Chapter 36: 36: New Shinobi And New Wyverns
Author note:
I've realised that I should probably say this before it happens; I'll be taking a break from updating this fic during December! You know how it is, holidays, spending time with relatives, etc.
And of course, when I'm not doing all that, I'll be writing new chapters for you guys. I've just broken out of a spot of writer's block and I've realised that I'm getting painfully close to the end of my backlog of emergency chapters, so I've gotta take some time to refill that!
I will post a double chapter on the last day of November as a little consolation gift for you guys, though, so look forward to that!
Have a nice Non-Denominational Winter Holiday, and enjoy the chapter!
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"Well, how did the three of you find the exam? I found it quite relaxing, personally." Konan asked the rest of their group.
Yahiko groaned, "It was so BORING... Are the standards really this low for shinobi recruits these days?"
Nagato raised a hand to speak, "Yahiko, I think your standards are too high. Our only real frame of reference is Jiraiya-sensei, and he is a powerful Jonin-ranked ninja. A standard Genin only needs to be able to throw a kunai in a straight line and have the bare minimum close-quarters combat ability. The Genin who..." He pauses to find the right words, bad memories of the past dredged up, "...attacked our village were like that. They could barely overpower a civilian in single combat."
Yahiko shrugs and shakes his head, "I guess? I feel like they should be better though... Those kinds of soldiers are just Jutsu fodder against higher-ranked foes, aren't they? It feels like a waste..."
Seija pipes up at this point, "It is. I still don't understand these warring nations' obsession with recruiting massive numbers of weak Genin into their ranks just to send them to die. Just one look at someone like Hanzo's fighting style would be enough to tell them that numbers mean nothing against a Kage or even a decent Jonin. They can only really be challenged by shinobi of similar strength."
Yahiko nods at that with a determined expression. "You see? This is exactly why we need to change things! I think the first thing I'll do when I become a god is make a rule to only recruit really strong people!"
The rest of the group - except for Konan - sigh as Seija looks at him with a deadpan expression under her mask.
"You're still on that whole 'god' thing, Yahiko? Can't you just settle for Village Leader, or 'Amekage' or something?"
He looks at her, shocked. "Seija! Are you doubting my chances to become the one true lord of this world?"
She puts her hands up behind her head and answers back. "I'll stop doubting you when you can beat me in a spar." She briefly raised her mask to show off her smug grin before swiftly side-stepping Yahiko's playful punch.
"Oh shut up! I'll beat you one of these days and you know it!"
"Maybe you will. Maybe you won't... Anyways, I'm off to explore the city some more, I'll meet you all back home in three hours." With a casual wave, Seija shot off into the rain-soaked alleyways of the first big city she'd seen in this world.
"Aaaaand she's gone. Well fine then! I'll explore the city even harder! See you guys later!"
Yahiko left the group as well, though not without Konan shouting at him to wait up and chasing after him, leaving Nagato on his own, chuckling at their antics.
'Haahhh... To think we really all became shinobi. And I used to be so scared of conflict, too. How times change... hm?!'
Nagato wheeled around as he felt someone watching him from behind. When he turned though, nobody was there. All traces of the presence had vanished. He glared suspiciously at the surrounding area, even leaping up onto a nearby rooftop to survey the whole street with his Rinnegan, but he still found nothing.
'Did I really imagine that? That presence felt so... odd. It couldn't have been a trick of the mind. No way... For now I guess I'll just have to be on guard in case it shows up again.'
- - - - -
As Nagato set off to explore Amegakure like the others, a black and white figure deep underground emerged into a cave, the Black half grumbling to itself.
"Hrrmmm.... Annoying. His senses are... sharper than expected. I need a new strategy... Amegakure has too much metal around... No room to spy without revealing myself... hrmmmmm..." It continued to grumble.
Its other, more vocal, White half spoke up.
"Well, can't we just get someone else to do all the work?"
"Hrrr..."
"You're so boring. Oh! Look alive... or uh, unalive, rather. Madara's here."
Slightly further into the cave, the elderly form of Madara Uchiha stepped around the corner, three long tendrils connecting his spine to the chakra tree that sustained him. Black Zetsu retreated inside White Zetsu's body, making it appear that only White Zetsu existed.
"Zetsu, you're back. What is the status of my Rinnegan and its host?" The walking fossil asked the pale plant-man who saluted and gave his report.
"The Rinnegan is totally fine and undamaged, master. But uuhh... for better or worse, the boy it was implanted into has grown quite powerful for his age." The sheepish Zetsu reported. Madara's brow lowered.
"Get to the point, Zetsu. Why is this an issue?"
"Well you see, master, his sensory skills are really good and he almost caught me spying on him just now! And he's only going to get better at it as he gets older!"
Madara pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his stolen Sharingan eyes for a moment. When he opened them again he looked even more tired than usual.
"Then it seems that I will need to use a human pawn after all. Zetsu, stop trying to spy on him for now. Instead, I need you to monitor the Uchiha Clan's compound, in Konohagakure. Find me someone suitable to use as a pawn there. Someone who can be manipulated in the right circumstances. I don't care if it takes a few years, just do it and report your findings to me every week. Dismissed."
"Yes, master."
Zetsu sank back into the ground, heading off to his new mission.
- - - - -
Seija grew bored of exploring Amegakure after a few minutes. Turns out building an entire city out of identical metal boxes, towers and pipes makes it almost unbearably dull to explore. Of course, people would've painted their homes and businesses... if only it would stop raining for more than a single day per month for the paint to dry.
'You know what, Firewall?'
"[Yes, Seija?]"
'I'm feeling like going on a three hour vacation.'
"[I don't follow.]"
*sigh*
[Reverse Summoning Jutsu]
When she opened her eyes she was back on the deck of the suspended ship, the hub zone of her summoning realm.
'Ahh I hope I never forget how damn pretty that view is.'
She didn't admire the coast for long though. Today she felt like going to a part of the map that she hadn't touched yet. Eyeing up the map table she held her chin in thought. She tended to remove her mask while she was alone in this gorgeous realm.
'Now, let's see here. Rotten Vale still sounds awful... Elder's Recess looks like it's full of lava... Aha, I forgot about this one. Right above the Rotten Vale.'
She touched the map marker for the 'Coral Highlands'.
In an instant, she was there and she could drink in the absolutely unreal scenery around her. The Coral Highlands was a colorful, vibrant landscape that almost appeared to have once been the floor of a glorious underwater coral reef. And yet, despite the Highlands being so far above sea level the corals seemed to still be thriving regardless of the lack of an ocean.
'Whoa...'
"[You have two hours and forty two minutes before your friends start to wonder where you went.]"
'Right. I'll have to admire the place's aesthetics another time. Now, time to find some new summons.'
She expanded her senses to their limits, activating both her Byaku-Sharingan and her Mind's Eye at once. Immediately, several huge chakra signatures lit up in her sensory range. A few clusters of tiny signatures as well, typical fodder creatures similar to the Jagras of the Ancient Forest. She ignored those, perfectly happy with her Wulgs already, and instead focussed on finding the much larger signatures.
Two of these signatures seemed... unusual? There was something different about them that her senses couldn't quite place. One of those two was stationary, likely relaxing on a plateau somewhere though with several other strong signatures roaming nearby. The other one appeared to be stalking a monster of almost exactly equal shape for some reason, except its prey was lacking that extra 'thing' that made whatever this creature was, different.
'Ok then. I'll work towards reaching those two, and I'll tag anything else that seems interesting along the way.'
Leaping up across the rocky corals of the highlands, she raced past all the more weak or boring creatures. Some red-headed lizard things called 'Shamos' seemed to be the weakest things around here, and she didn't bother checking their info.
Coming up to a clearing with a pair of larger signatures however, she hoped she would find something more useful to summon. Not that useful of course, as both signatures were weaker than the Rathalos that she had already tagged. They were similar in strength to a weird frog-like wyvern called a 'Pukei-Pukei' that she'd found in the Ancient Forest, which had been instantly killed by an Anjanath shortly afterwards.
The pair of creatures seemed to be in a chase. One was a velociraptor-shaped purple reptile, with two thin, ear-like tendrils sticking out of the sides of its head. It was the one being chased, running from the airborne foe that was screaming at it from behind. As for the creature chasing it...
'What the hell even is that thing?'
It was some kind of... giant flying rat? Hamster? Thing? Seija didn't know how to describe it. It was covered everywhere except its face, legs and tail in a very plush-looking coat of white fur. Its neck had been filled with air, causing the creature to float along like some kind of half balloon, half winged-rodent hybrid. It was attempting to smack the raptor with its scale-covered tail and occasionally shot bursts of air from its mouth. It wasn't having much luck, but it managed to drive the raptor against a rocky wall with a coral overhang.
No escape.
But as Seija thought that the flying rat would finally be able to get a solid hit in, the raptor unfurled its tendrils, revealed to actually be huge frills, and before Seija knew what was going on...
*Flash*
"OW! What the hell?" She had to slam her eyes shut as everything went white.
As her vision cleared she caught a glimpse of the raptor scrambling away in the other direction while the rodent was flailing uncontrollably in the air, trying to rub its eyes with its wing tips.
'That was like a god-damn flashbang! It freakin' hurt too. The rat is still struggling to keep aloft.'
She decided to check the profiles of both creatures after that display.
[-Monster Species: Tzitzi-Ya-Ku-]
[Body-type: Bird Wyvern]
[Category: Large Monster]
[Body length, including tail: 8 meters]
[Traits: Blinding Frills]
[Rideability: 4/10, fairly quick on its feet, but a highly uncomfortable ride thanks to the spines on its... spine. Can't fly or glide.]
[Approximate individual threat level: Genin]
'So that's the raptor's main trick. A blinding flash of light which it can use to escape. That could actually be useful for me... maybe. It's still really weak.'
On to the rodent.
[-Monster Species: Paolumu-]
[Body-type: Flying Wyvern]
[Category: Large Monster]
[Body length, including tail: 10 meters]
[Traits: Air Sack, Wind Chakra]
[Rideability: 6/10, covered in fur, making it incredibly easy to grip on to. The air sack may get in the rider's way. Can fly for a long time with the air sack full, but very slow even while airborne.]
[Approximate individual threat level: High Genin]
'Easy to grip eh? First flying creature I've seen with more than just scales everywhere. But as it says, not very fast.'
Heading further up into the highlands, she could see that she was approaching the first of the two strange signatures, which appeared to be preparing to pounce on its victim.
She spotted the victim itself first as she pulled herself up over a ledge.
'Hoo boy... Now THAT'S a monster.'
[-Monster Species: Odogaron-]
[Body-type: Fanged Wyvern]
[Category: Large Monster]
[Body length, including tail: 12 meters]
[Traits: Doubled Claws, Dense Muscle, Enrage]
[Rideability: 6/10, an incredibly hardy monster capable of running for hours, though it may tire after it leaves its enraged state. Covered in smooth, hardened flesh that will be difficult to grip on to. Can't fly or glide.]
[Approximate individual threat level: Low Jonin]
It was Clifford the Big Red Dog's deranged crackhead cousin.
It looked like a giant hound with all of its skin flayed off with the smooth, red flesh underneath hardened to become almost like scales. Its front claws had a second set on top, which seemed like they were serrated for maximum bleeding potential. And its thick tail was covered in short, boney spikes, for when the claws just can't quite get through the hide or shell of a tougher victim.
Which is why Seija was very excited to see what the heck would try to hunt this absolute physical powerhouse.
She didn't have to wait long as the moment the Odogaron stopped to snack on a dead Shamos, the attacker struck.
A black streak launched itself at the red hound's back. But the Odogaron wouldn't be caught off-guard so easily, detecting the assailant and dodging at the last second. Though when it turned to face the black beast Seija realised just how badly outmatched this poor dog was about to be.
As it turned out, this would be a mirror match between palette-swapped fighters. Just like classic Mortal Kombat.
[-Monster Species: Ebony Odogaron-]
[Body-type: Fanged Wyvern]
[Category: Large Monster]
[Body length, including tail: 13 meters]
[Traits: Doubled Claws, Dense Muscle, Enrage, Dragon Element, Nature Energy]
[Rideability: 6/10, an incredibly hardy monster capable of running for hours, though it may tire after it leaves its enraged state. Covered in smooth flesh thay will be hard to grip on to. Can't fly or glide. This particular specimen is superior to most others thanks to the Nature Energy empowering its body.]
[Approximate individual threat level: High Jonin]
As the name implied, this was an Odogaron with pitch-black flesh. Rippling around its mouth was a cloud of dark red and black energy that could've only been the 'Dragon Element' that her system notified her about.
The slaughter commenced, with the Ebony beast launching itself towards its victim. The red Odogaron tried to raise its claws, swiping down at the black hound, but it could do nothing to stop the monster's Nature Energy-enhanced movements. The black dog wove past the red's attacks, before a final lunge brought its jaws straight to the smaller monster's neck. Normally, this would be damaging, for sure, but not quite certain death for the monsters of this realm. Most of them had at least some way to break out of a grapple like this. And the Odogaron attempted to do so, pressing its claws against the bigger dog that was pinning it down by the throat, trying to shove it off.
It didn't get the chance.
*Crunch*
The Ebony Odogaron's Dragon and Nature Energy-infused bite crushed right through the dense muscle, snapping the red hound's neck in an instant.
Needless to say, Seija was totally enraptured by this creature's power.
'This is the second creature I've seen now that wields Nature Energy and the Dragon Element. The only other one was Kushala, and he's a damn Elder Dragon. As much as I'd love to keep watching this magnificent creature do its thing, there's still two more major chakra signatures to check out. One that has the 'other thing' I sensed - which I'm pretty sure at this point must be Nature Energy - and one that I can see is on the way there.'
She reluctantly peeled her eyes away from the feasting Ebony Odogaron, and continued her journey higher and higher into the Coral Highlands. The air was starting to get rather cold as she ran up a vine-covered cliff-face to reach the plateau, flying above which she could sense her next target.
Looking straight up and straining her eyes, she caught a glimpse of it grappling with another creature high up in the air.
'Wait... they're falling! Uh, I should probably move...'
She quickly ducked below the cliff-edge she'd just climbed up and watched as her dark-blue target slammed a highly unfortunate Paolumu into the solid stone below, before it spread its own wings just before impact.
The creature's spread wings revealed that it was only dark-blue on its back, with its front being a pale beige. It was a surprisingly thin creature, considering the shape and size of its massive wings and wide, almost sail-like tail. It had a pair of large frills connecting from its ears to the back of its neck, bringing the whole 'I'm much bigger than I look' image it was clearly trying to go for, together.
[-Monster Species: Legiana-]
[Body-type: Flying Wyvern]
[Category: Large Monster]
[Body length, including tail: 15 meters]
[Traits: Ice Chakra, Piercing Shriek]
[Rideability: 8.5/10, a highly agile flier capable of traveling such great distances that it can reach the Hoarfrost Reach all the way from the Coral Highlands without stopping to rest half-way. Covered in incredibly smooth and aerodynamic skin, making it hard to grip on to. Slow on land.]
[Approximate individual threat level: Low Jonin]
Seija watched on as the creature shrieked in victory at having defended its territory, before tossing the dead Paolumu off the cliff, down to the lower Highlands to no-doubt be eaten by a pack of hungry Shamos. The creature gave Seija a glance before spreading its wings and launching itself back into its airborne patrol route.
'Well. Looks like I've found my new go-to flier once I can start summoning Jonin-rank creatures. Even if it's smooth I can hold on for hours with chakra alone.'
Smiling with satisfaction, she headed off to her final target. The other Nature Energy-wielding creature. Now that she was getting closer to it she could sense its size and the quantity of its chakra, which gave her senses a puzzling result.
'It's not very big... but its chakra is so unbelievably dense! It has more than the Legiana several times over! It almost feels like-'
Her thoughts were cut off by the distinct and satisfying *CRACKLE* of thunder in the distance.
'-an Elder Dragon. Oh yeah, this'll be good.'
Weekly Power Status
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Ranking 
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