I, Your Father, Carry a Big Stick

Though she knew about Wu's frequent visits to Jigokudani, hearing him claim that he had 'popped' out of a thousand-year-old statue, alongside many other outlandish claims, left Tenten feeling lost and confused. She believed he was telling the truth, largely because he had allowed her and her father to examine some of the items in his Storage Pouch, but it was just so...unbelievable. Wrapping things up, Wu claimed, "So, yeah...ever since the Third adopted me, I've been doing my best to fit into human society. I am human, mind you. I have the medical records to prove it. I'm just something...more. The old man seems to believe I'm the flagbearer for the next era, so he's been doing his damnedest to keep me linked to the village. The rest is history in the making..." After waiting several seconds to see if Wu had anything else to say, the most exasperated sigh of her life escaped Tenten's mouth and throat. She had always known Wu was different; pretty much everyone did. Now that she knew just 'how' different, she couldn't help wondering if she was even worthy of him... "Hey..." Grabbing Tenten's hands, Wu's expression and gaze were serious as he said, "I chose you, and you accepted me...remember that..." Regaining a faint smile, Tenten joked, "You're right...I'm just worried that our kids might end up as half-monkeys..." Understanding what Tenten was trying to convey, Wu's eyes narrowed, a fiery red hue spreading from his pupils. However, before he could reply, Tenten adopted a severe face of her own and said, "Thirteen is a little too young to be a mother...I still want to focus on my career as a Kunoichi, at least for the time being..." Instead of pressing the issue, Wu nodded slightly and replied, "I'm not exactly in a hurry to be a father. As for the matter of me becoming a Clan Head, I'll keep you posted..." Squeezing Wu's hand, Tenten 'glowered' as she said, "You better..." in a low, threatening tone. She had already forgiven Wu for keeping secrets from her. After all, he did have a pretty compelling reason. Now that the truth had come to light, however, she expected transparency from him moving forward... ... .. . With three days passing in the blink of an eye, Wu was preparing for his second trip outside the village when one of the servants showed up at his door to inform him, "Young Master Wu, Uzumaki Naruto is asking to be let into the Estate. Shall I show him to the greeting room...?" Though he was tempted to have the servant send Naruto away, Wu could already guess what the mustard-haired youth wanted. Thus, after a brief moment of consideration, he answered, "You have my permission. Tell him I'll be with him shortly." Despite there being a bamboo door separating them, the middle-aged housemaid gave a polite bow, responding, "As you will, Young Master." before quickly setting out to convey Wu's words. At this point, everyone affiliated with the Sarutobi Clan believed that Wu was being groomed as Hiruzen's successor. He might be an adoptive member of the Clan, but he had earned the respect of 'almost' everyone within... ... .. . Several minutes after he had sent the servant away, Wu was unsurprised to hear the sound of agitated footsteps, followed by Naruto sliding open his door and shouting, "Wu! We need to talk, you hear me!?" Maintaining a calm, borderline deadpan expression, Wu replied, "Even if you weren't shouting, I could still hear you just fine. Now, what has your panties in a twist?" Walking up to Wu, Naruto attempted to grab the shorter boy by the collar. His attempt was successful but was immediately followed by Wu closing his hand around his wrist, squeezing it like a vice as he kicked the feet out from under him. As Naruto lost his footing, Wu used the former's wrist and arm as leverage to pin the boy to the ground, his voice flat yet penetrating as he asserted, "Grabbing people by their collar isn't very polite. I showed a willingness to hear you out. Why are you being so aggressive?" Ignoring the pain in his shoulder, Naruto's usually blue eyes gained a faint red hue as he practically growled, "You know why! Stay away from Hinata, you bastard...!" Raising his brows, Wu feigned ignorance, questioning, "Why? The 'three' of us have been friends since we were children. In case you've forgotten, I'm the one that helped set the two of you up. Why should I stop meeting one of my good friends just because you're feeling insecure...?" "Damnit...!" Attempting to free himself from Wu's hold, Naruto's finger dug through the tatami mats of the floor and even the wood below. His Chakra also began to saturate the air around him, prompting Wu to mutter, "You used to be a good kid..." before releasing him. Bounding to his feet, Naruto turned to face Wu in the basic stance of the Academy, his chest heaving as the color of his eyes alternated between pale blue and murderous red. However, instead of attacking, he gradually eased out of his stance and asked, "What's that supposed to mean?" Shaking his head, Wu answered, "It doesn't matter, not if you're unwilling to improve yourself. I've already given you multiple chances, Naruto. I'm not some endless fountain of knowledge you can drink from whenever it suits you. It's time to grow up and start figuring things out for yourself..." Punctuating his words, Wu walked past Naruto, giving him one final clap on the shoulder before departing the room. He had helped Naruto out of a dire situation, played matchmaker between him and Hinata, and given him no less than seven chances to rectify his behavior. Since they had been in the Academy at the time, Wu didn't mind it as much. However, now that they had graduated, Wu had much better things to do than being the one to make up with his former friend... Seeing Wu walk away, a confused expression marred Naruto's face. This was far from the first time they had a 'disagreement,' so he was used to Wu sticking around to try and talk things out. More often than not, well, every single time, the conflict between them resulted from some kind of misunderstanding. He had expected Wu to give him the same 'assurance,' so Naruto didn't know how to react to one of his best and longest friends simply walking away from him... ... .. . Though he was tempted to depart the village immediately, Wu dropped into an alleyway a few blocks away from the Sarutobi Estate and waited. Less than a minute later, a familiar figure entered the alley beside him, her hair noticeably shorter than a few days prior, but her body concealed in a thick, excessively baggy hoodie. With an extremely apologetic expression, Hinata looked like she was on the verge of tears as she muttered, "Wu-kun..." Shaking his head, Wu said, "You don't need to apologize, Hinata. This is one-hundred-percent Naruto. Now, tell me...what's with the hoodie? I'm pretty sure I beat the lack of confidence out of you..." Hanging her head, Hinata remained silent for nearly a full minute before revealing, "After I cut my hair, Naruto-kun...he got really upset. When he discovered the reason was because we talked, he started saying...some very mean things..." Shaking his head a second time, Wu said, "You don't need to get into the details..." before narrowing his eyes and asking, "Did he hit you?" Raising her hands, Hinata waved them rapidly, simultaneously shaking her head as she loudly insisted, "Naruto-kun would never do that!" Then, in a far meeker tone, she divulged, "He just...he doesn't like it when other boys stare at me..." Exhaling a tired sigh, Wu felt compelled to say, "You're not his possession, Hinata. It would be best, for both of you, if you didn't change things about yourself to soothe his insecurities. I've said this before, but the more you appease and pander to him, the worse his behavior will get. You're not his mother, Hinata..." Hanging her head low, Hinata gave a slight nod, a heavy silence lingering between them as she couldn't bring herself to speak. Her instinct was to defend Naruto, touching on the point Wu was trying to make. Thus, even though she had many things she wanted to say, she remained silent and simply...endured. Shaking his head one final time, Wu's expression and tone softened as he said, "I can't live your life for you, Hinata...just try not to do anything you'll regret..." Punctuating his words, Wu ruffled the slightly shorter girl's head before retracting his hand and turning away. Then, because he knew she was about to ask, he added, "I'll be gone for around 2-3 months this time..." before following it with a faint, "Good luck..." Without waiting for Hinata's response, Wu appeared to vanish into thin air. The former's Byakugan immediately activated, but, as remarkable as her eyes were, tracking Wu when he didn't wish to be seen or followed was easier said than done. In fact, as his speed and capabilities increased, it was becoming nigh-impossible... Exhaling a sad sigh, Hinata turned away from the direction Wu had departed. However, instead of making her way to where she and Naruto had been spending time together before he stormed off, she decided to return home. Naruto wouldn't be happy about it, but as she continued to spurn his advances, there weren't a lot of instances where he was...not since he had started doing 'boring' and 'meaningless' D-Rank missions for people that once treated him worse than garbage... ... .. . After carefully considering his destination, Wu decided to make a quick stop over at Otogakure, just to 'touch base.' If the Otokage attempted to punish or imprison him for leaving without permission, he would just bust his way out and cut ties with the unorthodox hidden village. There was a chance this would result in her canceling the invasion of Konoha, but that wasn't exactly a bad thing. Upon reaching the entrance to the underground base, Wu ignored the hundreds of spiders staring at him, casually strolling into the interior with his hands in his pockets. Before he could get far inside, however, the floor beneath him turned to sand as the green-haired Kagero emerged, asking, "Where have you been...?" in her hunchbacked disguise. Raising his brows, Wu asked, "Didn't you read my note? I said I was going on a walk. I know you probably won't understand, considering you spend most of your time playing in the dirt, but spending weeks cooped up in an underground bunker isn't my idea of a good time." "..." Sinking back into the ground, Kagero muttered, "Otokage-sama will want to see you..." before quickly slinking away. Kimimaru had instructed them to attack if Wu dared to show his face again, but the memory of their first encounter was still fresh in her mind. If Kimimaru was determined to repel or punish Wu, he could put his own ass on the line... ... .. . "Welcome back, Dadi-sama. Did you enjoy your 'walk'...?" Exhibiting no indications of anger or condemnation, the Otokage had her usual smile as she welcomed Wu. In response, the latter adopted a smile of his own as he replied, "Not really. I hit up the Tanzaka Quarters in the Land of Fire, but there was nothing interesting going on. I think I'll head up to the Land of Lightning next. See if I can't bully some Kumo Shinobi." As Wu's words were actually the truth, the Otokage couldn't see through them even if she wanted to. He had stopped by Tanzaka Quarters, albeit only for a few minutes, and he absolutely intended to head to the Land of Lightning next. Perking her brows in apparent interest, the Otokage asked, "Do you have enmity with Kumo?" Shaking his head, Wu answered, "Nah, not really. I just find their names dumb and their actions questionable. I figure someone ought to put them in place, so it may as well be me. Why, did you need me for something...?" Pausing for a moment, the Otokage's smile broadened as she responded, "No. Just a passing curiosity. However, to avoid future misunderstandings, I would appreciate it if you notified me before abruptly departing. You are a precious ally...I'd hate to lose you." Adopting a wry smile, Wu pretended to be embarrassed as he pointed out, "Well, I told you this time...that ought to count for something, right?" Exhaling a raspy chuckle, the Otokage mused, "I suppose..." before rising from her snake-themed throne and adding, "Now, while we're on the subject of your journey to Kumo...might I suggest taking Tayuya-chan with you? She didn't take it well when she found out you had 'gone for a walk.' Here, take this key. You can find her in the prison ward, cell D-16." Catching the proferred key, Wu raised his brows and asked, "Did she go on a rampage or something?" Nodding her head, the Otokage affirmed, "The Cursed Seal of Heaven has the unfortunate side effect of making the recipient...unstable. Don't worry, she will have calmed down by now. We were just keeping her there for the safety of herself and others." Seemingly finished with what she had to say, the Otokage made her way past Wu. However, before departing the chamber completely, she took a moment to look back, adding, "Oh, you should probably speak with Guren before you leave. Her reaction wasn't nearly as extreme as Tayuya-chan's, but she has been in a depressive state since your departure. I'm sure she would appreciate it if you stopped by to give her an explanation..." Truly finished this time, the Otokage turned away, departing the room as Wu spun the key around on the tip of his finger and mused, "It seems I'm quite popular~" in a voice he was sure the five-headed woman could hear. ... .. .

Ignoring the prisoners that pleaded for his aid, Wu made his way to one of the more secure cells within the underground prison, a padded room with a massive vault door for an entrance. There, he found Tayuya in the second stage of her transformation, head hanging low and body bound in a belted straight jacked covered in multiple sealing talismans. Similar tags covered her eyes like bandages, but she managed to detect his presence, raising her head to growl, "You..." in an angry yet audibly fatigued tone. Though she couldn't see him, Wu wriggled his brows and replied, "Yes, it is I. Your beloved Dadi-sama has returned...!" Jerking at her restraints, Tayuya attempted to lunge forward, shouting, "I'll fucking kill you, you traitorous piece of shit...!" Exhibiting no fear or concern, Wu twirled the key to Tayuya's cell around his finger as he playfully remarked, "I'm starting to have second thoughts about letting you..." "Huh...why would you...?" Since it would save him the trouble of a lengthy explanation, Wu replied, "Otokage-sama gave me the key. Oh, and, by the way, you'll be coming with me on my next excursion. How are you with high places...?" "..." As her mind struggled to comprehend what was going on, Tayuya fell silent and just 'stared' at the entrance to her cell. She couldn't imagine 'anyone' being able to defeat the Otokage, and the cell door was rigged to explode if anyone tried to open it forcefully. If Wu was truly here to let her out, he must have been handed the key. Confirming Tayuya's suspicions, Wu inserted the key into the door, a loud hissing sound echoing through the prison as a series of pressure valves were released. A few seconds later, she could feel a slight warmth coming from in front of her, the result of Wu bringing his face closer to inspect the seals covering her eyes. "Doesn't look like they'll explode..." Without waiting for Tayuya's confirmation, Wu removed the bandage-like seal to find the zesty watermelon glowering at him with her golden eyes. "Did you miss me?" Jerking her head sideways, Tayuya tried and failed to stab Wu with the tip of her pointed horns. The latter's hand moved so quickly she hadn't even been able to see it, grabbing her horn and arresting her momentum just as it pricked his skin. Catching Tayuya by surprise, Wu remarked, "That's one of the things I like about you, Tayuya. You have such...ferocity..." Excluding the part about how her actions gave him the inexplicable urge to try and 'tame' her, Wu released his vice-like grip on Tayuya's horn and began undoing the belts restraining her. As he did so, Tayuya just stared at him with a fierce yet confused look on her face. Despite her attitude making her seem much older, Tayuya was actually the youngest of the girls arranged by the Otokage. Kagero was easily the most diminutive among the group, but she would be turning seventeen in less than three months. As for Tayuya, she had recently turned fourteen, a testament to how ridiculous the Uzumaki legacy was. She was barely a few months older than Tenten, but her Chakra reserves exceeded most of the Jonin Wu had encountered. Finished with the bindings, Wu adopted one of his cheekier smiles and said, "Feel free to thank me." in a teasing tone. Snorting through her nose, Tayuya wiggled out of her full-body straight jacket to reveal she was wearing spats and a sleeveless black crop top underneath. She was nearly as flat as Sakura, but her earthy brown skin gave her an appeal that other girls lacked. Noticing Wu's gaze, Tayuya frowned, asking, "What are you looking at, brat? Want me to tear those eyes from your stupidly smug face?" Irking the aggressive strawberry quite a bit, Wu replied, "You're welcome to try. Just keep in mind that I can also be quite 'fierce.' Just ask Kagero's ass." "..." As she was well aware of the misfortune that Kagero had suffered, much of the ferocity drained from Tayuya's face as she placed her hands on her hips, undaunted by Wu's gaze as she questioned, "So, what's this about an 'excursion?' Did Otokage-sama give us a mission...?" "Something like that," replied Wu. Then, as it was clear Tayuya required an actual explanation, he casually appended, "I told her I would be heading to the Land of Lightning for some fun. She suggested I take you with me, so it looks like you'll be keeping tabs on me to make sure I'm not a traitor. Just try not to watch me too closely, okay? I'm not shy, but I'd feel bad if you were traumatized before our first night together..." Though it was a bit of an exaggeration, Wu indicated his endowment by holding his hands up and spreading them fairly wide. Tayuya immediately understood what he was referring to, but her expression didn't change in the slightest. Instead, she just crossed her arms and asked, "When are we leaving?" Giving the dauntless tomato one final look, Wu turned away, answering, "I don't mind, but I would assume sometime after you collect your flute and get dressed. In the meantime, I'm gonna go say hi to Guren. The Otokage asked me to check in with her before we depart." Snorting through her nose, Tayuya was half-tempted to accompany Wu as she was. However, while she had long-since grown resistant to the gazes of others, traveling to the Land of Lightning in her undergarments wasn't a bright idea. The closer you got to the center of the region, the thinner the air and the lower the temperature. There was a reason Kumo was referred to as the Village Hidden in the Clouds... ... .. . While Tayuya went off to prepare winter clothing, Wu meandered through the halls of the underground compound, stopping just short of his actual destination as Guren was already outside, presumably waiting for him. When their gazes met, neither said anything for several seconds until Wu abruptly raised his hand and offered a friendly, "Yo!" Exhaling a sigh, Guren moved away from the wall she had been leaning against, approaching Wu with a stern expression as she said, "Don't just up and leave like that in the future...some of us were worried about you." Adopting an ostensibly apologetic smile, Wu replied, "Yeah, I already got chewed out by Kagero, and the Otokage didn't seem particularly pleased by my actions. Guess I'm just too used to doing whatever I want. Sorry if I upset or concerned you." Though her expression said otherwise, Guren shook her head and said, "It's okay...the most important thing is that you came back. Just make sure you inform Otokage-sama before leaving in the future, okay? That way, if you end up being captured by the enemy, we might actually be able to come and rescue you..." As he could tell Guren was being sincere, Wu adopted one of his more sincere smiles, his voice softening as he replied, "Thanks, Guren...you're a good friend. And you'll be pleased to know that I 'did' inform the Otokage this time. She's permitting Tayuya and me to go to the Land of Lightning for some fun and recreation." Nodding her head, Guren revealed, "Yes, I have been made aware. Just don't cause too much trouble, okay? You're remarkably powerful, Dadi-kun. Everyone here is aware of it. However, you're also cheeky and more than a little overconfident. Be safe during your travels, and try not to bully Tayuya..." Catching Wu a little off guard, Guren wrapped her arms around him and gave him a firm hug. Her ability to crystalize things at the molecular level made it difficult for her to approach others, but Wu accepted the embrace with a smile, reciprocating it with a bit of 'spice.' "Ah...!?" Feeling Wu pinch her butt, Guren's back became ramrod straight, a ruddy hue coloring her cheeks. She nearly smacked the shorter boy across the face but stopped when she found him smiling at her with narrowed eyes and a faint smile as he pulled her closer. She had made it pretty clear that they couldn't be together, but until she explained the 'reason,' Wu feigned obliviousness. Despite the drastic disparity in their ages, Guren found herself cowed by Wu's behavior, her ruddy complexion deepening as she averted her eyes and muttered, "We can't..." Though he had no intention of taking things that far, Wu narrowed his eyes further and mused, "I highly doubt Otokage-sama would disapprove. Knowing her, she would probably want to watch, document the event, and collect samples..." As there was a 'considerable' amount of truth to Wu's words, the blush on Guren's face spread to her ears. It didn't help that Wu was massaging her bottom, his hands powerful and firm despite their small size. Then, taking advantage of the disparity in their heights, Wu leaned forward and buried his face into her breast, shamelessly inhaling her scent. Feeling panicked, Guren forcibly extricated herself from Wu's clutches, the blush on her face now a deep crimson as she turned away, practically shouting, "Good luck on your travels...!" before retreating into the relative safety of her room. She had been with Oto since she was a young girl, so, despite being in her mid-twenties, she had no real experience with men. Wu didn't quite fit into that category, but his actions made him seem a hell of a lot more mature than his appearance suggested... ... .. . Assuming Tayuya would take a while to get prepared, as most girls did, Wu spent some time checking in with some of the girls the Otokage had 'prepared' for him. He didn't visit all of them, but he made sure to say hi to the girl from the Yuki Clan before teasing Kagero a bit near the entrance. Excluding Guren and Tayuya, the two of them had the most 'value' among the girls stationed in the underground bunker. If he could convince them to expatriate and emigrate to Konoha, it would strengthen his position in the future. With Tayuya showing up nearly a full hour after he had started picking on Kagero, Wu couldn't help remarking, "You sure took your sweet time." Having discarded her usual clothes for a more practical outfit, consisting of black trousers and a beige, fur-lined parka that was currently unzipped, showing off her tube top and exposed midriff, Tayuya crossed her arms and retorted, "Bite me." in her usual, standoffish tone. Without missing a beat, Wu gave a playful wink, musing, "Maybe tonight." before ruffling Kagero's hair and saying, "Hold down the fort while we're gone, mayfly." With a deadpan expression on her face, Kagero just sunk into the ground, escaping Wu's clutches and leaving him alone with Tayuya. The latter had a deadpan of her own, but there was a prominent 'edge' to it as she flatly replied, "Yeah, good luck with that. You blew your chances with me when you ran off the first time. But, who knows, I might be willing to give you a second opportunity if you beg...?" Catching the scarlet-haired Kunoichi by surprise, Wu immediately brought his hands together, rubbing them like a gambling addict offering a prayer to the Gods, stating, "Oh, great and mighty Tayuya-sama. Please bestow unto this lowly one your compassion and grace...!" After recovering from her brief stupor, Tayuya's expression revealed a fair amount of disgust as she growled, "You're really fucking annoying..." Without missing a beat, Wu supplied a second wink, musing, "I could be fucking you. But that'll have to wait. For now, double-check to make sure you have everything you need. We're not turning back if you forgot your toothbrush." Narrowing her eyes, Tayuya pushed past Wu, asserting, "I didn't forget shit..." as she made her way out of the underground compound. In reality, she really had forgotten her toothbrush, but there was no way in hell she was going to admit it... ... .. .

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..." ... .. .

Chapter 33: I, Your Father, am Popular