I, Your Father, Carry a Big Stick

Though there were significantly fewer trees than he was used to, Wu's first impression of Konoha was that it was peaceful and incredibly lively. According to Hiruzen, there were more than 80,000 people residing within the village, encircled by a perimeter wall more than 45km in diameter. Situated at the northernmost point of the village was a series of small mountains that had been leveled out over time, resembling cliffs with flat tops. The most prominent of these rock structures had four faces carved into it, each depicting one of the 'Hokage' that had ruled the village since its inception, approximately 52 years prior. After learning what the 'Hokage Monument' represented, Wu asked the most obvious question, "What happened to the man on the far right? Did he die...?" Though there was a flicker of melancholy in Hiruzen's eyes, the elderly man managed to maintain his smile as he replied, "Indeed. Minato gave his life to protect the village from a dangerous beast known as the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox. Since then, I have safeguarded the village in his stead, patiently awaiting the day a suitable replacement can be found." With Hiruzen directing a 'hopeful' look his way, Wu couldn't help raising his brows and asking, "What? You want me to become the next Hokage?" Exhaling a chuckle, Hiruzen replied, "That depends on you. The person who wears this hat isn't just the strongest in the village, they also carry the burden of the people's beliefs. You have a promising future ahead of you, Wu, but you'll need to work tirelessly if you wish to gain the trust of others." Furrowing his brows, Wu appeared to be in deep thought, eliciting another soft chuckle from Hirzuen. He, at least for the time being, had no intention of pressuring Wu into becoming the next Hokage. His primary goal was to ensure Wu felt at home within the village. So long as he could accomplish that, he could guide Wu onto one of many paths... Catching Hiruzen a little off guard, Wu raised his head and asked, "What are the benefits of becoming Hokage? If it takes power and influence to be qualified for the position, does it really matter if you accept the hat? I doubt your influence would just dry up if you refused..." Surprised by Wu's words, Hiruzen found himself at a momentary loss. He was initially intending to say that the Hokage had the final say in matters concerning the village, but that wasn't entirely true. If he didn't adhere to the recommendations of the Civilian and Shinobi Councils, the stability of the village and his position as Hokage would both be jeopardized. Interpreting Hiruzen's reaction through his subjective lens, Wu snorted through his nose and asserted, "Sounds like a thankless role that forces everyone's burdens onto a single person. I prefer freedom and peace of mind, so you can keep that hat or find someone else to wear it." Exhaling an embarrassed chuckle, Hiruzen decided to swiftly change the topic, asking, "Are you hungry?" with a bit of a twinkle in his eye. Nodding his head in affirmation, Wu admitted, "I'm pretty much always hungry. Nuts aren't very satisfying, and eating too many fruits gives me diarrhea." Adopting a somewhat mischievous smile, Hiruzen replied, "I see..." before gesturing to a food stall a few meters away. He had noticed Wu staring at the kebabs on display when they initially passed it, and he had heard from Enma about the youth's inordinate 'obsession' with trying meat. Realizing Hiruzen's intentions, Wu's eyes widened as his salivary glands kicked into overdrive. He had hoped he would be able to eat meat upon leaving the valley, but he dared not assume. Expectations were the pitfall of satisfaction. The fewer you had, the less you were disappointed. Placing his hand on Wu's shoulder, Hiruzen mused, "Fret not, my boy. So long as you remain in this village, you are free to eat as much meat as you can afford. Now, come along. I'll explain the significance of currency while you fill your belly. Afterward, I'll show you to the Academy, and then we'll walk the route you'll be taking to travel to and from it." No longer listening after Hiruzen said he could eat meat, Wu was nodding his head to imply understanding. Hiruzen noticed this, an amused chuckle emanating from his throat as he gave Wu a light push, gently shepherding him in the direction of the stall... ... .. . With significantly more pep in his step, Wu was all smiles as he followed Hiruzen to the location of the Academy. He couldn't even remember the last time he had felt such satisfaction, so even though he still had a few misgivings about the move to Konoha, he already regarded it as his new home. Breaking Wu from his reverie, Hiruzen gestured toward a large, multi-story building with white walls accented with red timber, revealing, "This is the Konoha Primary Ninja Academy. Once classes begin, you'll be spending much of your weekdays within. However, before that, there is something I want you to keep in mind..." Placing his hand on Wu's shoulder, Hiruzen's expression softened despite the severity in his eyes as he stated, "You are much stronger than most other children your age, Wu. When you're attending the Academy, you'll need to be careful not to injure your fellow students. The Academy isn't just a place to rear future Shinobi; it's a place where children are allowed to socialize and form friendships that last a lifetime. In many ways, that is the most important function of the Academy. Your 'real' training will begin once you graduate..." Furrowing his brows, Wu asked, "Didn't you say graduation takes place at twelve? You can't seriously expect me to slack off for four years..." Shaking his head, Hiruzen asserted, "I'm not asking you to slack off. I'm asking you to focus on making friends and forming close bonds with your classmates. You might not understand the importance of such acts, but I can assure you that everything will make sense once you mature. Please, trust me on this matter..." As he didn't really have any other options, Wu didn't hesitate to nod his head and state, "I understand." in a firm tone. He didn't, not really, but he would at least try and adhere to Hiruzen's request. The elderly man was his caretaker and, more importantly, the person who would be paying for all his food, clothing, and anything else he might need during his stay in the village. So long as that dynamic remained, Wu would at least consider what the man had to say. Nodding his head in approval, Hiruzen gave Wu a firm pat on the shoulder before saying, "We should return to the estate. Truth be told, I don't have a lot of free time. As you have suspected, the obligations of those who bear the title of Hokage are endless. However, for the sake of the village and its people, we do our best to carry their burdens with a smile." Resisting the urge to furrow his brows and snort, Wu returned a smile of his own and said, "How commendable." in the most sincere tone he could manage. He personally believed it was ridiculous for those with power to submit themselves to the wills of others, but he wasn't going to condemn Hiruzen's actions. After all, that 'kindness' is what would allow Wu to live in the Sarutobi/Hokage Estate and spend the man's money, tiny pieces of metal that were apparently integral to human society. Unaware of Wu's thoughts, Hiruzen gave the remarkably 'pragmatic' youth another pat on the shoulder before leading him along the route to his new home... ... .. . After experiencing what could best be described as a crushing defeat at the hands of a literal child, Kurenai learned the important lesson of never underestimating Wu. During the weeks leading up to his attendance at the Academy, she defaulted to the mentality she had during the Third Shinobi World War. She even started reaching out to some of her friends who had become Jonin, asking them to spar with her so that she wouldn't lose her 'edge' when sparring against Wu. To her credit, Kurenai's efforts allowed her to avoid a second defeat at Wu's hands. There were times when the inordinately agile youth would pressure her, but his distinct lack of Jutsu gave Kurenai a near-absolute advantage. She could never lower her guard, but once she became used to his fighting style, their spars became a game of cat and mouse where Wu had to go all out just to graze her. If there was one thing Kurenai could complain about, it was the fact that Wu never seemed to tire. This was a good thing, objectively speaking, but it meant Kurenai was the one breathing heavily after their spars. If not for the time limit she set in advance, Wu's stamina would outlast hers, and he would eventually be able to turn things around. Thus, no matter how often she 'won' against him, Kurenai never took satisfaction in her victory... With the 15-minute timer sounding nearby, Wu immediately ceased his tireless pursuit of Kurenai, smiling broadly as he shouldered his bo staff and playfully remarked, "I failed to strike you yet again. It appears your rank of Chunin isn't just for show." Resisting the urge to exhale in relief, Kurenai removed her headband to wipe away the sweat from her brow as she replied, "That smart mouth of yours is going to get you in a lot of trouble one of these days..." Undaunted by Kurenai's words, Wu snickered mischievously and said, "That's why I carry around this stick. Even if I invite trouble onto myself, I can just smack it away~!" Rolling her eyes, Kurenai decided to let 'life' teach Wu the true meaning behind her words. Some girls preferred brash and wild men, but 'women' chose men who were dependable and understanding. The red markings around Wu's golden eyes and the confidence he portrayed were likely to make him 'very' popular at the Academy, but it wouldn't be long before his brash nature deterred even his more 'adventurous' admirers. Resetting her headband, Kurenai's expression became serious as she met Wu's gaze and declared, "This marks the end of our training, Wu. Though it was only for a short while, it was a privilege to be able to help with your training. Your...tenacity has reminded me of the conviction and mentality necessary to excel as a Shinobi. I look forward to seeing what you're able to accomplish once you graduate." Feeling uncomfortable in the face of Kurenai's sincerity, Wu scratched the back of his head and asked, "Is there any need to be so sentimental? It's not like this is the last time we'll be seeing each other. As members of the same village, we're basically family. I won't complain if you decide to stop by every once and a while." Restraining a chuckle, Kurenai's eyes narrowed into an amused smile as she replied, "I'll consider it." in a teasing tone. Then, as she really wanted to take a nice long bath, she used Shunshin to make her exit, leaving Wu to fill the many potholes he had created on his own. With his left brow twitching ever so slightly, Wu returned his staff to his Storage Pouch before pulling out a shovel. He knew the holes could be repaired with a simple Earth Jutsu, but, as he had yet to be taught any, he was forced to fill each of the holes manually... ... .. . (A/N: Since a few people have been asking, no, this story does not follow the canon of Naruto. I believe that actions should have consequences, so everything from the characters to the plot is bound to change.)

After a seven-week vacation, the students attending Konoha's Primary Ninja Academy were excited for the start of a new term. Holidays were fun, but it was the dream of every child in Konoha, be they from a civilian or established family, to become Shinobi. With two months to train in 'secret,' everyone was eager to show off how much they had grown over the break. However, before the lessons could officially begin, one of their Chunin instructors, a portly man by the name of Funeno Daikoku, stepped up to the podium at the front of the class and said, "First off, welcome back. I trust each of you made the most of your break?" Though not everyone participated, most of the class erupted into cheers at Daikoku's question. The portly Chunin chuckled in response, but, once the classroom had settled, he stunned everyone by revealing, "As some of you may have noticed, one of your classmates is no longer with us. Due to his subpar performance and inadequate chakra reserves, Hiroto has been transferred to Classroom 3-C. In his place, we have a new student I want to introduce everyone to." Following Daikoku's words, the classroom's sliding door opened to reveal a boy with wild brown hair, uncommon yellow eyes, and a broad smile that exuded confidence. He was dressed rather unusually, wearing grey pants, a dark grey t-shirt, a red sash, and a monkey-fur jacket. However, instead of appearing tacky or out of place, the outfit reinforced the wild, untamed charm hinted at by the youth's overdeveloped canines. After reaching Daikoku's side, Wu turned to his future classmates, raising his hand to offer a curt, "Sup. The name's Sarutobi Wu. Look's like we'll be classmates from now on." Hearing the name Sarutobi, one of the female students, a blond-haired girl named Shiho, raised her hand and asked, "Are you a relative of Lord Hokage? I didn't think there were any members of the Sarutobi Clan in our generation." Before Wu could answer, Daikoku gave the explanation that had been provided to him before the class, stating, "Wu here was living outside the village until just recently. He's still acclimating to life in the village, so be sure to lend him a hand if he needs assistance. Also..." Staring down at the piece of paper personally entrusted to him by the Hokage, Daikoku's smile cramped as he added, "I have been advised to warn everyone that Sarutobi-san's strength is significantly greater than the average person. He has been asked to hold back, but, to prevent any accidents, students are urged not to tease or try to bully him. This is an advisory from Lord Hokage himself. Understood?" Despite Daikoku's warning, most of the boys within the classroom looked at Wu with challenging smiles. Others had outright glowers on their faces, the most prominent belonging to a boy with delicate features, raven-black hair, and obsidian eyes. The person that stood out most, however, was a boy with bright, almost mustard-colored hair, tattered cargo pants, and an offensively orange hoodie. Slamming the table in front of him, the blonde-haired youth bounced to his feet and shouted, "I don't care if you're the strongest student in the history of the Academy! I'm the one who's going to be the future Hokage! You hear me...!?" Though most of the other students rolled their eyes, snorted, or glared in the youth's direction, Wu's smile broadened as he stated, "That's a great dream. I wish you the best of luck...?" Realizing he hadn't given his name, the blonde-haired youth pointed at himself with his thumb and shouted, "The name's Uzumaki Naruto! The future Hokage...!" Nodding his head, Wu earned skeptical looks from many within the class as he said, "Nice to meet you, Naruto. I hope we'll be able to get along in the future." Not expecting such a response, Naruto had the most confused expression of everyone in the classroom. However, before he could recover, Daikoku clapped his hands together and declared, "That's enough chatter for now. Sarutobi-san, please take your seat." Obeying his Sensei's instructions, Wu made his way to the only empty seat in the classroom, a middle seat between two children with red, fang-like markings on their cheeks. Both had wild brown hair and sharp eyes, but the boy sitting closest to the window had a tiny white puppy sitting on his head. As for his deskmate, she had an appearance remarkably similar to the boy's, but she couldn't fool Wu's eyes. Perking up as Wu approached, the boyish girl teased, "Looks like you drew the short straw. Most people don't like sitting near us because we smell like the kennels back home." Before Wu could say he didn't really care, the boy sitting a space away from her snorted through his nose and asserted, "People who complain about the way dogs smell are idiots. If it bothers you, you can sit on the floor or ask Lord Hokage to give you a private desk." Ignoring the boy's remark, Wu sat between the clearly related kids and asserted, "I don't mind. Before I transferred to Konoha, I was living with members of the Monkey Clan. Compared to those old coots who take a bath once a week, dogs may as well smell like daisies." Though she felt a strange sense of panic seeing Wu ignoring her cousin, the boyish girl couldn't suppress a laugh. This earned her a warning look from Daikoku, but she just shrugged it off and whispered, "You're funny. My name is Kaia, Inuzuka Kaia. That's my cousin, the heir of the Inuzuka Clan, Inuzuka Kiba. Let's all get along, okay, Wu-kun?" Nodding in approval, Wu returned a smile of his own and said, "Of course." before adding, "But call me Wu. I'm not fond of honorifics." Adopting a snaggletoothed, feline smile, Kaia excitedly replied, "Then you can call me Kaia. I also dislike honorifics. They make me feel itchy." Inserting himself into the conversation, Kiba offered a curt, "Kiba." before looking up to draw attention to the puppy on his head, adding, "And this is Akamaru..." Since Hiruzen had repeatedly espoused the importance of friendship, Wu gave Kiba a slight nod before raising his gaze to Akamaru and saying, "It's a pleasure to meet you both." As Akamaru responded with an affirmative bark, Kiba rolled his eyes and said, "You're weird..." before putting his head down on the desk. Morning classes were almost always related to the history of the village, so he had developed the habit of sleeping through most of them. Observing Kiba's actions, Wu took a moment to look around at the rest of the class before determining it wasn't a good idea to emulate the spikey-haired heir. With the exception of a boy whose hair was drawn back in a spiked ponytail, everyone else was at least pretending to pay attention as Daikoku began a lecture recounting the village's founding. While passing his gaze over his fellow students, Wu's brows perked up when he spotted a girl with pale pink hair. He had accompanied Hiruzen on numerous walks around the village, but this was his first time seeing someone with pink hair. She was also one of the few students paying attention to their Sensei, dutifully taking notes while everyone else with a piece of paper was doodling or writing messages to their friends. Moving his gaze from the pink-haired girl, Wu's brows perked up a second time as he noticed a girl with a bowl haircut and fringe bangs framing her face staring intently at the blonde-haired boy who had introduced himself as Uzumaki Naruto. She had eyes that vaguely resembled the cataracts of the Grand Elder, but they had an almost pearl-like quality that made them more appealing than off-putting. Realizing the thought that had just crossed his mind, Wu's brows furrowed as he internally asked himself, ("How do I know what pearls look like...?") Dismissing the thought almost as soon as it had appeared, Wu shook his head and decided to follow the example of his classmates, pretending to pay attention to the lesson. He had already memorized the texts related to the village's founding, and he seriously doubted their Sensei would be brazen enough to call upon him on his first day... ... .. . After droning on for a full hour, Daikoku notified the students that they would be taking a quiz at the end of the week before advising them to make their way to the training field, a large clearing of flattened earth that was encircled by trees and a green fence. There was an obstacle course on one side of the clearing and a range populated by wooden dummies, but the most popular location within the training field was the white circle at the exact center. It was only 5m in diameter, but it was the place where students were allowed to prove their 'superiority' by sparring against their classmates. As accidents weren't uncommon during training, a total of six Chunin were required to be present whenever the grounds were being used. Among these was a young man with brown hair drawn back into a spiked ponytail and a large scar across his nose. Upon seeing the children from Class 3-A approaching, he adopted a broad smile that exuded cordiality as he said, "Welcome back, everyone! I hope you all made excellent use of your time off. It will show in your performance." With many of his classmates greeting the man as Iruka-sensei, Wu took the initiative to do the same, approaching the man and raising his hand as he said, "Nice to meet'cha, Iruka-sensei. My name is Sarutobi Wu. I just joined Class 3-A this morning." Though he was a little taken aback by Wu's actions, Iruka managed to maintain his smile as he looked down at his clipboard and replied, "Yes, there was a faculty meeting about you joining us. Welcome to Class 3-A, Sarutobi-san." Before Wu could offer a polite response of his own, the attention of the class was drawn to Naruto, shouting, "Okay, let's do this!" while pointing in Wu's direction. Like most boys in the class, Naruto hadn't taken their Sensei's warning seriously. If anything, knowing Wu was strong just made him want to prove himself even more. Having received the same warning as the rest of the teachers, Iruka's expression hardened as he said, "Now, wait just a moment, Naruto. Wu has no experience sparring with other children. For the time being, he will be observing the class to see how spars are-" Raising his hand, Wu cut off Iruka's explanation, claiming, "You don't have to worry, Iruka-sensei. Gramp&mdash;I mean, Lord Hokage gave me permission to partake in sparring exercises. He said I should just focus on defense to get a feel for how powerful my classmates are." Though he furrowed his brows, Iruka didn't call into question the veracity of Wu's claim. Instead, he asked, "So, you're not going to attack?" With a cheeky smile on his face, Wu nodded his head and confidently replied, "Yeah, but don't worry. Unless they target my eyes or testicles with a kunai, I should be able to shrug off the attacks of any Academy student. At least according to Lord Hokage." While he disapproved of Wu's language, Iruka ultimately nodded, saying, "Very well, Sarutobi-san. I'll allow you to participate. However, if you go back on your word or retaliate out of anger, you'll be prohibited from participating in spars until I'm confident you can control your strength." Making an OK gesture with his right hand, Wu replied, "No problem. Just leave it to me." with a massive grin on his face. His sessions with Kurenai had taught him an important lesson about most humans. While they were aware of Chakra Reinforcement, most humans only possessed surface-level knowledge of the technique. They could reinforce their bodies, but there was a massive disparity between their lackluster techniques and the 'Adamantine Body' technique taught to him by the Monkey Clan... ... .. .

After being reverse summoned into a spacious courtyard filled with sand gardens, medium-sized Bonzai, and a small koi pond, Wu gave himself a quick once-over as he muttered, "That...felt weird..." Hearing Wu's remark, Hiruzen's brows raised ever so slightly as he mused, "Ho~? Most people aren't able to 'feel' anything when being summoned or transported. We'll have to look into that during your training. For now, let's get you settled into the manor." Placing his hand on Wu's back, Hiruzen ushered him into a large manor comprised primarily of dark wood. It had bamboo partitions and tatami floors, but the thing that stood out the most, at least to Wu, was its sheer size. Compared to the manor owned by King Enma, it was at least three times as large. Having spent the last few weeks preparing for Wu's arrival, Hiruzen led the curious eight-year-old into a relatively empty but spacious room. The only furnishings within were a large bed, a mat for meditation, and a small wardrobe. This was intentional, not because Hiruzen didn't want to make Wu feel welcome, but because he didn't want to overwhelm the young boy with items and furniture he wasn't familiar with. Instead, he would let Wu decorate and fill the room with things he had personally purchased or acquired, similar to the 'hideout' he knew the young boy possessed. Matching Hiruzen's expectations, a smile developed across Wu's face as he remarked, "This is perfect. I have plenty of space to store my stuff and perform basic exercises. You have my gratitude, Grandfather." Though it was a little strange to hear an eight-year-old speak in such a formal manner, especially considering Wu's upbringing, Hiruzen returned a smile and replied, "You're very welcome, Wu. From this day forward, this room is yours to do as you please. You are also free to wander around the manor, though my bedroom and study are off-limits. Any questions?" Shaking his head, Wu was about to respond that he was good, but the truth was that he had 'many' questions. Most of them could wait, but the one thing he 'had' to know was, "When will I be attending this Academy you mentioned previously? If possible, I'd like to recommence my training as soon as feasible." As Enma had already informed him of how 'spirited' Wu was about his training, Hiruzen exhaled a light chuckle before explaining, "We have set things up so that you have a month before classes begin. Since you will be two years behind the rest of your peers, I have made arrangements to have a Chuunin instruct you until then." Flaring his chakra, Hiruzen managed to startle Wu with the appearance of a young woman with unkempt, raven-black hair and peculiar red eyes. Her body was garbed in a red kimono, and she wore the identifying headband of a Leaf Shinobi. However, the thing that stood out the most was the fact she was female, the first human woman Wu had ever encountered. Adopting a 'knowing' smile, Hiruzen gestured toward the kneeling woman and explained, "This is Yuuhi Kurenai, one of our most talented, up-and-coming Kunoichi. She can only instruct you for an hour a day, but she has memorized the Academy Curriculum. She is qualified to answer any and all questions you may have about the village, its history, and the duty of a Shinobi." Rising to her feet, Kurenai gave Wu a quick once over before adopting a smile of her own and repeating, "I'm Kurenai. You can address me as both Kurenai-sensei or simply Kurenai. It's a pleasure to meet you, Wu." Though Wu was a little shorter than other boys his age, standing just under 120cm, he exuded a sense of 'awareness' that could generally only be found in members of the Nara Clan or seasoned Shinobi. He didn't give off the impression of an ordinary human child, an impression cemented by his wild brown hair, yellow eyes, and prominent canines. Recovering from his brief stupor, Wu adopted a smile of his own as he said, "The pleasure's mine." Then, exhibiting a complete lack of shame, he asked, "Do all human women look like you? You're a lot less...hairy than I expected." Taken aback by Wu's question, Kurenai opened her mouth but couldn't find the words to respond. As for Hirzuen, he simply exhaled a chuckle at the side, his silvery-grey eyes glimmering in amusement as he stroked his pointed goatee. Recalling that Wu had minimal interaction with other humans, Kurenai did her best not to take offense to his words, an almost indistinguishable red hue coloring her cheeks as she cleared her throat and revealed, "Classes related to the differences between men and women will take place during your fourth year at the Academy. The focus of third years is mathematics, the basics of chakra control, Shurikenjutsu, and sparring. Boys also focus on physical conditioning, while girls study the basics of herb classification and court etiquette." Hearing the words Shurikenjutsu, Wu's face scrunched up as he said, "I'm not fond of ranged attacks. I prefer Taijutsu and Bojutsu." Unsurprised by Wu's retort, Kurenai nodded her head in understanding but insisted, "The Academy is the ideal place to improve upon the skills you lack or struggle with. You might not depend upon Shurikenjutsu in the future, but not knowing how to use them puts you at a disadvantage if you ever need to." Instead of arguing with his newly acquired tutor, Wu returned a nod of his own, admitting, "There is truth to what you say..." before adopting a broad smile and asking, "When do we start?" "Uh..." Looking to Hiruzen and seeing him nod his head, Kurenai forced a smile as she answered, "I wasn't expecting to instruct you this afternoon, so let's limit things to a simple skill assessment. Drop off your stuff and meet me in the courtyard." Before Kurenai could turn around to leave, Wu, with a smile as radiant as the Sun, asserted, "I prefer to keep my things stored away, so I'm ready to begin immediately. Please, lead the way." Feeling a little exasperated, Kurenai looked to Hiruzen a second time, only to find the elderly man suppressing a laugh. This gave her a sudden and intense urge to smack him on the back of the head, but doing such a thing to the Hokage would be a faux pas of epic proportions. Hiruzen presented himself as a kind, grandfatherly figure, but he was still the most influential man in the village, commanding the respect of more than twelve thousand Shinobi. Turning back to Wu, Kurenai forced a smile back to her face as she said, "Very well." before turning around and adding, "Follow me..." in an audibly exasperated tone... ... .. . Though he expected Wu to be 'above average' after training alongside members of the Monkey Clan for four years, Hiruzen's silvery-grey eyes glistened with the 'Will of Fire' as he observed the incredibly agile youth putting legitimate pressure on Kurenai, a season Kunoichi. Since the best way to ascertain someone's skill was via a spar, Kurenai made the mistake of challenging Wu to a Taijutsu match. Her specialties were Genjutsu and Ninjutsu, but that didn't mean she was inept in hand-to-hand combat. She was even expected to be promoted to Jonin in the next 2-3 years, so it hurt her pride to be driven back every time Wu's fists or feet impacted her guard. ("This brat is starting to remind me of Kakashi...") Feeling a little indignant, Kurenai opened her guard, allowing an excited Wu to close the ten meters between them in an instant, his tiny fist nearly disappearing into her gut. Such an impact would have caused an ordinary person to vomit blood, but Kurenai's body burst into a cloud of faint pink smoke, a heavy aroma of perfume filling the area as a medium-sized log was sent crashing into the estate's wall. Blinking in surprise, Wu exhaled a confused, "Huh...?" before leaping away from the cloud of smoke in search of his quarry. He immediately glimpsed Kurenai sneaking around in his blind spot, so he disregarded the smoke and leaped toward her, somersaulting to land a heavy kick on her crossed arms. Exhibiting a mixture of disbelief and slight panic, Kurenai could only stare in stupefaction as Wu's follow-up kick barreled toward her face. She had used a C-Rank Genjutsu to try and buy herself some time to recover, but Wu hadn't been affected at all. She would have noticed if he had resisted or broken out of it. Instead, he acted as if it simply never happened... Catching Wu's ankle, Hiruzen's eyes briefly widened before immediately returning to normal as he said, "That's enough, Wu. You have more than illustrated your talent in Taijutsu. Well done." Flipping away from Hiruzen the moment the old man released him, Wu adopted a cheeky smile as he asserted, "It's easy when your opponent looks down on you. That technique that allowed you to swap places with a log was pretty neat. What I don't understand is, why did you drop your guard?" Recovering from her momentary stupor, or at least pretending to, Kurenai forced a smile and replied, "You're right, Wu; I did underestimate you. For that, you have my sincerest apologies. As for why I dropped my guard at that time...the more pertinent question is, why were you unaffected by my Genjutsu? You should have been trapped in an illusion..." As he had never encountered Genjutsu, Wu shrugged his shoulders and responded, "How am I supposed to know? From my perspective, you just swapped places with a log and moved into my blind spot. I didn't see any illusions or whatever." Blinking several times, Kurenai tried yet couldn't quite believe what she was hearing. She was certain she had performed her Genjutsu correctly, yet, according to Wu, it never went off? She had flubbed Genjutsu in the past, but not since her fifteenth birthday, more than eight years prior... Curious about Wu's claim, Hiruzen decided to lend a hand to Kurenai, stroking his beard as he proposed, "There's a simple method we can use to clear this matter. Wu, please allow Kurenai to place you in a Genjutsu. I assure you that you will not be harmed even if she's successful..." After seeing Hiruzen block his full-powered kick with his bare hand, Wu had gained a hint of respect for his elderly mentor. Thus, without thinking too deeply into things, he nodded his head and answered, "Sure. I'm also curious about what it's like to be in a Genjutsu. Lord Enma taught me that Genjutsu and Sealing Techniques are to be feared and respected." Nodding his head in approval, Hiruzen muttered, "Well said..." before turning his attention to Kurenai and ordering, "Chunin Kurenai, please proceed to try and place Wu in a Genjutsu." Swallowing her nervousness, Kurenai returned a nod of her own before forming a series of hand seals as she stared into Wu's eyes. When she was finished, her chakra reserves depleted noticeably, but Wu just kept staring back at her, unblinking as he eagerly looked forward to the effects of her Genjutsu. Before Kurenai could admit her failure, Hiruzen garnered the attention of both her and Wu as he mused, "I see..." while stroking his beard. Kurenai might not have noticed it, but he was able to glimpse Wu's eyes gaining a faint, fiery-red hue the moment the former activated her Genjutsu. Seeing the almost desperate look on Kurenai's face, Hiruzen exhaled a light chuckle as he revealed, "Our young friend here appears to possess a Dojutsu that filters out the effects of vision-based Genjutsu. Be sure you both keep this a secret, understood?" Though she wanted to protest that no such Dojutsu existed, Kurenai's father had once told her stories about the Chinoike Clan. The effects varied from person to person, but their Ketsuryugan was said to make the user impervious to Genjutsu while allowing them to confer it unto others with a simple touch. Wu's eyes were clearly different, but she would be foolish to refute something she had experienced first-hand... Accepting that her specialty would be useless against Wu, at least until she figured out how his Dojutsu functioned, Kurenai exhaled a sigh before bending the knee and responding, "Understood, Lord Hokage. This secret shall not escape my lips..." Seeing Kurenai's display, Wu would about to emulate her when Hiruzen shook his head, a faint smile adorning his wrinkled face as he said, "That's enough for today. I intend to take Wu on a brief tour of the village, so you can return and fulfill your other duties. Good work today." Despite feeling she had performed terribly, Kurenai lowered her head as a sign of respect before using Shunshin, a Jutsu that permitted the user to move at blinding speeds, to make her exit. Wu's yellow eyes flickered with intrigue as she departed, but he was unable to ask Hiruzen for the name of the technique before the old man squeezed his shoulder and asserted, "You have a promising future as a Shinobi..." ... .. .

Chapter 4: Responsibility? No Thanks