Chapter 37: A Deadly Joke

"Are you sure about this?" a very conflicted Shin asked the old panda who simply spoke with sagely wisdom, "To do is to be, you must do this if you wish to become who you were meant to be." Shin sighed as his eyes gained a look of conviction, "Alright!" he declared as he took out a string with several small red bits and let the head of the string, the panda doing the same as they dropped the strings down several chimneys.

Loud crackling noise filtered out of the houses and filled the entire valley as many pandas escaped their smoking houses. "Happy New year! Hahahahhah" Po declared as he escaped towards the forest alongside an apologizing Shin and leaving behind several cursing and angry pandas and cheering children.

It had been nearly 6 months since he had come to this month and for the last 3 months he had gotten to know the real Po. Apparently he had been acting all serious to give Shin a good impression but when he found out that Shin was stuck here, he pulled him along when doing pranks; stealing food from windows, giving kids firecrackers and telling them to throw them under people's clothes, playing games with children, making noodles, roasting every passerby that had the misfortune of coming their way.

Shin had even been taught to construct uselessly elaborate traps that would pour glue and feathers on unsuspecting people. All in all, Shin had been taught the art of pranking regardless of his will. The worst part of it all was that since Po was technically an elder, no one could say anything but Shin was another story. He had to run away from the chasing feather sticken pandas and dodge the deadly slippers of mama pandas.

Shin and Po lived together and as such Shin being the disciple, took care of most of the work. Po occasionally sparred with Shin which always ended with Shin kissing the ground; these were purely taijutsu spars and Shin always lost because of the sheer unpredictability of the Panda style.

Apart from this, Shin was also taught the art of noodles, something that he really appreciated being a food lover. The rest of the time was spent medinanting or hanging out with Lei, whom Shin had been teaching the use of chakra. The duo had become close during this time.

Shin had taught Lei many lightning techniques and Lei had developed many more. Shin even taught Lei the Akimichi body expansion jutsu which caused quite a stir. Many animals of the valley of peace claimed to have seen a giant Panda god in blood red armor as lightning fell all around him.

In fact Master Son had been so afraid of the power shown by the duo that he requested Po that he forbid them from using such power unless necessary.

Shin had grown exponentially during this time, his increase in Chi resulted in an accelerated physical growth allowing him to increase his level many times over.

[Name: The Overlord of Chaos (Shin Hirano)

Level: 88(+50)(+30)

Title: Chunin of Konoha/ Traitor of Konoha/ Other worlder/ Disciple of the Grandmaster

Age: 11

Stats:

Strength: 75

Vitality: 85

Agility: 83

Sense: 105

Chakra: 90

Control: 90

...…

Chi: 165(-1)

Chi Control:140]

Even Pineapple had grown, Shin had been very careful and made sure that Pineapple was able to harness the power of Chi as well.

 [Name: Pineapple

Level: 40(+5)

Title: Servant of The Overlord of Chaos/ The Strange Cat/ The Otherworld's cat

Age: 6

Stats:

Strength: 25

Vitality: 30

Agility: 70(Limit)

Sense: 90(Limit)

Chakra: 18

Control: 12

...…

Chi: 40

Chi Control:10]

Looking at the (Limit) on Pineapple's status, Shin frowned. According to Assal, Pineapple had reached the physical limit of growth in that stat and would not be able to grow any further. Shin didn't wish for his loyal companion to be helpless against an opponent, luckily it seemed that she could still use chi to grow stronger.

Shin had made ample preparations for his return and had decided that he would do so quietly, without any farewell parties. So Shin simply bid a simple farewell that may not be a farewell at all if he fails. He had chosen 180 days after his arrival, on the dot, to be the time of his departure.

Shin rested in a small clearing a distance away from any people or settlements, he didn't want to implicate anyone in case something goes wrong when he Rips a Hole In Time and Space! So the only one here was Lei who had come to laugh at his face after he failed again.

Shin opened up his scrolls and sat in the middle of the clearing. He released the sealed chakra and used the much better sealing array to connect with his previous world. 'Hm? Assal, what is that? I feel a… pull?'

[It appears that the timed reverse summoning contract you had left behind is now active. It will result in 100% success.]

*BHOOOM!* interdimensional energy spread forth from Shin as Lei jumped back in apprehension and a dark hole swallowed Shin and disappeared, leaving behind a sweating Lei.

......

Deep underground in a village known as Konohagakure, an interdimensional portal deposited a boy and a cat. Unknown to them, this had caused an upset in the fault lines that kicked off a 5 point earthquake.

Shin and Pineapple simply recovered for a few hours before collapsing the underground room and moving straight up and into their house.

Once Shin and Pineapple appeared in their house, they saw a thin layer of dust on everything. Shin looked around, his red eyes taking in everything, 'Looks like someone went through the trouble of putting everything back after taking it apart.' he commented with a smile.

He looked at the bright sunlight filtering in from the window and braised himself for the aftereffects of his little vacation. "Come on Pineapple." he spoke as the cat jumped into his gray robes and disappeared into the spacious sleeves. Shin tied his long black and white hair into a bun and stepped out of the house, 'Now, how should I play this?' he wondered as he stepped into the street.

As fate would have it, as soon as he stepped out, he came face to face with a white haired man reading a small book. The man looked up from the book and looked at Shin with surprise.

The two stared into each other's eyes as time seemed to stop for them- ahm.

"Yo!" Shin greeted the man who also raised his hand in confusion. Shin smiled as he greeted the man with a smile, "It's good to see you again Kakashi Senpai! Ah man, it's been too long!" Shin took in a deep breath as he smiled before speaking again, "So, how long was I gone?"

Kakashi looked at Shin with complex feelings as he suddenly raised his eyebrows, "What do you mean?" Shin looked around the street while replying to the man, "Yah, turns out there was a problem with the summoning. I was supposed to come back after 3 months but got stuck for some reason."

Kakashi looked at Shin with a scrutinizing gaze, his experience telling him that the boy was not lying. The white haired man sighed as he spoke with ernesty, "Shin… you have been gone for 3 years." Shin's face was the definition of shock as he spoke in a hurried and urgent tone, "Oh no! It's too late! I've failed! The attack is about to happen!" he yelled while stepping closer to the confused ninja, "Calm down Shin, what attack are you talking about?"

Shin shook his head, "There is no time! I have to warn the Hokage!" with that Shin sped away in a blur of speed. 'Such speed! No wait! He can't just barge into the hokage's office, he's a missing-nin!' Kakashi became worried as he rushed after him but was unable to catch up, afterall Shin had used Chi, there was noone in the village that could catch up to him if he ran full speed.

In the middle of the village, an old man was reading one of the many reports that filled his desk.

*Whosh*

A sudden gust of wind surprised him, breaking his concentration as a young boy in a gray robe now stood in the middle of his office. "Hokage Sama!" someone yelled as several clocked individuals suddenly appeared in the room and surrounded the boy.

Shin stood in silence as he observed the occupant of the room, 'around level 80 to 120. Nothing I can't take and the old man… tsk, a -7. He's just getting weaker and weaker.'

"Wait!" a breathless Kakashi spoke as he appeared in the window sill. "Everyone calm down. Shin you can't just barge into the Hokage office?" he scolded the boy who simply shook him off, "There is no time for this! The attack can happen any day now!"

Hearing his words, the Andu tightened up as they got ready to attack but Kakashi flickered between them and Shin, trying to calm the situation down. The old man got up from his seat and looked at Kakashi and Shin as he waved the Abnu to back off, insisting even after their protest. "Kakashi, tell me what is all this about." he spoke in a calm voice.

Kakashi glanced at Shin who took the opportunity to speak, "Kakashi said it's been three years, I was only supposed to be gone for 3 months! The attack, the attack is about to happen! I failed!" Shin looked down as he gritted his teeth. The old man looked at Kakashi and then at Shin, his experienced mind realizing that there must be more to the story, 'An attack, perhaps there was more to Shin's disappearance then I had expected.'

He looked at the boy and spoke in a calm tone, "Calm down Shin, it's been 4 months since you disappeared. Now calm down and tell me what this is all about." he commanded. Shin looked at him and relaxed, smiling, "Thank the lords! There is still time for you to save it!" Hiruzen asked Shin in a serious tone, "Save what?"

Shin looked up as the whole room quieted to listen as he spoke, "Kakashi's dignity… Cause you just got Played! MUwahhahaha" Shin started to laugh as the people around him comprehended his words and all of a sudden Shin was surrounded by ninja's with dead faces as his laughter rang throughout the building.

"Shin… you… *Sigh*" Kakashi was embarrassed on behalf of Shin, he even wondered if the boy had suffered brain damage; he barged into the hokage office, almost had Anbu kill him, just so he could play this lame prank? Hiruzen on the hand was simply confused, he didn't know what to think. There was a missing-nin in his office, laughing after playing such a dangerous joke without a worry in the world.

The old man sighed as he sat back down, "Alright. Now that you are here, I think it's best that you explain yourself Shin. Why did you attack Konoha?" his voice was laced with threat as the room returned to its previous state.

Shin wiped the tear from his eye as he straightened up and looked at the old man with a calm smile, "In the Konoha zoo, there was a red panda that mysteriously appeared. It wore a gray robe and disappeared the same time as I did." Hokage raised his eyebrow looking at Shin to continue but the boy didn't. The old man nodded and sent one of the Anbu to verify the information.

Shin continued once the Anbu left, "His name was Lao. He taught me the use of natural energy in exchange for me returning him home. That's where I was until now." The people in the room were surprised at the mention of natural energy but the shock was short lived as Hiruzen spoke up again, "Why did you steal the scroll of seals and cause such destruction?" Shi shrugged, "I needed access to powerful space-time fuinjutsu and for that I needed a distraction." Shin could feel one of the Anbu, twitching, waiting for a single word before he would start attacking him. Sadly for him, the words that hokage spoke were not the ones he was looking for. "Why didn't you tell anyone? We could have helped you."

Shin chuckled as he shook his head, "I'm sorry lord Hokage,but I simply don't have enough trust to waste." The Anbu finally had enough as he spoke up, "Hokage sama, there is no reason to waste our time! The Intelligence corp will get the truth out of him!" Sadly for him, the old man waved him down instead.

He looked at Shin with a complicated look, contemplating what to say when the Anbu he had sent out returned and whispered to him. The hokage nodded, "You're story check out but I'm afraid that many would be reluctant to allow you back into the village. Regardless of your intentions, you caused great harm to the village and as such you will need to be punished."

The room was silent and so was Shin, he wasn't bothered by whatever punishment the old man would try to enforce on him. Shin had already grown enough to break free from the constraints of the village; it was just that he preferred not to.

Hokage opened his eyes after a moment of contemplation as he finally declared his sentence, "You are hereby sentenced to work as a Hunter for 3 years and pay for the damage incurred during your attack." Shin smiled and nodded, 'A slap on the wrist eh? Whatever, makes it easier for me. It's time I found a certain merchant for a little chat.'