traveling to the Katagami mines

It's been two weeks since Jiang started his training with Gai, in the meantime Tsunade has started to teach Sakura some medical jutsu and the other genins are all training either in clan techniques or just to get stronger in general.

While training with Gai Jiang also accompanied him on two missions, the first one being an A rank and the second being an S rank, from which they have just returned.

"I beat those pirates and they vowed to change their ways, which touched me and I started to cry with pride." Gai reports to an annoyed Tsunade, who's holding her head and only turns to Jiang.

"Mission accomplished. No casualties on our side." Jiang reports curtly.

"You see Gai. That is how you report a mission." Tsunade tells the green dressed man.

"Jiang. No, has Kakashi and his unyouthful ways gotten to you?" Gai asks dramatically.

"Who's Kakashi?" Jiang asks, feigning ignorance.

"Jiang! I'm so proud of you, standing against his temptations." Gai cries.

"Tsunade, is there something else?" Jiang asks awkwardly, patting Gai's back as the man is hugging him, with Shizune snickering behind the sanin.

"Actually yes. Gai has two new missions." Tsunade says.

"Shall I and my newest student split up and race each other who can finish their mission the fastest?" Gai asks with a smile and a thumbs up.

"No. Jiang is actually going to join your team on a B rank mission." Tsunade replies.

"Good choice. My team and their new comrade will excel in any mission you throw at them." Gai shouts triumphantly.

"What's the mission?" Jiang asks.

"An anbu squad found three mine workers collapsed at our borders. They say that their village, which only income is from trades with gold is being tyrannized by a man named Raiga and his followers." Tsunade explains.

"Raiga huh? I heared that name before. If it's the same Raiga then they could be dealing with one of the 7 sword ninja of Kirigakure." Gai informs the two.

"So? You think we can't handle one sword nin?" Jiang asks.

"Such youthful spirits! Of course you will succeed. You are going to be part of the mighty team Gai afterall." Gai shouts, breaking out into a loud laugh.

The door to the office then opens with the three genins stepping inside.

"Lady Tsunade. Team 9 reporting for mission." Tenten says cheerfully with Lee and Neji standing beside her.

"Good. Instead of your sensei however you will be joined by Jiang. The mission leader will be Neji this time." Tsunade tells them.

"Why am I leader? Jiang is stronger than me without doubt." Neji asks.

"Because you know your team the best. And you are a promising shinobi well on his way to becoming a Chunin." Tsunade says.

"Very well." Neji accepts with a thankful nod.

"What exactly is the mission?" Tenten asks the Sanin.

"The three people the Anbu found came all the way from the Katagami goldmine to ask us for help. A couple of months ago some people claimed to want to protect their town, but in the end they have just taken over. Your mission is to accompany the three men back to their home once they are out of the hospital and to drive away the people tyrannizing the village." Tsunade instructs them.

2 days later team 9, Jiang and the miners are standing at one of the gates leading out of Konoha.

"Our mission is to bring you back and to drive away the Kuruzuki clan correct?" Neji asks the miners.

"Yes. That is correct." One of the men replies.

"What are we standing here around for? We're wasting precious time." Another one says annoyed.

"Jiang. I will be excited to fight side by side with you." Lee tells their fellow genin.

"Sure." Jiang says, thoughtfully looking at a large scroll which hangs under his arm by a rope.

"On the way to the village is a curry restaurant. We can make that our base." Lee suggests.

"Sounds good. Let's go then." Neji says, taking the lead with Lee while Tenten and Jiang take the back as formation with the miners in between them.

"Hey, can I ask you something?" Tenten asks Jiang, who looks at her as confirmation.

"How come you and Gai went on missions? Wouldn't it have been smarter for Gai to take Neji or Lee?" Tenten asks.

"Not for these missions. And me joining him was by my request." Jiang informs her.

"Why?" She questions.

"Because He's training me too." Jiang says.

"He is? I assumed with your strength you wouldn't need any more help or training." Tenten says surprised.

"You couldn't be more wrong I'm afraid. The stronger you are. The more difficult the missions you go on become and more dangerous people aim to take you out. My only strong suit is my nin-tai jutsu and my skill with my Sojutsu. I don't know many nin jutsus and my strength and speed without my ninjutsu empowerment is still leagues behind Gai's or Lee's. Which is why I've asked to join their training." Jiang explains.

"Hmm. You just always seemed so strong." Tenten replies thoughtfully.

"Thanks, but I still have a long way to go." Jiang tells her.

"So what's with the scroll?" She then asks.

"It's my summoning contract." Jiang tells her.

"Why are you bringing it with us?" Tenten asks.

"Because I need to do something." He only says.

"Hmpf." Tenten pouts at him dodging the question.

"I need to sign the next element." He says, giving in.

"What?" She asks.

"My contract is different than Gai's or Tsunade's. The wildcat contract contains many different elemental cats, who all have their own signature required. At the moment I'm at 2 out of 6 signatures. " jiang explains, unfurling the scroll partially, showing her the 6 different brackets you can sign, they being normal, special, fire, water, wind and lightning Jiang's name is written on normal and lightning.

"I see. Why sign another element now though?" Tenten asks curiously.

"Because I need to get stronger and because I have formed bonds in Konoha, allowing me to sign the fire element." Jiang informs her.

"I see. So you must be on good terms with the elemental nation to sign it?" Tenten surmises.

"Yup, and I need to beat the head of the summons. Using only their elemental chakra." Jiang explains.

"Do you know many Katon techniques then?" Tenten asks.

"Not even one." He laughs.

"How do you intend to beat the head then?" Tenten asks shocked.

"I can still use taijutsu and weapons. I'll find a way." Jiang says.

"If you say so, what does normal and special stand for?" She then inquires chipperly.

"Normal is reserved for elementless summons and special is reserved for summons such as a lava summon or a death summon." Jiang says.

"Death summon?" She asks curious.

"It's actually the next summon I wish to control. After fire." Jiang tells her.

"Why?" Tenten asks.

"Because he's in pain." Jiang only says saddened and they continue on their track, with Tenten telling him a bit about their team formations and about herself before they rest next to a river once they cleared half the way and the miners are in need of a break.

"Now's as good a time as any." Jiang says to himself after finishing off his snack and unfurls his scroll, cutting his thumb on his trident and signs the fire contract before rolling up the scroll.

He then goes through some hand signs, saying summoning jutsu and places his bleeding thumb on the ground with his other hand lying over the hand. In a large puff of smoke a lion the size of a rhino, with a burning mane of fire is standing in front of him, freaking out the miners.

"Hey Kumatachi. How's it going?" He greets the lion, offering a fist bump, which the lion mirrors with its paw.

"So, you signed it huh? My dad will be on your case about the challenge then you know." The Lion tells Jiang, sitting down next to the teen his fire dimming down to a small singeing.

"Yeah, but not now. I'm on a mission." Jiang says, opening a small scroll from is jacket pocket and unseals a large piece of meat, tossing it to the summon.

"Take your time. It's all yours. I know better than to unseal fresh meat in your realm now." Jiang tells him as the lion starts to gobble down the meat.

"Thanks. So, why'd you call me?" The lion asks after finishing his meal.

"I want you to take back the scroll and to tell your father I will be summoning him as soon as I get the chance." Jiang informs Kumatachi.

"Alright. Hey are you the girl I heard so much about?" Kumatachi then asks Tenten with a wide smirk.

"I don't think so. My name is Tenten, nice to meet you." She answers politely, slightly scared by the large animal and quite impressed by it.

"Likewise. Jiang my boy, I see you've learned from me about your harem. She's a cutie. I bet she's a feisty one isn't she?" The lion says teasingly, only for Jiang to lift him up by its throat, his body covered in his lightning cloak.

"Mind your words. I am your friend and master and Tenten is currently my teammate and is to be treated with respect." Jiang tells his summon darkly, dangling it over his head, before slamming it in the floor, making him bow to Tenten.

"I'm sorry for him. He hasn't had much contact with humans and needs to learn who to respect and who not to." Jiang apologizes to Tenten, bowing to her apologetically.

"It's fine. Really." Tenten says embarrassed, her teammates and their client's attention on her and Jiang.

"I'm sorry." Kumatachi wheezes out, with his snout still pinned to the floor.

"You're lucky she's forgiving." Jiang says, releasing his summon, who gets up, nuzzling its large head against Tenten's arm.

"Thank you." The summon says with a toothy grin.

"It was nothing." Tenten replies.

"I trust you will deliver the message Kuma?" Jiang asks, getting the Lion's attention, who walks back over to him, nodding.

"Good." Jiang says, offering a fist bump.

The summon gives him one again with his paw, grinning at his summoner like nothing ever happened before disappearing in a cloud of smoke.

"You really didn't have to do that you know." Tenten says still a bit embarrassed.

"I did. You deserve to be treated with respect." Jiang tells her, before drinking some water from the stream next to them.

"So, what did he mean harem?" Tenten asks the curiosity getting the best of her.

"You are very curious." Jiang remarks.

"Tehehe. Sorry." Tenten chuckles sheepishly, rubbing the back of her head.

"Don't be. It's good to be curious. I like it." Jiang tells her with a slight grin, filling up his flask for the travel.

"Anyways. Lions have harems with multiple Lionesses. And since I will be required to have multiple wives in the future Kuma thinks it's a competition between himself and me now, on who can build his harem the fastest, the largest one and so on." Jiang informs her with annoyance in his voice.

"Multiple... multiple wives?" She whispers back shocked with wide eyes.

"The downside of offering to build a new clan." Jiang says with an exhausted sigh.

"You don't sound too happy about it." Tenten says surprised.

"I'm not. While I'm grateful to be allowed to build a new clan and do like more than one girl, I just don't like that any woman I would have a relationship with will be forced to give up the normalcy everyone should be able to enjoy. Of having one person to share your life with. Not a handful of people to consider in the process." Jiang informs her while they are packing up their stuff.

"Who do you like then?" Tenten asks mirthfully once everyone packed up and is back on the road, having given her enough time to digest the new information about the trident wielding warrior.

"Ino and Anko are in a relationship with me so far and Temari would be interested too as far as I have heard from Ino, but she's back in Suna." Jiang answers.

"Wow, you don't mess around huh?" Tenten chuckles awkwardly.

"Actually it was Ino of all people who pushed me to accept the council's offer. It won't be made official until I come back from my travels however." Jiang says.

"Ino did? Wow. Wait, what travels?" Tenten asks.

"I need to visit the other nations. I promised my summons to sign every bracket when I first got the scroll." Jiang explains.

"Right, so Mizu and Suna. Wait, what about Tsuchigakure?" Tenten says.

"As far as I have been told there is no earth summon, they were replaced by the elementless a long time ago." Jiang informs her.

"What about special you said you wanted to sign that one next." Tenten says.

"Yes. The special ones take place only in the wildcat's realm. There are only few in number that still exist and even less who would allow someone to summon them. So I have to gain their acceptance one by one, but I can sign the bracket after my first partner." Jiang explains.

"Man, and I thought summoning wasn't that complicated." Tenten laughs.

"Don't worry. It usually isn't." Jiang reassures her.