44 Chapter 35: Pre-Training Tensions 1/2

So, relatively set up in my location at the moment. Guess we'll see how long till things get better or worse. Hopefully they'll turn better, and soon.

I'm surprised that so many people enjoyed the last chapter. I would have thought the rushed fights in some cases might have drawn negative views. Guess I underestimated myself.

Anyways, nothing new to report on my end, so time to get going!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Assassin's Creed. They are owned by Masashi Kishimoto and Ubisoft respectively. This is a non-profit fan made work of fiction. Please support the official release.

Chapter 35

Pre-Training Tensions

Anko smiled as she looked at her three students after they came out of shunshin outside of Training Ground 44. "Well, let's all be glad that little adventure is over, hmmm?" She asked them, ruffling Naruto hair and messing with Hinata's bandana. "You guys have the distinction of not only making it to the Finals on your first try, but as a whole team! That makes me so proud. Especially since I get to rub it in Hatake-teme's face," she said with a vindictive grin.

"We're so glad we could help you ruin Kakashi-sensei's day, nee-chan," Hinata said while rolling her eyes.

Anko just grinned at Hinata, before growing serious. "Alright, you all did well in the Forest and in your preliminaries, but we do have some work to do. Hinata, Ino, you two can't get cocky like that. It can be dangerous, especially if your opponent is playing possum. Enemies should be defeated fast and efficiently. Understand?"

The two kunoichi nodded, as Anko continued. "Tomorrow we're going to meet up at Training Ground Seven to work out your training schedules for the next month. I'm going to continue to train all of you, but you are going to be possible opponents against each other, so I'll be working with each of you individually. And I'll be finding extra instructors as well to help further your training," she said. "So that'll be tomorrow. For today, you've all earned rest, relaxation, and a free meal on me!"

Naruto and Hinata both grinned at that while Ino nodded distractedly, glancing towards the hospital. "Do you think Sakura will be able to receive visitors?" She asked worriedly, glancing back at Anko, who shook her head.

"Not likely. They'll want to run some tests, make sure the medics at the arena handled her healing and fixed her up, then give her some time to rest. You can check in tomorrow," Anko said as she patted Ino's shoulder. "Don't worry, they'll easily fix up whatever damage was done. Sakura will be fine, no matter what."

Ino smiled at that. "Thanks sensei. You're right. I'll check in with her tomorrow," she said, as her face grew grim. "And I'll make sure to give that Suna bitch plenty to think about as well in the Finals," she said grimly.

Anko gently squeezed her shoulder, to try and comfort her, before turning to Hinata. "How you holding up? You've got a tough fight of your own," she said worriedly. She knew that fighting her cousin would not be easy.

Hinata took a deep breath. "To be honest…yeah I'm worried…but part of me is excited too," she said, as she clenched her fists. "It'll be nice to smack the smug look off his face during the Finals. And in front of all those people too. Including the clan," she whispered, her face set. "They cast me aside, thinking I was worthless. I'll be happy to show them the error of their ways."

Naruto frowned as he heard the darkness in his friend's voice, and reached out to gently grab her hand. She blinked and looked at him, suddenly blushing as she realized what he was doing, and glanced away as she pulled her hand from his. "A-anyways, don't worry about it. I'm not too nervous," she murmured.

"Yeah, well considering how viciously he beat that Kumo genin, I am," Anko stated. "So we'll definitely be working on countering him, if for no other reason than to make sure you survive."

Hinata nodded in understanding, while Naruto shrugged. "And my opponent is just a guy who manipulates sound waves with his gauntlet. You get all the exciting fights," he said with a pout.

"That's the way it works Naruto," their sensei said teasingly, poking him. "For now, let's go get that dinner!" She said with a smirk, as the team headed off for food.

At the Hyuuga clan residence, Neji had just entered through the main gate when two of the Branch Family guards appeared in front of him. "Neji Hyuuga, the Clan Head has requested your presence," one stated.

"Of course," Neji said with a bow, heading to the clan head's office. Upon his arrival he knelt next to the door, waiting to be summoned as the attendant outside slid inside unobtrusively to announce him.

Five minutes later, the door slid open, as the Hyuuga attendant bowed her head. "Hiashi-sama is now ready," she said, stepping back.

Neji slowly entered the room, bowing respectfully at the door, before advancing, kneeling before his uncle and bowing again, his head remaining down this time.

Hiashi waited a few moments, before speaking. "Arise Neji, and report," he ordered, sitting at the dais as next to him, Hanabi knelt next to him, silent and stoic.

Neji raised his head, looking up at his uncle. "Hiashi-sama, I was victorious in my preliminary match against a Kumo genin. He was easily defeated, and I showed him the strength of the Hyuuga clan, and the futility of fighting us," he stated.

"As was no less expected. You have done your service to the clan. Who are you facing in the Finals?" He asked, quietly sipping from a cup of a tea.

Neji didn't hesitate as he spoke. "Hinata Mitarashi, the failure," he stated coldly.

Hiashi's only reaction was a momentary pause, before he set the cup of tea down, and wiped away an imaginary crease in his robe. Hanabi however frowned, shifting in her seat at hearing her sister's name.

"Hanabi, still yourself," Hiashi commanded, as Hanabi froze. Hiashi's gaze never left Neji however. "I must admit, I'm surprised to hear she was even in the Chuunin Exams, let alone that she reached the Finals. Did her opponent forfeit?" He asked.

"No Hiashi-sama. Her opponent was a puppet wielder from Suna. She was able to utilize our bloodline to see through his planned deception and disable his connection to his puppet quiet easily. Afterwards she disabled him," Neji stated.

"Hmph. Had she been fighting a shinobi utilizing a more competent style of combat, I might feel a modicum of respect," Hiashi said. "It matters little. You will destroy her in the Finals, understood?" He ordered.

"Of course Hiashi-sama," Neji stated. "I will fulfill the clan's wishes and ensure the failure understands her place in the world."

Hiashi turned to Hanabi. "You will witness the Finals, Hanabi. It'll be important for you to see the fate of those who vainly try to stand against the Hyuuga clan. And for you to see how weak your former sister is, thanks to your mother's coddling. And you'll understand how much better off you are under my tutelage."

"Yes Hiashi-sama," she said, bowing her head.

Hiashi turned to Neji, picking up his tea. "Out of curiosity, who are her teammates and sensei?" He asked, sipping his drink.

"Her sensei is Anko Mitarashi, the woman who took her in after she was exiled. Her teammates are Ino Yamanaka and Naruto Uzumaki. Both of them also made it to the Finals as well."

Hiashi frowned as he heard the latter name, leaning forward. "Uzumaki? He was the boy she was consorting with," he stated. "And you said both of them made it to the Finals as well? Did any other Konoha teams experience such success?"

"No Hiashi-sama. My own teammate Tenten was defeated by a Kumo genin, while two of Team Seven's members were defeated or forfeited and one of Team Ten's was defeated. Team Eight was the only full team to advance," Neji reported.

"I see…thank you for this news. You're dismissed. Rest, and resume your training tomorrow. Remember to bring honor to the Clan, or suffer our displeasure," he ordered.

Neji bowed before rising, stepping back, and then turning and leaving. Hiashi frowned as he looked into his tea, before setting it aside. "Return to your studies Hanabi. That is all," he said, as he pulled a scroll to him and started reading it.

Hanabi slowly stood and silently moved away. As soon as she left the room, her stoic face took on a frown again, as she considered what she had heard. Her big sister Hinata had made it to the Finals of the Chuunin Exams. This left her feeling confused, as she had been constantly told how weak and pathetic her sister was, how she was superior to her former sister. And yet she had just heard how Hinata had made it into the end of this challenging and prestigious event.

She knew Hinata had only been a genin for six months, so to hear she had done well enough to make it to the Finals of an exam designed to promote genin to the next rank conflicted with what she was being told. She didn't like this confusion. It reminded her of the days and weeks after she had been pulled away from her mother and put into her studies and training with her father. She had felt so confused at the difference between her mother's loving and gentle words, and her father's harsh and strict nature.

Pausing for a moment, she shuddered as she leaned against a corner, closing her eyes. She remembered nights of quietly crying in her room, wondering why no one would comfort her or play with her. She remembered the nights of begging for her nee-chan, who had always come to see her at night when her training was done, to spend time with her. And then one night, she stopped crying. It didn't help her, didn't solve her problems. So she stopped. She put aside the confusion, and looked to her training with certainty.

And now that certainty was being shaken yet again, and she didn't like it. She frowned as she stood tall, eyes steeled. She would not be that weak again. Her resolve in place again, she headed back to the study where one of the clan elders would be waiting, to teach her the importance of politics in her role as clan heiress.

In the Hokage's office, the recently returned Sarutobi was at work writing out the apology letters to the other villages who genin had died over the course of the second part of the exam, though the message to Kumo was written with a subtle warning attached to it. He was just finishing the last one, when the door opened and his secretary glanced in. "Hokage-sama, a jounin from Kusa is here to see you," she said.

"Send him in," the aged Hokage said, sitting back quietly.

The man who entered was slightly short in height, wearing the standard green and brown uniform of a Kusa shinobi, with his forehead protector keeping shaggy blue hair out of his face. One of his eyes was sealed by a scar across it, while the other was dark brown. He stopped before the Hokage, looking rather frustrated. "I am Tetsuyio, the jounin of the Kusa genin team," he roughly introduced himself.

Sarutobi frowned as he studied the man. "I must say, Kusa's lessons in etiquette regarding leaders and political figures seem to be lacking," he stated quietly, as Tetsuyio glared at him.

"Etiquette is farthest from my mind when I've learned you've kidnapped my only surviving genin," he snapped.

"Not kidnapped," Sarutobi stated quietly. "Karin is a guest of Konoha. I merely wished to detain her so that we might have a chance to talk." The aged Hokage pulled out his pipe and lit it, before leaning back as he puffed on the burning tobacco inside. "We were quite astonished when we learned that a member of the Uzumaki clan was alive and well. They were a clan close and dear to Konoha, after all."

"That still doesn't excuse you detaining her," the Kusa jounin stated angrily, as Sarutobi raised an eyebrow.

"It does when she requests to defect to Konoha in order to avoid being exploited and killed like her mother was," Sarutobi stated mildly, as Tetsuyio froze, and his glare turned frosty.

"So, she has betrayed her village, and you accept her into your ranks? This will mean the end of any alliance between our villages," he growled out.

"I never said I accepted," Sarutobi stated again, puffing on his pipe. "In fact, I told her I would do what I could, but never guaranteed her a place in Konoha. However, I did intend to keep her here while we negotiate with Kusa on the subject of your village perhaps releasing her into our ranks."

"She is a Kusa genin, and a future valuable member of our medical corps. We will not just simply let her go," Tetsuyio growled out.

Sarutobi let out a frustrated sigh. "You seem to be constantly jumping to conclusions. I find that most vexing. Please, do not speak until I have finished speaking," he said, leaking killer intent. Instantly Tetsuyio stopped his blustering, his glare gone as he felt the pressure from this aged but still powerful shinobi.

Sarutobi eventually released the pressure and laid back. "Good. Now, please listen to me carefully. We do not intend to just take Karin, nor do we expect your village to simply let her go. She is a potential valuable asset. But she means more to my village, given her heritage and her clan's connection to our Senju founders. Which is why I am willing to negotiate with your village on a fair price for her release. Please take this message, and send it to your village. It is my initial offer for Karin's transference here to Konoha, as well as my willingness to negotiate. Your village is welcome to send a representative here to negotiate if they feel the price is not good enough, or they can send along a confirmation by messenger hawk. However, Karin will remain in Konoha custody until negotiations are complete. Do you understand?" He asked.

"Y-Yes, Hokage-sama," the now cowed Kusa jounin said, bowing. "I-I will deliver your message right away."

"Good. Oh and also send this letter of apology as well, for the death of Karin's teammates and the other team as well," Sarutobi said quietly, as Tetsuyio nodded, bowed, and quickly fled. Sarutobi just 'hmphed' as he smoked his pipe, glad the whole debacle was over. The man had been angry and arrogant, clearly not understanding just who he stood in the presence off. Sarutobi smirked as he enjoyed putting him in his place, before pulling the next document to him and reading it. That is until there was a soft breeze that flicked the smoke from his pipe, causing him to frown slightly. Instantly he flicked a kunai out of his sleeve, holding it to the neck of the cloaked figure standing at this side, having just snuck in through the previously locked window.

"Sarutobi-sama…it is good to see you again, senor," the figure said, as Sarutobi lowered his kunai.

"Raphael-san…I see you finally returned…and managed to sneak into my office," he said, stowing the kunai, as Raphael moved to the other side of his desk.

"Not well enough to get past you, obviously," Raphael said, sitting down. "I'm sorry for my detour and late return, but I feel that the end results were worth it. Especially since I learned some…interesting and surprising news while returning to Konoha."

"What news are you talking about?" Sarutobi asked, as Raphael's face became grim.

"I do not know exactly but it didn't sound good. I fear that Konoha is in grave danger," Raphael said quietly, before leaning forward, and beginning to quietly speak with Sarutobi.

The Next Morning

Anko smiled as she saw Hinata finish eating her breakfast while grabbing the last of her equipment. "Pretty eager to start training, huh imouto?" She asked Hinata.

Hinata nodded around a mouthful of cinnamon bun. "Mmmphhh...yeah," she finally managed to get out after swallowing. "Need to start training hard, if I'm going to show everyone what I've got."

"That's the attitude to have," Anko said. "Show everyone what an awesome super sensei I am, so I can get free dango whenever I want!" She cackled madly, as Hinata gave her a deadpan stare.

"Uh-huh…keep thinking that, Anko-sensei," she said, as she headed to the door. "I'll see you at the training ground!"

"Ha, I bet I'll beat you there!" Anko shouted back, as she moved around gathering the last of her supplies and putting them into her supply belt. She was just moving to open the door when a heavy knocking started on it. Immediately Anko's good mood soured and she growled as she threw open the door. "Damn it Kakashi, if you're trying-!"

"Awww, I'm gone for a few months and you're already yelling at other men? Que lastima," spoke a voice she hadn't heard in awhile.

Anko just stopped, and gaped, as before her stood Raphael, a grin on his face, arms spread wide. She just continued to gape at him, before growling and punching him in the arm. "You jerk! You've been gone for I don't know how many months, leaving me to deal with all your stupid paperwork, and then just pop up out of the blue un-announced?!" She yelled, punching him again as he danced back, rubbing his wounded shoulder.

"Your right is as mean as ever I see," Raphael said sheepishly, rubbing his shoulder as Anko just continued to glare at him.

"I'm not speaking to you until you've sufficiently apologized for leaving me with that blasted paperwork for so long. And postponing our date too!" She snapped, moving past him and locking her home in a huff, before storming off.

Raphael vaulted down after her, landing behind her. "Anko, be reasonable. I have a good explanation. Well…good for me, grave for everyone else possibly," Raphael said, as Anko frowned, turning back to him.

"How is that good for you?" She asked suspiciously.

"Because it won't make you angry at me anymore," Raphael said with a smirk, as Anko just growled and turned, storming off again. Raphael easily followed her to the dango stand, where she got her morning 'ration' of dango, before he spoke. "I was actually on my way to Konoha a few weeks earlier, when I came across a group of shinobi. A mixed group, from two different villages," he explained. "Oto and Suna."

That instantly grabbed Anko's attention, given how Sakura had stated she had believed that the Oto genin were connected to Orochimaru. It hadn't been corroborated yet, but given how this was the Oto village's first time ever appearing in a Chuunin Exams, and that just happened to be the same time Orochimaru popped up, it wasn't too much of a stretch to connect the dots. Her anger forgotten, she became serious. "What were they doing?"

"Initially? Camping and traveling. That's what made me suspicious. As far as I knew, Suna wasn't allied with any villages outside of Konoha and her other allies. And this Oto village wasn't one of them. So I followed the group, tracking their movements. They were scouting, Anko. Scouting the lay of the land, scouting out passes and roads, scouting out patrol routes. I think it was a recon group, for a much larger force they're expecting to come through," Raphael said quietly. "They veered off to the north and kept going till they left Hi no Kuni altogether."

Anko frowned heavily at that, dango momentarily forgotten. "Orochimaru, the traitorous sannin, and my former sensei? He's here in Konoha," Anko said. "Do you think they're connected?"

"Hokage-sama thinks so. I was up half the night being debriefed by him and analyzing what information I had gathered. While it's not certain yet, we think there is a chance Orochimaru will stage some sort of operation or strike within the next month. And his target is most likely Konoha," Raphael said softly.

Anko growled softly. "Looks like everyone's trying to take their shot at us this year. Kumo tried to go after Hinata in the second part of the Exams, Orochimaru marked the Uchiha boy with his fucking seal, and now Suna and Oto might attack? One disaster after another," she muttered.

"Wait, Kumo tried to go after Hinata?" Raphael asked in a worried whisper, as Anko nodded.

"Oh yeah. Rookie chuunin disguised as genin. Don't worry, Team Eight put short work to them," she said with a hint of pride. "All three made it to the Finals as well."

"I'll need to congratulate them later," Raphael said, before yawning. "I've barely had any sleep the last two days. I need a nice long siesta in a real bed."

"Oh, no, no, no, no! I might forgive you for the past few weeks of not being here, but you still left me for months dealing with that paperwork. You're coming to see Naruto and Hinata before you nap," Anko said, grabbing his hand. "And you're taking me on a very long and expensive date…tomorrow night," she added, giving him some mercy by at least giving him a day or two to prepare for the date.

"Fine, fine, as you command," Raphael said with a mock sigh of defeat.

Anko smirked as she started to drag him off, the Assassin merely rolling his eyes as he let her do so.

From above, Jiraiya let out an annoyed sigh as he watched the entire event. He had been hoping to catch Anko alone before she got to the training grounds, so he could talk to her. He had meant to the day before, but Mikoto Uchiha, the current Uchiha clan head, had all but demanded to meet with him, regarding what had happened to Sasuke. He had spent the better part of what was left of the day explaining how Sasuke was in no danger, so long as his will to resist the seal stayed strong, and had been forced to describe the seal so Mikoto could understand it. By the time he had finished, what little time he had left to confront Anko was eaten up by Sarutobi wanting to talk about security concerns.

With Raphael present, Jiraiya knew it would be harder to convince Anko to let him exclusively train Naruto over the month before the Finals. But he had to do it. He had to see what kind of damage was done to Naruto, and how much he would need to teach Naruto, to help get him ready to deal not with just the Finals, but the other threats out there in the world.

Deciding he had no other choice, Jiraiya followed the duo, waiting until the crowd had thinned as they drew closer to the training grounds, before he leaped down in front of them, putting on a jovial grin. "Aah, Raphael-san, Anko-chan! Just the two I wanted to meet," he said happily. "And may I say you look just as beautiful and sexy as ever, Anko-chan," he said with a wink.

Anko frowned as she crossed her arms, studying the toad sage before her. "What can I do for you Jiraiya-sama?" She asked, her tone formally polite but with a hint of irritation at being delayed.

Jiraiya smiled at her. "I was hoping I could speak to you, about your training for your team? Or rather, Naruto?" He asked. "You're probably stretched a bit thin, what with having three genin in the Finals, correct?"

"I wouldn't say that entirely," Anko said, shifting back onto one foot. "I'll admit, it'll be tough to give each of them their own unique training for the month, but with the aid of some friends, I think I can manage."

"Well I was thinking I could help with that. What do you say to me taking Naruto off your hands completely for this coming month? I'll handle his training by myself, and you can focus on the other two. They both have some pretty impressive opponents to handle," he said in his jovial tone.

Anko frowned at that, and shook her head. "No way. If you want to help train him, fine, but I'm not going to just up and abandon my student like that to someone else. I want to show my support to him by helping to train him," she said.

Jiraiya sighed, his tone turning to pleading a bit. "Be reasonable. Naruto has a lot of potential in fuinjutsu from what I hear, as well as a very large pool of chakra. I can train him up perfectly to be a powerhouse. The other contestants wouldn't know what hit him," he said.

"Except would you be able to teach him things that work with his fighting style?" Raphael asked, drawing Jiraiya's attention to him. "Naruto has spent many years training to fight a certain way. While he is the most brawler and frontline fighter out of our group, he still tends to fight in a discrete manner, focusing on trying to end his opponents quickly. He's not one for flashy techniques."

Jiraiya frowned, his tone slipping a bit. "Well we all need to learn how to adapt and fight out of our comfort zones," he said. "It's the mark of a good shinobi, showing adaptability."

"I can't argue with that, Jiraiya-sama, but I'm still not going to give up my student. You're welcome to become part of his training, but I won't give him up," Anko stated firmly.

Jiraiya let out a frustrated sigh as he tried a different tact. "It's not just about the Finals. Naruto is a pretty big target for other villages. And other groups. There's one out there that is planning to target jinchuuriki like Naruto. I want to train him to be able to handle those kinds of people, for his own protection. Surely you can understand that," he said.

"Would you be willing then to offer similar training to Yugito-san? She too is a jinchuuriki, and a Konoha shinobi," Raphael said, as Jiraiya glared slightly at him.

"She's much better trained and experienced. She won't need my guidance," he said, only for Anko to snort.

"Oh sure, not like she could use training and wisdom from one of the sannin. Or at least be warned by you about a group hunting people like her and Naruto. You only care about Naruto, and are intent on helping him. Why?" She asked, eyebrow raised.

Jiraiya grimaced and looked away. "It…it's important to me. I can't explain why, except I promised my student I'd look after his legacy," he said.

Anko's eyes narrowed at that. "You're doing this because of the Yondaime. You want to train Naruto because of Minato Namikaze…because he sacrificed himself to seal the Kyuubi into Naruto?"

"He wanted young Naruto to be seen as a hero. And he wanted me to help Naruto out. So I'm here to do that," he said, only for Anko to all but explode at him.

"Bullshit! If that's the case where the fuck were you all these years, huh?! I didn't see you protecting him on his sixth birthday from drunken villagers! I didn't see you here training him and teaching him the things he should be learning from his parents. If you wanted to help him, where the hell have you been?!" She snapped, only for Raphael to place a hand on her shoulder, to try and calm her down. She looked at him, only to see he had fixed his eyes on Jiraiya, both of them steely.

"She raises good questions, senor Jiraiya," he stated calmly but coldly. "I have not seen you do anything to help or train Naruto before today. Why the sudden interest in helping him now? Would it be because of me, and our disagreement?"

Jiraiya stared back at both, his former jovial, happy go lucky personality gone, and the shinobi in place. "I have had plenty to do keeping the village safe from external threats so that Naruto could grow up in this village. I've been giving Hokage-sama money to ensure that Naruto was taken care of. And I sent him gifts when I was able to on his birthdays," he said.

"That still doesn't excuse you for not being here when an Uchiha nearly killed him. Or when he learned he held the Kyuubi in him. Or any of the other times the villagers made his life hell," Anko said vehemently, making Jiraiya look away. "You want to help him? Like I said, you can help train him. But I'm not giving you my student, gama-sennin. Now more than ever, I don't trust you alone with him," she snarled, before storming off.

Raphael stood there though, still and silent, before speaking. "Jiraiya-san, if you have a problem with me and my allies, please say so, for I am tired of dancing around this issue," he said.

Jiraiya looked at Raphael, glare restored. "Fine. You want to hear it? I don't trust you with Naruto. You've taken a young boy and turned him into a trained, cold blooded killer. He never should have been that. He should have been an innocent young boy, with ideals and innocence and dreams to be a great hero. But you've taken that away and made him something dark and sinister."

The Spanish Assassin stared at Jiraiya, before speaking. "If you want to blame anyone for stealing away Naruto's innocence and dreams, Jiraiya-san, blame this village. They have ignored and hated a young boy for the crime of having something done to him by another person. A member of the Uchiha clan, seeking to overthrow this village, tried to kill him and forced him to take his first life. Not once, did I ever stop Naruto from dreaming, from wanting to be whatever he wanted to be. I told him from the start, in terms he could understand, what he was getting into if he chose to be an Assassin. He chose this life, because he feels he can do good things for others as part of our Order."

"He's a killer! What good can he do coldly killing people?!" Jiraiya yelled, causing people around them to look at the pair, as Raphael just shook his head.