Naruto: Veil of Frozen Bones

Ryuu stood in a barren, circular clearing, the dense foliage that typically choked the Land of Fire stopping abruptly at its edge. The earth here was pale, hard-packed, and scarred with old scorch marks and pitted craters, evidence of training far more destructive than anything sanctioned in the numbered grounds closer to the village. 

There were no signposts, no gates. The location itself was the first test of discretion.

Precisely as the tag had dissolved into ash in his hand, a figure flickered into existence before him. An ANBU member with a different mask this time, a stylized porcelain weasel, but the same unnerving stillness.

"Yuki Ryuu. You are on time." the toneless voice said. "Remove your gear. All of it. Pouches, packs, scrolls, custom weapons. Place them in the provided container. You will be issued standard ANBU kit only."

A simple, unadorned black box materialized on the ground between them. Ryuu complied without question, methodically stripping himself of his flak jacket, his weapons pouches containing his carefully maintained kunai and shuriken, and the small, sealed scrolls he carried for emergencies. His entire operational kit. The only thing he kept was his personal attire underneath. He placed everything into the box, which the ANBU sealed with a single touch, before it vanished in another flicker, stored inside a storage scroll.

"Follow," the ANBU commanded, turning and walking towards what appeared to be a solid rock face at the edge of the clearing. As they approached, the rock shimmered and became illusory, revealing a dark, square tunnel descending deep into the earth.

This was a unique application of genjutsu that Ryuu hadn't seen before. It effected one's senses to the extent that even a sensor type nin like himself didn't notice.

The descent was long and silent. The tunnel was lit by oil lamps that cast more shadows than light, the path spiraling downwards. There were no other guards visible, but Ryuu's senses picked up the faint, perfectly suppressed signatures of operatives concealed within the walls. This was a place built for secrecy, a fortress hidden in plain sight.

They finally arrived at a small, reinforced metal door. The ANBU opened it, gesturing Ryuu inside before sealing it shut from the outside. The resounding thud of the lock echoed with finality.

Ryuu found himself in a small, spartan room. It was a perfect cube, roughly four meters on each side, crafted from seamless, grey stone that seemed to absorb sound. There was no bed, no chair, no window. Only a single lamp set high into the ceiling, providing a constant light. In the center of the room sat a low, stone pedestal. On it was a neatly folded grey ANBU uniform, a blank white porcelain mask, a ninjato of standard length and weight, and a basic pouch containing a handful of kunai, shuriken, and several explosive tags of Konoha design.

Ryuu stood in the center of the room, processing. His gear was gone. His identity, symbolized by his own flak jacket and equipment, was stripped away. He was now an anonymous candidate, given a uniform and a mask that erased individuality. This was the first test.

The true nature of this test became apparent as the minutes bled into an hour, and then two. Nothing happened. He was completely alone, in a silent, featureless room. This wasn't just waiting. This was a test of mentality. Would he grow restless? Anxious? Would he try to probe the walls for weakness? Would he meditate, conserve energy? Would he show signs of psychological instability when subjected to prolonged isolation and sensory deprivation?

Ryuu understood the game. He methodically dressed in the provided ANBU attire. The fabric was durable, lightweight, designed for stealth, not comfort. The mask was cool against his skin. The weight of the ninjato was balanced, functional.

Having done this, he did not pace or probe the walls. He simply sat, cross-legged, in the center of the room. He didn't meditate deeply, which could leave him vulnerable, but entered a state of low-level sensory awareness, his posture relaxed but ready. He felt the stillness of the air. He regulated his breathing. He waited. And he knew, with absolute certainty, he was being watched.

In a darkened monitoring chamber somewhere deep within the facility, several masked ANBU stood before a large, one-way crystal pane that looked into Ryuu's cube. Another candidate, somewhere else in the complex, was being observed on a different screen.

"Subject Gamma, Yuki Ryuu," a tall ANBU with a cat mask noted, her voice clipped and professional. "Heart rate is steady. No signs of anxiety or restlessness after ten hours. He assessed the provided gear, equipped it, and immediately assumed a state of low-level readiness."

A broader-shouldered ANBU with a bear mask grunted. "Good instincts. Most new candidates fidget or become anxious and start inspecting the room at this point. It shows impatience, a lack of discipline for deep-cover observation missions. This one is… patient."

"The reports from Genma-san painted a similar picture," the cat-masked ANBU added. "High tactical acumen, exceptional calm under pressure. He's also the first 'official' Yuki we've considered for recruitment. Lord Fourth has a particular interest in his development."

"Hokage's interest is noted," Bear grunted. "But the tests are absolute. We break them down to see what they're truly made of."

After a total of 16 hours in isolation, the silent lock on Ryuu's door suddenly clicked open. The same weasel-masked ANBU stood there. "Test one complete. Your psychological stability under duress is deemed adequate. Proceed to the next phase."

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Ryuu was led through another series of identical corridors to a much larger, circular chamber. The floor was padded, the walls reinforced. This was a dedicated sparring room. Waiting in the center was another ANBU, this one wearing the mask of a stoic-faced monkey.

"The second test will assess your combat capabilities," Weasel stated from the doorway. "Your opponent is Saru. You will engage him in combat. Your objective is to either subdue him or demonstrate a level of skill deemed satisfactory by the evaluators. Use of ninjutsu is permitted. Killing your opponent will result in immediate disqualification. Begin."

The weasel-masked ANBU vanished, and the heavy door sealed shut.

Ryuu drew his new ninjato, its unfamiliar weight settling in his grip. The opponent, Saru, mirrored the action, his movements fluid and economical. Saru didn't speak. He simply adopted a low, kenjutsu stance, a clear invitation.

Ryuu knew this wasn't about simply winning. It was a comprehensive evaluation.

Ryuu initiated. He didn't charge wildly. He moved in a swift, circling pattern, testing Saru's defenses with a series of quick, probing feints with his blade. The ANBU operative was a master. Each of Ryuu's feints was met with a perfect, almost lazy parry, his blade a blur, his footwork flawless. There were no wasted movements, no unnecessary flair. This was the epitome of ANBU efficiency.

Realizing a simple sword duel would be a losing battle against a seasoned specialist, Ryuu changed tactics. As he lunged forward, he channeled chakra. "Suiton: Mizurappa!"

A burst of high-pressure water shot from his mouth, aimed not at Saru directly, but at the floor by his feet, designed to break his perfect stance. Simultaneously, Ryuu threw a volley of shuriken at his upper body, forcing a split-second decision: dodge the water and risk the shuriken, or block the shuriken and lose his footing?

Saru, with astonishing speed, used the Shunshin no Jutsu (Body Flicker Technique), vanishing from his spot and reappearing behind Ryuu, his blade already descending in a silent, deadly arc aimed at Ryuu's neck.

But Ryuu's sensory perception, honed by months of intense training, felt the subtle shift in the air, the faint pressure of the chakra build-up for the Shunshin. Even as he was firing his water jutsu, he had been preparing.

Without looking, he dropped low, letting Saru's blade whistle over his head, and spun on his heel, his own blade sweeping up in a counter-arc. Saru deflected it with a sharp clang of steel, the force of the block jarring Ryuu's arm.

They were now in a high-speed exchange of taijutsu and kenjutsu, blades ringing, fists and feet flying. Saru was undeniably stronger and faster. But Ryuu was slippery, agile, his smaller frame making him a difficult target. He didn't try to meet Saru's blows head-on, instead using deflections, pivots, and his ice release kekkei genkai to create slick spots on the floor, constantly disrupting his opponent's perfect rhythm.

Ryuu saw an opening. Feinting high with his ninjato, he dropped and channeled a significant amount of chakra into his free hand, weaving one handed signs which left Saru slightly speechless. Finished with the seals, Ryuu slapped the hand onto the padded floor.

"Hyōton: Jisarenhyō!" (Ice Release: Ice-Spreading-Gale!)

This was a new, C-rank technique he'd developed. Not destructive, but tactical. A wave of ice instantly spread out from his palm in a five-meter radius, coating the floor in a treacherous, frictionless sheet.

Saru's eyes widened slightly behind the expressionless monkey mask. One-handed seals? Such a skill was rare, a hallmark of shinobi with exceptional chakra control and genius-level talent.

The frictionless sheet of ice spread with unnatural speed. Saru, caught mid-stride, instantly lost his footing. An ordinary shinobi would have been completely incapacitated, but this was a seasoned ANBU. Without a moment's hesitation, he channeled chakra to the soles of his feet, adhering to the ice just long enough to push off, flipping backward into a silent, perfect landing just outside the jutsu's radius.

The brief moment of Saru's repositioning was all Ryuu needed. He was already moving, his hands a blur. Moisture from the air, now thick and cold from his last jutsu, condensed into his waiting hand. He didn't form senbon this time. He molded the chakra with more complexity. With a sharp flick of his wrist, he sent three perfectly formed, razor-sharp shuriken made of pure, hardened ice hurtling through the air.

Saru deflected them with his ninjato, the ice shuriken shattering on impact with a crystalline chink. But they were merely a distraction. Behind them, Ryuu had already closed the distance again, his ninjato held in a reverse grip.

What Saru didn't see until it was almost too late was the subtle shimmer around Ryuu's blade. As they re-engaged, Ryuu channeled a continuous, fine stream of chakra, and the ice followed, "growing" along the edge of his ninjato. In the middle of a swing, the blade's length abruptly extended by six inches, a glittering, impossibly sharp edge of ice catching Saru by surprise.

The monkey-masked ANBU was forced into a desperate, back-bending lean to avoid being eviscerated. The ice-extended blade grazed the fabric of his uniform, the sheer cold leaving a visible frost line.

"Impressive," Saru's voice came for the first time, not toneless like the others, but a deep, calm baritone filled with professional assessment. "Adapting your Kekkei Genkai for weapon enhancement mid-combat."

He wasn't complimenting to be kind. He was analyzing, categorizing. And then, he decided to end the "evaluation" phase.

Saru's entire demeanor changed. The calm, professional sparring partner vanished. In his place was a predator. He exploded forward with a speed that dwarfed his earlier movements, his chakra flaring, no longer suppressed. He wasn't just testing Ryuu anymore, he was actively trying to overwhelm him.

Ryuu found himself on the back foot immediately. The sheer pressure was immense. Every block with his ninjato sent a numbing shock up his arm. Every dodge had to be perfect, as Saru's strikes left no room for error. This was the true power of a veteran ANBU. Ryuu was skilled, a prodigy even, but Saru had years of S-rank mission experience hardening his every muscle, his every instinct.

Forced back, Ryuu planted his feet on the icy patch he'd created, using his innate familiarity with the surface to slide and pivot with impossible grace. Saru, even with his chakra-enhanced footing, was still fighting on an unfamiliar surface, giving Ryuu a fractional advantage.

Knowing his reserves were finite against such a relentless assault, Ryuu decided on a gamble. He needed to create an opening, one that couldn't be overcome by simple speed or strength.

He ducked under a sweeping sword strike, one hand slapping the icy floor again, while the other formed the one-handed signs for his most complex technique yet.

"Hyōton: Makyō Hyōshō!" (Ice Release: Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals)

The very air seemed to crackle with cold. Nine large, perfectly polished mirrors of ice erupted from the floor, encircling Saru completely. The mirrors shimmered, reflecting not just the ANBU operative, but dozens of slightly distorted versions of him, disorienting the senses. The room grew colder, the light from the ceiling lamps reflecting infinitely within the crystalline prison.

From the monitoring chamber, the bear-masked ANBU grunted. "The Demonic Ice Mirrors. A signature high-level jutsu of the Yuki clan. To manifest it so stably at his age, after this much exertion… his reserves are enormous."

"Focus on the subject's response," the cat-masked proctor chided softly.

Inside the cage of mirrors, Saru stopped, assessing the new threat. He knew what this jutsu was. A disorienting illusion fused with a tangible, multi-pronged physical assault.

As if on cue, Ryuu's image appeared in a mirror directly behind Saru. It was an ice clone, perfectly formed, lunging forward with an ice-coated kunai.

Saru didn't even turn. With a blindingly fast reverse strike of his ninjato, he shattered the clone. But instantly, two more appeared in other mirrors, then three, attacking from multiple angles simultaneously.

Saru became a blur of motion within the icy prison, his blade a whirlwind of silver as he deflected, parried, and shattered clone after clone. He was a master, dealing with the threats with lethal efficiency. But the purpose of the jutsu wasn't to defeat him with the clones. It was to occupy him. To control the battlefield. To force his attention onto a dozen false targets, while the real threat prepared.

The real Ryuu, concealed among the reflections and now standing atop one of the mirrors, focused all his remaining chakra. His hands came together, molding the cold energy. He wasn't forming senbon or shuriken. He was shaping something larger, denser. Instincts and knowledge gained from thousands of clone-hours coalesced. Two identical blades of hardened, translucent blue ice began to form, extending from his knuckles, solidifying into the curved, deadly shape of a pair of sickles. They were no longer crude and cloudy; they were perfect, solid, radiating an intense, bone-deep cold.

Saru, sensing the immense chakra build-up, looked up. He saw the real Ryuu drop from the ceiling-height mirror, ice sickles held in a dual-wielding, downward spinning assault, aimed directly at him. It was a perfectly timed, all-or-nothing strike.

Even Saru was forced to bring his ninjato up in a desperate two-handed block.

The clash of solid ice on enchanted steel rang through the chamber like a funeral bell. Saru grunted with effort as he blocked the fierce assault, the sheer kinetic force and biting cold driving him down to one knee. The floor beneath him cracked under the pressure.

Ryuu landed lightly, his sickles still locked against Saru's blade, pressing his advantage. For a fleeting moment, the young chunin had the veteran ANBU operative on the defensive, pinned.

The Demonic Ice Mirrors shattered, dissolving into a mist of harmless ice particles as Ryuu released the jutsu, focusing everything on this single, final engagement.

Slowly, with a surge of immense physical strength, Saru began to push Ryuu's ice sickles back. He was still stronger.

"Enough," Saru's voice commanded, strained with effort but absolute in its authority.

The pressure ceased. Ryuu, panting heavily, his muscles screaming, his chakra reserves scraping bottom, allowed his ice sickles to dissolve into a puddle of frigid water at his feet. He was utterly drained but still standing, his masked face betraying nothing.

Saru rose to his feet, sheathing his ninjato. He looked at Ryuu for a long moment and then sighed.

From the doorway, the weasel-masked ANBU reappeared. "Test two complete," the proctor announced, its toneless voice filling the now-silent chamber. "Candidate has demonstrated exceptional chakra control, advanced application of his Kekkei Genkai, strategic adaptability, and the will to engage a superior opponent. Proficiency deemed… exemplary."

The word hung in the air. Not adequate. Exemplary.

"Proceed to the third staging area," Weasel instructed. "There, you will meet the other candidates who have passed this far. Await your next orders."