Pov: Naruto
*Flicker* *Trip*
I flicker across the trees and trip over one of the branches as I run, my hands and eyes focused on bandaging my stab wounds as I run- inevitably I fall and scatter across the dirt.
*Scatter*
I get up and dust myself off before dashing forward again, about five minutes ter I am done with my repairs and go full sprint across the forest.
*Wooooooosh!* *Woooosh!* *Wooosh!*
...
*Land!*
I catch myself on a tree and gaze forward to see Gaara, Lee and Sasuke all in combat- Lee is soaked in chakra and seems to be using his special technique to push his limits as trees break and dirt scatters where he kicks and jumps.
Sasuke is covering Lee and shooting shuriken and kunai any pce that Lee cannot cover- causing Gaara to weaken his sands defences.
*Roooooaaarrr!!!*
Gaara is half shifted into some monster... make that three quarters shifted as sand covers his head and half his torso, his arms stretch and shoot out in deadly fashion.
I don't hesitate to lunge forward and into the battle- *BOOM!* I bst through sand and punch hard.
I am thrown off the sand and jump away to safety before going on all fours and attempting to barrage Gaara from multiple sides.
*Woosh!* *Woosh!* *Woosh!*
Lee bzes with red skin.
Sasuke uses his curse mark.
And my chakra cloak bursts.
*BOOF* *POW* *BAM!*
The three of us overwhelm Gaara and push his sand past its limits- *SLAM!* Lee kicks him upwards and Gaara flies through the treetops as his sand tries to catch up with him.
I leap after Gaara and raise my chakra covered cw to ssh down on him- *Boom!* I am met with his sand cw and the two energies csh.
Wire's wrap around Gaara as I keep him busy and the wires fling Sasuke forward as he twirls in the air and copies Lee's kick to sm his foot into his chin.
*Boom!* *Sm!* *Scatter!*
Gaara sms into the forest and scatters across the ground as dust and sand rises to the occasion.
"Haaa- I can't keep going on like this..." Lee grabs his arm and bites his lip as we nd on the ground and look towards the dust.
"You have been fighting like that too long- retreat and let me and Naruto handle this" Sasuke says and I agree.
...
"I can keep-" Lee hesitates but affirms his will to keep going- unfortunately he is cut off by an attack ahead of us.
*WOOSH!*
A rge bst of wind booms forward and uproots the tree we are standing on- I grab Lee and Sasuke before digging my feet into the ground and standing tall.
I look to Sasuke who grasps his shoulder and Lee who fades into fatigue- I look forward and upwards as I watch the sand figure rise above.
Not good.
I pce the two to rest on a tree trunk, both of them already fatigued by fighting Gaara for minutes on end.
I close my eyes and focus the fox's chakra away from my cloak and pour it all into my right palm.
I run forward and leap above the tree line.
*Woosh!*
Before performing the hand seals and spping my hands together.
*Wooosh!* *Poooooofffff!*
...
A giant toad rises and I stand on its head to meet eye to eye with Gaara who performs his own set of movements.
"What have ya' brought me into boy!?" The boss toad croaks.
"No time- I need you to get me close to Gaara!" I yell as exhaustion hits me.
Losing that chakra cloak has caused a severe case of exhaustion in me... I need to be careful with how I use the rest of my chakra.
---
Pov: Inoichi
*Zzzzzz!* *Crackle!*
Not the fastest I have seen but he is certainly above average- maybe behind Shisui of the flicker when it comes to speed.
*Pow!* *Sm!*
Hand crafted taijutsu that uses wires to help him manoeuvre and fight multiple opponents without a sweat- he looks even more confident fighting four than he does fighting one.
*Swish!* *Burst!*
That nature chakra manipution... I have never even heard of such things, where was Ryū all this time? Where did the Hokage find him?
I cast another mind jutsu and force a Jonin to attack his teammates and stall the group of sand ninja invading... looking at the scene I think I can handle the rest with two others.
'Shikaku, do you still need help? Ryū can be free' I connect to my friends mind and ask him.
'Yes- *Grunt* I just need help clearing the western rooftops' he replies and I smirk.
He has it, probably wants Ryū to speed things up.
"Ryū- you have done your part here, go to the western rooftops and follow the Jonin Commanders orders!" I yell out and Ryū flickers forward with impressive speed and slides past me with ease.
...
I wonder how strong he was before his knee and eye injury.
---
Pov: Shikaku
*Woosh!* *Woosh* *Csp!*
I snap my palms together and weave my shadows around four sand ninja- they shake and I take a breath as I chuckle.
"What? Never fought a Nara before?" I gaze at their gear and I nod my head.
They have kunai in a pce I don't- I lower my hand to my belt and pull on something that isn't there at all- but the sand ninja mimic me and pull out a kunai.
...
I should keep some intact shouldn't I?
*Fzzzz!* *Swoosh!*
Orange lightning slides past me and stumbles into a hop as Ryū stops centimetres before the roof edge.
"Perfect timing, tie these guys up would ya?" I ask and he scratches his head before flicking his arm forward.
The still ninja are wrapped in lightning wire and I let go of my jutsu.
*Sm!*
They all sm into each other as the wire tightens and Ryū stands above them as they try to squirm out of the bindings.
"Who next sir?" Ryū asks and dusts himself off.
"Over there is a few- never mind Choza has them, Hyuga is sorting out north... help me clean up this street-" I order and as I mutter the st word Ryū slides off the roof and jumps into the street with astonishing speed.
"Haaa- I better be quick too..." I rotate my shoulder and walk to the edge of the roof before jumping down to the street.
*FZZZZZ!* *WOOSH!*
More high level Jonin with low numbers around this street- I keep an eye on Ryū who sms into the centre of the street and attracts all their attention and attacks.
*Slice!* *Ssh!*
He waves around his wires wildly and keeps them all at bay as they try to hit him- he slices through any incoming Kunai and shuriken and keeps the ninja busy.
Multiple Nara cn ninja take the chance to start weaving shadows and I follow- *BURST!* *WOOOOSH!* Sudden bursts of wind and sand course through the streets as multiple wind jutsu strike at Ryū.
Dust rises and I squint through the sand to try and make out the image of Ryū who flickers around the street and stands his ground.
I hide in an alley way and continue to manoeuvre my shadow around the pce, silently capturing distracted and confused enemies.
The sand and dust lower and Ryū removes the wires from the ground keeping him standing upright... the lightning controls and wraps the wire around his forearms as he takes breaths and shakily stands.
He nearly falls on one knee but stands upright- multiple cuts across his body and his cape is cut and ruined, only going down to his shoulders now.
He stands tall and looks across the street.
I gnce to the Nara ninja near-by and they signal me numbers with their hands.
Twelve captured two left.
"Ryū! Get the two that move!" I command and the Nara ninja with me start marching our captured ninja into a circle.
Instantly with a bze Ryū flicks towards a ninja who flees and dodges two of his wind jutsu before tackling him and delivering a swift punch to the head- *CRACK!* One hit and he is knocked down.
*Zzzz!* *Boof!*
He kicks up dust as he races down the street for the st one.
*ROOOOAAAAARRRR!!!*
I turn my head swiftly and see a giant sand raccoon in the distance... a tailed beast? They unleashed Gaara successfully, we need to send help, but we don't have any reinforcements left...?
I watch closely and my eyes widen as a giant toad appears opposite it- good- great, if Jiraiya is here that means he can handle the one tailed beast.
At least until we can send reinforcements.
*Zzzz* *Sm!*
I twitch my head to my side and see a brutally beaten sand ninja thrown into the dirt beside me.
*Woosh!*
Ryū slides in front of me and rests his hands on his knees... his orange cloak of lightning fades into nothing.
"Not much left?" I ask.
"No- super effective but only for a short time" He replies.
"A shame you just got back from a mission- speaking of, what happened with Kenzo? Why did he go crazy in the arena?" I ask.
"Uhhh... he had some difficulties this past month, not enough to cause whatever that was in the arena- I really have a ck of time in this investigation but something was either mimicking him... which I acknowledge would be almost impossible, or he was pushed into such circumstances... or maybe-" He starts rambling.
"I get it- we will figure out what happened ter, where is he now?" I help him stand tall and get him off his bad knee.
"He uhhh... disappeared...?" He says with complete uncertainty.
Haaa- that is unfortunate for Kenzo, with the evidence given to the council from Danzo, the elders and multiple trustworthy Jonin from around the vilge surrounding his 'Attacks', it might be best to lock him up for good.
That is if he is even still in Konoha.
And for real this time, not on a fake mission with Ryū- it would have been better if those Anbu kept there mouths shut about what happened with Ryū a month ago... the council wouldn't know about Kenzo being in town then.
I can't bme them however, the reports they submit are capable of being viewed by the council without the Hokage's explicit permission.
"If you wish I have a seal on him to track him..?" Ryū offers.
...
"Go get him- that's your priority now" I order.
He nods his head and turns away to walk.
"Wait..." I furrow my brow.
"Bring him straight to the prison- if he is... 'uncooperative' then you have my permission to bring him dead" I tell him.
"What...? May I ask why I am given 'permission' to kill a child?" He stops and his tone is obviously angry.
...
"The council have been calling for his head this past month- the danger Kenzo has been recently added onto the 'advantages' of studying his kekkai genkai are... unfortunately very profitable to the vilge, I don't want to see the kid dead either but prison is the minimum sentence right now" I sigh.
"What if he did nothing wrong?" Ryū asks with a tone.
"Then he cannot prove it, if he does have proof or evidence of being in control of himself than that's great... unfortunately a mystery man watching him isn't enough proof" I frown.
...
"The Hokage can affirm my words-" He starts.
"No, not with this evidence- just get him back and safe, the sooner he is here and in control, the better off his chances will be" I offer a weak smile but Ryū ignores me and sprints down the road.
Even without the lightning he is above average in speed... interesting.
...
"You two- keep watch on these ninja, the rest fan out and handle the other enemy combatants!" I yell and the ninja around us move into action.
I flicker to a rooftop and weave my shadow.
---
-An hour ter-
Pov: Kenzo
*Wooosh!* *Whhhhooooooo!*
I fly through the wind as I flicker from tree top to tree top...
...
And I nd alone... in a forest clearing a long way away from Konoha.
...
..
.
Siege would be over by now... I wonder how Naruto is...
Can I even talk to him? No one would let the rampaging uncontrolble monster near the sealed demon.
Haaa-
What do I do..?
I feel my body clog up with emotion but feel far too tired to release any of them.
...
*Pow*
I drop to my knees and strike the ground softly, weakly.
Why did I get this treatment? Why did this have to happen to me? What did I do to deserve being called monster!?
Danzo is the source of my problems... and he has so many allies in Konoha- I need to take him down if I ever want to live peacefully at home.
But if I do that, if I wage war against one of Konoha's elders... than I am better off just surrendering and waiting for my execution... or worse- experimentation.
I grit my teeth as I remember my youth within Oorochimaru's Den.
I can't go back... they will kill me... they will ruin me- there is no way to stay home with Naruto, Lee, Ino and... not much else really.
The Hokage could help me... but how? He pulled far too much power to keep me safe and no reasonable council would allow him to continue being 'selfish'.
...
So is that it?
I'm done?
...
I y on my back and sigh.
I can't not go back- my injuries need proper healing and not the hacking and sshing I did to myself.
I can't transform... cant use lightning... I am a sitting duck if I go back now- especially with Konoha on high alert.
...
They might just let me bleed to death... who knows.
....
...
..
Ryū is safe.
His backstory that the Hokage helped me craft can keep me as someone else- wouldn't expin the wounds however.
But...?
But if I... said that Kenzo caused the wounds?
And Kenzo ran?
Thought everyone was out to kill him... Ryū was ordered to kill him and I did 'try' to kill Kenzo but only came back wounded.
Makes sense.
But am I willing to throw away Kenzo as a character? A person... a part of myself?
I stand tall and unfurl the scroll that contains Kenzo's outfit... I unseal his clothes and rip his headband from his jacket shoulder.
...
Orange box... any better ideas before I commit to this?
.....
No?
Alright then.
I grab a kunai and ssh across the headband... Kenzo is now a rogue ninja, and Ryū failed to capture him.
*Sniff*
I wipe my nose and change my outfit into Kenzo, I have to ensure the public sees Kenzo away from everyone, somewhere in a town where information won't reach Konoha until Ryū returns.
Can I keep my wounds shut until then? I will have to try.
------
Konoha is victorious against sand!
Reward: A-rank scroll, three statistic scrolls.
------
------
Whispers in Konoha, many saw Ryū fight for Konoha and gave him a name- a title.
Reward: A-rank Title.
------
------
Two paths made, two names carved.
Reward: C-rank title.
------
------
Danzo returned to a demolished base, dead soldiers... and all his work gone- you have struck true fear into him.
Reward: K-rank Title.
------
Something to keep my mind occupied at least- lets view the title's and see what I can swap out.
------Titles:
Knowledge Taker: E-rank.
Occupied: D-rank.
Double Identity: C-rank
Mana Specialist: B-rank
Lightning Nomad: A-rank
Beast King: S-rank
Danzo's Nightmare: K-rank
------
Skills:
Unyielding Stare: E×D×C×B×A×S×K×
Burst Breathing: E×D×C×B×A?S?K?
Word- Truth: E×D×C×B?A?S?K?
Kenzo Deflection Jutsu: E×D×C×B×A×S×K?
Lockpicking: E×D×C×B?A?S?K?
Juggling: E×D×C×B?A?S?K?
Ancient Hearing: E×D×C×B?A?S?K?
Dragons breath: E×D×C×B×A×S?K
Lightning Dart: E×D×C×B?A?S?K?
Bio-Runes: E×D×C×B×A?S?K?
Ryū Wire-Taijutsu: E×D×C×B×A×S?K?
Jump: E×D×C×B?A?S?K?
_______
Blessings:
Shapeshifting: C×B×A?S?K?
Genjutsu Resonance: E×D?C?
_______
Statistics:
Acceleration +3
Reactive Speed +4
Strength +9
Hearing +1
Lightning Mana +5 (10)
Natural Regeneration +3 (2)
------
Challenges:
Three Standard Genin.
Three Standard Chunin.
Ten bandits.
------
Summoning scrolls:
D-rank: Rat (Jun)
------
(E) Knowledge Taker: Able to process any mental dilemmas within the orange box, infinite time to solve a simple mental quirk.
(D) Occupied: No one is capable of taking over Kenzo's body or mind.
(D) Root Initiate: Danzo has tested you and you have passed. People are less likely to notice you or your characteristics.
(C) Genin: completing fifty D-rank missions gives you a statistic scroll.
(C) Double Identity: Subconsciously harder for individuals or groups to connect Ryū and Kenzo as the same person.
(B) Mana Specialist: Learning Mana skills feel more intuitive and natural, breakthroughs come naturally.
(A) Lightning Nomad: From Konoha to Ryū a title made in mystery. Lightning mana regeneration is increased to half the original time.
(A) Special Jonin: Successful Investigations grant you a bonus statistic scroll on completion.
(S) Beast King: Animals instinctively fear your presence and intelligent ones consider you subtly threatening.
(K) Danzo's Nightmare: Full control over the stare skill, able to push past your limits and strike true fear into a target.
------
...?
I don't have to concentrate on my gaze anymore... I can just stop.
When I look at someone they won't run and cower.
On the other hand... I can make even the bravest fools flinch now.
And now it only takes half a day to recharge to full nature energy, a much better title than special-Jonin.
I can handle the other scrolls ter, I might die if I use one and bleed out with meditation or bodily changes.
The statistic scrolls are better left for my lower levelled statistics, when they reach maximum level they mix with a skill and combine into a lesser blessing... which would keep me from maxing out the skill.
I don't unlearn how to use genjutsu with a snap but I never learnt past B-rank genjutsu techniques, I am almost sure that I would be stronger all round if I maxed out my strength with a strength based skill that was K-rank.
I could boost my mana, reaction speed, acceleration.
I should boost my speed statistics.
The A-rank scroll should go to my burst breathing as well, a general speed boost for Ryū would be great.
I stretch my body and with my freed focus away from my stare and onto my body I am capable of keeping my wounds shut for a while now- minimum of three days... so lets go to a town one day away and make some noise.
I also need to make some 'noise' as Kenzo, spread rumours and conjure a fake story, I am sure many travellers would be curious about the child rogue ninja who looks lost, would help me separate my identities and allow for time to pass enough- some rumours about myself, stuff like hating Konoha's treatment of me, which is true...
I look around the forest and ensure I am in as good of a shape as possible... my Kenzo uniform is torn to in many pces from the warehouse so I fit the 'gruesome' appearance of a monster at least.
...
Lets head for a town.
Thanks for reading :)
