Over the course of the next few days, I met Rune after my usual training. Usually, I helped her with her control training. There was some progress, but not much, enough to notice a slight difference. And then after one week, it was time for her first use of the Water Needles after the start of her control training.

She prepared the necessary hand signs and activated the Jutsu, previously there would have been a couple of massive spear sized water bullets. However, now with a bit of badly needed control, there were six half of a meter long water jets.

Definitely an improvement over her last attempt. Once the Jutsu ended she turned excitedly around and looked at me with a wide happy grin. “Did you see that Kenshiro? They were faster and smaller and there even were two more!”

“Good job Rune, I knew you could do it.” She smiled happily and skipped over to me. Over the week she has lost most of her tsundere behaviour, thankfully. I haven't called her out on it, as I don't want to risk her falling back into that role.

She blushed a bit and sat down next to me. “So what is next? I am pretty good at making waves now,” she asked while demonstrating her newfound skill over our training's puddle. She concentrated a little and then small waves began to form on the serene puddle. At first, only one, but then more and more, until the whole puddle was filled with waves that splashed against each other.

She looked at me and I nodded approvingly. It was way better than her first attempts. I had tried to raise my control over Water Chakra as well, however, it seems as if I am not able to. It does not matter how much I train the skill won't gain EXP.

However, that does not mean that I am unable to do it or use Water Jutsu. Only that every single point of Chakra converted into Water Chakra costs 2 points of Chakra and that every Jutsu needs a lot more concentration.

I had mastered that stage after an hour of experimenting inside a bathtub. Her progress was hindered by her massive Chakra reservoir and lack of any former training. Seriously, it's as if they have only shown her how to add Chakra and that's it.

“What now?” She asked excitedly. Instead of answering I unsealed two pieces of paper and gave her one of it.

“Now we have to make paper boats,” I said with a smile and held up my piece of paper. She looked at her own and frowned, it was obvious that she didn't know how, but at the same time also did not want to ask. “I'll show you how. Not many know how to do it.”

She looked confused. “If it's part of the exercise, then how is it that not many know how to fold a paper boat? There must be at least some people in Konoha with a water affinity.”

“There are, however, this exercise was invented by me. I haven't shown it to many others, at most four people. You are the fifth,” I answered with a shrug and began with the first fold. Once done I looked up and showed her, but she seemed to have watched me and not the folding.

“Is something?” I asked. She snapped out of her stupor and shook her head in no, before copying me in folding the piece of paper. During the folding, I explained to her that the next step would be to use the water to propel the boat forward and later manipulate to one's own wishes.

We were almost done when I noticed a Chakra signature that was coming towards us. It wasn't anyone from Konoha and Rune has never been picked up before. “Rune, there is someone coming,” I warned quickly.

She looked startled and up from her almost finished paper boat, it was a hat right now, but then nodded and quickly hid inside the trees. We had spoken about people who might walk in on our training. We agreed that she would hide while I drive them off. This was, after all, a training ground for the Konoha delegation.

I placed a few Genjutsu around the area and on her tree. Whoever comes might notice them, but he has to actively end them to see her, which will give me time to argue against interfering with my training.

A moment later a man in his late thirties landed in front of me. He dismissed me completely at first and eyed the surrounding for a moment before his cold grey eyes settled on me. He had the same markings of a Kaguya and was dressed in their normal clan clothes. A white obi with a black sash. His hair was black and done in two thick knots at each side of his head and lastly the two black tattoo dots above his eyebrows.

“Where is it, Treehugger?” He asked while eyeing the nearby trees. His tone was more dismissive than hostile.

“Where is what?” I asked back. He was a Jonin stats-wise, most of his attributes ranged in the five hundred. Yet, there was no sign of him being an actual ninja of Kiri.

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“The girl, idiot! I know that it trains here, where has it hidden?” He asked again, now more hostile and with a burst of bloodlust.

“I know of no girl, this is the training ground for the Konoha delegation, I would appreciate if you'd leave. I have to prepare for the Finals,” I replied without showing signs of being intimidated.

He snarled and it looked as if he was about to attack me before he then seemed to remember that attacking me would be a massively stupid idea. Instead, he grinned evilly and formed a hand sign. A quick burst of his Chakra showed me what the sign was meant to do.

Rune screamed up from her place inside the tree and lost her hold while clutching her right shoulder. I realized it was a pain seal and acted quickly. A sealless clone popped into existence and jumped over to catch Rune.

At the same time, I applied Chakra to the soles of my feet and rushed right at the man. He grinned nastily and raised his free hand and a bone dagger began to come out, very slowly. Just before I reached him I coated my feet again in Chakra and slid around him by applying my a buffer between my soles and the ground.

His eyes narrowed in surprise, but he turned and pierced down with his hand, the dagger was not yet fully formed. In retaliation, I formed a Rasengan in my own hand and let it crash with the bone.

This time his eyes widened when my attack effortlessly shredded his own. The Rasengan grounded his dagger to bone dust and then hit his hand. Blood got thrown everywhere from the rotational grinding of my Jutsu.

I jumped back and next to Rune, she was panting, but the pain seal was no longer active. I glared at the man, he was holding his stump of a hand and glared murderously at me.“I don't appreciate it if someone spies on me and attacks me during training.”

The man snarled in disgust and then glared at both me and Rune. “You won't get away with this, Treehugger! You think protecting the little bitch will get you anything? I'll have you executed for attacking a Jonin of Kiri.” He gave Rune and me one last glare before he used a Shunhin to get away.

A quick nod to my clone sends him out of the clearing and back to the hotel. He will fetch Kagami-sensei. Meanwhile, I turned around and inspected Rune for any wound. She was out of breath and still held her shoulder, where I could see the receding of a seal. “Are you okay? That was a pain seal, why do you have one of those on your body?” I asked.

She must have it to keep her in line and as a precaution against desertion. Rune looked at the ground and said nothing. “°Sigh°, doesn't matter. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. But we have to match our stories or else we might no longer be able to train together,” I said while going with a hand through my hair. This might become troublesome.

I was careful to have no one seeing me train with Rune, neither Konoha nor Kiri would like us to be friendly with each other. Especially as she is their Jinchuriki. “What will happen to you? You...you destroyed Arashi's hand, he is a Jonin,” questioned Rune in an almost silent whisper.

She was looking at me with slightly teary eyes. “To me? Not much, he came to the training ground of Konoha's team. He activated an unknown Jutsu while facing me and did not state his name. I was in my right to defend myself, I can simply argue that I thought he would attack me. Also, I'm a Treehugger, we are known for being compassionate. When I noticed that the Jutsu wasn't against me but someone else I continued my assault to stop him. If we see someone in pain we help, I simply reacted to the unknown threat.” Damn, this is annoying. Now I have to explain to Kagami-sensei why I taught an 'enemy' Ninja my control exercises.

“As for you being here, we can either state the truth and tell them that I was helping you, which is a stupid idea. Or we say that you have been spying on me for the finals,” I continued while sitting down. “It is not forbidden to do and each Genin has to look out for spies on their own. It will give you an excuse for being on the training ground.”

I waited for a moment and decided that I will ask something personal. Over the week I have noticed that she does not like to speak much about her relation with others. She was looking sad when I spoke fondly about Tsunade or my team and always angry or used veiled insulting about anything related to Kiri.

The topic of her family was a no go, something she made clear when I asked her about them a few days prior. She spat that she had no family and left right after. The next day I acted as if nothing happened, for which she might have been glad.

“He had the Dead Bone Pulse bloodline,” I stated while looking at her. She stared right back, her eyes showed that she was struggling with something.

Still, she decided to trust me. “He is my uncle, tasked with watching me. They fear me for the strength of my bloodline. I'm more skilled than anyone in the clan,” Not much info, should I press? Better not.

Thankfully, I was saved from an awkward moment of silence when my clone came back with Kagami-sensei, Sarutobi and the receptionist of our hotel. The clone popped and gave me some interesting information.

“Kenshiro-kun, what happened? Your clone said you got attacked?” Asked Kagami-sensei the moment he landed. All three have also spotted Rune standing right next to me, the receptionist was glaring at her, Sarutobi smiled a slightly perverted smile, and Kagami-sensei rose an eyebrow.

“Yes, an unknown member of the Kaguya came and demanded me to know where 'it' was. I couldn't answer such a question without specifications and asked him to leave, as this training ground is reserved for us from Konoha,” I began to explain, “he turned angry, targeted me with his bloodlust and activated an unknown Jutsu. At that moment he hadn't stated his name, rank or affiliation.

I rushed him, not wanting to find out what kind of Jutsu he was going to activate, only to hear a pained scream coming from my side. Thinking that he hit someone innocent I continued my attack.

He proceeded by having a bone dagger coming out of his hand, which made me realize that he must be a member of the Kaguya-clan.

Our attacks clashed and mine overcame his, he lost his hand and vanished, but not without promising my death.” I gestured to the blood and bone pieces that were the remains of his hand.

“The moment he left I saw who has been hit by the Jutsu, it was Rune Kaguya. I made sure nothing happened to her and send a clone to get you. I thought leaving the training field before someone from Kiri could get a look on it wouldn't be the best idea.” Rune nodded in agreement, yet said nothing, which might have been for the best.

Both Kagami-sensei and Sarutobi turned to the woman that came with them. “You did right in assuming so,” said the Kunoichi, “it is widely known for every Chunin and higher whom these training grounds belong to during Chunin Exams. He has had no business here. I will investigate your claims.” She then took a sample of the blood and turned to Kagami-sensei. “You may go back to the hotel on your own, stay at civilians speed.” With that said she used a Shunshin of her own and was gone.

Now, only us four were left. “And what were you doing here?” Asked Kagami-sensei Rune with a dangerous undertone.

“She has been training with me Sensei,” I answered before Rune could say anything. This had three results. Rune was starring at me in disbelieve, Sarutobi was now giving me a mild glare and Kagami-sensei has, again, risen an eyebrow.

“I see. Well, I think today's training is over now,” he then addressed Rune, “Kenshiro-kun might see you later.” Rune looked at me before she hesitatingly left the field.

“Follow us Kenshiro-kun, you have some explaining to do,” announced Sarutobi right after. I nodded and followed them back to the hotel.