-Two months till Chunin Exams-
Pov: Kanata
*Haa* *Haa* *Haa*
"Do you... have to do that?" I ask while I gulp... trying my best to focus on learning Kenzo's new jutsu.
*Ting!*
The kunai goes flying and I wince as it scrapes my hand... but I am more terrified of Kenzo and his white eyes watching me as he throws the items at me.
...
"I told you- I have managed to contain my eye's as best as I can, this is nothing, and if we want to win the Chunin exams than both of you need to get used to my eyes" He says and throws another.
"Its just... we keep having to end training early... its freaky man.." I reply as I deflect the attack again and turn to look a Katsuko who is trying her best to take deep breaths and meditate her way out of the fear.
"I am only calmly gazing at you... not even staring- it is best to get used to it now and not run when in an exam" He says... for some reason his words seem colder and more intimidating... like I am not conversing with something human.
"Again- best to push through, for every hour lost in training you gain resistance to me" He says and I nod weakly.
I deflect the blows in every way I can- I can't understand how he does it but with every throw Kenzo points out a weakness in my technique and corrects it- he truly spent a long time making this technique for me...
I close my eyes and take a moment, opening them and wincing as I look forward- I need to meet his standards... I cannot fail when he is putting in so much work for me.
...
I grit my teeth and continue on.
"I'm sorry... I feel sick-" Katsuko gets up and runs, I feel a rush of sadness seeing her skip training in the afternoon again but that's her choice that I cannot interfere with.
---
Pov: Hiruzen
"Yes- I understand your concerns but Kenzo is monster only in reputation- No- that does not exclude you from the internal Audit happening this month" I cut off the chunin teaching at the academy and sigh.
Kenzo is going around personally investigating all the ninja in every department we have... its not fun for anyone but he has too.
In lies of course he doesn't- Ryū can do the usual check ups as Kenzo does the exams... but them being the same person means no one will be avaible to do the normal check ups- meaning Kenzo has to do a thorough check of every department to ensure that he can take time off for the exams.
The departments have tossed this up to Ryū being busy with the new unit he is in charge of... and Kenzo having too much power and abusing it.
Haaa- these rumours keep ramping up and Danzo isn't or hasn't been boosting them for a while, the main reason being the recent attempts from many spies entering Konoha causing many fights... and many sights of Kenzo being his most dangerous self.
The spies usually get exited when chunin exams come around but not this much- one of the vilge's is pnning something but I don't know what... T&I can't get anything other than the affiliations of the ninja infiltrators which all point to Iwa ninja.
Which is very unlikely considering the list of ninja entering the exams from their.
So someone is using Iwa as cover... annoying but that doesn't change much as Konoha is going to be at top security during the exams anyway, there is nothing more I can do but wait for more information if we can get any at all.
...
"You are dismissed" I sigh once more and the ninja stands up, bows and then leaves.
Ryū has also been asked about by all the higher ups in Konoha and I have pulled the Hokage card enough times to get them to stop... hopefully that means no more questions.
But that also means I am pressured to make sure Ryū doesn't do anything stupid- luckily Kenzo is taking almost all the bad heat in Konoha currently and giving Ryū more wiggle room.
Kenzo...
Rumoured to be uncontrolble and unfortunately st month accidentally arrested an innocent ninja- a mistake that has been made many times by many people and wouldn't be a big deal if everyone wasn't watching him.
The ninja himself has compined loudly and started spewing bullshit about how he has a huge cw scar down his chest due to defending himself... the idiot can get it healed so easily at the hospital with our current medical ninja...
The Kenzo situation is awful, he is like a barrel of oil, fully contained and safe for everyone, some people would even love to have oil for various reasons as every resource is a good resource in the right hands... unfortunately that barrel of oil was punctured and lit on fire by Danzo.
Now all that everyone can see is a burning barrel of oil ready to burn everything down and explode... Danzo didn't need to continue spreading the oil around but he did.
And now everyone is keen on keeping the oil away from them- while also keeping a close eye to ensure it doesn't burn anyone... a shame that people keep getting close and burning themselves stupidly.
The oil can do nothing but everyone will be ready to watch it fail- and if it doesn't ever spread and harm others it will still be watched.
Doesnt help that it is pced right next to the oil refinery that is Naruto... at least the attention has been taken of the child and someone like Kenzo can take the heat off of him successfully.
---
Pov: Kenzo
I tried my second Chunin exam scroll... Kanata failed the first test with some insane bad luck.
I was ready and everything- my teammates are more than ready to be Chunin... and yet I failed the challenge due to luck alone.
The first test was a series of riddles and solving one would give us a ball, we could then use the ball to hit the another team and remove them and their team from the exam... Kanata was chosen randomly to be our teams champion and was doing very well until four opposing teams saved up balls to throw at him... he didn't make it.
In better news I found another challenge scroll and beat a few chunin to gain one statistic scroll- it allowed me to get me up to five strength and I will focus on getting the other two statistics that I want.
I also have been speaking to the Hokage and he has decided on my backstory with me... I will be able to pull it out in emergencies and have it be completely understandable with the Hokage giving me extra information surrounding it to back up my cims- it does only work as a backstory when I try to keep it secret, so that helps me a lot.
...
I also have only two more months to go through my list of things to do- which is almost complete, just need scrolls and time... Kanata also needs time but he is putting in much more effort than I thought he could.
Maybe he could get the jutsu quicker... we will have to wait and see, also helps that we discovered from Lee that his team is also participating in the exams... keeps him fuelled to be better.
Unfortunately that also makes Katsuko less inspired and she has been at an all time low for self improvement.
...
Kanata told me he will handle it and I trust him to know what to do.
Right- I should focus on scrolls and improving my shapeshifting... I need to make a much better form that ties in all the things I have learning as Kenzo.
---
-One month till the Chunin exams-
Pov: Kenzo
------
Skills:
Unyielding Stare: E×D×C×B×A×S×K×
Burst Breathing: E×D×C×B×A?S?K?
Word- Truth: E×D×C×B?A?S?K?
Kenzo Deflection Jutsu: E×D×C×B×A×S×K?
Lockpicking: E×D×C×B?A?S?K?
Juggling: E×D×C×B?A?S?K?
Ancient Hearing: E×D×C×B?A?S?K?
Dragons breath: E×D×C×B×A×S?K?
Lightning Wire: E×D×C×B?A?S?K?
Lightning Dart: E×D×C×B?A?S?K?
Bio-Runes: E×D×C×B×A?S?K?
Dragon style Taijutsu: E×D?C?B?A?S?K?
Jump: E×D×C×B?A?S?K?
------
Okay- Juggling and Lockpicking have been improved... their mortal limits now reached my next few upgrades would be where I need to direct them into merging.
Two challenge scrolls down and that leaves me with only one more Chunin exam scroll left- I will save it for next month as to keep my wits sharp.
This time the exams went much easier, the forest of death is something I know my way around like the streets of Konoha considering how long I lived in it... but I decided to use up two scrolls pushing Kanata and Katsuko to their limit.
I know I can pass the second test- and without luck messing us up we can pass the first test- but I need to ensure my teammates are prepared as well, turns out that I need to make sure Kanata reads up on wildlife and some basic medical skills as he surprisingly cks in a big forest like this.
And Katsuko did much better in the second test she just needs to stay around either of us while in it to avoid ambushes and such.
The first exam scroll had us py a memorization game- running all around Konoha memorizing pieces to a puzzle and then completing the puzzle in under an hour.
The second test was a battle royal for nine days in the forest, only five teams could enter the tower and the rest needed to forfeit or 'fall' in battle, Kanata unfortunately ate something poisonous and slowed us down until another Konoha team knocked him out.
I could have beaten them sure... but I needed the team to pass and I can't be everywhere at once.
The second scrolls first test had us in an escape room with every ninja, problem is that only ten keys to leave the room where avaible and in the hall we were escaping it was chaos for those keys... so many ninja would be dead if not for the instructors...
The second exam was done in one day- a race to the tower and the fastest teams win, turns out when no one respects you and chaos was the theme of the exam it is very difficult for out team to win... if I had just confronted everyone in the first test and stared them down we wouldn't have been targeted in the second exam- no one wants to poke the bear after all.
Katsuko unfortunately had to keep running ahead of us in that test as me and Kanata were bombarded with traps which led to us finding her bloody corpse when we caught up... I will make sure to establish myself as someone to not mess with in the real exam.
That won't happen in reality.
---
Pov: Rock Lee
*Woosh!* *Woosh!*
I have a rest day today! Gai-sensei said not to do anything like our usual trainings so now I run towards my friend Kenzo's training grounds in order to talk to him before the exams...
We haven't been able to hang out as much as we did in the Academy and I have found it very unfortunate... Kenzo is my friend and he helped me up much like Gai-sensei did.
Of course I cannot distract him so close to the exams so today will be the st day we talk until we face eachother! How exciting! I wonder how much he has grown!
I step into the training grounds...
"Kenzo! I was told you were-" My voice cuts off as I see something in the trees... a gaze- that things gaze cutting to me suddenly as I call for Kenzo...
The creature I can hardly point out walks past a tree and turns into Kenzo himself... what? Wait- that wasn't the monster I have heard about- that was more human... more...
"Lee?" Kenzo approaches as he pces his jacket onto himself once more...
"Oh- Sorry... that was- *Cough!* Kenzo! Would you like to eat lunch together? Perhaps some other fun activities!?" I ask and change topics.
"As loud as ever huh? Naruto's been telling me about this movie actually... I have some time if you want to watch it?" He asks.
"You can watch it?" I ask and hold my chin pondering what he means.
"Oh- of course, my eyes are only terrifying not unusable, if I look at the screen and not anyone else it is safe" He tells me and I nod slowly.
..!
"How unfair of me! I didn't mean for you to reveal any information about yourself- I will in turn tell you about my recent skill leanring the lotus-" I am cut of as Kenzo waves me off.
"That enough, seeing is nothing big- no need to yell so much either" He says and turns to start walking.
"But I saw that form from before and the-" I follow.
"But nothing- that thing you saw wasn't even what the finished product should be, and it doesn't matter how much you know of my skills... just a bigger hurdle to beat you" He smirks and I smile.
"Bigger the hurdle! Bigger the jump!" I pump my fist in the air and yell.
"Then even more than before I wish to tell you what I have learned! I will fight with the biggest hurdles and come out on top through the power of YOUTH!" I yell again.
"Did I catch you up on my sensitive ears...? No? No." Kenzo grumbles something as I charge forward towards the movies, telling him my cool new moves as we go.
---
-One month till the Chunin exams-
Pov: Kenzo
Last month left- Kanata is not going to learn the Jutsu in time but he certainly is close to using it... I have been teaching and giving advice as Ryū to the two to cover their weaknesses found in the st two challenge scrolls I used.
They have improved as normal but it seems this exam will either make or break them.
...
Another thing happened this month- the Hokage asked me to help him tell Naruto the full conditions of what he has sealed within him... he has tapped into the power of the demon multiple times without knowing what it was and the Hokage thought that Naruto is ready for the information.
He teared up a bit and cried some more... but after only a minute he stopped and took that massive revetion to heart, steeling his resolve... it amazes me his resilience.
But it hurts to watch him understand the gazes and horrible treatment he has been getting all his life- at least his dream of becoming Hokage means so much more to him now...
I need to ensure his safety- I should start showing my more monstrous form more often and take the heat away from him...
Apart from that- the Hokage promised to teach him a jutsu when he became a chunin.
He is excited to become a chunin now at least- lets hope that he trains well enough in the coming months to do well in the next exams.
...
On other news my shapeshifting is going quite well, I have successfully cracked the code when trying to mix the copied yang energy with my own- now all I need to do is refine it and create a form that supports me best.
I should also use the final exam challenge soon- best to use the upgrades a bit away from the exams to properly prepare myself and not cause any issues.
I will try to win that one with all my power, including both my styles which will be overkill with the chunin level opponents that I face.
So five statistic scrolls and two instant scrolls to boost my other skills.
Plus the three statistic scrolls I have gotten in these three months from quests and other simple challenges.
------
Statistics:
Acceleration +1
Reactive Speed +1
Strength +5
Hearing +1
Lightning Mana +5 (10)
Natural Regeneration +3 (2)
------
-Two weeks till the Chunin exams-
Pov: Kenzo
My height reaches above 7ft tall... my arms long and my flesh more grey and pale than ever... my clothes stretched and broken as my empowered and strengthened body pushes the cloth to its limits... my eyes white and watching... my tongue long and bck while my white hair spikes backwards to keep out of my face, legs bent much like an animals, resting my bestial feet and cws on the front of my foot, my toothy dark maw strong and intimidating... but above all else- my most monstrous change would be the long tail that protrudes a pitch bck bone give with spikes that run along it and half way up its length that spans over five feet.
It would not be nice to meet me in any environment.
Now to focus on the scroll... and level up my skills.
-One Week till the Chunin exams-
My nerves burn and my eyes tear up and bleed, my brain feels hotter than a furnace as I warp flesh around my mouth to contain my screaming.
My blood boils and my muscles vibrate as they shift and change in such a painful way as to give me a new understanding of body horror... like thousands of needle like worms crawling just under my skin- my flesh burns and my thoughts dwindle...
I had just put two points into acceleration and three into reactive speed- mind body and certainly soul all scream out as the pain floods me.
Eyes sharpening- brain signals getting faster and nerves raising their speed limits on sending and receiving signals- my flesh warps to boost my speed and improve the time it takes to get from point a to b.
And after almost an entire day of pain I get up from the floor and puke... I managed to contain all my blood at least, I wipe my mouth and take a thirty minutes to calm down and clean my mess.
Afterwards I test my speeds.
If I can punch 100 times in a minute- then with +3 to acceleration allows me to punch 130 times in a minute... my body feels so smooth to move and it feels so odd to have my thoughts and body synced up so quickly with each other, my deflections will certainly improve with a +4 to reaction speeds and allow me to transform much, much quicker.
Stat wise I am sorted out as Kenzo- skill wise? I have two scrolls to spend.
And instant C-rank and an instant B-rank.
I got the first scroll with completing the first test- it was almost a disaster as our confidence was tested and Katsuko almost got us eliminated... luckily I was able to convince her otherwise with Kanata's help.
The second was a game of hide and seek within the forest of death which I carried entirely- my understanding of the forest allowed us to find many teams and take their scrolls for us to pass.
The third was and always is a tournament- I spent the month given to train within the scroll before the final test to completely focus on my shapeshifting and managed to complete it in time for the real exam.
And also got to test it against the chunin tournament ninja... I managed to get into the final fight with minimal help from the lightning set of skills, but had to go all out in the end.
I am more than ready.
And my two scrolls? C-rank one will improve my Dragon style taijutsu and the B-rank one will improve the Wire techniques, hopefully I can use those scrolls to mix the skills into one.
...
These exams will be a piece of cake.
-One day till the Chunin exams-
...
"YOU ARE WHAT!!?" I yell out in anger as Naruto reveals to me about his decision to join the exams.
"ONLY SIX MONTHS- YOU ONLY LEARNT THE TREE CLIMBING- WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOUR SENSEI- WHAT!?!?" My very overprotective side clearly leaking out as I make a scene in our apartment.
I pace around as he starts to calm me down and I try and go over my pns for the exam and change them- I need to protect him- an ambush could end his life!
I struggle not to stare and take a breath.
---
LAST LOOK AT STATUS BEFORE EXAMS:
------Titles:
Knowledge Taker: E-rank.
Occupied: D-rank.
Genin: C-rank
Mana Specialist: B-rank
Special Jonin: A-rank
Beast King: S-rank
------
Skills:
Unyielding Stare: E×D×C×B×A×S×K×
Burst Breathing: E×D×C×B×A?S?K?
Word- Truth: E×D×C×B?A?S?K?
Kenzo Deflection Jutsu: E×D×C×B×A×S×K?
Lockpicking: E×D×C×B?A?S?K?
Juggling: E×D×C×B?A?S?K?
Ancient Hearing: E×D×C×B?A?S?K?
Dragons breath: E×D×C×B×A×S?K
Lightning Dart: E×D×C×B?A?S?K?
Bio-Runes: E×D×C×B×A?S?K?
Ryū Wire-Taijutsu: E×D×C×B×A×S?K?
Jump: E×D×C×B?A?S?K?
_______
Blessings:
Shapeshifting: C×B×A?S?K?
Genjutsu Resonance: E×D?C?
_______
Statistics:
Acceleration +3
Reactive Speed +4
Strength +5
Hearing +1
Lightning Mana +5 (10)
Natural Regeneration +3 (2)
------
Challenges:
Three Standard Genin.
Three Standard Chunin.
Ten bandits.
------
Summoning scrolls:
E-rank: Messenger Bird.
------
(E) Knowledge Taker: Able to process any mental dilemmas within the orange box, infinite time to solve a simple mental quirk.
(D) Occupied: No one is capable of taking over Kenzo's body or mind.
(D) Root Initiate: Danzo has tested you and you have passed. People are less likely to notice you or your characteristics.
(C) Genin: completing fifty D-rank missions gives you a statistic scroll.
(B) Mana Specialist: Learning Mana skills feel more intuitive and natural, breakthroughs come naturally.
(A) Special Jonin: Successful Investigations grant you a bonus statistic scroll on completion.
(S) Beast King: Animals instinctively fear your presence and intelligent ones consider you subtly threatening.
------
IF I AM MISSING SOMETHING IN THE STATUS PLEASE INFORM ME SO I CAN FIX IT!
Thanks for reading :)
I also find it funny how meticulously Kenzo prepares for the exam and how much time he has spent yering abilities... like collecting all seventy golden pinecones before fighting the main boss while Naruto is rushing through the bosses without knowing what a side-quest is... on another note- Naruto did do all his usual story stuff without the Shadow clones, relying on his skills in taijutsu and trap making mainly.
