Very little concrete is known to the village residents about ANBU. I even cautiously asked teacher Iruka about these guys when I was at the Academy. He just blinked in surprise and said he didn't know much.
They are shinobi directly under the Hokage. Iruka knew they operated in squads and carried out particularly important missions. He also knew they underwent additional, quite harsh training, so he usually brushed off questions about ANBU.
Naturally, this interest grew in me after meeting the guy in the boar mask on the hospital roof. Of course, I knew enough about ANBU, but that knowledge came from anime and manga in my previous world. They were cool, but details were frankly scarce. And that's probably right. There should be an aura of mystery around these guys, otherwise the whole image goes down the drain.
"N-Naruto?" The ANBU in the boar mask said questioningly. "You're Naruto, right?"
"Uh-huh..." I nodded.
"You've grown so much..." He noted. "Passed two exam stages in your first year? So you're a real shinobi now. I'm even scared—you might want revenge."
"Come on, Boar. I'm glad to see you, on the contrary." Glad? Seems I really am... "It was good for me that you put me in my place back then. If everything worked out for me, I'd have pulled even bigger nonsense."
"You know each other?" Kakashi said, scratching his chin through the mask and even closing his book in surprise.
"Not exactly, but we've met once."
"And when was that?" Kakashi asked me.
"I was trying to sneak into Sasuke's hospital room, and he caught me. That was when his clan, well..." Sasuke looked slightly surprised. He clearly didn't know I tried to sneak into the hospital. And where would he? I didn't tell him, as far as I remember, and no one else. Boar probably didn't tell anyone but Iruka.
"I get it." Kakashi exhaled. Wonder what he cooked up in his head. "Listen..." He turned to Boar, smiling through the mask. "I just remembered I need to request a postponement of Naruto's match. If he's next and doesn't show, it'll be awkward."
"Sensei, the matches are random."
"Yeah..." He confirmed. "So you'll randomly be picked one of the last." He shrugged.
Yeah...
Scam level – Hidden Leaf Village.
"Take them to the hall and wait for me there."
"Yes, sir, Kakashi-san." He nodded. Damn, so Kakashi is older than Boar? By looks and voice, Boar seems the adult man, Kakashi the teen. By the way, almost 4.5 years had passed since that day on the hospital roof. Boar had bulked up nicely.
Shoulders broader, arms thicker and more muscular. Even legs pumped. And no noticeable fat, just muscle. Tough boar...
"Come with me." He said, and Kakashi used Body Flicker Technique and bailed.
"Feels like we're being taken for interrogation." Sasuke noted. "What did we do?"
"Heh..." Boar exhaled. "Not quite. It's just best to talk about this here. Even better in the Hokage's office, but it's not in this tower." Boar led us to a huge, spacious hall with a dozen thick stone columns arranged in a circle. The hall itself was round. The room was very dark, with only a few torches lit at the entrance and on two or three columns. And they lit themselves, apparently reacting to presence. Or maybe Boar is so badass he lights them from afar without flinching? In the center, on the ceiling about ten meters above, hung a lone chandelier whose light fell right in the middle of the hall. That's where we headed.
Along the way, I also noticed seals with bloody occult symbols stuck on the walls, columns, ceiling, and floor. Very similar to the barrier I tried maintaining at home for a while but gave up because it was too much hassle. Here, it seemed the same but orders of magnitude stronger.
"Well, let's wait. Kakashi-san should arrive soon."
"And the old geezer?"
"Who?" Boar asked back.
"Well..."
"Naruto..." Sasuke started. "He meant the Hokage." Sasuke said to Boar.
"Old geezer, huh... Still so disrespectful. Someday I won't care about the age difference and wash your mouth out with soap." Boar said.
"He's incorrigible." Sasuke replied.
"We'll report to the Hokage later. He's already generally aware of the situation."
"Boar, what's your rank in ANBU?" I asked.
"Currently lieutenant, but already acting captain, and within one or two weeks it'll be official."
"Wow, you're a full captain now..."
"Back on the roof, I was already lieutenant. So I'm no career role model."
"Then who is?"
"Kakashi-san..." He answered without thinking. "He became captain in a year or year and a half. I started under him."
"Didn't think he was such a monster." I said. "As a teacher, he doesn't seem that badass." Surprisingly, Sasuke nodded.
"We have plenty of monsters in the village." Boar drawled.
"For example?" I kept pushing.
"Well, Itachi..." He started and abruptly cut off, looking at Sasuke.
"It's fine, you can say it. I don't mind mentioning Itachi. And I'm curious too."
"Alright..." Boar shrugged. "Itachi Uchiha became squad captain at 13. Before that, he was my lieutenant commander under Kakashi. After him, they couldn't pick a new lieutenant for a while. They temporarily appointed me, but then I was in a separate squad and started as lieutenant again here, and now captain.
"A 13-year-old commanded you? And you didn't object?"
"No." Boar answered firmly. "Naruto, back on the roof, I was fifteen and a half."
Holy crap! I thought he was an adult. Around Kakashi's age, but turns out...
"No way?!" I exclaimed. "So you're a monster too?"
"I told you, no..." He said. "No untalented or weak shinobi ends up in ANBU. But calling everyone here monsters is a bit... off." He scratched the back of his head. "Wrong. Even among us, some stand out. I'm just a bit above average by ANBU standards."
"Got it. Who else do you know like Itachi monsters?"
"Well... Like Itachi..." Boar pondered. "None, really. He's a genius among geniuses. Only Hokage had such talents."
"You saying Itachi is Kage level?" Sasuke asked. "Or we just don't get it and the Third isn't that strong?"
"Hm..." Boar pondered again. Hope he doesn't overheat his brain... "What do you even know about shinobi power levels?"
"Power levels?" Sasuke echoed. "Well, shinobi are divided by power and experience into ranks. Genin, Chunin, Jonin. There are Special Jonin too, but usually exceptions, and the rank marks their skills. Not sure how it works in ANBU. No one is... As for Hokage... Academy said Hokage is an outstanding shinobi whose strength and wisdom were recognized by the village jonin. The chosen one must also be presented to the Feudal Lord, who, convinced of his exceptionalism and wisdom, appoints him Hokage."
"That's right, but not quite..." Boar said. Sasuke recited almost textbook, and I'm sure even after all those head hits he hadn't forgotten what we were taught. Does Boar know something we don't? "Genin is the initial rank, given to all regardless of power. Chunin is awarded by exam results or Hokage decision for flawless mission performance. Don't recall Chunin given outside exams, but possible. Special jonin is different—mostly by power level. Like Kakashi-san..."
"Huh?" He responded from the darkness, approaching us. "I arranged it... What's going on here?"
"Boar... Uh..." Sasuke hesitated. "Sorry, can we call you that or is it Naruto being Naruto again?"
"You can. It's actually official address for ANBU members. Depending on the mask, they call us by the animal name we wear, and real names are secret. Though Naruto is in his style..." He glanced at me. "But he guessed right..." Sasuke nodded.
"Boar is lecturing us on shinobi power levels and ranks. Turns out even we didn't fully understand some things."
"Boar? Lecturing?!" Kakashi was surprised, tearing his gaze from the book and looking at him. "You're joking?"
"Kakashi-san... Don't undermine my authority."
"I'm not... How'd you get them to listen? Especially Naruto..." Kakashi wondered. "Anyway... Continue, I'm interested."
"So... Kakashi-san is a prime example. He was recognized for power level and became special jonin at 13."
"At 13 and a half..." Kakashi corrected.
"If at least one skill, like swordsmanship, is high enough or you have a clan talent like Sharingan or Byakugan, you can become special jonin skipping Chunin. Prime example—your prelim examiner. Hayate has swordsman skills so high he's one of ANBU's Kendo instructors. He trained Itachi and at least one other ANBU member."
"And I took a couple lessons from Hayate myself..." Kakashi added, turning a page.
"Mind blown..." I said. "He looks like you could knock him over with a snot rag..."
"Heh..." Kakashi exhaled. "Be nicer, now he's your Kendo instructor."
"Huh? So you..."
"Yeah, I arranged it. That's why I was delayed."
"Thanks, teacher Kakashi."
"As for Jonin, it's trickier. Usually experienced and strong shinobi. But experience is valued most. Those 'special' can be way stronger than regular ones, but jonin still outrank them. ANBU are outside this hierarchy. We answer only to our squad captain and lieutenant, and they to Hokage."
"Yeah, spilling village secrets..." Kakashi noted and turned another page.
"Just a tiny bit, Kakashi-san." Boar justified. "As for Hokage, all jonin vote, then village council sends it to Feudal Lord. As far as I know, that's how it was with the Fourth and Third's reelection. A vote on the jonin council for a Hokage candidate means the voter acknowledges his strength and wisdom above their own. At election, Hokage is the village's strongest shinobi. Each is unimaginably stronger than a regular jonin. When you, Naruto, disrespect the Third for his age, remember—even now, no one in the village equals him. Neither I nor Kakashi-san could beat him. By the way, Lord Hiruzen is the only Hokage who had to defend his right in a duel and the only shinobi I know who can use all five elements. Even simultaneously. He's the great one who mastered all Leaf Village techniques, many created personally. He was even called God of Shinobi, like the First. So think with your head what comes out of your mouth. Others might not be as restrained as me..." The lecture on the old geezer's greatness didn't impress me much, but I put on an understanding face and agreed with Boar that I behaved wrongly. But Sasuke seemed hooked hard... At the end, he stood with a genuinely stunned look.
He'd hoped to learn Kage level wasn't that high, but now he practically learned what Chunin level is, barely beating Yoroi who was close. Saw on missions how strong Kakashi is, but turns out he can't beat the old Hokage... And Boar puts Itachi if not at that level, then very close. And what was he hoping for? How to become such a monster? At that age?
Then Kakashi started asking about Orochimaru, showed pics of Grass shinobi, and Sasuke and I easily recognized our attackers. They were naturally killed the evening before the second stage. Then they showed Orochimaru's pic. We recognized him no problem. Kakashi and Boar were surprised we got him to show his face. Had to recount fight details. Especially about the Nine-Tails. But I said that since that Kakashi-authored training in the Land of Waves, I started sensing his chakra inside, and learned he was sealed in me from Mizuki but couldn't believe it for long. I omitted the Wanderer, heart-to-hearts, inner world, and handing control to Kurama. Thank god Sasuke got me and didn't rat me out. Now, I said in emergency I can use his chakra to get stronger and faster, but that's it. Had to admit even with that boost Orochimaru first gave me a regular ass-kicking until Nine-Tails mode activation, and with fox chakra—all I got was a V.I.P. ass-kicking. Well, that didn't surprise Kakashi. Checking time with my story, they concluded Anko's intervention threat spooked him, as she was racing full speed for his soul around then.
On control, I had to reassure Kakashi that controlling fox chakra was hard only the first time against Haku, and now loss of control doesn't worry me. He was genuinely glad.
"I think that's it, Naruto, you can go." Kakashi said. I hesitated first, then left. Orochimaru's goal is Sasuke—no surprise he wants to talk separately.
"Sasuke..." Kakashi said. "Afraid you can't return to the tower. ANBU will escort you to the hospital and guard you."
"What?!"
"This. Is. Not. Negotiable." Kakashi said strictly, like never before. "You're his target. This is very serious. Orochimaru appearing here is a catastrophe. Ideally, cancel the exams, but Hokage decided to wait, and I agree. Can't cancel—too much at stake, and threats always exist."
"Is he that dangerous?!"
"You fought him and still don't get it? Now, he might even be stronger than Hokage, if he dared this. And he couldn't act so freely under our noses without spies here. Anyone could be a traitor..."
"Then start hunting rats with Sound shinobi. Those three seem his subordinates."
"Yes, you mentioned the emblem on his forehead protector. Boar..."
"I'll pass info to the squad. They'll watch them and arrest at first chance." Boar said.
"Anything else?"
"Hm?"
"Any detail... Maybe Naruto held back or missed something important you didn't want to say in front of him."
"No. Nothing like th..."
"Sasuke..." Kakashi interrupted. "I know about your bond with Naruto, and I don't care if it's about him, your techniques, plans, whatever. But everything in the forest is crucial now." Sasuke stared at him wide-eyed. "Setting that shield—Naruto suggested it? Like the fire pillar technique that destroyed Zabuza's clones, his idea? I helped ignite kunai from afar then, but couldn't imagine you'd create something like that, and repeat, that's your business with him, though I'll return to it later."
"Hm... Remember Sakura's injury? We didn't handle it ourselves—it was worse than Naruto said, and Kabuto helped."
"Yakushi Kabuto?" Sasuke nodded. "And?"
"I was out of it, but something nagged... Boar-san... Are there entry missions to ANBU?"
"He told you that?" Sasuke nodded.
"Said he's gathering intel on Hokage's personal orders—his ticket to Konoha ANBU."
"I see... Boar. Assemble a squad and find him."
"Yes, sir."
"And where the hell is Tenzō?" Kakashi started looking around.
"Here..." Another ANBU emerged from a column. "I've been here from the start."
"So..." Sasuke began.
"You're sharp... No such missions exist or could. If needed, it'd go to active ANBU, and he sure wouldn't blab. Boar..."
"Already on it..." He said and vanished.
"Tenzō, gather your team and take over guarding Sasuke. I'll be waiting here with your squad in five minutes."
"Understood, senpai." With that, the man in the raccoon mask passed through the floor.
"Hm-hm-hm-hm-hm..." A restrained laugh echoed through the hall.
"And you've really grown since the last time we met, Kakashi." It came from everywhere, and from the darkness emerged the silhouette of a tall man a head taller than Kakashi.
"You?!" Kakashi said, moving to shield Sasuke and revealing his Sharingan.
"So the rumors weren't lying. Sharingan Kakashi—that's what it means... When we last met, you didn't have power like that."
"Orochimaru..." Kakashi whispered his name. He and Sasuke both felt his strange killing intent. He was holding back now, but his repulsive chakra poisoned the air like venom. Sasuke noticed a shiver run through his teacher, but he tried not to show it as he stared down the enemy.
He had come to them without hiding his face. Sasuke recognized him—the same shinobi Naruto had fought while he could barely stand, every one of their attacks capable of wiping him out.
"That boy behind you is special. You'd better not underestimate him."
"Sasuke! Back, stay out of it." Kakashi assumed a stance, gathered chakra without seals, and used Raikiri, driving his hand into the ground, ready to launch at any moment. "Not another step!" Kakashi shouted. "I don't care that you're one of the three legendary shinobi! One more step toward Sasuke, and one of us dies!"
"So that's how it is... Heh... You could learn a thing or two about wisdom from that Nine-Tails brat. He at least didn't threaten to kill me." Orochimaru said, slipping his hands into his pants pockets. He wore a gray vest harness on top and a headband with the Hidden Sound symbol.
"You're working for Sound? Why are you here?!"
"Working? No... The Village Hidden in Sound belongs to me. I have a different goal."
"You want to take Sasuke's Sharingan?!" Kakashi said tensely. "For someone like you, those eyes..."
"You're right, just eyes are useless to me. I'd like to see Sasuke in the ranks of my village. This is an official offer, kid."
"Sasuke, don't listen to him! He's an S-rank criminal! His words mean nothing!"
"I have more power than anyone, and soon you'll see for yourselves. Don't forget your goal, boy. Only with me can you get stronger and defeat Itachi."
"Tch... Gonna keep talking?" Kakashi asked, hoping for reinforcements.
"No, I think I've said all I wanted. You can't stop me..." Orochimaru said, turning his back to Kakashi. "Unless you're going to make good on your word and kill me, Kakashi. Your one chance..." His footsteps echoed through the room as he spoke, then faded. He paused and added, "Right now..." He glanced back slightly, eyeing Kakashi with one eye while focusing his killing intent on him. For a split second, Sasuke thought his teacher twitched toward the enemy. "Silent? Just as I thought..."
Orochimaru vanished into the darkness, and seconds later, the sounds of electrical discharges faded as Kakashi canceled the technique.
Still standing and trembling, he thought.
"One of us dies... Did I really say something that stupid?"
Returning to the main hall where the matches were held, I saw Sakura and Ino already in position. Hayate spotted me at the entrance and nodded toward the balcony, so I quickly ran up.
Of everyone there, I chose to stand next to Lee, Gai, Tenten, and Neji. Team Kurenai was nearby, but I at least knew Lee well, and Gai... Well, I'd have to put up with him and his tons of cringe. Better than listening to Kiba's bragging, Shino's mumbling, or trying to hear what Hinata whispered. That girl's infatuation showed in such a weird way. I got it, and honestly, it was probably better than her hounding me like the others did with Sasuke.
On the neighboring balcony, I didn't see Zaku or Orochimaru, and Yoro's buddy was nowhere either. Lee cleared it up. While we were having our heart-to-heart with Kakashi and the Boar, two matches had passed. Shino won against Zaku—expected for me, surprising for others—and pretty spectacularly. Konoha lost the second. Kankuro from Sand tricked his opponent and everyone else by passing off his puppet as himself.
While scanning the neighboring balcony, Temari noticed me and seemed to smirk. I returned the favor. Not that she really caught my eye; she was just a foreigner, and I was a blank slate to her. Whatever I showed, that's the impression she'd have. Worth exploiting. Things were already off-canon. My first big win against the original—Sasuke without the Cursed Seal. If they put me against Kiba—and the odds were high—don't take your eyes off me, Sand princess. I'm about to put on a real show.
Meanwhile, Sakura and Ino kept battling with words and tying shinobi headbands to their foreheads. When the match finally started, everyone watched intently, but I didn't care. I remembered this fight the moment I saw them facing off. It wasn't surprising that Sakura held her own against Ino, even outdoing the clan kunoichi at times. She used not just illusions but three shadow clones. Two to block Ino's explosive kunai, and one plus herself to dish out beatings.
The beatings were mutual. Ino took a lot thanks to shadow cloning, illusions, and substitution from Sakura, but clan stamina held. Even battered, she kept her speed, accuracy, and pace. They were even in taijutsu, but when Sakura's chakra dipped significantly, the tide turned. Now she was in full defense, gasping for breath, taking hits to the head and gut, only trying to counter.
The fight dragged on for a full ten minutes like that. In the end, both were low on chakra, but Sakura had even less. Honestly, she could barely stand. Her knees, battered from hard falls, shook; nosebleeds kept coming, which she wiped with her hand. They had a knife fight too, until they broke each other's kunai, then ceremoniously wasted shuriken on substitutions, knocking each other's weapons out of the air.
Ino assumed the stance for Mind Transfer Technique. Asuma, Shikamaru, and Choji, standing a bit away to my right, got visibly worried, explaining the technique's mechanics to anyone listening.
"Ha!" A chuckle echoed in my head. I recognized Kurama's voice right away but didn't rush to reply. If he'd shown signs of life, he'd say what he wanted.
"I can still feel a shadow of my power in that girl. If that technique works like that, this'll be interesting." The Fox said.
I was floored. And it was true...
In the anime, Sakura repelled the Mind Transfer with her inner self, but what if Kishimoto just showed her willpower and spirit, and there was no second Sakura at all?
What if now, with Sakura caught by Ino's hair trick and about to take the technique, Kurama met her there? Or what was left of him inside Sakura. Whatever happened, when Ino inside Sakura raised her hand and called to Hayate, she suddenly looked like she'd seen a ghost. Her eyes burned, her head ached; when she opened them again, she freaked so bad she couldn't hold it and pissed herself in Sakura's body. Later, judging by her reaction and the small puddle, the same happened when she returned to her own.
"M-monster... Monster!" Ino screamed as Sakura struggled to recover and get to her feet.
"Aaarggh..." Sakura rose on shaking legs, clutching her head.
"I don't know what that was... But I feel way better now." Sakura said, perking up, and performed shadow clone technique, making three more clones. "Get up, Ino. I'm not losing to you! What's wrong?" She said, looking at her rival's terrified face.
"N-no! No! I... I surrender! Surrender!" At that, Team Asuma's jaws dropped, and their sensei spat out his cigarette.
I stood there wide-eyed, gripping the railing.
"What the fuck?!" I yelled inside myself and, spinning around, found myself in front of the cage already back in my body. "Sakura can use your power?"
"Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha..." The Fox laughed. "Humans haven't amused me like this in ages. No, Wanderer. She doesn't have my power. Not anymore, anyway."
"Then what the hell was that?!" I couldn't calm down.
"Remnants of my chakra inside her. Normally, it'd linger in her body for another month or so. Tailed beast chakra like mine is hard to expel and harms the host. In this case, I tuned it to mesh with her own chakra. Looks like I overdid it a bit, and a sliver of my power stayed, but her body adapted it to her needs. It manifested like that in danger." He explained. "I don't sense even a trace left in the kid now."
"Hope you're not wrong..." I said finally.
"Who do you take me for?! I never make mistakes!" His voice echoed in my head as the main hall reappeared before my eyes.
Ino ran from the hall, Asuma following. While Sakura got up, I glanced at Shikamaru, who stared after them in confusion. Taking a couple steps toward him, I asked.
"Don't wanna go after them?" He gripped the railing tight, closed his eyes briefly, thought fast, and replied...
"No. Teacher Asuma can find better words, and we're not close enough for me to console her after a loss."
"Suit yourself..." I turned away. I didn't get him. Way too indifferent to a "free" hottie on his team. Though... maybe I was too mature, hormones kicking in?
The scoreboard showed the next pair...
"Tenten VS Temari"
Hoping at least this stayed canon.
And it began...
As Tenten and Temari headed out, Gai and Lee shredded their throats cheering their comrade.
I winced and turned away; Neji straight-up stepped behind Choji. That's when Kakashi appeared. As usual, holding an open book even during instant teleport behind me.
"What'd I miss?" He asked.
"Not much..." I briefly outlined the match results.
"Oh, really... Congrats on the win, Sakura." He ruffled her pink hair, but she jerked away.
"Thanks, sensei, but don't..." She puffed her cheeks.
"TENTEN!!! FORWARD! SHOW EVERYONE THE POWER OF YOUR YOUTH!"
Cringe overload...
Anyway...
Let's see how the Sand princess performs.
Temari showed her full glory. The fight with Tenten, who couldn't figure out how she did it till the end, seemed like a stroll for her.
Her flyby on the fan past the balcony especially impressed me. I watched, smiling, even though she was pretty brutal with her opponent. What? She really flew beautifully.
In the end, Tenten's lift on the slicing whirlwind didn't look pretty. Deep gashes appeared one after another on her body. Clothes tore, hair and face suffered. In reality, the slicing wind spared nothing, hitting selectively in viewer-friendly spots. She was shredded and fell onto Temari's fan, vomiting blood. Medics sprinted to take her from Lee, who rushed to catch his friend. Blood stained his suit and bandages.
Once the arena cleanup finished, the scoreboard lit up again with the next pair...
"Shikamaru Nara VS Kin Tsuchi"
Shikamaru's turn to shine with his clan technique.
He got lucky with his opponent. A Sound girl wasn't Zaku, who could've dodged the shadow or waited out Shikamaru's chakra while hitting him ten times with sonic waves.
Gaara on his balcony was already frowning. Makes sense—he probably expected to go early, but had a wait.
And Shikamaru lucked out not drawing Gaara. Very lucky.
It went standard: sound genjutsu gave my friend trouble, but he quickly masked his shadow as fishing line shadow and caught her, then knocked her out by standing on the bridge.
Dosu watched her defeat emotionless, hard to read under the bandages anyway.
Orochimaru in his mentor's form never returned.
After congratulating Shikamaru on his return—he high-fived me like passing the baton—it happened...
If I wasn't wrong...
"Naruto Uzumaki VS Kiba Inuzuka"—the scoreboard said.
Not wrong.
My turn.
"Well, Akamaru, looks like we got lucky, huh?!" Kiba said enthusiastically, setting his pup on the floor. "Instead of the monster, we got Naruto."
I calmly walked onto the arena and stood opposite him, saying nothing. Honestly, the Fox must've infected me with drowsiness. I couldn't help a big yawn. Naturally, Kiba noticed and raged, though I meant nothing by it.
"Bastard! Don't slack off and underestimate me! Think finishing the academy with better grades makes you stronger?!"
"I don't think anything..." I replied with a bored face. I wore scuffed boots, black-and-yellow tracksuit, and a belt with pouches over pants and jacket. Didn't look cool, and the scratched Leaf headband on my forehead added flair, but better than dirty, bloodied field pants and a tank top. "I don't give a damn how much stronger you've gotten, Kiba. I'm still not losing to you."
"So that's it..." He looked down, clenching fists.
"Fight!" Hayate said, and Kiba vanished, reappearing point-blank and slamming his elbow into my solar plexus with full momentum and body weight.
"Ghah!" I spat out my stomach contents—maybe some blood too—before flying five meters and crashing back-first into the wall.
It hurt like hell, and some heaviness kept me from moving. That dog-breeder hit hard. Not even his signature drill, but damn!
Fighting the urge to pass out right there, I pushed off the floor with effort, stood coughing blood. My chest burned at the impact site. Mouth tasted metallic. Spitting more blood, I fully stood and smiled, deciding to provoke for real. Since he reacted that way to my nonchalance, maybe he'd lose control entirely.
"Ha! You can still stand?! Great..." Kiba said, dropping to all fours. "I'll handle you myself! 'Beast Imitation!'" His pupils went vertical, fangs lengthened, fingers grew claws. Just like my Nine-Tails mode. But he could distribute chakra that way without overflowing his body. He and his pup really growled at me. Assuming Lee's stance, I said...
"Not scary yet. Try again!" And he bit. I focused as best I could, but his upward claw swipes and spinning kicks were insane! I barely dodged at first, then blocks barely held as blows rattled my bones, but claws shredded my sleeves and gashed—or tore—my forearms. No hits as hard as that elbow, but one to the face dazed me a second, then a sweep and claw grab on clothes—he slammed me to the floor face-first, dragged me like a rag, then hurled me back into the wall.
Upper lip and nose busted. Scratches barely hurt; overall, my pain threshold in this world seemed way higher. Not sure if Uzumaki body-related, but a normal person couldn't stand like I was now rising.
Worst part: his damn speed meant I couldn't counter properly.
Like before, I rose and walked to the standing Kiba, smiling.
"Heh-heh..." I forced a laugh. "I remember you wanted a rematch in the academy. Is this all you've got? All the Inuzuka clan can do?"
"Bastard..." Kiba grinned back. Did his dog brain figure I was provoking? "Don't. Underestimate. My. Clan! Scum!" He dropped to all fours again. Nah, still biting. "Use your techniques and draw your sword! I'll show everyone you're nothing! All your fame and showboating is smoke and mirrors! You have no real power!"
"All my fame? Real power? Use my sword?" I exhaled loudly, stepped forward, and unslung the scabbard from my back. "I didn't mean to slight your clan; you're just weak and pissed you can't do shit. Teacher Kakashi!" I called, tossing him the scabbard and sword—he caught it midair. "Thanks!"
"You won't even use your sword?!" His pup yipped a few times, growling occasionally but not engaging without orders.
"Against someone like you, who can't even tap your clan's potential, I don't need weapons or techniques!" I kept provoking. "You wanted hand-to-hand then? Come on before I freeze."
"You'll regret it..." He hissed and shot at me like an arrow, but I'd gathered chakra for Body Flicker Technique, phasing him through me, then maxed mind games—flickered to stationary Akamaru. With Body Flicker and a long roll, I was in front of the pup in a second, grabbing it by scruff and legs. Saw Kiba's stunned face as he hit the wall—not like me, landing on it with four paws.
"Akamaru! Bitch! Get off him!" Kiba leaped back from the wall; I thrust the kicking pup forward. He guessed, switched direction, flickered behind me. As planned... "Bastard!" He yelled, prepping a rear jump; I yeeted the pup and spun, sensing his body close with my killing intent, stepped forward, caught his blind predictable attack, and soccer-kicked his shocked face with my right foot.
I didn't skimp on chakra. It spun him, sending him flying back a couple meters. In my world, that'd be concussion guaranteed, maybe instant death. He didn't even lose consciousness.
The pup landed on paws and ran to its owner, who'd taken one to the face.
Seeing Kiba shake it off quick, I leaped up to continue, aiming to pounce from above. He spotted it, shielded Akamaru, rolled away from my kick—floor cracked slightly.
His cheek swelled, jaw damaged, hot blood trickled from nose. One hand holding the yipping pup, other snapped his jaw back with a wince, spitting blood and a tooth.
"Who's underestimating who now?!" I taunted. "I said I won't lose, but you can show your clan's techniques in full glory. For your honor, Kiba. If you want respect like mine bugs you, prove you're just as good!"
"Shut up!" Still raging, he set Akamaru down and charged close-quarters again, swinging clawed paws. I'd adjusted to his fucking speed, dodged a few swipes. Seeing him ramp up, I risked—stepped in, grabbed forearms, kneed his gut to empty his lungs, then elbowed the same face spot. Kiba fell but rolled back quick.
Glancing left toward the foreigner balcony, I smirked at Temari. She'd like this style. She leaned on the railing, smiling with head on hand. Nailed it... Time to build on it.
"So it's all for the girl..." Kiba noted, rising. "You really are a dumb bastard! Dumb but strong, I admit... Akamaru!" He called; pup perked. Tossed it a small brown pill, swallowed one himself.
"For that arrogance..." He said calmer as the pup swelled, fur reddening. "I'll rip you apart! Go, Akamaru!" He dropped to all fours, forcing me to focus, redistribute chakra. Pup jumped on his back, turned into Kiba clone; both flared chakra roughly equal to my max Kyu.
"'Beast Imitation Technique!' 'Combined Transformation!'" They attacked from flanks. Equal speed, swapped positions mimicking attacks a few times. Fighting both would've been stupid; I guessed their real joint attack, jumped high as hell—they nearly headbutted. Wanted shadow clones to air-stall, but promised no techniques. So, just take the beating—they both drilled at me midair from sides. Abusing their inner ears, they spun bodies at insane speeds, grazing with claws and feet. Head-on would've hurt more but stopped flight.
They tagged me several times each—five or six apiece. Felt like chunks torn off per hit. Worse, he timed to keep me airborne.
I took the max before they tired; no one catching my fall—I slammed down bleeding hard. One Kiba—probably Akamaru—grabbed under arms, neck-locked my limp body. The other flew in, fist-punched my slack torso. Gut shot snapped me alert a bit.
"How's that?! Get it now?!" Kiba yelled, left-hook to face. Hurt... No more provocation tactics. Especially not with guys like Kiba.
"Kurama..." I said inside. "Help?"
"Think I'll bail you every time, Wanderer? That kid won't kill you. Rest doesn't matter! You can beat him yourself—why push your body to the limit?!" He growled without lifting head from paws.
"Have to... like this." Even subconscious, in my body, I felt every beating, bleeding out.
"Figure it out yourself. Don't care!"
"Fine... Kurama!" I called as he turned away, eyes closed. "Just asking for help—not 'cause of our deal. I want us helping each other. Mutual hate's pointless." He cracked one eye.
"Tch... Idiot! I'm the Nine-Tails demon fox! I AM hate! I..."
"Kurama..." I cut in. "To me, you're the guy fate trapped with me here. You're my comrade; I want trust. If you want, have fun with that guy yourself—leave me speech. Sound good? Wanna stretch, even in this body?"
"Tch... If you're good for that... Then... I'll gladly show that kid a real beast!"
"Showoff over?" Kiba grinned. "Surrender, idiot, or get more..." He cracked knuckles; I already felt Kurama's chakra surge.
"Let... me... go! Nicely!" I raised my gaze, showing Kurama's blood-red eyes with vertical slits like his. Wounds knit, stunning balcony crowd. Chakra poured out visibly. Kiba recoiled slightly—too late. I front-kicked, grabbed the second, flipped over shoulder, hurled at real Kiba—he had to catch. I felt control slipping. Fangs and claws grew; more chakra than vs. Orochimaru.
"Teacher Kakashi!" I called, sensing his bared Sharingan. "I'm a copy ninja now too! Watch me copy his clan technique!"
Crimson chakra erupted in waves, blasting the whole damn room, forcing jonin to shield faces from hot air. Kiba got hit hard by the shockwave. Sakura crouched behind railing, arms over head. In a second, I gathered all chakra, flickered behind Kiba and Akamaru. But stood full height. Leaning to his ear, I whispered...
"Surrender..." He half-turned—I backhanded his face. Felt which was real. His flying body clipped Akamaru; both sailed toward Hayate. Looked like more teeth lost, hand to mouth.
"Baththard!" Muffled.
"Ready!" Voice in head.
Kurama got my plan, eager to toy with the dog-breeder. He perfectly copied all-fours stance, then roared full beastly throat. Shockwave nearly blew Hayate away. Kiba and Akamaru barely held each other from wall-crash.
"What's wrong?" Kurama asked. "Won't attack? Then I will!" He blurred around them in a phantom crimson aura. Accelerating in circles, forced them back-to-back but couldn't track him—just crimson blur.
Hayate chakra-stuck feet, gripping for dear life against Kurama's whirlwind.
Suddenly between them, he clapped full-force, hands forward, back hunched. Stomped left foot—boom. Shredded his aura, unleashing massive chakra. "Bomb" flung Kiba and Akamaru apart; pup reverted.
Kiba trembled rising, winced in pain, but seeing Kurama-me approach slow and sure, crawled back. Hood off—blood from ears. Nose broken from first hit.
"What're you waiting for?" Kurama grabbed his jacket one-handed, lifted weightless. "All that bragging and nothing?"
"Y-you... How..."
"Surrender?!" Kurama roared. "Think fast!" Yeeted him at Akamaru—fifteen meters. Landed inches from pup.
"Akamaru..." He whispered.
Pitied the pup—could be concussed. Progress for Fox, though. Could kill in a second but just stunned.
"Examiner!" Kiba croaked, barely lifting torso, hand up. "I... surrender..." Collapsed beside pup.
Control returned. Wiggled fingers, rolled wrists and neck. Kurama's chakra receded; I sweat buckets in Kiba-clawed, torn tracksuit.
Everyone was beyond stunned—deathly silence. There was your jinchuriki show.
"Winner—Naruto Uzumaki!" Hayate declared, pointing at me.
Then, unexpectedly... Solo claps.
Clap... Clap... Clap...
Turning, I saw my applauder. Smiling, clapping was Gaara.
***
Read the story months ahead of the public release — early chapters are available on my Patreon: patreon.com/Granulan