Sarutobi Hizuren walked through the Academy at a leisurely pace pausing every now and then to look at different classes. In many he would watch young ninja hopefuls perform the same exercises he was taught, others he invented, and some that were only two years old. The last category was why he was here. He wanted to observe the new practices himself and not just listen to a progress report. Unlike the technical finding from the ruins, the manifestation of these new powers fascinated him beyond warfare tactics and strategies.
The powers started to manifest in the young about five years after the Transference. They began with the Yamanaka Clan's children first. At first it was subtle,Young Ino had shown unusual amounts of awareness for her age. She would know where people were, what they were feeling and whether they were hiding information. But it was her dreams that truly drew her parents and his own attention. Every so often Ino would have a dream, vision, of the future. In many cases they would prove accurate if not complete. Many, including himself, thought it was an expansion of her Clan's mental powers. That was until the Director of the Hospital reported other children, with no blood ties to the Yamanaka, reporting similar if less accurate abilities. After that the Hokage ordered the Clan Heads and Department Leads to report any unusual occurrences to him. With in a week his office was flooded with reports of the young, ages five to thirteen, showing abilities that were just out of the scoop of normal ninja abilities. Some were subtle like Ino's expanded mental abilities, others were not like Uchiha Itachi's ability to generate electricity with only a minute usage of Chakra. But even that could all be explained by expansion of Bloodline Limits and natural talent. What could not be explained was what happened when Uzumaki Kushina, the wife of the late Yondaime, brought her son, Naruto, to his office to show him his new trick.
(Flashback)
Sarutobi was looking at the latest report from the Hospital about some or the fauna native to this world. Apparently a scout team of Chunin came across a reptile of some sort that they were classifying as a 'Super Herbivore' because of the sheer size of it; almost as large the Toad Boss Gamabunta. What was strange, to them, was that creatures of that size had at least some kind of intellect. This one just acted like the semi-domesticated deer of the Nara Clan. He was about to authorize a hunt for one of the creatures to determine if it could be a source of food-game, as creatures of that size would feed a several squads for weeks, when a red haired woman and a young blond boy entered his office.
“Kushina,” Sarutobi greeted with a smile. “What brings you and Naruto to my office today?”
Kushina looked at him for one serious moment to let him know something important was about to happen. After that brief moment she turned and squatted down next to her son. “Naruto-chan, show Saru-ji (Grandpa Monkey) your new trick. The one you showed me this mourning.”
Naruto nodded with a mile wide smile on his face. It was obvious he was proud about his new trick. Sarutobi tensed just a little when he saw Naruto close his eyes, stick out his tongue and gestured with his hand towards him. What ever he was anticipating he was not expecting his hat to fly off his head and float wobbly towards Naruto's outstretched hand. “I've got the Hat!” Naruto exclaimed. “Now I'm Hokage like Jiji (Grandpa) and Tousan (Dad)!”
Sarutobi quickly hid his shock and walked over to Naruto to reclaim his hat. “Not just yet Naruto,” the Hokage said taking the hat. “But I'm sure you'll be Hokage soon enough.”
“Naruto-chan,” Kushina spoke up. “Why don't you go play with Suki-san out front. I need to speak with Saru-ji for a little bit.” Naruto nodded he like Suki, the Hokage's Receptionist, as she let him have sweets. Just before he left Kushina spoke again. “And remember your trick is part of the Secrets Game, and the Secrets Game...”
“Is part of playing Ninja!” Naruto exclaimed before opening the door and running over to the Reception's desk.
(End of Flashback)
After Naruto left Kushina explained that Naruto had pulled one of Minato's special tri-point kunai off the high mantel that morning. After the initial scolding about touching things he was not supposed to she asked him about the trick. Naruto claimed at the time, if he wanted something really hard it would float over to him. He was only doing it for about a day before Kushina found him with the tri-point kunai and she had said she was proud of him and he should show his Saru-ji.
For the next half an hour Kushina and he debated the origins of this ability. Both came to the conclusion that it was a manifestation of Form Manipulation of Chakra, Naruto inherited from Minato. What they could not decide was if it was similar to the Ningyoujutsu (Puppet Techniques) of Suna (Sand) or something else. Kushina allowed Sarutobi to call for Hyuuga Hizashi as the Hyuuga Clan were the best Form Manipulators in the Village. As now the official Head of the Hyuuga Clan he was decided to be the best at keeping the details of the meeting confidential.
After having Naruto demonstrate his new trick again Hizashi looked contemplative for a few seconds before saying with a strong conviction that what Naruto did was not Form Manipulation,
(Flashback)
“How could it not be Form Manipulation?” Kushina asked.
“Using Form Manipulation requires the Chakra of a person to physically touch the object,” Hizashi answered. “Your son's is being used but it was not touching the Hokage's Hat.” The hat had become Naruto's target of choice whenever he was allowed to use his trick. “However I did see a cloud, for lack of a better word, around the Hat, but it had no physical connection to Naruto.”
Sarutobi leaned back into his seat for a moment. “What you describe is very similar to what Jiraiya told me about Sanjutsu.”
“Are you saying Naruto can use Senjutsu (Sage Techniques)!?” Kushina exclaimed. “At his age!?”
“Calm down Kushina,” the Hokage said. “I am only saying it seems similar. I think we need to call Jiriaya here to get his expertise on this.”
“I was under the impression the Jiriaya-sama did not like this world,” Hiziashi stated. “Something about how if felt so different to him.”
“Jiraiya will come for Naruto,” Kushina stated. “He'd do anything for him.” Without being told to she formed some hand seals saying, “Kuchiyose no Jutsu.” A puff of smoke later and a toad about the size of a dog appeared. “Gamahimo-san, could you tell Jiriaya that he needs to come to Konoha? It involves Naruto?”
“Sure, Kushina-san,” Gamahimo answered. “But it may take him a couple of days for him to get here. He's tracking down an old student of his from the War. New information has come up and Jiriaya does not want to loose track of his lead.”
“It cannot be helped I guess,” Kushina said. “OK, tell him to come as soon as he can.”
“Will do,” Gamahimo answered before disappearing in a puff of smoke.
Three days later Kushina and Naruto were called to the Hokage's Office. Naturally Naruto greeted his Uncle/Godfather Jiriaya with his new trick. Jiriaya was a trusted member of the family after all and was allowed to be told secrets. When Jiriaya felt his 'Oil' Hitai-ate remove itself from his head and float over to Naruto all thoughts of discomfort being here vanished. “That's a cool trick, Naruto!” Jiriaya exclaimed truthfully. If he could learn that, the applications for Research would be astronomical. Jiriaya walked over to his Godson and picked him up. Using a stage whisper Jiriaya asked, “Why don't you get your Saru-ji's favorite book from the back shelf over there. I'm sure it would be a good prank.”
Naruto nodded rapidly. He was taught the fine art of pranking by both his Mother and Uncle/Godfather. With a look of concentration Naruto focused on a book across the room. It was a medium sized book on the jutsu creation that the Nidaime Hokage wrote. After a few seconds the book dislodged itself from the shelf and floated passed the 'unobservant' Hokage and into Naruto's hands. “Look Jiji, I got your book. If you want it back you'll have to let me wear the Hat.”
“Here you are Naruto,” the Sandaime said putting the Hokage Hat on Naruto's head. Naruto held it in place as Jiriaya put him down and gently shoved him back to Kushina. When out of ear shot the Sandaime asked, “Is he using Senjutsu.”
“No,” Jiriaya whispered. “But he is using his Chakra to Manipulate the Natural Energy around him.”
“I thought that was what Sanjutsu was,” Sandaime replied. Jiriaya had never explained Senjutsu that well and Sarutobi never pressed. Trust for shinobi was sometimes not asking for all the information a person had and the Hokage never had a reason to inquire more about Senjutsu.
“No, Senjutsu is taking Natural Energy into your body and combining it with your Mental Energy and Body Energy. What Naruto is doing is using his Chakra to control the Natural Energy around him,” Jiriaya became contemplative for a moment. “Frankly I've never seen anything like it and I doubt even the Sages have either. Then again this is an entire new reality and some of the rules might work differently here. The real question is however is Naruto the only one who can do this or are there others?”
(End of Flashback)
There were others, a lot of others. Nearly a fourth of the children growing up in Konoha had the Ayumikata Mono (Move Object) power to various strengths. The Sandaime had quickly called the Clan Heads and Department Leads for a meeting and instructed them to start making detailed observations abut these new powers. He really did not need too, however as many already were. Information was the life blood of survival on the battle field after all and shinobi lived on the battlefield.
After months of observations, conclusions had been made. One, the new powers could be divided between two categories: active and passive. The active abilities required the person to focus on the power like Ayumikata Mono while the passive abilities like the Visions happened when the person was relaxed, in a zen trance or asleep. Second, those with a talent for Ninjutsu had a talent for the active powers and those with a talent for Genjutsu (Illusion) had an affinity for the passive. The next conclusion was the younger generations had a better handle on the abilities as they came naturally to them while their parents and grandparents had to 'Unlearn what they have learned' as one person said. Sarutobi and others like him found they had little talent in these powers, too stuck in his ways he imagined. The final conclusion was these powers were a result of the tangibility of the energy all life gives off.
All this meant was a new training program had to be instated. The Ninja had learned long ago that unfocused power regardless of source was wasted power. So for the next three years Konoha rapidly discovered, experimented, and explored the strengths and weaknesses of these powers and implemented crude but effective methods of controlling them. It would probably be decades or more before the refinement reached the level of Ninjutsu, Genjutsu, and Taijutsu (Physical Combat) the ninja used. It was a start however and an advantage, an advantage several had a feeling they would need in the future.
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(Posted Sun, 11 Apr 2010 16:11)
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