The Young Hokage

The Puppeteer

Chapter 12: The Puppeteer.

AN: Ok so this story has been inactive for a fair while and for that I'm sorry. However I think what I ended up with is a fair tradeoff. I did a ton of edited on this so it's fair to say it was a pain. 

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No sooner had the match started and the proctor had jumped a safe distance away did the older of the two genin order his puppet to start moving at him at such great speed at Naruto forcing him to hastily wave through a set of handsigns meant to erect a mound of earth. However, the mound proved to be next to useless as the puppet blasted through it effortlessly with a hidden blade and hit him squarely in the chest with a solid kick sending Naruto flying through the air until he landed painfully some distance away. Back flipping he drew his sword and waited for the puppet to make its next move. All the while watching the thin nearly imperceptible ninja wire coated in the bluish glow of chakra. The speed of the attack was something that made him wonder at the sheer gap in their skill and abilities. Sure he knew he was above most Genin in his village but if that was anything to go on Chunin were on a whole other level of power and a part of him was terrified that he may not yet be ready for that level of foe just yet.

However, that was why he was here. To show that he was ready to wear the vest. To prove not just to himself but to his village that he wasn't just the son of the fourth Hokage but he was a proper ninja worthy of their admiration and respect. The older of the two simply ordered for his puppet to attack again only this time shooting needles at him from its mouth.

His two teammates cheered him on and this fact only made Naruto try even harder to win this fight. The Sand genin didn't care as he sent his puppet into the air before raining down a hail of fire onto Naruto more than willing to kill if that was what it took to win. Naruto quickly reacted, forming the handsigns for one of his more useful wind-style jutsus. The powerful gust of wind blew away the flames, and Naruto used the opportunity to charge at the puppet, his sword at the ready. He slashed at the puppet, trying to damage its mechanisms and disable it. However, the puppetmaster skillfully moved the puppet so Naruto couldn't hit anything too important.

Feeling his power run low Naruto knew he needed to end this fight now or else he would lose. Drawing on every last drop of power, he still had he shot himself forward at great speed for one final attack. The older genin, seeing Naruto's desperation, ordered the puppet to attack with all its might. The puppet obeyed, unleashing a flurry of attacks with its hidden blades and sharpened limbs. Naruto struggled to keep up, dodging and parrying as best he could. He knew he couldn't keep this up for much longer, and he needed to find a way to finish the fight before he was overwhelmed.

As he fought, he noticed the thin ninja wire still glowing with chakra. An idea struck him, and he quickly formed the handsigns for a jutsu he had been practicing in secret. He channeled all of his remaining chakra into the wire, causing it to glow even brighter. It kept adding more and more until the wire broke and the puppet dropped to the ground immobilized.

The older genin was shocked at Naruto's sudden victory and quickly retrieved his puppet, signaling the end of the match. Naruto breathed a sigh of relief, his body covered in sweat and his sword shaking in his hand. He had done it. He had proved that he was ready to become a chunin, and more importantly, he had proved to himself that he had the strength and determination to be a powerful ninja.

His teammates rushed to his side, cheering and congratulating him on his victory. Naruto grinned, feeling a sense of accomplishment wash over him. He had faced a tough opponent and come out on top, and he knew that he had a bright future ahead of him as a ninja. He looked up at the proctor, who nodded his approval, and knew that he had earned his place as a Chunin in the eyes of the man. Walking up the stairs Naruto watched as a new set of names were shown and a new round of fights began. A few hours later Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura returned to their room before going to bed. And as he lay in bed that night, Naruto couldn't help but feel a sense of pride and accomplishment. He had faced a skilled and formidable opponent, and he had come out on top. He knew that he still had a long way to go on his journey as a ninja, but this victory had given him the confidence and motivation to continue pushing himself to be the best he could be.

He closed his eyes, feeling a sense of contentment wash over him as he drifted off to sleep. Tomorrow, he would wake up and start a new day, ready to face whatever challenges came his way and emerge victorious. He was a ninja, and he was ready to take on the world.

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Meanwhile, inside a cave near the Hidden Sound village, Danzo was busy training when a Sound ninja walked up. In his hand was a scroll and inside that scroll was an update on their readiness. Burning it upon reading its contents Danzo dismissed the man and kept training. His mind was fixed on one only goal. Revenge on the village. In just a few more weeks he would see it burned to the ground. He had been planning this for months, ever since the wife of the 4th and her clan had uprooted all his carefully made plans. But little did Danzo know, there were those who were working against him. The Hokage and his allies were aware of Danzo's plots, and they were determined to stop him before it was too late. They had been gathering intelligence and preparing for the day when Danzo would make his move. They knew that it was only a matter of time before he acted, and they were ready to stop him.

As the days passed, the tension between Danzo and the Hokage grew. Both sides were preparing for the inevitable conflict, and it seemed that it was only a matter of time before they clashed. And when they did, it would be a battle for the ages, one that would determine the fate of the village.

In the end, only one side would emerge victorious, and the other would be left in ruins. It was a fight that would determine the future of the village, and both sides were determined to emerge victorious. The stage was set, and the players were ready. It was only a matter of time before the final act began, and the fate of the village was decided.