invaders and attacking them but the serum is fighting back trying to override the cells and DNA structure. It''s as if the serum has a mind of its own. I never knew the blood of the first Hokage was so powerful. It''s already been several hours. I don''t know how much longer she can hold on if it keeps going like this.''</em>

    As Shizune feared the worst, to the side Orochimaru was also observing every change taking ce in Tsunade''s body.<em>''I was right. The serum interacts with Tsunade''s cells and DNA, altering them to incorporate the traits of Wood Style. Hashirama Senju''s blood is activating and suppressing specific genes rted to awakening Wood Style abilities.''</em>

    Orochimaru drew a few samples of Tsunade''s blood and examined it. A smile slowly grew on his lips and he turned his attention to his former teammate lying unconscious on the table.

    ''<em>My hypothesis was correct. Tsunade has markers in her blood that would make it possible for her to awaken wood style but they were suppressed by the more dominant genes. Now that an outside trigger has been introduced into her system, her cells are starting to adapt and evolve. This will give her the ability to create and manipte wood-based jutsu�� But first I''ll have to see if she can survive till thest stage.''</em>

    BEEP BEEP BEEP

    Suddenly the rms on the machines monitoring Tsunade''s vitals started going off.

    Shizune quickly ced her palms atop Tsunade''s heart and examined her. "Her heart rate is elevated and blood pressure is increasing again. Her temperature is going up. She won''tst long. You have to do something." Shizune turned her head and pleaded with Orochimaru.The snake Sannin had a calm look as he came near his test subject. "Calm down. It''s the side effects of the serum. Her body is adapting to the foreign cells so this is within my expectations. Over time, her blood might stabilize, but it would continue to carry the infused Wood Style chakra."

    "Might!?" Shizune looked at the man with fear.

    Orochimaru''s gaze settled on Shizune and she saw no empathy from those orbs. "Yes. I modified the serum as much as I could to reduce the possibility of a fatality but there is a chance Tsunade will die. And should that happen, you will die along with your teacher. So you best make sure that doesn''t happen." He spoke with a cold chilling tone.

    "You.." The young medic gritted her teeth in anger and fear but she could do nothing at the moment but do her best to keep her teacher alive.

    Orochimaru turned his attention back to the unconscious Tsunade and crossed his arms.<em>''I know the changes in your body are painful and life threatening. Now we''ll see if your luck holds out. Will your body adapt to the serum or will you sumb to the side effects and die?''</em>

    ��-

    <strong>Fire Capital. 8:00 pm.</strong>

    Daichi''s shadow clone was inplete stealth as it made its way to the pce of the Third prince. He was using Mana skills topletely erase his presence from anyone''s senses.

    As Daichi slowly moved forward in the darkness, he still remembered the meeting he had with the man right after healing Jin. Daichi also remembered the words the third prince spoke at the end of their meeting.<em>''Damn it. He warned me. Why didn''t I take better precautions?''</em>

    Daichi was angry with himself for not doing anything more about the warning he received.

    <em>If you need any help with Orochimaru,e find me.</em>

    Those were the words Katsuya Hinoo whispered to him just before he left.

    ''<em>His warning was too vague. I thought he meant that Orochimaru mighte after me or even Sasuke or the Leaf vige. I just didn''t expect that snake to go after Tsunade. Still, how did that man know? He must have some ways to track that snake. He''s the best chance I have at finding Tsunade sensei and Shizune before anything goes wrong.''</em>

    The shadow clone let out a small sigh and concentrated on his task. He bypassed the guards stationed in the pce and quickly located the position of the prince and made his way to his target.

    ''<em>I don''t want to reveal too many secrets. If I enter without him sensing my presence he''ll be even more vignt in the future.''</em>

    Before reaching near the room where the young prince was, Daichi slowly let go of his defenses and let out a minute amount of chakra. He knew the prince had excellent sensing skills and would sense him quickly.

    Daichi slowly made his way to therge door of the room and knocked.

    "Come in." Came the voice from inside.

    Daichi entered the room and kept a calm face as he saw the young prince of the Fire country seemingly waiting for him. "You''rete." The room was arge study with various books and scrolls filling the shelves.

    "You were waiting for me?" Daichi asked as he closed the door behind him.

    "Of course. The recentmotions have drawn the attention of many." Katsuya spoke with a smile.

    "Then you know why I''m here." Daichi looked at the man with slightly narrowed eyes.<em>''I half expected this.''</em>

    Katsuya nodded. "Yes�� I have to admit though. I thought Orochimaru would be after you. Based on what I understand about him, he''s always had a fascination towards talented and powerful people. An attack on Princess Tsunade was not something even I anticipated�� Sit." The prince said, pointing to a chair near him.

    "How did you know Orochimaru was nning an attack?" Daichi asked as he sat down opposite the man.

    "I have my methods and resources."

    Daichi couldn''t help but frown as he looked at the powerful man.<em>''He''s not my enemy but at the same time he''s not my ally. I need to approach this as a negotiation if I want to get the information I need.''</em>

    "What do you want�� your highness?" Daichi leaned back in his chair and got straight to the point.

    "Aww no forey? Just straight to the nitty gritty. You''re no fun." Katsuya had a small chuckle as he looked at the Genin. But seeing Daichi''s serious stony gaze he decided to get serious as well.

    "Do you remember the conversation we had thest time we were here?" The prince asked Daichi.

    Daichi nodded his head as he recalled that day. "You wanted to form an alliance with me."

    "Yes. You and I are simr. Our talents surpass our peers and our ambitions are much greater than theirs. If we''re able to form a sessful partnership then my resources will be at your disposal."

    "You never told me what your ambition is." Daichi spoke as he looked at the man.

    Katsuya smiled as he looked at the boy. Then he told the Genin part of what he wanted and Daichi''s eyes widened in shock as he heard the man''s goals.

    Daichi immediately used his Chakra and Mana sense to see if anyone was spying on them. Seeing that it was just the two he let out a breath of relief. "Do you realize what you''re saying?" He asked the man in a cold tone.

    Katsuya became serious. "I do. Like I said, I''m recruiting talented people from all fields and gathering resources to implement my ns."

    The gamer ninja was silent as he looked at the man in front of him.<em>''This guy�� If anyone ever finds out his true intentions he''ll be killed along with anyone who''s helping him. Do I really want to take such a risk?''</em>

    Daichi was silent for several moments before he spoke again. "You''re highness, if people find out about this not even your father will be able to protect you. You understand that right?"

    Katsuya''s eyes narrowed as he looked at the Genin. "Do not insult my intelligence Daichi. I''m well aware of the consequences should my ns be exposed prematurely."

    Daichi looked at the man and sighed. "How many people know?"

    "Including you�� 3." The prince replied and Daichi was surprised.

    "You trust me that much even though this is only just our second interaction."

    Katsuya Hinoo nodded. "Let''s just say I''m willing to take a gamble. A powerful ally is always a good thing. Your ambition is to be the strongest in the world. You were bold enough to say that straight to my face. I have a feeling you''ll seed. So Daichi, what do you say?"

    Daichi leaned back in his luxurious chair and thought about the pros and cons of the alliance.<em>''I''ll be able to do a lot of things much easier with his help. But if it everes to light what his goals are before I''m strong enough then I''ll have to pay the price. I can just say no and leave but something tells me he''ll have some sort of contingencies to deal with me. He wouldn''t have revealed his intentions otherwise�� No. Right now all that doesn''t matter. My priority is to save Tsunade and Shizune. I''ll deal with everything else after saving them.''</em>

    Daichi let out a sigh and looked at the man in front of him.<em>''If the real me were here, he would make the same decision.''</em>

    "I''m interested." Daichi gave a short reply and it brought a smile to Katsuya''s face.

    "What made you decide to join me? Is it just the matter with Tsunade?" The third prince of the Fire country asked.

    The gamer ninja shook his head. "It''s not just that. What you n to do�� If you�� No. If we seed, it will change this era forever. I want to see for myself whether that change would be for the better or worse. I want to be a part of it."

    Katsuya nodded and smiled. "Good. What do you want to know about Orochimaru?"

    "Where is he?" Daichi asked.

    "I''ve been keeping an eye on Daimyo''s of all great nations. Several months ago I noticed unusual activities in the Land of Stone. I assigned a couple of assets and soon learned that a minister in that country had a visitor and soon questionable shipments including high end medical equipment were transported through highly secure routes. My people can''t be certain who the visitor was but I''m sure it was Orochimaru." Katsuya got up from his spot and quickly took a folder from the cab.

    He handed the documents to Daichi and continued. "The transportation channels used and distribution methods had Orochimaru''s fingerprints. It''s not easy to spot his work but that snake isn''t as clever as he thinks. I don''t know what kind of deal that minister made with Orochimaru but he must be getting something extremely valuable for the risks he''s taking."

    Daichi quickly went through every page andmitted the information to memory.<em>''He''s right. If the Daimyo of that country or Tsuchikage finds out that a minister coborated with a known criminal from a hostile nation it would be a death sentence�� Based on this info, the materials brought in... Orochimaru was building ab. But these documents don''t point to any specific locations. Searching an entire country while avoiding their patrol squads will take a lot of time and effort. There must be an easier way.''</em>

    "Do you have any more information, your highness?" Daichi asked

    "I''m afraid not." Katsuya replied without missing a beat.

    Daichi knew it was a tant lie and he looked at the man with narrowed eyes.

    "I''ve given you enough information to narrow your field and start your search. Now, whether you find Princess Tsunade or not will be up to you." Katsuya spoke looking at the Genin.

    "And here I thought we had formed a deal."

    The third prince narrowed his eyes and looked at the Genin. "You can take this as a test of your abilities. If you fail to save her, then that means you''re not as talented as either of us thought."

    Daichi was slightly angry hearing that response but he quickly calmed down.<em>''I should have expected it. He wants to see what methods I''d use. He wants to gain more information on my powers and wants to know what kind of strategies I''d employ. I can''t take this guy lightly.''</em>

    Daichi sighed as he stood from his chair. "Thank you for the information, your highness. I''ll take my leave. I''ll visit you after this incident is resolved."

    The prince gave a small nod. "I do wish you the best of luck."

    Daichi disappeared and quickly left the pce without alerting anyone. Soon he reached the outskirts of the capital and quickly scanned the area for any unwanted listeners. After confirming he was alone, clone Daichi created and dispelled another shadow clone informing his original of the events that took ce and his ns moving forward.

    The shadow clone Daichi then looked at the documents in his hand and made a decision.<em>''It''s a bit too early to implement that n but circumstances have changed. I suppose now is as good a time as any.''</em>

    The shadow clone took out a scroll and quickly put on the new outfit. After disguising himself in a new attire he used the transformation jutsu to change his appearance. Once all the preparations werepleted he disappeared from his spot.

    His destination - Land of Stone.

    ��-------------

    Author''s Note:

    For anyone wondering about the events of this chapter regarding the third prince pls reread chapter 242.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen(No space)

 Chapter 307: Quest: Infiltration

    Chapter 307: Quest: Infiltration

    <strong>Kakashi''s Team. (8:30 pm)</strong>

    Kakashi, Daichi and the rest were halfway through their journey back to the vige when Daichi got the memories of his shadow clone from the Fire Capital. Immediately afterwards a new quest appeared in his view.

    <strong>[Quest created - Infiltrate and Locate.]</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>[Time is running out for Tsunade Senju and Shizune Kato. Infiltrate the Land of Stone and locate Orochimaru''sboratory all the while escaping senses of the ninjas of the Hidden stone vige.]</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>[Conditions:]</strong>

    <strong>Find the location of Orochimaru''s hideout.</strong>

    <strong>Do not let the Hidden stone ninjas sense your presence or identify you.</strong><strong>Complete this quest at least 2 hours before the ''Rescue Tsunade Senju'' quest timer runs out.</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>[Rewards:]</strong>

    <strong>12350 Exp.</strong>

    <strong>Intelligence stat - 7 points.</strong>

    <strong>Sense Stat - 10 points.</strong>

    <strong>Luck - 4 points.</strong>

    <strong>Increase in reputation to people who know your deeds.</strong>

    <strong>Increased chances of rescuing Tsunade Senju and Shizune Kato</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>[Failure:]</strong>

    <strong>Failure toplete the Quest ''Rescue Tsunade Senju''.</strong>

    <strong>Increased hostility between Hidden Stone vige and Hidden Leaf Vige.</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>[This quest is automatically epted.]</strong>

    The Gamer ninja swiftly went through every line and closed the quest box.<em>''Searching the whole country for a hidden base by myself while avoiding patrol squads and to find it within such a short time frame�� That''s going to be an almost impossible task�� Almost. In this case, the process of elimination would be best to narrow down my field of search. Hmm�� My clone can use that disguise to avoid any troubles.''</em>

    The Genin let out an internal sigh as he then reviewed the conversation he had with the prince.

    <em>''Damn that guy. Even knowing the seriousness of the situation, he''s willing to take a gamble with their lives. If nothing is done then Lady Tsunade will die and it could lead to an instability between the ninja viges and could even start a war. He knew that and still he''s choosing to keep more information to himself. All that just to test what I''m going to do.''</em>

    Daichi quietly sighed as he thought about the matter from another perspective.

    <em>''I guess I shouldn''t be too surprised. He''s the prince of arge nation. And with that kind of ambition, I should have expected him to take such huge risks. From his perspective no matter how talented I am, I''m still just a child and one of Genin rank. He''s willing to roll the dice and see if I can change the oue of an event of such magnitude.''</em>

    Daichi clenched his fist as he jumped forward to another branch.<em>''He didn''t give me all the info he had but still he did give me a starting point. I suppose I''ll have to make do with that. First I need to shift our attention to the Stone country.''</em>

    "Sensei, did you find anything about where Orochimaru could be?" Daichi turned to his teacher and asked.

    Kakashi was silent for a few moments before he replied. "Nothing solid. There were multiple scents leading from the battlefield in several directions. But I think there''s a good chance they''re all there to waste our time. He covered his tracks well."

    Daichi turned his head and looked ahead with a silent gaze as he heard that answer. At that time Asuma spoke as if trying to cheer the boy. "Daichi, don''t worry. We have the best tracking teams in the world. I''m sure dad''s going to assign additional teams to this matter. If they''re in Fire country we''ll find them soon."

    "That''s just it. I don''t think they''re in this country anymore." Daichi gave a short reply that drew attention from everyone.

    "What makes you say that?" Kakashi asked him.

    "Old man Kensei and I would have shogi matches every once in a while and sometimes we would discuss several strategies on how to track your opponents over long distances, infiltrate enemy territory, hide from enemies of superior numbers and like��"

    Everyone paid attention to Daichi as they made their way forward.

    "I remember him once telling me that sometimes the best ce to hide would be right under the enemy''s nose. The Sannin in their early days, before they became renowned, pulled such a tactic once to escape a country with their cargo. It was a dangerous situation for them and dozens of squads were looking for them but they found a small ce to hide near the enemy vige. After about a week when the patrol squads believed the 3 had left the country and began to loosen their, that''s when they made their move. Tsunade, Jiraiya and Orochimaru were able to escape without the enemy being none the wiser."

    "Then ording to what you said, wouldn''t Orochimaru use the same tactic here? Isn''t there such a possibility?" Guy asked the boy trying to understand his thoughts.

    Daichi shook his head. "That possibility is very small. Orochimaru isn''t stupid. He would have anticipated our moves and what strategies and techniques we''d use to find him. He knows he can''t use the tactics the third taught him. So unless I''m mistaken he''s going to do the opposite."

    "The opposite? What do you mean?" Anko asked.

    "Orochimaru took Tsunade sensei and Shizune to another country and he''s waiting it out all the while we''re wasting time running around in our own backyard. By the time we''re done with our search it''ll be a few days and at that time we''d have to expand our search to outside our borders. I''d wager that during this time Orochimaru would pick a weak spot in our defenses and infiltrate into the country and hide again. And at that time there''s a good chance Tsunade and Shizune won''t be with him�� At least not alive��" The uneasiness in Daichi''s voice at the end was not lost on Kakashi or the others.

    Genma turned his head and nced at Kakashi. "What do you think?"

    The one eyed Jonin was silent for several seconds as he thought about what Daichi said. A few momentster he spoke. "His theory has merit. Right now I''m sure the other nations have already noticed our situation and unusual activity. Even if we know that Orochimaru is in another country, if we recklessly cross borders and enter a foreign nation then it''ll be seen as an invasion and an act of war."

    "And if we sent a small force to infiltrate the country, our chances of finding and rescuing them in time would be slim to none." Genma realizes and says with a serious tone.

    "But even if that''s true we can''t just stop our search here." Asuma spoke.

    "No. We can''t." Daichi answered. Then Jonins turned to the boy as he spoke.

    "Orochimaru would no doubt have some bases built in this country to keep our attention here. No doubt decoys. But it would still force us to spend our manpower here."

    "Are you basing this on the multiple scent trap he used?" Kakashi asked Daichi. The Genin nodded his head. "Yeah. His goal is to buy himself as much time as he can while evading us. What better way than to send us on a wild goose chase in our own country while he''s safe and secure in another."

    "Do you have a theory as to where he could be hiding?" Kakashi asked as he looked at the Genin.

    Daichi was silent for several moments before he replied. "I have an idea but I need to speak to Lord Hokage before I say anything."

    Kakashi nodded and the group silently increased their pace as they got nearer and nearer to the Leaf vige.

    Asuma and Guy were impressed with the Genin.<em>''He has an incredible mind. Coupled with his talents and skills��No wonder dad values him so much�� ''</em>The former twelve ninja guardian thought as he looked at the boy.

    The rest of the Jonins were also silently trying to deduce where the snake sannin could be hiding.

    ��-

    <strong>Orochimaru''s Lab. (9:00 pm)</strong>

    The Snake Sannin grinned as he looked at the vitals and examined Tsunade''s state.<em>''Excellent. The turbulence in Tsunade''s blood has subsided. Her vitals and body functions are slowly stabilizing.''</em>

    The morallypromised scientist took a sample of the blonde Sannin''s blood and examined it again. The results showed that there were several changes within that blood sample from the one examined earlier.

    <em>''Her bloodposition has changed significantly. There are several markers in her Genes that are showing simrity to Hashirama''s blood. There is a great possibility of her awakening his heightened regenerative abilities along with wood style power if she survives.''</em>

    As he examined the blood Orochimaru''s mind wandered to the mission he assigned Guren.<em>''She should have Daichi in sight or must have captured him by now. Either way she should be done with the mission in the next 24 hours at thetest.''</em>

    While Orochimaru was examining the new blood sample Shizune was beside her sleeping master, quietly looking after her. She sat on the nearby chair as she held Tsunade''s hand.

    <em>''Please survive. I don''t know what I''d do if you don''t. There are so many people depending on you. I know the Hokage and Daichi are doing everything they can to find us. We''ll escape from here. So please don''t die.''</em>

    The young medic was tired but she soldiered on for her master. She looked around the room and knew that behind the only door stood two of Orochimaru''s guards. Shizune knew her situation was dire but she still held out hope for both of them.

    Several minutester, just when Shizune thought her teacher was safe, Tsunade''s vitals started spiking again. Shizune was startled and themotion drew Orochimaru''s attention as well.

    "What''s happening to her?" Shizune asked the man as he made his way over to them.

    Before Orochimaru could say anything Tsunade''s body suddenly started to convulse and the next second blood sttered from Tsunade''s right shoulder and from her left foot and palm. Wood-like structures covered in blood were protruding from her body.

    "Lady Tsunade!" Shizune screamed and quickly used her medical ninjutsu.

    "It seems she''s entering the second stage of her metamorphosis." Orochimaru spoke as he looked at the new development with a calm gaze.

    Shizune heard the man and understood what was happening.<em>''In the first stage her cells, DNA and bloodposition changed. Now the serum is altering her muscles and tissues. But these wood protrusions�� Can she survive?''</em>

    As Shizune frantically tried to save her teacher, Orochimaru''s eyes were fixed on the small wooden thorn-like structure sticking out of Tsunade''s body.<em>''This kind of violent reaction even after I modified the serum�� It means��''</em>

    A sinister grin slowly formed on the man''s face.<em>''Yes. Hashirama''s blood is integrating with her body on an even deeper level than I had anticipated. If she sessfully survives this stage then the value of her blood would be far greater than I thought.''</em>

    At this moment the mark on Tsunade''s forehead glowed and the Strength of the hundred seal technique automatically activated. The seal quickly spread throughout her body as if it was protecting her.

    Orochimaru looked at the reaction the seal had and studied it. "How fascinating. She built a defense mechanism into that seal to help her in such dire circumstances huh. Her seal must have activated now that her body is beginning to undergo such arge transformation. Truly magnificent. In any other situation it would have helped her regain her strength. But in this case, her seal will only cause her more agonizing pain."

    Shizune looked at Orochimaru with gritted teeth when she heard that.<em>''He''s right. Right now her body is fighting against the serum and since the seal in her forehead is created from her chakra it would fight back against the First Hokage''s blood.''</em>

    Shizune noticed how the wooden thorns on Tsunade''s body fell off to the ground and the wounds healed. But several momentster a new wound appeared with a wooden protrusion sticking out.

    <em>''Her seal would heal the injuries but the serum is altering her muscles and bones. Her body''s in a state of constantly being torn apart and being healed.''</em>

    Tears fell down Shizune''s face as she looked at her sleeping teacher.<em>''I can''t even imagine the pain she''s in right now�� ''</em>There was difort on Tsunade''s face but she never woke up.

    Shizune turned her head and looked at the Snake Sannin with anger and hatred. "I''ll never forgive you for this."

    Orochimaru merely scoffed at the young woman''s furious gaze. "Hmph. You should concentrate on your teacher if you want her to survive the night. As for your forgiveness�� I never wanted it in the first ce."

    He turned his attention back to the blonde woman lying unconscious and he clenched his fists.<em>''I just need the data and samples of the merged stable cells from her. Then I''ll be able to move forward with my ns. Just three or four more days at most. Then I''ll put an end to your misery Tsunade. I''ll make sure it''ll end quickly for you and your student. It''s the least I could do for an old friend.''</em>

    Orochimaru went back to his spot on the other side of theboratory.<em>''Once sensei is done searching all over the Fire country he''ll have no choice but to move to the neighboring nations. It will cause friction with those stubborn fools of a kages and I''ll use that opportunity to slip back in. Then the next stage of my ns will begin.''</em>

    ��-------------

    Author''s Note:

    f you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen(No space)

 Chapter 308: A Tense Night

    Chapter 308: A Tense Night

    <strong>The Hidden Leaf Vige.</strong>

    Around two hours before midnight Kakashi and his team reached the vige. The patrol squads they had met on the way had sent word back to the vige and a team from the interrogation department personally led by Ibiki and Inoichi were already waiting for them at the gates to receive the prisoners.

    The Jonins handed their prisoners over and the Yamanaka n head escorted them to the T building. Ibiki came near Kakashi and his team. "Inoichi will prepare them for a mind walk. In the meantime, follow me. Lord Hokage wants to see all of you."

    The group of Jonins quickly made their way to therge tower in the middle of the vige. Since it waste in the night there weren''t many people around the streets but the movements of several patrol squads of Chunin and Genin roaming the vige could be seen.

    Soon Kakashi, Genma, Asuma, Guy, Anko, Daichi and Ibiki were in the Hokage''s office.

    "Kakashi, what happened?" Hiruzen asked.

    "Orochimaru has employed dying tactics. We couldn''t find any traces of him or Lady Tsunade that would lead us to their location. He''s created false trails to waste our time and throw us off his scent. Even though it might be false trails, I''ve tasked the other three to look into it."

    The Hokage sighed when he heard that. "Just as I feared. He''s not taking any chances�� What about the prisoners you captured."

    "On our way back to the vige we encountered them attacking Genma''s team." Kakashi replied and Hiruzen turned to Genma."They ambushed us several kilometers away from the Capital. Their target was Daichi. There were nine people and they were determined to capture him alive." Genma spoke and Hiruzen looked at the Genin standing in the room with a raised eyebrow.

    "Well, you''ve certainly caught Orochimaru''s attention if he''s willing to spend so much effort on you. And the fact that he''s taking such a bold move at this time means you''re rted to whatever he''s nning."

    Daichi stood silent as the kage gazed at him.

    "What can you tell me about them?" He asked, turning his attention to Genma.

    "The woman uses the rare bloodline ability crystal style. And she''s the leader. The rest were her followers. They wanted to capture Daichi badly enough that she was willing to sacrifice her people."

    Ibiki spoke at that moment. "Anything more you can tell me about them? Might make my job a tad easier."

    Genma was silent and turned to Daichi. "Daichi, were you able to find anything about her during your fight?"

    The gamer ninja quickly shared the information he learned. "That woman''s name is Guren. For whatever reason, Orochimaru tasked her with capturing me alive with as minimal wounds as possible. From what I understand, she''s a true Orochimaru loyalist. And her strength... Based on my estimates, she can go toe to toe with Kakashi sensei if pressed."

    Some of the people in the room were surprised to hear that. "She''s that strong?" Ibiki asked.

    Daichi nodded his head. Kakashi, who was standing nearby, had no reason to doubt Daichi''s words.

    "Normal interrogation tactics won''t work on her. She''s even willing to sacrifice her own life for that madman. Thatbined with her rare bloodline and strength. I think she might be a ninja in Orochimaru''s inner circle. I''m betting she has valuable intel on what that snake wants with Tsunade sensei and where she might be."

    The Genin looked at Ibiki and spoke. "But before that, I would start with the man with the dark brown hair. His name is Rinji. He''s worked for Orochimaru and looks up to him but I''m not sure he''s truly loyal to him. All the rest were just pawns."

    Ibiki looked at the kage and Hiruzen gave a small nod. Therge ninja left the room and Hiruzen looked at Genma. "Were you able to find anything at the location Mizuki gave you?"

    "It was a trap. Ko Yamanaka was killed over a week ago and his body was ced inside a scroll and rigged with a booby trap." The Special Jonin replied with an awkward sigh.

    "We went to the Capital to investigate Nam but he vanished. No one''s seen him in a few days." Anko spoke.

    "Another dead end." Hiruzen sighed and leaned back.

    "Dad, were you able to find anything based on the information from the Analysis team''s reports?" Asuma asked.

    "I''ve sent several squads to follow up on that. They will send a report back in a few hours." Hiruzen held back the urge to sigh again and looked at the documents in front of him. "So we still have no idea where they are huh?"

    "Actually Lord Hokage, I have a theory. I might have an idea as to where they could be." Daichi spoke up and Hiruzen gazed at the boy.

    "Where?"

    "Land of Earth." Daichi''s reply was met with a puzzled gaze from the kage.

    "What makes you say that?" Hiruzen slightly narrowed his eyes and looked at the Genin.<em>''Earth Country? Does he know something that I don''t?''</em>

    "After an attack on Lady Tsunade and Shizune and with their abduction, it would be foolish of him to stay in this country. Too risky." Daichi spoke and the Hokage nodded.

    "I agree. I''ve been thinking about that as well. But how can you be sure Orochimaru took them to the Land of Earth? Isn''t there the possibility of him fleeing to one of the smaller nations, or to the Land of Rice. Maybe even another great nation. So why the Earth country?" Hiruzen asked.

    "A few reasons. One is that a smaller neighboring nation isn''t powerful enough to stop us should we get any information about him... Hypothetically if you get information that Orochimaru is somewhere in one of the smaller neighboring nations with Lady Tsunade, would you send people after them?" Daichi asked the Hokage and Hiruzen was silent for several seconds as he pondered the answer.

    A few momentster he nodded his head. "If it''s a smaller nation then yes. While sending infiltration teams would be seen as an act of aggression and might escte the tensions between nations I''d still do it if it means rescuing her. The benefits outweigh the costs. They don''t have the manpower topete with us and if such a situation happens and the smaller nations retaliate, we could also say that they''ve been sheltering a known S rank criminal and was holding Lady Tsunade hostage trying to weaken us. Turn the public perception and make them the aggressors."

    "Exactly. Not only will Orochimaru not be able to proceed with his ns he''ll have to fend off ninjas from multiple nations in that case. So the smaller viges can''t protect him. Now only the four great nations remain as an option."

    Just then Anko spoke. "You''re talking about the situation of the small nations on our border. What if Orochimaru takes them far away? Then the otherrge viges will be obligated to protect them regardless of what we say and we can''t send such arge team to infiltrate or go to battle without anyone noticing if the distance is toorge. And if Hidden Viges find Lady Tsunade then who''s to say they won''t capture or even kill her."

    "I think it''s<em>because</em>of such reasons that Orochimaru won''t go too far and would even hide from other ninja viges. The distance is toorge that Orochimaru won''t take such a risk." It was Kakashi who replied.

    Anko and the others turned to the former Anbu captain. "Orochimaru has hostages with him. Lady Tsunade and her student. If on his way, they were found by any other party, it would be trouble for him. A wrinkle in his ns. So he would need to find the nearest possible stronghold that can guarantee his safety. Is that what you''re getting at Daichi?"

    "Yeah. Precisely." Daichi nodded and looked back at the Hokage. "Orochimaru won''t go to his own base of operations and he won''t select a small nation. If we somehow track him and destroy the whole ce then his years of effort would have gone to waste."

    "So that leaves us with 4 great nations." Hiruzen muttered and recalled the map of the continent in his mind. "The Land of Lightning is too far away. You have to go through the Land of Rice, Land of Hot water and Land of Frost to get there."

    "The Land of Water is too far as well. You''ll need a boat and it''ll take several days." Asuma said thinking about the situation.

    "Not to mention the Hidden Mist vige is in the midst of a civil war. If they find Orochimaru or Tsunade they''d show hostility. There are too many uncertain factors in that ce. That snake wouldn''t take that risk." Anko gave her thoughts.

    "And the possibility of him going to the Land of Wind is also small. They are our allies and if they find him they''ll treat as an enemy." Guy spoke up.

    "And that''s not taking into ount the terrain of that country. Orochimaru must have built a base of operations. It won''t be easy to navigate the desert and create a hideout in such conditions." Kakashi agreed with his friend.

    "The Land of Iron is a neutral country. Mifune won''t tolerate anyone causing trouble there. Especially a known rogue ninja." Hiruzen rubbed his chin and looked at the boy. "So that leaves us with the Land of Stone."

    "Yes. There is one more reason I picked that country. Orochimaru ambushed sensei at the border near the Land of Waterfall. From there it''s rtively easy for him to get to Earth country. If I''m right then they''re somewhere in there but away from the Hidden Stone Vige. I don''t think the Tsuchikage knows that there are two Sannins in his country."

    Hearing Daichi''s reasoning the kage became silent and mulled it over.<em>''If that''s true and Onoki finds out then it''ll be an even bigger problem. He''ll certainly try to spin it to his advantage.''</em>

    A few momentster he nodded his head. "It''s an interesting theory. I''ll look into it."

    "Thank you Lord Hokage." Daichi was d the old kage didn''t outright reject his notion.

    "You''re dismissed Daichi. Head to your training ground. Kakashi will join you soon."

    Daichi nodded but before he left, he took a small scroll and unsealed it. A small bottle appeared and the young medic took a small green pill from it. He handed it to the Hokage who held the small spherical pill and curiously examined it.

    "You look tired. I have a feeling you''re going to be up all night. Take that pill and rest for about 20 minutes. It''ll be the equivalent of getting 6 to 7 hours of sleep."

    Daichi''s words brought a small smile to the old man''s face. He didn''t doubt the boy''s words. "Thank you Daichi. I''m certainly going to need the energy."

    The boy nodded and quickly exited the room.

    "A pill that can replicate the effect of a 7 hours sleep. That''s impressive." Anko said with a grin and whistle.

    "Yes. Young Daichi made something like that for my dear Lee as well. It''s certainly effective." Guy said with a smile as well.

    "Yes." Hiruzen didn''t waste another second and downed the pill. He let out a deep breath and looked at the Jonins present. "I have information about multiple hidden operational bases under Orochimaru. I''ve sent teams to investigate and when they send word back you''ll need to be ready to engage. So for now, all of you get some rest."

    "Yes sir."

    "Kakashi, a moment. Rest of you are dismissed."

    The silver haired Jonin stayed with a calm gaze while the others left. "Are you worried about Orochimaru''s attack on Daichi?"

    Hiruzen nodded with a serious gaze. "Yes. But I''m also relieved. The boy is certainly strong enough to hold his own. But still, we can''t take any chances. From this point forward, till this situation is resolved you''ll have to stay with Daichi."

    "Is it for his protection or to keep an eye on him?" The Jonin sensei asked.

    "Both. I can tell that he cares for Tsunade and Shizune very much. The boy is smart but in desperate times even smart people will make dumb decisions."

    The Hokage''s words made Kakashi frown. "What are you getting at sir?"

    "Even during such a tumultuous time Orochimaru tried to go for Daichi. That means the child is more important to Orochimaru than perhaps he realizes. Now that his n to forcefully abduct the boy has failed he might change tactics."

    Kakashi was silent as he listened to the worries of the old leader.

    "I don''t know if Orochimaru has any other spies hidden deep in the vige. But if they make contact with Daichi they might use words instead of fists."

    "Try to convince him to go with them for the freedom of his teachers." The silver haired Jonin finished the man''s thoughts.

    "Yes. Daichi might very well know it''s a lie or trap but there is a chance that he might still make that choice. Or he could leave the vige and head to the Land of Earth in desperation. This is a very precarious time. I don''t want to deal with more on my te than what I already have."

    Kakashi nodded. "Yes sir. I understand. I''ll keep an eye on him."

    "Good. Dismissed."

    Once Kakashi left the Hokage let out a deep breath of air and leaned back in his chair. He felt tiredness creeping in.<em>''Must be the effects of the pill.''</em>

    "I''m going to sleep for about half an hour. Wake me up if anything importantes up." Hiruzen gave orders to the Anbu in the room and shut his eyes to take a power nap.

    <strong>Training Ground 3.</strong>

    Daichi was meditating under a tree when suddenly he got new memories and chakra of his clone. The gamer ninja opened his eyes and let out a deep breath of air.

    <em>''So he''s in ce huh. It''s time. Let the raid begin.''</em>

    ��---------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen(No space)

 Chapter 309: The New Player On The Board

    Chapter 309: The New yer On The Board

    <strong>Leaf vige Training Ground 3</strong>

    The real Daichi looked at the quest box that appeared in front of him.

    <strong>[Quest created - Raid Orochimaru''s Lab.]</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>[You have entered the Land of Rice Fields. Orochimaru has developed many hideouts and bases whichprises severalboratories. Your task is to find and infiltrate as many of them as you can while trying to keep your identity a secret.]</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>[Conditions]</strong>

    <strong>Infiltrate Orochimaru''s main base of operations.</strong>

    <strong>Collect at least 5 items of great value.</strong><strong>Infiltrate as many hideouts as possible and gather intelligence.</strong>

    <strong>Don''t let your true identity be discovered.</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>[Rewards]</strong>

    <strong>10000 Exp for sessful infiltration of the main base.</strong>

    <strong>5000 Exp each for collecting items of great value.</strong>

    <strong>2500 Exp (For each additional hideout infiltrated)</strong>

    <strong>1000 Exp each for items collected.</strong>

    <strong>Increase in reputation to people who know your deeds.</strong>

    <strong>Increased chances of Completing the quest ''Seek the Hidden Truth of the Ne''.</strong>

    <strong>Increased chances of rescuing Tsunade Senju and Shizune Kato.</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>[Failure]</strong>

    <strong>Great hostility between you and Orochimaru.</strong>

    <strong>Attack of Akatsuki.</strong>

    <strong>Slightly increased tension between you and the Hidden Leaf Vige.</strong>

    <strong>Possible death of Kensei Yasaji and Abduction of Aiko.</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>[This quest has been epted by your Shadow clone]</strong>

    Daichi slowly exhaled as he looked at thest sentence in the quest box.<em>''This isn''t the first time my clone was able to ept a quest. But all those were simple onesparable to D Rank missions. Now�� Invading an enemyir andpleting this mission�� I just hope everything goes ording to n.''</em>

    Daichi analysed the conditions for the questpletions and the rewards but when he saw the consequences of failure a small frown formed on his face.

    ''<em>In the quest description and the conditions it''s given that I have to keep my identity a secret. So that could be the main trigger for the quest failure.''</em>

    Daichi looked at each of the failure consequences given and tried to form a reason for why they appeared.

    ''<em>If I fail the quest and someone finds me out it''s natural that Orochimaru would be angry with me. But the Akatsuki''s attack�� That means there is a good chance they already have their eyes on me. The death of old man Kensei and Aiko''s abduction might have something to do with them. So if I get caught during this mission or my identity is exposed then Orochimaru, Akatsuki and the world woulde to know what I attempted. Akatsuki would definitely raise my threat level and the Hokage and the Leaf vige would also be wary of me. My presence in Orochimaru''s base would definitely be a red g. I''m sure my clone has already thought about all this the moment he saw the quest.''</em>

    As Daichi worked the reasons and the consequences of his actions in case of failure, a smile slowly came to face.

    ''<em>It''s a good thing I''ve already decided to create ''that'' identity. It''s going toe in handy for the next few years. He has a mysterious aura around him and there wasn''t much information known about him before I died and came to this world. He''s someone who doesn''t exist here so it''s perfect. His identity will buy me some time.''</em>

    Daichi looked up and saw the shallow moonlighting through the clouds. He closed his eyes and leaned back on the tree.<em>''Good luck ''me''. This is our point of no return.''</em>

    ��-

    <strong>Land of Sound aka Land of Rice Paddies.</strong>

    A tall figure with a green cloak thatpletely shrouded his body was standing in the darkness of the forest that surrounded a small entrance to an underground building. His presence waspletely invisible to all creatures of the night.

    When the clouds above moved and moonlight hit the area where the figure was standing on, the only thing that was visible aside from the cloak was a mask. The figure had a stylized dragon mask that featured a blend of deep ck and red colour thatpletely obscured his face.

    ''<em>Orochimaru''s main base. Finally, I''m here. I''ll raid this base first. It''s their headquarters. So I''m sure that jutsu and those blood samples will be here. I need to get them before I move on to the others.''</em>

    The tall figure sensed all the life forms around and nodded to himself.<em>''All that time carefully studying the several routes into and out of this country really came in handy. It only took me a little over seven hours to get here from the capital. Still, now it''ll take me a few more toplete this in stealth mode. I just have to work patiently. I was able to use the invisibility cloak sparingly so if any problem arises, I''ll have that as a backup n.''</em>

    The tall figure was the second identity Daichi created to move around unimpeded in the world. During his training with the blonde Sannin Daichi learned her special transformation technique. He used it to create a new special identity. One that has no connection to himself and one that Daichi can use to aplish his many goals.

    The disguised Daichi looked at the base entrance in front of him and recalled all the information he learned from Amachi.<em>''The mission to the Land of Sea and the encounter at the Demon Indb has gained me so much valuable intelligence. Orochimaru would no doubt have strengthened his hideout but I have a good idea of where everything is.''</em>

    Without wasting another second the figure disappeared from his position. Not a single leaf moved as the figure made his way inside the building.

    Daichi recalled the structure of the hideout from Amachi''s description. The Gamer ninja used Mana and found three strong Mana signatures in the main hideout.

    ''<em>One of them is on the uppermost floor. The other two are on the east side. None of them have strong enough chakra to be Orochimaru or Tsunade. Damn.''</em>

    The boy briefly hoped that his teacher was here but he knew it was a false hope. He softly sighed and moved forward with his n.

    ''<em>If I remember right then Orochimaru kept hisb on the east side while his library was on the west side of the building.''</em>

    The first objective was Orochimaru''s collection of forbidden jutsu. As Daichi moved through the corridors and hallways he detected and avoided all the traps and seals that were carefully ced. The gamer ninja waspletely invisible thanks to his Mana skills. As he moved forward through the long halls, Daichi''s sharp eyes noticed several spiders hidden in the upper corner and edges.

    His Mana told him these creatures were far more intelligent than normal spiders. He also noticed the numerous spider webs in the most inconspicuous ces.

    ''<em>To someone else these would just look like ordinary webs but I''m sure. These are connected to the spiders and they all have a master. Hmm�� It looks like Kidomaru is here. But there is someone who has an even higher chakra than him. So I''m guessing the one on the top is Kimimaro. The third one must be Jirobo or Tayuya. I''m betting it''s the former.''</em>

    The boy was careful with each step and kept a close watch on the position of all the creatures near him and the three people in the building. He avoided the traps and made his way to Orochimaru''s study as quickly as he could without alerting anyone.

    ''<em>Damn. It''s a good thing I mastered sealing jutsu. Otherwise this wouldn''t have been so easy. Orochimaru is paranoid as heck.''</em>

    Daichi opened the door and closed it behind him as he entered arge room. The room was engulfed in darkness but in a few moments Daichi raised his fingertips and small mes could be seen driving away the darkness.

    ''<em>What is with bad guys and darkirs? Are they afraid of the light or something?''</em>

    Needing more visibility, the boy took a torch from his scroll and turned it on to find the room full of scrolls and books.

    He read the titles of several of the scrolls and a grin formed behind the mask.

    ''<em>Forbidden ninjutsu, curse seal, body modification techniques, ve control seals, soul transfer technique, sealing jutsu, multiple ninjutsu. Yes! I hit the jackpot.''</em>

    Daichi looked at the various scrolls and immediately used his Observe skill.

    ''<em>Observe''</em>

    <strong>[Human Puppet Technique]</strong>

    <strong>[Used by Sasori initially, this technique converts human bodies into puppets, preserving their unique abilities. Orochimaru''s interest in immortality and the human body and its limits, makes this technique a subject of study.]</strong>

    Daichi looked at the brief information shown and he knew what was looking for would be here.<em>''Sasori was once Orochimaru''s partner. So of course he''d know about Sasori''s modification techniques.''</em>

    <strong>[Cursed Seal Research]</strong>

    <strong>[Orochimaru''s own creation. These seals tap into the user''s body, granting them significant power at the risk of their health or autonomy. These notes contain detailed research on the curse seal used on various test subjects.]</strong>

    ''<em>I''m definitely making a copy of this. That wille in handy in the future.''</em>

    <strong>[Twin Snakes Mutual Death Technique]</strong>

    <strong>[A suicidal technique that kills both the user and the target. While Orochimaru seeks immortality, understanding such techniques was within his interest to either counter them or manipte their principles for his gain.]</strong>

    <strong>[Creation Rebirth and Strength of a Hundred Seals] (Imperfect)</strong>

    <strong>[These techniques were originally developed from understanding Tsunade'' jutsu that grant immense healing powers at the cost of the user''s life force. Orochimaru, with his experiments on the human body and quest for immortality, studied these techniques closely. Due to iplete data, high chakra control needed and poor results Orochimaru discontinued the study of this jutsu.]</strong>

    Daichi''s eyes behind the mask slightly narrowed as he looked at this information.<em>''So this bastard tried to replicate Tsunade sensei''s technique huh. Too bad. Without sensei''s help even I would have had trouble creating that technique.''</em>

    <strong>[Eight Gates Technique](Imperfect)</strong>

    <strong>[This technique is extremely dangerous as it grants temporary, immense power at the cost of severe damage to the user''s body, or even death. Orochimaru''s interest in human limits made this an area of study but after discovering the damaging side effects to the human body, he discontinued his research into this technique]</strong>

    As Daichi looked through the information he suddenly sensed movement of the other two in the building. Daichi concentrated and after a few seconds let out a breath of relief.<em>''It looks like those two are moving outside and guarding the perimeter. A little toote for that guys.''</em>

    Daichi turned his attention back to the blue system messages.

    <strong>[Chimera Technique]</strong>

    <strong>[A technique that allows the user tobine different nts and animals into a single entity. Orochimaru has shown interest in this technique of creating unique and powerful beings. Throughout the years he has improved his skill with this research.]</strong>

    ''<em>I''m guessing he''s used this to create the poison. Orochimaru must have improved this technique and used the product to infect Jin.''</em>

    Daichi kept going and looked through information boxes on various other ninjutsu and techniques.

    <strong>[Documentation of Failed Experiments]</strong>

    <strong>[Orochimaru documented his failures just as meticulously as he documented his sesses. These notes provided insight into the limits of what can be achieved with ninjutsu and the costs of pushing those boundaries and were used to further his various future experiments.]</strong>

    <strong>[Books on Ninja History and Lore]</strong>

    <strong>[Collections of texts detailing the history of the ninja world, the great wars, the founding of the ninja viges, and the tales of legendary figures such as the Sage of the Six Paths, the previous Kages from different viges.]</strong>

    ''<em>I''ll have to take these two as well. Orochimaru has travelled the world. He must have amassed a vast amount of intelligence. I can use that when I travel the world.''</em>

    <strong>[Medical Ninjutsu Texts]</strong>

    <strong>[Advanced medical texts, including forbidden knowledge on body modification, regeneration techniques, and ways to prolong life or cheat death, reflecting his interest in immortality.]</strong>

    The more information his observe showed him the more Daichi decided that he was going to take all the information here with him. He turned his attention to the next information that appeared and his eyes sharpened.

    <strong>[Sealing Jutsu Information]</strong>

    <strong>[Scrolls detailing various sealing techniques, possibly including those capable of sealing away tailed beasts or creating barriers and cursed seals.]</strong>

    <strong>[Notes on the Tailed Beasts]</strong>

    <strong>[Information on the tailed beasts, their jinchuriki, and methods for capturing and controlling them, reflecting Orochimaru''s interest in their immense power.]</strong>

    ''<em>Hell yes. I knew it. Orochimaru even had something like this.''</em>

    <strong>[Research on Nature Transformations]</strong>

    <strong>[Detailed studies on all five basic nature transformations (Fire, Wind, Lightning, Earth, Water) and the more rare and advanced forms such as Ice, Lava, and Wood Release, including attempts to artificially bestow these abilities on others.]</strong>

    ''<em>Come on. Where is it?''.</em>The gamer ninja looked around and used his ''observe'' skill on various items. As he took in therge information he suddenly came upon a small snake statue on the side of the shelf. He used ''observe'' and then grinned seeing the information.

    ''<em>Another hidden room. Should have expected that at this point.''</em>

    Daichi pulled on the snake statue and it acted like a lever. A momentter the walls at the other side of the room parted and torches in that space lit up.

    The disguised Daichi kept an eye on the single person other than him present and noticed that he didn''t move from his spot. The boy sighed and moved to the new open space and looked at the scrolls present.

    ''<em>Observe.''</em>

    <strong>[Soul Transfer Jutsu]</strong>

    <strong>[A jutsu that allows the user to transfer their soul into another body. Orochimaru uses a variant of this technique to extend his life by moving between different host bodies.]</strong>

    <strong>[Summoning - Impure World Reincarnation]</strong>

    <strong>[A Reanimation Jutsu, which Orochimaru refined and used to summon historical figures and enemies for his purposes. The souls that are in the pure realm are forcefully taken and binded with a living human body and will be under themand of the summoner.]</strong>

    The grin on Daichi''s face widened as he looked at one of the most powerful jutsu in the world.<em>''Jackpot!''</em>

    At this moment something spoiled his good mood. He sensed Kimmimaro''s chakra moving and slowly making its way down the building anding towards his location.

    The grin vanished and a frown was on Daichi''s face.<em>''Damn it. Does he know I''m here? Did I trigger something?... Whatever the case, if he causes trouble I''ll have to end him.''</em>

    ��-------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen(No space)

 Chapter 310: Raiding Orochimarus Lab - 01/02

    Chapter 310: Raiding Orochimaru''s Lab - 01/02

    <strong>Orochimaru''s Base - Kimimaro P.O.V.</strong>

    A pale skinned, green eyed teenager was slowly making his forward way along the dimly lit hall. His most distinctive features were the shoulder length white hair and the two scarlet dots present on his forehead.

    Kimimaro was calm as he calmly made his way to his master''s study. He didn''t sense any intruder nor did he sense anything amiss. His reason foring down to that room at this time�� Just because.

    Orochimaru''s trusted bodyguard opened the door to the study and observed every inch. He stepped forward and soon stood in the middle of the room. He looked around and several secondster let out an audible sigh.

    ''<em>Of course there''s no one here. It seems I''m too tense.''</em>

    Nodding to himself and after making sure nothing was out of ce in the room, Kimimaro took a step forward only to feel something strike the back of his skull and a momentter he stumbled and fell to one knee.

    Thud.

    Another secondter he was face down on the ground with a line of drool slowly running down the corner of his lips.

    Thest of the Kaguya couldn''t even form a coherent thought inside his own mind let alone utter a word, make a sound or even mold chakra to protect himself. He only felt the strong vice grip on his head even as hey on the hard floor.The white haired ninja lost his sense of time and soon closed his eyes as he fell unconscious.

    Above the downed Kimimaro the green cloaked man let go of his grip and stood. He made a seal and a shadow clone appeared. The clone transformed into an identical version of the Kaguya n descendant and walked out of the room as if nothing happened.

    <strong>Daichi P.O.V.</strong><strong>A minute ago.</strong>

    The disguised Daichi had his senses focused on Kimimaro''s every step. The second Daichi sensed Kimimaroing his way, he closed the hidden room and made sure everything was the way it was, before hiding himself in the darkness.

    The gamer ninja was going through several scenarios of his encounter with one of Orochimaru''s most loyal men.

    ''<em>There is no way he should know I''m here right now. Unless opening that hidden room alerted him somehow but that possibility is very small. It must be a coincidence or just bad timing. Regardless�� What should I do with him?''</em>

    The Leaf Genin''s brain was working through multiple variations of his encounter with the teen.<em>''I could hide and he would never be able to find me. This is a stealth mission so I should avoid conflict at all costs and make sure not to get myself dispelled beforepleting my assignments.''</em>

    Daichi''s keen senses picked up the low sounds of footsteps. Kimimaro was getting closer.<em>''But this guy is someone in that snake''s inner circle. He would definitely know what really happened and where sensei is. If I can get the information from him then hopefully I''ll be able to save those two before anything bad happens. And killing this guy would definitely reduce the strength of Orochimaru''s force.''</em>

    The eyes behind the mask narrowed as Daichi pondered on that course of action. But suddenly another thought stopped Daichi.<em>''What if Orochimaru finds out that he''s dead? He didn''t have a way to know when the Sound four died in canon but I shouldn''t take that chance. What if he ced some seal on them? If I kill Kimimaro here and now and Orochimaru finds out, then he could cut his losses and there is a possibility of sensei''s death.''</em>

    The new problem brought a frown to the face behind the cloak.<em>''Killing him is out of the question. At least till sensei and Shizune senpai are safe. But letting him go is uneptable. He would definitely have valuable intel... It seems I''ll have to use that technique.''</em>

    Having made up his mind, Daichi waited till Kimimaro was right out the door. The green cloaked man turned invisible just before the door opened and no trace of him could be found. The hidden Daichi clenched his fist as he looked at the white haired ninja. But he was able to keep his emotions under control thanks to the Gamer''s mind skill. Not even a whiff of his intent showed.

    He looked at Kimimaro who observes the room and as Daichi expected, the Kaguya wasn''t able to find him. Just as the white haired teen turned around and was ready to leave, Daichi silently moved from his position and was already behind him.

    He was ready to use the new Mana technique he had developed.

    <strong>[Mana Mind Shock - Active (LV. 04): This skill allows the user to send arge concentrated pulse of Mana energy directly into the brain of the target to disorient and even render the target unconscious. This skill can bypass chakra barriers around the skull of the target if there is any. ]</strong>

    <strong>[Note: The user must be in contact with the head of the target to send a pulse. Can only be used once every 31 hours.]</strong>

    <strong>[Effects: Disorient and can even render the target unconscious with a high concentration of Mana energy.</strong>

    <strong>MP Cost: 3270 MP.]</strong>

    <strong>[Skill Mana Mind Shock has leveled up]</strong>

    The disguised Daichi looked at the unconscious ninja and felt no sympathy or mercy for him.<em>''Time to find out what you know.''</em>

    Daichi knelt and grabbed the back of the ninja''s head again and used the Mind Drain ability.

    After 5 seconds of physical contact the skill Mind Drain was activated. This skill had the ability to permanently increase Daichi''s Wisdom and Intelligence stats and it also had the ability to transfer some knowledge and information possessed by the target.

    <strong>[2 Intelligence]</strong>

    <strong>[1 Wisdom]</strong>

    <strong>[1 Intelligence]</strong>

    As his stats increased Daichi also began to receive certain memories from his target. The images and the conversation that came to Daichi''s mind made his blood boil in anger. His grip on Kimimaro''s head became tighter and a crack was heard in the otherwise silent room.

    <strong>[Skill Gamer''s Mind has activated]</strong>

    Due to the Mind Drain skill, Daichi received the memories of Orochimaru''s attack on his teacher and it was as if he was there and saw what had happened.

    Daichi let out a few deep breaths of air to try and calm himself and he looked at the man on the ground with fury.<em>''This bastard. I''m definitely not going to spare any of you. Once sensei is safe you''re all dead.''</em>

    <strong>[2 Wisdom]</strong>

    <strong>[1 Intelligence]</strong>

    The gamer ninja kept using the drain skill in the hopes of getting information on where Tsunade and Shizune were being kept. As he was hoping for a miracle he came across another piece of information that almost made him curse out loud.

    ''<em>Damn it. Orochimaru erased his memory of that information. This guy only knows that there is a hiddenboratory but he doesn''t know where. That snake is being too careful.''</em>

    Daichi kept up the use of his Mana skill and came upon several other pieces of information that were very valuable to him. Several minutester Daichi stood from his spot and gazed at the unconscious man.

    He used ''observe'' on Kimimaro and got to thest part of the information box.

    <strong>[His brain has received a powerful shock from Mana energy and now his mental energy has beenpletely drained. Kimimaro is now in aa and will not be able to wake up for at least 51 hours no matter what.</strong>

    <strong>Current Status: Vegetativea]</strong>

    ''<em>So this is the aftermath of using Mind Drain on a living human huh. It''s just as I hypothesized�� Hmm�� No seals have been triggered. And my quest didn''t say I failed. So that''s good. This changes my ns. It seems I''ll have to stick around for a couple more days. No matter what, this whole mess will have an end in a few days. But whether that ends in Orochimaru''s victory or sensei''s rescue��''</em>

    "You''re all dead. Enjoy your sleep Kimimaro. It''s yourst." Daichi looked at the unconscious Kaguya and spoke.

    The gamer ninja moved the body of the white haired teen to the corner of the room and he opened Orochimaru''s hidden storage room once more.

    ''<em>Before I got here the n was to infiltrate the location, and make a copy of the most important jutsus and leave but now�� I don''t need to waste time copying these. I can take everything here and create my own library.''</em>

    Daichi took a pill from his scroll and downed it. It was a chakra pill he specifically created to help in emergencies. The disguised Leaf Genin let out a deep breath and made 4 shadow clones. All of them were in the disguised form.

    He turned one of them and nodded and the next second, that clone dispelled. It was a way to update his original on the ongoing situation.<em>''I really should make a bettermunication method.''</em>

    He turned to the second one and spoke. "You know what to do. Memorize every portion of the reanimation jutsu. Every word, every seal. Once you have it done, store the scroll in inventory and practice. Something tells me we''ll need it sooner than we think. We need to understand and level up that jutsu."

    "Yeah. I got it." The clone nodded and went to pick up one of the more dangerous forbidden ninjutsu in the world. He used ''observe'' and after making sure everything was safe he took the scroll and opened it.

    The main clone turned to the remaining two. "This whole room is a treasure trove. Take everything. But make sure you don''t trigger any traps. There may be seals around to stop just this kind of thing. I''m heading to the other side of theb to collect the gic materials."

    The two clones nodded and got to work as the main clone left the room.<em>''This trip yielded such good results. Forbidden ninjutsu, Reanimation jutsu, Notes on curse seals, forbidden body modification techniques, body control techniques, soul transfer jutsu and valuable information of all great nations. I''ll be taking all the information and data you''ve collected, Orochimaru. This is the least I should do considering what you did.''</em>

    ��-

    It wasn''t long before Daichi was on the other side of Orochimaru''s underground hideout. He was standing in front of a vault and after studying it for several minutes nodded in understanding. He quickly began making the seals he learned from Kimimaro and the moment the final seal was made the handle on the vault door started rotating and the door opened.

    Daichi looked around and observed everything before taking a step inside. The room was muchrger than the previous study and it contained several advanced medical equipment used for experimentation and gic sample storage.

    "Holy Shit!" Daichi couldn''t help but exim to himself. Some of the most advanced and cutting edge machines were present in that room.

    ''<em>Observe''.</em>Daichi looked at a machine and used his information gathering skill.

    <strong>[Ultra-Low Temperature (ULT) Freezers]</strong>

    <strong>[For long-term preservation of blood samples, ULT freezers can maintain temperatures between -40C to -80C, ensuring the stability of DNA, RNA, and other cellrponents. Currently contains gic samples from dozens of ninjas from around the world.]</strong>

    Daichi''s eyes locked in on that machine and quickly came near it. He pressed the switch on the side and the top lid slid open and cold misty air flowed out and low temp lights turned on inside the machine.

    Daichi looked at the numerous small containers and used Observe again.

    <strong>[Gic Samples]</strong>

    <strong>[Preserved gic material from various shinobi, including samples from rare Kekkei Genkai users.]</strong>

    The gamer ninja couldn''t stop his curiosity and used ''Observe'' skill on the containers.

    <strong>[Gic sample of Kimimaro Kaguya]</strong>

    <strong>[A gic sample of someone from a n that is nearly extinct due to their ferocity and penchant for war. Their Kekkei Genkai, Shikotsumyaku, allowed them to manipte their skeletal structure to create weapons and armor from their bones, making them formidable opponents in closebat.]</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>[Gic sample of Kamizuru n]</strong>

    <strong>[Contains multiple gic samples of a n known for their Bee Techniques, which involve manipting bees for various purposes, including reconnaissance andbat. Though not famous or powerful, their unique abilities were of interest to Orochimaru.]</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>[Gic samples of Explosion Corps]</strong>

    <strong>[While not a n, the Explosion Corps of Hidden Stone Vige specialize in using Explosion Release, a Kekkei Genkai thatbines earth and lightning elements to create explosive attacks. This ability is rare and highly destructive and this made it a valuable addition to Orochimaru''s collection.]</strong>

    ''<em>Mmmhmp. Yeah. I''m taking this.''</em>Without wasting another second Daichi unplugged the machine and took the whole thing and shoved it into his inventory space.

    He then looked around and nodded to himself. "Yep. I''m definitely taking everything not nailed down and I''m taking a crowbar to the bitch that is."

    ''<em>My quest says to infiltrate the ce and to keep my true identity a secret. I''m pretty sure this won''t conflict with that.''</em>

    The boy looked around and found another machine simr to the one he had just taken.

    <strong>[Liquid Nitrogen Storage Systems]</strong>

    <strong>[For cryopreservation, liquid nitrogen storage systems can keep samples at temperatures as low as -196C, ideal for preserving whole cells or blood samples for extended periods without degrading their gic material.]</strong>

    He quickly opened it and saw several test tubes filled with blood. He used observe skill on the contents and information made his eyes widen.

    <strong>[Gic sample of Hashirama Senju]</strong>

    <strong>[Known for his unique Wood Release abilities and his ability to heal wounds without forming seals. His DNA is highly coveted for its rare and powerful nature. This is a sample Orochimaru has taken from the vault in the Leaf vige.]</strong>

    ''<em>A pure blood sample of the First Hokage. Hell yeah. I can create so many things with this.''</em>

    Daichi continued and looked down the list.

    <strong>[Gic sample of Tobirama Senju]</strong>

    <strong>[Recognized for his creation of numerous jutsu, including the Reanimation Jutsu. His water maniption abilities were also among the best. This is a sample Orochimaru has taken from the vault in the Leaf vige.]</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>[Gic sample of Hiruzen Sarutobi]</strong>

    <strong>[Known as the "Professor," Hiruzen had knowledge of all the techniques in Konoha. His mastery over all five basic nature transformations and Yin and Yang Release made his gic material valuable. This is a gic sample Orochimaru acquired from the Leaf hospital several years ago.]</strong>

    Daichi frowned as he looked at thest statement in the blue box.

    ''<em>A sample from the hospital huh. So either Orochimaru paid the hospital a visit without anybody knowing or someone supplied this to him.''</em>

    He quietly sighed and moved on to the next one.

    <strong>[Gic sample of Minato Namikaze]</strong>

    <strong>[Famous for his Flying Thunder God Technique, a space-time ninjutsu that allowed him to teleport to any location marked with his special seal. His exceptional speed and sealing techniques were also noteworthy. Orochimaru acquired this sample during his time as a Leaf Shinobi.]</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>[Gic sample of Tsunade Senju ]</strong>

    <strong>[Known for her extraordinary medical ninjutsu and superhuman strength, thanks to her mastery over the Mitotic Regeneration technique, which granted her rapid healing abilities. This sample was acquired shortly before Orochimaru left the Leaf vige.]</strong>

    Daichi frowned as he looked at the blood sample.<em>''I should destroy this�� but not now. Her blood along with theirs might be the key to finallypleting that quest.''</em>

    The boy looked at the next sample and sighed.<em>''So he kept them all together huh.''</em>

    <strong>[Gic sample of Dan Kato]</strong>

    <strong>[Known for his spirit transformation technique, which allowed his spirit to temporarily leave his body and fight. Dan''s unique abilities and his rtion to Tsunade, one of the legendary Sannin made his gic material of particr interest to Orochimaru.]</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>[Gic sample of Nawaki Senju]</strong>

    <strong>[As the younger brother of Tsunade and the grandson of the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, Nawaki inherited the Senju''s strong will and dream of bing Hokage. Although he died young and his abilities were not fully shown, his Senju lineage makes his blood valuable for its gic potential rted to Hashirama''s extraordinary abilities.]</strong>

    ''<em>Orochimaru had both Nawaki and Dan''s blood samples. Did he suspect something or is this just a coincidence?''</em>

    Not willing to waste time pondering on the answer, Daichi took his next course of action. He locked the liquid nitrogen storage machine and quickly stored it in his inventory. The boy looked around with a big grin on his face.

    ''<em>This must have cost that snake a pretty penny. Thank you for the donation, you snake. I''ll make sure to put all these to better use.''</em>

    Daichi used his information gathering skill on the other machines and items in the room and the grin on his face only widened.

    --------------------

    Author''s Note.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen(No space)

 Chapter 311: Raiding Orochimarus Lab - 02/02

    Chapter 311: Raiding Orochimaru''s Lab - 02/02

    <strong>Leaf Vige: Training Ground 3.</strong>

    Daichi was under a tree sitting crossed legged and meditating. At least that''s what it would look like to anyone who saw him. He received new memories from his clone less than a minute ago and was currently reviewing them.

    ''<em>So Kimimaro is under custody huh. That''s good. Based on the information my clone was able to take from him, the other two in the base are Jirobo and Kidomaru. So that means the rest of sound Five are with Tsunade and Shizune. Maybe even Kabuto is there��''</em>

    Daichi''s eyes slightly closed tighter as he decided to focus on his clone''s mission.<em>''It seems my initial n of copying the jutsu and leaving is now out of the question. This was supposed to be a stealth mission. No one was supposed to know I was even there to begin with�� Well it doesn''t matter. I dealt with the cards I have. My clone doesn''t have much Mana left. He can''t use the Mana mind shock again so if he encounters any other enemies he''ll have to kill them.''</em>

    A couple meters away his teacher was leaning on a wooden stump and reading his favorite literature. Even though Kakashi was reading he couldn''t help but take a nce at Daichi every now and then.

    Finally he decided to break the silence. "You''re quiet." He spoke in a soft tone and saw Daichi opening his eyes.

    The Genin looked at the silver haired man with a raised eyebrow and Kakashi sighed. "Even more than usual."

    "I have a lot on my mind."

    Kakashi looked at the boy and gave a small nod. "I thought you''d want to train. You know to take your mind off everything.""Right now I''m not in the mood to train and meditation is helping me focus and calm my mind."

    Kakashi closed his book and stood straight. "Then you should get some sleep Daichi. You''ve had a long day. Go home."

    "I doubt I''d be getting any sleep tonight�� But I suppose you''re right." Daichi let out a long breath of air and stood.<em>''I''ll also need to keep an eye on everything happening with my clones.''</em>

    Just before Daichi left he turned to his teacher and held a serious gaze. "If anything newes up, please inform me. I want to be kept in the loop."

    Kakashi looked at the boy and after a few moments of silence gave a short nod. Daichi nodded his head and vanished with the body flicker jutsu.

    The gamer ninja soon reached home and made his way to the backyard. As he opened his inventory he found dozens of new scrolls and books.

    As Daichi looked in his storage space, he saw a couple new unexpected items as well. He looked at the details of the items and his eyes widened in shock.

    ''<em>Ultra low temperature freezers? Liquid nitrogen Storage systems? What the hell? Did my clone decide to rob the whole ce?''</em>

    Daichi smirked as he thought about the situation.<em>''Orochimaru''s going to be in hell of surprise when he returns.''</em>

    ��-

    <strong>Land of Sound: Orochimaru''s base.</strong>

    The clone looked around therge room and used ''Observe'' on everything his eyes fell on.

    <strong>[Experimentation Chambers]</strong>

    <strong>[Secure chambers for conducting experiments, often with restraints and monitoring equipment for observing test subjects.]</strong>

    Daichi looked at the chamber and saw seals covering several areas of the room.<em>''I can''t even imagine how many people have died in this room.''</em>

    <strong>[Medical Equipments]</strong>

    <strong>[Advanced medical tools for performing surgeries and biological experiments, including microscopes, surgical tools, and healing ointments.]</strong>

    ''<em>Yeah, I''m taking all that.''</em>Daichi took the small shelf containing numerous medical tools and ced them in his inventory.

    He then looked around and saw a slightlyrger area with several seals drawn on the floor.

    <strong>[Summoning Area]</strong>

    <strong>[A space dedicated to summoning jutsu with pre-drawn summoning circles and materials for blood contracts.]</strong>

    Daichi saw several blood stains on the ground in the summoning area and he could hypothesize a guess.<em>''That snake must have used his summons to dispose of corpses with no further use. Brutal but I suppose it''s effective.''</em>

    Daichi''s eyes fell on another shelf that held various ss jars with different colored liquids in them.

    <strong>[Chemicals and Poisons]</strong>

    <strong>[A variety of chemicals, poisons, and antidotes, showcasing Orochimaru''s knowledge in toxicology. Among these are dozens of new poisons Orochimaru created using snake venom.]</strong>

    ''<em>If I didn''t have my gamer abilities, studying these would have taken years.''</em>Daichi didn''t waste time and stored them in his space without another thought.

    Daichi took everything of value in thatb and nodded in satisfaction. The once fully equippedb was now stripped naked.

    Just then the clone received memories from the ones in Orochimaru''s study.<em>''Detailed notes on Gics and information on the otherbs here. That saves some time.''</em>

    Daichi decided to move to the next base Orochimaru had hidden in thend of Rice Paddies and quickly disappeared from his spot.

    ��-

    Daichi bypassed several guards standing outside the base and soon entered the secondboratory he could find. The equipments in the room was just as advanced as the ones in the mainb.

    ''<em>How is he getting the funding for all this? To create so manybs and ship these equipment here. If his otherbs are just like this then it must have cost him the wealth of a small nation. How did no one trace the purchase and movement of materials like this?''</em>

    ''<em>Observe''</em>

    <strong>[Incubators with CO2 Regtion]</strong>

    <strong>[For growing and maintaining cell cultures that are being gically modified or used in experiments, ensuring they have the right conditions for growth and survival.]</strong>

    Daichi opened the Incubator and saw a sealed tray with a cell culture.

    <strong>[Gic sample of Shin]</strong>

    <strong>[Shin is one of the many test subjects under Orochimaru. However, what truly sets Shin apart is his unique gic makeup that allows his body to ept any transnt without rejection. He can integrate any foreign tissue or organ into his body seamlessly, effectively making him a perfect vessel for Orochimaru''s experiments in seeking immortality and mastering all jutsu. Orochimaru, fascinated by Shin''s adaptability, would likely conduct a series of experiments aimed at unlocking the secrets behind Shin''s unique ability to ept and adapt to any foreign gic material.]</strong>

    There were several stacks of documents on a nearby table. Daichi opened the folder and saw the photo of a young Shin on the front page. The young medic read the notes and was shocked at how far Orochimaru hade in the field of biotechnology and Gene Mapping.

    Nearby, in another medical equipment Daichi saw 2partments with cells and organs inside.

    "Observe."

    <strong>[Synthesized cells for Gene Mapping and Analysis]</strong>

    <strong>[Subject: Shin]</strong>

    <strong>[Orochimaru started by mapping out Shin''s genome to identify any gic markers or anomalies that contribute to his extraordinary adaptability. This involvedparing his DNA with that of individuals from various ns, especially those known for unique Kekkei genkai, to understand how Shin''s body recognizes and integrates foreign DNA.]</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>[Extracted Tissue and Organs for Transnt Experiments]</strong>

    <strong>[Primary Subject: Shin]</strong>

    <strong>[By transnting tissues and organs from various shinobi with unique abilities into subjects with and without simr adaptability to Shin, Orochimaru could observe the oues. Sess in these experiments led to breakthroughs in creating synthetic bodies or vessels that could harness multiple Kekkei Genkai.]</strong>

    Daichi reread thest part in the system information box.

    ''<em>Sess in these experiments led to breakthroughs in creating synthetic bodies or vessels that could harness multiple Kekkei Genkai�� Wait a minute.''</em>

    In that instant a figure came to Daichi''s mind.<em>''Danzo''s arm. It wasposed of Senju blood and Sharingan. Is it possible that Orochimaru had sess withbining other bloodlines?''</em>

    Daichi looked at the papers documenting the experiments done on Shin and one page suddenly caught his attention. He read the notes written by Orochimaru about his observations of the boy.

    Chakra Nature Adaptation Studies: Subject''s unique physiology positively affects his ability to adapt to and manipte different chakra natures and Kekkei Genkai. This involved rigorous training sessions under controlled environments, where Shin is exposed to various chakra types and tasked with mastering them. Further testing under extreme conditions are required for more in-depth analysis.

    The gamer ninja couldn''t help but sigh as he looked at the data.<em>''If his blood was used in the right way it could be used to create a cure for many fatal diseases.''</em>

    Daichi turned the page and the information on the next paper proved his hypothesis correct.

    Immune Response Maniption: A key aspect of Shin''s ability is his immune system''s tolerance to foreign gic material. I have manipted the immune response in other subjects, attempting to replicate Shin''s tolerance involving gic editing, viral vectors to introduce specific genes, or even creating a serum based on Shin''s blood. But there hasn''t been much sess.

    Daichi turned to the next page and a frown formed on his face as he read the information.

    Cloning and Mass Production: Attempt to clone Shin and create beings with Shin''s gic makeup is sessful. Will need to conduct further tests to see if it''s possible to create a new Kekkei Genkai in the clone body. The final objective would be to produce an army of shinobi who can adapt to any Kekkei Genkai.

    ''<em>If Orochimaru is able to mass produce clones with special bloodlines then we''re all fucked.''</em>

    Daichi didn''t wait another second and started shoving everything from notes tob equipment into his inventory. Once the whole ce was empty the disguised Daichi moved on.

    ��-

    Locating the hiddenbs was not as difficult as Daichi expected. He was able to easily get past the patrol ninjas who were oblivious to his presence. Daichi made sure to not fall into any hidden boobytraps or seals that were ced.

    It took almost an half an hour but he was inside the thirdboratory hidden underground. As he looked around, Daichi found another cryopreservation system and he opened it. He immediately used Observe and the Gic samples stored inside surprised the boy.

    <strong>[Gic sample of A (Third Raikage)]</strong>

    <strong>[Known for his physical durability and lightning-fast speed, A was considered one of the strongest Raikage in Hidden Cloud''s history. His Lightning Release and Hell Stab were particrly feared.]</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>[Gic sample of Third Kazekage]</strong>

    <strong>[Known for his unique ability to use Iron Sand, the most feared weapon in Hidden Sand''s history. He modeled this technique after the Jinch��riki of Shukaku before him, creating weapons from sand mixed with iron powder. His ability to manipte maic fields made his Iron Sand techniques versatile and deadly.]</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>[Gic sample of Kushina Uzumaki]</strong>

    <strong>[Known for her incredibly strong life force, sealing techniques, and chakra reserves. The Uzumaki''s ability to recover from injuries and perform jutsu that requirerge amounts of chakra makes their gic material exceptionally valuable.]</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>[Gic Sample of Itachi Uchiha]</strong>

    <strong>[A member of the Uchiha n and as such is known for his strong genjutsu and visual prowess. His ability to awaken the Mangeky�� Sharingan, granting unique abilities drew Orochimaru to obtain his blood.]</strong>

    ''<em>I didn''t know he had blood samples of the Third Raikage and Kushina. He must have gotten the Raikage''s blood after his death somehow. And Kushina''s while he was still in the vige.''</em>

    Daichi sighed and took all the samples. He looked at the nearby machines and used his skill.

    ''<em>Observe''</em>

    <strong>[Refrigerated Centrifuges]</strong>

    <strong>[Before storing blood samples, it''s often necessary to centrifuge them under cold conditions to separate sma, serum, or otherponents withoutpromising their integrity.]</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>[Automated Cell Counters and Analyzers]</strong>

    <strong>[To assess the quality and quantity of cells before and after preservation, automated systems can provide vital information about cell viability and concentration.]</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>[PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) Machines]</strong>

    <strong>[Essential for amplifying DNA sequences, making it easier to study small samples by generating thousands to millions of copies of a particr DNA sequence.]</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>[DNA Sequencers]</strong>

    [Used for sequencing the DNA, allowing scientists to understand its exact makeup. High-throughput sequencers can sequence entire genomes quickly and efficiently.]

    ''<em>These PCR and DNA sequences are even more advanced than the ones in the Fire Capital hospital. Where did Orochimaru even get these? I need to look into this when I get the time.''</em>

    <strong>[Electrophoresis Equipment]</strong>

    <strong>[Utilized for DNA, RNA, and protein separation based on size and charge, critical for analyzing molecrponents.]</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>[Microarray Scanners]</strong>

    <strong>[For gene expression analysis, these scanners allow researchers to understand the expression levels of thousands of genes simultaneously.]</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>[Flow Cytometers]</strong>

    <strong>[Used for cell counting, cell sorting, and biomarker detection, providing detailed analysis of cell poptions.]</strong>

    Daichi moved around the machines and removed the protection seals as he noted the information his system showed him. He stored them one by one and made sure not to disturb the contents inside the machine as he did so.

    <strong>[Centrifuges]</strong>

    <strong>[Essential for the separation of fluids, gas, or liquid, based on density. Ultracentrifuges are used for more detailed molecr biology work.]</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>[Incubators and Growth Chambers]</strong>

    <strong>[For culturing cells and tissues under controlled conditions, essential for experiments requiring specific temperatures, humidity, and atmosphericposition.]</strong>

    "Yeah. I''m gonna need to build a really bigb to fit all this." Daichi spoke to himself as he took the incubation chamber and safely stored it in his system space.

    The Gamer ninja looked around and began plundering the rest of theb. Soon there was nothing left but a giant empty space.

    Daichi closed the door to theb behind him and disappeared. Around an hourter he found another hidden base and was soon inside theb. The moment he opened the door arge tank caught his eye and what was inside the tank made him freeze.

    ��--------------

    Author''s Note

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen(No space)

 Chapter 312: Tailed Beast Chakra

    Chapter 312: Tailed Beast Chakra

    <strong>Hidden Leaf vige - 10:30 pm.</strong>

    <strong>The Leaf Aviary.</strong>

    The Leaf Aviary is the location where messenger birds such as hawks, special summon sparrows deliver important messages. The aviary is a circr building built into the top of a tree with a spiral staircase.

    Two Chunin ninjas were keeping a close watch on the skies above. The cool wind made one of them yawn.

    "Man, I''m so tired. We''re just standing here doing nothing. It''s soo boring. It''s making me sleepy." The chunin who spoke was a young man in histe teens while the other was a much older man nearing his thirties. He had a much more serious demeanor than his younger teammate.

    "Focus. Several scouting teams have been sent this morning. We should be hearing back from them soon."

    The teenager looked at the older man and just sighed.

    Seeing the look the older ninja spoke. "You''re new here aren''t you."

    Seeing the silence of the teenager, the older man continued."This may look tedious but our work is just as important as anyone else''s. We need to correctly interpret any messages we receive and send it to the tower as quickly as possible. If we fail in our task and vital information is not delivered on time, it could have serious consequences."

    The younger Chunin sighed and decided not to argue. He turned his attention back to the night sky and soon spotted a brown hawk making its way towards them. The older man quickly spotted the avian creature as well and they both stood alert.

    The moment the hawknded the older ninja took the scroll tied to its leg and gave it to the younger man. Just as he was about to speak he saw another hawk flying towards them. It quicklynded in front of them and raised its left leg. Without any dy the younger chunin took the second sealed scroll tied to the hawks legs.

    "Take these to the analysis team. Go."

    With a quick nod the teenager vanished and made his way to the cryptanalysis team.

    <strong>Hokage Tower.</strong>

    Shortly after Kakashi gave his report and left and Hiruzen had his rest, he was once again at his desk going through the numerous reports piled up in front of him. Even though his eyes were on the papers in front of him his mind was elsewhere.

    The images of Tsunade and Orochimaru popped up and Hiruzen remembered thest time he saw his student.

    The old kage closed his eyes and exhaled as if to get rid of the haunting memories. At that moment the image of another student appeared in his head.

    ''<em>Hurry Jiraiya. I need your help on this matter.''</em>

    Suddenly the door opened, jolting the kage from his thoughts and a Chunin rushed inside. "Sir, I have news."

    Hiruzen recognized the young Chunin as a member of the cryptanalysis team. He also saw several documents in the young ninja''s hands.

    He gave a nod and the Chunin began his report. "Reports from the Reconnaissance Teams areing in. We just received intel from squad 2 and 6. They''ve investigated the locations assigned to them and have confirmed sightings of Orochimaru''s hideouts. These are the blueprints they drew up. There are also several mercenary ninjas guarding the hideouts."

    The Chunin handed the Hokage the documents in his hands and Hiruzen quickly started going through them. His eyes narrowed as he looked at the key information.

    ''<em>The base squad 6 found is near a small town. A total of 23 enemies are guarding the hideout. If a direct confrontation happens there it''ll cause panic among the people. These mercenaries could also use them as hostages if they get their hands on civilians. No identifying clothes or gear that would point them to a Hidden vige.''</em>

    Hiruzen looked at the blueprint created thanks to the Hyuga on the team and swiftly studied it.<em>''Several hidden floors and deepest level is hidden behind seals blocking the Byakugan.''</em>

    The old kage turned to the document sent from squad 2 and he read somewhat simr information.<em>''A team of 21 ninjas are guarding the location. This base has several tunnels underground leading to different locations but obstruction seals are blocking the way.''</em>

    Hiruzen leaned back in his chair and turned his gaze back to the chunin in front of him. "Make sure Shikaku gets a copy of these reports."

    "Yes sir."

    "Dismissed."

    Once the Chunin left the room, Hiruzen looked up at the ceiling as he tapped a finger on the desk.<em>''Assuming the other bases are of simr state, then arge force is required to attack them head on. A direct confrontation will cause chaos if the other hideouts are located near any towns. Infiltration and assassination squads are better suited for this task�� Hmm�� Then again this could also be an opportunity for me to do that.''</em>

    A total of seven squads were deployed in the morning at 10:30 and now by around midnight, reports areing in from all of them.

    Hiruzen looked at the reports from all the reconnaissance teams as he smoked his pipe.<em>''All of them have around two dozen ninjas guarding them. And none of the teams could detect Tsunade, Shizune, Orochimaru or even Kabuto''s presence in any of these locations.''</em>

    The old man let out a smokey breath and clenched his fist.<em>''Daichi might be right. This might just be a waste of time�� I wonder what he''s doing now. I doubt he''s sleeping.''</em>

    <strong>Kensei''s Home.</strong>

    <strong>Approximately 1 am. March 22.</strong>

    Daichi was in his room taking out the numerous scrolls, documents and books from his inventory seconds after his clones stored them.

    ''<em>So many books, jutsu scrolls and files. My inventory would be filled up if I don''t do anything. I can keep the medical equipments and storage tanks in the inventory but I''ll have to take out everything else and store it in a separate scroll.''</em>

    Daichi looked at the total slots avable and smiled.<em>''Each level up gives me an additional 7 inventory slots. Right now since I''m at level 62 I have 434 spaces avable. Still, it''s a good thing I removed all non essential items from my storage space just for this asion.''</em>

    The Genin looked at all the scrolls and books piled up in front of him and had a small smile.<em>''It will only take a short while for me to get through all this but to do research�� That''ll be much more time consuming.''</em>

    Just then Daichi was taken aback by another thought and he chuckled to himself.<em>''I never would have thought I''d be a scientist when I first woke up here. Here I am in the Naruto world and I''m excited at the prospect of learning more about the human body and research�� How hrious��''</em>

    Just then Daichi received new memories from his clone and the smile on his face widened.<em>''I wasn''t sure if he put that thing in hisb in the Land of Sound but I''m d. This will certainly elerate my ns.''</em>

    ��-

    <strong>Daichi''s disguised clone.</strong>

    As it infiltrated Orochimaru''s fourth hideout he sensed a powerful chakraing from deep within their. Daichi moved forward avoiding all traps and obstacles and soon reached a dead end. Daichi observed the wall and noted a miniscule amount of chakra running through it in a unique pattern.

    ''<em>Hidden barrier seal.''</em>

    Daichi had raised his sealing skills enough to get through and understand almost all sealing ninjutsu. He was able to quickly decipher the counter jutsu and quickly made several hand seals.

    The moment he made the final hand seal, a round sealing pattern appeared on the wall and Daichi touched the seal with his index finger. The next moment an opening appeared in the wall and it expanded creating a round doorway.

    Daichi stepped through and saw that the whole room had a dark green tint. He immediately noticed severalrge tanks filled with fluid of some kind. A momentter one particr tank caught his eye.

    ''<em>No way. That''s��''</em>His eyes narrowed and he walked towards therge container that caught his attention.

    ''<em>Yup. It definitely is��''</em>

    Here, amidst an array of arcane equipment and chakra-infused apparatuses, lies the cultivation of a marvel.<em>The Horn of the 8 tails.</em>

    ''<em>Observe.''</em>

    <strong>[Cultivated horn of the Eight-Tails, Gy��ki]</strong>

    <strong>[The horn, originally a formidable appendage of the mighty Tailed Beast, now finds itself in a new incarnation. Under Orochimaru''s meticulous care, it has been transformed into a living, pulsating tissue, brimming with the raw, untamed chakra of Gy��ki. This is not merely a replication of biological matter but an enhancement, an evolution of its innate properties facilitated by the fusion of chakra, science and gic engineering.]</strong>

    Daichi walked forward and he couldn''t help but ce a hand on the ss of the tank.

    ''<em>Knowing that he cultivated this is one thing but to see it in person�� I can feel powerful, extraordinary chakra from this horn. Unbelievable. How did he create such a thing?''</em>

    Daichi looked around the room and soon found arge table filled with stacks of papers. He walked over and started going through each and every one of them as quickly as he could. Before he had a rough understanding of the cultivation method.

    ''<em>So that''s how it is. The process began with the istion of viable cells from the scraps of the horn. And every step after needed unparalleled precision. Orochimaru employed a mixture of enzymatic digestion and chakra maniption to separate and prepare the cells for cultivation. That ensured that their vitality and chakra potential were not only preserved but augmented.''</em>

    Daichi''s eyes narrowed as another question popped in his head.<em>''But for all this he would have needed a powerful bio chamber-''</em>

    The Genin immediately turned around and turned his attention to therge tank.<em>''Observe.''</em>

    <strong>[Modified Bioreactor]</strong>

    <strong>[Forrger-scale cloning applications, bioreactors provide a controlled environment for growing cells or tissues that are being cloned, ensuring they receive the right amounts of nutrients and gasses. This specially designed bioreactor is made to cultivate the cells from the horn of the 8 tails and preserve it. This environment, saturated with a meticulously formted growth medium, simtes the natural chakra flows of the Eight-Tails'' body, promoting not just cell growth but chakra maturation. Orochimaru''s design allows for the maniption of chakra nature and intensity, guiding the developing tissue towards desired characteristics.]</strong>

    ''<em>No matter how much I despise him, it''s undeniable that Orochimaru is one of the most gifted scientists in this world. The process, knowledge and constant care needed to cultivate this��''</em>

    "It''s a shame you decided to go after my teacher, Orochimaru. If you hadn''t�� who knows. Maybe we could have been colleagues in the future." Daichi couldn''t help but speak softly. He sighed and slightly shook his head.

    The Genin then looked back at the papers in his hands and read the observations and end results.

    <em>The result of this intricate process is a horn tissue unlike any other. Visually, it retains the intimidating appearance and characteristic of the Eight-Tails and its texture and sheen suggest a vitality that is almost equal to its original form. Functionally, the tissue demonstrates remarkable properties: enhanced regenerative capabilities, a chakra conductivity that could potentially amplify or alter jutsu cast through it, and a resilience bordering on the indestructible.</em>

    <em>Potential Applications -</em>

    <em>Possibilities include grafting onto a living being to enhance their chakra capacity and physical prowess, using it as a core for creating new weapons or artifacts of immense power, or further experimentation towards creating synthetic beings with Tailed Beast-like abilities.</em>

    Daichi stored the notes and files in his inventory and looked around theb. He noticed multiple new machines and immediately used his information gathering skill.

    <strong>[Automated Cell Culture Systems]</strong>

    <strong>[These systems are crucial for cloning as they can automate the process of growing cells in culture, ensuring consistency and reducing the risk of contamination.]</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>[Micromaniptors]</strong>

    <strong>[Used in conjunction with microscopes for manipting cells and cellrponents, essential for procedures like nuclear transfer in somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT), amon cloning technique.]</strong>

    Daichi looked to the side and saw a tank filled with just fluids.<em>''That must be the base culture medium.''</em>

    <strong>[Nutritional Fluids for Cloning Chambers]</strong>

    <strong>[The nutritional fluids, often referred to as culture media or growth media, are crucial for the survival and growth of cloned cells or tissues. These fluids contain a mix of -</strong>

    <strong>Essential Nutrients which include amino acids, vitamins, minerals, and glucose, to support cellr metabolism and growth.</strong>

    <strong>Growth factors: Protein-based substances that y a critical role in cell division and development.</strong>

    <strong>Antibiotics which prevent bacterial contamination without harming the cells.</strong>

    <strong>Buffering Agents which maintain the pH at a suitable level for cell growth.</strong>

    <strong>Serum: Often fetal bovine serum (FBS) is used, providing additional growth factors and nutrients.</strong>

    <strong>Specific formtions can vary based on the type of cell or tissue being cloned.]</strong>

    ''<em>He can''t use the same growth medium for all experiments. So he must have modified this fluid ording to the nature of the cells�� Can''t waste anymore time looking at all these.''</em>

    The tanks in thisb wererge but thankfully Daichi knew he could store them safely in his storage space.<em>''It''s a good thing I tested the size and weight of the objects I could store in my inventory during my dungeon runs��''</em>

    Daichi began examining the tanks and noticed several precaution seals carefully ced. He created two clones and all three began removing the sealing jutsu and traps in the room. It took half an hour toplete the task and Daichi immediately began storing the items in his inventory. When it came to the horn of the 8 tails Daichi was unsure. He still remembered what his inventory showed when he tried to store a living creature inside.

    <strong>[Warning. Action Denied. Cannot store living creatures. Only exceptions are during special conditions.]</strong>

    ''<em>I''m taking this horn no matter what. I don''t know if the horn is considered as a living being. If I can''t keep it in my inventory I''ll have to make other arrangements.''</em>

    But it wasn''t as Daichi feared. He was able to store the tank that contained the 8 tail''s horn without any problems. Soon there was nothing but arge empty room with several disconnected power lines and an empty desk.

    Just then he received memories from the clones in the other hideouts. As Daichi got the memories he smiled.<em>''My clone took the Akatsuki ring Orochimaru was given. I''ll have to study that thing��''</em>

    Daichi kept reviewing the memories and he was happy. ''<em>Apiled information on Akatsuki, Zetsu, Danzo and the ninja ns in the Land of sound.''</em>

    "Hahaha��." Daichiughed at the ease with which he seeded in this mission.<em>''I wouldn''t have been able toplete this task within such a short time without my Mana stealth ability or all the information I got from Amachi. Orochimaru being out of the country and taking half of his guards is also a bonus.''</em>

    Daichi looked around and then took a look in his filled up inventory.

    ''<em>I got everything I came here for. The clone disguised as Kimimaro should be here just in case. If anything happens he can just dispel. But the rest of me, time to get the fuck up out of here.''</em>

    The clone Daichi made sure he didn''t leave any trace of himself and then vanished in a puff of smoke. Soon only the shadow clone impersonating Kimimaro was left in the main hideout.

    <strong>Time: Approx. 2am.</strong>

    ��----------------

    Author''s Note.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen(No space)

 Chapter 313: A potential prey for Akatsuki

    Chapter 313: A potential prey for Akatsuki

    <strong>Leaf Vige: Kensei''s Home.</strong>

    Daichi was meditating in his room when he felt his energy fluctuating. He instantly got the chakra and memories of his clones and a big smile grew on his face.

    ''<em>This trip yielded far more results than I anticipated. So many jutsu, gic materials and information on the whole world. This will certainly help me in elerating my ns.''</em>

    Just then the questpletion notification popped up.

    <strong>[Quest ''Raid Orochimaru''s Lab''pleted.]</strong>

    ''<em>So even though there is a clone posing as Kimimaro in the base the system deemed that I hadpleted the quest huh. That''s good.''</em>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>[Rewards]</strong>

    <strong>[10000 Exp for sessful infiltration of the main base.</strong><strong>+1500 Exp.]</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>[105000 Exp each for collecting items of great value.</strong>

    <strong>+15750 Exp.]</strong>

    ''<em>If it''s 5000 exp for each item of Great value then the system deems that I have 21 such items in my possession. I can pretty much guess what they are. The Gic samples of the Kages, Reanimation jutsu and maybe a couple other forbidden jutsu, the horn of 8 tails, Shin and Zetsu sample along with the Akatsuki ring.''</em>

    Daichi looked inside his inventory list and saw the ring on a bony palm inside a small jar.<em>''I''ll have to study that thing when I get some time.''</em>

    The gamer ninja continued down thepleted quest rewards.

    <strong>[15000 Exp for each additional hideout infiltrated.</strong>

    <strong>+2250 Exp.]</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>[257000 Exp for items collected.</strong>

    <strong>+38550 Exp.]</strong>

    ''<em>So many things in hisbs had traps and seals that I had prioritized the most important and valuable ones. Well it doesn''t matter. This is a pretty good reward.''</em>

    <strong>[Increase in reputation to people who know your deeds.]</strong>

    <strong>[Increased chances of Completing the quest ''Seek the Hidden Truth of the Ne''.]</strong>

    <strong>[Increased chances of rescuing Tsunade Senju and Shizune Kato.]</strong>

    Immediately after the system granted him the rewards notifications started piling up. Daichi felt his strength increase as he looked at one particr blue box message.

    <strong>[You have leveled up.]</strong>

    <strong>[You have leveled up.]</strong>

    <strong>[You have leveled up.]</strong>

    ''<em>Three level ups in one quest. Been a long while since I got such a good reward.''</em>

    Daichi kept looking through the numerous notifications stacked in the corner of his vision.

    <strong>[5 Chakra]</strong>

    <strong>[6 Intelligence]</strong>

    <strong>[5 Wisdom]</strong>

    <strong>[6 Sense]</strong>

    <strong>[3 Luck]</strong>

    ''<em>The chakra, intelligence and wisdom must be due to Kimimaro and solving the trap seals. I must have gotten Luck stat points when I found that third and 6th hiddenb. Sense must be due to me finding and avoiding all the traps in that ce.''</em>

    <strong>[Mini-Map Updated. Land of Rice Paddies added.]</strong>

    The map update came with all the areas that Daichi explored and some of its surroundings. All the hiddenbs Daichi found were marked along with several new routes in and out of thend that he didn''t know previously.

    ''<em>These routes will certainlye in handy if I need to go in there again.''</em>

    The next notifications were something Daichi was looking forward to.

    <strong>[You have found a Key Dungeon. Retrieving the key to the dungeon�� Key to this dungeon has been ced in the inventory.] x2</strong>

    During the infiltration Daichi''s clones found two instant dungeons and immediately got the keys. Daichi took out the two keys from his inventory and stared at them.

    One was a yellow key while the other was a red key.

    <strong>[The Serpent Catbs dungeon key]</strong>

    This key was yellow which indicated that it held opponents of 5 to 15 levels.

    <strong>[The Echoing Chambers dungeon key]</strong>

    The Echoing Chambers key was red in color. Daichi knew the enemies waiting in that dungeon would at least be 15 levels higher than him at a minimum. An extremely difficult dungeon.

    ''<em>Two instant Dungeon keys.''</em>

    Daichi sighed and closed his eyes. A few momentster he opened them and stored the keys back in his inventory.<em>''It will make me stronger but right now I''m not in the mood for this.''</em>

    <strong>[Skill Stealth has leveled up.] x4</strong>

    <strong>[Skill Jutsu Creation has leveled up.] x3</strong>

    <strong>[Skill Sealing Art has leveled up.] x12</strong>

    ''<em>My sealing jutsu skill must have increased thanks to the jutsus I learned from Orochimaru''sb.''</em>

    <strong>[Skill Mind Drain has leveled up.]</strong>

    <strong>[Skill Mana Maniption has leveled up.] x3</strong>

    <strong>[Skill Mana Affinity has leveled up.] x2</strong>

    <strong>[Skill Mana Scout has leveled up.] x5</strong>

    <strong>[Skill Mana Cloak has leveled up.] x2</strong>

    Daichi smiled as he looked through the list of skill level ups. He finally came to the one blue system box he was looking for.

    <strong>[You have learned a new skill]</strong>

    <strong>[Reanimation Jutsu - Active(LV. 01): A forbidden and highly advanced ninjutsu that allows the user to bring the dead back to life, binding their souls to living bodies and creating reanimated corpses. This skill requires the user to have knowledge of the jutsu through reading ancient scrolls or through a teacher. These reanimated individuals retain all their abilities from when they were alive, including Kekkei Genkai and knowledge of jutsus.</strong>

    <strong>Mastery of this technique grants the user the ability to control multiple reanimated beings simultaneously and also grants the user the ability to partially orpletely suppress the personalities of the reanimated, making them obedient tools of war. The technique''s effectiveness and the strength of the summoned beings increase with the user''s proficiency. The reanimated souls can only be released by the user of the jutsu or if they(souls) know the specific seal to release themselves.]</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>[Effects]</strong>

    <strong>At higher levels, the user can imbue the reanimated with specificmands and greater autonomy.</strong>

    <strong>Currently the user can summon and control up to 2 reanimated beings simultaneously.</strong>

    <strong>100% increase in reanimated beings'' fidelity to their living abilities.</strong>

    <strong>Reanimated beings can regenerate from any damage unless sealed or affected by their natural weaknesses.</strong>

    <strong>CP cost: 2% of total CP for each summoning.</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>[Limitations]</strong>

    <strong>Requires a certain amount of concentration to maintain, especially when controlling multiple reanimated beings.</strong>

    <strong>The user must possess a sample of the DNA of the person they wish to reanimate.</strong>

    <strong>A living sacrifice is needed for each reanimation, linking the reanimated being''s existence to the sacrificed life.</strong>

    <strong>Reanimated beings retain their consciousness and can resist the user''s control if they possess a strong will.</strong>

    <strong>They are susceptible to sealing jutsus and certain natural elements, depending on their original weaknesses.</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>[Note] The technique is considered taboo and could lead to the user being ostracized or targeted by other shinobi. Mastery of this jutsu is dangerous and could have unforeseen consequences on the user''s morality and perception by others. It is advised to be used with caution and wisdom.</strong>

    Daichi read every detail of the new skill with a serious gaze. When he reached thest part his eyes slightly narrowed.<em>''Unforeseen consequences on the user''s morality? Advised to be used with Caution and wisdom huh.''</em>

    Daichi thought back and recalled the words Madara had said during his fight with the five Kages.

    <em>Tell the caster�� Never use forbidden jutsu so carelessly.</em>

    Daichi focused back on his new skill.<em>''I''ll keep that in mind Madara.''</em>

    Daichi closed the skill and soon finished through all the notifications. He then opened his status page and looked at his growth.

    <strong>[Name : Daichi Hekima] (The Gamer)</strong>

    <strong>[ss : Genin - ID 012559.]</strong>

    <strong>[Age : 12]</strong>

    <strong>[Title : Capable Child, Explorer, Prodigy, Species King, Dungeon Warrior, Executioner, Assassin, Mighty Healer, Slug Sannin''s Apprentice, Master of the Elements, A Genius of the Continent, Dungeon Master.]</strong>

    <strong>[Level : 65 (86175/112050)</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>[HP : 51980 ]</strong>

    <strong>[CP : 109680 ]</strong>

    <strong>[SP : 52960 ]</strong>

    <strong>[MP: 46120 ]</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>[Primary Stats]</strong>

    <strong>Strength - 400</strong>

    <strong>Vitality - 500</strong>

    <strong>Dexterity - 300</strong>

    <strong>Agility - 400</strong>

    <strong>Intelligence - 507</strong>

    <strong>Chakra - 628</strong>

    <strong>Wisdom - 392</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>[Special Stats]</strong>

    <strong>Sense - 212</strong>

    <strong>Stamina - 460</strong>

    <strong>Indomitable - 62</strong>

    <strong>Charisma - 85</strong>

    <strong>Persistence - 56</strong>

    <strong>Dignity - 34</strong>

    <strong>Luck - 33</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>[Stat Points - 80]</strong>

    <strong>[Ryo - 31356705]</strong>

    Daichi looked at the stats and was satisfied. He went from level 62 to 65 in one day and several stats and skills leveled up.

    ''<em>I should save my remaining stat points. If I have to fight Orochimaru I''ll need them.''</em>

    Satisfied with his growth, Daichi closed all the blue boxes and let out a deep breath of air. "I should get some sleep."

    The Genin looked out the window in his room and his eyes held worry for his teachers.<em>''Please be safe sensei. Shizune. I''lle find you�� I have to.''</em>

    Daichi turned his head and got in his bed. Soon he was in a deep sleep.

    ��-

    <strong>Unknown location.</strong>

    Somewhere in an underground cave several figures shrouded in dark rainbow light were seen standing on the fingers of a giant closed eyes statue. On the left thumb of the finger was Pain, the de facto leader, and on the right was Konan. Pain fixed his gaze on the motley assembly of rogue ninjas, his Rinnegan eyes reflecting the grave nature of the situation at hand.

    The members of the Akatsuki were suddenly summoned without much warning.

    Hidan had an annoyed face as he looked around. "Don''t tell me we''re making this a regr thing. I was in the middle of having a good night''s sleep. Dreaming about spreading the word and wisdom of Jashin throughout the world."

    Deidara scoffed at Hidan. "You talk as if we<em>don''t</em>hate listening to you ther on about your crazy ass religion all the time."

    "Why you-"

    "Quiet." A simple but stern word from Pain made them close their mouths.

    Itachi, who was silent till then softly spoke "What happened? Why did you summon us at this time?"

    "There has been an update. Zetsu will be joining us soon with the details." It was Konan who replied.

    As if responding to his name, Zetsu appeared out of the ground.

    "Lord Pain��," begins Zetsu, a being of dual nature, split between white and ck halves, each speaking in turn. "I bring news from the Hidden Leaf." The white half spoke first.

    The ck half continued. "It seems Orochimaru''s attack on Tsunade was only the first. Now his people went after Tsunade''s student a few hours ago."

    "Who did Orochimaru send for the job?" Pain asked.

    "His subordinate, Guren, a crystal style user. She attempted to capture Daichi Hekima a few hours ago. But the attempt failed and Guren is now in Leaf custody." Zetsu replied.

    "Was she alone when she attacked the boy?" Pain asked.

    "No. She had a whole team and they ambushed the Leaf ninjas a few kilometers outside the Fire capital. Guren had nine subordinates under her. Most of them had Orochimaru''s curse seal power." Zetsu replied.

    "Defective products of that snake no doubt." Sasori quipped in his gruff voice.

    "A team of 9 and they still failed? Is this Guren weak?" Konan was mildly surprised and asked the spy.

    "No. She is in the same league as Kakashi Hatake. A powerful Jonin. And Daichi only had Genma and Anko guarding him. Both of them are just ordinary special Jonins. But Guren still failed to capture the boy. That fact suggests that the boy is stronger than rumors indicate." Zetsu replied.

    The room fell into a contemtive silence as the members absorbed the implications of these developments. Kisame, wielding his infamous shark-skin Samehada, grinned menacingly. "Orochimaru''s always had a ir for the dramatic. What''s he after this time?"

    "Unknown. But one thing is now clear," Pain began, his voice echoing slightly off the stone walls. "Orochimaru''s actions are not just mere provocations. Abducting Tsunade has multiple purposes. It weakens the Leaf Vige by removing a powerful Shinobi and potentially allows him ess to her unparalleled medical ninjutsu and ess to her bloodline. What he wants Daichi for�� It might be part of arger n."

    Konan, her origami flowers rustling softly, spoke, "If this keeps up the tension between the nations will undoubtedly escte. With the Leaf vige already on high alert and the other Great nations tense and watching, a battle could break out at any moment. This could destabilize our current operations."

    "Haha. Isn''t that perfect? Lots of excellent sacrifices for Lord Jashin!" Hidan, ever eager for chaos, chuckled. "Maybe it''s time we take advantage of the situation. A little chaos could be fun."

    Kakuzu, eyes narrowing as he considers the financial implications, murmurs, "Putting aside his religious nonsense, Hidan''s right for once."

    "Hey!"

    Kakuzu ignored his partner''s angry face and continued. "Conflict is profitable. We could use this to our advantage. Make lots of money."

    "Itachi," After a few moments of silence, Pain turned to the quiet Uchiha. His Sharingan eyes seemed to pierce through the shadows. "You have insight into the Leaf. How will they respond?"

    Itachi was calm and after a few moments of silence had a measured reply. "The Leaf will prioritize Tsunade''s rescue, but they won''t act rashly. Orochimaru is too dangerous, and they''ll seek to avoid open conflict. However, this incident will tighten their defenses and possibly strengthen their resolve to deal all with their enemies."

    "We could orchestrate a diversion, something to draw their attention away from Orochimaru and towards us, but on our terms." Sasori spoke looking at the Rinnegan user.

    Pain was silent, taking in each member''s input. "Our primary objective remains the collection of the tailed beasts. However, Orochimaru''s actions do present a unique opportunity but there are also risks. We should proceed with our ns discreetly. For the time being we can use the current unrest to mask our movements�� Zetsu, continue monitoring the situation. If Orochimaru makes another move, we need to be informed immediately."

    Pain then turned to Kakuzu and Hidan. "Where are you two right now?"

    "We''ve just entered the Land of Earth. We''re keeping a low profile right now." Kakuzu replied.

    Pain nodded. "Since Orochimaru and Tsunade are somewhere in the Land of Earth, there is a possibility of Daichi going there if he learns of the news. That will be a good opportunity for you two to capture him."

    Kakuzu and Hidan, intrigued by the potential chaos stemming from Guren''s failed attempt to capture Daichi, saw this situation as an opportunity for both profit and bloodshed.

    Kakuzu, ever the mercenary, was calcting the bounty that might be ced on Daichi, considering the young ninja''s apparent value. "A genius medic ninja and as an apprentice of Tsunade, he would fetch a high price." Kakuzu might ponder, "Not to mention the strategic advantage of capturing such an asset."

    Hidan, driven by his zealotry and love for battle, was drawn to the potential for conflict. "Going after this Daichi kid could start a delightful sh with those Leaf ninjas," Hidan would gleefully anticipate. "And any chance to spread chaos and shed blood in the name of Jashin is an opportunity worth taking."

    Suddenly Konan spoke. "You should be careful with how you approach this matter. This task requires careful nning and discretion to avoid tipping the bnce too far and drawing the full wrath of the Leaf and possibly other great viges."

    Meanwhile as Kakuzu and Hidan animatedly discuss the possibility of going after Daichi, seeing in it both personal gain and the chance for chaos, Itachi listened quietly. His mind, racing with several thoughts.

    He was perfectly aware of his dual roles as both an Akatsuki member and a covert protector of the Hidden Leaf. Itachi understood the need to delicately navigate this precarious situation.

    ''<em>The prospect of Kakuzu and Hidan targeting Daichi not only threatens the Leaf but also risks exposing my true allegiances if I overtly oppose their n. Madara gave me his assurance that the Akatsuki won''t attack the Leaf but Pain�� He''ll be trouble��''</em>

    "It might be prudent to gather more information before we act," Itachi interjected smoothly. His voice was calm yet authoritative enough tomand attention.

    "Daichi, being Tsunade''s apprentice, will undoubtedly be heavily guarded. Especially after the attempt by Guren. Rushing into this without a full understanding of the Leaf''s current defenses could result in unnecessaryplications for us."

    Kisame, sensing the tension, added his own thoughts and supported Itachi''s cautionary stance. "He''s right. Those Leaf ninjas will be on high alert and Tsunade''s abduction has only tightened their security. We need to consider the risks involved."

    "Since when are you one to back down from a challenge Kisame?" Hidan asked with a scoff.

    "Unlike you, I know when to make the smart choices." The ninja swordsmen replied with a grin.

    Hidan''s hand went to his weapon. "What does that mean? Are you saying I''m dumb."

    Kisame merely chuckled. "You said it. Not me."

    "You fish-faced bastard."

    "Calm down, Hidan. Besides, you do tend to act recklessly most of the time."

    "Kakuzu, you''re supposed to back me up."

    The other Akatsuki members ignored the banter and focused on Pain and Itachi.

    Itachi looked at the Leader and continued, leveraging his reputation for strategic foresight to sway his colleagues. "Our primary focus remains the capture of the tailed beasts. Engaging the Leaf vige directly at this moment could divert resources and attention from our main objective. It may be more strategic to wait. Allow them to exhaust their resources in their efforts against Orochimaru."

    Noticing the room''s shift towards caution, Itachi subtly steered the conversation towards a longer-term perspective. "If we monitor Daichi and gather intelligence, we may find a more opportune moment to act. This dy also provides us with the advantage of assessing his abilities and potential worth to our cause. Moreover, Orochimaru should also be our main focus."

    Itachi''s suggestion to dy didn''t note merely from his need to protect the Leaf but also from a strategic standpoint that benefited the Akatsuki.

    In the room only one person saw through Itachi''s hidden n. Zetsu inwardly smiled as he nced at the Uchiha.

    ''<em>By proposing a n that ostensibly serves the organization''s interests, he skillfully navigated the thin bnce between his dual loyalties. Not bad Itachi. Not bad at all. The only other person who would have seen through your n was ''Madara''.''</em>

    Despite his conclusions Zetsu kept silent. After all he was merely the spy of the Organization.

    Kakuzu, who was ever the pragmatist, nodded slowly. After thinking it over he saw the wisdom in avoiding a potentially costly open confrontation.

    Hidan though was disappointed at the prospect of dy. But he acquiesces to the collective decision and was swayed by the promise of future conflict.

    The Rinnegan wielder Pain had an overarching vision for the ninja world and he saw Orochimaru''s actions as ultimately self-serving and potentially disruptive to his own grand designs.

    "Yes, this situation with Orochimaru must be carefully monitored. He is unpredictable and his ambitions do not align with ours. His interference could be an unweeplication if not kept in check." Pain spoke in a grave tone.

    Pain turned to the zombie duo. "Try and find Orochimaru and where he''s taken Tsunade if possible. But don''t draw any unwanted attention. Especially from the Hidden Stone shinobi. I''ll task Zetsu on the matter as well."

    ''<em>I''m sure Madara will pay that snake a visit if he has their location.''</em>

    "Yeah. We''ll do what we can." Kakuzu and Hidan agreed.

    Pain nodded and soon all figures disappeared from the fingertips of the statue.

    ��----------------

    Author''s Note.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen(No space)

 Chapter 314: Battleplans

    Chapter 314: Battlens

    <strong>Hokage Tower.</strong>

    <strong>Time:2:00am.</strong>

    Hiruzen, Shikaku and the Anbumander codenamed Ox were looking over several reports sent by the reconnaissance teams. The old kage had his eyes focused on the reports Danzo had sent earlier. He was in deep thoughts as he looked at all the information.

    ''<em>Even though I''ve had people look into Orochimaru and his movements, I haven''t gotten as much information as Danzo. Does that mean his Rootwork is more extensive than I anticipated or is it possible that Orochimaru is able topletely avoid my Anbu.''</em>

    Hiruzen took a puff from his tobo pipe and leaned back in his chair.<em>''No. The ones I''ve assigned to this task aren''t ipetent. Then why is there such a big gap in the information I have on him?''</em>

    The old Kage turned to two of the highestmanding shinobi under him. "So what do you think?"

    It was the masked Anbumander who replied first. "Seven locations. Three of them near towns and two of them near areas with somewhat open terrain and two others near the mountains region with several tunnels going underground. All of them have around two dozen mercenaries guarding it. Based on the observations made by the Hyuga and the Inuzuka on the teams, many of them have Chunin level chakra. And some have shown the usage of Orochimaru''s Curse seal with strange powers. So there is the possibility that there are more hidden among them with simr abilities."

    "But no one could confirm the presence of Orochimaru himself or Tsunade or her student in any of those locations?" Hiruzen muttered with a sigh.

    "No sir. There are barriers blocking the sensor ninjas and the Hyuga. Even the Aburame''s insects aren''t able to get in." The head of the Anbu division replied."These seven hideouts are spread across the Fire country. So we can''t have a single heavy attack unit attack each base and move on to the next. That''s too inefficient. It''ll take too long." Hiruzen said, looking at the map marked with the location of the enemy bases.

    "And if we try to attack all seven at the same time, that movement will be too big to conceal and there will be ack of manpower in the vige. It will leave the vige vulnerable." The Anbumander found the problem with the second way of attack.

    The Hokage nodded agreeing with him.<em>''If I didn''t have to guard against Danzo this wouldn''t be such a headache. I need to have an understanding of all variables before I make my choice.''</em>

    Hiruzen crossed his arms and then looked at the other ninja present in the room. "Shikaku. You''re silent."

    The head of the Nara n turned to the Hokage with a grim face which put the old kage on alert. "What is it, Shikaku?"

    "I think I know why Danzo was able to gather more information on Orochimaru than us... Because<em>he</em>didn''t."

    The Joninmander had the attention of both the Anbu head and the Hokage.

    Hiruzen slightly narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean? That Orochimaru gave him that information?"

    At Shikaku''s silence both ninjas were shocked.

    "Wait! Are you implying that Danzo is still in contact with Orochimaru?" The Anbu asked.

    Shikaku shook his head. "No. Not necessarily. I believe that Orochimaru found out about Danzo spying on him and then fed him all this intel without Danzo realizing it."

    "What makes you say that?" Hiruzen asked.

    Shikaku took several papers and handed them to the kage and the Anbu. "I''ve been analyzing all the data and informationpiled with the analysis teams all day. Danzo''s report was meticulous. It showed when and where his agents got the intel on Orochimaru''s movement. Individually, there is nothing abnormal about it. But if you put all of them together then an irregrity shows. It''s small and even I would have skipped past it on any other day."

    While the old kage and the Anbu were looking over the documents Shikaku continued.

    "It''s not easily detectable. But the timing and the way Danzo got all these details. It just didn''t sit right with me. I''ve been thinking about this from Orochimaru''s perspective. If he decides to abduct Lady Tsunade then he knows that we will retaliate. So he needs a way to contain us without using up too much of his resources. The best way to do that is to make sure we have a bigger problem than him at that time."

    It only took a few seconds for Hiruzen to figure out what Shikaku meant. His eyes slightly widened in shock. "Danzo."

    Shikaku nodded. "Yes. Orochimaru would know of Danzo''s ambition to take your position. So he''s creating an opportunity for Danzo without the man even realizing it."

    The Anbumander was also starting to understand the snake sannin''s n. He looked over the documents again and he was starting to see what Shikaku saw. "Orochimaru was leaving breadcrumbs for Danzo to follow. If the bait was too obvious then Danzo would suspect something. But if it was too small his Root agents would miss it."

    "Yes." Shikaku then looked at the Hokage and told his theory. "I believe Orochimaru anticipated you going to Danzo for more information on him. You''d find out about the seven bases in Fire country and investigate. Then once you have all the information you''dunch an attack on those bases all at once. Orochimaru wants us to be uncertain of Lady Tsunade''s location. It''s why he went to the trouble of creating barriers that impair the Byakugan and block sensor ninjas."

    "But why? It seems too wasteful and pointless. This whole strategy is only costing Orochimaru. Why would he build seven bases just to offer it as a sacrifice? Even if it''s to stall us, there are far more efficient methods." The Anbu asked the Nara n head.

    "That''s because Orochimaru didn''t build those hideouts to stall us. He built it to give Danzo an opportunity." Hiruzen answered the question.

    Shikaku turned to the Hokage and nodded. "Yes. It''s what I was thinking. Time is not on our side. To attack those bases individually is impractical. Our best option is to quicklyunch an assault on all of them. Right now, we''ve increased our border patrol and tightened security around the country. And it''s stretched us thin. On top of that, if weunch an all out attack on Orochimaru''s seven bases it would leave our vige withck of manpower�� Well to be precise it would leave you ''Lord Hokage'' with sufficiently less shinobi. You''d be at your weakest."

    "And that would be too tempting of an opportunity for Danzo to not do anything. He''dunch a coup'' and fight for this seat." Hiruzen was shocked as he didn''t expect such cunning from his student.<em>''Move your enemy without being moved by them. Danzo thought he had an upper hand on Orochimaru all the while Orochimaru was ying him like a puppet.''</em>

    Hiruzen took the pipe and crossed his arms. He leaned back in his chair and let out a smoky breath. "An internal strife would keep us upied and give Orochimaru more than enough time to aplish whatever he''s nning."

    "Yes. I believe that''s also the reason he let Tsunade''s pet escape." Shikaku spoke. He saw the Hokage''s gaze and exined. "It''s been bothering me. Orochimaru would take so many precautions but let a small pet escape his clutches that would have valuable intel and have us on guard against him? No. Orochimaru wanted it. He let that happen so we would do as he anticipated."

    "The one thing I have a feeling he didn''t count on, is me being so on guard against Danzo." Hiruzen let out a breath and said.

    "But for this n to work, Orochimaru must be sure that Danzo would take the opportunity to attack you. How can you be certain of this?" At the Anbu captain''s question, Shikaku looked at the kage.

    Hiruzen sighed tiredly and replied. "Danzo has sleeper agents among the forces. All of them are in key areas and there are some even amongst the Anbu. I only told Shikaku about it a few hours ago."

    The Anbumander was shocked at that intel. He understood the need for the kage to keep something like this a secret.<em>''He must have had someone carry out an extensive investigation on this matter. Even I must have been under scrutiny.''</em>

    The masked ninja then nced at Shikaku.<em>''Orochimaru''s strategy is to use Danzo to wreak havoc in the vige. I couldn''t have figured this out on my own. To understand and deduce Orochimaru''s ns with only this much information... His intellect is truly something else. But now there''s a bigger problem.''</em>

    He turned to the leader of the vige. "Sir, what do we do about the sleeper agents?"

    Hiruzen was silent for several seconds before he spoke. "I believe I have a solution to our troubles. I have tasked Snow with investigating any spies hidden among our ranks. I finally have the identities of all them."

    Hearing that, the Anbumander realized why one of his best agents was missing all these years.

    Hiruzen looked at the two with a hardened gaze. "We''re going to use this opportunity as a clean up."

    "You want to use the sleeper agents to attack the base and then neutralize them." Shikaku and the Anbu captain immediately understood the Hokage''s strategy.

    Hiruzen stood and walked to a nearby shelf and made several seals. In a puff of smoke a scroll appeared. He handed them to Shikaku and the Anbu ninja.

    "The list contains all of Danzo''s agents embedded in our ranks. From Genin to Anbu."

    As Shikaku and the Anbumander were going over the list of spies, Hiruzen spoke.

    "We''re going to attack all those locations. We''ll use Danzo''s spies in the front. For all those Chunin and above on that list, make sure to disperse them among the seven teams. And it''s imperative that only the captains or the second inmand of the seven teams know that their task is two fold. Kill or capture the enemy and eliminate the Root ninjas."

    "To eliminate them without much loss on our side, we''ll need this to be a joint operation between Anbu and Jonins." The Anbu spoke.

    Hiruzen nodded. "Yes. You two will be overseeing this operation."

    "Sir, but what about Danzo?" Shikaku suddenly asked.

    "I''ll handle Danzo." The old kage gave a brief reply.<em>''This matter can no longer be dyed. I need to speak with Tobirama sensei and put an end to this.''</em>

    Knock Knock.

    "Yes. Come in." Hiruzen ordered and two ninjas entered. Hiruzen was surprised to see them. "Iroha. Takamo. You''ve returned."

    The two ninjas the Hokage assigned to look for one of Orochimaru''s specific buildings had returned.

    "Does that mean you were sessful?" The eagerness to know the answer wasn''t missed by anyone.

    Shikaku looked at the two Jonin ninjas who were under him.<em>''Iroha Hyuga and Takamo Aburame. They''re good at tracking and reconnaissance. Lord Hokage must have given them a mission regarding Orochimaru.''</em>

    "Yes. We found the hideout. That''s the good news."

    The small relief in Hiruzen''s heart dimmed. "What''s the bad news?"

    "We sensed two powerful presence in that building. Judging from their chakras alone, they''re extremely strong." Iroha spoke.

    Hiruzen was taken aback by that intel.<em>''Two powerful chakras? Could it be possible? Is it Tsunade and Orochimaru?''</em>

    He noticed the curious gazes of his Jonin and Anbumanders. "Couple days ago I tasked them to look for one of Orochimaru''s hideouts. I got the blueprint of the building from Ko Yamanaka. He sent the information before Orochimaru killed him."

    Iroha gave the kage a scroll containing the details of their missions and their reports on what they''ve uncovered.

    Hiruzen looked it over and then handed the document to Shikaku. "Here. Take a look at this."

    The Nara looked over the report and noted the key differences between this new hideout and the seven others. "There are several seals ced all around and the defensive measures are much greater. It''s much more hidden. An entire 5 storey building underground. And moreover, there is no one guarding this base outside. Only the presence of two strong unidentified chakras."

    "Didn''t that ce have any seals topletely mask chakra?" The Anbu asked.

    "It did. But the two chakras we sensed were so powerful that they couldn''t be fully concealed." Takamo Aburame replied.

    "There is something else." Shikaku spoke, looking at the details andparing it to the map with the other hideouts marked. "None of the other bases are near it. This is at the South East end of the nation."

    "There has been no mention or reports of Orochimaru''s movements in that area." Anbumander spoke as he looked at the intel gathered.

    Hiruzen nodded. "It seems we finally found a weak spot in his n. I''ll -" Just then a powerful figure appeared.

    Before any of the ninjas could react Jiraiya was in the center of the room. Unlike his usual mboyant easy going style, this time he had a calm but cold aura.

    Except for the Hokage, the muscles on every other ninja was tense due to the sudden arrival. They only rxed when they saw who it was but they had cold sweats running down their back.

    The masked ninja was silent as he gazed at the Toad sage.<em>''If he were an enemy, I''d be dead right now.''</em>

    Iroha and Takamo were just as rmed at the sudden unexpected entrance. At that moment they were reminded of the vast gap between them and the ninjas renowned as Sannin.

    Jiraiya didn''t care about his rude entrance or their reaction. His attention waspletely on his former teacher. "Is it true? Did he really��."

    "I''m afraid so."

    At the old Kage''s reply Jiraiya became still. "I didn''t want to believe it but��"<em>''It seems he''s determined to be our enemy. I won''t hold back anymore.''</em>

    Hiruzen was saddened as he saw the resolve form in Jiraiya''s eyes.<em>''I''m sorry for making you suffer for my mistakes.''</em>

    Suddenly the Hokage, through the use of the reanimation connection, sensed the presence of his teacher in the deep underground chamber.<em>''Tobirama sensei is calling me. He must have noticed the emergency alert and the heightened patrols. He''s not going to be happy when I tell him what happened.''</em>

    The kage turned to his student. "Jiraiya. I need you to gather information on Orochimaru''s movements and whereabouts in the other countries. Start with the Land of Earth."

    Hiruzen didn''t forget Daichi''s theory and wanted to gather as much intelligence as possible.

    "I''ll get it done." The white haired Sannin nodded and disappeared.

    "Iroha, Takamo. Report to the analysis team and share your intel." The two ninjas nodded and vanished with a body flicker.

    Hiruzen turned to thest two ninjas in his room. "Shikaku! You and Ox begin assembling teams to raid the base. And don''t forget what we discussed."

    "Yes sir."

    Once all the assignments were given the Hokage began making his way down the tower.

    ��-------------

    Author''s Note.

    ns within ns. A battle is sooning.

    Next Chapter 315 - Tobirama''s anger.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen(No space)

 Chapter 315: Tobiramas Anger

    Chapter 315: Tobirama''s Anger

    Sarutobi Hiruzen stood in the deepest chamber in the Hokage tower. And standing in front of him was the reanimated Second Hokage.

    "You wanted to see me so urgently sensei?" Hiruzen asked as he saw the man''s stony expression.<em>''He couldn''t have known about the attack on Tsunade. So then something must have happened at Madara''s tomb.''</em>

    Tobirama only gave a single nod and then his eyes narrowed as he looked at his sessor. "I have troubling news but that can wait. Why is the vige in a level 1 emergency state? What happened?"

    Hiruzen internally sighed and quickly began exining the troubles that had popped up since the Academy graduation day. He exined how Mizuki used Naruto to steal the Forbidden scroll, how the prisoners were let loose and how the new graduates defeated Mizuki.

    While Hiruzen was proud that the new Genins were already proving their mettle, Tobirama had a much different opinion. "Those Genins should have reported the incident to their superiors or to you the moment they learned of that man''s treachery. Instead they acted recklessly and could have gotten themselves killed. The Uchiha almost dying is proof of that." Tobirama replied sternly.

    The harshness in the Second Hokage''s voice made Hiruzen internally wince.<em>''Harsh he may be but he''s right. In hindsight, I could have also made several different choices.''</em>

    Seeing the stony gaze of the white haired ninja, Hiruzen tried to speak on behalf of the Rookie 9. "They are just children and they''re only Genin in name. And they did help in capturing the main culprits."

    Tobirama let out a small breath as he saw the soft natured side of his former student. His face softened and he spoke in a calmer tone. "Hiruzen. During the warring era, during my childhood, if any of us made a mistake like that we''d be killed. And even if we survived by some luck we''d be severely punished for taking such foolish actions. It wouldn''t matter that we were just children."

    "But this isn''t the warring era. You and Lord Hashirama changed all that so children could grow, choose their own path, make mistakes and then learn from them."Tobirama sighed as he thought about all he and his brother did. He decided to change the topic. "Is the scroll secure? Is there any damage?"

    "The Forbidden Scroll is under heavy protection. And No. There isn''t any damage to it." The old Hokage shook his head.

    Tobirama nodded. "Good. What about the prisoners?"

    "We''ve recaptured all of them and the minor damage they caused has been rectified."

    Hiruzen''s reply puzzled the Second Hokage. Tobirama crossed his arms and his gaze sharpened. "You wouldn''t still have the vige on alert like this if the situation was over. So what else happened?"

    The old kage was silent for several moments before he spoke. Tobirama noted the change in the man''s demeanor.

    "On the night Mizukiunched his attack, Orochimaru ambushed Tsunade and her student near the northern border. He had arge team with him and based on what I know they''ve both been abducted by him."

    The news cut through Tobirama''s soul like a de and it ignited a fierce fire within him. The next moment, his chakra which was typically calm and controlled, surged with an intensity that seemed to shake the very earth beneath his feet. The air around him crackled with electricity signifying the manifestation of his growing fury.

    In an instant, Tobirama''s demeanor transformed fromposed to electrifying. His eyes, usually calm and calcting, were now zed with cold fury. The ground trembled and cracked beneath him with just the sheer force of his chakra.

    The old kage had to take a couple steps back to steady himself as he felt the weight of the man''s wrath in the air. To Hiruzen it was as if he was in front of a storm that was about to unleash its fury.

    The third Hokage trembled as he saw the rage in his teacher''s eyes. In that moment it was like he was standing in front of a force of nature that embodied chaos and destruction.

    Hiruzen understood one thing as he felt his predecessor''s anger.<em>''He wasn''t just spending time trying to create a counter to the reanimation jutsu�� He also improved it. This power. There is no mistaking it. He''s managed to bring himself back to his peak strength.''</em>

    Instantly another thought entered his mind as the old kage looked around the room.<em>''The seals. They''ll break if he keeps this up and everyone will sense his presence.''</em>

    "Sensei please. You need to control your chakra."

    To Tobirama, the moment he heard the terrible news, the image of a blonde little girl with a big smile who used to follow him and his brother around came to mind.<em>''Tsunade.''</em>

    The news that she was attacked and taken infuriated the man and made him lose hisposure. It was only after hearing Hiruzen''s plea that he came to his senses. Tobirama stood amidst the aftermath, his chest rising and falling with each measured breath as he gradually regained hisposure. It was only then that he noticed his fingers digging into his palms.

    The electric tension that had once surrounded him began to dissipate, reced by an aura of solemn tranquility. With a deliberate motion, Tobirama unclenched his fists and released the pent-up energy that had coursed through his body like wildfire.

    The third Hokage let out a breath of relief.<em>''The seals didn''t break. Thank goodness. Otherwise we''d be swarmed right now. And seeing Lord Second would have opened a whole other can of worms.''</em>

    While the Third Hokage felt relief, the Second was experiencing a different emotion.

    Even though Tobirama regained hisposure the anger in his eyes was still visible. "Hiruzen, exin to me how this happened. How did Orochimaru manage to abduct Tsunade and Shizune so easily?"

    "It was a calcted assault, sensei. The patrol squads and other shinobi were redirected to other areas to make sure the prisoners didn''t escape and to secure the borders near those sections. Orochimaru used that moment to go after them. We believe he had been nning this for months, if not longer. This attack was unexpected. It happened in the brief moment when our defenses were at their lowest." Hiruzen replied with a subdued tone.

    Tobirama''s eyes narrowed and his voice grew a tad colder. "Unexpected? Orochimaru was once a student of yours, Hiruzen. You should have anticipated something like this from him. And now, Tsunade is paying the price because of your oversight."

    Hiruzen met Tobirama''s icy gaze, his own resolve hardening. "I know you''re angry and your criticism is warranted, Tobirama. But me and regret won''t help us save them."

    A brief moment of silence passed as Tobirama collected his thoughts. His mind worked on how to rescue his grandniece. "We need to use Anbu ninjas to locate them immediately. Time is of the essence. We don''t know Orochimaru''s intentions but I have a feeling they won''t bode well for either of them."

    Hiruzen nodded with the n. "I''ve already organized and sent several Anbu and tracker teams."

    "And?"

    At Tobirama''s questioning gaze, Hiruzen sighed and spoke. "Nothing concrete but there has been some developments. We''ve managed to identify 8 locations but we can''t confirm if Tsunade or Shizune are in any of them."

    Tobirama''s brows furrowed in anger. "Orochimaru... What''s his goal? Why did he abduct Tsunade and her apprentice?"

    "We suspect he might be after Tsunade''s unparalleled medical ninjutsu or her forbidden techniques. At this point it''s unclear what he wants. All we have are theories."

    The Second Hokage noted the slight reluctance on the old Kage''s face. "What aren''t you telling me Hiruzen?"

    The third Hokage was silent for a few moments before he spoke. "We have another theory as to why Orochimaru took Tsunade�� To experiment on her. On the Senju bloodline."

    Tobirama''s eyes widened when he heard that. He couldn''t help but clench his fist and grit his teeth again. "That damn snake. He should have been dealt with a long time ago."

    "This is just a theory. We don''t know for sure if that''s the case." The third Hokage said trying to calm him.

    "Regardless, we need to save those two as quickly as possible. We can''t let Orochimaru roam freely with such valuable hostages."

    Hiruzen nodded and agreed with his predecessor''s statement.

    "We also have to secure our vige against any other threats. This abduction might just be the beginning��" Tobirama suddenly realized something and asked. "What about Mizuki? Does he know anything?"

    Hiruzen shook his head. "He doesn''t. He was just a pawn."

    "Have there been any other incidents?"

    "Yes. Some of Orochimaru''s people went after the Genin Daichi Hekima."

    The Second Hokage''s eyes narrowed when he heard that name. "Daichi Hekima�� Isn''t he also Tsunade''s student?"

    Hiruzen nodded. "Yes. I''ve sent him along with two other Jonins to investigate a lead. It was during their return to the vige that they were ambushed. A few kilometers away from the capital. In the forest."

    "Based on your expression I assume that the ambush failed?"

    The third Hokage nodded. "Yes. We were able to capture several of Orochimaru''s people. And among them is a crystal style user."

    ''<em>Crystal Style huh. That''s a rare and unique bloodline.''</em>Tobirama had only seen that special Kekkei Genkai a few times during the battles in the warring era. "I can''t believe there is still someone with that bloodline in this time period."

    Hiruzen looked at his teacher with a questioning gaze. Tobirama began exining what he knew about the Crystal style users.

    "The crystal style users�� Their n was small and the people who could awaken and use that ability were few in numbers. But those who could were exceptionally strong. The way they could use their bloodline. It was incredible. They could crystalize nearly anything. It''s a powerful bloodline that could be used offensively and defensively. Just one Crystal style user was enough to decimate entire squads of ninjas."

    Hiruzen was surprised to hear that. He read the report on Daichi''s battle with Guren but hearing the power and abilities of the bloodline from his sensei broadened his understanding of their strength.

    Tobirama asked for more details on the incident and Hiruzen exined everything. When the Second Hokage heard that Daichi defeated the crystal style user on his own he was surprised.<em>''He''s grown beyond what I anticipated. Hiruzen certainly didn''t underestimate his talent.''</em>

    The Senju crossed his arms and was in deep thought.<em>''Orochimaru has Tsunade. Why would he need Daichi? Is it to hold him hostage and force her to do something? No. Orochimaru already has Shizune to use as leverage�� So what could he be after?''</em>

    Tobirama looked at Hiruzen and spoke. "Without more information, we won''t know why he went after the boy but one thing is certain. That child is more important to him than we realize."

    Hiruzen agreed. "Exactly what I was thinking. At the moment I have Kakashi keeping an eye on him."

    "Good." Tobirama nodded. He was silent for a few moments before he asked another question that''s been on his mind. "Do you suspect Danzo''s involvement in this? He and Orochimaru have had�� questionable associations in the past. It''s no secret he''s always had his own agenda."

    Hiruzen was silent and thought for a few moments before he replied. "Danzo... His ambitions are no secret. Whether he had a hand in this or not�� It''s a very small possibility but we cannot ignore it."

    Tobirama narrowed his eyes as he heard that response.

    Hiruzen began exining the reason for his suspicion. "Danzo''s ambition for my position and his ''ends justify the means'' philosophy could align with Orochimaru''s ns. It''s possible Danzo sees Orochimaru''s actions as a means to take control and be Hokage."

    "But do you believe he helped Orochimaru with this attack on Tsunade?" Tobirama asked again.

    The Third Hokage was silent for several seconds. He then looked at his teacher and spoke. "No. I don''t think he was involved��"

    "But you''re not sure."

    "He already went after Tsunade and Daichi once several years ago. He failed. And he tried to have me assassinated to get my seat. So I don''t know what to believe��"

    Tobirama, who didn''t know about these incidents before, was shocked. "What you''re describing is treasonous crimes. And you still did nothing?"

    "There was nothing left that tied back to him. And without any proof I had to tread on delicate grounds. using him without evidence would have only caused more chaos within the vige at that time. However, I''ve had ANBU keep a closer eye on him and his Root operatives."

    "What about the Root sleeper cells that have infiltrated the ranks?" Tobirama asked with a hardened tone.

    "You know about that?" Hiruzen sighed.<em>''I suppose I shouldn''t be surprised.''</em>

    "I''ve been doing my own investigations. Things have certainly not gone the way I expected��"

    Tobirama''s words made Hiruzen lower his head. "Forgive me sensei. I continued your work but I was nowhere as skillful as you."

    The Second Hokage sighed. He decided to focus on what was important. "Tell me about the eight bases you mentioned. What information do you have on them?"

    "Seven of them could be decoys to distract us or even reduce our manpower. But the eighth�� Scouts have reported two powerful chakras in that building. But we couldn''t confirm Tsunade or Orochimaru''s presence in any one of them." Hiruzen paused for a second and then told the theory Shikaku proposed. He also told the man of his decision to use sleeper agents in the ranks for the operation.

    Tobirama was silent for several moments. "You''re right. We can''t have the vige destabilized in such a precarious time. Do it. But when the momentes I''ll confront Danzo myself."

    Hirzuen nodded. "I understand sensei."

    The old kage turned around and was about to leave when a hand on his shoulder stopped him. He turned his head and saw the determined face of his teacher.

    "Hiruzen. I want you to understand this. Tsunade has my brother''s blood running through her veins. She is family. So if need be my involvement will go far beyond duty. By going after her Orochimaru made this personal."

    Hiruzen''s eyes slightly narrowed. "What exactly are you saying, sensei?"

    "We will do whatever it takes to bring Tsunade and Shizune back. Orochimaru will face judgment for his actions. Tsunade isn''t just my grand-niece, Hiruzen. She represents the future of this vige. Her safety is paramount. So if I have to step out of the shadows, I will."

    The third Hokage was silent for a few seconds before slowly nodding his head. "I understand Lord Second."

    Tobirama nodded. "I want constant updates on the situation and inform me of the assembled teams'' readiness. I will lead them myself if the need arises."

    <strong>Time: 2:30 am</strong>

    ��------------

    Author''s Note:

    I hope I wrote Tobirama''s character as true to himself. Let me know your thoughts. Things are about to heat up.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen(No space)

 Chapter 316: Interrogation: Ibikis Mind Games

    Chapter 316: Interrogation: Ibiki''s Mind Games

    <strong>Leaf Vige - Forest.</strong>

    "This is very troubling news Jiraiya boy." A small green road with white hair, thick eyebrows and small goatee spoke. "To think that man would do something like this after all these years��"

    "I know. It''s the reason I summoned you, boss." Jiraiya was respectful as he spoke to the elder toad. "I''ve been able to dig up information on Orochimaru but it might be toote by the time we act on it. I was hoping you could make contact with Tsunade''s summon Katsuyu."

    "I''ll see what I can do Jiraiya. In the meantime�� How are you holding up?" The toad sage Fukasaku was concerned as he looked at his student.

    Jiraiya looked down as he remembered the day he confronted Orochimaru. "I should have taken care of him that day when he escaped. I was merciful. And today that mercy has caused untold tragedies."

    "You can''t predict the future and you can''t control what he does. This isn''t on you Jiraiya."

    The Toad sage clenched his fist. "Regardless, he is now my responsibility. No matter what, I''m going to find him and stop him once and for all."

    Fukasaku nodded. "I''m heading back to the mountains. I''ll try to make contact with Katsuyu as soon as possible."

    Jiraiya nodded. Just before Fukasaku disappeared Jiraiya spoke. "In the next few days, please be ready. And please tell Ma'' to be prepared. I might be in need of both of your assistance."The small green toad nodded in understanding. "I got it. But one of these days you need to learn to go into sage mode by yourself."

    The toad Sannin had a small smile as he listened to the old toad''s lecture. "I''m nowhere near as proficient in it as either of you."

    "And that''s why you need to train." Fukasaku replied. The green toad made a ram seal and vanished in a puff of smoke the next instant.

    ��-

    <strong>T</strong>

    In the dimly lit, confines of a secured interrogation room deep within the bowels of the T (Torture and Interrogation) Department in Konoha, a tense atmosphere prevailed. The room, sparsely furnished with a stark metal table and chairs, was designed to disorient and apply psychological pressure on its upants.

    At one end of the table was Ibiki Morino, one of Konoha''s most formidable interrogators. Across from him was Rinji. A high-value prisoner with direct ties to Orochimaru. The tied up prisoner disyed defiance on his face but Ibiki was slowly cutting through that mask.

    It''s only been a few hours but Ibiki was slowly starting to understand the mind of his prisoner. He started with subtle psychological tactics, carefully observing Rinji''s reactions to gauge his mental state.

    Ibiki''s approach was methodical and he was able to create an atmosphere of tension and uncertainty inside his victim''s mind. His goal was to exploit any cracks in Rinji''s loyalty to Orochimaru, to sow doubt and fear.

    The interrogator looked at the tied up man without any pity.<em>''He''s ambitious and has above average intelligence. He''s also the scheming type. On top of that he has an inferiorityplex when ites to Kabuto but he''s trying his best to hide it.''</em>

    Ibiki didn''t utter a word as he stared at Rinji. He even used silence as his weapon.<em>''Unlike that woman Guren this man isn''t as devoted to Orochimaru as he wants us to believe. That may be my chance.''</em>

    Finally, Ibiki leaned forward slightly, breaking the silence with a voice that was calm but carried an underlying edge of menace. "Rinji, you''re a smart man," he began, his tone deceptively conversational. "You should understand the situation you''re in�� And you know that your cooperation can... alleviate certain oues."

    Rinji swallowed and then kept his voice steady as he responded. "I have nothing to say to you. I won''t betray Lord Orochimaru."

    Ibiki had a smile that didn''t reach his eyes. "Betrayal is such a harsh word. Instead, you should think of it as... reassessing one''s loyalties in light of new information. After all, loyalty to a cause that is doomed to fail is, quite frankly, stupidity."

    Rinji smiled as he looked at the Leaf ninja. "Oh Please. You can dress it up however you want. But the reality is, the moment you get what you want from me, I''ll be dead. So unless you''re willing to let me go, which I highly doubt, I don''t have any incentives to help you."

    Ibiki smirked as he looked at the man. "You''re right. But there are things far worse than death in our world."

    The way it was spoken immediately erased the smile on Rinji''s face. He clenched his fists under the table in anger.

    Ibiki was undeterred and he continued. "Alright. We won''t speak of betrayals then. Let''s talk about survival. About choices�� You see, I''m not here to break you. I''m here to offer you a chance. A chance to reconsider the path you''re on."

    Ibiki then shifted tactics, detailing the fates of the other followers of Orochimaru who chose silence over cooperation. "You''re not immune to the consequences of your choices, Rinji. No one is. But it''s not toote. You have valuable information. Information that can save important lives. Helping us isn''t betrayal, it''s choosing a different future�� Think about it. In the end, what reward do you get for your loyalty to Orochimaru? Istion? Suffering? Maybe even death?"

    Rinji was silent even as fear slowly gripped his heart but he tried not to show it on his face. He kept his mouth shut and still held a defiant attitude.

    "I want to ask you a question? Orochimaru uses many people as just disposables. Do you think you''re one of those people or do you think Orochimaru sees any value in you? Like he does with Kabuto." Ibiki asked, keeping a calm tone. He deliberately mentioned Kabuto''s name just to provoke a reaction out of the tied up man.

    "Of course he does." The answer came from the man too quickly.

    Ibiki smiled when he heard that answer. "You don''t have to answer my next question. You just have to think about the answer in your heart. Just do yourself a favor. Don''t lie to yourself."

    Seeing Rinji''s silence, Ibiki continued. "Orochimaru tasked your team with rescuing Kabuto from our Anbu. Do you think he''d do the same for you if he found out you''ve been captured? Or do you think he''d just kill you to stop any information leak?"

    The interrogation specialist leaned back in his chair and turned his attention to the ss near him. He took the small jar of water and began to fill the cup. The man drank the ss of water as he nced at his prey.

    Rinji was cautious and he tried to gauge the interrogators'' intentions. He was looking for loopholes and ways to mislead them without giving away vital information. However, Ibiki''s psychological maneuvers were designed to induce guilt, fear, and doubt and slowly chip away at his resolve.

    Ibiki was an expert in the art of interrogation and reading bodynguage. He could see several micro emotions appearing and disappearing on Rinji''s face.

    Several moments of silenceter Rinji spoke. "As long as I stay silent I''m valuable to my Lord. And even if I die, I don''t have any regrets because Lord Orochimaru willplete his goals and take revenge for me. So Leaf nin�� I don''t have anything to say to you."

    Ibiki leaned forward, with a menacing smile on his lips. "Oh, but I think you do. Rinji, we already have a good deal of information on Orochimaru''s operations. What I''m interested in now is...the finer details. And I believe you''re just the man to fill in those nks. You see, I understand you better than you might think. You''re intelligent, calcted, and you weigh every decision carefully. You''re not blindly loyal to Orochimaru, you''re loyal to your survival, to the idea that serving him is your best option."

    Ibiki slowly stood from his chair and walked behind Rinji. "Do you want to know what else I learned?"

    The man was tense as Ibiki leaned closer to his ear.

    "You''re not as valuable as you''d like us to believe. You have information on Orochimaru but you aren''t one of his trusted men, are you? That means there is a good chance you don''t have the intelligence we''re looking for. That would be unfortunate for you�� You understand where I''m going with this right?"

    Rinji''s eyes flickered with a hint of uncertainty. He sensed the change in Ibiki''s demeanor. He tried to mask it quickly, but Ibiki had already seen it��a crack in Rinji''s facade.

    Ibiki continued, the psychological noose tightening. "When you were brought in, Daichi gave us a full report on your team. He noted that it was Guren who called the shots. She''s the leader. Not you. And based on his observations you were all intimidated by her."

    "So what?" Rinji gritted his teeth and asked. The anger in his tone was visible.

    "You see, in your position, your worth is measured by the information you can provide. And if you''re not as useful as we thought, well, I''m sure you can imagine the implications."

    Ibiki gave another blow to his target''s psyche. "Here. Let me show you something."

    The Leaf ninja took a scroll from his pocket and spread it across the table in front of him. The scroll was a map of Fire country and its bordering nations including the Land of Rice Paddies. On the map several spots were marked with a red X.

    Rinji took a look at the map and slowly his eyes widened in shock.

    "See. This is just a small piece of the intel we gathered on Orochimaru and his hideouts. I''m showing this to make you realize that you don''t hold all the cards. So unless you can provide us with new intel we don''t know, your life will get infinitely harder from here on out."

    Rinji looked at the marked location on the map and was shocked.<em>''Those are the locations of some of the bases recently built in this country and there are even a few marked in the Sound vige. How did they get that? I thought Orochimaru made sure to keep the existence of those locations a secret.''</em>

    The nails on Rinji''s fingers dug into his palm.<em>''Damn it. Am I going to die for no reason? If they have this much information then they''d definitely have more. Lord Orochimaru''s n to capture Daichi failed. Even if his ns with Tsunade seed, Orochimaru won''t be able to survive the wrath of an entire great vige�� Am I going to die because of his mistakes? Should I��''</em>

    After several long moments of silence Rinji spoke. "Hypothetically, if I tell you what I know, what do I get in return?"

    "That depends on the information you give us. If it helps us with our current situation, you''ll be looked upon much more favorably." Ibiki told him.

    Rinji was silent for a few moments. Ibiki then added another point. "You should hurry up though. My colleagues are currently interrogating the woman and the others in a much more hands on manner. If they decide to cooperate, your value bes even lower."

    "Guren and Gozu won''t talk. And the rest of those fools. They don''t know anything." Rinji spoke with a frown on his face.

    "We have mind readers capable of pulling out your deepest darkest secrets. It might take some time but the results speak for themselves. So Rinji. In all fairness, I don''t need them to talk." Ibiki replied in a cold tone with his arms crossed.

    Rinji''s resolve began to waver and the psychological pressure was mounting exponentially. He had been trained to resist torture, to guard secrets with his life, but Ibiki''s methods were something else entirely.

    As he came to terms with the demoralizing thought that he might not be as important as he believed, he slowly began to crumble.

    Ibiki, watching the man''s internal struggle, knows he hit a nerve. "Consider this yourst opportunity, Rinji. Help us, and we can offer you protection, perhaps even a chance at redemption. Keep your silence, and you be nothing more than a liability, easily disposed of."

    The room went silent once more, save for the low hum of the lights and the distant sounds of the facility beyond the walls. Rinji sat motionless, caught between loyalty and survival, his mind racing with the potential consequences of his next words.

    A minute of silence passed before the prisoner spoke. "What do you want to know?"

    Ibiki kept a neutral expression and slightly leaned forward. "Let''s talk about thest mission Orochimaru assigned you. The capture of Daichi Hekima. Tell me everything about it. From why Orochimaru wanted the Genin to where you were supposed to take him."

    Rinji was silent for a few more seconds before he slowly began spilling his guts.

    ��------------

    Author''s Note.

    We haven''t seen much of any interrogation tactics in Naruto. Especially from Ibiki. In my opinion Kishimoto could have used him much better. Ibiki and Inoichi were untapped potential.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen(No space)

 Chapter 317: Interrogation: Inoichis Mind Probe

    Chapter 317: Interrogation: Inoichi''s Mind Probe

    <strong>Hidden Laboratory.</strong>

    Orochimaru kept a close watch on Tsunade''s vitals and he was beginning to see slight improvement.<em>''Her fever has gone down and vitals are slowly climbing. Her body is starting to adapt. It won''t be long now. A day. Maybe two. By then her genes would evolve into new ones. I don''t need to wait for it to bepleted. I can extract what I need and then perfect it at myb.''</em>

    The Snake Sannin''s sinister gaze then turned to the sleeping Shizune. The young medic was mentally and physically tired after using almost all her chakra to keep her teacher alive. Orochimaru almost sighed as he thought about what he would do with her.

    ''<em>It''s a shame to kill someone with such talent in medical ninjutsu. But if I let you live then your only goal in life would be revenge. I won''t make the mistake of letting a potential threat live unlike my foolish sensei.''</em>

    The pale skinned man turned his attention back to the unconscious Senju.<em>''In a way, killing her is a kindness. I''ll be sparing her of all those years of misery.''</em>

    Orochimaru decided to take a little break himself and quietly exited the room. He looked at the nearby clock on the wall and frowned.<em>''There is still no report from Guren. So either she hasn''t captured Daichi yet or she failed.''</em>

    Orochimaru sat in his chair and thought about the mission he assigned the woman.<em>''She''s strong. Even Kakashi would have a hard time against her alone. Let alone the whole team with her�� So she must not have gotten her hands on Daichi yet. Is sensei concerned for his safety because of what happened with Tsunade? Is the boy''s movements restricted?''</em>

    As he was pondering on the movement of the Leaf vige, Sakon appeared and kneeled.

    "Has there been any developments?" Orochimaru asked his subordinate."Some my Lord. The patrol squads from the Hidden Stone have increased. Especially near the border and they''ve increased security." Sakon replied with his head down.

    "Has anyone entered the barrier?"

    "No. They haven''t evene close. Since this area falls under the Minister''s jurisdiction they are careful."

    Orochimaru nodded. "Make sure to keep an eye on the surroundings. I don''t want any unexpected surprises."

    "Yes my Lord." Sakon was silent for a few moments before he spoke again. "Lord Orochimaru. Was Guren sessful? Did she capture the boy?"

    A few moments of silence passed before the Sannin decided to answer. "I haven''t received any information from<em>them</em>yet. But I have no doubt that she''llplete the mission."

    Sakon nodded. He wanted to ask more but refrained himself. A momentter he disappeared from his master''s side and was on the uppermost floor keeping an eye on the defenses around the barrier.

    "That wasn''t smart. Questioning our Lord." Sakon heard a small voiceing from behind.

    "Ukon. You''re awake."

    "Yes. The side effects of that drug have been purged from my system." Ukon replied.

    Sakon could feel the changes in his brother''s body. "I just wanted to know if there were anyplications with the n we put in ce." He told his brother.

    Ukon was "Hm�� Daichi Hekima. I''m curious to see him in action. After all, he''s going to be Lord Orochimaru''s new vessel. Guren better be careful and not mess this up."

    Sakon agreed with that sentiment. "Do you really think the boy will survive the curse seal and the new woodstyle serum injection?" He wanted to know what Ukon thought.

    "Based on the data collected so far that probability is high. His body is strong and his growth is far beyond that of an ordinary ninja. It''s exactly why Lord Orochimaru decided to make him his new vessel. Guren just has toplete her task. Capture the boy and bring him to that location."

    Sakon crossed his arms and just sat in the middle of aplex sealing array. His brows furrowed as another thought entered his mind. "I''m more concerned with what the Leaf might do. After Guren captures the boy the Hidden Leaf will no doubtunch a widespread search to locate him. If they find<em>that</em>base they could capture Guren and save the child."

    Ukon wasn''t as concerned as his brother. "No. Lord Orochimaru already has a contingency for that. Even if the Hidden Leaf ninjas find the base, Daichi will be moved from that location via the snake summon. Besides, should there be an attack, the Leaf will only be sending their shinobi to their deaths. Considering the two guarding that location."

    ��-

    <strong>T .</strong>

    <strong>With Inoichi Yamanaka.</strong>

    While Ibiki went to work on Rinji, Guren was transferred to the intelligence section on the lower floors. Soon she was unconscious and trapped inside a strange machine semi circr in shape. Only her head was visible.

    There were numerous seals all over the machine and numerous wires were running to a control desk in the back. Three ninjas had their hands ced on the seals located on the control desk.

    A recently promoted Yamanaka chunin looked at the machine in awe.<em>''So this is the Mind reading amplification machine huh. This will increase the strength of the Psycho Mind Transmission. After this device is turned on, Captain Inoichi will stay in direct contact with the target while the rest of us help by releasing chakra into the seals located on the device.''</em>

    As Inoichi got ready to mind read his target, Aoba Yamashiro came near him. "Captain. You should be careful. If it''s anything like Mizuki she''d have powerful barriers too."

    The blonde Yamanaka nodded his head. "I know. I''m counting on her memories to have mental blocks on them. It''ll take longer periods of time to probe through them but with all of us here it won''t take that much time. Besides, based on the information we received, this woman is the leader of the team that attacked Genma''s squad. So unlike Mizuki, she''ll definitely have valuable information."

    "Our approach... Should we be delicate or�� ?"

    Inoichi shook his head upon hearing that question. "No. Time is a serious factor. We''re going to use brute force. We need to gather as much intelligence as we can, as fast as we can. She has no use other than that. So let''s get to work."

    Inoichi made a few seals and ced his hand on Guren''s head. Instantly the Yamanaka entered the target''s subconscious to extract the information he needed. Guren, though physically restrained and unconscious, subconsciously began to resist with a mental fortitude honed through rigorous training under Orochimaru.

    Inoichi frowned as he observed his surroundings.<em>''Her mind is bristling with defenses.''.</em>

    In Guren''s mind, Inoichi found himself in a vast, forebodingndscape. It was a dark, twisted terrain, filled with thick mists and treacherous paths.

    ''<em>This mindscape is littered with traps, barriers and mental constructs erected to protect her deepest secrets and memories. No wonder the truth serum didn''t show any effect. Orochimaru''s poison resistancebined with defenses like these. Those serums might as well have been ordinary water.''</em>

    Inoichi, undeterred, began to navigate through thebyrinth. He encountered walls of imprable fog with each representing Guren''s fears and doubts. It was designed to disorient and trap intruders.

    ''<em>A Genjutsu to confuse intruders using your own fears huh. That''s a clever trick. But it won''t be that easy to keep me away.''</em>

    Inoichi made a seal and quickly dissipated the fog with beams of concentrated mental energy and he pushed forward.

    As he delved deeper, he came across more sinister traps. From the darkness several tendril suddenly appeared and twisted around Inoichi''s arms and legs.

    The Yamanaka instantly recognized the trap used.<em>''This is�� ''Double Layered Mind Crush'' jutsu. A Genjutsu attack inside a Genjutsu defense. This is definitely that damn Ko''s jutsu. But it doesn''t have his finess.''</em>

    Inoichi immediately calmed himself and didn''t make any moves.<em>''The more the victim struggles in these binds the tighter they be. And if the target continues to struggle for several seconds, these binds won''t stop tightening till the limbs are torn off.''</em>

    Inoichi''s sudden stillness and rxed posture stopped the jutsu from activating its deadly trap. Around 10 secondster he suddenly used strong force in his arms to break through the tendrils and made a Ram seal.

    ''<em>Genjutsu release.''</em>

    Immediately the dark tendrils vanished and the Yamanaka moved ahead. Further in, he encountered a series of intricate puzzles. Each one was aplex mental barrier designed based on her personality.

    ''<em>Usually these puzzles would require me to solve them through understanding the nuances of Guren''s psyche, decoding her fears, motivations, and loyalties. But that would take time. Thankfully Lord Hokage has given permission to move faster.''</em>

    Inoichi gathered the chakra and began destroying the barriers. But he was still careful as to not trigger any traps or contingencies that might have been ced in her head.

    As the man moved forward through Guren''s mind he encountered several challenges.

    One particrly challenging barrier was a vast, swirling vortex. Inoichi recognized it as a trap meant to engulf and destroy an intruder''s consciousness.

    Approaching it with caution, he carefully executed the counter jutsu. With the help of the Mind reading amplification machine and the Chunins supplying him with chakra, Inoichi quickly moved forward.

    Throughout this mindscape journey, Inoichi was careful to maintain a lifeline to his own body. He was aware of the dangers of bing lost in another''s consciousness.

    The mind reader efficiently and ruthlessly destroyed the barriers that sprung up in Guren''s mind.

    ''<em>This mind-walking expedition is exhausting.''</em>Even with outside help Inoichi had to tap into the depths of his own mental and emotional reserves to keep going at such a fast pace.

    Outside, the other ninjas were carefully monitoring Guren and Inoichi. The atmosphere in this room was a stark contrast with the oppressive environment of the interrogation chamber but the air was still charged with a palpable, electric tension.

    Aoba looked at the three Chunins who were supporting Inoichi in this endeavor. "How is it? What''s going on?" The man asked in a low voice.

    "Her mind is like a fortress. It''syered with several protections. It''s doing a good job of slowing down the captain." One of the Chunins replied in a small voice as to not distribute Inoichi.

    Inside the mindscape Inoichi''s consciousness approached the outeryers of Guren''s psyche and soon breached through them. He encountered another barrier - A swirling storm of memories and emotions designed to disorient and repel the intruder.

    ''<em>False memories mixed in with real ones huh. It won''t be that easy to fool me.''</em>

    With practiced ease, Inoichi navigated through this maelstrom, his years of experience allowed him to distinguish between genuine memories and fabricated defenses.

    ''<em>So many mind shields�� We might be underestimating this woman''s importance to Orochimaru... I need to proceed with caution.''</em>

    Time went by and as he advanced, Inoichi became aware of the core of Guren''s psyche. He saw arge pink crystal wall blocking his path.

    ''<em>This is a fortress within a fortress. So this must be it. Where her most guarded secrets and memories reside.''</em>

    Inoichi touched the crystal defense and felt the strength of the final mind barrier.

    ''<em>This must have been created based on the workings of her Kekkei Genkai. An inner sanctum protected by a final, most formidable barrier created based on her bloodline.''</em>

    Inoichi examined the barrier and understood that breaching this final defense will require not just skill but power.<em>''I need to see if Orochimaru or Ko has ced any contingencies here.''</em>

    The Yamanaka ninja examined every part of the mind and soon found something that almost made him curse.<em>''I need to tell the others.''</em>

    Outside, the four ninjas were watching Inoichi''s still form with bated breath. They knew the toll such a deep dive can take on the practitioner. They saw constant steaming from Guren''s head. Proof of the battle taking ce inside her mind.

    Suddenly they saw their captain open his eyes ande out of the Mind walk. "We have a problem. Well, technically we have two problems." Inoichi''s first words caused tension to rise in the room.

    "Captain, what happened?" Aoba asked with concern in his voice.

    "I''m in front of the final barrier in the core of her mind. It''s a rare specific mind barrier created based on her bloodline. Breaking through that will require quite a bit of skill and chakra. That''s problem number one."

    "And the second?" One of the Chunins asked.

    "There is a failsafe trigger. A special seal ced by Orochimaru." The Yamanaka captain replied.

    "What kind of seal?" Aoba asked. He knew there weren''t many mind techniques or barriers that could stop the captain.

    "A mind destruction seal. The instant we break the barrier, the seal will be triggered and her memories will start getting erased. Fast." Inoichi replied.

    "To go that far. Orochimaru really values this woman, doesn''t he? She must know a lot of his secrets." Aoba instantly concluded.

    "Yes. It''s precisely why we can''t fail. Once we breach the barrier we''ll need to get as much information out of her as possible. Aoba. I''ll need your assistance on this." Inoichi ordered and gave them all their tasks.

    Aoba ced his hand atop Guren''s head alongside Inoichi and they both entered her mind.

    "We''ll break the barrier together. Once the crystal wall shatters the seal will activate and begin to quickly erase her memories. So we need to act smart."

    Inoichi spoke and Aoba nodded. The Jonin knew what his captain was talking about. "The early memories. Her childhood. We don''t need those memories, do we?" Aoba asked his captain.

    "No. The most important ones are the memories from thest 12 months. But that''s what the seal will also try to destroy first. You need to stall or redirect the seal to the oldest memories. While you do that I''ll read through her recent memories as soon as possible. Take any and all information we can."

    Aoba nodded with the n. They both began gathering chakra and synchronized with the Chunins outside for maximum power. Inoichi and Aoba simultaneously began forming hand-seals. The instant the sequence waspleted they ced their palms on the crystal barrier.

    "Mind Barrier destruction jutsu." x2

    A powerful force from both within Guren''s mind and outside sted against the crystal mind shield. Inoichi and Aoba looked on and anxiously waited.

    A momentter cracks began to form in the middle of the crystal barrier and quickly began to spread in all directions. A secondter the pink defense wall shattered and disappeared into fine particles.

    Instantly the failsafe seal Orochimaru ced activated. Guren''s mind shook and Inoichi and Aoba clearly felt the effects. It was as if there was an earthquake inside her mind.

    "Now Aoba! This is our only chance!" Inoichi shouted and immediately went to work going through the recent memories.

    "Yes captain!" Aoba quickly focused on the sealing jutsu and began creating counter seals and misdirection seals to slow down the Memory destruction seal.

    Outside the mind, the three Chunins felt the increase in the chakra drain and saw the concentrated visage of the two Jonins. Seconds went by and turned to minutes. The steam formed on Guren''s head increased. They saw sweat forming on Inoichi and Aoba''s faces.

    "How long do you think they''llst in there?" One of the Chunin asked hispanion.

    "I don''t know. It might not be long now�� Look at Guren."

    The other two focused their attention back to Orochimaru''s unconscious subordinate. Blood was slowly leaking from her nostrils and eyes.

    "It''s the effect of all those jutsus. Her brain''s hemorrhaging. This isn''t good. If Inoichi and Aoba don''t get out of there before her mind copses, they''ll be buried with her."

    The trio of Chunins were getting tense with each passing second. Suddenly they sensed a shift in chakra and saw that Inoichi and Aoba escaped from Guren''s mind.

    Aoba, seeing that he was back outside, was breathing hard and took a few unsteady steps back.<em>''That was too close.''</em>

    He took a few deep breaths to calm himself and then looked at his superior.

    "Captain. You alright?" Aoba asked. He became concerned when he saw Inoichi''s pale face.

    Inoichi snapped out of his thoughts and looked at the man. He slowly nodded and then straightened. "I need to speak to the Hokage. In the meantime, Aoba, I want you to take her body to the medical corps. Have them perform an autopsy." He ordered and then disappeared.

    Aoba merely nodded silently.<em>''What did he see in there that spooked him like that?''</em>

    ��------------

    Author''s Note:

    So Guren is dead. Im taking her out early

    For those wondering, the interrogation took a few hours. And barriers were different from the ones mizuki had.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen(No space)

 Chapter 318: Battleplans u0026 Preparations

    Chapter 318: Battlens u0026 Preparations

    <strong>Hokage Office.</strong>

    Shortly after Hiruzen returned to his office after his meeting with the Second Hokage, Inoichi came to see him.

    "Tell me you have some good news for me Inoichi."

    "I have news, Lord Hokage. But I''m not sure if it''s good." The Yamanaka replied with a heavy tone.

    "Nothing is today." Hiruzen sighed and nodded for Inoichi to continue.

    "Guren had several defenses in her mind but they were ced a few years ago. Although they were strong they weren''t as powerful as the ones Mizuki had. I was able to get through and get some information but the defensive measures Orochimaru put in ce destroyed her mind and killed her before I could uncover everything."

    "Orochimaru was always cautious. It is to be expected. What have you found?" The Hokage asked the blond interrogator.

    "She was an integral member under Orochimaru. Based on what I learned she was a trusted member because of the loyalty she showed and her strength. Guren overlooked the construction of several hideouts in the Land of Fire during thest several months. She also oversaw the movement of several important shipments in and out of the country. Some were high end medical equipment but others are unknown."

    Inoichi then handed several papers to the Hokage with locations, and roughly drawn blueprints on them. "The structure of the hideouts created under her supervision."Hiruzen examined them and his eyes narrowed. "These are among the seven locations we found scattered across the country."

    "Yes. From the memories I looked through, I was also able to get data on some of the defenses and measures they put in ce. I''ve already shared that intel with Shikaku and the Analysis team."

    "Good. Were you able to find out why they went after Daichi?" Hiruzen asked.

    Inoichi nodded. "Yes sir. It''s in the document in there." The man said, pointing to one specific sheet of paper.

    "The base marked on that location is where Orochimaru instructed Guren to bring Daichi. ording to my understanding Orochimaru has ced a great importance on the child and had asked to bring him to the location without inflicting much harm on him."

    Hiruzen leaned back in his chair and narrowed his eyes.<em>''So I was right. Now we have the where. But why? Why is Daichi so damn important to him?''</em>

    "Have you found out why Orochimaru needs the boy?"

    Inoichi grimaced at that question and Hiruzen had a bad feeling in his heart.

    The Yamanaka slowly nodded and spoke. "Yes sir. And it''s not good. Orochimaru has created some sort of a jutsu that can take over a person''s body."

    Hiruzen''s eyes widened in horror as he quickly realized the implications. "He did it. He actually did it. A forbidden immortality jutsu."

    The blond interrogator nodded. "Yes. From what I understood from Guren''s memories, Orochimaru ces special curse seals on those he deem worthy to be his new vessel. Surviving the curse seal itself is quite an ordeal because the sess rate is low. But once the subject survives the Curse seal imntation, Orochimaru uses some kind of jutsu to take over their bodies. I''m unaware of the specifics."

    "Will Orochimaru be able to use the abilities of the new body?" Hiruzen asked the man.

    "From what I gathered, Yes. This Guren was powerful and was to be Orochimaru''s next vessel but he changed his mind a few months ago. Guren believes that Orochimaru asked her to capture Daichi so that he could make Daichi his new vessel."

    Hiruzen''s fists clenched in anger as he thought about the moral implications of such a technique.<em>''To achieve something like that, you would need to attack not just the body but the soul as well�� Orochimaru, have you truly gone so low��''</em>

    Hiruzen suddenly looked up. "What about Tsunade? Have you found any information regarding her whereabouts?"

    Inoichi shook his head. "No."

    Hiruzen clenched his fists and let out a deep breath of anxiety.

    "But I don''t think Orochimaru is currently in Fire country." Inoichi''s sudden statement caught Hiruzen''s attention.

    "Why do you assume that?" The kage questioned.

    "Based on the memories I saw, Orochimaru ordered Guren to capture Daichi and get to that location on the map. But he also informed her that he would only be able to join her several dayster. And if she was sessful in her mission and we were to trace her to that location before Orochimaru arrived he gave her instructions to use the special summoning scroll in that hideout and send Daichi to him."

    "But it''s possible Orochimaru could be in another location in the country. In one of the other hideouts." Hiruzen argued.

    "I''m not so sure about that. Orochimaru has men guarding those locations but they''re not his best. Not the strongest or the brightest. I''d say they are there to slow us down or distract us." Inoichi told the kage his reasons.

    Hiruzen crossed his arms and mulled over the information. "Maybe Daichi''s theory has more merit than I gave it credit for." He muttered to himself.

    Seeing Inoichi''s curious gaze Hiruzen exined. "Daichi proposed a theory that Orochimaru might be in thend of Earth."

    Inoichi frowned as he thought about their current situation with that country. "That couldplicate things. The potential to escte tension should anything go wrong is high."

    "I''m aware."

    As they were discussing the situation, an Anbu suddenly appeared. Hiruzen instantly recognized the man. Bear. The agent he tasked with infiltrating the Root.

    Hiruzen turned to Inoichi and spoke. "Report everything you''ve learned to Shikaku and work on the remaining prisoners. Get as much information as you can out of them."

    Inoichi nodded and quickly left the room. Hiruzen then turned his attention to his loyal ninja kneeling in the middle of the room.

    "Bear. Did something happen?"

    The Anbu stood and nodded. "My existence has been discovered. Danzo has made preparations to have me killed on a mission. But they don''t know that I found out about that."

    Hiruzen nodded. He knew it was only a matter of time before Danzo found the mole. "We always knew this day woulde. I''m pulling you out of this mission. I have another task for you that''s more important."

    "Yes sir. But before that there is something you should know."

    Hiruzen''s eyes narrowed slightly as he looked at the Anbu.

    "Danzo has been recalling his agents from across the country. All those on active duty and on mission are being summoned. He made sure to keep it a secret from me but I''ve been keeping an eye on his secretmunications channel. He''s trying to bolster his forces. It''s almost as if he''s��"

    "Preparing for war." Hiruzen finished the sentence.

    "What should we do sir? Should I assemble a strike team and arrest Danzo?"

    Hiruzen was silent for several seconds as he thought about his next move. He finally made his decision. He looked at his Anbu Shinobi and spoke.

    "I''ve ordered Captain Ox to assemble a team to attack Orochimaru''s bases. And with everything happening our manpower will be low. But still, Danzo''s threat can no longer be ignored. Assemble a small team focused on heavy assault. Make sure two tracking ninjas are included as well. I don''t want any rats to slip the."

    The Anbu nodded. But then he thought of the other problem. "He has his Root agents in our Ranks. If we start a counter attack they will cause chaos."

    "Snow has given me a detailed list of all sleeper cell agents from Root. They''ll be taken care of soon."

    The masked ninja was surprised.<em>''Based on what I learned, only Danzo and his second inmand has that intel. They personally trained the sleeper ninjas so their identities would be an absolute secrecy and finding that out would be extremely difficult. Snow must have found them out by analyzing their smallest behaviors, history and training patterns. He certainly is the best at that.''</em>

    "Sir, what should be done about Danzo?" Bear asked.

    "I will personally deal with Danzo. He is my responsibility."

    The masked ninjas nodded.

    "Do you know the identity of Danzo''s lieutenant?" Hiruzen asked. That was what he mainly wanted to know.

    "Forgive me sir. But I was only able to meet him on two asions in all these years. I failed. I''m not sure who he is." Anbu replied.

    Hiruzen nodded.<em>''I suppose I can''t expect everything to go my way.''</em>

    "Assemble the team. But do not make a move until I give the order. It''s almost time to end this shadow war." Hiruzen gave his instructions and the Anbu ninjas vanished.

    Once he was alone in his office Hiruzen thought about his student that was currently in the vige.<em>''Last time, Jiraiya only used his Sage jutsu to power up the Reanimation counter seals. He didn''t meet Tobirama sensei�� It seems this meeting can''t be avoided. He will certainly be shocked when he sees sensei.''</em>

    Hiruzen got up from his seat and headed out. It wasn''t long before he reached the Analysis department. He looked at the analysts and enquired about the intelligence collected.

    "Aside from the locations in the Fire country, where are the others situated?"

    "Lord Hokage. Based on the information collected, we''ve identified bases in Land of Rice Paddies, Land of Hot water, Land of Rivers and Land of Mountains. Among these we''re certain that Orochimaru is using the Land of Rice Paddies as his primary hideout." One of the Analysis ninjas replied.

    At that moment Ibiki arrived afterpleting his interrogating Rinji. Hiruzen turned to him and motioned for him to speak.

    "I''ve questioned Rinji and the other prisoners."

    "What did you learn?"

    "Orochimaru uses the Land of Rice Paddies as his main base of operations but he''s constantly on the move. He subdued several small ns in that region and created awork ofbs. He calls it the Hidden Sound vige. Many of them have curse seal abilities and many were used as experiments. They have modified bodies and with their numbers they are strong enough to create trouble for Chunins and even Jonins. Rinji was a spy Orochimaru nted in his hideouts to gather information or eliminate uncertain factors. The rest of the prisoners were just pawns. They didn''t have any valuable intel. I believe they were intended as sacrificial pieces." Ibiki informed with a neutral tone.

    The Hokage nodded and soon left. He met with the Second Hokage and informed him of everything he learned. Tobirama frowned when he heard that Danzo preparing to strike against the vige but other than that he showed no other emotion.

    "So that''s why he wanted the child. He''s created some sort of body transfer jutsu huh. It will no doubt be a forbidden jutsu with certain risks involved." Tobirama had also conducted several human experiments to create the Forbidden Reanimation jutsu so he knew a simr jutsu would have dangers involved to the user as well.

    "Yes. Daichi''s potential and strength is extraordinary for a child his age. If Orochimaru gets such power, he''ll be a much bigger threat."

    "Yes. The urgency with which Orochimaru ordered his people to go after the boy. I believe it has something to do with Tsunade. But unfortunately we still have no idea on her location." Tobirama frowned at theck of information.

    "I already have Jiraiya gathering intelligence on the movements in the Earth country. I''m sure he''ll get us something. But we''ll need some more time." Hiruzen replied to alleviate his sensei''s worry.

    "That''s not a luxury we have, Hiruzen. We need to move now." Tobirama crossed his arms and spoke.

    "The squads are being assembled. We''ll attack all the locations in the Fire country first. The seven locations will be deemed secondary targets. Even if they''re merely there as decoys, I can''t ignore them." Hiruzenid out his n to his former teacher.

    "You''re right. We need to make sure nothing happens to the stability of this country. Even if Tsunade is not there we''ll have to get rid of them all." Tobirama agreed with that battle n.

    "The subterranean building with the two powerful chakras�� That will be our primary target. I will be sending Jiraiya and another Anbu. But I would also like for you to be present during the raid on that base."

    The Second Hokage nodded. "Give them one of my markers. I''ll join when he''s reached the location."

    The old Hokage''s expression then turned slightly solemn. "Sensei. I''ve decided to execute Danzo. During the Anbu attacks on Orochimaru''s base I''ll lead a team to attack the underground Root facilities. It''s time to end this tug of war between us."

    "I would like to be present when you see him. There are a few things I want to know from him."

    Tobirama''s eyes contained disappointment aimed at both Danzo and Hiruzen and the old Kage could see that. "I understand. I will make the arrangements."

    ��-

    <strong>2:45 am.</strong>

    Time went by and soon several teams were assembled and present atop the Hokage tower. There were several ninjas wearing k jackets and Anbu gear present.

    The Hokage stood in front of therge crowd of ninjas and spoke. "This will be a Joint operation between the Anbu and Jonin squads. Your task is to infiltrate and eliminate the targets you''ve been assigned. This mission is critical to the stability of the vige and the future. So failure is not an option."

    The Anbu in the crowd were standing like statues but some of the Chunins and even a couple Jonins were nervous at the tense atmosphere. They realized that this was probably one of the most important missions of their lives.

    "Go." Hearing the Hokage''s orders the teams vanished in several directions.

    The Hokage then turned to the lone Anbu remaining atop the tower. It was the Anbumander Ox. Hiruzen came near him and gave him a scroll. "You''ll be heading to the primary location. Once you reach the area, use the kunai in that scroll. Help will arrive. Do not engage before you do that."

    "Understood sir." Anbu Commander Ox nodded and disappeared.

    Hiruzen turned his attention to the night sky and let out a tired breath.<em>''It will take a while for them to reach the hideout�� I hope everything goes alright��''</em>

    ��-----------------

    Author''s Note

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen(No space)

 Chapter 319: Danzo Gears up.

    <strong>2:30am. Hokage Tower.</strong>

    15 minutes ago, the Hokage had summoned around a dozen ninjas from Jonin and Anbu ranks and held a secret meeting. Hiruzen looked at them and his eyes held a grim edge that had everyone slightly tense. They had all heard about Orochimaru and Tsunade''s sh. Asuma, Anko and Anbu Deer were some of the people taking part in this meeting.

    Hiruzen quickly began without wasting any more time. "I called all of you here because you are some of the best in the vige and your loyalty is unquestionable. The mission I''m about to assign you is of a grave nature."

    Hiruzen was silent for a moment and quickly looked at each of them and then continued. "You''ll be assigned a teamposed of Jonins and other Anbu personnel. Each of you will either be the leader of the team or will be the second inmand. This is a joint mission and Shikaku Nara and Anbumander Ox have already picked the ones you''ll be leading for this task."

    "What''s the mission? Does it have to do with Orochimaru?" Asuma couldn''t help but ask. He knew a joint operation like this was highly unusual.

    Hiruzen looked at his son and nodded. He then began to exin. "We have identified several hidden bases in this country belonging to him. They have defensive measures in ce and each of them are guarded by at least 2 dozen men. Your task will be to eliminate or if possible, capture those men for interrogation and then raid the hideout. Take anything and everything of value and rescue Tsunade or Shizune if they are at that location."

    The shinobi nodded but some were still not sure why Anbu and Jonins were working together.

    "But this is only the primary task that you mustplete." Hiruzen spoke and he looked to the side and nodded at his secretary. The Chunin handed the ninjas a folder consisting of several documents on certain ninjas.

    "Your secondary mission is to eliminate the ninjas you see in your files." As soon as Hiruzen''s words were finished there were murmurs within the assembled shinobi.Asuma looked at the document in his hand and in the file was a picture of a Chunin he knew.

    <em>Jogan Himaki</em>.

    He wasn''t close with the man in the file but he was familiar with him. He looked at the kage and his eyes slightly narrowed.

    "What''s going on? As far as I know Jogan is a Leaf ninja and he isn''t a criminal. He''s a good person. A good Chunin. So why the kill order?" Asuma asked the question that many others wanted to know the answer to.

    "Yes. Jogan is a Leaf ninja and he hasn''tmitted any crimes.<em>Yet</em>."

    Asuma and the rest of the ninjas were puzzled. They had an ominous feeling in their hearts.

    Hiruzen kept his face neutral and showed no outward emotion as he spoke. "His loyalty isn''t to the Leaf vige but to another entity and if he stays in the vige then there is a good chance he and the rest of them will cause a civil war here in the next few hours or days�� The people in those documents are sleeper agents."

    Everyone was shocked to hear that and they immediately understood the gravity of the situation.

    "Is the information urate? About them being sleeper agents?" An Anbu questioned. He wanted to be sure before he executed people he once calledrades.

    "Yes. I''ve had a few among the list be secretly taken to the interrogation department and they were able to confirm it. The intelligence is solid." Hiruzen replied and the ninjas became silent.

    "Are they working for another vige? Another organization or something?" Another Jonins asked.

    "They belong to the Foundation under Danzo."

    The Hokage''s reply shocked almost everyone. They knew the implications of making such a im.

    <em>Danzo is nning a coup.</em>

    The Jonins and Anbu in the room were smart and they quickly came to the conclusion.

    "So this is a clean up mission along with a rescue mission." Anko spoke up with a rare surprising serious gaze.

    "Yes. There might be people you know in those files�� Whatever attachments you have towards them, whatever emotions you have, you''ll need to put them aside for this task. If any of you have a problem, speak up now."

    Nobody said a word and stood silent as they gazed at their kage. Hiruzen looked at their determined expression and knew Ox and Shikaku picked the right people for the job.

    He began to exin the particrs of the mission.

    "The ones marked in the files�� They will have to be removed. If possible ideally during your sh with Orochimaru''s men. If not then it will be up to you on how you get it done. But make sure none of the others in your squad knows about this."

    The ninjas nodded in understanding. Once Hiruzen was done giving them the details of the mission parameters he dismissed everyone present and asked them to meet with their teams and assemble on the roof of the tower.

    <strong>2:45 am. Sensor Team.</strong>

    By the time all the teams left the Hokage tower, amunication department was set up with several Yamanaka ninja in charge. Shikaku Nara and a Hyuga were also keeping an eye on everything and rying the necessary instructions andmands to all the teams.

    "It will take about 4 to 5 hours for them to reach their target locations. But we need to be ready if anything unexpected urs." Shikaku spoke and the others nodded.

    <strong>3:00 am. Hidden Leaf Vige Borders.</strong>

    An Anbu with a mask that has markings resembling a Bear was quietly moving through the shadows. He recalled the secret Jonin and Anbu meeting the Kage had called half an hour ago.

    ''<em>Every person called to that meeting was a high level shinobi. They''ll be able to contain and eliminate the problem. It''s better for the vige if those radical and loyal to Danzo disappear�� But still�� Lord Hokage won''t be able to continue with his position for much longer after this. It looks like the political power system will be changing soon.''</em>

    He leapt to another branch without making a single leaf fall and quickly moved forward.

    ''<em>I wonder who the next Hokage is going to be? Jiraiya most probably or maybe Lady Tsunade if nothing happens to her�� Still, this will certainly cause a disturbance�� Well, it''s not my headache anyway.''</em>

    Anbu Bear had another assignment given by the Hokage and the man was quickly moving in the direction of the Valley of the end.

    His destination - The Hidden Sound Vige.

    ��-

    <strong>Somewhere Underground. 3:00 am.</strong>

    In a dimly lit chamber, deep within the hidden recesses of the vige, Danzo stood before arge, intricately carved table. Maps and scrolls were scattered across the surface, illuminated by the flickering light of candles.

    His second inmand, a figure shrouded in shadows, stepped forward. He had a hint of urgency in his posture.

    Danzo''s single visible eye shifted towards the other figure. "Zero. Report."

    "The Hokage made his move. The Root agents we had nted within his ranks have been sent on missions outside the vige."

    The old warhawk narrowed his eyes at that unexpected news. "Is it just a coincidence or��?"

    The figure shrouded in darkness shook his head. "It doesn''t seem so, sir. All of our sleeper agents within the ranks have been deployed and the ones in non critical positions have disappeared without a trace. I''m certain the Hokage took them. He has anticipated our ns. I was able to procure a copy of thetest mission details but nothing more."

    Danzo studied the information and despite the troubling situation he found himself in, a small smile formed on his face. "It seems Hiruzen has outmaneuvered us for now. He''s deployed our own agents away from the vige under the guise of rescuing Tsunade and Shizune. It seems he''s not just targeting Orochimaru. He''s also leaving us vulnerable."

    "The Hokage might be aware of our ns. It''s possible he''s attempting to weaken our position by drawing our forces thin."

    Danzo tapped on the table and slightly nodded to himself. "It wasn''t Hiruzen. He couldn''t have anticipated my move so easily. If I had to make a guess, it must be Shikaku. He must have been the one to figure it out."

    The second inmand of the Root organization nodded.<em>''He''s the best strategist in the vige and he''s a cunning man. If he had the information the Hokage has then I have little doubt that it was him behind this predicament. But even he won''t know everything.''</em>

    The figure looked at his master with a calm gaze. "The Hokage might be looking to strip the Root of its strength before he strikes directly. With our forces diminished, we''re at a disadvantage�� How should we proceed, Lord Danzo?"

    "We have to elerate our ns. First, we''ll have to reinforce our position within the vige. I''ve cultivated loyalties that Hiruzen isn''t aware of. It''s time to call upon those alliances. Secondly, we need to control the narrative. Spread rumors within the vige that Hiruzen''s sudden actions against Orochimaru are rash and that it''s weakening the vige''s defenses."

    The second inmand of Root nodded, absorbing every word. "And if the Anbu confronts us before then?"

    "Then we take the battle to a field we control. I have secured several locations within the vige that can serve as strategic points for an ambush. Our forces may be smaller, but they are elite. We can use the vige''s own infrastructure against them."

    The man standing near Danzo nodded. He knew a battle wasing and was prepared.

    Danzo had another thought pop up in his mind and he quickly spoke. "Additionally, we need to prepare for the worst. If Hiruzen attempts to strike against us directly, we''ll need contingencies. Ensure that this building is secure. And the sealing jutsu... They should be ready. If Hiruzen does attack, we''ll need every advantage to counter his ninjutsu."

    "I''ll make sure this stronghold is well-fortified." The masked ninja nodded. "And the vigers, Lord Danzo? If this esctes, public perception could turn against us. We''ve always operated in the shadows for the greater good of the vige."

    Danzo was silent for a few moments before he replied. "We can craft our narrative carefully. We''re not insurgents but patriots, prepared to do what''s necessary for the vige''s survival. If Hiruzen attacks us, we can frame it as a desperate act of a paranoid man afraid of change. We''ll need to manipte public sentiment. They should see us as the lesser of two evils."

    "Lord Danzo, we might be able to fool the civilians but the Shinobi ns�� They will see through our tactics."

    "I''m aware. My sess hinges on precise, strategic ambushes and the loyalty of the vige''s ns. We need to use the vige''s geography to our advantage in battle and I need urate intelligence on where each n stands." Danzo''s face turned slightly grim as he thought about the numbers. He knew they were not in his favor.<em>''I''ll need some help from the people in the Royal court once this is all over.''</em>

    At this time Zero spoke. "The Hyuga are traditionally loyal to the Hokage, but there is internal division. The branch family may feel disenfranchised enough to side with us, especially if we promise reforms on the n''s curse mark system. A targeted approach, exploiting these divisions, could work to our advantage."

    Danzo nodded with that strategy. "Good. Make those promises discreetly."

    "And the Nara n? They''re a significant asset of the vige." The root agent asked his master.

    Danzo had a frown on his face as he thought about the Joninmander and the head of the Nara n. "Shikaku Nara is loyal to Hiruzen and most of their n is loyal to Shikaku. He''ll be a thorn."

    "Maybe we can target the younger Naras. The ambitious ones. They might be swayed to our side. We can offer them positions of influence once you take charge."

    Danzo grunted. "Hm�� But those offers have to be enticing. And people from that n�� They''re not easily fooled. Lastly, we need to control the narrative within the vige. The Akimichi, Yamanaka, and other influential ns must see us as the legitimate future of Leaf. Spread rumors of Hiruzen''s failing health and indecisiveness in times of crisis."

    "If we move too aggressively, too quickly with this strategy, there is a chance it will fail or be used against us." Zero cautioned the old man.

    Danzo was silent as he realized the valid point the masked ninja made.<em>''Hiruzen has been preparing this. And his words back at the office. He has contingencies in case of his death? He wasn''t bluffing then. Zero is right. If I make too much noise too soon it could be used against me.''</em>

    At that moment his agent spoke. "What if we keep this battle in the shadows. We could organize a silent coup from within. That way there will be minimal disruption to the vige... A coup that''s over before anyone realizes it has begun."

    Danzo shook his head. He knew such a n would not be feasible. Especially not now. "That won''t be easy. We have to consider Hiruzen''s next steps. He''s no fool and will be anticipating such a move from us."

    Danzo crossed his arms and felt the power in his body.<em>''It looks like a direct confrontation is unavoidable.''</em>

    "Lord Danzo, what about Orochimaru? If he learns of our predicament, he might see it as an opportunity to strike at us." Zero asked his master.

    Danzo frowned as he thought about the rogue Sannin. "Orochimaru is a variable we cannot control, but we can try to anticipate him. We''ll send feelers out, perhaps even propose a temporary truce. Our enemy''s enemy can be our ally, however briefly. If it seeds then we might also be able to gain information on Tsunade and what that snake wants with her. But make no mistake, Orochimaru is a threat to us and the Leaf. We will have to deal with him in time."

    The masked Root ninja nodded. "Understood. And what of the two advisors? Koharu and Homura. They could prove troublesome."

    "Divide and conquer. I''ve been sowing seeds of mistrust among them for years. It''s time to exploit those divisions. Send anonymous tips about a potential attack from within. Make them doubt each other. Keep them upied."

    "Yes Lord Danzo. I''ll make the arrangements."

    "To the outside world we shouldn''t appear weak. Nor can we draw the vige into arger internal conflict. This confrontation between Hiruzen and I, we''ll need to finish it as soon as possible. If the other viges get involved it will be disastrous. We can''t afford to fight battles on multiple fronts at this moment."

    "I understand. I will begin preparations immediately. The Root will be ready to move on yourmand."

    "Remind everyone, our actions are for the greater good of Leaf vige. Hiruzen''s time has passed. This vige needs a leader who can make the hard decisions, who can guide it through the darkness. That leader is me��"

    Danzo looked at the map of Fire country and the map of the Hidden Leaf vige in front of him. He made his choice and he wasn''t going to back down.

    He turned to his right hand man. "Ready our forces. The future of the Leaf is about to be rewritten."

    As the second inmand left the room to carry out Danzo''s orders the chamber fell silent once more, save for the flicker of candlelight.

    Danzo stared at the flickering me atop the candle.<em>''The stage is set for our confrontation, Hiruzen. This will change the fate of the vige forever.''</em>

    ��-------------

    Author''s Note:

    From the next chapter onwards Daichi, tobirama, danzo, jiraiya�� All parties take action

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen(No space)

 Chapter 320: Daichis Inner Conflict u0026 Obitos Greed

    <strong>With Daichi. Approx. 2:30 am.</strong>

    The young Genin felt like he was floating in air. His whole body felt weightless and the second he experienced this sensation he opened his eyes. Daichi found himself standing amidst the vast expanse of swirling gxies and nebulous clusters.

    A surreal reflection of the universe outside. The stars twinkled like countless eyes, watching Daichi as he silently encountered a figure identical to himself, yet distinct in essence.

    "You''ve seen enough anime to know what this is don''t you?" The voice came from his clone standing several feet in front of him.

    "This is... inside my mind�� or my soul?" Daichi deduced and replied after a few seconds of silence.

    Doppelganger Daichi nodded. "Yes. A realm unbound by the physical world''s limitations. This is the inner universe of your mind. A ce where your true self and your deepest thoughts converge and where the essence of our being resides."

    The Genin looked around, marveling and awestruck at the cosmic beauty surrounding them, the nebe and stars creating a light show of profound beauty.

    In the ethereal vastness that stretched endlessly, shimmering like a gxy within his mind, Daichi stood face to face with a figure that mirrored him in every aspect��his doppelg?nger, the embodiment of his consciousness. The atmosphere was serene and yet it vibrated with an energy that felt both alien and intimately familiar.

    "This is the deepest sanctum of our mind. The Gamer''s Mind skill has no effect here."Daichi nodded as he heard the words of his clone. "So you''re me?" The Genin looked at the figure with a keen gaze.

    "Not quite. I am the embodiment of your innermost thoughts, your true self unclouded by doubt or fear." The figure replied and held a jovial gaze.

    Daichi became silent as he looked at the doppelganger. "So, you''re me, but... not fully me. Alright, I''ll bite. But first I have two questions for you."

    "Ask away." The other Daichi had his hands behind his back and stood in a regal manner as he replied.

    "Ok. Question one. Why are you talking like that?"

    "Like what?" The doppelganger smiled and slightly tilted his head in amusement.

    Daichi crossed his arms and looked at his counterpart. "You know what I mean. You sound like a monk trying to give advice to a millennial. Speaking all formal and ancient like that."

    Doppelganger Daichi chuckled lightly as he looked at the annoyance on his mirror image''s face. "I believe that what I have to say will be more impactful if I spoke in this manner to you. It''ll also make me seem more mystical and wise."

    Daichi didn''t miss the yful smile on the other''s face and he groaned. "Argh. Fine. Whatever�� Ok, second question. Why did my subconscious want to meet me today?"

    Consciousness Daichi looked at his real life counterpart with a knowing smile. "You know why. It''s time to address the elephant in the room, isn''t it?"

    The real Daichi was silent as he thought about the reasons for being here and after a while he seemed to guess what brought him here. All the while his counterpart continued to just stand there with his easy going smile.

    After a while Daichi frowned and spoke. "You''re talking about my power, aren''t you?"

    "Yes." Came the simple nod from the other side.

    "Why exactly did you bring me here?" Daichi slightly narrowed his eyes.

    "This is an issue of great importance. I brought you here to discuss your true strength and the reason you conceal it."

    "And why now?"

    The smile on ''Consciousness Daichi'' disappeared and he became serious. "Because it''s time. Time for you to confront the truths you''ve veiled even from yourself. About power, its essence, and the path you''ve chosen."

    Daichi frowned upon hearing that. "What are you getting at?"

    Consciousness Daichi crossed his arms and spoke. "You''re hiding it, Daichi. Keeping your true power under wraps, ying the part of a mere Genin when you could easily surpass even the Jonins."

    "It''s not that simple. This world is dangerous. Revealing my true strength could put a target on my back." Daichi spoke defensively to justify his actions.

    The subconscious counterpart merely shook his head. "And yet, by holding back, aren''t you doing yourself a disservice? How will you grow if you''re always hiding in the shadows?"

    Daichi furrowed his brows, the weight of those words settling in.

    He looked at his clone and spoke. "I''ve always believed power is something to be wielded with caution. To protect, to ensure the safety of myself and those I care about without causing unnecessary harm."

    "Noble intentions. But think, why shield your true might? Is it solely out of caution, or is there fear��fear of the unknown, of how others will perceive you? Or perhaps, fear of losing yourself to that power?"

    Daichi remained silent, the conflict evident in his gaze as he pondered the question.

    "<em>Speak the truth Daichi."</em>The words came from the clone and it sounded unusually harsh.

    Daichi looked down at his hands and spoke. "I... I hide my strength because I fear the consequences of revealing it. The world isn''t ready. Nor am I. There are people depending on me and I''m afraid of failing those expectations. I can be the strongest faster than anyone else if I really wanted to but I''m scared of the destruction I could cause if I''m not careful... If I lose myself to that power."

    He looked up at his counterpart and sadness and fear were evident on his face. "I''m afraid of not recognizing who I am when I embrace that power fully."

    The expression on the clone Daichi softened as he heard the woes of his counterpart. "That incident with Mizuki, What you did to him. It really shook you huh�� Your cautious nature has always been your shield, but now it has also be your prison."

    "And what about all the threats? Orochimaru''s greed, Madara''s ambition, the motives of Zetsu and the Akatsuki? My power could force all of them to take action." Daichi spoke of his concerns to his subconscious figure.

    The clone''s eyes slightly widened as he understood the deeper fears inside Daichi. "You believe that Orochimaru''s attack on Tsunade is your fault."

    Daichi clenched his fists and anger was visible on his face. "I know it is. I''ve been thinking about this for a while. This didn''t happen in the original timeline. If I was just an ordinary Genin then no matter what disturbances or ripples I would have created because of my existence, Orochimaru wouldn''t have gone after them. The fact that he did means he''s after my power or because of it. And after everything I did to hide my real strength, if Orochimaru still noticed me, then I''m sure Obito, Zetsu and others would have taken note as well."

    Consciousness Daichi nodded his head. "True. Those names carry weight. They are powerful and dangerous. Your unusual strength could indeed draw their gaze."

    "And what about the vige''s leadership? The Third Hokage has always been cautious. Revealing my true power... wouldn''t that stir unrest, fear, or even challenge the established order? I''m growing too strong too fast. The Hokage knows I''m unnatural. But right now we have peace between us." Daichi knew what he would do if the Hokage stood in his way or put restrictions on him. He didn''t want it to get to that point.

    The clone created from Daichi''s mind nodded. "Yes. It''s also true. The bnce of power is delicate. A sudden shift could either fortify or fracture the fragile peace that exists. Yet, is concealing your strength truly the way to maintain harmony? Or does it merely dy an inevitable confrontation?"

    That question from his inner doppelganger silenced Daichi.

    "True power is not just about strength. It''s about understanding,passion, and control. You have all these qualities, Daichi. You''ve trained, learned, and grown not just in strength but in character. Your journey in this universe, the challenges you''ve faced and the allies you''ve gained��it''s all shaped you into someone capable of wielding your true power wisely."

    Daichi took a moment, letting the words sink in. He realized his fears were based on what he thought he should be, not on who he had be.

    "But...how do I know when the right time is? When to step out of the shadows and show my true strength?" He looked at his inner self and asked.

    Consciousness Daichi: "The right time is a moment of your choosing. You''ll figure it out. After all, who knows you better than yourself?"

    The boy thought about the answer and nodded.

    At that moment his inner self shared his wisdom. "But know this��hiding diminishes not just your potential, but also the help and hope you can offer your friends. It isn''t just about facing enemies with strength but inspiring your friends with courage and leading by example."

    A silence fell between them, filled only by the soft hum of cosmic energy. Daichi felt a warmth spreading through him, a fusion of confidence and rity.

    Consciousness Daichi spoke. "You are unique Daichi. A traveler from an era and world withpletely different values. You are a gift to this world of ninjas and chakra. It''s time to embrace yourself, to stop hiding. Show them who you truly are, not as a demonstration of your might over the weak, but to protect those who you care about, not to prove your superiority over others, but to fulfill your goals. Use it as a proof of your character, your resolve, and your vision for a better world. Let them see the true meaning of your strength."

    Daichi nodded as he realized what his inner self was saying. "I see... I''ve been so focused on what could go wrong, I didn''t see what could go right."

    The mirror self nodded. "When your strength is anchored by a strong will and a clear purpose it bes a beacon of hope, a force for good."

    The Genin took a deep breath and a sense of rity washed over him. He nodded, a determined glint in his eyes. "I understand. I think after so long I''ve had a sort of tunnel vision and forgot the most important thing. It''s not just about hiding or showing power. It''s about using it with purpose. Thank you..."

    The doppelganger smiled at him. "Of course. After all, I am you. You''ve always had this wisdom within. You just needed an outside perspective. It''s time to show them all... The Power of Daichi Hekima."

    As the conversation concluded, the gxy around them began to fade, and Daichi felt a gentle pull, beckoning him back to the physical world. He felt a sense of peace, armed with the knowledge that his path was not just one of power but of purpose and wisdom.

    Daichi opened his eyes filled with a newfound resolve and understanding of his path forward. He awoke a new person, emboldened, and ready. Ready to show the world the true extent of his strength.

    ��-

    <strong>Mountains Graveyard.</strong>

    In the dim light of a cavernous hideout, Zetsu emerged from the shadows. His figure, a stark ck and white against the darkness. The silence was thick and only the subtle drip of water from stctites broke it.

    Madara, who had a ck cloak and red spiral mask, sat before a rudimentary table carved from the very stone of the cavern. Several maps and scrollsid scattered across the surface, illuminated by the flicker of a single candle.

    He didn''t turn to acknowledge Zetsu''s arrival, yet the air shifted with the recognition of his presence.

    The spy of the Akatsuki, spoke with a voice that carried the essence of both light and shadow.

    "Madara," he began, "Orochimaru has left a trail of deceit in his wake. False bases, guarded by experimental rejects to mislead the Third Hokage and his hounds."

    The figure known as Madara turned slowly, his Sharingan aze with interest. "Orochimaru, ever the serpent." he mused, his voice tinged with intrigue. "And what about the Leaf?"

    "They''re fractured," Zetsu replied. "They dispatched their teams in a scattered frenzy. They''re chasing ghosts across their ownnd."

    A dark resonating chuckle, escaped Madara''s lips. "Haha�� It looks like the beginning of chaos. With this, the Leaf vige now exposed its underbelly in desperation."

    "It is a possibility." Zetsu agreed. "What should we do? The vige is weakened but it''s not without its guardians."

    Madara became silent, a stillness that spoke volumes. "Has there been any other developments?" He asked after contemting the situation.

    "Jiraiya has returned. And Hiruzen may be old but he is no fool. If he has scattered his shinobi in such a manner it must have a deeper purpose." Zetsu replied and conveyed his thoughts.

    Madara paced inside the cave, each step a measured beat in the silent chamber. "You will observe, for now," he dered, his gaze piercing the gloom. "Let the Leaf vige scatter its forces thin. They''re desperate to find Orochimaru and Tsunade. Soon they will reveal more than they conceal."

    "What are you going to do?" Zetsu asked the masked man with a tinge of caution in his voice.

    "There are three targets in the Hidden Leaf vige that Nagato and I are after." Madara replied and the gleam in his Sharingan wasn''t missed by Zetsu.

    "The nine tails holder, Naruto Uzumaki. Shisui''s eye in possession of Danzo and the genius medic Daichi Hekima�� Naruto is the least priority but the other two�� I''m going to pay the Leaf vige a visit. Specifically Danzo. He might try something at this time. If the opportunity presents itself then I''ll take Shisui''s Sharingan eye and then Daichi as well."

    Madara told Zetsu his goals and the nt-like creature frowned minutely. "This is risky. If you strike at the Leaf, Itachi will no doubt retaliate."

    "I''m aware. I will visit the vige but I will only take action if the opportunity arises. If not I can still have a front row seat to the chaos unfolding." Madara replied and Zetsu nodded.

    Momentster the Uchiha and Zetsu vanished from the dark cave and the only sound left was the drops of water dripping from the stctites.

    ��--------------

    Author''s Note.

    I wanted to write a scene with Daichi and his inner self for a longtime. Felt that this was the right moment.

    Now Obito is gunning for Kotoamatsukami and Daichi.

    What''s going to happen next? Will they meet?

    What about the Root?

    Stay tuned to find out��.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen(No space)

 Chapter 321: Daichis New Target

    <strong>2:30 am. Kensei''s Home.</strong>

    Daichi opened his eyes and slowly sat up in bed. He knew what he felt, the conversation he had, it wasn''t just a simple dream. After speaking with his inner counterpart Daichi felt a weight off his chest.

    "I understand." He softly reassured himself. Just then a new quest appeared. A quest he didn''t expect.

    <strong>[Quest created - Plunder the Root.]</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>[The Third Hokage has decided to attack the Foundation and capture Danzo for the many crimes hemitted. There are several strong shinobi with him and they willunch an attack on the Root forces in approximately 50 minutes. Infiltrate the Root headquarters in the Leaf and plunder. But do not let anyone discover your identity or get captured.]</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>[Conditions]</strong>

    <strong>Steal documents and files from the archive.</strong><strong>Steal the jutsu stash stored in the vault inside the base.</strong>

    <strong>Take thete Shisui Uchiha''s Sharingan in Danzo''s possession.</strong>

    <strong>Take the Wood-style/Sharingan arm attached to Danzo. (Bonus)</strong>

    <strong>Kill Danzo Shimura. (Bonus)</strong>

    <strong>Kill Danzo''s Second inmand. (Bonus)</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>[Rewards]</strong>

    <strong>Exp. 38000</strong>

    <strong>Exp. 30000. (Bonus)</strong>

    <strong>Exp. 35000. (Bonus)</strong>

    <strong>Exp. 25000. (Bonus)</strong>

    <strong>1 Indomitable Stat.</strong>

    <strong>1 Persistence Stat.</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>[Failure]</strong>

    <strong>Distrust with the Hokage and increased hostility. (If captured or Identity leaked.)</strong>

    <strong>Increased possibility of failure of rescuing Tsunade Senju and Shizune Kato. (If captured or Identity leaked.)</strong>

    <strong>Reputation decreases with Kakashi. (If captured or Identity leaked.)</strong>

    <strong>Possible confrontation with Itachi Uchiha, Obito Uchiha and another powerful Shinobi. (If captured or Identity leaked.)</strong>

    <strong>Stat reduction. (If mandatory conditions are not fulfilled.)</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>ept (Y/N)</strong>

    ''<em>No way. Is that guy really going to take action? But why now? He should know that an inner conflict will only weaken our position. So then why would he��.''</em>

    Daichi was shocked as he read the details of the quest. His eyes focused on the conditions for thepletion of the quest.

    ''<em>Stealing Jutsu and documents could be considered easy. But Shisui''s Sharingan�� That''s not a bonus. If I ept this quest then I''ll have to confront Danzo. But if I don''t and justplete the first two conditions, then there will be stat reduction. It''s as if the system is wanting me to fight Danzo.''</em>

    Daichi exhaled a deep breath of air and he nced at the clock on his table.<em>''Its 2:30. Whatever decision I have to make, I need to do it now.''</em>

    Daichi closed his eyes for a few seconds to go over the pros and cons of this mission.<em>''Shisui''s eye has always been one of my targets. Having that crushed during Danzo''s death was a waste.''</em>

    Having made his choice Daichi opened his eyes and epted the quest.<em>''50 minutes before the Hokage attacks huh. I need to strike before then.''</em>

    Daichi immediately opened his skill list and looked at two particr skills.

    The first was his Sealing skill.

    <strong>[Sealing Art - Active(LV. 79): Sealing Art is aplex and advanced form of ninja technique used for various purposes. It involves the use of symbolic scripts and seals to control, manipte, and contain different forms of energy and entities. This skill can be used to seal objects, living beings, chakra, along with a wide range of other things within another object or living being.]</strong>

    <strong>Current Grade: Exceptional</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>[Effects]</strong>

    <strong>[Chakra Sealing: This allows the user to seal away or lock the chakra of a target, effectively preventing them from using their abilities.]</strong>

    <strong>[Entity Sealing: Powerful enough users can seal entities like Tailed Beasts within themselves or others.]</strong>

    <strong>[Barrier Creation: Some seals can also create barriers or wards to protect a certain area or person.]</strong>

    <strong>[Trap Activation: Certain seals can act as triggers for traps or other techniques, activating when a certain condition is met.]</strong>

    <strong>[Seal Release: The ability to release previously sealed techniques or energy.]</strong>

    <strong>[Attribute Maniption: Some advanced sealing techniques can alter the properties of what they seal, such as altering the nature of sealed chakra.]</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>[Note: The effectiveness, range, and versatility of these abilities wouldrgely depend on the user''s knowledge, skill level, and amount of chakra. Mastery of Sealing Art requires significant study, practice, and innate talent. Advanced sealing techniques require significant knowledge, chakra control, and precision. As with all other jutsu, the constant use of these abilities would drain the user''s chakra, with moreplex and powerful seals requiring more energy to use.]</strong>

    ''<em>The current level is 79 and the grade is Exceptional. That''s enough to learn the teleportation jutsu. Or at least enough to use its lowest level and basic functions.''</em>

    Daichi had increased his knowledge on the sealing arts to tackle Orochimaru''s base but he didn''t expect to use his expertise on Root hideout as well.

    ''<em>Orochimaru had a lot of information on Sealing jutsu and dozens of scrolls on them. If I study them even for a short time, it will increase my level in the sealing arts. But I''ll have to focus on the scrolls that have information on space time techniques�� Then there is the other.''</em>

    Daichi opened thetest skill he acquired.

    <strong>[Reanimation Jutsu - Active(LV. 01): A forbidden and highly��]</strong>

    ''<em>Since I''m going to attack Danzo''s base of operations I''ll need information. And for that I''ll need to increase this jutsu as fast as I can.''</em>

    Daichi made the cross seal and immediately created a shadow clone and dispelled it.<em>''Need to make a bettermunication method.''</em>

    The real Daichi informed his clone disguised as Kimimaro in Orochimaru''s base to level up the forbidden Reanimation skill.

    Once that was done he created several shadow clones. He looked at the 5 clones and nodded.

    "We don''t have much time. Increase your Sealing skill level as much as possible. We need to learn the Teleportation jutsu." The real Daichi spoke.

    "We''ll study the sealing scrolls we took from Orochimaru." One of the clones pointed to himself and the one near him.

    Daichi nodded and turned to the remaining three. "Among Orochimaru''s collection was the theories and mechanisms on the Flying thunder god jutsu. Study and see if it''s possible to replicate it. Even if it''s just a short range version it''ll be useful."

    "Orochimaru''s obsession certainly helped us. Even though he couldn''t perform the jutsu he researched it well." One of the clones spoke as he remembered the stacks of papers on that teleportation technique.

    "Of course. It''s the jutsu that made Minato famous. He would definitely try to learn it."

    One of the clones crossed his arms and looked at the Original. "Studying and moreover learning such aplicated jutsu in half an hour is not easy."

    "But not impossible." The real Daichi replied with a smile.

    The clone also smiled as he looked at his original. "No. Not impossible. We''ll use Hyper-cognition and Brain Augmentation. But once all this is done, you''ll need rest. You''ll be dangerously low on Mana."

    "I''ll get some sleep after Iplete the mission." The real Daichi knew the risks and signaled them to get to work.

    ��-

    <strong>Daichi clone (Kimimaro) (2:30 am)</strong>

    ''<em>So he wants me to level this skill as much as possible in the next 20 minutes huh. I should focus on the control aspect and obedience of the reanimations. He wants me to use the jutsu on those two samples huh. Well, this is sooner than I expected but this was within ourrger ns.''</em>

    The clone opened his inventory and looked at the two scrolls that were there for a long time. It contained the deceased bodies of Ichimaru and Toga. Two members of the Root team that attacked Daichi during his travels with Tsunade.

    The disguised Shadow clone quickly headed to the prison cells. Daichi moved through the shadows with unmatched stealth. The base was abyrinth of cold stone and dim corridors. It was eerily silent, its master absent, on pursuits known only to a select few.

    Soon in the bowels of Orochimaru''s base, hidden from prying eyes, Daichi saw a prison cell. Here, Daichi found his subjects, individuals who had transgressed against thews of man and nature. Daichi used Observe skill to make sure there were no innocents among his victims.<em>''All of them are criminals that have killed plenty of people. Good. I won''t be tortured by guilt.''</em>

    The prisoners were not surprised to see Kimimaro. They had long ago epted their fates and didn''t even put up any resistance.

    In Daichi''s eyes even though they were humans they were also the key to his sess, his necessary sacrifice on the altar of knowledge.

    The disguised clone took two people to a nearby empty room and with a grim determination, Daichi began his experiments.

    ''<em>The Reanimation Jutsu isplex and it requires precise chakra control and an intimate understanding of life and death.''</em>

    The first reanimation was rough, jagged around the edges of control and execution. The summoned soul was a mere shadow of its former self, a puppet with strings visibly pulled by an inexperienced hand. Daichi noted the excessive chakra consumption and the strain it ced on his body. The control was far from precise; it was brute force, a sledgehammer where a scalpel was needed. This first attempt, though sessful, highlighted the difference between knowing a jutsu and mastering it.

    ''<em>Can''t even form a clear conscience. Not perfect but it''s a start.''</em>

    <strong>[Skill Reanimation Jutsu has leveled up.]</strong>

    Daichi opened the skill list and looked at the chakra cost of the jutsu.<em>''2% of the total chakra of my Original for each summoning. This is going to be a headache. I don''t have many chances to improve my skills.''</em>

    Determined, Daichi pressed on. He released the reanimation and dragged another two prisoners and continued.

    With the subsequent experiment, he refined his technique, his sensitivity to the flow of chakra bing more acute. The second attempt saw improvements in the summoned being''s coherence and autonomy, though it still moved with jerky, uncertain motions, a marite learning to dance. Daichi observed how a more nuanced maniption of chakra not only reduced the physical toll on him but also improved the fidelity of the reanimation.

    <strong>[Skill Reanimation Jutsu has leveled up.]</strong>

    The breakthrough came with his third attempt. Here, Daichi discovered the delicate bnce between the chakra infused into the soul and the tether that kept it anchored to the world of the living. This bnce was the key to control, a realization that transformed his approach. The reanimated being moved with a semnce of its former self, its actions smoother, less constrained by the limitations of Daichi''s will.

    <strong>[Skill Reanimation Jutsu has leveled up.]</strong>

    With each new experiment, Daichi noted the diminishing strain on his mind. It was proof of his growing efficiency. With the fifth attempt the reanimated beings began to retain more of their personalities, their memories, albeit shrouded in the fog of their unnatural resurrection. It was a dance of life and death, with Daichi leading and his control growing ever more refined.

    <strong>[Skill Reanimation Jutsu has leveled up.]</strong>

    By his eight experiment, the gamer ninja had achieved a level of mastery that allowed him to summon and control multiple subjects simultaneously. These reanimated beings moved with purpose, guided by Daichi''s will but also disying shes of their own volition.

    <strong>[Skill Reanimation Jutsu has leveled up.]</strong>

    It was around 20 minutes since he started. The disguised clone was running out of time and chakra. He looked at the progress he made and sighed.

    ''<em>This will have to do for now. But there''s still a problem. I need to dispel myself for my Original to get the experience and level up and Kimimaro is still alive. If I kill him before dispersing myself and Orochimaru finds out, that will be a problem�� Even though he didn''t have such methods in canon, I can''t rely on that�� Still it''s not like I have to send my experience to my Original at this moment. It''s not like he''s going to use the reanimation in the next hour or two�� If he needs it he''ll send a message.''</em>

    The clone thought about the situation and came to a decision. He went to the cells and brought another two people.

    To the two prisoners, it was as if Kimimaro took two scrolls from the air. He opened it and out came two bodies. The two prisoners could tell that they were ninjas but nothing further.

    The disguised Daichi made the necessary arrangements, seals and preparations before going through the seals.

    Tiger Snake Dog Dragon.

    With the final seal made he brought his palms together.

    Seals from two scrolls began to cover the two prisoners. Soon their body waspletely covered in dust and debris and the form of two new people appeared.

    "Where�� where am I?" One of the ninjas looked at Kimimaro and asked, dazed.

    "We''re�� weren''t we dead��?" The other asked slowly, taking in their surroundings.

    Thest memory they had was their battle with Daichi in a forest.

    "Hello, Toga. Ichimaru." Kimimaro removed his disguise and the two Root ninjas were surprised to see a familiar face. The facial features have matured but they knew it was Daichi Hekima in front of them.

    "You��."

    "Me." The Gamer ninja looked at them with a calm smile.

    Ichimaru looked at himself and noted his unnatural state. His attention turned back to the ninja in front of him. "This is forbidden jutsu isn''t it. You killed us but you brought us back to life. And judging from your face I''d say some time has passed since our battle."

    "Indeed. It''s been two years."

    "Why did you use this jutsu on us?" Toga asked Daichi.

    Daichi'' smile vanished as he looked at the two. "I want you to tell me everything you know about the Root. Specifically where the ess points to the bases are hidden and the identities of the Root ninjas you''re aware of and where Danzo would be."

    Ichimaru''s eyes widened in shock and horror. "You know about Root?"

    "I did. I knew about you, your organization and Danzo even before you attacked me." Daichi told them as means to crush their will. "The moment you decided toe after me and attack my teachers, you all sealed your fate. Your otherpanions all died that day. Your mission was a failure and the Hokage put Danzo under restrictions and surveince. You failed."

    Ichimaru gritted his teeth in anger as he looked at the boy.

    "You don''t seriously expect us to give you any information do you?" Toga spoke with defiance in her voice.

    "I do actually." With those words Daichi came near them with two kunai that had a special seal attached to it.

    The two Root ninjas struggled to get up and attack but their body wouldn''t listen to them.

    ''<em>Damn it. I can''t move.''</em>

    ''<em>Shit. My body won''t move. He''s restrained us. What jutsu is this?''</em>

    Daichi showed no mercy and inserted the two special control tags seals into their heads.

    Once the two seals disappeared Daichi made a Ram seal and instantly their body stilled and the ego from their eyes vanished. They were now puppets under Daichi''smand.

    The gamer ninja looked at the two and nodded to himself.<em>''This seal erodes their will and resistance but does not affect their memories. Perfect for taking information without wasting time. Since they are dead the mind defenses would have been destroyed.''</em>

    Daichi attached his strings to the two reanimated ninjas and began his interrogation.

    "Tell me everything. Quickly."

    ��----------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen(No space)

 Chapter 322: To Each his Own

    <strong>Leaf Vige. Kensei''s Home.</strong>

    The real Daichi was meditating and gathering as much chakra as he could. As he was in his meditative state he suddenly gained memories of his clone in Orochimaru''s base. The Genin looked at the clock and let out a deep breath.

    ''<em>3:00 am. I can''t waste much more time. I need to get to Danzo before the Hokage. If he finds Shisui''s eye there is a good chance he''ll destroy it.''</em>

    Without wasting another second Daichi created two shadow clones.<em>''Using Shadow clones is the safest option. With my Hyper cognition skill and Analyze skill, I''ll be able to avoid attacks while still fighting at optimum state. If the Hokage is going after Danzo then that warhawk must already be aware of it or at the very least will be soon. He''ll be prepared. I can''t get caught in their crossfire. I''ll have to get to Danzo before the Hokage or anyone else with him.''</em>

    The moment the clones came to life they made a seal for the special transformation jutsu and smoke covered them.

    Daichi gazed at the two new figures and smiled.<em>''Monkey D Dragon. You''re a mysterious figure when I left my old world. It''s the reason I chose you. No one will be able to figure out your origin because your identity technically doesn''t exist here.''</em>

    The gamer ninja took several items from his inventory and handed them to his clones. "Stealth gear. They''ll help you even if it''s only a little bit."

    The clones nodded. "Based on the intel we got, those reanimations knew two entrances to the Root. But since they failed the mission I don''t know if Danzo sealed those entrances. There is a good chance the intel might be outdated."

    Daichi nodded as he understood the worries of the clone. "Yes. But we won''t know till we check it out. And if those entrances are blocked go to n B.""That will dy us." The other clones crossed his arms and frowned.

    "Yes. But we have no other choice. Let''s go. We shouldn''t waste anymore time." Daichi gave the order and the two clones vanished.

    ''<em>Avoiding the Hokage''s ninjas and Root and getting to Danzo might not be easy. Still, I''ve taken all the precautions I can and made sure to maximize my odds by learning that jutsu. It''s nowhere near perfect. But for the moment, this will have to do.''</em>

    ��-

    The two disguised clones were moving through the forest and made sure to use their skills to avoid the patrol units. Their stealth skills,bined with their special gear helped them stay invisible to the ninjas roaming the vige. The two shadow clones went in different directions, headed for the two entrances they knew about.

    It took approximately 15 minutes for them to get to their destination.

    One of the clones looked at therge boulder in front of him. ''<em>This is it. Time to see if Danzo slipped up or not.''</em>

    Daichi examined the area and immediately used ''observe'' skill. The information he found made him frown behind his mask.<em>''Damn it. Not only did he seal this entrance, he also put a trap in for anyone trying to get in.''</em>

    The clone immediately sent the message via the newmunication array jutsu he developed.

    ''<em>Danzo sealed this location and even set up a trap here.''</em>

    ''<em>Hold on. Let me see if that''s the case here too.''</em>The second clone replied and examined the area. The information his system showed him made him annoyed as well.

    ''<em>This isn''t good. That geezer sealed this area too. He isn''t taking any chances.''</em>

    The real Daichi was at home watching everything.<em>''Damn it. I knew things wouldn''t go that easy for me.''</em>

    Suddenly his clone sent another message that surprised the Genin.

    ''<em>My observe info showed another new entrance created near my location. It even showed me the activation seals.''</em>

    Seeing that message, a grin wide enough to split his face appeared on Daichi.<em>''A fortune in misfortune. Observe skill is so OP.''</em>

    ''<em>What are you waiting for? Go!''</em>

    Receiving the order, the clone immediately moved to the new location. It was a ne field with trees covering it from all sides. The ''Dragon'' clone quickly made the needed seals to open the entrance.

    A moment after he made the final seal the ground parted ways and stairs formed.

    Just then a new system message appeared.

    <strong>[You have found a Key Dungeon. Retrieving the key to the dungeon�� Key to this dungeon has been ced in the inventory.]</strong>

    ''<em>It opened. And I got a dungeon key as a bonus. I''m going in. I''ve ced a marking nearby. I''ll leave the entrance open. Make sure you close it behind you.''</em>The clone sent the message and quickly disappeared into the darkness.

    A few secondster another clone appeared near a jutsu seal and quickly followed. After he entered the base he weaved the counter seals and made sure to close the entrance.

    <strong>Daichi''s raid on Root. Time 3:18 am.</strong>

    ��-

    A couple of minutes after Daichi''s clones infiltrated the Root base several Anbu ninjas began converging at multiple entrances. Near main headquarters of Root there were two prominent ninjas geared up for battle.

    Hiruzen and Jiraiya were leading arge team of Anbu ninjas and surrounded the locations given by his spy in Root.

    "All teams are getting into position. In just a few minutes we''ll be ready." An Anbu ninja reported to the kage.

    Hiruzen nodded and the masked ninja disappeared. Once they were alone the toad Sannin turned his attention to his sensei''s unusually grim face. "You''re really going through with this huh."

    "Yes." Came the short reply from the Hokage.

    "This was something that should have been done the moment you knew about his attack on her two years ago. But you waited��" Jiraiya nced at the man from the corner of his eyes and he expressed nothing that would give away his thoughts.

    Hiruzen didn''t look at his former student but still addressed him. "What are you trying to say?"

    "It''s just�� The timing of this attack. It''s strange is all��" Jiraiyamented nonchntly.

    "What about it?"

    "This isn''t just about guarding against Danzo and making a preemptive strike against him, is it? You want to use this incident as a two prong strike, don''t you?"

    Hiruzen was silent as he listened to his student.

    The white haired Sannin continued. "It''s not the Hokage''s forces that''s going to attack Danzo. It''s Orochimaru''s. Right? A narrative like that will certainly unite the vige if spun right. And if for any reason, informationes up and leaked that he''s in another country, you''d have a legitimate reason to send your ninjas to neighboring nations to look for her. You won''t have to deal with much bacsh on Danzo''s death from inside the vige and you can send teams beyond the border in a much more open manner."

    Hiruzen was silent for a few moments before he spoke. "Do you have a problem with my methods?"

    "It''s just�� I know as the Hokage you have to do certain things to protect the vige but still�� This strategy�� It doesn''t seem like your style�� Well, whatever the case, since we''vee this far I suppose we can''t turn back can we?" Jiraiya shrugged his shoulders and decided to end the conversation. He stepped forward and examined the hidden protection seals Danzo ced around his headquarters.

    Hiruzen looked at the white haired ninja and quietly sighed.<em>''Despite how he portrays himself to the others, he''s not an idiot. And he certainly knows me well. It seems after this, I''ll have to introduce him to Tobirama sensei.''</em>

    A few minutes went by and Anbu ninja appeared near the Hokage. "All teams are in ce, Lord Hokage."

    Hiruzen nodded. "Begin."

    The Anbu nodded and sent a signal to the other teams. Immediately all of them began to break the barrier and protection seals around the base and began to rush into the hiddenir.

    <strong>Hiruzen''s attack on Root. Time: 3:32 am.</strong>

    ��-

    <strong>The Hokage Monument.</strong>

    The space began to swirl in a vortex and soon a figure cloaked in ck appeared on one of the monuments. High atop the stone visage of Minato Namikaze, Obito stood cloaked in shadows. His gaze, sharp and unyielding, scanned the Hidden Leaf Vige sprawling below him. Few momentster Zetsu emerged from the ground beside him.

    "Madara, Hiruzen Sarutobi, apanied by a team of ANBU and Jiraiya, areunching an assault on Danzo''s base," Zetsu whispered..

    The masked ninja chuckled when he heard that. "So this was the n. I think I understand why the Hokage scattered his ninjas in such a fashion earlier. I''d wager that some of them are Root ninjas."

    "So that''s a clean up mission?" The white half asked.

    "It''s possible. It''s not like they haven''t done it to traitor shinobi during the wars." ck Zetsu agreed with that assessment.

    Obito''s Sharingan didn''t waver from the vige, his expression unreadable beneath his mask. "Hiruzen is still a formidable foe, even in his old age. And Danzo is equally crafty. I''d be pleased if those two could kill each other but�� Jiraiya''s involvementplicates things," he mused, his toneced with both respect and disdain.

    Zetsu shifted, his voice taking on a cautionary tone. "There''s more. Itachi Uchiha remains a variable we cannot overlook. His loyalty to this vige is unquestionable."

    A smirk curved beneath Obito''s mask. "Itachi, huh? He''s merely a pawn in the grand scheme, yet his eyes... they could pose a threat if he chooses to intervene. He''s grown far stronger than I anticipated during these years."

    The masked ninja remembered the threat Itachi made. For a split second Obito''s fists clenched in anger.<em>''He might have been a grave threat but that Illness he caught is incurable. At best he''ll only be able to prolong his life for a few more years. After that��''</em>

    Zetsu''s form shifted and turned to look at the vige. "And your primary target? Danzo. He possesses Shisui Uchiha''s Sharingan. It''s a formidable weapon. Are you going to destroy it?"

    "The Kotoamatsukami," Obito mused aloud. "Control over the mind is a powerful ability. Danzo is aware of its power; he won''t give it up easily. That makes him dangerous."

    "If that Sharingan falls into the Hokage''s hands, things could spell trouble for us." The nt creature was anxious about that possibility.

    But Obito had a different perspective. "Hiruzen isn''t someone who would use such means. If�� no. When he confronts Danzo, he''ll find out about its existence and he''ll make sure to destroy it. I have to get that eye before that happens."

    Zetsu nodded, theyers of his voice ovepping like dark leaves rustling. "Danzo is cautious, surrounded by his own ninjas �� the Foundation. He has recalled the majority of his forces. They are not to be underestimated."

    "Nor am I, Zetsu. My ns have been set in motion long ago," Obito responded, confidence brimming in his voice. "Danzo will fall tonight. Whether by my hands or his oldrade''s. But no matter what I''ll have that eye and with it, I can manipte the tides of war discreetly."

    Zetsu nodded in agreement. "Then the stage is set. We might be able to advance our ns considerably."

    Obito turned his eyes from the vige. "Yes. It''s a possibility. But it depends on the sess of this mission."

    "Are you going to attack right now?"

    Obito shook his head. "No. Let''s see how Hiruzen and Jiraiya handle the Root. They are a good diversion. I''m not interested in trash fish."

    "Those seals Danzo ced are hard to get by. But he was at the east section of the base in one of the lower floors around half an hour ago." Zetsu informed the man.

    Obito crossed his arms and nodded. Suddenly Zetsu got information from one of the white Zetsu ced near the Root base. "It seems someone else has joined the chaos." Zetsu spoke.

    The masked ninja turned his head and nced at the creature with his visible eye.

    "An unknown has entered Danzo''s base a few minutes before Hiruzen''s team. We don''t know if he''s friendly to Danzo or not. He knew the seals to close the entrance barrier. Based on his outfit, he didn''t look like Root. He had a greenish ck cloak and a mask in the shape of a dragon head. I was able to barely sense him. So he should be formidable." Zetsu informed him.

    "Hmmm�� Maybe Danzo''s Ace or a new yer on the board?" Obito pondered for a few seconds. "Regardless. I won''t allow anyone to interfere. It seems it''s time I visited that warmonger."

    The pair vanished into the chakra-infused shadows, leaving the vige unaware of the impending chaos that was about to unfold.

    <strong>Obito''s attack on Root. Time: 3:37 am.</strong>

    ��-------------

    Author''s Note.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen(No space)

 Chapter 323: Daichi Strikes: Root Under Siege 01

    <strong>3:18 AM.</strong>

    In the shadow-d corridors of the ROOT headquarters, the air hung heavy with an unusual silence. It was a little over 3 am, a time when darkness was deepest, cloaking all activities in the shadows.

    Clone Daichi had assumed the formidable guise of Monkey D. Dragon. The transformation was wless, a variation of the one his former teacher Tsunade uses.

    His aura was now emitting a palpable sense of danger andmand. He had one mission. infiltrate the Root andplete his quest. He sensed the presence of two ninjas a short distance away from his position the moment he entered the base.

    ''<em>Just as I thought. Danzo has guards at the entrance. He''s a paranoid guy but then again, it''s not paranoia if it''s true�� I need to neutralize them before they cause me any headaches. And I can''t let myself get hit even once or it''s game over.''</em>

    Daichi''s senses were heightened, his every step was calcted as he moved deeper into the den of covert warriors.

    Ahead, two Root ninjas stood guard, their masks nk and yet their eyes sharply scanning the surroundings. They were trained to detect the slightest disturbance, warriors honed to perfection under Danzo''s rigid tutge. Their thoughts were filled with duty to the Foundation, their senses fine-tuned to any anomalies.

    The moment Daichi opened the entrance the two Root ninjas sensed a disturbance. A slight shift in the air flow, the barely audible sound of stones moving and the sixth sense they''ve honed through their careers.

    One of the root ninjas tensed, hand inching towards the kunai strapped to his thigh. "Did you feel that?" he murmured, his voice barely audible."Yeah." The second guard scanned the corridor, his senses honed from years of living in the shadows. "Someone must have opened the barrier."

    "But they didn''t trigger any traps. Are we expecting someone?"

    "Must be the ones Lord Danzo recalled�� Still, we should make sure." With a swift hand signal, they acknowledged each other''s readiness, their bodies tensing forbat.

    Yet, before they could fully react, someone was upon them.

    The intruder''s approach was like a blur, his speed otherworldly. It showed his ninja origin and disyed a mastery of movement that was almost unnatural.

    The first guard barely had time to draw his kunai before ''Dragon'' was on him. With a swift, precise motion, the transformed Daichi broke his wrist and disarmed him, sending the kunai spinning in the air.

    The Genin quickly and expertly caught the kunai and plunged it deep into the eye socket of the guard and snapped his neck for good measure.

    The second root ninja was surprised at the quick deadly way his fellow ninja was dispatched.<em>''Who the hell is he?''</em>

    He didn''t care about the root member who''s body just hit the ground as his attention waspletely on the intruder. The second guard reacted with more speed, drawing a short sword and lunging forward in a desperate attempt to kill the enemy.

    But Daichi, embodying the mysterious and powerful persona of his identity, vanished from guard''s view.

    ''<em>Where did he-''</em>

    Before the man couldplete his thought he felt a sharp paining from the back of his head. He sensed something entering his brain and saw the end of a sword appearing between his eyes. In seconds he slumped to the ground joining hisrade.

    Before his eyespletely lost their light he looked at the other fallen guard and it was only then that he noticed the man''s short sword missing.

    Daichi stood still for a moment, his breathing even. He scanned the area to ensure no rm had been raised. The fight had been swift, silent, a deadly match that ended as quickly as it had begun.

    The disguised ''Dragon'' now alone, felt the weight of his actions, the adrenaline slowly ebbing from his veins.

    He looked at the two dead bodies and he didn''t feel any joy or agony over their death.<em>''You were both destined to die today. Either by my hands or the Hokage''s. I won''t take your body and use you for any reanimations. It''s the least I''m going to do for you two. Consider it a courtesy.''</em>

    With both guards dispatched, Daichi moved forward, deeper into the heart of Root, his mission only beginning. The silence of the corridor swallowed the echoes of the brief conflict as if there was none to begin with.

    Daichi sensed the second clone entering the base and soon a new message came from the clone.

    ''<em>I think I sensed Zetsu just when I entered the base.''</em>

    ''<em>Are you sure? Was it ck Zetsu?''</em>Came the query from their original.

    ''<em>No. I''m pretty sure it was a white Zetsu.''</em>The second clone replied.

    ''<em>We''re not changing our strategies are we? This was part of the n after all. If someone else were watching we''d want them to know about ''Dragon'' to keep their attention for a while. Take their focus away from ''us''.''</em>

    The first clone chimed in and the original Daichi agreed.<em>''Yes. I was expecting this. Right now the vige is in a state of high alert. I had a feeling Obito would have Zetsu spy on the movements of the vige. If he sees the Hokage gathering his people to attack the Root, he''ll inform Obito. He''ll definitelye to the vige to muddy the waters.''</em>

    ''<em>Yes. He''lle. If he hasn''t already. We should be on alert.''</em>The second clone spoke even though he knew his doppelgangers were all vignt.

    ''<em>I''ll find Danzo. You head to the archives and storage.''</em>The first shadow clone gave the order and the second clone agreed. The two infiltrators moved in different directions.

    The intelligence they gained from the two reanimated ninjas were notpletely outdated. Thanks to them Daichi knew precisely where most things were in the headquarters. Including the archives where information was stored and protected, Danzo''s main quarters and the rooms where hidden jutsu were stored.

    Both clones used their Mini-Map and Mana skills to determine the location of all living creatures present in the base. He didn''t use chakra sense skill since he knew there were sensor ninjas.

    ''<em>I found Danzo. I''m heading straight for him. I don''t sense the Hokage or Obito. They''re not here yet but they will be soon.''</em>The first shadow clone sent a message and vanished. He made a beeline for the leader of the Root while avoiding all patrolling ninjas.

    ''<em>Based on the number of guards I''m sensing near the lower west corner I''d say Danzo hasn''t changed the location of the archives. I''m heading there now.''</em>The Second Shadow clone gave an update and disappeared into the wind.

    ��-

    <strong>Root Archives.</strong>

    The archives of ROOT were a veritable fortress within the already secretivebyrinth of the organization''s headquarters. As Daichi, still under the guise of Monkey D. Dragon moved deeper into the bowels of the stronghold, he knew the challenge would only escte. His footsteps were silent, his presence merely a fleeting shadow against the cold stone walls.

    The corridors became narrower, the air thicker with the heavy scent of ink and parchment��an olfactory indication to the decades of hidden knowledge stored within.

    ''<em>There it is. The Root Archives. A treasure trove of ssified information, heavily guarded and shrouded in the kind of secrecy that could topple regimes or start wars.''</em>

    Dragon''s face showed greed as he gazed ahead. As he approached the archive room, the faint light from the oilmps cast long shadows on the walls.

    ''<em>How many covert operations and silent eliminations had been orchestrated from this very ce? How many lives were saved? How many more were wiped out?... Come on Daichi. This is no time to be sentimental.''</em>

    The disguised genin shook his head to clear away the distracting thoughts and focused.

    The hallway was guarded by multiple ROOT ninjas, their senses attuned to even the minutest disturbance. They were far more alert than the ones Daichi had encountered earlier. They stood in a precise formation, a result of their rigorous training and unyielding discipline. Unlike the guards at the entrance, these were elite, their postures taut with the readiness of seasoned warriors.

    Daichi assessed them with a tactical eye. His advantage of surprise was vital, and maintaining the illusion of his transformation was crucial to mask his true identity and abilities.

    ''<em>There are more guards this time. I need to adjust my strategy. I''ll approach them with a bit more brute force added to my precision and speed. I need to incapacitate them without raising an rm, and buy us as much time as possible.''</em>

    Having made his decision Daichi moved, like a gust of wind that seemed to materialize from the shadows themselves. The first ROOT ninja turned just as Daichi reached him, only to meet the edge of Daichi''s hand against his neck, a blow swift and precise, dropping him silently to the ground before hisrades could fully prepare.

    "Intruder." Reacting to the fall of theirrade, the other guards drew their weapons��a mix of kunai and shuriken glittering in the dim light.

    The next moment, chaos erupted. Kunai and shuriken sliced through the air, aimed at the intruder with lethal precision.

    Daichi twisted and dodged, his movements a blur, deflecting projectiles and closing distances with inhuman speed.

    He struck with calcted power, each move precise and lethal. His hands were not just tools ofbat but instruments of fate, deciding life and death in mere moments.

    One ninja managed to close in with his twin des shing in the dim light. Daichi caught the wrists of his assant and twisted cruelly. There were snaps of bones, a gasp of pain, and then as the ninja was disarmed, a punchced with raw power struck his throat, stifling any cry and snapping his head back with lethal finality. The man easily dispatched with a quiet thud to the ground.

    Another lunged from behind, expertly silent, the deadliest so far. But Daichi, fueled by his keen awareness, pivoted and caught the attack, redirected the energy and sent the ninja sprawling against the stone wall with a force that left a spider web of cracks in the stone. "Ghaa"

    He coughed blood and before he could defend himself multiple weapons lodged into his vitals ending his life.

    Two ninjas appeared at the front and back and began making hand seals for a jutsu. Daichi recognized the seals made by the one in front and dismissed him.

    <strong>[Mental intrusion detected]</strong>

    <strong>[Gamer''s Mind has neutralized the attack.]</strong>

    ''<em>Genjutsu won''t work against me.''</em>

    Daichi swiftly focused on the enemy behind him. His speed tripled and to the Root, it was as if their enemy vanished in a gust of wind before their eyes.

    Before the ninja standing behind Daichi could locate him, a powerful punch struck his chest crushing his insides. Just atop his heart. Without even waiting for the enemy to fall to the ground Daichi moved on to his next targets.

    "Who are you? Do you know who you''re attacking?" One of the few remaining ninjas yelled. But Dragon didn''t respond to them. He merely vanished from their view.

    "What? Where is he?" Roared one of the older shinobi. Suddenly he felt pain spreading through his torso and looked down only to see a sword sticking out of his body.

    Daichi didn''t waste time and quickly moved on.

    Despite how vignt the remaining four root ninjas became, they couldn''t find a trace of their enemy. Sweat poured down their faces as they sensed their approaching deaths.<em>''Who is he? I don''t recognize him. He doesn''t have any gear that points to any other shinobi nations.''</em>

    The whistle of de and flesh being pierced were the only things the three ninjas heard. They looked to where the sound came from and saw the head of their fellow shinobi falling to the ground and rolling several feet.

    "Sound the rm!" One of the shinobi roared and another was about to use body flicker jutsu and escape but multiple small bullet like projectiles pierced through his body.

    "That''s wind style air bullets�� But I''ve never seen one used with such speed and uracy." One of the root eximed.

    "Could he be from the Hidden Sand vige?" The other questioned as he looked at the injured root.

    The next second, smoke covered the injured ninja and he turned to several pieces of destroyed stone.

    "He escaped." The two remaining Root ninjas eximed.

    The two immediately stood back to back with swords in front of them. They knew the escaped root colleague would bring them back up.

    The two ninjas couldn''t see or sense the enemy but figured that he was near them and was looking to finish them off and gain entrance to the archives.

    But their hopes were immediately crushed as they miscalcted. They heard the sounds of flesh being pierced in the distance and a small thud.

    The two remaining ninjas gripped their weapons tightly.

    Thud

    Thud

    Thud

    Soft footsteps were heard through the darknessing towards them. And soon a man in a dark green cloak became visible. The ninjas could barely make out the Dragon shaped mask on the man''s face.

    Suddenly killing intent flooded the hallway and paralyzed the two Root ninjas. Despite Danzo''s training to turn them into emotionless killers they still felt unfathomable fear.

    "W-who-"

    Two sword strikesnded precisely on their vitals before they could evenplete the question. The bodies of the two guards slumped to the ground, lifeless, their eyes still wide with the shock of an unseen, unfathomable opponent.

    Daichi paused for a moment, his breathing steady, his mind clear. Just like before there was no pleasure in his actions.

    To Daichi this was just a necessity, only the cold calction of a mission that required silence and swiftness. Even the reason he showed his mask to thest two was part of his ns.

    ''<em>The Hokage will definitely investigate my attack. I''m sure Inoichi or some other Yamanaka will go through their minds to find out any clues. This way they''ll have someone to go after.''</em>

    With a final nce at the ROOT ninjas, ensuring none were left to sound the rm, Daichi stepped over the fallen guards and reached for the door of the archives. His fingers traced the intricate seals that guarded it.

    ''<em>An advanced third level protection barrier seal attached with a trap seal. Not bad. Observe.''</em>

    The information gathering skill showed the details of the seal and how to open the vault door.

    Daichi swiftly made the required seals and injected his chakra. A pulse of energy, foreign yet masterfully controlled in a unique pattern, and the seals parted for him, an unwilling invitation into the heart of Root''s secrets.

    The door to the archives opened. Their shelves were heavy with scrolls and documents. Daichi stepped inside and the door shut behind him, enveloping him in the musty air of hidden truths waiting to be uncovered.

    ''<em>I have very little time. The absence of those guards would soon be discovered, by Danzo or the Anbu that''sing. I need to find what I came for quickly and escape.''</em>

    Daichi''s eyes scanned thebels, each meticulously organized and coded. He moved with purpose, his fingers tracing the spines of the scrolls and files. He soon came across what he wanted. Daichi immediately checked for hidden traps and dismantled the ones that were found.

    After that he quickly began storing the documents in his inventory.

    Bang.

    The room slightly shook and dust along with small gravel fell from the ceiling. Daichi immediately sensed multiple new chakras entering the headquarters from all directions.

    ''<em>Looks like the Hokage has entered the party. There is still no word from the other clone�� I''m sure he''ll get it done. I just need to focus on my end.''</em>

    With that thought the shadow clone refocused his attention on the vast intel before him.

    <strong>Time: 3:34 am</strong>

    ��--------------

    Author''s Note.

    Some of you might wonder how Daichi got to the location so fast and killed the guards.

    He was under mana cloak skill. Making him invisible to everyone.

    Speed is his greatest asset with multiple skills supporting it. He attacked from the shadows with the goal to finish his enemies quickly.

    He knew the location from the two reanimated ninjas.

    And yes. I nned all of this from the moment I started nning the Yota rescue mission in chapter 40. Even the Orochimaru attack was nned at that time.

    Every mission till now is connected to arger plot. They yed small or big parts but they are all connected.

    How do you like the fight scene? I''m just getting started.

    Spoiler.: Hiruzen vs Danzo ising.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen(No space)

 Chapter 324: Daichis Calculations: Root Under Siege 02

    Around Daichi, stood rows upon rows of shelves, eachden with scrolls and documents bound in nondescript covers. Daichi''s eyes roamed all around and he inwardly snorted.

    ''<em>All these scrolls have traps on them and if someone not authorized gets in here, all these will be reduced to ash�� So that''s why Danzo chose to keep records and not outright destroy them. The barrier seals ced for protection are impressive.''</em>

    The Gamer ninja walked closer and looked at the scroll and files stored on the shelves.

    ''<em>Looking at the mundane appearance of these scrolls, very few might think they have explosive secrets that could shake entire nations.''</em>

    Daichi''s eyes scanned the room, taking in the meticulous organization, each section marked with crypticbels that only the most initiated could decipher.

    ''<em>Most of these are encrypted. But thankfully that won''t be too much of a headache for me.''</em>

    With no time to waste, Daichi disabled all the traps and approached the first section,beled "Geo-political Routes." He was able to quickly decipher the coded intelligence.

    In his hands were maps and documents detailing the hidden paths leading into and out of various nations��awork of routes used by spies and ANBU operatives for covert missions.

    Daichi''s fingers traced the lines connecting the Land of Fire to neighboring countries, noting the less guarded, more vulnerable passages that could serve as entry or escape routes in times of conflict.The Genin''s eyes widened and he quickly searched for the nearby scrolls and soon he opened a red colored scroll. It had notes on secret passageways into the Land of Earth and Hidden Stone Vige.

    ''<em>This�� This will definitelye in handy.''</em>

    Moving quickly, he delved into the next section, "Underground Organizations." This was apendium of detailed reports and dossiers on various ndestine groups across the shinobi world, including the infamous Akatsuki.

    Profiles of some members, known affiliates, and spected goals filled the pages. Daichi absorbed the information, the depth of ROOT''s knowledge both impressive and chilling.<em>''Danzo doesn''t know the identity of the current members except Itachi, Kisame, Sasori and Orochimaru. But he has several spections. This might be more information than what even the Hokage has.''</em>

    Another shelf was devoted entirely to "ROOT Operations." Here, the scrolls were sealed with blood-red wax, each one detailing a different mission carried out by the shadowy operatives of ROOT. These missions ranged from assassination and sabotage to espionage and maniption of political events within and outside Konoha. Daichi skimmed the documents, each revtion was evidence to the lengths Danzo and his organization would go to protect and control the ninja world.

    ''<em>This guy�� If I''m reading these right��then��''</em>

    Daichi was genuinely surprised as he decoded and read the information on the scrolls. He sighed and quickly stored the object in his inventory and moved on to the next.

    Further along, the young ninja found the "International Ninja Database." The section contained detailed information about key ninjas from other viges: their strengths, weaknesses, known jutsu, and psychological profiles. It was a gold mine of intelligence, offering insights into potential allies and enemies alike.

    Lastly, he reached a smaller, more secure vault within the archivesbeled "ssified Operations" in encryption. With a careful application of chakra to bypass the advanced sealing jutsu, Daichi quickly essed the contents.

    These were the darkest secrets of ROOT��operations so sensitive and devastating that their mere existence could lead to wars or the downfall of the current ninja system. Here, Daichi found evidence of maniption of the Chunin Exams, secret alliances with rogue nations, and even ns to overthrow a certain Kage.

    ''<em>These are analysis on the Wind country and Vige of Sand�� These reports predict the downfall of Hidden Sand Vige if the current status quo is maintained�� Danzo�� He knew that if the Sand Vige doesn''t get a higher influx of missions their vige will go under. He predicted that the Kazekage might take drastic actions before then to protect his vige��''</em>

    Suddenly Daichi found the answer to a question that was guing him.<em>''Why did Orochimaru kill the fourth Kazekage in canon? I had several hypotheses but now it''s clear�� It was Danzo''s orders. Danzo used Orochimaru to kill the Kazekage, weaken the Sand Vige so they wouldn''t do anything rash and the Leaf could still maintain the alliance. He must have known that Orochimaru''s invasion would be a failure.''</em>

    As Daichi absorbed the contents of the scrolls, his mind raced with the implications of what he held. Each piece of information was a powerful weapon in its own right, capable of altering the bnce of power in the shinobi world.

    As Daichi looked around he noticed a small hidden seal. He quickly studied it and understood it''s purpose.

    ''<em>A timer seal. The information on these scrolls are too dangerous. If I take them out of the shelf for much longer the seal will trigger and send a message and Root will be alerted to the theft.''</em>

    Now that he knew he couldn''t remove anything from the archives without alerting ROOT to the breach, he decided to take everything important without wasting time and store it in his inventory.

    Daichi moved like the wind and used ''Observe'' to find the most critical of scrolls and documents. The moment his fingers touched the scroll, he disabled the protection seals and stored them in his subspace.

    A few minutester Daichi was done with his task and took a final nce around the dimly lit room. A room that was previously filled with the silent whispers of a thousand secrets.

    Daichi nodded to himself and disappeared toplete his second task, aware that the knowledge he now possessed made him one of the most dangerous individuals alive.

    He slipped out of the archives, blending back into the shadows, a ghost among the halls of the Root. His mission was far from over, but tonight, he had taken a significant step towards unraveling the depths of ROOT''s influence.

    ''<em>I''ve raided the archives. I''m heading towards the other section of this building. I''ll try to collect as many hidden jutsu scrolls as possible. But I''m not sure how long I have.''</em>

    The clone sent an update and silently, invisibly moved through halls.

    He suddenly got a reply on the message array from the other clone.<em>''My mission is halfpleted but I have a problem to deal with. Once you''vepleted your task, dispel.''</em>

    ��-

    <strong>With the First ''Dragon'' Clone.</strong>

    Several minutes ago.

    ''<em>I found Danzo. I''m heading straight for him. I don''t sense the Hokage or Obito. They''re not here yet but they will be soon.''</em>The first shadow clone sent the message as he moved through the ceiling.

    He kept to the shadows and soon reached a corner. He sensed several guards present and two powerful chakras in the room at the end of the hall. He created a clone without alerting anyone and gave instructions to stay hidden and wait.

    ''<em>If I attack these guys Danzo might try something. He''s crafty and ruthless enough to destroy Shisui''s eye if he feels that it will fall into enemy hands. I need to strike at him first.''</em>

    Daichi was under his Mana cloak skill which made himpletely invisible. He moved forward and surveyed the guards hidden throughout the hallway.

    ''<em>I need a distraction. Thankfully the Hokage''s going to provide one. I have a feeling that once he breaches the building these guys will move to defend. Some might stay behind but a majority of these guys will rush upstairs to defend this location.''</em>

    Daichi moved closer to the room and he didn''t have to wait long. A faint tremor ran through the building and the Root ninjas quickly rushed to investigate.

    Inside the sparsely decorated room, Danzo Shimura sat behind a heavy desk, his single visible eye narrowed in concentration. Beside him, his second inmand stood alert, his hand never straying far from the hilt of his sword. "Sir, that felt like��"

    "Go, check the perimeter. Leave no stone unturned," Danzomanded, his single eye narrowing as he sensed the shift in the air.

    "I will identify the source of that tremor," the second inmand announced, his voice steady despite the growing rm.

    Danzo nodded, his gaze still fixed on the papers before him. "Be swift, and alert our forces. We cannot afford any disturbances tonight."

    The door to the room opened and the Root ninja that was with Danzo also disappeared in a body flicker jutsu. As the second inmand exited, the door closed softly behind him. Danzo was left alone but he was unaware of the invisible threat lurking just a breath away from him. Daichi''s clone, now in the room with Danzo, paused, his Hypercognition skill kicking in.

    <em><strong>Simtion 01.</strong></em>

    In his mind, Daichi visualized rushing forward, attacking Danzo directly from behind. The simtion showed Danzo reacting to the small disturbance in the air flow and with unexpected agility, he rolled aside and drew a concealed kunai from under his desk. The encounter ended with a fierce exchange.

    <em><strong>Simtion 01 End.</strong></em>

    ''<em>There are too many variables. Too much left to chance. I don''t want a silent assassination to turn into a full blown confrontation. At least not before I get what I want.''</em>

    <em><strong>Simtion 02.</strong></em>

    The clone entered the room undetected, staying invisible. It positioned itself strategically behind Danzo, waiting for the opportune moment when he is most absorbed in his reading. The clone moved like a ghost, a mere whisper of existence behind the elderly but deadly shinobi.

    Seeing his opportunity, Daichi struck with a chakra-infused strike aimed at his neck, a deadly silent attack.

    The blow was a controlled force, aimed to sever the spinal cord instantly. But Danzo, ever the survivor, had onest trick. His body flickered and the next moment it disappeared in a puff of smoke. A shadow clone.

    The real Danzo, having anticipated an attack tonight of all nights, stepped out from the shadows, his eyes not surprised but resigned. "I expected someone might make a move on me, but I thought I could identify my enemy. I half expected Hiruzen but you''re not him. It baffles me how an unknown like you got here so easily. Who are you?"

    The question went unanswered and a battle began. Themotion drew in the guards from outside and shortly after seeing the oue of the fight not in Danzo''s favor, he destroyed Shisui''s eye.

    <em><strong>Simtion 02 End.</strong></em>

    The mental simtion stopped and the images began to rey backwards. The simtion was created based on all the intelligence Daichipiled on Danzo. Not even a second passed in the real world as Daichi went through two scenarios of confrontation in his mind.

    ''<em>I don''t know what he''ll do for certain but I can''t make this a drawn out battle. I need to take the perfect kill strike. And observe just showed that he isn''t a clone. So that''s good.''</em>

    Daichi continued with his mental calctions.

    <em><strong>Simtion 03.</strong></em>

    In his mind Daichi stayed invisible and lunged forward as fast as he could with ferocious intensity. A swift decisive decapitation before Danzo could activate Izanagi or destroy Shisui''s Sharingan.

    However, as the de sliced through the air and neared his neck, the hairs on the old veteran ninja''s body stood. Danzo''s instincts honed over decades of conflict kicked in as he sensed his impending death quickly approaching. With a sudden, almost unnatural twist of his body, Danzo narrowly avoided the lethal strike. Daichi''s sword cut a few centimeters into Danzo''s neck and blood flew in the air. But thanks to Hashirama''s cells those wounds were quickly healed.

    Danzo''s eye red ominously. It was a clear warning that he was ready to rewrite his fate with Izanagi if pushed further. Seeing his assassination strike fail, Daichi, still invisible, used lightning chakra string to restrain Danzo''s body.

    The strings paralyzed the man''s body and Daichi moved in for the prize Sharingan. But the instant Danzo felt the invisible man''s fingers nearing his face he knew what the enemy was after and he disappeared from his position the next instant.

    Daichi was shocked at the sudden turn of events and had to immediately dodge several vacuum air bulletsing his way. He turned around and saw Danzo with the mangekyo activated in Shisui''s eye.

    <strong>[Powerful Mental intrusion detected]</strong>

    <strong>[Gamer''s Mind has partially neutralized the attack.]</strong>

    <strong>[Gamer''s Mind haspletely neutralized the attack.]</strong>

    "You forced me to throw away my most valuable Sharingan. You''ll pay for it with your life." The fury in Danzo''s voice was evident and immediately a battle between Daichi and Danzo ensued.

    Daichi''s attacks thatnded were quickly nullified and after about a minute Daichi saw Shisui''s eye losing its light showing that it used Izanagi.

    <em><strong>Simtion 03 End.</strong></em>

    Daichi reviewed the information in the third simtion and he couldn''t help but inwardly curse the old timer in front of him.

    ''<em>A split second movement. A tilt of the head driven by sheer survival instinct made me miss my mark. This guy�� was it luck or unnerving intuition��? Damn it. I need to keep going.''</em>

    <em><strong>Simtion 04.</strong></em>

    In the next simtion, Daichi chose a brutally efficient tactic. Remaining invisible, he closed the distance between himself and Danzo, his target unaware of his approach. With a precise slice, his de aimed not at Danzo''s body but at his arm��the one bearing the array of Sharingan.

    The hand was severed cleanly, falling to the ground with a sickening thud. Danzo, shocked and pained, instinctively turned to his forbidden techniques. He tried to activate Kotoamatsukami to manipte Daichi''s will, but the trauma and suddenness of the attack coupled with Daichi''s strong mind rendered the attempt futile.

    In a desperate pivot, Danzo sacrificed Shisui''s eye to enact Izanagi, erasing the severance from existence. His hand returned as though it had never been lost, the Sharingan eerily intact.

    <em><strong>Simtion 04 End.</strong></em>

    A second passed in the real world as Daichi kept calm but he was beginning to get slightly annoyed.

    ''<em>If he sees that victory is not possible he''ll sacrifice the Kotoamatsukami and I''ll fail. Such a headache.''</em>

    The gamer ninja ran through multiple simtions. In several simtions Danzo called for backup to help him fight or to escape. In some, he destroyed the eye to keep Daichi from getting it. In several others he used Kotoamatsukami and if it didn''t work and if he fell into a desperate state, he''d use his suicide jutsu to kill Daichi alongside him.

    After cycling through two dozen simtions, each ending with Danzo narrowly escaping or countering effectively, Daichi realized the dauntingplexity of his mission.

    ''<em>This is harder than I thought but still�� Now I have a n.''</em>

    Each scenario provided Daichi with invaluable insights into Danzo''s capabilities and the extreme measures he would take to survive. With this knowledge, the Genin prepared to execute the n that bnced risk with the greatest chance of sess.

    He sent a message to his clone and waited.

    ��--------------

    Author''s Note.

    What do you guys think of all these possibilities? Comment if you guys find any ws in my reasoning or if you want to share any interesting simtions��

    There is something I have to mention. The simtion. Daichi knows about Danzo through all the information he learned from reanimated root ninjas he Interrogated, and the informationpiled by Kensei throughout his career. And what he knows from his previous life.

    He also factored In the reaction based on the high intense battle he had with Tsunade and Kensei during their training. All these plus a really smart brain helps Daichi makes the simtions.

    Also Daichi can ount for most variables but he can''t ount for all variables. He can predict most reactions but he can''t predict every action Danzo might take in an infinite scenario. Daichi has formed a n based on the information he learned. It might be perfect or it might not... He''s good but not omniscient is what I''m trying to say��

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen(No space)

 Chapter 325: Daichis Wrath

    Daichi was several feet behind Danzo and his vignce was at an all time high. He sensed every living creature nearby and sensed a powerful chakra making its way towards their location.

    ''<em>Based on the chakra, this person primarily uses Yin type chakra techniques. His chakra signature is simr to Ino and those of the Yamanaka n. Could it be?''</em>

    He immediately came up with a n and sent a message to the shadow clone outside.<em>''Stay invisible and make sure to keep your chakra concealed. When I give the signal, restrain everyone near you.''</em>

    ''<em>Got it.''</em>

    Just as Daichi expected, the person who appeared in the room a couple secondster was Fu Yamanaka. Alongside him two other root ninjas who were guarding the room earlier were also present.

    "Lord Danzo, Anbu teams have surrounded the building. Several have breached and are attacking our forces." Fu quickly updated Danzo of the situation.

    Danzo''s fists clenched but there was no other response.<em>''So it really hase to this. Sooner than I thought. Fine. So be it.''</em>

    Boom!

    A small explosion sounded from the distance and everyone could feel the tremors."Have any Anbu gotten close?" Danzo asked Fu. He knew the Yamanaka ninja was one of the best sensor ninjas in the Foundation.

    Fu made a ram seal and concentrated. He sent a pulse of chakra and took note of everyone''s position. "No enemies near here. But Hokage and Jiraiya are on the upper floors. They''re making their way down."

    Danzo nodded and Daichi, who was hidden behind him in the shadows, saw Danzo''s posture slightly rx. For a moment Danzo let his guard down and it wouldn''t have been picked up by anyone unless they were closely observing the old man.

    ''<em>Now!''</em>

    Daichi sent a single message to his shadow clone and moved with incredible speed. Since he was in stealth his Assassin title was activated.

    In less than two seconds since Fu gave his reply, a palm strikended behind Danzo''s neck stunning him. Daichi''s palm struck a pressure point that paralyzed the man. The gamer ninja also had controlled lightning chakra running through his fingers sending false signals to his brain.

    Before Danzo or others could even figure out what was happening, Fu and the two other Root agents were restrained with powerful lightning chakra strings that came out of nowhere.

    Due to the multiple false signals being sent to his brain and his body, Danzo didn''t even feel the enemy''s chakra strings ripping the bandages around his right eye. The Sharingan captured the foreign chakra attacking him but the man was powerless to stop it.

    Daichi''s chakra strings ripped into the right eye and carefully but quickly plucked it out.

    "Aarrg��" Danzo grunted but he couldn''t even move his fingers.

    ''Observe''

    Immediately the clone with Shisui''s eye observed and checked for any hidden dyed trigger jutsus on the Sharingan. Finding nothing the shadow clone quickly put the eye in a container and stored it in his inventory.

    All this happened in the span of mere 3 seconds.

    ''<em>That was easier than I expected. Maybe my simtion showed me all the worst possible oues because I''ve overestimated this guy and was being too paranoid? Or maybe I don''t have enough data on him.? Hmm�� Questions to ponderte.''</em>

    Daichi, who hadpleted the most difficult task, looked at Danzo. He sensed the man''s chakra fluctuating wildly.

    ''<em>His wood style chakra is getting out of control.''</em>

    Almost as soon as he made this assessment, wooden thorns pierced through the clothes through the right side of his body.

    The shadow clone let go of his restraints on Danzo and backed away as the other shadow clone near the door killed the two Root ninjas.

    Regaining his freedom and thanks to Hashirama''s healing cells Danzo immediately gained full control over his body. He was furious as he looked at the masked man. "I don''t know who you are, but you''re going to pay for what you did with your life."

    <strong>[You have sensed killing intent.]</strong>

    "I don''t think so." The shadow clone with the Dragon mask mocked him.

    On the other side of the room, bodies dropping to the ground and a sword being drawn from its sheath were heard. Momentster Fu shed with the other shadow clone with his deadly sword skills.

    Danzo scrutinized the man with his one remaining eye and he was beyond angry at having one of his most precious assets taken away.

    ''<em>He went right for that Sharingan. Did he know its true power? Does he know about Kotoamatsukami or was he after just a Sharingan? Is he someone sent by Hiruzen? This timing is too coincidental.''</em>

    Daichi who was keeping an eye on his surroundings sensed a very familiar malicious chakra appear near their location. The person was keeping himself hidden and only Daichi sensed his arrival.

    ''<em>It seems Obito has joined the party. I need to make sure to keep him and Zetsu busy. Time to send them on some false trails.''</em>Daichi made his calctions as he stared at the old war-hawk without the slightest change in his expression.

    "Why do you want the Sharingan?" Danzo asked, trying to obtain any information he could.

    "You don''t need to know the specifics. Just know that I''ll put Shisui''s eye to much better use than you ever could. Kotoamatsukami will y a vital role in my future ns." Daichi, disguised as Dragon, spoke with a cocky tone.

    Danzo''s face had an ugly expression.<em>''He knows.''</em>

    "Did Hiruzen send you?" The Root leader asked. He subtly started undoing the metal bindings on his Sharingan embedded arm.

    Daichi ignored the move. "No. I''m not under the Hokage. But I was keeping an eye on his forces. When I saw them surrounding you I saw an opportunity and I took it."

    "Who are you? You have made a grave error in judgment by attacking me." Danzo sneered as he looked at the masked man''s calm demeanor. He took off the metal guards and showed the modified arm to the world.

    The masked man in the dark green cloak chuckled as he looked at the hand filled with eyeballs. "I don''t think so. The only reason you''re still alive is because I wasn''t sure if you had programmed any contingency into Shisui''s eye upon your demise."

    The old leader of the Root was internally shocked.<em>''Is he implying that�� Does he know about Izanagi?''</em>

    "Are you an Uchiha?" Danzo was gathering his chakra while he sent a mentalmand to a certain someone.

    "No. But I know what you did that night. I know the truth about the massacre."

    <strong>[You have sensed killing intent.]</strong>

    The old ninja immediately went through several seals and short multiple fast vacuum bullet projectiles. The masked Daichi dodged all the attacks and rushed at Danzo.

    ''<em>I could kill you but I''m not going to. I need you to survive and meet with the Hokage. I''m sure that old man''s patience with you has run out. Your battle with the Hokage will be to my advantage.''</em>

    The masked Daichi and Danzo fought with lethal taijutsu for a few seconds before they disengaged and jumped a few feet back.

    <strong>[Mental intrusion detected.]</strong>

    <strong>[Gamer''s Mind has neutralized foreign attack]</strong>

    Suddenly Daichi sensed foreign chakra trying and failing to enter his system. He immediately paid attention to the attacker and saw that it was Danzo''s Second inmand.

    "Lord Danzo. The Hokage and arge team of Anbu are making their way towards us. We need to leave."

    The man appeared in between Daichi and Danzo and spoke to his leader. Meanwhile the gamer ninja focused his attention on the shinobi in front of him and he felt something was wrong.

    ''<em>He smells weird. Like dust and ash�� Wait a minute. Could this guy be?... Observe.''</em>

    <strong>[LV.81] [Hotaru Yasaji]</strong>

    <strong>Age: 27</strong>

    <strong>HP: ? CP: ?</strong>

    <strong>Affiliation: Root</strong>

    <strong>[A Reanimation ninja created by Danzo. He is thete son of Kensei Yasaji and Fumiyo Aya. When he was alive Hotaru struck a bargain with Danzo for his mother''s freedom from Root while he took her ce. A year after his death Danzo decided to test the effects of the reanimation jutsu and Hotaru was the only sessful reanimated ninja. Danzo has muted Hotaru''s emotions and he can see and hear through Hotaru''s senses. His identity is one of the greatest secrets Danzo keeps.</strong>

    <strong>STR - 291</strong>

    <strong>AGI - 273</strong>

    <strong>INT - 81</strong>

    <strong>The physical stats maybe subjected to change if chakra or technique is applied. ]</strong>

    Even with the Gamer''s Mind skill, Daichi struggled to control his emotion. It was thanks to his mask that no one saw the change in his expression. For a moment he couldn''t believe what Observe showed him.

    ''<em>No way. Kensei''s son�� Is Root? Danzo reanimated him. If Kensei finds out about this, it''ll destroy him.''</em>

    The disguised Daichi recalled all the times the old man spoke about his family with longing and regret. The boy knew how much Kensei wanted to have a second chance with his son. Daichi knew that if information about Hotaru got out or used in the wrong manner it could be devastating.

    The instant this realization sank in Daichi became furious. Killing intent immediately radiated from his body, taking everyone by surprise.

    Fu was holding his own against the enemy but he couldn''t get away and help his master.

    Danzo was also taken back by the sudden murderous intent.<em>''He looked calm andposed a second ago. So what changed?''</em>

    The masked man faced Danzo and a momentter a sword was flying towards Shadow clone Daichi''s neck at incredible speed. The reanimated ninja didn''t even waste a second to attack and he didn''t let his opportunity tond a lethal strike pass.

    Daichi didn''t even turn back to look at the iing enemy. The second the reanimated ninja neared him with his sword Daichi sent several fast punches at his elbow and shoulder diverting the sword swing and then a devastating powerful chakra enhanced punch that sent his whole body flying in the other direction.

    Hotaru crashed through the walls one after another but Daichi didn''t pay him any mind. His eyes were firmly fixed on Danzo. He watched as the old war-hawkpleted the seal for activating Izanagi.

    Danzo narrowed his eyes as he looked at the masked ninja.<em>''There is no mistaking it. That Taijutsu style was Shadowyering fist. Only high level Anbu personnel should know that fighting style.''</em>

    "It''s good that you activated that jutsu. Killing you once won''t be enough to quell my anger." The masked man''s chilling voice made Danzo grip his kunai harder.

    "So you know about Izanagi."

    The masked ninja didn''t dignify with a response and instead vanished from his position.

    ''<em>He''sing.''</em>This was Danzo''s thought as he frantically bent his upper body backwards to avoid a decapitating swing. The old veteran ninja avoided the attack. When Daichi was passing above him and immediately made a hand seal and spit out several lethal air bullets that instantly went through the masked ninja''s body.

    The next instant Danzo felt a lightning de cut through his right arm and through his torso all the way to the other side. Pain filled him as his body was cut in two at his chest and before his jutsu activated he saw the body above him vanish into several broken stone bs.

    ''<em>Substitution. He went through the earth and came up under me.''</em>

    That was thest thought before Izanagi activated for the first time and Danzo vanished.

    The masked Daichi was keeping a close eye on two people in the area. Danzo and Obito.

    ''<em>Obito seems to be nning to just sit back and watch me try and kill that old bastard. Well, as long as he doesn''t interfere he won''t be my target tonight�� Danzo''s chakra and Mana signature haspletely disappeared. Sensor ninjas would believe he died�� Where will he reappear?''</em>

    Daichi then immediately sensed the chakra and Mana energy that appeared out of thin air right behind him. He sensed Danzo weaving seals for another attack.

    The gamer ninja instantly jumped high, narrowly escaping multiple deadly projectiles. He twisted his body while weaving his own set of seals. The moment his feet touched the ceiling Daichi let his jutsu loose.

    Danzo sensed arge amount of chakra being condensed and transformed.<em>''He''s going to use a fire style jutsu.''</em>

    Even though the old man could deduce the nature of the ninjutsu he failed at putting up a sessful countermeasure in time.

    ''<em>Fire style - Supreme Fire Dragon.''</em>

    Arge amount of mes were instantly expelled from Daichi''s lips and it took the shape of an enormous majestic dragon. The temperature of the room immediately rose to terrifying levels.

    Danzo''s eyes widened in shock at the sheer power of the mysterious man''s fire style technique.

    The fire dragon came down upon Danzo like the wrath of God andpletely covered the man in mes. The jutsu was strong enough to destroy the ground and go through the floor below. The jutsu detonated and Danzo who had reappeared on the other side was caught in the explosion and his Izanagi activated for a third time.

    Daichi covered himself with a mana shield and was safe from the st but his other clone who was fighting Fu immediately made sure to distance himself. He was shocked at why the clone who confronted Danzo would suddenly make such a radical change to the ns.

    ''<em>Hey what the hell is going on? I thought we''d be letting him go so he and the Hokage could fight it out.''</em>The clone sent a message.

    ''<em>He reanimated Kensei''s son. That guy. The Root''s second inmand. It''s Hotaru.''</em>

    ''<em>What?!''</em>Came the shocked reply from the clone and the original.

    The clone immediately understood why his doppelganger went mad.<em>''I''ll finish Fu. But my chakra won''tst much longer. I know you''re in the same position. Kill him if you can, if not, cripple him.''</em>

    The clone fighting the Yamanaka reengaged with renewed vigor.

    Fu barely escaped with his life but he had burns on one side of his body. With such injuries it was bing difficult for him to defend against the fast powerful taijutsu attack from his enemy.<em>''Damn it. He''s going for killing strikes. One mistake on my part and I''m dead. Damn. If only Torune was here.''</em>

    The hidden Obito was also surprised at the power of that Fire style technique.<em>''The scale, control, speed, heat and nature maniption of that jutsu was several leagues above any fire style user currently alive. He is certainly powerful. Who is he?''</em>

    He decided to stay in the shadows and observe till he got more information.

    Daichi meanwhile had his senses sharpened and was keeping an eye on where Danzo would appear. He didn''t have to wait long to find the man.

    The Root leader took several breaths to control himself. Being burned alive so quickly and getting blown up would shake anyone''s mental strength for a moment.

    "There''s still about 30 seconds. With the first Hokage''s cells, I''m betting you can use one eye for Izanagi for less than 60 seconds before it loses its light." Daichi wanted to let Danzo know that he knew about his jutsu.

    The old veteran ninja gritted his teeth in anger. "Who are you? How do you know my secrets?"

    "You don''t really expect me to answer that question do you?"

    "What do you want?" Danzo asked in a slightly calmer tone. He needed to catch the man off guard.

    "What I want? It''s simple." The masked Daichi paused for a moment and he let out his murderous intent. "I want to see how many times I can kill you in a minute."

    Danzo gritted his teeth in fury. "Don''t be too arrogant."

    ��------------

    Author''s Note.

    Surprise!! A Rare Double post.

    Figured I''d get the action started early.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen(No space)

 Chapter 326: Daichi vs Danzo

    The masked enemy bypassed Danzo''s defenses and sent a brutal punch to his stomach. The man''s fist was infused with precise chakra and the instant it made contact, Dragon released all umted energy.

    "Ghha!" Danzo spit out a wad of blood as several internal organs were crushed. But the ferocity in his eyes didn''t vanish. It only grew. Before the punch could blow him away he tried tond a killing blow to the head of the enemy with his sword but he failed as his masked enemy easily dodged.

    Boom! Crash.

    Danzo was sted through the wall and rolled on the ground several times beforeing to a stop. His eyes had already lost consciousness. A momentter the bloody figure vanished and an unharmed Danzo stood near where he fell.

    He looked at his arm and his face darkened.<em>''I already lost two eyes. And I still haven''t been able to injure him. How frustrating.''</em>

    He looked ahead and red at the unknown enemy.<em>''His ninjutsu skills, reaction time and fighting skills are far greater than I anticipated.''</em>

    Another problem was also on Danzo''s mind.<em>''It''s been almost two minutes. Why hasn''t Hotaru returned yet? Whatever injuries he might have received, his reanimated body should have repaired them. So where is he?''</em>

    Danzo focused and he immediately found the man he brought back from the dead. He quickly re-established the connection between him and the reanimated Hotaru. But something felt off to Danzo.

    The old war-hawk saw that the recovery of Hotaru was much much slower than he anticipated.<em>''His injuries are taking far longer than normal to heal.''</em>Danzo focused on the man''s chakra and found that it waspletely unstable. The Yang and Yin energy was out of sync within his body and was only slowly returning to its normal state.

    The Rootmander looked at the masked enemy who slowly came and stood a few meters away. "What did you do to him?"

    "I''m under no obligation to answer your questions Danzo�� But I suppose I''ll say this. Did you really think you''re the only one who knew the reanimation jutsu? Did you think there wouldn''t be someone who''d try toe up with countermeasures for such a forbidden technique?"

    The reply from the enemy brought a sneer on the old man''s face.

    Daichi inwardly snorted.<em>''I wasn''t just learning how to improve my reanimation jutsu ability. I was also thinking of ways to counter it. Or at least keep the enemy down for a little while. Disrupt the flow between Yang and Yin chakrabined with Mana attack to target the mind. ''</em>

    When Daichi attacked Hotaru, with just a single punch he disturbed the chakra flow down to the core with brute force and sent Mana into his body to disrupt the mind. It was a theory Daichi had in mind after his experiments in Orochimaru''sir. But there is a small w.

    ''<em>Since I couldn''t directly inject Mana into Hotaru''s head he''ll recover his distorted mind and senses soon and he''ll quickly control his chakra and recover. After that he''ll be back to help this guy.''</em>

    Crack. Thud.

    At that moment Danzo''s eyes shifted to the body that fell nearby. It was the broken dead body of Fu Yamanaka. Danzo growled and made a seal. A clone of the masked ninja appeared and stood alongside him.

    ''<em>To kill Fu with just a shadow clone. I can''t underestimate him.''</em>Danzo made a seal and a secondter the dead body of Fu vanished and he was once again back to thend of the living.

    The disguised Daichi''s eyes slightly narrowed.<em>''So he used Izanagi to rewrite Fu''s reality huh. Danzo using Izanagi for someone else. Something like this didn''t happen in canon. I need to see if this affects its time limit.''</em>

    Both Daichis didn''t waste another second and moved towards their targets.

    Seeing their enemy rushing towards them Danzo became a lot more cautious. "Make sure to kill that clone. Whoever he is, we must kill him here."

    Fu tightened the grip on his tanto and his muscles tensed. "Yes."

    The main clone of Daichi reached Danzo and the two began a deadly hand to handbat battle. Danzo noticed that the man was going for lethal strikes or paralyzing pressure points.<em>''He has extensive knowledge on the human body. Perhaps much more than even the ck ops Anbu might know. Could he have a background in medic ninjutsu?''</em>

    "Can you really afford to be distracted right now, Danzo?" Dragon growled as his hands lit up with lightning chakra. His hands straightened like a spear and he thrust it aiming at Danzo''s head.

    ''<em>Now Fu!''</em>Danzo screamed in his mind.

    Fu who was engaged in battle nearby was waiting for the opportunity his master had presented him with. Disregarding the enemy in front of him, he went for who he assumed was the real one. His hands formed a triangle and he sent his mind invasion jutsu directly at Dragon.

    The main shadow clone fighting Danzo was keeping a keen eye watch over the entire area and he instantly sensed when the Yamanaka ninja was preparing for a powerful jutsu.

    ''<em>You won''t get me like that.''</em>Daichi inwardly smirked.

    The instant the jutsu wasunched, ''Dragon'' vanished from his position.

    Fu''s eyes widened in shock.<em>''I missed? At such a close range?''</em>

    He was only shocked for a moment before he realized he was also fighting with someone. But that momentary mistake cost him his life a second time. The silver gleam of a sword swing could be seen in the dark and Fu''s head separated from his body.

    A momentter Danzo felt his chest pierced by a lightning hand from behind and his heart crushed. Dragon pulled his arm back and he looked at the blood covered arm. "So that''s what that feels like."

    Danzo without support was down on his knees and then fell face down on the floor. A few secondster he vanished once again and reappeared a few meters away.

    He looked down at his arm and another Sharingan eye closed.<em>''The 3rd Sharingan. This loss is far too unbearable.''</em>His fists clenched with great anger and red at his enemy.

    <strong>[You have sensed killing intent.]</strong>

    Daichi was keeping precise time and was urately counting the seconds in his head.<em>''33 seconds. My hypothesis was right. Danzo''s Izanagi timeframe was shortened this time by almost half. Most probably due to him using it for Fu. So using it on oneself and using it on others changes the time limit on that technique huh.''</em>

    "The Hokage and his team are getting closer and closer." The secondary clone came near ''Dragon'' and spoke in a small tone.

    "I know. We''ll have to make our exit soon but Hotaru''s presenceplicates this. We can''t leave him in Danzo''s hands." The main shadow clone gave his thoughts.

    "Perhaps we should get<em>''his''</em>opinion?"

    ''<em>I know this is an unexpected problem. Hotaru may not be important to us but he is to Kensei. We need to stop the reanimation jutsu. Besides, we already aplished our most important goal.''</em>The real Daichi was aware of the predicament his clones ran into and sent his reply via the message array jutsu.

    ''<em>I''m sensing several Root ninjasing towards your location.''</em>The clone tasked with raiding sealing techniques and other precious items spoke.

    ''<em>I''ll deal with it somehow. Just finish the task on your end.''</em>The main shadow clone facing Danzo replied.

    ''<em>Don''t worry. I sent a small back up. But I''m not sure how much help he''ll be.''</em>The clone stealing several scrolls on the other side of the headquarters replied.

    Before the clone fighting Danzo could reply, it sensed a chakra fluctuation.

    Suddenly the two shadow clones fighting Danzo sensed the man split his chakra into two and then several wind nature enhanced shuriken was speeding towards the two masked ninjas.

    One clone dodged to the side while the other jumped into the air. The two Danzo''s each picked their opponent. The shadow clone Danzo went for the clone in the air.

    He made two seals and exhaled a powerful vacuum based sh like attack. The ''Dragon'' clone in mid air was able to quickly calcte the trajectory and thanks to the high dexterity skill was able to twist his body and avoid the attack by a hair''s breadth.

    Danzo smirked as his n worked. The wind sh was actually aimed at the ceiling right atop the disguised clone Daichi. The ceiling cracked and broke into severalrge chunks and quickly fell on top of ''Dragon''.

    For a split second the clone thought about destroying the stones with his super powered punches but decided to use substitution jutsu. But before he could sessfully escape several powerful wind bullets tore through his body reducing him to smoke.

    With the destruction of that clone, the shadow clone raiding jutsu scrolls on the other side of the Root headquarters and Daichi were much more aware of the situation.

    Seeing one of the enemy''s clones destroyed, Danzo released his shadow clone jutsu to get his chakra back.

    The transformed Daichi was on guard.<em>''This old man is a lot more cunning than he looks. Whether I used substitution or destroyed the chunks of concrete he would have gotten me. I could have escaped if I used that jutsu but�� No need to show all my cards here. Especially with Obito watching.''</em>

    Daichi sensed several chakra signatures quickly converging on their position. Among them was the reanimated Hotaru.<em>''Looks like his backup has arrived.''</em>

    A secondter two dozen Root ninjas appeared on either side of Danzo and Hotaru appeared behind Daichi. The Root ninjas quickly began to surround the masked enemy.

    Danzo looked much more rxed after his agents arrived. He looked at the masked ninja with a cold gaze. "Normally, I''d capture you and interrogate you for information but unfortunately time is of the essence. Hiruzen is on his way so I have to deal with my oldrade. So it''s best to kill you here before I leave."

    Now that Danzo was surrounded by allies, he was much more confident.

    "Hmph. You''ve seen just how strong I am. And yet you still want to kill me? Why don''t you take the opportunity to escape while your minions try to hold me back." The disguised Daichi asked out of curiosity.

    "You know several ninjutsu that are exclusive to this vige. Not to mention your reaction upon meeting my second inmand�� You know who he is don''t you? I don''t know how but I have a feeling you figured out his identity. Just for that alone I can''t let you live."

    Danzo spoke in a grave tone and the Root ninjas all unsheathed their weapons as a show of aggression.

    <strong>[You have sensed killing intent.]</strong>

    ''Dragon'' didn''t say anything and merely red at Danzo. Killing intent red and it set the Root ninjas surrounding Daichi on edge. Daichi''s killing intent had grown much stronger after the numerous battles he had encountered. Several among the Root ninjas were affected by his murderous intent alone.

    Danzo merely scoffed at the provocation. "So I''m right. For you to know so many secrets about me, you must be a ninja of this vige. Perhaps a high level secret Anbu Hiruzen trained or a Jonin who discreetly developed his skills. I assume you have some sort of medical background and you''re someone with a rtionship to Hotaru, histe wife or Kensei." He spoke while he made several seals to undo the Izanagi effect.

    The disguised Daichi sensed a change in Danzo''s chakra.<em>''So he undid Izanagi huh�� Hmm�� There are still seven usable Sharingan on that arm. But to get them�� That won''t be easy if not impossible in my current state.''</em>

    Dragon didn''t say anything as he looked at the Root leader but Danzo took the silence as confirmation.

    "Regardless of what your rtionship is to them, I''ll never let you go. Especially when you have something that doesn''t belong to you." There was a sneer on Danzo''s face as he said thest part.

    "Ha! That''s funnying from you." ''Dragon''ughed when he heard that. The ground cracked beneath his feet as he got ready for battle. "You''re thest person who should say that to me."

    Daichi gathered his chakra and immediately began making seals. Several Root ninjas swiftly began to form their own seals as well.

    <strong>[Mental intrusion detected]</strong>

    <strong>[Gamer''s Mind has neutralized the attack.]</strong>

    Multiple Genjutsu attacks hit Daichi but they were all ineffective. Wind, Fire and lightning style ninjutsu flew towards Daichi from all directions.

    Daichi made the final seal and released his technique.<em>''Earth Style - Shifting Rock Domain.''</em>

    The solid area around Daichi instantly shifted into liquid form. Curved barriers and several small earth walls appeared around Daichi and protected him from all attacks. The stability of the whole area instantly fell and the root ninjas near Daichi lost their footing.

    Daichi concentrated his chakra and instantly multiple thin but long earth spears wereunched at fast rate from the ground and impaled through several nearby ninjas. A few used substitution jutsu just before the attack hit to escape but half a dozen still died.

    <strong>[Ninjutsu Earth Style - Shifting Rock Domain Jutsu has leveled up.]</strong>

    The rest of the Root ninjas backed away but one ignored the attacks and headed straight for Daichi.

    The masked Daichi sensed Hotaruing fast and he shifted his chakra.

    A strong earth wall suddenly appeared in front of Hotaru but he destroyed it with lightning ninjutsu.

    Daichi was in the center of the room as he was attacked. He blocked the punch from Hotaru and the two immediately began a fierce taijutsu battle. Daichi parried a strike that came for his heart but Hotaru shifted his hand and suddenly held Daichi''s wrists holding him in ce.

    At this exact moment multiple paper-bomb talismans appeared around Hotaru''s body and they lit up.

    Dragon''s eyes widened behind his mask and he increased the strength of his right arm and broke free of the hold. Dragon instantly grabbed Hotaru''s head and immediately sent a Mana Mind shock attack to the man who was in close range. Hotaru''s mind was disturbed and he was forced to let go. Dragon quickly grasped the opportunity and formed a seal.

    ''<em>Water Style - Bubble Shield.''</em>

    In less than a second Daichi spit arge amount of water enough to submerged and cover him entirely. It was a derivation of water prison jutsu but it was used for defensive measures.

    The intense explosion from Hotaru was smothered by the strong water jutsu and Daichi was able to stop himself from taking damage and exploding into smoke.

    The instant the explosion ended the clone immediately went from defense to offense.

    ''<em>Water Style - Drilling Bullets''</em>

    Several small water bullets exploded from Daichi''s water sphere and went in all directions. Daichi made several numerous hand seals.

    ''<em>Water Style - Water Dragon jutsu.''</em>

    The water increased in quantity and immediately crashed into several ninjas reducing them to bloody torn corpses.

    Danzo frowned as he looked at the scene.<em>''Fire, Earth, Water and Lightning. To use four nature transformations so easily. Who is he? Moreover, how did he make Hotaru release his grip? What did he do?''</em>

    The Root ninjas surrounded Daichi and were desperately attacking with everything they got but they couldn''tnd any sessful blows. At the same time, the disguised shadow clone was aware of the chakra reserves it had and was hesitant to use the more powerful attacks.

    The battle was at a stalemate. Danzo looked at the scene and inwardly cursed.<em>''Looks like I might have to intervene.''</em>

    Just as he took a step forward a sharp sword sh came from behind at a terrifying speed and cut off his right arm. The Sharingan embedded arm was flying in the air before Danzo even registered the unexpected sneak attack.

    ��--------------

    <strong>Author''s Note.</strong>

    I originally wanted Danzo to lose his arm to Hiruzen and didn''t want Daichi to get it. But then I figured why not and had to rewrite that whole thing.

    Anyway I hope you guys like the fight scene.

    .

    Some of the Skills used by ''Dragon''

    <strong>Mana Mind Shock - Active (LV. 06):</strong>This skill allows the user to send arge concentrated pulse of Mana energy directly into the brain of the target to disorient and even render the target unconscious. This skill can bypass chakra barriers around the skull of the target if there is any.

    Note: The user must be in contact with the head of the target to send a pulse.

    .

    Effects:

    Disorient and can even render the target unconscious with a high concentration of Mana energy.

    MP Cost: 3115 MP.

    ��--------------------

    <strong>Mana Scout - (Passive/Active) (LV.44):</strong>All minds produce some miniscule amount of Mana energy. This skill allows the user to sense the presence of an intelligent mind.

    .

    Effects:

    107 meters: Current maximum range.

    77% Location uracy.

    MP Cost: 8.7MP/8 Meters.

    ��-------------------

    <strong>Combat Arts. - Passive (LV.71):</strong>This skill allows the user to be more proficient in hand to handbat and usage of weaponry.

    .

    Effects:

    Passively increases the user''s minimum and maximum melee Damage, Critical rate and Bnce. Make the user ambidextrous.

    142% Increase to Damage inflicted.

    142% Increase in Movement speed.

    ��-------------------

    <strong>Analyze - Active (LV. 29): A</strong>skill given when the user receives the Title ''A Genius of the Continent.'' This skill allows the user to analyze a person''s technique or fighting style and with enough understanding, perfectly copy or recreate it with modifications.

    [Note: This skill has certain limitations. The user can only understand the skills the target is using. Stronger effects will be added at higher levels.]

    .

    Effects

    41% Faster understanding of the target''s technique and fighting style when using the skill.

    Prediction: The user can predict with 19% uracy of the target''s next move seconds before the target makes them. This can also be applied to Taijutsu and certain other techniques.

    CP cost: None.

    ��---------------------

    <strong>Shadow Layering Eight Extremities Fist - Active(LV.26):</strong>An advanced taijutsu style that can be used in a defensive or offensive manner to kill or subdue a single or multiple targets who are armed or unarmed. This form of martial arts uses few or no weapons and includes throws, holds and paralyzing attacks against the enemy. A true master of this style can create the illusion and effects of having additional limbs when attacking.

    .

    Effects

    32% Increase of chance in Landing critical strike.

    39% Increase in attack power.

    26% Increase in defense.

    26% Increase in speed.

    8.3% Decrease in damage taken.

    ��------------------

    <strong>Battle Insight - Active/Passive(LV. 21):</strong>This skill gives the user the sharp instincts of a war-master and strategist. Helps the user find a way to defeat the enemy.

    .

    Effects:

    Allows the user to determine the enemy''s weaknesses, characteristics and n of attack.

    .

    [Note: Effects of this skill will be weaker against higher level enemies and those with special abilities. But these limitations can be removed once yer and Battle Insight skill reaches sufficient Level.]

    ��------------------

    <strong>Parallel Processing - Passive/Active(LV. MAX):</strong>A passive/active skill given to the yer when Intelligence has reached 300. This skill gives the user the ability to carry out multiple thought processes and calctions at the same time. In active state this skill helps the user in consciously focusing and being fully aware of multiple targets, tasks, locations, dangers, etc without any trouble or confusion.

    .

    Note: Has a limit to how many thoughts the user can perform at once. But this limitation can be removed with higher stats in Intelligence.

    MP cost: 120MP/min.

    ��-------------------

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen(No space)

 Chapter 327: A Ghost to Chase

    "Aarrgh!" Danzo''s scream halted the Root ninjas and they immediately turned their attention to their leader.

    Then they saw a Root ninja with a bloody sword grabbing the severed arm up in the air. The arm instantly vanished from the Root ninja''s hand upon making contact.

    "My task is done. Try and finish things on your end." The Root ninja addressed the disguised Daichi and next second it vanished in a puff of smoke.

    Dragon nodded with a smirk that the others couldn''t see.

    The leader of the Root was down on his knees with one arm trying to support his body. Without the power of the Sharingan, Hashirama''s cells inside Danzo''s body started going out of control.

    Arge tree suddenly sprouted from Danzo''s severed shoulder, growing and breaking through the ceiling. Danzo gritted his teeth and forcefully cut himself off from the tree protruding from his body.

    Two Root ninjas capable of Medic jutsu went to assist Danzo. They healed his injury and helped their master get back on his feet.

    <strong>[You have sensed killing intent.]</strong>

    Danzo''s eyes held hatred and rage as they fell on the masked enemy. "You bastard�� To think you had someone on the inside�� Or was that a clone in disguise?""Guess." Dragon chuckled in mirth. "You were careless Danzo. You look down on others and believe yourself to be the mastermind puppeteering everyone. That''s why you didn''t see thising." Dragon replied as he tightened the grip on the sword he took from a nearby dead ninja.

    "Where is that arm?"

    Dragonughed mockingly. "Gone. That jutsu is far too dangerous and unpredictable. It''s best to destroy it." The disguised Daichi lied.

    The one eyed war hawk gritted his teeth and was about to speak when one of his agents whispered. "Lord Danzo. The Hokage and Jiraiya are making their way here. What should we do?"

    Danzo held in his anger and looked at the mysterious enemy.<em>''Maybe I can get Hiruzen to fight and kill him for me.''</em>

    Having made a decision the leader of the Root gave his order. "Hotaru. Kill him. Four of you back him up. The rest of you are with me."

    Immediately the reanimated Hotaru and 4 Root ninjas surrounded Daichi while the rest escaped the room with Danzo.

    Once the old war-hawk was away from the battlefield he looked at the nearby 3 ninjas. "You three. Lead Jiraiya down here. Make sure Jiraiya believes that man is the enemy of the Leaf."

    The Root ninjas assigned with the task nodded their heads and vanished. The one eyed old ninja made his way to a secret escape tunnel.<em>''Hiruzen''s attack so soon waspletely unexpected. To think he would make such an aggressive move without wasting any time. I thought I made sure his spy didn''t find anything and yet�� To think I''ve been reduced to running like a rat.''</em>

    Danzo could only tighten his fist in anger and move forward under the protection of the ninjas besides him. After the attack just now Danzo was wary of his agents. He had his guard up and was on high alert.

    His team hade across a few Anbu and some of his ninjas stayed behind to let their wounded leader escape.

    ��-

    As Danzo was fleeing, Hiruzen and a few masked ninjas were examining some of the bodies of the Root ninjas they discovered. Anbu hade across the corpses as they were making their way down the hideout.

    "They were assassinated. Swift and lethal strikes. But it wasn''t us." One of the masked ninjas in Anbu gear spoke.

    "Could it be infighting?" Another Anbu spected.

    "No. Danzo has trained them well. This is something else." Hiruzen shook his head and replied. "It seems there is someone else here in this base. Most probably using our raid as cover to achieve whatever it is they came here to do."

    "We need to find Danzo before he escapes. He might have our answer." The Hokage gave his order and the teams vanished.

    ��-

    <strong>[Mental intrusion detected]</strong>

    <strong>[Gamer''s Mind has neutralized the attack.]</strong>

    Meanwhile, Daichi(Dragon) was defending against the onught of five strong ninjas. He defended against their various Genjutsu and analyzed their fighting style, countering every trap.

    ''<em>The four of them are trying to immobilize me while Hotaru goes for a double suicide jutsu. That reanimated body is bing a real pain in the ass.''</em>

    But the five enemies in front of him were not Daichi''s main concern. It was the man hidden in the shadows watching their battle.<em>''If I can tag Obito with a Mana tracker skill then I''ll be able to find his hideouts. But I''m not sure if ck Zetsu can sense Mana energy up close. It''s a huge risk.''</em>

    <strong>[You have sensed killing intent.]</strong>

    ''<em>Now that my Sense stat and killing intent skill have gone up so many levels it''s almost like having a spider sense.''</em>

    ''Dragon'' raised his left hand and blocked the punch aimed for his head. He gripped the fist of the enemy and held the sword in his right hand in reverse grip and quickly shed.

    The root ninja leaned back but Daichi sent lightning chakra through the de and extended its range allowing the sharp weapon to pierce through the root ninja''s body.

    But as Daichi attacked he sensed Hotaruing, aiming to sever his right arm. He immediately used his left arm to form multiple hand seals with the enemy. He inhaled arge amount of air and turned his head towards the oing enemy.

    ''<em>Wind style - Air Cannon.''</em>

    A powerful st of wind blew Hotaru to the other side of the room while inflicting several wounds. But dust and debris quickly swirled around his body and the wounds were healed.

    ''Dragon'' sensed a fireball jutsuing from behind and he jumped high as quickly as he could. The second he was upside down near the ceiling two root ninjas appeared with swords poised to decapitate him.

    The two Root ninjas moved forward to attack and sessfully pierced the masked ninja''s heart and cut off his head. But the next second two bodies fell to the floor. It was the two root shinobi. Instead of Daichi, they attacked each other. Unfortunate victims of a meticulous Genjutsu.

    ''Dragon''nded a few feet away and suddenly a new notification appeared.

    <strong>[Dangerous Poison Detected��]</strong>

    <strong>[Gamer''s body is neutralizing the foreignpound.]</strong>

    The shadow clone was immediately on guard and swiftly found the source of the poison. It was one of the two root ninjas he had just killed. The ninja''s dead body released a strong colorless, odorless airborne toxin. Daichi noticed the only living Root ninja in the room inject his body with a small vial. He immediately realized what just happened.

    ''<em>A dyed kill tactic. Even if they die they''ll use their corpse to weaken or kill the enemy. These guys are indeed ruthless.''</em>

    Instantly the masked shadow clone formed a seal and powerful gusts of wind formed and blew the surrounding air away in all directions.

    <strong>[Gamer''s body has neutralized the foreignpound.]</strong>

    The message came indicating that his system was clean from the poison. But the masked Daichi suddenly stumbled. He was down on one knee and breathing hard.

    ''<em>My chakra is running low. I won''t be able to hold on much longer. That Genjutsu attack used up a chunk of my chakra.''</em>

    The disguised Daichi used ''Genjutsu - Reverse Reality technique''. It makes a shinobi believe their friend is their enemy all the whilepletely erasing the presence of their true target from their senses. A powerful A rank Genjutsu of Daichi''s own design.

    "You weaved the hand seals for that Genjutsu in the split second between avoiding the fireball jutsu and reaching the ceiling." A cold emotionless voice spoke.

    Daichi looked forward and saw Hotaru walking towards him.

    "The instant those two appeared near you, you caught them in your trap. That Genjutsu caught them at thest moment when they were about to attack and that didn''t give them time to sense if there was anything wrong. A wless jutsu execution that made them kill each other."

    Daichi let out a deep breath of air and stood.<em>''He figured out my technique so quickly. His observation skills are good.''</em>

    The masked ninja turned his gaze to the other ninja who was standing near Hotaru but wary.<em>''3 down. 2 more to go.''</em>

    "Who are you? How do you know me?" Hotaru suddenly asked.

    Daichi kept silent as he looked at the reanimated ninja.<em>''Hmph. If Danzo thinks I''ll divulge information that easily, he''s even more of a fool than I thought.''</em>

    The gamer ninja remembered what his observe skill had shown him.<em>''Danzo can see and hear through him. If I let slip anything that points to my identity it''s not just Danzo who''ll be after me. The Hokage might be aware, not to mention that bastard Obito��''</em>

    Seeing no reply from the masked man, Hotaru didn''t bother wasting time and gave the order to attack. Thest Root ninja with him followed themand and rushed at the disguised shadow clone.

    Daichi stood his ground and braced himself.<em>''They''re counting on the fact that I''m almost out of chakra and can only use Taijutsu skills.''</em>

    ''Dragon'' fought and countered the root ninja while keeping an eye on Hotaru. The reanimated puppet was keeping a close watch on the masked ninja and was looking for an opportunity. He didn''t have to wait long for one to appear.

    The masked ninja''s right leg tripped on a jagged piece of rock sticking out of the floor and momentarily shifted his bnce. Hotaru instantly went forward to attack.

    The root ninja also saw the mistake and wanted to capitalize on it. But neither knew that it was all part of the disguised Genin''s strategy. The instant Hotaru came close, smoke bombs instantly appeared in Daichi''s arms and it fell all around them. They exploded, momentarily covering the three ninjas from the hidden Obito''s view.

    Daichi used his speed skills and increased his agility. In less than a fraction of a second multiple lethal strikesnded on the root ninja''s body killing him. Hotaru was close and didn''t expect his enemy to move at such greater speeds.

    Daichi suddenly vanished from his eyes and the next instant a palm grabbed the back of his head and mmed him into the floor face first.

    ''<em>So fast''.</em>Hotaru wanted to retaliate but Daichi didn''t give him the chance.

    A powerful Mana energy tore through his mind and Daichi forcefully broke through the seals and defense barriers Danzo ced on Hotaru''s mind.

    ''<em>There are three ways to stop a Reanimation ninja. One. The user himself undoes the jutsu. Second. Use sealing jutsu to trap the reanimation. Third, trigger a strong mental or emotional fluctuation and the soul of the reanimation will be free.''</em>Daichi held the ninja down and sent thest chunk of his Mana into his Mana shock attack.

    Seeing the reanimation ninja temporarily disabled, Daichi went through several hand seals and immediately ced his palms on Hotaru''s back. A strong Yin and Yang chakra was emitted into Hotaru''s body disrupting his chakrapletely and temporarily halting the movements of his body..

    The shadow clone used thest few chunks of his chakra and now his chakra bar was down to double digits. Something that hadn''t happened in a long time.<em>''I''ve attacked your Mind and your Body. The soul part will be up to you. I''ve removed the blocks Danzo ced on your mind. Let''s see if you can free yourself.''</em>

    Daichi took a few steps back and sat on the ground breathing hard.<em>''I''m going to dispel anytime now. But before that�� I have to know�� If this worked.''</em>

    A minute went by and slowly Hotaru was beginning to regenerate his body. He slowly stood on one leg and turned to look at the masked ninja while the rest of his body repaired itself.

    "What did.. you do to me?" Hotaru asked, this time there were several emotions in his voice.

    "I''ve given you a fighting chance. The rest is up to you." ''Dragon'' replied.

    "I don''t know if I can break free." Hotaru said as he looked at the arms that were slowly regenerating. Even at that moment he was getting mental orders from Danzo to attack. Just as his body was about to move and follow thatmand, the mask ninja spoke.

    "Think about your mother. She wouldn''t want to see you like this."

    "Where is she?" Hotaru asked the mysterious ninja.

    "She''s dead. She has been for several years. The pain of losing you was too much for her."

    Hotaru''s eyes widened and a tear escaped from the corner of his eyes. Suddenly his body glowed white and his soul began to separate from his body.

    The ethereal soul looked at the unknown ninja and there was gratitude on his face. "Who are you?"

    "I''m afraid I can''t say."

    Hotaru looked at the man and nodded. "Thank you."

    The masked ninja merely nodded and Hotaru''s soul vanished into the ether. The masked Daichi let out several deep breaths of air and had a small smile under his mask.

    "I''m impressed." A cold voice suddenly came from the shadows.

    The voice didn''t startle Daichi as he was waiting for the man to appear. From the dark shadows of the room a man wearing a spiral mask slowly walked towards the man wearing the Dragon mask.

    Obito looked at the masked ninja and crossed his arms. "I was right. You sensed me long before now, didn''t you. That''s impressive."

    "Are you going to kill me?" ''Dragon'' asked.

    Obito chuckled. "Why would I waste my energy on a shadow clone?"

    That statement surprised Daichi a little.

    As if expecting such a response, Obito replied to the unasked question. "Throughout your battle from the very beginning, you were careful not to let a single strikend on your body. Even when it would have been convenient. You either dodged or redirected the attacks or used defensive ninjutsu. It''s certainly impressive that a shadow clone was able to kill so many capable Root."

    "What do you want?" Dragon''s rude attitude was ignored by Obito.

    "What I want? Not who I am?" Obito replied with his own question.

    "I can sense Sharingan and Wood style chakraing from your body. You''re either an Uchiha who got his hands on the First Hokage''s cells or a Senju who got his hands on a pair of Sharingan and the First Hokage''s blood. Either way, you''re going to be a problem for me." Daichi mixed some truth with lies and gave out some false hypotheses so as to not reveal all his cards.

    "A problem for you huh." Obito chuckled. "If you get in my way, then yes, most certainly."

    Obito slowly released his killing intent and the masked Daichi stood up facing him. The gamer ninja thought back to the night he lost his friend and he clenched his fists.

    Chakra and murderous intent rose in the air as the masked Daichi looked at Obito.<em>''It''s still too soon for our fight. But even so�� I really wanna take a crack at you right now.''</em>

    "Where is Shisui Uchiha''s Sharingan?" Obito asked in a chilling voice.

    "Gone. Kotoamatsukami is far too dangerous."

    "I don''t believe that for a second." Obito chuckled at that poor lie.

    "You''re right. What I meant to say was��<em>you</em>won''t ever get the chance to use that eye."

    The smug tone in the masked ninja''s reply angered Obito. "You bastard�� You know quite a lot of secrets don''t you? Who are you?"

    Daichi was about to give a sarcastic retort but stopped himself. He decided it was time to send Obito and Zetsu on a wild goose chase. A few seconds of silenceter he answered. "Dragon.. You can consider me as a revolutionary."

    "A revolutionary huh. Tell me. What are you revolting against?" Hearing the word revolutionary was unexpected for Obito.

    "This whole broken system."

    That answer surprised Obito. "If it''s the shinobi system you''re fighting against, then why don''t you join my organization?" The masked Madara gave an offer out of mere interest.

    "Not interested. I work alone. Besides, you and I have a score to settle." The Genin hadn''t let go of the grudge formed on that fateful day.

    "You have no idea who you''re up against. I will find out who you really are and then we''ll talk again. I''m curious to see if you''ll have the same bravado then." The light from the Sharingan in the eyehole gave a menacing aura to the masked ninja.

    No more words were exchanged. Killing intent rose from the two deadly masked ninjas as they stared each other down. The floor around them cracked due to the might of their power.

    Just then a message came from the Daichi''s shadow clone who was raiding the sealing scrolls.<em>''Hey guys. Not to rm you but someone extremely strong just entered the base. I sense high level chakra and higher than average Mana reserves. A high kage level ninja. Definitely not the third Hokage.''</em>

    Immediately a new message came from the original Daichi who was keeping an eye on everything.<em>''Dispel yourselves. We got what we wanted.''</em>

    The other shadow clone immediately let go of the jutsu and vanished into smoke.

    Several notifications popped up in Dragon''s view but he ignored all of them and gazed directly at Obito.<em>''He''s vignt. If I try to ce a Mana tracker on him, something might go wrong. And I don''t have any Mana reserves left to imnt the higher level tracker seals. It''s best to retreat for now.''</em>

    Just as the clone gave a warning, both Obito and the masked Daichi sensed an extremely powerful chakraing towards them.

    "Next time." With those words Dragon vanished into a puff of smoke.

    Obito was silent and slowly vanished in a swirl. A masked ninja appeared just as thest few bits of Obito were sucked through his space time ninjutsu.

    The masked shinobi was covered from head to toe in protective and concealing clothes. He looked at the disturbance in space and inwardly frowned. He ced his index finger on the floor and sighed after a few moments.

    ''<em>Gone. I was just a couple secondste�� How did they escape? Who were they?''</em>

    ��<em>-----------------</em>

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen(No space)

 Chapter 328: Obitos Miscalculation

    In a forested area in the Leaf vige the space twisted in a vortex and the masked Obito appeared. He thought about the new unknown enemy and felt irritated.

    ''<em>I''ve been keeping an eye on everyone who could be a thorn in my side or a threat to Project Tsuki no Mi and yet�� How did I miss someone with his strength?''</em>

    As he was analyzing the mysterious foe, Zetsu appeared out of the ground near him. The ck and white nt creature looked at the masked ninja and sensed that things may not have gone ordingly.

    "What happened? Did you get Shisui''s Sharingan?" Zetsu asked.

    "No."

    ck Zetsu didn''t speak or show any emotion outwards, but inside he had contempt for Obito.<em>''You talked so big before you went into that base but now you''re here empty handed. You trash. Taking one Sharingan from Danzo. Can''t you evenplete this task. Che. What a waste.''</em>

    "That''s surprising. Is Danzo more clever than we thought? Or did the Hokage get to him before you did?" The white half questioned, unaware what his other half was thinking.

    "Neither. It seems there is a new variable we need to be aware of. A man who goes by the name of Dragon." The masked ninja replied.

    "Dragon? Kinda presumptuous calling himself after a mythical creature don''t ya think?" The white Zetsu joked while the other half remained silent.ck Zetsu gazed at Obito and a few momentster spoke. "Show me what happened."

    Hearing those words, Obito''s Sharingan focused on ck Zetsu''s yellow eyes. In the span of just a few seconds the masked ''Madara'' ryed all the information and images to the spy of the Akatsuki Organization.

    ck Zetsu digested the information and he also had no clue as to who this person was.

    "Do you know him?" Obito asked.

    "No. I''ve never seen him before. But he could be a problem." Zetsu replied as he mentally went over the fight between the masked man and the Root ninjas.

    Obito leaned against a tree and crossed his arms. "He got there before me. He sessfully took Shisui''s eye from Danzo. Moreover he was able to sense me even when I kept myself hidden."

    "He''s not with the Hokage or a known ally of the Leaf. At least that''s what I was able to gather from what you''ve shown me."

    Obito agreed with Zetsu''s assessment. "Yes. But I''m sure he''s someone from this vige. He knows Kensei Yasaji or knows his son. From the way he spoke to Danzo it looked like he knew the man well. Hisbat techniques had certain elements from Anbu ck ops. I think he''s someone from my generation or maybe Minato''s age group. He was able to use multiple natures and his fighting style��"

    ck Zetsu nodded. "Yes. Even though it was only just a shadow clone he was able to fight Danzo and kill multiple Root ninjas. That alone speaks to his strength. Not to mention, the strangest thing is the way he fought. Unless I''m mistaken he could predict what his enemies were about to do and react ordingly. The way he reacted to their attacks and moved. It was almost as if he had-"

    "The Sharingan." There was a spark of anger in Obito''s tone.

    "Yes." ck Zetsu fell silent as he contemted that scenario.

    "Wait. Someone with the Sharingan. So is he an Uchiha?" The white half scratched his chin and pondered.

    "I''m not sure."

    Obito''s reply didn''t satisfy ck Zetsu. "Were you able to sense his chakra signature? Does it have any simrities to the Uchiha?"

    The masked ninja shook his head. "He had some kind of technique that stopped me from probing into him. Whatever that technique was, it acted as a barrier. I couldn''t ascertain anything other than what I''ve seen."

    "Such skills. To even hide from you. Is it really possible he''s an Uchiha?"

    The silly white Zetsu asked and masked Uchiha became silent for several moments. He looked up at the night sky and after a few seconds spoke his assumptions. "It might be possible. He knew the power of Shisui''s Mangekyo Sharingan. He also possesses knowledge of the secret forbidden jutsu Izanagi. Lastly, the way he talked to me. What he said to me at the end��"

    <em>You and I have a score to settle.</em>

    Obito looked at ck Zetsu. "He knew the truth about the Uchiha massacre and there is a good possibility that he knows I''m involved."

    "Hmm�� It seems the chance that he could be from the Uchiha n is bing more and more likely. He could be a survivor of the massacre or the third war�� Or perhaps a battle hidden from everyone��?" ck Zetsu had several spections in his mind.

    "Is it possible that after his death he somehow activated Izanagi and lived?" The white half put forth a theory and both the others suddenly stilled.

    "If that''s the case then there is a possibility that you, Itachi and Sasuke aren''t the only Uchiha roaming the world."

    Behind his mask, Obito frowned upon hearing that. He needed intelligence on this new enemy. "Zetsu. I need you to gather data on this Dragon. He said he''s a revolutionary. Perhaps he''s like Nagato or that dead fool Yahiko. He might be creating an organization of his own if he hasn''t already."

    ck Zetsu nodded. "I''ll see what I can find. What about you? Since you didn''t get the Sharingan from Danzo, are you going to go after the other targets?" He asked Obito.

    "Have you gathered any intelligence on them?" The masked ninja wanted to know what Zetsu learned from his spying.

    "Naruto''s apartment is surrounded by several Anbu and a few Jonin. A barrier is also ced by Jiraiya." The nt creature replied.

    "What about Daichi Hekima?"

    "Security is much less but his house has a small defense barrier. Also�� Kakashi is nearby, keeping an eye on the surroundings. He has a few ninja dogs running about as well�� Are you going after him ?"

    Obito was about to reply when he heard the soft sound of wings pping in the air.

    CAW

    He looked to the side and his gaze narrowed at a crow standing at the top of a tree. The most peculiar thing was that this crow was looking straight at him and it had a Sharingan in the left eye. It just kept looking at Obito and didn''t move an inch from its position.

    ''<em>Itachi.''</em>Obito looked at the ck featured avian creature and his fists clenched. He remembered the deal he made and Itachi''s threat.

    ck Zetsu looked at the crow and he immediately knew Itachi sent it as a warning. "It seems he anticipated youing here. If you make a move against the vige now, Itachi could be unpredictable."

    Obito''s fists clenched even tighter. The failure to get the Sharingan he wanted along with Itachi''s threat. He hadn''t been so angry in a while. A few secondster he controlled himself and let out a deep breath.

    "We''re leaving Zetsu. Looks like for the moment, I''m going to have to abide by the agreement I made with him. The nine tails won''t be much use without capturing the other beasts. As for Daichi. I''ll leave him to Kakuzu and Hidan. He isn''t that high of a priority to me anyway." The masked Obito spoke and the next instant disappeared in a swirl. Zetsu sank into the ground and disappeared leaving no trace behind.

    The crow looked at the empty spot and then tilted its head to the side and looked in another direction. A few hundred meters away was a house surrounded by a small forest.

    -Kensei Yasaji''s Home.

    ��-

    Inside Kensei''s home Daichi was going over everything he learned and all the things he took from the Root base. He nced at the piled up notifications and decided to go over them after looking over the items he got from Danzo.

    Just as he was about to take the items from his inventory he stopped.

    He looked around and tried to sense for any intruders with his Mana and chakra sensing skills.

    ''<em>I can''t be too careful. If there is even the most remote possibility that Obito coulde here then I''ll have to take all the precautions needed.''</em>

    Daichi immediately created a shadow clone and it went into the backyard. It sat down under a tree and began meditating.

    The real counterpart went to the basement and set up several concealment barriers. They weren''t powerful but they would shield his presence from the outside world for a short period of time. Daichi gazed at the defense he put in ce and was satisfied.

    ''<em>If Obito shows up then he might mistake the clone for me. That way he won''t catch me off-guard.''</em>

    As Daichi thought about all the precautions he takes at everything he does, he chuckled to himself.<em>''I think I''m bing more and more like that guy. Overpowered cautious hero.''</em>

    The gamer ninja softly sighed and shook his head. He began taking all the newly acquired documents out of his inventory.<em>''After I sort everything out, I''ll study the secret routes into the Land of Earth. The rest wille after.''</em>

    cing the scrolls aside, Daichi then took the jutsu scrolls he looted from his enemy. He opened and studied each scroll and immediately got the skill without the need to use it.

    ''<em>Hmm�� This must be because of my high affinity towards ninjutsu and Hypercognition skill.''</em>

    He went over the details of some of the new skills he picked up.

    <strong>[Lightning Style - Lightning Bolt Jutsu - Active (LV. 1): The user converts chakra into electricity and releases it as a concentrated lightning bolt from their hand. At higher levels Change in chakra form can be added to this jutsu to make it stronger.]</strong>

    <strong>[Rank: B]</strong>

    <strong>[Type: Ninjutsu]</strong>

    <strong>[Hand Seals: Horse - Dragon - Rat]</strong>

    <strong>[CP Cost: 300 Per Bolt]</strong>

    <strong>[Note: The power and range of the bolt can be increased with more chakra.]</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>[Wind Style - Gale Palm Jutsu - Active(LV. 1): The user releases a powerful burst of wind from their palm to blow away targets or extinguish mes. At higher levels Wind des can be used to increase the lethality of this technique.]</strong>

    <strong>[Rank: C]</strong>

    <strong>[Type: Ninjutsu]</strong>

    <strong>[Hand Seals: Bird - Ox - Horse - Ram]</strong>

    <strong>[CP Cost: 177 Per Burst]</strong>

    <strong>[Note: The intensity and range of the wind can be increased with more chakra.]</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>[Fire Style - me Vortex Jutsu - Active(LV.1): The userbines fire chakra with wind chakra to create a spiraling vortex of intense mes that can trap and incinerate enemies. The power of this jutsu can be increased when used in conjunction withpatible Wind style jutsu.]</strong>

    <strong>[Rank: A]</strong>

    <strong>[Type: Ninjutsu</strong>

    <strong>[Hand Seals: Dog - Tiger - Horse - Bird - Ram</strong>

    <strong>[CP Cost: 670 Per Vortex]</strong>

    <strong>[Note: The size, duration, and temperature of the vortex can be increased with additional chakra, making it a lethal trap for enemies.]</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>[Fire Style - Scorching Ash Cloud Jutsu - Active(LV.1): This is a jutsu primarily used by those from the Sarutobi n. The user breathes out hot ash clouds that can be directed towards the enemy, causing burns and obscuring vision.]</strong>

    <strong>[Rank: A]</strong>

    <strong>[Type: Ninjutsu]</strong>

    <strong>[Hand Seals: Tiger - Horse - Ram - Dog - Serpent]</strong>

    <strong>[CP Cost: 680 Per Cloud]</strong>

    <strong>[Note: The density, temperature, and duration of the ash cloud can be increased with additional chakra, making it an effective offensive and defensive technique.]</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>[Fire Release: Ash Pile Burning - Active(LV.1): This is a jutsu primarily used by those from the Sarutobi n. The user spews out a cloud of chakra-infused gunpowder, which can be ignited to create a devastating explosion.]</strong>

    <strong>[Rank: A]</strong>

    <strong>[Type: Ninjutsu]</strong>

    <strong>[Hand Seals: Tiger - Horse - Dog - Dragon]</strong>

    <strong>[CP Cost: 700 Per Use]</strong>

    <strong>[Note: The density, spread, and explosive power of the gunpowder cloud can be increased with more chakra, making it a lethal offensive technique.]</strong>

    .

    <strong>[Fire Style - Molten Core Jutsu - Active(LV.1): The user channels fire chakra into the ground, causing the earth to erupt in an explosion with moltenva that burns everything in its path. Only those with high affinity to Fire chakra nature can use this jutsu effectively.]</strong>

    <strong>[Rank: A]</strong>

    <strong>[Type: Ninjutsu]</strong>

    <strong>[Hand Seals: Boar - Dog - Horse - Tiger - Ram</strong>

    <strong>[CP Cost: 760 Per Eruption]</strong>

    <strong>[Note: The area, duration, and temperature of the moltenva can be increased with more chakra, creating a lethal environmental hazard. Earth style jutsu can be used in conjunction with this technique to increase the power and range of this technique.]</strong>

    ''<em>Not bad.''</em>

    As Daichi got through the scrolls he came across Hidden jutsu from the various ns of the vige.<em>''Danzo really did want to know how all their techniques worked.''</em>

    The gamer ninja looked at the various scrolls spread out in front of him.<em>''There''s fire style jutsu unique to the Uchiha n, Aburame n''s Insect sphere technique, Inuzuka n''s battle style, The Hyuga n''s taijutsu style�� There''s even notes on how to perform the Eight Trigram Revolving heaven.''</em>

    Daichi kept going and quickly came across the hidden jutsus he most wanted. He looked at the scroll with the symbol of the Yamanaka n and greed could be seen in his eyes.

    ��-------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen(No space)

 Chapter 329: Hidden Jutsu of the Yamanaka Clan

    The hand holding the scroll became slightly tighter.<em>''If I can master the jutsu in this scroll, I''ll be able to put a lot of my ns into action much easier.''</em>

    ''<em>Observe''</em>

    <strong>[Yamanaka n Jutsu Scroll]</strong>

    <strong>[This scroll contains information on various hidden techniques of the Yamanaka n. These jutsu showcase the unique and powerful mind-rted abilities of the n, providing whoever masters them with a diverse and strategic set of techniques to control, disrupt, and extract information from his enemies.]</strong>

    The Genin spent some time studying those techniques and soon a big smile was on his face. He opened his ninjutsu skills list and gazed at the new techniques added to his arsenal.

    <strong>[Mind Transfer Jutsu - Active(LV.1): This is a jutsu primarily used by those from the Yamanaka n. The user projects their consciousness into a target''s body, controlling them for a limited time.]</strong>

    <strong>[Rank: B]</strong>

    <strong>[Type: Ninjutsu]</strong>

    <strong>[Hand Seals: Ram]</strong><strong>[CP Cost: 500 Per Use]</strong>

    <strong>[Note: The range and duration of control can be increased with more chakra, allowing for more strategic applications in battle.]</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>[Mind Body Disturbance Jutsu - Active(LV.1): This is a jutsu primarily used by those from the Yamanaka n. The user disrupts the target''s motor skills, forcing them to attack their allies or themselves.]</strong>

    <strong>[Rank: B]</strong>

    <strong>[Type: Ninjutsu]</strong>

    <strong>[Hand Seals: Rat]</strong>

    <strong>[CP Cost: 600 Per Use]</strong>

    <strong>[Note: The duration and intensity of the disturbance can be increased with more chakra, making it harder for the target to resist.]</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>[Mind Clone Switch Jutsu - Active(LV.1): This is a jutsu primarily used by those from the Yamanaka n. The user splits their consciousness to control multiple targets simultaneously.]</strong>

    <strong>[Rank: A]</strong>

    <strong>[Type: Ninjutsu]</strong>

    <strong>[Hand Seals: Ram - Rat - Ox]</strong>

    <strong>[CP Cost: 800 Per Use]</strong>

    <strong>[Note: The number of targets and the duration of control can be increased with more chakra, enhancing its effectiveness inrge-scale battles.]</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>[Mind Reading Jutsu - Active(LV.1): This is a jutsu primarily used by those from the Yamanaka n. The user delves into the target''s mind to extract information, memories, or secrets.]</strong>

    <strong>[Rank: A]</strong>

    <strong>[Type: Ninjutsu]</strong>

    <strong>[Hand Seals: Dog - Bird - Ox]</strong>

    <strong>[CP Cost: 700 Per Use]</strong>

    <strong>[Note: The depth and speed of mind reading can be increased with more chakra, allowing for rapid extraction of critical information.]</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>[Mind Destruction Jutsu - Active(LV.1): This is a jutsu primarily used by those from the Yamanaka n. The user invades the target''s mind to cause severe mental and emotional distress, potentially rendering them incapacitated.]</strong>

    <strong>[Rank: A]</strong>

    <strong>[Type: Ninjutsu]</strong>

    <strong>[Hand Seals: Rat - Ox - Ram]</strong>

    <strong>[CP Cost: 800 Per Use]</strong>

    <strong>[Note: The intensity and duration of the mental assault can be increased with more chakra, making it a powerful tool for incapacitating strong opponents.]</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>[Mind Barrier Jutsu - Active(LV.1): This is a jutsu primarily used by those from the Yamanaka n. The user creates a mental barrier around an area, detecting any intrusions and disrupting enemy mental attacks.]</strong>

    <strong>[Rank: A]</strong>

    <strong>[Type: Ninjutsu]</strong>

    <strong>[Hand Seals: Rat - Ram - Bird - Ox]</strong>

    <strong>[CP Cost: 750 Per Use]</strong>

    <strong>[Note: The size and strength of the mental barrier can be increased with more chakra, providing robust protection against mental intrusions.]</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>[Mind Shatter Jutsu - Active(LV.1): This is a jutsu primarily used by those from the Yamanaka n. The user delivers a powerful mental strike to the target, causing intense pain and potentially shattering their mental defenses.]</strong>

    <strong>[Rank: A]</strong>

    <strong>[Type: Ninjutsu]</strong>

    <strong>[Hand Seals: Ram - Rat - Ox - Tiger]</strong>

    <strong>[CP Cost: 800 Per Use]</strong>

    <strong>[Note: The intensity and duration of the mental strike can be increased with more chakra, making it a formidable technique for breaking strong-willed opponents.]</strong>

    ''<em>So many techniques from the Yamanaka n itself. I suppose it shouldn''te as a surprise. Danzo most values intelligence, subterfuge and secrecy. The jutsu here will help with all three aspects. That Yamanaka guy Fu must have learned all these. And Danzo would definitely study these techniques to create countermeasures.''</em>

    At that time multiple new notifications appeared but Daichi put them off like the others.<em>''I''ll get to those after.''</em>

    Next the boy took the second most valuable item he got from this quest.

    ''<em>Observe''</em>

    <strong>[Danzo''s Right Arm[Special Item: Rank A]</strong>

    <strong>[Type: Biological Enhancement]</strong>

    <strong>[This is the right arm of Danzo Shimura, a former high-ranking official of The Hidden Leaf Vige. The arm has been surgically altered and enhanced with ten Sharingan eyes, a rare and powerful Visual ability from the Uchiha n. Three of the ten Sharingan have been used for Izanagi and are now dormant, while the remaining seven are active.]</strong>

    <strong>[Abilities:]</strong>

    <em><strong>Sharingan (Active):</strong></em><strong>Each active Sharingan can provide the user with heightened perception, the ability to copy ninjutsu, Genjutsu, and taijutsu, and enhanced visual acuity.</strong>

    <em><strong>Izanagi (Dormant):</strong></em><strong>Three of the Sharingan have been used for Izanagi, an extremely powerful Genjutsu that allows the user to alter reality at the cost of permanently losing the activated Sharingan.</strong>

    <em><strong>Chakra Amplification:</strong></em><strong>The arm can enhance the user''s chakra capacity and distribution due to the integration of multiple Sharingan.</strong>

    <em><strong>First Hokage''s Cells:</strong></em><strong>The arm is infused with cells from Hashirama Senju, the First Hokage, which grants the user elerated healing and the ability to control the wood release techniques to some extent.</strong>

    <strong>[Condition: Severed]</strong>

    <strong>[Requirements:]</strong>

    <strong>Must be surgically attached and properly integrated into the user''s body.</strong>

    <strong>Requires a steady and substantial supply of chakra to maintain the Sharingan and their abilities.</strong>

    <strong>[Potential Risks:]</strong>

    <strong>Overuse of the Sharingan can lead to significant chakra depletion.</strong>

    <strong>Risk of cellr rejection without proper medical ninjutsu intervention.</strong>

    <strong>Mental strain from controlling multiple Sharingan simultaneously.</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    Daichi looked at the severed arm in his hand and the smile slowly vanished. He had ns for the arm as he was intending to use it on Obito.

    ''<em>I need to create a counter for Izanagi jutsu. A different technique than Izanami. I''ll also need toe up with a powerful Genjutsu that can put Obito under. The seven Sharingan will definitelye in handy for that.''</em>

    Daichi ced the arm in a special container, sealed it in a storage scroll and safely ced it back in his inventory. He then took out his most valuable item. The one that could have a great impact on the world.

    A small cylindrical container with green liquid and inside the liquid was a floating Sharingan eyeball.

    ''<em>A floating eyeball up close would have disgusted me in my previous life but here�� I''ve changed so much.''</em>

    Daichi shook his head to get rid of the unwanted thoughts and used his Observe skill.

    <strong>[Shisui Uchiha''s Sharingan[Special Item: Rank A]</strong>

    <strong>[Type: Kekkei Genkai (Bloodline Limit)]</strong>

    <strong>[This is the Sharingan of Shisui Uchiha, one of the most talented members of the Uchiha n. Shisui was renowned for his prowess with Genjutsu and his unique abilities. The Sharingan, when fully activated, evolves into the Mangeky�� Sharingan, which grants the user ess to powerful and unique techniques.]</strong>

    <strong>[Abilities:]</strong>

    <strong>Sharingan (Three-Tomoe):</strong>

    <strong>Enhanced Perception: Ability to see through high-speed movements and predict opponents'' actions.</strong>

    <strong>Copy Ninjutsu, Genjutsu, and Taijutsu: Can mimic any technique seen (excluding kekkei genkai).</strong>

    <strong>Genjutsu Casting: Can cast powerful illusion techniques to control or disorient opponents.</strong>

    <strong>Mangeky�� Sharingan (If Activated)]</strong>

    <strong>[Kotoamatsukami: A powerful Genjutsu that allows the user to manipte others without them realizing it. The target believes they are acting of their own free will.</strong>

    <strong>Susanoo: A colossal, humanoid avatar made of the user''s chakra that provides both offensive and defensive capabilities (potentially avable if both eyes are present).</strong>

    <strong>Condition: Preserved (requires surgical imntation)]</strong>

    <strong>[Requirements:]</strong>

    <strong>Must be imnted into the user''s eye socket and integrated with the user''s chakrawork.</strong>

    <strong>Requires a steady supply of chakra to activate and maintain the Sharingan and Mangeky�� Sharingan abilities.]</strong>

    <strong>[Potential Risks:]</strong>

    <strong>Overuse of the Mangeky�� Sharingan can lead to gradual loss of vision.</strong>

    <strong>Risk of cellr rejection without proper medical ninjutsu intervention.</strong>

    <strong>Potential mental strain from using powerful Genjutsu techniques.]</strong>

    <strong>[Notes:</strong>

    <strong>Shisui''s Mangeky�� Sharingan is particrly prized for its subtlety and power in manipting targets without detection. The full potential of the eye is unlocked when used by a skilled and experienced shinobi.]</strong>

    ''<em>I''ll have to get the other half from Itachi somehow. Having Shisui''s eye just destroyed is such a waste. But Itachi isn''t easy to deal with. I need an edge over him�� Problems forter I suppose.''</em>

    The gamer ninja went over everything, swiftly sorted them and stored them back in his subspace.

    ''<em>Time to see what you have for me, system.''</em>

    <strong>[Quest ''Plunder the Root'' Completed.]</strong>

    <strong>[Rewards]</strong>

    <strong>Exp. 38000</strong>

    <strong>5700</strong>

    <strong>Exp. 30000 (For taking the Wood-style/Sharingan arm attached to Danzo)</strong>

    <strong>4500</strong>

    <strong>Exp. 25000 (Kill Danzo''s Second inmand)</strong>

    <strong>3750</strong>

    <strong>[1 Indomitable Stat.]</strong>

    <strong>[1 Persistence Stat.]</strong>

    ''<em>I didn''t get the killing Danzo reward but I pretty much got the rest. Guess I''ll have to be satisfied with that.''</em>

    <strong>[You have leveled up.]</strong>

    ''<em>Perfect. I''m already more than halfway to the next level.''</em>

    Daichi looked at the various other skills that have improved during this short quest period.

    <strong>[Skill Observe has leveled up.]</strong>

    <strong>[Skill Jutsu Creation has leveled up.]</strong>

    <strong>[Skill Mana Maniption has leveled up.] x2</strong>

    <strong>[Skill Mana Affinity has leveled up.]</strong>

    <strong>[Skill Mana Scout has leveled up.] x3</strong>

    <strong>[Skill Mana Cloak has leveled up.]</strong>

    <strong>[Skill Vital Strike has leveled up.] x2</strong>

    <strong>[Skill Danger Sense has leveled up.]</strong>

    <strong>[Skill Death Blow has leveled up.]</strong>

    <strong>[Skill Killing Intent has leveled up.] x2</strong>

    <strong>[Skill Combat Arts has leveled up.] x4</strong>

    <strong>[Skill Analyze has leveled up.] x3</strong>

    <strong>[Skill Battle Insight has leveled up.] x7</strong>

    ''<em>So battle insight is the one that''s gone up the most huh. It makes sense. I''ve been analyzing Root''s fighting style every second and creating the most efficient counter attacks.''</em>

    <strong>[You have learned multiple Hidden jutsu of a strong ninja n]</strong>

    <strong>[9 Intelligence]</strong>

    <strong>[4 Wisdom]</strong>

    <strong>[2 Luck]</strong>

    <strong>[You have obtained two Rank A items during a single quest.]</strong>

    <strong>[1 Luck]</strong>

    <strong>[3 Persistence]</strong>

    <strong>[5 Chakra]</strong>

    Daichi was surprised to see two unexpected rewards from the system.

    ''<em>So I have to learn multiple jutsu from a n to get this reward huh. And based on the wording from the system message it has to be a strong n��''</em>

    As soon as this thought came to mind Daichi already had a few new ns in mind.<em>''Nara n, Uzumaki n, Akimichi n, Uchiha n, Senju n and if possible the Hyuga n. If I can master n specific techniques from 6, I''ll be able to take my strength to a whole new degree. Just the jutsu itself will put me in a new dimension of strength and the stat increase will be a bonus. I''ll also need to find more High ranked items.''</em>

    Daichi was eager to see the improvement in his stats and opened the status page.

    Among the several stats Wisdom was 396 so Daichi decided to add 4 more points to it bringing it to a perfect 400.

    <strong>[Name : Daichi Hekima] (The Gamer)</strong>

    <strong>[ss : Genin - ID 012559.]</strong>

    <strong>[Age : 12]</strong>

    <strong>[Title : Capable Child, Explorer, Prodigy, Species King, Dungeon Warrior, Executioner, Assassin, Mighty Healer, Slug Sannin''s Apprentice, Master of the Elements, A Genius of the Continent, Dungeon Master.]</strong>

    <strong>[Level : 66 (77950/115175)</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>[HP : 52095 ]</strong>

    <strong>[CP : 110400 ]</strong>

    <strong>[SP : 53145 ]</strong>

    <strong>[MP: 6/46980 ]</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>[Primary Stats]</strong>

    <strong>Strength - 400</strong>

    <strong>Vitality - 500</strong>

    <strong>Dexterity - 300</strong>

    <strong>Agility - 400</strong>

    <strong>Intelligence - 516</strong>

    <strong>Chakra - 633</strong>

    <strong>Wisdom - 400</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>[Special Stats]</strong>

    <strong>Sense - 213</strong>

    <strong>Stamina - 461</strong>

    <strong>Indomitable - 64</strong>

    <strong>Charisma - 86</strong>

    <strong>Persistence - 61</strong>

    <strong>Dignity - 35</strong>

    <strong>Luck - 37</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>[Stat Points - 81]</strong>

    <strong>[Ryo - 31356705]</strong>

    Daichi nodded to himself as he looked at improvement.<em>''In just one night I went from Level 62 to level 66. Three levels from Orochimaru''s Lab quest and one from Root�� My Mana level is down to single digit. Unlike Health, Chakra and stamina points, MP can''t regenerate with level ups and can only be recovered with sleep. Guess I better get some shuteye. I''ll focus on Tsunade''s quest when I wake up.''</em>

    Satisfied with the results Daichi closed all the notifications and took down the barriers. He soon got up to his room and got some much needed rest.

    As Daichi slept, on the other side of the vige, inside the root headquarters, two of the most influential people in the hidden Leaf met standing on opposite sides.

    Hiruzen looked at Danzo with a grim face and tightened his fists. The three Anbu on the Hokage''s side and the 7 Root ninjas on Danzo''s side all drew their swords.

    Danzo looked at his oldrade in his battle gear and felt severalplicated emotions. Finally he resigned himself. "So it''se to this huh Hiruzen."

    "Yes." The old kage gave a short reply. He could see the myriad of feelings passing through Danzo''s eyes. For a split second he softened. "Danzo-"

    "There''s no need for any more words Hiruzen." Danzo knew Hiruzen best and knew that things had reached a point of no return. "Let''s settle this."

    The old kage heard the determination in Danzo''s voice and his eyes hardened. "So be it."

    The battle between the Third Hokage and the Rootmander began.

    ��-----------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen(No space)

 Chapter 330: Friends to Foe: Hiruzen vs Danzo

    <strong>A Few Minutes Ago.</strong>

    The Root headquarters which was typically shrouded in silence, echoed with the rm of an unprecedented attack. On one side an unknown enemy infiltrated the base and escaped with items of immense value. On the other side the Hokage of the vige hadunched a secret attack and was eliminating an unstable factor.

    Danzo escaped from the unknown masked enemy and was making his way through the dark halls while clutching the bleeding stump where his right arm once was. He gritted his teeth in anger and pain as he recalled the losses he suffered.

    ''<em>Not only was Shisui''s Mangekyo stolen but he also managed to take my arm. That bastard.''</em>

    Blood seeped through his bandages as he moved, nked by seven of his most trusted Root operatives. Suddenly the team sensed a Root ninjaing to their location. They were on alert and were on guard against everyone. But when they saw who had arrived they immediately let the ninja near theirmander.

    It was one of the rare medic ninjas trained by the Foundation. "Do you have it, Kui?" Asked Danzo impatiently.

    "Yes lord Danzo. I barely managed to escape before Anbu raided theb but I have it." The new Root ninja appeared with a scroll in his hand. He opened it and a pale arm appeared from the scroll.

    "Quickly. We don''t have time to waste." Danzo ordered and removed the bandages to his right shoulder.

    The medic ninja quickly began attaching the arm to Danzo''s stump.''<em>So this is what Shigaraki was able to create with the samples from my arm. Too bad he couldn''t recreate the Sharingan.''</em>Danzo thought to himself as he looked at the prosthetic created by his scientist from the samples taken from his Sharingan wielding arm.

    The medic shinobi did an excellent job at quickly attaching the arm to Danzo and transferring arge amount of his own chakra to the old ninja. By the time Kuipleted his work he was unsteady and soon fell to the side unconscious.

    Danzo took one look at the root ninja and ordered the others to move. "We don''t have time to waste."

    With most of his strength and chakra returned, Danzo moved much faster through the halls with his men surrounding him. As he neared arge chamber at the end of the hall a warning suddenly came from one of his men.

    "Lord Danzo!" A warning which stopped the old man in his tracks.

    Danzo''s eyes narrowed as he and the Root ninjas slowly stepped into a vast chamber within the underground base.

    Across the room stood Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, apanied by three Anbu operatives, their animal masks concealing their identities.

    Hiruzen was surprised by Danzo''s state.<em>''Based on his appearance, it seems he''s already gone through a fight. But with who?''</em>

    Just as Hiruzen was scrutinizing Danzo, the old war hawk was doing the same.<em>''It seems he''se here prepared for battle. After all these years, is this how it ends between us?''</em>

    Shing!

    The sound of des being drawn on both sides could be heard.

    Danzo looked at Hiruzen and remembered the days when they were young, when they trained together, when they fought together andter in life when he saw the Second Hokage pass the mantle to his friend and rival. Finally his eyes sharpened and he made a resolute decision. "So it''se to this huh Hiruzen."

    "Yes."

    Even when Danzo heard that determined reply he could still see a spark of hesitation or regret in the Hokage''s eyes.<em>''Hiruzen, if you''re going to do something, do it boldly.''</em>

    "Danzo-"

    Just before the old kage could say anything else Danzo made it easy for him. "There''s no need for any more words Hiruzen." The Rootmander knew hisrade best and knew things had reached a point of no return. "Let''s settle this."

    Hiruzen understood the meaning of Danzo''s words and internally gathered his chakra. "So be it."

    The tension was thick, the air became charged with the promise of violence. All ninjas tensed their muscles and gathered their chakra. The ground under the feet of the Hokage and the Rootmander cracked and small rock particles floated in the air.

    The Anbu and Root felt the true presence and power of the two veteran ninjas pressing down on them.

    ''<em>This much chakra. They''re not ying around. It looks like this is going to be a life or death battle.''</em>The Root ninjas tensed as they gazed at the power of the Hokage.

    ''<em>So Danzo still has this much power? I suppose it shouldn''te as a surprise. He''s the man whopeted for the position of Hokage.''</em>The three Anbu were outnumbered but they were unafraid.

    Without another word, the two old friends turned foesunched into battle. Hiruzen moved first, forming rapid hand seals.

    ''<em>Earth style - Raging Mud River.''</em>

    The floor beneath Danzo and his men instantly turned into a fast flowing river of mud. The one-eyed ninja and his Root ninjas instantly jumped to safety.

    Danzonded on the ceiling with three others near him while the other four jumped and stuck to the walls.

    Immediately the three Anbu standing near Hokage got to work. The one wearing a mask with a Hawk painted on quickly weaved seals for a ninjutsu.

    ''<em>Earth style - Earth Dragon bomb.''</em>

    The target of the jutsu was not Danzo but his men. Specifically the four on the wall. While the Root ninjas were evading or blocking the jutsu, the other two Anbu made their move.

    The Anbu shinobi with the mask of snake pattern weaved several seals while the one wearing the tiger mask took out multiple shuriken and threw with speed and precision. He immediately went through a couple of seals and blew out a powerful current of air that increased the speed and lethality of the shurikens by multiple folds.

    They targeted one of the Root ninjas who escaped from the earth dragon and was away from his teammates.

    In seconds the targeted Root ninja was riddled with shuriken and fell to the floor dead.

    Danzo, who was standing upside down on the ceiling, watched the whole scene and narrowed his eyes.

    "Genjutsu." Suddenly one of the Root ninjas near him spoke. "Hawk distracted and separated him with his Earth style jutsu while Snake put him in a reality distortion Genjutsu, while Tiger attacked. To him the shurikens might not have existed or he might not have been aware that he was under attack." The root ninja gave a quick exnation and Danzo sneered.

    ''<em>Teamwork huh. It seems they were handpicked by Hiruzen and had special training. They''re looking to end this quickly. This is going to be tricky.''</em>

    "Pair up and keep those Anbu busy." Danzo gave the order and went through several hand seals. Immediately the root ninjas went for the three masked Anbu.

    Hiruzen, seeing the enemying, spoke quickly. "Remember. It''s not two against one. It''s six against three."

    The Anbu ninjas nodded and moved like the wind. They confronted their enemies in the middle of the room while Danzo attacked Hiruzen with multiple vacuum bullets.

    Hiruzen swiftly dodged to the side while Danzo kept spitting out several fast air bullets. The Hokage immediately went through a seal and a stone pir appeared in front of him deflecting multiple attacks from Danzo.

    The very next second when Danzo stopped to take his breath Hiruzen rushed from behind the pir. He took out a shuriken and flung it at his enemy and quickly made a couple of seals.

    ''<em>Ninja art - Shuriken Shadow clone jutsu.''</em>

    One shuriken became several and was quickly heading for Danzo. The one-eyed old ninja took out a kunai and infused it with wind chakra extending its cutting power and range.

    Even with his vision halved, Danzo expertly cut through all the deadly flying weaponsing at him. But just as he destroyed thest flying star the Hokage was on him and the kage had a small current of electricity circting around his right hand.

    ''<em>Lightning style - Paralysis point.''</em>

    Hiruzen''s jutsu made contact. His right arm touched Danzo''s shoulder and a powerful electric current spread to the old ninja''s entire body, paralyzing him.

    "Grr��!" Danzo grunted for a moment and focused on his chakra nature. He immediately charged the wind nature chakra throughout his body. He swiftly countered the lightning jutsu and went on the attack.

    Hiruzen dodged the deadly attacks from the kunai while parrying and deflecting several strong punches aimed for his neck and heart.

    Suddenly Danzo saw another Hiruzening from behind the stone pir. His eyes moved to the one near him.<em>''Just as I suspected. He had a shadow clone attack me while waiting to move in on an opening.''</em>

    The Hokage figure fighting Danzo suddenly grabbed onto his arms holding the Root Commander in ce while the second Hiruzen immediately went through several seals for another jutsu.

    ''<em>Is he going to use his fire style jutsu?''</em>Danzo gathered his wind chakra and began preparing defensive measures.

    But unexpectedly the second Hiruzen suddenly jumped away from the two while the man holding firm to Danzo turned to mud.

    Danzo was taken aback by that move.<em>''Why is he-''</em>

    Before he couldplete his thought he saw several paper bombs appearing in the chest of the mud clone and his eyes widened.

    "HO-" BOOM!

    An explosion rocked the chamber making the other ninjas retreat to the side.

    Hiruzen, who was safe from the explosion, watched the dust and smoke with caution. A few secondster he sensed movement and was on guard. Suddenly from the smoke came three shuriken enhanced with wind chakra flying straight at him.

    Hiruzen kneeled and immediately went through a few seals and ced his hands on the ground.<em>''Earth style - Mud wall jutsu.''</em>

    Just as the defense wall sprang up, Danzo''s spiraling wind shurikens came and it cut through the wall like a hot knife through butter. But the defense jutsu did its job and kept the user safe from harm.

    Hiruzen stood and looked ahead. The smoke had cleared and he saw Danzo with small burns on his skin and charred clothes but he didn''t suffer a mortal injury.

    Danzo stood and took several deep breaths as he looked at his rival.<em>''His battle senses are as sharp as ever.''</em>

    The one-eyed man took a step forward as he felt the powerful healing chakra of the first Hokage''s cells working on him. He needed a few moments and Danzo decided to stall for time no matter how short it might be.

    "It wasn''t a shadow clone that hit me with that Lightning jutsu. It was you. Your clone appeared just when I seemed to be at a disadvantage to fool me and take me off guard and then you used substitution with that mud clone that had paper bombs." Danzo''s tone revealed nothing as he looked at the old kage.

    Hiruzen nodded as he took a step forward as well. "Yes, and you created a Wind style defense barrier at thest second and saved yourself. But I have to say, you''ve disappointed me Danzo."

    The leader of the Root frowned when he heard that.

    "You would never have fallen for such a simple tactic in the olden days. Your skills and intuition have dulled."

    Hiruzen''s words struck a nerve in Danzo. His eyes narrowed and he clenched his fists. "We''ll see about that."

    Danzo bit his thumb and drew a seal on his palm.

    ''<em>The Baku.''</em>Hiruzen''s eyes widened as he realized what his rival was about to do and immediately he went through several seals.

    "Summoning Jutsu!"

    "Fire Style - Dragon me Bomb!"

    Smoke covered the area near Danzo and a giant creature appeared within it. It destroyed the ceiling due to its sheer size.

    Just then the temperature of the room suddenly soared and an orange light could be seening from Hiruzen''s position. A massive torrent of mes roared towards Danzo and his summoning creature. The heat was intense, threatening to incinerate everything in its path.

    Danzo, who was atop the creature, went through seals and ced a hand atop its head. A coboration ninjutsu with his summoning creature.

    "Wind style - Roaring Hurricane."

    Two ninjutsu of opposite natures shed into each other with ferocious force.

    Hiruzen grimaced as he already knew the oue of the confrontation.<em>''I was toote. I can''t waste chakra confronting his wind style jutsu head on.''</em>

    The Hokage cut off chakra to his jutsu and immediately moved away from his position.

    The mes of the fire style jutsu now increased in size and power due to the wind style jutsu returned to Hiruzen''s position and it blew through several walls demonstrating its fearsome power.

    Danzo was keeping an eye on his foe and he immediately made a seal. The Baku located Hiruzen and began sucking in arge amount of air. The loose debris in the room immediately flew into its mouth and got crushed.

    Hiruzen gritted his teeth and held on to the floor with his chakra to avoid getting sucked in.

    Danzo swiftly made a hand seal and created a shadow clone. The clone jumped off and rushed towards Hiruzen''s back while avoiding the attack of his own summon.

    Both the clone and the real Danzo were weaving hand seals.

    Hiruzen, who was keeping a close eye on his enemy, saw through the n.<em>''A pincer maneuver. He''s pinned me down and will now attack from both sides.''</em>

    "Wind Style - Vacuum Wave." The clone sent arge powerful sh through the air and it was swiftly making its way towards the Hokage.

    "Wind style - Vacuum bullet rain." From atop the summoning creature Baku, Danzo sent dozens of bullets towards Hiruzen.

    Adrenaline rushed through the old Kage''s body and his mind worked faster than it had been in a long time. In a second he went through the best option and even thought about the next several moves.

    The Hokage stopped the chakra flow to his feet and hands and let go. His body immediately flew from that spot and headed towards the summoning creature Baku''s mouth.

    Just as his body flew away, the spot where he stood was riddled and destroyed with multiple attacks from both Danzos. Hiruzen, who was mid air, immediately went through seals that were familiar to Danzo.

    The Rootmander sneered and immediately made a seal to counter theing fire jutsu.<em>''The Fire Dragon jutsu. You n to take out my Baku using my attack against me huh. You think it''ll be that easy?''</em>

    The Baku quickly stopped inhaling and suddenly began exhaling with all its might. But the couple seconds interval dy between the creature''s inhtion and exhtion was the opportunity Hiruzen was truly looking for.

    A shadow clone immediately appeared near the Hokage, grabbed and tossed his body towards the direction of Danzo''s shadow clone. A secondter the shadow clone was destroyed by the powerful wind created by Danzo''s summon.

    "Fire style - Fire Dragon Jutsu!"

    The real Hiruzen spit out a massive fire dragon and it was headed straight for Danzo''s shadow clone. Before it could put up a good defense, it was engulfed by the mes and turned to smoke.

    Danzo, atop the massive creature, was irritated.<em>''He was never aiming for my summon. My clone was his target the whole time.''</em>

    "ROARR!"

    Danzo made a seal and his summoning creature rushed forward and mmed its trunk atop Hiruzen. But when it lifted the massive appendage, only a few broken rock pieces could be seen.

    "Substitution." Danzo muttered as he looked below.

    "Poof!"

    Danzo turned his head and saw a human shaped figure in the smoke that appeared near Hiruzen.<em>''So he''s finally summoned him huh.''</em>

    The summoning creature Monkey King Enma stood beside Hiruzen and he gazed at Danzo. "So you''re finally doing it huh?" Enma asked.

    "Yes."

    "Hmph! You better not make the same mistake as before."

    Hiruzen knew what his summon was referring to. A moment of weakness when he confronted his now wayward student.

    Hiruzen''s eyes focused as he looked up at Danzo. "Don''t worry. My resolve won''t weaken this time."

    "Then let''s do this." Enma looked at his partner and nodded.

    Both Hiruzen and Danzo were ready for round two.

    ��-----------

    Author''s note;

    Originally before the beginning of the root invasion arc, i wanted danzo to fight Hiruzen with his sharingan arm.

    The n was that daichi would attack danzo and make him use three sharingan and then danzo would escape while the root held daichi back. Then Danzo would meet hiruzen and he''d have 7 sharingan remaining on his arm and they would fight.

    But with daichi now taking that arm I had toe up with another way to boost danzo''s

    Power. I have wanted to write about this confrontation since the beginning of this story. Its why.

    The root arc will bepleted in a few chapters and the tsunade arc will bepleted soon after.

    For anyone wondering why daichi didn''t get special skill for wisdom 400 points, its because those skills appear at 100 points, 300 and 500.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen(No space)

 Chapter 331: Anbu vs Root

    In the heart of the Root base, the scent of blood filled the air. The aftermath of the attack on Danzo left the base in disarray. The once formidable leader now stood with his right Sharingan arm stolen and a makeshift recement hastily attached in its ce.

    "Danzo, this madness has to end. Your actions have gone too far," Hiruzen stated. His voice carried the weight of his authority and the disappointment he felt.

    Danzo sneered, his remaining eye zed with defiance. "You were always too soft, Hiruzen. What the vige needs is strength, notpassion."

    The Hokage''s chakra spiked in anger when he heard those words. "How about now? Do you still think I''ve gone soft?"

    The Root Leader was silent and nced at his trusted ninjas, who were fighting behind him.<em>''Hiruzen''s Anbu managed to kill two more of my men but one of the Anbu can no longer battle. Still, the odds of victory are not in my favor. Damn it. If only I had those Sharingan.''</em>

    Shisui Uchiha''s eye, his most prized possession being taken, left Danzo with a visible loss in power and presence. However, his resolve remained unbroken as he faced his old rival. "If you insist on stopping me, then so be it."

    "Enough, Danzo. It''s your actions that have brought us to this point. There will be no more hiding in the shadows," Hiruzen replied sternly. After everything that had happened in thest few days, his resolve also became unwavering.

    Without speaking another word Danzo made a seal. The ground rumbled as the massive, elephantine creature with a serpentine trunk and immense tusks began to attack.

    "RROOOOORR!"Its roar echoed through the underground base, startling many. The Baku''s presence was overwhelming, it''s very breath drawing in the surroundings with a powerful suction force.

    The remaining four Root ninjas moved in to attack in conjunction with Danzo''s summon, but Hiruzen''s Anbu swiftly intercepted them, engaging in a fiercebat. The Anbu ninjas forced the Root to shift the battle and move it away in order to not let Danzo have any backup.

    Swords shed, and jutsu were exchanged in a flurry of motion, creating a chaotic backdrop to the main confrontation between the Hokage of the Hidden Leaf and the Leader of the Root.

    "Baku, attack!" Danzomanded. The Baku inhaled deeply, creating a powerful vacuum that pulled debris and all loose objects. Even the Anbu and Root ninjas fighting on the other side were affected by its power and were slowly dragged towards its maw.

    "Enma, transform!" Hiruzen ordered.

    Enma''s body elongated and shifted, turning into a massive, adamantine staff that Hiruzen wielded with both hands. With a swift, practiced motion, Hiruzen swung Enma in a wide arc, countering the Baku''s suction force with sheer strength. The staff extended, smashing into Baku''s face and forcing it to stagger backward.

    Danzo, seizing the moment,unched a barrage of wind-style jutsu. "Wind Style - Vacuum Serial Waves!" A series of sharp, invisible wind des shot towards the Hokage.

    Hiruzen twirled Enma, deflecting the wind des with precise strikes. Suddenly the Hokage sensed a powerful gust of winding towards him and turned his head up to see Baku''s giant trunk about to m down on his body.

    Boom! The chamber shook and the ground cracked due to the force of the creature''s attack.

    Danzo narrowed his eyes as he knew Hiruzen didn''t have time to get away. When his loyal summoning creature moved itsrge appendage away, the one eyed Root leader saw a square cage made of Enma''s adamantine body that stopped the trunk and protected the kage.

    Danzo''s fists tightened as he recognized the jutsu.<em>''The Adamantine prison wall. With Enma''s powerful body, even Baku will have trouble breaking through that box.''</em>

    Meanwhile, within the safety of the cage Hiruzen gathered his strength. "Let''s go Enma." "Right!" The next second the Enma transformed into hisrge staff form and flew into Hiruzen''s hand.

    They rushed towards Danzo all the while avoiding attacksing from their enemy. Hiruzen jumped and ran along the walls of the chamber and was steadily getting closer to his targets.

    "Now Enma." Hiruzen jumped, dodging another wave of wind style attacks and he aimed his staff directly at Baku''s right eye. The adamantine staff instantly extended and struck the creature''s eye making it roar in pain.

    Danzo almost lost bnce as the elephantine creature thrashed under him in agony. The rootmander made a seal and the nightmare creature began inhaling arge amount of air again.

    Baku continued to attack with incredible force, drawing in everything around it.

    "Hiruzen, we need to destroy that summoning creature first. Only then will Danzo be vulnerable." Enma advised and the kage nodded. "I''m aware. He should be in ce right about now."

    Just then from the corner of the room Hiruzen''s shadow clone came rushing in avoiding Danzo''s line of sight. It was created by the Hokage during the brief moment he was out of sight of Danzo within the adamantine cage.

    "Fire Style - Dragon me Bomb!" He exhaled arge torrent of mes,bining it with Baku''s suction wind.

    Thebination of fire and wind created a fiery storm, illuminating the dark chamber with blinding light and intense heat. The mes roared increasing in immensity and strength, and due to Baku''s suction, the mes crashed into the beast''s mouth forcing it to stop its inhtion.

    The next second it screamed in pain as its whole body became lit on fire.

    Danzo jumped away from atop his beast before he could be injured but had to dodge a strike from the adamantine staff by twisting his body mid air. He was only partially sessful as the staff grazed his shoulder wounding him and sent him crashing into a wall.

    Seizing the moment, Hiruzen''s shadow clone kept attacking the summon.<em>''I don''t know if this creature has any healing abilities or not, but I can''t take any chances.''</em>

    A kunai with multiple explosive tags was thrown towards its soft underbelly. Secondster, explosions echoed around Baku, followed by a violent eruption of mes and debris. The force of the st was tremendous, as the explosive tags detonated under the creature, amplifying the damage.

    The Baku''s massive form convulsed, unable to withstand the internal and external explosions. After a final desperate roar, the creature vanished in a puff of smoke, its summoning jutsu forcibly undone by the damage.

    Seeing his taskpleted, Hiruzen''s clone dispelled itself, giving its creator its remaining chakra.

    Danzo got up and took several deep breaths of air as he gazed at the Hokage. As the smoke cleared he saw Hiruzen standing tall, holding Enma in his staff form.

    The aftermath of the explosion and smoke from the creature vanishing still lingered in the air.

    After Danzo witnessed the destruction of his summon he felt a pang of frustration and anger. "Hiruzen...!"

    Hiruzen''s eyes were sharp. They were filled with both determination and a touch of sorrow. "It''s over, Danzo. No more of your schemes."

    With the Baku defeated, the momentum of the battle had shifted decisively in Hiruzen''s favor. The Root ninjas, already on the defensive, were further demoralized by the loss of such a powerful ally but they were not ones to stop.

    <strong>With Root and Anbu</strong>

    As Hiruzen and Danzo shed with their summoned creatures, the battle between their subordinates raged on in the chaotic backdrop of the Root base.

    Among thebatants were two of Hiruzen''s Anbu, distinguished by their Hawk and Tiger painted masks, facing off against four of Danzo''s Root ninjas. They fought even more ruthlessly, exchanging injuries for injuries.

    The Root ninjas, trained in stealth and assassination, moved with lethal efficiency. Theyunched themselves at the Anbu with a flurry of taijutsu strikes, aiming to overwhelm them with speed and precision. The Anbu however, were no strangers to hand to handbat.

    The Hawk-masked Anbu deftly dodged a series of rapid punches from one Root ninja. He countered with a swift kick to the side, sending the opponent stumbling.<em>''With Snake unable to fight, we don''t have any powerful Genjutsu to slow them down.''</em>

    The Tiger-masked Anbu faced two opponents simultaneously, their movements were fast as they parried and countered. Their weapons created countless sparks in the air as they went head to head.

    The Root ninjas attempted to overwhelm him with coordinated attacks, but Tiger was relentless. With a sudden burst of chakra, the Tiger-masked Anbu executed a spinning kick, striking both opponents with enough force to send them skidding back.

    ''<em>My greatest strength is taijutsu. Fighting me in that field, even someone like Might Guy would have trouble.''</em>

    Seeing hisrades struggling, the remaining fourth Root ninja unleashed a barrage of shuriken, forcing the Anbu Hawk to leap back. The four Root ninjas quickly regrouped and stood together.

    As they did, one of the Root ninjas kicked by Tiger weaved hand signs and unleashed a Genjutsu.

    The world around Anbu Hawk seemed to warp and twist, the chamber''s walls shifting into grotesque shapes. Hawk momentarily faltered, feeling the effects of the illusion.

    ''<em>This is Genjutsu - Devil''s Maw. I have to break it.''</em>

    Despite being under a gruesome illusion Hawk kept his calm. Anbu were trained to resist such techniques.

    Before the Root ninja could attack andnd a killing strike, with a swift hand sign Hawk disrupted his chakra flow and dispelled the Genjutsu, clearing his mind. He immediately retaliated, forming hand signs for a ninjutsu.

    "Fire Style - Imperial Lion''s me!" A volley of medium sized fireballs with a lion head shot towards the four Root ninjas, forcing them to dodge.

    One of them was suddenly caught in ninja wire trapping him in ce. The lethal fire jutsu quickly ended his life and moved on to the other.

    The second Root ninja countered with a water technique, "Water Style - Water defense Wall," He spit out just enough water to create a barrier that barely extinguished the mes.

    In the midst of the elemental sh, the Tiger-masked Anbu vanished, only to reappear behind the water wall.

    "Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Several clones of the Tiger-masked Anbu materialized, eachunching into a coordinated taijutsu assault.

    The three Root ninjas were momentarily caught off guard and scrambled to defend themselves. The real Tiger targeted the weakest link of the group and struck with precise and powerful blows. Secondster Hawk also rejoined the battle.

    One of the Root ninjas, realizing they were at a disadvantage, quickly formed hand signs and shouted, "Earth Style - Earth Flow Spears!" Spikes of earth shot up from the ground, aiming to impale the Anbu.

    The Hawk-masked Anbu reacted swiftly. He flipped through the air to avoid the spikes andnded in a crouched position. He formed three hand signs and inhaled arge amount of air.

    "Wind Style - Air cannon!" A powerful gust of wind blew through the chamber, shattering the earth spikes and knocking the Root ninjas off bnce.

    Taking advantage of the opening, the Tiger-masked Anbu rushed forward, engaging the three Root ninjas in closebat. His movements were fluid and precise, each strike calcted to kill rather than disable.

    One Root ninja attempted to draw a kunai, but Tiger swiftly disarmed him and followed up with a devastating elbow strike to the chest.

    The blow sent the masked man staggering back several steps and then suddenly a sword pierced through his chest. "Gha!''''

    The remaining two Root ninjas, seeing theirrades falling, tried to regroup. However, Anbu Hawk was relentless. He used his wind chakra to enhance his speed and agility. He darted through the battlefield, trying tond swift and decisive blows.

    One Root ninja attempted to trap him in a Genjutsu again, but the Hawk-masked Anbu countered with a burst of chakra, instantly breaking free from the illusion and retaliating with a precise punch to the jaw. "Not this time."

    The battle reached its climax as the two Anbu cornered the remaining two enemies.

    Breathing heavily, the Root ninjas nced at each other. They realized they were outmatched. The two Anbu ninjas stood before them, weapons at the ready, but hesitated to deliver a final blow. Root was also part of the Leaf vige. They wanted to give them a chance to surrender.

    "Stand down," Anbu Hawkmanded, his voice firm but controlled. "This battle is over. You know you won''t win."

    For a moment, it seemed as though the Root ninjas were contemting surrender. Their eyes darted between each other, their faces tense and covered in sweat. The air around the four ninjas was thick with anticipation. The sounds of battle still resonated in the shattered walls of the Root base.

    Suddenly, one of the Root ninja with a grim determination in his eyes, spoke up. "We were trained to fight for the sake of the vige, even if it meant our deaths. Lord Danzo is the only one who can save this vige." He tightened his grip on his kunai, his resolve unyielding. "We won''t surrender."

    The Tiger-Anbu looked into the eyes of the roots and internally sighed.<em>''They''re immensely loyal to Danzo to the point of blind worship. It seems there''s no use in talking.''</em>

    ��---------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen(No space)

 Chapter 332: Hiruzen u0026 Danzo: The Last Fight

    In an instant, the atmosphere shifted. The Root ninjas, despite their injuries, sprang into action with renewed ferocity. Theyunched themselves at the Anbu, weapons drawn and jutsu at the ready. Even though Hawk was taken aback by their sudden aggression, he reacted swiftly thanks to instincts honed from years ofbat.

    "Fire Style - Great Fireball jutsu!" One of the Root ninjas who was proficient at ninjutsu unleashed a massive fireball, aiming to engulf the Anbu in mes.

    Hawk countered by weaving hand signs and releasing a powerful gust of wind. "Wind Style - Great Breakthrough!" The wind st met the fireball, causing an explosive collision that sent shockwaves through the chamber.

    Meanwhile, Anbu Tiger was already moving. He engaged the other Root ninja in close-quartersbat, their movements invisible to the ordinary naked eye. The Root shinobi aimed a series of rapid strikes, but Tiger deflected each blow with perfect precision. He then retaliated with a swift, brutal knee to the gut, followed by a spinning kick that sent the enemy crashing into a wall.

    Before the Root ninja could gather his bearings, several kunai riddled his body. He took hisst breath and something close to regret shed in his eyes before they closed forever.

    Thest Root ninja, undeterred by the chaos, formed hand signs and called out, "Earth Style Earth Flow Spears!"

    Once again spikes of earth erupted from the ground, forcing Tiger to dodge and weave through the deadly terrain. Hawk saw the earth spikesing and leaped into the air, barely avoiding them.

    The two Anbunded and Hawk''s eyes shed with anger. He quickly formed hand signs for another jutsu. "Water Style - Water Dragon Bullet!"

    He spit out arge amount of water and a massive water dragon was created. It surged forward and crashed through the earth spikes and barreled towards the Root ninja. The watery beast roared as it almost collided with the enemy."Earth Style - Defense dome jutsu." The root ninja quickly gathered his chakra and created a powerful wall that protected him from the raging water dragon. Hawk focused his ninjutsu and had the water dragon crash into the earth wall several times until it finally broke.

    But just before he could deal the final blow, Hawk fell forward with ragged breath. "It looks like I''m at the end of my ropes." With those words he closed his eyes and fell unconscious.

    Tiger knelt and ced a hand on his body. He examined his friend''s vials and after a few seconds let out a breath of relief.<em>''It''s chakra exhaustion. Not surprising. He''s been using several high intensity jutsu since the battle started.''</em>

    "Rest Easy. I''ll handle the rest." Tiger stood and spread out his senses. He quickly located the enemy and moved in.

    The final Root ninja, cornered and desperate, unleashed a flurry of shuriken infused with explosive tags at the oing enemy. Tiger dodged the projectiles, but one exploded nearby, sending debris and smoke into the air. Through the haze, the Anbu saw thest Root ninja charging at them, a kunai aimed for their throat.

    With a swift motion, the Tiger-masked Anbu caught the ninja''s wrist, twisting it with a sickening crack. The kunai fell to the ground as the Root ninja gasped in pain. Tiger''s eyes were cold and determined as he delivered a final strike to the ninja''s chest, sending him crumpling to the floor.

    The chamber fell silent once more as the atmosphere was filled with the scent of smoke and blood. The Root ninjasy on the ground, defeated and lifeless, their defiance met with the harsh reality ofbat.

    Tiger stood amidst the aftermath, breathing heavily. His mask concealed his expressions, but his posture revealed the weight of what had transpired.

    Th lone Anbu looked all around him. He understood why the Hokage took action and knew Danzo needed to be stopped. But he was not happy.

    The Root ninjas were part of the vige and he had hoped to avoid further bloodshed, but the loyalty and determination of Danzo''s followers had left them with no choice.

    The battle was over, but Tiger knew the consequences of this conflict would resonate far beyond the walls of the Root base. He turned his head and nced in Lord Hokage''s direction.

    ''<em>It looks like that battle is almost over.''</em>

    <strong>Hiruzen vs Danzo (Few Minutes ago)</strong>

    Amid the chaos, Hiruzen closed the distance between himself and Danzo.

    As the two veteran shinobi shed Danzo spoke. "Hiruzen�� Whether you win or I do�� This will be thest battle between us. So you better not hold back."

    Hiruzen scoffed as he dodged a sh. "I never had any intentions of restraining myself from the start of this fight. I''ll show the courtesy of fighting you with all my strength. After all, it''s the least I could do�� For an old friend."

    Adamantine staff met two kunai enhanced with strong wind chakra nature. The two elders exchanged blows with lethal precision while dodging strikes that would have killed them. Their skills were a testament to their decades of experience as a shinobi. ??

    Hiruzen''s staff, Enma, transformed into its adamantine form and swung with deadly force. Danzo countered with swift, fast strikes, parrying the blows to bleed off the opposing force even as blood continued to drip from his shoulder wound.

    "Earth Style - Earth Dragon Bullet!" Hiruzen summoned a dragon-shaped torrent of earth, which surged towards Danzo with destructive force.

    Danzo, undeterred, performed a single seal. "Wind Style - Vacuum Bullets!" Compressed air bullets shot out, shattering the earthen dragon and sending debris flying.

    As they shed, Hiruzen found an opening. With a swift, decisive movement, he thrust Enma forward, aiming for Danzo''s chest.

    Danzo twisted to the side and avoided a fatal blow but received a deep gash across his torso. He staggered back and was breathing heavily as tiredness creeped through his body. But his eyes still zed with defiance.

    "You''re weakening, Danzo. Surrender now." Hiruzen demanded with a stern voice.

    "Never!" Danzo roared. He formed another series of seals, preparing a final attack.

    "Wind Style - Vacuum Great Sphere!" A massive sphere of wind chakra formed, its power immense despite Danzo''s near depleted state.

    Hiruzen braced himself and quickly gathered his chakra. "Earth Style - Mud Wall!" A thick barrier of earth rose, absorbing the brunt of the attack, but the force of Danzo''s attack sent Hiruzen skidding back.

    The battlefield was a scene of devastation as the fight raged on around them. Root and Anbu operatives fought fiercely, but it was clear that Anbu ninjas had the advantage.

    Summoning more of his strength, Hiruzen pressed forward. Danzo was equally unwilling to give up to his rival. Even with bleeding wounds he rushed forward and attacked with a rare ferocity.

    The two veteran ninjas shed again. Hiruzen''s staff met Danzo''s kunai in a flurry of strikes. The de in Danzo''s hands hummed with a sharp, cutting aura, capable of slicing through nearly anything.

    But the Third Hokage''s experience and versatility began to show, his attacks bing more precise and relentless. Enma, in his adamantine staff form, was unyielding as he parried and blocked the wind-chakra-infused kunai.

    The sound of wind chakra enhanced metal shing with the hardened staff echoed through the corridor in a strange rhythm like the symphony of a deadly battle. Sparks flew as the two formerrades engaged in an intense taijutsu bout, each move was a precise disy of power and technique.

    ''<em>To think he could still fight like this. It''s no wonder he thought he could challenge my position. Either I''ve gotten too weak in my old age or Danzo has gotten a lot stronger than before. I suppose I have to attribute some of that strength to Lord Hashirama''s cells in him�� It seems his battle senses are sharpening. Guess those memories of long ago areing back huh old friend?''</em>Hiruzen didn''t show any emotions on his face but he was impressed with the man.

    What he didn''t know was that Danzo was feeling a simr sentiment.

    ''<em>I never expected you to be so cautious and calcting. Especially at this time. Tounch an attack on me even during such a tumultuous time�� Then again if I was in your position I would have done the same. It looks like you''ve reached your breaking point with me huh. Perhaps if you had such nerves years ago we could have avoided all this.''</em>Despite the situation Danzo had begrudging respect for his rival.

    Danzo knew that if he was the Hokage he wouldn''t have allowed another force inside the vige to go unchecked for so long.

    Despite their inner thoughts and feelings they didn''t relent or back down even for a moment, as they both believed that their methods were the right ones.

    The battle raged on and Danzo''s strikes were fierce and relentless, but Hiruzen, with his calmposure, skillfully countered each one. Using Enma''s versatility, he extended the staff to force Danzo back, then retracted it to deliver swift, precise blows.

    Danzo was forced several steps back and Hiruzen immediately used a single seal. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!"<em>''I''m running out of chakra. I won''t be able to use clone jutsu for much longer. I have to end this fast.''</em>

    The old kage created two clones, each wielding an Enma staff. They surrounded Danzo and began attacking from all sides. Danzo, already weakened, struggled to fend off the barrage. He struggled but finally destroyed the clones while taking several injuries.

    But in that moment, with a final decisive strike Hiruzen disarmed Danzo, knocking the kunai from his grasp and sending him sprawling to the ground. He stood over his formerrade, breathing heavily but with a determined expression..

    "It''s over, Danzo," Hiruzen said. His voice was filled with finality. "For the future of the vige, you have to be stopped."

    Danzo red up at Hiruzen. "You''re not the only one with tricks up his sleeve."

    Hiruzen''s eyes narrowed and then suddenly he felt an unnatural stiffness in his body. As Hiruzen stood over Danzo, ready to deliver a finishing blow, he felt his muscles lock. His body refused to move as an invisible force bound him in ce. A curse seal was spreading through his body.

    Danzo''s lips curled into a cold smile as he rose to his feet. He brushed off the dust and took several deep breaths of air. "You underestimated me, Hiruzen," he said, a glint of triumph in his eyes.<em>''Self-Binding Curse: Paralysis.''</em>

    The next moment Danzo coughed up a wad of blood and fell to one knee. It took several moments for him to steady himself and get back to both feet again. With blood dripping down his chin and torso, Danzo had a ferocious expression.

    Hiruzen gritted his teeth, realizing he had fallen into Danzo''s trap.<em>''This is a Hexagram curse seal. The Paralysis technique that can be ced on an opponent with contact. He must have ced it on me when we were fighting at close range.''</em>

    The curse was a powerful technique, paralyzing anyone within its range.

    As the Hokage struggled against the invisible bonds, Enma sensed the danger. In a puff of smoke, he transformed back into his Monkey King form to help his summoner, but before he could react, Danzo was already upon him.

    Channeling wind chakra into his hand, Danzo''s arm became a deadly weapon, sharp and cutting like a de yet wielding the force of a sledge hammer. With a swift motion, he struck Enma, sending the powerful summon crashing into the wall on the other side of the chamber. The impact was forceful and Enma let out a grunt of pain as he fell to the ground, momentarily stunned.

    Danzo turned his attention back to Hiruzen who remained paralyzed. "For too long, you''ve held me back," Danzo snarled, his voice filled with years of pent-up resentment. "But no more."

    Summoning the wind chakra to his hand once more, Danzo prepared to deliver a decisive blow. His hand glowed with a dangerous aura, ready to slice through flesh and bone. He moved with the intent to strike, but a sudden burst of smoke interrupted him.

    Enma, despite the earlier attack, had quickly recovered and was now interposing himself between Danzo and Hiruzen.

    "You will not touch Hiruzen," Enma growled, his eyes burning with protective fury. His arms extended, turning into staff-like limbs as he blocked Danzo''s wind-infused hand. The sh of wind chakra and Enma''s adamantine strength created a shockwave, sending dust and debris swirling around them.

    Danzo staggered back, surprised by Enma''s resilience. The momentary distraction was enough for Hiruzen to muster his willpower and remaining chakra and push against the curse''s effects. With ast surge of chakra, he broke free from the paralysis and felt the invisible bonds snapping like fragile threads.

    Danzo''s eyes widened in shock as Hiruzen, who was now free, moved with the speed and precision of a seasoned warrior. Gripping Enma in staff form once again, the Hokage mmed the adamantine staff into the ground, creating a shockwave that destabilized the area and took away the enemy''s footing.

    "Danzo, this is the end!" Hiruzen swung his weapon with all his might. The staff extended, catching Danzo off guard and itnded a solid blow to his midsection. The old Root leader was sent flying, crashing into the far wall with a thunderous impact.

    The room fell silent for a moment, the echoes of the battle slowly fading. The Hokage stood tall, breathing heavily but his eyes fixed on the fallen Danzo. The Root leadery crumpled against the wall and struggled to move. His breath ragged and his vision went nk for a second.

    Breathing heavily, Danzo struggled to rise as he red at Hiruzen with a mix of hatred and respect. "You always were stronger, Hiruzen," he muttered, coughing up blood.

    The Hokage looked down at his oldrade with slight pity in his eyes.<em>''He doesn''t have much chakra left. But then again neither do I... What will you do now, Danzo? Will you surrender or will you fight to the bitter end? I''ll let you end this on your own terms.''</em>

    The Hokage waited for Danzo to make his choice.

    ��------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen(No space)

 Chapter 333: Opposing Philosophies

    The Rootmander felt severe pain radiating throughout his body. He slowly moved the rubble atop him and took several deep breaths of air. At that moment he noticed thest remaining root ninja being killed by Hiruzen''s Anbu from the corner of his eyes. "To think I would be reduced to such a state within the span of an hour��"

    "It was much more than an hour." Hiruzen replied as he recalled the day he assigned his agents with the task to infiltrate Root.

    Danzo''s jaws clenched as he looked up at his rival. "Yes�� You''ve been studying me for some time now haven''t you?"

    Hiruzen nodded. "It took years but I''vepiled a detailed list of your men, your assets inside and outside the vige, your contacts in the capital and the structure of your Root�� The more I learned, the more I knew you would be a problem one day. But I couldn''t act rashly."

    "That''s why you''ve waited until now. You''ve been looking for an opportunity to get me while I was at my weakest.(Cough)" Danzo coughed up some blood and he felt his vision blurr for a moment.<em>''It looks like this arm isn''t as good as the one Orochimaru gave me. The power of Hashirama''s cells is much weaker in this.''</em>

    Hiruzen let go of his staff and it turned back to its monkey form. Enma understood why Hiruzen did such a thing. "Are you sure you don''t need me here?" He still asked.

    "I''m sure. This is between me and him now. Thank you for the assistance Enma."

    The summoning creature nodded and gazed at Danzo. A momentter it vanished in a puff of smoke.

    Danzo looked up at the Hokage and saw a hint of regret in his eyes. "Hmph. Even now after everything, you feel pity for me�� Well, I don''t need it."Danzo slowly got to his feet. The two veteran ninjas of the Leaf vige stood with neither one intending to give in to the other. "You''re right... It''s toote for me now Hiruzen."

    The Hokage sighed as he looked at the stubborn man. "Danzo, that''s enough. Stop. Just surrender. You''ve lost too much already."

    Danzo''s expression twisted with rage and despair. "Never... The vige... must be protected�� I have to be Hokage. I''m the only one�� who can unify the shinobi world and bring peace. I can''t fail now."

    The Hokage frowned after he heard that goal. "Do you really think your methods will unify the world? You can''t be that naive. It will only cause more chaos."

    The one eyed old ninja sneered. "You''re the one who''s naive Hiruzen!" Danzo roared in anger.

    "This peace you enjoy is because of the sacrifices of dozens of my shinobi. Self sacrifice. Never seeing the light of day. Toiling in the shadows. That''s the way of the Root. This world won''t function on your ideals and pleasantries. No. It needs people like me to keep this fragile peace."

    Hiruzen was silent for several seconds before speaking in a low tone.

    "Danzo, I won''t deny the sacrifices made by those who work in the shadows. You are right�� Your contributions, the Root''s efforts, they''ve yed a role in maintaining our vige''s security. But that doesn''t justify the lengths you''ve gone to. The ends do not always justify the means."

    Danzo''s eye glinted with fierce determination. "You always were too soft, Hiruzen. Do you think mercy and understanding can lead to true peace? The world is a harsh ce, full of threats. Only through strength and control can we achieve peace. The other viges, the other nations��they need to be shown strength, not coddled with kindness."

    Hiruzen sighed. At that moment his shoulders felt heavy with the weight of their shared history and his position as the Hokage. "Strength isn''t just about force, Danzo. It''s also aboutpassion, understanding, and the willingness to seek out a better path. The methods you''ve used... they don''t lead to true peace. They lead to fear, distrust, and eventually, rebellion."

    Hearing those words, Danzo''s eye red with intense anger. "You''re too idealistic. Too forgiving. That''s why we''ve had so many betrayals, so many threats from within. The shinobi world is brutal, and only through absolute control can we hope to survive."

    "And that''s where you''re wrong," Hiruzen countered, his voice firm. "True peacees from understanding, from cooperation. I know it''s hard, it takes time, and yes, it requires sacrifice. But not the kind of sacrifice you envision. Not one that turns people into mere shadows of themselves."

    Danzo took a shaky step forward but his resolve began to flicker. "You... you don''t know what it''s like, Hiruzen. To make the hard choices, to bear the hatred of others so that they can live in peace."

    "I acknowledge the sacrifices you''ve made in the past." Hiruzen said softly, the pain of their shared past was evident in his eyes. "But you''re not that person anymore, Danzo. Over the years your goals have be distorted. You''ve lost yourself in the pursuit of your twisted vision."

    Danzo clenched his fist, frustration evident in his expression. "You still don''t understand, do you? The shinobi world is built on blood and sacrifice. It''s a cycle of hatred and conflict. It''s not getting better, it''s getting worse with each year. It won''t be long before the start of the next great war. I wanted to break that cycle by any means necessary, even if it meant dirtying my hands. I was willing to be the viin if it meant creating a better world."

    Hiruzen met Danzo''s gaze with a mixture of sadness and resolve in his eyes. "I understand your intentions, Danzo. I do. But there''s a difference between protecting the vige and ruling it with fear. The vige needs leaders who can inspire hope, not just obedience."

    The Rootmander shook his head when he heard those words. "Hope won''t protect the vige from its enemies. Hope won''t prevent wars. Only absolute control can do that." Danzo''s voice trembled with anger and desperation.

    "Perhaps," Hiruzen replied softly. "But control gained through fear is brittle. It breaks easily and leaves nothing behind but ruins. True strength lies in the bonds between people, in their willingness to work together for a better future. Even if they have different philosophies, even if they have different opinions on something they''d be willing to work together for amon goal�� Like we used to long ago�� That''s something you''ve lost sight of, Danzo."

    The old Rootmander''s face contorted in a mixture of pain and realization. He knew Hiruzen''s words held some truth, but his pride and belief in his own methods were too deeply ingrained.

    "Everything I did, I did it for-"

    "Don''t!"

    Before Danzo could finish that sentence Hiruzen cut him off. His voice took a much harsher tone.

    "Don''t you dare say it�� A decade ago I would have believed it. But since then, you tried to have me assassinated, you tried to kill a loyal ninja of this vige and tried to steal his Sharingan and yearster you seeded in that with Shisui. You experimented with Lord First''s blood when I strictly forbade it. You coborated with a known criminal, sent your men to attack Tsunade and abduct Daichi. Because of your paranoia and unsanctioned actions, someone who could have been an excellent medic ninja of this vige is now working for that traitor Orochimaru<em>.</em>And finally in your greed to be Hokage, you had your men infiltrate my ranks and here you are nning a coup��"

    Hiruzen was breathing hard and shaking with anger as he listed Danzo''s crimes.

    The one eyed man merely closed his eye and held his head down as Hiruzen listed his faults.

    The Hokage took a deep breath and controlled himself. "You didn''t do any of that for the vige. You did it for yourself!�� You did it for yourself�� Somewhere along the way, you put yourself above the vige�� It''s time to stop."

    Both of them became silent as the words of the Hokage rang in their ears. Several secondster Hiruzen saw Danzo clenching his fists and tensing up.

    The Hokage immediately gathered hisst remaining chakra. He was ready to unleash a jutsu in case he faced an attack but contrary to what he expected Danzo didn''t fight him.

    "What''s the point of asking me to surrender now? It won''t make any difference. We''ve gone well past the point of return." Danzo asked his former friend with a strange tone.

    "It makes all the difference! What you decide now will define your legacy. And�� It will change how I feel about you." Danzo has been Hiruzen''s childhood friend and one of the few people remaining from his generation. He was hoping his friend wouldn''t force him to make a regretful choice.

    Danzo was silent as he looked into Hiruzen''s eyes. "I''ll never be Hokage, will I?" The old Root leader spoke in a small soft tone.

    "No."

    Hearing that single word from Hiruzen, Danzo finally let go of his resistance. His fingers loosened and his shoulders slumped. It was as if a great burden had been lifted off his shoulders and for the first time in a long time, Danzo felt free.

    He sensed minute tremors inside his building at the beginning but now it was all quiet. "It seems this war between us ising to an end�� I won''t resist anymore, Hiruzen��" Danzo spoke as he knew the advantageid with the man standing in front of him. "You win."

    Hiruzen let go of a breath he didn''t know he held. He knew from Danzo''s face that this was no trick. His friend has given up.

    Danzo took several deep breaths of air topose himself. "You defeated me... I want to know. How did you do it so easily?" He asked calmly.

    Hiruzen was silent for a few moments before he sighed and gave the answer. "Like I said before, I have a detailed analysis of your agents and their strengths. Information is the critical key to victory after all."

    "I''m curious. I know you have one of your men inside my organization, but who is he? How did he get past the counter measures I put in ce?" Danzo asked. He was only curious.

    Hiruzen paused as he looked at Danzo. He was internally debating whether to answer that question or not. After a few seconds of silence the kage spoke. "I''ll answer your question if you answer mine first."

    Danzo was silent for a moment before he gave a small nod.

    "Who is the second inmand of Root?" Hiruzen saw Danzo''s face tense for a split second and he immediately understood that the answer might not be a pleasant one. "That''s one of the few things my Anbu couldn''t figure out."

    "Why are you concerned about that?"

    Danzo''s defensive non answer sent rm bells in the Hokage''s mind.

    "I want to know<em>Danzo.</em>After the Uchiha massacre I told you to stop and ordered you to disband Root. After the attack on Tsunade, I''ve had you under surveince for quite some time. But even during all that time your operations were still running smoothly. Even when you were indisposed, you had firm control over your men."

    "I''m smart, Hiruzen. You should know that."

    "I''m aware. You''re clever. But cleverness can only take you so far. You had help. Help from someone you trust to look over your entire organization. And for the life of me I can''t figure out who it is. Because as far as I know you never trust anyone. So I''m going to ask you again.<em>Who is it?</em>" Hiruzen''s eyes slightly narrowed.

    Danzo sighed and closed his eyes for a moment before replying. "Hotaru Yasaji."

    That name sent a jolt through the Hokage, startling him. "Wh-What did you say?"

    "Hotaru. He was my second inmand."

    Confusion shed through the 3rd Hokage. "But he''s dead."

    "He was��"

    Hiruzen immediately understood the implications of that short reply. "You- you used the reanimation jutsu to bring him back to life didn''t you."

    "Yes."

    Anger was bubbling beneath the Kage''s skin. "Do you have any idea what Kensei will do if he finds out you used his dead son as a puppet?"

    "It''s exactly why his existence was a secret only I knew until today. That''s why you also have to keep it from Kensei."

    Hiruzen controlled his rage and asked. "Why Hotaru?"

    "His information gathering skills, his infiltration and espionage techniques, they were all a valuable asset. It was through him that I created several sleeper agents. He was also the only one the reanimation jutsu worked on and since I could control him and know what he was doing at all times, he became the perfect tool. You were right about me. If it was anyone else I wouldn''t have trusted them with such control over the Foundation."

    "You''re going to undo that jutsu. Where is he?" Hiruzen asked with a bit of urgency.

    Danzo shook his head. "He''s already gone. The jutsu was undone before our battle began."

    The kage crossed his arms and looked at the defeated man. "First Kabuto and now this. This will be another headache you''ve created for me��"

    "I''ve answered your question. Now answer mine. Who has such counter surveince skills in the vige that they can prate my organization and stay hidden for years."

    Hiruzen decided to indulge the man for old time''s sake. "Before he became Anbu directly under me, he was part of Kensei''s squad. He trained the boy and taught him everything he knew. A chameleon who can blend in anywhere."

    ''<em>During Kensei''s time? Must have been someone who joined Anbu during thest war.''</em>Danzo thought of several faces and a few appeared at the forefront of his mind.<em>''He must have killed my men in secret and taken their identities to stay ahead. So that''s how he was able to avoid detection.''</em>

    Just then Danzo recalled the name Hiruzen spoke a few moments ago. "You said first Kabuto. What do you mean by that?"

    ��---------------

    Author''s Note:

    Before writing this chapter I watched Danzo''s fight with Sasuke. In thatst moment he thought about his friendship with the third hokage. So I decided to give him a Dignified ending. What do you guys think?

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen(No space)

 Chapter 334: Hiruzen, Danzo u0026 Tobirama

    Hearing Danzo''s question, Hiruzen recalled the reports his agent had given him about the incident. "Kabuto Yakushi. Adopted son of Nono Yakushi. Remember her?"

    Danzo''s attention sharpened after hearing her name. "What do they have to do with this?"

    "You sent them to kill each other after they became a liability to you and you had Orochimaru waiting to clean up the survivor. Except all you did was force Kabuto to kill his mother and make him turn against the vige. He''s now working for Orochimaru. He''s still alive."

    Danzo''s first clenched in anger. "My mistake was trusting that snake. I should have sent someone else to finish the job."

    "You shouldn''t have forced them to kill each other to begin with." Hiruzen was angered that Danzo learned the wrong lesson from his mistake. "You still don''t understand! You don''t value the lives of the people who serve this vige. Your paranoia got the better of you and now we have a powerful enemy because of that. This is exactly why I can''t let you be Hokage. You''ll only create more enemies than allies."

    Danzo was silent for a while as his mind recalled all the things he had done as the leader of the Root forces. He looked at his rival and a small smile grew on his face which took the Hokage by surprise.

    "It wasn''t easy, you know�� Being number two." Danzo''s words felt heavy to the old Kage. "You are the leaf glowing in the light�� while I was the foundation hidden in darkness�� I had to go far to protect this vige. And that meant plunging my hands into the filth to do what needed to be done."

    Hiruzen''s eyes slightly softened. "I''m sorry I couldn''t share your burdens... I regret so many things. But I can''t let you continue with your work."

    Danzo looked at his old rival and gave a small nod. "Let me end it on my terms. Will you give me that, Hiruzen?"The Hokage was relieved and saddened as he heard those words. "Yes. But before that there are a few things I need to know. And there is someone you need to meet. He insisted."

    "Who?" Danzo was sure that whoever it was wouldn''t be anyone ordinary.

    "It''s a bit of aplicated answer. He''ll be joining us soon."

    "Hmph!" Danzo lightly snorted. Danzo''s face remained impassive, but a flicker of curiosity crossed his eyes.

    At that moment three Anbu appeared near them. The three masked ninjas were weary but seeing as the fight between the Hokage and the Root leader ended they internally breathed a sigh of relief.

    "Go inform the others that the battle has ended. The Root ninjas that surrender, take them into custody. And make sure we''re not interrupted." Hiruzen ordered, looking at his old rival.

    "Yes sir." The three loyal followers of Hiruzen took another nce at Danzo and vanished with the body flicker jutsu. They respectfully left the room, giving space to their Hokage and his old friend turned foe.

    Danzo sighed as he knew his end hade. "I have to give you credit."

    "Hm?"

    "You had your men infiltrate my organization, you studied me, identified my strengths and weaknesses and you waited patiently to exploit it�� At thest moment, just when I thought I had the upper hand, you redirected my forces away from the vige andunched your attack�� Tobirama sensei would certainly approve." Danzo spoke with a soft sigh.

    "I do."

    The suddenly familiar voice that came from the shadows startled Danzo.<em>''It can''t be��''</em>

    He swiftly turned around and saw a man dressed in ck Anbu gear with no identifiable marks. He was wearing a dull gray colored mask and had a ck hood covering his head.

    Danzo quietly watched with wide eye as the man walked closer to them. Once he was near, he slowly took off the hood covering his hair and the mask obstructing his face.

    The air grew heavy as the tall man with amanding presence, white hair and red markings on his face made himself known. Danzo''s eyes widened in shock and disbelief.

    "Tobirama-sensei��?"

    The Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, looked at Danzo with sternness and disappointment. His voice, even after death, carried the authority of a leader and the weight of a teacher addressing a wayward student.

    Hiruzen stood silent but his eyes were tinged with the burden of what was toe.

    "Danzo," Tobirama began, his tone severe, "it has been a long time. And it seems much has transpired since Ist saw you."

    Danzo struggled to find his voice. "Tobirama-sensei�� I�� How is this possible?"

    "I was brought back by the Reanimation Jutsu," Tobirama exined. "A jutsu I created for battle, now used on myself for purposes beyond my original intent."

    "But who-" Danzo suddenly turned his attention to the Hokage standing behind him. "You." He almost whispered in disbelief.

    "Yes. Orochimaru has been dabbling in forbidden reanimation jutsu. And with you making whatever sort of deal with him, I needed an ace up my sleeve." Hiruzen nodded and answered the unasked question.

    Danzo turned his attention back to the former Hokage. "Sensei�� Why did you want to see me?"

    Tobirama looked at the man and crossed his arms. "After everything that''s transpired, I needed to speak with you, onest time."

    Danzo clenched his fists. "Speak with me? About what?"

    "About your actions," Tobirama replied sharply. "The Nine Tails'' attack, the Uchiha massacre, and your attack on Tsunade. All of it... You have perverted the ideals I instilled in you, using them as justification for your deeds."

    Danzo''s face contorted with a mixture of regret and defiance. "My actions towards Tsunade could be considered treasonous but regarding what happened with the Uchiha n��? It was necessary. I did that for the vige. To protect it and ensure its survival."

    "Is that really what you believe?" Tobirama asked, his gaze piercing. "Have you truly convinced yourself of this lie just so you could justify your actions?"

    Danzo''s expression hardened. "The Uchiha were a threat! They needed to be controlled."

    "Controlled?" Tobirama''s voice grew cold. "Or eradicated? You pushed them into a corner, left them with no options. With how the vige marginalized them, a coup was inevitable."

    Hiruzen looked at the exchange silently, his heart heavy as he recalled that incident.

    "The Nine tails attack-"

    "The Uchiha n was innocent!" Tobirama cut off his former student.

    "What?!" It wasn''t just Danzo who was surprised by that answer but Hiruzen as well. The Hokage looked at his former sensei and he slightly tensed.<em>''What did he find in that tomb?''</em>

    The weight of Tobirama''s words hung in the air, and for a moment, Danzo could only stare. Tobirama continued, his tone clipped andced with disappointment. "The Nine Tails attack. It was an event that should never have happened, and yet it did. And in its aftermath, you both allowed the vige to spiral into suspicion and mistrust. The me fell on the Uchiha n, but now I have reason to believe you were wrong."

    "But- but the nine tails�� It was under the influence of the Sharingan. There are several witnesses." Danzo spoke as he looked at his teacher but Hiruzen was silent.

    Tobirama sighed and looked at the two. "I''m not saying it''s not an Uchiha behind the attack. I''m saying it''s not the Uchiha n."

    Danzo''s eyes widened while Hiruzen stood still shocked as he understood what those words truly meant. He began to slowly piece together the truth about that night.

    Tobirama, seeing the silence of the two, continued. "The Nine Tails'' attack was orchestrated by an external force, but your paranoia led to the marginalization of the Uchiha n. Your fear sowed the seeds of distrust and discord."

    Danzo''s eye narrowed, confusion evident on his face. "An Uchiha was responsible but not the n? What do you mean, sensei?"

    Tobirama sighed and replied. "Madara Uchiha. I paid a visit to his tomb. We all assumed he perished at the Valley of the End, but recent findings suggest he might not have died there. His survival changes everything. The Nine Tails attack might have been orchestrated by him, not the Uchiha n we had under suspicion."

    Hiruzen''s face tightened with realization. "We wrongly med them�� and that me led to the seeds of their rebellion."

    Danzo, despite his injuries and the situation, scoffed. "Even if Madara lived, the Uchiha were always plotting. They were nning a coup."

    Tobirama''s eyes locked onto Danzo''s. "And how did you handle it? Through secrecy, through violence? You pushed them further into the shadows, isted them, until their rebellion became inevitable."

    Hiruzen spoke, his voice heavy. "We mishandled it. I see that now�� But what could we have done differently, Tobirama-sensei?"

    "The massacre was the only solution left." Danzo said not believing his course of action to be wrong.

    Tobirama nodded slowly. "I cannot say if there was a better path, Hiruzen, Danzo. Not at the end. The Uchiha had already decided on their course of action. However, your mistakes pushed them to that brink. Your failure to properly integrate them, to trust them, led to this tragedy. Perhaps it was inevitable, but such a drastic action should have been yourst resort, not your first."

    The three fell silent for several moments before the Second Hokage spoke again. "I''m still not sure how Madara came back to life. I''m certain it''s a forbidden jutsu but I''m not sure what?"

    "Izanagi." Danzo spoke in a soft tone and he had the attention of both kages.

    Hiruzen frowned, unfamiliar with the term. "Izanagi?"

    Danzo looked between the two Hokage, a bitter smile forming on his lips. "It''s an Uchiha technique. A forbidden one. It allows the user to rewrite reality at the cost of losing their Sharingan. A way to cheat death, to turn a fatal wound into an illusion."

    Tobirama''s eyes narrowed. "I see�� That exins a lot. Madara must have known I wouldn''t destroy his body. He was counting on me storing away his remains. It must have been a dyed jutsu he imnted into one of his eyes, with the trigger to activate a short time after his death."

    "How do you know about this jutsu Danzo?" Hiruzen asked him.

    Danzo was silent for a few moments. "Because I''ve used it�� On more than one asion."

    Hiruzen''s eyes widened in shock.<em>''That means he''s had multiple Sharingan.''</em>

    Tobirama sighed. He looked at the one eyed man with disappointment. "That technique is another symbol of what''s wrong with your methods, Danzo. Instead of facing the consequences of your actions, you found a way to escape them."

    Danzo''s fists clenched. "I did what I had to. I sacrificed everything for the vige."

    "And in doing so, you lost sight of what truly mattered," Tobirama replied, his tone softening slightly. "The vige isn''t just a ce or an idea; it''s the people. Their trust, their willingness to work together despite their differences. You''ve eroded that trust, Danzo. And look where it has brought you."

    Danzo slumped, the weight of Tobirama''s words pressing down on him. Hiruzen watched with sadness in his heart as he saw his oldrade finally began to realize the full extent of his actions.

    "There''s more," Tobirama continued, his voice now a mix of sorrow and anger. "Orochimaru''s betrayal�� Hatake Sakumo''s death. These were not isted incidents. They were symptoms of a deeper problem, one that festered under your noses."

    Hiruzen looked down, guilt evident in his eyes. "I failed them both�� Orochimaru was my mistake and I could not stop him. And Sakumo�� he was driven to his death by the very vige he gave everything to protect."

    Tobirama nodded grimly. "Orochimaru was always ambitious, your failure was not in guiding him, or to keep him close. You failed in stopping him and that allowed his ambitions to grow stronger and to turn into something monstrous�� As for Sakumo�� the vige turned its back on him because we valued sess over the lives of ourrades. That is a failure we must own, Hiruzen."

    Danzo remained silent, the full weight of his actions now crushing him. He had believed himself to be the vige''s protector, but in his zeal, he had be something else��something that had contributed to the very problems he sought to prevent.

    The three were silent before Danzo looked at his teacher. "So what now?"

    "Danzo, actions have consequences. More than anyone, you should understand what that means, right?" Tobirama looked at his student with a knowing gaze.

    "I understand sensei." Danzo replied with a steel gaze.

    The second Hokage turned to look at the other. "As for you Hiruzen, after we rescue Tsunade and ensure her safety, you''re going to step down from your position. The next Chunin exams will be held here right? You will officially step down and appoint your sessor at that time."

    That news was shocking to Danzo, but Hiruzen looked calm. The old Hokage had anticipated such an action. Tobirama continued. "The vige needs fresh blood and I''ve decided�� Tsunade or Jiraiya. One of them will make a suitable 5th Hokage��"

    Lord Third looked at his reanimated teacher and nodded. Danzo couldn''t believe that Hiruzen wouldn''t be Hokage for much longer.

    Hiruzen nced at his old rival and a small sad smile formed. For some reason the weight on his chest lightened as he thought about handing over the burden of the vige to someone else but at the same time it grew at the thought of Tsunade in danger from Orochimaru.

    "I''ll do everything I can to rescue her quickly, sensei." Hiruzen spoke and the other kage nodded. Tobirama then turned to Danzo.

    "Before I leave, I have a few more questions for you, Danzo?"

    The Rootmander was silent as he waited.

    "Where is Shisui Uchiha''s eye? What business did you conduct with Orochimaru when you went to visit him outside the vige and finally�� Who was here before us? Who did you fight?"

    ��-------------

    Author''s Note:

    I hope I got their personalities right.

    Now, just so there isn''t any confusion, I''ll exin the second hokage''s attitude towards the uchiha.

    Now that Tobirama knows most of the facts about the massacre and knows that madara was brought back to life, he would work to avoid cklisting the n and forcing them into a corner.. as a strong n like the uchiha being destroyed weakens the vige, from his perspective. but if the uchiha still moved forward with the coup then tobirama would have killed most if not all of them. At least this is what i think he would do. if you have any different thoughts, feel free toment and share.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen(No space)

 Chapter 335: Danzos Mistakes.

    From the moment he saw Danzo, Tobirama''s keen eyes, ever vignt, noticed something off about the man''s appearance. His gaze narrowed, focusing on the empty socket where he knew Shisui Uchiha''s Sharingan was supposed to be.

    "Danzo," Tobirama''s voice cut through the silence. He asked with a sharp and demanding tone. "Where is Shisui Uchiha''s eye?" He asked again.<em>''Did you give it to one of your Root ninjas to safeguard it or did something else happen?''</em>

    Danzo stiffened, his expression darkening as he was forced to recount the events that had transpired just before Hiruzen''s arrival. "It was taken�� by a man who called himself ''Dragon.''"

    Hiruzen''s eyes widened slightly. "Dragon? Who is he? What happened, Danzo?"

    The one eyed ninja sighed, his defeat was evident in his voice as he recounted the attack. "He appeared out of nowhere and came straight for Shisui''s eye."

    The Hokage''s eyes widened. "Wait! Then does he know about-"

    Danzo nodded. "He knows about Shisui''s Mangekyo powers. He said he had ns with the Kotoamatsukami."

    At that moment Hiruzen recalled the dead bodies he and his men discovered. "When I entered the building I came across several dead Root ninjas. I''m assuming that''s his work."

    The former Rootmander nodded. "He infiltrated this base with such precision and power that even my most skilled men couldn''t stop him. He cut through them like they were nothing. He moved as if he had knowledge of our operations. Like he knew exactly where to strike."Tobirama''s face remained impassive, though a spark of interest lit in his eyes. "Describe him."

    Danzo clenched his fists, recalling the encounter. "He wore a dark green cloak, and a mask in the design of a Dragon, his face, chakra signature and scent were hidden and he wasn''t ordinary. His strength�� it felt like something I haven''t encountered before. He could use multiple chakra natures and he moved with the fluidity of a seasoned front line warrior and yet had the precision of an assassin. His techniques were wless, and his objective was clear. He was after Shisui''s Sharingan and something more."

    "What else did he take?" Hiruzen asked, his voice edged with concern.

    Danzo''s jaw tightened as he continued. "He didn''t stop at Shisui''s eye. He took my right arm. It was embedded with Sharingan. During my fight with him, I had already used three of them for Izanagi. Seven were left�� but now they''re gone."

    "Sharingan arm? What are you talking about?" Hiruzen questioned while the Second Hokage merely stayed silent.

    Danzo closed his eyes and sighed. He felt regret at the thought of someone else benefiting at the cost of his hard work and even more at the fact that it could be used against the Leaf vige.

    ''<em>Instead of trying to escape, I should have fought him and used the Reverse Four seal and killed him with me. At least then I could have died with some dignity.''</em>

    "Danzo��" Tobirama called his name and it woke the Root leader from his trance. "That right arm��it was no ordinary limb, was it? What exactly had you done to it?"

    Hiruzen''s attention was immediately drawn to the question, his own curiosity piqued. Though he had always known Danzo to be secretive, the extent of what he had hidden had not been fully revealed until now. He then remembered what his spy had said about Danzo''s secret meeting with Orochimaru.

    Danzo sighed, knowing there was no point in hiding the truth any longer. He looked between the two Hokage with the expression of resignation. "The arm�� it wasn''t just a prosthetic. It was a tool, a weapon I had created with the help of Orochimaru''s research and the DNA of the First Hokage."

    Tobirama''s eyes narrowed dangerously, his tone immediately harsh. "You tampered with my brother''s DNA? After all the warnings and precautions we put in ce?"

    Danzo didn''t flinch under Tobirama''s intense gaze and continued. "Yes. I knew the potential risks, but I believed the power it could grant was worth it. I had the arm imnted with cells from the First Hokage, which allowed me to wield the Wood Release, though not to the same extent as Lord Hashirama himself."

    Hiruzen looked deeply troubled, his brow furrowed in concern. "Danzo, you were ying with forces you didn''t fully understand. Lord First''s cells�� they''re too dangerous to be used lightly��" He recalled the reports of his spy. "So that was what you did with Orochimaru that day."

    "Yes." Danzo nodded, acknowledging the truth in Hiruzen''s words. "I was aware of the risks. But that''s not all. The arm wasn''t just infused with Hashirama''s cells. I also embedded it with multiple Sharingan."

    Tobirama''s expression shifted from anger to a mix of shock and disbelief. "Sharingan? You imnted Uchiha eyes into your arm? To use Izanagi?"

    Danzo''s voice was steady as he gave his exnation. "The Yin chakra of the Sharingan helped me control the Yang chakra of those powerful cells and their chakra in turn helped me use Izanagi for longer periods. The Sharingan in the arm allowed me to cast the forbidden technique multiple times, effectively rewriting reality to escape death or alter the oue of a battle. I believed it was a necessary measure to protect the vige from threats it wasn''t prepared to face."

    Hiruzen''s eyes widened with shock. "Izanagi�� You were using it as a tool, at the cost of the Sharingan itself?"

    Danzo nodded, a bitter expression crossing his face. "Each use of Izanagi would cause the Sharingan to go blind and be useless, but the arm was equipped with 10 eyes, allowing for multiple uses. It was a failsafe, ast resort."

    Tobirama''s tone was harsh andced with disapproval. "You''ve taken forbidden techniques,bined them with dangerous experiments, and turned your body into a weapon�� You''ve crossed lines that should never have been crossed, Danzo."

    The old man didn''t argue. He knew there was no defense for what he had done. "I did what I thought was necessary to protect the vige from the shadows, to deal with threats that couldn''t be handled through conventional means."

    "How about now? With the loss of Shisui Uchiha''s Sharingan and that arm, do you still believe the vige would be safe?" Tobirama growled in anger.

    Shame filled Danzo to his core as he looked down.

    Hiruzen shook his head. "You''ve taken too many risks, Danzo. The vige should never have to rely on such dangerous measures. We need to protect the Leaf, yes, but not at the cost of our humanity, not at the cost of bing the very thing we seek to protect it from." The disappointment was clear in his eyes as he spoke.

    Tobirama''s voice was stern as he added, "And now that arm is in the hands of someone who may use it against us. Your actions, Danzo, may have inadvertently created a threat greater than any you sought tobat."

    Danzo''s expression darkened with the weight of his mistakes. "I understand that now. I won''t make any excuses."

    Hiruzen sighed deeply and rubbed his forehead thinking about the precarious situation. "What''s done is done, Danzo. But now we have to deal with the consequences. We need to find this ''Dragon'' and stop him before he can use that power you''ve given him against the vige."

    Tobirama nodded in agreement. "Yes. We need to make sure that the secrets of the Uchiha, the wood style, and Sharingan are not used to bring harm to the vige. But that is secondary to finding and saving Tsunade."

    The Second Hokage sighed and nced at the defeated Danzo. "Power without restraint, without understanding, only leads to destruction. This was a lesson you should have learned a long time ago. Now its toote."

    The Root leader merely stayed silent as he listened to the advice of his former teacher.

    Hiruzen rubbed his chin as he thought about the intel his men found. "I still don''t understand something. Why kill some of the Root ninjas who weren''t guarding you? Who were nowhere close to here."

    It was Tobirama who answered that. "That''s because he didn''t just take the Sharingan. I''ve been tracking almost all movements throughout this building after the operation began. He raided the jutsu vault and your information archive. I investigated and learned of this a few moments beforeing here. I also sensed two powerful foreign presence near here but they both escaped before I could catch them."

    Both Danzo and Hiruzen were surprised.<em>''Two?''</em>

    Tobirama''s eyes flickered with a mix of concern and anger. "I don''t know who the second man is but if this ''Dragon'' is capable of such feats, targeting such specific items�� Then he is no ordinary enemy. What else can you tell me about him?"

    Danzo''s face darkened further. "I didn''t know much until I fought him. The way he attacked, the way he moved�� It was almost as if he knew Root''s techniques inside and out. But there was one thing�� He recognized Hotaru, my second-inmand, who I had reanimated"

    "He knew Hotaru?" Hiruzen was surprised while Tobirama was curious.

    Danzo nodded. "Yes. And the way ''Dragon'' spoke to me, the familiarity he showed me�� it was unnerving. Like he knew me on a personal level. And he didn''t just attack to kill. He attacked with a purpose and had knowledge that only someone deeply connected to us could have."

    "This is certainly strange." Hiruzen murmured.

    "There''s something else you both need to know," Danzo began, causing Hiruzen and Tobirama to turn their attention back to him. "During the battle with ''Dragon''... his focus wasn''t on me at first. When we fought, at the beginning it was like I was just an annoyance to him. But after he recognized Hotaru�� everything changed."

    Tobirama''s eyes narrowed, and Hiruzen''s brow furrowed with concern. "Changed how?" Hiruzen asked.

    Danzo''s expression darkened as he recalled the intense confrontation. "Up until that point, ''Dragon'' was efficient, almost indifferent. He seemed more interested in his mission than anything else. But the moment heid eyes on Hotaru, his entire demeanor shifted. It was like something inside him snapped. He didn''t just attack me�� he went after me with the intent to torture and kill."

    Tobirama''s gaze sharpened. "He recognized this Hotaru? And that recognition caused him to react with such anger?"

    Danzo nodded slowly. "Yes. It was as if Hotaru''s presence infuriated him. From that moment forward he didn''t just see me as an obstacle; he saw me as a personal enemy. The battle became more vicious, more intense. He was ruthless in his assault, and despite my skills, I was no match for his strength."

    Hiruzen''s eyes narrowed with concern. "Why would this ''Dragon'' have such a strong reaction to Hotaru? Could there be a past connection?"

    Danzo hesitated and then spoke with a hint of uncertainty. "I''m not entirely sure, but during our fight, I noticed something peculiar�� The way he moved, the techniques he used. They were eerily familiar. I recognized several taijutsu moves specific to Anbu assassination tactics."

    Tobirama''s eyes widened slightly at this revtion. "Anbu techniques? Are you suggesting that ''Dragon'' might have a connection to the Anbu?"

    Danzo nodded grimly. "It''s possible. The way he fought, the precision, the efficiency��it was reminiscent of Anbu training. But more than that, his reaction to Hotaru suggests a deeper connection. If he truly is or was Anbu, it might exin his knowledge of Root''s operations and his expertise in assassination techniques. But why did he react so strongly to Hotaru�� that''s the mystery��"

    Hiruzen''s expression darkened with the implications. "If ''Dragon'' was once Anbu, or if he has some connection to our ck ops, that would make him even more dangerous. He would have ess to techniques and knowledge that could be devastating in the wrong hands. It looks like there''s another unstable factor in our vige."

    Tobirama''s voice was stern as he spoke. "This man�� if he has ties to the Anbu, and if he''s targeting Root and its secrets, then we''re dealing with someone who knows our vige''s darkest secrets. A rogue ninja hiding in our ranks. We need to proceed with extreme caution."

    As the weight of the situation settled heavily on their shoulders, Danzo spoke again with some unease. "There''s more you need to know��"

    Hiruzen groaned as he realized more bad news wasing.

    Danzo continued. "This ''Dragon''�� he knew things. Things that should have been impossible for him to know."

    Tobirama and Hiruzen exchanged nces, the gravity of Danzo''s words evident. "What do you mean?" Hiruzen asked cautiously.

    "He knows the truth about the Uchiha massacre."

    Danzo''s words shocked Hiruzen while Tobirama raised the unknown man''s threat level.

    ��-----------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen(No space)

 Chapter 336: Tobiramas Suspicion/ Danzos Request

    Danzo took a breath as he recalled the chilling encounter. "He spoke about the Uchiha massacre as if he knew the hidden truth behind it. Things only 4 people in the vige should be aware of."

    The Third Hokage groaned as he thought of the implications. "Danzo, that secret�� If it got out, it could destabilize the entire vige."

    "I''m aware of the danger, Hiruzen. And, what''s even more disturbing, he also knew about the forbidden Izanagi jutsu."

    Tobirama''s eyes narrowed as he understood the meaning of Danzo''s words. "I assume even amongst the Uchiha it''s only known to a few? For him to possess such forbidden knowledge suggests he may have had some ties to them�� or he could be an Uchiha himself."

    Hiruzen frowned at that possibility and his mind raced as he tried to make sense of this revtion. "An Uchiha��? Lord Tobirama, do you think he could be someone who survived the massacre? Perhaps using that forbidden jutsu."

    Th Second Hokage crossed his arms as his suspicion deepened. "It''s possible. If this man is aware of the Izanagi and the truth of the massacre, he could be one of the Uchiha who was brought back to life and escaped detection, someone who''s been in hiding all these years."

    "I''m not so certain." Danzo meanwhile was unsure of that theory. "When he spoke about the massacre he didn''t seem angry and he didn''t show any extreme emotions of hate. It looked like he just wanted me to know about it�� But then again it could be a mask. It''s not far-fetched to think he might be an Uchiha biding his time to seek revenge or justice for his n in his eyes."

    But Hiruzen thought about it for a few more moments and shook his head firmly, his voice resolute. "No, that doesn''t add up. After the massacre, we took meticulous care in ounting for every member of the n. We counted every body, confirmed every name and disposed of them. There were no survivors unounted for. If there had been, we would have known."

    Tobirama''s expression remained stern as he considered Hiruzen''s words carefully. "Hmm�� You''re right, Hiruzen. I''ve looked over the investigation records. The vige was thorough, but it''s still possible that someone could have slipped through the cracks. Or perhaps this ''Dragon'' may not be an Uchiha, but he could be someone who gained ess to their secrets��perhaps through one of the Sharingan eyes or forbidden scrolls."Hiruzen nodded thoughtfully. "We''ve seen before that there were those willing to exploit the Uchiha''s legacy for their own ends. But to possess knowledge of both the Izanagi and the massacre�� This man is no ordinary threat. If he''s not an Uchiha, he could be someone with ties to the n or its remnants."

    "Could this Dragon have any connection with Itachi Uchiha? Could he have told him?" Tobirama pondered.

    Danzo and Hiruzen were silent as they thought of such a scenario.

    ''<em>Itachi knows about Shisui''s eye in my possession and he knows the truth about the massacre�� So it''s a possibility�� But would he really do it?''</em>Danzo wondered.

    ''''Itachi loves the vige and Sasuke even more. He won''t take any action that would endanger his brother��" While Danzo was suspicious, the third knew what kind of a man Itachi was. So he was certain Itachi didn''t leak any intel. "With what Danzo said, I think this Dragon might be someone from inside the vige. Or someone exceptional at hiding in in sight and gathering intelligence."

    Tobirama stayed silent as his mind pieced together the fragments of information. "If he''s been hiding in the vige, biding his time�� He could either be a powerful spy or he could be a Leaf ninja, someone who''s decided to go rogue, who knows our ways and who''s been gathering power and knowledge in the shadows."

    Hiruzen''s face hardened as he considered that scenario. "If that''s the case, then he''s even more dangerous. A rogue ninja with such strength and ess to top level secrets�� He could destabilize everything we''ve worked to build."

    Tobirama nodded, his mind set on the next steps. "He hasn''t done anything till now. But we don''t know if he''s just waiting for the right time. We need to tighten our surveince, investigate any unusual activity within the vige for thest several years."

    Hiruzen crossed his arms, deep in thought. "To think we wouldn''t have found out about him if it wasn''t for this incident... A man who knows Root''s secrets, who has such knowledge and strength to infiltrate and attack it alone, and makes such careful strategies�� He calls himself ''Dragon'' huh?"

    Danzo looked up at Tobirama and Hiruzen, a rare expression of uncertainty crossing his features. "This man�� he''s no ordinary shinobi. If he has the knowledge and power that I suspect�� he could be a threat to the entire vige."

    Tobirama sighed and agreed. "We need to find him, Hiruzen. We cannot allow him to use those dangerous tools against the vige."

    "I have a feeling this ''Dragon'' might have a rtionship with Kensei. Not sure what it is though." Danzo said as he looked at Hiruzen.

    Hiruzen nodded. "We don''t know that for sure. I''ll question Kensei when he gets back, but right now, I''ll mobilize Anbu to search and track this Dragon down. But before that, we need to assess the damage, understand what was taken, and prepare for any potential threats."

    Danzo''s voice was low, almost a whisper. "''Dragon''�� he''s something I failed to anticipate. If he''s nning something with the Sharingan and the jutsu he stole..."

    Tobirama''s expression hardened. "Danzo, this is a consequence of the path you''ve chosen. The tools you''ve used, the secrets you''ve kept�� they have a way ofing back to haunt you. This mess. It''s your fault..."

    Danzo nodded, his face pale and drawn. "I know�� I know that now."

    "We''ll start unraveling the mystery of ''Dragon'' with his connection to Hotaru. Now this is no longer your concern, Danzo. We will clean up this mess. But as I said before, Tsunade and Shizunee above everything. Now that this matter is settled I''ll focus my efforts on her rescue." Tobirama spoke and Danzo could see anger hidden beneath his calm face.

    The second Hokage looked directly at Hiruzen. "It''s time��" The Third Hokage nodded and turned to Danzo.

    The air in the room grew heavy with the weight of unspoken realities. Danzo, weakened and fully aware of the gravity of his situation, took a deep breath before speaking again. His voice carried a tone of finality. ?

    "Hiruzen�� There''s onest thing I must ask of you before�� before the inevitable happens."

    Tobirama''s patience was wearing thin. "You''ve already done enough, Danzo. Whatever you have to say, it''s likely toote for that."

    Danzo met Tobirama''s gaze without flinching, though he acknowledged the truth in his words. "I know I have no right to ask for anything, given what I''ve done. But this is important�� It''s myst request."

    The younger Senju, still simmering with anger over Danzo''s actions, immediately narrowed his eyes. "You dare to make a request after all the problems you''ve created? You''ve betrayed the vige, desecrated my brother''s legacy,mitted several treasonous actions, indirectly strengthened a possible enemy and now you think you can ask for leniency?" The Second Hokage had been calm at the beginning but the more he learned after speaking with Danzo the angrier he got.

    Danzo met Tobirama''s gaze. The Second Hokage could see regents haunting those orbs. "I''m not asking for leniency�� only for time." Danzo spoke with a calm tone.

    Hiruzen, who had been silently absorbing the revtions of the past several minutes, looked at Danzo with curiosity and caution. "Time? For what, Danzo? You know what your fate must be. Why should I dy it?"

    Danzo''s gaze shifted to Hiruzen. "I know that neither you nor the vige can forgive my actions, and I ept that. But before I''m executed, I ask that you dy it. Just for a short time. Until we know the fate of Tsunade and Shizune."

    Hiruzen''s eyes widened slightly in surprise. He hadn''t expected Danzo to bring up Tsunade. He knew that among his two remaining loyal students, she was the only one qualified to take his mantle and the one who might be able to save the vige in the turbulent times ahead. "You''re asking for a dy�� because of Tsunade? Why, Danzo? What do you hope to aplish?"

    "Is this some kind of ploy, Danzo? Trying to buy time, probably thinking of another scheme to save yourself. After everything you''ve done, understand that I don''t trust you!" Tobirama''s voice was filled with suspicion and interjected before Danzo could respond.

    Danzo ignored the sharp tone and usations from Tobirama and spoke directly to Hiruzen. "You know as well as I do, Hiruzen, that Orochimaru is a threat like no other. As long as they''re in his hands, the vige is at risk. The chances of a sessful rescue diminish with every passing moment. I know Orochimaru better than most. His tactics, his hiding ces. I can help you find them."

    While Hiruzen was silently studying Danzo, Tobirama wanted to argue. But Danzo spoke again before he could. "I understand your anger, Lord Tobirama. But this isn''t about me�� it''s about the vige. About Tsunade."

    He then turned back to his oldrade. "I know I won''t survive much longer, but�� let me use what''s left of my life to bring him down, if necessary�� You promised�� To let me end it on my terms. Give me this, Hiruzen. Please."

    Hearing those pleading words, the Second Hokage crossed his arms and remained silent. His anger, slightly diminishing. He had been keeping a close eye on Danzo''s chakra and bodynguage. Everything he sensed and saw told him that Danzo was telling the truth.

    Hiruzen''s expression meanwhile remained stoic, but there was a flicker of something��perhaps a hint of the old camaraderie they once shared��within his eyes. "You''re saying you''d use yourself as a weapon against Orochimaru?"

    Danzo nodded, his voice resolute. "If ites to it, yes. I''ve already sacrificed much for the vige, and if this is to be my final act, then so be it. If you allow me to live long enough to ensure Tsunade''s safety��or to take out Orochimaru if a rescue isn''t possible��I will do so without hesitation. Afterward, you can carry out my execution as nned."

    Tobirama looked at his once trusted pupil and internally sighed. He spoke in a somewhat calmer tone. "Danzo, you understand that a sacrifice at this point won''t redeem you right? After everything that''s happened�� This is no different than a desperate gambit."

    Danzo didn''t look away from his former teacher. "I''m not asking for redemption, Lord Tobirama. I know I''ve strayed far from the ideals you and your brother stood for. But my death can still serve the vige, even if only in this final act. Orochimaru is a threat that must be dealt with swiftly. If I can help do that, then let me. Let me make one final contribution to the vige�� I want to see the future that lies ahead for the vige."<em>''And do what needs to be done to secure it.''</em>

    The Second Hokage was scrutinizing his former student and he understood one thing.<em>''He''s telling the truth.''</em>

    Hiruzen considered Danzo''s words carefully, his mind weighing the possibilities. The Third Hokage had seen much in his long life��too much. He knew the depths of Danzo''s ruthlessness, but he also knew that when it came to protecting the vige, Danzo had never hesitated to make hard decisions, no matter how grim.

    Finally, Hiruzen sighed. "If you can aid in Tsunade''s rescue, or if you can bring down Orochimaru, it might be the only useful thing you have left to offer. But know this, Danzo, this is not a reprieve. The moment Tsunade''s fate is determined, your life is forfeit."

    Danzo gave a small nod of understanding. "I wouldn''t expect anything less."

    Tobirama, though still angry, recognized the pragmatism in Hiruzen''s decision. He crossed his arms, his tone grudging but epting. "If you''re lying, Danzo, if this is some trick to escape your fate�� you won''t live long enough to regret it."

    Danzo met Tobirama''s gaze with a level stare. "I know."

    Hiruzen stepped forward, his voice filled with finality. "We''ll dy the execution, but only until we know Tsunade''s fate. I''ll have Anbu keep a close eye on you. Make no mistake, Danzo, you will not escape the consequences of your actions.."

    Danzo nodded once more, his face a mask of grim determination. "I have no intention of escaping anymore, Hiruzen. My only goal now is to see that the vige survives, even if it means my death."

    Hiruzen gave a final nod, signaling the end of the discussion. "Fine. We''ll focus on rescuing Tsunade and Shizune. After that��"

    With that, the decision was made. Danzo''s fate was sealed, but his final day would be spent ensuring the safety of those who could still save the vige��a final, desperate act to atone for a lifetime of dark deeds.

    The three men stood in silence and the tension between them slowly faded as they contemted the uncertain future thaty ahead.

    ��--------------

    <strong>Author''s Note:</strong>

    I was listening to Hans Zimmer''s ''Flight'' and ''If you love these people so much'' soundtrack while writing this.

    I wonder how many of you guys agree with my decision regarding Danzo. Many will have a negative opinion about him. But at the end of his fight with Sasuke on that bridge, we got a glimpse of his inner self.

    In my opinion, a man like Danzo should have a worthy ending��

    Then again, I might just let him rot in a cell till the conclusion of this arc and then just execute him�� Well, We''ll see what happens.

    Regarding Danzo''s strength, I have to put it somewhere a little bit higher than Kakashi in my story. But a few levels lower than the Third Hokage. I haven''t had the chance to create a solid stat for him. Sorry to those who asked. I might show it in a future chapter if I get the chance. Not making any promises tho.

    And Regarding DAichi''s strength, remember, he went head on with kakashi in chapters 157 to 160. And he''s only gotten stronger. Kakashi is also stronger here than in his canon counterpart.

    If I have to give an urate estimate, Daichi is between Elite Jonin and Sannin level. Close to Sannin level.

    The advantage is that he has ''Analyze skill, Parallel processing skill, Hypercognition skill, and all those works like a sharingan on steroids to him. He also has several destructive Jutsus. SO right now age is the only thing restricting him.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen(No space)

 Chapter 337: Root Siege - Conclusion.

    Jiraiya had just finished dispatching thest of the Root ninja in his way, his breathing in controlled but heavy bursts. He stood in the aftermath of the battle and was surrounded by the unconscious and defeated bodies of Danzo''s operatives. He turned his head in a certain direction and he began moving cautiously through the dimly lit corridors.

    There was something about the way the Root operatives battled that bothered him.<em>''They hadn''t been fighting me to kill. It''s as if they had been herding me, guiding me somewhere specific�� Maybe a trap? A kill box?''</em>

    Jiraiya''s instincts told him that whatever awaited him was connected to the strange surge of chakra he had sensed nearby.<em>''Two people�� Strange. I can''t identify their chakra signatures�� That''s being masked.''</em>

    The next second, the toad Sannin felt the two chakras disappear in an instant and a momentter in their ce was another unfamiliar but strong energy.<em>''That''s a powerful chakra. Who is that?''</em>

    As the white haired ninja got closer he identified a particr aspect of that individual.<em>''That chakra�� Strong water nature. Is he the one sensei told me to avoid?''</em>

    Jiraiya remembered the strange warning the Hokage had given him prior to the siege.

    ''''<em>If youe across a masked ninja with a powerful water nature chakra then avoid him.''''</em>

    ''''<em>Why? Is he an enemy?''''</em>

    ''''<em>No, he''s an ally. But his identity is special and I want to keep it a secret for as long as possible. You need to trust me on this Jiraiya.''''</em>Regardless of his teacher''s words, in his current situation, sensing such unfamiliar, immensely strong chakras only added to his growing unease. As Jiraiya drew closer to that location, the powerful presence disappeared and soon he felt the presence of his old teacher, Hiruzen Sarutobiing from another location in the base.

    ''<em>Looks like sensei and Danzo have started going at it.''</em>

    Without hesitation Jiraiya darted toward the Hokage. He had several questions for the old leader. As Jiraiya rushed through the dark corridors he felt the building shake and the sound of several explosionsing. He also encountered several root ninjas as they blocked his path.

    Due to the extreme circumstances and being worried about Tsunade, Jiraiya was in no mood to y around. He fought the enemy ninjas and soon defeated all of them but by that time themotion had settled down.

    ''<em>What happened? Did Sensei win?''</em>

    Suddenly Jiraiya sensed the same presence appearing near Hiruzen and Danzo.<em>''It doesn''t seem like they''re fighting. Sensei even sent his Anbu away�� Who is that?''</em>

    In a few minutes he approached the area and Jiraiya saw a group of Anbu escorting Danzo away, the elder''s expression was as grim as ever.

    There was no sign of resistance from Danzo, which struck Jiraiya as odd, but he didn''t have time to dwell on it. His focus was on Hiruzen, who stood nearby, watching the Root leader being taken away.

    The Third Hokage turned to face his former student with abination of relief and seriousness. "Jiraiya, you''re just in time. There''s much to discuss, but first, let me assure you that the situation is under control."

    Jiraiya''s eyes narrowed and his suspicion grew. "Un-Under control? I just fought off a small army of Root ninjas, and it felt like they were trying to lead me somewhere. I sensed multiple unknown strong ninjas but before I could take a closer look they all disappeared. And now Danzo''s being taken away like amon criminal? What''s really going on, sensei?" ?

    Hiruzen sighed, ncing toward the former Root leader. "Danzo has�� surrendered. His actions have finally caught up to him and he will face the consequences."

    The Sanin looked around and aside from the Anbu there was no one else present.<em>''Gone''.</em>

    His gaze flicked towards the retreating form of Danzo before returning to his old teacher. Momentster when it was just the two of them Jiraiya asked the question that''s been bugging him. "I felt someone with a massive chakra here a minute ago. Who was that with you?"

    Hiruzen sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.<em>''It seems I have no choice.''</em>

    Jiraiya saw his teacher''s hesitation to answer but before he could press further, the air in the area shifted slightly and the toad Sannin felt the presence of another person.

    His eyes widened as an older man stepped into view from the shadows, his features unmistakable. The sharp eyes, the white hair that''s tied back, and a stern, authoritative demeanor.

    "No way." This was someone Jiraiya had only seen in history books and heard about in legends.

    "To-Tobirama Senju?" Jiraiya''s voice was filled with disbelief. "The Second Hokage? How��?"

    Tobirama gave a curt nod, his expression as serious as ever. "So you''re Jiraiya. As to the question of how, I was brought back through the Reanimation Jutsu by Hiruzen nearly a year ago to assist in matters that required a bit more�� experienced hand."

    Hearing those words the Sannin looked at his teacher in disbelief for a few moments. "You actually�� To think you of all people would use such a forbidden technique. You really<em>have</em>gotten desperate."

    "Certain measures needed to be taken, Jiraiya." Hiruzen replied in a clipped tone.

    The Sannin''s jaw tightened as understanding dawned on him. "So that was the powerful chakra I sensed�� But why?" He turned to the former Hokage and asked. "What''s going on that requires both you and sensei?"

    Hiruzen spoke up with a calm but tired tone. "We''ve been dealing with a series of threats to the vige, both from within and outside. I needed some help and advice on Danzo''s actions, the threat of Orochimaru, and�� other matters. Tobirama-sensei has also been assisting in investigations that required his unique knowledge and skills."

    Jiraiya nced between Hiruzen and Tobirama as he absorbed that information. "I see. But this is a lot to take in... So you''re telling me the Second Hokage has been helping from the shadows for almost a year?"

    Tobirama crossed his arms and addressed Jiraiya. "Danzo has been involved in numerous activities that have endangered the vige. His use of forbidden techniques, his secret dealings with Orochimaru, and his experiments with my brother''s DNA. Along with his attempted coup, these are matters that required immediate attention..."

    The white haired ninja sighed. He crossed his arms and leaned on the nearby wall. "I did my investigations and knew that Danzo and Orochimaru had made contact but I didn''t know the specifics.. Wait! If he did all that then why is he still alive?"

    "Danzo knows he won''t survive his actions today. He has requested to dy his execution until we know the fate of Tsunade and Shizune. I agreed." The third Hokage replied.

    Jiraiya was shocked as he looked at his teacher. "You can''t be serious? I thought the n was quick execution. Now you''re giving him time?"

    "I have my reasons, Jiraiya." Hiruzen replied with a clipped tone.

    "Danzo can''t be trusted. You understand that, right? You know him better than anyone. If you give him time, he''ll just hatch another plot to escape or create more headache for us. Trusting him is a bad idea. Anything can go wrong." Jiraiya knew the crimes Danzomitted and didn''t want to take any chances with the old Root leader.

    Hiruzen''s eyes narrowed as he looked at his former student. "Don''t treat me as a fool,<em>Jiraiya.</em>I''m well aware of what he''s capable of. And I never said I trust him."

    "Then why give him more time?"

    "I''m going to have Inoichi and Ibiki go through every piece of memory he has. He will also be under heavy guard with several paralysis and chakra blocking seals ced on him. Right now I''ve given orders to treat Danzo as a priority-one prisoner and he''ll be ced deep beneath the Tower. Only a handful of people who have my permission will go near him. I''m taking all the precautions needed to make sure nothing goes wrong. His Root forces will also be under confinement and heavy guard."

    The Toad Sage finally understood why his sensei showed mercy to Danzo. "This is for Tsunade and Shizune isn''t it? You think studying Danzo''s memories might give us clues to where Orochimaru could be��"

    Hiruzen sighed. "Yes. But it''s a very low possibility. Orochimaru wouldn''t make a mistake like that. I already have some information on his bases but I need to explore every option in front of me to find them. Danzo is one such option. I also need a thorough detail on everything my oldrade has been up to thesest several years."

    Jiraiya closed his eyes and exhaled as two faces came to his mind.<em>''Please be alright, you two.''</em>

    He opened his eyes and looked at the two kages. "So what do we do about them? Now that a possible coup has been averted, we need to focus on rescuing those two."

    "I agree." Hiruzen reassured him. "But there''s more at stake here than just Tsunade''s life. Tobirama-sensei and I have uncovered troubling information about the Nine-Tails attack, the Uchiha Massacre, and a mysterious figure called ''Dragon'' who has taken critical assets from right under our noses. This Dragon has used my operation as a cover to infiltrate this location and he has stolen powerful tools, including Sharingan and other forbidden jutsu."

    Tobirama also gave his analysis. "He may be a rogue Leaf ninja or even an Uchiha who somehow survived the massacre and is hiding inside the vige. We''re not certain yet, but it''s a possibility we can''t ignore. And given his knowledge and power, he poses a significant threat to the vige."

    Jiraiya was taken aback by the sudden revtions. "Wait. Before I came here I sensed two unknown chakras. But they disappeared and a secondter you showed up in their ce."

    Tobirama nodded. "You sensed me? That''s impressive. And yes. One of them was this Dragon and I believe that the other was an Uchiha. Most probably the one responsible for the nine tails attack. Although that''s just spection at this moment ."

    "Whoever this Dragon is, I believe he''s currently living in the vige. He couldn''t have known about my ns with Danzo otherwise." Hiruzen spoke after he thought about the matter.

    "Could they be on the same side?" Jiraiya asked.

    "Unknown. We only know what Danzo told us. He''s the only one who''s had a confrontation with this individual. And I don''t trust his words at face value." Hiruzen replied.<em>''Not anymore.''</em>

    "Yes." Tobirama nodded. "Interrogating Danzo and getting the truth from his mind would be the only credible way to verify everything he said."

    Jiraiya processed the information quickly, his mind racing. "So, we''ve got two rogue ninjas with forbidden knowledge, Orochimaru with Tsunade and Shizune, and Danzo being held until this is resolved�� I haven''t heard of anyone going by the name of Dragon. Is it possible that he might be an outsider? Someone who just happened to be here right before your attack?"

    Hiruzen shook his head. "I don''t believe so. He knew too much about the vige, the Uchiha''s secrets, Danzo''s operations and my top secret attack."

    Jiraiya groaned as he listened. "Solve one problem and two more pops up. At a time like this��? Such a headache."

    "Yes but this isn''t the time toin. You need to get some rest, Jiraiya." Tobirama looked at the man. "We''ve found one of Orochimaru''s hideouts in the Land of Fire. Intelligence reports state the presence of two powerful chakra signatures. We''re going to attack the base in the morning. You''re going to need your strength."

    Hiruzen agreed with his predecessor. He suddenly sensed several Anbuing. "You should get going sensei. The less people that know about you the better."

    Tobirama nodded and disappeared with his teleportation jutsu. The third Hokage then turned to his student. "You too Jiraiya. You need to be in top shape. I have a feeling you''re going to be in for a difficult battle. I''ll clean up here."

    The Toad Sannin looked around and nodded. Anbu started arriving and a momentter Jiraiya vanished in a puff of smoke.

    Hiruzen turned his gaze to his masked ninjas and internally sighed.<em>''This is going to be a long night.''</em>

    ��-

    Few hourster the Third Hokage was back in his office going through several reports. His jaws clenched in anger as he read the details.

    ''<em>Dragon stole sensitive intelligence and several hidden jutsu exclusive to the vige. This isn''t good. Even if he is a member of this vige, how exactly am I going to find him�� What he took from the Root archives could seriously jeopardize the safety of the vige. But it looks like I''ll have to put this matter aside till I find Tsunade and her student.''</em>

    The door to the office creaked open, and a team of three medic-ninjas, led by the head medical officer, entered the room. They were visibly weary and their expressions were somber. As they approached the desk, the Hokage nodded, signaling them to begin their report.

    The head medical officer, a seasoned ninja with countless hours of experience in the medical field, cleared her throat before speaking. Her voice was steady despite the grim news she was about to deliver.

    "Lord Hokage, after conducting thorough autopsies on the bodies of Guren and Rinji, we havee to several conclusions," she began, her tone respectful yet filled with a hint of underlying sorrow for the fate of the two ninjas.

    "Wait? Did Rinji die as well?" Hiruzen thought Rinji was cooperating with Ibiki.

    "Master Ibiki wanted to make sure the information Rinji gave them was true so he ordered a mind walk. But the defense in Rinji''s mind was more brutal and the moment the Yamanaka entered his mind, the triggers activated and he died."

    Hiruzen closed his eyes and sighed. He then motioned for them to continue.

    "Firstly, it''s evident that both Guren and Rinji were subjected to highly advanced and forbidden jutsu, presumably by Orochimaru, as a means of safeguarding secrets. This jutsu was designed to trigger upon any attempt to ess their memories or extract information. The result was theplete disintegration of their cognitive functions, leading to an irreversible destruction of their minds."

    She paused for a moment, allowing the gravity of her words to sink in before continuing.

    "Secondly, our examination revealed remnants of this unknown jutsu embedded within their neural pathways. It''s unlike anything we''ve encountered before. It''s a sinisterbination of Genjutsu and medical ninjutsu, twisted into a safeguard mechanism. This finding suggests Orochimaru has advanced his experimental techniques to a level that poses a significant threat to anyone attempting to infiltrate his operatives'' minds."

    The room became silent. The Hokage''s expression was grave as he considered the implications of this discovery.

    The medics handed several documents and the old leader began to quickly go through them. "Tell me about her Kekkei Genkai. What have you found?"

    "Regarding Guren''s Kekkei Genkai, the Crystal Release, our examination revealed that Orochimaru had conducted several modifications aimed at enhancing her natural abilities," the head medical officer began, her face showing aplicated expression.

    "These modifications appear to have been experimental, aiming to increase the versatility and strength of her crystal maniption. We found unnatural chakra pathways forged within her body, likely intended to amplify her crystal release techniques. He also experimented on her mind extensively, integrating her abilities with his own forbidden techniques to create a failsafe that would activate under duress. The result being catastrophic, leading to theplete disintegration of her cognitive functions."

    Turning the topic to Rinji, she continued. "Rinji''s body showed signs of simr experimental modifications. Though not a wielder of a Kekkei Genkai like Guren, Orochimaru seemed to have attempted to enhance his sensory abilities, likely to exploit his already notable skills in Genjutsu and maniption. These enhancements, while less invasive, were equally as experimental and dangerous."

    The conversation then shifted to the autopsy of a lesser-known follower, marked by Orochimaru''s curse seal. "In addition to Guren and Rinji, we also examined the body of another follower, one who bore a curse seal but it''s unlike the familiar one on Jonin Anko. This seal transformed the subject''s body, granting them partial animalistic traits. Our findings suggest that while this seal offered increased physical capabilities, it was considerably less stable, leading to severe physical and mental degradation over time."

    "What happens to the ones who transform using this curse seal?" Hiruzen asked them.

    "The transformation it induced was not fully controble. It suggests that Orochimaru most likely abandoned this approach in favor of the more sophisticated seals."

    "And the others?"

    The third medic, a specialist in chakra pathology, answered, "The others bore simr simple curse seals, likely intended to bolster their physical abilities without granting them significant autonomy or power. These seals are rudimentarypared to what we''ve seen with the other seals but nheless pose a significant risk. One, in particr, exhibited partial animalistic transformation, indicative of an experimental phase in Orochimaru''s research..."

    "As for strategic implications," the lead medic concluded, "We''ve concluded that Orochimaru has not only perfected his methods of control over his subordinates but has also devised mechanisms to ensure that no useful intelligence can be gleaned from them should they be captured. This will present a significant challenge for interrogation and intelligence-gathering efforts moving forward."

    Hiruzen nodded. "Make sure a copy of the report is sent to the Analysis wing and Shikaku Nara."

    "Yes Lord Hokage."

    "Dismissed��"

    The three medics left and the kage turned to look at the sunrise.<em>''In another hour or two Ox should reach that location. At that time Tobirama will use his teleportation jutsu and will reach that base with Jiraiya. This way, they''ll be able to take Orochimaru by surprise. Please hold on, Tsunade, Shizune. We''reing.''</em>

    ��---------------

    Author''s Note.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen(No space)

 Chapter 338: Tenzo u0026 Kakashi

    <strong>Leaf Vige - 7:17 am.</strong>

    Kakashi was resting under a tree, leaning against it with his arms crossed and his eyes closed. For ordinary people it would seem as if he was sleeping. It was only partially true.

    Even during his rest, the silver haired Jonin sensed the approach of another ninja from a distance and quickly opened his eye. He was familiar with the chakra signature of the new arrival and was slightly surprised.

    A few momentster a masked ninja jumped down from the trees and stood in front of the copy-cat ninja..

    "It''s been a while, Kakashi senpai."

    Kakashi stood from the spot and stretched his limbs. "Tenzo? This is a surprise. Last time I saw you was around a year ago."

    "Yeah. I got done with my missions and returned a few days ago." The Anbu ninja replied as he took off his mask and pulled back his hoodie. His short brown hair and ck almond shaped eyes became visible to the world.

    "So what brings you by here?" Kakashi asked his friend.

    "I heard you were on babysitting duty." Tenzo spoke as he looked to his right. A short distance away was Kensei''s home, protected by a small barrier.Kakashi chuckled when he heard that and looked towards the house. "Trust me. He is no baby."

    "Lord Hokage wanted an update. Has anything unusual happened sincest night? Any unexpected visitors?" Tenzo asked with a slightly serious tone and the silver haired Jonin narrowed his visible eye.

    "I didn''t sense anything amiss. Nobody went in or out and I didn''t sense anyone near here." Kakashi replied and after a few seconds of silence, he whistled.

    Momentster several ninja dogs appeared in front of him.

    "Did anyonee near this location?" Kakashi asked them just to make sure.

    "No. We kept a tight patrol. Nothing out of the ordinary." One of the ninja dogs replied.

    Kakashi nodded with a smile. "Thank you guys." Kakashi gave them a scroll. "You all can go back now. I''ll take it from here."

    The ninja dogs barked and vanished in a puff of smoke and Daichi''s teacher turned to Tenzo. "Everything''s fine."

    "That''s good." Tenzo let out a small breath of relief.

    "What''s going on?" Kakashi was curious about Tenzo''s sudden visit. He knew it had to do with more than Daichi.

    "Last night Lord Hokage and Jiraiya assembled a team and attacked the Root. I was part of the raid."

    Tenzo''s words shocked Kakashi and his eye slightly widened. This was big news.

    "What happened to Danzo?" The silver haired Jonin asked.

    "He''s in custody and under heavy surveince. The head of the interrogation and analysis departments are with him right now."

    Kakashi internally sighed as he recalled the face of the ruthless man he once worked under.''Lord Hokage taking action against Danzo? I knew he was tired of Danzo''s reckless decisions but I never thought he wouldunch an attack, especially at this time.'' ??

    "There''s something else you should know." Tenzo spoke. Kakashi noticed the tense atmosphere around him.

    "Someone broke into Danzo''s base shortly before us and stole several valuable pieces of intelligence and Hidden jutsu exclusive to the vige."

    "Who?"

    Tenzo shook his head at that question. "We don''t know. All we have is a description. But Lord Hokage suspects that this individual could be a Leaf ninja or someone hiding in the vige. Someone who knows Danzo well and most probably participated in the 3rd world war."

    "Have the barrier sensors reported anyone entering or leaving?" Kakashi was once Anbu captain. So he had an idea what kind of intelligence Danzo would have kept in his base of operations.

    "No. Sensor ninjas didn''t report any suspicious individuals." Tenzo replied calmly.

    Kakashi closed his eyes and leaned on the tree. "Having secrets of the vige leaked, at this time, would cause serious chaos. Especially with Orochimaru''s abduction of Lady Tsunade."

    Suddenly the silver haired Jonin''s eye snapped open. "Wait! What about Naruto?"

    "Don''t worry. A team has his home surrounded. They''re keeping a close watch on him��"

    Kakashi nodded with relief. "Has there been any progress on Orochimaru''s front?"

    "Yeah." Tenzo nodded. "He has several hidden bases around the Land of Fire. Since time is of the essence, The Hokage wanted to attack all of them at once. Seven teams were mobilized several hours ago. Unless I''m mistaken, the raid should begin shortly."

    Kakashi nodded in understanding. Since he was guarding Daichi all night he wasn''t aware of the deployment of the Leaf Ninjas.

    Tenzo gazed at Kakashi. "Lord Hokage wanted me to check and see if everything''s fine with Daichi. He also wanted to update you on the situation. That''s why I am here now." Tenzo turned to face Daichi''s home.

    "Well, thankfully nothing exciting happened herest night." Kakashi spoke as he looked towards the house. A few secondster a frown slowly formed on his face. Kakashi tilted his head up and looked at the sky before turning his attention back to Daichi''s home.

    Tenzo noticed the odd movements. "What''s wrong?"

    Kakashi was silent for a few moments and slowly began making his way to Kensei''s house. "It''s just�� Daichi should have been up by now. Especially with all that''s happening�� Even on a normal day, I''ve never seen him sleep in sote."

    Tenzo nodded as he walked beside him. "Well, you said no one left the premises. I don''t doubt your skill. Maybe he just hasn''t woken up."

    "Maybe..." The silver Jonin had a good understanding of his student.<em>''Based on his personality, he should have woken up and found me an hour ago and would have wanted to see the Hokage for any update�� So what''s taking him so long?''</em>

    The two Leaf ninjas reached the home and Kakashi ced his right hand on the gate. The barrier sensed his chakra and allowed him entry while Tenzo stood outside.

    <strong>Meanwhile Inside.</strong>

    <strong>[You have slept in a bed. HP, CP, SP and MP have been fully restored.]</strong>

    Daichi opened his eyes feeling refreshed and full. With his energy and mental faculties fully restored to their peak he was ready for the day.

    He ignored the other notifications and opened the quest list. He looked at the timer on the Rescue Tsunade Senju mission.<em>''Less than 35 hours remaining toplete this quest. If I don''t save them in 35 hours there''s a good chance Orochimaru might kill them.''</em>

    Daichi sat up and closed his eyes. Last night during his sleep his shadow clone managed to infiltrate the Land of Earth and was doing his own investigation.

    ''<em>Looks like he''s managed to stay by taking chakra from nearby mercenary ninjas. He should narrow down my search list.''</em>

    Daichi looked at his own chakra points and smiled.<em>''Full CP. Creating shadow clones and getting a full rest gets my chakra back to full strength. But still, it only works if I have 4 or less shadow clones operating while I sleep.''</em>

    Daichi suddenly sensed a presence entering hispound.<em>''Kakashi sensei.''</em>

    A few knocks on the door came from below and the gamer ninja got out of his bed and made his way downstairs. On his way down he looked at the few notifications in the corner of his window. One in particr caught his eye.

    <strong>[Skill Flying Thunder God Technique has Leveled up]</strong>

    ''<em>As expected. I used this skill a few times. Still�� Such a useful skill. I got to level this up quickly.''</em>

    <strong>[Flying Thunder God Technique - Active (LV. 02): This is an S rank high-level space-time ninjutsu that allows the user to instantly teleport to any location marked with their unique seal. Originally developed by the Second Hokage and perfected by the Fourth Hokage, this technique offers unmatched speed and strategic advantage inbat.]</strong>

    <strong>Current Grade: Basic</strong>

    <strong>[Effects]</strong>

    <strong>Instant Teleportation: Instantly transport to any location marked with the teleportation seal.</strong>

    <strong>Marking: Ability to ce teleportation seals on targets, objects, or locations through physical touch.</strong>

    <strong>Multiple Seals: As skill level increases, the user can ce and teleport between multiple seals.</strong>

    <strong>Combination Attacks: Can be used with other techniques for surprise orbination attacks.</strong>

    <strong>Evasion: Allows the user to evade attacks instantaneously by teleporting to a pre-marked location.</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>[Note: The effectiveness, range, and versatility of these abilities wouldrgely depend on the user''s knowledge, skill level, and amount of chakra. Mastery of this Jutsu requires exceptional spatial awareness, chakra control, and precision. As with all other jutsu, the constant use of these abilities would drain the user''s chakra, with moreplex and powerful applications requiring more energy to use.]</strong>

    <strong>[Limitations: The user must touch the object or location to ce the teleportation seal. The technique can be countered by disrupting the user''s chakra flow or removing the seals. Using the jutsu multiple times in rapid session can lead to severe chakra depletion.]</strong>

    Daichi closed the notification windows and opened the front door.

    "Morning sensei." Greeted Daichi.

    "Morning." Kakashi gazed at Daichi nonchntly but the boy knew the man''s sharp eye was taking his appearance down to the smallest detail.

    ''<em>Strange. Is he just getting up?''</em>

    Daichi stepped forward and sensed a presence outside the barrier. He looked and saw an Anbu ninja waiting outside.

    "Did you just wake up?" Kakashi asked his student.

    The gamer ninja turned his attention back to his teacher. "Yeah. Was going over several files so I slept reallyte."

    "Mmhm." Kakashi nodded. The next instant Kakashi rushed forward with a karate chop to Daichi''s head.

    The boy was startled with the sudden unexpected attack, but he quickly defended himself. He sessfully blocked the strike and took a defensive posture.

    Kakashi nodded to himself and put his hand in his pouch and slowly took out his favorite Orange book.

    "What the hell was that?" Seeing Kakashi no longer intending to continue with his attack, Daichi eased up.

    "Just wanted to make sure it was really you."

    Daichi suddenly understood his teacher''s concern. "You were worried I was a shadow clone trying to fool you."

    "I know not to underestimate you." Kakashi nced at his student from the corner of his eye.

    "Well, don''t worry. I''m not reckless and foolish enough to go out on my own. It will only make the current situation worse." Daichi replied with a calm tone.

    "We''re going to meet the Hokage. So freshen up."

    Daichi nodded and soon he was ready, walking out the house. The Anbu ninja looked at the two and spoke. "Lord Hokage has asked for the two of you."

    Tenzo then nced at Kakashi and gave a small nod and left.

    The silver haired Jonin looked at Daichi and saw that he was quietly staring at the Anbu the whole time.<em>''Did he find something unusual about Tenzo?''</em>

    Daichi was examining the man without using his ''Observe'' skill. It was to improve analysis abilities.

    "What have you found out about him?" Kakashi asked his student.

    "Larger than average chakra reserves. Strong water and earth nature but that''s not all." Daichi spoke. "Unlike other ninjas, the way his chakra moves�� He can use wood style jutsu can''t he?"

    Even though he phrased it as a question Kakashi figured Daichi already knew it was the case. Daichi looked ahead and sensed the chakra quickly moving away from their location.<em>''So that''s Captain Yamato. No. Right now he should be going by the name Tenzo.''</em>

    "The way his earth chakra nature and water chakra nature are blended in his body. Not to mention his smell." Daichi exined his findings.

    "His smell?" Kakashi was puzzled. He had an above average sense of smell but he didn''t smell anything in particr from his friend.

    Daichi nodded. "He smells of forest."

    Kakashi sighed. "You know he''s Anbu right. You''re not supposed to pry into their secrets. That couldnd you in big trouble."

    "Maybe. But if you really think about it, shouldn''t he be the one in trouble for not concealing his chakra from me?"

    The one-eyed Jonin internally sighed. "Let''s just get to the tower." He didn''t say anything else and kept reading his book.

    As they reached near the tower Kakashi suddenly spoke. "Almost forgot to ask. You said you were going over some files and sleptte. What kind of files? Were you researching some new jutsu?"

    After he woke upte, Daichi had a feeling his sensor might ask him such a question. "It wasn''t jutsu or training. I was going over the geography and topography of the Land of Earth. Gramps also kept detailed notes on the bordering small nations. I was studying the best and fastest ways to get into the earth country."

    Kakashi stopped and looked at his student with a serious gaze. "And have you found it?" After a few moments of silence he asked.

    "Maybe. But I need some more information."

    The Jonin put his book back into his pouch and turned to his student. "You realize that I have to report this to the Hokage, right?. He''ll only make me keep a closer watch on you."

    "I do. I''m not an idiot."

    "You could have lied�� Why didn''t you?"

    Daichi recalled the happy days he spent with his teachers. His fists clenched as he recalled the moment he saw Tonton running up to him yesterday. "I can''t just sit back and do nothing. Time is running out for them. But I also know it won''t help anyone if I keep secrets and recklessly leave the vige on my own."

    Daichi looked at Kakashi and the man could see the internal struggle in the boy''s eyes. "I know it might put tighter restrictions on me, but keeping too many secrets won''t help me with saving them."

    Kakashi looked at his student and then nodded in understanding. They walked up the stairs and informed the ninja guarding of their arrival.

    As they waited for the Hokage to summon them Kakashi spoke. "Earlier you said keeping too many secrets�� So I''m assuming there are a few things you haven''t told me. What are they?"

    Daichi had a small mysterious smirk and nced at his teacher. "Guess."

    Kakashi sighed.<em>''He''s imitating me. I don''t know if I should be happy or not.''</em>

    At that moment the ninja standing in front of the door nodded. "You two can go in."

    ----------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen(No space)

 Chapter 339: Your mission: Should you choose to accept...

    <strong>Hokage Office.</strong>

    Hiruzen read through the scrolls detailing the status of the teams ready to attack the enemy strongholds.

    ''<em>All seven teams are getting into position and currently analyzing the enemy movements. It won''t be long now.''</em>

    As the old kage looked over the reports hismunication department sent him, he heard a knock on the door.

    "Enter." Came the soft voice from the old man''s lips.

    A guard entered the room and gave a short bow. "Kakashi Hatake and Daichi Hekima are here."

    "Send them in."

    The Chunin guard nodded and a few momentster the members of the only 2 man special Genin team in the vige were present.

    "There have been some new developments regarding Orochimaru." Hiruzen began addressing them. He mainly looked at Daichi and wanted to know if the Genin would have any insights once he heard the update. "I know you''re worried about them and have questions. So I''ll try to answer the ones I can."Daichi paid close attention to every word the man spoke and nodded.

    Without wasting time Hiruzen got straight to the point. "We''ve identified several bases belonging to Orochimaru in the Land of Fire."

    Daichi had a stoic expression when he heard that. "When?"

    "Yesterday. I''ve already sent teams to those locations."

    Daichi nodded. "You said several bases. How many?"

    "Eight base of operations to be exact." Hiruzen replied.

    Daichi crossed his arms and was silent for a few moments. He then gazed at the old kage. "Eight strongholds. Attacking that many at the same time will stretch us thin and there is a good chance these are just put in ce to stall us."

    Hiruzen nodded. "I agree. But this must be done. Among these eight, 7 of them might very well be decoys, but the eighth base, I believe we might find some answers there."

    Daichi was slightly surprised. "What makes you say that?"

    "The seven bases have several mercenary ninjas guarding it. Over two dozen each. But none of them are strong. But in thest one there isn''t anyone and the entire structure is underground. Scouts have reported two strong chakra signaturesing from that location. But we are unable to identify who they are. There are strong defensive barriers in ce and the entire base is in a location not easily essible."

    Daichi was puzzled.<em>''There is no way it could be Orochimaru or Tsunade sensei. So who could they be?''</em>

    "Lord Hokage, what about the prisoners?" Kakashi asked the old leader.

    The Hokage leaned back in his chair and sped his hands. "Guren and Rinji are dead. They died during the interrogation. Orochimaru had ced several extreme defensive measures within their bodies. But Inoichi did manage to gain some useful information before the curse jutsupletely destroyed their brain."

    He looked at the two shinobi standing in front of him in silence and continued. "Guren was tasked with bringing you to that eighth location I mentioned. She knew some of the defensive measures of that location. The only other thing she knows is that there would be someone strong to defend the base if we had tracked you to that area."

    Daichi''s mind was quickly going over the implications and soon he came to an answer.<em>''Orochimaru doesn''t have many strong subordinates aside from Kimimaro, Kabuto and Guren. So unless he recruited someone strong, then I''m pretty sure the ones who are guarding that location are reanimation ninjas. Most probably kage level.''</em>

    Just then another thought shed across his mind.<em>''Wait a minute. Reanimation ninjas can track their creator. I have Shisui''s eye! If I can get to that base and turn the reanimation to obey mymand, I can get them to directly point me towards Orochimaru��''</em>

    But Daichi immediately saw the ws in that n.<em>''No. That won''t work. I haven''t even studied the Sharingan eye and don''t even know how to properly activate the Mangekyo Sharingan. Not to mention, I need to imnt that eye in something and programmands to make it work. That''s not something that can be done in a few hours. Damnit.''</em>

    Suddenly an idea came to his mind.<em>''The Dungeons. They can solve myck of time. I can use them to take as much time as I need to study and programmands into that eye. I can use the dungeons I got from Orochimaru and experiment with Shisui''s eye and the other Sharingans.''</em>

    Daichi suddenly began to calcte the viability of this n in his mind.<em>''But there is still a problem. I need to imnt the Sharingan into a living creature. Dungeons don''t have any living creatures�� Hmm�� Maybe I can capture a few from the forest nearby. But I''m sure they''re monitoring my every move. If I do anything against what they''re expecting they will definitely suspect something�� Then again, I can use my Mana skills and be invisible to all senses�� Yes, that should solve my problems. Then once I have it ready I''ll use my Dragon persona to appear in front of the re-animations and put them under my control.''</em>

    All these ideas and ns ran through Daichi''s mind in less than a few seconds. He looked at the Hokage with a serious gaze.<em>''But all that preparation won''t help me if I don''t get to that area. If I don''t know where it is I won''t be able to use Shisui''s eye on them. If he doesn''t let me go to that eighth location, it''ll just be time wasted.''</em>

    Daichi looked at the third and spoke. "Lord Hokage, please let me be a part of the team going to investigate the eighth base."

    Hiruzen narrowed his eyes as he looked at the boy.

    Daichi continued. "The chances of sensei and Shizune senpai being there is small but if they are there I have to be there too."

    Hiruzen sighed as he heard the Genin''s request. "I''m afraid I can''t allow that. It''s too dangerous. Anything can happen. I already have Jiraiya and two other powerful shinobi assigned to this task. If you go there and Orochimaru tries something, it will make the situation more difficult for me. I''m sorry Daichi. I can''t allow this request."

    Daichi bit his cheek and looked down.<em>''Damn it. I had a feeling he''d say that. I can''t ask for the location of that base. If I do and Dragon shows up they''ll certainly know something''s up. Guess that n''s a bust�� Well, using Shisui''s Mangekyo Sharingan was n B after all. Looks like I need to go back to n A.''</em>

    Seeing the Genin''s silence, the Hokage and the Jonin wanted to know Daichi''s thoughts.

    "What''s on your mind?" Hiruzen asked.

    Daichi looked at the kage and was silent for a few moments.<em>''I need to be careful. Can''t let him get suspicious or think that I have more info on Orochimaru than he thinks.''</em>

    "Assuming the Eighth base is the location to hold me as a prisoner and would need to defend it in case of an attack from the vige, it would need powerful ninjas protecting that ce."

    The Hokage nodded. "As I said, scouts have reported two strong chakra signaturesing from that location."

    "Yes. There is a good chance they''re S rank or maybe even Kage level ninjas. But people like that just don''t grow on trees. So unless Orochimaru convinced two S rank ninjas to work for him, there is a chance that one or two of them could be reanimation ninjas."

    Hiruzen looked at Daichi while crossing his arms.<em>''It seems he''se to the same conclusion as I did.''</em>

    Kakashi, standing on the side, was surprised. "How do you know about the reanimation jutsu?"

    "I met someone Orochimaru reanimated years ago, while I was still in the academy." Daichi replied with a shrug. He then turned his attention back to the old kage. "This is assuming he doesn''t have extremely strong and loyal shinobis of his own."

    The Hokage nodded. "Yes. I''ve already taken what you''ve said into consideration. I have a three man team on the way to that location right now. They''re strong. Jiraiya is among them. They''ll be able to sessfully infiltrate the base and locate Tsunade and Shizune if they are hidden there."

    But Daichi didn''t seem convinced. "I still believe this is just a waste of time. Orochimaru wouldn''t take such a risk. We should be focusing our efforts towards the Land of Earth."

    Hiruzen was silent. He remembered what Inoichi''s report said.<em>''Orochimaru told Guren he''ll join her a few dayster. So chances are he''s not in that location but��''</em>

    "Yes. I''m aware, Daichi. The odds of finding Tsunade or Orochimaru in that location is slim. Inoichi read Guren''s mind and found out that Orochimaru might be outside Fire Country." Hiruzen answered as he looked at the boy.

    Daichi frowned. "Then why are you-"

    "Because Orochimaru could have lied to her. It could be a misdirection. He could have also taken them to that location if he changed his mind or if any changes in his ns had urred. The truth is, we don''t know anything for sure, Daichi. I can''t just ignore such a threat in my own country while sending a team to attack another. Even if they''re not there, I''m certain Jiraiya and the others could find some clues to where they are..."

    Daichi was silent when he heard the old man''s reply.

    "Are the defenses of that location different from the other seven hideouts?" Kakashi asked.

    "Yes. There are multiple chakra barriers preventing anyone from probing deeper. My scout team could only sense these two but they couldn''t pry deeper because of the defenses put in ce." Hiruzen replied.<em>''It''s why I''m still holding on to some hope that those two are there. The sooner we find them the better.''</em>

    The Hokage turned his gaze to Daichi. He sighed and spoke in a somewhat softer tone. "I understand your concerns Daichi, but I''ve already made up my mind."

    Daichi sighed and became silent.<em>''He''s the Hokage. And he''s working with the information he has. Right now crossing borders to other great nations and sending arge-scale search party is just asking for trouble. So he''s doing the best he can with what he has. Guess I can''t fault him for that.''</em>

    "Lord Hokage, what did Orochimaru want with Daichi? Did that woman know?" Kakashi asked and Daichi focused his attention on the kage.

    Hiruzen looked at the Genin and was silent for several moments.<em>''Should I tell him?''</em>Concern and hesitation was apparent on his visage.

    After a few moments of internal debate the kage decided to answer the question. "Orochimaru has developed an immortality jutsu."

    The eyes of Kakashi and Daichi slightly widened in surprise for different reasons.

    ''<em>An immortality Jutsu?''</em>

    ''<em>As I suspected. His target did switch from Sasuke to me.''</em>

    Hiruzen, unaware of Daichi''s true thoughts, continued. "Orochimaru transfers his soul through a forbidden jutsu and uses the body of someone else to live longer."

    "There has to be more to it, I''m assuming. Otherwise he could have taken anyone''s body and wouldn''t specifically go after Daichi." Kakashi deduced and asked.

    The old kage agreed. "Yes. After Orochimaru takes control of the new body he will have ess to their unique bloodlines and abilities."

    Kakashi was just about to say that his student wasn''t from a n but stopped himself and nced at the boy.<em>''Even if he''s not from a n, his body has incredible potential and strength. He''s far stronger than anyone his age. I suppose it''s no surprise Orochimaru would take an interest in him.''</em>

    "Wait. Could he be using Lady Tsunade for his immortality Jutsu?" The silver haired Jonin suddenly asked.

    "The thought had crossed my mind. But I believe the probability of such a situation is low. He must want her for something else." The kage replied and then looked towards the boy.

    "Are you afraid now Daichi?" Hiruzen asked.

    "No." The calm tone in his voice indicated that Daichi wasn''t lying. "I''m concerned but I''m not afraid. If hees for me, he''ll find that I''m not an easy prey."

    "Hm�� I have no doubt you won''t go quietly. But don''t worry. You''ll be safe within these walls. You have my word." Hiruzen gave the child a small smile as if to reassure him.

    "For the moment that''s all I have for you two. The military operation will begin shortly. Once it''spleted I''ll inform you of the situation."

    "Yes." Kakashi nodded but Daichi was silent and in thought mulling over something.

    Seeing this, Hiruzen spoke. "Do you have something on your mind?"

    ''<em>Time to go with n A.''</em>The Genin nodded his head. "Yes Lord Hokage. I''d like to have ess to all the recent information you have on the Land of Earth and the movements of the border patrol units of the Hidden stone vige. Preferably all the intelligence you''ve collected for thest six months."

    "You truly believe Orochimaru has Tsunade in the Land of Earth?"

    "Yes I do."

    The kage of the Leaf vige was silent and was weighing the pros and cons of giving Daichi such information. "I already have a few people analyzing the intelligence reports on the Land of Earth and the shinobi of the Hidden Stone vige. They''re smart. If there is something to be found they''ll find it."

    But Daichi was unconvinced.<em>''Orochimaru is familiar with the vige''s surveince tactics and intelligencework. He would definitely try to avoid those. So even if it''s a Nara shinobi going over those reports, they might not be able to find anything abnormal. But I might be able to. Combine the information my clone is sending me along with what I learned from Prince Katsuya, I''m sure I''ll be able to spot Orochimaru. Or at the very least narrow down the search list.''</em>

    "Another pair of eyes wouldn''t hurt. I can take a look at that information from a fresh new perspective." Daichi replied. He couldn''t give out all his reasons to the Hokage but he was desperate to get that intel from the old leader.

    Hiruzen saw Daichi''s somewhat desperate expression and sighed. After several moments he decided to give the boy what he had gathered.<em>''He''s smart. Maybe he''ll be able to find something they missed. And this will also keep him busy till the attack is over.''</em>

    Hiruzen gazed into Daichi''s eyes and saw something that made him internally smile.

    "Very well. I''ll inform the Analysis department to send you a copy of the information you want." Hiruzen wanted to keep Daichi upied for a while and figured having him go through therge amount of information collected would be a good start.

    Daichi nodded and Hiruzen dismissed him. Once it was just Kakashi and Hiruzen in the room, the Kage spoke. "With each hour passing by the chances of a sessful rescue are dwindling. I can tell that he won''t be able to hold on while doing nothing for much longer."

    "What makes you say that Lord Hokage?"

    "He cares deeply about Tsunade and Shizune�� And because I see some of you in him��"

    Kakashi was taken back by that statement.

    Hiruzen continued. "When Rin was in trouble, you were able to continue with the mission but ultimately you made a choice and turned around. You ignored the mission and you went and rescued your teammate from enemy ninjas."

    "Yes. But in doing so I lost another."

    Kakashi looked down for a moment as the memories of that day came to the forefront of his mind. "I saved Rin that day but I lost Obito. And what''s worse�� I couldn''t even keep my promise to him."

    "I''m sorry for dredging up unpleasant memories�� but Daichi is like you. He truly believes that Tsunade and Shizune are in the Land of Earth. So it won''t be long before he goes looking for them himself."

    Kakashi nodded as he considered that a giant possibility.

    "Moreover, even if we find Orochimaru in the Land of Earth, the chances of a sessful rescue of both Tsunade and Shizune are slim. There is a great probability that one of them might perish."

    Kakashi was somewhat on edge as he looked at the Kage. "What exactly are you asking me to do, Lord Hokage?"

    "If Daichi finds something new or any information we missed or if he ns to go to the Land of Earth��" Hiruzen closed his eyes and sighed at what he was about to say.

    Kakashi''s jaw clenched and he was slightly tense as he waited for the Hokage''s words.

    Hiruzen opened his eyes as if finally making a difficult decision. "Help him. Apany him to the Lard of Earth."

    "What!?" The silver haired Jonin was taken back.

    Hiruzen smiled at the Jonin. "Yes."

    "Why?"

    "Because it''s what I would do if I was in his position. Wasting more time arguing and worrying about the rules won''t help him and it won''t get us anywhere. I have certain restrictions due to my position but you and Daichi. You don''t have such burdens."

    Kakashi let out a breath of relief. "I understand sir."<em>''Being Hokage�� He has to think about the welfare of the whole vige. But a Genin and a Jonin has no such problems.''</em>

    "If the current attack on those bases yields nothing, I''ll send Jiraiya and someone else to the Land of Earth to covertly help you two. But Kakashi��" Hiruzen''s face took on a serious expression. "You should know that should you two go into the Land of Earth and anything goes wrong or if you two get captured, it''ll put the vige in a very difficult position. There might not be much I can do and the vige will deny any involvement in your actions. Especially if Onoki bes unreasonable."

    Kakashi understood the implications and the seriousness of the situation.

    "Not only that, if Orochimaru does in fact have Tsunade and Shizune there and you somehow manage to find and get to them, someone might have to stay behind for the mission to be sessful�� You understand what that means, right?" A tinge of sadness could be heard in Hiruzen''s voice.

    Kakashi smiled and simply nodded his head. "Yes sir. If something like that happens, I''ll make sure Lady Tsunade, Shizune and Daichi escape safely."

    Hiruzen''s heart pained for a moment as he gazed at the Jonin''s expression. "Kakashi��"

    "You shouldn''t look so worried, Lord Hokage. Besides these are all the worst case scenarios." The silver haired Jonin spoke with a calm tone. "I should probably take Daichi to the intelligence department."

    Hiruzen nodded and soon the Jonin left the office leaving the Hokage alone with his thoughts. He stood from his chair and walked up to the window and looked down at the vige.

    ''<em>Yes, what I described was indeed the worst case scenario, Kakashi. You and Daichi are valuable ninjas of the vige. I won''t let anything happen to either of you that easily�� If this attack truly yields nothing then I''ll have Jiraiya and Tobirama sensei shift their focus and infiltrate the Land of Earth. Coupled with Kakashi''s resourcefulness and Daichi''s skill, I''m sure my fears won''te to pass.''</em>

    ��-----------

    Author''s Note.

    Originally I had a small part of the teams attacking the base in this chapter but recently I''ve been rewatching Mission impossible series and decided to edit this chapter and add a few more bits of interaction between kakashi and hiruzen.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen(No space)

 Chapter 340: Leaf’s Military Operation 01

    The strongest Genin of the Leaf Vige was standing out in the halls of the Hokage tower, waiting for his teacher to finish his meeting with the Hokage. Soon he saw Kakashiing out of the room.

    ''<em>Is it just me or does he seem less tense?''</em>Daichi pondered as he gazed at the silver haired man.

    "Is everything alright sensei?"

    Hearing the boy''s question Kakashi merely smiled. "Everything''s fine Daichi. Let''s head to the analysis wing."

    Daichi looked at the man and nodded. They began making their way towards the Leaf Intelligence Division building.

    "So Lord Hokage has already sent teams to attack Orochimaru''s hideouts huh." Daichi began to run simtions of the oue of this event in his mind.

    "Yes. Don''t worry. They''ll be sessful." The Jonin spoke af if reassuring the boy.

    "They will be sessful in taking down those bases and capturing everyone. But saving Tsunade sensei and Shizune senpai�� I''m not so sure about that."

    "Because you believe they''re in the Land of Earth. That possibility is high but it''s still a theory. Besides, the seven bases are secondary targets. There is another base Orochimaru created meant to contain you. They might be in that location." Kakashi said with a calm tone as he took out his orange book.<em>''This might be thest time I get to read this. Guess I better make good use of it.''</em>Daichi stayed silent and thought about the military actions of the vige.<em>''It''s been a little over 25 hours since I got the quest to save them. But in that time the Hokage was able to quickly gather intelligence andunch a counter attack... So the old man can work fast when he wants to huh�� But still, that was way too fast. That means�� Unless I''m mistaken, he already had his eyes on Orochimaru. His Anbu spying on Kabuto is proof of that. So it''s also possible he knows more than he says.''</em>

    "What are you thinking Daichi?" Kakashi asked as he nced at his student from the corner of his eye.

    "This attack�� I''m wondering how it will go."

    "Don''t worry. We''ve dealt with these kinds of situations before."

    Kakashi replied and Daichi turned his head with a questioning look.

    "During the Second and Third World war, enemy shinobi or other organizations with significant resources would kidnap a high value target to gain an advantage. We know how to respond to such situations."

    Daichi nodded. "I know. But the military response would be highly dependent on the specific circumstances, including the country, jurisdiction, enemy strength and target involved, wouldn''t it?"

    "It seems you''ve been expanding your horizons." Kakashi wasn''t surprised Daichi was looking up information on Military tactics.

    Daichi had a smirk as he replied. "Like I said earlier. Last night was very productive. But still, I only know the general steps. Intelligence gathering, nning, Deployment, Execution."

    Kakashi nodded and began to exin the basic process. "We have special tracking and reconnaissance teams. Lord Hokage had already sent them yesterday. The intelligence department woulde up with several strategies and a detailed n. Even contingency ns would be developed for potential obstacles orplications. Once the n is developed, the selected unit would be deployed to the target location, possibly with support from additional units if necessary. Stealth and surprise would be key factors in ensuring the sess of the operation."

    "Is Anbu in charge of creating these strategies?"

    "In some cases, yes. The entire operation would be under theirmand. But this is different. The man tasked with creating an attack strategy is Shikaku Nara."

    That name immediately brought a face to Daichi''s mind and he nodded. "That guy huh."

    "It seems you know the man." Kakashi didn''t know Daichi had already crossed paths with the Joninmander.

    "We''ve met once some time ago."

    Kakashi nodded and turned his focus back to his book. "Well, he''s as smart as theye. So you don''t need to worry too much."

    "It''s hard not to�� Our enemy this time is Orochimaru. He knows our ybook."

    Hearing Daichi''s words, Kakashi internally sighed.''He''s not wrong. Orochimaru knows our resources, capabilities and has an intimate knowledge of our operational tactics. He would already have defensive strategies in ce.'' ??

    Daichi meanwhile was thinking about how Orochimaru would defend himself from the Leaf''s attack. At that time his sensei spoke.

    "You likeing up with interesting theories and strategies? What do you think Orochimaru would do to protect himself?"

    "Constantly moving the target to different locations to make it difficult for the military to locate them would be one strategy." Daichi replied after a few moments of thought.

    "But the targets in Orochimaru''s hand are Lady Tsunade and Shizune. They''re not regr shinobi or high value civilians. Many things could go wrong with that strategy. So that''s out of the question. He can''t move from where he is��" Kakashi made a counterpoint.

    "Orochimaru will have to keep an eye on anyrge-scale action and military response from our side. He''ll have to protect himself from infiltration attempts. He''ll also use deception tactics and will be baiting us with false leads to buy himself some time."

    The silver haired Jonin nodded. "Yes. Employing counterintelligence and surveince. Right now we''ve already taken such arge action. If he has spies hidden in the vige, he most probably knows about the uing attack."

    Daichi nodded. "If we do have his real location, he won''t go down easily. He''d have powerful guards and other robust security measures."

    "Yes. And a confrontation would be to his disadvantage. So he''ll need a way out. Well, it''s not like he can just vanish into thin air��" Kakashi muttered thest part and Daichi agreed but then their eyes suddenly widened in realization.

    "Son of a bitch! Reverse summoning! Orochimaru has the Snake contract. If he wants to, he can use them to reverse summon himself and anyone with him." Daichi clenched his fist.<em>''Damn it, how could I forget about that. If someone manages to get close he might just reverse summon himself to safety.''</em>

    Kakashi was only momentarily surprised. "Don''t forget, Daichi. Lord Hokage also uses summoning creatures to fight. So he would know of such an escape strategy. I''m sure he would have a contingency in ce."

    Daichi slowly nodded but his mind was still on the issue.<em>''If Summoning or reverse summoning is possible why hasn''t Tsunade used it. Or Katsuyu?... Is it possible that they can''t?... I''ll need to look into that.''</em>

    The conversation between the two ninjas faded and they quickly made their way to their destination. Kakashi quickly found and spoke with the Jonin in charge.

    "We''ve received word that you two would being." A member of the Analysis division greeted them and led Daichi and Kakashi to another room filled with books, scrolls and several other documents. "Let me know if you need any assistance."

    Kakashi gave the man a polite nod. "Thank you" and looked at his student. "Well, we better get started."

    The Genin nodded and two immediately got to work.

    ��-

    The early morning sun cast a pale light through the window over the bustlingmunication center within the Hidden Leaf vige.

    Hiruzen Sarutobi stood at the heart of it all, like a steady pir of calm in a storm of activity. His hands were sped behind his back and his eyes were focused but weary as he surveyed the scene before him.

    Every person in the room could feel the tension. Hiruzen knew that any mistake could be fatal for the hostages under the rogue ninja.<em>''Tsunade and Shizune''s lives are hanging in the bnce. Orochimaru�� This time you made it personal. I won''t forgive you for this transgression.''</em>

    The Yamanaka in charge ofmunications sat cross-legged in the center of the room, glowing faintly with chakra as he kept the mental link active with the seven teams scattered across the Land of Fire. All of them had arrived at their designated positions an hour ago and were waiting for the signal to begin their coordinated assault.

    The Hokage turned and nced at the shinobi standing around him. His sensei''s, teammate''s and students'' faces, although older, shed briefly in his mind.

    ''<em>Time slows for no one. Now, it''s the new generation carrying the burden of my decisions. They''re going to face whatever Orochimaru has in store. I have to trust that they''re ready.''</em>

    He closed his eyes and exhaled deeply. The decision weighed on him, but there was no other choice.

    He snapped his eyes open and gazed at the nearby shinobi. "Are they ready?" Hiruzen asked. His voice carried a calm authority despite the turmoil within.

    "Yes. They''ve been studying the defenses around the base for hours, Lord Hokage," one of the Jonin replied, reading a report. "They''re now waiting for your order."

    The Yamanaka opened his eyes briefly and nodded. "We''re in contact with all seven teams. Standing by awaiting your orders.."

    Hiruzen took a step forward, straightening his Hokage hat. His gaze hardened, his battle-scarred hands clenched into fists as he prepared to give the finalmand. He could sense the oue of his inaction all those years ago weighing down on his shoulders.

    ''<em>I had lost Orochimaru once, and now the price might be Tsunade. I can''t afford to hesitate this time.''</em>

    "Begin the assault."

    The Yamanaka''s eyes snapped shut again as he transmitted the order, and almost immediately, the echo of battle surged through themunication links.

    Hiruzen could almost hear the sh of steel. He envisioned the thundering of jutsu, and the grunts of exertion as the seven teamsunched their attack on the seven bases Orochimaru had set up to stall them.

    ��-

    <strong>Team 03. Asuma Sarutobi''s team.</strong>

    Asuma''s team moved swiftly, crashing through the dense underbrush like a gust of wind. His trench knives gleamed in the morning light as he signaled his team to spread out. The base loomed ahead and was half-hidden by thick forest, but the presence of enemies was unmistakable.

    The former Guardian twelve ninja could feel the pulse of chakra signatures just beyond the clearing��many of them faint but dangerous.<em>''Based on Genma and Anko''s report, these guys would most probably have some sort of a curse seal. That would make them unpredictable and a vtile enemy.''</em>

    "Spread out, and remember. If possible, capture. But if not, kill." Asuma muttered, his cigarette smoldering between his lips. "They''re waiting for us. Stay sharp."

    His team nodded in silent acknowledgment, their faces tense but focused. They were experienced, but Asuma knew these mercenaries wouldn''t go down easily.<em>''Orochimaru''s influence and power has made them loyal to the point of being fanatics. That makes these guys more dangerous than ordinary thugs</em>.<em>''</em>

    As the Leaf ninjas waited, the first wave came, surging out of the base with wild, feral energy. Asuma Sarutobi lunged forward, trench knives sparking against a mercenary''s de as they shed head-on. The man''s eyes glowed with the power of the curse mark and his movements became erratic but powerful.

    Asuma''s grip tightened. The power of his chakra-infused knives protected him as he deflected a series of rapid strikes.<em>''Above average strength. Orochimaru sure knows how to create good meat shields.''</em>

    "Persistent bastards," Asuma growled and suddenly ducked low as another mercenary swung a massive club down toward him. The curse seal was active and his body was bulging grotesquely due to the sheer power flowing through.

    Asuma parried another attack with a small grunt, his muscles slightly straining against the sheer force.

    Orochimaru''s minionughed with a twisted and distorted sounding from his throat. "You Leaf ninjas don''t stand a chance! Lord Orochimaru''s power flows through all of us!"

    "Yeah?" Asuma''s voice was cool, but a metaphorical me burned in his eyes. "Well, today that won''t be enough to save you."

    He spun in ce, his trench knives crackling with chakra, and shed through the mercenary''s defenses with ease. Blood sshed in the air, and the cursed man crumpled to the ground with arge gash on his chest.

    Without waiting for the other enemy to react, Asuma rushed ahead and pierced through the left side of his torso. The sudden brutal attack took the mercenary ninja by surprise and he lost the grip on his sword as he fell to the ground.

    ''<em>More of them areing.''</em>Asuma sensed a dozen more rushing out of the base, all wielding the power of the curse seal.

    The Leaf Jonin and his team spread out, engaging the swarm of enemies. As the fight raged on, a member of Asuma''s team, Jogan, stood back and was analyzing the battlefield with his sharp eyes while the other teams moved to intercept another waveing from the north side.

    The sheer number of enemies was overwhelming, but Asuma was unfazed and even grinned. "Come on, then," he muttered, gripping his knives tightly. "Let''s see what you''ve got."

    The Leaf ninjas were outnumbered but they had several advantages. A Yamanaka and a sensory ninja were standing back rying key intelligence to them and they had an advantage in the quality of shinobi on their team.

    More mercenaries poured from the hidden base and their bodies surged with curse seal power. Some sprouted grotesque limbs, others had chakra-enhanced muscles bulging beneath their skin.

    "Die!" Onerge enemy ninja swung his fist but Asuma easily evaded it.

    The enraged man sent powerful fast punches but Asuma weaved through them with ease and soon went on the attack. His knives were like a blur of sharp steel as he cut them down one after another.

    Just as he was about to move forward, he sensed movement behind and immediately evaded to the side.

    The Jonin saw a sword shing down where he stood a second ago. Asuma turned around and saw the enemy he injured standing up even with his stomach bleeding. A few secondster the bleeding slowed down and stopped.

    "Hahaha. Do you see now? This is the power Lord Orochimaru gave us. Now we''ll be able to fight anyone." Arrogance was overflowing from the man and Asuma frowned in displeasure. He nced around and saw the fallen mercenaries getting up and standing ready for round two.

    ''<em>As expected. This won''t be easy. But still, if they''re anything like the ones Genma encountered, then they can be killed.''</em>

    He nced at his own teammates and saw that they were not too surprised or flustered.<em>''They''ve all ready the reports. So they''ve expected this. Good.''</em>

    The former Guardian twelve ninja turned his gaze back to the enemy in front. He gripped his trench knives and stood ready.

    Time the Leaf began the attack: 7:45 am.

    ��<em>-----------------</em>

    Author''s note.

    For any of you worried about any dungeon chaptering before the end of this arc, let me put you at ease. No dungeons before the end of this arc and possibly the end of the next one.

    And I also won''t drag out this operation by showing the fight scenes from all the seven teams.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen(No space)

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 341: Leaf’s Military Operation 02

    The air around the base was filled with killing intent. The faint rustling of the leaves in the wind made a poor disguise for the brutal fight thatid ahead.

    Jonin Asuma Sarutobi stood at the forefront of his team. His sharp eyes scanned the mercenaries gathered before them. He let out a deep calm breath and it formed steady small clouds in the cool morning air. His ever-present cigarette was clenched between his teeth.

    Asuma could feel it. The pulse of hostile chakra, twisted and unnatural, emanated from the enemies that stood between them and Orochimaru''sir.

    The son of the Hokage quickly assessed the situation.<em>''ording to the scouting team''s report, there are a total of 26 enemies in this location protecting that base. And it looks like out of those 26, 14 of them came out to greet us. Judging from the mutation and strange protrusions on their bodies they''re not doubt Orochimaru''s experiments. Need to capture a few alive.''</em>

    Asuma''s team, six strong, spread out around him in a loose formation, prepared for the onught. His team was bnced.

    Genjutsu, taijutsu, and ninjutsu specialists, all well-trained. But the mercenaries were different. These weren''t proper ninjas but they also weren''t ordinary fighters. They had tasted Orochimaru''s twisted power, and it had warped them into something monstrous.

    Asuma locked eyes with the three men who approached him, their bodies bulging and contorting with the activation of the curse seal.

    One had grotesque arms, nearly twice the size of his body, covered in bone-like protrusions. The second, a wiry figure, was crouched low to the ground, his limbs elongated unnaturally, moving with an unsettling insect-like grace. The third had a face half-transformed, one side human, the other a grotesque mass of scales, his fingers twitching with dangerous chakra.

    Asuma held a cool face even as he realized he was about to face 3 strong opponents at once."You!" The one with the grotesque arm spoke pointing at Asuma.

    "What?" The Leaf Jonin was curious as to what the man wanted with him.

    "That waist cloth you have has the Fire emblem etched into it. That means you were once a Guardian Twelve ninja weren''t you?"

    Asuma cocked an eyebrow. "So what? That information won''t help you here."

    "Haha! I''ve never killed anyone as famous as you. Once I take your head everyone will know my name."

    The arrogance of the enemy surprised the Leaf nins. They knew just how strong Asuma is and were insulted.

    "How arrogant. It seems these guys have severely underestimated you captain." One of the Leaf ninjas standing behind Asuma spoke.

    "Yeah." Asuma nodded as he looked at his enemy. "Out of curiosity, what is your name?"

    "Thunderhead!" The one with therge hand shouted proudly.

    A few seconds of silence filled the area as everyone processed that name.

    "Pfft- HAHAHAHAHAAA��"

    Nobody was sure who cracked first but the next second everyone in the Leaf ninjas and even some of Orochimaru''s men startedughing hard.

    "SHUT UP!" The man roared in anger and embarrassment.

    "That sounds like the name of a hooker who''s great at giving heads." One of the Leaf ninjasmented.

    Even Asuma was chuckling despite the seriousness of the situation. "Really? Out of all the names, you couldn''t havee up with something better."

    "STOP LAUGHING! I''m gonna kill all of you." The man was getting ready to attack.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Theughter died down and Asuma got serious. "Alright. Enough with the games. Remember the mission. Pick your targets and attack. I''ll handle these three clowns." He gave the order and the 5 ninjas behind him immediately sprung into action. ??

    "You''re not leaving here alive, Leaf scum," growled the one with the massive arms, his voice thundering with rage.

    Asuma didn''t reply. His grip tightened around his trench knives, the familiar hum of his chakra flowing into the des, making them crackle with energy. He exhaled slowly, focusing. There was no room for hesitation now.

    Without warning, the man with the oversized arms charged. His speed was unnerving for someone so massive. He swung one of his grotesque limbs toward Asuma with enough force to break arge tree in half.

    Asuma sidestepped just in time and he felt the wind from the strike whipping past his face.

    <em>''Close.''</em>

    Before Asuma could counter, the second mercenary��the one with elongated limbs��darted in from the side. His movements were quick, almost insect-like, and his legs whipped out at impossible angles, striking toward Asuma''s ribs.

    The Leaf Jonin blocked with one of his trench knives. His jaws clenched as the impact sent a shockwave through his arm. Asuma''s eyes narrowed as he looked at the man.<em>''That kind of force from a leg strike. It''s unnatural. This guy is much stronger than hisnky frame suggests.''</em>

    The third mercenary hung back for the moment, his scaly hand twitching as he began weaving hand signs.

    <em>''Damn it.''</em>Asuma cursed under his breath.<em>''I can''t afford to get caught in whatever jutsu that one is preparing. I need to finish this fast.''</em>

    With a sharp exhale, Asuma parried another strike from the insect-like mercenary, spinning to avoid the massive arms of the first. In a fluid motion, he channeled wind chakra into his trench knives, the des glowing brighter with an almost visible sharpness. With a single swing, he shed across the massive arm of his first opponent. The de cut through the cursed flesh with ease, sending a spray of blood into the air.

    "Aaarg!" The mercenary howled in pain, stumbling back.

    Watching this scene, the one with the half-transformed face sneered.<em>''You fool. This is what happens when you attack with no n in mind.''</em>

    He had no sympathy, even for the person on the same side. His focus quickly shifted to the former Guardian twelve ninja.

    Meanwhile, before Asuma could take advantage of his opening, the elongated limbed mercenary was on him again. His limbs were moving in a flurry of kicks and punches, each strikeing faster than thest. Asuma blocked and dodged, but the attacks were relentless. His opponent''s movements were too erratic, too unpredictable.

    Asuma tilted his head and avoided a brutal strikeing for his eyes.<em>''This guy is not only fast but he has unusual strength behind his attacks. Moreover, his movements are too erratic, too unpredictable.''</em>

    But despite these challenges, the Leaf ninja kept a cool head and waited for his opportunity. Several momentster, Asuma saw an opening.

    As the mercenary swung a long leg toward his head, the Leaf Jonin ducked low and shed upward, slicing clean through the man''s calf.

    "Aaaahhh!" A scream tore from the mercenary''s throat as he copsed, blood spurting from the wound. But even on the ground, he still reached out with those unnaturally long limbs, trying to w at Asuma.

    It was then, the third mercenary attacked.

    "Rhaaa! Take this you bastard!" With a guttural shout, the half-scaled man unleashed a wave of crackling chakra from his palm.

    It shot toward the leaf ninja like a bolt of lightning, fast and deadly. Asuma''s instincts kicked in, and he threw himself to the side, rolling just in time to avoid the brunt of the attack.

    The ground where he had been standing exploded in a shower of earth and debris.

    But even as Asuma dodged, the first mercenary, his arm bleeding but still functional, charged in again with his rage fueling his power. His oversized fists mmed toward Asuma in a brutal overhead strike.

    A mad grin was on his face as his massive fist came closer and closer to its intended victim.<em>''This is it. He has no time to dodge. He doesn''t even have time to think. I''m going to kill him. This is your punishment forughing at me.''</em>

    Asuma stood his ground and chakra flooded into his trench knives. Just before the massive fists could connect he swung both des upward in a cross sh, unleashing the full force of his wind-infused chakra.

    The impact created a shockwave that sent the mercenary stumbling back, his arms sliced deeply by the wind des.

    Before the third mercenary could unleash another jutsu, Asuma flicked his trench knife forward, sending a de of wind straight toward him.

    The man''s eyes widened as he saw the speed with which the wind de wasing.<em>''Too fast. Can''t dodge.''</em>

    The sharp wind attack sliced through the air and hit its mark, cutting through the man''s chest. The scaled mercenary gasped, clutching at the wound as blood poured from it.

    Asuma didn''t give him a second nce as he fell. He had no time to waste. The elongated-limbed mercenary was still trying to crawl toward him, his eyes wide with desperation, but Asuma stepped forward and drove his trench knife into the man''s chest, ending it swiftly.

    That left the one with the massive arms. He was bleeding heavily now, panting, his body barely holding together after the chakra-infused shes from Asuma''s knives. But his eyes still burned with fury.

    "You�� you''re nothing��pared to Lord Orochimaru''s power!" the man snarled, raising his oversized arms for onest desperate strike.

    Asuma''s eyes hardened. "Orochimaru can''t save you now."

    With a final burst of speed, Asuma lunged forward, his trench knives zing with wind chakra. The mercenary swung his fists down, but Asuma was already inside his guard. With one swift, decisive movement, he shed both knives across the mercenary''s chest, cutting deep.

    The man staggered, his eyes wide in disbelief as his body gave out. He copsed to the ground with a heavy thud, the curse mark fading from his skin as life left his body.

    Asuma straightened, his breathing heavy but controlled. He looked around at the carnage��three cursed mercenariesy dead at his feet. But there was no time to rest. His team was still locked in battle with the others. He wiped the blood from his trench knives and nced toward the entrance of the base.

    <em>''Has the other team entered the base?''</em>Asuma asked the Yamanaka ninja connected to him.

    <em>''Yes. They''re currently disabling traps and dispelling illusion barriers. Their team is on the west side and is engaged with 4 enemies.''</em>Themunications ninja replied.

    <em>''They''ll be fine. Focus on the team going inside. Make sure they do a thorough sweep from top to bottom.''</em>Asuma ordered.

    <em>''Yes captain.''</em>

    Asuma then focused on the others of his team.<em>''Time to see if I canplete the other part of my mission.''</em>

    ��-

    The sh of steel and the crackle of jutsu echoed through the forest as Asuma''s team engaged the remaining Orochimaru mercenaries. The battle was chaotic, bodies moving in a deadly dance of violence and skill. The cursed seal-enhanced enemies fought like rabid animals, but the Leaf ninjas were well-trained, precise and held their ground.

    Asuma entered the party and the pressure on the Leaf ninjas lessened. Among the five Leaf ninjas fighting alongside was Jogan Himaki. Asuma had been secretly pushing a few stronger enemy ninjas towards Jogan.

    The Leaf Jonin was secretly keeping an eye on the man''s abilities and as more time passed Asuma became shocked.

    Jogan was an average-looking shinobi, typically quiet, unremarkable in most ways, a background figure in many missions. On paper, he was just another chunin��nothing more, nothing less. But as the battle unfolded, something became ringly clear.

    <em>''His movements. They''re too sharp, too refined. His strikes hit with deadly precision and his reactions are faster than what I''d expect from someone of his Rank.</em>

    Even Asuma, who had always prided himself on his ability to read people, felt a flicker of surprise.<em>''It''s not obvious unless someone is observing closely. He''s making it look like he''s having a difficult fight but he''s inplete control.''</em>

    "You won''t defeat us Leaf ninjas that easily." Jogan shouted as he stepped forward to engage two mercenaries, his hands weaving through rapid hand seals. A torrent of fire erupted from his mouth, sting the two cursed seal users backward, their twisted bodies alight with mes.

    Asuma''s eyes narrowed as he observed Jogan. His suspicion had been correct. Jogan wasn''t just an ordinary chunin��he was far more dangerous than he let on.

    <em>''He''s showing just enough skill and a bit more. This is an important mission. Maybe he''s looking to gain merits and a higher position. Root training, no doubt.''</em>

    Asuma was given a simple yet grim task: ensure Jogan didn''te back from this mission.

    No one else on the team knew. And as Asuma watched Jogan slice through two mercenaries with deadly efficiency, he could feel the weight of that burden pressing down on him.

    The Leaf Jonin had read the man''s file and he internally sighed.

    <em>''He''s secretly a Danzo loyalist and fanatic. If I hesitate or show mercy now, it could cause problemster.''</em>

    Around him, the rest of the team fought hard against the curse-seal enhanced mercenaries. One of his teammates, a kunoichi specializing in Genjutsu, had trapped a group of enemies in a visual illusion.

    It allowed another teammate to break through with a flurry of taijutsu strikes. Another Leaf ninja used earth jutsu to deflect iing projectiles, keeping the others covered.

    But Jogan was to the side and away from the team. He was efficient even as he battled the enemies on his own. Asuma could feel his heart race with the urgency of the situation.

    <em>''Dad made his move against Danzo. If Jogan returns to the Leaf and he finds out what happened, then there is no telling what he might do.''</em>

    Asuma quickly steeled his heart and made the decision. The chaos of the current battlefield presented the perfect opportunity for him to act.

    <em>''Sorry, Jogan</em>.'' Asuma thought, his expression unreadable as he observed the battlefield. His hands moved subtly, weaving a quick, discrete set of seals. His attack hit Jogan just as the Root agent prepared to strike at the two mercenaries.

    Suddenly, the Root sleeper agent faltered. His attack slowed as confusion clouded his features. His eyes widened slightly, just a flicker of uncertainty crossing his usually cold demeanor.<em>''Genjutsu?''</em>

    It was a genjutsu��quick, subtle, nothing shy, but enough to throw Jogan off bnce for just a few precious seconds. A well-ced distortion of his perception, so small that no one else would notice in the chaos of battle.

    The two mercenaries, one with jagged spikes protruding from his forearms and the other with elongated ws, didn''t waste the opportunity.

    They lunged forward with savage grins, sensing blood. "Yes! Die you Leaf bastard."

    Jogan tried to recover, but it was toote. The spiked mercenary mmed his arm forward, the sharp, bone-like protrusions tearing through the Root ninja''s chest with a sickening crunch.

    Blood sprayed across the forest floor. The other mercenary followed up, raking his ws across Jogan''s throat in a brutal finishing move. His body stiffened, his eyes wide with shock, and then, slowly, he crumpled to the ground in a lifeless heap.

    Asuma''s expression remained neutral as he watched it unfold, the mercenaries pulling back, grinning with victory as they returned to the fray. None of the other Leaf shinobi noticed anything unusual; in the heat of battle, it looked like Jogan had simply been overwhelmed by the enemy.

    The kunoichi, still engaged with a cursed mercenary in the distance, shouted in frustration when she noticed Jogan fall. "Jogan! No!"

    Another teammate rushed to cover her as she tried to refocus, but there was no time to mourn. "Don''t get distracted!"

    The fight raged on around them, but Asuma felt a strange sense of calm settle over him. He had done what needed to be done.<em>''Hokage''s orders Jogan. It had to be done.''</em>

    Jogan Himaki, the Root sleeper agent, was gone.

    The battle continued and Asuma''s trench knives shed as he engaged the remaining mercenaries, his focus shifting back to the mission at hand. The team would mourn Joganter, perhaps over sake and quiet words. They would speak of his bravery, his skill in battle, how he had fought fiercely against Orochimaru''s cursed soldiers.

    But only Asuma, the Hokage and a few high level ninjas in the Leaf vige would know the truth.

    That Jogan and others like him were never meant to return.

    ��---------------

    Author''s Note

    I''m not sure how the humor at the beginning of this chapter will work out. I''m trying out a few things. Tell me your thoughts on the chapter. I wont show the battle of the other 6 teams too. That would be too boring.

    But Jiraiya, Tobirama and Ox are about to go into battle. Try and guess who their enemies will be...

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen(No space)

 Chapter 342: Traps, traps and more traps!

    Five Leaf ninjas moved carefully through the dimly lit corridors of Orochimaru''s base. Their footsteps were silent as each of them focused on their mission. They had already taken down eight weak mercenaries and disabled a series of traps along the way.

    "With Asuma and his team taking on the heavy hitters, the rest of these guys left behind aren''t all that much of a threat." One of the Chunin ninjas spoke. Even so there was an uncertainty in his voice. "But still��"

    It felt almost too easy, but none of them voiced that thought aloud. This building was made by Orochimaru. They knew better than to let their guard down.

    At the front was a Chunin, Tenchi Hyuga. He activated his Byakugan, his pale eyes glowing faintly in the darkness as veins bulged around his temples.

    "I''m seeing three strong chakra signatures on the lowest floor," Tenchi muttered. He narrowed his gaze, focusing. "But something feels�� wrong. It''s like the signatures are flickering."

    His teammate Kaito Inuzuka crouched beside him, his wolf-like features alert, nose twitching as he sniffed the air. His trusty ninken, conspicuously absent from his side.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    "You sure about that, Tenchi?" Kaito asked, ncing at him. "Orochimaru''s bases are full of weird stuff, but you''ve never mentioned flickering chakra before."

    Tenchi nodded, his brows furrowed. "It''s like there''s interference. I can''t get a clear read on them."

    Shin Aburame, stood calmly behind the two, his hands in his pockets as his Kikaich�� beetles buzzed quietly beneath his cloak. He was calm, methodical, the type who rarely spoke unless necessary. "Could be a trap," he said, his voice low and controlled.The other two Leaf ninjas with them��standard jonin, no bloodlines or n techniques to boast of��nodded in agreement. They trusted the instincts of theirrades. "This is Orochimaru''s base. All kinds of traps are to be expected. Let''s not forget what Commander Shikaku told everyone."

    "We''ll stay sharp," Kaito nodded, turning to the others. "Just because we haven''t hit anything major yet doesn''t mean there aren''t any."

    As they descended toward the lowest floor, the tension grew thicker. Tenchi kept his Byakugan active, scanning for any subtle traps or seals, but his face remained set in a grim line.<em>''Even with my Byakugan, why can''t I see who those chakra signatures belong to? How did Orochimaru even aplish such a thing?''</em>

    When they reached the bottom, the air felt colder. There was something off about this ce��almost unnatural.

    The walls were lined with old seals, barely visible in the gloomy darkness, and the chakra signatures Tenchi had sensed were close. But before any of them could make another move, the seals activated and the ground beneath their feet rumbled.

    Tenchi''s eyes widened. "It''s a��"

    BOOM! The floor erupted.

    A massive explosion tore through the base, sending chunks of stone, metal, and debris in every direction. Fire roared through the corridors, and for a moment, it seemed like the entire structure was copsing. The deafening sound of the st echoed throughout the forest outside.

    But the Leaf ninjas caught in the explosion didn''t cry out. They didn''t panic. As the mes cleared, it became evident��their bodies, torn apart by the explosion, flickered for a brief moment before dissipating entirely in different forms.

    The Aburame ninja exploded into several small insects before being consumed by mes while the others in the team vanished in a puff of smoke.

    All of them were clones.

    ��-

    Outside, concealed near the perimeter of the base was a group of 5 ninjas and a ninja dog. They were waiting patiently for information their clones could unearth.

    Kaito''s ninken, a sleek ck-and-brown dog named Taro, growled at his side.

    "Woof woof!" The ninken growled and barked softly. Its hairs stood on edge as if it sensed something ominous.

    "Yeah. I know, boy. I''m feeling it too." His partner Kaito rubbed his back and calmed him.

    The next second an explosion tore through the building and the Leaf ninjas dodged the burning debrising their way.

    Tenchi let out a slow breath, his Byakugan still active, his heart pounding in his chest. "We would''ve been vaporized if we were still inside."

    Kaito grinned, though the tension hadn''t quite left his face. "I''ve never been more grateful for Shikaku''s warning. ''Always assume there''s one more trap,''" he said, mimicking the Nara n head''s calm, instructive voice.

    "Clones were a good call," Shin added quietly, his gaze still fixed on the crumbling base in front of them. His beetles buzzed around him in response, reflecting his steadyposure. "Orochimaru''s traps are always lethal."

    One of the Jonin in the group wiped the sweat from his brow and nodded in agreement. "Shikaku''s advice just saved our skins."

    Tenchi, still scanning the area with his Byakugan, frowned. "The chakra signatures I sensed before the explosion��they''re still there, but weaker now. This whole ce was rigged to lure us in."

    Kaito''s grin faded, and his expression turned more serious. "So, this was just a decoy then? Orochimaru ying his mind games again."

    "Looks like it," Tenchi replied, deactivating his Byakugan. "We''ll have to regroup and report that we failed."

    "Yeah, but at least we''re still breathing," Kaito muttered, patting Taro on the head as the ninken barked softly in agreement.

    One of the Jonin behind them nced at the smoldering ruins of the base and shook his head. "I wouldn''t have expected anything less from Orochimaru. We''ll have to be more careful moving forward."

    Shin turned to the others, his usual calm demeanor unchanged. "We''ve cleared the way for Asuma''s team. Let''s make sure we stay alive to finish the mission."

    With a nod, the group rose from their crouched positions, silently retreating from the explosion site, wary of any more traps that might still be lying in wait.

    ��-

    <strong>Leaf Vige - Intelligence Department.</strong>

    The air inside the Intelligence Department building was heavy. At the center of it all stood Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, his battle-worn face etched with deep lines of concentration. The normally calm demeanor he carried was now shadowed with concern as he watched the reportse in from all seven teams sent to take down Orochimaru''s bases.

    This wasn''t just a typical mission. For him this was personal. Tsunade and Shizune had been kidnapped, and every minute that passed without news of them gnawed at him.

    Hiruzen stood with his hands behind his back, the Hokage robes hanging heavy on his shoulders. Around him, the intelligence officers were working tirelessly,municating with the various teams stationed across the Land of Fire. The room was a hive of activity��officers rying orders, transcribing updates, and mapping out the seven bases. Hiruzen''s keen eyes missed nothing.

    A Yamanaka operative, sitting cross-legged in the center of the room, was deep inmunication with the teams in the field. His face was pale with the strain of maintaining mental connections with so many ninja at once, but he stayed focused, rying each report with precision.

    "Team two is encountering heavy resistance at Base 2," one of the intelligence officers reported, his voice clipped with urgency. "They''re up against summoningsrge snakes. Injuries reported but no fatalities so far. Awaiting further updates."

    Hiruzen''s grip tightened slightly behind his back. Orochimaru''s influence was clear with those summonings, but the question gnawed at him��where was Orochimaru? And more importantly, where were Tsunade and Shizune?

    "Snakes again," Shikaku Nara murmured from his station nearby, where he was meticulously noting down the status of each team, tracking their progress, analyzing damage reports, and casualties. His brow furrowed as he nced up at the Hokage. "This is ssic Orochimaru. He''s trying to stall us."

    "We''ve anticipated this, but nheless it''s annoying." Inoichi, who was nearby, spoke. His face kept a stern expression but the clenched hands at his sides gave his true emotions away.

    Hiruzen nodded, his eyes never leaving the unfolding situation map in front of him. "He''s always been a master of diversions, but we can''t afford to lose sight of the real objective."

    One of the Yamanaka assistants, his voice strained from maintaining multiple mental connections, spoke up. "Lord Hokage, Team Seven is reporting the same thing at Base 7. More snake summons. They''ve encountered over a dozen enemies so far. No sign of Lady Tsunade or Shizune."

    Hiruzen''s jaw clenched ever so slightly. His mind raced, piecing together the scattered reports.<em>''As predicted, Orochimaru is ying his twisted games. These bases are nothing more than decoys. Still, each one has to be thoroughly searched. But every second wasted here could prove fatal to those two.''</em>

    "Keep monitoring Base 2 and 7 closely," Hiruzen ordered. "Tell them to proceed with caution. Those snake summonings. It''s proof that those operatives have a closer connection to Orocihmaru than the rest. Do not engage recklessly. And tell the squads to capture a few of them alive."

    Another report came in almost immediately after. "Lord Hokage, Team Five has encountered a series ofplex traps at Base 5. Chakra-sealing barriers and explosive tags. They''re working to disarm them, but it''s slowing their advance significantly."

    Hiruzen''s eyes shifted to the map, where Base 5 was located.<em>''That location is 89 kilometers west of the vige.''</em>

    The Hokage''s expression remained calm, but inwardly, he was calcting the situation carefully.<em>''Every base is a potential death trap, and the teams are walking into them blind. Yet they couldn''t afford to back off.</em>

    "He''s trying to bleed us out," Shikaku said, his voice low but steady. "Dy tactics, meant to whittle down our numbers while we waste time on decoy bases."

    Hiruzen nodded grimly. "I know."

    "Lord Hokage, despite the troubles we''ve encountered, I doubt the teams would have too many problems." Inoichi spoke and the old Kage nced at him.

    "The information we were able to obtain from Rinji and Guren before their deaths and the analysis made by the early scout teams are invaluable. They''ve slowed us down but we still have a significant advantage over them." Inoichi exined and Hiruzen silently nodded in understanding.

    "Perhaps I should count those two attacking Daichi and his team as a blessing in disguise." The Hokage sighed and turned his attention back to the situation in front of him.

    Shikaku scribbled down another set of notes, his sharp mind already dissecting the tactical situation. "No reports of Orochimaru''s presence anywhere. Nothing on Lady Tsunade or Shizune. He''s keeping them somewhere else."

    "Likely far from these bases," Hiruzen said with a tired sigh, his voice heavy with resignation. "These traps are to keep us upied. Orochimaru is several steps ahead."

    At that moment the Yamanaka operative''s eyes opened slightly. "Lord Hokage�� Team Three at Base 3 is reporting no major resistance yet, but they''re encountering more traps. Chakra-based Genjutsu. They''re working to neutralize them now."

    Hiruzen''s brow furrowed.<em>''Traps, traps, and more traps.''</em>

    He could feel the threads of Orochimaru''s web tightening around his teams.<em>''How</em><em>frustrating.''</em>

    The old kage knew it was only a matter of time before something gave.<em>''These traps are there to stall, but I can''t turn back now. We need a breakthrough.''</em>

    "We''ll have to push harder," Hiruzen said quietly, more to himself than to anyone in particr. "We don''t have time to waste."

    Shikaku looked up from his notes, his sharp mind piecing together the bigger picture. "What about the other mission? We haven''t received any word yet."

    Hiruzen''s eyes flickered briefly. He knew the underlying reason Shikaku was asking. Among all the reports of enemy traps and resistance, there was also the secret mission to eliminate Root sleeper agents.

    Only Hiruzen, the Joninmander and the team captains knew the truth about that particr operation. It had to be done, and Asuma was one of the ninjas entrusted with that task.

    "Not yet," Hiruzen said quietly. "But they will handle it."

    Shikaku gave a slight nod, understanding the weight of that decision without needing further exnation. He returned to his work, his mind constantly processing the flood of data and updates from the field.

    Another voice chimed in from the far side of the room. "Lord Hokage, Team One at Base 1 has secured the perimeter. They''ve disabled several traps and taken down a dozen enemies. But three casualties on our side." The Yamanaka Chunin reported with a slightly saddened expression.

    "Who are they?" Shikaku asked and the Yamanaka ninja quickly gave the list of the three fatalities from team one.

    The Joninmander looked over the names and inwardly nodded.<em>''The Root sleeper ninjas assigned to Jonin Kozim are sessfully removed.''</em>

    "I understand." Hiruzen said with a neutral tone.

    His thoughts were still on Bases 2 and 7, where the snake summons had been reported. Orochimaru''s presence was strongest there, but that didn''t mean he was actually present. Everything pointed to distractions.

    As Hiruzen stood silently, listening to the reportsing in, his mind wandered back to his former student.

    ''<em>Orochimaru�� Once upon a time, I had been so proud of your talent. Your ambition. But now, you''re just a thorn in the heart of the vige, constantly testing the limits of my patience and resolve.''</em>

    The Yamanaka operative, still mentally linked to the field teams, opened his eyes again, sweat pouring down his face from the strain. "Lord Hokage, Team Seven reported that they''ve neutralized the snake summons at Base 7. Two fatalities but�� still no sign of Lady Tsunade or Miss Shizune."

    ''<em>Damn it.''</em>Hiruzen''s heart sank slightly but his expression remained calm.

    He felt the weight of leadership bearing down on him more than ever in that moment. Tsunade��his other former student, his apprentice��was still missing, along with Shizune.

    And the realization was growing stronger with every passing moment:<em>''There was the tiniest hope in my heart that he would think that we wouldn''t waste our time with those obvious decoys and would hide in one of those locations but�� I have to abandon that thought. He isn''t in any of these bases.''</em>

    But Hiruzen had to keep pressing on. There was no other choice.

    "Keep me updated on all teams," Hiruzen ordered with a stern voice. "We''ll find them."

    Shikaku nced up from his notes, his sharp eyes meeting Hiruzen''s. "When we do, Orochimaru won''t be far behind."

    Hiruzen nodded. "I''m aware. When we find him�� I will end this war."

    ��-

    <strong>Land of Fire �C Unknown Location</strong>

    The forest surrounding Orochimaru''s 8th base was dense and foreboding, its ancient trees towering high above like sentinels, their branches entwined to form a natural canopy that let in only slivers of sunlight. The silence was unnerving��no birds, no wind, just an oppressive stillness. Deep beneath this seemingly serene woondy Orochimaru''s trueir, hidden from the world by powerful barriers and cloaked in secrecy.

    Anbu Commander Ox crouched low on a sturdy branch, his hawk-like eyes scanning the area. His mask, adorned with the signature markings of the Leaf''s elite ck-ops unit, hid his focused expression as he studied the terrain.

    ''<em>It seems the intelligence we received from Guren is urate. Orochimaru''s defenses here are unlike anything at the decoy bases the others are currently attacking�� There are multiple traps and subtleyers of barriers surrounding this area and this subterranean base, each one cleverly masked to blend with the natural chakra flow of thend. Incredible.''</em>

    Ox had seen his share ofplex jutsu over the years, but this��this was something else entirely. The barriers were woven so tightly into the environment that, without Guren''s inside information, it would''ve been nearly impossible to detect them.

    ''<em>I know why Orochimaru chose this location. It''s a perfect fortress.''</em>

    He stood, keeping himself hidden behind the leaves of a massive tree, scanning for any patrols or signs of movement. But the area seemed devoid of life. A faint flicker of chakra deep below the ground caught his attention.

    As he began analyzing a possible entry point, his instincts red. Something��no, someone��deep inside the base sensed his presence. Ox''s body tensed as his years of battle-honed intuition screamed at him to stay alert.

    ''<em>I''ve been discovered.''</em>

    ��---------------

    Author''s Note.

    Ok. To recap things so far. Orochimaru has created 7 decoy bases and an 8th secret base where Guren was supposed to take Daichi after capturing him.

    Orochimaru had secretly leaked the locations of the 7 bases to a root ninja spying on his movements.

    It was because he wanted the Hokage to attack those bases and waste time,weaken the leaf ninjas and for Danzo to take that opportunity to attack hiruzen and start a civil war (Which didn''t happen)

    Now, Hiruzen knows these 7 bases are decoys guarded by Orochimaru''s experiment rejects but he can''t just let hundreds of orochimaru''s men roam the Land of Fire without doing anything. It is bound to cause chaos. And he also needed a way to get rid of Danzo fanatics and loyalists.

    SO this mission was absolutely necessary.

    Next chapter �C A Sannin, an Anbumander and a reanimated kage walk into a hidden base�� With two toads��.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen(No space)

 Chapter 343: The Thinnest Thread...

    <strong>Hidden Leaf Vige.</strong>

    <strong>Kakashi & Daichi. (8:00 am)</strong>

    Inside the brightly lit analysis wing of the intelligence department, Kakashi Hatake and his Genin student, Daichi Hekima, sat side by side at a long table, their eyes scanning through a series of documents and maps. The room was filled with the sound of flipping papers and the asional murmur of nearby intelligence officers, but for Kakashi and Daichi, all that mattered were the files in front of them.

    Daichi furrowed his brow, his gaze intent on a report sent by Jiraiya. The Toad Sage had returned to the vigetest night and after receiving orders from his teacher/ leader he quickly contacted his agents stationed in or near the Land of Earth and obtained numerous pieces of information.

    After delivering crucial intelligence on the Land of Earth to the analysis department a couple hours ago, he disappeared once again.

    Daichi leaned forward, his eyes intense as he sifted through a stack of reports. The clock on the wall ticked past 8 am, but he was already fully immersed in his work. He picked up a document marked with Jiraiya''s distinctive handwriting and began to go through its contents.

    "Lord Jiraiya managed to gather this much intel in just a few hours? To even get intelligence on the Hidden stone border patrol squads��" Daichi murmured, half to himself. "That''s impressive."

    Kakashi nced over, his one visible eye curving into a slight smile. "He has his ways."

    Among the many details scattered throughout the documents, one caught Daichi''s attention. A brief mention of someone close to the Earth Country''s Finance Minister meeting with a trade team from the Land of Snow. Such a meeting in itself wasn''t unusual. But it was what he had learned yesterday from the prince and the nature of the transport that caught the Genin''s attention.Daichi''s mind raced as he connected the dots. It wasn''t just the meeting itself that was odd��there had been multiple shipments from the Land of Snow arriving in the Land of Earth over thest four months, all escorted by foreign ninjas. The shipments had been marked as low-priority, but something about the unusually high number of guards protecting them struck him as suspicious.

    "Anything interesting?" Kakashi asked.

    Daichi hesitated for a moment. He couldn''t reveal everything he knew��not yet. "Well, there are several reports about small shipmentsing into the Land of Earth from the Land of Snow over the past few months. They seem routine at first nce."

    Kakashi nodded thoughtfully. "Trade between those countries isn''t unusual. What''s catching your eye?"

    "<em>These</em><em>shipments</em>from the Land of Snow," Daichi muttered, as he pointed to specific records in front of him. "They''ve been listed as low-priority, but the number of guards doesn''t add up. It shows more protection than what you''d expect for something supposedly unimportant."

    Kakashi leaned in, his interest piqued. "That is strange. Do we know what''s in the shipments?"

    "Not specifically," Daichi replied, flipping through another report. "But the cargo manifests are vague��listed as ''industrial supplies'' or ''machinery parts.'' Nothing detailed."

    The Silver haired Jonin nced over, his sharp eye scanning the information. "Low-priority cargo with that level of security�� sounds like they''re trying to keep something hidden in in sight. But then again this could be something the Tsuchikage or someone else in the Hidden stone vige ordered. Not sure if it would help us."

    Daichi nodded, flipping through another document. "Yeah I would have thought the same but look at this," he said, sliding another report over to Kakashi. "These shipments weren''t sent to the Hidden Stone vige or even the Earth Capital city. After arriving in the country no final destination was listed. The ninja escorts left after delivering them."

    Kakashi''s visible eye narrowed as he leaned in closer. "No destination? That''s odd. Especially for something supposedly low-priority."

    "It gets stranger," Daichi continued, his voice growing more intense. He reached for another stack of reports, quickly scanning through them. "Every time these shipments arrived, two or three dayster, the Hidden Stone patrol squads in some areas were diverted away from their usual routes."

    Kakashi''s brow furrowed, piecing together the implications. "So, they''re deliberately clearing a path. They want these shipments to travel unnoticed to their final destination."

    The silver haired Jonin then leaned back in his seat and crossed his arms.<em>''Assuming the Tsuchikage isn''t the one behind these shipments, who would even have the power to change the routes of a patrol squad behind his back? A high level Jonin? A high ranking official�� or someone else?''</em>

    Daichi nodded with his teacher, his hands flipping through the papers faster now, the puzzle pieces falling into ce. His mind wandered back to the conversation he''d had the previous night with Katsuya Hinoo, the Third Prince of the Land of Fire.

    The prince had revealed a dangerous secret��Orochimaru had met with the Finance Minister of the Earth Country in secret. Soon after, high-end medical equipment was being smuggled into the Land of Earth through hidden channels.

    ''<em>Orochimaru is building ab.''</em>Daichi thought, his stomach knotting. He couldn''t share this knowledge with anyone. But now, with this new information, theb''s location was beginning to take shape in his mind.

    Kakashi, unaware of Daichi''s secret meeting, picked up on his student''s intense focus. "Daichi," he said, his voice calm but probing, "what are you thinking?"

    The Genin hesitated for a split second but quickly gathered his thoughts. "These shipments��bined with the diverted patrols�� it''s like they''re being delivered to a ce that no one''s supposed to know about."

    He tapped a finger on a remote section of the map��an area surrounded by difficult terrain, nearly impossible to ess without knowledge of the exact routes. "This ce here. It matches up with the patrol routes and the shipment movements. It''s isted, hard to reach, and the perfect ce for someone like Orochimaru to build something�� secret."

    Kakashi''s gaze followed Daichi''s finger as it hovered over the map. His mind clicked into gear, analyzing the potential strategic advantages of the location. "If you''re right, then Orochimaru could be hiding something big there. Ab�� a research facility, maybe even a weapons cache. But still, this is a big if. We''re basing this on the assumption that these shipments belong to Orochimaru and it''s going to his hideout. What makes you so certain of that? Isn''t there the possibility that this could be someone else''s doing?"

    Daichi stayed silent.<em>''Katsuya said the Finance minister met with someone who''s most probably Orochimaru. In the information he showed me he insisted that shipments with this same number ofrge guards were protecting Orochimaru''s cargo. Now coupled with this intelligence I can trace their path and significantly narrow down my search.''</em>

    "Call it a hunch." The gamer spoke no more and kept his eyes on the documents in front of him.

    Kakashi sensed the shift in Daichi''s energy and choosing not to press, continued to analyze the situation. "Jiraiya''s report mentioned someone close to the Finance Minister meeting with these trade teams from the Land of Snow. If the Finance Minister of Earth Royal court is involved, this isn''t just some small operation. It''s political, and it''s being carefully orchestrated."

    Daichi nodded, still piecing it together. "It''s more than just smuggling equipment. The timing of the patrol diversions, the foreign ninja escorts��it''s all being coordinated. But if the shipments are that important, then Orochimaru is doing more than building ab. He''s nning something big."

    Kakashi leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. "The Land of Snow isn''t known for high-tech medical equipment. They specialize in industrial goods, machinery�� But if they''re involved in supplying Orochimaru, then as you''ve said, it could mean they''re helping him set up something more than just a medicalb."

    Daichi''s heart skipped a beat at the realization.<em>High-end medical equipment</em>, Katsuya had said. The kind needed for gic experiments, for human trials. It all lined up. But he couldn''t say that aloud��couldn''t reveal that he already knew.

    Kakashi tapped his fingers on the table, considering the information gathered. "So, we have a list of several dubious shipments, unlisted destinations, heavy security, involvement of high-ranking officials, and patrol diversions. Sounds like Orochimaru or someone else in the Land of Earth is trying to hide something significant."

    Daichi nodded, his mind racing with ideas and theories. "If we map out the patrol diversions and the shipment routes, maybe we can narrow down where these supplies are actually going."

    "Good idea," Kakashi said. "Let''s plot them out."

    They spread arge map of the Land of Earth across the table. Daichi began marking the shipment routes and the locations where patrols were thinned out or redirected.

    "Here," Daichi pointed to a mountainous region far from any major settlements. "This area shows consistent patrol diversions after each shipment."

    Kakashi studied the map. "Difficult terrain, minimal poption, and strategically isted. An ideal ce to keep something hidden."

    "Like a secret facility," Daichi suggested, testing the waters.

    Kakashi nced at him. "You''re thinking there might be a building out there somewhere?"

    "It''s possible," Daichi replied. "Thebination of secretive shipments and patrol maniptions tells us they''re protecting more than just trade goods."

    Kakashi, who was lost in his own thoughts, spoke up again. "This terrain you''ve highlighted," he said, pointing to the map, "it''s not just difficult��it''s nearly impossible to ess without advanced knowledge of the area. Hidden Stone patrols cover most of the routes, but if they''re being diverted��"

    Daichi finished the thought. "Then whoever''s moving those shipments could slip through undetected. And once they reach the base��"

    Kakashi''s eye focused on Daichi. "You''re thinking Orochimaru is using thisb for something other than research, aren''t you?"

    Daichi hesitated. "I don''t have proof yet, but so much equipment being smuggled in and the secrecy surrounding the whole operation��it doesn''t feel like it''s just about medicine. It feels like preparation for something bigger. Something dangerous."

    Kakashi was quiet for a moment, letting Daichi''s words hang in the air. Then he nodded. "You might be right. But we can''t act on suspicion alone. We need more concrete evidence before we can confront the Hidden Stone or Orochimaru."

    Daichi exhaled, grateful that Kakashi hadn''t pushed him further. He knew Kakashi was sharp enough to sense that there was more going on, but for now, he kept his silence.

    "So, what''s our next step?" Daichi asked, trying to refocus on the mission.

    "We continue to gather intel," Kakashi said, his voice calm but decisive. "I''ll report these findings to the Hokage. Meanwhile, you keep digging through these records. Focus on narrowing down the exact location of theb, and see if there''s any more information about these shipments."

    Daichi nodded, determined. "Understood."

    As Kakashi stood and prepared to leave, he ced a hand on Daichi''s shoulder. "Good work, Daichi. Your analytical skills are impressive as always."

    Daichi looked up, a hint of a smile on his face. "Thank you, Kakashi-sensei."

    Kakashi''s eye crinkled with a smile. "Keep digging through those files. We''ll need every piece of information we can get."N?v(el)B\\jnn

    Daichi watched as Kakashi walked away. His heart was still racing. He had considerably narrowed down his search field and he knew what Orochimaru was nning. But now, he had to tread carefully. One wrong move, and everything could fall apart.

    ''<em>The pieces areing together, but the real game is just beginning.''</em>

    ��-

    The hidden entrance to Orochimaru''s 8th base was concealed somewhere below the forest floor, but he had no intention of entering just yet. He knew he had been detected the moment his chakra brushed against the subtle defenses scattered throughout the area.

    Without hesitation, Ox reached into his pouch and pulled out the kunai the Third Hokage had entrusted to him. The seal etched into the de was unmistakable, bearing the signature of the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju. He channeled a pulse of chakra into the kunai, activating the seal.

    Hiruzen had given him strict instructions before he left the Leaf Vige:<em>When you reach the location, use this kunai. Help will arrive.</em>

    He gripped the handle, feeling the weight of it, and without a second thought, he flung it into the ground near the entrance. The kunai embedded itself in the earth, its seal glowing faintly as it activated.

    ��-

    Deep beneath the Hokage Tower in the Leaf Vige, in a dimly lit chamber known only to a select few, Jiraiya sat cross-legged, his eyes closed in deep concentration. Perched on his shoulders were the two Great Toad Sages, Fukasaku and Shima, their expressions serious��a stark contrast to Jiraiya''s usual jovial demeanor.

    Today, there were no jokes, no light-hearted banter. Jiraiya was in Sage Mode, fully prepared for whaty ahead.

    Beside him stood Tobirama Senju, the reanimated Second Hokage. d in his traditional armor, his white hair framed a face marked by sharp lines and sharper eyes. His presence was imposing, a testament to the power he wielded in life and retained even now.

    Suddenly, Tobirama''s eyes snapped open. "It''s time," he announced, his voice steady but urgent.

    Jiraiya opened one eye, ncing over. "Ox has signaled?"

    Tobirama nodded. "He activated the seal. We''re moving out."

    "Good. We''ve waited long enough," Jiraiya muttered, his voice low but steady. He clenched his fists and felt the power of the Sage mode thrumming through his body.

    Fukasaku spoke up, his tiny voice carrying weight. "Stay alert, Jiraiya boy. We don''t know what''s waiting for us."

    "Got it," Jiraiya replied, standing up smoothly. "Let''s hope this leads us to Tsunade."

    "Have faith Jiraiya. She''s a tough girl. You know that." Shima spoke and Jiraiya smiled at her attempts tofort him. "Yeah." The Toad Sage nodded and he turned his gaze toward Tobirama.

    The Reanimated Second Hokage kage, further words, ced a hand on Jiraiya''s shoulder. In an instant, both vanished from the chamber, leaving only a faint ripple of chakra in their wake.

    ��------------

    Author''s Note:

    With each chapter we''re getting closer and closer to the conclusion of this arc.

 Chapter 344: Extremely Powerful Enemies

    The forest surrounding Orochimaru''s main hidden base in thend of Fire stood in eerie stillness when Tobirama and Jiraiya materialized beside Ox. The Anbumander acknowledged them with a slight nod. "d you made it," he whispered.

    Tobirama surveyed the area, his sharp eyes taking in every detail. "What have you observed? Any signs of movements?"

    Ox turned slightly, his Anbu mask concealing his expression, but his voice was calm and measured. "No visible movement yet, but there are several defenses. Orochimaru has ced barriers and traps for unwanted visitors. And like in the reports, thisir ispletely subterranean." Ox reported quietly. "But just moments ago, I sensed that someone inside became aware of my presence."

    Tobirama stepped forward and scanned the area. The ground beneath him felt unnatural, the barriers woven into the earth itself. "He is certainly prepared."

    Jiraiya crouched down and ced his hand on the ground. He closed his eyes and extended his Sage Mode sensory abilities. The natural energy flowed through him, amplifying his perception. "There''s a heavy chakra presence inside," he murmured. "Actually, make that two."

    Tobirama''s eyes narrowed. He, too, could sense the chakras emanating from within the base. One, in particr, felt eerily familiar��a chakra he hadn''t sensed in a long time. His breath caught for a moment.

    As he focused his senses, Tobirama''s eyes widened, his normally stoic face betraying a hint of shock. "There are two powerful chakras inside... one of them is... familiar. Extremely familiar.."

    Jiraiya furrowed his brow. "Yeah, I know what you mean. The one with the smaller chakra... I''ve felt it before," he said, a hint of confusion in his voice. "But I can''t..." The nagging sense of familiarity from that second chakra still tugged at his mind. He had fought many powerful enemies in his lifetime, but this presence�� Something about it felt strange to Jiraiya.

    The Toad Sage slowly stood and his expression hardened. He could feel what Tobirama felt. One chakra was immense, radiating power in a way that felt ancient and overwhelming. The other... he recognized it, but only faintly, like a memory from a distant battle."I''ve fought that chakra before," Jiraiya murmured, his brow furrowed in concentration. "But I can''t ce it..."

    Fukasaku chimed in. "Try to remember, Jiraiya boy. If it''s someone you''ve encountered, we need to be cautious."

    Shima nodded. "And that other chakra... it''s immense."

    Tobirama''s mind was racing. "No," Tobirama whispered, almost to himself. "It can''t be..."

    The chakra he was sensing was unmistakable, even after all these years. The weight of it, the sheer presence��it sent a chill down his spine.<em>''Impossible. This chakra shouldn''t exist anymore�� That damn Orochimaru. This is his doing.''</em>

    Jiraiya turned to him with concern shing in his eyes. "What is it? Do you recognize that chakra?"

    Tobirama''s gaze remained fixed on the entrance of the base, his voice low and filled with a mixture of disbelief and suspicion. "I do. This is far worse than we thought."

    Jiraiya tensed. If Tobirama was this disturbed, it meant something serious. "We''re going in, right?"

    Tobirama nodded, his usual cold demeanor returning. "We don''t have a choice. But I have a feeling it won''t be that easy."

    The Sannin of the group extended his senses and sharpened them as much as he could. One of the individuals, the one Jiraiya felt was familiar, was strong but the other one. It was magnitudes above in chakra. The sage nced around and it almost felt as if the entire forest was alive.

    Jiraiya nced at Tobirama and saw the grave expression on his face. "You sense it too, don''t you?"

    Tobirama met his gaze. "Yes. And if it''s who I think it is, we''re facing an enemy beyond what we anticipated."

    Ox looked between them. "Orders, Lord Second?"N?v(el)B\\jnn

    Tobirama considered their options. "We proceed with utmost caution. Our primary objective is to find and rescue Tsunade and Shizune. It''s possible that they are under barriers and their chakra is being masked. So we have to search every inch of this ce. And if Orochimaru is here, we''ll deal with him ordingly."

    Jiraiya nodded. "Yeah I agree but we can''t exactly ignore these chakra signatures. We might be walking into a trap."

    "I know," Tobirama replied. "Ox, have you identified any entry points?"

    Ox pointed toward a concealed opening at the base of arge tree. "There. It''s less guarded, but the barriers are strongest in that area."

    "Leave the barriers to me," Tobirama said confidently. "I designed many of the vige''s protective seals. I can certainly break through Orochimaru''s work."

    Jiraiya smirked slightly. "Never thought I''d be teaming up with the Second Hokage himself. Strange times we live in."

    Tobirama kept a stoic expression. "My existence was supposed to be a secret. This alliance was born out of necessity."

    As they moved closer to the entrance, the oppressive feeling intensified. "Be on guard," Tobirama warned, his voice sharp. "The one who''s inside that base�� He has power unlike anything you''ve faced.."

    Jiraiya smirked despite the tension. "Guess it''s a good thing I''vee prepared then."

    ��-

    <strong>Inside Orochimaru''s base. Yesterday.</strong>

    Deep inside the dimly lit, subterranean chambers of Orochimaru''s hidden base, two figures stood side by side, their presence imposing even within the confines of the cold stone walls.

    Hashirama Senju, the First Hokage, stretched his arms above his head, his joints cracking audibly. "Ah, it''s been ages since I''ve felt this limber!" he eximed with a grin, his eyes sparkling with an almost childlike excitement. "Though I suppose being brought back from the dead will do that to you."

    The other man looked at Hashirama with a mixture of disbelief and wariness. "You''re the First Hokage," he said, his voice low and serious. "I never thought I''d meet a legend like you�� not like this. Life��or unlife��sure has its surprises."

    Hashiramaughed heartily. "Well, I didn''t expect to be here either! But here we are, thanks to that sneaky fellow with the snake obsession." His expression shifted briefly to one of contemtion. "What was his name again? Orochimaru?"

    "That''s the one," The second man confirmed.

    Hashirama had a twinkle in his eyes and he asked with curiosity. "By the way I can sense a trace of the Eight-Tails'' chakra lingering in you. Why is that?"

    The dual haired man nodded. "I was it''s jinch��riki before... well, before I died. You can call me B. Blue B."

    Hashirama Senju, the First Hokage, nced at hispanion with a wide grin spreading across his face. "So, you''re the former jinch��riki of the Eight-Tails, huh? I gotta say, it''s always exciting to meet new people! Especially someone with that kind of history." He scratched the back of his head, his grin only widening.

    Blue B was silent. He nced down at his reanimated hands, flexing his fingers as if testing their responsiveness. "To think Orochimaru would bring me back to life. He must have his own reasons. Can''t say I''m thrilled about being his puppet though."

    Hashirama nodded sympathetically. "I understand the sentiment. But perhaps we can make the best of it. After all, it''s not every day you get a second chance at life. Even if it''s under less than ideal circumstances."

    Blue B studied him for a moment. "You seem awfully cheerful about all this."

    "Why wouldn''t I be?" Hashirama replied with a chuckle. "The world is full of new people to meet and things to experience! Besides," he added, leaning in conspiratorially, "I have a feeling that things are about to get interesting for us."

    Blue B shook his head, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "You''re not what I expected."

    "And what did you expect?" Hashirama asked, tilting his head curiously.

    "Someone... different," Blue B admitted. "The stories paint you as a god among shinobi. I figured you''d be more-"

    "Serious? Stoic? Overbearing?" Hashirama interrupted, waving a hand dismissively. "I''ve heard it all before. Truth is, I prefer to enjoy life. Even this one."

    Blue B''s gaze softened. "Must be nice, seeing things that way."

    Hashirama''s eyes met his, and for a moment, there was a depth of understanding between them. "You''ve had a rough journey, haven''t you?"

    "You could say that," Blue B replied quietly. "Being a jinch��riki wasn''t exactly a pic. Darkness, fear, loneliness. They''ve been my constantpanions."

    Hashirama gave the man a sympathetic smile. "Everyone carries their own burdens."

    Blue B only sighed, the weight of his past heavy was in his voice. "It''s strange. Being brought back after everything�� After enduring all that pain. I thought I finally left that behind and was free when I died. But now here I am again, protecting this ce�� and I don''t even know why. I have no real control over anything again."

    Hashirama sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah, this reanimation thing is a drag. I don''t like being controlled either, but��" He looked around at the chamber. "We have to figure out why Orochimaru brought us back. He must have some kind of a n."

    The two looked around and came up with a few theories but without much to go on, they remained in their position. Orochimaru gave them the task to guard that location and they had nothing else to do at that time.

    Hashirama was curious about the time period after his death and B answered his questions to pass the time. Soon a day passed.

    <strong>Few Seconds before Tobirama & Jiraiya arrived.</strong>

    Hashirama''s expression suddenly shifted. His eyes narrowed slightly as he looked toward the ceiling. "Do you feel that?"

    Blue B straightened, his senses sharpening. "Yeah. Someone''s out there."

    Hashirama closed his eyes briefly, focusing on the chakra signatures. "An intruder at the edge of the perimeter. Strong, but trying to stay hidden."

    "Think it''s someone after Orochimaru?" Blue B asked.

    "Possibly," Hashirama replied. "But wait..." His brow furrowed. "There are more now. Four distinct chakras. Two of them are particrly strong."

    Blue B concentrated, his own sensory abilities kicking in. "You''re right. One of them feels... familiar."

    Hashirama''s eyes widened slightly. "Well, isn''t this intriguing! One of those chakras feels like my brother''s."

    "Your brother?" Blue B echoed. "You mean the Second Hokage?"

    Hashirama nodded, a mix of surprise and delight on his face. "Tobirama! But how? Unless..." He chuckled. "Looks like I''m not the only one who got a ticket back to the living."

    Blue B considered this. "And the other strong chakra?"

    Hashirama tapped his chin thoughtfully. "It has a wild, natural energy to it. Almost like... a sage."

    "A sage?" Blue B''s eyes narrowed. "Wait, it must be Jiraiya of the Sannin. I''ve met him before in battle..."

    The First Hokage had a grin on his face. "This just got a whole lot more interesting."

    Blue B clenched his fists, feeling the weight of the situation. "Your brother�� and the legendary Sannin. Orochimaru must have expected this. But why?"

    Hashirama gave him a crooked smile, though there was a shadow of concern in his eyes. "I don''t know, but we''re about to find out." His yful side flickered for a moment. "You think we should give them a proper greeting? You know, something dramatic?"

    Blue B gave him a t look. "I''m not really the ''dramatic entrance'' type."

    Hashirama grinned. "Fair enough. Oh, this is getting exciting by the minute! First, I met you, and now my brother and a sage are dropping by."

    Blue B couldn''t help but smirk. "You have a strange way of looking at things."

    "Why be grim when you can be excited?" Hashirama replied. "Besides, it seems we''re about to havepany. Shall we go greet our guests?"

    Blue B pushed off the wall, rolling his shoulders. "If they''re here for a fight, we might not have much choice."

    The First Hokage shrugged his shoulders. "Who knows? Maybe we can talk it out."

    Blue B raised an eyebrow. "You really think talking is an option?"

    "There''s always room for dialogue!" Hashirama insisted but then his smile dimmed. "But if Orochimaru forced our hands, then you''re right. We may not have much choice."

    As they moved through the winding corridors of the base, the oppressive atmosphere seemed to lighten around Hashirama, his mere presence bringing a sense of vitality to the otherwise bleak surroundings.

    Soon they stepped out into the dense forest, the sunlight filtering through the canopy above. The air was fresh, a stark contrast to the stale atmosphere inside the base.

    Hashirama inhaled deeply. "Ah, nothing like the smell of nature!"

    Blue B scanned the surrounding trees. "They''re close."

    Hashirama grinned. "Time to see how my little brother''s been holding up."

    ��-

    Ox remained silent, standing vignt as the two legends assessed the situation. The mission had just grown exponentially more dangerous, and Ox knew that whatever they were about to face wasn''t part of the original n.

    The air grew heavier, and the forest seemed to darken around them. Jiraiya''s senses were on high alert. "Ok. This ce is starting to give me the creeps," he muttered.

    They reached the concealed entrance, and Tobirama began to weave a series ofplex hand seals. His fingers moved with practiced ease, and faint glows of chakra pulsed against the invisible barrier. "This is advanced work," hemented. "Orochimaru has impressive skill."

    "Can you break it?" Jiraiya asked.

    "Given time," Tobirama replied. "But we may not have much."

    Suddenly, the ground beneath them trembled ever so slightly. Ox tensed. "Someone''sing."

    "We''re not alone," Fukasaku agreed. "Be careful, everyone."

    A few meters away, from the darkness of the forest, a figure emerged. He had long bi-color half green half white hair with matching eyebrows along with heavy-lidded eyes that gave the impression that he was tired. A purple mark in the shape of a diamond ran down the right side of his face. He also wore the standard attire of the Hidden Cloud shinobi including a k jacket, over a long-sleeved v-neck outfit with bandages underneath. A fairly long sword strapped to his back and the two most disturbing features were pupil-less eyes and gray sclera and the cracks running through his face.

    Jiraiya''s eyes widened. "Wait a minute... I''ve seen you before."

    The man stepped forward, a stoic expression on his face.. "It''s been a long time since we saw each other, Jiraiya"

    Tobirama studied the neer. "You''re not Orochimaru. Who are you?"

    The man turned his gaze on Tobirama and his eyes widened in recognition. "Hearing that you''re back and seeing it are two different things."

    Jiraiya snapped his fingers. "I remember now! You were the Eight-Tails Jinch��riki before Killer Bee!... You''re�� Blue B!"

    The man''s eyes flickered with surprise. "Ah, so you do remember. Our paths crossed long ago."

    Fukasaku frowned. "Jiraiya boy, this isn''t good. If he''s here, things are moreplicated than we thought."

    Tobirama''s expression remained stern. "Why are you summoned here? Do you know what Orochimaru is nning?"

    The former 8 Tails Jinchuriki shook his head. "I don''t know. For some reason, Orochimaru wants us to guard this location."

    "Where is he?" Tobirama asked but before Blue B could reply, his body stiffened and he stood still. The Second Hokage sensed a shift in chakra in B''s body. Then a voice Jiraiya and Ox were extremely familiar with came from that reanimation.

    "Kukuku�� This is unexpected. It is an honor to meet you�� Second Lord Hokage."

    Tobirama''s eyes narrowed. "Orochimaru I presume."

    Blue B nodded. "Yes�� I''ve been wondering why I couldn''t summon you. It seems now I have my answer. Danzo or Sarutobi Sensei. I don''t know who summoned you but they must be desperate."

    "Where''s Tsunade and Shizune?" Jiraiya roared in anger.

    Blue B had a sadistic grin on his face as he looked at the Toad sage. "They''re with me. Don''t worry. They''re both alive. Although I must say, Tsunade has seen better days."

    Hearing that taunt, Jiraiya''s fists clenched and Tobirama''s eyes narrowed.

    "You bastard!" Jiraiya took a step forward but Shima stopped him. "Don''t. He''s purposely trying to anger you."

    "Keep calm Jiraiya. This is just a provocation tactic." Fukasaku chimes in with a small soft tone.

    "What do you want with Tsunade?" Tobirama asked, getting Orochimaru''s attention.

    The Snake Sannin chuckled. "Now that would be telling."

    "It doesn''t matter. I''ll get the answers out of you once I find you."

    Orochimaru had a yful smile on his face. "Doubtful. Besides, you won''t be leaving here any time soon if at all."

    Blue B then turned his head to the side and everyone followed his gaze. The Leaf ninjas suddenly sensed a powerful chakra appearing anding from the forest behind B.

    A second figure appeared at the entrance. Draped in armor reminiscent of ancient times, with flowing dark hair and amanding presence, he exuded an aura of power that was both awe-inspiring and terrifying. His eyes met Tobirama''s, and time seemed to stand still.

    Tobirama''s breath caught. "You..."

    The armored man smiled softly. "It''s been a long time, brother."

    Jiraiya looked between them, shock evident on his face. "Brother? Wait, is that��"

    Tobirama clenched his fists. "Hashirama Senju."

    Hashirama merely smiled as he looked at the group of Leaf ninjas. "Seems we''re both walking in the realm of the living once more. It''s good to see you again, Tobirama! "

    Jiraiya was stunned. "The First Hokage? This is impossible!"

    Anbumander Ox was equally stunned.<em>''Never in my life did I imagine I''d be meeting two Legendary ninjas like them�� First it was Lord Second and now him�� A battle with the God of ninja�� If the stories are true, I wouldn''t survive if he goes all out.''</em>

    The toad sages on Jiraiya''s shoulder were equally shocked. "This is unexpected. A powerful enemy like Hashirama Senju."

    "It looks like I might not make it home in time to make dinner." Shima could help but say as she looked at the reanimated First Hokage.

    "Forget dinner Ma. We''d have to consider ourselves lucky if we make it back alive and in one piece at all." Fukasaku knew how strong the legendary God of Shinobi was. He was cautious but he wasn''t scared.

    Fukasaku and Shima perched on Jiraiya''s shoulders with serious expressions. "Be careful, Jiraiya boy," Fukasaku warned.

    Blue B under Orochimaru''s control, then turned to the Leaf ninjas. "Isn''t this a great reunion? So touching. Now what do you say we get the festivities started."

    The two reanimations suddenly stiffened and they began to emit chakra and killing intent.

    Ox stepped forward, readying himself. "Lord Second, what are your orders?"

    Tobirama quicklyposed himself. "This changes nothing. Jiraiya and I will battle them. We''ll hold them down. You need toplete your task. Search the base. If you find them, use my marker."

    Ox nodded. "Understood Lord Second. Good luck."

    Hashirama looked at his brother with a mixture of sadness and resolve. "I wish our reunion were under better circumstances. But I cannot allow you to proceed."

    Jiraiya gritted his teeth. "If you''re under Orochimaru''s control, then we have no choice but to stop you."

    Hashirama gave a solemn nod. "I expect nothing less."

    The former Eight-Tails Jinch��riki sighed. "That damn snake. It wasn''t enough that he killed me. But now he''s forced me into battle�� Jiraiya. I can''t control myself. I won''t be able to hold back."

    Jiraiya nodded, determination filling his eyes. "Right. Let''s do this."

    Fukasaku and Shima began to gather natural energy. "Stay focused, Jiraiya boy," Fukasaku advised. "This won''t be easy."

    Shima added, "But we''ve faced tough odds before."

    Tobirama nced at his reanimated brother. "Hashirama, I won''t let you stand in our way. There''s a lot at stake here."

    Hashirama''s eyes softened for a moment. "I understand brother."

    Blue B steadied his stance, a quiet determination in his eyes. "Let''s get this over with."

    Hashirama nced at him, a hint of sadness in his smile. "Don''t worry. No matter the oue, perhaps we''ll find some peace again at the end of this."

    The tension in the air was palpable as the two sides faced off. The future of their mission was hanging in the bnce.

    ��------------

    Author''s Note:

    For anyone wondering, No. Hashirama doesn''t know about Tsunade kidnapping and Orochimaru controlled him and blinded his senses when Jiraiya was asking about Tsunade to blue b.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen(No space)

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 345: Tobirama vs Hashirama 01

    The atmosphere between the four powerful ninjas were filled with deadly intent and the suppressed yet strong energy. The two Hokage brothers stood facing each other ready to battle and nearby, Jiraiya also shifted into a fighting stance.

    The faint rustling of leaves seemed to fall silent as thebatants prepared for the inevitable sh. All the creatures in the forest sensed aing disaster and were quickly moving away from that area.

    The Sannin was already in Sage mode with Lord Fukasaku and Lady Shima perched on his shoulders. Standing opposite was Fukai, famously known as Blue B.

    Anbumander Ox was analyzing the situation and he was ready to make his move.

    Far away in Orochimaru''s secretb, the snake Sannin had a small frown on his face.<em>''The fact that they''re there and Guren''s failure in contacting me... It seems she failed in her mission and fell into the hands of the Leaf. Still, to get the location of that base�� It seems that Ko Yamanaka was more careful than I thought. He must have sent some information before I killed him.''</em>

    Orochimaru had his eyes closed as he looked at the battlefield through the eyes of the reanimation.<em>''I never thought Sarutobi sensei would resort to using this forbidden jutsu. Or perhaps he was desperate and made Danzo do it. Hmm�� That is the more likely possibility given his soft personality. Still, since they''ve sent the second Hokage and Jiraiya to that location it means they''re hoping Tsuande is there. So they most probably don''t know about this base. I suppose I should count that as my victory. I can''t always have everything go my way.''</em>

    The Snake Sannin opened his eyes and a small sinister smile grew on his face.<em>''I should keep them busy for as long as I can.''</em>

    Suddenly he made a Ram seal with his right hand.

    On the battlefield in the Land of Fire, a change suddenly took ce in The First Hokage and The Eight tailed Jinchuriki. Their bodies stilled and the spark of life vanished from their eyes. The two reanimations suddenly seemed no different than walking emotionless puppets.Jiraiya and Tobirama immediately took notice of the change.

    "It''s starting. Orochimaru erased their personality. This is it." Tobirama spoke in a low voice to Jiraiya.

    The toad sage nodded and his eyes slightly narrowed.

    Orochimaru''s two reanimated puppets immediately rushed towards their enemies. Tobirama and Jiraiya moved forward to intercept them to give Ox the opening he needed.

    Bang!

    All four ninjas engaged in taijutsu. Tobirama blocked his brother''s punch with his forearm and Jiraiya easily caught B''s kick with his left hand.

    At that moment Commander Ox quickly took advantage of the battlefield and weaved seals.<em>''Ninja art - Body Mirage Jutsu.''</em>

    The masked ninja disappeared from his spot like being erased from reality. He had slipped away the moment Hashirama and Blue B were upied with Jiraiya and Tobirama. His mission was clear: infiltrate the base, gather intelligence, and locate any sign of Tsunade and Shizune.

    Keeping his chakra signature suppressed, Ox moved silently through the trees, making his way to the entrance. He nced back at the clearing where explosions and bursts of chakra illuminated the forest.

    ''<em>Good,''</em>he thought.<em>''They''re distracted.''</em>

    He reached the entrance, quickly noting the intricate seals that guarded the door.<em>''Orochimaru hadn''t spared any effort in protecting his hideout. I hope they''re really here. Otherwise this whole venture would have been a waste.''</em>

    Ox quickly began to work, unraveling the barriers with practiced precision. Within seconds, the door gave way, and Ox slipped inside, vanishing into the dark corridors of the hidden base.

    <strong>Tobirama vs Hashirama.</strong>

    A faint tremor shook the ground, unsettling leaves and sending ripples across puddles. The stillness was shattered as Tobirama Senju emerged from the shadows.

    His eyes narrowed at the sight of his elder brother: a reanimated, mindless Hashirama, now no more than a powerful puppet.

    ''<em>About one tenth of his original strength. Hmm�� So he''s nowhere near his peak form. Orochimaru hasn''t perfected the reanimation jutsu it seems.''</em>Tobirama raised his hand, studying Hashirama''s zed-over eyes.

    "It''s almost disrespectful, brother, to see you reduced to this," he muttered, his voice cold yet it edged with a hint of regret.

    Hashirama''s puppet-like form moved in response to some unseenmand, and the intensity of the battle increased.@@novelbin@@

    The First Hokage''s hands quickly weaved seals, his chakra surged and the ground trembled as if severalrge creatures were crawling underneath theyer of soil.

    ''<em>Wood Style: Wood Bindings''</em>

    Trees erupted from the ground, twisting into massive tendrils that rushed toward Tobirama with relentless speed.

    Tobirama weaved his fingers into a quick set of hand seals to count the attack.

    "Water Style: Exploding Water Wave!"

    A torrent of water spiraled from his mouth, shing with the oing wood. The water pressure splintered the advancing wood tendrils, scattering pieces of timber across the forest floor.

    But Hashirama didn''t falter. More wood tendrils shot up, wing through the remnants of Tobirama''s water jutsu. Tobirama leaped back a couple meters, his mind analyzing each of Hashirama''s movements.

    "Even with only a fraction of his power, he''s relentless," he muttered.

    Without wasting another second, with a swift step, Tobirama charged forward, meeting Hashirama in an intense sh of taijutsu.

    The older Senju''s mechanical eyes tracked Tobirama''s movement, and he swung his fist in a sharp, controlled arc.

    ''<em>Not as fast as when he was alive.''</em>Tobirama noted internally and ducked under it. He countered with a rapid jab to Hashirama''s ribs.

    The First Hokage twisted, absorbing the blow, then retaliated with an elbow aimed at Tobirama''s temple.

    Tobirama raised his forearm, deflecting the strike with a quick parry. He used the momentum to step to Hashirama''s side, delivering a powerful roundhouse kick to the back of his brother''s knee.

    Hashirama stumbled and fell to one knee but quickly regained his footing. Even without conscious thought his movements were unnaturally precise. With no hesitation, he spun, aiming a vicious palm strike toward Tobirama''s chest.

    Anticipating the move, Tobirama sidestepped and caught Hashirama''s wrist, twisting it to destabilize him. But Hashirama''s other arm shot up, aiming a knuckle strike directly at Tobirama''s face.

    The younger Senju barely leaned back in time, feeling the wind of the strike brush past his nose. Using the slight opening, he spun, delivering a spinning back kick that connected with Hashirama''s torso.

    Hashirama staggered but immediately retaliated with a sweeping leg kick, aiming to trip Tobirama.

    Tobirama leaped over it, executing a mid-air spin, and brought down a hammer fist toward Hashirama''s corbone.

    Bang!

    Hashirama blocked the attack with his forearm and shoved Tobirama back, following up with a series of rapid punches aimed at Tobirama''s chest and head.

    As the two former Kages of the Hidden Leaf engaged in intense hand to handbat the air around them shimmered with unrestrained chakra. The ground trembled as eachbatantnded a blow on the other with great force.

    Tobirama suddenly leaned back to dodge a knife hand to the neck. He jumped back and created a short distance from his opponent.<em>''Brother, even diminished, I can''t take your strength lightly.''</em>

    Without warning, Hashirama vanished from sight. Tobirama''s eyes widened as he sensed a rapid approach. He spun around just in time to block a powerful punch aimed at his head. The force sent shockwaves through the ground beneath them.

    Their hands and feet became blurs as they engaged in a furious exchange of blows with greater intensity than before.

    Hashiramaunched a swift kick towards Tobirama''s midsection. Tobirama sidestepped, grabbing Hashirama''s leg and attempting to unbnce him. Hashirama used the momentum to spin in the air, bringing his other leg around in a roundhouse kick. Tobirama ducked, feeling the wind rush over his head.

    Tobirama retaliated with a palm strike aimed at Hashirama''s chest. The First Hokage crossed his arms to block the attack and absorb the impact. But it still sent him sliding back along the ground.

    Not missing a beat, Hashirama lunged forward with an elbow strike. Tobirama parried, twisting Hashirama''s arm and attempting to lock it behind his back. The second Hokage quickly overpowered his elder brother and got behind his back.

    ''<em>Now is my chance.''</em>Tobirama thought as he quickly activated one of his deadly jutsu.<em>''Tandem Paper bomb.''</em>

    Dozens of explosive tags instantly emerged from Tobirama''s body and covered the first Hokage from head to toe.

    A fraction of a secondter Tobirama disappeared from his spot while his opponent was engulfed in arge intense explosion. An earth-shattering explosion ensued, mes and smoke engulfing everything.

    BOOM!

    Arge section of the nearby area was instantly reduced to ash as mes and shockwaves spread through the area.

    A short distance away, the Second Hokage crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes. He was standing high above the ground on arge tree keeping a close eye on the situation and all his senses were sharpened.

    Suddenly he sensed somethinging his way fast.<em>''I see. You substituted with a wood clone at thest moment.''</em>

    Tobirama shifted his body to the side and avoided a punch from behind. Hashirama flew past his target but quickly made a hand seal. His right arm turned to wood and quickly moved to attack his little brother. Arge wooden fist swiftly approached Lord Second.

    Tobirama raised both forearms to block, the impact causing the branch to crack.

    They leaped to the forest floor as the branch gave way. The moment they touched down, Hashirama closed the distance, aiming a knee at Tobirama''s ribcage. Tobirama deflected it with his shin, the sh echoing like thunder. He followed up with a rapid series of punches��left, right, left��aiming for vital points.

    Hashirama weaved through them, his movements smooth despite his puppet-like state. The powerful chakra in his body surged and quickly began to counter attack with just as much intensity.

    Dodging each punch in a tight, rhythmic motion, Tobirama took a half-step back and countered with a quick jab followed by a powerful uppercut. Hashirama absorbed the blows, the deadened look in his eyes unfaltering as he struck Tobirama with a knee to the gut. Tobirama, narrowing his eyes, stepped back as Hashirama pressed the advantage.

    "Enough of this," Tobirama muttered, jumping back to gain distance.

    With a swift motion, Tobirama formed hand seals, channeling his chakra. "Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet!" He thrust his hands forward, and a roaring dragon of water erupted from his surroundings, surging toward Hashirama with incredible speed.

    Hashirama reacted instantly, mming his hands together. "Wood Style: Great Wood Shield!" Thick wooden branches shot from the ground, forming a solid barrier in front of him. The water dragon crashed into the shield, spraying water in all directions.

    The First Hokage jumped from behind his wooden barrier andnded on a thick branch on the nearby tree.

    "Shadow Clone Technique!" Two identical copies materialized beside Tobirama. They nodded at each other before darting in different directions.

    Hashirama''s eyes tracked the clones impassively. "Wood Style: Deep Forest Emergence." Trees exploded from the earth, their colossal trunks twisting to intercept the clones. The ground shook violently as the forest came alive.

    One clone weaved through the onught.

    "Flying Thunder God sh!"

    It vanished in a sh, reappearing behind Hashirama with a kunai and struck Hashirama''s back wounding the reanimated body.

    But before the clone couldnd more attacks, wooden spikes erupted from Hashirama''s back, impaling the clone, which dissipated into smoke.

    The real Tobirama watched with an impassive gaze as the wound on his brother healed with dust and ash.<em>''I''ve marked him so it''s only a matter of time before I can break this jutsu. Still, that can wait till Ox sends me the signal.''</em>

    The Second Hokage was holding back. He didn''t want to show all his cards to the enemy right away.

    The second clone of Tobirama appeared above his elder brother. "Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet!" A serpentine dragon formed from the water and surged downward, its jaws open wide.

    Hashirama looked up, unflinching. "Wood Style: Wood Dragon!" A dragon of wood spiraled upward, colliding with its aquatic counterpart. The two forces shed, sending shockwaves rippling through the forest.

    They were at a stalemate when Hashirama weaved new seals. A wood clone emerged from his back and quickly attacked the enemy clone.

    "Wood Style: Cutting Sprigs!" Razor-sharp wooden shards shot toward shadow clone Tobirama.

    Lord Second disappeared instantly and reappeared behind clone Hashirama.

    He quickly gathered his chakra. "Water Style: Severing Wave!"

    A concentrated de of water shot from his mouth aiming straight for the wooden clone. The attack struck, piercing through. It cut the wooden body from top to bottompletely destroying the clone.

    But at that instant just as the clone was using his fierce jutsu the ground beneath him shook and several deadly thorns burst out of the soil crushing him and turning him into smoke.

    The original Hashirama turned around and faced his little brother who stood with his arms crossed and a stoic expression adorning his face.

    The ground beneath the wood style user shook and cracked. The next instant Hashirama shot towards Tobirama''s location. He had a knife strike aimed at Tobirama''s throat.

    The reanimated Second Hokage tilted his head back, avoiding the strike, and retaliated with an upward palm strike to Hashirama''s chin.

    The hit connected, snapping Hashirama''s head back. Seizing the opportunity, Tobirama spun and delivered a spinning back kick to Hashirama''s torso, sending him skidding across the ground.

    The chakra contained in Tobirama''s kick destroyed a part of The First Hokage''s body and he soon crashed into arge tree destroying it.

    For a few seconds it was all quiet in the forest as Orochimaru''s puppetid still. Then he opened his eyes and slowly stood as dust and ash gathered around the wounded area restoring it. He stood up, his neck cracking back into ce from the earlier hit.

    ''<em>He''s relentless,''</em>Tobirama thought.<em>''But he''s not using any strategy��just raw power.''</em>

    Both Kages released their chakra as a form of intimidation and they were getting ready for round two.

    ��--------------

    Author''s Note:

    I apologize for my month-long absence. I had some important family matters to deal with that took all my time and attention. For now that''s all I can say. That''s all over now. Updates will resume starting today

 Chapter 346: Jiraiya vs Blue B

    <strong>With Anbu Ox</strong>

    Meanwhile, as the battles raged outside, Anbu Commander Ox moved through the base with the silence of a shadow. His ck ops training served him well as he bypassed the traps and barriers that had been set by Orochimaru. He navigated through thebyrinthine passages, relying on the intel provided earlier.

    ''<em>While they''re distracted, I need to find any information on Orochimaru''s ns,''</em>he thought.<em>''And hopefully locate them.''</em>

    The sounds of battle outside had faded into the background, leaving only the faint dripping of water echoing through the stone passageways. His senses were on high alert; every shadow, every subtle shift in the air could signal a trap.

    ''<em>So far, so good''</em>he thought, his eyes scanning ahead for any signs of danger.<em>''But knowing Orochimaru, the worst is yet toe.''</em>

    The inside of the base was a dark maze, the walls lined with strange symbols and seals that pulsed faintly with chakra. Ox moved quickly but cautiously, his senses on high alert. The base was farrger than he had anticipated, and its corridors twisted and turned in disorienting patterns.

    ''<em>This ce��''</em>Ox thought, his brow furrowing.<em>''It''s more than just a hideout. Orochimaru''s been working on something big.''</em>

    He paused at a fork in the path, ncing down each identical corridor. A subtle draft drifted from the left, carrying with it a sterile scent��a mix of metal and antiseptic.

    "Medical facilities, perhaps," he muttered under his breath.Choosing the left path, Ox proceeded cautiously. As he stepped forward, his foot hovered just above the ground. There, nearly invisible, was a thin wire stretched across the corridor. He smirked slightly.

    "Nice try."

    Carefully, he crouched down and examined the trap. It was connected to a series of explosive tags embedded in the walls. He reached into his pouch and pulled out a small pair of scissors and a sealing tag. Snipping the wire with precision, he quickly ced the sealing tag over one of the explosive tags, neutralizing the entire setup.

    ''<em>Can''t afford any mistakes. Lady Tsunade and Shizune are counting on us.''</em>

    <strong>Jiraiya vs Blue B</strong>

    Jiraiya stood tall, his Sage Mode activated��the toad-like markings around his eyes entuating his intense gaze.

    Across from him, Blue B remained motionless. His eyes were empty, devoid of any emotion��a lifeless puppet bound by the Reanimation Jutsu. His dark skin contrasted sharply with the eerie pale glow that surrounded him. Although not at his full power, the remnants of Gy��ki''s chakra flickered faintly within him.

    Jiraiya took a deep breath, feeling the natural energy coursing through his body. "So, it''se to this," he muttered.

    "Be careful, Jiraiya boy," Fukasaku warned. "He''s got infinite chakra. So he won''t tire out like we do."

    "I know," Jiraiya replied, his eyes never leaving Blue B. "But we need to end this quickly."

    Without warning, Blue B surged forward, closing the distance between them in an instant. His fist came flying toward Jiraiya''s face with blinding speed. Jiraiya reacted swiftly, tilting his head just enough for the punch to graze past his cheek, the force creating a sharp gust of wind behind him.

    "He''s fast," Shima remarked.

    Jiraiya didn''t respond. Instead, he countered with a swift kick aimed at Blue B''s midsection. The blow connected, sending Fukai flying back crashing into the trunk of arge tree. Yet he remained unfazed as he stood, his expression nk.

    "He''s not as fast as I remember. Looks like Orochimaru''s jutsu isn''t all that perfect." Jiraiya said to the two perched on his shoulders.

    Blue Bunched himself again, this time aiming low with a sweeping kick. Jiraiya leaped over the attack, flipping in mid-air, and brought his heel down toward Blue B''s shoulder. Blue B raised his arm in a swift block, the impact echoing like thunder through the clearing.

    They exchanged a rapid series of blows��punches, kicks, elbows��all almost too fast for the eye to follow. Jiraiya used his enhanced strength and agility to keep the upper hand, but Blue B''s relentless attacks forced him to stay on the defensive.

    Fukasaku quickly studies their opponent.<em>''Jiraiya boy has the advantage in terms of speed and strength. He''s able to destroy parts of his body with precise strikes. But this man''s injury for injury stylebat is making Jiraiya cautious and on the defensive.''</em>

    "He doesn''t even flinch," Jiraiya said as he narrowly dodged a strike aimed at his ribs. "It''s like fighting a machine."

    Blue B attempted a roundhouse kick, but Jiraiya ducked under it, sweeping his leg out to knock Blue B off bnce. Blue B stumbled slightly, and Jiraiya seized the opening, delivering a powerful palm strike to his chest that sent him hurtling backward into a tree. The trunk cracked under the impact, leaves showering down around him. ?????��S?

    "Now''s our chance!" Fukasaku urged.

    Jiraiya began forming hand seals, but before he could finish, Blue B vanished from sight.

    "Where did he go?" Shima eximed.

    Jiraiya closed his eyes briefly, sensing. "Above!"

    He jumped back just as Blue B descended from the canopy, his fist crashing into the ground where Jiraiya had stood moments before. The earth shattered, debris flying in all directions.

    "He''s using hit-and-run tactics now," Jiraiya observed. "Trying to catch me off guard."

    Blue B disappeared again into the shadows of the forest.

    "Stay alert, Jiraiya boy," Fukasaku cautioned.

    "Right," Jiraiya agreed, closing his eyes to enhance his sensory perception. The natural energy of Sage Mode allowed him to detect even the slightest disturbances.

    A faint rustle to his left. Jiraiya spun around, blocking a surprise attack from Blue B. Their forearms shed, and Jiraiya felt the immense strength behind Blue B''s strike. But to him who had nature chakra running through him, it was nothing.

    "You''re not getting me that easily," Jiraiya said, forcing Blue B away.

    Without pause, Blue B attacked from another angle, moving with unnatural speed. Jiraiya countered each move, theirbat escting in intensity. The forest around them bore the scars of their battle��trees splintered, the ground torn up from missed strikes.

    Boom.

    Suddenly they heard the sound of an explosioning from the distance. The trees rustled and leaves fell around the twobatants and they suddenly distanced themselves from each other.

    "It looks like those two on the other side are getting serious." Jiraiya quipped. On any other day he would have loved to witness such a fight but he knew this was not such an asion.

    "A fight between the first and second Hokages." Shima muttered as she turned her eyes towards the direction of the two battling kages.

    "I can only imagine the kind of horrifying battle that must be taking ce over there." Fukasaku said with a serious tone.

    "Well, for the moment we''ll have to forget about that and concentrate on the one in front of us. He''s a former Jinchuriki of the eight tails. So I have a feeling this isn''t going to be easy." Jiraiya spoke and the three turned their attention back to their own foe.

    "Time to switch tactics," Jiraiya decided. "Taijutsu won''t be enough."

    He leaped back, creating distance between them. Forming quick hand seals, he summoned a massive stream of oil from his mouth. "Ninja Art: Toad Oil Bullet!"

    Fukasaku and Shima acted in unison. "Wind Style: Toad Oil me Bullet!"

    They ignited the oil with a burst of me, sending a roaring inferno toward Blue B.

    The mes engulfed Blue B, but as the fire dissipated, he emerged unscathed, his regenerative abilities healing any damage instantly.

    "Figures," Jiraiya muttered. "He''s got infinite chakra and can regenerate. We''ll have to do better."

    Blue B responded with his own jutsu, mming his hands onto the ground. "Lightning Style: Electromaic Murder!"

    Electricity arced across the battlefield, the ground sizzling as dozens of bolts of lightning shot toward Jiraiya.

    Jiraiya weaved seals and mmed his palms together. "Earth Style: Mud Wall!" A solid barrier rose from the earth, absorbing the lightning strikes.

    As the wall crumbled, Jiraiya charged forward, weaving hand seals. "Sage Art: Bath of boiling oil!"@@novelbin@@

    He unleashed a massive torrent of boiling oil, wind, and fire,bining into a devastating wave that surged toward Blue B.

    The explosion rocked the forest, a plume of smoke rising into the sky.

    "Did that get him?" Shima wondered.

    But as the smoke cleared, Blue B stood with arge portion of his body engulfed in fire. Yet his face showed no emotion. The destroyed part of his body had dust and ash swirling around it after a few seconds and was regenerating. But even so more than a third of his body was still covered in ming oil.

    "There''s a few seconds of gap before his body starts his regeneration," Jiraiya made his observation and spoke in a calm voice.

    Blue B''s eyes flickered for a moment, a faint glow emanating from within. Suddenly, a shroud of dark red chakra enveloped him��the first form of the tailed beast cloak. Eight flickering tails swayed behind him, the raw power causing the air to vibrate.

    "He''s tapping into the Eight-Tails'' chakra now?" Fukasaku noted grimly.

    "What? Even though he''s dead he can use Eight tails chakra? I thought there was a new Jinchuriki in the Hidden cloud vige after his death." Shima was also puzzled at this turn of events.

    "There is. Killer B. The current Raikage''s younger brother." Jiraiya spoke and his expression hardened. "This just got a lot moreplicated."

    "If he can go full tailed beast it''ll be a headache for us." Fukasaku and Shima were gathering chakra and getting ready for any surprise attacks.

    But Jiraiya calmly analyzed the situation.<em>''This is just the first cloak. Based on my understanding of him, he''d have used a much higher level of tailed beast chakra�� Is he just waiting for an opportunity or is this his best?... I can''t make any rash judgment. I''ll get the answers once I fight him.''</em>

    Blue B roared��a hollow, unsettling sound��and charged with newfound speed. The ground cracked beneath his feet as he propelled himself toward Jiraiya.

    Jiraiya barely had time to react before Blue B was upon him. He raised his arms to block, but the force of the tailed beast chakra-enhanced punch sent him flying backward, smashing through several trees before he skidded to a halt.

    "Jiraiya boy! Are you alright?" Fukasaku shouted.

    "Yeah," Jiraiya groaned, getting back to his feet. "But that one stung a bit."

    Blue B didn''t relent. He formed a ball of condensed chakra between his hands��a Tailed Beast Ball in the making.

    "He''s trying to form a Tailed Beast Bomb!" Shima eximed.

    "But it''s unstable," Jiraiya observed. "Orochimaru''s imperfect reanimation can''t control that much power."

    Seizing the opportunity, Jiraiya began forming his own Rasengan, natural energy swirling into the spinning sphere. "Sage Art: Massive Rasengan!"

    He dashed forward as Blue B struggled to stabilize the Tailed Beast Ball. Just as Blue B was about to release it, the chakra sphere imploded, backfiring and causing a violent explosion that engulfed him.

    Jiraiya plunged through the smoke, bringing the Massive Rasengan down onto Blue B. The attack connected, drilling Blue B into the ground with immense force. The earth shook, a crater forming beneath them.

    Breathing heavily, Jiraiya leaped back, watching as Blue By motionless at the bottom of the crater.

    "Did that do it?" Shima asked cautiously.

    Suddenly they sensed the ground shaking as if an earthquake was happening. "What the heck is going on?" Jiraiya focused chakra to the soles of his feet to stabilize himself.

    "Look over there!" Fukasaku eximed and the gaze of the other two moved to where the old toad was pointing. They saw the First Hokage standing atop arge wooden golem where Tobirama was fighting.

    "No way!" Jiraiya''s eyes widened as he sensed the chakra in thatrge puppet golem jutsu.

    Fukasaku had a solemn expression on his face. "This is the power of the First Hokage. The legendary shinobi who stood at the pinnacle of his era."

    For a moment, there was silence. Suddenly they heard a sound and their attention was back towards their own enemy. The tailed beast chakra around Fukai began to swirl again, pulling his shattered form back together.

    "He''s regenerating," Fukasaku warned. "We need to seal him!"

    "Right," Jiraiya agreed, pulling out a sealing scroll from his robe. "I was hoping to save this, but we don''t have a choice."

    He unfurled the scroll, spreading it across the ground. As he prepared the sealing jutsu, Blue B began to rise, the eight tails ring wildly behind him.

    "Keep him busy for just a moment," Jiraiya said.

    Fukasaku and Shima nodded. "Leave it to us!"

    They began to weave signs, and together they unleashed a powerful ninjutsu.

    Fukasaku quickly moved through several seals. "Wind style: Wind barrage."

    Shima immediately used her ninjutsu as well. "Fire style: Fire dragon."

    Their powerful sage mode enhanced attacksbined to form a much stronger ninjutsu and it instantly destroyed the chakra cloak around B and submerged him in a sea of mes.

    His body waspletely destroyed and it gave the toad sage enough time to prepare.

    Several seconds passed by before Blue B started slowly regenerating his body.

    "Now!" Jiraiya shouted. Hepleted the sealing jutsu. "Sealing Technique: Four Diamond Seal!"

    The scroll instantly erged and flew towards the regenerating Fukai. It enveloped him instantly and a seal spread around the scroll.

    "It''s done." Shima and her husband breathed a sigh of relief.

    "Just one more thing to do." Jiraiya spoke and made a seal. "Summoning: Toad mouth bind."

    The Sannin summoned a toad esophagus to cover the area he was standing and the sealed reanimation. "It''s best if there are no idents. For now we''ll keep him like this."

    Jiraiya exined to the other two and released the jutsu.

    The inside of the toad along with the sealed Jinchuriki vanished from their eyes. The three then turned their attention to the other battle.

    ��---------------

    Author''s Note:

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen(No space)

 Chapter 347: Tobirama vs Hashirama 02

    Chapter 347: Tobirama vs Hashirama 02

    <strong>Tobirama vs Hashirama</strong>

    Deciding to change tactics, Tobirama formed quick hand seals. "Water style: Water Shockwave."

    Arge amount of water quickly formed from the atmosphere and surrounded the second Hokage in arge swirling vortex. The next moment it surged forward with great speed towards its target.

    Hashirama reacted instantly, mming his hands onto the ground. "Wood Style: Wood Locking Wall!" Wooden pirs erupted from the earth, forming a barrier that absorbed the water attack.

    Using the cover of the steam generated from the sh, Tobirama vanished into the mist.

    Hashirama stood motionless, his eyes scanning through the mist. Suddenly, kunai knivesced with explosive tags flew at him from multiple angles. Hashirama weaved signs. "Wood Style: Branch Shield!" A dome of intertwined branches enveloped him, the explosions rocking the forest but leaving him unharmed.

    Suddenly the Second Hokage appeared behind Hashirama, having marked him earlier. "Now!" He thrust his hand forward, releasing a torrent of water needles. "Water Style: Thousand deadly needles!"

    Hashirama turned, his eyes meeting Tobirama''s. "Wood Style: Great Forest Technique!" His arm transformed into multiple wooden tendrils, intercepting the water needles and extending toward the enemy.

    Tobirama jumped back, forming new seals. "Water Style: Water Encampment Wall!" A protective sphere of water enveloped him as the wooden tendrils smashed against it.Tobirama decided to employ Genjutsu. He locked eyes with Hashirama. "Bringer of Darkness Technique!" The entire area plunged into pitch-ck darkness, disorienting Hashirama. However, Hashirama''s body glowed faintly as he released a burst of chakra. "Genjutsu Release." The darkness dissipated, and his eyes found Tobirama immediately.

    ''<em>Of course, his chakra control is too strong,''</em>Tobirama thought, bracing himself as Hashirama formed new hand seals.

    "Wood Style: Silent Strangle Technique!" Roots silently broke through the ground beneath Tobirama, wrapping around his ankles and climbing rapidly to ensnare him.

    Tobirama felt the constriction and channeled chakra to his legs. "Body Flicker Technique!" He disappeared in a blur, the roots snapping shut on empty air.

    He formed a series of rapid hand seals, his chakra ring. "Water Style: Grand Waterfall Technique!" A massive torrent of water materialized, crashing down toward Hashirama like a tsunami.

    Hashirama responded by mming both palms onto the ground. "Wood Style: Advent of a World of Flowering Trees!" Even at a fraction of his power, enormous trees sprouted, their branches intertwining to form a barrier. The water crashed against the wooden fortress, the impact sending mist and debris flying.

    Tobirama didn''t let up. "Lightning Release: Thunder Spear!" He generated a spear of lightning in his hand, hurling it toward Hashirama''s position. The spear pierced through the trees, emitting a blinding sh.

    An explosion erupted as the lightning spear met something solid. The ground shook and threes nearby toppled.

    ''<em>Something big ising.''</em>Tobirama squinted through the smoke to see Hashirama unharmed, standing atop a newly formed wooden golem.

    "A wooden golem?" Tobirama eximed. The Second Hokage quickly analyzed the jutsu.<em>''It''s nowhere near as big as the one he usually uses. But still.. To use this jutsu��''</em>

    Even though he was fighting his brother under terrible circumstances, Tobirama couldn''t help but sport a small smile. "He''s adapting. As expected from you brother."

    Far away in the Land of Earth Orochimaru''s eyebrows were raised in surprise.<em>''So this is the battle between two former Hokages. Incredible. Tobirama Senju is indeed as formidable as written in history. Powerful water style jutsu created from nothing. Excellent speed and taijutsu skills. To watch him in battle, This is truly a wonderful treat.''</em>

    Orochimaru''s thoughts then turned to his own reanimated Senju.<em>''And Lord First�� His strength is indeed as the legends say. Even at a fraction of his power he is still a Legendary ninja. It seems you truly deserve the title God�� Soon I''ll have that power too.''</em>

    Meanwhile in the Leaf vige Hiruzen was also keeping an eye on the battlefield through Tobirama.<em>''Wooden Golem jutsu? How many decades has it been since I''ve seen that�� You''re still as frighteningly strong as ever Lord First. I hope Tobirama sensei can keep him upied while Ox searches for them.''</em>

    <strong>With Anbu Ox</strong>

    Ox moved to a set of metal drawers in the room, opening each one in search of anything that could indicate their whereabouts. Scalpel, syringes, unfamiliar herbs.<em>''Nothing useful.''</em>

    ''<em>Time is running out.''</em>

    Leaving the medical room, Ox ventured deeper into the base. The corridors began to slope downward, leading him further underground. The air grew colder, and the walls became damp with condensation.

    He arrived at a massive door adorned with intricate seals and symbols. cing a hand on its surface, he could feel the faint hum of chakra.

    "A barrier," he whispered. "But not one I can''t handle."

    Recalling his training, Ox began forming a series of hand seals. "Kai!"

    The seals on the door shimmered before dissolving into wisps of light. With a heavy push, the door creaked open, revealing a vast chamber beyond.

    Stepping inside, he was met with an imposing sight. The room was enormous, with ceilings that disappeared into darkness. At its centery a colossal summoning seal etched into the stone floor, intricate patterns weaving together in aplex design.

    Ox approached cautiously, the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end.

    ''<em>What is this for?''</em>

    He knelt at the edge of the seal, tracing the symbols with his gloved fingers. The design was far more borate than any summoning seal he''d seen before.

    "This isn''t meant for ordinary creatures," he realized aloud. "Orochimaru, what were you nning?"

    He continued deeper into the base, his eyes scanning for any sign of Tsunade or Shizune. But the deeper he went, the more he searched, he realized something chilling. There were no signs of recent activity��no footprints, no lingering chakra signatures besides his own.

    ''<em>They''re not here. No Orochimaru. No Tsunade. No Shizune. Just this..''</em>

    A sinking feeling settled in his stomach. "This whole ce is a decoy," he concluded. "A trap to keep us upied. Damn it."

    Frustration surged through him. They had been led on a wild goose chase while Orochimaru moved unimpeded elsewhere.

    ''<em>I need to inform the others.''</em>

    <strong>Tobirama vs Hashirama</strong>

    Hashirama directed the golem to charge. The colossal figure lumbered forward, each step shaking the ground.

    Tobirama quickly formed more hand seals. "Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet!" A gigantic dragon-shaped mass of water surged forward, colliding head-on with the golem. The two titans struggled against each other, water sshing and wood splintering.

    Seeing an opening, Tobirama teleported onto the golem''s shoulder using a marked kunai. He rushed toward Hashirama, who stood atop the golem''s head.

    Hashirama attacked with a wooden arm that instantly sprouted from the golem. Tobirama, this time enhancing his de with wind chakra, attacked. "Wind Style: Vacuum de!" The sharpened edge sliced cleanly through the wooden arm.

    Hashirama responded by generating multiple wooden tendrils from the golem, all converging on Tobirama. Dodging with agility, Tobirama weaved through them, but one caught his leg, throwing off his bnce.

    Seizing the moment, Hashiramamanded the golem to swat Tobirama away. The massive wooden hand struck him, sending him hurtling through several trees before he crashed into the ground.

    Tobirama groaned, his body regenerating thanks to the reanimation. Hashirama pressed forward.

    "Wood style: Dominion Carnation."

    Gigantic carnivorous nts emerged from the ground around Tobirama snapping itsrge jaws with razor sharp teeth.

    The Second Hokage quickly pped his palms together. "Water wall!"

    He spit out arge amount of water and together with the ones created from surrounding areas a powerful water shield instantly protected him. Hashirama increased the power of his jutsu and the carnivorous nts soon broke through the water barrier.

    They neared the second Hokage but that was also the moment Tobirama was waiting for. The next second he formed a seal and disappeared. In his ce was his brother.

    ''<em>Flying Thunder God: Body Switch''</em>

    Hashirama was in Tobirama''s spot and vice versa. The wooden golem stopped moving and Tobirama standing atop it looked down at his older brother.

    Boom!

    The Second Hokage watched as his brother fell victim to his own jutsu.

    Tobirama expanded his senses. He felt the battle on the other side ending.<em>''It looks like Jiraiya has taken care of things on his end�� Why hasn''t Ox contacted me yet?''</em>

    Just as Tobirama was wondering where the infiltrator of their team went, a voice appeared in his head. The sound of Anbumander Ox.

    ''''<em>Lord Second!"</em>

    "<em>Have you found them?" Tobirama asked anxiously.</em>

    "<em>No. There''s no one else here. There are barriers meant to mimic multiple chakra signatures to confuse anyone who prated the top floor but there isn''t another soul here. This was just a waste of our time.''''</em>

    Tobirama''s eyes narrowed in anger.<em>"Is there nothing else?"</em>

    "<em>There is arge chamber with a summoning seal. Several medical equipment are also present. But aside from that, nothing."</em>

    Ox''s reply made Tobirama clench his fist in anger.<em>''As I feared. Orochimaru was telling the truth earlier. He and Tsunade aren''t in the Land of Fire.''</em>

    Suddenly a yell came from Ox.<em>"Lord Second. This ce, it''s-"</em>

    Tobirama didn''t waste a second. He immediately vanished from his position. A secondter two people stood a great distance away from the base.

    BOOM!

    "-about to explode!" Arge explosion consumed Orochimaru''s hiddenir along with hundreds of meters of the surrounding forests.

    Ox was breathing heavily as he knelt near the reanimated second Hokage.<em>''That was too close. I was almost a dead man.''</em>

    Jiraiya suddenly joined them. He looked at the Anbumander and knew their rescue mission was a failure.

    Suddenly their attention was on the movingrge wooden puppet under the First Hokage''s control.

    Tobirama narrowed his eyes.<em>''He''s recovered from the attack and got back on the golem. No matter. Since they''re not here I don''t have to hold back anymore and stall him.''</em>

    Hashirama stood atop his towering wood golem, the massive construct looming over the shatteredndscape. The golem''s wooden eyes glowed with a fierce intensity, mirroring the determination in Hashirama''s gaze. A flicker of life was present in the first Hokage''s eyes.

    Below, Tobirama faced him with a serious gaze, his white hair fluttering in the wind, while Jiraiya and Ox watched the First Hokage with slight nervousness.

    Jiraiya took a step forward. "Lord Tobirama, we can take him together!"

    Ox nodded, his grip tightening on his weapon. "There''s no need to do this alone."

    Tobirama raised a hand without looking back. "No. This is between me and my brother. Our mission here is over��Tsunade and Shizune aren''t here. There''s no need to waste any more time."

    Jiraiya hesitated but then gave a reluctant nod. "Understood. We''ll be ready if you need us."

    With a swift motion, Tobirama formed a series of hand seals. "Water Style: Sea Formation jutsu!"

    The ground beneath the wood golem trembled as a massive circr pool of water materialized, spreading rapidly. In an instant, thousands of water bullets erupted from the pool, shooting upward like a torrent of arrows. They battered the wood golem relentlessly, splintering limbs and carving gouges into its form.

    Hashirama steadied himself, weaving his own hand signs. "Wood style: Nativity of a World of Trees!"

    New branches sprouted from the golem, reinforcing damaged areas and shielding against the onught.<em>''You''ll need more than that, Tobirama.''</em>

    The barrage of water bullets began to converge in mid-air, swirling and merging into a colossal water dragon. Its serpentine body glistened as it roared, diving straight toward Hashirama.

    Hashirama''s eyes widened.<em>''Impressive!''</em>He pped his hands together. "Wood Style: Wooden Dragon Technique!"

    A dragon of intertwined wood burst forth, meeting the water dragon head-on. The two titanic beasts shed, sending shockwaves rippling through the air.

    Amid the chaos above, Tobirama wasn''t done. The pool beneath the golem churned violently, expanding outward and rising up. Water surged in a massive wave, forming a gigantic dome that enveloped both the wood golem and Hashirama.

    Hashirama nced down as the water closed over him. "A water prison of this scale?"

    Inside the dome, the world was a distorted blur of rippling water and shifting light. Tobirama appeared within, his expression cold and resolute.

    "This ends now."

    He unfurled a scroll, releasing hundreds of paper tags that scattered throughout the dome. As they adhered to the inner surface and the wood golem, the tags began to multiply exponentially��hundreds became thousands in mere seconds.

    Hashirama''s face grew serious. "The Mutually Multiplying Explosive Tags... You always were thorough."@@novelbin@@

    Tobirama gave a slight nod. Tobirama''s form flickered as he activated the Flying Thunder God Technique, vanishing from within the dome just as the first explosions ignited.

    Outside, Jiraiya and Ox shielded themselves as the water dome lit up from within, a brilliant glow that grew brighter before erupting in a cataclysmic explosion. Water, steam, and shards of wood sted outward, the shockwave ttening trees and sending debris hurtling in all directions.

    The ground shook, and a plume of steam rose high into the sky. As the aftermath settled, a deep crater was all that remained where the wood golem once stood.

    Tobirama reappeared beside Jiraiya and Ox, his gaze fixed on the devastation.

    Jiraiya approached cautiously. "Is it over?"

    Tobirama nodded slowly. "He''ll regenerate but it''ll be slow. That will give us our chance."

    ��--------------

    Author''s Note:-

    Next chap. - My Precious Granddaughter

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen(No space)

 Chapter 348 – My Precious Granddaughter

    Disimer: I don''t own Naruto or the Gamer. Please support the official release<hr noshade="noshade" size="1">

    The forest was a battlefield of shattered trees and scorched earth. Smoke lingered in the air, wisps of mes clinging to trees. It was proof of the fierce sh between the two legendary ninjas.

    Tobirama stood amid the wreckage, his white hair stained with dirt and sweat, his eyes fixed on the dissipating dust cloud where his brother had been moments before.

    "Was that the ''Multiplying Tandem Paper Bombs''? That''s one hell of a jutsu." Jiraiya muttered, watching as thest of the explosions subsided.

    Nearby Anbu Ox merely nodded his head in astonishment. He had rarely seen such destructive jutsu.<em>''Is this the power of the shinobi who survived the warring era? Unbelievable.''</em>

    The ground where Hashirama stood was now a dark deep crater, smoke rising from its depths. There were no movements But they knew it wouldn''t be that easy.

    As expected, fragments of wood and flesh began to coalesce at the center of the crater. Hashirama''s reanimated body was regenerating, cells knitting back together with unsettling speed. Tobirama clenched his fists.<em>''I should act now. There''s no need to waste anymore time on this.''</em>

    He vanished with his teleportation jutsu before Jiraiya or Ox registered his movements. His hands alreadypleted weaving several seals.

    "Ninja art - Double Tetragram paralysis seal."

    A series of sealing lines spread all over Hashirama''s body stopping his movements. His body regenerated but he waspletely still. As the man''s face was restored his eyes went to his little brother.

    The second Hokage ced a hand on his elder brother''s neck and the seal symbols covering his head vanished, allowing the First Hokage to speak.

    By this time Jiraiya and Ox alsonded near the two former kages.

    Hashirama had a small smile on his face. "You really didn''t hold back�� Tobirama."

    "Forgive me brother. But I don''t have that luxury." Without wasting a moment, Tobirama mmed another seal onto Hashirama''s forehead.

    The seal glowed briefly before fading into his skin. "Summoning Disruption Seal," Tobirama stated. "This will prevent Orochimaru from summoning you back to him."

    His little brother''s words and the expression on his face gave the First Hokage a bad feeling.

    Orochimaru, who was observing the battle through his puppet, realized what had transpired. "Damn you, Tobirama!" he hissed, his golden eyes narrowing. "You''ve severed my connection." He was furious at being outyed.

    Hashirama blinked, worry and confusion on his face. "What''s going on Tobirama?" He asked.

    Tobirama took a deep breath. "There''s something you should know. Orochimaru has kidnapped Tsunade. She''s in grave danger."

    Hashirama''s eyes widened, a mixture of shock and pain shing across his features. "Tsunade!?" Hearing her name a memory came to the forefront of his mind.

    ��-

    "<em>Haha. I win again!" In a gambling den, Hashirama had a big grin as he grabbed all his winning chips and cash. At that moment he didn''t have the appearance of the leader of a great vige. He looked like a pure gambling uncle looking to have a good time.</em>

    "<em>Wow. That''s a lot of money grandpa." A childish voice came from behind him.</em>

    "<em>Yup. I''m gonna put all this into an even bigger bet." Hashirama, who was drunk, didn''t register the familiar voice at first. But that ignorance onlysted a few seconds. The smile on his face suddenly vanished and he blinked a few times before robotically turning his head in the direction of the voice.</em>

    <em>The First Hokage saw a small hand struggling to reach for the wad of cash on the table. His head turned and followed the hand to the blonde hair and he was shocked to see a very familiar face.</em>

    "<em>Pffft! Tsunade!?" He spit his sake all over the table and eximed in shock. "What are you doing here? H-How did you even get in here?"</em>

    <em>Little Tsunade, who was 5 years old, had a big smile as she looked at her grandpa. "I saw you looking all shady whileing here so I followed you in. And I told them I was with you."</em>

    <em>Hashirama was having a mental freak out. ''Ghaaa! If my son finds out Tsunade was here- No. If Mito finds out she followed me here, I''m a dead man. I need to make sure they don''t ever know.''</em>

    <em>Suddenly he put on a big smile and picked up the little girl and sat her on hisp. "Now, Tsuna, it''s not good to trail your grandpa all the time. I could be on a dangerous mission sometimes and you''d be in trouble if you follow me."</em>

    "<em>Oh?" Tsunade frowned cutely and tilted his head. "So I shouldn''t have followed you here?"</em>

    "<em>No. So why don''t we keep this a secret huh. Just a secret between you and me." The first Hokage had a charming smile as he looked at his granddaughter.</em>

    "<em>Ok grandpa." Tsunade smiled innocently and nodded her head.</em>

    <em>Hashirama breathed a sigh of relief but little did he know it was not going to end there.</em>

    "<em>So what do I get in return?" The next second the little blonde girl asked cutely.</em>

    "<em>Ehh!?" Hashirama had to double take as he looked at his granddaughter.</em>

    "<em>Since you want to keep this a secret, I''m guessing you don''t want dad or grandma to know. So what are you gonna give me?" The little girl had a cute smile and looked like an angel but for Hashirama it looked as if she was smiling like the devil.</em>

    "<em>I.. um�� H- how about a toy when we leave here. Yeah. I''ll buy you some great toys." The first Hokage tried to bribe Tsunade with toys but she was not having it.</em>

    "<em>No. They''re boring. Besides, I already have a lot of them." She replied.</em>

    <em>Hashirama was stumped. "Um�� So what do you want?" He asked with a small trepidation.</em>

    "<em>I wanna y this game." Tsunade said, pointing her hand at the gambling table.</em>

    <em>The first Hokage was stumped for a few seconds as he looked to where she was pointing before vehemently refusing it. "Nope! Absolutely not. I''m not gonna let you gamble."</em>

    "<em>But it looks so fun. Please grandpa."</em>

    "<em>No. I won''t allow it." Hashirama put his foot down.</em>

    <em>Tsunade looked downtrodden and slowly nodded her head. "Fine. There''s not much else I want right now."</em>

    "<em>So you''ll keep this a secret?" The man asked his granddaughter with slight fear in his heart.</em>

    "<em>Yeah."</em>

    <em>Before Tsunade''s reply could bring relief to the man, she continued.</em>@@novelbin@@

    "<em>But you know�� I sometimes talk in my sleep�� And grandma invited me to stay with her for this weekend. So when I sleep I don''t know what I might say."</em>

    <em>Hashirama''s jaw dropped and his eyes widened as he looked at the little girl trying to look innocent. "Y-you little�� That''s extortion!"</em>

    "<em>I don''t know what that means grandpa." Tsunade gave a nonchnt reply.</em>

    <em>The kage of the Leaf vige was silent as he looked at his granddaughter. ''To think that I, Hashirama Senju, the First Hokage and God of Shinobi, would be brought down to my knees by a little girl. I''m kinda d Madara isn''t here. He''d never let me live this down.''</em>

    "<em>Pleaaassse. This looks so fun. Just one game. I promise we''ll stop after one game. And I won''t say anything."</em>

    <em>Finally he relented. "Fine. One game!"</em>

    "<em>Yay." Tsunade pumped her fists in the air in victory.</em>

    <em>Hashirama looked at his granddaughter and sighed. He tried to find the positive side of this situation. ''Perhaps this isn''t so bad. Who knows, if she''s inherited my luck, maybe this could be a good thing. I might be able to double my money.''</em>

    <em>A minuteter after one round of game, Hashirama was looking on in despair as all his earlier winnings were taken away by the house.</em>

    "<em>All��my�� money." He had tears pouring down his face as he saw how quickly his granddaughter lost all his winnings.</em>

    "<em>That was fun. I wanna do it again." Tsunade on the other hand was extremely happy.</em>

    <em>Hashirama looked at the little girl and cried. ''You really have no luck at all.''</em>

    <em>At this moment Tsunade looked at the end of the table and saw a ss with a slightly yellow drink. "Ooh. A juice. I wanna try that."</em>

    "<em>NO!" Hashirama shouted and he immediately hoisted his granddaughter and carried her on his shoulders like a sack of potatoes. "We''re leaving. And you are not going to say a word of this to your dad or grandma."</em>

    "<em>But-"</em>

    "<em>NO BUTS!"</em>

    ��-

    The First Hokage had fear in his eyes. Not for himself but for his precious granddaughter. "Tsunade? She was taken?"

    "Yes," Tobirama confirmed with a solemn expression. "Orochimaru took her and her apprentice Shizune over thirty hours ago. We''re doing everything we can to find them."

    The weight of the news hit Hashirama hard. His partially regenerated body trembled, and for a moment, the ever-boisterous First Hokage looked utterly defeated. "How could I have been so blind... used as a tool against my own family."

    "It''s not your fault," Tobirama said firmly.

    Hashirama closed his eyes, focusing inward. He could feel his soul straining against the bounds of the reanimation. The pain of knowing his kin was in danger ignited something within him.

    His body began to glow softly. "It seems my time here is short, and I couldn''t even help you." he said, a gentle smile returning to his face. "Funny, even in death, there''s no rest for the wicked��or the righteous, it seems."

    The reanimated body of the first Hokage began to break apart and Orochimaru lostplete control over his jutsu. His soul hovered just above the ground. He wanted to help them find his family.

    "I could sense Orochimaru''s chakra... faint, but it was there."

    Tobirama leaned in. "Where?" Jiraiya and Ox were also paying close attention.

    "Somewhere in the Land of Earth," Hashirama whispered. "A hidden location... he''s masked it well, but notpletely. Not to me. I believe this is a weakness of your jutsu." After saying those words Hashirama''s soul slowly began to ascend.

    "Brother..." Tobirama began, but Hashirama raised a hand to stop him.

    "No need for farewells," Hashirama said warmly. "Just promise me you''ll bring Tsunade and her student back safely."

    Tobirama nodded solemnly. "You have my word."

    Hashirama''s form started to break apart into shimmering particles of light. Before he disappearedpletely, he looked into Tobirama''s eyes onest time. "Take care of our vige. And Tobirama... try to smile more."

    A faint chuckle escaped Tobirama''s lips. "I''ll... consider it."

    With that, Hashirama''s soul ascended, the light fading into the sky.

    Jiraiya walked up to Tobirama. "Is he��"

    "Gone," Tobirama confirmed. "But he gave us valuable information. Orochimaru is in the Land of Earth."

    Jiraiya frowned. "The Land of Earth? That''s a long way from here."

    "Exactly," Tobirama replied. "Which exins why we couldn''t find any traces of him nearby. He''s been orchestrating everything from afar."

    Back in the Lead vige Hiruzen, who was watching everything, sat in a chair.<em>''Land of Earth. Daichi was right all along. But going there�� No this must be done. But this will need proper nning.''</em>

    Ox''s eyes behind his mask hardened. "We''re chasing shadows. Orochimaru has been one step ahead."

    Jiraiya clenched his fists. "Then we need to catch up. If he''s in the Land of Earth, we need to move now."

    "Agreed," Tobirama said. "But we have to proceed with caution. Orochimaru won''t be alone, and the Land of Earth isn''t exactly friendly territory."

    Ox stepped forward. "I can mobilize a tracking unit. With Lord Second''s abilities and Lord Jiraiya''s connections, we might have a chance."

    Jiraiya crossed his arms and spoke. "It''s not that simple. After what happened Onoki has increased defenses around the country. Tensions are high right now. If we go in at this time and get caught it could have serious bacsh for the vige. I''m not saying we shouldn''t go. I''m saying we need to make some preparations."

    Tobirama nced at Jiraiya and agreed with his assessment. "Gather what intel you can. I''ll inform Hiruzen."

    Jiraiya nodded. "Right. I already have some people working on it.. If Orochimaru is hiding in the Land of Earth, someone must have seen something."

    "Jiraiya boy. We''ll head home. Contact us if you need anything." Fukasaku said to his student.

    "It''s going to be alright. I have no doubt you''ll bring her home." Shima gave some encouraging words to reassure him.

    "Thank you Pa, Ma." Jiraiya nodded.

    "Lord Second." The two toads nodded at the reanimated Kage and vanished in a puff of smoke.

    Tobirama nced at the two remaining ninjas. "The scouts reported that there was nothing else here. I would have had us conduct another investigation ourselves but that would just be a waste of time. Let''s head back to the vige."

    As they prepared to move out, Tobirama cast onest nce at the spot where Hashirama had vanished.

    ''<em>Rest easy, brother. We''ll bring her back.''</em>

    The Second Hokage ced his hand on the two ninjas and vanished instantly.<hr>

    Author''s Note:-

    Ever since I introduced Tsunade into this story I wanted to include this slice of life scene. I hope I did it well.

    If you enjoy my story then please take a moment to review and rate. A thumbs up always helps.

    And if you are interested in reading ahead, then checkout my patreon site. I��ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there��

    /MonkWithAPen

 Chapter 349: A Cat u0026 Mouse Game

    Chapter 349: A Cat u0026 Mouse Game

    Deep within the winding tunnels of his secret underground base in the Land of Earth, Orochimaru paced back and forth. The dim light from flickering torches cast long shadows on the damp stone walls, giving the ce an even eerier feel. He stopped abruptly, sensing a shift in the chakra he''d been monitoring.

    "So, Hashirama''s Soul has been released, huh" he muttered to himself, annoyance evident in his tone. "And Fukai has been sealed by Jiraiya." He clicked his tongue, frustration creeping in.<em>''Losing two valuable reanimations this early wasn''t part of my n.''</em>

    Orochimaru focused on the sealed Reanimation ninja.<em>''Tobirama Senju was the one who created the reanimation jutsu. If he figures out a way to counter or destroy my control, he could turn Fukai against me. It seems his purpose hase to an end.''</em>

    With a swift hand sign, he decided to cut his losses. "There''s no point in keeping you around if you''re only going to be a liability for me." he said, releasing the reanimation jutsu on Fukai, the former Eight-Tails jinch��riki. The connection severed, and he felt the soul depart.

    Orochimaru took a deep breath, trying to calm the irritation bubbling inside. "No matter," he whispered, a sly grin forming on his face. "What I gain from this will far outweigh any setbacks."

    In the belly of arge toad in Mount Myoboku, two small toads were guarding a sealed ninja. Suddenly they saw the soul of a maning out from the sealed coffin and they were immediately on guard.

    Fukai looked at his spirit form and then at the toads and understood that he was defeated and was released. "Tell Jiraiya that Orochimaru has released his forbidden jutsu. I''m finally free." With those words Blue B''s soul vanished.

    The two toads witnessing the departure of the man, quickly left to inform their summoner.

    Back in the secret hideout in the Land of Earth, Orochimaru entered theb where Tsunade was being kept. He began arranging various vials and instruments on a nearby table. "Everything is almost ready," he mused aloud.

    Shizune watched him warily. "What are you nning on doing to her now?" she asked, dread creeping into her voice.

    He nced over his shoulder, a glint of excitement in his eyes. "Oh, just another little experiment. Tsunade possesses something very special, and I intend to make the most of it."

    "You''re insane if you think you''ll get away with this," Shizune said, clenching her fists. "They''lle for us."

    The Snake Sannin smiled slyly. "Oh, I''m counting on it my dear. But it''ll be a little toote by then."

    He held up a syringe filled with a swirling, iridescent liquid. "With this, the boundaries of what''s possible will be pushed even further," he whispered, almost to himself.

    Shizune prepared to defend her unconscious master but multiple snakesunched at her from the shadows and restrained her limbs. She gritted her teeth in anger as tears flowed down her cheek. "You bastard. You won''t seed," she said firmly. "Lady Tsunade is stronger than you think."

    He chuckled. "We''ll see about that." Despite the setbacks of losing Hashirama and Blue B, a twisted sense of satisfaction settled over Orochimaru as he proceeded with his experiments.

    ''<em>Let them think they''ve gained the upper hand,''</em>he thought.<em>''In the end, the knowledge and power I acquire from this endeavor will render their efforts meaningless.''</em>

    He looked at Tsunade, gazing down at her unconscious pained face. "Soon, everything will change," he murmured.

    Shizune red at him. There was desperation mixed with her anger. "You won''t get away with this."

    Orochimaru met her gaze, his eyes cold and unblinking. "Who''s going to stop me? Jiraiya? Sarutobi Sensei?" He smirked. "By the time they find us��if they ever do��it will be toote."

    The Snake Sannin felt a thrill at the thought of what was toe. "Let them chase shadows," he mused. "I''m always one step ahead."

    ��-

    <strong>About 10 minutester</strong>

    On the battlefield where the two legendary Hokage''s fought a figure appeared. Zetsu emerged from the shadows of the dense forest, his ck and white halves contrasting sharply against the green backdrop. He moved silently, his eyes scanning the devastatedndscape ahead. The ground was torn up, trees splintered and uprooted, and the air was thick with the lingering traces of powerful jutsu.

    "Looks like we just missed a big party," White Zetsumented, his voice light.

    "Indeed," ck Zetsu replied, more seriously. "There are traces of tailed beast chakra here."

    They approached one of therge craters, its edges still smoldering. The remnants of tailed beast energy hung in the air, faint but unmistakable. Nearby, scorched marks and deep gashes indicated intense battles. He moved closer, kneeling down to touch the scorched earth.

    "That''s definitely the Eight-Tails'' chakra," White Zetsu observed. "But that doesn''t make any sense. Its jinch��riki should be in the Hidden Cloud Vige right now, isn''t it?"

    ck Zetsu nodded. "He is. Killer Bee is the Raikage''s younger brother. His every movement is under close scrutiny. I doubt this was him."

    "And over there," ck Zetsu then pointed to an area where the ground was covered in wooden spikes and vines. "That''s remnants of wood style jutsu. Only one person could''ve done that."

    "Hashirama Senju," they said in unison.

    "But he''s been dead for ages," White Zetsu added, confusion creeping into his voice. "How could his chakra be here?"

    ck Zetsu''s eyes narrowed. "And this water residue... It''s consistent with Tobirama''s techniques." He looked around and saw severalrge pools of water all around.<em>''Multiple powerful water style jutsus were used here. His familiar chakra is still lingering in the air.''</em>

    White Zetsu looked around, scratching his head. "So you''re telling me both the First and Second Hokages were here, fighting? That doesn''t make any sense."

    "Who could''ve defeated such powerful shinobis and even subdued a tailed beast''s chakra so quickly?" White Zetsu wondered aloud.

    ck Zetsu didn''t answer and moved to another crater, smaller but just as devastating. The signs of explosive tags were evident, shards of paper still fluttering in the breeze.

    The spy of the Akatsuki moved a little further,ing across another area scarred by battle. The ground was charred, with traces of oil slicked across the surface. Small mes flickered here and there, struggling to stay alive.

    "Fire and oil... and this residue," ck Zetsu noted, closing his eyes briefly. "Natural energy. Someone was using Sage Mode."

    White Zetsu''s face lit up with realization. "Jiraiya. The Toad Sage was here too."

    "So," ck Zetsu pieced it together. "Jiraiya was fighting here, likely against the reanimated jinch��riki of the Eight-Tails. And over there, the marks on those woods indicate that Tobirama faced off against Hashirama."

    ck Zetsu was silent for a moment. "There''s only one exnation that fits," he finally said. "Someone is using the Reanimation Jutsu."

    "Reanimation jutsu? Isn''t that the one that brings the dead back to life?" White Zetsu asked his counterpart as if to confirm.

    "Yes."

    "But who could have used that?" White Zetsu asked.

    "You already know who."

    "Orochimaru," White Zetsu guessed after several seconds. "I guess he''s the only one crazy enough and with enough knowledge to pull that off."

    "Yes. He is the most likely culprit. He''s been delving into forbidden techniques for thest decade after all." ck Zetsu concluded.

    White Zetsu nodded his head and agreed. "Makes sense. But if the Leaf ninjas were able to defeat reanimated versions of Hashirama and the Eight-Tails'' jinch��riki, they''ve gotten stronger."

    "Or the reanimations weren''t at full power. There are certain limitations for that jutsu." ck Zetsu countered. "Either way, this is a problem."

    White Zetsu agreed. "It seems he''s been busy. He didn''t just abduct Tsunade and Shizune. He''s also using the reanimation jutsu to fight the Leaf ninjas."

    "This couldplicate our ns."

    "But who did they fight? And did they win or did those reanimated ninjas kill them?" White Zetau asked his ck self.

    "All good questions."

    "We should inform Obito," White Zetsu suggested. "He''ll want to know about this."@@novelbin@@

    "Agreed," ck Zetsu replied. "The involvement of Orochimaru and the possibility of reanimated Hokages and a Jinchuriki can''t be ignored. We need to adjust ordingly."

    But a question formed in ck Zetsu''s mind.<em>''There is still a problem. All signs in the surroundings point to a fight between the First and Second Hokages�� Why would Hashirama fight Tobirama?... Unless those two were on opposite sides. Does that mean�� Did Orochimaru lose control of his jutsu or is it possible that the Leaf vige has used reanimation jutsu on one of the first two Hokages? If so then who?''</em>He kept his thoughts to himself and prepared to leave.

    They began to sink back into the ground, melding with the earth. "I wonder what Orochimaru''s endgame is," White Zetsu mused as they disappeared.

    "Whatever it is, we need to be ready for anything," ck Zetsu responded. With that, they vanishedpletely, leaving the ravaged battlefield behind. �C<strong>8:40 am</strong>

    ��-

    <strong>Hidden Leaf Vige - Daichi Hekima</strong>

    In a quiet room filled with stacks of documents and scrolls, Daichi sat alone at a wooden desk.

    He leaned back in his chair, rubbing his temples.<em>''Why was the interrogation quest with Mizuki considered a sess?''</em>he thought to himself.<em>''I barely got any useful information, and the trail went cold so quickly.''</em>

    The lead he''d followed had taken him on a wild goose chase, ending in a dead end far from any significant findings.

    "Yet, the quest reward says increased chances of rescuing them" he mused, tapping his fingers on the desk. "It doesn''t make sense."

    He gazed around the cluttered room, his eyesnding on a scroll detailing his encounter with Guren. The ambush near the Fire Capital reyed in his mind. Guren and her team had been formidable opponents, but he''d managed to defeat them and bring Guren back as a prisoner.

    ''<em>Wait a minute, could Guren be the key? Mizuki''s interrogation might not have given us much, but encountering Guren couldn''t have been a coincidence. She''s one of Orochimaru''s top subordinates. It was Mizuki''s interrogation that ultimately led me to that encounter with her. So she must have some intel with her that could help us. Too bad she''s dead. I hope Inoichi and Ibiki got every useful intel out of her.''</em>

    Daichi was suddenly taken back by his own thoughts.<em>''Jeez. Has my value for human life gotten so low. I didn''t even feel a tinge of remorse or sadness for her�� Stay strong Daichi. Now is not the time for you to lose it.''</em>

    ''<em>The finance minister of the Land of Earth''s royal court is involved with Orochimaru,''</em>he pondered.<em>''Half an hour ago, Kakashi-sensei and I finally connected the dots.''</em>

    He recalled the discussion with Kakashi earlier. They had sifted through countless reports, piecing together the subtle clues.

    ''<em>Shipments from the Land of Snow, diverted patrol routes, unounted cargo... it all points to the minister.''</em>he mused.<em>''But we need concrete evidence.''</em>

    Daichi had created a shadow clone and updated it with this crucial information before dispelling it.

    ''<em>My Shadow clone should reach the minister''s residence in about six hours,''</em>he calcted.<em>''With my disguise, it''ll be easier to move undetected.''</em>

    He leaned back, gazing at the ceiling.

    ''<em>Interrogating the minister of a great nation is extremely risky.''</em>he thought.<em>''But it''s my best chance to find out where Orochimaru is hiding Tsunade-sensei and Shizune.''</em>

    A flicker of concern crossed his mind.

    ''<em>What if my clone encounters unforeseen obstacles?''</em>he wondered.<em>''No, I have to trust in my abilities. My shadow clone is just as capable.''</em>

    The room was silent except for the faint rustling of papers as a breeze drifted through the open window.

    ''<em>Every moment counts.''</em>he reminded himself.<em>''Orochimaru''s ns are advancing, and we can''t afford any dys.''</em>

    He stood up and began pacing slowly.<em>''I can''t wait 6 hours and do nothing. I''ll have the clone investigate from his side. But I have to move forward with my own ns.''</em>

    He clenched his fist with determination.

    ''<em>I will find them,''</em>he resolved.<em>''I won''t let anything happen to you two. I promise.''</em>Daichi took a deep breath, centering himself.

    He returned to his seat, pulling a notebook towards him.

    ''<em>Might as well use this time to strategize,''</em>he decided.<em>''Anticipate Orochimaru''s moves.''</em>

    As he began jotting down ideas, a quiet confidence settled over him.

    ''<em>We''re getting closer,''</em>he assured himself.<em>''I can feel it.''</em>

    ��------------------

    Author''s Note:

    This is sort of a filler chapter. But I wanted to write it down and give some depth anyway.

    If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I''ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.

    Patre /MonkWithAPen(No space)

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    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!