The Kyubi was rather unhappy about that. Though he DID get the best nap he'd had in ages.
The three of them, plus their still-hidden ANBU associate, watched the Arena. Though Sakura glanced at Naruto regularly and seemed confused about something.
Sakura was now a cleric of Sarenrae - the goddess of the sun and redemption, honesty and healing. The favored weapon of those who served Sarenrae was apparently the scimitar - and she was getting lessons in that. Sakura's chosen focus in the clerical spell business were the domains of Healing and Fire. The clothing was a bit odd, mostly concealing her. It wasn't too different from a kimono in that regard.
She'd only seen the others briefly in the past week of training. Now she had the chance to study the changes and was a bit surprised at the results.
Naruto was clearly taller and more visibly muscular. He'd always been a bit wiry but now he was showing more toned muscle. He was also radiating some sort of aura of calm power. His clothing was now different too. Perhaps that explained why he looked so different.
One of her studies had been the other 'gods' of this world so she knew what the symbol on his chestplate was - the symbol of Shelyn. Shelyn was the goddess of beauty, art, love, and music. Which didn't seem to fit Naruto at all.
Below them, the pre-battle banter was continuing. Ulf the Warrior Poet was declaring (from the parts she could understand) how the gnome Professor Copperpot was fated to fail.
Sakura's eyes went to Sasuke. Black lacquered armor of hard leather over dark-blue cloth with lacing that was also of dark blue. At either side were long and wicked looking knives. There were, actually now that she counted, twelve knives visible on Sasuke. One in either boot, four in his belt, a bandolier held another five, and one each on his bracers. Some were clearly throwing daggers. Some were clearly meant for close-in knife work.
She turned her attention briefly back to the arena floor.
Ulf the Warrior Poet had just finished his poem, and was now using his massive two-handed sword to block swipes from Professor Copperpot's Beast. The Beast was a large automaton made of brass and copper that moved slowly but carried a lot of power when it struck.
"Why are they having us watch this?" asked Naruto.
"This is an example of what they want us to do," answered Sakura. "Ulf could have won this in seconds - he just needed to go after Copperpot. Instead each of them made speeches and then we have Ulf fighting the automaton."
A jet of fire came out of the automaton's mouth, drawing a few shrieks and cheers from the audience.
"The battle is like a spar," said Sasuke. "Neither is going full out, they're mainly displaying what they can do and playing up everything for the crowd."
Ulf ducked under a swipe, barely avoiding another blast of fire, and smashed a set of pipes with his sword. Copperpot declared that such measures were ineffective against his genius.
"So, when we're fighting in there - we have to do specific things?" asked Naruto. "I suck at poetry."
"You suck at many things, dead last," replied Sasuke.
"We're also here for the crowd to see us," said Sakura before the two could get into further conflict. "We're supposed to be united as a group, exotic warriors and all. It's why we're wearing these costumes."
"A sorcerer, an assassin, and a cleric of Sarenrae," said Sasuke. "Sounds like the beginning of a lame joke."
Sakura began to say something, however the voice from her mouth was not the usual one. "It IS the beginning of a lame joke. Your visit here was directed by a trickster god."
Sasuke glanced at Sakura with a quizzical expression.
Naruto cocked his head. "A Manifestation?"
"Yes," said Sakura in that odd voice. "Beware, young wanderers. There are forces at work here."
Naruto and Sasuke waited for a moment but Sakura just shook her head.
"Well, that was cryptic," said Sasuke.
"Manifestations are supposed to be really rare," said Naruto. "I had one awhile ago."
"Oh?" asked Sakura, apparently back to normal.
"Apparently I got an 'epic destiny' and stuff," said Naruto. He shrugged. "I get awesome jutsu out of it, so it's all good."
Lord Shivak noted that the three wanderers were talking among themselves, and was reminded of their presence. "You. What of the wanderers? I would hear of their progress."
"Ah, Lord Shivak, it is as you have foreseen in your great wisdom, the Destined One is indeed capable of sorcery." The minion bowed before him, tail lashing nervously behind him.
Shivak focussed on that last detail. There was something his minion wasn't telling him that the minion thought would distress him. Great. More problems. "What is it? Just get out with it. Much as I enjoy the whole simpering sycophant thing - this is business. Get to it."
"As you say, great lord," said the kobold. "It is that the Destined One had a chance to peruse many scrolls and... the results were atypical. This one is not well versed in the arcane arts but the mage supplying such things was quite curious as to the boy's ability to learn spells from scrolls and memorize them in a different manner."
"Yes, yes, I understand that wizards and sorcerers learn things of such nature in different ways," said Shivak, waving it off. "It matters little. Wizards can prepare different loads of spells while sorcerers don't have to lug about numerous tomes. What of it?"
"The wizard was expecting that at most the boy would only be able to memorize a spell of the second circle," hissed the kobold. "Instead, the boy memorized one of the fifth."
One of his bodyguards made an interested noise. Shivak turned to him. "This is remarkable?"
The bodyguard nodded. "The fifth circle is quite high. Of the mages in this city, less than two of ten could cast such spells. Most would only be able to manage something of the third circle. Which spell?"
"One which allows for moving objects without directly touching them," said the kobold. "It was quite impressive."
"The Telekinesis spell then," said the bodyguard. "Potentially quite useful, depending on the cleverness of the user."
"I suppose," said Shivak. As long as it didn't require repairing the arena afterwards. "The other matter? He's a sorcerer and what else?"
"Paladin, Lord Shivak," answered the kobold. "He holds the darkness within him at bay."
Shivak's tongue flicked against one of his tusks as he considered that. "No surprises with the others?"
"Not nearly to that extent," answered the kobold. "Otherwise fairly typical rogue combatant and cleric of Sarenrae, Great Lord."
"Fine," said Shivak with a nod. "Schedule an exhibition bout for the three of them within a tenday. Find something suitably exotic, some sort of beast I think. We'll see if this investment will pay off. Make it a double-biller, put in a fan favorite as the second match."
"Of course, milord," noted another minion, writing the details out quickly.
He'd cheated. Trickster god after all.
Looking down at the table, he had three little figurines which looked like the three from Konoha. He also had character sheets, a monster compendium, and set of dice.
He was a god. He was also the Dungeon Master. And he thought it was funny.
[Naruto Uzumaki, human male]
[Sorcerer 10/Paladin 5/Monk 1]
[Spells per day: 6/1, 6/2, 6/3, 5/4, 3/5.]
[Spells Known: 9/0, 5/1, 4/2, 3/3, 2/4, 1/5.]
{Spells Known:]
[Cantrips: Arcane Mark, Dancing Lights, Detect Magic,]
[Light, Mage Hand, Mending, Message, Prestidigitation,]
[Read Magic.]
[1st Circle: Identify, Mage Armor, Magic Missile, Shield,]
[Unseen Servant.]
[2nd Circle: Acid Arrow, Fog Cloud, Invisibility, Make ]
[Whole.]
[3rd Circle: Fly, Lightning Bolt, Summon Monster III.]
[4th Circle: Arcane Eye, Dimension Door.]
[5th Circle: Telekinesis.]
[Feats: Empower Spell, Eschew Materials, Fast Healing]
Now he just had to throw in some training in useful skills, a couple of adventures, maybe a dungeon or two. He already had a couple of suitable monsters, an exotic potential romantic lead with tragic past, and a crazed lemur. Not to mention the squirrel cult. Couldn't forget the squirrel cult.
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(Posted Thu, 07 May 2015 17:41)
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