"Haaaaa!!!!" Hanabi charged at Konohamaru once again.
("What is the only thing that she cannot harm…") Konohamaru thought as he stared at Hanabi running towards him.
"Hehe," Konohamaru snickered as he brought his hands together again.
"You have a death wish," Hanabi commented as she closed in.
< Transform! >
(Poof!) a cloud evolved around Konohamaru.
(whoosh)
Ebisu arrived at the battlefield.
("Oh no…") Ebisu stared at the smoke.
Even Natsu, Hanabi's caretaker was curious to see Konohamaru's next transformation.
"Huh…?" Hanabi stared at the clouds which slowly unraveled the figure underneath.
*Sh!*
The clouds split away to reveal a small child of 2 years or so standing on its own staring at Hanabi with large innocent eyes.
At this moment Hanabi froze.
"wu…" The small child made a cute sound as it lifted its arms up indicating that it wanted to be carried.
The innocent child's appearance was too much for Hanabi to take in, especially after it lifted its arms which added to its innocent image that Hanabi could no longer resist.
She ran towards the child with an excited expression.
("Hehe,") Konohamaru snickered internally.
("Boss, you said that men and woman were weak to each other, hence the reverse,")
("But, what if the sexiness itself was to be reversed?")
("Then the answer to that would be innocent,")
("What's cuter than an innocent baby?") Konohamaru thought.
"Yay!" Hanabi lifted Konohamaru in the air.
"eh?" Konohamaru was surprised,
However, Natsu and Ebisu were even more surprised.
("He turned into a baby?") Ebisu was completely confused.
Hanabi, however, was spinning around with the baby in her hands in joy without a care for the battle earlier.
Konohamaru was also caught up in the mood of enjoying Hanabi carrying him around thus forgetting entirely about the battle.
("I wish this could go on forever…") Konohamaru smiled at Hanabi who was laughing out in excitement.
"Hanabi-sama," Natsu called out.
"Natsu,"
"Do you want to play as well?" Hanabi asked in a cute voice as she lifted the child in her hands towards Natsu.
"Hanabi-sama,"
"That's Konohamaru-sama in your hands," Natsu gently reminded her.
"Eh?" Hanabi and Konohamaru froze.
.(Aho!) .(Aho!) .(Aho!) a crow cawed as it flew over their heads.
Hanabi then looked at the innocent child in her hand, following which an image of Konohamaru's face replaced its face.
*Ugh!*
Hanabi instantly regretted.
("What is she gonna do…?") Konohamaru thought.
"Ko"
"No"
"Ha"
"Maru" Hanabi uttered his name one by one.
"What…is…it…Onee-chan?" Konohamaru asked in his childlike voice.
("ONEE-CHAN????") Hanabi was pissed.
Hanabi then lifted Konohamaru in her left hand,
She brought back her right hand, with an open palm position by her waist.
("No…")
("She wouldn't…") Konohamaru froze.
"Gentle Fist!" Hanabi sent a palm at Konohamaru's ass in point blank range.
(Bang!)
"AAAHHHHHH!!!!!!" Konohamaru was sent flying away as his transformation undid itself.
"HONORABLE GRANDSON!!!!" Ebisu chased after the flying Konohamaru.
Hah!
Hah!
Hah!
Hanabi breathed in and out as she thought back to Konohamaru's cute appearance which caused her to blush a bit.
"Konohamaru, you idiot…" Hanabi murmured.
Hidden Leaf Training Field…
*Sound of footsteps*
Naruto turned to look at a figure approach him.
"Naruto," The figure called out.
"Sasuke…" Naruto murmured as he stared at Sasuke standing in front of him.
"What are you doing here?" Sasuke asked.
"I was training…" Naruto said.
("Training?")
("After having all those powers, how much more does he want to improve?") Sasuke thought.
"What are you doing, Sasuke?" Naruto asked.
"I was going to train on my own," Sasuke said.
"I see…" Naruto murmured.
"Naruto," Sasuke called out.
"Hm…?" Naruto looked at Sasuke.
"I want to have a battle with you," Sasuke said after thinking back to the time that their match had been interfered with by Orochimaru's appearance. That wasn't the only reason, even if they had to battle, they had to reserve their strength to fight against the invasion at that time. Sasuke remained quiet about the incident. When they had the dinner, Lee got drunk which started another match; however, Sasuke was caught off guard, unable to do anything; meanwhile, Naruto did his best to restrain Lee completely. That battle once again proved the difference that existed between the two.
"Sasuke…"
"We can spar, but this is not the right time to battle," Naruto said.
"I don't need a spar," Sasuke said as he started to walk away.
"huh…?" Naruto stared at Sasuke.
"Tell me Naruto, when is the right time to have a battle against you?" Sasuke asked.
"Sasuke,"
"From now on, I am probably gonna get busier,"
"Maybe, we can have a battle tomorrow; however, any battle after that is probably impossible…" Naruto said.
"I see…"
"Then, let's meet up here tomorrow first thing in the morning," Sasuke said as he continued to walk away.
"Yeah," Naruto agreed following which he walked out of the training field.
*Sound of footsteps*
Naruto was walking through the streets of the village.
"Naruto," a voice called out.
"Hm…?" Naruto turned around.
"Shikamaru,"
"Yo," Naruto saluted with two fingers.
"Don't yo me, "
"You almost put me in big trouble yesterday,"
"It was such a drag…" Shikamaru complained.
"What happened?" Naruto asked.
"Ah,"
"That…" Shikamaru explained his meeting with kazekage and his family, especially the part where he had to find out that Temari was his future wife.
"HAHAHAHAHA!!!!" Naruto laughed loudly.
"Shikamaru,"
"It's a good thing I didn't tell you before,"
"After being my advisor for all those years,"
"You think I wouldn't know that the first thing you would do is run from your marriage?" Naruto asked as he tried to control his laughter.
"You…" Shikamaru was about to curse, but words wouldn't come out.
"The only reason I told you that you were my advisor was that you are intelligent and you wouldn't dare run away when it came to protecting the village,"
"Besides, our kids are good friends, why would I spoil that?" Naruto asked.
"Oy, oy,"
"You have already spoiled it now…" Shikamaru was scared upon thinking about the fact that he would be pressurized to have his kid at the same time as Naruto to have them in the same year in the academy.
("Great, Now I can't enjoy my bachelor life,")
("First the war in a few years then marriage, this is more than just a drag…") Shikamaru sighed.
"Well, I gotta go now,"
"Let's meet up for ramen or something later," Naruto waved as he walked away.
"…" Shikamaru stared at Naruto who swaggered off like it was none of his business if Shikamaru's life was in crisis or not.
However, Shikamaru smiled as he looked at Naruto who was cheerful.
The last week was a total burden on Naruto, especially with the rescue mission, the chūnin exam and the battle royale against the previous hokages.
Compared to all that, it could be said that Shikamaru had it too easy on him.
Hyūga district…
Naruto approached the branch family compound first.
Outside were two guards guarding the place.
Naruto walked towards them,
"Good evening guys,"
"I would like to meet Neji,"
"Is he here?" Naruto asked.
"Neji?"
"Please wait for a moment," the guard said as he ran inside.
A few moments later Neji turned up.
"Naruto?"
"What are you doing here?" Neji asked.
"Just here to meet you and Hinata," Naruto said.
"Hinatsama is on a mission with her team today,"
"She'll probably return back tomorrow morning," Neji said.
"I see," Naruto murmured.
"So what did you want to meet us two for?" Neji asked.
"It's all right,"
"I'll meet you guys tomorrow," Naruto said as he walked away.
"Naruto!" Neji called out.
"Hm…?" Naruto turned back.
"Thank you for saving Lee yesterday," Neji bowed towards Naruto.
"It's all right," Naruto shook his head.
"Lee wanted to know when you and Sasuke want to train along with him again," Neji asked.
"Training with Lee, huh?"
("Right, This is another problem,")
("If I teach Hinata and Neji sage mode, what will Lee do?")
("Will it be possible to teach Lee sage mode?") Naruto thought.
After all, it was not entirely impossible since Lee couldn't use Chakra for ninjutsu or genjutsu. He did have chakra, but that was focused entirely into Taijutsu and as energy for revolving the Eight gates system.
Naruto was confused. This opened up entirely new possibilities but what turned out to be hope can be a devastating slap of reality if it was not possible for Lee.
However, if Lee and Neji were to learn, then there was also the issue of tenten as well…
"Naruto," Neji called out.
"huh?" Naruto looked at Neji.
"You didn't answer yet," Neji said.
"I really don't know to be honest,"
"I have a match against Sasuke tomorrow in the morning," Naruto said.
"Uchiha Sasuke," Neji murmured.
"Naruto," Neji called out.
"hm…?" Naruto looked at Neji.
"Can you get me a battle against him?" Neji asked.
("Whoah, Now that I think about it, These two never battled against each other,") Naruto thought.
"How about it?" Neji asked.
"I'll see…"
"How about you come with me tomorrow, early in the morning?" Naruto asked.
"Sounds good,"
"What time?" Neji asked.
"I'll come here at Six," Naruto said.
"I am waiting," Neji was eager to have a battle against Sasuke since the Chūnin exam had started more than a month ago. Now that it had ended, Neji no longer had hopes until he realized that Naruto was the opportunity he had been waiting for.
"Later," Naruto waved following which he left, while Neji stared at the moon in the night sky excited for a possible match tomorrow.
Somewhere in the desert…
The daimyō and his personage were proceeding towards the Sand village.
Inside the palanquin, the daimyō was drinking hot tea. Usually, this would be weird after all the palanquin was on top of the shoulders of four different people.
However, they had been trained specially to handle this part of the journey where the daimyō wanted to drink his tea in peace without worrying about spillages.
(Whoosh!)
Yūra appeared followed by ten jōnins in black outfits.
The guards were alerted; however, they continued to proceed without fear.
"Go!" Yūra signaled.
"Yes!" The jōnins in black outfits responded as they brought out their kunais.
< Wind Release - Blade of wind! >
"Yūra, you-" (slash!)
The guard's throat was sliced before he could complain.
(Slash!)
(Slash!)(Slash!)
(Slash!) (Slash!) (Slash!)
Dozens of guards were taken down by the jōnins except for the palanquin bearers who had kunais across their throats ready to take away their life if they dared to utter a word.
The daimyō, however, was unaware of the storm he was in since he was sitting in the eye of the storm without a single care.
Yūra looked at the curtains that were closed on the palanquin.
He brought his index and middle finger together and aimed at the curtains, or in truth the person behind it.
< Wind Release - Blade of Wind! >
(Whoosh!)
A slice of wind emerged from his finger which silently ripped through the curtains and plundered the life of the daimyō away without a squeal as it disappeared into the winds of the desert itself.
Yūra sighed.
("I may have died a traitor back then…") Yūra thought back to the time honored lady Chiyo had discovered him at the entrance of the village.
Yūra looked at the moonlight shining over the corpses that laid in from of him.
"With this, the development of the Sand will go unhindered," Yūra sighed in relief.
("I am no longer a traitor,") Yūra smiled as he wrote a message onto a paper and handed it to a messenger bird he had summoned.
"Go!" Yūra said following which the ninjas and bird left the area.
Obviously, the two were heading towards the Sand village except the message will be much faster.
"I see, it's done…" Chiyo sighed as she stared at the message in her hand.
(Boom)
Chiyo banged open the door to the Hidden Sand council room.
"BAD NEWS!"
"THE DAIMYŌ HAS BEEN ASSASSINATED!" Chiyo said.
"WHAT?" Everyone in the room stood up.
Next time on NRe - Training Part 5