Chapter 18: Chunnin Exams 1 Part I

(I seriously don't want to make this drag on, so here's "Alone" by Allan Walker and Ava Max, enjoy this chapter because I'm about to give you the coolest ones yet. See ya!)

Akali's POV

'After all of this, let's talk.'

Was all he said after immediately leaving.

What was weird was that he mentioned that man's name. Nathan. To be honest, I was scared for a second, thinking that he is Nathan. But after I remembered what he actually said, I started to think that he's a friend of his.

It's still not a good thing. Whether he is or isn't Nathan, I have no interest on showing what he wants me to show to him. Maybe after I defeat that pesky God and game master will I acknowledge him.

I sighed and walked with my hands in my pockets on the worn down path towards the first location of the chunnin exams.

Guess what, Suzaku already signed us up to the chunnin exams after we were given rest from that A rank mission. Juichiro said that Suzaku told them that he was proud of our team for coming such a long way. Even though I felt like it was too fast, I knew I was taking the right path. I'm still alive aren't I?

"Hey Akali! What took you so long?"

Jhin greeted me, by his side was Juichiro who........ has buns on his hair? And Jhin also has a long ponytail, some fake piercings on his hair and both has new matching clothing.

"Woah........I feel like both of you grew five years older."

"We only changed outfits you know. Let's go inside? We're a little bit late though."

"Don't worry. You'll thank me once we get there."

I said and walked along with my teammates inside the building. It was quickly loosing genin because they were entering so they wasted no time and entered themselves.

Just before we reach the fusuma walls of the examination classroom, Suzaku greeted us.

"Hey you three. Nervous?"

"Not really."

"A little...."

"Of course n-not!"

"*chuckles* Well, do your best out there. We might not meet each other for the next week so be careful."

All three of us nodded and finally entered the classroom, noticing that the Konoha 12 was huddled and in between them was Kabuto who was showing what was the entirety of the chunnin exams map.

"Oh hey Kacchan! I knew you'd enter the chunnin exams dattebayo!!"

Naruto said loudly that made everybody's gaze fall upon us but the twins were quick to react as they played it cool, walking to the Konoha 12 silently. I too soon joined them and listened in to Kabuto's rambling about his oh so awesome cards. Heh. Like they can compare to Takeshi's.

"Hey Kali. Look, he has the same weapon as you."

Choji said, Shikamaru greeting me with a quiet "troublesome" as Kabuto's gaze met mine. A shiver racked down my spine, but not because of the traitor. I'm feeling that something else is coming.....

"Not anymore. Oh hey Kiba your shoes are untied."

"Ha! Jokes on you I won't-"

I rolled my eyes and forcefully made him bow down, tilting a little sideways as a blur of silver swooped past through our sight.

Kiba confusingly raised his head back up, realization hitting him hard as he saw the thinner version of a kunai that was stuck on the paper wall.

"Hello Akali. Missed me?"

The voice seductively purred as the sound of metal clashing on metal was heared on the now silent classroom.

I sighed. Sure. I'll play her game for now, simply because this will intimidate future enemies that will come in the second phase of the exam.

"Hm. Decided to descend from the clouds today, didn't you Junko? I didn't know staying there for too long lessened your brain capacity that you thought you can threaten me like that."

I said and removed the kunai from the wall, tossing it back to her which she received in grace.

"Should I be scared Miss Detective?"

She said and this time, threw her knives on a different direction. She pouted and covered her ears, seeing as her knives were blown by the sound wave that came from the Otogakure bastards. Of course, Kabuto being the fake hero he is, dashed infront of me, distancing himself a meter away as he took on the full blast, vomiting on the floor with his ears bleeding.

"Kabuto! Why you- let me go dattebayo!!"

Naruto exclaimed as the Otogakure nin smirked and warned Kabuto in a rude tone.

"Put this on your flimsy cards. Otogakure is the strongest village of them all."

"Hardly. All their opponents need to do is to block their ears and they're useless."

"Hey you maggots! Shut up and take your designated seats or I'll fail you right this instant!"

Ah yes. Ibiki Morino saves the day as he arrived a little late just to make us tease each other with pre-fights. How coincidental.

I was seated next to Kankuro, surprisingly. But I paid him no mind as I sat back, enjoyed the stares that were burning holes at the back of my neck and listened as Ibiki blabbered about the rules and whatnot. I was honestly still sleepy so when we were allowed to open the tests that were on each seat, I took it and tried to answer.

[One step closer on:Quest Alert!Udon no Kuni's Shadow Prodigy

Be Konoha's prodigy with the blessing of Udon no Kuni!

Rewards: +100 skill points10 000 000 RYO+10 B-rank jutsu scroll]

[Ace the chunnin exams to complete this mission!]

"I see."

I said and started solving other problems like calculations of velocity and whatnot, their total was three questions of calculations, 3 of historical information and 3 situational questions.

"They weren't kidding when they said this was hard. But I watched Naruto. I know how to solve this."

I thought to myself and looked at the questions.

Who is the God of Shinobi and the first Hokage of Konoha?

Hashirama Senju

What is the renowned technique that is made by Minato Namikaze?

Flying Thunder God/ Hirashin

Who is the Second Hokage?

Tobirama Senju

"Hm. They sure love their Hokages."

You are being chased by the enemy with nothing but a single paper bomb to protect you. What will you do?

Scout the surrounding area for any caves or possible large falling debris, lure the enemy inside the unstable area by scattering my chakra all over the place and deactivate the paper bomb to bury my enemies alive.

"Brutal. I like it."

You are being chased by the enemy and you spot a mother and child dangling off a cliff and is to fall to their certain doom. You have nothing but kunai and strings to defend yourself and the enemy is approaching near. What will you do?

Use the area around me as a mechanism to be able to save the mother and child and assassinate my enemies or at least get away. I'll rip my clothes for the mother and child to ride on to, tying the string to a tree branch and using it to trap my enemies like a spider web. As long as the enemy struggles to escape the strings, it'll trigger the mechanism to raise the mother and child up. I'll immediately kill the enemy if they pose a threat to the mother and child but if not, I shall simply run away.

"Whew last question."

Why did you become a ninja?

I smirked and wrote the true reason why. Simple and short, just like how it should be.

To survive.

I flipped over my paper and used the pen to be it's paperweight, closing my eyes and catching a little bit of shut-eye before I get to the second part.

I wonder how the twins are holding up?

I thought to myself and yawned. Kankuro looked at me which I responded with a smirk as he finally raised his hand to go to the comfort room.

"5 minutes left until the tenth question."

Maybe it was because of Ibiki's voice that suddenly made the atmosphere heavier, hardening the pressure that brought a grim feeling to their souls. He did say that if they fail, they fail. No reconsiderations.

I looked at the puppet that Kankuro used to scope for answers, the wooden doll flinching as if it's puppet master was flinching himself. Heh.

That's why I approve how Sasori did his puppets. Wooden dolls would just be so obvious and even if you put genjutsu on it to make it look real, it'll just place a weird feeling on the viewer and plant suspicions in them. Puppeteering is not a bad fighting style, but it is extremely inconvenient and hard to master. Unless puppetry is embedded on your soul like a Kekkei Genkai that can.......let's say control a living breathing human even for a couple of minutes, or mix mind control and chakra strings to actually control someone like a real puppet, then it'll be a hassle to even touch that subject.

Just as Ibiki stood up to announce the tenth question, Kankuro bursted through the door and sat back quietly beside me.

"Was your little trip to the comfort room fun?"

Some snickered and some paid no mind as Ibiki continued with what was interrupted.

"The first part of the exam is finished. Now, for those who want to take the tenth question, stay. For the weak hearted, better leave."

No one lifted their behinds from their seats that made Ibiki smirk.

"Heh. So you take the tenth question? Sadly, that's not all there is to that."

"If you choose to walk away now, I guarantee you can leave unscathed, but that means you automatically fail. But if you choose to stay and failed to answer correctly, not only will you be eliminated, you'll also be banned from the chunnin exams forever!"

As soon as those words escaped his mouth, the outbursts of anger that came from the participants occupied the room like there's a riot inside.

"That's not fair!"

"Heh. You're just unlucky that I'm you're proctor this year."

After the angry protests was the doubts of themselves as Ibiki's words finally sunk inside their heads.

"I- I'm sorry! I can't do it!!"

"M-me too......"

Soon, almost more than half was eliminated from the participants that made me smirk. Ibiki's method is really effective on sifting those unworthy of the second exams, since it was a matter of life and death.

I looked around the room, looking for two particular people who were just sat near each other, the black haired male giving me a soft smile and the red head giving me a wave and a flying kiss. I grinned at them, bearing my sharky smile as Naruto finally slammed his palms on his desk and gave his infamous speech.

"I don't care if I remain genin forever dattebayo!! That won't stop me from my dream of being the Hokage, even if I stay as a genin!"

It was all he needed to say to make the rest stay on their places, feeling the determination that the orange blob gave them.

Ibiki smiled and said with the air of suspense,

"Is that so? Then you all pass!"

And again, rage was thrown at Ibiki. But one was polite enough to ask their question.

"Then what was the nine questions for? Was it all a waste of our time?"

"Not at all."

Ibiki said and unraveled his heavily scarred head, shocking most of the participants.

"See all these scars? I got them because I have to protect an information that is important to my village. This exercise is to determine how well you can retrieve information while being careful not to get caught. I made the questions hard that only chunnin or higher will be able to answer them so most of you needed to cheat."

"I am proud to say that-"

"Oi oi maggots! Let's move to the next- wait these are so many Ibiki! Have you gotten soft?!"

"Anko. You're early again."

Cue the lady who wore nothing but a fish net and a trench coat to hide her soul.

"Heh no matter! After this exam, I'll be cut their numbers to half!"

. . .

"Just thinking of my next buffet feels so ecstatic~! You feel it too, don't you Akali?"

Asked the shark near me as we stood quietly, waiting for the short break to end.

It's true, ever since I made a bond with him, I started to feel this hunger that settled on the pits of my stomach that even takoyaki quench. It's nothing big, but I fear that it might be the cause of my downfall one day. I can't have that so I have to constantly remind him what he came for.

".....oh yeah?"

"Yeah!"

"Heh! Watch your mouth kid you might just die in there! You don't have what it takes!"

"Who are you to say that? You don't know what we've been through!"

"As if you know what we've been through!"

"Jhin! Stop exposing us already!!"

"Y-Yashichi.....Junko w-will be mad...."

Stopped both of the boys to their teammates. Somehow, my team hated Junko's team and all because of a small hostility. And that's another reason to be suspicious at. Why the hell are they here? Shouldn't Kumo be angry at Konoha at this time? Why did they send participants then?

I thought and looked at Anko who just agreed to Konohamaru and his team to interview team 7. She might have felt my gaze because she suddenly locked eyes with me. I grinned and walked towards my team, dragging both males by the collar and giving them 'the look' because the second I removed my gaze from them, Juichiro was included to the fight.

"Don't act hastily. Yashichi is not joking when he said we could die in there. That forest is filled with dangerous bugs and plants not to mention shinobi once we're released there."

"So that bastard's name is Yashichi huh."

"How did you know we're going to be inside there?"

I facepalmed at the obvious difference of the two.

"It's obvious. Look, you two want to win right?"

Both nodded.

"Then all we need to do is ace this. What ever rules maybe or how many foes we fight, as long as we win them and survive, we will be victorious. Not only will we be classified as strong, we will also be the pride of Konoha."

"What an inspiration speech leader. Well done."

Pollux said with a teasing smirk and a slow clap.

"Heck yeah! Then I can rub it to those guy's faces how strong we are."

"Jhin, I've told you about this. Just like how we always do things, we assess them first so we don't have to tire ourselves. We need to play smart."

"Correct Juichiro. 10 000 points for you."

"Listen up you maggots! Fill out this form and after that, go to that booth and get a scroll. The rules are simple, you go inside the forest of death with one scroll, heaven or earth. In order to pass, you need to obtain both heaven and earth and go to the tower in the middle of the forest. That's it. No other rules whatsoever."

"Do I need to remind you a few things before you go inside?"

"Tell me something important."

I thought and gave Jhin my slip, him taking Juichiro's and passing it onto Anko who nodded in satisfaction.

"One, don't use your brains all the time. You'll get tired easily. Try using your instincts for once. You're an alpha predator, your instincts are number one."

"What else?"

"Don't cut me off mortal. I'm saying this because I'm letting you know that you have heightened senses, specially the smell of blood. You're a shark, just one drop can make you locate your prey."

Hm......just like how sharks react to blood in water huh? How can I use that to.......

My train of thoughts were cut off as the person in front of me moved to the booth. He looked like he wasn't related in the plot so I let my curiosity get to me and followed him as he went inside the covered booth. As soon as he got out, I got a glimpse on what scroll he had and it was.....

Earth.

My mind swirled with thousands of thoughts and strategies as I subconsciously got a scroll, not even bothering to know what it is as my brain finally processed a simple strategy.

"What scroll did you get Akali?"

I looked nervously in my pockets and wished for a heaven as suddenly, someone tapped my back that made me jump a little.

"Hey you got a minute?"

"Absolutely not"

Juichiro suddenly said and blocked me from whoever that is, as I finally took out the scroll and it was.....

Heaven?

"Well suit yourself~ I've got what I wanted."

That person being Junko said, winking at me and blowing yet another flying kiss. Jhin beside me looked like he was gonna explode of redness as he shook my shoulder again and again.

"Wrrrryyyyyyy?! Why do you get a pretty girl winking at youuuuu!! You're a girl too you knowwwww!!"

"I wonder too. Someday, I'll ask you to transform into a man and-"

Juichiro suddenly cut himself off and looked and Jhin with a very VERY evil smile.

It seems like the connection between them was so strong that even Jhin was looking at me with the very same smile.

I gulped. Jhin suddenly pushed me that I was caught off guard, falling onto someone who I think I scratched with my claws. Ugh I'm not even doing anything and I effortlessly made an enemy yet again.

"You can say that again. Look how that boy looks at you. He wants to skin you alive"

Pollux said and chuckled, popping a nugget inside his mouth.

"I want some. Aaaaahh"

I thought and subtly opened my mouth, feeling a nugget shoot down my lips.

"Good girl~"

"What am I a dog?"

"Watch where you're going! Do you want to start a fight or something?!"

It was the boy from before, the one that held the earth scroll. So I did scratch him huh? The smell of blood made my nose itch with an unfamiliar sensation as my eyes felt like it's burning, my head feeling like something resonated in it, my gums itching for a bite.

I grit my teeth tightly. His blood smells like tuna.......

"Oh and he's blood type O? Boring. O is the most common blood type."

"The gates are open! Chunnin exams part two: start!"

Perhaps I was still distracted by the scent of his blood that I was dazed when we entered the forest of death. I can't seem to concentrate on anything rather than the smell of that guy's blood.....sh*t what do I do?

"The only way you can stop fantasizing about his blood is when you kill him. That's how predators work."

"......and he has and earth scroll so I have absolute reason to hunt him....."

"Akali-chan? Are you alright? You've been out of it before we entered the forest......do you want to rest?"

Juichiro asked, worry clear in his eyes as he placed a gentle pat on my shoulder.

"I'm fine. I found a way to get us an earth scroll."

"Really?! That fast!?"

"Jhin shush!"

I nodded and got a random branch drawing on the dirt to emphasize my plan's vital parts to them.

"Currently, we have two options. One is to ambush them and kill them afterwards to get their scroll."

I trailed, Jhin looking like he already approves of it and Juichiro wincing, clearly not a fan of killing people.

"....Or, we make them sleep, take their scroll and leave them be."

Juichiro perked up and nodded, Jhin looking a dejected kid and even stomping on the ground.

"I-"

"Don't worry, knowing you too, you probably chose the opposite from each other."

"But what do you think Akali-chan? You are the one who came up with this plan after all."

I nodded and smiled.

"Thank you for your consideration Juichiro, but I'll choose the first one this time. I can't have them ambushing us later to come back for their scrolls. That would put you two in danger. Don't worry, I'll take the kill so you two won't have to."

I said and stomped on the ground to cover up the doodles for our plan, somehow feeling a little tense because I feel the twins' gaze behind my back.

"You two ready-

"Woah woah tigers pouncing!"

[Ohoho this just got interesting]

T

he two voices in my head suddenly bursted in excitement while me, myself can't form any words on my quivering mouth.

What the hell is happening you ask?

I was being sandwiched in a hug by the twins and from the looks on Pollux's face, I was probably red all over.

"Thank you for always looking out for our well being Akali-chan. We couldn't ask for a more suitable leader than you."

"Well....yeah! Sure. You're really great, I give you that."

"Ready Jhin?"

"Sure. I was reserving this for Miku-chan but sure."

"R-ready for what? You two better not planning on-"

I was cut off yet again when the both suddenly kissed both of my cheeks before pulling away from the hug.

"-killing me...."

[Should I rally to the game master to put a harem feature?]

"Please do. I give you all my blessings for that."

"You don't have to take the kill for us this time. We'll be happy to protect you this time."

Juichiro said with one of his most innocent smiles that made me calm a little.

I smiled, although still a little bit shaky.

"I'll take you up on that offer then. Let's go and hunt our prey."

I said and ran as quietly as possible, following the aromatic scent of that boy's blood through the thick forest.

[Game master yes....I'd like a harem feature for my host.........no? Whyyyy? Oh the friend list is the harem feature of some sort? Does that mean other players can be part of the harem too?........yeah alright. Thank you for your response!]

"How was it?"

[Really well my liege. The game master has already have a feature for it!]

"Very good. Now this will be interesting."

I rolled my eyes and refocused my attention to the task at hand, the scent getting stronger and my sanity lowering by the second I get closer to him.

"It's only 97% now......"

"There they are! Quick, mask your chakra."

Juichiro whisper-shouted and hid behind a bush. I looked around, my mind going delirious every second feeling as if I'm extra sensitive to feel even the slightest touch of hair on me.

After I was sure that there wasn't a trap waiting for us, I signaled them to hide while approach the three.

"Hm....why alone?"

"I want them to drop their guard. I'm not directly approaching them, I'm gonna pretend that I just got an earth scroll so they would abmush me and think that they have the upper hand."

"Heh. Why do that when you can just obliterate them?"

"Because that'll put trauma on the two. They wouldn't be of any help to me if they are broken."

"How cold hearted of you. Treating them as toys on your disposal."

"Heh. Are you trying to make me feel guilty? I'm human. And I have feelings, feelings that chose to be ignorant."

"Sure, deny it all you want. But that is the truth. The truth you oh so worship."

I smirked, leaping around a bush slowly and revealing my scroll, pretending not to notice the three obvious genins behind a tree.

"As if you're any different?"

That must've shut him up because I can't hear him in my head anymore, and also because the three was surrounding me with a smirk on their faces.

'Analysis'

[Kento TamuraLevel 30

Yui YanaiLevel 27

Kiro YushoLevel 30]

"Wow....I expected that they were weaker than me but this.......are they babies?"

I sweatdropped and looked at the three who still wasn't backing down. Not that it was my intention.

"You're the b*tch that wounded me earlier huh?"

The Kento guy said and dropped to my level, twirling my hair and smirking as he looked at his teammates.

"What do you say we play with this pretty face for a little while huh?"

"Sure! I've been pent up and I wanna-"

"F*ck the plan! I'm saving her!"

A booming voice suddenly said from a distance as suddenly, I was facing the back of one of the twins, blocking me from the perverts.

"Back off you pedophiles!"

"I'm just 17! And what are you gonna do huh? Save your little girlfriend and be a hero?"

The rest laughed maniacally.

I patted Jhin's back, smirking as I summoned the scales of justice. The said red head looked up in awe. Ah so he sees the scales?

The laughing stopped as I pointed at the three, I'm guessing that they also see the red scales floating behind my back.

[The goddess Themis has answered your call, therefore labeling these mortals

GUILTY

buff activated]

"Hm......a skill that you got before my appearance? And Themis? Keh, you two have so much in common."

I didn't even move an inch, only flared my chakra and stared down at the bastards and started copying Pollux's words:

"You dare threaten me mortal?"

I said and took a step forward, the perverts trembling in fear.

"Ah~ I feel like I raised you right. Go on child, feed their fear to me!"

I could feel my ancestors shaking their heads.

"Give me your scroll and I might spare you. Give it to me now!"

"HERE PLEASE LEAVE US ALONE!!"

The Kento boy squealed and ran away with their tails between their legs.

I resisted the urge to burst in laughter as both Jhin and Juichiro's face are also painted in shock.

"Thanks for the support. Now that we have the scroll, we need to go to the tower and pass. And we need to be first, is that clear?"

"Hai!"

"Kid you feel unstable. What's bothering you?"

"Everything. It's going too easily, something is definitely up."

"That's because you planned this before hand."

"No that's not it. My plans never goes too smoothly. Just......just nevermind me okay?"

I wasn't sure what I felt but my words sounded like it was more of a reassurance to me than Pollux.

I hope we don't encounter someone stronger than me.

Walking inside the forest wasn't as bad as I realistically thought since there was only a few exotic bugs that we have to kill, and I exerted only a bit of mine and Pollux's given chakra to scare out sensors but not attract predators bigger than me.

Like Orochimaru or Gaara.

Those two are the only problem I have now, so we have to hurry as much as we can. We just need to pass before Gaara and his siblings does and we're safe from both of them, and it'll make me advance to my quest so I really need to hurry up.

"Hm. I don't feel so good. I felt like it was too easy and I'm not bragging. Shouldn't we at least encounter one strong enemy?"

Jhin thought as we ran past trees.

"I agree. Keep your guard up. The next opponent we face might not be as easy."

I said and ran faster, making sure not to loose the other two behind me.

".....trying to keep him warm, trying to keep off the cold. When he looks on her eyes, he don't know he is safe when she said

Oh love, no one's ever gonna hurt you, love.

I'm gonna give you all of my love, no body matters like you~"

My voice faded as I finished the verse, the two looking at me and at each other as a transparent turquoise shield surrounds the three of us.

"A shield encantation? Or should I say jutsu? Since when did you find the time to practice these?"

"It'll keep you safe until something hits you. Don't rely on it too much, it's just a little bit of help."

Both were silenced as they were curious about how my shield works. Well, before I officially became genin, I practiced three modes with my voice. Protection, heal and hypnotize. All dealing MEZ damage and crowd control.

Even though my voice is in max level, those three modes aren't because they are sub skills. Sub skills are.....well what their name suggests. Skills that are derived from skills, but the only difference is that they can't be upgraded by skill points, but runes.

And I have PLENTY of runes. Too bad I haven't used them just yet. Maybe before the one on one fight will I spend them.

".....ghk!..."

I stopped when I suddenly heared a sound not too far, alerting the other two to be on their guard and approaching the scene with stealth.

When I was at a safe distance, I peeked through a small bush, feeling movement beside me so I though it was one of the twins.

"...Akali?"

I suddenly turned my head to see Shikamaru Ino and Choji huddled behind a bush next to our hiding spot.

Wait......

"Why are you here?"

Juichiro asked that made Ino put her finger on her mouth.

"T-There's a monster obliterating a team just there-"

"Hey guys!! There's nothing her-mmph!"

"Jhin stop putting us in danger!!"

My eyes widened behind my blind fold as sea foam colored eyes met mine.

"Run. Run!"

I shouted and dragged as many people as I can, humming a fast tune and protecting them with my shield as I tried to distract them from Gaara's sight.

"That's good....he isn't following, although I'm sure that he felt us. Sh*t I have to move faster!"

"I don't understand. Are you underestimating my skills to beat that damn tanuki huh mortal? Why are you running away?!"

"I'm not immortal like you. I want to survive and I don't want to loose to gods like you!"

I gathered the rest of team ten and my team, making sure each person was safe when I felt a shiver run down my spine that it made me shake violently.

"No.....he's here. Sh*t I didn't even provoke him!"

I hissed and bit my self a little, but it was more than enough to snap me out of the paralyzing effects of the intimidation skill that the one tailed beast just emitted.

"Mother has her sights on you........what's so special to you that she took interest in? Ggh-!"

"The tanuki still has hold of his mind huh. We need Naruto here."

"But currently......he's fighting Orochimaru by now. I don't think I have that thick of a plot armor to survive one of the strongest Sannins."

"Run. Whatever you do, don't look back."

I seriously said and looked at the rest. They have frowns on their faces and as much as I want to flatter myself of saying that I'm doing this to save them, I don't want to let them drag me down. With their level right now, all they will do is make us die all together. It'll affect the plot to severely and I'm afraid that it will alter the known future to me. I can't have that.

"But Akali-chan-"

"I didn't ask nicely. That was an order."

I growled and made a clone, making it gather all team ten and my team as I weaved the hand signs for the biggest chakra consuming jutsu I have.

"Water Style: Father ship San Salvador!!"

The biggest ship I've ever mustered was now at my back, the clone taking the 5 and tying them to a pillar.

"Akali let us go!!"

"No! Clone! Maneuver San Salvador towards the tower and help them get their scroll! I'll deal with him."

The clone saluted and I watched as the waters below San Salvador slowly brought them to the opposite direction. Seeing as I was lacking chakra, I drank three chakra pills to restore all of them back again, tensing as a trail of sand was going to follow my ship and blocking it with a bone shield.

"Let's keep this between us, shall we? I think I'll satisfy you for now."

I said and sunk on to a SNC stance. The stretch on my muscles felt good as it remembered how it used to crush it's enemies brutally with it's bare strength and skill.

"Hayo hayo Tanuki-chan~ remember me?"

Pollux was now hovering beside me in his megalodon form, grinning with hundreds of razor sharp teeth that matched mine uncannily.

"You....the actual tail less beast?"

"Oh no no, don't mistake me with that other Hoshigaki. I'm much higher than that of a simple ball of chakra like you."

"Why you-!"

"Pollux! Why did you provoke him?!"

"I thought we were on offense?"

"I was planning to just spar with him!! Not to actually kill him! Ugh now I have to actually fight him."

"Shut up and fight me. Mother wants to see your blood all over me."

"And I want you to shut the f*ck up!"

Was it because of Pollux that I was aggravated? Because it was definitely throwing my rationality out of the window as I relentlessly attacked Gaara who isn't even fazed by my attacks.

"Calm down Akali. Stay focused. This won't be the first time you fight someone stronger than you! Think......."

I ducked and dodged sand talons that came at me one after the other, of course I countered with a long ranged jutsu.

"Water Style: Wild Water Wave!"

I continued shouting that jutsu and my chakra just kept depleting, I'm not dealing any damage to Gaara and vice versa.

"Okay okay stop. This is useless."

I muttered and shielded myself from some of the sand that still came at me.

"If you want to fight me for real, let's do it on the last part of the exams."

"And what makes you think that I'll agree?"

It was Gaara that was speaking so it was weirding me out but I held my ground.

"Well, unless you want for Konoha to know that you're planning an invasion, I suggest you keep your bloodlust to yourself for now."

I said and smirked, probably aggravating him more than Pollux did. Well that was stupid of me. I let myself be caught with the moment.

"What do I care about those bastards? They're just small fries. I could win that invasion alone without breaking a sweat."

"Oh please. You know that fox is in Konoha's side. You really think he'd let you kill his host?"

"And what of it huh? I do whatever the hell I want!!"

Gaara curled up in pain as the one tailed beast threw a fit inside his head, making sand shoot out of every direction possible.

"Kid now's the time. Sing one of your songs to calm them down and we can get out of here without a scratch."

"Will it work?"

"I'm not sure either, but I'll help you out. Just do it before I change my mind and make you two fight."

I scoffed and removed the headband from my eyes and let it hang loosely to my neck, dodging as I tried to near my distance to Gaara who was now shouting in agony. Holy f*ck I'm scared.

Once I got inside his protective sand shield, I held his face with both of my hands and made him look at me. His eyes were glaring at my own, tears staining his face as he struggled to make me let go.

"I remember tears streaming down your face when I said I'll never let you go

When all those shadows almost killed your light

I remember you said don't leave me here alone

But all that's dead and gone and passed tonight

Just close your eyes, the sun is going down

You'll be alright, no one can hurt you now

Come morning light, you and I'll be safe and sound~♫︎"

As my song reached to an end, Gaara slowly fell asleep. He looked like he needed it so much that he was like a corpse, trying to get back the sleep that he lost whenever Shukaku shook him awake.

"Deep inside, he's just a boy who needs a hug."

I told myself and carried him bridal style, going back to where his siblings were and saw that they defeated the umbrella guy on their own, significantly leveling up too since the EXP points went to them.

"Why don't you do it then? I've temporarily put Shukaku to sleep so you can do whatever you want."

"You make it sound as if I'm a pervert."

I rolled my eyes, remembering that my eyeballs was still exposed to the world. Ah whatever. I'll put the blindfold back on once I bring this panda back to his siblings.

I thought and ran faster. Ugh I wanna ride my own ship so bad.

"M-mama.....don't go..please...."

My sympathy just raised itself a thousand times as the poor red head was crying in his sleep, gripping my shirt with an iron hold. Even in his sleep he is suffering......

"Don't do that...ugh you're making me feel so guilty for what happened to you."

I thought and frowned, finally finding his siblings that instantly became hostile one they saw their bloodthirsty brother became a weeping boy in the hands of a stranger.

"Take care of him. Don't stop reaching out to him. He's still human and he needs the both of you by his side."

I told the two who looked at me suspiciously as I ran away from the sleeping Gaara.

"Ah I raised such a romantic child. I wonder why you're harem is full of red heads though. First Junko, then Jhin and Juichiro, now Gaara? Who's next? Nagato?"

"Oh shut up. His heart belongs to the world, and Yahiko's heart belongs to Konan. Such a tragic story honestly."

I thought and followed the trail of my chakra, leading me straight to my ship with the five still tied up. Before disappearing, the clone untied all of them.

"Akali! Are you alright? Not hurt? You have a wound!! I'll heal it just wait!"

"No need. Thank you for your concern."

I said and tapped on the helm of my lovely ship.

"Feel something when you boarded?"

"Well yeah.......I felt good! It's slightly cold but it was fine nonetheless!"

Choji said that made the others nod.

"That's because this ship is made out of my pure chakra and water. It'll help you regenerate to a certain point. See how you move a little faster? It's because San Salvador sees you as allies. The gravity will pull you down to the ground and drain your chakra once you become my enemies."

I said and spun the helm, turning to avoid a large tree before facing them again.

"San Salvador will be gone after 5 minutes. I'm sorry we have to walk from here."

"Thank you Akali. You saved us back there. Is there's some way we could pay you back?"

It was Choji who spoke. I'll be surprised if it was Ino but hey, she had a great character development.

"No need. Focus on finding another scroll. Well have to go to the tower now."

"Thanks Kali. Ja."

They said for the last time and jumped out of San Salvador, waving as we passed by them and disappearing from our sights. Since San Salvador was big, it didn't take long to reach the tower where we opened both scrolls, listened to the unknown shinobi that explained what the test meant and finally let us rest. Surprisingly, we were there far earlier than the sand siblings. I smiled in satisfaction. Ah how I like it when things go as planned.

[One step closer on:Quest Alert!Udon no Kuni's Shadow Prodigy

Be Konoha's prodigy with the blessing of Udon no Kuni!

Rewards: +100 skill points10 000 000 RYO+10 B-rank jutsu scroll]

[Ace the chunnin exams to complete this mission!]

Character Info

Name: Akali (Hoshigaki?)

Title: Miss Detective

Age: 11

Gender: Female

Level: 60 (530 000 /1 001 000)

HP: 89 000/100 000 tired-relieved (regen 10.00 per sec)

CP: 69 000/100 000 (regen 11 per sec)

STR: 80

VIT: 90

DEX: 304

INT: 300

LUC: 16

STY: 100% (Sanity restored.)

Endurance: 30%

Team Daya admires you!

Udon no Kuni (Land of Noodles) is proud of you!

Yugakure no Sato acknowledges you!

Affiliation: Konohagakure no Sato

Money:11 000 000 RYO

Unspent points: 101

Runes: 100 000

Once was a ruthless detective, she was cold hearted towards the ones she brought to justice even if each of them had a reason why they did each crime. She was challenged by Deus ex Machina to change her ways, to be in the shoes of those she turned a cold shoulder, to kill in order to survive.