422 Chapter 22
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Title: Plans in the Shadows
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As soon as Shun left the hall, he created a true clone and left it in the village while he immediately disappeared. This wasn't a disappearance due to speed but a total disappearance.
Teleportation.
Yes, Shun being the original Creator of The Hirashin still knew how to use it. And this wasn't the perfunctorily use that both Tobirama and Minato used, Shun's was the original.
He directly folded the space between two spaces and appeared at the other end as soon as he willed it.
Instead of entering a void before relocating to the placed mark, Shun directly bypassed the void, afterall, he could reach anywhere he wished through the mirror Dimension.
The concept of void didn't really exist for him.
His current movement wasn't official, it was a personal quest, hence Shun had to Maintain a sense of discretion.
Shun appeared in a secret path that he believed Orochimaru should be in since he last changed location.
Orochimaru was a sneaky snake, so placing a mark on him was not advisable at all. The same goes for placing any form of spiritual mark on him.
Weather it was due to Fate or just plain luck, Orochimaru was quite the sensitive mothafucker since he decided to cherish his body and soul.
Spreading out his sensory field, be discovered he was currently in Otogakure. "Seems like he's still here, huh... Guess he still ran away from the Akatsuki..."
However, he discovered that in the cave he was currently in, Orochimaru wasn't present.
"Hmm."
He hummed to himself before flashing and leaving the cave as he ran through the forest.
The path through the forest was treacherous, with overgrown vines and twisted branches threatening to give away his presence.
"What the hell is this..? Don't tell me he somehow got access to wood release..."
Shun's sensory Field allowed him to see in the dark, scanning his surroundings for traps and hidden dangers as he observed the energy of the forest around him.
"This was indeed made from wood release... How is that possible?" Shun muttered as he was pleasantly surprised. "Interesting..." he smiled and continued on his way.
After a few minutes of careful movement, Shun reached the outskirts of Orochimaru's supposed hideout. The air grew colder, a stark contrast to the warm embrace of the forest. This was a sign he was getting close.
'I wonder how ones presence could be this cold...' Shun thought as he felt Orochimaru's aura all over the place.
The hideout was a large underground complex, with intricate seals guarding the entrance. Shun knew better than to barge in recklessly. He had studied Orochimaru's patterns and habits, and he suspected there was a hidden entrance nearby.
Silently, he surveyed the area. His sharp mind worked quickly, analyzing every detail. There, a subtle disturbance in the ground, a faint trail of chakra leading to a concealed entrance.
Shun moved closer, his chakra-controlled footsteps preventing any creaking or noise. He approached the hidden entrance, and directly phased through it using [Nihility].
As he descended into the dark underground lair, Shun's senses heightened. He felt the presence of other ninja, guards or experiments perhaps, lurking in the shadows.
His field continued to scan his surroundings, detecting traps and defensive barriers with ease.
He navigated the labyrinthine corridors with intrigue.
At that instant, Shun's Field picked up a chakra presence that was huge enough to make Shun admire the Sannin.
Orochimaru's voice echoed through the chamber, cold. "I know you're here, watching. What brings you to my doorstep?"
Shun however kept silent as this wasn't the first time this scene was recurring. Orochimaru had always been sensitive to this that could potentially threaten his life.
The feeling of being watched wasn't one the Sannin could overlook, hence his vigilance.
Seeing the Sanin looking a little bit nervous at the silence, Shun felt he shouldn't continue teasing the man and let his presence known.
"Orochimaru... it's been sometime... hasn't it?" Shun asked as he appeared behind the man with a smile plastered on his face.
Like all who had seen this face, Orochimaru suddenly had the urge to level a punch at him
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Shun's Clone POV.
I don't particularly like using this clone technique with my current human body since I need to use a couple techniques just to create the True Clone.
Using a combination of Blood and Wood Release to create a body of flesh and blood, while also partitioning a part of my mind is both draining to the body, chakra and spiritual energy.
I could always decide to not use spiritual energy to create a Parallel Thought but this method helps me keep records of my original and clone in real time.
"Hum. At least I still have sixty percent of my original strength. This should keep my chakra at the peak of Kage level." I mutter as I flexed my chakra so as to get used to this body.
(A/N: 100,000 chakra units is Peak Kage level.)
"Well, time to meet the kids I'll be escorting to Konoha, I wonder what their power level would be?" Saying this, I moved to where I was told they were waiting.
According to the Hanakage, the exams begins in a week's time. He was rather confident that I could make it to Konoha in record time but...
The Genin team I will be leading there would receive no pampering whatsoever as I'll make sure we arrive...wait a minute... didn't the Hanakage say I should train them a little?
"Yare yare, what should I do about this...?"
Arriving at the designated location, I saw two boys and one girl chatting away quite relaxedly without so much vigilance whatsoever. Well, what was I expecting? They're still Genins yet to experience actual life and death situations.
"What a pain,"
With that, I think I should make an entrance worthy of myself.
...
Hagane Masaru, Rinha Haruta and Shirogane Takashi. Three Genins from a not so prominent clan of the Flower Village were informed earlier that they would be attending the Inter-Chunin Exams that would be hosted by the leaf village in a week's time.
Out of the thousands of Genins the village had the fortune of nurturing, only these three, or rather this team of three made the required cut to participate in the exams.
One would think it was coincidental but they would be no further from the truth.
These three were the only ones of the current generation to possess their clan's bloodlines.
The fact that these clans weren't prominent wasn't due to their lack of Shinobi, but due to the lack of a dominant Kekkai Genkai.
The Hagane clan was a minor clan that had the Metal Release Kekkai Genkai, but due to this particular Bloodline not being dominant, the clan could only produce the standard level Shinobi.
The Same went for the Rinha clan. They were a clan that had the Medicine Body Kekkai Genkai. This bloodline enabled its wielder to master any and all medical Ninjutsu.
They were basically a clan of Medics.
As for the Shirogane clan, they had the Crystal Release. This was the same clan Guren was from, and as her clan wasn't persecuted as it was in the original timeline, she wasn't fortunate enough to meet Yukimaru.
Yukimaru on the other hand was already under the tutelage of Orochimaru, together with a few gifted kids the snake sage had picked up during his time on the run.
As the three sat around discussing, a figure appeared behind them and said softly... "Boo!"
"Kyaa!!" The three of them jumped in shock, only turning around to look behind them after the adrenaline rush died down.
"You!!" Haruta cried while pointing at Shun who had appeared behind them.
"Yo." Shun greeted them with a smile, not caring for their glares. "I was made aware that I'll be meeting my team in this room. Any idea where they might be?"
Shun's question hung in the air, and the Genin trio exchanged puzzled glances. Their initial shock from Shun's abrupt entrance seemed to have given way to a mix of curiosity and confusion.
Haruta was the first to speak up, her tone a mixture of annoyance and skepticism. "And who are you exactly, just barging in like this?"
"You idiot. Can't you see he's a Gold rank?" Takashi said with an eye roll.
Shun chuckled at her response, unfazed by their cautious demeanor. "Name's Shun. I'll be your guide to the Inter-Chunin Exams in Konoha. The Hanakage sent me."
The three Genin exchanged looks again, this time more surprised than confused. Masaru, the Hagane clan member, finally found his voice. "You're our guide? You look pretty young."
Shun smirked at the observation. "Appearances can be deceiving, you know. I might look young, but I assure you, I've got more experience than most Jounin. I've been around the block a few times."
And not forgetting to add his usual line, he smirked and said. "plus, I'm a genius."
Takashi, the Shirogane clan Genin, raised an eyebrow. "So, what's the deal, Shun-sensei? Are you here to give us some last-minute training or something?"
Shun leaned against the wall casually. "I'll tell you what, I'll give you a test. If you pass, I might consider training you a bit. But first, let's see if you have the basics down."
"The Chunin Exams is a very dangerous exam, you see. I wouldn't want to lead promising youngsters like you to your deaths."
"Humph. We're plenty Strong." Haruta snorted and crossed her hands in displeasure.
"Of course, and so are the others. Now..."
Shun formed a few hand signs, and suddenly, a trio of wooden dummies appeared, standing a short distance away. "Each of you, show me a jutsu. Impress me."
The Genin trio exchanged glances again, now with a hint of nervousness. Haruta was the first to step forward. She took a deep breath, focused her chakra, and then unleashed a basic medical jutsu, mending a small cut on one of the wooden dummies with precision.
Shun nodded approvingly. "Nice, control and medical ninjutsu, that should be good enough. You've got steady hands. Now, who's next?"
Masaru was up next. He formed seals and released a metal-based jutsu, creating sharp metal spikes from the ground that impaled the dummy with precision.
"Good control," Shun commented, clearly impressed. "And now, Takashi, show me what you've got."
Takashi hesitated for a moment, then formed seals, channeling his Crystal Release. He created a crystalline construct that enveloped the third dummy, trapping it in an intricate web of crystal structures.
Shun whistled. "Not bad at all. You all have unique abilities, which could be an advantage in the upcoming exams. But you need more than just jutsu. Teamwork, strategy, and adaptability are crucial."
He glanced at each of them in turn. "I'll train you as we depart for the leaf over the next week, but remember, I won't be easy on you. The world out there is tough, and I want you to be prepared for anything. We leave early tomorrow morning."
...
"So let me get something straight... you are not here to dissuade me from attacking the leaf?" Orochimaru asked his guest with a face marred will h confusion.
"Far from that Orochi. Infact, I would appreciate it if you would do so and more." Shun, Orochimaru's amiable guest replied while thanking Kabuto who was kind enough to refill his cup.
"Oh...? "
"Hum. I would appreciate it if you would traumatize my little bro together with his teammates." Shun nodded and explained.
"Your little brother? Isn't that the fourth's spawn? And isn't one of his teammates Itachi's little brother? Are in that much of a hurry to kill me?" Orochimaru licked his lips and asked.
"Now. Now Orochi, we can both be considered adults in this world, no need for word games. You wish to kill your teacher for not being strong enough while also helping the lead get rid of old fossil. I just want you to attack Naruto and Sasuke, release some killing intent strong enough to make them pee their pants and then test their limits when their lives are being threatened. No bid deal."
"..." Both Orochimaru and Kabuto looked at Shun with varying expressions.
Which brother would, in their right mind, hire someone to traumatize their little brother.
Shun, seeing their reaction sighed and said. "How about I pay you for your services?"
Orochimaru perked up at this. "I'm listening."
"Well, I've come to notice that you've been researching the reanimation technique. How about I give you the enhanced version of it?" Shun offered.
"Enhanced?"
"Yeah. As you may know, our village Excels in recording as well as improving all known Jutsu. This Jutsu just happens to be one of our most priced forbidden Jutsu." Shun said with a smirk.
Of course it wasn't. This was a Jutsu he had also tried once upon a time, and could confidently Summon any dead soul back to the world of the living without any medium at all.
Unlike the one Tobirama had innovated that need a DNA of the deceased, he could do so as far as he could remember their chakra signature.
Shun was just so Overpowered.
Of course he won't give Orochimaru that version, just a little improved one.
"That's an interesting proposal Shun" Orochimaru began, "But last time I checked, you were still an affiliated Shinobi. Isn't this treason?"
"Treason? How? It's only treason when I steal village secret. It isn't treason when I share my innovated technique." Shun snorted and stood up. "Seems like I should remind you too... I'm a genius."
And without waiting for Orochimaru to reach, Shun flashed and immediately appeared Infront of him with his right hand outstretched and his index finger on Orochimaru's forehead.
"This is the improved Jutsu. I'll be expecting a new change in mentality the next time I see my little brothers after the exams." Saying that, Shun disappeared once again, this time, from Orochimaru's senses.
"Gasp!" Kabuto standing behind Orochimaru suddenly knelt on the ground as soon as Shun disappeared. "Orochimaru-sama...that-that is..!"
Orochimaru smiled sinisterly and licked his lips. "As expected of Shun. A one in a thousand years Genius. Ah... how unfortunate he wasn't born earlier."
Orochimaru lamented with a sorrowful expression before he regained his usual expression and looked at Kabuto.
"You shouldn't have tried to move when you saw him disappear." Orochimaru said and stood up. "He's that strong... I believe you've heard of the Ghost...or rather, The Batman."
Kabuto looked shocked and pointed at the seat Shun was sitting. "You..don't mean..?"
"Yup. No one he's ever wanted to kill lived to tell the tale." Orochimaru said with a grin. "I would love to fight him but I know I'm not a match. This should teach you a lesson or two."
"Yes, Orochimaru-sama." Kabuto bowed.
"Hum. Find a way to get close to the kids. Gather all information you would need for this mission." Orochimaru ordered.
"Understood." Kabuto replied still bowing. "Orochimaru-sama...about the Jutsu."
"No need to worry yourself, it's quite secure right now." Orochimaru said and sighed., "This is going to be a hassle. Find a way to create a diversion for Jiraiya. Wouldn't want him raining on our parade, would we?"
"Understood, Orochimaru-sama." Kabuto said as a sinister glint flashed past his eyes, only to be hidden the very next moment.
However, being the Sanin he was, this didn't escape Orochimaru's eyes, but he just smiled and left the room.
Like Shun, he appreciated a genius when he saw one. Kabuto had the potential to be like him, but, as a student, he had to beat the master before they could actually spread their wings.
And this, was what Orochimaru was waiting for in Kabuto.
*****
2.6k words. I'll try to release as much as I can at a frequency I'm comfortable with.
As for the conversation between Shun and Orochimaru, I believe you all can put two and two together.
I am not forcing the plot but creating a situation where Naruto and Sasuke would still grow to their full potential through bearing the same difficulties they bore in the original.
It'd be bad if they remained sheltered due to Shun's butterfly effects right?
