I, Your Father, Carry a Big Stick

While 'escorting' Wu to the temporary clinic, Tenten couldn't contain her curiosity, asking, "Is it true you're the grandson of Lord Hokage? And can you really deflect kunai with your face!?" Maintaining a half-lidded expression, Wu lazily replied, "Technically, and yes..." "Huh...?" Tilting her head to the side, Tenten was curious what Wu meant when he said 'technically,' but decided to focus on the far more interesting matter, remarking, "Your skin must be pretty durable. Or is it just your face...?" Shaking his head, Wu answered, "Nope. With the exception of my eyes, I can harden my entire body. The only downside is that I can't move freely while using the technique." Though her eyes sparkled with curiosity, Tenten forcibly calmed herself, asking, "Is it okay for you to be telling me that? Such a big weakness, you should probably keep it a secret." Snorting through his nose, Wu retorted, "If I couldn't work around such a 'simple' weakness, I wouldn't be much of a warrior, much less a Shinobi..." Spurred by Wu's confidence, Tenten regained her smile, remarking, "Well, you should be careful. Your face might hold up against ordinary weapons, but the tools forged by my Tou-san will cut through you like butter...!" "Hmmm...?" Hearing Tenten indicate that her father was a Blacksmith, Wu's impression of the dango-haired girl improved, albeit marginally. He had come to learn that tools and weaponry were incredibly expensive, not just to acquire but to maintain. By that logic, Tenten's family should be fairly wealthy, even if her distinct lack of a surname implied otherwise. Catching the slightly taller girl by surprise, Wu gave her a quick once over, evaluating the condition and quality of her clothes. She didn't blush, but her expression became somewhat bashful as she half-turned away from him and asked, "What is it? Why are you staring at me like that?" Instead of making excuses, Wu openly admitted, "I thought you might be wealthy if your father was a famous Blacksmith, but your clothes are fairly modest." Furrowing her brows, Tenten puffed out her cheeks as she asked, "What are you trying to imply? That my Tou-san 'isn't' a great Blacksmith? I'll have you know that our shop serves several famous Jonin and has even been visited by Lord Hokage himself! What do you think of that, huh!?" Resisting the urge to point out that Hiruzen visited most of the civilian-owned businesses, presumably to make them feel valued, Wu pacified the moderately incensed brat by raising his brows and remarking, "Wow. Even the Hokage visits your shop? I'll need to check it the next time I'm looking to purchase tools or equipment." Grinning wide enough to reveal a few missing teeth, Tenten puffed out her chest with pride, stating, "It's good that you've realized just how amazing my Tou-san is! After all, he was able to my Kaa-san, and she used to be a Jonin!" Adding an imaginary +1 to Tenten's value, Wu was almost genuine as he remarked, "Wow, you have a pretty amazing background, don't you? You must be at the top of your year." Puffing out her chest even further, Tenten was all smiles as she replied, "That's right~! I might not be as Neji-san when it comes to Taijutsu, but I'm the best when it comes to academics, Shurikenjutsu, and Bukijutsu. After all, I'm the Kunoichi that will one day surpass Tsunade-sama, one of the Legendary Sannin...!" "Hooo...?" As most of the girls in his grade were pretty much useless, Wu was fairly impressed by Tenten's ambition. She kind of reminded him of Naruto, but she clearly had a much better head on her shoulders. Catching the slightly older girl by surprise, Wu adopted his most sincere and charismatic smile as he asserted, "Keep that attitude, and it's only a matter of time until you succeed. It's a shame we're not in the same year. We would have gotten along." Feeling somewhat embarrassed, Tenten averted her eyes from Wu's, a faint blush coloring her cheeks as she said, "We're only a year apart...if you really want to, we can still be friends. I can't give you any discounts on ninja tools, but my Tou-san might help you with maintenance..." As it was actually Tenten's parents that Wu was interested in, the latter was pleased by the 'sensibility' of the young girl's proposal. He was also curious to see if her claims had merit, so his expression softened slightly as he replied, "I'd like that..." Faced with Wu's charismatic smile and 'sincere' expression, Tenten found herself swallowing a knot that had formed in her throat. She wasn't really interested in things like love and romance, but Wu was giving her second thoughts on the matter. At the very least, Wu gave her the impression that spending time with him wouldn't be a waste... ... .. . After promising to stop by Tenten's family-owned shop that weekend, Wu parted ways with the dango-haired dame and spent the remainder of the morning napping in the infirmary. Afterward, he met up with Naruto, Kaia, and Hinata at their usual table. This time, however, Ino and Sakura were also present. With her patented pouty expression on her face, Ino 'glared' at Wu as she asked, "Why didn't you tell me you were leading private training sessions at the Hokage's estate, Wu-kun? Don't tell me you're trying to give Sakura an advantage over the rest of us?" Furrowing his brows, Wu retorted, "Are you listening to yourself? I'm not 'giving' Sakura an advantage. She's making an earnest effort to improve herself. No one is stopping you from doing the same." Interrupting before Ino could blow a gasket, Naruto inserted himself into the conversation, questioning, "Huh? Since when are Wu and Sakura-chan training together?" As it wasn't really a secret, Wu revealed, "When everyone started leaving our study group, I decided to return to my usual training. Sakura, Hinata, and Kaia all asked if they could join in, so, after receiving permission from their parents, they all came over to my&mdash;I mean, the Hokage's place." Appearing visibly relieved, Naruto exhaled a faint sigh before regaining his usual smile and asking, "Can the rest of us come over? I don't know about Shikamaru, but Kiba and Choji might want to join in." Shrugging his shoulders, Wu was about to say he didn't really care, but his response was interrupted by Sakura asserting, "No. If the three of you were to come over, you'd only get in the way. We're not going over to Lord Hokage's house to play around, Naruto-kun." Though Sakura's words were unnecessarily abrasive, they hit fairly close to home. Naruto's presence would undermine Hinata's progress, and the inclusion of several boys would inevitably shift the training's focus away from them. She also knew that Naruto would badger her incessantly if he were to join them, so she 'had' to put her foot down. Feeling cowed by Sakura's intensity, the smile on Naruto's face became visibly strained. He would be lying if he said he hadn't wanted to go over and have some fun, so he ultimately remained silent and just endured his crush's ire. Hinata attempted to speak up for him, but then it was her turn to endure as Naruto promptly assured her everything was okay and that he was actually pretty busy in the afternoons. With Naruto unwilling to stand up for himself, Wu saw no reason to speak out in his defense. He did, however, suggest, "I'm busy this Saturday, but if you want, we can start meeting up on the weekends. Just us guys." Though he would have preferred to have Sakura tag along, Naruto's smile regained its vigor as he replied, "Sounds good, Wu! I'll let the guys know, and we can meet over at Choji's place! The food his family makes isn't as great as Teuchi-Ojiisan's, but it's still super delicious...!" Nodding his head in approval, Wu was about to say, "Sounds good." when Ino reintroduced herself to the exchange, asking, "Hey, Wu-kun. Is it okay for me and the other girls to come over after school? If Sakura-chan believes she can sneak an advantage behind our backs, she has another thing coming!" Earning a disproving stare from a certain pinkette, Wu responded with a noncommital shrug, answering, "If your parents are fine with it. Sure, why not? Just make sure you show up with the intent to train seriously. Anyone who gets in the way of the group's progress will be disbarred from future training sessions. Adopting a triumphant grin, Ino pumped her fists and said, "No worries! If it's a contest to determine who's the best suited for Sasuke-kun, I'll prove to everyone that I'm the number one candidate! Just you wait and see! I'll knock your socks off...!" Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, Wu repeated the same words he had said to Sasuke weeks prior, "Seeing is believing. Last more than a month, and I'll remove them myself." Believing Wu was underestimating her, Ino's expression became serious as she asked, "What, you think I'll give up? Sakura may be better than me when it comes to studies, but I'm the best in our grade when it comes to our skills as a Kunoichi. I just don't like getting my clothes dirty." Instead of denying Ino's claim, Wu suggested, "Then make sure not to show up for our training in brand-name clothing. Lord Hokage may have told me to take it easy on you, but you're guaranteed to get sweaty and covered in dirt. That's what happens when you genuinely exert yourself." With her frown deepening, Ino seriously reconsidered her decision to attend Wu's training. However, as if Sasuke seemed to go to him to trade information, she believed his training had to be effective. It wasn't for no reason that people speculated that Wu was the best student in the entire Academy. Many believed he was receiving specialized training from Lord Hokage himself, so, if nothing else, Ino wanted to confirm it for herself... Forming her resolve, Ino's expression and tone were serious as she said, "I won't quit...that is, assuming your training isn't just a complete waste of my time..." Adopting a snarky smile, Wu countered, asserting, "There's no such thing as wasted time, just wasted 'potential.' Even without my help, you, Sakura, and everyone else could become strong. You just lack the willpower to do it without someone lighting a fire under your ass." Blushing slightly due to Wu's uncouth words, Ino wanted to retort but was interrupted by Naruto laughing loudly and repeating, "Hahahaha, Wu said ass! That's hilarious...!" Though Wu had said it first, Ino and Sakura gave Naruto a withering stare. When Wu used such language, it almost sounded natural. When someone like Naruto used the exact same language, it came across as childish and annoying. His incessant giggling didn't help... ... .. . With Ino needing her parents' permission before she could join them, Wu returned to the Sarutobi Estate with Kaia, Sakura, and Hinata in tow. The latter was in low spirits after Sakura declined to let Naruto join them, but she showed up regardless. When she returned home the previous day, her Tou-san asked her to demonstrate what she had learned before informing her that she would continue attending Wu's lessons. In other words, she no longer had a choice in the matter... Though Wu noticed the state Hinata was in, he didn't force her to disclose the reason. Instead, he allowed Sakura to believe she was at fault, hoping it would form a rift in the group that eventually led to its dissolution. Until then, he would continue training the girls seriously. After all, there were 'a lot' of eyes on him... ... .. .

Though Hiruzen periodically checked in on Wu using his Crystal Ball, an Artifact that allowed him to view anything within the confines of Konoha's barrier, most of the information he had on the boy came from the team of Anbu he had assigned to observe him. There were still a lot of unknowns surrounding Wu's origin, capabilities, and, most importantly, his bloodline, so Hiruzen had teams monitoring the boy 24/7. Reading the report detailing Wu's interaction with Tenten and the fact Ino had also approached him for training, a thoughtful glimmer flashed across Hiruzen's eyes. Wu was an exceptionally astute boy, and though he made an effort to befriend each of his classmates, it was evident he recognized whose friendship mattered the most. "What do you think, Shikaku? I know I've asked you many times before, but I'm interested to hear your opinion about these recent developments." Sitting across from Hiruzen, silently observing the Shogi board between them, was a scar-faced man with sharp, intelligent eyes, black hair, and a neatly manicured goatee. He looked a bit like a rogue, but his unwavering gaze alluded to his fierce intellect. Without removing his eyes from the board, Shikaku replied, "He has the potential, that's for sure. His intellect is unmistakable, and he's exhibited an almost intrinsic ability to influence others. With careful grooming, he could easily be a candidate for the position and title of Hokage. The only problem is..." Completing Shikaku's sentence, Hiruzen mused, "He lacks ambition...most of his efforts are to ensure he won't have responsibility thrust upon him..." Nodding his head, Shikaku mused, "He reminds me of my son. Both have incredible potential, but they would rather do their own thing. Wu-kun is a bit better, as he at least attempts to fit in, but I can see him just 'giving up' if things become too stressful. Right now, he's just being prudent because he feels he hasn't fully integrated into our society." Returning a nod of his own, Hiruzen took a moment to move one of his pieces before replying, "Then it appears we're in agreement...in order to tie Wu to the village, we need to give him a 'reason' to stay, something to motivate him. Any thoughts...?" Moving one of his pieces, Shikaku's expression became serious as he suggested, "I would recommend the girl from the Inuzuka Clan, but she doesn't appear to have a lot of 'value' in Wu-kun's mind. The heiress of the Hyuga Clan would have been a good option, but her infatuation with Naruto-kun complicates things. She 'does' have a younger sister, but the Elders and Lord Hiashi are currently evaluating her as a substitute for her sister..." Continuing the line of discussion, Hiruzen added, "There is also the matter of her age...four years isn't a considerable gap, but Wu-kun's growth has been exponential thus far. By the time young Hanabi comes of age, it may be too late. If Wu-kun believes he can excel outside of the village, he will venture beyond. I'm certain of it." Nodding his head, Shikaku appended, "I get the same impression." before asking, "The problem is, even Ino-chan&mdash;I mean, even the heiress of the Yamanaka Clan has someone she likes. Inoichi-san also dotes on her, so I can't imagine him agreeing to an arranged marriage..." Exhaling a sigh, Hiruzen muttered, "Then it really does just come down to those two, doesn't it? The Hyuga Clan is the only Clan whose values have yet to catch up with the times. If it's to strengthen themselves financially or politically, they will readily approve of such an arrangement..." Asking the obvious question, Shikaku inquired, "And what of the girl from the Inuzuka Clan? I'm not sure she comprehends her own emotions, but she is clearly attached to Wu-kun. If we're aiming to tie him to the village, it might be good to cover every base..." Though he agreed with what Shikaku was suggesting, Hiruzen shook his head, stating, "While that is certainly an option, there is a chance it would have the opposite of the intended effect. Wu-kun exudes a strong, underlying desire for autonomy. If we force him into a corner, he might run away." Exhaling a sigh of his own, Shikaku muttered, "How troublesome...and to think we're discussing an eight-year-old kid..." Adopting a faint smile, Hiruzen mused, "Wu isn't just any child. According to the Grand Elder of the Monkey Clan, Venerable Yama, his fate is tied to the Shinobi World as a whole. Seeing his progress thus far, there is a very real possibility that Wu will become the next God of Shinobi." Exhaling a markedly more exasperated sigh, Shikaku remained silent for several seconds before meeting Hiruzen's gaze and saying, "If he really is going to be the next God of Shinobi, we should slowly begin preparations for war. The other villages will not be able to remain silent once his power begins to blossom..." As much as he hated to admit it, Hiruzen knew Shikaku was correct. The Land of Fire had been at peace for too long, and the surrounding nations had taken notice. The Land of Wind had even started sending requests to Konoha for aid, so tensions with Suuna were on the rise. The only reason a conflict hadn't already started was because their Jinchuriki should only be around 6-10 years old. Reaching up to massage his forehead, Hiruzen groaned, "I'm getting too old for this..." Adding insult to injury, Shikaku unabashedly placed Hiruzen into Tsumi, the Shogi version of checkmate. Then, even though he doubted things would go smoothly, he rose to his feet and said, "I'll talk to Inoichi and see if he can't talk some sense into his daughter. As for the matter of your age...well, there's always Lady Tsunade and Jiraiya-san. I can't imagine either volunteering for the position, but it's worth reaching out to them to touch base. And, who knows? Maybe our little monkey friend has a thing for older women. The Senju Clan could certainly use a successor..." Recovering from his loss, Hiruzen gained a sly smile as he replied, "I'll reach out to them and see what I can do. Just don't let Tsunade catch you making suggestions like that. I know you want to retire, but I'd rather not have to find a replacement for my Jonin Commander during the build-up to a war..." Returning a smile of his own, Shikaku replied, "Obviously...I don't have a death wish." Then, as he was technically off the clock, he gave a parting wave to Hiruzen before leaving the elderly man to ruminate over the Shogi board... ... .. . With Ino's father refusing to let her spend the afternoon at a boy's house, even if said boy lived with the Hokage, Wu's week passed largely without incident. Hinata and Sakura were making steady progress in their training, and while Kaia had yet to master sticking to the log, she had some minor success emulating Wu's weight training. He had her start off with a mere 10kg on each limb, and after discussing it with Hiruzen, he had a weighted vest made to order for her tiny frame. Though it was strictly to help with her training, Kaia treated the 40kg vest as if it were a treasure Wu had fought through hell to acquire, specifically for her. She wore it everywhere she went, and while Wu considered this a good thing, it became an issue when Kaia collapsed from heat stroke. She had a habit of wearing baggy clothes, so the additional weight pushed the 21kg girl over the edge. Fortunately, while his name came up in the conversation, Wu wasn't held accountable for Kaia's collapse. She had willfully worn the vest and even received permission from her parents to do so. As a result, Wu managed to evade responsibility while Kaia was forced to choose between her vest and her baggy clothes. She unhesitantly chose the former, so while she still had a boyish appearance, Kaia began showing up to class in lighter, marginally more feminine clothes. Irrespective of the incident's outcome, Wu was just happy to reach the weekend. Having his afternoons occupied by a group of girls was a lot more stressful than he expected, so, while he wasn't particularly looking forward to meeting up with Tenten, he was eager to see if her father was even half the Blacksmith she purported him to be... Upon reaching his destination, a decently sized shop near the outskirts of the village, Wu's first impression was that Tenten's story had, at the very least, some merit to it. Land within Konoha was costly, so unless you were a member of the founding clans or possessed outstanding skills, leasing a large plot was impossible. Interrupting Wu's thoughts, Tenten emerged from the interior of the shop wearing a red, sleeveless qipao, maroon pants, and boots that appeared to have a metal cap covering the toe. There were smudges of black soot on her face and clothes, but she had a vibrant smile as she shouted, "Wu-kun, you actually came! Come on in! My parents can't wait to meet you~!" Adopting an amiable but significantly less enthusiastic smile, Wu replied, "I'm also looking forward to meeting them." before allowing himself to be dragged into the storefront. Unlike Sakura, Tenten was more than happy to bring a boy into her home, exclaiming, "Kaa-chan! Tou-san! Wu-kun's here~!" the moment they entered the shop. Exhibiting a remarkable resemblance to her daughter, Tenten's mom was a fairly attractive woman with almond-shaped eyes, delicate brows, and brown hair fastened into a neat bun. She wore a salmon-pink qipao that gave her an air of elegance, and, despite her thin arms and gentle smile, Wu felt the hair on his neck stand on end when their eyes met. Noticing Wu's body tense, Tenten's mother covered her mouth, stifling an amused chuckle before narrowing her eyes and saying, "It's nice to meet you, Wu-chan. As you no doubt have guessed, I'm Tenten's mother, Liling. I appreciate your coming by to visit our shop. I almost couldn't believe my ears when Tenten informed us she had invited a boy over." While still holding onto Wu's hand, Tenten puffed out her chest, saying, "I told you he was real. Now you owe us both an ice cream, Kaa-chan." Cupping her cheek, Liling smiled affectionately at her daughter's antics. However, before she could head off to the kitchen to get the two children some ice cream, her husband entered from the back room with a 'fierce' look on his rugged, fire-hardened face. Standing at 190cm tall and possessing a physique sculpted over two decades of forging, Tenten's father was a mountain of a man compared to the average person. His wild brown hair and piercing brown eyes gave him the same kind of untamed aura that Wu possessed. Despite this, the latter was certain he could take the man in a fight. After all, his Chakra reserves were even weaker than most Academy students. Fortunately for Tenten's father, his comparably dainty-looking wife was more than intimidating enough for the both of them. The notion that she could maintain her smile even while covered in the blood of her enemies was firmly imprinted into Wu's mind. Backed by his wife's aura, Tenten's father crossed his muscular arms, his voice deep and gruff as he narrowed his eyes and remarked, "So you're the boy my daughter's been chattering about all week..." Exhibiting none of the fear he was secretly enduring, Wu adopted a smile and replied, "If I had to guess, there's a fair chance that's the case. It's nice to meet you, Sir." Expecting the man to continue trying to intimidate him, Wu was surprised when Tenten's father suddenly beamed, a hearty chuckle emanating from his throat. Then, as if the atmosphere had suddenly changed, he wiped a tear from his eye and whispered, "My little girl is growing up..." Before Wu could recover from his shock, the atmosphere within the shop changed a third time, a massive grin developing across the man's face as he shouted, "Welcome to the Higurashi Weapon Shop! As Tenten's first male friend, you can rely on me, Higurashi Saizo, for all your weapon and maintenance needs...!" ... .. .

Justifying his actions by telling himself that he would now know where Sakura lived, Wu walked the uncharacteristically timid girl to one of the poorer districts of Konoha. Stopping before they reached the street leading to her home, Sakura turned to Wu and said, "My house is just around the corner. Thanks for walking me this far, Wu-kun..." Realizing Sakura was trying to chase him off after he had spent the last twenty minutes escorting her, Wu narrowed his eyes and unashamedly inquired, "Are you embarrassed of your family?" Panicking slightly, Sakura waved her hands and insisted, "No, no! It's not that! It's just...you know..." Becoming increasingly embarrassed, Sakura averted her eyes from Wu and softly muttered, "I just...I kind of thought that Sasuke would be the first boy I brought home. I don't want my parents to misunderstand our relationship..." Adopting his most 'radiant' smile, Wu replied, "Oh, no worries about that! If they try to tease you, I'll make it 'very' clear we're just friends. You have my word." Furrowing her brows slightly, Sakura looked to Wu, silence lingering for a few seconds before she pointedly muttered, "You know, you can be a real jerk sometimes..." Relaxing his smile a bit, Wu shrugged his shoulders, responding, "I prefer the term 'honest.' I know you like Sasuke, so the thought of pursuing you has never once crossed my mind. What, would you rather have me pining after you like Naruto?" Shuddering at the thought, Sakura turned away from Wu and muttered, "Whatever..." before taking the initiative to lead the way. Their destination was a small, two-story house with two bedrooms, a small kitchen, and an even smaller living room. Konoha had a limited amount of space, so they had the habit of building 'up' rather than allowing residences to take up a lot of space. Unless you were rich, of course. Gesturing toward the somewhat declining structure, Sakura's expression and tone were flat as she said, "Home sweet home..." Before Wu could comment, the door to Sakura's home abruptly opened, a fairly tall woman with fair skin emerging. She had shoulder-length blonde hair that was weirdly fashioned into a single bang, green eyes, and, much like what Sakura was wearing, a green dress with a pattern of pink flowers sewn into it. Having heard Sakura's words, the woman wore a severe expression on her face as she asked, "Something wrong with our-" before stopping as she noticed Wu. His presence caused her eyes to widen before a teasing smile developed across her face, followed by her cupping her cheek and asking, " Are you Wu-kun? Sakura has been telling us all about you as of late..." While her mother's words were true, Sakura stomped the ground in anger, whining, "Kaa-chaaaan! You're going to make him misunderstand...!" Waving his hand sideways in front of his face, Wu retorted, "No chance. I know full well how infatuated Sakura is with her 'beloved' Sasuke-kun. It's nice to meet you, by the way, Mrs...?" Directing a deadpan stare at her daughter, the woman asked, "You haven't even told him our names?" before quickly regaining a smile, turning to Wu, and adding, "My name is Haruno Mebuki. My husband isn't here right now, but his name is Haruno Kizashi. On behalf of both of us, thanks for helping our daughter come to her senses, Wu-kun. We were seriously worried this girl was about to start dieting in the next year or two..." "..." As she had actually been planning to do exactly that, Sakura averted her eyes from both her mother and Wu. In hindsight, she realized that would have been pretty foolish, as, according to some of the medical texts she had read, failing to consume adequate nutrients during the developmental years of a child's life could lead to all kinds of issues. Shattering Sakura's reverie, Wu adopted a naturally charismatic smile as he said, "Sakura is too intelligent to do something that foolish. I consider myself pretty smart, but she even teaches me during our study sessions. If she really did start dieting, don't worry. I'll smack some sense into her." Though she would typically disprove of someone talking about hitting her daughter, Mebuki found Wu's words rather amusing. Sakura had informed them that he was the most intelligent boy in their class and potentially the strongest in the Academy. He was also a member of the Sarutobi Clan, so if Mebuki was being honest, she had a much better impression of Wu than the young heir of the Uchiha Clan. Believing she might be able to give the duo a push in the right direction, Mebuki exhaled a chuckle before narrowing her eyes and replying, "Then I'll leave Sakura in your care, Wu-kun. If you catch her doing anything she shouldn't, be sure to correct her or let us know." Unable to believe what she was hearing, Sakura shouted, "Kaa-chan...!" with an expression that was equal parts pouty and furious. If she had known her mother was going to embarrass her like this, she would have put her foot down a few minutes ago. Providing Sakura a bit of relief, Wu interjected to say, "I should be going. I still have some training to conduct before I turn in for the day. See you at school tomorrow, Sakura." Without waiting for the duo to respond, Wu promptly turned around and ran at his fastest speed. His sudden action left the mother-daughter pair at a loss for words, but Mebuki quickly recovered, a serious expression on her face as she looked down at her daughter and said, "Head inside and get cleaned up. Then I want to hear all about your 'training.' Understood?" Though she wanted to refuse, Sakura was still just an eight-year-old girl. From her and her father's perspective, her mother's word was law within the Haruno household. Thus, after a moment of indecision, she exhaled a defeated sigh, hanging her head and shoulders as she replied, "Yes, Kaa-chan..." At the same time, she was thinking about how she would get even with Wu in the future, disregarding the detail about whether or not he had done anything wrong... ... .. . As Hiruzen really did have other matters to attend to, Wu threw himself into his training for a few hours before taking a bath, eating dinner alone, and retiring to his room. Wu felt markedly more exhausted than usual, so even though he usually reflected upon his day before falling asleep, he convinced himself nothing of import had happened before succumbing to the sweet embrace of unconsciousness... "Huh...?" Having never once dreamed, Wu was confused when he 'awoke' to find himself lying in the middle of what appeared to be his usual training area. The differences were that the sky overhead was twisting and distorted, while the grass, trees, and even the dirt around him seemed more colorful than usual. "Wu-kun..." Catching the confused youth by surprise, a familiar voice startled him to his feet. When he turned around, he found Sakura staring up at him with a potent blush and a dazed expression on her face. However, instead of the Sakura he was familiar with, she was much older and had a tiny diamond in the center of her forehead... Leaving Wu even more confused, Sakura began to pull at the zipper of her red, sleeveless top as she repeated, "Wu-kun..." in an audibly impassioned tone. "Wu-kun..." (chorus) Hearing multiple people whisper his name, Wu shuddered before looking around to find himself encircled by most of the girls in his class. They, too, appeared much older, with Hinata, in particular, having a full and shapely figure that left Wu feeling what he could only describe as 'stifled.' "Wu-kun..." Tensing even further, Wu turned back to Sakura to find that she was now being embraced by her mother. Both were staring at him with expectation while the girls surrounding him began to close in from all sides. Then, with one final "Wu-kun..." whispered directly into his ear, the young boy awoke to find his body covered in sweat. As was often the case when he was genuinely annoyed or frustrated, Wu placed his hand on his chest and softly exclaimed, "What the actual fuck was that...?" His heart was palpitating furiously within his chest, so much so that his inner ears and temples were pounding. Unfortunately, the only thing greeting Wu's outburst was silence. After all, he was the only one in the room... Convincing himself he had just had a nightmare, even though he had never even dreamed before, Wu plopped backward onto his bed and just stared listlessly at the ceiling. As his thoughts began to settle, a resolve gradually formed within his heart, compelling him to close his eyes and attempt to recall the frightening experience. Lord Enma had taught him that being afraid wasn't a sin. Fearing to face and try to understand them, however, was inexcusable... As the scene gradually repeated in his mind, Wu took special note of the diamond-shaped mark on Sakura's forehead. He could explain everyone aging up as being just his imagination running wild, but the peculiar seal was something completely foreign to him. So, too, were the clothes that she, and many of the other girls, were wearing. Thus, even though he felt a lingering sense of discomfort, Wu replayed the scene over and over until he eventually succumbed to unconsciousness a second time... ... .. . Feeling uncharacteristically fatigued, Wu was nearly late for the first time since he had started attending the Academy. He usually showed up a few minutes early to greet and chat with people, so his Sensei and classmates were fairly surprised to see him enter the classroom just before the bell. Noticing the state Wu was in, Daikoku asked, "Are you okay, Sarutobi-san? If you're feeling ill, please go to the medical ward." Waving off his Sensei's concerns, Wu asserted, "I'm okay. I just stayed up late and missed breakfast. I'll be fine after lunch." Since Wu had an immaculate record within the Academy, both in terms of academics and practical skills, Daikoku politely insisted, "You should head over, just to be sure. If nothing else, you can use the opportunity to grab something from the vending machines on your way back." Not wanting to argue, Wu gave a curt, seemingly appreciative nod before turning around and departing the classroom. A few of his classmates took exception to his clearly preferential treatment, but Daikoku shut them up fairly quickly, telling them they could also receive special treatment if they got perfect marks in every class... Reaching his destination less than a minute later, Wu opened the door to the school's medical ward while covering his mouth to stifle a yawn. He didn't notice, but there was a sign posted outside advising students to a smaller office on the opposite side of the facility. The door had also been locked, but due to his inordinate strength and distracted state, Wu had just assumed it was jammed. As the eyes of twenty-seven girls and a female instructor shifted to him, a look of confusion marred Wu's face as he remarked, "Huh? Did I enter the wrong place?" Before anyone could answer him, Wu raised his gaze to the images being projected onto the infirmary's wall. He didn't recognize what was on the left, but he immediately concluded that the anatomical reference on the right was a penis. By process of elimination- Interrupting Wu's absentminded analysis, the female instructor switched off the projector, her face contorted into a judgmental glower as she said, "This is a class for fourth-year girls, only. Did you not see the sign posted beside the door?" Instead of answering the woman's question, Wu took a step back to look at the sign, noting, "Huh...would you look at that..." in a dull monotone. His behavior wasn't very appreciated by the female instructor, but before she could think to reprimand him, one of the girls pointed out, "Hey, isn't that Sarutobi-kun from Class 3-A?" while another replied, "Yeah, but he kind of seems...out of it? Is he sick?" As realization donned on the instructor, the anger disappeared from her expression. She was a temporary lecturer arranged after the audit, but she had still been made aware of Wu's existence. After all, he was the grandson of the Hokage and the most talented member of his generation. Dismissing any thoughts of punishing Wu's impropriety, the instructor told the class, "Read through pages 27 through 29. I'll be back shortly." Rising to her feet, the instructor attempted to approach Wu but stopped when he raised his hand, shook his head, and said, "There's no need for Sensei to trouble herself. I know where the room mentioned on the sign is. I can make my way there just fine." Though she would have been inclined to acquiesce if Wu was an ordinary student, the instructor didn't want to imagine what would happen to her if she permitted the grandson of the Hokage to collapse in the middle of the hallway. Instead of escorting him herself, however, she turned to a bright-eyed girl with brown hair, blush marks, and two tiny buns at the sides of her head, saying, "Tenten. Please see to it that Sarutobi-san reaches his destination safely." Raising her right hand, Tenten replied with a boisterous, "Yes, Sensei~!" before rising to her feet and rushing over to Wu's side. He felt inclined to refuse her help, but Tenten preempted his refusal by grabbing his hand and saying, "Let's go~!" in a cheerful, optimistic tone. ... .. . &nbsp;

Chapter 15: I, Your Father, am Forward Thinking