Bab 10: Foreshadowing???
As much as I love power scaling, there comes a point where I need people to stop saying Goku solos every verse. Can't even solo his own...
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Gekko stood frozen for a moment, his mind racing as he assessed the situation. The bodies of his men littered the cave floor, and the stench of blood and fire hung thick in the air. Across from him, Arsene stood tall, his face obscured by the black mask that had unnerved Gekko from the start. The young shinobi's expression was unreadable, but the coldness in his movements and the bloodlust in his stance were undeniable. Gekko clenched his fists, his heart hammering in his chest.
He forced himself into a fighting stance, his mind scrambling for a way out. Arsene mirrored him, taking his time to analyze his own condition. I'm burned, and my arms aren't in great shape. His skin was blistered and raw, the burns still fresh from the onslaught of fire jutsu. Legs are fine though, speed's unaffected. Arsene flexed his fingers slightly, testing the pain. This guy might be trouble.
Before Arsene could make a move, Gekko's eyes flickered with panic, and in a sudden burst of movement, he bolted—running in the opposite direction.
"What the... I'm dealing with a coward?" Arsene said, his voice filled with irritation. He's running? Seriously? He took off after Gekko, his legs moving with blinding speed, the pain in his arms momentarily forgotten. Coward or not, I'm not letting him get away.
Gekko, glancing over his shoulder, saw Arsene gaining on him. His heart raced even faster. This kid's too fast! He had a few seconds of lead time, but it wasn't enough—not against someone like Arsene. In desperation, Gekko pulled down a torch mounted on the wall as he ran past. The mechanism triggered a hidden trap, and a large stone wall slammed down behind him, blocking the narrow passageway.
"That should hold for a while..." Gekko muttered to himself, his breath ragged as he continued to flee deeper into the cave. His mind raced, trying to come up with a plan. I'm not losing to some kid. I refuse!
On the other side of the wall, Arsene kicked through the obstacle with a single, powerful strike, sending fragments of stone scattering across the floor. His eyes locked onto Gekko, who stood further ahead, a sword gripped tightly in his trembling hands.
"Alright!" Gekko shouted, trying to regain some semblance of confidence. His voice wavered, but he forced a grin. "I'm prepared... Face me!"
Arsene slowed his pace, taking in the scene around him. His eyes scanned the surroundings, quickly picking up on the subtle details—the odd angles, the scattered debris, the unnatural stillness. A trap. Gekko's setup was obvious, but there wasn't much choice. The path behind him led only to flames and dead ends.
"...Sure," Arsene replied, his voice low, dripping with boredom. He stepped forward, fully aware of the danger, but unfazed. Whatever trap you've laid, it won't matter.
Gekko's heart pounded in his chest as he watched Arsene approach. Just a little closer... As soon as Arsene was in range, Gekko slammed his hands together, his eyes flashing with triumph. "Got you!" he shouted.
A mirror to Arsene's left shimmered, the same Genjutsu trap Gekko had used earlier. The mirror's surface distorted for a moment before reflecting Arsene's image back at him. The illusion was designed to confuse, to disorient, and eventually to trap its victim in a cycle of false realities.
But Arsene barely reacted. He glanced at the mirror, then sighed. "Seriously?" Without a second thought, Arsene plugged his ears with his fingers, the casualness of the gesture infuriating Gekko.
"That's not all!" Gekko roared, raising his sword. With a quick flash, he swung the blade toward Arsene, hoping the light would blind him, disorient him, and give him the upper hand.
The light glinted off the blade, but as it hit Arsene's eyes, Gekko's heart sank. The young shinobi wore a black eye mask—an odd accessory that Gekko hadn't thought much of before, but now realized was no ordinary covering.
"Y-you're blind?!" Gekko stammered, panic flooding his veins. His entire plan, based on visual and auditory illusions, was crumbling before his eyes. "How did you even see us, then?"
Arsene closed the distance between them in an instant, his speed overwhelming. He kicked Gekko's legs out from under him, sending him sprawling onto the cave floor. Before Gekko could react, Arsene was on top of him, pinning his arms down with cold precision.
"I'm not blind," Arsene said, his voice cold, almost amused. With a swift motion, Arsene removed his eye mask, revealing the terrifying truth behind it.
Gekko's breath caught in his throat as he stared into Arsene's eyes. The sclera—the whites of his eyes—were not white at all. They were black, pitch-black, like a void that seemed to swallow the light around them. His pupils were a sharp, piercing red, glowing with an eerie intensity that made Gekko's stomach churn. Thin, spiderweb-like cracks radiated from the corners of Arsene's eyes, and from those cracks, blood slowly oozed, dark and unsettling.
The sight was grotesque, unnatural. Every instinct in Gekko's body screamed at him to look away, but he couldn't. The sheer wrongness of Arsene's eyes held him captive, filling him with a deep, primal fear.
"What?" Arsene asked, his tone casual, as if unaware of the horror he presented. "It's not that bad, dude." He tilted his head slightly, as if genuinely confused by Gekko's reaction.
Gekko's body shook as fear overtook him. This... this isn't human. Every part of him wanted to scream, to beg for mercy, but the words died in his throat.
"Anyways," Arsene said with an almost bored tone, as if the entire ordeal had become tedious. He grabbed Gekko's sword, still clutched weakly in his trembling hands. "Buh-bye."
Without another word, Arsene shoved the blade through Gekko's skull, the sharp edge piercing through flesh and bone with a sickening crunch. Gekko's body jerked once, then went limp, his wide, terrified eyes staring blankly into the cave ceiling.
Arsene stood, wiping his bloody hands on his already-soiled sleeve. "And now Grandpa Shuji's store will open, and my precious masks are back," he muttered to himself with satisfaction, the mundane concern standing in stark contrast to the violence he had just committed.
He wiped the blood from his eyes, smearing it across his pale skin before pulling his black mask back down over his face. The unsettling red pupils vanished beneath the fabric, and Arsene's face returned to its cold, expressionless state.
With a low whistle, Arsene walked calmly back into the depths of the cave, completely unfazed by the carnage behind him. His steps were light, almost casual, as if nothing had happened. Time to find what they stole.
He began searching the cave, his eyes scanning the crates and sacks of stolen goods. The Byakuya Gang had amassed quite the collection of wealth and supplies. Konoha's orphans are well paid, Arsene thought to himself, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. But it never hurts to have more.
He sifted through the spoils, picking out the most valuable items. Soon, the Byakuya Gang's treasures would be back in the hands of their rightful owners—or, at least, those Arsene decided were worthy.
As he made his way toward the exit, whistling a light tune, the blood and death left in his wake felt like nothing more than an afterthought.
...
The sun had begun to set over Konoha, casting a golden hue over the Hokage's office as Shikamaru Nara, the ever-burdened assistant to the Hokage, sat hunched over a massive pile of paperwork. With Naruto out of the village meeting with the daimyo, Shikamaru had been tasked with handling the administrative load—a job he always dreaded. He lazily flipped through the stack of documents, each one more tedious than the last.
Naruto sure picked the right time to meet the daimyo… Shikamaru thought, rubbing his temples. His mind was sharp, but dealing with paperwork always felt like a drag, especially when it came to the details of the upcoming Chunin Exams.
A light knock on the door interrupted the monotony. "Come in," Shikamaru called, not looking up from the report he was signing.
The door creaked open, and in walked Konohamaru Sarutobi, clad in his usual jonin uniform, looking both serious and slightly fatigued. He held a neatly folded mission report in one hand, his expression reflecting the weight of the job he had just completed.
"Shikamaru-senpai," Konohamaru greeted with a respectful nod as he placed the report on the desk. "Mission report from the border patrol squad. Everything went smoothly."
Shikamaru glanced at the report, giving it a quick scan before placing it on a growing stack of papers yet to be filed. "Good work, Konohamaru. How's the squad handling things?"
"Solid as usual," Konohamaru replied, his tone steady. "Though, Boruto and his team could use some more structure. They've been pushing boundaries as usual."
At the mention of Boruto's name, Shikamaru sighed. "Yeah… typical. We've had our hands full with that class."
Konohamaru's eyes wandered to Shikamaru's desk, where a series of papers and forms were sprawled out in a chaotic, albeit organized, manner. Among them, he noticed several marked with the bold words "Chunin Exam Applications." A few of the forms were filled out, while others were blank, awaiting the names of the genin who would participate.
"Chunin Exams?" Konohamaru asked, his interest piqued as he scanned the papers.
"Yeah," Shikamaru replied, leaning back in his chair and stretching his arms. "Naruto left me to finalize the preparations while he's off meeting the daimyo. I'm also handling which genin squads we're going to recommend for the exam. You should start thinking about your team too."
Konohamaru's expression darkened slightly. He had been thinking about his team—specifically about Boruto. The boy was undoubtedly talented, but his reliance on luck and instinct, combined with his rebellious nature, was a point of concern.
"I'm not sure about Boruto," Konohamaru admitted after a pause. "The Chunin Exams are tough, and honestly, I think Boruto's been relying on luck more than skill lately. If he fails… it might crush him."
Shikamaru raised an eyebrow. "You worried Boruto's not ready?"
Konohamaru sighed, crossing his arms. "It's not just about his skills. He's good—really good, sometimes even brilliant. But I don't think he's mentally prepared for failure. He takes things hard when they don't go his way, and I'm not sure if losing in the Chunin Exams would push him to grow or send him spiraling."
"Boruto's a tough kid," Shikamaru said, his voice thoughtful. "But I get it. His growth's been fast, but it's unstable. He needs something to ground him, something beyond just talent and luck."
Konohamaru nodded but remained silent, his thoughts swirling. What if Boruto loses? The boy was a prodigy in his own right, but his overconfidence often blinded him to his weaknesses. Failure in a high-stakes event like the Chunin Exams could either teach him a valuable lesson or break his spirit. Konohamaru wasn't sure if Boruto was ready to face that kind of setback.
"You're not the only one with tricky students," Shikamaru said, cutting through Konohamaru's thoughts. "Shino's class has been causing its fair share of trouble too."
At that, Konohamaru chuckled, the tension in his posture easing. "Yeah, I heard about that. I can't imagine what it's like handling that bunch."
"They're a handful," Shikamaru agreed with a smirk. "But they're also showing a lot of growth. They're… rough around the edges, sure, but they're coming into their own."
Later that Evening – The Tavern
As the night deepened, Konohamaru, Moegi, Udon, and Shino sat around a small table in one of Konoha's many taverns. The scent of grilled meat and strong alcohol filled the air, blending with the lively chatter of other patrons. Their drinks sat half-finished on the table, a comfortable silence settling between them as they reflected on their students.
Shino, usually quiet and composed, took a sip of his drink before speaking up. "You know, Konohamaru, my students will be participating in the Chunin Exams too."
Konohamaru raised an eyebrow, a look of mild surprise on his face. "Your class? The same group that's caused half the trouble in the village recently?"
Shino chuckled softly. "Yes, that's the one. They've had… let's call it an unconventional path, but they're ready."
Moegi chimed in, leaning back in her chair. "Unconventional's an understatement. I've heard the stories—those kids are wild."
Udon nodded, pushing his glasses up. "They've been involved in more incidents than any class in recent memory. But they've shown progress. They've got potential."
The group shared a laugh, reminiscing about the many chaotic moments that Shino's students had caused. But underneath the humor, there was a shared understanding that these students, despite their issues, were growing rapidly and would soon face one of their biggest challenges in the Chunin Exams.
Konohamaru swirled his drink thoughtfully, his mind returning to Boruto. Is he ready? The doubt gnawed at him. His mind was split between his role as Boruto's teacher and his personal attachment to the boy. He had watched Boruto grow, but now, the responsibility of recommending him for the Chunin Exams weighed heavily.
"I don't know if I'll recommend Boruto for the exam," Konohamaru confessed, breaking the lull in the conversation.
The others turned to him, listening quietly as he voiced his concern.
"He's strong—no doubt about that. But I feel like Boruto's been relying too much on luck, on instinct. And the Chunin Exams are unforgiving. Failure might crush him."
Shino considered Konohamaru's words for a moment before speaking. "It's not an easy decision. But sometimes, failure is exactly what someone needs to push themselves further. Boruto might surprise you."
The Mystery of Arsene
The conversation continued until the topic shifted back to the Chunin Exams. As Konohamaru went over the student list, something unusual caught his eye. A name stood out among the others, one that didn't fit with the rest of the students from Konoha.
"Arsene…?" Konohamaru read aloud, a puzzled look crossing his face. "No last name?"
Shino looked up from his drink, recognizing the name instantly. "Ah, Arsene. He's a recently graduated student. Quiet kid, but skilled. He graduated at a bit of an awkward time, though. Hasn't been assigned a proper team yet, so he doesn't have a teacher."
Konohamaru furrowed his brow. "He's applying for the Chunin Exams? But he's got no team. Is that allowed?"
Shino shrugged. "Technically, yes. The exam does turn into a solo event after the team stage, so it's not unheard of. Though… I wouldn't get my hopes up for him. Without a team, he'll be singled out early on. He's likely to lose."
Konohamaru nodded slowly, his thoughts lingering on the name. "Arsene…" There was something unsettling about the idea of a genin with no team applying for the Chunin Exams, especially one with such an unusual background.
Still, Konohamaru added the name to the list. "Let's see what happens," he muttered under his breath. The Chunin Exams were always full of surprises.
As the night wore on and the group continued to drink and talk, the upcoming exams weighed heavily on Konohamaru's mind.
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[Auther: For those wondering what exactly his eyes would look like...imagine
PERTIMBANGAN PENCIPTA 
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Status Power Mingguan
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