I, Your Father, Carry a Big Stick

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... ... .. .

With their classmates lined up at the side, many standing with their arms crossed or with smirks on their faces, Wu and Naruto made their way into the circle. It was way too small for Wu's tastes, but, as he wasn't planning to move so much as a single centimeter, he just smiled at Naruto and said, "Ready when you are." Before Naruto could charge at Wu, Iruka interjected to explain, "That isn't how we do things, Wu. While it is true you'll be pitted against one another, everyone in the village is a family. To highlight this, we start and end each spar with a hand sign known as the Seal of Confrontation. Here, this is the first part." Seeing Iruka raise his right index and middle fingers in a half-ram seal, Wu obediently emulated his Sensei before asking, "Now what?" Adopting a somewhat wry smile, Iruka advised, "Patience." before going on the explain, "Once both parties demonstrate the Seal of Confrontation, the spar officially begins. Afterward, the winner extends his fingers to the defeated, joining them together as a sign of respect." After demonstrating the second part of the seal using both hands, Iruka took a step back and added, "Now, once you've both formed the seal, you are free to begin." Raising his own index and middle fingers, Naruto stared back at Wu with the most confident expression he could manage, asserting, "By the end of this spar, I'm going to make you fight back. Believe it...!" Narrowing his eyes, Wu's smile broadened as he mused, "You know what they say, seeing is believing. Show me what you're made of, traffic cone." Without the need for additional taunting, Naruto charged at Wu as fast as his feet could carry him. His initial lunge left a deep imprint in the ground, but from the perspective of Wu, he may as well have been moving in slow motion. As Naruto's punch impacted his face, causing more damage to the fiery youth's fist than Wu's face, the latter thought, ("Perhaps Kurenai isn't as weak as I thought she was...") Retracting his hand, Naruto looked like he was about to throw another punch but stopped short before squatting on the ground and gripping the wrist of his right hand. He had thrown all his weight into his initial punch, and Wu hadn't budged. Upon closer inspection, one of his knuckles was visibly shattered, and the skin between his index, middle, and ring fingers had been split. Staring down at Naruto, Wu briefly considered taunting him by asking if he wanted to continue. The jeering and cheering of his classmates made it pretty obvious Naruto wasn't especially popular, but Hiruzen had asked him to try and befriend each of his classmates. Thus, after a brief moment of hesitation, Wu extended his hand toward the teary-eyed youth, asking, "Are you okay...?" Not anticipating Wu's actions, Naruto's mouth hung agape as he stared up at the former. Before he could respond, however, Iruka loudly cleared his throat, saying, "Please form the Seal of Confrontation. This match goes to Sarutobi-san. As for you, Naruto...remember to never underestimate your opponent. You were given reliable information addressing Sarutobi-san's exceptional durability. You should have considered that and attempted to lock his joints or grapple. Striking him directly was foolish..." Averting his eyes from Iruka, Naruto wanted to protest but couldn't find the words to do so. Instead, it was Wu who interjected, saying, "While I agree with Iruka-sensei's evaluation, I don't believe Naruto did anything wrong. You'll never understand your limits if you don't test them against the unknown. If people based their actions on what others told them they could or couldn't do, the term 'exceptional' wouldn't exist." Punctuating his words, Wu extended his index and middle fingers toward Naruto, a toothy grin plastered across his face as he said, "I look forward to seeing you break through your limits, Uzumaki Naruto." Seeing Wu in action, the eyes of several girls were filled with stars, a stark contrast to many of the boys present. As for Naruto, he just stared blankly at the fingers right in front of him for several seconds. When he eventually came to his senses, he quickly linked his fingers with Wu's before smiling so broadly it threatened to tear the muscles of his face. "Just you wait, Wu! I'm going to surpass you and everyone else! You can count on it...!" Resisting the urge to inform Naruto that he would 'never' surpass him, Wu helped the giggling blonde to his feet before turning to Iruka and asking, "Are we allowed to participate in multiple spars, or do I need to leave the circle?" Stepping out before Iruka could respond, the raven-haired youth that had previously glared at Wu firmly asserted, "I'll be your next opponent. Let's see how your defense measures up against my Uchiha Clan's Intercepting Fist...!" Seeing the raven-haired youth step forward, the largest gathering of girls responded with various shouts, cheers, and squealing. Their leader was a girl with neatly styled platinum blonde hair and peculiar blue eyes lacking visible pupils. Her clothing and accessories were of much higher quality than everyone else's, and her voice was by far the loudest of all the girls as she shouted, "Kyaaa~! You can do it, Sasuke-kun! Kick Sarutobi-kun's butt~!" Though he winced due to how shrill the girl's voice was, Wu did his best to conceal his annoyance as he looked to Iruka and reiterated, "I promise not to attack." Hearing Wu's remark, many among the overzealous girls expressed their derision while Iruka just exhaled a sigh and replied, "This is the only time I'm allowing this. Take your positions and form the Seal of Confrontation." As the raven-haired youth took his position across from Wu, he went out of his way to reveal what the latter had already deduced, declaring, "My name is Uchiha Sasuke. You may be strong, but I'll show you there are no talents that exceed the Uchiha." Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, Wu formed a Seal of Confrontation and said, "Talk is cheap. Show me what you got, duck butt." Clicking his tongue, Sasuke pulled out a dull, wooden kunai and threw it directly at Wu's face. Weapons were allowed during spars so long as you didn't aim for the softer vital points, so Sasuke reached into the pouch at his lower back and followed the initial kunai with a half-dozen Shuriken. Though many expected him to dodge or use a Kunai to deflect the thrown projectiles, Wu surprised even Iruka by closing his eyes and letting them 'ding' against his skin. Afterward, he raised his brows, a confused look on his face as he questioned, "Were those fake? If so, did you seriously think they would be able to penetrate my skin...?" Instead of answering Wu's queries, Sasuke closed the distance between them and attempted to sweep the former's legs. Unlike Naruto, however, he made sure to restrain himself. This was the correct decision, as kicking Wu's leg was like kicking a tree trunk. Undaunted by his failure, Sasuke took advantage of the fact Wu was just observing him, grabbing the latter's ankles and pulling with as much force as he could manage. He wanted to knock Wu onto his back, but the same thing as before happened. Wu just stood there, motionless, almost as if he had been adhered to the ground by cement. Realizing he wasn't going to achieve anything by tugging on Wu's legs, Sasuke took a moment to create a bit of distance between them before glaring back at the former and asking, "What kind of trick are you using to stick to the ground?" Recalling the surprise on Kurenai's face when he demonstrated his ability to stick to trees, walls, and virtually any other surface, Wu just smiled and replied, "Wouldn't you like to know~?" "You...!" Feeling as though his pride was being trampled, Sasuke began forming a series of hand seals. Before he could finish shaping the Jutsu, however, Iruka stepped between them, a disproving look on his face as he crossed his arms and said, "Uchiha Sasuke...you know very well that Ninjutsu are forbidden during friendly sparring matches. Please come and see me after classes." Clicking his tongue, Sasuke turned away from Iruka and Wu, putting his hands into his pockets before storming off. Iruka could have stopped him, but he and the other instructors were under strict orders from the Hokage to give the young Uchiha some space. It had barely been a year since the boy's entire Clan had been massacred, leaving him as the sole survivor. It was expected that he would be at least a little 'temperamental...' Turning his attention to Wu, Iruka forced a smile as he said, "Well done, Sarutobi-san. You performed exceptionally well today. Now, please join the rest of your classmates. We still have quite a few matches to conduct before the period ends." Nodding in affirmation, Wu turned away from his Sensei and walked over to his classmates. The group of girls that had been cheering for Sasuke was giving him death stares, but that didn't stop him from walking right past them and joining his deskmates, Kiba and Kaia. Exhibiting much greater vigor, now that he was no longer trapped in a classroom, Kiba extended his first toward Wu, saying, "That was pretty cool. I've never seen anyone take a Kunai to the face like that." After staring at Kiba's extended fist for several moments, Wu extended his own, bumping knuckles with the sanpaku-eyed boy as he said, "It was no big deal. My face is tough enough to resist actual kunai, so there was no chance of those piercing my skin." Inserting herself into the conversation, Kaia asked, "Really?" before reaching up to pinch Wu's cheek. She was wearing strange white gloves with plush material sewn into her palms and fingers, resembling the pads found on the feet of canines, but she still managed to get ahold of Wu's cheek, pinching it without issue. Before Wu could politely ask the girl to release his cheek, Kiba softly yet sharply 'barked,' "Kaia...!" Releasing Wu's cheek, Kaia appeared to shrink into her own body as she backed away from Kiba. The latter was baring his teeth like a wild animal, but, more importantly, he was the son of the Inuzuka Clan Matriarch, the leader of their 'pack.' Kaia had been told time and again never to oppose him, so she began to tremble like a scared puppy until Wu waved his hand in front of Kiba's face, asking, "What's with the hostility?" Though he relaxed his expression, Kiba continued to glare at Kaia as he explained, "The Inuzuka get a bad wrap because idiots like this have no common sense. Even a toddler knows not to touch other peoples' faces without permission." As Kaia shrunk further into the coat she wore to make herself look more like a boy, Wu exhaled a light chuckle and retorted, "Does that mean I have to ask permission every time I want to punch someone? I'd rather not." Confused by Wu's words, Kiba finally tore his penetrating gaze away from Kaia, questioning, "Huh? What are you talking about?" Shrugging his shoulders, Wu asserted, "I just don't think it's a big deal. It would be one thing if she did it after I asked her not to, but being curious is never a bad thing. It might get you into trouble, sure. But I'd rather face the consequences of my actions than limit how I can act." Though he didn't comprehend what Wu was saying, Kiba understood that he wasn't upset by Kaia's carelessness. Thus, rather than harping over it, he ultimately shrugged his shoulders and reiterated, "You're really weird, you know that? You don't speak the way a normal kid does." Emulating Kiba's body language, Wu shrugged his shoulders and pointed out, "Most kids can't take a kunai to the face, wooden or otherwise. Guess I'm just built different." Shaking his head, Kiba forced a smile as he retorted, "Yeah, whatever you say, man." before looking to Kaia and asking, "What's the matter with you? Did you break...?" "Huh...?" Returning to her senses, Kaia tore her eyes away from Wu, asking, "What do you mean?" while tilting her head to the side. Narrowing his eyes, Kiba was about to point out how Kaia was behaving strangely when the next match began, drawing his attention. Wu's gaze followed his own, so, with the conversation suddenly coming to an end, Kaia took one last glance at Wu before shifting her attention to the spar, a cat-like smile plastered across her face. ... .. .

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.)

Chapter 5: I, Your Father, Have Appeared