46 Chapter 45

Chapter 45

The preliminaries were over, it was a good show, and two of Kaen's students passed it. He couldn't ask for more, he guessed. Now it was only time to see who would fight who in the final exam. The genin quickly drew the numbers that would match them after the Third Hokage explained it. Ibiki came to take notes.

Once everyone got the numbers and said them, Ibiki drew the match arrangements and told them the matches would begin after a month. Kaen was surprised by the first match—Hinata Hyuga vs. Neji Hyuga. Kaen let out a sigh. He guessed he should have expected this. Kaen didn't know much of Neji, only that he was pretty overprotective of Hinata and took his duty to protect the main family too seriously.

Seeing that Shikamaru would be fighting Temari in the second match made Kaen chuckle. It seemed that some things couldn't be changed. But the last two matches concerned Kaen: Sasuke vs. Shino and Naruto vs. Gaara. Shino will meet his match if Kaen doesn't prepare him well. And two jinchuriki fighting each other was a surprise.

Kaen turned to Kakashi, and without any words, Kakashi understood that Kaen wanted to talk. Both Kaen and Kakashi dismissed their teams. Kaen saw his team was concerned about Kiba, so he let them visit him. Naruto somehow convinced his teammates to go for ramen. They left both Kaen and Kakashi alone.

"Have you heard of what happened in the Forest of Death?" Kaen asked.

"Orochimaru had made his move," Kakashi answered. "Was he after Naruto?"

"No, he was after Sasuke," Kaen replied. "He wants sharingan."

"You don't have to worry. I will train Sasuke by myself," Kakashi replied. "As long as Orochimaru doesn't get to him himself, he will be fine."

"I am not worried about Sasuke," Kaen said. "I am more worried about Naruto. He started to tap into Nine Tails' power."

"I have heard," Kakashi replied. "He did it sooner than we expected."

"He is quite unpredictable," Kaen smiled. "But it only means he needs to learn to control it. I saw how he used the power of only one tail. He managed to snap out of it, but two tails would make him berserk."

"I thought so as well. I was thinking of asking Hokage-sama to lend Tenzo to train Naruto," Kakashi seemed to be of the same thought as Kaen.

"Jiraiya should be back by now," Kaen replied. "Find him. He would know best how to teach Naruto."

"What about you? I know you care for him, so why don't you take him in?" Kakashi asked.

"He isn't my student," Kaen replied. "And I have another student to teach how to beat yours. And I have other things to do."

"Like what?"

"I have set my eyes on a prey, and as a hunter, I can't let him go," Kaen smiled as his eyes flashed with bloodlust.

"Then good hunting," Kakashi replied.

Kaen only smiled and left Kakashi alone. Kaen went to see his students because the sun was still high. When he came to the infirmary, he found Kiba awake, and Hinata and Shino told him what he missed. Kaen left them be, as from tomorrow, they will be separated. Kaen will have to leave Hinata with her father while he will have to take Shino on special training. There was another person Kaen wanted to check on before he went on the hunt.

…

Anko was pretending to be okay. Kaen could tell just from one glance. She was still thinking of the encounter with Orochimaru. Kaen looked over the cursed seal on Anko's neck. It was a complicated seal that, even with all this knowledge, Kaen couldn't find a way to break it. But he had to. If Kaen left it to be, Orochimaru would use it again.

"Don't worry about it, Kaen," Anko smiled. "With your evil-suppressing seal, I don't feel its effects anymore."

"Don't lie," Kaen replied. "And I won't stop working on it until I find a way to break it."

"Thank you."

"You can thank me after I am done."

Kaen didn't like the cursed seal. There was no way of knowing what its long-term side effects could be. The faster he breaks it, the better it will be. There was nothing that Kaen couldn't do. He will find all its secrets no matter how complicated the cursed seal is. Kaen never backed off from a challenge.

"How about dinner?" Anko asked.

"Sorry, but I have much work today and for the next month," Kaen answered. "Don't overtax yourself, and make sure to rest."

"I should say the same to you."

Kaen looked into Anko's eyes before smiling at her and leaving without responding to her words. Kaen could not rest until his work was done. He let one snake escape him and will not allow another go. Not until he skinned it and found what he was hiding inside. And it wasn't like Kaen needed him to be alive to skin him.

…

The full moon illuminated Konoha. But Kaen hid from the light and stayed in the shadows, hidden from unwanted eyes and stalking his prey. Kaen watched as Kabuto talked with Baki. Kaen waited for the perfect moment to move. And just as Kabuto handed Baki a scroll, Kaen was prepared to reveal himself and take them down.

Yet his plans had to be put on hold as Gekko was revealed to be spying on them. Kaen looked at Baki momentarily before letting him go after Gekko while Kabuto started to leave. Baki was the secondary objective. Kabuto was first. So, just as Kabuto made some distance from Baki, Kaen made his move.

"Tell me, Kabuto Yakushi, do you fear death?" Kaen asked, appearing behind Orochimaru's lackey.

"Kaen Uchiha," Kabuto turned to Kaen to see blood-red eyes shining against the moonlight. "Was I found out?"

"What do you think? But I still want to know something. Did you think you could hide from my eyes?" Kaen asked. "Even with Danzo's help, you couldn't deceive me."

"I guess our plans had failed before we even started them," Kabuto answered. "Maybe it would be best to get rid of you right here and now, as you have a tendency to interfere with Orochimaru-sama's plans."

"Heh, do you believe you can get rid of me?" Kaen smirked. "This is the end of the line for you and your plans, four eyes."

"We shall see," Kabuto didn't look disturbed as he threw a kunai at Kaen.

The kunai hit empty air as Kaen tilted his head and let it fly past him. Kabuto wasn't too concerned and assumed his stance. Yet it seemed only a distraction as Dosu of the Sound appeared behind Kaen and prepared to attack him. It might have looked like Dosu succeeded in landing a hit on Kaen, but Kaen didn't even register Dosu before an arrow pierced his eye.

"You shouldn't throw trash at me, Kabuto," Kaen said before moving to Kabuto.

Kabuto managed to block Kaen's fist and tried to cut him with his scalpel, but Kabuto underestimated Kaen far too much. Kaen wasn't here to play games, so he used his palm to hit Kabuto's arm, making him drop the scalpel. Before Kabuto could do anything more, Kaen used his palm to strike Kabuto a dozen times.

"Gentle Palm?" Kabuto asked as he dropped to his knees. He couldn't use his chakra anymore.

"Close, but not quite so," Kaen replied. "I can't see chakra points, but I know where they are. I studied them with Tsunade Senju. Yet I can't accurately hit them."

"Then how?"

"I used my seals to seal the area around the chakra points, it is a slightly different method, but it produces the same results," Kaen explained. "Now that I indulged you, I will want you to answer a few questions for me."

"Heh, aren't you concerned about Gekko?" Kabuto looked at Kaen. "He will die soon if you don't help him."

"Who said I am not helping him?" Kaen asked. "Shadow clone jutsu is very useful, you know."

"No matter how you torture me, I won't say a word," Kabuto said, finally seeing his defeat. "You better kill me now."

"That's fine with me. I already know everything," Kaen responded, putting his hands on Kabuto's neck before snapping it. "Thank you for your willingness to help me."

As Kaen looked over the dead body of Kabuto, he turned to the fight not far away. Danzo had played his hands into not disturbing it. But that was fine. With Kabuto dead, Kaen could reveal all the information he knew to Hokage and say that Kabuto provided it. Now it was time to take care of loose ends, and then he will go after Danzo.

Kaen had considered letting Kabuto use some of his skills before killing him, but Kaen didn't want to risk Kabuto running away. It was better to immobilize him immediately and be done with it. As of now, Kabuto wouldn't be much of a challenge to Kaen anyway. And it was Kabuto's fault for thinking he could play around with Kaen.

…

Gekko knew that he underestimated Baki. He was a Jonin from Suna in the end. Even with his kenjutsu, Gekko couldn't even hurt Baki. Gekko knew it was the end for him as Baki caught his sword. If only he had a stronger body, he could exert more strength in his kenjutsu and reach a higher level of mastery. But he couldn't give up so easily. Hokage-sama needed to know of this treachery.

"This technique," Baki looked intrigued at Gekko's swordplay. "Leaf style. Dance of a Cresent Moon. It is impressive that you already reached such mastery at your age. It always surprises me how much talent Konoha possesses."

"You have no idea," Both Gekko and Baki were surprised by the new voice. "Will you surrender now, or should I break you first?"

"We have been found out already?" Baki asked.

"You underestimated Konoha," Gekko saw Kaen's arms move and chains unravel. "It is filled with all kinds of monsters. So, will you struggle? Please do. Kabuto wouldn't provide me enough entertainment."

"You can't stop the will of Kazekage," Baki replied, preparing to fight both of them.

"You think Orochimaru cares about your village?" Kaen asked. "He was using you, you fool. Orochimaru planned to kill Kazekage from the beginning and use his skin to infiltrate the final Chunin exam to get near Hokage."

"What are you talking about?" Baki nor Gekko could believe Kaen's words.

"Well, it doesn't matter if you choose to trust my words, but this is the end of the line for your little betrayal."

"Betrayal?" Baki asked. "You know nothing. Your village turned its back on us first by accepting a deal from the Daimyo of the Land of the Wind. We have no choice but to crush you. Otherwise, our village won't be able to survive."

"So, you think you can save your village by waging war on us?" Kaen asked. "How pathetic."

"What?" Baki asked before he was wrapped in chains, unable to move.

"I have lost interest in you," Kaen said, and Gekko could see that Kaen's eyes turned dull. "I will let Hokage deal with you. Gekko, take him."

"Thank you for your support, Kaen-san," Gekko nodded before turning to Baki. "What about Kabuto Yakushi?"

"He should have already spilled all the beans," Kaen replied. "So, I probably killed him."

"You are a shadow clone?" Gekko was surprised once again.

"We are shadow clones," Kaen pointed at the rooftops around them.

Gekko shouldn't have expected anything less from one called the Hunter. There were at least five clones that Gekko could see overlooking them with their bows drawn. Even if Baki tried to fight rather than talk and give Kaen enough time to restrict him, he would have been shot dead before he managed to do anything. Gekko took Baki and left for Hokage Tower without wasting any more time.