“I am most disappointed,” stated Danzō, looking down upon his subordinate.
“I could do nothing, Danzō-sama,” said Lei, his body heavily wrapped, one eye covered, the other one barely focused on his leader. “Saotome possessed more high-level jutsu than I had previously thought. The kunoichi were able to effectively use teamwork, despite never having shown such coordination in the past.”
“And that is why you are here?” asked Danzō.
“No sir,” replied Lei. “I was in hand-to-hand combat attempting to disable Saotome, only to discover the one I was fighting was a Bunshin Daibakuha.”
The Root leader’s one uncovered eye went wide at that. That was an A-Rank jutsu. To think a simple genin had the skill and power to pull it off was an amazing feat, something that made him wonder if perhaps he might have a use for this genin. To even have learned such a technique without a powerful clan or ninja supporting them was astounding.
“It was only after I regained consciousness that I learned … the Hokage had had people watching the exam.”
Danzō’s eye narrowed at those words. Perhaps Sarutobi had not been as trusting as he proclaimed. Devious, very devious...
“Saotome … must have been with Uzumaki when he obtained the Forbidden Scroll. He too learned from it.” The unfocused eye slowly turned towards the ceiling. “The Hokage … warned me Saotome’s skills … might hold a strong surprise. To use some of those … techniques, there is no other way.”
“I see,” murmured Danzō. Well played, Sarutobi. Even I did not suspect any aside from the Jinchuuriki had seen that. However, Saotome read further it would seem, mastered quicker, and had the chakra to use it.
He even surprised one of mine. Yes, this boy would need watching, as would those he was teamed with. Someone who could use Mihoshi and her unique bloodline so well at such a young age… “Where are they now?”
“I was … told that … the Hokage is choosing a new team leader … for them,” Lei huffed, the painkillers taking effect, making conscious thought harder to maintain.
“I see,” he murmured, as he backed away into a dark corner of the room, disappearing into the shadows as a few Medic Nin entered.
Slaying the failure at this time served no purpose. However, starting up surveillance on the orphaned trio did.
Hiruzen Sarutobi was rubbing his forehead, trying to force off a headache. “Thank you, you are dismissed,” he replied, sending out the Medic Nin who had come to deliver the report on Lei’s injuries.
“Sorry I’m late,” stated Kakashi, entering in after the door had closed. “It was a sunny day and I suddenly remembered I had left one of my students tied out in it, baking.”
“… I don’t know, but I think he may be telling the truth,” muttered Asuma.
Sighing, the Hokage reached into his desk, pulling out several headache relievers. Now I understand why my predecessors had that special sake preparation station installed under the desk. “Before I hear the reports from you on your teams, I was hoping to get your opinions on something.”
“Oh?” spoke Kurenai.
“Yes, there was a fourth team who passed today, Team 9.”
“So where is their instructor?” asked Asuma, noticing that Kakashi had leaned nearby and was reading his little orange book once again. The Sarutobi jounin inched away from him and Kurenai’s glare. He knew better than anyone that you did not want to anger a genjutsu mistress. The things they could make you see in anger…
“Severely injured,” stated Hiruzen, much to the shock of the other three—Kakashi looking in your direction could count as shock. “He performed the Bell Test, and as expected, told his students to come at him with intent to kill.”
Asuma sighed as he pulled out a cigarette. “That’s got to be the first time three genin actually injured their jounin sensei.”
Nodding, the Hokage continued, describing the battle he had both observed via his crystal ball and reports from the watching ANBU. He left out why ANBU were watching someone like Lei or how Ranma knew such techniques.
It was already an upper joke among many shinobi thanks to Naruto about how the blond-haired teen had acquired the scroll. He doubted anyone would believe him if he said that Ranma had found Naruto and studied the scroll as well.
“Impressive,” smirked Asuma, lighting his cigarette. “The kid definitely had some moves ready. Might have to warn my genin should they ever get their own students about that.” The new generation was definitely full of surprises.
“But what will they do without a jounin sensei?” asked Kurenai.
“I was hoping for some suggestions,” replied Hiruzen. “The other possible jounin that were assigned to the pool for this class have declined.”
“Really?” asked Kakashi. “All of them.”
“A good deal felt how Saotome acquired the bells was not a good sign of them being able to lead and educate the group,” Hiruzen replied.
“Uh-huh,” replied Kakashi. He was sure there was another reason, something he felt he could make an educated guess on as to why those jounin would have rejected such students. However, he certainly didn’t feel right exposing what was underneath the underneath.
Although the possibility that they were afraid of a genin who could tactically use such an A-Rank jutsu probably did scare a few, but certainly not all of them, was somewhat hilarious.
“Whoever you choose will have to be strong-willed,” stated Asuma. “If they’re as skilled as this shows, they may have already decided how to act, something that probably will get them in trouble during missions.”
“Actually, I was thinking of choosing two individuals,” replied Hiruzen. “If they are this strong already, single-focused training will not be an option. The extra teacher should help them, especially if one is a kunoichi to advance the skill sets of Tendo and Kuramitsu.”
The jounin shivered slightly, knowing all too well of some of the stories of a few teachers from the Academy who tried to personally teach Mihoshi. It was the only time they had ever seen a spy turn themselves in, crying like a baby, offering anything if they would just ‘keep the tanned demon away from me’.
“Two?” asked Kurenai.
“A jounin and a special-jounin,” replied Hiruzen. In actuality, he had to do this. He knew that Lei had and most likely still worked for Root. He couldn’t prove it, but he knew in his gut that the former ANBU likely still reported to his former leader, and would report the proficiency of the trio the minute said man found Lei. A second teacher—one he knew would be loyal to Konoha and not to old ‘One-Eye’—would be a special boon to ensuring not only team stability and education, but also loyalty to Konoha and not some underground hidden coup.
Surely, his suggestion for a main teacher would be just as necessary. “Here are the two I had in mind,” he finished, pushing two files forward.
Pretending to be caught up in his book, Kakashi never moved forward. However, Asuma and Kurenai did.
“Well,” smirked Asuma, “ruling by the use of terror could turn out to be needed for this team. Hell, he even studied under you, Kakashi.”
“Really,” replied the lazy jounin, casting a glance at the held-out folder. “Hmm, he could be a good match.”
“Her?” asked Kurenai, reading the file before her. “You sure?”
Hiruzen nodded.
“Well,” said Kakashi, hiding a smirk under his mask, “then you definitely will be able to rule by fear over the little dangers.”
“Um, yes,” said the embarrassed Hokage.
“So, when do they get told about their new offer?” asked Asuma.
Knock-knock!
“Ah, a perfect setup,” smirked Kakashi as he put away his book. He didn’t want to miss this. It was always fun when they walked right into it.
“What the hell was that?” asked Nabiki, having noticed that like her, her other roommates had suffered a massive shiver.
“Something very bad,” muttered Ranma, digging deeply into his ramen as the trio had been enjoying lunch at Ichiraku’s. “Eat quicker, bad luck’s a comin’.”
“… Seriously, Ranma?” asked Nabiki, directing a hooded glare at him.
“Trust me; eat now, bad news soon.”
“Maybe they picked a new sensei for us,” Mihoshi wondered aloud.
Nabiki dove into her own meal after hearing that.
“You’re starting to make me nervous, Saotome,” Nabiki complained, a bit of fear in her voice, as the trio made their way home from Ichiraku’s.
“Welcome to my world,” he said, eyes darting about, wishing that he did have a Sharingan—not just for the cool memorization tricks and the possible genjutsu applications when he returned home, but so he could spot what he knew was there. “But my danger senses are going crazy.”
“But where is it?’ asked Mihoshi, looking around. “I mean, birds are singing, hardly a cloud in the sky, people are being all nice to us.”
“Have we been attacked?”
“No,” replied Mihoshi. “At least, I don’t think we have been.”
“Have we been contacted about the fact we sent our Jounin Instructor to the hospital?” he asked.
“… No, we haven’t,” murmured Nabiki, her own sense of dread starting to rise.
“But we said we were sorry and everything!” cried Mihoshi. “They’re not going to punish us for that, are they? I mean, he did say to come at him with everything we had!”
Ranma froze. “They already replaced him,” he murmured, darting around, looking for any hidden people. “They’ve replaced him and sent our new teacher out to get us.”
“Where are they then, Saotome?” Nabiki asked, grabbing him by the shoulder as he tried to dart past her. “Freaking out won’t help us! Use your skills.”
He blinked in shock at those words. “Oh, I forgot,” he chuckled nervously, eyes closed, and rubbing the back of his head. Focusing, he opened his ki-senses, hoping that like the chakra-based wards and security devices, he could sense his future assailant.
“ANBU,” he said, pointing to a tree further down the block, his arm moving in a slow counter-clockwise circle.
“ANBU.”
“Naruto hiding poorly.”
“HEY!” yelled the poorly hidden Genin.
“Hinata.”
“Eep!” squeaked the poorly hidden Hyuuga.
“ANBU.”
He was now facing back from where they had come from, a different signature reached his senses, a signature that—
He grabbed the two girls from behind; hopping backwards quickly as the ground underneath him erupted, revealing a python the size of a horse.
“Oh shit,” sighed Nabiki, recognizing what that meant.
“Well, brats,” said a smirking female landing next to the giant python, her trench coat blowing gently, “got to say I’m impressed.”
“WAH! SCARY SNAKE LADY!” cried Mihoshi, hiding behind Ranma, her head barely peaking over his shoulder.
Ranma felt his fears grow. “You’re our new instructor?” he asked, pointing a shaking finger at her.
The woman snorted. “Please, they’d never assign a Special Jounin as a Leader for a Genin Team.”
Ranma relaxed visibly at those words, a small smile on his face, as he felt that maybe it wasn’t as bad as he feared.
Nabiki’s eyes narrowed however. “That wasn’t a ‘no’,” she stated.
Anko smirked. “Quick, I like that. And I told the truth, they’d never make me the Leader.”
It all clicked in Nabiki’s mind. “They made you the assistant,” she murmured, eyes slowly widening.
“Right, brat,” smirked Anko, palming a kunai. “I have to say, I’m loving this already, especially after I heard what you brats did to Zi.”
“We’re sorry!” squeaked Mihoshi.
“Why? I’m not,” smiled Anko. “Bastard always did need taken down a peg.”
“Please, don’t scare them too badly, Anko,” said a new figure, rising up from the ground beside her—the side not occupied by the almost-grinning python.
“Allow me to introduce myself,” the figure replied, removing an ANBU mask to reveal a face Ranma and Nabiki knew all too well. “My name is Yamato, and I am the new Leader for Team 9.”
“… Do we run now?” asked Mihoshi.
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(Posted Sun, 01 Nov 2009 05:09)
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