Chương 67: Evolution (1)

"No problem. Kakashi-sensei might be waiting for us at the Pokemon Center," Okami said while unsummoning his pokemon.

When everyone else was ready to go, Okami led them to the Pokemon Center and went inside the shop. True enough, Kakashi was waiting at the lounge area while reading his Icha Icha book to kill time.

Kakashi immediately stood up and approached Okami as soon as he saw them walking in. He greeted the rest of them before talking to the kid. "This is the first time when I was the one doing the waiting game. How's your first mission?"

Okami scratched his head as he wondered what was the use of him being in a team, although he could see their reasons why they did so. "It's pretty exhausting. We just did eight missions."

"Yeah! And they were all boring and ridiculous," Taeho added, his face with a sneer. "I hope that would be the last time we handle such things."

Anita nodded. "At least we've got to team up with our pokemon well."

Deira chuckled, his eyes set on Kakashi. "Well, I've heard that you're going to be a Pokemon Trainer today? Did you acquire a certificate from Hokage-sama?"

Kakashi took out the certificate Hiruzen gave him. "Everything's ready. And I paid for the fee as well. The only thing left to do is for Okami to open the barrier and let me inside the Pokemon Safari."

Okami received the pass and scrutinized it. Since the requirements were completed, he surrendered it to Baki for safekeeping, who gave him a bag filled with Safari Balls in exchange. He returned to where Kakashi was and said, "You will use this Safari Balls to catch pokemon while inside the Safari."

Even though Okami knew that Kakashi was already informed about the rules and regulations, he still repeated them to him to serve as a reminder. After doing so, he then led them outside the shop while Deira opted to stay inside the Pokemon Center and continued talking with Baki.

Okami unlocked the barrier once they reached the backyard and informed Kakashi that it was safe to enter.

Kakashi looked at him before proceeding to the narrow pathway that he entered several days ago when Okami and Team 7 had their first visit.

"Hey, why can't we enter the Pokemon Safari as well?" Taeho asked after seeing the silver-haired Jonin entering the forest, his mouth pouting while folding his arms on his chest. "We're teammates, you should give us special consideration, right?"

Anita stuck out her tongue while facing Taeho and stood beside Okami. "We should respect the rules of my bro here. Besides, do you have money to pay for the entrance ticket?"

Taeho opened his wallet. "Ugh! I forgot I already spent it last time on scrolls and books. Don't you have any discount coupons, Okami?"

Okami shook his head, starting to get annoyed at his team's antics. "The earnings we have right now are just enough to handle all the expenditures to maintain the shop. So, lowering it further will make us lose our meager income, Taeho."

"Well, shoot...it's boring to just stay here and wait for Kakashi-sensei to be done with it," Taeho commented as he kicked some pebble on the ground.

Okami was thinking if it was right for him to be passive and let the leaders dictate his actions. He was just curious in this world but it was not his intention to be caught up with these things like doing some irrelevant missions. He'd rather prefer improving the pokemon's influence within this world.

The trio returned inside the shop and everyone went to do their thing. Taeho inquired Tomiro about his Kangaskhan while Anita stayed with Deira and listened to Baki's explanation about the Healing Station.

Okami wondered if he could just teleport to another secluded place and start from scratch but he was not confident of his skills in protecting himself once he was outside Palkia's Authority. It was his fault for not objecting it as soon as Hiruzen put him in a team. "Should I talk to him?"

Besides, he also needed to form a friendly relationship with people to unlock the other pokemon, and it was safer to befriend people whom he knew to be trustworthy in the Anime and Manga.

He saw several people heading towards his shop and approached the doorway, only to find out that it was Hiruzen and a few whom he had seen last night. "Hokage-sama! It's good that you graced the shop with your presence."

Everyone greeted Hiruzen when they noticed the Hokage's presence. Even Tomiro and Baki stopped talking and gave their respects.

Hiruzen urged them to continue what they were doing and moved towards Okami's direction. Hanshi and several Jonins whom he suspected to belong in the standard forces accompanied him as well.

"Hello, Okami-kun. It's been five months ago when I've first visited this shop. I was busy with paperwork and forgot to drop by," Hiruzen explained while scanning around the shop, amazed to see many people shopping inside. "Looks like the report is still not accurate. Your shop looks more progressive than what they are telling me."

Okami grinned. "Well, it was thanks to old Baki's and Tomiro-Oniisan's effort while I was gone. And of course, it's also an indication of the effectiveness of the products we are selling as well. Everything will be wasted if our products are not good."

"That's true. Anyway, did Kakashi enter the Pokemon Safari?"

"Yes. Kakashi will be ejected from that place after an hour," Okami said while giving a slight nod. "Anyway, can I have a minute with you, Hokage-sama?"

Hiruzen tilted his head slightly while asking, "What is it, Okami-kun?"

"If it's possible, I want to talk to you, alone."

The Hokage then instructed everyone to give them some space so they can have a proper conversation.

Okami led him to the Pokemon Safari's entrance and started voicing out his concerns. "It's like this, Hokage-sama. I wish that you can grant this simple wish of mine, and that is to allow me to peacefully rebuild my clan without doing the unnecessary stuff like becoming a Chunin or doing missions."

Hiruzen was taken aback when he heard Okami's request. "Can you give me your reason, Okami-kun? Don't you want to become a ninja?"

"I am very thankful that the village has helped me a lot, especially to you, Hokage-sama, in giving me a space to build my shop. In return, I promised to uphold the rules inside Konoha and become one of the clans that will help Konoha in times of troubles. But you must remember that I am a Pokemon Trainer and not a ninja in the first place, and our clan believes in protecting life rather than killing people, which I've relayed to Tomiro-Oniisan and old Baki before accepting them to my clan. And the team I am in right now, it's taking most of my time, which prevents me to become more effective in helping Konoha as a whole. I hope that you revoke my pass to take the Chunin exam."

Okami wondered what Hiruzen was thinking about when he observed that he was silent.

After several minutes, Hiruzen finally answered, "Can you wait until tomorrow to hear my decision?"

Okami gave a slight nod. "Please do consider it, Hokage-sama. All I want is to show everyone that pokemon and Pokemon Jutsu can be used in many ways and various forms."

Hiruzen smiled. "Thank you for telling me this, Okami-kun. I don't want to force you to do anything you don't want."

"Thank you, Hokage-sama. I also have one more thing to ask of you. Can you still remember what you did to Vulpix after I sparred with Taeho?"

Hiruzen paused for a bit while frowning slightly, and smiled after a few seconds and said, "That was when I've released a Fire Jutsu against your pokemon, right? Why did you suddenly remind me of that particular moment?"

"It's like this, Hokage-sama. I needed you to execute your Fire Release against my Vulpix again. You see, my particular Vulpix has this particular ability which can use your Fire Release to evolve into Ninetales."

Hiruzen gave him a curious look. "Really? Now, that's a sight that I'd like to witness. Should we do it right now while we wait for Kakashi to exit the Pokemon Safari?"

"We can do it right now, Hokage-sama."

Hiruzen called back the ninjas who accompanied him earlier via his earpiece. "I think it's better if we do it somewhere safe."

"Don't worry, Hokage-sama. No one will be harmed within my shop's territory, thanks to our clan's Jutsus."

A black-haired ninja in a flak jacket stepped forward. "I think you still have no idea as to what Hokage-sama's powers are. He's just concerned that your shop will be reduced to cinders."

"Gurami Inao, stop it," Hiruzen cut him off before turning his attention back to Okami, "I think it's still better if we choose another place, Okami-kun."

"How about this, Hokage-sama? Why don't we have a simple demonstration? I think it's the best way to clear all doubts, isn't it?"

Hiruzen was not yet convinced but he was curious about the boy's plan."Then what would you like to do?"

Okami pointed at Gurami. "Why don't you let him try destroying the barrier I will create? Don't be anxious, I'll choose a direction where no one can be possibly hurt."

Gurami gave him a disdained look. "It's alright, Hokage-sama. Let me show him that not everything will turn out the way he expected it to be. His mind needs some convincing."

"Sure. But don't overdo it."

Okami simply smiled and stooped down. He drew a line on the ground, extending from where he was to the nearest wall and positioned himself just beside the line he created and said, "Do it, Gurami-san. If you can let any of your Release pass this line, then it's my defeat."

Gurami sneered. "Well, if that's how you play it, then try stopping this." He did several hand seals and breathed out flames, which was shaped into an orb.

When Okami saw what Gurami did, he countered it with a hand seal and said, "Palkia's Barrier!"

Hiruzen noticed what Okami did but nothing strange happened. "What did the boy do?"

The fireball traveled to where the line was and was about to pass it when a loud blast reverberated across the area as clouds of smoke covered the section where the collision was. After a few seconds, the smoke dissipated and everything went back to normal.

Gurami looked astounded, his eyes narrowed into a slit while doing another set of hand seals and said, "Futon: Daitoppa!"

Gurami puffed his chest and breathed out winds from his mouth, like a flowing stream which zoomed towards the line again. But the line became a demarcation between the two sides. Everything the wind passed through was blown away and in disarray but the other side was calm.

He was annoyed that a child could stop him twice. This time, he opted to fuel his Fire release with wind chakra and did another fireball, which was larger than usual. Even then, it failed to cross over the line and dissipated like his previous attempt.

Hiruzen knew Gurami's strength when it comes to his Fire Release, which was comparable to an elite Uchiha. After witnessing what Okami did, he was convinced and was forced to stop Gurami from further embarrassing himself.

"But - "

"Okami had proven himself, Gurami."

Gurami could not do anything except to agree and moved back.

Okami grinned and approached Hiruzen. "So are we ready to do it, Hokage-sama?"

Hiruzen nodded. "How can I deny you when you prove us wrong? Come on, let me see your pokemon again."

Okami summoned Vulpix and told him of his plan, which made the pokemon squealed with glee and positioned himself before Hiruzen while wagging his six tails.

"Are you ready, Okami-kun?"

"Please wait. I still have to erect the barriers." Okami performed several hand seals and shielded the entire area with Palkia's Barriers. He was very glad that he could abuse this Jutsu while inside his territory, thereby insisting to Hiruzen that they do his plan right away. When everything else was settled, he gave him a thumbs-up. "You may now do so, Hokage-sama."

Not even a few seconds had passed when Hiruzen finished executing 'Katon: Gokakyu no Jutsu' and a fireball larger than Gurami's was produced.

Okami thought of a brilliant idea once he remembered his science lesson back on his junior years. He wanted to turn the flame's hotness to a higher notch to ensure maximum result. When the fireball came in contact with Vulpix, he immediately sealed them inside the barrier in the form of a cube with a small gap on each side to let some pressure get out.

Vulpix started absorbing the flames into his body and was delighted by the fact that it changed his body structure. After a few minutes, the fireball disappeared.

Okami released the barrier and Vulpix was out from the transparent cage. He then signaled Hiruzen to proceed again.

Hiruzen complied with his request and did it for about four times until he noticed that Vulpix's body was glowing.