Pov: Kenzo

  *CRASH!* *BOOOM!*

  Boulders crash around me as I crouch down and bend my knees fully I look through the water as I hold my breath and- *RUSSSSH!* try to leap out of the water... it fails and I sink to the bottom.

  I y on my back as the Boulders unching through the water nd on my body and crush it- agonizing pain via slow crushing and drowning ensues as I struggle.

  *Gasp!*

  ...

  Had I take a few more breaths before diving I could have saved time and made that st jump out of the water.

  I walk to the edge of the rge tower and look upon the castle being sieged- okay, down the tower first.

  I jump down the tower and along the cracks that emerge to give me leverage, at an astonishing and well practiced speed I make my way down dodging the arrows and that one boulder that always tries to hit me when I reach the bottom.

  I reach the bottom and look down the brick road... bodies pile up, soldiers rush around and I see my path- I can only jump and if I do any other action I will have my left calf removed instantly with as much pain as possible.

  Twist my body... lower it... take a breath... bend my knees and- *Woosh!* Jump! Momentum! Jump!

  Over the barricades- over the bodies and over the enemy spears- I rush over every obstacle with my jumps and stretch my muscles as I reach the next set.

  Tower, road, army and then my least favourite- the ke.

  I jump over the broken door onto the make-shift ramps and over peoples heads with one step jumps and long jumps, I use triple jumps to dodge the catapult as it fires while I pass- my face pace and quick jumps allow me to make my way to the ke and take a few breaths before...

  *Crash!* *Boom!*

  The catapults turn to me and I dull the noises of boulders by jumping through the ke... this is a stamina test, I can breathe through most of this fine... just at the end my natural limit is reached and I need oxygen.

  I could shapeshift- I have eaten a lot of animals in this jumping world while I had the chance but unfortunately swimming as a fish removes my left calf.

  I don't know why but my right calf would be so much better to take away at this point and it annoys me.

  *Crash*

  Boulders sm around me and right behind me as I speed up through the water... Jump after jump I make it through the water and reach the final jump, my breath hitches as I lower and my eyes darken as I leap.

  *Spsh!* *Gasp!*

  I nd on the docks on the other side of the ke... I made it! Haaa- Haaa- My jumping definitely got faster.

  I want to fall down and rest for a moment but I do love my left calf.

  I shake off the water and look ahead, that suspicious and ever waiting cart with allied soldiers looks like my exit, they seem to be calling me over.

  Twist, lean, bend and *WOOSH!* jump!

  I have practically doubled my jumping speed and power in this skill scroll, the first test made me higher and higher, a cliff growing from one meter to impossible levels of height... I used a mixture of shapeshifting to make it up.

  Hollow bones... lighter body and yet stronger leg muscles and all that- the next one was a crack I had to jump over and it widened into a ravine... now that height and length have been improved I trained my speed as the tower crashes down and the road is filled with an army, the outside nds lit with fmes and the ke makes the enemies target me with boulders.

  I nd on the cart.

  *Cck*

  The wood and my shoes collide and I look around as the world turns orange once more, I blink before seeing the scratches on the wall.

  'C-rank portion complete, Jump skill complete'

  I blink once again and see the inside of my blindfold, noise starts up and I return to the real world, I get up and stretch a little.

  Not much gained from that as the mortal limit wasn't broken... more stretched due to my shapeshifting.

  Okay- I should focus on upgrading all my skills now, getting more isn't helping my strength at all- and I definitely want to figure out the secrets to walking and such as that would help me a lot.

  I get up and go downstairs... a commotion is happening down there it seems, I reach the bottom and just as all the gazes nd on me I hear someone whisper my name.

  Damn.

  Couldn't have said that before I walked down could they? My fault for meditating outside the vilge.

  "Someone calling me?" I ask.

  "Yeah, why don't you step outside" A brutish sounding man asks.

  I hear the nerves on the inn keeper dropping low and I decide to humour them.

  I walk out slowly to the road and listen to the shuffling of about forty men surrounding me.

  "We don't want to use force- but your coming with us, you will be sold and if you don't resist you may not be harmed" the leader sounding one tells me.

  "Oh? Depends who your selling me too?" I ask of them as I prime my insides to spurt my cws and tail, yang energy just running rampart below the surface ready to make me grow and change.

  "Lord Oorochimaru will treat you with care, he has quite the bounty out for you" Someone yelps out and I release my yang energy to grow more deadlier, they take a step back and I walk confidently towards the yelping bandit.

  "That snake..?" My voice spitting out with venom.

  "I refuse" I bump heads with one of them and give my answer, waiting for them to make way.

  "Bring him down!" One yells and encourages the rest.

  I jump backwards with ease dodging an attack and move my blindfold down to my neck.

  I stare through all of them and they suddenly stop rushing at me while only meters away.

  I can handle this with intimidation alone- *Smack!* a pebble hits my eye and I gnce to a civilian on the roof aiming a kunai.

  *Stab*

  ...

  I look down to the man attempting to stab my torso... my tail blocking the stab.

  "I said no- st warning" I repeat and watch a few give questioning gnces to their leader.

  Well... best to run away then.

  I Lower my body and jump over them, pnting my feet onto the leaders face and using him to jump past the small crowd and down the street.

  *Stab!*

  My tail gains a new kunai as the civilian on the roof throws the kunai.

  *Sm!*

  I nd on the ground with a crash and cast a genjutsu on the bandits- but they seem unaffected... unknown chakra disrupts it.

  I follow that chakra and listen as some chakra threads connect the crowd to the civilian on the roof.

  ...

  Not much of a civilian is he? That cold and calcuted stare means he is a ninja.

  Speed isn't my forte in the Kenzo style... should I turn into a bird and fly away? No, that would make me an easy target to kill with that sharpshooter up there... plus I need time to shift.

  *Sniff*

  The air smells different... I don't know my poisons but something so obvious isn't meant to kill usually.

  I monitor my body while both parties assess what our next move should be... my heartrate is going up and I feel a lot braver than... oh- it's making me energized or maybe its an adrenaline thing?

  I jump back with my powerful muscles and continue to take kunai and shuriken with my devilish looking tail.

  I shape the tip into sharp bone and block the kunai instead of absorbing the attacks, I shake off any stabbed kunai as I rush to the gates of town.

  Better to deal with them away from any normal civilians or innocents.

  *Slide* *Push!*

  Suddenly the ninja from the roof slides in front of me and sms both hands onto my chest, I push forward and we struggle against each other with me clearly being stronger than him as his boots slide across the dirt.

  The other bandits are catching up... I shove him to the side but he retaliates and gets in my way again.

  *Shing!* *Ssh!*

  A tanto ejects from the guys back and sshes at my throat, I duck below the bde and swipe his feet with my tail.

  *Sm!*

  As he falls he pushes the ground with his hands and sms his feet into my body, I stumble back a bit due to the force behind it and he flips backwards while throwing three shuriken- *Cng!* I deflect them all with my tail and catch his bde as he thrusts it forward at my chest.

  *Smack!*

  A pebble is thrown at my back making me aware of the bandits from before.

  Three of them are in the lead and rush to stab me with their old and unclean swords- *Ssh!* I deflect an attack from one with my tail dodge the next my raising my foot and kicking the third away with that same foot- I also use both my hands to deflect all the sword attacks the ninja in front is throwing at me.

  *Snap!*

  Damnit- this ninja is better than I thought, he definitely knows me because who else would rather dispel chakra and stoop my genjutsu rather than using a ninjutsu.

  More bandits arrive and I lower my body and jump high above them all, I chuck my jacket towards the gate I couldn't reach and as I fall I split my tail into three different points and target the thighs of the first three bandits- I sm my cws down onto the ninja in front and he jumps back and starts using some hand signs.

  *Snap!*

  I use the chance to freeze the bandits and merge my tail into one before unching it at the ninja.

  *FRWWOOSH!*

  Fire escapes his breath but it nds on the building next to me- he then dispels the illusion I cast as I stab him in the side.

  "What?" I utter as the building catches itself in fme.

  Why would he- damnit he just added a timer to this fight, clever but cruel.

  I am bombarded with attacks from the ninja as he unleashes a mean streak of taijutsu... is that...? Oh Danzo... of course its a root ninja.

  The root based taijutsu sms into my head as a few bdes penetrate my tail which struggles to block so many attacks- I could split it but then I need to focus on defending against the root agent and using three tails at once...

  Haaa- The fire spreads around the first floor as I resist all the attacks, The Hokage was right- Deflection has certainly come in handy.

  Just wish it was higher level- *Sm!*

  A boot sms onto my leg and I crumple.

  That one mistake causes many attacks to hit me, with the blunt ends of their bdes and the root ninja stepping away to watch as the bandits kick me while I am down.

  I- *Stab!* a kunai stabs through my hand as I try to find leverage and the root agent smiles.

  *Smash!* *Sm!* *Pow!*

  Around ten people get around me and brutally beat me down more and more... unlike the movies group fights are much harder to hit back against.

  "Help!" I hear a child scream from the second story of the burning building...

  *Crackle* *Creak!*

  No more holding back- not when someone else is in danger.

  *CRACK!* *SNAP!* *POP* *CRUNCH!*

  Bones snap into pce and flesh, muscle and skin stretches across my body as my clothes tear and I grow triple my size... long arms sweep the crowding bandits and my toothy maw snarls at the root agent who loses his confident smirk.

  A long bck tongue licks my lips as I rush into the burning building and brush off the bandits.

  *Crash!*

  I leap into the roof and grab the child... damnit- two children's shirts with my teeth and jump out the other side of the building to deposit the children.

  They scream and rush up the street into a crowd of people that look at me in horror.

  "CRASH!*

  The building crashes in on itself and starts to burn up... I note a few areas about to catch on the building next to it- have to stop the spreading fire.

  *Sm!* *Pst!* *Smash!*

  I cw at the building and move it away from the safer ones... my flesh burns and I crawl through the pain and fire as I reach the bandits again.

  Eyes reddened and the street covered in the maddening powder... no root agent in sight the bandits attack me.

  *Sm!* *Bite* *GROWL!*

  I sm down a few bandits and break a few bones, bite someone's arm and lick the blood on my lips as he is thrown into the gate.

  I sm down my hands and growl to intimidate the bandits but the powder in the air causes them to be braver... that root agent thought of everything.

  I snarl and smash into the crowd of bandits, slowly but surely taking them down one by one, careful not to kill them even if their blood tastes divine.

  My heated flesh sizzles and smokes as I sm down the st bandit.

  ...

  I feel a stare of terror from the root ninja- and then multiple more from the crowd of innocents watching us.

  I falter and wait... the Root agent rushes down to me and I shake my head.

  No matter what I do my current appearance will cause the towns people to consider me a monster, I need to stop thinking like Ryū and put up those unfortunate walls once more.

  No more holding back.

  Just bite.

  *CRUNCH!*

  I bite down on the bde and the nightmare creatures tough teeth break it- I ssh with my long cws and put pressure on the root ninja who decides that I am not worth it anymore.

  He breaks free and dashes down the street trying to flee through the gate.

  A moment of terror.

  *GROWL!*

  And a sound from me is all it takes to make the root ninja trip with a genjutsu I jump over, my rge muscles allowing me to leap in front of him and crash down heavily without a moment for him to spare.

  *SLAM!*

  A quick sm to his back kills him, my cws digging through his ribs and seeping blood all over me.

  I start to unshift and my bones crack as my face turns to normal... my clothes stretched and torn- blood dripping down my mouth and my entire body coated in ash and bandit blood.

  I look up to see my jacket being thrown at my face before the innocents run away... clearly I am not wanted in this town.

  Might as well head home early instead of spending a day here, plus- someone is sure to investigate this scene soon and I don't want to be caught up in it.

  I grab the jacket and warp it around myself before storing the root ninja in my scroll, the fire is nearly out and bandits are alive but not standing... the powder has fallen and no one should be attempting to snort it.

  I nod my head and tie my blindfold tightly before leaving.

  ...

  Shame, I really wanted to try the hot springs.

  ---

  -Three days ter-

  Pov: Naruto

  *Knock* *Knock*

  Hm? I walk over to the door and open it.

  "O!" I yell out and practically jump.

  "I need a shower, people keep looking at me funny" He says and enters through.

  "How are you- was the mission cool? Why are you covered in dirt, ash and... blood?" I ask.

  "Good, meh, bandits and a little bit of my blood, don't worry I bandaged myself all properly, we can talk in a moment" He says before grabbing clean clothes and entering into the shower.

  !!!

  I can show him my clone stuff- and- and! I have to go to the Academy... ahhhh! No, Iruka-sensei would understand why I am te today Dattebayo!

  ...

  A few minutes pass and Kenzo walks out of the bathroom all nice and clean... did he grow taller? Oh no... he is taller than me now.

  "I learned a lot while you were gone! I got the clone jutsu down Kenzo! I am going to graduate!" I strike a pose.

  "That's amazing Naruto! Come on then- show me!" He smile with joy.

  Okay- this one... and then this sign, boom!

  *poof!*

  A second me stands next to me, Kenzo smiles wide and pats me on the back.

  "That's great, knew you could do it" He says and I internally cheer.

  "I haven't gotten the whole moving him thing yet but I got this down enough to pass for a ninja headband dattebayo!" I give him a hug.

  He takes a moment but hugs me back, after a moment the clone dispels and I walk over to the vase.

  "Ino kept sending flowers all the time so that's full, the old vase broke... sorry about that- but I got this one with Choji's help!" I hold it out to him.

  "Nice work Naruto, gd to see everything is as smooth as ever- you been eating well?" He says and pces the vase down before going through the fridge.

  "Yep! Learning the henge jutsu allowed me to get all the groceries on my allowance, plus some prank tools" I reply.

  "Mind if I eat this? All I ate on the way here was a few different bugs and maybe a bird or two" he tells me.

  "No problem... how was your mission?" I ask as he downs an entire bottle of custard.

  ...

  Did he develop an odd eating habit when he was away?

  "Pretty easy, didn't do much exciting- Ryū-san, my boss is probably finishing up the work and taking a small break... I was only out there checking in on a few areas and keeping in touch with some spies" He tells me.

  "Cool... did you beat any bad guys?" I ask.

  "Yep- though it wasn't so... appealing when hearing about it through the grapevine... you might hear it when you go out to- you should be in the academy, come on- lets go" He trashes the custard box and wipes his mouth before pushing me out the door and into the street.

  We walk towards the academy and swap some tales, apparently his boss told him about my new jutsu... I will prank that man in revenge- why would he tell Kenzo about sexy jutsu!? How do I expin that!

  ...

  "(Hushed) that's him..." Someone points at us... this time those familiar gres aimed at Kenzo rather than me.

  "(Whisper) perfect- keep the demon and the monster together, cant believe the Hokage let him become a ninja..." Someone mutters under their breath.

  Unnecessarily cruel today, I wonder why?

  "Alrighty, here is our stop- I am going to go eat anything and everything so don't skip and all that- have fun" He pats me on the back and leaves for the market.

  I enter the halls of the Academy and open my cssroom door up.

  "Sorry for being te sensei- I have a good reason!" I shout as I enter nonchantly.

  "Naruto- better be" He tells me and raises an eyebrow.

  "Kenzo came home!" I smile brightly and see a flicker of recognition in his eyes.

  ...

  Why did the room get colder all of a sudden?

  "That's great news and a good enough excuse for me, take a seat and no disruptions" Sensei smiles at me and I sit at the desk.

  "Yo- Kenzo is back?" Ino asks.

  "Yeah, did I miss something? No, I am certain I did... what lies are spreading about Kenzo now" I grumpily reply.

  "Monster this, monster that, the usual from what I hear... although I did hear a rumour about him burning down a house and kidnapping children before killing a hundred people in the streets of a vilge" She smirks.

  "That's not just a 'rumour!' That's ridiculous!" I yell out and get chalk thrown at my head.

  "Sorry sensei!" I apologise and grumble as I sit down.

  "I heard the same thing" Sakura gasps.

  "Why would Kenzo kidnap two children?" Shikamaru yawns.

  "Not even the weirdest part- apparently he became a gruesome monster, toothy maw, pale flesh and thrice the size!" Ino whispers.

  "... that's so cool..." I nod my head in satisfaction.

  "Additional notes from just yesterday's customers are: Apparently he loves the taste of blood and has an insatiable hunger, no eyes and yet can gre right through you, ate one bandit whole and even lost control" Ino adds.

  ...

  Insatiable hunger? Oh... maybe that one is true.

  Wait- no eyes?

  "He didn't mention anything like that to me" I furrow my brows.

  ---

  Pov: Kenzo

  "Is that enough... Kenzo?" Teuchi-san asks me as I down yet another bowl of just broth.

  "Yeah... think that made it better" I reply.

  "What's with the three bowls of straight broth?" Ayame-san asks.

  "Ate a bug on the way to town, it was not so appetizing and it took a bottle of water, a carton custard and three bowls of broth to remove the taste... my gut is now in disagreement with me" I tap my belly as they chuckle and hand me a bowl of actual ramen with noodles.

  "Welcome home Kenzo, this one is on the house" Teuchi-san says with a smile.

  "Thank you very much Teuchi-san!" I cp my hands together and thank him.

  "So active today, much different than normal... may I ask why you were eating a bug?" Ayame-san asks.

  "Well... you know... cool looking bug" I slowly say, feeling like a terrible liar after each and every word.

  "... fair enough" Ayame-san furrows her eyebrows but pays it no mind.

  I eat the noodles, my stomach happy to find something that isn't a liquid and I down them easily... huh, this ramen tastes more divine than blood.

  Well- blood in my other form that is, I need to stop thinking blood tastes good.

  "Thanks for the food" I pce the bowl down and pay for my three bowls of broth.

  I leave for the Hokage's office and walk up to his door.

  "Enter" He says before I can knock.

  "Hello Lord Hokage, came to hand in a mission, Ryū-san saw me on the way back to the vilge and told me to report to you?" I say and hand him a scroll.

  Inside is a fake list of stuff I definitely confirmed and did these past four months, the Hokage takes it and pces it aside before looking at me.

  "Did you happen to burn down a building and kidnap two children?" He asks in a semi-amused, semi-concerned tone.

  "Oh- that's this report" I hand him another scroll I wrote on the way, as well as the corpse scroll.

  "Ah- that will do, I am busy so I will get back to it, welcome home. You are dismissed" He smiles at me as I leave.

  "Thank you, Lord Hokage" I say before walking down the halls.

  From the stares all day it seems that Danzo has been working overtime to add to my reputation.

  Its at this point that I wonder why he does it, it doesn't make much sense unless he has nothing to do... maybe... that is why?

  My Danzo base knowledge let me know of the ones that used to be occupied, and the ones that The Hokage got rid of.

  Maybe he has nothing to do but bother me and I have just been a thorn in his path for so long that he might as well... but then again, Danzo doesn't py games- he has a reason for all of this.

  But what would it be? Why would he want me driven out of the vilge? Hated by the vilge people? Why would he want me to become hated and therefore make me hate the vilge?

  Troublesome... very troublesome, that means his motives have changed from using me as a tool to something unseen.

  I think it is best that I use that Root body before Danzo realises I am dead- a few pces in Konoha seem very bomb-able right now.

  I just need to get myself a root outfit, gd I know what they look like.

  Thanks for reading :)