I won't let the young suffer!

-Wuhai's POV-

The heck...

I continued to mock this Akimichi Kid while my hand was hidden on my back. How can it not? My hands were trembling from the impact of our fists clashed numerous times. I knew that it was a bad idea to contend with him in a melee battle...

If I knew that his physique already reached this stage, then instead of a melee battle, I'll kite him from afar. Though my physique was still superior to his, that close combat skill... How the heck did he reach that stage? How many battlefields that he went through?

I can't let his potential go to waste! If I was able to make a contract with him and then nurture him, then my ascension to the throne would be a smooth sail. I can't help it, can I? Although I was the current king's son, this kingdom had high respect toward a strong creature, and I still can be challenged for the throne by the others if my prestige is not enough.

Then what was I waiting for?!

I squatted beside him, stretched my hand over, and gave him my offer to make a contract with me.

"I in the name of myself -Sun Wu Hai- declare that you -Akimichi Chouji- are worthy to be my partner." A grin cannot help but show on my face. "Let's form a contract between ourselves."

The moment he grabbed my hand and nodded his head... Somehow, I felt like I had won a huge lottery.

---

*Shikamaru POV*

The sudden growl surprised me a bit, I leered at Enma-sama and saw he rolled his eyes in annoyance. I wonder why?

"Dang it, That shadow lump again..."

"Pardon?" What does he mean by 'shadow lump'? As a shadow user myself... I felt curious.

"That shadow lump is a shadow-like, round-bodied creature with two large, pointed ears and short spikes lining its back. Shadow lump has two red eyes and a toothy, sinister smile. It has claws on its hands. Shadow lump stands on its two short legs, but it can Levitate as well. In short, a shadow ball with limbs..." Enma-sama snarled, it seems that he's often dealing with this sort of creature. So often that he was annoyed by its mere presence.

"And what does it do? What was it called again...? Ah, Shadow lump." I felt intrigued, it's my first time knowing a creature affiliated with shadow, maybe I could learn something from it.

"Shadow lump has the ability to levitate. This creature hides in the shadows. When there is a Full Moon, this annoying creature loves to scare other creatures by pretending to be their shadow, then laugh at their fear. Shadow lump is typically mean-spirited and enjoys tormenting people, hurting them, and overtaking them.

"It can absorb any surrounding heat, leaving a sudden chill. To steal the life of its target, it slips into the prey's shadow and silently waits for an opportunity. Shadow lump is also able to merge with and inhabit the shadow of another being."

Unknown to me, my eyes shone when I heard Shadow lump's abilities. If I can do that also, then...

"How do I find it? Can I form a contract with it?"

In my excitement, Enma-sama stared at me weirdly. Regardless, he explained all the same.

"Well, tomorrow is a full moon so... Just go to dark places in the forest tomorrow night by yourself, it's almost certain that Shadow lump will show itself. Well, I won't say you can't, but it's never happened."

I nodded and thanked him, this could be a chance for me to learn from a natural shadow user!

Asuma-sensei apparently just smiled, he believed that his students already know what is best for themselves, so he let us decided something like this for ourselves.

"I feel that I need to tell you that despite their abilities, they are ones that don't feel fear towards others. For fear is their delicacies. And they're mischievous in nature." Enma-sama said with a bit of seriousness and a tinge of annoyance toward the end in his voice.

Later, both of us saw that Chouji and Wuhai-sama were already done with their business. So we went back and rest for the rest of the day.

That concluded our first day in this Shikkotsu Forest.

---

-Third POV-

Meanwhile, in the Konoha.

*knock* *knock* *Knock*

Hiruzen was seated in his office with an unfurled scroll on his desk, his tobacco pipe rested on his palm and occasionally he tapped it when he was deep in thought. "Come in."

*Creak*

The door was opened and a man with pineapple-like hair and scar adorned his peculiar face. He was Shikaku Nara, the current clan head of the Nara clan, and the current advisor of the Hokage.

"Greetings, Hokage-sama." Shikaku bowed his head with a calm expression, he was called earlier by the Anbu and told that he was summoned by the Hokage. In response to the way Shikaku acted, Hiruzen nodded his head and presented him with a scroll. "Read it."

Shikaku took the scroll, unfurled it, and read the content contained in it. He then furled it back and placed it on Hiruzen's desk.

"It is not my request, but it's from that Akimichi boy in order to help his friend. It looks like He has a kind heart and a good camaraderie." A small smile hung on Hiruzen's lips, he felt proud inside, the will of fire will keep burning in the younger leaf. "I've checked this Rock Lee's background, he's a good kid with a strong will of fire. You can check it yourself."

Hiruzen gave Shikaku another scroll, this time it was a tad bit bigger than before. Without hesitation, Shikaku took the scroll and read it again, this time slower than before.

Rock Lee, a boy originated from a small clan, the Lee clan. He was born with a deficiency in his chakra vein, which made him unable to utilize chakra more than an ordinary civilian was able to do. Both of his parents were traveling merchant and was killed by bandits. The Lee clan refused to take him in, thus he was placed in the village orphanage.

Albeit with his flaw in chakra utilization, Lee refused to give up and took the path of Taijutsu to the extreme guided by Konoha's blue beast, Might Guy. Under Guy's guidance, Lee was able to use the forbidden technique [Eight Gates] up to the fifth gate which made his prowess on par with the raw prowess of a Jounin.

'Guy's disciple, huh?' Shikaku heaved a long sigh after he read Lee's background, slowly he furled it back and placed it on Hiruzen's desk. 'Troublesome indeed...'

Shikaku closed his eyes for a while, his mind darted back to the time when his team was saved by Guy's father, Might Duy -the eternal genin- from Iwa's shinobi trap. He remembered Duy's exact word at that time, 'I won't let the young suffer!'

'Won't let the young suffer, huh?' A smile bloomed on his face, he looked at the Hokage and answered firmly. "I agree, I will let the Nara medicinal book be used for Rock Lee's treatment."

"You hear that, Guy?" Hiruzen smiled as he talked, just then, the window suddenly opened and Might Guy came through it. Guy immediately bowed toward Shikaku, he tried hard to hold his tears but ultimately still failed. "Thank you..."

Shikaku sighed, his hand moved and scratched his own head. "Don't thank me, it's as your father said. I won't let the young suffer... even though it's troublesome..."

"Guy, it's one thing that Shikaku lent his clan knowledge to us, but it's up to us to utilize that knowledge. I've checked Lee's injuries, and no ordinary medical-nin will be able to heal him. So..." Hiruzen inhaled his pipe as he paused in the middle of his sentences. "You should help Jiraiya and Naruto to take our best medical-nin, Tsunade. They're already on their way, so you should move quickly."

"YES, HOKAGE-SAMA!!!" Guy bowed once again toward Shikaku before he went to prepare for his mission.

"Won't let the young suffer, that's nice words coming from your mouth Shikaku," Hiruzen smirked as he looking at his new advisor.

Shikaku just scratched his head as he wryly smiled. "It's not mine, Hokage-sama."

---

The next day, in the Shikkotsu forest.

Chouji was honing his energy control skill guided by Wuhai, coupled with this place's thick natural energy, make his training advanced faster than he did it alone in another place.

On the other side of the forest, Shikamaru was squatted on top of a tree, he gazed at the horizon waiting for the sun to set. He was giddy to see Shadow lump and its shadow utilization, though, he keeps his stoic face on the surface.

'It's almost time...'