Chapter 16

"Kid. Wake up. He's back"

"Don't wanna." I mumble to Pakkun. "Five more minutes."

"I've got this Pakkun." Kakashi clears his throat. "Sakura, can you wake up Alvarcus?"

"I'm up!" I fly off the couch and land on me feet in a defensive stance. "Don't hit me! I'm up!"

Pakkun snickers. "Effective."

I look around the room, and notice a miraculous absence of pink.

"Kakashi-sensei you suck! Sakura isn't even here! I can't believe you'd do that to me! I swear her fists are made of metal."

"I needed you awake. Now you are. You can go back now Pakkun." Poof! The cute pug is gone. "Care to tell me what you were doing on my couch?"

"Sleeping?"

"Alvarcus. You know what I mean. Why are you here? What happened? Did your parents kick you out again?" He sounds very concerned, with a hint of absolute fury.

"I told my parents about Orochimaru." Like a broken floodgate everything pours out. "They didn't take it well. Turns out they've met him before too, and he did something to me when I was just a fetus. They let it happen. That's why I look like him, and they thought I was a mini Orochimaru. That made me angry, very angry. So I showed them my eyes and scars and asked if they think I'm still like him. I left them, told them I was moving out and that they never had to see me again. Then I came here, I had nowhere else to go." It feels good to tell someone else that. To share my problems.

Kakashi doesn't know how to react. I don't blame him, that is a lot to take in. He picks the safest thing to talk about. "What scars? You've never been wounded badly enough to leave a permanent scar."

That's right, he hasn't seen them yet. I guess my shredded shirt didn't reveal that much during the preliminary round of the Chunin Exams. He must not know that the Jiongu has to rip and tear through my skin to be used. I forgot about it too, until I ripped open my chest during my fight with Kiba. That hurt.

I hesitate. "I can... I can show you. If you want. It's bad, really bad."

"I've seen worse, I can promise you that." With Kakashi's consent, I remove my shirt. "Although, this is right up there." I show him my back and the pulsing heart lumps. "I rank you at 23rd for the worst scars I've seen."

"Twenty third? That's it? You've seen some terrible things. Do I outrank Ibiki?" I consider it morbid curiosity, but I want to know if I beat him. That's a sad thought, I might have worse scars than Ibiki.

"I wouldn't know. I've never seen his scars."

"Damn, guess I'll never know." Ibiki's scars make him look badass. Maybe I can use that too? "I can use this as an intimidation tactic during fights. Either take off my shirt, or let it get ruined. You've gotta admit, I look scary."

"It's an idea." Kakashi responds. "Do you really want to let attacks get that close? Close enough to ruin a shirt?"

"Why do you always have to ruin my ideas? First you thought chakra strings was pointless to learn, then you tell me I'll never be able to use my fire whips in combat for a sustained period of time, and now this?"

"It won't work on any nin with experience. We're all used to scars, most of us have our fair share. I did give you the 'you are the kunai' idea, so you can't say I didn't help you."

"Oh yeah, thanks for that by the way. It saved me from being eaten four times. I owe you a fruit basket or something."

Kakashi raises his eyebrow in question.

"Orochimaru summoned giant snakes in the forest." I bluntly say.

"Ah. That would do it. Anyways, we have a team meeting at noon today."

I glance at the clock. "Kakashi-sensei, it's three in the afternoon."

"So it is. We ran into a black cat?"

I laugh, "Sure. Black cat it is."

While wiping a tear out of his eye Kakashi tussles my hair fondly. "My favorite student."

Training Ground Seven

"You're both late!" Sakura shouts at us.

"You see," Kakashi starts to make an excuse. I cut in.

"There was a black cat in our way here. We had to take the long way around. We wanted to avoid the bad luck and all that." Kakashi vigorously nods his head.

"No! Kakashi-sensei infected Alvarcus with his lateness and lame excuses! Sasuke what do we do?"

"All we can do is avoid them." Sasuke answers, "And pray we don't contract the disease. I didn't know it was contagious."

I understand why Kakashi does this now, its funny!

"Alright team." Kakashi uses his business voice. No more kidding around. "Well done in the exams. Two of you passing to round three is amazing. I thought you all would fail your first time through." Thanks for the boost in confidence. "Sakura, you did very well in the exams, but you've been eliminated. I need to focus on your teammates if they want a shot at passing. You have the next month off, but that does not mean you can slack on your training! It just mean you won't have someone forcing you to train." Kakashi turns to Sasuke next. "I'll be taking you out of the village. I'm going to teach you the Chidori and work on your speed, it's the only chance you have against that Sand shinobi." He turns to me. "I've called in a few favors and got you a teacher lined up. He'll work with you."

"No." I say. "I don't need a teacher. I need to figure out what the Jiongu can do. It works similarly to chakra strings, so I just need to practice."

"Don't rule him out yet. At least meet him first. He should be here soon."

"I'm here now Kakashi." A new voice says. I look at the newcomer. "I'm Yamato. Which brat am I taking? One of the two girls?"

Sakura and Sasuke snicker. Kakashi giggles. Giggles.

I pin Kakashi with my best glare. "Really? This is who you asked? He can't even tell I'm a guy."

Yamato takes a step back and points at me in disbelief, "YOU'RE A GUY?"

Sakura and Sasuke burst out laughing. Kakashi just giggles even more.

"Yamato, Alvarcus. Alvarcus, Yamato. Play nice now!"

With a huge sigh, I turn to Yamato. "Do you have any skill with chakra strings?"

Suddenly nervous, Yamato replies "No."

"Have you ever heard of the Jiongu?"

Gulping, he says, "Isn't that one of Taki's kinjutsu?"

"Do you know jutsu from all five elements?" Kakashi zeros in on me when I say that. Uh-oh, I said something wrong. He must not know the Jiongu grants affinities.

"I am okay with water and earth. I know a few support jutsus of each." Yamato starts sweating.

I pull out the scroll Orochimaru gave to me. "See this?" Yamato nods. "This scroll has all those things. Right now, this scroll is a better teacher than you. Convince me, why should I let you teach me?"

Yamato musters up his courage. "I know what you are going through."

"No you don't. You have no idea what I am going-"

"Wood Release: Flower Field!" Flowers spring up all around us. Every kind imaginable is here, every color is here to. It's beautiful, I never knew ninjutsu could be so elegant, I've only seen it destroy. "Did you really think you were the only person to survive Orochimaru's experiments? You're not. I survived too."

Oh. Yamato. He's that Yamato. The wood release, gotten from the First Hokage's cells. He does know what I am going through, in a very loose sense.

"Okay. You can at least be present while I train. That way if I mess up you can carry me to the hospital."

Yamato nods his consent. "Fine by me. If you have questions, feel free to ask." That has a double meaning. He wants me to know I can talk to him. Kakashi picked the best person possible to train me.

"Glad you two came to an agreement." Kakashi claps his hands together. "Let's go Sasuke, no time to waste." They leave.

"I better get going to. I have plans with Ino soon." Sakura exits.

Its just Yamato and me now. I turn to face him, "I'll be here at 9am everyday. Show up if you want to." I leave.

On the wind I can faintly hear Yamato say, "This is going to be a long month."

You have no idea how right you are.

Training Ground Seven, the Next Morning

I stare at Yamato. Yamato stares at me.

"Okay. Here's how this is going to work." I'm ordering a jonin around. What is the world coming to? "I'm experimenting with the Jiongu, Earth Grudge Fear. I don't know how it works exactly. The first time I used it I ended up killing three Sound nin."

"That was you?" Yamato interrupts in surprise. "I saw the battlefield. They were ripped to pieces and their hearts were gone."

"Good, then you know how serious this is. You need to keep a distance from me until I can control it. If there are black threads anywhere, do not go near them. Understand? They may try to do you in like the Sound nin."

"Got it." Yamato takes a few steps away.

"Best go to the other side of the clearing. Just to be safe." He moves away further. "Alright. Now lets read that scroll." I open the scroll up.

Jiongu, also known as the black threads, yadda yadda yadda. I know what it is, I need to know what it does specifically. Original wielder, Kakuzu. Can take hearts of other shinobi and gain their chakra affinity. Grants the user additional chakra based on the stolen heart. That means my reserves skyrocketed. I can probably use my fire whips now. Grants the user the chakra regeneration speed based off of the stolen hearts. That's useful. I will recover chakra at four times the normal rate right now. Can be used to make minions. I'm going to try that. Later. Definitely later. Baby steps Alvarcus.

Alright. So Orochimaru said that this Jiongu is different from Kakuzu's, that means I shouldn't base everything I know around him. My Jiongu is parasitic, and according to Orochimaru sentient. I can try talking to it? How would I go about that?

"Hello? Jiongu? You there? Well, I know you're there, you're inside me. Can you hear me?" I feel ridiculous.

~Yes.~

"Oh Kami, it can talk. I have a talking thread monster inside of me."

"Oi! Alvarcus!" Yamato calls out to me. "You say something?"

"Yeah!" I yell back to him. "The Jiongu is sentient. I'm trying to talk to it. Now shut up and let me work!"

"Why did I agree to this? This was a terrible idea. 'Teach one of my students Yamato. It'll be a good experience for you.' Kakashi you liar."

I tune out Yamato's rambling. The Jiongu can talk. Disturbing.

"Are you self aware?"

~Yes. The host commands, and I follow.~

"You will obey me? Just like that? I don't have to do some crazy task to win your allegiance? Face my inner evil or something?" It can't be this easy. Can it?

~No. My purpose is to serve. I cannot act alone, only with permission. Only by your will. I can only influence your decisions, never dictate.~

"But the Sound gennin. You killed them."

~I don't understand.~

"The ones you took the hearts from. I didn't tell you to do that."

~You gave me permission.~

"I didn't want you to rip their hearts out and stuff them into my back!"

~You didn't tell me not to. It is my purpose, to serve my host to the best of my abilities so we can survive. Now, with the hearts, you are stronger. Better.~

"I order you to never take another heart without my explicit permission!" Never again. I don't want to do that ever again.

~As you command.~

"Good. Do I have to tell you not to kill everyone I meet?"

~No. I can feel your emotions, hear your thoughts. I will know the difference between enemy and friend.~

"You won't attack Yamato if I start using you?"

~I will only attack those you see as an enemy.~

"Good. How does this work? Do I have to tell you what to do?"

~I can hear your thoughts. I do your will. You've used me before, do it again.~

"And if I want to use chakra strings? Every time I've tried to use them, you come out instead."

~I will... stay if you wish to use your inferior strings.~

"Thank you." I just thanked the Jiongu. I must be crazy.

~You're welcome, host.~

The Jiongu shivers in joy. I feel it throughout my body. It's... oddly pleasant.

"Here we go." I say to no one in particular and draw a kunai. I will a chakra string to attach from my arm to the kunai. It works. No black threads.

"Huh. That was easy. My chakra strings are back." I fling the kunai into a tree. "I'm back baby!" I pull it back to me and holster it. "No need to practice with those then. Wait! My fire whips! I have more chakra now!"

I extend a string out from my finger a meter in length. I set it on fire.

"Impressive." I ignore Yamato.

Longer. I stretch the string out. Last time my maximum distance was seven meters, and that used almost all of my reserves. I'm at ten meters now, I don't even feel a strain. "Awesome! I can do this all day!" I make another string. Another. Pretty soon I have five strings, one for every finger on my right hand.

"Oh man, I am going to destroy in the tournament now."

I start whipping the stings around my body, making a sort of sphere with them.

"This is the best idea ever!" I let the strings fade. I don't feel any strain on my reserves at all. They are recovering faster than I spent my chakra. Fantastic!

"How many can I make?" I can easily handle ten, one per finger. I try to make one out of my back. Nothing happens.

"What? No! That's not right!" I douse the strings from my fingers to focus solely on my back. "Okay, I can make the string just fine still." I try to ignite it, and the string crumbles apart. "But I can't use an elemental switch? Where else can I not make them from?"

After five minutes of experimenting, I determine that I can only make them from my fingers. "What a let down. Still, ten whips of pure fire can't be easy to dodge. I can live with that."

"Kid, that is scary. How long have you been able to do that? The chakra usage must be extreme." Yamato asks from across the training field.

"How long? Just now. I've never been able to set them on fire for that long before. My limit used to be one string, and even then I could only hold it for around thirty seconds."

"I've seen jonin struggle with techniques that complex. You've impressed me. That amount of shape change must take an extreme level of focus."

"Shape change? It's not shape change. I make a chakra string and then do an elemental change." I inform Yamato.

His jaw hits the floor. "You got that idea from chakra strings? Don't tell anyone that. Ever. Let them assume for themselves, it'll give you an edge in a fight. If they think you are capable of shape change to the extreme like I did, then they will wonder what else you can do."

"Good idea. Maybe you do have a use after all."

"That's it! I'm never doing another favor for Kakashi ever again! I don't know if I can take twenty nine more days of this!" Poor Yamato, I haven't even started working on the Jiongu yet.

"Oh be quiet! I'm a dream student. I'm teaching myself, you don't have to do anything."

Yamato huffs in annoyance. Whatever, not my problem.

"Oi. Grumpy! I'm going to try to use the Jiongu now. Fair warning. It said it won't attack you, but I want to be extra safe."

"Go ahead kid. I'll be alright."

I will the Jiongu out of my arms. Black threads stretch away from me, and osculate in the air.

"Alright, lets do some tests." I will it to pick up a rock. I crush it to dust. "Wow. Kiba has no idea how luck he is. That could have been his head." I pull a kunai out. I bring a thread over to me, reach out with the kunai to cut it and

~NO!~

freeze millimeters away from the thread.

"I need to know how durable you are. You can take blunt damage just fine, but what about cutting attacks?"

~Do not hurt me host. Ask, and I will answer. I am more prone to cutting attacks, but it will take a very good blade to do so.~

"Good to know. So I can use you to block most cutting attacks. What happens if I lose a limb? You're inside of me and replaced everything. Would my arm grow back?"

~I can re-attach it to your body. I can exist outside of you for a long time, being cut does not mean I am destroyed. I can fuse back together.~

"That... is really convenient. What can kill me then? You replaced everything. Can I not die?"

~If all of our hearts are destroyed, we will perish.~

"So as long as I have one heart I will survive? Does it have to be my original?"

~Only one heart is needed. It does not matter which.~

"Huh. I'm really hard to kill now. That's good." An idea occurs to me. "Could I use you as my fire whip?" I could spawn it from anywhere on my body that way.

~No. I am not chakra. I am a living being, a parasite. I feast on your chakra to sustain myself.~

That is concerning. "You eat my chakra? Why?"

~It is how I grow.~

"Makes sense. And that explains why I still need to eat even though I don't have a stomach anymore. Oh Kami I don't have a stomach anymore! Where does the food go?"

~I learn from what I devour. I can do everything your organs did, only better. Your eyes adjust quicker, you get more nutrients from food, your muscles never tire.~

"Really? I'm human version 2.0? Everything I do is better?"

~No. I am simply better.~

"I'll give you that one. Say, it says here from this scroll that I can use you to make minions. Will you still listen to me if I separate you from my body?"

~Yes. There is not two of me, only one. Even separate I am still one.~

"Good to know. Well let's give it a shot!" I will threads to pour out of my body and take a form with four limbs. It doesn't work. "It didn't work? It's supposed to work!"

~It must contain a heart.~

"Really? Gross. Okay, lets use a heart this time. How do I know which heart to use?"

~You have four hearts now. One of fire, earth, water and lightning. Will one of them outwards. I will do the rest.~

That means the Sound nin all had different affinities. That is incredibly lucky. I just need wind to complete the set. No! I will not steal another heart!

"Okay. Here we go." I push out the earth heart. Pain! My back splits open, and with a wet plop the heart falls out. Instantly the black threads wrap around it and take on the vague shape of a human with the limbs extending well beyond what is normal. The creature stands at three meters tall and is very imposing. The most striking feature is the still beating heart fused to its chest.

I throw up.

Disgusting. That was in my back. That was in my back! There are two more just like that!

"Alvarcus!" Yamato starts running over to my side.

"NO! Stay away!"

I don't want him close. The closer he is the more danger he is in. The thread monster positions itself between Yamato and me, almost like it reacted to my thoughts. Like it doesn't want him near me either, like it is protecting me.

"I'm okay. Just... surprised. Give me a moment." I will the monster back into myself. The heart goes back in with a sickening squelch.

I take a minute to collect myself. "I need to cover that up. Kakuzu used masks, maybe I could imitate him?" I say to myself.

"Who is Kakuzu?"Yamato asks. I ignore him. I have more important things to worry about.

"So. The earth heart. Can it use earth jutsu then?"

~Yes. Any that you know.~

"Oi Yamato, you get to be useful. Teach me an earth jutsu." I demand.

Yamato falters. "Right now?"

"Yeah right now. I don't care which. Just make it an easy one, one very low level. I need to learn it quickly."

"I uh... didn't come prepared. Can we wait until tomorrow?" He flounders about.

"Dude. Just show me a damn earth jutsu." This is ridiculous.

"Well here goes nothing." He flies through some hand signs and shouts "Earth Release: Mud Wall!" A wall of earth raises up to two meters. "How was that?"

"Go through the hand signs slower this time." I have to teach him how to teach. Ironic. He goes through the entire process slower this time. "I think I got it."

I slowly go through the hand signs for the jutsu and push chakra out. "Earth Release: Mud Wall!" A wall three meters in height springs from the ground. "Would you look at that. Mines bigger."

Yamato blushes at the innuendo. He is just too easy to tease.

"Alright, back up. I'm going to pull the thread monster out again." He backs away, and I release the earth heart again.

Pain! Plop! The monster is before me, beating heart and all.

"Well go on, give it a try."

The humanoid monster stomps the ground. A wall of mud three meters high forms between us and Yamato.

"Doesn't need to use hand signs? Interesting. Maybe it instinctively knows what the chakra needs to do? Whatever, I'll consider that as a success." I look the monster up and down. "I really need to get a mask for you and the others." I pull the earth heart back into me.

Pain! Squelch.

"Hey Yamato, do you know where I can buy ANBU quality masks? I need five." One for each heart. I'm not naive enough to think that I won't ever send out my own heart. I need to be prepared for everything.

"I know a store. It's a weapons store, but they have quality masks as well. Come on, I'll take you there." I follow Yamato out of the training field.

"Hello! Welcome to Higarashi Weapons! Feel free to ask me if you have any questions!"

"Tenten? You work here?" I ask.

"Hey! You're that creepy guy from the forest! The heart thief!"

Silence. Yamato, Tenten and I don't say anything.

"Oh my Kami I am so sorry! I didn't mean anything by it! Please don't hate me!" Tenten exclaims. "You're Alvarcus! See I know your name! Don't hurt me?" The last bit comes out as squeak.

It hurts to know she thinks I would hurt her. I'm not a monster. The Jiongu is.

"How about we just start over." I offer. "Hi, I'm Alvarcus."

Tenten smiles at me, "Hi, I'm Tenten."

"And I'm utterly bored. You two can flirt later when I'm not here. The masks are back this way." Yamato drags me to the back of the store.

"Oi! We were not flirting!"

"Kid, you were totally flirting with her."

"Well she is cute. That's not the point! I was just being polite!"

"Whatever you say hotshot." We stop in front of a shelf with masks of all kinds on it. "Here. Pick out your masks."

I browse the selection. There are masks shaped like animals, masks modeled after demons and monsters from children's stories. I pick out five white masks, one with each element illustrated on it.

Fire is covered in flames, water depicts the ocean, earth has mountains, lightning has a lightning storm and wind has tornadoes. Perfect.

Yamato and I go back to Tenten. "I'll take these masks please."

"What do you need five masks for?" Tenten asks while ringing up my total.

"Not telling!" I say with a grin. "I don't want to give away my skills before the tournament."

"Oh come on! You can trust me!"

"Nope! You're teammates with Neji. I might end up fighting him and I don't want him to know what I can do."

"Awww. Please?"

"No. Sorry. You'll have to wait like everyone else."

"Except me." Yamato interrupts again. "I get to see it right now, because I am done standing here and watching you two. It's gross. Pay and let's leave already."

"Fine." I hand over the appropriate amount of money. "See ya around Tenten!"

"Bye Alvarcus!"

"Not flirting my ass."

"Oh shut up Yamato. Let's just go back to the training field."

Training Ground Seven

"Alright kid, you going to tell me what the masks are for now?" Yamato says.

"Sure. You saw my thread monster right?" He nods. "You saw the heart?" He nods again. "The masks are going to cover the heart up. Hide it, distract from its weakness. If the heart gets destroyed the thread monster gets destroyed too and I lose whatever affinity, chakra supply and chakra recovery that heart has." With that explained, I remove my shirt and will the threads to latch the masks on my back. I even attach the wind and fire mask. A little misdirection never hurts, and this way if I get a wind heart I have the mask on hand already.

"Those hearts do that much for you?"

"Yep. It's nice. But it also means the heart had to come from somewhere. I don't look forward to replacing them. I don't even plan on seeking out a wind nature heart. That's the only one I am missing."

"So you have a natural affinity with four of the five elements?" Yamato clarifies. "And could have all five eventually?"

"Yep. My plan for the next month is to learn a crap ton of new jutsu. The Jiongu works similarly enough to my chakra strings that I don't need to work on it. And the minions listen to what I say and they have a mind of their own. Once I learn some jutsu from each element I have I'm going to work on commanding them."

"I feel bad for the other gennin in the exam. You're going to destroy them all." Yamato bluntly informs me.

"Oh, I know. But here's the thing, I don't want to reveal all my skilsl during the exam. There are going to be hundreds of spectators. I still want to be an unknown. I'm going to try and limit myself. I don't plan on using the Jiongu." That and then when the invasion happens, I'll have moves no one has seen before.

"Alright kid. I'll teach you some earth and water jutsu. How's that sound?"

"Works for me."

Over the next week Yamato taught me every low level water and earth jutsu he knows. Most of them seem useless, like the hiding in the water jutsu, but given the right situation I know they could be exactly what I need. I soak up everything he teaches me like a sponge.

I need a new teacher. I've exhausted Yamato of jutsu, he really didn't know that many. But who can I ask? I guess I can ask around the other rookie's senseis to see if they are willing. I can give Shino back his glasses while I'm at it, I have my own pair now.

I go to the Aburame clan grounds. I approach their gate guards and ask, "Is Shino inside? I have something of his I am returning."

The gate guards look at me. "Follow me." The one on the left says.

We walk through the clan compound in silence. Talkative bunch these guys. "This is his house."

"Thank you, Aburame-san." The guard leaves. I knock on the door and thankfully Shino answers. "Hey Shino. I wanted to return your sunglasses. I finally got around to getting my own pair." I hold the sunglasses out to him.

"Thank you, Alvarcus. Did you need anything else?"

Here goes nothing. "Well... if its not asking too much could you tell me where your sensei is? I have some questions I'd like answered and Kakashi is out of the village with Sasuke."

Shino pauses. "Your sensei left you alone here?"

"Sorta?" I reply.

"Come. I know where she may be." Shino starts walking out of his compound.

I take off after him. That guy can walk fast! "Thanks Shino! If you need a favor let me know."

Without missing a step Shino demands, "If we fight during the exams I want you to surrender."

I consider. The chance that I actually will fight Shino is slim. Especially with Orochimaru's invasion looming on the horizon. I'll take that.

"Sure. I'll do one better, I'll let you beat me. Only this exam though. If we have to go through another one this deal doesn't count." I'm manipulating him. I don't feel bad about it since he's trying to manipulate me too. We are shinobi, it's what we do.

"Agreed."

We walk in silence the rest of the way to... a tea house? I didn't know what I expected, but it wasn't this. Shouldn't jonin be more jonin ish? Whatever, jonin are people too. Who am I to judge.

"Kurenai-sensei is inside with Asuma-san. Do not bring up them dating, it will hurt your chances of your questions being answered."

"Thanks for the advice Shino. Can you introduce me to her?"

"Yes. Follow me." Shino leads me over to Kurenai and Asuma.

"Well look what the cat dragged in! Shino, how are you doing?" Kurenai says. Wow, she's pretty. Focus! There are more important things to discuss than that!

"Kurenai-sensei, this is Alvarcus. He has a question for you." Shino, Asuma and Kurenai all turn towards me.

"Well let's hear it. It isn't every day someone seeks me out. At least someone your age. Men!" Ew gross Kurenai. Repress that thought!

"Well... you see Kakashi-sensei is out of the village training Sasuke so I can't go to him. I only know other gennin and they can't do what I want. So I figured I'd ask their senseis." I take a breath. Moment of truth. "I want you to teach me elemental jutsu. Any elemental jutsu you want to teach is fine for me. Preferably ones that aren't meant to kill, I want techniques that will put someone out of the fight but spare their lives. I can learn any element except wind. I can't learn wind yet." I have high level elemental jutsu on the scroll Orochimaru gave me. I don't need anymore kill moves.

Asuma snorts. "You're overreaching yourself. Elemental jutsu from four different elements? Jonin can't do that. Only the best of the best can. The Hokage is the only person I know who can wield all five elements, and you say you can do four?"

"I'm not asking you. I'm asking Kurenai." Asuma bristles as I ignore him.

Kurenai jumps in before he can chew me out. "I'm sorry Alvarcus. I specialize in genjutsu. I don't even know any elemental jutsu."

"Damn." A thought occurs to me. "Do you know any genjutsu that causes shared vision?" It would be cool to see out of my thread monsters. I could get a Six Paths of Pain gimmick.

"Eyes of the Damned does that. Hardly anyone knows it, even less use it. I've only used it once when I was blinded by a lightning jutsu."

"How does it work?" I ask. It sounds promising.

Kurenai takes a sip of her tea. "By using this genjutsu the user can create eyes anywhere their chakra is, most commonly on the body. It is very effective if you are blinded for any reason. Skilled users can create eyes on the back of their heads to have something like a Byakugan. Without training it can cause sensory overload and the user will pass out from trying to process too much information."

"Just to clarify, eyes can be made where ever the user's chakra is?"

"Yep." Kurenai responds.

"Perfect! Teach me it please!" Oh I can picture it now. My chakra strings are made of chakra. I can make eyes on them. I could make tentacles out of eyes come out of my back! How scary is that!

"No." I lock up. She has to teach me it! It will be so cool!

"But my tentacle eyes! It would be the best scare tactic ever!" I exclaim.

Asuma spits out his tea. "Tentacle eyes? What the hell are you talking about?"

"She said I can make them where ever my chakra is. I use chakra strings as my main form of combat, I'll make a string and then spawn the eyes on it."

"Don't be stupid. That won't work." Asuma states confidently.

"Actually," Kurenai corrects, "his idea has some merit. It could work. The theory makes sense, but I've never heard of the Eyes of the Damned being used like that. It is supposed to be a support jutsu, not an offensive one."

"So you'll teach me then?" I ask hopefully.

"No. I won't teach someone who will fight my student in the finals. Not to mention what you threatened to do to Akamaru." Ouch. She remembers that.

"I wasn't going to actually break anything. I knew Kiba would surrender if I threatened Akamaru so I did. It was the least violent way to win. I didn't want to hurt him. Kiba is my friend."

Kurenai reluctantly accepts my logic. "You could still face Shino in the finals."

"We have a deal, Kurenai-sensei." Shino interjects. "If we fight, Alvarcus will purposefully lose. There is no reason not to teach him." Thank you Shino!

"Fine. I'll teach you this genjutsu. But just this one! That's all you're getting out of me. Also know that I will be teaching Shino all of its weaknesses. Here are the hand signs." Over the next five minutes Kurenai drills it into my head. "There. Now all you need to do is practice it. It's very easy to cast, but difficult to get used to using."

"Thank you, Kurenai. This means a lot to me."

Asuma snorts. "I still don't believe you can use four elements."

Chance! "Want to bet?"

"Ha! You want to bet against a jonin? What are the stakes?" Asuma leans forward, interested in my proposal.

"I'll tell you how I can use four elements. If you deem my response true, then I win and you teach me a jutsu. If I lose, I'll pay for your meal." I attempt to lure Asuma in. Take the bait!

"Deal!" Asuma readily agrees with the promise of free food. Kurenai just face palms. Interesting, does she know I played him? "Alright kid, let's hear it."

I take a breath. "Have you heard of the Jiongu?" Asuma and Kurenai still. Shino is confused. I think. I can't read him. The only reaction he had was turning his head towards me fully.

Asuma breaks the silence. "Taki's most forbidden technique. It steals hearts to add to the users chakra supply."

I'm surprised. "You know more than most. The user also gains whatever affinity the heart has in addition to its chakra."

Asuma and Kurenai go pale. Asuma speaks up, "Its only user is ancient, rumored to be dead of old age. The Jiongu has been lost to time."

"You're wrong." I pause for effect. "I am a host of the Jiongu."

"Prove it." Asuma demands. "Show me proof."

I summon black threads out of my left arm. "Is this enough? I can show you my hearts if you wish. We will have to go elsewhere. I doubt the civilians would appreciate it."

"No need." Asuma clears his throat. "So. Four hearts?"

"Yes, mine and three others. Taken from a Sound team during the Chunin Exams second task. Before I knew I had it."

"That was you?" Kurenai asks. "They brought the jonin to the site. They wanted us to figure out what happened there." She pauses. "Did you... intentionally wound them like that?" She censors herself for Shino's sake. She doesn't want him exposed to something like this, not yet. He's still innocent.

"No. That was my first time using the Jiongu. I've had no issues since."

Silence follows while the shinobi present digest that information. Asuma speaks up. "Well kid you win. You said you don't have wind?" I nod. "Pity. If you ever get one, come find me. I'm Konoha's only wind user. I do know a couple of lightning and fire jutsu. All of them are low level. Where do you want to meet at?"

"Training ground seven at 9am tomorrow work for you?" I ask.

"Yeah. I'll be there."

"Thank you for your time, Kurenai and Asuma." I take my leave.

As I am walking away I hear Kurenai say "That kid is going to be one hell of a Shinobi."

"Going to be?" Asuma says, "He already is. Did you see how well he played us both?" Damn, they both know I manipulated them. Oh well, I got what I want. "If my kids end up facing him, I'm telling them to surrender. Give him a few years and I won't want to face him."

I'm casually walking around the village. I've got some time to kill before I want to go back to Kakashi's apartment. I've been crashing there ever since I walked out on my parents.

"Hmm... what to do?" I mumble to myself.

"Hey!" A feminine voice calls out.

"I could get ice cream? I'm always up for getting ice cream. Plus I never did get it when the Sand Siblings tried to kidnap me."

"Hey you!" The same feminine voice calls out again, this time closer.

"Oh, I know! I'll get a waffle cone!"

"Hey uh... what was his name? Alvarcus!"

I turn at the sound of my name. It's a girl my age. Was she calling out to me this whole time? "Can I help you?"

"Yeah, you're Alvarcus Mak right?"

"Mar." I correct her.

"Whatever. You're on a team with Sasuke-kun?"

Oh Kami she's a Sasuke fangirl. "Yes, I am."

"Do you know where he's at? I haven't seen him in forever."

"He's out of the village." Might as well see where this goes. Not like I was doing anything else important.

"When will he be back?"

"No idea."

"Oh. Thanks." She walks away.

"That was strange. So... let's get that waffle cone!"

One Week Later

"Hey!" A girl's voice calls out.

"Oh my Kami! I don't know where Sasuke is! I don't know when he'll be back! Why do you all keep bothering me!"

"Wow. No need to be rude jerk."

"No need to be rude? I've been asked where Sasuke is 27 times this past week! That's almost four per day! You all are the weird ones! Just leave me alone!"

"Hey!" A new female voice calls out.

"And that makes 28! Quit stalking me to stalk Sasuke! It's weird and I don't like it! Kawarmi!" I switch with a nearby log. I've had it with these fangirls! I'm sticking to the shinobi highway from now on!

"Hey!"

"Oh come on!"

Asuma taught me Lightning Release: Lightning Bullet. It can be used to either to stun or to kill. Now I know at least one jutsu for each of my elements. The lethal ones from the scroll, and the tame ones from my various teachers.

It took me another week, the one where I was pestered nonstop by fangirls, to truly master using my thread monsters and new jutsu. I find it easiest to make them use similar jutsu, that way I know what to expect from them. Ironically, the ones I use most are the bullets. Fire bullet, a smaller and faster version of Sasuke's grand fireball. Water bullet, which I can make strong enough to punch through trees. Earth bullet, best for blunt attacks meant to cripple and break bones. Lightning bullet, used to stun or stop an opponents heart.

I spent the third week learning the high level jutsu from Orochimaru's scroll. Lightning Release: False Darkness. Fire Release: Intelligent Hard Work. Water Release: Exploding Water Colliding Wave. Earth Release: Devouring Earth.

I may have trashed the training ground. Just a bit. Okay, I completely trashed it. Combining some of those attacks are seriously scary. I vaporized several trees when I combined Exploding Water Colliding Wave with False Darkness.

The bad news is that even with my four hearts I can't throw the high level jutsu around like crazy. They are hearts from gennin, I can't expect too much from them. I could upgrade eventually, but I refuse to make it a primary goal. I will not hunt down shinobi to take their hearts, but if I am sent on a mission and have to kill someone who has a better heart than one I have I will take it. It would be wasteful not to. I don't even know if five is the limit, or if Kakuzu just thought it was.

The fourth week I had an epiphany. While messing around with Eyes of the Damned genjutsu and my chakra strings. I have four natural affinities. Chakra strings can only have an elemental change if you have a natural affinity. Long story very short, I spent that week cackling like a mad man while screaming "Take that Kakashi-sensei! Elemental strings!"

Before I knew it, it was exam day.