Chapter 64 - Sidetrip to Sunagakure (Part 2)

Ekyt’s teaching that day was all about survival and camoflague. It was all basic, and pretty boring until Ekyt explained WHY they were learning this.

“Field trip to Sunagakure…I know, I promised it a month ago, but there was a hitch in my scheme, so to speak. Such as being near death twice, among other things. Now, before we go, there are two things you need to know: First, I’m going to introduce you to the Kazekage, a personal friend of mine. Make sure to treat him the same respect as your treat Lady Fifth. Second: I want all of you to stay together. And, believe me, this isn’t something I would do under normal circumstances, but considering that we’re traveling a good distance without the Body Flicker Jutsu, I’m going to pass out a kunai to all of you. It is ONLY FOR SELF DEFENSE REASONS. If you play with it, you don’t get to keep it. As it is, your parents are apprehensive about this trip you’re taking. But, I know I can trust all of you to behave. Now, you’ll have a couple hours to get ready to leave after class today. Bring only a backpack each. It’s only an overnight trip, so only pack the necessities. And that’s just about it. You’re free to go, no homework today!”

The class walked out, admiring their kunai knives and the holster that came with it.

“Something’s up…” Naoto muttered to Tora, looking at the dagger, then up to his heavy-set friend.

“What do you mean?” Tora asked. “Ekyt-sensei didn’t do anything out of the ordinary…” Tora wracked his brain his brain, trying to think of what Naoto could mean.

“He gave us weapons, for starters! Secondly, he said “self defense reasons”. Whenever we got to train with knives, it was “only for survival reasons.”

“Same thing,” Tora replied dismissively. But Naoto was stubborn.

“No, they’re not! “Self Defense” means ‘getting attacked’, “survival” means cutting branches, making traps, finding shelter. Something’s up with this trip. He didn’t even teach us Sunagakure history. You can’t tell me THAT is something he’d pass up normally! And no homework? Before a field trip like this?”

“You know, you’re right. I wonder what Ekyt-sensei knows that we don’t. Whatever it is, he’s protecting us, we’ll be fine. You saw what he did to that Neji guy with AND without chakra…”

“You’re missing the point, Tora! SOMETHING is going on. My parents always talk about another ninja war…what if that’s it? And the Hidden Leaf needs more Shinobi to fight the war, so we’re getting combat training!” Naoto was nearly hysterical. He found he liked the prospect of war.

Tora shook his head, his black mop of hair falling in his eyes. “No way, that’s not it. We just had a ninja war, and they didn’t recruit anyone else. Besides, what good would we be? And don’t say ‘bait’, because that would NEVER happen!”

Naoto admitted Tora had a point. “I guess you’re right about that…but there’s still something weird going on…”

“I guess we just have to trust Ekyt-sensei,” Tora suggested, hoping that would end the conversation. Tora was heavyset, nervous, and critical of his abilites. He was also incredibly quick, especially for a kid his size. Unlike Chouji Akimichi, who he was often compared to, Tora was very quick, and between him and Naoto, the brains of the operation at times, but more often the brawn.


“Trust me? On what?”


Naoto and Tora froze. Ekyt-sensei walked around to the front of them.

“Doing some planning, boys?”

“NO SIR!” Both practically yelled.

“Looked that way to me…huh. I guess I’ll have to…trust you.” Ekyt said with a smile, seeing nervous sweat form of the two nine year old’s faces. “So, what are you two hiding? Spill it.”

The boys looked at each other nervously. Ekyt knew one would rat the other out, if pressured. So he just took his time and let them sweat, just as his senseis had done to him.

“We were wondering about the trip, and why we got kunai, sensei,” Naoto finally answer glumly.

“Oh, is that all? I thought you were planning some prank on me! The knives are for self-defense. We ARE headed to another country. Best to be prepared, right? And it’s a pretty long trip without the Body Flicker Jutsu. Besides, you know self-defense. It’s that, but with a knife. You two are getting near the top of the class, so I’m counting on both of you to make sure everyone is careful with the knives. Alright?”

The two boys nodded stupidly. Tora’s gray shirt was stained with sweat by now, while Naoto’s long hair was bristled, as if there was a chill in the air.

“Good. See you guys later.” Ekyt disappeared. He had a meeting with Kakashi and his team.




Ekyt arrived at the training field. To his surprise, Team Kakashi, including Kakashi (Who was notorious for being late) was there already.

“Ah, great book, Ekyt!” Kakashi declared. Ekyt immediately turned red.

“I’m glad you like it, sensei. Master Jiraiya insisted I pass it on to you right away.” Don’t do this, Kakashi, c’mon, I’m begging you!

“Hmm…Naruto, didn’t you say you had written one for Jiraiya before? What do you think of this one?” Kakashi offered his book to Naruto.

“Looks like his normal boring crap, ‘tebayo…Oh, this is interesting! Why does this sound so familiar?” Naruto shot Ekyt a wicked grin.

“Who knows? Maybe it was something you saw while you were training with him. I don’t know where else you would have gotten that sense of familiarity…”

I WILL get the two of you for this. Oh man, if Sakura finds out that book is based on my feelings for her, she’s going to put…THAT part of me in a sling! Oh man! Damn it, those two!

“Anyway, training. Naruto, Sakura, Sasuke, Yamato, and Sai, will all of you please inform Lady Tsunade that Ekyt and I will be training here? Then, go ahead and tackle your missions.”

All five zipped away to do as Kakashi asked.

“Did you have them all here just so you could rib me?!” Ekyt demanded.

“Well, kinda. You’re pretty, ahem, talented in this book…” Kakashi was still reading.

“I’m glad you think so, sensei. Now, about that theory…” Ekyt stressed the word ‘theory’ out, hoping to remind Kakashi of WHY they were here.

“Right, right, sorry. Now, the Raikiri, or in Sasuke’s case, the Chidori, is built for a Sharingan user. While you COULD learn the jutsu, it wouldn’t do you much good, because you wouldn’t have any accuracy at the speed you need to go to make the attack effective. So, I’m going to show you the attack once, and I want you to point out what you notice about it. Alright?” Kakashi snapped his book shut and put it away, in his tool pouch.

“Sounds good.”

Kakashi performed the jutsu against a long-dead oak tree. Ekyt watched from the side. If he had blinked, he would have missed the attack.

“It’s fast…powerful…requires a lot of chakra…and you have to maintain a high level of speed. The Sharingan…it’s used to keep ‘tunnel vision’ and adjust to the opponent’s movement, right?”

“You’ve got it!” Kakashi replied. “Now, the speed is the key. That’s what makes the attack so devastating. Now, you use fire, instead of pure chakra, correct? (Ekyt nods) Fire is the same way. You’ll have to maintain a steady flow of charka to keep the flame alive, while focusing the chakra to your feet to make yourself run faster. Your chakra control is good, and we don’t have time to work on your speed. But, that’s the theory. Does it help any?”

“Yes. I need to move faster. Usually, I’ve used the jutsu stationary. But if I add the speed element you talked about, that would allow for more destructive power. The way I designed the attack was to create a burn, rather than to outright kill. That’s where the difference is.” Ekyt mulled this over, making notes in his scroll, before looking up again. “When we have more time, I’d like to learn the Lightning Blade. Even if it’s not useful to me, putting this theory into practice will make a world of difference. If you’re willing to teach me, that is.”

“It’s not much of a chore teaching you. And you DID find me this excellent book…Alright, I’ll teach you the jutsu. Who knows, maybe you’ll luck out like me and get the Sharingan some day, and it’ll be useful.”

Ekyt smirked. “Well, maybe I’ll just take Itachi Uchiha’s. God knows I see him enough to…I should have ripped his eyes out, instead of sealing them…Next time, he’ll be donating those eyes to the Leaf Village.”

Kakashi stopped Ekyt once more. “Listen…I know you don’t want to kill, not least of all in front of your kids, but remember: If you let them die without trying to stop it, you’ll be labeled ‘scum’.”

“I’ll do what it takes, sensei. As far as I’m concerned, they’re MY kids when they’re under my jurisdiction. I would protect them with my life if necessary…and I’ll TAKE a life, too, should it come to that. That was partially why I asked you to train with me. I needed to better my best execution jutsu…”





Kankuro, Kiba, and all the kids were waiting when Ekyt landed with a ‘poof’ in front of them.

“Alright, remember what I said. Stay together. No playing with the knives. And…keep your guards up. You have a jonin (Kankuro) and two chunin protecting you, but no one is invincible. If something goes wrong, run to either Lady Tsunade or the Kazekage, whoever is closer, by village. Any questions?”

“I’ve got one, sensei! Why are we traveling at night?” Naoto asked shrewdly. Hah! He’s GOT to tell us something’s up now!

“Sunagakure is hot and windy during the day, not a pleasant combination, with hot sand blowing in your eyes. At night, the wind dies down, and the heat isn’t so bad. You’re going to get sand in your sandals, but that’s the only irritation. Anything else?” Ekyt replied. That kid is sharp. Not sharp enough to know that I’m on to his little game. Sorry, ‘sensei’ isn’t talking.

“Oh, okay. Thanks, sensei,” Naoto muttered.

“Alright then. Let’s see…Kiba, you take the lead, Kankuro and I will watch the sides, alright?”


“Sure thing. Okay Akamaru, find Sunagakure!” Of course, the REAL objective was to find the crooks that had caused all that destruction. Kankuro’s poisoning, and the destruction of Ekyt’s house. With a two scraps of material, and a little blood to follow, Akamaru was hot on the trail of the crooks. And that trail led to Sunagakure.





Just out of site, Team Kakashi was watching. Kakashi, Yamato, and Sai were dressed in their ANBU gear. This was a precaution of Lady Tsunade’s.

(IN TSUNADE’S OFFICE, 10 HOURS EARLIER)

“I want you to watch them. There’s a good chance there criminals will have backup from Orochimaru, or the Akatsuki, or both. This is a great chance to get information. Ekyt is on a fact-finding mission. All of you are on a mission to take as many prisoners as you can, or eliminate any hostiles. With the Leaf in it’s weakened state, we NEED information, and we have to risk going on the offensive for that. That’s why I’m asking you to don the ANBU armor Kakashi, Yamato, and even you, Sai. Sakura, people are going to get hurt, they need to be healed. And you, Naruto…You’ve turned into quite the fighter. If worse come to worse…I want you to release the seal on the demon fox, up to three tails. Keep control of yourself at all times. This mission MUST succeed. If Ekyt can’t capture or kill the crooks, it’s up to the five of you to get involved. I trust Ekyt, but if push comes to shove, he’ll make sure the kids get away before anything else. In this mission, it’s necessary that we obtain SOME kind of information.”

(BACK TO PRESENT)

“Kakashi-sempai, Ekyt isn’t aware of us following his team?” Yamato questioned.

“He’ll figure it out eventually. But no one’s told him, no. But he had to have guessed we wouldn’t have him go it alone.”

Sai was drawing the landscape, which was admittedly nice. A setting sun, and the Sunagakure’s outskirts were desert, so it could have been a work of art. Naruto decided to be an art critic.

“That’s no so impressive, dattebayo,” Naruto muttered, looking at the picture.

“You’re right, Naruto-kun. Just like your dick isn’t so impressive.” Sai pulled his fake smile bit, irritating Naruto all the more.

By now, Sakura just found it hilarious.

“Something’s happening up there! They’re stopping…in the middle of a desert. I see at least one enemy for sure…two…three…four…five…there’s ten in all. Come on, it’s time to get involved. Sakura, you and Sai lead the kids away. Sasuke, you escort them. Yamato, you and I will help Kiba and Ekyt fight off the attack.”

“Right. Here we go!”



NEXT ISSUE: THE OPPONENTS REVEAL THEMSELVES! AND: THE KAZEKAGE’S WRATH!

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