I, Your Father, Carry a Big Stick

After accepting Wu as a member of Otogakure, the Otokage had him accompany her to a large underground chamber littered with battle scars and wreaked of blood. There, she turned to the perenially unperturbed youth and explained, "As I said before, we do not 'play' around like many of the other Shinobi Villages. While it is true we are planning to attend this year's Chunin Exams, promotions within Otogakure's hierarchy depend on two factors: strength and desire. If you had the power to claim it, even my position as Otokage would be yielded to you." Gesturing to the boar-like man, causing him to make his way over to one end of the battle arena, the Otokage added, "As you appear to specialize in Taijutsu and Earth-Release, Jirobo here will evaluate your strength. His physical strength is the most powerful among my immediate guards, but he is the weakest member overall." Hearing the Otokage call him weak, the look on Jirobo's face immediately soured. He then lowered himself into a broad stance reminiscent of Grand Sumo as a fiery red pattern resembling leafy vines began to spread from his left shoulder, extending down his arm, encroaching up his neck, and branching across his face and chest. Sensing an influx of Natural Energy, Wu's brows briefly perked before he playfully remarked, "If that's the best you can do, big guy, you might need to step down as one of the Otokage's bodyguards." Snorting through his nose, Jirobo looked to the Otokage and asked, "Can I teach this brat a lesson?" Illustrating Wu's point about the kinds of people who answered questions with questions, the Otokage mused, "I don't know...can you~?" Interpreting the Otokage's words as consent, the vines spreading across Jirobo's body rapidly increased in number, encompassing every ounce of his flesh before transforming him into a red-skinned monstrosity that was equal parts ogre and oni. His height didn't change much, but his muscles bulged, several large 'warts' appeared on his shoulders and forehead, and his three tufts of hair abruptly lengthened into a spiky mane. Despite not being impressed in the slightest, Wu made a show of clapping his hands together, a 'surprised' expression on his face as she said, "Good for you. I was worried that you were going bald despite only appearing to be in your twenties. It turns out you can do it if you try." Glaring at Wu with his golden, darkness-encircled eyes, Jirobo growled, "Let's see you mouth off after I plant your face into the ground..." Having decided how he would end the match, Wu stepped away from the larger group and positioned himself on the opposite side of Jirobo. When he had reached his position, the Otokage waited a few moments to see if either side had Anything else to say before raising her hand and 'purring,' "Have fun, boys..." Without hesitating for a moment, Jirobo shouted, "Taste the power of my Arhat Fist, you punk!" before striking forward his right palm, an explosive shockwave rippling outward and barreling toward Wu. Though he could have easily evaded the attack, Wu surprised a few of the observers by smiling and allowing it to strike him directly. The force of the palm strike was strong enough to leave a trail of destruction as it traveled, but the moment it impacted Wu's body, it only managed to disturb his hair and clothing, leaving an area of undamaged terrain behind him. While the Otokage muttered, "Interesting..." Jirobo had a stupefied look on his face as he exclaimed a confused, "Huh?" before following it up with a much louder, "That's impossible...!" Adopting a radiant smile, Wu retorted, "I assumed you were dumb, but to deny something that happened right in front of your face..." As his words trailed off, Wu's form abruptly vanished before appearing right in front of Jirobo as he added, "That's just sad..." Before the fiery-haired ogre could even think to respond, Wu used his staff to smack him 'gently' over the top of his head. The man's face was immediately planted into the ground, his transformation receding as he fell into a shallow coma. Turning away from the downed manner, Wu shouldered his bo staff and playfully mused, "Does anyone else want to 'test' the great and powerful Dadi-sama~?" Though the pretty boy with silvery-white hair and red markings on his face looked like he was prepared to take on the challenge, he stopped mid-step as the Otokage raised her hand and said, "That's enough. It's apparent our young friend here is every ounce as 'great' as he purported himself to be. Henceforth, he shall be regarded as a Jonin of the Sound. Tayuya-chan, please be a dear and escort our friend to his new quarters. Section A, Room 2." As her own room was in Section B, the angry tomato clicked her tongue before responding, "Understood, Oro&mdash;Otokage-sama..." Then, with her reddish-brown eyes focused on Wu, she added, "Come with me, squirt." before the Otokage promptly corrected her, teasing, "I believe you meant to say, 'Please, follow me, Dadi-sama.' Be respectful to those with higher ranks than your own, Tayuya-chan. Unless, of course, you would like to accept Dadi-sama's invitation for a match?" Though she would ordinarily accept any challenges pitted against her, Tayuya hadn't been able to detect even the shadow of Wu's movements when he blitzed Jirobo. Thus, while she didn't feel an ounce of respect for the young boy that had 'invaded' their hideout, she begrudgingly replied, "Yes, Otokage-sama..." before returning her attention to Wu and adding, "Please, follow me to your quarters, Dadi-sama..." Unable to resist, the smile on Wu's face blossomed even further as he gave a playful wink and teased, "I'm willing to make an exception for you, tomato-head. Feel free to call me Dadi from now on." "T-Tomato head...!?" Changing her mind, Tayuya pulled out a silvery flute and prepared to risk her life to teach Wu a lesson. However, before she could place her lips against the mouthpiece, a delicate-seeming but strong hand came to grip her shoulder, followed by the silvery-white-haired man narrowing his mint green eyes and stating, "Lady Otokage has given you an order..." in a flat monotone. As an involuntary shudder spread through her body, Tayuya lowered the flute from her mouth and replied, "Understood..." before looking at Wu a third time and repeating, "Please, follow me...Dadi..." Smiling from ear to ear, Wu could barely contain the laughter echoing in his mind as he replied, "It would be my pleasure, Tomato-chan~." ... .. . After parting ways with the Otokage and her entourage, Wu followed closely behind Tayuya, matching her steps with his own as he did so. He could feel the anger radiating from the 162cm tall girl, but she didn't turn around or say Anything. Instead, she guided him through several nearly identical corridors before bringing him to a spacious, lavishly decorated room. Having fulfilled her duty, Tayuya immediately turned to leave before Wu stopped her, asking, "Hey, I outrank you now, right? Answer some of my questions before you go." Inhaling a deep, steadying breath, Tayuya turned to Wu and asked, "What would you like to know...?" in a low, growling tone. Before asking his questions, Wu wagged his finger as if he was chastising a child, musing, "Ah, ah, ah. It's, what would you like to know, Dadi? I may have given you permission to address me informally, but I take pride in my illustrious and majestic-sounding name." Balling her hand into fists, Tayuya narrowed her eyes and repeated, "What would you like to know, Dadi...?" Nodding in approval, Wu replied, "Much better." before proceeding to ask, "That transformation of that striped pig, is everyone in Otogakure able to use such an ability? It's faint, but I could sense the same energy coming from each of you." Instead of answering Wu's question, Tayuya managed to tick him off ever so slightly by asking, "You're a Sensor...?" before doing herself a favor by answering, "You'll hear about it eventually, so I might as well answer you. It's a transformation derived from a technique known as the Cursed Seal of Heaven, a unique Kinjutsu developed by Otokage-sama. It allows us to draw in an energy known as Natural Energy, drastically enhancing our strength, speed, durability, and stamina..." Crossing his arms, Wu exhaled an intrigued, "I see..." before delaying Tayuya's departure a second by asking, "Can you show it to me? That pig didn't put up much of a fight, so I wasn't able to get a proper grasp of the technique's capabilities." Though she wanted to refuse, Otogakure placed a heavy emphasis on respecting the hierarchy between members. In simple terms, anyone in a lower-ranking position was obligated to obey their superiors unless they were willing to risk their lives to acquire greater authority. Exhaling a sigh, Tayuya interpreted Wu's words literally by parting her hair and revealing three angular markings on the nape of her neck. After that, she activated the mark, allowing it to gradually spread across her body as she explained, "This is known as the Level 1 Curse Mark..." before wincing in pain as the fiery markings rapidly spread across her entire body. Unlike Jirobo, whose skin turned red and warty, Tayuya's became a shade of earthy brown. Her hair lost its scarlet hue, becoming closer to pink, and her eyes became amber-gold, surrounded by inky-black sclera. Then, just as Wu thought the transformation was ending, the bandages she wore as a hat began to unfurl as six bone-white horns grew from her head. Two of them curved around to the front, resembling the horns of a bull, two grew along the dividing line of her body, and the final two grew in the opposite direction of the horns framing her face. Never one to pass on an opportunity to annoy someone, especially a girl, Wu raised his brows and remarked, "You suddenly become horny. Pretty cool." Furrowing her brows, Tayuya resisted the urge to slam her fist into Wu's abdomen as she asked, "Anything else you want to ask, Dadi? If it's all the same to you, I would rather be anywhere else but here..." Exhibiting his absolute lack of shame, Wu ignored Tayuya's remark and asked, "Can I touch them...?" with a curious glimmer in his eyes. Inhaling a deep breath, the muscles of Tayuya's jaw flexed a few times before she relented, leaning forward to allow Wu to touch her horns. He was still just twelve years old, so his height was around 158.3cm, slightly shorter than other boys his age. He could easily remedy that with his Size Alteration Technique, but Wu honestly didn't care if other boys were taller than him. Once they were face down in the dirt, most of them barely came up to his ankles... Though he wasn't sure what he expected, Wu was a little disappointed by the texture and feel of Tayuya's horns. They were sharp and really easy to hold onto, giving him a slight urge to spin the girl around, but their texture was like bone that had been left out in the sunlight for years. They were also frustrating asymmetrical, but that seemed to be due to an imbalance in the distribution of Natural Energy. If the curse mark was able to spread uniformly, he suspected the horns would grow symmetrically. Feeling increasingly annoyed as time passed, Tayuya asked, "Are you just about done, Dadi?" in an audibly annoyed tone. In response, Wu surprised her by immediately releasing his grasp on her horns. In the next moment, however, he left the amber-eyed girl feeling confused and seeing red as he playfully mused, "Horny suits you. Your original appearance isn't bad, but this is a hell of a lot more unique. It's certainly better than that pig's transformation, that's for sure." Taken aback by Wu's words, Tayuya found herself at a loss for her own. Exacerbating matters, Wu followed his playful remarks by immediately turning around and disappearing into his room, allowing the door to slam shut behind him... Recovering from her stupor, Tayuya balled her right hand into a fist and growled, "Smarmy-mouthed brat..." before storming off in a huff. ... .. .

Since it was 'his' room, Wu spent a few minutes removing the audio and video-recording devices implanted in the walls and ceiling, removing the explosive tags attached to the underside of the mattress, and replacing the bedding with the quilt Tenten's mother had given him. He didn't really care if other people spied on him, he was pretty used to it, but that didn't mean he would make things easy for them. With his cursory yet thorough search completed, Wu plopped onto his bed, hands behind his head, and eyes closed as he began organizing his thoughts. He didn't know whether it was a coincidence, but the layout of the underground compound was similar to the research facilities located beneath the streets of Konoha. There were a few minor differences, such as the symbol of Otogakure being present on most doors, but Wu couldn't shake the feeling the compounds had been designed by the same person. Recalling the faces of every missing-nin in the Bingo Book, one individual stood out in Wu's mind: Orochimaru, one of Hiruzen's former students. Wu had immediately suspected the Otokage of being Orochimaru the moment she appeared, but it was difficult to be sure. His eyes had never betrayed him in the past, yet he couldn't see through Orochimaru's disguise. There was a genuine possibility that Orochimaru had undergone plastic surgery to change his face, but would he really go as far as enduring a sex change just to conceal his identity? And what was the point of participating in the Chunin Exams if s/he decried the policies and practices of the Five Great Shinobi Nations? It didn't make any sense, especially considering his little promotion. Mulling over the possibilities, the only rational explanation that Wu could come up with was that Otogakure intended to infiltrate Konoha and cause an incident during the Chunin Exams. However, according to what Hiruzen had told him, the de facto leader of the Legendary Sannin shouldn't have 'that' much of a grudge against the village. He had been chased out, sure, but Hiruzen had permitted him to escape. The man didn't even have a Kill on Sight classification within the Bingo Book, and he had been an S-Rank missing-nin for well over a decade. The only reason Wu could think of to explain Orochimaru targetting Konoha was that the man, woman, or whatever, intended to make an example out of his former home. Konoha was the greatest of the Five Great Shinobi Nations, hoarding the continent's largest, most fertile territory. If Orochimaru really was just lashing out against the current system, destabilizing or even destroying Konoha would send the entire Shinobi World into chaos... Though he believed he was onto something, Wu reminded himself that only fools made decisions based on assumptions. That was the reason he had accepted the Otokage's invitation. Otogakure was decidedly different from every other village Wu had researched. He suspected that the compound they were in was just one of several facilities spread through the Land of Sound, so even if he were to go on a rampage and destroy it, it would be like cutting off the head of a Hydra. Unless he could cut off the remaining heads or eliminate the Otokage outright, Otagakure would endure. Recalling the sickly feeling he had gotten from the Otokage, Wu's brows creased ever so slightly. He had never felt such a disgusting Chakra, even when he encountered the creepy Elder that attempted to invite him to join his organization, Shimura Danzo. Both gave off an abominable feeling, like mud mixed with slimy algae, but the Otokage's Chakra was like a swirl of all kinds of different creatures, not just humans... Interrupting Wu's thoughts, a knocking could be heard from his door, followed by a proud, feminine voice informing him, "Lady Otokage has requested your presence, Dadi-sama. Please exit your room and follow me." Rolling forward and onto his feet, Wu bounded to the door, surprising the bluish-purple-haired woman on the other side by opening it immediately after she had finished speaking. Her surprise was only brief, however, as she quickly regained a calm, neutral expression and said, "You're quick to respond. That's good. Otokage-sama will be pleased." Wriggling his brows, Wu asked, "And what, exactly, would it take for her not to be? That woman has been grinning like a predator filled in a room with her favorite prey animals since she first appeared." Furrowing her brows, the bluish-purple-haired woman said, "You should show Otokage-sama more respect. She is one of the only people fighting to eliminate the injustices of the current system. I will tolerate your slights for the time being, as you are still new to our organization, but you should be wary of Kimimaru. His allegiance towards Otokage-sama exceeds even my own. If you are crude or speak ill of Otokage-sama in his presence, he may kill you on the spot." Raising his brows and crossing his arms, Wu maintained a fearless smile as he asked, "Kimimaru? Is he the pale and skinny one with the red dots on his forehead? You haven't exactly introduced yourselves." Realizing that Wu was correct, the bluish-purple-haired Kunoichi surprised him a bit by adopting a sincerely apologetic expression and saying, "Sorry about that. My name is Guren. I'm one of Otokage-sama's disciples. I look forward to working with you to make the world a better place, Dadi-sama." Folding her hands over her lap, Guren gave a polite bow as if she were greeting one of her superiors. Wu's rank was technically higher than hers, so even if he had yet to earn her respect, she gave him the deference his status deserved. Scratching the back of his head, Wu appeared to hesitate for a moment before remarking, "Well, that was unexpected...you're a lot more 'honest' than I initially gave you credit for, huh? I half-expected everyone in this place to be perpetually uptight. You know, like that tomato-haired chick. What was her name again...?" Though there were actually a few redheads in their organization, Guren responded, "Tayuya?" before furrowing her brows slightly and revealing, "The situation of her and the other Sound Five is a little complicated...I'm not going to tell you to get along, but try not to be too hard on her, okay? Not everyone is as naturally gifted as some of us..." As if to demonstrate her point, Guren raised her arm and materialized a blade of sapphire-blue crystal from her forearm. She possessed a Kekkai Genkai that allowed her to manifest and freely manipulate crystals with a variety of unique properties. Most prominent of these was their ability to crystallize physical matter on a molecular level, allowing her to reduce her opponent's to crystalline powder. Feeling the hairs on the back of his neck on end, Wu's golden eyes gained a fiery hue as he hummed, "That's quite the ability...guess I'm not the only one special in this dreary place." Since she had given a demonstration of her power, Guren felt as though she had built enough rapport to ask, "Your Kekkai Genkai, is it an ocular ability? I've never seen a pattern such as yours. What do you call them...?" Improving Guren's impression of him, Wu readily revealed, "Oh, these bad boys? I've taken to calling them the Fiery Golden Eyes. Probably not the most creative of names, but it's a fairly apt description, don't you think...?" Nodding her head in approval, Guren affirmed, "It's how I would describe them." before getting back to the original reason for her visit, adding, "We should continue this discussion later. I would prefer not to keep Otokage-sama waiting." Since Guren seemed like a convenient source of information, Wu adopted his most charismatic smile and said, "It's a date." before punctuating his statement with a wink. Guren was much older than him, but Wu was well aware that there were women who preferred younger men... Proving his point, Guren's face flushed ever so slightly as she averted her eyes and remarked, "Well, aren't you the little charmer..." Narrowing his eyes, Wu's expression morphed into a predatory grin as he asserted, "Even if I could record my name in history, the only meaningful legacy a person can leave behind is their descendants. Beautiful women with unique bloodlines aren't exactly common, so I would be remiss not to befriend those that appear before me..." Understanding the connotation of Wu's words, the blush on Guren's face deepened as she felt uncharacteristically bashful. If she hadn't already resolved herself to become the next vessel of her 'Lord,' she might have been tempted to accept Wu's courtship. He was more youthful than any man she had considered a union with, but his power and intellect shone just as brightly as his eyes... Unable to meet Wu's gaze, Guren turned away from him and reiterated, "We should get going..." in a soft, nearly inaudible tone. Leaving Guren even more flustered, Wu nodded his head, teasing, "Lead the way. I think I'll stick back and enjoy the view." Though Guren was wearing thick clothing that didn't show off her figure in the slightest, Wu's words compelled her to cover her backside, her face practically crimson as she said, "I take it back...you aren't just a charmer. You're a certifiable rogue..." Maintaining a wolfish grin, Wu retorted, "Blame your parents. You clearly inherited some remarkable genes..." Contrasting Wu's expectations, Guren's blush faded rapidly as she hung her head, a melancholic expression marring her beauty. Any other person would have apologized upon seeing this, but Wu just exhaled a faint sigh before remarking, "It seems Tayuya isn't the only one with a complicated past." Then, before Guren could respond, he emerged from the room and added, "You can tell me about it later. For now, we really should head over to Otokage-sama." Regaining some of her previous vigor, Guren forced a smile and replied, "You're right." before turning to lead the way. After a few steps, however, she stopped, looked back, and added, "It's a date..." before continuing on her way, her pace a little faster than usual... ... .. . Hearing the sound of footsteps approaching, the Otokage turned around, an 'amused' smile on her face as she remarked, "The two of you are a bit later than I was expecting. Did something happen?" Having regained her composure, Guren's expression was confident and calm as she replied, "Please forgive our delay, Otokage-sama. Dadi-sama and I were discussing matters of the future and lost track of time. If there is to be any sort of punishment, please allow me to shoulder the blame in its entirety." Setting aside the notion of punishing her apprentice, the Otokage mused, "Oh? Care to share? I'm also quite interested in the future." Regaining the briefest hint of a blush, Guren unhesitantly revealed, "Dadi-sama expressed an interest in the 'union' of our respective bloodlines. He believes that the only 'meaningful' legacy a person can leave behind is their descendants, so he seems to be searching for suitable candidates to fulfill that purpose." Emulating an expression of stupefaction, Wu stared at the back of Guren's head as if she had just betrayed his trust. At the same time, the Otokage's snake-like eyes shimmered within the dimly lit chamber, filled with various tubes, containers, and lab equipment. There was also an operating table in the center of the room, but it was currently bereft the essential tools to conduct a surgery. They were nearby, of course, but the Otokage had put them away to avoid 'spooking' her most recent recruit. Caressing her chin, the Otokage mused, "While I have slightly different views on the matter, I can empathize with Dadi-sama's desire to leave a meaningful legacy. Fortunately, as fate would have it, Otogakure just so happens to be a pioneer in the study of Kekkei Genkai. If you agree to let me take a sample of your blood to study, I can 'very easily' arrange a few willing partners for someone as talented as yourself." As Konoha already possessed more than a few samples of his blood, Wu didn't hesitate to shrug his shoulders and reply, "Sounds reasonable. Just make sure they're easy on the eyes, okay? I get that the 'bloodline' is the most important element, but I'd rather not bed a woman who has more in common with a cow than a human." Expecting Wu to offer at least 'some' resistance to her proposition, the Otokage found herself at a rare loss for words. Soon after, however, she began to laugh in a really creepy manner, starting off low and quiet before getting progressively louder in three distinct stages... ... .. .

"Hmmm~?" Though he had originally thought they were just ordinary cobwebs, kept in place to make the entrance seem less suspicious, Wu noticed that the spiders 'manning' the webs were each staring at him. Each spider was the size of a pea, so an 'ordinary' person would never have noticed they were being watched. Fortunately, Wu was 'extraordinary.' Distracting Wu from the spiders, a raspy voice echoed, "Borne to be born, lived to live...one sunrise to sunset...the life of a mayfly lasts but one day. Thinking that such a fleeting life-" Before the voice could finish speaking, Wu raised his foot and slammed it into the ground with tremendous force. However, instead of causing the ground to crack or explode, he diffused his Chakra through the earth like an invisible wave. With the ground beneath him solidified, Wu leaped to the edge of the affected area before shouting, "Ninja Art, Mat Flipping Technique~!" in an unnecessarily boisterous tone. Then, with a seemingly casual flick of his hand and wrist, a chunk of earth stretching 30m in diameter and around 8m thick was uprooted and flipped over. The technique resembled a B-Rank Earth Jutsu known as Burial Rotation, but the reality was far more terrifying as Wu used raw, physical strength to accomplish the feat. Though his attack had exposed a section of the underground base, Wu didn't immediately attempt to enter it. Instead, he used his staff to whack the overturned stone, splitting it in half to reveal what appeared to be a hunchbacked man with massive buck teeth. In Wu's eyes, however, he, or, more accurately, she, resembled a slender, exceptionally thin girl around his age. Unaware that her disguise had been seen through, the green-haired girl allowed herself to remain face down, ass sticking in the air as she feigned unconsciousness. Her posture gave Wu a tremendous urge to stab her in the butt, so that is precisely what he did, his staff extending just enough to force the girl to taste the ground as he teased, "You think you can trick me? I, Your Father, wasn't born yesterday." Replacing her previously neutral expression, the green-haired girl could be seen tearing up from the perspective of Wu as she bounded to her feet and glared back at him, growling, "You'll pay for that..." while rubbing her throbbing bottom. Her voice sounded husky and masculine, but Wu was absolutely certain she was a girl as he retorted, "Cut the crap, greenie. I didn't come here to play house with a dreary-eyed brat. Now, be truthful. Is this the entrance to Otogakure, or was I lied to?" Hearing Wu refer to her as 'greenie,' the green-haired girl winced beneath her guise. Her transformation was an advanced technique that could even sustain damage without breaking and giving away her true identity. She even had all the necessary 'equipment,' so she couldn't comprehend how Wu had managed to ascertain the color of her hair. Green wasn't exactly common, so it couldn't have been a lucky guess... Instead of answering Wu's question, the girl calmed herself and asked, "Why are you searching for Otogakure? Are you from another village? You aren't wearing a headband..." As there was a treaty between the various nations mandating that Shinobi wear identifying headbands, Wu's lack of forehead protector meant one of three things. He was either a missing-nin ignoring the treatise, a rogue, unaffiliated Shinobi, or someone violating the treaty to keep his affiliation a secret. Either way, his presence here was a problem... Narrowing his gaze, a fiery glimmer began to spread through Wu's eyes as he stated, "You know, it isn't particularly 'polite' to answer a question with another question. It could easily be misconstrued as you looking down on someone..." Seeing the change in Wu's eyes, the girl muttered, "So that's it...a Kekkei Genkai(Blood Release) manifesting as an ocular ju-" Before the girl could finish speaking, Wu appeared right in front of her, his hand outstretched and covering her face as he narrowed his eyes, smiling as he asked, "Could you be ignoring me~?" Since she hadn't responded to him heretofore, Wu didn't afford the girl a chance to speak as he gripped the face of her transformation with enough force to sink his fingers into it, tearing away its face to reveal the stunned girl beneath. The flesh and bones of the transformation were kind of like a cacoon made out of clay, so the moment Wu tore away the girl's 'mask,' it gained an earthy hue instead of resembling blood, gore, and bits of bone. Taking advantage of the girl's paralytic fear, Wu gave her a 'gentle' flick to the forehead, sending her flipping backward several times as parts of her transformation broke away, revealing the petite figure beneath. The only clothes she was wearing were a single-strap white dress that left most of her back exposed, a pair of white panties, and a metal collar, so she gave off the impression of 'fragility' despite possessing the Chakra reserves of a mid-ranking Jonin. Undisturbed by the girl's apparent vulnerability, Wu walked over to her, his staff resting on his shoulder as he said, "Now that you don't have mud clogging your ears, listen closely. Fail to answer my question again, and I won't stop with simply poking your butt. I'll make a fucking skewer out of you..." Though his words were an empty threat, mainly because Wu assumed the girl was around his age, the glimmer in his eyes implied otherwise. Fearing for both her bottom and her life, the girl was prepared to answer any of Wu's questions. She had lived much of her life prepared to die, but the method proposed by Wu wasn't something she wanted to experience. As such, she opened her mouth before pausing at the last moment, a faint glimmer of hope appearing in her bluish-purple eyes as a man with short black hair, thick eyebrows, and beady eyes appeared behind Wu. A large pair of sheers, capable of cutting just about anything, was attached to the man's arm, and, due to his focus on her, Wu seemed to be unaware of the incoming surprise. Reality was often disappointing... Moments before the man's sheers attempted to close around Wu's neck, a smile appeared on the terrifying youth's face. In the very next moment, he vanished into thin air, allowing the sheers to pass through where he had been standing before immediately popping up behind his would-be assassin. Grabbing the man's shoulders, Wu resisted the urge to rip the man in two. Instead, he dug his thumbs into the man's back, eliciting a blood-curdling scream as he hooked his fingers beneath the man's shoulder blades and spread them apart. It wasn't a fatal, irrecoverable injury, but it more than took the man out of the fight. Seeing the leader of her group of guards dealt with instantly, the hope in the green-haired girl's eyes faded. Blood spattered on her face and body, but she didn't even react, staring absentmindedly as Wu casually tossed aside the body of her fallen comrade, one of the few remaining members of her Clan. Noticing the girl's state, Wu raised his brows, stating, "Relax. Even though he tried to kill me, I only...dislocated his shoulders. His rehabilitation won't be speedy, but he'll live to see another day. Now, are you going to answer my questions, or do I need to take off the kiddy gloves...?" "That won't be necessary." Drawing Wu's gaze away from the green-haired girl, a woman with ghastly pale skin, golden, snake-like eyes, long black hair, and a gargantuan 'wall' of a forehead emerged from the hole he had produced. Accompanying her was a sickly, ashen-haired man with an additional head growing from his back, an angry-looking woman with scarlet-red hair, a short, tanned man with six arms, a tall fatso with three stripes of red hair, a slender man with white hair, two dots, and red markings above his sharp eyes, and, last but not least, a fairly attractive woman with muted purple hair with long side bangs, a green outfit depicting a camellia flower, and a starburst ponytail. Despite goose-pimples spreading across his body, Wu narrowed his eyes, smiling mischievously as he mused, "Looks like the big guns came out to play..." Emulating Wu's expression, the massive-domed woman replied, "You're quite powerful for someone so young and...supple. Tell me, what brings you to this place? I take it you didn't journey all this way just to play with my beloved subordinates..." Maintaining his smile, Wu replied, "Let's just say I enjoy gambling. I heard Otogakure would be competing in this year's Chunin Exams and wanted to see if you had any interesting Shinobi that could act as a dark horse. This brat behind me seems fairly strong, but I doubt you would be able to slip her in with her Chakra reserves." "Hoooo~?" Seemingly amused by Wu's words, the five-headed woman gave him an appraising look, her snake-like eyes shimmering as she abruptly licked her lips with a long, red, slightly pointed tongue. Then, completely out of the blue, she asked, "How would you like to join my village, young man? I'm someone who can...appreciate talents such as yours. If you become a member of Otogakure, I can assure you that you will be able to discover a purpose that transcends the fickle politics of the self-absorbed Five Great Shinobi Countries...I can help you reach your full potential and more..." Instead of responding to the woman's question, Wu tilted his head to the side and asked, "You're the Otokage?" Nodding her head in affirmation, the gig-brained woman replied, "Indeed. Though I have a proper name, for now, please feel to address me as Lady or Mistress Snake. Now, tell me, young man...what is 'your' name? What is your 'purpose' in this world...?" Unable to contain himself, Wu adopted a confident smile as he raised his chin and replied, "I am the man whose name will go down in the history of the Shinobi World. Soon enough, even the savages in the West will come to fear and respect the name of the Legendary Warrior, the splendiferous Saiko Dadi...!" Failing to understand that Wu was joking, or simply not caring, the living whiteboard mused, "You've quite the ambition, Dadi-kun. With the support of my Otogakure, you may just be able to achieve it." Crossing his arms, Wu's smile broadened into a toothy grin as he asked, "And if I refuse...?" Adopting a broader smile of her own, the spade-faced woman combed back the strands of hair that were beginning to fall over her face as she replied, "I can't have you revealing the location of my Hidden Village, Dadi-kun. Until we can reach an 'amenable' agreement, I'm afraid you'll have to remain a guest within Otogakure. Don't worry, my subordinates will be sure to take 'proper' care of you..." Following the living billboard's words, the angry-looking tomato, two-headed hunchback, three-striped manchild, and six-armed spiderman immediately encircled Wu. Individually, none of them gave him a sense of urgency. With how they were standing, however, Wu could tell they were prepared to imprison him using some kind of formation. Seeing Wu unperturbed despite being surrounded, the woman who even the moon considered shameless couldn't help but lick her lips. She had no idea who the boy was, but her desire to 'obtain' and 'study' him increased with each passing moment. Everything about him screamed 'exceptional,' so she- Interrupting the living Noh mask's train of thought, Wu surprised nearly everyone present by responding, "Sure, sounds like fun." before tilting his head to the side and asking, "Is there, like, a sign-up sheet I need to put my name on? An explanation of my pay and benefits would also be nice. If your Otogakure is half as amazing as you make it out to be, you must pay your people pretty handsomely, right?" After staring unblinkingly for several seconds, an inhuman grin developed across the Otokage's face as she answered, "Oh, trust me, Dadi-kun. As a member of Otogakure, you will be well compensated. Wealth, power, and much, much 'more' will be provided to you in excess. All we require is your willingness to cooperate with a few...experiments. Ufufufufufu~" Exhibiting no traces of fear or concern for his well-being, Wu decided to see how far he could push things, stating, "I already told you that I'm the man whose name will go down in the history of the Shinobi World. I might be joining your village, but I'm not your slave or underling. You don't have to call me Lord, but I won't settle for anything less than Dadi-sama." Though she was tempted to point out that Wu 'would' belong to her, the Otokage, whose brow could encompass the heavens themselves, mused, "Very well, Dadi-sama. And welcome to Otogakure..." ... .. .

Chapter 28: Roasted Pig, Horny Princess