I, Your Father, Carry a Big Stick

"Don't touch anything." Since it was a little too early for dinner, Tenten invited Wu up to her room on the second floor of the Higurashi Tool Shop. The wall furthest from the door was covered in weapons ranging from sai to a large spiked mace, but the rest of the room was fairly typical of a young girl in her teens. At least according to Wu's experiences. Rolling his eyes, Wu retorted, "It was one incident, Tenten. When are you going to stop bringing it up?" Crossing her arms, Tenten looked like she wanted to retort but ultimately shook her head, saying, "Forget it. Just sit on my bed or something until I get back. I won't be more than a few minutes." Finished with what she had to say, Tenten turned to leave but stopped when Wu flatly pointed out, "You're forgetting a change of clothes, dango head..." Inhaling a deep breath, Tenten stood straighter as she turned around to stare at Wu with a reddening face. In response, the latter just wiggled his eyebrows, adding, "You're welcome." in a teasing tone... ... .. . Resisting the urge to raid Tenten's panty drawer, not because he was interested in them but just to annoy her, Wu relaxed on her bed with his hands behind his head. He generally preferred sleeping on firm surfaces, as it was better for his posture, but there was a certain 'charm' to making himself 'at home' in places that were generally off-limits. Finished with her quick shower, Tenten opened the door to her room and immediately exhaled a sigh. She used to think Wu's 'shamelessness' was fairly charming. Now, it frequently left her feeling exasperated... Rising to a seated position, Wu's brows perked up as he saw the clothes Tenten was wearing. Ninety percent of her outfits consisted of some kind of qipao, so it was rare to see her in something as 'fashionable' as a pale-pink sweater-hoodie that left much of her abdomen and lower back open to the air. She had a sleeveless, matte black top that covered everything from her lower rib cage to her neck, but it was a pretty 'risque' outfit for someone whose mother taught them to dress modestly. Noticing Wu's gaze gravitated toward her navel, a nervous tension began to build in Tenten's body as she averted her eyes and asked, "How does it look? This kind of fashion is pretty popular these days..." Instead of responding to Tenten's question, Wu lowered his steely gaze from her faint abdominal muscles to the toned thighs protruding from her form-fitting brown shorts. The effort she had put into her training showed, so he decided to humor her, responding, "It certainly fits..." Returning her gaze to Wu, Tenten flatly inquired, "Is that what passes for a compliment in that monkey brain of yours...?" As Tenten currently had her hair down, still damp and extending all the way to the small of her back, Wu couldn't retort by calling her a dango-head. Instead, he replied, "It is. If you were fat, it would fit 'too well.' If you were too skinny, it would be 'kind of loose.' As you are now...it's just right..." Though Wu's words were more than a little unorthodox, Tenten found herself swallowing hard. Wu was the only boy, well, excluding her idiot Sensei and teammate, who frequently complimented her. He could be 'really' annoying at times, but his words had a way of making her feel like an ordinary girl, not some weapon-obsessed freak... Making her way over to the bed, Tenten sat down next to Wu, the weight of her body distorting the mattress and causing their bodies to touch a lot more than she intended. Despite this, she didn't attempt to move over and create some distance between them. Instead, she leaned a little closer, a knot forming in her throat as she softly inquired, "Hey, Wu-kun...have you ever kissed anyone?" Seemingly oblivious to the tensions present within the room, Wu surprised Tenten by nodding his head and revealing, "Three people, technically four. But the last one just kissed me on the cheek, so I'm not sure that counts." With her right eye twitching slightly, Tenten adopted a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes as she uttered, "Don't tell me it was those girls that kept going over to your place to train..." Since she asked him not to tell her, Wu remained absolutely silent. If she had pried just a little deeper, she would have learned that the kissing took place due to a treacherous pastime known as the King's Game. Wu, Kaia, and Hinata hadn't known the rules, so they got baited into playing by Ino and her accomplice, Sakura. The game began innocuously, but it wasn't long before things developed in a dangerous direction, the result of young minds acquiring forbidden knowledge and going through puberty... Exhaling a sigh, Tenten was about to turn and move away from Wu when he surprised her a second time, asking, "You don't want to...?" in a curious, almost innocent-sounding tone. When she turned back, she found him gazing directly at her with his almost luminous golden eyes, unblinking as if he was expecting something. After inhaling a deep breath, Tenten exhaled another sigh, admitting, "I do. It's just...I kind of wanted it to mean something, you know...? I might not be girly, but I expected to 'trade' firsts with the boy I liked..." Instead of trying to pressure her, Wu surprised Tenten a third time by replying, "I get that. It is a shame, though...of the girls I've kissed, you're the only one I ever seriously considered doing it with. The rest just kind of happened..." Though his words sounded like lip service, Wu was speaking truthfully. If his 'pride' hadn't been on the line, he wouldn't have kissed any of the girls he was training. The person that had kissed his cheek had also done so of her own accord, so this would have been Wu's first 'intentional' kiss...even if it was just to cover his bases. After hesitating for several seconds, Tenten released a frustrated groan and grabbed the hair at the sides of her head. This wasn't going anything like what she imagined in the shower, but she also really wanted to give it a try...! Looking at Wu, Tenten's expression became uncharacteristically serious as she asked, "Do you like me?" Instead of responding with words, Wu nodded while holding Tenten's intense gaze. He felt like she was trying to see through him, but without some kind of Dojutsu, that was impossible. His persona had been refined over four years of careful interaction. At this point, he doubted even the old man could deduce his actual intentions. After clenching her jaw several times, Tenten abruptly shouted, "I like you too!" as if it were some kind of battle cry. Her face immediately went red, but she continued to 'glare' at him as she said, "If you're serious...let's be boyfriend and girlfriend from now on. You're the only boy I've ever liked, and you've been a good friend these past few years. I think we can make things work if we continue to support each other..." Narrowing his eyes, Wu's expression appeared to soften as he asserted, "That's one of the things I like about you, Tenten...you're a very sensible and earnest person. I'm happy I was able to meet you..." Since Tenten had already started to lean closer to him, Wu mirrored her actions until their lips eventually overlapped. Things remained that way for several seconds, almost as if time had frozen. However, that was as far as they went as Tenten pulled away, her hazel-brown eyes swimming around in their sockets as she turned away and meekly muttered, "Then I guess it's official...glad to have you?" Exhaling a soft chuckle, Wu surprised Tenten with a chaste peck on her cheek before replying, "Let's continue doing our best..." in a smoldering tone. For a brief moment, he nearly reached out to touch her abdomen, but, feeling it was a little too soon, he compromised by grabbing her hand and giving it a gentle squeeze. He frankly wasn't sure if he had made the right decision by choosing Tenten as his potential life partner, but that's one of the more important lessons Wu learned these past few years. At times, life just kind of happened... Spurred by Wu's words and actions, Tenten closed her eyes and leaned in for another kiss. She also had absolutely no idea what she was doing, but she couldn't deny the feeling of longing in her heart and the butterflies in her abdomen... ... .. . With his preparations complete, Wu, garbed in an outfit that could give Naruto a run for his money with how 'loud' it was, turned to Hiruzen and asked, "Are you sure about this? If I discover that the outside world is more interesting, I might not return..." Exhaling a light chuckle, Hiruzen surprised Wu by replying, "That's fine. Though I imagine the young Higurashi girl will be disappointed, I believe that, even if you were to go 'rogue,' you would never go out of your way to harm the village. Take care on your travels, Wu-kun. And remember, even if you venture to lands far beyond, Konoha and Jigokudani will always be your home." Clicking his tongue, Wu turned away from Hiruzen and muttered, "Damn you, old man..." before taking off at a blinding speed and vanishing into the nearby treeline. However, despite his efforts to suppress it, Hiruzen caught the smile that had briefly graced Wu's face before he took off like a yellow bolt of lightning. Wu might never openly admit it, but Konoha had become a home to him...at the very least, it was a place he could return to if shit hit the fan... ... .. . Though the continent comprising the Shinobi World was colloquially known as the Elemental or 'Five Nations,' there were actually a total of nine prominent countries and thirty-eight minor ones. However, except the Lands of Earth, Fire, Lightning, Water, and Wind, the borders of the other nations were constantly shifting as various minor countries were either created or destroyed. With Hiruzen giving him the option to choose where he traveled first, Wu stopped at a random crossroads before pulling an ornate, 180cm long bo staff from his Storage Pouch. The moment he did so, his feet sank nearly a full centimeter into the dirt as, despite how thin it appeared, the staff in Wu's hands weighed approximately 8,000kg. Its base resembled stained redwood with accents of gold near each end, yet, despite the best efforts of Konoha's R&amp;D Department, they couldn't even take a sample from it. As far as they were concerned, the staff that had split apart the stone statue that Wu apparently 'popped' out of was utterly indestructible. Placing the staff on one of its ends, Wu released his hand and allowed it to fall freely. It embedded itself into the ground upon contact, but he was able to call it back to himself by simply extending his hand. Thus, with the end of the staff leaning toward the North, Wu decided that his first target would be a recently established village known as Otogakure, the Village Hidden in Sound. They would be participating in this year's Chunin Exams, so Hiruzen had requested that he investigate them if his path happened to take him North. With his destination set, Wu took a moment to observe his surroundings before grinning like a demon from Hell as he reached into the 'bottom' of his Storage Pouch and produced a pair of stylish, red, and golden greaves that perfectly conformed to the shape of his forelegs. He had to remove his sandals, but the moment he did so, Wu felt a 'breeze' against his soles before leaping high into the sky. Then, the moment he reached the peak of his jump, pale golden clouds formed beneath his feet, allowing him to continue bounding through the sky at virtually no expense. And boy, did it feel great... ... .. .

Though it would ordinarily take around 3-4 days to travel from Konoha to the Land of Sound, traveling at a modest pace, Wu managed to reach the borders in just under two and a half hours. Before having its name changed, the region Wu was venturing into was known as the Land of Rice Paddies. As such, rice fields, lush greenery, and small mountains dotted the landscape, stretching to the horizon. Perching himself atop one of the taller mountains in the region, Wu took a moment to appreciate the splendor of the Land of Sound. It was quite the sight to behold, and, thanks to his rather unique set of eyes, he could see upwards of ten kilometers. Further, if he really strained himself. Since only the Five Great Shinobi Nations had endured long enough to have their locations become fairly common knowledge, Wu had no idea where Otogakure was. He could try tracking down the Sound Daimyo or one of his officials, but that probably wasn't the brightest idea. Instead, he pulled out a few strands of his hair, whispering, "Go, my children..." as dozens of identical copies of himself appeared, spreading out through the region. Unlike the Clone Jutsu taught at the Academy, which produced no sound and had no physical form, Wu's 'Hair Clone Jutsu' created real, tangible copies of himself. The only downsides were that they only lasted an hour and that he was limited by the number of hairs on his head. They also couldn't recover Chakra, so while they shared Wu's strength, speed, and even his equipment, they would burn themselves out fairly quickly in a direct encounter with enemy Shinobi. Of course, with more than 100,000 hairs on his head, even if he limited his clones to using Taijutsu, Wu could potentially wipe out an unprepared village before they expired. One of the many reasons Hiruzen trusted him to venture into enemy territory. With each of his clones dispersing an hour later, a wave of purely visual information came rushing into Wu's mind. However, as none of his clones had dispelled themselves prematurely, he didn't bother perusing through it as they would have done so if they found anything interesting. After all, Wu didn't play second fiddle to anyone, not even himself. Since his first initial had failed, Wu rose to his feet and began making his way toward the coast a few hundred kilometers to the North. The Land of Sound was bordered by the Lands of Fire, Hot Water, and one of the most dangerous regions of the Continent, a peninsula colloquially known as the Land of No Return. This limited their options when it came to trade, so Wu deduced that the best places to gather information would be the nation's capital and the ports along the coast. However, the former was a little too high profile, so Wu decided upon the more discreet option. At least, that was his intent... Shortly after Wu began his leisurely stroll, a volley of pale green, Chakra-infused arrows attempted to knock him out of the sky. He caught the one that would have hit his eye but allowed the rest to crash against his body, shattering on impact. "Hooo~? It hasn't been but a few hours since I left the village. I wasn't expecting someone to volunteer as my first victim..." Charging toward the group of stunned archers, a rare profession in the World of Shinobi, Wu's body traced a golden trail through the sky. When he impacted the ground between him, a faint ripple spread out from his feet before an area roughly 50m in diameter 'erupted' into a pillar of dust and stone debris extending as far as 300m above the treeline. Though his attack would fodder a group of Genin, Wu could tell by the Chakra contained within the arrows that his would-be opponents weren't completely inept. Of the six, only one was seriously injured, while the rest escaped with minor injuries or protected themselves with a barrier. Seeing the pyramid-shaped barrier protecting three of his attackers, Wu's brows raised as he remarked, "That's a neat little trick." Staring back at Wu, the presumed leader of the group, was a tall man with bronzed skin, sharp black eyes, and long black hair that extended past his lower back. He had a red bandana covering his forehead that had feathers protruding from the sides, and his attire consisted of a skin-tight blue top that seemed designed to specifically show off his muscles, black pants, a red waist cloth, and a series of belts containing numerous tools, including a large, machete-sized knife. The rest of his companions wore attire more suitable to a Shinobi, the only exception being the female member of the group, a purple-haired woman wearing a black tube-top, a camo skirt, and fishnet stockings. Realizing they may have just provoked a wayward dragon, the long-haired man placed his rather sizeable longbow on the ground and declared, "We surrender..." in a somber, gravelly tone. With his right hand supporting the staff on his shoulder, Wu waggled his left index finger, responding with a taunting, "Ah, ah, ah. You don't get to attack someone unprovoked and then get to surrender just because you realize how fucked you are. Unless you provide me with the information I require, don't expect to be walking away from this fateful encounter with a pep in your step." Swallowing hard, the raven-haired man suppressed the urge to order his allies to attack, asking, "What do you want to know?" with a fair amount of trepidation. Narrowing his eyes in amusement, Wu remarked, "Smart. Unfortunately, I'm not a fucking idiot..." Noticing the almost imperceptibly thin threads extending from the fingers of one of his attackers, Wu's figure briefly disappeared from view before a loud crashing sound, accompanied by the thunderous splintering of wood, echoed through the area. By the time the remaining members reacted, Wu was perched where their former comrade once stood, the latter nowhere to be seen. However, based on the trail of destruction extending into the nearby forest, it was easy to imagine what had transpired... Assuming her comrade had been killed, the purple-haired woman's eyes went red as she screamed, "You bastard! You killed Jango...!" Before the black-haired leader of the group could even think to stop her from attacking, the purple-haired woman manipulated what appeared to be a swarm of Teru Teru Bozu, ghost-like dolls that were typically used by farmers to ward off bad weather. They were incredibly swift, even faster than thrown shuriken, but Wu just swung his staff in a relaxed manner, creating a fierce wind that tore apart both the Teru Teru Bozu and strings. Since the woman had made the mistake of attacking him, Wu surprised both her and the rest of the group by leaning forward slightly and glaring. His previously golden eyes immediately gained a fiery red hue as narrow, laser-like beams of intense light shot from his pupils. Though the beam only persisted for a moment, Wu only needed to turn his head slightly to cut through the woman's legs and the ground behind her. The heat produced by his eyes was enough to melt through a B-Rank Earth Jutsu in less than five seconds, so the average human had no hope of resisting the nigh-instantaneous attack. As the ear-piercing scream of their companion echoed through the area, the rest of the group was left with 'no choice' but to attack. In reality, Wu would have only given them a 'light' beating if they surrendered, but only he knew that. As far as the group of vagrant Shinobi was concerned, Wu was a ruthless, seemingly indestructible monster... Catching the leader of the group's machete with his bare hand, Wu gave it a light squeeze, shattering it like glass. Then, as another man released an arrow at him from behind, his body abruptly vanished, resulting in not-so-friendly fire. Luckily, the man didn't have to lament shooting his leader in the abdomen as his head was promptly snapped backward, the opposite direction his body was facing. Unbothered by the fear in the man's eyes, Wu maintained a toothy grin as he said, "Well, hello there." in a teasing tone. Unfortunately, the man was unable to return his greeting as his body slumped forward, the light fading from his eyes. Clicking his tongue, Wu remarked, "Rude..." while simultaneously catching a javelin-sized arrow fired at him by the youngest member of the group, a boy with similar features to the presumed leader. With panic in his eyes, the raven-haired man shouted, "No, Kotaru! Run away...!" as he extended his hand to generate a pale green, pyramid-like barrier around Wu's body. It attempted to crush him by rapidly shrinking in size, but Wu shattered it with a swing of his staff before immediately vanishing. When he next appeared, he was standing right in front of the startled 'Kotaru,' a friendly smile on his face as he asked, "How old are you?" Ostensibly traumatized and fearful for his life, the youthful-looking boy shook like a wet dog in winter as he replied, "F-Fifteen..." "Hmmm..." As the drinking age in Konoha was twenty, something Wu found fairly ridiculous, considering Shinobi were legally considered adults and tasked with killing people, he elected to regard the quivering Kotaru as a child. Thus, instead of smashing the boy's head in, Wu placed his hand on Kotaru's shoulder and said, "Then let's end things here. Give me the info I require, and I'll leave you and your daddy alone. Scouts honor." With his father bleeding out and exhausted nearby, Kotaru swallowed the sizeable knot that had formed in his throat, asking, "W-What do you want to know?" Narrowing his eyes and smiling from ear to ear, Wu said, "I was asked to deliver a message to Otogakure, but for the life of me, I can't seem to find the damned place. Be a champ and point me in the right direction?" Catching Wu a little by surprise, Kotaru 'did' actually know the location of Oto, his voice trembling as he provided fairly detailed directions. This put Wu in a pretty good mood, so instead of shattering the boy's kneecaps and mending them just enough that he would be walking with a limp for the rest of his life, Wu gave him an ointment to put on his father's wounds, wished him the best, and bounded back into the sky... ... .. . Located near the base of a massive tree, the entrance to Otogakure, or, more accurate, the entrance to their headquarters in the Land of Sound, resembled the opening of a storehouse used to preserve rice. If not for the fact it was located deep in the heart of a forest infested with fierce Chakra beasts, animals that had been mutated into monsters, Wu would have thought he was in the wrong location. Voicing his thoughts aloud, Wu questioned, "What kind of Hidden Village is this? Even if it expands underground, it's a single fucking compound..." Though his only experience with Hidden Villages was Konoha, Wu had reviewed the information Hiruzen had on the other villages. In exchange for allowing the R&amp;D Department to analyze his various skills and abilities, he had been given limited access to Hirzuen's private library, containing a plethora of information that was 'supposed' to be for the Hokage's eyes only. With his photographic memory and ostensibly perfect recall, Wu had a decent understanding of how Hidden Villages were supposed to be laid out. They were military fortifications meant to fend off enemy attacks, so finding an underground bunker, Wu got the impression he had stumbled across someone's secret hideout rather than a proper village... ... .. .

Following the introductions, Hiruzen's expression became marginally more serious as he said, "Now, as for your duties as Genin of the Leaf. It should be quite obvious, but I'm long past my prime as the God of Shinobi. There is also the matter of my responsibilities as Hokage, so I don't have time to accompany you for training or oversee your missions outside the village..." Though Wu and Kaia listened patiently, Kazuo couldn't help asking, "Then how will we improve? H-How will we advance to Jonin...?" Unbothered by the interruption, Hiruzen waited for Kazuo to finish before explaining, "The three of you have been given a rather unique opportunity. Instead of requiring you to undergo various evaluations to determine your capabilities, I am allowing you to pick and choose which organizational branch of the Shinobi Forces you would like to become a member of. Be it the Medical Squadron, the Aviculture Department, the Survey Corps, the Cryptoanalysis Team, or even the ANBU Black Ops. If you think you have what it takes, I will arrange for you to receive specialized training in your chosen field..." Shifting his gaze to Kaia, Hiruzen added, "Or, if you would prefer, you can focus on the duties assigned to you by your Clan. Just keep in mind that our Team will meet at the end of each month so that I may evaluate your progress. If your results are satisfactory, I will teach you any Jutsu in my repertoire, starting from the lower ranks and working your way up." Hearing that she would be able to remain in your Clan and focus on her studies as a Kennel Master, Kaia's smile threatened to tear the muscles of her face. She had improved considerably over the past four years, but she knew better than anyone that she would only get in Wu's way. His senses were better than hers, and everything from his speed, power, and intellect were in a league of their own. Thus, even though she really liked spending time with him, Kaia was relieved to hear she wouldn't be holding Wu back. If he came to hate or resent her because of her ineptitude, she wouldn't know what to do... Contrasting Kaia's glee, Kazuo's expression was one of shock, confusion, and a trace of fear. The part about being able to join any department he wanted was incredible news. However, if they were to be evaluated at the end of each month, he knew he wouldn't be able to compare to a monster like Wu. Even if he lost 60kgs and tried his absolute best, he would always be in the shadow of his two 'team' members... As if seeing through Kazuo's thoughts, Hiruzen's expression softened as he said, "Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses. Being the best at something isn't as important as 'doing' your best. So long as they make an effort, anyone can become a great Shinobi. To that end, the three of you have my full support." Feeling marginally less anxious, Kazuo nodded his head and replied, "I'll do my best..." in an uncharacteristically meek tone. He had no idea which department he wanted to enter, but having the Hokage's backing would make it much easier to achieve his dream. If he could accomplish that, he wouldn't care even if Wu became the next Hokage... ... .. . With Hiruzen giving them a week to make their decisions, Kaia and Kazuo returned to their homes while Wu joined the elderly man in his study. The moment they entered, Hiruzen immediately removed his hat, an indicator that everything they discussed would be kept between them. As Wu sat across from him, Hiruzen's silvery-grey eyes glimmered with a hint of expectation. It was a little vain of him, but he saw much of himself and a hint of the Second Hokage within his grandson. He still wasn't sure what the future held, but he believed Wu would be the Keeper of the Will of Fire moving forward... After making himself comfortable, Wu initiated the conversation, stating, "I've graduated. According to you, this was when my 'official' training was supposed to begin. So tell me, Jiji, what 'mischief' have you prepared for me this time?" Exhaling a light chuckle, Hiruzen took a moment to caress his thinning but still-pointy beard before revealing, "The next Chunin Exams are scheduled to take place in Konoha, officially beginning on June 6th. I intended you to make your debut there, but there have been stirrings along the borders as of late. Your...abilities make you especially suited to slipping in and out of places undetected. As such, I intend to employ you to Kumo and possibly Suuna on a special, off-the-books assignment..." As his interest in the other villages had increased considerably over the past few years, Wu's usually golden eyes gained a fiery hue as he said, "Now you're speaking my language. Let me guess, you want me to gather information on the teams participating in the Chunin Exams? Maybe mess up a few of their missions to undermine the trust between the villages and their respective Daimyo...?" Unable to contain himself, Hiruzen burst out laughing. He could easily imagine Wu running rampant in other countries, and because he didn't care about money, the village wouldn't have to fork over a small fortune to incentivize him. Hiruzen just needed to give Wu a bit of freedom, and the Kage of enemy villages were bound to shed tears or cough blood. After regaining his composure, Hiruzen met Wu's gaze, a sly smile on his face as he said, "So long as you don't violate the tenets of any treaties, I'll leave it to you to decide how to operate. After all, this is an off-the-books mission. Unless you uncover something that jeopardizes the village and its people, you don't need to send back a report. Just be sure to return at the end of each month for a debriefing. Understood...?" Punching his right fist into his left palm, a massive grin developed across Wu's face as he said, "Leave it to me, Jiji. I'll cause so much havoc those alphabetical apes won't even be able to imagine plotting against us. Just one last thing before I go..." Though he didn't plan to let Wu leave immediately, Hiruzen nodded his head, prompting the boy to ask, "Since it's off-the-books, I won't be able to collect bounties using the Bingo Book, right? So my question to you is: if I encounter an enemy Shinobi, should I beat them half to death or fully to death...?" Adopting a markedly wrier smile, Hiruzen paused to consider his response before eventually answering, "I'll leave it to your discretion. Just don't get carried away or go on a killing spree. If a village feels as though it's being backed into a corner, it may start a war out of desperation. I'll issue you a Bingo Book, but feel free to spare anyone that isn't listed as 'Kill on Sight.' If they have a designation like that, it means they have committed a grave sin against the village and its people. If the opportunity presents itself, do not hesitate to kill them..." Nodding his head in understanding, Wu's expression emulated Hiruzen's severity as he asked, "The First Hokage's dream, right? Don't worry, even I would feel guilty about killing children. Unless my hand is forced, I'll just break their arms and legs before healing them just enough to hobble their way home. As for those KOS assholes? Unless I shout out the name of my techniques, those bastards won't even know what hit them." Having witnessed Wu's capabilities firsthand, Hiruzen had no doubt the boy could pull what he described off. Wu had, for reasons they still didn't fully understand, struggled with conventional Ninjutsu. He was able to do all the things an ordinary Shinobi could do, but the methods he employed were unique to Wu. He had also developed techniques that defied reason, so Hiruzen had great expectations for the boy's future. As that thought crossed his mind, Hiruzen briefly lamented that things hadn't worked out between Wu and Hinata. They had yet to annul the marriage contract formally, but neither had they signed the certificate. Fortunately, while Wu didn't seem to have an interest in Hinata, there was still hope in the form of Kaia and the girl from Team 9, Tenten. And, who knows? Maybe Wu will have a fateful encounter during his journey to the West... ... .. . With Hiruzen asking him to delay his departure for a few days, Wu decided to meet up with Tenten. The latter had promised to treat him to a meal once he had graduated, so he hopped, skipped, and jumped over to the Higurashi Tool Shop. The roofs of buildings had been off-limits to him as a student, but now that he had graduated, it was like the whole world had opened up to him. Landing in Tenten's backyard, an area with stacks upon stacks of kindling and several mineral storages, Wu briefly looked around before walking up and knocking on the back door. The sounds of movement on the opposite side of the door indicated that it wasn't Tenten's mother coming to check things out, so Wu formed a Half-Ram Seal and 'disappeared.' At least, that was how things appeared. In reality, he had shrunk down to the size of an ant, slipping into the house the moment Tenten opened the door. Seeing the empty backyard, Tenten immediately became alert, pressing her back to the nearest wall as she threatened, "I swear, Wu-kun. If you jump out and try to startle me, I'm eating all of Kaa-chan's homemade ice cream..." With a 'defeated' expression on his face, Wu slowly increased to his full size, remarking, "You used to be funner...what happened?" Blushing fiercely, Tenten exclaimed, "You know darn well what happened, you perverted monkey! I let you into my room, and you went through my drawers while I was taking a bath...!" Hardening his expression, Wu defended himself by saying, "You called my name and told me to bring you some clothes. You should have been more specific. Besides, what's the big deal? Bears are-" Before Wu could finish speaking, Tenten hammered him in the face with a punch. She told him never to speak of the 'secrets' he had uncovered that day, so even though she understood it was pointless, she at least tried to punish him. As his Size Alteration Jutsu was still active, Wu shrunk down, evading Tenten's punch and adding insult to injury by slipping between her legs. He didn't touch anything, but the ruddy expression on her face became even more prominent as she covered her front and back, shouting, "You little rascal...!" Growing tall enough that he had to hunch over to avoid hitting his head against the ceiling, Wu stared down at Tenten, teasing, "Now I'm a big rascal..." With a hand that was nearly the size of Tenten's torso, Wu made as if to grab her before stopping as the dango-haired girl stood her ground and stared back at him with a defiant expression, hands on her hips. Clicking his tongue, Wu returned to his normal size, surprising the petite and athletic girl by scratching the back of his head and revealing, "I'm going to be away from the village for a while. If I took things a little too far, it's your fault for threatening my ice cream..." Ignoring the part about the ice cream, Tenten's expression softened into one of concern as she asked, "Are you returning to Jigokudani? It can't be a mission, can it? I know you're capable, but newly-promoted Genin must complete D and C-Rank Missions around the village before receiving any long-term assignments..." Adopting one of his characteristically toothy smiles, Wu remarked, "I told you before, didn't I? I'm just built differently. Besides, instead of a normal Jonin Sensei, I got saddled with the old man. This was his idea, so I'll be away for a while, undergoing training." Though she was a little surprised to hear that Wu's Jonin Sensei was the Hokage, Tenten set aside her other questions and asked, "How soon will you be leaving?" Making a so-so gesture with his left hand, Wu replied, "Three to five days, depending on how long the preparations take." As another question popped into her mind, Tenten blinked a few times before asking, "And you decided to come here first...?" Shifting his gaze from Tenten to the fridge, Wu's expression appeared to express longing as he responded, "I had to..." Completely misinterpreting Wu's words, a ruddy hue returned to Tenten's face as she lowered her head and linked her hands behind her back. A lot had changed since her initial encounter with Wu, and while it had taken her a while to figure it out, she eventually realized that her parents were attempting to set them up. She still believed it was a little early, but now that Wu had graduated from the Academy...it wouldn't be too weird if they started dating, right? ... .. .

Chapter 25: I, Your Father, am Liberated