Victors return

With a spherical crack in spacetime Naoki's form would emerge into the physical realm. He would find himself in am empty clearing in Kirgakure, just off the coast and hop skip and jump from one of the gates into the village. Which was exactly where he intended to go and hopefully also when. With the packaged weapon in hand - a weapon that seemed to be some kind of a sword - the deputy Mizukage made his way towards the previously mentioned gate. Once there he would find a couple of Chuunin standing around, acting as a sort of village reception, which was normal practice (to keep a couple extra Chuunin atop the normal guard). In a simple and short exchange of words Naoki commanded one of the Chuunin to inform the leadership that Naoki will be returning with the Chuunin Exam winners shortly. This was done in case the higher ups wanted to be prepared to properly congratulate the two.

There was still a bit of time left so concealing his chakra as Naoki was accustomed to by now the man made his way into the village and found a dango shop to spend the half an hour in. The next 20ish minutes went by rather uneventfully as Naoki took his time to enjoy the sweet dumplings and some tea all while evaluating his life choices and wondering whether he has been a force for good in the world. Once the time was over, he would make his way to the Kage building with the package still in hand. Standing in the plaza before it, the Uchiha man would form a one handed seal and slam his palm into the surface of dirt. A formula would appear on the ground and white smoke would envelop the immediate area. The two Kiri contestants and victors would be called forth from Konoha.

Assuming both of them appeared as expected, Naoki would congratulate them on their victory and provided hear anything they had to say before leading them into the main building. "Let's hear it from somebody more important than me..."

348 w.
[Exit,
348 w. towards mastering Cutting,

Summoned both Asami and Hayate from Konoha]

Laying flat on his back, the sun beating down on Hayate contrasted well with the crisp cool grass against his back.  His eyes were closed, hands behind his head, feet faintly wiggling along with the music pumping through his headphones from his Cassette Tape.  He wasn't exactly happy, per se, but it helped him take his mind (and weight) off of the freshly healed injuries to his feet, in this little secluded corner of the park area in Konoha.

Wait.  This wasn't Konoha.  The sun he had been feeling moments before was actually just a cool humidity.  The grass was hard road.  What in the......

Hayate cautiously, slowly, opened a probing eye, taking in a low view of the streets of Kirigakure and a pair of feet.  Scratch that, as his one cracked eye probed further, a person.  Naoki.  Hayate let out a heavy breath and closed his eyes again for a second, switching off his music, then opened both eyes.  He spun his feet around in an almost breakdance style move to end up in a crouch, with a wince, before fully standing.

"I take it we're heading home."  He said dryly.  Not with sarcasm, he wouldn't dream of it.

WC 204

Exiting with Naoki
204 toward B rank Split Second


EDIT: there is no D rank for split second, it's B

The fire had yet to return to Asami's eyes.

One moment she stood silently in the lobby of a Konohagakure inn weighed down by her overloaded pack and the next she found herself once more surrounded by the cool white shroud of home.  Even the prospect of seeing her parents did not excite the girl in the slightest. Would they even recognize her? With the left side of her face carefully bandaged she did not look like the carefree girl who'd left Kirigakure. Yes, despite her victory, she'd lost something in Konohagakure.

She couldn't even look in Hayate's direction and instead chose to follow the deputy kage in silence. She'd washed her hands at least a thousand times and yet they still felt sticky with blood—Hayate's blood.


[Exit]

Approved