Chapter 54
I posted my fic on webnovel and it got taken down...
It took a long time to get everything up and some c**t took it down without bothering to contact me.
What a piss-off.
I'd like to spit in the mouth of whoever saw my uploaded drafts and decided I wasn't the original author.
Idiots...
Author verification failed.
What bullshit, I wasn't contacted anywhere...
At least make the effort to contact me...
...
Anyways.
I've got a Pat-eron now if you want to read ahead.
Pat-eron/Victortoery
I'd not recommend it now, but maybe in the future when I'm better at writing.
...
Collage is starting soon, two chapters a week seemed manageable even when I was working full time, but that might change.
So don't expect two chapters a week after August.
I currently have enough stuff planned out for 100+ chapters but I'll see how it goes.
I might get bored or decide to drop the fic in favor of a new creation.
I've written other stuff lately but it's been no good.
But this crap-fest didn't start out good...
Some might even say it's never been good...
Meh...
...
I read reviews once a week as that's all I can handle.
I usually want to die when I read them more often than that.
So you've been seen and heard.
If you wanna chat PM me.
I don't engage with reviewers anymore.
Takes too much time to engage with a single person.
And usually, no-one responds...
But I do read them...
I just die inside when I do...
...
I think I just lied.
I still do sometimes reach out and engage reviewers...
Just not a lot...
...
Someone was saying that my updates were unstable?
I guess I need to explicitly state that I update on the weekend, usually two chapters a week...?
So updates sun/sat.
?
...
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A week later I was once again watching with minor amusement as Fugaku and company argued over plans during the briefing.
I sighed as Fugaku argued with the Kurama heir about their next big plan...
After our successful first day, we had mostly pushed Kiri to the edge of Noodle country.
After they realized what was happening and had withdrawn their troops, it was already too late as we had destroyed thirty-five of the forty or so camps.
The remaining few were packed with survivors and reinforcements and were now not worth the potential risk in uprooting.
There were only the original large camp and a few other makeshift large camps left before they were completely out of Noodle Country...
Now Fugaku wanted to make the final push and oust them from Noodles while the Kurama heir wanted to take a wait and see approach...
Regardless of today's outcome, I was leaving in a week...
Which was likely why Fugaku was pushing for a final push...
I snorted and an Inuzuka Jonin raised an eyebrow at me.
After a quick shrug, he went back to what he was doing, while I sat and pondered.
I had taken out more than a sixth of the camps myself, so Fugaku would likely want me to stay...
He might have already requested my transfer to Noodles...
Meaning I had to take off before the Hokage got around to ordering me to stay...
Bang*
I watched with mild amusement as Fugaku slammed his hand down and glared at the Kurama heir with his Sharingan active...
I sighed and drifted back into thought even as Fugaku flared his chakra.
Though I could make a lab here I didn't want to end my tutelage under Orochimaru...
There was still much he could teach me...
Well, that and Fugaku stole my new sword...
I was pretty pissed about losing it and wasn't looking forward to doing Fugaku any favors...
...
After what felt like three hours of arguing it was decided that we'd make a final push tomorrow to try and oust Kiri from Noodle Country completely.
The main worry was that Kiri would avoid our frontal assault, bypass us, and run into The Land Of Fire.
I didn't think it was likely and thus paid it no mind.
Kiri was far more likely to send the rest of the Swordsmen down to deal with us, that was the most pressing concern.
At least in my opinion...
...
I mulled over the idea of bringing pizza to the Naruto-verse while idly watching our army's preparations.
It's been so long since I've had pizza...
I wonder if I could get the camps cook to make it...
I sighed and dismissed the silly thought instead opted to think about the coming battle.
Kiri's spies and scouts were likely to see us preparing and Kiri would prepare in kind.
Meaning that a large clash was extremely likely.
Fugaku and I would have to deal with whatever strong ninja came, while our armies fought around us, it didn't sound all that fun as it was going to be a shitshow.
I didn't consider Fugaku strong enough to do anything should Kiri toss their Jinjuriki at us, and I doubt he could pull a Madara and control the Tailed Beast should it appear...
Not every Uchiha could control a Tailed Beast...
I shook my head and started towards my temporary housing.
I needed to practice my Fuinjutsu a bit...
The Four Symbols Seal or the Five Elements Seal should be enough to handle a Jinjuriki...
Hopefully...
...
Two armies met in a large field and stared at each other menacingly, there was visible tension, muscles were coiled, weapons were held at the ready, and the air was thick with chakra that even non-sensors such as myself could feel.
I took a deep breath and started forming my Dermal Armor.
I looked over Kiri's front line for a moment trying to spot their Jinjuriki or any Swordsmen that were there.
Seeing nothing, I activated my Byakugan while covering my face with my usual bone mask.
Fugaku turned and started speaking to the army behind us, but I tuned him out and instead opted to study the Kiri-nin with my Byakugan.
There was a distinct lack of anyone with large reserves.
I narrowed my eyes, slowed my perception, and started to scan again though this time slower.
Again, there wasn't anyone noteworthy...
There were a few with High-Jonin level reserves, but they didn't seem to have big seal covered and chakra saturated swords...
It was unusual...
I poked Fugaku in the side, distracting him from his speech.
"There aren't any Swordsmen or Jinjuriki..." I mumbled.
He nodded and went back to his speech.
I shrugged and turned my focus back to Kiri's army, they seemed content to wait as did Fugaku.
I let the thought of jumping in and kick-starting the battle bounce around in my head for a bit.
They were clumped together...
It would be impossible not to hit twenty or so with a single attack...
The more I thought about the more tempting the idea was...
That and standing around like this felt silly...
With that thought in mind, I sent a tendril of chakra up to my forehead and unlocked my seal.
A few heads turned towards me, from the enemy side as well as Konoha's
I made a hand-seal and twenty clones appeared around me though without their signature poof of smoke.
The two armies held their positions, they seemed content to let me do what I wanted to do.
A mistake.
I took a step back and watched as the clones made two huge Lightning Rasengan on each hand and flung them into the still stationary Kiri-nin.
The Rasengan's pierced the enemy line, killing many in their subsequent expansion.
The clones hadn't stopped and charged up two more and threw them into the Kiri-nin once again before running headfirst into them building up more Lightning Rasengan as they went.
The Kiri-nin hadn't reacted until the clones started their charge but now they came like a flood towards our line.
I chuckled as ninja after ninja zoomed past me following after my clones.
Kickstarting a battle was an oddly good feeling...
I was hit with multiple waves of memories just after the thought, immediately dispelling the good feeling I was indulging in.
As chakra filled as they were, they were still fragile Shadow Clones...
I stayed still and let the slight headache recede.
I studied the battlefield for a moment trying to see where I was needed the most.
I spotted a part of our lines that was buckling and Shunshined towards it.
It's time for some fun...
...
I noted there was a distinct lack of bloodline users while decapacitating yet another Kiri-nin.
My sword was coated in lightning and twice as long as it usually was, this was because I found it more efficient to kill six or seven with each swing instead of the usual one or two.
As I zipped around the battlefield cutting many in half I kept an eye out for bloodline users.
I spun in a circle using my sword to clear an area around me and buy me some time to think.
"Sigh..." I stopped my spin and sighed loudly while scratching my head.
With not a single bloodline user in sight, I was feeling a tad bit cheated.
I didn't even notice it a week ago but now that I was surrounded and dodging waves of jutsu like there was no tomorrow the lack of bloodline users was obvious.
I idly focused on my surroundings as the ninja surrounding me started jumping away.
I turned my attention to four Kiri-nin who had spat a stream of water out and used it to create a wave that was coming towards me while picking up blood and bodies from the battlefield.
I anchored my feet to the ground and ignored the red wave of water that the ninja launched at me while ignoring their comrades.
"Sigh..." The wave hit me and I sighed again though this time the sigh was heavier.
I coated my lower body in electricity and electrocuted anyone standing in the big ol' puddle the ninja had created.
I kept the electricity up and drifted into idle thought.
Water Ninjutsu seemed useless...
Your only option was Water or More Water...
Or sometimes Lots Of Water...
The electricity surrounding me dissipated as I had given up on it after seeing I'd killed just about everyone in the water.
I caught a kunai and threw it at the Genin who was deluded enough to think that such a thing would do something.
The kunai embedded itself in his stomach and I watched for a moment while his female teammate dragged him away by the back of his shirt.
I had a moment of peace as no-one wanted to approach the circle of death that I had created around me.
As fun as this was it was getting a little repetitive...
Water Ninjutsu wasn't very interesting as far as Ninjutsu went.
There was a distinct lack of threatening moves, that and water was easy to electrify unless the user purified the water, which was considered a high-level skill...
I was pretty much unchallenged as I made my way through the battlefield ignoring their jutsu as though it was a gentle wind.
After I figured out, I could anchor myself to the ground Water Ninjutsu became so boring...
"Sigh..." I heaved another heavy sigh and Shunshined towards a more populated part of the battlefield.
I had work to do after all...
...
Kiri was retreating and no orders were given so I stayed where I was.
I flicked my Bone Sword ridding it of blood.
I missed my other big ass sword...
But using my Bone Sword was more stamina efficient...
I sighed heavily as I saw a few Kiri-nin limping towards their comrades only to be completely ignored and left behind.
Kirigakure...
What a shitty village...
I ignored the injured Kiri-nin and started towards Fugaku while deactivating my Byakugan and absorbing my bone mask.
"We going to follow them?" I pointed vaguely in their direction with my sword.
Fugaku shook his head and started heading in the direction of the camp.
The lingering Konoha-nin followed his example and picked-up any wounded comrades and started towards the camp.
After a moment I shrugged and started towards the camp as well.
Though we didn't kill them all and push them from noodles, the battle wasn't a total loss...
We did good damage to their cannon fodder and received damage to our cannon fodder in return...
The average Kiri-nin was well above the average Konoha-nin, it was only due to their lack of S-Ranked ninja and our surplus of S-Ranked ninja that we did so well...
I sent a tendril of chakra up to my seal and closed it, I started sending excess chakra into the seal as I made my way towards the camp, my smile slowly disappeared as more and more chakra left my body.
I stared at the sky while walking, feeling slightly empty again.
Being in Kiri with nothing to do was bad for me...
I was tired of waiting for the next attack while twiddling my thumbs...
I should make my escape as soon as possible...
I'll probably start going a little crazy otherwise...
...
After a few mundane days of helping in the field-hospital, I was once again watching Fugaku argue with the Kurama heir.
It was amusing until I realized that Fugaku didn't have to argue and could have just ordered everyone around.
I wasn't sure if he was just arguing because he liked arguing or if it was because he was easily led on.
Either way, what once was amusing was now annoying.
"Sigh..." I sighed loudly earning me a few looks.
The heir was the main dissenter in the debriefings and meetings, he always wanted to take a more passive approach then what was being done and always seemed to have 'a better plan'.
It was annoying...
And thankfully it wouldn't be my problem in four days...
With me here Fugaku wanted to push Kiri out of noodles and then bring the fight to Water Country while I was away...
The heir wanted to keep them at the tip of Noodles as it was hard for them to get supplies shipped from Water Country over to Noodles...
Both plans were alright in my opinion...
So, I didn't offer any input.
Regardless of what was decided I was out of here in four days...
And that was all that mattered...
...
I hummed while reading the report Fugaku handed me.
Kiri lost their Jinjuriki to the Raikage...
"Nice..." it couldn't have been better timing.
With their Jinjuriki out of the way, there was little Kiri could do to Konoha now.
The report said that the Jinjuriki was mortally wounded, meaning that they would have to transfer the Three-Tails to someone or something...
The thing with Rin might happen soon, or Yagura might become the Jinjuriki and the Rin thing might not happen at all.
It depends on whether or not Madara was still set on manipulating Obito or if he had set his sights on someone else...
The best part of this was that there was no possibility of a Jinjuriki fucking us up in noodles...
But it freed up some of Kumo's strong fighters...
You win some and you lose some, I guess...
I handed the report to Fugaku, who took it with a grunt and set off towards his tent.
Another plus to the situation was that I didn't have to stay here, being competent in Fuinjutsu was a large part of the reason I was here.
Being assigned here for longer was much less likely to happen with the Jinjuriki dying.
All in all, today was a good day.
"..." I stared at the sky as I had realized something.
After a moment of thought, I realized that the Rin thing was something that happened towards the end of the war.
Meaning Kiri might not have a Jinjuriki for a long time...
Today was an even better day then.
Not having to deal with a Jinjuriki for a long while was good news...
...
I rose long before the sun was up and left the camp as soon as possible.
I avoided the guards and sentries and ignored a few Hyuga guards who came after me.
After a while of running my few pursuers stopped their chase.
I had a wide smile covering my face, not at all caring for whatever reprimand I might receive for making the guards chase me.
Noodles was hellishly boring and I hoped to never go back.
I couldn't wait to get back to my lab...
I'd just have to have Minato moved back to grass so the chances of me getting sent anywhere lower a bit...
My smile stayed on my face for most of the trip back.
...
I opened the door to my lab and enjoyed the blast of warm air that hit my face.
I shut the door behind me and took a deep breath through my nose enjoying the familiar smell of my lab.
Sterile with a faint metallic tinge of blood.
Lovely...
I felt at home.
It was a nice feeling...
I basked in the feeling for a moment longer before shaking my head and starting towards the door.
Mom and Duy likely wouldn't apricate a surprise midnight visit...
But it would certainly entertain me for a while...
...
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Interlude.
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"So, how'd Minato and Orochimaru's attempt to oust Kumo from Frost go?" Shiro didn't turn his attention from the seal he was concocting.
I took a moment to jot down a rough summary of what happened and slid the sheet over to Shiro.
Shiro quickly glanced at the sheet and turned his attention back to his seal.
"So not good then..." Not good was an understatement.
Two squads of Anbu were lost along with a quarter of the camps Jonin.
It was good that I hadn't been included in the battle.
I surely would have perished...
Shiro pushed the seal he had been working on away, withdrew a letter from his desk and ripped it open without an ounce of care.
The letter was addressed to Shiro and arrived early this morning, only had now had Shiro bothered to open it.
"The Hokage seems rather unhappy..." Shiro tapped the letter occupying the space on his desk.
I raised an eyebrow and Shiro waved me over.
The letter was heavily coded and I couldn't even begin to decipher it.
I tapped the letter and raised an eyebrow.
"Ah, I forgot..." Shiro turned his eyes to the letter.
He hummed and stared at the letter for a moment.
"Basically, the Hokage was unimpressed with how I handled myself in Noodles." Shiro tapped a section of the writing in the middle of the page. "Skipping debriefings, insulting clan heads, beating Inuzuka clansmen, using Genjutsu to make people think they have clothes on when they were naked..."
Shiro smirked at the last one.
"...Poking a Hyuga in the eyes, knocking people out when they talk too much, and ordering an Uchiha to be publicly spanked. Hahaha..."
Shiro giggled like a child.
"There's more but let's not get into it." I soundlessly chuckled at that.
I wish we could get into it, it sounded silly.
It was a side of Shiro he often suppressed, and I really wanted to hear about his shenanigans as he called them.
"The Hokage basically wants me to be better behaved..." Shiro's eyes met mine. "But I think it's important to do what makes you happy."
A small but sinister smile started forming on Shiro's face wiping the smile from my own.
"You have a limited amount of time in life, and that time shouldn't be wasted on bending to the knee and conforming to the wishes of others." Shiro's smile continued to slowly grow.
"If something makes you happy, then do it." Shiro's smile was wide and filled with joy.
I felt the hair on the back of my neck rise and every fiber of my being told me to run.
"Whether that includes battle and mayhem in my case or torturous experiments in Orochimaru's." Shiro's smile stretched his face in an ugly way.
My skin was covered in goosebumps.
"Do whatever makes you happy, even if it's frowned upon." Shiro's smiled widened further and his chakra filled the room causing my breath to hitch.
A second later Shiro's chakra disappeared as fast as it appeared.
"Where was I going with that..." Shiro drummed his fingers on the desk.
"Oh, yea." Snap*
Shiro snapped his fingers.
"Aomi you need to do things that make you happy." Shiro nodded to himself.
I took a deep breath trying to adjust to the sudden shift in mood.
I nodded mutely, and Shiro looked away seemingly satisfied.
I took a seat in my usual spot in the corner of the lab and took some time to calm myself.
I forgot that Shiro was as powerful as he is.
Even though he was only twelve, he had already eclipsed most of the ninja in the village in terms of strength.
Shiro was rather odd and unassuming, I had gotten comfortable and forgot that he was both my boss and extremely powerful.
I'd keep that in mind from now forward.
...