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Chapter Thirty-Three: Judge and Jury
Naruto just looked at the blue screen in front of him with an empty expression. Subclasses? What does that even mean? He looked over the names given to him. Cleric, Trickster, Bard, Knight, Druid, Ranger, Monk.
I have no idea what any of those do.
[Ding!]
[Would the user like a short description of each subclass?]
"Yes please!" Naruto nearly shouted at the screen, drawing the attention of an elderly woman watering her plants on the other side of her street. "Ahh…sorry!"
[Initializing…]
Cleric: Protectors of the weak and healers of the injured, Clerics have the ability to channel the power of the Gods to heal their allies and perform incredible feats. Boasting a combination of martial prowess and a wide array of spellcasting, they find themselves useful in any situation. With great wisdom and an otherworldly perspective, Clerics can serve as great advisors and spiritual leaders.
Trickster: With cunning smiles on their faces, Tricksters strive to bend the rules to their will, using deception and manipulation of reality itself to turn the tide of battle in their favor. Using a combination of magic and wit to confuse their opponents, they often use unexpected strategies with everything they have at their disposal. Don't ever trust a smiling Trickster, for you never know whether they are treating you to a fancy dinner or the vilest of poisons.
Bard: As the greatest of performers, Bards use their raw talent in storytelling and music to support their allies during fights. Their unique spells make them out to be powerful support-type fighters, crucial in group battles of any kind. With a sly tongue and charming demeanor, Bards are experts at a battle of words.
Knight: Warriors with great might and discipline that also follow their personal codes of chivalry, Knights are the epitome of human ability. Charging into the battlefield clad in heavy armor, they depend on their strength and vitality to survive any onslaught and uproot the opponent's position with brute force.
Druid: As the children of nature, Druids can hear the heartbeat of the wild, and can command aspects of the environment to serve in battle. With power over the elements, animals, and even spirits themselves, Druids would sacrifice anything to protect the natural world we freely walk in. Their deep connection with nature and the purity of life makes them the messengers of the natural world with modern civilization.
Ranger: Masters of survival in all forms of habitats, Rangers are capable hunters and trackers. They have a keen sense of danger and use either spells or archery for an effective long-range attack set. They are skilled travelers and adventure guides for any party.
Monk: The hallmark of control and inner strength, Monks are expert martial artists who believe in the power of inner will wholeheartedly. They have the unique ability to merge the energy that rushes through them into their fighting style, which consists of precise and strong attacks. Mediation is the cornerstone of the Monk lifestyle, leading to eventual enlightenment and further strengthening of the mind.
Rogue: Stealthy, agile, and incredibly nimble, Rogues are the elite of subterfuge. The element of surprise is often their favorite friend. They have great talent for laying traps, concealment, and infiltration. Never show a Rogue your prized possessions, because by nightfall they won't be in your hands anymore.
Naruto wasn't sure for how long he was staring at the screen. There was simply too much information for him to process at once. He was bombarded with paragraphs of text for a decision that would quite literally cost him his life if he happened to choose wrong. An imaginary light bulb brightened above his head as he suddenly got an idea, something that would either end in complete disaster or be a major success.
"Shadow Clone Jutsu."
Eight clones appeared next to Naruto, each of them looking confused as to what the original's idea was.
Naruto took a seat on his sofa, resting backward on the reclined seat with a satisfied groan. "I want each of you to pick a class and convince me to pick it, whoever manages to make the best argument gets a bowl of ramen as a reward."
"Sweet!"
"Easy enough!"
"I'm way smarter than all of these copycats!"
"We're all equally smart, dumbass!"
"Hahaha!"
"Why are you laughing?"
"If you called him a dumbass, doesn't that make you one as well?"
Naruto sighed. That was one issue summoning a plethora of clones that each had his own brazen personality, an argument was continuously brewing. He clapped his hands, drawing the attention back to him. "I've read all of the descriptions and have them mostly memorized, so it should be easy for you to argue for them."
The clones immediately began arguing about who got which class. Seeing that this argument would likely never end, Naruto simply chose the classes for them at random using a number system. Whew, we can finally start.
He dramatically flourished a fork and a cup, acting as his gavel and block. "The first session of Naruto Uzumaki's Courtroom of Clones begins now! Let's start with…Ranger."
A clone walked forward from the line that was assembled across from Naruto, sending a cocky grin toward his brothers before bowing respectfully in front of the original. His hair was somehow combed straight, giving him a dignified look that looked comical on the normally wild-looking boy.
"Your honor, I would like to begin with the fact that the Ranger class is evidently the most adaptable class available in the lineup given by the system. With the focus on environmental adaptability, we would be able to strive in any ecosystem we find ourselves in."
Naruto hummed. "And why is that so important?"
His clone smirked. "You said it yourself—leaving Konoha is an inevitability. Picking Ranger would in fact prepare us for the future as well as serve as a powerful toolset. Leaving our hometown, you would feel out of place and unable to adjust to any changes in the climate. Survival will be our number one priority."
"Good points. Anything else?"
"Of course! Our grandest mission will have to be 'The Hunt For The Crimson Clouds'. We all know what that means—killing every Akatsuki member. The system tries to sugarcoat it by saying 'eliminate' them. But we aren't idiots. How will that be possible whenever we don't know where they are, who they are, or what their objective even is? I'd like Your Honor to focus on the first and second lines of the description of the Ranger, where it states that Rangers have a 'keen sense of danger' and, more importantly, are 'capable trackers and hunters'. Isn't that exactly what we're looking for? How else are we supposed to find those bastards? I rest my case."
Naruto noted how the clone had conveniently skipped the line where it stated he would require ranged skills such as archery, knowing Naruto wasn't a big fan of those. Regardless, he had made some good points.
The next three 'lawyers' came next, each of them supporting Druid, Bard, and Cleric respectively. Naruto wasn't too interested if he was being honest. While the clones did make good cases about the use of being a support type, he and they both knew that he wasn't that type of shinobi. Not that he was dismissing those who did have support roles—it just didn't match his own current skill set. Druid was the most interesting out of those three, but Naruto found the specifics somewhat troubling. 'Manipulate elements' was something he could already do with his jutsu, and transforming into animals wasn't really up his alley,
Monk was looking good. It was mostly aligned with his fighting style, but not as much with his personal preferences. Meditation and enlightenment weren't what he was aiming for, but it might have to be something he had to deal with if he did end up choosing this class.
Rogue sounded amazing, but Naruto couldn't help but compare it to a regular shinobi. It was insane just how similar Rogue was to a regular ninja in Konoha. He was sure there would be other useful perks that separated it somewhat from the standard shinobi that he knew, but he wasn't willing to bet on that fact. So for that reason alone, Rogue was gone.
And thus, that only left two viable options.
Two classes that felt equally worth a chance.
Both had given good arguments that Naruto couldn't refute, leading to only one conclusion.
A debate.
Naruto struck his cup with the fork twice. "Trickster and Knight. Both of you showed the most promise in your arguments, and I hope you can continue that passion in the debate. Lawyer Knight, you first."
Lawyer Knight sent a cocky look to the onlooking, defeated lawyers that sat against the wall with defeated expressions, before settling an icy one to his opponent. I'm glad they're taking this so seriously, but damn. Naruto thought amusedly.
"I'd like to begin with a brief summary of the points I made before. The Knight subclass, Your Honor, is quite literally perfect for our current fighting style. Being heavily armored for maximum defense would pair perfectly with the Reinforcement skill as well as the Iron Skills that we have. Do I even have to explain the strength aspect further? Furthermore, any code of chivalry may be troublesome for others, but wouldn't be too difficult for someone like you."
Naruto raised an eyebrow. "Complimenting me won't get you any points."
Lawyer Knight grinned widely. "I wouldn't need them. Complimenting you is the same as complimenting myself, after all."
"Your argument is over, please go back to your station."
"Thank you, your Honor."
Lawyer Trickster stepped forward, not even sparing his rival a glance.
"Whew, thank god that ended. I couldn't have survived another second of all that boot-licking." He pointed at his own feet. "Hey, Mr. Knight, since you're so good at it, how about you lick mine as well? Oi, Naruto, are you sure he's your clone?"
Naruto stifled a laugh, but that didn't mean the defeated lawyers did. Lawyer Knight glowered at his enemy, before sweeping his gaze over the other clones who stopped laughing the moment they felt his glare.
Lawyer Trickster smiled. "The Trickster class is the clear winner, and it's not even close. I'd like to begin with why I personally wouldn't pick Knight. Wearing heavy armor during a fight, while it may sound like a perfect defense, is only there to slow us down. With Iron Skin and Reinforcement already available, shouldn't we branch out from defensive skills? You saw how fast Gai and Kisame were—we need to be even faster. The Trickster subclass is evidently high-dexterity focused."
Naruto nodded in agreement.
"Furthermore, deception and 'manipulation' of reality itself. There's a clear reference to some sort of spells that would be given. 'Turning the tides of battle' and the usage of 'unexpected strategies', not only does this match your battle style quite accurately, it's the type of battle style that we will require when we face down stronger opponents in the future."
"Are you done?" Naruto asked a moment later.
"One more thing," Lawyer Trickster said. "I'd like to focus on the lifestyle aspect of these classes. What I mean by that is how each subclass comes with a 'way of life' that you would expect from choosing it. The Trickster sounds perfect for Konoha's Number One Prankster, doesn't it? I rest my case."
The spectating clones went into applause for the finale of the debate, before the sound of claps slowly settled down into a silent anxiety as they waited for the Boss's decision.
Naruto calmly stood up, facing each of the clones with a serious expression on his face. "Taking into account your arguments, Lawyers Knight and Trickster, I've come to a decision."
He pointed his spoon at one of the Lawyers.
"Trickster wins."
Lawyer Trickster grinned cheekily. "Was there ever a doubt? Ahh…ramen, here I come!" He bowed like a showman would, before sending a glance at Lawyer Knight. "Good try. But the deck was in my hands the entire time."
Lawyer Knight bristled, his mind preparing some sort of retort, but he left it and just sighed. "Whatever."
The other lawyers went up to console the loser of the debate. Naruto couldn't believe how well the roleplay had worked. Sure, acting like a stone-cold judge was hard at times, but for the best result, he needed to be completely unbiased, or at least didn't show any bias toward any of the lawyers. He was impressed by how well the other Lawyers took their subclasses to heart—especially Lawyer Knight and Trickster, both having channeled the essence of their subclasses.
Well, the decision was to be made now.
I choose the subclass Trickster.
[The user has selected the subclass Trickster.]
[Initializing…]
[Status has been updated.]
Open status.
Name: Naruto Uzumaki
Title: "Stormbringer"
Occupation: Genin of Konoha
Level: LV18
MP: 100/100
Chakra: 2000/2000
STR: 14
VIT: 13
DEX: 13
INT: 8
WIS: 4
LUK: 2
Class: Necromancer
Subclass: Trickster
Attribute Points: 2
That's it? Aren't I supposed to get additional skills that come with the subclass?
[Ding!]
[Subclass-specific skills will be revealed as the user continues to develop.]
Oh well, I guess it all comes down to fighting in the end.
He looked towards his clones. "Where's Lawyer Trickster?"
Lawyer Druid frowned. "He went to get some ramen."
Naruto nodded in understanding. "Did he get any money?"
"…."
They burst into laughter.
[—-]
Naruto looked at the time on a small pocket watch. Noon exactly. I should be there in ten minutes.
Kakashi had mentioned that Team Seven would be meeting today at noon, and even though Naruto knew the exact timing, his makeshift court session had taken more time than he had expected it would. They all knew that Kakashi would be late by thirty minutes or so, so getting there ten or so minutes after the given time wasn't anything to be sad about.
I wonder what makes sensei so late all the time….. Naruto thought curiously. In fact, I don't really know much about Kakashi to begin with. On the top of my hand, all I know about him is that he has a Sharingan and is really strong.
Naruto then promised to himself that he would strive to understand his sensei better.
He finally made it to the location, finding Sasuke and Sakura already waiting there.
"Finally! Just because Kakashi sensei is late doesn't mean you can be too, Naruto!" Sakura exclaimed, clearly annoyed.
Naruto shrugged. "Eh, it was just ten minutes. Sasuke doesn't seem to care, does he?"
"And yet I still came here on time, didn't I?" Sasuke mentioned offhandedly, not really focusing on the conversation.
The blond came closer and noticed what Sasuke was working on. His hand was tightened and was clutching thin air as if there was an invisible ball in his grasp. Suddenly, a crackling noise filled the air as his hand began to glow blue. Light blue chakra emanated from his palm and then took the shape of a ball or a close enough shape. Then came the lightning. Lightning sparked here and there in the cloud, signifying the nature of the jutsu.
Sasuke had a troubled expression on his face as his eyes were scrunched in concentration.
Naruto looked on in confusion. "Why are you struggling so hard? Don't you know how to do the Chidori already?"
The Uchiha's hand began trembling and shaking as the unstable source of chakra quickly became more and more erratic, before completely disappearing entirely.
Sasuke grimaced. "I'm trying to do it with one hand without having to use the other as support as well as reduce the time for charging it."
"Why?" Naruto asked. He had a few reasons why that would be preferable but wanted to know from Sasuke's mouth why he thought so.
"I'm completely defenseless while I'm activating my jutsu. Using it with one hand is going to be a must. The need for a shorter charging time is a necessity."
Naruto crossed his arms. "Well, you don't seem to be making much progress."
Sasuke gritted his teeth but didn't say anything.
"How about a spar then?" Naruto said casually, inspecting his nails.
"What?"
"How about a spar?"
His rival shook his head as if he didn't believe what he was hearing. "A spar, here?"
"Only Taijutsu and weapons allowed—we wouldn't want to make too much of a mess, would we? Unless…wait, it can't be! Sasuke Uchiha, Rookie of the Year, is scared to fight against the dead last?"
Sasuke scoffed. "Alright, Naruto. You asked for it."
Naruto grinned. Ahh…it's so easy to rile him up. Anyways, that's two birds with one stone, isn't that so? I get my practice and hopefully a skill from the Trickster class at the same time. Furthermore, we get to pass the time while Kakashi is saving a kitten in some random alley somewhere on the outskirts of Konoha. So…three birds?
Sakura rolled her eyes. Boys will be boys. Though I guess these two were always like this. She thought with a fond smile. She looked over at the infamous tree stump that Naruto was currently sitting down on. To think that only a few months ago he was tied against it.
Oh let's see. Before I fight I should probably use my attribute points…how about dexterity and wisdom? Naruto thought with a hand on his chin. I barely put points in wisdom anymore…fuck it, let's go with those two.
He looked at his stats with a brief smile before gesturing for Sasuke to start the fight.
3…2…1…
Go!
Sasuke rushed forward, his hands already in the position to take Naruto out of the spar with a single strike. Naruto had forgotten how fast Sasuke was now after he had somehow copied Lee's approach to fighting with his Sharingan. The Uchiha was faster than Naruto, not to the same margin it was between Naruto and Fuu, but still evident to anyone watching from the outside, especially Naruto himself.
But Naruto was stronger.
Instead of equipping any of the clan's Taijutsu styles that Naruto had stolen over the past few months, he decided to surprise Sasuke. His own personal battle style—Naruto Uzumaki's Ultimate Brawling technique. The secret of his infamous technique was to just react to everything with a fully powered punch or kick.
Naruto swung his fist towards Sasuke, his chakra pumping through his veins and boosting the overall speed of the strike.
Sasuke hadn't expected the bold attack outright, considering how it left Naruto without a guard. He had expected Naruto to use the Uchiha Clan Taijutsu that he had somehow copied from Sasuke himself as he usually did.
With no other option, Sasuke moved his shoulder forward to intercept the fist going straight for his ribs.
It hurt. A lot.
If finesse and nimbleness were more of Sasuke's forte, pure and unadulterated strength was Naruto's.
Sasuke was launched into the air from the punch, his right arm tingling with pain from the impact. He was proactive enough to immediately cover his shoulder with an extra layer of chakra before blocking, thus preventing most of the damage. He also had the state of mind to use his other hand to throw some lightning-charged shuriken at the advancing blond, who had no other option but to evade to the right.
Sasuke wasn't sure if using his lightning release was considered cheating with how the rules were constructed, but Naruto didn't seem to care. The Uchiha shook his right arm, trying to bring it back into the fight with some movement.
Naruto smirked. "Did that hurt? Do you wanna give up before you end up in the hospital…again?"
Sasuke rushed forward with a kunai twirling in his hand, letting out an annoyed snarl.
Activate Hyūga Clan Taijutsu!
[Activating… ]
[Skill: Hyūga Clan Taijutsu- Lvl 1 Activated!]
[Usage drains 15 MP Points each minute.]
His skills may seem like some type of jutsu, but they didn't even use chakra. So Naruto presumed it would make sense to use them, specifically the Taijutsu-focused ones. He would be considerate and avoid using Iron Skin and or even attempt to land a Black Flash. He shivered at having to explain what exactly Black Flash was to his ever-curious teammates and teacher.
Naruto parried the first strike.
The second strike was avoided with a tilt of his head.
The spinning kick aiming for his liver was somehow ducked.
And then the blond went on the offensive, thrusting his open palm into an opening that he managed to find after the rather aggressive kick that Sasuke had gone for. That was the advantage of having an enraged opponent. They were faster and stronger, fueled by their anger and adrenaline that seemed to take over their minds; however, they were more susceptible to quick counters and were prone to leaving openings they normally wouldn't.
So Naruto thought it was safe to counter right then.
But Sasuke Uchiha was a pragmatic individual.
Sure, he was annoyed. Who isn't annoyed at Naruto? But he was also used to his teammate's banter by this point, and he did secretly enjoy arguing with the blond.
His third kick was purposefully wide.
The second Naruto was using his palm instead of his fist, Sasuke knew that he was using the Hyūga Clan Taijutsu or at least his version of it. No matter how the boisterous blond had managed to somehow copy the illustrious and well-guarded secrets of the Taijutsu style, it didn't matter. He couldn't have just spawned the ideas of the Gentle Fist from the inner depths of his mind.
Naruto must have used a Hyūga as a reference to copy the style to begin with.
Sasuke didn't need to know how Naruto would react in that instant.
He just needed to know how Neji would react.
Sasuke may or may not have already scanned the arrogant white-eyed boy with his Sharingan.
Naruto's attack found nothing but air as Sasuke twirled past the outstretched palm as if he knew where it was going from the beginning. Sasuke planted his foot onto the ground and pulsed his chakra once before letting his other foot that was flying past Naruto (due to his missed kick) backward and straight into the blond's face.
Naruto reeled from the contact, his body spinning to the left. He used his hands to push himself away from the secondary punch that was released from Sasuke a second later.
His mind raced to find out what exactly just happened. His blue eyes widened in realization before his lips slowly morphed into a grin. Tricking me like that, huh? So we're gonna play dirty? Alright, Sasuke. Let's play your game. Never stoop low with a street boy—they'll go to places you didn't think were possible to one-up you.
He clutched the right side of his face which was now sporting a red implant of a sandal, as well as some dirt. Ugh, that actually hurt a bit. Naruto tapped the ground underneath him. It's still somewhat damp from the rain yesterday. Did it rain again last night? I'm not too sure, maybe.
Sasuke ran into the fray, his previous success giving him more confidence than before.
Disable Hyūga Clan Taijutsu.
Naruto kicked the ground below them with a heave of his foot, uprooting all of the grass and leaving a bunch of dirt flying into the air. The wetness of the soil made it easy to bring up as much as he could into the air, completely blocking the vision of Sasuke without the need for any jutsu. The unfortunate after-effect, however, was that Sasuke was partially covered in still muddy soil.
Sasuke threw a blind fist forward, hoping that he would make contact. Naruto caught the fist and pulled it towards him, using his rival's momentum to throw him over his shoulder. The Rookie of the Year slammed into the ground with an uncomfortable grunt and immediately rolled to the side as a fist went through the ground where he once was.
Sasuke's dexterous hands swiped forward with a kunai while he was rolling, scratching Naruto's legs with their sharp edge. The blond winced in pain but ignored the sensation that went through his lower body. Sasuke was already on his feet and surging forward once more, but Naruto could tell he was slightly winded this time.
Naruto's hands began weaving through signs. "Water Style: Water Bullet!"
However, nothing came forward.
A bluff.
The moment of surprise from Sasuke was enough to disable his attack. Naruto, however, didn't use the break in Sasuke's stride to his advantage.
[Ding!]
[Trickster-Type Skill has been unlocked!]
Perfect.
Naruto grinned. "Let's do this, Sasuke!"
[~~~]
Yo!
Hope you liked the chapter!
I personally really enjoyed writing the clones scene. I couldn't include every Lawyer's argument because it was getting somewhat repetitive, but maybe if y'all want I could edit it in.
The classic Naruto versus Sasuke. When I first started writing I was confused what to do with Sasuke's character and how his interactions would be with Naruto, but I'm definitely more comfortable with him right now.
Question of the day!
What ability do you think Naruto is getting? Remember, this is his first one and it wouldn't be too overboard. I don't wanna spoil but it's *somewhat* utility-based / trick-based rather than something OP. Whoever guesses right gets a shoutout next chapter!
My Pa tre on is back online for those who want to read THREE chapters ahead (chapters 34, 35, 36) and support my endeavor to become an actual author. So if you can't wait for the next update—check out:
P a treon . com (slash) PaladinKaladin
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