I, Your Father, Carry a Big Stick

While Darui and C were having a standoff against 'Saiko Dadi,' the entire scene was being closely monitored by a woman with long, straight, muted blonde hair bound into a ponytail. She had dark, seemingly pupilless black eyes and wore bright red lipstick, while her outfit consisted of a black and purple blouse, black trousers bearing a cloud pattern, and a red sash tied around her waist. Her left arm had translucent blue prayer beads wrapped around it, and each of her forelimbs was covered in bandages. As the Jinchuriki of the Two-Tailed Demon Cat, Matatabi, a massive cat wreathed in cobalt blue and black flames, the blonde-haired woman was among the most powerful residents of Kumogakure. She was one of only two 'Perfect Jinchuriki,' granting her complete access to Matatabi's power without needing to sacrifice her reason. More importantly, while Yugito wasn't a sensor, Matatabi was once part of a creature that specialized in converting Natural Energy into Chakra. Catching the sandy-haired Kunoichi by surprise, a feminine voice echoed within her mind, revealing, ("Prepare yourself, Yugito-san. That boy is on his way to this location. You should be able to sense him if you activate one of my tails.") Trusting Matatabi's judgment, the woman, Nii Yugito, manifested a long, fiery blue tail covered in black swirls from her lower back. The nails on her fingers also lengthened, but they could become much, much longer if she needed them to. As Matatabi had indicated, Yugito immediately became aware of Wu the moment she tapped into the power of her Tailed Beast. He was trying to sneak up on her from behind, so she quickly turned around, narrowing her eyes as she called out, "Attempting to sneak up on a Jinchuriki is a fool's errand. Show yourself, Saiko Dadi." "Hooo~?" Popping up a few hundred meters from Yugito's location, Wu transmitted his voice across the chasm separating them, asking, "Did your little friend give me away? I was unaware there were Tailed Beasts that could sense Natural Energy. That's good to know." Crossing her arms in front of her, Yugito's already fierce-looking nails began to lengthen further as she asked, "What is your aim, attempting to sneak up on me like this? Are you trying to make an enemy out of Kumo?" Shaking his head, Wu was sincere as he flatly replied, "If I cared at all, I couldn't care less. I'm just here to gather information and mess with the Teams leaving your village. If I were 'truly' your enemy, I would have sent my clones to infiltrate your village and wreak havoc." Narrowing her eyes further, Yugito stated, "That doesn't make any sense. You claim not to care, but you're here gathering information and attacking our people. Even if you were only following orders, you wouldn't go about it like this. Tell me, what information are you trying to acquire...?" Caressing his chin, Wu appeared to be in deep thought. In reality, he was merely messing with the overly serious woman, delaying his response for nearly a full minute before responding, "I guess you could say I'm here to see how I compare to one of the Five Great Shinobi Nations? Don't worry; I'm not biased toward your village. I'll be paying similar visits to Suna, Kiri, Iwa, and Konoha. Kumo just happens to be the direction my staff pointed when I was deciding on where to travel." Demonstrating what he was talking about, Wu placed his staff on its end and allowed it to fall. Seeing this, the expression on Yugito's face became grim as she questioned, "You're telling me the reason you beat Samui and those children was because your 'staff' brought you here!?" Raising his right brow, Wu asked, "Are you an idiot? I beat them because they would have beaten me if I were weaker than them. It's that simple. People don't get to play the victim just because they happen to be weaker than the people they attempt to victimize. You literally have two brains in that little head of yours, woman. Think." "..." ("...") Though the tail behind her back flickered with greater intensity, Yugito didn't immediately attack Wu. From a purely objective point of view, the latter hadn't done anything wrong. If he 'had' been weaker than Samui's group, they would have attacked and attempted to detain him. There was no question about that. If he were dangerous, they would have tried to kill him on the spot. From that perspective, it could be argued that Wu really 'was' magnanimous for deigning to spare them... Seeing Yugito pause for several seconds, Wu earned a look of resentment from the woman by clapping his hands, a surprised expression on his face as he sarcastically remarked, "Well, would you look at that. You can do it if you put your minds to it. Well done." Despite her increased agitation, Yugito retracted her claws and appeared to lower her guard as she asked, "So you're here to test your strength and show off? Is that it...?" "You say that as if it's difficult to believe," replied Wu. Then, with a serious expression, he firmly asserted, "Individual power and authority are two of the most crucial elements in this world. By exhibiting my strength, I deter those who would believe they have some kind of 'right' to control me. On the other end of the spectrum, I become an obstacle for those who aspire to reach the pinnacle. If my errant behavior inspires even a single person to surpass their limits and ascend to my level, providing me with a worthy foe, it will have been worth it." With an expression that looked like she was suppressing a scoff, Yugito remarked, "You speak as if you're already the strongest in the world. As far as I can tell, your reserves of Natural Energy can't even compete with the Chakra of a Chunin. I have no doubt you're very powerful, but you're far from the level of the Raikage..." Shrugging his shoulders, Wu replied, "And? You speak as if I'm supposed to be bothered by the notion of someone being stronger than me. It's the exact opposite. The more people there are for me to overcome, the more enjoyment I get out of life. If everyone was weaker than me, my desire for strength would gradually decline. If that happened, I wouldn't know what to do with myself. Thus, unlike the many people who envy the power and capabilities of others, I'm content so long as there is even a single person left for me to overcome." Immediately following Wu's words, Matatabi shouted ("He's coming...!") in an alarmed tone. Yugito immediately reacted by leaping backward, but as fast as she was, the 'extension' of Wu's staff was near-instantaneous. The moment she saw him aim it at her, the tip was already depressing her gut, forcing her back with much greater velocity. Though the weight never changed, Wu could freely manipulate the size and length of his staff, much like the other members of the Monkey Clan. His current record was 300m in length and 12m in diameter, but the most crucial aspect of his staff's ability to change size was the speed at which it did so. Much like the laser-like beams he could fire from his eyes, if his opponent didn't immediately dodge to the side, they were fated to be hit. With the force behind Wu's blow rupturing her intestines, a large volume of blood erupted from Yugito's mouth once she collided with the face of a distant mountain. The extension rate of his staff was around 7000 meters per second, so the force behind the blow was nearly 4.7 million kilograms. If not for the inordinate durability of a Shinobi and her status as the Two-Tails' Jinchuriki, she would have been pulverized and split in half. Sensing that Yugito's life was in danger, Matatabi began channeling her unique Chakra into her host. Cobalt-blue and black flames erupted from the severely injured woman's entire body, her size rapidly increasing until she had transformed into a large cat with a height of 14m. Her length, due to her tails, was nearly twice that, but she more than made up for being the 'smallest' of the Tailed Beasts by also being the most agile. Finished with her transformation, Matatabi attempted to release an ear-piercing yowl but was almost immediately silenced by Wu's tower-sized bo staff impacting her head. To the latter's wonder, his staff actually went through her body, or, more accurately, she regenerated so quickly that it 'appeared' to pass through her. Taking advantage of his aerial mobility, Wu dodged to the side, spinning his now normal-sized staff before extending it the moment Matatabi was level with him in the air. His staff easily dwarfed the Two-Tails in size, but due to the limitations on its weight and the amount of torque necessary to send such a large creature flying, Wu was only able to bat the massive cat a few hundred meters, barely injuring it. Despite the muscles in his arms and shoulders protesting, the smile on Wu's face was the biggest it had been in a while. He had fought a handful of Chakra Beasts in the past, including a snake more than 50m in length, but the incredible aura exuded by the Two-Tails made his heart pound in his chest. It was also much more durable than the aforementioned snake, a creature Wu had bludgeoned to death with a single blow. Surprising Wu yet again, Matatabi 'skid' across the air, its paws leaving trails of blue flame in its wake. When it had finally arrested its momentum, it charged at Wu in mid-air, its size expanding rapidly as it expanded like a gaseous flame. Matatabi had quickly realized the 'weakness' of Wu's staff, so by increasing her size, she was planning to disperse the weight across more of her body. What Matatabi didn't expect was for Wu to reduce the size of his staff and charge directly at her. Most people feared her flames, which were capable of melting both steel and stone, but Wu charged directly into her, piercing her body before expanding his staff 'inside' of her. Reacting quickly, Matatabi shed off one of her tails, effectively splitting her power in half but ensuring Yugito's safety as she promptly exploded from the inside. Wu's staff might not be able to increase its weight, but a 300x12m long staff expanding inside of her body wasn't something even the formless Matatabi could endure. As the remnants of Matatabi extinguished around him, Wu couldn't help laughing aloud. The battle had been incredibly brief, but it was one of the most enjoyable he had ever had. He could also sense the remnants of the Two-Tails' Chakra coalescing toward the half-conscious Yugito, so he was excited by the prospect of being able to face her again in the future. Landing next to the sandy-haired blonde, Wu was being sincere as he mused, "That was a pretty enjoyable battle. You did well for the vessel of an overgrown housecat." Believing Wu was about to kill her, Yugito attempted to form a hand seal but stopped when the unconscious bodies of Darui and C were dropped next to her, courtesy of Wu's clones. Then, before she could muster the resolve to suicide alongside her two companions, Wu gave a curt nod and said, "See you around, pussycat." before turning around and simply flying away. After that, she immediately lost consciousness... ... .. . Witnessing Wu fodder a Tailed Beast, seemingly without effort, Tayuya's heart was beating madly within her chest. Until now, she had been acting under the assumption that Wu was powerful, but not 'that' powerful. She had assumed someone like the Otokage could effortlessly overpower him, but now...now Tayuya didn't know what to think. All she knew for sure was that Wu was 'a lot' stronger than any of them had suspected... Liberating Tayuya from her reverie, Wu offered a playful "Boo." Instead of startling, however, Tayuya turned to face him, a severe expression on her face as she abruptly asked, "Are you serious about wanting to fuck me...?" ... .. .

After recovering from his brief haze, Wu narrowed his eyes in amusement and replied, "I mean...I wouldn't be opposed..." Though she would have preferred a more 'direct' answer, Tayuya became even more serious as she proposed, "Fine. Then let's make a deal. If you can kill the Otokage, I don't care what you do with me. Make me your pet, your wife, or whatever. I just want that bastard dead." With one arm crossed over his body and the other caressing his chin, Wu gave the impression he was seriously considering Tayuya's proposal. If he were being honest, he would rather 'spare' someone like the Otokage as they showed a clear desire to improve. He didn't fear the repercussions of sparing his enemies, as, even if they targeted those close to him, it would be their fault for being caught unawares. Thus, while he was interested in Tayuya, he wasn't sure he wanted to sacrifice a potential adversary just to have her. Seeing Wu hesitate, Tayuya clenched her teeth before reaching up to the zipper of her parka. She had already revealed her traitorous intentions, so even though it was putting the cart before the horse, she was prepared to 'convince' Wu to help her. However, the moment her shaky hand began its southern journey, Wu reached out to stop her, his shimmering golden eyes narrowing into a piercing gaze as he asserted, "I have a counter-proposal. Want to hear it...?" Recovering from her momentary stupor, Tayuya's expression regained its severity as she nodded in affirmation. In response, Wu released her wrist and explained, "Anyone who is fated to be my partner, regardless of their status, must be strong. I don't need a woman to sit at home, cook dinner, and care for our children. I need a woman who works tirelessly to improve and achieve their goals. You want me to kill the Otokage for you? Sure, no problem. In exchange, I don't want 'this' version of you. I want the 'best' version of you...the person you can become with adequate resources and proper support. Promise me that, and I'll hand the Otokage's head to you on a platter. However, if you betray me..." Furrowing her brows into the most serious expression she could manage, Tayuya proclaimed, "If you really can kill that snake bastard, I promise to become the best fucking version of me you can imagine..." Adopting a smile, Wu caused Tayuya's body to tense as he caressed her chin and mused, "You're certainly headed in the right direction..." Though she would ordinarily resist, swat his hand away, or avert her gaze, Tayuya stared directly into Wu's eyes as she raised her head slightly and questioned, "What do you need me to do?" Retracting his hand, Wu's expression became fiery as he answered, "We just discussed it. I need you to be the best version of yourself, and that means training...lots and lots of training..." Instead of asking what the training might entail, Tayuya gave a resolute nod and asked, "Then what are we waiting for?" in a firm tone. Feeling strangely 'gratified,' the smile on Wu's face morphed into a toothy grin as he exhaled a chuckle and playfully mused, "That's my girl..." ... .. . Upon receiving reports that Darui, C, and even Yugito had been defeated, the Raikage sat at his new desk in silence, fingers linked and elbows propped up on the table as he stared daggers at the white-haired woman smiling nervously across from him. He didn't actually blame Mabui for the outcome, but the reality of the situation compelled him to direct his anger at 'someone.' Suppressing his rage as much as he could, A's rough tone was evocative of distant thunder as he asked, "How soon will they recover? They didn't suffer any crippling injuries, did they?" Despite the terrifying aura exuding from the A's body, Mabui exhaled a faintly relieved sigh before revealing, "Darui suffered severe injuries to his dominant arm, but his opponent, this Saiko Dadi, seemed to have treated the worst of them on sight. C needed to be placed in a medically induced coma to relieve the pain from his internal injuries, but the Doctors said he would recover fully. As for Lady Yugito..." Furrowing her brows, Mabui softly appended, "According to the Two-Tails, Matatabi-sama, Yugito suffered catastrophic injuries that could have led to her death. However, it didn't seem that her opponent had the intention to kill...it was more like he just wanted to force her to transform..." Closing his eyes, A leaned forward and rested his forehead against his knuckles. Saiko Dadki's actions suggested he wasn't a 'real' enemy, but the amount of damage he had inflicted upon them in a single day had set them back months. Darui and C were his personal bodyguards, and Yugito was a Perfect Jinchurki. The three were among the most powerful Shinobi in Kumo, yet they had been soundly defeated...by a child... Voicing his thoughts aloud, A softly groaned, "I'm getting too old for this shit..." Though he was only 44 and widely regarded as the fastest Shinobi in the world, the day's events left A feeling mentally and physically drained. He wanted nothing more than to rush out the gates and personally confront this 'Saiko Dadi,' but he couldn't leave Kumo even more unprotected than it already was. He wanted to believe he could pulverize the whelp causing trouble near his village, but the one-sided beatdown suffered by three of his most skilled Shinobi mandated caution. After all, Darui was the man he was seriously considering as a successor... Shaking his head, A surprised Mabui by saying, "Forget it...until Darui and the rest have made a full recovery, no one is to go near that little monster. I'm issuing a Flee on Sight order, effective immediately. If any of our away teams encounter Saiko Dadi on a mission, they are to return to the village immediately. No exceptions." Bowing her head low, Mabui replied, "As you will, Raikage-sama." before turning around to carry out his orders. She half-expected the Raikage to lose his temper and immediately rush out of the village to confront Saiko Dadi. She believed A would return victoriously, but Saiko Dadi wasn't a simple opponent. Even if A and Kill Bee could defeat him, there was no guarantee they would return unscathed. If Kumogakure lost even more of its war potential right now, Dadi wouldn't be the only threat they needed to concern themselves with... ... .. . Staring down at the red-headed Kunoichi panting heavily beneath him, her back arched and body dripping with sweat, Wu's eyes glimmered with amusement as he questioned, "Is this your limit, Tayuya? And to think, I actually had high hopes for you..." Feeling frustrated by Wu's words, Tayuya grit her teeth and arched her back even further, almost like she was trying to buck the boy off of her. Unfortunately, Wu was sticking to her abdomen using the same method he had taught Kaia, Sakura, Ino, Hinata, and several others. All Tayuya accomplished by trying to buck him off was straining her back and the muscles of her abdomen. While sitting cross-legged atop the arched beauty's lower abdomen, Wu mused, "Just two more minutes and you can stop. This is a tried and true method of improving the strength of your core muscles. Just be thankful I'm only using a few hundred kilos instead of a few thousand." Though she continued to hold the embarrassing pose, Tayuya groaned, "You're a demon..." It had been nine days since she started training with Wu, and the only times he allowed her to rest was when she passed out. She was improving quickly, sure, but this wasn't exactly what she had in mind when he asked if she wanted to get 'physical'... With a little more than three minutes passing, Wu gave Tayuya a gentle smack on the side of her ass as he teased, "See, that wasn't so hard, was it? Good girl." Disregarding the fact Wu was still sitting on top of her, Tayuya allowed the tensions in her body to relax, dropping to the ground and panting as if she had just finished running a hundred marathons. The cave was so cold that the sweat pooling beneath her had frozen, but she didn't pay it any mind as she stared listlessly at the ceiling, her forearm resting on her forehead as she struggled to remain conscious. After observing the slightly older girl for a few moments, Wu scootched back a bit, straddling her thighs as he used the Mystical Monkey Palm to provide relief to her severely strained abdominal muscles. At this point, he could even grope her breasts without her offering any resistance, but that wasn't any fun. He preferred it when she was more reactive, so whenever her mind was 'elsewhere,' he just focused on the task of healing her. By the time Wu had finished his treatment, Tayuya's breath had steadied, her pale-red eyes staring into him as he ran his hands along her sides one final time. She was currently wearing little more than her sleeveless black crop top and spats, so there were only a few thin layers of fabric keeping her from being fully nude... Noticing the slight 'hunger' in Tayuya's eyes, something he had only seen in Kaia, Ino, and, most recently, Tenten, Wu narrowed his own and asked, "What are you thinking about, I wonder...?" Turning her face to the side, Tayuya muttered, "First defeat Orochimaru, and I'll tell you whatever you want to know..." Narrowing his eyes further, Wu leaned forward slightly, tracing his right index and middle fingers along and beneath the band of Tayuya's top as he said, "Maybe I don't need to know..." As this was far from the first time Wu had teased her, Tayuya kept her face turned to the side as she retorted, "Then just do it...you coward..." Instead of responding verbally, Wu raised the band of Tayuya's top until her modest but present breasts 'popped' out. They were barely large enough to fill the palms of his hands, but that wasn't necessarily a bad thing. At the very least, she didn't have to worry about them getting in the way during training and combat... Though she kept her head turned to the side, Tayuya stared at Wu from the corner of her eyes, closely observing his face and actions. She knew better than to expect they would 'finally' cross the line, but her heart still beat madly within her chest. Seeing the 'expectation' in Tayuya's gaze, the only thing preventing Wu from taking her was his promise to Tenten. There weren't many things he cared about, but keeping his word was one of them. He despised when other people reneged on their promises, so he would be a pretty massive hypocrite if he carelessly recanted his own. Voicing his 'sincere' thoughts on the matter, Wu's tone deepened as he said, "I'm half-tempted to rush over to Otogakure and teach that snake a lesson right this instant. It's...disheartening that we already have a prior engagement..." As Wu had already confided in her his identity, albeit after modifying her Cursed Seal of Heaven to cover much of her back and shoulders, Tayuya knew he was referring to the fact he wanted to kill Orochimaru during the Chunin Exams. He had also detailed to her his reasons for doing so, so all she could do was exhale a hot sigh, muttering, "Whatever..." in an audibly agitated tone. She had never been particularly fond of sex, but the notion she couldn't have it even when she actually wanted to was...frustrating... Narrowing his eyes in amusement, Wu moved back even further before surprising Tayuya as he suddenly lifted her legs into an M-shape. It made her seem especially vulnerable, exciting something deep within him as he asserted, "There is more to sex than simply fucking. Let's see if you have more talent for this than more 'conventional' training methods..." Realizing what Wu intended, a rare moment of panic overtook Tayuya as she shouted, "Wait! At least let me take a bath first...!" Unfortunately, her reaction served to stoke the 'flame' within Wu's chest, compelling him to exacerbate his teasing until she could no longer even beg him to stop... ... .. .

Standing at 198.2cm tall and 104kgs, the leader of Kumogakure, the Raikage, was a veritable mountain of a man. He had the reddish-brown skin, characteristic of the people within his village, sand-colored hair that combed back into spiky dreadlocks, a pointed beard, and a mustache that jutted away from his upper lip like the brows above his eyes. Around his waist was a large golden belt bearing the visage of the God of Lightning, Raijin, while his forearms were clad in enormous golden vambraces, each bearing special seals that could adjust their weight from 1000-12,000kgs in an instant. Upon learning that Samui, one of his higher-ranking Jonins, had been severely beaten just a few kilometers outside the village, the Fourth Raikage, A, rose to his feet, shattering the wooden desk in front of him as he shouted, "Whaaaaat!? You mean to tell me there's some brat strong enough to take out one of my top Jonins just 'messing around' outside of Kumo!? Where's B!? I'll deal with this little punk myself...!" Though she could understand the Raikage's anger, his assistant, a fairly attractive woman with similar reddish-brown skin, green eyes, and light grey hair pulled back into a neat bun, calmly replied, "Please don't be too hasty, Raikga-sama. While it is true that Team Samui was defeated, they only sustained mild injuries. If the enemy can truly alter his size, conceal his presence, and move at high speeds, unnecessarily antagonizing him might invite a disaster onto the village." Glaring at his long-time assistant, A practically barked, "Then what do you suggest we do, eh, Mabui!? We can't just allow this brat to do whatever he pleases within our territory...!" Nodding in agreement, Mabui replied, "My views are in alignment with Raikage-sama's. However, mobilizing two of our most powerful forces to repel a young boy who hasn't presented himself as a substantial threat is a bit excessive. I suggest sending Darui and C to establish contact with this 'Saiko Dadi,' while Lady Yugito observes from afar. If it turns out he is a threat, the three of them should be able to handle him." Though he wanted to ask what the point of sending three people was when they could send two, A tried his best to see things from Mabui's perspective. If it turned out this Saiko Dadi had been sent as a distraction to pull him away from the village, a catastrophe could occur while he was away. Furthermore, if he failed to kill the brat during their first encounter, he could become a massive thorn in the side of Kumo. Having made up his mind, A crossed his arms and snorted loudly through his nose before saying, "So be it. Send Darui, C, and Yugito, and have the Barrier Team strengthen the detection wards. Even if that brat can shrink down to the size of an ant, he shouldn't be able to conceal his Chakra and presence completely. Put everyone on high alert for the next seventy-two hours." Bowing respectfully, Mabui replied, "Understood, Raikage-sama." before immediately leaving to carry out his orders. They had already upped their alert level following the less-than-triumphant return of Samui's Team, so Darui, C, Yugito, and several other Jonin-ranked individuals were close by, ready to act at a moment's notice. All they needed was a green light from the Raikage, and the combined forces of Kumo would mobilize to repel or try to capture Wu and Tayuya... ... .. . Understanding there was a 'very' high chance of Kumo sending people to eliminate or capture him, Wu performed some shirtless exercises to warm his body and elevate his preparedness. He had learned a little over a year ago, back when he was undergoing medical testing in Konoha's research facilities, that his body was highly susceptible to the Lightning Release. It was the only element he couldn't simply shrug off, so Wu wanted to be in his best condition in case someone like the Raikage showed up. Observing Wu from a few meters away, Tayuya was bored out of her mind. It had been more than three hours since Wu started his 'warm-up' exercises, so she couldn't help thinking he was making things easier for their enemies by exhausting himself. Wu had never openly trained during his stay in Otogakure, so she had no idea that his stamina was virtually inexhaustible. Reaching the limit of her patience, Tayuya called out, "Don't you think this is more than enough for a simple warm-up? Put your clothes back on and stop dancing around like an idiot." Instead of stopping his Tai Chi-like movements, Wu playfully responded, "Don't you worry your pretty little head, Tomato-chan. I'm fairly confident in my stamina. Something for you to look forward to." Clicking her tongue, Tayuya picked up a few rocks and decided to 'help' Wu in his training. To her frustration, he happily 'obliged' her, his golden eyes glistening with amusement as he evaded each of the nearly super-sonic pebbles by a hair's breadth. Interrupting their little 'game' about twenty minutes later, Wu caught one of the pebbles Tayuya had thrown between in index and middle fingers as he said, "We've got company. Be a pet and find someplace to hide. Leave this to your beloved Dadi-sama." Furrowing her brows, Tayuya retorted, "What do you mean, 'be a pet?' Do I look like a fucking dog to you!?" Raising his left brow, Wu generously explained, "It's a term of endearment used when addressing a close friend or loved one. Like how people have 'pet names' for one another. It doesn't mean I 'literally' view you as a pet, Tayuya. Now, run along. Dadi has business to attend." Though she showered Wu with her remaining rocks before doing so, Tayuya promptly retreated to a 'safe' distance. She didn't see the point after Wu's previous performance, but she wasn't so obstinant that she couldn't follow the orders of her 'superior' when the enemy was near. With Tayuya out of the way, Wu took a moment to release some of his hairs into the wind before pulling out his staff and perching atop it in a crouching posture. One of the approaching Chakra signatures gave him a similar impression to Naruto, so Wu assumed it belonged to one of Kumo's two Jinchuriki, human weapons with powerful creatures known as Tailed Beasts sealed within them. After learning about Jinchuriki following one of Naruto's little 'outbursts,' Wu had been looking forward to facing a competent one in direct combat. He knew the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox was the most powerful of the Tailed Beasts, characterized by it having the most tails, but Naruto was currently too weak-minded to use the beast's power properly. Thus, if Wu wanted a 'real' challenge from a Jinchuriki, he had no choice but to look beyond the borders of Konoha. "Huh...?" Sensing that his precious Jinchuriki was hanging back, allowing its two companions to rush forward on their own, Wu's expression morphed into a frown. The duo approaching him were clearly Jonin, one even possessing Chakra comparable to a Kage. Jinchuriki, however, were weapons of mass destruction that could wipe out an entire village with a single devastating attack known as a Bijuudama(Tailed Beast Ball). Wu 'really' wanted to try fighting one... Spotting Wu atop his staff, a fairly tall man with dark skin, a bulbous nose, black eyes, and shaggy white hair gestured for his ally, a fair-skinned man with short blond hair, to stop. The latter was the Sensor between the two, but he had been unable to detect Wu even though he could sense Chakra across vast distances. Noticing Wu shortly after they came to a stop, the blond-haired man cupped his chin with his thumb and index finger, remarking, "Wow, he really is just a child. If I had to guess, he couldn't be more than twelve, maybe thirteen years old. If he could soundly defeat Samui and her team at this age, he'll be a force to be reckoned with in the future." Instead of responding to his ally's observations, the dark-skinned man looked around for any indicators that Wu's miniature clones were nearby. Samui had given a detailed report of her encounter with Wu, so, despite appearing relaxed, almost bored, the man was actually on high alert. "So, how do you want to handle this, Darui?" asked the blonde-haired man. "Should we approach and try to talk with him, or should we seize the initiative to attack?" While continuing to pay close attention to his surroundings, Darui replied, "I don't see any of his miniature clones. He also isn't attacking us, so we might be able to talk things out if we approach slowly...before that, how go your efforts to sense his Chakra, C? Can he really not be detected...?" Shaking his head, C revealed, "That appears to be the case. I'm looking right at him and focusing my senses to the extreme, but he gives off the same impression as the surrounding terrain. Do you think he could be an apprentice of the Tsuchikage? Someone who has inherited the abilities of the Second?" As there was only a single person throughout history that was infamous for being completely undetectable, C couldn't help correlating Wu's ability with that of the Second Tsuchikage, Mu. The latter possessed an ability that allowed him to become intangible, possessing neither a physical form nor a Chakra signature. This, alongside his many other skills, allowed him to become one of the most powerful Shinobi in his era, his moniker being the 'Non-Person' due to the sheer impossibility of detecting him. Hearing C reference the Second Tsuchikage, the expression on Darui's face became uncharacteristically serious. Mu was known as the greatest infiltration expert and Assassin in the entire history of the Shinobi World. If 'Saiko Dadi' was truly his descendent, they were dealing with a monster that couldn't be allowed to mature... Suppressing the urge to unsheathe the cleaver-like sword on his back immediately, Darui said, "Let's try talking to him..." despite having every intention of cutting off Wu's head the instant he showed a clear opening. Kumogakure had the policy of trying to recruit powerful Shinobi to their side, but people like 'Saiko Dadi' didn't just appear out of thin air. For him to reach his current age and possess such tremendous power, there 'had' to be a force backing him. Understanding his partner's intentions, C's expression morphed into a friendly smile as he waved his hand and called out, "Heeeeeeeey! You're Saiko Dadi-sama, right? Mind if we come over and have a chat with you?" Though Wu immediately answered C's question, his voice didn't come from the direction the two men were expecting. Instead, it came from above them as a chorus, courtesy of several ant-sized clones standing in the air above them, "Sure, why not?" Seeing the dozens of clones hovering above them, the pupils of Darui's eyes shrank. Samui hadn't reported that Wu possessed the ability to fly, so he hadn't been paying any attention to the sky. At the same time, this all but confirmed that 'Saiko Dadi' had some kind of connection with the Tsuchikage. After all, while several Shinobi could traverse the sky using a variety of methods, only the Third Tsuchikage was known to be able to fly freely... With his clones continuing to provide overwatch, Wu leaped over to the small, pillar-like mountain where Darui and C were standing. His actions caused the duo to tense, but neither attacked as they weren't sure if he was the 'real' Wu. If they attempted to assassinate him mid-flight and he was just a clone, they would have undermined their 'friendly' approach for nothing. Shouldering his red and gold staff, Wu adopted a friendly smile as he inquired, "So, what did the two you want to discuss? I don't mind hearing you out 'before' I give you a beating." Hearing Wu suggest he was going to 'beat' them, the brows of Darui and C visibly twitched. Neither believed they would go down easily, but it was clear 'Saiko Dadi' didn't feel threatened by them in the slightest... ... .. . (A/N: Enjoying the story? Leave a comment and consider becoming a patron!)

Chapter 38: I, Your Father, Carry a Big Stick