It was NOT a Green Lantern ring, nor an Intelligent Device. Something else was required.
"How is this an 'ultimate weapon'?" asked Kakashi.
"This is a universe with ninja. A few samurai. Mainly ninja though. Ninja magic or ninjutsu dominates. Since the time of the Sage Of Six Paths - it has largely been a ninja-dominated world as ninja have a presence on the economic, political, and cultural stages. Do you agree with my summation?"
"Wasn't the 'Sage Of Six Paths' a myth?" asked Kakashi, not arguing the rest.
"No." Images began to flicker in the air. "Kumogakure managed through the last several wars to steal or otherwise obtain several artifacts dating back to the Sage's time. His name in fact was Hagoromo Otsutsuki. In any case, there is no real balance of power as only one dominant skillset and mindset exists - ninja. Those who live in the shadows and die in the shadows. Though you've evolved the job a bit since the Village System. That ring there is of another skillset and opens additional possibilities."
Naruto plucked the ring up off the cushion and examined it. "It looks like just a ring."
"To normal human sight, yes. If you were to look at it on the molecular level, you'd see something else. It is, in fact, a magical artifact of Legendary level. Put it on."
Naruto did so before Kakashi could caution him about accepting gifts from strange deities.
"Now that it has bonded to you, it can become any type of weapon you envisage. Need a kusari-gama? It can become one. Need a bo staff whose length is determined by your need? Easy. Want to get in a sword fight? Choose a type of sword suited to your battle. Target at an extreme range? The high powered laser sniper rifle works best. Facing an alien superdreadnaught? Use the ship-to-ship neutrino cannon. There are a thousand weapons it can mimic."
"I only know a few," noted Naruto.
"Actually, I'd expect you only to use the Staff Of Expansion, the Chain Of Command, and the Countering Ninjato with any degree of frequency. Possibly the Bloody Card. Which brings us to the passive functions."
"Passive?" asked Naruto.
"Means it is always on and doesn't require you to do anything," explained Kakashi.
"How many chakra signatures are nearby, Naruto?"
"Me, Sasuke, Sakura, the priest guy, Kakashi, three mice, that tree out there in the yard..." Naruto's voice trailed off as he looked around. "Oh."
"That makes him a chakra sensor?" asked Kakashi, thinking that was DAMN handy.
"Yes. It will allow him to smell chakra signatures at present. With some work and practice, he'll also be able to get an idea of power level, affinity, and whether there's hostile intent involved. He'll need training though to get the basics."
"Who can train him in that?" asked Kakashi.
"Pardon me. I thought I was talking to Naruto's sensei."
"Oh yeah," said Kakashi.
"I'll leave off the bit about how the Aura Of SexyCute will eventually give him a hand in competing with Sasuke."
"The wha?" asked Kakashi and Naruto together.
"Really. Both he and Sasuke are the last of the line of their particular clans. You'd think one or both of them would be interested in making relationships to pursue later in that regard. Just so they have those options open in the future."
"Hey, I'm pursuing Sakura," complained Naruto.
"Who, very frequently, can barely stand you. Meanwhile you ignore Hinata who has a crush on you, Midori - the clerk at the grocery store who tries to slip a little something extra into your shopping bag when she thinks her manager isn't looking, Fuu - though that isn't your fault as you haven't met her yet. May have to do something about that one. Hanabi, who is way too young for you but would find your chakra patterns enticing. Both princesses, that priestess. Oh, that's right. You haven't met them yet, have you?"
Kakashi stopped writing things down and hid the scroll. Naruto merely stared at the cat-statue with his jaw hanging loose.
"Not to mention that little girl whose cat you rescued last week."
"Hey, that cat wasn't nearly as bad as Tora... waitaminute," said Naruto. "She had to be all of six!"
"Maybe I should alter the timeline a bit. Have both you and... Oh. He didn't. He did. Well, well."
"Who did? Who did what?" asked Naruto.
"Sasuke Uchiha. In a dreamscape I arranged. Just determined that the dream was, in fact, real enough and not a normal dream. He made a wish. One that I think I'll grant. It might be amusing, especially as he already knew that there would be Consequences involved."
Kakashi facepalmed. "Are you having conversations with my other genin right now?"
"Well, I tried to do the same thing with Sakura. Except she has sufficient self-control that she keeps taking the dream and does a few things with Sasuke Uchiha and chocolate glaze that really shouldn't be tried at her age."
"She's normally so quiet," said Kakashi, looking towards the girl in question.
"Not what I've observed, but I suppose it's a relative value sort of thing."
"What did Sasuke wish for?" asked Naruto, a bit concerned.
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(Posted Tue, 03 Dec 2013 16:07)
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