Naruto : Hidden Cloud

After their breakfast was done, Sato took Neji and visited the Raikage's office.

He didn't take Hinata with him because he didn't trust her enough, she was definitely going to get scared, Raikage wasn't someone who talks gently after all.

Neji on the other hand was way more brave, Sato had confidence taking him along.

"Why are they taking so long?"

"I hope Raikage sama dosen't test Sato too harshly."

Yugito didn't go in with them, she was standing outside all this time, nervously wondering what was going on in the Raikage office.

Sato was inside with the Raikage for two whole hours, whatever they were talking about was taking a lot of time.

*Screech*

Yugito's head turned towards the office door which just opened with a shrill sound.

"Sato!"

And she saw Sato walk out with Neji and the Raikage.

"Raikage sama."

Yugito quickly saluted the Raikage, the Raikage A nodded with a serious face.

He patted Sato's shoulder and told Yugito.

"I spoke with Sato, he has decided to try and fight for the Raikage position."

"I have decided to give him time to prepare, it hasn't been long since Sato started training, forcibly testing him now would be wrong."

Raikage seriously told Yugito, who was twitching her lips after hearing this.

'Sato convinced Raikage sama to give him more time, but Raikage sama thinks he is the one who convinced Sato?'

'Sato made a fool of Raikage sama! He confused him with his words, Sato made him do what he wanted and Raikage sama didn't even realise it.'

Yugito groaned in her mind, normally she would tell the Raikage that he has been fooled, but it was Sato who fooled him, so she remained silent.

Raikage didn't know any of that and kept patting Sato's shoulder with a proud look.

"I still remember when I was a kid, we held a similar competition for the position of my right hand man."

"Only Killer B could keep up with me back then, so many people had participated but only he qualified for it."

"Your test will be similar to this, but it'll happen after sometime has passed and you have trained yourself well."

Raikage folded his hands and told Sato.

"Your opponents have trained since childhood but you have just began your training, that's why I agreed to give you more time."

"The competition will be held before you join the academy, that means you have two more years left to train."

"We will test you again when you turn 6, only then it'll be fair fight."

Raikage had decided to postpone the test a little bit, he had confidence in Sato and he wanted the boy to win.

While Darui was talented, being a Raikage wasn't all about strength, it required the ability to lead, and Sato was a born leader.

Darui can play his role in the battlefield too, but Sato can only use his talents as a Raikage.

A wanted Sato to win the heir position and he was willing to bend the rules for him.

"Thanks a lot A sama, I will not disappoint you."

Sato bowed to A, he might have manipulated the Raikage to get more time but he still respected A, the man was a good leader.

If A didn't care about the village, he would never have agreed to give Sato time, no matter what Sato says.

"Raikage sama, you called me?"

Just when Raikage was talking to Sato, a young voice came from the stairs.

Sato turned to look at the voice and narrowed his eyes.

"White hair, lazy attitude, confidence behind the laziness, you are Darui."

Darui who was walking upto the office tilted his head up and looked at Sato.

"I am.. and you are?"

Darui asked casually and Sato folded his hands.

'Darui is here and said that the Raikage called him, which means Raikage wants me to face him.'

Sato thought a lot within a few seconds and decided to speak.

"I am Sato Nii, nice to meet you."

He greeted Darui with a smile, and Darui scratched his head and said lazily.

"Nice to meet you."

"You called me Raikage sama?"

Darui asked the Raikage why he was called here, he wanted to get this over with and go home.

Raikage knew Darui's lazy nature too so he got straight to the point.

"Darui, the test for Raikage position has been shifted, it'll after two years, I have changed it for Sato."

"But I know that you have already prepared for it, that's why I want you to fight against Sato once."

"Show me your progress and show Sato how strong he needs to be."

Sato shook his head after hearing this, he can't escape fighting Darui it seems.

Darui didn't care and yawned lazily, he didn't think he will lose to anyone, especially to a kid like Sato.

"Raikage sama, I am about to graduate in a few months, I am 12 and Sato looks 4, I don't think it's right for me to fight against him."

Darui said lightly, he didn't want to fight against Sato because he knew he would destroy Sato.

He was about to become an official genin in a few months, he was already strong enough to take Chunin exams too, he was a genius after all, not some off the street genin.

And Sato was what, a random four year old, fighting against him was a waste of time.

Yet Raikage wasn't in the mood to listen.

"No, you will fight."

"The Raikage test was going to happen after you graduate, but I have changed it without asking you, it wouldn't be fair to you if we do nothing."

"That's why I want you to show your strength to everyone, only then will it be fair to you."

Raikage A folded his hands and declared his final decision, Darui no longer cared and shrugged.

"Sorry Sato, I won't hurt you too much."

Darui apologized to Sato as if he had already won, which made nerves pop on Sato's head.

'It's true that you are strong, but you apologizing for it is like you rubbing it on my face.'

Sato clenched his fist and looked at Darui, then slowly smiled with a challenging look.

"Let's fight then Darui San, I can't wait to see storm release in action."

Darui widened his eyes when Sato mentioned storm release but then yawned lazily again.

"Sorry.. I am sure you have a lot of potential."

*Swish*

Out of nowhere, Darui flickered infront of Sato and put his finger on the boy's forehead.

".. But I am stronger right now, give up."

Sato froze and looked up with slight sweat on his hands, Darui's glowing finger was pressed against his forehead.

"So this is storm release, a laser kekkei genkai."

Sato smiled a bit, he felt warmth on his forehead from the charging laser.

"You can take my life in a single second, I am not faster than light, it seems that you won."

Sato smiled wryly at Darui, but before Darui could say sorry and take back his hand, Sato started to remove his jacket.

"What are you doing?"

Asked Darui, in response to which Sato completely removed his jacket.

Which made everyone's eyes shrink.

"Paper bombs?! What is this Sato??"

Raikage asked with wide eyes, Darui seemed unsure as well, but Sato looked at him with a large grin, a grin which looked mad to Darui.

"This a paper bomb trap, I am sure you know about it Darui san, it's connected to my chakra and thus my life."

"If I die everything around me will go up in flames, now go ahead, fire your laser Darui."

"Let's see you win, come on, do it."

For the first time in his life, Darui stumbled back, he had never seen a crazy man like Sato before.

No matter what he does, he can't win against someone like that, the best he can do is die with Sato.

But the problem is, he didn't want to die yet!

"... Sorry, I can't fire it, you win."

Darui apologized to Sato as well as the Raikage, he then took his hand back and stopped charging his laser.

Darui knew that he lost, he didn't lose to Sato in strength, but he lost to him in courage.

He didn't have the same courage to face death which Sato had, and that made him inferior to Sato.

Darui wasn't sure what the result of their fight will be after two years, but he was certainly looking forward to it.

This kind of courage was contagious, and Darui wanted to see how far Sato could go with such a fearless mentality.