I, Your Father, Carry a Big Stick

(A/N: I noticed how much traction the supplemental post was getting, so here's a bonus chapter.) With the deadline for his return to Konoha fast approaching, Wu found himself at a crossroads. He believed he had made considerable progress infiltrating Otogakure, but he had yet to obtain any valuable information, excluding the recently acquired medical files. If he suddenly disappeared, all of his 'hard work' would go out the window, undone instantly. Though he could easily make arrangements for a 'proxy' of sorts to hold down the fort until his return, Wu didn't immediately decide to do so. After all, while he felt compelled to stick around and learn more, gathering info on Otogakure wasn't his original 'reason' for leaving the village. His actual targets were Kumogakure and Sunagakure, two of the Five Great Shinobi Nations. Despite his conflicted thoughts, Wu had a relaxed smile on his face as he softly mused, "Seems I'll need to put more thought into my actions before committing to anything long-term in the future..." Having made his decision, Wu rolled forward, took out a piece of paper, and began writing a letter. He had enough foresight to understand that he would probably be enemies to Otogakure the moment they initiated their plan, so there was no reason to 'cling' to the identity he had forged under their roof. He did, however, want to leave things up in the air, so he wrote a simple 'going sightseeing' before setting the letter on his bed table and promptly 'disappearing.' In reality, he had shrunken down to the size of an ant, slipping under the door and making his way out of the underground compound a few minutes later... ... .. . Arriving outside the gates of Konoha a little less than three hours later, a faint smile developed across Wu's face. He had always been a creature of comfort, so as much as he enjoyed his newfound freedom, he preferred familiarity. After all, he had spent four years cultivating an identity within Konoha. He had no intention of undermining his hard work. After slipping through an underground passage that Hiruzen had shown him before his departure, Wu took a moment to consider whether or not he should return to the Sarutobi Estate or stop by to see how his 'friends' were doing. Most newly established Genin Teams were forced to do two months of menial missions within the village, so there was no reason they should be outside. Deciding to think it over during or after filling his belly, Wu made his way over to one of the more famous eateries of the Akamichi Clan, Yakiniku Q. It was a place where customers were given tiny hotplates or pots of hot umami to grill or boil strips of premium cut meat. The prices were through the roof, but that was actually a good thing as it meant most of the guests were well-off or successful Shinobi. In other words, if you were looking to randomly encounter people from Konoha's various clans, enjoying a meal at Yakiniku Q drastically increased your chances. Upon entering the nostalgic venue, Wu was immediately greeted by an extended member of the Akamichi Clan, remarking, "Oh, if it isn't Wu-kun! It's been some time since your last visit. Would you like a private booth, or are you meeting up with someone...?" Before answering the young waitress's question, Wu passed his gaze over the dining area, zeroing in on a familiar silhouette, his brows rising ever so slightly as he replied, "I'm going to join an existing table. My order will be the same as usual but substitute the green tea for ginseng." As Wu was a regular within the establishment, the young woman nodded before making a quick note and informing him that his meal would be out within ten minutes, a Yakinuku guarantee. Wu just nodded his response to this before meandering his way over to the private booth nearest the back of the restaurant, remarking, "It's unusual to see you eating alone. Did you get in a fight?" Not expecting Wu to be the one to surprise her, even though he was fairly famous for doing so, the young girl hanging her at the table nearly leaped out of her skin, involuntarily exclaiming, "Wu-kun!?" before looking around in embarrassment. Adopting one of his more charismatic and amused smile, Wu replied, "It's good to see you as well, Hinata. Mind if I join you...?" Though a part of her wanted to continue eating alone, Wu's long absence compelled Hinata to exhale a faint sigh through her nose, responding, "Of course, you can." in a kind yet noticeably dispirited tone. Sitting across from the inky-haired girl, Wu footed around the subject he was actually interested in, asking, "You're growing your hair out...?" with slightly raised brows. Exhaling another sigh, Hinata lowered her head slightly and explained, "I know you always told us that long hair is a detriment during combat, but I wanted to try growing it out. Naruto...Naruto-kun prefers girls with longer hair..." Not expecting Hinata to immediately transition the conversation toward Naruto, Wu feigned obliviousness as he asked, "Speaking of which, how is our resident wastrel? Is he still using his ridiculous Chakra reserves as an excuse to slack off in his training...?" Instead of responding to Wu's questions, Hinata exhaled a third, markedly more exasperated sigh. Things hadn't been going especially well between her and Naruto in the past month. Being forced to complete 'pointless' D-Rank missions had Naruto in an understandably lousy mood, but that was only the tip of the iceberg... Catching Wu a little off guard, Hinata reverted to her formerly meek self as she softly inquired, "Do you think it's normal for boys and girls to have sex before marriage? Naruto-kun has been a little...insistent the past few weeks. I keep telling him it's too soon and that we should wait until our wedding night, but he..." Realizing that she might be forcing Wu into an awkward position, Hinata's words gradually trailed into silence. She and the other girls had confided in Wu a lot over the past four years, but he had made it clear during the final weeks leading up to their graduation that their training with him had ended. Shinobi were legally considered adults, so while Wu had said he didn't mind meeting up now and then to trade pointers, he wasn't going to keep 'pampering' them as he had been... Surprising the young heiress, Wu quickly replied, "While it 'is' normal for some couples to enter a physical relationship before marriage, everyone has their own circumstances. Neither you nor Naruto can be considered normal, so comparing your situation to 'ordinary' people is just dumb. The most important thing is to do what 'you' believe is right. I told you before but a relationship is a compromise. You may have to make concessions to make things work, but that goes both ways. If you're the only one making compromises, you're being taken advantage of." Though he had nothing against Naruto, Wu's appreciation for his former friend had waned considerably. Naruto had 'inserted' himself into their training shortly after he and Hinata became a couple. His presence had caused a number of issues at the time, not simply because he didn't work hard but because his growth, backed by his nonsensical Chakra reserves, was borderline monstrous. Despite his minimal efforts, Naruto had managed to supplant himself as the third stronger person in their graduating class. For a time, he had even secured the second position, but his abrupt growth had spurred Sasuke to petition Wu's personal guidance. They didn't train together often, but Wu would periodically visit the Uchiha Compound to see what the broody boy was up to before beating some sense into him and offering some 'friendly' advice. Shortly after that, Sasuke destroyed Naruto in a spar, upsetting the latter so much that he had accused Wu of 'betraying' their friendship. They had eventually made up, primarily due to Hinata's mediation, but, as Wu had once told Hiruzen, trust, once broken, could never be restored to the way it was... As Wu's words settled in her heart and mind, Hinata's melancholy became increasingly apparent. She 'knew' Wu was right, he rarely wasn't, but she still wanted to make things work between her and Naruto. They had their ups and downs, sure, but she believed Naruto would eventually return to the earnest and hardworking boy he once was... With his food arriving during Hinata's depressive silence, Wu allowed her to mellow for a bit as he consumed a veritable mountain of meat. One of the things he genuinely relished about Konoha was their food culture. His stay in Otogakure hadn't been 'intolerable,' but their cafeteria needed a lot of improvements. Seeing Wu engorge himself with a contented look on his face, a feeling of relief washed over Hinata. Compared to most aspects of her life, Wu was like a constant, unchanging fixture. He had matured considerably over the past four years, but everything from his personality to his heartfelt desire for improvement remained the same. He could be a little 'dense' at times, but Hinata believed that, if she needed him, Wu wouldn't hesitate to offer his assistance and advice. It was just the kind of person he was...abrasive yet incomparably reliable... ... .. . After parting ways with the embattled Hyuga heiress, Wu attempted to return to the Sarutobi Estate but soon found his path blocked by a man with a beige cloak and a white mask bearing a red crescent. "Genin Wu. Report to the Hokage's Office at once." Instead of responding in the affirmative, Wu raised his hand and said, "Good to see you, Raidou-san. I see the old man still has you running around for him." Losing some of the 'edge' radiating off of him, the masked man exhaled a sigh and said, "Wu-kun...you know you aren't supposed to use our names when we're in uniform. If someone were to hear you, it could compromise us..." Shrugging his shoulders, Wu offered a lazy, "Yeah, yeah. Tell Nanao I said hi." before changing his destination to the red compound near the base of Hokage Mountain. He hadn't exactly been trying to remain low-key, so he wasn't too surprised the old man had sent someone to fetch him... ... .. . Staring out over the village from the vantage point of his office, a circular room with very little decoration, Hiruzen mused, "I wonder how he'll try to surprise me this time..." Having already dismissed his guards and activated a sound-suppressing seal, Hiruzen was fully expecting Wu to try and prank him. It was a little game they had started playing just over a year ago. If Wu could sneak up on him undetected, Hiruzen would increase the boy's allowance or permit him a single, minor request. Inversely, if he managed to catch Wu before the young boy could place a hand on his shoulder, Hiruzen could request his help in reviewing the mountain of paperwork cluttering his desk... Fortunately, Hiruzen had a slight advantage in their little game as he could track Wu's presence with his crystal ball. He knew exactly when his young protege was supposed to show up. The only challenging part was timing his words when Wu was in the room. He wasn't a Sensor, so there were several instances where he had spoken confidently to a completely empty room... Straining his senses to their absolute limit, Hiruzen waited for around six and a half minutes before musing, "It looks like I win our little game this time. You can come on out, Wu-kun..." *silence* Turning around, Hiruzen narrowed his eyes ever so slightly as he added, "It isn't like you to feign ignorance, Wu-kun. I might not be able to sense your exact location, but I know you're present..." *silence* "..." Feeling a little embarrassed, Hiruzen returned to his seat and decided to pretend he had invited Wu over to discuss something 'serious.' Before he could get into the proper mentality, however, a hand came to rest on his shoulder, followed by a teasing voice remarking, "You're lucky I choose to play by 'your' rules. I know damn well you couldn't sense me..." Instead of refuting Wu's words, Hiruzen exhaled a chuckle, nodding as he mused, "Your affinity with Natural Energy truly is a marvel...." Then, with a grandfatherly smile, he looked up at Wu and inquired, "Did you enjoy your foray outside the village?" Returning a nod of his own, Wu gave Hiruzen a light pat on the shoulder before making his way around the front of the desk and taking a seat atop empty air. The ambiance within the room became noticeably warmer, but that changed rather drastically when Wu casually revealed, "There is a reasonably high possibility that Konoha will be invaded in the next three to four months..." ... .. .

After hearing Wu's account of his stay in Otogakure, several thoughts ran rampant within Hiruzen's mind. First and foremost, he was astonished by how 'easily' Wu had managed to infiltrate and become a ranking member of another village. Secondly, while the Otokage wasn't guaranteed to be Orochimaru, everything Wu revealed suggested it to be true... As important as the first two points were, the information that stood out the most in Hiruzen's mind was the 'arrangement' Wu had made with the Otokage. It was also the only point he could address at the moment, so he asked, "Are you intending to establish a Clan in the future...?" Shrugging his shoulders, Wu lied, "I haven't thought about it. My status as a member of the Sarutobi Clan has been extremely 'convenient.' I was just bullshitting to see what lengths the Otokage would go to in order to retain me. It also allowed me to establish that Otogakure has at least three more bases spread throughout the Elemental Nations." "I see..." Caressing his chin, Hiruzen lowered his gaze, a thoughtful glimmer in his eyes. He knew the boy well enough to know that Wu wasn't being entirely truthful. If he had to guess, Wu 'had' thought about his future quite a bit. His actions with the Higurashi girl were enough to prove that. If Hiruzen had to guess, Wu just wanted to gather more information before making a decision that would shape/impact the rest of his life. Raising his gaze, Hiruzen inquired, "Those girls you mentioned...based on your observations, do you believe any would be willing to become citizens of Konoha? If their goal is merely the restoration of their respective Clans, arrangements can be made..." Having already anticipated such a question, Wu replied, "Some are loyal to the Otokage, but I'm almost positive it's because they fear and respect her. If she can be taken out of the picture, most of them would have little choice but to lay their roots elsewhere. It's impossible to found or restore a Clan without adequate backing, power, and resources." Nodding his head in approval, Hiruzen offered a soft, "Well said..." before entering another contemplative silence. Based on the information Wu had provided, it could be seen that Oto was a meritocracy of sorts. While that provided them many advantages during the founding stages of a village's development, Clans needed land and resources to lay their roots. In other words, unless the Otokage established an actual settlement, it was only a matter of time before the groups serving her became disillusioned. Understanding the type of person his former student was, Hiruzen could imagine the fates that awaited anyone who had served their purpose. The only person Orochimaru truly cared about was himself. He had the mental fortitude and charisma to inspire fierce loyalty, but he would not hesitate to sacrifice even those closest to him if they became a hindrance... As that thought crossed his mind, Hiruzen found himself gazing at Wu, a boy not all that dissimilar to Orochimaru. The difference was that Wu had no fear of death and intended to reach the pinnacle with his own strength. Orochimaru dreaded the end so much that he would go to any lengths to preserve his life. Both manipulated the people around them, but Wu did so to help others improve within the bounds of their capabilities. Orochimaru was nearly the polar opposite as he endlessly pursued external powers to circumvent his mortality... Confident in his assertion, Hiruzen went on to state, "The Chunin Exams are three months away. If an attack is to happen, it will most likely occur during the Finals, when the eyes of various nations are fixed firmly on the Leaf. I'll begin making preparations, but there is only so much we can do without alerting our enemies and undermining the trust of our sponsors..." Narrowing his eyes slightly, Hiruzen observed for any changes in Wu's as he added, "If an attack does happen, I'll be counting on you to exhibit to the world that Konoha is not a soft target to crack. In exchange, once the Chunin Exams have ended, I will personally endorse your advancement to Jonin..." Seeing no changes in Wu's expression, Hiruzen adopted a devilish grin as he revealed, "Once you have been promoted to Jonin, you will be allowed to splinter from the main house and form a Branch Family of the Sarutobi Clan. If that doesn't entice you, I can also make arrangements for you to develop your own house, but having a familial connection with an existing Clan is usually better from a political standpoint. Regardless, once you are the Head of a Clan, you will have every right to decide its members..." Understanding the implication of Hiruzen's words, a similar grin developed across Wu's face as he playfully remarked, "You're serious about keeping me in this village, aren't you?" Without hesitation, Hiruzen nodded his head, admitting, "Indeed. Just as you often comment about how you would be a 'fool' not to take advantage of certain situations, it would be careless of me not to do everything in my power to ensure Konoha remains your home. Many others share this view, so please keep us in mind if you ever find yourself at a crossroads..." Nodding his head, Wu replied, "I always do." before rising to his feet and asking, "Is there anything else you wanted to discuss? If not, I have a lot of training to catch up on." Though there was actually a lot he wanted to discuss, Hiruzen exhaled a light chuckle and replied, "No, I think that just about covers everything. I may have more questions for you later, but you're free to return and do as you please. Just let me know if you decide to take another stroll outside the village. Knowing you, I imagine you're still eager to investigate Kumo and Suna." Instead of responding to Hiruzen's words, Wu waved over his shoulder, 'disappearing' the moment he reached the door. The things Hiruzen said had given him a lot to think about, so, while Kumo and Suna were on his mind, they were only third and fourth on his list of priorities... ... .. . Though a month had passed since Wu's departure, mere days after they became a couple, Tenten was in reasonably high spirits. There were times when her mind wandered to thoughts of the future, but most of her focus, time, and effort was spent improving herself and her various tools. Holding up the sickle she had just finished polishing, an approving smile developed across Tenten's face as she appraised its luster. Wu had told her that he would be returning in a month, so she had spent most of the day polishing the various weapons in her room. Her outfit, consisting of a long-sleeved white cheongsam and red waistband, wasn't really suited for the task, but Tenten wasn't the type of girl to care about getting oil on her hands and clothes. "Hm, hm, hmm~" Narrowing her eyes in contentment, Tenten began to hum a soft tune as she polished the blades of a giant fuuma shuriken. It was the last item left to polish, so she took her time to ensure not even a single blemish could be found between its creases or along its blade. When she was finished, she wrapped it in a cloth before turning around, her body freezing in place as she spotted a familiar figure lying sideways on her bed, observing her with a teasing smile. Though she wasn't sure she wanted to hear the answer, Tenten asked, "How long have you been here...?" Adopting an even cheekier grin, Wu answered, "Around the time you were finishing up with your final set of kunai, so around an hour or two? And no, I didn't sneak in. Well, I did, but your mom let me into the house and gave me permission to come up..." "I see..." Setting aside the bundled fuuma, Tenten made her way over to the bed with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. Wu half-expected her to try and hit him, but their time together hadn't been for naught. Tenten knew the futility of trying to catch him off guard, so she sat next to him on the bed, patting her thighs as she said, "Put your head down. Then tell me all about your month outside of the village." Though briefly taken aback by the proposition, Wu followed Tenten's instructions, resting his head on her toned yet incredibly smooth thighs. As he did so, she began combing her fingers through his hair, her voice gentle and soothing as she inquired, "Did you have fun?" Confident that he could dodge even if she tried to pinch his cheek or pull his ear, Wu closed his eyes and responded, "It was a learning experience, that's for sure..." "Mmm...I see..." Moving her fingers from Wu's hair, Tenten caressed his cheek with the back of her hand as she asked, "And, when do you leave next...?" Without footing around the issue, Wu's voice softened as he replied, "In a day, two, maybe three. I could delay things a bit, but I've never been the type to put things off..." Like a message on repeat, Tenten muttered, "Mmm...I see..." while tracing Wu's lips. In response, the latter brought her middle finger into his mouth, gently suckling it for a few seconds as they sat in silence. Removing her finger from Wu's mouth, Tenten revealed, "I talked to Kaia, Ino, and Sakura while you were away...they told me about what happened when you were playing the King's Game..." Exhaling through his nose, Wu opened his eyes and asked, "And, what did you think? Did it make you regret becoming my girlfriend...?" Shaking her head, Tenten surprised Wu by admitting, "I'm not sure if Ino and I can ever be friends anymore, but, other than that, it actually made me a little jealous. If I had known you were so...easy, I might have taken advantage of you myself..." Turning to look up at the dango-haired beauty, Wu raised his left eyebrow and retorted, "You think I'm easy? Is that why you got me to rest on your thighs...?" Instead of refuting it, a faint smile developed across Tenten's face as she replied, "Something like that..." Then, even though her heart was beating like a startled rabbit, she guided her hand to Wu's chest, stroking the firm muscles beneath as she revealed, "Since all the 'simpler' ones have been stolen by others, I'm tempted to take the remainder of your firsts..." Exhaling a light chuckle, Wu playfully remarked, "Someone grew bolder in the past month..." Though she would ordinarily react to Wu's teasing, Tenten remained calm and composed as she dropped another bombshell, revealing, "Ino told me about the agreement you made. That if things didn't pan out the way they were hoping, you would accept 'responsibility' for each of them...that you would invoke the Clan Restoration Act and take all of them as your wives." While internally remarking, ("Never trust a Yamanaka to keep a secret...") Wu outwardly responded, "I'm not going to deny it. Because of my unique constitution, the old man has been pushing me to marry since I was eight. Does that change anything between us?" Exhaling a faint sigh, Tenten said, "That depends on you. If you can tell me why you chose 'me,' of all people, I might be willing to forgive you..." Understanding that Tenten was asking him to lie to her, even if she didn't know it, Wu's expression became serious as he asserted, "Of all the girls I interacted with growing up, you're the one who compliments me the most. We have similar interests, similar values, and, most significantly, a similar drive to improve. While other girls were chasing their crushes and wasting time, you kept your head up and continued working toward your dream. It was honestly refreshing..." Though she felt more than a little gratified by Wu's words, Tenten did her best not to let it show. Truth be told, she didn't really mind if Wu had other girls. Well, it did. Quite a bit, actually, but she also understood the value of Wu's bloodline in the grander scheme of things. What 'really' bothered her was the idea that Wu had been sneaking around behind her back, keeping her in the dark while preparing for his future alone... "No more secrets, Wu-kun...you will tell me everything, or we will never talk again. Do I make myself clear...?" Instead of taking offense to Tenten's assertive words, Wu offered a faint smile as he replied, "No problem. Just remember, you chose this path...if we're going to walk it together, you'll need the same conviction now that you had in your youth..." Snorting through her nose, Tenten retorted, "You let me worry about me, you damned monkey. Now, start talking..." Maintaining his smile, Wu closed his eyes, memories playing within his mind like the stills of a movie as he whispered, "It all started eight years ago..." ... .. .

In order to present himself as someone that could be trusted, Wu never bothered snooping around or trying to gather information covertly. Most of the questions he asked were the kind any 'naive' and overconfident kid in his situation would have asked. After all, except for a few prisoners and some unfortunate souls being experimented upon, everyone in the facility was a Shinobi. They could usually intuit when someone was attempting to pry information from them. After around three weeks of just going with the flow, Wu received a knock on his door, followed by the familiar voice of Guren calling out, "Otokage-sama has requested your presence, Dadi-kun." Springing to his feet, Wu approached the door, opening it to reveal the smiling face of Guren on the other side before asking, "When will you stop attaching honorifics to my name? I even gave you my express permission to call me Dadi..." Exhaling a throaty, amused chuckle, Guren elected not to answer Wu's question. Instead, she narrowed her eyes slightly and said, "Come on. It wouldn't do to keep our Lady waiting." Shrugging helplessly, Wu replied, "Yeah, yeah..." before falling into step behind the bluish-purple-haired Kunoichi. The two of them had gotten a lot closer over the past twenty-three days, but there was also a notable 'distance' between them. If he had to guess, Wu would put his money on the possibility that Guren had a terminal illness and didn't want to burden him when she inevitably died... After reaching one of the many labs spread throughout the underground facility, Wu's eyes were briefly drawn to the presence of a group of girls, two of which he recognized. The Otokage was also present, however, so he focused on her as she perused the contents of a thick, manilla-colored folder. Without raising her gaze from the folder, the Otokage revealed, "I have completed the preliminary analysis of your blood and chakra composition. As you are well aware, you possess a rather...remarkable constitution. It's to such an extent that I find it difficult to believe you're even human..." Adopting one of his characteristically cheeky grins, Wu remarked, "I did always tell people I was built different. Now I have proof." Exhaling a light chuckle, the Otokage mused, "Indeed..." before raising her gaze to meet Wu's as she gestured to the girls waiting off to the side, adding, "As you can see, I took your request on the day we met seriously. These are a just a few women I have deemed suitable for carrying your exceptional genes. Each possesses a Kekkei Genkai or is the descendent of a clan with unique abilities bordering on one..." Noticing Tayuya and the green-haired girl whose ass he had poked were among the group, Wu couldn't help asking, "And these girls are actually 'willing' to contribute to my legacy? I may be shameless, but I also take pride in myself and my appearance. I'm not so desperate that I need to force unwilling participants to bear my children." Reacting to Wu's gaze, Tayuya averted her eyes, arms crossed in a huff. The Otokage interpreted this as 'romantic tension' between the duo, so she decided to mediate, revealing, "Tayuya-chan is a distant cousin to the nearly defunct Uzumaki Clan. She endured many hardships to awaken the potential of her bloodline. As such, she can sometimes be a little; how can I put this nicely? Standoffish? Regardless, each girl here has consented to the arrangement. I have also prepared each of their files, so you're free to peruse them if it will help you make a decision." Handing Wu the folder containing his and each of the girls' lab results and medical records, an obsessive smile developed across the Otokage's face as she asserted, "I greatly anticipate the results, Dadi-sama..." Accepting the folder, Wu elicited an amused chuckle from the Otokage as he began perusing the contents, starting with his own file. He was curious to see how the Otokage's results compared to the data provided to him by Konoha's lab technicians. There was always a chance they had been lying to him, so this was an excellent opportunity to ascertain how trustworthy his so-called allies were. Fortunately for Hiruzen, and Konoha as a whole, nothing in the Otokage's report contradicted the information they had provided. It was 'a lot' more detailed, but that could be attributed to the Otokage's research into 'Sage Chakra,' the result of combining Natural Energy and Chakra. Seeing how focused Wu was on the folder's contents, the Otokage issued another light chuckle before choosing to excuse herself. There were still a lot of experiments she wanted to conduct on Wu, but that could wait until his trust in Otogakure had strengthened. For now, she was curious to see who Wu would choose among the candidates she had carefully arranged for him. So long as he selected even a single one of them, she would be getting more information on the boy. And if things went 'particularly' well, she would be acquiring multiple 'test subjects' in the next ten to twelve months. Either way, it was only a matter of time before she got everything she desired from the boy... ... .. . With Guren following after the Otokage, Wu found himself in what some in his position would consider a 'precarious' situation. Excluding Tayuya and the green-haired girl, apparently named Kagero, there were ten complete strangers who had expressed a willingness to 'breed' with him. Quite the predicament, indeed... Noticing that two of the girls shared the same surname as Kagero, Fuuma, Wu raised his gaze from the manilla folder and asked, "So, what? Am I to be the next Patriarch of the Fuuma Clan? Or are you just intending to use my bloodline to strengthen your next generation?" Answering on behalf of Kagero and another woman that could easily be mistaken as her twin, a raven-haired beauty with sharp black eyes and a hime-style haircut replied, "While it is our heartfelt desire to restore the Fuuma Clan, we have no attachment to the surname itself. If Dadi-sama would prefer our children to be named Saiko, we offer no complaints." "Hmmm..." Shifting his attention to the green-haired Kagero, Wu asked, "Is that so? I would have assumed one of you would be a little...butthurt after the way I treated them in the past." Recalling the incident three weeks prior, Kagero involuntarily shuddered before using her hands to protect her backside. She didn't condemn Wu for attacking her or acting in self-defense, but the trauma of that day was still fresh in her mind. As for the matter of whether she was willing...there was nothing she wouldn't do to achieve the restoration of her Clan... Forcing a look of conviction on her face, Kagero asserted, "I'll be in Dadi-sama's care from now on..." Though he initially planned to eliminate the girl outright, Kagero's 'calm' assertion amused Wu quite a bit. He could see her knees shaking, but the look in her eyes showed she was serious. Her file also credited her with having a unique ability that exceeded even an S-Rank Ninjutsu, the only downside being that it consumed so much Chakra it placed the user in a near-death state. In other words, without adequate preparations, it was a one-time use, kamikaze jutsu. Instead of refuting the girl's conviction, Wu gave a curt nod before turning his attention back to the manilla folder. One of the girls nearest to his age, based on appearances, had caught his notice the moment he entered the room. She had pale hair tied into a lazy ponytail, bangs that reminded him a lot of Hinata, and silvery-grey eyes. More noticeably, at least from Wu's perspective, she exuded a distinct 'chill' from her body. Referencing the girl's profile, Wu mused, ("Yuki Sen...a wartorn orphan who managed to escape the 'Bloodline Purge' currently taking place in Kirigakure, the Village Hidden in the Mist. Exhibits basic mastery of her Clan's unique Kekkai Genkai, Ice Release. Can produce an icy vapor that rapidly freezes everything in her surroundings. Neat...") Though he didn't intend to start a harem of girls with unique bloodlines, at least not any time soon, Wu could tell that the Yuki Clan's Ice Release had potential. If he could get Sen and the rest of the girls present to defect to Konoha, the village might actually have a few interesting Clans...assuming he could prevent a certain cyclops from attempting to pilfer them... Snapping the folder shut, Wu gave the group of girls, aged 14-27, one of his best smiles as he said, "First of all, let me thank you for expressing an interest in mine and Otokage-sama's proposition. However, while it might be true that you have each given your consent, that isn't quite enough to convince me of your 'sincerity.' We're talking about restoring and creating brand new Clans here, so I need to choose my partners carefully." Meeting Tayuya's gaze, Wu left the scarlet-haired woman slackjawed as he revealed, "The only person I'm seriously considering right now is the angry tomato. The Uzumaki Clan was legendary for their affinity with all things related to seals, and their vitality is nothing to scoff at. It would be pretty dumb of me not to at least 'consider' having one as a wife..." Passing his gaze over the remaining girls, Wu's expression appeared to soften as he added, "As for the rest of you...I'll have to make my decision on a case-by-case basis. For now, how about we get to know each other first? Even if you're willing now, you might regret it for the rest of your life if you enter into a relationship with someone you hate. I'll talk to Otokage-sama, so, at the very least, you won't have to worry about being sent on any dangerous missions for the time being..." Though the twin-like women from the Fuuma Clan seemed a little irked by Wu's 'polite' dismissal, neither said anything. While they had agreed when the Otokage approached them, the notion of getting knocked up by a boy less than half their age wasn't particularly enticing. They wouldn't have even considered it if he didn't possess an extraordinary constitution and a powerful Kekkei Genkai... Finished with what he had to say, Wu took advantage of his much higher-ranking status to dismiss everyone but Tayuya. A hateful glower appeared on her face at the implication of his actions, but she waited until the other girls had departed before asking, "Don't tell me you want to do it right this instant? Can you even get it up properly at your age...?" Instead of answering Tayuya's question, a teasing smile developed across Wu's face as he remarked, "Awwwww...is the horny tomato worried about little old me? Isn't that just precious..." Narrowing her eyes, Tayuya snarled, "If you don't want to fuck, then what 'do' you want? Unlike you, the rest of us have other responsibilities. I have better things to do than standing around, listening to your bullshit." Rolling his eyes, Wu lazily retorted, "The moment you agreed to Otokage-sama's proposition, I became the most important thing you had 'do.' Now, am I going to have to order you to tell me your story, or are you going to tell me of your own accord?" Blinking in surprise, Tayuya uttered a confused, "Huh...?" before regaining her usual ferocity and asserting, "It's none of your fucking business..." Hitting the tomato head with an 'oh really?' look, Wu asked, "Isn't it? We have just been given a license to fuck like rabbits and make babies. I believe that gives me a pretty compelling reason to know at least a little of your backstory. What do you think?" "..." Though Wu's words were fairly compelling in and of themselves, Tayuya only hesitated for a few seconds before reiterating, much softer this time, "It's none of your fucking business..." Then, even though it went against the policies of Otogakure, she stormed past Wu and walked away without waiting to be dismissed... ... .. .

Chapter 31: Checking In