31 Opportunity
Eight shadow clones were currently in the training ground.
They all had identical appearances, standing at five feet four inches (1.62 meters) and having dark black hair flowing until their shoulders.
Golden brown eyes shined as they all worked on their respective tasks.
Two shadow clones were working on creating a revolving sphere of chakra in their hands.
One shadow clone was swinging a sword.
Two shadow clones were even fighting against each other in a series of fluid and almost instantaneous movements.
Two shadow clones seemed to simultaneously be casting Earth and Water Release Jutsu, creating a combination attack.
One shadow clone was working on releasing destructive Lightning Release Jutsu on his own.
Finally, the last young man present was without a top.
His body was defined and muscular, possessing a lean body built for a balance between speed and power rather than leaning toward one.
That young man with no top was Aizen Sosuke.
He was dripping with sweat from the heat and a workout.
(Aizen POV)
After finishing up my last handstand push-up, I collapsed on the floor from exhaustion.
I usually wouldn't be this burned out from a workout, but recently I've introduced something that has made workouts much more strenuous.
Weights.
I was out and about on a mission when I passed by a shop selling these body weights.
Remembering how Lee wore them in the show, I bought a few weights and started using them.
At first, it wasn't challenging doing simple activities with them, such as walking or jumping.
Thus, I added even heavier weights.
I had about a quarter of a ton on each limb (500 lbs) or, in total, a ton.
Now even walking took effort, and working out was even more challenging.
My physique had started growing even more.
I was around the level of Kakashi now in terms of physical prowess.
In terms of combat ability, however, Kakashi remains stronger than me.
He had more Ninjutsu, a Sharingan, and a lot more battle experience than me.
I looked around at my shadow clones and observed their training.
Two of them were working the Rasengan.
After a year of training, I could cast the Rasengan with two shadow clones. According to the fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, the Rasengan was the ultimate form of shape transformation.
Though, since I still needed two people to cast the technique, I still needed more time before I could reach the peak of shape transformation.
The Rasengan was also an incomplete jutsu, so only when I could add nature manipulation would I have reached the peak in both fields.
I had a certain degree of mastery in nature manipulation, however, combining it with the peak of shape transformation would still require years to accomplish.
The other shadow clones were similarly working on something.
One shadow clone was practicing my kenjutsu.
Two others were fighting each other with the Water-Rock Fist. Since I couldn't spar with Kyo anymore, I had to make the shadow clones fight against each other to get the most out of training.
These two required the most chakra to sustain since they constantly received damage.
My Water-Rock Fist constantly made progress, and now I had minor prediction abilities.
By observing the enemy's muscle movements, I could predict what muscles and limbs they will move and in what direction.
My body, trained through the Water-Rock Fist, would then react and perform the necessary response.
Though I could say I gained mastery in the technique, I still had a long way to go compared to Bang and even Garou, who is less practiced in the martial art than Bang.
There were several techniques used by both Bang and Garou that I am still far from being able to do at the moment.
The three other shadow clones were all working on my nature manipulation.
While one worked on my lightning nature, the other two worked on combining my water and earth natures, which proved harder than I presumed.
Even though I knew it would be difficult, practicing it myself made me realize something. Although I could create a combination attack with water and earth, which wasn't very effective, combining them into a single element along with Yang energy was incredibly difficult.
Everybody used Yang energy.
It was simply the energy that represented physical energy.
Walking, working out, and any physical activity used Yang energy to some degree.
Even jutsus required Yang energy, as chakra is comprised of Yang and Yin energies.
The difference with Wood Release was that I had to actively imbue life into the Earth and Water Releases while combining them.
My control over the two natures had to be nigh perfect, as I had to blend them and imbue them with a third energy.
Meanwhile, control over Yang energy had to be similarly amazing since I had to blend non-elemental energy with elemental chakra.
While I passively used Yang energy every day, actively using it and controlling is different.
My control over Yang energy wasn't stellar since I didn't know any way to train that control.
In the Naruto show, training control in Yin and Yang was either skipped or directly given to the main characters through an external aid, like the Rinnegan.
I theorized that the only way to train control in these aspects was by using techniques that mostly used one or the other.
Most jutsu used both Yin and Yang energies blended as chakra. Some jutsu even change that chakra into an element.
There were only a few techniques that mostly used Yin energy or Yang energy.
The goal of most jutsu was to find stability by using exactly half of both, after all.
Genjutsu was a technique that mostly used Yin energy, which is why it classifies as a Yin-release technique.
Healing jutsu was a technique that mostly used Yang energy. If I could train in medical jutsu, then I would be able to attain a certain level of control in Yang energy.
I already had control of Yin energy or at least a decent amount of control as I not only have two souls, but I am also a practitioner of Genjutsu and have access to my mindscape.
The only thing left was my Yang energy. Once I attain control of that, I can possess the Wood Release Kekkai Genkai.
Although that's what I decided, I couldn't act on this belief until I had access to a medical jutsu scroll or a teacher.
I could ask Tobe, but the communication between Root members is limited. Everyone has little to no emotion, so there is no need to have a social life and talk with one another unless it is on a mission.
Until I was assigned to be Tobe's teammate in a mission again, I would have to put my training in medical jutsu and Wood Release on hold.
Once I reached that thought, I dissipated the three shadow clones working on my nature manipulation as an influx of memories assaulted my mind.
The influx, however, didn't faze me as I only felt a prickle in the middle of my forehead.
The method of putting all the clones' memories into a single object had worked. Now, when I dissipate a shadow clone, only that object, a tree in my case, will experience growth and change.
Everything else in the mindscape stays the same.
This takes the strain off of my mind a lot when I release the shadow clones. Now, the only factor limiting the number of shadow clones I could create at a given moment is my chakra.
My chakra levels had reached the rank of a Low Kage, which meant I had a lot of chakra.
However, the Shadow Clone Jutsu was incredibly burdening on chakra, so much so that even someone with my amount of chakra can only make up to eight shadow clones at the maximum.
Making eight shadow clones leaves the main body with very little chakra to perform any Jutsu. If my chakra is distributed evenly toward every clone, then they as well would find it difficult to cast any Jutsu.
The only way to combat that is to either make fewer shadow clones so that each one would have a sufficient amount of chakra or to change the ratio of chakra distributed to each clone.
For example, I give the clone that practices Kenjutsu only the bare amount of chakra to sustain itself. That way, I can distribute more chakra to the clones practicing the Water-Rock Fist.
Realistically, I could only use four shadow clones in battle, and even that would be stretching my chakra pretty thin. Though, because the remaining chakra of the clone is also sent back, it makes it so I waste no chakra.
After deciding how to move on with training, I created another shadow clone to practice the Water-Rock Fist and two shadow clones to practice Ninjutsu and Genjutsu.
"All right everybody, the break is over. Get to work."
Time passed, and soon the day ended and it was time for me to stop training.
I dissipated all the shadow clones at once as I was assaulted with an even bigger stream of memories than last time.
This time, the influx was enough for me to have a headache, however, I ignored it and began making my way home.
After I ate dinner and rested, I started meditating and accessing my mindscape.
After accessing it, I found myself standing on a large hill. The hill overlooks leafy and green plains filled with trees and rivers. Surrounding the forest was a considerable amount of shrubbery and hills.
I admired the view for a bit before getting to work and moving any important memories into the shrubbery.
After doing that, I started condensing the most important memories into water droplets again.
I have only gotten 2% of my memories into the river while the rest are hidden in shrubbery and trees.
I decided that condensing all my memories into water droplets was too unrealistic, so I began condensing my memories into something a bit larger, a blade of grass.
Grass littered the entirety of my mindscape. The odds of someone accessing one out of millions were too astronomical, even if it wasn't as secure as water droplets.
About 4% of all my memories were condensed into blades of grass, which was pretty good.
I decided on which memories I should prioritize like this:
All memories that hinted at me being a transmigrator would become a water droplet, memories of the secret knowledge of the Naruto world would become blades of grass, and memories that hinted at me being unusual or odd would become twigs.
It would take me years to organize all my memories, but that time is nothing compared to the decades it would have taken beforehand.
After I finished my meditations, I sat on the bed and began thinking.
Three years have passed since I was initially kidnapped by Danzo and forced to become a Root. By this time, Naruto and the others should have already graduated and become official Genin. Lee has already been a Genin for an entire year.
Team 7 might have even already gone on the Land of the Waves mission and fought Zabuza. I simply had no way of knowing what was happening in the Village as a Root member.
I was starting to get anxious. Anxious to escape from Danzo, anxious to see my friends, and anxious to regain my freedom.
I lived life in a cage, being herded by Danzo as a slave. I couldn't take this life much longer. Constantly training, assassinating people, and training again.
It was a lonely life. It was a hard life.
One that I wanted to escape.
The only reason I stayed in the Root was that it was advantageous for swiftly gaining strength, but there was not much more it could teach me anymore.
I was already on the low spectrum of an Elite Jonin. There were only a few people more powerful than me in the entirety of the Root, including Danzo.
I needed to start planning my escape soon.
I already had the method.
I would summon myself to the animals I had a natural affinity for.
By performing the Summoning Technique without having an established contract, I would be summoned to the home of the animals I have the most natural affinity with.
The only reason I hadn't done so already was that I still had room to grow at the Root, and I wasn't confident in my strength.
The Root was useless to me now, as I had enough battle experience from assassinations and Ninjutsu from scrolls to make it on my own.
I also had the strength of an Elite Jonin, or at least the base amount for an Elite Jonin, so I had some confidence in surviving an encounter with a hostile animal.
The animals I encounter are not guaranteed to be friendly, and I needed the confidence to not die due to a battle with them.
Also, I had no idea how the animals chose their contractors. If they were to test me through combat, I had to be sure I wouldn't fail.
Everything had lined up. The only thing now was to find the right opportunity to escape. I could do so at any moment, but before I left, I wanted to deal a blow to Danzo.
Kidnapping me. Torturing me. Brainwashing me. Using me.
I will make him pay for all that, even if it just means him wasting a Sharingan.
The opportunity had to present itself, however. He always had guards with him, and he certainly wasn't a vegetable.
Danzo was a bonafide Kage-level shinobi, and if I wanted to deal him a blow, I needed to do it while his guard was down. A time when he was vulnerable.
I stopped thinking about this and went to sleep, oblivious to the fact that a plan would present itself to me the next day.
I woke up at 5-AM sharp and began my routine.
I went to the bathroom to take a shower, only stopping to look at myself in the mirror.
The person that stared back in the mirror was me. At first, it took me a while to recognize this body and appearance as me. I had a completely different one beforehand, after all.
However, now, when I stared in the mirror, I was sure I stared back.
My body was littered with scars, everything from animal bites and scratches to sword slashes and kunai.
There was a deep one on my torso, a wound I was lucky to walk away from.
My appearance had astronomically changed from the five-year-old I used to be. I was turning into a teenager soon, after all.
After gazing at my body, I continued with my routine.
After getting my muscles stretched, I went to the training ground.
When I arrived there, however, I found a simple note that told me Danzo had summoned me.
I arrived at his office and listened to the new mission he'd assigned me. Ready for another assassination or espionage mission, I was instead shocked by the mission I received.
"Kira, have you ever heard of the Chunin Exams?"
"The Chunin Exams? I've heard very little information, however, I do know it is the exam that Genin go through to become Chunin."
"Yes, that is it. This year, Konoha is hosting the Chunin Exams. Citizens and shinobi from all over the ninja world will be attending. That is why I will be appointing you a special mission. You will participate in the Chunin Exams as a Konoha ninja and showcase the hegemony of the Village Hidden in the Leaves!"
Participating in the Chunin Exams?
"Yes, Lord Danzo!"
It was hard for me to not leak my joy through my voice. A smirk had formed under my mask as I gazed upon Danzo.
This was perfect; A perfect opportunity for me to defect from Danzo's control had just presented itself.
"Showcasing your strength is simply one part of the mission, however. The other half of your mission Kira is to eliminate all potential threats to Konoha, whether those threats are in the future or present."
"Should I win the Chunin Exams, Lord Danzo?"
"No. We still have to showcase the other talents of the Leaf Village. Whenever you fight against a fellow Leaf Genin, you must allow them to show their talents before defeating them."
"Yes, Lord Danzo."
"Since your circumstances are unique, an exception will be made for you to take the Chunin Exams by yourself."
"Yes. When are the Chunin Exams, Lord Danzo?"
"A month from now. You will use that time to prepare yourself."
"Yes, Lord Danzo."
"You are dismissed now."
I went back to the training grounds with a pep in my step.
Participating in the Chunin Exam will present me with the perfect opportunity to escape the Root.
That time would come when Orochimaru invades the Village and causes mayhem to spread throughout the Village.
I started training with ignited passion, summoning eight shadow clones to start training.
I used the same ratio as before:
two shadow clones practicing the Rasengan,
three shadow clones practicing the Water-Rock Fist,
one shadow clone practicing Kenjutsu,
one shadow clone practicing Ninjutsu,
and finally, one shadow clone practicing Genjutsu.
I began training my body, exhausting myself with heavy weights.
The routine continued for a month, and I kept progressing nicely in my strength.
I wouldn't see any massive rises in strength unless I learned a new technique or threw myself into combat.
I prepared myself for leaving the Root before going to Danzo's office.
"Lord Danzo, I am here for my mission."
"Good. Before you proceed to the Chunin Exams, visit Hiruzen's office."
"Yes, Lord Danzo."
"Don't disappoint me, Kira."
"I wouldn't dare, Lord Danzo."
After saying that, I started going to the Hokage's office.
The moment I left the Root headquarters and saw my surroundings, I was elated by one thing: I was back in the Village.
I walked around the Village, enjoying the atmosphere I'd been missing out on for years.
I wanted to go to Ichiraku and taste that heavenly ramen once again, but I had to go to the Hokage's office.
My mood soured. The closer I got to the Hokage's office, the worse my mood got.
Hiruzen knew about me. He had to.
My chakra signature didn't change. Hiruzen himself was a sensor so he would recognize my chakra signature.
That can only mean one thing. Hiruzen let me fall into Danzo's hands.
I arrived at the Hokage building.
I calmed myself and suppressed my anger.
Entering, I saw the same receptionist that was there the first time I came here when I was asking to have my apartment.
How funny.
The person that entered that day had admiration and respect for Hiruzen despite his faults, but the person that entered today had nothing but anger and disdain.
I was allowed into his office, and I walked in with the sight of him buried in paperwork.
While the first time I entered here, nervousness and tension-filled me, I found myself at peace now.
The was a simple reason for that.
Strength.
I might be weak compared to the gods and legends in the world, but to the simple shinobi, I was about as strong as a person could get.
Elite-Jonin, just below Kage.
In any Village, I would be below one and above many.
But that wasn't enough.
I won't stop until I'm below no one.
This is the opportunity that was given to me, and it is the opportunity that I will hold on to until I perish.
I bowed to Hiruzen.
Although I was filled with hatred toward him, emotions are not what reigns over my being.
I was so close to escaping. I won't let myself fall short here.
"Lord Hokage."
"You may rise, Kira."
I couldn't use my real name, Aizen, since that would compromise my identity.
"Danzo mentioned to me that you are his student. Is that correct?"
Student? What a load of shit. I guess I needed a backstory on paper, though.
"Yes, Lord Hokage. I am Danzo's student. I wish to participate in the Chunin Exams."
"I see. If I allow you to participate in the Chunin Exams, you will have to fight alone since you don't have a team. Is that ok?"
"Yes, Lord Hokage, that is fine."
"Then, as the Hokage of the Leaf Village, I permit Kira to participate in the Chunin Exams by himself. The Chunin Exams will be starting soon, young Kira, so I suggest you get there soon."
"Thank you, Lord Hokage."
"No, Kira....thank you. I wish you the best of luck in your future, young man."
I bowed my head and began making my way to the Chunin Exams. Although the man was nothing but a hypocrite, he still had some humanity inside of him.
It just made him all the more disgusting.
If he was just all bad, then his behavior could be rationalized, like Danzo's. I didn't expect anything good from Danzo, just because he was Danzo. It was the fact that Hiruzen still had good in him, yet he allows the bad to happen that invokes a sense of disgust in me.
I arrived at the building for the Chunin Exams and started making my way to the class. There was a big crowd outside classroom '301', though it was clearly a Genjutsu.
After not seeing any of the people I was familiar with, I moved on to the third floor.
I didn't warn any of the people of the genjutsu since it was better to weed out the weak before they were killed or injured.
As I arrived at the third floor, I saw a scene I was familiar with from my past life.
I chuckled as emotions welled up in my chest.
Lee was fighting Sasuke, attempting to prove his worth to Gai and himself.
He was doing a good job, beating Sasuke pretty thoroughly.
The match wasn't exactly the fairest since Sasuke isn't using Ninjutsu or Genjutsu, but it was still a good display of how strong Lee is.
Something was off, though.
Naruto was still standing on the side, encouraging Lee to win.
I suppose it made sense. I made Naruto befriend Lee earlier than in the show so they wouldn't fight needlessly.
The fight was coming to an end as Sasuke activated his Sharingan.
Two tomoe in each eye.
Once the Sharingan was activated, the fight became a bit more even.
Though Lee was still running circles around Sasuke, Sasuke was at least reacting to some attacks.
As Lee kicked Sasuke in the air, he jumped up and unraveled the bandages on his arms.
After not seeing everyone for so long, I decided to make an impression on them. Although they wouldn't know it was me, I still wanted to create an impression of myself in their minds.
Before Lee could reach Sasuke and execute his forbidden move, I appeared between them, grabbing Sasuke by his shirt and Lee by his leg and throwing the both of them to the floor.
They landed on their feet, both confused by my appearance.
"Identify yourself!"
"Who are you?"
Shit. I didn't think of that.
"Kira."
Damn it. I messed up my first impression.
Though, Sasuke and Lee didn't look disappointed by my boring introduction.
Before we could continue our conversation, a turtle appeared and began admonishing Lee.
"Lee, you idiot! You were going to use the forbidden move, weren't you! How many times have we told you that hiding one's move is the most fundamental rule for a shinobi!"
"NO! I am sorry! I didn't plan on using it initially but in the middle of the battle my youth--"
"I don't want to hear it, Lee! Are you prepared to take your punishment?"
"I... Yes, I am."
At that time, Might Gai appeared on the turtle in an ... interesting pose.
After his introduction, he approached Lee and whacked him on the cheek.
While this was occurring, Sasuke regrouped with Naruto and Sakura as he questioned me.
"Why did you interfere in my fight?!"
"Your fight? It looked like you were getting your ass handed to you, Uchiha boy."
He growled at me as Sakura came to his defense.
"Sasuke is still stronger than you, mask boy!"
Naruto, for the most part kept quiet, which was something uncommon for him.
I looked at him and saw him gazing at me with eyes filled with confusion. Was he suspecting who I was?
I responded to Sakura,
"Doesn't look like it."
At this point, Might Gai drew our attention by appearing next to us at incredible speed.
Even by my standards, it was incredible.
It looks like I have much room to grow stronger if even base Gai is this fast.
"The name is Might Gai, Konoha's Prideful Green Beast!"
Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura all had shocked expressions, probably not expecting this unique individual to be so strong.
"Your name is Kira, correct? Thank you for stopping Lee from using his forbidden technique. I greatly appreciate it. As for you, Sasuke Uchiha, I sincerely apologize for Lee's behavior. Gaze into my eyes and notice the sincerity behind it."
Yup. Gai was very unique.
"You three are Kakashi's team, right?"
"You know Kakashi-sensei?"
Naruto asked back.
"Ho, of course, I know Kakashi Hatake. Some might say we are eternal rivals after all. Though, I have one more win on the belt with a record of 50-49."
"I don't believe it! How can you be stronger than Kakashi-sensei?" (Sakura)
"Don't doubt Gai-sensei! If he says he is stronger then it must be the truth!"
"All right, Lee, you don't have to get so worked up. Now, the first test is beginning soon. You all should be on your way."
After saying that, he flashed us a pearly white smile and gave us a thumbs-up before disappearing with his turtle.
Lee humiliated Sasuke by calling him practice for Neji before somersaulting away.
What a guy.
I also started making my way to the classroom so I wouldn't draw too much attention. After all, a crowd had started forming from everyone coming from the second floor.
"Wait! Which Village are you from?"
Naruto shouted out to me as I was leaving.
"Konoha."
I body flickered away, leaving a confused Team 7 behind.
(3rd POV)
"What a weirdo. Why did he have a mask and cloak on in the middle of the summer?" (Sakura)
"The Uchiha don't seem that great after all." (Naruto)
"Shut up, Naruto! I'll beat them both next time!" (Sasuke)
"Heh, it doesn't seem like it. You saw bush brows hands too, didn't you? That guy trains until he drops every single day. He trains as hard as he can, and what about you?"
Sasuke seemed to lose his anger at that statement. It was true. He noticed his hands, littered with scars and calluses from training.
He looked down at his own hands, filled with some calluses but not as prominent as Lee's.
"Hmph, the Chunin Exams are finally starting to get interesting, aren't they? We just have to show them our strength."
"That's right, believe it!"
"Yeah!"
(Aizen POV)
I made my way to the actual classroom where the first test would begin.
On my way in, I saw Kakashi standing there, probably waiting for his team.
I stopped for a bit, looking at him.
He did the same, though his eye revealed shock rather than indifference.
I nodded at him before entering the room and felt him staring at my back.
(Kakashi POV)
Kakashi was not prepared to see those masks around here.
'Anbu? No, I know all the Anbu members and masks. Must be Root. But they're supposed to be disbanded. How come Danzo is revealing his cards here, and how come the Hokage is letting him?'
The kid nodded at me before making his way into the room while I stared at his back with questions swirling in my mind.
(Aizen POV)
After entering, I became the center of attention as tens of kids looked at me.
Honestly, I couldn't even call them kids, since some of them looked like they were in their twenties.
No wonder they were so intimidating to the Rookie 9. They were practically the only kids in a room filled with adults.
I paid no mind to their gazes as I took a seat.
Team 7 came in soon after, and I saw the Rookie 9 join up. I moved my gaze away from them with complicated emotions welling up in my chest.
(Naruto POV)
Sakura, Sasuke, and I all walked into the room.
When we did, I saw at least thirty people staring right at us.
Man, they were scary looking. They all looked at least a couple of years older than us.
The annoying Ino came and jumped onto Sasuke's back.
Along with her came Shikamaru and Choji.
"Man, this thing is a drag."
Shikamaru was complaining as usual, and Choji was next to him, eating a bag of chips.
"Yo, what's up, Naruto."
"Yo! Choji, Shikamaru! Why are you already complaining, Shikamaru? We haven't even started!"
"Sighh"
Soon, Kiba, Hinata, and Shino came too.
Kiba was annoying as always, acting like he was all that.
Shino was ... a little weird and mysterious, as always. According to Shikamaru, though, he was a cool guy.
Hinata was a little weird too, but that's because she keeps getting shy around me for some reason.
"Look at all of us, having a reunion. This is going to be fun, at least for the strong ones. Isn't that right, Sasuke?" (Kiba)
"Hmph, be careful not to get too overconfident, Kiba." (Sasuke)
Grr, no one ever talks to me. They always talk to Sasuke first and pretend like I'm not even there! Well, I'll show them, believe it!
"You rookies better keep it down. I mean no offense, but you're drawing everyone's attention to yourselves." (Kabuto)
I looked around and saw everyone's eyes on us.
"And who are you, four eyes?" (Ino)
"Me? My name is Kabuto."
"Why are you speaking of us if you are afraid of everyone's attention?" (Shino)
"Why? Well, I guess it's because you remind me of myself from a long time ago." (Kabuto)
"Is this your first time taking the Chunin Exams, Kabuto?" (Sakura)
"No, this would be my seventh." (Kabuto)
"What a drag. That must mean that the exams are as hard as everyone says there." (you know who)
"Can you give us any insider tips?"
After I said that, Kabuto took out a bunch of cards.
They weren't playing cards, since I've seen all sorts of different playing cards.
"I do have some information if you guys are interested." (Kabuto)
"What type of information?" (Sasuke)
"Well, I've collected a lot of information about people over the years. Give me some names, and I'll tell you the information available on them." (Kabuto)
Before I could say the great Naruto Uzumaki, Sasuke beat me to the punch and said some names.
"Well, how about Gaara of the Sand and Lee of the Leaf? Also, Kira of the Leaf." (Sasuke)
"Names AND Villages. Too easy." (Kabuto)
He poured his chakra into the cards and they started spinning. I wonder how he did that? I didn't care all that much about bushy brows and that weird guy, but I did care about that other weird guy that showed up in bushy brows and Sasuke's fight. I know how hard it is to keep up with bushy brows, but that guy did it with practically no effort!
"Rock Lee:
He has gone on 13 C-rank missions and 22 D-rank missions. His team consists of Might Gai, his sensei, and Tenten and Neji Hyuga, his teammates. His Taijutsu is his strongest aspect, but he is incapable of using Ninjutsu or Genjutsu." (Kabuto)
"Incapable of using Ninjutsu or Genjutsu? The guy must be pretty weak then." (Kiba)
"Oi, don't speak about Lee like that! He's plenty strong, believe it!"
"Yeah, Kiba, don't be so quick to judge him out" (Shikamaru)
"Mm." (Choji)
Hmph, calling Lee weak is like calling Shikamaru stupid! It just didn't make sense!
"Next up is Gaara of the Sand:
I don't have a lot of information about him. He's completed 8 C-rank missions and an unknown amount of D-rank missions. But get this, he completed a B-rank mission as a Genin. There's also a rumor that he's never been scratched in any of his missions." (Kabuto)
Never been scratched? That's insane! How'd he pull off something like that?!
"Even on his B-rank mission?" (Shikamaru)
"Yeah, even on his B-rank mission." (Kabuto)
"That's crazy. How did he manage that?" (Shikamaru)
"Lastly, Kira of the Leaf:
Information about him was hard to get, but thanks to a 'special source', I got most of it. He's completed 4 C-rank missions, 15 B-rank missions, and 4 A-rank missions. His strongest aspect is Taijutsu, like Lee, but he is skilled in every other field too. He doesn't have a team, so the Hokage made an exception for him and allowed him to take the Chunin Exams by himself."
"4 A-rank missions!"
I shouted so loud that everyone in the room looked at us, but none of us cared.
4 A-rank missions! That was crazy! Our fight with Zabuza was an A-rank mission, but he did four of those missions by himself! I looked at him sitting down and clenched my hands.
"How do we know that your information is credible?" (Sasuke)
"Oh? That's true. I'll give you one more card for free then.
Sasuke Uchiha of the Leaf:
Completed 7 D-rank missions and 1 A-rank. Teammates are Naruto Uzumaki and Sakura Haruno, led by Kakashi Hatake. He is the last living member of the Uchiha clan and has a two-tomoe Sharingan." (Kabuto)
It was all true! How did he know that, though? Sasuke only showed his Sharingan when we were fighting Haku and when we were fighting Lee. Hmm.
I looked at Shikamaru and signaled to him that we needed to talk later.
Sasuke, Gaara, Lee, Kira. So many strong people. I decided to let them know there was another person they shouldn't underestimate.
"Listen up, everyone! My name is Naruto Uzumaki, and I'm gonna beat every last one of you! Believe it!"
"Whew, that feels much better." (Naruto)
It was silent for a bit before I heard,
"Hahahaha! Well put, Naruto! That's the kind of spirit I like!" (Kira)
(Aizen POV)
After hearing Naruto declare his challenge to everyone, I couldn't help but laugh out loud.
"Hahahaha! Well put, Naruto! That's the kind of spirit I like!"
He hasn't changed a bit! Still the same old confident and vibrant Naruto. He had the effect of changing those around him, including me. Although I haven't seen him for years, I felt a familiarity with him who hasn't changed a bit.
Everyone else experienced some changes. I could tell.
Sasuke was becoming more arrogant, but today might have changed that, which was good.
Shikamaru had packed on some muscle under his fishnet. Even though it wasn't as prominent, he had some calluses on his hands. It looks like he was working hard in the years I was gone. I'm glad.
Choji had calluses on his hands too, and he wasn't as shy as before.
Naruto was still the same, though. Hard-working, confident, and friendly.
The complicated emotions I had were gone just as they had come. I didn't know why I was so conflicted in the first place.
These guys were still my friends, even if they hadn't seen me in years. That was just the type of people they were.
Even though they didn't know who I was, just being around them was enough.
It was more than I had gotten in the past couple of years, anyway.
I walked up to the Rookie 9 and exclaimed,
"Let me introduce myself again. My name is Kira! This is my first time taking the Chunin Exams too, so I guess that makes us the Rookie 10. I look forward to having a memorable time in the Chunin Exams with you, and if anyone needs assistance, I would be glad to provide it as a fellow Konoha ninja!"
I saw Shikamaru's eyes widen, but only his.
I smirked under my mask and walked back to my seat before Shikamaru could open his mouth.
It was fun, playing around with Shikamaru. The introduction I used was the same one I used on the first day of the academy, the day I became friends with Shikamaru.
It seems like he was the only one who noticed. It made sense, after all, Shikamaru was a bonafide genius. Plus that introduction happened more than six years ago, so I wasn't surprised that no one but him noticed it.
"All right, you baby-faced degenerates! My name is Ibiki Morino, your proctor, and from now on, your worst enemy! It's time to begin the Chunin Exams, so shut up and listen!"
