31 Naruto 28
It has been a few weeks since the inauguration of Tsunade as the fifth Hokage and things have gone back to normal. Team Seven who were now Chunin with Tsunade promoting them is now busy with a few missions ranging from Escort missions to clearing bandit camps. During their free time, Shinobu spends time talking with Tsunade as they bonded over sake. Kaede has been keeping their home clean while moving around the village. Naruko and Alucard hang around with Sasuke and Sakura entering a relationship.
-Timeskip-
Hokage Office
In the Hokage office was the group of Naruko, Sasuke, Sakura, Jiraiya, Tsuande and Kakashi. Tsunade was busy explaining to them that they would be having a three-year training trip to further improve their skills.
"A training trip?" Sasuke asked looking at the Hokage.
"We've only scratched the surface of what we can teach you but being confined to the village we can't teach you everything you'll need to know due to … certain parties." Jiraiya chimed in as he explained.
"So we have made a plan for your training. Sasuke you will be with Jiraiya and Kakashi for three years. I will give Sakura an apprenticeship under me. Naruko I am guessing that your siblings would be in charge of your training." Tsunade said as she got nods from everyone before wishing them luck.
With that done everyone soon went their separate ways to prepare for their training trips.
-Timeskip-
Naruko was at the Konoha gates with Shinobu, Alucard, and Kaede beside her as they began their trip.
After an hour of walking, Naruko brought up a question to the rest.
"So what's the plan for this training trip?" Naruko asked as they were walking.
"We're going to send you to a friend of ours who is better at martial art and fighting than us. We'll observe as she teaches you. We will probably join in to help improve where she is unable to help." Shinobu stated as she opened up a dimensional portal showing a featureless dark void on the other side.
"Huh, what's that?" Naruko asked as she looked upon the dark void.
"This is a Garganta, a rip in dimensions that allow some people to freely travel worlds. We'll be using this to get to our location. Please hold on to one to me as we walk across. If you fall you will end up in some random place in the infinite omniverse." Shinobu said as she offered a hand to Naruko who promptly took it as she directed her to the other side with Alucard and Kaede walking behind them.
Upon reaching the other side the first thing Naruko noticed was the sky which was dark and gloomy with barely any light passing through. There were stone henges and shadows in most places she looked. As she and the others were standing on a towering mountain with a tall tower on a giant floating land mass with other lesser towers around it. Looking down she saw a massive stone and iron gate.
"It's about time you got here." A voice called out as Naruko looked around trying to trace the sound only to be forced to narrowly dodge the tip of a red spear.
"Good reflexes, a bit slow but we can work on that." the voice said again.
"Hey Scathach, been a while." Shinobu said as the woman in question came out revealing herself.
She had long purple hair that reached her waist and red beautiful eyes. She wore a full-body purple outfit that had metallic shoulder pads. She has a black veil over her head and a short cloak over her shoulders, connected by the shoulder pads. In her hands are two blood-red spears that seem to radiate a sickening amount of killing intent and death.
"Hello. It has been a while since we last met. So I'm guessing that is the young girl I have three years to mold into a warrior. Easily done but don't forget the payment for my services." The know named Scathach said as she eyed Naruko before snapping her fingers.
Dozens of crimson spears manifested around Naruko and pinned her to the ground, several stabbing through her arms and legs to discourage any struggling as she lay flat on her stomach, groaning in discomfort. She was used to such pains already thanks to some of the hellish training she had been put through.
"H-hey, what gives you bitch?!" Naruko shouts as she spat out blood as she tried to move only to find herself unable to move.
"I agreed to take you in as my student as a favor due to your sisters here." She said sweetly while marching over to Naruko with a spear in hand. "And I was given permission to be as rough as I want." She then stabbed Naruko in the stomach and proceeded to carve a series of runes into her. "So I thought of this." After she tore the spear from her, naruko felt her power drain from her being. As if she was swimming through a storm with a heavy pressure threatening to crush the air out of her lungs.
Scathach snapped her fingers making the spears disappear, freeing Naruko. "I've carved a series of runes into your body, limiting the amount of energy you can use, reducing you to the strength of a normal human, locking you inside your body. Even your regeneration has been slowed. I want you to prove you can handle my training, so consider this your first test." She then summoned a staff with a heavily bandaged head and a small book.
I want you to learn how to use the spear and study the rune magic in that journal that I prepared for you. I want you to reach my castle at the summit of this mountain in three days." She waved her spear and created a portal. "Start moving." She then kicked naruko through the portal, sending her falling and landing on the floor with a groan. Leaving Scathach with Shinobu, Alucard, and Kaede who had sympathetic looks as they watch their little sister get booted.
-Later that day-
Not even a mile away from the gate she was attacked by a group of monsters with brutish blades, axes, and clubs. Naruko was tempted to try and flee before they surrounded her. She soon was forced to learn how to fight without having a massive stat advantage over her opponent as she manifested a spear.
-Timeskip-
Whether it was night or not mattered little to Naruko as she was getting really hungry and she was unable to summon anything but spears. She spent almost an hour killing all the monsters that attacked her earlier with her doing her best not to get hurt badly.
She spent hours researching the book, working to memorize the contents but as straightforward as Rune Magic seemed, it quickly revealed itself to be something far more complicated. Scathach was thorough in her notes about how the runes had to be written and what they could end up doing if any mistake was made. After a while of memorizing and making use of the runes to survive, she continued on her journey upwards to the castle.
-Summit: Three days later-
The rest of the climb up the mountain continued in much the same manner; Naruko would spend hours practicing thrusts and slashes with her spear until it felt more natural in her hands and less like she was making a fool out of herself with a pointy stick, another set of hours reading and studying up on the book of Runes she had, occasionally fighting off more monsters in her way.
She would've gotten there sooner but when she tried to fly the rest of the way up the mountain, Scathach would respond with a barrage of spells and large spears aiming to either disable or outright kill her. She did not really feel like dying.
So after three days of fighting monsters, studying Runes, practicing with the spear, and getting a total of three hours of sleep in those three days. Naruko finally made it to the top where the Queen of Dun Scaith waited with almost no time to spare. As such, the very first thing she did upon reaching the top was to nearly pass out before forcing herself awake by stabbing herself in the shoulder for an adrenaline boost. Ready to battle Scathach.
"Ready for my test." Naruko panted out, steely resolve set in her eyes, "Master Scathach." The Shadow Queen smiled at her latest student.
"Five-minute break. Get a drink or something to eat" She said as she walked away leaving Naruko to look in shock and annoyance before falling flat on her face and falling asleep while her wounds closed up and the spear she created fizzled out of existence. Four minutes later, Scathach returned with a mug of ale in one hand with a spear in the other, finding Naruko still resting. She still had some time, so she threw a spear into the shoulder, making her cry out in pain. "Time's up. Time for your test. I am going to say a rune and you are going to draw it out and explain its meaning and use. If you get one wrong you get a stab through a body part."
-Timeskip-
"Very good. You've managed to keep track of each Rune." Scathach said with pride, as her student completed the test without getting stabbed once. "Now, are you ready?"
Naruko materialized a spear and got ready for battle.
"I didn't say I was giving you another test Naruko." She answered, doubling over while laughing some more.
"Wow, she has a sense of humor." Naruko said before getting a feeling of Deja vu with Scathach right in front of her.
"Yes I have a sense of humor. Now, what I want is for you to do it again because I would find it funny. Enjoy the climb back up." She said while smiling.
"The what back u-!" She tried to say before receiving an empowered kick to the stomach from Scathach, sending her flying off the mountain summit and to the shadowland below.
"YOU HAVE THREE DAYS! ENJOY THE CLIMB BACK UP!" She shouted as Naruko disappeared into the distance. "That was enjoyable." The Shadow Queen said, walking back to her castle and passing by Shinobu who was drinking some Ale.
"How's she doing?" Shinobu asked while drinking.
"Pretty good? Threw her back down the mountain. Ready for another round in my room," Scathach asked with a sultry smile as Shinobu sighed before following her to the bed chambers. "Kaede is awaiting our return."
Dun Scaith, the Shadowlands,
Naruko looked around her and with a shout of frustration began her long walk back to the Castle while cursing about stupid purple-haired women and stabbing fetishes only to receive a warning with a rain of red spears pinning her to the floor with her clothing and a final spear landing right between her crotch.
This action causes her eyes to roll to the back of her head and finally passes out.
